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These are outrageously good and at only 100 calories for both bars in the pack combined, a very good replacement for dessert. I believe if you would pop the apple cinnamon ones in the microwave for just a few seconds, that it would give the Evil Empire McDonald’s Apple Pie run for its money!

Crispy on the outside, soft and yummy on the inside. It even has sparkly sugar sprinkles on the top of the bar. After biting into the first bar, I had to look at the box again. I couldn’t believe something this yummy had only 100 calories. I felt like I was cheating, but I wasn’t! I can SO see me eating these with a cup of coffee in the afternoons for a snack. I think they would also be quite yummy dipped in some low fat yogurt.

Stats for a 2 bar pack:

Calories: 100
Total Fat: 2g
Total Carbs: 20g
Sodium: 85mg mixed berry, 90mg apple cinnamon
Potassium: 20g
Protein: 1g

Probably the best part - these babies are made with real fruit - NO artificial sweeteners! My man found them at Walmart for $2.99 per box. 8 packs per box, 2 bars per pack.

Now, go get you some! =)

BTW.. I am wondering if any of you have any ideas on how these could be used in low cal recipes. Put your creative thinking caps on and give me a shout below.

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I found Zevia at the Whole Foods Market. I am really impressed with their policy of not carrying any products with artificial sweeteners. Zevia diet soda comes in six flavors…

Flavors include Cola, Orange, Twist, Gingerale, Root Beer, Black Cherry & Dr. Zevia (similar to another Dr. with Pepper in its name). I purchased the Cola and Orange flavors. Now I wish I had gotten some of the others as well, but I did not see any single cans being sold - only six packs. At $5.99 per six pack, I wasn’t willing to take a leap on something I was not yet sure I liked.  I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. The taste is not much different than any of the chemical diet sodas. One difference might be that it is a bit lighter - which to me makes it more refreshing. I also noticed that after popping the top on a can, it will stay bubbly for a very long time, unlike many of its unhealthy counterparts. I might just be able to add a few more sodas to my plan now - that is, until I run out!

As I stated earlier, not only is it all natural (you can read more about that here) but it is also very low in sodium at 5mg. It also has a glycemic index of 0, so it is safe for diabetics! Here are the nutritional stats on Zevia, taken from the Cola can:

Calories: 0
Total Fat: 0
Sodium: 5mg
Total Carbs: 12g
Protein: 0

The carbs in this soda do not come from regular sugar, but from another natural sweetener called Erythritol. Erythritol is found in and derived from many fruits and vegetables by a natural fermentation process.

My only word of warning about this product, would be for those who are trying to cut caffeine out of their eating plan. The Cola flavor has 45 mgs of natural caffeine derived from coffee. This is about the same as its chemical cola counterparts. However, all of the other flavors are caffeine-free!

As for the Orange flavor of the soda, I was not terribly impressed. I didn’t not like it, but I wasn’t compelled to rave about it. The orange flavor is very subtle and light. I guess I was expecting that full-on orange flavor you might get with something like Sunkist orange soda or Fanta.

This will be the only soda I drink going forward, and I only actually drink soda a few times per week. The only exception will be when we eat out. So, Zevia comes highly recommended! You can learn more about Zevia at their official website.

Two thumbs up on this one - cheers! :)

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Over the past 2-3 months I have experienced a very noticeable reduction in the amount of weight I am losing. I had hoped to be much closer to 75 or 80 pounds gone by this time. I am sitting at 60 pounds gone. I am amazed that I have come this far and am still committed to this way of life. It does get easier each and every day. It is almost like I am on autopilot - I know what to do and what not to do - I just execute the plan. However, the plan felt like it wasn’t working anymore, and I was having trouble figuring out why.

Meticulously counting my calories - check. Controlling portion sizes - check. Getting enough water-based drinks - check.

I decided maybe I had reached a plateau and needed to change things up. So I tried cycling my calories - low, high & medium calorie days within the week, shooting for a weekly average of 1600 calories per day. Nada. The scale would not budge. If it did budge, it was up, then back down, then up… rinse & repeat. It was getting very frustrating, because honestly at my weight I should not be stalled in any way!

Then, one day about 2 weeks or so ago, I ran out of Splenda packets for my coffee. I had a box of Stevia packets that I had gotten at the health food store some time ago, thinking I would try them. So I busted out the Stevia and started using that. I thought it was fab & I didn’t need as much in my coffee as compared to Splenda (about half the amount). Surprise of all surprises - over the last 2 weeks I dropped about 4 pounds!

I spent some time thinking about what I had changed and wondering if my body just decided it was ready to lose again. The only thing I could come up with as far as changes, was the change in sweetener. I gave up diet soda a few months ago, only having one about once or twice per week when eating out. When I did that (and also because this weather is freezing my booty off here right now!) I increased my coffee intake. I am currently drinking 6-8 cups of coffee per day. My creamer of choice has been Coffeemate Sugar Free French Vanilla (contains sucralose) and because that is not exactly calorie-free, I was supplementing it with Splenda.

I had remembered reading somewhere that Splenda wasn’t as healthy as most people thought, and that got me curious about the side effects of Splenda/sucralose. Through a lot of researching online, it turns out that A) Even though it is advertised as made from “real sugar” making it sound natural, it is far from natural and B) People have experienced numerous health related complications, one of which is the inability to lose weight - even gaining weight! Argggh!  It does not appear to affect every user of Splenda, but the sheer number of stories I have read are enough to keep me far, far away from Splenda aka sucralose.

Here is some of what I found out:

1. Essentially, sugar is bonded with chlorine. Splenda (a consumer brand name for sucralose) is derived from real sugar, but the process that makes it into sucralose (low calorie) involves introducing chlorine into the molecules of sugar.  So, if you use Splenda you are drinking/eating chlorine. That’s a fact and documented in many places on the web. I might as well have been putting pesticide in my coffee!
2. Chlorine reacts with organic material to create chlorination by-products (CBPs) that can trigger chronic symptoms like fatigue, headaches and brain fog, as well as reproductive and immune problems.
3. A recent study by Duke University found that sucralose “suppresses beneficial bacteria and directly affects the expression of the transporter P-gp and cytochrome P-450 isozymes that are known to interfere with the bioavailability of drugs and nutrients. Furthermore, these effects occur at Splenda doses that contain sucralose levels that are approved by the FDA for use in the food supply.” In other words, it can interfere with medications and absorption of nutrients.
4. Sucralose Side Effects taken from this site, but available in many places on the web:

• Gastrointestinal problems like bloating, nausea and diarrhea
• Skin irritations, rashes, hives, swelling and itching
• Breathing difficulties, wheezing
• Runny nose, cough
• Palpitation, chest muscle pain, itchy eyes
• Anxiety, depression, mood swings, sudden onset of anger

Other side effects of sucralose that can also be fatal and life threatening:

• Enlarged liver and kidneys
• Reduced growth rate
• Atrophy of lymph follicles in the thymus and spleen
• Increased cecal weight
• Hyperplasia of the pelvis
• Decreased fetal body weights
• Decreased placental weights
• Extension of pregnancy period
• Decreased red blood cell count
• Aborted pregnancy or stillbirth

Because of the above, many obstetricians tell their pregnant patients to stay away from anything containing sucralose. Other people report headaches, blurred vision and stalled weight loss or even weight gain.

There are many, many stories of how sucralose/Splenda has affected people. A number of stories are documented on the FoodandDiet.com mini site dedicated to Splenda. One of the stories sounds exactly like some problems my mother has been having. Gastrointestinal issues that the doctors can’t seem to pinpoint - including sharp pains in the stomach - and she is an avid Splenda user!  I will be telling her about all this tomorrow.

The good news is, if you have any side effects, most people experience near immediate relief (a few days after halting use if sucralose) although it can take a few weeks.

For anyone out there who might say this is bunk because the FDA says it is safe - the FDA has been wrong many, MANY times! Think about all those commercials you see from lawyers asking if you know of anyone who has “blah” side effect from taking “blah” drug. Think of all the reports of medications being banned from use that were previously approved because of excessive health issues. Furthermore, I do not trust that the FDA necessarily has the best interests of the people in mind. They tend to play a lot of ball with big pharma companies. In this case, it was the makers of Splenda - Johnson & Johnson.

I went on a mini rampage in the kitchen today, after realizing what was really going on with my weight loss efforts. Our kitchen is now sucralose free.  Anyone who needs a replacement for Splenda - I highly recommend Stevia, which really is all natural.

Also, an interesting find while reading on this topic!  If you are a diet sodaholic, you might try a new Stevia based soda - Zevia.  You can buy it online or use their store locator to find a retail merchant near you. I am going to pick some up at Whole Foods Market this week just to check it out - which, btw, refuses to carry anything containing sucralose.  :)

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So, here are my goals:

My Ultimate Goal: I am ecstatic and proud this January 1, 2011 to weigh 160 pounds or less. I am stronger, more confident and feel like the sky is the limit! My family is so proud of me and my DH can’t stop showing me off. I am a fabulous example of how to be healthy to my children. I am a HOT MAMA!

My One-Year Goal: I am so proud and very impressed with myself this July 5, 2010. I have achieved a weight loss of 100 pounds or more and feel better than I have in 20 years! I look and feel younger and have energy to spare. I look great in my new swimsuit and my tan is fabulous. DH is so proud of me and it is so much fun to go to the pool and swim with the kids.

My 3 Month Goal: I am feeling fantastic this October 31. I weigh under 300 pounds for the first time in 12 years! A lot of people are noticing how great I look and DH thinks I am getting sexier each time he sees me. I feel sexier, too. My face is remarkably thinner and my belly below my waist is going away nicely. I am so much happier and have a lot more energy.

Weekly Goal: I love how exercising at least 2 times per week makes me feel. I lost 2.5 or more pounds this week and am on track with my goals. I am changing my life and loving it!

Daily Goals: I ate less than 1800 calories today and am so happy to be taking charge of my weight, health, and life. I ate 4 or more small meals today and each contained a lean protein and a good carbohydrate. I drank three or more 16 ounce cups of water in addition to drinking my coffee. I tracked all of my calories - every bite! I am proud of myself and am worth the time it takes to reach my goals.

How about you - want to join me in the mental journey of goal setting?

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As Tom says:

“Firing a torpedo with no target would be ludicrous, but that’s exactly what you’re doing every day if you don’t program your mind with goals. Goals are your personal life targets, and that includes your ideal body and ideal weight… First you must choose a target and second, you must program that target into your mental computer.”

The real secret to being successful lies in understanding the unconscious mind and in using it to your advantage.

Experts generally agree that 95-99% of your behavior is unconsciously chosen. It also happens faster than your conscious mind can think. The unconscious mind excels at routine tasks and does them automatically with little conscious thought. The really cool thing, is that anything can be given to the unconscious mind with enough practice and repetition. Think about it - have you ever been driving a familiar route, and upon reaching your destination, you can’t remember half the drive? Who was driving? You were - but the path was so familiar that your unconscious mind took over as your guidance system. When you first learned how to drive, you had to think about every little thing.

Further, your unconscious mind has an “important list”. Anything that is considered unimportant is deleted. When your thoughts are on something in particular a lot - and especially when it is written down - you’re telling your mind that whatever that is, is important. That’s when the real magic happens. Suddenly, your brain brings everything related to that particular thing to your attention. You see things you think you didn’t before. Sort of like when you are looking for a new car and you have a particular one in mind. Suddenly, you are noticing that car on the road all the time. They were always on the road, but now you notice them easily, as if your brain is pointing them out to you.

So, when you want “X” and it becomes your dominating thought, it goes high on the importance list, your attention shifts and your behavior changes. It works both ways, though! As Tom points out - if your dominating thoughts are that you “just can’t lose weight”, “I’m fat”, “I have a slow metabolism”, “I can’t stop eating junk food”, “nothing works for me”.. and the like, then that is what is on your important list and that is what you will achieve. Like a computer, whatever you put in is what you will get out. The unconscious mind works toward what you think about most - whether you consciously think about it or not - and whether you like it or not! The unconscious mind doesn’t compare and evaluate with the conscious mind - it just does what it is told - like a computer.

I don’t know about you, but I have started a diet many, many times - only to lose out to negative thinking and not understand why I couldn’t “stay on plan”. So then the excuses came - I must have a slow metabolism, I just like the taste of food, etc. etc. ETC.! Phooey - I thought negative things and my mind carried out those negative thoughts. That’s why I failed in the past.

Goal setting is not a one-time thing - it is a daily habit & a discipline. Tom says you need to read (preferrably write as well) your goals every morning and every evening. That will keep them on your “important list” in your unconscious mind - and your focus will remain on reaching your goals. It’s not “willpower” that will get you there - it’s “brain power”. How often do we set New Year’s Resolutions only to completely forget them a week or two later? Or never start to achieve them at all? It is because while we may write then down ONE time, we never return to them and our unconscious mind deletes them as unimportant.

If you think this was interesting, you really, really should read Tom’s book mentioned way up there. It is an eye-opener on this mental game of weight loss. Honestly, the concept of losing weight is a no-brainer - eat less, exercise more. Take less calories in than you burn. It’s the mental part that is the kicker.

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My hubby ordered their cheesecake with blackberry sauce and wanted me to try some. I told him no.. not that I didn’t want a taste.. but I literally could not eat another bite. I ended up taking just a very teeny bite to appease him. When I stood up to leave my stomach HURT. It was the most awful feeling. What I had not realized when I ordered and ate was that my stomach was so much smaller. Usually I pay more attention to how I am feeling as I eat, but I was just talking away and not paying attention. My head was not in the game. I was seriously over full. In fact, when we stopped at Walmart to pick up a few things before going to the hotel, I could not even keep walking around the store. I had to go sit down.  I tell you, I learned my lesson that night! Free meal means eat what you want, but you still have to watch the portion sizes and keep your head straight!

So now, I call it my free meal within reason. I never want to feel like that again!

So, in this post I am going to list the most delicious low cal frozen meals I have had. Then I’ll have a running list toward the bottom of the post of frozen meals recommended by people on the 3FC forum in this thread that I really want to try. This is mainly for myself to refer to, but I thought others might like recommendations, too.

“Most Delicious” will be the ones I would buy over and over again. “In a Pinch” will be those I have tried and consider just okay - ones I would buy if a fave wasn’t available. “Not Worth It” - ones I have tried and would not buy again.

Most Delicious:

• Smart Ones Lasagna Florentine (290 cals)
• Smart Ones Savory Steak & Ranch Grilled Flatbread (300 cals)
• Lean Cuisine Stuffed Cabbage with Mashed Potatoes (210 cals)
• Marie Callender’s Pasta Al Dente - Old World Rigatoni Bolognese (340 cals - I think this is my new fave pasta brand!)

In a Pinch:

• Smart Ones Teriyaki Chicken & Vegetables (230 cals)

Not Worth It:

Want to Try:

Cedarlane products: These are natural and organic as well - look quite tasty! See here: Cedarlane Foods for info, where to buy, etc. You can also bulk order these online & ships free to your door in the U.S.! For me, I will look at my local Hy-Vee - it says on their site that these should be carried at that store.

Lean Cuisine:

• Roasted Garlic and Chicken Pizza
• Philly Steak Flatbread Melt
• Asian Potstickers
• Chicken Fettuccine
• Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
• Baked Chicken with Mashed Potatoes and Stuffing

Smart Ones (by Weight Watchers):

• Chicken Mirabella
• Creamy Rigatoni with Broccoli and Chicken

Kashi:

• Southwest Chicken

Michelina (Light):

• Buffalo Snack Bites

Marie Callenders:

• Stuffed Pasta Trio

Also mentioned was Indian frozen meals from Tandoor Chef - can’t get those around here, but need to keep an eye out when traveling.

1. Squat down easily to help my kids do things at their level
2. Actually jog around the track instead of just walk
3. Wear cute shoes that have heels instead of just flats
4. Cross my legs!
5. Admire my accomplishment in the mirror, instead of avoiding it
6. Be able to look at pictures of myself without physically wincing =)
7. Wear cute jewelry more

I have a thing with the jewelry. I don’t mind wearing earrings right now, but wear nothing else. I feel like rings make my fingers look fatter, a watch makes my arm look fatter, and a necklace makes my neck look fatter. LOL! That is just so twisted. And I know I am worth it, but right now I feel like wearing jewelry other than to a special occasion is just like trying to polish a turd. It’s still a turd, just shinier. LOL! Yes, I went there. And yes, that was gross.

For example, yesterday I stopped to get gas at the little convenience store here in town. Well, of course, they had just made donuts & pastries and the whole place had this fantastic “just baked” smell.

My internal conversation with myself went something like this:

Devil Self: MmmmMMM. I bet you could have one, just compensate for it later.
Angel Self: Come on now, you know that won’t help you reach your goal.
Devil Self: That smells awesome - remember how a good donut tasted?
Angel Self: If you eat one, you’ll only want MORE.
Devil Self: In the long run, what’s ONE donut going to hurt?
Angel Self: You know you don’t want to blow your entire day for a stupid donut. You don’t eat like that anymore.

Our internal conversations with ourselves happen in only a few seconds. I’m learning that you really have only a split second to make the right choice. And I’m learning that you really have to listen to what’s going on in there - it’s a daily mental game. The power that our minds have over our actions is tremendous. You have to listen to that little conversation going on and consciously make the right choice. Very hard to do sometimes!

The angel won for me that time. Who is going to win for you today - the devil or the angel?