Because I love you

Every time I put salsa on my eggs or yogurt on my waffles I think of you. That sounds weird. What I mean to say is that I wanted to talk about alternate toppings. I think they make a big difference.

Alternate topping # 1 - Salsa (replaces Ketchup, BBQ Sauce, etc. Also makes bland food better)

Eggbeaters, on their own they're ok. Put some salsa in there and they are fan-friggen-tastic. Any sort of vegetarian Patti like a chicken puck or a veggie burger, better with salsa. Pretty much any time anything needs to taste good I use a spoon full of salsa. It's really not bad for you at all and it spices everything right up. I believe they say spicy food helps you digest things better but I'm going to have to look that one up for you.

Alternate topping #2 & 3- Baby food or Yogurt (replaces syrup, or sugary jelly)

That's right, every once in a while I treat myself to two Eggo's but instead of butter and syrup I put a little baby food (peach) or Yogurt (vanilla Stoneyfield Farm. I think it actually tastes better. It's not really that far of a reach, diners cover French Toast and Waffles in fruit all the time. If I have fresh fruit available that is also an option but for some reason I like a little soggy on the waffle.

Baby food is also good on it's own. Very underrated. This stuff is packed with vitamins and protein that your body needs and comes in a variety of flavors. I also use it in the place of ice cream when possible. I have always stuck to the fruit flavors, and read the labels to make sure they aren't trying to pull one on me by sneaking in sugar. It's always important to read labels.

Alternate topping #4 Tabasco sauce - (replaces salt)

I don't put Tabasco on everything. The point is that I taste what I'm eating first. Watch next time you are out at a meal. You will be surprised at how many people put salt on the food without tasting it first. How do they know it needs more salt? I often add a little pepper or Tabasco if I find something bland but rarely salt.

I also have a good friend with a theory that if you are at an Italian restaurant with more than 3 people at least one person will order chicken parm. So far he's been right and it's been like 4 years. You can't tell the other people the rule before they order obviously. It's just how things happen. This has nothing to do with Tabasco sauce I just like people watching.

Alternate topping #5 - small amount of peanut butter (replaces butter on English muffins)

It's good and good for you. I said a small amount.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I also keep a little jam around at all times because I buy the Stoneyfield Farms Yogurt in bulk. You know, the big container of plain or vanilla? If I'm feeling saucy I mix a spoonful of jam in there and ta daaa flavor.


In other news I'm just getting ready for my trip. It may be hard (or nearly impossible) to post while I'm gone but I'll make up for it and take a lot of pictures.

Today's sharing story is about nervous habits. When I'm stressed out I pick my face until there are spots that look like they might have been zits but are now just red ugly spots. True story.

Ok ladies and gentlemen, I would love to know of any alternate toppings you have discovered and if you feel like sharing any nervous habits you are more than welcome. Mine was mildly disgusting so there's nothing to fear.

Much Love,

Lula Mae

I'm the Mommy that's why

I'm sitting here eating my oats and banana slices with a side of cranberry juice and I decide no time like the present to write a blog. The cranberry juice was actually my inspiration for this entry. A lot of people will tell you on diets not to have too much juice because of the hidden sugars. While this can be true there are certain juices that do great things for you. I make sure to buy 100% cranberry juice (the cocktail is actually more grape juice) with no sugar added. I drink a small glass every morning with my medicine. This all started with the Man's Mom.

She is the kind of woman who's advice you listen to. The first time I met her we got along instantly and our friendship grew over the week I was there. By the end of the week she had me following her basic rules.

1) One glass of cranberry juice a day to maintain a healthy UT (hey, I read about people with severe bladder infections all the time so I think it's a good plan)

2) One glass of milk per day to keep my bones strong and avoid Osteoporosis. I try but don't always stick to this one. I do make sure to have my dairy every day.

3) 1 multivitamin in the morning with possible extras like E for me since I have such dry skin.

She also showed me the way that she cooks to keep her son and husband in great shape. She puts love into everything she does and truely cares about those around her. I had such an amazing bond with her that when we had to leave we were both in tears. She was more upset about the Man leaving I'm sure but still.

I don't have a long time this morning but I wanted to share those things with you. It might seem very obvious to some, or things that we have heard before. But do you do it?

Has anyone given you unconventional wisdom that you stick to?

Love you,

Lula Mae

There is no Spoon

Hello again -

I have discovered that if I set my coffee pot to brew at 6:45 it is much easier to wake up. If it's easier to wake up it's easier to get my morning work out in before work. Thank you Black and Decker for making a 4 cup coffee pot with a timer. You are helping me on my road to healthy.

This morning was a little tough because the man was over. It is always harder to get out of bed when he's there. I would much rather stare at him for 30 minutes willing him to wake up snuggle. If only snuggling burned calories. As I mentioned earlier I could smell the coffee so I was able to drag my body off the bed and into the living room for a little Wii Fit. I like to do the Free Step in the morning for a half hour and watch Good Morning America. After a little relaxation after work I strapped my weights onto my legs and did some floor exercises, then some squats. I am determined to have a nice ass someday.

The good news is that even with the stress of last week and the bloating of PMS I am down to 159.8 Hey, it may not be much but I'll take a half pound. I also broke the 160 barrier. Woooo! I always lose the most in the first week so this is common. I will have to tear the pounds off little by little now.

I'm very sorry if this is not a good entry. I try not to talk about work or to have a positive attitude about it, and during the day I think I am succeeding. It's just been much worse than usual lately. I am trying to find different ways to suck it up. I realize the economy sucks and that I am lucky to have a good job. Every morning starts off well but by 2:00 the day is dragging. Bobble heads help. I think of goals for the future and what this job will do to help them. Today I also hung up Magritte's "La Trahison des Images". I have no idea why I find it soothing at work. I guess I could say "This is not my life" as he writes "This is not a pipe". His is a painting, mine is just a job. I don't know if that relation makes sense to anyone but me. Luckily I'm the only one who needs to be soothed.

Sorry to be so off topic today. Maybe it will be fun. What pieces of art and poetry have inspired you in your life? You can just pick a couple if there are many. You don't have to be able to explain why they inspired you, I understand that sometimes those things are hard to put in words. For instance I went to the MFA around the holidays and saw this painting for the first time up close. My heart felt like it was being pulled right out of me and sucked into the painting. I have never had such a strong emotional reaction to art. Please keep in mind that it is much more vivid in person. In case the picture doesn't work it's Van Gogh's "The Ravine".

Time for bed, beauty rest and all that.

Much Love,

Lula Mae

Right, that's what I said.

Good Morning lovelies,

I have so much to share with you and I apologize for not getting to it sooner. It was an extremely stressful week. But enough about work.

I actually don't know if I lost weight this week because I am at the man's house and he has no scale, I will check tomorrow morning. I do have my own ways of judging, like whether or not I can see my belly when I have my pajama pants on and if there are rolls under my bra. HA. Right now that is not happening so I think we are still on the right track.

This week I was shopping at TJ Maxx to prepare for our New Zealand trip (less than 2 weeks away). I found that they have hand weights, yoga pads, work out balls, resistance bands and all that good stuff for great prices. I had been looking around for 3 pound hand weights, two is too little and five a bit too much, and there were versatile ones there that you can wrap around your wrists or your ankles depending on what your working. These, in addition to my Wii fit, my resistance bands from Tony Horton, and my Yoga Ball is all the workout studio I can fit in my little apartment. Now when I'm doing step on Wii Fit I ad the weights and when I do my leg exercises from different websites I've come across I do the same. Baby steps. I was also pretty excited because now I can eat the soup in those cans I've been using as weights...

I live in an apartment complex where there is a full gym available to me, there is also a small gym at work but I prefer to work out at home. Being a girl who has never been in great shape I have always felt immediately inadequate when I walked into a gym. If I am going to start breathing heavy from working out I would much rather have the man and the cats witness it than a bunch of sweaty people I don't know. Is this the same for anyone else? Maybe someday I will get over this complex but until them I will continue to build my little gym.

No matter how much we weigh we are all different shapes. I found a phenomenal website that determines your body type and finds clothes that flatter. They also try to get you to buy the clothes, but you can always take their basic advice and find less expensive versions. MyShape

I also found a PDF you can use on a diet related website Women to Women, to track what you ate, how you were feeling that day, if there was any stress involved, if you pooped, if your having your period, etc. So if you really want to figure out what's going on with your body I think this might be the way to go. I'm not sure that I'm this dedicated right now but I thought some of you might be into it. wellnessdiary

I've discovered a lot in these first few weeks of better living. Here are the things that aren't as healthy

- Every once in a while (say once a month?) I need a cheeseburger.
- Ice cream and I are friends during stressful times (luckily there are a lot of low calorie options now)
- Detoxing from alcohol just for a little while has made it so I get sauced off one glass of wine. Talk about a money saver!

On the more positive end of the spectrum

- My skin is a lot better (I have psoriasis and eczema so that's a big deal)
-The stressful week was a lot easier to deal with, though I still want to invest in a punching bag
- Healthy food is really good! Well, most of it.

How are you all doing? I've missed you. Anything new to share? Vacations planned for the year? New Health discoveries?

Love you,

Lula

Tut tut looks like rain

Sorry that I've been absent from your lives lately. Work has not been an awesome place to be. I'm not as creative when I'm not as happy and it leads me to neglect you. Sad day. The good news is I have been sticking to the diet, almost all of the time. Today was an exceptionally bad day and that Brie and bread was just too good to pass up.

Seriously, I can't blog today I just wanted to let you know I was still here.

I did find a good website for you. matador life
I've been preparing for our trip to New Zealand and looking at tips for eating well when traveling and I came across it. Frankly I just thought it was a good website.

I'll be more interesting tomorrow. Possible. 20% chance.

Love,

Lula

"We're going streaking! WOOOOOO!"

It's our anniversary today. That's right I have been with the man of my dreams for a whole year already. Now we're traveling abroad soon so we said no presents, we're just going out to dinner and chilling. I know that the nice girlfriend thing to do would to get myself some hubba hubba lingerie and surprise him (unless he reads this first). There are a few things stopping me from doing this 1) The man hasn't been feeling well and it seems cruel. 2) I have always gone for baby dolls and things that are a little longer than my hips and loose around my belly. I think he likes tight things. I know he thinks I am a hottie but to me this would be like wearing a bikini before I'm ready. frankly I would rather be naked. So I guess we'll have to go with the no gift but my love plan. Sorry if that was an over share, I do that. Hence the anonymity.

Speaking of naked I think a lot of girls with weight issues, and perhaps some without have issues with that as well. It took me years not to undress under the covers and hope that no man saw me with a light on. Now, most of the time I can dance around proud but oddly if I am in clothes in public that show fat I am mortified. Go figure. Maybe I just shouldn't get dressed. Good plan.

So... I guess that was today's share story.

Tonight I do plan on a glass of wine with dinner and maybe even dessert. It's my favorite restaurant and a very special occasion. I've never loved, trusted, and been happy all at the same time. The man is the complete package. No you can't have him.

I think I can work some extra exercise into the schedule over the weekend.

Anyone want to talk about being naked? Other insecurities?

Love,

Lula Mae

'In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.' - Einstein

I faced my weigh in this morning and have some exciting results to share. Sorry for the low quality pics, they were taken with my camera phone before I had coffee. That's right kids, 3 pounds gone, 7 to go before I get new boots. Apparently Wii fit disagrees with my Weight watchers scale. It says I lost 4 pounds! I weighed in last right after coming back from a trip to Disney so that is probably why. Either way, happy day. For those of you who have never tried Wii Fit, your piggy bank turns different colors when you have reached a certain number of hours. This morning I got gold! A promising morning all around. Tonight I have more to share but for now it's back to work!

Much love to all,

Lula Mae