A non Non-scale Victory!

Yes, that is a double negative. I had a SCALE victory! My scale at home continues to read the same thing day after day, week after week. But, as you know, I've noticed some big differences.

Well guess what? The scale at my doctor's office HAS changed! Five whole pounds in a month. Woot! that's slightly more than a pound a week. I'll take it!

I know I've been MIA, but this process is slow going and life at home has been stressful to say the least. We're moving in two days and you know how that goes...

Thanks for following! 

Recipe - Granola Bars

Every week I make a batch of Granola Bars for Chuck. They're delicious and don't have all the chemicals and preservatives that most store bought ones have. So here's my recipe for you to enjoy and tweak to your taste.

Ingredients
4 cups rolled oats
2 cups chopped walnuts (or nuts of your choice)
1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins or dried fruit of your choice)
2 cups peanut butter chips (or chocolate chips, or a mixture of the two)
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cups honey
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep a casserole or baking dish (8 x 12 ish) with greased parchment paper. 

Spread oats and chopped walnuts on a cookie sheet and toast for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring once. Once toasted, pour into a large bowl and combine with dried cranberries and peanut butter chips. Based on your preference, you can combine them all the chips or leave half out to sprinkle on top before baking.

In a medium saucepan, combine the butter, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, and salt. Melt and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for one full minute. Pour over the oat mixture and stir thoroughly to combine. 

Pour mixture into your baking dish and press into an even layer. Make sure you get it nicely pressed into the corners!

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Now, here's the kicker. WAIT until they are COMPLETELY cool before cutting into bars. Like 2 -3 hours. I know, it's rough, but trust me. 

Enjoy!

Day 69

I have to admit I'm proud of myself. Every time I go to Nugget for a Kale Ceasar Salad (which is most work days), I successfully navigate past the mac and cheese, fried chicken, chow mein, potato salad, onion rings, and all sorts of other yummy looking calorie bombs. Is ceasar salad dressing and croutons the BEST choice I could be making? Probably not. But a few months ago I would have been loading up on trans fats and carbs galore that smack you right in the face on your way to the kale. So we call that a win. 

Also, I'm rocking my size 12s today and feeling fabulous. 

Day 68

Yes, it has happened. My size 14 jeans were so loose yesterday that I busted out my size 12 jeans. Sure, they're a little snug. But hey, let's take this HUGE victory. I've been staying off the scale because it's not sufficiently reflecting the success I'm seeing in my clothes. 

My current challenge: eating dinner. I don't want to do it. By the end of the day, having eaten breakfast plus a protein, a snack, lunch, and another snack, I'm completely over the whole eating thing. I know I should. Metabolism, starvation mode, etc. But it's so hard. Doesn't help that we've been thrown into a very stressful situation personally right now (don't worry, we're fine, but it totally blows) and my appetite is slim to none. 

But I soldier on. Yesterday I combined my breakfast and snack and you know what, it was delish. Nutrisystem's Buttermilk Waffles with an over medium egg and two slices of bacon made into a sandwich. Then I cruised over to Nugget for a kale ceasar salad from the salad bar. Again, delish. I intended (as I always do) to have this as a vegetable supplement to my Nutrisystem lunch, but alas, it was too yummy and I was full afterwards.  I regret nothing.