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Choosing to Live a Healthy Life
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I weigh myself every morning so I can stay motivated and keep focused on my goal.  Mondays are my official weigh-in day.  That’s the weight I use on my tickers and to mark my progress.

I was very pleased this morning to step on the scale and find that I weigh 235 :)  I’m using an old type spring-dial scale, so it’s not giving me the most accurate weight.  I went ahead and ordered a really cool Weight Watchers scale online and am waiting (heh!) for it to get here.  I’m pretty sure it’ll show a different weight than the current spring dial scale.

I’m also gathering recipes for next week and am putting together a shopping list for today.  I’ll be heading out to Super Walmart to get most of my shopping done, and will also be going to Home Depot to buy some dirt and manure.  Lastly I plan to go to Berean Christian Book Store and buy a book for my niece.

A busy day ahead of me, but the weather is beautiful, I’m making progress, and my sweet husband loves me :)  It doesn’t get much better than this.

Chicken Cheesesteak Saute
I ended up marinating this all night, and it was tasty.  One note, be sure not to cook it on too high a heat in the frying pan as the dressing tends to burn.
Easy to prepare: easy
Rating: ***

Chicken Cheesesteak Saute
1/4 Cup Light italian dressing, sugar free
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 6 chicken breast tenderloins
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup sliced onions
1/4 cup sliced bell pepper (red or green)
1 TBSP olive oil
2 slices light provolone cheese

Marinate chicken breasts in italian dressing, in a plastic bag, for at least two hours; drain well. After marinating, heat olive oil in a skillet on medium high heat for about two minutes. Sprinkle chicken with garlic and onion powder. Add chicken to skillet, and sear chicken until brown on both sides (about 2 minutes per side). Add mushrooms, onions, and bell pepper. Cook for 5 - 7 minutes longer (7 - 8 minutes if using thick breasts). Tear cheese into small pieces and place on top of mixture. Place top on skillet and let sit for one to two minutes.

Mexican Chicken Casserole
My husband loved this dish  :)   It’s a little on the spicy side, but is easily handled for those with less adventurous palates by adding a little extra cheese or sour cream.
Easy to prepare: easy
Rating: ***

Mexican Chicken Casserole
4-5 chicken breasts, sliced into strips as if for fajitas
1 T olive oil
1 package taco seasoning
1 T garlic
dash cumin
1 green pepper
1 red or yellow pepper
1 onion
1/2-1 C salsa
6 oz lf cheese (cheddar or monterey)

Heat oil in skillet and brown chicken. While chicken is browning cut peppers and onion in strips. Then add your taco seasoning, garlic & cumin. Saute for a min or so to mix seasonings. Add peppers and onions and saute for about 5 min. Transfer mixture to a greased 9×12 casserole and top w/ salsa then add cheese. Bake at 350 til cheese is melted.

Barefoot Contessa Grilled Lemon Chicken
This is a great dish for those who like lemon and chicken together.  I marinated this overnight, and the chicken was tender and juicy.
Easy to prepare: easy
Rating: ***

Barefoot Contessa Grilled Lemon Chicken
¾ cup lemon juice
¾ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tablespoon dried)
2 pounds boneless chicken breasts

1 Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme.
2 Pour over chicken in nonreactive bowl and marinate 6 hours or overnight.
3 Heat grill and cook 10 minutes per side until cooked through.
4 May be served over green salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, below.
Lemon Vinagarette
1 Whisk together ¼ cup lemon juice and ¼ cup olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Serve immediately

Chocolate Breeze Cups
These were ok, not that great and too sour for my taste.  Maybe if I used more Splenda…
Easy to prepare: easy
Rating: **

Chocolate Breeze Cups
8 oz FF Cream Cheese
1/3 Cup Splenda
1 cup FF Sour Cream
1/2 cup SF Chocolate Syrup
2 tsp Vanilla extract
2 cups Cool Whip

1. Beat the cream cheese and Splenda until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and SF Syrup.
2. Add FF sour cream and then Cool whip.
3. Pour into 8 custard cups and garnish with 5 mini chocolate chips.

It’s exciting and motivating to see the changes in my body as I begin to lose weight. I can fit into some clothes that were too small, and some clothes that fit a month ago are beginning to be too big.

I put on a skirt this morning and it almost slid off! Woohoo! Of course, that put me a bit behind schedule as I had to figure out what else to wear to work today, but that’s the kind of problem I can happily deal with

The neatest part about all this is how good I’m feeling, and how motivating it is to be losing weight and to realize that I CAN do this!

It’s wonderful to see results and to enjoy the excitement. It makes me look forward to getting below 200lbs. I can’t imagine how excited I’ll be then, and if I keep on this track, I should get there by October 10th or so. Wow! I’ll be able to buy some really cute winter clothes at my favorite thrift stores!!!

But the thing I’m most looking forward to is being able to see my face again. It’s been a long, long time since I’ve been able to do that.

Over the last two weeks I’ve had a chance to try out the following recipes and would like to share my thoughts:

Spinach, Sausage and Cheese Squares
This recipe was originally a meatless recipe, but since I love sausage I added some turkey sausage. This was soooo delicious, and is very filling.
Easy to prepare: Very easy
Rating: *****

Spinach, Sausage and Cheese Squares

2 10oz. packages frozen chopped spinach
1 pound small curd, low-fat cottage cheese
1/3 cup feta or cheddar cheese (I use low-fat)
8 large eggs
1 pound cooked turkey breakfast sausage
1/4 chopped scallions or small onion
3 Tablespoons melted margarine (without trans fat)
2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tablespoon whole wheat flour[In P1, just sub arrowroot to thicken]
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dill

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Thaw, drain and press spinach in a sieve to squeeze out excess water. In a large bowl, mix eggs, cottage cheese, feta or cheddar cheese, and scallion. Add cooked turkey sausage, melted margarine, flour, pepper, and dill. Fold in spinach. Spray a 13 inch by 9 inch pan with non-stick spray. Pour mixture into pan and smooth out the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for about 50 minutes. Allow to cool a bit and cut into 12 servings.

Butternut Squash Lasagna
This seemed like an interesting recipe, and it ended up tasting very good. One important thing, though…be sure to cook the butternut squash in the microwave until it’s a bit soft. If it still seems raw when you slice it, it’s not cooked enough.

I never thought that butternut squash in a lasagna would be that good, and was pleasantly surprised. I estimated the weight of the squash; I bought a 9lb squash and wasn’t able to fit it all into the baking dish.
Easy to prepare: Fairly easy
Rating: ****

Butternut Squash Lasagna

Pierce a whole butternut squash with a cooking fork and microwave it for about 12 minutes. Let it cool for at least an hour. Then cut the ends off, cut the squash in half, and remove the seeds. Place it cut side down on a cutting board and slice each half into 1/2″ thick slices, then peel the skin off each slice. It will come off easily.

a 6lb butternut squash
3 cups marinara sauce, sugar-free (I used Classico basil and tomato pasta sauce)
8 oz. LF ricotta
2 cups shredded LF mozzarella
16 oz. sliced mushrooms
shredded parmesan

In a 9 X 12″ baking dish sprayed with Pam, put about 1/3 cup of the sauce. Place a layer of the squash over the sauce, filling in the gaps with pieces of the squash. Layer with the mushrooms, the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, and 1 cup of the sauce. Top with another layer of the squash, then the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over all, and top with a sprinkling of the parmesan cheese.

Bake in a preheated 350* oven for about 40-45 minutes. This makes 12 generous servings.

Seattle Black Beans
I love this!!! This dish is going to be a staple of my menu for years to come. It has so much flavor, yet is so simple to make. I highly recommend using Better Than Boullion rather than a dry or cubed boullion to make the broth, I think this is key to the flavor.

Since I have a bacon addiction, I decided to buy real bacon bits and I sauteed those in a tablespoon of olive oil, then added the chopped vegetables so they’d get some of the bacon flavor. Instead of sprinkling the bacon on top, I added it to the beans and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Yummy!
Easy to prepare: Very easy
Rating: *****

Seattle Black Beans

3 cups dried black beans
6 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (I used Better Than Boullion to make the broth)
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bacon slices
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced

Sort and wash beans; place in a large Dutch oven. Cover with water to 2 inches above beans; cover and let stand 8 hours. Drain beans.
Return beans to pan; stir in broth, water, pepper, and salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 2 hours or until tender.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble. Add celery and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes. Add to bean mixture; simmer 10 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon.

Lemon Breeze Cups
Ohhhhhhhhh….I fell in love! For those who love lemon pie and other lemony treats, you must try this! It’s a perfect summer treat.
Easy to prepare: Very easy
Rating: *****

Lemon Breeze Cups

8oz FF Cream Cheese
1 cup FF Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla
2-3 tsp sugar free lemonade soft drink mix
2 cups Cool Whip Free

1. Whip FF cream cheese til light and fluffy.
2. Mix in FF sour cream and vanilla.
3. Add Lemonade mix.
4. Fold in Cool Whip Free.
5. Spoon into eight dessert cups.

Refrigerate and enjoy

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Q: Doctor, I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?
A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that’s it… don’t waste them on exercise. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that’s like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
A: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?
A: Can’t think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain…Good!

Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
A: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING!!! ….. Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?
A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It’s the best feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?
A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me.

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?
A: Hey! ‘Round’ is a shape!

Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:
‘Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming ‘WOO HOO, what a ride!’

AND…..

For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION

Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Author: Unknown

I hope you enjoyed this bit of humor today

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

As I’ve begun losing weight, I’m finding that I have a silly thought running through my brain. Let me explain…

I’ve always made it a point to buy pretty clothes even though I’m fat. I have a huge aversion to looking fat and frumpy; I’ve been there, I worked hard to get myself to stop doing that, and I don’t ever want to go back (hmmmm…a revelation. I need to get this attitude going about being unhealthy). I get a lot of compliments about my clothing and jewelry, and I have a wonderful time rummaging through thrift stores looking for pretty things.

I’m going to miss some of my outfits. Today I wore one of my favorite tops, and in about 20-30lbs I won’t ever be able to wear it again. That makes me sad. I love this top!

What I need to do is think about all the cute clothes I’ll be able to find at thrift stores in smaller sizes instead of thinking “If I lose weight, I won’t be able to wear this anymore.” There’s that silly thought

Here’s what I’ll do instead…I’m going to sell my clothes on ebay after I reach ‘onederland’ (hitting the 100s) and think about the women who will be able to enjoy these pretty clothes and feel good about themselves. And I’ll even make some money

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

In this journey to living a healthier life, it’s important to enjoy it. Changing my eating habits isn’t about putting myself into a prison, locking the door, throwing away the keys and then living on bread, water and overcooked vegetables for the rest of my life and being forced to do 5,000 situps a day. It’s about finding enjoyment and pleasure in the healthy choices.

Yesterday I started phase 2 of the South Beach diet, and began adding a slice of sprouted whole grain toast to my breakfasts.

I love sprouted whole grain bread because it has a dense, slightly rough texture and a very nutty flavor. Toasting it enhances the nuttiness of the grains, and I eat it slowly, savoring each bite. It also smells really good when it’s toasted. It’s a wonderful sensory experience.

Another food I really enjoy is cucumber. I slice them into strip and have them as part of my snacks. The crisp cool sweetness is refreshing, and I feel healthier eating it.

It’s important when changing your eating habits to choose foods you enjoy. If you’re eating food you can’t stand, you won’t succeed. Make healthy choices and savor them, eating slowly, taking time to enjoy the aromas. Use new seasonings, try new vegetables and fruits, wander the health food section of your favorite grocery store or visit a local natural foods co-op and try something new.

Finding an exercise that you enjoy is also important. Again, if you’re forcing yourself to do something that you don’t like to do and that feels like hard labor, you’ll end up quitting.

I enjoy walking. I love to be outdoors and to see the beautiful homes around my neighborhood. I live in a charming older neighborhood, not expensive, but with lots of cute homes. Seeing the different styles and landscaping is fun, and I also enjoy looking for neighborhood cats sleeping on porches, sitting in little nooks and crannies and lounging in odd little corners observing the world.

Sometimes I meet up with friends and we walk around one of the oldest and prettiest parks in Sacramento - McKinley Park. We laugh and chat, all the while enjoying the green grass, the beautiful trees, other people laughing, jogging, walking, playing tennis, all the things people do at parks. We walk by a beautiful rose garden (the site for many outdoor weddings) as well as a pond surrounding a small lush island where the ducks and geese congregate.

Being able to enjoy the walk keeps me motivated to continue and to stick with it. I look forward to those afternoons with friends, taking in the fresh air and lovely neighborhood.

If you’d prefer to stay inside and work out, join Netflix and try out different workout DVDs until you find one or two you really enjoy, then go buy them…and use them regularly

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Water is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle. I’m glad that water is my favorite drink, it makes it easy to have enough each day.

The rule of thumb most of us have heard for years is to drink eight 8oz glasses of water a day, but…

How much water do you need?

Every day you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

Several approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.

Replacement approach. The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.

Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the “8 x 8 rule” — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, “drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day,” as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though the approach isn’t supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.

Dietary recommendations. The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Even apart from the above approaches, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.

From Mayoclinic.com - Water: How much should you drink every day?

Did you know that if you add a few slices of cucumber to your water that you get a very refreshing drink? If drinking enough water is difficult for you, this is one way to add a hint of flavor.

You can also grow fresh mint (applemint is my favorite) and add a few springs to a pitcher of water for a cool thirst-quencher.

Other ideas include a few slices of lemon and/or lime, orange, some sliced strawberries, crushed cranberries, even some gently crushed blackberries. Water doesn’t have to be boring!

And if you’re craving the crisp crackle of carbonation (heh, I love alliteration) try sparkling mineral water. You can use plain sparkling mineral water and add any of the above to make a delicious cool summer drink - even dress it up with one of those cute little cocktail umbrellas - or buy the fruit-flavored sparkling mineral water and enjoy. Be sure to refrigerate it, serving it ice-cold is best.

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

An important thing for me to keep in mind is that this is not a diet, it’s a life-changing commitment. It took years to get to this point, and I won’t be seeing dramatic results overnight. It’s vital that I keep this perspective in mind as I hit plateaus or don’t lose as much as I’d expected in any particular week.

I also need to constantly evaluate what I’m eating as well as how much I’m eating and make adjustments as necessary.

One step in making this life change is keeping a food journal. I’d blown that idea off before, but after reading this article (The Single Best Way to Lose Weight) on WebMD.com I’m realizing it’s something I need to do.

The article states:

Studies show that a journal doesn’t just aid weight loss — it turbo-charges it. When researchers from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research followed more than 2,000 dieters who were encouraged to record meals and snacks, they found that the single best predictor of whether a participant would drop weight was whether the person kept a food diary. It trumped exercise habits, age, and body mass index. The number of pounds people lost was directly related to the number of days they wrote in their log.

If keeping a food journal means a higher possibility of successful weight loss and maintenance, then I am going to do this.

Why this works? Check out these reasons from the above linked article (be sure to go to that article for more information, these are excerpts only)

Here are five more reasons to start a journal today — even if you swore off diaries in middle school.

1. You’ll get a reality check about how many calories you consume.
Americans typically underestimate their daily intake by about 25 percent, reports nutritionist Carrie Latt Wiatt, author of Portion Savvy.

2. You’ll cut back on between-meal munching.
Make a mental checklist of what you ate yesterday. Sure, you can probably remember breakfast, lunch, and dinner — but what about that mini Snickers you snatched from your coworker’s stash? Or that spoonful of mashed potatoes you took off your husband’s plate?

It’s easy to overlook bites, licks, and tastes (known as “BLTs” to professionals). But that’s a huge mistake — there are 25 calories, on average, in each mouthful. Translation: Six little bites a day add up to around 15 extra pounds a year.

3. You’ll discover where your diet detours.
“I thought I ate a lot of vegetables — it seemed like I was constantly cooking spinach, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts,” says Melissa Smith, a 32-year-old mom from Omaha who’s been keeping a food diary for the past 18 months. “But looking back over a few weeks of my journal, I was surprised to realize that I was only eating veggies once or twice a week.” So she made salads a regular part of dinner and noticed that it helped her eat less of her entrée. Her analysis and follow-up action paid off: She’s lost more than 27 pounds.

A balanced diet is the key to weight loss, says Suzanne Farrell, R.D., who owns Cherry Creek Nutrition in Denver. “Whole grains, low-fat dairy, green vegetables, orange veggies, beans, nuts — science shows that we need to eat these regularly to reach a healthy body weight. So when I flip through my clients’ journals, I always look for what I’m not seeing.”

4. You’ll learn why you pig out.
Experts suggest that, to help break bad habits, you record not only what you eat, but the circumstances that prompt you to eat. For example, maybe you indulge in more sweets at work because you sit close to the vending machine. Maybe you have a milkshake several times a week because you pass Wendy’s on the way home. Or maybe every time you worry about money, you retreat into the kitchen for chips.

When you begin to notice these patterns, you can figure out ways to change them.

5. You’ll see real results — quickly.
Your food diary can be as revealing as the one you kept in fifth grade. For example, to get a glimpse into how much you’ve improved your diet, compare the entries in week one (Twinkie-filled) to week four or five (ideally, veggie-filled). You can also discover which decisions translated into pounds lost — for instance, that week you had fish for dinner twice might’ve helped you lose weight.

How to keep a food journal? The article has some great ideas:

Choose Your Medium
If you’re using pen and paper, buy a regular spiral notebook. Or go for a pre-organized book like the DietMinder. Computer addicts should check out online journals, such as myfooddiary.com ($9 per month) and nutrihand.com (free for a basic plan; $10 per month for extras). If you can’t live without your PDA, visit weightbydate.com and download the software (starting at $19).

Start Recording
The crucial info to write down: the time you ate, what you ate, and how much you ate. Make a habit of jotting notes right after you eat. “If you wait until the end of the day, it’s too easy to leave things out,” warns Suzanne Farrell, R.D. Tracking your diet online? Remember to take paper with you to restaurants, so you can write down every ingredient and calculate its nutritional content afterward.

Get Personal
Customize your diary so it reflects the info that’s most useful to you. For example, if you’re someone who eats whenever food is in front of you, create columns in your journal to rate how hungry you were before and afterward. If you snack your way through hard days, add a column to describe how you were feeling when you ate. Trying to figure out when you’re most drawn to junk food? Record where you were when you indulged and what was going on at the time. Also, if you’re trying to break a specific habit, like scarfing down ice cream at night, create a column for that, so you can give yourself a star for each day you resist the urge.

Be Honest
Include every single bite, lick, and taste (anything larger than a crumb counts). And don’t forget to keep track of your sips. Even the most diligent diarists often forget to include the glass of white wine they had at dinner (120 calories) and their 3 p.m. can of Coke (155 calories).

Find Your Favorites
Counting calories is easier for creatures of habit: If you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast almost every morning or a turkey sandwich three times a week, you won’t have to look up the number each time.

Keep Your Diary Close
“I’m forgetful, so I always need to put the journal where I can see it — on my kitchen table, on my desk at work. I carry it a lot in my hand, too, as a reminder,” says Melissa Smith, 32, of Omaha, who lost 25 pounds keeping a food diary.

Examine the Evidence
No matter how diligent you are, a food log won’t help in the behavior-changing department if you don’t analyze it. At night, sit down and calculate how many calories you consumed. Tally up what food groups you’re eating, and make adjustments. (A big plus of online tools is that they do a lot of the analysis for you, totaling everything with a click of a button and often giving you charts to show what you can improve.)

Reward Yourself
“I read that it takes 28 days to build a habit,” says Mealey. “So when I have a new goal — like eating veggies more often — I do it for a month, then treat myself by shopping or going to a movie with a friend. Rewards give me an incentive to keep going.”

I’m convinced I am keeping a food journal beginning today. The way it’s helping me is to make me stop and think before eating something, because if I do, I have to write it down in my food journal.

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose