hard work.....

it's hard work but it is working :) i lost quickly (well "fairly" quickly) at first and now have tapered off but i am still chugging away at the pounds :) it's a life style change--NOT A DIET! with that mind set, i hope to sustain!

i want to reiterate--i have not cut anything out and i have not denied myself anything--i am watching what i eat and remembering moderation :) if i eat more calories than i am "allotted" by my fitness pal, i walk more or go for a jog! or just chalk it up to life (ONLY once in a while) and go to sleep without beating myself up!

my fitness pal is awesome b/c as i use the same or similar foods daily, they are in my "recent" foods so  i can pick them quickly! the other thing is that i use the scanner feature often!!!

when using the foods tracking on my fitness pal i sometimes guesstimate by putting in a food that is simlar (such as fajitas at a restaurant). i also save calories by not eating tortillas with my fajitas, using avocado instead of crema or sour cream or just not adding cheese.

breakfast looks the same almost daily..... 
2 cups coffee
creamer
sugar
**i just try to cut back a little bit each day of the creamer and sugar but now i'm good

and
1 hard boiled egg
OR
1 small pre-portioned cottage cheese with salt and pepper (i like savory)
OR
1 yogurt (i like yoplait greek whips vanilla cupcake)


day snacks 
depends on the day----
but options i stick to...... apples, plums, cuties, gold fish crackers, animal crackers, 2% sargento string cheese (50 calorie per stick), graham crackers, carrots with BOLTHOUSE YOGURT RANCH (my super secret tasty low cal dressing--they have many varieties--all found in the refrigerated section by the lettuce)--at first  a tiny odd but SOOOOOOO tasty! i also like celery with "the ranch" and a bit of franks buffalo sauce in it! yummo!


lunch options 
i get bored easily :) i sometimes do jarred salads (more on those below), but most often have 2-3 oz of deli ham or turkey with a string cheese or two, carrots with THE DRESSING, and a piece of fruit or gold fish.

i also like special k "cracker chips" :)

i like celery with THE DRESSING and franks buffalo sauce

i sometimes have a lunch of soup (i freeze white chicken chili--salsa, can of broth, 1 jar of white northern beans, shredded chicken from broasted chicken, lime juice), etc.


jarred salads 
quart canning jar
dressing in the bottom (THE DRESSING ABOVE IS BEST)
"wet" veggies (tomatoes, avocado) first
dry veggies
protein (chicken is my fave...like sara lee bbq chicken breast in the deli)
salad greens--spinach, etc.
dry toppings (sliced almonds, small amount of doritos, etc.)

prep sunday. will last all week in fridge once sealed!
dump onto plate or bowl and enjoy :)

dinner 
i just watch what we eat--
chicken breast with veggies and a small amount of bread
TURKEY smoked kielbasa, quinoa and roasted carrots
lean pot roast in crock pot, red skins, veggies

i roast a LOT of veggies--or pan sautee with a bit of pam spray and butter or olive oil
i try to use/eat veggies daily

lots of chicken at first and then added some grass fed beef :)

i traded chicken or turkey for BEEF when possible

after dinner snacks 
lipton instant soup packets
fresh stove popped popcorn
skinny girl popcorn
v8 drink
1 cookie
1 apple
1 yogurt
1 string cheese
crackers with low fat cream cheese and strawberry/jalapeno preserves (in jelly aisle)
hot tea with no sugar or honey


favorite drinks 
v8
0 calorie vitamin water
iced tea

i measure everything..... 
pain in the butt first BUT it works--i measure my food by weighing it. now i can eye ball it :)

misc 
i add vegiges or veggie drink or extra vitamins any time i can

:) you can do it!

i am down 40 lbs since december 24th!

black bean soup

Black Bean Soup

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

• 4 (14.5 oz) cans black beans, divided
• 6 slices bacon (7 oz), chopped into small pieces
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (1 3/4 cups)
• 1 large poblano pepper, seeded, stemmed and diced small (1 cup)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth, divided, then more to thin if desired
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ancho chili powder
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
For serving (optional)
• Sour cream, cheese (shredded Mexican or cheddar cheese), diced avocado, diced roma tomatoes, chopped cilantro, tortilla chips

Directions

• Place 1 1/2 cans of drained black beans in a food processor along with 1/2 cup of the chicken broth and pulse until well pureed. Rinse remaining 2 1/2 cans of black beans in a colander. Set all black beans aside.
• Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until nearly crisp, tossing occasionally. Add in onions and poblano pepper and saute 3 minutes then add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. Stir in remaining chicken broth (3 cups). Add in black beans, black bean puree mixture, fire roasted tomatoes, cumin chili powder and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Thin with more broth if desired. Stir in lime juice and cilantro and serve warm with desired toppings.
• Recipe source: Cooking Classy

new taco recipe

Honey-Lime Sweet Potato, Black Bean and Corn Tacos

Yield: About 5 - 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled if desired and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground coriander
• 1/8 - 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5) oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen yellow corn, thawed and drained
• 3 Tbsp honey
• 3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• Corn or flour tortillas
• Romain lettuce or purple cabbage, cotija or feta cheese (monterrey or manchengo would also be good), diced avocados, fresh salsa or pico de gallo and hot sauce (optional)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil then place sweet potatoes on foil. Drizzle with 3 Tbsp olive oil and toss to evenly coat. Sprinkle evenly with cumin, paprika, coriander, cayenne pepper and season lightly with salt and pepper to taste then toss to evenly coat. Bake in preheated oven 15 - 20 minutes until tender, removing from oven and tossing once halfway through baking.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot add onion and saute until caramelized (golden brown on edges and tender), about 5 - 6 minutes, adding in garlic during last 30 seconds of sauteing. Reduce heat to medium-low, add in drained black beans, corn, honey and lime juice. Heat until warmed through. Toss in roasted sweet potatoes and cilantro. Serve over warm tortillas with desired toppings.

sweet potato black bean chili

Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Bean Chili

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

Soup
• 2 lbs sweet potatoes (about 3 medium), peeled and cut into small cubes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, then more as desired
• 2 (14 oz) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 ear corn, husked and kernels cut from cob (or 1 cup frozen corn)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp ancho chili powder (or more to taste)
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 (14 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Toppings (optional)
• Cilantro, lime wedges, diced avocado, sliced roasted jalapeños, sour cream, cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

Directions

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with 1 Tbsp olive oil and toss then season with 1/2 tsp salt and toss. Roast in preheated oven until tender, about 20 - 25 minutes, tossing once halfway through (they'll shrink down quite a bit).
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 4 minutes (or until beginning to soften), then add bell pepper and saute 2 minutes longer. Add garlic and saute 2 additional minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, tomatoes, fresh corn (if using frozen corn wait until the point where you add the black beans to add the frozen corn) ancho chili powder, cumin and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a light boil then reduce heat to low, cover and allow to simmer 10 minutes. Stir in black beans, cover and simmer 5 minutes longer. Gently toss in sweet potatoes and allow to just warm through (if they've cooled), about 1 - 2 minutes. Thin with an additional broth if desired. Serve with desired toppings.

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