Monday January 9, 2012

I'm still trying to get used to writing 2012 instead of 2011. For some reason that always takes me about a month to stop doing the old date.  I don't have anything different to report weight wise yet as my weigh in is Wednesday.  I've decided that I won't be weighing myself every single morning like I was doing.  I will definitely weigh in once a week though.  I'm steadily losing weight but very slowly now that I'm getting closer and closer to goal weight.   My son is doing very well so far on the BFC.  He has only been at it a week and we all know the first couple weeks are the hardest.  He says he is down five pounds so far and I believe him.  He is in the kitchen right now whipping himself up some eggs, bacon and a slice of low-carb bread for breakfast.  I have hope that this time he will stick with it.  He has been completely stressed out lately trying to find a job.  It's hard times for college graduates right now and his field (Digital Art and Design) is extremely competitive.  He has been SO close to landing a job about three times and then someone else gets it.   He is waiting to hear about another job this week.  Fingers crossed.  Once he is working full time I think the weight thing will really take off.

This week I have to get a ton of paperwork ton.   I send off 1099's to every subcontractor that works for us and then have to get a "first edition" of our taxes done so I can send off FAFSA's for my college boys.  Then after that I start the end of the year paperwork for my in-laws and the rental business.  My husband is not the best when it comes to his "paper trail" from work which makes everything that much harder. There are definitely days I wish I could quit my job, lol!  Then I remember I can't. 

Before I sign off this time I thought I would share a recipe that has been really working for my son, my husband and myself throughout the holidays and beyond.  I've been making these lemon cheesecake bars for a snack or added on to a breakfast or lunch.  I worked it out on "My Fitness Pal" and I think they come out to be about 4 carbs and 1 sugar per bar.(cutting 20 small bars in a pan)

Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Crust:
1 large egg beaten until frothy
1 1/4 cup almond flour
1 packet truvia
1 tsp. baking powder

Combine all crust ingredients.  Add more almond flour if too wet.  Push dough into bottom of an 8x8 square pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or wiped with butter.  Bake crust for about 10-15 minutes in 350' oven until lightly browned.  Meanwhile make filling.

Filling:
2 packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Truvia to taste ( I use about 1/4 cup)
1 Tablespoon Lemon Extract
Juice from one lemon
2 large eggs

Beat cream cheese, Truvia, lemon extract, and lemon juice until well blended.  Add eggs one at a time until well blended.  Pour cream cheese mixture over almond crust and spread evenly. 
Bake at 350' for about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

That's  it.  They are pretty lemony.  You could probably change the extract flavor and make different varieties as well. 

I think it sounds like everyone did pretty well over the holidays and I'm glad!  It has become a lifestyle change for most of us with our individual tweaks for what works best for each of us.  Like everyone here my thoughts keep going back to Pattie and it reminds me of how fragile life really is and to keep our weight struggles in perspective with everything else going on in our lives.