That cake!!

Today is a crazy busy day so I'm going to make this quick, but I just wanted to share how amazing the Homemade Skinny Chocolate Cake is that Gina has created! I'm not a cake person what-so-ever, but this was absolutely wonderful!! Go make it, now! :) 

And as a plus, Derek has no idea that it was a "healthy" version of one of his favorite desserts!

Happy Wednesday!

Today is...

...just another day. 

I've never really been one for Valentines Day, as I don't think there should be one day in which someone that loves you should show it. Plus, who wants to pay $50 for $15 worth of flowers because it is the 14th day of February?? Not me!

This is Derek and my third Valentines Day and every year I insist that nothing be done for this stupid holiday, but I guess that this year we both were feeling "romantic", and I use this word lightly because I didn't do anything too romantic, but I did do a couple things for him. He had been looking at getting a camo case (my hunting obsessed honey) for his iPhone, so I beat him to the punch and bought one for him last week. Also, remember that skinny chocolate cake I was going to try on him? Well, I got up early this morning and baked it as a surprise for him, I'm pretty excited to see how he likes it tonight because the batter tasted pretty darn good! 

I was definitely the lucky one this year! Last night, Derek came and picked me up from the school, as he had been locked out of the house, and as I got into the truck, I was met by a beautiful bouquet of  a dozen roses, that smell absolutely wonderful, and a very very large balloon! I felt pretty special! He had been wanting to stash them, and wake me up this morning before he left for work with them in hand. Too bad he got locked out, that would have been pretty cool! He did say though, that it didn't count that he did anything for Valentines, as he gave everything to me on February 13th. What a nut! Below is a picture of me with my flowers, balloon, and the cool vase he got to accompany my gift. The photo of me is terrible, I had just gotten home from working out, so cut me some slack!

To top off this day, I have worked hard to get all my homework done early and one of Derek's favorite meals in mind for tonight, as everyone knows that a way to a man's heart is through his stomach and this is especially true with my man. It may be February 14th, but I do this pretty often and all in all, I love my man. :)

I might just have to break my diet to try some of the chocolate cake tonight. Good thing it is "Skinny Chocolate Cake." ;)

Happy Tuesday!

Yummmm, skinny chocolate..?

I have to admit, I love chocolate and sweets. I also love Pintrest, so you can imagine my excitement this morning when I find skinny chocolate cake on my Pintrest news feed from Skinny Taste. I'm also very lucky that my man likes chocolate cake. This will be one of those recipes that I try to "trick" him into eating, because if he knew there was yogurt, pudding, apple sauce and coffee in his cake, he wouldn't touch it with a ten foot fork. Once he tastes it, I bet he will have no idea. 

Try the Homemade Skinny Chocolate Cake! I know it won't disappoint even the pickiest. 

I'll let you know how it goes! 

Happy Friday!

Feel the burn...

No, not of the oven, but in your muscles. 

As part of my weight loss, I've also decided to go for a full body transformation. I've joined a class at the rec center doing full body sculpting. Truthfully, when I signed up for the class I really had no idea what to expect. Maybe cardio, maybe some dumbbell workouts, but I wasn't sure. Turns out, it is mainly weightlifting, at an upbeat pace, for an hour, 2 days a week. 

I do have to say, I haven't done any workouts in at least 6 months and I haven't done any weightlifting in about 3 years, so I was really in for a surprise when I showed up the first day to an energetic and very fit teacher [I guess she better be fit if I'm going to be motivated]. Needless to say, but I will anyways, I really hurt after the first class of many, many, many squats, with some arms and abs thrown in at the end. It was great! I love the feeling of being sore, as I feel I finally have accomplished something! 

After 3 full weeks, 6 whole classes, we haven't had a single workout be the same yet, and I've been sore in every muscle of my body. I have also noticed the difference in the amount of weight I can use to do the workouts. Makes me excited. I can't wait to see my toned muscles at the end of the semester! If after 3 weeks I can see the difference, I can only imagine what 16 weeks will do for me! :)

I know that many people don't have an opportunity to spend a small amount of money to have a class fit your schedule so well, but I do have some ideas for anyone looking to get started "working out".

This summer while living in DC, there was no way I was going to try to withstand the heat outside my apartment to try to get some exercise in, so I turned to a couple different sources. I started my workouts at Netflix.com. I know you need the instant version of Netflix to do this, but if you compare the $8 it costs for Netflix instant, compared to a monthly gym membership or personal trainer, you are scoring, plus you can watch movies on your free time. :)

I was surprised to see the amount of workout videos available on the instant section. It was hard to tell which ones were good, but that makes it fun. Try out a new video every day. I bet you don't get bored very fast! :)

The second thing I'm excited to start, is working out at home on my new Kinect. Right now our xbox is broken, so I haven't been able to use it :(, but I guarantee the second it is fixed, I will be doing it at least every other day. When I finally get to try some Kinect workouts, I'll let you know how they go. 

All in all, I'm trying to tell you that working out, no matter how long or through what means, it makes you feel healthier, and helps jumpstart your weight loss on a good diet! :)

[Healthy] Food Inspiration

Last weekend was a tough one for my diet, as I got to spend the weekend with my man for the first time in a month. I love spending time with him and we always go do so many fun things together, yet it is never a good thing if I'm trying to watch what I am eating. He, unlike me, is a very picky eater, as well not very health conscience when picking out something to eat. This makes it hard for me to find things to eat when we are together, as he doesn't mind grabbing gas station food or Taco Bell for a meal. Because he is so picky, I also have a hard time finding meals to make at home, that fit within my calorie range and within his taste pallet. I'm going to have to start making some tricky meals for him that taste "normal", yet are much healthier. I've tried a couple of these, thanks to Skinny Taste! One of our favorites from here is the baked Chicken Parmesan. I also have been making some meals from Hungry Girl, but most of these things are skinny desserts, though, I have made skinny onion rings and skinny sweet potato fries from here. Yum! Both of these websites give me some great ideas, that I usually have to tweak to fit my boyfriend's very closed mind towards new food. 

During the week, I'm very busy with school, work, homework, scholarship applications, etc. and I have found some great foods, keeping me full, while being very portable. Here are some breakfast ideas for you:
(Keep in mind, I count calories {on Livestrong.com} to help me reach the weight goal I am hoping for)

Sweet Breakfast Sandwhich
Calories: 290
1 Thomas' Everything Bagel Thin ( I like the extra taste of the everything bagel, but any bagel thin would do)
1 Tbs. Light Cream Cheese
1 Tbs. Peanut Butter
2-3 Strawberries
Small handful of blueberries
Cinnamon

Take the bagel and toast it. Put Cream Cheese on one side and peanut butter on the other. At that point, sprinkle the cinnamon on the cream cheese side (I like to get as much flavor as I can). Next cut the strawberries into slices and lay around one of the bagel. Place the blueberries all around on the side of the bagel. Put the two halves together and eat or put in a bag for a sweet morning breakfast! :)




Another breakfast that I enjoy eating and keeps me extremely full is a simple one, yogurt and granola.
I use greek yogurt, as it is my favorite, but any yogurt would do. I also like to have the Dannon Okios Greek Yogurt with the Strawberries on the bottom, adding a little bit more to my breakfast. I then pack a small bag of granola. Then, when I'm hungry I just pour the granola into the yogurt, mix it all up, and eat. Caution: It is messy until the granola is all mixed in.
This keeps me full for hours! :)


Enjoy your breakfast!! :)

On my way to fit!!

That's right, in a little less than a month I have changed my ways of living! I eat healthier, and less and I've been taking a body sculpting class 2 days a week through the CU Rec Center. I'm so happy with my results already! Only 30 lbs to go to my ideal weight..!

Who knows, this could be my year long journey towards a very special day in the near future ;). I can't wait to see what 2012 brings. :)

My daily meals to come in a later post! :)