The Steeple Media Fit Club Challenge

Here's the latest Steeple Media Fit Club Challenge!
Well, its actually our first. Every Fit Club (and yes, there will be more than one a year, there are 52 weeks in a year ya know ;) ) I will host a challenge I put on our Fit Clubbers and our audience. The challenge must be done 2 weeks before the Final Weigh In so...June 18 is the deadline.
What is this challenge you ask? To walk 150 miles! "WOW, thats a lot of walking!!!" I know, but I have faith that someone out there could walk that many miles! I had it started at 1000, but thought that might be too short of a time to walk 1000 miles. Put yourself to the challenge! I know I will. I'd say, most people could do that if not more in a month.
How to enter in your walking you ask? You must post here daily how many miles you walked. Actually, post it over on the forums. I will start a forum in a few minutes for it and will post a link in the comments of this post.
"So, wait a minute... do I get anything for walking that much?" Well, yes! You get to be the first Fit Club Challenger winner! And you also get an Adidas sun visor to help you in your outdoor summer walk/running.
Good Luck!!!

What a weekend!

Well, everything started on Thursday. I started "hard core" work again on Thursday. Thats when they kick my rear with work. Only happens this time of the year. I am a techie (if you didnt know). They had me inventorying. Now, I'm sure you are saying "Whats the problem there?" Well... I was inventorying Projectors and Smart Boards. I would say I got thru about 40 rooms with projectors and smart boards. So, I had to drag a ladder in the room, walk up it, walk back down to get the flashlight, go back up and look at the number, dropped my pen, go back down the ladder, grab pen, and go back up, half way up, the paper fell off the ladder, go back down and get the paper, finally write down the information I need.
Did that for about 2.5 hours Thursday and Friday. Also on Thursday, I went hard core on the Tae Bo too.
Then, this weekend, I decided to change up my diet a bit. I had chicken, chicken and more chicken. I couldnt get enough of it!!! And saw some happy numbers on the scale.
Saturday, I went out and mowed the lawn. Stopped after I finished the front to take a drink, then did half of the back, stopped for a bit to eat dinner, then finished the back. Keep in mind that this is no little lawn... I'd say about 2-3 acres... dont quote me on it. And yes, I was using a push mower, no cheating.
Before I decided on dinner today, I wanted to see how much room I had. Only had 400 calories so I thought I would treat myself to some McDonald's. I had a Snack Wrap and their new Southwest Salad, which I dont recommend... Not my favorite. I like Wendy's salad with chili. mmmmmmmm.
Needless to say, that put me a bit over on cal, fat and sodium. But, eh, I've been WAY under on all that for a week now. Little bit of it wouldnt kill me right? Or will it?

Fruit + Pizza

Serves: 10

When looking for something stunning to serve at the next spring or summer gathering, try this quick and easy fruit pizza. It makes a delicious, refreshing dessert and a colorful centerpiece.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 package of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
8 ounces of whipped light cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup apricot preserves
Fruit of your choice (sliced bananas, sliced strawberries, sliced kiwi, seedless grapes cut in half, blueberries, melon balls sliced in half)

DIRECTIONS
CRUST: Spread the ½ package of sugar cookie dough over a 14-inch pizza pan. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 12 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool in the pan.

TOPPING: Blend the cream cheese with the sugar and vanilla until completely mixed. Spread in a thin layer over the cooled crust.

FRUIT LAYER: Creatively arrange the fruit in circles while slightly overlapping the slices around the crust.

GLAZE: Bring the water and preserves to a boil, stirring constantly. Lightly brush this glaze on top on the fruit to preserve the color. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

NUTRITION INFO (per serving)
Calories: 247.6
Fat: 8.2 g
Carbohydrates: 39.0 g
Protein: 5.1 g

Learn to Love A.M. Exercise

1. Exercising early in the morning "jump starts" your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours! As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long—just because you exercised in the morning.
    
2. Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you. (Much better than a worm!)
    
3. Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.
    
4. Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep. (If getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day seems too daunting, you can ease into it with 10 to 20 minutes at first.)
    
5. When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because:  

o        Your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.)

o        Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc.

o        Your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you're sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up.

1.  Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods.
    
2. People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise.
    
3. Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.)
    
4. More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.
    
5. Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!  

Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce

Serves: 8

Both chickpeas and mayonnaise keep this butter-less chocolate cake moist and nutritious.

INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups garbanzo beans (chickpeas) - cooked if fresh, drained if canned
2 eggs
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS
1. Place rack on middle level and pre-heat oven to 350 °F.
2. In a small bowl, melt chocolate in microwave oven on medium power for two minutes.
3. In food processor or blender, combine beans, eggs and egg substitute, blending on high for thirty seconds. Add chocolate, sugar, mayonnaise and baking powder and process until smooth.
4. Pour mixture into 9" heart-shaped non-stick baking pan or a round pan, baking for 45 minutes or until an inserted knife comes out clean.
5. Cool and dust with powdered sugar and serve with pureed and strained raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries as a garnish.

NUTRITION INFO (per serving)
Calories: 380.6
Fat: 13.9 g
Carbohydrates: 62.0 g
Protein: 7.7 g

[Created to Move] - World Wide Web [Weekend]...Ride Critical Stages of the Tour de France...at Home!

Post courtesy of BJ not BK in a previous blog called Created to Move.

Ok, so you probably fall into one of three camps when it comes to the Tour de France.
 
1.  I am a fan of the Tour de France.  I follow it daily or every other day.  I am interested in the 
     results and I understand some of the scoring and strategy related to the event. 
2.  I have no interest in watching grown men pedaling their bikes across a continent. 
3.  Tour de what?

If you fall into either category 2 or 3 then this is not the post for you  However, if you are a fan of the tour, ride a bike on a regular basis, or have wondered if those guys in the funny shorts really are athletes then read on.

Lance Armstrong's former coach, Chris Carmichael has put together 7 workouts that mimic critical stages of this year's tour.  Here is how it works.  Chris Carmichael along with Bob Roll have recorded an audio workout that directs you through the stage you are mimicking.  You visit the CTS website and create an account with username and password.  Before the completion of each stage an audio version of the stage workout can be downloaded for free for a limited time.  After the stage has been completed the workouts can be purchased for $9.99 each.  Think of these workouts as a stay at home spin class designed around the Tour.

To download the workouts you will need a high-speed connection, as the files are rather large.  I downloaded stage 3 last night which runs 80 minutes and is around 73mb in size.  The idea is to give you a great workout while providing an inside look at the Tour.  There are also 23, free, text workouts available as well for those who may not have the time or the bandwidth to download the audio files.

I would love to hear from your experiences if you try the audio workouts, I plan on trying stage 3 soon.  Let me know what you think.

Please consult your physician before beginning any physical and or nutritional program

Eating the right stuff

So weight loss is based on the calorie equation of Calories Eaten vs. Calories Burned? Yes. And that means by eating fewer calories, I can lose weight? Yes. So all I have to do is eat radishes and rhubarb all day, every day, and I’ll lose weight, right? Well... Technically, it could happen that way. But remember these are called Healthy Diet Habits, which means the goal is to lose weight while giving your body the nutrients and goodies it needs. There’s a big difference between surviving and thriving, about the same difference as puttering along the highway and winning the Daytona 500. Done right, a healthy normal-calorie diet can help you thrive, and still be easy and delicious at the same time. Making a habit of meeting your calorie goals every day while using our healthy meal planning tool will teach you how. Some basic nutritional guidelines will help you plan a menu that works for your lifestyle, your tastes and your long-term health. If you stick with these major principles, you should do okay: POWER Not all foods are created equal. Some, like complex carbohydrates and leafy green veggies, pack power that transcends their calorie levels. Foods high in nutrients and disease-fighting materials are high value foods because they make the absolute most out of the calories they do have. Put some punch in your lunch by using these foods as often as possible. Quick Note: Complex carbohydrates have suffered a bad reputation lately, being lumped in with sugary simple carbs that can speed weight gain and leave you tired. Complex carbs provide longer lasting fat-burning energy and plenty of fiber, which fights diseases and eases hunger. They’re usually found naturally (vegetables, whole grains, beans). Try to get 4-6 servings of complex carbs to start with and build up to 6-11 servings. It might not be as hard as you think; a whole wheat bagel, for example, is actually two servings. VARIETY Mixing up the menu has nutritional value, much like the benefits of balance. But it also has motivational value. New recipes, new foods, new flavors, new restaurants, new spices, and new combinations are fun ways to keep your diet fresh and exciting. It’s tough to get bored or burned out when you can eat something different all the time. Who says you have to eat grapefruit every day? FRESHNESS It’s true that canned or frozen veggies can have many of the same nutrients as fresh produce. But there’s something about the fresh stuff that brings out the flavor and gusto of food. Plus, by steadily gravitating toward fresh fruits and veggies, meats, and breads, you’re gravitating away from processed and canned foods, usually high in calories, fat and/or sodium. BALANCE Too much of anything whether it’s chocolate, meat or carbs can hurt. At the same time, not enough of anything can hurt too. Instead of depriving your body of key puzzle pieces, make an effort to add a little bit of everything to the mix. The SparkDiet breaks down your calorie goals among fat, carbs and protein and shows the breakdown on your food tracking page. If you spread your calories among the food groups, you should be able to meet these balanced goals. Use this chart as a general guideline for a balanced diet: Recommended WEEKLY Servings Sample Serving Sizes   Good On the Right Track Alert         Whole Wheat Grains, Pasta 42-63 25-41 < 25 1 slice 100% Whole grain bread, 1 oz. dry grain based cereal (Bran, shredded wheat), 1/2 cup cooked, cereal, brown rice, or whole wheat pasta       Vegetables 28-35 18-27 < 18 1 cup raw, 1/2 cup cooked, 3/4 cup vegetable juice       Fruit 21-28 15-20 < 15 1 apple, orange, banana, 1/2 cup cooked, 3/4 cup juice       Dairy 14-21 10-13 < 10 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1.5 oz. natural cheese, 2 oz. Processed cheese       Protein Foods 12-14 9-11 < 9 2-3 oz. cooked lean meat, poultry or fish, 1 large egg, I cup cooked beans, 3 oz. tofu, 1 oz. Nuts, one 3 oz. "veggie burger"       Water 63-84 49-62 < 48 8 oz. glass of water, (not including soda, coffee, tea, etc.)       Sweets, Desserts & Bad Fats 2-4 5-7 > 7 12 oz. soft drink, 1 sm. candy bar, 2 tbs. sugar or jam, 2 sm. cookies, 1/2 cup ice cream, 1 slice pie or cake, butter, cream cheese, shortening, lard, hydrogenated fat, sour cream, cream       Healthy Fats 0-7 8-14 > 14 1 tsp canola, olive, peanut oil; 1 tsp corn, safflower, soybean oil; 1 Tbs. salad dressing made with these oils

 

50 lbs. of Bone

I've come to the realization that I am NOT fat. I'm just 50 lbs. of bone wrapped up in 200 lbs. of ham!!!

4/26 Weigh-in

Hello everyone and welcome to the second Official Weigh-In!! The 5 fit club members have been working hard to get fit and lose weight over the past 19 days. In the process, these 5 people gain muscle and learn how to eat right. The catch is, they have to do it by themselves. Some have chosen to use one of my new favorite websites, www.SparkPeople.com. Others have chose to eat cheesecake and nap all the time.
Before I start going in to how much everyone lost, this post is my 1000th post on Steeple Media. But lets not dwell on that, I know what your thinking "Just tell me how much you lost!!"

gplash1958 went first this week. Last week she lost 10 pounds bringing her down from 279 to 269. This week she lost another pound bringing her down to 268. "Well the weight loss was slow this week.  I am away from home and it is hard to find things good to eat.  Will be back on track next week when I get home!!"

Next up is scoutmom. Last week she weighed in losing 2.5 pounds brining her down from 209 to 206.5. This week she weighed in losing another half a pound. "I lost another half pound.  Good for me.  I didn't gain any weight, and I feel better than I have in a long time!  I also feel more positive, more upbeat about life because I feel good and have tons more energy.  I'm sleeping better, the move to a healthier way of eating actually has me feeling full and satisfied while eating not only better, but eating less.  My cravings are for things like apples and celery and carrots, not candy or dessert.  So, hooray for the new me!"

Third was miketoc. Last week, he weighed in losing 4 pounds bringing him down from 215 to 211. This week, he lost another 3 pounds bringing him down to 208.

Winnie was not available yesterday so I did not get her weight loss yet. I will add it to the comments when she emails me.

Finally I am up. This week, I thought everything went well. The exercise was much easier than the dieting. I unfortunately did cheat a bit too much this week and I felt that was a problem. I am starting to get off the evening snacks more. I am definitely feeling changes. However, when I stepped on the scale, I saw no change from last week. I'm not thrilled being the first contestant not to lose anything by the weigh in but I am definitely feeling changes so I'm not worried.

That concludes this week's weigh in. Always check the news section off to the right of this blog to see an up to date list of how much each contestant lost and also links to each weigh in.
Thanks for playing along!!

Nightly Snacking

Is a bedtime snack part of your nightly ritual? Do you routinely eat dinner late due to work, exercise or family commitments? Many people find themselves falling into the habit of eating at night, making it difficult to lose weight. Take a look at the following typical reasons for nighttime eating and start making changes today!

A matter of time

Eating dinner less than two hours before you go to bed won't necessarily cause weight gain, but it does mean that this meal should be the smallest of the day. It simply makes sense to eat most of our calories when we're active during the day. If you find evenings are filled with activities that push your dinner hour to a less than desirable time, try these strategies:

• Make lunch your main meal of the day, and choose a small sandwich with fruit or a salad, a small plate of pasta and vegetables or even a bowl of cereal and fruit for your late-night dinner.
• Schedule a snack around a more appropriate dinnertime. Make sure the snack is packed with nutrients and not just something quick you grab on your way out the door. Good ideas include half a sandwich, yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit, a small baked potato with salsa, or one to two ounces of low-fat cheese and whole-grain crackers. This healthy snack will keep you going during the evening, and you won't be so famished that you overeat when dinnertime finally arrives.
• Pick up a healthy meal at the grocery store on your way home. Many supermarkets now have excellent salad and soup bars, cut-up fresh fruit and vegetables, whole-grain breads, and roasted chicken. Remember to choose small portions and avoid fried foods or foods coated with fatty sauces.

Look at your entire day

Some people cut back their calorie intake so far during the day that they're literally starving at night. Unable to choose small portions, they often fill up on high-fat snack foods, overeat at dinner and give in to late-night snacking urges. If you're trying to lose weight but feel evenings are your downfall, try these ideas:

• Make sure to eat breakfast and lunch. Try to consume 2/3 of your total daily calorie intake before dinner. If your goal is 1500 calories, that means you should consume 1000 calories at breakfast, lunch and snacks; dinner should be no more than 500 calories. If your evening meal occurs very late, downsize that meal even more and replace those calories earlier in the day.

• Include protein and small amounts of fat at breakfast and lunch. If you choose foods high in carbohydrate, such as cereal and milk for breakfast and a yogurt with fruit for lunch, you're setting yourself up for a protein-driven hunger attack. Add a slice of toast with peanut butter to breakfast, and include a sandwich or legume-based soup with lunch to provide more energy and staying power.
• Include foods you enjoy in your daily food choices. Many people have tremendous willpower during the day when working, then get home in the evening and fall apart. If chocolate is your downfall, try a glass of chocolate milk with lunch. If crunching is your urge, add a handful of nuts or seeds as an afternoon snack.

Eating when stressed

Overeating is a typical response to stress. Eating relaxes many people, and some use eating as a way to escape the stress of the day. Instead of eating, try these ideas:

• Cut back on caffeine intake to no more than one cup of coffee or 12 ounces of other caffeinated beverages in the morning only. Drink water or vegetable juices instead and you'll find you feel more relaxed and have more energy as well.
• Practice a stress-reduction technique such as yoga or meditation on a regular basis.
• Make sure that you're getting some form of exercise every day. Not only will exercise make you feel better and help with weight loss, it also helps reduce feelings of stress.
• Figure out alternate ways to deal with your emotions. If you eat when tired, try taking a nap instead of eating. If you're angry, reduce that anger by writing down your feelings or discussing them with a friend instead of wolfing down a candy bar.

When nighttime eating becomes a habit

If your normal evening routine involves sitting in front of the television with a bowl of ice cream, popcorn or other snack, you've probably developed a bad habit. Like all habits, eating at night can be difficult to change. Give yourself at least two months of trying these ideas:

• Don't watch TV at night. Work on a hobby, call a friend, read a book, go dancing. Research has shown that the more hours of TV we watch, the more we weigh.
• Only watch TV if you're exercising at the same time. That's right, get out the treadmill and walk while watching your favorite show, or use your exercise bike when the evening news is on. No exercise, no TV.
• If you want to eat an evening snack, go to the kitchen, sit at the table, and eat your snack. No TV while eating! Many of us snack mindlessly while watching TV. With this method, you can still snack if you're really hungry, but it takes some effort.
• Avoid any alcohol in the evening. Alcohol not only contains calories, it also increases our appetite and reduces our resolve to change eating habits.

Think "Fit" Not "Fast"

Modern Inconveniences
  -- By Liza Barnes, Health Educator

--> You stare at your to-do list with dread: Unload the dishwasher, return the library books, do the laundry, pick up dinner, drop the kids off at the mall, go to the gym…and that’s just the beginning. The list seems endless and unfortunately, your time is not. 

The good news is that one simple change has the ability to shorten your list, save you money, improve your health, bring your family closer together, and conserve resources—all at the same time! 

Instead of using modern technology to do things the fast way, try doing things the fit way. By shunning modern conveniences in favor of the old-fashioned methods, you’ll find endless calorie-burning potential!  While the fast way may seem more efficient, think of the fit way as a way to combine your goals.  In essence, you'll be getting more things done at once, so you'll check off that to-do list with ease.  If you’re so used to the fast way that you’ve forgotten that there IS another way, start with these alternatives: 

Fast Way: Drive through the car wash. 
Fit Way: Wash your car with a sponge and a bucket of suds. 
In just 30 minutes, you can make your car sparkle and burn about 140 calories too. If you want to get your kids involved, bring out some extra sponges and let them scrub and rinse with you. There’s no guarantee anyone will stay dry, but the chances are good that you’ll have fun. If you don’t have a place to wash your car (not everyone has a driveway), there are lots of do-it-yourself coin carwashes that will do the trick. 

Fast Way: Drive to the supermarket, cleaners, or video store.
Fit Way: Walk, jog, or ride your bike to your destination. 
If you only have a few things to pick up or drop off, take a backpack and use non-polluting “people power” to get there. You’ll burn calories, get a workout while running errands, and reduce fuel expenses and wear and tear on your car. 

Fast Way: Pick up dinner at the local carry-out. 
Fit Way: Cook dinner yourself. 
In just 15-45 minutes you can whip up an amazing dinner with lots of healthy veggies and whole grains, and you can burn at least 126 calories while you’re at it. If you have kids, get them involved. They’re great at measuring, mixing, and setting the table—plus learning how to cook wholesome foods will set them up for a lifetime of healthy eating habits. 

Fast Way: Load the dishwasher and push start. 
Fit Way: Wash your dishes by hand. 
Before you run away screaming, listen to this: Just 30 minutes of dishwashing burns 70 calories! Get your family involved for a great opportunity for conversation; if you’re solo, turn on some music and make it fun. With you powering the scrubbers, you’ll save money on your electric bill and extend the lifetime of your dishwasher too. 

Fast Way: Drop the kids off at the mall so you can go to the gym. 
Fit Way: Go for a hike together. 
This substitution packs more than fat-burning power. You’ll bond with your kids, get closer to nature, and fill your lungs with fresh, clean oxygen to boot. Plus you’ll burn almost 400 calories an hour. At that rate, you can just cross the gym off of your list for the day.

Fast Way: Use a leaf blower (or hire a lawn service to rake those leaves). 
Fit Way: Jump into your self-raked leaf pile. 
When raking leaves torches 126 calories per half hour, why would you pay someone to work out for you? 

Fast Way: Dry your clothes in the dryer. 
Fit Way: Hang your laundry out to dry. 
Next time you’re at the supermarket, take a walk down the laundry aisle. You’ll see a plethora of “outdoor” scents like mountain fresh, summer breeze, and spring rain, all to make your laundry smell as if it actually was dried in the fresh air. If you go for the genuine scent by actually hanging your clothes out to dry, you’ll burn calories, save on energy consumption, and save money by skipping the dryer sheets. 

These are just some ideas to get you started.  “Thinking fit” will burn more calories, save you money, and may even improve your relationships. Chances are, you might even have fun with these fit alternatives, or at the very least, gain an appreciation for how easy you really have it. Think fit, not fast!

How to get your kids to exercise

I get daily eHow articles and today's was about exercise... Here is the article:

How to Get Your Child to Start Exercising

by Staff Expert Difficulty: Moderately Easy When your children play actively, they're getting exercise as well. The suggestions below follow the recommendations of the U.S. Department of Education.

Instructions

Step 1: Play with your child, particularly games that keep him or her moving. Step 2: Encourage your child to take part in aerobic exercise. Good examples include bicycling, jumping rope, roller skating and swimming. Step 3: Start neighborhood sports teams and recreational activities. Step 4: Set a good example by displaying healthy living habits - watch less television, eat well and try walking instead of driving. Step 5: Make sure your child's school has physical education classes. Step 6: Encourage the idea that exercising is fun.

Tips & Warnings

Be sure to let your child exercise at his or her own pace. Aerobic exercise should be done continually for 12 to 15 minutes for maximum benefit. If your child has any condition that would impair or limit his or her ability to engage in physical activity, please consult a physician before attempting this activity. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

Overall Things You'll Need

Walking Shoes Physical Education Classes Knee pads Children's Bicycles Swimsuits For Children Bicycle Helmets Elbow pads Healthful Foods Jump Ropes Roller Skates Aerobic/fitness Shoes

Topics Address

How do I make my children exercise? Learn playful ways to exercise your kids. How do I make my overweight child get more exercise? Learn how to get your kids to work out. How do I help my overweight child?

Baked BBQ Tempeh

Serves: 3

Equally good whether served on rice, toasted bread, or a bed of spinach!

INGREDIENTS
8 oz package tempeh
1 small onion
1 cup BBQ sauce

DIRECTIONS
1. Cut block of tempeh into 3 strips and dice onion.
2. Place onion and tempeh in shallow baking dish with BBQ sauce.
3. Place in refrigerator and allow tempeh to marinate for several hours.
4. Cover with foil and bake at 350° F for 30 minutes.

NUTRITION INFO (per 3-ounce serving)
Calories: 220.4
Fat: 10.2 g
Carbohydrates: 19.7 g
Protein: 15.6 g

Your Kitchen: Built for Speed!

We're all pressed for time. Kitchens often go unused because it can simply take too long to cook, and seems more like a hassle than a help. In this hurry-up world, a clean, organized kitchen will get more use than a cluttered mess that's difficult to use. Creating an efficient workspace makes for healthier, faster and more enjoyable meal preparation for everyone involved.

• Clean and organize your pantry and cupboards. Throw out the old stuff and move the commonly used items to the front. Group together canned fruits, canned vegetables, tomato products, pasta items, canned meats, cereals, etc.
• Clean and organize the refrigerator and freezer. Then designate a specific shelf, drawer and area for your commonly used items. Make a special place just for leftovers! Do the same in your freezer, with a section for meats, vegetables, entree dinners, etc. Don't pack the fridge tight; air needs to circulate to keep things fresh. Store meat on the bottom shelf of the fridge.
• Label shelves so you know exactly where all your ingredients are and grocery storage is a snap--even the kids can help!
• Make all of your small appliances easily accessible. The Crock-Pot, toaster oven, mixer, blender, dicer, can opener, pasta maker, wok--should all be clean, and in working order.
• Create a leftover storage system. Have freezer bags, plastic storage containers, labels and markers handy. Label and date everything that gets stored in your freezer or fridge.
• Untangle that jammed utensil drawer! You should be able to put your hand on just the right tool in 2 seconds flat. This includes the spatula, measuring spoons, measuring cups, ladle, can opener, knifes, pastry blender, etc. Hang frequently-used items on the wall, or store them in an open container on the counter for easy access.
• Place a recipe box and cookbooks in full-view, not stuffed in a drawer somewhere.

Following these simple strategies, you can bring life and luster back to what should be the healthiest room in the house.

Well, Son of a Gun!! There's a Reason the Scale Isn't Moving!!!

Being the good, health conscious person that I am, I had my annual physical a few weeks ago.  Since they upped the diuretic I take, I had to go back for blood tests after six weeks.  I got a call from the doctor's office and they said they need to do some additional tests.  Uh-oh!

Apparently, I have a "sluggish" thyroid.  My doctor said I had to be one of the few people who was struggling to loose weight who didn't come in blaming my thyroid for the problem!  Son of a gun!! 

Now, until this was diagnosed, I never would have even considered it.  After all, the first 10 days of Fit Club, I was able to lose the 'recommended' 2 lbs per week.  Yeah, I worked hard at it and generally ate below or at the low end of the recommended calories, but who would have guessed.

So, starting today I will be on the lowest possible dose of thyroid meds.  I don't expect miracles, I don't expect to change my healthier eating, I don't expect to ease off on my exercise plan.  What I figure is this, if it helps, it helps.  If not, no big deal, I'm going to keep doing exactly what I've been doing.