The New Year

2010 is almost here! How many of you are resolutin' on losin' weight again this year? Ha, me too! This year, I wanna "Get Fit". Been doin' some research... lookin' for good ideas to help. Here's what I've found so far. There are 2 focus areas, the Healthy Stuff Focus Area and the Unhealthy Stuff Focus Area.

Healthy Stuff
believing you can do it
working on one-day-at-a-time
making short-term weight loss goals
having a reward system
keeping a food journal
experimenting with lower calorie recipes
eating fruits
vegetables
whole grains
lean protein
plant-based fats
low-fat dairy/calcium sources
exercising
when you fail, you keep trying

Unhealthy Stuff
not planning your meals
skipping meals
emotional eating
drinking sweetened beverages
eating refined grains
saturated/trans fat
sweets
sodium
not exercising
when you fail, you give up

Here's some helpful ideas to practice:
1. Add veggies - spinach, onions, broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes - to your scrambled eggs.
2. Serve broth-based veggie soups as an appetizer, and add snow peas, onions, broccoli florets.
3. Cut your rice or pasta portion in half and replace the starch with asparagus, zucchini, etc.
4. Use romaine leaves as wraps, with chicken or tuna inside.
5. Before dinner, serve a salad with tons of veggies added, such as carrots, grape tomatoes and string beans.

FACTOID: Jumbo food packages prompt you to eat more. In one study, adults give one pound M&M bags scarfed down 264 more calories than those given half-pound bags!
FACTOID: A chocolate chip cookie at Starbucks has 540 calories, 10 more calories than a McDonald's Quarter Pounder with Cheese! Holy canolees!!

"I keep trying to lose weight but it keeps finding me!"

"Most people lose weight by having intimate dinners for two... alone."

If you have any helpful ideas for gettin' fit,

such as ways to think positive, yummy recipes,

or fun exercises, please send 'em in!

Can't wait to hear for all of you!! LOVE Y'ALL!!

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Merry Christmas Y'all!

PECAN SQUARES COOKIES:
CRUST:2 cups all-purpose flour 1/3 cup sugar3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened1/4 teaspoon salt
FILLING:4 eggs, lightly beaten1 1/2 cups light or dark corn syrup1 1/2 cups sugar3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract2 1/2 cups chopped pecansIn a large mixing bowl, blend together flour, sugar, butter and salt until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press firmly and evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine first five filling ingredients. Stir in pecans. Spread evenly over hot crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

CHRISTMAS DECOR:
The time is coming fast, so you don't have forever to come up with decorating ideas. Here's a quick & simple one for ya...
Get yourself a plate, put a large candy cane candle into a vase and place the vace on the plate. Then, encircle the rim of the vase with real candy canes that your guests can eat! Like I said, quick & easy!

A good time is coming, I wish it were here,

The very best time in the whole of the year;

I'm counting each day on my fingers and thumbs-

The weeks that must pass before Santa Claus comes.

Then when the first snowflakes begin to come down,

And the wind whistles sharp and the branches are brown,

I'll not mind the cold, though my fingers it numbs,

For it brings the time nearer when Santa Claus comes.

~Author Unknown~

Idea's on how to pick the best Christmas tree...

>To select a fresh tree, gently hold a branch between your thumb and forefinger and pull it toward you. Very few needles should come off in your hand if the tree is fresh. Or shake or bounce the tree on its stump. You should not see a lot of green needles fall to the ground, though interior brown ones probably will.
>If you won't be decorating the tree right away, put it in a bucket of water on the north side of the house.
>When you're ready to bring it in and decorate it, cut an inch off the trunk and immediately put the tree in water in the tree stand. Never let it be out of water after this point.
>Keep it in as cool a spot as possible in the house. Avoid areas near fireplaces, wood-burning stoves, heat ducts and television sets.
>Make sure the tree stand's reservoir stays filled with water. If it does lose enough water that the bottom of the trunk is exposed, the trunk will need to be recut.

[Adding aspirins, copper pennies, soda pop, sugar and bleach to the water have not been shown to prolong the life of a tree.]

BLONDE JOKE: There were two blondes who went deep into the frozen woods searching for a Christmas tree. After hours of subzero temperatures a few close calls with hungry wolves, one blonde turned to the other and said, "I'm chopping down the next tree I see. I don't care whether it's decorated or not!"

A CHRISTMAS QUOTE: There's nothing sadder in the world than to wake up Christmas morning and not be a kid. -- Erma Bomback --