But When Do You Put the Meat In??

3 Ingredient Breakfast in 7 minutes (including cleanup)

2011-11-11T16:42:00.000-08:00

No one seems to have time to cook in the morning. The food industry is well aware of this issue and the market is full of quick breakfast items (bars, cereal, yogurt etc) but the thing is- I don’t love them. I like warm, filling, substantial food to start my day. Oh and I want it to be healthy. Did I mention I don’t have time to cook, or shop for multiple ingredients?
This has led to new obsession- making an EGG BAGEL for breakfast. 3 ingredients- and can be made in 7 minutes INCLUDING clean up. Einstein has one- but you’re looking at 490 calories… read on to learn how to have your bagel & eat it too for only 210 calories!
Three ingredients:
Bagel: Ok fine- it’s a bagel thin :). Let me just start by saying- I’d pretty accepted that bagels and I didn't have much of a future (unless it involved shopping in the plus size section). They’ve forever been one of my favorite foods, but I just “ couldn't go there” except for rare special occasions –I totally ate one the morning of my wedding. At that point the dress was either going to fit, or it wasn't! Anyway- bagels had been a no no, until the introduction of my new morning staple- bagel thins! Weighing in at 110 calories, only 19 grams of carbs- they give me that bagel taste I love without the guilt. My recommendation- choose the “everything” version even though the wheat one is probably better for you. Totally worth it.
Egg: The classic egg, not popular in the low fat days of the 90’s, but making a comeback. With 70 calories and packed full of protein, I've found that eating a full egg, rather than just whites keeps me full longer.
Cheese: Laughing cow light spreadable cheese wedge is my go-to. 35 calories, tons of new flavors (queso is a favorite!) Like spice? Add tapatio or other hot sauce to the cheese for an added kick.

7 Minutes: So here’s the recipe- pop the bagel in the toaster (tip- turn down the toaster! Bagel thins toast/burn quicker than their thicker counterparts), while it’s toasting fry the egg (I like to break the yolk- personal preference) and then spread the Laughing Cow cheese on the bagel, pop the egg on top, cut in half and enjoy an egg bagel sandwich. Easy peasy. And, only 210 calories and it keeps me full till lunch!

Happy Breakfasting!

XOXO

Chel

PS: Key to quick clean up? Put soap and water in the pan right after taking it off the stove- it’ll sizzle and steam, scrub it around a bit, rinse and then you’re done.
PPS: Interested in cleansing? Starting next Friday, I'm try a 3 day juice cleanse to jumpstart me back to healthy eating. This is my first one- so I'm excited to blog and share how it goes! www.coolercleanse.com

And I'm back! And married!

2011-11-10T20:44:00.000-08:00

So, confession- I’ve forgotten how to eat well. I was talking to Brooke on the phone the other night, and told her I had gone to the grocery store and struggled, wandering the aisles attempting to find something healthy, tasty, and easy to make for dinner. Her response? “umm why don’t you print one of your old blog posts and read it?” So I’m coming back to the blog to try and put the pieces together again.

Brief recap of my eating over the past 10 months I’ve gone without blogging! I’m sure you were all dying of suspense over whether or not the food-stressed bride got it together and lost 20 lbs OR if the pressure had pushed me in the opposite direction and I ended up gaining weight before the wedding?

And the final answer is… I felt good on my wedding day. I wasn’t the skinniest I’ve ever been, and I never lost that magical 5 lbs everyone said would drop off the week of the wedding. But I managed to take off somewhere around 10 pounds and it was enough to let me feel pretty, but still look like myself. Ok fine, if you insist… I’ll share some pics :)

So, to get back to the reason I am so food ignorant lately- since I last blogged I’ve gone on a cooking hiatus. First I joined Jenny Craig (don’t judge, it was desperate times). It worked, however I didn’t feel good about the food I was eating. It may have been low-cal, but I wouldn’t call it “healthy”. Following Jenny, Chris and I both did The Fresh Diet, which delivers fresh meals to your door daily. Now THIS is a miracle worker. The food is great, very healthy, and when I followed it strictly, I lost weight (meaning not drinking wine with it). Chris lost over 20lbs on the diet, which is amazing!

So, all of this leads me up to the wedding, October 8^th, a magical magical day, followed by an even more amazing honeymoon in the British Virgin Islands during which I ate, drank and relaxed to my hearts content.

Paradise in the BVI with my husband! :)

And now here I am, feeling like a beginner all over again, helplessly wandering the isles of grocery stores. Now that the weddings over, it’s back to reality, time to just get back to living what I like to call “healthy” normal. It’s enjoying life and food- but minding portions, planning ahead, and making good choices. First step, re-reading old blogs!

XOXO

Chel

Keeping The Faith

2011-01-27T10:42:00.000-08:00

Wouldn't you think there's nothing more motivating than an upcoming wedding to help get focused on eating right and working out? You'd be right. Kind of. It definitely makes you think about it a lot more. In fact I have been obsessively thinking about not much else lately. But it's not motivating or helping- it's hurting.
I have been struggling. I mentioned in my last blog post that I joined Weight Watchers- well I gained 2.5 lbs my first week. Not something I'm proud of. Not a fluke though either- it wasn't the program that was broken.
The pressure of knowing that this big day is coming is getting to me. Food in general is stressing me out. I am constantly battling negative thoughts about being a "fat bride". When this mindset sets in it's easy to forget how much I know. I know how to follow a diet. I know how to eat right. I know how to plan meals and workouts ahead for success. I have the tools, but when I'm overwhelmed I lose this confidence in myself and feel helpless and out of control.
It's hard for me to even write this blog- but in a way it's part of me battling my demons. I am GOING to to do this. And I'm going to do it without hating myself along the way. The point a wedding is not to be skinny, or beautiful. It's to publicly commit to the person you want to spend the rest of your life with in front of your friends and family- a wonderful once in a lifetime occasion. And on that day- the most important thing is that I'm happy inside. And I won't be if I torture myself for the next 9 months. Does this mean I'm giving up my weight loss goal? Heck no. It just means I'm going to work on calming down and focusing on doing what I know, not on instant results. I'm going to give Weight Watchers a shot, really working the program and stick with it for a few months before deciding if it works for me. I'm going to make working out a priority and I'm going to keep my kitchen stocked with healthy options. Most importantly, I'm going to trust in myself and my own ability to make this happen.

My Points Calculator!

So- actions speak louder than words. I started last night with a healthy grocery trip and then this morning labeled EVERYTHING in my fridge with Weight Watchers points. That way when I pick something up-even if I'm grabbing on the go, there's no mystery in what I'm eating. For breakfast I had peach Greek yogurt with a half cup Go Lean and sliced bananas mixed in. It was delicious, filling and only 5 points. (I get 30 per day). Midmorining snack will be a TJ's mini fiber muffin (2pts) Lunch will be a sandwich thin with turkey, cheese, lettuce and mustard (7pts) afternoon snack of either one of my think thin mini bars (3 pts) or an apple and laughing cow cheese wedge (1pt). Dinner tonight will be a chicken salad (6), because I've got book club and I want to save room for a glass of wine (4pts) and a few appetizers(3-5)pts.
So there it is. Not crazy, just smart balanced eating. Managing my mindset. I know I can do this.
XO
Chel

Big News! (and Operation Beautiful Bride...)

2011-01-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

SO HAPPY!!

I'm ENGAGED!! I am so incredibly happy to share that Chris proposed on New Years and I said YES! If you've read the blog for a while, you'll see mentions of Chris pop up quite a bit. There has never been a day he didn't support me, tolerate me, or motivate me along my healthy living journey and I am so lucky and excited to share the rest of my life with him.
SHORT version engagement story (for the girls): We were flying to Denver for a fun New Years Eve weekend, and final Chargers game of the season. Chris had previously planned an outdoor proposal but it was 7 DEGREES out so plans changed into him booking me a pedicure in the beautiful spa in The Brown Palace Hotel where we were staying. I still had my toes drying on the tub when he came in with roses, champagne and the most beautiful, perfect ring I've ever seen in my entire life. (Thank you http://www.antiqueengagementrings.com/ !!! ) It was an incredible proposal and I couldn't say yes fast enough. The rest of the weekend was a blur of fun, excitement, and romance in beautiful snowy Denver. A magical, happy, happy trip that I will never forget.
So... that being said, and this STILL being a health blog (I will try not to bore you with endless wedding planning details) I am obviously on to the next step- Plan Bride.

I don't want to just look good on my big day, I want to look ridiculously amazing. I want to look better than I ever have in my entire life. What does that mean? Getting to my goal weight, having buff bridal arms, and definitely a full blown hair and makeup team (you can't do it all yourself!).
Our wedding date is still being worked out, but the soonest would be this fall, which gives me at least 9 months to get my butt in gear which is PLENTY of time to make a big difference in a healthy way.

So how am I going to tackle this challenge? I'm joining Weight Watchers! They have recently revamped their program to put more of an emphasis on healthy or whole food eating, while still using a Points system. I've seen many friends on their previous points system lose weight, keep it off, and use the skills and tools learned in WW to maintain healthy eating. My main reason for joining is the accountability and progress tracking- a weekly weigh in is huge motivation for me. My first meeting is this Saturday- I'll let you know how it goes!
As for working out- I'm continuing Bar Method. I'm trying to get there 4x week- and I am already SO much stronger than when I started. I also signed up for the Camp Pendleton Mud Run in June. This is a 10k course full of mud, obstacles, and screaming army Sargents. I'm terrified but excited and know having this goal will motivate me to get back into running.

So that's what's new with me! Once the crazy engagement celebration weekend was over, these last few week's I've been focusing on getting back to healthy eating, food journaling and counting calories. The thing that's most amazing to me (that I had somehow forgotten) is what great food you can eat while still counting calories! This morning for breakfast, I had topped a piece of Ezekial toast with a fried egg and cut up chicken sausage and Laughing Cow light cheese- for a delicious and filling breakfast that was only 235 calories! And for lunch I had a frozen Amy's brand organic cheese enchilada with beans and corn that was SO cheesy and delicious for only 370. Get ready for lots of upcoming blogs with meal ideas, recipes and product recommendations! It can be fun to eat right. :)
XOXO
Chel
PS. Sad news on my NYE little black dress. It was still too tight so I wore a different outfit instead (which must not have been too bad, Chris proposed after all :) Maybe I'll save the dress for my rehearsal dinner- by then it should be falling off!

Surviving the Holidays: 5 Strategies for Success

2010-12-15T10:13:00.000-08:00

10 Days Till Christmas! Can you believe that? I'm back from New York- after a wonderful weekend of big fun, birthday celebrations, wonderful people, excessive SHOPPING, and more. Amazingly - I managed to eat decently and walked what felt like 10 miles a day! Brooke was a wonderful & healthy hostess- she had pre-stocked her fridge with my favorite TJ's options, including a homemade mushroom pizza waiting for me upon my late night arrival! Such a great trip, I can't wait to go back!
I arrived home in the thick of the holiday season... and temptations are everywhere. Cookies at work, chocolate at home (Chris!!) and social occasions what seems like every night of the week!
Here are my 5 tips to holiday food trap survival:

1. Make a Statement. Tell people you're trying to eat well. That way it's more embarrassing and you're less likely to grab another cookie at the office or re-load your plate at the party buffet.
2. Drink Smart. Although there are tons of fun holiday specialty drinks- most are loaded with unnecessary calories. Stick to your usual, a glass of wine or a vodka soda is going to have a lot less empty calories than egg nog. Drink too much? Try my favorite new miracle cure for hangovers- coconut water. You can find it at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, and even some convenience stores. It provides extreme hydration which will leave you hurting less the next day- and hopefully lessen that craving for greasy hangover food!
3. Stay Positive. So you indulge and eat too much at a Christmas party. So what? It's not the end of the world. Holidays have a tendency to derail dieters to the point where they just "give up" and figure they'll mend their ways after the New Year. Don't give in to that- you are just as able to get right back on track the next day after a slip up and you'll have much less damage to undo with your New Years Resolution.

4. Cook Smart. If you're the one hosting the party- or Christmas dinner, you're in control. There are lots of healthy substitutions you can make to even the most classic of holiday dishes that your friends and family won't even notice. Cooking Light is a great resource. Check out their holiday menus here:
Cooking Light Apps
Cooking Light Holiday Dinner Menus
5. Fit it In. Want to workout- but have no time to get to the gym? Try a Workout on the Go- which you can download to your Ipod for free from Women's Health Magazine! Workout Downloads. Or make do with what you've got. Fit in a power walk around the neighborhood to look at lights, or do some push ups when you get out of bed in the morning. It all counts!
Most importantly, take time to enjoy your holidays. They're not about cookies, candy,or even gifts, the holidays are about spending time with the people you love the most. Make quality time with your friends and family your priority and thoughts of "sugarplums"will quickly fade to the background.
XO
Chel
PS- keeping this quote in mind won't hurt either :) If hunger is not the problem, then eating is not the solution.

Ready or Not- Here I Come!

2010-12-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

To NYC that is! Tomorrow morning I take off for a long weekend of fun, festivities and some quality time with my BFF Brooke. We've got all kinds of Christmasy plans including a visit to Rockefeller Center and of course some sightseeing (code word for shopping! Don't tell Chris :)
I've been working out really hard this week in preparation for the trip and seriously, after only 5 Bar Method workouts- it's starting to come back to me and it feels AMAZING. I can literally feel myself getting stronger. I'm taking a class tomorrow morning before I leave so my muscles will be all nice and tired for my 6 hour flight.
Brooke and I skyped last night to plan our weekend and surprise, surprise, it involves a lot of drinking and eating! I'll be honest with you- I'm looking forward to all of it! I think what I'm going to do is make my goal enjoyment as opposed to bingeing. Basically I'll try to appreciating every delicious thing I eat and drink in reasonable portions but not eat as much crap as I can fit in my mouth just because I'm "on vacay!" (been there done that- came home to tight pants- I have a LBD to fit into!).

Brooke- I like these ones!

I'm also bringing a pair of running shoes- Brooke has been into running lately (her BF promised her a pair of Louboutins if she runs a 5k- I'd be running too!) Hopefully we can squeeze a run in at some point- she laughed at me when I asked if we'd be running outside- apparently it's pretty cold there! I'm already signed up for a Bar class the day I get back to help me get back on the working out/eating well path.
I hope everyone has a fun filled, healthy weekend!!
XO
Chel

Weekends- Friend or Foe?

2010-12-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

Friday is typically my favorite day of the week, but it's also a dangerous day when I'm being healthy. Looking back through my food journals there is a clear pattern of a work week full of writing down everything I ate- but come Friday afternoon it would suddenly be blank till Monday morning. And don't think that's because I wasn't eating!
I do believe it's good to have a little flexibility with what you eat on the weekend, but there's a big difference between a little indulgence and complete abandonment of healthy eating. You don't want to undo all the hard work you put in during the week for two days of fun. Here's the plan:

Get a Healthy Start- If I start my day off with a big brunch, (which I LOVE to do, usually including mimosas) it generally doesn't end well. So, I've signed myself up for Bar Method on both Saturday and Sunday at 8:30am. That way I get to sleep in a little, get a great workout, and be home and ready for the day by 10.
Avoid Known Food Traps- It's a Sunday home game this weekend, so I'll be cheering on the Chargers. I've been to enough games at this point to know that healthy options at the stadium are basically zero. So- although I will miss my favorite nachos, I'll eat lunch before heading to the stadium and pack a few snacks in my bag as well.
Plan Indulgences- Chris and I have a date night tonight, and I'm so ready for a Friday night glass of wine (or three) I'm actually hoping the wine will help with my intense soreness from Bar Method this week. By planning in advance- I don't have to feel guilty about some enjoyment time.
Speaking of Bar- as I was driving there Tuesday for my first workout back I was thinking "this is so great, I can't wait to do this and feel good again" like it was some kind of relaxing yoga. Um I forgot how FREAKING HARD it is. Yes I do feel good- AFTER the workout, but during it I'm sweating with every muscle in my body literally shaking thinking- why did I do this again?? It's amazing/depressing how far I've regressed in 6 months without it. I can't wait till it starts to feel good again. I just need to focus on the benefits (detailed on right)... I can't wait! :)
Have a great weekend!
XO
Chel
PS. Congratulations favorite new parents, Amy & Doug!

I did something last night I would tell my friends NEVER to do...

2010-11-30T11:21:00.000-08:00

I bought a dress that's too small. I don't need to lose 20 lbs to wear it- but it won't look great until I'm at least 5-10 pounds lighter. It was love at first sight. It's a classic LBD with delicate detailing and cut and gorgeous fabric. And it fits- it's just too tight in the hips/butt area. I'm making it my my official goal dress. AND... I'm going to post a picture of myself wearing it on the blog by New Years Eve. Ok. Now that I've typed it- it's official.
So... considering this is the holiday season of indulgence in food, drinks and excess... how exactly do I plan to do this?
Get My Buff Arms Back. Once upon a time I used to flex excitedly and make Chris feel my arms after a workout. Now, I flex and nothing happens... back to Bar Method for me. Never EVER have I had anything firm up my arms (and rest of body) as much as that workout. It's an expensive commitment to make, especially during this gifting season- but I'm considering it my gift to myself this year!
Plan Ahead. For me- the number one thing that determines if I'm eating right or not is how much planning I've done in advance. If I don't have healthy snack/meal options on hand it's SO much easier and tempting to just stop for takeout on the way home or grab a pack of peanut m&ms to get through the afternoon. I am going to do a major TJs run and get all my healthy "necessities" and at least 4 healthy meals for the week.
Don't Give in To Stuff I Don't Love. During the holidays sugar is everywhere! Cookies, candy, fudge, cakes- it's all tempting. But when it comes to desserts- I know what I like. For this holiday season, I'm NOT going to eat sugary stuff just because it's there. I'll allow myself a few of my holiday favorites (Russian tea cake cookies- I have not forgotten you) but I'm not going to eat things like gingersnaps, or pecan pie just because they are in front of me.
That's my plan so far. No crazy diet- just mindful eating and working out. It always works- it just takes commitment to stick to it. I think having a reason or goal to help you "be good" during this holiday season is important. Does anyone else have any good holiday diet tips? Am I crazy for buying the dress?
XO
Chel

Cyber Monday DEALS.com

2010-11-29T10:24:00.000-08:00

This is not health related- but some of you who know me well are aware of my slight shopping addiction. Specifically with a focus on SALES/DEALS.
Here are the best cyber Monday offers I've seen so far- all of them are valid today ONLY- so get shopping!
The Limited: 40% off entire site and free shipping (great work clothes/jewelry/scarves)
Ann Taylor Loft: 40% off entire site and free shipping. Code: ENJOY (same as above- some cute sweaters!)
The Body Shop: 3 for $30 ANY products on their site and free shipping (amazing body butters/scrubs and I also like their sheer lip colors)
DSW: 25% off entire purchase and free ship over $35. Promo code is: cyber25 (Riding boots anyone??)
Kate Spade: 25% off their sale items and free shipping. Code is CYBER25 (They have a BIG sale selection and some really affordable bags once you factor in the discount)
New York & Co: 50% off entire purchase and free shipping! I don't normally shop this store- but with a sale like that I checked it out this past weekend. They had some great basics & accessories and CHEAP prices.
Macys: Buy one get one pair free BOOTS. Love this. Buy a gift and one for yourself :)
Steve Madden: another shoe deal! 35% off and free shipping. Code is SMCYBER35. They have FUN sparkily shoes for the holidays.
Endless.com: $30 off purchase of $100, $60 off $200 or $100 off $300. They have a great selection of designer handbags, shoes and accessories.
Ok- that's all. I am actually FINISHED Christmas shopping already. Which is good- but now I have to resist continuing to shop! I will live vicariously and share my deals with you :) Happy Shopping!
XO
Chel
PS. You burn 75 to 100 calories an hour just SHOPPING! Oh wait... online shopping probably doesn't count...

Summer in November

2010-11-05T10:26:00.000-07:00

What to cook when it's 96 degrees in November?? Yesterday I was driving home from a work trip in LA in my cool air conditioned car brainstorming the great dinner I wanted to make when I got home. It involved sausage, pasta and homemade sauce deliciousness! As I ran my plan by Chris he said "you realize it's about a hundred degrees in our house right now?" ... all thoughts of winter comfort food were out the window.
So- I did the next easiest thing- www.samthecookingguy.com on my blackberry and a trip to Whole Foods. It's an unbeatable combination.
I went for the Tuna Mango Tacos-and here is the VERY simple and healthy recipe.

1 ripe mango, diced small
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 fresh lime, squeezed
3/4 pound yellow fin tuna, uncooked and diced medium (I substituted albacore because they didn't have yellow fin tuna)
2 tablespoons taco seasoning (I used a spicy fish blackening seasoning we brought back from Charleston)
corn tortillas
1 tablespoon oil
(my addition) half of a diced ripe avocado- added to the mango salsa topping.
(my addition) 2 tbs of salsa added to the mango.

Mix first 4 Ingredients and set aside
Heat oil to almost high
In medium pan and add tuna
Saute quickly & when almost done stir in seasoning
Put in a warmed tortilla and add mango salsa
That's all - ok, so it wouldn't kill you to add a little extra squeeze of fresh lime
It was so good! And I paired it with two fun sides from Whole Foods (their deli counter is a trap for me!) I got a cucumber greek salad and a grilled veggie cous cous, both of which we ate cold. Served with a glass of chilled white wine and an episode of Modern Family... it was heaven after a long hot day.
Happy Weekend!
XO
Chel
PS- Sam the Cooking Guy is a GREAT local cook who offers the simplest recipes. Every one I've tried has been delicious (Kate's Mom's Salmon is a favorite) and never excessive ingredient lists. I highly recommend checking them out.

Who Do You Want To Be?

2010-11-01T15:18:00.000-07:00

“Life is not about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” – Anonymous
Isn't that a great quote? Think about it for a minute. Really- why would your "self" just be out there floating around waiting for you to discover it? Doesn't it make more sense to think that you are creating who you are every single day with each choice and action?

If you look at your life this way- it's amazing how many more possiblites open up. Imagine if instead of stressing and searching for fulfillment from external sources- you woke up each day and took steps toward becoming the person you want to be. Imagine the difference you could make.
How is this food related? Think about it- our bodies are one of the few things that we have 100% control over. You decide everything you put in your mouth, you determine when and how often you exercise. Most of us have a goal in mind when it comes to a healthy lifestyle, whether it's losing 10 lbs or fitting into your skinny jeans. Figure out what your goal is and then make the choices that will help you get there.

Create your own mission statement. Who do you want to be? The potential is unlimited.
XO
Chel

Surviving Candy Land! Halloween Strategy....

2010-10-29T17:17:00.000-07:00

Yikes it has been a month since my last blog! It truly has been a crazy busy month of work, fun, healthy eating, non healthy eating, and just general life getting in the way!
But Halloween is practically here- and I wanted to pass on a few quick tips to help get you through the holiday!
Tip #1 Don't Buy Candy. UNLESS you get a lot of tricker treaters in which case- buy a candy you DONT LIKE, and buy it THE DAY OF Halloween. Make sense? If it's not there- you can't eat it. I once had a Halloween where I ate an entire bag of Reece's Peanut Butter Cups in the week prior to the actual holiday. I had to buy more candy. Embarrassing to admit- but true story.
Tip #2 Let Your Costume Motivate You. If you fall in my age range- 20 to early 30 somethings- and you don't have children, chances are you are dressing up as "sexy" something. "Sexy" nurse, bunny, Chilean Miner- you get the gist. A cute outfit, minus coverage. So- buy your outfit in advance and hang it in the front of your closet where every morning you are reminded that you want to make it look good!
Tip #3 Treat Yourself- In Moderation. Easier said then done, but chances are you aren't going to be eating carrots on Halloween night. Choose a number of pieces to eat and stick with it. Enjoy them- don't gulp them down.
Tip #4 Read the Label. There is such a thing as "better for you" candy. It's not stuff to eat 24/7 but check the nutrition labels of candy before making your pics. Tootsie Rolls, candy corn, 3 Musketeers Bars, Now N Laters, Gummy Candy are all COMPARATIVELY lower fat and calories than their popular candy counterparts.
Ok- that's all I've got! Good luck this weekend and remember- even if for some incomprehensible reason you ignore my tips and give in to a candy binge this weekend- wars were not won or lost in a day. That goes for healthy eating too. Forget the guilt and start fresh and healthy the next day!
XO
Chel
PS. Happy Bday Natty! Love you!

Mood Swings Got You Down?

2010-09-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer- this is an article I wrote for one of the Health & Fitness websites I do content writing for- but they rejected it because they wanted less "natural" ways to prevent more mood swings and more supplements- so their loss = your gain :) Enjoy!

A common problem for dieters is dealing with mood swings. A change in diet affects more than just your weight, it impacts your entire body including your mental health. Whether you've started a new diet, or simply feel like your emotional ups and downs have become a challenge for you to manage, natural supplements can be a great fix. Below are 5 natural supplements that can help prevent mood swings to keep you happy and healthy.

Sleep

Before considering supplements, take an evaluation of your current lifestyle. Are you getting enough sleep? No supplement in the world can fix a mood swing problem if it’s caused by a deficiency of your bodies physical needs. Sleep is one of them. The average adult needs between 7-9 hours per night. Mood Swing Fix: Pay attention to how many hours of sleep you are getting and make sleep a priority on your to-do list.

Exercise

Exercise is a great natural mood booster! The happy floating feeling of accomplishment you have after a tough workout, you’re not imagining it. Exercise boosts the body’s natural endorphins which elevate the mood and leave you with a positive feeling that can last for hours. Mood Swing Fix: When you feel a bad mood coming on, lace up your running shoes and hit the gym. Changes are you’ll feel better and at least more accomplished when you return.

Diet

What are you eating? Often times mood swings are actually our brains reaction to a blood sugar crash caused by eating processed, high sugar foods. Whole grain natural foods are less likely to have this effect. Another dietary suggestion is get your leafy greens! Veggies are good for your body, but your mental state as well due to their folate content which is essential in the production of serotonin, a “feel good” chemical in the brain. Mood Swing Fix: Try cutting sugars and processed foods out of your diet for a week and see if your mood stabilizes.

Ok- so you’re sleeping 8 hours, working out, have your diet in check and are still moody? The following two natural supplements have been shown to have an impact on mood stabilization.

5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) is an amino acid with the main purpose of increasing serotonin productivity in the brain. The recommended dosing is 50-300 milligrams per day with effectiveness seen after two to three weeks. A second herbal alternative is St. Johns Wart, a mood supporting supplement that has been around for decades and has shown great effectiveness in improving general mood and relieving the symptoms of depression. Both 5-HTP and St Johns Wart are prescribed as prescription drugs in Europe, unlike the US where they are sold as herbal remedies commonly found at a health food store and are not subject to FDA regulation. Be cautious and make sure you are purchasing a high quality product and that if you plan to take either with existing prescription drugs; you run it by your doctor first. Mood Swing Fix: Talk to your doc if you are considering either of these and be sure to give them a few weeks to take full effect.

Don't Go it Alone... Host a Healthy Cooking Party!

2010-09-28T09:56:00.000-07:00

Having a support system for weight loss is key. What better way to motivate the people around you and share great diet "best practices" than by hosting a health focused cooking party and recipe exchange? Check out my article on how to plan one of these fun events here:
http://www.3fatchicks.com/hosting-a-cooking-party-with-weight-loss-recipes/
XO
Chel

I Heart Kind Bars (and snacking!)

2010-09-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

Kind Bars are one of my all time favorite healthy snacks. So- when I saw that the geniuses behind them had created "mini" versions, I had to share! At only 110 calories, these are perfect, all natural quick snacks to keep in your purse or car for blood sugar crashes/starvation emergencies! They are made with 100% fruit and nuts, no additives. Best of all they're on sale on Amazon! I just bought a 20 pack of minis for $16- at 82 cents a bar- that's a steal.Yay for healthy snacking options!

XO
Chel

Seafood Frenzy

2010-09-17T14:53:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the blogging break I was on a work trip to Maui! (I know- tough job right??) Although I did end up working most of the time- I was able to catch up on some much needed sleep, relaxation and healthy eating. I only WISH I would have brought my camera as I sampled some of the freshest fish that Maui had to offer at Mama's Fish House. Delish!
This week Chris and I had dinner at The Fish Market, and again the delights of the sea amazed me! This time it was fresh oysters with shredded fresh horseradish and a heavenly mussel bucket with a creamy dipping sauce.
My recent seafood adventures have inspired me to try my hand tonight at a "Seafood Stew". The recipe includes making your own fish stock which should be interesting- first I have to find a place to sell me fish bones. (not a joke). It has mussels, fish, clams, and more, all en-captured in a delicious white wine garlic broth that should be delicious to dip crusty bread in to. Heaven. I'll post the recipe if it's a success! Happy Weekend!
XO
Chel

Craving Pasta but on a Diet?

2010-09-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

Check out these three healthy alternatives! Hint- I've tested them all and they are delish and surprisingly easy to make (Zucchini is a personal favorite). The key is finding or making a great sauce to go on top. I like to use a little ground turkey or sausage and some red pepper to turn up the heat!
http://www.3fatchicks.com/craving-pasta-but-on-a-diet-3-healthy-alternatives/

2 Simple Snack Ideas

2010-09-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

This snack has LITERALLY zero calories. Ok, 5 tops. But it's delicious and satisfies a crunchy, spicy craving!
Celery & salsa. Yep that's it. Slice up some celery and start dipping!
I bet it would be delish to put one of the Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges (bleu cheese is my personal favorite) in the bottom. Even then it'd be less than 50 calories.

Simple idea #2. Apple slices with lemon juice and cinnamon Sounds a little bizarre, but it's tasty and good. Slice up an apple and squeeze a little fresh lemon juice on them and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Low calorie but great for variety when a simple apple sounds boring.

XO
Chel

Back To Basics

2010-09-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I've been doing some "content writing" for health and fitness websites. Well today my editor sent an article I had written back to me saying that I cannot write in the first person. Oops! But I LIKE talking about myself and my point of view :). I realized I must be pretty overdue for a blog, where I am free to say "I think" as many times as I want.

Healthy? Not necessarily.

So what have I been thinking? I think I need to focus. Lately I have been all over the place with my eating without a real plan. Some days I do great all day, then come home and snack till dinner. Other days, I eat poorly at lunch and then the rest of the day seems like a free for all. Other days, I eat great and wake up feeling good the next morning, but one day of healthy eating does not a flat stomach make!
I knew I was in trouble the other night when I had dinner out with friends and although a french dip sandwich was calling my name, I decided to be "smart" and order the soup and salad. But then I ordered a tomato bisque and Cesar salad. I forgot to request the dressing on the side, and when the salad arrived, it was coated in dressing, topped with cheese, and covered in croutons. The bisque was so rich it was almost oily. I probably would have been better off with my original sandwich craving! It felt like amateur hour and I realized how out of practice I was at being a conscious eater. A few months ago I would have reacted differently in the same situation and done one or all of the following:
-Ask if the restaurant had nutritional facts for their food (it was a chain, they should)
-Ask for the dressing on the side. (or don't get a Cesar in the first place)
-Hold the cheese/croutons
-Ask if the soup is cream or broth based.

Don't worry I promise to eat more than this!

Maybe the extra questions would have made me annoying to the waiter or even possibly my dining companions. But it would have been worth it to not have to feel guilty after eating soup and salad for dinner!
Anyway- my goal for September is to get back to basics. Conscious eating and portion control. Know what's in my food and if it's worth eating. For portion control, it's making sure I'm eating a reasonable portion if it's healthy food, and a small portion if it's an indulgence.
What are your keys to healthy eating? Is focusing on a few things a good idea?
XO
Chel

Corn vs Flour Tortillas

2010-08-28T11:25:00.000-07:00

Want to know which is healthier, and why? Check out my article here:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/corn-tortillas-versus-flour-tortillas-which-is-healthier/

Trader Joe's is my Happy Place

2010-08-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

I shop at Trader Joe's when I feel like browsing, cooking, shopping, de-stressing, being inspired, really all the time. And if you've read my blog, you'll know I am constantly talking about the great products TJs features. The only drawback that I've been able to find is sometimes when I'm cooking from a recipe I'm not able to find all the needed ingredients at TJs and have to make an additional stop at a traditional grocery store. So today- when I got an email from a great website, traderjoesfan.com that they were publishing a book full or TJs recipes & creations- with 100% Trader Joe's products, I was thrilled! And amazingly this "Unofficial Guide To Trader Joe's" is only $5.95 with free shipping! (if you use the promo code TRADERJOESFAN- at check out you'll get an additional $1 off).

Their email stated "We took the collective knowledge and votes of thousands of shoppers and employees to select over 100 of the very best Trader Joe's products and paired them with 50 easy, delicious recipes to create a beautiful, glossy pocket guide and cookbook for Trader Joe's shoppers." UM YUM. The book also includes fun things like the Best Cheeses list, Kid Friendly foods, Most Addictive Cookies (I don't need that one!) and more. I bought my copy immediately and am counting down till it arrives.
I'll write a review soon. I think it's also a great potential holiday gift (it's never too early to start shopping) for any Trader Joe's lovers in your life!
XO
Chel

My First Published (anonymous) Article!

2010-08-22T18:50:00.000-07:00

Obviously writing and blogging is a hobby for me, but someday I'd love to be an author. I'm currently deciding between a cookbook, fiction, non-fiction... obviously I've really narrowed it down :). To keep motivated and gain experience for when I eventually figure it out, I just started "content writing" for two health/fitness websites.
So... when I write an article for them, I'll provide the links on the blog so you can check them out as well. Check out my first article!
http://www.3fatchicks.com/5-foods-that-encourage-rapid-weight-loss/

I Broke 30!

2010-08-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

From a 10k in March- but you get the idea

Yesterday Chris and I ran America's Finest City 5k. This is our third year running it and I finally accomplished my goal of coming in under 30 minutes! Last year- I came VERY close- with a time of 30:01 (not a joke) but this year I finished the course in 29:44. Yay! We celebrated by having a DECADENT breakfast at Hash House a Go Go. This place is no joke, when we arrived post race at the early early time of 8am, there was already a 20 minute wait. Why? Becuase it's that good. They consider their cusine Twisted Farm Food with Indiana roots, and they do it well! Chris's breakfast was by far the winner- he had a Farm Benedict featuring sage fried chicken w/ fresh spinach, hardwood smoked bacon, market tomato, griddled mozzarella, chipotle cream and scrambled eggs. Um yum.

Chris's Benedict

My favorite menu item was called O'Hare of the Dog and consisted of a 24 oz Budwiser (served in a brown paper bag) with a side of bacon. Classy :) I went with an egg white scramble that was big enough for about 4 people.
Overall- it was a great weekend! AND I have an exciting week to look forward to, I'm heading up North for a long weekend at Lake Naciamento with my family and two best friends (Brooke is coming in from NY!) to celebrate my birthday! There will likely be nothing healthy about the trip... but lots of fun and great company. Next week I plan to get back on track with good eating (food journaling) and Bar Method. Till then, be good without me! :)
XO
Chel

Pizza Time!

2010-08-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Long time no blog! Brooke recently attributed the fact she hadn't been to the gym in a month on my lack of blogging. :) Hmm.... anyway I figured I better get back to the blog before everybody goes off the deep end!
But in truth- what actually motivated me to blog today was to share a recipe I made last night for a homemade-ish pizza! Notice I'm not claiming this is fully homemade, or healthy- although I'm sure there are some great reduced calorie recipes out there, this was my first gourmet pizza making attempt and my priority was making it taste good!

Not my actual creation- but you get the idea

Quick note- I bought all supplies except the spices at Trader Joe's (shocking I know) Their pre-made pizza dough and sauce were outstanding and would work well with any toppings!
Asparagus, Pancetta & Sun Dried Tomato Pizza-Let Pizza Dough sit out on a floured surface for 20 min.
While this is happening- do the following:
-Preheat oven to 450.
-Chop 4-5 stalks asparagus into bite size pieces. (picture it being on top of your pizza- you don't really want big chunks) and then toss it into a pan with a little water and cover until it begins to soften. (at least 5 min)
-Add 1/2 cup pre-diced pancetta to the pan. This is SO good and adds so much flavor! Let it cook until slightly crispy, then remove the pan from heat.
-Chop up 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes and set aside.
-Roll out the pizza dough. This is where things got tricky. I bought mine pre-made at TJs, BUT was unhappy with the way it stretched out, uneven and misshapen- so I rolled it all in a ball and tried again. BAD idea. Just go wtih the first "stretch out" even if it's not perfectly shaped. Chris found me in the kitchen covered in flour attempting to roll pizza dough with a wine bottle. Since at this point the lumpy creation seemed destined for the garbage, he tried his pizza tossing skills... and amazingly we pulled out some sort of stretched crust creation. Maybe not symmetrical- but it sure tasted great!
-Stretch out the pizza dough on a lightly oiled pan and then top with sauce. I used a TJ's pizza sauce that they sell in their premade fresh section, conveniently right next to the pizza dough. I used the entire container and if you like your pizza saucy (sauce is healthier than cheese- just fyi) I'd even buy two containers.
-I topped the sauce with a blend of regular and light shredded mozzarella cheese. About a cup of each. I sometimes have trouble with getting the "light" version to melt properly, but the combo worked well.
-I then topped the pizza with the prepped asparagus, pancetta & sun dried tomatoes.
-And then my FAVORITE part- which I will add to any pizza from now on- a spice blend! Mix the following:
2 tbs grated or shredded Asiago cheese
2 tbs sesame seed (I only had black sesame seed, which looked a little odd, but you couldn't taste a difference)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
After sprinkling the spice mix over the pizza I nervously put it in the oven and it cooked for about 12 minutes.
The pizza came out piping hot, melty, spicy, saucy and DELICIOUS. I ate two giant pieces and had to restrain myself from more. Chris had a 3rd piece. It was THAT good. I'm actually thinking I'll make it again for my upcoming Book Club meeting- so get excited if you're coming!
More health focused blogs to come- I promise. But in the meantime... go make some pizza!
XO
Chel
Ps. Brooke- go to the gym. (If you want. No pressure. Just now you can't blame me anymore! )

Kill Your Cows. (In a non-violent, vegetarian way)

2010-07-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading a FANTASTIC book- Once Upon A Cow: Eliminating Excuses and Settling for Nothing but Success, by Dr. Camilo Cruz. Since I started the book, I have been walking around the house muttering to myself about killing cows. Chris is probably pretty disturbed.
I'll fill you in on the cow story and then explain how that relates to taking 100% responsibility for your own personal success in any area of your life.
The author starts the book with the tale of a wise man and his student who are traveling through the countryside looking for a place to stay the night. They come upon a family who takes them in and are shocked at the poverty this family is living in. Tiny living quarters, not enough to eat, basically barely surviving. The one thing the family has going for them is a single cow. The cow is the envy of their neighbors, and although it produces barely enough milk for them to survive on, they see it as the best thing in their life. The family's life revolves around this cow- feeding, protecting and caring for it.
The wise man and student spend the night with the family, grateful for their kindness and wake up early to leave. As they are passing the barn the student watches in horror as the wise man KILLS the family's cow and they continue on their way. The student continues to be bothered by this.
The following year- the wise man and the student travel back to the same countryside and they approach same family's home. As they arrive at the spot where their tiny house had been, they see it has been replaced with a larger, nicer home. The student fears that the family has become homeless or abandoned the area in despair and is shocked to see one of the family members come out of the large house, looking stronger and much healthier than on their previous trip.
The family- unaware that is was the wise man who had killed the cow, welcome them both in to the house warmly. The family members tell the story of how their life has changed since the death of their cow. The huge loss of what was the center of their universe shocked them for a while and they feared starvation and further poverty. But that fear motivated change, and drove them to pursue new farming and business ventures to survive which grew and led to great improvement in their quality of life.
As they left the family and continued on their way, the wise man explains to the amazed student: "If I hadn't killed the cow they would still be living exactly as they were, barely surviving,miserable but telling themselves they were lucky to have their cow. The loss of the cow freed/forced them to seek other opportunities and change their lives."

We develop our excuses (cows) at an early age. We use them, nurture and protect them, and even justify them until they are no longer excuses but have become our own self-created reality. The danger in this is waking up years down the road to realize we've lead a very mediocre existence and fallen short of our hopes for our life. The main point of the book is that life is too short to accept "good enough" or "getting by" and each person is responsible individually for their own success.
The book is not health focused, but can be applied to all aspects of your life. Sounds simple, but if you pay attention to how many excuses, rationalizations or justifications for average behavior you make every single day, the cows standing in your path start to be more and more apparent. Think about what you could do- the changes and results that could be made by eliminating all excuses from your life?

Obviously- the author and the book explain this concept more eloquently I do. I encourage everyone to read the book- no matter what your individual struggles or areas of your life you wish you could improve, you will be inspired to "kill your cows" by facing your challenges head-on and taking responsibility for your own reality.
XO
Chel
Quote of the day: "Balance. Food is one of life’s greatest pleasures. So is exercise. So is mental clarity. And health is the consummate ideal at the intersection of these components." Jessica Brookman, blogger.
PPS- Book is on sale at Amazon.com, see below for less than $8!

Win The War on Temptation

2010-07-09T09:55:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! Today's post was inspired by an article by Jill Waldbieser on Women's Health.com that caught my eye with the title "4 Ways to Resist Food Temptations". Who couldn't learn something from that? I'm constantly looking for ways to prevent/resist & recover from the deadly pull of junk food.
Here's what the article had to say- and of course, my take on her suggestions :)
Strategy: Eat Smaller More Frequent Meals
What it Targets? Out of control hunger.
Why it works: Going too long without eating makes your blood sugar plummet. That leaves you with a raging appetite that can overpower your best intentions to eat well. If you have small meals every three to five hours, your blood sugar stays stable, preventing the wallop of a sugar low that will leave you vulnerable to overeating, says Lisa Jones, R.D., of LaSalle University. I COULD NOT agree with this one more. I have noticed repeatedly through my food journaling that often my bad choices are caused directly by hunger, lack of snack planning, or the blood sugar crash following something sweet. Have a healthy snack with you at ALL times. Right now, I have a fruit leather in my purse, protein bar in my desk and crackers in my car. Seriously- these are my saviors.
Strategy: Eat With Your Other Hand
What it targets: Distraction
Why it works: Picking up a fork with the hand you don't usually use automatically slows you down and makes you focus on your meal, two things that have been proven to aid weight loss. Studies have shown that with regular practice, this kind of switcheroo can also increase your overall willpower. Hmm... ok... don't really think I'll be trying this one anytime soon (I'm laughing just picturing myself trying to do this in a restaurant! Chris would probably stop taking me out in public :) But I do agree with the underlying principle of focusing on what you are eating and slowing down the meal process. Rather than eating with the other hand, I'd suggest working on chewing your food more, not eating in front of the TV or in the car, or other strategies that help you concentrate on what you are eating.
Strategy: Weigh Yourself Regularly

What it targets: Losing sight of your goal
Why it works: Few things keep your weight-loss goal front and center better than seeing those big glowing numbers on the scale. Regular weigh-ins also make it easier to notice extra pounds creeping on, so you can slash and burn immediately. In fact, when researchers at the University of Minnesota analyzed more than 1,800 people who successfully shed pounds in weight-loss programs, they found that about 40 percent weighed themselves daily or weekly. And the more frequently they stepped on the scale, the more they lost: 12 pounds on average for daily weighers, compared with six for weekly weighers. (Scale shunners, meanwhile, gained an average of five pounds.) Interesting study! And I agree that weighing yourself keeps you accountable. I know for myself, when I'm "being bad" I just stop weighing myself, which never leads to anything good. Then I'll go 6 weeks without weighing myself and it's torture to step back on the scale. There's definitely a healthy balance between obsessive weighing and scale avoidance, find what works for you. For me- I do best if I weigh myself once a week, same day & same time.
Strategy: Lift Your Spirits
What it targets: Emotional eating
Why it works: It's estimated that when people overeat, nearly 75 percent of the time it's because they're feeling blue.
Even small doses of pleasant emotions can quickly renew your ability to say no. So the next time you're facing down temptation, surf over to theonion.com or buy yourself that going-out top you've been eyeing. The good feelings might be temporary, but they will last long enough to get you safely past that hot-fudge sundae. I do think this works. However (and I know from experience) it can get expensive if you shop every time you feel like eating :). Another great way to lift spirits is by getting outside, or really getting your serotonin flowing with some exercise. Obviously easier said than done when you are feeling down, but nothing lifts my spirits more than a run or taking Riley to dog beach.

Now you've got the tools, so get out there and resist some temptation this weekend!

Chel

Breakfast: Quick and Easy with Egg Whites!

2010-07-07T10:23:00.000-07:00

I think by now most people know you NEED to eat breakfast if you want to lose weight, be healthy, balance your blood sugar, ETC. It's Key. Don't believe me? Google it and thousands of official people/studies will confirm my point. With that as a premise- I felt the need to talk about my favorite breakfast food today following a happy hour discussion last night. A girlfriend mentioned how hard it was on her current diet to find breakfast foods. I brought up egg whites and she was pretty hesitant (meaning she called them totally gross :)) but I seriously think they are one of the most diet friendly foods around. Not only are they low calorie, you can honestly put nearly ANYTHING in them for a warm and nutritious meal. The key is figuring out what to add, which takes a little experimenting.
What seems to challenge even more people than finding what to eat in the morning is finding the time to prepare and eat breakfast. After making a delicious Basil & Swiss egg white omelet on English muffin in LESS THAN 6 MINUTES this morning, I know it can be done.

Here are my tips (and recipe) that will speed things up in the a.m.
Step 1: Pop English muffin in toaster. Turn heat on pan and spray it with PAM. Time saving tip- use the right size skillet. If you are making a one person omelet, this should be a small preferably stainless steel pan.

Step 2: Get egg whites out of fridge, cheese, and any other ingredients you want to add. Time saving tips- use egg whites that are in a carton, already separated from the yolks and cheese that is pre-shredded or pre-sliced.
Step 3: Pour 1/3 cup egg whites (about the amount of two eggs) into pan. Grind pepper or other spices onto egg mixture in pan. Time saving tip- make sure the pan is already heated to speed up cook time.
Step 4: As the egg starts to firm up, add in additional ingredients. This morning I used fresh basil, simply tore up a few leaves and put them in. Then add cheese and let it melt. Once the cheese has started melting (cook time about 3.5 min), fold the egg mixture in half and it magically becomes an omelet!
Step 5: Get English muffin out of toaster, place on plate. Remove omelet from pan and cut in half. Put one half on each English muffin and you have a delicious, balanced, nutritious breakfast in UNDER 6 min.
Calories:
1/3 cup egg whites: 50
Slice light cheese (today I used Swiss): 50
Thomas Brand Whole wheat light English muffin: 100
Basil: I'll give it 5- it was just a few leaves for flavor.
Basil & Swiss Egg White Omelet. Total calories: 205. Total Time: 6 min. Enjoyment level: So good! Eggs stick with you and don't leave you starving (and prone to sweets/carb cravings) at 10a.m.
Other quick and easy omelet additions that you might already have in your fridge:
Cilantro & salsa, chives, lunch meat turkey, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, bell peppers & onions, Morningstar Farms brand products (the fake sausage patty is my favorite)- really anything goes!
Don't love English muffins? Substitute for a piece of ezekial bread toast (80 cal) or make an egg burrito by making the omelet a scramble and putting it in a low carb tortilla (120 cal).

Here's my challenge- try an egg white omelet this week. I PROMISE you won't regret it and you may just find a new breakfast staple.
XO
Chel
PS. The people who make Laughing Cow Light Cheeses have heard and answered my prayers! They created a spreadable light BLUE CHEESE version that is SO good and still only 35 calories a wedge! It might actually be a worthy substitute for my cheese cravings...

Make Monday a Comeback Day!

2010-06-28T13:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! I had the LEAST healthy weekend ever. Seriously. A very fun weekend, but about ZERO healthy choices. Team USA obviously needed me to drink about a beer and indulge in all American bar food to support them (wait... they still didn't win!). I was catching on blogs last night and on A Prior Fat Girl (click here for link) Jennifer mentions an inspirational bracelet she purchased- livestrong style, that had the words on it : "One Bite, One Decision". I love that saying and I like the idea of having a constant reminder of it on my wrist to help prevent me from bad decision making. I should probably get it tattooed on my forehead... :)
Making a comeback from a rough weekend of eating/drinking can be REALLY hard to do. I think one of the key ways to "save yourself" and not let a weekend of bad eating turn into a week long binge on junk food and 5 lb weight gain- is to always jump back on the wagon first thing Monday morning. Don't let your bad weekend carry into the week.
For me, this means two things. One- having a plan, and Two- sticking to it.
My plan for the week is cutting out my favorite "extras". These are foods that I should be eating as splurges, but when I'm not paying attention I find myself eating them more and more regularly and appreciating them less. For this week (Mon-Thur) wine & frozen yogurt are OUT. I'm also food journaling... and trying to stay in my calorie range of >1400.
In terms of sticking to it, I honestly think Monday is the HARDEST day to get through and if you can be successful on Monday, it leads to a much better week. So far today I'm on track. I made a 200 cal egg white McMuffin for breakfast, packed a homemade turkey sandwich for lunch and am thinking salad for dinner... If I can go to bed a little hungry tonight, it will make healthy eating so much easier tomorrow. And then the next day, and then next.
One bite, one decision at a time....
XO
Chel

Camping- Foodie Style :)

2010-06-25T11:59:00.000-07:00

Even when camping- I want to dine in style. Or at least in deliciousness.
When Chris and I started planning our trip to Dinkey Creek a great camping spot in the Sierras, my responsibility was food planning. (Chris was busy purchasing tents, fishing rods, and pretty much anything Amazon had to offer in their "outdoor" section).
Keep in mind, camping = limited cooking options. Camping food typically includes hot dogs on sticks, smores and cereal for breakfast. Not bad- but not very fun either. So I took on this camp eating as a challenge, a` la Top Chef style.
By no means were our meals "fancy" but they were SO good. Below are my recipes for my favorite camping Dinner, Side & Dessert, enjoy!
Sausage Potato Hot Pockets
-1 cup chopped potatoes
-1 tbs butter
-1 tbs minced garlic
-1/4 cup chopped onion
-1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
-Handful sliced mushrooms
-Seasonings to taste (I used Bacon salt. No joke. Talk about best invention ever)
Basically you combine all these ingredients and then double wrap them in Heavy Duty tinfoil and place them on the fire pit. Cook for about 30-45 min depending on the heat and then open them up for steamy deliciousness that hits the spot on a cold mountain night.
Top them with a slice of cheese (we did pepper jack) and chopped slices of grilled kielbasa sausages and enjoy! Side note- we actually made two versions of this dish which you'll see on the right- both were good but the sausage one was the winner, which is why I shared that recipe.

Corn & Black Bean Salad
This is an ideal camping recipe because I actually prepared it before the trip and packed it in Tupperware in a cooler. The great thing about this salad is the longer it marinates in the dressing, the better it tastes.

-1 Can black beans
-1 Can Corn
-1/2 Cup finely chopped red onion
-3/4 Cup chopped red bell pepper
-1/2 Cup chopped cilantro
-1/2 Cup Balsamic Dressing
-2tbs Lime juice
-2 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional- for added kick)
Just mix it all together, making sure that the dressing is stirred in and then refrigerate and marinate. A great summer BBQ salad. I've seen other versions that add avocado, which might be fun to try.
Roasted Banana Heaven
My best desert of the trip was totally a random creation, but I think I will probably attempt to replicate it in our fireplace at home one night when I'm craving dessert and our shelves are bare... 1 banana
1/2 tbs butter
2 tbs sugar
2 tsp Cinnamon
Mix the butter, sugar and Cinnamon together. Mixture should be crumbly. Take the banana and split it down the middle without cutting it in half. Put the sugar mixture in the slit in the banana. Sprinkle any extra sugar on the top and sides of the banana. Wrap in Heavy Duty tinfoil and put on the fire for about 15 min.
Unwrap for a cinnamony, gooey goodness. It'd be AMAZING on ice cream. (I mean frozen yogurt. What is happening to me- didn't this used to be a healthy eating blog?!!) Unfortunately I didn't capture any photos- we ate them too fast!
So- use these recipes and you can impress people while camping. Chris and I pretty much just impressed ourselves (also fun to do).
Such a great trip! We river rafted, hiked, attempted fishing, played countless card games and just relaxed. I'd love to come up with a recipe to cook fish over the open flame- but I guess that means we'd have to catch some first... I guess we'll have to go back!
XO
Chel
PS. I made my first ever Indian Curry last night, and it came out REALLY good and was easy to make! I'm working on figuring a way to modify it to make it a little healthier and then I'll share the recipe soon!

A Week Off The Wagon in South Carolina!

2010-06-11T20:30:00.000-07:00

And it was worth every minute! I don't know where to start except to tell you that I came back from an AMAZING relaxing, wonderful week at the beach to a dreary June gloom that has been oh so un-motivating to eat right and get outside...but I'm trying. But first- the trip! And the FOOD....
Here's where it all started, Hominy Grill in Charleston. After a red eye flight arriving in the beautiful Southern city at 8am... drinks were definitely in order! Check out the Bloody Mary complete with Pickled Okra. At this breakfast we sampled my first of many fried items of the week- Fried Green Tomatoes! First, let me start by saying, I don't like tomatoes. At all. In salads, on sandwiches, no thanks. But once you fry it up and serve it with ranch= Chel's new favorite food.

I loved how Southern and cute this place was, with the chalkboard menu, outdoor eating with picnic style table and checkered tablecloths. A great first Charleston meal! From there- we moved on and actually took a historical carriage tour of the city, which was fun. Compared to California the South has such a rich history (when they say a house was built in the 80's they sure aren't talking about 1980)

After our educational and delicious morning in Charleston we headed out to the Isle of Palm, a resort community Island about 30 minutes off the coast where Chris's family had a beach house for the week.
Meeting us at the house were Chris's parents as well as his sister, her husband and their two adorable girls Molly & Ellie. This was our second annual trip and in order to be prepared Chris's mom Deb organized a meal schedule where each couple was responsible for cooking dinner one night. OBVIOUSLY Chris and I put a lot of thought into what our meal would be. We went with a Farm Fresh Tri Tip Roast that we flew across the country in a cooler. Not kidding here- it was Chris's carry on luggage. We found a great local butcher at a farmers market a few weeks ago, so we brought it specially for our meal. That is what true foodies do, right? :) I made a non-modified mac and cheese (it was vacation...) and a great corn and green salads as sides. I will share the recipe for the corn salad next week- it was healthy, delicious and perfect for a summer BBQ.
Next up for dinner was Chris's sister Beth & her husband John who is Italian. He made the most delicious red sauce and meatballs I have every had in my entire life. The sauce literally cooked all day. They served it over pasta & cheese ravioli. No exaggeration- I may have had thirds that night!

Chris's parents did a traditional Southern Shrimp Boil, which is something I was introduced to last year and quickly found its way to my heart.... Basically it's a seasoned boil with potatoes, fresh shrimp, kielbasa polish sausage & corn on the cob. Then you drain it and serve each separately. Another near comatose food night, I could have used a wheelchair to get me to bed!
The entire week was filled with nothing but fun, sun, reading, playing with the girls, relaxing, game playing and good company. It was a much needed break and I enjoyed every minute of it! (even charade night was fun- usually my worst nightmare)

On our final day in town, Chris and I along with his parents enjoyed our final Southern meal- and we did it right! We headed to Jestines's a place we had tried the previous year after seeing it on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Again- Jestine did not disappoint. Continuing with my love affair of Fried Green Tomatoes- I had a BLFGT sandwich. I'll let you figure that out, or you can just drool over the picture...
The four of us shared three desserts - a Coca Cola Cake which Jestine's is famous for, a coconut cream pie and a lemon custard deliciousness. As you can see by the plates at the end and the smiles on the faces... we obviously hated them :)
I am pretty sure that my undying devotion to all things fried, BBQ and Coca Cola cake are strong signs that I should have been born a Southerner. That and my weakness for hoop skirts and large brim hats... Luckily for my waist size, I was not. I returned sadly to the tofu eating, organic grown state of my birth, California. Till next year South Carolina!
XO
Chel

Vacation Time! Southern Cooking Here I come....

2010-05-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

In 6 hours I will be boarding a plane for a week long vacation on the beautiful Isle Of Palms off the coast of Charleston, South Carolina with Chris's family. It cannot come soon enough and I am looking forward to a great week of beach, books and good food! The pic is a view from our room- ahhhhh..... I'm already relaxing just looking at it! I will probably not be blogging, the plan is to disconnect from ALL work and technology but will give a full disclosure report when I get back! I did pack some running gear (good) and although I'm planning on sampling some delish southern cooking (be careful)- I'll do my best to take it easy on the fried food! (hopefully good) Last year I had a hard time turning down anything offered to me in a southern accent....
Happy Memorial Day!
XO
Chel

Blogs I LOVE!

2010-05-25T14:55:00.000-07:00

Since I can't blog every day (until I figure out a way to make it profitable!) I thought I'd share a few of my favorite blogs. They are RANDOM and different from each other, but for the most part health/fitness/weight loss/foodie oriented. For me, reading a good blog is like a novel combined with a reality tv show. Ongoing glimpses into other peoples lives help to motivate me and make me realize that no matter what challenge I'm facing- someone else has already been through it and I can learn from their experience. The world we live in today is so interlinked in ways it never has been before- take advantage of this free resource! Below are some links and snippets from each blog so you can get an idea of what it's all about. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

http://www.priorfatgirl.com/ The name says it all- this is the story of a girl who has kept off a weight loss of nearly 100lbs and even better than that- she's funny. She shares what she eats, workout, etc. Her before and after pic is on the right. Below she shares a story from a guest blogger, Cindy:

"I have spent a lot of my life being “the fat girl.” I honestly wish I had photos of my progression through high school and college; going from “fat girl” to “what did you do to yourself?” girl as I got even fatter. But I had excuses, right? I only had time to grab a muffin or bagel on the go. Or to get fried food for dinner because it’s “fast” and “easier” to eat while I study. I just have to have the bag of chips as I run through the student commons or I will just DIE during my next class.

You know what these are? These are EXCUSES I used to justify eating my way through college"

http://dianatakesabite.blogspot.com/ Chris found this one for me- the story of an LA foodie who cooks, dines out and ENJOYS her food, while still keeping healthy. Checkout her scallops!

"I only had eyes for dates. And I only had visions of them snuggly wrapped up in bacon – like cute little edible babies in swaddling clothes."

http://www.devilandegg.com/ An entertaining personal blog by a magazine editor & photographer in New Jersey. This one has great photos and recipes.

"Here's a picture of the cheese I talked about in yesterday's post. It was enjoyed during an impromptu cocktail party on the veranda outside my friend Stephanie's hotel room. Is there anything better than an impromptu cheese and wine party?"

http://hotblondeinthekitchen.blogspot.com Obviously- who wouldn't love a hot blond in the kitchen?? :) She doesn't post very often (she just had her first child- see how much you learn about people??) but she's hilarious & has some great recipes, her White Bean Soup was one of my favorites!

"For those of you wondering why my posts had become less frequent during the latter part of 2009, its because I was pregnant. Besides when I had an occasional stomach flu, it was the first time in my life that food did not interest me. Fast forward to New Years Eve, when I gave birth to my beautiful son, and my appetite returned with a vengeance. No joke. To answer your question, YES I DID order take out from the Cheesecake Factory and YES I DID finish my chicken salad sandwich AND Godiva Cheesecake. The long and short of it is, that since my appetite is back, so are my posts. Now I need to work on bringing back the "hotness." These Tony Soprano sweatsuits I'm wearing have got to go."
http://getfit2wed.blogspot.com/ This is a blog written by the main trainer of my bootcamp class. She is fairly extreme in regards to what she eats (follows the Paleo diet, no dairy or carbs) but often has great snack, recipe ideas. A very educational read.

"I was really excited when I saw this ad for Crystal Light with No Artificial sweeteners, flavors or preservatives. I was crossing my fingers to read the ingredients and find it sweetened with stevia and vegetable glycerine, but no they just used real sugar instead.
Ladies, please don't fall for this. Clever idea and good marketing, it appears to be healthy, but really is not. Bummer :("

http://thisiswhyyourefat.com/ Just for fun... but check out some of the crazy foods on here!

Hope you enjoy!

Chel

Blog #100! What I've learned...

2010-05-24T16:34:00.000-07:00

It feels like such a milestone to reach my 100th blog! Now if only I could have lost a pound for every blog.... Ok fine, that's a little extreme :)

What have I learned from 100 blogs? That losing weight and living a healthy lifestyle is hard work. That there are no quick fixes and it is a lifetime journey. On the upside- it's possible! Anyone can lose weight and change their lives. All it takes is commitment to yourself and the choice to live consciously and make health a priority. The following ideas may be simple, but they have made me a much healthier, happier person than I was 100 blogs ago.

"Rules To Live By"

Diets don't work. Lifestyles do.
Any food is OK if you only have it once in a while.
Eating out basically doubles calorie count in food compared to preparing it at home.
Food journaling WORKS.
Calorie Counting is not fun, but it gets easier.
Use failure as a motivator, not as an excuse to give up.
Weigh yourself once a week. More can get obsessive, less and you can let weight gain go unnoticed.
Never let yourself feel "starving".
Reward yourself for successes with non-food incentives.
Surround yourselves with supportive friends and family and share your goals with them.
Eat breakfast every day. No excuses.
Food should make you feel good. Pay attention to how you feel after you eat.
Eat whole foods. Meaning the original form they come in. The less processing the better.
Snacks are critical.
Invest in yourself. Have a good pair of running shoes. It's worth shopping around to find the right fit.
Preparation, both mentally and physically is THE MOST important part of staying on track.
It's not a good workout unless you sweat a lot.
Be supportive of other people's weight loss goals. Don't compare yourself to others.
Don't drink soda or juice with calories. Artificial sweeteners aren't good either.
If you fall "off the wagon" - get back on.
Do it for you.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. -Henry David Thomas
Who knows what I'll know after my next 100! Stay tuned....
XO
Chel

Caving to Temptation- Confession!

2010-05-19T13:24:00.000-07:00

Here's what happened. It's 4pm yesterday. I'm cranky, tired and dreading bootcamp after work. I finish up a rough meeting and walk back to my office to find a Fed Ex box on my desk. I open the box to reveal a "goodie basket" sent from a company trying to woo mine into partnership. There in the box, cutely wrapped with a ribbon among the harmless items like a pen and notebook sits a large bag of M&Ms. Plain chocolate M&Ms. And I caved. I tore off that ribbon poured out a handful and munched them down while I responded to emails. 10 minutes later looked up and realized I was still snacking on them. "What am I doing?? I've just ruined a good day of eating!" Trying not to panic, I took the remaining M&Ms and dumped them in the trash. Then I dumped a half a bottle of water on top of them (just to be safe :).
I wrote them down in the food journal (even though I did NOT want to). An estimated 400 calories for my moment of weakness. Then I went to bootcamp and worked them off through sprints and squats. (side note- I don't recommend M&Ms as a pre-workout snack, when you feel like they could come back up at any minute- it's not pleasant). I managed to salvage the rest of my day by eating a low calorie dinner (egg white & chicken scramble) and going to bed early.
Lessons to be learned?
#1 Mistakes happen. Don't beat yourself up, accept them and move on. Make the next choice a good one.
#2 10 minutes of M&M pleasure is NOT worth the 75 minutes of hell at bootcamp to burn them off.
#3 Do the math. If you're going to indulge- make sure you're using your calories wisely. I could have had 3 glasses of wine with those calories!
I share all this with you- so you will not have to repeat my mistakes. Or if you do- realize you're not alone! We can do this. I may have lost a battle yesterday, but there's still a war to be won.
XO
Chel

Modified Cooking- Enchilada Time!

2010-05-17T16:08:00.000-07:00

I made delicious and healthy enchiladas for dinner last night by taking a highly rated recipe and altering some of the ingredients to make it more diet friendly. The results were great!

Creamy Beef Enchiladas Let's call them Healthy Turkey Enchiladas That Still Taste Good :)
Keep in mind as I talk calories that this is for the ENTIRE DISH (6 large servings) not per serving.
1 lb ground beef I switched this for ground turkey. Turkey has 670 calories per lb compared to 800 in 90% lean ground beef. Calories saved= 130.
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons garlic Salt
1 cup salsa
1 cup sour cream I substituted nonfat greek yogurt. Regular sour cream has 495 calories a cup, greek yogurt only has 90! Calories saved= 405
1 small can sliced black olives
6 flour tortillas I substituted whole wheat tortillas for flour. Flour tortilla has 170 and the whole wheat I found was 140. Since there are 6 in this recipe, calories saved= 180.
1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese I substituted "light" Mexican blend cheese for the regular and couldn't even taste a difference. 2 cups regular Mexican cheese= 880 calories. 2 cups light cheese=600 calories. Calories saved=280.
Directions: Brown ground beef with chopped onion in a medium pan over medium/high heat. While browning add cumin and garlic salt. Once cooked through and no longer pink, remove from heat and let cool. Once cooled stir in salsa, sour cream and half of the olives. Pour a little enchilada sauce in a 9x12" baking pan (about a half cup). Fill tortillas with the mixture and place seam side down in pan. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the top. Sprinkle with remaining olives and then top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

So- overall with the modifications, I was able to save 995 calories off the recipe and I didn't sacrifice good flavor! Each enchilada has 420 calories and they were huge, cheesy and delicious! Next time to get it even lower I'd use 1 cup cheese instead of 2 on top and try low carb tortillas. I could save another 600 calories, which would make each one only 320 instead!
Dreading bootcamp tonight because it's cold outside (ok San Diego cold- overcast and 65 degrees-I'll stop complaining now).
Enjoy!
XO
Chel

There Is Such a Thing as Too Much Good Stuff...

2010-05-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

Finally Friday. I've had one of those weeks where I want to eat everything in front of me. Literally. I feel like I could eat non stop all day and not feel satisfied. Normally, I feel like as long as I have the right foods to eat well I usually do a pretty good job of staying on track. This week, even with a house full of healthy food- my problem wasn't what I was eating, but how much.

I confessed to Julia on Wednesday that I had gone home for lunch and binged (and didn't write it down). She asked what I ate- a handful of this nuts, trail mix, crackers, string cheese, etc. Her response was "That's not bad! It's not like you went to Taco Bell!" Taco Bell or not, calories are calories and even healthy food can be calorie dense.
So what are survival tactics when you want to eat everything in sight?

Eat high volume low calorie food like air popped popcorn or snack on some veggies.
Distract yourself. Get out of the house, take a walk around the block, read a book, unload the dishwasher... anything to keep your hands busy.
Brush your teeth. This one really works for me- I need to work on doing it more.
Drink instead. Preferably something calorie free (alcohol is not a valid substitute :)

That's all I've got... if anyone has ideas to share- let me know! I'm still struggling with this one...
Ok on a major not health related note (although I believe in rewarding yourself for progress! :) I have found the shopping mecca. It's called www.6pm.com and it is amazing!! They are 40-80% of MSRP on all of my favorite brands, apparently they buy closeouts but the stuff is this season... wow! Check out purses (my weakness) or shoes! They have Steve Madden and Nine West for 50% off. I am in trouble now.
You're welcome :)
Have a great weekend! Bootcamp is a field trip to Coronado Beach in the morning- which sounds like a lot of SAND RUNNING... wish me luck!
XO
Chel
PS- Which purse do you like better? White is fresher and more fun for summer, but I've had my eye on the black one for a while... and now that they are on sale...

Diet is a Dirty Word

2010-05-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

This morning I woke up nervous about my weekly weigh in, for good reason. I gained 2.4 pounds from last week. I realize that weight fluctuates and it's not the end of the world... but still frustrating. Did I have a great eating week last week? No. I didn't food journal this past weekend, went wine tasting (picture below!), carb loaded pasta for our run, and traveled two days last week. Somehow I still expected the weight to come off... call me crazy!

What I realized as I was driving to work is that I need to work on changing my mentality and use "bad news" to motivate me. When I saw the number on the scale, instead of wanting to squeeze in an extra run I just wanted a bagel and a latte. And I think that's why typical "diets" don't work. People don't see instant results, get frustrated and make themselves feel better (temporarily) by giving up and eating junk food. How easy it would be to say, "I'll try again next week" or "Oh well, I'm already off track might as well.... ".
That is the mentality I am trying to fight. When being/living/eating healthy is a lifestyle rather than a diet, slip ups and setbacks are no longer the end of the road. And when I see a number on the scale I'm not happy with (like this morning) I take a deep breath, record the number, banish thoughts of bagels and get back on track one bite/choice/step at a time. It's not my automatic reaction, but the more I practice, the easier it will become and eventually those numbers on the scale will reflect both my determination and commitment.
A quote from my bootcamp journal that felt very appropriate to share today: "Understand that when keeping your commitment (to yourself) becomes hard, you have two choices: You can change your behavior to match your commitment, or you can lower your values to match your behavior. One choice will strengthen you (self) integrity; the other will diminish it and erode your confidence in your ability to make and keep commitments in the future."- Stephen Covey
Today I'm changing my behavior to match my commitment to myself. Wish me luck :)
XO
Chel

Vineyard Run & More TJs Recommendations

2010-05-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday! In a few hours I'm off for a weekend of fun in Temecula! Well- not entirely fun, Chris and I are running a 5k race through the vineyards tomorrow morning bright and early, but that will make the afternoon wine tasting tour so much more deserved! It's all about balance people! :) Last year this race completely kicked my butt- it's the HARDEST 5k I've ever done. You run actually through Vineyards between the grape vines, UP and DOWN and UP and DOWN big rolling hills. When you reach the bottom of each hill, you run though about 50 yards of SAND that they use for irrigation, before heading back UP the hill again! Luckily I made a really good playlist for my ipod that hopefully will get me through (thank you Britney!!).
I wanted to do some quick product recommendations, because I've had a few new favorites lately and wanted to make sure I didn't forget to share. All of these are Trader Joes products... one of these days I'll write about my pics from my regular grocery store, but they just don't get me as excited as that Trader Joes!
Organic Creamy Tomato Soup and Red Pepper Tomato soup. This stuff is ridiculously good and tastes like it was made with cream- but at only 100 calories per cup, it's a miracle food! And it's only 2.79 for a 4 serving container. Deal!
Soba Asian Noodle & Veggie Bowl, this one comes from the frozen section. It's a single serving bowl that you heat in the microwave and with only 250 calories it's the perfect lunch food! $2.99 (less expensive than Lean Cuisine and a lot less sodium!)
Roasted Gorgonzola Crackers. I hesitate to share these with you because I don't want to lead anyone down the scary path of addiction... which I'm currently on. These crackers are SO good with tons of flavor. And you can eat 30 of them (most cracker servings are 9-12) for 140 calories! I literally had to pre-divide these in serving size baggies at my house to stop me from eating them 24/7. $1.99
Latte & Cream Ice Cream Bar. As I was checking out at Trader Joe's the cashier asked me if I'd tried them yet. When I told her I hadn't, she said I was in for a treat and she was right! These little bars are only 90 calories, but what they lack in size they make up for in rich deliciousness flavor! Perfect for when you want something sweet at night that's not going to ruin the effort of a day of healthy eating. $3.49 for a box of 8.
Enjoy! Have a fun & healthy weekend.
XO
Chel
PS. I want to do a blog soon about books (whether novel, or diet book, or ??) that motivate you to eat healthier or workout. I have a few favorites that I'm excited to share- but wanted to hear from other people too. Do you have a book that motivates you?

Eating Right on the Go

2010-05-06T09:47:00.000-07:00

I'm writing this blog from 30,000 feet as I fly home from a 2 day work trip to AZ. As I'm sitting here- I've run out of reading material and pulled out my bootcamp food journal and spent some time contemplating my food choices over the past week and a half. It got me thinking about how challenging it can be to stay on track when taken out of your "comfort zone" of home. At home you stock your own fridge, have healthy takeout menus memorized and a standard meal schedule. Travel can really throw that off. Which got me thinking about how to eating well on a trip, whether for work or play is always a struggle. There are so many easy excuses to make- but a few days in a row of poor eating can really put a dent in a healthy eating habit.
This trip I managed to do decently- I stayed in my calories and had salads both days for lunch but I'll be honest and confess that dinner last night in my hotel room was a mini bottle of chardonnay (120 cal) and snack sized bags of pretzels (110 cal) and beef jerky (80 cal). 300 total. Completely balanced right?? :)
I realized there were 3 factors that got me through the trip semi-decently without doing major damage to my healthy eating, so I thought I'd share:
Preparation. I packed snacks. I brought in my purse for easy access a Lara bar, a Kind bar (new fav- 190 cals, coconut/almond goodness and all whole ingredients) and a packet of instant oatmeal. I ate all of them over the course of the trip and each saved me from what could have been a bad food choice in a pinch.
Friends. I love this. The first night I was at a happy hour at a sushi restaurant and discreetly texted Julia under the table "How many calories in a Kirin Light?" Within seconds I had my answer (fyi 95 in 12 oz- not bad!) And was good to go.
And this morning- running late to a meeting stopped at the only food spot in the area- Dunkin Donuts. Being a West Coast native these are few and far between so I text my East Coast bestie Brooke "help what do I get?" And soon was on my way with a 310 cal egg white mcmuffin.
And of course the Smart Phone. Love websites like Calorie King, the Daily Plate, and most chain restaurants that list their calories online. A quick google search can help me determine calorie counts on just about anything- including the 70 calories in a bag of Southwest peanuts I'm eating as I write this.
So- as Verizon might ask, "What's in your network?" Have people, plans and tools that support you and you will succeed. A quote from my bootcamp journal reads: "Today's preparation determines tomorrow's achievement". I couldn't agree more.
XO
Chel
PS.Quick update- I lost 1.6 lbs at my weigh-in this week. Not as dramatic as I would have liked to seen for my first week back in bootcamp & calorie counting but right on track with my goal of 1.5 lbs per week.
PPS- Travel snacks!
KIND Fruit & Nut Bar, Fruit & Nut Delight, 1.4-Ounce Bars (Pack of 8)
Larabar Original Fruit and Nut Bars 18 Bar Variety Pack

A Peek In My Food Journal

2010-04-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've reached day 5 of eating well, and so far the week has been a success! I've stayed in my calories every day, except yesterday when I went over by 30. Not going to beat myself up about that, especially because I managed to fit in a much needed glass of wine :). Chris and I saw Conan live last night, which was hilarious- but a comedy show could be a little rough 100% sober!
I thought I'd share a sample of what a typical day looks like for me, eating around or under 1300 calories. I basically try to live by two major mantras:
-Never feel starving! Once I hit that point, I'll eat anything and everything in my path. As you'll see in my daily eating, I eat little meals/snacks frequently so I never get to that point.
-Try to eat the good stuff. I'm not going to be healthy if I eat 4 snickers bars a day and still stay under my calories. I try to eat fresh, organic, lean, whole foods. You'd be surprised at how much MORE you can eat if you are eating healthy items, also a good hunger preventer.
Wednesday
7:30am: Steel Cut Trader Joes Oatmeal 150cal
Greens Juice 20 cal (This is SO good for you. I also buy this at Trader Joes. It doesn't taste the best but I buy the kind with only veggie juice to keep the calories low)
9am: Coffemade coffee creamer. 30 cal. (Yes, eventually someday I will give this stuff up... but not today!)
10:30am: Vans brand frozen blueberry waffle. 110 cal.
12:45pm: Quinoa & Chicken mango salad. 240 cal. (Pre-made, from TJ's and that includes dressing!)
3pm: Nonfat Greek Yogurt. 110 cal. And 1/3 cup low fat berry granola. 70 cal. (This keeps me full and satisfies my afternoon sweet tooth)
5pm: Light String Cheese. 60 cal. (Pre-workout to give me a boost so I'm not going to bootcamp starving).
8pm: Flavorful low calorie applesauce pork chop. Check out the recipe HERE. 230 calories. Julia made this for dinner and I'm definitely going to repeat it! Pork is a great lean meat and the apples in it gave such a good sweet/salty flavor combination. Delish!
5 spears asparagus. 25 cal.
Broccoli & Cauliflower. 50 cal.
9pm: A cookie. 35 cal. Yumm :)
Total calories for the day 1,135! I felt great the whole day and had plenty of energy for my workout. Challenge ahead will be being "good" this weekend. Chris and I have a very fun black tie wedding to go to on Saturday (yay Jen & Kevin!!) and I'm going to allow myself some flexibility on my eating and drinking. All things in moderation, but will need to stay strong on Sunday because my first weigh in is Monday morning! I'll keep you posted! Have a great weekend!
XO
Chel

Hi, I'm Hungry. How's Your Day Going?

2010-04-27T15:56:00.000-07:00

My body is STRUGGLING today to adjust to going from relaxed eating (and probably 2,000 calories a day) back to my bootcamp calories. I can have (according to a very complex formula) between 1100 and 1300 calories per day to lose weight at a rate of 1.5 lbs per week. Day One went smoothly and I came in right at 1100. Today- reality sets in and I am HUNGRY and cranky and want to eat. But I am resisting. After a few days of decreasing the calories, my stomach should "shrink" a little and I won't need as much to feel full. Looking forward to that...

Last night I made a great stir fry that was really low cal. Trader Joe's has a product that is a pre-made stir fry mix with fresh veggies (chopped onions, mushrooms, broccoli, snap peas, etc) I tossed that into the wok with some grilled chicken and had a little brown rice as a side and it was delicious! Simple, healthy and as Chris commented "very colorful", which is fun!
Breakfast this morning was another Trader Joe's item (they should seriously be paying me for how much I write about them!) Steel Cut Oatmeal frozen oatmeal. It comes two individual servings to a package (so it's a little more expensive than the packets) but you just put it in a bowl and throw it in the microwave for 2 min and it comes out perfect consistency, and it's only 150 calories! Its so filling when you eat it- but I was hungry again fairly quickly afterword. Don't know if that's because it's a lot of carbs... or just my adjusting back to eating less!

Oh! And I had the dreaded WEIGH IN this morning. I haven't weighed myself in at least two months (bad, I know) and it wasn't great news, but not the end of the world. I've gained 4 pounds since the end of my last bootcamp. Disappointing- but definitely something I can deal with. I was secretly afraid- and have been feeling recently like I'd gone completely off the deep end and was going to have gained 10, so 4 was actually a relief! Being back in Bootcamp, I've realized now is the time to focus, commit and really change my body in the next 12 weeks. It's only 12 weeks!
I'm going to go drink some water now. Yummm :)
XO
Chel

Back on the Bootcamp Bandwagon...

2010-04-26T15:33:00.000-07:00

As of this morning I'm once again committed to the 12 week torture program "Fit To Wed" http://www.getfit2wed.com/ to be whipped into shape. 3x a week, two 75 minute workouts, one 90 minute workout. Combine that with calorie counting and food journaling (they check to make sure you're doing it!) and I think I can hit my goal weight, which happens to be a New Years Resolution of mine. No time like the present! (I'm strangely chipper for a Monday)
Waking up today and knowing that I'm on the program actually felt like more of a relief than anything. I'm looking forward to getting back on track and feeling good.
Bootcamp was what motivated me to create this blog in the first place, and I'm sure that it's going to provide PLENTY of inspiration which I will obviously continue to share! Stay tuned...
XO
Chel

Explore. Indulge. Enjoy.

2010-04-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

Words of advice Chris and I received during our Vegas weekend, and I can tell you- we absolutely did! From start to finish the weekend was over the top excess and a whole lot of fun. I’ll stick to the food related details…

Friday night we had dinner at Tod English’s Olives at the Bellagio. They have a TINY patio that you can’t make reservations for which overlooks the lake and amazing fountain show. Definitely worth the wait, we had an incredible view and the food was outstanding. I had seared scallops and Chris had a double cut pork chop. The blue cheese stuffed Olives (as the restaurant is named for) in my Dirty Martini really hit the spot...and with the fountains and music in the background, I felt like I was in a grown up fairy tale!

The food was so good we went back the following day for wine and an appetizer- the beef carpaccio, which competes for one of the best things I had all weekend.

Dinner Saturday night was Beso, which is Eva Longoria’s restaurant at the new Aria/City Center. We obviously had to try “Eva’s Guac” although I’m not sure I really believe she eats or makes it… I had shortribs and Chris went for seared ahi, both of which were delicious and HUGE portions. Neither of us finished ours. Highlight of that meal was actually a BLT salad (brilliant idea!) with whole strips of the best bacon I’ve ever eaten in my life on top. I am a bacon addict- so my opinion might be a little biased- but I’d classify that as a can’t miss.

Ok- indulging time is over. I’ve had a few relaxed weeks of eating and a weekend of ridiculousness and it's time to get back on track. (I almost bit Chris's head off last week when he dried a pair of my jeans because I was afraid they wouldn't fit if they shrank... not a good sign) Back to the dreaded calorie counting and food journaling. Plan for this week is before I put food in my mouth- THINK about it. Is it worth eating? I don’t want to waste calories on crap food. I’d rather save my indulgences for quality and appreciate it rather than falling into a routine of eating junk, which is so easy to do!
I read an article about Cindy Crawford (who at 44 looks 100x better than I did at 24) and she was saying that the key to her success was eating 80% good 80% of the time. I like that attitude. I'm going to channel Cindy this week and make good choices.
XO
Chel

Carb Watch- Day 2

2010-04-08T10:25:00.000-07:00

Chris and I survived Day 1, Carb Free! 24 hours down, 24 to go till Vegas! We both faced temptations yesterday- his in the form of fresh baked cookies sitting all afternoon directly across from his office.

Yes this is literally a picture he sent me of the cookies :)

Temptation for me came in the form of Easter chocolate & candy still hanging around the office kitchen. And a moment of weakness last night when I asked him “Are you SURE wine has carbs in it?” Apparently it does.
BUT- we stayed strong and had a healthy dinner of stir fry veggies and grilled chicken with a teriyaki sauce. I did go to bed a little hungry- but woke up with my stomach feeling a tiny (visible only to me) bit flatter.
I did a quick trip to Trader Joe’s last night to pick up dinner/food till we leave.
Here’s my TJs Carb Free Shopping List:
Veggies:
* Bell Peppers (had these chopped up this a.m. in a egg white scramble… yum! Also a good salad topper)
* Vegetable Mélange (this is a frozen veggie mix is a butter-ish sauce- it’s DELICIOUS and filling when you want something warm plus- carb free!)
* Cucumbers
* Pre Cut Stir Fry Fresh Veggies (put these and chicken in the Wok last night for dinner)
* Bagged Romaine and Baby spinach
Mains:
* BBQ pulled chicken (this stuff is SO good- LOVE it on sandwiches but for this week, I’m using it as a salad topper. 130 calories for a good sizes serving. It’s in the pre-made section)
* Chicken Breast Tenders
Snacks:
* Beef Jerky (great snack)
* Light String Cheese (60 cals a piece)
* Pre Shelled Edamame
* Spicy Egg White Salad- Ranchero flavor. (eat by the spoonful or make a lettuce wrap!)
Misc:
* Pear Champagne Salad dressing (45 cals for 2tbs and it has yummy Gorgonzola in it!)
* Sparkling Water (to distract me from not drinking wine with dinner. It didn’t really work)
But really- it's all to prepare for an amazing weekend of eating and drinking. I may try to eat well &count my calories when I need to, but at heart I'm truly a food lover & wannabe gourmet! We have reservations at Olive's at the Bellagio for Friday night (before we go see "O" Circque De Soleil which I'm really excited about!) and Beso for Saturday night. FOOD overload. I can just taste that bread basket now :)
XO
Chel

Miss Me?

2010-04-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

Where to start? First by apologizing for how LONG it’s been since I blogged, obviously you were all dying of anticipation. Second- to tell you that unlike Brooke’s prediction for why I wasn’t blogging “Oh I thought you probably just got fat and didn’t want to talk about it” (thanks for the support B) I’ve actually just had a really busy past month and as I was struggling to find time to exercise and eat decently- well, writing about it kind of became last priority.

Or maybe I just didn’t want to confess my addiction to Easter Candy :)

But today I’ve got a topic I wanted to share- Chris and I are headed to Vegas this weekend and in preparation have decided to cut carbs and sugar for the next two days till we go. Obviously I’m not going to get a 6 pack in the next 48 hours, but sometimes even just feeling a little bit thinner or having a slightly flatter stomach can make you feel a lot better in a bathing suit (weather forecast says it’s going to be 80 degrees!). Funny though because I realized how HARD it is, without proper preparation to cut carbs from your diet! This morning I woke up and had a hard boiled egg for breakfast (thank you Easter Bunny) and tried to pack some things for lunch but the only thing I was able to grab was a string cheese. Think I’ll be heading out to find a salad today! Anyway it inspired me to find a list of foods that had I been a little more prepared would have been helped me stock my fridge for a carb free week.
I decided to go the South Beach Diet way, as compared to Adkins because my brain just refuses to accept I’d do my body any bit of good by eating bacon, eggs, and cheese for the next two days (although it kind of sounds fun to try!) South Beach Diet is more of a moderate low carb diet that isn't as high fat and more "good carb" friendly. However, their phase one which I decided to loosely replicate, is pretty strict and what they have you stick to in the beginning of the diet to jumpstart weight loss.

It recommends VEGGIES, lean proteins, light cheese & dairy products and a limited amount of nuts. No carbs, fruit, sugar. See here for a phase one shopping list:
http://www.southbeach-diet-plan.com/shoppinglist_p1.htm.
If you are looking to jump start your weight loss, or get back on track, put down the bread basket and take a week or two to clean up and simplify your eating habits.
I’ll let you know how it works for me- although I’m pretty sure the Vegas weekend will quickly undo any forward progress- but I’ll plan to go back on this eating plan for a few days when I get back.
Missed blogging! Fun to be back and promise to try to be better!
XO
Chel

Workout Plan

2010-03-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

Good news and bad news. Bad news was- the BluePrint cleanse sale on Gilt was kind of a bust, you had to buy a pack of 3 cleanses to get the deal and at $600+ it wasn't really in my price range! I'm considering just buying one directly off their website (hate not getting deals though!) I'll keep you posted...

Good news is- I ran my first 10k on Saturday! It was amazing! My only goal for myself was to run the entire time, and I did. I completed the race in 1:06:41 (yes that's OVER an hour of running) my pace was 10:49 per mile, which obviously isn't record setting, but I felt VERY accomplished when I crossed the finish line. Did I mention completing a 10k was one of my New Years resolutions?? Check! Next up is a 5k trail run in Temecula in May. Chris and I did this one last year and decided it's quite possibly the most challenging 5k in the world. The race is in a vineyard up and down through the grapes, literally UP and DOWN hills in dirt and sand. The best part of that race is a day of wine tasting after- so I'm looking forward to that!
Since I'm on the topic of running today- I thought I'd share my upcoming workout schedule which I just figured out last night. My 45 day trial of Bar Method ended yesterday and I've decided to renew it. (I went 20 times in 45 days- obviously I like it!) I feel STRONG, but I think I need to incorporate more running in to make sure I'm getting enough cardio. With daylight savings (my favorite thing EVER) I can actually come home and run after work now. My new plan is this:

Monday: Bar After Work
Tuesday: Run After Work
Wednesday: Bar during Lunch
Thursday: Run After Work
Friday: Bar Optional
Saturday: Bar/Run Optional
Sunday: Bar in the morning.

That way I'm strength training 3-5 days a week and running a minimum of 2 days. The thing with Bar is, I actually enjoy going so it doesn't feel overwhelming to think about doing it 5 days a week. I come out tired from the workout, but mentally refreshed. It really helps me transition from workday stress into a relaxed evening. Thoughts? Input? Is anyone doing a workout they are really loving?

Chel

Ps- Isn't it funny how it's called Bar? I'll text Chris, "Rough day at work, leaving now heading straight to Bar" and then laugh at myself because I totally sound like I have a drinking problem!

PPS. There's a new addition to my family!! Kurd has become a proud mother of Mochi, the cutest little Boston Terrier EVER.

BluePrint Cleanse... On Sale Tomorrow!

2010-03-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

So I've been talking about wanting to do a cleanse for a while- and I think I found The One. The BluePrint cleanse is a 3 day juice based cleanse that is EASY- they ship you 3 coolers of juice, one per day and each day you have 6 different juices to drink (they are labeled 1-6 to keep you on track). With my recent lack of healthy eating motivation, I think this is just what I need to jumpstart me back on track.
What brought this on was an email from one of my favorite shopping websites, Gilt Group, which features daily sales on designer clothing, jewlery & accessories. Today's email previewed their Wedding Weekend Sale starting tomorrow and the BluePrint Cleanse is part of it as a bridal detox.
Brooke actually emailed me a few months back about this cleanse, the company based in NYC and she met them for a business meeting and came out pretty sold on the product. Downside is, it's not cheap. It's usually $255 for the 3 day cleanse (although you can do 1 & 2 day versions as well). I'm not sure how much it will be when it goes on sale tomorrow, but hopefully it's a good price.
I spent time today researching and reading reviews of the cleanse (Sarah Jessica Parker is a fan) and most of the feedback was really positive. (Yelp had about 40 reviews with an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars) People say it works best if you follow their directions for the days prior to the cleanse, which include things like cutting out alcohol and red meat 3 days before, limiting dairy etc. The cleanse is described as energizing and motivating and people tend to lose between 3-5 pounds and keep it off.

To access any Gilt Group sales you have to be a member- so click here to sign up (It'll also give me a $25 credit if you buy anything! Full disclosure :): http://www.gilt.com/invite/chelseamarie84s
Check out the BluePrint Website here for more info: http://www.blueprintcleanse.com/
Sale starts at 9am Pacific Time tomorrow, and don't be late, they run out! Or you can let me be the guinea pig- obviously I'll provide a detailed review of my own experience!
XO
Chel

Dinner Table Magic

2010-03-10T16:13:00.000-08:00

I just read this blog and fell in love with it.

http://foodtruthandbeauty.wordpress.com/2010/01/06/gratitude-and-judith-jones/

People are often surprised to hear I like to cook and I've had friends shake their heads in disbelief that I'd actually enjoy spending hours on a recipe, but for me so much of the pleasure comes from the environment and experience that is created through cooking. Reading this author's post really struck a cord in me and I wanted to share it.

Highlights from her blog:

I cannot imagine not sharing my kitchen, my cooking, the experience of eating, the joy of a lazy evening, with the people that are dear to me. Not one single person could go missing without drastically altering the fabric of my life; especially my husband. To me, the table is such a sacramental place. How enormously blessed am I that I don’t have to sit at it alone?

One of the most memorable (albeit simple) moments of my life was a time when Jon and I had just finished a delightful, weeknight meal; our home smelled delicious, candles were lit, music drifted through the house and my belly was full. I specifically remember that my feet were stretched out and resting on the empty chair that sits across from me at our table, glass in hand, mind at rest. I was struck, at that moment, with the sheer joy of being exactly where I was. (A very rare moment for me and my chaotic mind!)

She says it all so much better than I ever could. But truly, food and cooking isn't only about what you eat. It's the environment you create and the ability to share and experience that with others. Many of the favorite memories of my own life have been strikingly similar, revolving around a dinner table filled with food, friends, conversation and laughter at the end of a day.

Thank you to all the friends, family and loved ones that I've ever been fortunate enough to share a table with. Cheers to more dinners ahead!
XO

Chel

Stress Eating=More Stress!

2010-03-09T11:27:00.000-08:00

My post today is inspired by a text Julia sent me this morning... "I have been reading Jessica's (our bootcamp trainer) blog and getting inspired. It is tiding me over til my favorite blog starts back up again... " and I wrote back "Well your favorite blogger is sucking at eating healthy right now!" but- I guess in the sense of this blog reflecting my reality with food, I should probably be sharing the downs as well as the ups.

So let's see... Here's my honest update: I'm really struggling lately with eating well. I haven't weighed myself in about a month because I am scared. I am going to Bar Method 4 times a week and LOVING it which I feel like is the one good thing keeping me in check. My clothes fit, but I feel like they don't look as good as they could. I have been eating frozen yogurt like a crazy person. I am running a 10k race this weekend which I'm not prepared for.

Hmmm... see- now my blog is not so inspirational!! But it is the truth. My thought is that writing it down and sharing it is going to motivate me to make some changes. Change for today is STOPPING stress eating. Lately when I've got a lot going on or am feeling overwhelmed, I find myself reaching for food. I start justifying things like since I'm having such a rough day, it's OK to have pizza (or burger, or mexican) for lunch. Like I somehow deserve it. BUT, what I need to keep in mind is that the guilt caused by unhealthy eating also causes stress in my life. And resulting weight gain is major stress. As if those aren't enough reasons to avoid the junk food, the sugar and carb late afternoon crashes that come with eating crap for lunch probably leave me less equipped to deal with stress than I started off.

So- how am I going to avoid this lunchtime lapse? Two things. Try to stress less... and plan ahead. If I am bringing my lunch to work every day, I won't have to go out and get it which will help me avoid temptation. And I'm going to take Reilly out for a walk or do some Bar Stretches (office door closed of course) if I start feeling overwhelmed. Ok that's the plan for today. Deep breath in... and out. And wish me luck!

Chel

PS. Do you like my Zen photos? That's what I'm going for :)

PPS.A few of my favorite blogs- to keep you inspired!

http://www.getfit2wed.blogspot.com/ (Blog from my Bootcamp trainer- Jessica has AMAZING healthy eating ideas and product recommendations)
http://blog.barmethod.com/ (Blog from the founder of Bar Method- Burr Leonard. If you are taking the class- or want to learn more about it, this blog has great tips)

http://www.katheats.com/ (Kath Eats Real Food- for the food side of healthy eating, this site is fascinating. Kath eats only "whole foods" and documents her entire day of eating (every day!) with photos & recipes.

The Best Way To Lose Weight- What Works?

2010-02-26T11:34:00.000-08:00

I was reading a health article today that talked about the MASSIVE amounts of health and weight loss information that's out there and how confusing it is to decide what to follow. The article said "If you did what you were told by every expert out there, you'd eat more of everything and less of everything, and you'd eat it earlier, later, and not at all. Fat would save you and kill you, carbohydrates would make you skinny and fat, and protein would turn you into Adonis and put you on dialysis."

I felt like that made a lot of sense. I hear conflicting information ALL the time. And I'm sure, with the right regimen, it all works or has it's place. But what are the basics? How can an ordinary person keep it simple and lose weight without getting sidetracked with all the advice out there. The article simplified it into simple "Weight Loss Rules That Work".

Cut calories. Kind of a Duh thing. Regardless if you are going low carb or low fat, the end result is eating less calories. In it's most basic form, weight loss is a math equation. Burn more calories than you take in= lose weight. Take in more calories than you burn= gain weight. So regardless how you go about it, the first and most critical step to weight loss is cutting calories. My tip- keep a food journal for a few days without changing your eating habits to get an idea of how many calories you are consuming on a daily basis. Then figure out how to cut back from there.
Eat Protein to Burn More Calories. "When you eat, your body has to expend calories to digest the food. Protein causes this inner fire to burn the hottest, followed by carbohydrates, followed by fat. Animal proteins increase thermogenesis more than vegetable proteins, so the best calorie-burning foods are lean meats. So eat some protein at each meal—build your dinner around lean chicken, beef, or pork. That way, you're burning the most calories through digestion at the end of the day, when your metabolism is slower." This was news to me! But the concept makes sense and I believe eating some protein at all meals is important to keep your energy up and avoid the sugar high crashes that can be caused by eating too many carbs.
Don't Eat Fried Food. (or obvious junk food of sugar and empty carbs!) Why? Because pretty much every diet plan agrees it's terrible for you. They cause your blood sugar to spike then crash, leaving you hungry and cranky, which usually leads to eating more junk which starts the cycle all over again. Even in a world with Atkins- no one has come up with the Fried Food diet yet- it's just not possible to lose weight and have your french fries every day too. (Sorry Nat!)
Eat Fiber! You know I loved this tip! :) The reasoning the article gave was: that fiber's effect is the opposite of snack foods'. When you have fiber in your stomach, food takes longer to enter the bloodstream, and your blood-sugar level stays steady. If you missed my Fiber blog- check it out HERE.
Omega 3 Fats won't make you a fatty! The heath benefits of omega-3 polyunsaturated fats just keep growing. These healthy oils are found in in fish, nuts, seeds, and flaxseed and fish oils. Perks? They reduce inflammation throughout the body, which is not only good for cardiovascular health- but if you're working out? Bigger, less-inflamed muscles mean a faster metabolism, and speeding up your metabolism is crucial when you're trying to get lose weight. I currently take a daily fish oil supplement.
Make A Plan. A successful diet isn't created out of luck, or by winging it. Find or create a system that works for you and stick to it! The best plan (according to the article) is likely to include these elements:

Meals and snacks are based on some lean protein source—fish, eggs, dairy, meat.
More meals are better than fewer. Five or six meals and snacks a day is ideal.
Low-fat and high-fat diets can both work, but one that cuts almost all fat is doomed.
Nobody ever became obese from eating the best carbohydrates—fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. And nobody ever died from skipping potatoes, pasta, rice, popcorn, and Wonder Bread.

Hopefully this helps you break through the overwhelming masses of info out there- it helped me to refocus on the core principals of weight loss. I am BEYOND happy that today is Friday. Have a fun and healthy weekend!

XO
Chel

PS. Article is available here if you want more info: http://www.menshealth.com/mhlists/lose_weight/Make_a_Plan.php#ixzz0gfVti52v

PPS. Picture at the top is from the Biggest Loser. I LOVE before and after pics- they are so inspiring!

Dear Food Journal,

2010-02-24T10:41:00.000-08:00

How I have not missed you. Not even for one second. In fact, I was grateful when you were not there Saturday night as I enjoyed ridiculous rock shrimp tempura sushi and short ribs at Katsuya or to see me eat delicious Pizza Port margarita pizza when I was fighting a hangover on Sunday. And the pot roast last night? I barely even glanced at the nutrition label. In fact, we haven’t spent any quality time together (half days don’t count) since before Cabo. You are even starting to gather dust on my nightstand.

But this morning I woke up knowing that I may not like you- but I need you. You help keep my pants fitting and my snacking in check. So welcome back. Once again you will be my silent witness and constant companion and I will write EVERYTHING down no matter how bad, small of a bite- anything and everything that crosses my lips.

~~XOXO~~ Sincerely,

Chelsea

The March Issue

2010-02-23T11:30:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite days of the month is when my Cooking Light Magazine arrives! I seriously sit down with it and read the entire thing cover to cover- marking my favorite pages and recipes. The March issue arrived Sunday, and by Sunday night I was already cooking. It was a cold rainy day and Chris and I were in recovery mode from a big night out in LA the night before- obviously Bacon, Ranch and Chicken Mac N Cheese was in order. And it totally hit the spot. And since it was a Cooking Light version- it was reduced guilt!

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
1 slice applewood-smoked bacon I used two. Ok fine I used 3 :) Really the more the merrier (unless you are in calorie counting mode)
8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces Cutting up raw chicken is so gross. I was really having trouble with this. However- it tastes good and adds protein to the dish.
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1/3 cup condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese Italian blend (such as Sargento)
1/2 teaspoon onion powder I didn't have onion powder so I doubled the garlic powder.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill I didn't have this and it was fine without.
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded colby-Jack cheese
Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done. As I'm cooking the bacon, I hear Chris giggling to himself in the living room and asked him what was funny. Apparently the smell of the cooking bacon was so amazing he literally he couldn't help himself "You're making bacon!!" he kept saying. If that's all it takes to keep him happy- I wish I'd figured this out earlier!
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. This part was fun! The mixture literally turns into a cheese fondu like cheesy goo- yummm Stir in pasta and chicken.
4. Preheat broiler.
5. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts. I topped with some fresh ground pepper.
Nutritional Information- Makes 4 servings 2 cups each.
Calories:497 Do I get that that's a lot of calories? Yes- but for a favorite like Mac and Cheese it's worth it and WAY less than you would find in a restaurant version. Also- the servings are huge! You could just have a cup and it would be about 250 calories.
Fat:17g (sat 9.2g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:33.3g
Carbohydrate:51.7g
Fiber:2g

Cooking Light is also great becuase they list all their recipes online. Check out the link: March 2010 Recipe Index. I think I'm also going to try to make the Blue Cheese Stuffed Chicken with Buffalo Sauce, Chicken Curry and Spicy Shrimp and Grits.
Also in this month's Issue was Top 25 cooking mistakes people make. I'm not going to list them all- but I'll share a few that stood out to me (because I tend to make them!)
-Pre-heat the pan before adding oil. The pan should be hot when you add oil, and then let the oil heat before adding food.
-Taste the food at all steps of the process. Not take huge bites, but have quick tastes to make sure your recipe is on track.
-Let meat rest. Once you finish cooking meat, always let it sit for a few minutes before cutting it so it doesn't lose all the juices.
-Measure your ingredients- don't eyeball it!
Happy Cooking!
XO
Chel

Splenda: Not So Splendid.... :(

2010-02-22T09:57:00.000-08:00

Hi All! I am SO excited about Today's blog, because I didn't write it! :) I asked my good friend Jen to write about her learnings from the Boot Camp Nutiritional Seminar becuase I had gotten so much out of it a few months back and could use a refresher! Take it away Jen-

As some of you know, I decided to submit myself to the torture of a bootcamp class that Chelsea had told me about to get in shape for my upcoming wedding this September. A part of the bootcamp is a nutrition seminar and a grocery shopping trip to Vons and Trader Joes. I thought I already ate pretty healthy, but our instructor (Jessica) opened my eyes up to so many bad things I hadn't realized I was putting into my body!

One thing I learned is to treat your body like it deserves to be treated. If you put crap in your body, it is going to run like crap. If you put good things in your body, it is going to run smoothly and you are going to feel great. I didn't realize how true this was until looking at my food journal and keeping track of how I felt throughout the day after eating certain things.

My first sad moment was when I asked Jessica about splenda and my Coffee Mate Sugar Free-Vanilla Creamer that I use as a staple every single morning in my coffee. Apparently "splenda" is the trade name for "sucralose". SAD! Splenda is basically sugar modified by adding chlorine atoms. The Coffee Mate on the other hand had corn syrup and partially hydrogenated soybean oil as well as a bunch of other things I couldn't pronounce. Moral of the story: don't buy things that have ingredients you are unfamiliar with or that have fake sugars. :( So sad....The good news is, there are alternatives without making your coffee too miserable. At Henry's or Whole Foods they sell coconut milk creamers (hazelnut and regular). Not the same as my beloved coffee mate, but make my coffee milky. I use stevia packets now instead in my coffee as well.

On the same topic of splenda was my favorite way to make myself consume more water: crystal light to go packets. Found out that this is another no no in the land of eating clean. My instructor had a great alternative though that I have switched to and continue to get my eight glasses a day. Cut up fresh lemons at the beginning of each week and put them in a tupperware. Put three to four lemon wedges in your water bottle along with six to eight drops of the stevia that is in liquid form. It tastes like lemonade and is zero calories!! The liquid stevia can be purchased at Henrys or Whole Foods and comes in a dropper bottle.

Yogurt was another one of the things that was shot down by my instructor. If you look at the sugar content or ingedients in any of the light yogurts (Light N Fit, Vons brand light, eating right, etc.) there are many grams of sugar as well as things like aspartame. Switch to Greek Yogurt which is full of protein (sometimes up to 20 grams a serving depending on what brand you buy!) and add some berries and agave nectar (which tastes like honey) to sweeten it up a little bit. Fake sugars make you crave more fake sugars and also increase your desire for salty foods believe it or not!? Who would have thought.... During my first couple days of cutting out my light yogurt, splenda, and coffee mate I really did notice that I wasn't wanting my afternoon salty snacks...
I could go on forever with everything that I learned, but so I don't end up writing a novel I will list my top ten favorite pieces of advice I have picked up on:
1) Try to grocery shop the same time every week and at least one to two times a week at that. Go on a day where you know you can get home, wash and chop all of your fruits and veggies, and prepare a few meals for the week. I make a big batch of steel cut oatmeal now at the beginning of the week and put my individual servings in little tupperwares topped with frozen berries so that every morning I can grab one, nuke it for 1 minute in the microwave and BAM! Healthy breakfast done.
2) Pack a cooler if you are going to be gone all day. Then you will be less tempted to stop at the drive thru on your way home from work
3) NEVER grocery shop hungry. Eat something before you go so you don't spend too much mula
4) Breakfast should be 25% of your daily calories believe it or not. Dinner should be your smallest meal and try to keep it around 300 calories. Do not eat within three hours of going to bed if you can help it
5) Best bread/tortillas to buy are Ezekial brand or Sonoma Tortillas from Trader Joes. Ezekial brand is all natural and contains many good nutrients for your body.
6) Buy clear containers and stock them with pantry essentials like almonds, roasted vegetable chips, steel cut oats, ezekial pasta, kashi cereal, etc. Then tape the label with nutrition content on the side. You can easily see what you need to stock up on at the grocery store the next time, and place the proper measuring device into the container so it is a no brainer. For example; a serving of almonds is 1/4 cup and is 160 calories. I keep a 1/4cup measuring cup in the bin with them and know I can do one scoop into a ziplock and I am good to put it in my lunch box.
7) Best veggie burger I have found: Dr Praegers (Found at trader joes). Put on a sandwhich thin with a piece of low fat cheese and it reminds me of a mcdonalds cheeseburger!! Yum!
8) Buy organic everything you can afford, but most importantly things you bit into: berries, apples, bell peppers, pears, etc. Okay to skip organic prices and get regular if has outer layer such as oranges, bananas, grapefruits, etc.
9) Instead of soy milk, buy almond milk. My favorite is the unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze brand by Blue Diamond. 1 cup has only 40 calories!! So delicious mixed with kashi cereal. Found usually in the baking aisle at grocery stores.
10) Try to eat as clean as possible. Fill your day with in season fruits and vegetables and feel more energized and slender within weeks! Costco sells 100 calorie packs of hummus now which is great to throw in a lunch box with some cucumber slices. Pack an apple and a tbsp of almond butter. Smart and Final sells to go ramikins (like what you put your salsa in at Rubios....) and i use them daily now to put salad dressing, serving of almonds, tbsp of almond butter, my special coconut milk creamer, etc. so i have no excuses when I am at work to not use my healthy alternatives.
I'm doing my best to switch to anything organic that I can afford and do away with my old habits of just throwing a lean cuisine in my work bag and calling it a meal. Preparing your meals on Sundays before your week begins really makes a huge difference and you will find that you have more time to spend with your friends or honey if you have prepared, pre-portioned meals at your fingertips. I have already lost five pounds in four weeks and feel better than ever. You can too!

The Fun, The Sun, and the FOOD!

2010-02-17T15:41:00.000-08:00

Coming back from an amazing vacation is REALLY hard to do. I think I'm having a FUN hangover. The realization that lying in the sun all day laughing, eating and drinking to my heart's content must be replaced with work catch-up, eating well and working out is quite a shock to the system. Chris and I have been discussing (with increasing frequency) that we feel our real talents lie in our ability to relax, have big fun and do vacations right. Now we simply need to find a way to make that skill profitable! While we work on that... I'll share my Cabo trip from a food point of view! Quite a story to tell!

As soon as we arrived, we headed straight for The Office, practially a Mexican Restaurant institution. FRESH fish served right on the Beach under bright blue umbrellas. Toes in the sand, buckets of beer on the table... we actually ate here 3 times during the trip! I had fish and lobster tacos, shrimp enchiladas another and butterflied grilled shrimp. WOW. They bring you a platter out of the fresh catch's of the day and you pick what you want. The scene and the food can't be beat.
First night was sushi at Nikki Beach restaurant at the ME Hotel which was a couple of doors down (or a walk on the beach) from Casa Dorado where we were staying. The fish was fresh and the presentation was fantastic. However- maybe I'm just lucky to live at the beach full time, but I've had better sushi.

Saturday night dinner was at Mi Casa right in the heart of Cabo. Chris and I ordered the Mexican Sampler and I only WISH I could remember everything it came with. I know we started with a delicious Mexican soup (with hunks of fresh mozzarella) El Mole Poblano, Chili Reino, carnitas, and more with a finale of Tres Leches Cake which was a big hit with the whole table. This place was amazing with an open air rooftop & live entertainment. Tiburon Tiburon!

Lots of Poolside meals- see Chicken tacos. Yes I ate those while in my swim suit. It's amazing how comfortable you can feel in a bathing suit when you've had 4 margaritas by noon. (2 for 1! What are you going to do??)

Valentine's Day Dinner was at one of the most romantic places I've ever been to. The place was called Edith's Restorante and it was lit lanterns and filled with waterfalls and greenery. We had our dinner in a private wine room that looked straight out of a movie. I had the steak fajitas, which was literally a New York steak fire grilled to perfection then sliced and served with fresh tortillas, guacamole and all the fixings. Chris had the lobster which was probably the best lobster I've had in my life. Dessert was a Mexican tequila coffee and banana's foster, both prepared en fuego (on fire :) tableside.

Final night dinner was at a restaurant appropriately titled "No Worries" down on the Cabo Harbor. We ordered the lobster and shrimp bucket for the table and this monstrosity of lobster halves huge shrimp arrived! SO good.

As for working out... well, not so much. But if you count Ziplining (actually a MAJOR hike and a half!) and Jet Skis, oh and lots of dancing- then I'll just call it even. Not weighing myself for at least a week. Tomorrow I'll blog about lent and how I plan to get back to healthy eating, but for now I'm just going to enjoy my memories and try to figure out how to get back!

Chel

PS The pic below is Chris and I on "Lovers Beach" on Valentine's Day... we were the only people on the beach and took it ourselves with our camera propped on a rock. My favorite :)

Soon I leave Soup behind for Margaritas, but till then...

2010-02-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

48 hours from now I will be on a plane to Cabo!! I could not be more excited to be in WARM weather (forecast temp is 79 degrees & sunny!) with a swim up pool bar and a shut off Blackberry! Does it get any better??
Food is the last thing from my mind (unusual), I've been eating lunch at my desk the last two days trying to get a ton done before I go. Recommendation- Subway is running their special where all sandwiches are $5 for any footlong, not just select meats- I am living off them.
But I have made two ridiculously good meals in the last two days that I HAD to share!
One was a Cooking Light version of Chili, for Superbowl Sunday. I followed that recipe fairly exactly- so here's the link to the recipe:
Cooking Light Crock Pot Chili
It was really filling and didn't taste like a "light" version at all, but each serving only has 240 calories or 5 weight watchers points. If you make it- PLEASE use non fat plain Greek Yogurt in substitution of sour cream. Just try it. I promise it will not disappoint and you will be happy about the heaping scoop you can dump on top and not have to feel guilty about! We also topped with chopped green onions and cilantro. Delish! PS- the recipe calls for lean beef, not turkey (po mans beef) and is still good for you!

The second, which I made last night was White Bean Soup (which doesn't sound that great- I get it) But it was seriously AMAZING, healthy and really easy to make. Here's the Recipe, which I found on William Sonoma online.

2 tbs olive oil
1/4 cup chopped pancetta
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 cans (each 15 oz.) cannellini beans, drained Nearly had a grocery store breakdown when I couldn't find these. However- thanks to the magic power of Google I was able to learn that cannellini beans can be interchangeable with "Great Northern" and "Navy Beans" in recipes. Who knew?
5 cups chicken broth
3/4 tsp. finely chopped fresh thyme I used a little extra.
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Mmmm Pepper!

In a 3 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. (I used a big sauce pot but make sure to make it a big one- this makes LOTS of soup). Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the cannellini beans, broth and thyme and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. (I used a blender to puree and then poured it back in the pot) Stir in the cheese and season with salt and black pepper. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls and serve immediately.
Serve it with a side salad and crusty bread and you have an amazing meal! Chris and I both had seconds and still have tons of leftovers. One of the things that is so great about this soup is that it has the rich consistency of a cream based soup, but NO cream which makes it MUCH healthier for you.

Also- just a side note, I am slowly learning that it can be fun to cook together. Like with other people in the kitchen. I have always been a slight.... ok, major kitchen nazi (meaning I like my space, and don't you dare try to taste something before I serve it) but I am slowly coming to the realization that it can actually be nice to share the stirring and mincing duties with someone else. I guess it just takes the right person. :) Baby steps.. Don't get any crazy ideas (Julia...)
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
XO
Chel
PS. One of my favorite people in the world just started a VERY funny blog about her quest to become America's Next Top Hipster (or something along those lines..) Check it out! http://flatboots.blogspot.com/

I Have A Confession To Make

2010-02-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

I'm a fiber addict. I have been holding out on you all with a VERY important factor in my personal weight loss & overall health because I was too embarrassed to blog about it! I've attempted to write about it a few times but always get stuck when I type "Colon Cleanse". I figure, you don't really want to hear about my bathroom habits & I really don't want to share them on this public forum. BUT- I believe that fiber has been playing a large role in my ability to maintain my current weight- so it would be wrong of me not to fill you in.
Why Fiber?

Many diets (Weight Watchers for example) rely heavily on fiber as part of the calculation of how much you can eat. Why is that? Fiber is the indigestibile part of plant based foods. Because our bodies can't digest it, it passes through us without providing nutrition or calories. There are three main weight loss & fiber intake are linked.

Fiber helps move fat & other foods through our bodies more quickly, so that less of it is absorbed.
Fiber makes us feel full sooner and stays in our stomach longer than other substances we eat, slowing down our rate of digestion and keeping us feeling full longer.
Fiber helps keep your bowel healthy & free of toxins. = Easier processing of nutrients.

Various studies have found that the average woman should eat between 20-27 grams of fiber per day. The average American woman is only eating 15 per day. How many are you eating?
My Life with Fiber:
My fiber kick (addiction) started when Chris came home from work with a bottle of this Original Colon Cleanse. A co-worker of his had strongly recommended it to him as a great weight loss supplement. Obviously I'm game for any of those so I tried it. I'm not going to go into detail (if you want to read reviews, there are some pretty graphic ones out there- google it) but let's just say it definitely got things moving :) This particular Cleanse is made of psyllium husk is known to pull over 10 times it's weight in toxins from your colon. Each serving (tablespoon) has 6 grams of fiber, and you mix it with water and drink it 30 minutes prior to meals, up to 3x per day. Currently I only take it in the morning but when you first start, it's good to do at least 2x a day.
As you know I'm also taking a Greens Supplement daily, and that also has 6 grams of fiber. (Read more about my daily supplements here: Supplements Everyone Should Take) So by 8am, I've had 12 grams of fiber. And those Zen Bakery Blueberry or Apple Cranberry Fiber Cakes I'm always raving about from TJs? 13 GRAMS of FIBER in an 80 calorie muffin. So- if I have one of those for my mid morning snack, I'm up to 25 grams before lunch.
See... I told you I'm obsessed.
How to Eat More Fiber:
Obviously you can take supplements to add fiber to your diet but it's also great to eat food that is naturally high fiber (it's all healthy stuff as well!) Below are some examples. Keep in mind that meat & dairy have ZERO fiber, so if you are trying to eat low carb, it's even more important to make sure you are getting enough fiber daily.

Legumes (lentils, dry beans and peas)
Vegetables
Brown rice
Whole grains (wheat, oats, barley)
Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries (1 cup provides up to 1/3 of your goal of at least 25 grams of fiber per day)
High-fiber crackers (just 2 Ak Mak® crackers contain 3.5 grams fiber)
Fiber One®, All Bran®, or Kashi® Cereals (Go Lean Crunch®)
100-percent whole-wheat bread (at least 3 grams of fiber per serving)
Thomas' Multi-Grain Lite English Muffins® (only 100 calories and 8 grams of fiber with 5 grams of protein ... a nutrition bargain!)

Just to be clear, Fiber alone will not make you lose weight. Adding fiber either through supplements or food–only seems to assist weight control when it leads to an overall intake of less calories.

I hope you will come to love fiber as much as I do! Check for it on nutritional labels, try a supplement and make sure you are eating at least 20 grams a day.
XO
Chel
P.S. I hope you all got a lot out of that, becuase I literally cringed every time I wrote colon (bowel is even worse) Maybe I'm 12 but still.. MEHR.

Flat Belly Foods!

2010-02-02T17:03:00.000-08:00

With my Cabo trip LITERALLY 10 days away today I'm talking "flat belly foods" because this way- if I am strangely unable to lose 10 pounds in the next 10 days, a flatter stomach will help me deal with putting on a bathing suit in the dead of winter!

So I've researched the topic and come to a few conclusions and found some good product recommendations.

-Overall, stay clear of carbs for a flat stomach.

-Drink lots of water!

-Cut out sodium, it "puffs" you up.

-Caffeine is ok! It speeds up your metabolism (16% higher than people who drink decaf)
-Lean proteins are a good choice. Pork is just as good for you (if not better than chicken)
-Eggs are a superfood. People who eat eggs for breakfast (vs carbs) lose more weight and feel fuller during the day. I've even had omelets for dinner!
-Nuts. Nuts were on EVERY list that I read for flat stomach foods. I personally have a problem setting limits with nuts, so I need to eat them sparingly!
What to skip? Anything fried, sugar, white flour based products, alcohol, soda (even diet) and red meat.

Chris is going to Miami for work tomorrow through Sunday, the poor guy... (do you sense my sarcasm?) Anyway, I'm going to devote those days to really buckling down on my eating and sticking to veggies, lean proteins and all the healthy foods on the list above. THEN... on Saturday I am going bathing suit shopping. Yikes... Wish me luck!
XO
Chel

PS. Final season of Lost premiers tonight!! 2 whole hours... I can't wait! Sorry. I get that's not food related, I'm so excited!! :)

My Grocery List (and savings!)

2010-01-29T12:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was quite a day! It started with being woken up by a phone call from my boss, I left my keys at Bed Bath & Beyond, ran out of gas on the way to Bar Method (in my defense the gas light was not even on!) and had the HARDEST most painful run of my entire life (thanks Vegas), set off the smoke detector cooking dinner, I could really go on and on. Crazy! Thankfully today is off to a much better start.
I thought I'd dissect my grocery list from Trader Joes. I went on a major shopping trip and got all the basics- so here it goes:

Breakfast:

Fat Free Milk
Puffins Cereal (peanut butter is SO good, like dessert!)
Go Lean Crunch (great mixed in greek yogurt!)
TJs Blueberry Waffles
Zen Fiber Apple Cranberry Muffins

Snacks:

Greek yogurts multiple flavors
Savory Thins Rice Crackers
Light String Cheese
Hummus Dip
Laughing Cow Lite Cheese Wedges

Staples for cooking/salad etc

Baby Spinach Mix

Lettuce Mix
Broccoli
Cinnamon Raisin Ezekial Bread
Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce
Egg Whites
Bananas
Asparagus
Chicken broth
Onions
Green Onions
Frozen Berry medley (great for use in smoothies, or heated over ice cream or waffles, YUM)

Dinner- mains & sides

Chicken Chow Mein Stir Fry Mix ( I love to keep this in the freezer for a QUICK dinner, it's also low cal- and only $3.69!)
Mushroom risotto
TJ organic creamy tomato soup
Salmon w/Citrus Butter (we made it without the citrus butter- just a little soy sauce & lemon juice marinade)
PreMade Stuffed Bell Peppers
Scalloped Potatoes (ok I know they're not "good" for you- but if you portion it right you can still enjoy!)

Dessert

Raspberry Vanilla Ice Cream bars (tiny but only 80 cals!)

And all of that cost under $100 (fine- $97.85 :) I really believe that Trader Joes is less expensive than a regular grocery store. The most expensive item I bought was the salmon for $8, but it served both of us (and was delicious). Last night for dinner we had the salmon, asparagus, & scalloped potatoes for dinner. Total cost for all items: $15.28 (and we have leftover potatoes & asparagus). Per person, about $7. To eat a meal like that out in a restaurant we'd probably be looking at $15-20 a person, plus tip & drinks, so it's not only healthier to eat at home, it's less expensive.

Even cheaper- Wednesday we had stuffed peppers and salad. Total cost: $8.58! Only $4.29 a person. And it was equally satisfying (and impressive) of a meal. I told Chris last night that I remembered being in college wondering HOW people could cook 5-7 nights a week? (I was living off Rubio's, Jack In the Box, & a few Lean Cusines thrown in there at the time) It seemed so crazy to me and now I'm doing it. Funny how things change. Does that make me a grown up?? :)

Happy Friday! Have a fun & healthy weekend!

Chel

PS- Thanks Nat for my Trader Joes cookbook, I totally took it with me and used it! I'll post pictures when I create a recipe!

Dear Chelsea..... (like Dear Abby but much more fun!)

2010-01-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

So my good friend Lindsey, (who also has a blog- check it out HERE) recently moved to a new city for grad school. She wrote to me asking for help figuring out how to eat right with a crazy schedule. Here's her story: "I'm basically in class until 10pm 3 nights a week, two of those nights from 5-10. So evn if I eat before class I'm hungry again by the time I get home... help! What are some good (at least ok) snacks to eat that late? Can I put you on the case?"

I'm so on the case I feel like a food detective!! My overall advice in the situation would be to figure out the amount of calories you want to eat in the entire day and then work from there. Although late night eating isn't ideal, you can still maintain or lose weight simply by counting calories- no matter what time of night you are eating them. But- to prevent the binge factor (or the I feel sorry for myself for being in class so late factor) you should never let the starving feeling set in. So- plan to eat "dinner" before class. Have a decent meal and try to include protein, it will stick with you longer. About 300-400 calories. This should last you until about 8pm. Definitely pack a healthy snack to bring with you- you should never try and go all 5 hours without eating.
My recommendations on the snack would something substantial around 200-250 calories:
-Nuts. Buy them in pre-packaged amounts so you won't overeat. If you like to eat more- my personal favorite is pistachios- you can eat 50 nuts for only 160 calories. Or little packs of raw almonds from Trader Joes really can help tide you over.
-Bars. Bring a protein bar to eat halfway through. Good rule of thumb for choosing a bar is to be around 200 calories with at least 3 grams of fiber. Great brands are: Lara Bar, PURE, KIND, and Think Organic.
-Cheese & Crackers. Laughing cow light cheese (35 cal) with a high fiber cracker (like a triscut) will fill you up and keep you satisfied.
-Apple. Not always that satisfying, but easy to toss into your bag when heading out the door.
-Zen Fiber Muffin from Trader Joes. I usually eat these in the morning, but they would be a great way to tide over your hunger since they have a TON of fiber. They're good with coffee too, if you need that to stay awake!
Ok now here's the hard part- coming home at 10pm, probably with more work to do (you crazy student!) and being hungry. If you are planning on staying up- stick to a 100 cal snack and try to avoid carbs. If you are not- GO TO BED. It actually won't kill you to go to bed a little hungry. Recommendations for a get home light snack:
-String Cheese. 60 cals.
-Hard Boiled Egg. 80 cals.
-Greek Yogurt. ~100 cals
-Soup.
-Tea/hot chocolate
Hope that helps!! If any one else has snack favorites- that are good on the go, post & share!
XO
Chel
PS- Anyone else have a food question? Let me know!
PPS- Tonight is day 1 of my 45 days of Bar Method class.... last time I was sore for a week! Wish me luck...

Back to Life, Back to Reality...

2010-01-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

Much to say! I did manage to survive an AMAZING Vegas trip with the girls. Long story short- cancelled flight/crazy rain = equally crazy 6hr drive to Vegas! You can't say we're not committed to a good time!

THE weekend, as expected, was filled with excessive eating and drinking. In fact, we spent 5 hours at the Bellagio buffet drinking endless mimosas and snacking on omelets, pizza, sushi, really anything our inner fat girls desired :) Not a proud moment (blog wise) but one I wouldn't trade for anything. I'm sure all the laughing and dancing we did over the weekend totally worked it all off. I've heard dancing on tables burns 2x the calories but that could just be a rumor... :)
The return to reality was a rough one this week, I had two days of lengthy meetings on Monday and Tuesday. I was so proud of myself Monday because despite the meeting and a work dinner at a Mexican food restaurant I managed to stay in my calories (1320 for the day) and not eat a single chip at dinner (HUGE accomplishment). Yesterday was a different story. Meeting started at 8am and when I walked in and saw bowls of candy and snack bags of chips on the tables I knew I was in trouble. But I stayed strong until afternoon, had a relatively light lunch but upon the realization around 2pm that we were going to be there for the rest of our lives, I caved and ate a ton of junk. Literally didn't finish until 9 and I went home with quite a stomachache.
So now the week is halfway over and I'm feeling halfway back to normal. Goal for today is to do some grocery shopping so I can be well stocked on healthy options (SUCH a key to success with eating well- I can't say it enough!!). I'm also going to try and fit in a run because my 10k is only about 6 weeks away! Yikes!
XO
Chel
PS. Linds- I know I owe you a snacking/late night eating tips blog- check back tomorrow. Have you read this post? Snackity Snack Snacks It has some food suggestions that may tide you over.

I Hate Rain.

2010-01-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

It is POURING rain outside! And the City of San Diego, and the people who live here are NOT a group prepared for rain- our streets turn into rivers, palm fronds fall on sidewalks, traffic slows to a crawl... and then there's me- my dog refuses to go outside to go to the bathroom, I honestly don't even own an umbrella and to top it off last night our bedroom FLOODED. Ugh... that was a fun to clean up as you can imagine :)
We did feel a little better after I made some DELICIOUS Tomato Fennel Bisque from one of my favorite restaurants, Beaumont's. It's not the healthiest (and I wasn't in the mood for modification last night) but was SO warm, comforting and impressive to serve (I'm a big fan of that- if you're going to cook, you might as well get credit for it!). If you are stuck at home because of weather this weekend, I highly recommend making it and paring it with a grilled cheese sandwich for the ultimate rainy day meal. However- this recipe was a little "higher level" than most I usually follow and it took a lot of translation for me to get it right! I've included my notes in blue below.
Beaumont's Tomato & Fennel Bisque

1 each fennel bulb sliced Fennel is also known as Sweet Anis (and smells like liquorish) When it calls for the bulb- like in this recipe, you do not need to use the stalks. Maybe a "duh" thing but I had to Google it :)
1 each large yellow onion sliced
1 T fennel seed When cooking, a lower case "t" stands for teaspoon and an upper case "T" stands for tablespoon.
3 garlic cloves (whole)
½ cup olive oil
2 cans plum tomatoes (whole)
1 can filled with water
1 small carrot sliced
½ cup heavy cream
1 bay leaf
½ cup red wine
3 large basil leaves
Procedure:
In large pot sauté fennel, onion, garlic, carrot, bay leaf, and fennel seed until well caramelized. (Carmelization is when the onions start to brown. Do not be afraid to leave them in there for a while- this is how their sweet flavor develops. This should take 10-20 minutes over a medium heat stirring frequently). Deglaze with red wine and let reduce by half. (According to Epicurious.com (fancy pants!) deglazing is: After food has been sautéed and the food and excess fat removed from the pan, deglazing is done by heating a small amount of liquid in the pan and stirring to loosen browned bits of food on the bottom.) Add tomatoes, water, and cream, bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are soft. Remove bay leaf and let soup cool before you puree. Puree in blender with basil leaves until smooth. I then poured it back into the original soup pot & reheated. If soup is too thick, add more water.
SO good! I added fresh ground pepper at the end- perfect finish!

OMG. Just checked on my Vegas flight and it's CANCELLED!! Oh no! I hate this weather!! And the Southwest help line has a freaking BUSY signal... OH no!! Wish me luck!!!
Chel

Just Do It (Thanks Nike...)

2010-01-20T13:55:00.000-08:00

I think I had an athlete breakthrough last night. After confessing yesterday about Monday's night in with pasta & red wine, I felt like I couldn't be an indoor sloth any longer. So yesterday evening the clouds had lifted a little and the rain had stopped so Chris & I decided to go for a run. About a mile into the planned 4 mile run, the sprinkling started. As we got down to our usual running path by the bay we found it completely flooded in spots, so we were running in and around huge puddles of muddy grass when the downpour hit. It DUMPED rain on us. We both looked at each other and kind of started laughing (challenging when out of breath) and decided to keep going. Literally with water squishing in my shoes and freezing rainy winds in our faces we finished the entire 4 miles and both felt like it was one of the best runs we'd had in a while! Why do I consider that an athlete breakthrough? Because rain is a pretty good excuse to quit! And I feel like I've reached a point in my workout mentality (possibly for the first time in my life) where I'm not looking for excuses to quit or take a break.

Michael Jordan said: "Obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it."

Imagine applying that principle to your daily life. We as a culture, community, down to each individual make hundreds of excuses every single day with reasons of why we don't have time, commitment, energy or focus to eat right, workout and change our bad habits... Imagine how life changing it could be to stop making excuses and start taking action. (And did I mention how good you'd look? Just a side effect :)
XO
Chel

Baby it's Cold Outside!

2010-01-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you all- but rainy days seem to make me want to eat popcorn & hot chocolate and camp out on the couch in front of the TV. Which is exactly what I did last night, although my vices were actually pasta & wine! Thank GOD I live in San Diego where it rains about 5 days a year or I'd be in big trouble...

So for some comfort food to keep us warm (but not fat) while it's raining outside I searched for recipes to help us take cold weather favorites and turn them into healthy, or healthier choices. Click on the links below to check out the recipes.

Mac & Cheese Recipe (Really low cal version)
BACON Mac & Cheese Recipe: (Bacon. Duh)
Chili Recipe (Great to feed a group)
Loaded Mashed Potatoes: (Super Easy!)
Grilled Turkey & Ham Sandwich Recipe (So good with tomato soup!)

Really anything warm seems delicious when it's raining or cold. Soup is always a great option- filling and low calorie, but if you're going store bought, be sure to check the label. A good can of soup should have the following:

250 calories (or less) per serving, to keep your diet in check.
3 grams of fat (or less) per serving, to protect your heart.
3 grams of fiber (or more) per serving, for filling power.
600 mg of sodium (or less) per serving, to help keep blood pressure in check.

I'm really looking forward to heading to Vegas Thursday for a fun Girls weekend! There will likely be nothing healthy about what we're eating or drinking. I'm not even bringing workout clothes- because let's be honest, they'd be taking up valuable room in my suitcase! This is part of what I consider balance- the freedom to have fun and leave the healthy eating at home for a few days. But I'm sure you can expect a "Fresh Start/Getting Back on the Wagon" blog from me next Monday :)
Stay dry & warm out there!
XO
Chel
P.S. Julia & Brooke- the title of the blog today is in your honor. Can't wait for your encore performance this weekend :)

Top 5 New Favorites

2010-01-14T16:39:00.000-08:00

It's finally Thursday! Yay! I'm feeling a little uninspired on blog ideas today (Brooke has requested one on cleansing/colonics/etc, it's in the works...) But I thought I'd share a few of my "greatest hits" from the week. New foods, recipes, workouts, etc that I liked!

#5 Sprints. Ok- so I'm not going to lie and tell you I actually ENJOYED sprinting at the track, but I am still sore- so I know it did something! Not only are my legs sore- but I can tell it really engaged my core becuase my abs felt like I'd done 500 sit ups. We ran the straightaways at the track- so walk 100 yards, sprint 100 yards, etc. And we are talking a full out sprint- where you feel like your lungs are going to burst. After a mile of those I was done! Bootcamp tip: to increase speed, lift your knees & don't be afraid to use your arms.

#4 OMG Lemon BBQ Chicken. Chris & I have lemons growing in our yard and they are amazing! We have been using them in everything- inlcluding creating a lemon chicken. We bought organic free range chicken breasts with the skin still on and then stuffed lemon slices between the breast & the skin and put them on the BBQ. They came out beautifully (see picture) & tasted so good!

#3 Homemade Chicken Soup. This is a carry over from the BBQ chicken above- but it was so good (and easy) I had to give it it's own! I put a leftover chicken breast in a pot of half water, half chicken broth, just deep enough to cover the breast. I added a pre chopped veggie mix from Trader Joes (thanks Jess!) of onions, celery & carrots and then salt & pepper. I let it simmer for a few hours then removed the chicken breast, shredded the meat which was basically falling off the bone & then put it back in the soup! So good- and only 150 calories per serving!

#2 Acorn Squash! Chris found one at the grocery store and decided to get creative. He followed this recipe from the Mayo Clinic which has only 140 calories per serving and is a delicious blend of pine nuts, garlic & olive oil flavoring. Definitely a close runner up to my favorite dish of the week.

And number one new discovery of the week goes to.......

#1 Artic Zero Ice Cream. Wow. This ice cream is all natural AND has only 35 calories in a half cup!!! Compare that to about 150 calories in half a cup of typical light ice cream. Artic Zero is made out of whey protein and has 0 fat, is low in sugar, lactose free, and it tastes GREAT! It's a little different from regular ice cream, but SO much better for you than even frozen yogurt! Check out their website- we bought it at Henrys but it has a list of places where it is available. http://www.myarcticzero.com/

Give one or all five of these a try- I promise you won't be disapointed! Did any of you try something new this week? Or just have a healthy staple you couldn't live without??
Let me know!
XO
Chel

Are You In Control of What You Eat?

2010-01-12T15:25:00.000-08:00

There are very few things an adult person can have 100% control over in their life. Isn't it funny that food is one of them?

Because it is. And it doesn't feel always feel that way.

In a black and white world it would appear that to have control over one's weight and to eat perfectly every day the only things you'd need are knowledge, money and willpower. Knowledge of what foods are healthy and how many calories you need each day to lose or maintain weight. Money to spend on purchasing higher quality and/or lower calorie foods and the willpower to eat only those things that are determined good for you. It seems so simple. Yet I know plenty of people (myself included) who have all three of those things- and still struggle and often fail at controlling their eating.

I know how to eat healthy- what food to eat, when to eat it, etc but that doesn't mean I do it. And sometimes it can feel like the part of my life over which I have the least control. But in reality- I am the only person determining exactly what goes in my mouth every single day.
These thoughts came up after last night when I was home by myself organizing the pantry. I'd had a really good day of eating and was actually thinking about today's blog and considering putting my food journal from the day on the blog. And then in the back of the cabinet I saw an open bag of potato chips. Regular Ruffles Lays (note- these are NOT usually in my pantry! Chris... ). I don't even love potato chips but in that moment- all thoughts of blogging and calories went directly out of my head. I reached in and grabbed a big handful. My mind was blank. I ate them quickly and once they were gone, the thoughts came rushing back.
"Why did I just do that? Those weren't even good. My hands are all greasy! Guess that ruins tomorrow's blog about my day of great eating... How many calories was that? Should I throw the rest away? Why can't I control myself?  I kind of want more- maybe just another handful.."
I was able to stop myself from a second handful- but it really got me thinking about WHY I would make the choice to eat them in the first place. There was NOTHING even enjoyable for me about cramming those chips into my mouth. It was a compulsion- almost like an automatic reflex. But at the end of the day the only person accountable for that is me. And it's my goals I'm sabotaging. And for what?   Let me tell you- my rational brain KNOWS that I'll get much more extended pleasure from having my jeans feel loose than mere seconds of potato chip crunching.
Maybe you'd think it's willpower I lacked in that situation. Maybe it was (I never said I had all the answers :) but I think stopping myself from the second handful was willpower. The first handful felt out of my control- but it wasn't. I think it was that crazy senseless urge that can overtake even the best intensions and is what kills many typical diets. Doing perfectly until BAM- something trips you up and then you give up entirely. Those setbacks can make you think you're not good enough or strong enough to maintain a diet- because you don't really have any idea WHY you ate that bagel in the meeting or pulled into the drive thru at lunch. And that's when eating starts to feel completely out of your control and you figure you might as well give up. I spent a lot of my life angry at myself for not being "strong" enough to diet and hating myself each time I failed.
Which is why I'm done dieting. This is a lifestyle change. It's permanent. It's not going away- even if I had eaten the whole bag of chips. Nothing is ever ruined, I just have to keep trying, waking up each day and making as many good choices as I can. Even when you let yourself down, the ability to forgive yesterday's mistakes and move on what is going to help you maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle.  I don't think there's a magic "something" that will give me 100% control and stop me from ever giving in to a craving, or mindless eating or an occasional binge. I believe the key to weight loss is perseverance. Accepting your mistakes and moving on- committed to doing better the next day.
Live in the moment and try to make each choice a good one.  Not for a week, not for a month, but for the rest of your life. I'll leave you with a quote I liked out of my bootcamp journal. "Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending."- Maria Robinson
Good luck! Make good choices today!
XO
Chel

Week in Review & Supplements (again!)

2010-01-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

And it's Monday... Weigh in today was +3 pounds from last week. Not ok. I'm hoping that's just a little bit of my body's natural fluctuation... but still pretty frustrating. I sat down with my food and exercise journal to figure out what happened...
Exercise. I like to start with the positive :). I went to bootcamp once (75 min of crazy intensity), ran a 5k, went for a 6 mile bike ride & did sprints at the track one day. So that's 4 days of exercise, which I feel pretty good about.
Food. Now that I making an effort to journal more often (6 days a week per my New Years resolution) it means writing down the good, bad & ugly. This week I would classify as mostly bad with a little bit of good & ugly on the side. Monday and Tuesday I met my calorie goals (in the 1400 range) but Wed-Thurs were 2,000+ and both weekend days ran about 2,000. The good news is that it's in black and white- so I know what I can correct this week to do better.
A common thread on my high calorie days was eating out. I either ate out or had take out 3 nights this past week and that really hurt my calorie counts. Making good decisions and healthy substitutions can do a lot- but in general restaurant food is really high in calories. My plan for this week is to try to cook at home, skip wine with dinner & eat dessert ONLY if I can fit it in my calories. (Normally I would say cut dessert all together but I made this amazing berry cobbler and still have leftovers at home... going to try to fit in my calories tonight!)
So yes, I suppose I can see where the weight came from. It's all about the math after all- more calories in then out= weight gain! Going to try and get on the other side of that equation this week!

I also added a few supplements to my diet this past week- after a nutritional seminar in bootcamp, I Blogged about the 5 supplements that the nutritionist considered essential for everyone and I've decided to introduce a few to my diet. I'm drinking a Greens powder every morning- which according to the nutritionist may help: Boost Energy, Promote a Healthy Heart, Improve Digestion, Boost the Immune System, Alkalize and Balance pH, Support Normal Blood Sugar, Fight Aging (like botox??), Promote Normal Cholesterol, and assist in weight management. I HATE the taste of it, and it's 50 calories a serving, but I'm going to give it a trial run for a month & then see how I feel.
I'm also taking a molecularly distilled fish oil supplement which is supposed to regulate swelling & inflammation of the body which is great especially when you are working out. It also helps with cardiovascular health & blood sugar balance.
So... we shall see! To get all 5 the nutritionist recommended I still need to add digestive enzymes, probiotics & a calcium/magnesium supplement but I thought I'd start with two and then add from there- so hopefully I can see how each affects my body.
Here's to a good (and healthy) week! It's crunch time for me, Vegas is coming up (where no calories count- obviously) and a month from now it'll be bathing suit season for me in Cabo! I am SO excited about both trips, but I want to go into them knowing I have a little wiggle room to enjoy myself!
XO
Chel
P.S. I am a little upset... I have been having a slight Subway addiction lately & been feeling ok about it- but when I dug a little deeper into their nutritional facts- a 6 inch sub with no cheese or mayo, just the veggies and meat has close to 50% of your daily needed sodium! Not a total deal breaker, but it does mean I shouldn't be eating them daily...
PPS. If you are interested in supplements but not sure how to choose one- check out Christa's website, the nutritionist who spoke at our boot camp for some good product reviews.

Sometimes A Girl Just Needs A Burger...

2010-01-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

I had In N Out for lunch today. And it was GOOD. I was feeling some aftereffects of excessive wine consumption at a dinner party last night and couldn't get the thought of a burger (and fries) out of my head. In a feeble attempt to "be good" I did order it protein style (lettuce wrapped instead of a bun) but it was definitely an indulgence. I wrote it down in my food journal... and now I have a whopping 490 calories to last me the rest of the day- hmmm.... since I totally blew my calorie count yesterday I am trying to keep in check today!

Last night I had a friends over and made Phenomenal Chicken And Pasta In Creamy Pesto Sauce. Sounds healthy right? :) I made some modifications to the recipe reduce some calories, including using whole wheat pasta, swapping cream for half & half, cutting back some of the olive oil... it came out pretty good. But then at the end I had to add a ton of extra parmesan cheese for flavor which may have offset all my improvements! My favorite part was making the pesto sauce- I think I'll make that again. I blended a ton of fresh basil, little olive oil, pine nuts, a tomato & garlic and it was SO good. I wanted to spread it on bread and eat it plain! My favorite dish of the night was a Smoked Salmon Crostini appetizer- which is actually a Cooking Light recipe. Checkout the picture below. It was all good! But I ended my day at 2,400 calories. Yes you read that right. I'm eating burgers and going 1k over my daily calorie allotment... uh oh... Time to get back on track!

Definitely looking forward to a low key weekend with lots of exercise! Happy Friday!
XO
Chel

Snackity Snack Snacks!

2010-01-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

I think I would die without snacks. Maybe not die but be a MUCH crankier person (Chris can attest to this- he jokes that he keeps cheerios in little baggies with him at all times to keep me happy). Seriously though, I've noticed that if I skip snacks I start to feel nauseous and irritable. And once that feeling hits- if I still don't snack- within an hour I likely have given into a craving and am eating something chocolate or fried in a desperate attempt to raise my blood sugar.

SO- snacking is key for me. And just to clarify- snacking is NOT grazing. I try to eat around 1400 calories a day and I write everything in my food journal. So for me, snacking needs to be a planned & timed event not just random "extra" eating through the day. If you are writing this blog/idea off right now because that sounds too hard- stop. I'm going to share with you my favorite snacking strategies that are SO easy you will be a pro snacker in no time :).
I eat both a Mid Morning Snack (eaten around 10:30-11 between breakfast & lunch) and a late afternoon snack (between 3-4). I also usually end up having a "get home from work snack" (a habit I'm trying to break) By making each snack in the 100-200 calorie range it still leaves me plenty calories left over for meals.
My favorites include:
Non Fat Greek Yogurt- Trader Joes has expanded their line of these to include small portion ones with only 110 calories that come in fun flavors like Pomegranate & Honey. And they have 14 grams of protein!
Nuts. These come with a warning. Nuts are a great snack because they will keep you full because they are full of protein & healthy fat- but eating too many will make you bad fat. I buy raw unsalted almonds in little 200 calorie packs because they are good- but not SO good that I can't stop myself from opening a second pack.
Fruit Leather. I had one of these today and it was great! Only 45 calories and it satisfied my sweet tooth plus- had half a serving of fruit in one leather. Yum! Try to buy "natural" versions with no added sweeteners.
Rice Crackers. These are a new FAVORITE of mine. They are small, salty, crunchy & satisfying. 120 calories in 38 crackers! This is my typical "get home from work snack" when I just feel the urge to munch on something but am not actually that hungry. I buy them at Trader Joes but you can find them at traditional grocery stores as well. Diamond Brand Nuts has almond & other nut flavored rice crackers that are great.

Trader Joes Fiber Cakes. these are like mini bran muffins. 80 calories & tons of fiber. My favorite is the apple cranberry flavor & I like to heat them in the microwave. So good with coffee!

Fruit. I'm not a huge fruit person by nature- but am trying to incorporate more into my snacking. All berries are REALLY low cal. 8 medium strawberries is only 50 calories. An entire cup of blueberries is only 70. A medium nectarine has 70 calories. A simple (and always in season) apple has 80 calories. Always a good option.

Hard Boiled Eggs. 70-80 cals depending on egg size. Top with salt & pepper=YUM and they stick with you for a while.

Lite String Cheese. Between 60-70 calories depending on the brand. LOVE these. I feel like these fend off hunger really well and keep me satisfied. Plus they're kinda fun to eat :)

Whole Grain Toaster Waffle. Around 100 calories. Top with Jam or eat alone- very satisfying morning snack.

Pop Chips. The best invention in the world. Chips that are not baked or fried- they are popped! And they come in amazing flavors like BBQ, Sour Cream & Onion and are only 100 calories for a decent sized serving.

Lara Bars. If you are going to eat a protein bar or keep one in your purse- this is a great brand. They are a little higher cal, between 190-220, but are made with 100% natural ingredients (basically fruit & nuts) and taste great!

I would put baby carrots on here- and I've bought them as a snack before but I feel like I'm lying to you all if I say I actually think they're satisfying. They're not. That's why I always have an un-eaten bag of them in my fridge :)

And finally- a few other things to keep in mind when selecting a snack:

When is your next meal? If you are hungry but know you will be eating soon- go with something small that will digest quickly like a piece of fruit. If you have a while before your next meal- try a string cheese, nuts or something with more protein.

A good rule of thumb that my trainer taught us was that 100 calories should buy you about an hour of energy before you start to feel hungry again. So if I have lunch at 12pm and had a 300 calorie meal- I know my snack will be around 3-3:30 when I start to get hungry again. It's different for each person, but it's a good guideline.

Happy Snacking!

Chel

PS. I do not believe in 100 calorie packs. It is just small portions of processed food that leaves you hungry 20 min later. Just FYI :)

PPS. Checkout this dinner I made last week- it's the Stuffed Pork Chop from Trader Joes I'm always talking about! And a delicious & colorful salad! (ok the mashed potatoes weren't the healthiest thing ever...)

Post Holiday Weigh-In & New Years Resolutions

2010-01-04T14:44:00.000-08:00

Today is Monday so I woke up knowing I should get on the scale. When I was being super strict/good with boot camp, I weighed in EVERY Monday morning. However- the last few weeks have been so crazy with holidays etc I've managed to excuse myself from weighing in the past 2 weeks. I hadn't been on a scale since December 14th. So I woke up this morning dreading the scale & mentally preparing myself for a 3-4 or even 5 pound gain. After Chris left for work I began my weigh-in ritual. Shower, completely blowdry hair, use bathroom, no eating or drinking and finally the removal of ALL clothing (including earrings). I stepped nervously onto the scale- forcing myself to look down at the digital numbers. And amazingly- I managed to lose 2 pounds since my last weigh in! I actually was so excited I called Chris at work and texted Julia the "big news" :)

People have such mixed opinions on scales- how often to weigh in, if you should weigh yourself at all, etc. but in my personal opinion- it's a really helpful tool for accountability. Even if you have a depressing weigh in (believe me, I've had my share) it's still good to face reality & then figure out a plan from there. Regular weigh-ins help prevent negative suprises at your yearly doctor's visit.
Speaking of weight & progress- did everyone set a resolution? Today- as promised, I'm sharing my 5 resolutions for the New Year. There's a few and they're not all health related so... bear with me.
1. I will run a 10k race. (6.4 miles)
2. I will keep a food journal and write in it at least 6 days a week. (No more blank weekends!)
3. I will get to my goal weight. (As of this morning- 12.2 pounds to go)
4. I will take horseback riding lessons.
5. I will visit the Grand Canyon.
Thoughts? I really tried to keep all of my goals reasonable & achievable. Some I've already started on. Chris & I are signed up for a 10k run on March 13th & Amy and I are also doing the 10k mud run at Camp Pendleton in June. 10 week training plan starts this week.
I ordered a new food journal last night (I use the one from Bootcamp- check it out Here). Goal weight- obviously still a challenge, but 12 pounds at a healthy pace should be EASY if I have a year to do it!
Horseback riding lessons are something I've wanted to do for a long time- I had a horse growing up and LOVED riding more than anything. This is me doing something for myself and I'm excited about it. The Grand Canyon is a fun one- neither Chris & I have been there and have been talking about going- doing either an RV trip or hike to the bottom. By putting it on my resolution list it gives me motivation to make it happen! I feel like I have a good mix of healthy & fun resolutions that I can be proud of accomplishing in 2010.
“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better (wo)man” -Benjamin Franklin
Sounds like a good plan to me...
XO
Chel

Resolution Time...

2009-12-31T12:19:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years Eve!! Today is the day where people make resolutions that last until around the 3rd of January. And I'm guilty of this as well- I can't remember any resolution I've set that has even lasted a month. But I'm willing to try again. I decided to seek some guidance on the best way to set a successful resolution. Guidance=Google obviously: "How to set a New Years resolution I can stick to". Google provided me multiple opinions regarding setting New Years resolutions. After a little research I came up with the 5 steps below which I believe will help us set achievable goals that we can be proud of accomplishing a year from today.

1. Be realistic by setting achievable goals. Very important in preventing early give-up syndrome. For example becoming a Victoria's Secret model is probably not an achieveable goal unless you currently look like Gisele. What is achievable? Losing weight, fitting into your skinny jeans, cutting out sugar, etc.
2. Describe your resolutions in specific terms. For example- instead of saying "To lose 20 pounds" incorporate the ACTION that it will take to reach that end goal. For example- "I will lose 20 pounds by working out 3x a week and eliminating fried foods from my diet".
3. Break down larger goals into smaller ones. Big life changes don't happen overnight. To prevent yourself from getting frustrated- try breaking things down. Say your end goal is to run a marathon this year- start with weekly running goals that are part of a plan to get you to your end goal eventually. Celebrate each week, month or even DAY that you are on track to achieving your resolution.
4. Find alternatives to the behavior you want to change and include that as part of your resolution. Important. If your resolution is to stop binge eating- but right now that's a stress reliever for you- what are you going to do to replace it? For example "Every time I feel stressed and want to eat- I will __________(go for a walk, read a book, call a friend etc). Having a plan will help prevent reverting to old behaviors out of habit.
5. Aim for things that are truly important to you, not what you think you ought to do or what others expect of you. This is my favorite and I think the most critical guideline. If I know anything about losing weight or being healthy- it's that it's not going to happen because someone else wants it- it has to be 100% about you.
When I went to write my own resolutions I realized they were all weight or fitness based. While that's not a bad thing- I think we all need to remember that being a healthy person isn't all about weight, pants size, or your mile time- true health incorporates all aspects of your life: relationships, career, self esteem, general pleasure out of life. Still stuck? See if one of these topics/questions can inspire a resolution for you.
Learn Something New-what don't you know that you wish you did?
Enjoy Life More- what makes you the happiest & how can you do it more often?
Simplify Your Life- what things/people/or tasks do you need to let go of?
Be Healthy- what steps do you need to take to get healthy?
Help Others- what can you do to make a difference in another person's life?

Find what you need to work on to make you happy & go for it! It's a New Year (and decade!) and anything is possible.
XO
Chel

On the Go Food Options

2009-12-30T13:50:00.000-08:00

Being busy- or not home much should not ever be a reason to eat poorly. Every day more and more large chain restaurants are realizing the necessity of adding healthier selections to their menu. Below are a few of my current favorites- that help me make good decisions when I don't have time to pre-plan.
I'm going to admit something big. I KIND OF like Subway. I have always been a major Subway hater. I have called their sandwiches many names over the years- including gross, fake, and just plain nasty. And while I'm not ready to give them a gold star in sandwich making- I have decided to accept them as an occasional low cal lunch option.
Today I had a 6 inch Turkey on wheat bread, with lots of veggies- spinach, pickles, olives, bell peppers, cucumbers, AND I got cheese (40 additional cals), lite mayo (60 additional cals) and mustard. Total calories in sandwich= 370. It was filling, tasted decent, and for only $4.35- seemed like a pretty good deal.
Rubios is my all time favorite for a quick & healthy lunch. Street Tacos! Chicken or Carnitas on a corn tortilla with guacamole & chopped onions & cilantro for only 100 calories each! The Carne Asada option comes in at 120. I usually have two with a side of their great pinto beans (no lard added) for 110. Total= 310 for a great protein filled lunch. They also have a Health Mex menu including burritos & tacos for other options.
Jamba Juice has recently added some great menu items, including some California Flatbreads that fall in the 300 calorie range. They are fairly small, but good- kind of like a personal pizza. I tried the Smokehouse Chicken which was great for only 300 cals. I also really recommend their Organic Steel Cut Oatmeal for breakfast- the Blueberry & Blackberry topped version is my favorite with 290 calories.
Starbucks are pretty much on every corner. My favorite option there (food wise) is the Protein Plate. It's in the pre-package deli section and consists of: A hard boiled egg (with packets of salt & pepper) grapes, sliced apples, two slices of cheese, a mini bagel & a packet of peanut butter. I buy this one and use it as my snacks for the day and it definitely keeps me going. Total cals 380- but if you skip the peanut butter it goes under 300.
Even though it's great to see chain restaurants taking the hint and creating some healthier options- it's still always best (and lowest cal) to make your food at home. For example- my breakfast this morning. I made an egg white omelet with reduced fat cheddar cheese & chives and had it with a side of cinnamon raisin Ezekiel toast. With it I had 6 oz of Greens Juice that I talked about yesterday. Filling and delicious & a total of 185 calories! You could have ALL that or about 1/3 of a scone from Starbucks. And honestly it took me probably 5 minutes top to make. I'm now trying to remember if that 5 minutes included washing the pan or if I left that in the sink... now I will try and beat Chris home today :)
XO
Chel
Ps- Good news for yesterday- I stuck to the exact menu I blogged about & finished the day at only 1190 calories- with a big salad & stuffed pork chop for dinner! And Chris & I ran a 5k after work- we are signed up for a 10k in March so the training begins now!

After all... we ARE Professionals!

2009-12-29T15:45:00.000-08:00

And professionals need their tools! You are looking at a picture of my FAVORITE Christmas present. Chris had "But WHEN Do You Put The Meat In?" aprons made for me and my closest girlfriends (all loyal blog readers of course!) They were a HUGE hit and so thoughtful. I am sure many great meals will be cooked in them!

I already tested mine out with a delicious Prime Rib dinner on Sunday night.... (pre-healthy eating obviously!) So fun!

Eating Well & Working Out...

2009-12-29T09:21:00.000-08:00

And it feels GREAT! I went to Bootcamp last night and we ran HILLS. Which basically means we run about a mile out to a nearby neighborhood where there is a MONSTER hill (which is really more of a mountain) and then do various sprints, lunges & races up and down. It is killer. And then just when you've hit a wall and your legs are literally shaking- you get the run the mile back to camp & finish off with some nice ab exercises! I was SO exhausted afterward I could barely move but I managed to make it to Trader Joes for some major grocery shopping. For me a huge part of eating well is based on always having healthy food on hand- and our fridge was looking pretty sad & empty.
Here's what I'm eating today: (PS- preplanning REALLY helps me stay on track)
7:45am: 8 oz Essential Greens Veggie Juice. 30 calories. This magic drink manages to pack 2lbs of veggies into a 16oz drink. Warning- it tastes pretty bad- to keep the calories low they don't add apple juice or any other fruit unlike some of the other Greens juices.
8:15am: 1 Trader Joes Blueberry Frozen Waffle. 110 calories. These are so good to me- I don't need to put butter or any topping on them. If I would have had more time this morning- a really good way to eat these is by topping them with hot berries. TJs also sells a frozen berry mix that is great if you throw it in the microwave for a few minutes- it creates it's own "syrup". (The berries are also a great topping for frozen yogurt or ice cream)
9:00am: COFFEE and creamer. 30 calories. I just haven't been able to give up my creamer.. tried a few times but it's just not happening!
10:30ish: Apple Cranberry Mini Fiber Cake. 80 calories. This little muffin has only 1.5 grams of fat and 13 grams of FIBER! That's half of your daily needed intake & the great thing about fiber is it keeps you full.
1pm: Wasabi Shrimp & Avocado Sushi Rolls. 360 calories. These were sold in the pre-made section at TJs and sounded really good to me. It's fun to try something new for lunch.
3pm: Organic Apple. 80 calories. Lite String Cheese. 60 calories. For me, having a decent sized afternoon snack really helps prevent overeating or grazing the fridge/pantry as soon as I get home.
Dinner is still TBD. Total calories pre-dinner will be 750. My goal for today is 1250- so that leaves me 500 for the rest of the evening. I bought my FAVORITE Apple Almond stuffed pork chops which are somehow only 190 calories each and are amazing with a side salad. I also got a pre-chopped stir fry veggie pack which we could make with some chicken, or a Low Fat Chicken Chow Mein which is a great "comfort" meal with only 220 calories per serving. I tried really hard when I was shopping last night to not just buy random things that looked good, but to try and shop for meals (especially with dinner stuff). I think that helps prevent having a fridge full of food but "nothing to eat!".
So yes- good to be on track. I saw pictures of myself from over the break and honestly I was a little unhappy with how I looked. I feel like I have been slowly backtracking- and now I need to get back to work. Also- my sister gave me an AMAZING dress for Christmas that I am SO excited to wear in Vegas in a few weeks, but it's one of those "bandage" style dresses (and super sparkily!) so I need to get my butt in gear to make it look good!
XO
Chel
PS. Checkout www.zeer.com if you get the chance. My friend Jessica read about it in Shape magazine and I checked it out- it's AWESOME for product recommendations and substitution ideas!

Why Wait Till January?

2009-12-28T09:55:00.000-08:00

Reasons to start your diet today:
1. It's a Monday- the most common and popular day to start a diet.
2. Christmas (and all of its cookies) have come and gone. House still full of sugar? Toss it.
3. When people tell you how great you look in mid Jan & ask if it was a New Years resolution to lose weight (and expect that you will fall off that wagon eventually) you can look them in the eye and tell them you've been eating healthy since December- totally more credible!
Convinced? If you need more reason than that- I dare you to try on your "skinny jeans" which you may have been avoiding since the holidays... and see how they are fitting. Mine are tight :( Back to work!
Let's see... for a quick recap of my holidays.
High School pseudo reunion was a BLAST! Caught up with people I hadn't seen in a LONG time. And most importantly I was able to fully enjoy myself becuase I felt comfortable in my skin. (Ok fine... that's my Oprah-esque way of saying I looked pretty good and I knew it :)
Eating wise I did OK. I'll confess to a few MAJOR indulgences: Hoovers Beef Palace for Breakfast one morning where I had the Western Sandwich and quite possibly a SIDE of bacon. A few pieces of Sees Candy, more than a few Russian Tea Cake Cookies, and lots of wine. But there were a few wins too... I ate 3 semi healthy meals a day like I had planned which I think prevented excessive snacking, I turned down a late night 4th meal at In N Out and overall I think I did better than in past years.
But now- all the holiday eating, the good, the bad & the ugly is in the past & I'm leaving it behind me. Healthy eating & working out again begins today & I'm planning on starting off 2010 with some major goals... I'm still defining them 100% and I'll share them on the 1st... but I'm thinking some big personal challenges for the year. Not all necessarily weight based but definitely designed to help me be a healthier, happier person in 2010.
XO
Chel
PS. OMG. Finally saw Julie & Julia yesterday... that may be my new FAVORITE movie! I so want to be her :)

Holiday Sugar Blues

2009-12-22T13:28:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of blogging, I know you are all deprived! :) My excuse? Well... I have been in a SLUMP. A slightly expected one with the holidays, and parties and all, but STILL. It's more a case of "if you don't have anything good (or positive or motivating) to say you shouldn't say anything at all".
Even as I'm writing this, I'm thinking about the box of chocolates that's sitting in the office kitchen. Here's the thing. It's not even good chocolate (I'm kind of a snob) but seriously this little box of crappy Rite Aid chocolate is calling my name so loudly I want to run in there and eat the entire box. I'm resisting for the moment...
And as I write this, my sister just called to tell me she made my favorite Christmas cookies (Russian tea cakes- those white little powder balls of deliciousness). What is a girl on a diet to do?? Hibernate till it's all over and miss all the fun??? Or eat and then feel really fat & guilty??
See... I warned you I'm not that motivating right now :)
Ok. Time to make a plan. And just maybe, if I write it down and tell you all I will actually stick to it.
-Bring Workout Clothes home with me. Yes I will obviously be eating and drinking while I'm home, but there will definitely be plenty of time for me to get in a workout or two. We've got a beautiful beach less than a mile from the house that I can run on... no excuses!
-Eat balanced meals. You know that feeling when you skip meals, but are constantly snacking on junk food throughout the day? Like salty, sweet, salty, sweet, etc and you end up with a stomach ache? (Please don't tell me I'm the only who does that...) Anyway- I think that by eating 3 normal "healthy" meals a day, I'll be less likely to snack out of control.
-Try to Remember Cabo is less than 2 months away! I was at Target at lunch today and tried on a few bathing suits. I was NOT happy with what I saw... and realized I have a WAYS to go before I'm ready for that trip... so when I'm tempted to eat a box of chocolate, a pile of cookies, a tray of brie & cheese... I will picture that bathing suit body and TRY to stop myself.

I'm feeling a little better. It's good to talk about it and to "fess up" to the little rut I've gotten into. If I don't blog again before the big day MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Don't let food take over the holiday. Remember, it's all about the presents! Kidding, kidding!
XO
Chel
PS. HAPPY Early Birthday to Brooke & Jules. Live & Laugh. We have a very FUN few days ahead!!!
PPS. I still have not eaten the chocolate in the kitchen. Woohooo!

I Basically Have a High School Reunion in 8 Days...

2009-12-15T12:25:00.000-08:00

Last I checked, I was still 2 YEARS away from my 10 year reunion- which is just about the right amount of time to start getting ready :) BUT- Brooke's bday is the 23rd of December and since we're all heading home for Christmas- a party was obviously in order! Thanks to the magic of Facebook she was able to invite pretty much our entire graduating class plus some to come celebrate with us! Should be interesting...
It's funny becuase a few years ago I probably would have rushed out and bought a new outfit, got my nails done, stopped eating immediately and basically been in panic mode. I don't know if its the wisdom of my years (and the 4 major wrinkles I've recently gained- more on that another time) but I'm really more excited about catching up with old friends and hearing about their lives than panicking over being judged.
It could be becuase I'm pretty content with the way things are right now. Life is good, work is work (but I'm grateful to have a job!) and although I may struggle sometimes because I'm not at my goal weight- I'm still a heck of a lot closer than I was 6 months ago. I think being good with myself makes me a less bitchy, judgy person and more able to appreciate others. Hmm... well there's an underrated reason to get in shape-it just might make you a better person!

On another note- yesterday I did not go to bootcamp (BAD) becuase it was dark, cold, Chris had just gotten home, etc etc many more crappy excuses. But I did stay in my calories and skipped all sugar and wine (GOOD) so at least that's something. Tonight I've got a holiday party so I'm starting the day well- Go Lean Crunch for Breakfast, leftover spaghetti squash for lunch and hopefully I'll be able to fit in a walk with Ry before I head out tonight.

I had the BEST breakfast this weekend and I just keep thinking about it- so I thought I'd share.
Egg White Omelet with Garlic, Spinach & Pepperjack cheese. I actually had this at Naked Cafe- but figured it would be easy to replicate. (The mix of flavors may sound random, but I promise it's good and it gets you a serving of veggies for breakfast!)
6 tbs egg whites
1 clove finely diced garlic
1/2 cup baby spinach
1/4 cup shredded pepperjack cheese
Directions: Spray the pan with non stick cooking spray. Sautee the garlic and spinach for about 2 min over medium heat, until the garlic starts to lightly turn brown. Add in the egg whites and allow to cook for another minute while the egg firms up. Then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top and fold half of the omlet in half with your spatula. Cook about 1 min on each side until cheese is melted and egg is cooked through.
Enjoy!! One omelet has 170 calories.
XO
Chel
PS. I can't believe Christmas is only 10 Days away!!! Let the countdown begin!

Oh Monday...

2009-12-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

Another rough start to the week... this seems to be a common theme lately! Started with a power struggle with Prince Ry this morning- it's totally my fault, but when Chris is gone I let him sleep in bed with me. Could you say no to that face?? BUT then he gets confused and thinks he owns the bed. So when I found him burrowed back in bed by himself this morning after we'd already gotten up I told him (in my most authoritative voice) that he needed to get out and get back in his own bed because "Dad (packleader) is coming home today". Ry did not like that idea and started barking at me and running around the bed like it was some kind of crazy game. After I FINALLY got both of us out the door & got to work, I parked in the middle of a giant puddle and while trying to leap out of my car onto the sidewalk (with Ry in my arms) ended up falling against my car, bruising my arm and putting my foot right in the middle of the puddle. And now my wet foot and I are FREEZING in my office.

What's sad is that I'm considering the fact that I lost .2 pounds this week good news. But I can't forget that I've gained about 4 in the past 3 weeks, so REALLY I'm just barely hanging in. UGH.

My ONLY goal for this week is to be extra good in all normal situations. This week is a little crazy schedule wise- Christmas parties Tuesday & Friday nights & then the Pub Crawl Saturday and Chargers Game Sunday. SO- that leaves today, Wednesday and Thursday to have GREAT eating days. I'm planning to go to bootcamp tonight and Wednesday (Jen is coming with to try it out- so that should help guarantee that I go :) and skip all alcohol & sugar on those three days.

Sorry if I'm being a Holiday downer!! I really am so excited about all things Christmas- it's just much much harder than I thought to stay healthy & on track. But at least I'm still trying! Every workout, every cookie I put down, it ALL helps. Chris said something interesting- along the lines of "Every action is either getting you closer to your goal or further away". I try to keep that saying in my head every time I put something in my mouth or decide to workout or not. Will eating this grilled cheese make me happy or sad a week from now when I step on the scale? I don't want to be sad anymore! :)

Here's to getting through the day!
Chel

PS- I told my mom no candy or chocolate in my stocking. I simply don't have the self control - so I'd rather not have it in my face.

PPS- This was in my weekly bootcamp newsletter and I thought it was VERY true. "To weaken the intensity and reduce the frequency of cravings, you have to stop giving in to them." Food for thought. Get it? :)

Cleanse Update & Bar Method (no that doesn't refer to a pub crawl :)

2009-12-13T15:19:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd give an update since I was supposed to be cleansing... I'm not! A few friends had mentioned that they didn't think cleansing was healthy etc, etc, so I was going to write a blog on the benefits of a liver cleanse. So- I googled it to find out and what I learned scared me! Nothing too terrible- but things like if you didn't space the timing right or get all the gallstones out (and the pictures of some of the things coming out were scary!) it could actually be really bad for your health. So- if I do decide to do a cleanse I will probably do one more like the 7 day cleanse which my trainer recommended, that I blogged about a few days ago.

But I did try something new today- a Bar Method class which my sister raves about. What is it? According to their website: The Bar Method™workout creates a uniquely lean, firm, sculpted body by combining the muscle-shaping principles of isometrics, the body-elongating practice of dance conditioning, the science of physical therapy and the intense pace of interval training into a powerful exercise format that quickly and safely reshapes and elongates muscles.

I want a uniquely lean sculped body! My sister is a former dancer, so I was a little nervous to try the class with no dance background, but it was great! It was VERY different than my bootcamp- because there is no cardio- it's mostly strenght training and different poses. It was crazy hard, but in a good way. You do use a ballet "bar" which is where it gets its name. My body was SHAKING as the teacher led us through some of the exercises. Like literally uncontrollably shaking. But the nice part was that afterwords I felt great and energized, whereas after bootcamp I usually feel accomplished but exhausted. I think combined with a few days a week of running or some cardio this would be a GREAT way to get fit. I'm sure I'll be sore tomorrow. The teacher's arms were AMAZING. :)

Check it out: http://www.barmethod.com/

Now I am sitting on the couch watching the Chargers game (hopefully a WIN) drinking a glass of wine and pop chips (100 calories a good sized serving- best flavor is BBQ) and enjoying my Sunday!

Chel

PS. Best dessert ever. My friend Jen came over Friday night and made this perfect holiday dessert which I just have to share! No Pudge Brownies (a box mix sold at Trader Joes, Vons, etc you just add yogurt instead of eggs/oil) with low fat Peppermint ice cream on top! I think we figured out each desert was about 250 calories which is great, & they taste AMAZING. Yum. Thanks Jen!

What Are You Doing Saturday Night?

2009-12-11T09:51:00.001-08:00

I've got a date with my toilet. I can't believe I just wrote that. BUT- what is the point of this blog if it's not 100% honest? Although I suppose this post could probably fall into the category of oversharing... Oh well- that's your warning!
Chris ended up having to go out of town for work this weekend which cancelled our camping trip; honestly it's about 50 degrees outside and drizzling... I'm ok with it. Last night I realized I really had no commitments whatsoever for the weekend and decided it would be a perfect opportunity to do a cleanse! Not the week long one I blogged about a few days ago, but a Liver Cleanse that a co-worker had been "prescribed"by her acupuncturist. It's a day & a half long, & the only warning I was given was to stay by a toilet at all times. Bring on the cleansing!
Check it out:
2 days prior to the cleanse take (2) 800 mg tablets of malic acid in the morning and evening.
1. Mix 24oz of water (3 cups) with 4 tbs Epsom Salts until dissolved.
2. Saturday afternoon stop eating at 2pm. (they actually reccomend starting this on a Friday- but I'm having people over for dinner tonight- and I'd probably be kind of a downer drinking my salt water and running to the bathroom- so I start tomorrow)
3. At 6pm drink 3/4 cup epsom salt mixture
4. At 8pm drink 3/4 cup epsom salt mixture
5. At 10pm mix 3/4 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and combine with 1/2 cup olive oil. (ewwww). Shake until solution is watery & then drink and lay down, on your back or on your right side with your head elevated for at least 20 min. Try to sleep. (It scares me that it says "try" to sleep)
6. Sunday at 6am drink 3/4 cup epsom salt mixture
7. 8am drink last 3/4 cup epsom salt mixture
8. 10am have a little grapefruit juice
9. 10:30am eat some fruit
10. 11:30- noon- eat a light meal, toast, sandwich
11. Begin eating as soon as you feel like it.
So- I'll be done cleansing by noon on Sunday and should probably be a normal person by the time Chris gets home on Monday. I can't wait to tell you all about it on Monday! Wish me luck!
Chel
PS. For all San Diegans- I have been dying to share the best thing ever- Roadrunner sports in Mira Mesa area is AMAZING. Chris and I went about a week ago to get new running shoes. I ended up getting a really good pair- about $125. They help you select the perfect shoe for you- they even video tape you while you run on a treadmill. They also have a great return policy where if you run in the shoes, even multiple times and don't like them you can bring them back. But even better than that- next to the regular store is their OUTLET (you know I love deals). After we both found shoes at the regular store we went over to the outlet just to check it out. And I found my EXACT shoes I had just bought in the twice worn section (a customer had returned them) and they were marked down to $30!! So needless to say I returned the first pair and purchased those. You can't return them when you buy them from the outlet- but what a great deal! Chris & I also got a TON of running and workout clothes for practically nothing! I got a pair of pants I had seen for $70- marked down to $27 then $20 additional off as part of some deal (we may have just had a very kind cashier). Anyway- favorite place ever- check it out! www.roadrunnersports.com

The Biggest Loser & Learning to Love Yourself :)

2009-12-09T16:03:00.000-08:00

Did anyone watch the finale last night of The Biggest Loser? Check out the picture of the winner on the right! I don't watch the show on a regular basis, but was flipping channels and got hooked. Talk about inspiring. It's almost mind blowing the amount of weight these people loose- by the end they are literally half of their former selves. Because it was a finale they show a recap of each contestant's journey, and they were consistently loosing 8-15 pounds PER WEEK. I can't even imagine that. It's amazing to watch the contestants push themselves and makes me grateful I never had to start from such a challenging weight, one girl weighed in at 400+. I thought it was pretty fascinating although I almost wanted to laugh a little as I saw Jillian (the hard core trainer who I WISH lived at my house!) screaming at these people as they are visibly struggling and crying on a treadmill yelling "It doesn't matter that your mother never loved you. Do this for you!" She is serious! It was almost like intensive therapy. What I thought was interesting (and it could be part of the screening process to even be considered for the show) but how many of these seriously overweight people had experienced some sort of major trauma in their life, like the death of a loved one or family member that was the "trigger" for the weight gain. It seemed like in those cases- it was critical for the person to get past that in order to "love themselves" enough to put their health first and start loosing weight.

Although I don't have any major issues to get past- I was thinking about how an average person could apply the same philosophy to their own weight loss. And I was trying to think if there was anything that mentally "clicked" for me when I started this weight loss journey. I think a lot of people struggle with committing time and spending money on their health. But in order to lose weight, or get fit, you HAVE to put yourself first and make taking care of your body a top priority in your life.

If you are not quite there yet- feeling like you're ready to make a life change, but not quite sure how or not convinced that "this time" will be any different than any other- I'm going to make some recommendations. Please do not think I am getting preachy- obviously I'm still a work in progress, but these are a few things I feel like really worked for me.

-Make A Drastic Change. Mine was signing up for boot camp. The financial commitment was enough to make me not want to "waste" it. And the boot camp itself wasn't easy either- it was a DRASTIC lifestyle change for me to be doing hard core workouts 3 days a week.

-Make a Commitment to someone other than yourself. This is huge. For me- my accountability partners were Chris & Julia. Chris and I had a deal that he would pay for half of my bootcamp if I made it to 3 classes a week for the entire 12 weeks. And I did it! It was such a strong motivator for me to go even on the days I dreaded it and we celebrated when I met my goal! Julia was my weekly weigh-in buddy and we would (and still do) text each other our results after our weigh-ins. Speaking of- Jules lost 3 POUNDS this week!! Congrats!

-Give Yourself the Tools You Need to be successful. Here's where the spending $$ comes in to play. Invest in yourself. Whether it's a gym membership, personal trainer, healthy wholesome food, new running shoes- if getting fit is really your #1 priority- and these tools get you working out or eating better- it's so worth it.

-Get To Know Yourself. This one may sound weird- but I think it's key. Spend some time hanging out with yourself. For me- my favorite (and I don't do enough of this) is taking a walk with Ry somewhere beautiful. No blackberry and just my thoughts to keep me company is a really good way to figure yourself out a little. Sometimes I crack myself up. Sometimes I cry. (People may stare. Let them. :) Mostly I just learn to be comfortable with myself, which I think leads to being comfortable with my body- and accepting it as it is.

-Learn To Love Yourself. You knew it was coming :) But seriously. That guy in the picture up top had to get on a scale on Day 1 in front of a TV camera. It takes dedication, hard work, and COMMITMENT to keep going day after day. If he didn't love and value himself he would have given up and would never look the way he does today. And for the rest of us- we have so much less work to do! It's not only doable- we deserve it because we are WORTH it.

Wow- we are getting DEEP today :) and what's really funny is I originally started writing about Taco Bell (or Tbell as it is known to close friends) and somehow that turned into a Biggest Loser/Motivational love yourself thing! Can we talk about how impressed you all are that I can add pictures these days? I wanted to post a photo of my egg/spinach/bell pepper scramble this morning but my camera was dead. :) All in time. Have a great rest of the week- we're half way there!

Chel

Motivation Returns...

2009-12-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

In the form of a February bathing suit. Yes- on February 12th, right in the MIDDLE of winter Chris and I and two other couples are heading to Cabo for a long weekend! I'm really excited about the trip- it's a great group of people and I'm sure we'll have a blast. BUT the idea of wearing a bikini in public & in February is a huge incentive for me to step up my diet & working out. Every time I'd rather sit on the couch with a glass of wine I'm going to think about the trip and find the strength to get off my butt and get to bootcamp.
Last night I had a minor slip up- As I was driving home it was POURING rain and I really wanted hot chocolate (especially since I'd blogged about it earlier that day) so I stopped at Vons to grab some. I did find the hot chocolate and a few other needed items and then... as I was at the self checkout- something bad happened. I grabbed one of those giant Reeses peanut butter cups and put it in my cart! I don't really have any idea WHY I did that- luckily Chris came home shortly after I did and I confessed to him of having bought it in a moment of impulse. We decided throwing it away was probably the best decision :) I have lots of weaknesses when it comes to eating well but checkstand candy is not usually one of them!
Not that I'm saying that one Reeses cup is the downfall of a diet, BUT it was 200 calories of sugar & fat that I didn't need. Or even want that much- once I got it home. It just shows me even when I'm "being good" or feeling like I'm on track I still need to keep my guard up even if only to protect myself from my own impulses.
The rest of the night went pretty well, Chris & I had a great dinner last night of Mexican burritos, which were warm & filling. I took ground turkey & mixed it with chopped bell pepper & mexican seasonings (I would have added onion, but we were out). We heated up some fat free refried beans, grabbed some lettuce, salsa, shredded low fat cheese & greek yogurt (instead of sour cream). We combined all of that into great 100 calorie tortillas for a low fat, healthy dinner. Yum. I did have 2 cups of hot chocolate- but at 80 calories each they were well worth it. We also watched Food Inc- which I will blog about later this week, I'm still digesting it... Overall impression, not as bad as I had feared in terms of the gross-out factor, but definitely some disturbing stuff.
Back to bootcamp tonight!
Chel

Cold Weather Favorites & Great Party Swaps

2009-12-07T14:05:00.000-08:00

I'm having a rough Monday. Maybe it's the crazy rain, or the fact that I gained 2 POUNDS since my weigh in last Thursday even though I felt like I did fairly well this weekend. Probably a combo of both. With the holiday season, every weekend is packed with fun events- I just want to fast forward through normal 5 day work weeks!
To deal with the fun weekend events, I found some good holiday "swaps" to help me make good decisions while still being able to enjoy seasonal favorites.
Warm Drink: Hot Chocolate (120 cal) instead of Egg Nogg (350 cal)
Appetizer: Shrimp Cocktail (165 cal ) instead of Crab Cakes (400 cal)
Cocktail: Champers! (love this one- 100 cal) instead of Gin and Tonic (220 cal)
Entree: Beef Tenderloin (165 cal) instead of Prime Rib (750 cal)
Dessert: Chocolate Fondue (340 cal) instead of Pecan Pie (810 cal)
I like the hot chocolate recommendation a lot- I know that the low cal ones can be full of "fake" sugars- but they are really a great way to satisfy a dessert or chocolate craving, especially in bad weather. And- with a dash of whip cream on top=perfection!
Soup is another great low-cal option. I used to think soup was kind of a "wimpy" meal but if you find a good soup it can be so satisfying! Pair it with a salad or a low fat corn bread.
Jessica sent out an recipe for a great FAT BURNING soup. (Don't ask me how that works- I'm not sure :) I'm going to test this out in the crock pot this week. I may add some chicken..
-6 Large Green Onions, diced
-2 Green Peppers Diced
-1 Bunch Celery, Chopped
-2 28oz cans whole tomatoes
-1 small head of cabbage, shredded
-1 Medium white onion, minced
- 32 oz vegetable stock
-2 cups water
-4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp crushed celery seed, sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
-Curry powder or parsley to taste (optional)
Direction is to combine all ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender.
This recipe makes 16 cups and only has 46 calories per cup! A great one to have in your fridge during a stormy week.
This weekend, despite the crazy weather, Chris & I are heading out camping to Agua Caliente Campgrounds, out East by Julian. It's going to be SO COLD. It might even snow! But I think it will be fun to have a mini vacation together and get to see a new place. I will definitely be sampling some Julian Apple Pie- it is world famous after all! Chris & I can share a piece. (That's a good way to cut your calories in half :)
I'm continuing to try and be extra conscious of what I'm eating during the week, which will help me stay on track even with weekend "exceptions". (I went to a Tater Tot themed party yesterday- not a joke). My personal favorite were the meatballs with tots inside! OMG. Can't believe I just admitted that. I think you've all figured out why I gained 2 pounds in 3 days :).
XO
Chel

And the Results Are In...

2009-12-03T09:32:00.000-08:00

So- I had my big weigh in this morning! I'm pleased to say that the damage was not as bad as I had imagined. I have gained 2 pounds since my last weigh in 7 weeks ago at the end of my first bootcamp. The BAD part is- I was supposed to have dropped 7 pounds in that time period, so technically I'm 9 pounds from where I should be. Make sense? Relief that I hadn't gained 20 pounds was probably my biggest emotion but I also felt a sense of disapointment that I'm not where I had hoped to be.
BUT I'm going to use this check in as a "reality check". Now I know where I'm at weight wise and I know what I need to do to reach my goals. I feel like I have all the knowledge & tools to loose weight- I just need to put them to work.
My trainer Jessica and I discussed some of my struggles- and I think the number one thing for me is going back to food journaling. I had gotten really lax about this, I would usually journal Monday thru Wednesday and then once Thursday hit, I knew I was being bad with eating and drinking so I'd stop writing it down. Or I'd write down my food till lunch and then leave my journal at work & never finish the day. So- I'm going back to being really good about the journal, including EVERYTHING I eat (even just a bite), keeping it with me all the time, setting daily calorie goals and overall just being accountable for all the food I'm putting in my body.
I also talked to Jessica about doing a cleanse to jumpstart my body back to healthy eating. She warned me away from anything intense like the Master Cleanse (for any of you who remember when I did that a few years ago- I lasted 5 days & was an EMOTIONAL wreck- people need food!). But she did reccomend the following week long cleanse:
Day 1: Cut out all Sugar, Dairy & Caffeine. A little bit of whole grains is good but eat mostly veggies, fruit and some lean protein (either wild salmon or organic free range chicken). Eat NOTHING processed or fake. Drink lots of water & herbal or green tea.
Day 2: Today cut the meat. Eat veggies, fruit & whole grain. Continue with water & tea.
Day 3. JUICE DAY! Eat, or rather drink, all of your calories today. If you have a juicer, make your own juice from veggies including beets, carrots, collard greens, kale & apples. You can also purchase freshly squeezed veggie juices from a juice shop, just make sure they don't have anything added to them. Farmers Market in San Diego has a guy that sells a "Greens" juice which would be perfect for this.
Day 4: Continue with the juice & add in fruit. NO other food groups.
Day 5: Continue with the juice & fruit & add in veggies. Steam them or eat raw- you don't want to put oils or fats into your system.
Day 6: Bring back whole grains. Have a piece or two of a sprouted grain bread (like Ezekial brand) or some sweet potatoes.
Day 7: Add back small portions of meat or protein.
That completes the cleanse- and of course after that you should continue to eat well to maintain your results & good health.
I really want to try it, just trying to find a spot on the calendar when I have a week free of "eating commitments". Jessica recommended scheduling the juice day on a "rest" day from working out- otherwise you can feel free to continue exercise.
And the one bright spot in my appointment this morning is that I have lost more body fat- I'm down from 21.9% to 20% which makes me happy- I think I'm almost to the ATHLETE range. Wow, never thought I'd say that. It was funny actually, last night a girl came up to me at bootcamp and said "Have you always been a runner? You're really good." I wished my high school P.E. Teacher Ms Reynolds could have been there- I was always the one at the back of the pack WALKING the last lap of the mile :) Believe me, if I can be a "runner" I'm pretty sure anyone can!
XO
Chel
PS. Happy almost Friday. Looking forward to Julia's annual Christmas festivites tonight!

Coming Clean (and staying that way!)

2009-12-01T09:14:00.000-08:00

So much to catch up on! First let me start with complete honesty- which means confessing I haven't weighed myself in 2 weeks. I'm too scared. I personally respond better to positive incentives than negative ones. For example, if I get on the scale and lost a pound I'm more motivated to keep going than if I gained one (which makes me feel like giving up!) So I've been avoiding the scale because I know I've been eating poorly and was trying to prevent becoming discouraged. But the day of reckoning is quickly approaching. I have the six week "check in" for my Bootcamp on Thursday morning. I will be weighed, meaured and pinched for body fat. I'm really nervous and pretty sure I won't be meeting my goals this time (was supposed to be down 5lbs- i'm just hoping to not have gained weight!) but the focus is ON for this week. I started the week well yesterday with 1,215 calories & a trip to bootcamp :)
Today began with a breakfast of cheesy eggs with bacon and toast. Does that surprise you? What if I told you I had that breakfast, in a good sized portion for only 235 calories. Would you believe me?
Let's add it up. Egg Whites 6tbs (equivalent of 2 eggs) 50 calories. BACON 2 pieces. (New product from Trader Joes- it comes pre-cooked and nitrate free) 65 calories. Cheese (1/2 of a light string cheese- I was out of normal stuff :) 40 calories. And finally a piece of Ezekial Cinnamon Rasin toast (no butter) 80 calories. Total=235 calories full of protein & GOOD taste!
Once again- I think this helps prove that it's modification, not deprivation of our favorites that helps a "diet" become a lifestyle.
Quick recap of turkey day. Everything came out amazing! Turkey was perfectly done, blue cheese potatoes were my personal favorite and I probably ate a little more than I had planned, but nothing terrible. Over the holiday weekend I'd have to say my downfall was probably desserts! I am not a huge sweets person, which means I generally don't seek them out. But maybe that's because I've forgotten how good they are?? When they are in front of me, it's a different story! So- steering clear of sugar this week.
Hang in with me! Let's all make this a week of clean eating. Pretty much this week and next are the final two before Christmas fever hits, complete with holiday parties, cookie platters at work and much more! I'm going to start searching now for the BEST low-cal/sugar holiday recipes. I'll keep you posted!
Chel
Oh and PS. Best cold winter dinner EVER last night. Chris made a spaghetti squash by steaming a squash in the microwave & then scooping out the insides and covering it with a great Balsamic marinara sauce (he even added a few slices of that Trader Joes bacon to the sauce for flavor!) It was hot, delicious & filling. AND- 1 cup of squash has 42 calories!! And sauce comes in at about 60 calories a serving, so if you are craving a big portion- this one's ok to double up on!

Giving Thanks for Losing Weight

2009-11-24T09:54:00.000-08:00

Do you like that title? I'm still working on figuring out how to do it- but when I do I promise to be VERY THANKFUL! I thought I'd share my Thanksgiving Menu. We are having dinner at my sister's house this year & for the FIRST time ever, Kurd & I are in charge of the menu! Scary. So- we sat down with about 6 Cooking Light magazines & came up with the following:
Starter: Roasted Butternut Squash & Apple Bisque (140 calories)
Sides: Sauteed Carrots with Sage (75 calories), Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole (250 calories), Potato Gratin with Blue Cheese & Sage (186 calories), Spinach Salad with walnuts & cranberries (calories TBD) and a Fresh Cranberry Relish (my mom makes it so it is probably healthy).
Main: Turkey. Duh. Was actually thinking of doing a really good looking slow cook Garlic & Rosemary recipe- but it was for a 12 lb bird and I ended up walking out of Trader Joes with a 27 pound GIANT yesterday... and at a slow cook pace that would probably take about a week! So I found one today for a Rosemary Roasted Turkey that sounds delicious!
Dessert: YUM YUM. Kurd and I are thinking of doing 1 pumpkin recipe & 1 berry. Right now the Spiced Pumpkin Chiffon Pie is winning out (274 calories) and berry is still TBD. I may also do a repeat of the white chocolate key lime pie I made a few weeks ago because it's SO easy and tastes delicious.
If anyone wants recipes for any of the above- let me know and I will post them on the Google Group. Not a member? Sign up in the top left hand corner of the blog to get notifications when I update the blog & fun extras like recipes.
Oh and did I mention that my ENTIRE family is on some sort of weird diet? And I wonder where I got my food issues :) Let's see... Kurd's not eating wheat, my dad is doing some caveman diet- officially called the "Paleolithic Diet" where you eat lots of meat, eggs, fruit, veggies & root vegtables. And my mom is not eating sugar. They make me look normal- which is disturbing.
But I plan to enjoy myself on Thanksgiving- not a free for all, but definitely sampling all the fun dishes.
Jessica my trainer sent out an email yesterday that had some healthy tips to handle the holiday. I thought a lot of it was pretty useful- so I condensed it down and added a little of my own commentary :)
1. Thanksgiving is only one day. Don't let the entire week turn into an excuse for bad eating.
2. Make a concious choice to limit high fat items. Work the substitution angle if you are the one cooking- if not, just try and avoid fried & creamy dishes. You know the BAD ones- just steer clear.
3. Work out especially hard this week. I think we all get that. Doing it is the challenge.
4. Don't go to the Thanksgiving dinner hungy. Eat a wholesome breakfast & lunch and a light snack before dinner to prevent overeating.
5. Drink lots of water! Alcohol & coffee dehydrate you- so drink water in between. It will also help you not confuse thirst with hunger.
6. Thanksgiving dinner is not an all-you-can-eat buffet. She reccomends filling your plate 1/2 with vegetables, 1/4 with lean meat & 1/4 with starch. But WHERE do you put the sweets?? (oh right that's a separate plate :)
7. Save your appetite for side dishes & desserts. The key here is portion size- sample all the foods but use moderation. Jessica reccomends eating dessert within 30 min of finishing dinner so it doesn't spike your blood sugar.
8. The average Thanksgiving Dinner is 2,00-3,000 calories. Just FYI. Keep that in mind and keep yourself in check.
9. Be Thankful. Let's not forget the point of this holiday isn't actually food. Or even the pilgrims and Indians. It's remembering to be thankful for everything we have- food on the table, a roof over our heads and best of all- friends & family to share the holiday with!
Happy Turkey Day!
Chel

Starting Fresh (again)

2009-11-23T10:28:00.001-08:00

All the coffee in the world doesn't make up for the fact that: 1. It's Monday again. 2. I did NOT get enough sleep last night (Chris & I went to a Black Crowes concert last night- really fun, but why a Sunday??) & 3. I have a weekend food hangover. Ugh. That's right- another weekend struggle... full of eating & drinking. Literally topped off with a tall can of bud light (they only sell the big ones- at least it wasn't PBR!) and fried crawfish bites at House of Blues last night... But today is the start of a new week and there are a few things I need to do if I want to be successful this week.
#1 Go GROCERY shopping. My fridge is EMPTY. At least the kind of empty that lead me to eat a plain "fake chicken" Morningstar Farms patty yesterday for lunch with no bun or toppings... and had Kurd and I making bisquick strawberry shortcakes (without strawberries!) last night when we wanted something sweet. Did I mention popcorn? When I'm starting to consider it a food group it's generally time to head to Trader Joes....
So- I thought I'd share my gocery list:
Baby Spinach Bag Lettuce
Head of Romane Lettuce (I've been buying it this way lately- rather than bagged- you get more for your money & you can use it on sandwiches)
Veggies:Baby carrots, Bell peppers, mini tomatoes (all salad toppings)
Chives & Cliantro
Sweet potato pre-cut "french fries"
Chicken Breast (bone in w/Skin) I think you get better flavor cooking with the skin & bone in & then removing before eating. Just a personal preference.
Stuffed Peppers (in the pre-made section. Roasted Bell peppers stuffed with lean ground turkey & rice. Such a good comfort food & only 290 calories- a quick & easy dinner)
Light String Cheese (60 calories- sticks with you)
Laughing Cow Lite Swiss Cheese- these are the individual ones, they come in a round container. 35 calories each & they are spreadable so you can put them on crackers, veggies, substitute in a sandwich for mayo/cheese- LOVE this.
Blueberry whole wheat toaster waffles
Go Lean Crunch Cereal
Lowfat Milk
Egg Whites (they come in a carton, pre-separated)
Greek Yogurt (non-fat, plain & flavored)
Lara Bars- I keep these in my purse at all times for food emergencies. They are made out of only fruit & nuts- no preservatives or anything. They run about 200 cal- so you can't eat them 24/7- but a good thing to have on hand.
Mini Cranberry Apple Bran Muffins- these have 80 calories each & HALF of your reccommend daily fiber. A great mid-morning snack with coffee.
Canadian Bacon. This stuff is great added on sandwiches for flavor or on an egg white english muffin- and with only 60 calories in 3 slices you don't have to feel bad about it!
Turkey- I love Trader Joe's pre-sliced sandwich turkey. It's not cheap, but so great in a pita or even by itself as a snack.
Whole Wheat Pita. 160 calories for the whole thing- but they are big so I generally cut them in half and stuff them with deliciousness.
Sparkling Water. A great zero cal drink option. I really enjoy it in place of soda.
Strawberries or blueberrys. Whatever looks fresh- love it on my cereal in the morning.
Stock up the Freezer:
Morningstar Farms Veggie burger or chicken patty. Their breakfast links are pretty good too.
Frozen salmon or mahi- the chimi churry marinated ones are delicious.
Veggie Medly. This comes in a delicious sauce- it's not great for you but not bad either and a good way to get your veggies if you struggle with that.
Chicken Fajitas frozen (super low cal & delicious)
Asian Stir Fry Frozen
Those are some of my favorites. Once I go shopping tonight- I'll report back with any new finds :)
#2. Plan Thanksgiving. This is actually a fun one- my sister and I sat down with a few Cooking Light Magazines and came up with a healthy-ish Thanksgiving meal that I'm actually really excited about. My parents are coming down this year- and although they will be cooking- we are in charge of planning the menu & doing the grocery shopping. I'll share our menu tomorrow.
#3. Workout! Workout! I'm going to bootcamp tonight and I'm going to confess to my trainer that I have been BAD about working out lately. Bootcamp isn't cheap- I consider it an investment in myself... but at the moment it seems like a bad investment because I'm slacking and skipping classes. Back to work this week!
XO
Chel

Should I Develop Restaurantaphobia?

2009-11-20T11:05:00.001-08:00

Am I the only one who gets daily emails from the "Eat This Not That" people? Because although I LOVE the concept... it's freaking me out! I'm terrified of going to a restaurant!
Today's email was a list of the Top 20 Worst Restaurant Meals in America. I feel like I'm pretty good at evaluating menu selections, but the calorie count on some of these was insane!
For example, you'd be better off getting In N Out Cheeseburger & Fries (total of 880) then eating something that sounds harmless like the TGI Friday BBQ Chicken Wrap (with NO fries or sides) for 1,720 calories! Or one piece of Sbarro Stuffed Pizza for 960 cals! The one that killed me though was from California Pizza Kitchen becuase it's TOTALLY something I would order, the Thai Crunch Salad with Fresh Avocado. It has 2,238! OMG. They make McDonalds look like diet food. Nowhere is safe!!
Since permanently avoiding all restaurants is pretty much out of the question- I guess the best thing to do is either: Buy the "Eat This Not That" book and bring it with me everywhere I go- slightly embarrassing and definitely bulky OR learn my substitutions. By knowing WHERE the calories come from and looking out for key words like: bread, sauce, cheese, spread, cream-based, dressing, fried, and even healthy things like nuts & avocado. Then I can pick and choose what's important to me. Personally I'd rather keep the avocado on my salad- but get the dressing on the side and no croutons. And I'd rather take half the bun off of a burger and replace it with lettuce but keep the cheese. It's not an exact science- but I think most foods can be fairly easily modified with just a little knowledge.
Today's blog was originally going to be about fasting & cleanses... I'm considering doing a 2 day "Liver Cleanse" to jumpstart me back to healthier eating (and c'mon whose liver couldn't use a cleanse??) BUT this scary restaurant email freaked me out and I felt the need to put out a warning immediately before another fake "healthy" restaurant meal was consumed! Diners beware! Have a wonderful weekend!
Chel
PS- There is a new law in CA that if a restaurant has over 10 locations they HAVE to publish the calorie counts on all menu items. They don't have to be printed on the menu- but available on request. Don't be embarrassed to ask for it! (unless it's a first date- probably keep it on the DL, you can always google calorie counts on your phone in the bathroom if you are really desperate! :)

Tis The Season to gain 1.5 pounds!

2009-11-19T14:30:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is 1 week from Today. And anyone who's read this blog even once is aware of my year round struggle with "Exception" Eating. (Defined as eating crappy food because it's a "special occasion" which can ranges from a birthday to a Tuesday night happy hour). Considering I have not gotten a handle on this- I'm a little terrified of the next six weeks.
Thanksgiving is the official kickoff of Holiday Eating Season 2009- which extends until January 1st (Resolution Day) I'm trying to figure out a way to get through this season of while still fitting in my current clothing. (I bought the CUTEST pair of Hudson jeans yesterday- on sale & 2 sizes smaller than I was 4 months ago!!) Is that too much to ask for??
In hope of finding a solution I have been on a mission to learn as much as possible about this fat trap they call the Holidays. Today I came across "Holiday Weight Gain Myths" which helped me face a little reality on food & fun vs. the scale...
Myth #1: "Everyone Gains 5 Pounds During the Holidays So I might as well accept it."
Shocker- apparently that's NOT true! The average American gains only 1 to 2 pounds during the Holidays- but the bad part is that it NEVER comes off the rest of the year. So according to this theory- if I do "average" during this holiday season and the next few, buy 2019 I will have put on 15-20 pounds in Holiday eating alone. (Chris- don't read this- of course that would never happen :)
So what am I going to do about that? I think I'm going to "Just Say No" to gaining weight. I was already kind of rationalizing that it wouldn't be the end of the world if I gained "a pound or two" this year during the holidays- BUT not if they are going to stay with me forever! So- no mentally preparing myself for ANY weight gain. In fact- according to my boot camp & food plan I should actually be loosing 1lb per week. I know mental outlook is a HUGE part of weight loss- so if I go into each week of the season just as I do the rest of the year- expecting myself to be sticking on the plan rather than giving myself a permission slip to fail- my pants should continue to fit. :) Sound good? I also came across a few ways to lighten up a Turkey Day meal.
-Stick to White Meat. I know the dark stuff is good- but it adds 60 calories & 8 grams of fat per serving. Not worth it.
-Choose cranberry sauce (especially the fresh stuff) instead of gravy. **Honesty alert: I will not be doing that- I'm totally a gravy person BUT I promise to cut my serving of it in half. But if you can do it, good for you!
-Choose the Veggie Sides. Try and fill 3/4 of your plate with green stuff- salad, green beans, etc. Then you won't even have room for that 3rd piece of bread!
-Try weird substitutions. Girls in my boot camp were talking about blending steamed cauliflower with fat free sour cream (or even plain greek yogurt) with salt & pepper in place of mashed potatoes. There are lots of healthy recipes out there- try one fun one!
Maybe tomorrow I'll tackle myth #2: "I can take a "vacation" from my diet, because come January, I'll go right back on it."
Wait- that's not true??... I was really banking on that as my backup plan :)
XO
Chel

Today is Not My Day...

2009-11-17T15:01:00.001-08:00

Recap of weekend: BAD BAD Eating and Drinking. I'm not going to get specific but let's just say it wasn't good... well it did taste pretty good, but you see where I'm going with this.
I hesitantly weighed myself this morning- preparing for the worst- and it was! I gained 2.5 pounds this week! Thats the biggest gain I've had in all 16 weeks since I've been in bootcamp. So frusturating especially since I'm only on schedule to loose 1 lb a week now- it's like I set myself back 2.5 weeks!
You'd think that would inspire me to be extra good today- but so far it hasn't! I mean I'm not out eating Big Macs or anything but I did have an amazing Submarina sandwich for lunch- and the reason I know I'm not "on track" is because I got cheese on it, and light mayo! Ok to be come 100% clean- I got white bread instead of wheat!!?? Who am I and what has happened to my motivation?
Definitely going to bootcamp tonight (even though I'm still sore from last night- we ran hills!) and then having a healthy dinner of mexican ground turkey pitas & salad. Going to try and avoid the remains of a DELICIOUS white chocolate key lime pie I made this weekend. (In NO way low cal- but oh so good).
I'm reminding myself of things I'm always telling others- two pounds is not the end of the world- I can take it off easily, and it's ok to mess up, you just need to move on. UGH. But I'm having a hard day. Being good starting... Now!
Chel
PS On a totally random note- does anyone shop at Kohls? I happened upon one during lunch today and it was kind of amazing! Really good deals and pretty much everything in the store was on sale! I got a cute jacket marked down from $90 to $60 and then on the clearance rack for $18! (I'll probably never wear it- but even once will be worth that price!)