Sharing my Laughter

Anyone who knows me at all knows that the past, let's say, 8 years, of my life have been non-stop battles, physically. While I don't even count the day I was diagnosed with MS(13 years ago) because I am so very, very blessed to have it mildly and truly it is not an issue MOST days, the past 8 years have been a constant battle with my body.

Oddly enough I was the Poster Child for "Perfect Health" as a child. Never sick, not even colds, athletic, always a bit chubby but not HUGELY obese, not even as much as chicken pox!

Then the battles with cancer started. Slowly but surely my body just seemed to fight me tooth & nail with everything from gall bladder issues to the 5 bouts of cancer (of which really pissed me off and I beat it over and over again... so don't come back.. or I'll kick your ass again, just so ya know). Sorry, I always have to remind the "Big C" that I'm boss!

So, that quick synopsis brings me to yesterday.......

Always sort of a joke that my body is always falling apart, just finding new ways is the norm for me. Yesterday I had a friend that went to the ER with bronchitis & I offered to not only pick up his 'scripts for him but some snacks he felt certain would help him feel better. I do not recommend Cheetos & Coke to anyone for getting better, but we'll let him think it was the Cheetos and Coke as opposed to the meds ok?

So while waiting for the 'scripts to be filled the clerk informs me "Well, if you're not shopping, perhaps you'd like to take advantage of the free bone density testing we're doing?" I laughed, thinking "Oh if you only knew, I'm certain it would confirm my bones are nearly gone and I will become gel soon", but I smiled and said "Well, perhaps after a 'pottie' run". Yes 'pottie'... I can't help I'm still a kid at heart and will always be a mother!

So I come back, still a good 10-15 minutes to wait so I see this poor girl twiddling her thumbs, looking around and glancing at me sitting there waiting with these "oh please just come get this done so I have something to do" eyes. I smile and politely say "Well, you look bored, I have 15 minutes to waste, let's do this!"

First off, for anyone who has not had a bone density test done it's very non-evasive. There's no real "undressing" (ok, naked foot, that's the most) and no pins or pokes or stuff. It's pretty blase as "medical testing" goes but hey, after 8 years of everything but blase I was thinking... wooohooo!

So now the great part.... and I'm telling you, for ME this is a celebration! LOL

The results of the test were remarkable. The woman says to me "Um, how old did you say you are? I think I put the wrong age down", at which I immediately responded, "Oh my goodness, so I'm more like a 95 year old than a 45 year old?" She chuckled and said "Just the opposite. As she pulls the results off the machine she shows me where a... now read these words well.... YOUNG ADULT FEMALE would rank and points those words out to me. I respond with, "So, I'm like way down here then at the other end of the scale?" She cracked up and said "Actually, you're ABOVE that! Your bones are more like an 18 year old! I about died laughing. I quickly announced that I would need a copy, signed affidavit and frame to put it all in that ONE PART of my body was NOT falling apart! LOL We talked about why my bones could be so strong, especially since my spine is "crumbling" from radiation (huge doses of radiation) and cancer treatment which I assumed broke down all my bones.

So the joke for the day, heck for the rest of my life is, "While I'm falling apart, at least I know I won't break a hip!"

Perhaps this is my sign from God that my body is finally going to start behaving? I've been eating healthy, most times, losing weight on the Weight Watcher program & slowly trying to become active (as active as my body will allow at this point with my chronic pain).

So I say "Thanks God! Thanks for the reminder that I AM doing SOMETHING right!"

Buffalo Wing Lasagna (6)

Going to a picnic, want something you can eat without being "obvious" about trying to get healthy? Here's one rockin' casserole that will knock their socks off and at 6 pts, gives you some extra room for a big ol' slice of watermelon and salad on the side!

Buffalo Wing Lasagna (6)

Serves 10

Ingredients

	12 piece(s) no cook lasagna noodles
	1 pound(s) cooked chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, shredded/pulled apart)
	3 cup(s) bottled/jar spaghetti sauce
	1 cup(s) hot pepper sauce *I Use Franks Brand (can be reduced to taste, I prefer to make it 1/2-1/4 Cup and add to my own piece of lasagna on my plate)
	1 1/2 cup(s) water
	15 oz fat-free ricotta cheese
	1/2 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
	1/2 cup(s) Athenos Blue cheese crumbles

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Spray skillet with Non-Stick cooking spray

Stir in sauces & water to cooked chicken (chicken should be "almost done, not too dry")
In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese and egg substitute

Spray a 9x13 pan with nonstick cooking spray

Spread 1 Cup of sauce in the bottom of pan

Arrange 4 noodles over the sauce

Spread more sauce then a layer of ricotta mixture

Add another layer of sauce and repeat the whole profess until you end with a layer of sauce.

Cover and bake 70 minutes

Uncover and place cheese on top, then back another 15 minutes uncovered

Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving - Cut into 10 Pieces

SERVES 10


Don't forget to check out my Daily Menu Planner - generally updated new at the end of each day, but I must confess I do miss some days! It's a nice way to get new ideas and see products that perhaps you've missed! And hopefully you will share new ideas with me!

Crockpot Pineapple Luau Chicken (4)

Nothing is better than coming home to a meal, all ready to eat! Using my crockpot or slowcooker as many call it, makes my life so much easier! As a working mom it was more often than not my dinner savior! Even now that I don't work outside the home, I love to have dinner done & ready, making it a well planned day - easier to stay on program!

I love to serve this over a bed of brown rice with a side salad. I use a fat free sweet/sour dressing (Wegman's) for my salad, to compliment the "Luau Chicken"

Crockpot/Slowcooker Pineapple Luau Chicken(4)
serves 6

6 chicken breast halves without skin -(I use the frozen boneless, skinless breasts - unthawed)

1 dash pepper

1/8 tsp. paprika

20 ounces pineapple chunks in natural juice -- I use the Dole canned tidbits

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic -- minced


Place frozen chicken in bottom of crockpot. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika. Pour drained pineapple tidbits, mustard and soy sauce over chicken. Add minced garlic. Cover and cook on LOW 7-9 hours or HIGH 4-5 hours. Makes 6 servings.

It's also great to sear/brown the chicken pieces & pineapple tidbits to make the dish seem authentic. Not necessary but gives a great presentation. I simply place it in a fry pan for about 5 minutes before serving & even serve it from the deep dish fry pan I use. But believe me, it's not necessary!

You can also add frozen broccoli to the dish when cooking, it's wonderful & gets in some extra veggies!


Per Serving: 194 Calories; 2g Fat; 28g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 68mg Cholesterol; 483mg Sodium.

Using the New Juicer

So I purchased a fruit juicer from one of our local "recyclers" lists. A nice 450 Watt GE Juicer that I'm quite amazed at since I got it for only $20! It was used once and she wasn't lying, it truly looks brand new.

I'm completely new to the juicing thing. I'm doing it for health reasons, obviously, but it all started because I am completely addicted to Naked Juices. I purchase them at $3 each nearly every day, yes, add that up and gasp! Ok, some days I don't get my Naked but I'm not pretty those days. I get grumpy and cry a lot about how I really need some Naked! LOL

So today's first attempt was the "lazy" way. I had found some "reduced", already cut trays of fruits at my local Wegman's store. While they were a little more than I'd normally pay, because they were reduced for use within the next 2 days I figured why not try it. So armed with my already diced watermelon, kiwi, pineapple, honey dew & cantaloupe slices I pulled out the machine!

WOW!

I added all of the above, mainly watermelon as I've been craving some of that but added a bit of everything. Let's suffice to say I need to work on presentation because in the end it was not a "pretty" color (HOW DOES NAKED DO THAT?) but the taste ROCKED! I added a Tablespoon of FF Vanilla Yogurt for some substance, sort of a smoothie effect. End result... delish!

What would I do different? Next time I'm going to try putting the juice in my shake/bullet type machine with the yogurt and some ice. It would have been better colder, I suppose I could have simply put it back in the fridge & waited but that takes patience!

Tomorrow's juice, pineapple watermelon.

So while it was a little work, it was well worth it plus it saved me from running to the store for my Naked. I have this thing where I can't stand to buy like 6 at a time because I gasp (same price as if I run to the store 6x but don't try to reason with a woman). It also allowed me to play with my own flavors, etc. I cannot wait until locally we have actual fruits available! Hopefully cheaper!

One cup (8oz) cost 2 pts plus the 1 Tbls of yogurt, I just let that slide because it was FF and to be honest not really accountable points wise. No pics because, to be honest it was pretty ugly brown. LOL But I swear it tasted like the nectar of the Goddesses!

I added to that delicious juice (which I poured into 2 fancy glasses, making me feel even more special) a slice of Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Bread, Honey Apple Oat toasted & buttered with Omega 3 ICBINB ( I can't believe its not butter). It was to die for! YES, one slice was 2 pts but the slices are large and so worth it for the flavor alone! Bread is one of my fave things in life and I will often forgo the extra point for flavor. I'm not only full but happy with the high quality of everything I got for my quick and somewhat easy breakfast! Total for this morning 5 pts!

If you get the chance, check out the Wegman's Honey Apple Oat Bread. Stats are 110 Cal., 2g Fat, 2g Fiber per slice. A slice is truly like a double piece of bread & makes the worlds best roasted turkey and feta sandwich!!!!!!! That's lunch by the way... I will post pics!

You can check out my "Daily Food Log" now too!

Battling Fatigue

I'm not sure why I'm battling fatigue so extreme lately. Could be a change in meds, could be that I'm not eating properly, or could be that I'm lacking something.

Just wondered what you all do when you literally aren't tired but EXHAUSTED to the point of not being able to function properly.

I know it has to do with my MS somewhat but I've never been THIS bad. Any ideas? I'm not asking for medical advice, honest, just ideas of how you handle fatigue. I have blood work scheduled but just had some that came back "fairly" ok and nothing that showed a reason for fatigue (although at the time I wasn't experiencing it either). Could be many medical things... God knows I'm a walking medical dictionary.. lol but I just wondered how others battle this issue!

No blogging other than this for today I think. Will post some great recipes later this week though. And BTW.. I'm BACK on following program and eating right again! I have to do this and do this right!

I have set my next goal... and I WILL achieve it!

So why so quiet?

I haven't posted since May 17th and for good reason. I'm in a slump. Not a, whoops I ate that extra piece of cake slump but a "I've been totally NOT on program for 2 weeks now" slump and I'm angry.

I KNOW what I have to do and I KNOW how to do it. I can't seem to motivate myself or more so, CONTROL myself. Of course, like most over eaters control is the biggest issue.

So I decided to sit down and figure out WHY I'm in this slump and HOW to get out... and NOW!

First, let me start by saying my "Why" section is not to be confused with an "excuse" section... it's a realization of what's making me make the choices I am, not giving "good reason" for doing it!

That being said, let's start with the WHY LIST:

• Stress - within the past few weeks I've had a car break down beyond repair, had my pain meds changed so that my chronic pain is back to the exact same place it was when I started the pain management and finances are (as most always) challenging.
  
  Stress eating is one of my biggest issues. I have to learn how NOT to turn to food for comfort, but it's hard when alternate methods (exercise for example) aren't easily obtained by me because of physical issues right now. Kind of a Catch 22.
  
  
• Dining Out Too Often - I seem to be opting for the quick, convenient ways to fill up or giving in to a "friend" (I did however just break up with him so that's a plus! LOL) that is a HUGE over eater but is lucky enough to never have a lump of fat show on his body. He can eat like a horse and detests anything "healthy" so often fights my desire to dine at places that are more healthy in options. I give in to him too often, but again, that's not a real issue now is it? But I find that when I dine out, I just simply allow myself to make poor choices. There's no excuse for them, but I make them.
  
  
• Poor Planning - I don't plan ahead. When I first started my WW Program I planned at least the "next" meal. I always knew what I'd be grabbing for breakfast (not a big breakfast fan so it was often different than a typical breakfast people would eat but I was fine with that and it kept me on program). Now I find that I just sit back and wait until I'm hungry or over hungry to decide what's for lunch or dinner or even breakfast. I even have begun to forgo breakfast completely again, a definite NO NO!
  
  
• Getting Too Hungry - I put off eating. I keep busy, wanting to get so much done in a day and wanting to run here and there. Instead of planning (see above) and packing a 2 pt bar or snack in my purse I'll wait until I'm famished, then drive thru and make a poor choice. End result, full, sick to my stomach, over points and so disgusted with myself I make another poor decision because "what the hell I already screwed it up today". This thinking used to be VERY rare for me and the fact that I'm thinking like this again angers me. I have to figure out WHY!
  
  
• Finances - I know we're all feeling the financial pinch and while it is a somewhat reasonable excuse, I cannot allow it to be an excuse. I have to find cheaper, alternative methods to fill my belly with point friendly foods without busting the bank. Instead, I'm opting for quick fix shopping at "dollar style" stores, with fat loaded and tasteless garbage that's cheap. Not only is it not good for ME but it's not good for my family! We had just begun to start not only looking forward to, but enjoying the healthy eating lifestyle!

So what can we do to break these barriers that are keeping me from being successful? I'm sure I'm not the only one out there with these dilemmas, in fact I'll bet some have the same exact ones I do, over and over. We are NOT alone, we are VERY much human and very much in this together! Let's find the fixes!

First off STRESS BUSTERS:

1. Remove yourself from the situation. The simple answer to dealing with stress and not using food is to find alternatives to eating. That's often easier said than done. Here are some things I've been trying to do instead of eating and the one that works best for me is this remove myself from the situation, even if it means driving away to another place, away from food, taking a huge drink of zero calorie water/flavored drink, etc. to fill me - while relaxing with a book.
   
   
2. Reading - for me, reading takes me away from the situation of life. If I can do it for 15 minutes or 15 hours, I'll take it.
   
   
3. Exercise - for me, this is not a huge option. I have health issues from my cancer that keeps me in chronic pain but for many you can decide to do something as simple as walk around the block, the floor of your office, up the stairs of your office/work area, or out to the parking lot. A simple 5 minute walk will not only help relieve your stress a bit but get you away from the situation, perhaps enough to make you breathe and accept other options. If you're an "at home" mom, check out your tv/dish/cable stations. Most have an array of "exercise" shows you can turn on and just do some of the exercises. You're in your own house, nobody looking, sweat, breath heavy, moan, do what you have to but move! Doing it for 15 minutes will help and keep you from getting bored with a "routine". These exercise/health stations also help financially by keeping you from costly gym memberships and contracts that you end up paying for when you can't make it to the gym!
   
   
4. Dance - while it is a form of exercise, it often is one that you don't even realize that you are doing! I use to be able to dance for hours on end, now I can boogie for a bit, then sit, but either way, I'm up and moving at least SOME! You lose yourself in music and next thing you know, you forget your stresses! Because of my own physical limitations I'll often turn on the music while in bed and just get the booty moving and arms going, etc. while I have some support on my back!
   

Second Problem to tackle Dining Out Too Often:

1. Don't give in to others who sabotage your healthy eating. If they won't give in and go someplace that is more WW Friendly, point wise, perhaps they're not worthy of your dining company? YOU are worth the extra cost, time and effort of finding a restaurant (and yes there are fast food ones that have healthy options). Explain how important it is to you to eat healthy, not "lose weight" but to EAT HEALTHY and if they're truly friends or anyone who cares about you they will not only understand but support you.
   
   
2. Use the internet to plan your dining experience. Most chain restaurants offer nutritional information about their menu. Eat 'N Park actually offers a special planner where you can individually plan your meal, adding or taking off items to get exact nutritional info to figure your points! This option ROCKS and makes it so easy to know ahead of time what you're going to order & how it's going to count! Dotties Weight Loss Zone offers a great listing of restaurants, although use the actual restaurant site first because theirs is most up to date and accurate.
   
   
3. Don't be afraid to special order your meals, asking for no butter/margarine, extra veggies, no cheese or 1/2 portions of cheese, etc. Small changes can make HUGE changes points wise, we all know that! Taking off one slice of cheese drops your average sandwich 2 pts or more!
   
   
4. Learn to say NO to going out to dinner! If you're planning ahead and have something already cooking in the crock pot or something "cheaper" point wise in the fridge, say NO and go for eating at home instead!
   
   
5. Eat your dinner/meal ahead at home and order a "side salad" or simply an unsweetened iced tea or coffee while your friends dine. You'll be full but still have something in front of you. My fave is to order the side salad (generally very cheap) and just pick at it while we talk and laugh. They take in the calories & fat, I enjoy the company without the extra pounds!

Our Third Issue, tackling Poor Planning:

1. Pack up snacks and keep them handy in your purse, car or desk at work. When you're dying to grab something, even for stress eating, it's better to chow down a 2 pt. bar or veggies & fat free dip as opposed to a 12 point candy bar from the vending machine!
   
   
2. Use that crock pot! Coming home to the entire or most of the dinner already made will make it a lot less of a chore to have a point friendly, healthy dinner on the table in no time! Check out the many recipe options on the internet for point friendly crockpot cooking. My tip, always use FROZEN meat because you can cook it longer in today's crockpots without getting dried out meats (especially frozen, boneless, skinless chicken breasts).
   
   
3. Cook ahead! When you have some extra time (ok, quit laughing now) cook up batches of point friendly foods. Grill up chicken breasts and freeze them for a quick fix for a chicken salad. Cook up casseroles and freeze them for a faster dinner when you get home.
   
   
4. Fire up that grill! Grilling veggies and meat on a skewer or even in a foil pack with some wonderful herbs is just simply wonderful! Little mess, little fixing needed and lots of flavor! It's summer, take in the fresh veggie options while you can!
   
   
5. Wash veggies and pre-package them in zipper bags when you get home from the grocery store, for quick grab snacks or salads.
   
   
6. Buy pre-diced veggies like onions and peppers (I buy mine at GFS - Gordon Food Service) for very little. I always have onions and peppers to toss into any dish I'm cooking without all the chopping & mess! They don't cost any more, actually sometimes less, than fresh ones and when cooking there's no real difference!
   
   
7. Set up a weekly or monthly menu. If you can be a "planner" (I simply cannot) take the time to set up a week's worth of dinners and lunches. You will know ahead what needs to be prepared and taken out to thaw, etc.
   
   
8. Make breakfast easy with your own pre-made breakfast items! Premake low point bagels with egg whites & FF cheese & freeze them in zipper bags. Pull them out for quick breakfasts on the run. Do the same with Fiber One pancakes, 3 in a bag, nuke them to grab a quick fix breakfast! I love the Special K Grab Bags to munch on while on the run. I've been buying mine at the "Green Dollar", or as it's truly known, Dollar Tree for $1 a box/6! Not bad!

My Fourth Issue at hand to tackle is Getting Too Hungry:

1. Keep snacks handy. Much like "planning", keeping snacks handy will help keep you from getting too hungry.
   
   
2. Schedule "snacks" if you have to. Set your phone/alarm to beep and remind you to grab something and make that "something" healthy!
   
   
3. Don't put off eating meals, just to accomplish things. Instead, get a few things done, then take the time to grab some food. Sometimes it feels like wasted time but continuing to put off eating will only get you to the point where anything is game and you blow the entire plan!
   
   
4. Drink! Keep calorie free, caffeine free drinks with you all the time (aka get your water "in"). This keeps you full and keeps you from over eating when you suddenly realize how "starved" you are!

And Last but not Least... Financial Issues

1. Learn to shop at dollar style stores. Dollar Tree offers a lot of great point friendly items off and on. You have to make sure you bring your point counter with you to know what you're getting. My fave right now are the Special K Cereal Packs with Yogurt bites. They come in at 2 pts and are a great, quick breakfast option or snack! They also often carry some of the point friendly "cereal" style bars, but be sure to check points on these!
   
   
2. Don't be afraid to buy in bulk! While some items, such as fresh fruits and veggies may not be an option if you're buying for just one or two people; if you use them to make fresh juice & tons of salads it may be worth it! Most of my "bulk" buying is done at GFS (Gordon Food Service), a store that is much like the Sam's Clubs but without the cost of membership. It's geared towards "food service" industry, therefore sometimes not always point friendly in what they offer so you have to pay attention to the labels. What I get there most often is a 6 lb. bag of boneless, skinless chicken breast for $10.99, fruits 'n veggies, sometimes fresh but often frozen, cereal/grain bars, seasonings (*my fave is the maple cinnamon sprinkles - 0 pts.), sweet potatoes, salsa & frozen diced onions and diced green peppers for cooking (saves me so much time). I know Sam's Club offers a lot more "point friendly" options but I don't want to have to buy an expensive membership. That $40 can buy a lot of food at Aldi's or GFS!
   
   
3. Discount Grocery Stores or "No Frills" style stores have some great options for healthy food items and are getting better. Aldis has been carrying a brand called Fit and Fiber which is a copy of most of the Fiber One style foods. In particular a box of their high fiber bars (chocolate drizzle or peanut butter) are $1.99 as compared to a sale price of $2.50 for Fiber One at WalMart. Our local Aldis store also carries some excellent items like turkey hams (so low in points you will be amazed & tastes just like ham but better with no fat or bone), turkey bacon, low fat yogurts, frozen fruits and veggies, Fit and Fiber snacks such as mini rice cakes with caramel flavor and more! WalMart often carries some excellent options too but you have to be careful price wise, what seems to be a bargain there can sometimes cost less in an off brand that is similar or just as good in taste.
   
   
4. Some things are just worth the extra money. For me, buying produce is something that I don't skimp on. If I'm going to buy produce I want it fresh and good. My local Wegman's Grocery Store carries the best produce in town, sometimes even better than the local growers, at prices that are usually comparable to other stores. Yes, sometimes slightly more expensive, but definitely worth it! If there's something you think is worth the price, YOU are worth spending it on something you enjoy. Skimp on other things that just don't really matter to you.... a cheaper paper towel, cheaper laundry soap, or cheaper cereal if those items aren't a big deal for you. Everyone has their own ideas of what's worth the price and what's not! Don't be ashamed to spend more on something "healthy" if you enjoy it and look forward to it. For me, my one big splurge are the $1.50 each sweet potatoes that are wrapped and ready to nuke. I figure I didn't used to bat an eye at spending a buck on a crappy, greasy burger so why should I get upset over 50 cents more for something that makes my life easier and tastes sooooo wonderful with my Maple Cinnamon Sprinkles from GFS on top!
   
   
5. Use coupons! I know, easier said than done but you cannot begin to imagine the amount of money you can save on brand name items that are healthy when you take the time and effort to clip the coupons! Don't just clip them, clip them and put them in a container that you take to the car after you've finished clipping the Sunday paper! Don't forget Weight Watcher meetings often have coupons available, some on the daily planner, some in books they offer as a special incentive to purchase items, etc. ASK when you weigh in if they have any! And use brand name sites to print your own coupons too! Using coupons you can often get brand name, healthy options for less than generic/store brand or even for free! Last week I had 2 coupons, one for a free box of Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs and one for $2 off a pack. They were on sale 2 for $4, which meant I got 2 boxes for free! Can't beat that price now can ya!?

Ok, so now that we've decided WHAT the problems have been and HOW to solve them.... I know I'm getting back on the wagon!!!!!!!

I did not lose 27 lbs to simply gain it back again and feel crappy, get my unhealthy body back and feel bad about myself.

I'm not losing weight to make others look at me. I'm losing weight to make ME look at me and say "WOW". I'm losing weight to feel better. I'm losing weight to stop taking medication for high blood pressure and chronic pain and so many other things that I know my weight adds to the issues of! I'm losing weight for ME and nobody else! You can too!

And as always...
WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER.... ONE DAY AT A TIME!

Broccoli Casserole

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE

3 c. chopped broccoli, fresh or frozen 1 tbsp. + 2 tsp. light butter, divided 1/4 c. finely chopped onion 3 tbsp. plain flour 1 1/4 c. skim milk 1 3/4 c. cooked rice, lightly salted 4 oz. shredded fat free cheddar cheese 1/4 c. non fat mayonnaise Pam 1/3 c. crushed unsalted Melba toast (about 5), or dry bread crumbs Cook broccoli until crisp tender. Drain. Melt 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon butter; add onion and saute. Add flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Continue cooking until thick and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Combine broccoli, milk mixture, rice, cheese and mayonnaise and mix well. Spoon into a shallow 2 quart casserole sprayed with Pam. Combine remaining butter and bread crumbs and sprinkle over mixture. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes. 170 calories per serving.