Weddings, weddings, weddings!

I thought I would blog about my wedding details today since that's what's been on my mind! 117 days to go! Yikes.

I'm getting married at a yacht club, so we decided to go with a nautical wedding, which is actually very dear to our hearts. My dad loves to spend time with his yacht club buddies and on his boat, and some of the best times I've had have been with him and our family out on the boat. The Clover Island Yacht Club was just rebuilt in 2009. There's been a light house added to the island, along with a brewery and restaurant.

My wedding colors are navy, white, and coral, with some yellow accents. The navy and yellow look so beautiful together. The bridesmaid dresses are coral and the groomsmen are wearing navy blue sport coats and khakis (with boat shoes!).




We're going to decorate the ceiling with paper lanterns and draping sheer cloth. Beautiful and romantic feel!

Wedding colors and inspirations boards!

And instead of cake, we're going to be having cupcakes. But those I'm keeping a secret until the wedding ;)

Hope you enjoyed your sneak preview!

I'll post pictures from the wedding when they're available.

--HB

Slacking

I've been extra lazy this week. I've only done one work out in the mornings...I've just been so tired! I haven't been pigging out though, so I guess that's a plus! I've been super busy with tracking down addresses for my save the dates, which were supposed to go out Monday. If I get them in the mail Saturday morning, I'll be happy. There's 121 days left until I get married. Yikes! I feel like I haven't done much of anything. I guess I've got a lot of things planned though. I have: a venue, a caterer, a DJ, an officiant, a dress, a GROOM, my bridesmaids and their dresses, groomsmen, a wedding theme (nautical!), and more plans...

I need: shoes, a hair dresser, nail appointments, jewelry, veil, make-up artist, flights, and the list goes on, and if I were to sit here and think of them all I might have a break down. I'm going to email my "wedding planner" with a few ideas so I feel more organized.

So, I found this neat website where it gives you the '411' on food. It's http://www.hungry-girl.com, and it's got some great substitute ideas for high-fat/calorie foods for low-fat/low-cal stuff. Like these noodles I tried, tofu shirataki noodles, they only have 20 calories per serving (opposed to 200 calories of regular pasta per serving). They stink! But, they taste like whatever you put on them. You have to really rinse them well and dry them, but it's worth the calorie exchange. I used them in stir fry last night which had broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, onion, water chestnuts, sprouts, and chicken! Jeez, that was a lot of chopping.

Oh! And I called on my treadmill part yesterday. It's out of stock and back ordered. I tried to explain to the man that I was getting married and that treadmill was ESSENTIAL to my weight loss. He laughed and said "I understand ma'am, and I'm very sorry it's taking so long..." I wanted to scream that I only had 120 days left! But I calmly said thank you for your help and hung up. Stupid treadmill. It's finally staying light past 5:00 so I think I'll be able to run after work soon. On a lighter note, literally, I can tell that my pants aren't as tight. Yessssssss! Finally a little reward for the work I've been doing.

After I mail my save the dates this weekend, I think I'm going to make a batch of muffins, I found them on sassy fit's blog. This is the recipe:

APPLE-CINNAMON OAT-BRAN MUFFINS

This recipe's so delicious you won't even realize it's also heart-healthy

Heart Guards
Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min

These baked beauties are a cardiologist's dream food--the pectin fiber in apples, the oat bran, and the vitamin E-rich canola oil are loved by docs because together they lower both total and LDL cholesterol and keep insulin and blood sugar levels under control.
But protecting yourself against heart disease won't even cross your mind when this dessert-worthy combo of apples, cinnamon, and nutmeg hits your taste buds. Too yummy to be typecast as breakfast muffins, they can be popped anytime for a filling and satisfying bite. Make a full batch of these and pack one in the morning for your mid-day sugar craving at work!
1/2 c oat bran1 c whole-wheat flour1/4 c ground flaxseed1 tsp baking soda1 1/2 tsp baking powder1 tsp ground cinnamon1 tsp nutmeg1 egg, beaten4 Tbsp canola oil1/3 c applesauce1 shredded apple1/4 c sugar1/4 c chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together bran, flour, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg and oil until smooth. Stir in applesauce, shredded apple, and sugar. Combine mixtures and fold in pecans.
4. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool on a wire rack.
Makes 12. Per muffin: 147 cal, 9 g fat (1 g sat), 163 mg sodium, 18 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 3 g protein

Though I might substitute the sugar with truvia. That eliminates about 100 calories from the whole batch, not a ton, but every little bit counts!

Okay-work time!

--HB

Weekend report

Friday afternoon I headed to Pullman, WA to check out my friend Sandra's new apartment and see her school. She's a graduate student at WSU getting her MS. I'm very excited for her. She's also following my blog, and has been using some of my recipes. When I got to her apartment, she was cooking me a healthy recipe she had found and it was so delicious I wanted to post it on here.

Five-Spice Turkey and Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup of water
• 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 large red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts, rinsed and chopped
• 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce (see Note)
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder (see Note)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 heads Boston lettuce, leaves separated
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs, such as cilantro, basil, mint and/or chives
• 1 large carrot, shredded

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice; reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. We used regular brown rice, which took 45 minutes to cook, feel free to prepare the rice ahead of time.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add turkey and ginger; cook, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through, about 6 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice, bell pepper, water chestnuts, broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt; cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

To serve, spoon portions of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves, top with herbs and carrot and roll into wraps.

Sandra used extra cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and pepper to season the turkey. The extra spice and kick was delicious! We also cooked extra brown rice and served it as a side. 1/2 cup cooked brown rice= 85 calories. The meal was 370 calories total.

Nutrition

Per serving: 285 calories; 11 g fat (3 g sat, 1 g mono); 66 mg cholesterol; 24 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein; 5 g fiber; 543 mg sodium; 390 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (150% daily value), Vitamin C (140% dv), Iron (25% dv), Folate (20% dv).

_____________

I showed Sandra some of my vinyasa yoga and we were going to get up Sunday morning and do some...but I guess coffee and sweet orange rolls sounded more appealing. :) whoops.

I'm still waiting on my treadmill part! Gosh! I'm calling Reebok again today and asking where it is. Hopefully it will come this week. I'm taking my dress in for alterations in 2-3 weeks. The thing about my dress is, the places that need the most alterations really have nothing to do with weight loss, which is good, because I didn't want to get too thin, and I definitely don't want to gain weight either. So hopefully my dress will fit just right :) I really need to tone my arms...they're definitely wobbly and in poor form! I think I'm going to use this work out, along with my yoga and pilates, to tone my arms.

Compliments of womenshealthmag.com

Pushup2

Get in a pushup position on hands and knees. Lower your chest, then push up as fast as you can. (If you can, clap hands in the air.)

SETS: 2

REPS: 12-15

REST: 60 sec

Close-Grip Cable Row2

Sit with your abs tight, lower back slightly arched, shoulder blades squeezed back, and torso upright. Lean forward from the hips to grasp close-grip handles and return to the upright position (A).

Squeeze your shoulder blades and row toward your chest, pulling the handles back as far as possible while keeping your arms close to your body (B). The rowing motion should come from your upper back, not your arms or lower back. Don't jerk your body backward to complete the movement. Slowly extend your arms to return the handles to the starting upright position.

SETS: 2

REPS: 12-15

REST: 60 sec

Stability Ball Lat Swim2

Grab a pair of 2-pound dumbbells and kneel over a stability ball, keeping your feet where the wall and floor meet (it will help brace you). Walk out until your body forms a straight line and lift the dumbbells in front of you to shoulder height, palms down. Keeping your arms straight and palms down, squeeze your lats (think shoulder blades) and bring your arms to your sides. Bring them back in front of you. If this is too hard, start with no weights, and perform the exercise until your form breaks.

SETS: 2

REPS: 12-15

REST: 60 sec

Floor Dip2
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and hands at your sides, directly underneath your shoulders. Hoist your hips off the floor, like a crab. Next, bend your elbows and lower yourself toward the floor (without touching it), then straighten your arms.

SETS: 2

REPS: 12-15

REST: 60 sec

21's 2
Stand with a dumbbell in each hand, palms forward. Curl until elbows hit 90 degrees, then lower to start; do seven reps. Follow immediately with seven more curls, this time bringing the dumbbells to your armpits, then lowering until your elbows reach 90 degrees. Finish with seven complete curls, lowering the dumbbells to your hips and curling them all the way up.

SETS: 2

REPS: 12-15

REST: 60 sec

Now, for my meal plan today

Breakfast: Kashi GoLean! Crunch with non-fat milk and coffee with non-fat milk, no sugar

Lunch: Lean Cuisine- Lemon Chicken & hard boiled egg

Snacks: Cottage cheese & Orange, Granola bar & banana

Dinner: Mediterranean chicken and bow ties- now we usually use lots of noodles with this dish, but we're limiting our portions of bow tie pasta to 2 oz each, which is about 1 cup cooked pasta.

1 cup pasta: 200 cal

4 oz chicken: 110

Herbs, chicken broth, & olives: 50 calories

1 tsp olive oil: 40 calories

Thats all for now, have a great Monday!

--HB

Food day. Get some inspiration!

I wont lie, one of my favorite past times is eating. I love to experience food. So I though I'd share some of my favorite recipes and types of food today. Hope you Enjoy!



Tomato-Tortilla Soup Yield: 4 servings, serving size: 2 cups

Ingredients
2 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no salt added diced tomatoes. with juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Brush both sides of each tortilla with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the oil. Cut the tortillas in half, then cut each half into 1/4-inch wide strips. Arrange the strips on a baking sheet, sprinkle with the salt, and bake until crisp and golden, about 12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoons of oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, and oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the broth and tomatoes, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in lime juice.

Remove the pan from the heat and puree with an immersion blender or in 2 batches in a regular blender until the soup lightens in color but chunks of tomato remain, about 30 seconds. Serve the soup topped with the tortilla strips, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkle of cilantro.

Per Serving:

Calories 270; Total Fat 10g (Sat Fat 2g, Mono Fat 3.5g, Poly Fat 2g); Protein 9g; Carb 36g; Fiber 4g; Cholesterol 8mg; Sodium 335mg

Excellent Source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C

Good Source of: Fiber, Niacin, Phosphorus, Iron, Vitamin K, Protein




Stawberry Mozzarella Salad. Sounds weird, but it's delicious!


Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 heart romaine lettuce, torn or cut into bite-sized pieces (3 cups lightly packed)
1 8-ounce container of strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 ounces part-skim mozzarella cheese, diced (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons
Directions
In a small bowl whisk together the oil, vinegar salt and pepper. Place the lettuce in a large bowl and toss with half the dressing. Place the lettuce onto 4 salad plates.

Toss the strawberries with the remaining dressing and place 1/4 of the berries on top of each mound of lettuce. Top each with cheese and sprinkle with the basil.

Calories 150; Total Fat 12 g; (Sat Fat 3.5 g, Mono Fat 5 g, Poly Fat 1 g) ; Protein 6 g; Carb 7 g; Fiber 2 g; Cholesterol 15 mg; Sodium 320 mg

Excellent source of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C

Good source of: Protein, Vitamin K, Calcium, Manganese





Emerald Stir-Fry with Beef

Ingredients
1/4 cup mirin or semisweet white wine, like Riesling
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons canola oil
8 ounces beef round tip steak, sliced 1/4-inch thick
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups fresh snow peas (6 ounces)
1 large bunch broccoli (1 1/4 pounds) trimmed and cut into small florets
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), trimmed and sliced on diagonal into 2-inch pieces
2 cups (8 ounces) frozen shelled edamame
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Directions
Combine mirin or white wine, orange juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar, red pepper flakes and water in a small bowl.

In a large wok or very large (14-inch) saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, until just browned, about 2 minutes. Transfer the beef to a plate. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat and cook garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add snow peas, broccoli, asparagus and edamame, raise heat to medium-high, and cook for 3 minutes until vegetables are slightly softened. Add the mirin-soy mixture and cook, stirring, until edamame are cooked and asparagus is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the beef and dissolved cornstarch and stir to incorporate. Cook until mixture thickens slightly and beef is heated through, an additional 2 minutes. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve.

Per Serving:
(1 serving equals 2 cups stir-fry and 3 tablespoons sauce)

Calories 400; Total Fat 15 g; (Sat Fat 2 g, Mono Fat 6 g, Poly Fat 3 g) ; Protein 29 g; Carb 34 g; Fiber 11 g; Cholesterol 32 mg; Sodium 625 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, Phosphorus, Zinc

Good source of: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Calcium, Magnesium, Manganese, Potassium, Selenium




Healthy Breakfast Sandwich



Ingredients
Nonstick cooking spray
4 eggs and 4 egg whites
1/4 cup minced chives
1/4 cup minced parsley
4 whole-wheat English muffins
4 1/2-inch round slices Canadian bacon
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
Directions
Crack eggs and egg whites into a bowl and whisk. Add chives and parsley and stir to incorporate. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Ladle 1/4 egg mixture into skillet and cook, omelet style, until eggs are cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Slide omelet onto a plate and repeat with remaining eggs; cover with foil to keep warm. In same skillet, heat Canadian bacon until warm, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Toast English muffin. Fold omelet in to fit English muffin, then place omelet on 1 muffin half. Top with a bacon slice, then tomato, then top with other muffin half.

Per Serving

Calories 330; Total Fat 13 g; (Sat Fat 5 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 1 g) ; Protein 25 g; Carb 31 g; Fiber 5 g; Cholesterol 245 mg; Sodium 920 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Calcium, Manganese, Phosphorus, Selenium

Good source of: Vitamin B6, Folate, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc




Pasta Primavera


Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1 red bell pepper, cleaned, seeded and cut into strips (6 ounces)
1/2 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup sliced button mushrooms (4 ounces)
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 (6 ounces)
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1/2 cup 1 percent milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 large carrot (6 ounces) peeled and sliced into strips with a peeler (about 2 cups carrot ribbons)
3/4 pound whole-wheat linguine
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1/4 cup shredded basil leaves
Directions
Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Cook garlic until soft, about 1 minute. Add peppers and cook until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, asparagus and tomatoes and cook until softened, an additional 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add chicken stock, milk, salt and pepper and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook until liquid has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrot strips.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water. Toss pasta with vegetables and sauce. Add pasta water, if necessary, to loosen mixture. Serve garnished with Parmesan, parsley and basil.

Per Serving

Serving Size, 2 cups pasta plus 2 tablespoons cheese, plus parsley and basil

Calories 480; Total Fat 11 g; (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 3 g, Poly Fat 0.5 g) ; Protein 22 g; Carb 76 g; Fiber 10 g; Cholesterol 10 mg; Sodium 610 mg

Excellent source of: Protein, Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Calcium, Potassium

Good source of: Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Iron, Manganese, Phosphorus, Selenium





Those are a few meal ideas, but what about snacks? Well, here's a few that will tide you over until dinner!


Peanut Butter and Whole-Wheat Crackers



Combine lean protein, fiber and healthy fat and you've got a satisfying snack. Protein and fiber work for cutting down and controlling hunger, while fat takes a bit longer to digest and keeps you feeling full longer. Peanut butter is high in healthy monounsaturated fats, but be sure to portion out one tablespoon to keep calories in check.

Portion: 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter and 4 whole-wheat crackers
Total: 180 calories, 5 grams of protein



Low-Fat Cottage Cheese and Fruit


With its good balance of protein, carbs and fat, cottage cheese is one of the most underappreciated foods. Add fiber with fresh fruit, such as berries, melon, pears or pineapple, for a perfect snack. A 1/2-cup serving contains 7% of your daily calcium needs, which is important for healthy bones.

Portion: 1/2 cup low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup sliced or 1 medium piece of fresh fruit
Total calories: 140 calories, 14 grams protein



Hummus with Sliced Veggies



This Middle Eastern chickpea spread is packed with protein, fiber and heart-healthy unsaturated fats. Veggies like carrots, bell peppers and broccoli make great dippers and add good nutrients, including beta-carotene, vitamin C and, of course, more belly-filling fiber. Two tablespoons of plain hummus has 50 calories and 3 grams of fat, so you're probably better off measuring out two to three tablespoons instead of sitting down with the entire container.

Portion: 3 tablespoons of plain hummus plus 1 cup of sliced veggies
Total calories: 120 calories, 7 grams protein



Trail Mix


Almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts or pecans are full of healthy fat, fiber and protein. A delicious homemade trail mix is simple: Portion out a handful of nuts and mix in two tablespoons of dried fruit like raisins, cranberries or apricots. To minimize calories, choose nuts that are dry roasted or raw. For a change of pace, throw in whole-wheat pretzels or some of your favorite cereal (I've been on a Puffins kick lately). Packing your trail mix in plastic bags or containers makes it easy to grab and go. If you find yourself plowing through your snack mix, try using shelled nuts that will take longer to eat.

Portion: 15 nuts plus 2 tablespoons of dried fruit
Total calories: 170 calories, 7 grams protein

Well, now that I've spent about an hour thinking about food...I'm going to go make some. Maybe I'll whip up one of those breakfast sammy's, sounds delicious!

With a hungry belly,

--HB

My state of mind.

I need some sunshine! For goodness sake. It's so dreary it's making me crazy. Which leads me to my next point. I'm extremely unfocused today, a little jittery, and ready fo some excitement, it might have something to do with how much coffee I've had. But who's counting? It's strange that I'm feeling both perky and glum from the weather. So please, can I have some sunshine?? 

This morning I got up at my usual time and did some stretching yoga, I'm a little stiff today from the vinyasa. Which is a good sign I guess. My abs and legs are a bit sore.  I've been thinking of doing some wii fit in the mornings too for toning sessions. They have some cool strength training exercises. I haven't been on the wii fit in months! Hopefully it doesn't make me feel guilty. When you get on the wii after it's been a while it kind of gives you a guilt trip. It asks you how you've been eating and exercising... 

My cats are really very good at yoga. They show me up every time. The only thing I'm better at is holding my pose. They only hold their poses for 3 seconds at best! Silly kitties. When my treadmill was working they would try to run with me, although, that's really not their forte. So I think they'll stick with yoga. I think Mr. Grey needs to go on a diet... But I'll leave that up to him.

I have tomorrow off for a funeral, so I'll be at home while blogging, and I'm thinking I'll do a healthy food blog with recipes so you (and me) can get some meal inspirations.  If I can figure out how to post pictures on here I'll even include those!  I might even have time to run, since I'll have some free time during daylight. Hopefully it doesn't rain tomorrow. 

My meals for today
Bfast: kashi golean! crunch with non-fat milk & coffee
Lunch: left over chicken and brown rice
Snacks: hard boiled egg, banana, orange, trailmix chewey granola bar
Dinner: spagetti with quinoa spagetti noodles, steamed veggies. 

I need to find some new recipes! I'm getting tired of the same ol' foods! Maybe you can hit a food plateau.  

Okay, time to work. Thinking of you all!

<3 HB   

Becoming a yogi.

Wake at 4:10am. Move to couch. Pet cats. Close eyes and wait to hear coffee maker turn on. Finally 'wake' up at 4:30. My friend Tessa is coming over at 5:00 to do some vinyasa with me. Ahhhhhhh. So challenging but relaxing when it's all over. I think we're going to do yoga Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have this app on my iPhone that plays soothing music so we put that on and focus on our breathing and poses. It gets pretty intense towards the end. 

I haven't been sleeping well! I think I've been waking up at night because I'm too cold.  I don't know, but I need some good rest! I was fine during yoga, but now all I can do is yawn. I think I'm in for a long day. Good thing I've got dinner planned and prepped! Yay. 

Dinner last night was not satisying. Remind me not to listen to Jared again for dinner ideas :p. As temped as I was to eat something else that tasted good, I asked myself if I was hungry...nope. Full of food I didn't like. Oh well... I'll be satisfied tonight! 

Food for today
Bfast: oatmeal (again) and coffee
Lunch: lean cuisine
Snack: orange, banana, and turkey roll ups (turkey slices with bell peppers in the middle)
Dinner: lime & pepper chicken, brown rice, steamed veggies. 

What I love about this dinner is that the marinade for the chicken (lime juice and fresh ground pepper) is less than 50 calories. Total, not per serving. So you get all the flavor and not the calories. And, the chicken only needs to marinate for 30 minutes. I cooked the brown rice Sunday, when I made light orange chicken, so there's no wait on that. I love brown rice, but it takes 45 minutes to cook! I'm hoping, if Jared helps me, it will only take about 30 to cook, not counting the marinating time. 

I've been practicing being a wife. Haha. I cooked and cleaned the last two days with out asking for help, but I'm pretty sure Jared knows it's time to help out. He thanked me profusely last night for doing it. Which was nice! 

I really miss my treadmill! I hope the part comes soon. Maybe since I'm changing up my work out routine it will help me avoid a plateau.  I wonder, can you hit a plateau by eating the same foods? I basically eat the same kind of foods each week. Just mixing up the days. Hmmmm. I'll have to look that up. If you have any foods that you love that I'm not eating and you think I should try, let me know!

Until tomorrow,
HB

Improvising.

Week four

Treadmill still broken, I haven't worked out in four days, but I'm finally feeling better. So maybe this evening I'll do some lifting.  It's hard for me to do cardio with out my treadmill because it's dark and freezing when I wake up and dark and slightly less cold when I get home. I don't like running in the dark by myself. And Jared doesn't want to run after work and you know he's not getting up at 4:00! 

So this week, since my cardio will be limited, I'm going to really focus on my eating habits. Jared and I came up with meal plans for this week so we weren't scrambling to get dinner together. We made a list of dinners for this week and and for lunch (individually) and then based our shopping list off that. Today I'm eating:
Breakfast: oatmeal with cinnamon and truvia and coffee. 
Lunch: tuna with chopped up onion, celery, and red-yellow-green bell peppers. Salt and pepper to taste. The tuna will go on Kavli crisp bread (50 calories for 3 crackers). I used and individual packet of albacore tuna and 2 tsp of mayo made with olive oil. 
Snacks: apple sauce, blood orange, and banana. 
Dinner: our own healthy version of hamburger helper. With whole wheat pasta and lots of veggies. 

So, I'm thinking for cardio, I can do jumping jacks, burpees, and jumping over a line, back and forth. I know that those exercises really get my heart pumping and leave me out of breath! 

On a different note, I am very ready for spring. Winter here is dreary, wet, and cold. With no snow. The dreariness makes it hard to stay motivated! 

This week is crunch time. I've got to buy 300 stamps so I can send out save the dates, print off my address labels, and mail 250 save the dates! Yikes! Jared needs to design the invites and program and the center piece! I did a cupcake tasting with my sister this weekend, she's making them, and they were soooo tasty. She's a very talented baker! 

Stay tuned for more healthy and delicous meals and updates on week four!

-HB