5 Secrets of the 5% -

From an article on those who have sccessfully kept their weight off.
http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/wellness_articles.asp?id=423

1. …Make It Public. Pb;c for yo may simply bea jornal.. You not have to put it in the National Enquirer

2. …Pay Attention. A permanent, healthy lifestyle is created on purpose. OK, I get it.

3. Enjoy Themselves:Make weight loss a positive experience and fun! How we have gotten to see and beleve that if we are not suffering, we are not working hard enough. Don't fall into that lie. Yes, you will work HARD & some days you may have to force yorself to do it, but that is more about attitude. Find an activity that suits your personality!

I am not a fan of being yelled @ so people like Jillian from the Biggest Loser would not work for me. Optimists are proven to reach more goals than pessimists and live healthier, longer lives

4. Make Gradual Changes. I never thought of what I am doing now as my “current lifestyle”, but honestly, now that I think about it, the accumulation of all my bad eating and cooking and shopping habits (with a few good ones thrown in) is indeed a lifestyle. I will spend time building a few small habits at a time, rather than diving into a program that’s totally incompatible with my current lifestyle. I will create a new lifestyle.

5. Allow Themselves To Fail Refuse to beat yourself up. Be kind to yourself. Surround yourself with sincere,truthful allies with no hidden agendas.
And take the word "failure" out too. Implicaton is self-defeating.

I must try this!

Chef Meg's Cheesy Grilled Banana Peppers

Cheese. Bacon. Tomatoes. Yum!
Chef Meg finds a slightly more sophisticated version of the hot pepper poppers found on appetizer menus everywhere. Her version uses mild banana peppers, creamy Gouda cheese, a bit of bacon for a smoky richness, and tomatoes to offer a bit of freshness. She grills them to add another layer of flavor to the dish.

Serve these as an appetizer or unexpected side dish at your next barbecue!

Chef Meg uses panko, or Japanese breadcrumbs in this recipe. You can substitute whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS
4 banana peppers, fresh
2 slices bacon
1 red or yellow tomato, diced
3 oz smoked Gouda cheese, diced
1 T parsley or cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Wash and cut the stems off the peppers. Using a fork or vegetable peeler, scoop out the seeds. Cook bacon until brown but not crisp; drain and crumble. Combine all remaining ingredients and stuff them into the peppers. Wrap each pepper in a piece of aluminum foil, taking care to cover the tops tightly. Place foil packets on the grill so they stand upright, keeping the filling inside the peppers. Cook with grill lid closed for 10 minutes.

Number of Servings: 4


Nutritional Info

Ammount Per Serving:
Calories: 140.7

Total Fat: 7.8g

Total Carbs: 10.4g

Dietary Fiber: 2.2mg

Protein: 8.1g

I must try this!

Chef Meg's Cheesy Grilled Banana Peppers

Cheese. Bacon. Tomatoes. Yum!
Chef Meg finds a slightly more sophisticated version of the hot pepper poppers found on appetizer menus everywhere. Her version uses mild banana peppers, creamy Gouda cheese, a bit of bacon for a smoky richness, and tomatoes to offer a bit of freshness. She grills them to add another layer of flavor to the dish.

Serve these as an appetizer or unexpected side dish at your next barbecue!

Chef Meg uses panko, or Japanese breadcrumbs in this recipe. You can substitute whatever breadcrumbs you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS
4 banana peppers, fresh
2 slices bacon
1 red or yellow tomato, diced
3 oz smoked Gouda cheese, diced
1 T parsley or cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Wash and cut the stems off the peppers. Using a fork or vegetable peeler, scoop out the seeds. Cook bacon until brown but not crisp; drain and crumble. Combine all remaining ingredients and stuff them into the peppers. Wrap each pepper in a piece of aluminum foil, taking care to cover the tops tightly. Place foil packets on the grill so they stand upright, keeping the filling inside the peppers. Cook with grill lid closed for 10 minutes.

Number of Servings: 4


Nutritional Info

Ammount Per Serving:
Calories: 140.7

Total Fat: 7.8g

Total Carbs: 10.4g

Dietary Fiber: 2.2mg

Protein: 8.1g

Cowboy Caviar

Cowboy Caviar

Black Bean Salsa

INGREDIENTS
2 (15oz) cans black beans, rinsed

1 (17 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 large avocado, diced

1/2 red onion, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro



Dressing

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

3-4 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper



DIRECTIONS
1. Combine all ingred. in bowl.

2. Cover and chill.

3. Garnish with avocado slices

or cilantro sprigs.

3. Serve with tortilla chips



Number of Servings: 24

Nutritional Info

Ammount Per Serving:
Calories: 56.7

Total Fat: 1.7g

Total Carbs: 8.8g

Dietary Fiber: 2.4mg

Protein: 2.5g

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as if everything is.

- Albert Einstein, physicist"

How timely is this?

As I dragged myself out of bed this morning, ,slept well but still feeling a lil funky, my 1st thought was I did "not want to feel another let down day". Why I've been feeling funky is in part the post move let down that typically comes when you moved to a new area, new venture new time.

We hear a lot about (well at least in the movies, motivational speeches in all the wonderful articles about "You can do it! It's your time! All you have to do is take the 1st step!" kind of pep talks but I always wonder why little is spoken of what happens directly after you make the leap. Perhaps that is why when people start their health & wellness program, or sometimes smack dab in the middle of it, or after awhile of success you have a moment of KA-Plunk! when all the pep in your step poops out or despite it all you throw caution to the wind & step off your goals they berate themselves for failing when in actuality you didn't.

But more of you are being human.

Back to my 1st hour of awakening... After getting the newspaper, turning on GMA I checked my email and here was an encouraging email from a supporter who has been exceptional in her own right. Her remarks lifted me and actually inspired this post.The there was reading from Sparks People's Healthy Reflection (see below).

My thought, how timely was this for me...

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
- Martin Luther King Jr.

How Do You React to Setbacks?
When problems come up, how do you react? Do you look for blame, or do shoulder what you can and try to repair it? Do you throw up your hands and look for an easier way, or do you learn, adapt and keep pushing? There's a lot of talk nowadays about 'personal responsibility'. That's great. But it's usually brought up only in finding fault. It's true that to show 'responsibility' is to own up to your role in the problem's cause. We don't often hear about the other side of responsibility--an obligation to be part of the solution. Even when a hardship is not your fault at all, you can--and should--do what you can to fix it. Your skills and abilities create an obligation that only your character can fulfill.

Thanks girlfriend...

He who does not mind his belly will hardly mind anything else.
- Samuel Johnson

Schedule a personal tune-up

Proper nutrition is part of the foundation of a healthy life. Your car needs the right amount of gas and periodic tune-ups to make it run smoothly and prevent future problems. Your body needs healthy food and periodic check-ups too. Make a goal to start treating your body the right way. Take care of yourself. Eat the right foods and make sure to visit your doctor regularly. If you start maintaining and tracking your progress, you will probably see dramatic positive results in the way your body runs.