Thursday, October 9, 2014

Cordon Bleu Revised for Trim and Healthy Mama and Weekly Report

Joy was making one of my favorite meals, Cordon Bleu Fettachini, this past week and I knew I would cheat if I didn't have a Plan B!!  This is a luscious white sauce with chicken, ham, Swiss cheese, chicken bouillion over pasta.  This would be a crossover meal indeed, and I had already eaten too many crossovers!!  I also didn't really want to make it low-fat with no flavor and little noodles, so I opted it as an S meal with very little carbs!  

Take a medium to large chicken breast and slice it in half so you have two thin flat chicken pieces.  I also pounded it with our kitchen mallet to get it thinner.  Then layer some ham and Swiss cheese slices on each flattened chicken piece. Roll each one up to have two 'logs' ready to go in the pan!  

Now grab that frying pan and put 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup almond milk (or milk), 1 bouillon cube, 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, 1/4 cup ricotta cheese and 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (this last ingredient is more important than it sounds) and stir well!!  Turn heat on low and bring to a simmer while stirring. Add chicken, close lid and allow to simmer til sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through - it took mine about 15 - 20 minutes, but depending on the thickness of your chicken wrapped cordon bleu, it may be different.  Just before serving add a slice of Swiss cheese to the sauce til melted, this is to add more cordon bleu flavor.  


This may not, at first glance, look like the most appetizing meal... but this is so rich FLAVOR!!


After you cut into it, THIS is where you see the beauty of these wonderful chicken 'wraps'...

Cordon Bleu S Meal

Thin and Healthy Mama S Meal - Yummm!

Looking at these pictures, makes me ready to make it all over again!!!  yummm

Make a delicious low carb salad to complement this, or a cooked green vegetable would be great too! 


Anyway, for the weekly report - I have lost one pound for the past week! YAY!!  
I still ate quite a few crossover meals this past week and several desserts... which definitely slows the weightloss down considerably... but, Selena and Pearl did say NOT to lose it too fast, right?
Well, that is my excuse anyway and I am sticking to it!! lol

I did make my fitbit goals this past week and am receiving points for it on my 
Walgreens card, so I am a happy camper!! 

Thanks for stopping by!!

Friday, October 3, 2014

Italian Burgers to DIE FOR!!! Trim and Healthy Mama S Meal

Trim and Healthy Mama's 'diet' has been a good find for me!  When I am on a normal low fat diet and watching calories, I crave fats, cheeses, etc...  When I am on the Atkins type diets, I crave bread, cereal, etc...  So, to be able to enjoy both on this diet has been a great fit for me.  I always gain weight on trips away from home, but have already lost all the weight I gained a few weeks ago and .2 more (okay, so that may not be much to brag about, but I am doing good, feeling good, and happy about where I am.) 

Anyway... here are Italian burgers to DIE FOR...  (okay, maybe that is a slight exaggeration... but they really are good!!)  This is a S (satisfying) meal for all Trim and Healthy Mamas!!  

Italian Burgers
I absolutely LOVE lasagna, spaghetti, and anything pasta with italian seasonings!!!  Unfortunately these are crossover meals that I cannot have very often while I am trying to lose weight... so, here is a great meal to enjoy as an S meal that is absolutely DELICIOUS!!  

Burgers
1/2  pound of hamburger (can be lean or fatty - I used 85%)
1/2  teaspoon of italian seasonings (more or less to your taste) 
1/4  teaspoon of salt (more or less to your taste) 
2     teaspoons parmesan cheese

Sauce
1     cup spaghetti sauce of your choice
1/4  cup ricotta
2     tablespoons parmesan
1/4  teaspoon garlic salt (optional - I love things salty and with garlic too!)

Topping
1/2  cup (or more) mozzarella cheese

This is such an easy meal!!!  Mix together the burger ingredients, Form two patties and put in frying pan. Cook on each side for 1 - 2 minutes on medium heat until browned on each side.   Add sauce and cheeses, turn down heat, cover and simmer until burgers are cooked through - usually about 15 - 20 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella over the top, cover and cook another 2 minutes.  Serve with a side salad, pea pod stir fry (like I have pictured above), broccoli or healthy veggie with little to no carbs.  

This is such a satisfying meal and helps me when I am craving a nice double serving of lasagna!!  

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

BUSY Three Weeks and back to Trim and Healthy Mama's Diet...

Well, it has been a BUSY three weeks!  My son, David's wedding was absolutely beautiful!!  All the hard work and crazy weeks, days, and hours of work paid off from everyone involved!!  AND, we have now all made it home safely!!  We picked up Joy from the airport yesterday, since she drove home with Joseph and Sarah and visited with her grandparents for a week.

We also had a missionary family visit this week/weekend - the Henderson family with 10 children... WOW!!!  We had a great time of fellowship... they were  such a blessing to us!  We will be praying for them, their travels, and for them to get support to go to Guam!!

The stress before and during our trip was a tough one for losing weight, especially since I am not a good traveler and have a traveling syndrome that always makes me gain weight when away from home.  But, I only gained 4 pounds (due to eating something that made me sick one day) and I have already lost 2 of those pounds!!  YAY!

After a break for a few weeks, today I am back on Trim and Healthy Mama's diet and ready to LOSE more!!    Sometimes a break gives me a more positive focus and I am very excited about losing right now!

Today for breakfast I had two delicious egg cups for breakfast - with eggs, mushrooms, cheese, onions and bacon!  yummm... (I did not eat the toast pictured here although some mornings when I need an S helper I will eat a half piece of Sarah Lee bread that has only 45 calories per slice - so when I eat a half, it only has 22 1/2 calories - with a little fruit-only preserve - no sugar added)...


 For lunch I had an amazing taco salad (with no chips)...  So filling and satisfying!!


 Trim and Healthy Mama is a way I that can eat and enjoy eating - every day and almost every  meal!!  It is satisfying and energizing...  Read one of my previous posts to see a very small summary of this book!  

Thanks for stopping by!


Friday, August 29, 2014

WEEK 4 REPORT

This is the 4th week since jumping back to this blog.  I only lost one pound this week... many things happening the past 7 days including a bridal shower and a birthday for my son.  Next week won't be much better with a potluck on Sunday and being busy with wedding plans. Somehow, when life gets busy I tend to just stuff food in my mouth on the go and feel more food helps me have more energy.
And although food is energy, too much food is NOT!

Even though I did lose a little, I felt like I took a setback this week on the diet, although I probably ate right 75% of the time... it's that 25% that is hurting me!!

I love this quote from Spark People and thought I would share it with anyone else struggling a little out there!  Hope you are having a great week... if you have had a setback, jump back on with me!!







Thursday, August 21, 2014

Week 3 Report / Summary of Trim Healthy Mama

Today marks 3 weeks since I started back at blogging on here and I am happy to report a 3 pound loss for the week!  I have implemented some of the things from Trim and Healthy Mama and am finding I have to be careful not to lose too much too fast (as they warned in the book!)  

So, a simple run-down of the diet (a book of over 600 pages with tips, recipes, etc.) - There are 4 kinds of meals: S meals (satisfying), E meals (energizing), FP meals (fuel pull), and Crossover Meals.  

In short: 

S Meals are kinda like Atkins - high fat meats, salads with creamy dressings, non-carb veggies with butter or cheese sauces, etc) and no carbs. Although you can have an S helper (one small carb, like a half an apple, half a toast, etc.) for those who can't cut out carbs or to keep you from losing too fast... yes, even at the age of 48, I am finding I have to be careful not to lose it too fast!!  These meals make you feel very satisfied (and like you are cheating on the diet).

E Meals are kinda like a low-fat meal - low fat meat, veggies without the butters, sauces, cheeses, etc. and a carb or two.. although very low fat cheeses are also allowed for this meal.  It does not mean you scarf down on carbs either!  The carbs in this meal make it very energizing!!

Crossover Meals can have both fat and carbs in the same meal - beware, it is not like throwing the diet to the wind, and it is only used once a week while losing weight, or several times a week when maintaining. Things like a taco, piece of lasagna, etc...   Since some of these meals neither fit in an S meal or an E meal.  I eat mine on Sundays for lunch.  Joy and I also do eat a dessert for that meal!  yummmmy...  I thought this meal would ruin my diet and make me gain a pound or two each week, but I have been pleasantly surprised with the fact I have not gained!!  

FP Meals are meals with low fat and no carbs - like grilled salmon and a salad with vinegar, or a shrimp stir fry made with veggies and very little olive oil.  These meals can still be very filling if planned well. Joy and I have found several combinations that work great!!!

Tips: 

* When changing meal plans always keep them 3 hours apart!!  Otherwise the fat from one meal and the carbs in the other may combine for weight gain...  

* Sugar and honey are given up... Yep, the mama of Cakes by the SugarCains just said that!!  (If you don't know us, you can look us up online on Facebook, Blogger, Cake Central, Pinterest.)  I LOVE LOVE LOVE sugar, candy, honey... and anything made with these wonderful ingredients!!  Once a week I still enjoy one of our amazing desserts, but the rest of the week, I have actually found I feel better without the sweet stuff (did I just say that?  WOW!!)  

* There are several ingredients that can really add weight... bananas (high in sugar and carbs), milk (the hormones given to cows to make their appetites increase, also make our appetites increase - wow), corn (regularly fed to animals getting fattened up for the slaughter), juices (full of natural sugar without the needed fiber that goes into our systems so fast that it is not good for our blood sugar) and many others...  does this mean I never eat these things... NO!!  I am aware of their affects and monitor their intake carefully.  

* Eating in this way, keeps your blood sugars balanced and steady... In the book Pearl and Serene explain how our normal diets (even what some call 'healthy' are making us fat)...  which I can't really explain, you will have to read the book on that one....

** It is switching things up that makes the metabolism fire up and burn more...  just like switching up your exercise routine can rev up your metabolism, your food intake can also!

The Authors:

Pearl and Serene are sisters and are very transparent as they explain their own past diets and failures in a very down-to-earth way. I like how they each have different views and argue between themselves in the book (just like sisters!! but it also gives you different ideas of it.)  

My Summary:

It is not a book of dos and don'ts exactly... they give their ideas and thoughts, but everyone figures out what works best for them.  I almost always add an S helper to an S meal, because I have learned  through reading other books, that combinations of foods give you the best possible absorption of vitamins in your foods. I like the drink ideas - The Shrimker and Good Girl Moonshine are flavorful and healthy ideas. Trim and Healthy Mama has LOTS of recipes, and probably half do not sound good to me... but, through Pinterest, there are numerous ideas and help online!!  This diet is growing quite popular, but the best thing is... it is a diet I could live with for the rest of my life.  Even a woman who is pregnant could live on this diet if she is careful to switch up her meals often to keep a good balance of carbs, proteins, and produce!  

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Review of Take Charge of the Change by Pamela M Smith

A dear friend of mine brought me over a stack of books several years ago after I had talked to her about going through that change of life.  Many of these books were humorous and had some information that was helpful. Some with the thought of: we all go through it, just grin and bear it, you will get through it too. Some were a little more helpful - Healthy tips, advice to go to your doctor because he can prescribe hormones and anti-depressants, learn to laugh your way through, etc...  But probably the LAST book I picked up (and maybe should have been the first) was the book that looked like it was too technical and deep - Take Charge of the Change by Pamela M Smith.

This is a topic that most women do not want to talk about openly and for many years women suffered in silence.  But the times have changed and I began asking many ladies about their 'change' of life. I was grateful that most were very open. Some ladies went through it pretty easy, as simple as going through 6 months of not feeling good...  I sure wish I was one of them!!  Some said that said they felt they could not function normally, everyone got on their nerves, to even feeling like they were going insane. Others had hysterectomies, which makes the change very different. When I jumped into this 'change' over 6 years ago I had no idea how it would be... nor how long it would take.... and no, I am not through it yet!  For one to be through this change, they have to go through a full year of no monthly cycles.  Unfortunately, one can have sporadic cycles with seemingly no rhyme or reason during this time.  Personally, I describe this change as PMS on steroids all month long, month after month, year after year...  ugh!!!

The first few years were not so hard, some emotional ups and downs (kinda like when we were going through puberty)... when I began feeling sad all day, every day, for months at a time about 3 years ago I began trying to explain it to my husband.  We decided to go to the health food store to see what options they had. I began using a progesterone cream that was a life-send!  The only problem, I didn't need as much as I was using and it made me quite happy-go-lucky.  My kids called it my 'happy cream' - and you could obviously tell when I had or had not taken it, because either mom was OVER happy or OVER sad. It has taken me years to find how much I need and know when I go through a rougher day, to have an extra half pump here or there helps.  

I researched into bioidentical hormones and I would LOVE to be able to afford this when someone makes it affordable...  which is about the time (about 7 months ago) that I finally picked up this book... Take Charge of the Change. Yep, this was just what I needed!

The information in this book would actually be good for ANYONE - a lot of practical advice on many topics that everyone faces whether they are going through the change or not!  Things like sleeping better at night, mental fuzziness and memory loss, mood swings and body blues, migraines, and even love life problems - She has real, simple and natural solutions to so many problems we face!! Yet, she does emphasizes that someone who needs hormone replacement therapy is not any less of a person than a person who can take charge without.  

Pamela is very 'technical' in her descriptions in this book, explaining the science behind what we are going through, food and diet, exercise, etc...  Those sections are hard to read, but I forced myself, knowing this is what I NEEDED to learn.  I usually enjoy reading nutrition stuff, but some of her information can be a little harder to read through and fully understand.  That is okay, as long as I can get an overview and understand the whole picture.  

She stresses the importance of exercising moderately even in the busy lifestyles that most of us face. It is worth the time we set aside to keep us both physically and mentally alert.  She also stresses the importance of a well balanced diet, 10 fruits and/or veggies every day, and LITTLE sugar... yep, my biggest weakness!  Food combinations are important for maximum vitamin absorption in meals and snacks and she encourages more meals throughout the day with smaller portions to keep blood sugars from rising and dropping too much throughout the day.  The biggest help of all was the chapter on sleep and I wish everyone could read it!! I have slept better the past few months than I have in a long time!  

The only thing I didn't like was her focus on Soy products.  The edition I have is more than 5 years old, so I am sure if there is an updated version it won't have this same push!  Other than that, there was little I disagreed with.  

The practical advice in the book is worth the time, even if you skim the 'science' behind it all!  

For my weekly update - I have lost another two pounds the past week!  YAY!  This makes a total of 12 pounds from the start of this blog.  I have only 33 more pounds to go...  which may seem like a lot, and seem impossible, but I am very optimistic and excited with the combination of Taking Charge of the Change and Trim and Healthy Mama (which will be my next book review in a few weeks).  

Have you read Taking Charge of the Change?  Was it helpful for you, what did you like/not like? 


Tuesday, August 12, 2014

My Review of the FITBIT FLEX!!

I spent many hours researching Fitbit and other products that are similar - the features, the pros, the cons, the prices, the sales (which are few - even when buying used on ebay or Amazon... they are pricey!!)  I pretty much figured I would never be able to get one.  But, this summer I sold a lot of books on ebay and did quite well. When my husband I were talking about it, he suggested I use some of the profits to buy me a Fitbit. Well, you don't have to tell me twice!!  I was right on it!!

Again, researching ebay and used ones, store rewards programs, etc...  I bought mine at Kohl's and was able to get $20 Kohl's cash back on each of the first two and bought a third one using the Kohl's cash a few days later.  I bought one for each of my daughter's to give me some good steady 'competition' - one of the fun factors of the Fitbit, as well as giving them some fun and incentive also!  

There are many types of exercise trackers - I needed one that would fit my needs and motivate me.  I had read some pretty good and bad reviews on each product but had to think what functions were important to me and what I could afford.  

Convenient:  I needed something that I didn't have to think about - I am a ditz and would seriously forget my head if it wasn't attached. So, to have a band around my arm 24/7 helps me a lot!!  I don't have to remember to throw it in my pocket or attach it to my clothing in some way when I get up.  They also have a lot of beautiful colors (that I found on ebay much cheaper) too... 

 SLEEK FITBIT FLEX BANDS IN ASSORTED COLORS

Cool and Sleek: As you can see, these are sleek and colorful bands that can match anything I wear!  There are 5 lights that tell you approximately how many steps you have taken, when you put it in or out of sleep mode, when you reach 10,000 steps for the day, alarms, etc.


Dashboard: I love the dashboard that I can go to and see my steps, sleep, calories in vs. calories out, mileage, water intake, friends progress and much more at a glance!!  They also have an app that also syncs to my account, so I can also see it on the go!!  Here is a portion of it as a screen shot on my computer - This is at around 12:00...  

ONLINE DASHBOARD FOR FITBIT

and here is a portion from my phone around the same time... 

MOBILE VERSION FOR FITBIT FLEX


Syncs with other Apps:  I really like the food calorie counter on MyfitnessPal and the GPS tracker on RunKeeper for outdoor walks/jogs and have used them both for over a year.  The features on Fitbit make it so that I would not necessarily have to mess with those apps anymore, but it is so nice that they can sync with each other. So what I put in on one app, they work together to sync all the information into the other apps for me.  After experimenting with the food counter on fitbit, it is nice and works well, but I do prefer MyFitnessPal on the mobile version for that. 

Features:  I saw so many people put up bad reviews, wanting it to be a watch... if I want a watch, I will buy a watch.. this is a pedometer!!  Some people said it is too expensive for a pedometer. Well, it is kinda expensive, I will be the first to agree with that.  But, it is one that you don't have to think about. It is there, doing it's job day and night. Even logging your sleep, when you are restless, when you wake up, etc...  I LOVE IT!!  It is not a heart rate monitor, although I read you can sync it to one if you want, but that is not what I wanted.  Most heart rate monitors do not give you all that Fitbit does, and if they do, they are MUCH more expensive!!  

Waterproof: Well, somewhat waterproof...  like if you get caught in a rain storm (like I did out walking one evening) it won't hurt it!  Many people even wear them in the shower.  It just can't go under pressurized water - like a pool, ocean, etc...  

Goals: You have daily and weekly goals to accomplish, (would you believe I missed my goal yesterday by 2 steps?  lol... I was just too tired to care last night!)  Most of the time, just pushing yourself to meet goals can be a lot of fun. These goals over time can be changed also to push you harder, or if you have an injury or sickness, they can be lowered to help you get your strength back up over time.

Competition:  I love competition and I can link up with other friends that are Fitbit users (even if they have a different Fitbit style) to help encourage and push each other - or even 'taunt' each other!!  One of the reasons in getting them for my daughters is to help push me and them!!

JOY AND I WALKING WITH OUR FITBIT FLEX BANDS


Alarm: You can go in and set any alarms you need and the Fitbit flex will buzz gently and lights will blink to let you know to wake up, (open the museum), and/or any other alarms you might need to help you! 

I cannot even begin to give you all the benefits and fun of the Fitbit Flex... it has been fun and very motivating!  Maybe I will be linking up with you soon???  

Thursday, August 7, 2014

GOOD GIRL MOONSHINE RECIPE (THM)

Today I am drinking another great recipe from Trim and Healthy Mama's Recipes.  It is a very easy drink to make on days I don't have a lot of time to make The Shrinker!!  The name may seem a little shady, but it is truly a GOOD GIRL drink with: water, ice, ginger, apple cidar vinegar, and a small amount of Stevia.

Start with a quart jar of ice....


Add 1 - 2 tsp. ginger (I add about 3/4 of a tsp right now... will work my way up from there!!)
1/2 tsp. stevia (some people add more, but I don't like it overly sweet)
1 - 2 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar (I add 1 tablespoon right now... we will see about more)


Then fill the jar up with water, put a lid on and SHAKE!!  


You may have to occassionally give it another shake here and there... but another drink to help you get your fluids with flavor and NO calories!!  

At first I didn't care for this one... I started out by putting too much in it and it really gagged me.  But, I am one who doesn't like sodas and actually prefer lightly sweetened and flavored water, so I use less than most people!  

Experiment and let me know what you think!!   




Wednesday, August 6, 2014

THE SHRINKER RECIPE - THM

One of the things I love about Trim and Healthy Mama (THM) is the drink ideas they have!!  We all KNOW it is good and healthy for our bodies to stay hydrated... but sometimes... water... just gets...  well... BORING!!! And, of course, I drink water because I do not like to drink my calories (I want to chew and savor every calorie I eat!!)  So their ideas/recipes have been very refreshing (in more ways than one!!)

This is one of the recipes that they give and it is sooo good!!  It is kinda like drinking a cold chia tea...  They say you should make and drink about 2 quarts of this stuff for one day. BUT, I kinda get tired of just drinking one drink all day.  So here is my 'half' recipe for it:

** Start with two Oolong tea bags -( yes, these are hard to find, my dad and I could not find them in stores, if you do, please add a comment at what store you found them!!  I did finally get some from the health food store in my area.)

** Put a cup of hot water into the cup with bags and let steep 6 minutes - take tea bags out and let cool...  they say to leave the bags in until it cools. (Sometimes I don't have the time to let them steep as long as they say and that is okay. I personally like to steep it only 6 minutes or it tends to have a strong bitter taste and after taste that doesn't agree with my taste buds! If you like it bitter, leave them in longer!)

Oolong Tea - yummmmy

** Pull the tea bags out and put tea in a blender with:
     1/4 cup almond milk,
     1/2 teaspoon good cinnamon (no, not all cinnamons are created equal!),
     a sprinkle of cayenne pepper (as you get used to it, I hear you can add more,
        but I thought I would choke on my first try of this one with more in it whew!!),
     1 tsp. vanilla (yummmm)
     small pinch of sea salt (can omit if you prefer!)
     1/2 tsp. Stevia (or to taste, I like this or even a little less.)

** Blend well...


** Get a quart jar and fill it FULL with ice.


** Pour oolong tea mixture over ice and ENJOY!!!

The Shrinker


This is such a good flavorful alternative to drinking high sugar and high calorie drinks!!  Of course I just can't drink a full two quarts like they suggest...  I wouldn't drink two quarts of milk in a day or two quarts of mountain dew either... so this gives some variety to my day's fluid intake!!  This drink has less than 10 calories and each ingredient has nourishing and healthy benefits to them!!

Here is a picture of my drinks on my desk at work - The Shrinker and my simple but favored flavored water (did I make you read that twice? lol)- my Cucumber-Lime water!  YUMMM!!



Have you tried The Shrinker yet? What do you like to drink to get your fluids that are also low calorie but flavorful?  I would love to try your favorites too!!

An added note here: Joy and I found Oolong tea at HyVee for those who live near one of these stores.  We were not able to get the price because they were resetting the shelves that day and we saw it in a cart off to the side, but it is a regular product!!
   

One Week Report

Well, it has been just one week since I have last blogged and I have lost 2 pounds!  YAY!!  Every Wednesday is when I will be posting my weight loss.  But, I will in the next week or two share in separate posts how I have put together two books and two very different diet styles into one. (Taking Charge of the Change and Trim and Healthy Mama) When I was researching on THM (this is how some shorten it), a newer and becoming more popular "diet," I found a good blog post on www.keeperofthehome.org -  I love what Natalie said in this review of Trim and Healthy Mama:

  • All authors but One are fallible.
  • Don’t get all your information from one source. (Not talking about the Bible here.)
  • Chew the meat; spit out the bones.
What great advice... and so I have combined these two recent books that I have read and will share them soon!  

But, for now, the latest news in my home... Joy and I went shopping two days ago and found a stunning sleek dress for me to wear for my son's wedding in just 5+ short weeks.  Can I lose enough to look stunning in it?  hmmm...  It is worth a try!  Tags have been left on and the receipt is in a safe place...  Joy also needs to lose a few pounds to fit into her dress comfortably (well, like maybe 3 pounds for her - lol)...  so we are working hard!!! 

I am also using the following apps: MyFitnessPal, Runkeeper, and Fitbit...  the nice thing is they can all sync together to work for me!!  I LOVE the Fitbit, it has been a dream of mine for a very long time, and after selling old homeschool books this summer, my husband wanted me to use some of that money for myself and suggested the Fitbit.  He didn't have to tell me that twice!!!  I started researching and bought me and my daughters all Fitbits (because it is always more fun to compete with a Fitbit) - of course!!  


Yes, her arm is the skinnier arm...  lol...

I met and exceeded my first week's goal of 70,000 steps and look forward to some day increasing my goals as I get on a good schedule with it!

Thanks for reading, please share with me how you are losing weight,  if you have read Trim and Healthy Mama and your own ideas as well on it!!  I would love to hear from you!!








Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Back at Blogging...

Well, it has been over two years since I blogged on Weigh Faithful...  It is not that I haven't been "weighing faithful" though... It is because it has been a very busy and tough few years and blogging has not been on my priority list!  From looking through my past blogs here, there are some things that I have learned and have continued to implement.  YAY!

My weight loss is 3 pounds less than when I last blogged.  Though there is not a significant weightloss for over two years time, I have not gained... a BIG YAY!!! There has been some influx in the fact that I have gone through some good and tough times - broken leg (I lost at first because I had no appetite, then gained because I could not exercise), vacations and business trips (even if I eat right and exercise when away from home, I always gain - weird? yes!), weddings (we have been sooo busy with my daughter's wedding last October and my son's wedding coming up in September!!) and church activities (Sunday School, Children's Church, special music, cleaning, banquets, outreach, etc all keep me going!!), not to mention responsibilities at home and part-time work.  So, my life has been very busy!!

During the time off from blogging on here, I have been reading a lot of information on health, diet, nutrition, exercise and weightloss. I look forward to sharing that info on here in the near future!!

One thing God has truly been working in my heart is on faithfulness...  God is so faithful to us and to His promises.  How can I be anything but faithful to Him and to what He has called me to be in every area of my life???  Just this morning I read, "Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it." (1 Thess. 5:24)  May God give me strength and wisdom each day to accomplish His will for my life as I surrender!!