Magical Food and Inspiration

So I am back on the weight loss kick since things are finally settling down here.  No more traveling for a while, no more medical appointments, etc.

It's nice.

With that focus I have been finding inspiration.  I love Biggest Loser, mostly just for the before and after pictures.  But here is a definite inspiration shot that I am currently using.

That's Rebecca (from Season 8) I think... hard core for sure.  

Other than inspiration I have been reading blogs and SparkPeople to find alternatives for the high calorie things I love.  Mostly peanut butter.  I found PB2.

I had to order it online and hoped and prayed it would be close to the real thing... 

Okay calories are good... 85% less than normal, even light, peanut butter. 

Here is 2 tablespoons, then you mix 1 tablespoon of water... Weird how it is in powder form 

Okay looking a little more normal once water is added... that's a good sign.  

And here's my healthy snack.  45 calories of peanut butter and 1 apple.  

 I really have no complaints about the peanut butter.  It is the same smell and taste.  The only thing that may be slightly, and I mean slightly, off is the texture.  But overall it is really good, and I can't just grab a spoonful while walking by the pantry because I actually have to make the stuff, so that will help A LOT with control.

While looking over all of these alternatives I also found Miracle Noodle.  Now here is where I got really skeptical, because what kind of noodle has 0, yes 0, calories?  Well apparently Miracle Noodle.  It isn't as cheap as regular pasta and costs a lot to ship, but for 0 calories I figured it was worth a try.

Here's how it comes.  Packaged in water.  This is the fettuccini version.  

Here's the calories.... baffling... 

Here's what it is made of... I don't know what any of that means, but to me it means 0 calories! 

It is interesting to make.  You have to drain and wash the noodles.  Then blanch them for a minute and then dry them out.  

And here is the final product. 

I would say that overall it is pretty good.  It is kind of gummy in comparison to real pasta.  But considering the picture above was only 350 calories because I made a meat sauce, as opposed to 600 calories with real noodles, I can get used to a little bit of gummy noodles.

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