My 600 pound life: Henry...

The morbidly obese people featured on "My 600-lb Life" (Wed., 9 p.m. EST on TLC) faced many challenges on their long journeys toward a healthier lifestyle.

Not least was the danger posed to their lives by the various surgical procedures that they had to undergo.

Henry embarked on his journey at the age of 47, weighing 750 lbs and determined to lose weight so he could attend his high school reunion.

After losing a huge amount of weight Henry had a lot of excess skin that needed to be removed. However, when he went in for his second removal surgery, things went wrong.

Henry's heart stopped and the doctors had to resuscitate him.

Talking about the experience later, Henry described what it felt like to die. "I saw a white light. It was just like having an out of body experience," he said.

"There was the light to take me to Heaven [but] I wasn't ready for it," he added, "because there's so much here on earth I haven't did yet."

Henry grabbed onto his second chance at life with both hands and went on to lose an astonishing 475 lbs on his seven-year journey toward a normal life. Now, at the age of 53, Henry had found true love and was preparing for his wedding.

Cake Batter Milk Shakes

I strongly recommend the Funfetti one....yumm

3 Cake Batter Milkshake Recipes

I love cake batter-sometimes I don't even want to finish baking the cake I just want to eat the batter! It's a real will-power challenge for any baker, let me tell you. My love of cake batter inspired me to create a milkshake flavor that embodies everything delicious about cake batter. Enjoy....

Funfetti Milkshakes, makes 3-4 servings

Needed: 1 box of Funfetti cake mix, additional ingredients the box directions call for (except eggs), 4-5 cups milk and 4-5 scoops of vanilla ice-cream. Serve with extra sprinkles if you like! I rub a little bit of corn syrup on the edges of my glasses then dipped them in sprinkles to get this pretty rim look. 

Devils Food Cake Batter Milkshakes, makes 3-4 servings

Needed: 1 box of Devil's Food (or chocolate) cake mix, additional ingredients the box directions call for (except eggs), 4-5 cups milk and 4-5 scoops of chocolate ice-cream. Serve with extra sprinkles if you like! I rub a little bit of corn syrup on the edges of my glasses then dipped them in sprinkles to get this pretty rim look. 

Pineapple Upside Down Cake Batter Milkshakes*, makes 3-4 servings

Needed: 1 box of Pineapple cake mix, additional ingredients the box directions call for (except eggs), 2 cups fresh or canned pineapple, 4-5 cups skim milk and 2-3 scoops of nonfat vanilla frozen yogurt, and pineapple chunks + cherries for garnish.

*The Pineapple Upside Down Cake Batter Milkshake recipe is a more healthy option in case you are wanting a treat but would prefer a lighter option.

http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com 

Plush DIY Fox...Too cute!!

 http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/ 1: Supplies Needed- Simple solid, print, and white cotton fabric, scissors, card stock, plush stuffing, sewing machine/needle and thread and child safe snap on button eyes and noses. (You can find them in the doll section at your local craft store.) 2. Cut out the back and front of the fox. We made ours an estimate 1x2 ft. 3. Cut out and trace a circle from card stock on the back of your patterned fabric. This will be for the fox's belly! 4. Next, sew on a triangle shape for the snout with the white fabric. For the eyes and nose, make a tiny hole with scissors, poke the eyes and nose through and secure it with the back snap. 5. After you've sewn on the snout, sew on the belly! You'll always want to sew on the snout first, guaranteeing that the belly won't be too high or too low. 6. Once you've decorated the front, place both sides together with the outsides facing in and sew them together, leaving a small gap at the bottom. After you've sewn your fox together, flip him inside out and fill with stuffing! Last, hand stitch the opening. All done!

 

DIY Fun Project!!!!

Song Lyric Wall Art / D.I.Y. Project

A couple weeks ago, I found a paint-by-number at an unbeatable price. I can't pass these things up even though I already owned this particular design. I thought that I could maybe use it to make a fun D.I.Y., but my new rule is that all thrifts that I purchase with the intent of restyling need to get done right away. I have way too many half finished projects in my life. With that little bit of motivation I came up with a fun D.I.Y. to display some of my favorite song lyrcis in our newlywed home. Enjoy....

Here's how I did it... Step 1. Find a paint by number or vintage painting that you like, but not one you adore (since you'll be painting over most of the design). A damaged piece works great, or a print you aren't too crazy about or ever a duplicate piece, like mine. Steps 2-3. Supplies needed: Artwork, Letter stickers (see 3 for the exact stickers I used. I purchased them at the art section of Michaels. You can also get them at hardware stores everywhere) White paint (in hindsight I would use spray paint, just a hint!), a paint brush and scissors. Step 4. Cut out and plot out your design. I know it's an extra step to cut out each letter, but it's much easier to create nice spacing this way! Step 5. Stick stickers. Place them as perfectly or imperfectly as you fancy! Steps 6-8. Cover the entire art piece with a coat (or two) of white paint. I wish I would have used spray paint because my letters bled a tiny bit. Spray paint is preferable. Step 9. Allow your paint to dry. I layed my piece on the front porch for an hour. Next, peel the letters off carefully. Step 10. Yay! You did it. Enjoy your new piece of art! ♥

http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/ 

To Juice or Not to Juice that is the question??

To Juice or Not to Juice

Posted by Tori Spelling on Jan 19, 2012

January is all about shedding those sneaky holiday pounds and getting our health back on track. Lots of health-conscious mamas turn to juicing, either as a snack, meal replacement, or full on liquid diet. But how does juicing actually impact our health? Let’s take a look.

Juice v. Whole Fruits and Vegetables

Most doctors agree that eating an actual fruit or vegetable is healthier than drinking it. For one thing, the fiber in whole produce creates a feeling of fullness that lasts much longer than with juice, so whole foods are more diet-friendly. Our bodies actually absorb the nutrients in whole fruits and veggies better than the juiced versions as well.

The 411 on Fasting

Juice fasts are usually a bad idea. You miss important nutrients like fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats, plus fasting often comes with mood swings, fatigue, and skin breakouts. And once the fast ends, most people end up gaining back whatever weight they lost, sometimes more. So all that deprivation essentially puts you right back where you started (not worth it).

That said, it can be a challenge to eat the full, daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, and juicing is a convenient way to supplement your diet as well as add variety to your daily meals. With that in mind, here are some recipes you can make as a snack, courtesy of Shape. To make these, simply throw all the ingredients in a juicer (scroll down to see my recommendations for juicers if you don’t have one).

Cold and Flu Fighter


1 oz organic ginger
Squeeze of lemon
Pinch of cayenne pepper

Stress Reliever


2 big handfuls of spinach
3-4 stalks broccoli
3-4 stalks celery
1 larger or 2 small carrots

Curb Your Sugar Cravings


2 apples
8 stalks of celery
1 dash of cinnamon

Energy Booster


1 large cucumber
8 stalks celery
1 handful of kale
1 handful of spinach
1 handful of parsley
¼ lemon with rind (if organic)
1-inch piece of ginger

Libido Booster



2 cups coconut water
2 stalks celery
½ banana
1 small piece of ginger
½ avocado
1 handful basil
3 figs

If you don’t have a juicer yet, here are three that come highly recommended:

• Juiceman Junior Model JM400 ($69.99 on Amazon)
• Breville Juice Fountain Compact ($100 at Breville USA)
• Jack LaLanne Power Juicer Pro ($150 at Power Juicer)

http://www.torispelling.com/cat/eat

Visit My Art site!!!

Visit my New Art Site!! Its under construction but I will be posting my art on there and updating soon!!!
http://carmenentralgoart.yolasite.com/

Make Your Own Peanut Butter...

Make Your Own Peanut Butter

Can we talk peanut butter for a second? I was totally one of those picky-eater kids growing up, I had a major peanut butter and jelly phase. And even though my palette has (I hope) matured since then-I think I was on to something. Because peanut butter is AWESOME! So I thought it would be fun to try and make my own-which was a great success! And then I whipped up a chocolate version... here's how you can make your own:

To make peanut butter at home all you need is: 16 ounces of dry roasted peanuts (more or less depending on how much you want to make at once) a pinch or two of salt and a food processor.

Place all the peanuts in your food processor and blend for 8-10 minutes. Every 2-3 minutes you may need to stop the processor and use a spoon to break up the peanuts/scrap down the sides of the bowl. At first the mixture will get crumbly/powder-y... just keep on processing because it will turn creamy! Depending on the freshness of your peanuts you may need to add a teaspoon or two of oil (canola, vegetable or peanut oil work well) but it usually is not necessary. Once your peanut butter is creamy, taste it and add a bit of salt if you like. Store in an air tight container in your refrigerator for up to a month. If you've ever bought natural peanut butter before you've probably noticed that sometimes a little oil seperation occurs-that's normal, just stir your peanut butter before use if you notice this happens.

Another delicious nutty-spread I adore is Nutella! Here is a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread that is both vegan and gluten free. This recipe is from LookBook CookBook, an awesome blog that has tons of amazing vegan treats.

Needed: 1 1/2 cups raw hazelnuts, 1/2 cup sugar, 5-6 tablespoons cocoa (I used dutch-processed), 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1/4 cup oil (I used vegetable) and 2 tablespoons coconut milk.

In your food process blend up the hazel nuts until they begin to get creamy (5-7 minutes) then add the other ingredients and blend for another minute or two until well combined. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. This spread will be a little thicker than the homemade peanut butter-but it's delicious! 

Some recipes that require a food processor can be done in a blender-this is not one of those recipes. Unless you have a really high-end, high-powered blender I highly recommend using a food processor. :)

Make Your Own Peanut Butter

Can we talk peanut butter for a second? I was totally one of those picky-eater kids growing up, I had a major peanut butter and jelly phase. And even though my palette has (I hope) matured since then-I think I was on to something. Because peanut butter is AWESOME! So I thought it would be fun to try and make my own-which was a great success! And then I whipped up a chocolate version... here's how you can make your own:

To make peanut butter at home all you need is: 16 ounces of dry roasted peanuts (more or less depending on how much you want to make at once) a pinch or two of salt and a food processor.

Place all the peanuts in your food processor and blend for 8-10 minutes. Every 2-3 minutes you may need to stop the processor and use a spoon to break up the peanuts/scrap down the sides of the bowl. At first the mixture will get crumbly/powder-y... just keep on processing because it will turn creamy! Depending on the freshness of your peanuts you may need to add a teaspoon or two of oil (canola, vegetable or peanut oil work well) but it usually is not necessary. Once your peanut butter is creamy, taste it and add a bit of salt if you like. Store in an air tight container in your refrigerator for up to a month. If you've ever bought natural peanut butter before you've probably noticed that sometimes a little oil seperation occurs-that's normal, just stir your peanut butter before use if you notice this happens.

Another delicious nutty-spread I adore is Nutella! Here is a homemade chocolate hazelnut spread that is both vegan and gluten free. This recipe is from LookBook CookBook, an awesome blog that has tons of amazing vegan treats.

Needed: 1 1/2 cups raw hazelnuts, 1/2 cup sugar, 5-6 tablespoons cocoa (I used dutch-processed), 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1/4 cup oil (I used vegetable) and 2 tablespoons coconut milk.

In your food process blend up the hazel nuts until they begin to get creamy (5-7 minutes) then add the other ingredients and blend for another minute or two until well combined. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. This spread will be a little thicker than the homemade peanut butter-but it's delicious! 

Some recipes that require a food processor can be done in a blender-this is not one of those recipes. Unless you have a really high-end, high-powered blender I highly recommend using a food processor. :)

http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/