tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76157644601115273612024-03-13T13:34:48.851-04:00Electric LadyBandAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16676430185788147343noreply@blogger.comBlogger327125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-79853083443323886892014-04-12T07:03:00.001-04:002014-04-12T07:03:18.731-04:00I Suck as a BloggerWow. I haven't posted in over 6 months. Seriously? Um. Sorry. I've been a little busy.<br />
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I'm still working 3 (long) days - 12-14 hour shifts - at the urgent care. I recently picked up a second job...<br />
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Wait for it...<br />
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I'm working in a GYM! Yes me, who used to weigh 100 pounds more than I do now.<br />
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I've been working out there for over a year and today my trainer and I are grand opening our brand new smoothie bar, which I have created all original recipes for and will be running. This is our baby:<br />
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I'm in love.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16676430185788147343noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-32760706473276634972013-09-29T22:50:00.000-04:002013-09-29T22:50:17.225-04:00Photo Shoot With My TrainerMy husband Scott and I scheduled a photo shoot with my fitness trainer, Tania, for our photography company <a href="http://smsquaredphoto.com/">SM Squared Photography</a>. I usually just assist Scott, lug his lights around, etc. but this time when we showed up, Tania said that what she wanted to do was a personal training session with me and one of the girls who works in the gym who is practically a daughter-in-law to Tania. I protested - no, I said, I wasn't even wearing sneakers. ("What size shoe do you wear?" Tania asked. "An eight," I replied. "Perfect, she said, "I have an extra pair for you.") Oh, but I'm not dressed for a photo shoot. "Get Stephanie a Beachside t-shirt," was the answer. "I'm already signed up for a Kangoo class tonight." "That's ok, we'll be done in plenty of time, and I've seen you do PLENTY of double workouts. You can do it."<br />
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Ok then. No more excuses. Here are some of the images from our shoot. We used the Indo-row rowing machines, kettle bells, plyo boxes, TRX straps, ropes, Real Ryder bikes, body bars, and more. It was a pretty tough workout and really shows the diversity of a Beachside workout. I love this woman. She is an amazing trainer and has inspired me so much!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16676430185788147343noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-14600581038368191492013-09-25T12:04:00.000-04:002013-09-25T12:08:02.483-04:00Before and NowMy friend April is a fellow member of my surgical support group. She's also a photographer, a Crossfit instructor, and mom to three little kids (including a set of twins). In other words...she's amazing! I don't attend my support group very often anymore - it conflicts with the time of my Kangoo class and I HATE to miss that if I don't have to - but I try to go every few months. At the last one, I had my Kangoo boots in the car and April wanted to see what they were like so I strapped them on and bounced around while April took some shots. She made this little collage with one of my "before" pics and this is what she sent me:<br />
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That, my friends, is what a lap band, determination, hard work, and an awesome fitness studio can do. I'm pretty proud of myself for the difference.</div>
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I also wanted to take a minute to tell you about my new venture. My husband and I started a photography business. Scott has been interested in photography for way longer than I have known him - he had a darkroom in the condo he was living in when we started dating, before digital was a big thing. He's a wonderful photographer and I've been pushing him to do it for other people, so we started a business. He's had several wonderful photo shoots and is extremely talented at fitness photography - he was the <a href="http://electricladyband.blogspot.com/2013/08/new-dietbet-and-fitness-expo.html">official photographer for my gym's fitness expo</a>. But then he did something we are <i>incredibly</i> proud of. One of my trainers, Nikki, was so happy with the photos he took of her that she had Scott do a shoot with her and one of her own trainers. Check out a few of the pics here:<br />
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I'm so proud of Scott. Please check out some more of the photos from the shoot on his blog here:</div>
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<a href="http://smsquaredphotography.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tcRoKB9lqqQ/UkMJKs_L1uI/AAAAAAAAAFo/eeRZhxO1eXc/s200/SM2logoblack.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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Our blog can be found here: http://smsquaredphotography.blogspot.com/</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16676430185788147343noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-92081983968025279692013-08-25T11:41:00.000-04:002013-08-25T11:41:06.908-04:00New Dietbet and Fitness ExpoI'm going on a Caribbean cruise with the beautiful <a href="http://lapbandgalsjourney.blogspot.com/">Lap Band Gal</a> in a couple of months and I'd like to lose a few more pounds before I go...after all, the rooms on a cruise ship are tiny and the more space we have the better. :-) So I decided to do another Dietbet and bet $25 that I would lose 4% of my body weight in 28 days. These things are TOUGH but they're really good for keeping me focused for a month. And even if I don't win and "only" lose 3-4 pounds in a month, that's still pretty good! But I'm going for the whole enchilada (mmmm...enchiladas) and trying to actually WIN so I have some extra spending money for alcohol on the cruise. Did I say alcohol? Um. I meant for locally crafted souvenirs of the highest quality and...oh hell. You know I'll spend it on pina coladas.<br />
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Ahem. Anyway, if you'd like to join and try to win some of my money, the link to the Dietbet that starts tomorrow is: <b><a href="http://www.dietbetter.com/games/22126">HERE</a></b>.<br />
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Also, last weekend, my fitness studio held an expo at the convention center to show the public what we're all about. There were demonstration classes all day. We were even on the news! My husband was the official photographer for the event and I wanted to share some of the pics with you. We had an amazing time.<br />
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Shannon the trainer - she teaches rowing, boot camps, and cycling. She's lost a LOT of weight and is a huge inspiration.</div>
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Nikki the trainer...she teaches circuit and Zumba.</div>
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Kangoo Feet</div>
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Kangooing with my girls.</div>
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My FAVORITE trainer, Tania. She teaches all the Kangoo classes.</div>
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One of my favorite parts of Kangoo is when we use the hula hoops. SO much fun!</div>
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Have you ever seen so many smiles in a fitness class? :-)</div>
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One of my favorite couples - They take Kangoo to a whole new level by adding a ballroom dancing element to it.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NR9sVm290OU/UhohUrokqgI/AAAAAAAAAEY/XRqcQWtuHYI/s1600/Proof_BSR_Expo-20130817-362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-NR9sVm290OU/UhohUrokqgI/AAAAAAAAAEY/XRqcQWtuHYI/s400/Proof_BSR_Expo-20130817-362.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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And just for fun...I know we have the crazy eyes but I had to share this. My Kangoo girls and I went out to celebrate an amazing milestone this weekend...one of the girls being 3 years breast cancer free...and we just had SO much fun. I love them. I never knew my life could be so focused on my workouts and the people I do them with.</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YYYdEICrlfo/UhohqJBOJmI/AAAAAAAAAEw/0-wxK4NTXJg/s1600/kangoogirlsatmojitos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YYYdEICrlfo/UhohqJBOJmI/AAAAAAAAAEw/0-wxK4NTXJg/s640/kangoogirlsatmojitos.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I realized a few days ago that when I wrote my original list of <a href="http://electricladyband.blogspot.com/2010/03/starting-my-journey.html">reasons that I wanted to lose weight</a>, one of the items was:</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #342630; font-family: Helvetica; line-height: 22px;">45. To learn a sport.</span></div>
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Kangoo is <i>definitely</i> a sport! It may not be a team sport in the traditional sense but it's something athletic that I love to do and I'm pretty good at it. So yeah...another item crossed off my list. :-)</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16676430185788147343noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-35778853586092208172013-07-18T09:17:00.000-04:002013-07-18T09:17:20.977-04:00One of ThemLast Saturday night I went out with a bunch of the girls I work out with at my fitness studio. We started out at a bowling alley and were there for about an hour and then we got kicked out. Yep. I'm 37 years old and got <i>kicked out of a bowling alley</i> like some 17 year old punk. One of the girls had called the bowling alley and asked if alcohol was allowed there and since there was a bar, she was told yes. So she made a batch of sangria and brought it in. However, although alcohol <i>from the bar</i> is allowed, outside food and beverage is not, so cops were called, the sangria was confiscated and we were tossed out on the street like common thugs.<br />
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I have to admit...it was great.<br />
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So, what were a group of women supposed to do at 10:30 on a Saturday night? We ended up at Chili's with giant margaritas and baskets of chips and salsa and queso. (Yeah, I know. Eeeeek. The calories. Whatever.)<br />
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So as I'm sitting there laughing my head off, drinking a margarita, and really enjoying these awesome women...these fit, athletic women I've been working out with for over 6 months...I realized something...<br />
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I'm one of them.<br />
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They didn't know me when I was morbidly obese. I mean, I obviously still have some weight to lose and I'm working on it, but the thing I have in common with these women is fitness.<br />
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We text each other before class to make sure we'll be there.<br />
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We save each other spots in the front of the class.<br />
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We share hair ties and bottles of water and protein bars.<br />
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Ain't that some shit? I've been working out often enough that my gym friends are becoming real friends.<br />
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My life is different.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16676430185788147343noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-56191390665875393512013-07-12T23:03:00.000-04:002013-07-12T23:03:12.387-04:00SteaklessMy husband said he wasn't happy that I had to gross him out instead of other people so I'm going to share this with you so he's not alone.<br />
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WARNING<br />
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WARNING<br />
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DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ SOMETHING REALLY YUCKY.<br />
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Ok so here goes...<br />
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I've eaten steak twice this week without issue and got cocky and probably ate too much (4 oz. maybe, and some corn on the cob).<br />
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I PB'ed. Bad. The worst one in a loooooong time.<br />
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I PB'ed so hard that a chunk of steak came out my nose. I'm not kidding. I blew my nose and there was a piece of steak. I almost barfed again because that was just so gross.<br />
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After over an hour of PB, recover, think that it's over, sip a tiny bit of water to get the taste out of my mouth, and then run to the bathroom to PB again, I brought out the big guns and gulped a small cup of sparkling lemon lime flavored bubbly water to get things moving. It had the desired "roto rooter" effect, I burped, and the offensive nasty bits went down.<br />
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Thank goodness.<br />
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It's going to be awhile before I eat red meat again.<br />
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On a good note...I needed a new pair of shorts that actually fit since it's a gazillion degrees out and we're spending the day outside at a mango festival tomorrow. I bought this outfit at Old Navy. Size 14 shorts, and I don't hate the way my legs look in them, and a size MEDIUM shirt. (Oh, and a new haircut that I really love.)<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-41648743877327807902013-06-22T09:31:00.000-04:002013-06-22T09:32:23.610-04:00Working OutWow...I haven't blogged in a month and a half...crazy. I know that often when people stop blogging for any extended length of time it's usually because they have fallen off the wagon. Thankfully, this is not the case here. I've been kicking butt at the gym and just been too busy to blog!<br />
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I've been doing tons of Kangoo. I even had the opportunity to take my friend's 14 year old daughter with me and she loved it! I've lost somewhere around 16 pounds since starting Kangoo...after a year long plateau. I love my bouncy shoes!<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yIvEW5Ghxp0/UcWkTzCIPsI/AAAAAAAABes/uZEh4L8SMX4/s1600/kearakangoo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yIvEW5Ghxp0/UcWkTzCIPsI/AAAAAAAABes/uZEh4L8SMX4/s400/kearakangoo.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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I burn somewhere between 800 and 1200 calories per hour doing Kangoo. I use a heart rate monitor during each class and get a report like this after class that shows the levels of activity as well as my calorie burn. This was a 960 calorie class.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eVtKFe0UqT0/UcWkAGeSaSI/AAAAAAAABek/hDDJdAOV0Us/s1600/20130608training.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="334" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eVtKFe0UqT0/UcWkAGeSaSI/AAAAAAAABek/hDDJdAOV0Us/s640/20130608training.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And this is my trainer, Tania, climbing the rope. She is AMAZING and so inspiring! She is totally my Jillian. I take several of her classes, Kangoo being my favorite, but I also do boot camps, Tabata, BOSU, etc.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCPaLgCS8g4/UcWkjH2DcyI/AAAAAAAABe0/0t-Q3RSnsmM/s1600/taniarope3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCPaLgCS8g4/UcWkjH2DcyI/AAAAAAAABe0/0t-Q3RSnsmM/s400/taniarope3.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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This morning I'm going to the studio to try a Piloxing class. I've never done Piloxing but it's a cross between Pilates, boxing, and ballet. They're having a guest trainer to teach this - it's a master class and I'm a teeny bit nervous (it looks pretty intense) but I think it will be fun.<br />
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Tonight I'm doing something I haven't done in probably 20 years - roller skating! My gym group is having a get together at a skating rink for a fun and active night out.<br />
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Gotta run...have to finish my protein shake and get to the gym. :-)<!--3-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-56992587372452076192013-05-09T20:20:00.000-04:002013-05-09T20:20:47.772-04:00Recipe: Zucchini Boats<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">I made "zucchini boats" (sort-of a low carb substitute for baked stuffed pasta) for dinner and they were fabulous!!! I saw recipes for how to do this and here is my version... I didn't really measure.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">Zucchini Boats</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">3 medium zucchini</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;" /><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; text-align: left;">1 tub part skim ricotta cheese<br />1 egg<br />3 cloves garlic, grated<br />Olive oil<br />Salt, pepper, Italian seasoning<br />Marinara sauce<br />Mozzarella cheese<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400. Cut each zucchini in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the zucchini "guts" and form a boat. (Most recipes say to reserve the middles and use them to re-stuff the zucchini but I didn't and I threw the guts away. Yes, it's wasteful but I don't like zucchini seeds. I do the same thing with cucumbers. Ick.) Drizzle zucchini with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in oven for 10 minutes.<br /><br />Meanwhile, mix together the ricotta, egg, garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning. Remove zucchini from oven and turn heat down to 325. Stuff zucchini with ricotta mixture and spoon marinara sauce over each piece. Place in oven and bake for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with mozzarella and broil until bubbly.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-49818968981584514472013-05-05T16:36:00.000-04:002013-05-05T16:36:15.231-04:00Dietbet ResultsLast month I <a href="http://electricladyband.blogspot.com/2013/04/dietbet.html" target="_blank">joined a Dietbet </a> in which I needed to lose 4% of my body weight (8.4 pounds) in 4 weeks and the final weigh in was today.<br />
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Before (210 pounds):<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IYbwGVCl-Kk/UYbBrpKZY7I/AAAAAAAABds/10KWYSBubLI/s1600/dietbet_feet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IYbwGVCl-Kk/UYbBrpKZY7I/AAAAAAAABds/10KWYSBubLI/s320/dietbet_feet.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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After (197.5 pounds):<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4TeQ50I-lZw/UYbBsPd3x_I/AAAAAAAABd4/udEkiN_wGS0/s1600/dietbet_feet_end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4TeQ50I-lZw/UYbBsPd3x_I/AAAAAAAABd4/udEkiN_wGS0/s320/dietbet_feet_end.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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I win! I lost 12.5 pounds in 4 weeks, thanks to lots of Kangoo, Tabata, and sticking to 1200 calories on non-workout days. So I get the $50 back that I bet, plus I get to split the pot with all of the other winners. I'm psyched! I will definitely join another Dietbet and am even considering starting my own.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-49345945309555575222013-04-08T04:56:00.000-04:002013-04-08T04:56:17.990-04:00DietBetI decided to join the <a href="http://www.dietbet.com/" target="_blank">Dietbet</a> game that is being sponsored by <a href="http://www.dietbet.com/games/12278" target="_blank">The Anti-Jared</a>,<br />
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The premise is simple. Put $50 in a pot. If you meet your goal (4% of body weight lost in 28 days) I win back MY money and split the pot with all the other winners.<br />
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First, you verify your starting weight (I had to submit pictures on the scale to prove who I am and what my weight is:<br />
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Along with a special code word that they assigned me the morning of the challenge, which is why I have "legume" written down by the scale.</div>
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The scale currently says 210 and not that I cheated (I didn't!), it just so happened that I spent the weekend at my parents house eating all kinds of fatty, carby things AND went to dinner with my friend Tanya the night before which involved wine and cupcakes and was definitely retaining some water.</div>
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So...I'm not going into crazy dietgirl mode but I AM making some changes. On work days when I can't workout, I MUST stick to 1200 calories. On workout days, I can be slightly less strict and will only eat half the calories I burned. If you want to follow me on MyFitnessPal, my username is stephaniemartin42.<br />
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28 days to lose 8.4 pounds. Can I do it? Should be an interesting ride.<br />
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-47532743559040659132013-04-02T16:42:00.000-04:002013-04-02T16:42:13.427-04:00Fitness StudioOn January 30, I posted on Facebook:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">I completely forgot that I bought a voucher for 5 Kangoo-Jumps (trampoline shoe) classes MONTHS ago. Amazon sent me a reminder that it will expire in a month so I signed up for my first class this coming Monday. I'm not sure how well my klutzy self will do with trampoline shoes but I managed to not kill myself on the Segways when Karin </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">and I went and it's supposed to be a great workout so...here goes nothin'.</span><br />
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As of today, I've attended 13 Kangoo classes, and I love the studio (Beachside Ryde) so much that I started several of their other classes too - Pilates and Tabata being my favorites, and I'm going to try the TRX class and Indo-Row too. I started with a 5-class voucher, signed up for another 15 classes, and then this week I fully committed and signed up for 6 months of unlimited classes. I was hesitant to do it (it took a not-insignificant chunk of our tax refund) but Scott made the point of looking at how much we spend on TV service, going out to dinner, etc. and that if it made me happy, we could cut back elsewhere.<br />
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It DOES make me happy.<br />
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This is the Beachside studio - they have all kinds of toys that add lots of interest to the workouts - BOSU balls, weights, hula hoops, TRX straps, a ballet barre etc. The workout is NEVER the same twice.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FY5SO3UdJUU/UVs9fi9rzGI/AAAAAAAABco/9evSG6MapXw/s1600/beachside_studio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FY5SO3UdJUU/UVs9fi9rzGI/AAAAAAAABco/9evSG6MapXw/s400/beachside_studio.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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My friend Maria (also a band patient, and she is the receptionist for my bariatric surgeon) started attending Kangoo with me once a week...it's a blast working out with a friend. Last Saturday we both rented heart/calorie monitors and competed for who could burn the most calories. She won by about 100 calories so I had to buy lunch. We had salads with tuna on them. :-) I burned over 1200 calories that day, so I'd say we both won though.<br />
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A couple of weeks ago we had an incredibly gorgeous afternoon, and we did a Tabata boot camp outside...it was amazing!<br />
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This is my trainer Tania, who teaches most of the classes that I take. She is also the owner of the studio and is incredibly inspiring!<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5zXvVXUaj7s/UVs_q6BhjpI/AAAAAAAABc8/3_B6xe3H8uE/s1600/beachside_tania.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5zXvVXUaj7s/UVs_q6BhjpI/AAAAAAAABc8/3_B6xe3H8uE/s400/beachside_tania.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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Even though a small studio is more expensive than a big-box gym, the difference there is amazing. It's like the difference between shopping at Walmart versus a small, locally-owned boutique - in theory, you're just working out but the difference is truly incredible. I can't wait to get there for each workout.<br />
The individual attention makes all the difference in the world. I love walking in and seeing the same faces week after week.<br />
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And you know what else? When I work out, I want to feel light and strong and that influences my eating choices every day.<br />
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I have no idea how much weight I have lost, and it doesn't really matter. My pants are definitely getting too big on me. I'll weigh in next Sunday but no matter what the scale says, I know what I'm doing is really, really good for me and I have my motivation back.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-18655122200241001672013-03-07T11:59:00.000-05:002013-03-07T11:59:00.477-05:00Breakfast in a Glass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I'm 3 years post-op. I've been having a scrambled egg (with or without veggies and/or cheese) at least 3 days per week for the last 3 years and I've never really gotten tired of it. I like scrambled eggs. I like that I can make them taste different based on hot sauce, vegetables, etc. and I can make them in the microwave if I'm in a hurry and they keep me full for awhile. On the days I didn't have eggs, I would have a canned Atkins shake.</div>
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Until I spent two mornings at work a couple of weeks ago barfing up scrambled eggs. I have no idea what changed all of a sudden. It was the one food I could always count on being able to eat in the morning and that was gone. When there's a line full of patients waiting and I need to check them in, I don't have time to spend more time in the bathroom than I do at my desk.</div>
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Not to mention, it's embarrassing. One of the medical assistants asked me if I wanted her to do a pregnancy test on me.</div>
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So...my morning meal has changed. I couldn't face the idea of having an Atkins shake for breakfast every day (all those chemicals! so little nutrition! no variety!) so I decided to experiment with making my own protein smoothies.</div>
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I started out with a good protein base - I have fallen in LOVE with Optimum Nutrition Oats & Whey. It's naturally sweetened with honey powder, but not TOO cloyingly sweet like I find the artificially sweetened powders. Plus it has oats in it so it's got plenty of fiber. This is the nutrition label:</div>
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Yes, it has 8 grams of sugar per full scoop (and I only use 1/2 scoop), but consider that a can of Slimfast has EIGHTEEN grams of sugar and less than half the protein. This stuff is not so bad.</div>
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Then I add my liquid. I discovered Blue Diamond unsweetened coconut/almond milk blend. It's only 45 calories per cup and absolutely deliciously decadent! I found it in the chilled milk section at Target.</div>
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From there, I can add whatever fruits and veggies I want. This one had raw spinach, pineapple, mango, blueberries, and strawberries:</div>
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Today's smoothie was exceptional - raw spinach, one small carrot, a small handful of blueberries, and a few chunks of frozen pineapple. YUM. So much nutrition! I feel like I have LOADS of energy and don't feel weighed down after breakfast.</div>
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With that said...I'm off to work out! See you later.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-27730698567157127312013-02-16T22:08:00.002-05:002013-02-16T22:08:54.017-05:00From the Mouths of Babes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I spent the afternoon with my dear friend Ally today. I've known her since we were 18 and she moved to Oregon when we were in our mid-20's. Her older son is 9 and her younger son is 5. We were looking at some old pictures today from the couple of times I met the little one, Chay (the redhead). This was when I went to visit Ally's family when Chay was just a baby...</div>
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And this was when Ally came to visit Florida when Chay was 2 years old...</div>
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As we were looking at pictures, Chay looked at the pictures, looked at me, looked at the pictures, looked at me, and said, "You looked like you were more chubbier then." I just about choked on my latte I was laughing so hard. Kids are just so darn honest. This is from today...</div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-3038698983809383142013-02-13T08:03:00.000-05:002013-02-13T08:03:24.238-05:00Recipe: Skinny Southern Potato Salad<br />
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Have you heard of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistant_starch" target="_blank">resistant starch</a>? There's some sort of science that happens when you cook and then cool potatoes that creates a particular type of fiber that's being studied for blood sugar stabilization benefits. When I read about this my first thought was "potato salad" which is clearly not healthy, but is so tasty. So I've been craving potato salad and I came up with this...</div>
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DARN was it good!<br /><br />Skinny Southern Potato Salad</div>
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Makes 12 half-cup servings<br /><br />2 large potatoes, peeled and cut in chunks<br />5 eggs<br />6 oz. container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt<br />2 Tbsp. mayo<br />3 Tbsp. dijon mustard<br />3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar<br />1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning<br />1/2 red onion, finely diced<br />Salt & Pepper, to taste<br /><br />Place cut potatoes and whole eggs in pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil. Turn stove off, cover pot, and let sit for 15 minutes.<br /><br />Meanwhile, mix together yogurt, mayo, mustard, vinegar, seasoning, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add onion and toss to coat. (I would have added a couple of stalks of celery too, but the celery I had in my fridge was wilted.)<br /><br />After 15 minutes, remove eggs from pot and place in iced water for a few minutes. Drain potatoes and place in a large bowl. Peel eggs and chop. Add eggs to potatoes and toss with dressing. Chill.</div>
<br style="font-family: Helvetica;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">If my calculations are correct, each 1/2 cup serving should contain:</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica;" /><br /><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Calories</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; white-space: pre;"> </span>- <span style="font-family: Helvetica;">82.5</span><br style="font-family: Helvetica;" /><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Total Fat</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; white-space: pre;"> </span> - <span style="font-family: Helvetica;">3.9</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> g</span><div style="font-family: Helvetica;">
Potassium - 129.8 mg</div>
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Total Carbohydrate - 5.3 g<br />Dietary Fiber - 0.3 g (this does not include resistant starch)<br />Sugars - 1.2 g<br />Protein - 5.1 g</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-80774384472044095502013-02-05T10:37:00.000-05:002013-02-05T10:37:15.903-05:00Kangoo Jumps - Awesome WorkoutSeveral months ago, I bought an Amazon Local deal for a series of fitness classes called Kangoo Jumps. Essentially, you wear boots that have little trampolines on the bottom that look like this:<br />
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And you basically do an aerobics class with a little strength training while wearing these things. I was a bit nervous about the whole thing since I'm not the most coordinated person in the world, but within 10 minutes of putting them on, I was jogging and jumping like a champ. Everyone at <a href="http://www.beachsiderydeinc.com/" target="_blank">Beachside Ryde</a> (the studio where I went) was amazing. The guy who helped me get fitted with my boots and got me comfortable with wearing them was really patient. The instructor was a super-perky jumping bean and excited about everything (but not annoyingly so).</div>
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This is what the class looks like (I'm not in this video but just to get an idea what kind of stuff we were doing):</div>
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Let me tell you - attempting to stand still is the hardest thing, and doing squats wasn't easy either. The class involved different elements like using a weighted ball, dumbbells, hula hoops, and a weighted bar to do different kinds of moves, so it never got boring. And I made it through with a smile (and a whole lot of sweat).<br />
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My next class is on Friday and I can't wait!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-53781420634169489942013-01-27T18:41:00.000-05:002013-01-27T18:41:27.286-05:00Loose Skin is RealitySomeone posted <a href="http://paleoparents.com/featured/what-losing-135lbs-looks-like/" target="_blank">this article about what losing 135 pounds looks like</a> on Facebook today. I'm glad it was posted and that I actually clicked it. It's no secret that I HATE my jiggly, flappy arms...<div>
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But until plastic surgery is reality for me, I need to learn to deal with it, somehow. I need to not hate anything about me. That's ridiculously hard, nearly impossible some days. I don't love my melted-candle thighs or my floppy stomach, but they don't bother me as much as those arms do.</div>
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But here's the thing: my sister, brother-in-law, and beautiful nephew are coming to visit next weekend. I'm SO looking forward to it. But there's a little nagging voice in the back of my head...there's going to be swimming. I'm going to need to put a bathing suit on. In front of people. Glurp.</div>
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I'll do it but it still freaks me out. There's no hiding flappy arms or melty thighs in a bathing suit. And even though I live in Florida, I rarely wear one. There is usually alcohol involved, like when Jen and I went swimming with the sea lions.</div>
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I have issues. But we all knew that. So I'm glad I looked at that article. I needed to see that.</div>
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On a brighter note, I realized yesterday that I hadn't been to the gym since before I got that sinus infection...before Christmas! Crazy. So I went twice this weekend and my body and mind feel so much better already.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-56431889059337818432013-01-12T23:46:00.002-05:002013-01-12T23:46:32.718-05:00Illness = Tightness?Has anyone experienced that illness (upper respiratory infection - just a bad cold, really - congestion, slight sore throat, sneezing, coughing) causes band tightness? I am CRAZY tight right now and having a little nausea and abdominal pain every time I eat anything more solid than hummus. I haven't really had a really bad cold in the nearly 3 years since I've had my band so this is new to me.<br />
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I managed a few bites of very tender flank steak tonight, and some roasted acorn squash (delicious!) for dinner tonight and now have a stomach ache. I'm not stuck, it's a different feeling and it's sticking around long after dinner.<br />
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Maybe I'm taking too many pills (Dayquil/Nyquil plus vitamins) and they're hurting my stomach, but I didn't take any cold meds today until just a few minutes ago.<br />
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Maybe I just need a day or two of liquids/mushies to get my stomach back on track. Perhaps I'll pick up some protein powder and do smoothies and soup for a couple of days.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-62193037661457711562012-12-18T15:14:00.000-05:002012-12-18T15:14:29.440-05:00One Year<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
From the tiny peanut we affectionately called Trout Grover...</div>
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To the adorable cuddly newborn we fell in love with...</div>
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To the playful and happy baby that made us all smile...</div>
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To the one year old little boy who has stolen the hearts of my entire family...</div>
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Happy birthday, Zachary!!! Hugs and kisses to you, sweet boy.</div>
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Love,</div>
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Aunt Stephanie</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-84814528314296152902012-12-09T21:14:00.000-05:002012-12-09T21:14:04.043-05:00Radio Alumni Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I don't know how many people who read this blog know this about me, but when I was in high school, I worked on the school's radio station, 88.5 FM WKPX for 3 years. I was a DJ and had my own show called "From the Vault" where I played mostly old rock - Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Phish, etc. - and it was a total blast. I spent two class periods every day in radio class - broadcasting, programming, reviewing music for air play, and making recordings of public service announcements.</div>
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I was invited to come back to the station for an alumni appearance last Friday. My dear friend Jen was also a DJ on the station so I asked her to come with me. We had an amazing time on the air and I can't wait to do it again! We even had our own paparazzi - Scott came along and brought his camera so we have some great pictures from the day too.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-35792985427485730352012-11-29T08:54:00.000-05:002012-11-29T11:58:17.727-05:00Recipe: Deviled Egg SaladI've been on a bit of a sugar/carb detox after gaining a few pounds over Thanksgiving and my wedding vow renewal. This may give you an idea why:<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0b2qrv7VfI/ULdlzbuMl4I/AAAAAAAABUM/FXlEa225XvY/s1600/cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z0b2qrv7VfI/ULdlzbuMl4I/AAAAAAAABUM/FXlEa225XvY/s320/cake.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X7j316yrK7w/ULdl0cV_HHI/AAAAAAAABUQ/6MuFK3WpHI0/s1600/cakeslice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X7j316yrK7w/ULdl0cV_HHI/AAAAAAAABUQ/6MuFK3WpHI0/s320/cakeslice.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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So anyway...I'm eating very little sugar/carbs for a couple of weeks until my pants feel good again. This is a recipe I came up with for lunch, and woowee...it's slap-yer-mama good.<br />
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I don't normally like egg salad (except when my sister makes it with yogurt...hers is kinda delicious) but I LOVE deviled eggs. Go figure. It's a texture thing. But deviled eggs are kind of a pain in the butt to make in bulk, and transport for lunch and snacking. So I saw a recipe for deviled egg salad and I changed it a bit to suit my tastes. (Measurements are approximate - everything is "to taste" - I ended up using more hot sauce but didn't exactly measure...I love the stuff.) Yesterday for lunch, I made a salad with a bed of romaine, celery, a couple of ounces of grilled chicken, a scoop of egg salad, and a sprinkle of bleu cheese. Delicious!<br />
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<b>Deviled Egg Salad</b><br />
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8 hard boiled eggs, whites and yolks separated, whites roughly chopped<br />
1/4 cup mayo<br />
1/4 cup yellow mustard<br />
1 Tbsp. cider vinegar<br />
1 Tbsp. hot sauce (I used Texas Pete's in this recipe)<br />
Salt & pepper - to taste<br />
3 scallions, finely chopped<br />
2 stalks celery, finely chopped<br />
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Mash egg yolks with mayo, mustard, vinegar, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Toss yolk mixture and veggies with egg whites. Chill. Eat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-35479380393583774172012-11-26T09:42:00.000-05:002012-11-26T09:42:05.235-05:00Vow Renewal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Scott and I renewed our vows on Friday since that was our ten year anniversary. It was an amazing day! I wanted to share a few of the pictures with you...I am way happier with how I look now than I did at the original wedding in 2002...</div>
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This was my favorite picture from before the ceremony.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRSv6o8r1WQ/ULN7ZQMIxLI/AAAAAAAABSI/PCzRQZdpzHk/s1600/04outside.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vRSv6o8r1WQ/ULN7ZQMIxLI/AAAAAAAABSI/PCzRQZdpzHk/s320/04outside.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Posing with my mama.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GRG4vvKYvpo/ULN7YjK_ZGI/AAAAAAAABSA/ZrFKTFMVzzM/s1600/037memom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GRG4vvKYvpo/ULN7YjK_ZGI/AAAAAAAABSA/ZrFKTFMVzzM/s320/037memom.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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My Uncle Mark flew in from California to surprise us...that was AMAZING!</div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ewEPc6JwVQo/ULN8Qph0tRI/AAAAAAAABSw/hZUdj8bbZMY/s1600/019mark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ewEPc6JwVQo/ULN8Qph0tRI/AAAAAAAABSw/hZUdj8bbZMY/s320/019mark.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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With my ladies...some of my best girlfriends...</div>
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from left to right - Vicky, Donna, me, Mom, Dawn, and Jen</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qwXgVCh4BuU/ULN8YmnZkTI/AAAAAAAABS4/XxKLe1dF5dU/s1600/ladies1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qwXgVCh4BuU/ULN8YmnZkTI/AAAAAAAABS4/XxKLe1dF5dU/s320/ladies1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I put on my original wedding dress to take some pictures...it's about 8 sizes too big so my friend Dawn cinched it up with hair ties and barrettes so it would stay on...very "Project Runway" :-)</div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zr4miGTNnLU/ULN7WpITftI/AAAAAAAABRw/IUPxyDcGLFk/s1600/032dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zr4miGTNnLU/ULN7WpITftI/AAAAAAAABRw/IUPxyDcGLFk/s320/032dress.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I DEFINITELY prefer the way it looks on me now vs. 10 years ago.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-pWpl_zgu8/ULN7Xdumm6I/AAAAAAAABR4/XYbnWRTjSdg/s1600/034dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n-pWpl_zgu8/ULN7Xdumm6I/AAAAAAAABR4/XYbnWRTjSdg/s320/034dress.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Newlyweds...again. :-)</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LyWqjSwAWrQ/ULN-Z-QedrI/AAAAAAAABTQ/N1EQI9v_Be4/s1600/035dress.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LyWqjSwAWrQ/ULN-Z-QedrI/AAAAAAAABTQ/N1EQI9v_Be4/s320/035dress.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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We got a mini replica of our original wedding cake - white chocolate and fresh raspberries.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tt5MMqX-bKk/ULN7tQKC8WI/AAAAAAAABSY/l-RMggxop2I/s1600/040cakecutting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tt5MMqX-bKk/ULN7tQKC8WI/AAAAAAAABSY/l-RMggxop2I/s320/040cakecutting.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
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...which Scott proceeded to smoosh all over my face with the </div>
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excuse that he didn't do it the first time around.</div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_uzhQb6F_u0/ULN7x6jo74I/AAAAAAAABSg/vAjSxxAX3bs/s1600/044cakesmooshing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_uzhQb6F_u0/ULN7x6jo74I/AAAAAAAABSg/vAjSxxAX3bs/s320/044cakesmooshing.jpg" width="244" /></a></div>
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For reference...here are some pictures of the first wedding...</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q9AQKoJ5Kvo/ULN9Q3HRJQI/AAAAAAAABTA/hkgRnxz1_JM/s1600/weddingscottsteph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q9AQKoJ5Kvo/ULN9Q3HRJQI/AAAAAAAABTA/hkgRnxz1_JM/s320/weddingscottsteph.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k1EpzYCNzFo/ULN9RUYKWDI/AAAAAAAABTE/m0kDMWE6o54/s1600/weddingtiedyecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k1EpzYCNzFo/ULN9RUYKWDI/AAAAAAAABTE/m0kDMWE6o54/s320/weddingtiedyecake.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-9333551084833169582012-11-11T19:28:00.000-05:002012-11-11T19:28:48.788-05:00Baked Oatmeal<a href="http://lapsinlife.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Michelle</a> asked how I make my baked oatmeal. This is the basic recipe as written, but I make some changes (see below)...<br />
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Ingredients</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1 egg, lightly beaten</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking oats</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/2 cup sugar</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/2 cup milk</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/4 cup vegetable oil</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/4 cup chopped nuts</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/4 cup raisins</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1 teaspoon baking powder</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/2 teaspoon salt</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon</div>
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<span class="Apple-tab-span"> </span>• Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Cut into squares.</div>
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<i>My changes...</i></div>
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I use regular long cooking oats (NOT steel cut) because I prefer the texture. I reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup and the oil to 3 Tbsp. I then add 1/2 cup of some sort of fruit puree (my favorite is pumpkin, but unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana works too). I increase the cinnamon to 1 to 1.5 Tbsp. because I love it - or I'll use pumpkin pie spice if I'm using pumpkin puree for the fruit. I don't like raisins so I omit them, but sometimes will use dried cranberries instead. I've made it with or without nuts. I also find that it needs a little longer to bake - 35 minutes or so. I like the top to be a little crunchy.</div>
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I made one batch with frozen raspberries and blueberries - it wasn't as good. They were a bit mushy. I'm going to try fresh chopped apples and dried cranberries and see how that is.</div>
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There you have it! Easy as can be.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-83848638430442246972012-11-06T19:39:00.000-05:002012-11-06T19:39:26.835-05:00Voted<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Scott and I voted today. Did you? :-)</div>
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I haven't posted a full body shot in awhile but this is me at work. I think I look just sort of...normal. I like that. </div>
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I was talking to one of the doctors at work about my band (I was having a really tight day and was sitting in the break room with my lunch in front of me and not eating...I made some remark about how I know it's a tight day when I can't even eat a whole pudding cup) and I showed her the "before" picture below...she gasped and said she couldn't believe I was the same person. I forget sometimes that the people I work with now didn't know me at 292 pounds.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-11978541851486291462012-10-14T10:46:00.000-04:002012-10-14T10:46:36.711-04:00Note To Self...1. Never tell anyone that you "never" have a problem with a particular food. You will have the second worst PB of your life on said food that very evening. (Chicken thighs...I'm looking at you.)<br />
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2. It was finally cool enough here to go for a walk outside instead of in the stinky old gym. Cool breezes and sunshine and good tunes are better for my mood than I imagine a pile of Prozac would be.<br />
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3. THIS is my new favorite breakfast - homemade baked oatmeal with Greek yogurt. Tons of fiber and protein, not too sweet, and it keeps me going for HOURS. This batch has raspberries, cranberries, and blueberries in it. I'm going to make some today with pumpkin and lots of pumpkin pie spice. Mmmm.<br />
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4. My friend Maria sent me this pic of us from the end of the 5K a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to share.</div>
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5. And just for fun, I LOVE this pic of Zachary and ALL of his aunties in the same place at the same time. On the left is Laura, my brother-in-law's sister who (shameless plug) <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1801505102/first-root-farms-first-machine" target="_blank">has a Kickstarter to raise money for her farm</a> if you want to check it out. She's the one with whom <a href="http://electricladyband.blogspot.com/2011/10/baby-shower-weekend.html" target="_blank">I planted garlic at her farm</a> last year. The woman makes some gorgeous veggies. Kate, my brother-in-law's twin brother's wife, is on the right. I really enjoy hanging out with her. I love having such great "co-aunts" for my beautiful nephew!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7615764460111527361.post-55529199471023040452012-10-04T19:36:00.000-04:002012-10-04T19:38:18.662-04:00Ten Things Thursday1. My request for time off for the entire Thanksgiving weekend was approved. Thank goodness! My 10th wedding anniversary is the Friday after Thanksgiving and that would have really sucked if I had to work.<br />
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2. I picked up over 8 hours of overtime last weekend. I really like my job and I am SO grateful for the extra money, but man...I'm tired. I'm glad I had yesterday and today off to recover.<br />
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3. My husband has had a bunch of dental work lately and is on a soft diet until his permanent crown is done in a few weeks. I'm putting my mushy cooking skills to work and I made shepherd's pie for dinner. I made one batch as usual, with ground beef, full-fat cheese and mashed potatoes for Scott, and another for myself where I used a little bit of ground beef along with red beans, carrots, onions, cauliflower, spinach, and corn for the base, a sprinkle of 2% milk cheese, and a very thin layer of mashed potatoes on top. It was tasty!<br />
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4. One of my favorite authors, Jennifer Weiner, wrote <b><a href="http://www.allure.com/allure-magazine/2012/10/fat-the-f-word?printable=true&src=longreads&utm_source=buffer&buffer_share=64c43" target="_blank">this article</a></b> about the day her daughter used "the 'F' word" (<i>FAT</i>) for the first time. Very interesting read.<br />
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5. Today I was contacted by the Rachael Ray Show to fly to New York to be on the show and have a makeover...for free! I was so excited until I found out what the catch is...they're looking for couples who are having a "milestone anniversary" this year where BOTH people have a makeover. My husband really doesn't want to be on TV. Boooooo. I understand completely, but am still disappointed, of course. If you know of anyone having a "milestone anniversary" let me know and I'll pass it along to the producer I was speaking with.<br />
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6. I am obsessed...<i>obsessed</i> with The Hunger Games. I'm "reading" (via audiobook) the first in the series and it's <i>totally</i> not the kind of book I usually read, but it's fantastic. My "niece" Keara recommended it and I can't stop listening. I've already reserved book 2 and 3 from the library.<br />
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7. This new fill is treating me nicely. I lost 6 pounds the week after the fill. I feel great. Eating very little but not hungry.<br />
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8. I'm glad everyone had such a nice time in Chicago! I've really enjoyed seeing the pictures.<br />
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9. Scott is amazing. Truly. We needed to have some repairs done on our old house because our insurance policy needed to be renewed. Scott (along with our very helpful neighbor for a little assistance) did all of the work himself and completed a job that was quoted at over $2000 for under $500. Incredible. He seriously busted ass and we passed our inspection with flying colors. He researched how to do it and got it all done. I'm really impressed with him.<br />
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10. I have to work a 12 hour shift tomorrow, so I have to go wind down for bed. Goodnight!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4