Thursday, July 24, 2014

Losing Weight After Baby


Oh my goodness, how has it already been over a month since I’ve had an honest moment about my weight loss journey??!! Seriously it’s going SO SLOWLY!! I can’t blame that on anyone except myself. I keep telling myself I don’t eat all that badly and I should be losing weight. Although I probably don't eat quite as good as I think I do. Yeah, I know it don't.  Maybe it’s time for a picture food journal again. I’ve also debated giving up food altogether (if you know me well, you’ll know that’s not going to happen!).
Weight loss is a two part journey. You need to eat healthy and you need to exercise. Finding time to exercise is where I’m really having trouble. I cannot exercise in the morning. It just isn’t going to happen. So this is what I have to work with. I leave the house at 7:15/20 every morning and I get home about 4:15 and have to figure out/make supper. From there we have a waiting game to play because my hubby never gets home at a consistent time. Supper is normally around 5:45/6:00pm. Between cooking and eating I have a cranky clingy (teething??) 1 year old to contend with. I like to pretend he just missed me during the day and can’t live another minute without being glued to some part of my body. And I only have between 3 and 4 hours with my son every day and I not willing to sacrifice for exercise. Only exception is when we go for an evening walk together. 
This brings me to 8:30/8:45 at night. Levi is in bed(probably playing because the child just doesn't like to sleep) and I have the option to start winding down for the evening or to go exercise(if I have any energy left). There’s probably still laundry or cloth diapers to deal with, lunches to pack, budgets to balance, so on and so forth. I never imagined how much trouble I’d have finding time to exercise.
Excuses, excuses, excuses, right? I must find a way. I don’t want to be stuck here in the low 160’s forever. I’m so close to my cute clothes fitting and can’t give up now… Maybe next week things will suddenly click. A girl can hope anyway...
Pregnancy Weight: 205
July 23rd Weight: 162.8
Lost: 42.2
Pounds to Pre-Pregnancy Weight: 12.8
Pre-Pregnancy Weight: 150
**Goal Weight:  140**

Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Chocolate Zucchini Cake


When summer comes I'm always on the look out for ways to use up zucchini. I don't have a garden but it seems like everyone always has an extra zucchini to give away. When I found a recipe that uses 2 cups of shredded zucchini I knew it would be perfect to use up lots of zucchini fast! And who doesn't want to hide their veggies in a chocolate cake that is delicious? After I made the cake I wasn't quite sure about the brown sugar topping. I thought that it would melt while baking but instead it creates a light crunchy topping that is incredibly yummy and mixed with the chocolate chips is perfect in place of icing. 

Admittedly I've had this for breakfast several times(because it's full of veggies and we should all have veggies for breakfast!!) and as a late a night snack. Yes, I have an out of control sweet tooth. With the exception of the little bit my Husband and Mom had I think I ate most of this cake myself. Here in lies the reason I'm still working on getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight over a year after the kiddo was born. Make this cake. Now if you can! 
ChocolatE ZUCCHINI CAKE with Brown Sugar Topping
INGREDIENTS
    Cake:
  • 1/2 cup butter 
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil 
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk 
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups shredded zucchini
  • Topping:
  • 1/2 cup sliced almonds (optional - I didn't use them)
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer), cream together the butter, oil and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk; mix. Add another 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add the remaining buttermilk and mix followed by the last of the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Stir in the shredded zucchini.
  3. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the almonds and chocolate chips. Sprinkle the brown sugar on top of everything.
  4. Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs (don't overbake!).
  5. Let cool completely before serving. 

Recipe Source: adapted slightly(used a little less sugar) from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Sunday, July 20, 2014

Athlete's Foot (Fungus-Be-Gone) Fighter


No one likes the discomfort that comes with Athlete's Foot. Scaling, flaking and peeling of the skin between the toes, intense itching, heat, redness, cracking, dryness, blisters and even possible infection if left untreated. All treatments for athlete's foot should be applied continuously over a period of several weeks to several months until the condition has completely cleared up and you don't have re-occurrences. 

This essential oil spray helps eliminate athlete's foot and also fights nail fungus. It calms, and soothes redness and itching, helps heal infection and conditions the skin. 

1/4 cup jojoba base oil
2 ounce spray bottle 

Add the lavender, tea tree, thyme, lemon, clove, essential oils directly into your 2 ounce spray bottle. Add the jojoba base oil. screw the top on the bottle and shake for 2 minutes to blend. 

Shake well before each use. Spray into hand or directly onto foot/feet. Massage the oil into both feet thoroughly. Allow the oil to sink in for a few minutes before putting on socks. Don't forget to continue this treatment for several weeks to several months depending on the severity of the athlete's foot. 


NOTE: Save 10% off your entire order at www.sparknaturals.com when you use coupon code: simplyhealth