Grocery List for New Menu

Grocery List for the week

Dairy: Box of Egg Whites (Brand name: All Whites or Better n’ eggs), Low Fat cottage cheese, Low fat Greek Yogurt, Fat Free Milk, Low Fat mozzarella cheese, feta cheese, parmesan cheese, cheddar and swiss cheese, Laughing cow cheese low fat, fat free cream cheese

Vegetables: Cut Spinach (In fresh food sections), Asparagus, Fresh Basil or Oregano, Edamame Beans, Romaine Lettuce, Onions,  Bell peppers (red, green, yellow and orange), cherry tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, red and yellow onions, button mushrooms, Portobello mushrooms, cucumber, mint

Grain/Tuber: Sweet Potato, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Whole Wheat Bread, Whole Wheat Tortilla, Wild Rice, Whole wheat English Muffin, whole grain oat flour, whole grain bagel

Fruit/Nuts: Frozen Berries, Apples, Oranges, Grapes, Plum, Grapefruit, Dry Roasted Pecans (unsalted, plain), Natural Peanut Butter, Walnuts, almonds, bananas, melon

Protein: Salmon, Chicken, Shrimp, Deli meat (turkey, roast beef – lean, low sodium), lean cuts of beef and pork, lean ground turkey meat, lean turkey sausage links and patties, turkey bacon, smoke salmon

Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Seasonings/Condiments: Mrs. Dash all natural seasonings, Natural Herbs and Seasonings, Fresh Garlic , Ginger, Low Fat balsamic vinaigrette, Low fat Honey Mustard, Dijon Mustard, Pure Vanilla Extract, low sodium soy sauce, thyme, low fat low sodium beef broth, marinara sauce

Drinks: Green Tea or Herbal Tea

Suggested Grocery Stores: Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Wegmans or your local Grocery Store’s natural /organic foods sections.

The Ultimate Labor of Love ...

So its 3:50am on Wednesday morning and I am slaving away at the computer I am half asleep however this must be DONE.  I don't want to let myself let alone any of you down.  I've already started seeing waning enthusiasm and I apologize about that.  However, this is why we sign our contracts, don't let my slip up be yours.  Instead let's stay on the path and encourage each other as we go along.  Alright enough of the speech let's get right down to it.  


This menu was a complete challenge.  I mean even I was overwhelmed because as much as possible I want to give you all the authenticity of the diet without changing it.  For proprietary purposes I can not publish the diet's name on the blog however I will put it in the chat.  This is the 1st 7 days with approved modifications.  So here it goes.  By the way ladies help me out here, is there a way we can share documents on line like a file sharing program etc?  If you know how to please hit me up: takeyourbodybackin6@gmail.com. It's easier to upload our menus and grocery lists that way.  As wella s I want us to take ownership of our health so please start researching the benefits of eating healthy and staying active particularly for women.  I already have one person who is going to guest blog about eating whole and fresh foods versus processed foods.  


Again this is not a 1 woman show, we all need all the help we can get so if anyone is interested in doing anything for the group please either comment here on the blog, if you are in the chat you can also comment or better yet send and email to the above email address.  


So this would start on Monday 12/19/11: Print it for convenience and let's do this!!!!!!!!!
Grocery List coming up Next Post

Week 1 Meal Plan

Day 1

Breakfast: Ham and Cheese Breakfast Melt  (1 light whole grain English Muffin, 1 slice lean, low sodium ham or Canadian bacon, 2 egg whites, 1 slice reduced fat cheddar cheese)

¾ cup fresh blueberries or 1 cup frozen berries

8 ounces fat free milk

Tea or Coffee

Snack: 1 large apple, 1 stick low fat mozzarella cheese, 8oz Water

Lunch: Turkey Wrap (1 8inch whole wheat tortilla 2oz sliced turkey breast, ¼ cup alfalfa sprouts, 2 slices tomato, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard)

6 baby carrots, 1 cup jicama sticks, Iced Tea

Snack: 2 (2 eggs) servings (4 pieces) Hummus Devilled Eggs (Boil egg, cut in half and thee deyoke, fill deyoked egg w/hummus)

Dinner:

5oz boneless, skinless, grilled, baked or broiled chicken

8 medium asparagus spears, grilled or broiled

1 cup cherry tomatoes w/1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil

8 oz fat free milk

Day 2

Breakfast: 1 ½ cup banana nut oats (1 very ripe banana, ½ tsp pure vanilla extract , 1 ½ cups fat free milk, 1 cup  oatmeal, 1tbsp nuts (walnuts, pecans etc)

¾ cup frozen berries

3 hardboiled egg whites

8oz fat free milk

Tea or Coffee

Snack: 6 tbsps of creamy hummus, 2 medium stalks celery sticks

Lunch: Hot and Cold Brown Rice Salad ( ¾ cup cooked brown rice,4oz grilled chicken, chilled and chopped,  1/3 cup finely chopped broccoli florets, 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper, 2 tbsps chopped red onions, 1tbsp light Italian dressing, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar)

Snack: PBJ (2 slices whole grain bread w/1 tbsp natural peanut butter, 2 tbsp sugar free black cherry all fruit spread)

Dinner: 2 ¼  cup of Beef Stew ( 1 tbsp whole grain oat flour, 16oz pound top round steak cut into cubes, 2tbsp of Extra virgin Olive Oil, 8oz button mushrooms, 1 onion chopped, 1tbsp minced garlic, 1tsp dried thyme, 2 14oz can of lower sodium, fat free beef broth, 2 large carrots cubed, 1 lb sweet potatoes peeled and cubed)

1 ½ cups chopped romaine lettuce w ¼ cup bell pepper, ¼ cup sliced cucumber and 1tbsp low fat vinaigrette

8oz water

Day 3:

Breakfast: Omelet ( 1 low fat turkey sausage patty crumbled, ½ cup chopped onion and sliced mushrooms, ¼ cup  each of chopped green, red, yellow and orange bell peppers, ½ cup egg beaters or 1 cup egg whites, 1 wedge Laughing cow Light Garlic and Herb cheese)

1 large tangerine or orange or grapefruit

1 slice toasted whole grain bread

Tea

Snack: Berry Smoothie (1 cup fat free Greek yogurt, ½ cup fresh or frozen berries, ½ cup fat free milk, ½ tsp pure vanilla extract)

Lunch: Turkey Burger (4oz 99% lean ground turkey, 1 slice low fat swiss cheese, 2 large leaves of butter lettuce, 1 large slice tomato, 1 slice red onion, 1 tbsp reduced calorie ketchup, 1 wholegrain bun)

1 ½ cups cubed melon w/mint

8oz Water

Snack: 1 large peach or apple, 2tbsp raw almonds

Dinner: 2 cups salad w/low fat dressing and 5oz of chicken grilled or baked 

¾ cup fat free frozen yogurt

8oz water

Day 4:

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal w/ ½ bananas, ½ cup fat free Greek yogurt w/ ½ tsp pure vanilla extract

Tea

Snack: Roast Beef wrap (1 tbsp fat free cream cheese, ½ tsp chili garlic sauce, 1 8 inch whole wheat fat free tortilla, ¼ cup red bell peppers, ¼ cup basil leaves, ¾ cup lean, low sodium deli roast beef)

Lunch: Broccoli salad (3 tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice, 2tbsp fat free plain yogurt, 2 tbsp mustard, 1 tsp 100% fruit orange marmalade, 1 ½ cup broccoli florets chopped_, 2tbsp chopped red onions)

5 oz baked or grilled chicken

8oz water

Snack: 1 cup steamed edamame beans

Dinner: 2 Portobello Pizzas (2 whole Portobello mushrooms, ¼ cup marinara sauce, ¼ cup lean turkey Italian sausage, 2 tbsp low fat mozzarella cheese, 1 tsp parmesan cheese (fresh), 1tbsp chopped fresh basil)

½ cup red grapes

8oz water

Day 5:

Breakfast: Greek Yogurt Parfait ( ¼ cup fresh or frozen berries, 2 tbsp low fat granola, 1 cup fat free greek yogurt)

3 slices turkey bacon

1 hardboiled egg

Tea

Snack: ½ cup fat free cottage cheese, 1tbsp slivered almonds and 1 medium pear

Lunch: Greek salad(3 cups chopped romaine lettuce, ½ cup each sliced cucumber and bell pepper, ¼ cup sliced ripe olives, 2 tbsp low fat feta cheese, 2tbsp low fat vinaigerette)

5oz cooked or grilled bay shrimp

Snack: 2oz sliced roast turkey or chicken breast

2inch wedge honeydew

Dinner: Pork Stir Fry w/garlic broccoli (1 cup broccoli chopped, ¼ cup fat free low sodium chicken broth,

 ½ tbsp each chopped garlic and ginger, ½ tsp olive oil, ¼ cup each chopped scallions,  yellow onion and red bell pepper, 4 oz boneless pork tenderloin thinly sliced,. ¼ tbsp low sodim soy suce, ¼ tbsp toasted sesame seeds)

¾ cup cooked brown rice

8oz fat free milk

1 plum

Green tea

Day 6:

Breakfast: Omelet

½ cup fresh or frozen berries

8oz fat free milk

Green Tea

Snack: 1 hardboiled egg, 1 cup cherry tomatoes, 3 olives

Lunch: 2 cups smoky sausage lentil stew (2 links low fat turkey Italian sausage, 1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions, 1 medium red or green pepper diced, 1 tbsp garlic, 1 cup tomato sauce, 1tsp dried oregano, 6 cups fat free low sodium beef broth, 1 cup water, 1 ½ cups dried brown lentils, cilantro leaves)

1 ½ cups chopped romaine lettuce w/1tbsp of low fat vinaigrette

Snack: 1 apple w/1tbsp all natural peanut butter

Dinner: 5oz grilled fish (halibut, flounder, trout etc),

¾ cup cooked wild rice

3 cups steamed baby spinach

1 cup fresh or frozen berries w/ ¼ cup low fat vanilla yogurt and 1tbsp pecans

8oz water

Day 7

Breakfast: 1 whole grain bagel w/2tbsp low fat cream cheese and 3oz of smoked salmon

½ cup fresh or frozen berries

8oz fat free milk

Green Tea

Snack: Smoothie (6oz fat free Greek yogurt, ½ cup fat free milk, ½ banana, ½ tsp pue vanilla extract)

Lunch: Pecan crusted Chicken ( ½ egg white, 1 tbsp minced toasted pecans, ½ tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves, 4oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, low fat honey mustard salad dressing)

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower (1 ½ cups cauliflower florets, 2 tsp reduced fat Parmesan cheese, 1tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves, ¼ tsp each garlic powder and black pepper, 1tsp extra virgin olive oil)

½ cup brown rice

2 cups baby spinach w/ ½ cup halved cherry tomatoes and 1tbsp low fat vinaigrette

8oz water

Snack: 1 medium orange, 2tbsp walnuts

Dinner: 4oz wild salmon grilled or baked

8 medium asparagus spears

1 cup wild rice w/toasted veggies and nuts ( ¼ cup each sliced mushrooms and chopped yellow onions, 1 tbsp chopped almonds, ½ tbsp minced garlic, ¼ tsp thyme, ¼ tsp olive oil)

Green Tea

SO .......

So .... It hasn't been Easy!  I said it, however I am not giving up and I hope none of you are.  Day 5 -7 was hard.  Lessons learnt: 1.  Be sure to have enough groceries to last you through the week.  Not having the food to prepare just funks up the entire diet and before you now what's going on, you are raiding the fridge and scoffing down stale cupcakes (YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!).  I didn't do that though LOL!!!!!! I just had a flash forward of what could have been (SMH).  Well ladies it is GO time and truth is some of you have dropped off the chat, some are struggling right now and in the same vein some of you are like energizer bunnies, pumped and ready to go and doing great so far.  Please remember this is a commitment to yourself not to anyone else.  The only person you let down or short change is YOU.  And I don't want to be the FUN buster but too many of us can't stand to look at ourselves in the mirror for fear of what may look back at us.  For me its the rolls, the double chin, the butter belly and those frigging bags under my eyes.  I know what I need to do and I shall do it.  


I would share 3 of my REAL challenges this week and I hope for better next week as I stay committed to my 6 week body and LIFE make over.  
1.  I found out that my emotions truly are a driving force behind what I eat.  So my emotions challenged me this week and I had to say NO to emotional eating. (That was hard, because as bible says money is a defense, AJ says food is a comforter.  Aaaaaaargh!!!!)


2.  Eating healthy AIN'T Cheap.  My sisters I don't want to think of what my grocery budget is going to be every month.  However what's the alternative?  My health.  So let me think about that ... uuuummmmm Grocery Bill or Healthy Life, Grocery Bill or Clean bill of health, Grocery Bill or My Sexxxxy Back?  Ladies I choose my Sexxy Back.  


3. Work Life, Personal Interests balance is NO JOKE.  Hmmmm and I can say that again but I won't.  As a wife, a new mom, a business owner and a passion seeker fitting all "THIS" in requires time I don't already have.  So, I must be truly committed to stay on track.  


Well now for the benefits of this week:
1.  I have lost weight, albeit inches .  It is less than what I started off with and that is always a good thing.  
2.  I am staying committed because I am accountable not only to myself but to you all.
3.  I have a renewed passion for life and its fullness.  So watch out world here I come.  


I just want to leave you with this word of encouragement.  Its to let you know that life is full of challenges and this is another challenge that we shall overcome.  Amen.


2 Cor 4:8 -9
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed


In this there is still HOPE.


Looking forward to the new YOU ladies,
AJ

Day 1, 1st Day of a New You

Hello ladies, 
I feel I should call you guys family.  LOL!!!! So Day 1 of our new lifestyle and honestly it wasn't easy.  I just ate a bunch of green stuff w/brown rice and a piece of baked chicken. LOL!!! But I can say though I am excited to see the metamorphosis.  I have my dress and my picture (SMH) this must be done.  I appreciate all of you.  Please remain faithful to this and we'll come back and give joyous reports.  


You know how I feel right now, I feel like Ps. 126.  My body has been held captive for too long and it has been painful just to shed this weight but when we are done, it would be like a dream.  I'll have a big fat smile on my face, rejoicing in my size 8 dress o.  And people would proclaim, even I would proclaim, it had to be God.  LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Love y'all and lets thank God for the 1st day of the best days of the rest of our lives!!!
Take that body back girl, GET IT!!!!
Love y'all , AJ

Grocery List for Week 1

Grocery List for the week

Dairy: Box of Egg Whites (Brand name: All Whites or Better n’ eggs), Low Fat cottage cheese, Low fat Greek Yogurt

Vegetables: Cut Spinach (In fresh food sections), Mixed Veggies(Frozen food section), Asparagus, Fresh Basil or Oregano, Edamame Beans

Grain/Tuber: Sweet Potato, Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Whole Wheat Bread

Fruit/Nuts: Frozen Berries, Apples, Grapefruit, Dry Roasted Pecans (unsalted, plain), Natural Peanut Butter, Trail Mix

Protein: Salmon, Chicken

Oils: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Seasonings: Mrs. Dash all natural seasonings, Natural Herbs and Seasonings,  Fresh Garlic

Drinks: Green Tea or Herbal Tea

Suggested Grocery Stores: Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Wegmans or your local Grocery Store’s natural /organic foods sections.

Tools for Life

Hi everyone, if you are just joining us, WELCOME to the Take Your Body Back in 6 weeks Body Make Over Challenge and if you have been with us, How are you doing so far?

Well in order to fully engage ourselves in our challenge, we need a few tools:

1. A diary/journal: To keep track of our eatings and feelings

2. A workout buddy/accountability partner

3. A weekly grocery list

4. A "Before" picture of yourself  

5. A scale or your dream size dress/pants
6. A work out video, or gym membership, or work out plan
7. Measuring cups and scale


Weekly we would post the grocery list for the following week that way you can print and shop in advance for your food.  It is better to prepare your food in advance and store in the fridge.  It prevents eating out and "falling off the wagon" lol!!


Here is our 7 Day Cleanse starting on Thursday, Dec 1st and end on Wednesday December  7th. This does not look like your typical cleanse, however if we are talking about a lifestyle change, it must be something doable and realistic.   It took great lengths to find this cleanse.  Most of the ones I found are the ones you are already familiar with, Master Cleanse, Grapefruit Diet, All Juice etc  These again are not realistic given what our goals are.  My suggestion is that cleansers like that can be taken on an individual level. but as a group this is what we would be doing.

Breakfast
• 8 oz water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
• Scrambled egg whites with chopped fresh herbs (such as basil or oregano), topped with a dollop of salsa, and 1 slice whole-wheat toast, dry
or 1 cup cooked oats or cooked oatmeal topped with ½ cup berries or 2 Tbsp nuts
• 8 oz decaffeinated green or herbal tea

Snack: 
• Sliced apple with 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter 
or 1/3 cup natural trail mix


Lunch
• 1 cup fresh spinach or lightly sautéed spinach or kale, squeezed with fresh lemon or orange juice 
or 1 cup asparagus with 1 tsp olive oil, garlic, and lemon juice
• 4 oz grilled, baked, or broiled salmon, chicken, or pork tenderloin, seasoned with spices such as lemon pepper
• 1/2 cup edamame beans, steamed
• 8 oz water or decaffeinated green or herbal tea
• 8 pecan halves 

Snack:
• 1/2 sweet potato or one citrus fruit (orange or grapefruit)
• 4 oz low-fat yogurt


Dinner
• Large spinach or romaine salad with vegetables. Dress with 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil mixed with lemon juice or vinegar (any variety) 
• ½ cup to 1 cup asparagus or artichoke hearts, steamed 
• 4 oz lean chicken with spices, baked or grilled
• ½ cup brown rice, barley, bulgur, or quinoa
• 8 oz water or decaffeinated green or herbal tea

Snack:
• ¾ cup to 1 cup blueberries 
or ½ cup pomegranate seeds
• 4 oz nonfat Greek yogurt 
or low-fat organic yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese 

6 Week Body Make Over Contract

This is an excerpt that I found on Sparkpeople ( A weightloss community)  
You know that keeping yourself accountable is a key to weightloss success. Even with all the information in the world and all the right intentions, you won’t get very far if you let yourself off the hook when it’s time to actually do what you should. 

There are two very effective ways to increase your accountability. The first is to get other people involved. You can “go public” with your goals and plans, letting friends and family know what you’re trying to do and how you're planning to do it. This method allows you to ask for support or the occasional friendly push if they see you backsliding. Better yet, you can join group or Team challenges with other people who are trying to accomplish the same things you are. It’s a lot harder to let your team down than it is to slack off when you’re the only one who will know (or care) about it. You’ll find lots of great challenges, supportive groups, and Teams here on SparkPeople. 

The second approach involves directly challenging the excuses you choose not to stick to your plan. We all have our favorite excuses: I'm too busy. I can’t find time for myself. I'm just not motivated. I'm too stressed out right now. I'll do it later. I can’t control myself. You may even view these as legitimate reasons instead of the excuses that they really are, and have probably persuaded yourself that this is the way things are, and that you can’t do much about it. 

But no matter how difficult your circumstances may be, this is the hard truth: The only way to succeed is to take personal responsibility for making things work out the way you want them to. And that starts with owning your own decisions and not using excuses to let yourself off the hook. 

One good way to avoid rationalizing and increase your accountability to boot is to make a contract with yourself that identifies the excuses you use most often, and specifies what you will do instead of giving in to them. When you put this on paper, in the form of a written contract, you create an effective tool that you can use whenever you catch yourself making excuses. Here's how to start. 

Step 1: Identify Your Favorite Excuses
The first step to becoming more accountable is to spend a few days observing your inner self—what goes on in your mind, especially when you don't want to do something that you know you should. Write some notes about your thoughts. What are you saying to yourself in that moment when you decide to skip an exercise session or eat something that you’re going to wish you hadn’t eaten? 

Some excuses are a lot easier to identify than others, simply because they don’t really make much sense when you think about them. For example, deciding that one poor food choice means  you’ve blown your diet and might as well keep on eating—that's 100 percent pure rationalization (and you know it!). The notion that someone else or some situation is responsible for your behavior comes in a close second. 

Other excuses are a little less obvious, like the idea that there aren’t enough hours in your day to fit in some exercise or prepare a healthy meal. That might be true on some days, but most likely isn't true all the time. If it is, then you’re probably not putting enough effort into time management, or you’re taking on responsibilities you don’t really have to take on, or putting yourself too low on your own list of priorities. 

Still other excuses are so subtle that you may have trouble seeing them for what they really are. You may identify them as psychological problems that control your thinking and behavior: I have no will power. My motivation has disappeared. I have cravings that are truly irresistible. These are just stories you tell yourself when you don’t want (or don’t know how) to do what you should. 

Step 2: Identify Appropriate Countermeasures
The solution to these problems is to begin telling yourself a different kind of story—one that puts you in charge. For each excuse or rationalization you use, think of an effective countermeasure. This could be an opposing thought, a way to break out of a negative thought pattern, or something that helps you avoid the problem before it happens. 

For example, if you find that your schedule is often so busy that you end up skipping your workouts, your countermeasure might be to spend a few minutes each morning planning what really has to be done, what can be postponed (other than exercising), what might save some time, and who might be able to help you get things done. 

Step 3: Write Up Your Contract for Success
This is the simplest step, but it's the most important one. Write down your excuse-busters in the form of a contract with yourself. This contract is a visible reminder of the commitment you are making to yourself, as well as a handy tool for remembering both the problems and the solutions you are trying to focus on. If you take this seriously, you'll find it more difficult to break the contract than to simply forget a vague decision you’ve made to try harder or do better next time. 

Remember to listen to your own self-talk, identify the thoughts, attitudes or behaviors that are getting in the way of your success, and make a written contract with yourself to do things differently. Be as specific and practical as you can, and be sure to come back to your contract when you are having problems. You'll see an increase in your accountability in no time and you WILL succeed at reaching your goals.


This should give us a good starting point.  Having said that see our contract below:

I,                                                       , hereby agree and commit to take the following steps  within the next 6 weeks to improve my accountability to myself and increase my chances for weight loss success:

1. I will commit to following the diet program on a daily basis as a way to get back to a healthy eating and living lifestyle.
2. I will work out 4-5 times a week with my gym buddy with at least 3 days of Cardiovascular activity for an hr and 2 days of light weight training ; 45 minutes sessions,1-2 days a week.
3. I will not let one small slip-up convince me that I'm stupid, worthless, or a lost cause. I will respect myself by refusing to engage in verbal self-abuse, and I will find positive ways to comfort and support myself when I’m having a hard time. Specifically, I will pray daily concerning my weight loss goals, I will check in daily with my group and accountability buddy.  I will write daily in my journal whether or not I had a good day.
4. I will not sacrifice my own needs to make other people happy, or do for them what they can and should be doing for themselves. When there is a conflict between my exercise and eating plans and what other people want me to do, I will negotiate to find a reasonable solution that allows me to do what I need to do for myself.
5. I choose to be in charge of my own decisions and behavior. I will not talk, think, or act as if my partner, child, spouse, cravings, work, life or subconscious made me do it. I will ask myself what’s most important to me at that moment and make my decision. If I don’t like the consequences, I will try something different the next time.
6. Regardless of how hard it gets I will stay committed to this program for the full 6weeks.

Signed: ________________________________________________

Accountability Partner: ___________________________________




Please sign this and read it to your accountability partner and keep this in your journal.  Look at it whenever you are about to quit.  Remember you made this promise to yourself.  Do NOT let yourself down.