Kraft Saucy Mexican Chicken

what you need

1 lb. Boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 small breasts)

1 jar (16 oz.) TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed (I use kroger brand because it has the least amount of carbs)

1 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese

make it

COOK chicken in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat 4 min. on each side or until browned on both sides.

ADD salsa and beans. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on medium-low heat 5 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF).

TOP with cheese. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

Miracles do happen....

So many of you know I was told a week ago that our new baby's heartbeat was very very low and miscarriage was pretty much imminent. We were devastated and pretty much were waiting for it to happen for the last 7 days. We were told to come back in a week if no mc and they would check another ultrasound. So today we went in expecting no heartbeat and much to our surprise and the doctor's surprise, the baby looked perfect, growing with a heart rate of 170! Even the doctor looked puzzled as to how it could be. God had a plan and we feel so overwhelmed and blessed by this amazing news. Please continue to pray for us and this little miracle I am carrying. Praise God for this wonderful news!

New Jillian DVD Coming September

Jillian's new Shred It dvd comes out first part of september. I looks pretty intense. It's 2 30 minute workouts using kettle bells. You can preorder on Amazon for like $10!

South Beach Egg Muffin Recipe

Egg Muffins
(Makes 12 muffins)

15 eggs (for silicone muffin pans, use 12 eggs for metal muffin tins)
1-2 cups grated low fat cheese
3 green onions diced small.
chopped veggies such as broccoli, bell pepper, red pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, etc.
diced Canadian bacon, lean ham, or crumbled cooked turkey sausage/bacon

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use regular or silicone muffin pan, 12 muffin size. If using silicone pan, spray with nonstick spray. If using regular muffin pan, put two paper liners into each slot, then spray liner with nonstick spray.

In the bottom of the muffin cups layer diced meat, vegetables, cheese and green onions. You want the muffin cups to be about 2/3 full, with just enough room to pour a little egg around the other ingredients. Break eggs into large measuring bowl and beat well. Pour egg into each muffin cup until it is 3/4 full. I like to stir slightly with a fork. Bake 25-35 minutes until muffins have risen and are slightly browned and set.

Muffins will keep at least a week in the refrigerator without freezing. Egg muffins can be frozen and reheated. For best results, thaw in refrigerator before reheating. Microwave on high about 2 minutes to reheat.

Taco Soup Recipe

Here is a taco soup recipe that is diet approved and very easy to make. Not mention it is sooo good. Only have one serving a day and it counts as your bean serving for the day if you are doing a low carb diet.

TACO SOUP

2lbs lean 96% ground beef, browned and drained
2 large cans crushed tomatoes + 2 cans of water
2 taco seasoning packets
1 Hidden Valley Ranch packet
2 cans black beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
2 cans rotel
1 small can of corn

Combine all into a large soup pot and heat on medium until bubbling, stirring occasionally.

Top with 2% cheddar and light sour cream if desired.

Workout Plan

Ok so when I started my diet I did not add in the working out until a few months later. I don't really recommend doing that because as you lose you need to be toning up at the same time. This will help tighten as you lose pounds and inches. Either way, starting some type of exercise regimen is beneficial, if nothing else for the heart and overall health benefits. It will also help boost your metabolism, which will help shed pounds even faster. If you work and have children, like me, it seems like there are not enough hours in the day to even think about adding in time for exercise. But it is for your healths sake and that is how you have to think about it. Make time. Even if it is only 20 minutes a day. I know most of us are on the Internet for at least that most days. So if you don't workout now but want to start, I recommend getting the Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred to start off ($9 at walmart or target). People think I am nuts for suggesting this workout because of its difficulty. But if you start out slow by following the level one for beginners and keep with it for a couple weeks, you will see your endurance improve very quickly. This workout is only 22min long! Anyone can push through 22 minutes. And if you need a break just stop for 5 seconds and catch your breath, but keep moving! Why do I recommend this workout? It can be done from home, it is short and it combines cardio and strength training. Now I am not going to lie, you will be sore and fill like your going to die the first few times, but you won't. Stay with it and I promise you will see results and will feel so much better overall.

Make small goals for yourself. When I started out, I said I would do the dvd everyday for 2 weeks. After that, I set more goals and have only missed 3 workouts since first of November. If you get bored easily, like I do, then once you get the hang of it alternate between levels 1, 2, and 3. I would do level one Monday, 2 Tuesday and 3 Wednesday, then start at level 1 again and so on.

Running is another exercise I have fallen in love with. I hate treadmills but I love going outside and running a few miles a few times a week. My goal now is 10 miles per week split up over 3 or 4 days. So I do my Jillian Michaels dvd everyday then run afterwards every other day. The main reason I took up running was because of the heart health benefits and because it is great if you are wanting to slim down your thighs and tighten your abs. I have lost several more inches off my hips and abs since taking up running back in March.

More recently I have joined a gym next door to my house and do the elliptical on my non-running days and lift some weights a few times a week. But going to a gym is not required in order to lose weight. I just like the environment and it gives me a little time away to do something for myself.

The main thing is just doing something, anything to get your heart pumping and speed up your metabolism. But cardio combined with strength training is ultimately the best way to shed pounds and tone up and burns the most amount of calories when done together.

So here is what I have found to be the best workout plan for me! Hope this helps...

Diet Plan

Everyone's body works differently but here is the diet plan I used and found to be best for my metabolism/body type. I used the South Beach Diet Phase 1 Sunday-Thursday and had a cheat meal Fri and Sat. When I was wanting to lose alot in the beginning, I stayed on phase 1 for two weeks without cheating and then after that I did the phase 1 Sun-Thur with the 2 cheat days until I lost all I needed to. When I say cheat day I mean I had one meal that day that was not on my diet (mexican or pizza usually), but I didn't eat bad all day long. I am the type of person that cannot eat strict without some type of treat every now and then. I would go crazy and probably binge eat and end up right back where I started. I put together a sample of what I eat during the week just to give a better picture of how it works...

Sample Menu:

Breakfast
Southwestern egg beaters or 2 real eggs with shredded 2% cheese on top, 2 slices turkey bacon
or
An Advant Edge Carb Control Protein Shake

Snack
Kroger Brand Carb Master Yogurt (very good and filling)
or Sugar Free Jello cup or handful peanuts with a cup of 1% milk or a Sargento lowfat cheese stick

Lunch
Grilled Chicken Salad with any dressing that is lowfat and has <3 sugars and <6 carbs per serving (I use Kraft Caesar Parm Vinaigrette or Hidden Valley Light Buttermilk Ranch)
I change up my salads by using Spinach lettuce, tomato, cucumber and feta cheese or I do regular romaine with 2% cheddar, tomato, and cucumber. Use any lean meat to add protein.

Snack
Any from the list above. You can also eat 2tbsp natural peanut butter with a cup of 1% milk for a change.

I started eating the Progresso Weight Watcher soups for a snack. I stick to the ones with 10 or less carbs per serving and eat half the can.

Dinner
Any lean meat grilled or baked with steamed broccoli or green beans. I usually eat a piece of babybel cheese with it to keep me full. You can have 1 serving of beans (black is best) per day and can add it wherever you like.

I have also put chicken with a little olive oil in the skillet, cook it first, and add salsa, black beans and shredded 2% cheddar and it is really good and something different.

Another idea is grilled turkey sausage on the grilled marinated in A1 with 2% cheese cubes.

I marinate all my meat using McCormick Grill Mates and followed the package directions.

As far as drinks, I drink any diet soda, coffee with sweet and low with a little cream and crystal light.

This is just a sample but all phase one foods allowed are on google. Just type in South Beach Phase 1 and it will be the first website on the list.

I started the diet then added the workout a couple months later, but I will post my workout plan in a couple days...

Before and After Pics

Time for a change....

So there I was, standing in front of a woman not to much older than myself teaching her about eating right and healthy lifestyle post MI. I had done the same routine night after night for several years being a nurse on a cardiac unit. But for some reason this particular night I began to actually listen to my own advice. How could I continue to tell people they were unhealthy and needed to make a change when I myself was standing there 5'3 well over 200lbs and never gave a thought to diet and exercise? I mean I had a 6 month old, working full time + hours and had no time for being "healthy". But then again, how could I expect anyone to follow my advice when I was not willing to practice it myself? And what kind of example was I to my daughter who needs me to be there for her for years to come? That night was life changing for me and now here I am 13 months later starting this blog to encourage others needing the same kind of change and to share a few things I have learned along the way...