Azul Sensatori Brides - POST HERE!

Amy, we are doing a catamaran cruise on the Friday before we get married. It's kind of like the rehearsal dinner, so his parents are paying for it. There are a couple companies I have been looking into. I think we'll want to do some snorkeling and then cruise around for a bit. cancucncatarmarans and Cata Maya Catamaran are the ones I have been looking at.

I also want to do a day excursion to Chita Itza (sp?) earlier in the week with whomever wants to join. That one everyone would have to pay on their own.

I think the next couple weeks I am going to send out the brochure and timeline and see what people want to do.

OH, does any brides that have already been married have any group activity reccomendations?? Or any brides to be wanna share what their if any plans are?[/quote

 

We are trying to get a groups together to do a group tour to the ruins in Tulum. We are asking everyone to pay for this one on their own, since we really didn't know how many people were willing to commit to going. Trying to coordinate activities with everyone's schedules has been one of the harder things to figure out.

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! My FI and I and some of our best friends all went to Austin, TX to see a concert and go out for Halloween! We all dressed up as Dazed and Confused characters. My bff and I had this cute tshirts made...it was funny!! ok, gotta finish some work and I'll be back to catch up on all the posts!

ohhhhh my gosh!!! You look too cute in your costumes! Ok, I'll put some up today and change my siggy and all that!

holy hell, I just posted the longest reply in the history of the website and it did not post...so here goes again!

Diet Info!!!

Ok, to preface this, I will tell you my FI and I LOVE fine dining, wine, partying, drinking and all that!! We drink a TON, especially during football season. Every weekend we have people over to our house and eat junk and drink and stuff, so during the week, I try to eat perfectly!!

Here are some suggestions:

1) FISH!!!! Fish is soooo good for you! Amy, this should be easy living in Bermuda too. Go buy a grill pan from Bed Bath and Beyond or Walmart or whatever everyone has. It is so great to cook fish, chicken, etc on. Also, you can bake the fish. All you need is olive oil, salt and pepper, and a some freshly squeezed limes. We also make healthy sauces to go on the fish, instead of cream sauces and all of that. (think Mango Habanera, basil pesto, etc). Trigger fish is a kind of a "hit fish" right now, and you need hardly any seasoning on it.

2) Grilled chicken: I know this can get boring, but it is a diet staple and so cheap! Also, google "healthy chicken recipes" or "asian chicken" or spicy chicken or whatever you are in the mood for. I also bought this magazine called "Cooking Light-Chicken." It has awesome recipes. You can google those as well.

3) Lean Meat: We LOVE steaks, but those calories can add up. You can buy Bison meat (filet, ribeye, hamburger, etc). It is not only delicious, but half the cals and fat as a regular filet or ribeye or hamburger. It doesn't need much seasoning either. If your FI is tired of "healthy food," you can trick him a little. Go buy ground sirloin meat or 93/7 ground beef or bison burger meat and whole wheat buns. Add a little lettuce, tomato, onion, whatever and a slice of cheese and you have a decently healthy hamburger. He won't even know the difference! Also, a lean pork tenderloin is healthy and delicious. For lunch, you can do turkey sandwich on whole wheat. Here is a healthy recipe that my FI LOVES! SO easy and healthy:

Ginger Asian Wraps

1/2 cup chopped carrots I use slivers that you use in salads

1/2 cup water

20 oz lean grd turkey

3 garlic cloves minced (don't have to add if you use soy vay teriyaki sauce)

2 tbs minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (I use Soy Vay and skip adding garlic...don't substitute this brand. A lot of grocery stores don't have it but for some reason Walmart does...and I think Whole Foods)

1 tbs creamy peanut butter (I use the healthy, all natural stuff to cut down on the cals and sugar)

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs rice vinegar

1/4 cup hoisin sauce

1/2 cup green onions chopped

cashews to taste -chopped

Cook carrots in water til tender, then add turkey and cook til brown. Add remaining ingredients and blend, cooking for 10 minutes or so on low to medium heat. Serve in tortillas or iceburg lettuce wraps. I use organic hearts of palm lettuce. SO delicious and healthy. If you use tortillas, make sure they are whole wheat! Some other suggestions for lean meats: white bean chicken chili, healthy taco soup (ground turkey or sirloin), healthy tacos (same), etc.

4) Healthy Snacks: ok, I LOVE snacking and am basically a chip monster. I am not a big dessert fan but LOVE salty foods, especially chips and dip. So, when we go to Mexican restaurant, I make sure I only eat 10 chips with SALSA, not cheese dip. But here are some even healthier snacks you can eat at home:

-Hummus and veggies...SO SO SO SO good and healthy

-Multi grain Wasa crackers and salsa or hummus or anything. These are so delicious and healthy. Go get them!!!

-Nuts! Now, I am not talking about honey roasted or extra salt or whatever. The all natural nuts, such as almonds, pistachios, cashews, etc. Just eat them in small portions. A small handful of almonds for a morning snack is the healthiest 150 calories you will eat all day!

-Healthy tuna fish. You can google this and it is a great afternoon snack to hold you over until dinner.

5) Sweet potatoes: Ok, there is a reason that Victoria's Secret models eat sweet potatoes. They are SO SO SO good for you. You can bake them in the oven whole or even cut them up as "fries" and bake them. Sprinkle a little salt, red pepper, olive oil, and fresh garlic, and bake them for 45 minutes or so. Dip in ketchup and they are AWESOME!!!!

6) Veggies: SO SO SO important and can be delicious. I LOVE salads too. Just make sure you fill them with veggies and avoid the creamy dressings and croutons. Instead of croutons, try sliced almonds. YUM! Also, I am OBSESSED with ranch dressing, so I always ask for light (not fat free...it has too much sugar) and get it on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing first! Any green veggie is good for you. Try doing this: Take zucchini, squash, and sweet potatoes, and cut them up. Salt and pepper and garlic and lime juice sprinkled on top. Then wrap in foil and bake for 45 minutes in the oven. AMAZING! When you go out to dinner, always get double veggies instead of potatoes or a sweet potato instead of a white potato.

7) Alcohol: My FI and I are huge wino's. We always have a glass or 2 of red wine with dinner every night to "take the edge off." Try to stick to red wine. You can get some awesome bottles for under $15 per bottle. We subscribe to Wine Spectator and they have awesome suggestions for inexpensive wine. I try not to "go out" during the week, but I usually end up doing something. We always have some event or happy or whatever. Here are some suggestions for when you go out:

-Red wine

-Vodka and water: ok, before you get squeamish, just hear me out! I always use Stoli vodka. It is not high end vodka or low end. It is right in the middle. HOWEVER, for some reason, it mixes great with water. Better than Grey Goose! THEN, squeeze 3 lemons in the vodka water. It is delicious and only 60 cals.

-Bourbon and diet coke: great for gameday! 60 calories

-Sweet tea vodka: This is sweet tea infused vodka. Just add water and lemons or diet lemonade and you have an awesome drink. 60 cals.

-Bloody mary: Surprisingly, depending on the size and the mix, this can have 80 cals or so. I would recommend drinking 10 of them, but they are great to drink before brunch or lunch or something to fill you up. Sunday afternoon brunch is always my cheat meal (and fav meal). I ALWAYS order a bloody mary before I eat to fill me up, instead of eating the bread they bring out.

-Mimosas: Ok, calories can add up quickly here! Tell them to go light on the OJ or avoid the OJ all together. If you are at home, you can by the "light" OJ.

-Fruity Drinks: AVOID these at all costs! UNLESS, the bartender can make a skinny girl version. They usually know how to make a skinny girl margarita or mojito or daiquiri or whatever. JUST ASK!!

Breakfast: This is the MOST important meal of the day. Seriously, if you skip breakfast, you are 300% more likely to be obese. I usually make my FI and I a smoothie every morning. Just make sure you split it, because the whole thing is about 600 calories. I usually don't even drink all of mine to keep it around 200 cals. Recipe: 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 cup OJ, 4 strawberries, handful of blueberries, half a banana, flaxseed oil, light yogurt, and protein powder. (I use Gladiator brand from Smoothie King, but the one Amy uses is delicious too). You can also do egg whites, turkey bacon, whole wheat toast, etc.

9) Dessert: I am not a big dessert person, so you may wanna get suggestions from someone else on this one. A protein shake is a great idea Amy! Also, a piece of dark chocolate with a glass of red wine is perfect for me and good for you.

10) Rice/pasta: I don't eat much rice or pasta, but when I do, it is ALWAYS whole wheat/grain! You can find sooo many healthy recipes using whole wheat and whole grain. Try homemade marinara (onion, bell pepper, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, and jalepeno) with grilled chicken or trigger fish, and whole wheat bowtie noodles. YUM!

11) Beans: SO good for you! Incorporate beans into your diet ASAP! Black beans, whole grain brown rice, and hot sauce. Such a good quick dinner.

12) Restaurant Tips: Like Amy said, ALWAYS put half of your food in a to go box. Also, try to order fish or lean steak when you can. Get a salad and a side of veggies and you are good to go. Even if it is not on the menu, you can usually request something like this: grilled salmon, with NO butter and light on the olive oil; sauteed spinach (NOT in butter but a little olive oil); and a salad. SO yummy and healthy! I always say no butter. Even if you are are at a 5 star restaurant, they may cook your steak or whatever with butter.

Also, check out the P90x menu, like Amy said. This will give u great menu ideas. Also, I LOVE Abs Diet for Women book. It is THE easiest eating plan, with sooo many great recipes. You can definitely make healthy food interesting. Just google recipes for everything I have listed. Please let me know if you have any questions. OH yeah for lunch, you can do a turkey sandwich on whole wheat or healthy tuna salad on lettuce or whatever!