Back to Losses

Thought for the day:

“Craziness is doing the same thing and expecting a different result.”



-Tom DeMarco
Last week I lost 3 pounds on Points Plus. I hope that means the "Plateau" is over.
 
Something mentally happens to me when my weight loss plateaus; I get depressed and want to eat and then I gain. It's insanity!
 
Why do I turn to food for comfort? I could just take a hot shower, read a good book or take a walk. Yet time after time I turn to rich, fattening food. This is a pattern that I desperately need to brake.
 
I've thought about it and I plan to start by eating a piece of fruit instead of a pastry when I feel down. If that doesn't do it I'll get up and move around, maybe take a walk, the cold weather has slowed my desire for physical activity but I'll force myself, even if it means cleaning the house, hey, it's movement!
 
I really do want to get this fat off my ass and doing what I've done in the past only got me where I am today.

Points Plus A New Begining

Thought for the day:

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going." –Jim Ryun


Just got through my first Points Plus Day. It wasn't bad, just different; it is probably good to have to look up the points on food again. I'd been working the Momentum plan for so long I was pretty sure of myself with calculating food points, now I have to look up the points on every thing. Hope it helps me break this plateau I've been on for WEEKS!

It was kind of nice having 0 Point fruit as well as most vegetables being 0 points; but it's going to be really difficult eating fewer carbohydrates.

Going Forward

Thought for the day:

When friends tell you how awesome you look, drop the "I still have more to go" crap. You worked hard and you deserve the compliment! ~Jillian Michaels


 
I went out to give my Visa a little more exercise today, scored a few more Christmas gifts and ran into a former coworker whom I haven't seen since way before my weight loss. I don't think she recognized me at first, but complemented me profusely when she realized I was someone she knew. The complements felt really good and gave me that little lift I needed to take my but out in the yard and get the fall clean up of the flower beds accomplished, and take a 30 minute walk. The weather was great for a walk,  sunny, a slight breeze and just a little crisp. I must have earned at least 8 activity points today; gotta work off the Thanksgiving weight gain and get back to being a "Big Loser".
 
The crisp weather did make think of one of my favorite cool weather drinks, Jacked-Up Cider. So To keep it program friendly I substituted a package of Alpine Sugar-Free spiced Cider mix for the apple cider and saved a whole lot of calories.
 
Jacked-Up Cider
 
1 Packet of Sugar-Free Alpine Spiced Cider
3/4 cup of boiling water
1 jigger of Jack Daniels Whiskey
1 cinnamon stick and 1 apple slice for garnish
 
Stir the packet of cider mix into the whiskey and add hot water and stir until dissolved then then garnish with the apple slice and cinnamon stick if desired.
 
Serves 1
 
Weight Watchers Points-2

Turkey Tired

Thought for the day:

“Man needs difficulties. They are necessary for health.”
-Carl Gustav Jung



After Thanksgiving and Black Friday, I will admit to being completely pooped out. I didn't feel like getting out of bed this morning let alone going to my Weight Watchers meeting or Zumba class; I went anyway and I'm glad that I did. I was feeling rather sluggish after the rich food and after the Zumba class I feel much better and more energized.

On Thanksgiving I indulged in all of the traditional foods made the traditional way, with extra butter.

On Black Friday I was up early, dragging my butt out of bed at 2:30 AM to give my Visa a workout. Now I can get out of bed before the butt-crack of dawn to go Christmas Shopping and grab those first "Bargains"; why I can't manage to drag my fat ass out of of bed at 5:00 AM to exercise?

So Begins the "Holiday Season".

Weigh in wasn't as painful as I thought it would be, I gained 1.2 pounds. I'm THANKFUL that I didn't gain more.

Here is a recipe for a Pumpkin Smoothie to go with sandwiches made from leftover turkey.


Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Ingredients

1 cup of lite Vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup of canned pure pumpkin
1/4 cup of fat free Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons of Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp. of brown sugar
2 tsp. of Splenda
1 Tbsp. of fat free Reddi-whip
5-8 ice cubes or 1 cup of crushed ice
1/2 sheet of low fat graham crackers, crushed

Directions

Place all ingredients except Reddi-whip in a blender. Blend at high speed until thoroughly blended. Pour into a tall glass and top with the Reddi-whip and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired.

Serves 1

Weight Watchers Points-3

Gains not losses

Thought for the day:

I have gained and lost the same ten pounds so many times over and over again my cellulite must have déjà vu. ~Jane Wagner


Its been three weeks since I've posted, I just felt so depressed over things beyond my control that I couldn't bring myself to get on line and post. I've done what I usually do when depressed; cook and eat, I gained 5 pounds, now I feel like a Yo-Yo.

I have came up with some great new recipes to share.

I don't want to beat myself up about it. Been there done that. I just want to get back on track and in control.

Here is the plan.

Track every thing that crosses my lips.
Walk or perform some kind of exercise daily.
Drink at least 6 glasses of water a day.
Measure and weigh my food and stay within my points allowance.

This plan does work when I actually stick with it. It has helped me lose in excess of 40 pounds and I was getting pretty close to having 50 pounds off. I have simply gotten off track, off the Waggon and out of control again.

Overeating and eating the wrong things is what has happened. Why it happened? I've been having more than my share of "Poor Baby" moments; I'm an emotional eater and my emotions have been in an upheaval over stuff that I can do nothing about, but keep my reactions professional.

Thankfully this weeks end has brought wonderful news that I think will change the atmosphere where I work from one that has felt quite hostile back to the usually pleasant work environment that it once was. Granted no work place is perfect and mine has always had its ups and downs, but the past 9 months have been rather extenuating. I'm looking forward to better days ahead and I believe this change in the work place paradigm will be positive for everyone concerned. last Friday my coworkers and I were almost giddy in anticipation of the changes to come.


Shrimp and Grits



Weight watchers points per serving: 8

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

A Southern Classic. This tastes like a little bit of heaven on a fork.

Ingredients

1/2 cup(s) onion(s), Chopped

1/2 cup(s) bell pepper(s), Red and green chopped

1 tsp olive oil

8 slice(s) uncooked turkey bacon, cut in half

1/2 cup(s) uncooked corn grits

1 cup(s) fat-free half-and-half

1 cup(s) water

1/4 tsp table salt

1/8 tsp black pepper, dash or to taste

3 oz Kraft Deluxe 1/2 the fat made with 2% milk cheese, about 4 slices

1 pound(s) shrimp, extra jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined about 16  pieces
Instructions

Spray a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. wrap the shrimp with bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place the shrimp in the skillet and cook over medium heat until the shrimp is pink and the bacon is crispy, or cook on a George Forman Grill at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp from skillet and set aside. Add olive oil and vegetables to the skillet and cook until the onions are soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Return the shrimp to the skillet and heat through. Meanwhile bring the water and half and half to a low boil in a saucepan over medium heat and add salt and grits. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the grits are soft and the liquid is absorbed. Tear the cheese into small pieces and stir into the grits until melted. Place grits in a shallow serving dish and top with the shrimp and vegetables, Or plate up with 1/4 of the grits on each plate and top with 1/4 of the shrimp.


Better Banana Bread



Weight watchers points per serving: 2
Servings: 10

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 55 to 60 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Yes you can have a big fat slice of Banana Bread and still get into your skinny jeans. What could be better?

Ingredients

3 large banana(s), very ripe mashed, about 1 1/2 cups

1 cup(s) whole wheat flour

1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour

3/4 cup(s) SPLENDA® SPLENDA No Calorie Sweetener

1/4 cup(s) unpacked light brown sugar

2 Tbsp Promise Light Buttery Soft Margarine

1/2 cup(s) unsweetened applesauce

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 cup(s) Egg Beaters Refrigerated Egg Whites

1/4 cup(s) Egg Beaters Egg Beaters

1 spray(s) cooking spray


Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9"x5" loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the white and wheat flours, baking powder, salt Splenda and cinnamon. Mix well. In a medium mixing bowl combine the mashed banana, apple sauce, egg whites and egg beaters, margarine, vanilla and brown sugar. Whisk together until thoroughly mixed. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until blended. Pour into a 9"x5" loaf pan and bake in the oven for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into 10 slices about 3/4" thick.

Back on the Waggon

 Thought for the day:

 “Thinking will not overcome fear but action will.” -W. Clement Stone


I fell off the waggon last week and totally spiraled out of control. It was just a Poor Baby week. I was entirely stressed out at work, needing serious attitude adjustment, tired of being in control, and really wanting to EAT.


Saturday was weigh in day and I didn't go to my meeting or to Zumba. I woke up with a splitting headache and felt crappy, probably from the bottle of wine I drank the night before. Go figure!


Today, I'm tired of wallowing in self pitty and back on track and in control. I've started back up my lunch hour walks now that it's not so hot in the middle of the day. It does help to blow off some work place stress and the activity points are healthier than a food fest.

I will track every day.
I will drink my 6-8 glasses of water daily.
I will walk during lunch break.
I will go to bed early enough to get at least 6-7 hours of sleep.
I will go to Zumba.

And damn it! I will have a good week!

At least I didn't gain anymore weight last week.

Spinning Out Of Control

Thought for the day:

"Being out of control is one of the worst feelings in the world, sometimes even worse than pain.  It is its own kind of pain."  ~Terri Guillemets

Since last weekend I have been spinning out of control; I have just felt so hungry that everthing looks delicious.

I've been in the mood to cook and eat. It could have really been bad if didn't have whole grain flour and splenda in the cabinet. At least what I've been baking is no more than 3 points a serving.

Last Saturday was weigh in day and it didn't go well, I gained 2 pounds, not what I want to happen.

As hard as I've been working to get this fat off and I gain. So discouraging!

I'm craving Poor Baby comfort, like baked Mac-n-cheese. 

Help!!!

Slow and Steady

Thought for the day:

I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.



-Carl Sandburg

Last week had a few challenges, Doughnuts, Pizza and Junk Food. We had guests at work last week so the company provided a luncheon complete with Pizza, Salad and cookies, two out of three are trigger foods for me and it was really a trial to only eat one slice of Veggie Pizza and I stayed as far from the cookies as possible and tried to fill up on salad.


Saturday was weigh in day and I lost 0.2 pounds, after all the temptations guess I'm lucky I didn't gain.


I did finally get a couple of recipes worked out and I'm quite pleased with the results.


Southern cooking doesn't have to be fattening, this is a slimmed down version of a home-style classic.




 Chicken "Fried" Steak

Ingredients


1/2 cup(s) whole wheat flour

1/3 cup(s) Egg Beaters Refrigerated Egg Whites

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp table salt

1 spray(s) cooking spray

12 oz Flat Iron Steak, raw, cut into 4 portions and pounded to about 1/3" thick

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

3/4 tsp paprika

1/2 cup(s) Progresso® Bread crumbs Panko crispy bread crumbs - plain

1 cup(s) General Mills Fiber One, crushed to a bread-crumb like consistency



Instructions


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top, set aside. Place the flour in a shallow dish, add the salt and pepper and stir to mix; combine the Panko, Fiber -One crumbles and paprika in another shallow dish. In a shallow bowl whisk the hot sauce into the egg-whites. Dredge the steak pieces in the flour then dip them into the egg white mixture and dredge in the Panko/Fiber-One crumbs and place on the wire rack. Spray generously with the cooking spray and bake in the oven for about 10-12 minutes or until crispy.
Serves 4
Weight Watchers Points-6


Sausage Gravy



Ingredients

2 item(s) Jimmy Dean Fully cooked turkey sausage patties

1 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup(s) Land O Lakes Fat-free Gourmet Half & Half

1/2 cup(s) fat-free skim milk

1 Tbsp light butter

1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste

1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

2 Tbsp Argo Corn Starch


Instructions


In a nonstick skillet, heat sausage patties, breaking up into small pieces. Remove from the skillet and set aside . Place the butter in the skillet and heat over low heat until melted, whisk in the chicken broth, milk and 1/4 cup of the half and half. dissolve the cornstarch in the other 1/4 cup of half and half and whisk into the liquid in the skillet, cook until thickened, add sausage crumbles.


Serves 4
Weight Watchers Points: 2

I'm Not A Health Nut

Thought for the day:


"The best six doctors anywhere

And no one can deny it
Are sunshine, water, rest, and air
Exercise and diet.
These six will gladly you attend
If only you are willing
Your mind they'll ease
Your will they'll mend
And charge you not a shilling."


~Nursery rhyme quoted by Wayne Fields, What the River Knows, 1990
 
 
When I declined a doughnut at work last week a coworker accused me of being a "Health Nut". I had to laugh out loud, because I can't think of anything further from the truth. I've committed myself to attaining a healthy weight and changing my lifestyle to achieve and I hope, maintain that goal.  
 
 
Not exactly the stuff of which "Health Nuts" are made, at least I don't think so. I know for a fact that I will, one day, eat a doughnut. I'll do it when I have planned for it and decided that a doughnut is really where I want to use my points. I think that having treats that aren't necessarily healthy is not going to kill anyone, but for me would impede my progress toward a healthy Body Mass Index. I also know doughnuts are one of my trigger foods and I would certainly not stop with just one.
 
 
Yesterday was weigh in day and  I'm proud to say I lost 3.4 lbs. YEA! ME!
 
 
I haven't really done anything different the past two weeks, those stubborn pounds have just been coming off, maybe my fat cells have just gotten tired of fighting so hard to stay on my butt. Anyway, the losses of last couple of weeks feel really good and have made up for that plateau I was so frustrated about.
 
 
This weekend, I'm not reviewing the past week, I'm just enjoying the results.
 
 
Here is a recipe for what I think is a pretty good swap for a "McDonald's Sausage and Egg Burrito".


 
Breakfast Burrito



Ingredients

1/4 cup Egg Beaters
1 Fully cooked turkey sausage link

1/8 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1 Mission® Carb balance whole wheat tortillas - fajita size

1/8 cup salsa

cooking spray


Instructions

Spray a microwave safe bowl or cup with cooking spray , add the eggbeaters and microwave for 1-1.5 minutes or until done. while the eggbeaters are cooking cut the sausage link into 1/4" slices. when the eggbeaters are cooked, remove from the microwave and heat the sausage for .5-1 min or until hot, remove and place the tortilla in the microwave and heat 5-10 seconds and remove. place the eggbeaters on the tortilla, breaking them up, add the sausage, cheese and salsa and roll up to contain the filling. Enjoy.

I often eat this during my commute to work.

Comfort Food

Thought for the day:

"Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it's always your choice."


-Wayne Dyer



Today was tough, I was HUNGRY all day! It was really a challenge to stay on program, I was also feeling nostalgic; for comfort food.


I don't know why, maybe it's the cooler weather, or the falling leaves, whatever; I just want the kind of yummy stuff I ate as a kid. I want a hot dog, a bowl of alphabet soup, celery sticks, apple slices and a cupcake.


Hey! That was one of my favorite Grade School lunches. The hot dog was wrapped in a slice of white bread that had been spread with mustard, then it was baked until the bread was crisp and toasty. The celery sticks  were spread with either peanut butter or "Cheese Whiz" and we all ways got a couple of oatmeal cookies or a cupcake for dessert.


Thanks to Hebrew National 97% fat free all beef hot dogs, Healthy Life bread, Campbell's, and Laughing Cow products this meal is do-able for about 7 points, even with the cupcake.


Here is how it happens and the Grand kids like it too.


Campbell's Vegetarian Vegetable soup prepared has only 90 calories per cup and with only 0.5 gm of fat and 2 gm of fiber it amounts to 1 Weight Watchers point.


Hebrew National 97% fat free all beef hot dogs have 40 calories and one gm of fat per hot dog and are 1 Weight Watchers point. Microwave for 1 minute.

Healthy Life White bread has 40 calories, 1 fat gm and 5 gm of fiber and is not quite a point.
Spread yellow mustard on one side of the bread and wrap it around the hot dog securing with a toothpick. Spray with butter flavored cooking spray and bake at 350 degrees in a toaster oven for about 5-7 minutes or until toasted.
 
 
Laughing Cow Lite cheese wedges are 35 calories and 1 gm of fat for 1 Weight Watchers point.
Just spread a wedge of the cheese on one rib of celery and cut into 2 inch long pieces.
 
 
Slice up an apple. 1 Weight Watchers point.
 
 
 
Surprise Cupcakes
 
1 box of Jiffy Yellow cake mix
 
1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce
 
1/2 tsp. baking powder
 
1 egg white
 
1/2 cup of water
 
1/4 cup of sugar free jelly or jam any flavor
 
1cup of Cool Whip Free
 
1 container sugar free Jello Vanilla pudding
 
Pre-heat over to 350 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or line with paper cupcake liners.
 
In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix and baking powder. Add the applesauce, egg-white and water, then stir until blended. Evenly distribute the cake mixture among the cups. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Cool.
 
Place the jelly/jam in the bottom corner of a plastic bag. Snip the corner off with scissors. You will use this to pipe the jelly/jam into the cupcakes. (A pastry bag fitted with a 1/4" tip could also be used)
 
Use a knife to poke a small hole in the center of each cupcake. Use the plastic bag to squeeze the jelly/jam evenly into the holes you made in the cupcakes.
 
Fold the pudding into the Cool Whip and use this to frost the cupcakes.
 
Makes 12 cupcakes
Each cupcake counts as 2 Weight Watchers points
 
 
These are so yummy! For variety you could also use sugar free/fat free pudding as filling.

I Think I Can

Thought for the day:


"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right."



-Henry Ford
 
 
Another busy week, I didn't know whether I was coming or going last week. My mind and body needed rest so badly that I stayed off the computer all weekend.
 
 
Saturday was my weigh in day and I lost this time, 3.2 pounds, YAY! ME!
 
The weekend I worked on cleaning out closets and playing with recipes. Having grown up on southern style food, many of my favorites are laden with fat and high on calories so it's important to me to find swaps so I can get the flavor without the fat. It isn't easy, as butter and bacon fat makes just about everything taste better and are major players in southern cuisine. There are three recipes I particularly want to get lightened up. The first is my Lemon Bars which are getting close to the way I want them to taste, getting the right crust is the tricky part. The other two are Shrimp and Grits and Chicken Fried Steaks with Sausage Gravy and I'm in no way close to getting a good tasting light version.


The week in review:


What I did right:



a. Ate Breakfast daily.


b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.


c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.


d. Exercised 4 days last week.



What I can do better-


a. Get enough sleep. I still struggle with this.


b. Manage to exercise 6 days this week.


c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.


d. Take a 30 minute walk at least 3 days of the week.

Plateau

Thought for the day:

"A desire presupposes the possibility of action to achieve it; action presupposes a goal which is worth achieving."

~Ayn Rand


I think I've reached a plateau, no weight loss this week. Despite staying on point and additional exercise I didn't drop a single ounce. Argg!



This was a holiday weekend, Labor Day, the unofficial end of Summer. So I labored; I pulled binder vines out of one of my flower beds, then removed the plants I want to save and transplanted them to an empty bed for the winter. I want to treat the area with some ground clear to kill the roots out. It will be barren for a while but I can start fresh in the spring with no binder vine. The stuff spreads like Kudzu.



So I've had plenty of physical activity this weekend.



Since it was Labor Day, I did fix a sort of festive meal this evening. I grilled some pork loin sauteed green beans with onion garlic and walnuts and made a mock potato salad using fat free Mayo, low fat sour cream, rice vinegar, mustard and ranch dressing mix for the dressing and steamed cauliflower, egg whites, chopped dill pickle, chopped celery and chopped chives for the part to be dressed and I'm not missing the potatoes at all. This was accompanied by a very simple little tomato, basil and mozzarella salad dressed with a drizzle of Balsamic vinegar reduction. I also made some Lemon bars, that were tasty, but could use some work. I'm thinking a little freshly grated ginger root would up the flavor factor and give these bars that little something that they need.



Mock Southern Style Potato Salad

Ingredients


4 cup(s) cauliflower, roughly chopped

6 item(s) egg white(s), boiled, chilled and chopped

1/2 cup(s) Hidden Valley Fat Free Original Ranch

1 cup(s) Kraft Fat-Free Mayonnaise Dressing

1/8 cup(s) fat-free sour cream

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

3 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup(s) chives, chopped

1/2 item(s) Boar's Head Whole Kosher dill pickle, large chopped (about 2 Tbsp.)

1 cup(s) red onion(s), chopped

3/4 cup(s) celery, chopped

1/8 cup(s) Martha White Spud Flakes Instant Mashed Potatoes Mix

1/4 tsp table salt

10 cup(s) water

1 tsp paprika


Instructions

Place cauliflower, salt and water in a microwave safe dish, cover and steam in the microwave oven at 100% power for 8-10 minutes or until tender, drain and cool completely .

Place 1 cup of the cauliflower with the mashed potato flakes,mayonnaise, sour cream, Ranch salad dressing, rice wine vinegar and Dijon mustard in a blender jar and puree.

In a large bowl toss the remaining cauliflower with the onion, celery, dill pickle, chives,and egg whites.

Gently fold the contents of the blender jar into the ingredients in the bowl, sprinkle with the paprika and chill.



Servings: 10

Weight Watches Points: 1
 
 
 
I'll share the Lemon Bar recipe when I tweak it up a bit.


 
 What I did right:



a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.

d. Exercised 5 days last week.



What I can do better-


a. Get enough sleep. I still struggle with this.

b. Manage to exercise 6 days this week.

c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.

d. Take a 30 minute walk at least 3 days of the week.

New Jeans

Thought for the day:


"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

~Thomas A. Edison
 
 
I wore a new pair of jeans to work today, in a smaller size, I was looking great and feeling better. I think I looked better in jeans than I have in at least 10 years, maybe more. I'm still glowing from the complements my co-workers showered me with.
 
 It may just be my imagination, but I think a man at the grocery store was hitting on me. I'm really not sure, because I was just trying to get groceries, it's been a long time since I've attracted a man's attention and I was not flirting, but still, he was pretty friendly.
 
Not that I'm interested, but it is nice to think someone of the opposite sex noticed that I looked good.
 
I am so going shopping for a 2nd pair of those jeans!
 
This week I have been so hungry, I've used every activity point I earned about half of my flex points. I'm gonna have to either work out like crazy this weekend or keep to the lowest of points on my food choices.
 
This is a holiday weekend too.
 
Tomorrow is my weigh in day and I hope I lost. I have been working out daily and walked for half an hour on my lunch break today. Hope that was enough to make a pound budge.
 
Whatever happens with the scale, it's still been a good week.

What a Drag

Thought for the day:


"Clogged with yesterday's excess, the body drags the mind down with it." ~Horace


Perhaps it's the rainy weather, but I have felt so tired today that it was all I could do to get to exercise class. My butt was really draging and had I been going on my own, I might have diched it. Thank goodness I was meeting a buddy. It's so easy to wimp out on exercise when I'm on my own.


After class I had a lot more energy.


Having friends to work out with, not only makes it more fun, it also keeps me motivated.


I went home and tried the Belly dance DVD, and it made my belly is sore. I was trying to master the "Belly Roll", since I have a belly roll I thoulght it would be easy, NOT!


I am going to give it another try.


 I've always wanted to be able to move with the grace of a dancer and be able to glide through a room instead of stumble.


Maybe if I can learn to dance I can learn to move with a little grace. I do think my posture is improving and while I don't quite feel graceful, I don't feel quite as clumsy either.

Centered

Thought for the day:

"You have a very powerful mind that can make anything happen as long as you keep yourself centered. " -Dr. Wayne W. Dyer



I've had another ridiculously busy week, but I was able to stay centered and on point. Again, planning turns out to be the winning strategy.


This week my weigh in was much better than last week's, I lost 2.6 pounds, ridding myself of the one I had gained last week and putting me 1.6 pound ahead of the game.


I had a little personal goal to get to 50 pounds off by Labor Day, but with 8 pounds standing in the way I think I'll resolve that goal to having my first 50 off by the Autumn equinox. I can't say that I'm not disappointed but since I started this challenge on the first day of spring I guess getting to that halfway point by the first day of Autumn is more realistic. I may have been rushing things.


This challenge is not the "Biggest Loser".


What really is most important is not how fast that first 50 comes off, but that it gets off. I've made a lot of progress toward my ultimate weight loss goal, 42 pounds is nothing to sneeze at.


When I think about how far I've come, and number of lifestyle changes I've made, it kind of even astounds me. I really never thought I could get over my exercise allergy, let alone actually enjoy a work out. My first experience with physical activity was when I forced myself to take a walk, then I forced myself to start trying different exercise DVDs. Now, thanks to my friend Barb, suggesting I join her at a  Zumba class; I have a physical activity that I actually look forward to.


I'm still trying different exercise DVDs to have some kind of activity on the days I don't go to Zumba, and I think that may keep things fresh for me. And I like the stretching involved with Yoga and the toning I get from Pilates. This week's DVD is Belly dancing, I'll let you know how it goes. I'll also walk more when the weather cools off.


Overall, I think the week went pretty well.


What I did right:


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.

d. Exercised 5 days last week.

e. Tried a recipe for brownies made with black beans and with only 53 calories. It was a total bust. Yuck! Maybe I can tweak it to taste good, the texture was moist and fuggy.

What I can do better-

a. Get enough sleep. I still struggle with this.

b. Manage to exercise 6 days this week.

c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.

d. Make some time for meditation. I'm still struggling with this one too.

Planning for Success

Thought for the day:

"It would be far easier to lose weight permanently if replacement parts weren't so handy in the refrigerator." ~Hugh Allen


Well, I weighed in yesterday and I was up a pound. That binge on Friday came back to haunt me; at least it was only one pound, it could have been a lot worse.


I've stopped kicking myself in the butt over it, now I'm back on the waggon and hanging on for dear life!


After my weigh in and meeting, I went to a Zumba class and then got my game plan together to have successful week.


First stop, Farmer's Market; picked up watermelon, cantaloupe, peaches, plumbs, nectarines, cucumbers, corn, zucchini and some ripe tomatoes. Next to the grocery store for items not available at the Farmers Market. I picked up a turkey breast tenderloin for Sunday dinner and sandwiches next week, other protein choices I made were black beans, red kidney beans, lean pork for kabobs, Ahi tuna, salmon, shrimp and chicken breasts.


I try to plan left-overs each evening for my lunch the next day, it's so much easier to stay on track and on budget by bringing my lunch to work.


I went to Target and bought a pair of pink and very girly looking 5 Lb. hand weights to use for some arm toning exercises, a set of resistance bands in pretty rainbow colors and a new yoga mat in Cinderella blue. Now I know that buying this stuff in pretty colors is not going to make it any more effective, but I've decided to look at these items as fitness accessories so that I'll be more inclined to use them.


I'm such a Princess, even my gym bag is pink.


OK!, I have my meal plans for the week, my 3 Zumba classes and 2 days of weight training lined out, as well my pool exercises, and I intend to have a successfull week!


This week, failure is NOT an option!



Last week in review:



What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.

d. Exercised 4 days last week.

e. Got a pedi.



What I can do better-


a. Get enough sleep.

b. Manage to get my walks in at least 3 days this week.

c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.

d. Make some time for meditation.

Dangerous Curves

Thought for the day:

"If I had been around when Rubens was painting, I would have been revered as a fabulous model. Kate Moss? Well, she would have been the paintbrush." ~Dawn French



OMG! I pigged out, and I feel awful.

I was really wanting a cheeseburger and fries; I thought there are 28 flex points that I haven't eaten this week, just have it. I had it all right, I ordered out for lunch from a place my co-workers frequently go but it just wasn't very good. It didn't satisfy me at all. What a let down! What a waste of flex points?

So after work I went home to find my granddaughter waiting for me, she wanted Pizza, something else I've had a yen for, so we ordered, and I ate 3 peices and chased them with a fruit and yogurt smoothy. Now I feel overly satisfied, stuffed and FAT!

Well, what is done is done. It's over now and all those calories are probably headed straight for my butt. Guess I see the damage when I step up on the scale tomarrow morning. I just hope the extra physical activity I've engaged in this week will counter my poor food choices.

Arggg!

Why didn't I stop with 1 slice of Pizza?

I'm such a DORK!

40 Pounds Down and Counting

Thought for the day:


"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily." -Zig Ziglar



Another week down, this one marked another milestone for me.


Saturday was weigh in day and I can now say quite proudly that I have lost a total of 40 pounds, yup! 40 big ones! Boy! was I doing a happy dance at Zumba afterward or what.


At any rate it was a good week in despite the heat.


After Zumba, I went with my Daughter, 4 Granddaughters and my Son's girlfriend to Raging Rivers Water park to give the girls a Back to School Whoop-T-Do! My legs and butt are still sore from walking up the hills and in the Wave Pool water. While there a bought a half price bathing suit in a smaller size to give myself something to work toward.


I have noticed that my body composition has been changing, I have a neck now as well as a waist. However, what really surprised me is that when changing clothes, I got a glimpse of what I think is that six-pack that I just know is hiding under all of my abdominal fat.


This week I did try a new food, House of Foods Tofu Shiritaki Noodles. The texture is a little different than both regular pasta and the whole grain pasta I've been using, but not unpleasant, just different. With a serving of the pasta sauce recipe below and some grilled shrimp the difference was less noticeable, and at only 20 calories per 1 cup serving those noodles are a way to stay on point.


Fat Momma's Skinny Alfredo Sauce


Ingredients

2 Tbsp Fat-Free Sour Cream
2 wedge(s) Light Creamy Garlic & Herb
2 oz Philadelphia Free Fat-Free Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste


Instructions
Warm in the microwave oven at 100% power for 1 minute.



Serves 4
POINTS® value per serving = 2

This makes 1 cup of pasta sauce, enough to toss with 4 cups of cooked pasta. For variety use a different flavor of Laughing Cow Wedges, to kick it up add steamed broccoli or to really kick it up add grilled chicken or shrimp. Yum!



Last week in review:



What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.
b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.
c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.
d. Exercised 4 days last week.
e. Ate 5 fruits and veggies a day.
f. Tried a new food, the Tofu Shiritaki Noodles.

What I can do better-


a. Get enough sleep.
b. Manage to get my walks in at least 3 days this week.
c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.
d. Get a pedicure or a massage for relaxation.
e. Make some time for meditation.

The Nitty Gritty

Thought for the day:

"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."


-Epictetus
 
 
 
Another week down and only .4 pounds lost at weigh in. Guess I need to get down to the real Nitty Gritty and examine my game plan.



I used very few Flex points last week as a matter of fact I still had 30 of them left when the week ended. I just was not that hungry. With the hot weather I was just wanting to drink water.



 Zumba is still going good. I probably look like a fool doing it but I have no trouble sleeping after a class. The instructor is adding a class on Saturdays so I'll soon Zumba 3 days a week. Who would have thought I'd like any exercise enough to go 3 times a week! Guess I'm not as allergic as I thought.
 


I have been absolutely craving KFC coleslaw, but at 4 points per 1/2 cup I am also reluctant to indulge and 1/2 cup is never enough when it comes to the Colonel's coleslaw. After several tries at knocking the fat out of that creamy slaw I finally have come up with a greatly reduced fat version, the servings are a generous 3/4 cup each and I am no longer Jonesin for the Colonel. 



Fat Momma's Creamy Cole Slaw
 

4 tablespoons Hellman's lite mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Hendrickson's Original Sweet Vinegar and Olive Oil salad dressing
1 teaspoon Dijonnaise
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon Splenda
1/2 teaspoon water
3 cups of packaged 3 color coleslaw
 


Whisk together the first 6 ingredients and toss with the coleslaw.
Makes 4 servings at 1 Weight Watchers point each.


 
Last week in review:



What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.

d. Exercised 6 days last week.

e. Ate 5 fruits and veggies a day.



What I can do better-


a. Get a little more sleep, and make some time for meditation.

b. Manage to get my walks in at least 3 days this week.

c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.

d. Get a pedicure or a massage for relaxation.
 

Chippin' Away

Thought for the day:

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."



-Thomas A. Edison
 
 
 
Perseverance does pay off, I lost 3 pounds last week, so I was feeling pretty good while standing on the scale Saturday. It does seems like I have to keep working harder to keep losing. I'm exercising almost daily now and I keep looking for new swaps for the foods I crave.


Gotta keep chipping away at those pounds!
 
 
Last week had its ups and its downs but I didn't let it pull me off track.
 
   
I've been pretty mentally exhausted, so I went out to the swimming pool this evening and just vegetated for a while. It was good to clear my mind.
 
 
Last week in review:

 
What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.

d. Exercised 6 days last week.



What I can do better-

a. Get a little more sleep, and make some time for meditation.

b. Manage to get my walks in at least 3 days this week.

c. Work out some new recipes to help prevent boredom.  

d. Eat at least 5 fruits or veggies a day.
 
 
 

Sweet Tomatoes

Thought for the day:

It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.
~Lewis Grizzard


Last week was way to hot for my lunch hour stroll, but I was still able to loose one pound, Thank You Zumba!


I did a little shopping over the weekend, needed a few things in a smaller size. Yippee! Yippee! Yahoo!
I've been shopping the back of my closet, but I'm running out of smaller sizes. At least with all of the end of season sales, I'm not spending a fortune.

For me there is nothing else that tastes more like Summer than a sweet, juicy, fresh, homegrown tomato. I absolutely love Gazpacho, marinated tomato salad, sliced tomatoes, BLTs,stuffed tomatoes, baked, broiled and fire roasted tomatoes; honestly, I don't think I've met a tomato I didn't like. Lucky for me, they're in season and they are a good for you "SUPER" food. Packed with lycopene, potassium, vitamins A and C and really low in calories. Whoo! Hoo!

Does it get any better?


Last week in review:


What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank extra water due to the heat and my increase in activity.

d. Created a new recipe substituting healthier ingredients to put the skinny on a favorite dish.

e. Took up a new activity twice a week.


What I can do better-
a. Get a little more sleep, and make some time for meditation.

b. Manage to get my walks in at least 3 days this week.

c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.

Big Easy

I have been absolutely craving Popeye's "Cajun Popcorn", but that deep fried stuff is sure to trigger what I call my "Fat Tooth" and result in a binge of eating fatty junk food. This swap that made me feel like I took a river boat cruse directly into the "Big Easy", and the serving size is generous.

That Zumba class has me thinking "Hot! Hot! Hot!


Kicked Up Cajun Popcorn Shrimp

Ingredients


1 pound(s) shrimp, medium peeled, tails removed

3/4 cup(s) General Mills Fiber One, ground into a bread-crumb like consistency (use a

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 cup(s) Egg Beaters Egg Beaters

1/4 cup(s) hot pepper sauce

10 spray(s) cooking spray

1 cup(s) store-bought cocktail sauce

1/2 tsp table salt

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray a large baking sheet well with the cooking spray.
In a food storage bag mix together Fiber One crumbs with the salt, garlic powder and onion powder. Set aside.
Drain all liquid off of the shrimp then pat the shrimp dry . Set aside.
In a shallow bowl combine the Egg Beaters and the hot pepper sauce.
Drench the shrimp in the shaking a little to remove any excess drench mixture and shake to coat a few shrimp at a time in the bag with Fiber One crumb mixture . Place the shrimp in a single layer on the baking sheet and spray over the top with the cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until crispy turning once during the baking time. Serve with the cocktail sauce.

Weight Watchers Points Value: 4


Servings: 4

Zum-Zum-Zumba!

Thought for the day:

"They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."



-Andy Warhol
 
 
Well I tried my first Zumba class yesterday, and I survived!!!
 
A friend asked me to attend a Zumba class with her, I was hesitant at first, I didn't think I could keep up, but decided to check it out anyway. Hey, it was just one class, only one hour. Boy! Am I glad I went! It was very intense but also fun, it seems to combine Latin dance moves with aerobics and some belly dancing moves.  You sure do "Shake what your Momma gave you", and get full body workout to boot!
 
It kicked my butt!
 
When I got home afterward and checked to see how many activity points I'd earned I was very pleased to see that someone of my current size could earn 10 activity points for one hour of Zumba. Yippee!!!
 
You can bet I'll be back!
 
I thought I would be sore as hell this morning but I wasn't, so I guess the Yoga and Pilates  DVDs I've borrowed from the Library, and practiced, have payed off too. 
 
Can't beat that with a stick!
 
 
 

Another Week Shot to Hell

Thought for the day:

"In the Middle Ages, they had guillotines, stretch racks, whips and cahins. Nowadays, we have a much more effective torture device called the bathroom scale." -Stephen Phillips


Last week ended in a big stink. Things at work have been horrible and I can't seem to see any light at the end of the tunnel. Things have pretty much sucked for the last 6 months and now I'm having a real problem keeping my attitude from stinking as well. I can't seem to work fast enough or smart enough to do much but tread water, and it feels like I'm treading quicksand.

I felt so weighed down at the end of the week I made some really poor choices in what I ate and drank. I caved and went on a junk food binge with a chocolate malt chaser.

Boy! did I feel bad Saturday.

First I overslept and missed my weigh in, I felt fat, bloated and lethargic. I'm glad I didn't stand on the scale, it would have just added more weight to my negative feeling.

Once I got myself going I went for a hair cut and then met a former co-worker for lunch at St Louis Bread Company. My lunch choices were not too bad. A salad and sandwich with green tea to drink. We had a nice lunch and it was really good to see her, she gave me a pep talk and I started feeling better.

I just know she went home and said a prayer for me.

I followed the lunch with a long walk in a local park trying to get my frame of mind in order, it was dusk when I finally went home. Physical exhaustion does wonders for putting your priorities in perspective, at least it assures a good nights sleep.

I don't want to review last week it was too painful by the end of the work week and I just want to let it go!

This is a new week and I've set some new priorities.

1. Exercise at least twice this week. Walk at least 3 days.



2. Do something nice for myself, make some time for meditation.

3. Quit allowing what is eating me to make me eat the wrong foods.

Fat Momma Meets Hungry Girl

Thought for the day:

"You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be." -David Viscott


Yesterday my friend Mary and I attended a "Happy Hour Party" given by "Hungry Girl", Lisa Lillien. We had a awesome time! It's been quite a long time since I've been out to a "Happy Hour" and an even longer time since I've enjoyed myself so much at one. The crowd was huge, mostly female, and either trying to lose weight or maintaining a weight loss. I met women barely old enough to consume adult beverages and women possibly as much as 20 years older than me, all having a good time, and all of us united in our struggle to fit into our unforgiving jeans.

I tried some party foods and cocktails that were amazingly low in calories, fat and carbs. Can you believe it, a Margarita for only 115 calories! I'm impressed, Now, I had already figured out most of the calories in cocktails are from the sugary mixers. I've also made my own simple syrup and sour mix substituting Splenda for the sugar. "Hungry Girl" swaps flavored versions of rum and vodka or uses sugar free Torani syrup for the liquors in favorite cocktails, which makes a lot of sense, because a liquor is just a grain alcohol with sugar and flavor from either fruit, herbs or spices. I have also noticed that her recipes gain flavor from powdered drink mixes like Crystal Lite. How clever!

Now, for the food. The recipes are YUMMY!  Especially the "Devilish Eggs" which were absolutely delicious and difficult for me who loves deviled eggs, to detect the swap of mashed cooked orange cauliflower and "Laughing Cow" cheese for the egg yolks.

Meeting Lisa and chatting for a few minutes was great, she was very gracious and we had her sign our copies of "Happy Hour".

I really like the "Hungry Girl" cookbooks, "200 Under 200" is my favorite and I've found some really great swaps on the web site http://www.hungry-girl.com/.

Two of the ladies we met were using a method of weight loss I found quite surprising. They stated they were participating in a medical study at Washington University. They have a G-tube(a tube that is surgically placed through the abdominal wall into the stomach); they eat whatever they want and then they attach a small machine to the G-tube and evacuate the contents of their stomach. Thankfully the procedure was not demonstrated. One of the women proudly stated she had lost 40 pounds in the past year of participation in this study. I didn't have the heart to tell her I had lost 36 pounds in less than 4 months eating and following the Weight Watchers program.

My friend Mary, who is also a nurse, admitted to being shocked by the idea of what we both thought was medically supervised Bulimia. While not shocked, I was surprised that a Medical School would trial this method for weight loss and also rather curious about the psyche of someone who would participate. Although medically supervised, I can't imagine how it could possibly be healthy, or teach a person how to maintain their weight loss. For me it screams desperation.

A Girl's Just Got to Have Fun

Thought for the day:

"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Gandhi Eleanor


Boy did I have a busy weekend, two of my Granddaughters are staying at my house while their Mother is out of town. We had a lot of fun and I was able to get in a lot of activity. Whoo! Hoo!

Saturday was weigh-in day and I did lose 0.4 pounds, a little disappointing, but due last weeks hot weather I didn't get in as much exercise as I would have liked. And I was hungry all week. Those Flex points were gone by Thursday night.

This weekend, however, was a different story. We walked, we played and we got in the swimming pool and played some more. The weather was beautiful. Sunday afternoon I cut grass and weed-whacked for a couple of hours, then got in the pool and did my 30 minute pool work out with the noodles, and I'm up to using two noodles for resistance now.

When I sat down and figured my activity up all of Sunday's activity points I was pleasantly surprised to learn I had 10 points in activity! I was feeling so good about that I had a cold frosty one and lolled on the pool raft to celebrate. I love to get a cold drink and loll around, an old friend of mine used to call the activity, or lack of it, "Not doing Jack Shit".

Well, "Not doing Jack Shit" sure did feel good after all of the weekend's activities.



The week in review:



What I did right-

a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Created a couple of new recipes substituting healthier ingredients to skinny down some favorite foods.


What I can do better-


a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Manage to get my walks in at least 3 days this week. (I walked at lunch today)
c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.

No Excuse

Thought for the day:

"And oftentimes excusing of a fault doth make the fault the worse by the excuse."



 -William Shakespeare


With the recent hot weather, getting my walk in has been a challenge because it's too easy to make an excuse not to do it. I don't want to get up earlier, I like to sleep too much. It's too hot to walk at lunch and even hot in the evening. I walked the mall yesterday and today just skipped it. Not Good! I am doing the pool exercise routine, hope that is enough to get the weight off this week because the walks have just not been happening.

Here is a recipe I came up with for Perch Amandine. I'd been wanting Sole Amandine but only had Perch in the freezer and "Necessity is the Mother of Invention". The potato recipe is a great side with the fish or just about anything else.

Perch Amandine

1 Lb of Perch fillets
juice of 2 lemons about 1/4 cup
1 lemon sliced
1/4 cup of sliced blanched almonds, toasted
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
1/2 cup of dry vermouth or other dry white wine

To prepare, use a covered skillet over medium heat.

Bring the lemon juice, vermouth, parsley, thyme, slat and pepper to a boil. Add the Perch fillets and half of the lemon slices, cover and reduce heat. Poach at a gentle boil until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Transfer the fish to a platter and top with the toasted almonds. Reduce the poaching liquid by 1/2 and pour over the fillets. Serve and enjoy
Makes 4 servings at 5 weight watchers points each.

Roasted Potatoes Asiago

4 small potatoes about 3-4 ounces each quartered
1 small onion thinly sliced and broken up into rings
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the potatoes and onions in a baking dish, drizzle with the olive oil and toss to coat. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until just tender enough to pierce with a fork. Top the potatoes with the Asiago cheese and return to the oven to melt and slightly brown the cheese, about 7-10 minutes.
Makes 4 servings at 3 points each

Happy Independence Day

Thought for the day:


"Albert Einstein, who discovered that a tiny amount of mass is equal to a huge amount of energy, which explains why, as Einstein himself so eloquently put it in a famous 1939 speech to the Physics Department at Princeton, You have to exercise for a week to work off the thigh fat from a single Snickers." ~Dave Barry, Dave Barry Turns 50



Yesterday was weigh in day and this week the scale was my really good friend, I lost 4.8 pounds!

But I have worked out pretty hard for the past four weeks, maybe a little too hard at first. At this point I'm just happy to see the numbers on the scale go down.

Being independent of another 4.8 pounds is a great feeling and it puts me at 1/3 of the way to my 100 pound weight loss goal. Yippee!!!

My pool noodle water workout is going well and I can already tell that my body is changing by the way my clothing are fitting. I am also very happy to report that due to those changes, I can now solidly shop for clothes in the Misses Department and be independent of the Big Girls Clothes.

Today is Independence Day and while I celebrate American Independence, I'll also be celebrating Independence from 1/3 of my excess body fat.

The week in review:

What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked 30 minutes each day. Did a Pool Noodle Work Out three times this week

e. Use a few flex points each day, especially when I'm more active.

f. I've let go of the problems I had the last few weeks.


What I can do better-

a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Drink extra water during outdoor activities.

c. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

d. Find another resistance Work Out for two or three days a week.

Back on Track

Thought for the day:

"Energy and persistence conquer all things."

-Benjamin Franklin
 
 
Wow! Another week is ending and a Holiday weekend approaching.
 
Tomorrow is Weigh-in day again and I think I've had a fairly good week this week. I have managed to walk every day and did some pool exercises on 3 out of 5 days. I've drank plenty of water and stayed on point all week.
 
I went out to lunch again today but this time to Subway. I had a 6" Sweet Onion Chicken Teryaki sandwich on whole wheat, an apple and Ice Tea to drink, about 8 points in all. Much better choices than last Friday. I really miss going out to lunch, but not only is it expensive, it's also difficult to stay within my points budget when I'm not preparing the food myself.
 
After last week I have come up with some strategies to stay in control when I eat a meal out:
 
I AVOID BUFFET AND SMORGASBORD TYPE RESTAURANTS!!!
 
I go on-line to check out the menu and nutritional info, and decide what I'm ordering.
 
I call my order in ahead of time to be ready when I arrive so I don't change my mind.
 
I drink a large glass of water before I go out.
 
Can't wait to weigh-in!

Get over it!

Thought for the day:

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty."



-Winston Churchill
 
 
I had a difficult week, I felt like I was starving all week long.
 
My children's paternal grandmother, my ex-husbands mother died and that brought up all kinds of emotional baggage for me. While my kids and I were not very close to my former mother-in-law, it was still a period of grief for them and a time to offer support to them and their Father.
 
My relationship with my ex-husband is to put it kindly a somewhat rocky one, but I do still care about him. You don't have three children with someone and then due to divorce turn all of that caring off. Do I still want to be married to the guy?
 
NO!!!
 
ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
 
My ex-husband and I had our great moments and our marriage was certainly not all bad. However, due to our differences we consistently infuriated each other and our fights were as volatile as napalm. For me, it came down to divorce him, or kill him.
 
I didn't want to go to prison and our children were young; they needed parents.
 
After paying respects at the funeral home, it was late I was hungry and we stopped at Golden Corral for dinner, I binged. I ate too much and topped it all off with chocolate cake.
 
The next day I get home from work to find what I suspect was the product of some neighborhood hooligans who entered my fenced back yard, took the cover off my pool wadded it up and threw it in the mud then horsed around in the pool collapsing the back wall and allowing 2/3 of the water to escape. To put it lightly I was boiling with anger. I suspect it is the same couple of older boys that I have seen cutting through my back yard on occasion.
 
There is now a pad-lock on the fence gate and No Trespassing signs posted. I hope the vandalism doesn't happen again. I've fixed the pool and had to completely drain it to do so. Filling a swimming pool twice took 5,000 gallons of water, so the water bill is probably going to have me rilled again.
 
Friday I went out to lunch with my co-workers, we went to a bar. I thought the choice of a steak sandwich and salad was good. The salad was dressed with fat free salad dressing, had no cheese or croutons and was a good choice, but the steak sandwich was huge and served on garlic-cheese bread I figure it was at least 25 points. I ate all of it.
 
Yesterday was Weigh-in day and I lost .4 Lbs, at least I didn't gain, I expected to. After the week I've had, and what I've posted doesn't even include the on the job stressors, .4 pounds lost is great. Heck, not gaining is great!
 
I'm not even going to review this week any more, I'm just going to put it to bed and...
 
GET OVER IT!
 
Forgive me for going all Scarlett O'Hara, but really,"Tomorrow is another day".

Thinking Outside The Box

Thought for the day:

"Opportunities multiply as they are seized."



-Sun Tzu


The weekend is over and another busy week begins.


Last Saturday was weigh in day and those 2 pounds I had gained are off again. Yippee! May they never return!


Saturday was also my granddaughters Birthday party with cake and all of the trimmings. I did indulge, a piece of cake and a scoop of ice-cream. I had planned well and had the flex points to accommodate it but it did leave me wanting more sweets and I caved. Saturday was most definitely a sugar binge. But it's over.


Sunday I put up one of those above the ground pools with the blow up ring. Boy! You sure find out how level your yard isn't putting one of those pools up. It took all day and plenty of sweat to get a pool that was supposed to set up in 10 minutes ready for water. I must have earned about 20 activity points!


The pool is up and full so today after work I took the opportunity to use it. First I warmed up a bit by just walking around the perimeter for about 5 minutes, then I sat down in the water. The pool is only 30 inches deep which make it chest high for me in a seated position. I did a few wind mills to warm my arms up using the water for resistance. Since that felt pretty good I grabbed the Pool Noodles I had bought for the grand-kids to play with. I took one in each hand and  pushed them to the floor of the pool with my arms fully extended. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. Then I tried putting them under my ankles and using my legs to push them down. I felt a lot of resistance with this move working not just my thighs but my lower abdomen as well.


I'm thinking you could get a pretty good work-out using pool noodles and maybe water wings as well. I'm going to do some research on the subject to find out which moves would work major muscle groups and could be done in the water.


My New project "Fat Momma's Water-Wing and Pool Noodle Workout".


If this isn't thinking outside the box I don't know what is.


Last week in review:


What I did right-



a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked 30 minutes each day.

e. Saved some Flex Points for a special event.



What I can do better-


a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Drink extra water during outdoor activities.

c. Use a few flex points each day, especially when I'm more active.

d. Research some water exercise moves to devise a pool work-out.

Getting Back to Work

Thought for the day:

"Do not lose courage in considering your own imperfections." 

 -Saint Francis de Sales


Being back to my job after nine days off has been a struggle. I'm having trouble getting back into the routine. At least I have stayed on point and I'm drinking my water, but  the heat and rain have prevented my walk until today.


The Time off was refreshing even though I probably worked harder and certainly more physically while at home.


While on Vacation I did try a new product that I like, Bagel Thins from Thomas Bakery. These are really versatile and only 110 calories each with enough fiber that they only cost 2 points on Weight Watchers. The following is a breakfast sandwich using Bagel Thins that I came up with as a swap for the yummy Bagel sandwiches from Panera-St. Louis Bread Company.


Breakfast Bagel Sandwich

1 Thomas Bagel Thin

1 oz lean ham

1 oz of 2% Milk Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1/4 cup liquid egg substitute

Butter flavor cooking spray



Lightly toast the Bagel Thin. Cook egg substitute over medium heat in a pan coated with the cooking spray, or cook as I do in the Microwave oven in a small bowl coated with the  cooking spray. Warm the ham. To assemble place the Cheese on one half of the Bagel Thin and top with egg, ham and the other bagel thin half. Enjoy!

This sandwich costs 5-6 points on Weight Watchers depending upon the brand of Egg substitute you use. It makes a really good breakfast to eat while on the go.

Dissapointment

Thought for the day:

"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it." -Margaret Thatcher


After a week of stay-cation, taken to get some projects completed around the house. My back yard looks pretty good. My container vegetable garden is planted. The covered patio has been cleaned out and painted and quite a lot of junk was carried out to the street for trash pick up. I could go on and on but lets just say I have toiled like a Hebrew Slave all week.


My body is so sore from using muscles I forgot I had.


My new BFF is Aleve.


Today was weigh in day and I really expected to have lost weight. I stayed on point and then there was all the physical labor.


 The scale was not friendly this morning. I gained 2.8 pounds.


WHY!


According to Wendy, our meeting leader, this can happen when one works out very strenuously all at once rather than gradually building up to the activity. As I understand it,  muscles can become somewhat inflamed and hold on to water. I have noticed that my feet and ankles are slightly swollen so perhaps the weight gain is from some water retention.


 It could be that I have not drank enough water this week even though I drank 6-8 glasses a day. It's been hot and I have been working outside so extra water was probably needed. It is also possible that I've not eaten enough to accommodate the extra activity. I've barely eaten enough food to meet my daily points target because I haven't been hungry.


Back to the drawing board!



My week in review:



What I did right-

a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked 30 minutes each day.


What I can do better-


a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Drink extra water during outdoor activities.

c. Use a few flex points each day, especially when I'm more active.

d. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

Accomplishment‏

Thought for the day:




Aerobics: a series of strenuous exercises which help convert fats, sugars, and starches into aches, pains, and cramps. ~Author Unknown





Yesterday I it! I really, really did it!



I completed a 5K walk!



It really did feel good to have accomplished the goal I've been training for over the last 6 weeks.



The day could not have been more perfect for a walk, warm and breezy. Gordon Moore Park where we walked was beautiful, the Rose Garden which was our turn around place was especially lovely.



The other walkers were folks from the Weight Watchers meetings I attend and our group leader Wendy, who is always an inspiration. We had a nice "Pot Luck" lunch afterward giving us even more time to talk and offer each other support in our common effort at a healthier lifestyle. We had so much fun that there is even talk about another walk, just for the fun of it, this Fall.



After I left the park, I decided to reward myself with a non-food splurge. Since my wardrobe is getting too big for me, and one of the ladies at the walk commented on my having to pull my shorts up, I decided to go shopping. I bought myself a new skirt and top to celebrate completing another goal!



It was hard to shop because while I have lost 1/4 of my weight loss goal I'm kind of stuck between sizes. The size I started out at is way too big and the size I'm in is too big as well, but the next size down is still a little tight. So I settled on things that were the next size down but not particularly fitted.



After all that activity I went home, took two Aleve, and took a nap.



I see Aleve and Aloe Vera in my future for the next couple of days but it still feels great to have accomplished a 5K, although I'll be living with sore muscles and a sunburn for a few days.



Next time I'll put a Post It on the bathroom mirror to remind me about the sun-screen.



Oh Yeah!



Here is another big Whoop-tee-do !



I got to shop in the Misses department, not the "Big Girls" clothes!



Woo! Hoo!

Keeping Motivated

Thought for the day:

"Desire is the key to motivation, but it's an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek." -Mario Andretti

Today is the first day of my stay-cation vacation, while I'm not going anywhere, I'm not going to work either. I plan to get some much needed work done around my house. Get my flower beds weeded, plant some annuals and clean up the back yard for Summer.

Today is also weigh in day and I'm happy to report another 1.6 pounds lost, putting me over that 25% of the way there mark on this 100 pound challenge.  I'm feeling a lot better and more energetic. My knees don't hurt as much either. I'm also going to walk a 5K tomarrow. I'm really excited and looking forward to this walk. Who would have ever thought just a couple of months ago that would ever happen! Me with my exercise allergy and all.

This challenge has been a serious is a life style changer.

I'm doing things I didn't think I would or could do.

I've changed the way I cook, now I'm baking, grilling and broiling instead of frying. My snacks have changed from Chips and dip or nachos with lots of cheese sauce and an ice cream sunday chaser to vegies and hummus or fresh fruit.

The biggest change however, is that I'm getting in some kind of physical activity daily. Usually a walk but I've also tried yoga postures, and I finally found a Tai Chi VCR tape at the library to try. I'm liking the jump rope and may yet get that Hula-Hoop.

I'm considering a 12' diameter 30" deep pool for the back yard. I think it would serve two purposes, entertainment for the grandchildren and resistance walking for me or possibly a water work out. The pools I'm looking at cost less than $100.00. At that price, even if I don't like it the kids will still be happy and when the thing is worn out I can through it away without much guilt and never buy another.

My week in review:

What I did right-



a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked for 60 minutes, 4 days of the week.

e. Continued the Yoga practice. It does feel good to stretch.

f. Used the jump rope 3 times last week for 10 minutes each time.

g. Took my BFF out to dinner for her birthday and stayed on point.

d. Checked out a Tai-Chi video from the library to try.



What I can do better-


a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Find another new activity.

c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.

d. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

Losing It

Thought for the day:


"Rule your mind or it will rule you. You may delay, but time will not." -Horace



Yesterday was weigh in day and I was happy because I lost 1.8 pounds but also a little disappointed; I really wanted to have 25 pounds off by Memorial day and missed that goal by 0.2 pounds, ARGGG! I had not eaten or drank anything before weighing in, I had went to the bathroom too; so short of taking my clothes off (that may happen when I get that close to the 100 pound goal), the weight on the scale was as low as it was going to go.



The meeting was very motivating, we talked about increasing activity. Many of us didn't have weight problems when we were younger because we were a lot more active. The facilitator suggested that as grown-ups we should go out and play more.



After the meeting played with my granddaughters. We also went shopping at their favorite store and tried out the hula-hoops. None of us could keep the darned things going, but maybe I should go back and get one to practice with. As a kid, I thought they were fun. We did get jump ropes and had a jumping contest, I lost. The point is I did it, not well, but I did it.



The week in review:



What I did right-


a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked for 60 minutes, 5 days of the week.

e. Continued the Yoga practice. It does feel good to stretch.

f. Tried the Hula-Hoop. Bought a jump rope and used it.

g. Bought a new pair of shorts, a size smaller! Yippee!

h. Went out to dinner with my Mom and stayed on point.



What I can do better-


a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Find another new activity.

c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.

d. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

Hot days

Thought for the day:

"The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen."


-Frank Lloyd Wright


The last couple of days have been so hot and so busy I haven't been able to take my lunch break walks. I did walk on Monday but finished feeling sick and light headed even though I took a full water bottle and drank several times during the walk.

This evening after work I went to the mall to get a walk in, it was good to be moving. So I guess my new challenge is going to be finding a time when it is cool enough to hit the pavement.

I'm looking forward to this long weekend, I have lots of yard work to catch up with. Gardening is good for activity points.

I will probably walk up and watch the Memorial day Parade in Pie Town, more activity points, LOL. I do hope to spend some time honoring those who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country, as that is the real purpose of the Holiday.  I will also go and visit my Fathers grave. Dad didn't die in service to our country, but he did serve in the Air Force, and I want to honor him.

Perseverance

Thought for the Day:

"The will to persevere is often the difference between failure and success. " -David Sarnoff


I'm a couple of days late in posting this, as I made a trip to visit family in southeast Missouri. Saturday was weigh in and the scale and I are still friends. I lost another 2.6 pounds. Yippee!! That is a total of 23 pounds lost!

The trip went well, My daughter drove and my grandson of course was an angel.

It was difficult eating well on the road, and when visiting out of town family I had no control over the menu. Having planned for this I saved my Flex points for the day and ate what was served. I did notice something, a few months ago I would have eaten everything offered, now I'm satisfied with about half the amount. I was not  counting points, I had planned get back on point as soon as I got home. It was a day that I really didn't desire very much of the high fat food I was offered.

We stopped at a restaurant on the drive home and I ordered something that could be split up into two meals and took half in my lunch today, again feeling satisfied.

The week in review:

What I did right-




a. Ate Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked for 60 minutes, 3 days of the week. (The Rain kept me from getting a walk in every day)

e. Continued the Yoga practice. It does feel good to stretch.

f. Tried the beginners Pilates DVD. Also checked out a Play-A Way called "You on a Walk" and liked it.



What I can do better-

a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Look for a beginners Tai Chi DVD at the library, I found a Pilates DVD last week last week.

c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.

d. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

Hanging in There

Thought for the day:



"Smooth Seas do not make skillful sailors."—African proverb


I'm experiencing boredom. It has been raining so much that I can't get outside to walk, or garden, or do anything. I'd like nothing better than to feel the sun on my face and a warm breeze in my hair.


The George Forman Grill my daughters gave me is helping with the boredom involving food. I love the thing, I could be a spokesperson! It's amazing how much grilling chicken, beef, fish, or veggies can change the taste from ho-hum to OH! YUM!


A little marinating also boosts the flavor.


Something else that occurred to me is that the more flavor a dish has, increases it's satisfaction factor. When food really satisfies me I eat less of it. I used to look at a little 3 oz. piece of chicken breast or a 4 oz steak and think, where is the rest?


Give it some flavor, slice it up and add some sauteed mushrooms, bell pepper, and onions. Put some seasonal veggies on the side add a salad with lite dressing and that little piece of protein has become a very satisfying meal.


I really can't say enough about having good quality small kitchen appliances. Paying a little extra money for something can seem a little frivolous at first; but you'll never regret getting quality.


I have two personally tested recommendations, the George Foreman Grill and Kitchen-Aid blender. The grill is wonderful, it heats to 400 degrees within 5 minutes and cooks both sides at once. I have a model that has non-stick removable cooking plates that can go in the sink or dishwasher making clean-up easy. I love my Kitchen-Aid blender and use it 4 to 5 times a week. It has it has three normal settings as well as an ice crushing setting and a smoothie setting, lots of power and it is easy to clean. I can't tell you how many cheaper blenders I have been through that wore out quickly and just did not do a good job, making this one well worth the extra money.


Now for a few food product recommendations.


Dijonase, it is made by Hellman's and is a creamy Dijon mustard that has 5 calories per 1 teaspoon serving,  I spread it on sandwiches, mix it with a teaspoon of honey and a tablespoon of lite mayo to make a dip for veggies or pretzels, I also add it to salad dressing and marinades.


Frank's Original Red Hot Sauce, just a little of this red pepper sauce really makes every thing just taste better without necessarily making it taste hot. I use it in eggs, collard greens, veggies, fish, chicken, I could go on and on.


Fat Free Coffee-mate, adding this to almost anything will make it taste creamier and just 2 teaspoons of the French Vanilla flavor gives smoothies or a packet of 25 calorie hot chocolate a creamy flavor boost.


And last but certainly not the least of the products I depend upon.


Torani Sugar Free syrups, they come in lots of flavors but my favorites are vanilla, chocolate and hazelnut, and a little goes a long way down the flavor trail. I add them to my morning lite soy latte, plain or vanilla frozen or Greek yogurts, smoothies, fresh fruit salads and oatmeal.

There is really no end to what you can do with this sweet stuff.


Now, what will I make for dinner?

Another Milestone

Thought for the day:




"Everything that is happening at this moment is a result of the choices you've made in the past."

 -Deepak Chopra



Guess I did made some good choices last week, I used a 20 my Flex points last week because I felt so darn hungry; but scale was still my friend. Yesterday when I weighed in I had lost another 1.6 pounds Yippee! That's a total of 20.4 since I began this challenge. That is 20% or 1/5 of that 100 pounds! Whoop-Tee-Do!



I can't tell you how good this feels! I'm getting into clothes that I haven't worn in a while, and my knees don't hurt as much; I also have more energy. Who would have thought only 20 pounds could make so much difference.



I feel like dancing a Happy Dance!



I bought some yummy scented Bath and Body Works shower gel and lotion to celebrate the milestone. A non-food splurge!



The week in review:





What I did right-





a. Ate Breakfast daily.



b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.



c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.



d. Walked for 60 minutes, 5 days of the week.



e. Continued the Yoga practice. It does feel good to stretch.



What I can do better-



a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.



b. Look for a beginners Tai Chi DVD at the library, I didn't get there last week.



c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.



d. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

Battling Hungry

Thought for the day:


“Health food may be good for the conscience but Oreos taste a hell of a lot better.”

- Robert Redford



For the last couple of days I have been feeling so hungry. I'm eating three meals a day and 3 small snacks but I’ve still felt very hungry!



This evening I just had to try out the brand spanking new George Foreman Digital Grill that my daughters gave me for Mother's Day. Aren't they thoughtful? The chicken grilled on it was delicious. I know that lovely little appliance is going to get plenty of use.



I love small kitchen appliances the way a man loves power tools.



I'm trying to add some extra protein with my flex points and hoping that it will satisfy my appetite. I'm afraid if any more fiber is added to my diet I may get a little too rumbly in the tumbly.



A while back when I was having an evening when it seemed I just couldn't get my hunger satisfied and I didn’t want to use up all of my flex points, so I tried using the filling foods. I cooked a crown of broccoli and ate that but still wasn't satisfied. I ate a can of green beans and when I still felt hungry I ate a can of sauerkraut.



BIG MISTAKE!



The next day I had so much gas I had to turn my radio up while I was at work to try and cover up the other sounds coming from my cubicle. As if that weren't enough, I was doing twist and shout to the bathroom repeatedly all evening.



Boy, did I learn to be careful with the fiber.

Mother's Day

Thought for the day:


"Of all the rights of women, the greatest is to be a mother."

-- Lin Yutang


Happy Mother's Day!!


It's a great day! A day to appreciate mothers, and I like to get appreciated.


When my children were still little, it was the day I was served breakfast in bed. My three children would get up and fix a breakfast tray with Fresh Dandelions from the yard in a little vase, toast, cold cereal, milk and orange juice. I could always hear them in the kitchen getting things ready, but so as not to spoil their fun I would lay in bed, playing "Possum" until they came in to awaken me with their surprise.


Preparing my own breakfast this morning, it occurred to me how important a healthy breakfast is to get the day started. It also occurred to me how much my idea of breakfast has changed in the last couple of months. While I have always eaten breakfast, I didn't always have a good breakfast. Often, the most important meal of the day consisted of sugary, starchy, doughnuts and coffee with lots of cream, a bagel with cream cheese, an Egg McMuffin with deep fried Hash Rounds, or a supersized coffee shop muffin slathered with butter.


These choices often had me hitting the vending machine about an hour later for more sugary or fatty starches to hold off my hunger until lunch.


Now my morning meal and snack looks a lot different. Often it resembles the simple breakfast my kids would prepare on Mother's day; cereal with milk and a side of fruit. Now the cereal, either cold or hot, is whole grain; the milk is low fat and the fruit is fresh and in season. On weekends, I might have eggs turkey bacon or sausage and whole grain toast with fruit spread.


The great thing about this change is that I am not hitting the vending machine an hour later. I don't need a snack until coffee break. Even then it’s usually fruit and yogurt, which keeps me satisfied until lunch.


Our Mother's were right about a good breakfast being the most important meal of the day.


Yesterday was weigh-in and the scale was my friend again. This week, I lost another 3.2 pounds. The total amount of weight I've lost since beginning this "Challenge" is 18.8 lbs, Wow! That's like losing 6 cans of shortening!


Like James Brown, I FEEL GOOD!


This is definitely a work in progress.


The week in review:


What I did right-


a. Ate a good Breakfast daily.

b. Kept a diary of every bite that crossed my lips.

c. Drank a minimum of 6 glasses of good old H2O daily.

d. Walked for 60 minutes, 5 days of the week.

e. Actually tried some Yoga moves from a beginners Yoga DVD. I liked it well enough to repeat the experience after the back my legs stopped hurting enough to give it another try.


What I can do better-

a. Try a couple of new recipes so I don't get bored.

b. Look for a beginners Tai Chi DVD at the library

c. Treat myself to a non-food splurge.

d. Find some additional ways to unwind and reduce stress.

Nurse's Day

Thought for the day:


"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."


- Voltaire



Today I was pleasantly surprised. Our "Nurses Day" luncheon was totally friendly to my weight loss plan. We were offered rotisserie chicken or beef brisket, roasted potatoes, iceberg salad with or without vinaigrette salad dressing, and a delicious fresh fruit salad. Believe it or not, there was no bread or cookies in sight! Yippee!!!



My plan was in place but not needed.



Now, I was offered muffins and Danishes this morning, but I had already eaten breakfast and brought fruit, low fat cottage cheese, and a high fiber lite English muffin to eat for my morning break. After rationalizing that the average super-sized muffin would cost me about 500 to 600 calories, probably about 10-12 points, and I would much rather have a couple of margaritas made with a sugar free margarita mix this weekend for those calories. The muffins didn't tempt me at all.



Overall the day was pretty good and I stayed on program - even after having eaten seconds of the chicken and fruit salad!



Flex points are wonderful!



Do you think my employer is reading this blog?