I have had several friends and family ask me “so, what’s the secret for weight loss?”    Well here is the secret…there is no secret.  We Americans are a super size, quick fix society.  We want to take a pill or drink a “magic” shake to loose weight.  We don’t want to do anything that will cause us to be uncomfortable.  We don’t want to do the work.  Make things easy and don’t make us sweat.   Well loosing weight will take work.  The calculation is easy for weight loss.  Burn more calories than you eat.  We need to get up and get moving.  We need to change our eating habits.  Change our lifestyle.  Make living healthy a lifestyle!  I have had to make BIG changes.  I am more cautious of what I eat.  Whole grains, fruit, veggies, lean meats, chicken and now more fish.  I have cut out most processed foods.  I run 5 days a week and lift weights every other day.  I attend a fitness class that mixes it up.  We do kickboxing, boot camp, strength training. 

You see, you have to keep things fun.  Make your “workouts” fun.  Try a new class.  Ask a friend or spouse to join you.  Set some goals and strive for them. Have an accountability partner to keep you on track.   Have your kids help you grocery shop and explain why junk food is bad for you.  Have your family help you cook.  Use it as a teaching time.  We need to remember that we are setting examples for our kids.  They are our next generation and we want them to be healthy.  

Challenge yourself this week.  Start with small goals and see what happens when you achieve them!  Make the change….Live Healthy!!

I am and proud of it!!  I have lost weight…what did you think I meant? 

We are coming to the summer season.  Some of us are excited and some of us cringe thinking about shorts, tank tops and the dreaded swimsuits.  I know for me my weight loss journey has been an adventure. 

I have become addicted to the reality show, The Biggest Loser.  I think it’s such an inspiration to many people out there.  So who do you think is gonna win.  The final two are Helen and Tara.  America is going to decide who contestant #3 is.  It’s between the father-son team, Ron and Mike.  I think that America is going to pick Mike.  I also think that Helen could win this.  It is based off of percentage of weight loss, not pounds.  Who is your pick?

I was pretty thin and in shape when my hubby and I met.  Life was good, just he and I.  Than we got married.  No, no…that is great…but the weight began to creep on.  Little bit here, little bit there.  Than, baby #1.  I gained so much weight with my first child.  I was on bed rest for 10 weeks.   I got depressed, ate and than ate some more.  Well after you have a child you are so busy being the perfect mom to that baby, you yourself go out the window. 

Than my daughter suffered her injury and we lived in a hospital for 12 weeks.  Hospital cafeteria food is NOT healthy.  There I also was depressed (for a good reason if you need one to be depressed)  and I ate.  I came home with a severely disabled child and ate some more. 

(more…)

So spring is almost here and with the warm weather comes one of our families favorite things to do….grill!  I thought it would be fun to share some recipes.  Send in your family favorite, weeknight time crunch recipe, side dish, dessert or snack.   Happy cooking and sharing!!

Grilled Bruschetta Chicken

1/4 cup Sun -Dried Tomato vinaigrette dressing, divided

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 tomato finely chopped

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tsp. dried basil leaves

Place a large sheet of foil over half of grill grate; preheat grill to medium heat.  Pour 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over chicken in resealable plastic bag and coat chicken.  Refrigerate for 10 min.  Grill chicken on uncovered side of grill 6 min.  Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, cheese, basil and remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing.  Turn Chicken over; place, cooked side up on foil on grill.  Top evenly with tomato mixture.  Close lid and grill an additional 8 min.   Enjoy with grilled veggies or pasta.

Blueberry Cheese Rolls

1 pkg. (8oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

4 oz.  ( 1/2 of a block of cream cheese) Neufchatel Cheese

2 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup blueberries, divided

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Unroll dough into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations together to seal.  Combine cream cheese and sugar; spread onto dough rectangles to within 1/2 inch of edges.  Top evenly with blueberries.  bring opposite corners of rectangles together; press together to seal.  Place on ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 11-13 min. or until golden brown.  Makes 4 servings, 1 roll each.