Eat Smarter--Healthy Tips & Mini Recipes!

Before I get into my post, I want to say a big thanks to you guys for leaving such great comments. I love that we can relate to each other and I really appreciate your feedback! I must apologize for not commenting back. Though I have good intentions and start to reply while I'm at work, I never get to finish. And POOF! Another week has gone by! Please know you are appreciated =) Thanks! NO FOOLING TODAY!

Now, on to the eats! Healthy eats, that is...

Does anyone else hate deciding what to make for dinner? With so many food delivery options, eating poorly at home is easier than ever! We used to have to drive-thru to get junky fast food and pizza delivery was bad enough. Now they are all available with to-your-door service! Being the Lazy Housewife, I am sorely tempted to call once in a while, but I have resisted. My sons, on the other hand, love this service. Ugh.

And at the end of the week when there's no food in the house, the temptation is even greater to order in or eat out. What's a woman who's trying to eat healthier to do??

Well, here are some suggestions that I am trying to follow. (with some help from PREVENTION magazine, plus my own tidbits)

• Healthy Staples -- keep these on hand for quick meals and snacks:
• Frozen Fruits and Veggies - the first is great for making smoothies or replacing jelly and veg easily liven up pasta or rice (Tara's One Step Further - when fresh berries or bananas are on the verge of turning, cut and bag them up and toss them in the freezer! same for leftover veggies)
• Quick Cook Grains - quinoa was suggested, but I love having oatmeal on hand - it's great with fruit or in meatloaf
• Pass the Beans - great source of protein to substitute for meat, and you know they're good for your heart (haha) (Tara's One Step Further - refried beans are perfect for tortillas or make a great dip all on their own)
• Rotisserie Chicken - this is great fast food, one of my hub's favorites and they suggest turning leftovers into chicken salad which he is a pro at!
• Healthy Substitutes -- when you're shopping, consider these:
• Better Bread - whole grain is better for digestion with fiber, plus most have more protein, we found one the whole family likes and won't turn back to plain white bread!
• Don't Deli Deli - deli meat has a lot of sodium. Can tuna is leaner (Tara's One Step Further - can chicken is a great go to with lower sodium than my tuna! perfect for recipes, chicken salad, and tossed salads **Super easy RECIPE: Rainbow pepper salad - chop red, yellow, and green peppers and toss with a can of chicken** that's it!)
• Change up your Chips - if you need the salty crunch of chips, reach for tortilla chips made with beans (Tara's One Step Further - I've been munching on Tarot veggie chips lately, they have the taste and crunch to satisfy that craving!)
• Healthy Superfoods (bonus mini recipes!)-- for a boost after a long, dry winter!

• Mashed carrots with honey and cinnamon for a healthy, moisturizing glow (Tara's One Step Further - I've been snacking on baby carrots all winter, a great year-round veg!)
• Sweet potato pancakes - mix mashed with 2 eggs and cinnamon - rich in vitamin A to soften the sting of dry eyes. And I love sweet potato recipes. I'll be trying this soon!
• Oranges for de-stressing - Another favorite of mine to toss in my lunch bag, love those Clementine "Cuties!"

I think that's enough jam-packed healthy info for now! More fun tips and things to try next time!

Weighting -- an update, Keep at it!

Neither sleet, nor snow, nor rain, nor hail, nor weekends will stop me from my healthy eating! But stress? Yes, stress will do it. And getting sick is also a major disruptor to the caring about what I eat... then there's travel coming up... So many things can distract us from a well-intended goal!

So here's my update: I've actually been doing very good! I lost 8 pounds in two weeks, basically eating less and healthier, exercise still takes a backseat to my busy life, but at least I'm aware of it and have good intentions and timers set to try to fit it in.

As far as the rest of the world, here are the top Resolutions of 2017 (not much has changed!)

1. Lose Weight / Healthier Eating 
2. Life / Self Improvements  
3. Better Financial Decisions 
4. Quit Smoking / Less Drinking

Unfortunately, one-third are broken by the end of January, then 80% overall. (from Statistics Brain and Franklin Covey via Answers.com)

These are not good odds. It is soooo easy to slip back into old habits. When you go back to work, you look sadly at your measly lunch, then snack for the afternoon pick-me-up and "What's for dinner?" chorus when you get home. These distractions can gang up on someone trying to lose weight and eat healthier--especially when no one around you is concerned about it!

You have to make it about YOU. Want to be happier with yourself? Is your "resolution" going to help you? Then you have to keep at it to reach your goal! When something is important to you, you will get it done. (wisdom from my dad!) The key is to make a conscious effort to think about everything differently. Experts agree: 

"Unless you first change your mind, don't expect your health goals to materialize." from US News

Though I'm sick and about to take a trip (so easy to eat poorly when we travel!) I'm keeping my goal in mind. Splurging a little is okay, but for too many days in a row--that's falling off the wagon. Gotta manage myself, and here's how I intend to do that:

• Reminders, notes, timers, and the journal sitting out on the counter--these are all helpful tools to keep my mind focused.
• Need a snack? Think about it! How many calories do I have left? I remind myself: fruit and veg are "free" calories.
• Have a drink instead of a snack. Flavored water is very helpful for my tastes and holds the hunger at bay for a bit.
• Keep busy! This is not hard for me. I always have stuff to do. And it keeps me from raiding the snacks!
• Don't stock sweets and snacks you like. I try to buy things my family likes that I don't. If I don't like it, I won't eat it!

How are you doing with your "resolutions?" Whatever your goals--I hope you're having a successful 2019 so far!

#WeightLoss, take 2019

loved having all the boys home!

I'm at it again. And this is definitely NOT a New Year's Resolution. I don't want to make a cliche resolution to eat better, exercise more, and lose weight. I really want to make a life change. And if I keep trying, it's bound to stick one of these times, right?

I know I can do it. Over the summer, I stayed with my plan for a couple of months and lost 10 lbs. Then life exploded and my healthy eating diary got packed up with the rest of the house, soon followed by the holidays and family. Forget trying to get back to eating healthy with all that activity and stress. And that's why most people decide to wait and make changes when the holidays are over. The New Year is a good time to reset life.

So, here's the Plan that Works! for me:

• Write down all Calories
• Start with a Max of 1500 cal/day, then cut back more
• Fruit and Veggies are "Free" - I don't count those calories to encourage myself to eat more of them
• Drink more Water - I start with 16-20 oz/day and add more
• Creative Exercising - burn calories any way I can!
• Stand more at work
• Take stairs instead of elevators
• Park farther away at the store - especially if I need to shop at several stores: I park in the middle of the lot and walk around
• Master the stairs at home - I do 10 flights up and down when I can.
• Keep the house cleaner, or vacuum more... much as I hate to clean!

I'll post updates soon. And I wish you all luck with your resolutions or aspirations to improve!

Let's make 2019 a prosperous, positive year!

Smoothies and snacks!

You know if I’m talking about food, it’s got to be easy to make.

As I’m counting my calories, I have to make easy to grab-and-go snacks. For me, fruits and veg are free. This encourages me to eat better too.

So here’s my process:

1. Buy a bunch of produce that’s good raw: berries, kiwi, grapes, cherries, oranges, apples, melons, bananas, celery, mini peppers, broccoli, carrots, etc
2. Each day, I pick one or two and cut them up then put them in snack-size baggies. Don’t cut it all at once! They will go bad faster. And I suggest doing rasp-/black-berries first, since they go bad quickest.
3. These snack size sacks also encourage my boys to eat more fruits and veg! When they open the fridge looking for something to eat and see the ready to eat baggies, they grab-and-go. And they can tell me they had something healthy, since I do nag them about that...

   

   yes, eating while I write!

4. Now these snack sacks aren’t just for plain snacking. You can eat them so many ways!
• with dips - veg goes with lots of dips or just some light ranch dressing
• in eggs - those mini peppers are awesome in scrambled eggs esp with some cheese, if you haven’t tried it, you should! salsa works too.
• with peanut butter - skip the jelly, use berries, apples, or bananas for sandwiches; and my boys love celery with some pb
• nutella nom noms - I spread this sinful goodness on waffles with any fruit
• in parfaits - any fruit makes the perfect parfait mixed with yogurt and any topping you like, from granola to crushed cereal to cookie crumbs
• with whip cream - whip cream is one of the best things on a diet, low cal and no carbs = no guilt!
• SMOOTHIES - cool off this summer with a fresh fruit smoothie. Take a few of the fruit baggies - and cut up bananas, especially just before they go bad - and toss them in the freezer. When they’re ready, here’s my recipe for awesome, low-cal smoothies:

Sweet Summer Smoothies:

• 2-3 baggies of frozen fruit
• 1 cup lite yogurt
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup lite juice

You can use some ice if you can't wait for fruit to freeze and use fresh. (a little tasty tongue twister!)

Smooth it up!

Happy Healthy Eating!

PS - even with all the travel days, I'm down 5 pounds. Hope this trend continues cause the travel ain't over!

Weight for It...

A couple of months ago, I mentioned I wanted to lose weight. I wanted to "obsess smarter" and make healthy changes that would lead to lasting results. Tara was like-minded, so we decided we'd make our goals public and band together to get smart about out weight and our health. Tara checked in last week with her update and some great tips, now it's my turn! 

Since we started, I've lost 6 pounds. That's not exactly an impressive amount of weight to lose in two months, but as a friend said, it's 6 pounds down, not up. So that's a good thing!

After that post, I got wonderful feedback from you guys. Some great ideas I wanted to share.

Sandy suggested buying ready-made rotisserie baked chickens from the grocery store deli for quick snack and meal fixes. My son loved this idea. Ever since I told him, he's been bringing home chickens for himself. Tasty, healthy...total win.

One of my favorite snacks to make with the chicken comes from my sister who told me to use a lettuce leaf as a wrap. Fill the inside with chicken and a bit of low-fat cheese, roll, and eat.

Another quick and tasty recipe, also from Sandy, is chocolate oatmeal. When boiling the cook and serve oats, add a little cocoa powder. This is actually tasty, even without adding sugar, but a bit added wouldn't hurt...unless you want to lose more than a few pounds a month. LOL

Fellow blogger, Jo Wake, was kind enough to share a healthy recipe with us. Jo  posts tasty recipes and life anecdotes on her blog, which you can read here.

Chicken and Broccoli Rice Bowl

Do not cook broccoli too soon, difficult to reheat

3 cups small broccoli florets

1 (8.8-ounce) pouch precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's) I cooked 1/2 cup basmati up for both of us

1 Tbs olive oil

8 oz skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup chopped green onions

3 oz light processed cheese (such as Velveeta Light), cut into 1-inch pieces, I used a regular cheese which was spicy.

2 Tbs sliced almonds, toasted

1. Steam broccoli 5 minutes or until crisp-tender.

2. Heat rice according to directions.

3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook for 4 minutes or until done, stirring occasionally. Add onions and cheese, stirring until cheese begins to melt. Stir in rice; fold in broccoli. Cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with almonds.

Servings: 3

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 1/3 of a recipe (1 ounces).

Percent daily values based on the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information calculated from recipe ingredients. 4 of the recipe's ingredients were not linked. These ingredients are not included in the recipe nutrition data.

Amount Per Serving

Calories 79.89

Calories From Fat (82%) 65.5

% Daily Value

Total Fat 7.58g 12%

Saturated Fat 0.85g 4%

Cholesterol 0mg 0%

Sodium 159.6mg 7%

Potassium 91.14mg 3%

Total Carbohydrates 2.45g <1%

Fiber 1.16g 5%

Sugar 0.67g

Protein 1.59g 3%

Source

Source: Cooking Light

Healthy Eating Tips - Do's & Don'ts

I am determined to lose some weight.

off-balance!

Unfortunately, I have to start over again since I went on a trip for two weeks! I wasn't terrible, but I was definitely side-tracked. Before I left, I had a good system going and felt better about myself. I even intended to keep it up while I was away, but I had to eat out too often. That's a killer for keeping track of healthy eating!

So here's what was working for me - keeping it simple and easy!

finding the balance

• SNACK RIGHT - I cut up fruits and veg into serving sizes and bag them. Easy to grab and munch on!
• ALSO... When buying snacks for the kids, don't buy stuff you like. Only get stuff they like so you won't be tempted.
• MEAL RIGHT - though it may conflict with your family, try several small "meals," -- this also helps keep you from snacking between. OR time meals so you can eat with your family, but eat small portions.
• WRITE IT DOWN - When you write down calories or other info about the food you're eating, you will eat less! And No Cheating!
• DRINK MORE - Water is the best, but any sugar-free drink will do. And if you feel hungry but you don't want to eat yet, have something to drink!
• WORK IT, GIRL! - Find a way to get in some extra steps. When I feel I need extra exercise, I go up and down my stairs 10 times or more. It burns so good!

Now, here are the Don'ts:

• Don't beat yourself up - making any lifestyle change is hard, especially the healthy kind. Try, try again!
• Don't expect quick results - the older we get, the longer it takes to see a change.
• Don't get discouraged - even if you don't see the results, you will feel them. You should be proud of yourself for doing it!

Got any advice or stories to share?

Thanks for stopping by!

Try, try again

Healthy Lifestyle Update: No comment

I fell off the wagon again, hard. But I’m not giving up.
Some days are too stressful to worry about finding something healthy to eat. Plus, there were donuts at work. I can’t resist free donuts. Poor excuses, I know But I’m weak. I have good days and bad days. So I guess my goal is to have more good than bad, and more good in a row.

I decided I need a solution for this problem if I’m going to be successful - that’s the analytical side coming out. So here’s the contingency plan:

• emergency healthy snacks - baggies of nuts, craisins, trail mix, cheerios - yes, give me some dry cereal! and stash them in my purse. granola bars and nutrigrain bars are good too - just gotta watch the labels, some are more calories than others!
• reach for a water - lots of times I’m not hungry, I just need a pick me up, even a diet soda is better than a cookie or chips
• french fries only once a week - if I have to drive thru (not ready to nix it completely yet, just too convenient) I have to limit the fries, one of my favorite things. At least I always get the kiddie size. Allowing myself fries once a week, I will manage when I can enjoy them - like a reward.

I am proud to say I walked the doggy this week =)
And yesterday, I did a little walk-a-thon for a good cause.
The nicer weather helps!

How you doin??

The best time to start a #diet - part 1

You know DIET is a four-letter word.

that's diet, btw

It's so negative. This is what it means to me:

D - Deny
I - Ingesting
E - Every-
T - Thing I like!

I used to try fad diets. Some worked at first. But you know the story - once you see some results, you give yourself a reward. Then something comes up, like a vacation or Thanksgiving or the weekend! and the diet is out the window.

I don't diet anymore. I've been dieting all my life - never satisfied with my weight. Sound familiar? That's a problem in and of itself - a self-esteem problem that is shared by most women. With age, and child-bearing, I grew to accept my form. I maturely realized I wasn't going to exercise my butt off (ha ha). I chose to spend my valuable spare time on things that were most important to me, like family and writing.

I stayed relatively healthy and not too heavy. Then the Change hit. No one said anything about the 25 extra pounds that magically appear!! And in such a short time! I didn't change my eating habits or minimal exercise routine, but BAM! Here I am about to hit my max weight of dire consequences. This is unacceptable and I now have to do something drastic. But I won't call it a diet...

Time to UPGRADE MY LIFE!

I have four constant goals:

But these goals are wishy washy and vague, and easily ignored or appeased. "I drank three cups of coffee - that's mostly water" or "How many raspberries do you think are in a jelly donut? That counts." I groan at my own excuses!

So I am undergoing a lifestyle change. I have to be serious. I also have to be reasonable with the expectations I place on myself. But most of all, I have to have WILL POWER!

At least I'm starting this undertaking at the best time to start a change of eating habits - SPRING!

In Part 2, I'll talk more about my plan and why Spring is the best time to start it. I decided to go for it on Thursday 3/29, so I'll have a 2-week update on my progress as well... Wish me luck!

Do you have a max weight? Do you diet? How do you stay healthy?

Hope you're having a great start to this Stormy Spring!

Maintain, No gain #holiday #diet

December is the most stressful month of the year. What a terrible time to go on a diet!

Sorry, Annalisa - I mean, make a healthier lifestyle change. Which is really what I know I need to do.

We at the RRHA (and on our Facebook page) have a goal this month - to NOT GAIN WEIGHT DURING THE HOLIDAYS!! We aren't even trying to lose, that would be a bonus!

Every year we eat so many yummy extra num nums that are usually only around during the holidays, then we have to make an empty New Year's Resolution to shed the extra pounds.

So here is some advice for Maintaining and Not Gaining, but still being able to experience the Joy of the Season!

• Smaller portions - There are so many delights, you want to try them all. You can with smaller portions.
• Smaller bites - and savor each one, then you're done!
• Share a plate with a friend - you will eat less because there's less AND you don't want to eat more than your friend! And you both usually leave something on it (You can have it. No, you can have it...)
• Bring a healthy dish to the party! - I seek out something healthy to balance out all the yummy bad stuff!
• Stop eating BEFORE you feel full - Hate that bloated feeling! Your eyes are always, always bigger than your stomach. And if you want your stomach to shrink without a medical procedure, you have to train it to be satisfied with less.
• More fruit/veg/protein on the plate than carbs - Remember to have a colorful plate of food, not just a colorful plate your kid made!
• Be aware of calories/carbs - Take a glance at that box of cookies or the ice cream carton before you take a bite. Sometimes sticker shock can help you turn away. Is that goodie worth ALL THOSE CALORIES?
• Park farther away - Shopping is the best form of exercise. Make it count. Especially in a shopping center where you have to visit several stores. Shop til you drop, then hike out to the car and be amazed and feel accomplished at all your steps!
• DIET is a FLW (four letter word) - 
• A diet is a temporary thing. A healthy new lifestyle is what we're aiming for here.
• A diet is usually an extreme change, a shock to the system that the system will resist - these smaller changes can move you toward better eating habits that you can keep and continue to improve upon!
• A diet usually fails - immediate results don't last
• Once the diet is over, you usually crash back to your previous weight.
• Try it, don't diet!

The above helpful healthful hints could carry you into next year, too. Plus with a little more exercise, you could lose pounds and inches that have snuck up on you!

Are you IN? Join us for daily or weekly or whenever we can CHECK-INS on our FACEBOOK PAGE!

Charts - Military-style Diet

I found a new diet. It looks great too. I even altered it to suit my tastes. It's called the Military Diet and claims you can lose up to 10 pounds in 3 days!

Unfortunately, I'm a huge slacker and monitoring my eating habits takes time and losing weight isn't high on my priority list. I hate that I'm gaining weight like a hippo even though I haven't changed eating habits in years. It's the cursed age. So now I have to make major diet changes so I can have more energy and less mass when it's time to keep up with grandchildren! Time shows no mercy!

So this Military Diet is a little extreme, but it has good principles. I already know what I'm supposed to do, I just don't wanna! Eat more veg, fruit, grain, and drink more water - eat less crap. Same old story! To inspire myself, I made some fun charts...

Here's the blank, if you're interested.

I don't intend to lose 10 pounds in 3 days. I need a complete lifestyle change of eating habits. Counting calories is time consuming. Paying attention to calories makes me feel guilty. But there are many days I wake up and say, this is the day I start eating better. Then my husband brings home pumpkin donuts - come on! I am gradually doing better, drinking more water and reaching for fruit or veg more often... just gotta keep trying to RESIST YUMMY TEMPTATION! Not to mention, exercise more...

If you have any suggestions, I'm all ears!

Keeping the weight off

I’m going to do a brave thing with this post. I’m going to talk about my weight.

I’ve been metabolically challenged since I was about ten. Over the years, I’ve probably done about 80% of all the eating programs out there, with varying degrees of success—usually slow with such plans as Weight Watchers. 

I’ve been quite successful with some programs—How to Lower Your Fat Thermostat (Neuropsychology of Weight Control), South Beach, The Fast Metabolism Diet, and most recently Take Shape for Life.

The odds are not in our favor as far as keeping weight off. I've lost enough weight in big batches to build a large adult male. If I added up all my smaller stints, I'll bet it's equivalent to a small woman.

What makes it come back?

It can be temptations (we eat what we eat because we like the food), or lack of support at home (sabotage by loved ones). Sometimes our bodies even fight us. For example, have you read that New York Times article about the weight regain by The Biggest Loser contestants?

It’s not just discouraging, it’s plain depressing. I have wondered many time why I keep trying. I’m active. I work out. I try to eat right. Why can't I be smaller?

So, I decided to take the plunge and try Take Shape for Life. The thing that encourages me that this time could be THE time is that I have a health coach. She and her husband (a fellow writer), together, lost about 200 pounds on this program, and they’re keeping it off.

The key is the support. I’ve never had much with other programs I’ve tried.

*takes a deep breath*

Last April 20^th, I weighed 241.8 pounds (I’m 5’9”). *cringes* And that's not the most I've ever weighed--that was 249 pounds (without being pregnant). 

As of last Monday, I weighed 191.6. 

**begins rant** Can you believe my stupid body wouldn’t give up that lousy .2 pounds so I could say I’d lost 50!!??! **endrant**

Here’s my before picture next to my current picture.

And believe it or not, I was sucking that gut in on the left.
I wish the one on the right showed my waist (which is smaller than my abdomen--much smaller).

Do I worry that people who know me say are thinking things like:

There goes Donna again. How long will she keep it off this time?

 Heck, I have my own little demon sitting on my shoulder asking me this very question. So, do I fret?

Oh, yeah.

Am I hopeful?

Heck yes! My freaking slip fell off walking to my office last week!

I want good health. I want to be here for my grandkids for a long time. 

Dang it, I’ve got a lot more books to write.

Donna K. Weaver is an award-winning author, wife, mother, grandmother, Harry Potter geek, Army veteran, karate black belt, and online gamer.

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Did I feel a drop?

I'm always trying to improve my health habits. You know the big 4...

1. Eat better
2. Sleep more
3. Exercise
4. Drink water

Most of them come and go, though I do try to be aware and I come up with great strategies to help myself toward these goals of a healthier lifestyle.

Lately, I've been focusing on drinking more water. Here's my plan:

• no coffee after lunch
• only 1 diet soda a day, if any
• the rest is water

But plain old water is plain old boring! So I decided to try some add-ins, or squirt-ins! And they are really helping me enjoy drinking water, a lot!

Do you have any tips for healthier living? I could use all the help I can get!

The Truth About Counting Calories

Yep, y’all get to hear from me one more time. If you haven’t seen the previous posts, I’ve been talking weight loss. Today I’m tackling the hardest subject, food.

When I started my first competition I did everything right, but I wasn’t losing weight as quickly as I had in the past. How on earth could I be religious about 1200 calories and only lose .8 of a pound in a week?

That’s when I came across this video.

I quickly learned what I put into my body mattered more than how much I put in, although that part was important, too.  I decided to try adding more fat, a lot more, and it did wonders to help take weight off. Weird, I know.

Here’s a basic overview of my meals on my strict days. I never exceed 1400 calories, even on days I worked out. I did have one cheat day a week where I ate whatever I wanted. You have to give yourself a break sometimes if you’re going to survive.

Breakfast: One Apple (usually a Pink Lady since they’re tart and sweet) and two tablespoons of peanut butter.

Lunch: Salad with one whole avocado on top (also any other veggies I wanted) with a yogurt dressing. I also had a half an ounce of cheese. I couldn’t be that strict.

Afternoon Snack: Usually about three in the afternoon I’d get shaky from my lack of carbs. No matter what other people tell you, some carbs are good for you. They just shouldn’t be your main staple. I’d have sprouted wheat toast or a non-sugary cereal.

Dinner: Anything low-cal that used either olive or coconut oil. Usually it was something with chicken or fish and lots of veggies. Carbs were either rice or potatoes, in moderation.

As promised, I’m going to pass along a few recipes for dinner that are good anytime, but especially while counting calories.

I’ll start with my favorite chicken or fish marinades, all are great for grilling:

Honey Marinade: ¼ cup Honey. ¼ cup Olive Oil. 1Tbs prepared mustard. 1tsp of curry powder or to taste. (Usually about 4 chicken breast halves)

Balsamic: Taken from The Biggest Loser cookbook. ¼ cup balsamic vinegar. ¼ cup low cal balsamic dressing (I use Newman’s Own.) Rosemary and black pepper to taste. Serve with grilled veggies coated in olive oil and salt & pepper

Asian: (not really a low-cal marinade, but not terrible when put on fish. I usually went without carbs when making this. It’s too yummy not to make.) Link here.

Potato Cauliflower Curry (pic from recipe link)

A few favorite all-vegetarian dishes:
Potato Cauliflower Curry
Grilled Chile Rellenos
Sweet Potato Crust Quiche

No matter what, the most important thing is to not give up! It takes a while for everybody to adjust to new eating. It took me three weeks to get over my chocolate cravings! And you know what? I felt so much better when I ate better. That’s more important than any pounds shed.

Thanks so much for coming over this week, Jennie! You inspired us and gave us great advice! I'll definitely try out those recipes and you've given me hope that I can count calories in a good way, I just need to eat more veggies. Come back any time!

Jennie Bennett is a hopeless romantic. Thankfully, her husband is willing to be cheesy now and again. It’s probably the reason they have four kids. When she’s not swooning over her favorite romantic television shows (Kdramas) she’s writing love stories. Well, in between changing poopy diapers. Her family currently resides in Houston, TX.

Weight Loss Competitions: Motivation for Healthy Living

Huge thank you to everyone who read my last post, and cheered me on! I’m happy to be back today and talking more about weight loss.

From my heaviest weight ever (at nine months pregnant) I lost a total of 51 lbs, mostly thanks to two separate weight loss competitions. These things are great for jump-starting healthy habits, and even better if you’re competitive like me, and looking to shed a few pounds.

Disclaimer: Losing weight didn’t change how I feel, or my bad relationship with food. I still feel like me, but I also feel better.

How it Works
Participants form a group (both of mine were on Facebook.) Each member pays in cash (I paid $20 for the first, and $10 for the second) And the winners get the payout. I made a total of $100 so not a bad return. There are winners for whoever has the most points (a daily checklist of good habits like drinking water and exercising) and whoever has lost the most percentage wise. I won the percentage both times. I also won on points the first time around, but one person can’t win both categories.

These competitions were inspired by the Lifetime Fitness challenge. If you’d like full details of the competition email me and I’ll send you the everything.

What Worked For Me
Not every body is the same. Not everyone is going to lose weight by keeping all the points. When I began the competition, I was rigid about my points. I’m glad I was, it freed me from my sugar addiction (it took a full three weeks to no longer crave it) and it started me running.

I never in my life thought I would become a runner, but now I can’t live without it. I didn’t feel that way until both competitions were over, a four month span.

It was hard. I didn’t lose very much weight in the beginning. I had to try and follow the book until I could figure out how to break the rules to my advantage. It got me thinking more about what I put in my body.

But here’s the most important thing you have to know before starting one of these: After the first competition, I was mess. I ate everything in sight. I didn’t exercise as much. I gained 8lbs in 4 weeks. The thing was over. I won. So that was that. But it wasn’t. That’s why I did the second competition.

The second time around, instead of being strict about points, I worked on balance. I found a way to not feel like I was starving all the time, and still lose weight. The key was in letting myself live a little on the weekends, then being military strict during the week.

I discovered that when I held back, I actually enjoyed the times I could indulge more. That, was the best gift I could’ve been given.

Come back for my next post where I’ll be talking about everything I ate on my strict days, and share a few recipes!

Jennie Bennett is a hopeless romantic. Thankfully, her husband is willing to be cheesy now and again. It’s probably the reason they have four kids. When she’s not swooning over her favorite romantic television shows (Kdramas) she’s writing love stories. Well, in between changing poopy diapers. Her family currently resides in Houston, TX.

Weight Loss Journey (more like a train wreck!)

I can't tell you how much I appreciate Jennie Bennett's posts this week! She's being brave, telling us about her struggles with weight, which I had no idea she had. She always looks fabulous! It's a very common struggle for so many of us. Thanks, JA.

So happy to be on the Really Real Housewives blog for my first time ever! Thanks for having me ladies. I’m not the type to mess around, so let’s get straight to it, yeah?

In Feb 2015 I found out I was pregnant with my fourth child, and it was freedom.

I had a bad relationship with food for a few months leading up to the pregnancy. Nothing new really, I’d been through periods of starvation-binge-starvation many times before.

Finally, I had an excuse to gain weight, and no one would judge me for it. I’d had three other kids before and never a problem losing the weight afterwards. I should have known from the start that was a dangerous road to go down.

The recommended weight gain for pregnancy is 25-30 lbs. I gained that in the first trimester.  Before anyone starts thinking that weight gain is different for everyone during pregnancy, I agree. However, with my other three children 25-30 lbs was natural. I didn’t have to monitor my diet or exercise, it just was.

Turning 30+ and a 4th child was the recipe for disaster, the weight wouldn’t stop. I knew 198 lbs didn’t seem like the end of the world to everyone, but it did to me. I was only two pounds away from my worst nightmare. I was anxious to have the baby so I wouldn’t have to face that number on the scale.

That’s right, my thinking was so messed up I wanted to have the baby for the sake of my weight. After he was born, I knew it still wouldn’t be easy. I was counting on it. What I didn’t count on was that nagging 30+ age thing.

Some weight came off naturally. About 15 lbs. I had gained 45 when I was pregnant. If I thought the self-loathing and my relationship with food was bad before, it was multiplied by nothing fitting.

30 lbs overweight is nothing to sneeze at, but I had no idea how it would change the way I shopped for clothes. I love shopping, I always have. The shops I loved weren’t made for 30 lbs overweight.

It was Feb 2016, and now none of my clothes fit, and I couldn’t buy the clothing I really liked. I was going to a concert and meeting up with lots of friends, and I really wanted a cute outfit. It took me days and too many hours to count to find something. It shouldn’t be that hard.

After the concert, I decided that was the final straw, and I had to do something to change. I was fortunate enough to find the solution in a weight loss competition, where I lost 51 lbs! Weight loss competitions aren’t the answer, but I think they’ve helped me come closer to finding that answer.  If you want to know more about what they are, come on back for my next post!

Jennie Bennett is a hopeless romantic. Thankfully, her husband is willing to be cheesy now and again. It’s probably the reason they have four kids. When she’s not swooning over her favorite romantic television shows (Kdramas) she’s writing love stories. Well, in between changing poopy diapers. Her family currently resides in Houston, TX.

Spice Up Your Camping Menu

I don't know about you, but I have certain favorites when it comes to food and some are meant for specific occasions - such as camping! Other times though, I want to bring something new and different to keep the menu exciting and tummy's happy. One of the new things I brought on our camping trip (that I don't usually think of for camping) was 7 Layer Bean Dip! Yummy!

Now it will be obvious that I'm not super-mom because I bought this from the store instead of making it from scratch. My sanity was at stake! But we do have one of the best recipes for this - which is why I rarely ever buy it. It's so much better homemade! And hopefully there are a couple tips (secrets) with this recipe that you haven't tried yet. If you haven't - you'll love it, I promise!

7 Layer Bean Dip

• 1 can refried beans (mix a little salsa in with this for better texture & flavor!)
• 16 oz sour cream 
• 1 packet of taco seasoning (combine taco seasoning and sour cream & mix well.)
• Guacamole (homemade or otherwise)
• Colby Jack Cheese
• Chopped tomatoes
• Sliced Olives
• Chopped Green Onions

Layer in a 9 x 13 pan in the order listed (starting with refried beans). Chill and serve with your favorite tortilla chips. Easy peasy!!!

This was a great snack to bring out and let everyone munch on. I didn't have to worry about the kids eating candy or junk food and I think everyone enjoyed it even more. We make this for Superbowl parties and BBQ's as well and it's always a hit. Now I know it's marvelous on camping trips as well!

What is your favorite food on camping trips?

Leigh Covington is the mother of three active children and a full time student at Grand Canyon University, finishing her Bachelors in Secondary Education emphasis in English. Fueled by Coca-Cola, she spends the majority of her time watching soccer games or gymnastics lessons, while sneaking in a sweet treat to satisfy her chocolate addiction. She also teaches the youth at church and loves spending time reading a good book whenever she can find a free minute.

Bountiful Baskets

Welcome back Shelly Brown and her...

Bountiful Baskets!

How does my family eat healthy? PRODUCE! So much produce.

How does my family get produce? Co-ops. Bountiful Basket to be precise.

I’m sure that many of you have heard of grocery co-ops but there is a chance that a reader or two is ignorant to the value of such organizations.

Be ignorant no more.

Grocery Co-ops have been around FOREVER. Like I’m sure one caveman claimed to be good at gathering berries and another had an eye for walnuts and they decided it would be wise for them to share. See! FOREVER! But they have had a recent resurgence in the past 10+ years.

Co-ops are volunteer run, non-profit, member-owned organizations. The idea is that you put in your time and money then there isn’t a store that pockets a profit and the savings can be shared among the ‘owners.’ It sounds complicated but most of them have this down to a simple science.

People like the idea of eating local, organic food and cutting costs as well. Why wouldn’t you? But usually with a co-op you can have two of the three of those awesome things. If you have a co-op that is able to hit all three then feel free to mention them in the comments because that deserves some accolades. Bountiful Baskets, the one that I use, is really good at costs and organic but not so great at local.

There are minuses to using a grocery co-op as well.

• They usually have a small ordering window and a small pick-up window. If you are busy during those times then you don’t get produce that week. 
• The pick up locations can be ANYWHERE. Our baskets are on the floor of the local fire station. That might weird some people out. 
• They need you to volunteer. Not every week but it wouldn’t work if nobody helped. 
• And one of the biggest concerns for most people with Bountiful Baskets (and some other co-ops) is that you get what you get and you don’t throw a fit. The produce that comes that week is the produce that you take home. Do you have a family that hates brussel sprouts? Don’t know what to do with jicama? Well they were in your basket so…eat them, share them, or toss them. But they’re yours.

Personally I love this problem. It forces us to eat our rainbow. If my family only ate the produce that I typically bought from the grocery store they would be stuck with boring staples every week. I’m grateful for the opportunity to find out what a diakon is how to prepare it. Maybe I’m weird that way.

If you’d like to explore co-ops available to you CLICK HERE

If you’d like to explore Bountiful Baskets CLICK HERE

Shelly Brown is a mother to five crazy kids, caretaker of five crazy chickens, and wears the hat of children’s book writer at least 5 days a week. Her debut children’s book Ghostsitter comes out October 1st  but you can preorder today on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or your local independent bookseller.