I’ve been trying to gather a few things to take with us this weekend on our little get away and I pulled out my favorite comfy lounge pants and a shirt that is about four sizes too big for me, but also one of my most comfortable and favorites. I had everything stacked neatly on the bed, and Marcel commented that my choice of sleeping attire left something to be desired and commented that maybe I should be thinking about wearing corsets instead. I just gave him ‘the look’ and he said that he thought he might have to do a little shopping of his own. I didn’t comment and walked off to tend to dinner. And in case you’re wondering- I am taking my lounge pants and favorite shirt, and WILL be wearing them.
May 13, 2010
May 10, 2010
The “Skinny” on Eating Out Without Derailing Your Efforts
In my journey to a healthier lifestyle and to shed myself of the pounds, one of the things that I have found to be the most challenging is eating out. When I am at home and whipping up something in the kitchen, I know what I’m cooking, exactly what ingredients are going into what I eat, and it’s easy to formulate the calorie content. Going out for dinner and reading a menu can be like trying to find your way through the jungle. The good thing is, most restaurants now offer an online menu with nutritional information, so if you plan ahead, you can decide what you want before you get there, and not be faced with any distractions. If that isn’t the case, there are actually words that should send up red flags when you are ordering and wanting to make healthy choices, becasue more often than not, these words mean unhealthy choices.
Since SparkPeople shared those words with me today, I thought it would be great to spread the wealth and share them with you.
Watch out for these Words when Reading the Menu:
- Breaded
- Fried-Deep Fried
- Creamed- Creamy
- Béarnaise or hollandaise
- White sauce
- Crispy
- Cheesy
- Buttery
- Loaded
- Bottomless
- “Bet you can’t finish it.”
- Au gratin
- Country Style
- Volcano
As you can see there is quite a list, but luckily there is also a list of healthy words to watch for that generally indicates that the item is a healthier option. Those words are:
Healthier Words to Watch for:
- Steamed
- Reduced
- Baked
- Marinated
- Seasoned
- Fat-Free
- Whole Wheat
- Multi-grain
- Vegetarian
- Light
- High Fiber
- Fresh
- Red Sauce
- Vinaigrette
With a little plannning you can stay on track with healthy eating even when you eat out. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t deprive yourself and never have a treat, but it means that eating out doesn’t have to derail your efforts. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for substitutions. Some restaurants may charge a small fee, but I don’t mind paying extra for a baked potato instead of having french fries. The calories and fat start adding up when you make little changes.
May 9, 2010
Tiptoeing….
It’s no secret that tulips are one of my favorite flowers, and earlier this week when I had a chance to literally go tiptoeing through the tulips, I grabbed my camera and off I went.
I actually thought they would be past their peak, but surprisingly there were some colors that were just starting to bloom. As you can see, it’s a sea of color and I walked along the field passing each color and taking a moment to pause and take in the beauty that each color had to offer.
The smell was almost intoxicating, and once I walked through all the colors, I decided rather than walking back that jogging may be more fun, plus get the heart pumping a little harder than usual.
I’m sure Marcel and his mom wondered what I was running from. Maybe they even thought that one of the tulip farmers was hot on my tail, but nothing could have been further from the truth. I simply wanted to run alongside the beautiful colors and make my way back to them. Once I made it back, I asked Marcel to take a few pictures of me lying in the tulips. Even though he gave me an odd look when I asked, he obliged me, and my favorite is now my Facebook profile photo.
This is one of many ‘little’ things that bring joy to my life. I think it’s important to tap into those things that bring us joy and spend time with them.
What brings you joy?
May 8, 2010
Gratitude- May 8, 2010
I haven’t posted a gratitude list in a while, and I figured before I dash out the door to take JJ for a walk, I’d add a few things that I’m grateful for today.
My Gratitude List for May 8, 2010.
Today I’m Grateful For:
- Starbucks coffee, not once- but twice.
- A day spent in the company Bobbi and Kimmie, which was a blast.
- The rain holding off while we were out and about today so we didn’t get drenched.
- No wind.
- Not having to cook because I prepared everything yesterday.
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Having a Pup means More Walking
My favorite little canine is snoozing at the moment and as much as I hate to wake him up and take him out to walk in what appears to be rain, it looks like I’m going to have to. I’m expecting Desere any minute now, and I know if I don’t take him now- I’ll have to take him the moment she arrives.
One of the great things about having a dog is that it’s great in making sure that you get the exercise you need. I was telling someone the other day who was talking about weight loss, that with a dog in the house, you don’t need things like phentermine, because as much as we walk, the weight has been melting away.
In fact, yesterday I tried on a pair of pants that had been a little snug, and they were loose. I was definitely doing a happy dance to that one.
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Funny Things
Today while I was out shopping and having lunch with to of my dear gal pals, we came across some pretty interesting and funny products. One of the ones that I thought was probably the most interesting was dental floss that tates like salad. Before you ask, yes, it’s green. I took a picture of it with my ‘eye’, and I’ll have to add it to this post later. I couldn’t help but laugh.
Dental floss that tastes like salad– seriously?
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There is Help
It seems like everywhere you look these days there is someone struggling with addiction. Addiction problems, be it drug or alcohol seem to be growing at rampant rates. When a person decides that they’d like to get treatment for their addiciton, they don’t always have the time to go through lengthy detox programs, which is why rapid detox is a solution that works well for many. The program allows an 8 hour detox which is the eqivalent to going through an 8 day program, and offers hope to those who are ready to make a change in their life and get the addiction under control. Help is available.
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May 7, 2010
So Much to Say- So Little Time
I really have so much that I’d like to talk about but at the moment it seems that I have so many irons in the proverbial fire that I haven’t been able to collect my thoughts to write about everything I’d like to write about. I keep saying I’m going to sit down, clear my head and just start tapping out my thoughts, but it seems like there is one thing or another that comes up preventing me from doing so.
Right now, I have a headache that I can’t seem to get rid of, in spite of downing several Advil and a huge glass of water. Maybe my afternoon cup of coffee will help. Let’s hope.
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I Thought I Saw
A few days ago I was looking in the mirror and I thought I saw a wrinkle! Yes, yes, I know how terribly vain of me not to want wrinkles, but I figure at the young age of 42, I really shouldn’t be getting them, especially since I don’t spend much time out in the sunshine and I lead a pretty healthy lifestyle.
Upon closer inspection I guess you could say it was more of a forehead wrinkle that we all get, but I still couldn’t help thinking about wrinkle cream reviews and wondering if there are any out there that would be beneficial, provided I should need them in the near future. Mom is 20 years older than I without a wrinkle in sight, so I’m hoping that I’ll take after her and not need them for a long time to come. I’d like to be prepared though, just in case.
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The Price of Beauty
Earlier this week I spent some time laying (yes laying) in the middle of the tulips. While at the time it seemed like a great idea, I can’t say that after the fact that it was really one of my most brilliant moves because I’ve been having major allergy issues ever since. I think if someone used a Symbol LS2208 to scan my head, they’d find that there were little masses of pollen swimming around irritating my sinus cavities and driving me bonkers.
If I had it to do over again would I do it? Absolutely- after all, beauty sometimes comes with a price, but this one was worth it.
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