Yum of the Day!

(My pictures are not uploading lately. I'm working on this problem.)

Lately I have been trying out some new recipes and this is one of the BEST I've found. My family was definitely ready for a tasty HCG-friendly treat! If you love apple pie or apple crisp, you'll LOVE this!

Cut one apple (per snack allowance) into cubes, and place in bowl.

Sprinkle with Cinnamon and one packet of Truvia.

Microwave for 3 minutes.

Stir, cool and eat.

If you want more of an apple crisp taste, you can crumble the allowed Melba Toast or Grissini in before cooking as well. I have also been toying wit the idea of mixing in a spoonful of Walden Farms Caramel Sauce, which to me sounds almost too decadent for dieting. Enjoy and please let me know what you think!!

One of My Favorite Things

One of my friends is just beginning the HCG protocol and asked me the following question:
"Wanted to see if you know of a good lip balm that can be used on the program. My lips are already dried out and bothering me. Have you or one of your followers found something that works? I'm not too crazy with the Corn Huskers lotion - it just doesn't seem to moisturize as well as my hempz lotion but I'll keep using it. Something has to happen with the lips, though! Thanks!"
I told her about my favorite lipstick/gloss-- Revlon Colorstay Mineral Lipglaze! 

My doctor also approved Eucerin Original formula used sparingly for dry skins and hands. I imagine it would work pretty well for lips as well.

What are the products that work for you? Do you have any favorites? Be sure to share them here.

Free Sharps Container

When I started my HCG adventure, I looked high and low for a Sharps Container to hold my used needles. I was told that I could get one from my local pharmacy but when I asked at two different places, they looked at me like I asked them to lick my shoes. Today I found the answer...Visit this link to order a free sharps container!

I just ordered mine and it said I will get it in 7-10 days. I'll let you know when it arrives.

Variation on a Theme

So, I told my husband about the Orange Slushy recipe that I posted previously and he really wanted to try it. Unfortunately, I was feeling too cheap to buy the Orange and Vanilla Stevia from the Nutrition store (total retail value $30). He suggested that I use a packet of Orange Sunrise Crystal Light (although we use the Walmart brand) that he had for his water bottle.  I tried it and he raved about it.  It's the same recipe that I use for the Strawberry Smoothies, but we substituted one orange for the 6 strawberries, added 1Tbs. of milk, ice and drink mix reconstituted. It was delish!

So, here it is!
Orange Julius
1 orange
1 T. milk
Orange diet drink (Crystal Light)
Ice

Blend until ice and orange are liquified. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

This recipe and the Strawberry always makes more than I can drink! So I get to share with the kids. It's fun to  turn the tables on them. Usually they're eating something that makes me want to beg! LOL

Hot Chocolate on A Rainy Day

It's been incredibly rainy and cold here where I live, and I happened to post on Facebook that I was missing my daily Hot Cocoa. A friend of mine suggested that I try 8oz. of hot water with 5 drops of chocolate flavored Stevia, and 5 drops of vanilla Stevia.  She'd never tried it, and I haven't either but I thought it was worth posting. As soon as I can manage the trip to Dixie Nutrition, I'm kicking back with a mug and a good book!

She also told me about an Orange Slushy recipe that I really want to try!  Combine 2 Tbs. Milk, Ice, an orange, Orange flavored Stevia and Vanilla flavored Stevia in a blender. Sounds delish!

Do you have any other suggestions for Hot Chocolate substitutes or other drinks? I'd love to hear them.

BTW, after 7 days: I've lost 9 lbs., hubby's lost 9, daughter's lost 7.5!!! Doing pretty good, if I do say so!

Round 3 Begins!

For me, anyway! For my husband and daughter, this is their first go-round! Our loading days went well...way too much food. But we are on our way! It's nice to be cooking for more than just myself! I do need to remember to feed my youngest who is the only one in my family not doing the HCG. She's good at reminding me that's she's hungry (like every 5 minutes LOL) so I'm not too worried.

Since there are three of us this time around, I am approaching our meals just a little bit differently. I went shopping for meat in bulk and stocked up on plenty of chicken and steak. I spent a good deal of time weighing out portion sizes and I cooked up a good supply of it and put it in baggies. I'm hoping this will help us as we go through the week to just be able to grab a lunch to take to work/school or if we're each feeling like eating something different from each other. I'm also keeping plenty of fresh vegetables on hand, although I seriously underestimated the amount of veggies I would need for all of us! Now we have easy-to-grab-on-the-go food to keep us going through the week. It took a lot of time up front, but I think it will be a time saver overall.

I'd love to hear your ideas for cooking for families! Are there any other couples or families who are on this crazy ride together? How do you encourage & support each other? Leave a comment with your ideas/suggestions!

Happy New Year!

Wow! Where did the holidays go? I apologize for my lack of posting over the past busy weeks. I hope you were all surrounded by family, friends, and fun times. I had my fill of all of that as well as more food than one can imagine. I count myself lucky that I have stayed within 2 pounds of my LIW with the exception of this morning when I woke up and discovered that I was 4 lbs over!!! Yikes. Needless to say, I did my steak day and we'll see what tomorrow brings. Throughout the holidays, I've had to do about 4 steak days...but they always bring me back under control so I'm grateful for it!

If you are like me, you look forward to the New Year as a time to take stock and set goals. In the past, this time always seemed a little frustrating since I knew my resolution would include some kind of weight loss plan and that I would most likely fail at the attempted plan before spring. This year is different! Looking back over my success of the past year, I can't help but be excited about the idea that I WILL meet my next goal. I begin Round 3 in the coming week and I am confident that I will meet the goal I set last March, of losing 100 pounds total since starting the HCG diet. Is that crazy or what?

After I reach that goal, my big resolution for 2010 is to run a 5K.  I've never been much of a runner, but I have friends who have inspired me and I want to become a more active person and my new lighter weight is no longer an excuse to sit home. My husband and daughter both trained in the past for a 5K with the "Couch Potato to 5K" program so I know it is doable. I have no doubt that it will be difficult, but I'm excited for this new phase in life.

For this HCG go-round, my husband and daughter will be joining me. It will be great to have this camaraderie...they've always been supportive, but now we can help each other through.

I look forward to blogging in 2010. I hope you will all find success with your HCG adventures. I would love to hear your New Years' Resolutions. Leave me a comment and share your motivation. Good luck and Happy New Year!