Minisize it

Every where you look there are ads that say SUPERSIZE IT..."upgrade to a super large instead of a regular size burger, fries or soda." This is one of those traps that lures us over the calorie count edge.  Can you imagine how many calories are in a super size order of fries? I shudder to think of it. Today, we are going to change our way of thinking. TODAY we are going to minisize our food.

Last year I purchased a "burger slider" pan by Big City. The pan sat in a box in my kitchen pantry until last night. I finally opened the box and took out the pan. A slider pan is a fast and easy way of cooking mini burgers or sandwiches. (sorta like castle burgers). You do not have to give up hamburgers for the rest of your life...use the slider to guarantee portion control.

Burger Slider Recipe (mix all ingredients together and use a small scoop (1/4 cup) to make patties

1 pound of ground meat (approximately 14 sliders)
1teaspoon steak seasoning
dash of Worcestershire sauce
1teaspoon garlic powder
1teaspoon onion powder

You can buy slider buns at the grocery store. If you can't find the slider buns use dinner rolls. Fat free cheddar cheese and fat free mayonnaise are great on the buns.

I gave my 2 slider meal a 6 points plus WW value.

So start grilling with your slider pan and get portions under control.

Have a Veggie Good Day,
FitandSlim4ever

Hello Out There

Hi Everybody, it seems like ages since I last wrote on the  blog. Things have been kinda of hectic but I am still in the game and working very hard to stay focused and on plan. I finally got through my 2 week mini plateau. Whew! I thought the scale would never budge. My WW leader gave me some helpful tips that include ramping up my exercise  plan and tracking my food.

On WW you can have lots of fun foods. I am going to try the coconut shrimp recipe tonight. Do you like coconut shrimp? One serving of 4 shrimp  has a points plus value of 6. Last weekend I cooked the apple tart recipe in the WW points plus cookbook. Yummie. It was delicious. Pick up a copy today.

I have started ZUMBA. It is a lot of fun. Look for a ZUMBA class in your area.

Well, that is all for now- I will work harder to blog daily. In the meantime, stay focused and stay on plan.

Have a Veggie Great Day,
FitandSlim4ever

Spice things up

 I recently read an article in Eating Clean Magazine that talks about the health benefits of various spices.

Curry - alleviates achy joints
Cayenne - eases congestion
Cumin - boosts energy
Paprika - soothes headaches

A couple from my church gave me a book about spices. I was fascinated by the origins of some of our favorite spices. Homework - Do some internet research on spices.

Challenge: use two new spices this week.

Chard - OMG. Yesterday, I had some sauteed chard from Whole Food. It was wonderful. The chard was tossed with a little bit of oil, sesame seeds and seasonings.

My vegetable of the week is asparagus. I love asparagus. This week I am going to experiment with "asparagus soup." Wish me luck. There are two types of asparagus - white and green. Steaming is the most popular method for preparing asparagus. I like to roast asparagus in the oven with a little brush of oil.  Asparagus is a great source of vitamin C - get some asap. :) WW has a great recipe for asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto.

tip: Most veggies are ZERO points on WW.

Have a Veggie Good day,
fitandslim4ever

An apple a day

Tis the season to eat apples. This week I had a ball shopping for apples. I came home with bags of delicious apples. Ambrosia, Fuji, Lady, Crab, and Braeburn apples. I encourage you to try some new varieties of apples. Check it out.  An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

This week I am going to focus on veggies. I found a quick fix for a filling veggie meal. I buy veggie rolls from the sushi section of the grocery store. The veggie roll consists of carrots, cucumbers, avocado and celery chopped up in small julianne pieces and wrapped in lettuce leaves. I take the rolls apart (2 rolls) and pour a little bit of dressing (1 tablespoon) and add a dash of pepper. Yummie.

I am going to force myself to eat fruit. I am not a fruit person. I like fruit but it is not my first choice for a snack or meal...SO I am going to have to work very hard to incorporate fruit into my diet. Today, I filled up a pretty wooden bowl with bananas, tangerines, peaches, pears and apples. I will let you know how it goes. :)

Challenge:  1 piece of fruit a day for seven days. WE CAN DO IT!!!

Tip:  Seedless lemons. Who Knew! Go to pcnbrand.com. I found them at a local grocer.

Have a Veggie Good Weekend and a great day,
fitandslim4ever

Release it and let it go -

I have been reading a lot lately about stress management. I think that one of the keys to losing and sustaining weight loss is to release your stress. The best way to release the stress is to talk to your family and friends about issues that concern you. It will help you lose pounds of stress.

I am famous for holding in my stress BUT NOT IN THE NEW YEAR.  My new motto is "Release it and let it go." This year I pledge the following to myself:

I will do no harm. I will work hard to do the right thing, put family first (that includes the extended version), and love/like my enemies. I will rejoice every morning for the gift of another day and give thanks every night for the time that I have been given to live - laugh- love and learn.

I WILL TAKE CARE OF MYSELF AND THE INCREDIBLE HUMAN BODY MACHINE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN ME.

I hope that you will make this pledge. Honor yourself, hug yourself - most importantly share your load because no one can carry a mountain on their back.

Have a very Veggie Good Day,
FitandSlim4ever.

New ways of thinking

New Year and New Thinking -

I  am seeking out new ways of doing things in 2011. I am hoping to find ways to cut calories and sodium without sacrificing flavor. Here are some tips that I hope will help you:

• Choose dry beans over canned. A cup of dried beans has less than 10 mg sodium while canned beans can pack more than 700 mg. WW advises you to rinse canned beans in a strainer to reduce the sodium.
• Stir fry meat for healthy meal. If your recipe calls for thinly sliced steak -freeze the meat until very firm for 30 minutes. It will make it easier to slice. 
• Instead of potatoes use parsnips and sweet potatoes cut into fry sized pieces. Put parsnips and potatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tsp oil and sprinkle with garlic...toss to coat and sprinkle a dash of Chipotle powder on top. Arrange fries in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until lightly brown and crispy.  (from Clean Eating)
• Quick veggie snack. Take 4 veggie or California sushi rolls and drizzle a smidgen of lite soy on top. Eat the veggies out of the middle with your chop sticks. Yummie. Ditch the rice.:)

This week go for something new.  Experiment with veggies. 

Have a Veggie Good Day,

FitandSlim4ever

Post No. 83 - Carbs in check

I read a great article today about carbs. The author recommends eating a mixture of lean protein, fast carbs ( bad kind) and slow carbs (the good kind) to get a balance. He suggests that cutting out carbs is really dangerous because it forces your body to burn muscle. The bottom line - it is important to have a healthy mix of protein, carbs, fiber, dairy and fat. We are done with diets that require you to eat too much of one thing and not enough of the other. Let's focus on eating a healthy balanced diet. The rest will take care of itself.

I have been bad about writing on my blog everyday. What can I say? Well, life happens. I hope you understand. I will continue to blog so stay with me. I need your encouragement and support. We are heading for the big 30 - pounds that is...so stay tuned.

WE ARE GOING TO GET FIT AND SLIM, SO HAVE A VEGGIE GOOD DAY.
FitandSlim4ever.

Lucky to be alive in 2011

Everyday I hear about someone dying or getting sick. In the past year so many people have perished to heart attacks and cancer. We can't control somethings but we can control our weight. It is time to break the diet yo yo cycle. ENOUGH!!!!

In 2011 we will conquer our weight and move on to focus on living a healthy lifestyle.  Today, I am making a broccoli soup. I read several recipes and decided to modify them to lower fat and calories.

Broccoli and Cheese Soup

2 cups fat free milk
1 cup whipping cream
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon flour
1 bag of frozen broccoli florets (thawed out and chopped into pieces)
1 cup Kraft reduced fat Cheddar cheese (you may prefer fat free Velveeta)
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
tiny pinch of ground bay leaf (only the fine powder)
1 teaspoon of season salt
1 dash of white pepper

Mix the first four ingredients until creamy then add the remainder of ingredients and simmer until blended. Approximately 5 minutes on medium heat and 5 minutes on low heat. Garnish with a pinch of finely minced carrots. I suggest a serving be one cup.

Tip: Instead of using a bun for hamburgers try wrapping your patty in lettuce leaves. Fold the large leaves around the patty like a wrapper and enjoy.

Challenge: Let's reduce the calories in our favorite recipes. We have a whole year to get it right.

Have a veggie great day,
FitandSlim4ever

Happy New Year

Hello blog world,

I am back from my on holiday break and ready to blog into a new year. I am back in full swing and looking forward to a great year in 2011. January is always a great time of promise and new beginnings. It is the time of year when we can all feel and believe that anything is possible. I got into my "jeans" in December. You may recall that I challenged myself to fit into a special pair of jeans by Christmas. I did it! Go girl.

Let's recommit ourselves to eating clean and living a healthy lifestyle in 2011. I encourage everyone (myself included) to set some weight loss or management goals. I plan to start with a small goal that is realistic and achievable.

Challenge: Drop 5 pounds in January. We can do it.

Homework for this week:

1. Clean out fridge - the holidays are over so get rid of the sweets, treats and high calorie food.
2) Take a walk today
3) Step out of your comfort zone. Do something new. Take a chance on something or someone
4) Pray and meditate. It will help you stay focused

Happy New You. I hope you have a veggie good day,

Fitandslim4ever