Day 159 - A Before & After and 8,000 Link Ups (Im Kidding) :)

Good Afternoon Everyone, how is your Wednesday going??? Mine has been OK so far - only OK because my lady week started this morning and I left my midol at home and Im dying right now - plus trying not to eat everything bad for me within a 20 mile radius - Im doing great and havent had anything bad for me - Guys, I am even staring longingly at a sleeve of crackers I have behind my desk -what is wrong with me?!? Ugh, so because I was feeling low - I decided to do another Before & After pic this morning - that always makes me happy - I love seeing progress :) And all of you that follow me on IG have seen these already, sorry but youre going to see them again :)

The left picture was taken after Thanksgiving of last year, Nov. 2012 and the right picture was taken this morning March 20, 2013.  Pretty awesome, and I am super dang proud of myself - even if my weigh in this morning was underwhelming...which leads me to:

My first link up is with Ms. Erin from She's a Big Star for:

So, as I mentioned above, my lady week started this morning, so my weigh in was very underwhelming - but I guess a success...

According to last week, I am down .8 of a pound.  I will take it and I know that next week I should (cross fingers) have a good weigh in - I just want out of the 180s!!! And I am .4 away from hitting my Diet Bet goal...so annoying :) Of course I did all the silly things you do to get a good number and I got 181.6 - but the picture didnt turn out and I didnt see that number again...so I will keep doing what I am doing and be patient with myself - cant help mother nature :/  Im working really hard and that's the point right?

Next Up I am linking up with Ms. Jenn from Peas and Crayons for:

For work today I brought:

And since I am all about honesty here, I sleepily chose these items for lunch without doing the calories for each item at the same time, upon doing that - I realized that all of this would only leave like 150 cals for dinner, haha yeah right, so I am not having the peppers and guac until dinner time and I am still going to be over 45 cals...oh wells - Ill take it!  Oh and I dont count the extra calories they add back in after your workout - I am sticking to the original plan.  I am doing my elliptical tonight for my work out - these cramps are going to make working out difficult so I am going to stick to my original plan of running tomorrow with my new shoes - cant wait!

A few of you all have asked for my muffin recipe (top left corner) here it is:

I adapted a recipe from Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Diet Cookbook:

Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins

Great Value - 100% Whole Grain Old Fashioned Oats, 1 cup dry (40g)

Great Value - Unsweetened Applesauce - No Sugar Added, 0.5 -4 oz cup (3g)

Libby's - Canned Pumpkin, 0.5 cup

Eggs - Whole, raw, 2 large

Smart Balance - Omega Blend Vegetable Oil (Canola, Olive, Soy), 2 Tbsp. (14g)

Giant - Double Acting Baking Powder, 3 tsp (0.6g)

Arm & Hammer - Pure Baking Soda, 0.5 tsp

Generic - Ground Cinnamon - Lisa, 1 tsp.

McCormick - Nutmeg, Ground, 0.75 tsp

McCormick - - Apple Pie Spice, 1 teaspoon

Mott's for Tots - Apple Juice, 4 fl oz

Wheat flour - Whole-grain, 0.75 cup

Domino - Light Brown Sugar , 12 Teaspoon

Raisins - Seedless, 0.5 cup, packed

I set my oven for 350 degrees.

I mixed all of the wet ingredients together with a handheld mixer.  Then I mixed the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  I added in the wet and mixed well.  Then I filled a lined cupcake pan 2/3 of the way x 12.  I baked these at 350 for about 25-30 minutes.  My oven is super old though, so you can test when they are ready by inserting a toothpick and waiting until the toothpick comes out clean. 

These made 12 muffins at 127 calories a piece.  I am sure you could sub in a healthier sugar option, to get those calories even further down - I might experiment with that next week :)

These muffins were super easy and delicious - I will be making these again!

Ok, next up I am linking up with Ms. Shannon from Life After I Dew for:

Today I am SAYING SO WHAT?!?

- If I let my daughter hang out on the counter - it's the easiest way to get her dressed :)

Seriously - how beautiful is she?

- If I want to eat everything in sight - at least I am not doing it, right?

- If I am seriously enjoying my spring break and no school work, but I am finding myself checking my "back burner" for things I am forgetting - it's weird!

- If I am scared ****less about my 5K this weekend - not that I wont finish it, but that I will walk...I dont want to walk!

- If I am more excited about my new running shoes than I would be a new Coach Bag - crazy how my brain has changed!!

And for the fourth lucky lady, I am linking up with Ms. Catalyn from Confessions of a Northern Belle for:

Today I am confessing that I:

- Still get scurrrrred right before I have a run, afraid I will wimp out and stop before I need to - and I never have.  I need to trust myself more, in all areas of my life.  

Ok folks, that's it.  See you tomorrow!