Potent Quotable

                            

How to Tell It's Time to Go on a Diet...

"Reality check:  you can never, ever, use weight loss to solve problems that are not related to your weight.  At your goal weight or not, you still have to live with yourself and deal with your problems.  You will still have the same husband, the same job, the same kids, and the same life.  Losing weight is not a cure for life."  ~Phillip C. McGraw, The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, 2003

Mostly Sugar-Free

Getting back on track from the birthday festivites; I gained 1/4 of a pound this week.  Not bad since I am feeling better and actually feel like eating. Someone asked me how I do the diet-what book do I use.  I told her it was the easiest diet I have ever done.  Basically-no sugar which also includes simple carbs.  I have no white bread, and no sugary desserts.  I watch the serving size on pasta and only get thin-crust pizza.  We buy Barilla PLUS Pasta@ which is high in omega 3s and is multi-grain.  As far as prepared food or condiments I try to stay under 3 grams of sugar.  Barbecue sauce, honey mustard and some salad dressings have tons of sugar.  I don't eat anything with high fructose corn syrup.  If I do have pancakes they are whole grain and I stick to 2 medium pancakes with sugar-free syrup and some lean Canadian Bacon for protein.  If I do use jam, I make sure it is low sugar and use just a little bit for flavor. 
The thing that makes it easy for me is I don't have to count calories, or points or eat special food...just no sugar. 
If you do eat out keep the portions small; it helps.   

Off The Wagon

                         
Well, it wasn't hard falling off that diet wagon.  Just an excuse that it is my birthday and off I went.  It really started yesterday because I am finally started feeling better and then today-hmmm...let's see...

Breakfast:  2 eggs scrambled, two sausage, one sweet potato pancake (my fav. at a little place called "Rebeccas") and an Arnold Palmer to drink (ice tea with lemonade) So there was some sugar in this meal for sure.  Even had REAL maple syrup.

Lunch:  Hmm...wasn't hungry so had some cheese and crackers-no sugar there.

But dinner!!!  Ate at California Pizza Kitchen and shared a carmalized peach salad greens salad with Donaldo, had two pieces of chicken pesto pizza on thin crust and then a free chocolate fudge icecream sundae for dessert which thankfully Ms. Riles ate a lot of.  But I had my couple of bites and ooohh yes it was good. It was all good and I had a great day.
I feel like I gained at least 3 pounds overnight ha ha so will just have to get back on that ole "no sugar" wagon tomorrow.
  

Favorite Treat

My afternoon snack is my favorite treat-2 rice cakes with cream cheese and all fruit jam.  It's funny how you get in a rut eating the same thing; but it sure is easy.

The Day After The Fourth...

.....which would be the 5th :) I had a nice swim at 6:30 this morning. I keep going earlier and earlier.  I wake up and can't sleep so I just go swimming.  I almost had the pool to myself. I love the routine of it now.  
I was in major pain all morning and called the doctor for the report on my tests.  They had it, but he hadn't read it yet so they so they said he would call me back-NADA.  How did I know that would happen?!
I feel a little better this afternoon.  Had two miniature biscotti for a snack this afternoon-first sugary white carb thing intentionally eaten in two months.  It's what I felt like eating. I am liking my Tazo green tea with mint-I make it iced and it is so good.  Sometimes I add a dash of REAL LEMONADE@
Speaking of sugar, we are having a hard time getting hummingbirds to our new hummingbird feeder.  We see them on the flowers, but they don't land on the feeder too much or too long. 
Tomorrow is the day-before the BIG DAY of my birthday-I have to feel better by then!!  I promised myself.

The 4th Dinner

All in all dinner was pretty good.  We had grilled burgers, waffle fries, cut up fruit, spaghetti salad and cake that Karen made for dessert.  I had 2 bites of the cake that I shared with Joy Boy. 

Red, white and blue flowers from the garden

Festive tableware from my favorite store-Target :)

Riles getting ice tea for everyone

Grilling burgers

Riles got a new haircut

Happy Birthday America

Sparklers

Joy Boy on the "big boy" swing

Aren't I Phones great?  Kris sent me this picture of Megan.  How do these girls look so grown up???

                          

Perfect Holiday Meal

                              
If I had to choose and could eat anything I wanted, this would be what I would choose for a 4th of July meal.  We came pretty close to this with my 2nd brother and his wife one year.  Drum roll.....Grilled burgers, potato salad, baked beans, fruit salad, frozen Margareta's, jello cake with strawberries and blueberries decorating the top like an American Flag and s'mores later on.