Recently I haven't lost weight because I've continued to eat junk. I eat too much, and I eat the wrong things. I get such sugar cravings, and even this week I'm having trouble not giving in to them (read, I gave in to them). I don't really know how to get rid of those cravings without going on phase one (South Beach), and you're not supposed to do that when you're breastfeeding.
I also haven't lost any weight because I haven't exercised. This is partly due to having a baby who needs to be feed, changed and generally looked after, and I'm better at sitting in front of the TV feeding her than I am getting up and doing something. Like going for a walk - I'm hopeless at going for a walk without a proper purpose (like running an errand, going to the doctors, etc).
My treadmill is at my mum's house, and though that's only 20 minutes away, it's 20 minutes I can't always be bothered to drive given the choice (all the baby stuff that needs to be taken, timing it with feeds, still taking 2 hours to get out the house, the need to get out of my pyjamas before 3pm etc etc). And then the times we do make it over there, I haven't got on the treadmill until today.
I'm sure there are lots of other reasons. I'm hoping that as I begin to identify them I can begin to make changes that will result in weight loss :)
Friday, 15 January 2010
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Weigh-in?
Sorry, lack of internet at my house (I'm online at my mum's right now) so no post on Monday.
On Monday I was down, but only about 0.4! I am persevering, even if I can't always get on the net for the next little while.
On Monday I was down, but only about 0.4! I am persevering, even if I can't always get on the net for the next little while.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Well it may just be me around here,
but I'll post anyway. I've put back on ALL the weight I had lost, and I HAVE to get rid of it again.
It's been a combination of getting pregnant (and all the 'well you are pregnant/breastfeeding so eat some more' excused) and giving up on my diet, and generally just giving it to temptation all the time. Not to mention not getting any exercise at all really for I don't know how long.
Plan of action
1. Pray and read my bible - I know this may not seem the most obvious place to start, but I know I can't do this in my own strength.
2. Get exercising. I've bought a new DVD which is another dance one. I don't reckon I'll be any good at it, but if it gets me moving and makes me laugh, it's gotta be a good thing. I'm also talking with my husband and mum about the possibility of getting my treadmill over here, but it's big and heavy and won't be easy to move, so I don't know how realistic that it.
3. Get on track with eating. I think the key will be planning, so that I don't keep grabbing junk cos it's easy. This will also mean I need to not have junky stuff in the house. Christmas etc was a big excuse to eat junk, but I think we've got rid of most of it now.
Ok, I weighed myself last Tuesday and I was 297.8.
Today (Monday, 6 days later) I am at 296.8, which is down a pound without being very good at all, so hopefully now that I'm really trying that trend will continue!
It's been a combination of getting pregnant (and all the 'well you are pregnant/breastfeeding so eat some more' excused) and giving up on my diet, and generally just giving it to temptation all the time. Not to mention not getting any exercise at all really for I don't know how long.
Plan of action
1. Pray and read my bible - I know this may not seem the most obvious place to start, but I know I can't do this in my own strength.
2. Get exercising. I've bought a new DVD which is another dance one. I don't reckon I'll be any good at it, but if it gets me moving and makes me laugh, it's gotta be a good thing. I'm also talking with my husband and mum about the possibility of getting my treadmill over here, but it's big and heavy and won't be easy to move, so I don't know how realistic that it.
3. Get on track with eating. I think the key will be planning, so that I don't keep grabbing junk cos it's easy. This will also mean I need to not have junky stuff in the house. Christmas etc was a big excuse to eat junk, but I think we've got rid of most of it now.
Ok, I weighed myself last Tuesday and I was 297.8.
Today (Monday, 6 days later) I am at 296.8, which is down a pound without being very good at all, so hopefully now that I'm really trying that trend will continue!
Thursday, 31 December 2009
Happy Almost New Year
I have a ton of weight to lose (almost literally)
So I'm back.
I'll be weighing in on Monday.
See you then
So I'm back.
I'll be weighing in on Monday.
See you then
Thursday, 19 November 2009
Hello
WOOHOO!! I'm so happy to see this blog getting attention again. I thought it was finished. Looks like I have some reading to do to catch up on everyone. Debs- CONGRATS! Sophia is beautiful.
Nikki- I am sorry about your loss. Prayers your way.
Everyone else...Hello! I hope this means we will soon be back full speed. I have certainly gained a few pounds that I would love to get off. It's been a while since I came to the page to check if there was any activity, so I was really excited to see some new posts today. Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things!
Have a great night!
Nikki- I am sorry about your loss. Prayers your way.
Everyone else...Hello! I hope this means we will soon be back full speed. I have certainly gained a few pounds that I would love to get off. It's been a while since I came to the page to check if there was any activity, so I was really excited to see some new posts today. Looking forward to getting back into the swing of things!
Have a great night!
Wednesday, 4 November 2009
not a weigh in post
because I know that I shouldn't be getting het up about my weight at the moment, but just need a couple of weeks focusing on on eating healthily and getting some fresh air and exercise.
Tami asked if I'd eaten better at the weekend - To be honest I haven't got a clue what I ate yesterday, let alone the weekend, but I think that yes, I am more aware (at the time I put it in my mouth) of what I'm eating.
We didn't get out yesterday as the weaher was horrible, and Sophia and I were both a bit under the weather, but the sun is shining today and we're out (I'm writing this at my mum's) so hopefully we'll have a walk a bit later.
How's everyone else going?
Tami asked if I'd eaten better at the weekend - To be honest I haven't got a clue what I ate yesterday, let alone the weekend, but I think that yes, I am more aware (at the time I put it in my mouth) of what I'm eating.
We didn't get out yesterday as the weaher was horrible, and Sophia and I were both a bit under the weather, but the sun is shining today and we're out (I'm writing this at my mum's) so hopefully we'll have a walk a bit later.
How's everyone else going?
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Any Goals?
It's good to see some friendly faces around here.
I managed to spark lots of panicked warnings when I talked about weight loss on my blog and facebook, so I'll clarify that although yes, I hate how I look at the moment, I'm not about to rush into any restrictive diet to get it all off quick. What I want to do is work on my healthy eating habits and dump the junk, whilst also beginning to get out and about with Sophia to give us both some fresh air, and me to get a bit of gentle exercise.
(Quick aside, my baby girl has hiccups, and it's so cute to hear, but a little heartwrenching to see her whole body shaking with them!)
So you all know where I stand at the moment. Anyone else got some goals they'd like to share? I see DebbieBoo needs accountability with exercise. Girl, I will bug you like crazy if you'd like me too!
I managed to spark lots of panicked warnings when I talked about weight loss on my blog and facebook, so I'll clarify that although yes, I hate how I look at the moment, I'm not about to rush into any restrictive diet to get it all off quick. What I want to do is work on my healthy eating habits and dump the junk, whilst also beginning to get out and about with Sophia to give us both some fresh air, and me to get a bit of gentle exercise.
(Quick aside, my baby girl has hiccups, and it's so cute to hear, but a little heartwrenching to see her whole body shaking with them!)
So you all know where I stand at the moment. Anyone else got some goals they'd like to share? I see DebbieBoo needs accountability with exercise. Girl, I will bug you like crazy if you'd like me too!
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Yay
People are still around. It's good to see you guys.
Anyone wanting to see pictures of my baby girl can check my blog.
Ok, night feed is over so I'm heading back to bed. But I'll be back again soon..
Oh, just weighed myself (yes at 6am, but I figured I should do it while Sophia was asleep and let me!) and I'm back up to 272.2. That is horrible, and yet I knew it. I suspected I was probably in the 260s, I can feel it in my face and my energy levels and everything. I need to get rid of this weight.
Anyone wanting to see pictures of my baby girl can check my blog.
Ok, night feed is over so I'm heading back to bed. But I'll be back again soon..
Oh, just weighed myself (yes at 6am, but I figured I should do it while Sophia was asleep and let me!) and I'm back up to 272.2. That is horrible, and yet I knew it. I suspected I was probably in the 260s, I can feel it in my face and my energy levels and everything. I need to get rid of this weight.
Wednesday, 28 October 2009
Is there anybody out there?
Ok, so my baby is here. Sophia Louise is three weeks old today. And I NEED to lose weight again. I know that I wasn't good with my eating habits while I was pregnant, and they've got worse since I gave birth, so it's time to take hold of them again. I'm not sure how much I weigh (I need to get my scales from my mum's house) but I know it's LOTS. I can tell cos I can see it on my belly and my thighs, and in my face.
I went shopping on Monday to get some trousers, since I was pregnant over the summer and the few maternity clothes I have are all too cold for the Autumn. I got a pair of black jeans, but it was quite depressing that I needed a size 24. That's only one size down from what I was wearing at the start of my weight loss journey a couple of years ago.
I know that it's still only 3 weeks since I gave birth, so I still need to be easy on myself. I need to rest and make sure I'm getting lots of sleep. For my sake, and Sophia's, but I also know that losing weight will help me feel so much more energetic and so much happier. So, this is it, I'm on the weigh again. I know that accountability helps me, so I'll be weighing in here (One weigh or Another) and I'm posting this post on my personal weight loss blog too (Can big change to beautiful?).
Is there anyone out there?! (Whether or not you're joining me in losing weight, it'd be cool to know if anyone is still reading this blog!)
I went shopping on Monday to get some trousers, since I was pregnant over the summer and the few maternity clothes I have are all too cold for the Autumn. I got a pair of black jeans, but it was quite depressing that I needed a size 24. That's only one size down from what I was wearing at the start of my weight loss journey a couple of years ago.
I know that it's still only 3 weeks since I gave birth, so I still need to be easy on myself. I need to rest and make sure I'm getting lots of sleep. For my sake, and Sophia's, but I also know that losing weight will help me feel so much more energetic and so much happier. So, this is it, I'm on the weigh again. I know that accountability helps me, so I'll be weighing in here (One weigh or Another) and I'm posting this post on my personal weight loss blog too (Can big change to beautiful?).
Is there anyone out there?! (Whether or not you're joining me in losing weight, it'd be cool to know if anyone is still reading this blog!)
Monday, 27 July 2009
Weigh in
It's getting late, so I thought I'd post the weigh in for today. Hope you are all doing well. What's you numbers?
Monday, 20 July 2009
Weigh in
Well I have no idea what I weigh at the moment, just that it's probably less than I did on Saturday morning, having been suffering with what's probably swine flu since Saturday night.
So I'll just head out of here and back to bed (after spraying some disinfectant around) and let you get on with the weigh-in without me.
So I'll just head out of here and back to bed (after spraying some disinfectant around) and let you get on with the weigh-in without me.
Sunday, 19 July 2009
Decadent Chocolate Cake
I found this recipe in a Suzanne Somers cookbook from the mid-nineties -- Eat Great, Lose Weight. I haven't made it, and I probably won't anytime soon, but I thought one of you ladies may like to give it a try. The picture of it in the book looks soooo yummy and chocolatey but it's definitely a once in awhile treat.
DECADENT CHOCOLATE CAKE
Serves 6-8
Cake:
7 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (no less than 60% cocoa)
11 T unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
1/3 C sugar (these days you could prob substitute Splenda)
1/3 C whole wheat pastry
Ganache:
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3/4 C heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan.
For the cake: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double broiler (or in a bowl or smaller saucepan placed over a saucepan of boiling water). Set aside to cool.
Beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until mixture is pale yellow. Fold in the melted chocolate. Sift the flour over the chocolate mixture until it just disappears.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 2 parts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (see Note).
For the ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Place the cream in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the hot cream to the chocolate and stir until it reaches room temperature, then poor it over the cooled cake and spread with a spatula.
Note For a thicker cake, double the recipe and bake for 35 minutes.
DECADENT CHOCOLATE CAKE
Serves 6-8
Cake:
7 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (no less than 60% cocoa)
11 T unsalted butter
4 large eggs, separated
1/3 C sugar (these days you could prob substitute Splenda)
1/3 C whole wheat pastry
Ganache:
6 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
3/4 C heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 10-inch round cake pan.
For the cake: Melt the chocolate and butter in a double broiler (or in a bowl or smaller saucepan placed over a saucepan of boiling water). Set aside to cool.
Beat the egg yolks until light and fluffy. Slowly add the sugar and continue beating until mixture is pale yellow. Fold in the melted chocolate. Sift the flour over the chocolate mixture until it just disappears.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 2 parts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter to remove air bubbles. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (see Note).
For the ganache: Place the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl. Place the cream in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the hot cream to the chocolate and stir until it reaches room temperature, then poor it over the cooled cake and spread with a spatula.
Note For a thicker cake, double the recipe and bake for 35 minutes.
Day 12
FOOD
Breakfast: a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter
Snack: A slice of watermelon
Lunch: 3 slices of lunch meat, 1 slice of mozzarella, celery sticks with hummus, half a cucumber topped with salt and lemon juice
Dinner: 2 chicken breast tenderloins topped with avocado & mango salsa*, broccoli and two small spoonfuls of mashed potatoes (I couldn't help myself!)
Indulgence: handful of cherries & 2 spoonfuls of chocolate cool whip
EXERCISE:
20 laps in the pool -- it started raining and then thundering so I had to get out before I could get more done!
200 leg lifts
*I don't know why but for the past few days I've been craving a fresh mango & avocado salsa. I don't recall even eating those two flavors together, but I thought I'd give it a try. I cut half a mango and half an avocado into small pieces and mixed together in a bowl. I squeezed half a lime over top and added a few leaves of cilantro, roughly cut with my kitchen shears. Then I threw in some chopped tomatoes and bit of finely diced onion. Also grated a clove of garlic into it. Salt to taste. It was quite delicious, if i might say so myself! It was what I used to resist the pull of the potatoes, and it basically worked! I did have two spoonfuls of potatoes, but that's easily 1/3 of what I normally would've eaten, so I'm quite proud of myself!
Breakfast: a banana with a tablespoon of peanut butter
Snack: A slice of watermelon
Lunch: 3 slices of lunch meat, 1 slice of mozzarella, celery sticks with hummus, half a cucumber topped with salt and lemon juice
Dinner: 2 chicken breast tenderloins topped with avocado & mango salsa*, broccoli and two small spoonfuls of mashed potatoes (I couldn't help myself!)
Indulgence: handful of cherries & 2 spoonfuls of chocolate cool whip
EXERCISE:
20 laps in the pool -- it started raining and then thundering so I had to get out before I could get more done!
200 leg lifts
*I don't know why but for the past few days I've been craving a fresh mango & avocado salsa. I don't recall even eating those two flavors together, but I thought I'd give it a try. I cut half a mango and half an avocado into small pieces and mixed together in a bowl. I squeezed half a lime over top and added a few leaves of cilantro, roughly cut with my kitchen shears. Then I threw in some chopped tomatoes and bit of finely diced onion. Also grated a clove of garlic into it. Salt to taste. It was quite delicious, if i might say so myself! It was what I used to resist the pull of the potatoes, and it basically worked! I did have two spoonfuls of potatoes, but that's easily 1/3 of what I normally would've eaten, so I'm quite proud of myself!
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Days 8 - 11
Whoa! Sorry this post is so long and that I haven't updated the past few days! The computer wasn't available when I was ready to get online and then I was too lazy to type up a post. Here's how I've done, to the best of my recollection:
DAY 8
FOOD:
Brunch: 2 eggs & sliced tomato
Snack: 2 handfuls of cherries
Very Bad Indulgence: 1 pineapple empanada with 1/2 cup of milk (BAD BAD BAD! Sugar AND white pastry! But soooo yummy!)
Dinner: 1 grilled chicken breast, baked beans, squash & zucchini
Late-Night Snack: 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (seriously. I love the texture & taste of them so I just sat and popped them in my mouth as I watched tv and checked email and Facebook! Lol)
EXERCISE:
NONE. I got back from my grandma's house late and then I had some intestinal problems and didn't feel comfortable swimming. Probably the price I had to pay for having the milk & empanada!
DAY 9
FOOD:
Brunch: 2 fried eggs & 2 slices of bacon
Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus
Snack: 2 slices mozzarella
Dinner: Eggplant Bake & side salad
EXERCISE:
80 laps in the pool (no, that's not a typo -- 80! I did 40 and it felt like I had just gotten in the pool so I kept going!)
200 kicks (in the pool)
DAY 10
FOOD:
Breakfast: 5 bean salad (that was finally the last of it!)
Lunch: 1 1/2 chicken breast tenderloins with spicy zucchini
Indulgence: White Cherry Icee (while watching a movie. I know, I know, not sugar free! But it was a small one and I didn't even finish it all and it was better than eating a tub of popcorn like I wish I could've!)
Dinner: Taco Salad (leftover salad topped with chili I cooked). I went back for seconds and had a half-cup serving of brown rice with two spoonfuls of chili on top. I could've done without seconds, but it was sooo yummy!
EXERCISE:
60 laps in pool
Free weights (2 diff exercises; 5 sets of 12 each)
200 punches (with 2 lb weights)
DAY 11
FOOD:
Brunch: 2 scrambled eggs topped with cheese and salsa, one roma tomato
Snack: 1 handful of cherries & 1 handful of blueberries
Dinner: Taco Salad
Indulgence: 2 pieces of Ferrero Rondnoir (the dark chocolate version of Ferrero Rocher; I got a box for my birthday 2 weeks ago and I still have over half of it left, so I figured I deserved a little reward for not scarfing it all down!)
EXERCISE:
50 laps in the pool
200 kicks (in the pool)
200 leg lifts (in the pool)
250 punches (with 2 lb weights)
I've found some new recipes I want to try and also post. I'll try to do that over the next few days. How is everyone else doing, btw? Nikki & Christy, are y'all still doing phase 1? How's that going for you?
Although I went off track a couple of times I didn't beat myself up over it and there was so much grace to do better at the next meal time. I've also noticed that I'm controlling my portion sizes as well, which is really good for me! I only have one serving during most meals and they're usually even smaller portions than what I was used to eating. I hope I can keep it up!
DAY 8
FOOD:
Brunch: 2 eggs & sliced tomato
Snack: 2 handfuls of cherries
Very Bad Indulgence: 1 pineapple empanada with 1/2 cup of milk (BAD BAD BAD! Sugar AND white pastry! But soooo yummy!)
Dinner: 1 grilled chicken breast, baked beans, squash & zucchini
Late-Night Snack: 1/2 cup garbanzo beans (seriously. I love the texture & taste of them so I just sat and popped them in my mouth as I watched tv and checked email and Facebook! Lol)
EXERCISE:
NONE. I got back from my grandma's house late and then I had some intestinal problems and didn't feel comfortable swimming. Probably the price I had to pay for having the milk & empanada!
DAY 9
FOOD:
Brunch: 2 fried eggs & 2 slices of bacon
Snack: Carrot sticks with hummus
Snack: 2 slices mozzarella
Dinner: Eggplant Bake & side salad
EXERCISE:
80 laps in the pool (no, that's not a typo -- 80! I did 40 and it felt like I had just gotten in the pool so I kept going!)
200 kicks (in the pool)
DAY 10
FOOD:
Breakfast: 5 bean salad (that was finally the last of it!)
Lunch: 1 1/2 chicken breast tenderloins with spicy zucchini
Indulgence: White Cherry Icee (while watching a movie. I know, I know, not sugar free! But it was a small one and I didn't even finish it all and it was better than eating a tub of popcorn like I wish I could've!)
Dinner: Taco Salad (leftover salad topped with chili I cooked). I went back for seconds and had a half-cup serving of brown rice with two spoonfuls of chili on top. I could've done without seconds, but it was sooo yummy!
EXERCISE:
60 laps in pool
Free weights (2 diff exercises; 5 sets of 12 each)
200 punches (with 2 lb weights)
DAY 11
FOOD:
Brunch: 2 scrambled eggs topped with cheese and salsa, one roma tomato
Snack: 1 handful of cherries & 1 handful of blueberries
Dinner: Taco Salad
Indulgence: 2 pieces of Ferrero Rondnoir (the dark chocolate version of Ferrero Rocher; I got a box for my birthday 2 weeks ago and I still have over half of it left, so I figured I deserved a little reward for not scarfing it all down!)
EXERCISE:
50 laps in the pool
200 kicks (in the pool)
200 leg lifts (in the pool)
250 punches (with 2 lb weights)
I've found some new recipes I want to try and also post. I'll try to do that over the next few days. How is everyone else doing, btw? Nikki & Christy, are y'all still doing phase 1? How's that going for you?
Although I went off track a couple of times I didn't beat myself up over it and there was so much grace to do better at the next meal time. I've also noticed that I'm controlling my portion sizes as well, which is really good for me! I only have one serving during most meals and they're usually even smaller portions than what I was used to eating. I hope I can keep it up!
Thursday, 16 July 2009
What I had for dinner
I took Blest's old recipe and spruced it up a bit, and boy was is yummy! I gave it a boring name for now, but maybe later I'll come up with something better. Or does someone out there have any suggestions?
The ingredient measurements are not exact (I just eyeball most of the time) so you may need to adjust where appropriate.
EGGPLANT BAKE
1 large eggplant
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1-2 cups spaghetti or pizza sauce
1 ½ cups grated mozzarella
½-1 cup grated Parmesan
Italian herbs (I used marjoram, thyme, basil & oregano and crushed red pepper for a kick)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thinly coat bottom of 9x13 inch baking pan with olive oil. Slice eggplant into ½ inch rounds. Lay eggplant rounds in baking pan, season with salt, pepper & herbs and drizzle or brush with olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (Optional: I rubbed the rounds on both sides with garlic before laying them in the pan, then minced the garlic and mixed it with olive oil before brushing it onto the eggplant.) Bake eggplant for 15 minutes.
After eggplant is finished baking, remove from oven and top with about ½ cup of spaghetti sauce (enough to spread so it barely covers the eggplant but not necessarily pooling onto the bottom of the pan). Sprinkle with about ½ cup mozzarella. Add mushrooms, onions and bell pepper then top with rest of the spaghetti sauce (in total, I used half a can of sauce, but didn’t measure so not sure exactly how much I put). Top with remainder of mozzarella & Parmesan. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted, slightly starting to brown, and the sauce is bubbling along the edges.
Served with salad, this can easily feed 4 very hungry people! It’s so yummy that my meat and potatoes dad loved it and actually had two servings!
The ingredient measurements are not exact (I just eyeball most of the time) so you may need to adjust where appropriate.
EGGPLANT BAKE
1 large eggplant
1 cup sliced mushrooms
½ cup chopped onions
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
1-2 cups spaghetti or pizza sauce
1 ½ cups grated mozzarella
½-1 cup grated Parmesan
Italian herbs (I used marjoram, thyme, basil & oregano and crushed red pepper for a kick)
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Thinly coat bottom of 9x13 inch baking pan with olive oil. Slice eggplant into ½ inch rounds. Lay eggplant rounds in baking pan, season with salt, pepper & herbs and drizzle or brush with olive oil and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese (Optional: I rubbed the rounds on both sides with garlic before laying them in the pan, then minced the garlic and mixed it with olive oil before brushing it onto the eggplant.) Bake eggplant for 15 minutes.
After eggplant is finished baking, remove from oven and top with about ½ cup of spaghetti sauce (enough to spread so it barely covers the eggplant but not necessarily pooling onto the bottom of the pan). Sprinkle with about ½ cup mozzarella. Add mushrooms, onions and bell pepper then top with rest of the spaghetti sauce (in total, I used half a can of sauce, but didn’t measure so not sure exactly how much I put). Top with remainder of mozzarella & Parmesan. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted, slightly starting to brown, and the sauce is bubbling along the edges.
Served with salad, this can easily feed 4 very hungry people! It’s so yummy that my meat and potatoes dad loved it and actually had two servings!
Tuesday, 14 July 2009
Day 6 & 7
DAY 6
FOOD:
Brunch: 5 bean salad (again, in a hurry and I need to finish it up!)
Snack: DanActive Yogurt drink with flaxseed, small Fuji apple
Snack: 2 sliced roma tomatoes drizzled w/ olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried basil; 2 slices of mozzarella
Dinner: 1 Imam Baildi (stuffed eggplant; found the recipe through Kalyn's Kitchen. I only made 1 eggplant so my two halves were very full even though I cut everything! It was yummy!)
Indulgence: serving of sugar-free Rocky Road Ice Cream
EXERCISE:
NONE! Took a day off
DAY 7
FOOD:
Brunch: 1 stuffed eggplant; small serving of 5 bean salad (it's almost all gone!)
Snack: carrot sticks and hummus
Dinner: ??? ---> I'm heading out to stay the night at my grandma's so no idea what's on the menu for tonight
EXERCISE:
Free weights (3 different ones; 6 sets of 12 or 15, depending on the exercise plus 100 punches w/ the weights)
60 laps in the pool
FOOD:
Brunch: 5 bean salad (again, in a hurry and I need to finish it up!)
Snack: DanActive Yogurt drink with flaxseed, small Fuji apple
Snack: 2 sliced roma tomatoes drizzled w/ olive oil, red wine vinegar, and dried basil; 2 slices of mozzarella
Dinner: 1 Imam Baildi (stuffed eggplant; found the recipe through Kalyn's Kitchen. I only made 1 eggplant so my two halves were very full even though I cut everything! It was yummy!)
Indulgence: serving of sugar-free Rocky Road Ice Cream
EXERCISE:
NONE! Took a day off
DAY 7
FOOD:
Brunch: 1 stuffed eggplant; small serving of 5 bean salad (it's almost all gone!)
Snack: carrot sticks and hummus
Dinner: ??? ---> I'm heading out to stay the night at my grandma's so no idea what's on the menu for tonight
EXERCISE:
Free weights (3 different ones; 6 sets of 12 or 15, depending on the exercise plus 100 punches w/ the weights)
60 laps in the pool
Sunday, 12 July 2009
Hey Everyone
I am loving the attention this blog has been getting recently. Welcome back Debbie, and a big hello to everyone else too. Sorry I haven't been around much. Life is busy, and I don't seem to be getting online as much as I used to. Which is probably just as well, as my lovely husband shouldn't have to spend his evenings talking to my back as I sit at the computer!
I'm almost 28 weeks pregnant now. I finally got around to registering with a new doctor (as I've moved, having got married. Yes, that was 3 months ago, but I'm slow about a lot of things. I'm also still writing wedding gift thank you letters, but that's another story).
Anyway, as part of registering with the new doctors surgery, I was weighed and measured by the nurse. I was last weighed when I had my booking in appointment with the midwife, which was in the first few weeks, I think around week 8 of my pregnancy. Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I've put on 9kg in that time. Which is about 20lb. It's certainly more than I'd have liked, but I'm trying not to panic about it. I'm trying to eat healthily and not use the pregnancy as too much of an excuse to eat junk, but I am aware that what with cravings and other people's encouragement that I'm "eating for two" that I haven't done amazingly.
I'm trying to up the exercise, but that's also been a struggle. I have a week and a half left of school until we break up for the summer holidays, and I'm hoping to be more consistent with exercise once that happens.
Anyway, since it's almost Monday, this can count as a weigh-in post for this week too! Tell me your numbers please :)
I'm almost 28 weeks pregnant now. I finally got around to registering with a new doctor (as I've moved, having got married. Yes, that was 3 months ago, but I'm slow about a lot of things. I'm also still writing wedding gift thank you letters, but that's another story).
Anyway, as part of registering with the new doctors surgery, I was weighed and measured by the nurse. I was last weighed when I had my booking in appointment with the midwife, which was in the first few weeks, I think around week 8 of my pregnancy. Anyway, the long and the short of it is that I've put on 9kg in that time. Which is about 20lb. It's certainly more than I'd have liked, but I'm trying not to panic about it. I'm trying to eat healthily and not use the pregnancy as too much of an excuse to eat junk, but I am aware that what with cravings and other people's encouragement that I'm "eating for two" that I haven't done amazingly.
I'm trying to up the exercise, but that's also been a struggle. I have a week and a half left of school until we break up for the summer holidays, and I'm hoping to be more consistent with exercise once that happens.
Anyway, since it's almost Monday, this can count as a weigh-in post for this week too! Tell me your numbers please :)
Day 4 & 5
DAY 4:
FOOD:
Breakfast: 1 slice of Florentine Frittata (my own invention; I'll post the recipe and pics tomorrow); 2 slices of bacon (I made the bacon before I decided to make the frittata more Mediterranean than Southwestern)
Snack: Shark bites (was actually large chunks of kingfish, not shark!) with dijon mustard sauce, cucumbers, fresh salsa and a few blue corn chips (all this was actually appetizers at my friends' house for lunch and I started eating the chips before I remembered I couldn't. Oops!)
Lunch: Filet of Ling fish and serving of wild rice (it's a carb, but at least a SB friendly carb!)
Dinner: Grilled chicken salad and I was bad and had a few chips and queso
EXERCISE:
None since I was out all day! Yikes! And I ate a lot, too! Double yikes!
My friends had me over for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost all the food was SB friendly. My friend has had gallbladder probs so has had to drastically change her diet, hence all the fish and fresh foods. Also we met up with other people for dinner and a movie at one of those places where you could sit and order dinner while watching the movie. It was a fancy one, too! Although I had blown the diet and was tempted to get one of the pizzas or burgers, I DIDN'T! I didn't even get the fried chicken tender salad like I was tempted to. Nor did I take any of the people up on their constant and generous offers for alcoholic beverages. So even though I went off plan a bit and ate a lot, it could've been worse!
DAY 5:
FOOD:
Breakfast: 5 bean salad (I was in a rush and still have A LOT of that stuff left!)
Lunch: One portabella pizzetta with salad (I can't tell you how YUMMY those portabella pizzettas are!)
Indulgence: Cherries and 2 spoons of Chocolate Cool Whip
Dinner: 3 grilled chicken tenderloins, spinach and spicy zucchini (I still can't believe I got it in my head to COOK spinach! I usually only eat it raw in salads. But while I looked at the chicken cooking I thought, "Hmm...I wonder what it would be like if I tossed a few hand fulls of spinach in there..." And it was delish!)
EXERCISE:
60 laps in the pool
I was running all over town from 11 to 5 so I was exhausted by the time I got home and had a bit of a stress headache that was on the verge of a migraine. But I managed to subdue it enough to get some swimming in tonight, especially since I didn't get any exercise yesterday. And I ate well all day, so I'm feeling good about my day!
FOOD:
Breakfast: 1 slice of Florentine Frittata (my own invention; I'll post the recipe and pics tomorrow); 2 slices of bacon (I made the bacon before I decided to make the frittata more Mediterranean than Southwestern)
Snack: Shark bites (was actually large chunks of kingfish, not shark!) with dijon mustard sauce, cucumbers, fresh salsa and a few blue corn chips (all this was actually appetizers at my friends' house for lunch and I started eating the chips before I remembered I couldn't. Oops!)
Lunch: Filet of Ling fish and serving of wild rice (it's a carb, but at least a SB friendly carb!)
Dinner: Grilled chicken salad and I was bad and had a few chips and queso
EXERCISE:
None since I was out all day! Yikes! And I ate a lot, too! Double yikes!
My friends had me over for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised to see that almost all the food was SB friendly. My friend has had gallbladder probs so has had to drastically change her diet, hence all the fish and fresh foods. Also we met up with other people for dinner and a movie at one of those places where you could sit and order dinner while watching the movie. It was a fancy one, too! Although I had blown the diet and was tempted to get one of the pizzas or burgers, I DIDN'T! I didn't even get the fried chicken tender salad like I was tempted to. Nor did I take any of the people up on their constant and generous offers for alcoholic beverages. So even though I went off plan a bit and ate a lot, it could've been worse!
DAY 5:
FOOD:
Breakfast: 5 bean salad (I was in a rush and still have A LOT of that stuff left!)
Lunch: One portabella pizzetta with salad (I can't tell you how YUMMY those portabella pizzettas are!)
Indulgence: Cherries and 2 spoons of Chocolate Cool Whip
Dinner: 3 grilled chicken tenderloins, spinach and spicy zucchini (I still can't believe I got it in my head to COOK spinach! I usually only eat it raw in salads. But while I looked at the chicken cooking I thought, "Hmm...I wonder what it would be like if I tossed a few hand fulls of spinach in there..." And it was delish!)
EXERCISE:
60 laps in the pool
I was running all over town from 11 to 5 so I was exhausted by the time I got home and had a bit of a stress headache that was on the verge of a migraine. But I managed to subdue it enough to get some swimming in tonight, especially since I didn't get any exercise yesterday. And I ate well all day, so I'm feeling good about my day!
Saturday, 11 July 2009
The joy of being thin
So I do remember being thin. I was there about a year and a half ago. I was 160 lbs. I am on the taller side, so that was pretty good. I have a large build, so I will never be very light. I could have lost another 10-15 lbs, but I was feeling pretty good where I was. Healthy, energetic, feeling and looking comfortable. Then...I slowly but surely gained it all back. All 30 lbs. Its so frustrating. I look at pictures now and get soooo mad at how gross I look and feel. I can't put into words how upsetting it is to me to be feeling this way again. I don't know why food is so hard to give to God. Some sin is so easy to hand over, but food??? No way. I am really working on that. See even though I started SB again yesterday, I am still way sinning over food. I think way too much about it. Its on my mind. What can I have? What can't I have? What should I eat next? AAHHH! SO that is what I have to work on the most. Trusting God to help me with my over eating! Gosh, if I gave him all the time I give thinking about what I am going to eat, I would be one godly woman. Gotta work on that. Thanks for listening.
Yesterday I was good about what I ate and today we are going to some friends house for dinner. I plan to do very well there too! I have to. I really like how great I felt when I was under control.
Yesterday I was good about what I ate and today we are going to some friends house for dinner. I plan to do very well there too! I have to. I really like how great I felt when I was under control.
Friday, 10 July 2009
Day 3
I stuck with it today, although I do feel like I overate. Let's see . . .
FOOD:
Brunch: 5 Bean Salad (I was sick of eggs. On only the 3rd day. Not a good sign . . . ), a few raw celery sticks & baby carrots
Snack #1: Fuji Apple
Snack #2: DanActive Light Yogurt drink with some ground flaxseed I added in
Snack #3 while cooking dinner: 2 slices of mozzarella and 6 small slices of pepperoni (since I ate the pepperoni while cooking, I didn't add it to my portabella mushroom!)
Dinner: One Portabella Pizzetta with salad on the side. I did add a spoonful of the Italian sausage mixture I made for my parents and I'm proud to say I didn't even eat one piece of the spiral pasta I made to go with it! That was tough! Oh, to the portabella mixture I added some garlic powder (a about 3/4 teaspoon) and a few dashes of crushed red pepper. It was YUM-MO! But the mixture, IMO, does not make enough for the 12 mushrooms as it suggests. I figured I'd mix it all up and then freeze it to use later. Turns out I prob won't need to freeze it, just buy about four more mushrooms in the next week or so. And just the one serving of mushroom was very filling, especially since I had the salad to go with it.
Indulgence: serving of cherries & 2 spoonfuls of Chocolate Cool-Whip
EXERCISE:
250 leg lifts (not in the pool this time)
4 sets (of 15) free weight exercises (don't know what they're called)
5 min on the stair stepper (it nearly killed me but I only stopped twice! (do i get more sympathy if i tell you we keep the stair stepper outside (which is why it was squeaky) so i'm using it in 100 degree weather???))
70 laps in the pool
I never write down what I drink, but I mostly drink water with fresh lemon juice. I probably have one glass of tea or Splenda-sweetened coke a day. I haven't even been drinking much coffee these days! ::GASP::
I'll be out all day tomorrow. I'm going to my friend Becca's house for a late birthday lunch with her and her mom. They're grilling fish but I don't know what else to go along with it. Then later in the afternoon we're meeting some of Becca's friends for a movie and dinner. No idea where they'll choose to go for dinner and I hope I'm able to resist the movie theater popcorn!
FOOD:
Brunch: 5 Bean Salad (I was sick of eggs. On only the 3rd day. Not a good sign . . . ), a few raw celery sticks & baby carrots
Snack #1: Fuji Apple
Snack #2: DanActive Light Yogurt drink with some ground flaxseed I added in
Snack #3 while cooking dinner: 2 slices of mozzarella and 6 small slices of pepperoni (since I ate the pepperoni while cooking, I didn't add it to my portabella mushroom!)
Dinner: One Portabella Pizzetta with salad on the side. I did add a spoonful of the Italian sausage mixture I made for my parents and I'm proud to say I didn't even eat one piece of the spiral pasta I made to go with it! That was tough! Oh, to the portabella mixture I added some garlic powder (a about 3/4 teaspoon) and a few dashes of crushed red pepper. It was YUM-MO! But the mixture, IMO, does not make enough for the 12 mushrooms as it suggests. I figured I'd mix it all up and then freeze it to use later. Turns out I prob won't need to freeze it, just buy about four more mushrooms in the next week or so. And just the one serving of mushroom was very filling, especially since I had the salad to go with it.
Indulgence: serving of cherries & 2 spoonfuls of Chocolate Cool-Whip
EXERCISE:
250 leg lifts (not in the pool this time)
4 sets (of 15) free weight exercises (don't know what they're called)
5 min on the stair stepper (it nearly killed me but I only stopped twice! (do i get more sympathy if i tell you we keep the stair stepper outside (which is why it was squeaky) so i'm using it in 100 degree weather???))
70 laps in the pool
I never write down what I drink, but I mostly drink water with fresh lemon juice. I probably have one glass of tea or Splenda-sweetened coke a day. I haven't even been drinking much coffee these days! ::GASP::
I'll be out all day tomorrow. I'm going to my friend Becca's house for a late birthday lunch with her and her mom. They're grilling fish but I don't know what else to go along with it. Then later in the afternoon we're meeting some of Becca's friends for a movie and dinner. No idea where they'll choose to go for dinner and I hope I'm able to resist the movie theater popcorn!
Thursday, 9 July 2009
Days 1 & 2
I think SB Phase 1 is always the hardest for me, so I'll (hopefully) be posting my daily stats these first two weeks. We'll see what happens after that. I'm just writing what I'm eating, not counting calories since I was born with a math block and I'm not mentally capable of it!
DAY 1
FOOD:
Brunch: 3 eggs Polish style (fried with a bit of sour cream added towards the end and topped with chives; my Polish friend Justyna introduced me to them and they're quite yummy!)
Snack: DanActive Light Strawberry yogurt drink
Dinner: bowl of my homemade Charro Beans; small serving of ground beef topped with a pinch of cheddar
Indulgence: One scoop of sugar-free chocolate ice cream topped with 2 spoons of chocolate Cool-Whip
EXERCISE: NONE, since I had a migraine all day!
DAY 2
FOOD:
Brunch: Kalyn's Feta Cheese & Avocado Mini-Frittata for Two It was yummy! Since I was making it for myself I actually used 3 eggs (since I woke up late and it served as both breakfast AND lunch) and half an avocado. I also didn't have spike seasoning so I threw a lot of random seasonings in.
Snack: Celery sticks & Hummus (a recipe from All-Recipes; I added a dash of cumin, a little less tahini, and no parsley since apparently weevils like dried parsley. Yuck!)
Indulgence: 6 cherries (yeah, I know -- no fruit on phase 1, but I'm not being extremely strict with that one)
Very late lunch/snack: 1 cup of 5 been salad (my invention; I can post the recipe if anyone is interested)
Dinner: Hamburger patty topped with a slice of mozzarella & grilled onions and mushrooms; sliced tomato & cucumbers on the side.
EXERCISE:
Roughly 5 min on squeaky stair stepper (I told myself 5 min to start since yesterday's migraine stayed with me 'til halfway through today. Turns out I'm so outta shape I couldn't even do 5 min straight! I had to stop every so often. Sad sad sad!)
Roughly 25 min swimming laps (I did 70 total. Don't be too impressed, it's one of those modern peanut shaped pools, not the huge Olympic-sized pool!)
200 leg lifts (I kinda cheated and did them in the pool)
DAY 1
FOOD:
Brunch: 3 eggs Polish style (fried with a bit of sour cream added towards the end and topped with chives; my Polish friend Justyna introduced me to them and they're quite yummy!)
Snack: DanActive Light Strawberry yogurt drink
Dinner: bowl of my homemade Charro Beans; small serving of ground beef topped with a pinch of cheddar
Indulgence: One scoop of sugar-free chocolate ice cream topped with 2 spoons of chocolate Cool-Whip
EXERCISE: NONE, since I had a migraine all day!
DAY 2
FOOD:
Brunch: Kalyn's Feta Cheese & Avocado Mini-Frittata for Two It was yummy! Since I was making it for myself I actually used 3 eggs (since I woke up late and it served as both breakfast AND lunch) and half an avocado. I also didn't have spike seasoning so I threw a lot of random seasonings in.
Snack: Celery sticks & Hummus (a recipe from All-Recipes; I added a dash of cumin, a little less tahini, and no parsley since apparently weevils like dried parsley. Yuck!)
Indulgence: 6 cherries (yeah, I know -- no fruit on phase 1, but I'm not being extremely strict with that one)
Very late lunch/snack: 1 cup of 5 been salad (my invention; I can post the recipe if anyone is interested)
Dinner: Hamburger patty topped with a slice of mozzarella & grilled onions and mushrooms; sliced tomato & cucumbers on the side.
EXERCISE:
Roughly 5 min on squeaky stair stepper (I told myself 5 min to start since yesterday's migraine stayed with me 'til halfway through today. Turns out I'm so outta shape I couldn't even do 5 min straight! I had to stop every so often. Sad sad sad!)
Roughly 25 min swimming laps (I did 70 total. Don't be too impressed, it's one of those modern peanut shaped pools, not the huge Olympic-sized pool!)
200 leg lifts (I kinda cheated and did them in the pool)
Hello? Anyone out there?
Anyone who remembers me, at least???
My apologies for completely disappearing from the blogosphere, especially this site! Life just got busy and then I got lazy and wasn't even bothering with keeping track of my weight. Well, I'm hoping to change all that now!
A brief update of where I've been: I spent 6 months working/volunteering at The Nightshelter, a ministry of The King's Arms Church in Bedford, UK. It was something I had been hoping to do for years and was very happy to finally make it over! Unfortunately, when I tried to go back for my second 6 month stint I was turned away at the border. Unbeknownst to me the Brit's changed their entry clearance guidelines for charity workers, so I was not allowed into the country since I didn't have the proper visa and my previous visa had expired. I was devastated and didn't have the means to reapply and buy a new plane ticket, so I've been home and working on my next step. It's still up in the air, but hopefully things will come together soon!
So I've been wallowing at home, not doing much of anything for over two months now. And because money is beyond tight, I've used it as an excuse to eat an obscene amount of JUNK. Not a good combination. So yesterday I started phase 1 of South Beach. I'm just going slow and steady and setting small goals for myself.
I don't expect a dramatic weightloss since it's so very difficult for me to lose weight. I know some of it is physical/hormonal problems but with no insurance I'm not going to the doctor to get checked out anytime soon (and even if I did go I probably couldn't afford the meds nor really want to take them!). So I'm working on changing my lifestyle -- exercising regularly, making healthy food choices and taking whatever vitamins and supplements my body needs. I always tend to do one or two of those things but NEVER all three at the same time.
I need some accountablitiy to do this, so I plan to start blogging here again. I figure if I check in everyday and let y'all know what I eat and if I've exercised then that will give me the kick in the bum that I need! So, I hope that's ok with all of you!
My apologies for completely disappearing from the blogosphere, especially this site! Life just got busy and then I got lazy and wasn't even bothering with keeping track of my weight. Well, I'm hoping to change all that now!
A brief update of where I've been: I spent 6 months working/volunteering at The Nightshelter, a ministry of The King's Arms Church in Bedford, UK. It was something I had been hoping to do for years and was very happy to finally make it over! Unfortunately, when I tried to go back for my second 6 month stint I was turned away at the border. Unbeknownst to me the Brit's changed their entry clearance guidelines for charity workers, so I was not allowed into the country since I didn't have the proper visa and my previous visa had expired. I was devastated and didn't have the means to reapply and buy a new plane ticket, so I've been home and working on my next step. It's still up in the air, but hopefully things will come together soon!
So I've been wallowing at home, not doing much of anything for over two months now. And because money is beyond tight, I've used it as an excuse to eat an obscene amount of JUNK. Not a good combination. So yesterday I started phase 1 of South Beach. I'm just going slow and steady and setting small goals for myself.
I don't expect a dramatic weightloss since it's so very difficult for me to lose weight. I know some of it is physical/hormonal problems but with no insurance I'm not going to the doctor to get checked out anytime soon (and even if I did go I probably couldn't afford the meds nor really want to take them!). So I'm working on changing my lifestyle -- exercising regularly, making healthy food choices and taking whatever vitamins and supplements my body needs. I always tend to do one or two of those things but NEVER all three at the same time.
I need some accountablitiy to do this, so I plan to start blogging here again. I figure if I check in everyday and let y'all know what I eat and if I've exercised then that will give me the kick in the bum that I need! So, I hope that's ok with all of you!
Monday, 6 July 2009
Monday, 29 June 2009
Monday - nearly a new month
Hello there. Tell me your numbers today and when you're done, go and see my exciting news!
Monday, 22 June 2009
Thursday, 18 June 2009
Monday, 15 June 2009
Monday, 8 June 2009
sing it out!
It's been a very musical Monday for me. I went to a friend's recital exam in the afternoon and saw some other friends singing in a gospel choir this evening.
Whether this has been a good week, or a bad week weightwise, sing out those numbers and tell me what you're thankful for today.
Whether this has been a good week, or a bad week weightwise, sing out those numbers and tell me what you're thankful for today.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
Looking for a Challenge
If you're looking for a challenge or an incentive to motivate you to get those numbers on the scale moving back south, check out this new challenge that is getting ready to start on Wednesday over at Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.
I just ran across this site a couple of days ago and decided to sign myself up for the challenge. It's a biggest loser type of challenge but in teams...can't let your team down right...so, go check it out.
I just ran across this site a couple of days ago and decided to sign myself up for the challenge. It's a biggest loser type of challenge but in teams...can't let your team down right...so, go check it out.
Monday, 1 June 2009
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