These are a few of my favorite things...

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great Christmas with your family. Chris and I enjoyed ours very much! There were tons of laughs, food and football!

So for my last blog for this year I decided to share some of my favorite things. Hope you find it helpful and make sure to try some of these out!

These are a few of my favorite things..

Veggie Straws- These are a great substitute to French Fries. I eat these when we cook turkey burgers or when you only have time to throw together a quick sandwich. They are low in calories and a great snack!
Crystal Light Fiber- I have fallen in love with Crystal light drink packets. But especially with the fiber ones. It has a great flavor and making sure you have enough fiber in your diet is so important! But it's not always easy to know. Just drink 1-2 of these and you will notice a difference!
Greek Yogurt- I LOVE sour cream and love to cook with it- I now use this as a substitute and it's great! It is very similar in flavor and with a fraction of the calories. I also love the flavored kind as well. They make a great afternoon snack.
Fiber One Snack Bars- Sweet tooth anyone? This is the perfect snack for when you are craving a candy bar! It only has 90 calories and also packs in the fiber that your body needs. You can't go wrong with these..but remember...only have one!
Turkey Bacon- I am a sucker for bacon! What I love about turkey bacon is you can have two pieces and not feel bad about having them. The flavor to me is actually better than regular bacon. And it's only 70 calories for two pieces.
Egg Whites- First of all they are lower and calories and second of all...They are so much easier to cook. You just pour them into the pan and you are good to go!

Jillian Michael's Yoga 30 day shred video's- These videos are for all of you who say you don’t have time to work out… You have no excuse now. These videos are only 30 minutes long and have different levels. She has different videos out there as well. Pick one up and get ready to see results!!

Myfitnesspal.com- I can not stress enough on how much this website changed my life! If you are serious about losing weight you need to sign up for this now. It is completely free and completely worth it. This website and phone app will show you just how many calories you are really consuming. It is simple and easy to count your calories when you have an app like  this. I have lost 35 pounds and my family and friends around me have lost over 150 pounds. IT WORKS!

There are so many other "favorite things" but this is all I have for now....I will try and add more as I think of them.

With the New Year coming up start thinking of lifestyle changes you are going to make. I already have mine... I'm going to join a running club for 2012 and push myself to get back into my running routine that I loved so much. I wish you all a Happy & Healthy New Year!

-Heather

A Sweet Treat!

Like many of you... I am addicted to Pinterest! I love finding so many healthy and unhealthy recipes! I found one on there and did a little tweaking. It's not necessarily "healthy" but it is a low calorie sweet treat!

Spiced White Chocolate Chip Pastries

Reduced Fat Croissant Rolls
Pumpkin Spice Marshmallows
White Chocolate Chips

So Simple... Are you ready??


Separate the triangles and put 2 marshmallows in each croissant and about a teaspoon of the white chocolate chips. Roll the croissants up and stick them in the oven! (I made sure that the inside ingredients were wrapped up tightly so they wouldn't bake out as easily)  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes(Depending on oven)

I made one batch and left them in for a little too long so some of the inside mix baked out. The second batch I pulled out right in time for some mouth watering desserts! Chris loved these! They are about 120 calories per croissant. Not too bad! I had two and didn't feel guilty for consuming only 240 calories for a yummy dessert! You could also switch the ingredients around and try regular marshmallows with chocolate chips or the chocolate marshmallows with white chocolate chips.

These would be a great treat over Thanksgiving! Give it a try!!

Before and After



I



Chris and I celebrated our 1 year Wedding Anniversary last month. We went to OKC for the weekend and had such a great time reliving all of our wedding memories. When going through the pictures we were both in shock about how much has changed physically and mentally. We decided to do anniversary pictures because of the physical changes we have made. I thought I'd post some of our wedding and anniversary pictures! I can remember the feeling I had at the time of our wedding. When it came to my weight I wasn't satisfied. I did lose 20 pounds before the wedding, which was rewarding. But it still wasn't where I wanted to be. I truly thought that I'd be at 150 for the rest of my life. I didn't feel like my body would lose anymore. I would make excuses like... That's what happens when you get older or my thyroid must be off. I always gave an excuse and didn't hold myself responsible. It's nice to finally feel in control of my weight and know that I'm the ONLY one who can control my weight. It's a great feeling now! My thoughts on food and exercise aren't like they used to be either. I had a love hate relationship with them both. Now I can eat without constantly doubting my decisions and exercise has become something I enjoy and not a chore. Life has changed in great ways! I love seeing our transformation in these pictures! It keeps me motivated to continue on our new healthy lifestyle!

Here are a few of my favorite recipes! I have had people ask me what I cook for dinner so I'm going to be adding a few as I have time. I have a few recipes in some of my earlier blogs as well. If you have a dish that you love but it too high in calories let me know and I'll try and recreate it to be healthier! Hope you enjoy. Also, I rarely use measuring cups or spoons so some of the measurements are a guess! So make any adjustments that you like to suit your taste buds :)

Mushroom and Dijon Chicken

1  Chicken Breast(fillet for two pieces)

Half of an onion

Half of a red pepper

Half a carton of mushrooms

1 teaspoon of Mustard

Low calorie shredded cheese(pick the best they have at the store)

Place chicken on low heat in a cooking pan with no calorie cooking spray (yes, they have this in most grocery stores) I season with salt and pepper but feel free to change it up with any of your favorite seasonings. Chop the onion and red pepper. Place the pepper, onion and mushrooms in a separate pan with a tablespoon of the lowest calorie butter(I think mine is “promise” brand-check the labels on all butter and make the best pick) Let this sauté for about 5 minutes or until soft. Once chicken is cooked put a teaspoon of mustard or low cal honey mustard on the chicken and spread over the top. Then place the a scoop of the sauté mix on the chicken. Top with a tbsp of cheese. Place the top on the pan and let the cheese melt.

I pair this with red bliss potatoes and veggies. You can buy the Birdseye freezer kind or make your own. To make your own cut red bliss potatoes in quarters and put in a pot to boil. Once soft drain water and add garlic seasoning to taste and I can’t believe it’s not butter spray.

**The chicken is about 200 calories a piece.

Chicken Stroganoff(Also, tastes similar to a Marsala sauce)

1-Chicken Breast (Fillet the breast for two pieces)

1 can of cream of mushroom soup

½ carton of mushrooms

½ red onion

1 tsp garlic

3-4  dash of hot sauce(I use Pete’s Hot Sauce)

1 tsp parsley

½ bag of wheat egg noodles or any kind of wheat pasta

Cook chicken until done.(season as you like)Once cooked remove from pan and set aside. In the same dish put 1 tsp of low cal butter and sauté the chopped onion mushroom and garlic. Once sautéed add the can of cream of mushroom, hot sauce and ½ cup of Greek yogurt. Mix together add ¼ cup of skim milk to thin out the sauce. Cut chicken into strips and place in the sauce. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta per directions on box. Serve the chicken and sauce over your choice of pasta.

 We like to cook green beans as a side with this dish.

This makes around 4-5 servings

**This is around 300 calories a serving

Weight Watchers Taco Chili (Crock pot)

This is  a weight watchers recipe and is DELICIOUS!!

2 pieces of chicken

1 can of kidney beans

1 can of black beans

1 can of corn

1 can of tomato paste

1 can of tomatoes with diced chilies

1 onion

1 package of taco seasoning

Place all items except chicken into your Crock pot on low. Make sure to drain the corn and kidney beans. Mix together and place Chicken on top. Let this cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Once cooked take chicken out and shred. Place chicken back in a Crock pot and mix together.

This is the EASIEST dinner to make and tastes sooooo good! Only 200 calories a serving and there are 6 servings for this dish. This is a must try!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Tis' the season for this girl to eat every kind of pumpkin food there is!! This recipe is so easy, there is no way you can mess it up! It only has 3 ingredients and it's a healthy alternative. I originally found this recipe on a website and it called for 1 box of devils food cake mix and a can of pumpkin filling. You simply mix the two together and they are the most moist chocolate muffins ever! There is no pumpkin flavor at all. The pumpkin simply takes place of the oil and eggs. 

However, Candice inspired me when she told me she bought the Spice cake mix! I had to try it out. My other motivation for this recipe is my weakness for Dunkin Donuts Pumpkin Muffins. They are soooo good and should be if they have more than 600 calories in them!! I was devastated when I found out this horrible news :( But I no longer have to crave those because these muffins only have 181 calories!! Try them out... I know you'll love them!!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (181 calories)

1 Box of Spice Cake Mix
1 can of Pumpkin Filling
1/2 tsp of Pumpkin Spice

Set oven to 350. Mix ingredients together. You may feel the need to add water or milk, but you will not need it. The consistency is a little thick but it turns out perfect. Spray muffin pan with cooking spray or use cupcake liners. Scoop mixture evenly among 12 cupcakes. Bake for 20 minutes or until light brown. You can stick a toothpick or knife in them to see if they are done. If the toothpick comes out clean you are good to go!

When making the chocolate muffins mix the devils food cake mix and pumpkin filling and
cook the same way.

I did it!!!

Well last week I accomplished my goal...30 pounds lost since moving to Oklahoma! Whoo hooo!! (A total of 50 pounds since reaching my highest weight about two years ago) When I first started this blog I was a little nervous to share these goals because it showed my weakness...FOOD! But at the end of this journey I am proud of my accomplishments and not afraid to to tell people! I've gone from a size 10 to a size 4 and have gained so much knowledge on how to live a healthy lifestyle. Although I say the journey has ended, I know that this is only the beginning.

Don't forget...go check out www.myfitnesspal.com It's the main reason I was able to lose the weight!! It's a great tool to help you get started on your weight loss goals!

Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatballs

I cooked this last night and it turned out great! It's very easy as long as you don't mind to get a little dirty.

1lb Ground Turkey
1 jar of Heart Healthy Pasta Sauce
1 can of Italian Tomatoes
1 string cheese (Mozzarella Skim Milk)
1 package of Meatball seasoning
3 tbsp egg whites
1/2 a box of wheat spaghetti
1 tbsp of EVOO
1tsp

Cut string cheese into 12 pieces. Put Turkey meat, meatball seasoning, egg whites and 1 tsp of evoo in a large mixing bowl and mix together. Section out mixture and roll into a ball. Place a piece of cheese in the center and mold the meat around it. Once complete place in a skillet with 1 tbsp of evoo on low to medium heat. Turn meatballs over as they cook. Bring pasta to a boil and cook as directed on label.  Once meatballs are browned on all sides pour in your jar of sauce and drained Italian tomatoes. Let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Now... it's time to eat!!

This is a very tasty dinner and with half the calories of your regular meatballs and pasta. Hope you enjoy!

Chili

So we've had a little taste of fall and that for me also means getting a cold. As much as I love the weather I sure don't like the weather change and the things it does to my body! Thursday evening after getting off of work I was ready to get takeout and call it a night. I was so tired and didn't want to be in the kitchen. I had a craving for some warm soup or chili and was wishing for a panera to be close by! After pondering on what to do I decided to try a new idea. With all the meds I was on I'm surprised it turned out ok! This is a super easy recipe and takes very minimal cooking skills! You just throw all the ingredients in an let it cook itself. I'm sure you could also put this in a crock pot if you like. I didn't have the time but someone should try it out for me!

White & Spicy Turkey Chili
1 tbsp of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1lb of Turkey Filet's
1 can of white beans
1 can of corn
1 onion
1 bell pepper
1 packet of white chili seasoning
1 cup of water
dash red pepper flakes (optional)

In a pot add your evoo and put on medium heat. Cube the turkey filet's and cook until no longer pink. Add in your chopped onion, green pepper, corn and saute. Once sauteed add your white beans, chili seasoning and water. Mix together and simmer on low for 30-40 minutes. I seasoned with a little salt and pepper and some red pepper flakes.

Hope your family enjoys it as much as we did! Have a great week!!

Also, if you have joined my fitnesspal.com and want to add me as a friend my ID is heddy21.

Typical Week

Here are a couple of things I do for my meals. The calories are estimated on all of these. The biggest thing you need to do is look at the nutritional value on everything you buy... It will be scary for the first couple of weeks. Also, look for low calorie options while grocery shopping, you will be surprised at how many low calorie options are available. Make sure to check www.myfitnesspal.com  before you eat. The whole reason this program works so well is it makes you aware of the calories you are consuming.

Breakfast-
Lower Sugar Instant Oatmeal and a piece of Turkey Bacon (145 calories)
Fiber One Cereal, Skim Milk and a Banana (210 calories)
1 Egg(I like over-easy but you can prepared however you like) Turkey Bacon and 100 calorie English Muffin toasted with I can't believe it's not butter spray ( 205 calories)
100 calorie English Muffin with 1tbsp peanut butter and 1tsp sugar free jelly (205 calories)
2 Whole wheat pancakes with turkey bacon(200 calories)

Lunch-
I eat a lot of frozen dinners for lunch because I work in an office. I usually try and buy Smart Ones, Lean Cuisine or Michelina's light.
If you're on the go try the Southwest grilled chicken salad at McDonalds. Skip on the dressing because the chicken is flavored enough. (330 calories)
Low calorie Sandwich ..Sara Lee 45 calorie bread, turkey or chicken Deli Meat and Low fat cheese. I usually use around 5 pieces of deli meat and one slice of 50 calorie cheese. I use mustard instead of mayo since the calories are so much less. (210 calories)
Grill chicken breast and put it on top of salad greens. Find a low calorie dressing you like..I use ranch sprits which is 5 calories a sprits.


Dinner
Whole wheat chicken spaghetti- Recipe posted below in a earlier blog
Chicken Fajita Taco's- Recipe Posted below
Turkey Burgers- You can find these premade at Wal-Mart (JeannieO) or you can buy ground turkey and season them yourself. Pair up with Kellogg’s 110 calorie chips. They have them in sour cream an onion flavor and salt and black pepper.
Turkey Meatloaf- I buy ground turkey and season like I would normal meatloaf. Pair up with a Birdseye steamed vegetable(Wal-Mart freezer section)
Grilled chicken topped with onions, mushrooms and peppers. Use a dash of cheese to give extra flavor.. I pair up with brown rice and sautéed squash.

Snacks-
Low calorie Granola bars
Fruit
Low fat String Cheese

These are things I do… change them up to fit your lifestyle better. I hope this helps give you an idea of where to start. I'll add more recipes as soon as I get a chance!

Just so you know this works…
My mother has lost 27 pounds
I have lost 27 pounds.
Chris has lost 20 pounds
My dad has lots 10 pounds (Just started the program)
Erin has lots 5 pounds(Just started the program)

So far we have lost a total of 89 pounds! Can’t wait to update the weight loss!!

"Healthier"

As you may notice I use this word "Healthier" a lot on this blog. I thought it would be a good idea to do a disclaimer on this topic... The recipes I make may not be "Healthy" but they are "Healthier". I have found that if you take away some of the things you love the most (pasta, brownies, pizza etc) it's hard to stay on diet like that. I have finally found success in still eating the things I love but changing some of the ingredients to make them a bit better for me. One thing I love about this new "healthier idea" is that I can still enjoy all my favorite dishes! Including going out for dinner. I never knew there were so many options when \ going out to eat. That's where myfitnesspal.com comes in handy. Before I go out to eat I look up the restaurant and see what the lowest calorie items are. I know what I will be eating before I even step foot in the restaurant. And now most restaurants have a healthy meals available. The hardest part is opening your eyes wide enough to see these options. We like to make eating healthy and losing weight harder than it really needs to be. I know that if a nutritionist or fitness guru looked at my food intake and exercise they would probably find many things wrong with what I do. But to me, it's finding something that works for you.. And this is it for me!

Chicken Spaghetti- (Very Simple)
1/2  box of wheat pasta
2 lbs of Chicken
1/2 onion
1 bell pepper (red or green)
Garlic Clove
Jar of Lowest Calorie Sauce
1 can of Italian style tomatoes

Cook pasta according to label. On medium heat cook chicken, take chicken out and cut up in pieces. Cut onion, pepper, garlic clove and place on medium heat with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil and saute. Once soft- place chicken, pasta sauce,saute mix and 1 can of drained tomatoes in pan. Simmer on low heat. And.... Bon Apetite!

I usually serve with a salad mix. I use the light caesar salad from Wal-Mart. I think it's called Market Fresh Salads.
This is such an easy/fast dinner. It's around 150 calories for 1 cup of pasta and around 100 calories for a cup of the salad. Enjoy!

** Please excuse all the grammar errors... And as you can tell I don't write recipes for a living- So hopefully they are understandable!

Buffalo Chicken Strips

Yesterday was the first Sunday game of NFL!! Of course you have to have some wings to go with your football! But they are so high in calories and fat. I tried a new idea yesterday and it turned out pretty good!

Healthier Buffalo Chicken Strips

2 lbs of Chicken
1 cup of Buffalo Hot Sauce(Lowest Calorie)
Hot sauce(optional)
Ranch Dressing Spritz(5 calories a spritz)
Whole wheat bread crumbs

Heat over to 375. Cut each breast into strips a 4 ounce breast should give you 3-4 strips. Mix buffalo sauce and a 5 squirts of ranch in a mixing bowl. Add hot sauce to increase the spiciness. (Optional)
Chris and I like hot wings so I added a little to my mix. Coat the chicken thoroughly with the sauce mix and coat with whole wheat bread crumbs. Once completed place on a baking sheet in the oven for 25-30 minutes. You can serve with celery sticks and carrots.

This is about 150 calories for 4 strips. Not a bad amount for tasty wings!

Hope you enjoy my take on Healthier wings!

Go PATRIOTS!!!

Passing it on

Chris and I were able to visit with my Florida family two weekends ago in Norman. Dad had got tickets for all of us to go see the OU's season opener. We had such a BLAST! I was very excited to show them the new and improved healthy ME! I walked them through what Chris, my mom and I had been doing...(http://www.myfitnesspal.com/) and they have been using it as well. How exciting! A whole family dedicated to becoming healthier! I know they will love it as much as we have, and I know they will see the same results!!

Here is a new recipe to try

Wheat French Toast

Low-cal wheat bread- I like to use Sara Lee (it's only 45 calories slice)
1/2 cup of egg whites
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tbsp of sugar free syrup
1 tsp vanilla

Mix the egg whites, cinnamon, vanilla, and syrup together. Place the bread in the mix and coat both sides. Place the bread on a pan on medium heat. Cook on each side for 3-5 minutes. Serve hot with sugar free syrup.

I paired this up with 2 pieces of turkey bacon.

You are looking at a breakfast for under 150 calories!

Hope you enjoy this! I just made a few substitutions to make this a little healthier. It gets tiring eat the same thing for breakfast. This is a great change especially on a cold morning!

Over the months...

Well it has been awhile since my last post-and a lot has changed...

Chris and I are back in Oklahoma and happier than ever! We are pretty much settled in and enjoying the new life here. We did so much work on our house and can finally call it our "Home Sweet Home"

Another change is I have lost 24 pounds and 3 pants sizes since moving. I have finally achieved my goal weight and I'm very proud and happy!I'll fill you in on mine and my mothers weight loss over the past 3 months...

After the first week of being in Oklahoma my mom and I decided to get started on a calorie fitness program online.(Also, an app on our phones) www.myfitnesspal.com Chris and I were staying at mom and dad's house while renovations were happening at our house- so it seemed like a great time to start and keep each other accountable. We entered in all of our fitness goals and started with what has ended up being a great success!! The first week was tough...We are allowed 1200 calories a day and it was leaving me a little hungry at night...but after the first week it was a breeze. We both have the application on our phone which makes counting calories so easy! You MUST check it out! We learned together how to make healthier choices for our meals. I continued cooking some of my "healthier" dinners for the whole family and everyone seemed to be on board with the new flavors. Along the way I have added new recipes to my cook book! I'll post one later. I have found out that I can go out to dinner, enjoy healthy choices and lose weight!  We started seeing results immediately... Mom and I both have lost 24 pounds each and feel better every day. We have both gained confidence in knowing that WE can be in control of our weight and do it in a healthy way! No starving or diet pills!! It may seem to good to be true...but it's not! You simply need to have the desire to want a healthier life.

I am so proud of my mother...she it s true testament that no matter where you are in your life you can make changes and lose weight at any age. There are no excuses to not be healthy!! Soooo... go check it out!!

New Recipe
Chicken Fajita Tacos

Wheat or Low Calorie Tortillas(Just look at the label and choose the best for you)
2lbs of chicken
1 can of corn
1 bell pepper(red green or yellow)
1/2 red onion
3/4 of a jar of salsa(pick the temp. you like)
low fat Mexican cheese

Cut chicken into cubes and cook until done
Add the onion and green pepper and saute
Drain corn and mix in with the chicken and peppers
Pour about 3/4 of the salsa into the mix and put on low heat.

Warm the tortillas and fill with chicken top, with a pinch of low Mexican cheese. And you are ready to eat!

Side dish---
Brown rice and stir in remaining salsa to make a mexi rice!

Hope you enjoy!

It's not about being "skinny"..

After many years of thinking that being healthy means being skinny... I finally smartened up! It's not about being in a size 0 or looking like the models. It's about treating our body well. We only have once chance with this body. If we can't do it for ourselves we need to do it for the ones we love.

About a month ago in church, I was praying during invitation that God would allow me to continue with my running routine with no injuries and to help me with my confidence when it comes to outward appearances. All of sudden out of no where a thought came to me.(from God) It's not about me being healthy for me, it's about treating my "temple" clean and holy. We can often easily see the black and whites of what The Bible says to do and not to do. But pass over something like keeping our temple pure. Which to me, also includes eating healthy and keeping our bodies healthy.

Hope this makes sense to you as much as it did to me. Please feel free to add any input to this thought.

Tip for the day-
 You can have it all, just not all at once. Meaning you don't have to cut everything you love out of your diet. Just make sure you are having those snickers bars in moderation! ;) I got this from Bethenny Frankel's Skinny Girl Book. It is a great read!! If you want to read it, let me know I will lend it to you.

Hope you all have a great weekend!!

Here we go...

In my "about me" I stated why I am starting this blog. I don't want this blog to come off like I know everything about a healthy lifestyle. Because I am no where near the picture of a healthy person.  I figured  writing down some of the ideas I have might be helpful for me and maybe to others! Keeping a "journal" of new ideas and cooking tips will also help me hold myself accountable.
So enough of this ... Let's get to the good stuff! Today I'm going to note a couple of healthy lifestyle changes we have made in our house. Please comment and let me know what you and your family have done as well. I need some new ideas!

1. No white rice or pasta.
 Chris and I started this over 2 years ago. We were both skeptical about brown rice and wheat pasta, but found that there is hardly a difference at all. There isn't much of a price difference either, so there are no excuses to not switch over in your house.

2.No Soda
 I used to be the biggest Dr.Pepper fan!! I lived on it, so this change was a lot harder for me. Chris didn't drink a whole lot of soda so it was easier him. We bought the drink flavor packets and used this when we needed a little something more than water. We also, make a lot of tea. Neither one of us care too much about sugar so we drink it plain. If you are like myself I tend to only count calories in the food I eat and forget about what I have had to drink. Try to make a conscious effort to cut back on soda,  it will save you so many extra calories during the day.

3. Ground Turkey Vs. Ground Beef
This was an easy change for us. We actually prefer turkey over beef. Turkey is less greasy and has a great flavor. We make turkey burgers and turkey meatloaf (one of Chris' fave) very often. It's great to be able to enjoy a burger and not feel guilty!

Ok, I think that's good for today! Please let me know your tips and tricks...as well as any recipes!

Chicken Quinoa Bowl- This is one I just figured out today!


Ingredients


1lb of chicken breast
Quinoa
1/4 cup of corn
1/4 cup of diced onions
1/4 cup of a red or green pepper
20 sprtz of Ranch Dressing Spritzer
10 Grape Tomatoes


Cook Quinoa according to label direction
In a medium sized skillet and 2 teaspoons of Olive Oil
Put on medium heat
Place chicken in skillet and cook until done
Throw in the onions and peppers and let saute with the chicken
Place chicken,onions, peppers, cooked quinoa and corn in a large mixing bowl and mix
Separate into separate serving bowls and spritz on about 5 pumps of the ranch dressing on each serving
Cut grape tomatoes in half and garnish
Estimated Calories: 350 per serving