You know the saying. It's hard to resist a man in the uniform.That's why our family will be eating lots of popcorn this year. 



But, that's not so bad. 

• Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup; oil-popped popcorn has only 55 calories per cup.
• When lightly buttered, popcorn contains about 133 calories per cup.
• Popcorn is a whole grain, making it a good-for-you food.
• Popcorn provides energy-producing complex carbohydrates
• Popcorn contains fiber, providing roughage the body needs in the daily diet.
• Popcorn is naturally low in fat and calories.
• Popcorn has no artificial additives or preservatives, and is sugar-free.
• Popcorn is ideal for between meal snacking since it satisfies and doesn't spoil the appetite.
• 3 cups of popcorn equal one serving from the grain group.
• Popcorn is ideal for between meal snacking since it satisfies and doesn't spoil an appetite.

My 7-year-old is a Wolf Cub Scout, and this is his first year conducting popcorn sales for Pack 222 in North Carolina. It's the only fundraiser his pack does yearly, and it funds most everything the pack does. 

I wanted to share this news with you not because I want you to buy popcorn, but because we are proud that he is taking an initiative to raise funds for the pack troop. We feel it is a shining moment in leadership, and I wanted to share that milestone with you. 

The popcorn, of course, is priced as a fundraiser. Popcorn is cheaper in the grocery store, but what I do like about this year's fundraiser is that you can also choose to donate a gift of popcorn to our military troops, their families, and veteran's organization.




If you would like to send something special to the troops, or order some early Christmas gifts, my son has set up a special sales website to make it easy for you to do that.  I wanted to pass that information along today. 


Sales close on October 15, 2013 for anyone who is interested in buying popcorn or sending popcorn to the military.  You may start that process at this link: http://www.trails-end.com/?scout=dccbfcdbc11d635

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Disclosure: I received complimentary tickets to Busch Gardens during my vacation. As always, my opinions can't be bought and your experience may vary.

In the past ten years, I have been five different sizes, ranging from size 4 to size 12. My normal weight has ranged from 124 pounds to 136 pounds through those years. Sure, two pregnancies are to blame for some of the yo-yo numbers, but I have also learned that the older I get, the harder it is to maintain my weight without some plan in place.

I made this pizza during the first two weeks of my Denise Austin eating plan. The pizza did not call for tomatoes, but I added them for color and extra nutrients.

When I worked full-time at a desk job in communications before having children, I hovered around 130 pounds. After children, and exercising consistently with fitness expert Denise Austin, I was able to get below 130 pounds.  At the age of 40, before my second pregnancy, I was at my lowest weight of 124 pounds.  I had not been that low in weight since my TV days in my 20s. You may remember that I did a fall renewal detox last year, and got close to that figure again.

Here I am at about 128 to 130 pounds this past winter at the Washington Duke Inn for afternoon tea.  I'm certainly not skinny here, but my body definitely looks better at this weight instead of 135.  I am less fuller in the breasts, stomach, and hips.  But, I can wear this form-fitting sweater dress at this weight without any bumps and rolls showing.

I have a big birthday coming up this December. I will be 45. I like to be candid about my age because I feel good about my age, and don't want to hide it. I have tons of grey hair, a few more lines under my eyes, but I feel better at 45 than I ever did in my 20s and 30s.  However, I noticed that this year has become the hardest year for me to maintain my weight, and my middle area has become more problematic which is very new for me, even after two pregnancies late in life.

This is me this past July at about 135 pounds. Here, my face is fuller and I'm hiding some tummy pudge.

From the spring to the end of summer, my weight jumped from 128 to 136 pounds. I admit that I was not as consistent about exercise as I should have been, and I ate more than my metabolism would burn.  And yes, I write about travel and food, which does not help me with controlling my weight. I had a busy summer with lots of food stories as you may have read on Skimbaco Lifestyle. My metabolism was not an issue for me in my 20s, and 30s. However, it is a huge issue now that I am in my mid-40s.


I knew I had to get ahead of this problem now. Unfortunately, I can't cut calories without help. I need recipes, ideas, and some guidelines. I turned to Denise Austin, and checked out her book, Tone Your Tummy Type, from my local library. I lost all of my pregnancy weight and more by using her recipes and techniques so it was only natural for me to look to her for guidance on this new journey.  Denise is also my in-home personal trainer, and I probably own about eight of her exercise videos. She's been a consistent part of my life for over twenty years. I am not a fitness fanatic, nor am I that active, but I like Denise's work-outs and I have been loyal to her over the years. I've bought a few other DVDs by other people, and they basically  collect dust.

An easy breakfast on the plan, a whole wheat blueberry waffle topped with greek yogurt and fruit.

For the past two weeks, I have been using her book as a guideline. I have been exercising, cooking her recipes, and keeping my calorie count around 1300 calories for weight loss.  She wrote this book in 2007 when she was almost 50.  We all know that Denise Austin exercises a lot, and has always looked good, but she said when she reached perimenopause in her 40s, things changed for her. She started gaining weight in the tummy area, and realized she needed to focus more on diet and core exercises as she aged.

I really related to what she had to say, and so far, I'm seeing success on her plan.  I'm eating delicious foods such as eggplant, spinach, and cous cous. I'm eating healthy pizzas, getting  new breakfast ideas, and even thinking about what I'm eating in restaurants. It's also all about portions, and making good choices.

She has a pinto bean bowl on this plan, and I decided eat itt over a bed of Kale. She recommends using white or yellow onion tossed with balasamic vinegar,garlic, lemon and olive oil.  I used red onion for this lunch, and it is over powring. The yellow or white onion as Denise Austin suggested is so much better.

I'm not finished with this plan yet. The second half of the plan, moves you up to 1500 calories a day along with consistent exercise for another two weeks.

I'm not perfect. I splurged a little over this past weekend. I inhaled a small homemade cupcake at the VendRaleigh conference on Friday and I enjoyed two gin and tonics using delicious, local TOPO gin made of organic red wheat, while enjoying the company of some of college friends in Chapel Hill.  I also dined in restaurants (a total of 4 times) more than the plan allowed, but I tried to keep my calorie count down, and make healthy choices while in those restaurants.

Denise Austin does  not recommend alcohol on the plan, especially the first two weeks. But, I don't get together with these friends often. I chose a TOPO gin and tonic.  In hindsight, I should have ordered  TOPO gin and soda water with a splash of  tonic, but you live and learn.

But this is life, those events were on my calendar, and as long as I make progress on this plan, I'm going to enjoy life.  It may take me just a little bit longer than the average person who follows the plan exactly.

I've known these  ladies for 24 years now. We always enjoy being back in Chapel Hill, NC.

After two weeks, I currently weigh 131 pounds, and I have lost five pounds. My clothes fit better, and I feel more confident about my body. The rolls are leaving.  My stomach is no longer bloated, and the weight loss has definitely come out of this area, and in my bust. The hips and buttocks will be the last to reap any benefits.

Exercise Plan

I enjoy doing Denise Austin's kettlebell inspired work-out from her 3-week Body Bootcamp DVD.  Since I own Denise Austin DVDs,  I am able to do a variety  of workouts from strength training to yoga,  but I tend to choose the kettlebell work-out the most. I do that work-out about four times a week, and I also try to do a 15-minute indoor walk on other days or yoga stretching.  Lately, life has been busy so I've been doing a jog/walk to the bus stop instead of organized work-outs on some days, which is not as good as the video, but at least I'm active. Denise released a new fat-burning 30-minute work-out this month.  It's on my list to purchase because I'm ready to have another work-out option in my library.

I will let you know how things continue to go, and will disclose some of the things from her plan that I'm adding in my life once the next two weeks are over.