Apple Spice Muffin Substitute

Apple Spice Muffin Recipe:
3/4 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup canola or soybean oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/5 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium unpeeled apple, finely chopped (1 cup)

For substitutes, instead of a whole egg just use the egg whites. Rather then flour, use whole wheat flour or ground oatmeal flour (to make oatmeal flour, just put some oatmeal in a blender, until powder substance. Replace the plain sugar with a little less measurement of "Splenda" sugar, no calories involved. On the website recipe, they have a topping of cinnamon and sugar, don't put any topping to save the calories.

EatBetterAmerica.com

eatbetteramerica.com is a great website to visit and join. They have great recipes that do have the calories and fat percentage on per serving. I made this wonderful apple muffin to die for. Beside they have great recipes, they also, have fitness that teaches you step by step. And you can click on diet & nutrition which is awesome, if you are diabetic or have heart issue. Eat Better America website have articles to stay fit and healthy with cooking techniques and weight management. You can also, join the community forum to see other people on what they are doing to lose weight and stay fit.

Office Cramps

Do you like many others out there, spend your day in the office or at home behind a desk. It's hard to go outside and walk around due to the cold weather or even inside where its small to walk around at. So, I made a few stretch exercise tips to do in the office so that its not so noticeable. Sometimes some people will look at you funny, if you are doing something out of the ordinary. Don't let it bother you, they are just jealous of you because they are too embarrass to do it, too. Hold 5 seconds at each exercise and repeat as many as you can. And remember to breath - in and out.

1. Your Back: Sit upright in the chair, feet flatten down in front of you with the knees apart a little and twist at the your waist to your right, then your left. After that bend over the touch your toes. Don't bounce or go to far and pull anything out. Then, stand up and do the same thing.

2. Shoulders: Sit upright again, arms to your side, roll your neck/head around and open the shoulder blades. Then, your cling you fingers together, and stretch your arms out in front of you, hold and then over your head, hold.

3. Legs: Sit upright again, with yor feet flatten down in front of you with the knees apart a little, extend you one leg out straight. You can hold on the desk when you do this leg stretch. Then your other leg.

Also, most people have 1 hour for lunch during their work day and if you do, go to a big store and walk around for 30 minutes, you can catch up of what new in the store and sales. Even better, if you office building have stairs, walk up and down for 20 minutes. It will get your heart rate up and your blood flowing again. If you have any tips that you do in the office, leave a comment.

Tip in Exercising

The less time you rest between sets when strength training, the more calories you're likely to burn. So, take about 30 second break between each sets. Keeping rest periods short keeps your heart rate at a higher rate, which naturally increases the number of calories you're using.

Wednesday Weigh In

It has been two weeks. I lost a total of 8 lbs. in 2 weeks that almost 1/2 lb. a day. Not bad for the beginning. I was watching my calories and did the Master Cleanse diet but no exercise. I think if I did the exercise, I would have lost my weight. So, my solution to lose more, I have to step up my game and get my lazy butt up off the couch and move. Like someone said, "Don't move, you won't lose."

Progressive Soup - 100 Calories

If you live in the northern states like I do (PA) and the cold winter is here, it's very hard to eat chilly salads and cold turkey sandwiches. I saw a commerical last night on tv that Progressive Soup has 100 calorie meals. This is great when you don't have time for lunch or when you are working late in the mid late hours at work and you need want something easy to cook for dinner. They have different varieties of soups like:

Reduced Sodium

• Reduced Sodium Chicken Noodle
• Reduced Sodium Garden Vegetable

Traditional

• Beef & Baked Potato
• Beef & Mushroom
• Chicken & Dumplings
• Chicken & Wild Rice
• Chicken & Barley
• Chicken Noodle
• Chicken Rice with Vegetables
• Carb Monitor Chicken Vegetable
• Carb Monitor Tuscan Style Meatball
• 99% Fat Free Chicken Noodle
• Hearty Chicken & Rotini
• Homestyle Chicken with Vegetables & Pasta
• Manhattan Clam Chowder
• Roasted Chicken Italiano
• Roasted Chicken Rotini
• Roasted Garlic Chicken
• Turkey Noodle

Vegetable Classics

• 99% Fat Free Minestrone
• French Onion
• Garden Vegetable
• Hearty Chicken Broth with Pasta
• Minestrone
• Vegetable
• Vegetable Italiano
• Vegitarian Vegetable with Barley

Coconut Oil

Everyone know that Olive Oil is better than Vegetable Oil and Crisco Oil. But do you know that Coconut Oil suppress appetite, boost metabolism and weight loss. I just want to share this information to you, because I believe its a good value for you more then you think.

Studies has shown that people has lost weight cooking with coconut oil in their calorie diet. It suppress their appetite to their next meal that their are satisfied sooner and full. Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, but it's also, has a MCTs (medium-chain triglyceride) which it boosts your metabolism and fights the fats calories that which you are eating. Also, to let you know how safe it is, the oil is used in IV solutions in hospitals and infant formulas.

This white oily base, its taste is a little different than olive oil, but I have to admit coconut oil taste better. I cooked it with my fish and the fish is more fluffier and light, not greasy or heavy based. You can cook it with you vegetables like green beans or potatoes. You need just a little bit in a frying pan like a teaspoon and have it melt over the hot stove and put in you potatoes - cook away. Its one of those things, you must try to see if you like it. I highly recommend it. So, before you grab the olive oil bottle, try the coconut oil instead.

Spectrum Naturals - Coconut Oil Organic, 14 oz

McDonald's Nutrition Facts

Like me, always on the run, never have time to cook food or stop and prepare dinner - fast food to go is the best solution. Its getting harder everyday to make time to cook. Preparing food takes about 30 mins. and then adding 20 mins. to cook the food equals to about 45 mins to 1 hour to just to make a meal. Time is one of our precious things to take advantage of.

Fast food or restaurants meal are good but be careful of your choices. McDonald's Quarter Pounder with cheese is 510 calories and 23 grams of fat. WOW! Fillet O-Fish is 380 calories and 18 grams of fat. We all know whats is healthy, it just very hard to choose the right foods against the bad foods. Well, snap out of the smell of greasy hamburgers coma and back to reality.

The Grilled Snack Wrap with Honey Mustard or Chipotle BBQ is only 260 calories. Its a perfect snack for on the go until you can go home and eat something proper. If you go the for the 6 piece chicken nugget (250 calories), don't choose the creamy ranch at 200 calorie in a 1.5 oz. pack, try the Honey Mustard, Buffalo or the BBQ which is only 70 calories in a pack. McDonald's do have salad but be careful with the dressings.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I say get up early and have a bowl of cereal with fruit rather eating a Sauage Egg McMuffin (450 calories). If you did sleep in and on the go to work, order the English Toast McMuffin (160 calories) no butter with strawberry jam (40 calories) and add on (if you like) Fruit Yogurt w/granolas (160), w/out granolas (130). If you are a sweet tooth order a 1 pkg. Apple Dipper (35 calories, 0 fat) with the low fat caramel dip (70 calories, 5 fat).

Choose wisely, may the force be with you, here is the website for McDonald's Nutrition Information.

My favorite spice in the world, "Salad Supreme". I use it on my pasta, chicken, potatoes and even my salads. This wonder seasoning has the spices from sesame seeds, paprika, salt, poppy seeds, celery seeds, garlic powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper and romano cheese. On the bottle, there is no Nutritional Information so I took it upon me to look it up. And guess what, it has 0 calories and 0 fat for every 1/2 teaspoon. Thank goodness. But be aware, it does have 100 mg of sodium, so be careful to the people who have high blood pressure.

Though this seasoning is great and all, but it does come in a bad price. If you do put more than the 1/2 tpsn. in a salad pasta bowl, the calories can add up to 403 calories in all 3.5 oz bottle. So, if you are on a diet and your food is bland, need a little flavor, season up but not too much. Here is the website to check it out.

CalorieCounter.net

Calorie Counter is a wonderful website, if you are counting calories in your diet. My doctor recommended this site to me because I'm doing a 1600 calorie diet.

They have great tips and tricks on different weight losses. It has great explanations on different diets out there like Atkins, Zone, Jenny Craig and more. Calorie Counter has calories on different food groups and many food restaurants, along with fast food places. So, if you are at work and having a unexpected business lunch, you can go online and check the calories before ordering off the menu. You can also, sign up for a FREE account with them that will calculate your calories for you. It show calories, fats, proteins and grams from number to percentages. It counts from cups to teaspoons on foods to fats. Its a wonder program - save it in your favorites on your web browser.