Fun Weekend Plans

Hubs and I had a really fun time this weekend visiting my parents.  Hubs was very excited about some good news he got recently, so my parents took us out to eat twice while we were there.  Otherwise, we really just hung out around the house together, but it was still a lot of fun.  My parents have an XBox 360 with Kinect, so we played some games on that, and the guys played golf and shooting games.  For people who still only have a Playstation 2, we were pretty impressed!!  I got a little sidetracked from some things I wanted to get done this weekend, but it was a nice change of pace to just have a little fun instead.

Belle of the Bookworms - Bad Radio

Back with another book review...

Bad Radio by Michael Langlois

Another cheap Kindle find, I can't remember what I paid, but it's $3.99 today.

Bad Radio follows Abe Griffin, a WWII vet who hasn't aged since a strange series of events while on a special mission in the war, as he tries to right some wrongs from his youth with the help of his old army buddy's granddaughter.  The novel is sci-fi-ish, but reads very much like an adventure.  It was a pretty quick read, because it's very fast-paced.

Overall, I liked this book, and enjoyed this emerging author's style.  I would recommend.

Breakfast Smoothies - Belle Bites

While dieting and exercising, I've noticed that breakfast is a big struggle for me.  Lately, I've been doing a lot of instant oatmeal.  Well, that doesn't typically keep me full until lunch, and that is a problem.  What I need for breakfast is something healthy, with 400 calories or less, with fiber and protein to help keep me full until lunch.  It's a pretty tall order.  But my mom introduced me to this recipe, and I had to share!

Breakfast Smoothies

1 cup milk (for lower calories, use skim or 1%)

1 cup ice

2 tsp flavor-free fiber powder, like Benefiber

1 tbsp whey protein powder (you can get this in big jars most places, but you can also pick up small packets at CVS, so you can try it out without a big $$ investment, just in case you don't like it)

1 cup fruit of your choice

It depends on the fruit you choose as to the total calories.  It's 160 calories with no fruit, so then just add the calories from 1 cup of your fruit of choice.  Again, I'd like to remind y'all about Sparkpeople.  They are awesome for being able to find out the calorie content in foods!  :)

If you try it, let me know what you think!

Weight Loss Secrets?

As a healthcare professional, I am constantly reminding people about healthy lifestyle changes, but sometimes I'm not so good at making them myself.  Losing weight is usually a big goal for people at the beginning of the year, so I wanted to go ahead and address this issue, because it's something I'm dealing with myself.  Let me start by saying that diet pills and fad diets are incredibly unhealthy and very rarely result in permanent weight loss.  People are really tempted to use these methods because they provide quick results.  What's really important, though, is being able to maintain a healthy weight.  Weight loss is really a simple process - you need to burn more calories than you consume.  The lifestyle changes that accomplish that process, though, can be tough.  For me, that means that I try to work out 3 days a week (and I get up at 5 to make time for it!), and trying to decrease my caloric intake.  What helps me to do that is tracking every single thing that goes into my mouth.  Sure it's a pain sometimes, but it really makes me more aware of some empty calories I can get rid of.  Now, I will be honest and say that I am not at my ideal weight, but I have managed to achieve a healthy weight using these simple truths in the past and I'm certain I can do it again.  So, here is a list of "weight loss secrets":

• Exercise.  Yeah, I know, that's easier said than done.  The days I get up at 5 to work out, I pretty much hate everyone.  But I will eventually get used to it, and I will be creating a healthy habit that's going to last me a long time.  Also, I don't try to overexert myself too much.  I set the treadmill at a pace I'm comfortable with, and increase the amount of time I'm on the treadmill by 5 minutes each day.  Once I get to a point where I can't afford to add on anymore time without having to get up even earlier, I'm going to start slowly increasing my pace.  The great thing about doing it this way is that you are not as likely to injure yourself by pushing way too hard (take it from me, injuries are a big setback).  If you don't have access to a gym or workout equipment, you can still make it work!  I am totally a fan of workout DVDs, too (I love Sweatin' to the Oldies with Richard Simmons, even though it's totally nerdy - it works!), and even using a pedometer to track the number of steps you take can help you increase your physical activity.
• Eat right.  Now, that means different things for different people - people with diabetes are going to have different dietary concerns than people with blood pressure or cholesterol issues, and pregnant women are going to have different caloric needs than elderly men, etc.  But a few basic things hold true across the board.  Fast food is generally not good for you.  Sure, you can get a salad some places, but make sure you know exactly what you're getting.  A taco salad from Taco Bell, for example, has almost 800 calories, which is more than half of what I need in a whole day!  The less processed it is, the more nutritious it is likely to be.  For example, strawberries are much healthier than strawberry ice cream.  Fruits and vegetables are healthier than cookies and chips.  Frozen is generally just as good as fresh when it comes to produce, so that is one way to be able to get healthy foods on a budget.  Calories count.  It doesn't matter what you're eating if you are eating way too much of it.  I'm not telling you to give up everything you love.  I'm telling you that you can't eat all of it in one day.  If I want to go out to eat with my husband, I need to be more cautious about what I eat that day so I can splurge some that evening.  If I know I'm going to want dessert, I might work out a little extra that day.  There are tons of great sources on the internet to be able to find the nutrition facts for foods, so you know exactly what you're eating.  A great way to monitor calories is to find a free program online (or an app for your phone is even better!) that you can enter your meals into.  I love sparkpeople.com!  I don't follow their recommended diet and exercise plan really, but love the tools they offer.  I can track my diet and exercise for the day both online and on a free app for my iPod Touch.  It really keeps me accountable to myself for what I'm doing that day!
• Be accountable.  Like I mentioned, I use sparkpeople's app for this, but for some people, it's easier to be accountable to another person.  Getting a workout buddy is a great way to be accountable!
• Start!  Like they say, no matter how slow you are, you're faster than the people on the couch!  It doesn't matter if you are out of shape or overweight when you start, because that is going to improve if you stick with it!

Hopefully, when I start feeling discouraged, I can just come back to this post and remember what I need to do to keep it up!

Are any of y'all out there working hard at healthy lifestyle changes?

Centsational - Old Navy Finds

Centsational is a series about things that are budget-friendly and how to better manage money.  I am by no means an expert on this stuff, but I am really working towards being more budget-conscious this year, so I though this could be a fun way to showcase that sometimes working within a budget can end up even better than spending without limit - because you end up with money left over.

I was out shopping the other day, and hit the Goodwill looking for some work pants.  I could use some, but don't have a ton of extra cash to spend, and I really only planned on them being temporary anyway; I'm working on exercising and eating better, and I'm really hoping to drop a few pounds.  Anyway, Goodwill was a bust, but then I remembered I was right by Old Navy, which usually has some decent finds on the clearance rack so I headed over there.  Well, still no pants, but I got several really great tops that will definitely expand my wardrobe and could be worn dressed up or dressed down.  Sorry ahead of time for poor picture quality, no good natural light while picture taking; also, sorry for my Columbia jacket making an appearance in the corner of every photo.  :)

Original price - $16.94

This great little navy scoop neck tee got put to use almost right away!  Navy is one of my favorite neutrals, and it's super soft.  I already wore this once, so I threw the tag away, but I'm pretty sure it was $5.97 - a steal for a great basic tee!

Original price - $24.94

I kind of have a fear of color in my wardrobe usually, but for some reason, the one color I tend to purchase is bright pink.  When I saw this great chevron print, I knew I had to have it!  For only $7.49, I couldn't leave without it; it will be great dressed up or dressed down.

Original price - $17.94

This adorable printed tank will be perfect for layering, while adding a little extra fun to an outfit.  It kinda looks like polka dots here, but it's actually little hearts.  Adorable!  For $4.47, I know it will get a ton of use.

Original price - $34.94

I absolutely LOVED this sheer chiffon top the second I saw it.  With a girly ruffle down the front, it was a perfect work shirt, but also cute for a date!  I love feminine details, and this ruffle definitely fit the bill.  This was my most expensive purchase of the day at $18.99, but I know it will get a ton of use and totally be worth the price.

Total spent - $36.92 +tax

Total savings - $57.84

Linking up with Delightful Order and House of Hepworths.  Check them out!

All opinions are 100% mine.  This post was not sponsored by Old Navy, although I wish it had been, because I would love to get paid for buying things.  :)

Wish List Wednesday - Electronics

Welcome to...

1. A Cricut/Silhouette

I get all googly-eyed thinking about all the projects I could do with said devices.  Hubs actually told me I can get one as my Christmas gift... BUT I'm trying to do lots of research to decide which I want and where to get it.  Advice welcome.

2. A smart phone with internet

I am not an Apple snob, so either an iPhone or an Android phone would be totally cool with me.  Sometimes I feel like the only person in the world without internet on my phone.  I swear, I've seen monkeys small children with cooler phones than me.  Being broke like we are, we just can't justify spending the extra on internet on our phones every month.  One day...

3. A new laptop

Hubs got me the laptop I currently have before I started pharmacy school 4 years ago.  Shortly after we got married, his died and we now share mine.  I know 4 years doesn't seem like that long to have a laptop, but she's really showing her age lately.  She's slowed down a lot and acts kinda funny sometimes.  Anyway, when we get the extra cash in our lives, I would really like to get both of us a new laptop.

Thanks for stopping by!  See you tomorrow.

Belle of the Bookworms - Soul Savers Series

Time for another book review!!  I think, in part, the Kindle I got for Christmas is lending to me reading so much right now.  That combined with not being on rotations right now means I read the entire series (thus far) of the Soul Savers series.

Soul Savers Series - Kristie Cook

 Promise is the first book in the series, excluding the prequel novella.  Promise follows Alexis Ames, a college student and writer, and her not-quite-normal life.  Alexis, and her mom, Sophia, are forced to move often because Sophia doesn't seem to age.  Relocating often, combined with some unique quirks, Alexis finds herself with no real friends or family besides her mother.  However, when she meets Tristan her first day of school, she starts thinking about letting down the protective wall and letting someone in.  In the meantime, she is starting to realize there is definitely something different about her and her family, and that will define her future.

The feel of the novel is very similar to Twilight.  Though sometimes it reads like a YA novel, it definitely has a few explicit scenes that are not appropriate for the YA reader.  I started Promise because it was cheap for my Kindle (either free or $0.99, I can't remember), but then felt compelled to purchase both the prequel, Genesis ($2.99 for Kindle), and the second in the series, Purpose ($4.99 for Kindle).  While I'd love to review those two as well, I feel like anything I say might be a spoiler for Promise, so mum's the word.  :)  

I will say that I don't love the needy/clingy lead female role, in both this series and the Twilight series, because I feel like it sends the wrong message to young girls.  That being said, although it was sometimes annoying, it was obviously not a deal-breaker for me because I will probably read the next in the series, Devotion, when it comes out.

Overall, a good read, I enjoyed it and would recommend it, especially if you can get it cheap like I did.