Freebies on your Birthday

What do you get for free on your birthday? What about your kids birthday? There is an amazing site called free birthday treats where you can enter the state where you live and whether it's for an adult, child or pet and you can see all of the free birthday deals in your area!

Most of the items are for free food (appetizer, main course, dessert, % off your total) but there's also free bowling, free golf, free pictures for kids, % off at stores, etc.

Take a look, for a lot of the offers you need to sign up online but the list is long and you could be missing out on some free birthday specials at your favorite stores or restaurants!

There is also a section for ideas on birthday parties as well as a blog section with money saving tips and cool party themes.

Find a Freebie!

When is the last time you got something for free? I'm on a quest to find things for free. They may take a LITTLE time, a stamp or a quick phone call but I'm on a hunt, what do you get for free? Check out my posts that start with the word, or keyword FREEBIE!

Last Day of My Month

Today is the last "official" day of my 30 days devoted to my journey on the South Beach diet but you can expect plenty of future posts when I find new things or ideas. I can say, without a doubt, that it works and it's not as hard as I would've imagined. I've lost nearly 15 lbs amidst a holiday, family vacation and not being nearly as "strict" as I could have been. I feel better, I make better choices at almost every meal I have and I look forward to what the future weeks, months and even years bring. I've found new items in the grocery store and new ways to prepare meals and snacks. Thanks to everyone who commented and read along with me!

Familiar with Flax?

Do you eat flax seeds? I hadn't until recently and after doing a little googling I'm learning that the health benefits are amazing!

For example...

They contain almost no glycemic carbohydrates so I can add it to meals to moderate spikes in blood sugar. I can add it to muffins, sprinkle some on yogurt (instead of granola), add it to cereal or salads. They have a mild nutty flavor and a great taste!

Plus, one tablespoon of milled flax seed contains approximately 1.5 grams of ALA, an essential Omega-3 fatty acid. (Recommended daily intake of ALA is 1.3 grams.) It's also a great source of fiber, protein and lots of other things!

If you cook with flax seeds, what recipes do you have?

Sick at the Beach

What started as a tickle in my throat last Thursday morning turned into a fever, sore throat, coughing, aches and pains and after 4 tired days and 5 sleepless nights I am starting to feel better. Trust me that when standing in front of my pantry or fridge deciding on what to eat, thinking about carb levels were not the priority. Not that I went crazy, I chose tomato soup and chicken broth over the noodle soups and I had whole wheat crackers on hand too. Those sugar free Popsicles, jello and hard candies came in handy too. After a couple days I began to realize that after all this time I am starting to make better choices, without even thinking about it and it is getting easier. Grocery shopping is going a little faster, the options in my fridge and pantry are getting healthier and although the scale is still moving down slowly I realized that even when I felt my worst, I made good choices. I'm not just trying to do this, I am doing this and I feel better for it. Being sick at the beach isn't fun but I learned a lot about myself and felt a little better, despite the cold.

Spaghetti, Pizza, Italian oh my!

I love spaghetti...and pizza...and lasagna...and garlic bread on the side. I love Italian food. This has to be one of my biggest challenges when watching carb levels so last week when family members ordered in a pizza I was worried. But I had one slice along with a salad and I felt content.

Then over the weekend I opened the pantry to start dinner and from the back of the cabinet I heard it, calling my name, the SPAGHETTI! I didn't fight it and made a separate pot of whole wheat noodles to go with my sauce (I like the Hunts meat sauce in a can, I add a pound of browned lean ground beef). To fight the garlic bread temptation I brushed a whole wheat English muffin with a little butter and sprinkled some Italian seasoning and garlic salt on the top and put it in the oven to get crunchy. At the end of the meal, I felt satisfied, comfortable and proud of myself for modifying a meal that I love with healthier options.

I can do this and I tell myself that everyday. I have moments of weakness but before I had days. Disastrous days when I felt yucky and knew I needed to make changes. I am making those changes and always reading, searching and figuring out more changes to make. One step at a time...speaking of steps, the next big change will be exercise!

Memorial Day Celebrations...on the Beach!

Are you going to a cook-out or party today? Anyone that has ever tried to improve their eating habits knows that the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas is not the time to make that change. You've got parties, baked goods, family gatherings and the temptations are endless. But, regardless of when you try to make a change you're going to have to deal with some event or function that will potentially cause your diet to crash. But instead of thinking about falling off the wagon, don't even think about being on a wagon at all. What do I mean by that?

I am trying to improve my lifestyle. I am not on a diet or a temporary change in my eating habits, I am changing the overall way that I eat and approach food in general. To me, that means that I am not obsessed with "falling off of my diet". Going to a cookout means that I get a little more salad, cut up my grilled chicken to add to my salad and skip the bread, have a little potato salad and if I really want some dessert, I have a little. Were my eating habits perfect? Of course not, but I will feel like I can stick to something if I make changes like that. Instead of filling up on potato salad, a hamburger, some corn, baked beans, and a helping of dessert I make better choices that still leaving me content with what I ate.

Be realistic with yourself, your lifestyle and the food you really like to eat. Skipping a small serving of dessert at a party doesn't help if you go home with dessert on your mind and have a handful of cookies with a big glass of chocolate milk to wash them down.

Enjoy your memorial day!