***Recipe Alert: Smoky Bean Stew***

The original recipe for this stew is on my weekly column for The Ajnabee, www.theajnabee.com. This recipe is awesome and I decided to try it out by using pinto beans and adding spinach! Ah, so delicious and hearty, I really suggest you try this out! Here are the deets:

INGREDIENTS:

· 2 15.5oz. can of pinto beans, partially drained

· 1TB. of EVOO

· 1/2 onion, diced

· 2TB. of cumin seeds

· 2 cloves of garlic, sliced

· 1TB. of freshly grated ginger

· 1 tomato, diced

· 2tsp. of chopped chipotle peppers

One bag of baby spinach

· 1/4c. freshly chopped cilantro

· Juice of half a lemon

· Salt/pepper to taste

PREPARATION:

In a saucepan, add the oil and place the pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the onions, cumin and salt. Saute until onions are translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, saute for another minute.

Add the tomato and stir for a couple of minutes. Add the chipotle peppers and stir. Add the spinach, beans and lemon juice

Add the cilantro and season with salt/pepper to taste. Allow this to simmer on low heat for 20 minutes.

Update...

So, last week at work was a healthy eating disaster! To be honest, the day that I slipped up was on Thursday, during my company's holiday party. There was more sweet than savory to eat and I over did it in the sweet department. So, the day was a total disaster! This week has been so much better though! My breakfasts have been steel cut oatmeal, snacks have been banana's, oranges, apples, almonds...so I am back on track this week. Just need to get through Christmas and New Years successfully :-) How have you guys been doing?

***Recipe Alert: Green Bean Tofu Stir Fry***

Hello Everyone!! My latest column on the The Ajnabee has been updated with a great recipe for a light and healthy Green Bean Tofu Stir fry!! You can check it out at: TheAjnabee.com!!

***Recipe Alert: Chaat Chicken***

Hello Everyone,

I've created a great recipe for a tangy chicken, juicy chicken full of flavor. A wonderful dish low in calories, but high in flavor!! This recipe is also featured on my weekly column for The Ajnabee...enjoy!

Ingredients: 1lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, each piece cut in half 2TB. of freshly grated garlic 1/2c. of white vinegar 3TB. of chaat masala 1TB. of cumin powder 2tsp. of chili powder 1tsp. of turmeric 1tsp. of smoked paprika

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients together and make sure chicken is evenly coated. Allow to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Turn your oven on to 400 degrees. Place chicken in a baking dish and cook uncovered for 20 minutes. Then cover chicken with foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Allow to cool. Enjoy with a side of roasted vegetables. This wonderful dish serves four people.

Mmm...Breakfast

On such a cold morning how can you resist a hot bowl of steel cut oatmeal made with skim milk! Of course you need to jazz this up a bit with a small box of raisins and cinnamon! D E L I C I O U S !!! What did you have?

Don't wait till next year...

In my journey to leading a healthy lifestyle and losing weight, I realized there is no better time than the present to start making positive nutrition changes in your life. Don't wait til January 1st to make your resolution to eat right and excersise. Start right now so you can be on your way to looking fabulous for 2010! Think about this, you will ring in the new year in 3 1/2 weeks, in 3 1/2 weeks, by eating right you can easily lose 5 pounds! This is a great way to continue your healthy lifestyle for the new year. Think about how great and confident you will look and feel when ringing in the new year! With that said, don't wait another 3 1/2 weeks to eat healthy and excersise. Start today!

And the results are in...

After a week of getting back on track and watching what I eat, excersising and utilizing my Points Manager, I've lost 1.6 pounds!!! Not bad at all! However, the toughest part of the week is always the weekend, so I need to make sure I make wise choices! Have you guys had your weigh ins yet?

What are you having to eat today...

We all know when working our way to a healthy lifestyle, planning is key! It's great when you add your food to your points tracker ahead of time, that way you know exactly what you are eating and how many points you will be having and adjusting if need be. Here's what I have on the agenda for today: Banana: 1 pt. Kashi Puffs: 1 pt. 1/4c. of vanilla soy milk: .5pt. clementine: 1 pt. Yogurt: 2 pt. Grapes: 1 pt. Subway sandwhich for lunch: 5-6pts. I like to have my breakfast in two parts, because I get hungry often. So, I had my banana at 9am, and I will have my Kashi Puffs and soy milk around 10 or 10:30am. I'll have my Subway sandwhich for lunch, and snack on the yogurt and fruits through out the day. This will also leave me with about 6 or 7 pts for dinner. Not bad...it's always good to plan out! What are you guys having for the day?

***Healthy Snack Ideas***

One of the most important and satisfying things about WW is healthy snacking! This can also be very convenient for folks who are always on the go! Below you will find my most convenient, healthy on the go snacks! Fruits: all 1 pt. Apple Banana (small) Grapes (one cup) Oranges Clementines Dairy: all 2 pts. Low fat yogurt; flavored or unflavored Low far string cheese Babybel light cheese Vegetables: all 0 pts. Carrot sticks Celery sticks Cucumbers sliced with salt and pepper Sliced red or yellow bell peppers Crunchy: Roasted Edamame: 2 pts 100 Calorie Almond packs Dried cereal(Kashi Go Lean Crunch is my favorite!!): 3pts What are some of your favorite snacks to nosh on?

***Recipe Alert: Spaghetti Chicken and veggies***

I came home from worked hungry for dinner and wanted to make a quick and easy and of course low point dinner. This is a quick and tasty meal that I whipped up in 20 minutes and is only 4 WW points! Here are the deets: Ingredients: 1 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut in cubes 1/2c. chickpeas, drained Any veggies to your liking (I used okra because that's what I had) 1/2c. spaghetti sauce Add the sauce in a pot and add the chicken and chickpeas. Place a lid on the pot and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Take the lid off and add you veggies. Sautee for another 5 minutes. Enjoy!! Total WW pts: 4 What did you have for dinner?

Getting Back on Track...

So, Thanksgiving is over. After feeling stuffed, bloated and a couple of pounds heavier, I knew I had to do something to get right back on track and I've done exactly that. We all know Weight Watchers works. It's worked for me and millions of others, but WW will not work if you do not follow the plan properly. That means, no guesstimating, no sneaking a bite here and there and not counting points. I know if I want to continue to lose weight, I really need to document every single morsel of food that goes in my mouth -healthy or not! I know I feel better when doing WW because I nourish my body with fruits and vegetables. I know to choose complex carbs over simple carbs. I've learned the importance of fiber and vitamins. With this, I have to say, if you want to get back on track with WW, you can, but you also have to be honest with yourself if you want to see results. Don't wait until January 1st to start treating yourself better!

***Snack Attack -Roasted Edamame***

Roasted, lightly salted edamame...lately this has been my go to snack. It's crunchy, light, full of fiber and protein! To combat mindless snacking, portion this crunchy snack out into 1/4c servings and you've got yourself a great 2 point snack. Here are the deets for 1/4c. of roasted, salted edamame: Cal: 130 Fat: 4g Fiber: 8g WW pts. 2 What have you been snacking on?

Seriously Cereal...

Good Morning Everyone, I hope you all are doing well and trying to lead a healthy lifestyle. So, I decided to do a post comparing two cereals: Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat cereal and Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal. Let's start off with the stats for Kashi Heart to Heart: Cal: 120 Fat: 1.5g Fiber: 5g WW pts.: 2 Fiber One: Cal: 160 Fat: 1.5g Fiber: 13g WW pts.: 3 Yesterday, I decided to have the Fiber One for breakfast. My opinion, this really was not a great cereal. Sure, it's got 13 grams of fiber and no it did not taste card boardy, but it definitely had an after taste, that tasted like aspartame. That turned me off big time! Also, when looking at the ingredients, I see it does contain high fructose corn syrup, which I'm really not that hot about. The bran flakes also got soggy after being in milk for a couple of minutes. Would I have this cereal again? NO! Today, I opted for the Kashi and was extremely happy over this decision. There was no un natural after taste. A one cup serving only has 2.5 WW pts and to start the day off with 7 grams of fiber is not bad! Also, the oat clusters STAYED crunchy...yum! My opinion, go with the Kashi. It's lower in points and definitely more satisfying! What did you have for breakfast?

***Snack Attack***

Ah yes, another perfect little snack to have between breafast and lunch or lunch and dinner. Again, I'm on this YoPlait YoPlus infactuation. This time, I took my YoPlus yogurt and stirred in half a cup of Cheerios. The result...a totally filling, satisfying yumness!! Best part, this great snack was only 3 WW pts and 150 calories!

PS: The yogurt and cereal options can be endless!!!

***Question of the Day: Scales***

Dear Kanwal,

I've decided to invest in a scale, but do not know which kind to buy. I'm looking for an easy to read scale, that is reliable.

-Anonymous

Dear Anonymous,

Just last weekend I went to Bed Bath and Beyond in search of an easy to read, reliable scale as well! Luckily I found The Biggest Loser Scale. What caught my eye about this scale was, when you weigh yourself, it portrays the amount of calories needed to maintain your weight. Also, the scale is extremely easy to program, and has a big digital screen to view your weight and calories. The scale costs $39.99, but with those wonderful 20% off coupons, it was a only $32.99, not bad for something you will have for a very long time! Here are more specs on the scale from BB&B:

Bath scale has a super wide 15" glass platform and features CalMax™ which provides the amount of calories needed to maintain weight. The silver back painted glass platform has silver accents to create a handsome addition to your bathroom. Extra large display measures 2 1/4" and features 2" digits. Weight capacity is 440 pounds in .02 pound increments. Measures approximately 16 3/4" W x 13 1/4" D. Five-year warranty. Model # 75444102BL.

***Recipe Alert: Low fat, low sugar Apple Pie***

INGREDIENTS 3 apples of your choice (I used Red Delicious for added sweetness), thinly sliced with peel on ¼ c. dark brown sugar 2TB. of lemon juice 1 tsp. of corn starch 6 sheets of phyllo dough

PREPARATION 1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. 2. In a bowl, combine the apples, brown sugar and corn starch. 3. Lightly spray a 6 inch pie bowl, add three sheets of phyllo dough on the bottom. Carefully align the apple slices in the pie bowl. Top with the remaining three sheets of phyllo dough, and spray with a canola spray. 4. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the crust has turned a light brown. Allow to cool and enjoy with a dollop of whip cream or vanilla ice cream.

A few facts about an Apple: One medium apple only has 95 calories, .4g of fat, 25g of carbs, and 4 grams of fiber Nature’s perfect portable snack!

Recipe from Kanwal's Healthy Corner, The Ajnabee:

http://theajnabee.com/?p=2561

***Breakfast Time***

This morning my breakfast consisted of an Arnold's Wheat Thins, half of a banana and 2 tsp. of creamy PB!

Total WW pts: 3.5

Total Calories: 211

Don't forget guys, you need breakfast to jumpstart your metabolism for the day. Try to always start your day off with a healthy, filling breakfast, with lots of fiber!

What did you guys have for breakfast this morning?

I want to know...

What are your goals! Are you looking to:

• Lose weight
• Gain a healthier lifestyle
• Be more active
• Get in shape
• Make an overall change

You could want to be all of these or just some, or maybe none at all! I want to know, what are your goals!

***Snack Attack -and new find***

Another great find for yogurt lovers...YoPlait YoPlus+ Digestive. So far I've only found this flavor in strawberry, but it is extremely creamy and delicious!

Here are the deets:

Cal: 110

Fat: 1.5g

Fiber: 3g

Points: 2

I was able to make the best snack out of this. I chopped up the half of banana that I had left over from my PB&B sandwhich this morning, and I added that to my YoPlus yogurt...delish and only 2.5pts!!!

Not bad for a snack!

Breakfast this morning...

One Arnold's Wheat Thins Half a banana, sliced 3 tsp. of creamy PB Total Points: 4 What did you guys have?

Getting Back Together...

Hey Guys, So, I know it's been a terribly long time since I've posted. I know, I've slacked and I'm sorry. What have I noticed? Well, when I was constantly blogging about my weight loss experience, I was focusing more on my diet, due to feeling more obligated to my readers. Since I've stopped blogging, I also noticed I stopped caring about my diet more. Yes, the little pieces of chocolate here, the extra spoonfuls of ice cream there...well these things have really taken a toll on me. Well, I'm not saying I've gained a dramatic amount of weight...only about 5 pounds, but it's still a difference that I've noticed. I've realized that I get a lot of support from my readers and I'd like to continue blogging atleast 4 days a week. Share my experiences, my ups my downs and not only help you along your journey of a healthy lifestyle, but also having you help me. So, with this said, how about we try reconnecting once more and help each other out this time!

INSANE!!!

Hello Everyone, I hope you all had a great, healthy Labor Day weekend!! I am still dutifully following my INSANITY workout schedule, including today when I did the Pure Cardio and Cardio Abs workout. This is my last week of month 1 DVDs, then I move onto one week of 'Recovery' workouts. After that I move into a whole new set of fierce workouts for month 2. I am scared for month 2. On the flip side, according to my scale I have lost a total of 5 pounds since starting Insanity. Not bad, about a pound a week. I've also noticed clothes fitting better/ feeling loser. I've started to take in mini goals. The mini goal for now is to drop below the 130 pound mark. At this rate, it should take another three weeks. Tomorrow I am going to do Cardio Power and Resistance. I really want to try to get the workout done and over with in the morning. I just feel so much better when I know my evenings will be more free. Other wise, I don't wind up getting the workout in until 10:30ish. How was your weekend? I hope you all ate healthy and got some activity in!

Now this is INSANE...

Yesterday I started my day off with my Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal and half a cup of skim milk. Not bad for a 4 point breakfast. I also had a small, skim latte which was 2 points. For my snacks I had a 2 point Fiber One bar and later on had a peach for one point. My lunch and dinner? Well yeseterday for lunch I went to Chipotle and decided to get a burrito bowl. When ordering things like a burrito bowl from Chipotle, you need to be VERY careful with your ingredients. First off, I never get my burrito bowl with rice. Instead I go for the beans, which are 1 point, the grilled peppers and onions, again 1 point. For meat, I order the Barbacoa, which I believe has the best nutritionals, according to calorieking.com., this comes in at 5 points. I top this off with tomato salsa, hot sauce, corn and a lot of salad -all 0 points. I also ask for very little cheese, which I range in at 3 points. So there you have it...all the wonderful flavors of a burrito bowl in a decent point range. Now the hardest part of this is, eat only half!!! The portions are huge to begin with, but save half either for lunch the next day or for your dinner. My dessert after dinner was a non fat vanilla yogurt -delish! Now onto my workout...after work I went for a boxing class at my gym. Now this was seriously fun. The class focused more on Thai boxing techniques and I definitely got to use muscles that I normally don't get to tone. The class lasted for about an hour and 10 minutes. Oh, and don't think I forgot about my Insanity! Yesterday I told you I skipped a day, so I did the workout from the day before yesterday, yesterday..get it :-p Yesterday was the Plyometric Cardio Circuit workout. Not bad, it's so intense that the 40 minutes flew by! So, yesterday was not a bad day for eating or working out. Although I think I over did it on the working out...I had a lot of twitching muscles afterwards :-) How was your day?

The INSANE fit test...

So, I told you all I would post up my Insanity fit test results. Here are the deets: My very first fit test August 17th: Switch Kicks: 62 Power Jacks: 36 Power Knees: 75 Power Jumps: 25 Globe Jumps: 24 Suicide Jumps: 9 Pushup Jacks: 11 Low Plank Obliques: 31 Now remember, the number corresponds with how many reps of each move I can do in one minute. My second fit test August 31st: Switch Kicks: 91 Power Jacks: 53 Power Knees: 84 Power Jumps: 30 Globe Jumps: 34 Suicide Jumps: 13 Pushup Jacks: 19 Low Plank Obliques: 44 Now for me, I felt this was good improvement in only two weeks! You workout 6 days a week by doing different cardio circuit training/plyometric workouts. One day is a "Recovery Workout", but I feel you really are not recovering :-p and one day you get for rest which is reserved for Sundays. I usually wind up working out on Sundays because I take a break during the week. For example, I did not work out yesterday, so I will follow the calendar, except do yesterday's workout today and today's workout tomorrow..etc. All in all, a very intense workout!

The INSANITY continues...

So yesterday I did my Insanity fit test. Yes, I know I was suppose to post up my stats, but I'm so dedicated to this workout that I did it at 11:45PM!! After that I was too tired to post up my results. I will however post up official results tonight! I have to say though, I improved in every sector from the last two weeks. The fit test is comprised of 8 circuits and test the number of reps you can do for each circuit. Compared to the past two weeks, I'm able to do more kick jumps, push ups, jumping jacks, globe jumps and suicide jumps. Not bad. I've also lost three pounds since I've started this, but I'm sure I've lost more in inches!! More to come tonight!

My INSANITY trip...

So, for the past two weeks I've been doing a workout called INSANITY. A great heart pumping, body challenging workout by the makers of Beachbody. The workout combines cardio strength training and plyometrics. There is also a 60 day body challenge, which I've decided to take part in. For the past two weeks I have been following my workout religiously and I love it! I definitely feel more tighter and toned but have not taken physical measurements yet. I think I will do this tonight and post it up to track my progress. The first day of your workout you are required to do a fit test and track how many reps of each excersise you can do. After two weeks, you do the fit test again, and there is suppose to be improvement. Tonight Ill do my fit test and post up my results. I have to say, this is a tough workout. The "warm up" alone will have you dripping in sweat, but this is so body challenging that time really does fly by. The combination of Insanity and eating right is doing my body good, but I'll post up measurements tonight. How have you been doing on your healthy lifestyle?

***Recipe Alert: Brown Rice Bowl***

My brown rice bowl is the perfect meal to have on a cool night. Not only is this full of fiber from the brown rice and beans, but the vegetable stock adds great flavor to the onions and cilantro!

Here are the deets:

3/4c of cooked brown rice

1/4c. of vegetable stock

Juice of half a lime

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cloves of garlic, grated

1/4c. of chopped cilantro

2TB of cumin seeds

1/2c. of black beans

1 portion of Perdue Shortcuts Chicken, diced

1tsp. of canola oil

Salt/Pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil in a small pot

2. Add the onions, cumin and salt. Sautee until the onions become translucent

3. Add the beans, garlic, vegetable stock, lime juice and cilantro. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes

4. Add the chicken and pepper

5. Add the rice and combine well

6. Enjoy!!!

This wonderful lunch or dinner is 7 WW points!!

***Recipe Alert: Breakfast Bean Bowl***

Good Morning Ppls!! Let's not forget that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. There is nothing more satisfying than a heart healthy, fiber filling, wholesome breakfast :-). Here's a great breakfast bowl that's quick and easy. Ingredients: One egg, fried in one teaspoon of oil(blot the excess oil off with a paper towel) 1/2c. Pinto beans 1 slice of Kraft extra thin sliced deli swiss cheese Salt/pepper to taste 1 tsp. Hot and Spicy Steak sauce In a bowl, add the beans, then top with the egg and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Nuke this in the microwave for about 30 seconds, to slightly melt the cheese. Top off with the steak sauce. Enjoy :-) For 4 WW pts you get over 8 grams of fiber from the beans, and a dose of healthy fat from the egg yolk! Not bad. PS: pic will be posted tonight!!

***Recipe of the Day: Refreshing Fruit Salad***

With summer in full swing, there’s no reason to not take advantage of all the wonderful fruits in season. Berries and stone fruits especially shine through at this time of year. Not to mention, fruits are easy to take along, antioxidant packed and full of fiber! Cool down this summer with a refreshingly cool summer fruit salad and I have the perfect recipe for one!!

Ingredients:

1c. blueberries

1 medium peach, thinly sliced

1c. strawberries, halved

1 plum, thinly sliced

1 tsp. of vanilla essences mixed with 1 tsp. of honey

2 TB. of freshly chopped mint

Add all of these ingredients in a bowl and toss. Let this sit in the fridge for half an hour before eating.

Recipe makes two servings

WW pts.: 1.5

Serve this fruit salad with a drizzle of non fat vanilla yogurt or make this into a great breakfast parfait by adding yogurt and granola or almonds!

Long time no post...

Good Morning Everyone, I hope you are all doing well and still maintaining your healthy lifestyle. I know my postings have been very sporatic again, but I am trying to do my best. I love posting to you guys but to make things organized for myself, so I can atleast post to you guys atleast once a day, I've decided to order my postings by day. Here is what I was thinking: Monday: post a new recipe, be it savory or sweet. Tuesday: post atleast one new find be it snacks or meals. Wednesday: post the question of the day. Thursday: post up workout advice Friday: post up how the week went, weight gain/loss, follow up and see how you guys are doing. Alright, so here is where I could really use your feedback. Let me know what you guys think of this or if anything should be changed or added. Your input really does mean a lot to me and I want to post information/advice that you really need. Also, remember to send your questions to kanwal.ullah@gmail.com. All questions for the question of the day are posted as anonymous, so ask away! Alright, so I really hope you all are doing well and I look forward to your feedback!

***Recipe Alert- Smoky Chicken Bean Bowl***

This is great to make for a quick easy lunch or dinner, and of course, super easy :-)

Here are the deets:

One portion of Perdue Short Cuts chicken

1/2c. of black beans

1/2c. of pinto beans

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 c of sliced mushrooms

1/4c. of thinly sliced red onions

1TB. of chipotle pepper sauce

1TB. of steak sauce

Salt/Pepper to taste

Mix all of these ingredients in a bowl and allow to marinate over night. The flavors will all marry each and be ready for the next day.

This huge, filling portion as only 4 WW pts. -not to mention it's loaded with fiber!

Enjoy!!

***Recipe Alert: Berry Sorbet***

With hot summer days in full swing why wouldn't you want a frozen treat?!?! I came up with the world's most easiest, all natural sorbet recipe. This sorbet will definitely take the heat off! Ingredients: One cup frozen blueberries Or One cup frozen, sliced strawberries Or 1/2c. of frozen blueberries and 1/2c. Of frozen strawberries 1-3TB of cold water. Optional: 1tsp. Of EVOO 1. Blend the berries in a blender (the ice crusher setting works best) 2. Add the water to make a thick smooth puree, add the EVOO 3. Pour in a single serving ramiken. 4. Store in the freezer for atleast an hour before eating. This tasty, healthy frozen treat has only 1 WW pts...delicious!!

***New Find: Nature's Path Cereal***

This cereal is delicious!! Lightly sweetened with organic cane juice and cinnamon, with a handful of of blueberries in each serving, you really can't go wrong. Not only is it all organic, and reasonably priced but each 1 cup serving has 3 WW pts. Pair that with a half cup of skim milk and you have your self a delicious, filling 4 pt. breakfast! I highly recommend this cereal. Here are the deets:

Cal: 200

Fat: 3grams (from the Omega 3's)

Fiber: 7 grams

My day yesterday...

So yesterday was a pretty good day. I managed to get my workout in during lunch. Also, before dinner I had two 2 point snacks. This left me with 5 points for dinner. Not much, but I was able to work with it. My made my own version of a burrito bowl with spring mix salad(0pts.), Perdue short cuts chicken(2pts), guacamole(2pts), diced bell pepper(0pt), pinto beans(1pt), diced tomato and onions(0pts) and salt and pepper. That was enough to hold me over. Today I'm going to try to eat every 2.5 hours rather than every 2 hours. How did your day go yesterday?

Lunch Time...

I really think eating a low point snacks every couple hours is working for me! My lunch for today is whole wheat pasta w/ a fat free yogurt sauce, parsley and walnuts and chicken....DELICIOUS!!! One serving of this dish is 10WW pts, but I've divided this into thirds (honestly, one serving was huge!!)...Anywho, this made my lunch a little bit over 3 WW pts. Still not bad and very filling!! How was your lunch?

Doing good...

So now I'm having 1/2c. of plain non fat yogurt, w/ slivered almonds. Was I hungry, yes...just a bit though. I also feel pretty good and energetic right now. Total WW pts: 3

Two hours later...

So, I'm trying to keep up with eating every few hours. I just had string cheese with 1/4c. fresh blueberries, total WW pts: 2. After my smoothie this morning, I was just a little bit hungry after 2 hours. So the snack worked out perfectly!

***B-Time***

Good Morning Everyone, This morning for breakfast I made a smoothie. I blended one cup of sliced, frozen strawberries, water and a teaspoon of EVOO. Total WW pts: 2. I know this breakfast is lighter than usual, but I'm going to try to have a 2-3pt. snack every 2-3 hours. What did you guys have for breakfast?

So you've fallen off the wagon...

So, you've been doing really well and keeping up with your healthy lifestyle. All of a sudden life throws you a curve ball and one bad day rolls into another. Soon becoming a bad week which soon spirals down into a "how could I have let this get so out of control situation!!!". Ok, don't panic EVERYONE goes through this atleast a few times in their weightloss/healthy lifestyle journey. Yes, anything can deter you from your gaols, a business trip, a bad work week, personal issues etc. The important thing to remember is to get right back on track and not make your few bad weeks a permament way of living! Here are a few steps to help you get through your tough time and get you right back on track: 1. Weigh yourself, see if you've gained any weight. If you did, don't let it dissappoint you that much. Don't forget, the weight can come off. 2. Start taking action of your diet and portions. You know having an apple is way better than a Snickers bar. Make wise choices when choosing foods. 3. Re evaluate your snacks. Try to have only fruits, veggies and proteins (apples. String cheese, yogurt, almonds). 4. Try to keep your dinner light on the carbs. If you can make a dish with protein and veggies. 5. Get some exercise in for atleast half an hour, it will make it easier to take the weight off. 6. Try not to eat past 8pm

My Day...

Today was a pretty busy day, but I managed to eat pretty healthy and even get a workout in. To start off, for breakfast I made myself a smoothie which consisted of half a cup of plain nonfat yogurt, 3 tablespoons of skim ricotta, 1 cup of frozen berries and one teaspoon of EVOO. I would have used skim milk to thin this out, but I ran out so I used water. Still, not bad for a 4 point breakfast! My breakfast kept me full for a little over 3 hours and then I went for a snack. These days I'm snacking on 2 point string cheese. I tend to eat a late lunch, so a couple of hours later I had another snack. This time it was a cup of plain, non fat yogurt, with a teaspoon of honey - a filling 3 points. After a couple of more hours I was ready for lunch. Oh yes, lunch consisted of 100 percent whole wheat pasta (3 pts.), with steamed broccoli and spinach, with a 1 pt. tomato sauce. Now this kept me full for a few hours, then I had another string cheese snack. After work I managed to get a great workout in, where according to the machines I burned 400 calories. A few crunches and weights later, I was ready for dinner. Dinner was a burrito bowl from Chipotle, however I am really particular about this. I always order the bowl with NO rice, a little bit of black beans, green peppers and onions, barbacoa meat (its the lowest calorie meat), a little bit of corn, tomato salsa, a little bit of guacamole and a whole lotta salad. For those of you who want to know, I really do say "a little bit" when ordering :-) I was also craving something sweet today at work. My wonderful coworker had mini reeses peanut butter cups - I had one. Overall, today was not a really bad day. My workout also helped me out a lot -considering its been a while since I got one in. Right now its after 10pm and I'm heading home, but still a little bit hungry but I think I'm too tired to even try to eat :-p. How has your day been? Did you stay on track today?

***Question of the Day: Any suggestions of what to do when you reach a standstill point in weight loss?? How to get past that block and lose a few m

Getting through a plateau can be tough, but not impossible. Just try not to let it deter you from your overall goal. Also, if you do not see the scale budge, don't get frustrated, it could take over a month to push through a plateau. Here are a few tips to help you successfully conquer the big P. 1. Change up your workout a bit. Your body gets used to one workoutand soon becomes immune to it. Change it up with a bit higherintensity. 2. Cut atleast 15 grams of carbs from your overall diet, better yetstay away from all carbs, excluding vegetables after 9pm. 3. If you are eating a lot of fruit then that's great, but the sugarcontent in the fruit could be what is getting you. Instead of threeservings of fruit a day, go for two and replace the third with aprotein. 4. Try not to eat 2 hours before bed, you body will not be able toeasily burn those calories. 5. Try to ween off of frozen dinner meals, the sodium content is veryhigh and can cause water weight. In stead cook a few meals during theweek, freeze up the extra for your own version of a healthy frozenmeal. 6. Your caloric intake changes as you lose weight. Make sure you aretaking in enough calories for your current weight rather than when youwere 5 pounds heavier - let me know if you need help with this.

***Recipe Alert: Avocado Jam Sandwhich***

My pleasure of eating not so common food pairs continue. Oh yes, lately for breakfast I've been having an avocado and fresh berries or all natural jam, on toast. I do ask you, is this combination really weird? Think about it, most people do have toast with butter. I'm just replacing the butter with an even more heart healthy,buttery spread of avocado. I do find this sandwhich to be a great combination of sweet and savory! You may actually want to try this out! Here are the deets: 2 slices of whole wheat or whole grain toast. 1/8th of a ripe avocado 1 teaspoon of an all natural jam ( I like Polaners Orange Marmalade) 1. Spread the avocado evenly on one slice of toast. 2. Spread the jam on the other slice of toast 3. Cut in half and enjoy! Total WW pts.: 4 What are you guys having for breakfast? PS: Ill post a pic up tomorrow!

***Yogurt Alert: Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr

Good Morning Everyone,

I think it's been a while since we've had a Yogurt Alert. Boy, do I have a good one for you today! Siggi's Icelandic Style Skyr yogurt. Seriously, this yogurt is so thick, it's like softened cream cheese sweetened with a bit of agave nectar (a natural, low glycemic sweetner). Another plus, the yogurt is all natural, yes, no aspartame, sucralose, gelatin, preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup!! Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, check out these stats:

Cal: 120

Fat: 0

Fiber: 0

WW pts: 2

My favorite flavor is the orange ginger, and I plan on trying the blueberry today. The only downfall on this is the price. Each 60z. container can be between $1.50 - $2.50, depending on where you buy it from. I do think this is something you should try atleast once though! This also makes a great dessert, or you can even spread it on toast!

Delicious!!!

Tips for eating out when on a business trip or vacation

Don't let your outside adventures throw a pitch fork in you already wonderful healthy lifestyle! Just because you are on a business trip or on vacation, doesn't mean you need to go wild and raid the buffett. Just remember, you may be on a vacation, but your diet is not :-) 1. Keep yourself hydrated. Often thirst can be mistaken for hunger. Try to always keep a refillable water bottle with you and refill as needed! 2. Avoid anything saucey...especially cream saucey. You'll be setting yourself up with a caloric mess on this one. 3. Go for the grilled options. Oh yes, lean grilled proteins are your best bet here. Grilled chicken, grilled seafood, grilled beef. 4. If you are at a buffet, help yourself to a salad and clear broth soup. I've said it before and ill say it again, these will fill you up with minimal calories and will help you not over eat. 5. Keep healthy snacks on hand: almonds, apples, granola bars etc. You may not know what time you will be having lunch or dinner. You d Also don't want to be famished and eat all the high fattening high caloric food. Not only will the snacks keep you satisfied, but it also will not send your body into starvation mode! 6. When eating out, try to load up on the fruits and veggies. Remember may be on vacation, and you should enjoy yourself. If. You really want a high caloric dish, try to have only 1/2 or a 1/4 of the dish, and then something healthy on the side. 7. When I'm eating out, I sometimes only order two appetizers for my meal. This is very filling, the portions are great, its cheap, and I get two different things! 8. Let's face it, you may not be able to eat healthy all of the time, try to counter act this by walking or getting some other form of excersise in. I hope these tips help you on your next vacation or business trip!

***Recipe Alert: My Soutwest Bowl***

One serving of Perdue Honey Roasted shortcuts, diced

1/4c. Of fresh corn

1/2c. Of black beans

1 tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

1/2 yellow or orange pepper, thinly sliced

Salt/ pepper to taste

2tb. Of balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of EVOO

You cannot get any easier than this peoples, throw all of this in a bowl and mix it up! Let it stand for about 10 minutes before devouring, so the flavors can marry each other :-) This filling, nutritious meal has only 4 WW points! Make a big batch, and portion this out for lunch or dinner! If you guys have any request for healthy recipes please email me atkanwal.ullah@gmail.com Ciao!

Getting Your Workout On...

With summer practically here I think we are all working a littleharder to get our bodies awesomely toned. I thought I'd post a few practical ways for you to get you workout on! Tae-Bo - with a busy work schedule Billy and I have gotten to know each other again :-). In my opinion, nothing beats the original Tae-Bo, but there is Tae-Bo cardio and Tae-Bo bootcamp available. You'll get yourself a great heart pumping workout with these! Take a class - why not get your heart pumping and learn some new dance moves at the same time. That's exactly what I did when I took Bhangra classes in the city! There are an array of dance classes you can take and still get a great workout. Salsa, bhangra, and belly dancing are great ideas! Go traditional - lace up your running shoes and go for an hours speedwalk or a cardio pumping run! Gymin It - I still love going to the gym for my runs and stairmaster. However, if you are a member of a gym and feel like something different, look into the classes they have to offer. These days I see gyms are being pretty innovative in trying out new things. I've even seen a hula hoop class! Yoga - I personally have not tried this, but a lot of my friends are into Bikram yoga. According to them you do body challenging positions in a room over 100 degrees! I do think this is something that I'd like to try out! So, what do you guys do to workout? PS: I have a guest pass to the NYSC, if anyone wants to join me for aworkout, that'd be great!

Sapna Article is Out....

Hey Guys, Check out my article in Sapna Magazine: Good Food on a Budget :-) http://sapnamagazine.com/2009/good-food-on-a-budget/

Helpful Links...

Good Morning Everyone, I've updated my list of helpful sites that come in handy: www.calorieking.com -this site will give you the nutritional on stats on anything you can eat, even restaurant food (type in the name of the restaurant. www.fitday.com -this is a great free tool to help you keep track of your food, workouts, and weight. www.weightwatchers.com -TONS of info here, along with a points tracker and points calculator. http://www.healthydiningfinder.com/ - this is an awesome site for finding nutrition stats when eating out! http://www.indiacurry.com/nutrition/rotidosaidli.htm - Calorie count on some indian foods

Chipotle...

Hey Guys, This is just an fyi...I went onto the Chipotle website, and could not find any nutrition stats. So, I then went onto Calorieking.com and typed in Chipotle. Amazing, you can take each meal component from there and easily find out how many calories, fat, fiber you are taking in :-) Can you tell I want Chipotle for lunch? What are you guys planning on having?

Your Favorite Foods...

What foods can you absolutely not live without? My staple foods are: Yogurt -as long as its non fat Peanut butter -I try to keep it somewhat healthy and choose the SmartBalance brand Arnolds Sandwhich Thins - perfect for sammies EVOO - definitely has to be a good brand Fruits - mainly what's in season as its always fresher (I'm on a papaya kick these days) Balsamic Vinegar - again, definitely a good brand, especially to pair up with my EVOO String Cheese - Sargento reduced fat cheddar is awesome Individually wrapped chocolates - Dove and Hersheys are awesome! Just one will satisfy a chocolate craving Coffee - yes I NEED my coffee every morning Various veggies - again whatever is in season Dr. Praegers Bombay Curry Veggie burgers - I've never had such aflavorful veggie burger Hmm..I'm sure I have tons more and will continue to update. What are your favorite foods?

***Recipe Alert: Oregano Lemon Pepper Chicken***

This is a easy, great salad to make during the week for dinner. Here are the deets:

For the chicken:

1 chicken breast, cut into pieces

1 tb. of oregano

3 tb. of fresh lemon juice

1 tb. of pepper

1 tsp. of EVOO

salt to taste

Mix all of the ingredients, except for the chicken in a bowl. Add the chicken and allow to marinate for atleast half an hour.

For the salad:

1/2 bag of mixed greens

1/4c. of chickpeas, drained and washed

7-10 cherry tomatos, halved

1/4c. of red bell pepper, thinly sliced

For the dressing:

Mix 2 tb. of balsamic vinegar with 1 tb. of EVOO. Add one tsp. of salt and pepper and whisk to combine. This dressing makes for two servings.

Grill the chicken breast on your grill (George Foreman grill is great for this)

Mix all of the ingredients of the salad in a bowl.

Pour half of the dressing on top and toss salad.

Add the chicken on top.

Enjoy!!

This huge salad is 5 WW pts. and totally filling!

***Snack Attack: Yoplait Light - Cinnamon Roll***

Yogurt is probably my number one go to snack. I love my berry yogurts, my citrus yogurts and of course I cannot forget about my honey almond yogurt :-) Sometimes I do like to have a desserty yogurt rather than a savory yogurt, and for this I go to Yoplait Light! My new favorite desserty yogurt by Yoplait Light is Cinnamon Roll. This yogurt tastes incredably cinnaminy with a great tang! I highly suggest this yogurt when you want a high fat, carb laden, artery clogging cinnamon roll! Here are the deets:

Cal: 100

Fat: 0

Fiber: 0

Total of 2 WW pts. Not bad to kill a craving!

***Recipe Alert: Mexican Mish Mosh***

Guys, This is a great high fiber, heart healthy, filling salad perfect for lunch! For the guacamole (Dressing for our Mish Mosh): 1 ripe avocado Juice of half a lemon 1 tb. Of freshly chopped cilantro 1/2 red onion, diced 1/2 jalapeno, diced finely 1/2 beefsteak tomato, deseeded, diced 1/2 red bell pepper, diced finely Salt/pepper to taste In a bowl, mash up the avocado. Once fully mashed add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. ***Makes 8 servings, 1 WW pt. each For the salad: One serving of Perdue Southwestern Style carved chicken breast 1/4c. Chickpeas, drained and washed 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced 1/2 beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced 1 tb. Of freshly chopped cilantro Salt/pepper to taste Add all of the ingredients in a bowl. Add ONE serving of the guacomole dressing. Stir to combine. This wonderfully filling salad is 4 WW pts. Tip: Make this salad totally vegetarian by omitting the chicken andadding a serving or two of black beans!!!

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How is your day going so far? Staying on track?

Hey Everyone,

Follow me on twitter (kanwal81), for the most up to date info!

So...I didn't make it to the gym this morning, but I definitely plan on going after work today!

Tips: Eating Healthy Mexican Food

Mexican Food...wow, where do I start with this one! You have yourhigh calorie meats, fattening sour cream and artery clogging cheeses.Does this mean you should entirely ignore this most flavorfulcuisine!?!? OF COURSE NOT PPLS!!! I will however give you a fewpointers on eating Mexican food...shall we begin... First things first:Go for the salsa. This is where you can get a great flavor punchfrom. A tablespoon of tomato based salsa has about 1 WW point! If you really want your guac, then go for it, but limit yourself to nomore than 1 tablespoon (which I know can be very hard!). Althoughthis is made with heart healthy avocados, you can easily rack up thepoints if you are not careful! Go for the grilled proteins. Yup, grilled chicken or grilled steak orgrilled fish -all great choices compared to fried foods. If you can get a whole wheat tortilla...then go for this option. The added fiber will help fill you up. Stay away from anything with bubbling cheese on top -need I say more on this one? Burritos and enchiladas can run over 1300 calories a pop - I suggest not going for these options. Refried beans are no good. Seriously, anything fried and then fried again is so not figure friendly. Opt for regular pinto or blackbeans. They are still very flavorful, high in fiber and low in calories. You can have your sour cream -only if there is a low fat option though. If not, stick with the salsa. Also, go for fresh veggies in anything. You can have a great soft taco, stuffed with fresh veggies, grilled protein and topped with salsa and beans! Tortilla chips- ask if the restaurant has a baked version, if not just grab yourself ONE HANDFUL and do not go back for seconds!!! Also dip in salsa, not guac. Lastly, if you are going to a restaurant, see if you can find any nutritionals online first. This way you can plan your meals ahead oftime! Enjoy!!!

On my way to the gym again! So far going by the game plan :-)

Healthy Cooking Substitutions...

I thought I'd share some of my healthy cooking substitutions with you guys:

• Instead of using bread crumbs, I use a whole grain cereal and pulse this in my blender to make 'bread crumbs'. Use this to coat chicken or fish, or in place of where ever you would use bread crumbs
• When baking, instead of oil, I use unsweetened apple sauce. This drastically cuts the calories and fat in recipes
• If a recipe calls for sour cream, I use 1/2 low fat sour cream, mixed with non fat Greek yogurt. It has to be Greek because you want the thick consistency, without too much tartness
• When a recipe calls for flour, I use 3/4 of whole wheat flour and 1/4 all purpose flour
• When a recipe calls for heavy cream -try using 1% evaporated milk instead -you will still get the creaminess of the milk with less calories and fat
• Sneak in pureed veggies wherever you can. Making mac n cheese...add some pureed butternut squash. Seriously, no one will know it's there

These are just a few tips that I have. I'll post some more soon!!

Tips for Eating Out...

We all face obstacles when eating out. Whether it's Italian, Chinese, Indian or any other type of cuisine, we are always looking for the best options to have when eating out. I thought I would recap my Eating Out Guide... Italian Food

• If you are having pizza, go for the thin crust, you'll save yourself a ton of calories
• Avoid meats on your pizza, go for the high fiber veggies which you know are 0 points
• DO NOT, I repeat...DO NOT eat the breadsticks, ppls, its just BREAD..let it go for Italian meals
• Get your dressing on the side -dip the tip of your fork in the dressing and then eat your salad. You'll get all the flavor with minimal calories.
• When eating out, immediately ask your server to pack half of your meal to go
• If there is an option for whole wheat or multigrain pasta, get this

Chinese Food

• Start your meal off with a broth based soup and a salad. This will help fill you up and ensure you do not consume too many calories
• When at a Chinese Buffet, pick food from the top. The sauce and oils tend to fall down on the bottom of the pile of food. If you pick food from the top of the pile, you will atleast get the least amount of oil and sauce
• WATCH FOR PORTION DISTORTION. People, I cannot say this enough, if you are going to eat all that food, atleast watch for your portion sizes. Remember, you just want to taste the food, not overload and gorge on it!
• Mix your food with steamed veggies or chicken. This way you will get all the flavor for half the calories
• Go for the steamed dumplings vs. the fried dumplings. You'll be saving yourself a whole lot of saturated fat
• Try to stay away from anything deep fried, such as egg rolls or fried dumplings
• If there is brown rice, go for this over white rice, again watch for portion distortion
• Go ahead and have your fortune cookie. These satisfying, sweet treats are about 25 calories

Indian Food

• Try to stick with the vegetable based dishes, such as channa masala and aloo ghobi
• Stay away from cream and butter laden sauces -such as chicken makhani
• Have roti instead of naan. Roti's are usually made with whole wheat flour, and cooked on a flat, cast iron pan, with minimal oil
• Stay away from the mango lassis, or any other FLAVORED lassis
• Portion control your rice, keep your intake to rice no more than one cup

I hope this has helped you guys out. Are there any other types of cuisines you'd like some tips on eating out?

Gym time....
Its 6:45am and I'm making it to the gym! So far staying on track of my game plan!

Your obstacles....

Hey Guys, What are the biggest obstacles you guys are facing at the moment? I know I was going through a rut of having a hard time of continuing to eat healthy and go to the gym, with my new work schedule. I made a game plan to tackle this issue, and I'm hoping to keep up with it. I do want to know if you guys are facing any challenges though!

Who's Side Are You On...

If you are like me you have no problems creating your meals. However, it's the side options that give me issues! Sure, I can make my turkey ham and cheese sammie for lunch, but is that it? Is that the only thing that I am going to have to fill me up? My biggest dilemma is coming up with healthy, low point snacks. However, through time, I've been able to come up with some pretty low point, healthy sides, and I decided to share them with you: Side Option # 1: My 'Fries' - my favorite, zucchini fries: 2 Zucchinis, sliced 1/2 inch thick(leave the peel on for more fiber) Salt and any other type of seasoning you would like your fries to have Coat the fries in the seasoning and BAKE at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until 'fries' have turned crispy. Points value: 1 Side Option # 2: Cauliflower Mashed Potatos: 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets 1/4 c. skim milk Salt & pepper to taste 2 gloves of garlic, grated Steam the cauliflower until tender Mash or blend the cauliflower with the milk, garlic, salt/pepper Makes 4 servings. Points Value: 1 Side Option # 3: Baked Tortilla Chips Take any one point tortilla, and cut into bite sized triangles. Coat in 1 teaspoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bake in the oven for 400 degrees, for 15 minutes, or until 'chip' are browned and crispy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired. This is a great crunchy side! Points Value: 2 Do you guys have any healthy side options?

***Recipe Alert: My Power Omelet***

This is a great omelet to have on a Saturday or Sunday morning and it's also great for a brunch. Also, who needs the added sugars from ketchup when you have freshly seared tomatos on top! Here are the deets:

2 eggs

4 thinly sliced tomatoes

1/8th c. of diced red onions

1/8th c. of sliced mushrooms

2 TB. of finely chopped jalapeno

1 TB. of cumin

1 TB. of fresh cilantro, chopped

salt/pepper to taste

Crack the two eggs in a bowl.

Add the onions, mushrooms, jalapenos, cumin and salt/pepper, whisk lightly until all is combined.

Heat up your pan and spray with non stick spray.

Add the egg mixture, and let this cook, on medium heat for a couple of minutes.

Add the cilantro, then flip the omelet.

Let the omelet cook for another couple of minutes, then take off of heat.

In the same pan, add the tomatos, in as single layer.

Sear the tomatos on one side only.

Once seared, add on top of omelet, and enjoy!!!

This totally filling, whole omelet is only 4 WW points. Not bad for a breakfast!!!

What did you guys have for breakfast?

***My Game Plan***

Since I wasn't too happy with my weekly weigh in, and since the gain in pounds was mostly adjusting to my new job, I've developed a game plan to work this out. Of course, I'm sharing this all with you :-) First off, the meals. I was unsure of my hours and ate very poorly, grabbing a bite here and there. Sometimes coming home too late to prepare a healthy dinner. So what am I going to do? Saturday I will plan all of my meals, I mean EVERYTHING I eat, I will plan fo ahead of time, from my breakfast to my snacks to my dinner, to eating out...etc. I will also MAKE all of meals on Saturday and Sunday and store them in single serving portions. This way, when I get home late, I can just pop a healthy dinner in the microwave. Also, I'll make extra portions to freeze in case one weekend is too hectic for me to cook a lot. I will also stock up on healthy snacks, non fat yogurt, high fiber granola bars and mixed nuts. I can keep these in my bag or at my desk at work for when I need a quick snack. Secondly, now that I've picked my gym, I will get back to working out normally. Here's the plan for that: Monday - workout in the evening Tuesday - workout in the morning Wednesday - workout in the evening Thursday - break Friday - workout in the evening Saturday OR Sunday - go for a jog outside I'm doing the whole evening morning rotation just in case one day I don't feel like waking up as early ;-p Although it probably is best to get it all out of the way in the morning! Do you guys develop plans like this as well?

Weekly Weigh In...

I am going to be brutally honest here. I've gained 4 pounds. Yes, probably mainly due to the lack of exercising I did and not watching my diet as carefully as I should have since I was adjusting with work. 4 pounds...seriously...in a week and a half! The only thing that I can do now is stay on track. How did you guys do?

***Snack Attack: Jolly Time Healthy Pop Popcorn***

This is an awesomely filling two point snack and I have been having it very often for a snack lately! Seriously, it's popcorn...buttered popcorn for 100 calories, so not bad!!!

What have you guys been snacking on?

What's your eating schedule like?

Now that I'm working and out most of the time, I find it harder to make time to eat a proper breakfast or lunch. The way I have learned to deal with this is: Before I leave the apt. I'll have a glass of skim milk -only because I can't workout with solid food in my stomach, especially first thing in the morning. After my workout, when I get to work, I'll have a non fat yogurt. A couple of hours after that, I'll have 1/2 of my PB&J done my way sandwhich. A couple of hours after that, I'll have the other half, plus some fruit. Dinner usually depends on how many points I have left for the day. I'll also keep other snacks at my desk, in case I'm still hungry. I keep, Healthy Pop popcorn and raw almonds and pistachios. What's your eating schedule like?

French Fries Just Got Better!!

Raise your hand if you like fries...ok, you don't have to raise your hand! Seriously though, I don't know of a single person out there who can't resist Mickey D's or BK's fries. Even if you go home, slice up a potato, fry it and salt it, your seriously not going to have just one. Not to mention, frying your fries in oil really isn't that great for you or your waist. Therefore, I have decided to give you guys some of my ideas for 'fries'. I do not have pics of these, but I can tell you I have made every version of these 'fries' and they are delicious and definitely nip that craving in the spud (haha)! I may one of these versions this weekend and I'll post up pics for you then. In the meantime...drum roll please.... Turnip 'Fries' (I know, but trust me) 2 Turnips, peeled and julienned Salt and any other type of seasoning you would like your fries to have Coat the julienned fries in the seasoning and BAKE at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until 'fries' have turned brown and crispy. Makes 2 servings...0 WW pts.!!!! Sweet Potato 'Fries' ( a great way to get fiber and beta carotene in) 2 Sweet potatos, julienned (leave the peel on for more fiber) Salt and any other type of seasoning you would like your fries to have Coat the julienned fries in the seasoning and BAKE at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, or until 'fries' have turned crispy. Makes 2 servings...2 WW pts.!!!! Zucchini Fries (these taste awesome, but will not be as crunchy, but are still great with ketchup) 2 Zucchinis, sliced 1/2 inch thick(leave the peel on for more fiber) Salt and any other type of seasoning you would like your fries to have Coat the fries in the seasoning and BAKE at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until 'fries' have turned crispy. Makes 1 serving...0 WW pts.!!!! Butternut Squash Fries (these taste awesome, but will not be as crunchy, but are still great with ketchup) 1 Butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced 1/2 inch thick(leave the peel on for more fiber) Salt and any other type of seasoning you would like your fries to have Coat the fries in the seasoning and BAKE at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, or until 'fries' have turned crispy. Makes 3 serving...1 WW pt.!!!!

What are you guys eating today?
So far I've had skim milk, non fat yogurt and half of a PB sandwhich!

***Recipe Alert: Channa Masala Pasta***

Italy...meet India...India...meet Italy. Wow. This has got to be the best fusion recipe I've come up with! This is a flavor, fiber filled meal which will keep you wanting more (that's probably not a good idea though :-p) This entire recipe has over 10 grams of fiber and only 5 WW points!!! Now that is awesome for a lunch or dinner!! This is also incredibly easy.

Here are the deets: One serving of whole wheat pasta 1/2 serving of Channa Masala (http://ask-kanwal.blogspot.com/2009/04/hey-guys-i-love-cooking-indian-food.html) Cilantro for garnishing

Cook the pasta according the directions on the box. Once fully cooked, take about 2 tablespoons of the pasta water and add this to the Channa Masala. Toss the pasta with the Channa Masala, and garnish with chopped Cilantro! Delicious!!!

Question of the day...How do you control water weight?

The answer to this question is simple, control your water weight by drinking more water! Yes, your water weight can be due to eating too many salty foods or by even being dehydrated. If you are eating too much salt, your body will retain water, and the only way to get rid of this is to 'flush' it out by drinking more water. Similarly, if you are dehydrated, your body will store whatever water it can find, causing you to actually be bloated. So to answer your question, DRINK UP!! Fun Fact: Drinking cold water helps your body burn calories. Your body needs to heat up the ingested cold water, which in turns is helping you burn more calories!!

Oh How I've Missed This...

HELLO EVERYONE!!!!! I don't know where to begin!!! First off, I've missed sharing my thoughts with everyone for so long! I've also missed reading your comments and suggestions! Well, last week was my first full work week, and I'm telling you, I was sooo not used to be working again. Yes, gone are the days where I was waking up at 10:30am. Last week was a big adjustment week for me. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my new job and could not have asked for a better place to work with such great people!!! OK- so let's get to the nitty gritty, as I said, I really missed posting on a regular basis. I also felt really guilty because I feel like I have developed relationships with my readers, and I do not want to let you guys down either! I have successfully been able to keep my weight in track in the past while working. However last week in particular was a bit difficult because I was getting used to my new job. Now that I'm working in midtown, my commute is also a bit more longer than it use to be, and my hours are also a bit more. All in all, I know I can accomplish this successfully. So, what was the biggest challenge that I faced? Working out! Yes, I've told you all in the past that I am the type of person where I cannot just eat right to feel right, I also need to workout. Last week after work I checked out a Bally's, Midtown City Gym, Curves and the NYSC. I am specifically looking for something close to work, so I can go before, after or during lunch. Bally's was the closest, literally right across the street. However, they seemed really really dirty inside, and they charge a $2 towel fee -seriously!!. Midtown city was next, they were OK, but the machines are too outdated. Curves...umm.really not my style right now. Finally, the NYSC. Now, I use to be a member of the NYSC, and I think they are great. Clean environment, televisions at every station ( I really need this), and they have a thousand locations! Finally my gym of choice...the NYSC!!! Now, my next biggest challenge was WHEN was I going to workout. During lunch I cannot get my full workout in, and in the evening I am way too tired to get on a treadmill. So, I've now solved this issue by working out before work. Sure, I need to wake up earlier, but it is soooo worth it!!! This is why I say, you always need to make the time to work out guys! Trust me, you'll feel great! So, now that I have gotten use to my work routine, figured out my workout schedule, I'd say I'm pretty much good to go!! I really have missed posting and I want to know what you guys have been up to! PS: I have free passes to NYSC if anyone works in midtown and wants to get a workout in with me!!

Food...eating...food...eating...food...eating

Hey Guys, I want to know what you are eating during the day! Staying within your points? Craving anything special? Tell me, what's on your plate?

***New Find: Smart Balance PB***

So, you all know I love peanut butter. Well, I discovered a better butter today. Yes, a PB by Smart Balance, and once again this is delicious. This is an all natural PB made with heart healthy oils, such as omega 3's from flaxseed! So, the stats for PB can be pretty high. This is 5 WW pts. for TWO tablespoons. Usually, when I eat my PB sandwhiches, I only use one tablespoon, so, your looking at 2.5 WW points. Lately for breakfast I've been having one tablespoon of Smart Balance PB, with sliced strawberries or mashed blackberries, on two slices of light beefsteak rye. This really does keep me full till my snack!

***Recipe Alert: Mediterrranean Salad -My Way***

For dinner I made a great mediterranean salad with some simple things that I had in my pantry and refrigerator. Here are the deets: 1/2 bag of fresh spinach 1/2 bosc pear, thinly sliced 1/2c. of chickpeas 1 oz. of soft goat cheese, broken into pieces 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1/8th c. of walnuts Dressing: 1 garlic clove 1/2 t. of EVOO 2 tb. of Balsamic vinegar. salt pepper This salad is super easy. Add all of the salad ingredients in a bowl. Wisk up dressing ingredients, and drizzle over salad. This salad is VERY filling and you get the whole serving for only 5 WW points, dressing including! Enjoy!

What I'm eating...

Hey Guys, In case you guys were wondering how my meals are going for the day, here's a bit of insight. I start my day with a glass of Smart Balance Skim Milk, which is only 2 WW pts. About an hour or so later, I'll have a yogurt for another 2 WW pts. Lunch is a delicious turkey ham sammie, here are the deets: 2 oz. of Jennie O Turkey Ham -2 WWpts. Lettuce, tomato -0 WW pts. 1/4 Avocado, sliced - 2 WW pts. 1 slice of light swiss cheese -1 WW pt. 2 slices of Beefsteak Light Rye - 1 WW pt. I then cut the sandwhich in half. I'll have one half with an apple or pear and I'll save the other half for later on in the day (A couple of hours later when I get hungry, I eat this). The whole sandwhich is 6 WW pts. Dinner is pretty different every night, depending on what I cook. I'll also wind up having a snack before dinner, like string cheese for 2 WW pts.

Questions...

Hey Guys,

Remeber, if you have any questions about anything, whether it's about Weight Watchers or eating right or getting excerise, you can email me at kanwal.ullah@gmail.com . I'll post up your question (don't worry, your name will not be posted :-P), along with the answer during the week!

***New Find: Beefsteak Light Rye***

So, I'm getting into a good habit of bringing my own lunch for work. And to be honest, the Arnold's Thins are getting a bit boring...I do eat a lot of it. So, as I went on my qwest for a sturdy, healthy, low point bread, I found BeefSteak Light Rye. Although this bread is touted as Rye, it really does not taste like Rye bread to me. In fact, it tastes like regular wheat bread. The best part about this bread is it is very sturdy and can hold up to a good sandwhich. Also, even better, two slices of this bread has 80 calories and are only 1 WW points. This is a great alternative if you are getting a bit tired of the Arnold's. Don't get me wrong, come this weekend, I will still be having my Arnold's Thins with my burger, but for now, I'm really liking the Beefsteak light for my pB&J's and my turkey ham sammies!

It was a long day...

Hello Everyone,

By the time you guys read this, today will be tomorrow, so lemme tell you, yesterday was a really long day! I was working much later than I expected, and by the time I got home I did not want to cook. So what did I do, I went for the most convienient option...fast food. When chosen wisely, fast food is not that bad of an option. Practically every burger and taco joint out there now has healthy menu options. My fast food restaurant of choice was Taco Bell. The great thing about Taco Bell is they have a Fresco menu, which features their tacos in a lighter version ie: no sour cream, but the are still delicious!! I wound up have a Fresco Chicken Ranchero Soft taco and a Fresco Grilled Steak taco! Together, both of these were 6 points!!! Seriously not bad for two tacos that taste great!

How's it going...

How is your Monday treating you so far? What have you guys been snacking on?

***Question of the day: What do you do when you go to the Chinese BUFFET???

Going to a Chinese buffet, or a buffet of any sorts for that matter can be pretty daunting. After all, you are faced with an endless array of all you can eat foods, which could also include desserts! Here are some tips in conquering buffets:

1. Start your meal off with a broth based soup and a salad. This will help fill you up and ensure you do not consume too many calories
2. When at a Chinese Buffet, pick food from the top. The sauce and oils tend to fall down on the bottom of the pile of food. If you pick food from the top of the pile, you will atleast get the least amount of oil and sauce
3. WATCH FOR PORTION DISTORTION. People, I cannot say this enough, if you are going to eat all that food, atleast watch for your portion sizes. Remember, you just want to taste the food, not overload and gorge on it!
4. Mix your food with steamed veggies or chicken. This way you will get all the flavor for half the calories
5. Go for the steamed dumplings vs. the fried dumplings. You'll be saving yourself a whole lot of saturated fat
6. Try to stay away from anything deep fried, such as egg rolls or fried dumplings
7. If there is brown rice, go for this over white rice, again watch for portion distortion
8. Go ahead and have your fortune cookie. These satisfying, sweet treats are about 25 calories

I hope this has been helpful, but please remember, these rules can apply for any buffet. Enjoy!

***New Find: Dr. Praegers Veggie Burgers***

Hey Guys,

With Memorial Day right around the corner I thought I would display some great burgers this week! Today, I'd like to present you with Dr. Praegers Bombay Curry Veggie Burgers.I don't know if anyone has tried these, but these veggie burgers are awesome! I seriously have not tasted a veggie burger with such robust flavor. One thing though, I do suggest you guys bake these in the oven because they can be pretty fragile. If you bake them, rather than microwave them, they will hold their shape in the bun. They are still great microwaved, but they just may fall apart.

So seriously, if you love veggie burgers, you need to try these out!

Deets:

Cal: 110

Fat: 4.5

Fiber: 4

Points: 2

PS: Pair these burgers up with Coriander Chutney and an Arnold's Thins for a great burger!

***Recipe Alert: Mushroom Pizza***

Hey Guys, Here is what I made for dinner last night, and this was delicious! Here are the deets: 2 portobello mushrooms, stems removed 3 fresh mini mozzarella balls, sliced 1 veggie turkey sausage (I use Morning Star), sliced 1/4c. spaghetti sauce 1 tb. of italian seasoning

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
2. Evenly distribute the spagetti sauce on both mushrooms (the gill side)
3. Evenly distribute the sliced mozzarella and sausage to both mushrooms
4. Add the italian seasoning to both mushrooms
5. Place the mushroom pizza in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted

Enjoy! This wonderfully filling dinner is only 4 WW pts., for BOTH pizzas :-)

***Weekly Weigh In***

This morning I went to weigh myself and see that I am still 132....not bad, didn't gain or lose!

***Yogurt Alert***....***Snack Attack***

As if I didn't have enough yogurt :-p I just happen to have slurped down another great flavor by Dannon...hold your horses ppls, this is ORANGE MANGO :-) Yes, Orange Mango has joined the high ranks as Dannon yogurts for Key Lime Pie, Pineapple Coconut and Lemon Chiffon have! Another delicious flavor ppls -seriously, it tastes like an orange and mango got smushed while trying to fit into an already packed subway train...and at the end you get a wonderful taste of orange mango!!

Go buy some ppls....only 2 WW pts! What did you snack on today?

Questions Ppls...

Hey Guys, Remeber, if you have any questions about anything, whether it's about Weight Watchers or eating right or getting excerise, you can email me at kanwal.ullah@gmail.com . I'll post up your question (don't worry, your name will not be posted :-P), along with the answer during the week! Thanks, and I hope to hear from you!!!

***Recipe Alert: PB&J- Done My Way***

Good Morning Guys, So you'll notice I have this PB&J -Done My Way often. First of all it's pretty quick to put together, second of all because of the berries, it is very antioxidant packed, and last but not least, you are getting the heart healthy fats from the PB. What more can you ask for?!? Here are the deets: Arnold's Sandwhich Thins 2 TEASPOONS of all natural Peanut Butter (I like Skippys Extra Chunky All Natural) 3-4 Blackberries Put the PB and Berries in a bowl, and smash the berries with the back of a spoon, and mix with the PB Spread on Arnold's Sandwhich Thins (this is even better when the bread is toasted :-) ) Total WW pts: 3 I hope you guys try this recipe out because it really is good! You can also use sliced strawberries or freshly mashed blueberries!

***Recipe Alert: PB&J- Done My Way***

Arnold's Sandwhich Thins2 TEASPOONS of all natural Peanut Butter (I like Skippys Extra Chunky All Natural)3-4 Blackberries Put the PB and Berries in a bowl, and smash the berries with the back of a spoon, and mix with the PB Spread on Arnold's Sandwhich Thins

How's it going...

Hey Guys, How is your day going so far? Snacking on anything exciting?

***New Find: Popchips***

Ok, so I got out of the gym and I was looking for snack, and guess what, I didn't want yogurt this time :-p I went to the Duane Reade across the street to see if I could find anything interesting. This is when I spotted Popchips. So, these chips are not fried, nor are they baked, instead they are 'popped' like popcorn. That's right, no oil what so ever is used! These chips are good, and will definitely satisfy that crunchy, salty craving you get when you want chips. Per serving, you get a decent amount of chips to fill you up, all for about 3 WW pts., really not bad to satisfy your cravings. Here are the deets for the original potato chip flavor -about 22 chips:

Cal: 120

Fat: 4 grams

Fiber: 0

Have you guys tried these? What do you think? I've only had the original flavor, anyone try the barbecue?