Horrible head cold! UH! I took dayquil this morning and was able to get my bedroom and bathroom deep cleaned, cleaned the entire upstairs, shoveled snow and have now completely hit the wall - feel horrible. :( Took more dayquil and definitely nightquil tonight! My eyes are burning, I'm stuffy, achy... :( No fever...just feel yucky. :(

But overall I think it was a productive day all things considered. I wanted to run, but it's a little hard when you can't breathe, and I think my body just needs to rest and work on getting rid of this bug!

I made lentil stew in the crockpot today - just had a couple of bowls (only thing I've eaten today) - it was really easy, and SO GOOD! I just took a bag of frozen fiesta vegetables, a bag of veggie crumbles, some red lentils...threw them all in the crockpot with a little sea salt and chili powder, poured a bottle of tomato juice on top and let it cook all day - it was FABULOUS. Tasted SO good!

Well, I'm going to go take a hot bath...might help me feel better. Think I'm also going to give myself a facial while I'm in the tub. It's definitely a DO ME day...I haven't even left the house and it's been fabulous! My Saturday night - sparkling water with true lemon (google these they are awesome!!), knitting in front of the fireplace, and watching a chick flick. :)

Hope everyone has a nice Saturday night! Tomorrow I need to clean the first floor shouldn't take too long....and I'm going to tackle the hall coat closet - Lots to go to Goodwill I think. Also laundry for sure. I got one of those 24 pocket over the door clear shoe holders for my hall closet - I'm going to put winter hats in the top pockets, and gloves in the bottom pockets so we won't have to dig for them anymore...simple pleasures. :)

Okay everyone - I'm off to soak in a hot bathtub and hopefully clear these sinuses!!!

Junem: I miss chips, too. I found that you can make 'chips' out of zucchini!

Zucchini Chips

Ingredients
•2 Medium zucchini, sliced thinly (the thinner the crispier)
•Cooking spray
•Coarse sea salt (I substitue salt free Mrs. Dash, tomato basil or onion herb blend)

Pre-heat oven to 225 F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

Spray the prepared baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the zucchini slices on the baking sheet. They do not have to be spaced out, but shouldn’t touch.

Spray the top of the zucchini slices lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle with sea salt. Less is more here, as the zucchini will shrink and absorb the salt!

Bake for about 2 hours or until crispy. You can flip them halfway through if you would like. Allow to cool just slightly on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They tend to get chewy instead of crispy the longer they are kept. I just eat them all! It's only zucchini, after all!

Thanks, that sounds like an awesome zucchini recipe. Gonna put zuchini on the shopping list!! And I will use my Misto to spray on a little olive oil. Now If I can only wean husband off the Jay's and Ruffles.

2FatCats - I LOVE that zucchini recipe!! I have to try it!!

I'm feeling much better today - slept 10 hours last night!!! Head cold feeling better now. :)

Very productive weekend, and day overall - - I cleaned the first floor today - cleaned out my junk drawers, did laundry, ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes - washed all the bed linens and re-made the beds....GOOD DAY! I definitely burned all the few calories I ate today - SO....I'm treating myself with wine tonight. ;) Last night of imbibing until March. I'm ahead of my weight loss schedule to goal, it's a quiet evening at the house, all of my work is done, kids are at their Dads...aaaaahhhhh....going to light the fireplace and put on my reindeer slippers in a minute - - after of course, I throw some veggies in the oven to roast! I'm going to roast asparagus, broccoli in olive oil with some sea salt and onion powder (can't find my garlic powder...:mad:)....and I actually think I have a zucchini that needs to be used - so maybe I'll make some zucchini chips! And I'm going to make some roasted chickpeas with paprika...an all veggie dinner with my vino. :D

I have to sew one our of valentine pillows tonight - so brought down the sewing kit to do that....then I'm just going to kick back and RELAX.

Tomorrow is an early morning - I have a k-cup maker (LOVE IT)....but I have all of this ground coffee that is sitting in my pantry - - so I pulled out my coffee maker and will use it until my ground coffee is gone - - seems a waste not to, and what is nice is that I can program it so when I come down in the morning my coffee is already made!!! :D WOO HOO!!! Simple pleasures...LOL

Okay - off to roast some veggies! Hope everyone has a nice evening!

kelijpa:Oranges are marvelous when they taste good! I'm enjoying them right now myself. Even better since they are no points with WW. :)

2FatCats: Interesting recipe. Do they taste at all like zucchini? I'm not a fan in general.

Things have gone fairly well so far since DH got home Friday night. We ate out that night... had flat iron steak (no butter, sauce, etc.) and asked for fresh fruit instead of potato plus had the side salad that was included with no dressing (I don't like dressing so have salad with lemon wedges). He made a crockpot dish he likes last night that will last a few days and I've had my normal stuff. I know we will go to breakfast Tuesday a.m. but I have that planned. It sure has been good for him to be home. :) Plus we went and bought a new TV yesterday that was delivered tonight. So nice to have a TV downstairs again... can hardly wait to try one of my new exercise vids on it (or even one from youtube).

Have a great evening all!

LuvCats:

I love zukes so I can't answer that - but according to my hubby who disikes zucchini: They have no flavor- they just taste like whatever you put with them.

Thanks for the info 2FatCats! Lol or more specifically thanks to your hubby for the info. I may have to try those.

I volunteer at a local hospital this morning so time to get going. Have a great day everyone! :)

Happy Monday ALL!!

Shelia - glad your feeling better! Colds are No NO fun.

Scale was up about 3lbs this morning but I am trying not to stress because TOM is due any day and I know water retention during this time is normal. Gonna try an chill about the scale number this week and hopefully after TOM leaves it will go back down.

I have decided that I want a scale like they use on the special K commercials. Instead of a number I will see fantastic, wonderful, joy etc. That would be so much nicer in the morning than seeing a gain. Maybe alarm bells could go off when there is a loss.

Have a great day all!

Sheila22. Hats off to you. You are a cleaning super-women. I am impressed that housecleaning remained on your agenda even with a bad cold. I, on the other hand, have been looking at a dangling cobweb for a couple of days now, and I am emarassed to tell you how long its been since i scrubbed my bathroom tub. HMMM...Maybe if I think of cleaning as a calorie burning activity I will get motivated. Glad you are feeling better.

Good morning all, feels good to be back on track.
Will come back later and read everything, can't believe January's coming to a close already.
Sheila, sorry you're not feeling well, been there, I found an allergy/sinus/headache pill really worked, relieved the pressure.

best to all :sunny:

I have to share how happy I am with myself today. I did not weigh so don't know what the scale says BUT I took a major step this morning and started the C25K program using our treadmill this morning. Jogging is something that I have wanted to do for two years but for some reason I just never started, I have been afraid for some reason. I do use my elliptical machine 5 days a week but would just stare at the treadmill thinking some day I am going to start that program. Last night I confessed to my DD that I want to try C25K but have been afraid to for some reason. She made me promise that I would give it a shot this morning and text her. Well, I did!! I was only able to jog for 2 min and then walk for 2 min, this puts me on week two of the program. I plan to alternate elliptical days with walk/run days. It's not huge but its a start. Maybe by spring I will have built up enough confidence to try a 5K with one of my neighbors.
Hope you all are doing well!!

NE Mom, I agree - a scale like on the Special K commercial would be great - i I could use some positive reinforcement as the scale continues not to budge.

I can totally relate on the C25K think. I think for me, it's because as a former smoker, I know what it feels like when you're trying to exercise, and gasping for air. I just always figured I no longer had the lung capacity to run - so why try and set myself up for failure. However, I've tried jogging on my treadmill a few times, and can do a 1 min jog followed by a 1 min walk for about 10 minutes - so maybe I'll give it a try too. You've inspired me to give it a shot!

It's snowing here today, which always makes me want to spend the day in the kitchen, cooking and baking. I think I'll make a big pot of vegetable soup. All the cutting and chopping will keep me in the kitchen awhile, and I'll be enjoying myself, but making something healthy and low calorie.

Good luck to everyone with their eating today!

Happy Tuesday! :D

Crazy last few days, haven't been able to post, though I've been reading. Weigh in yesterday, 198...down one pound. Slow and steady wins the race, right? I gotta keep telling myself that. Went to the eye doctor last week...my eyes have changed so much in the last year that she rechecked the numbers 3 times. Yikes! No wonder I can't see anything... DD came down with a cold this morning. I'm afraid it's only a matter of time now...3 people in my office are out with illness too. I'm surrounded by virus, constantly swabbing my hands with sanitizer (at least the ones from Bath & Body Works smell good!).

NEMom: :bravo: WTG on getting on that treadmill!!! Feels good to conquer that fear, doesn't it! You did something you weren't sure you could do. I can't wait to hear about the day you finish that 5K!!! I like the alarm bells on the scale idea. Though at 5:15 in the morning, it might give me a heart attack!

kelijpa: Glad you're back on track!! :twirly:

junem: Hi! :wave: I hate cleaning so much that not even the promise of calories burned is motivation for me.

LuvCats: Great job planning things out with DH home. New TV!!! Yipee!! :dance:

Sheila22: So...want to come clean my house? We have a Keurig at work and I LOVE it! :coffee: I now only have one cup at home in the morning then 2 more when I get to work. Mmmm...Carmel Vanilla, 2 packets of Splenda, and splash of 2% milk.. Heaven! I love your scarf idea. I thought of myself doing it and how I would knit the worlds longest "scarf". Miles and miles of it...

2FatCats: Your zuccini chips sound awesome...sprinkled with sea salt, garlic powder and onion powder..I'll have to try them soon! Thanks for the idea! :drool:

MrsTryingAgain: Hope you're having a good day! :spin:

No scale, no worries :love:
Greetings from wintery Finland!

NEMom. The "couch to 5 K" thing sooo totally works! I did it summer 2011 and ran my first 5K just before Thanksgiving that year. I still run, but always only every 2nd day. I am excited for you. Splurge on some great shoes, and check out some of the itunes musical accompaniments for C25K to keep you going, I like podrunner.com stuff for its strong beat, even though i am not really into electronic and techno music.

also don't be afraid to repeat hard weeks before you move on. I thought weeks 5 and 6 were really hard and repeated them both. It took me like 12 weeks to get through the 9 week program. But thats ok.

Good Luck.