12th Week BFC Day 3

Hello friends, I found it so helpful to write a post about how I got to where I am....I don't obsess about my poochie, it's just a fact that it has always been there. I like Rosalie's suggestion about reverse psychology on it lol. For the most part when I look in the mirror I like what I see, I don't expect to have some super skinny body. And I'm glad that I'm not a movie star or something like that where they expect you to look perfect all the time and never have any stretch marks or cellulite. It's crazy what some people will do, I heard on the Today Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda that some woman who is an  esthetician gets botox for herself and also injects her 8 yr old daughter so she will never get wrinkles. WTF? Is this lady for real, who would want to mess with her beautiful daughter, what a crack head.


We don't have cable so I watch a lot of things on hulu, and this morning while getting ready for work I watched Good Morning America Health's Wednesday episode. It was really good they talked about sleep, detox and sugar. If you have 20 mins to spare it would be worth checking it out.


Another thing I wanted to share is yesterday I made my flax muffiny thing with pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon and it was very yummy, I put redi whip on top and it felt indulgent :)

12th Week BFC Day 2 How I got a fat belly

Hello friends and happy Wednesday hump day :) A co-worker found my notebook yesterday... yay. Work was fine...but the good news is I came home to a nice clean apt, hubby cleaned the kitchen, vacuumed and made the bed. Hubby rocks he is such an awesome husband.


So I was thinking today how did I get the belly fat I hate...Well, I've always had a poochie the fat below your belly button. When I was in HS my family and I were doing the zone, and I started eating oatmeal for breakfast and salads for lunch, I really liked that way of eating  and I found that I feel my best when I eat that way. I ran x-c and track, but I also ate a lot of "healthy" foods full of sugar.

I met my hubby when I was 23 I felt great but I still had that dam poochie despite my best efforts to eat healthy and exercise all the time. While we were dating hubby deployed to Iraq, man that was hard after he came home safely we got engaged right around Thanksgiving 07 for that Christmas we flew back to Philly with his sis and nephew to see his folks who had just moved there. I probably gained 10 lbs, eating, drinking and being merry.

 Planning my wedding was very stressful for me and I continued to emotional eat and drink. On my wedding day I probably weighed 150-160 lbs I never weighed myself, but my clothes didn't fit. I was super stressed and hubby deployed again a month after we got married April 5, 2008. While he was gone I lost weight but still had that dam poochie. After he came home I moved down to CA to be with him, I exercised all the time at the awesome gym on base, but I couldn't lose that stupid poochie. Probably cuz we partied a lot and drank a lot of soda with rum. From what I have learned on the bfc if I had eaten less sugar from soda and other "healthy" foods I think I could have been skinny and sexy.

Today I still have that dam poochie but it is getting smaller. I feel good eating less sugar and better carbs. I also think that less drinking is the key to my success, it's been almost 2 weeks since I had a drink and I feel great. I feel better about myself as my clothes fit better than they have in a long time. Hubby and I are unsure when we are going to try for a family, but I want to develop good habits now so that I don't go crazy when I get pregnant. I watched one of Jorge's youtube video's with Dr. Oz and they said that pregnant women need higher blood sugar for the baby, so when I am pregnant I will probably eat more than 15g of sugar a day, but that's fine. So in a nutshell that's how I got to where I am today.

*14th day pilates

12th Week BFC Day 1

Good morning, man I just don't want to get up this morning, we have a new set of sheets and our bed is super comfy. Yesterday  I worked in an area I don't usually work, so I was nervous and a little uncomfortable all day...and to top things off I misplaced my little notebook I carry around that has notes about the job. Ahhh, I hope I find it today.

Bfc friends I am so happy that we are in this thing together, figuring out 15g of sugar and better carbs. I think if I was doing this alone I would have thrown in the towel already, because 15g of sugar is hard, there are hidden sugars everywhere, and so many products are so high in sugar. I used to eat the yoplait light yogurt which has 15g of sugar as well as fake sugar, and I used to eat a lot of Fuji apples also high in sugar.

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs, 1/2c greek yogurt with strawberry barleans

Lunch: hazelnuts, roast beef sandwich on flax muffiny thing, spinach salad

Snack: cashews

Dinner: spinach salad with green olives, asparagus, sunflower seeds, roast beef, broccoli, newman's  olive oil and vinegar dressing, 2 dove sugar free raspberry creme

11th Week BFC Day 7

Good morning friends, thank you for the nice comments yesterday you guys are the best!!! Things went fine yesterday with my detox, I did have a cheat moment I ate several bites of cake at a party, probably not a good idea, but it could have been much worse. Yesterday was a nice day we did the usual stuff church and grocery shopping and in the evening we went over to a friends. Our friends 9 month old baby was christened yesterday and her twin brother flew in from Colorado for that, it was such a nice get together, my sis in law and 9 year old nephew were also there. At one point my husband was laying on the floor cuddling with their dog and playing with the baby he looked so cute, man I want a dog and a baby. We are waiting to get a house before we get a dog, and I don't know when we will try for a baby.

Anyway I hope everyone has a nice Monday, I can hardly believe how fast March has gone by. I am excited for April, our 3rd Anniversary  is next Tuesday, and the end of April we are planning a weekend trip to see friends.

11th Week BFC Day 6

Goodmorning bfc friends!!! I am starting to see some results from doing the bfc...whoo hooo. First of all I weighed myself yesterday while we were at my folks and 138 lbs... which is the lowest it's been in a long time. Lately I've been 138.8, 139.4, 139. I started the bfc at 144-145, so a 6-7 lb weight loss is great. My go-to jeans are now baggy in my waist and thighs another whoo hoo!!! I guess those jeans will now have to go to the back of the closet for camping.

Today is my detox day, I am doing a one day detox from the book The Fast Track Detox Diet by Ann Louise Gittleman. I did pretty good during the prep week, except I cheated with a several cups of coffee, although I drank less than I usually do.

Yesterday hubby and I were at starbucks getting coffee with his bday gift card before we headed over to my folks. My favorite drink is a grande americano without cream or sugar...I used to take it with fat free milk and splenda I'm glad I don't like it that way anymore, it's very belly bad. Anyway starbucks now has a new line of desserts called petites...they are mini cupcakes, mini bars, mini whoopie pies,cake pops holy crap they are so cute. I wanted a cake pop sooo bad they look like they would be just the right amount of sweet cake and frosting. Well, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is...I looked them up 18g of sugar in those cute cake pops. No big surprise, I was just a little disappointed I was  hoping they wouldn't be too bad and I could have them once in a while.

Vanilla cake and icing, dipped in a pink chocolaty coating with white sprinkles.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (43 g)
Calories 170	Calories from Fat 80
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	14%
Saturated Fat 5g	25%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 10mg	3%
Sodium 85mg	4%
Total Carbohydrate 22g	8%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Sugars 18g
Protein <1g

Breakfast: 1/2c oatmeal, with sliced almonds, strawberry barleans, tea

Lunch: 1 artichoke, salad with romaine, kalamata olives, sunflower seeds, asparagus, celery newman's olive oil and vin dressing

Snack: walnuts and americano

Dinner: chicken,  potatoes, asparagus, tiny dollop applesauce, tea

*13th day pilates

11th Week BFC Day 5

Good morning bfc friends and happy Saturday! Wow there are a lot of new bfc blogs and new people out there.... it's like we have new people to the club and we are trying to get to know them. Yesterday was a great day. Hubby got off early so we did our errands together, I had a nice time with my sister-in-law we went out for coffee and did some grocery shopping together. Getting her out of the house is a really big thing I've been trying to get her to have a cup of coffee with me since my bday in January. She has a boat load of health problems so for her to feel good enough to leave is awesome.

Breakfast: 1/2c oatmeal with sliced almonds mufa, strawberry barleans

Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, pecans, tea

Dinner: spinach salad with shrimp, tilapia, sunflower seeds, green onions, cucumber, celery, newman's olive oil and vinegar dressing, veggie pirate booty

*12th day pilates

11th Weekl BFC Day 4

Hello bfc friends. Sorry my posts have been whinny and full of venting lately. My life is good and I have a lot to be thankful for, I've just been having a rough past several weeks it's like everything that could bother me has been bothering me. I blame it on my hormones lol. I have plans with my sister-in-law today which I am excited about, and I don't know what hubby and I are going to do tonight. I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!

Breakfast: 1/2c oatmeal, sliced almonds, strawberry barleans, tea

Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs, flax muffiny thing with peanut butter 7 raspberries

Lunch: salad with spinach, radishes, sunflower seeds, kalamata olives, asparagus, left over pork chop newman's olive oil and vinegar dressing, peacans, mini green olives

Dinner: not very hungry, so shrimp, and 1 reeses sugar free mini peanut butter cup, 1 sugar free dove raspberry creme

11th Week BFC Day 3

Wednesday was a good day work was fine and I finally made a drs. appt that I had been putting off, I have this rash type thing on my face that is just not going away. Thankfully my dermatologist accepts my insurance.After work we went to the hospital to visit hubby's Grandma who has pneumonia. Hubby's family is having a hard time, his parents are trying to sell their house in Philly so they can move back to the northwest.. his Mom needs surgery on her back very badly, but won't have it over there. His sister has a boat load of health problems, can't work, and she just found out the state is cutting the money she gets and her boyfriend just got his bank account garnished cuz he was taken to collections for medical bills. It is hard to see the people I love and care for under money and health stress. Anyway I guess that's enough about all that, I just feel helpless.

Breakfast: 1/2c oatmeal with sliced almonds and strawberry barleans, 2 fried eggs

Snack: flax muffiny thing with peanut butter and 7 raspberries

Lunch: stir-fry with chicken, broccoli, napa cabbage, asparagus, portobello mushroom, braggs

Dinner: 1 pork chop, asparagus, several potato wedges, sour cream

11th Week BFC Day 2

Hello bfc friends, I am so encouraged after reading your blogs. Y'all really inspire me to keep up the bfc even when I feel like throwing in the towel and going back to lots of high sugar fruits and high sugar chocolate. Right now I am on my monthly and that is making me bloated, but I'm not gonna let it discourage me. I don't have much to say right now so I'm gonna keep this one short.

Breakfast: 1/2c oatmeal with sliced almonds mufa and strawberry barleans 1 cheat cup of black coffee, because I was miserable without it.

Snack: 2 hard boiled eggs, nuts, 1 square ghiradelli chocolate mufa, flax muffiny thing with peanut butter and 7 raspberries

Lunch: stir-fry with edamame, napa cabbage, celery, mushroom, asparagus, braggs amino acids I ate about 1/2 for lunch, and the rest for dinner...I felt pretty miserable with cramps.

11th Week BFC Day 1

Hello bfc friends, I wanted to share with everyone a book I am reading called the Fast Track Detox Diet by Ann Louise Gittleman. Before you get turned off by the word detox and think it is hokey just listen to what I am learning. Hubby and I are planning to do the detox next Sunday. We started preparing on Sunday March 20th except for a cheat cup of coffee, and cheese on my burger on Sunday.

Today was a rough day at work, I had bad cramps and felt cranky, my tummy is bloated and that discourages me even though I know it is not true weight. Poor hubby had a rough day too, he is now carpooling with a co-worker and the co-worker picks him up, today he left his keys at work, and I had to work late. Hubby was home at 5:30 and I didn't get off until 7:30...thankfully we live close to a cool pub so he was able to walk there and have a couple of beers.

I have also been having some issues the past couple of days being regular, TMI I know, but I'm wondering if anyone else has trouble during their period staying regular? I take benefiber and psyllium husks. I just read Lindsay's post about what she has been taking and I am thinking of trying that. I was so miserable this morning with my cramps and having trouble going...ahhh, I felt so frustrated pre-bfc I never had problems. Why does it feel like the bfc is more trouble than not doing the bfc? I am hoping doing the detox on Sunday will just give me that extra boost I need. I've done it before and I think if you do it right it is good for you, it's a great book and I first stumbled upon it at the library.

*11th Day Pilates

The Fast Track Detox Diet:

Weight loss and toxicity:

The more toxic our bodies get the more trouble we have losing weight. We are constantly surrounded by toxins, pesticides in our food and environment. Most people don’t get enough fiber to help get rid of the toxins in our bodies, previous generations consumed 20-30g fiber daily, now the average has dropped to less than 12g.

The one day detox

What makes this detox safe and effective is that you prepare your body. For a week before the detox you eat liver loving foods that our liver needs, our liver is our bodies major detox organ. You also eat colon caring foods to help prepare your colon to eliminate the waste. After the one day detox we continue with the liver and colon loving foods and also take in probiotics to support our system.

Our liver is our bodies filter and it neutralizes all sorts of substances. When our liver becomes stressed due to all the toxins it is exposed to it becomes bogged down and it can’t fully metabolize fat. If we aren’t getting enough fiber our colon has to work twice as hard to eliminate our waste.

Getting ready for the detox with the 7 day prequel:

Each day choose at least one liver-loving foods from each group

1.     Crucifiers: cabbage, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, broccoli, broccoli sprouts

2.     Green leafy veggies: parsley, kale, watercress, chard, cilantro, beet greens, collards, escarole, dandelion greens, mustard greens

3.     Citrus: orange, lemon or lime

4.     Sulfur rich foods: garlic, onion, eggs, daikon radish

5.     Liver-healers: artichoke, asparagus, celery, dandelion root tea, whey, nutritional yeast flakes

6.     Colon caring foods: psyllium husks, flaxseed, carrot, apples, pear or berries

7.     Drink lots of water

8.     Eat protein, and get 1-2Tbs olive oil, flax oil or woman’s oil.

Avoid:

1.     Excess fats, fried foods and trans fats

2.     Sugar

3.     Artificial sweeteners, including sugar alcohols

4.     Refined white carbs

5.     Gluten

6.     Soy

7.     Alcohol, and caffeine

8.     Mold

9.     Milk and cheese

For the one day detox:

Make a juice to drink all day. 2quarts cranberry water (8oz unsweetened cranberry juice to 56 oz water Knudsen, trader joe’s and organic mountain sun are good brands) Add 1/2tsp cinnamon, 1/4tsp ginger, 1/4tsp nutmeg to cranberry water, let it simmer 15-20 min…cool to room temp. Add 3/4c orange juice, 1/4c lemon juice 2 packets of stevia for a sweeter taste. Make sure to drink this throughout the day and lots of water.

To start and end the day take 1-2 tsp psyllium or flax meal mixed into the water or juice.

The 3 day sequel:

1.     Eat some probiotic food, such as yogurt or sauerkraut

2.     Day 2 take hydrochloric acid tablets before each meal to help with digestion

3.     Get the same amount of liver loving and colon loving foods as you ate during the 7 day prequel

10th Week BFC Day 7

Hello bfc friends, I usually post in the morning but I work earlier tomorrow so I am doing it now. When I get up in the morning I make some coffee and prop myself up in bed with my hot pad and turn on my side of the bed...this year we got a heated mattress pad on sale at Macy's and it is amazing!!! We don't sleep with it on we mostly use it to warm up the bed because our apt stays so cold. But I also use it while I am on my computer :)

So today was ok except for my hormones going crazy on me, I am now on my monthly and I feel tired, irritable & back cramps :( The good news is I get to switch back to my preferred birth control yaz now that I have my own insurance. When I was on hubby's insurance they didn't cover yaz so I had to switch, the one I switched to made me crazy so I tried another one, and I'm sure going  back to yaz will be trying too...3 different birth control pills in 4 months will do that to ya.

Today hubby had a car wash to raise money for our church's youth group he volunteers with, while he was doing that I had to go over to my folks because we left hubby's set of keys there last night. I had a really nice talk with my Dad in his man room in the basement. Sadie their 2 year old golden retriever kept running up and down the stairs and looking out the window, I think she was looking for my hubby, she is the smartest dog my folks have had. My folks said they liked the  ice cream we brought over last night, although my Mom is sensitive to dairy so next time I think we will try making ice cream with coconut milk, Lauren has a recipe for it on her healthy indulgence's blog.

Breakfast: flax muffiny thing with strawberry barleans, lemon water and psyllium

Lunch: 2 fried eggs, 1/2 avocado mufa, black coffee

Snack: handful walnuts mufa

Dinner: bacon cheese burger without the bun and fries from five guys burgers and fries

*10th day pilates

10th Week BFC Day 6

Good morning bfc friends!!! Thanks for the nice comments yesterday. Hubby and I started taking walks together after we got married April 5th a month later he deployed...so after we got married up here in WA I had enough vacation time to take a month off of work so I went down to CA to be with him...and we started walking all over the beach cities of southern CA, it was a great way to prepare for his deployment.

Yesterday was a quiet day we went to my folks to hang out, have dinner and of course do laundry. We played scrabble which was fun, hubby won and I came in second. We also brought over the rest of our homemade chocolate ice cream for dessert. Hubby also watched college basketball, I really don't care so I went to the store with my Mom.

Breakfast: 1/4c oatmeal with 1/4c blueberries,sliced almonds mufa, strawberry barleans on top, black coffee, 1 sugar free reese's mini  peanut butter cup

Lunch: spinach salad with feta, kalamata olives, avocado, sunflower seeds mufas, bacon, radish, Newman's Tuscan Italian dressing

Snack: cheese stick and walnuts mufa

Dinner: steak, small yukon baked potato with butter, spinach salad with walnuts mufa, watercress, cucumbers, several slices strawberries and strawberry barleans as a dressing. Dinner was super yummy!!!

Dessert: 1/2c homemade chocolate ice cream with 5 raspberries, a hot drink with 1 shot yukon jack and two parts hot water


*9th day pilates

10th Week BFC Day 5

Good morning friends, yesterday was pretty low key. When hubby got home from  work we made some coffee and went for a walk. We have a lot of good conversations during our walks. We didn't go our last night because we don't want to get in the habit of going out every weekend, since I had the day off the apt was really clean and nice to be in. I think today will be another low key day laundry grocery shopping etc. I guess I don't have a lot to say this moring, I hope everyone has a nice Saturday!!! :)

Brunch: 2 fried eggs, 1/4c pumpkin seeds mufa, 2 turkey sausage links, black coffee

Snack: 2 squared ghiradelli chocolate, 1 oz hazelnuts mufas, 1 baby bell cheese, coffee with brandy in it for our walk

Dinner: 1 beer, stir-fry with chicken, asparagus, 3 mini sweet peppers, edamame mufa celery,  baby bok choy, braggs amino acids

* 8th day pilates, apple cider vin

10th Week BFC Day 4

Good afternoon bfc friends, I usually post in the morning before work, but today I have the day off...whoo hooo!!! So far I have been very productive, I cleaned the bathroom and kitchen, and meal planned for the next week.  It's crazy how fake sugar and real sugar is EVERYWHERE, I made myself and airborne this morning cuz I don't want to get the nasty crud that is going around, and while the tablet was fizzling away in my water I read that it contains suclarose :( boo. I don't think I will stop using it just because of that, but I am disappointed to discover that.

Yesterday I know I ate more sugar and carbs at work because we had a potluck and I had 3 bites of a yummy chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting, and 3 bites of a frosted sugar cookie. Frosted sugar cookies are hands down my favorite cookie and I enjoyed those 3 bites very very much.  And I also had some guacamole chips, I looked at the bag and they didn't have any sugar, but I probably ate 2 servings of carbs, but it was worth it....I don't eat chips very often.

Breakfast: flax seed muffiny thing, 1/2c greek yogurt with strawberry barleans, 2 turkey sausage links, black coffee

Snack: 1 square ghiradell mufa, 1 baby bell cheese, black coffee

Lunch: tuna sandwich with 2 slices Ezekiel 4:9, 12 mini green olives, pumpkin seeds mufa, 3 bites chocolate cake, 3 bites frosted sugar cookie, black coffee, guacamole chips

Dinner: not very hungry, several garlic stuffed green olives mufa, small portion scrambled eggs and potatoes

10th Week BFC Day 3

Good morning bfc friends, I feel much better this morning yesterday was another high pms day so I went to bed at nine. I must have needed the extra sleep. Yesterday work was busy, which was nice it made the day go by fast, but one of the nurses pointed out a couple of things that I had forgot, and I'm glad she did, but I was just feeling so much pms I was sensitive, and then when we were leaving I went to get something out of the stock room and couldn't find it....I know this is only my third week, but I just hate when I forget things.

Anyway, after work my folks took hubby and I out to dinner. I love going out to dinner so much, especially for the past several years I have done most of the meal planning, shopping, and cooking. We all had drinks and I had 1 Irish coffee without sugar. It was nice to have one, and I'm glad I had only one cuz it was a work night.

Another thing I forgot to share the other day, I bought barleans strawberry and banana flax oil. So yummy!!! It tastes more strawberry than banana which I like.
 Bfc friends you guys are so awesome, I hope everyone has a happy St. Paddy's Day!!!! It's funny hubby and I have Irish names and are not Irish...hubby comes by the last name McCoy from his step-grandpa who adopted his Dad when he was little. But hey on St. Paddy's Day who cares if you are real Irish or Irish for a day. :)


Breakfast: flaxseed muffiny thing with butter, 3 turkey sausage links, 1/2c fage greek yogurt with strawberry barleans on top, 1 ounce hazelnuts mufa, black coffee

Snack: I baby bell cheese, 1 square ghiradelli midnight reserve mufa, black coffee

Lunch: tuna sandwich with cheddar on 2 slices Ezekiel 4:9, 12 mini green olives mufa

Dinner: 1.5 onion rings for an appetizer, 1 Irish coffee w/o sugar, hamburger with cheese, bacon, avocado mufa, several steak fries

*7th day pilates

10th Week BFC Day 2

Good morning bfc friends, it is early and I can't sleep so I thought I would post. Tuesday was a rough/decent day for me.  I am having crazy pms that is makin me cranky. I got some evening primrose oil to help with that,  I don't remember all it does but I remember my Mom said it is good for pms and lady issues. I had a headache that just wouldn't quit at work....I felt crappy in the afternoon until I made some toast with butter, I try super hard not to eat the food at work cuz I feel it is a slippery slope...I could easily take in lots of sugar with peanut butter,  nutella, sweets people bring. Maybe I just needed some carbs when I ate the toast, because I felt tons better and less cranky.


We used our ice cream maker for the first time last night :) We made chocolate ice cream with a recipe from Lauren's healty indulgences blog, it was good it reminded me of a wendy's frosty. Hubby and I have learned that when eating products with xylitol which is what we used in the ice cream we need to eat small amounts or we get gassy tummys...hubby had to get up in the middle of the night to take a gas pill. TMI I'm sure, but hopefully helpful info. I didn't get my pilates in because I made the ice cream mixture before work because it needed to be refrigerated.


I also tried the microwavable flaxseed bread from Minichicks blog...it's super easy and tasty, it's kinda like a bread or muffiny thing.    Calories - 224;  Fat - 17.8g;  Carbs - 11g;  Sugar - 0g;  Fiber - 8g;  Protein - 12g

1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 teaspoon sweetener (I used a packet of stevia)
1 teaspoon butter

Mix all dry ingredients in a straight-sided coffee mug. Add egg and butter, and beat until smooth. Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes until it reaches your desired consistency (the top will be a little firmer than the bottom). Allow to cool slightly, then loosen edges with a blunt knife and remove from coffee cup and cut into slices. This is a lot like a nutty whole-wheat bread and can be toasted.

Breakfast: flaxseed bread, with 2 fried eggs, 2 turkey sasuage links, 4 garlic stuffed olives  mufa, black coffee.

Lunch: spinach salad with chicken, feta, cucumber, celery, radishes, asparagus, sunflower seeds mufa, with olive oil and lemon dressing

Snack: 2 slices of toast with butter

Dinner: papa murphy's deLite thin crust pizza chicken bacon artchoke with basil pesto sauce, 1/4c homemade ice cream.

10th Week BFC Day 1

Good morning everyone, man I had some bad dreams last night and I don't feel well rested this morning... Anyway such is life. Yesterday was a nice day, I got off work early and went to a bookstore and read magazines and looked at books and drank an americano. I love magazines, I find reading them so relaxing, I hardly ever buy them since most of them are a waste of money, but I do get Rachel Ray in the mail. Hubby volunteers with our church's youth group on Monday nights and he eats pizza there so I don't have to cook Monday's.

Some things I recently learned in the First for Women Magazine April 4, 2011 that I want to share with everyone

·         Omega 3 fatty acids are shown to be as effective as anti-depressants. Studies show that these fats balance the nerve signals involved in mood shifts by countering nerve inflammation.

·         A unique type of fiber known as inulin helps with weight loss, found in asparagus, chicory, artichokes, onions, jicama, and yams. It works by fermenting in the digestive tract, and feeds healthy probiotic bacteria and increases the body’s production of short-chain fatty acids that boost levels of satiety hormones, it also helps balance blood sugar to reduce food cravings.

Breakfast: 2 breakfast tacos…2 turkey sausage links, 2 eggs, cheese, sour cream, black coffee, 10 mini green olives

Snack: 1 piece ghiradelli chocolate, 1 baby bell cheese, macadamia nuts, black coffee

Lunch: spinach salad with chicken tenders, feta cheese, sunflower seeds, radishes, celery, asparagus

Snack: 12 mini olives, Americano

Dinner: 1 baby bell cheese, 1 turkey sausage link, tiny bit of baguette bread with butter, tea, 1 sugar free peanut butter cup

* 6^th day pilates and apple cider vin

9th Week BFC Day 6

Hello bfc friends,
Ya maybe the coleslaw, potatoes, and strawberries were a little much yesterday. I was super hungry we were waiting for my Dad to get home from work, and my Mom didn't have a lot in her fridge or else I probably would have made a salad...but oh well, I guess live and learn.

Today was a nice quiet Sunday. After church I went to walmart, and winco I really like winco they have a big bulk foods section. When we got home we picked up around the house and then just relaxed. We made stir fry for dinner with the shirataki noodles and braggs amino acids...yummm!!! It's funny when we bought the shriataki noodles last week hubby thought they looked weird, but I reassured them that my bfc friends recommend them. They smelled strange, but after I ran them under the water they were fine. And the braggs was a little different but I can get used to it. Especially since it is so low in salt...the less sodium Kirkoman has 24% of our daily sodium per serving and the braggs only has 6%, I'm sold on braggs. I wanted to make ice cream today, but the base wasn't frozen yet :(

I was thinking about the bfc today, I'm feeling good about the progress I've made, the weight is coming off slowly but I think that is realistic and healthy for me. Even when the scale isn't going down my clothes are fitting better. I am so grateful for all my bfc friends, without you I think I would have given up...because I have felt discouraged plenty of times and fallen off the wagon. But I get back on the horse and try again.
Hubby is losing weight and he isn't being super strict either. The biggest things we have done is watch carb portion control, eat less processed sugar, and less natural sugar. Hubby used to but honey in his morning oatmeal, and I used to put honey in my coffee or use the flavored coffee creamers, and we used to eat lots of high sugar veggies and fruits. I always thought more fruits and veggies the better. Well, I guess that's all for now... I hope everyone has a good Monday!!!!

Breakfast: fried egg sandwich on 4 thin slices of baguette, 4 olives, black coffee

Lunch: 6 pieces sushi, sobe lifewater

Snack: 6 inch subway roast beef on wheat with only half the bread, peach tea

Dinner: stir fry with chicken, mushrooms, baby bok choy, asparagus, peanuts, shirataki noodles, 1 sugar free mini peanut butter cup.

9th Week BFC Day 6

Good morning everyone. Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day, perfect for the St. Paddy's Day parade, we didn't go but I bet it was nice. Hubby and I had a very nice day, we went to the mall which is something we don't do very often. We bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker on sale at Macy's with a Christmas gift card, some jeans on sale, and a bathing suit for me. I can hardly believe I got a bathing suit, and it was the least painful bathing suit experience of my life!!!! I just showed hubby the bathing suit that I had seen several weeks ago, he said try it on...and if fit...not perfect, but after several more months of the bfc and pilates it will be fine. Whoo Hooo...it's a black tankini with tiny white polka dots. Then we went to nordstrom rack to get hubby some clothes, but we didn't stay cuz it was sooo busy, I've never seen a store that busy without some special sale. The rest of the day we went to my folks, had dinner did laundry and watched college basketball.
And the best part of the night was when my mom told me that my face is looking thinner :) :) :)

Brunch: fried egg sandwich, romaine salad with tilapia, feta, sunflower seeds, newman's Tuscan Italian dressing, black coffee

Snack: several blue cheese stuffed olives, baby bell cheese, several slices deli turkey.

Dinner: salmon, small baked red potato with butter and blue cheese, asparagus, tiny tiny bit of coleslaw

Dessert: one crepe with several sliced strawberries...I'm not sure how belly friendly that was.

*5th day pilates, and apple cider vinegar

9th Week BFC Day's 4 & 5

Hello friends, man time flies now that I have a job. I don't remember everything I ate, but I did pretty good, pork chops and chard for dinner with several roasted potato wedges. Breakfast's sauteed spinach with 2 fried eggs. Snacks at work, olives, nuts, dark chocolate, baby bell cheese. I did have one minor slip up, while working late I was hungry and I had already eaten my snacks, and I allowed myself 5 pretzels, with one dipped in nutella. I think I need to keep working on the food I bring to work.

 Yesterday I went to a natural food market and I bought some bragg's liquid amino acid, tea and spry gum. I can't believe how expensive some things are. I was looking at seeds of change pasta sauce and it was $6.79, I can't imagine spending that much on a jar of pasta. I was also disappointed because I wanted to buy another small bottle of barleans to try a new flavor, but all had in stock yesterday were the big bottles.

Yesterday hubby and I went downtown to celebrate St. Paddy's Day, it was fun we have never done that before. When I met my hubby 5 yrs ago he was active duty Marine Corps, so we had a long distance relationship, after we got married 3yrs ago he deployed a month later, when he returned I moved to CA to be with him. Last year after he got out we moved back to our hometown, but while moving I fell and broke my knee...so last year we didn't get to do a lot of fun things due to my knee problems. So, it's only been recent that we have been able to do some of the fun things our town has to offer.

Where we live is very close to downtown, so we were able to walk...so we shared 2 appetizers at 2 different places, we had sliders (one each) and shared an order of fries with blue cheese and bacon on top. I had a glass of cab and an Irish coffee, and 2 beers...I wish I hadn't had the beers, but other than that I feel good about food and the wine and coffee with whiskey. I know I cheated, but the bfc is more of a lifestyle for me rather than a diet, and  a couple of drinks on a friday is a realistic part of my life.

Well, I guess that's all I have to say for now. I have a lot of chores to catch up on this weekend, I hope everyone has a nice saturday.

9th Week BFC Day 3

Hello BFC friends,  life is pretty good up here, the weather has been a little snowy/rainy but its not bitter cold so I don't mind. My anniversary is coming up next month and I am using that as motivation to be more disciplined, so no drinking for awhile. I started drinking apple cider vinegar in the morning, I read it helps with weight loss, doing pilates, and making sure I get good fats in..mufas which stand for monounsaturated fatty acids...the fats in oil, olives, nuts and seeds, avocados, dark chocolate. I've read that they help us lose belly fat. So, hopefully my combined efforts will get me closer to my goal :)


Breakfast: 1/2c oatmeal with walnuts mufa, black coffee, apple cider vin


Lunch: napa cabbage salad with 2/3 edamame, 1 slice bacon, avo mufa, cheddar cheese, chicken, sprouts, sunflower seeds mufa


Snack: 1 baby bell gouda, 1 square ghirardelli midnight reverie which is 86% caco and is my new favorite dark chocolate, I find it not as bitter as lindt's 85% caco  (chocolate mufa) and black coffee

Dinner: 2 chicken wraps/tacos, with napa cabbage, bacon, cheddar cheese, tiny bit red onion, sour cream, 10 kalamata olives mufa, 1 dove sugar free raspberry creme.

*3rd day pilates and apple cider vin

9th Week BFC Day 2

Hello All, today was a decent day, except when it snowed..booo. Work just kinda dragged on but no big deal. Lindsay thanks for your input about insurance, I have decided to go with the ppo. You never know what will happen, and if something big does I would be screwed with the hsa.

It's funny that I posted about the flat belly diet and the magic of mufas because today at work some of the nurses were talking about weigh watchers and the flat belly diet. One said that she was in the best shape when she did the flat belly diet. So I have decided to combine the 2 for myself to see if it helps me lose my pooch. I will basically be doin the bfc and just making sure to eat some healthy fat at every meal. Hopefully it works. Oh, and I am aiming to do some pilates every day. I am hoping to see some progress by my anniversary April 5th.

Breakfast: sandwich, 2 fried eggs, cheddar cheese, mayo, 2 slices Ezekiel 4:9, black coffee sauteed spinach.

Lunch: stir fry with celery, potobello mushroom, baby bok choy, napa cabbage, chicken, 1/2c wild rice.

Snack: mufa hazelnuts, black coffee

Snack: mufa macadamia nuts, black coffee

Dinner: chicken tacos, with low carb tortillas, (While looking at them in the store I missed that they contain suclarose :( booo. At least there are only 10 in the package and hubby and I ate 4 tonight.) sour cream, cheddar cheese, napa cabbage, avocado mufa

*2nd day pilates & apple cider vinegar

9th Week BFC Day 1

I am happy to share I had a great day! Work was good, and I even got off early whoo hoo!! I am trying to figure out what insurance plan to go with, I have the option of the traditional ppo, or hsa health savings account. I think I am going to call them tomorrow morning before work and ask qts because I really need to make up my mind and get the info to my HR person.

 Man, sometimes if it's not one thing it's another...I thought I was doing really good eating homemade split pea soup, but maybe I wasn't..thank you Lindsay for pointing that out to me. To anyone who reads this I really appreciate comments that can help me improve my bfc journey/lifestyle, please don't be shy your comments/criticism's won't hurt my feelings.
*I am also trying to get better about exercise: 1st day pilates and apple cider vinegar

Breakfast: 2 fried eggs, sauteed spinach, 1/4c oatmeal with lemon barleans, black coffee

Lunch: salad with romaine, sprouts, feta, 10 kalamata olives, chicken, 1/2c wild rice.

Snack: black coffee, macadamia nuts

Dinner: 1 hamburger patty with cheese, 1/2c homemade split pea soup, tea, 1 dove sugar free raspberry creme

Good fats help us lose our fat bellies.

Hello BFC friends I want to share some very helpful things that I have learned from the Flat Belly Diet by Prevention magazine editor Liz Vaccariello. Basically this book talks about the importance of healthy fats and the role they play in helping us lose our bellies.

Chapter 1:  A study in the journal of Diabetes Care 2007 shows that a diet rich in mufas can help prevent weight gain in our bellies.

Chapter 2: Explains their plan, which is basically calorie restriction, and eating mufas at every meal…I am personally trying to eat the mufas but not following a calorie restriction.

·        We need fat in our diets

·        Visceral fat is very dangerous to our health, it is linked to high blood pressure, stroke , heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer dementia.

* Chapter 3: Explains mufas, monounsaturated fatty acids there are five categories of mufas. Even if you don't want to read the whole book I strongly suggest you read chapter 3.

·        Oils

·        Olives

·        Nuts & Seeds

·        Avocados

·        Dark Chocolate

Mufas protect our hearts, ward off type 2 diabetes, cut our risk for metabolic syndrome, reduce inflammation, lower risk of breast cancer, keep our brain healthy and TARGET BELLY FAT. “ A 2007 study published in the journal of Diabetes Care found that a Mufa rich diet prevented central body fat distribution, compared with a high carbohydrate and high saturated fat diet of the same calorie level.”

Chapter 4: Mind- belly connection, talking about physical and emotional hunger, the link between stress and belly fat

Chapter 5: talks about belly bloat and talks about the importance of keeping a log of what you eat to help you stay on track with your efforts to lose belly fat.

Chapter 6: lots of helpful suggestions to help lost belly fat

Chapters 7-8 recipes, I personally don’t use them because they are high in carb and sugar.

* Since the belly fat cure is about no fake sugar, lower real sugar, and better carbs we end up eating more fat and protein. I wanted to share this with you because not all fats are equal, mufas are good fats and help to keep us healthy, and lose our fat bellies.