Community Weight Loss Program

A friend and myself have been involved with a community weight loss program for the last 5 weeks.  The program runs for 12 weeks.  To begin the program I paid $29, all participants pay this, and then that money is put into a jackpot, and at the end of the 12 weeks, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd biggest losers win the jackpot.  There are about 20 people involved all toll.  We attend a meeting every Monday night, where we are measured and weighed.  Each week there is a topic to discuss, this weeks was 'reading labels on foods'. 

What you eat and how you exercise is up to you.  The program is there to keep you motivated, and I feel so far so good.

In five weeks I have loss 2kg, and in cms from all areas of the body in total I have loss18cm.  That has mostly been from my waist and hips.

There is not a lot that I have changed eating wise, I just eat smaller portions.  I have changed simple things like using light dairy products such as cream and cheese.  I have also changed from white bread to whole grain and I have suprised myself by enjoying it more then the white bread now.  The only thing I am still struggling with is eating breakfast.

I have been accomplishing exercise 3 to 4 times a week.  With the help of my friend, we have been doing strength and toning exercises, and I have been doing walking laps of the Highfields pool.   This week I hope to be able to swim some laps.

I do feel that if I had tried to do this on my own I would have given up weeks ago, but with the aid of the program and also my good friend, I have stuck to it, and I am proud of myself.

 I will keep you up to date on my progress. 

A Silhouette with a Twist

Teaching and guiding scrap-booking to young ones. Then the end result being something that they and myself are proud of, is worth the teaching and effort, to see that youth with a smile of accomplish on there face.  Then the sense of pride when they show others, and receive praise for there work.  It just gives you satisfaction that you have helped someone make an achievement in a otherwise difficult life.

 

We started by taking a side on photo. Making sure there head is straight up and there ponytail or hair is neat.  I went to the photo shop and got a size 5 by 7 developed.  We came home and then cut out the shape, being careful around the mouth nose and eyes, to make sure you get the shape and it is not just a flat face. We then  traced it onto black card stock, and carefully cut out out the silhouette.  That gives you the basis of a silhouette.  Traditionally, it is just the silhouette onto a background, but to make it more interesting for a child, we decided to put a name plaque at the bottom.   We then placed it into a frame and the child signed the back of the frame.  I insist on doing this as it gives them a sense of accomplishment and they can look back in the future.

2nd Dust Storm in one week

As I am sitting at the computer, inside my house, the smell of dust is sickening, the dust started to come over in the late afternoon, and when I took these photos you could see the glow of the moon rising in the distance, about 10 minutes later you could not even see the moon, it was very quick and thick.

the moon rising top right

no longer there

just before the dust came over, my favourite creepy photo

MUDDY PUDDLES

and 2 ducks

said puddle

said duck Esme

 said duck Jemina

 

digging for worms

the end result

2 muddy ducks

New York Style Cheesecake

Then I made this today for Warren, his favourite, as he worked hard in the yard all day.

New York Style Cheesecake

here is the link for the recipe

(mine is so yellow because of our fresh eggs, this recipe uses 8 eggs, thanks to our chooks)

http://www.cheesecakerecipes.ws/Recipes/NewYorkCheesecake.htm

Baking Frenzy

Over the last few days have done a lot of baking, made a meatloaf for dinner, but yesterday made an

Apple Crumble Dessert Cake

and all the hard work that went into, was in a big, delicious slice with custard.

recipe

220g butter, chopped, melted  

4 eggs, at room temp.

2 3/4 c. SR flour

1 1/2 c. caster sugar

1 c. sour cream

1/3 c. custard powder

1 teas. vanilla

800g tin pie apple fruit

CRUMBLE TOPPING

3/4 c. plain flour

1/3 c. white sugar

1 teas. baking powder

1 teas. ground cinnamon

75g butter

1.  Preheat oven 180c.  Grease a 5cm deep pan.  Line base with baking paper and grease the rest of the tin.

2.  Using an electric mixer, beat melted butter, eggs, flour, caster sugar, sour cream, custard powder and    vanilla.  Beat for 3 mins until pale and fluffy.

3.  Pour half the mixture into prepared dish.  Spread apple over mixture, and top with remaining mixture.

4.  Make crumble topping combine flour, white sugar, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl.  Using your fingertips, rub the butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.  Sprinkle topping over cake mixture.

5.  Bake cake for 1 hr to 1 hr 15 mins or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.  Serve with custard or cream.  (I found the skewer didn't come out clean, but the cake was cook after 1 hr 15 mins)

Weight Loss Ideas

1.   low fat butter instead of the butter

2.  extra light sour cream (pauls)

3.  you could use whole wheat flour instead, but it is already a heavy cake, but give it a go

4.  extra light custard

ENJOY

WELCOME

am only new to this blog experience but looking forward to keeping a blog, any advice would be great, and I hope that when you visit that you enjoy what you see and hopefully will enable you to try some great recipes.

Had a busy day today, Rose, our poodle, was in bad need of a haircut, and she hates her feet being done. Warren was mowing, so her feet are not clipped and she looks like she is wearing socks. That will be a tomorrow job.