Perfect Oatmeal

Hey All,

I have been eating oatmeal for a few months now, but I think I finally have it perfected.

See today's menu:
1/2 cup oats
1 cup rice dream almond milk
1/2 banana
a few walnuts

The mix ins of the banana and walnuts can change of course, but the oat to almond milk ratio is just right. I am so full right now I could burst--and for only 200 calories. Wow.

Next time, I might save half.

In other news, I bought an ipod nano which has become my trusty companion on walks at night.

In fact, the minute I pick it up Prime thinks its time for a walk.

It also really helps me de-stress, to rock out to some tunes and enjoy the fall air.

How do you de-stress?

Weigh In Wednesday

Hi Everyone.
I gained a pound.
I'm not even worried about it. I know exactly how it happened. Want to see?






The Melting Pot. It was a friend's birthday, so it was her choice.





If one person orders something, the entire table orders it too. So you can't "just" order and pay for a salad.






I did pretty well until dessert hit.







But I'm really not beating myself up. In fact, it rejuvenates me to start trying harder.







next week will be better. And it will be years before I find myself in another situation where I don't have control of what to order.

Dog Tired

I have been running on empty lately.

It might be my four jobs but I am guessing it has a little bit more to do with internal bodily systems.


Today I feel like I'm back to a 100% after a few days away. I can think about something other than my bed. My eyelids aren't 100 pounds. It's a good feeling.

Here is what is rocking my world right now:





Soup is so filling. It's the first day of fall, after all, so why not eat a hot lunch?

And vitamins. Husband is home sick with the flu. I work on a college campus. I'm surrounded by germs but I refuse to get sick.

I'll check back tomorrow for Weigh In Wednesday.

Shrinking Wife=Skinny Husband

My husband sauntered into the room.
"Guess how much I weigh?" He asked. He sounded like Gaston. You know: "No one's rich like Gaston, no one's fit like Gaston, no one's got a swell cleft in his chin like Gaston!"

eh hm.

He tells me he is ten pounds lighter.

"What? That's a ten pound loss! How did you do it?" I asked, clearly irked.

"You went on a diet." He replied.

He didn't even crack a smile.

That's how it works in my house--I lose, he loses twice as much. I gain, he stays the same.

Ugh, men.

Weigh In Wednesday

Holller.
It's a music kind of day. I have it in my soul.

I'm 247, by the way.

That's a two pound drop in a week. I'll take it!

Goals for the week:
Exercise five days.
Stay at or under 1500 calories (but above 1200)
Hydrate.
Track everything
Live Mindfully. Emphasis on FULLY.

Wednesday Weigh In

Hi.
I'm here even though I don't want to be.

I got on the scale and it read:
249.6

Yup, that would be a gain. A 1.6 gain actually.

It happens. Especially after my fat kid at gym class fiasco and the binge that followed. And I drank a little too much this past weekend as well.

I can do better, I am already correcting the habits that brought this on. Next week will be better.

If all else fails, I can start sharing my meals with this dude:



He is more than willing to help!

Homecoming = Black Bean Brownies

Fat Kid at Gym Class

Yesterday my department went on a canoe trip. I was pretty excited for it. I've been working out more and eating better and I really felt like going on this trip was going to solidify my new definition of me--you know, as a fit, active person.

The water was really, really low. And I chose a partner similar to my size because I didn't want to have that whole awkward experience where the canoe is really low in one area of another.

Well it was a mistake. We were definitely the heaviest canoe and we had to walk the canoe more than a few times. Like ten times. While the rest of the fit, active scientists trotted down the river, beer in hand, happy as clams.

Oh and we tipped twice. One of which times I hit my elbow which still hurts now as I type. It was all I could do not to bawl on the trip. My partner was annoyed with me. If she had a lighter partner, it probably would have been a smoother ride. If she had someone with better balance, it would have been a smoother ride.

The entire experience took me back to gym class as a kid, when I just couldn't keep up.

Since I was a child I have been uncoordinated and awkward and large. And this trip was a reminder that I am still that.

By 7 that night, I had eaten 300 calories and had expended at least ten times that--between a mile walk that morning along with a biggest loser session and then this boating hell that lasted 4 hours in the hot sun. So I was ravished and stressed and upset with myself.

Needless to say I made some bad eating decisions. I would venture to say I still came out even calorie wise, but that isn't the point. I got upset and reverted back to the healing method that the little fat kid used after swim practice: carbs, bad choices, fat.

I'm going to counsel the little fat kid in me during this long (four day!!) weekend. I'm going to tell her that it's going to be alright. She can change (but the balance thing will probably always be an issue :)). I'm going to say nice things to her, because she deserves it.

How do you help your little fat kid?

OMG Risotto!

Hi Friends.
I had dinner with two of my favorites last night at our favorite local restaurant, Christopher's.



Source


If you're ever in Dayton, you need to stop by this little mecca of fine dining. They have something for everyone--vegans, vegetarians and kids alike!

I ordered the Vegetable risotto. I didn't add meat.

It was quite simply, amazing.

And I was quite sure that even though I only ate about a cup (of the 5-6 cup portion they served me--eek!)I had consumed close to 600 calories of goodness.

The culprit was the butter.

I could taste it. It slid down my throat. It was amazing.

I woke up this morning castrating myself for my bad decision. With weigh in looming one day away,I didn't need that at all.

But then I had an epiphany.

The entree was vegan.

There's no butter in a vegan dish.

There's no ovum or milk or flesh at all.

Why, that heavenly orchestra of flavor was chicken broth and spices and olive oil.

How can it be?



It's waiting at home for me in the fridge. All ten pounds of it (it seems that large anyway). I wish I could box it up and send it to you guys.

It is the kind of food that heals your soul.

Sweatin' and Breathin' and Lovin' and Livin'

Guess what I've been doing lately?




The day after my first workout, I was so sore that I thought I was going to die. When I walk, parts of my body that I didn't know existed scream out in pain--and I'm only on cardio level one! Wow.

I also got the biggest loser tone and fit exercise DVD.

I have been waking up alternatively at 4:30 am to knock this exercise out before I start my day. Nothing like endorphins kicking in that early in the morning! I am literally giddy afterwards.

What have you been doing to mix up your workouts?

Wednesday Weigh In

Can you hear that?

Listen closely.

It's the sound of progress.

Weight: 248

Yes, I'm in the 240's! It feels really good. I haven't been here in over 2 years.

Here's my losses:

-3.6 pounds
-.3 fat lost

Looks like the biggest loser workouts and meat minimum, vegetable maximum diet is working.

I'm pretty pumped!

Pasta Disgusta?

I felt like cooking on Saturday, so I got right to it:




Ever tried whipped butter? I'm a huge fan thanks to hungrygirl.com. It has much lower calorie and fat counts.



Ever tried Jennie-O Italian turkey sausage links? With about 130 calories per (enormous!) link, they are a great option for pasta dishes.



How about spinach in a can? Any fans out there?
I pulled this baby from the back of my pantry and found it...well, I'll say it was a cheap buy for how much spinach you get but you have to be willing to press the spinach into patties in your hand to remove the excess water. It was intense.

This is also where the pasta dish took a turn for the adventurous.





I was making lunch for both Hubs and I, and I knew all that spinach was going to send him running for the door. So I tried to hide it....




With low fat ricotta of course!

Here's how it turned out:



Doesn't he look pleased?
He acted like I had tried to kill him.

I know some of you out there (TJ's test kitchen, for example) have men in your life who are adventurous with food and like the thrill of good eats. While I have many things to be thankful for, I'm not that lucky.

I happened to love this dish. I reheated it with some parmesean cheese the next day for lunch. My tummy was happy.

May your kitchen adventures be as joyous and fulfilling :)

Wordless Roasted Veggie Manicotti

**If you use 1/2 cup low fat ricotta each piece of stuffed manicotti is roughly 3 points (with the cheese and sauce!). A great, filling and fibrous option!

Weigh In Wednesday

Good Morning Bloggers,

I weighed in today at 251.6 for a loss of -.06.
I gained .7 in muscle.

I'll take it, though I had such a great weekend I did expect slightly better. I was hoping to see the 240's.

Yesterday a group of girls from my office went on a field trip and stopped to get lunch. We chose a unique little pub that no one had been to.

The menu left something to be desired in the nutrition department.

I chose what I thought was a decent option--nachos. Honestly, this seemed the best option. They had salads, but they consisted of iceburg lettuce covered in cheese. And the kids menu didn't have a single thing that wasn't covered in cheese or deep fried.

Well, I was wrong on the nachos.

I thought I could eat mostly the chicken and a few chips and leave without a huge calorie hit.

But, alas, the chicken was DEEP FRIED.

Deep fried chicken on nachos? I never knew....

I had no energy last night (big surprise huh?).
I'm never doing that again.

Here's to a loss---a loss is a loss is a loss after all.

And to the killer workout I'm offering up to the scale Gods today at lunch.

Have a great Wednesday!

Have you seen this logo around? Did you know it is a propaganda piece from the UK, made during the war to boost morale? Crazy.

It is the motto of my life right now.

Here's the math:
I am 1 person.
I have 1 husband.
Between the 2 of us, we have 2 full time jobs and 4 part time jobs.
We have 1 dog. 1 house. And 3 cars, all of which need work (we got the money, we don't got the time!).
He will complete 6 credit hours of school this Fall.
And I will teach 6 credit hours.
Hell breaks loose in two weeks--
and I'm not sure I'm ready.
I am 1 person.

There's good news here people. There's even a recipe.

Ways to cope with a hectic schedule:
1. Avoid uncomfortable clothes.
2. Pack for the day the night before.
3. Plan ahead.
4. Set time aside when you don't check email or answer the phone.
5. De-clutter.
6. I repeat: De-clutter.
7. Break big tasks into smaller tasks.
8. Clean ten minutes a day, instead of once a week.
9. Make a chore chart.
10. Set goals.
11. Make a weekly menu.
12. Put exercise first.
13. Breathe deeply.
14. Drink less caffeine.
15. Make Lists.

I'm ready. I can do this.





And now, for a super fast recipe for all the busy dieters out there:

No Bake Cheesecake
From Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes-- www.skinnytaste.com

8oz coolwhip free
8oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
9 inch reduced fat graham cracker crust
1/4 cup sugar (or splenda)
1 tsp lemon juice

Blend.
Spread.
Enjoy.

Non-Scale Victories

Hi Fellow Losers :)

This weekend was a success with many non-scale victories to report.

1. Mocktails.




Not only were they delicious and filling before dinner, they really satisfied my pre-going out ritual. Before, I would have had one or two drinks before going out, followed by one or two at dinner. I was really excited to find that this was totally unnecessary. I ended the day well within my points/calorie range thanks to these delicious placebo beverages.

2. Clothes.



In the above pictures you will see me with the dress I bought off the clearance rack for the wedding we were attending. The dress is still on the hangar because when I put it on, I realized it was way too baggy and would need altered very soon if I was to keep it. I am wearing a dress from roughly 4 years ago--a dress I didn't fit in to for the last few years. Pretty exciting stuff! Now I can take that other loose dress back and spend that money on something in my new size.

3. Late night snacking.



I packed really healthy snacks for hubs and I for the trip: broccoli salad with thai dressing for me (70 calories), a light babybel cheese (also for me) and crackers and string cheese for hubs. We snacked on these on the way to the wedding.
The wedding food was sparse so we didn't eat much over the many hours we spent conversing and celebrating. It was a 2.5 hour drive home and we spent all of it in a state of hunger. As we made it to our exit, we had a choice:

Wendys, Mcdonalds, Taco Bell
or
Home.

We chose home. I had a smart one thai noodles and chicken--a personal favorite--and 1/2 cup of Life cereal. It was fulfilling and healthy though eating that late at night isn't always the best idea. I am proud of us!

4. Givin' it to the Pavement
The dog and I walked 1.6 miles in 30 minutes today! Record time considering we often have to stop and smell things (cough, cough). I have been struggling with some things and I spent my walk thinking about them. I got mad. And I gave it to the pavement. And guess what? It's still out there, on the pavement, not here with me. I am off to enjoy a stress free Sunday because this workout freed me :

I hope your weekend was chalked full of non-scale victories!

Mocktails

I follow Katheatsrealfood (and you should too, by the way). She has a focus on natural food and one of her favorite things besides wine and beer is mocktails.

She makes them out of club soda or carbonated water (please excuse me if these two things are in any way the same thing)and sometimes juice. She says these meet her need for "happy hour" while keeping her calories and health in check.

In the spirit of Kath, I'm going to try my hand at mocktail hour at my house.

At lunch, I'm going to walk across the street to Meijer where I will pick up this delicious 50-calorie beverage:



You know how I know they are good? Cause this guy likes them too:



So, I'm going to mix some tasty 25 calorie mocktails before we go out to dinner tonight. Do you drink? What do you do to curb your drinking?