if it's not tasty... you won't eat it!!!

So I promised to tell you more about my lunches, I'm not sure anyone will care that much but - it really is my favorite secret so here's a peek at a healthy, no compromise lunch... kashi style :)

If you're craving mexican food... (I so often do)Grab a Mayan Harvest or Veggie Chana Masala and prepare as directed on the box

Now I use this mix to either make a killer salad or burrito. I'll add lettuce, lime juice (fresh of course) jalapenos, tomatos, black beans, chaluas hot sauce, and occasionally splurge and use a tsp. of sour cream. This is tasty enough that my kids love it, even my picky hubby thinks it's tasty. The best part is, you can use all or only some of these ingredients to stretch it out to feed two, or just top off your lunch for one.I swear it will kill your mexi cravings completely guilt free!!!

how did I lose 50 lbs?... well I'll tell you...

so... a good friend of mine (who reads my blog but doesn't have one to comment) called and asked if I would actually talk about what I DO to lose weight... so here is the regime:

Breakfast(8am) - usually kashi cereal or a cup of yogurt
snack(11am) - same as above..only I eat the opposite of whatever I had for breakfast
lunch (1-ish) - usually a kashi frozen meal(more about that tomorrow)
snack (3) - usually something sweet with a carb, either yogurt and a kashi bar, or fruit, granola, whatever's handy
dinner (6ish) - always a veggie, and a protein - sometimes a starch... but I just eat with my family, so this can be almost anything
as for exercise, right now I'm working on consistency - so 3 times a week I hit the treadmill. Usually a long 2+ mile walk on a higher incline... like 5-6...
ok - so there it is... this is what I have done to lose 50 lbs in 7 months... of course I'm not perfect at this (you'd know it if you read my blog) but I believe consistency trumps aggression. In other words... slow and steady wins the race :0)

old habits die hard

my family came over last night - why is it that family functions almost always equate to overeating? I made spaghetti, homemade sauce that cooked for hours, whole grain organic noodles and cheated last minute and tossed in frozen meatballs (ran out of time). But even with and enormous salad, I still cheated and had a serving of pasta with all the trimmings (no cheese :)I just wonder sometimes if all the work we do on ourselves gets hijaked every time we are with family, there is something so habitual, so comfortable in falling back into old natalie.... hmmm I wonder why that is.oh well onto better things... I guess :0) today I ate the salad :) of course leftovers welcome me everytime I open the fridge ;0)wink

5 more down.... about 35 more to go....

I lost 5 more pounds!!!!! So far that brings me down to an even 50lbs lost!!!! yay - I need to celebrate... not sure yet what my reward should be...something great - like a new pair of running shoes maybe?...

well my dear friend Beej (journey to sanctification) rewarded me with a challenge to list ten things that make me happy - I don't usually get into these awards much - but this one was pretty nice to think about... so here it is:

1. Marrying my best friend
2. Kids that start the day with a smile (and usually a hug)
3. My Saviors love (corny - I know...but true)
4. Spicy food .... mmmm chips 'n salsa...drool
5. Sexy Shoes (they make you feel great no matter what your size)
6. The great outdoors (running on a treadmill sucks)
7. Going to dinner with friends
8. Watching loved one's make good choices
9. Serving others (no really - it works every time)
10. Being creative - love to problem solve.. I know, I'm such a dork!

- is it bad that 2 items included food... no wonder I'm chubby

I'm baaaaack

drumroll pleeeease....... I HAVE THE INTERNET AGAIN!!!!!!! wow, talk about feeling isolated! I missed you guys!!!!!!

ok, so we are in the new home, the craziness of holiday travel is behind us, and we finally found someone to give us service up here on the side of a mountain - but man is it all worth it!!!! I have the most amazing view of the valley I live in, and the enviroment is perfect for me. There are people snowboarding, skiing, sledding all over these homemade runs up here everyday - I think I will have to find myself a winter sport :)
I can't wait till spring when I can go hiking just 2 houses away from my home is the mountain... I wish you could all come along - but I promise some pics soon :) (camera is still packed up)

I'll be brief - no reason to catch you up on ALL the details of my 2 week hiatus...but lets just say -new house, new year, new me.. working out 3 times a week and strating to cut out the daily dose of chocolate (my drug of choice)

well I'm off to catch up on all of you! I can't wait to see everything you've all been doing - thanks to all for not forgetting about me...sigh... ;)wink