Jenny Craig Rotini with Meatballs, “volumized” with zucchini

Starting Weight (according to my home scale) – 128.2
Starting Mood – looking forward to a relaxing Saturday

Here’s the planned menu for today – 1,145 calories*:

Breakfast:
1 fried egg – 80 cal
1 slice of sourdough toast – 80 cal
1 clementine – 35 cal

Lunch:
Jenny Craig Rotini with Meatballs – 250 cal
- Add zucchini (free foods)
Salad with 1 tbsp dressing – 35 cal

Snacks:
1 stick of low-fat string cheese – 60 cal
a couple of pieces of Asian pear – 30 cal
1 red plum – 30 cal
Jenny Craig Cookies & Cream Cheesecake – 150 cal
handful of veggie chips – 50 cal

Dinner:
Jenny Craig Turkey with Gravy – 270 cal

Items highlighted are what I actually ate and the ones crossed out didn’t make it to my plate.  Anything extra that weren’t planned are noted below and highlighted red.

I’m not really great about eating my vegetables but I have been reading up on Jenny Craig’s idea of “volumnizing” your food with lots of vegetables so that you can eat more foods without negatively affecting your calorie count since they’re low in calorie and are so good for you.

I took that I idea today and sauteed up a zucchini to add to my rotini and meatballs for lunch.  It kept me so full that I didn’t really snack until dinner time.  I added up my calories for the day and came in really low so I munched on my fruit for a sweet dessert.  I’m still really under but I’m just so full that I can’t eat any more.

It’s not a great idea to eat less than what you should since your body goes into starvation mode and starts hoarding fat. But in this case, I feel full so I’m not going to force it.  It’s good to know that veggies really can fill you up!  Now I just gotta find a way to make them taste good

Actual calories consumed – 885

* calories estimated from CalorieKing.com

Starting Weight (according to my home scale) – 128.0
Starting Mood – TGIF! And excited to go the Natural Products Expo

Here’s the planned menu for today – 1,215 calories*:

Breakfast:
1 slice of broccoli and cheese egg white quiche – 230 cal
1 fried egg with 1 slice of sourdough toast – 160 cal
1 clementine – 35 cal

Lunch:
Jenny Craig Personal Pizza – 260 cal
- Add mushrooms
Salad with 1 tbsp dressing – 35 cal

Snacks:
Yoplait Light Fat-Free Strawberry – 100 cal
1 fruit serving, 2 clementines – 70 cal
Jenny Craig White Cheddar Popcorn – 130 cal
Lots of samples at the Natural Products Expo

Dinner:
Jenny Craig Cashew Chicken with brown rice – 290 cal
1 vegetable serving TBD – 100 cal

Items highlighted are what I actually ate and the ones crossed out didn’t make it to my plate.  Anything extra that weren’t planned are noted below and highlighted red.

Today I’m going to the Natural Products Expo for my day job.  But I have to admit that I was happy to go to see if I could discover something fun for this blog too.

Needless to say, I’ll be at the Anaheim convention center for the entire day without my pre-planned lunch or snacks.  Hopefully, I won’t lose track – but then again, how bad can the food samples be if they are natural? 

Well kids, I guess I underestimated how much FOOD was going to be at this expo!  There were tons of samples of natural juices, snacks, gluten-free doughs, noodles, tortillas and organic EVERYTHING!

I tried tons of stuff and didn’t think too much about what I was eating.  I just made sure to stop when I was full and not to say yes to all the samples being offered unless I really wanted to try it.

Overall, I don’t feel like I blew it today, but I probably ate many pieces of gluten-free, soy, veggie, all-natural or other kind of “good-for-you” pizzas, LOL!  I guess we’ll have to see what the scale says for this week!

Actual calories consumed –???, but probably not too horrible

* calories estimated from CalorieKing.com

Have you seen it? The movie of the season, if not the year, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland! Like Twilight, this movie is inspiring so many trends. One trend I can’t help falling for is the color blue. Alice isn’t Alice without her blue dress after all!

My idea of incorporating Alice in Wonderland into my life? Painting my nails with OPI Nail Lacquer in Absolutely Alice ($8.50 US), a stunning, bright blue with gold glitter. The color is opaque in three coats and smooth after a shiny topcoat.

Is the glitter of Absolutely Alice too much for you? If so, try Nic’s Sticks in Baby Go Bye-Bye ($7 US). The pastel baby blue pops against dark skin and compliments fair skin perfectly. Love the speedy application, but no so much the thin consistency.

Are you funky and in want of a more show-stopping blue? Then Milani Neon Nail Lacquer in Dude Blue ($4.99 US) is the saturated color you crave. You only need two coats and a good topcoat to keep your 80’s version of Alice going all week long.

Let’s say you love the vampy side of Tim Burton’s movie, then you’ll want the Borghese Nail Lacquer in Plumaggio Purple ($8 US), available at drugstores nationwide. In the bottle, the color is deep purple, but on the nails, it’s the perfect blend of navy with plum sparkles.

Maybe you have something against blue in general. No fear, try an aqua teal nail color like Milani Neon Nail Lacquer in Fresh Teal ($4.99 US). The green undertones and creamy finish are definitely there, making blue much more wearable for you.

There’s always a classic that withstands the tests of time. For blue nail polishes, it’s China Glaze Nail Lacquer in For Audrey ($5.99 US), the most marvelous Tiffany robin’s egg blue. You’ll be needing three coats for opacity, but the elegant color is worth it!

What’s on your nails today? Are you a fan of Alice in Wonderland? Share in the comments!

This review contains a sample product sent for consideration by PR.   We do not do paid or guarantee reviews. For more information, please read our Editorial & Content Disclosure.

Jenny Craig Traditional Lasagna

Starting Weight (according to my home scale) – 128.2
Starting Mood – tired and sooo ready for Friday

Here’s the planned menu for today – 1,165 calories*:

Breakfast:
1 slice of broccoli and cheese egg white quiche – 230 cal
1 cup of coffee with 2 creamers and Splenda – 30 cal

Lunch:
Jenny Craig Chicken Sandwich – 250 cal
- Add lettuce and tomato
Salad with 1 tbsp dressing – 35 cal
Spicy Tuna Roll (6), Tuna Nigiri (2), assorted sushi (3)  – 480 cal, guesstimate

Snacks:
1 stick of low-fat string cheese – 60 cal
1 fruit serving, 2 clementines – 70 cal
Jenny Craig Lemon Cake – 170 cal

Dinner:
Jenny Craig Traditional Lasagna – 250 cal
1 vegetable serving TBD – 100 cal small side of asparagus – 50 cal
small side of fried fish – 60 cal

Items highlighted are what I actually ate and the ones crossed out didn’t make it to my plate.  Anything extra that weren’t planned are noted below and highlighted red.

I had a major craving for sushi so I caved and went out with a couple of workers.  Usually when it’s just two of us, we get three rolls and share.  Today there were four of us sharing TONS of rolls so I ate more than I should have.  Oh well, at least my craving is gone now!

Tonight’s lasagna was also interesting.  I thought it was just a cheese lasagna since it was listed under Jenny’s menu as vegetarian.  It actually has soy meat in it, which I’ve never had before in a lasagna.  Certainly interesting! It was a little peppery but I’m glad it’s an option I have for weeks when I’m eating vegetarian

Actual calories consumed – 1,170

* calories estimated from CalorieKing.com

Did you know that you can get a FREE facial over at the Fresh boutique in South Coast Plaza in Orange County, CA?

Okay, okay.. nothing is ever free but Fresh does offer a great way for you to experience their products if you’ve never tried them before or just get a a free facial if you’re looking to re-stock on your Fresh favorites.  When you pay $125 for the facial, you get it all back in $125 worth of products you get to CHOOSE!

The boutique offers a 50-minute facial that includes a mini analysis of your skin followed by a cleansing, mask, exfoliating, and moisturizing regime that’s appropriate for you.  They don’t do extractions like the spas do; these facials are purely just a treat for your skin while experiencing Fresh products.

My aunt and I scheduled our appointments one Saturday afternoon, one right after the other since they only have one facial room (a bummer if you want to do a fun afternoon with a friend).  For me, my consultant noticed that my skin was a little dry and I also mentioned to her that I had been experiencing a bit of breakouts.

She started by cleansing my face with their most popular Soy Face Cleanser ($15 – $38 US).  The texture was fine and the smell really reminded me of the spa – scented with cucumber and rose.

To help curb breakouts, we used the Umbrian Clay Face Treatment ($48 US).  This product is pretty groovy because it’s a multi-tasker!  For me, she applied it all over my skin as a mask to help purify and detoxify to zap those zits!  You can also use it as a spot treatment for those pesky pimples or use it as a facial cleanser – pretty awesome right?

I like my current cleansers so I’ve been saving this to use mostly as a mask.

After sitting on my face for about 15 minutes, she finally removed the mask with some warm face towels and proceeded to work in the Appleseed Brightening Exfoliant ($60 US) to gently slosh off dead skin cells.

Pomegranate seeds and bamboo are the key ingredients in this exfoliator.  I love that it didn’t feel harsh on my skin at all and once the last of the exfoliant had been wiped of my face, it felt really smooth and baby soft.  No wonder why it’s a CEW Beauty Winner!

To moisturize my dry, winter-stricken skin (okay, it’s not that dramatic but you know what I mean), my consultant used a little of their new Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Cream ($65 US) to firm and hydrate around the eye area as well as reduce puffiness (maybe I hadn’t gotten enough sleep the night before? LOL).

For the rest of my skin, we moisturized with the Soy Face Cream ($38 US), another Fresh-favorite.  The formula is nice and light (great for summer months!) and again, smelled wonderful of fresh cucumber.

In the end, I wouldn’t say that it’s the best facial we’d ever received.  So if you’re in the mood for trying out a new skincare line, get a free facial while you’re at it.  And if you’ve been a loyal Fresh user for years, take advantage of your next trip in to stock up by getting a little treatment.  You never know what new products you might discover!

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