Journal to Healthier Living – Week 5

Welcome my friends.  I’m tweaking my weekly journey with my healthier living.  It’s a step in the right direction for sure.  I hope you come along for the ride.  Instead of day-to-day comments, I’m going to post something from my personal journal to share.  Hope you enjoy.  Remember all of us go down this path and we are all in it together ❤

---

Week of 02/04-02/10/2018 – Week 5

“Dear Journal – I had intentions of having a perfect week this week with all of my circles completed.  It didn’t happen.  Six days out of seven I’m taking and doing a high five to myself.  Even God rested one day. I have to work out something I couldn’t do the rest of my life – not a quick fix.  If I take one or two days off, good for me.  I love my Apple i-Watch.  It gets me up/going and reminds me to do such.  However, it also brings out the OCD in me and being perfect.  I have to find an equal balance.”

“Dear Journal – I broke down and found a pair of jeans that actually fit and didn’t seem like a family had moved out of them.  So from a size 26 to now a size 22.  And I actually bought my first ever button up shirt.  I have *never* worn button up shirts for obvious reasons.  With my breast size they way the were, button up shirts did not stay buttoned up.  My shirts were a 3XL and now I’m down to 1XL.  Small changes but it’s working this plan of mine.  I keep on walking.  Who knows what this summer will bring.”

---

This week walked: 12.54

TOTAL 2018 Miles:  44.18

TOTAL 2017 Miles:  541.06

 ❤ small goals turn into big accomplishments ❤

---

Update on my Air Fryer.  Let me introduce you to Elite – my air fryer.  Fits nicely on the counter and has little suction cups to keep it stable.  One of the meals we prepared this week was steak and waffle fries – both done in the air fryer.  The steaks came out awesome.  We cooked two this size at one time around 5 minutes.  Next time, I will take the time down a bit for more our liking.  The waffle fries cooked 4 minutes and came out perfect!  They were crunchy and awesome!!

 

Travels in the South

These days, mom/dad often will go out and share a dinner.  Neither one of them want a full meal but yet both of them want something good – makes sense huh?  Let’s look at this nights decision.  Mom/dad ordered a steak with grilled shrimp.  Looks awesome, right?  How did they split the meal?

Dad went for the steak and baked potato.  Mom went for the grilled shrimp and a side salad.  Perfect decision huh?  See mom can make somewhat good decisions in her food choices.  I was beginning to doubt her – snorts and rolls with piggy laughter.

Do your parents split meals too when they go out?

 

Travels in the South

Everyone should have that one great Mexican restaurant that they always have on their ‘go to’ list when nothing else sounds good for dinner.  You know what I mean.  There is always the constant, “Where do you want to eat”, conversation going on here at the Hotel Thompson.  It’s daily and it always ends with, “It doesn’t matter.  Whatever you want.”  I piggy swear that sometimes they need to write all of the local restaurants down on pieces of paper, fold them and put them in a box.  When these nights come up about where do you want to eat, randomly pick a piece of paper out of said box – problem solved.

This was one of those nights where mom/dad just automatically skipped the conversation and went straight to their stand by of Mexican food.  It’s a no brainer.  They don’t even have to decide what to order because they always get the same thing and split the meal.  What is it you ask?

This wonderful meal is called Tacos De Alambre.  It’s made with flour tortillas, grilled steak, onions and bell peppers.  Mom also gets her Tacos De Alambre topped with Chihuahua cheese.  This is a great Mexican melty yummy cheese.  Can you say delicious?

 

Travels in the South

Welcome my friends to another week of Travels in the South.  You know my daddy, he loves his hamburgers.  A couple of weeks ago he and mom found a restaurant that was a little hole in the wall.  It wasn’t much on the outside but they were known for their burgers.  And dad said they were right.  Their burgers were out of this world delicious.  Now, this is not something you should eat everyday for sure, especially when someone – snort mom snort – is suppose to be watching those calories.  But I had to share their meal.

Both burgers had eight ounce angus beef patties.  And that is the only thing they had in common – snorts with piggy laughter.

Dad’s had a hard fried egg, bacon (gulps), melted Jack cheese and pickles on it.  Mom had bacon (gulps), a portobello mushroom, red onions and pickles.  I couldn’t believe the size of mom’s burger.  She couldn’t even wrap her mouth around it – HA!   And of course she had to get daddy to help her finish it.  Dad had onion rings with his burger.  Mom had a salad so at least she *tried* to somewhat healthy.

  

 

Shopping Around the World – Reminder

Hello sweet friends.  Did you have a lot of fun with Shopping Around the World last month?  We just have a blast seeing everyone’s recipes and pictures.  Since this is the summer and it is so hot here, why don’t we focus this month on foods that you prepare in this type of heat.  Whether it’s a simple salad, a sandwich with chips, a watermelon salad – what do you fix for dinner when it’s just so hot outside to be cooking anything in the kitchen.

Shopping Around the World will be hosted on Monday, July 31, 2017 here in blogville.  Now remember, link back to my blog here so everyone can find your links.  And remember have fun with your recipes.  Can’t wait to see your recipes, pictures and prices in your area.  ❤

Oh and you haven’t already, please fill free to use my Shopping Around the World with Bacon badge for your blog that my brother Phenny fixed for all of us.  Thanks again brother!

 

Travels in the South

Every once in a while, your body just craves a good steak – well so says mom/dad.  And when mom craves steak, dad takes full advantage and takes her to a local steakhouse that they both love.  On this date, mom/dad shared this plate above, of course with a side salad.  This is one of mom’s favorites – a ribeye steak fire grilled on an open flame, medium please.  The juices were still running and mom licked her lips before jumping in with both feet to eat her way out.  And of course by splitting the meal with daddy, that does mean 1/2 the calories.  Dad said it was an awesome dinner.  When was the last time you had steak calling your name?

 

Shopping Around the World

Hello sweet friends.  Did you have a lot of fun with Shopping Around the World last month?  We just have a blast seeing everyone’s recipes and pictures.  Since this is the summer and it is so hot here, why don’t we focus this month on foods that you prepare in this type of heat.  Whether it’s a simple salad, a sandwich with chips, a watermelon salad – what do you fix for dinner when it’s just so hot outside to be cooking anything in the kitchen.

Shopping Around the World will be hosted on Monday, July 31, 2017 here in blogville.  Now remember, link back to my blog here so everyone can find your links.  And remember have fun with your recipes.  Can’t wait to see your recipes, pictures and prices in your area.  ❤

Oh and you haven’t already, please fill free to use my Shopping Around the World with Bacon badge for your blog that my brother Phenny fixed for all of us.  Thanks again brother!

 

Travels in the South

Anyone for some nachos?  Welcome my friends to another posting of Travels in the South.  Today we went a little Mexican.  Okay maybe I should say mom/dad went a BIG time Mexican.  They decided one night to go out and split some Fajita Nachos and maybe – and I stretch maybe – a Margarita might have been involved – snorts with piggy laughter.  And I say share because look at that plate!

It had peppers, onions, chicken, steak, shrimp and cheese slathered all over it.  It was messy and so delicious!  And hey splitting it between mom/dad meant half of the calories, right?  Don’t you love the way those two parents of mine have changed their way in thinking about food?  You don’t have to give up the things you love, just split them in half with someone else you love ❤

 

Travels in the South

Hello friends – welcome back to mom/dad’s Travels in the South.  Today is a good one…. snorts – I say that every week don’t I?  Rolls with piggy laughter.  Well as you know mom/dad have been changing their way of eating.  It’s definitely a work in progress for sure.  Well, a couple of weeks ago mom took dad out for his birthday.  Dad wanted to go to a local steakhouse for dinner.

Dad went for a steak of course ❤   He ordered a prime rib and mom said since it was his birthday he could have french fries.  Nice of her huh?  Snorts!  Mom went with the strawberry fields salad.  Doesn’t that look awesome?  It has everything in it from nuts to grapes to strawberries to oranges.  Yummy huh?

 

Shopping Around the World

  This month it is scheduled for December 30th – after the holiday so we can all make plans.  Since it is the Christmas holidays, this month we will again focus on appetizers, side dishes, salads, soups, main entrees or desserts.

This month we wanted to highlight a wonderful soup that mom/dad like to eat during the winter time.  This soup is also a great jump start for their diet… but that’s another story.  Here is what you will need:

♦ Steak Picanha – already sliced into bite sized strips – one package around $5.00 (note any kind of steak will work for this recipe.  In fact, you can even switch the steak for chicken cut into bite sized strips.)

♦ One head of cabbage – $1.48 head

♦ One can of white/yellow corn – $0.48 can

♦ One can of diced tomatoes with green chilis – $0.48 can

♦ One package of beef broth or chicken brother – $1.50

♦ Two cups of water, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes

♥

Cut up the entire head of cabbage and throw in the bottom of the crock pot.  Add your cans of corn, chilis, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.  Add in your stock and water.  Add your meat to the top and put the lid on your crock pot.

Turn on your crock pot to low and let that crock pot do the work for you all day.  When you get ready to eat, you will be amazed at the smell and taste.  It’s hardy and wonderful.  If you want it a little thicker, you can add a cut up potato with your ingredients.

Mom/dad often use this to jump start their diet.  Why?  Well the cabbage is an amazing item…. snorts with piggy laughter.  This soup costs about $9.00 to prepare but lasts for a couple of days.  It’s a little spicy but not so hot that you can’t enjoy it.