LA Weight Loss Recipes - 3 Recipes to Help You Lose Weight

If you are looking to lose weight by eating healthy, then LA weight loss recipes are the most sort after and most proven way to go. LA weight loss recipes are some of the best recipes because they are healthy, easy to make and proven to help you lose those unwanted pounds fast.

Exercise is always the best way to shed pounds and supplements such as pills are a good way to go as well. But there's no beating a healthy diet to compliment all of your weight loss techniques.

Here are the top 3 LA weight loss recipes that are sure to make your mouth water AND help you keep those pounds off.

1) - Chili with meat

Ingredients:

Lean ground sirloin that fits your diet plan or routine.
4 Green onions
1 Garlic clove
1 Cup of low sodium beef broth
1 Medium tomato, finely chopped or diced
1 Teaspoon of chili powder - medium spice is best
1/4 Teaspoon iodized Morton's lite salt
1/4 Teaspoon of red pepper sauce
1/4 Teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 Teaspoon ground cumin seeds finely crushed

Preparation:

Add a table spoon of canola oil to a frying pan and heat it up.
Add the onions and garlic and saute until soft and lightly browned.
Then add the beef stir fry lightly until beef becomes brown as well.
Drain the oil from the pan.
Add the remaining ingredients in and mix well.
Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat and let it simmer covered until you notice the tomatoes become tender.
That's it!

2) LA Philly Cheese steak

Ingredients:

1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon onion powder
1/2 Teaspoon dried basil
1 lbs of lean beef sirloin
1 Onion finely sliced
1 Green pepper sliced
4 6-inch hoagie rolls split
4 oz light mozzarella cheese, sliced
Nonfat cooking spray

Preparation:

Add all the seasonings into a small bowl and mix them well.
Now apply the mixture onto the sirloin and make sure you coat it thoroughly.
Wrap the coated beef in plastic or wax paper and partially freeze beef sirloin for about 45-60 minutes.
Once partially frozen remove it from the freezer and slice the sirloin thinly.
Coat a large skillet with non fat cooking spray.
Heat the skillet over medium heat.
Add onions and green pepper into it and saute until soft and lightly browned.
Remove them from pan.
Coat skillet again with spray.
This time increase the heat to high and add the beef and cook for about 5-8 minutes or until you feel the beef is done..
Divide the meat and veggies evenly among 4 rolls and top them off with cheese.
You can also place them in a warm oven or under a broiler to melt cheese before serving.
That's it!

3) Veggie Burgers with a touch of herbs

Ingredients:

2 Cloves garlic, minced
2 Egg whites
3/4 Cup broccoli florets, finely chopped
3/4 Cup mushrooms, finely chopped
1/4 Cup onion, finely chopped
2/3 Cup cooked brown rice
1/3 Cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 Cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 Cup cottage cheese (1 percent)
1/2 Cup reduced fat cheddar
1/2 Teaspoon dried basil
1/2 Teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 Teaspoon dried thyme

Preparation:

Spray medium skillet with PAM and heat it over medium heat.

Cook the broccoli, mushrooms, onion, and garlic until tender for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Add the herbs and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Remove from heat.

Stir in rice, oats, walnuts, and cheese into vegetable mixture and season to taste with Lite Salt and pepper.

Stir in egg whites at the end.

Now form the mixture into 4 burgers.

Spray skillet with more PAM and heat over medium heat.

Add the burgers and cooked until you see them browned on the bottom which is about 3 to 4 minutes.

Spray top of the burgers with Pam and turn to cook until browned 3 to 4 minutes longer.
That's it!

The above 3 LA weight loss recipes are top 3 recipes to help you lose weight and keep fit. Add them to your weekly diet plan if you like to mix things up.

Remember that exercise, diet and other methods are only good if you manage them properly. Knowing how to manager your diet and exercises will help you keep focus and aid you in controlling what you eat and how hard you work out.

Would you like to Manager Your Weight Loss online for FREE?
Would you like a FREE resource to help you make healthy food and lifestyle choices for you and your family?
If you said "Yes!" then visit http://manage-your-weight-loss.weebly.com/

You'll find topics that will help improve your overall health and sense of well-being related to weight loss, relationships, diet, exercises, nutrition, vitamins, prevention, and more!

Hurry go to http://manage-your-weight-loss.weebly.com/ right now.

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I’m The Little Red Engine, Damn It!

Power walking with my dog the other day, I felt every jiggle of my reemerging Little Miss Muffin Top (how I didn’t miss you!) and a panic I haven’t felt in several years set in: Get this fat off me NOW!

I’ve learned a thing or two about weight loss these last six years, namely that there is no quick fix (duh) and that it will take time (double duh) and that I need to appreciate who I am right here and now, muffin top and all, if I’m going to be successful.

So I went searching for help, like I always do, in the blog-o-sphere. Wise people out there, as you know. First up, DietGirl, who I’m so very sad I won’t get to meet at FitBloggin’. My Jeep needs new tires and a fancy oil change or it won’t pass inspection. Ergo, I can’t afford to go. *tear* If you or anyone you know wants to attend FitBloggin’ and is looking for a half-price ticket (part of my Lynn Needs New Tires fund), shoot me an email at lynn.haraldson@gmail.com.

Anyway, back to DietGirl and her recent blog, “New Year Goals Check-In: April,” in which she outlines what I define as a kind of Self Bill of Rights. One thing she wrote really struck a chord, especially in light of my recent interview on Two Fit Chicks and A Microphone:

“The thought of having to be ‘hardcore’ for the rest of your life was just totally depressing, quite frankly. But I've been thinking about it and I reckon what I've been doing this year is sustainable and realistic – healthy but not hardcore…I feel so peaceful and positive right now, and a helluva lot happier than I did when I got to my so-called Happy Weight a few years ago.”

Sustainable and realistic; healthy but not hardcore. Hmmm….

Then there’s Sandrelle, who blogs at Keeping it OFF! She, too, is one of my weight-loss heroes. We share many things in common regarding how we lost weight and in our philosophy of weight maintenance. Like me, she’s gained a bit from her lowest weight and feels…well…blah. As she posted on Lynn’s Weigh on Facebook: “I'm also up a few pounds, around 140, and NOT happy because it's not me. It doesn't feel like me.”

Doesn’t feel like me. Hmmm…

Finally, BFF 40-Something’s Shelley posted this week about being angry that she didn’t appreciate her body when it was at a weight she realizes was probably her “happy weight.” She just didn’t know it until it was gone.

Shelley wrote: “I truly did not appreciate how good I looked last summer. Don't get me wrong - I was thrilled with fitting into the size 6 Bermuda shorts, but did I focus on that? No - I couldn't stop seeing my extra belly flab…WHY didn't I appreciate my body then? I'll tell you why...decades of dieting. Never having the inner strength to say ‘I like how I look and feel now’ - never quite standing up for myself.

“I am so mad. I just want to go back and say ‘You dope! Enjoy what you've achieved!’ and I know that I'm not showing self-love, but so what. Sometimes I need a reality check.”

I like how I look and feel now. Hmmm…

So the three points I’m pondering in my continued search for body acceptance are: 1) What is sustainable and realistic; healthy but not hardcore; 2) Why does this extra weight not feel like me; and 3) How do I get to the place where I like how I look and feel in the moment?

I used to be hardcore. Worked out so dang hard I didn’t have my period for 3½ years (see “To Weigh Or Not To Weigh…”). Then my body started falling apart and I had to back off the 90-minute marathons at the gym. But in the last several months I’ve more than backed off. My exercise routine has gone from tsunami to a nearly dried up creek bed. Granted, it’s been a rough few months, but it’s time I…(click on the video)

Somewhere in me exists a balance between Hardcore Lynn and I-Don’t-Feel-Like-It Lynn. I’ve not thought about what is realistic for me and what my body can take in terms of exercise. Therefore, my plan is to sit down with myself and conduct an inventory of what I realistically can do in light of my limitations. I can walk, I can ride my bike, and I can do modified strength training using the exercises my physical therapist prescribed last year.

The tricky part of this inventory, however, is learning to accept my limitations without throwing in the towel. I will establish exercise goals and find the strength and tenacity (which I know are in me somewhere) to reach these goals. Sustainable and realistic, healthy not hardcore.

Next, why doesn’t this added weight feel like me? Considering I’ve been overweight or obese most of my adult life, you’d think I’d not feel like myself at any weight, and yet at 132 I felt at one with myself. Nothing flapped around much, I liked how my body looked in any type of clothing, I felt…healthy. This added weight, particularly around my stomach, doesn’t feel healthy. Having said that, and considering point #1, is it realistic that – given my physical limitations – I will be 132 again without living on 1200 calories a day?

Which leads me to point #3.

If I’m going to accept where I am right now and love the me and the extra pounds (and realistically lose what I can), I first need to understand why I’m not accepting where I am right now and why I don’t love the me and the extra pounds.

The first word that comes to mind is “failure.” I feel like I’ve failed. Failed myself, failed my family, failed my blog readers. Looking the way I do now, with a bit more weight (which I know is hardly noticeable to most people, but I see me naked every day), I want to hide in t-shirts and shy away from being touched for fear someone will “feel” the real me. I’m this close to saying, “Weight, you win! I’m crawling back in that fat hole again. I give up.”

However…like Shelley, I’m going to stand up for myself and try a little tough self-love first:

“Lynn, you worked damned hard to lose 170 pounds. Don’t you DARE start gaining it all back. No food is going to comfort you; it will only bring you down. You KNOW how to say ‘No’ to yourself. Remember how you used to ask yourself, “How will I feel 5 minutes after I eat ____?” Yeah, well, chicka…make that your mantra AGAIN. Now. Not tomorrow. Today. You want medjool dates? Fine, but one will suffice. Same goes for all your other favorites. Go back to the beginning. Read your blogs. Remember how it felt at 250, 200, 170, 150. You can do it, Lynn. You really can.”

At least, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…

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I'm Still Here! Three Weeks in Photos

Man…the weather turns nice and I totally disappear from the blog-o-sphere! I lurk early in the morning, reading blogs and always promising myself I'll write one. I have a lot to tell you because a lot’s been going on. The wretched winter and the non-existent spring kidnapped my writing discipline. Give me some warm weather and I’m a college student on spring break. I lose all focus. I mean, it’s sunny, I have a bike, I have legs, I have grandkids full of energy…
However...the intoxication of warmth is becoming the norm, so I promise to be around a bit more. Thanks, as always, for sticking with me.

Thought I'd share a photo diary of what I’ve been up to.

There was Luca’s 2nd birthday
Hanging out with Cooper
Biking with Claire
Playing with Mae-Moo
Helping potty train the Luca Duke
Sliding and swinging with Luca and Claire.
I still love to slide down a big old metal slide. I'm also teaching Claire to swing. You know how many muscles it takes to swing? Pull back with your arms, stretch your legs out going up and back going down, repeat for 10 minutes. Takes some calf and ab strength, I tell you what. We found an old school slide the other day. The metal kind with steep stairs and hardly any guide rail. The three of us climbed up the stairs and slid down without falling on our butts at least 20 times. I had to bribe them with bubbles (“Let’s go blow bubbles at Grammy’s!!”) to get them to stop.

I’ve been hiking and biking alone, too.

Not a sign you want to see going up the grade on a steep hill
I hope this finds you enjoying your spring, too. I wish you the joy of a slide and a good swing. I’ll be in touch soon. Promise :)

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Can Grilling Sirloin Steaks Kill E. Coli?

What happens when large pieces of sirloin, that have E. coli 0157:H7 on the surface, are mechanically tenderized, sliced into steaks of varying thicknesses, and grilled over an open flame from a gas grill? That’s what Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists set out to test.

Steaks were grilled on both sides and cooked to an internal temperature of 130 degrees F (rare) or 140 degrees F (medium rare). The hotter the internal temperature and the more “done” the steak, the better, of course. But the scientists did find that if a relatively low level of E. coli is distributed throughout a blade-tenderized top sirloin steak, cooking the steak properly on a gas grill did appear to eliminate the microbe.

Remember, once you cook your steak properly, you still need to practice food safety. Don’t keep it out at room temperature for too long. After an hour, for example, package any leftovers and keep them in the refrigerator for the next day.

[Various studies by the ARS on E.coli and sirloin were published in the Journal of Food Protection in 2008 and 2009]

Do you like your steak rare or well done? Is killing bacteria on your meat something you are particularly concerned about?

More from WebMD:

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Where to Find LA Weight Loss Recipes Online

Losing weight oftentimes requires more than just following a simple diet. For many of us, it can be hard enough to get through the day without forgetting where we put our car keys, so remembering exactly what foods to put into our bodies and at what times can be a daunting task indeed. That is where LA Weight Loss Recipes come in to play.

This diet program was developed back in 1989 to help those individuals who were struggling with losing weight to have a place they could go and find support, guidance, and a true plan of action. LA diet program differs from other general programs in that it provides a signature plan that is designed personally for YOU, and no one else. In addition, they help you through the process step by step by assigning a counselor to work with you to help ensure your success with the program.

Part of the program, of course, involves eating and NOT eating specific foods. To make this process easier, this diet plan has developed a huge array of recipes. To make things even easier, these recipes are now available online so you are always only a click away from an incredibly healthy and nutritious meal that will surely be approved by your counselor at your next session. Here are just a few of the places you can find these recipes online:

LA Weight Loss - Their website offers an amazing array of tasty and nutritious meals that you can make at home right now. You will feel guilty considering how incredible the meals taste, but there is no need! The nutritional information is posted at the top of each recipe so you know you aren't cheating!

3 Fat Chicks - Their website has a wonderful diet forum that features a whole section of new and creative LA Weight Loss Recipes! New ones are being added all the time, so head on over and try a few new and delectable dishes this week!

Hate Weight - Another great location online to find recipes, the Hate Weight site offers an array of information about diet products and programs including, of course, a whole section on the LA diet program and numerous recipes that are part of the system.

You see, losing weight does not have to taste bland! See what thousands of women have experienced with losing weight while still enjoying your favorite foods! It is always a good idea to see your doctor before starting any new diet program.

Peter Nelson writes about weight loss trends and issues. For more information about where to find LA Weight Loss Recipes, visit the Discount Diet Products web site. This site offers the best deals on brand name weight loss products to include LA Weight Loss, Weight Watchers, and many more.

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Cocoa Shortage Predicted without Adoption of Sustainable Growing Practices

I’m one of those chocolate lovers who truly “needs” a small dose of dark chocolate almost every day. And while I’m concerned in general about sustainability and our food system, the prediction that there will be a major shortage in cocoa — and therefore chocolate — definitely grabs my attention.

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Mars company? They are the makers of candy icons in America such as M&Ms and Snickers. Mars has pledged to use 100% certified sustainable chocolate by 2020. This year Mars is on track to buy 10% of their cocoa from certified sources. They warn that unless more is done to promote sustainability in the cocoa industry, we can expect a major shortfall of cocoa in just nine years.

The Mars company’s cocoa sustainability drive involves 3 primary factors: Technology transfer that puts farmers first, innovations in agricultural science (like high-yielding and disease-resistant cacao trees and  advanced agricultural methods), and rigorous certification standards.

If you are a chocolate lover as well, what is your “go to” chocolate source? Do you seek out chocolate that’s labeled Fair Trade or otherwise certified?

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3.8 and 5.1 and Everywhere In Between

Meet my new biking partner:
After impressing her with my bike rack/bike tying skills (“Oooohhh, Grammy! My bike is so safe! It won’t fall off!”), I buckled her in her car seat and we were off to the bike trail. (Part of our conversation along the way: “I love my baby sister. We get to keep her!” along with her asking and me answering at LEAST 30 times “Are we there yet?”)

From the moment Cassie threw her positive pregnancy test stick on my menu at Applebee’s, I dreamed of this day. Me – post-weight-loss and in love with biking – teaching my grandchild the joys of a trail.

Today’s ride was everything I’d dreamed and more.

Claire – 3½ years old and 3½ feet tall – has taught me more than any human ever has. As we rode today, with me riding alongside her and protecting her from the edge (“You’re high up there, Grammy! You have a big bike.”), I felt not only the responsibility of being a grandparent, but an even greater love for her than I can possibly explain.

Claire named her bike Fast Star. As she peddled along the path right around 3.8 mph (which is a heckuva lot harder for me on a “big bike” to maintain than peddling 10 or 12 mph because of the balance factor), once in awhile she’d yell, “Go Fast Star! Go fast!” and get her speed up to 5.1. Talk about keeping me on my peddling toes.

“Don’t run over the worms, Grammy!”

“There’s a cardinal!”

“What’s that butterfly, Grammy?”

“A swallowtail,” I said.

“A shwallatale.”

“Yup.”

As we made our way to one mile and back again (“Where’s the parking lot, Grammy? My legs are getting tired.”), we took a break and I thought about when I first learned she existed. Thought I’d share what I wrote back in 2007

Welcome to Life, My Little Grandbaby!

You’re no bigger than a walnut, with webbed stubs and budding eyes, but you’re my favorite kid on the planet.

I love you because you are alive, multiplying cells, developing hands and feet and ears and kidneys and a liver and a brain. Somewhere along the way I hope you develop a good sense of humor, too. You’ll need it in this family.

I learned of your existence in a way only your momma would do. Grandpa Larry and I met her at Applebee’s for lunch three weeks ago and she threw her home pregnancy test on my menu, having secretly taken it a few minutes earlier in the restaurant bathroom because she suspected you were inside her, lurking. Yet even after we saw the faint blue plus sign, we read the instructions over and over again, making sure we were seeing it right. News of your life took a little while to sink in.

But exist you do, growing and turning into the little person I’ll teach to make lefse and bird seed cakes. You’re the little person I’m going to read all my favorite children’s books to and let stay up past your bedtime because we’ve made a tent in the living room. We’ll eat s’mores by flashlight and listening to Raffi and sing “Baby Beluga,” just like I did with your momma and Aunt Carlene.

You will be adored by many, but I, of course, will adore you above all others because I am your Granny Lynn. Your mom and dad will think you’re groovy, too, but I promise to love you like no other. We’re going to have a good time as you grow up, my little grandbaby. You are my future, my anticipation, my happiness, and delight. You’re showing me a new kind of love. My mother and my neighbor Martha told me I wouldn’t understand the whole grandmother thing until I experienced it, and they were right. I love your momma and your aunt and your uncles Kevin and Andy more than I can explain, but you are different. I love you in a way that is wild. We will talk together, laugh together, work together. Discipline will be negotiable between us.

You’re causing your momma to break out like she was 13. Good for you. Just try not to beat her up too much, ok? Be safe in there.

I don’t care if you get your dad’s bad sinuses or your mom’s bad hips, my lack of coordination or your grandpa’s taste in music. We’ll work through it. Just come out screaming and everything will be fine.

I’ll see you in October, little one, and not a moment sooner. Stay inside until every last cell you need is in place. I’ll be there, waiting to welcome you to the other side.

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LA Weight Loss Recipes - Discover the Best Diet Recipes to Eat Well and Look Great!

You've already heard of the LA weight loss diet, and you might have tried a few of the great LA Weight Loss recipes. But what is the LA weight loss diet, anyway? What makes it so thrilling to those who want to lose the weight and keep it off?

LA Weight Loss offers a plan that is tailored to the individual needs of a single dieter. The program understands that the easiest way to lose weight is to allow you to eat the foods you love, but to incorporate them into a healthy menu. The food will taste familiar and good, yet can still allow you to reach your weight loss goals. The program also uses intense one-on-one training to make sure that your lifestyle change is complete!

But what about those fantastic LA Weight Loss recipes? They have become all the rage, and for good reason! You can still eat the foods you love but do it in a reasonable, sensible manner that helps you burn away the pounds. Did you ever think you could eat chocolate truffle and still lose weight? Now you can! What about a Philly Cheesesteak? You can have it, and it's delicious!

How about an Italian-Zucchini Quiche? It's one of the recipes that the LA weight loss center loves to feature, because it tastes so hearty but feels so light. The dish includes all kinds of spices for a bit of kick, plus a generous 1 cup serving of zucchini. Can you imagine serving this delicious dish at your next get-together with your dieting friends?

The Philly Cheese Steak is one of the best recipes around, and it's perfect for Super Bowl Sunday! Even the rough and tumble guys sitting around that television on the big day will love these. The key lies in the spices required, as well as the quality of the top sirloin steak you use. Big hoagie rolls and generous slices of mozzarella complete the sandwich. It's a big meal for everyone in your family!

That's the coolest thing about the LA Weight Loss recipes. The recipes books can be purchased without any obligation to join the plan, and the meals aren't just good for you, but good for your whole family. They aren't heavy on processed foods. In fact, almost everything in the recipe books can be made from scratch.

Best of all, they taste so good your family won't have any idea that they have just been served a meal that is actually healthy for them. What better way to make a lifestyle change than to involve your family in your weight loss goals? Choosing to follow the LA Weight Loss recipes isn't just something you are doing for yourself. It's something you are doing for those you love. Their full tummies and compliments will be all the thanks you need!

To learn more about effective weight loss, visit http://www.MyLastWeightLoss.com

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“In the clearing stands a boxer…”

Whoever invented Dave & Busters is a genius. Chuck E. Cheese with a bar? How did I not know of this place before?

We had tickets to see John Heffron at the Improv Saturday night, and Mark suggested we go early and play some games at Dave & Busters first. Sounded fun. I figured we’d play a few games of air hockey, shoot a few hoops… I wasn’t expecting to shoot skeleton aliens or knock out a couple of cartoon boxers or rack up 200+ tickets just because I knew Colin Mochrie was on “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” before anyone else at the table. (All that time spent playing trivia at the bar after work with my coworkers back in the ‘90s really paid off…lol!)

My upper body had gotten a little jiggly over the winter, so I’ve been working my shoulders, arms and back pretty hard the last three weeks in preparation for tank top season. I’d not yet put my arms to the test in terms of strength until Mark led me to the boxing game, grinned, and said, “Put on the gloves.”

“Me? Box?” I said. “You’re joking right?

“No! he laughed. "Put on the gloves!”

I looked around. ‘Well…OK,’ I thought. The place was dark and chaotic, kids were running around everywhere. I figured there was no safer place to look like a fool.

I set my drink on the table, put on the gloves, and took my stance over the foot imprints on the floor pad. Mark swiped his card to buy a game, and next thing I knew, there was a big angry man wearing a mouth guard staring at me from the screen.

Now I’m not a violent person, but moving my feet and ducking my head to “avoid” getting hit, and the power I felt in my arms with every punch was intoxicating. A few times I must have done something right because I TKO’d the guy twice. One, two, three…punch, punch, punch…twenty eight, twenty nine (“Go, Lynn!” Mark yelled), thirty! I put my arms down, blinked a few times, and felt a trickle of sweat go down my back. Did I really work that hard in just five minutes? Apparently so. What a rush!

I took off the gloves and went to pick up my drink, only someone had drank what was left of my wine. Good thing I didn’t see them do it in the moment I was knocking out that angry cartoon man. My endorphins might have knocked him out, too!

My friends and kids are always telling me how much they love video gaming systems for exercise. Virtual tennis, skiing, baseball, boxing, etc. But like Fergie sang, I’m so 2000 and late. I exercise old school – machines, weights, outdoor activities. If I’d known inside exercise could be this fun, though, I’d have gotten on the Wii bandwagon a long time ago. Now I’ll be asking the family for a system for my birthday *grin*.

Do any of you engage in virtual exercise? Do you feel challenged, like you’ve gotten a good workout? What are your favorites?

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Revisiting the Size 28s

Reader Rebecca wrote to me the other day asking this question: “I was wondering your thoughts on getting rid of clothes that don't fit as one loses weight. As I continue on my weight loss journey, I find myself fearful of actually letting go of my larger sized clothes.”
I thought it best to repost last year’s “Ode to My Size 28 Stretch Pants,” because this is a question I get asked a lot. I hope you’ll forgive the repost, but sometimes it’s good to be reminded why we’re doing all this weight loss/maintenance, right? (I apologize there are no photos. I will try to post them later. Blogger is being a bugger today...ugh.)
From March 2010

I recently asked the folks on Lynn’s Weigh on Facebook what they do with clothes that no longer fit as they lose weight. Most folks said they give them away (Debra suggested the organization Dress For Success), which is what I eventually did, but it took awhile for me to trust myself not to need them again.

Getting rid of old clothes is empowering, but I strongly urge you to keep one item of clothing to remind you where you’ve been and how far you’ve come, especially on those days when you struggle and think, Why am I doing this?

I kept one lone item of clothing from my 300-pound days: my size 28 black stretch pants. I wore them every day. They were my constant companion. They even went with me to the Adirondacks where I allowed my husband to take the only full-body photo of me at my highest weight (see “I *Heart* Burlington, Vermont” for the full story).

My size 28 black stretch pants were literally stretched to their limit. As I grew larger, holes began to form. Stains no longer washed out. I didn’t know it at the time, but those holes and stains reflected how I felt about myself, namely that I wasn’t worth taking care of.

Eventually I invested in Weight Watchers rather than another new wardrobe, but my confidence level was still pretty low. Fifty pounds into my weight loss, I was still wearing my old size 28 wardrobe. I posted on the WW discussion board (the 100+ To Lose board was my salvation) that my clothes bagged significantly, but that I wasn’t sure if I should buy new clothes or wait. I felt guilty about spending the money since I wasn’t convinced I wouldn’t gain it all back, and sadly I’d given away all my smaller clothes as I marched up the scale, convinced I’d be morbidly obese the rest of my life. (*See my side story at the end of this blog.)

A WW board member named CrispyRice encouraged me to invest in a few things in a smaller size. She said wearing clothes that fit would help me see the results of my weight loss, which in turn would encourage me to keep going. She also told me to not buy all black – my typical “hiding” color – and to shop at Goodwill and other second-hand shops.

Her advice was spot on. Not only did I feel good about buying a smaller size – a pair of size 24 khaki shorts and a white XL shirt (down from 3X) – I felt smaller in lighter colors and wearing fabric close to my skin as opposed to it hanging limp and devoid of form.

More importantly, I felt confident in my new, smaller clothes. Confident that I’d no longer need my larger sized wardrobe. Confident that I wasn’t gaining my weight back, not if I had anything to say about it. I bagged up the 28s and the 30/32 pant suit and gave them to Goodwill, all except for the size 28 black stretch pants – which, lest you think me tacky, I wouldn’t have actually given away given their condition. But I didn’t throw them away, either, because we have a history. They elicit the same feelings I have about photographs or special gifts. My size 28 black stretch pants are my friend. I was wearing them the moment I joined WW online. They were on camera with me when I was on Today (both times) and Entertainment Tonight (crazy, I know) when I was promoting the People magazine's “Half Their Size” issue in 2008. And as my friend, my pants help me through those days when I wonder: Why am I doing this? Why do I journal my food? Why do I eat the way I do? Why do I (usually) say no to chocolate cake, mac n’ cheese, and half in half in my coffee? I love those things! “Ah,” say the size 28 black stretch pants, “but you love yourself even more.”

See why we’re BFF?

(*Side story: The only exception to giving all my smaller clothes away as I was gaining weight the last time, was a size 16 lined suit that I’d only worn once. I called it my “dream suit.” When I was 300 pounds, I dreamed that it would one day fit again, but dreaming was all I did about my weight for several years. When I started to lose weight, that suit became my “goal suit.” I tried it on every other week when I got down to 200 pounds. I used the zipper as a gage for how many inches I was losing. When I was 180, I moved and I got so busy unpacking that I forgot about my goal suit. By the time I dug it out, I weighed around 155 and it was too big. Sigh. I missed my window of opportunity. But I still honor it for the icon it was, even though it’s probably hanging in someone else’s closet.)Congrats to reader “kadywood” who won the the Angie Miller “Crave Results” DVD giveaway! Thank you to all of you who threw your names in the hat to win. Cassie, Carlene and I are working on new reviews, so there will be more opportunities to win a workout DVD that will shake your routine up.

View the original article here

How To Make Your Own Weight Loss Recipes

If you are overweight or you really care about maintaining your weight rigorously, you need to follow a well-balanced diet chart. To make a well-balanced diet, you should put a little effort on selecting good recipes that assure you not consuming extra calories in your body. In simple terms, weight loss recipes provide you a healthy fat-free cholesterol-free diet. Let us prepare a simple but delicious healthy recipe for your weight less diet. After finishing this article, you will understand that compromising with fat and cholesterol; you need not really compromise with flavor.

Appetizer

Appetizer refers to the selection of food or drink that enhances the appetite by stimulating it. In simple words, appetite is used to enhance your sense of hunger. There are plenty of weight loss recipes suggested by renowned cook and dietitian around the world. Here, we are discussing a simple recipe called crispy potato skins which is 100 percent fat-free and cholesterol-free. To prepare crispy potato skins, you need 2 medium-sized russet potatoes, butter-flavored cooking spray, 1 tbsp crushed fresh rosemary and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Before you start cooking, you need to preheat the oven at 375°F.

Now you wash these potatoes and prick them using a fork. Place the pierced potatoes in the oven and bake them until the peels become crispy and crunchy. You need to put the potatoes for at least one hour. Now you need to cut the potatoes into halves and scrape out the inside pulp. Leave approximately 1/8 inches pulp with the skins around and keep the pulp for other uses. Now spray the skins with butter-flavored cooking spray. Mix the rosemary and pepper with it and place it to oven once again for another 5 to 10 minutes. It is now ready to serve.

Soup

There is a wide range of weight loss recipes which promise you to feed less fat or less cholesterol, however, pumpkin soup is the one which contains very less amount of cholesterol and a real non-significant amount of fat in it. Here is how to prepare it exclusively for you. To make a one standard soup bowl, you need 1 cup of pure drinking water, 1 finely sliced fresh onion, 1 finely sliced green onion, 1 can of pumpkin puree, 1 cup of vegetable broth, ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 cup of fat-free milk, and 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Now take a large saucepan and pour ¼ cup of water into it. Mix onion slices in the water and put it to boil until it becomes tender. Be little cautious, drying out of onions is not at all intended. Now add pumpkin puree, vegetable broth, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining water into the saucepan. Put it in light heat and boil for around 5 minutes. Now add the milk and stir it thoroughly. Cook it to heat. Now garnish it using pepper and green onion and serve it hot. For one serving of this soup, you will get only 1mg of cholesterol and less than 1 gm of total fat. Quite obviously, you can note it down as one of the weight loss recipes.

Meal

Surprisingly, there are so many people around the world who do even fasting so that they can possibly avoid gaining extra fats or cholesterol, but there are so many delicious weight loss recipes around designed with the same purpose. Here is a recipe called broiled white sea bass which is a low-fat low-sodium cooking. You can have it with a bed of sautéed spinach. This is high in vitamin A, iron, calcium, folate, and riboflavin. To make it, you need two White Sea bass fillets of 4 inches each, 1 tsp of minced garlic, 1 tbsp of lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt-free herbed seasoning mix and ground black pepper according to your own preference.

First, you need to preheat the broiler by positioning the rack 4 inches apart from the heat source. Now apply cooking spray on the baking pan and put the fillets into the pan. Then sprinkle the lemon juice on the fillets. Now delicately add garlic, herbed seasoning mix and pepper as well. Broil it for 8 to 10 minutes till it becomes tender and serve hot.

Now, if you take these three weight loss recipes in one of your daily diet, you will consume less than 100mg of cholesterol and less than 5g of fat in total. Isn't it really a weight loss diet?

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Weight Loss Recipes at http://www.ayurvediccure.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-foods.htm. AyurvedicCure.com is the World's Largest Alternative Health Portal. You can also Participate in Health Questions & Answers, Discussion Forums and Blogs.

Also Read about Green Tea Weight Loss - Myths and Facts about it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_John_Anne

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The BLT Becomes a TST+A

The Perfect Quick and Cool Weeknight Dinner

Looking for a quick and cool dinner idea for the next hot weeknight this summer? Tonight in my kitchen we made TST + A sandwiches — Turkey bacon, Lettuce and Tomato + Avocado sandwiches.

We all noticed how satisfying this sensibly-sized sandwich was (probably because of the 100% whole wheat rolls and the sliced avocado). I love how the sandwich has a meat, whole grain and vegetables all in one. Yes, the featured ingredient of this sandwich is a processed meat (albeit from turkey not pork), but we don’t have processed meat very often at the Magee house and we are pairing the turkey bacon with some antioxidant-rich plant foods (vine ripened tomatoes, spinach, whole wheat bread).

Here’s How You Make It
Just crisp up some turkey bacon strips (or center cut bacon strips) and that’s all the cooking you need to do!

Next, assemble your sandwich by placing about 3 strips of crispy turkey bacon strips onto the bottom slice of your whole wheat or whole grain roll. Top it with avocado slices (about 1/4 of a whole avocado), 3 fresh tomato slices, 1/4 cup raw spinach leaves, and the remaining half of the roll. Spread one side lightly with light mayonnaise if desired.

What Does It Add Up To?
One Sandwich has:

390 calories18 g protein38 g carbohydrate16 g fat3.8 g saturated fat8 g monounsaturated fat3.5 g polyunsaturated fat50 mg cholesterol7.5 g fiber960 mg sodium.2 g Omega-3 fatty acid3.3 g Omega-6 fatty acids

NOTE: Adding a teaspoon of light mayonnaise will add about 17 calories and 1.7 grams of fat to the sandwich total.

View the original article here

I’m Just a (Wo)Man in a Silly Red Sheet

Ah…spring. The time during which my body thinks it can do anything, only to find out…it can’t.

Since recovering from the plagues in February and March and shedding the overall doldrums of winter, I’ve been hitting the exercise pretty hard the last few weeks. I want my arms tank-top ready and my legs North Country Trail ready…NOW.

But…Humpty Lynn has fallen off the wall…again.

I mowed the lawn a few weeks ago. Yeah. That was a reeeeallly dumb thing to do. Unless you’re using a riding mower, it’s probably not in your best interest as a person with torn rotator cuffs to use a NON-self-propelled lawn mower to cut down grass the height of swamp weeds and just as wet.

Most of the time I’m judicious with my strength training, doing what my physical therapist prescribed a few years ago: swapping hand weights for TheraBands. But…you know…when you feel kinda good and you’ve been cooped up in a long winter…well…you start thinking you’re not as messed up as you are. You think, perhaps, you’re superhuman.

So SuperLynn mowed the lawn. Two weeks later, my left shoulder is still saying, “Really, Lynn? Seriously? What the h*ll were you thinking?”

I remember when my grandma felt so good while on her blood pressure medication that she decided she didn’t need it anymore, not understanding, of course, that it was THE MEDICINE that was making her feel good. Two weeks later, she had a heart attack.

My joint “medicine” is moderate exercise, but my brain…dang brain…loves LOVES intense exercise. I like pounding the crap out of my body, I admit it. When I lost all that weight, man, it felt AMAZING to push and push and push my thighs and calves and shoulders and abs and traps and biceps and triceps to the edge. I’d never done anything like it in my weighted life.

Then when osteoarthritis starting taking over joint after joint like the creeping Charlie in my yard, I modified my exercise routine. Surprise, surprise, my body rewarded me with less pain! But modifying also threw off the “calories expended” part of the weight-loss/weight-maintenance ratio. Clearly I consumed more calories than I expended this year because I’ve gained 8 pounds. And try as I might, I cannot get back to my lowest weight – the one at which I beat the crap out of my body – without beating the crap out of my body.

At some point in most of our lives, there are obstacles to healthy living. They can be physical, emotional or both; temporary or permanent. It’s what we choose to do in the moment of most difficulty that steers our intentions. Obviously I’m not always mindful of what my intentions are, otherwise I wouldn’t be icing my biceps tendon.

My intention to lose 8 pounds is not unwise, but losing it at the expense of my body is that second arrow the Buddha warned of. As I wrote in September, the Buddhist teaching of the second arrow is that when we encounter pain (when we’re shot with the first arrow), we have the choice of how we handle that pain. We can blame or whine or indulge (hello chocolate cake!) as we run away from the pain (thus shooting ourselves with the second arrow), or we can experience the pain of the first arrow and live from within that pain, working out the best course of action that will not further our suffering.

God knows we have enough to deal with with that first arrow than having to work around the emotional complications of the second one. So…once again (and how many times have I done this in four years?), I’m reminding myself to stay mindful of my intentions, and to: 1) see the good, the bad and the ugly of my body and treat it with respect; 2) not beat myself up for 8 pounds; and 3) stop thinking of myself as superhuman.

That is…until the next time Humpty Lynn falls, and she will. Because she is me, and I am nothing if not human.

View the original article here

Getting Back in the Cardio Game (and a DVD giveaway inside!)

What a difference a winter makes…and not in a good way. I took my bike out today for a spin to see if anything other than the tires needed some attention and realized, it’s not the bike that needs attention. It’s my lungs!

I was breathing pretty hard when I got home…TEN minutes later (hanging head in shame). Granted, I’m recovering from bronchitis, but considering my friend Shari had the same dang thing only a week ahead of me and is now running 11 miles, clearly it is my aerobic capacity in general that is in question here.

This winter I’ve walked when the weather wasn’t too cold and I rode the stationary bike, but there’s nothing…NOTHING…like down and dirty hard-core aerobic exercise. The sweating-by-8-minutes-and-not-stopping-for-45 kind of movement that gets those lungs burning and in shape.

…sigh…tear…dusting myself off…

I’m no quitter. There’s no time like now to get it back. My knee feels better, the weather is improving, I’m on it. I’ve nailed my strength training so I’m tank-top ready by May, so it’s time to get bike-and-hike ready, too.

I totally forgot to tell you all who won the last DVD giveaway here on Lynn’s Weigh. Congrats to AnneG who won 10-Minute Solution, DebbyS who won Walk Away The Pounds Express, and KR who won Prego-Fit and Fabulous. I went to the post office today and mailed them, which led to an interesting conversation with the postal employee:

“These are light. What are they? DVDs?” Postal Employee asked.

“Yes, they are,” I said. “I have a blog and get sent DVDs to review once in awhile. These are the latest winners.”

“So you’re, like, a movie critic?”

“No!” I laughed. “They’re exercise videos.”

“Oh, well, I could use that,” she said. “I tell myself that tomorrow I’ll start. Tomorrow I’ll start dieting and exercising. But tomorrow never comes.”

“I know,” I said. “Because every day is today.”

She looked at me and smiled. “You know, you’re right.”

Now whether she starts today, I don’t know. But maybe, just maybe, she’ll make a small commitment to move a little more today than yesterday.

If today is your day, or if you are looking for a new workout routine, daughter Cassie is back for another DVD review: Angie Miller’s “Crave Results.”

To say Cassie liked this DVD it is an understatement. If she had her way, you’d ALL win! If you want to throw your name in the hat, leave a comment or send an email to lynn.haraldson@gmail.com. (Please note the new email address.) I’ll draw a winner (and announce it, too) on Thursday.

Wow! I'm super impressed with this DVD. I just finished doing Jillian Michael's “30 Day Shred Challenge,” which was 30 days of nonstop Jillian. While I like Jillian's approach to training, which is "Move it or lose it," Angie Miller is something I've never experienced before. And I've done a lot of workout DVDs.

I thought the only way to motivate was how they did when I was in the Army, which was, “GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR NOW!” But I was wrong. Angie Miller is positive. And not in a "You can do it!" cheerleader way. She's calm and endearing. I'm really in awe. And I'm sweating.

She breaks her workouts down into blocks, each one ending in a cardio burst. She combines arms and legs at the same time, which is nice, but is difficult if you lack coordination. (That would be me. I'd never be an aerobics star.) But she makes it so that anyone can do it by performing the movement slow for several counts before bringing it up to tempo.

She's also a really graceful woman to watch. Clearly she does Pilates and yoga. She also incorporates that into her workout. She reminds you to breathe and tells you to keep a long spine and to keep your shoulders back. All of those things keep your chest open, so when she does curtsy lunges with pulses, you won't die.

I was amazed at how fast the workout went. It is 63 minutes long, or, if you want, you can choose from some preset options. I was ready to keep going even after it was done. But I was sweating! Boy was I sweating.

Her core workout isn't anything you'd expect. There's a mat, yes, but it's not what you think. Her core work includes balance work (which is HARD but so worth it!) pushups, and planks. I didn't do a single crunch.

Her arm work routine is also very original. The triceps work is unique, but also has some traditional kick-backs. She also has you doing dead lifts with dumbbell flies. Everything works together seamlessly and while you're exerting maximum effort, you feel good. And when I say good, I'm talking, it's an endorphin party in my muscles.

Yup. I'm pretty much in love with this DVD.
*****************************
Lynn's Note: For the record, I'm not paid to review DVDs. I do it because I'm always looking for new workout ideas :) I give away the actual DVD that is reviewed...I don't even get to keep it! LOL

Check out Angie Miller's blog at Angie Miller In the Moment.

View the original article here

Pesto Potato Dinner Salad

Another No-Cook Summer Supper!

This easy-to-make Pesto Potato Salad can be a side dish or make it a main entrée by adding lean meat or canned tuna.

Pesto Potato Dinner Salad

 

Ingredients:
2 1/2 -3 cups baby potatoes (such as red potatoes or Yukon gold), cut in half
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes (red or yellow)
1/3 cup prepared pesto (available in frozen section or fresh pasta section)
1 cup diced grilled lean steak, pork tenderloin, skinless chicken breast or albacore tuna (6 ounce can, drained)
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or walnuts (toast nuts over medium heat in a nonstick frying pan until golden, stirring frequently)

Directions:
1. Pierce each potato once with a fork and place on microwave-safe plate and microwave on HIGH until tender. Let cool.
2. In serving bowl, toss potatoes, tomatoes, pesto, lean meat or tuna if desired, together. Sprinkle toasted pine nuts or walnuts over the top and serve.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Per side salad serving: 205 calories, 6 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 10 g fat, 1.4 g saturated fat, 5 g monounsaturated fat, 3.6 g polyunsaturated fat, 2 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 150 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 43 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .7 grams, Omega-6 fatty acids = 2.9 grams.

Per main entree serving (analyzed with roasted, skinless chicken breast): 264 calories, 17 g protein, 24 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 1.8 g saturated fat, 6.3 g monounsaturated fat, 3.9 g polyunsaturated fat, 32 mg cholesterol, 4 g fiber, 177 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 40 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .7 grams, Omega-6 fatty acids = 3.2 grams.

View the original article here

Weight Loss Recipes - 7 Proven Fat Melting Foods

In this article you will discover the 7 natural, tasty fat burners that anyone can include in their healthy weight loss recipes. These are all rich in nutrients and possess Fat-melting talents for you to shed some unwanted pounds off your body.

You can include these foods in any sensible weight loss recipe to give your body that extra metabolic kick, which is vital to shave off weight quickly. All the foods listed below are very rich in nutrients and possess special fat-burning talents which in turn will satisfy your hunger.

1. Grapefruit -- Grapefruit is a must when it comes to healthy recipes for weight loss. According to Dr.John Cerd of the University of California it dissolves fat and cholesterol and has an average of 74 calories, which in turn delivers a whopping 15 grams of pectin. This is a special fibre which helps to lower fat and cholesterol. It is also rich in vitamin c and is fat and sodium free.

2. Coffee -- coffee is considered one of the best metabolic enhancers according to Dr. Mary Adams of the University of Florida. Studies also show it can burn more calories than normal. We've all heard though about the potential dangers of caffeine which can increase anxiety and insomnia. So moderation is the key here. (To follow a low calorie weight loss recipe add some skimmed milk and try doing it without sugar)

3. Soups -- a study was affected way back in 2004 by a very talented nutritionist Dr Andrew Foreyt of Baylor College of medicine in Texas. He found that dieters who ate soup before lunch and dinner as part of their low fat weight loss recipes, tend to keep the weight off longer than those who didn't and in fact the more soup they ate the more weight they lost.

4. Apples -- the most practical effect of these marvels of nature is to leave you feeling satisfied longer, says researchers. In fact A research done by Dr Peter Webber of the medical University Of Kentucky shows that apples are very rich in soluble fibre which prevents hunger pangs by guarding against dangerous swings or drops in your blood sugar level. A must in every weight loss diet recipe.

5. Spinach -- Rich in iron, beta caoten and vitamins c and e spinach has the ability to lower cholesterol, burn away fat and rev up your metabolism. It supplies all the weight watchers recipes with most of the daily nutrients needed.

6. Mustard -- a study by Dr Garreth of Oxford Polytechnic in England found that one teaspoon of mustard normally called for in Mexican, Indian and Asian recipes speeds up the metabolism just as caffeine. "Mustard is natural and totally safe" Jane says. "it can be used in everyday weight loss recipes and it really works" "I was shocked to discover it can speed up the metabolism by as much as 25 to 30%" Dr Jane says.

7. Tofu -- You must include tofu in your weight loss plans. It's a health food from Asia also called soybean curd. Tofu contains iron and calcium, almost no sodium and no saturated fats at all. Experts suggest 40 grams per day. It increase metabolism a lot and even lowers cholesterol. Tofu is ideal for your weight loss recipes when adding it to soups, salads and sauces.

These are just 7 fat burning foods which all contain fat melting talents. There are more proven and popular fat fighting foods to include in your weight loss recipes. You can also learn how to use a technique called calorie shifting - you can confuse your body to burn fat faster.

Get your free report filled with more tips on weight loss techniques and accelerated fat burning food at http://www.WeightlossOrg.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Curmi

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Like Buttons In A Biscuit Tin: A Blog In Three Parts

Part 1
When I was 3 years old 45 years ago, my mother bought a tin of biscuits for Christmas. It was turquoise blue with gold trim and white inlay, topped with a noble-looking knob. It looked European, but the tin was made in the U.S. and the biscuits were made in Hopkins, Minnesota. Didn’t matter. It was still fancy.
Mom used the biscuit tin to store buttons she snipped off discarded items of clothing (worn out shirts and coats mostly), and my brother, sister and I used to sort through them on rainy or snowy days. We’d examine each of them like they were works of art, which some of them were, and we’d play tiddlywinks with the flat ones. Need a green plastic shamrock button? It’s in there somewhere.

I don’t remember how (there was probably begging involved), but I inherited the tin years ago and it’s now under an end table in my living room, filled with additional buttons I kept that were sewn or attached in little plastic bags to the inside hem of the shirts, skirts and jackets I’ve worn over the years. Claire recently discovered the tin under the table, and since she’s no longer putting anything and everything in her mouth (I still don’t trust 2-year-old Luca duke), I opened it for her. Claire’s eyes got as wide as the biggest jacket button in there, and she proceeded to sort through them the same way I did when I was little – by size, color and texture.

Part 2

Last week I went hiking alone for the first time. A real hike at a place I’d never been before – Todd Nature Reserve. With a scant reading of its trails, I decided to hike Loop Trail, a 2-mile hike that, according to the website, goes “through various forest habitats, including upland deciduous forest and the edges of hemlock ravines. The trail has rocky portions, one stream-crossing, occasional wet spots and moderate grades. Walking time: 60 minutes.”

I’ve been hiking many times, but always with a companion, usually my ex-husband. I was a little nervous to hike alone, and it didn’t help that: 1) when I got out of my car at the trailhead, there was a sign posted that read, in part, “If you encounter a bear…” and 2) I was also the only person there as the only other hiker was leaving the lot while I was pulling in.

I walked toward and into this very Thoreau-esque entrance to the woods:
And it wasn’t long before I met up with the mud:
And the stream crossing:
Each step was like adding a button to the biscuit tin that is my life. Some were ordinary, some felt like they were shaped like shamrocks. If I fell, too bad. I was the only one there to lift me up. If I slipped, I was the only one to catch me. If I was afraid, I was the only one who could comfort me.

Part 3

Last year, I left the life I’d known for 14 years; not happily, but for the greater good of not only me, but my husband. After three rough years, one of us had to flinch.

Leaving that comfort zone – which enveloped not only a marriage, but my home of 20 years – was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. My first instinct was to find new comforts, but I slowly learned that’s not how life works. You don’t replace what you’ve known forever with things you’ve only test driven. A few months ago I stepped back, reevaluated, and started listening to my heart and gut and not so much my head and its ceaseless thinking and planning, convinced it’s always right.

One. Thing. At. A. Time.

Every one thing we do adds up, like adding buttons to a biscuit tin. Pretty soon you have an eclectic collection of experiences.

For instance, while I love the healthcare professionals who took care of me in my former life, for practical and financial reasons I had to replace them with folks locally. I now have a new primary care physician, chiropractor, dentist, eye doctor, and physical therapist. I shop at a different grocery store, drink coffee from a different coffee shop and a different Sheetz, buy wine at a different liquor store, bank at a different branch, hike different trails and bike different paths.

And it’s OK.

The only way we grow (or lose…as in weight) is through change. And change demands we step outside our comfort zones. But the anchors that tether us to who we are, those things that remind us what our lives are about (like those buttons in the biscuit tin), help us move more confidently outside our comfort zones.

In fact, stepping away from my comfort zones made the anchors that tie me to who I am that much stronger. As I’ve moved and changed these last several months, I’ve relied on my anchors more readily – those anchors being my children, grandchildren, friends, books, and silence. They have been with me willingly all the while. I just needed to remember I needed them.

Today I went hiking at Todd with BFF Shari. I took her on the Loop Trail. She said, “I can’t believe you did this by yourself.” Man…what a compliment.

Like buttons, I continue to add experiences, friends, and realizations to my biscuit tin that is my life. And when I have a bad day, I take out the buttons and sort them, flip them over, look at their beauty, and appreciate them for the anchors that they are.

As you move through your life – particularly as it pertains to weight loss – what are the anchors you rely on and what are some of the buttons you’re adding to your own tin? I know that this weight-loss journey I’ve been on keeps teaching me more than probably anything else has in my life.

View the original article here

Maintenance is a Marathon, Babe, Not a Sprint

My friend Colton is always reminding me, “Life’s a marathon, babe, not a sprint.”

The same can be said for maintenance. Only I forget sometimes and fail to see the big picture when I’m living inside my bubble of scale-watching minutia.

In maintenance (to paraphrase Newton), for every emotion, there’s an equal and opposite “remotion.” Since reaching goal four years ago, I’ve been challenged/bored, frustrated/encouraged, confused/crystal clear and obsessed/aware. Thankfully, however, for every moment of obsession, I seem to have a moment of awareness, usually sparked by a fellow maintainer.

Ellen of Fat Girl Wearing Thin posted a blog recently about the betters and worsts of maintenance. She begins, “Maintenance is a bit like experiencing the ups and downs in a long-term relationship. There are good days when everything is going along just fine and dandy. But then, there are other days when there is a bit of, how shall we say… inner turmoil?”

When I was no longer pursuing a scale goal and the compliments died off because everyone got used to me looking the way I do now and very few people – let alone me – understood how to stay the same weight, the question I had to answer was, “Now what?” I spent more than two years pursuing the bright light at the end of the tunnel (my goal weight), but when I got there, no one handed me the light and said, “Here you go, hon! You’ll always know where you’re going now.”

As I commented in Laura Jayne’s recent post on maintenance, when I reached goal at 138 pounds, my body took me down to 128. Then I started thinking 120 might be even better. I got to 125 before I understood how obsessed I’d become with losing AND how afraid I’d become of gaining. I stopped losing, but I took that obsession into the gym and began over-training. I paid a high price physically, injuring joints that were already battling osteoarthritis.

Two years ago, I allowed myself (albeit reluctantly, I admit) to sit in my obsession and to take my exercise routine down several notches to see what happened. And what happened was...not much. I maintained for a year before I had knee surgery (which was a year ago tomorrow…wow…has it been that long already?). Then perimenopause hit like a ton of bricks late last year. The result: I’ve gained about 10 pounds from my ideal weight of 130-132. Coming to terms with my ever-changing body at age 48 has definitely been the biggest maintenance challenge so far.

In maintenance, it’s imperative we direct the positive, determined energy we had while losing weight to other goals. To meet the challenge of my changing body, I decided last spring to concentrate my energy less on losing weight and more on exercise goals.

My first goal was to, by Labor Day, do a 20-mile bike ride with no more than a 5-minute break. Because I rode 19 miles in 1 hour, 35 minutes on Sunday (I was so proud of my knees!), I’ve changed that goal to 25 miles.

My second goal is to walk a 5K in 36 minutes, breaking my personal best of 38 minutes. So far I’ve walked 3 miles in 41 minutes, so I have a ways to go. But my thighs are strong and that makes me happy. I get outside and that makes me happy.

The other part of the challenge is, of course, food. I still watch my food intake, definitely. But I’ve loosened up some of my hard and fast rules, at least the ones that directed my obsession. For instance, I used to hate going out to eat. Was afraid to try food that – oh no! – might contain some fat! *eyeroll*

Now I love discovering new restaurants with fresh menus. I’m in love with Mad Mex and their pepita hummus, and their Overtly Masculine Grilled Portabello with Foo-Foo Tofu fajita is seriously fabulous. In my super-obsessed restrictive days, tabouli was taboo and tzatziki sauce was a no-no. Now, they’re my “usuals” at Greek Stop. It’s all about moderation and control and having the strength to get all Mom on myself when I beg for more than I need. Just as strong thighs make me happy, so does a good food find.

Maintenance doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Maintenance is part of the fiber of my life, and like everything in life, nothing stays the same. My body will change. My mind will change. These things happen over time. And time, as Lyn from Escape from Obesity wrote in a recent post, is the true measure of success.

Maintenance is a marathon, babe, not a sprint. There will be equals and opposites and obsessions along the way. But there can also be clarity and awareness that can take us on longer bike rides and faster walks, and lead us to some really excellent enchiladas and gyros if we just step outside the minutia and into the big picture.

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A Quick and “Linky” Monday Post

Hello from the other side of chocolate hell! I made it through Easter relatively unscathed by the malted milk ball/Reese’s Peanut Butter egg/Cadbury/Lindt/Dove/chocolate-bunnies-on-a-motorcycle onslaught. Phew! I wish I could say the same about the cheesy potatoes at Cassie’s house and the ones I made for Mark and his kids, but that’s why there’s exercise. And restraint. The carb fest was a one-day event and its remnants will only linger a day or two.

I read some potentially good news on the clothing size front this morning in the New York Times. In “One Size Fits Nobody: Seeking a Steady 4 or a 10,” Stephanie Clifford writes about a company that offers a full body scan to determine what size you would fit into in a number of major clothing stores. It’s a good start, but I’d like to see standardized sizing like they have in Europe. In the meantime, I wouldn’t mind trying the scan. I get so frustrated trying on jeans especially.

“Some brands are taking their own approaches to make the fitting room less demoralizing. Mary Alderete, vice president for women’s global marketing at Levi’s, said, ‘When we try on 10 pairs of jeans to buy one, the reason you feel bad is because you think something’s wrong with you.’”

Exactly. I have size 6, 8 and 10 jeans in my closet and they all fit. These aren’t my “skinny” or “fat” day jeans. They each measure the same waist and hip size. So frustrating that I have to go through so many sizes in each brand to find what works. I know I’m not alone.

Don’t even get me started on vanity sizing…

If you haven’t listened yet, I was recently interviewed by the awesome duo of Carla (MizFit) and Shauna (The Amazing Adventures of Diet Girl) for their podcast Two Fit Chicks and a Microphone! It was by far my favorite interview ever. LOVE those two, AND…I get to meet them next month at FitBloggin ’11! Any of you bloggers going?

Speaking of bloggers, I've recently been turned on to The Healthy Skeptic written by Chris Kessler, an accupuncturist and Chinese medicinal practitioner. I've been enjoying his series "9 Steps to Perfect Health," especially #9: Practice Pleasure:

“In their book Feeling Good Is Good For You, researchers Carl J. Charnetski and Francis X Brennan set out to review the emerging evidence that pleasure can boost our immune systems and lengthen our lives. According to the authors: ‘In every way, stress is the antithesis of pleasure. It jangles your nerves, juggles a whole host of your body’s hormones, elevates your blood pressure, and makes your pulse race… It also weakens your immune system’s ability to resist illness and disease.’“If stress is the antithesis of pleasure, then it follows that pleasure is the antithesis of stress. So the best way to fight stress is with pleasure.”I know I'm guilty of reserving pleasure for when I feel I "deserve" it. But deriving and enjoying some bit of pleasure every day should not be a reward. It is necessary for our emotional and physical health.

Today's bit of pleasure for me will be planting a few pansies, my favorite annual. What will you do for yourself today?

One final link. My favorite quote this week comes from Cammy over at Tippy Toe Diet: "This mindful living thing can sure get in the way of a good time sometimes." Yes, yes it can :)

Happy spring, everyone! Hope you all get some much-deserved outdoor time in the upcoming days.

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Learning The “Ropes”

This week was filled with those first warm spring days in which you can’t help but smile every time you breathe.

I moved into the left side of this 100-year-old duplex last November when nature had gone dormant and so had I.

Six months later, buds are budding, birds are nesting, flowers are blooming, and my seasonal affective disorder has migrated for another year.
Gardening is an old friend, and it’s been especially comforting this year as I learn my way through this unfamiliar new life. Along with patient friends and a supportive family, what sustained me through the unusually harsh winter were thoughts of what was lying in my new yard beneath its snow and leaves and decay of last year’s growth.

‘What are you hiding and what might we grow together?’

This week we finally got acquainted, my yard and me, when I raked up, dug up, and pruned five 30-gallon bags worth of compostable material, and surveyed the early spring perennials and the beds in which they have emerged. I planned (at least in my head because god knows I’ll change my mind a hundred times when I walk into a nursery) what annuals I will plant come May and how much mulch I’ll need.

….ahhhhhh….I heart spring!

I watched, for the hundredth time, this video when I was with the g-babies the other day. It always makes me smile.

Spring is here, in all its complexity. It’s not perfect this year, it’s not what I expected, but it’s here nonetheless. And you know what? That’s gotta be OK because Mother Nature’s not asked any of us for our opinion.

Soooo….in getting all cool with my yard, I realized that gardening is familiar, but lawn work is not. The people who lived on the other side of the duplex – the ones who shoveled the walks this winter and would mow the yard this year – bought a house and moved out a few weeks ago, leaving yours truly with the keys to the shed. So a few days after doing what was familiar – gardening – I took on the unfamiliar. Mowing.

I earned my allowance and spending money cutting grass as a kid, but I haven’t pushed a mower in 30 years, let alone start one.

I heaved the mower from the shed and looked for some kind of button thingy that I remember pushing to prime the engine for easier starting. Apparently that went out with the dinosaur, and mowers have advanced in this post-ice-age technology.

I knew to hold up the metal bar on the handle and hang on to it as I pulled the rope to start it. But the motor was having none of it. After several attempts, I concluded that I was either A) too weak to pull the rope hard enough (why is self-depreciation always the first option?). But I assured myself that I work out diligently and am strong, so that really wasn’t an option; or B) I wasn’t priming it the right way.

“Hey, neighbor, want some help starting that thing?” a voice called from over the fence.

‘Crap,’ I thought. I couldn’t hide my mower-starting efforts with all the grunting and such and a motor taunting me with every pull: “Ummm….no. Ummmm…no. Try again. Ummm…..no.” My need for help was transparent.

I swallowed my self-consciousness and called back over the fence, “Yes, I could use some help.”

Mr. Neighbor came over, and within a few minutes, had the mower running. Like a patient father, he showed me how to move the throttle on the handle to start the mower properly. He insisted I try it myself a few times, and while that felt a little weird (I’m 47 for godsake!), I adjusted the handle throttle and pulled the rope and…by golly…it started every time! On the outside I was totally cool, but secretly inside I was doing a HUGE happy dance.

By the time my lesson was over, it was getting late and I had plans. No time to mow. So I dragged the mower to the porch and figured I’d get ‘r done first thing after the g-babies arrived today.

“This is Grammy’s mower!” I said to Claire and Luca, pushing the red monstrosity on to the yard. “You two stand back while I start it, OK?”

Moments later….

“What’s wrong, Grammy?” asked Claire. “Why won’t it start?”

Pull. Pull. PUUUUULLLL! Dammmmmmit!

I looked at them. They looked at me.

“Grammy, why can’t you start it?” Claire asked again.

….Sigh…

What I’d normally have done is swear a lot and kick the tires and blame the machine. But I had a 3- and 2-year-old depending on me to be a responsible grandmother, so I took a deep breath and went over in my head yesterday’s instructions.

“Pull the throttle up to start and, holding this bar, move it down to get maximum power.”

I pulled the throttle forward, pulled the rope and YAY!! Mower power ensued! Vrrrooooom, vvvvvroom! Eureka!

Luca was impressed. He followed me all over the yard. Claire just gathered my hand tools and went to the driveway to dig up rocks. But the point is, I mowed my lawn – the first lawn in 30 years – and I did it well. I learned there are water-logged dips in the middle of my yard and water-deprived inclines. Whoever lived here before had a dog or three because there are clear indications of “This is my place to pee” dog markings.

But all in all, I think my yard and I are going to get along juuuuuust fine. In fact, I’ve gone outside more than a few times today or peeked through the blinds just to admire my “work.” God knows my shoulders and hamstrings are shot right now. Thank goodness for Advil. But I’ll adjust.

Hopefully we have a long summer ahead, full of gardening and mowing opportunities. I look forward to that planned peace.

Life, as my sister-in-law always reminds me, is good. It really is. Rough and bumpy as my lawn? Yes. Uncertain as spring? Yes. But we’re doing it and living it every day, so why not progress in those day-by-day infinitesimal moments by deciding to learn how to…for lack of a better metaphor…prime the mower the right way and start it?

***********SIDE NOTE!**************

Claire made the “That’s Church” blog today! That’s Church is a blog about everything Pittsburgh, and is written by the always honest and very funny Virginia Montanez.

Claire dictated a letter to her mom (my amazing daughter Cassie) for Pittsburgh Penguins player Sidney Crosby while he was recovering from his “brain boo boo,” as Claire calls it (a concussion). She included this picture she made for him, too:

The Pens sent her an autographed photo of Sid, and it’s become more important to her than her two previous favorite things: blanket and chickipoo.

Go Pens! Or as Luca says, “Uh, uh, PENS!!”

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It's DVD Giveaway Time Again! (another Cassie review inside :))

I’m giving over the blog today to daughter Cassie, who reviews Tracey Mallett’s “Pilates Super Sculpt” and her friend Jessica, who reviews Patricia Friberg’s “Belly Beautiful Workout: Prenatal/Pregnancy.”
You know the routine. If you want to throw your name in the hat to win one of these DVDs, leave a comment below or shoot me an email at lynn.haraldson@gmail.com. I’ll draw a winner on Wednesday, June 15.

Belly Beautiful Workout with Patricia Friberg

Reviewer Jessica is a 26-year-old new mother living in Shreveport, Louisiana. Her daughter, Sarah, is two months old. Getting back into shape post-baby means taking long morning strolls with her little girl and doing some regular light strength training to get her arms and legs in baby lifting shape! She documents-her family life and travels at http://www.leelafish.com/.

"Belly Beautiful" is a post-natal DVD has several short workouts, each designed for different stages of post-partum strength. It took me a while to complete this DVD because I thought I had to have an exercise ball, and let’s face it, a new mom doesn’t have much time to go exercise equipment shopping. However, after watching a bit I discovered that a pillow works in its place just fine.

Abdominal Rehab: This workout is great for easing back into exercise. It focuses on basic, controlled movements to boost strength and help repair your pelvic floor. This short workout helps prepare for other, more challenging workouts on the DVD.
Baby and Me Workout: This is similar to the abdominal rehab, but requires more strength. While it touts that it is a workout you can do “with your baby,” only the first five minutes or so actually involve baby, the rest of the time she kind of lets the baby play around her while she works out. I personally found that my two-month-old got tired of it rather quickly, so I put her down for a nap and finished the routine. This particular routine really focuses on your glutes with a little bit of arm and ab toning.

Toning Workout: This was by far my favorite workout. It was one of the longer ones. Using your exercise ball (or pillow) for support, Patricia takes you through toning exercises for the hips, glutes, abs, calves and arms that build in intensity as the workout goes on. She gives options for different strength levels, which makes this one great for about 6 weeks+ post partum.

Busy Mom Bootcamp: You need to be feeling stronger when you attempt this one. As Patricia says, “this is good for when you’re sleeping through the night.” Lots of short cardio bursts and lots and lots of different lunges. I was winded after several minutes into it, but felt great (and sore!) afterward.

Rejuvenation Stretch: These stretches allude to yoga and slowly allow you to stretch each muscle of your body, allowing for a great cool down.

Diastasis Recti: This short segment explains what happens to your ab muscles during and after pregnancy and how to tell if your muscles are still separated. She gives you a few tips on exercises to avoid or modify if your abs are still recovering.

What I loved: Workout leader Patricia Friberg is real. You can tell by looking at her that she has had a baby, but she is still in great shape! Each workout is short, about 10-15 minutes, so you can get a quick one in while baby naps, or you can string several together to get in a long, tough workout. It really focuses on repairing the areas that are weak after childbirth (abs, pelvic floor) and strengthening the muscles you need to take care of baby now (arms and legs).

What I wasn’t crazy about: The “baby and me” title is a bit misleading, and your baby needs to be just the right age for this workout to be effective (between 3 and 6 months).

Overall, I think this was a great video for easing back into exercise and toning those muscles weak from pregnancy. It definitely helps rebuild strength and made me feel good after I completed it!
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Tracey Mallett "Pilates Super Sculpt"

To say I loved this DVD would be an understatement. I actually had a dream about it the night after I first did it, and when I woke up the next morning, I promptly did the video again.
The DVD is about an hour long, but it is so seamless, it just flew by. The instructor, Tracey Mallett, is very calm and relaxing. She also has a killer accent.

It's broken down into six segments, all about 10 minutes long, give or take a few seconds. There's a warm up, a classic Pilates ab segment, oblique and buns sculpt, legs and thigh burn, total body challenge and a flexibility segment all while using a ball. I loved them all.

My favorite, however, would be the legs and thigh burn. In it, there's a frog movement in which you lay on your back with the ball placed under your tailbone. Flexing both legs outward, you bring both feet together, simulating frog legs. It is an amazing stretch. Just make sure your blinds are pulled, because otherwise it'd get the neighbors talking.
Most of the work is done laying on the ground, so I'd suggest you use a mat. I relied on my carpet as a buffer and now I have a bruised tailbone. Also, you need a ball for this routine. I used my daughter's playground ball, but this lead to a tantrum. So I'd suggest that you buy one of your own. Something like you'd see at the grocery store in those large wire bins. You also need to be able to grip it with one hand, so make sure that it's not over inflated and not incredibly smooth.

It is recommended on the site that it's for advanced beginners and up, but what is an advanced beginner anyway? We all have to start somewhere. Might as well be here and now with this DVD. (I'm seriously not getting paid to say any of this.) In my opinion it is perfect for people of all fitness levels and joint ability. There's only one part that puts heavy strain on your wrists, and that's in the Total Body Challenge in which you do walk out pushups. That's the only bit of upper body training you'll get in this DVD, however. That's fine with me, because I do most of my arm work at the gym, but I know a lot of people rely on that in a workout DVD. So please note that.

Now, don't get me wrong, this is tough. There are several simple moves, but every so often she'll throw in one that'll have your muscles shaking. At least mine were. There are a lot of classic Pilates moves thrown in, such as the teaser sequence, but then there's a lot of original moves as well that specifically targeted all the problem areas I have. And if I'm like most women, that would include saddlebags, love handles and lower belly pooch. It hits them all.

Best part of all, the next morning I wasn't the slightest bit sore. I felt stretched and strong. That's the beauty of Pilates. It works you out, makes you tired and leaves you more beautiful than before you started.

You want to win this. I want you to win this. And if you don't win it, I want you to go out with your hard earned money and buy it. I'm serious. It's amazing. In fact, it's in my Amazon.com shopping cart as we speak. (Because I'm seriously not getting paid to say this.) This workout just blew me away with how it was both challenging and efficient. I don't like to waste my time with lame workouts, and with three kids that's not an option. I want to get the most out of my workout and I did with this one. Truly.

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Weight Loss Recipes - Which One's Should You Choose?

Eating is fun and enjoyable but too much of which can lead a person to a longer time of misery. People now a day's should be more careful of the things that he eats. This is important since there are numerous of hazardous effects of too much eating or eating of too much unhealthy food. Thus, for a person to stay healthy, he should watch out of the things that he is eating and make sure that what he puts in his mouth are safe and would not make him too fat.

There are many weight loss recipes out in many books and even in some Internet sites. But with this great number, more people tend to think that choosing the right foods would be more difficult for them. Enjoying the food that is served would be more difficult for a person who is watching his diet. Thus, individuals tend to feel guilty every time they eat thinking that every bite would be added fat stored in the body. But eating the right foods is important. The body needs food as the source of energy used up for any activity. For weight loss recipes to be effective, the person eating should feel less guilty that he is eating. Right amount of food and the right kind should be the concern of anyone who wants to lessen the fat content in the body. With many unhealthy foods sold in fast food chains, people tend to generalize that they should restrict their eating habits to almost nothing. But unknown to all is that starvation diet may not always work to some people. Thus, eating healthy foods in right amount are the best weight loss recipes. There can be other ways of losing weight even if a person is eating the foods that he aspires to eat. Felling guilty should be avoided since eating should still be a part in a person's daily routine.

People already know the fact that the more that a person eats, the more weight he will gain. Thus, they limit their eating to a slice of meat, and some fruits. What is less known to many is that a person can maintain a low weight even if he is eating many foods. This can be attained if a person is eating the right foods. These foods include fruits and vegetables that help the body in digesting the food eaten, Thus, fat will not be stored in the body. Weight loss recipes that contain these fruits and vegetables and other food items that are high in fiber are the best ways to avoid gaining some pounds.

However, weight loss recipes alone cannot make a person slim. The eating habits should be backed up by regular exercise. Exercise would then be responsible for toning down the muscles and transforming the food taken into healthy energy that will be used up in the body. Also, exercises will make the stored fat in the body changed into ready to use energy. Thus, a person will not gain any added weight.

Are you tired of all the weight loss scams? Forget about all them and learn how to lose weight quickly and easily through Janet Sommers FREE E-Course on weight loss recipes. This award winning e-course is the tool you need to get rid of unwanted weight quickly. Go to http://www.FatLossForIdiotsRevealed.com now to receive your FREE E-Course!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Sommers

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Have You Tried Meatless Monday?

Thanks to Oprah and awareness campaigns that went viral, 50% of a nationwide sample of adults were aware of the ‘Meatless Monday‘ campaign, which encourages people to avoid eating meat one day a week to improve personal health and the environment. Of the people who had heard of the campaign, 27% said it had influenced their decision to cut back on meat.

Although Meatless Monday has become associated with climate change campaigns, there are plenty of other reasons to choose not to eat meat at least one day a week. Encouraging yourself to enjoy meatless foods on a particular day will expand your vegetarian horizons. You will likely try dishes that you would not have tried otherwise.

Here’s another bonus to eating meatless sometimes…I think eating meat a little less often makes you enjoy meat more when you DO have it.

At least half my meals are already meatless and I genuinely enjoy creating and trying meatless dishes. Here are 10 of my favorite meatless entrees:

Falafel in a whole wheat pita with hummus and tahiniEggplant Parmesan or eggplant napoleonsWhole wheat pasta with roasted vegetables and pestoCaprese sandwich (fresh mozzarella, tomato and/or roasted red pepper, fresh basil or pesto and balsamic vinaigrette on whole grain ciabata roll (or similar)Tofu vegetable fried rice (made with brown rice)Spinach quiche or sundried tomato and basil quicheTofu & vegetable curry over steamed brown riceAvocado and cucumber sushi rolls

If most everyone would make this small change, it could have a big impact on our health and potentially the environment over time.

If you have started having Meatless Mondays, tell us how it is going and what impact it has it had on you and your family.

Photo: Jupiterimages / © Getty Images

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Red, Wheat & Blue! Pita “Bruschetta” and Blueberry Scones

In honor of this patriotic weekend ahead, here are a couple of new recipes that feature whole wheat options and a nutrient-rich red or blue food.

The first is a colorful crowd-pleasing appetizer and the second is a fun brunch bread. We’ll have you celebrating the red, wheat and blue all day long!

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat pita pockets (Cut into 4 wedges each and split each one in half to make 8 wedges)

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups grape tomatoes

3 tablespoons sundried tomato pesto (available in jars in most supermarkets)

2 green onions, finely chopped, white and part of green

8 teaspoons pesto sauce

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Lay pita wedges on nonstick jellyroll pans, with the smooth side facing up. Using a silicone brush, lightly brush the top of each pita wedge with olive oil. Place jellyroll pans in oven for 10 minutes or until just crispy.

2. Meanwhile, place grape tomatoes and sundried tomato pesto in food processor and pulse briefly (about 4 seconds) until tomatoes are finely chopped but not pureed. Stir in green onions.

3. Turn oven to broil. Spread the top of each wedge with 1/4 teaspoon pesto then top with a slightly heaping teaspoon of tomato mixture. Sprinkle a teaspoon of the mozzarella over the top of each. Place pita wedges until the broiler, while watching carefully, until cheese is starting to melt (about 1 minute). Serve!

Yield: About 8 servings (4 wedges each)

Per serving: 98 calories, 4 g protein, 6.5 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 1.9 g saturated fat, 3.5 g monounsaturated fat, .6 g polyunsaturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 121 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 54 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .1 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = .5 gram.

Just in time for 4th of July weekend, serve these blueberry scones with red berry jam or a red berry cream cheese spread. This recipe makes 12 scones so if you aren’t baking for a big group, cut all of the ingredients in half. For the egg, use 2 tablespoons egg substitute or one egg yolk.

Red, Wheat & Blue-Berry Scones

Ingredients:

1 cup fat free sour cream or nonfat plain Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups unbleached white flour

1 cup granulated sugar (Splenda can replace 1/2 cup of the sugar if desired)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 cup butter, chilled and cut into 1/4-inch squares (less fat margarine can be substituted)

1/2 cup light cream cheese

2 tablespoons fat-free half and half

1 large egg, higher omega-3 if available

4 ounces dried blueberries (about 2/3 cup) or 1 cup fresh blueberries (using fresh blueberries may cause some streaking and slight texture change)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with canola cooking spray.

2. In small bowl, blend sour cream and baking soda and set aside.

3. In food processor bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar by pulsing for about 5 seconds. Add butter and cream cheese and pulse to cut in. If you don’t have a food processor, use a pastry blender).

4. Add flour mixture to a large mixing bowl, add sour cream mixture, half-and-half, and egg, and blend on low speed until dough forms. Fold in the dried blueberries by hand.

5. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured piece of wax paper and knead a couple of times. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch thick round and cut into 12 wedges. Place them 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom.

6.  If desired, serve scones with a red berry spread made with 1/2 cup light cream cheese blended with 1/4 cup no sugar or less sugar strawberry or raspberry preserves.

Nutrition Per Scone: 345 calories, 9 g protein, 59 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 2.4 g monounsaturated fat, 1.5 g polyunsaturated fat, 41 mg cholesterol, 3 g fiber, 522 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 23 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .2 gram, Omega-6 fatty acids = 1 gram.

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