Meg: My Daily Struggles

I'm a night owl and because of that there are a few obstacles I face on a daily basis when it comes to eating.

1. Breakfast. I'm just NOT hungry when I wake up. In fact, I used to wait until about 1pm to eat my first meal but by then I was so hungry I would pile down everything on my plate. Looking back I probably ate an entire days worth of calories in that first meal alone. And by 9pm I was hungry again!

2. Midnight snacks. Even when I do eat consistently throughout the day I am always hungry after 8:30pm. Every single time. I try to save a snack for after 8pm but very rarely does it squash the feeling of hunger. I pretty much stay hungry until I go to sleep.

3. Bed Time. If I fall asleep BEFORE 9pm it is almost guaranteed that I will be wide awake before 1am and unable to fall back asleep before 4am. If I fall asleep before midnight? We are looking at a 3am wake up time. I'm a trooper for most of the day but I usually collapse from exhaustion by 4pm. A nap at that time will reset my night owl status the same day.

What I'm trying to say is that everyone has their own level of weightloss struggles. I battle these obstacles on a daily (or nightly) basis and sometimes it just doesn't work out for me.

However, recognizing them and trying different solutions has helped me in many ways too. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I work for a perfect day. Of course not every day is perfect but when I wake up tomorrow I know that I can start all over again.

I'm trying out a new "solution" this week. I've set my Reminders app to alert me during my meal and snack times.



A quick breakdown of how I allot calories:

Breakfast: 200
Snack: 100
Lunch: 200
Snack: 100
Dinner: 500
Snack: 100

Total: 1200

You should probably see a doctor if...

Meg: Chipotle Chicken Bowl

One of my favorite low calorie, incredibly filling, and über tasty dine out meals is the chicken bowl at Chipotle. The fresh ingredients ensure that every dish is flavorful and packed with only the best stuff.

Organic, grass fed, locally grown, blah blah blah aside there is honestly something there for everyone. Even my vegan friends love all of the options available!

You can check out the calorie counts online or in store. A meal without drink will set you back about $7.00 but it's guaranteed to fill you up or feed you for at least 2 days.

My chicken bowl is made with: Brown rice, (no beans), chicken (although sometimes I will get the steak), mild salsa and extra lettuce.

Occasionally I will order my sour cream on the side.

By omitting the beans and cheese I save a couple hundred calories. Same goes for the tortilla.

The estimated calories for my bowl range between 500-600 and I always walk away full. Balanced with 2-3 200 calorie meals throughout the day it is my all time favorite plan and I look forward to it at least once a week.

Meg: 10 Minute Sweet Potato Recipe

10 minute Sweet Potato

Are you ready for an awesome "Recipe" that just screams Autumn Seasonal Holiday Time!

Go to the store and buy a Sweet Potato. Actually might want to buy 5, this is seriously THAT good!

• Wash it.
• Stab a few holes in it with a fork. Flip it over and stab a few more holes in it.
• Grab a paper towel and put it in the microwave.
• Put your sweet potato on the paper towel.
• Microwave for 5 minutes.
• Flip it over and microwave it for 5 more minutes.

That's it!

Slice that delicious, vitamin packed, sweet potato of goodness in half and add some light butter and pumpkin pie spice. Or sweeten it with a few marshmellows. Or maybe a little brown sugar and some pecans? Oh Yum!

Here is even better news: It's important to have some fat in your sweet potato-containing meals if you want to enjoy the full beta-carotene benefits of this root vegetable. Recent research has shown that a minimum of 3-5 grams of fat per meal significantly increases our uptake of beta-carotene from sweet potatoes. So go ahead and use that butter or olive oil, just remember to do so in moderation.

Sweet Potato Nutrition Facts  (for one medium size sweet potato)

Calories 130
Fat 0.39 g
Protein 2.15 g
Net Carbs 31.56 g
Dietary Fiber 3.9 g
Calcium 28.6 mg
Sodium 16.9 mg
Potassium 265.2 mg
Folate 18.2 mcg
Vitamin C 29.51 mg
Vitamin A 26081.9 IU
Source: US Department of Agriculture

Meg: Dieting & Desserts

There are just so many things right about the Skinny Cow Strawberry Shortcake ice cream sandwiches. They are sweet, creamy and only 150 calories which makes them a great treat for those special occasions.

I am also a big fan of the Weight Watchers ice cream bars. My favorites are the Toffee Crunch and Chocolate Raspberry.

If you are ever looking for a portion controlled serving of your favorite dessert, I highly recommend these options.

What splurge do you like to give into on occasion? How have you incorporated it into a healthy eating plan? Share your tips and tricks in the comments below!

Meg: Coffee & Mondays

Homemade Italian Croutons for Under $2

My family eats a lot of spinach salad on a pretty regular basis. One of the tricks to getting my 6 year excited about this frequent side dish is the promise of some crunchy seasoned croutons on top. It doesn't matter if we've already eaten salad every night that week, all I have to do it pick up a bag of packaged bread cubes and she's all in.

With that being said, those little bags of croutons are kind of expensive. If you are a smart shopping, frugal momma like me, you probably pay $1-$3 per bag. That adds up when you have a husband like mine who uses half that bag on 1 little side salad.

I digress...

Seeing as how school is starting Monday and I've switched into some weird "nesting" syndrome I decided to make a batch of homemade croutons to go with some of the dinners I am planning this week.

It was super easy and took about 20 minutes. 

Recipe:
1 Loaf Texas Toast Bread
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 white wine
1 packet Italian Seasoning

Cut the texas toast bread into bite size squares. Mix the oil, white wine and seasoning. Drizzle mixture of squares and bake at 350 degrees for 10-20 minutes.


I added some fresh oregano too :)


Tip: I put the squares in a tupperware container and then drizzled the oil/wine/seasoning mixture over it, closed the lid and shook the whole container until everything was perfectly coated.

Meg: Magical Red Jeans

I bought magical pants today.
NOT. EVEN. JOKING. They are SOOOOOO AMAZING!

They are a cigarette fit skinny leg style (with a perfect midrise that hides both my love handles and baby gut). But the BEST part is the color! It's this unassumingly gorgeous burnt red shade that literally matches EVERYTHING:

Trendy black top with white polka dots? Check.
Mustard and gray striped sweater? Check.
Aqua colored surfer style sweatshirt? Check.

I didn't even try them on until I got home and guess what?!?!? THEY FIT PERFECTLY! I literally spent 10 minutes running around the store holding them up to the most ridiculous shirts and they made everything look polished and totally on trend.

I've never been in love with a pair of pants before <3

2012 Trend: Red Jeans

Meg: Size 8 (Now with a close up picture of my butt!)

end of June 2012

Truth be told I have been rocking the size 8's for just over a month now (It was like an early birthday present from my body to my brain when I slipped those bad boys on - and yes, I totally danced inside that tiny little dressing room!)

I think one of the best feelings of being smaller than your intended goal is that feeling of accomplishment. My size 12's from April-May are pretty loose, (I still wear the shorts because it's all I have right now to get me through the next couple weeks of summer), but I am officially in mediums and a solid size 6/8.

The 1200 calories/day and 3 hours of exercise a week have done my body well. I have avoided alcohol on almost every occasion (expect special events and when there may or may not have been a need for smashing coconuts - only Melody will get that) and my splurges can literally be counted on 2 hands. That's not too shabby for 9 solid months of "dieting" and only reaffirms it's not a get thin quick diet, it's a lifestyle change.

So how did I do it? The old fashioned way with hard work and a little elbow grease. I still have a few more pounds to go (10 or 20, I haven't really set my ultimate goal) and have finally decided it's time to start a diet. Hey, I want this weight gone now, thank you very much! I've established healthy eating habits, now it's time to kick fat's ass.

Over the last year I have learned a lot about diets, nutrition, and fitness. I have a better understanding of how bodies work, especially my own. Stay tuned next time when I tell you about my new diet. (Teaser: I just completed my first week and broke my scale "plateau" on the 3rd day.)

Say Yes to the Dress: Bridesmaid Edition

This is the dress I will be wearing for my sister's wedding in December. I am so excited to announce that at the time of ordering I fit into my size 10 (European). I am down 75lbs and totally on track to hit a plethora of other health goals leading up to the wedding and the end of 2012. I hope you all are having a great summer!

I am not your tissue

A large part of this blog is about being healthy. Part of being healthy is not coughing on people. Yes, I’m talking to you woman-who-knows-no-personal-space-behind-me-in-the-grocery-store-and-seems-to-have-forgotten-how-to-cover-her-mouth!

Someone get me a personal shopper!


So, last night I made the most awesome Shepherd’s pie. Vegan style.

And it was delicious.

I unfortunately wasn’t thinking and built it upside down. I forgot the mashed potatoes go on top and meat and veggies go on the bottom. That’s why there is a sad little dollop on the top there.

My “modern” shepherd’s pie. Apparently.

I have recently discovered cauliflower mashed potatoes, and am head over heels in love with them! Its just boiled cauliflower… mashed. Last night I added some vegan sour cream (one of the few vegan substitutes I actually like) but honestly, I prefer them with just a little salt and pepper. I had gone to the store, saw all this vegan “meat”, and thought I bought ground meat, but it was in fact sausage. I didn’t even like sausage when I did eat meat. I am also not the biggest fan of peas. I’m working on it, but its taking some time. So for the vegetables I used carrots, onions and corn. Sautéed and then I had one vegan Boca burger left and used that for the meat. And it was all served in half a bell pepper.

I’m sure you can tell by now I love serving food in food. It’s for no other reason than feel it will help with the clean up process.
I also added more mash. 'Twas amazing!

Overall. Taste was AMAZING! I’m definitely doing this again. It was a bit of work. I roasted the bell pepper; had to sauté the veggies, boiled the carrots, and corn, and boil/mash the cauliflower. I don’t think it is any more challenging than the real shepherd’s pie, but if you have the time I would recommend it!

Meg's Menu: Taco Tuesday

Steak Tacos

"White Girl" Steak Tacos

• 2 Corn Tortillas 40 calories each
• 4 oz Steak (seasoned and broiled) 220 calories
• 1/4 cup Cheese 40 calories
• 1/2 100 calorie pack Guacamole 50 calories
• 2 tablespoons Salsa 5 calories
• Lettuce ~5 calories

Wedding Wednesday

There is no motivation like the motivation of looking good in a wedding dress.
This past weekend I traveled down to Orange county to share in the experience of dress shopping with some of my loved ones and future loved ones. It was everything I thought it would be and more. Of course, what is the whole wedding experience without a little stress? I had booked my appointment at a David’s Bridal salon in the South Coast Plaza location only to find out there is no appointment for me. I always thought I would be a cool headed bride (don’t we all?) but my nerves were already hyped up from excitement of dress shopping and seeing family and when I heard I did not have an appointment I nearly wanted to cry. All I kept thinking was I wouldn’t get another chance to try on dresses with anyone. My Hubby bear and I live in Fresno California 4-6 hours away from our family down in beautiful southern California. Turned out whomever I had booked my appointment with over the phone had scheduled me for a different location in Orange. We arrived at the David’s Bridal in Orange and only a few people were there so there was still a consultant available to help. I’m pretty sure I got the best one too. She was so attentive and even helped with a veil dilemma I was facing. Future Hubby Bear likes the traditional long veil and I prefer the birdcage. She showed me a way to incorporate both, and I could not be happier.

I found my dress and while I love it (and it brought a tear to my mother’s eye), I am just not completely satisfied with my weight. This will be my dream gown when I have reached my goal. I am halfway there and now have 4 months to lose the rest before my first and possibly only, fitting. So I am going to post a picture of me in the dress for my “before” picture. Since our blog is still relatively new I do not think its going to ruin the surprise for many people who are coming to the wedding, and I doubt Billy even knows what a blog is.
　

　
　
Wanting to lose weight is one thing, but a plan is how you get there. I am going to re start The Jillian Michaels 30 day shred challenge. I’m hoping by charting it through this blog I will be able to stick with it. My first day will be the 10^th. I’m going to take a couple days and restart level one, and on the 10^th I will move up to level two. My goal is to do 15 days of level two and move on to the second half with level 3. I’ve very excited. I even bought a workout tank top that says “Bride” for that little extra push.

Meg: Size 12 Jeans

I didn't realize what a big deal squeezing into a pair of size 12 jeans was until I went to the plus size section to pick up my size 14 favorite brand and couldn't find them in my new, slimmer size 12's.

I'm a relatively smart girl so it only took me a few seconds before I realized that this one little change ripped me from my plus size "comfort zone" and put me smack dab in the middle of regular women's clothes again.

I did a happy dance. And then took some pictures.

Melody: Stuffed Spaghetti Squash

My first REAL post!! With pictures and everything. Professionalism at its finest.

My goal for this blog will be to create a new recipe or food idea every week and post it here on Mondays.  I’ll be writing to let you all know all of the pros, cons, and overall experience with it.

This week I’ve been craving Italian. So, I talked Hubby-to-be (HTB) into making pasta sauce with me from scratch, though, we cheated and used half-canned tomatoes and half fresh. HTB was happy to have an easier cooking project for our Friday night. Unfortunately for him the sauce was just the preparations for this post’s project.

We ended up making Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, and it was delicious.

I cut the squash in half-length wise, de-seeded, and boiled them for 20 minutes. I also sautéed some mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, and garlic then I scraped out the squash noodle-ness, combined all ingredients and stuffed them back in the squash and topped all with our marinara sauce.

While I am a vegan, my HTB is the not. Not even close. So, looking at the positive I’m glad I get to share my vegan cooking adventures while still making them more appealing to those who prefer some meat or other animal products in their meals.

So here’s our first Monday Meal for you all. This is HTB’s. Mine is the same just minus the meatballs and butter/mayonnaise on the garlic bread.

Overall, this was fairly easy to make not counting the sauce. If you don’t pre cut your veggies there is plenty of time to dice them up and cook ‘em while the squash is boiling. On a plus note keeping the veggies in the squash shell allows them to stay hot longer. I’ve found that with spaghetti squash you don’t have much time before it gets cold. The meal was super delicious and incredibly healthy.

Melody: The 1st Blog Post

My challenges to write my first post, and the help of my hubby-to-be.

Me: “I need to blog.”

Fiancé: “Then do it.”

Me: “I need to write something in the blog!”

Fiancé “Then do it”

Me: “Megs already written a bajillion posts!”

Fiancé “Then write something.”

Me: “I REALLY need to write something in the blog!!!”

Fiancé: “You blog too much”

Encouragement! Important in every relationship.

There will be a real health/diet related post tomorrow. I just need to get my 1st outta the way. Until then, Check out my awesome recipe I have for vegan blueberry muffins. They’re seriously better than any other (non vegan) muffin I’ve ever made.

Blueberry Love Muffins

Makes approximately 10-12

• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon 
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cup blueberries

Combine all dry ingredients. Mix in wet, fold in blueberries. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Breakfast Time!

Cereal 110 calories, milk 40 calories + 1/3 banana

I never used to eat breakfast. Never. I mean, I love breakfast foods (french toast, waffles, eggs, bacom, breakfast sandwiches, hashbrowns, breakfast burritos, etc...) and I would still jump at the chance to go to brunch but as for waking up and eating food. *blech* I don't usually get hungry until after 1:00 PM.

And for the record, I don't even wake up and drink coffee. Although there were those two days I tried. But that's another story for another time.

So for 4 months now I have committed to eating breakfast within an hour of getting our of bed. Give or take of course. But despite the fact that I have been doing it religiously now the stupid habit still hasn't gotten any easier.



For the first 3 months or so I would wake up and grab a protien shake. You know, one of those 200 calorie, processed, vitamin loaded canned things (I'm looking at you Slimfast) and as far as I was concerned, it sufficed. At least I was consuming something.

In March I made a commitment to actually eat breakfast; you know, the kind with actual food that you put on a plate or pour into a bowl. Ha! I'm not great at it (sometimes I will just grab fruit and string cheese, other times it's a protien bar, but hey...whatever get's that metabolism going, right?)

Anyway, I picked up a box of the Kashi GoLean cereal and I'm now on my second box! And today, I added bananas!I was really craving banana bread and this totally hit the spot.

Moral of the story: I love that I am looking forward to breakfast finally. It's still not enough to get me out of bed faster but at least it's a start.

Meg's Favorite Things: BEAUTY

Front to back:

• Clinique: Repairwear (intensive eye cream)
• NYX "Mood" lip gloss in Affectionate
• Revlon Photoready in 001 Ivory
• Sally Hansen Color Quick pens
• Rimmel EXAGGERATE waterproof eyeliner in Noir
• John Frieda Root Awakening (for oily scalp) Shampoo & Conditioner

DIY Flatbread Pizza

Pizza has to be one of my biggest weaknesses. There is just something so amazing about melted cheese topped with spinach, garlic, mushrooms, tomato, olives, artichokes, pineapple, Canadian bacon, sausage, and any combination in between.

What I don't love about pizza is the insane amount of calories per slice. I just couldn't understand how loading some dough with so many "healthy" things could be "bad" for you?

One of the first things I had to do when I first started my weight loss journey was figure out a way to get my pizza fix without breaking the calorie bank.

The solution? Fat free cheese and a lighter crust.

I was never a fan of thin crust pizza but for the sake of a healthy lifestyle I have managed to adapt. That isn't to say I don't crave Pizza Hut deep dish but this little recipe usually does the trick to curb those cravings. PLUS! My 6 year old LOVES to top hers with as many veggies as she can find. I have to admit, her carrot/spinach/mushroom/broccoli pizza was quite a sight. But she ate every last bite* and looks foreword to our Pizza nights.

We usually pair our flatbread pizza with a spinach side salad topped with light Italian dressing. For about $10 our family of 3 can make this meal several times. I will often throw one together for lunch as well!

*I should clarify that she likes those veggies anyway but I can usually only talk her into 1 at a time. There is just something about decorating her pizza that makes her not care that they are all mixed.