Here's one of the easiest meatball recipes ever. Remove bag from freezer. Open bag. Pour into sauce pan and top with a jar of your favorite tomato sauce. Heat for 30 minutes. Enjoy. Oh, for those of you with microwaves, it's even quicker!
Angus Beef Meatballs
I had these meatballs at a "friend of Julie's" house one sunny afternoon this past summer. She baked them in the oven and then served barbecue sauce on the side. They were yummy this way too - with and without the barbecue sauce.

For those of you with a spirooli, serve these meatballs on top of your zucchini "noodles."

Of course, I'm not saying these are better than my own homemade meatballs. No way. But they are delicious and it's great to have something you can pull from the freezer when you just don't fee like grocery shopping.
September 29, 2013
I talked about vanilla in my last post, Plateaus and Condiments, but I have a little more to say about vanilla. After reading the comment "Julie told my group no vanilla," posted after one of my recent recipes (a pumpkin drink with vanilla), I paused. What? Is this true - no vanilla? Yes, it's true: no vanilla.
Vanilla is not on program.
A week later at my refresher, Julie told us "no vanilla." I hadn't been to my refresher when I read the comment, so I turned to my key friends and asked them questions about vanilla. An interesting thread followed. Based on their feedback, I no longer post dessert-like recipes to this blog. I  also pulled the recipe for the pumpkin drink.

Why can't we have vanilla? We are heading for trouble when we have "dessert" type foods. After a summer of treats last year that I thought were "on program," I pulled a recipe that pushed the envelope: it contained half and half. I was so sure that was on program; half and half is not on program. I heard this directly from Julie too. I'm sure these kinds of treats put me into a plateau last summer. The key word here is treats -- we are not allowed treats. We're either hungry or we're not hungry. There is no snacking or treats.

Vanilla seems controversial among us, but since I heard "no vanilla" from Julie last week, I'm tossing my bottle right now. I did not toss it out with my condiments a few days ago, because it wasn't in the refrigerator. But I saw it on the counter while making coffee this morning and said to myself, take a photo for the blog and then toss it!

BTW, I reviewed my recipes, but if you find one with vanilla or any ingredients that you question we can have, please post a comment to draw my attention to review it.

Here are some of the responses from my key friends about vanilla and a few more things for you to think about:  
  • Julie told our group not to use it; something about the mind thinking it was a sweetener. 
  • Julie's assistant told me no vanilla. She said I was searching for a way to get my drink sweetness back.  
  • It goes back to "do what you heard directly from Julie." I remember her talking about the whisper game, where someone whispers a sentence into the first person’s ear, and that person tells the next person, etc. until it comes full circle. In the end, it's never the same sentence! 
  • Think about it: if we didn't have these groups or refreshers and were on our own, we would only be following what we heard in our first three sessions. Some of us go to refreshers and find that changes have been made. I believe that it's at that point when you need to do it differently. If you hear Julie say it's been changed, then it has to change. 
  • I have been to many refreshers where she changed things up a bit. I think the reason is because so many people push the limits and get into trouble. 
  • I believe that there has to be some level of self- honesty involved. If you are abusing ANY “allowed” foods, you are only hurting yourself and need to change that behavior, or it will lead you on a path of destruction.
So, I ask you: vanilla or no vanilla? Do you go with what you're hearing about vanilla now or what you heard at your session? Have things changed or has Julie just clarified things she's heard we are eating that we shouldn't be eating? We each have to decide for ourselves.

For me, I'm not letting a little thing like vanilla get between me and my goal size. Not anymore! It's the little things like this that may have slowed me down on my journey and I'm not willing to be slowed down any longer.
September 29, 2013
How fresh are the bottles of condiments sitting in your refrigerator right now? Do you know if they're less than a month old? If your condiments are more than 30 days old - this may be the reason you're experiencing a plateau.
Condiments that I tossed out this morning.
One of the agreements we made in following this program was to toss our condiments 30 days after we open them. The preservatives that are on the inside of the cap causes them to break down after 30 days and that breakdown is NOT healthy for our bodies. I can't quote this in the full scientific way Julie does, but knowing old condiments can cause a plateau is reason enough for me to get back to making sure I follow this rule.

I was pretty sure I used condiments within a month, but yesterday morning, I was not so sure. So, I tossed all the condiments in my refrigerator, except the mustard I bought last weekend.

Starting today, I'm going back to a habit I dropped some time ago - putting dates on my condiments when I open them. Somewhere along the way I have forgotten to be firm with this rule. I'm firm from today forward.

Buying smaller bottles is also a good idea too. Having a plan to use those condiments is another good idea. Just like we have a plan to use the fresh meat  and veggies we buy, so we don't end up throwing it out, we also need to have a plan to use up our condiments.

And if you aren't sure about vanilla, let me help you with this - vanilla is an extract, not a condiment, and it is not on program.

At the refresh I went to this week, someone asked if they could add vanilla bean to vodka to give as a gifts for the holidays. Yes, we're allowed to give it as a gift. No, we are not allowed to drink it. Vanilla bean is not on program.

If something looks like a desert or tastes like a dessert - we are to avoid it, as it's a slippery slope when sometime tastes like a desert we may be triggered to go for something sweet. I deleted the pumpkin drink from my recipe collection. Long ago I also deleted the recipe using Siggis yogurt and cream, because we are not allowed half and half or cream. Somehow I missed this information, but I heard "no half and half or cream" from Julie, so these items are out of my life too.

Speaking of yogurt, I'm off this for a while too. Yes, it's allowed 2-3 times a week (NOT per day), but if you're experiencing a plateau, stop eating it for a while. I'm off it until Nov. And be sure to eat yogurt with lots of meat; it's not a snack. We don't snack anyhow. You're either hungry enough for a meal or you're not hungry enough to eat.

It's all these things that may delayed my weight loss and I am taking the straight road to reaching my goal size:

  • I'm tossing the condiments in my refrigerator after 30 days - I'll know they're 30 days old because they will have the date I opened them on the labels
  • I'm tossing the bottle of vanilla that I sometimes added to hot milk
  • I'm eating cottage cheese again - with lots of meat
  • I'm no longer eating cheese in chunks or slices (only 1-2 times a week as a condiment)
  • I'm avoiding anything that resembles a dessert
What about your condiments? How old are they? Not sure? Toss them! Who wants to be on a plateau because of a lousy bottle of ketchup?
September 27, 2013
Cheese is a condiment - use it as a condiment or be in a plateau: the choice is yours. If you're eating cheese rolled up with deli meat or in slices by itself, you're probably experiencing a plateau.

Cheese Warrior Theresa

I'm determined to become a cheese warrior - I will conquer cheese!  

I really get this - CHEESE IS A CONDIMENT - and I am treating it as such. I no longer eat slices of cheese, unless it's on top of a burger, mixed in a salad, or on top of a dish.  It's OK to have cheese a couple times a week, but I'm even pulling back from that for a couple of weeks. Why? I'm glad you asked...

Cheese is probably THE thing that has kept me from reaching my goal size. Cheese isn't allowed in the way I was eating it - by the slice or in big chunks. I was reminded of this rule a few weeks ago and I put this concept back into my life full-force a couple weeks ago.

I swear I can feel the difference after just 2 weeks. Those jeans that I had to lay on my bed to zip up last December, well they fit rather nicely now, thank you very much. I just moved a ton of capris and tops that I wore all summer into to the bag of clothes I'll be giving away because they're too big now.

Cheese is a BIG THING for many of us and we have to put a stop to overeating it NOW!

Cottage cheese is a different story. We can have cottage cheese, but we must have it with lots of meat. I had forgotten the rules on cottage cheese, so I stopped eating it and I'm happy to be eating it once again - with meat of course!


September 26, 2013
Here's an update from Jill, who used these photos as motivation to feel good about her food choices, as others around her shared dessert recipes.
Before June 2012 vs today
It seems like everyone on Facebook is posting dessert recipes and talking about going to DD for their fall treats.

I wanted to make their chatter quiet down, so I found 2 stuffed sausage size 18 pictures of me and put it next to me in my new size 6 skinny pants I wore today.

A pumpkin muffin does not taste as good as thin feels, so shhhhhhhhh....


Read Jill's Hero Story What a Difference a Year Makes, and more Hero stories, or share your weight loss story with us. Send me (Theresa) an email by clicking on my photo in the left column of any page. We love to see photos, but if you don't want to share them, that's OK, but we would love to hear your story.
September 25, 2013
This is update on Meaghan is about her reaction to a photo she found of herself before starting Julie's program. I added this to Meaghan's hero story, but it is buried back a in the July 2013 posts and I want to make sure everyone can see this update.
This "before" photo really hit home and struck a chord with me. I would never take a side view photo. This photo is actually of two of my kids in a sandbox and somehow I got in the camera frame...ha! But now, what a great comparison. And my sister said it would make a great weight loss ad. I got a good chuckle out of that -- you know, the ones you see on TV and say, "that is SO not the same person!" But it is. I swear. And I will now post it on my fridge and pillow...and mirrors...and cabinets...lol!


Read Meaghan's hero story and more Hero stories, or share your weight loss story with us. Send me (Theresa) an email by clicking on my photo in the left column of any page. We love to see photos, but if you don't want to share them, that's OK, but we would love to hear your story.
September 24, 2013
Meet hero Elaine, who says "what a difference a year can make" and what a difference indeed. Elaine has gone from cringing when she saw herself in a mirror to liking what she sees now. Congratulations Elaine and thank you for sharing your story!
April 2012 vs Sept. 2013
I celebrated my one year anniversary of being on Julie's program on Sept.19, 2013.

What a difference a year can make. One year ago, my clothing size was a 2X. Today I wear size medium in tops and size 12 petite in bottoms. I love to shop now!!! My attitude has changed so much. I actually like to look while passing a mirror! I used to cringe!

I'm getting close to goal but seem to be moving quite slowly now. I'm OK with that - I enjoy what I'm eating and have no wishes to add anything back in. Being gluten free, as well as having other food intolerance makes it easier for me to stay on program, but I am looking forward, down the road, to having a baked sweet potato - no rush!
April 2012 at the White Cliffs of Dover in England.
I thank everyone for all their support and answers to my questions that helped bring me to this life-changing anniversary date - I hope I can bring this kind of support to others.

Sept. 2013 at the Big E, Springfield, MA

Read more Hero stories... or share your story - send me an email by clicking on my name (Theresa) on the bottom of the list of contributors in the left column of any page.
September 23, 2013
Just a quick update...

Now that I have a Spirooli I decided to try a few different methods with the zucchini to try and make it more pasta-like and not too watery and, well, I think I've come up with the best possible cooking method if you really want it to taste like linguine. I'll give you what I've tried so far.

1. Nuke it.
I do not like this method. It is too difficult to gauge and it either gets too hot and not soft enough or it turns to mush. Either way it's also VERY watery.

2. Blanche it.
This method is better, but it still comes out VERY watery which leaves you with sauce water if you use tomato sauce with it.

3. Pan-toss it.
WINNAH!  I have found that pan tossing it is the best method. It takes care of a lot of the moisture and you come out with firm, noodle-like strands. There was a little water in the bottom of the bowl but if you let it stand for about 3 minutes before serving you can also drain off the excess liquid and you're left with something that is EXCEPTIONALLY pasta-like. I toss it until the strands start to uncurl. That means it's pliable and al dente.

I'm personally thrilled to have discovered this. Toss it with garlic, butter and salt and it is just plain awesome. I've had it done this way with lemon shrimp and tonight we're doing the traditional meatballs and sausage. Yes, I've decided to try introducing some meatballs and see if I can get away with it once a week. It's my way of giving myself a reward. My wife is now on-program too so we are BOTH thrilled to have discovered this treat.

Final note: Yellow squash works well, too and I've found it cooks the same as zucchini so feel free to use both at once. Good stuff!
September 20, 2013