Klondike (product review)

I found it...the PERFECT dessert for me!  May I remind you that Ice Cream is my absolute downfall.  If it were legal I'd marry it. 

In my constant search for safe foods to satisfy my sweet tooth I have stumbled upon a safe ice cream heaven.  Klondike (on a stick)  8 Bars in a pack for 2.99.  English Toffee and French Vanilla.  Made with low fat ice cream and you would never know it was low fat ice cream.  It is sooooo tasty.

Only 100 calories per bar.  This product was formerly known as Slim a Bear.  Now i think I've seen these in the store before but stuck my nose up at them, why, because the word Slim was in it.  Yes, I admit it, I'm a food snob. If it says diet, slim, healthy, or any other word that makes me think it may taste bad I won't give it the time of day.  I'm trying to change that.  Trying to be more open minded.

Now the box says that one serving is two bars that would be 200 calories. Stop right there...that hurts my brain.  I don't need two bars. One is just fine. Satisfying enough.  So we will have one bar for 100 calories, Klondike do not give me that option and tempt me by saying I can have two for one serving. 

There is also a note on the box saying this is NOT a low calorie food.  This confuses me, made with low fat ice cream but not a low fat food.  Well, I'll let that slide because all I know is that 100 calorie snacks are the way to go.  When I find a 100 calorie snack, I know that I don't have to think.. I have one and I'm good. 

On the back of the box there are other 100 calorie Klondike products listed, now that I know they are tasty I will try the res,t like Ice Cream Sandwiches, Chocolate Fudge and more.

Good move Klondike!

SPARKLING ICE (product review)

I find that when  you are dieting or changing your lifestyle it's so important to try new things, different things to keep you interested. 

I get tired of eating the same old things and am always looking for something new to switch it up.

Drinking water is very important.  I used to think that was a bunch of bull but it's true.  When I stick to my guns and drink my water daily I notice that my skin looks great.  Lately I've been slacking with the water and my skin is a bit dry and just doesn't have that healthy glow.  I also believe that when I'm drinking my water faithfully I eat less.

Let's face it water is good for you but it gets boring.  I just can't and won't go back to soda. I treat myself a little and have some gingerale now and then but it's so sweet. 

I've put lemon in my water, I like that.  Sometimes I'll use Crystal Light.  Tonight when I was at the market I decided to try something new.  Sparkling Ice.  I've seen it in the store lately but I kept on walking by. I'm very funny about trying flavored water.  I tried Vitamin Water. My cousin loves it, to me it tasted like Gatorade and I'm not a fan of that either.

I bought three bottles of Sparkling Ice.  They had lots of flavors to choose from.  I chose Pineapple-Coconut, Pink Graplefruit, and Lemonade.  It's a dollar for a 17 ounce bottle.

Sparkling Ice, Naturally flavored sparkling mountain spring water. ZERO CALORIES!  With Vitamins and Antioxidents.  It's the Vitamins and Antioxidents that usually stop me in my track. Still hesitant when there are "healthy" things involved -- old brain says "healthy = taste bad".

I tried my Pineapple Coconut and the result was..............................I LOVE IT!  Yes!  A new alternative to boring water. 

For more info you can go to www.sparklingice.com

Hmm, maybe someone from the sparkling ice company will see this review and send me a case (wink, wink).

Theres always a tomorrow

Well, this past weekend was a total bust. Two and a half days of my life that I can't get back thanks to The Blizzard of 2013 otherwise known as Nemo.  By the way,  when has a snow storm ever had a name and what kind of name is Nemo anyway?  I think it's a pretty lame name for a snow storm.  I digress. 

Spending Friday evening into Sunday evening without heat and electric was not a good time.  Not being able to cook a decent filling meal, we spent the weekend snacking on anything and everything around.  Sometimes because of hunger but most times because of boredom.  Yes, I blew it....chips, M&M's and honestly, I can't even remember what else.  I ate whatever was around.  I did have a few bannana's that's good right?

The storm closed every store and business in the area but lucky for us we were able to find a pizza place open.  One Horse Saloon in Swansea.  Thank God!  I wanted real food.  We walked in to order and they started by saying they were out of Pizza.  A little comical but that's ok because we just wanted sandwiches.

I was never so happy to eat a sandwich in my life.  This past weekend I learned that I was born in the right era because I would never have made it in colonial times.  I also learned that in an emergency I would really have to learn how to ration my portions.  I should have only ate half a sandwich instead of the whole thing...just in case. I took my chances. 

It's a new day...we start over and get back on track.  Keep moving forward. As a good friend said to me...The good thing is there's always a tomorrow. 

The old me would have turned the weekend eating fest into a year long event.  Today I just start a new.  Here we go.....

The January Blues

It's cold and snowy out tonight. I'm tired. As usual, I have too much on my proverbial plate. The holidays may be over but I've been sick with the nasty flu/cold strain that's been making the rounds.  I'm in the middle of planning a fundraiser for a friend, I have my son's 10th birthday party to throw together for the first weekend in February, I'm away the next two weekends for dance competition, The last weekend in February is the only time left for my daughter's birthday celebration and that leaves me to move my own birthday celebration to sometime in March, If I can even find time then.

For those of you who don't know my daughter shares my birthday with  me on February 20th and my son was born on February 19th. Crazy right?  Throw in Valentines day, work, dance schedules, wrestling....Calgon take me away.

I still need time to blog, to work on my book and go to the gym.  Whew! 

Yes, I'm tired and I have the January blues.  But I will not give up, I must keep at it.  Afterall, in a blink spring will be here and I threw away all  my shorts from last year that were too big.

I'm setting my goal, can I hit 30 pounds by June?  I am going to give it my very best shot.  How I long to walk into a store this year and have my choice of shorts.  I want to go crazy and buy a whole new summer wardrobe.  But I can only do that if I get the rest of this weight off.

I always try to keep these blogs and my attitude positive so, focusing on a positive, I received for Christmas a pair of exercise pants.  I looked at the tag and the size was an XL.  Hmmm, thanks for the compliment I thought but these will never fit me.  A XXL or XXXL maybe.  I shoved them  in my drawer thinking that someday I'll fit into them.  Last week when I couldn't find my old faithful workout pants, I said, "let me try these on just to see"  Well I'll be....what do you know, they fit! Ha, look at that, I fit into pants not purchased at a plus size store.  Amazing.

Now I do have to say I have definately conquered Girl Scout Cookies because those little cutie pies have been ringing my doorbell and guess what.....I haven't bought any, haven't even been tempted.  A little white lie is all I needed...Sorry, I already bought them from my daughters troop.  My daughter is no longer a girl scout but they don't need to know.

I have not been able to conquer the carbs though. That is next on my list.  I've really got to cut back.  Went shopping and loaded up on fruit, so, i'm going to try to replace my breads and pastas with fruits and veggies.  I also am going to try my hardest to get 20 minutes in the am on the eliptical. 

It's all about change and I have to do this. 

I already have my spring/summer plan...walk to the gym, do my weights and walk home.

I have to give a shoutout to my friend Jen....the last couple weeks she's been keeping me on track when I've wanted to stray or take a night off from the gym she's been the one reminding me of where I want to be. So Thank you Jen!

OK here we go....phase two.....entering the completion phase.

Smorgasbord

What a fun word....Smorgasbord...(meaning extensive variety) thought it was a fitting word as I've much to say.

My blog went dark during the month of December (very unintentionally) as there was much to do for the holidays.  It's the same old problem. . . juggling "it all" Work, friends, family, going to the gym, worrying about the diet, writing the blog, writing my book and top it off with the holidays, hosting 30-40 people on Christmas Eve, quick clean up and cooking for 10 people on Christmas day.  Sure it would be a piece of cake if I was a super celebrity, I'd have a staff to do it all for me. But It's just me. Though I have to give a huge shout out to my cousin Megan whom I could not pull it off without her. She puts the tree up for me every year and and is a huge help, so Thank you Megan.

Ok, so, how did I do during the holidays with the eating?  Well, not bad but not great. This is ok.  I gave myself permisson to enjoy the holidays and I did, I ate what I wanted and yes, I at a little too much, but I maintained my weight so there is a huge success.  New Years Eve is approaching again, party at my house, we are going to order chinese and play games, I'll have what I feel like but then it's back to it and I'm confident.  It's almost like phase two. 

Phase one was successful, I learned my limits, I learned to make exercise a routine, I learned to say now, now phase two is here, this is it.  I need to lose 40 pounds for sure (though, I got a great compliment at Christmas, a friend of mine said I didn't need to lose anymore. Thanks for that but I want to).  I may want to lose more than the 40 but we will see. 

Normally I bake tons and tons of cookies, pass them out to neighbors, friends etc. But this year I stopped at only 5 kinds.  I mentioned learning my limits.  Well with the added nights at the dance studio for Lauren, my nights at the gym, Matthews new wrestling schedule, I had to accept the fact that I could not do the baking that I've done in the past, nor did I want all the extra stress or cookies in the house.  So I'm sorry to all of those who have gotten used to the box of cookies but it just wasn't feasible this year. 

I learned this holiday season to send food home, anyone who wants a plate take it...get it out of the house.  That cuts back on the amount of bad stuff hanging around

Even though I managed to maintain my weight, eating holiday food and cookies and candy just isn't as enjoyable anymore...it makes me feel fat and bloated and downright crappy.  I almost feel now like I need to detox........drink lots and lots of water, eat lots of fruit, I feel like I need to get all the "bad" stuff out of my system. 

It hit me this morning...there are only a few months to go before I start thinking about having to buy shorts and I got rid of all the shorts this past fall so I need to hit this goal so I can go shopping.

January 1st is in a few days, you will start to see many weight loss commercials on TV....here's my advice....don't make a resolution, it doesn't work, just make a lifestyle change, one you can live with. A reasonable and realistic approach is best.  Did I expect to lost almost 60 pounds this year? Nope, did I hope to lose more, of course, but in the end, I will take what I lost and accept that I am a normal person and have set out on this journey living life as a normal person,, one who attends parties, and goes out to eat and is learning every day.  So if this takes me two years, so be it.  I'm in much better shape today than I was one year ago.

Happy New Year to everyone and I look forward to continuing this journey with you by my side.

Wishing you all the best in 2013

I survived Thanksgiving and I'm stuck

Decided to combine two blogs today.  First I survived Thanksgiving.

The plan was simple, eat what you want don't deprive. I followed that plan but was concious of what I was doing at the same time, I definately ate a bit differently from past years. I only had one roll and my slice of triple chocolate cream pie was probably the tiniest piece of pie I ever attempted to eat.  I did have two helpings of stuffing. Hey, I'm not a saint.  Something new and different for me this  year....I sent tons of stuff home with my guests. The less laying around the house the better.

That being said, I'm stuck.  Stuck at 56 pounds. I had really hoped to lose all of my 100 by new years. I was hoping it would only take a year.  I can't dwell on that and let and let it ruin what I've accomplished. If I start dwelling on what I didn't accomplish I'll slip back.  Instead I'm focusing on what I did accomplish so instead of saying I only lost 56 pounds, I need to say, hey I lost 56 pounds. that's 56 boxes of butter or small cans of crisco. And hey, I started exercising and going to the gym. I wear a smaller size.  These are all great things and big accomplishments.

So as my one year journey approaches I will celebrate what I've accomplished and set my new goal. I only need to lose 44 pounds by April.  That's a far better number than I started out with. 

I do think it's time for the dreaded food journal though.  I'm never good with those things but I'm going to give it my best shot!

And another thing...it's been said that the average person gains 7-10 pounds during the holiday season, well there's another positive because that won't be me this year.

Patience + A Positive Attitude = SUCCESS

The little things that amuse me

It's always the little things that amuse me. Traveling on this journey doesn't always have to be so serious, it's important to remember to be able to laugh at yourself.

For instance, driving home the other night I used my left and to rub my right arm for some reason, I don't know why, but while I rubbed my arm I felt something strange, I remember saying to myself "what the hell". Well, I'll be....what I felt was a muscle!  Imagine that.  These workouts at the gym are actually paying off.  I'm actually able to feel and see a sculpted bicep.  Of course I spend the whole day going around asking people to touch it.  I guess I just needed a little confirmation that I wasn't imagining this.

Tonight I had to laugh out loud. I was cashing out a purchase at Walgreens with my daughter.  The gentlemen looked at us and said "Are you sisters?"  I couldn't help but to laugh and say no, I'm her Mom.  He said "oh, you look alike, so I knew you were related."  That is the first time something like that has happened to me.

Looks like the money spent at the gym is a good investment.