SKINNY SUPERBOWL!

With Superbowl Sunday quickly approaching I thought I would share my signature "ALWAYS A HIT" Buffalo Chicken Dip! Courtesy of skinnytaste.com! :] 

Lighter Buffalo Chicken Dip Skinnytaste.com Link
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1/3 cup
Calories: 107.9 • Fat: 4.9 g • Carbs: 5.4 g • Fiber: 0 g • Protein: 10.3 g

Ingredients:
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup fat free sour cream
1/2 cup Franks hot sauce (or whatever hot sauce you like)
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tsp white wine vinegar
2 cups (14 oz  raw) cooked shredded chicken (I USE CANNED)

Directions:
Mix the first 5 ingredients together until smooth. Add the chicken and put this in the crock pot on low for 3-4 hours. Serve warm.

To do this on the stove, simmer on low heat 30 minutes

For much much more Skinny Superbowl Snacks go to: Skinnytaste Football Recipes

WE ONLY HAVE ONE DAY LEFT (TOMORROW) THURSDAY! & then FRIDAY is out FINAL weigh in! This morning I was down to 136.2!! So I have 1.2 pounds to loose by FRIDAY! ... Going to take my furry baby for an extra long walk tonight! :] Good Luck Loves!

Have a wonderful night!

LOVE:ME

TUESDAY: Tips & Tricks!

Happy Tuesday!! We have only THREE DAYS left until our final weigh-in! I had an awesome and super successful weekend loosing THREE pounds!! BOOM! Now I have had many people ask me ... "What do I do on day 18?!?!

So I have come up with a list of AMAZING Tips & Tricks to take you from Day 18 & Beyond!

1. Plan Being Bad: I hate to sound like a broken record ... BUT you should have these NEW HEALTHY HABITS mastered by DAY18! They should become second nature like changing your chonies! You will continue to loose weight AND be able to reintroduce yourself to the REAL WORLD if you plan your flexible days! I have planned to enjoy myself this upcoming Superbowl Weekend, and then back into high gear until Valentine's weekend! I am allowing myself to have guilt-free days because I will be maintaining my healthy routine!

2. 3 Bite Rule: I am positive that by by now you can smell out carbs like a drug dog on the border! So when you catch a whiff of those mashed potatoes or cheesy garlic bread & JUST have to have a bite GO AHEAD! Enjoy UP TO 3 bites to appease your CRAZY cravings! Three bites wont ruin all your hard work and it will keep you from being a cranky hot-mess!

3. Faux Fro-Yo: I recently saw a girlfriend post she was craving frozen yogurt! ... well this trendy treat will cost you in the wallet and in the waistline! SUGAR FREE does NOT equal HEALTHY! and after you've topped off with some "syrup" infused fruits you're weighing your sweet snack and paying a ridiculous amount for what you should already have at home!! If you're fro-yo-hoe put 3 of your CARBSMART Yogurts into the freezer for those nights you just have to have your fix! At $0.50 and 60 calories you cant beat it! 

4. Chicken Tenderloins: I have replaced my normal chicken breast with chicken tenderloins! They are smaller cuts of chicken and bake at 400 degrees in ELEVEN minutes! ... they are about the same size as a chicken finger and are easier to pack as lunches or chop into salads! Putting the "PRO" in protein! 

5. Skinnytaste.com: My dad always said "No man wants to marry a woman who cant cook" ... Well thanks to Gina's Skinny Taste Blog ... becoming a crazy cat lady/ lonely hoarder is no longer my dismal future! This site is my go-to for a majority of my healthy cooking ideas! (SPOILER ALERT: Superbowl Favorites Found HERE)

6. LOVE Handles: I hear it time & time again ... women blaming their men & relationships for putting on a "couple extra pounds!" & I'm positive this is where the term LOVE HANDLES came from! And ill admit it ... I can eat my boyfriend under the table! ... But should I? HELL NO! ... Eat like a lady ... side salads, grilled vegetables, & little nibbles of HIS fries ... should keep you from putting on those dreaded dating pounds!

7. Get good at saying NO!: NO ... Is a dieters secret weapon! People will ask you to Happy Hour, if you'd like a bagel from the office break room, or if you would like to try some of their birthday cake! the answer should always be NO (thank you)! You may have already noticed people trying to sabotage your success! They'll say: " Oh you look so thin! You should have some coffee cake" ... or "You lost so much weight we should go celebrate at the bar" ... Their intentions may be good but they would never offer tequila shots to a recovering alcoholic! So you must gently remind them that your still working hard and enjoying your success ... & thanks but NO thanks! 

I hope these Tips & Tricks help you over the next 3 days and for your continued weight-loss journey! 

TOMORROW! I will be sharing my SKINNY SUPERBOWL SNACK ideas! 

Have a BEAUTIFUL DAY! 

LOVE:ME

Little Victory!

Happy Friday Loves!

Today I am so so so pleased to share with you my own little victory this morning! For the VERY FIRST TIME in my adult life ... I have MADE it to the 1-3-0's!! I am a smitten kitten & so glad I did not let that STUPID Plateau keep me from moving in the right direction!!!

Now back to REALITY!! In ONE week from today we will have completed our FIRST 17 day Cycle!  So stay strong this weekend! Below you will find my favorite Saturday breakfast!

Saturday Scramble: Throughout the work week yogurts are a perfect on-the-go breakfast for me! HOWEVER! on the weekend I need more to keep me going while I run errands, clean the house, etc. So tomorrow I will be making up my favorite Egg-Whites & Veggie Scramble with tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, and some salsa on the side! This is just enough awesome to keep me going until lunch! :]

Throughout the course of this weekend I will be editing the Menu & Grocery Lists! To all who have started with me thank you so much for your patience! This is a work in progress! Cheers!

COUNTDOWN: 7 Days left & 4.8 Pounds to GO!

LOVE:ME 

P.S. Looking forward to sharing next week some healthy recipes for Superbowl Favorites! :]
#Harbowl!

Hello Plateau ...

Over the past four days when Ive stepped on the scale the only thing I've been dropping are 4-letter words ... and trust me they are not DIET & LOVE! I have hit the dreaded PLATEAU :[

So I did some research and well... there is GOOD NEWS & there is BAD NEWS

Lets start with the BAD NEWS:
"The frustrating reality is that even well-planned weight-loss efforts often become stalled."
 The Mayo Clinic: Getting Past Your Weight Loss Plateau
 Go read this article (above) It explains how our bodies are now comfortable and we need to "step-it-up" & "step-out" of our comfort zones!

Like I said yesterday ... If you too have hit your wall! Its time to take out even more of what we don't need! I recognized I don't need avocado and corn in my salads ... and they have been removed!

In my VERY First Cycle ... I NEVER worked out ... but then again I had that much more weight to loose and my body handled purging it for me ... well now its about damn time I get my hands a little dirty too!
 - Daily stretching, walks, and other activities have been added to my routine. 

NOW the GOOD NEWS: If you stay MOTIVATED you will keep loosing ... OR ... (drum roll please) you have made it to your bodies natural healthy weight! Just make sure that this little bump in the road doesn't throw you entirely off course and cause you to re-visit your old habits and re-gain that old weight! 

Here is some extra-motivation do's & dont's for you!

1. STAY OFF PINTEREST! I recently found out I am going to be an Auntie again this year!! <3 So I naturally headed straight to Pinterest to look up some baby goodies ... and BOOM! I am visually assaulted by perfect bodies in bikinis pinned next to cake-pops and jello shots! ... I started sweating like a whore in church and had immediate cravings for Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles and Pumpkin Cheesecake! ... It is human nature to want what we cant have but lets just all agree that for the next week we will do ourselves the favor and stay off the site so that we dont have to be reminded of ALL we cant have!

2. BODY ICON: Search the internet for your TRUE Body Icon ... & lets all be honest here! If your body icon professionally models bras and thongs ... TRY AGAIN! ... Look for healthy examples ... not extremely good genes! ... My body icons are Christina Hendricks from Mad Men & Kaley Cuoco from The Big Bang Theory. To me these woman have body types similar to my own! and being honest with myself also ... I know that with my God-Given-Hips-For-Days ... that it is an unrealistic goal to hope that I can squeeze into ... a size double zero jean! (visual:sausage casings)... make sure your goals are healthy and obtainable ... so that you don't drive yourself CRAZY trying to look like someone else! 

3. REMIND YOURSELF WHAT YOUR WORKING FOR:
Is your wedding coming up, are you going on an exotic summer vacation, or is your high school reunion around the corner! Remind yourself daily what your doing all this for! Set the background screen of your cell phone to be a picture of the beach you will be visiting! Hang your LBD (little black dress) outside your closet and try it on every night to see how close you are to your goal! Or cover your refrigerator or bathroom mirror with photos and motivation... I know this sounds cheesy but it works!  

I also just wanted to say how amazing it is to hear you ALL sharing this plan and my journey with your own co-workers, friends, and family! It is amazing how many people are doing this TOGETHER! (and having success!) Keep it up!

Have a fabulous day! COUNTDOWN: 8 MORE DAYS! We can DO THIS!

LOVE:ME

Blog Augmentation: "Yes I've had some work done!"

Over the past week I've noticed some things that can be changed, tweaked, or added! I will try my best to note any changes I do make ... Think of this as Blog Augmentation! Going through and making our plan better & more exciting! :] Keepin you on your toes! So here's a start! & remember these things MUST MUST MUST become part of your life!! Healthy Habits will keep that weight from EVER creeping back into those Love Handles <3

1. IM so CORNY: After overlooking my diet plan again I realized there is an overdose of corn and avocado! Please please please go through and take some corn and avocado out where ever you can! I will keep mine ONLY in MY FAVORITE CUCUMBER SALAD!

2. You are BERRY Sweet: Don't forget some sweet berries! I am adding blueberries into my Vanilla Chai CarbMaster Yogurt! & it's the perfect start to my day and major antioxidants!

3. CLASSICS: Remember "Salads" are a loose term I was using for meals with veggie and lean proteins ... So don't forget you can ALWAYS have the traditional baked, BBQ-ed, or slow cooker chicken with some steamed, baked, or sautéed:

- Carrots

- Broccoli

- Green Beans

- Cauliflower

- Asparagus

- Mushrooms

- Snap Peas

- Brussels Sprouts

My favorite chicken recipe:(Salsa Chicken given to me by my dear friend Bev)

2 chicken breast

1 can of salsa

Place defrosted chicken in your slow-cooker

Cover with salsa

Cook on high for 3.5 hours

Take chicken out & shred it with two forks

Place shredded chicken back into slow cooker & salsa for another 30 minutes

ENJOY!

This recipe is KILLER mixed with the Fiesta Salad or in place of any seafood salad :]

 4. Hydroponic Lettuce (& I'm not taking about "the Reefer"): Hydroponic Lettuce or Butter Lettuce is lettuce that is alive! Comes still attached to its root and it is as good as lettuce gets! I recommend butter lettuce for salads that you would like a thicker leaf with like the salmon salad or using it as a lettuce cup with the Fiesta Salad

 I hope you are finding what is working FOR YOU!! and that the HYDRATING is becoming easier and a habit! Have you noticed you pants are a little looser? Or your family, friends, or co-workers have noticed your FACE looks thinner?!? Its such a nice feeling ... and it never gets old when your new nickname becomes Skinny!  ;]

Tomorrow I will be talking about the oh so common but oh frustrating PLATEAU ... I've hit mine! but don't you worry or loose that motivation!! I will be giving you tips to getting OVER it!

Have a beautiful day!

LOVE: ME

Friday -Monday Salads & WEEK ONE Re-cap!

Friday: Crab Salad

2 6oz pouches of Crab Meat ($14.96)

Red Onion (already had)

Jalape o ($0.14)

Avocado ($0.64)

Can of Corn ($0.68)

Tomatoes ($2.24)

Butter Lettuce ($1.16)

Limes: (already had)

TOTAL: $19.82

So $9.91 per serving

 

 

Friday's Crab Salad ... I will NOT be having this again! I love Crab! But I guess it just tastes better when you are at a Las Vegas Buffet :] This upcoming Friday I will be using shrimp as a substitute :] On a positive note ... Friday night I used my new favorite kitchen gadget!! The Ninja Chopper has changed my LIFE! haha such an awesome Birthday gift from my boyfriend's amazing mom! No tears & all smiles while I was chopping up that Red Onion!

 

Saturday: Egg White Salad

4  Eggs ($0.44)

Lettuce ($3.38)

Tomatoes ($2.24)

Avocado ($0.64)

Carrots ($1.68)

TOTAL: $8.38

$4.19 per serving

 

Sunday: Spinach & Salmon with Mango Salsa 

Salmon ($5.59) 

Mango Salsa ($3.38) 

Butter Lettuce ($1.16)

Teriyaki Marinade (already had)

TOTAL: $10.13

At $5.07 per serving

 

 Monday: Fiesta Bean Salad

Can of Black Beans ($0.68)

Can of Kidney Beans ($0.68)

Can of Corn ($0.68)

Bell Pepper ($1.54)

Minced Garlic (already had)

Lime (already had)

Cilantro ($0.33)

Avocado ($0.64)

Jalape o ($0.14)

Tomatoes ($2.24)

TOTAL: $6.93

at $3.46 per serving

 

 WE DID IT! Our FIRST WEEK is COMPLETE! So much I have to fill you all in on!!

Saturday morning my boyfriend & I went on amazing morning beach hike!! It was an awesome start to my weekend and perfect activity to compliment our diet!! & for all of you with significant others ... My boyfriend has lost 6 pounds ... without even being on the diet!! What a perfect testament to how even the lives of our loved ones can be changed when we are healthy!!

 

Sunday was a HUGE temptation day! We had guests over for dinner and of course I wasn't going to serve them my "Sad Salad Diet Food"  so I got down with my domestic self and made them homemade chicken enchiladas! (a "fat favorite" of mine) while I chocked down my salad! HAHA 

Proud to say I have NOT CHEATED!  

& I am so excited to hear about everyone's success! I have girlfriends, cousins, & co-workers etc. who are all doing this together!!! So week ONE down and I have lost 3.8 pounds and have 5.6 pounds to go till I reach my goal weight!

SO CHEERS (our green teas & lemon waters) to our SECOND Week! 

TOMORROW!! I will be giving you even more helpful meal ideas to use throughout WEEK 2 if you need/want to sub out some not so yummy salads (COUGH COUGH: THE CRAB SALAD) BARF! hahaha 

Have a fabulous day! SEVEN days down TEN days to GO!

LOVE:ME

Thursday: Baked Chicken Salad

Thursday: Baked Chicken Salad
2 Chicken Boobies: Found in my freezer
Bag of Mixed Greens: ($3.38)
Cherry Tomatoes: ($2.24)
Red Onion: Found in fridge
Carrot Chips: ($1.68)
Frozen Peas: ($0.99)

Total: $8.29  for both dinner & today's lunch
that's $4.15 per serving! ... Im into that!

SO JUST TO CLARIFY:
 This is a flexible meal plan! I was shocked how expensive it is to get crabs (haha wink wink) I spent ALMOST $15.00 on the crab meat for tonight's Salad! In NO way MUST you have crab! ... I just thought a "fancier" sea-food based salad would be a more "EXCITING" salad for the weekend! Along with the Salmon Salad ... If seafood doesn't float your boat ... substitute it with baked or shredded chicken ... or I might try it next Friday with some Shrimp!

DAY 4: WEIGH-IN UPDATE

I started at 144.4 and so far have lost 2.8 pounds! (in 4 days)

My girlfriend Bree who is also doing this with me has already lost 4.2 pounds on DAY 4!

So keep it up! There is nothing like stuffing your face with FABULOUS FOOD while your body does the dirty work and flushes out our FAT!

HAPPY FRIDAY! I hope you have a WONDERFUL LONG (3-DAY) WEEKEND!

I will be back on TUESDAY with:
Our FIRST WEEK Re-Cap
WEIGH-IN update
FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY, MONDAY, Salad photos and average pricing!

YOUR WEEKEND HOMEWORK:

REWARD YOURSELF! Our culture has taught us to celebrate with FOOD and BOOZE (I miss you) ... BUT we need to re-wire our thought process ... Instead reward yourself this weekend with a bubble bath, mani/pedi, a movie date (sans popcorn, candy, & soda), a new LUNCH BAG! for next week! OR a massage! NO Cheating! You're stronger than that craving! 

Have a BEAUTIFUL day!

LOVE:ME 

Wednesday: Cucumber Salad

WEDNESDAY: Cucumber Salad

Cucumber ($0.58)
Can of Corn: ($0.68)
Can of Chick Peas: ($0.68)
Cherry Tomatoes: ($2.24)
1/3 of Mozzarella Brick: ($1.16)
Green Onion: ($0.62)
Avocado: ($0.64)

TOTAL: $6.60 for Dinner and Lunch

So that's $3.30a serving!! That's cheaper than my morning Starbucks coffee! Cant Beat It! Oh yeah and did I mention lost another pound I am at 142.2 ... I hope you are also having a successful first couple days! HAPPY DAY 3!

SUCCESS TIP: Tonight my boyfriend & I will be joining some of his co-workers to watch the Clipper Game! ... at a local sports bar! & if you know me you know that BEER & WINGS are two of my most favorite things! SO knowing that this will be a HUGE TEMPTATION for me... I did what any smart dieter would do ... I PLANNED AHEAD!! Last night while I made my Cucumber Salad  I defrosted, marinated, and baked my chicken for THURSDAY'S Salad! So tonight I can run home change and eat before we leave! ... THERE ARE NO EXCUSES! ... YOU are NEVER too BUSY! ... Unless perhaps you are a Neurosurgeon or maybe Octo-Mom! YOU CAN DO THIS! So with that said we are coming up on our FIRST Weekend! During my VERY FIRST cycle my boyfriend's beautiful sister had her Engagement Party! .. and you can BET YOUR BOOTY I came with my own brown-paper-lunch-sack and ate only what I was supposed to! ... Its not rude or tacky if its for YOUR health and happiness! ... So make sure you are all prepped and ready to take on this weekend!

P.S. California is warming up to the mid 70's for our "Winter Temps" ... Even more motivation for the quickly approaching BIKINI SEASON! :D 

HAVE A FABULOUS DAY!

LOVE:ME

Tuesday: Turkey Taco Salad

TUESDAY: TURKEY TACO SALAD

99/1 Lean Ground Turkey Meat ($5.95)
Low Sodium Taco Seasoning Packet ($.099)
Lettuce ($2.79)
Onion (already in my fridge)
Bell Pepper ($1.54)
Salsa ($2.00)
1/2 Avocado ($0.64)

Total: $13.91 for Dinner & Lunch Servings
So $6.95 Healthy Taco Salad

Did you enjoy it? ... Ill admit I licked the bowl! & woke up DOWN 1.2 pounds!

So as promised I will be sharing my creative & crafty ways that keep me from getting elbows deep in a bag of chips or hooking up with my ex-boyfriends "Ben & Jerry"

1. GIVE YOURSELF A NIGHTTIME MANI : There is nothing more tacky than some chipped nail polish! ... So paint those digits and you'll also be eliminating your ability to partake in some late night snacking

2. CHUG CHUG CHUG :  Relive those "Keg Stand Days" but with your green tea ... feeling hungry ... make up some green tea... obviously let it cool down ... and then CHUG CHUG CHUG! The tea will fill you up and send you on another potty trip!

3. STRIP TEASE: Before heading to the kitchen for some after dinner dessert ... head to the mirror and Strip Down ... Getting naked will be a visual reminder of ALL that you are working for and I doubt that snack "craving" will be lingering after you get dressed again

4. PLAYDOUGH: I recently got a little tub of Playdough and when I got that "Im bored! Lets eat something" feeling I raced to find it and played with it for over 30 minutes ... kept my little hands occupied and I quickly forgot that I was "hungry"

5. TRY ON & GIVE BACK: Go try on your ENTIRE closet! ... See what fits now, whats too tight, and what is way too big ... Note it ... and on the 31st do IT AGAIN ... You'll hopefully have a larger pile of "Too Big" and these you can now donate to the Goodwill or any other women's shelter! TRUST ME ... you'll need the extra closet space for your NEW skinny clothes :D

Have a beautiful DAY 2!

LOVE:ME

START: DAY 1 STEP ON THE SCALE

IT IS A GORGEOUS DAY! ... I am so pumped to kick off the next 17 Days with you! You can do this!

STEP 1: Step On That Scale! Take a picture and share it with a partner, or buddy, or your Starbucks barista ... Anyone who you feel can keep you honest, accountable , and who you wouldn't mind impressing with your diet success :]

I have chosen to share with ... ALL OF YOU!

144.4 pounds


STEP 2: Set Your Target Weight Loss Goal! My target weight goal is 135.0 lbs That is a loss of 9.4 lbs. I inputted this information into my tracker app and will be updating it daily!

STEP 3: Set THREE other smaller goals/ activities (that are not dictated by the scale)
 1.) On Monday January 21st go try on swim suits (take "before" photos to have as a visual body guide of your weight loss) ... These will not be shared ... Id hate to blind you with my pale-ness!
 2.) Thursday January 24th Wear new "tight" Dress to work
 3.) Sunday January 27th ... Go try on some jeans!

STEP 4: EAT & DRINK! You will be amazed at the results if you follow this! DO NOT CHEAT! We are on our way to a Fabulous February!

So good luck loves! I know you can ALL do this! & after this 17 day "cycle" hopefully it will have created new healthy lifestyle habits that will help you continue to loose weight and KEEP IT OFF!

Coming up: All this week I will be posting photos and average pricing for each salad! (For those of you who may not be starting with us today) We want our waist small and wallets FAT! As well as crafty and clever ways to keep yourself busy ... and avoid becoming a Boredom Binge-r!    

So excited for all we can LOOSE!

LOVE: ME 

My Top 3 Tips & Tricks

Hello Loves!

Well we start our FIRST 17 Day Cycle ... TOMORROW! I am so excited and feeling so motivated thanks to you and the overwhelming response I've had to my blog! I can’t say thank you enough!

Now onto my goodies! These tips and tricks will help you kick-ass over the next seventeen days!


 1. CARBMASTER: I swear by these yogurts! At only 4 grams of carbohydrates and 60 calories these are the best Ive found! & they taste pretty good! I buy mine at Ralph's and they are $0.50 EACH!









2. DOWNLOAD:  I downloaded a Target Weight Tracker onto my iPhone to keep track of my progress and also keep my butt in check. This app was helpful when I weighed myself every morning it was a daily reminder of how close I was to reaching my goal!

   

     3.  CHUG IT: I am never without my Starbucks Trenta Plastic Cup! I know that this cup is 30 ounces and it makes keeping track of my water intake simple! (I need at least 3 full glasses) So get yourself a cup or refillable water bottle that you know the ounces of so you can easily track your water intake  

 FOR TOMORROW: 

1. Weigh yourself 

2. Write it down

3. Pack your lunch: For the first day we don't have a second salad portion from the night before ... so make sure you pack your yogurts and fruit  and focus mostly on your water and tea! But you can pack yourself a sandwich, soup, etc.

4. Get focused and excited :] 

Also tomorrow I will be sharing my "Start" weight as well as sharing my salad photos and more recipes for Saturday morning smoothies and more Tips like "How to Eat Out" and how to fake a cocktail!

I hope you all had a great weekend and are SERIOUSLY ready to start tomorrow :]

LOVE:ME