This is a great one if you have kids. They love to squish stuff and they love to eat them.

Don’t freak out at the ingredients list. Most are available at your local bulk food store or grocery store.

• 1 3/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup oat bran
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar or 1/3 cup Splenda Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
• 1/4 cup coconut
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup honey or 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg, beaten or 1/4 cup eggbeaters
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup apple sauce (recommend cinnamon or mixed berry)
• 2 – 2 1/2 cups of “Stuff”
  -Raisin, Golden Raisins, Apricots
  -Dried Crushed Banana Chips & Mini Chocolate Chips
  -Almonds, Pecans, Sunflower Seeds, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, oat bran, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flours, flaxseed, coconut and salt. Add “Stuff” and mix.
3. Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, egg, oil, vanilla and applesauce. Apply a little vegetable oil to your hands. Mix well using your hands.
4. Pat the mixture evenly into a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Apply a layer of wax paper, roll mixture smooth but do not allow it to touch sides of pan. Remove wax paper.
5. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges.
6. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm. Do not allow the bars to cool completely before cutting, or they will be too hard to cut.
7. Once cool, store in an air tight container.

I’d love to include photos with my recipes.  But I wanted to get this online for the girls doing Think Thin Thursdays.

So what did I accomplish this week?   Not much.  I had a mental breakdown over my drawing class which pretty much consumed me.   Complete anxiety and insomnia.  

So did I make my 6000 step count?  Nope.  My feet haven’t touched the treadmill this week.

Did I limit my chocolate consumption? Nope.  I made choco chip pizza with my boys and I’ve ate most of it.   Diet tip #1 – do not buy your kids a cookbook.  They will not want to make any healthy items, they will go straight for the junk.

Did I lose a pound?  Nope.   But to look on the positive side.  I didn’t gain anything.  I lost .2 lbs.   It is something. 

What did I learn this week?   I can maintain my weight if I keep the snacking resonable (fiber one bar in the afternoon, almonds, banana on my way home from work, etc.).   It also helps if I stay busy and out of the kitchen.   But really exercise is key for me.  If I throw in that mile on the treadmill, it helps.

Week 3 Goal – I’m going back to the beginning, my goal is 6000 steps per day (if I don’t have class). 

One thing I am really good at is eating breakfast.   Its kind of a company thing at my work.   Everyone eats breakfast here.   Some of my favorites are:

• Oatmeal  – I usually choose the Quaker high fiber brown sugar or the Simple Harvest.  Then I add raisins.   It makes it more appealing.  
• Hard boiled eggs -  Sometimes I’ll eat this with a handful of almonds.  Protein is key to losing weight. 
• Yogurt – Dannon Lite & Fit Vanilla Yogurt with fruit (apples, strawberries, bananas).  If I splurge I’ll throw some granola on top.  
• In a rush - grab a Fiber One bar.  I love the chocolate chip ones.   I also make my own granola bars.  I’ll post that recipe next. 

So Monday I join Bridgette over at The Not-So-Blog Blog on her Think Thin Thursday challenge.   I should have thought my goal through a little more.  It was a little difficult to accomplish since I started school this week.   The only way I can accomplish 6000 steps a day is by hitting the treadmill for atleast a mile.      But luckily my class on Tuesday let out early.  And yesterdays step count 6412.    So since Monday I’ve loss .8 lbs.   Not much but its a start and it was only 3 days.

This week I’m going to work on killing my sweet tooth.   I’m limiting myself to 1 bit size chocolate a day.   It wouldn’t be hard at work…except one of our suppliers brought us boxes of Godiva chocolate for Christmas.   We ration it to one a day so we have it through January.  Hence my one a day rule.   If your going to eat it, might as well be the good stuff.   So I need to rid my house of the rest of the candy from Christmas tonight.   hmm…what can I do with it…I hate throwing out good Chocolate.

Week 1 Goal – Since I just got a pedometer, my goal is 6000 steps per day.  ACCOMPLISHED

Week 2 Goals – Lose 1 lb, Limit sweets to 1 bite size chocolate a day, 6000 steps on non-school days 

I can’t decide if three things seems like a lot.    But its not like I’m forcing myself on a diet.  I’m just tried to modify my lifestyle a little at a time.   I think I can do it.   I’m feeling pretty good since I’ve started.  Yet I don’t feel deprive…yeah I’m trying to loose weight but I made steak bites and baked potatos for din din last night.   I’m not up for the dieting thing yet.    Just wait till I post my “Add Some Saddle to my Bags” Mac & Cheese recipe.   I just need to take some photos….keep a look out for that one.

Addition:  Just wanted to share a great website for figuring out the nutritional info for food – CalorieKing.com and a website that offers great nutritious recipe substitutions – HungryGirl.com

Ok so day two with my pedometer…well actually without it. I forgot my pedometer at home today. So I’m estimating. Yesterday I walkes about 2500 steps during the day at work. I did about the same amount of work today. But I’m going to low ball it and figure 2000. Add that to the 4174 after work. I hit the treadmill for a 1.25 miles so I feel good.

I was really worried I wouldn’t get my 6000 goal in today. I started school. Luckily we just went over our syllabus and got to leave. I’m going to have to reconsider my Thin Thin Thursday goal for next week. I’m thinking of limiting myself to 2 bit size chocolates per day. I’ve had a major sweet tooth lately so that would be a huge cut back. We’ll see.

So today was my first day with the pedometer. At first it was pretty pathetic….2500 in 8 hours at work. Sitting at a computer all days doesn’t help. But I hopped on the treadmill this evening and got on a roll. I’m finishing today at 6595 steps.

I didn’t realize when I decided to have kids I got an extra one thats always hanging on me. I’m ending my relationship with the Muffin Man…I’m determine to bust the Muffin Top.

I’ve decided to join Bridgette over at The Not-So-Blog Blog on her Think Thin Thursday challenge. She’s challenging us to set a weight loss goal for the week and also a weekly challenge to keep us motivated.