First Time Mom and Losing It

I love Chicken Caesar Wraps. I used to always order them when I went out to eat in a diner. There is something about that pungent and creamy Caesar dressing that I love. I have tried making wraps or eating salads with the lower fat non creamy version of the dressing. That just didn't do it for me. When I eat salads or wraps I just have to have the creamy version of the dressing.

I have been making my own dressing since starting on this weight loss journey and kept adding things to make it creamy like nonfat Greek yogurt and avocado. After a lot of trial and error I finally created a creamy Caesar dressing that I love.

Creamy Caesar Dressing

• 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tblsp olive oil
• 2 tblsp Parmesan cheese
• 2 fillets of anchovies
• 1 tblsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• pinch salt
• pinch of fresh ground black pepper
  

1. Place all of the ingredients into a small blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.
   
2. Store it in a small glass mason jar and use it up within 3 days.

**Take make it thicker add 1/4 of a small Haas avocado peeled and cubed.

Weigh In: I lost 0.6 pounds for a total lost of 39.2 pounds.

Nutrition: I didn't do well at all this week. I ate out a lot and didn't make great choices. I did try chia seeds in an overnight pineapple and coconut oatmeal. I am so in love with overnight oatmeal! I thought I wouldn't like it because it wasn't hot but I was pleasantly surprised.  I will be trying other flavors this week.

Fitness:
I went to the gym only once this week. I did have a great workout that one day and did an incline treadmill workout for 30 minutes and a interval elliptical workout for 30 minutes. My sister was in town so I did a lot of walking on several days with her.

I was pretty disappointed by my actions last week. I have to try to make it to the gym more often and get my strength training in. Before becoming pregnant I was pretty fit and was doing the couch to 5k and loved doing planks. I hope to start on those challenges again this week. As far as my nutrition I have my week planned out and bought all of the groceries I will need. I am hoping that keeps me on track.

Last weeks goals:

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

During this weight loss journey I have found that if I don't plan my meals in advance I will kind of fall off and not make the healthiest decisions. A few weeks ago I was eating out a lot because I didn't take the time to plan out the meals for the week. Not only am I not eating my healthiest but I am also wasting money on food I could make myself.

Before I started on this journey I would pop in a frozen meal or can of pasta and sauce in the microwave for lunch. I am trying to stay away from those foods because of the sodium content. Now I eat tons of salads and stir-fries which can be a so time consuming to prepare and cook every day.

I decided to pull out my Sunsella Buddy Box's and get cracking on meal planning and make ahead lunches. Because you get a set of four bento style boxes I could plan ahead 2 meals in advance for myself and my husband. (I save my family tons of money by making my husband lunch everyday he goes to work).

The boxes are super high quality the lids go on so easily and secure that it is virtually leak-proof. I love how each section is perfectly portion controlled.


Before having the Sunsella Buddy Box's I would put my husband's lunch in a bunch of ziplock bags and into his lunch bag. Now his lunch is nicely secure in the buddy box's.


I also use it to portion control my snacks for the day.


You can purchase your own Sunsella Buddy Box's at Amazon.

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

I received a sample from CafeViva. However the opinions are 100% my own. 


Since being on the Dr. Oz 2 Week Rapid Weight Loss Plan I know how important probiotics are. They help get good fighting bacteria into your system and helps boost your immune system. It is also said to be a metabolism booster. I tend to lose more weight when I take my probiotics. I only thought you could get your probiotics in by pills or yogurt but then heard about CafeViva from a blogging buddy of mine Erinn at Parenting Healthy.

You get a cool box with your packets inside that are super convenient because you don't have to get your measuring spoons out. I just placed the contents of the packet in my mug and added some warm water. You just mix it up and it is all ready.


My favorite way to drink it is with almond milk because it tastes like a creamy latte. Since it is only 80 calories per packet I drink it when I am feeling a little hungry as a snack.


The best thing about CafeViva is that it is a Non-GMO, low-lactose, gluten-free dietary supplement
with no preservatives, binders, fillers or artificial ingredients. To find out more about CafeViva or Purchase it go to: http://probioticcoffee.com/

This is the seventh part of the Quiet Book How To Series. You can check out my posts below to make my previous pages.
Title Page
Picture Page and Numbers Part 1 Page
Numbers Part 2 Page and Shapes Part 1 Page
Shapes Part 2 and Paper Doll Part 1 Page
Paper Doll Part 2 and Barnyard Part 1 Page
Barnyard Part 2 Page and Doll Face Part 1 Page

From now on we will be making two pages, a front and back. The front is part 2 of the Doll Face Page. The back page is the Purse Page.

Doll Face Part 2 Page


Purse Page

• 2 sheets of felt in cream and pink leopard
• scraps of felt in different colors to make purse items
• purse items template
• sewing machine 
• fusible web

1. Print out the purse items template. Place a piece of fusible web on top and trace three of each of the number 1 and 5 on the coins. Trace the little square from the "iphone" eight times onto the fusible web. Trace three ovals and 12 circles from the dollar bill. Trace the inner screen of the "phone" onto a piece of paper and cut out. Cut out the coins, dollar bill, phone, and inner phone screen. 
2. Pin phone pattern to black and cut out two times. Pin inner phone screen to grey felt and cut out. Pin big coin onto grey fabric and cut out 6 times. Pin small coin to copper felt and cut out 6 times. Pin dollar bill to light green fabric and cut out 6 times. 
3. Draw a pair of sunglasses onto a piece of paper. Trace the inner lenses of the glasses onto fusible web. Cut out sunglasses pattern and pin to blue fabric and cut out two times. 
4. Iron oval and circles of dollar bill onto dark green fabric and cut out. 
5. Iron numbers of coin onto black fabric and cut out. 
6. Iron squares of phone onto 8 different colors of scrap felt. (These are the apps of the phone.)
7. Place 2 dollar bills together and sew all around with a 1/4" seam. Repeat for the other two dollar bills. Peel paper backing from oval and circles of dollar bill and iron on. 
   
8. Place 2 circles of the big coin together and sew all around. Peel paper backing from the "5" you cut out and iron on to coin. Repeat for the rest of the big and small coins. 
   
9. Place two pieces of phone together and sew all around. Place inner phone screen on top and sew all around. Iron on button and apps to the phone. 
   
10. Place 2 pieces of the sunglasses together and sew all around. Sew on the sunglasses sides. Iron on the lenses. 
    
11. Draw a purse shape onto a piece of paper and cut out. Pin on top of pink leopard felt and cut out. Cut out three pieces of black strips that are 10" x 1/2". Braid together to make handle. Sew handle onto purse. 
12. Place purse on top of cream felt and sew sides and bottom. 
    
13. Place all of the items inside the purse.

Finishing

While on the Dr. Oz Two Week Rapid Weight Loss Plan you have to eat 1/2 cup of brown rice a day. I like brown rice but got tired of eating it everyday. I have been wanting to try Quinoa for a while now so I decided to substitute the brown rice for the quinoa.

Vegetable Fried Quinoa

• 1 tblsp olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced (substitute 1 small zucchini for Dr. Oz Plan)
• 5 baby bella mushrooms
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 eggs (omit for Dr. Oz Plan)
• soy sauce to taste

1. Rinse quinoa really well in cold water. Add to a medium pot with the vegetable broth. Bring the broth to a boil. Lower the heat, cover and cook for about 20 minutes. In a smaller pot add carrots and cover with water. Boil until carrots are tender. (If you are using zucchini skip this step.)
   
2. While quinoa is cooking: Add olive oil, sesame oil, and garlic to pan and stir for a few seconds.
   
   Add onions and cook for a few minutes until they begin to soften. 
   
3. Drain and add carrots (or zucchini) and stir fry for a couple of minutes. 
   
4. Add mushrooms and cook for another couple of minutes. 
   
5. Add peas and cook until peas are warmed through.
   
6. Add cooked quinoa and stir well to incorporate with vegetables. 
   
7. Whisk eggs until yolk and white are completed combined. Make space in the pan for the egg. Place egg in space and scramble with wooden spoon. Keep stirring until egg is cooked. Mix well with rice. (Skip this step if on the Dr. Oz Plan.)
   
8. Drizzle soy sauce on top to your taste and mix well. (I used about a tablespoon and a half.)
   

Weigh In: I lost 4.4 pounds for a total lost of 38.6 pounds.

Nutrition: I followed the Dr. Oz plan and ate lots of salads, salmon, brown rice and lean chicken. I snacked on kale chips, nuts and roasted chickpeas. So yummy! I also made a point to drink at least 2 cups of green tea a day. I did great for 6 days but decided last minute to enjoy Easter so I went out to eat and had whatever I wanted. I even had some cookies for dessert.

Fitness:
I went to the gym two times this week and did the treadmill incline program and jumped on the elliptical. I was so surprised that I was able to do the elliptical for almost 40 minutes. I actually went on only intending to do 5 minutes and just kept pushing on. It was nice to do something different. I also took two walks during the week. I was going to go to the gym on Sunday but had so much fun watching my daughter open and play with her Easter basket that I missed the condensed gym hours.

Last weeks goals: 

Baby Spa sent me the wipes to sample. However all opinions are 100% my own. 



Before having my daughter I have to admit that I was not so Earth conscious. Now that she is here I want her, my future grand kids and great-grand kids to live in a nice green Earth. I have since taken the steps to make my home more earth friendly by watching the things that come into my home. I try to buy green products whenever possible and do a lot of diy stuff like household cleaners to reduce chemicals and garbage from packaging.

I was super excited to get to try the Baby Spa Organic Ultra-Soft Baby Wipes. Not only are they organic and 100% natural but they are also made of 100% biodegradable fabric.

I wanted to see how these little wipes held up to a messy project. I got a little painting kit for my daughter and let her paint for the first time.


The Baby Spa Wipes cleaned everything up really well and I didn't feel guilty about adding dirty wipes to the garbage.



Baby Spa's products are "Hypoallergenic/Dermatologist Tested,  98-100% natural and 100% free of Parabens, PEGs, SLS/SLES, Phthalates, BPA and mineral oil". They also have products in Stage 1 for newborns to crawlers and Stage 2 for walkers to preschoolers.

You can find out more about their stage 2 products and the baby wipes here: http://www.babyspausa.com/products/stage-2-products/ and you can purchase the wipes here: http://shop.babyspausa.com/Ultra-Soft-Baby-Wipes-p/owp-72.htm

As a first time mom I have always focused all of my time and energy on my daughter. I stopped dressing up, doing my hair, wearing make-up, etc. Since being on this weight loss journey and losing 34 pounds I have started to feel more confident and caring about what I look like.

One of the things that has bothered me the most has been how frizzy my hair got after becoming pregnant and having my daughter. I wanted to try the keratin treatments at the beauty salon but wasn't ready to pay hundreds of dollars for it. I was super excited when I got to try the Zelo Keratin Hair Smoothing Duo.


I was surprised at how super easy it was to use. First you wash your hair with the deep cleanser. Then you spray the smoothing solution and leave it on for 40-45 minutes and rinse off using the deep cleanser. After that you blow dry and straighten your hair with a flat iron. That's it! After following the steps my hair was super soft, smooth and shiny. I really love how it makes my hair look and feel. To maintain it you just blow dry and straighten your hair after each shampoo and it will last up to 30 washes.

I love putting bows on my little girl. The bigger the better! When I found out I was having a girl I scoured the internet for the cute boutique bows that I have seen all over. When I found out how much they cost I decided to make them myself.

Easter Boutique Bow Tutorial

• 1 1/2" purple ribbon
• 7/8" pink ribbon
• 7/8" light blue ribbon
• 3/8" white ribbon
• pink thread
• needle
• scraps of felt in pink and purple
• glue gun
• silver claw clip

**Tip: To keep ends of ribbon from fraying burn slightly with a lighter.