Monday, November 21, 2005

2005 Carolina Clash Photo


Here's another photo...

Wish everyone a good Thanksgiving!!! Sorry been very "short and sweet" lately but been extremely busy at work and home! Hardly no time to even weight train (but this is only going to be like this for the next three to four weeks).


P.S. I haven't forgotten the 8" x 10"...but what I do keep forgetting is bringing the photos back to work to "rescan" ! *LOL* They came out terrible the first time I scanned them , perhaps I'm better off going to Walmart and enlarging there? :-) I may give that a try!

Saturday, November 19, 2005

Disregard this post...




I'm using my blogger as a "host" for this image that I have created as a marketing tool for Christmas :)

FYI: I've been extremely quiet since I've been hard at work with my personalized book business (holiday season is my busiest time of the year).

Friday, November 18, 2005

2005 - Figure A - Carolina Clash Score Sheet


Here's the Judges scoresheet for the Carolina Clash Show! I didn't expect them to post it but they did!

I got 4th place by 1 point *lol* :-) Go "FIGURE!" Honestly, we all looked great and it was a tough class,...the lady that took in 1st place in my class actually won "overall".

Thursday, November 17, 2005

My Personalized Books!


Hey! Just wanted to post this lovely picture! Christie has sent me this picture of her kids reading the personalized books that I have personalized for her (she was suppose to give them as Christmas Gifts but I guess she couldn't wait *lol*). Aren't they adorable!!! I'm going to eventually add this picture into my website in the near future! :-) It will be a great marketing tool, especially during the Holiday Season (i'm already getting tons of book orders! OUF!).

Thanks Christie for your testominial and photo!!

My website is www.personalizeabook.com (in case any of you have are interested in purchasing books for Christmas). :) They are CUTE!!!! Won't be dissapointed!

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Carole's Tuna Cake's


I ate these for lunch, they were good, thought I'd share the recipe with you (I just kind of threw in some "crunchy" stuff into my tuna, that's what I was in the mood for).

Ingredients
1 can of tuna (or salmon!)
3 tbsp of chopped celery
3 tbsp of chopped water chestnut
1 tbsp of chopped onion (I guess you could also use dry onion if you want)
1 tsbsp of low-sodium soy sauce
1 large egg white
1/4 cup of traditional oatmeal
pepper
1 tbsp of canola oil (for frying tuna cakes)

Sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp of Fat Free Miracle Whip
1 tbsp of Relish
Mix two ingredients together. Once tuna patties are cooked, top with sauce. YUM! This makes the dish!

Use hand-held blender (or regular "big" blender) and blend oatmeal till desired "texture". Blend all ingredients into a bowl. Eat frying pan with canola oil. Form two patties with mixture and cook like you would a crab cake. Top with 2 tbsp of Tartar Sauce (preferrably made with fat free miracle whip and relish). :) Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Cheesecake Bowl



INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup cottage cheese (I use 2%)

1/2 of a medium sized cooled baked sweet potato (approximately 3.5 oz)

1/2 scoop of vanilla whey protein (optional, for extra protein!)

2 packets of sweetener (I use Splenda)

Optional Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spices, etc.

Blend together on high in blender. Eat, or chill and then eat! You can also substitute canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) for the sweet potato.

NOTE: You can add raisins (keep in mind, this would be extra carbs).

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

I found my source of motivation!

Yesterday, while communicating back and forth via email with Tracy Jeffries, I expressed to her that I was a little bit at a “lost” the past few weeks, trying to find goals and sources of motivation to keep from falling in the ‘runt’. You see, within the next couple of months, my life will take a drastic turn! We are going to try for a second child…I’m not really ready to get started again but my daughter is already 2 ½ years old and I want her to have a sister (hopefully) or a brother (that she can torture *lol*, I’m KIDDING) without having too big of an age gap. I’m an only child, and the past couple of months, I’ve been feeling very lonely since I have no one (near by) to really talk too aside from my husband. I have no family/no friends that live near by me. So many of us have someone that we talk to on a daily basis, to talk or goof around…I don’t have that…Don’t get me wrong, I like to talk to my husband, but I miss that “girl to girl” talk. I miss going out shopping, I don’t like going alone and I certainly don’t like going with my husband since I always feel “rushed”. Well, I’ll admit, I don’t buy/shop much anyway (we are in chronic broke/dust in our pockets mode *LOL*), but window shopping and dream shopping can be fun right? *LOL* Anyway, with this being said, I’m sort of hoping that things will be different for my daughter, that perhaps her sibling(s) will be her closest friend(s).. I don’t know how that’s like but I’m sure it’s better then feeling alone, knowing that you’ll never have a niece or nephew to spoil *lol*. Also, I want to be surrounded by lots of people when I grow old. When I think about the present, I could be selfish and say, “No kids yet”, but I cannot do that for the sake of our daughter. I do have a small concern though, I don’t want for my daughter to feel like I love someone else more then I love her! I know the thought will cross her mind someday, only because it’s our nature to second guess our parents love for us when there are other siblings involved, but I can’t see how it would be possible to love one more then the other(s)… I may love them for different reasons/qualities but I can’t see how I would prefer one over the other? Anyway, that’s a concern, a fear if you want to call it that, I don’t want her to feel like she’s “second best”.

Now, let’s talk about my “source” of motivation! Since my “big” plan is to get pregnant, I have decided that I will document my pregnancy and how I was able to maintain a healthy lifestyle through Body-for-Life. I will also work on a cook book, this project will take me several months to complete as it’s time consuming! I’m aiming to add 5 recipes a day in my cook book, and with this being said; it will take a minimum of 2 months to have 300 + recipes on hand. I will taste-test most of the recipes but not all, I would definitely look like a blimp if I did that! *LOL* Also, my third project is to create a website of which will list many transformations (before/after) pictures, essay’s, contests, etc….this will take me probably a good 3 months to put together as well, but may be longer depending on how $$ I can invest towards it..perhaps if I speed up my cookbook project, I’ll be able to sell a few and that money be used towards my motivational website.

Well anyway, these are my big plans for the future….some of you may think that I’m getting way ahead of myself but, I honestly think that in order to make a achieve a goal, you have to “set” yourself up for it and MAKE IT HAPPEN! :) You don’t beat around the bush and you don’t second doubt yourself, you just set small goals, do it one day at a time and eventually, you’ll get to the end looking back and say “I DID IT!” :-) and that’s what it’s all about folks!

Monday, November 07, 2005

Christmas Gift Exchange - Sign Up!

Good afternoon fellow BFL Buddies! I got an idea and I want to share it with you all!

Anybody want to participate in a gift exchange for Christmas? We all have so many friends here and although I’d love to get everyone a gift, I surely can’t! *LOL* So, I figured that perhaps we could do a “drawing” of some sort and exchange gifts??

Value of $10.00 or $20.00? I’m putting a minimum value but if you’d like to spoil your fellow body-for-life buddy with a bigger gift, that will be at your own discretion!

If you are interested, please send me a message via tracker and I’ll put your name in the list! Just be sure to put in the title “Christmas Gift Exchange Buddy”

If you all don’t mind, I would like to take the responsibility of matching everyone up with a “gift partner”…I will put your name into a bucket.

Saturday, November 05, 2005

Homemade Yummy Protein Bar!




Vanilla or Chocolate Protein Bar
Recipe Yields 10 Protein Bars
Cost per serving: $0.50 to $0.75 (cheap!)


Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups oatmeal (traditional, slow cook)

1 1/2 cups powdered non fat milk

1 cup sugar free syrup (I used Log Cabin)

2 egg whites

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tsp vanilla essence

1/4 c. natural unsweetened applesauce

4 scoops whey protein powder


Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix all dry ingredients in bowl and blend well. In separate bowl, combine egg whites, orange juice, applesauce and the sugar-free syrup. Blend well. Stir liquids into dry ingredients until mixed. The consistency will be thick and similar to cookie dough. Spread batter in a 9” x 12” baking dish. Bake until edges are crisp and browned (approximately 20 minutes). Cut into 10 bars and store in an airtight container or freeze.

NOTE:
Before eating, spread 1 tbsp of Natural Peanut Butter mixed with Splenda (for cooking) to taste. This protein bar by far is much better then store bought! You could also use Sugar Free Fruit Preserve of your choice!

P.s. Do not add additional protein powder to this recipe, it will not work very well. You could eat a protein bar for breakfast along with a few egg whites on the side (for a well-balance carb/protein breakfast).

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Fool Yourself Apple Pie

Fool Yourself Apple Pie
1 medium sized apple, skin removed (medium size, approximately 3 apples per lb)
¾ cup of Cottage Cheese (2% tastes best)
2 to 3 packets of sweetener (Splenda, Stevia, Equal, etc.)
Ground Cinnamon (to taste)
Butter Buds (optional – to taste)
Handful of Traditional Oatmeal (optional, for texture)

1. Cut up small apple into small pieces (about ¼” pieces), cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, until nice and soft.
2. Mix 2 to 3 packets of sweetener in the cooked apples.
3. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon (or lots!)
4. Mix ½ or ¾ c. of cottage cheese
5. Optional: add Butter Buds and Oatmeal to taste
6. Optional: ½ scoop Vanilla Whey Protein (to make it “Apple Pie a La Mode!”)
ENJOY!!!

I swear this taste just as good as a piece of pie, but it’s a lot better for you!

You could probably add ½ scoop of vanilla whey protein to make it a “Food Yourself Apple Pie a La Mode”, which will increase your protein intake!

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (¾ c. Cottage Cheese, apple)
Calories: 216
Protein: 18g – 34%
Carbs: 30g – 49%
Fats: 4g – 18 %

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (¾ c. cottage cheese, apple, ½ scoop protein)
Calories: 276
Protein: 30g – 43%
Carbs: 32g – 41%
Fats: 5g – 16%

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (¾ c. cottage cheese, apple, ½ scoop protein, 1/8 c. oatmeal)
Calories: 314
Protein: 31g – 39%
Carbs: 39g – 44%
Fats: 6g – 16%