Microwave Popcorn (without the oil, salt and expense of storebought bags)

This post from100 days of real food sums up my thoughts (exactly) making your own microwave popcorn. Bottom line, it works, well.
I just went to the store and paid $1 for 50 brown paper lunch sacks and another 1.88 for a 32 oz bag of popcorn. I used 1/3 rd cup popcorn and ended up with 12 bags (that's .24 a bag) and fatsecret says that 1/3 cup of un-popped corn will be 172 calories. 
So make yourself up a bag... or a dozen and have it on-hand on the cheap for your diet fix.
YOUR WELCOME!

Sharing a favorite blog (YumYucky)

Today, I am sharing with you one of my newfound favorite blogs...heck, lets make it a thing and from now on Wednesday will be Share a blog day...
So without further ado... I present to you YumYucky, which features Josie a hilarious 40 something mom and about to be grandma who works out, looks great and still manages to eat some great food...Oh, she has an amazing blog too.
Enjoy it.

Fasting....I'm not REALLY doing it.

I thought I was "fasting".  I have heard many people on MFP (My Fitness Pal) talk about being "fasters" and wondered about it... Then I stopped wondering and started fasting.... or so I thought.

A few years ago I read a popular book at the time Skinny Bitch.  I thought it was a great book... I should read it again...but that's not the point.  I remember something from the book about "waiting as long as possible before you eat in the morning".  I took this to be fasting.  So I started doing this....

Instead of eating in the a.m. before I went to do my workout...I only had coffee, caffeine is really all I need to get me moving and power me through my workout...ok... water.... I also need water.  But I didn't need the calories as I wasn't doing a super grueling workout and lets face it... I have fat to burn... So.... I waited to eat until I returned from my workout.... as I am not employed... some days my morning workout takes me to 11:00 a.m.  So I have successfully not eaten until lunch... saving calories for the rest of the day... and possible something delicious.

BUT... this was not fasting.... according to Life by Daily Burn, fasting is a serious science.. and can be broken down by type... YES, there are 5 types of fasts (who knew).  Well this is a serious method  I am not ready to commit to.  At least not yet.... but at least now, I (and you) are armed with the information.

100 days left to the new year

I am in a group on My Fitness Pal tracking weight loss until the new year... This group starts on September 23rd so that we can have 10 , 10 day increments to meet our goal of 100 days by 2015.
here is the link to the tracker with the dates of the 10 day increments.
Feel free to add a username  and goal weight.. or not....
Or copy this spreadsheet or make your own and set a goal or goals to meet, make or continue until 2015.
You can do anything for 10 days.... do that 10 times and you have done it 100.
Awesome concept!

How many calories am I really burning on my walk/ jog/ run?

I run...not because I enjoy it...but because I believe it whips my body into the best shape in the shortest amount of time.  I also track calories... because I am an over-eater, it is my metric to determine how much food I can consume in a day/ week... and still have a calorie deficit with the hopes of loosing weight.
So the question arises, how many calories is my walk/ run/ jog burning? What is the optimal pace for burning calories for my limited skill and time.
Though treadmills and smart-watches, and heart rate monitors all claim to have an answer... they all seem to vary.
Well here is yet, one more metric from caloriesburnedhq... to throw in the mix. But at least it is fun to play with...without having to do the physical exercise to "see" the results.

Notice how your weight is also a factor in the amount of calories you burn as well as your pace and time.
Enjoy, calculating.

Foodie Friday (Make your own yogurt)

I make my own yogurt... there I said it.  Call me a "granola" type if you like.  I don't do it cause its healthier or so I'll know what's in it.  I do it cause its cheap and easy... simple as that. 

Here's how I make mine... a tried and true method... never messes up.  

What you need.
Pasta pot
quart glass jars
cooking thermometer
washcloth
potholders
cooler
blanket
stovetop 
milk  ( I USE 2%)
1 small (single serve) plain yogurt with active cultures

1.  I use 2% milk, the normal stuff in the gallon jug. Most of the time it comes from Walmart and is the cheaper of the 2 they offer.

2.  Grab your 5 qt. pasta pot, fill it 3/4 full of tap water, place a dishrag in the bottom of it. Start boiling the water.

3.  Fill glass jars ( I use 1 qt glass jars)  almost full with milk, and set them on the washcloth in the pot. Pull out a small container of plain yogurt, and let cool to room temperature.

4.  Let the water boil and the milk heat till the milk becomes 180 degrees F.

5.  Remove the milk bottles by using a hotpad, let the milk cool till it is 110 degrees F.  (this step takes the longest... about 1 hour)

6.  After your milk has cooled to 110 degrees F, stir in 1 spoonful of yogurt into each jar of milk, then cap the jars. (VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE MILK GETS TO 110 OR YOU WIL KILL THE YOGURT YOU PLACE IN THE JARS, AND YOU WILL NOT HAVE YOGURT.

7.  Place the jars in a cooler and wrap the cooler in a big blanket or towel. Place is a warm, room temperature area

8.  FORGET ABOUT IT!!! overnight or for about 10 hours.... the longer you wait the thicker it gets. Then refrigerate.  DELICIOUS.

* NEXT TIME YOU MAKE YOGURT, YOU CAN USE THIS FOR THE BASE INSTEAD OF BUYING A SINGLE SERVE YOGURT.

Trust me... this is so easy... after one time... you'll be a pro.  I promise I make this and just didn't see this recipe and throw it out there... I hate that.

COME BACK NEXT WEEK TO SEE HOW I MAKE A DELICIOUS OATS WITH FRUIT IN A CUP USING THIS YOGURT.

100 best running songs (a Spark People Opinion poll)

I run with music... perhaps when I am a better runner, i.e. not breathing hard and heavy and clomping me feet like a giant work horse, I might run sans music... but for now: Music is a must.
I am always on the lookout for some good tunes as well.  Something that motivates me to run a little longer, a little faster, a little prouder.
If you are looking for songs like these... don't borrow my list... though I will share my faves as well borrow this list of 100_running_songs_of_all_time  list, a poll from Sparkpeople.com.

Or check out my faves if you can find them.

1. Beyoncé: Ring the Alarm, free mason version
2.  Nerd: Almost Over now
3.  Taylor Swift: Shake it Off