12-week transformation...day fifteen

 
Boy oh boy, it was a busy weekend. My parents and I put together an engagement party for my sister and her fiance, Gabriel this past Saturday night. It was a ton of work, but so worth it. I loved putting together such a fun and cute party and am so thankful for my dad and his impressive cooking skills. We cooked for about 25 people...it was a complete success!

Then yesterday, we attended a wedding in San Juan Capistrano for a sweet family friend. Here is a picture of me overlooking this gorgeous golf course in San Clemente. This is my I'm not quite ready for picture half-smile. ;D

I also took note of some good ideas to share with my sister! My mom and I are in full-on wedding planning mode. I loved this life-size version of jenga. It was not only entertaining to the people playing, but also entertaining for the people watching! She definitely needs to have this. There was also a game called toss across...the men seemed to love that one and all you really do is throw a bean bag across and try and to make it in a hole. So easy and simple but everyone loved it!

PS...the girl below actually got that piece out without the tower tumbling over! Mad skills right there!

Now, you are probably wondering if I stayed on plan this weekend and...yes...for the most part I did. I did have a few "off-plan" bites here and there, but nothing crazy. It was a fun and successful weekend overall. Praise the Lord!

Breakfast
Monday mornings are hard...especially after a busy weekend...you just want to throw your alarm across the room and sleep in for a few more hours. Obviously  I did not do that, and I got up and made my self a french vanilla shake and headed off to work.

Morning Snack
I was all munchie-like (yes I made that phrase up) after my breakfast, so my morning snack could not come fast enough. Thankfully, it did come around pretty quickly. I made a calorie burn cappuccino and enjoyed every sip.

Lunch
Lunch was a tad different for me...instead of having my lean and green meal, I had another one of my snacks. I had some things to do at lunchtime and I just didn't have enough time to eat a meal. So, I had some brown sugar cereal crunch cereal and munched on that for about a half hour or so. I just love these cereal meals!

Afternoon Snack
Next up was my very last chocolate chip cookie dough bar. At first I wasn't the biggest fan of these, but I slowly began to like them. Still don't really like them, but when I dip them in coffee, it tastes much better.

Dinner
I finally had my lean and green meal today! And it was a good one. I had a salad with boca crumbles in it. Funny story...I bought this bag of boca meatless crumbles the last time I was housesitting and accidentally left them in the freezer. As I returned a few days ago, I found them! They were still in the freezer! Yay!

Dessert
I ended this lovely Monday with a coffee milkshake. It was so perfect and much needed after a long day.

Well, that's all I have for today! But keep reading because I am going to be announcing my new website launch date! I will go into more detail about my new website soon, so be ready! :D

xoxo,
Toni

12-week transformation...day three

Well hello! Great quote, right? I just love it! Even if you had an off-plan day, today is a new day and a fresh start. Take advantage of it and stick with your plan! :)

So this morning I woke up feeling pretty good...had a little pep in my step! Well, okay, let's be real...I was really tired, but I was feeling good. It's funny though, because I had a dream I ate every junk food known to man...so waking up this morning and realizing I am still sticking to the plan felt pretty good.

Today is day three of my transformation and I am expecting a new shipment of Medifast to arrive hopefully next week. I always get all giddy when a new shipment comes in. I'm weird...it's okay, I know.

Breakfast
As I mentioned, I was feeling really good this morning, but I woke up with a growling stomach. Maybe it was all the imaginary food I ate in my dream last night...who knows. But either way, I was ready for my morning shake. I made a french vanilla shake and added some ice to it...because even though it was a chilling (for me anyways) morning, I still like my drinks icy cold.

Morning Snack
I was pretty good hunger wise by the time my morning snack came around. I just love the calorie-burn cappuccinos...feels like I am getting a delicious and creamy-smooth drink from a coffeeshop!

Lunch
Well...my lettuce is getting a tad worse as the days go by, but I was still able to pick through the bad pieces and create a mediocre salad that consisted of romaine lettuce, chopped chicken, parmesan cheese, and light chipotle dressing...not bad, but not great either.

Afternoon Snack
Did the same thing as yesterday and drank a coffee while enjoying a s'mores crunch bar...perfect and lovely pairing!

Dinner
I looooove cereal...I have heard that most people are not a fan of the Medifast cereals, but I just love them! The brown sugar cinnamon crunch cereal smells and tastes like french toast...how can you not like that? Beats me...I like it whether or not anyone else is a fan.

Dessert
Best dessert ever...well, not ever, but it was pretty good. I made a cookie dough milkshake using a chocolate chip soft bake packet and blending it with some water and ice. Easy peasy and delicious!

Hope your day is crazy fun and blessed...it's almost Friday!!!

xoxo,
Toni

day sixty-two...it's my grandma's birthday!

It was my grandma's birthday today! The picture above is of me, my grandma, and my mom (taken last year)...three generations!

My grandma is the best grandma ever...seriously. She is also like a second mom to me. I love her dearly. I went out to lunch today with her, along with my brother and my grandpa, to celebrate her special day of birth. It was just a sweet time of fellowship and catching up. She lives nearby, so it's always nice to get together whenever possible.

I hope you have a very blessed birthday, Grandma! Love you! xoxo

Breakfast
Same old breakfast this morning...eggnog shake. I know I get pretty repetitive with my foods, but hey, when you like something, why change it?

Morning Snack
I had a chocolate chip cookie dough chewy bar this morning, and I paired it with some coffee so I could dip it in there. The hot coffee melts the chocolate a little bit creating this delicious holiday-like treat!

Lunch
As I mentioned earlier, I went out to lunch today for my grandma's birthday. Well, one of her favorite places to eat is called The Habit. So, I looked up the menu online beforehand and found out what I was going to order before I even got there. Looking at the menu too long at a restaurant always causes me problems. So, with that said, I ordered a ceasar salad (with no croutons and dressing) and added some tri-tip to it. The meat was so tender and juicy, there was absolutely no need for dressing.

...and here is a quick snapshot of my grandparents. Aren't they the cutest? ;)

Afternoon Snack
Steak usually tends to keep me quite full, but I was fairly hungry by the time the next snack time came around. I stuck to something simple and drank a chai latte. Sort of helped to settle and digest all that meat I had.

Dinner
I was out and about during dinner, so I just snacked on some brown sugar cinnamon cereal crunch. Have you noticed how crowded it is out there?! There are people everywhere you go! I only went to Target and Trader Joe's and it took me well over an hour and a half to get my shopping done! So crazy.

Dessert
Once I finally did make it home, it was time to go to church. After church I made some mini brownie bites using the brownie soft bake and called it quits for the night. I was exhausted. PS...these brownie bites were amazing! I will post the recipe soon. :)

I hope you have some fun while doing your shopping this weekend. Remember to keep a smile on your face at all times...it will only soften those who are upset and frustrated. Just simply smile! :D

Once again, happy birthday to my dear grandma...love you!

xoxo,
Toni

day fifty-five...when you're at your lowest

I am sick...still. Most of my friends have come down with a cold this past week and I thought I was the lucky one who surpassed getting sick. I was wrong.

So anyways, I woke up this morning with a sore throat and just felt like my face was going to explode. I have to tell you since I couldn't last night, but as I was getting in my car yesterday morning, I turned KWVE on and Pastor Chuck Smith was teaching. It was too funny because as soon as I turned on the radio, Pastor Chuck was saying something to this effect: "Let's say you are not feeling well. Watch out because that is when the Enemy attacks. It is when we are at our lowest that he comes in and pounces." Well, there you have it...I better be in the Word today!

Breakfast
Nothing new to report for breakfast...except for the fact that is was a chilly 39 degrees! I am a wimpy Californian, I know. Once I did manage to leave my warm and cozy bed, I started to get ready and made a mocha shake and enhanced it even more by adding instant coffee to it.

Morning Snack
My new shipment of Medifast came in yesterday! I opened it up right away and decided to sip on a calorie burn cappuccino (which I ran out of a few days ago) for my morning snack. I was going to make a cup of coffee anyways, so why not just make it one of my meals. And although it was beyond divine, I did end up burning my tongue with the first sip...so that wasn't very fun.

I also got this sweet stack of recipe cards that are all holiday themed! I love it and cannot wait to try some of them!

Lunch
Back to the same old meal for lunch. I made a salad topped with a chili lime chicken burger and shredded Parmesan cheese as well as a drizzle of light chipotle ranch dressing. Simple but delicious.

I also paired my salad with a diet ginger ale...I needed a little splurge today.

Afternoon Snack
My stomach was rumbling by the time my next meal time came around. I ended up snacking on some brown sugar cinnamon cereal crunch for about 20 minutes. These not only fill you up buy they last a while too!

Oh...and I had another cup of coffee with the cereal...it's just one of those days. Isn't the white Christmas tree pretty! It's up in our office area and I love walking by it every time I use the restroom or walk to the kitchen.

Dinner
I was in the mood for some cheesy goodness tonight. So I whipped up a batch of macaroni and cheese and added a small pinch of shredded Parmesan cheese to thicken it up and give it a touch more flavor. The mac and cheese is pretty good when I add just the smallest thing to it. The picture looks fairly appetizing, right?! I think it looks a tad better than my other mac and cheese photos. :P

Dessert
Cut up a smores crunch bar to munch on after church tonight. I stayed for a while talking so it was a perfect "pop in your mouth" treat. No one noticed or at least cared (I think), which is a double bonus!

So, I will admit that I have had better days, but the Lord is still on the throne, so I have nothing to complain about...although I do admit to complaining several times today. I am praying that the Lord would change my heart and help me to be thankful in all things...the good and the bad.

xoxo,
Toni