Weekly Wrap Up

I've had a few requests to go back to doing a weekly "what's going on" kind of thing so here we are with my weekly wrap up.

PROJECTS:  This weeks project was a little wall hanging for the Living Room.  I forgot how good I am at scrapbooking and the like so I decided to get back to doing what I love.  My goal is to create a project at least once a week.  Now that I know we might have to stay in England for an extra year, I am super focused on making it even more homey feeling.  I used my MY MINDS EYE products (sunshine) and made 3 different "LOVE SQUARES" as I like to call them.

Here it is in full.  To start, I used one 12x12 glittered sheet and cut it into 6x6 pieces.  I wanted to make sure the glitter was on all sides.  I used the adhesive runner and a little hot glue to stick it onto 6x6in chip board

For the First square I used a long strip of Burlap and hand twisted it into a flower.  I randomly placed little bits of hot glue inside to make sure the "Petals" stayed together.  I used the very first picture we took in 2012 (Midnight to be exact) and used it, along with some Cut outs.  My favorite says "I will love you Forever and a day"  Cute.  I used a glue gun, double sided tape and an adhesive runner.

There was a yellow button in the flower but it felt out

Here on the second square I used one of my favorite pictures from Spain and the CUTE letters from my Lost and found set.  Use a couple of cute labels on the side that say "My favorite" and Laugh out loud"

For the last square I used Washi Masking tape to hold the picture and cut an extra piece of the 12 X12 paper to make a bottom border.  I also have the 6x6 paper pad for this so I used one of those to cut out the little bird and background addition.  I ended it all with a lovely layered sticker and a few more labels.

I really love my projects so this was fun to get done.  Our walls are really bare so I have quite a few more projects this week.

Wedding:  FINALLY done with all the invitations thank God.  It took quite a long time with all the cutting and stapling and folding.  So thankful that we are having a small wedding this time.  Next time I will surely have to get them made because I refuse to do anything else lol.  Call me lazy but I don't want anything to do with it.  Now they are ready to be shopped off to mommy so she can do everything else to them.  The glories of having a mother

Hair:  I took my braids out and it was an all over the place mess.  I love it though.  Its been about a year since my chop.  I don't call it a big chop because I had let my natural grow out some with braids while I was in Korea before I cut it all.  I am loving the way it looks now.  I JUST figured out my hair category is a 3c-4a, which basically means my hair is kinky curly and awesome lol.  It gets dry REALLY fast so I have to make sure to keep it extra lubricated.  I have some new products coming in from Amazon and Curtmart.com so I will update you on all of those later.  Can't wait for my hair to grow out like my hair crush's hair.  Until then, I make this face whenever I have to do something to it.

HEALTH: I have been back on the Slow Carb diet and having some pretty good success.  Yesterday was my second cheat day and while I KNOW I didn't overdo it, I can definitely say that I should have made better decisions.  Let's just say that what I ate tasted way better going down than it down coming up.  We have decided that we will do more structured cheat days instead of just losing our damn minds.  Lost 6lbs the first week and only 1 last week :/ but this week is sure to be better.  Looking forward to seeing those 1's again.

That's it right now.  I have been so occupied with everything that I have been lax in my blogging.  BUT NO MORE! lol TTYL.



As far as hair goes, what do you do with yours??

Modification for the Situation

HAPPY NEW YEAR

So I know I've already posted since the year began but I was concentrating on the meal plan so I haven't posted about my life in general.  So first things first HAPPY NEW YEAR!!  Even though right now I am watching the MOST depressing episode of Criminal Minds I am in high spirits.  INSANITY is going fantastic.  So far, no skipped days!  

The First Picture of 2012

 We recently went shopping and picked up some new workout equipment.  Some new 5 finger feet shoes, a new workout outfit, some 30 lb weights, and some resistance bands for my TURBOFIRE!  I love new stuff.

Not as good as it used to be but hey... I'll get there

So not for the purpose of this entry---

Modification for the Situation. 

I have recently hit a standoff.  Some like to call it a plateau but I prefer standoff.  I see my chunky self and my fit self standing across from each other holding bazookas and grenades just waiting for one to make a move.  And yes, I do know my imagination is vivid.  So with all of my exercise and watching what I eat, I have found that I am stuck at the same stinky weight on the scale.

While my body is kicking INSANITY's ass (or getting its ass kicked depending on how you look at it), I am stuckity stuck stuck.  So I asked a few of my other coaches for their input and the overall response was...

EAT MORE

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA??? Do you know how long I have battled to learn how to eat less?  And now I gotta re-learn to eat more?  COME ON SON!  So I am once again the student.  How quickly we fall from grace young grasshopper!


So here I am revamping my life.  I am so happy to have motivation everywhere I look. I have coaches, I have Shaina's Fit Fighters, and I have Biggest Loser Group.  Lucky me!  So now the tasks at hand are:

1. Make a menu for the next few day
2. Eat 2000 calories
3. Eat 6-7 times
4. Remember that eating more doesn't mean eating bad (no hand full of chips as a snack)
5. More protein
6. Don't be afraid of Carbs (even the word makes me cringe)

So now you get to follow me down a whole new path of discovery.  I am actually thinking about utilizing the beach body meal plan through the club membership and let someone else do the thinking for me lol!  SIGH!!! Why can't losing weight be easy!?!?!

ANY IDEAS FOR ME???

7 Day Meal Plan! Days 5-7 and Gluten Free Cookies!

Well I gotta say ladies and gentlemen, this was no easy task.  Putting the meals together wasnt the problem but calculating all the calories and such was NOT fun.  Definitely made me realize just how much I eat (even more than I did before).  But I am looking forward to doing this again.  I sped up the meal plan because I knew people would want to start the year off right.  Next time I will get it all together BEFORE I ask how people would like it.  Hehehe leave to Shaina to be backwards!!! Without further adieu... days 5-7

Day 5

Breakfast

1 box of raisins- 42 calories

3 strawberries - 18 calories

1/2 large banana - 55 calories

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup oats (I use gluten free) - 190 calories

1/3 cup almond milk - 30 calories
1 Tbs cinnamon - 17 calories (I never measure but just incase you want to)

Nutmeg Tbs- 37 calories

1 Tbs Brown sugar  - 34 calories

Total Calories- 423

 Bring milk to a boil in a small sauce pan.  Turn down to low and add oats, cinnamon, raisins, sugar, butter, vanilla, and nutmeg.  Stir well and let simmer for 3 minutes.   There are two ways to make this oatmeal.  You can add the bananas and the strawberries and it all simmer for another 5-10 minutes.  This is my preferred way because the fruit is nice and warm and the sugary flavor can permeate all the way through.You can also add the fruit on top when you finished letting it simmer as I did in the pic below

Lunch

 (No time for cooking lunch this day, doggy dr. appointment)

Lean Pocket (Turkey and Cheese)- 280
Banana - 100

Total Calories - 380

Snack

1 cup Coconut Greek Yogurt - 312 calories

10 Blueberries - 7 calories 

Total Calories - 319

Dinner

The picture below shows the amount of veggies for 2 people

4 oz chicken- 110 calories
1 serving Red Pepper- 31 calories

1 serve Green Pepper- 30 calories

1 cup onions- 39 calories

1 potato - 128 calories
1 Zucchini- 45 calories (How awesome)
Balsamic Vinegar- 39 calories
2 Tbs Parmesan Cheese Shredded- 42 calories (opt)

Total calories - 464
Season chicken with Basil, Garlic salt, and season salt.  Fry(really sear) on both sides with olive oil for 2 minutes each.  Then bake on 300 for 35 - 50 minutes (depending on your oven).  Searing it first will ensure that it is juicy.  While chicken is baking, wash out chicken pan and pour in a nice amount of olive oil to heat for your veggies.  Chop onion, peppers, potato, and zucchini.  You can either bake or fry your potato before you put it in the veggie medley (I fry them).  While potato is frying, saute your veggies on medium heat.  Add potato and cover for 5 minutes.

I like my potatoes really brown as you can see

When chicken is done, add balsamic vinegar to veggies and saute.  Sprinkle cheese on top (my favorite recipe for veggies from Madrid!)
TOTAL CALORIES FOR THE DAY - 1586

Day 6

Breakfast
1 cup muesli- 289 calories

1/3 cup almond milk (warm) - 30 calories

1 Tbs Brown sugar  - 34 calories

Total Calories- 353

Lunch

 Shakeology - 150 calories
1 TSP peanut butter - 105 calories

1/2 Banana - 50 calories

Total Calories - 305

Snack

2 slices Turkey Bacon - 70 calories
2 slices bread- 200 calories
Slow roasted tomatoes- 12 per tomato
Mustard
Butter Lettuce
Total Calories- about 330

Dinner

6 oz lean steak - 318 calories
1/4 cup Mixed vegetables - 17 calories
1/4 cup black beans - 57 calories
Total 392 calories
I buy a bag of frozen mixed vegetables and the same black beans from the quesadilla recipe.  I season the steak with my favorites once again, black pepper, onion powder, season salt and soy sauce.  Broil in the oven until it is done just the way you like.

Day 7

Breakfast
1 egg- 56 calories
2 egg whites - 34 calories
Onions
red peppers
green peppers
2 slices turkey bacon- 70 calories
About 190 calories including veggies
I tend to go over board with the veggies in my omelet
Total Calories- 353

Lunch

 Chicken Salad
4 oz grilled chicken - 110 calories
Butter lettuce
Romaine lettuce
1 apple cut into small squares - 60 calories
Oven roasted tomatoes (see day 1 recipe here)
onions
2 Tbs shredded Parmesan cheese - 42 calories
Add calories for your choice of dressing.
Total Calories About 250 with veggies

Snack

4 Tbs Hummus - 140 calories
1 Pita - 202 calories
Preheat Oven to 450.  Cut the pita in triangles.  Rub a little olive oil on top and sprinkle with garlic salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crisp.  HOMEMADE CHIPS YUM!
Total Calories- 340 calories

Dinner

If you have followed all of this, you definitely owe yourself a night out! Nothing wrong with indulging once in a while!!  Have dinner on me (figuratively speaking!)

Speaking of Indulging!!


Here is the special 
Gluten Free 
Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe!


These cookies are the most delcious Ive tried (and when it comes to peanut butter cookies I have tried a lot)  The baking soda helps the rise and the chocolate chips completely set it off.  Best thing is they are only
100 calories per cookie!!!

1 cup Peanut Butter (organic if you can)

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325.  Stir together the first 4 ingredients.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop the dough by the tablespoons 2" apart on parchement paper lined baking sheet.  Bake for 12-14 minutes and then eat the most delicious thing you have ever had!

Even the chocolate chip cookie freak loved them!

That's all folks!!

7 day meal plan! Days 3 and 4

Welcome to days 3 and 4 of the Real persons meal plan.  If you haven't already, please also check out day 1 and 2 here.  So without fluff or too much talking (as I always do) here is the skinny.

Day 3

Breakfast

Apple pie Oatmeal

1 apple- 60 calories

1/2 cup oats (I use gluten free) - 190 calories

1 Tbs cinnamon - 17 calories (I never measure but just incase you want to)

Nutmeg Tbs- 37 calories

1 Tbs Brown sugar  - 34 calories

2 Tbs almond milk - 1.4 cal (so little huh)

Total Calories- 339.4

Cut apples into small pieces with skin on.  Sprinkle with cinnamon, and nutmeg and place in oven on 350 for 15 minutes.  Bring water to a boil for oatmeal.  Add oats and turn down heat.  Add apples and the rest of the ingredients (except the milk).  Cook until nice and gooey.  Add more brown sugar and almond milk on top.  Enjoy the awesomeness!

Lunch

1 cup Coconut Greek Yogurt - 312 calories

10 Blueberries - 7 calories 

Total Calories - 319

Snack

4 Tbs Hummus - 140 calories

12 pretzels- 137 calories

Total Calories - 277

Dinner

Quesadillas! Yum

Fajita- 202 calories each (you will need two but you will only eat half of this yummyness)

1 serving Red Pepper- 31 calories

1 serve Green Pepper- 30 calories

1/3 cup onions- 13 calories

Oven roasted tomatoes (See day 1 and 2)

1/4 cup black beans- 45 calories

1/4 cup corn- 30 calories

4 oz chicken- 110 calories

Sour cream if you choose

Cheese if you choose

Total calories - 461

pay no attention to the random oats lol!

Start by cooking the chicken (I sear it on top of the stove).  Season with black pepper, season salt, and garlic salt.  Preheat oven to 400.  Cut up veggies and drizzle in olive oil and bake on 400 until chicken is ready.  

To save time and dishes, I cook the black beans in a pot and the corn in a microwave safe dish.  Heat a new pan and spray with pam.  Place one fajita in the pan.  Top with all of the goodies (but remember you have to flip this). 

 Place another fajita on top, put a top over the pan and flip then slide the other side back into the pan (this can be tricky).  Once nice and crispy flip over onto plate again and cut in 4 pieces.  EAT HALF!! The numbers above are for 1/2 of the Quesadilla.  Enjoy.

TOTAL CALORIES FOR THE DAY - 1346.4

Day 4

Breakfast

1 egg (any style) - 56 calories

1 slice of toast - 100 calories

2 oz sausage - 110

OR

2-3 slices turkey bacon- 35 calories a slice

Total calories--- 276 OR 261

Lunch

1/2 of yesterdays Quesadilla leftovers (so 1/4 of whole)-- 230.5 calories

12 pretzels- 137 calories

Total calories- 367 calories

Snack

Apple- 60 calories

1 Tsp peanut butter- 105 calories

Total --165 calories

Dinner

Fancy Pants burgers

5 oz LEAN hamburger meat - 246 calories

1 tsb Feta Cheese- 80 calories

Butter Lettuce (for buns)

slow roasted tomatoes

1/4 cup grilled onions -- 13

15- 20 sun chips (i like harvest cheddar) - about 100 calories

Total Calories- 439 calories

Heal a small amount of pan in you pan (that sounds funny, pam in your pan hehehe) and make burger patties.  Stuff the feta cheese inside you hambuger patty and fry until cooked to your liking.  Us the big leaves of  the butter lettuce for the buns (You can use bread, but I try to stay away from grain when I am having oily hamburger meat.  If you must have bread, try open faced).  Add your fixins.  Serve with chips.  

TOTAL CALORIES FOR THE DAY - 1147

(Again, a little wiggle room to add your own tasties if you choose)

Be sure to come back tomorrow for days 5-7 and a special treat!  

7 day meal plan! Days 1 and 2

What up boos and boo-etts!!!! As promised, this is a real look at my meal plan.  I hate when I am starting a new workout plan or diet and I am given bullshit meal ideas that NO ONE wants to eat everyday.  Granted, their results are a little healthier and quite possibly yield faster results than mine, but at the end of the day, I can no longer do BS meal plans that I can't stick with.  I like real food.  I like cooking.  I like serving my man something that I know will make him want to lick the plate.  So here is a glance at what my menu will look like for a given week (this past week to be exact).

Some things you may want to know-

• This is my first attempt at documenting all my recipes and meals for other people to follow.  If it is a little rough, forgive me.  It took quite a while to get everything together.  
• The posts would be too long if I didn't split it up so I will post 3 to finish the series!
• I don't have a fancy camera.  If you're here, chances are you aren't here for pretty food photography and garnishes.  I take the picture while its in the pot or on the paper plate because I don't like doing dishes either.  
• I repeat meals.  Especially breakfast.  Simple + Easy x Tasty= Maintaining.  
• I drink Shakeology (click the link, you know you want to) and I try to have it on a daily basis.  If keeps me...ahem...regular.  Skin looks good, nails look good, and I am so energized.  I LOVE IT!! ANDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD NOWWWWW I am an official Beach Body coach and I am selling it so if you want to get some pleaseeeeeeeeee let me know!  However!! I am going to try to add alternatives that you can replace the Shakeology with.  
• I try to stay within 1400-1800 calories a day.  I include all the caloric values so you can add to or take away from all I have.
• You need a food scale.  Like 10 bucks at walmart or target or if you live overseas AMAZON.
• I workout hard.  I do Insanity, and Turbofire.  I also use my kettlebell, do abs, squats, lunges, ect almost everyday.  I burn at least 400 calories a day.  I do NOT factor this into my daily calories.  I eat if I am hungry.  4- 5 times a day.
• I like big butts and I can not lie.
• I am not a professional and I have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration or mentally evaluated by anyone else.   

Day 1

Breakfast

·         1 egg (any style, I like sunny side up) 56 calories

·         1 slice low calorie wheat toast -100 calories

·         2 oz of polish sausage -110 calories

Total- 284 calories

Lunch

·         Shakeology- 150 calories

·         1 tsp peanut butter--- 105 calories

Mix Shakeology with ice, water, and peanut butter

Total- 255

Snack

·         1 cup muesili- 289 calories (I eat most of my cereal and oatmeal out of a measuring cup so I can know how much I am getting)

·         1/3 cup Almond Milk – 30 calories

Total – 319 calories

Dinner

·         6 oz sirloin -- 318 calories

·         Small baked potato--  128 calories

·         ½ cup broccoli (all I had was a Broccoli and cheese steamers, but plain broccoli will be 20 cal) - 20 calories

·         1 small corn on the cob - 170 calories

Total – 636 calories

Total Calories for the day--- 1494

Day 2

Breakfast

·         Steak mushroom omelet (For heavy workout days)

·         4 oz sirloin -212 calories

·         1 egg – 56 calories

·         1 egg white- 17 calories

·         Mushrooms, onions, peppers, to taste (not many calories

·         1 slice toast (opt)- 100 cal

Season steak with garlic powder, black pepper, season salt and soy sauce.  Broil until it Is done the way you like.  I like it to be a little (tiny) bit pink inside so it cuts easily.  Coat pan with Pam and cook omelet on both sides.  In another pan cook mushrooms, onions, and peppers until soft.  Remove omelet, add steak and veggies and fold over.  I always use cheese so if you do as well, add calories.

Total – 385 calories

Lunch

·         Slow Roasted Tomato Open faced BLT

·         2 slices Turkey Bacon- 70 calories

·         1 slice Bread- 100 calories

·         Slow Roasted tomatoes- abt 12 cal per tomato

·         Spicy Mustard

·         Butter Lettuce

Total- About 230 calories

To slow roast tomatoes—Cut tomatoes into wedges or slices (whichever you prefer), drizzle with olive oil and a little basil, place on cookie sheet with 3 garlic cloves (I only peel 1).  Bake on 225 for 3-4 hours.  DELICIOUS! I put them on everything!

Snack

·         4 tbsp Humus – 140 calories

·         Red Peppers- 31 calories

Total – 171 calories

Dinner

·         Baked Chicken

·         Roasted Grilled Balsamic Peppers

·         Broccoli. 1/2 cup- 20 calories

You can find the recipe here.  This is one of my favorites. The fiance actually cooked this up for me from this exact recipe.  Delicious and only about 282 calories a serving if you have 3 oz of chicken.  I usually have 6 oz

Total - 257

Total Calories for the day--- 1151

(This leaves a little room for dessert)

Day 3 and 4 coming tomorrow!

So what do you think?

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