Yo Quiero Taco Bell!

Did anyone see Jorge Cruise's post today on his FB page?  He stirred a hornets nest up... Here's what he said: 

"Here's my newest column in FIRST magazine! Learn which Chipotle meal is the worst at 15 grams of sugar and how Taco Bell will save the day at only 4 grams of sugar!! Yummy Mexican food.
Do you love Mexican food? Taco Bell?"

Seems like a pretty harmless statement.... right?  Well here's just some of the responses he got pertaining to his "harmless statement".   It seems he stepped on a lot of toes here... I brought this up here...because I am interested in knowing what YOU think.  Please leave your comments and opinions on this subject at the bottom of the page.  

I rarely eat out any longer but feel that sometimes there is not an option and that if you need to re-energize and Taco Bell is near ...even if there are other choices ...but you want Taco Bell...then Go For It!  My response is in red below.

•  I always liked Taco Bell, but was afraid of it.
• I had fresh packed Sardines in Chipotle.....0 sugar, 0 carbs..delish!
• I love that you can have tacos on this diet! It is a life saver when you are out and about and have no real choice except fast food! Thanks Jorge
• I can't think of a single reason that anybody should be recommending Taco Bell
• dahhhh!!!!, tacos are low in sugar and carbs!!!!My husband loves Taco Bell! Going to pick up the magazine!
• But Taco Bell is full of processed foods - Chipotle has fresher foods, plus natural meats. Here is a calculator that can help you avoid extra sugar at Chipotle: http://www.chipotlefan.com/index.php?id=nutrition_calculator 
• Cool..thanks for sharing Suzanne! Anytime we go out to eat, we check out the menu online to figure out what we can eat.
• ♥ taco bell!!
• Too bad Taco Bell is crap food!! We should be equally concerned with the nutritional value of what we eat as well as the sugar content. I'm a huge follower of yours, Jorge, and truly believe in your message of cutting out sugar for better health but am sometimes disappointed by foods you recommend due to their poor quality such as anything from Taco Bell.
• Jorge thank you we love taco bell....He is throwing that out there so those of us who like fast food will have different things to pick from.So those taco bell lovers will know what the better choice is not the BEST choice of food :~)
• Jorge speaks to a large audience...any change in the right direction...such as lowering your sugar intake...is a good one...then as you begin to feel the benefits of lower sugars...one can begin to make the other changes to eat more healthy vitamin rich foods... Baby Steps can be the most important ones for a lifestyle of walking upright!
• Sure but as an above poster commented, he should be pushing the freshness and better quality food of Chipotle instead. In an earlier post some months back he was bragging on Chipotle's steak bowl. If you need to eat out as we do sometimes the lesser of the evils is best such as places that serve fresh foods and natural meats.
• Knowing all our options really helps us make better choices. I'm not a Taco Bell fan, but if I'm stuck, you've given me a good option. Thanks
• I don't have a Chipotle here in my area so if I need something quick and on the go..Taco Bell is my only choice. So those who are getting on to Jorge for suggestion this, what do you suggest to someone who doesn't have Chipotles or Taco Bell but has to eat something on the road?
• Taco Bell Uhhh. I have got to get the magazine because I love Chipotle
• Taco Bell is out. Some of the worst food I have ever eaten.
• Chipolte - yumm!!
• Taco Bell can be a good choice if you stay within the program. It has saved me when other choices available were not good ones.
• When I know I have to eat on the road and am not going to have any good choices, I pack a quick sandwich and cheese stick to eat in the car. Much more better for my body and putting junk in it.
• Thanks for the info. I think any 'eating plan' should be able to accomodate healthy and fast food. Not everyone who wants to lose weight is into the healthy stuff, but just reducing your weight can be healthy enough for some.
• Taco Bell is pretty good - can get filled up on less with veggies too! The Bell by my house just revamped their whole store and it looks very classy now. I also like Qdoba - lots of fresh veggies, yummy guacamole, your choice of beans, meats and cheeses. You call it all out as they make your order - and you can get it without the tortilla or shell if you wish.
• Taco Bell has a new market taco that tastes good and meets the BFC standards. Inexpensive as well for when you are in a pinch!
• Besides, Chipotle is terribly overpriced for the menu it offers! The costs reflect the overhead, not the quality of the food itself.
• I love Chipotle and it doesn't raise my glucose number. It's a great place to eat out and you can tell them "easy on the rice" or " no rice"
• Yes, but not fake mexican food like chipoodle or taco bell. I like the hole in the wall taco joints here in LA.
• I used to LOVE Taco Bell until I found out that they mix sand into their ground beef. Seriously. They do it to prevent mold and mildew so the meat is "fresh" longer. So for me, Taco Bell is never an option!

Please let me know what you think also...as I find this "argument" very interesting.

I promised another recipe...so here goes:

We took the Fantastic Fried Steak recipe on page 225 of The Belly Fat Cure book and tweaked it a little to create.... Chicken Fried Chicken 

Chicken Fried Chicken

• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup Almond Meal/Flour
• 1/2 cup Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
• 1/4 Tsp Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 4 large Chicken Breasts cut down to 3 strips each
• 2 Tbsp EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Place the almond meal on small plate. Place the eggs in small dish and beat.  Place the panko on another small plate.  Stir the Lawry's seasoned salt into the almond meal.  Dredge each piece of chicken in the almond meal; dip into the beaten eggs and dredge in the panko. Heat the evoo in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry the chicken pieces for 5 minutes each side...or until juices no longer run pink and there is no pink inside.  The outside should be golden brown.  Feel free to add more evoo as needed.  Serves 4-6 persons (depending on size of chicken breasts)   [I could only eat 2 of the strips]

We served ours with a side salad and used 1 Tbl of ranch dressing for the dressing and 1 Tbl for dipping our chicken strips in.  Delish!  The almond meal made this recipe divine!  YUM!

Hope everyone is having a Fabulous Week!  It's HUMP DAY...so we goin' for the slllllliiiide to the weekend!

OH...almost forgot...Yesterday's Mexican Chicken was AMAZING!!!! It was like a very thick Tortilla Soup (without the cilantro) You Gotta Try It!  Here's my pic from today's lunch leftovers!  Forgot to add the avocado on top...but it was still good...probably even better than last night!

Love You All!  

Be sure to visit all my friends blogs too!  

We are all gonna WIN this battle of the bulge!

Don't forget to leave your comments about Jorge's statement above!

Tuesday Recipe Day!

I've been looking for some interesting EASY recipes to include on our BFC plan.  I have been following a great FaceBook page called Sandy's Simple Recipes...(go to FB and type in that name in the search and it should pull up her page...then if you press LIKE you will receive notices of her tried and true recipes)  Sandy is a budding cook and also follows the Adkins diet.  Many of her recipes fit nicely with the BFC plan also.
(This is another GOODIE I believe I found because of our dearest Rosalie from Healthy Me! Doing The Belly Fat Cure.  Thanks Rosalie!)

Here is one of Sandy's recipes I'm cooking for tonight:     (I made a few additions and changes...but that's what makes this recipe so great!)

Mexican Chicken Ole' 

• 4-8 Boneless Chicken Breasts (thawed or frozen)
• 1 can of Cream of Mushroom  or  Chicken  or  Celery  Soup (optional : low sodium)
• 1 can of Ro Tel diced tomatoes (mild or hot)  OR   2 cups of Salsa
• 3 cups of Shredded Cheddar Cheese  or  Mexican Blend Cheese

Crock Pot instructs: Combine the first 3 ingredients in a crock pot on high.  Cover. Allow to cook for 6-8 hours....turn crock pot down at approx hour 4-5.  

Thirty minutes before ready...add 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, mix thoroghly.  Do Not Cover.  Allow to cook on low for 30 minutes.  Broth will thicken.  Chicken should be fall-apart tender. 

Oven instructs:  Heat oven to  350. Combine the first 3 ingredients in an oven proof casserole dish.  Cover with foil.  Allow to cook 1.5 hours...longer if breasts are frozen. 

Thirty minutes before ready...add 3 cups of shredded cheddar cheese, mix thoroghly.  Do Not Cover.  Allow to cook on low for 30 minutes.  Broth will thicken.  Chicken should be fall-apart tender. 

Optional Additions:

Top with 1 serving (read package) of crumbled (leave fairly large chunks) of Tortilla Chips onto each serving of Mexican Chicken as you are placing it on a plate. 

 

A dollop of sour cream and a little guacamole would be fabulous additions as well!  

 

As I am currently making this dish...I do not truly know what I'm talking about, however...it sounds pretty fool-proof (so I can't screw it up!) It really sounds alot like what we call King Ranch Chicken here in Texas...named after the largest ranch in Texas.  And I hope mine looks like the pic below! lol

 

 I will give you the carbs and sugars and allow you to do the figuring! 

(please note that these are the actual Carbs and not the BFC carb points)

Healthy Valley Organic Cream of Mushroom Soup = 22 carbs for whole can       

Ro Tel = 10 carbs and 7 sugars for whole can

Cheddar Cheese = 12 oz = 4 total carbs +/-  (also check for sugars on pkg)

Sour Cream = Daisy Sour Cream = 2 TBL = 1 sugars and 0 carbs

Avocado = 1 whole California Avocado = 0 sugars and 10 carbs

Tortilla Chips = Tostitos = 24 BITE SIZED = 17 carbs  PER SERVING

EAT IN MODERATION... DONT GORGE YOURSELF!  

(ya'll have no idea how many times I lift up my mirror and 

tell myself exactly what I'm telling YOU!...this is one of those times!)

 

I have a few more recipes I'm gonna serve up for ya this week.  So stay tuned!

 

Sooooo NO drum roll for me this week!  I am still at 201.5 !  At least I didnt gain and all "SYSTEMS" are working properly at present!  My foot issue has kept me from doing any walking but riding the bike is more like 15 min twice a day... I know as I continue...my stamina will increase so I'm giving myself some grace there.  

 

Some of you know I'm taking an art class online.  I am loving it to pieces... If you ever want to venture out and explore a little you really need to check out WYANNE'S classes.  Here is one I did last week...in 30 minutes!!!  Couldn't believe it!

 

I'm also blogging about my experiences if you would like to check out that blog its:

ArtisanArtsBlog

Love you ALL!!!  

MUAHHH! 

 

River's Edge Dining...

Hey ya'll!!! 

Went to dinner with Sis...

Down by the River! 

SKI SHORES CAFE

Their Blog

Went to dinner with my sis and my son tonight at Ski Shores Cafe...but I guess you already guessed that! lol

I love this place.  We found it a few weeks ago when I was needing a boost in my 'I Gotta Have Some Water Views' arm.  I just happened to find them on YELP.com and discovered they are only 15 minutes from my home!  Can We Hear A Hallelujah!!!

Their blog has tons of pics for you to enjoy and the story of how they revamped this lil place into quite an enjoyable eatery and right smack dab on the Colorado River that flows right through Austin!  

We literally sat inches away from the edge of the deck that sticks out over the water.  Boaters, skiers, waterskiers and the likes entertained us while we sat on this glorious deck awaiting our food.  They have a small stage area where local artists come to serenade you while you eat and drink.  They are preparing to have a Movie Night where you can bring the family, eat pizza, and enjoy a movie by the river!  Truly an outstanding establishment and SO CLOSE TOO!!!  

My sis and I split a bacon cheese burger with guacamole!  AND instead of fries we opted for an order of fried okra.  I know...fried okra may not be the healthiest....but I only ate a small portion before I was full as a tick (as they say here in Texas!)  I also had a Miller Lite which is 0/0 in the BFC counter book! YaY!!!  Only thing I regret was forgetting to get a pic of our burger!  It was large and yummy!  So my meal was a total of 5 sugar/3 carb points (due to the half of large hamburger bun and okra)  Wish you ALL lived here so we could meet up ...down by the river!  (always think of Chris Farley pullin up his britches when I type that! )

But I digress....

Earlier today I enjoyed a quesadilla that I made with a La Tortilla Factory Tomato and Basil Wrap.  I just put the tortilla in a hot skillet sprinkled cheese on top....added a few no salt spices...folded it over onto itself once the cheese started melting and Viola!  An Italian Quesadilla!  Delish!  0/1 BFC points!

Breakfast was a Jay Rob Chocolate Whey Protein Shake w/ Super Seed!  YUM!

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...... don't tell anyone...but i think i'm down another pound!  wooo hooo's are in order!   

Thank you to all who commented on last nights post.  It was a bit of self talk...and it worked!  Had a Marvy Day today.  I'm so proud of all of you....even in the most difficult times...we can say... WE DID IT!!!  I love your hearts...we are one you know...so when you hurt...we all hurt....when you rejoice...We ALL Rejoice!  

Be blessed and then GIVE IT AWAY!!!    

Follow Your Heart...

Click on the vid above and hear my heart for YOU today!

FOLLOW YOUR HEART...and you won't get lost.

Every once in a while I have to take a few steps back and regroup!  The things of the day, week, month all begin to make this huge pile in my life and I find myself feeling this huge sense of the "I'll never's..."

"I'll never get over this big pile of #$)%(#&$%)(&!"  Do you ever feel that way?   This pile, like a conglomerate rock, compiled of our daily grind, the issues that arise, the pains that we feel, the emotions that we stuff,  the joys we experience, the fears we try to hide, the hopes we hope will happen, the truths we hope are true...they're all there...all mixed together...all stuck together like a huge boulder in the road.

Then... if I stop looking at the boulder...if I just take the time to close my eyes and listen...I hear it...

I begin to hear a faint yet familiar sound...my heart.  Yes, yes...I hear the thump...thump...thump... but if I listen past the thumping... I hear the still small voice...the one that tells me the truth...the God Honest Truth!  But only if I listen. 

Back in the nineties, we lived at the beach for an amazing 4 month span.  It was during, what could have been, one of the worst times of our lives for my family.  We had no work, no income whatsoever, and we had to move from my dream home of 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 3 car garage, corner lot, beautiful home, beautiful trees, full of beautiful things.  During the year prior to our move we had to take care of a huge debt which forced us to sell most of the valuable, heirloom contents in our possession so we could get this paid off and make a new start.  There was such ripping and tearing of my heart as I let "things" go that had belonged to my parents and were now mine.  But the debt was paid... and it was time to move on... then finding ourselves living in a bungalow on the beach for the summer for next to nothing.  What an amazing blessing...for new beginnings and healing hearts.

That summer, I had days on end to stare at the ocean and listen.  One day, as I was listening to the rhythm of the waves I heard..."Follow your heart and everything else will take care of itself."  What a peace that settled on me that day.  I didn't fully understand what I had heard...but I knew it was truth.  For weeks I pondered this "truth"....asking God what it meant.  And all I could ever "hear" was..."It means whatever you desire it to mean."    You mean, I have a choice?  This brief thought, gave me permission to stop looking at the past...to stop responding as I thought I should...which was sulking.  I gave myself permission to enjoy the beauty around me and to stop feeling guilty for living in such blessed moment in time!

For years I looked to others to tell me how to feel, how to think, how to respond appropriately, to react in an acceptable way and so on...and now, sitting by myself on the beach...I am facing the reality that I have a choice!  A choice to choose my path!  Whoa!  But what if I fail?  What if I can't?  What if others don't like what I choose?  

We spend our lives thinking we have faith while we follow the advice or expectations of others....all the while not trusting that WE too have what it takes to make a choice for ourselves.  When in actuality...true faith comes from diving off that cliff with only the expectation that God is in control.  Who are you listening to? Who are you following?

"Follow your heart and everything else (that huge boulder) will take care of itself."  What's in your heart?  Have you asked?  

Today, I am finding myself needing to be reminded once again...To Stop...Listen to My Heart... Trust What I Hear...and Take whatever Action it directs...  I know that as I do, that the boulder will either crumble or roll away.  My focus will be on embracing the moment and not on fearing the things I have no control over.

So I'm Ready to Dive In... Wanna Join Me? 

  

MIA No More!

I first want to thank those of you who sought me out 

to see if I was OK! 

 I apologize that I didn't place a post stating my circumstances last week.  So I'll brief you a little on what's been a-happenin' in my life.

Several projects that my hubby and I are involved in all seemed to accelerate into high gear all at the same time last week.  I found myself spending hours at a time either on the phone, emailing and shuffling papers.

On top of that, I started an online art class that I had signed up for a while back.  I, again, spent many hours getting to know the system we are using and meeting the teacher/students...many posts and projects the first week.  Not to mention doing the actual projects, taking pics and posting.  It's really a lot of fun...just takes time to get in the groove.

You can check out the artist and her classes here:   WYANNE

OK so moving right along!

My... ISSUE...seems to have worked itself out...so to speak...since I have started a routine of drinking the following as my breakfast first thing in the morning...

                           1 scoop Chocolate Jay Robbs Whey Protein Powder

                           1 scoop Super Seed  (thanks for letting me know about this Rosalie!)

                           8-12 oz Unsweetened Almond Milk

                           ice - depending on how thick you want it...
                           I use anywhere from 3-8 cubes

                           (I'm sure there are some other goodies,
                           like Barleans fish oil, you could include)

Blend all of the above ingredients in a blender until all the ice is crushed... pour and enjoy!  

This divine mixture has encouraged my system to LINE UP!!!  So, that part of my body is working better these days!

One other thing I dealt with last week was another health issue I have been fighting for almost 2 years. 

I have a patch (for lack of a better term) of psoriasis on the bottom of my foot that I just cannot seem to get rid of. Without going into all the gory details... it cracks, leaving me with open wounds that make it feel like I am walking with chards of glass stuck in the bottom of my foot! 

Having said ALL THAT... I did a number on that foot on Tuesday...while walking the dogs.  I was in great pain most of the week on top of all the other things I was involved in.  My poor hubby!  I do not tolerate pain well AT ALL!  He feels bad that he can't send me to the doc right now (no ins.)...so I try not to complain to much...but last week...I'm sure wasn't good for him either!  Feeling better today...but having to keep it bound pretty tight in order to function...and I know that isn't what it really needs.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!!!

So needless to say... As I WANTED to do a post... I just never really had enough collective time to do so.  Thanks again to those who checked in!

Through all of the above last week fiascos... I was able to maintain my good eating habits and lose 1 lb!  I'll take it!  Slow as the weightloss is...that's ok as long as I'm feeling well, eating well, and losing a little here and there.  Haven't measured yet...but pants are def feeling a little looser!  (and for those of you who just said...Yeah, but I need to lose a whole lot of weight!...just know I have about 62 more pounds to go!)

Did ya'll like that list of Good Carbs last week?  I copy pasted them onto a Word doc and printed them out for me to keep in the kitchen.  So when I needed to expand my vision a little when it came to selecting a Good Carb for my snack or meal...I would check out this list again.  

One thing I did purposely do last week was to make sure I stuck to portion size and used smaller plates!  Including meats, cheeses, and veggies.  Just slipping a little larger portion or even seconds onto your plate can add extra calories that our bodies just don't need....so it STORES the excess  (right smack dab on my hips!)  

ALSO...speaking of storing... If you skip a meal...tsk tsk tsk!!!  This throws your body into a slight panic mode...falsely thinking it's not EVER going to get fed again so it better STORE UP that insulin just in case... Well guess where it stores it up?.... Yep! RIGHT IN THOSE SHRINKING FAT CELLS!  

Another thing is to make sure you eat a breakfast!  Be sure to BREAK your FAST from the night before.  What this does is ..."Gentleman/women... START YOUR ENGINES!"  Eating breakfast wakes up your metabolism...gets those juices flowing and starts your day off with ENERGY!  No food... No Energy!

So get out of your food poverty thinking and EAT your way into losing weight!  Choose those Good Carbs and EAT THEM!  Include those Good Fats and Vitamin Rich Veggies and Proteins and Chocolate!!!

And you will be well on your way to a healthier YOU!  

Love you all...and will try to post more often this week!  Here's a sneak peek at one of my pieces I'm preparing for my Nov. art show!  

Three Tiered Cupcake Tray
Annie-Bella's © 

CREDITS:  I "borrowed" the MIA title picture from a great site I found called just that, MIA /Missing In Action, a site which offers a book for new moms, helping them to reclaim their identity after bringing a child into this world.  I wanted to not only give credit to this site since I "borrowed" their pic, but also to pass the word on to any new moms out there!  Having been a new mom three times...I wished I had the support then that is available now.  I almost lost my sanity...but that's a whole nuther enchilada!!!!  So be sure to visit and enjoy...MIA!

When Complex Is Good!

 Since several of us were wondering what exactly IS a Complex Carbohydrate I decided to do a little research of my own.  What I will lay out in the next few minutes is my mini-version of what I found.  I do not claim to know anything about this subject other than what I have found along the information hi-way!  (and even with that...Do Not take what I'm writing here as the truth...as we all know we can't believe everything we read on the internet!)  So please do some research also if you are interested in knowing more and then we can compare notes!  =D 


So with my mini-disclaimer out of the way...this is what I found! 


Basically, Complex Carbohydrates are foods in wholegrain form.  Some of these would be wholegrain bread, muesli, oats, and brown rice just to name a few.  Since they are in this "wholegrain" form...they take longer to break down into glucose within our bodies...this slow process provides us with a gradual, more balanced stream of energy as the day goes by.  On the flipside, Simple Carbohydrates, such as processed convenience foods...quickly turn into glucose, causing a spike in our blood sugars...and sending some of us to the moon, only to come crashing back down again 30 minutes later!  Raise your hand if you can relate!

Side Note: Complex Carbs are not only found in Grains but also in Fruits and Veggies too... You will see many familiar favorites in the list below and perhaps a few that will surprise you!  (Be sure to watch for those sugars and check your portions!)  The point is... it's a Whole Food...not processed into an unrecognizable mess!

Just this information alone makes me want to be very careful of my Carb choices!    The vitamins and minerals found in Natural Complex Carbs also play an important role, helping our body to properly utilize the energy the carb is supplying.  Simple carbs are usually so processed that they no longer even contain any useful vitamins and minerals..they are what are called "empty calories"...they lack anything of use to our body and actually could be destructive to healthy cells.  Ok...I don't know about your body...but mine is exhausted from fighting the WWIII sized war inside from me feeding it all the Simple carbs I have over the past 53 years of my life!  Dang!  Why do those simple carbs have to taste so good!  But I digress!  Let's move on...it gets better!


If the Carb does not have any nutrients to help the carbs to give us more energy...guess what?  Our bodies take the lack luster carb and converts it into FAT and STORES IT!   (Perhaps you've seen the commercial where the lady is walking around and she has a honey bun stuck to each hip! Very Graphic and True!)  I do not want to be that lady anymore!  


The sad truth is that many of us were fooled into believing that all these wonderful tasting goodies were good for you...especially if they were made at home and by your loving mom!  Heck!  I grew up having Peanut Butter and White Sugar sandwiches in my lunch box!  And of course I had a bag of chips and a cookie too!  My "milk ticket" I used on Orange Drink!  No wonder I was falling asleep by 1:00 in the afternoon!

So "bottom" line is...Reach for the the Healthy, High Fiber, Vitamin and Mineral Rich Complex Carbohydrates when filling your daily SIX BFC Carb points!  And for a nice dose of sustain daily energy... Spread those Good Carbs out throughout the day for a more balanced blood sugar and say "Good Bye" to those Hi's and Lo's!

Hope this helps...there's so much more...so I've attached 2 of the many articles I read today at the bottom of this post.

The following list is one I compiled during my research.  Although extensive, it is by no means conclusive!  I did not include the BFC points so you will need to look those up on your own.  I tried to mark those items which would have High Sugar Content...but may have missed some along the way...so be watchful for those sneaky hidden sugars that seem to hide in the most surprising places! 

• All-Bran cereals
• Almonds
• **Apple w/ skin
• Artichokes
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Bagel
• Baked beans non sugary
• Beans
• **Beets
• Beet Greens
• **Blueberries
• Bok Choy
• Broccoli
• Brown bread
• Brown rice
• Brussels Sprouts
• Buckwheat
• Buckwheat bread
• Cabbage
• **Carrots
• Cashews
• Cassava
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Chick peas
• Coleslaw
• Collard Greens
• **Corn
• Cornmeal
• Cucumbers
• Dill Pickles
• **Dried apricots
• Eggplant
• Flax Seeds
• Garbanzo beans
• Granary Bread
• **Grapefruits
• Green Beans
• High fiber breakfast cereals
• Kale
• Kidney beans
• Lentils
• Lettuce
• Low fat yogurt
• Macaroni
• Maize
• Muesli
• Multi-grain bread
• Navy beans
• Oat bran bread
• Oat bran cereal
• Oatcakes
• Oatmeal
• Okra
• Onions
• **Oranges
• Other root vegetables
• Pastas
• Peanuts
• **Peas
• **Peppers, sweet
• Pinto beans
• Pistachios
• Pita bread
• **Plums
• Pop Corn Air popped
• Porridge Oats
• Potato w/skin
• **Prunes 
• Pumpernickel bread
• Pumpkin seeds
• Radishes
• Ryvita crispbread
• Shredded wheat
• Skim milk
• Soy milk
• Soybeans
• Spaghetti
• Spinach
• Split peas
• Sprouts
• **Strawberries
• Summer Squash
• Sunflower seeds
• Sweet potato
• Swiss Chard
• Tomatoes
• Turnip Greens
• Walnuts
• Water Cress
• Weetabix
• Whole Barley
• Whole grain flours
• Whole meal bread
• Wholemeal spelt
• Wholegrain Bread (sugar free is best)
• Wholegrain Cereals
• Wild rice
• Winter Squash
• Yam
• Zucchini

** WATCH FOR HIGH SUGAR CONTENT

CREDITS: Weighlossforall.com

                  Buzzle.com

 

 Important Update:  

Robin feels 10 lbs lighter today....

and is smiling again! 

Nuff Said!   

=D

I Do Solemly Swear...

Ok...some of you may have read my rant on Rosalie's blog...but in case you didn't here is the jist of it:
"Good Morning Rosalie!!! Dang it...you did it again..encouraged me to stick to it one more day! Ok, Ok... I'm going to stick with this thing...I can doooo it! But I've been stuck at the same weight now for 3 weeks! I'm so frustrated right now I could bust! (or is it burst?) I'm not cheating, I'm eating right...but still dealing with the "ISSUE" and all I can think of is I'm just full of S***! I keep telling hubby...if I ever get this part "normal" I'll drop 10 lbs instantly! Ok..thanks for the opp to spew my frustrations! Today on my blog I'm gonna make a commitment to myself and to ya'll...and face some skeletons I have still hanging in my closet! =O Love ya girl!"

So here goes my commitment to myself and YOU...my BFC friends!

I do solemnly swear that I will make sure I keep my frig stocked with healthy on the go, easy to grab, food and snacks so I won't go without or grab something that isn't on the BFC plan!

               Part of my problem I believe has been not eating all of my 6 servings of Healthy Carbs!  So I will make an extra effort to keep up with this in the future.

I do solemnly swear that I will STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTA!

         Eeek! This one's a tough one!  It's so easy to get lost following the infamous Rabbit Trails you are bombarded with each time you check your email, Facebook, your Blog List, and Forums!  I will even determine a time at which I will shut it down and find that I've gone over that by an hour or two!  Insane!
Some may wonder what this has to do with my BFC plan.... well my BUTT is spreading from here to there just for sitting hours at a time at this machine!  So I am making a plan to only check my email, FB, Blogs and Forums first thing in the morning and limit my time to 1 hour period!  Email one more time in the evening when I write my BFC post for the day.  The rest of the time will be spent doing creative and active things!

I do solemnly swear that I will kick the monkey off my bike and use it myself TWICE everyday!
          A friend of ours gave us the coolest exercise bike that sits not even 5 feet away from me in my art studio!  It even has one of those great cushy seats and computerized riding plans giving you a choice of challenges and resistance!  It even tells you how many miles you've gone,  how long you've ridden, and how many calories you burned!  So what is it that keeps me off of that wonderful riding machine...besides the monkey!  Well...here's one of my skeletons I referred to earlier... It's called SWEAT!  I hate sweating!
It makes me feel so yucky and sticky and more yucky and sticky!  I truly HATE it!  But I'm just going to have to face that sweaty skeleton and move past him...he's merely a fog and one that can be showered away! So I am committing today to ride twice a day and post my results so you and I will see that I'm doing what I promised. (Hubby reads the blog...so there's my accountability!)

I do solemnly swear that I will attend my NIA classes at least TWICE a week!

          Last week I was supposed to start my regular schedule of NIA classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Well, it never happened... First we had a monsoon rain on Tuesday and I also went to help my mom move to her new apartment...so Ok... I had a fairly good excuse... but Thursday rolled around and I just flat out chose NOT to go.  Why?  Remember Skeleton number 1 above?  Yep...SWEAT!  I didn't want to go out and sweat!  So I didn't!  Even though I LOVE the NIA classes and have a blast while dancing my heart out of my chest...I just wouldn't make myself DO IT!  So, I am confessing and committing all at once here... This week I'm gonna kick some skeletal A$$ and GO to my NIA classes!

Lastly... I do solemnly swear I will NOT use Ready Whip as an millinery adornment anymore and only use Ready Whip for occasional Sweet Splurges!
          Do I really need to explain my reasonings here?  Seems it's pretty obvious!  =D


I feel my lack of movement is causing my system backup as I mentioned in an earlier post and on Rosalie's blog today.  Even though I'm eating healthily, using the recommended methods for easier elimination, etc... I have had a serious problem and I feel that the only thing I haven't been doing to help things along is MOVEMENT! I truly believe it's a simple as that!  So now that my Sweat Skeleton has been exposed, hopefully I will be able to move on...get it over with... and shower it off!  I know I'll be better for it...in the end!   

ICBIF and Then Some!

I Can't Believe It's Friday!

What a wild week we've had here in Central Texas!  Some crazy storms coming from tropical storm Hermene dropped nearly 11.5" of water on top of the parched land of Austin... Although we desperately needed some rain...this amount in less than 24 hrs causes all kinds of havoc in our area!  The creeks, rivers, and lakes all overflowed...the water was rushing down all the hills like waterslides...and nobody here knows how to drive in rain, sleet or snow...so the roadways were a mess of mushed up metal!  Crazy!  

AND...to top it all off during the fury of the first deluge we were helping my 83 yr old mom move into her new apartment!  Thank the heavens above for my sister and Blue Whale Movers here in Austin, as they did all they could to keep her furniture dry!  So its been an exciting week for sure!

Haven't posted due to sheer exhaustion! But kept up with the diet through it all!

I made pizza on Naan bread (Sprouts Grocery) for hubby and I today.  If you haven't tried it on naan...you really are in for a treat!  The bread is only 1 carb point!  YUMMY!!!  This one is covered in chopped veggies and cheese but you can do all sorts of fun things with these pizzas!  Be creative and I promise you will not be disappointed!

How I make my Naan Bread Pizza:
Take one piece of Naan Bread and spread a tablespoon of low sugar pizza sauce on it.  I also add pesto on top of the bread.  Then top it with chopped veggies and meats of your choice (even pepperoni or bacon!) finishing it off with a little drizzle of olive oil, Italian seasoning, a little salt and a handful of grated cheese of your choice ...I used mozzarella. Put in preheated oven at 425degrees for 8-10 minutes and VIOLA'!!!!  Some of the best pizza you'll ever stick in your mouth!   Enjoy!
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Also...today, while at Sprouts, I picked up a new tea.  It is called: GUAYAKI Yerba Mate "Mate Chocolatte".

After having my first cup tonight my conclusion is that it tastes just like Chi Tea!  I personally cannot detect the flavor of Chocolate in it, but I still like it very much!  It is a blend of Yerba Mate, Cocoa, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Stevia, and Clove.  It states that it helps to stimulate focus and clarity (which I need all I can get!), boosts your physical energy, aids in elimination!!!!!!!!(and we all know who needs THAT!), contains antioxidants and "traditionally used to support weight loss programs".  Truly a delicious tea that will delight your senses as well as your intestinal tract!  =D

I am hoping to have a productive day painting tomorrow...soon I'll post some pics for you all to judge...I mean see! 

Love you all! Bon Appetite and Have a Wonderful Weekend!

CARTOON NIGHT!!!

I hope everyone has a fabulous hump day!  The middle of the week is always my favorite day!  Such a great time to re-group!  So take some time on Wednesday to rethink your strategies, rewrite your goals, remove your negative thoughts, and review your blessings!  Then you have a whole half a week to make the best week possible! 

I Lost A Puppy!

ZOLA @ 2.5 lbs

Yes...It's true! I just lost a whole puppy and I'm looking forward to losing a whole lot more puppies!

This is a picture of Zola our dog @ 2.5 LBS! I know it doesn't sound like much but I just lost a whole puppy size this last week! YaY! I'll take it!

The week before I was really struggling with the "Waste Dept" and I didn't lose any weight that week... Actually I'm surprised I had not gained weight that week...but at least I maintained my original first week weight loss of 5.6 lbs. Now this week I've lost 2.5 more lbs. Wish it were more but I'm still having "issues" and I know once all that is down the drain and behind me... so to speak ...my weight will show a more productive loss. For now...I'm happy and that's all that matters!

How was everyone's Labor Day Weekend? Ours was great! Hubby cooked out yesterday for all the kids and it was delish! We had Grilled Steak, New Potatoes, Broccoli, and Spaghetti Squash...not to mention all the fresh veggies and artichoke dip and spinach dip. I was good and maintained my sanity with the spread before me...I sampled most everything but didn't overdue any of it. Didn't even want dessert when I served up the Sugar Free Ice Cream and SF Cookies to everyone. Amazing what good food does for ya!

This morning we made the Parker Pancakes (recipe in the BFC book) and bacon for breakfast. They were not bad....Hubby thought they tasted like corn cakes. I'm still trying to decide if I would make them again. I think I'll probably opt to make the French Toast next time instead. I don't really enjoy cooking and the pancakes were pretty labor intensive for me! (no comments from the cooks in the peanut gallery out there!) Oh, by the way, the batter for the pancakes is supposed to make 16 pancakes (4 servings)...I was able to get 14 out of it. I was only able to eat 3. So probably still came out to 0/2 for the pancakes.

Lunchtime for me was a couple Tablespoons full of Pimento Cheese with some Pig Skins! Yes! I really love pig skins! AND they are 0/0! I really wasn't very hungry from the big breakfast we had.

Dinnertime I made a huge salad with mixed greens (no iceburg) tomatoes, celery, avocado, broccoli slaw (dry out of bag), croutons, Ranch dressing, salt and pepper...topped off with grilled chicken that Hubby made last night! Finished it off with a Sugar Free York Peppermint! Simply divine!

I meant to take pics of everything...but only remembered to do so after we ate it all!  Will try to do better!

Like I said in the beginning... I wish I had lost more than a puppy's worth of weight... but I'm so happy I LOST!

Going to my NIA class in the morning if this Tropical Storm doesn't wash us away during the night! Hope you all have a great day!

Here's to losing a whole bunch more puppies!!!