Tonight's Dinner!

Stuffed mushrooms, Lean Beef meatballs and Quinoa Mac and Cheese! Check it out here and follow me on Pinterest!

Inspired by Nonna :)

So we went to my Nonna's yesterday and as usual there was tons of food. My dinner tonight consists of some inspiration to lighter versions of Nonna's
 lunch:

Chicken roll ups made with a small piece of Fat Free Kraft Singles and a piece of cold cut, baked in the oven.
Rolled Zucchini and Eggplant rolled with a 1/2 tsp of fat free cottage cheese and a piece of Italian sausge.
The Bruschetta on a whole wheat pita was my own, lol.

So my 1 month Gooldife membership ran out and I renewed renewed but it's valid starting February 4th. That means a week no gym! :( Hope I don't go back to my old ways and get lazy lol.

23 More Weeks!

So my cousin, Steph is getting married July 7th. That means 22 weeks to get in shape! I am making myself a goal: 20lbs before the wedding! Can I do it?!

Look at those GUNS!

Ok, so for the last week I haven't lost any weight and I've been feeling a little down. I actually gained a pound over night! This confused me because I feel like my clothes are fitting better. A few people I was talking to it about said "oh you're probably just gaining muscle". I've heard that a million times before but this time I think I believe it. This is new! I found a muscle! Look at it! Isn't it cute? ;) lol



Cauliflower Soup!

1-2 boxes of low sodium chicken stock (I just used water and a boullion cube)

1 large cauliflower (chopped)

1/2 log of goat cheese (I didn't have any so I used light Philadelphia Cream Cheese)

Black cracked pepper

Boil chicken stock.

When it starts to boil, throw in chopped cauliflower.

Boil until soft.

When soft, remove from heat.

Blend until smooth.

Put in half  of the goat cheese.

Add pepper to taste.

Top with a little more goat cheese.

Voila! Delicious!

Me Today...

Tonight's Dinner

Salad with sunflower seeds and Greek dressing, two hard boiled eggs,two slices of rice bread with imitation crab salad. Yum!

:-(

Why can't I break this 230 lb mark? :-( Been here for about a week now...

An Okay Day :P

Hello everyone! Had a an okay day today. The dizziness is a little better, my knee stills hurts and my dog destroyed my glasses while I was out today...but , a decent day, lol.

Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast:
Kashi GoLean (1 cup)
Skim milk (1 cup)
Banana

Lunch:
1/2 cup of quinoa
tuna-bean burger
salad with fat free, sugar free dressing

Snack:
Grapes
Banana

Dinner:

1/2 cup of brown rice with oyster sauce, chicken breast and vegetables (red and green peppers and onions)

The ohter day, I posted about my reward system and I said that once I hit 200lbs, if I wasn't engaged yet, I'd buy myself a nice ring :) This is the one I want...


You like? :) I wanted one that shows the my new-found love for myself (hence the hearts, lol). One that reminds me that I love myself enough to take care of myself. Also, something I can look down at and be reminded about how far I've come. I really hope I can get down to that weight soon :) Only 30lbs to go!

Tuna-Bean Burgers

Joe's Creation...


Tuna Bean-Burgers! lol We were going to make tuna burgers tonight (a Todd-Luciani) household fav, but Joe suggested we add a can of beans... So we did, lol. Yummmm!
1 can of black beans
2 cans of drained tuna
2 eggs, breadcrumbs
1 tsp of cumin
garlic, salt, pepper
The rest of our dinner includes quinoa and brocolli with a Kraft single slice.

Today my good knee has been bothering me :S Not sure what I did to it but its cracking and feels twisted. I've also been having some crazy dizzy spells again. Likely from my low blood pressure. I have some supplements that Dr. Som gave me last time for it, I better start taking them again. Going to the gym with Joe's mom again tomorrow, should be fun! :)

Updated Reward System

Recap on my reward system:

240lbs - New jeans!

230lbs - Pedicure

220lbs - LuluLemon sweater

210lbs - Bench sweater or jacket

200lbs - A ring with white gold and diamonds :)

180lbs - New swim suit (2 piece?)

160lbs - Trip! Europe or NYC. Depending on the finances, lol.

New reward system:

240lbs - New jeans!

230lbs - Pedicure

220lbs - LuluLemon hoodie

210lbs - Laser hair removal

200lbs - A ring with white gold and diamonds (If I am not engaged by then, lol) If I AM... A new tattoo :)

180lbs - New swim suit (2 piece?)

160lbs - Trip! Europe or NYC. Depending on the finances, lol.

If you recall, I received my Lululemon sweater as a hand-me-down from Heather just before I hit 220lbs. It is the "yoga-material". When I was there last, I tried on the heavy sweater material and I can finally fit into a size 12! :) So THAT is my new 220lbs goal.

I quite a few Bench sweaters so I have changed my 210lbs goal to laser hair removal. Haven't decided where though, lol. My 200lbs reward is explained, lol.

Yay!!! I've lost 177 lbs!!!

...Ya, I wish! Imagine my surprise when I got on it with my eyes half open! lol. Pretty sure my scale is having technical difficulties lol. I'm hoping it's just the battery...

Jillian Michaels

Although Jillian Michaels tells it like it is and she may seem like a bitch sometimes, I think it's what people need to hear. I found some quotes from her that I need to remember to look to when those plateaus and frustrations hit. Here it goes...

"Transformation is not five minutes from now; it's a present activity. In this moment you can make a different choice, and it's these small choices and successes that build up over time to help cultivate a healthy self-image and self esteem."

"Unless you puke, faint, or die, keep going!"

"Visualize what you want out of life and think big. Don’t feel undeserving. We're all deserving of living our dreams—some of us realize it and some don't. You’re not doing anyone any favors by living small. Embrace these truths and step up. The world is waiting."

"Failure is all a matter of perspective. Think of all the people you admire. I guarantee you they all failed at one time or another. The key is to recognize setbacks for what they really are—entry points for learning, not validation that you aren’t good enough. After a disappointment analyze your actions, get feedback from friends, and take inventory of what you could do better next time. This type of self-reflection and improvement will ultimately make success inevitable."

Apple-Cinnamon, Gluten Free HEALTHY Muffins!

Apple-Cinnamon, Gluten Free HEALTHY Muffins!
 


2/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup of brown rice flour
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1é4 cup of raisins ( didn`t have that much so I added sunflower seeds as well. Added a nice crunch :))
2 tbsps of honey (I used agave nectar)
1 tbsp of sugar (I used Splenda)
1 tbsp of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together until smooth.
Put in muffin liners or greased muffin tin.

Bake for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

My boyfriend loves my muffin, lol

Ahhh, the Weekend! :)

Here is the breakfast I made for Joe and I this morning:

Omelet turned scarmbled eggs lol

2 eggs + eggwhites, peppers, onions and sausage 

2 slices of rice bread with Greek Yogurt spread

Made sushi for dinner:

California rolls...


...and Sausage Sushi! lol grilled peppers and onions, sausage and BBQ sauce...Mmmmm...

My Week of the Gym!

Yes people! I must celebrate! I went to the gym every day this week! Monday to Friday! I started charting it on our calendar. I'm a very visual person, lol. I circled all the dates in yellow :)



Today we had a Professional Development conference so the ladies and I went to grab lunch at the mall. I ate a 6" chicken breast sub with lots of veggies and light mayo :) When I was the gym, the Food Network was on (ya, I know eh? lol) and even though I had my iPod playing, I noticed the chef on tv was making Shepherd's Pie. Mmmmm, I haven't had Shepherd's Pie in ages...until today that is ;)

My Shepherd's Pie...Lightened up!

Ground chicken, lots of vegetables and mashed yams :) Soooo good!!!!

Hello Thursday!

It was a pretty great Thursday today :) It snowed so the children at school had an awesome time outside, I was able to beat temptation in the staff room today too! There was a huge cake and pizza for staff from the principals. I was even able to grab two pieces and take them home for Joe :)
I went to the gym every day this week and I plan going tomorrow too. Trying to get over this slight hump. Next week I think I will go back down to three days per week. On the way to the gym I got rear-ended but the damage wasn't bad so I told the girl not to worry about it. It felt good to be nice to someone, haha! Tomorrow is a P.D. Day at school so I will be sitting in a conference room all day. I better bring some snacks to keep me sane!

Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast:

The usual!!!

Kashi GoLean (1 cup)

Skim milk (1 cup)

Strawberries (3)

Lunch:

Salad with the fixins

Spelt wrap

Chicken breast

Light mayo

Snack 2:00pm:

Grapes

Snack 5:00pm:

Apple

Dinner:

Ground chicken meat balls

Brocolli with a tsp of margarine

Roasted yams and onions

Ketchup :)

Delish!!!

Me: 1, Stress: 0!

Hello everyone!

So I had a pretty good day today except for a few work things and the fact that my brand new phone is a piece of crap. Trust me, I was thisclose to ordering a pizza! lol Anyways, I got through it and ate very well today. Before I tell you about my meals today, I forgot to share my new find...

Spelt tortillas! Wheat free (not gluten free) and they are actually decent! I'm so excited! I used to buy these ones from Fiddleheads but they just didn't hit the spot.

Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast:

Kashi GoLean (1 cup)

Skim milk (1 cup)

Strawberries

Lunch::

Rice noodles with pesto (1 cup)

Chicken breast

Brocolli

Fat Free Kraft Singles (2)

Snack: (Before tutoring)

Fat Free Yogurt

Strawberries

Snack: (Before the gym)

Apple

Dinner:

Quinoa (1/2 cup)

Stir fry veggies

chicken breast

Tomorrow for lunch I will have chicken in a spelt wrap with a salad... Mmmm...

My Meals Today

My lunch! 

Chopped chicken breast cooked in salsa, chopped quinoa/black bean burger, fat free Kraft Single on a Spelt tortilla.

My dinner!

1 cup of rice noodles with pesto sauce, chicken breast, onions, peppers and mushrooms!

I Want This!

Can someone please buy this for me, lol

The Brita Water Bottle!

 http://www.brita.com/products/filtering-bottle/brita-bottle-aqua/

Quinoa Burgers

So tonight I attempted Quinoa Burgers. They turned out pretty good! Must be served warm though... with a square of fat free Kraft singles, lol.

Here is the website I got the recipe from:
http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2012/01/04/loaded-quinoa-veggie-burgers/

Here is my attempt :)

Here is my dinner:

Salad with all the fixings :), chicken breast baked in salsa and with a 3/4 slice of fat free Kraft Single and quinoa burger with 1/4 slice of fat free Kraft Single. I`m feeling prrrrrrretty satisifed :)

Mmmm... New Healthy Dips!

Just wanted to share this new dip Laura found! It's at Sobey's, it's healthy and it's delicious! 45 calories per 2 tbsps, and 2 grams of fat! I tried this one "Artichoke & Asiago", but there was "Crumbled Feta", "Cucumber" (which I'm guessing was like a Tziziki sauce) and Laura said at the Sobey's in Brampton, there was "Jalapeno". Mmmm... ate 2 tbsps with 8 rice crackers.

Tonight's Dinner

Stuffed peppers: Onions, garlic, salt and pepper, peppers, mushrooms, ground chicken and brown rice.

First time making them and they were amazingggggggg...

Sushi Night with Laura

Laura came down tonight and we attempted to make sushi! We made Califorina rolls with crab, one with shrimp and one with chicken. For amateurs I think we did an awesome job! Oh, and we also put on some Roasted Red Pepper dip...Mmmmm..... Made sure I drank at least a litre of water after, lol

A Work In Progress...

Gluten: What You Don`t Know Might Kill You...

Here is a great article about gluten and why many of us need to avoid it...

Gluten: What You Don`t Know Might Kill You...

Top 15 Healthy, Trendy Foods for 2012

Great article I found about this years most healthy and trendiest foods...

Top 15 Healthy, Trendy Foods for 2012

Down 5lbs in 4 days!

Hi everyone! Hope you all had a great week! I am feeling great today because I am down another pound since Monday. That's 5 lbs in 4 days! Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast:

Kashi GoLean (1 cup)

Skim milk (1 cup)

Apple

Lunch:

@ Pita Pit!

Chicken Souvlaki Pita with lots of veggies and light mayo

Snack:

Yogurt

Strawberries

Dinner

California roll (9 pc)

and...

a yummy and filling salad :)

After work today I went to the gym and then grocery shopping and bought a lot of veggies. I even bought a few new things to use this week:

Butternut squash to make a soup

Avocado, cucumber, crab, roasted seaweed and sushi rice... to make sushi lol

Lots of green peppers to make stuffed peppers later this week (keep ya posted)

Happy Friday, errbody!

Crunchy Chick Peas

Yummmmm...

Crunchy Chick Peas:

Can of chick peas, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
salt, pepper and other seasonings (I used Barbeque Spice)

Toss chick peas in oil and spices and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until crunchy :)

Joe enjoying some crunchy chick peas :)

Day 4 and Still Going Strong...

Good evening, everyone!
Another successful day :) Here is what I ate today:

Breakfast:
Kashi GoLean (1 cup)
Skim milk (1 cup)
forgot to grab a fruit :(

Lunch:
Left over cabbage, rice noodles and shrimp from yesterday

Snack:
Yogurt
Strawberries

Dinner:
A huge and delicious salad! Chicken breast, lettuce, Craisins, almonds, sunflower seeds, olives, dressing

Trust me, that's a huge serving bowl and I ate the whoooooole thiiiiiing, lol

Working My ASS Off!

Hurray for another successful day and down another pound this morning! Today I ate well, went to the gym and made another healthy concoction, lol. Here is my plan for the day:

Breakfast:
Kashi GoLean (1 cup)
Skim milk (1 cup)
Banana

Lunch:
Lentil concoction from yesterday
Salad (same as yesterdays)

Snack:
Yogurt
Strawberries

Dinner:
1/2 cup rice noodle
Shrimp
Cabbage, spinach, baby bok choy, onions, garlic

Delish!

So I bought my first cabbage a few weeks ago and I am in love. They are super cheap and I spread out one cabbage to work for three different meals! So versatile and yummy :) Did the same routine at the gym today although Joe`s mom wasn`t able to join me. Anyways, until next time! (...probably tomorrow :))

I Feel Amazing!

I feel amazing today! Day 2 of my born-again lifestyle, lol. Checked the scale today, (because I am a scale-whore) and I'm down 3 lbs! Today was another successful day. Ate some delicious, healthy and filling food and actually excited for the gym tomorrow! (I know, who is this girl? lol).

Breakfast:
1 cup of Kashi GoLean
1  cup of skim milk
1 banana

Lunch:
Chicken breast
Broccoli
1/2 cup of brown rice
Low sodium soy sauce
2 Fat Free Kraft Singles

Snack:
Yogurt
Strawberries
Gluten Free Banana Muffin
This was my dinner tonight. A concoction of onions, garlic, salt, pepper, cabbage, broccoli, brown rice, ground chicken, peas, lentils and tomato sauce. Delish! *muah!*

Decided to have a nice salad at "dessert". Dr. Som, (who I should really make an appointment with) would be so proud). Lettuce greens, fat free-sugar free-calorie-free dressing, sunflower seeds, almonds and Craisins. Mmmm...



Day 3 tomorrow! Wish me luck! Joe's mom will be joining me at the gym tomorrow. Should be fun :) 

Reality Check!

Good evening everyone! I have something that I need to confess and it is really hard and depressing for me to say but I feel like I need to be totally honest with you. As you all know, I have been finding the last few months really challenging with the holidays and whatnot but I decided that today was going to be the day I go super strict again. I weighed myself the morning and it looks like I have gained 10 lbs within the last few months. I altered my weight tracker to show my new progress. It honestly makes me sick to my stomach to think about now badly I let myself down. On a lighter, and much more positive note I now feel as motivated as ever! Ate super healthy today, took my vitamins and worked my ass off at the gym. I did 5 minutes warm up on the stationary bike, about 30 min on the strength training machines and 20 minutes on the treadmill. On the treadmill I walked 5 minutes, then walked/ran 1 minute alternating for 10 minutes then walked the last 5 minutes. I felt awesome after :)

This was my lunch today:

1/2 brown rice, low sodium soy sauce, steamed brocolli

My dinner for tonight:

1/2 cup brown rice, chicken breast, steamed brocolli and 1 fat free Kraft single slice

My lunch tomorrow:

1/2 cup brown rice, chicken breast and steamed brocolli

I just realized how boring this looks but surprisingly I am doing ok, lol. I ate my typical Kashi GoLean cereal, milk and a fruit this morning and kept my energy up with some snacks; clementines, almonds, apple sauce.

Back to the Gym!

Hello everyone! So I had a pretty good day eating-wise and I made it to the gym! (Yay!) I did 5 min on the stationary bike to warm up, a strength training circuit and 20 min of treadmill. I was even able to get back to running! I did one minute walk, one minute run for the whole 20 minutes. I was exhausted! Hoping to have a great day tomorrow too! :)

Kristina's Chicken Cacciatore!

Ok so I invented a dish tonight which turned out delicious and super healthy! I have no idea what chicken cacciatore is, but it sounds like it could be a variation of what I made.
Don't mind the picture. It was actually more saucy. This is after It had cooled down for an hour, lol.

Kristina's Chicken Cacciatore!



Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions
salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves
1 green pepper
frozen peas and carrots 
(any vegetables you want to add)
1 cup of tomato sauce with water (or until pan is covered)
6 oz chicken breast
1 can of lentils
1 cup of quinoa

Heat up oil on medium heat and throw in chopped onions, garlic salt and pepper.
When they have softened, add peppers (and other vegetables)
Add chicken breast.
After chicken breat has been cooked add lentils, quinoa and tomato sauce.
Simmer for about 30 min.

Enjoy!