Granola

Last weekend, we were away and I discovered the joy of oatmeal with brown sugar and granola.  I was determined to make my own granola.  I found a great recipe, tweaked it to my taste, and it was so easy!


As written, an 1/8 cup serving has 2 Points+.  This plus a cup of oatmeal and 1 tbsp makes a delicious breakfast for 7 Points+.


You can add other nuts or dried fruit, but keep in mind that the Points+ value will change.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt


3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup dry roasted almonds, chopped


Directions:
Preheat oven to 275


Mix butter, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl.  Stir until well combined.


Add oats and almonds, stir until evenly coated.  There will be enough liquid to coat it all, I promise!


Spread mixture in a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10, until granola has reached a beautiful, golden color.

I'm Back, and Biking to the Beach!

Apologies first for my lack of posting the last few days.  I've had some personal issues that I needed to focus all of my time on, but things are better now, so I can spare some time to blog!


I did gain this week.  I'm back up to 190 lbs, but I expected it because I was stress eating due to everything going on in my life.  I'm not sure how this week will go since I'm still working on things and my schedule is busy, but I'm determined to get back on track ASAP.  I've been back into a workout routine, so far, so good.


I finally rode my bike to the beach!  It was so much easier than I thought.  I made Chris come with me just incase something happened.  The most worrisome part for me was going across the bridge with my knee.  The incline wasn't as bad as I thought, and I was fine!  YAY!! Not only will I save money by not having to pay to park my car, but I'll get in a little exercise, too!  


My plan for most of my summer days is to wake up by 8, have breakfast, hit the gym early, then come home and bike to the beach.  I hope to be able to bike to the gym soon, too, but I'm not ready for that, yet.  It's further away, and the streets are busy.  I need to build up my confidence first.


I can't wait for summer!  This weekend was such a nice taste of what I have to look forward to in 4 weeks!

The Exercise-Sleep Connection

I'm tired.  I shouldn't be tired.  I slept really well last night (didn't even hear the dogs when they needed to go out- sorry hunny!) , got to bed around 10pm, and woke up at 6am.  I shouldn't be tired at all, but I am!!!

I'm convinced that the reason behind my sleepiness is the fact that I'm not back into my workout routine yet.  I just started yesterday, and let me tell you, those 30 minutes on the elliptical felt like 2 hours!  It's so hard getting back in the habit, but I'm doing it!  Tonight I'm heading back for yoga, which I absolutely love!  I ended up not making it there on Monday because I was literally falling asleep by the end of the day.  I would end up snoring during the class.

I plan on going to the gym again 5-6 days a week like I used to.  If I just do it once, it'll be back in my habits for the week.  Here goes nothing...

Deli Lunch

I wasn't in the mood to make lunch this morning.  A sandwich just wasn't going to be what I wanted.  It's been gross and rainy, and I wanted something hot.


I headed down to the deli during lunch time, but I knew that I didn't want a wrap or anything cold.  Luckily, they have great daily hot lunch specials.  Meatballs?  Nah, too many points.  Same goes for the sausage and peppers and lasagna.


I hit the jackpot with chicken cacciatore!  It looked so yummy, tomato sauce and lots of veggies.  I got that with steamed veggies as both of my sides.  I took off any chicken skin, and dipped the veggies in the sauce.  For a Points+ value of 11, I had a very hearty and satisfying lunch!

I was really happy to see a relatively healthy hot lunch option!  The next time you go to your local deli, try something other than a sandwich if it's available.  You might be very pleasantly surprised!

Overboard!

I went was overboard with eating this weekend!  I didn't track anything!  That feels so strange, since I've been very diligent with everything I consume since December!  I know I ate way too much of really bad foods, but I also know that's okay.


I am going back into this gung-ho!  I'm going to be very strict this week, and have sort of a food detox week, eating all healthy, nutritious foods and getting my exercise back on track.  I felt so gross after eating this weekend, it was really bad. 


I bought all my fruits and veggies for my green smoothies,  and I found ground flax seed for a healthy addition.  My chicken is all ready for lunch, and my carrots and snacks are ready to go! I've worked the gym into my schedule every day this week (except Thursday and Friday)!  


Wish me luck in kick-starting my weight loss again!

Week 22 Weigh In

Current Weight: 187.6 lbs

Weekly Gain: .6 lbs         Total Loss: 34.4 lbs

I honestly thought I was going up a lot more.  I'm happy that at least I'm only gaining in weeks where I expect to gain.  I would hate to be doing everything by the book and working my butt off and still gaining.  I wasn't close to good this week!

I'm getting back on track ASAP!  This is another rough weekend since I have a friend's wedding and festivities, and I plan on enjoying myself, but after that, I'm back!!!

Pasta Salad

I really like pasta salad, but I haven't been eating much pasta lately.  I had a craving, and I was able to pick up some fresh whole wheat linguine at the farmers market this past weekend.  Here's what I put together for 13 Points+!  This is a huge serving, I ate it as a meal.  If you're using it as a side, it would serve 2 people.


Two ingredients of note: turkey pepperoni and the dressing.  The pepperoni is so good, and it's so few points!  The dressing is AMAZING!!!  You can have a cup for 1 Point+, and it's great for dipping veggies in!


Ingredients:
3 ounces fresh whole wheat pasta (7 Points+, will vary if using dried/fresh)
1 ounce extra sharp provolone cheese, diced (3 Points+)
18 pieces turkey pepperoni, chopped (2 Points+)
2 bell peppers (any color), diced (0 Points+)
1/2 cup Kraft Free Zesty Italian Dressing (1 Point+)


Cook pasta in salted, boiling water.  Combine other ingredients in bowl and toss.  Drain cooked pasta, rinse with cool water, drain very well.  Add pasta to bowl and toss to coat.

Back to Normal (again)

Last night's concert was great!!!  And now my schedule is back to normal (for the most part).  This week really has been a crazy food week, with multiple birthday celebrations, celebratory luncheons and long days and nights at work.  Who knows what the weigh in will bring.  I've already decided that whatever will be will be, and at least I know that I'm getting back on track.


I actually have a few hours to relax, and then I'm going to yoga tonight!  I can't wait!!!

Need Time

I'm stressed.  I'm busy.  I haven't had a second to breathe the past few days, let alone exercise.  Tonight is my concert, and a lot of my stress will be gone after, but it's been rough.  My weigh-in isn't going to be pretty.  This whole week has been a mess when it came to food, but I needed it in a way.


Sorry to keep this one short, but I need to scarf down dinner before the students come back for the concert!!!

WHB Amazing Rase!!!

Saturday, four friends and I competed in the Amazing Rase.  It's a fundraiser that's based on the television show.  You are in town and have to complete puzzles and physical tasks.  Then you get clues which will tell you where you have to go next.


We competed last year, and boy, it was rough!  We came in 8th (first adult-only team), and were pretty happy with that!


We decided to do it again this year (a few different team members) and we did so good!!!  We came in 3RD PLACE!!!!!  Aaaaaaaaaand the teams that beat us were all teenagers, aaaaaaaaaand they only beat us by 30ish seconds.  WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My thighs are killing me, but they'll be okay.  I did so much better this year.  I ran way more than I thought I could, and my knee isn't really swollen!!!!  

Week 21 Weigh In

Current Weight: 187 lbs

Weekly Loss: .8 lbs        Total Loss: 35 lbs

I was so worried that my rough weekend would cause me to gain this week! 

I was so surprised when I lost again!  I guess the extra exercise is paying off!

Emotional-Stress Eating Experiment!

We all emotionally eat at times.  It's a fact of life.  I have many memories of being upset, and hanging out with close friends, eating takeout chinese and enjoying ice cream.  


I'm finding that now, when I'm stressed for one reason or another, I would rather go to the gym.  I have realized why!


Gym time is me time.  I don't think about anything else, except that I am here to improve and challenge myself.  My time on the elliptical is spent thinking about pushing myself a bit harder to increase my distance, even if it's just by a little.  My time lifting weights is spent making sure to keep the proper form and breath, even when it's hard.  My time in yoga is spent thinking about my breathing and pushing my body as far as it can go.  I don't have any time at the gym to worry about anything else that may be going on in my life.


Experiment time:  If you are an emotional eater, the next time you feel like binging, exercise.  Take a walk around the block.  Go for a bike ride.  Hit the gym, and hit it hard!

Running

Yesterday, I had an urge to run.  I haven't felt like that in a while.  I didn't run, because I know what would happen to my knee, but I really wanted to.


I've decided to make an appointment with my orthopedist to discuss different braces I could use to allow myself more impact without my ACL being irritated and swelling my knee up like a balloon.  I know he's going to tell me again that I need an ACL graft, but I'm not going to do that for at least another year.  I'm doing far too well losing weight, and I need to stay active.  A year of PT isn't in the cards right now!


Here's hoping there's a brace to help me out until I'm ready for more extensive solutions!

Baked Potato Soup

I love baked potato soup.  I also make a very delicious one that's often requested at work.  Sadly, it's packed with things that are bad for you.  


I've been browsing around Gina's Skinny Recipes and decided to make this recipe as my first try from her website.  I slightly tweaked the ingredients and recipe as follows:


2 potatoes (about 400 grams for calculating purposes)
1 large head cauliflower (0 points, so the bigger, the better!)
1 1/2 cups fat free chicken broth
1 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup light sour cream
10 tbsp reduced fat shredded Mexican blend cheese
6 tbsp chives, chopped
salt and pepper to taste


Wash and pierce potatoes, microwave until soft.  Meanwhile, chop cauliflower and steam until soft.  Drain, return cauliflower to the pot.  Peel potatoes, add them to the pot.  Add broth and milk, bring to a boil.  Use an immersion blender to achieve desired consistency ( I like mine smooth, you might like it chunky).  Add remainder of ingredients, turn heat to low, and stir until well incorporated.  


While it's not as delicious as my fat-filled version, it's pretty darn good!  I was surprised at how creamy it is, and how the cauliflower blends in perfectly- you don't even know it's in there!


A serving of about 1 1/2 cups is 4 Points+!  I left out the bacon in the original recipe because I don't like how it turns chewy in soup, and the skim milk instead of the 1% didn't bother me.  If you add both, a cup would be 5 Points+, still a bargain for a very yummy soup.

Weekend

This weekend was a rough one, food wise.


Friday night we took my parents out for Mother's Day to our favorite Italian restaurant.  I didn't do too much damage here- started with a barley mushroom soup, and then had steak pizzaiola and a small piece of veal parmigiana.  The issue came after, when Chris and I decided to get a treat at Carvel.  I ordered a soft-serve twist, but didn't realize until afterwards that I forgot to get the low-fat versions!  Oh well, you gotta live, right?  I got over it...


On Saturday, we went over to Chris' families house to celebrate his cousins and his birthday.  I bought him his favorite pie to bring along, but he didn't want to share it!  So, we had a piece at the house, and then bought some yummy cookies to bring along.  I ate way too many cookies, they were so good (the long ones with the jelly in the middle and dipped in chocolate).  Food overdose.


I tracked everything, and didn't go over my weekly points, but I still feel guilty and gross.  My eating is back to normal, and hopefully I didn't mess up my progress.  We'll see later in the week!

Week 20 Weigh In

Current Weight: 187.8 lbs

Weekly Loss: 1.2 lbs          Total Loss: 34.2 lbs

All ready for the K-1-2 play tonight!   This is as farmer-ish as I get!

I was very surprised that I lost weight this week.  I need to stop doubting myself.

In other news, the WHB Farmer's Market opens for the season tomorrow, and I'm so excited for fresh, local produce and some great vendors!  I'm proctoring the SATs, but I'm sending Chris to get me the best pickles on the planet- Horman's Best!  YAY!!!!!

I'm back!

While I'm nervous about weighing in tonight (1 lb isn't much of a buffer- fingers crossed!), I am excited that I'm finally back into a good workout routine.  I've been kicking butt, my body is sore, and I like it!  Yoga last night was awesomely brutal.  Nick, the instructor, knows that he can push our class, and he does!  I was sweating, my heart-rate was up, and I felt great!


This summer, I plan to ride my bike much more often than I ever have.  I live close to the beach (3.1 miles), so that's my first goal.  It's not the physical exertion that worries me- it's my ACL and knee.  They are pretty strong, but I still get nervous the first few times I try something new.  I'm going to have Chris come with me for a while just incase.  


After the beach, my next goal is to ride to the library (3.3 miles), a slight bit farther away.  After that, my furthest goal as of now is to bike to my gym (5 miles).  


I'm going into the summer ready to kick major butt!!!!

The "F" Word

No, not the "F" word many of you are thinking of.  My "F" word is FAT!


I rarely, if ever, used the word fat to describe myself, mainly because it seems to carry many negative connotations such as someone who doesn't take care of themselves, or someone who is sloppy.  I was very lucky that I never really got made fun of or teased because of my weight.  I have a great personality, and I feel that no one really cared about how much I weighed.


This past weekend for some reason, I remembered the one time that someone called me fat.  I can only remember it happening this one time, and even though it was a while ago, it still bothers me a little.


It was in high school during gym class, I believe 11th grade.  We were all sitting in our spots while the teachers were taking attendance.  2 boys were talking about something, and I could overhear.  Now, they very well might have been talking about someone else, but all I heard was "yeah, she's really fat," and I assumed they were talking about me.  The boys weren't even people I cared about, I only knew one of them because we had a lot of classes together, but we weren't friends.  For some reason, that one moment stayed with me.


The fact that I remember this moment makes me really sensitive about the word "fat."  I'm officially banishing it from my life!

Happiness is a New Blender!

Since smoothie making is now a regular part of my week, I made the decision to upgrade my blender.  My old blender was doing the job, but it took a long amount of time, adding one thing at a time, and shaking it around from time to time when it froze up.  I knew either I would somehow hurt myself or burn out the motor in the near future.

I have heard amazing things about Vitamix blenders, but there's no way that I could justify spending that much money on a blender.  It's just insane!  I was able to find a blender by Breville that was within my price range and looked like it had all of the features I wanted.  Chris thought I was nuts spending that much money on a blender, but I bought it anyway!

Let me tell you, this thing is AMAZING!!!  It's a Breville Ikon Hemisphere LCD Blender.  It is stainless steel and glass, nice and heavy.  It has all the regular speed options, but it also has a smoothie setting.  I wasn't quite sure what the difference would be between a speed and the smoothie mode, but I soon found out!

The smoothie mode plans to have a mix of liquids and solids.  It starts off spinning regularly, then it pulses itself, and resumes this cycle for 60 seconds.  That's it.  60 seconds and it's done!  No chunks!  And it's super quiet!  Amazing!  I was so impressed!  Sometimes, all it takes is a blender!!!

I Wish I Could Pronounce the Name of my Post Topic!

So, walking around the grocery store the other day, I spy something interesting in the cereal isle.  Bob's Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli.  Moosley?  Myoosley?  I'm not sure!


I am sure that I have a new favorite hot breakfast!  And it's filled with yummy, healthy things!

Muesli is a whole grain cereal, similar to oatmeal, but with a lot of yummy things in it.  It contains rolled oats, wheat, rye, triticale, barley, raisins, dates, sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts.  I'm pretty sure all of those things are on many "things you should eat" lists.


I prepared mine according to the package directions- equal parts muesli and liquid.  I chose my favorite- Blue Diamond Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk.  I combined a 1/2 cup of each, 2 packets of Splenda and about 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, stirred, and cooked on the stove.  It was so good!  The sunflower seeds provide a very good textural element that regular oatmeal lacks.  It was on the dry side, but still delicious.  I doubled the liquid the next day, but then it was too mushy, although still good.  I'm going to split the difference next time.


You can also eat it cold, letting it soak in milk or yogurt for a bit, but I haven't tried that yet. 1/2 cup of Muesli will set you back 6 Points+, and another 1 Point+ for the milk.  Very worth it!!!