Tag Archives: healthy-living

HERBALIFE CRANBERRY WHEAT SCONES

HERBALIFE CRANBERRY WHEAT SCONES

Wheat Scones

Herbalife Cranberry Wheat Scones

 

This recipe came from the Herbalife Today magazine (Winter/Spring 2014). Click HERE for a link to the magazine. I was hesitant to try the recipe due to the 1/2 c of olive oil it calls for. I thought the olive oil would make the scones taste funny and I didn’t want to lose any of my precious F1 shake mix in the process.

This lower fat, lower calorie version of the classic scone is not intended as a meal replacement. However it gets a protein boost from the addition of Formula 1 Healthy Meal shake mix.

INGREDIENTS (for 14 to 16 scones):

4 oz. Formula 1 French Vanilla shake mix
2 cups flour
1 ¾ cups wheat flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
cup extra virgin olive oil
1 ¼ cups non-fat or low-fat milk
1 cup cranberries Continue reading

Shamrock Scurry 5k Recap from 3.9.2013

Jen_Scurry  

OFFICIAL FINISH TIME: 31:44

PLACE: 249/630

Running was the EASY part….

Scurry_logo_2013_webLast Saturday, 3.9.2013, was a chilly morning and I knew I would need to bundle my little munchkins up. My race prep started Friday night at 8:00 p.m. First thing I had to figure out was how to get the double jogging stroller into the GTO coupe. It did not fit in the trunk and I couldn’t put it in the backseat since I had two little girls back there. I ended up taking all 4 wheels off and somehow managed to get it to fit in the front passenger seat. Once I got my girls to bed, I continued getting our race gear together – included my racing gear layers, belt, iShuffle (charged), outfits for the girls, mittens and beanies for the girls, extra blankets, stocked diaper bag, juice cups, and snacks. I called it a night about 11:00 p.m. and still wasn’t sure if I had everything together.

RACE DAY… my morning started just before 5:00 a.m. Got up, showered, put together my post-race Costco shopping list (sounded like a great idea at the time) and threw all remaining gear in the trunk of the car. In hopes of getting to the race location by 7:45 a.m., for the 8:30 a.m. start, I knew I needed to leave the house by 7:10 a.m….. at the latest. Normally parking is not much a concern, but when you have to situate a double jogging stroller, two little girls who might be cold, and little bitty bladders, parking suddenly becomes more important than you can imagine, especially when you have 2 yr old that thinks she is supposed to wander off every time she gets out of the car.

I woke my girls up at 6:30 a.m. and through fussiness, sleepiness, and whininess, I got both girls ready and had a tasty Honeybun waiting for them in the car (my incentive to get them into the car, sometimes motivation comes from unlikely places). We managed to hit the road by 7:15 a.m. No worries, this momma could make up the time in the GTO. As they enjoyed their Honeybuns, I ate my banana and drank my Herbalife24 Prepare to get me ready for the race. We managed to make it to the race location at 7:50 a.m. and got a great parking spot in the main parking lot. I was beyond thankful. Another MRTT Tally member had picked up my race packet the day before and I ended up parking about 100 feet away from her, lucky me. She gave me my race packet and back to the car my girls and I went to get ready for the race. Next was the fun step of getting the girls set up for comfort; which involved getting the stroller out, attaching the wheels, getting the girls in the stroller and situated with blankets, juice, and snacks. Then, it was off to find a potty for my little preschooler bladder. Oh, the joy of pre-race women’s bathroom lines. I know I need to say no more here.

Continue reading

Weight Watchers…. A 2009 failed experiment

Weight WatchersWeight Watchers overhauled their diet plan system in 2010, so I technically embarked on the old system when I did it in 2009. Under the old plan, ” you could use your points anyway you like. But we now know if you use your points wisely by eating foods rich in protein and fiber — these foods fill you up, keep hunger at bay, and help you lose weight in a healthier and more nutritious way,” Kovach says WebMD.

Weight Watchers has been around for over 40 years and they have continued to revamp their company and their system. I have to admit that the current plan, Weight Watchers 360, looks pretty darn sexy and appealing. Furthermore, Weight Watchers is one of the most recognized companies when it comes to weight loss, so they are clearly doing something right and helping people sustain smart weight loss the right way.

I decided to give it a try in 2009, after the birth of my first child. After the first few months after having a baby, the pounds just melted off. About six months post baby,  I still  had about 20 pounds I wanted to lose and joined with a friend. It seemed expensive to me at the time and the time to attend meetings and travel to a meeting really irritated me. Counting points and thinking and trying to figure out points of food I was eating was time consuming and I did not enjoy it. I often found myself saving up points for later and then eating wayu too much at the end of day because I would be so hungry. I stuck with the program for 6 months. About 2 months into the program, I stopped attending meetings and would walk by the meeting location and keep going- I figured that instead of talking about it, I would get out there and just do it. I stuck with the plan for 6 months and abandoned the plan right before Christmas.

1. Why didn’t I stick to the program?

Since hindsight is 20/20, I can honestly say now that the support groups and number counting was too time consuming (for me). I know that having a support system can be critical to helping one lose weight, but my time and money would have been better spent in a group spin class/kick boxing class/ in a running group or with a personal trainer. Talking about food only made me hungrier. The second aspect was lack of sleep. Being a new mommy and spending lots of nights awake with a hungry baby wrecked havoc on my metabolism and I didn’t realize it at the time.

2. Who would I recommend Weight Watchers to? 

Weight Watchers is an awesome program with an excellent support system, it just wasn’t the right fit for me. I would recommend Weight Watchers to anyone who enjoys being in a social support group, to anyone who feels like they have a lot to learn about nutrition and portion control, and to anyone who feels overwhelmed by the daunting goal ahead of them.

I would also suggest the program to anyone who is tired of their current plan. Sometimes we just need to change things up a bit. My taste buds enjoy variety and there are only so many chocolate protein drinks I can consume. Plus, some restaurants have Weight Watcher icons on their menu. When I see those, I know that particular dish is healthier and can opt for that dish and not feel guilty.

 

 

Day 21 of 90: Birthday Week, a Cold, and a Taper

21 days down. My stats:

Weight: 131.5 (loss = 3.5 pounds)

Chest: 38

Waist: 31.5 (.5 inch loss)

Hips: 36.5 (1.5 inch loss)

Bicep Circumference: 11.2 (.2 inch gain!)

Thigh Circumference: 21.75 (1.0 inch loss)

I’ve lost .4 pounds this week, a total  of 3.5 pounds total. My measurements did not change this week, but I am honestly surprised that I did not gain this week.

My triumphs this week: I lost .4 pounds this week,. I’ve built up to 3:10 minutes on holding the plank in my 30 day challenge. Taken and passed my CFP Tax Planning Final Exam. One class left to go!

My struggles this week: My two-year-old passed a cold on to me, so I have been consuming lots of fluids, more orange juice than usual and eating more. I was supposed to treat this week as a taper for tomorrow’s half marathon and the taper turned into doing nothing most of the week. My birthday was Thursday, which led to eating lots of sweets and a few big meals this week. So, I am very surprised to have sustained a loss this week instead of a gain.