Substitute It! Bacon: Part Two

A few weeks ago, I did a segment on Turkey Bacon. I told how much better Turkey Bacon is than regular pork bacon. Well, hold on to your hats everyone, because I just found something even BETTER than turkey bacon: CHICKEN BACON!

I found it while grocery shopping a few days ago. Looking over the nutritional information, I was surprised to find that it was a better choice than the turkey version. So I bought it straight away, cooking it up the next day for the kids for breakfast.

"What do you think of the bacon?" I asked my 9 year old son, Jaron.

Jaron stopped chewing and eyed his half-eaten piece suspiciously. "Why? What did you do to it?" he asked, worried.

"Nothing!" I was quick to tell him. "It's chicken bacon instead of turkey."

"Oh!" Jaron said, looking relieved. He popped the rest of the piece into his mouth and said, "I didn't notice a difference. Bacon is bacon!"

Here is a chart I typed up of the nutritional information for pork, turkey and chicken bacon side-by-side:

Spotlight: Tai Cheng

If you know me, I get excited by the prospect of something new. And just released this week is a brand new workout by Beachbody, Tai Cheng!
Because it's brand-new, I have yet to personally try it. But I definitely plan to! This workout employs Tai Chi, a slow, low-impact martial arts known for its health benefits. It is beneficial for everyone, from golf pros looking to improve their swing to a senior recovering from joint replacement surgery. The low-impact moves make it especially good for those who experience joint or muscle pain during other workouts.
This is the description from the product's website:
"Renew your youthful energy in just 90 days through the healing motion of Tai Cheng! Developed with Dr. Mark Cheng, this low-impact program combines the 18 fundamental moves of Tai Chi with 21st-century sports science. It includes 12 workout DVDs, plus a Master Scroll reference DVD and valuable fitness tools to help you turn back the clock and feel absolutely fantastic!"
I listened to a coach training call featuring Dr. Mark Cheng and how he developed this workout. I was impressed with his dedication to Tai Chi (taught by his family for three generations!) and his desire to make it something that everyone and anyone can do.
So if you are looking for a new workout that will strengthen your muscles, increase your energy and promote general well-being, think about trying Tai Cheng!
I know I will!
For a short video on Tai Cheng, Click Here.

Weigh Day: Week 9

Hello from Georgia, the land of peaches, pecans and Coca-Cola. The home of the Braves, the Centennial Olympic Games and...pollen.

We lucked out to arrive in Atlanta during the height of pollen season. Pollen counts are hitting record highs close to the 10,000's. Insane! And I can tell you, every one of those different flowering plant spores are trying to wedge their way up my nose to try and push my eyes halfway out my ears.

Or at least it FEELS like that.

And even though I don't have terrible allergies compared to some, I still have noticed an increased difficulty in breathing. Especially when I work out.

Painful wheezing, really.

Anyhow, enough of that. Time to report in for the week!

My Progress:

This past week was Week 9. I started the Slim in 6 program and was amazed to find that the first DVD was actually a little EASY for me. At least compared to the type of workout I am used to. So I moved on to the second video already. It doesn't have the cardio of Rockin' Body and Hip Hop Abs as it is focused mainly on strength training. But I really feel like I'm burning away the inches. Especially since those around me have been remarking that the same jeans I couldn't even pull up over my hips at Christmas are now too baggy and falling down my hips as I walk around!

This week I actually GAINED 1/2 pound again. But I ended up losing 1/2 inch on my waist, 1/2 inch on my chest and another 1/2 inch off each leg! That's a total of 2 inches off my body in a week! So I'm excited about that!

I'll keep you updated on my progress as I continue the Slim in 6 program. I am hoping the program keeps its word and helps me slim down in 6 weeks! That's my goal!

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How are YOU doing? E-mail me your progress at angiepete@gmail.com. I want to know how many inches/pounds you've lost (or gained!). Tell me if you are encouraged or DIScouraged. I am here to help!

Substitute It! Greek Yogurt

When it comes to cream sauces and casseroles, fat content is usually really high. If you want to lose weight, eating Alfredo sauce, Beef Stroganoff or a baked potato with sour cream is definitely a bad idea. But don't worry, there IS a solution!

Consider substituting sour cream, mayonnaise or cream cheese with Greek Yogurt in your favorite recipes. The rich taste and texture of this yogurt can substitute for higher-fat dairy products, helping you maintain balance in your digestive tract and provide essential protein. It is also high in calcium and lactobacteria.

Greek Yogurt is by far the most versatile of dairy products. It is ideal to use in all types of cooking. Use Greek yogurt to also replace cream, mayonnaise or cream cheese.
You can use it cold for dips, to mix through salads, pasta or potato for a creamy finish, in ice-creams or you can add it to hot meals. See below for all the many ways to use yogurt as a sour cream substitute.
Fage Greek Yogurt is an ideal yogurt for cooking as it can stand high heat without curdling.It is available in no fat, low fat and extra creamy, so there will be one to suit your needs.
When cooking with yogurt as a sour cream substitute, if using other brands, remove the pan from the heat once the food is cooked, leave for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the yogurt. Serve.
Here are some suggestions for using Greek yogurt in your meals:

Make Soups Creamy
In a chicken or vegetable soup, once cooked and blended, warm soup, remove from heat. Stand for 2-3 minutes. Stir yogurt through the soup, just long enough to warm through, then remove and serve. Fage is best for cooking.
For dishes such as Beef Stroganoff, add it just at the end, stir through, then serve.

Cold Pasta Dishes
You can use it in cold pasta salads. Once pasta is cooked and other ingredients are added, stir through yogurt or combination of mayonnaise and yogurt.

Hot Pasta Dishes
Add yogurt as a sour cream substitute to the pasta sauce just before the end. Finish cooking the sauce, turn off the heat, add the yogurt and stir through until just warm. Remove and serve.

Potato Salad
Blend Greek Yogurt and mayonnaise with chives and parsley and stir through your potato salad.

Use for dips – a great sour cream substitute and so many flavors!

Use as a frosting on top of cakes or cupcakes.

Use Greek yogurt as a cream substitute to make ice cream: much healthier and a lovely flavour.

Use it on baked potatoes instead of butter. You can have it plain, or stir through some chopped herbs such as parsley or chives.

Use for a salad or vegetable dressing. For a runny salad dressing, add a vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and season.
200ml yogurt, 50 ml lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, crushed, 1-2 tablespoons water.
Whisk together in a small bowl and serve.
This basic dressing can have extra flavourings such as herbs, finely chopped parsley, chives, dill, basil, mint, coriander. Add mustard or sweet chili sauce for variety. Serve drizzled over your favorite salads.

Tips and Tricks: Throw it Away!

One thing I've learned lately is that I tend to eat things just to avoid wasting food. When I really stopped to think about it, this is a silly thing to do. Because what I'm really doing is adding extra calories (and pounds) that I don't need.

When clearing my children's plates off the table, I used to eat the last few bites instead of throwing it away. Even if I wasn't hungry! It wasn't until I got serious about losing weight that I even noticed that I did that.

Maybe it's the way I was raised, but I still have the idea in my head that I should always finish the food on my plate. Even after the point when I'm full. It's polite, my mind says. But when it's just me and my kids, who am I trying to be polite TO? Certainly not my waistline. Because each bite I take beyond what I need to feel satisfied is just adding to the fat I'll have to burn off later.

And let me tell you, it's MUCH easier to burn those calories BEFORE they go into your mouth. Say, with a blow-torch, instead of an hour of sweat-inducing yoga.

Going to a restaurant is the worst. I don't eat out often, but when I do it's to be social. And when you socialize while you eat, you tend to get distracted and eat MORE. Not to mention the portions at restaurants are ENORMOUS!! No wonder I usually leave a restaurant feeling mildly sick from overeating.

Should have asked for a doggy bag about 37 bites ago, I'll think as I heft myself out the door.

Another thing I catch myself doing is eating something I don't even really like or enjoy. You know when you take a bite of cake/candy/donut/cookie and think, Hmmm, this really doesn't taste that good. But for some insane reason, you keep chewing and end up swallowing it anyway? And then, to make matters worse, you take ANOTHER bite and another until that piece is gone?! And then when it's gone, you think, Hmmm, why did I EAT that? It wasn't even all that good!

Can I tell you how OFTEN I've done that? And I'll sit there and think, Why? It wasn't even WORTH all those calories!

So what I'm trying to say is this: I've learned that it is better to just THROW IT AWAY!! Stop the insanity. Stop the mindless eating. Stop eating when you feel full, not when the food is gone. Save the rest for later. Throw away the last few bites that aren't worth saving. Spit food out that you don't like.

Follow the example of children. This is how THEY eat. If we ran around in circles all day and didn't clear our plates each time, WE'D be skinny, too.

To Tell the Truth: The Shakeology Cleanse

I mentioned in my last post how I'd reached a plateau of sorts: for 3 weeks in a row, I'd only lost 1/2 a pound each week. And that was without a change in body measurements, either. I was starting to feel a little discouraged. All this hard work and no real progress to speak of! With how hard it was to fit my workouts in while trying to pack up and move and to make myself eat right amid the stress and chaos, I felt like I deserved a little more reward from my bathroom scale.

I say that as if my scale dishes out compliments.

I'd heard of several people doing Shakeology Cleanses as a way to get over a plateau. I figured I would give it a go, too. So for three days, I drank Shakeology for breakfast, lunch and dinner, eating real food snacks of 300 calories or less in-between.

Some cleansers have complained of headaches and weakness, but I never experienced those things. I didn't even feel more hungry than normal! It helped that I have all three Shakeology flavors at my disposal so I wasn't drinking the same flavor every time.

Yesterday was my last day of the cleanse. I woke up this morning and weighed myself to find that I had lost 3 POUNDS since starting the cleanse on Sunday morning.

Hooray!!!

That brings my total 60 day weight loss to 16 pounds, roughly 2 pounds a week!

I was so happy I bounced into the room where my husband Jason was working out to the Insanity videos. After hearing my news, he panted out, "Great...job...Honey!" Normally he would've given me a hug. But I ran too quickly.

No one wants a hug from a sweaty guy!

Weigh Day: 60 Day Results

Here we are on Monday again. Boy these weeks have been flying by! I can't believe I just completed 60 days. After a round of Hip Hop Abs, I did a round of Rockin' Body. And even though I have yet to take my 60 day result photos, I thought I'd share my progress.

So in the last 60 days I've lost: 13 lbs. and 16" off my body!

I'm proud of my accomplishment. I wish my second month had been as productive as month one (I lost 9 lbs. and 14" my first 30 days and only 4 lbs. and 2" during days 30-60). But weight loss is weight loss, and I'll take it!

I have been feeling a little frustrated that for the last three weeks, I've only lost 1/2 pound each week. I know I should be proud of the fact that I still managed to lose weight this last week amid our move to Georgia. We ate fast food during our trip (grilled chicken sandwich at Chick-fil-a and a Subway sandwich) and I snacked a lot during the drive to stay awake (carrot sticks, grapes and almonds). I really noticed the cravings kicking in as I felt my stress levels rising!

So all and all I am proud of the progress I've made in the last 60 days. I started a new workout program today, Slim in 6, and can't wait to see how it goes. I'll keep you posted!

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How is YOUR get-fit journey going? E-mail me your progress at angiepete@gmail.com. Tell me how your feel about it!!!

Weigh Day: Gaining MUSCLES

Hello on this beautiful Monday! Well, it's beautiful here in Virginia anyway. I hope the weather is as nice where you are, too!

Today is another weigh-in day. So get out that measuring tape, body fat pincher and bathroom scale and let's find out how you're doing!

My Progress:

I have to admit I've been feeling slightly "pudgy" this week. My pants have seemed tighter, which is not altogether a GOOD thing. My eating hadn't been much different and I was still exercising as I was.

So it was with a sense of dread that I stepped on that scale this morning. I was a little disappointed that I've only lost 1/2 pound again this week (just like last week!). That makes only 1 pound lost in 2 weeks time! Trying to think optomistically, I turned my sights to the tape measurer, hoping the news there would be better.

No luck.

I GAINED half an inch in my legs and the rest of my measurements were the same. The one piece of good news is that I lost 2% body fat!

So here is how I interpreted my week 7 progress. I must have lost body fat, but GAINED muscle. I HAVE been feeling stronger lately.

Even Jason has noticed my developing physique.

The other day as I sat there stretching out my muscles after a workout, Jason walked by. Take note of my exposed lower-thighs (I was wearing SHORTS. That NEVER happens!), Jason pointed to my leg and exclaimed, "What the heck is THAT?"

Alarmed, I looked down quickly, expecting to see a spider or something.

"Is that a MUSCLE I see?" Jason teased, poking at my thigh with his finger. "Wow, I think that IS a muscle! Wow, honey. Look at YOU!"

I have to admit, I was flattered.

Subsitute It! Fries

This week I'm talking about French fries. Now, we all know (or at least I HOPE we do) that French fries are one of THE worst possible foods we could eat. Literally dripping with artery-clogging fat and oil, this fast food item is definately a No-No.

Let's take a look at a the nutritional information for a typical medium-size order of McDonald's French Fries:

Are you still looking? Or did you cover your eyes in fright and dismay? Can you BELIEVE all the fat, sodium and calories present in such a small box of manufactured spuds?

You can hardly even call it a potato any more!

So if you shouldn't eat french fries, what can you eat instead? Have I got a solution for YOU!

Try SWEET POTATO FRIES.

If you browse your frozen food section, you'll find several varieties of frozen sweet potato fries. Now, you can make them completely from scratch if you so desire. But be warned! Sweet potatoes are a distant cousin of ROCKS (well, maybe not but they SHOULD be and you DO dig them out of the ground!) and therefore VERY HARD to cut raw into thin slices.

I know. I've tried.

So if you ask me, buying them pre-sliced is worth it. And when I compared the price of a bag of sweet potato fries to buying it in the natural form, pound for pound the price wasn't that much different.

So what you do is this: Cut open that bag of frozen sweet potato fries. Dump onto a cookie sheet and unceremoniously stuff it into a preheated oven at 400 degrees for roughly 15 minutes. Bake until crispy. Remove and sprinkly with sea salt.

Ta-da!

Fast, easy, nutritious and you don't have to stand at the stove dodging squirting grease from a pan!

I made these tonight with turkey burgers. SOOO good. The fries were salty, crunchy and just a little bit sweet.

The perfect compliment to a healthy burger.

Nutritional Information for Sweet Potato Fries:

Serving size = 3 oz.

71 total calories (Carbs= 63 calories, protein= 8 calories)
2 g of protein

0 g fat of any type!!! (This includes saturated fats, unsaturated fats and trans fats)

0 cholesterol.
16 g of carbohydrates (10 g of starch, 3 g of sugar and 3 g of dietary fiber)
22% of the daily value for vitamin A

4 % of the daily value for vitamin C.
108 mg of sodium

282 mg of potassium

3 % of the daily value for iron

2 % of the daily value for calcium

So if you are going to eat French Fries, make sure you make these nutritious Sweet Potato Fries at home!!!!

To Tell the Truth: Overwhelmed

I usually do my "To Tell the Truth" segment on Wednesdays, but I'm running a little behind this week. Because in all honesty, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed.

I am now in week 7 of my weight-loss journey. Things are going amazingly well. I feel stronger, less sore, and I can now make it through the workouts much easier. I look in the mirror and see a thinner, happier ME.

That's progress!

I was remarking to my husband Jason how even though I am now busier than ever trying to fit working out, eating right and coaching in between taking care of five children, home schooling and running a household, I am now HAPPIER than ever. I finally feel like I'm doing something for ME.

So things have been a little crazy our my house this month. Add to that the fact that we are moving in a week back to Georgia for just four weeks while my husband attends Airborne School with the US Army and you are looking at a VERY overwhelmed woman.

Needless to say, I am going to tone it down on my blog for the next 10 days or so until we get settled. I'm just not going to be able to keep up with my pace of daily postings. I apologize. It's not that I don't care about my readers out there, it's just that I have to do what I can to keep my sanity during this incredibly busy time in my life.

So be patient with me, folks! I plan to have my blog running like before after we get settled into our next temporary home!

Spotlight: Turbo Fire

It's Spotlight Tuesday! Every Tuesday I review a Beachbody product. This week I am spotlighting Turbo Fire!

Turbo Fire is a fun, upbeat workout by Chalene Johnson. It's a challenging 20-Week program, one of the more intense programs by Beachbody. It comes with 12 workouts that range from 10 to 55 minutes in length. The program includes everything you need: ten DVD's, a lower body band and a stretch band.

Chalene is upbeat and motivating as she takes you through a workout designed to burn fat and get lean, toned muscles. The movements are part kick boxing, part dance and part aerobics...all three put together!

I haven't personally tried this workout program yet. As it is one of the harder Beachbody workouts, I am not ready yet to take it on. It's my goal to work up to Turbo Fire one day! But I've heard from several friends just how much they love it. It's a terrific workout!

To watch a short video on Turbo Fire, click here.

Weigh Day: 6 Week Progress Report

Here we are again at Weigh Day! Time to find out just how all your hard work is paying off. We get to see if all the sweat dripped and time spent working out was worth it. Did you make good food choices? Were you able to resist eating that high calorie dessert?

My Progress:

This morning I ran to my apartment clubhouse to use their scale (we are in a temporary furnished apartment while my husband does job training with the US Army). As it turned out, the gym was full of ladies from the cleaning crew. Not wanting to load all the kids up and come again later, I asked to use the scale quickly.

"Sure, no problem," one lady said. "But I just cleaned it, so I'll do it for you so you don't get it dirty."

That's weird, I thought. I must look like I'm caked in grime or something. Considering my hair was still wet from a recent shower, I thought that was incredibly strange. But I agreed anyhow.

So I stood there on the scale as the lady weighed me. If it had been just two months earlier, I would have died of embarrassment. But since I've lost quite a few pounds since then, I now celebrate on the scale.

When the scale stopped at 158 pounds, I broke into a smile. That brings my 6 week weight loss total to 12 pounds.

"Thanks!'" I said hopping off, "Lost another 1/2 pound since last week!"

It's a great feeling to see the scale moving in the right direction.

I've also lost another 1/2 inch off each arm again. Gee, I must REALLY be waving those suckers around! And I lost some body fat percentage as well.

So I came home, worked out and treated myself to a nice tall glass of Tropical Shakeology.

Feeling VERY proud of myself today!

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How did YOU do on weigh day? Send me your weight and body measurements and let me know how your workouts are going: angiepete@gmail.com. Are you feeling happy and encouraged or frustrated and discouraged? As your coach, I'm here to help you!

Substitute It! Applesauce for Oil

Substituting applesauce for oil is one of my favorite healthy baking tips. Applesauce is inexpensive to buy, easy to make, and healthier for you than oil. You can substitute applesauce for oil in many of your baking recipes, such as some breads, cakes, and muffins.
Substituting with applesauce is very simple. Use the same amount of applesauce as you would oil. Most of the cookbooks I’ve read say that you shouldn’t use more than 1/4 a cup of applesauce as a substitute for oil. Using more change change the chemistry of a recipe and it might flop.
My suggestion is to start with 1/4 a cup and increase it incrementally if the recipe calls for more oil. For example, if a recipe calls for 1/2 a cup of oil the first time I make the recipe I will use 1/4 cup applesauce and 1/4 cup of oil. If the recipe works, I’ll increase the applesauce by 1/8 a cup the next time. If it works again I’ll substitute applesauce for the the entire amount of oil.

The taste is a little different (more sweet) than using oil, so make sure to either use non-sweetened natural applesauce or decrease the amount of sugar when baking. In addition, the texture is a little different, coming out softer and more moist. Which in my opinion, is a really desirable thing when it comes to baking.

I found an excellent site with detailed instructions on making this substitution. Click Here.

*Note: Substituting applesauce for BUTTER in baking doesn't always work well. I learned this the hard way while trying to make cookies. Very runny and easily burned! :)

Food for Thought: The Benefits of a Rest and Recovery Day

If you've used any of the Beachbody workout videos, you've noticed that they all come with a workout schedule. Each day of the program is planned out, telling you exactly which video to do. And each week on that schedule, there is ALWAYS a day of rest.

This got me to thinking. There MUST be a reason behind this. After all, the Beachbody company wouldn't suggest taking one day off each week unless doing so was more beneficial than exercising every day.

So I did a little research to find out what the benefits of taking a weekly rest day are. And this is what I found...

Don't Over Do It!

When people start working out, there can be a tendency to overdo it. The thinking is often, if three workouts are good, then six must be twice as good. However, the reality is that high intensity exercise performed every day will eventually lead to burnout, boredom and injury.

The Benefits of Rest and Recovery

The benefits of resting are huge. A day or two off each week is essential to allow muscles, tendons and ligaments the time to repair themselves. Even if you experience little to no muscle soreness after your workouts, rest days are still important. Giving your entire body AND mind a full day off is necessary to regroup and get excited about the week to come. It gives you something to look forward to after a long week of working out.

There are also the health benefits of rest. Research supports the theory that the human immune response is at risk when over-training occurs. As a result, over-trained athletes or avid exercisers commonly suffer from ailments such as the common cold.

In the calendar provided by Beachbody, workouts are to be done Monday through Saturday, with Sunday reserved for rest. Beachbody also schedules different videos each day, rotating their use in order to work different parts of your body each day. This routine allows for adequate recovery between workouts as well as a full day of rest for full body and mind recuperation.
So remember not to feel bad about taking the time off. Recovery is an integral part of working out and vital to helping you achieve the fitness results you desire. Look forward to your day of rest and enjoy it. Use it as a reward after a week of hard work! I know I look forward to Sundays.

Tips and Tricks: Carry a Water Bottle

One of the most important things you do all day is drink water. It may seem like a small thing, but water is crucial for sustaining life. Because our body is constantly losing water, we continually have to replenish our water supply. After all, water makes up 60% of our body!

I've always been a water drinker. I like water and I think it's awesome that it's free and zero calories! But I have to admit that making sure I drink enough is a hard thing to do. If I'm not careful, I'll go several hours without taking a single sip before realizing how parched I am.

One trick I've used for several years is always keeping a refillable water bottle on me (I have the red one pictured to the left). I make sure to fill it 3-4 times a day. I find that if I carry a water bottle, I drink more. Especially when I'm away from home and running around town. It takes away the temptation of stopping and buying a sugary drink when you are out and realize you're thirsty.

So in order to stay hydrated, follow this simple trick: Carry a Water Bottle!