Tuesday, May 17, 2016

2016 - A healthful journey

Hello everyone

I know right... where the hell have I been...?

Well truth be knows, I was away getting fatter than ever! It's true... I'm not going to lie to you. I don't even know if anyone still bothers to check this blog... if anyone will even know I am writing here but it's a new start then so all is good.

Between my husband first being diagnosed with cancer after I was diagnosed with a heart condition and then when we thought we got through that my MIL was then diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer... well, I just had no energy left to be creative or eat right. STRESS it's a real Bitch. Late night eating after hours sitting in emergency rooms didn't help either... but here's the thing...

I'm taking control! I am down 11 pounds so far and it's been a month and 1 week since I began this healthful journey. I can't claim to have developed a plan or anything but I can tell you I am following a great one and it's absolutely free too. I am also a part of a great online FB group who is supper supportive.

The plan is the City Line Weight Loss Challenge and is based out of Toronto, Ontario. It's pretty easy and you can find all the information here Start up with City Line Weight Loss Challenge

I have also been walking to work every day and home... yup... that is it everyone... I walk. With my heart condition the most I can manage is a brisk walk or sometimes a jog on the spot during my students 15 minute breaks at school... you'd be surprised how many steps you can get in on those 15 minute breaks.. they add up fast especially if you are jogging. I got a FITBIT for my birthday this year... and it holds me accountable. not to mention I purchased one for my MIL and my MUM and my friend at work got one and two of my cousins... so now just like that I have a team. LOL Anyway we keep each other going... and you know the one with cancer kicks everyone's butt!

I have also been finding some really fabulous recipes and enjoying eating right! It is really important to eat well and keep it mixed up. I get bored easily so I need to keep my meals tasty and interesting so I am always experimenting with new things...

SO I thought I might share some stuff here. Some will be things I just make up and others maybe I will find from cookbooks, online, in my FB group etc but it might be a way for you to keep interested too.

Tonight I had a roasted chicken with sweet potato and cauliflower,  onion, zucchini and a wee bit of light gravy. It was fabulous. 4 oz of chicken 1 small sweet potato and as many veggies as I wanted until I was full. Also and very importantly I don't eat after 7pm! That is a big one and it was hard in the beginning but now I am finally getting used to that.

I'll post photos too and step by steps but today I just wanted to try to get started again... see if I had anything to say. It looks like I might so why now reopen the doors to Seraphim's Diner?!

TIP: If you do get hungry at night stick to free veggies (non starchy ones) and if you have a sweet craving try Bengal tea! It is sweet and delicious and has no sugar. It is also easy to find and costs very little and hot water makes you feel full (cold water quenches thirst).

See ya soon!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

So Sorry and Thanks for all your comments!

Well how absolutely ridiculous! I stopped writing on this blog of mine because I never got any responses and thought no one was interested and then tonight for the first time I found a ton of comments that needed to be okay-ed but they were never emailed to me! So with deepest apologies to anyone who is still here with me I will come back and try to give you some reason to come back also!

I will try to find something really great to post about this weekend! I will have to get back into this and try to remember to come back and write... just need to get back into the swing of it. I had all but forgotten about this blog because I thought it was not successful but now that I found all the comments....

I have some great ideas coming to me!

Keep Healthy
Be Happy

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Lost something

Well, I am happy to say that this week I have lost another 1.4lbs. Doesn't sound like much I know but after being unable to workout and gaining so much weight I am happy with any result that is going in the other direction!

I was able to work out 5 day this week and did all the workouts to Leslie Sansone's walking at home DVD's I managed 4 of the 5 days to do 4 mile walks and the other day a 3 mile walk. Now these walks are not just walking, they include all muscles in the body and you do a bit of jogging etc. I sweat a ton so it's not like walking around the neighborhood, that's for sure!

Yesterday was my day off ( I take two days off a week) but I am unable to workout again today because yesterday I woke up feeling... sick! Darn! I am on a role and hate taking the time off but it must be done as I am just not up to it!

As a reward for my now 3.4 lbs of weight loss in two weeks I ordered in Swiss Chalet today! So what were my choices you might ask! Well, I had 1/2 a Greek salad with no dressing and instead used my calorie wise dressing of sundried tomato and oregano... plus I picked off the feta cheese! I don't miss it really so no loss there. I had about 3/4 of a breast with no skin, mashed potato which is less than the baked potato in points plus and 1/4 of a bun. They have changed their buns or I would have had the whole thing but I don't like them anymore... too dense for me. I also enjoyed a tsp of healthy margarine from home. I ended the day with a glass of milk and a Weight Watchers brownie!

I did go over in my points by 9 points but these last two weeks I have struggled to use all my points each day and have not delved into my extra points allowance at all so I think I deserve to use some of my extra points this week! Hopefully that will be all I use this week though and hopefully I will be back on my workouts soon and feeling much better.

For those of you who have the new Weight Watchers binder of recipes the Smokey Turkey Chili is fabulous! We made that last week and it was fantastic! Definitely worth a try if you like Chili!




I have tried a ton of recipes from this new booklet and they are all fabulous so far!

I found this adaptation of the chili on PrepAhead & Dine In blog if you don't have the book this is pretty close to what the Weight Watchers recipe is.



Be back soon with more ... wish me luck. I'm off to bed to rest this sick little body of mine!

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

I'm Back

Hello everyone

So it has been a really really long time since I was here. I was ill, diagnosed with a heart condition and until this point I was unable to do just about anything. They finally found the problem and I am now in heart medication that is working very well for me.

As a matter of fact it is working so well now that I have begun to work out again. Granted it is just a walking video but I sweat and it's difficult for me because the muscles in my body are heavy and I have a hard time getting rid of the build up of lactic acid in them due to the pills but I am able to do it! I am feeling so much better for it too.

I began the videos last week as well as tracking with my Weight Watchers and I am happy to say I am down 2.4 lbs today. Today was my weigh in day and I was delighted to see the result. I know that 2 lbs a week is a healthy weight to loose so that was my goal and I have made it just slightly more than that also.

I will try to get to this blog now again and write about some ideas and tips and recipes so if there is anyone out there still interested, and maybe still coming to check in here... I'm back!

I hope you have all had a fabulous year so far since my last post! Mine has been eventful but I am so grateful to be alive and cherishing each and every day!

Michele

Saturday, January 14, 2012

New find in exercise videos

Hi everyone

I know it has been a while... but hay... good news is I found a great new exercise video ... well several actually and I think they are great for ANYONE! Maybe you have heard of them? They are walking videos and let me tell you all... they are fabulous! Not too much stress on the joints. They make you sweat, you burn calories and they are fun! They are by Leslie Sansone and there are a ton of them to choose from! I have been doing the first one I purchased for a week or so and today I bought another and LOVED it also. I walked 4 miles in my own livingroom! Whhhaaaawhoooo!

Check her out and try it out too! Unlike my experience with the lovely Jillian Michaels where I felt like I was at bootcamp and in trouble all the time... this is a fabulously energizing video that makes you feel loved while you burn burn burn those calories!

I'm getting more tomorrow if I can find some more videos by Leslie! Best Buy, K Mart and Walmart all carry her stuff!

I heard about her through a customer of ours who has lost 20 pounds using her videos and Weight Watchers new points plus plan. It sounded interesting to me so I thought I would give it a shot! I am really happy I did! I'll keep in touch and let you know how it's going.

I have a fairly busy schedule right now with bear orders but I won't miss the workouts... I may not be back here too often but I will eventually so don't forget to check every now and again.

Have a wonderful day and honestly I think ANYONE can do these exercises so give it a whirl. And if you don't want to shell out the bucks on the DVD before you try ... Leslie has a website Walk at home and she has some video's up that you can try (test) before you buy.

Keep healthy and Happy New Year Everyone!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Rum Butter Sauce

Rum Butter Sauce

Melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine

and 1 cup white sugar until sugar is dissolved

Stir constantly so as not to burn your mixture


Once melted and mixed add 1/4 cup of your favourite dark rum
 

 
Add 1/2 cup whipping cream or lactose free whipping cream 
and 1 tsp vanilla

That's it! Simple and absolutely the best rum sauce! 
Give it as a gift by putting it in canning jars and hang a recipe card off the lid...
your friends will love it!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

A few days

Well, more than a few days has past and I do apologize for that. It suddenly occurred to me that Christmas we much closer than I originally thought... hahahah I have been either at work helping customers bottle last minuted wine or in my studio sewing. I am almost completed a final project for my mother in law which I am really thrilled about. It is really difficult when you are making everything by hand.

I have an idea in store for next year and I am diligently working on it but it will take some time to get it right. I will tell you that it is a cookbook and something I think to look forward to!

This Monday is my baking day so I will take photos while I bake and get some recipes and fun stuff for you to look at up here and see if I can't get back into this! Thanks for being so patient!

Merry Christmas
Michele