Made it through "Birthday Week"

September is a very busy month for me. Usually school is just starting so our schedules change and have to readjust and wake up early. I also have three birthdays in one week. There are four people in our house. So, everyone but me has a birthday.

For the actual birthdays we have cupcakes and than I have a birthday party in which I buy a cake. I am proud to announce I have not gained any weight. I am down five pounds this month. Despite all the cake and cupcakes. I had a great time and found this year to be a lot less stressful than last year. The beginning of October I will add all my measurements and let you all know exactly how much weight I lost.

Ready to start your own challenge? http://shakeitoffwithlani.bodybyvi.com

Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Butternut Squash

So one of the joys of being a mom is trying to find healthy meals that my kids will eat and stay in our budget. I am constantly looking up recipes. My kids are not a huge fun of Butternut Squash they will eat it but need some encouraging. I am hoping that with some extra exposure I can get them to eat it. This is one of the recipes I found that only uses a food ingredients, looks simple and I think my kids will love.

This recipe I found at http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/roast-chicken-with-potatoes-butternut-squash-10000001949705/

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic, divided
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
• 1 (3 1/2-pound) roasting chicken

• Cooking spray
• 12 ounces red potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1 1/2 cups cubed peeled butternut squash (about 8 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Combine 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and sage in a small bowl. Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under chicken. Rub garlic mixture under loosened skin. Place chicken, breast side up, on rack of a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Place rack in broiler pan.

3. Combine potatoes, squash, butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Arrange vegetable mixture around chicken. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 165°. Let stand 10 minutes. Discard skin.

Wine note: For an affordable wine to pair with this dish, pick a dry riesling from Washington state, like Chateau Ste. Michelle's 2007 (Columbia Valley; $9). It has peach and orange flavors that create a tempting aromatic package with the sweet flavors of Roast Chicken with Potatoes and Butternut Squash. —Sara Schneider

I hope this helps everyone. Even though my goal is to lose weight my goal with my kids is to help teach them how to eat healthy early. They do love the Body By Vi Shakes so they get them for snacks. My kids are pretty awesome in that they let me try new recipes all the time and never complain when it doesn't turn out.

Ready to Join the Challenge? Get started at http://shakeitoffwithlani.bodybyvi.com

I am addicted to Pasta

I love pasta. It is one of my favorite foods. I try to be good and eat it only once a week my kids love it too. One of the ways I have modified is using Barilla Plus Pasta spaghetti noodles. Its full of protein and Omega-3's. If you have ever tried the "healthy" pasta's you know most don't taste good or even taste like yummy spaghetti. I do really recommend this one. Even my husband who hates diet food and complains the second he sees any healthy words on a box eats it.

Today I got an email with a healthy pasta dish. Thought I would share. When I get to make it I will use the Barilla Plus Pasta. I got this from Self magazine which sends me recipes every week. http://www.self.com/fooddiet/recipes/2013/09/sun-dried-tomato-broccoli-pasta

Sun-Dried Tomato and Broccoli Pasta

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon grain-style mustard
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped, divided
• 8 oz whole-wheat bow-tie pasta
• 1/4 cup raw slivered almonds
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and thinly sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan

• PREPARATION

  1. In a bowl, whisk together 2 tbsp oil, vinegar, syrup, mustard and 2 cloves garlic; set aside. Cook pasta as directed on package until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast almonds, stirring, 3 minutes; set aside. In same skillet, heat remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, 3 minutes. Add broccoli and remaining 3 cloves garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add tomatoes and vinegar glaze and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in pasta, salt, red pepper and cooking water as needed to reach desired thickness. Serve topped with Parmesan and almonds.

  THE SKINNY

  432 calories per serving, 19 g fat (3 g saturated), 54 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 13 g protein

  
  

  Since joining the Body By Vi Challenge I make an effort to eat healthier but I refuse to give up on the food I love I just either eat it less often, smaller portions, or try to find healthier ways to feed my pasta addiction. If you try this recipe let me know what you think. More recipes can find on the link above.

  
  

  Ready to join me on the Challenge and start your own transformation. Its as easy as 1, 2, 3. Pick a Goal, Pick a Kit, and Get Started. http://shakeitoffwithlani.myvi.net/thankyou.html

Workout Motivation

This whole week I have been trying to get back in the habit of waking up at 6 am to workout. My youngest is in summer school so the goal was to work out early than wake up the boys and get ready for my day. The only problem is, so far the entire week I have been around 4 am than falling back to sleep after 530. So when my alarm goes off at 6 I am not able to workout. I have been tired all week. So today after I get my son from school this afternoon I am determined to workout. I am just a few pounds shy of my next I Lost it Video and entering to win another $1000. The entry is good for 10 weeks and I want another shirt.
Today's motivation is Mondays winners

This second I Lost It video I make also puts me at my weight I was in when I got pregnant the fist time in Jan 2012. Wish me luck!

Want to join me on the 90 Day Challenge? Check out this video for more information   http://shakeitoffwithlani.myvi.net/thankyou.html

Smore's Bites

I am constantly looking for make ahead recipes or yummy treats that won't kill my diet. I found this one from Self magazine and had to share it. Great thing is you can make them up to two days ahead of time and save them in a air tight container.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 bag (10 oz) marshmallows
• 6 cups rice-crisp cereal
• 1 cup melted semisweet chocolate chips
• 7 1/2 rectangular graham crackers (or 15 squares)
• 1 cup marshmallow crème (such as Fluff)

• PREPARATION

  1. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in marshmallows and cook, stirring, until smooth, 2 minutes; remove from heat. In a bowl, combine marshmallows with cereal; mix well. In the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan, spread half of cereal mixture into a thin, even layer. Top with warmed chocolate. Place graham crackers in a single layer over chocolate, breaking crackers as needed to fit; top with crème. Spread remaining half of cereal mixture over crème; press lightly to cement layers together. Let s'mores sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

  THE SKINNY Makes 24 squares

  144 calories per square, 4 g fat (2 g saturated), 27 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

  
  

  I got this recipe and the picture from http://www.self.com/fooddiet/recipes/2013/07/smore-bites 

  They do have many more but this is the one I thought everyone would love for summer. 

  
  

  For those of you that want to join me on the challenge please check out the video at http://shakeitoffwithlani.myvi.net/thankyou.html

My history and where I am today

I am a mother of two boys and a husband in the Coast Guard. My life is pretty busy to say the least. Its hard for me most days to find the time I need to do anything for myself. This journey has been about me. I want to be healthy and set a great examples for my kids.

I am almost done with my second 90 Day Challenge. I know my results for some of you are ok but nothing spectacular but let me give you some background on me. First of all when I hit puberty I gained a ton of weight. I went from the 120's to 160's in a few months. I exercised a lot and got back to the 130's. Could not get lower. Than went to college. Weight kept creeping up until I was in the 150's. I took pills, I exercised sometimes got to the 140's but did not stay. Got married to a guy in the Coast Guard ended up moving to Virginia where I got a job working 60 plus hours a week than BAM I was in the 170's. Nothing was working.

In January 2012 I was 178 pounds and found out I was pregnant. Oh and than I was told I have PCOS by a nurse who told me I was obese. Did not tell me what it was and I was pissy she said I was obese. I didn't think I was obese. I only gained 35 pounds while I was pregnant but after the baby could not seem to get back below 200 pounds. Found out that I also had an under active thyroid. Looked up PCOS and both symptoms weight gain. Lucky me right?

I hired a trainer ended up on a insane diet and got to the 180's. Weight kept creeping up. in 2012 I was 213 pounds and pregnant again. By the time I gave birth I was in the 270's (mostly water weight) and after he was born and I peed out all the water i was 198. Weight kept bouncing until I was 230.

I started losing weight and I kept getting stuck. Would get to the low 180's than bounce back up to 199. I do this constantly. Now I am on the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge. I am almost done with my second challenge and I am currently where my body always gets stuck. So I am sharing my journey with you guys and hoping to get past it.

I did my measurements and weight at the beginning of the year and my picture. Let me share you with where I am now
My weight 182.8 (-15.4)
Chest 35 inches (-2.75)
Waist 36.5 inches (-3)
Hips 42.5 inches (-3.25)
Thigh  25 inches (-1.5)
Arm 14.5 inches (-1)

And my before and current picture (Since I am not done yet)

Its hard to put that picture up but it is good motivation to keep on going. If you would to learn more about this 90 Day Challenge watch this video than message me with any questions http://shakeitoffwithlani.myvi.net/thankyou.html