9lbs since Jan 1st!

Staying motivated can be hard i agree, It helps me to set short term goals as well as long term, like right now i have some 12 week goals, but i also have a goal of losing 5 lbs by Feb 28th. A goal that isnt far off tends to keep you more focused. for recipes i have found alot of good ones from this website....gives you the calorie and nutrition info as well. Good luck ...heres the link....

http://allrecipes.com/recipes/healthy-recipes/

Here's a recipe for those days where you just really wanna splurge on something chocolatey. It's SO good and you don't feel guilty drinking it!

Chocolate Frosty Light
Serves 1

1 cup original unsweetened almond milk
1 frozen banana
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp chia seeds
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
8-10 ice cubes

Combine all ingredients in a high powered blender and blend until smooth.

Here is a stand by spaghetti sauce for 201 calories and makes NINE 1 cup servings. 2 oz of Pasta is 200 calories. Add a nice salad with a sensible dressing and you would be hard pressed to break 550 cal for a meal. This is also a great sauce of an Italian Jane (sauce over a split potato). I use this as a fill in for lasagna too, just add the right cheeses.

1 lbs ground beef (95% lean)
1 onion, diced
4 toes of garlic, crushed and minced
2 small cans of mushrooms (unless you can get some fresh ones)
3 small cans of tomato sauce
2 standard cans of petite diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
3/4 cup Merlot (or a red wine, something you would drink)

I use the following spices to taste:
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Garlic Salt
Onion Powder
Italian Seasoning
Oregano
Parsley
3 Bay Leaves

Brown the meat in a large pot about half way with spices. I like adding my dried spices and salt at this stage. Then add you your onion, mushrooms, garlic and more spices. Simmer and stir occasional until the beef is brown. Pour about a half cup Merlot, stir well, turn down the heat and leave it alone for about 10 minutes. This fortifies the meat and veggies for the sauce. Pour in the remainder of the canned goods. Add the last 1/4 cup Merlot to one of the cans with a bit of water, then toss the contents from one can to another making sure to get anything you may have missed. Pour that in the pot. Add in more spices, stir and let simmer on low for 20 minutes or so. Taste and spice as needed. If you add more spices, let it simmer at least 10 more minutes to let the flavors meld. Bon Appetit