The Attack of Halloween Candy!

Yes, we have a bag of that poisonous, fattening, delicious chocolate candy downstairs, awaiting trick-or-treaters tonight.  My husband said a wise thing, “DON’T open that bag of candy until it’s time to give it away!”

Isn’t that the truth?

What will you do when your kids bring home the candy from tonight’s festivities?  Or what will you do with the leftover candy tomorrow?  Make your decision now so when the temptation arises, you’ll be prepared! 

Check out my article “Halloween Survival Guide” for 5 tips to keep you ship shape this holiday.

Could You Run for Your Life?

I read recently an interesting question in Fitness magazine:  “If you had to run for your life, could you?”  Dr. Pamela Peeke on her new Discovery Health TV show Could You Survive…Are You Fit to Live, is asking that question by putting them in do-or-die situations. 

As moms, we could probably muster up enough strength to sprint to save our child from running into the street, but could we run for a longer distance if we had to?  Emergencies do happen unfortunately, so next time you’re dragging on the treadmill, just think:  I’m getting fit to save my children someday!

Honey Baked Chicken

This recipe, courtesy of allrecipes.com, is a great way to enjoy healthy chicken at the dinner table.  You can halve the butter or use some kind of substitute (try a little olive oil). 

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup prepared mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Place chicken pieces in a shallow baking pan, skin side up. Combine the melted butter or margarine, honey, mustard, salt and curry powder and pour the mixture over the chicken. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours (75 minutes), basting every 15 minutes with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.

Saved from the Mud Run!

Look at these pictures from the San Diego Mud Run (http://sandiegomudrun.com ) Can you see me doing this?  Let me help you with the toughies.  First of all, I don’t like running.  Second of all, I hate getting dirty.  So how did my husband talk me into preparing for the San Diego Mud Run, coming up on November 16th?  It’s all in the name of doing something fun as a married couple.

I remember while we were still dating, we jumped into the Atlantic ocean together, totally immersed with our clothes on.  We were dating and in love, we didn’t care!  I look back on a picture from that day and wonder if I’m losing my spontaneity.  So when my husband asked me to do the Mud Run with him, I said yes!  For the sake of making a hilarious memory together! 

 

I’ve been running on the treadmill to prepare for the gross, muddy day.  It’s actually been good to have a goal to train for.  (Hint, this is a great way to lose weight moms!  Enter a contest/race/fun run/bike ride/walk that you have to train for. 

Well, believe it or not, my husband has injured his heel and we are NOT going to the Mud Run this year!  So for the most part, I am RELIEVED…I get to postpone the grime and greasiness of the Mud Run for another year.  But I admit, it’s been fun to think about, train for, and laugh about.  Is there something that you and your husband can do together to make a memory and lose some pounds in the process? 

Photos courtesy of The San Diego Mud Run.  If you want to check it out for yourself, visit http://sandiegomudrun.com

More Tilapia…Sesame Tilapia

Okay, last week I gave you a tilapia recipe.  In case you bought a lot of tilapia on sale and are wondering what to do with the rest, here’s one more recipe for tilapia that’s super easy.  It’s a very simple dish.  Serve it with a green salad and you’re set! 

Sesame Tilapia, courtesy of allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 2 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia
• 1/4 cup sesame oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• kosher salt to taste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place the tilapia in a bowl, and drizzle with the sesame oil. Season with the garlic, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, and pepper. Cover, and marinate at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Transfer the tilapia and marinade to a baking dish, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until fish is easily flaked with a fork

Reunions, Aging and the Pursuit of Fitness

Well, my 20th high school reunion is now behind me.  What a great memory!  It was so fun to see old friends after so many years and swap stories about kids, work, life and God.  Of course, there was a lot of “What ever happened to so-and-so?”

Surprisingly, most of the people at my reunion were really fit.  My friends haven’t aged a bit!  Here’s a picture of 2 of my best friends in high school, and one of the spouse’s.  I’m the third one from the left.

I also know some friends who didn’t go to the reunion because they weren’t happy with the way they looked.  But to be honest, it doesn’t matter what my friends looked like.  I was just happy to see them!  So never let your looks get in the way of participating in an event like a reunion.  Instead use it as extra fuel to drop a few pounds and go enjoy yourself!

Help, My High School Reunion is Coming!

My high school reunion is just in a few days.  I am excited to see old friends and catch up after all these years.  Most of all, I’m so thankful because I look back on these two decades, all I see is God’s goodness to my life.  My husband, children, jobs, etc have surpassed my expectations!  And believe it or not, I’m thinner now than I was in college, thanks to my husband who pushed me into the gym several years ago!

Reunions are great incentive to lose weight aren’t they?  I’ve skipped a few snacks and treats this week in anticipation of the big event.  If you’ve got a reunion or another event coming up, why not use it as motivation to eat better and exercise today? 

I did a Losing Weight After Baby podcast about losing some extra weight before your next reunion or big event.  It’s called “Help, My High School Reunion is Coming!” and you can check it out in the archives here.  Just click on “archives,” the show originally was released in April of 2008. 

Happy listening and I’ll let you know how the reunion goes!

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Growing up, I never liked fish.  Maybe an occasional filet-o-fish at McDonald’s, but I don’t think that counts.  Nowadays, I really like tilapia.  Hope you’ll enjoy this quick and easy broiled tilapia recipe, courtesy of www.allrecipes.com. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions:

Preheat your oven’s broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.

In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Camping, Here We Come!

I never grew up camping but my husband did.  So this weekend, we headed out for our first camping trip with our 22 month old and 4 year old.  I don’t mind being in the great outdoors…it’s just that I like to be close to a bathroom! 

Thankfully, my husband eased me into camping with this nice, clean log cabin.  There was electricity but no running water or mattresses.  We hiked a one-mile loop close to the cabin and enjoyed the nearby town.  None of us slept too well (there was a very LOUD cricket in our room) but I guess you don’t camp to sleep!

Camping is a great way to get outside to hike, and of course, burn calories in the process!  So if your husband ever asks you to go camping, just say yes.  Whether you’re a camper or not, you’ll love to hike in the scenic beauty of the outdoors.   

Need Convenient Snacks?

One secret to losing weight after baby is having healthy snacks on hand when the munchies hit!  When you’re stomach is growling, you reach for whatever is convenient.  So here’s a video with some tips about healthy snacks that are convenient: