A Little Less Fluffy

My husband, my mother and I just returned from Alabama where we were visiting family. I really haven't realized how much weight I had lost till I looked at the pictures. I usually am behind the camera not in front of it. I love taking pictures but not being in them. But can you blame me, I was 306 lbs. I now am 220 lbs to 230 lbs right now. I will let you see the difference.

At 306 lbs, My heaviest.

This is my Alabama Photo with my husband that has also lost 60 lbs.

I am still wanting to get myself down to a healthy 145 lbs but all in time. I about to start the hard process of what is the P90X exercise system...AHHHH. I have done this at about 280 lbs and I almost died. I hope it is easier this time around. I really want to be below 200 lbs by 16 December. Why? You ask. My husband and I are taking my Mom to Disney for Christmas. I have ordered a swimming suit. (Scared to death) I haven't been in a swimming suit in about 10 years and even longer than that in public. But, I am living it up I can't wait to show off all of my hard work. I don't care what others think..well...not to much. LOL. Take care everyone. Hopefully, I will be back soon with more recipes and an update on my weight loss!!!

Halloween

I have been so busy since Halloween. I figured I would let you all see what I was for Halloween and how I decorated my yard this year. Right now I am looking up Christmas crafts, listening to Christmas music, and putting up my Christmas Decor. Tree is up right now but it is not decorated yet. When I get everything done I will post my Christmas Decor pictures.

So here is the husband...he was a undertaker/grim reaper.

I was a living dead girl....I even made my neck up like it was slashed. 

And drum roll......here is my masterpiece...MY YARD

I hope you all love the photos. I want to dedicate some time now to my crafty side. I love to draw and make crafts. I have been gone from that for a long while and have been craving to bring out my artsy side once again. I am even thinking about selling some items on etsy. I hope I take some time to fulfill this urge. LOL 

Addicted

So I have decided to look into Pinterest. I wanted to see what all the buzz was about. Well, now I'm addicted to it. CRAP!!! I love making little boards and pinning pictures and videos. I love sharing my own awesome pictures that I have found and I have taken. I can't stop this insanity. I have been pinning like a maniac. Now it is 4:10 am  and I have been pinning since midnight. I'm totally sick. I have so much to do in a couple hours. Such as go grocery shopping, carve 6 pumpkins, clean my house, and set the rest of my yard up for the tricker treaters to walk though on Halloween, all with my husband that is sound asleep in our soft, comfy, fluffy bed. I do our yard up big on Halloween a full graveyard equipped with Zombies, larvae bags, grim reaper, skeletons, tombstones, rats, pumpkins, severed head, and of course cobwebs. Soooo, I need to sleep but I can't I am freakin wide awake typing this and wanting to get back to Pinterest. AaaaHhhhhhh......ok...im ok....lol I am going to straighten my house in just a moment, make my menu out for this week....try to be productive while messing on Pinterest. LOL I hope everyone has a great weekend. I will post some Halloween Pictures soon.

Broccoli Salad

I love finding new and easy ways to make up sides the night before so the husband can take it to work. This is another recipe and picture that I have found from www.genaw.com. I have changed a few things I just sprinkle a few bacon pieces and I omit the sunflower kernels to make it a little healthier. The people doing special diets will have to tweak it a little more. I loved the cauliflower salad recipe so much I wanted to also share this one with you also. Enjoy!!!
 
BROCCOLI SALAD
1 bunch fresh broccoli, finely chopped, raw, about 1 pound
1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped, 2 1/2 ounces
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Splenda or equivalent liquid Splenda
12 ounces bacon, chopped and fried until crisp
1/4 cup sunflower kernels
Put the broccoli and onion in a large bowl. Mix the mayonnaise, vinegar and Splenda; pour over broccoli and mix well. Just before serving, stir in the bacon and sunflower kernels.
Makes 6-12 servings
Do not freeze
Per 1/6 recipe: 590 Calories; 53g Fat; 21g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 5g Net Carbs
Per 1/8 recipe: 442 Calories; 40g Fat; 16g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 4g Net Carbs
Per 1/10 recipe: 354 Calories; 32g Fat; 13g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs
Per 1/12 recipe: 295 Calories; 27g Fat; 11g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

Cauliflower Salad

This picture and recipe is another from www.genaw.com. I love cauliflower raw...but the husband not so much. I make this up in one bowl and let it sit over night for the best taste. I have made some changes to the recipe though. I love more bite to my salad so I add about 4 teaspoons of dijon mustard. I omit the green onions and add a small amount of red onion. Lastly, I am lazy I don't cook bacon up to put in this I go and purchase the bacon pieces that go on salad and just sprinkle a little in to add a little bacon flavor. I am not supposed to have that much bacon sooo....that is why I love the convenience of the prepackaged kind.  I don't know if everyone will love this one but it is worth a try. The husband will actually raw cauliflower but only if I fix it like this. Enjoy!!!



COUNTRY CAULIFLOWER SALAD
4-5 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound fresh cauliflower, chopped
1 green onion, chopped
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Fry the bacon until crisp; drain the fat. Combine all of the ingredients and chill well before serving.
Makes 6-8 servings
Do not freeze
Per 1/6 Recipe: 190 Calories; 18g Fat; 4g Protein; 5g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs
Per 1/8 Recipe: 142 Calories; 13g Fat; 3g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

Mexican Chicken

I love Mexican food and I have been on a little bit of a Mexican kick here lately. I have found this low carb website that I have just fell in love with. I found this Mexican Chicken recipe on there. This site is called www.genaw.com. It definitely is a site worth checking out if you are on a low carb diet. There are many recipes from appetizers to dessert. I love that the main dishes are busted down into pork, beef, veggie, etc... Makes it really easy to select the protein for the evening and do a quick search in just that category.


OK.... So tonight for dinner we are having Mexican Chicken with green beans. It also pairs well with just a salad too. I like my food a little on the spicy side so I used the Hot Enchilada sauce, but you can use mild or medium. It all depends on  how hot you want it. The chicken comes out really juicy and full of flavor from baking in the Enchilada sauce. I hope all of you enjoyed the other recipes and I hope you enjoy this one too. 

MEXICAN CHICKEN
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon Seasoning for Tacos
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
3 green onions, chopped

Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with taco seasoning; grill or sauté. Cut the chicken into cubes and place in a greased 8x8" baking dish; season with salt to taste. Add the enchilada sauce and toss to coat the chicken. Sprinkle the cheese over the chicken and bake at 350º for 10-20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Scatter the green onions over the top.

Makes 4 servings
Can be frozen

Per Serving: 266 Calories; 12g Fat; 33g Protein; 4g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 3g Net Carbs

Less of Me

I am a long way away from my goal of 145 lbs but I am on my way the photo below was taken at a winery about 2 years ago at my heaviest. My heaviest was 306 lbs! I couldn't believe that I had let myself get this out of shape. I was doing all the wrong things...fast food everyday and no exercise. I had to do something. I tried p90x for about a year and reduced portion sizes in my food and I lost about 40 lbs. I started putting the weight back on though so...I started Medifast at the end of January of this year. I have managed to get my weight down to 216 lbs. I have had some medical issues that have derailed my weight loss...but I have been watching what I have been eating and havent gained any of the weight back. Me and the husband have recently decided to take the nutritional information from medifast and do it ourselves with Special K bars and such. The medifast worked it was just about $300 a person before our lean and green meals that we had to buy and cook. Way too expensive. So far so good on our own. My next task....the elliptical machine. I need to get my mind set that I have to exercise no matter what even if its a little every day. I just wanted to post this picture to let everyone know the hard work is worth it and that I can make it to my goal..I just can't give up no matter what. I might get side lined but I have to get back in the game time after time. I hope everyone enjoys the updated picture.....I know I feel better and look better than I have in years and that means the world to me!!!!! :)