Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Anyone out there???

Yes I'm still here.

Yes I'm still alive.

Yes I've been eating EVERYTHING in sight for the past month...

and

No I haven't been working out... at least not the way I SHOULD be working out.

Do you know what happens when you have a "It's the Holiday's" attitude....

This...


Yep... that my friends would be a 12 pound gain from November 21st.   EEEEKKK   I weighed in at 220 on November 21st.  How terrible! And frankly, it's disgusting.  But - If you're human, you know it happens to the best of us.  Maybe not 12 pounds, but most people gain something over Thanksgiving and Christmas.  However - as we all know, I am not most people.  

If it were just the holiday food, I think I would've been okay.  In addition to the holiday food, and the over abundance of cookies, cakes, candies and let's not forget the alcohol.... I was eating out.  Pizza, hot wings, Taco Bell, McDonalds, sushi, you name it my friends... I was eating it.

So - what's the plan right...???

Monday - I stepped on the scale to see that number, then decided that I obviously need to re-committ myself.  I ate well, and went to Gold's to see if it was still standing.  It was, in fact still standing.  And let me just say, I'm so used to kicking the gym's ass.... no way!  I really thought I was going to die.   But of course, I didnt.   I then went to the grocery store and got all healthy options for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners so there would be NO excuse to eat out.

Tuesday - I woke up SO SORE!!!! But it was just a reminder of what my body was clearly missing.  I ate well again.... for the most part...  and went to the gym again.   But then opted for a small McFlurry from McDonalds...

Today is Wednesday, and I'm still sore... but I'm pushing through.   I've kept my food in check today, and I'm planning for a decent dinner, and yet another visit to Gold's tonight.

So with that being said.. I have a plan... I'm trying my damndest to stick to this plan with the help of a few of my calorie nazi friends stalking me...

I'm also going to start blogging again... I've had several of you ask where I've been, and I apologize.. but I'm here now!

Take care kids!! As always, thanks for reading!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Reviews and Recipes

As promised... (yes, I know it was well over a week ago...)  But here they are.  We got a lot, so get comfy.

Up first..   My version of chicken salad.   A few weeks back, a co-worker, Marcy brought this amazing chicken salad she found at Sam's.  It was sweet, and chunky, and super-fab.  I decided I could re-create this.  Sho nuff...  here ya go.


Here's what you need:
1 can Tyson Canned chicken breast (mostly because it's just easier)
4 tbsp of Kraft Poppyseed dressing
8 tbsp of Fresh Gourmet Cranberries and Walnuts (if you dont like nuts, just go with the cranberries)
1 small/medium Granny Smith apple (not pictured)

It made 4, 1 cup servings and came out to 208 calories, 18 carbs and 20 grams of protein per cup.   I ate mine with Kashi Asiago crackers.  YUM!

Let's move onto product reviews...

If you've followed by blog for awhile, you know I LOVE my salads.   As mentioned before Bolthouse Farms Yogurt dressings are my ABSOLUTE favorite!!  They come in a variety of flavors and ranch from 45 to 80 calories per serving, depending on the dressing you choose.   Locally, they can be found at Schnuck's and Dierbergs.  Each location has different selections of course, and they're located in the refrigerated section with the bagged salads.  They're normally around $3.99 each, which is more than I typically care to spend on salad dressings, but take my word for it, they're worth it!  Check the date though!!!  Some of them expire quickly... I'm guessing it's because of the "yogurt" in them. 



from left to right - Thousand Island, Chunky Bleu Cheese, Classic Ranch, Ceasar Parmesan, Honey Dijon,
 Classic Coleslaw 


My favorites are...

Bolthouse Farms Yogurt Ranch - 70 calories per 2 tbsp
Bolthouse Farms Balsamic Vinagarette - 45 calories per 2 tbsp
Botlhouse Farms Ceasar Parmesan - 70 calories per 2 tbsp
Bolthouse Farms Honey Dijon - 45 calories per 2 tbsp (EXCELLENT on grilled chicken breast topped with melted swiss)

and my 2 new favorites that I just found at Dierberg's (Thanks Pam for the heads up)


Bolthouse Salsa Ranch - 45 calories per 2 tbsp
Botlhouse Zesty French - 45 calories per 2 tbsp

Next up...  Marshmallows!!!! 

I usually hate marshmallows.  It's the texture that gets me.  BUT - I found these at Dierberg's and they were $1.  So why not right???   They came in all types of flavors.  I saw Chocolate Mint, German Chocolate, Coconut, and they were out of the Pumpkin Spice, so I opted for the Cinnamon Bun flavor.  My first thought was, "what the hell am I going to do with marshmallows??".  Then it hit me.. I'm a sucker for coffee creamer, so why not add it to my coffee for wayyyyyy less calories??   BINGO!



You can have 17 of these little gems for 100 calories!!! They're a pretty good size so I only added 4 (24 calories) to my coffee with 1 tbsp of Sugar Free Vanilla Coffeemate.  It was delish!  

I wish they would've had the Pumpkin Spice because how good would that be topped on some warm sweet potatoes!!!??? 

I think that's all I have for new stuff.   Let's move to Thanksgiving sides!   My favorite food ever... Macaroni and Cheese!!!   I'm making 2 versions this year.  My normal crock pot mac and cheese (recipe below), and a pumpkin mac and cheese.   I found this Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese recipe in the October Better Homes and Gardens magazine.  I love all things pumpkin, and let's be honest here, EVERYTHING is better with cheese, so why not give it a go!?   I'll report next week how good it is. LOL

In addition to the mac and cheeses, I'm making 2 cheesecakes, one pumpkin cranberry and one chocolate chip, and Hawaiian Bread Stuffing.

I love Thanksgiving!!!  But, let's keep it in check people!!  Take your measuring cups, your food scales, use smaller plates, whatever the hell you gotta do NOT to go crazy!  Stick to the white meat, no skin, skip the gravy... opt for either mashed potatoes OR stuffing, or just have smaller servings of both.  Stick to ONE plate and have dessert... no seconds.  These are all great ideas, yeah???  Let's see if I can take my own advice. LOL doubtful!  

Either way...   HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours!!  As always, thanks for reading! 






Hawaiian bread stuffing

2 cups chicken broth
1 cup craisins
1/4 cup I Cant Believe It's Not Butter Light
1 yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery, or 2 stalks
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8-10 Hawaiian rolls, cubed and toasted Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.
*In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cranberries; let soak for 30 minutes.
*In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and celery; cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently or until tender. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

*Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.
*Beat 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
*In the large bowl with vegetables, stir in chicken broth mixture, mushroom soup, and nutmeg. Add toasted bread, stirring gently to combine. Add eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set.

12 (1 cup) servings.
227 calories per serving, 38 carbs, and 6 grams of protein


Slow Cooker Mac and Cheese

1 pound (2 cups) elbow macaroni or shells (or any other pasta of your choice - I prefer fusilli, or spiral pasta, it tends to hold sauces/cheeses better)
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
24 oz (2 cans) evaporated milk
3 cups heavy cream (or milk, but if I’m doing mac and cheese, I’m going all in with the cream)
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:

*Coat the inside of the slow cooker with cooking spray

*In a large bowl, beat eggs with cream and evaporated milks.  Mix in the uncooked macaroni and 4 cups of the shredded cheese mixture.  Transfer to slow cooker, and sprinkle remaining cheese on top.

*cook on low for 5-6 hours.  Do not stir or remove lid while cooking.

15 (1 cup) servings
555 calories per serving, 30 carbs, 20 grams of protein



Monday, November 21, 2011

Weigh in Day

Happy Monday!!!

I'm  happy to report that I'm down 6 lbs from last week!! WOOHOO!! All my hard work paid off this week.  That makes me incredibly happy. Now, I just have to keep the momentum going.


STATS:

Total intake for the week - 8,858 calories (last week was 13,622 calories)
4 days in the gym - 18 miles done (I set a goal of 20) and 2,630 calories burned (I set a goal of 3500) Neither goal was met, but obviously I'm okay with that.  This leaves me with a NET intake with an average of 1265 calories per day.

As I mentioned in last weeks blog I said I was going to start doing Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred.  Yep, I tried it.  Not a fan.  I burned more calories working out on my own at the gym, than I did in those 26 minutes, or however long it was.  I didnt feel challenged, which I guess is a good thing, but at the same time I feel like I need to step up my game.  Obviously this DVD isn't the right option for me to do that.   I'll have to come up with something though.

I also promised that I'd blog some new recipes and product reviews, and I apologize that I haven't been able to do that.  I'll make it a priority this week though.

Have a Happy Monday and as always, thanks for reading!


 


Monday, November 14, 2011

"It Will Never Be"... A little motivation for your Monday!

I meant to post this last week when I read this on his blog, and totally got sidetracked with work.. go figure, that damn work thing...  LOL  Anyway, it's a cool read and very true!  If you get time, visit his blog,  Nerd Fitness.


It will never be:
  • easy
  • perfect
  • the right time
Nobody is going to:
  • tell you exactly what to do
  • drag you out of bed in the morning
  • yell at you to eat healthy
  • lift weights for you
  • run a race for you
There will always be:
  • holidays
  • sick days
  • sleepless nights
  • early mornings
  • vacations
  • bad weather
  • long days at the office
It will always be easier to:
  • say no
  • hit SNOOZE
  • do nothing
  • settle
  • blame others
  • make excuses
  • give up
  • say “I tried my best” when you really didn’t
Life is freaking tough - health, wealth, and happiness certainly don’t come easy.
For those reasons, you don’t need:
  • The best equipment
  • The best business plan
  • The PERFECT workout program (it doesn’t exist)
  • A super specific meal plan
And it’s okay to:
  • not have all of the answers yet – NOBODY does
  • not have your life completely figured out yet – NOBODY does
  • get started and figure things out as you go
As Teddy Roosevelt once said, “Do the best you can, with what you have, where you are.”
Take action.  Make changes.
You will make mistakes.   You will fail.  Embrace it!
You know what’s NOT okay?
  • to expect instant success and gratification
  • to give up immediately when life doesn’t go your way
  • to keep doing the same thing while expecting different results
  • to coast through life while complaining about it
  • to constantly wonder “what if” without ever finding out
Tomorrow never comes. 
Eventually never happens.
Today.
Now.
Shut up and start.


Cool huh??   Now, if you're sitting there thinking about working out, I hope this motivates you to get your ass up and go.   If you're sitting there about to shove another cookie in your mouth... again, I hope this motivates you NOT to do it.  Or, if you're anything like me, you're going to eat 5 of those damn cookies, THEN go to the gym and burn em all off!  LOL Either way...  get up, get out, get moving!

Weigh in Day

Let's get right to it shall we...??


Last week was 227, this week 226.  Down 1.  
I'll take it considering it's a loss and not a gain which  has been my norm as of late.

STATS:

Total intake for the week - 13,622 calories
4 days in the gym - 14 miles done, 3,516 calories burned leaving me with a NET intake of 10,106, an average of 1443 per day.

Goals for this week - 20 miles (either on the treadmill, outside, or on the bike), and to burn at least 3,500 calories again this week.

I'm also starting Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred tonight, thanks to my fabulous sister in law, Stephanie for lending it to me!!   I'm usually not a big fan of exercising at home, because honestly, it doesnt "click" with me like it does when I step into Gold's.  So - we'll see.

In other news, I'm LOVING MyFitnessPal.  If you're looking for an easy to use site to log your food, definately give this one a go!!  They also have an app for Android, which is what I usually use instead of the computer.  

That's all I got guys... Have a good Monday!!!

Thanks for reading!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Weekly Weigh In

Do you know why diet is as important as working out....


This would be why...

I'm up 2 lbs this week from last week. 

I worked out 4 days last week, for a total of 6.5 hours and I completed 23 miles on the treadmill and the bike combined, and I still gained 2 lbs.      Why you ask..   Well, because I'm about to share my HORRIBLE eating pattern with you from last week.

Monday was Halloween, and we had a birthday celebration for 2 of my co-workers, where I proceeded to have a huge slice of red velvet cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory, I ate 2454 calories (no gym)

Tuesday - I ate 2185 calories which included countless fun size candy bars and another slice of cheesecake, AND pizzsa for dinner (no gym)

Wednesday - I ate 2577 calories, more fun size candy  bars (spent 90 minutes at the gym, and burned 903) NET intake was 1674

Thursday - I ate 2261 calories, you guessed it... more candy bars (Spent an hour at the gym, burned 770) NET intake was 1491

Friday - Heres the REALLY  bad one...   I ate 3566 calories.   This included candy... donuts...  dinner was homemade meatloaf, cheesey potatoes, and baked mac and cheese, all washed down with a full bottle of pinot grigio.  You guessed it, No gym.

Saturday - I was feeling bloated and disgusting from Friday's disaster, so I hit the gym, and I hit it hard.  I ate 2129 calories, and spent 2 hours in the gym for a total burn of 1338, NET intake of 791.

Sunday - I was feeling better, sore from the gym, but overall pretty motivated to get back there.  So after I made breakfast for the fam, I went and did another 80 minutes for 844 burned.  I made the hubbs take me to dinner though.  We went to Pei Wei and I opted for the Thai Dynamite Shrimp.  It's fabulous.. but its also 870 calories, and god only knows how much sodium.   A few hours later, while watching tv I ate a 100 calorie bag of popcorn and a Reese's Tree.  (Yes, the trees are already out)  Anyway - totals for yesterday are 2328, NET 1484.


So - all in all, I ate 16,500 calories, which comes out to 2357 calories per day, before exercise.   I burned 3855 calories, over a pound...  yet still gained...  My average NET intake for last week, 1806 calories per day.  THIS my friends is why the food choices we make, are more important than the calories we burn at the gym.

You think NOW I'll be able to make better food choices, and say NO to the junk??? 

Dear God let's friggin hope so...

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Butternut Squash Soup

Have you ever had butternut squash??  Well, up until about 2 months ago I never had.   Now - I'm in love with it.  It's sweet and kinda nutty, and you can prepare it so many ways.  In fact, last week instead of making my pumpkin cheesecake that my husband loves so much, I substituted butternut squash and he had no clue.  If you love pumpkin, you'll love butternut squash.   However, you won't find butternut squash in a can, like you will pumpkin.

Anyway - so since I'm into making my own soups these days, what better soup to make than butternut squash soup.

Again, I took a recipe I found and tweaked it to my needs.


Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (I used one large squash)
  • 6 cups fat free, low sodium chicken broth
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I used more)
  • 1 tsp ground sage
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and sliced
  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 
  • 4 stalks celery (chopped)
  • 4 large carrots (chopped)
  • salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
  • In a large saucepan, saute onions in butter until tender, then add garlic
  • Add celery and carrots, squash, apple, chicken broth, salt, pepper, sage and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes, or until squash is tender.
  • Puree squash/soup mixture and cream cheese in a blender or food processor (I use a blender because I dont have a food processor yet)  in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, but make sure the burner is off.  There is no need to keep cooking.
  • Top with a dollop of sour cream!  Enjoy!
 Makes 10 - 1 cup servings
203 Calories, 20 carbs and 5 grams of protein per serving.
Let me know if you try it, and how you like it!!   I'm off to the gym!  Have a great Sunday everyone!

Friday, November 4, 2011

What's your number?

After telling my friend Pam I ate a much need chocolate iced donut this afternoon,


Thanks Aub's for the pic!

(Donuts are the devil by the way, I think they're cousins with the scale... they work together to conspire against me..)  Anyway, she proceeds to tell me about this website/program, "Shrink Yourself".  So of course I'm intrigued and go take a look.   Are you an emotional eater?  I can relate the most with #3, and #5.

Yep.  According to this I am.  I'm 5 of the 8 scenerios.   Now of course this is no news to me.  I know I'm addicted to food, I know I want certain foods, vs actually "needing" them, but my goodness who isn't like that??  I think I just take my addiction partnered with the "want" and it becomes extreme.

None the less, it prompted me to go here and take the free assesment, it's pretty direct, and accurate.

Now that I know I'm addicted to emotional eating, what do I do about it??   I guess I just keep trying my damndest to succeed...  one of these days, I'll get there!

Have a great day guys!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Didn't we just finish Halloween??

Yep!!! And I'm still raiding Grace's Halloween Candy. I REALLY need to remove it from my house.  Upside - I made it back to the gym yesterday for the first time since Cardinal playoffs began, like 3 weeks ago.  Hence why the scale on Tuesday was UG-LY.  But it is what it is.    I managed to complete 90 minutes, burn 903 calories and I ended the day with a NET intake of 1500 calories.   A VAST improvment from the past month.  

Today has been a good day thus far.  I've only had ONE fun size Butterfinger, and 3 Starbursts instead of the 3 or 4 fun size candies I've been grabbing at one time.  Gym tonight is lower body leg work/push ups/ab work and 45 minutes of cardio.   My friend Pam suggested a November challenge... 90 in November.  90 miles by Dec 1.   You know Im a sucker for a challange..   I skipped November 1, so yesterday I managed 6 miles  (3 elliptical, 3 treadmill), and today's goal will be another 4.

Moving on..

While at my mom's house on Halloween night, my Aunt turns and says to me, "What do I need to bring on Thanksgiving?"   HOLY HELL its right around the corner!!

Just 3 short weeks from today, Thanksgiving will be here.  The day we stuff ourselves full of the most delicious comfort foods, a cornucopia of foods if you will...  mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce and, of course, turkey, among other delights, making us eat until we want to nap.  That damn tryptophan.

Last year was my first year hosting Thanksgiving, and I must admit, other than cleaning my house for hours only to have to re-clean after everyone leaves, I loved it.  All of my friends and family know how much I love to entertain, so this really doesn't bother me at all.  Plus - there's nothing better to me than having a house full of family to share the holidays with.   The best part of planning... THE MENU!!!    My family is pretty straight laced when it comes to food though.  They're traditional in the sense that they really don't like trying new things, but they're going to this year!   I've found an awesome recipe for stuffing, but you know me, I like to mix it up and create my own, so here it is...

DISCLAIMER:  this is in NO WAY healthy for you, so just have a little.  :)   Moderation, right??
2 cups chicken broth (I use College Inn, low sodium low fat chicken broth)
1 cup craisins (these can be found in the salad/condiment aisle, if you dont like craisins, regular dried cranberries will do)
1/4 cup I Cant Believe It's Not Butt Light
1 yellow onion, chopped (I actually grate my onion now, because I hate the texture….thanks Carolyn for the idea!!!)
1/2 cup chopped celery, or 2 stalks (I hate celery, so I chop it fine)
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and finely chopped
3 large eggs
1 (10.75-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
8-10 Hawaiian rolls, cubed and toasted (1 package should work just fine)
Salt and pepper to tasteDirections:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish.
In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cranberries; let soak for 30 minutes.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and celery; cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently or until tender. Add apples and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and place in a large bowl.
Beat 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
In the large bowl with vegetables, stir in chicken broth mixture, mushroom soup, and nutmeg. Add toasted bread, stirring gently to combine. Add eggs. Spoon mixture into prepared dish and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until center is set.

12 servings.
227 calories per serving, 38 carbs, and 6 grams of protein.

I dont know about you, but I'd MUCH rather have this, over 200 calories of mashed potatoes! 

Have a great day guys!! Thanks for reading!


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

November 1, Weigh In Day

Yes Yes, it's actually November 2, but I was too busy napping and eating pizza last night to write my blog.

True Story.

Before we go into my weigh-in, I want to thank my very amazing sister in law, Stephanie for reminding me, that the scale is a tool... just like my band...  the number does not define who I am, only helps me along the way of my journey.   She emailed this to me a few weeks ago after I had a rough food day, and it made me smile.   Thanks Stephanie, I love you!  :)



So, the results are in.. (I apologize for not taking a picture, I forgot) 

October 1 weigh in - 220 lbs

November 1 weigh in - 225 lbs

This is proof that monthly weigh ins just DO NOT work for me. 

Excuses???   Let's see, I blame the Cardinals for going to the NLCS play offs...   winning those games, then going onto the World Series, and winning that!  YAY CARDINALS!!!!  However - my nights during Red October have been full of Bud Select, hot wings, cheese fries, pizza, etc while watching these games with friends, and celebrating these victories.

It's now November, and baseball is over, (until April 13th) and I NEED to get back to my regular routine.   I will...  beginning today.   


Have a good day friends, as always, thanks for reading! :)

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Sunday Soup Recipes

Hey Hey!!

I dont know where you're from, but here in St. Louis fall has arrived in full force.  (except for today, which is 75 degrees)  LOL...   anyway - I love soup all year round, but now that it's getting cooler, I eat it more often.   The downfalls of soup... sodium!!!!!   Ohh man, the sodium is killer in canned and processed soups.  So - I've started making my own.

I made this soup last week for my work lunches and it's excellent!!

Chicken and Wild Rice Soup

I made a few changes. 
  • Left out the celery.  yuk.  I hate celery.
  • used 6 cups low sodium College Inn chicken broth instead of 4 cups.
  • used 2 cups of half and half, instead of 3 cups heavy cream
  • used 1/2 cup I Cant Believe It's Not Butter Light, instead of regular butter
  • used 1/2 cup flour instead of 3/4.  
This recipe made 12 cups, and each cup came out to be 207 calories.  It's excellent!!   If you like Panera's low fat chicken and wild rice, you have to try this recipe.  It was super easy!!

My friend Carolyn sent me this recipe, and I cant wait to try it.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Chili and buffalo chicken, mixed together!!???  Yep!! Count me in.  The plan is to make this next weekend, for lunches.

I'm also dying to try this one!! Butternut squash has become my new obsession!!

Butternut Squash Soup


If you have any good soup recipes, or other fall/wintery soups or stews,  I'd love to try them, so please share!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Product Review Tuesday

Hey Hey Hey!!!    How is everyone out there in Bloggerville??  

me??  Oh I'm fantastic!!!   I had a great weekend full of working out, took yesterday off and was back to it again today.  I'm digging My Fitness Pal, and actually enjoying logging my food again.  I got to a point where I was just over it.  I stayed in control today, didn't attack the fun size candy bars at work, or stop for a McDonald's shake or cone on the way home.  All in all pretty good for me. LOL

My total cals today were 1528, burned 770 at the gym, and that leaves me with a NET intake of 758.  These are the perfect days in my book!

I went to the grocery store last week and bought a few new things that I wanted to share with you guys.

First, my dinner.


These awesome things, made by "Bon Appetit" are located in the freezer section. I got these at Dierberg's, and they're on sale this week for $6.99.  Anyway - in the bag is a meal for 2.  They're individually wrapped in parchment paper so you dont have to make both which I love!   You bake the meal in the parchment, then open after 35 minutes.  YUM!!!   I had the Roasted Garlic Chicken for dinner tonight.  It comes with broccoli florets and four cheese ravioli.  One parchment pouch is 390 calories.   The one on the left is a Beef in Red Wine Sauce, and it comes with carrots and roasted red potatoes.  I have yet to try that one.   They had a few other flavors too, but instead of buying them all without knowing if they were good or not, I opted for just 2.  However, I will be going back!

Also in the picture is a NEW Philadelphia Cooking Creme Flavor, Tomato Basil!! YUM!!  I havent tried this yet, but Im thinking of adding it to a can of Campbell's tomato soup to make it creamier.  I love anything tomato basil, so this should be good.  I also LOVE the cooking cremes, they're so versatile!   These are also on sale 2/$4 at Dierberg's this week.

All the way to the left is the new Campbell's Soups...  here's a better pic.


They're a new line from Cambell's called "Kettle Style".  I haven't tried either one, so I can't comment, but if any of you have, let me know! LOL  There are a few other flavors of these too but I only got 2, because I had a coupon.  They're on sale at Dierberg's, 2/$5.

That's it for today!  Have a good one!

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Confessions are good for the soul... right?

Well after writing this I should feel MUCH better!   Let's hope.

I want to apologize to my followers.   I've fallen off, and have fallen HARD.   Whatever funk I'm in, I can't seem to pull myself out of.  I have 2 good days, then 3 bad, and so on.   I'm looking for a way to fix that.   I'm searching for my motivation to eat better.   The gym isnt the issue, I work out all the time.  It's the food.   And the "not stepping on the scale for a month".... Yeah, that was NOT a good idea.  For the past 16 days, I think I've been to the gym 5 times.   I've also eaten well over 1200 calories for those 16 days.   On November 1, I'm not expecting a loss at all.   SO that means, yet another month.  Wasted. 

Bottom line...

I am addicted to food.

Yes. I am.   That is a true statement, and I've known this for a long time.  But what do you do about it?  You can't quit eating, like I did smoking.  (which by the way I quit smoking last Sunday)  Anyway...

You need food to live, so quitting cold turkey obviously won't work.

Sugar and Carbohydrate detox??   Yeah...  that might work.  But honestly, anything with the word "detox" to me seems so "fad-ish".

2 Protein shakes, 2 snacks and dinner??   Um... no.   Not realistic.

So I've realized that the only way to tackle these last 50 lbs I have to lose, is to treat them like they were the  first 100 I've lost.

Back to basics for me.  No more than 1 cup of  food at a meal, protein first, and no drinking during.  Along with this, comes the most obvious lesson I've learned during all of this...

DUH!! right??  I mean, this makes the most sense of course.   My willpower SUCKS.  I"ll be the first to admit.  I just cannot say no to junk food.  If it's front of me, I eat it.  I HAVE to eat it.   The worst part, I can't stop at one bite.  I have to continue eating until it's gone.

Which brings me to my next confession...


Here's the funny part...    These Ice Cream Sandwiches were in the same freezer case as the Edy's Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream.  I sat there, and thought "I'll get the sandwiches instead, because I can control those portions better".   I was being semi-honest with myself.  I knew if I would've bought the gallon of Edy's, it wouldve been gone by the end of the night.   So - that night after dinner, which was a salad, I had 1 of these fantastic little ice cream sandwiches.   2 hours later, another.   And about 30 minutes after that, yet another.  I had 3 ice cream sandwiches, to the tune  of 600 calories in one evening.    I would've been better off with a blizzard.

That was Thursday.  Friday for lunch I had Taco Bell, then that night we had a Girls Night In at my bestie's house.   I had 2 slices of pepperoni pizza, a bottle of wine, a mudslide, some chili cheese dip and a brownie.

Saturday I woke up feeling like shit.   Food hangover??  Yep, more than likely.   My body just isnt used to being treated that way with food, and I felt horrible.   That feeling, however (and my tight pants) sparked something that gave me the motivation to get my ass up and get to the gym.  Plus - I was meeting a friend there, that just joined and she wanted me to show her my routine.  I was at the gym for 80 minutes, and whether she knows it or not, SHE motivated me to keep going yesterday.   846 calories later (YES!! my HR monitor came back to life!!!!!!)

I also decided to change the way I log my food.  I've used Livestrong.com for 6 years now, but the app for my phone sucks, so I can only log my food on an actual computer.  A few of my friends are using MyFitnessPal.com  and apparently the app for android was a good one, so I signed up.  And YES, the app is totally user friendly and I've officially switched.  Seeya Livestrong.   If you want to friend me, it's "JacCherg".  So after working out and keeping my food in check yesterday, I ended my day at 1109 NET.  I haven't been under 1200 NET in a LONG time.

Anyway - onto today... 

I'm heading to the gym in about an hour.  I'm meeting Aubrey again. Today is a cardio/legs day.  I'll throw some push ups and crunches in for good measure.  Mostly because I like they way I feel after doing them.   After the gym, I'll come home and have some lunch, 4 oz roasted butternut squash and 4 oz sauteed skirt steak.    Dinner will be some form of protein, and a veggie.  I HAVE to start eating more veggies.  They're filling and low in calories.  WIN WIN.. DUH Jaclyn.

Lunches this week will be a small salad and soup, or small salad paired with 4oz of some protein.  Not sure about snacks this week.  I need to change that up too, so if anyone has any ideas, I'll take em.  The turkey sticks/string cheese combo, while tasty, just isnt working anymore.

Since I've "talked" your ear off this morning, I'll leave you with this...

So yes friends...  it WILL be worth is.  These 100 lbs I've lost, has been worth it, so the next 50 will be worth it too!

As always, thanks for reading and following, I promise to be a better blogger friend!   Have a great Sunday!!
             


Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Weekly Check In

Thank's Beckey for the picture!
This is what I've come to realize about my life, my journey, and my body.   I'm never going to be "perfect", but goddammit I'm going to be healthy.  And THAT my friend's is progress, from where I came from.  My friend Lis is always telling me to stop focusing on how far I have to go, blah blah blah...  well the bitch is right.

As I wrote in my last blog here, I promised my friend Cyndi I wouldnt step on the scale until November 1.  I have 20 more days.  EEEK.  I'm already beginning to think it's a bad thing.  I think I need that scale everyday.  I think I need it for my own sanity.  But - I'm gonna stick to it and give this a go.

My last blog was 10 days ago.  I think that's the last time I worked out too.   Then Lis came to visit from Las Vegas on Thursday, and we did nothing but eat and drink and go out for 4 days. Then I caught some sort of craptastic bug, and stayed home from work yesterday.

Yeah...  Today would be the day that I wanted to step on the scale.  I wanted to see the damage I've done over the weekend, but instead of that, I went for a run in the park.  I'm still feeling a bit "blah", but I managed to complete a little over 2 miles in 35 minutes.   I'll take it.

The goal this week...4 more work outs by Sunday, and I have to stay away from my daughter's snacks for school.  The little snack sized bags are so damn cute... next week, she's getting carrot sticks. LOL

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Weigh In Saturday

No.. I'm not confused.   I know I usually weigh in on Mondays, but today is October 1 and after a few months of struggling and being in a food induced coma most days, a dear friend of mine told me that I should stop beating myself up and to "look at how far I've come".   Actually,  many of my friends have said this to me.  However, as we all know,  anyone who has lost a good amount of weight, it gets harder, even more difficult when you're that much closer to your goal. 

After losing 100+ lbs, my body is stuck.   And when I get stuck, I get frustrated and say to hell with it all.  That is when the setback begins.

So - after talking to my friend Cyndi, and hearing her very wise advice, "PUT THE DAMN SCALE AWAY"...  I'm doing just that.   

Today I weighed in...


220 lbs.   Down 3 lbs this week which means I made my goal (2 days early) that I set for myself last Monday.

So - I'm up 9 lbs from my lowest of 211.   I PROMISE YOU I will be at 211 (or lower) on November 1 when I weigh in again.

I'll do a weekly check in this month, instead of a weekly weigh in. 

I hope Cyndi knows what she's talking about. LOL

Have a great weekend ladies!!!


sidenote:  No polished toes today Carolyn...  only lime green socks!!!  :)

Monday, September 26, 2011

Weigh in Monday and a FREE recipe!!

Hey ladies!!

Today was weigh-in day.. and while I wasn't expecting much of an improvement from my horrendous weigh in last week, I was pleasantly surprised to see a 5 lb loss this morning.  

(Ignore my jacked up polish on my toes... I have the new "closed toe shoe" policy at work to thank for that.)


Down to 223, from 228.  While the good news is that I'm down 5 lbs in a week, the bad news is that I'm still up 12 lbs from my lowest.  Boo!!!   But - moving in the right direction, so I'll take it.

This weeks goal.. In addition to 5 days at the gym (300 minutes for those of you counting)  I'm aiming for 220, a 3 lb loss by next Monday.

Thanks to my friend Pam, I'm also signing up to run my first 5K, on October 29.  The "Monster Mash Dash". I guess I'll stop smoking for real this time...  Anyway - I signed up for Komen back in June, but as some of you may remember, I had a little drunken mishap and fell (slid) down a flight of stairs, injuring my tailbone and I was unable to run it.

Moving on.. at the request of most of you, here's the soup recipe.

Yesterday I noticed I had some potatoes that I had to use, so I decided to make a loaded  potato soup.   We just dont eat potatoes in my house quick enough.  Never thought that'd be an issue, but it is.  Anyway...   I Googled a few recipes, and they all called for stuff I didn't have in the house, and I was not running to the store to purchase anything additional.   So - this is what I came up with...

Potato Broccoli Cheese Soup
  • 5 russet potatoes (sliced long ways, then chopped into cubes)
  • 1 cup shredded carrots (because all I had was 1 cup, however I wouldve added more)
  • 1 cup broccoli florets (again.. same as the carrots, I wouldve added more)
  • 4 cups skim milk (instead of heavy cream)
  • 2 packets Lipton Onion Soup Mix
  • minced garlic (I used one whole clove, I LOOOOOVE me some garlic)
  • 1 stick of butter (sliced into pats)
  • Creole white gravy mix (instead of flour)
  • Ragu Cheese sauce

  • Salt and Pepper to taste

Chop your potatoes, place in the crockpot.

Mince your garlic and add it to 4 cups skim milk, along with 2 packets of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 1 cup Ragu cheese sauce, and 1/4 cup Creole Gravy mix, whisk and pour over potatoes.  Stir ingredients together.
Add your shredded carrots and broccoli florets, then lastly top everything with your butter pats.

I cooked this soup on high for 2 hours, just until the potatoes were soft enough to mash.  I only mashed some of them, and didn't mash them all the way (if that makes sense).   I changed it to the low setting for another 4 hours and it was perfect.  

This made 12 cups of soup.   I figured it out to be roughly 250 calories per cup, which is about the same as a cup of soup from Panera.   The Broccoli Cheddar is 200 calories and the Creamy Tomato is 300 calories per cup.  Both of them are my favorites, so this isn't too shabby.  I added some shredded cheddar today when I heated it up for lunch, and it was delish!

I put 6 cups (2 cups each) into containers for lunches this week, then I froze the other 6 cups.  

Enjoy!

As always... thanks for reading guys!! 






Saturday, September 24, 2011

Weekend Fat Bitch

How was everyone's week???   Full of fitness I hope!!   Mine actually was...  the food on the other hand, not so much.   But we all know that when you have to get back on track, it's difficult.

I had the exercise in the bag this week.  I've gone 3 days, as soon I finish typing this, I'm headed to Gold's for day #4, and I plan to go tomorrow too, for a full 300 minutes of exercise this week.  That's my perfect number for active weight loss, as long as I keep my calories under control.  Which lately, I've struggled with.

The eating however, has been less than stellar.   Actually, if I'm being honest, which I always am... the eating has been pathetic.  But - one thing at a time right??

Weigh in Day is Monday... last week, if you remember, it was UGLY!!  I was up a full 17 pounds from my lowest of 211.  But - a friend of mine said to me the other day, that "The setbacks are what make us have comebacks".   So true!    I'm not hoping for a specific number lost by  Monday morning... just something less than 228.   Ughh that's a nasty number.

So - with that being said, let's discuss your Weekend Fat Bitch.  Each and every one of us has her in our lives.


If she shows up... slam the door in her face!!

Tell her to go away, and that you don't want anything she has to offer.

Make it that much easier, by hittin the gym, or going for a walk.  Do something!  Just MOVE!

Here's an article in case you need that little extra push.  It's good advice and I'll be taking some of it this weekend.

Controlling Weekend Eating

Keep it in check ladies!!!  Have a good weekend!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Tuesday Reviews (as promised)

LOOOOOOKEY HERE!!!  Woohoo it's Fall, and my Coffeemate Pumpkin Spice Creamer is out!!!! 

 for 35 calories, you get 2 tbsp.  I can have 2 - 20oz cups of coffee, 4 tbsp of creamer in total for 140 calories.  That's less than HALF of a Venti Pumpkin Spice from Starbucks.  Yep!!! I'll take it!

As I mentioned yesterday, I picked up the NEW Kraft Sizzling Salad kits at Walmart.

I made the Southwest Chicken flavor with the BBQ Ranch dressing, and took it for lunch today.



I added shredded carrots, and shredded colby jack cheese, and also some Durkee Salad Topping mix. 

It was very tasty!!  The directions say to saute the chicken in oil, then top with the sauce.  I just baked my chicken sans oil, then chopped and microwaved it at work.  

Dinner tonight was this....


I used the other kit, and make the "Chicken Ceasar".  However, as you can see here I used shrimp instead of chicken.  This one is far better in my opinion, but I LOVE a good ceasar salad.  The sauce to cook the chicken (or shrimp) is a blackened pepper sauce and is REALLY spicy.  LOVE it!!

I'd also like to say that I stayed on track today and kept my hand outta the cookie jar... figuratively speaking of course.   I made it to the gym and completed 50 minutes of cardio... 30 of that was spent on the stairclimber, for 101 floors, then I "cooled down" on the bike for 20 minutes and 5 miles.

Have a good evening guys!!

Monday, September 19, 2011

Told ya it was gonna be ugly... Monday Weigh In Day

Yep.. and I was right.


OUCH!!!

Up 8 pounds from last week, of 220 lbs... and up 17 lbs from my lowest of 211.   Oh my.  I have some work to do, eh??

Good news is, I just got home from the gym.  I spent 80 minutes kickin my own ass, Jaclyn style, the only way I know how to do it and I feel great.  SO - back on track...??  My god, I sure hope so.  I cant keep yo-yo-ing like this.

Onto other things...

I found these at WalMart over the weekend and I'm excited to try em.

Each "box" was $2.18 and it comes with a sauce to cook the chicken in, and a salad dressing.  I got my favorite, ceasar, and another one... southwest chicken.  I made the southwest chicken for lunch tomorrow.  I'm putting it over romaine lettuce and some shredded cheese.   There are 8 servings in each bottle, so it'll last for awhile unless you make it as a meal for the fam, which of course I wont.  My family is more a meat and potato kinda bunch.

I'll let you know the verdict tomorrow.

Have a good night guys... Happy Monday!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

I HATE Excuses!

But, I've been finding myself "excusing" my food choices lately.  I'm usually pretty with-it when it comes to my eating and exercising.  You all have been around with me long enough to know that I'm spot on about 80% of the time.  I make the right choices, I hit the gym hard, and I lose weight.  How easy, right!!??

Lately things have been much tougher for me.  And by "lately", I mean during the last month or so.  I've fluctuated with the same 5 lbs in both directions, between 215-220 and my god I'M OVER IT.  I'm SO over it!  Yet I continue to do it.  I know there's a word for that... stupidity maybe???

What's going on with me you ask....


Yep...


Stress.  Ugh.   Stress is another "excuse" right?   Well, in my book it's for real.    Work has been stressful, some things at home have been stressful, and this week I've decided that it has to come to an end. 

I'm vowing to myself that I cannot let the stress get in the way...As simple as this may sound it's not easy, so I'm gonna need some help.   I'm gonna need random texts/calls/emails/Facebook messages, etc to remind me where my head is.  And let's hope it's not shoved far up my ass where it's been recently.

Tomorrow is weigh in Monday.   I'm dreading it.  I promise you, it's gonna be ugly.  But the truth hurts and the scale doesnt lie, so maybe I NEED to see that number.

So - with that I'm leaving you...   And when I want that 2:00 pm cookie or bag of Doritos (mmmm Doritos) I'm gonna grab an apple, turkey stick, or my 32oz bottle of Smart Water instead.  That's the promise I'm making to myself.   I'm too damn close to199 lbs to see the scale continue creepin back up.

No matter how ugly that number is tomorrow, I promise to share it with you.  Not only because I've always been honest with you all, but mostly for my own accountability. 

As always, thanks for reading ladies!!





Thursday, September 8, 2011

Monday...errr Thursday Weigh In Day

It was brought to my attention that I never posted my weight on Monday.

Whooops!!!  My bad!

Here ya go... down a whole ONE pound, which means I'm still up 5 lbs from my lowest of 213.





It's frustrating, but it is what it is.  This is just proof at how quickly the weight comes back on.


Since it's Thursday, I'll give you a mid-week check in while I'm at it.


My eating hasn't been perfect, but I'm trying.   I'm focusing on getting back into my gym routine, then next week once that's re-established, I'll crack down on the food aspect.

I just got back from the gym, this was day 3 for me this week.  I need to stay steady and go at least 2 more days, ideally.... I need to get there the next 3 days. 


I'm hoping to be down another 2 lbs by next Monday's weigh in.  That would be grand.


Sorry for the delay guys...   as always, thanks for reading!

Sunday, September 4, 2011

WooHoo Product Reviews!!

I LOVE finding and trying new things.  Who doesn't right?   And when I find things worth sharing, you know I do!  I also find things that aren't as good, and even those are worth sharing too.  So... here ya go!

One of the items I miss the most being banded is bread.  I miss a good grilled cheese sandwich, I miss a big juicy burger, but most of all, I miss a PB&J.  So, I mentioned the  Sandwich Thin Minis last week and just wanted to show you what I did with them... 



I toasted my minis and made myself a PB&J. It was SO good!!   It totally hit the spot and cured that craving for me!

Moving on...

 Yoplait Bites.  I found these in the novelty ice cream section.  They're frozen Yoplait yogurt rolled into little balls, and covered with granola.  Amazing right!!???   Well, they're just ok.   I expected a creamy consistency than what they actually are.  The best way to describe them is "icy".   They're not very smooth, and they're too hard to bite into.  But, they're too big to just pop in your mouth either.  1 little "ball" is 30 calories.   The bag was $3.50 and I wouldn't buy them again. 


 

 I LOVE Panera's soup.  Broccoli cheddar, loaded baked potato, vegetarian black bean, and my #1 favorite, the creamy tomato!!! MMMM How I love the creamy tomato.    The Lemon Chicken Orzo soup, pictured here is somewhat new and for a bowl it's only 160 calories, vs a bowl of my creamy tomato for almost 400 calories.  SCORE!! Right!!??  WRONG!   This is how Panera describes this soup  "A Mediterranean inspired soup with chicken, orzo, spinach, carrots, oregano and basil simmered in a lemon infused chicken broth and topped with a lemon wheel".     Chicken... yep!  Orzo.... yep!   Spinach... too damn much of it.. yep!  Carrots, oregano and basil????   Hmmm  I didn't see ONE carrot, and couldn't taste any basil or oregano..  it must sink to the bottom.  It was quite bland in my opinion, and I only ate half.    Lesson learned...  I'm sticking to my damn tomato soup.

So that night, I decided to say screw you Panera and went and got my own soup to keep at work.  I found this little gem.


 

Harvest Orange Tomato.  Interesting.  It was "NEW" and I figured for $1.25, and 220 calories, I'm trying it. SUCCESS!! It was fantastic!!  It had a slightly sweeter taste than regular tomato soup, and it was in fact bright orange, but it was delish!


I also made a TJ run this week. I picked up a few new things based on my friend Carolyn's recommendations.



Carolyn told me I needed to try the TJ Indian dishes.  I've never had Indian food, so I decided to try something that sounded like I might eat it.  The Chicken Tikka Marsala.  Looked pretty good to me.   Carolyn also told me to try the TJ Pulled Chicken in the smoky bbq sauce.  I opted for the pork instead.  I love me some pulled pork.  

 I also picked up another chicken marsala dish.   One of my all time favs!!!


And of course there's no way I can walk into a TJ and walk out without my favorite staples.   The Chicken Gorgonzola and the Seafood Stew. YUM!   

The hard part is going to be deciding what to have first... 

If there's something new that you find, share it with me!

Thanks for reading!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Monday Weigh in Day

I'm back to it and a day late.  Forgive me.

The weekend was good, I ate, drank and smoked way too much. I gotta knock that shit off.

After eating 2 tubs of Edys in 3 days.. yes friends, I said 2....  along with pizza, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, potato chips and other craptacular food selections,  I stepped on the scale to reflect yet another 2 lb gain...  
 


 I AM A ROCKSTAR!   Can ya tell???

Seeing that number made me want to vomit.  Seriously.

So - I kept my eating in check yesterday, hit the gym (without my Polar F6... sniffle sniffle) and managed to burn around 600 calories within an hour.   I'm sure it was more, but I'm going to estimate low until I can replace it.  

My NET ended up around 850 calories for the day.   Yesterday was the first day in 3 weeks that I ate under 2000 calories.

THEN.... I woke up this morning and hit the gym AGAIN!   I could only get 40 minutes of cardio in, but I got it in none the less. 

Sidenote:  There have been a few of my followers that have questioned me regarding my eating and lack of gym-ing...    Lemme just say, I am by no means perfect.  I've been overweight my entire life, and was morbidly obese for 5 years.   I'm going to fall off.  I'm going to slip up.  I'm going to have those days where I say "Fuck It!".  I cannot promise you that I'm going to lose weight each and every week and be perfect at it, nor do I proclaim to be this weight loss guru.   But - I can promise you that I'm going to be honest about  my journey and experiences.  I'm not going to sugar coat this.  I'm going to tell you the good things, the bad things, and the down right horrific things.  This is called "Eating for Real",  REAL being the emphasis here.  Real life, real people... real shit gets in the way sometimes.  If you don't like the honesty, you can stop following me now. 

Thanks for reading friends...  until next time.


Friday, August 26, 2011

For my Banded Babes

I don't use SparkPeople, but once upon a time I signed up for it so I continue to get their articles.  Most of them are just the same ol same ol mumbo jumbo nutrition crap, but this one was pretty good.    I thought of my banded friends!

Stop and Chew Your Food


Also - I wanted to share with you all what I found at the grocery store this week.




I LOVE the sandwich thins, but being a banded gal, I cant really tolerate too much bread-y type things...  So when I saw these I was excited!!!   1 mini thin is only 50 calories!!  I like mine toasted, topped with chicken salad, or tuna salad and little sprinkle of cheese.  YUM!

Happy Friday kids!   Have a great day!