Hit the reset button

I've been foundering around in Weight Loss Land since this summer. Haven't gained any weight but haven't lost any either.

So today I took out my little Mary Kate and Ashley notebook (yes, really) and wrote down my meal plan for the foreseeable future. Here's what I have:

Breakfast: High-protein, high-fiber cereal with fat-free, lactose-free milk or soymilk; piece of fruit and coffee.

Lunch: Some sort of frozen meal and a salad.

Snack: Yogurt and fruit.

Dinner: Lean protein, veggies and 1/2 cup of starch

Post-dinner: Minibag of popcorn or a sugar-free pudding.

Sure there'll be times when I'll have to deviate from the plan but this will be THE plan.

Sphere: Related Content

Looking for Rocco's Biggest Loser recipes?

Here's a link to the recipes chef Rocco diSpirito featured Tuesday night on The Biggest Loser, including the winning recipe for Tiny Turkey Meatball and Chickpea Soup.

For the link, click HERE.

There are also links to the recipes from last season.

(I am going right out to buy ground turkey!)

Sphere: Related Content

Shrinking Sisters contest: Win a Starbucks gift card!

Here at Shrinking Sisters we're all about quick and healthy. So we're looking for your favorite quick and healthy breakfast. If we like your idea, we'll send you a $5 Starbucks gift card!

If you didn't already know, the java giant has recently introduced new breakfast items that won't break your caloric bank. Among the new goodies:

• Perfect Oatmeal: Vitamin and mineral fortified, with your choice of dried fruit, nuts or brown sugar. (140 calories for oatmeal only; extras are ... extra!)
• Chewy Fruit & Nut Bar: Made with fruit, oats, nuts and honey. (250 calories)
• Apple Bran Muffin: A good source of fiber (7 grams), baked with dried cherries and apple. (330 calories)
• Power Protein Plate: Cheddar cheese, fresh fruit, hard-boiled cage-free egg, whole-wheat bagel and peanut butter. (330 calories)

Check out Starbucks for more info on the new breakfast items, and if you'd like a shot at winning a gift card, leave a comment below. DON'T leave your address here, just make sure you sign in to leave a comment. That way we can get back to you. Deadline is Oct. 1.

Sphere: Related Content

Nutrisystem entrees at Big Lots

Interested in trying out some Nutrisystem entrees without the commitment? Big Lots discount stores are getting in huge stocks of lunch and dinner entrees for $1 and $2.50 apiece as well as $1 chippy-type snacks. The dollar meals are basically little tubs of "roni" or soup, not bad for a quick and brainless meal or very good for hurricane supplies.

Sphere: Related Content

Restaurant (calorie) bargain: Ruby Tuesday White Bean Chicken Chili

Dining out can be peppered with caloric landmines at every turn. Even a side of simple steamed broccoli can be unwittingly slathered with fat.

So we here at Shrinking Sisters will share with you our favorite calorie bargains when dining out. First up is Ruby Tuesday's White Bean Chicken Chili. I think I order this every time we go because it's a slam dunk -- filling, tasty, cheap and low in calories.

A bowl of the chili is 228 calories, 8 grams of fat and 5 grams of fiber. Team that up with their

Fresh Tomato and Mozzarella Salad (112 calories, 7 grams of fat and 1 gram of fiber) and you come in well under 400 calories, virtually unheard of at a restaurant.

Sphere: Related Content

Dunkin Donuts: Breakfast Under 300 Calories

I woke up this morning and realized that I was OUT of coffee to brew. I put on my shoes and drove to the Dunkin Donuts to purchase a cup of coffee... ONLY. I was not to be tempted by any of the donuts that were making my mouth water just thinking about it. When what should I spy on the door, but a sticker advertising Dunkin Donuts flatbread sandwiches for under 300 calories... I was intrigued, yet skeptical that a place reknowned for its fried bits of dough could offer lo-cal & healthy fare.

I ordered the egg white and turkey sausage flat bread, and it was served to me lightning fast. It was also smoking hot.

The sandwich tasted GREAT. The flat bread was toasty and the egg white & turkey sausage filling part was tasty. There even was some cheese melted on the top as evidenced by the cheesy goodness portrayed below:

Nutritionally speaking, 280 calories, only 50 calories from fat. 3 grams of fiber and 19 grams of protein. Click here for a full nutritional accounting.

I loved this sandwich!

Sphere: Related Content

What I'm eating for breakfast

Well, it's started again, well-intentioned parents are descending upon the school office with food. Today's take? A dozen Einstein bagels with cream cheese. At least this mom brought both regular cream cheese AND low-fat cream cheese. Not soon after that, one of the moms who brought us a fruit basket last year came in and asked me flat out, "are you still dieting?" OUCH. But I thanked her, as this was one of the main reasons I went in on the Sun-Sentinel's weight-loss challenge. To be kept to a higher standard, and to be accountable.

Yes, I did succumb to a plain bagel - the WHOLE bagel :-( with low-fat blueberry cream cheese, but I also ate a lovely banana (from Costa Rica) and another wonderful pear.

My plan now is to get back into it hardcore and be accountable. So, for breakfast today, I dined on Jimmy Dean's D-lights turkey sausage on whole grain muffin. What I like about this breakfast sandwich is the muffin is whole grain, and the egg portion is the egg white ONLY. No nasty egg yolk. It works out to about 5 Weight Watchers points and keeps me full until lunch.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size: 1 sandwich (145g)
Amount per Serving
Calories 260
Calories from Fat 70
Total Fat 7g
Saturated Fat 3.5g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 35mg
Sodium 740mg
Total Carbohydrate 30g
Dietary Fiber 2g
Sugars 3g
Protein 17g
Est. Percent of Calories from:
Fat 24.2% Carbs 46.2%
Protein 26.2%

Sphere: Related Content

Good morning, sunshine! Have a smoothie

Here's what I'm having for breakfast this morning: My Pina Colada Sunshine Smoothie. I created it to make use of the monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) in flaxseed oil.

Pina Colada Sunshine Smoothie
1/2 cup fresh, canned or frozen pineapple (frozen is best)
1 cup fat-free milk (or your favorite vanilla-flavored milk)
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
2 teaspoons Barlean's lemon-flavored flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon DaVinci sugar-free coconut syrup (I get mine at Netrition.com)
Place all ingredients into blender and blend thoroughly.

Makes 1 2-cup serving.

Nutritional info:
Calories: 403
Fat: 10 grams
Carbs: 51 grams
Protein: 25 grams
Fiber: 2 grams

Sphere: Related Content

Getting my head back in the game...

Looking back to what worked for me in the most recent past, I'm going back to my tried and true, high fiber, lean protein and LOTS of veggies.

My recipe is simple. I take 4oz of lean protein, usually chicken breast or extra firm tofu. I stir fry it with 1/4 of Newman's Own Sesame salad dressing and 1/2 chopped onion. Then I add one cup of previously cooked short grain brown rice. I add some veggies (sometimes frozen stir fry, other times whatever I have on hand). If I've got them, I'll add raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds and voila... a crapload of food.

I usually can make 3 meals out of it... dinner that night, lunch the next day and dinner after that.

It helped me lose over 30lbs, and I will use it to help me lose another 30.

Sphere: Related Content