Get Fit: Week 1.1

I've debated posting about my exercise/weight loss progress (or lack of) for a while, but just didn't think it was anything pertinent to the blog or anything anyone would want to read. Now I've decided that blogging about my progress will force me to step it up! Mexico is only 8 weeks away and this body is nowhere near beach-ready! So, I'll be posting my daily progress. Feel free to not read these posts.

Exercise: 25 minutes (Strength training - Biggest Loser DVD) (-75)

Cokes: 0

Water (8oz glasses): 4

Breakfast: Cheerios (160), coffee (170)

Morning Snack: True Delights granola bar (140)

Lunch: Chili (350), 2 cresent rolls (220)

Afternoon Snack: 3 choc chip cookies (270), coffee (170)

Dinner: Slumgullion (300), beets (30)

Nighttime Snack: none

Total: 1735

Staring weight: 131 (evening weigh-in)

Broadway Breck

Pajama Day Cookie Baking!

From top left:
* Breck taste-testing the cookie dough before the chocolate chips
* Breck taste-testing the chocolate chips
* Breck and Rowan waiting patiently for the cookies to bake
* Tasting a fresh warm cookie
* Deciding he doesn't want it after all
* The nibble Breck took
* Rowan enjoying her half cookie
* Breck pretending to eat a cookie
* Our final product

Chocolate Chip Cookies (when you're out of brown sugar!)

Today I promised Breck that we would make cookies. (ok, it was more a promise to myself, since he only eats the dough!) As we were getting our ingredients out, I realized we were out of brown sugar. So, I figured the "all-knowing" internet would be able to give me a substitution. Sure enough, it did! (1 cup white sugar plus 1 1/2 Tbsp molasses = 1 cup brown sugar) but, I don't keep molasses on hand! In fact, I've never used it. So, I looked up substitutions for molasses. (honey, dark corn syrup, or pure maple syrup) but, I don't keep any of those on hand, either. However, I do have light corn syrup, so I figured that would be close enough! They turned out fantastic! They taste just like they would had I used brown sugar, but I think they have a nicer, lighter color. So, I may use this recipe from now on!

Here's the ever-so-slightly-altered recipe in case you, too, find yourself out of brown sugar!

Ingredients
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp corn syrup
1 cup softened butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla; beat until creamy. Add eggs and beat. Add flour, salt, baking soda and beat until well mixed. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake 8 - 10 minutes. Makes apporximately 3 dozen cookies

POWERade Double Points Day at MyCokeRewards.com

If you use MyCokeRewards.com and you drink Powerade, be sure to hang on to your caps/codes until Tuesday, April 7th. The site is having POWERade Double Points Day, so you'll earn 6 points per cap instead of the usual 3 points!

...and if you drink Powerade, but don't use your codes, feel free to send them my way! ;)

Product Review: Nature's Source

I'm a member of a website, bzzagent.com, that gives it's members products to try and talk about with other people....basically to create word of mouth advertising. (I've been able to try Pledge Multi Surface cleaner and Teddy Grahams Trail Mix) This time I was able to review Nature's Source; SC Johnson's line of natural and biodegradable cleaners. I was sent Nature's Source glass & surface cleaner, bathroom cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner and their all-purpose cleaner.

The first product I tried was the glass & surface cleaner. The obvious difference is the color. It was clear, not blue like regular Windex. I put it to the test by cleaning our coffee table, which is often caked with peanut butter, milk and various juice spills, and it performed up to par - just like regular Windex!







Next, I tested the bathroom cleaner. I have to admit, this was the product I least looked forward to trying - it meant I had to clean the tub and shower - not my favorite chore! It did a great job of making the metal parts shine, but I felt it lacked when it came to removing soap scum from the shower walls.







The toilet bowl cleaner was also a bit disappointing. The back label claims that it is a thick formula that will cling under the rim, but it was not thick nor did it cling. It was more like slimy green goo that slid down the bowl. I think I'll be sticking to my Lysol for toilet cleaning duties.







To test the all-purpose cleaner, I went to my stove top and range hood. The label on this one says it cuts through grease - what better way to test it than on the greasiest thing in the house?! I sprayed it on, let it sit for a few minutes, wiped it off with a paper towel and was amazed at the results! It really degreased! And had I used something more abrasive then a paper towel, I'm sure it would have taken off those really caked on, hard to reach grease spots. (the ones I can't see and therefore get minimal attention!)
If you try one Nature's Source cleaner, this is definitely the one I recommend.



One nice thing about all the Nature's Source products, aside from their naturally based properties, is that none of them have an overpowering chemical aroma. The all have a chalky-citrus smell to them. (which in my opinion is better than the burn your nose chemical smells of other products!)

Another fantastic thing about these products is that SC Johnson, the makers of Nature's Source, tell you what's in the cleaners! You can find that info and more at the Nature's Source website.

And, Nature's Source products are priced the same as their non-natural counterparts.
Go here to print a $1 off any Nature's Source product coupon.


...and be on the lookout for my upcoming giveaway of a Nature's Source cleaner!