Yuck Yuck Yuck

Last night I was disgusted with myself. 

I had a fell-off-the-wagon-so-I'll-wallow-in-the-mud kind of day yesterday. 

I didn't eat anything until like 1pm and then I couldn't make myself stop. I even rationalized buying a party pizza from wal-mart and ordering in that chinese I've been craving for 2 weeks. Not only did I eat this bad stuff I stuffed myself on good stuff too.. a can of green beans and a can of black beans (at separate times of course). It was bad. Its the worst food day I've had since I was on steroids for my back pain in the spring and at least then I could point to a reason I was eating like a crazy person!

It hit me the hardest when I went to get the cash to pay for my take out. I needed one more dollar than I had on me so I went over to the envelope I have for the $$$ I put in Peggy for my weight loss achievements.
 I was literally stealing from myself.
Exchanging silly excuses of why I needed this food for my reward for abstaining from it. I had to figure out what was going on in my crazy brain of mine. What was the trigger, what set it off this time to the point that every-time I got up from the couch or homework I found myself scouring the fridge for something to put in my mouth. Why couldn't I stop myself?

While I was working the late shift pondering these things while making some rosettes for this fantastic blanket I've embarked on (I'll show you photos when I get it finished, Whenever that might be) I realized that I'm lonely. Not just the I'm-single-and-want-to-be-a-bride lonely, but just in general, in this dorm full of girls I never get a break from either being someone's superior or someone being mine. I've got to find some outlet of peers to meet new people. I love my little friend group but they've really become closer than family and sometimes family doesn't fulfill that social need. They just don't. : ( 

After a long text conversation with my friend J$ I felt super encouraged with a better outlook on this whole thing and a game plan to do some more socializing and not just being around tons of people. 

I just needed to be accountable to all you out there because I definitely double bagged that Pizza and put in under by bag so that the Kids on the bus couldn't see it as easily. Also I have to be accountable to myself for the damage I've done. I know that scale isn't going to show me what I want to see in the morning, but if I skip weigh in it will start a slippery slope that I've been down before. and I can't let myself go there this time. 

I can't.

So there you have it. 

Until tomorrow's ominous weigh in.

Chelsea

Low(ish) Carb No-Bake Cheesecake!!

Sometimes we just need to have something sweet to get us through a tough week. 

This recipe has been adapted from several I found online with a little bit of variation here and there with my own twist thrown in there. 

Low(ish) Carb No-Bake Cheesecakes

What you need:

2 Packages Neufchatel Cheese (the 33% reduced fat cream cheese)

8 oz. Whipping Cream

1/8 cup Splenda

1/8 cup Equal

1 package Chocolate Graham Crackers

Sugar Free Caramel (in the ice cream toppings section)

In one bowl use a hand beater to whip the cream cheese until smooth.

 In a separate bowl, whip the whipping cream until firm peaks form. 

With a rubber spatula, transfer the cream cheese in the whipped cream and beat until well mixed.

 Now you need a 1/4 cup of artifical sweetener, I used half Splenda and half Equal, I'm not really a fan of the splenda taste so this made for a better flavor.

While tearing the many packets of sweetener, pet the puppy with your foot so she feels loved and you don't get your hands germy!

Now look at the stack of sweetener packets to figure out which one you ended with before you were distracted by the cute pup. 

You will add the sweetener to the whipped mixture and whip some more, a lot more, to make sure the mixture is smooth and evenly sweetened.

 Now blend one package of the chocolate graham crackers. This is why this recipe says (ISH) in the title. These little babies definitely have sugar but you really only get about one cracker per serving and mine has a little too much crust in the bottom.

 Now spread the crumbs evenly between the glasses, I made 6 servings with this one recipe.  

**Here's a little trick of the trade. As you see in the two glasses in the above one seems to have more crusty goodness in the bottom... that is not so. Both have the same amount but in the one on the right I made a little well like you would when making biscuits so it looks like there is more in the bottom.**

Next you'll split the whipped mixture evenly between the glasses, trying to stay as neat as possible. I'm not very good at keeping it neat but I try really hard. 

 

Top with the Sugar Free Caramel Syrup. This really could have waited until just before serving because it mixed with the top of the cheesecakey part while sitting in the fridge.

 Cover and sit in the fridge to chill until just before serving.

Since I take over his house on Thursday afternoons when I cook and we kick him out during bible study/Grey's night, I make sure my best friend's husband gets some dessert if I make any... He usually gets the messiest one but that's always better than nothing!!

 There they are. The Finished Product! Ready to enjoy! and Enjoy we did! They were super yummy! and the other girls couldn't believe that it really was low carb.You could also add nuts to this and make it turtley but I didn't think about that while I was pushing the cart around Kroger, plus.. Nuts are expensive.

Here are the instructions without the photos and puppy so you can copy and paste more easily:

Low(ish) Carb No-Bake Cheesecakes

What you need:

2 Packages Neufchatel Cheese (the 33% reduced fat cream cheese)

8 oz. Whipping Cream

1/8 cup Splenda

1/8 cup Equal

1 package Chocolate Graham Crackers

Sugar Free Caramel (in the ice cream toppings section)

In a mixing bowl whip the cream cheese with a handheld mixer until smooth with no lumps.

In a separate bowl, using the same mixer, whip the Whipping Cream until firm peaks form.

Transfer the Cream cheese into the whipping cream bowl. Whip until completely blended together. 

Add in 1/4 cup of Artificial Sweetener. Blend some more.

Crush Graham Crackers.

Layer cracker crumbs, whipped mixture and caramel sauce in a serving dish. 

Chill until ready to serve (at least an hour).

Enjoy!

Happy Eats!

 Chelsea-Lou

Fave Find Friday: Tiny Pepperonis

Fave Find Friday!!

This is my fave find this week! These little pepperonis are perfect for snacking with no sugar. 

They have just enough spice to keep you from eating too many and the best part of this little find? 

It was only $1 at Walmart this morning!

You can't beat that!!

Happy Friday!

Chels

Update!!

So.. I've been a bad South Beach Follower this week. 

Well really just Wednesday... I kinda threw it all out the window when I went to Jackson for a Dr.'s Appt. My family went to eat at Keifer's, this delicious greek place right off State Street, and I had their cottage fries and feta sauce with very little guilt. But the surprising thing was that I only had 2 slices.. in the past, I could have/would have eaten an entire order of those lovely things all on my own.. But I didn't!

 YAY for Change!!

Then I had a couple of cokes and (hiding my face) Taco Bell for dinner. That meal I am ashamed of. 

But the important thing is that yesterday morning I just got up and started back on track, because Wednesday was just another day and I'll have more of those days where indulging in those old foods will happen. This is a new attitude for me in my weight loss journey, and its a hard one to keep. I want to badly to say, "Oh well, I failed this week so I'll just eat whatever this weekend and start back on Monday." WRONG!!! I have to wake up EACH morning and choose to commit to this thing. "Tomorrow is a new day with no Mistakes in it yet" is what a poster that I have framed in my bathroom states. 

I have to remind myself and fight so that tomorrow will be a good day and even the next meal will be a good meal.

This afternoon I'll post a recipe I made yesterday for our Bible Study/ Grey's night.

 Low-Carb No-Bake Cheesecake!! Yum!!

Talk to you this afternoon!!

Chelsea-Lou

Best Dishes!! A Friend's Cookbook

Love & Best Dishes for the Mr. And Mrs. 

yes this is set up on a ping-pong table. :) 

That was the title of the cookbook we put together for our dear friend Melissa's wedding shower this past weekend.  We filled it with the recipes of the foods made for the shower as well as some of her favorites from our college days! Since it was a Kitchen Shower I thought this little gift would be one she treasured for years as she added to it from time to time.

Here's how you can make one for your bride-to-be!

You will need:

1 3-Ring Binder (I got heavy duty because I am expecting Lots of use)

1 Pack of Dividers

1 Pack of 50 Clear Page Protectors

1 Pack of Cardstock (I purchased the pastel assortment)

Pens

2 or 3 pages of fancy 8x10 Invitation paper for the Covers 

**Important note: Make sure to let the guests know to come ready with a recipe to share. Some of us have a few recipes memorized but if it gets too complicated its nice to have already have it written down somewhere just to copy when they arrive. **

How to put it together:

1. Make Cover Pages. To do this I used the fancy 8x10 invitation paper found at the local stationary store. You can also just whip one up on your favorite desktop publishing program. I didn't have a printer so I simply hand wrote the cover page. I included the title, an explanation, and the date of the shower. I also cut up the second page with this art on it and used it to decorate the back and side pockets for a completed all around look.

2. Label the dividers. I divided the cook book into these categories: Party Foods, Sweets, Main Dishes, Others, and Our Favorites. 

3. Set up the Table. Lay out the paper and pens with instructions to fill out recipes with a note for the bride and groom and a spot to place the completed recipe cards. 

4. Collect the Cards.

5. Put it together for the Bride. Insert the pages into the protectors then put them into the correct categories. Put extra paper in the back inside pocket and the extra protectors at the back of the binder so she can add to it at later showers or as the years go by. 

6. Present it to the bride and give her a big fat hug!! 

She will love this special gift. 

Especially if she is as sentimental as me and our friend Melissa! 

There is a story to go with each of those recipes and she can tell you exactly what it is!

Happy gift giving!!

Chelsea-Lou

Edamame!!

Since I forgot my computer charger at home this weekend I didn't get to post my Favorite Finds Friday post. This week it is a great little snack that is definitely on the South Beach plan. 

If you don't know what Edamame is, its just a Japanese name for steamed soybeans in their pods. At many sushi restaurants you can order a bowl of it as an appetizer. Just use your teeth to open the pods and enjoy this healthy little snack.

These little pouches came in a box of 6 single serving steam bags from the freezer section at WalMart. These little pouches have proven themselves handy over the last 2 weeks. All I have to do is pop it in the microwave for 2 mins, let sit for a min, pour into a bowl and sprinkle with a little salt and I'll have a healthy little snack in no time. 

Happy Snacking!
Chels

Weigh in Week 2

Well this weekend I cheated... like a little bit from Thursday night bible study pizza and chocolate cake through Sunday night subway run after church, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it because I knew this particular weekend would be extremely difficult to stay away from sugar completely.  You see, there was this thing called a MSU football game and then a very cool wedding shower where everything had sugar except the rotel. I just made a deal with myself on Thursday night that it would be ok for me to enjoy the foods at these events as long as I ate well during the rest of the day and get back on the horse bright and early Monday morning. Here's the weigh in stats:

Weight Loss this week: +.5 lbs

Total Weight Loss: 5.5 lbs

Total Loss To-Go: 102.5 lbs

So there is your update this week.

Have a great one!!

Chelsea-Lou 

weak day today

Today I struggled, probably because I didn't eat anything until 11 am and then again at 4:30pm.

Actually It was just more of an internal struggle today. I stayed on track food wise today and did an hour of Yoga with our Yoga Club here at the school but I've stared at the China Royal Menu on the fridge for a good 45 minutes this afternoon, going over all the pros and cons of just ordering it and giving in. But I didn't so Its a Win!

Just needed to share because I want all you looking for inspiration out there that everyday won't be easy, actually most wont. But like my dear friend told me this afternoon when I needed some encouragement ... ITS NOT WORTH IT!!...

I've been saying this quote we saw on pinterest earlier today in my head this afternoon:
"Don't give up what you really want for what you want right now"

Don't give up. Its worth it to keep on track even if you can taste the coconut chicken and fried rice on your tongue.

Until next time!
Chels

The bible is so cool..

Good afternoon loved ones!

      This morning I was reading through my assigned reading for this week while I sat in the bakery at STATE from the book You Are Gifted by Kenneth Hemphill. We are studying in depth this week about the context and scripture surrounding the spiritual gifts mentioned in Ephesians chapter 4. Let me share this paragraph from the book with you and share with you the really cool cross reference my mind made with it. This is from page 149 in the book:

"The church - yes, I am talking about your church - is intended to express God's fullness in your community and to the ends of the Earth. In case you think the church in incapable of such a lofty goal, just listen to the end of the prayer. "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (vv.20-21) More than we ask or dream! According to the power that works in us! Did you notice that when the church receives glory, Christ receives glory?"

When I read that last question it sent my mind to Ephesians 5:23 that states "For the husband is the head of the wife, as also christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body."

Which made me think of another woman in the bible who's Husband is brought glory through her diligence and actions, The Elusive Proverbs 31 Woman.

For several years this model of a virtuous woman has spurred me on to prepare to be the best possible wife and woman in general, and so many women have complained that this woman only in theory and no one woman can really do all of those things,

But...

What if....

Just go with me here....

The CHURCH is supposed to take action like the Proverbs 31 woman. The church is the BRIDE of Christ and our purpose is to make is name known. Can Christ say that his heart safely trusts the church that he will have no lack of gain? (v.11) Do we honor Him, doing only good, not evil all the days of our life? (v.12) Shouldn't the church willingly and diligently work to provide for the children of God? (v.13-19)  We should extend our hands to the poor and reach out to those in need.(v.20) We should only open our mouths with wisdom and on our tongues should be the law of kindness. (v. 26) We should NOT EAT THE BREAD OF IDLENESS that seems to be the tendency of so many local churches.(v.27) Its time that we collectively together as the Bride of Christ to gird ourselves with strength and make our arms strong (v.17) in the word to do the work he has asked us to do, to be his living representation on this earth, bringing Glory to the Father until our bridegroom returns! Honestly, WE"VE done a poor job making our husband proud to call us His, but the most fantastic part of this is no single person is responsible for being this Bride by themselves, we are ONE body with many parts as Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:14. Lets be the crowning jewel on the head of our Bridegroom which is Christ and not a bride that causes shame and rottenness in his bones. (Proverbs 12:4)

Now didn't I say the BIBLE was cool?

Think on this brothers and sisters.
Until next time!
Chelsea

BAMM!!

Its weigh in day! 

I hope every weigh in day feels this exciting!! 

I have lost 6lbs this week. 

Wooo Hooo!! 

Thank you God!

I did a 2 minute silly happy dance when I got off the scale, I'm glad no one could see it because I looked ridiculous.  

Also another thing I'm celebrating today is the fact that I went a whole weekend without cheating even once, which really is a first for me! Its only by the grace of God that I was able to do it... Half the girls in the dorm performed at the opening of Krispy Kreme in town and received 2 boxes of doughnuts for free and wanted to give them away. I was able to say No thank you with no problems! 

Now I have something to show you. 

This is my inspiration wall. I got the idea from Pinterest and will adapt it to my life accordingly. Its a visual reminder everyday of my goal and how far i've come and milestones to look forward to. I'll be adding things to it as I go along and I'll share it with you from time to time as I weigh in and reach goals.

This is what I promised to show you yesterday, These are the next 3 goals to meet with their predetermined rewards. A mani-pedi at 10lbs (I'm almost there!), a haircut at 15lbs down and to schedule the massage that I won at a silent auction for half price at 20lbs. Once I reach one goal, I'll set the next. I know I'm gonna really stick to it this week because these nails of mine need some loving!

Thanks for reading!

Until Next Time!

Chelsea-lou