day sixty-one...seven days 'till Christmas

Let the countdown begin!

I am a huge Christmas fan. I love everything about it...everything. I feel as if people are simply more cheerful and happy as they go about their day around this time of year...or at least I am.

So as of now I am as happy as can be and cannot wait for the family to come together and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Breakfast
Back to the daily work routine this morning. I made myself a dark chocolate shake and went on my merry way.

Morning Snack
I can't tell you enough how much I like these calorie burn cappuccinos. They are so perfect on wintery days. Definitely ranking as my favorite Medifast meal as of late.

Lunch
Back to the salad today. I really like the pizza burger and parmesan salad combo. All I do is chop up some lettuce, heat up a pizza burger and sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese and dressing and I am done! Quick and delicious!

Afternoon Snack
I was fairly full when it was time to eat my next snack, but I still munched on some cheese pizza bites. I mean...who am I to say no to a snack time? I am also almost done with these...I didn't order anymore on this last order.

Dinner
I am house sitting tonight, so I had a cinnamon roll crunch bar when I got to the house after work. I then got started working on some new recipes!

Dessert
One of the recipes I created was a vanilla pudding cake. Let's just say that if you are in need of a treat, you must make this. :) I will post the recipe soon!

Also...in case you didn't see it earlier, I posted a recipe for a pumpkin pie custard. Check it out here.

Hope your day is a blessed one!

xoxo,
Toni

day fifty-six...movin' about

The photo above fully demonstrates how I felt today.

Why? well, today I moved offices. Yep...moved from one office to another...and I share that office with my mom. At first I thought, Oh no, I am going to be spending all day in the same room as my mom? This is going to end bad. But you know what? After we got situated, I actually enjoyed being in the same room as her. It was nice talking with her and I think that rather than drive us apart, this is going to drive us closer together. Love you mom and can't wait to see what happens. :)

Breakfast
Waking up this morning, I knew it was going to be a tough and long day, so I made a dark chocolate shake and made my way to work.

Morning Snack
All morning I was walking back and forth moving my stuff into my new space and then helping my mom get settled into her desk space. It was a crazy busy, but I still made some time to make a calorie burn cappuccino. It was a perfect stress reliever and was exactly what I needed at the moment.

Lunch
Despite all the craziness going on (we weren't the only ones being moved today), my mom and I managed to escape for a quick lunch break. I made my usual pizza burger and Parmesan cheese salad with a drizzle of light Italian dressing. Simple and delish!

Afternoon Snack
After lunch things started to calm down and I was able to take a much needed deep breath and get my desk organized. While doing so, I ate some cheese pizza bites.

Workout
Despite feeling kinda sick, I knew I still needed to run. So, I went on my normal run and then before I got back home, I decided (for some crazy reason) to go around another block. It only took me about 33 minutes to go 2.73 miles. Not bad, I guess. I will only get stronger from here. :)

Dinner
I felt a little better by the time I got back, but about 20 minutes later I hit a wall...hard. I felt really sick. So I made a mud pie milkshake (recipe soon) and laid down and relaxed as I sipped it.

Dessert
Still not feeling better, I manged to eat a chocolate crunch bar with a bunch of water to wash it down and called it a night. Well, I wrote this post and then called it a night. Don't you just love my Christmas tree PJ's? I do...I mean, I only get to where them once a year. ;)

Well, goodnight! I pray your Friday is the best one yet! Keep a lookout tomorrow...it's not only a weigh in day, but it's also a updated picture and measurements day! :D

xoxo,
Toni

day fifty-two...doubt

Yesterday at my second Christmas party, our college pastor, Abraham deAlba spoke on doubt and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Me? Doubt? Never. But...I was wrong. I have been doubting God unknowingly, thinking certain things will just never come to pass. I am a doubter. Simply put.

I need to remember that the Lord has a plan. Sure, I may not know when it will come to pass, but He does and that is all that matters. Easier said than done, right? I want things to happen right now...today. However, I cannot doubt God. I just can't. There is no sound reason why I should. I mean, He is the God of the universe and knows every little detail about me, and I want to doubt Him? I am crazy!

So that is it...no more doubting. No more questioning God. I need to practice patience and rely fully upon the Lord and trust in His timing. He will make my desires come to pass if it is His will.

Now that we have that settled, let's move on to my eats for the day!

Breakfast
Had a lovely morning sleeping in today. Once I woke up, I made a mocha shake and drank it once again while curling my hair...I think I am going to make a habit out of this.

Lunch
After church I was hanging out with a friend at Portola Coffee Lab and while drinking an iced coffee I had a bag of cheese pizza bites. Honestly, not the best pairing, but still good when eaten by itself.

It was also my friend's first "hipster coffee" so I had to snap a picture of her taking a picture of her beautiful mocha...she's the cutest. Love you Kim!

Afternoon Snack
Once I got home from my coffee visit, I cleaned the kitchen and then had a chocolate crunch bar. I then started to put together and cook my dinner.

Dinner
I made a new lean and green meal for dinner! I am still testing it out, but I am hoping to master the recipe by Christmas. I made a turnip gratin. Not my favorite to be honest...it still needs a bit of tweaking. Keep a lookout for the recipe soon.

Dessert
I had a calorie burn cappuccino as soon as I got home from church. Don't know why, but I was just in the mood for a nice hot cup of coffee.

Dessert #2
I had some friends come over after church and while I made them some cookies, I also made myself some chocolate chip pancake cookies. They were really good...very similar to a doughnut hole. I will post the recipe soon.

That is all I have for today! Hope your day is blessed!

xoxo,
Toni

day forty-six...possibilities

[source]

The smell of popcorn hit me like a ton of bricks as soon as I walked into the kitchen. I stood there and deeply inhaled and slowly exhaled. It was a delightful smell. One that seems to linger hours after being popped. I quickly filled up my water bottle and made my way out of the kitchen...there was no reason for me to be in there...especially with the popcorn smell lingering and my mind beginning to think about food.

It's funny how just the smells of food can stumble you. Sure, I didn't feel like I had to eat popcorn like I used to, but I am still tempted. Food is not going anywhere. And everyday that I deny my flesh, my spirit gets stronger. It is not impossible to say no. Trust me, it's not. It may be difficult, but you can do it! The Lord always provides a way out. And most of the time it's as simple as walking out of the room.

Breakfast
Well, I'm back to my normal routine today. Woke up around 7am and started getting ready for work. Right before I left, I made a strawberry shake. Lovely start to my Monday. Did you notice the Christmas decorations in my office? :D

Morning Snack
For my snack, I made a oatmeal muffin using the apple cinnamon oatmeal. For some reason, it was really good today! It's usually a hit or miss with the oatmeal muffins, and today it was a hit!

Lunch
I decided to eat a simple lunch today. I cooked a chicken burger and paired it with raw broccoli. I also used chipotle ranch dressing as a dipping sauce for the broccoli. Delish!

Pre-Afternoon Snack
Before my afternoon snack, I had a little bit of coffee with 2 tablespoons of sugar free creamer. I needed a little pick-me-up...

Afternoon Snack
For my afternoon snack I had the cheese pizza bites. I was feeling rather snacky, so these were perfect!

Workout
Upon getting home from work, I changed into my workout clothes and went for an evening jog. Except tonight, I didn't do it alone! My dear friend, Kiera came with me! She is the best...just sayin'. We did 2.18 miles in about 28 minutes. It was a ton of fun having her join me. I had my sister take a picture of us...but somehow it got deleted...I think that was my fault. Bummer. Oh well.

Dinner
After our workout, I made some mac and cheese and brought it with me to go because Kiera and I went dress shopping for a formal Christmas party we are attending on Saturday night. I also added a little bit of shredded Parmesan cheese to it and it turned out really good! It thickened up the sauce a bit as well. Loved it! I promise it tastes so much better than it looks. I can never get an appetizing photo of the mac and cheese.

Dessert
I just got home when it was time to eat dessert. I am so happy I saved the lemon meringue crunch bar. It was easy to eat as I watched last weeks episode of the Biggest Loser. Doesn't the lights on the Christmas tree look pretty? I love it.

I pray you have a blessed night and even better day!

xoxo,
Toni

day forty-one...thanksgiving road trip day one

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Can you believe it? This year has flown by. It seems like the older I get, the more quickly time moves. Weird, isn't it? I also posted a Thanksgiving recipe for a green bean casserole today...you can check it out here.

Anyways, my parents and I left on a road trip this afternoon to Bishop, CA. So I got up this morning and started my food preparations for the next couple of days. I started making my Thanksgiving dinner so I would have something "special" to eat tomorrow. As far as my other lean and green meals go, I figured I would find something along the way...even if it means I only get lettuce and a lean meat.

There were many temptations on the way to Bishop...I had to say no to chips, sandwiches, popcorn, fries, burgers, and worst of all, a cinnabon cinnamon roll. I won't lie, the smell of it was brutal. I actually had to chew a piece of gum just to keep my mouth moving and my mind occupied. It actually worked too...I made it through the day and stuck to my health plan. And as a bonus, the hotel we are staying at has a mini fridge and a microwave! So now I am able to cook and eat all my meals! The Lord is good!

Breakfast
I woke up this morning and made myself a strawberry shake while I planned out what I would need to pack for the next few days. I didn't sleep in too late today, so I got a somewhat early start on my eating for the day.

Morning Snack
As I was packing my clothes and food, I decided to take a break and bake a special Thanksgiving bread. I used an apple cinnamon oatmeal packet, added some baking powder and capella pumpkin drops, and baked it for about 20 minutes. It was delicious! How can you go wrong with mini pumpkin apple bread? I will post the recipe soon. :)

Lunch
I started making my Thanksgiving lean and green meal when I realized it was time to eat lunch. So I threw together a romaine salad and topped it with a pizza burger and light chipotle ranch dressing. PS...this dressing is divine!

Afternoon Snack
We were on the road by the time my afternoon snack came around. I brought some cups, so I just poured out my cheese pizza bites into the cup and attempted as best as I could to get a picture of it. I never realized how challenging it was to get a focused picture while in a moving car...it's challenging!

Dinner
My next meal was near the middle of our road trip and little after the cinnabon temptation. We were stuck in traffic, so it was a little bit easier to snap a focused picture. It was dark though, so it still came out all weird. Oh well...I guess you can kind of tell it is a lemon meringue crunch bar... ;)

Dessert
Still on the road, I ate my dessert. It was a good thing I pre-made my brownie in a cup because I wouldn't have been able to eat it otherwise. I remember this afternoon thinking, just cook it now, what can it hurt. I realize now that it was the Lord speaking to me. Thank you, Lord! By the way...I think because my brownie was at room temp rather than piping hot, it had a similar texture and taste to a piece of chocolate cake. It was really good actually! I will definitely be doing this more often! Excuse my poor excuse for a picture...this was the worst of them all.

Well, I am currently writing this in my hotel room—praise the Lord they have excellent wifi—and can't wait to tell you all about my adventures tomorrow! I pray you have a blessed night!

xoxo,
Toni

day thirty-seven...from the rising to the setting sun

So today I watched the sun rise and the sun set...meaning I have been up since 5am. Today we had a warehouse sale at my church and it was crazy busy all day long. My mom and I were non-stop from about 8am to 3pm. It was tough, but fun. Despite all the madness going on, I still managed to eat all of my Medifast meals and my lean and green meal for the day. There were times when I had to sneak a bite in between helping customers, but it all worked out.

Breakfast
I ate breakfast around 6am. I wasn't all that hungry, but I knew I had to eat. So I made myself a quick chocolate chip pancake muffin to take with me and eat on the go.

Morning Snack
For my morning snack, I had a strawberry shake. I totally spaced and forgot to take a picture of it. It was right when we opened the sale and things were crazy. I was only able to take sips in between helping customers.

Lunch
We were still busy at lunch, but I was able to sneak in a time to make a chai latte. I just added some hot water and stirred. It was perfect to have a drink at this point...a lot easier to drink than eat. ;)

Thought I would share a cute picture from the sale...this is The Bear Hug Band! It was so precious to see the kids dancing around to the music while their parents shopped. So, many thanks to The Bear Hug Band! I am sure the parents thank you too for keeping their children occupied while they got some shopping done distraction free. ;)

Afternoon Snack
As we were nearing the end of the sale, things were slowing down and I was able to eat a chocolate crunch bar. Once again though, I was eating it intermittently while helping people. But it all worked out. There were only a couple times people caught me with my mouth full. Whoops!

Afternoon Snack #2
I ate my second snack while cleaning up. I was so hungry I just devoured my bag of cheese pizza bites. By the time I was more than halfway through the bag I realized I didn't snap a picture of it! I am just all off today. Oh well...next time.

Dinner
I had my lean and green meal for dinner...and my goodness it was delicious! I was thinking of something for Thanksgiving that I could make that was TSFL approved. Now, I don't like turkey (I know I am weird), so I thought...what else goes with Thanksgiving dinner? Well, casserole does! So I made a broccoli and cheese casserole. This is one of the best things I have ever eaten! Click here for the recipe. This is comfort food at its finest.

Well, I am off to drink an espresso because it is going to be a late night for me. My friends and I are going to watch the Hunger Games: Catching Fire. So excited!

 Have a good night, my friends!

xoxo,
Toni

day thirty-two...what's in the red cup?

I love the eggnog latte from Starbucks. It is my all time favorite drink...and I can only get it once a year...this time of year. I walked into Starbucks last night after doing a little shopping at Trader Joe's and saw that the holiday drinks were here and available. I will fully admit that it is going to be a challenge this season not to buy any of these drinks...especially the eggnog latte which is probably the worst one out of the bunch. So I am going to resist and not give myself any liberties to buy one. I can make my own at home, Medifast style. ;)

But please pray for me in this season when food and drinks are the center of attention...it is hard for me because my mind thinks, "You only get this once a year...just get back on track after Christmas..." But you know what? I don't want to stop doing the Medifast program! I love what I am doing and really love the results...why mess that up with a drink I will consume in less than an hour? It is just not worth it, right? Right.

Breakfast
It's nice to be back home and back on my normal routine. I made myself a dark chocolate shake and put a little less ice in it to make it more creamy...and it did. It was a delicious shake. Oh, and say hello to the family cat, Bristol...he likes to photo bomb pictures.

Before I had my morning snack, I sipped on some vanilla cinnamon tea I got from Trader Joe's last night. It was so good! I loved the taste of it...plus, it smells just like Christmas.

Morning Snack
After my tea, I made myself a chocolate chip pancake in a mug. I added way too much water, so instead of it becoming a muffin, it became a soft, crumbled mess. Either way it was fairly good. Tasted a tad too eggy for me, but the chocolate chips helped balance everything out.

While shopping last night, I also bought myself some flowers for my desk at work. It is going to be a long and busy week, so I thought these might brighten my day if things get too crazy and stressed. Aren't they pretty. :)

Lunch
I am just trying all these Trader Joe's products left and right today. For lunch I made myself a chili lime chicken burger chopped up and put on top of a bed of lettuce with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and Italian dressing. This burger is to die for. It is packed with flavor and tasts amazing. Loved it! This time the other family cat, Peggy, wanted to be in the shot.

Afternoon Snack
For my afternoon snack I had some cheese pizza bites. I was craving something crunchy ever since I finished lunch, so this snack was a perfect fit.

Workout
I didn't wake up early this morning...BUT...I did go for a run/walk after work. Yay! It was 2.11 miles...not a bad start.

After my run/walk, I came back home and did a 10-minute arm toning workout.

Dinner
After completing my workout, I ate my dinner for the day. I tried out a new bar...a chocolate crunch bar. My goodness...this is full of chocolate. If you are craving chocolate this is the thing for you. Just have some water handy because you are going to need it. Overall it was fairly good...not my favorite, (I don't think any bar can beat out the s'mores crunch bar) but still good.

Dessert
To end the night, I had a peanut butter milkshake while watching last week's episode of The Biggest Loser. Perfect combo. :)

Today was a good day...I stuck to the Medifast program and I even worked out!

Just remember to keep it clean when it comes to filling that red holiday cup. No eggnog, folks...stick to the skinny drinks or just keep the coffee or tea black. You can do it!

xoxo,
Toni