E Breakfast - Cinnamon and maple oatmeal with peaches and blueberries

E because:

1) There are between 20-45g of carbs in this meal.

2) There are less than 5g of fat in this meal.

3) I used one whole peach and just enough blueberries to make it colorful. 

4) My protein is from a side serving of greek yogurt.

5) Sugar free maple syrup is not for the puritan. I have never claimed to be a puritan, and I have this once in a while and stick to about 1 tbsp each time I have it. 

I wait all year for Ontario peaches to be ripe just for this dish! Even before THM, I would have this breakfast. Here's how I make it:

*Boil 1 1/3 C of water.

*Add 2/3 C of oatmeal. 

*Simmer for 3 mins, stirring once in a while. 

*Add cinnamon to taste. (I sprinkle it until it looks right, so not sure of the measurement.) 

*Remove from heat, cover and let sit while you slice up the peach and wash the blueberries.

* Drizzle 1 tbsp of sugar-free maple syrup over top. 

*Add a large spoonful of Greek yogurt on the side. 

Enjoy! 

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Stacie's E Lunch - Chicken salad sandwich made with Ezekiel bread, lettuce, tomato, mayo with 4g of fat, and leftover white meat from last nights roast.

*EDIT* It was pointed out to me that dill pickles are actually an S food! Whoops! Live and learn! You could sub fresh cucumber slices for the dill pickles in this meal. :D

E because:
1) The two slices of Ezekiel bread are the giveaway here that this is an E meal. I have hit the 20-45g of carbs target with two slices.
2) I used under 5g of fat to make the chicken salad.
3) I have non-starchy veggies with the lettuce, green onion, tomato and cucumbers.
4) Berries are great in liberal amounts in an E setting.
5) Drink up! Flush your system every single day!!!

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Oatmeal, Low Fat Greek Yogurt, Blended and Strained Strawberries, Fresh Blueberries and Green Tea.

I can't stop making "Mmmm!" noises! It tastes like a strawberry dessert!!! I am not a purist, so I added 1tsp of sugar free syrup to the strained strawberries to cut back the very tart flavour. But you wouldn't have to.

E Because:
1) The oatmeal lands me in the 20-45g of carbs for an E setting.
2) The Greek yogurt has less than 5g of fat and serves as my protein.
3) Berries are perfect in liberal amounts in an E setting. This is the first time I've tried blending them.
4) Green tea is a great hot drink on an E morning. It doesn't need cream or a sweetener.

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Fuel Pulls!!! Oh! Fuel Pulls!!!

I ate a Fuel Pull for lunch today. Oh my word! I get hungry so quickly after eating a FP. My body is like, "Why?!??? For the love of food, why would you make me work so hard?" 

And then I remember what I read in the book. When I eat Fuel Pulls, it forces my body to "pull" fuel from my ... ample rear end...stored supply of fuel. I have nothing too energetic to do this afternoon.  I figured I might as well force my body to work a bit harder for me today. 

That being said, for me, I don't do FP's very often. It takes me back to my low cal, low fat, low fun days of dieting and the spoiled THMer in me kicks at it. BRING ME MY BACON! lol! 

Knowing that I was doing a FP for lunch, I planned an awesome and filling E dinner (White meat from a roast chicken, roasted sweet potatoes and onions, and a salad) and 3 hours later, I plan on having a satisfying S snack. (Not sure what yet, but I promise you, it will include Lily's milk chocolate.) 

That's all folks! Just my thoughts on how today went. Hope yours was equally successful and you are happily eating yourself skinny! 

xo,

Stacie

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Oatmeal with Greek yogurt, berries and one little kiwi to make it look cute. 

E because:

1) There are between 20-45g of carbs

2) The yogurt is my source of protein, so I don't need to count the carbs in it. (Even if I did, I am still well within my range.)

3) I used low fat yogurt and kept the fat content under 5g of fat.

4) Berries are awesome in an E setting. Enjoy them guilt free. (Within reason of course.)

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Greek Chicken Salad

I absolutely LOVE the combination of black olives, feta, cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, and red onion! You will notice that I eat a lot of "greek" style salads and omelettes. I use a slightly off plan dressing called Rene's Greek Feta. It is off plan only because of the type of oil in it, which I accept as ok for me. If you prefer more pure options, there are plenty of THM friendly greek salad dressing out there.

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E Lunch

Chicken Quinoa Salad

Cook your quinoa according to the package directions. Chop up whatever type of veggies you like. I personally like baby tomatoes, red peppers, and green onions. Mix up an E style dressing and pour over top. Top with a tiny bit of feta just to add flavor. I also like to add diced chicken breast to this salad.

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What a gorgeous day it is! I feel like I should go outside and have a Julia Andrews "The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Music" moment. Twirl around and sing my lungs out. But it might scare the neighbors. So I won't. But it is really sunny and gorgeous out there!

Ok, so, time for some honesty. I have lost 35 pounds now. My friends, family, and acquaintances are starting to say things like, "You did such a great job getting your weight down!" and "You look great." When I say something about needing to lose another 20 pounds, they protest immediately and say, "No way! You look perfect right now! You don't need to lose any more!"

There is a part of me that wants so badly to believe them. My lazy-over-eating side wants to say, "Oh I don't? I look great now? Well! If everyone says so, I'll just settle into this weight then. After all, I throw on a pair of Spanks and I look like I'm a size 12. Pass the macaroni salad please!"

Then my newly trained THM brain takes over. Here is what my internal THM dialog sounds like:

• You need to just say "thank you" and say nothing about losing more. It invites the very polite responses, and it messes with your head.
• You are more than half way to your goal. 
• You are too close to give up now.
• This is NOT like all the other diets you've tried. This is a life style change. A long term commitment. 
• Giving up after eating off plan for one meal is like slashing three other tires because one is flat. 
• This is a marathon, not a sprint. You have come so far already, but think of crossing the finish line and it will keep you going.
• Your kids are seeing your healthy choices. Your kids are copying your healthy choices.
• Bacon. You can eat Bacon. Bacon makes you leap out of bed like a gazelle in the morning!
• Others are only seeing what I present to them. They cannot see the scales, or my BMI, or what I see when I step out of the shower. (Again, no need to scare people off!) 
• I want to be at a weight that I feel confident and healthy. I want to model that kind of body image and confidence to my daughter who will be into that soon enough. (8 years old)
• This. Works.

So friends... that was some brutal honestly for you! Some of you are doing amazing. You are 100% on plan and losing like crazy. Give yourself a huge pat on the back and keep it up! But some of you are stalled, or losing motivation, or finding that your head space is contaminated with negative internal dialog. To those ladies I ask: Are you ready to be brutally honest with yourself? What is it that you are not wanting to admit to yourself? What is holding you back from being 100% successful on this plan? If you can admit it, you can change it! 

So stick around! The next 20 pounds are comin' off! 

Your THM buddy,

Stacie

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Bread in a mug chicken,cheese and tomato sandwich

Bread in a mug made in a waffle maker, chicken, tomato, lettuce, mayo, Swiss cheese, Good girl moonshine.

S because:
1) there are less than 10g of carbs in this meal.
2) There are healthy fats in this meal.
3) I used non-starchy veggies on my sandwich and two slices of tomato.
4) my protein is my chicken.
5) Good girl moonshine is good with anything and keeps me satisfied!

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Gouda Omelet

S because:

1) There are less than 10g of carbs in this meal.

2) There are healthy fats.

3) Berries are the only acceptable fruit in an S setting.

4) My protein is from my eggs, bacon and cottage cheese.

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Cheesy Chicken Soup

S because:

1) There are less than 10g of carbs in this meal.

2)There are healthy fats in this meal.

3) I used nonstarchy veggies.

4) My protein is the chicken. 

Cheesy Chicken Soup

You will need about 1-2 cups of pre-cooked chicken for this recipe. 

Cut up one onion, 2 carrots, 3 stalks of celery. Add to a pot with 4 cups of water. Add one natural, no msg or weird ingredient chicken bouillon cube. Add salt and pepper to taste, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, and a tsp of parsley. Boil and then simmer until veggies are tender. 

Use an immersible blender to blend until smooth. 

Add 1/4 cup of cream cheese, 1/2 cup of grated cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded chicken. Stir until cheese melts. Enjoy!

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Egg white omelet with mushrooms, onions.

Egg white omelet with mushrooms, onions and spicy pepper medley, Ezekiel bread with lite laughing cow cheese and tomato.

E because:
1) there are less than 5 g of fat in this meal.
2) there are between 20 and 45 g of carbs in this meal.
3) My protein is my eggs. (Admittedly a very small amount of protein. I am out of turkey bacon!!!)
4) I used a small amount of tomatoes and onions, and some nonstarchy mushrooms.
5) I cooked the omelet in a spritz of olive oil.
6) I used only the egg whites. Whole eggs are saved for an S setting.

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Salad with bacon and egg. Raw veggies and dip.

 Salad with bacon and a hard boiled egg, raw veggies and ranch dip, berries, cheese, peanut butter fudge, green tea, water bottle.

S because:
1) There are less than 10 g of carbs in this meal.
2) There are fats, but that's ok in an S setting.
3) my protein is the egg and bacon.
4) I have lots of non starchy veggies.
5) I am trying to stay well hydrated. It helps my weight loss!!!!

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Spaghetti Squash Casserole

• S because:
  1) there are less than 10 g of carbs in this meal.
  2) there are healthy fats in this meal, which are great for you as long as they are not mixed with more than 10g of carbs. Add too many carbs, and this casserole will show up on your hips for sure!
  3) My protein source is the chicken breast in the casserole.
  4) GGMS (good girl moonshine) goes with anything and keeps you feeling full!!!

Spaghetti Squash Casserole with Grilled Chicken, Bacon and Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients

·         2 chicken breasts

·         6 slices bacon

·         salt and pepper or creole seasoning

·         3 tbsp. butter

·         4 cloves garlic, chopped

·         ½ onion , chopped
.      1/3 cup low fat cream cheese

·         1 egg

·         ¼ cup FF chicken broth

·         1/2 cup almond  milk

·         1 cup mozzarella cheese

·         1 spaghetti squash. ( I cook mine in the slow cooker for ½ to 1 hour then I split it and remove the seeds, put it back in the slow cooker until it is tender and pulls apart with a fork.)

1.    Preheat oven to 450.

2.    Line a small pan with parchment paper. Place bacon slices on parchment and cook for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.( Or you can use bacon bits for us drive thru Sue’s)

3.    Season and grill chicken. Set aside to cool.( I fried mine on the stove)

4.    For sauce:

5.    In a skillet, melt butter.

6.    Add garlic and onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes.( until onion is opaque)

7.    Add cream cheese and cook for 1 to 2 minutes stirring frequently.

8.    Add broth. Stir.

9.    Add almond milk slowly and stir.

10.  Salt and pepper to taste.

11.  Stir and cook for 2 more minutes over medium heat.

12.  Add chicken and bacon and slightly whipped egg to the spaghetti squash. Pour into a greased oven proof casserole dish.

13.  Top with shredded mozzarella.

14.  Bake at 375 for 20- 25 minutes.

Notes

I always like the cheese to be browned a little so I cook it under the broiler for about 3-4 minutes or until bubbly and brown.

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Salmon, Asparagus with garlic/sprinkle of Parmesan, Brown Rice, Sweet Potato Rounds with cinnamon

E because:
1) there are between 20 and 45 g of carbs in this meal. I used a half portion of sweet potato and brown rice because I wanted both. 
2) there are 5 g of fat in this meal.
3) My non-starchy vegetables are my asparagus. 
4) My protein is the salmon.

To make the sweet potato rounds, I wash the potato, slice it into 1-2" rounds, line my baking sheet with foil, place the rounds on and cover them with a second piece of foil, place in a preheated 375 oven for around 40 mins. Once they are fork tender, remove from oven and sprinkle with cinnamon.

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Greek Salad topped with Chicken Breast seasoned with Spicy Pepper Medley

S Because:
1) There are less than 10g of carbs in this meal.
2) There are lots of healthy fats. (Feta, olives and dressing) I use a slightly off plan greek dressing called Renee's Feta Greek. It uses an off plan oil, but this is a personal choice. If you are a purist, you could also make a homemade one using a recipe from Pinterest. 
3) My chicken is the protein source.
4) I used non-starchy veggies. (Lettuce, cucumbers, onions, orange pepper.) I used a small amount of tomato in this salad.

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Zucchini Fritter (page 217), bacon, Greek yogurt and strawberries

• S because:
  1) There are less than 10g of carbs in this meal.
  2) There are lots of healthy fats. (bacon, Greek yogurt, cheese)
  3) I used non-starchy vegetables. (Zucchini, green onion)
  4) I can have liberal amounts of berries in an S setting.
  5) My protein is my yogurt, eggs, and bacon.
  
  I have my GGMS ready to drink between breakfast and lunch at noon

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Skinny Milk Chocolate

Skinny Milk Chocolate
1/2 cup coconut oil
2 tbsp. xylitol, ground
4 1/2 tsp. Truvia, ground...
2 donks Stevia
Pinch of sea salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup heavy cream(room temp)
1/2 scoop Whey protein powder
1/4 cup cocoa
Grind Truvia and xylitol. Whisk sweeteners, salt and vanilla in a bowl with coconut oil. Add room temperature heavy cream, whisk in protein powder then cocoa powder. If mixture hardened when cream was added, microwave for no more than 7 seconds. Pour into molds or mini baking cups and freeze until hardened. Store in fridge.

Note: I didn't like the regular skinny chocolate, too strong for me because I am not a big fan of chocolate.
Make sure you grind sweeteners to powder(mine was a little gritty).
You could also add a little unsweetened coconut or finely chopped nuts.
Next time I will use mini baking cups because chocolates stuck to molds.

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Chicken, brown rice, orange pieces, red pepper and onion on a bed of spinach

 E Because:
1) This meal has less than 5 g of fat. The fat comes from the oil in the salad dressing.
2) there are between 20 and 45 g of carbs in this meal. I used three quarters of a cup of brown rice.
3) my protein source is my chicken breast.
4) there are lots of non-starchy vegetables in my salad.
5) One piece of fruit per meal is allowed in this setting. I chose an orange.
6) good girl moonshine is good anytime.

To make the salad dressing:
1 clove of minced garlic
salt and pepper
A 1/4 doonk of Stevia. (Not too much or it tastes bitter with the orange juice)
The juice squeezed from the orange peels. (I cut the top and bottom off the orange. Set it bottom down on the cutting board and cut curved slices from top to bottom to cut the peel away in the same way you would a pineapple. When you are done, you should have a round naked orange and some peel with some orange membrane still in it. Squeeze the peels into the dressing mixture.)
Add 1 tsp of olive oil to it.
Mix well. Tah-dah!

To Make the Chicken:
Cover the bottom of a baking dish with water. Place your thawed or frozen chicken breast in the dish. Cover. Bake at 350 for about 25-40 mins depending on your oven and if your meat is thawed or not. Chicken is done when you can cut into it and there is no pink inside.

To make Salad:
Place a bed of spinach on a plate.Top with cooked brown rice, chopped and cooked chicken, sliced red pepper, orange pieces and green onion. Pour the dressing over the top and enjoy! 

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E - Baked Sweet Potato with Cinnamon, Roast Chicken and Cucumber

E Because:

1) The sweet potato is a carb, and this puts me between 20-45g of carbs.

2) I used 1tsp of coconut oil, and that is 5g of fat or less. (And a healthy fat at that!)

3) Chicken is my protein source

4) My non-starchy vegetable is the cucumber.

5) good girl moonshine is good with anything

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Twice Baked Mexican Sweet Potato

E because:

1)  there are between 20 and 45 g of carbs in this meal.

2) there are less than 5 g of fat in this meal. The sprinkle of cheese is a reduced fat mozzarella.

3) I have non-starchy veggies in this meal with berries and a drizzle of vinaigrette dressing.

4) My protein source is ground turkey (left over taco meat from Monday's tacos) .

5) Ice water to drink! To Make the Filling for the Potato: I use leftover Taco meat. So I had better start with that! Taco Meat:
Fry up some lean ground turkey. Once it's cooked, add 1 tbsp of chili powder and 2 tsp of cumin. Add 1/2 cup of salsa. Filling: Bake your sweet potato until soft. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides. Mash this in a bowl. Add this to the ground meat mixture. Fill your sweet potato skins with the mixture. Top with grated reduced fat mozzarella, and broil until it's all melted and lovely.

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S- Buffalo Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken, Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

S- Buffalo Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken, Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

S Because:
1) There are less than 10g of carbs in this meal.
2) There are lots of healthy fats in this meal.
3) There is a great source of protein with the chicken and bacon
4) There are lots of non-starchy vegetables in this meal

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My Progress

 My latest before and after... 40 pounds lost!

My photo progress...

Here are my stats in greater detail:

January 2015 
Total Loss 10 Pounds

Starting weight - 216 pounds
Weight by the end of Jan - 207 pounds
Weight Lost in January - 9 pounds
Inches Lost in January - 6.5"













February 2015
Total Loss 19 Pounds

This is when I got serious about measuring and taking progress pictures. They are embarrassing and I would NEVER go out in public in this workout gear, but here you go my friends!

Weight by the end of Feb - 197 Pounds
Total Inches Lost by Feb 28th - 17 1/2"
Weight Lost in February - 9 Pounds
Inches Lost in February - 6.5"









March 2015
Total Loss 26 Pounds

Weight by the end of March - 190 pounds
Inches Lost in March: 9"
Amount of Weight Lost in March - 8 Pounds
Total Amount of Inches Lost So Far: 22"














April 2015
Total Loss - 32 Pounds

Weight by end of April - 184 pounds
Amount of Weight Lost in April - 6 Pounds
















May 2015
Total Loss - 34 pounds
Weight by end of May - 181 pounds
Amount of weight lost in May - 3 pounds

June
Total Loss - 34 pounds
Weight by end of June - 181 pounds
Amount of weight lost in June - Zip, zero, nada. It was my own fault though. I was not eating 100% on plan. June is a crazy time for a music teacher, grads and concerts, competitions, exams and marking etc. But that is certainly not a valid  excuse! I read a quote that said, "Giving up on your goal  after a small setback is like slashing your other three tires because one is flat." So, I gave myself a swift kick in the rear end and.......










July 

Total Loss - 40 pounds
Weight by the end of July - 174 pounds
Amount of weight lost in July - 7 pounds

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