I just want to drive!!!

Since getting my MINI from MINI Crowfoot I look for a reason just to drive! Prior to getting my MINI, I was looking for excuses to just stay at home and not leave my house after both my wife and I got home after a day of work. Now, I don't care what it is... We need limes?! I'll go get them! We need apples? I'm on it! What? No gum! No problem! I even started trying different grocery stores; I found myself shopping at Zellers in Sunridge Mall on Friday even though there is a Zellers just a few blocks from my place.

Everyone asks me how is the MINI? I can only tell them "It's Awesome, so much fun to drive!" I had to get gas for the first time on Sunday Morning! I got the MINI on Friday at 4 pm and I've done A LOT of driving and didn't have to get gas until Sunday! I was blown away!

I was invited to be a honorable member of the MINI Club of Calgary and on Sunday we went for the first drive of the season around town then making a final stop at Cochrane for Ice Cream at MacKay's. I was impressed to see that they are all just people like you and me, with kids, jobs, and come from all walks of life. A MINI is a right fit for everyone, doesn't matter if you're in the computer biz, or if you are still going to school or just an employee. If you own a MINI or know someone that owns a MINI tell them to check the MINI Club of Calgary - they are fun people and I'm glad they welcomed me into their club.



This past week I went around the city introducing the MINI to listeners and people at different locations handing out cool prizing from the guys at MINI Crowfoot, and I still have plenty more to go around. Make sure you flag me down, I’ll pull over and hand some out to you.

Also, remember that you still have a couple of weeks left to get your Name suggestion for my MINI, so its personality can shine! Submit your name suggestion to adoptamini.ca and you could win a MINI experience for a weekend!


This week I want to see how many times I can pack my MINI, so I’m taking donations for the Calgary Food Bank. This is going to be a lightning round of donations, one day and one day only. It doesn’t matter if it’s one grocery bag or a box of donations, remember that every little bit counts.

I leave you all thanking you in advance for your kind donations, and I look forward to seeing you on Friday!

10 More Baby!

I can’t believe I’ve lost officially 110 lbs! I honestly have no words that could express how I feel. I’m still in disbelief that 7 and a half months ago I was weighing 340 lbs! If you have no clue on what 110 lbs looks like or even feels like, try this:

The last time Justin Bieber and I talked, and by “I” I mean Chelsea Handler, he said on her show that he weighs 110 lbs! So I’ve officially lost a Justin Bieber!



Like I said in one of my Mini Blogs, on Friday I went out shopping to Zellers at Sunridge Mall for new undershirts and socks. I was shocked when I realized the size I had to buy. Seven and a half months ago I was wearing XXL. This Friday I bought LARGE; I took 2 X’s off my size! And to my surprise they’re not even snug! I can’t remember when was the last time I bought a Large ANYTHING!

Seriously I don’t know where would I be if it wasn’t for Herbal Magic weight loss. I know that I’ve added years to my life, years that I’m using to be with my family. I have energy now that I didn’t have before, energy that I will use once my wife and I have kids.

Let me know how you are doing on your journey, my road trip is almost getting to the point I want to get to and I’ve never felt better.

Name my Mini

Hey Calgary, this challenge goes out to you. I need your help to find the perfect name for my Mini. go to adoptamini.ca and nominate your best idea for the name of my Mini. If we choose your idea. We'll name it just like that and you will get to The Mini Experience for a Whole Weekend!

A new addition...

My wife and I have been doing a lot of thinking recently... I mean, we've been married for almost a year now and we're think it's time for a new addition... Except I think we're going to adopt. Friday we're going to get the papers work started... Friday will be a big day.

Mmmm Pizza!!!

Oh My God!

It's hard to believe that only 7 months ago I was joining Herbal Magic weight loss and I got on the scale and saw a number that I've promised not to see ever again. 339.4 lbs.

Over the long weekend my wife and I drove down to Seattle and did some serious damage in the outlets. I actually enjoyed shopping! I can't recall when was the last time I actually walked into a store and had fun shopping! I walked into Kenneth Cole and bought a couple of shirts. What size? LARGE! I'm not longer using XXL! I don't know if how else to say how excited I am. I wish you can feel and see my excitement.

This hasn't been easy, but it really hasn't been hard either. Herbal Magic weight loss has given me all the tools that I need to help me get to my goal. Today I don't weigh 339.4 lbs. I weigh 233 lbs. 233!!! I've lost 106.4 lbs in 7 months!!! A friend of mine told me that these last 15 lbs where going to be the hardest, and I can see that he was right, but with my determination and with the help of Herbal Magic weight loss and their coaches and most importantly their recipes I know this is possible.

I'm a big BIG fan of Pizza so big that when I was younger (7 years old) and lived in Toronto for a month they are only two phone numbers I remember: 967-11-11 and 241-0-241. If you recognize these numbers, you probably are a BIG fan of pizza too and I'm actually high-fiving you right now! :)

I've been able to eliminate this craving thanks to the Pizza recipe that they have on the Herbal Magic cook book, and I'll share it with you, it’s easy to make and it takes 20 minutes to get it done:

- Ingredients:

1 Weight watchers tortilla wrap
¼ Cup of Healthy Choices Pasta Sauce
½ Cup of pineapple
50 grams of Fat Free Deli Meat
1 Oz of Cheese

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Pour the pasta sauce over the tortilla wrap
Cut the Fat Free Deli Meat into squares and toss it over the tortilla
Grate the cheese and toss it over the tortilla
Cut the Pineapple into bite size pieces and toss over the tortilla.
Just bake for 10 - 15 minutes and you have a great, healthy personal pizza!

If you want to make it "ala Carlos" just add Jalapeño slices over top or if you feel BOLD add Habanero Pepper Salsa to it. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it.

This recipe is for one serving and all the ingredients count as a daily intake of ½ Protein, 1 Dairy, 1 Fruit, 1 Starch and ½ of your free exchange.

Be Fearless, accept the change

The weather is changing, that means it’s time to do some Spring Cleaning! I started on Sunday by gathering shirts (size XXL) and pants (size 48) that I don't use anymore and put them into a bag for donations, and then I ended up bagging winter coats. In one way it was hard to say goodbye to my old stuff, but it was just one more step in realizing that I’m not the guy that I used to be six and a half months ago.

Sometimes it’s hard to accept that we are actually changing, but its all part of the Herbal Magic Process. They help you see and accept the changes you are making to a healthier new you.

This week’s recipe is the Fearless Chicken Fingers, it’s easy to make and it takes 25 minutes to get it done:

- Ingredients:

4 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Pechugas dehuesadas y sin pellejo)
½ Cup Corn Flakes (Corn Flakes)
1 Large Egg White (Yema de Huevo)
2 tbsp Fat-Free Salsa (Salsa baja en Grasa)

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF
Cut chicken breast into strips
Coat chicken strips in egg white then roll in Corn Flakes crumbs. To make the Corn Flakes into smaller crumbs I bought a cheap coffee grinder at Wal-Mart for 10 dollars and I granulate my Corn Flakes for my chicken fingers. You’ll see that you won’t use all of the crumbs, but you can still eat them, I put them on top of my vegetables, or you can mix it in with you salsa to get the consistency of a dip.
Arrange chicken strips on a nonstick baking sheet and bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Serve with Salsa for dipping.

This recipe is for one serving and all the ingredients count as a daily intake of 1 Protein, 1 Starch and ½ of your free exchange.

This is a picture of how my Fearless Chicken Fingers ala Carlos looked like at the end with a side of vegetables portions that I was saving for supper, its ala Carlos just because of the Jalapeños that I added to my veggies and to make the Fat-Free Salsa taste even better, I added Habanero Pepper Salsa to it. YEAY! It’s like a Spicy Explosion in my mouth and I Love It! Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it.

Herbal Magic’s Italian Chicken Bake.

Back in September when I just starting rolling on the healthy lifestyle I thought I wasn’t going to be able to quit fast food. With 16 pounds to go and entering the home stretch of my program, I’ve noticed that I really don’t miss it they way I thought I would. Herbal Magic has taught me that there are ways to still eat all the food that I love, but made in a healthy way.

I’m going to share with you my top recipes for healthy items, items that I love and still taste just as great as the regular fast food items you would get at any other place.

Today’s choice: Italian Chicken Bake:

This recipe is really easy to make. It actually serves 4 portions so you will basically make supper for 4 nights, or if you are cooking for your significant other, you’ve made supper for 2 nights.

- Ingredients:

4 - 5 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Pechugas dehuesadas y sin pellejo)
Black pepper to taste (Pimienta negra)
Garlic powder to taste (Ajo en polvo)
Thyme to taste (Tomillo)
Basil to taste (Albahaca)
1 Cup of Healthy Choice pasta sauce (Salsa de spaguetti)
4 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (Queso Mozzarella)

- Cooking Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF
Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet, sprinkle with black pepper, garlic powder, thyme, and basil.
Bake for 10 minutes and then flip them over.
Sprinkle same spices over the other side and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Pour pasta sauce over chicken breasts.
Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese over and heat up until cheeses melts.

Like I said earlier, it serves 4 and all the ingredients count as a daily intake of 1 Protein, 1 dairy and ½ a free exchange per portion.

I can’t stress enough that we all need to start reading the nutritional value on the food that we eat. Everything that we learn of the food that we put into our bodies will make us a little more conscious on making better decisions that are going to help us in the long run.

Based on the Nutritional Value of food I really encourage you to start eating Healthy Choice Pasta Sauce you can find this at any grocery store.

This is a picture of how my Italian Chicken Bake ala Carlos looked like at the end with a side of vegetables portions that I was saving for supper, it's ala Carlos just because of the Jalapeños that I added to my veggies. Give this recipe a try and let me know how you like it.




I made a promisse that I was going to add this at the end of this blog. Rob Kealy is Awesome.