Food Journal, Day 3

Today was a bad day.  I binged.  I went out for dessert with my Sister in Law. At lunchtime, after eating so much I felt physcially ill.  I ran on my treadmill but fueling my body with crap made my run go very poorly.  I could only go 3 miles, and I had to stop because I got dizzy and nauseous.

Food Item	Servings	Cals	Fat	Cholest	Sodium	Carbs	Sugars	Fiber	Protein
Quaker Raw (uncooked) Oatmeal	1.00	150	3g	0mg	0mg	27g	1g	4g	5g
President's Choice PC Soy Protein Shake Mix - Vanilla	0.50	69	1g	0mg	96mg	9g	7g	0g	0g
Dole Frozen Blueberries	0.50	35	1g	0mg	0mg	9g	6g	2g	0g
Publix Brown Sugar	1.00	35	0g	0mg	5mg	9g	0g	0g	0g
Milk 2%	1.00	130	3g	20mg	120mg	12g	12g	0g	9g
Black Coffee	1.00	5	0g	0mg	4mg	1g	0g	0g	0g
Homemade Barbequed Chicken Pizza	2.00	640	16g	90mg	1,480mg	64g	0g	6g	58g
Avacado (medium)	0.50	125	11g	0mg	0mg	8g	0g	3g	3g
No Name Light Marble Cheese	1.00	90	6g	15mg	260mg	0g	0g	0g	9g
Hungry Girl Hot Chick Bbq Chop	1.00	320	3g	0mg	929mg	48g	26g	10g	32g
Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffin	0.50	156	2g	7mg	63mg	33g	1g	1g	2g
7 Up	1.00	210	0g	0mg	55mg	56g	54g	0g	0g
Mud Pie	1.00	525	30g	0mg	0mg	50g	20g	5g	0g
Fitness	Minutes	Calories Burned
Running: 5 mph (12 min/mile)	30.0	-390.0
Totals:		2,100	75g	132mg	3,012mg	324g	126g	31g	118g

Weigh In Wednesday.

I am slipping again.  I hate that I have to be SO careful all the time.  I have not lost anything in two weeks, in fact, I have gained.

Ok, not totally true.  The Tape Measure of Truth reports that another 1/2 inch is gone from my waistline.  I will have to be happy with that.

This new mini challenge is really helping me.  I always do so much better when I journal my food.

Last Week's Weight:  158.0
This Week's Weight:   158.6

Loss:                            +0.6

Tomorrow is Canada Day.  I will not use it as an excuse to eat.  Girl Guide's Honour.  I will use it as an excuse to go to our local celebrations and walk, walk, walk.  I will use it as an excuse to go for an early run since Hubs will have the day off so he can make sure the kids don't burn the house down while I am gone.

Food Journal, Day 2

Food Item	Servings	Cals	Fat	Cholest	Sodium	Carbs	Sugars	Fiber	Protein
Quaker Raw (uncooked) Oatmeal	1.00	150	3g	0mg	0mg	27g	1g	4g	5g
Dole Frozen Blueberries	0.50	35	1g	0mg	0mg	9g	6g	2g	0g
President's Choice PC Soy Protein Shake Mix - Vanilla	0.50	69	1g	0mg	96mg	9g	7g	0g	0g
Publix Brown Sugar	1.00	35	0g	0mg	5mg	9g	0g	0g	0g
Milk 2%	1.00	130	3g	20mg	120mg	12g	12g	0g	9g
Black Coffee	2.00	10	0g	0mg	8mg	2g	0g	0g	0g
Hungry Girl Hg's Too-ez Mac 'n Cheese	1.00	202	5g	0mg	825mg	36g	6g	5g	9g
Cadbury Triple Chocolate Snack Cakes	1.00	140	7g	5mg	45mg	17g	13g	1g	1g
Culinary Circle Soft & Chewy Chocolate Brownie Cookies	2.00	260	12g	10mg	240mg	36g	22g	2g	2g
Schlotzky's Pizzas (8-inch) - Barbeque Chicken	1.00	683	15g	73mg	2,533mg	93g	19g	2g	37g
Fitness	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, pushing a stroller	10.0	-54.0
Cleaning - vacuuming, around home	30.0	-129.0
Totals:		1,531	46g	108mg	3,872mg	249g	86g	16g	63g

Food Journal, day 1

Here is a glimpse of my food journal from The Daily Plate.  Fuzzy Peach is a delicious and filling protein shake from one of my favourite cookbooks. Stay tuned for the recipe for Frittata Italiano.  I just made it up tonight and plugged it into The Daily Plate's recipe calculator.

I am just keepin' it real!

ood Item	Servings	Cals	Fat	Cholest	Sodium	Carbs	Sugars	Fiber	Protein
Eat, Shrink & Be Merry Fuzzy Peach	1.00	219	1g	6mg	106mg	34g	0g	3g	19g
Pork Baby Back Ribs	2.00	468	36g	160mg	660mg	0g	0g	0g	36g
Simple Tossed Salad	2.00	48	0g	0mg	61mg	10g	3g	4g	3g
President's Choice Sun-dried Tomato & Bacon Dressing	3.00	120	11g	0mg	420mg	6g	3g	0g	1g
Fuji Apple, Small	1.00	80	0g	0mg	0mg	22g	17g	5g	0g
Laughing Cow Light Cheese Wedges	1.00	35	2g	10mg	260mg	1g	1g	0g	3g
Frittata Italiano	1.50	531	36g	487mg	1,296mg	24g	4g	3g	25g
No Name Frozen Peas And Carrots	1.00	50	0g	0mg	65mg	10g	4g	4g	3g
Old Dutch Popcorn Twists	0.25	75	5g	0mg	80mg	6g	0g	0g	1g
Fitness	Minutes	Calories Burned
Running: 5.2 mph (11.5 min/mile)	45.0	-658.0
Totals:		968	91g	663mg	2,948mg	114g	32g	19g	90g

Confession Time

Ok...so, I don't usually post under Confessions, but I need a kick in the pants. 

Here goes.....

•  Emmett had another birthday party this week.
• I ran on the day of the party, but I sure didn't run enough to burn these off:
•  

• No cupcake is complete without Sprinkle Party Cake Ice Cream
• Just Sayin'
• You also can't let the leftovers of said ice cream go to waste.
• Evening snacking is creeping back up on me.

The scale shows a bit of an increase this week, so I am going to put on my big girl panties and stop the snacking.  Soccer is done, and hubs bought me a shiny new treadmill last week so I have no excuse to skip workouts now. (Credit also has to go to our friend, the runner and Department Store Manager who scored us the deal of the century on a machine we probably couldn't afford otherwise)

Oh, and since we have evening respite care once a week and he has a gym pass we might start having gym dates when there is nothing good at the movie theatre.    This will be much better for me than our usual Buffalo Wing binges on non-movie date nights.   How supportive is this guy?????

See you at weigh-in tomorrow!

Weigh In Wednesday

This past week had lots of challenges thrown at me.  Two birthday parties.  Biweekly soccer practice that happens at the same time I like to run. 

I still lost (a bit)!

I am getting it!  Yes, I was faced with many treats at the birthday parties, but I drank my water and watched my portions.  I ate a little less the rest of the day.  I am working SO hard on night time snacking.

This week I have one birthday party, one soccer windup party, one school picnic and one block party.  I am going to bring a healthy broccoli slaw to the block party so I have a "safe" food to chow down on.  I am bringing my own lunch to the school picnic so that will be easy.  Soccer windup and the birthday party are going to be tough, but this is life, right?  You can't make excuses. 

Here are my numbers:

Starting Weight:                 161.0
Last Week's Weight:          158.6
This Week's Weight:          158.0
Loss:                                    -0.6
Total Loss:                             3.0

Not too shabby.  

Can I have a Beer and Clam at the block party??  (Do my American readers know what that is???)

Weigh In Wednesday

It's Wednesday again.

I didn't have high hopes for this week.  I packed up the kids and visited my parents for a few days.  I find it really hard to eat well at my mom's--she doesn't keep a lot of healthy food around.  The four-hour drive to get there is also a big danger zone for me as well.

I planned ahead for the drive and only packed healthy snacks for the kids and me.  Sun chips, water, apple slices, fruit bars and emergency lollipops for the final leg of the journey kept us from stopping at drive-throughs on the way up.
On the way back home I needed a coffee very badly so we stopped at a donut shop.  I did NOT buy a donut for myself and just stuck to my coffee with milk only.  Victory!

Since it was so hard for me to eat my usual food at Mom's house I paid much more attention to portion control instead.

I went on a 7K run with a friend early one morning.

How did this translate in the numbers?  Let's see!

Last Week's Weight:  158.8
This Week's Weight:  158.6
Net Loss:                      - 0.2
Overall Loss:                  2.4

Not great, but given my road trip and disruption in my routine, I am really glad I didn't gain.

Weigh In Wednesday

Today is the first Weigh In of the Shrinking Days of Summer.

I worked really hard this week.  Drank my water, ate 2 and a half heads of lettuce over the course of the week for lunch, and stayed away from evening snacking (that was a hard one!)  Last night Hubs and I went out for dinner and I ordered off of the "Healthy Choices" menu and only ate half of my serving.  Another night we took the kids for ice cream and I ate half of my small sundae.

Oh yeah.  I ran  a bit too.

It paid off:

Last Week's Weight:  161
This Week's Weight:   158.8
Loss:                             2.2

Percent lost:                 1.37%

I am not going to celebrate yet.  I have yet to maintain any sort of loss for more than a week or two.  I won't feel like I have broken my plateau until I hit 155, but I will happily take this loss and run with it!

I did it!!!

I did it!  I ran my first race today.  What a rush!  I didn't even come close to winning any medals (actually, my coach and her family swept the podium very nicely of them) but I met the goals I set out for myself:

• I ran the whole way without stopping.
• I didn't come in last.
• I ran the race in under 40 minutes.

Crossing the finish line with friends, family, and strangers cheering is SUCH a rush.  I also felt very badass running in the middle of busy intersections with police stopping traffic for me.  I just had so much fun and I am so glad I decided to do this.

I posted a time of 37:16, which I am going to be proud of considering I only started training 10 weeks ago.

Hopefully next year hubs won't be too busy keeping three kids under control to take a picture of me crossing the finish line for the 10K.

All right!  All right!  I'll come back!

I sat out the last Sisterhood challenge.  My brain just wasn't in the game.

I am back.

I have run a clothing size off of my bum and an inch of my waist, yet my scale is not moving.  I know I am eating up all of the calories I am running off.

I am back in the program.  I am going to strive to lose 10 lbs during this challenge.

My starting weight is:

161 lbs.

I have made regular exercise a habit, but now my eating is not on track.  When I have my eating on track, my exercise goals go away.

I need to get this to come together!

I am a runner.

I have two weeks until I run my first 5K.  I have been running 3-4 days a week using sort of couch-to-5K plan a friend has shown me.  I am up to 14 minutes of running with a 1 minute walk times two reps.  I can run 14 minutes without stopping!  And then do it again!   This is amazing to me.  I have dropped a couple of pounds, and an entire clothing size on my bottom half.  I actually look forward to my runs.  I am thinking of training for a 10K next year.

I never thought I would think of myself as a runner.  I am neither fast nor graceful, but I am doing it.

That counts for something, right?

I'm still here!

I'm still here!

I am trying really hard to care about what I am eating.  My weight is stuck at 161 right now.

The upside?  I have been training for a 5K these past few weeks.  I am running!  Yesterday I hit the point in my training schedule that I am running more than I am walking and it feels good!  It feels so good!

I am exercising almost every day and I feel like I am tightening up.  I feel like my energy is increasing.  I look forward to my runs.

I am at the point in my training where my body wants healthy things now.  My appetite is shrinking and I can stop eating when I am full, instead of stuffing myself because something tastes good.

Those running endorphins are powerful things!!

Weigh In Wednesday

Is it Wednesday already??

Not much to report. I slacked off on exercise this week because my knees were absolutely killing me. My winter boots have very poor traction, so bracing myself on icy sidewalks whenever I stepped out really hurt. I finally smartened up and bought new boots so now I can walk without slipping now. I can pick up with the workouts again.

so, long story short, I didn't lose this week. BUT, that means I didn't gain either.

Last Week's Weight: 160.2
This Week's Weight: 160.2
Net Loss: 0

Hopefully next week I can break into the 150s.

My Favourite Pizza Dough

I lost the page to the cookbook this recipe came from, I used it so much. A kind friend recited the recipe over the phone to me. Since I KNOW I will lose that scrap of paper, I thought I should put it in a place it won't get lost.

1 cup warm water
1 tbs honey
1-1/2 tbs olive oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 pkg yeast
italian herb mix, if desired

2 tbs cornmeal for sprinkling on pans

Place ingredients in bread maker. Set to DOUGH, medium-large loaf.

Makes two 12-inch pizzas, one sheet pan, or a bunch of breadsticks.

Multigrain bread

I got this recipe from a friend. I am going to try it out this morning!

MULTIGRAIN BREAD (LARGE 1.5 lb LOAF (I have an old breadmaker)
1 cup + 2 tbsp (300 ml) water
1 and 1/2 tbsp (25 ml) butter
3 tbsp (45 ml) liquid honey
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) All purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups (375 ml) Whole Wheat flour
3/4 cup (175 ml) Red River cereal
1 and 1/2 tsp (7 ml) salt
2 tsp (10 ml) quick rise yeast
I really like the crunchy texture of the Red river in it & love this bread buttered right out of the bread maker!

Weigh in Thursday?

Ok. I tried to run. I tried to hide. My conscience got the better of me.

I yoyoed this week

I am up two again.

I also know I am PMSy (my BC has stopped my periods, so it is unclear when it really happens, but I have been such a carb-craving GRUMP this week it can only mean one thing)

The kids and I are sick so my workouts have slacked off.

Next week is a new week, right??

I Rock!

Monday's homework at The Sisterhood was to come up with five reasons we rock.

I love this homework. If you are anything like me, you could list off what you think are personal shortcomings all day long without a second thought. This was really challenging to me, but important to help me keep going.

Can you come up with five truly awesome things about yourself?

1. I gave birth to a 9 lb 2 oz baby boy. At home. No drugs. Just me and my midwives.
2. In my previous profession as a nurse I saved lives. For real. Like, I helped keep people from actually dying. Conversely, if it was their time, I helped them do it in the most dignified and painless way possible.
3. I am a fantastic cook, and now I am learning how to be a fantastic cook without a lot of butter and sugar to help things along.
4. I am a stay at home mom to three kids age six and under. I think I deserve a superhero cape for that one.
5. I am here. Working to become healthy and fit. Again. I thought I was ok with how I was, but I know I was just trying to kid myself. So, I came back.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's Wednesday. That can only mean one thing.

I got out of bed, looked that scale in the eye, and then they fell out of my head.

Here are my stats:
Weight Last Week: 162.8
Today's weight: 160.4
Net Loss: 2.4


Dudes!!! Over two pounds lost this week!!!!! All of your kind words and encouragement really helped me stay on track this week!

Yay!!! It's working!!!

Menu Plan Monday

Yes, I realize it's Sunday. I am out of eggs and milk. I need to go to the store. So, I made my menu plan today.

I get emails every week from Kraft Canada. I decided to try a couple of new recipes they sent me, and before I knew it, I was poking around their site and the rest of my menu ended up being from that site as well.

Sunday: Barbeque Beef Biscuits

Monday: Cheesy Manicotti (I plan on adding the extra 1/2 pound ground beef left over from Sunday's dinner to Monday's sauce so my carnivore husband's tummy will feel full)

Thursday: Slow-cooked chicken curry with rice

Wild cards:

Tuscan roasted Vegetables with Pork Tenderloin

Chicken Taco foil packets

Crispy herb fish with parmesan potatoes

Pancake Makeover

Pancakes are usually wasted calories. Yes, they are light and fluffy, but they are definitely not filling and I sure don't feel satisfied after eating them.

These pancakes WILL leave you feeling satisfied. They are hearty and filling and have a hefty 8 grams of protein per serving. That is twice as much as a pancake made from a regular mix. These pancakes also have all of the goodness of whole grains in them to give you lots of energy.

Just make sure to read ALL of the directions as the batter needs to sit around 40 minutes before you make the pancakes. Step 1 can even be done the night before so you are ready to roll in the morning.

I am not sure if there is an American equivalent to the main ingredient, Red River Cereal (man, you Americans have crummy Smarties, Kinder Eggs are banned and there is no Red River Cereal...how do you live??) Here is a place you can order it. Amazon has it too.

Anyhoo, without further ado, here is a really yummy recipe for pancakes in a way you probably haven't had them before

Hearty Red River and Oats Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Original Red River Cereal
• 1 1/4 cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
• 2 cups 1 % milk
• 1 cup All-purpose flour
  
• 2 tbsp sugar
  
• 2 tbsp baking powder
  
• 3/4 tsp salt
  
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup Vegetable oil
  

Directions

1. Combine Red River cereal with 3/4 cup BOILING WATER and let stand 30 minutes
2. Add oats and milk, let stand 10 minutes, until milk is absorbed
3. Combine dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl
4. Add eggs and oil to cereal mixture. Mix well, and add to flour mixture, beating until smooth.
5. Spoon batter by 1/4cupfuls onto preheated lightly greased griddle or frying pan. Cook until bubbles break on surface and underside is golden. Turn and cook other side until golden. Serve hot with butter and syrup or honey.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 2 pancakes

Calories 229

Calories from Fat 85

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 9.3g 14%

Saturated Fat 1.9g 9%

Cholesterol 74.8mg 24%

Sodium 25%

Total Carbohydrate 27.1g 9%

Dietary Fiber 2.2g 8%

Sugars 3.6g

Protein 8.5g 17%

Fat: 37%
Carbs: 47%
Protein: 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calories needs.

Weigh In Wednesday

Weigh in Wednesday....WTF edition.

Last week's weight: 162.8
This week's weight: 162.8
Loss: ZERO

I exercised every day, I drank so much water I had to get up twice each night to pee. I started journalling my food again.

So, I was hoping for at least a half pound loss.

I got nothing.

??????

Ok. Time to focus on the positives. Exercise is making me feel good. I am losing my appetite for sweets (again)

I am just very disappointed in myself right now.

Mix master.

Lately, I have developed a dislike of buying preprocessed, overpackaged convienence foods. If I want cookies, I will bake them. Pudding isn't THAT hard to stir up and sitting at the stove can be very peaceful and meditative. The only cake mix I buy is Angel Food, since I have made it from scratch, and there is really very little difference in the quality of the finished product.

I have found, from time to time, favourite recipes of mine call for premade biscuit mix. I don't make a habit of buying that, but I learned it is easily made from very common pantry ingredients. Once you know the secret, you will stop buying it too!

I used the following recipe to make dumplings for stew last night. They turned out perfectly and I didn't have to make a last-minute trip to the store!

BisQwick Baking Mix

The Monday Project

Wanna hear a story? It is the story of a girl who has battled her weight for most of her adult life, and has battled body image issues for much longer than that.

How about you pour yourself a nice drink (warm, if you are anywhere near where I live!) and we will have a little chat.

I feel like this story might jump around a bit. I hope you will stay with me.

Let's start with my Grandparents. The grandparents who gave me the genes to carry all of my extra weight around my waist. My legs and arms are skinny, my bust is skinny, but I always have a poochy belly. When I was in high school I weighed just over 120 lbs. I rollerbladed. I marched in the marching band (very good cardio workout!) I wore a size six to my graduation. I still had a poochy belly. Marching band was the only form of exercise I was good at. I was the one always picked last for gym class teams, clumsy and un-coordinated.

Now, let's talk about the other Grandma I had who bought me Weight Watchers magazines as a teenager and who never let me forget about my belly. Let's talk about the strangers who, today, stop me on the street and ask me when my baby is due.

Let's talk about how this has hurt my feelings over and over and has made me feel very unattractive.

Let's talk about my wonderful husband who is the only one who has made me feel good about myself and desirable and attractive no matter what my size--and he has seen them all!!

Ok, now that you know the ancient history, let's move up a decade.

Let's look in the window of a basement apartment at a young woman in nursing school. This young woman studied very hard and had very little time to exercise, try as she might. She gained 20 lbs through the course of her nurse's training. She really shot herself in the foot by trying to keep up with her whippet-thin boyfriend who HAD to eat everything in sight in order to maintain his fat free body.

Her aha moment at that time consisted of a picture of herself at Christmas, round face and jiggly thighs taking over. It also consisted of a co-worker at the hospital she worked at pointing out that she was "always eating". She joined Weight Watchers and found the program too restrictive and the leader too mean. She moved away to a tiny town that didn't have pizza delivery, but did have a 24 hour gym. She found new inspiration and lost 30 lbs in time for her wedding.

Hours after the wedding she got pregnant and packed those 40 lbs back on. She gave birth to her sweet boy and quckly lost 20 lbs. She then spent the next year carrying those 20 lbs on and then packed on 40 more with her second pregnancy. She then gave birth to a gorgeous little girl and quickly lost 20 lbs. She joined Weight Watchers again, and found the new program much easier to follow and the new leader much nicer. She lost another 40 lbs and was back to her wedding weight. She felt great. She got pregnant again. She packed on another 40 lbs. She gave birth to a big boy in her bedroom. She quickly lost 20 lbs through marathon nursing and chasing two other kids.

This brings us to today, and 20 lbs to lose. Weight Watchers is too expensive on a single income that must feed five people--four of whom have monster appetites and need lots and lots of calories to stay skinny. The fifth one spends a lot of time resenting the other four skinnies in her home who can eat whatever they want.

She is trying to change her attitude towards weight loss. She is not going to focus on apperances this time and is going to focus on health instead. She knows her waist measurement is right now in the danger zone for heart disease. She is NOT going to count calories this time as she finds that counting and tracking makes her obsess about food in a very unhealthy way. She is going to learn to listen to her body and it's real hunger cues. She is going to drink more water than coffee. She is going to exercise with her Wii.

She is going to get healthy, not skinny.

Thursday Three

Hello fellow Shrinkers!

Today's assignment is to list three fun facts about yourself.

Here you go!

1. I met Pauly Shore in Minot Airport. We flew in the same plane (with my High School Marching band) to Los Angeles.
2. I am so clumsy I am capable of tripping on a busy linoleum pattern.
3. I cannot whistle.
   

Weigh In Wednesday

It's Wednesday. That can only mean one thing.
It's time to post the good or bad news about the past week.

Truth be told, I actually weigh in on Tuesdays. Tuesday night is our respite night and it is a night I allow myself some wiggle room with eating. Last night I had chicken wings with my spinach salad. A few wings equals around 2-3 lbs of salt weight the next morning for me.

So, enough jibber jabber. Here is my weight for Rethink Your Shrink Weigh in Wednesday #1:

162.8 lbs

I gained two pounds over the holidays, which is not a surprise.

I have been faithfully exercising 20-30 minutes at a time, minimum 5 days a week since Boxing Day. I have also been tracking my water intake and curbing evening snacking.

I am expecting good news next week!

Menu Plan Monday

Well, after two weeks of eating everything in sight, it is time to get back into a routine. I always do better with a meal plan. There are two days of the week were we have activities that are perilously close to dinner time. Those are almost always crock pot meals, or made ahead and easily reheatable. The rest of the week is planned, but not assigned. There are two empty days for leftovers and or respite night.

So, here it is:

Monday: Split Pea with Ham soup and cheese bread
Thursday: Crockpot Italian Sausage Sandwiches

Roasted Vegetables with Lemon Couscous
Beef Stew with Dumplings
Chicken Croquettes with Spinach Mashed potatoes

Thursday Three on a Sunday

The Sisterhood has presented a new challenge to members.

Re-think Your Shrink.

I have been really, really bad at shrinking lately. So, here I am, yet again, to start anew.

The rules:

1. Write down 3 goals you have for yourself for this challenge. Be specific. Be realistic. Be positive. Make them “I will…” statements, not “I won’t…” statements. YOU MAY NOT USE THE WORD “TRY”!
2. Track your goals. Make a sticker chart. Make a ticker for your blog. Use an app on your phone (I don’t have a fancy schmancy phone but I assume with all the apps out there that there’s GOT to be a goals app). Just find something that works for you and keep it up to date!
3. Come up with a NON-FOOD reward for yourself when you hit your challenge goals. You can pick one small reward for each goal met. You can pick one big reward for completing all 3. You choose. Just don’t choose food.

It has taken me until now to really decide what I need to do.

These are not big goals. I am not ready for big goals yet, but, for better or worse, here they are:

1. I will stop eating after seven PM. This means NO cleaning up the kid's leftovers, and NO munching on whatever I can get my hands on once the dishes are done. I plan to use the time-honoured techniques of chewing sugarless gum durning kitchen clean up and sipping tea on the couch during our evening TV time.
2. I will complete the 30-Day Challenge on my new EA Sports Active game. I tend to start new workouts guns blazing, and then peter out to nothing. This time I will finish what I start.
3. I will drink my water. I have been very bad about not getting enough water, and I know proper hydration can make weight loss much easier. I have been drinking far too much coffee and not enough water.

How will I track my goals? I have a calendar with big squares. I will mark off my non-snacking days and make a checkmark at the bottom of each square for each glass of water I drink. My workouts are tracked by the game itself.

My reward? If I can go two weeks without snacking, I will buy a new book to go with the series I am reading. I will redeem a massage Gift Certificate I got for Christmas at the end of the challenge.

Wiiiiiii!

My inlaws bought us a Wii for Christmas. Hub's cousin gave us a mall gift card for Christmas.

What do these two things have to do with each other??

EA Active!

I have heard a lot about Wii Fit and the newer EA Active, especially on the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans blog.

After a bit of research I decided on getting EA Active.

I am on Day 2 of the game's 30 Day challenge.

How do I feel?

Well, my lower body knows it's been worked out, that's for sure!! I love running on the track, and the inline skate game is fun and hard. By the end of the skating interval I am cursing at the perky personal trainer egging me on.

How is this different than an exercise DVD? Well, you can't cheat. The game has you hold controllers in your hands for the upper body exercises, and comes with a strap so you can attach a controller to your leg for running and lower body work. If you don't hold a rep long enough, or run fast enough, or lift your arms and legs high enough, the trainer tells you to do it again.

I love how the calories you burn tick off on the corner of the screen--very motivating. The game also charts your progress so you can look back on the work you have done and helps you set goals.

I did the easy workout yesterday to familiarize myself with the game. I managed to break a sweat. Today I did the moderate and think I will have to stay there for a while--I worked hard today!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

This is a delicious soup that is fast to make, filling, and kid friendly. (even my two year old gobbled it up!) It calls for inexpensive pantry ingredients s o you can whip it up on the spur of the moment.

Give it a try! Don't fear the pumpkin in the soup. It adds a creamy richness and gives some sweet contrast to the spices.

My kids like it with cheese on top. I like it with cheese and a dash of hot sauce.

Sassy Salsa Pumpkin Soup
(1 serving: 160 calories, 1g fat, 1,128mg sodium, 13g carbs, 12g fiber, 6.5g sugars, 10g protein)


Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
4 cups fat-free broth (chicken or vegetable)
1 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
1 can black beans; drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
3/4 cup salsa (this is where you can add or reduce the spiciness)
*Optional toppings: shredded reduced-fat or fat-free cheese, and reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream

Directions:
Spray pot with nonstick cooking spray and set stove to medium heat. Add garlic, chili powder, and cumin; stir for one minute. Add broth to the spices, and bring to a simmer. Next, add pumpkin and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Optional: Garnish soup with a sprinkle of cheese and a little fat-free sour cream on top. Serves 4.

*Nutritionals do not include optional toppings.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's that time again!

I am tracking my food and exercise, getting myself back in the habit of paying attention to what I eat. I am trying very hard to stop snacking in the evening. A selection of decaf herbal teas in my pantry is helping with that, as is my knitting.

So, here are my stats:

Last Weigh in Wednesday (in July...) 160.6
Last Week's Weight 160.0
Today's Weight 159.4
Loss 0.6

So, a hair over half a pound. It isn't great, but at least it is going down. I was derailed one day this week when I was perfectly on track, and then got invited to a dip party. Yes, I sampled. Yes, I probably overdid it a bit with the artichoke dip, and I KNOW I overdid it with the chili dip. BUT, I did not buy anything but seasoning mix for my lowfat buttermilk mashed potatoes and some sauce for chicken breasts, so that is something! I know better than to keep cheeseball mix in our house.

My two goals this week are:

1. Reach for water first before snacks.
2. EXERCISE!!!!

I have such a hard time making time for exercise. I have exercise-induced asthma which is an all too easy excuse to fall back on when I am feeling lazy. I need to stop making excuses and just get off my bum and do something.

Suck it up, Buttercup

I'm ba-ack.

We are moved in and settled and (mostly) unpacked. Time to get back on the wagon. My muffin top is growing again. It is just all too easy to slip back into bad habits. How quickly the weight comes back on!

I feel a whine coming on:

• I hate being hungry. I hate feeling like all I do is think about food. Tracking my food is a pain, but it seems to be the only thing that works.

• I must either do the work, or quit complaining about how I feel and look.

• My shirt didn't shrink THAT much from going through the dryer.

I just have to suck it up. My first step was logging back on to The Daily Plate. I tracked my food today.
My next step is to hide the tiny chocolate bars that are sitting in my kitchen. I was an idiot and fell for the 50% off Halloween candy at the grocery store yesterday.

Ok, here we go again......

I Zumba'd!

I got a call from a friend today. She said there was a new class being previewed at the Y tonight. Zumba.

What?

She said something dancing and aerobics and fun. I dug out my workout clothes and tagged along.

An hour later, I was sweating, out of breath and my legs were jello.

I had So. Much. Fun! I didn't get all the moves, but the music was great, the instructor was friendly and I danced (a bit) of my bum off.



I may just have to go back and try this again.

Have I mentioned this site before?

So, have you ever wanted to bake cookies but your tried and true recipe calls for two eggs and you only have one? Ever have a hankering for Ethiopian food but don't know what the heck teff is? Want to know if you can sub sour cream for buttermilk in your favourite muffin recipe???

You need to bookmark

The Cook's Thesaurus

Do it right now. I'll wait.

You won't be sorry.

The moving truck comes in 11 days, 10 hours, and 37 minutes. I am only buying the bare minimum groceries right now--fresh fruit and milk, mostly. I am digging deep and shopping my pantry so I don't have to move as much. I found a lonesome can of lentils I bought before I knew the true depth of Hubby's dislike of them--I made chili and ended up passing the leftovers along to his Mom who eats anything. I discovered that sticky sushi rice makes absolutely fantastic rice pudding.

Anyone have ideas for an acorn squash? For some reason I bought two. Last night we ate one roasted with butter, brown sugar and cinnamon (YUM!) I need something new to do with his friend.

Why aren't I packing right now????

Helloooooo out there!

Wow, it's been a month since I have posted here! Time flies. If you read my other blog, you will know that things are changing very quickly here. As I am typing, I am surrounded by boxes. We move to a new house in two weeks.

How is the weight loss? Stalled at 159 lbs. Not too bad. I dropped three chasing Matthew at camp a couple of weeks ago and that is where the scale has stopped moving. I have noticed not having my kids home has changed how I eat. My bad habit is eating off the kid's plates when they are finished. I need to figure out how to really stop doing that when they get home in a couple of days.

Hubby and I have enjoyed eating grownup food for the past week--I bought the ingredients for California Rolls one day and then decided I didn't want to fiddle with rolling sushi. It turns out that tossing the ingredients (minus the rice and nori) in a crusty bun with sliced tomatoes and lettuce plucked from the garden makes a delicious sandwich perfect for eating on a hot summer evening.

My CSA box has me eating wonderful fresh vegetables every night. I cannot keep up with the zucchini, though. I have SEVEN in my kitchen right now!!!! I think I need to give this Zucchini Streusel a try...I don't know if I will try to pass it off as apple crisp though. Hubby still doesn't trust me after I served him potato salad made from cauliflower. (It did fool him, by the way!)

When we move I will be saying goodbye to my very productive apple trees. I canned 16 pounds of crababbles yesterday and have eight more in the freezer. This morning I plan on making a Dutch Baby pancake and topping it with some of the pie filling I made yesterday. Yum!

I hope you try some of the recipes I linked to! I will be sitting here counting down until I get to start cooking in my sunny new kitchen! What should I make to break it in???

Hitting a wall.

It happened. I have lost my motivation. My weight is creeping up. Unhealthy snacks are creeping in. I can't say this is a plateau since I ate Smartie Cheesecake when out for lunch yesterday.

Sometimes I care about this, more often I don't. Heck, I just bought a maxidress (muumuu??) yesterday.

I have moments. Right now I am blogging as my steel-cut oatmeal simmers on the stove. I plan on having a salad for lunch. There is a home showing at 6:00 so I am not sure about dinner.

I do know my blood pressure is rising at the thought of getting ready (again), and then listening to the realtor probably tell us the reason this person doesn't want my house (again). I am listening to heavy equipment tear the street up in front of my house. I wonder how this will affect people's opinions of our house and if it might cost us a sale.

I am letting my team down. Stress. My house is not selling. Stress. My daughter is going through a phase where every little slight against her (she wanted the yellow cup, not the blue; her brother is breathing in the same room as her; her other brother took her toy....) results in blood-curdling screaming. Stress. Stepping on the scale and seeing a gain. Stress.

So what do I do? Ben & Jerry's If I had a Million Flavours. Ahhhhhhhhh. Beer and Clam on my balcony. Ahhhhhhhhh. Working in my garden. Grumble grumble I have to walk there, oooh so many weeds, oh that work feels good! Ok, that wasn't so bad. Ahhhhhhh. Knitting. Ahhhhhhhhh. Streaming Dharma and Greg on my laptop. Ahhhhhhhh. I really really want to start smoking again. I have not done it for years, but lately my cravings are popping up again with a new venegance.

Ok, so maybe I should do more of the second part of the list and less of the first part, that should be a start.

What do you do when you hit a wall?

Weigh In Wednesday

Is it Wednesday already???

This past week has gone by in a flash.

I have been trying very hard to stop some bad habits that have snuck back into my life. I am trying to eat more salads again--having farm fresh lettuce delivered every week helps with that! Making muffins and pie from the farm fresh rhubarb also delivered did NOT help!
Discovering the yumminess that is Alexander Keith's Red Amber Ale also probably didn't help, but it did take the edge off of a very noisy, busy day this week. (tangent: No, I haven't jumped on the lime-flavoured beer wagon. I don't plan on it. If I want lime-flavoured beer I will slice up a lime and add it myself.)

Long story short, here are my stats:

Last week's weight: 160.9
This week's weight: 160.6
Lost: 0.3

Onwards and downwards!

Weigh In Wednesday

I have not had a great week as far as weight loss goes. The stress of keeping our house show-ready at any given time is taking it's toll, and meal planning and calorie counting has gone out the window. We have showings almost every day, which makes cooking and eating at regular times hard--there have been more take out and sandwiches than usual. I am falling back into bad habits: eating off the kid's plates, snacking in the pantry, buying junk food.

So, there is a gain this week.

Last week's weight: 157.9
Current weight: 160.9
Gain: 3 lbs

I am going to work harder this week and hopefully post a loss next week. I am quite disappointed in myself this week.

Handy Housewife Hint

My life is all about making my house ready to show, but this hint would work for last minute company too.
When company comes I always like to have a clean bathroom for them, but doing a big scrub down is often not fesable.

Here is my quick and dirty, two-minute bathroom cleanup:

• Wipe down bathtub with your probably still-damp morning towel. Leave the towel in a heap in your tub. You will need it in a minute. Put a fresh towel out for your guests now.
  
• Wipe down sink and faucets with a baby wipe--you wouldn't believe the shine a baby wipe gives chrome!! Much cheaper than disinfectant wipes and you can use them for quick makeup removal too.
• Swish out your toilet with a brush if you have one handy, wipe seat and lid with another baby wipe.
• Here is the trick that separates me from Flylady: put a few drops of Tea Tree or lavender essential oil in your toilet bowl before closing the lid.--it really makes your bathroom smell fresh without it smelling like chemicals or fake air freshener.
• On your way out the door, grab that damp towel out of your tub and wipe the floor with it then toss in the laundry.

Now, relax! Your bathroom is ready for company. All that is left to do is stash all those dirty dishes you have on the counter in your oven until you can wash them.

Weigh in Wednesday

The rhythm of my life has suddenly changed. We put our house on the market on Monday. If I am not cleaning, I am quickly sweeping the kids and dog out for a showing. Mealtimes (and naptimes) have become unpredictable. Our Realtor promises I will get ample notice for showings, then turns around and says there is a potential buyer coming in 45 minutes. This is par for the course, but it makes it hard to chart food and exercise regularly.

I am watching portion sizes and listening to my body's hunger signals, but that is about as far as it goes right now. My workouts consist of cleaning and taking the kids to the park or playdates during showings.

It's working.

Here are my stats:

Last Week's Weight: 159.4
Current Weight: 157.9
Weekly Loss:1.5

Total Loss during Challenge: 4.5
Total Cumulative Loss: 8.5

I am down to the last hole on my belt now.

Pepperoni Pasta Salad

Wait. I know what you are thinking. Jen, you are trying to shrink. How will pepperoni and pasta help that?? Bear with me. This is my slimmed-down version of a Taste of Home recipe. It makes a great make-ahead supper for a hot day. Boil the pasta first thing in the morning before the sun gets too high. Then you can rest easy knowing that you will have a filling and family friendly meal ready to go when you are ready to wilt.

The original recipe had over 500 cals per serving. By my estimate a big bowl of my version has 286 calories.

Slimmed-Down Pepperoni Pasta Salad

Ingredients:
2 cups rotini pasta, uncooked
1 cup cucumber, chopped
1 cup part-skim mozzarella, cubed
1 medium tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
5 small turkey pepperoni sticks, chopped. (I use Freybe's I think it ends up to be around a cup of pepperoni.)
1/2 cup light zesty Italian dressing.

Directions:

1. Cook pasta until just a teensy bit underdone. Rinse well with cold water and set aside.
2. Combine remaining ingredients and cooled pasta in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
3. Stir and serve.

Makes four big bowlfuls.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's weigh in time! This week was great. I feel a real change in my body. For the first time I wasn't constantly hungry. I am noticing that it takes less food for me to feel full. I have a bit more energy. A friend noticed my clothes fit better.

Here are my stats:

Last Week's Weight: 161.4
Current Weight: 159.4
Weekly Loss: 2.0

Total Loss during Challenge: 3
Total Cumulative Loss: 7




Onward and downwards!

Thank you Hungry Girl!

I am a big fan of Hungry Girl. Her cookbooks and ideas are a big help in my weight loss journey. This one just showed up in my email in-box. I needed to post it so I wouldn't lose it.
Doesn't it look good??? I love crock potting!

Slow-Cookin' Pulled Chicken

PER SERVING (1/2 cup): 149 calories, 1g fat, 462mg sodium, 10g carbs, <0.5g>POINTS? value 3*

This shredded BBQ chicken is FANTASTIC over salads, piled onto light buns, stuffed inside high-fiber tortillas with (rinsed) cole slaw, or eaten all by itself. Yummmmmm!




Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breasts, halved
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. brown sugar (not packed)
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. garlic powder
Optional: red pepper flakes, to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients except the chicken in the crock pot. Stir until mixed. Add chicken and coat well with the sauce.

Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours OR on low for 7 - 8 hours, until chicken is fully cooked.

Remove all the chicken and place it in a bowl. Shred each piece using two forks -- one to hold the chicken in place and the other to scrape across the meat and shred it. Return the shredded chicken to the crock pot, and mix well with the sauce.

If you're serving a group, keep the crock pot on its lowest setting, so the chicken stays warm. If you like, season to taste with red pepper flakes. Eat up!

MAKES 7 SERVINGS

Weigh In Wednesday

This is week two of The Sisterhood's Shrinking Days of Summer challenge.

Here are my stats:

Starting Weight 162.4
Current Weight 161.4
Loss 1.0
Original Starting Weight: 167.2
Cumulative Weight Lost: 5.8

This is only one pound lost this week (which is all my body ever willingly gives up at this stage) BUT since joining my lovely sisters, this is pound number five to leave my body!! Whee! I can see things starting to change now. The barest hint of a jawbone, my belt feeling a bit looser.
Yay! Progress!

It's Fair time.

Summer Fair is here. The kids have seen the midway go up and have been doing the Bart and Lisa thing to us:


So, today, after Hubby gets home from work, we will go.

I am packing a picnic so I don't have to be forced to choose from the bad options there.

Here is what I'm packing:
Fruity Chicken Salad
Tuna Salad
carrot and celery sticks
home made whole wheat buns (hmmmm....I should get on that!)
skim milk pudding cups
fruit salad
sugar free iced tea and low sugar lemonade

I will pretend I cannot see the mini doughnuts.

I know it isn't Monday.....

....But

I ate brown sugar bacon waffles for supper.

There. I said it.

I charted them. I have calories to spare at day's end.

They were so totally worth it.

Weigh In Wednesday

It's that time again! A new challenge has been given at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I am on a team with five other lovely shrinkers and the goal is to lose the most weight as a whole. I have been on hiatus from my food journal for the past couple of weeks, so it is time to get kicked back into gear.

Here are my stats:
Starting weight: 162.4 pounds

This is the ending weight from the last challenge, so I am glad to say I have maintained despite some chocolate that I had to review for my other blog and a perfect storm of PMS/Home Buying Stress/MIL fighting that started a three-day binge.

Right off the bat my first goal for this challenge is to not eat in my pantry. If I can't take the time to put my food on a plate, I should not eat it. I will also avoid the mini doughnuts at the fair this weekend, Girl Guide's Honour.

Hello team mates!
Kristen Q.
Jess B.
Cristina S.
Lindsey S.
Megan T.

Do any of you have blogs I can link to?

What's for breakfast?

You have heard it a bajillion times. Breakfast is so important. I know it to be true. On days when I don't eat a proper breakfast I just set myself up for poor snacking or binging later.

What I choose to eat for breakfast seems to make a big difference too. A strange side effect that I seemed to have kept from my pregnancies is the need to eat carbs and not much else for breakfast. Anything but carbs and I get very queasy. Toast or cereal is just not filling and is usually loaded with too much sugar. Where does that leave me?

Oatmeal.

Oatmeal is filling, high in fiber, low in calories and you have complete control over additives and sugar. Cinnamon adds flavour with no calories and also helps keep your blood sugar stable.

Of course, oatmeal on it's own can get pretty boring pretty quickly. The trick is to keep switching things up. Here is a rundown of some of my favourite things to do with oatmeal.

• Grated apple, cinnamon, sugar-free maple syrup, spoonful of peanut butter
  
• add a teaspoon of plain cocoa powder to your cooking water, then top with 1/2 banana, cinnamon and Splenda (it's like dessert!)
• frozen berries , cinnamon, fat free vanilla yogurt
• Fruit cocktail and vanilla soymilk
  
• More ideas from Hungry Girl

What do you eat for breakfast??

Weigh In Wednesday #3

Well, it is the end of the Shrink into Summer Challenge at The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I joined during the last three weeks and have faithfully lost a pound each week.

As I mentioned in my previous post I learned the hard way last week that weigh in after respite night is not pretty nor an honest picture of how I am doing. I hold salt like crazy and restaurant meals seem to be packed with them so I am always bigger the next day, even if I stay on track with my calorie allowance. I now weigh in the day before respite night so my weigh in Wednesday is really a Tuesday. (Funny--that used to be my Weight Watchers meeting day.) I then drink my weight in water the next day to flush the salt out and de-puff myself.

I also found that being brutally honest on my food journal, for better or worse, is really helping me keep on track. I can't say enough good things about The Daily Plate. I am Prairieknitwit there. If you are a member, friend me and we can snoop on each other's journals.

So, without futher ado. here are my stats so far:

Beginning Weight: 166.4 lbs
Finishing Weight: 163.4 lbs
Percentage lost: 1%

Doesn't look like much, but I am only beginning. Just wait until the next challenge!

True Confession Monday

Yes. It's Tuesday. Yesterday was a holiday though so today is really Monday.

1. I weighed in today instead of tomorrow. My respite night is tonight so even if I stay under my calorie goal, the sheer amount of salt in whatever I eat will negate any loss. (Down one pound! Yay!)

2. I can barely keep my eyes open today so it is a real struggle for me to stay away from sugary carbs right now. There is only so much caffeine one can have before you are just tired and jittery instead of just tired.

3. Since I can barely keep my eyes open today the only exercise I could muster was a couple of laps around the mall while running errands. Every little bit helps, right?

4. I am eating dinner at 8:00 PM tonight at a new pizza joint. I need to try very, very hard to not eat all the kid's leftovers when they have dinner. I WILL make a big salad and chow down on that to take the edge off. Girl Guide's Honour. I can't make any promises about the pizza.

Weigh In Wednesday #2

No good news here. I am up a pound. I had a triple-whammy of birthday party, mom visit and Mother's day this week and I lost control. I am really mad at myself. I did journal every transgression so I can see the damage I have done in black and white.

Onward and upwards, right??

Edit: I weighed myself the day after posting this after Mother Nature showed me I was also in the throes of PMS last week. I am down two pounds after all!





I am not going to rest on my laurels. Clearly my current plan is working.

Weigh In Wednesday #1

I have been lurking at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans for quite a while now. They are very down to earth and inspiring people.

I have had to lose weight three times in my life. Once, when I was newly dating Mister Hummingbird Metabolism and in Nursing School--keeping up with him and enjoying a studious and sedentary lifestyle packed a lot of extra pounds on my body. My rock bottom was seeing 180 on the scale and having to shop in the plus-size department for the first time in my life. I started in Weight Watchers, and ended in a teeny town that had no pizza delivery, but a 24 hour gym. I dropped the weight just in time to marry Mister HM, and get pregnant before the ink was dry on our paperwork.

I then gave birth to my sweet Emmett, who is now 5 and 7/8ths. I packed on 40 lbs growing him and only lost around 20 before getting pregnant with my darling Charlotte, now 4. I joined WW again and dropped over 30 lbs. I was back in size 8 and feeling great. Five minutes after I bought the cute jeans I got pregnant with my adorable Matthew, now 1-1/2. I am back where I started. I won't disclose my weight here right now, but I am wearing size 13 pants and they are tight. People ask me when my baby is due and I haven't been pregnant in two years.

I have been stopping and starting. Doing well for a week or two, then resorting to binge eating in my pantry. I exercise sproadicaly. It is time to make some changes. I hardly recognize the face I see in the mirror. I am tired of trying to figure out what to wear that doesn't make me look pregnant. I am back on the wagon.

I chart my food, exercise and weight at The Daily Plate. I know I can't do this alone.

I am so excited to finally dip my toe in and participate with other shrinkers!