Shape Up Series: Taste Testing Panera Bread's Low Fat Smoothies

"Makes me work a little bit harder..."

This past week, my willpower was tested harder than an engineer at MIT. And unfortunately, I failed with flying colors. ARGHHHHHHH!!! From greasy sandwiches to Italian dessert trays that turned up everyday in the kitchen at work, my willpower could not resist but to indulge! Alas, I paid dearly, for led to a STEP BACK on my goal weight loss.

Let's go to my (sad) recap....

Shape Up Series: Low Fat Apple Cinnamon Crisp

"Johnny Appleseed plantin' apples on the land..."

Thanks to my Shape Up Series, I've been on a serious cooking trek for lunch and dinner (Specific definition of cooking for me: anything that utilizes a large piece of kitchen equipment. Let's be clear, I'm no Julia Child here with all day to spend basting chickens). Therefore, I decided it was only natural to expand this new found usage of my kitchen to make healthy breakfast items. While browsing though the General Mills site, I found a lovely looking recipe for a hearty Apple Cinnamon Crisp using Cheerios. I've never been much of a plain cereal and milk kind of gal, so I was uber happy to take this recipe for a spin!

You Don't Have To Be Italian To Enjoy The Comedy Of The Italian Chicks!

By: Anne M. Raso

The Italian Chicks is a two-hour casino style show that blends comedy, acting, dancing, music, and song. Describing their performance as "part meatball, part cannoli", The Italian Chicks are "Leader of the Pack" Maryann "Boom Boom" Maisano, Mary Dimino, Carolann Valentino, and Gina Scarda. All of the ladies are comedy veterans and actresses, and Dimino even has the distinction of having won the 2008 Gracie Allen Award for her work in the PBS film Fat: What No One Is Telling You. But probably the most interesting piece of trivia on The Italian Chicks is that the show's MC, Gina Scarda, decided to become a stand-up comedian after retiring from the New York Police Department (so it comes as no surprise that she describes the pitfalls of having to pose as a decoy prostitute in her former occupation)!

Sunday Brunching: Mapping Out the Cafe Fleuri's City Brunch

"Automatic supersonic hypnotic funky fresh..."

When I read that the January brunch gathering for the Boston Brunchers was going to be at Cafe Fleuri at the Langham Boston – well I let out a loud “Woo Hoo” and fist pumped a few times (no worries, I did this in a confined setting amongst other food bloggers who understand my passion for a great brunch!). Brunch has always been my favorite part of the day (it’s usually my motivation for waking up – is that sad? I don’t know) and I had been DYING to try the Langham’s legendary brunch. I walk past the Langham everyday for work and have had several business meetings there, but never have I been to the hotel on the weekend. (I admit it -- I can be a lazybones and going to the financial district always feels like a walk too far on the weekends).

Shape Up Series: Taste Testing McDonald’s Fruit and Maple Oatmeal

“Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow…”

It’s Monday! And you know what that means – it’s time for my weekly weigh in! Now, I’ve gotten a few comments/criticisms about this Shape Up series on how short term diets are not the key to long term weight loss. Therefore, I feel the need to re-address the purpose of these posts: First, the 10 lbs I gain over the holidays is something that happens almost every year (bad on my part, but pretty much unavoidable with all the delicious homemade food at home), so this Shape Up is what I do EVERY WINTER so I can get back to 130lbs, the weight I keep during other ~300 days of the year. I've been 130lbs for about 5 years now and it’s the weight I feel most comfortable at (where I can eat healthy most of the time, but still indulge once in a while). Furthermore, even after I lose my 10lbs, I still plan to use/eat all the tips, recipes, and food options I've posted -- and I encourage you to do the same!

This is what 130 lbs looks like!

New Year New You Shape Up Series: Savory + Sweet Duo Pizza!

"Double your pleasure, double your fun..."

No weigh-in for this post as it's only Day 3 of my week (here is a sneak preview: I am on track! Yay!). However, I could not wait to share a new recipe I invented in response to my disastrous pizza craving addressed in my last post. No more Papa John's induced over indulgences -- this easy to make, semi-homemade pizza is not only delicious, but it's also packed with stomach-filling whole grains, protein, and fruits (which makes me less likely to overeat)! Plus it's an entree and dessert all rolled into one -- super fun!!!

New Year New You Shape Up Series: A Hearty Low-Cal Lunch!

"There's a rumbly in my tumbly..."

So another week has gone by, and it's time to check up on my New Year, New You Shape Up Series progress (be sure to check out week 1 and week 2 results/tips if you just started reading)! Before I go any further, I have to confess -- I had a "fall off the wagon moment" this week :( I ATE AN ENTIRE LARGE PAPA JOHN'S PIZZA IN TWO DAYS. That's right, 8 large slices of bacon and mushroom plus garlic butter sauce in 48 hours. Maybe it's because as a kid, the only time I'd ever got to eat it was at my American friends' birthday parties, but pizza has always been and will be my ultimate comfort food.

Anyways, I thought I could resist the temptation and eat one slice per day, but obviously, I ended up inhaling that baby like the world was ending tomorrow. Bummer!!! Luckily, I mostly exercised and ate right the rest on the other days, which helped offset the pizza indulgence.

The yummy but oh-so-bad for you pizza

With that said, let's get the skinny on what happed this past week.

New Year New You Shape Up Series: Cinnamon Buns (of Steel) Smoothie!

“Honky Tonk Badonkadonk…”

In the first part of the Finance Foodie Shape Up Series, I talked about the exercise plan I was going to take on to help me lose the leftover holiday p(f)udge. Here is what happened, one week later!

Lunching With The Little Ladies: Cafe at American Girl Place [New York]

By: Anne M. Raso

You might think that Rao's in East Harlem is the hardest res in town, but the Cafe at American Girl Place takes a good three months to score a weekend lunch slot (so call early!). The Cafe is popular not only because it is an offshoot of America's favorite doll brand, but because the food is a lot better than one would think.

New Year, New You! Getting Healthy for 2011

"Burn baby burn..."

Happy New Year folks! Can you believe that it's already 2011??? Wow 2010 sure did fly by fast!

....BUT with the start of the new year comes... you got it...the start of new resolutions. Like every year past, my biggest problem has always been weight gain over the Christmas break, also known as the "Holiday 15".  Something about getting together with the family + yummy Southern large portioned meals + suburban life in Texas (i.e. watching movies and driving everywhere) always leaves me happy but much heavier upon my return to the North.

Chikin' & Waffles -- a Southern tradition!