I made gravy today! Yup, that's right, gravy!!


Weeeeeell, maybe it isn't officially gravy because there were no lumps in it!!


Anyway, I was cooking chicken thighs in a small bit of canned broth - Swanson reduced sodium beef broth. As they were cooking I got a craving for gravy on them. Hmmmm, what to do...


When my chicken was done, I cooked it without the skin, an old habit of mine, I just pull the skin off and throw it away, I took the thighs out and left whatever was in the pan in there. I added the rest of the can of broth which was maybe 1 1/2 cups, and added 1/2 cup whole milk. Started that on a gentle but steady boil. Added a few shakes of McCormick grill mates Montreal chicken seasoning and a few shakes of a generic chicken seasoning. Cooked it down to less than 1/2 of what I started with. Was smelling good and the tastes I was taking were GREAT!


When it got to less than half I put some in my plate, not as thick as I wanted but good. So to the rest of the pan I added 2 heaping tablespoons of sour cream and whipped them in. A bit more thicker. I ate my serving. Went to check what was left in the pan as noticed as it cooled it became thicker. It is nice and thick now, a good gravy consistency.


Next time I make it, I won't add the sour cream, I will just let it sit a few minutes and go from there.


My gravy craving is gone and I stayed on program!!!










August 09, 2012
It's Thursday morning and I'm getting ready for work, but before I head out the door - I'm looking for motivation to get back into exercise. It's times like this that I listen to my inner Nike voice just do it! In Greek mythology: Nike was a goddess who personified victory. I like her story, so I'll pull motivation from her as well as the sneakers named after the Greek goddess Nike.
Goddess Nike at Ephesus, Turkey.
Nike is the goddess of strength, speed, and victory.
Source: Wikipedia
Since completing my six-week mini-triathlon (and my vacation) I stopped exercising. I walked once this week, but my body wants more exercise. Although I have to say, when Aime and I walked the parameter of the campus at lunch earlier this week, I marveled that it only took 25 minutes and neither of us were having trouble breathing going up the steep hill. In the past, this walk was a much slower pace and it would take us almost an hour. I hadn't brought my gym equipment, so I walked outside even though this meant wearing sandals instead of sneakers. It was quite hot outside, but I knew this walk was just what I needed. I feel so much more energized when I exercise and I wanted an energy boost.

So this morning, before I hop into the shower and start the fast pace of my day, I have my gym bag packed and waiting at the top of the stairs where I will trip over it if I don't pick it up. No excuses today. Plus, it's going to be 90 degrees out there today, so I need to be in the gym instead of walking outside. I know that I will reap the benefits once I get started and for the rest of the day. This isn't just about this one moment of asking myself "do I exercise today or put it off one more day?" It's about how I want to feel for the rest of my life. I love feeling good and exercise helps set the tone for how I'm feeling.

It's the same when I make food choices - it's not about the moment - it's about a lifetime of choices. Healthy choices make me feel good every time. Just like exercise, I don't regret making the healthy food choice (staying on program vs. having something "just this one time") and that choice spins off more energy for me. Staying on program is the same as staying on my exercise routine, both give me energy and I'm much happier with myself for making the positive/healthy choice later that day and in the morning.

What about you? What do you do to keep yourself motivated? What do you do to get back on track when you've strayed from your exercise routine? What do you need to do get get started again - or for the first time?
August 09, 2012
I have a quick simple question: What is the longest plateau any of you have ever hit?
August 08, 2012
There are many rewards to this weight loss program, some more obvious than others. One hidden reward for me: going to a 40th high school reunion and not focusing on how much weight I want to lose before the reunion.
Friday night reunion with some of the girls I went to school with for 12 years.
This is not my favorite photo, but it's the only I have right now.
This weekend I went to my 40th high school class reunion and I had a blast. I worried all summer about what I would wear, but in the end I was happy with the outfits I wore (there were three events over the weekend). What I didn't worry about was losing weight for the reunion. No crash diets leading up to this weekend, as I've been on this program for 19 months and none of the weight I've lost was for this weekend; it's for the rest of my life. I'm so happy that I didn't have to obsess over what I weigh or what size I am.

For the big reunion event I wore a beautiful blue sleeveless dress that was just above the knees, low cut, with lots of bling around the neckline. Earlier this week I had an opportunity to wear the dress one evening while I was at a conference in Boston (where I won an iPad 3 BTW). I was so nervous about wearing such a revealing dress that I took a photo of myself in the dress in my hotel room and sent it to a few of my friends and asked "do I dare go out in this dress?" My friends wrote back wonderful compliments and friends at the reunion complimented me as well. It's a whole new style of dress for me, but I have to say I felt great!

At the reunion, we shared memories of our youth and our lives over the past 40 years. Many of us did not stay in touch after high school, heck some of us weren't in touch in high school, but there is a common thread that we all shared and it was nice to connect in new ways. I spent twelve years with most of those people, some I knew well, others I never talked to because I was too shy. Last night I pushed away the shy young girl and I had meaningful conversations with a handful of people, including a guy I had a mad crush on who I never talked to in school.

I posted this on our class reunion Facebook a few minutes ago:
I've had a smile on my face all day from reunion weekend. I'm heading for bed and I'm still smiling. I'm thinking I'll be smiling all week. :)
Saturday night with friends from all 12 years in school.
August 05, 2012
Sometimes Love Hurts. And last night, it hurt me. 

I have a sister who is 9 years younger than me. Opinionated. Witty. Smart. And someone who can, without knowing it, sting with her words.

I don't completely remember her word-for-word comment last night while we were on the phone talking, because I am still in shock. It was something like "you are no better now just because you are skinny." 

Really? Honestly? Are you kidding me? Someday I have to gather my courage (I hate confrontation) and ask her what she truly meant by that comment.

I am not making excuses, but my sister is going through a horrible time in her life. Just horrible. Stress beyond belief. And she is eating. Eating, eating, eating. Something I would have done too had I heard that comment before starting with Julie, or if I was going through what she is going through. I personally have not hurt my sister, and in my heart I know she is lashing out. If she feels bad, why not make me feel bad too? That is what I am thinking.

I don't see my sister often because there is a bit of distance between her house and mine, and we are busy. And I know over the last year that my weight loss was pretty dramatic. She has always been more in control of her weight, and in my eyes she has always been beautiful. But, she is overweight. Not as much as I ever was, but, heavier than she wants to be. I understand that.

Now I am thinking that she is a bit self-conscious of her weight. And hasn't been able to talk to me about it. I got a hint when she came out my way in the spring and we went shopping at Old Navy. She has always shopped there. I have never shopped there. Never thought that their clothes would fit. Lose weight, their clothes fit. I had fun. She didn't. She wouldn't try anything on in front of me. Why had that changed? When I was heavy, she would show me everything that she tried on, whether it fit or not. We used to share a changing room. And I am no better now because I am skinny? What is that all about?

She tells me that she is concerned about her daughter being heavy when she grows up, and she wants to teach her to "eat right" and be able to say no to food. That is a wonderful attitude to give a child. The only comment that I ever remember saying to my sister when she told me this was "why not offer her a hotdog or a hamburger without the bun?" Make a meal here and there without bread. Show her that that is an option too. Cut back on some of the carbs. Teach her about sugar and flour. I didn't go on and on, just mentioned it. Maybe she took this conversation the wrong way? I don't know. All I know is that I am wounded. I am hurting.

BUT! I will tell all of you that I have not ONCE thought about jumping out of the river and doing something stupid because of this. I know that food will not heal my heart. I know that it isn't healing her heart. Only time can do that. Food will not. So, contrary to what she said last night, I think I AM better now. Because I am not going to let food hurt me like her words hurt me. I will mull this conversation over and over and over, because that is what I do. Then, someday, when she is in a better place, I will talk to her about this. And tell her that her comment hurt me. I wont do that now because her stress is so great, and she needs to work on herself. I can wait.

I am offering this story to you because maybe this has already happened to you, or maybe one day it will, and it will cause you to stop in your tracks. You would think that people would be happy for you in an accomplishment such as this. I think, if I was doing Weight Watchers or Jenny Craig and had positive results, would she have said that? I don't know. Does she think that this was too "easy" for me? Shouldn't we be happy when someone has a positive accomplishment in their life? She has a Masters Degree. I have an Associates Degree. Would she say "you are no better now because you have an Associates Degree"???? I think not. Would she rather I still be heavy and have high blood pressure and still be pre-diabetic? I don't get it. Maybe someday I will.

I feel better now that I put my feelings down on "paper." Thanks for listening. I think I'm gonna go eat another piece of meat and go watch our Olympians kick some ass. Hugs to you all!
August 01, 2012
Hi, my name is Linda and I am a food-a-holic.

I LOVE food!

I MEAN -- I REALLY REALLY LOVE FOOD!!!

phew, got that off my chest. True confession time, I LOVE FOOD!!! There I said it...

I am Italian, what do you expect! I was/am a member of the clean plate club, and that included everyone else's plates too!

As a child I always thought of the starving children in other countries, so I dutifully ate my food and enough for them too! I am sure they knew I was helping them.

Food has comforted me, has kept me sane, has helped me through rough times, has made me happy, is always there for me, always tastes good, is associated with happy times - celebrations, sad times too., Food is just always there, it is like such a good friend.

Food ALWAYS called me! and I ALWAYS answer my friends calls!

Except, it isn't a good friend. Have you ever had a friend you just loved but they just weren't good for you? YUP, I got one here called food.

I remember some of the boys I would bring home and my parents just didn't like them. No matter what I said, they knew they were not good for me and just didn't like them. Or some of the girls I would hang around with, my parents would work on me to spend less time with them, the influences from these 'so called friends' was bad.

HMMM, I survived the bad boy friends, I survived the less time with the bad friends. I lived to tell about it and in return ended up with a good life.

Soooooooo, hmm, what do I do about my faithful friend food. Food controls me and yet gives me what I want, then slaps me in the face and makes me feel bad. Now if my kids were hanging around someone like that, I would step in and say, GET RID OF THEM NOW!!! (well, I would say that but who knows if they would listen) Soooo, why do I hang around with Food.

I need to take my own advice and the advice of my parents from so long ago. (OH! my parents would laugh if they knew I said that)

I need to break off the relationship and stop letting it control me.

I need to spend less time with it, the influence is bad.

I need to find healthier ones, better influencing ones, ones that won't slap me in the face.

Then I need to make a new friend called EXERSIZE. I have hated that girl all my life and still hate her, but I know I have to become friends with her. She just grates on my nerves and gets under my skin. But I have to learn to like her, some say I have to love her. OH MY GOODNESS, just keep testing my patience will ya!

I am 54 years old ( OH MY! Did I just admit that!!!) and have to change my life and my 'friends'. Not easy when the old ones are comfortable like my old sneakers. Scary, uncharted territory. But it is like going to the dentist, it is something I have to do whether I want to or not.

So, when I stomp and whine and complain and talk bad about my new food friends and that girl exersize, just bear with me and know that I am trying. I never did like being told what to do and still don't. I kick and scream the whole way and sometimes end up glad I tried. I have a feeling I may kick and scream on this adventure, but I have a feeling I will like the outcome.

So, meet my new food friends meat and vegetables, and (gulp) exersize. Still don't like her but letting her in a little at a time to get used to her and maybe overlook her lousy features and try to find the good features.

and meet my new friend - POSITIVE ATTITUDE!! She has never been in my life before and all of a sudden I realized she is a big part of my life, she just crept in!

I LOVE Julie's program, I am enjoying the new me that I am becoming. I am REALLY ENJOYING this adventure! WOW! who is this person 'talking' that is me!!!???

July 30, 2012
Theresa reminded me about this recipe, and asked if I would print it-I hope she will add the picture that she took of it when she made it as it is a beautiful looking salad!!!!!! I have found the Langostino Lobster Tails in the frozen section near the seafood department. Not all stores carry them, and I must warn you that they are expensive. But, totally worth it, I think!!!! I also added in the shrimp recipe as we are all enjoying this grilling season! Enjoy!!!!!!!!!!! 
Langostino Lobster Tail Salad; photo by Theresa
Langostino Lobster Tail Salad

(Originally made by Susan Azar)
You can alter this recipe to your own taste, with different veggies and/or spices

2 boxes Langostino Lobster Tails, thawed according to directions , then placed on paper towels to dry (the mayonaise will get runny if you don't)
1/4-1/2 C mayonaise (depends on your taste)
1 tbls lemon juice (optional)
1-2 tbls curry powder (I use a lot; I love the taste!!!!!)
salt and pepper to taste
frozen veggies (I use 1/4 cup frozen corn and 1/4 cup frozen peas)

Mix mayo and curry powder plus lemon juice/salt/pepper
In large bowl, add langostino lobster, mayo and veggies. Mix well.
Refrigerate to let flavors meld, allowing veggies to thaw.
Makes 2-3 servings
langostino lobster tails
Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp
(I found this in Rachael Ray's Magazine)

2 Tbls. Olive Oil
12 Jumbo Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
Old Bay Seasoning (optional) or salt and pepper to taste
12 thin slices Prosciutto di parma

In Gallon Size Ziploc baggie, place shrimp and olive oil and seasoning, or just salt and pepper to taste. Remove shrimp
Roll each shrimp in a slice of prosciutto
Brush with a little more EVOO
Skewer shrimp, which helps keep prosciutto attached.
Grill about 2 minutes each side, until shrimp is firm and opaque, and prosciutto starts to crisp. (You can pan fry them as well, just not skewered)
July 28, 2012
I'm posting the comment below was posted today so more folks can see it and respond.

Questions from Pam t:

I just joined but I am not sure where to start? So I will try asking my questions here. Or should I go back to my email and start from there??

Anyway I started with Julie on May 5th and I was a size 16/18. I am now a size 10!!! Yeah but I am scared to death about adding the potato. I went to a maintenance session and Julie didn't really talk to much about the process. She needed to explain some of the changes she was making in the program. I read your explanation using the river and that has helped. As far as the potato goes can we cook it any way we want? FRIED?? I understand that we first have potato then grains then flour but I guess never together, correct?

I have to admit I get very confused sometimes beacuse I thought I heard her say we would eventally be hypnosis free but then I hear her say people still have to come back for more refreshers because they have gained too much weight once they start to wean off the program. I guess I am just stuck on the question of will I ever be able to eat a few of my favorite foods once in a while without spiraling out of control.

I think I also heard that if you cheat a little and break the hypnosis that you will gain weight even if you go back to eating just meat and veggies. Is this true??? I am sorry for all the ???s but I have been pondering them for awhile and it is just to hard to ask in a session.
Plus I never hear anything mentioned about fruit???? Thanks Pam
July 28, 2012