2011 September

Wow, has it really been three days since I blogged???

Oh yeah…. it’s because I’ve been in a WHIRLWIND of STRESS all week. Let me assure you, my bloggie friends, I would have SOOOOOO rather been here with you as compared to what I was doing. Lots of high-pressure situations, important visitors and critical meetings. But now… it’s ALLLLLLLL done.

THANK GOODNESS!

So, in honor of a CRAZY week, I’ve decided to give you a few random peeks at what my days looked like.

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Dorothy may have said it best, but I sure can say it, too.

Another gorgeous Colorado sunset – - I swear, Colorado shows off some times.

Gosh, it feels SOOOOO good to be home. I sleep like an absolute rock in my bed and feel like my sheets hug me all night. It’s just so nice. Now, I do miss the maid service – - the fresh towels, bed magically made, and the turndown service. And, to make matters worse, I’ve made quite the mess at my place and I’m going to have to clean it myself tomorrow night to prep for a weekend guest. The worst.

I’m STILL Logging!

I’ve continued logging all of my food intake into MyFitnessPal.com. It’s been over a week now, and I really feel like it’s helping. In my head, I have a virtual checking account from which I can eat. If there’s no calories left, there’s no more eating. For the 12 days that I’ve logged, I’ve only gone over my 1200 calories ONCE. I think that’s pretty darn good! I’m excited to weigh in on Saturday and see how I’ve done!

A Weekend O’ Fun Lies Ahead

My dear (and newly engaged) friend Donna is coming to town! Donna is one of my favorite travel companions and selflessly accompanied me on my ONEderland reward trip! Looking forward to having her visit Colorado again!

We’ve got a few things planned for the weekend, and though I haven’t discussed it with her yet, I think we’re going to go BOOT shopping as well. But how about this for fun…

Can’t WAIT to see this show and laugh my butt off!

And… I’m ready to walk 5K for a good cause!

Most of all, I’m just excited to have Double D in town. I’ll share fully censored details of our fun next week as it will likely be more fun than this blog can handle!

I’ve Been a Fashionista

I had several opportunities to dress up this week, and holy cow…. I really think outdid myself. Shopping is FUN, FUN, FUN now that I’m in smaller sizes… All the looks are from New York & Company — my current favorite shopping spot.

WARNING: The photography below is hideous. I’m not sure how people take pics of themselves in mirrors. And, Blackberry… while I love ya, your camera is a piece.

Nonetheless, check out this adorable vest look from New York & Company.

Vested up for Thursday

I already had the brown suit, but I found this great top to wear under it that was VERY fall-ish, and just right!

Brown Suit for Tuesday’s Meetings

I had big meetings on Wednesday as well. I also got this top at NY&C, and it looked so gorge under a black suit jacket with black pants!

Getting ready to go into a meeting. Loved this shirt!

So Cute Under a Jacket, right?

CHECK OUT THIS HAIRSTYLE
Despite all the hustle and bustle of this demanding work week, I did find time to ~~waste~~ spend on Pinterest, and I found awesome step-by-step instructions for this half-updo! LOVE it! I tried it on Tuesday night and it was EASY and looked awesome. Now I just need to get up early enough to do it in the morning. It’s super-cute. I do a lot of nothing with my hair on most days, so this could be a nice change. Check out the details here.

I can’t even tell you how happy I am that the week is coming to an end! Bring on the weekend, and bring on the fun! xoxo

New Numbers, Bad Timing

Weekend Weigh-In Update

Ask Me: Random Questions Edition

I saw this recipe last year. Last year, however, I was in no position to be going off plan and eating on my own in anyway. I was so determined to lose the weight and nothing was going to get in my way.

BUT… now, I’m at a point where JC is actually ENCOURAGING me to start transitioning from JC food to real food. So, I pulled it out of the archives!

Do you know Hungry Girl??

I think she’s amazing. She’s all about low-cal treats and helping the world eat what they want while losing weight. She has a fabulous website and is even on the Food Network these days! If you haven’t had the pleasure, I definitely recommend you check out her site.

This specific recipe is a “Swap” for Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Fajitas and a MUCH healthier option for us “losers” to choose.

Buffalo Chicken Fajitas

Inspired by Hungry Girl’s Buffalo Chicken Fajita recipe

Serves 1

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup Fiber One Original bran cereal
Dash garlic powder
Dash onion powder
One 5-oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlet, pounded to 1/3-inch thickness
2 Tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
3/4 cup sliced bell pepper
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 Tbsp. Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 tbsp. precooked real crumbled bacon (like the kind by Oscar Mayer) (optional)
1 Tbsp. crumbled blue cheese (optional)

1 1/2 Tbsp. light ranch dressing (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

2. Place cereal in a sealable plastic bag; remove air, and seal. Using a meat mallet (or other heavy utensil), crush cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency through the bag. Add garlic powder and onion powder. Seal and shake to mix. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

3. Place chicken on another plate and top with egg substitute. Flip chicken to coat both sides. Gently shake chicken to remove excess egg substitute, and transfer to the plate of crumbs. Flip to coat both sides with crumbs.

4. Place chicken in the baking pan and bake in the oven until crispy and cooked through, about 30 minutes, carefully flipping about halfway through bake time. Set aside.

5. Meanwhile, bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add bell pepper and onion and, stirring occasionally, cook until softened, 6 – 8 minutes. Transfer veggies to a clean plate and set aside.

6. Combine hot sauce with 1 tbsp. water in a bowl, and mix well.

7. Once chicken is cool enough to handle, slice and then carefully coat both sides of cooked chicken with sauce mixture. Place over the plated veggies. Top with any remaining sauce mixture.

I served mine over a small bed of romaine with some sliced roma tomatoes. The original HG recipe suggests topping with bacon and blue cheese. Instead of adding the bacon and blue cheese, I drizzled the meat with light ranch dressing. Choose the garnish you like most!