I’ve been recently making shakes for breakfast and lunch. A friend of mine gave me a ton of recipes to  be able to change it up so I’m not drinking the same thing all the time. I decided last week to try the peanut butter cup recipe because they are my favorite candy. My other friend had given me some WowButter to try so I decided to try that in my shake instead of regular peanut butter. Well, I accidentally put in 2 Tablespoons instead of 1 (I thought the sample packs were 1 tablespoon servings.) The calories for 2 Tablespoons of WowButter was 200 calories. OUCH! I also didn’t like the taste of it. My friend raves over it, but to me it did not taste anything like regular peanut butter. So my friend Lori told me about PB2 Peanut Butter. This peanut butter is actually powdered and only 45 calories for 2 tablespoons! It’s a great mix in for my shake. It tastes just like peanut butter but so many less calories!

PB2Superior quality peanuts are first slow roasted then pressed to remove the fat and oil. The result is an exquisitely natural roasted peanut butter flavor that’s deliciously rich in taste, easy to enjoy and wonderfully healthy.

I had a ton of friends asking me for a review once I tasted it, so I figured I’d share it here. I really love the taste of PB2 and can’t wait for my next shake! They also sell a Chocolate PB2 which I think I may buy next so it’s one less item to add to my shakes! My husband told me I should probably put a note on my door now saying that I use powdered peanut butter in my house for those that have peanut allergies.

Note: I was not given this product to review. I bought it with my own money. All opinions are my own. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is a major issue facing the people of America today. In fact, they report that around a third of all adults and 17 percent of all children are considered to be obese. One thing that most people have in common is that we snack throughout the day and, without our realizing it, those snack choices can do a lot to help or hinder our weight loss and wellness efforts. In fact, it’s important to keep in mind that not all snacks are created equal, and it’s crucial that people opt for healthy ones.

“Research shows that snacking makes up around 27 percent of a child’s daily calories,” explains Dan Negroni, the chief executive officer and president of Fresh Healthy Vending (www.freshvending.com). “This means that it is crucial that we teach children to opt for healthy snacks. And that starts by us adults modeling healthy snacking behavior.”

When it comes to choosing healthy snacks that will help take on obesity, here are 5 to keep in mind:

1. Yogurt. Reaching for some low-fat yogurt can be a healthy snack because it provides the body with protein, as well as calcium. It also has vitamins, minerals, and beneficial bacteria that aid digestion.
2. Granola bars. Natural granola bars that contain wholesome ingredients provide a satisfying way to snack. They provide energy, protein, and fiber. Just opt for those that are low in fat and sugar.
3. Fresh fruit. There’s just no going wrong with eating fresh fruits or vegetables for a snack. They are low in calories and fat, plus they provide lots of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
4. Smoothies. Low-fat smoothies can be a snack that provides a good pick-me-up, as well as a boost of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Plus, many are a great source of protein.
5. Baked Chips. Opting for baked chips or naturally popped snacks is a great way to take on obesity. Any time someone can reach for baked chips over traditional, fat-laden ones, they will be satisfying that snack craving without sacrificing their healthy.

“It used to be difficult to find healthy snacks, especially if you were on the go,” adds Negroni. “But that’s simply not the case anymore. And we are proud to say that we are the ones that have helped make such a change. Healthy snacking is just a couple of button-pushes away, today.”

There are hundreds of diets and people telling you their method works the best. How do you discern what actually works? Which one do you choose? We’ve seen the pictures of the frumpy housewife turned bikini clad hottie so we know they all work magic right? Well, they must work for someone or they wouldn’t still be out there. What I have learned that not all people need the same thing, and what works for one will not always work for someone else. This is why we have so many choices out there. What we have to keep in mind is the little footnote on those pictures that says “Results not typical”.

I do believe that whatever you choose, be it low carb, low fat, counting points, etc. that the key to effective change is hard work and making healthy choices. Even if you choose not to exercise there is still a lot of hard work involved in making a change and sticking to it. So these two things are a must in any weight loss program.

So don’t jump onto any “Diet” or exercise bandwagon and think this will just happen. If you want it, you must work for it. Just remember if you put in the effort, you can and will see results.

I am finding myself severely lacking a very key piece of any good exercise program, diet plan or lifestyle change of any kind. That piece is Motivation! I find it harder and harder to make myself just get up and go just because it is hard to make it happen. I know how much better I feel when I do get a good workout. I have good experiences each time I go yet, I still am just not finding that motivating factor to keep me pushing. I think before it was the friendships that I enjoyed with the girls at the gym that kept me going even when I wasn’t in the mood. With my strange and sporadic workout times it isn’t possible to workout with those people any longer. Things that were getting easier are now much more difficult again. After slacking off for so long I just don’t have the endurance I had before. I don’t know what it is but I am for sure not feeling it right now. I have to do some serious searching and find the this piece that will keep me going. I will not give up.

Do you have a motivating force? I’d love to hear what keeps you working toward your goal.

So I got this cool new tool that you wear throughout the day — even while sleeping — and it shows you the actual calories you burn through the day.One of the neatest things about it is it also shows how long you actually sleep. It can tell the difference between just lying down and actual sleep. I was eager to see what this would show. I know with an infant who doesn’t yet sleep through the night that my sleep is never as long as it should be, but I was curious how much actual sleep I was getting. Sadly it is way too little, and now I understand exactly why I am tired all the time. While I am in bed for 8hrs or more I only “sleep” from 4 1/2 to 6hrs each night and that is total time. I rarely have more than 2 hours of sleep straight.

I know that this lack of sleep is not good. I find myself throughout the day wanting more sugar and caffeine to keep me going. I also found this interesting article on WedMD. The most interesting and relevant bit is this: “Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone that tells you when to eat, and when you are sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin. Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating, and when you are sleep deprived, you have less leptin. More ghrelin plus less leptin equals weight gain.”
While I do not know if the information here is perfectly accurate, it made a lot of sense. I know I need more sleep and while I do not know what to do to get it, because I have to wake up to feed the baby. Now, at least I am aware that I need more sleep to keep my appetite controlled. Also, I need to be cautious of during the day to keep myself focused and not giving in to the temptation to fill my day with sweets and things that will keep the cycle going.

Well it has been an interesting week and I have done a lot of thinking on this topic. I have decided that for the time being I am going to keep my goals small and implement change where I can. Once my baby boy gets a little older I will be able to do so much more because his routines will smooth out. Right now we still are taking it day by day. So, for the next 2 months, my goal is to only lose 10lbs and get back on track eating healthy. I am looking at some new tools that will hopefully get me moving in the right direction. My focus during these 2 months is not going to be on the weight. While I would love to lose more, I am going to work more on doing the things and getting back into habits that are going to help me ultimately do better in the long run.

So my goals and plans for implementing them for the 1st quarter of 2012 are to:
1. Start logging my food and exercise again regularly. My fitness center has a new benefit for members where we can use an online system called dotFIT without additional cost. I want to get in the habit of logging my food and exercise on this system and give it a couple of months to determine if I want to stick with it or go back to another online logging tool. When I can’t log immediately I will make a note and add the information at a convenient time. I know how important logging is and I know that recording my daily food and exercise will help me to pay attention and make better choices.
2. Workout 3-5 days a week, when I can. I have some wonderful friends who are helping me get back to the gym until my baby is old enough to enter the daycare at my fitness center. While it may not be the 1-2hrs a day I was doing before having a baby, it is a workout and I am thankful for each one I get.
3. Be truthful with myself. This is in food intake primarily. I do not need a treat just because I worked out. I have to make sure that I am accountable for each thing I eat and do not fudge the numbers or overestimate, because the only person I hurt in doing so is myself.
4. Learn one new thing and share via blogging once a week. While I would love to make a 5 day plan and really get back into blogging here I know it is a lot to take on. My goal for now is to blog once a week. I have some things I am wanting to research and will enjoy sharing. By doing so it will help me to stay focused and motivated.
5. Take it one day at a time. I know I will have issues trying to keep up with it all. I must be patient and forgiving of myself when I do fail. Each day is its own and if I make the wrong decisions on one day it doesn’t set me on the wrong course. I can always make the right one the next time.

I will reassess these on April 1st and implement new goals based on our routines and schedules.

Here it is January 2nd, and, while I find the new year a great time to begin again, I am struck by the thought of resolutions. I am tempted to set some just because that’s what you are supposed to do, but I really don’t have any good thoughts of exactly what they should be. Instead, I find myself thinking on goals and plans — both of which I believe are crucial for success. The only problem is, I have a lack of both.
So, it is time to come up with both a goal and plan. I have learned in the past a few key things about goal-setting and I want to talk about that here. First of all a goal needs to be attainable. I know that losing 100lbs in the next 5 months is not attainable even though that is what I would love to happen. A goal also needs to be specific and measurable. That is a little easier to do with weight. There is that pesky number that just tells all. However there are also other types of measure that matter. Perhaps instead of a number on the scale I could shoot for just being able to wear clothes that I currently can’t. Lastly an effective goal needs to be time limited. I have had many open-ended goals that are not yet met. They are poor goals, because I don’t hold myself to actually accomplishing them. They realistically are more dreams than goals, with no time frame to measure success by.

Putting a plan in place to reach my goals is the harder part for me. I have lots of ideas and things I know I need to change, but –again– I have to be realistic. Right now any plans I make have to be adaptable, because life with an infant is far from predictable. We are having a hard time getting a regular daily schedule that works for longer than a week at a time.

All this being said, I am setting a short-term goal for this first week. My goal for this week is to come up with a new goal and a plan that is reasonable and that fits my current schedule and needs.

I wish everyone who is starting again with this new year the best of luck. I am here with you and I hope that we can encourage one another to keep at it to reach those goals. Happy New Year!

Well, I guess I should start with where I have been. Many of my friends will know that about 9 months after my last post I had a baby. While I had every intention of continuing to post regularly, watching what I ate, and gaining as little as possible during the pregnancy, that just didn’t happen. My only saving bit was that I continued to workout 3-5 times a week during the entire pregnancy. I did reduce my intensity but I kept going and that habit is my driving force to get back to it now. I truly miss my workouts.

My baby is now almost 4 months old and I am eager to start taking off these extra pounds and get headed toward my ultimate goal again. By posting here again, I am hoping to keep myself motivated and not give up this quest for a healthy, leaner body.

Life is looking up for me. I was doing Weight Watchers at the beginning of the year and I was doing well. Then I started working outside of the house. All hell broke loose and I started eating out ALL THE TIME. I think I started working about 2 months ago. At my last weigh in I had lost 14.7 pounds. I’ve gained 9 of those back! It makes me depressed and I feel nasty. Things have changed with work and my new boss is letting me work from home so I can make a difference in my family’s diet along with starting a workout routine again. It’s time for a change, and here it comes!

I’ve been given a chance along with a bunch of my other bloggy friends to try out :20 Second Fitness. The idea behind it is that you need to do 20 seconds of intense training and then a 10 second break and move on to the next exercise. Each day you’ll work out 4-6 minutes. I did my first workout last night and could not believe how quickly it was over. I definitely feel like I worked out this morning, so I definitely feel like it was worth it. I can’t wait to see the results! Home cooking and working out!!

Sorry the photo is so dark. I weighed in last night and if I used the flash it would bounce off the scale. I promise to weigh in when I wake up from now on. (Besides, the number should be lower when I haven’t had a day of crap food before weighing in!) I am not quite ready to restart Weight Watchers to go with 20 Second Fitness; not until I get my work schedule straightened out. Until that time, though, I do plan on journaling everything I eat and watching portion sizes.

I love that everything I need comes in the box! I really enjoyed my workout last night and can’t wait to do today’s.

I am blogging about this program over on Frosted Fingers, so I won’t be blogging in it’s entirety here. I just wanted to let my followers know what’s going on with me and I’ll definitely be checking in more regularly over here.

I was given a 20 Second Fitness Program kit free of charge in order to try it out and report back on my progress. I received no monetary compensation and all thoughts and opinions are my own. Always check with your doctor first before starting any fitness routine or program.

Image courtesy of http://www.jdhoffice.com

So… I disappeared… AGAIN. 3 weeks ago I finally got the call to start work. Along with that came trying to work, sleep, take care of my family, cook, clean, breathe, etc. Weight Watchers was NOT a priority. Yesterday, though, I sat down and meal planned for the week. While they may not be the most weight loss friendly recipes, at least I have a PLAN. No more floating. No more McDonald’s or Dunkin Donuts breakfasts. I plan to weigh in on Wednesday, one way or another. (I’ve been working during my morning meeting time and Buddy had soccer during the evening time.) So if I can’t make it to either meeting this week, I’ll weigh in on my scale and that will be official. Last time I got on the scale I was surprisingly only up 1 pound and everything is still getting more loose on me. I had to buy more work pants because my first pair were falling off of me after my belt broke. (cheap belt!) When I went shopping I found I was down a size, almost 2!! It really motivated me to want to keep going.

Part of the reason I’m working is to pay off debt and I feel bad paying for Weight Watchers while I’m not using it. I keep going to the site to cancel and then I get this overwhelming guilt. So I haven’t canceled. I plan to get back on track.

If you have any work friendly/diet friendly recipes and ideas, please please share!