Hello, scheduled this ahead of time so hope it posts! But today, we switch gears from ginger jars to health/diet which is rather ironic given that by the time you read this, I will be in the Big Easy, the land of some pretty amazing gastronomical food experiences. I am allowing myself two splurges….the key is moderation and being able to get right back on track! Thankfully today more than ever, there are an abundance of healthy choices and plenty of resources to educate ourselves on eating heather.
Our flash sales are back! A brand new one, silver blowout just started today Wednesday and the deals are amazing. Click here to see.
I do not consider myself to be on a diet as much as I am making a very conscious choice about what I put into my body and being as healthy as I can. The weight loss can be slower but it’s steady and consistent. Today is about lunch….working in an office most days I often order in. Salads, soups, wraps but the funny thing is I prefer what I make and could save myself a good deal of money. Most of the time we order in but on occasion I do bring my lunch. Here are some of my “go to’s” for lunch.
The best news for me is that I am once again fitting into some of my favorite clothes and seriously you just cannot put a price on that:)
A few things I really enjoy are below, and I welcome your ideas on healthy eating as well. It’s all about sharing!
______________________
1 For lunch its often salads but never have there been so many choices and so many convenient toppings to add, just go to the produce section and there is not an entire aisle devoted strictly to salad toppings. I love adding some raw nuts, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, chickpeas, edamame, some kind of protein maybe an egg to my salad. The sky is the limit
2 The bagged salads are not only incredibly convenient but many of them are quite tasty. I do not use all the dressing they give as there are lots of hidden calories in those innocent looking dressing packets but the salads are really good, and let’s face it so convenient. My most favorite salad however is baby arugula, ripe tomatoes, Parmesan flasks and the juice of a whole lemon and olive oil…yum!!
3 I also will occasionally do a wrap, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato and a little feta is always satisfying and tasty.
4 One of my favorites and I often make this for dinner(or lunch if/when I am home) is Amy’s veggie burgers, I take two, get a low calorie wrap (75 calories), a smear of hummus, lettuce and tomato and this makes such a tasty wrap.I definitely don’t feel like I am watching the calories, it’s really really tasty.
5 I make my heavenly chicken salad about once a week,I pretty much swap the mayo for yogurt and honestly you really wouldn’t know the difference, I double up on the dill and lemon and it is really really good I put the a generous amount of it in a 75 calorie wrap and it makes a great sandwich.
6 I literally cannot live without these crackers, if they were being discontinued I would run out and buy a lifetime supply. 15 crackers is 150 calories and these are SO tasty. With hummus, this is one ultra tasty snack.
7 Favorite hummus hands down is Whole Foods, soooooo good. My all time favorite hummus. You must try it, served with cut up veges and/or above crackers, is a quick and delicious snack.
8 One day on my way home from the office I stopped into Whole Foods and picked up a pound of shrimp and cocktail sauce, added a small side salad with lots of lemon and called it dinner. It was so tasty. Shrimp cocktail for lunch or dinner, why not! Their house cocktail sauce is really good, very tangy just like I like it.
OK so there you have some of my lunch ideas, would love to hear yours. Maybe you learned something here or have a takeaway about something to try. I am all ears for your recommendations! Thanks for stopping in, wishing you a fabulous day! Until next time……
PS Do not forget to send in your picture with something blue and white for the newly announced Blue and White Love contest. Lots of pictures have already been sent in, so there will not be much room left. Get your setting camera ready and send it in. Click here for the details!
Hi Tina good topic. I have subscribed to a lifetime of eating well. I eat tons of salads, and you are right, the hidden calories in dressings is very overlooked. I normally do olive oil and lemon and sometimes vinegar with dijon mustard. If you like a vegetable wrap those are really good too I grill a big pan of vegetables and keep them on hand for a few days, makes a great eat on the run wrap and you can add the hummus. I have found at 51 it is harder to shed a few pounds. We were traveling for almost a month and I did put on a few pounds and losing it took me almost a month whereas in my 30’s I would have dropped it in days!
Lots of water is key to weight loss too. Happy you found something that is working, keep it up. We all feel so much better when we look our best don’t we?
Thanks for the great recommendations. Slow and steady weight lose is the key. I know people think beef is anthema but I go to Whole Foods and get their stage 4 grass fed tenderloin steaks and slice in thirds lengthwise. I sauté it in a smudge of oil, salt and pepper and it’s an easy, low-calorie, low fat main course.
Tina, since one of your children has gone away to college, leaving only one at home, do you find that you have altered your eating habits? I ask because I eat so differently since my husband died two years ago. I didn’t notice when my daughter went away to school or when my first husband died, and that is, I think, because of two reasons. I still had three boys at home – a MUST COOK situation – and I was so very much younger. Now I am much older and cooking for one is not something I enjoy or at which I am proficient. Just wondering. I totally agree about the package salads with some “additions” and homemade dressing. Just curious – am I different?
Hi! Tina,
Know you are enjoying your time in New Orleans! A fun city for a great celebration. My husband and I met in college there forty years ago. I always have so much fun there! I was just there last year for a mini reunion with college friends. Let’s just say our age is showing and where we used to come back to our dorms or sorority houses way after midnight…This time we all turned in before ten ☺
As far as dieting …sometimes I get tired of salads and will treat myself to a low calorie chicken or tuna salad in a tomato. It is filling and helps with not being hungry late in the afternoon.
Tina, Thanks for all of these great tips!!! all of them are very health concious and even yummy!!
Your Heavenly Chicken salad wrap looks delicious, do you have the recipe? would love, if you can share it with us all
Great ideas! Have eaten those multi-grain crackers for years. I forget to eat shrimp and they are yummy. Can’t wait to try tha Amy
burgers. More ideas please!
Oh, my gosh! When I took a double take at the shrimp cocktail, I realized that I was looking at my everyday china, except that mine is the red version (actually pink). Don’t you love the china? Rather charming and happy.
And, of course, I agree with your food choices. Being conscious of what we eat and choosing moderation for good health, but not being so obsessive that we can’t enjoy a splurge from time to time. Brava!
I love salads and yes could live on them, thou i do use Newsman’s caesar salad dressing, but pour 1/2 of the oil out of the bottle before using it…and I use it sparingly. However I love soups just as much, and they too are filling and light and
could live on them as well, both either hot or cold. And so nice in the summer with such an abundance of fresh vegetables!
Hi Tina,
One of my favorite things to make in the summer when it’s hot outside and the vegetables are local and fresh is homemade gazpacho. I use the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, and tweak it to our taste. I can make a large batch on a Sunday and it gets better the longer it chills so we have cold vegetable soup for days. I don’t add olive oil, which means it’s zero fat, as I really don’t think it’s necessary. I also don’t eat it with bread or hard-boiled eggs either, but you certainly could. Here’s the link:
Still not receiving your emails and when I try to subscribe again for the umpteenth time, it tells me that I am already on the list! Eeeek!
I’ve found that after menopause in order to lose weight you need protein in order to get the metabolism going. Every meal should have some and not necessarily meat. It’s the only way to burn fat in my experience. That and lots of water and moderate exercise.
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Hello, scheduled this ahead of time so hope it posts! But today, we switch gears from ginger jars to health/diet which is rather ironic given that by the time you read this, I will be in the Big Easy, the land of some pretty amazing gastronomical food experiences. I am allowing myself two splurges….the key is moderation and being able to get right back on track! Thankfully today more than ever, there are an abundance of healthy choices and plenty of resources to educate ourselves on eating heather.
Our flash sales are back! A brand new one, silver blowout just started today Wednesday and the deals are amazing. Click here to see.
I do not consider myself to be on a diet as much as I am making a very conscious choice about what I put into my body and being as healthy as I can. The weight loss can be slower but it’s steady and consistent. Today is about lunch….working in an office most days I often order in. Salads, soups, wraps but the funny thing is I prefer what I make and could save myself a good deal of money. Most of the time we order in but on occasion I do bring my lunch. Here are some of my “go to’s” for lunch.
The best news for me is that I am once again fitting into some of my favorite clothes and seriously you just cannot put a price on that:)
A few things I really enjoy are below, and I welcome your ideas on healthy eating as well. It’s all about sharing!
______________________
1 For lunch its often salads but never have there been so many choices and so many convenient toppings to add, just go to the produce section and there is not an entire aisle devoted strictly to salad toppings. I love adding some raw nuts, avocado, cucumber, asparagus, chickpeas, edamame, some kind of protein maybe an egg to my salad. The sky is the limit
2 The bagged salads are not only incredibly convenient but many of them are quite tasty. I do not use all the dressing they give as there are lots of hidden calories in those innocent looking dressing packets but the salads are really good, and let’s face it so convenient. My most favorite salad however is baby arugula, ripe tomatoes, Parmesan flasks and the juice of a whole lemon and olive oil…yum!!
3 I also will occasionally do a wrap, grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato and a little feta is always satisfying and tasty.
4 One of my favorites and I often make this for dinner(or lunch if/when I am home) is Amy’s veggie burgers, I take two, get a low calorie wrap (75 calories), a smear of hummus, lettuce and tomato and this makes such a tasty wrap.I definitely don’t feel like I am watching the calories, it’s really really tasty.
5 I make my heavenly chicken salad about once a week,I pretty much swap the mayo for yogurt and honestly you really wouldn’t know the difference, I double up on the dill and lemon and it is really really good I put the a generous amount of it in a 75 calorie wrap and it makes a great sandwich.
6 I literally cannot live without these crackers, if they were being discontinued I would run out and buy a lifetime supply. 15 crackers is 150 calories and these are SO tasty. With hummus, this is one ultra tasty snack.
7 Favorite hummus hands down is Whole Foods, soooooo good. My all time favorite hummus. You must try it, served with cut up veges and/or above crackers, is a quick and delicious snack.
8 One day on my way home from the office I stopped into Whole Foods and picked up a pound of shrimp and cocktail sauce, added a small side salad with lots of lemon and called it dinner. It was so tasty. Shrimp cocktail for lunch or dinner, why not! Their house cocktail sauce is really good, very tangy just like I like it.
OK so there you have some of my lunch ideas, would love to hear yours. Maybe you learned something here or have a takeaway about something to try. I am all ears for your recommendations! Thanks for stopping in, wishing you a fabulous day! Until next time……
PS Do not forget to send in your picture with something blue and white for the newly announced Blue and White Love contest. Lots of pictures have already been sent in, so there will not be much room left. Get your setting camera ready and send it in. Click here for the details!
Save
Hi Tina good topic. I have subscribed to a lifetime of eating well. I eat tons of salads, and you are right, the hidden calories in dressings is very overlooked. I normally do olive oil and lemon and sometimes vinegar with dijon mustard. If you like a vegetable wrap those are really good too I grill a big pan of vegetables and keep them on hand for a few days, makes a great eat on the run wrap and you can add the hummus. I have found at 51 it is harder to shed a few pounds. We were traveling for almost a month and I did put on a few pounds and losing it took me almost a month whereas in my 30’s I would have dropped it in days!
Lots of water is key to weight loss too. Happy you found something that is working, keep it up. We all feel so much better when we look our best don’t we?
Thanks for the great recommendations. Slow and steady weight lose is the key. I know people think beef is anthema but I go to Whole Foods and get their stage 4 grass fed tenderloin steaks and slice in thirds lengthwise. I sauté it in a smudge of oil, salt and pepper and it’s an easy, low-calorie, low fat main course.
Tina, since one of your children has gone away to college, leaving only one at home, do you find that you have altered your eating habits? I ask because I eat so differently since my husband died two years ago. I didn’t notice when my daughter went away to school or when my first husband died, and that is, I think, because of two reasons. I still had three boys at home – a MUST COOK situation – and I was so very much younger. Now I am much older and cooking for one is not something I enjoy or at which I am proficient. Just wondering. I totally agree about the package salads with some “additions” and homemade dressing. Just curious – am I different?
Hi! Tina,
Know you are enjoying your time in New Orleans! A fun city for a great celebration. My husband and I met in college there forty years ago. I always have so much fun there! I was just there last year for a mini reunion with college friends. Let’s just say our age is showing and where we used to come back to our dorms or sorority houses way after midnight…This time we all turned in before ten ☺
As far as dieting …sometimes I get tired of salads and will treat myself to a low calorie chicken or tuna salad in a tomato. It is filling and helps with not being hungry late in the afternoon.
Tina, Thanks for all of these great tips!!! all of them are very health concious and even yummy!!
Your Heavenly Chicken salad wrap looks delicious, do you have the recipe? would love, if you can share it with us all
Great ideas! Have eaten those multi-grain crackers for years. I forget to eat shrimp and they are yummy. Can’t wait to try tha Amy
burgers. More ideas please!
Hi Tina, Great post today! I would love to try your chicken salad if you don’t mind sharing your recipe. Thanks!!
Oh, my gosh! When I took a double take at the shrimp cocktail, I realized that I was looking at my everyday china, except that mine is the red version (actually pink). Don’t you love the china? Rather charming and happy.
And, of course, I agree with your food choices. Being conscious of what we eat and choosing moderation for good health, but not being so obsessive that we can’t enjoy a splurge from time to time. Brava!
Please share your chicken salad recipe. The wraps looks yummy!
Hello Tina,
You are doing realy wel!
Thanks for your lunch ideas!
And thank you afcourse for all the interior inspiration!
I love it!
Lots of greetings from Carool, Holland
I love salads and yes could live on them, thou i do use Newsman’s caesar salad dressing, but pour 1/2 of the oil out of the bottle before using it…and I use it sparingly. However I love soups just as much, and they too are filling and light and
could live on them as well, both either hot or cold. And so nice in the summer with such an abundance of fresh vegetables!
Tina,
Thank you for sharing! You have inspired me!
Nancy
Hi Tina,
One of my favorite things to make in the summer when it’s hot outside and the vegetables are local and fresh is homemade gazpacho. I use the Pioneer Woman’s recipe, and tweak it to our taste. I can make a large batch on a Sunday and it gets better the longer it chills so we have cold vegetable soup for days. I don’t add olive oil, which means it’s zero fat, as I really don’t think it’s necessary. I also don’t eat it with bread or hard-boiled eggs either, but you certainly could. Here’s the link:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/gazpacho/
I enjoy reading your blog so much, thank you!
Cheryl
I would really love it if there was a link to your recipes! Thanks.
Still not receiving your emails and when I try to subscribe again for the umpteenth time, it tells me that I am already on the list! Eeeek!
I’ve found that after menopause in order to lose weight you need protein in order to get the metabolism going. Every meal should have some and not necessarily meat. It’s the only way to burn fat in my experience. That and lots of water and moderate exercise.