Today, I'm shaking off the ridiculous depression I've let myself be imprisoned by over the past few days. Anyone who's followed my rants and raves about food, dieting, exercise, blah, blah, blah, should know by now that I'm a stress induced eater. If you don't, then let me introduce myself, hi, I'm Lisa, and I'm a stress eater. I wish that had a more positive connotation, like "wow, she gets stressed and eats it for breakfast, what a champ!" No, quite literally the opposite - if I get stressed, depressed, I am ready to rush over to Dairy Queen and... Continue reading

There's always an opportunity to make another attempt, our bodies are more forgiving and will fix and repair if given the chance. Continue reading

Let's get real. There is no silver bullet. If your intentions are to crash diet, fast, drink some concoction that will melt off the weight, you're in for disappointment in the long run. Continue reading

A recenet breath of spring in the middle of what's been an unusually brutal winter has most of my friends and family speculating about the early arrival of the season. For me, a harsher reality reminded me that warm weather is looming on the horizon ... the Victoria's Secret bikini catalog. Nothing snaps me back to reality than the subtle reminder that those heavy layers will be melting off to reveal any over-indulging I've packed on in colder weather. With a bit of renewed inspiration, I've inflated my balance ball, broken out my hand weights, and prepared myself to get... Continue reading

Controlling emotional easy is not an easy proposition. If it were, than why do so many of us struggle with it? It defies reason so far as I'm concerned. Continue reading

For those of us on the weight loss track, a diet that incorporates cherries may serve to lower total body weight, and could help to reduce that pesky weight around our mid sections (yeah, that one stopped me in my tracks too!). Continue reading

A few months back, my former (note the past tense) sitter and I were talking about the difficulties and frustrations with weight loss. Now mind you, if you recall some of my earlier posts, I tipped the scales at 180 lbs right before I gave birth to my son back in 2002. For someone with a 5'2" frame, I looked like a tick ready to explode. My point? I know what it's like to be overweight - been there. The conversation continued and I offered some of my tactics and information collected during my own journey. Then the she dropped... Continue reading

Coming back after a long holiday weekend is always a drag - and I mean that more than metaphorically speaking. I'm usually a bit more tired after all the running around associated with my rest & relaxation! Which is why when Taste of Home Magazine posted this recipe, I jumped on it. First of all, a friend of mine once caught a quote that "if it weren't for the 'word' muffin, I'd be eating cake for breakfast." Let's be honest, isn't a muffin really a topless cupcake? (topless meaning, no icing) Here's a muffin recipe you can feel good about.... Continue reading

Anyone with an inclination to slim down passes through at least one moment of weakness. 30 lbs later, and I'm no more immune to them then anyone else. Those knee quivering moments when that bag of M&Ms suddenly seems the just reward for all the progress and self controlled we've exercised. In reality, it's clutter we're sticking under our skin ultimately. When you consume foods with little to no nutritional value, there's very little for your body to do, other than convert it into stored fat. For me, it was stuffing the upholstering I wore all over my body -... Continue reading

Donkey in Shrek had it right, parfaits are just about the world's most perfect food. Well, in my point of view anyway! Here are a few delightful parfait recipes I picked up from First Magazine recently. They're quick to make, and light on the calories. These are a perfect breakfast or lunch on the weekend when you're dashing about. Peachy-Keen Sunrise (Makes 4 Servings) 2 cans (15 oz. each) sliced peaches in light syrup 2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt 1 cup thawed frozen whipped topping 1 tsp chopped crystallized ginger Pinch of cinnamon Drain peaches in colander, but reserve 2... Continue reading

How can you keep your cool and your waistline at the same time when the summer sun cranks up the heat? Here's a few ideas from Medicinenet to stay cool yet slim during this summer. According to their suggestions, if you allot yourself a treat of 100-150 calories (keep an eye on those calorie counts!), you're more likely to strengthen your resistance against the higher stake goodies out there. Here are some quick ideas to keep you cool in the summer heat... Frozen unsweetened fruits: Blueberries, grapes, strawberries, and raspberries are great by themselves or topped with a little low-fat... Continue reading

Kids can present a unique challenge when it comes to weight loss. While it's easy to deny yourself, change what you're eating, how do you continue to feed your family while you go through your own transition? It can be tough, especially if you have picky eaters like my two little guys! Generally, when I look for something to cook for my kids, I know what the deal breakers are. Here's a good compromise. If you pick up some cooked chicken from Perdue at your supermarket, this recipe can be made really quickly and easily. Speedy Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas... Continue reading

My five year old is just about to graduate from Pre-K, and this is the cake I'm planning to bake for the celebration in her honor. Another winner from Taste of home magazine. Light and luscious, this cake has only 161 calories per serving! Light Lemon Cake Ingredients: 1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix 1 package (3.4 ounces) instant lemon pudding mix 1-3/4 cups water 2 egg whites 3/4 cup cold fat-free milk 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 1 package (1 ounce) instant sugar-free vanilla pudding mix 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed Directions: In a large... Continue reading

There's nothing better than the summer time to me. Of course, I've spent the last six months panicking over my weight relative to the looming prospect of wearing a bathing suit. Well, now that the sun has emerged and melted offf all the ice and snow from a rather harrowing winter, I can't help but smile as the sun shines down on me. Summer is a great time of the year for foodies - especially those of us who are particular about what is going in ultimately against our waistlines! Fresh summer fruit and produce beckons. It's a great time... Continue reading

Strawberry season is about to kick off with the beginning of June, so here's a recipe to take advantage of this wonderfully sweet and delicious fruit! Taste of Home magazine has plenty of really great, low calorie recipes that are bursting with flavor. Enjoy! Strawberry Romaine Salad Ingredients: 1/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup slivered almonds 1 bunch romaine, torn 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced 2 cups halved fresh strawberries CREAMY POPPY SEED DRESSING: 1/4 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon sour cream 1 tablespoon milk 2-1/4 teaspoons cider vinegar 1-1/2 teaspoons poppy seeds Directions: In a small... Continue reading

Quick, what did you eat today? Stop for a moment, and think about all the things you ate today. Can you honestly recollect everything that passed over your lips today? It’s funny when I get to thinking about these things, because in general, I can barely recall what I did about 30 minutes ago without smoke coming out of my ears from deep thought. But one of my dieting dilemmas was the eating amnesia I suffered from. I could pack away piles of cookies, and then an hour later, I’m answering the grumble of my stomach with yet another delivery... Continue reading

Eeek! Summer is upon us, and I'm experiencing that last minute panic before swimsuit season officially hits this Memorial day weekend. I'm passing along some of my top 10 last minute summer slim tips! Lisa's Top 10 Summer Slim Tips Drink Water - Yeah, I've said this a thousand times, but it bears repeating. Drink water until it comes out of your ears, or 8 glasses at 8 oz a shot, whichever comes first. It makes your body function better, and aids in the transport of toxins from your body. If you're an iPhone, iTouch user, get yourself a copy... Continue reading

Next weekend marks the "unofficial" beginning of summer, Memorial Day. With the summer comes warm weather, picnics and barbecues. And what picnic or barbecue would be complete without potato salad? I've avoided potato salad like the plague due to it's high caloric count. A warm version from Eatingwell.com has put this summertime delight back on my plate this year! Enjoy! Warm Chicken, Sausage & Potato Salad Ingredients: 1 pound small potatoes, cut in half 1 5-ounce bag arugula (about 4 cups, gently packed) 12 ounces precooked chicken sausage, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1 tablespoon maple... Continue reading

Mexican dishes are always a winner in my household. I find them quick and easy to make, and my finicky kids are less likely to turn their nose up! Tostadas are not only easy to make, but give you a bit of everything, vegetables, protein and calcium - an almost perfect meal. Another tasty recipe from Cooking Light's website. Chicken & Summer Vegetable Tostada Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 teaspoons canola oil 12 ounces chicken breast tenders 1 cup chopped red onion (about 1) 1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears)... Continue reading

This week I'm attending a conference out in Salt Lake City Utah, sponsored by a web analytics company I use at work. While I'm collecting a great deal of information for my business, conferences are one of the greatest diet sucks there are. Talk about being a captive eater. Around every corner, each session, breaks, meals, lurk large quantities of food! Food pushers to my left, food pushers to my right. And with barely an iota of nutritional value to be found. These are the times that try a dieter's weary soul - cookies calling out to be eaten. It's... Continue reading

These are the days I dread in any of my previous efforts to lose weight, and a good reason to stop and get myself focused on what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm sure there are some of you out there disgusted by now, looking at what I'm trying to do and thinking, you're insane. It's only 6 pounds right? Especially when I'm under 110 lbs right now (one third of my way to my goal). The point in continuing is to re-establish my discipline and get back on track after all my food debauchery over the holidays. I can recall... Continue reading

Ever notice the amazing correlation between volume of workload and the count of days until vacation time? There must be a mathematical equation to represent the relationship. With only a few days respite on the horizon, the demand for my "expertise" seems to be gaining in popularity. Better to be the debutante than the wall flower I suppose! But this is a good example of how quickly and easily my tendency is to revert to old, poor eating habits. With all the stress and deadlines, it's taking an extra concerted effort to focus on what I should be eating, and... Continue reading

So I'm settling down from my panic attack following yesterday's weigh-in. Phew! As I mentioned, I'm a slow metabolizer, so it takes me time to digest and process out what I eat. One of my "must-do's" this year is to drink more water - essential for proper organ functioning and metabolic processes. Still have some work on that end, but I do see a bit of a difference from the weekend. I'm working on eating less calorie dense foods, so the majority of what I'm eating are water based (soups, salads, veggies, fruits). I'm spending more time in the ladies... Continue reading

Did I ever rant about my love/hate relationship with weekends? Well, it made itself clearly evident this morning as I stepped onto the scale, weighing in at 112 lbs. What you say? That's four pounds more than the last weigh in on Friday. How does one gain 4 pounds in 2 days? While I wouldn't completely blame my horrible eating this weekend, there are some extraneous factors. I'm in the process of a horrible, toxic divorce from my husband, which is inciting my emotional eating, really problematic. Secondly, I'm trying to get my arms around the new parenting schedule with... Continue reading

I had the good fortune this morning to stumble across a piece of information that I've previously mentioned, that makes it's way across my desk from time to time. It's good to keep in mind that the deduction of just 500 calories a day, over the course of a week can lead to the loss of one pound. When you come down to it, it's really not that much to sacrifice. And think of the long term implications if you can keep it up. Holidays always wreak havoc on my routines. Don't get me wrong, I love the celebration, seeing... Continue reading