Relief for my Achin' Back

I promise this blog won't become all about my pregnancy, but in case I have any readers out there who may be pregnant too (it seems like everybody I know is due sometime this fall) I wanted to post my new favorite workout DVD.

I've been fortunate enough that I haven't had to purchase any pregnancy books or DVDs because our libary has a wide variety and I seem to be the only one interested in checking them out because I'm able to renew them time after time after time.

I tried a couple different DVDs and wasn't too crazy about them. One was by Erin O'Brien (who's married to the guy who plays Mike on Desperate Housewives).

I think the best part of this DVD was watching how "excited" James Denton was to be participating in the exercises with her.

Next I tried a DVD by Leisa Hart.

The only sort of enjoyable part of this DVD was the dancing, but I still didn't like it that much.

Then the nausea struck and all workouts were on hold for about 2 months. When I was at the library this past week I picked up another DVD and this one is definitely the winner:

I wish I had picked up her first trimester DVD to try, but I'll definitely keep checking this one out for the remainder of my 2nd trimester and then move on to the DVD for the 3rd. What I like about this DVD is that it has two different workouts: approx. 40 minutes worth of cardio, strength training, core exercises and stretching and 20 minutes worth of prenatal yoga.

Monday I did the cardio workout and loved it. I finally felt like I was still working my muscles (in a safe way for baby) even though I was pregnant (something really lacking in the first two DVDs). I ran out of time to do the abs so I'm looking forward to trying those tomorrow. Tuesday - Thursday were crazy and my back was KILLIN' me (don't know if it was due to working out again for the 1st time in 2 months or the pregnancy) so I didn't get a chance to do the yoga until this morning, but it was wonderful. My back is doing much better and she gave some great tips for how to lessen back pain during the day. This DVD will be my faithful companion for the next couple months. Now if I could solve the problem of not gaining weight and having no appetite we'll be doing great....

What A Relief

So I finally bit the bullet and called my doctor to schedule a test for Celiac disease. The stomach issues are flaring up again (though not nearly as bad as before thank goodness) and we had read in a few different sources that unchecked Celiac disease can lead to difficulty getting pregnant (at this time we're pretty much willing to try anything to finally be with child).

I was waiting to hear back from his office about whether they'd mail me a script or if I needed to go in to see the doctor prior to my May appt with him. Well, the nurse just called back to let me know the good news that he actually checked me for Celiac disease back in November and it was NEGATIVE! Wahoo!

I know I still need to seriously limit my intake of gluten in order to feel my best, but that is much easier to deal with than having to read the labels on everything from toothpaste and lipstick to tortillas and baked beans for the rest of my life.

However, I am supposed to go in this Friday for a breath test which would let him know if it's a lactose issue or anything else like that. I really hope that's a negative because I really can't fathom a life without cow's milk products, especially cheese enchiladas. That may kill me before the lactose does!

Allergen-Free Baking

I was watching Martha the other day and she had this guest on who wrote a book all about allergen-free baking. Personally, we don't have any allergies in our family, though, I do think I have developed a small gluten-intolerance if I eat too much of it.

Despite the fact we have no allergies, I still am dying to get my hands on this book and try out some of her tricks because they look delicious and sound so healthy for you.

She even did a blind taste test on some people in the audience with egg-free cookies. One cookie had eggs and the other used a mix of flaxmeal and water to replace the egg. The taste testers chose the egg-free cookie!

If you have allergies or intolerances, or you want to experiment with healhier baked goods, check out this book:

I Thought People Were Joking

I finally bit the dust and jumped on the band wagon known as the 30 Day Shred.

Oh.my.goodness! Jillian Michaels really is the TOUGH! I've done P90X, but this is hard. Level 1 kicked my butt last night. Perhaps it's because I haven't worked out in over three weeks, but my muscles are definitely making themselves known today.

I love it!

Have you done the 30 Day Shred? What did you think?

Finished with my Experiment

Yesterday was the last day of my Flat Belly Diet experiment. I'm very happy with the results both in terms of  my size 4 jeans fitting like they should again and my GI issues are not acting up nearly as much as they used to (as long as I carefully watch my diet).

If you want to see my final measurements for proof that it actually works (even without exercise), check out my latest post on my Journey to a Size 4 blog.

Hubby & I are going to stay committed to the program as much as possible because we feel great on it and love the results (he lost at least 10 pounds - from where I don't know because he was trim to start). I'll make a "regular" meal about once a week and we'll try to eat out only once every other week or special occasions, but for the most part we're going to stick with it.

In other news, it's been CRAZY lately (thus the lack of blogging). I'm still working on the giveaway and hope to have something shortly. I'm also finishing up my nephew's birthday gift and will post that soon as well. I made some flop Valentine's cookies over the weekend - I'll spare you the details of those. And, I'm trying to watch all the Olympics I can but I'm a day behind so I try to avoid the news at all costs to avoid spoiling any events. But, wasn't that so sad about the Georgian luge guy? Heartbreaking. This Thursday hubby's taking me to a Broadway show and dinner at my favorite Mexican restaurant for a belated birthday celebration. Friday we're supposed to close on the land. Never a dull moment in our house!

I'll try to be back soon with more consistent posting again.

Tomorrow's the Day

When all my GI issues will begin to be no more hopefully. Want to follow along? Perhaps you just want to see a really embarrassing photo of me in a bathing suit?

Click here to join me in my journey. I'm going to need all the encouragement I can get!

Homemade Granola

I finally remembered to grab the recipe from home so I could post this. My hubby loves having a snack of granola and yogurt. I’ve been meaning to make him some more homemade granola for a long time but kept putting it off because I had remembered it as a long process. Well my memory didn’t serve me correctly because making homemade granola couldn’t be easier. And, when my mom-in-law tells me she bought all the ingredients for it because I make the best, it’s hard to say no.

So, a couple weekends ago I whipped up a batch and we’ve been enjoying it ever since. Thought you might enjoy the recipe too. I have to thank hubby’s aunt for passing it on to me.

First, place whatever nuts you desire in a pan and toast them to develop their full flavor. As Rachael Ray says, “your nose knows” when they’re done. Just keep an eye on them so they don’t burn.

This time I used sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flax seed, and slivered almonds.

Meanwhile, in microwave safe bowl, combine these ingredients:

Microwave until the sugar starts to dissolve and it’s easy to stir.

In a LARGE bowl, measure out 10 cups of oats.

Add your toasted nuts and stir to combine.

Pour on the liquid ingredients and stir until all the oats and nuts are moistened.

Next, add in whatever dried fruit you like.

I used golden raisins and craisins. I’ve used dried cherries and blueberries before which is also very yummy. Stir until the fruit is evenly distributed.

In a parchment lined jelly roll pan, spread the granola in a layer that is about 1/2” thick.

Bake in a preheated oven until the edges are browned and the middle starts to feel firm to the touch.

NOTE: You’ll think you need to bake it longer than you actually do. When you pull it out of the oven, it will still be kind of sticky and soft. As it cools it will harden. Once the edges are browned, take it out otherwise you’ll end up with burned granola.

I tried to show you the difference between the baked (in the pan) and the unbaked (in the bowl) above, but they look too similar on my camera. You can see that the edges of the pan are browned, though.

I immediately transfer the baked granola to another storage container to cool. As it cools, I use my hands to break it up into chunks.

One batch filled 1/2 of one of those giant animal cracker containers. This will last us for quite awhile and it is so delicious when served on top of yogurt.

AUNT NANCY’S GRANOLA

10 cups oats
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup honey
3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup almonds
1/2 cup ground flax seeds
1 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 cups worth of dried fruit

Place nuts/seeds in skillet and toast over medium to medium-high heat until they reach desired toastiness. Place oats in a large bowl. In a microwave safe container, heat the brown sugar, honey and oil for 1.5 minutes to make it easier to stir and combine them. Add the toasted nuts to the oats and stir to combine. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients and stir until everything is coated. Add the dried fruit. Stir to combine. In parchment lined jelly roll sheets, flatten granola into 1/2” thick layer. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, checking often. It’s done when the edges start to brown and the middle is firmer to the touch. Remember, it will harden more as it cools. Store in an airtight container and enjoy for many days/weeks on top of yogurt.

Personally, this version is much tastier and much healthier than any version you could buy in the store. It is also much more budget friendly.

A Fun Way To Spend A Thursday Morning

We’re still on a quest to find out what has been causing my stomach issues since this past June. After all the tests my internist ran kept coming up normal, I decided to head to a gastroenterologist instead to see if he could figure out anything. I had my first appointment with him a week ago and was given orders to have an x-ray of my upper GI and small bowel as well as a colonoscopy.

Fun stuff I tell ya! Stuff I thought I’d be dealing with when I was in my 50s not when I was 28. But, I guess when you have a family history of colon cancer (my paternal grandma died from it when she was 55), they want you to have these sort of tests sooner if you’re having issues.

Yesterday was my lucky day to go and drink barium milk shakes. They’re so delicious! If you haven’t had one, make sure you schedule your next upper GI and small bowel x-ray stat.

Here’s the lovely little cell room where you too could spend a few hours. It has everything you could ever want – a cold floor, hard seat, florescent lighting, and drafts. It’s absolutely fabulous! Of course you have the option of walking out and sitting in the hallway if you don’t want to stay in here, but there is one problem.

See those blue things sitting in the corner? You know. The ones that open in the back so that you’re whole rear end is visible for the world to see? That’s what you’ll be wearing if you decide to leave your isolation cell cushy room to go and enjoy the slightly warmer and less sterile hallway.

What’s that I hear? You want a photo?

Oops. That won’t work. How about this one?

What? You thought I was going to post my rear end flapping in the breeze? Ha! Not when you have junk in the trunk like me! Oh and see that crazy fake smile on my face? That’s what happens to you when you’re locked in that little room while you wait for them to come and force three cups of barium milkshakes down your throat.

Thankfully my lady was so nice and allowed me to wear a second gown as a jacket to cover up my backside. It made for a stellar fashion statement with my black and grey striped knee socks. Let me tell ya.

Besides the accommodations and beverages, the x-rays really were easy as pie. And, here are a few words for my fellow cellmates patients from yesterday: JUST DRINK THE STUFF ALREADY! Don’t complain about it! Trust me, they know it tastes awful. You complaining about it is not going to make the process any easier on you or them. Sure you have to rock back and forth and from side to side to stir up the barium once you ingest it, but lying still and holding your breath really isn’t that hard people.

I was such a stellar patient the doctor told the x-ray technician to hire me. I  have to admit, her job looks pretty fun. Maybe a career change is somewhere in my future. It would be closer to the pre-med track I was on in college than my current job as an office manager. And, I’ve never been more proud of my small bowel. The fact that it moved the barium through it fast allowed me to get out of there after only two hours instead of four.

Afterwards, I finally chowed down on some breakfast with a chaser of milk of magnesia. Now that stuff is nasty!

Pitas and hummus

Yesterday I talked about the raw food detox I'm on for a week to see if it will help my stomach issues at all.

I'm so ready for today to be done so I can go back to eating a wider variety of foods (oh milk how I miss you). Honestly, I'm not seeing any difference between how I feel eating "raw" and how I feel eating a normal well-balanced diet, so it just isn't worth the dreading of meal times for me.

To celebrate the return of a few carbs to my diet I'm going to celebrate this weekend my making homemade pitas and hummus. Yum!

I'm going to try this recipe I found for pitas (I don't read her blog but the recipe came up in a Google search) and Rachael Ray's hummus recipe.

It's only 2 weeks, right?

I've had a little bit of a blogger block in case you haven't noticed.

Not much to report on here besides the fact that I'm still covered in blue glitter (I think my in-laws' living room will have a nice blue sparkle to it for awhile too), we got a new dishwasher (woohoo clean dishes again finally!), and my pants are starting to get a little tight. Guess that's what happens when one eats a lot of sweets and hasn't taken the time to workout in about two months.

So, realizing that hubby and I leave for ITALY two weeks from yesterday, and knowing that I'm definitely going to want to indulge in some gelato and pasta while there, I decided that between now and April 14th I'm going to forgo the cookies, brownies, ice cream, candy, cakes, etc. that have made their way into my diet over the past couple months. This is going to be HARD for a sugar addict like me! But, hopefully ya'll will help keep me accountable and two weeks from now as I'm on a plane to Italy, my scale will be back down to where it should be, my pants won't be fitting a little snug, and my tastebuds will be ready for some of the best gelato known to mankind!

Lord, please give me a LOT of willpower!

Fitting in Exercise & Medifast Update

I've been on Medifast for two weeks now. Really only a week and a half because there were a few days this past week where we had events that were too formal (or we were out with one of my hubby's new clients and I didn't want them to think he was wacky) to open up one of my Medifast packets of food. I lost another 1.5 lbs which isn't too bad seeing how I pretty much ate whatever I wanted (in moderation of course) for at least three or four days. So, in two weeks I've gone from 151 lbs. to 143.5 lbs. Not too bad!

Also, I wanted to share a little tip for fitting exercise in to your day. Lately, I haven't had the time to do 20+ minutes of exercise all in one sitting, so I try to do things throughout the day. Here are some of the ways I fit exercise in to my daily routine:

1. Park at the end of the row when shopping. Walk the whole store, up and down every aisle, whether you need to or not just to get extra walking in.

2. While brushing my teeth or flat ironing my hair, I do squats, leg kicks and calf raises. Yes, my husband looks at me like I've gone crazy. No, I don't care because I have firmer leg muscles to show for it.

3. While I wait for a fax to go through at work, I do lunges up and down the hall. I only do this when I know everyone is in their office, and I make sure to listen for anyone coming down the hall so I can stop before they think I'm crazy too.

4. Sometimes while I am talking to friends at work or family at home, I'll find a wall and do a wall sit instead of sitting in a chair.

5. Walk the stairs in my house. I especially get this in on days when I work from home because my office is upstairs in the house, another office for one of our companies is in the basement with shipping in the detached garage and hubby's office is above said garage. It's a constant back and forth every night and Friday.

All these are just simple little tips to fit some extra exercise in to your day. Do you have any tips?

Medifast Update

I've been on Medifast for one week now. I started out a week ago at 151 lbs. This morning I was 145 lbs. 6 pounds!!

I'll be perfectly honest, though, I don't follow the diet exactly as you're supposed to. I'm doing pretty good at getting all the water I need. And, I normally get all 5 Medifast meals in, but I live a crazy life and my taste buds get bored very easy, so there were a couple nights where I eat what the rest of the family was having because it was already prepared and tasted much better. So yeah, I had 2 slices of pizza, a small scoop of mashed potatoes and 2 cookies over the course of this past week.

The good thing is that it helped me get back into the habits I used to have (when I dropped originally from my college weight of 165 to 145 about 3 years ago) of eating small meals throughout the day. I'm a firm believer of all things in moderation, it's just that lately I haven't been too good about eating my sweets and junk food in moderation.

So, 5 more pounds to go, but I also have over 2 months to do it. My clothes are already fitting how they should so I'll keep to a few Medifast meals a day, but I might add back in my skim milk and cereal for breakfast and a piece of fruit and dessert on occasion.

And it begins...

Today I started Medifast. My good friend Melissa has gone through the program and says it helps her maintain a healthy weight. Not that she was ever overweight to begin with! I'm using it to help me drop the 10 lbs. I've put on since our wedding before we go on our "honeymoon" and also to help me kick my huge sugar addicition - after all sugar isn't good for someone who's borderline hypoglycemic!

I'm not going to turn this blog into a "diet" journal, but I will comment occasionally on my progress. Plus, I'm going to post scary numbers like weight to keep myself motivated!

So, as of today, I weigh 151 lbs (with wet hair). My goal weight is 140 lbs or a size 4 which is 2 lbs less than I was when we got married and the size I was when we got married. The hardest part of the program will probably be the exercise. They don't require a lot, but I just have a hard time fitting it in even though I love working out and feel so much better after I do.

I had the oatmeal for breakfast. It was really gummy so maybe I made it wrong. If not, I'll have to turn it into the muffins they have a recipe for and hope that tastes better. Right now I'm enjoying a delicious peanut butter bar. Plus, I'm almost half way through the water I'm supposed to have for the day.

I know this post isn't really exciting, but it's one way I'm going to hold myself accountable. Hopefully I'll be able to post a weight loss next week.

The Countdown Begins

100 days until hubby and I are on our way to here:

12 nights and 13 days in the beautiful Cook Islands

And thus, my diet and workout regime start this coming Wednesday!

My friend Melissa & her husband did Medifast (not that either of them needed to lose a lot of weight) and she is my size and used it to lose the last few stubborn pounds like I am doing so I'm hoping it works. My order arrived in the mail this morning and I enjoyed my last piece of cheesecake last night at the Cheesecake Factory. I'll keep you posted with how I do on it in case any of you may be interested in trying it for yourselves.

By Golly It's Working

So, I forgot whether or not I mentioned that hubby and I started this new workout regime together about a month ago. It's called P90X, and let me tell you, it's INTENSE! We both had seen an infomercial for it at different times and wanted to try it, and when hubs' gym closed, it seemed like the perfect time.

The program is a 13 week long program that involves 6 days a week of 1 to 1.5 hours of kenpo, weight lifting, jump training, yoga (and I'm not talkin' your momma's yoga!), core synergistics, and much more that you do along to a DVD from the comfort of your own home. Hubby and I both thought we were in pretty decent shape, but we are sweating like crazy doing this thing!

The first two weeks we did really good at actually working out 6 days in a row and sticking to the blah diet (it's very heavy protein for the first 4 weeks which is to help you lose body fat and gain lean muscle). The first week I followed the "meal plan option" where they told you exactly what to eat and in what amounts. We HATED it and no longer looked forward to eating; we just did it because you had to. Plus, my grocery bill for one week was over $200! YIKES! That's almost how much I spend in a whole month. The hardest part of the diet for us was giving up the fruit (we were only allowed one a day) and the carbs (only 1 serving of that a day too). Meat for breakfast, meat for lunch, meat for dinner. How in the world does anybody do Atkins? Oh, and there were tons of veggies too, but I really don't like vegetables...give me the fruit! Surprisingly, cutting out the desserts wasn't that hard.

Well, the next two weeks life got busy and our 6 days of workouts in a row dwindled down to one every other day if we're good and we try to stick by the various servings we're allowed, but for the sake of enjoying life, not to mention my grocery budget, I cut back on how much meat we're eating and added in more whole grains than they say we're allowed and an extra fruit a day. Now, it's a little easier to stick to the diet, but I do admit that I no longer enjoy cooking as much as I used to because I can't experiment with new recipes because I have to be so conscientious of how much constitutes a serving and whether we've already had our quota for the day, etc.

So, where do we stand?

Well, I think it's taken us 6 weeks to get through the first "4" weeks of the program and technically we're only halfway through week "4". Hubby is a lot better about getting the workouts in than I am just because of all the different things I must do once getting home from work (i.e. 2 hours of food prep for dinner and the next day's breakfast and lunch, housekeeping) that sometimes by the time you're done you don't feel like working out. I'd prefer to workout before dinner, but hubs is too hungry to be able to wait until 7:30pm when I'm done and dinner's ready, so that's not an option.

I was getting discouraged yesterday when I took my measurements again and noticed that I haven't lost a single inch in one area. My scale has stayed practically the same. I know I've gained muscle tone because I can feel it and my spine feels a lot better and I have more energy, but the six pack abs, bicep vein, and heart shaped calves aren't coming yet (for me anyway...hubs definitely is!). So, why did I say "by golly it's working, then?"

Well, this morning I went to the dr. that prescribed the medicine that can cause my cholesterol to increase. When I saw her last month it had gone from the 174 I started at 4 months ago to 204! She said this was normal due to the medicine. Well, the good news is today I went in and I had my cholesterol back down to 178!!! I can't imagine what it's going to be when I'm not on the medicine.

So, is my body looking any different on the outside from this program? Not that I can tell. But, my heart is definitely thanking me!

Phlebotomist

Oh what a difference a good phlebotomist makes!

I have to have blood drawn every month for 7 months due to the medication I'm on, and I went in for #5 this morning. Yesterday my boss and I were commenting about our experiences with phlebotomists. I mentioned how I've always been blessed with great ones at the lab I go to and that you hardly feel a pinch and the three vials are filled in no time.

Well, I guess I spoke too soon. This morning I went for my bloodwork and OUCH! There was a new woman there this time and it hurt like crazy from the moment she inserted the needle until at least 20 minutes after I left. I think if I see her next time I walk in the door I'll turn around and come back another day!

The only comforting thing was that I got to swing through the Dunkin' Donuts drive-up on my way out of the parking lot and comforted myself with a poppyseed bagel with light cream cheese and Tropicana orange juice with lots of pulp. Not on the diet, but what else is a girl supposed to do when she's a "starvin' marvin" and has a seriously hurting arm?

Blackberries, Strawberries & Wine...Oh My!

Let me just say this...YUM!!!

Today was another birthday party at work and because I'm trying to be healthy, I decided to make a fruit based dessert instead of the plain ol' cupcake.

I took a box of angel food cake mix and used that to make 18 cupcakes and 1 9" loaf pan. To go with that, I found this recipe here (I also borrowed their picture because the guys at work ate it too quickly to snap my own):


3 c. fresh blackberries
3 c. fresh sliced strawberries
1 c. dry red wine (I used an Australian Cabernet-Merlot blend)
9 T. sugar (I only used 7)
9 grinds of black pepper

Place the washed berries in a large bowl. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour on top of the berries. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to meld the flavors together (I let mine soak overnight). Serve the berries on top of the angel food cake with a dollop of whipped cream. Makes 12 generous servings.

I am not a big fan of red wine, and the pepper sounded really wierd to me, but I think I'm going to make all of my berries for shortcakes and pound cakes like this from now on it was that good!

Happy Anniversary!

Hubby and I celebrated our 6 month anniversary yesterday. It's hard to believe that it's already been that long...we've had such a great time and are thoroughly enjoying married life. We decided to go to church on Saturday night so that Sunday we could sleep in and recoop even more from the early morning we had on Saturday driving home from LaGuardia. I snuck out early, though, to head to my favorite grocery store to pick up a few items to make him a delicious breakfast.

We had homemade cherry-cheese danishes, scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh pineapple (thanks to my $1.99/pineapple find at the veggie store on Saturday). Not the most healthy breakfast, but we had planned on just eating that and a healthy dinner mid-afternoon, so I didn't feel quite so bad. I found the recipe for the danishes here, but modified it by cutting the amount of sugar to 1/3 cup in each place it called for it and using reduced fat cream cheese and crescent rolls. The whole meal was delicious!

For dinner we had home "grown" t-bone steaks (got to love being married to a rancher...you never have to buy beef!), roasted veggies (zucchini, onions, mushrooms, sweet red, yellow, and orange peppers) with olive oil and basil and oregano, baked potatoes with sea salt (Mom, yours were better), and my mandarin orange salad. For dessert I was going to make an angel food cake with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and almonds, but our company brought a chocolate banana creme pie, so we enjoyed that instead...yum! Thankfully the rest of the meal was pretty low-cal and low-fat, so the pie didn't do our diets in too much.

This morning as I was heating up some leftover danishes for hubby, I spilled the beans that the original version of them is 395 calories each! I'm sure the version I made aren't much less than 350 and that my friends is why they are a once or twice a year occurence! I must admit, though, that I had to resist the urge to pack a leftover danish for my mid-morning snack at work and instead feel much better knowing I brought healthy food to work, and I get to begin week 2 of my 24 week fitness challenge today...woohoo!!

My New Best Friend

It was pure delight when the FedEx man finally arrived at work yesterday. I had been waiting all morning for the delivery and kept checking the tracking number to see if my package had arrived yet. I was shocked at 1:45pm when I learned my package had been delivered and signed for at 1:30pm, but nobody bothered to bring me my new best friend. Didn't they know that I had been patiently (okay, not so much perhaps) waiting and waiting for this all morning!? After finally hunting down my special delivery, it was nothing but pure smiles as I discovered my new best friend:

Now, in all seriousness, my hubby is still my best friend and always will be, but this is my new WORKOUT best friend. You see, on Monday I started this women's fitness challenge and without some music to groove to, the six times a week cardio sessions and thrice weekly strength training sessions are going to become BORING, causing me to quit long before the 24 week program is over.

Well, yesterday I gave it a whirl and let me tell you, this little thing is magic! It made the hour and a half at the gym fly by and I actually can't wait to get to the gym today so I can listen to more of my favorite tunes.

Oh, when I said this "little" thing, I wasn't joking. The whole thing weighs less than 0.3 ounces and is only 1" x 1.5" big with a little clip that attaches to my pants or shirt. But, don't let its size fool you...this thing can hold up to 250 songs. Plus, it comes in one of my favorite colors for clothes...teal! All this for the bargain price of less than $50. We sure have come a long way from the days of walkmans, or carrying big boom boxes on your shoulder for that matter!

Thanks hubs for my new best friend!! Don't worry, though, I'll always love you more. Now you'll just have a more fit wifey!

Heart Health

I am on this medicine for the next couple of months that can raise my cholesterol, so I have to have monthly blood work to check my levels. I must say I was surprised to learn that my LDL was already 2 points over the range they gave me even though I eat a pretty healthy diet and work out, and that was BEFORE starting the meds. I guess those commercials about cholesterol coming not only from the food you eat, but also from your "Aunt Sally" are pretty accurate because believe me we definitely have a history of heart disease in my family.

So, it looks like I get to be even more proactive about my heart health. I was previously diagnosed with hypoglycemia, so that means whenever I shop, I'm pretty conscientious about checking the nutrition labels for the amount of sugar in a certain product. However, after getting my first lab results back, I decided to be more consistent with checking the amount of saturated fat in a product too. It was surprising to learn that many items I was buying that were low in sugar, were not low in sat. fat. I guess that's how they make up for the taste difference. Thus, it looks like I'll be sticking to the oats, whole grains, Cheerios, and plant sterols diet! Yipee!!!

As a result, I've been on a salad kick and thought I'd share one of my favorites with you.

MANDARIN SALAD

¼ c. sliced almonds
1 T. sugar
1/2 head lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 bunch romaine, torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium stalks celery, chopped (about 1 c.)
2 green onions (with tops), thinly sliced (about 2 T.)
1 can (11 oz.) mandarin oranges, drained

Sweet/Sour Dressing:
¼ c. canola oil (one of the healthiest for your heart)
2 T. sugar
2 T. vinegar
1 T. snipped parsley
½ t. salt
dash of pepper
dash of red pepper sauce (optional)

Shake all ingredients for dressing in tightly covered jar; refrigerate.

Cook almonds and sugar over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Keep an eye on it so they don't burn! Cool and break apart. Store at room temp.

Place lettuce and romaine in bowl. Add celery and onions. Pour dressing over all. Add orange segments and mix well. Lightly stir in almonds.