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***Healthy Living Check In***
Good Morning Ladies!! Hope you all had a nice weekend!
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Beth: How was your weekend away? Did you get some walking in? Hope you got some between the sheets work outs too 
Mona: How was your weekend? Hope you had a good time celebrating your Dad's bday? Also...HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you and your H today! Eat lots of cake!
Melissa- How was your weekend?
Emily-Any new soups planned for this week?
Nicky- Hope the weather was nice where you are, did you get any walking in?
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Successes:
Struggles:
New Recipes/Food Finds:
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GTKY:
What motivates you?
What is your favorite healthy snack?
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead?
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Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron 
Re: ***Healthy Living Check In***
Successes: Lost another pound! I weigh in on Saturday mornings, and I honestly didn't think I had lost anything, so I was really happy!
Struggles: Eating when I'm bored...ugh! I didn't do much this weekend, and so I was tempted way more than usual and it sucked!
New Recipes/Food Finds: Fiber One Protein bars, love them! They keep me full and they taste like a candy bar!
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GTKY:
What motivates you? I'm motivated by my uncomfortable-ness that I feel when I'm overweight. Also, photos of myself are making me say "ok, you need to loose some weight!"
What is your favorite healthy snack? Fruit- grapes and strawberries are my favorites right now. I feel better when I eat them, and they're sweet and delicious
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead? We usually go out to eat on Saturdays so onle 1 night/week. I plan ahead, look at the menu before we go and decide what my best options is.
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
Weekend Update : eh, I did have my bday party and we eat out a lot but I tried to have small plates and share with my Hubby but still eat bad. We did go for a five mile hike with the pup so that was good.
Successes: The hike, it was very hilly and some parts I felt like I wanted to cry but we got through it and were proud of ourselves.
Struggles: still food. I love it all so hard for me to keep in check!
New Recipes/Food Finds: Fiber One Protein bars, love them! They keep me full and they taste like a candy bar!...they are my favorite too!!!
i been pinning alot of things recently so Im hoping to start trying them.
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GTKY:
What motivates you? Like Christine said Pictures are a huge motivator and the fact we want to TTC next year keeps me wanting to stay healthy
What is your favorite healthy snack? I love everything seriously I havent meet a food I dont like haha
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead?
That is our downfall!!! We got to stop. I dont get home till 7, he is in the kitchen all day at work so neither of us ever feel like cooking. I got to start using the crock pot more!!!
Thanks Christine!
New Recipes/Food Finds: I haven't tried it yet, but I think I'll be making this soon:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2013/03/cheeseburger-casserole.html
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GTKY:
What is your favorite healthy snack? Air-popped popcorn, Kashi Honey Almond bars, or fruit
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead? Usually only once a week when we're out running errands on the weekend
Beth: How was your weekend away? Did you get some walking in? Hope you got some between the sheets work outs too It was AMAZING!! A litte R&R and some time to reconnect was exactly what we needed! Downtown was amazing and we were right next to a park so we got some walking in... as well as some horizontal exercise
Successes: We did a decent amunt of walking considering we really just wanted to relax
Struggles:I didn't do as well food-wise as I had hoped but I'm okay with it because we had an AMAZING dinner. I didn't plan on us having a duck confit bruschetta to start and a salted caramel cake to finish but they were both definitely worth the extra points!
New Recipes/Food Finds: I made a really yummy eggplant tomato sauce last week with a little spicy sausage and it was delicious! It ended up being about 3pts+ for a very generous portion (made it 3 portions when it probably should have been 4). I can share the recipe if anyone wants it.
What motivates you? I really like how much better I've been feeling having lost 15lbs.
What is your favorite healthy snack? FRUIT I could eat it all day! I usually have at least 2 pieces of fruit a day as my snacks. I also love anything crunchy: baked pita chips, popcorn, pretzels - I just have to be careful how much of it I have.
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead? I try to keep it to one lunch and one dinner out per week. I always plan ahead, especially now that I'm tracking points. Sometimes surprises (like duck bruschetta & salted caramel cake) pop up, but I do the best I can.
I saw this last week and can't wait to try it (with a few modifications)!! It's definitely going on next week's list.
There are some other great Bobby Deen recipes online and a lot of them are surprisingly low in points!
Birthdays are totally an exception! Good for you for going on a nice long hike!
I love the crockpot, it's so nice to come home and have dinner already made.
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
Wow, that casserole looks amazing!!
I also love air popped popcorn and so does H so I usually make a whole bunch!
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
Glad you had a great time!! and that you were able to get some exercise in!
I think I drooled on my keyboard after reading about your salted caramel cake...YUM!!!
Please do share your recipe, that sauce sounds great!
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
Ingredients: 1 eggplant, chopped | 28oz diced tomatoes w/ Italian seasoning undrained | 1/4lb ground hot Italian sausage-turkey or chicken (it wouldn't hurt to use more, I was just using up what I had) | 3-4 cloves garlic, minced | 2tbsp tomato paste | salt & pepper | 2tbsp fresh basil, chopped | 4tbsp parmesan cheese
In a deep pan cook the ground sausage. (I used turkey sausage and barely had any grease so I didn't drain it.) Add minced garlic, chopped eggplant, diced tomatoes w/ juices & tomato paste. Season with salt & pepper. Simmer until eggplant is cooked (about 15 mins). Serve over pasta (extra points) & top with fresh basil & parmesan cheese. Makes 4 servings, 3pts+ each
I did my best to estimate the measurements as I don't tend to measure when I cook.
Beth--Sounds delish. I'm going to try this on one of our non-soup days!! YUM
Soup recipes are hard to find, or maybe I'm just searching wrong, so I'm probably sticking with ones I have already made this week.
Successes: Working out has been going really great. Walked a couple of miles before my self defense class (walk no run, sd class is too hard if I run!) and did a hike with my Hubby and furbabies yesterday. Felt wonderful.....
Struggles: I have no time lately to "cook" the meals that I want. I get off work at this god awful hours and run around like an idiot that by the time I get home, I'm exhausted and cooking seems unmanageable (and I LOVE to cook). Looking forward to getting my life back (hopefully) after tax season.
New Recipes/Food Finds: See above. Haven't had time to "find" anything lately!
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GTKY:
What motivates you? The idea of feeling healthy again.
What is your favorite healthy snack? I love salty things so popcorn, pita chips are right up my alley. I do eat a lot of fruit too.
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead? Lately, more than I would like.
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YUMMM!!! Thank you
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
Good job on getting walks in and going to the self defense classes!
Here are 101 Healthy Soup Recipes: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/healthy-soup-recipes-00412000070018/page104.html
And here are some crockpot ones so you don't have to cook after work!!!
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/recipe_slideshows/easy_slow_cooker_soups_and_stews?slide=1#leaderboardad
http://allrecipes.com/recipes/soups-stews-and-chili/slow-cooker-soups/
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
No walk on Sunday---the time change did both H and I in more than expected. But, I did get in an ab workout today so I'm tickled with that and sore as heck.
Successes: We ate vegetarian all weekend sans 1 lunch out. I really wanted to cleanse my system of some of the saturated fats that comes from meat and I feel like we accomplished that. I've never been big on veggies, so this is a huge change for me to actually like them!
Struggles: I eat when I'm bored...this needs to stop.
New Recipes/Food Finds: Crunchy Black Bean Tacos--super easy and really good for you.
Ingredients:
Soft Tortillas
2 cups of black beans, pre-cooked
1 red onion
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1 tablespoon or more of chopped cilantro. (I found dried works too).
Pepperjack Shredded Cheese.
Pico, Sour Cream (anything you feel you want to top it with. H had guac, I had pico to cut down on calories).
Instructions:
1. Cook the black beans if necessary
2. Mix beans, seasonings, chopped red onion and chopped cilantro together in bowl.
3. Spray cooking oil on a skillet and heat.
4. Add tortilla. Let brown for a few seconds.
5. Put several tablespoons of the bean mixture on one side.
6. Top with cheese.
7. Fold other side of tortilla over and press down.
8. Flip until fully browned on both sides.
9. Top and serve!
H LOVED this and it has no meat in it. It has to be good...hahaha
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GTKY:
What motivates you? Pictures and the mirror.
What is your favorite healthy snack? Fruit--I bought a bunch of clementines for the week.
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead? We don't eat out at all during the actual week. I do my best to plan ahead/do crockpot meals when I teach at night like tonight. If anyone needs tried and true crockpot meals, then ask away. I have half a dozen. We do eat out lunch on occasion on Saturdays because we're out and about and get hungry so I enjoy myself then. Occasionally I will stop and get my addiction, Chick-fil-a, for lunch on Friday when the groceries are running low, but that is something I am working on stopping.
I made this soup a while ago and really liked it:
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2008/04/cream-of-broccoli-soup-25-ww-pts.html
Nice job with the ab workout today and the healthy eating this weekend! I eat when I'm bored too and it's the worst! I try and do other things (clean, watch tv, etc but nothing really helps when I truly have nothing to do)
Thanks for the recipe, looks super yummy!!
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron
I didn't participate last week because I've been in a funk, and I think I gained back most of the 10 lbs I lost a month ago
That and waiting on AF put in me a pity party like you wouldn't believe 
But I'm determined to get back on track!!
Successes:
I've been going to a local grocery store and making a salad for lunch every day. That's a huge step for me, since I used to do Subway for lunch EVERY DAY.
Struggles:
Mainly exercise.. but portion control is a close second. I need to remind myself to eat slow, and recognize when I'm full.
New Recipes/Food Finds:
I have a bunch on pinterest that I haven't tried yet.
Can I pass on this one this week?
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GTKY:
What motivates you?
Like others, looking at photos, and also trying to be healthier for TTC, and our future in general.
What is your favorite healthy snack?
veggies. I used to make a snack of all sorts of veggies, cukes, tomatoes, celery, onions, carrots, bell peppers, and little bits of cheddar cheese. Mix in just a little bit of italian dressing, and it's basically a salad without lettuce, but such a yummy snack.
How often do you go out to eat per week? Do you plan ahead?
We are getting back on track with this.. Lunch, I tend to eat out 3 or 4 times a week, but I'm sticking to salads, so I don't feel so bad. Dinners we are back to once a week. Either Friday or Saturday for date night. Even then I try to stay pretty healthy, though.
After 2 years of TTC, lots of tests, and a Hysteroscopy/Laparoscopy to remove several polyps,
Clomid/IUI #1 3/14: cancelled due to surprise BFP 3/8/14.
Beta 1 3/11: 398 Beta 2 3/13: 728 Beta 3 3/20: 11,482
Surprise BFP turns into Surprise Twins!
Zoey and Garrett born 10/24/14 at 36+3
You can do this!!!
Nice job with the salads, thats a great change! I know what you mean about portion control, I have a food scale, and a ton of measuring cups out and ready every day. Do you have a food scale? If not, I'd look into getting one, it's amazing how much we think we're eating vs. how much we really are.
Also a nice trick for portion control is to eat off a smaller plate (salad size plate instead of a dinner plate) this way your plate looks full but you're eating less!
Here's a plate that shows what you're dinner plate should look like:
Missing Our July Sparkler
BFP#1-11/12/12, MMC 1/16/13-baby stopped growing @ 9wks, found out at 13wks, D&E 1/25/13
BFP#2-4/23/13 EDD-01/02/14 baby BOY born 12/31/13 Michael Cameron