Weekly Weigh-In: Down 1/2 Lbs

1 Comment

Finally got the scale moving in the right direction. I’m now 254.7, down 1/2 lbs.

I think my Texas trip was a bust. I didnt weigh-in during the trip, so how do I know? Just too many temptations (chips…lots of chips!) at the house.

So this week I stuck to my low carb plan and didn’t go over my daily points. Even though I had dinner out (twice!) with friends, I didn’t tap into my weekly allowance points either. Awesome.

Just need to keep it up. Plus, with the yoga starting back up, I’m confident that I’ll hit that damn 250 mark soon and put an end this plateau once and for all.

Mixed Green, Avocado & Radish Sprout Salad

1 Comment
Beef patties with mixed greens, avocado and radish sprouts. Low carb and yummy to boot!

Beef patties with mixed greens, avocado and radish sprouts. Low carb and yummy to boot!

A simple lunch today. Just a yummy salad to go along with my cow. Yes, there are two ground beef patties in my photo, but their combined weight is under 5.5 ounces.

With salads, there is always the risk of boredom. It’s too easy to get into a rut of iceberg lettuce, tomato and cucumbers.  I suspect those three ingredients are the staples in most household salads. I say fight boring salads with a little creativity. My Grilled Chicken Salad is awesome (no doubt due to the bacon!) as is my Spinach and Strawberry salad (with bacon dressing…hey, I sense a theme here). Those recipes coming soon.

Today I’m using radish sprouts. I’ve used bean sprouts in stir-fry dishes and alfalfa sprouts on burgers. This is the first time I’m using radish sprouts. They taste like radishes. The sprouts and the mixed greens give the salad a nice kick both in taste and texture. Delish! I plan to rotate them into my staple of salad ingredients.

The meal is 5g of carbs and you feel satisfied after eating.

As far as Weight Watchers, this is a high point meal – 14 points.  Why so high? The ground beef patties. I use the 80-20 ground beef. Higher in fat, higher in points. However, I’m going low carb – no pasta, rice, potatoes, breads, grains, sugars, low-fat foods. So I actually increase the good fat content in my diet to keep me satiated.  If you are not low carb, you can simply substitute  3 oz of a lower-fat patty (yes only one) or a skinless chicken breast (also 3 oz) if you like.

As for dressing, I used 1 tbsp of my Olive Oil & Apple Vinegar dressing.

Mixed Green, Avocado, Radish Sprout Salad

Ingredients

Directions

Mix ingredients in a bowl. Add 1-2 tbsp of your favorite dressing and toss. Enjoy!

Related articles

Want To Lose Weight? Take Control Of The Fridge

8 Comments
While in Texas, my hubby actually ate what I prepared for him - and then some - rather than eat out.

While in Texas, my hubby actually ate what I prepared for him – and then some – and not eat out.

Weight Watchers stresses taking charge of your environment – removing foods that get in the way of weight loss and replacing them with healthy options.

I took this advice to heart. It’s hard to make smart choices if I have a pantry loaded with cookies. Once I decided to go low carb, my refrigerator and pantry felt my wrath. You won’t find any of my trigger foods. No sweets, crackers, pastas or breads. I trashed anything that tempted me.

By taking charge of my fridge I was in control, not the food.

While flying home on Sunday, I admit I worried what my kitchen would look like when I got back. My husband was alone for one week. It isn’t uncommon for him to add some of his favorite food groups – namely pies and cookies – to my kitchen space.

Before I left, I stocked up on protein and veggies and instructed him to eat only what’s in the fridge. However, I knew that listening isn’t one of his strengths. When I got home Sunday, I fully expected to find soft, furry vegetables and lots of high-carb treats. Boy was I wrong. He ate what I stocked up on and then some.

He did me proud.

Controlling my space! Food prepping helps me in making healthy choices.

Controlling my space! Food prepping helps me in making healthy choices.

Come Monday morning I took charge of my kitchen again. After grocery shopping, I spent the day chopping up lots of veggies.

Looking at my fridge now, all the healthy foods are within sight and quick to dish out.

Later tonight we’ll fire up the grill. So this afternoon, I’ll prep chicken, pork and beef with rubs and marinades.

My fridge now. Tonight, we grill all on the 3rd shelf! Healthy choices have never been so easy!

My fridge now. Healthy choices have never been so easy!

Another advantage that comes with controlling my space? The prep time for meals is less than 5 minutes.

Sweet.

I Want To Run A Marathon… Where Do I Start?

7 Comments
The training starts now!

The training starts now! Image Courtesy of: Sura Nualpradid and Freedigitalphotos.net

Run Walk, Fat Girl, Run Walk!

I hope by next spring I can run in my first 5K (I’m walking in them now). So yes, a marathon is truly a long-term goal.

Right now I power walk 5 days week, alternating between 4 and 2.5 miles, with the former focused on distance and the latter on increasing speed.  The other 2 days, I walk at a normal pace.

Interval Training Out. Walking Plan In.

I tried interval training a few months ago and it didn’t go well. The training itself was fine. My knees afterward were not. My doc advised that more weight – 60 lbs  – needed to come off before I try running again.

As I tooled around the Weight Watchers site this weekend, I came across a walking guide complete with a suggested training schedule.   With plans for beginner, intermediate and advanced walkers, I could easily tailor the advance walking training to fit my needs.

So What’s The Plan?

My power walking goes from 5 to 4 days a week. Why? Because I’m adding in cardio – aerobics, biking or hiking. Toning is too important to ignore, so I’m keeping my 2 day muscle workouts. I built in 2 rest days and will adjust as I go, but for now the schedule doesn’t seem overly taxing. By mid September, I’m aiming for a consistent pace of 15 min/mile and hitting the 6 mile mark.

The WW suggested plans are in 8-week increments. I decided to build the plan out for the next 4 months. That takes me to January to hopefully start interval training. But for now, I can use the walking plan to build up my endurance, strength and speed.

Sweet!

Related articles

Weekly Weigh-In: Up 1.2 Pounds

1 Comment

aug 10 weightI can’t believe that I fretted about losing “only” 0.6 lbs. last week.

Ok, I need to shake things up this week. Here’s my plan:

  1. Write It Down – Research shows you lose weight with a food journal. I keep a food journal, but I’m not diligent about it. The goal this week is to track everything, including the tastes I take while cooking. I set up the Weight Watchers app on my phone and tablet. I even set up alerts to remind me to track. No excuses now.
  2. 7 Hours – My insomnia is back. I’m getting about 5 hours of sleep a night. So my body isn’t properly producing the appetite-regulating hormones. Ghrelin tells you when to eat. Leptin tells you when you are full. Lack of sleep and you’ll have too much ghrelin and not enough leptin. Time to break out the herbal tea 45 minutes before bedtime.
  3. Water Weight – Thanks to the more intense walks, my legs are sore. I think this is the source of my gain. When you workout microscopic tears appear in the muscle fiber. The fiber basically becomes a sponge, absorbing water. In a few days, my muscles should release the water (and the 1.2 lbs.).

Weight loss is a marathon not a sprint. My resolve is a lot stronger than 1.2 lbs.

Related articles

First Test In No Alcohol Challenge

1 Comment
Yummy ice tea! It's what I'm drinking for 30 days.

Yummy ice tea! It’s what I’m drinking for 30 days.

Only 2 days into my 30-Day No Alcohol Challenge and tonight’s my first test.  I’m meeting two friends for dinner at a brew pub.  Of course I suggested the place. Nothing like trial by fire! Why a brew pub? They have yummy ice tea.

Tomorrow’s weigh-in day and I’m not taking any chances. I even have all of my 49 Weekly Allowance Points – but I won’t have to use them. I looked at the menu online, so I already know what I’m going to order. I’ve eaten light today, so I have more than half of my daily points left.

This test is in the bag.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Leave a comment

If I could point to one thing that always trips me up in my quest to eat healthy, it’s my snack choices. Mostly I forget to eat them – not a good thing. But when I do remember, I find that it is easier for me if I’m consistent with my choices. Too many choices and I go astray.  So I try to keep it simple.  However, consistency’s natural enemy is boredom.

My go-to afternoon snack is celery and cream cheese. It’s easy to make and measure out. Lately, the urge to replace this afternoon snack with the chocolate chips in my baking pantry is growing.  I needed to shake things up but not with those tasty morsels (damn you Nestle Toll House!).

Yesterday I discovered a nifty little recipe to jazz up my celery snacking. Actually, any veggie snack will be better with this little concoction. It’s quick to make and stores for 1 week in the refrigerator.

For all of you Weight Watchers out there, this recipe comes out to 2 points per serving. You’ll have to decide if it is worth the points. Since I have trouble reaching my daily points, it’s a no-brainer.

Sun-Dried Tomato Dip
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp
Net Carbs: 0
PointsPlus Value: 2

Ingredients:
11 ounces fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp heavy cream
3 Tbsp thinly sliced fresh basil
2 Tbsp minced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/8 Tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Combine goat cheese and cream in a bowl; whip with a handheld mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Stir in basil, tomatoes, 1 Tbsp oil and pepper.
2. Transfer to serving dish and drizzle top with remaining 1 Tbsp oil.

If you are feeling adventurous, try adding in 1/2 C of chopped toasted walnuts. I haven’t tried it so I don’t know the points value. But it does sound yummy.

Think Housework Isn’t Exercise? Ha!

1 Comment
Guess my workout today! Image courtesy of Idea go and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Guess my workout today! Image courtesy of Idea go and FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

I’m too busy to go for a walk. But don’t fret, what I have on tap today will be more intense than any walk.  I’m doing housework!

It’s amazing how one thinks that you need to join a gym to get in your exercise.  I was one of those people. For a good workout, I thought I need to do yoga, aerobics or PX 90 class.

Truth is, an active lifestyle is what’s important, not just spending an hour at the gym.

I’ve discovered that housework can give me just as good a workout as weight training.  And yes, you can work up a sweat by cleaning.  Try lugging 5 loads of laundry up and down the stairs – that will get your heart pumping. Hell, just blast your favorite workout playlist and you can have your very own dance party while you dust. Trust me, there are lots of ways to get a solid workout by cleaning,

Even while blogging I workout my core by sitting on that exercise ball.

Now if your thing is counting calories (consuming and burning), don’t come to me for how many calories do you burn cleaning house. I don’t know. I don’t care. I’m not about calories in/calories out. I reduce my carbs for weight loss. I’m active for overall fitness – improve balance, more energy, better muscle tone. I don’t lose weight because I’m more active. I’m more active because I’ve lost weight (there’s your moment of zen for you!).

No walking today. Instead I’ll be working in the front yard, doing battle with weeds and trying to tame some wild-looking rose bushes.

Afterwords, I’m sweeping and mopping the floors. Then I’ll start painting prep for our second bedroom – taping trim, moving furniture away from walls, taking down curtains, dusting/washing walls, and spackling nail holes as needed.

A workout? You better believe it.  Who needs dumbbells when you have a mop and a big-ass bucket of hot water to carry up and down the stairs?

Weight Watchers has a good article on everyday chores as exercise.

Getting Back Into The Swing Of Things

1 Comment

photoI’m still in Arizona helping out my mom. Today I weighed in and gained 0.2 lbs. Not bad. Considering I wasn’t completely on program…oh hell, the program went out the window.

While I did manage to get in a few walks when I first arrived in Arizona, that stopped this week. Why? Feeling a bit mopey. My energy’s been zapped. No doubt part of that is from missing dad, but bad food choices is the main culprit. I go off program and poof! I’m a slug.

I at least had the gumption to go to Weight Watchers – expecting to show a 10 lb gain mind you…OMG, I’m trying to score brownie points from myself!

So how bad was the eating this week? I reverted back to a bad habit – eating when bored. Ok, sure I’ve been eating lots of veggies and drinking my water. But I’ve also been gobbling down cheesy poofs (2 bags), blueberry scones (damn you Starbucks), fig newtons, and pumpernickel bagels courtesy of the new Einstein Bros that opened up across the way.

A few more carbs than I planned. No matter how I tried, I seemed bent on eating the junk food in mom’s pantry (or going out for tasty treats). Clearly I was craving comfort foods. But no more. Today I:

1. Trashed the cheesy poofs
2. Skipped Starbucks
3. Passed on the bagel

Yes, I did have one Fig Newton. Those suckers are yummy. But alas, it will be my last one for a long time.

And tomorrow I walk!

Funny, whenever I cut back on my carbs after a binge, I typically feel super tired. Not today. I’ve actually been somewhat productive, although a nap is in my very near future.

Following My Weight Loss Plan While Grieving

Leave a comment

I got the phone call during my Weight Watchers meeting.  I lost 5.2 lbs and was so proud of myself for eating right and working out.  The joy I felt stepping off the scale quickly disappeared when I discovered my father passed away earlier that morning.

He died peacefully in his sleep after returning home from two weeks in the hospital. Dad’s been ill for the last 20+ years battling congestive heart failure, Buerger’s disease, strokes, high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney failure.

For the past few years we’ve had several close calls, but like a cat with 9 lives, dad always bounced back. I tried to prepare myself for the day he wouldn’t be able to rebound. Turns out that prepping doesn’t make it any less painful.

“You want to be healthy when you’re old.”
Dad was great to talk to, especially those days where the scale was especially cruel to me.  He always made me laugh and cheered me up when I was kicking myself. During our talks, dad would always ask how the weight loss was going.  He had tons of questions about the food program I was following and the type of workouts I did during the week.  He would encourage me to keep doing what I was doing.  At the end of each call he would caution: “You don’t want what I have. You want to be healthy when you’re old.”

This Week’s Been A Bit of A Blur
I’m not tracking points. Not that I haven’t thought of it. I do. I just find that right now counting food points isn’t my thing.   I’ve been so busy helping my mother and dealing with my own grief that all I can muster is to tell myself not to over eat (or drink).

I do go out for my morning walks.  With family in town helping with the arrangements, the walks are my quiet time. I changed up my playlist to feature Motown hits and great blues tunes my dad introduced me to.  And each time as Stevie Wonder’s You Are The Sunshine of My Life plays I end up balling my eyes out.

The Game Plan
The service is today. Tomorrow I start tracking my food. My goal is to start with easy meals – keeping it as simple as possible.  I picked up some nutrition bars and shakes at the store this morning. They’re great for snacks and a nice way to get me eating 5 times a day again.

While I’m missing my weekly weigh in today, I plan to attend the local Weight Watchers near my parents’ house while I’m staying with my mother. The sooner I step on that scale, the more in control I’ll feel.

I can’t let my grieving overwhelm my weight loss efforts. Dad wouldn’t want that.