Woop Woop! 1.8 pounds lost! A great first week. Last week I really focused on counting my calories and feel good moving forward.
(source)
As I wasn't able to type up my weekly plan yesterday it game me the opportunity to look at what I ate on Monday without a plan. Without my plan I ate a lot of carbs and didn't incorporate any green vegetables into my diet. This is one of the reasons why I love planning out my meals ahead of time as I'm able to balance my diet out. My diet is not perfect by any means, but I do strive to balance what can often be unbalanced (carb heavy).
Workout
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Plans
Monday
4 mile run
Bagel thin with pumpkin spice cream cheese, banana
Leftover brown rice with corn and beans, apple, cashews
Leftover brown rice with corn and beans, granola
Monday Night Football: Redskins vs. Cowboys
Tuesday
Weight Lifting
Bagel thin with pumpkin spice cream cheese, apple
Leftover chili with 1 slice cornbread
Salad of some sort
Biggest Loser and Graduate Work
Wednesday
3 mile run
Bagel thin with pumpkin spice cream cheese, banana
Lunch at work (salad bar)
?
Happy Hour/Dinner with Becky and Dana
Thursday
Weight Lifting
Bagel thin with pumpkin spice cream cheese, apple
Leftover chili
Salad with oven roasted salmon
Graduate Work
Friday
30 mins easy
Bagel thin with pumpkin spice cream cheese, banana
Salad with oven roasted salmon
?
Graduate Work
This made me think about my diet when I lost 50 pounds back in 2006-2007. As a Weight Watchers member, I decided to go on their CORE plan instead of counting POINTS.
The Weight Watchers CORE plan
Meat and Meat Substitutes
Lean beef, lamb, pork and veal (loin or round)
Ground beef (7% fat or less)
Organ meats fresh, frozen or canned
Poultry – Chicken and turkey, no skin
Ground chicken or turkey, once a day only
Fish and shellfish, fresh, frozen, or canned, any variety as long as it is not packed in fat or oil
Tofu, any type
Frozen veggie burgers
NO deli meats or hot dogs
Eggs, Dairy & Cheese
Whole eggs or whites
Eggbeaters and other egg substitutes
Fat-free milk, cheese and sour cream
Soy milk and soy cheese
Plain fat-free yogurt
Fruit
Any fresh, frozen or canned fruit (no added sugar; canned must be packed in water or juice (not syrup)
No juice
Unsweetened applesauce
No Dried fruits
Veggies
Any fresh, frozen or canned veggies (includes corn, beans, and lentils— see below for potatoes)
Cereal and Grain
Cream of Wheat, oatmeal and such
Other whole grains, such as quinoa, barley, grits, cornmeal, couscous, etc.
All-grain cereal (puffed wheat or rice, shredded wheat, and all bran cereals with no added sugar) with fat-free milk or soymilk — Once a day
Whole-wheat pasta, brown rice OR potatoes (any variety)– Once a day
Fats, Oils
2 teaspoons daily
Soup
Soups made out of CORE foods (lentil, split pea, french onion soup)
No cream based soups
Beverages
Coffee (without sugar)
Tea (without sugar)
Diet soft drinks
Club soda
Seltzer (plain or unsweetened)
Water or mineral water
Other
No-calorie sweeteners like Splenda, Stevia, or Equal
Seasonings and herbs, without added sugar
Fat-free salad dressing
Fat-free margarine
Fat-free mayonnaise
Extracts and flavorings
The key to the CORE program is learning to listen to your body. All of the foods listed are "unlimited" except where noted (brown rice, whole wheat pasta, and potatoes for example) so it really comes down to knowing when you're hungry, understanding how hungry you are, and stopping when you're satisfied.
A lot of people hated this program but I absolutely loved it. It was quite the transition for me, as it removed processed foods from my diet… but was that really a bad thing? Over the past 4 years I have incorporated processed foods back into my diet, like granola bars, peanut butter, bread, bagels, etc.. Processed foods are "easy" but I can't say I need them or can't live without them.
Here's what a day on the CORE program looked like for me:
Breakfast
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
2 egg omelet with diced mushrooms, onions, and bell peppers
Salad with lettuce, pinto beans, diced baked chicken breast, salsa, and fat free sour cream
Piece of fruit and/or oatmeal
Whole wheat pasta with roasted tomatoes and ground turkey
It may look fancy, but this shrimp and polenta recipe is easy enough to make on a weeknight. Roasted shrimp with oregano, garlic, red peppers, capers and white wine are tossed with juicy Campari tomatoes and spinach and served over creamy polenta. Top it all off with a generous sprinkle of warmed feta cheese for a flavor-packed, quick meal to add to your family dinner rotation or enjoy with friends.
So, what exactly is polenta?
Polenta, which is popular in Northern Italy, is made from yellow cornmeal simmered in water or milk. It can be served as a hot, creamy porridge like in this recipe, or it can be made with less liquid and turned into a kind of loaf that can be baked or fried. You can buy regular polenta, which can take 30 to 40 minutes to make, or instant polenta for a faster, more weeknight-friendly option.
This has quickly become one of our favorite shrimp recipes because it switches things up from the classic pairing of shrimp with pasta. Serving shrimp with polenta instead is like the Italian version of the Southern staple shrimp and grits, which is made with white cornmeal rather than yellow. Plus—polenta is naturally grain-free so this is a perfect gluten-free dinner.
Cal/Serv: 435
Yields: 4 servings
Total Time: 0 hours 25 mins
1 lb.
extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp.
olive oil
1/2 tsp.
dried oregano
Kosher salt and pepper
4
cloves garlic, chopped
6 oz.
roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1-in. pieces
6
small sweet red peppers (such as Peppadew), drained and chopped
1 tbsp.
capers, drained
2 tbsp.
dry white wine
4 oz.
feta cheese
8 oz.
Campari tomatoes, quartered
1 c.
instant polenta
3 c.
baby spinach
Chopped parsley, for serving
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Heat oven to 425°F. In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish, toss shrimp with oil, then oregano and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Toss with garlic, roasted and sweet peppers, capers and wine.
Nestle feta into 1 corner and roast 6 minutes.
Gently fold in tomatoes, making sure to leave feta undisturbed, and continue roasting until shrimp are opaque throughout, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Meanwhile, cook polenta per package directions.
Remove shrimp from oven and fold in spinach just until beginning to wilt, still leaving feta undisturbed. Spoon shrimp mixture over polenta, then top with feta and parsley
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving): About 435 calories, 13.5 g fat (5.5 g saturated), 31 g protein, 1,151 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrates, 4 g fiber
Did you make this recipe? Comment below!
Samantha MacAvoySamantha MacAvoy joined the Good Housekeeping food team in March 2020, where she writes about the latest tasty offerings from the Test Kitchen, must-try food trends, and top tips for home cooking success.
Kate MerkerKate Merker is the Chief Food Director and oversees the team that produces all the food content appearing in several of Hearst's top titles, including Good Housekeeping, Women's Health, Prevention, Woman's Day, and Country Living.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
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Could there be a property more inviting than a waterfront home? The place could be a money pit that needs everything replaced but most of us would ignore that if the view is idyllic. That's the problem with buying a property in a naturally beautiful location? you can easily miss the issues with the place when you're sold on the view. You'll need to check out everything you would normally look for when buying any property in any location but what else should you watch out for when buying a waterfront home?
Water Damage
Water's great to gaze out at but it's not so kind to a property. Water damage is sometimes difficult to spot but the damage it can do could leave you with a massive bill. Careful and comprehensive checks will need to be carried out before you commit your money. Has water intruded into the basement because of the high water table? Are there signs of corrosion from the salt water? Check for mold or mildew caused by the high level of moisture in the air.
Surveys
You'll need to have surveys, water quality tests, elevation certificates, and any other land or water-based inspections you feel are appropriate before committing to buy. These will reveal any hidden problems that could make owning the property more expensive than you expected. You should also check for expenses you wouldn't expect with other properties such as well and septic tank lift fees. Water and sewer rates are also known to be more expensive for waterfront properties, so check that you will be able to afford them.
Insurance
You've probably considered the increase in insurance premiums you'll face when you live on the waterfront due to the increased risk of flooding, but beachfront properties are also more prone to hurricane and earthquake damage, so your insurance premium might be higher than you're expecting. Get estimates on those costs from several insurers before you fall in love with the property and commit your money to it.
History
Know your history and you'll have a good idea of how things will go with the property in the future. You can easily research the shoreline history online or in local libraries. This will give you an understanding of what might happen in the future. When water and dirt mix the shore moves and the earth under a beachfront property will provide less of a foundation. If that happens, the property could be lost to the sea. A less severe problem could occur when the shoreline moves and your waterfront home ends up a quarter of a mile from the sea.
Vacation Home or Only Home?
If this is going to be your vacation home, you'll need to consider everything written above but you'll also be interested in the area around the property. Is there great nightlife? Are there great restaurants within walking distance? How easily can you get to major tourist attractions? These things won't be as important as the crime rates in the area, the quality of the schools and hospitals in the area if you're thinking of living there so be careful not to look over the place as a tourist if this will be your home. That's not so easily done when the view is to die for.
Small living room ideas, as with any tiny space, can be tricky to get right, but as all these innovative, stylish and smaller rooms prove, they can still be big on style.
Small living rooms are often cozy but they have to work much harder than their more spacious counterparts. Layout, furniture, window dressings, flooring and accessories all carry extra weight in a smaller space and it's more important than ever to get the scale, proportions, and balance right. However, that doesn't necessarily mean that you have to play it safe with your living room ideas either. It's always good to follow the rules, but breaking them can make a much bigger statement. It's all about knowing where the limits are and when you can push them.
So, while you'll still find plenty of neutral, light, and airy spaces here, we'll also prove that color can work in small living rooms, dark hues can look wonderful too, and often the whole less is more concept that's often applied to small spaces can be broken. We've also consulted the experts to find out their top tips and small living room ideas that feel spacious and stylish.
The best small living room ideas that are big on style
1. Float the furniture in a small living room
(Image credit: Soho Management London Ltd)
It can be tempting with small living room layouts to push your furniture up against the walls, leaving as much floor space visible as possible. However, having everything lining the edges of the room with a sea of floor spaces in the middle can in fact make a room feel smaller, this layout makes you really notice the proportions of the room.
Pulling furniture away from the walls, and instead float it in the center of the room can make a small living room feel bigger. It gives your pieces some breathing room, let's light flow around the space, and distracts the eye from the edges of the room.
Just be sure to ground your pieces with a large area rug, as you can see in this small living room, and make sure it's a practical choice for your space too, you want to still be able to easily move around the room without constantly walking into sofas and coffee tables.
2. Think multifunctional
(Image credit: Farrow and Ball)
Clever multifunctional designs are great space-saving options for small spaces. As Jen and Mar from Interior Fox suggest, 'When it comes to small living spaces we love multifunctional pieces of furniture: think about a coffee table that also serves as a stool, but you can use it to store magazines or extra throws inside it. Or perhaps a lamp with a side table attached. If you're ticking multiple boxes with the same product, you free up floor space for an airy feel even in the smallest rooms without compromising on full comfort.'
If you need to sleep more than one overnight guest at a time then swapping your sofa for a sofa bed can also be a useful option. It isn't always easy to find an option that's comfortable enough to work as your main living room seating, but we've done the legwork to find the top solutions in our guide to the best sofa beds available.
3. Add height with floor to ceiling curtains
(Image credit: Future)
When it comes to small living room ideas, windows have a huge role to play and have the potential to make your small room look lighter, brighter and even larger. Debbie Leigh is Design Manager at ILIV and suggests extending the curtain pole beyond the width of the window.
'This allows more light into the room and makes a room feel larger,' she says. 'Hang living room curtains high for a professional-looking window treatment. This will instantly give your room an illusion of extra ceiling height which in turn feels very luxurious. Ideally, the pole or track should be positioned a minimum of 4 inches and a maximum of 12 inches above the top of the window.'
4. Choose flexible flooring for a small living room
(Image credit: Davide Lovati)
Flooring can make or break or a room and it is often overlooked in smaller spaces. 'It needs to be flexible, to transition from the daytime role to a more relaxing space in the evening,' says Rebecca McCloskey of Weave Interiors. 'But it also has to be durable. I love the clean lines of a solid floor but polished concrete and real wood floors are often not an option for everyone. Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) can be a great alternative. I love the selection from Moduleo as it looks so realistic. They also have the benefit of being extremely practical and easy to maintain.'
Alternatively, opt for a fully fitted carpet instead of a rug. 'Rugs can make spaces look smaller, fully fit the carpet to draw your eye to the edges of the room,' says Camilla Clarke, Creative Director at Albion Nord.
6. A style without taking up floor space
(Image credit: James Merrell)
Shelving is such a blessing in small spaces, they add handy storage, space for decor and if you opt for wall-mounted designs they take up zero floor space too.
'Remember to furnish your room both vertically and horizontally. This is especially important in small areas of the home, when we need to optically enlarge the space.' says Jen and Mar. 'Wall-mounted storage units and made to measure shelving units can create a built-in feel that seamlessly blends in with the room's features achieving a cohesive overview.'
In this small living room, shelves float elegantly above the sofa, providing the perfect spot to create a gallery wall. If you have an awkward nook or an alcove in your living room, you could go for the built-in option, and even add in seating below. With built-in storage in smaller spaces we'd recommend painting it the same color as the walls behind so it almost blends in and doesn't add too much visual bulk.
7. Distract from small proportions with a big statement
(Image credit: Rowland Roques O'Neil)
Something the best way to go in small spaces is big. Making a statement with unexpected shapes, styles and colors can distract from the small proportions of the room. And don't always think small. Small furniture in a small space, playing with scale is a way to add interest to a smaller room and looks far less fussy than filling it up with lots of smaller pieces.
See how in this small living room with larger curvaceous sofas and ottoman really fill the space, there's no need for many other pieces, as these add all the color, style, and shape needed.
8. Maximize awkward spaces
Whilst we'd like our rooms to be completely square with no awkward angles or dead spaces, this is rarely the case. But with some careful planning, all those awkward places can be turned into treasure troves of storage potential.
'Many homes have awkward alcoves. This is one area where it pays to invest in bespoke cabinetry to really maximize the storage' says Andrew Dunning of London Contemporary. 'Whether your interior is modern or traditional, cupboards and shelving will finish this space in the room without intruding into it.'
The bespoke media unit in this open-plan reception room provides essential living room storage with decorative floating shelves above. Designed by London Contemporary to fit the wall shape without protruding into the room too much.
9. Be clever with stylish storage furniture
(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)
Space is at a premium, so small living room furniture that can double up as storage is always a bonus. Wayfair's Resident Style Advisor, Nadia McCowan Hill says that searches for storage ottomans are up 20% in the last six months alone. 'Storage ottomans are the small space designer's best friend," she says. "Go for a beautifully upholstered version in a bold jewel hue for a style statement that works double duty as a secret storage spot.'
10. Embrace the coziness
(Image credit: James Merrell)
The knee-jerk reaction to a small space is often to paint it white or another light shade to maximize the feeling of space. But there are other options. 'Don't be afraid to embrace the small,' says Caoimhe McKenna of Yellow Brick Road Design. 'Create a cozy and inviting ambiance with warm tones and tactile textures but offset this with clean, clear lines in order to retain a sense of calm.'
11. Layer the lighting in a small living room
(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)
With any small space the main priority is of course maximizing natural light. But when that isn't easy or even possible, you may need to get creative with your living room lighting have says Simon Terry, MD and owner of Anglepoise. 'To create the illusion of space you must think about layering and creating pools of light.'
Adam Wade, Technical Director of Anglepoise encourages us to get creative with lighting. 'Make the lights work for you and don't be dictated by the more traditional ways of using lighting,' he says. 'If a pendant at the center of the room isn't creating quite enough light, layer in light from the side (wall or floor) instead. It's easier to control, more pleasant to sit under.'
12. Don't be afraid of filling up the room
(Image credit: Soho Management London Ltd)
Minimalism and small living rooms do often go hand in hand, but sometimes more is more when space is tight. Rather than spreading all your furniture out to make as much floor space visible as possible, and fill the space with pieces that 'fit' the room, take inspiration for this small living room idea and up the coziness by really filling up the space.
The huge sofa hugs the edges of the room, so while it's obviously very dominant it's practical too, providing ample seating and nicely filling the room to create this really cozy, cocooning space. And don't feel like you have left that central floor space free, fill that up too with a coffee table that mirrors the shape of our furniture layout.
13. Place prints strategically
(Image credit: James Merrell)
Again, this living room makes a case for not always keeping things simple and pared back in a small space. A gallery wall may sound too busy for a small living room, but used right and hung strategically they can help 'expand' the space. The key is not to just float prints in the middle of the wall, take them floor to ceiling (or close to) to really add height to the room as well as colors, patterns, and interest.
14. Experiment with blue shades in a small living room
(Image credit: Future)
Instead of painting a small living room white, go bold with color choices and create the illusion of space. 'Blue is the best color for making a space feel bigger,' says color and paint expert Annie Sloan. 'It is recessive, which means it draws the eye outwards, blurs horizon lines and gives a sense of never-ending space. It's also a calming, meditative color which encourages us to breath-in-and-out, creating a psychological and spiritual sense of space as well as the physical illusion.'
15. Trick the eye with busy prints
(Image credit: Making Spaces)
When working with the confines of awkwardly shaped rooms, sometimes extra creativity is required. Karen Knox of Making Spaces pulled out all the stops when designing this cozy seating area in her client's long, narrow room. 'This striking, abstract mural design with delicate white details draws the eye up and away from the client's existing sofa and towards the wall behind it,; says Knox.
'This causes your eye to rests on the furthest point in the room giving the illusion of greater depth and more space. By then dressing the sofa in similar tones to the wallpaper, it helps the sofa recede into the wall. A large scale pattern isn't something that would normally work for small spaces, but for this room it helped to tie all the elements together, both old and new.'
16. Go bespoke
(Image credit: James Merrell)
To really achieve an efficient use of space in a small living room, you can't beat bespoke furniture that makes use of every inch of space. 'Bespoke furniture is a great option if you're looking for something that's unique to your home,' says Adam Brown, Director of The Painted Furniture Company. 'You may have a certain awkward space you'd like to fill, or a particular color scheme in mind. Whatever you're planning, going for a tailored option means your furniture fits your specifications exactly without having to compromise.'
17. Mix comfy pieces with slimline furniture
(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)
With small living rooms, you have to think realistically about what you can fit into your space. We'd recommend having a list of pieces you really want in your space, and as for most a sofa is going to be top of that list you may find you have to think smart about the other pieces you bring into the space.
Take inspiration from this small living room idea and keep your dream squishy sofa but forgo a bulky armchair. Instead, opt for something stylish and slimline that's still going to be useable but has high legs and minimal bulk so it will still allow light to flow around the space. If a coffee table is a must too, again, just go for something that's not going to break up the space too much.
18. Or switch a sofa for statement armchairs
(Image credit: James Merrell)
Or you could go really rogue and ditch the sofa altogether. Consider how that would work for you? Switching a sofa for two, equally comfy statement armchairs, will really open up the space and allow you to be more flexible with your layout. See how light-filled this small living room is because there's no large piece of furniture blocking the light. And yet, despite its lack of sofa, this room still feels very cozy and inviting – we'd be more than happy to curl up on that boucle chair.
19. Ditch the legs
(Image credit: James Merrell)
Sometimes all it takes to squeeze a few more inches out of a small living room is to pick clever furniture designs. Case in point this 'floating' coffee table. Again it's all about avoiding breaking up the space and designs like this allow for light to still flow underneath them.
Also, see how in this living room everything sits at the same low level – the top of the coffee table with the seat of the sofa and the armchairs. By keeping it all low-slung and almost below eye level it makes the room feel more open and gives more height to the space.
20. Choose pieces you can move
(Image credit: Anna Stathaki)
When space is really tight, consider the furniture you can move around the space, as and when it's needed. A coffee table for example needn't be a large, permanent fixture that takes up all that space in the center of the room – instead size down to a stylish, compact side table that you can move around easily.
The small circular design used in this space not only looks lovely and perfectly contrasts all the straight lines going on in the rest of the room, it also means it can work anywhere, there are no corners to have to consider where to neatly fit.
How should furniture be placed in a small living room?
There really is no right or wrong answer here. But when it comes to small living room layouts there is often a debate over whether sofas should be placed against walls, but it totally depends on how much space you have to play with. As long as you are able to create an intimate area that works for social interaction that is all that counts.
If you're struggling with how to envision how your living room will work, we'd suggest going old school and drawing it up on graph paper. Then start considering what furniture you want to bring into the space, use a pencil to plan out your design, and measure up your furniture so you can get a really accurate representation of your space.
Consider what will be your room's focal point. Do you want all the furniture to face the TV or a fireplace? Do you want to create a more intimate space and have the furniture facing each other? Think about the flow around the room too, avoid creating a boxy, corridor effect with furniture stuck to the walls and a walkway down the center. You want to layout to be relaxed, but equally, make sure you allow for traffic to flow through easily and where it naturally would go.
What furniture works in a small living room?
Multi-functional furniture is ideal for a small living room. Look for furniture that can double up as storage. Furniture that can fold away or that is on wheels and can be moved around is also desirable. You want the furniture to work double duty where possible.
As your sofa is likely to be the largest single item in your living room, it's also worth paying attention to getting this key piece right. Our guide to the best sofas has some great options for smaller spaces - think compact shapes elevated on tall legs that add a feeling of spaciousness by allowing your eye to travel underneath the sofa to the farthest walls.
What colors make a small living room room look bigger?
It is generally accepted that small living room colors need to be kept light in order to reflect as much light as possible. But this isn't always the case. A lot depends on the direction and quality of the natural light in the room. You should let that be your guide.
Darker colors can actually work in smaller spaces, they can blur the boundaries of the room and create the allusion of a larger space. This often works best in small rooms that lack natural light, as you can get that lovely cozy, cocooning effect rather than a harsh cold, lighter-hued space. Always stick with the deep, velvety matte finish, and be sure to order plenty of swatches so you can see what the color looks like in situ.
(source)
