• Recipe of the Week 3/1

Big Boy Burgers
Ingredients
* 1/2 lb. Extra Lean Ground Turkey White, antibiotic/hormone free
* 1/2 lb. Extra Lean Ground Turkey Dark, antibiotic/hormone free
* 2 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 1 c Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes, thinly sliced
* 1 Small Clove of Garlic, grated
* 2 tbs. Dried Parsley
* 2 tbs. Dried Basil
* Fresh Ground Pepper
* Large Pinch Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
* Whole Wheat Burger Buns
* Organic Ketchup

Directions
Preheat oven to BROIL, 500°F. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT for cheese, ketchup and buns in a bowl! Do not over mix. Shape mixture into 5 burgers. Spray rack of broiler pan with nonstick olive oil cooking spray. Place burgers on rack. Broil burgers 5 inches away from heating unit. Cook 5 minutes. Flip. Cook another 5 minutes or until no longer pink in center. Done.

Sweet Potato CHEESE Fries
Ingredients
* 1 Sweet Potato, small size of your fist
* 2 tbs. Olive Oil
* Small handful Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated
* Dash of Pepper
* Small Pinch of Sea Salt
* 1 Large Ziplock Bag

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash sweet potato and cut up thinly to look like french fries. Place a handful at a time in ziplock bag and add olive oil, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake shake shake! You may also use a bowl if you do not have ziplock bag. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven spinkle with cheese asap. All times are approximate as are the ingredients!

The Meal
Toast your burger bun in the toaster. Take turkey burger and either plate it directly or crumble onto the bun. Sprinkle with cheese and garnish with organic ketchup. If desired add lettuce or any other veggies that appeal to you. Even the big boys out there won't taste the difference in this healthy alternative! Want to bet?! Oh bake up some sweet potato fries to REALLY kick this meal into BIG boy status! Dessert: Um I'm stuffed! Aren't you?!

QUICK TIP: You can save approx. 90 calories by opting for an open face burger! Just save the bun top for another meal!

• Go Big or Go Home

Yesterday evening I found myself face deep in an explosive chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. And NO I did not share! According to my friend this was not Big Girl Thin behavior! No the behavior I was exhibiting was extreme cheating! There are many theories out there in regards to cheating but my theory is quite simple.

The three components to Big Girl Thin cheating. The craving, the cheat and the consequences.

The craving.
Everyone has to live a little right? RIGHT! I'm not on a diet so there are MANY rules to be broken. With that said if there is a food that I am obsessing and fixated over guess what? I EAT it dam it! Now look that does not mean every week I extreme cheat. Notice I use the word EXTREME. It is an extreme situation and not to be taken lightly!

The cheat.
When I go in for an extreme cheat I control the entire situation. I feel no guilt. I feel dam GOOD about what I am doing, even if I might be a little sick afterwards! When I go in for a cheat I make sure it is well worth it. What's the point of cheating if it's going to make you feel bad?! Oh and don't let anyone you're with during an extreme cheat make you feel bad either. Back off b*tch let me enjoy my 3000 calorie lava cake in peace! LOL! By the way my friend I was with during my extreme cheat last night joined in on the fun and ordered herself a decadent carrot cake! So go BIG or go home!

The consequences.
I do not live in denial about what I have just done. I know there are consequences to this extreme behavior. Consequences like if I don't get my a** to the gym the scale is going to take a nose dive in the wrong direction! I have to hit my exercise program hard like a ROCKSTAR! There ain't no shame in this girls game!

So my advice to you is next time you find yourself in an extreme situation stay in control and know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Ask yourself is it really worth it?

• Guesstimating

Calories, fat, sodium, sugar, protein, carbs, fiber . . . OMG where does one begin! It is easy to become overwhelmed when making a decision on what foods you should eat. The world we live in is infiltrated by fad diets and many only concentrate in one specific area such as high protein, fat free, low carb, etc. This is where I personally feel many people get completely confused and ultimately end in failure. This is where I fell on my a** and said to myself there has to be an easier way. There was an easier way and NOBODY, not one single person told me, just EAT HEALTHY. That's it. What is "healthy"? Healthy is the OVERALL picture. Your ENTIRE lifestyle.

Some "experts" recommend you keep a food journal to track what you are eating. I personally don't have the time nor the desire to keep a food journal every time I pick up a piece of food! I mean really who has that type of time? Are you going to keep a journal the rest of your life? I'm just not interested in writing everything down I eat! Here's the good news STOP over thinking what you're eating! I created the theory of guesstimating! Guesstimating is having an approximate idea of everything you put into your mouth.

You can NOT make a healthy decision just based on one or even two of the nutritional factors on a label or in a food. You MUST look at the entire picture. Just start guesstimating! Is that food healthy overall? Is it a high calorie food? Is it low in fat but high in sodium? Is it high in sodium but fat free? Is it balanced equally in low calories, sodium and fat? Is it loaded with sugar? These are questions I ask myself EVERY time I eat! No I do not obsess like many people I just guesstimate! How does one become good at guesstimating? Taking the time to understand what is in the food they are eating LONG before they put it in there mouth! So once again I am going to redirect you back to three of my previous blogs, Look at the Label, Become a Private Investigator and Size Matters. You've heard the statement "no pain, no gain" well here's my statement to you "If you want to look fine, you have to take the time." Take the time to TEACH yourself the tools to a healthier you!

• Water It Does The Body Good

Did you know your body can go weeks without food but, only a few days without water? Nearly 60% of your body weight is made from WATER. So what's the purpose of drinking water vs. the other crap?! Well genius I'm thinking if your body is actually made of it, it must be good! Last I checked your body isn't made up of soda pop?! Water is pure, clean and just BEAUTIFUL. It flushes all the yucky toxins from your body, gives you energy, improves skin tone and keeps you full (FYI your body often misinterprets thirst for hunger).

Have you ever wondered why you actually pee? I have! My pee comes in a variety of colors, light yellow, dark yellow, clear. The color of your pee can tell you a lot about what's going on inside that body of yours. I will blog about pee at a later time. To answer the question why we pee, well because your body is ridding itself of stuff that's bad for it! Stuff that doesn't belong there! You can't pee unless BINGO you drink fluids . . . fluids like water. Water also helps you POO! LOL! The more you poo the better you feel! The more hydrated you are the easier it is to poo! Okay enough about pooing I'll blog about that later also!

Water is like fine wine it's definitely an acquired taste. I'm not going to lie at first I really didn't like water. It made me want to gag! I soon learned there is sink water and then there is a vast selection of bottled waters. Trust me when I say there is a difference in water and eventually you too will be able to taste it.

I also have a fond love for bubbly water, which I usually have with my dinner. I opt for club soda aka seltzer. Never tonic, tonic is loaded with sodium. Just remember tonic = toxic. To give my water a kick I add fresh fruit slices such as cucumbers, strawberries, raspberries or what ever floats my boat at that moment. I also enjoy water served as a hot tea with a thick wedge of lemon. Lemon is a wonderful detoxifier.

So by now you're probably wondering how much water should I be drinking? I will let the professionals at the Mayo Clinic answer that for you in the article below!

How Much Water Do You Need?
Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayoclinic.com/

Everyday you lose water through your breath, perspiration, urine and bowel movements. For your body to function properly, you must replenish its water supply by consuming beverages and foods that contain water.

Several approaches attempt to approximate water needs for the average, healthy adult living in a temperate climate.

Replacement Approach
The average urine output for adults is about 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) a day. You lose close to an additional liter of water a day through breathing, sweating and bowel movements. Food usually accounts for 20 percent of your total fluid intake, so if you consume 2 liters of water or other beverages a day (a little more than 8 cups) along with your normal diet, you will typically replace the lost fluids.

Eight 8-ounce Glasses of Water a Day
Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Though the approach isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this basic rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink.

Dietary Recommendations
The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.

Even apart from the above approaches, if you drink enough fluid so that you rarely feel thirsty and produce 1.5 liters (6.3 cups) or more of colorless or slightly yellow urine a day, your fluid intake is probably adequate.

Factors that influence water needs
You may need to modify your total fluid intake depending on how active you are, the climate you live in, your health status, and if you're pregnant or breast-feeding.

Exercise
If you exercise or engage in any activity that makes you sweat, you need to drink extra water to compensate for the fluid loss. An extra 400 to 600 milliliters (about 1.5 to 2.5 cups) of water should suffice for short bouts of exercise, but intense exercise lasting more than an hour (for example, running a marathon) requires more fluid intake. How much additional fluid you need depends on how much you sweat during exercise, the duration of your exercise and the type of activity you're engaged in. During long bouts of intense exercise, it's best to use a sports drink that contains sodium, as this will help replace sodium lost in sweat and reduce the chances of developing hyponatremia, which can be life-threatening. Also, continue to replace fluids after you're finished exercising.

Environment
Hot or humid weather can make you sweat and requires additional intake of fluid. Heated indoor air also can cause your skin to lose moisture during wintertime. Further, altitudes greater than 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) may trigger increased urination and more rapid breathing, which use up more of your fluid reserves.

Illnesses or Health Conditions
Signs of illnesses, such as fever, vomiting and diarrhea, cause your body to lose additional fluids. In these cases you should drink more water and may even need oral rehydration solutions, such as Gatorade, Powerade or CeraLyte. Also, you may need increased fluid intake if you develop certain conditions, including bladder infections or urinary tract stones. On the other hand, some conditions such as heart failure and some types of kidney, liver and adrenal diseases may impair excretion of water and even require that you limit your fluid intake.

Pregnancy or Breast-Feeding
Women who are expecting or breast-feeding need additional fluids to stay hydrated. Large amounts of fluid are used especially when nursing. The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women drink 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of fluids daily and women who breast-feed consume 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of fluids a day.

Beyond the tap: Other sources of water
Although it's a great idea to keep water within reach at all times, you don't need to rely only on what you drink to satisfy your fluid needs. What you eat also provides a significant portion of your fluid needs. On average, food provides about 20 percent of total water intake, while the remaining 80 percent comes from water and beverages of all kinds.

For example, many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and tomatoes, are 90 percent to 100 percent water by weight. Beverages such as milk and juice also are composed mostly of water. Even beer, wine and caffeinated beverages — such as coffee, tea or soda — can contribute, but these should not be a major portion of your daily total fluid intake. Water is one of your best bets because it's calorie-free, inexpensive and readily available.

Staying Safely Hydrated
It's generally not a good idea to use thirst alone as a guide for when to drink. By the time you become thirsty, it's possible to already be slightly dehydrated. Further, be aware that as you get older your body is less able to sense dehydration and send your brain signals of thirst. Excessive thirst and increased urination can be signs of a more serious medical condition. Talk to your doctor if you experience either.

To ward off dehydration and make sure your body has the fluids it needs, make water your beverage of choice. Nearly every healthy adult can consider the following:
-Drink a glass of water with each meal and between each meal.
-Hydrate before, during and after exercise.
-Substitute sparkling water for alcoholic drinks at social gatherings.

If you drink water from a bottle, thoroughly clean or replace the bottle often.

Though uncommon, it is possible to drink too much water. When your kidneys are unable to excrete the excess water, the electrolyte (mineral) content of the blood is diluted, resulting in low sodium levels in the blood, a condition called hyponatremia. Endurance athletes, such as marathon runners, who drink large amounts of water are at higher risk of hyponatremia. In general, though, drinking too much water is rare in healthy adults who consume an average American diet.

If you're concerned about your fluid intake, check with your doctor or a registered dietitian. He or she can help you determine the amount of water that's best for you.

• Recipe of the Week 2/22

Angela's "Tweaked" Zucchini Lasagna
Ingredients
* 2 lbs. (4) Large Zucchini, scrubbed
* 1 Jar White Label, L.E. Roselli's Marinara Spaghetti Sauce
* 1 lb. Frozen Organic Cut Spinach, thawed/remove excess water
* 1 c Whole Wheat Bread Crumbs
* 2 Garlic Cloves, grated
* 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
* 8 oz. Part-Skim Ricotta Cheese
* 1/4 c Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
* 1/4 c Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated
* 8 oz. Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
* Small Handful Fresh Parsley, chopped
* Large Pinch Dried Oregano
* Large Pinch Dried Basil
* Fresh Ground Pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice zucchini into long slices, approximately 4 slices per zucchini and 6 1/2 inches in length. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine ricotta, eggs, parsley, spices, half of the parmigiano and picorino cheese and half of the bread crumbs. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. Set aside.

Pour marinara sauce into a small bowl and add two freshly grated cloves of garlic. Mix. Set aside.

Spray extra virgin olive oil in 8x12 glass baking dish and spread with a thin layer of marinara sauce. Sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. Next arrange layer of zucchini vertically, covering entire base of dish (use thicker zucchini slices for this layer).

First Layer:
Spread half of the ricotta mixture onto tops of zucchini. Next create a thin layer with spinach. Next add a thin layer of marinara sauce. Next sprinkle lightly with bread crumbs. Next sprinkle with half your remaining cheeses.

Second Layer:
REPEAT. Arrange layer of zucchini. Next spread ALL remaining ricotta mixture onto tops of zucchini. Next create a thin layer with ALL remaining spinach. Next add a thin layer of ALL remaining marinara sauce. Next sprinkle with ALL remaining bread crumbs. Next sprinkle with ALL remaining cheeses. Top with fresh ground pepper to taste.

Bake for approximately 40 minutes or until top is brown. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

The Meal:
Divide lasagna into 6 equal slices and there you have it dinner in Sicily for the week. Mama Angela would be proud! Dessert? A SkinnyCow chocolate fudge ice cream cone! Bliss!

• A Pledge To Yourself

The Whole Foods healthy eating pledge defines who I have become. To see why I absolutely LOVE Whole Foods and why it's way more than just a market PLEASE, I beg you, visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

I Eat Well: I eat a variety of whole foods- real, fresh, natural, organic, local, seasonal and unprocessed as much as possible. I emphasize plant-based foods, no matter what type of diet I generally follow. I minimize refined, highly processed foods and eliminate non-nutritive substances, such as hydrogenated fats and artificial flavorings, colors, preservatives and sweeteners.

I Have Fun: I believe that food should be delicious, pleasurable, and fun. Joyful eating inspires and nourishes my body, mind, and spirit. I celebrate where and how my food is grown and its bond to nature because it compliments and enriches my relationship to my food and my community.

I Take Charge: I accept and appreciate that all dietary paths on the road to health deserve kindness, courtesy, and respect. I seek out tools, education, and guidance to expand my awareness about health-supportive food choices. I am empowered to make the best personal decisions for my own health and well-being.

-Whole Foods Market

• Megs Mission

Yes I realize this probably should have been my first blog on Big Girl Thin but better late than never right?! So here it goes!

My mission with Big Girl Thin is to inspire YOU and the rest of the WORLD to live a long healthy life. With that said I despise diets (please read my quote blog) and think 99% of people are completely clueless, I was one them, on how to lose weight and get healthy. I also think 99% of people do not understand what it means to be HEALTHY. When I dropped the weight of course people were interested on how I did it. Sooooo as much as I LOVE to talk I decided the best way to answer that question was to start a blog.

My new years resolution for 2010 is to blog about my journey from a big girl to a thin girl, most importantly a healthy girl. I feel this "getting healthy thing" is the best kept secret since sliced bread! I'm not kidding! As I've said before, I might not be a health or fitness professional but what I am is a big girl gone thin and this is MY story. Some people have said to me "it wasn't like you were 300 pounds" and losing the weight wasn't really that big a deal. Hmm guess what? It was a BIG deal. I was significantly overweight for my age and height and if I kept it up I was going to end up with major health problems in the not so far away future. The BIG deal was I didn't need to weigh 300 pounds to understand how it felt to be overweight, unhealthy and unhappy. I've also been told "what do I know about losing weight." Remember I'm not a professional so "I must not know" very much.

This is what I know:
I know what it's like to lose yourself when you keep gaining weight. I know what it's like when your family tells you you're getting a little heavy and your reaction is to eat more. I know what it's like to hide from everyone how much you are really eating. I know what it's like to go out with your friends and you're just date bait. I know what it's like to dread shopping for jeans because most of them can't get past your thighs. I know what it's like to try on tall boots and none of them fit because your calves are too large. I know what it's like to think your dryer is shrinking all of your clothes. I know what it's like to look in mirrors that only show you from your waist up. I know what it's like to avoid mirrors. I know what it's like to hear "you have a pretty face." I know what it's like to think the only thing pretty about yourself is your face. I know what it's like to diet but ultimately fail. I know what it's like to turn into a negative person. I know what it's like to turn into a sad person. I know what's its like to not like yourself. I KNOW what it's like to learn to LOVE yourself and start LIVING. I KNOW what it's like to GET HEALTHY. Don't tell me I don't know.

• Spice Up Your Life

Did you know a teaspoon of salt has 2300 mg of sodium?! Yes my dear that is all it takes to reach your daily recommended intake of sodium. Many condiments on the market, as well as packaged and processed foods, contain an average of 1000 mg salt. YOW'ZER! Don't be fooled by seasoning salts either, they are just regular salt with added seasoning. Now you're probably thinking to yourself no wonder I look like a puffer fish some days! A healthier option which adds plenty of flavor and zip is herbs and spices. Herbs and spices contain no calories and no sodium, not to mention the HEALTH benefits. Please don't complain about the cost either. Yes I know it can get pricey but TRUST ME when I say it's the best money I've EVER spent at the grocery store yet! Read the article below and start spicing up your life!

20 Anti-Aging Herbs and Spices to Add to Your Diet Now
Huffington Post / By Dr. Eric R. Braverman, MD bestselling author of Younger You (2008 paperback release, McGraw-Hill).

Among other things, the holidays are a time of national dysnutrition: the disease of excess. Dysnutrition happens even in the most developed countries when food is plentiful but the overall diet is based on eating all the wrong balance of foods. Sound familiar? The typical American diet that is high in simple carbohydrates -- white flour, white salt, and processed food -- is aging us. We are getting all the bulk without the nutrients, plus adding to our propensity for developing real food cravings. So whether you are a vegetarian or an omnivore, you can start to reverse aging by simply choosing to eat the right foods to keep you full of vim, vigor, and vitality, especially over the holidays.

The easiest way to make sure you are getting more nutrients into every meal, even when you are grazing at the office cocktail party or the neighborhood potluck dinner is by choosing foods that are loaded with spices. Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are literally "upgrading" your food without adding a single calorie. You are taking something ordinary and turning it into something extraordinary by adding color, flavor, vitamins, and often medicinal properties.

Here's why:
* Spices and herbs maximize nutrient density. Herbs and spices contain antioxidants, minerals and multivitamins. At the cocktail party, choose the Thai chicken satay stick over the tried and true fried chicken strip.

* Spices and herbs create a more thermogenic diet. Because spices are nutrient dense, they are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism. As your metabolism revs higher you will burn more of the food you have already eaten as fuel, and store less as body fat. At the dinner party, finish off the meal with coffee or tea sprinkled with cinnamon, which contains dozens of nutrients.

* Some spices and herbs increase your overall feeling of fullness and satiety, so you'll eat less. One study conducted at Maanstricht University in the Netherlands showed that when one consumes an appetizer with half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes before each meal, it decreased their calorie intake by 10-16%. If you're planning a holiday menu, think of starting with a tomato soup sprinkled with red pepper.

* You can eliminate salt. When you flavor your foods with spices instead of salt you'll immediately see health and physical benefits. Excessive salt intake keeps water inside your body. Once you kick the habit you will no long have excessive bloating and water retention. You'll also lose the salt and salty snack craving. That's because using salt begets using more salt: after a while it's impossible to use just a pinch, because you've trained your brain to require a salty taste for everything you eat. Over time, using spices will also lessen your cravings for simple, nutrient poor carbohydrate snacks because you will not be yearning for a savory, salty taste. Stay clear of the chips and dips and you're doing your brain and your body big favor.

* Spices and herbs have real medicinal properties. Study after study shows the benefits of distinct herbs and spices. One study at Malmà University Hospital in Sweden showed that up to two hours after eating, people who ate cinnamon-spiced rice pudding measured significantly lower blood-glucose levels than those who had eaten the unspiced version. Other studies suggest that cinnamon may improve blood-glucose levels by increasing a person's insulin sensitivity. One 2003 trial of 60 people with type 2 diabetes reported that consuming as little as two teaspoons of cinnamon daily for six weeks reduced blood-glucose levels significantly. It also improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, perhaps because insulin plays a key role in regulating fats in the body. So if you start adding spices to your diet now, you might be able to see real health benefits in the early months of the New Year.

Every little bit counts, so spice it up! Change your eating habits now, especially if your next meal is a pile of franks 'n blanks or cheeseburger sliders. Choose flavor over blandness every time, and try to incorporate these specific herbs and spices into your diet if you have the following health concerns:

* rosemary and basil for their anti-inflammatory power

* cumin and sage for their dementia-fighting power

* cayenne and cinnamon for their obesity-fighting power

* coriander and cinnamon for their sugar regulating powers

* lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron for their calming effects on your mood

* turmeric for its cancer fighting power

* oregano for its fungus-beating power

* garlic, mustard seed and chicory for their heart-pumping power

* basil and thyme for their skin-saving power

* turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, and ginger for their immune-boosting power

• Recipe of the Week 2/15

2 For 1 Thin Crust White Pizza
Ingredients
* 1 Whole Wheat Pita Pocket, cut through center into 2 mini pizzas
* 2 Handfuls of Baby Portabella Mushrooms, sliced
* 1 Handful Cascadian Farm Organic Cut Spinach
* 2 Large Pinches of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated
* 1 tbs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 2 tbs. Ricotta Cheese Part-Skim
* Dash Crushed Rosemary
* Dash Rubbed Sage
* Dash Ground Pepper

*Ingredients listed are to be split between 2 mini pizzas. Spices can be used freely.

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place your pita pockets on a baking sheet smooth side up. Brush a tiny bit of olive oil onto the tops. Use your fingers if you don't have a baking brush! Take the remaining olive oil and toss with mushrooms in a small bowl. Now go back to your pita pockets and cover tops with cheeses and spices. Place mushrooms and/or spinach on your 'mini pizzas.' If opting for spinach be sure to squeeze any excess water out first before topping. Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Watch CAREFULLY that they don't burn because they will cook quick!

The Meal
Enjoy TWO mini pizzas for the calories in ONE! Seriously can it get any better than this?! I think not :) Dessert? Skinny Cow ice cream of course!

• Puff On This

Hey smoke stack! Yeah you the chain smoker! Well I guess if you don't have any plans to live a LONG healthy life than keep puffing away my friend. And by the way did anyone ever tell you your skin is starting to look like sh*t?! Afraid of quitting because you might gain weight? True BUT there is a simple solution. Not so quick let me first ask you, Are you in? Do you want to LIVE? FABULOUS!

Smokers tend to put on an average of ten pounds when they quit because their metabolisms come to a scrrrrreaching halt. Ah that totally sucks but you got yourself into this mess! Cigarettes are typically replaced with other cravings such as food. One of your best defenses is to get your a** to a gym ASAP and start firing up that bad boy metabolism! Oh geeze that exercise thing again I know. Hint hint exercise needs to be apart of your life. Regular exercise not only fires your metabolism back up to where it should be but it also wards off cig cravings. So what are you waiting for LETS GET THIS PARTY STARTED! Visit http://www.BecomeAnEx.org/

• Oh JOY Its a Holiday

Nothing makes me CRAZIER than people who diet on Holidays! Holidays are dedicated to observance and celebration which usually means a good time and a lot of good food! Seriously are you really going to sit back and punish yourself? Gosh I feel sooooo sorry for you but then again you must be on a DIET and well I'm NOT because DIETS are for LOSERS!

My mission on Big Girl Thin is to inspire you to live a long healthy life and to ditch the diet and get with this healthy lifestyle thing. Holidays . . . enjoy them. Special occasions . . . enjoy them. Birthdays . . . enjoy them. Now this does not mean stuff yourself until you feel dazed and confused. It does not mean everyday is a holiday! It means using the tools I have given you and making them work in these scenarios. Remember my recent blog Size Matters, well use it! Yes your calorie count is going to be a lot higher but that's why you can hit your exercise regime a little harder the next couple days. And pah'lease don't complain about the exercise thing, do you want to enjoy the holiday or not?! Ok then. Enough said. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy :)

• Exercise = Hunger

WOW look at you! You are all over this getting healthy thing and making exercise a part of your weekly routine BUT you can't figure out why the weight isn't peeling off? HMMM maybe eating ANYTHING you can get your precious hands on when you get home is the root of your problem. Just because you workout does not mean you can eat whatever you want if you want to lose weight and get HEALTHY. Exercise means increased hunger which translates into learning what you should be eating before and after your workout. Read this article and visit MSN Health & Fitness for other health related topics http://health.msn.com/

Should You Eat Before or After Exercise?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

Q: Is it better to eat before or after exercising?
A: Many misconceptions surround eating and exercise. Some people avoid food before a workout because they worry they'll get nauseated or have cramps. Others don't eat in the morning because they think they'll burn more fat if they move on an empty stomach. Some athletes assume that hunger pangs before practice are a good thing, because they think that their body is diverting all its energy to the workout instead of digestion. None of these beliefs are true.

The Bottom Line is This:

When you expend energy by exercising, you need to consume extra energy to fuel the activity. How much you should eat and at what time of day depends on the type and duration of your workout, as well as when you last ate and what was on the menu.

Ideally, how much energy your body uses (how many calories you burn) and how much energy your body takes in (how many calories you eat) should be in balance all day. Keep in mind that your body burns around 100 calories an hour at rest and during sleep, so you don't just need energy for exercise, you need food throughout the day to fuel being alive. If you are highly active, if you eat big meals, or if you go for long periods without eating, you can upset this balance and cause extreme energy highs (surpluses) or lows (deficits.)

When you first wake up, you are likely to be low on energy. It works like this: If, the night before, you ate dinner at 7 p.m. and then nothing else until breakfast at 7 a.m., you would have gone 12 hours without added fuel. Your body may have burned around 1,100 calories during this period. Most of the fuel used would have come from your stored fat and glycogen (carbs).

But you have a limited supply of carbs because they are stored only in small amounts in your liver and muscles. Even though the body has plenty of fat stored, for fat to be “burned”, or metabolized, carbs need to be present. Often, the liver’s carb stores are nearly depleted by the morning, so many people may wake up in the morning in a state of energy deficit, where there are not enough carbs to provide energy and to help utilize fat.. So they need breakfast to infuse more energy into their body.

If you skip breakfast and do a tough workout, you launch a depleted body into even greater depletion. Say you burn 500 calories during the workout. By the time you eat later that morning, you may have dipped into an energy deficit of 1,600 calories (that is, 1,100 calories burned while you sleep, plus 500 from the workout). Now your body is famished for fuel. However, you may not feel hungry in this state (known as “ketosis”) because your body has shifted to starvation mode to preserve its resources. Diminished hunger is one of the side effects. But a lack of stomach rumblings doesn't mean your body doesn't need fuel—it does. In fact, at some point it will demand more fuel—you'll likely binge and go into a huge energy surplus to compensate. This ends up being a roller-coaster calorie ride for your body.

In another scenario, if you overeat and are inactive, you can find yourself in a state of energy surplus. So let’s say you eat a big lunch at 1 p.m. (cheeseburger, fries, shake) and take in around 1,200 calories. Then you sit at your desk and burn about 500 calories until it’s time for dinner at 6. In this case, you may enter the meal in a energy surplus of 700 calories (1,200 calories from lunch, minus the 500 you burned sitting at your desk). If for dinner, you ate another big meal of 1,000 calories (fettuccini alfredo, a soda and dessert ), you could end up with a larger surplus of around 1,700 calories. If you remain sedentary for the rest of the evening, not much of that will be burned off. Then the next morning if you wake up to a big breakfast, your body stays in positive energy balance. This is a recipe for weight gain.

Dramatic calorie highs and lows aren't good for you. Researchers at the University of Georgia studied the eating patterns of athletes and found that men and women had higher levels of body fat when their eating patterns fluctuated wildly throughout the day, even if they were in energy balance by the end of the day. In addition, they had worse muscle mass, lower energy levels and poor mental focus compared to athletes who ate consistently over the course of the day. Those athletes who ate regular, small meals, and more before, during and after intense workout sessions, showed the best performance in their sports and were the leanest.

The Moral?
For optimum performance, match your energy intake to your hourly energy needs. Of course, short of living in a laboratory, there's no sure-fire way to know your precise energy-balance status. Still, you can avoid drastic energy fluctuations by eating small-to-moderate sized meals every three or four hours. And if you are going to do intense or long exercise sessions, eat more before and during to compensate.

Pre-Workout Snacks
Don’t enter a workout hungry. If you start exercising in an energy deficit, your body is likely to preserve fat and perform poorly. If you tend to bonk out midway through a hard session, low energy may be the culprit. Quick absorbing carbs with a high glycemic index will give you fast fuel. So before a tough workout, have a sports drink, juice, fruit, bread or pasta to take in some calories. Depending on the intensity and type of activity you are doing, you may be less likely to have an upset stomach if you avoid high-fiber foods at this time. Or if you have them, wait an hour or two to digest before you start your workout. If you need to grab a snack minutes before a workout, chew thoroughly and go for a quick-digesting, high-carb food. But, if you are merely going on a moderate-paced walk for 45 minutes, you probably don’t need extra food unless you're heading out first thing in the morning. But if you are going to do two spin classes, an 8-mile run or something equally vigorous, fuel up beforehand.

During a Workout
Again, what and how much you need depends upon what you are doing. If the workout is intense and lasts from 60 to 90 minutes or longer, you probably need extra fuel. A sports drink or energy gel is the easiest absorbing solution, although bread, juice, fruit or an energy bar work too.

The Post-Exercise Energy Window
If you went on an easy walk for an hour, you don’t need to eat extra. But if you had a high-intensity workout lasting 60 to 90 minutes or longer, then it’s crucial to eat afterwards. Within the first 45 minutes post-exercise, there is a “metabolic window.” This means that enzymes that replenish muscle carbs are at their highest levels. Plus, insulin, which rebuilds protein stores, is at peak levels. So eating a carb-and-protein mix (peanut butter sandwich, yogurt with fruit, bagel with cream cheese, or a handful of nuts) at this point will maintain muscle, replenish glycogen stores and reduce the amount of fat your body stores. Even a sport drink or a piece fruit are a good idea if you don’t have something more complex available. (These calories are needed to recover, so they are less likely to be stored as excess fat.) The problem is, it may be an hour or more before you get a chance to eat, especially if you're at the gym and need to grab a shower before a long journey home. Missing the metabolic window is bad news: If you delay refueling, you slow carb replenishment by 50 percent and protein repair by 80 percent, according to John Ivy, an exercise physiologist at the University of Texas and the author of Nutrient Timing. And that means that you may be sluggish and fatigued during tomorrow’s workout. Sometimes an immediate side effect of a tough workout is that you are not hungry. But, you still need some calories. So drink juice or a sports drink at the very least. If you experiment with different food options, you should be able to find something that sits well with your stomach and improves your performance.

• Size Matters

When it comes to eating portion control and serving size go hand in hand like lovers walking on a beach. Without knowing it you might be SUPERSIZING yourself literally every time you eat! For starters what size dishware do you keep in your house? Hmm I bet LARGE dinner plates and oversized bowls? If you've never thought of your dishware as large you will now after this lesson on portion control and serving size.

The first thing I recommend you do is downsize ALL of your dishware. Large dinner plates should be replaced with small salad plates and oversized bowls with small bowls. The main benefit of downsizing your dishware is portion control and learning not to over eat and HOW to eat. What's the difference between portion and serving? Portion is the 'amount' of food you put on your plate and a serving is the amount of food you put on your plate defined by a 'specific measurement.' Don't panic I'm not asking you the measure everything you eat just start developing an 'eye' for serving size. This is particularly important when you dine out. Basically remember if it doesn't fit on a salad plate then you're eating too much.

Keep Yourself in Check with 'Visual Serving Size' cues:

- A serving of meat/fish is the size of your palm.
- A serving of vegetables is the size of your fist.
- A serving of fruit is the size of your fist.
- A serving of dressing is the size of your thumb.
- A serving of pasta, rice or cereal is the size of your fist.

• Recipe of the Week 2/8

Turkey Meatballs
Ingredients
* 1 lb. of Extra Lean Ground Turkey, antiobiotic/hormone free
* 1 cup McCanns Irish Quick Cooking Oatmeal
* 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, grated
* 1/4 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese, grated
* 1 small Red Onion, grated
* 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley Leaves, chopped
* 1 tbs. Dried Oregano
* 1 tbs. Minced Garlic in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
* 1/4 cup Egg Whites
* 3 tbs. Organic Ketchup
* 1 tsp. Salt
* 1/4 tsp. Ground Pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl mix ALL ingredients. Don't over mix. Shape the turkey mixture into mini meatballs the size of a golf ball. Place on a large baking sheet. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. They should look white and moist. Don't over cook or you will get the taste like paper effect!

Megs Magnificent Spaghetti
Ingredients
* Small Spaghetti Squash, 42 calories per cup :)
* 1 cup White Label, L.E. Roselli's Spaghetti Sauce
* Extra Large Pinch of Parmigiano Reggiano Cheese, shaved
* Dash of Spices: Sweet Basil, Fresh Ground Black Pepper
* Small Pinch of Minced Garlic in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F. Cut spaghetti squash in half. Place on baking sheet or in glass dish seed side up. Cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour doesn't really matter. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes so you don't burn the crap out of your hands when you remove squash from its shell! Scoop out middle section which has the seeds and throw away. Scoop out the rest of squash which should literally POP right out of shell and put in a small pot. Use a fork to shakeup spaghetti to get the "spaghetti" effect. Add your sauce, spices and garlic. Warm up on stove.

The Meal
Plate your spaghetti, add two meatballs and garnish with a dash of parmesan cheese. For dessert enjoy a handful of strawberries dipped in 1 sugar free dark chocolate pudding cup by Jell-O or melt a couple bite size pieces of REAL dark chocolate 70% cocoa or more in a small microwavable dish.

• Breaking Up w Boyfriend

Did you just break up with your boyfriend? Feeling blue? Can't get out of bed? Really it's not a bad thing its a good thing! Look at all the positives below!

- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more high fat dinners cooked for him
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more dining out and ordering unhealthy dishes
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more being a couch potato
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more having bad food pushed on you constantly
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more explaining why you don't have a 'mans' metabolism
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more of him giving you grief for going to the gym
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more binge eating to deal w your feelings
- Breaking up with boyfriend = no more losing yourself but FINDING yourself
- Breaking up with boyfriend = FREEDOM
- Breaking up with boyfriend = a healthier happier YOU
- Breaking up with boyfriend = Loving, laughing and living again
- Breaking up with boyfriend = a good thing :)

• Peanut Butter XOXO

Below is an article from Prevention Magazine on the HEALTH benefits of peanut butter. I absolutely LOVE PB sandwiches for lunch and am constantly asked "How is that healthy?" Read this article and visit http://www.prevention.com/ for other smart ways to live well. P.S. Check out MY favorite peanut butter on the PLANET at http://www.ilovepeanutbutter.com/

All Hail Peanut Butter!
It's healthy, filling, and can be a dieter's best friend

By Marge Perry , Marge Perry teaches cooking at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. A chef and syndicated columnist, she's been writing about food and nutrition for more than 15 years.

I loved getting pb&j sandwiches in my school lunch box--until I became a teenager. That's when peanut butter turned into a guilt-ridden indulgence akin to candy bars, cookies, and cakes: diet disasters to be avoided at all costs. Here's why I was wrong:

It helps you lose weight.
Calling peanut butter a diet food, with 180 to 210 calories per serving, may seem counter-intuitive. But it has the enviable combination of fiber (2 g per serving) and protein (8 g per serving) that fills you up and keeps you feeling full longer, so you eat less overall. Plus, there's nothing more indulgent than licking peanut butter off a spoon--and indulgence (in moderation) helps dieters fight cravings and stay on track.

It's packed with nutrition.
A serving of peanut butter has 3 mg of the powerful antioxidant vitamin E, 49 mg of bone-building magnesium, 208 mg of muscle-friendly potassium, and 0.17 mg of immunity-boosting vitamin B6. Research shows that eating peanuts can decrease your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. One study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that consuming 1 ounce of nuts or peanut butter (about 2 tablespoons) at least 5 days a week can lower the risk of developing diabetes by almost 30%.

It's got the good fat.
Peanut butter is chock-full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. A recent study found that insulin-resistant adults who ate a diet high in monos had less belly fat than people who ate more carbohydrates or saturated fat. PS: If you're buying reduced-fat peanut butter because you think it's better for your waistline, save your money. The calories are the same (or even a little higher) thanks to the extra ingredients that are added to make up for the missing fat (including more sugar).

How to Buy the Best
The fat and calorie counts of most brands of peanut butter are similar, but there are other indications of a healthier pick. Here's what to look for:

Sodium: Counts can range from 40 mg to 250 mg per 2-tablespoon serving. (Organic versions tend to have less.) Keep in mind that higher sodium content tends to mask the peanut flavor.

Sugar: Natural brands have 1 to 2 g--about half as much as commercial brands. The sugar content isn't so much a health issue as a question of flavor and use: If you're making a savory dish like satay sauce or combining peanut butter with a sweet ingredient, such as jelly or honey, save a few calories by choosing an unsweetened brand.

• Jack Up Your Oatmeal

Here's a few ideas of things that will JACK UP the flavor of your morning oatmeal!

- Dried Fruits: Cranberries, Cherries, Blueberries, Golden Raisins, Prunes.

- Fresh Fruit: Bananas, Strawberries, Peaches, Blueberries, Apples and Raspberries.

- Frozen Fruit: Blueberries, Strawberries, Cherries, Raspberries, Mangos.

- Nuts: Walnuts, Hazelnuts, Slivered Almonds.

- Seeds: Ground Flaxseed, Raw Pumpkin, Raw Sunflower.

- Natural Sweeteners: Unrefined Brown Sugar, Maple Syrup, Molasses, Honey, Agave Nectar, Barley Malt, Rice Syrup.

- Milks: Almond Milk, Vanilla Soy Milk, Low-Fat Milk.

- Peanut Butter & Co. Peanut Butter: Original, Cinnamon Raisin, White Chocolate, Dark Chocolate.

- Spices: Cinnamon, Ginger, Orange Zest, Nutmeg, Cocoa Powder.

- Extracts (Pure Form): Vanilla, Coconut.

- Canned: Pumpkin.

- Misc.: Shredded Un-Sweetened Coconut, Crumbled Bagged Granola.

• Become a Private Investigator

CalorieKing.com lists fast-food, restaurants and everything in between! They are the KING of nutritional information! There is a reason why CalorieKing made it to Big Girl Thins MUST have book list! Click on this link and find out why I LOVE this company! http://www.calorieking.com/

• TGIF But . . .

It's Friday night and your TOTALLY on board with this healthy lifestyle thing I've been preaching BUT you haven't got a clue as to where or what to eat when you dine out!? Don't feel bad, I too was stumped until I took the time to do a little, no A LOT of research on restaurant menu's. Heck I've even done research on gas station menu's LOL! I told you I put some serious time into this healthy lifestyle thing! Most of the menu's out there do NOT post calorie counts or other VITAL nutritional information. Don't expect much more from the employees of these places because they haven't got a clue as to what they are serving either. I've even gone so far as to call corporate offices and complain and voice my concern that no one had an answer. On a GOOD note there has been a recent surge in the past year or two with many restaurants stepping to the plate and posting their nutritional information, on the menu or online. It is not required by law and in my opinion it should be, just like when you go to the grocery you know EXACTLY what it is you are buying. Don't you think you deserve to know what exactly you are buying at a restaurant? A restaurant should be PROUD of their food and those are the restaurants I chose to dine out at. Those are the restaurants that will be listed on Big Girl Thin!

Don't laugh but this is how I trick the chef of the restaurant into preparing a healthy dish for me . . . in my head I think of myself as clinically obese with a serious heart condition. I told you not to laugh . . . that makes ordering a lot easier for me NOT for the server or chef! I order my food with NO salt, NO oil, No anything, as plain as possible. Everything is on the side. When the food arrives at the table I season it myself! Well what do I order you ask? Usually chicken or fish with a double order of STEAMED veggies NOT sauteed with heavy oil ewwwwww! Sometimes I opt for a soup NOT cream based. I'm not a big fan of salads, rabbits live on lettuce not me! If you are a salad fan order dressing on the side and use only one or two tablespoons worth. You are going to have to learn to use your "eye" as a measuring tool. I like oil and vinegar with a little fresh squeezed lemon as a dressing. Oh and never let them put bread or chips on the table that's just setting yourself up for failure. Remember I said never judge a box or can by its appearance well the same goes for food on a menu. Just because it "sounds" healthy does not mean it is. That bad boy salad could be packing a day or two worth of calories! Here's another way I "beat the system", if I am at a restaurant that does not have a chef or is unable to accommodate me I will visually cut may plate in HALF. Ever notice some of the skinny girls out there never seem to finish their entire plate, well they figured out the system and now you know their dirty little secret. When it comes to desert I say GO FOR IT! You're probably like what?! No way?! YES you can indulge a LITTLE. Order a table desert and split it with everyone. If it's just you and your man then have three bites and pass the rest on to him! Remember I keep my calories for the day under 1500 so you do the math when it comes to what and how much you can eat of something. I'm not that good at math so if I can do this in my head so can you! Last but not least, be prepared! Take the time to look the menu up online before you go out. This will make your restaurant experience much more enjoyable and your a** will thank you :)

• Quotes by Meg

- Diets are for losers and I LOVE to win!

- It's a lifestyle NOT a diet.

- How many times do I have to tell YOU I'm NOT on a diet!

- Diets pizz me off!

- If you want to see me in a bad mood put me on a diet.

- I'm sorry you're on a diet I'm not.

- Diet = Dieing to eat.

- If diets worked then you'd look (notice I didn't say feel) that good the rest of your life. Diets don't work.

- Diets . . . Disaster . . . Dislike . . . they all must be cousins.

- It's not about a number, it's about getting healthy from the inside out.

- Good food loves you, bad food doesn't.

- You know you're on a diet when you're completely confused about what you can and can not eat!

- Slow and steady wins a race, the same thing goes for losing weight.

- If I can cook YOU can cook!

- Eat B*tch Eat!

- The number on your scale should be read as a symptom. Too low not good. Too high not good.

- ALCOHOL = POSSIBLE HANGOVER = CRAP EATING = FAT A**

- You shouldn't judge a book by its cover and you certainly should NEVER EVER judge a box or a can by its appearance.

- Indulge a little it's not going to make or break you but, depriving yourself of something you REALLY want will.

- If you want to think like a champion and move like a champion then you have to eat like a champion.

- Part of this getting healthy thing is learning to cook . . . the healthy way.

- A little exercise goes a longggggg way BABY!

- I got way more than a thin healthy body, I got the POWER of knowledge. The power to LIVE!

- A 'good' trainer will know you don't want to be them, you want to be you!

- Part of success is failure, learn from it.

- If you want to look fine, you have to take the time.

• Oatmeal It's What's For Breakfast

Not eating oatmeal for breakfast? Read some of the facts below and maybe this will change your mind! Oh and please don't tell me oatmeal is boring and tasteless . . .
Check out The Oatmeal Project at http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/oatmeal-recipes/

P.S. McCann's Quick Cooking Irish Oatmeal and/or McCann's Quick & Easy Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal is what I eat EVERY SINGLE Morning :) To read more and why it's so FABULOUS go to http://www.mccanns.ie/

*According to the American Cancer Society:
1. Insoluble fiber's cancer-fighting properties are due to the fact that it attacks certain bile acids, reducing their toxicity.
2. Soluble fiber may reduce LDL cholesterol without lowering HDL cholesterol. LDL is bad; HDL is good.
3. Soluble fiber slows down the digestion of starch. This may be beneficial to diabetics because, when you slow down the digestion of starch, you avoid the sharp rises in your blood sugar level that usually occur following a meal.
4. It has been found that those who eat more oats are less likely to develop heart disease, a disease that is currently widespread in the United States.
5. The phytochemicals in oat may also have cancer-fighting properties.
6. Oats are a good source of many nutrients including vitamin E, zinc, selenium, copper, iron, manganese and magnesium. Oats are also a good source of protein.

*According to the Mayo Clinic:
Oatmeal & Oatbran
1. Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, psyllium, barley and prunes.
2. Soluble fiber appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. Ten grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber. To mix it up a little, try steel-cut oatmeal or cold cereal made with oatmeal or oat bran.

• If I Won the Lottery . . .

I would . . .

- Hire a private chef for my dog :)
- Live on a beautiful farm and raise all of my fruits and vegetables.
- Hire someone to HELP me raise all my fruits and vegetables because I would probably kill them all! I was not born with a green thumb!
- Have the most magnificent spice garden ever!
- Hire a local farmer to raise all my dairy and meat on an antibiotic/hormone free diet.
- Drive an eco friendly dually, aka a very big truck!
- Hire a chef to teach ME how to really cook! I would never hire someone to cook for me.
- Have a super cool gym and hot yoga studio that all my friends could come and work out for free! I am always motivated to see my friends!
- Hire Richard Simmons to do a clinic with ALL my friends! YES!
- Hire a kicka** trainer to help me get toned.
- Shop at Wholefoods and other green markets and not have to worry about cost.
- Buy SEVERAL horses and ponies.
- Donate to several horse and animal rescues across America.
- Adopt several dogs.
- Adopt one or two barn cats.
- Give my parents what ever they wanted.
- Have a really really good prenuptial agreement in case I ever got married ;)
- Hire the branding company Brains on Fire to create a campaign voicing my message about health and nutrition!

• Recipe of the Week 2/1

The Best Breasts Ever
Ingredients
* 1 lb. Skinless Chicken Breast, extra lean, no hormones/antibiotics from store butcher thinly sliced
* 2 cups Flax Flakes Cereal, crushed
* 1 cup Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
* 1 large egg, no hormones/antibiotics

Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. Combine the flax flakes and coconut in a bowl. In a separate bowl beat egg lightly. Dip chicken breast one at a time into egg, then roll it around and smother it in the flax/coconut mixture. Place in baking dish and arrange chicken in a single layer one after another. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until thoroughly cooked. MMM taste the goodness :)

Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
* 1 Sweet Potato, small size of your fist
* 2 tbs. Olive Oil
* 1 tsp. Cinnamon
* Dash of Pepper
* Small Pinch of Salt
* 1 Large Ziplock Bag

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°F. Wash sweet potato and cut up thinly to look like french fries. Place a handful at a time in ziplock bag and add olive oil, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Seal the bag and shake shake shake! You may also use a bowl if you don't have a ziplock bag. Arrange on a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip and bake for another 10 minutes. All times are approximate as are the ingredients!

The Meal
Enjoy one chicken breast with a LARGE handful of fries. For dessert one Skinny Cow chocolate truffle ice cream bar.

• Lets Get Personal About Trainers

One of the many things I did when I set out on my weight loss journey, blind and clueless, was arranging for several personal trainer consultations. Um well they ALL pretty much told me I was significantly overweight for my age and height, 30/ 5'3/175 lbs., this was according to the multitude of tests they ran on me. I was scared and I should have been, my fat index was off the charts! My heart rate was ridiculous! I felt like I was going to pass out, probably because I really was going to pass out! LOL! Ok actually not funny at all, it was very serious. I was ready to get going and shed the pounds but then they hit me with the price! Nope couldn't afford a trainer or a team so what was I to do? CRY CRY CRY, yes that's what I did. I needed help but couldn't afford help! But what I could afford was a gym membership, Jackie Warners workout DVD and good pair of sneakers! I talked to as many health nuts as possible and figured it out on my own. Yes it took time, lots and lots of time but, the results were SO going to be worth it! Guess what, three years later it WAS so worth it and I got way more than a thin healthy body, I got the POWER of knowledge. The power to LIVE!

If I had the budget to afford a trainer consistently yes I no doubt would have unutilized one. I believe in trainers FIRMLY but 'good' trainers that is. 'Good' personal trainers without question will give you a huge advantage in accomplishing many of your goals and will cut the time frame in half or more. Here's the thing, finding a 'good' trainer is not such an easy task. Many of the trainers out there claim they are customizing a program just for you but the reality is many are just using the same cookie cutter formula on everyone. Yes they all seem to know the equipment at the gym inside and out BUT many of them lack the education about food. Remember food and lack of exercise is what got me to 175 lbs. and I wanted to learn what went wrong and fix it. Sorry but putting me on a restricted DIET to jump start the weight loss wasn't going to help me LONG TERM. It wasn't going to teach me a dam thing except to hate diets (which I do) and hate gyms. My goal was to get healthy NOT become America's Next Top Model! Personal trainers I feel often get that confused. I can't say I totally agree with the way most (not all) trainers approach their clients goals and needs.

A 'good' trainer will work with a team of professionals all qualified in different areas of their own expertise. A 'good' trainer has attained the proper education and credentials to teach you about both exercise and food. A 'good' trainer will refer you to someone else if they do not have the answer. A 'good' trainer isn't going to have all their clients on the same program. A 'good' trainer will teach you, not just tell you. A 'good' trainer will have a list of clients who have continued to be successful for many years to come. A 'good' trainer will listen to you, not themselves. A 'good' trainer will motivate you every step of the way. A 'good' trainer will continue to learn and eductate themselves. A 'good' trainer will know you don't want to be them, you want to be you! A 'good' trainer will give you more than just a dumb bell, they will give you tools you can use the rest of your life. And last but not least a 'good' trainer will teach you how to LIVE LIFE and give you the POWER of knowledge!