I'm starting INSANITY!!

Hey all!

So I've had my baby and can't use pregnancy as an excuse to eat anything I want. Summer is coming and Spring is right around the corner. I NEED to lose this weight and get into better shape! So I've decided to do something about it! I am starting Insanity. Yes, I may be crazy to even attempt it but I'm gonna do it. Our new church elder, Charlie Ed, sent my hubby and I his Insanity program so we both can do it. I'm excited and nervous. I start today!

I'm re-working my diet as well. I'm consuming 1200 calories a day.(which works good for me. I don't feel hungry in between meals)I track every calorie I consume with livestrong My Plate app on my iphone. You can also log into the website for additional tools. I love that they have a recipe section where I can log in my recipes and it breaks down the nutritional factors for each meal and the calories per serving! There is also another good app called MyFitnessPal. I'm eating high protein low carb and no sugar (except on cheat day). I allow myself one cheat day a week as studies have shown that its beneficial for your body to do so.
On cheat days I eat what I want but I don't go wild. I also don't track my calories on cheat days.

I'm learning a lot about nutrition and how to lose weight the healthy way. I'm also learning the difference between good foods for your body and the junk stuff. I've also learned that it has to be a life style change to lose weight and keep it off. It can't be just a diet for a period of time and exercise then stop. Its an investment into your body and your health. I can tell that as I get older I'm having to work harder at getting off the weight. If we only knew how eating that piece of cake or those french fries would hurl us into a 6 month health conscience and steady workout routine to retract what we put ourselves through with those food choices all the time. We'd never eat like that if we knew what it would take to correct it. My weakness is sweets. I LOVE my chocolate and cookies and cupcakes! Now I stick to dark chocolate and cookies and cake are only for cheat days. Whats funny is that on the one day of the week that I can eat whatever I want I find that I don't really want to eat the junk food as much as I originally did before.

<<<<< There is a ticker here on the left side of my page so you all can keep track with my progress.

Well here I go!!

Cheesey Ham and Potato Chowder

I am back yet again with another deliciously awesome recipe I discovered on Pinterest. :) I love this one because it is so easy its ridiculous!




I actually pinned this recipe from the Fix-It And Forget It website. To see their slow cooker version of this click here.

Okay now when I saw how super simple this recipe was I knew I had to give it a shot. Unfortunately when I went to go and make this I didn't have several hours to let it cook away in the crock pot so I altered it a tad so I could just whip it up fast in the kettle.

Here is what I did:

2 boxes of scalloped potatoes w/ mix
1lb cooked ham cubed
32oz chicken broth
1 1/2-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup diced onions
Pinch of basil and parsley
pepper
1 tsp corn starch

I started off by following the directions for both boxes of scalloped potatoes. Then I added the ham, onions and chicken broth. Then I turned the heat up on high and let it boil. I then added the sour cream and cheese plus the dry seasonings. I let every thing boil for 15-20 minutes. I added some corn starch to cool water in a seperate bowl to thicken when needed.

And that was it! Easy, huh?

It was so yummy! I know its got to be good when my 2 critics (hubby and son) say its good enough to make again. :)

Few Quotes

I just thought I'd share a couple quotes I really love. Both has encouraged and challenged me and I just really wanted to share them. Maybe someone who sees them will be touched by these as I have been....

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

I had to share this new recipe/dish I made tonight for dinner. After all when you see a recipe you want to try don't you like to hear feedback from people who've actually made it? Was it good? Was it a disaster?

I'm pleased to say this was a complete success!(although almost anything in a crock-pot is pretty simple)

Okay so I have been REALLY trying to eat healthy and working my butt off on the treadmill every day. I am bound and determined to get this baby weight off by summer time. That being said I must admit, I LOVE Pinterest and when I came across this recipe my stomach started growling rather loudly. I knew I had to make this!

I know. I know. Chicken and dumplings is not actually a diet or health friendly dish but I know you could tweak this a bit to be more healthy.

SO here's the recipe;

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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
adapted from Bubble Crumb

Ingredients:
1lb of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 3)
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 cans (10.5oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (14oz) Chicken Broth
1 medium White Onion, diced
4 Large Flaky Refrigerator Biscuits (half a can)

Place thawed chicken in crock pot and top with butter. Add cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and diced onions. Cook on High for 4-6 hours or Low for 8 hours. Do not stir while cooking.

Cut each uncooked biscuit into 9 small pieces and stir into the chicken mixture. Continue to cook on High for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from slow-cooker and shred with a fork. Return to slow-cooker and stir everything together. Serve hot.

Makes about 6-8 servings.

(http://www.polishthestars.com/2011/11/slow-cooker-chicken-dumplings.html

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Now here is my version.......




I'm not very good at photography and I used my iphone to take this. My picture is not near as pretty as the top picture but you get my point.

I added, along with diced onions, one diced red bell pepper, half a bag of baby carrots chopped, and 1 can of green beans. (I would have used frozen or fresh but my hubby hates healthy fresh veggies....go figure!) I also added 1 1/2 cans more of chicken broth. Next time I make this I think I might leave out the butter. I really didn't see a significant reason for it besides adding more pounds to my post-baby gut. Also you can use low sodium broth and reduced fat biscuits. Whole grain biscuits would be ideal if I could find any. I seriously debated knocking out the biscuits all together. Crazy right?! Yeah that was a minor lapse in judgement that I thankfully ignored! This recipe was slightly short of a carbo/fat overload (which didn't help that I served it with the left over biscuits baked) but it was just too darn good to pass up! I highly recommend it!

Bonding

I made known a few posts back about how I was concerned with how Mazio and Arleigh would bond. I was more worried how he'd act with her really, but despite a few hang ups here and there with him not realizing how small and fragile she is I feel it has gone pretty well. After all he's still a toddler.:)

Thought I'd share some snap shots we've captured so far of their bonding times......

Christmas and 2012 New Years

Just thought I'd share some pictures of us from the holidays.:)





Yay! My first Christmas!! Arleigh in her cute Christmas dress.:)






Out to eat with the family for my brother Josh and Ted being in town for the holidays! :)



Ted holding Arleigh on Christmas Eve. :)



"Little Mo" (as my dad likes to call her) in her cute sweater.:)



Daddy feeding his little girl on Christmas day. ;)



Papa Cline and Mazio!



Mazio and Uncle Josh on Christmas



Uncle Josh and Arleigh on New Years Eve



Mazio playing with his cousins on Christmas Eve :)



Mazio opening up gifts with daddy :)

Tears for Eleora

Arleigh is here and I should be completely happy and feel utterly blessed. I do, but I still feel sad about Eleora and never meeting her. Never getting to do or experience the things I can now with Arleigh. Eleora, no matter how short her little life, was my baby too. I will always grieve her loss and miss her dearly.

I haven't posted in a while but wanted to share more pics from the second Christmas at the memorial.