Thanks Avery!

SEEFORYOURSELFANDTAKETHECHALLENGE!

Avery started losing weight about the same time our family did.  I would love this special little piggy to be the reason that millions of people get healthy and I know that if you want to lose weight and get healthy and KEEP that weight off the best way to do it is on Slimming World USA's weight loss program. 

I love that it has been the same plan for 43 years. 
I love that it is SO AFFORDABLE! 
I love that it has changed my life.
I love that all I have to do is make family meals and buy grocery store food. 
I love that they don't sell anything, no pills, no potions, no shakes, no supplements.
I love that our "losers are our real winners". 
I love that we don't pay celebrities who don't need to lose weight to represent us.
I love that every week people come off of their diabetic medications, even eating unlimited amounds of real food, fruits, veggies, lean meats, non fat dairy, pasta, potatoes and rice!
I love that a whole church can be a support system. 
I love that kids from 11-15 are FREE.
I love that Slimming World is about caring for people. 
I love that I can give hope to people who have given up a long time ago.
I love that you don't need to be hungry, it is a fully balanced healthy plan and you don't need to be deprived. 
I love that I get to tell everyone about it and you can to...because, together WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!  We can make the US the healthiest country in the world.  We have the resources.  Will you join me?  Will you take Avery's challenge?

It has made a difference in my life and it will make one in yours too, no matter where you live.  Will you let me help you?  It would make Avery one happy pig. Yeah, I know, my before picture looks like an old lady.  That's what it does to you.  I'm here for you, together we can...

http://news.yahoo.com/video/dallascbs11-15750646/obese-pet-pig-inspires-local-church-to-get-healthy-28488029.html#crsl=%252Fvideo%252Fdallascbs11-15750646%252Fobese-pet-pig-inspires-local-church-to-get-healthy-28488029.html

Corn Chowder...yummmmy!

This passed the Josh taste test...he ate several bowls so now I have no leftovers for lunch...ah well, what a problem, huh?  The whole family eating the same healthy delish food is a good thing! Slimming World has changed my life and has helped us to eat together as a family - all eating healthy great food!  But I was afraid that Josh was going to lose his tuxedo pants during his recital last night!  He has lost weight too!  I am so proud of you Josh~

Here it is while cooking for 20 minutes.

Here it is before I enjoyed it, sure wish I had made more so I had leftovers!

3 cups of chicken broth made with boullion and 3 cups boiling water
3 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
2 cans corn, do not drain
1 medium chopped onion
1 chopped red bell pepper
2 ribs chopped celery
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 cups skim milk

Saute onions, peppers and celery in a soup pot sprayed with Pam spray for about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 20 minutes.  Blend 3/4 of the mixture and leave 1/4 unblended to remain chunky.  Serve!  Yummmmy!  I promise!

Go-to salads for a quick meal...

My favorite quick tuna salad

Oh, yum!  Can I say that Fat Free Greek Yogurt is your friend?  IT SO IS!  If you haven't met her yet, say hello to a Greek Goddess!  You'll see why if you make this salad.  This was my lunch today...yum.  So this is what I do, I will share a secret or two here...let me whisper...

I boil a few eggs, usually about 6 or so and I mark them with a pencil and stick them in the fridge.  I substitute fat free Greek Yogurt for mayo...and I am a mayo snob, only really liking Hellman's.  Greek yogurt can separate a bit if you don't eat it right away so you wouldn't want to make this one day and eat it days later, in fact, here is how I do it when I am bringing it with me to work.

I put all the ingredients in the container and do not mix them until I am ready to eat!  That is  a secret y'all!

Here goes:

2 hard boiled eggs
1 can of white tuna, packed in water, drained
1 rib celery
1 green onion, sliced
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon fat free Mayo
2 TBSPs fat free Greek yogurt
Small cooked pasta, there is about 3/4 cup here but add what you wish, it is free!

Mix and eat!  So fast and easy and with ingredients you probably have on hand.  I enjoyed mine with a ruby red grapefruit, peel 'em and eat 'em!  I really love them, in fact I am rather addicted to ruby reds right now and they are super slimming.  I peel off the tough skin between the juicy flesh...they are fun to peel and so yummy to eat.  I have been eating them every day because I love them and I did lose 6 pounds this week!  I ate this tuna at least twice too, because it was very satisfying to me.

Why not try this too:

Curried Chicken Salad

Cooked chicken chunks, fresh or canned
2 eggs, hard boiled
celery, cut up
apple, cut up
1 tsp raisins, minced (syns)
Greek Yogurt
1 tsp ff mayo
salt, pepper and curry powder

This one is yummy too!  No need to be hungry at lunch time!  You can even throw cooked rice or pasta into this mixture and it is a meal in itself. Who needs bread for lunch!

Lentil Rice Salad

This salad makes a fast, easy lunch.  Throw some into a bowl, grab a piece of fruit and a bottle of water and you are set to go.  That is what I need.  I like to have left overs for lunch because they are easy.  But there are not always left overs to be had.  This one takes some preparation.  I would liken it to the Bean Salad recipe that I have already posted because you do the chopping and make it ahead of time.  Then you have it on hand for a fast meal or an addition to your dinner. I made a lot of this.  Lentils have loads of protein and are a slimming way to get protein.  I thought this was yummy. 

 Check it out and let me know what you think.  I will post the second go-to recipe in a day or so, hey, I am busy, why do you think I need a go-to salad anyways?  Speaking of that I am so excited to GO-TO weigh in this week at Slimming World because I got weighed today and I was lower than I have been, like, way lower...I am getting SMALLER! May be I should show you that too, huh?  My girls took this picture...here I am and  here they are too...

Sorry, some bad lighting here...I'll do more pictures later... just thought you wanted to see my smaller sized jeans ; - )

My girls took the pictures...aren't they the cutest!?! 

Lentil Rice Salad Recipe

(I doubled this because to me that is the whole point of making it ahead.)

1/2 cup lentils, washed and cooked per directions

1 1/2 cups water

1 cup chopped tomato ( I used grape tomatoes)

1/4 sliced green onions

1 cup diced carrots

1/4 cup lightly sauteed red onion

3/4 cup green pepper (I only had red on hand)

1 1/2 cups broccoli or cauliflower flowerets

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cups brown rice (cooked, yeilds a larger amount)

Dressing:

3 Tablespoons Nakano, Marukan or other Seasoned Gourmet Rice vinegar

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Add lentils to water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain.  Prepare rice according to package directions. Prepare vegetables while rice and lentils are cooking.  Mix lentils, rice and vegetables.  Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over vegetable mixture.  Chill well before serving.

I can also envision this recipe with a few twists.  You could make it Mediterranean by adding fat free feta, cucumbers, mint, and olives. Or what about adding tuna and a small pasta?  How about fresh pineapple tidbits, chicken pieces and curry powder? 

One Spicy Hauler hauls SPICES at Penzey's

Man, how did that title grab ya?  Like "She sells seashells at the sea shore"? Well, no seashells, but loads of great spices.  I went today with the spice girls...and I am not naming any names but you know who you are.  They didn't want to be in the video!?!  Can you imagine that?  But they saw me in action, close up and personal like. 

You can watch my haul at Penzey's to feel like you are a SPICE GIRL too!
laurelhaulsspicesatpenzeys

This is THE BEST cinnamon you ever tasted.  I PROMISE.  It is apple season and even though apples are not super slimming foods I do enjoy them... we like to slice them up and sprinkle this cinnamon on them, and perhaps a packet of splenda but this cinnamon is already so sweet and there is no added sugar!  It is Vietnamese cinnamon.  They have many kinds of cinnamon at Penzey's and you can smell 'em all...in fact, I wish this computer had smell-a vision so you could take a whiff because you'd be convinced!

I am going to try the Salsa salad seasoning in my bean salad recipe that is posted here...can't wait to do that.  And I am super excited about the Spice Blend called "Sunny Paris"  MAN alive did that one smell great...and the Sate and the Curry...

It all re-energized me for cooking ideas...and I bet you want to come over huh?Well, there may just be a Penzey's near you or you can get a catalog or look online at http://www.penzeys.com/ The catalog has loads of recipes to inspire you and remind you of home.

I love that on Slimming World I can so enjoy cooking and food again...no frozen meals, no feeling deprived and now I have lots of fun spices to experiment with!  And so do my anonymous friends, the spice girls!

Maybe you need to spice it up!

Woman of the Year!

Let me introduce you to Donetta...she is so sweet.  We are all so warmed by her kindness and encouraging words every week.  We can all probably close our eyes and see her routing us on in our journeys.  That is what it is too...it is a journey!  Donetta was elected as "Woman of the Year" in my group today.

With other weight loss plans that I have been on I have always dreaded the day that I went there.  I have resented the time that I had to spend sitting in the group and I HATED going to get weighed.  I hated weighing and measuring and counting everything I put in my mouth.  I found a plan with freedom from all of that!

I have to tell you that right now I am not really happy because I gained a pound this week.  And I so wish I had eaten some yummy cake or treat that justifies my weight gain, but I did not.  I am steadfast.  And I will remain that way.  See, the thing is, because of people like Donetta in my group it is such a wonderful place to be.  We are all on the journey together with our ups and our downs.  I don't dread going to Slimming World.  They make the journey so much fun. 

I know, one of my friends recently said that I think everything is fun. But this is different.  There are so many things at a meeting that are FUN!  It is nothing like I have seen at any of the others and I HAVE DONE THEM ALL! I so wish this would spread like a wildfire across the country so you could be in a group too.  Because, I want you to know, you are not alone in your struggle...there is a Donetta near you, or a Sonya, or a Nancy, or an Amber or a Karen or Rachel...cheering you on and believing you can do it!

You can sign up to do Slimming World online at http://www.slimmingworldusa.com/ and online it is called Body Optimising.  It is different than being in a group because you won't be blessed to have Donetta there cheering you on each week.  But hey, let me know you are doing it with me and I will cheer for you!  Cheers go out today to Marilena from Georgia who has just completed her first week online!  She lost 7 pounds!  WOW!  You go girl!  They will simply not recognize you when you get back home!  Marilena has not figured out how to post a comment but she has been watching and a Slimming World leader gave her my number and she called me today to say how well she has done!  So glad to meet you Marilena!

Wish I could say I did the same today Marilena, but hey, I am real about this and I got lemons today so I am going to go make some lemonade...it is a super slimming food!

AND BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LOVELY DONETTA!!!

Recession-Proof Dieting: An Introduction

Hi!  My name is Laurel.  I am so happy to meet you.  My life has been changed by a recession-proof diet.  I call it that because in this economy we can't all afford to have costly weight loss plans where we get to purchase prepared meals that are supposed to be satisfying.  We can't all afford the other plans that have you give yourself daily injections of hormones.  We don't want to take fat blockers and have accidents.  And the number of people who are paying for costly surgeries is amazing! Well, we all know that getting the weight off is one thing and maintaining that is another.  So many people "power through" six weeks of weight loss shakes and puddings only to put it all back on as soon as the shakes are gone.  How do I know?  Been there, done that...probably most of them except surgery.  Somehow it takes a mind change.  And for me, a change that is also not costly.

I found Slimming World.  What is Slimming World?  No, it doesn't have anything to do with Swimming...I said "Slimming".  It isn't really a place either.  I happened to see it on WFAA on Good Morning Texas.  Here is a diet I haven't tried!  These two ladies moved here from the UK to bring this amazing plan to the USA starting right here in North Texas and I got to be in the first group. The meetings are so inexpensive (less than $10.00 a week) and they sell NO PRODUCTS!  You eat REAL FOOD!  You can't get more recession-proof than that unless you are so self-disciplined you can go it alone. No vitamins, no shakes, no injections...just real food without weighing, measuring or counting.  Now that is a plan I can follow.  I don't even have to think about food constantly.  I can just live my life!

That was the beginning of my adventure.  It messed with my head and that is why I am here.  In this blog, I hope to share stories and recipes with pictures and help others in their struggles too.  And I hope to change my mind about exercise and get myself moving...not for a short time but for a lifetime.  Come along and join  me!

It won't be too long before Slimming World spreads its way across the country to you.  Right now you can see what I am doing at http://www.slimmingworldusa.com/. Online the program is called "body optimising."  I am uploading Youtube videos and I will also post the links to them here.  You can leave me questions or comments on the videos or on the blog at either place and I will do my best to answer them.  And I will post my before and now pictures and eventually "after" pictures since I am not there yet.  But really, is anyone there?  Where is there?

Here is my first Youtube video...I can be found by going to Youtube and searching for laurelwright7

Click here to see my first video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbw6boajpPM