A few more days until I re-weigh

Not completely back in the groove but feeling better.  Funny how life's curveballs can throw us off completely.   I wish I was better about that sort of thing.  You'd think I'd learn after 49 years how to roll with it but somethings just steamroll me still.  Job hunting just isn't my favorite thing to do anyway.  Resumes?   yuck...what stays, what goes?   You find yourself obsessing about every little word.  Does that really say what I want?  What if the reader interprets it a different way?    Oh...and the newest wrinkle, at least for me, is electronic scans.  I think it works this way...you can upload a hard copy of your resume but many companies have online resumes now.  They then employ software designed to pick out specific words.  If your resume doesn't have those words, no matter how qualified you are or well done it is, you don't get a call.  So the ante has been upped to try and figure out what they will be looking for and how to incorporate that in to your resume.  
I guess that nasty stress hormone responsible for fat retention is in overdrive because of the stress.  What's that stuff called...cortisol?  Why can't they create a blocker for that?   I'd probably be a twig if I didn't have that to worry about...which is more stress.  
However, I am still putzing along with my Synthroid and still feel much better than I did before taking it.   I haven't cooked a decent WW related breakfast in a while but am having a simple bowl of cereal in the am.  You get tired of the same old even if it is tasty so it's good to fall back on the simple things.    So with that...I'm off to try to get some sleep.  Insomnia isn't much fun but again, probably stress related.  Ya think?

AWOL

These last few weeks have not been good.  I probably hinted at how the stinky economy has finally hit us and how I'm a stress eater.  Not a good combination.  I'm putting the finishing touches on my resume now and will start sending it out on Friday.   Things like this just trigger something in my brain and I fall back on old eating habits.  
I've heard the definition of success consists of getting up one more time than you fall so here I go.  I feel like I'm over a hump of sorts just dusting off the resume and for now am hopeful I'll find something fairly soon.  Many people say physical activity makes them feel better when they're down.  With me it's the opposite.  I just want to curl up on the couch and snooze.  How do you rewire your brain? 
Are we pre-wired for certain foods and activities that are destined to sabatoge our efforts?
Starting today I'll pick up where I left off and weigh as usual on Wednesday nest.   Fingers crossed too much damage hasn't been done. 

Cheat day!!!

I really look forward to my cheat day.   Understand, we don't cheat all day, just for one meal but boy is it a treat.   Again...at Wasabi.  They make the best black pepper chicken I've ever had.   In keeping with my promise that cheat day won't extend past one day, tomorrow we'll be back on the truck, eating right at every meal.   Six and a half days on, 1/2 day off.   That's the new game plan.  
We stayed busy today too.  After my Weaver's meeting we had a chance to ride around and see some of central Florida.   It was a beautiful day but very hot already.  Is this going to be what spring is like?  We didn't have much of a winter which doesn't bode well for bugs. 
Tomorrow I hope we can increase our activity even more by going for a hike in one of the state parks nearby.   Hopefully the bugs....and snakes...aren't out yet.  If it stays this hot, though, it won't be long. 

A new bread recipe

Bread is a weakness of mine.   Many diets and health gurus tell us to stay away from it.  Some others say just stay away from white bread.   I tweaked my favorite bread recipe quite a bit to include two cups of bread flour, one and a half cups of whole wheat flour, and 1/2 cup of buckwheat flour.  
The other ingredients are 1 and 3/8 water, 2 tsps yeast, 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tbsp sugar.   That's all there is to this recipe and no matter what flour you use, it comes out good.  One thing though, if you use whole wheat it seems to demand a bit more water.  I guess that type of flour soaks it up more. 

I also discovered one other thing.  If you heat the oven up just a bit and put a pan of hot water in there with the dough, it rises beautifully. 
Here's the result.   It looks a bit lumpy because whole wheat and buckwheat flour is heartier and not as smooth as bread flour.  I expect it to be a little more chewy but filling.   Yum!   Perfect for sandwiches, snacks (toasted with Nutella inside), or French toast.   Let's eat!

Nope...not one stinking pound off

That's it.  I'm really done with overeating and splurges.   From now on it's one day on the weekend.  And If we go out of town it doesn't matter.  I will not eat things unless it's that specific day that do not gibe with my weight loss plan.  Ditto for eating too late in the evening.   I cannot do this if I don't stick to the plan.  

I'm a stress eater too.   I know a lot of people are like this.  Let's face it.  The economy stinks.  It's making us do things we never thought we'd have to do.   It doesn't look like it's going to get any better any time soon either.   So what do you do if you're a stress eater like me?   I know I get huge cravings for carbs.   Especially in the form of potato chips.   I could gnaw my way through a bag the size of California.   How do you deal with the constant bombardment of bad news?   Walk away and ignore it?  Try to find some physical activity you enjoy and immerse yourself?    Since I'm not physically able to run yet and I don't want to start walking until I lose 10 pounds (because of the stress on my lower joints), what is the plan?
I have to come up with something.   In the meantime I found this site that has some information on how to beat the stress eating demon.  Much of it we already know...just have to do it. 
Here's a test to assess your stress

Fingers crossed

My weight was 162 by my scales this am.  Let's hope the doc's are them same.  I've been really working at staying busy and not snacking.  However, there are some dark chocolate Kisses around here that seriously need to disappear.  If it weren't for the health benefits....
Made a pretty decent supper last night.  Hubby seemed to enjoy it but it wasn't as flavorful as I thought it would be. 
You'll need some chicken breasts, Worstershire sauce, honey, balsamic vinegar, diced onions, fresh chopped rosemary, salt and pepper.

Saute the onions in olive oil for a bit, then add 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsps of honey,  and 2 tsps of Worstershire sauce.  Continue cooking until the onions are soft, pour into a bowl and set aside.  
Wipe out the skillet and add a little bit of olive oil.   Cover breasts with salt, pepper, and chopped rosemary.   Cook breasts thoroughly and plate.  Pour a bit of the mixture over. 

I roasted some small red potatoes and steamed some broccoli for the sides.

Starting to get frustrated

I have to officially weigh in tomorrow.  The hubby called when he was on his way home and wanted to go to our favorite Oriental buffet for supper.   I would only agree to do it after I stepped on the scales to check on my progress and I hadn't made any.  It's difficult turning down something you really like in favor of something lighter but it is the right thing to do.  This weekend just wasn't good for eating right, even by my standards and I am holding steady at 163.   I'm hoping that all the work I did yesterday, light eating/work today will help push me down to 162 by tomorrow am at my doc appointment.   Fingers crossed! 

What a dreadful weekend....

...for eating I mean.  Love visiting my MIL.  She's a sweetie and just a load of fun.   Eating right wasn't on the agenda however.  Breakfasts were nice and light but Saturday we went to a Highland Festival in Green Cove.  Although we walked a bit, the place wasn't that spread out so it's not like we exercised.  That hot dog I had for luch wasn't low fat I'm sure.  Then there was supper at Longhorn.  A steak, backed sweet potato, salad and bananas foster cheesecake for dessert.  I feel like I must do some sort of penance today!!!   Maybe wear a hair shirt?  

What really sucks is I have a docs appointment on Wednesday and I probably have gained a pound back.   Between now and then I'm going to knuckle down with the eating and some extra walking.   Which reminds me...it's early so LET'S EAT!

Yummy pancakes again

I made the banana-buttermilk ones again but substituted buckwheat flower instead of all-purpose.  What a different taste...much heartier.   My blueberries have gone bad so I can't make the other pancake recipe I previously posted.
Heading to MILs this weekend.  Portion control is going to be the order of the day.  Luckily she's doing Weight Watchers so it shouldn't be too bad.   There's a Celtic festival in Green Cove and we'll be doing a lot of walking on Saturday---good exercise without knowing it.   

Here's a dinner recipe that is really good, easy, and ticks all the boxes for good veggies and lean protein.

Take a small pork loin and sprinkle with salt and fresh chopped chives.   Brown all sides in a skillet with olive oil.   While this is browning, preheat oven to 425.   Chop some small potatoes, add baby carrots, asparagus, and thawed artichoke hearts and toss with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.  If you want any other seasonings, I'd suggest a little thyme and sage, but it's fun to experiment and herbs add nothing but flavor!  
Place the pork in a roasting pan and arrange veggies around.  Cook about 25 minutes, stirring veggies at least once during that time.   Serve.  
Yes it was that easy and the meat was tender and juicy.  Since this makes enough for several meals it's easy to overeat as portions aren't carved out already.  The easy way to remember is the meat should be about the size of the palm of your hand (unless you have big hands...) and the balance should be the veggies.  
Enjoy!

163.6

Time to make some adjustments in my diet.  I've held steady for a week and should take that as an indication that I've done some sliding.   We weren't the best in the world this weekend and I haven't been as active as I was those first few weeks.   Last night I cooked a pork loin with spring veges from a WW cookbook.   Lunch and mid-day selections are still more difficult and that's probably where I'm falling down too.   I need some very fast but easy ideas.  Fast.

Afternoons are my Achilles Heel

I do great at breakfast.  Supper is just fine.  I fall apart at lunch or mid-afternoon.  I have to come up with some things I can fix for that time.  Today I tried some Bran Buds in some lowfat Greek yogurt. 
I tossed it in favor of four Thin Mint GS Cookies.  Not that it wasn't decent tasting.  But ever since the hubby told me about that 'natural flavoring' often found in foods which is really some processed oils or flavorings from a beaver's anal glands, I can't eat anything that has those words in the ingredients.   Yes...you read that right.   Talk about a turn off. 
It's called castoreum.  A nice, sanitized way of saying beaver anal gland juice.  http://www.parents.com/blogs/dadabase/2012/02/12/health/is-natural-vanilla-flavoring-really-from-beavers-anal-glands/   I'm not a vegetarian like this guy but his article pretty much sums up my feelings on this topic. 

Bon apetite!

Cheat weekend over

Actually didn't do that bad.  Breakfasts are a no-brainer now and we tried to stay physically active.  John cooked some small steaks Saturday night and I did the rest of the meal.  A small baked potato with low-fat toppings and asparagus wrapped with thin prosciutto.   Yesterday we had an early supper after skipping lunch.   A trip to Mt. Dora to check out their huge antique/junk extravaganza Renningers puts on every few months yielded a divided condiment plate I'd been looking for and a very small travel cribbage board.   It was only $5 so I couldn't refuse.   It's pretty hilly there so it was quite the workout hiking around.  Then it's off to Wasabi--my favorite Chinese food buffet.   Their black pepper chicken and crab rangoon is excellent. 

We're back on track this morning and I've got a busy week on tap.   Laundry's almost done and it's only 9:00 am.  *\o/*     Plenty more cleaning to be done and plans for painting to be made though so no rest for the weary.
With that, I leave you with a recipe sent by a dear friend.   I found the buckwheat flour in our Publix so it is available and will give it a try in the morning.   John will love the blueberries especially.   Like other recipes, you can either half this or make the whole recipe and freeze the remaining.  That makes it an incredibly fast but good for you breakfast when you're in a hurry.   Thanks Marianne!!!!

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
 ¾ cup buckwheat flour
¾ cup whole-grain pastry flour or whole-wheat flour
1 ½ tsps. Baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk
¾ cup non-fat milk
2 large eggs
2 tbs canola oil
1 tb honey
2 cups unsweetened blueberries (fresh or frozen-thawed)
Cooking spray
½ cup syrup

In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl beat together the buttermilk, non-fat milk, honey, eggs and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients mixing only enough to combine them (the batter will be somewhat lumpy). Stir in 1 cup of berries.
Coat a large non-stick griddle with cooking spray and preheat over medium heat. Use a ¼ cup measure to ladle the batter onto the griddle. Flip the pancakes when they are golden brown on the bottom and bubbles are forming on top, about 1 ½ minutes. Keep the pancakes warm in a 200 degree oven as you finish cooking the remaining ones. Serve topped with syrup and remaining berries.
Makes 12--4 inch pancakes
Per serving info-----435 calories, 73g carbs, 13g protein, 11g fat (1.5g sat), 110mg cholesterol, 7g fiber, 640mg sodium

Finished the last of the strawberries....

And not totally the healthy kind.   The man got me a shipment of Shari's Berries for Valentine's Day and they are really good.   Huge berries and ripe.  I always have an issue with chocolate covered strawberries because personally I think they put too much parafin in the chocy but these were pretty darn good so I give them a thumb's up.  
Overal, not a bad day, ate some of the buttermilk-banana pancakes that were leftovers, halved a sandwich for lunch and really didn't eat supper because I just wasn't hungry.
As I go through this journey to lose weight another thing I'm trying to be conscious of is how hungry I am. know they say it's best to eat three meals and have a few small snacks during the day.  But if I'm not hungry, why force it?  The sandwich at lunch was pretty good sized so I was probably still somewhat full although I didn't feel bloated afterward.  
We'll be busy this weekend.   Finally going to get some painting inside done.  So YAY....physical activity, good...laying around, bad.   It's not like going to Universal but getting work done around the house always gives a real sense of accomplishment.
I'll fix something good for supper tomorrow and post the recipe if it really turns out good. 

Back to feeling a bit tired in the afternoon

Well..it was nice while it lasted but for the last two days I've laid down on the couch and caught a quick nap.   Not the same naps like I used to take on the bed but I hate that I'm laying down at all.   My eyes have been burning something fierce so I hope that the pollen is what's doing it. 
On the plus side ate pretty well yesterday.  I ate one small bran muffin and split one with the man this am, along with two small pieces of sausage for protein.
For lunch I ate a bowl of barley in warm soy milk with a touch of brown sugar and cinnamon and some diced apples.   That was pretty filling.  
Supper was my most favorite salad in the world.   Terra Mia has this prosciutto and mozzarella on a bed of lettuce with balsamic vinegar that is simple and incredibly tasty.  They serve it with some rustic Italian bread and it's a good, filling meal without overdoing it. 
So...not a bad day at all.  Topped off with a little wine and then time for bed. 
I'll be busy today and out of the house (yay!) but will have to be careful with lunch since I'm eating out a The Willow Tree.  German food is not light food!  

Yet another breakfast recipe.

There is a theme evolving.....I love breakfast.  I could eat it about anytime.  The ideas and recipes are usually easy and tasty.  A big plus is most only require ingredients normally found in the pantry or fridge.
For this one you'll need:

1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
a pinch salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup of soy milk and some extra
enough egg substitute to equal 1 egg

1  apple  (a firm tart variety is best) sliced thin
cinnamon
a bit of water
2 tablespoons of sugar

In a skillet, melt some Benecol add the sugar, and a bit of water.  Once it's warmed up add apples
cover and cook until you see the apples getting tender.  Uncover and cook a bit longer.  Add more water if desired for a syrup.

Wash skillet and add more Benecol, warm back up.  In a bowl add all the dry ingredients and stir.   Add milk and egg mixture.  Stir until get a good consistency to pour.  Add more milk if necessary--I find whole wheat flour seems to require a bit more liquid than regular flour.
Make about four small pancakes, plate with apples and one slice of bacon for protein. 

The next time I do this I will make a bit more syrup with the apples.  I also may dice some apples and add to the batter, or some other type of fruit or nuts.

Weigh in and a supper recipe

Weighed in at  today.  163 even.  Not bad eh?   That's four pounds in three weeks total.  I'm on target still.   So I'll just keep doing what I'm doing until it appears I need to make adjustments.   For the record, I do feel better physically, probably due to the change in medicine but I'd like to think it's because I'm eating better too.   I think I'll set my first major milestone at weighing 150.  

Orange Roughy is a really good fish.  Not too fishy IMO and usually moist and I just found out it's my husbands favorite.   Who knew?   A good way to cook it is to place it on some heavy tinfoil and rub with olive oil.   Coat with some lemon pepper seasoning and toss some sliced almonds over.   Place foil on the grill, tent, and cook until done.  I usually have to test to see if it flakes easily.  
While hubby was working the grill I made the sides.  I sliced a small zucchini with some asparagus spears and sauteed in olive oil with almonds agin.  I also added a sprinkle of dried basil and oregano.   While that was going I put some small baby carrots in a small saucepan with water and brown sugar and cooked those down.  
This may not have been the greatest combination of food IF we had eaten a big pile of it.  But we halved one of the Roughy filets and had small portions of the sides.   I feel the combination of veges, almonds, and fish gave a good amount of vitamins and fish oil.  I'm not a big fan of popping pills so I'd rather get my nutrition from the foods I eat. 

Week three and a recipe

Happy Valentine's Day!!!  
Here's another breakfast recipe that is easy and tasty.
Preheat the oven to 325.  In the meantime, toss some diced onions and ham, either Canadian bacon or in my case prosciutto, chopped, in to a skillet and brown.   If you're making this for two people, I'd say about a half cup of the meat.
Spray Pam in a small ramekin and add the onion/ham mixture in equal amounts to the bottom.  Pour egg substitute, equalling about one egg, over the top and top with some shredded cheese. 
Bake until you like it---if you like it just set or cooked all the way through, whatever.  I like my eggs done done done!  
Put hot ramekin on plate and serve.

***those are supposed to be FF feta hearts on top in honor of V-day  :)))

Variations:   Lighly brown some onions and shredded potatoes and put in the bottom of the ramekin.  season with a bit of dried basil, oregano, and black pepper.   Dice a bit of bacon and add egg substitute.  Top with fat free feta cheese and serve with a half slice of whole wheat toast with Benecol. 

There's lots you can do with this formula--add tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, etc.  The small size of the ramekin keeps you from overdoing it so portions stay appropriate.   Enjoy!

***I added some dried oregano, basil, and black pepper to the skillet for extra flavor.  Continuing the Mediterranean theme, you could add some FF feta cheese or low skim mozzerella. 

This is a recipe you can manipulate how you like it, as long as the basics are there.  For an extra carb boost, because this is breakfast and I think that's important, I had a half slice of homemade whole wheat bread toasted with a bit of Benecol.

Enjoy!

Oh yum....

A new breakfast recipe and some good news.  
First the good news.  I still feel pretty good.  I don't feel those crappy pounding sensations in my neck anymore!  YAY   I did get on the couch late this afternoon for a tiny snooze but nothing like I used to get.   Now the best part.  I don't want to weigh until Wednesdays.   But I couldn't resist this am because John was talking about how much he's lost so I wanted to see.   The scales said 163.  I'm shocked.  So I give myself a pat on my back but I'm not resting.  This is going to be a long process and I'm not delusional about that.  Small victories are great.  But the bigger prize awaits months down the road and I have to stay focused.
Now for the recipe.  This was so yummy to me this am.   They are buttermilk banana pancakes.  I added some ground flax seed to the batter for just a little extra healthiness.   I hope you like them as much as we did.
You'll need:
2 ripe bananas--one for slicing and the other should equal 1/2 cup mashed
1 cup of bread flour (or all purpose) plus two table spoons
2 tbsps of ground flax seed
enough egg substitute to equal one egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp honey
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Mix the egg, egg white, buttermilk, mashed banana, oil, and honey in a bowl.  In another bowl mix the dry ingredients and add to the liquid bowl.  Stir until everything's blended. 
Heat up skillet and I used Benecol as butter.  Cook pancakes, slice other banana on top, add a touch of maple syrup if desired.   I also serve with one slice of lean bacon because you need a bit of protein.  

It's filling and this recipe makes enough batter for about 11 good sized pancakes.   For us a serving is two pancakes with the bananas.   I cook all the batter and freeze.  It works well when you want them again to just pop in the toaster. 
Enjoy!

Eh...not the best day

Hubby proudly announces he's lost more weight.  Is that fair?   NOOOOOOOOOO   But it is what it is.  I am not going to step on the scales until Wednesday.   That's going to be my weigh in day.  
Today wasn't a banner day for eating right.  Breakfast consisted of a half Cinnabon and one piece of sausage.  A late brunch of scrambled eggs, bacon, a few pieces of red potatoes, small croissant, fresh strawberries and a piece of cheesecake with water and coffee.   I was still not hungry for supper so that was it.  I'll probably be starving by morning but I'm not going to eat anything this late. 
Tomorrow will be much better and on the plus side, once again I did not feel the need for a nap.  I think I am on to something here.   I'm sleeping better at night too.  
So...a mixed bag today.  I suppose if the late brunch was lunch and supper, perhaps it wasn't so horrid but back to eating right tomorrow. 

Universal and eating

Wow...did we ever walk yesterday.   The best part is late in the afternoon, as we sat down to a real cheat supper I realized that I didn't get a nap nor did I ever feel tired that afternoon.   Honestly, that felt like a victory.   I've been taking Synthroid for about four days and perhaps it is already showing a benefit.  If this ends up making me feel better and more active, then I'll will be happy but also pissed that all these years have gone by and it's what I've needed.   It's not like I haven't discussed this with my docs in the past.  Why the hell don't they listen to us?  Do we not know how we feel better than they?   Yeah...test results are important, I'm not saying that and yes some people are hypochondriacs but I think tests are only as good as their interpretations in light of what the patient is saying.   Values for hormones and things like sodium or potassium levels are given with the 'normal' range.  Someone may need more or less of something.  
I also know doctors have to be careful with people who may be pill shopping.  That's a real problem these days.  My ex-MIL was like that.  She'd keep going to different doctors until she'd find one that'd give her what she wanted.   A truly dangerous situation and one here in Florida has cause issues with many pain killers.   But if you've been suffering from something that's long-standing and nothing's worked, then to use a cliche, it's time to to think outside the box.   That's what my doc has done.  We're going to monitor and I'll get more blood work in the near future to see how I'm doing.   Nothing's without risk so everything must be approached cautiously.   So my advice is to keep a log, stay on top of how you feel, what works, what doesn't work, and communicate with your doctor about these things. 
As for eating, yes, it was a cheat day.  We split a sandwich for lunch, had some gelato for a snack, a few candy sour gummies, and I had a grilled chicken burger at Bubba Gump for supper.   But we walked all.day.long.    Today, we'll eat decent.  We have a investing thing to go to at 1p which is to be a brunch (a brunch at 1p?) then we'll have roast chicken leftovers for supper.   Back in the saddle again!

Supper was awesome tonight

Really did well with food today.   The barley and fresh fruit porridge this am, a grilled chicken sandwich for lunch, a banana for a snack, and a roast chicken, roast potatoes, and asparagus with prosciutto (my fav!).    We watched the portions of course and there's plenty for another meal as a result. 
Tomorrow is the designated cheat day--after breakfast of course.  We're going to head down to Universal and go to the studio side and see what's changed over there.   So...lots of walking and hopefully a nice day.   If we get home by supper we should be good there too.  
It's pouring rain now so hopefully it'll be a pretty day. 

Busy day tomorrow

Master gardenering in the AM, doing something with a stencil in the pm.  At least I'll stay busy.  I did lay on the couch this afternoon--I was soooooooooo tired.  Made myself get up and run some errands to Michaels and Joanns for cardstock to finish my V-Day cards.  You can see what I've been working on over at my other blog www.pendips.blogspot.com. 
I had that pearled barley and fresh fruit bowl for supper.  It was good although the kiwi was not very ripe.  If it had been sweeter it would have been better.

I made the recipe like this:

I boiled a bunch of pearled barley according to the directions.  It takes about 40 minutes.   I put it in several containers in the fridge to get when I want it quickly like tonight.  
I heated up some soy milk in the microwave with cinnamon and added the amount of barley I wanted--enough to make a porridge.   Toss in some fruit--blueberries, pineapple, kiwi, strawberries, whatever you want, just make sure it's heated thoroughly, and eat.  Easy peasey and good for breakfast or whenever.  One last thing though--have a piece of bacon or something for protein. 

Good news!

According to the doctor and my scale I've lost two pounds.   That's two pounds in two weeks.  Exactly what I hoped for.   So now I'm on my way.   Eight more to go and I'll begin an exercise regimen of some sort.   I'm still thinking on what would be best to start with--simple walking in the evening perhaps?  
On the other hand, my blood work came back within normal ranges BUT...and this is big IMO, not everyone is good with the 'normal' ranges.  I think that's my problem.  When I was miserable with menopausal symptoms, my GYN said my hormone levels were OK.   Maybe the test is right but still wrong for me.  She finally agreed to put me on HRT which helped for a bit.
This doc has agreed to put me on the lowest dose of Synthroid with a recheck in six months of my homones.   We'll see if that alleviates the sluggishness and feelings of exhaustion I have all the time...and right now expecially.   I want a nap!!
Also, the heart monitor indicated I was having palpitations although they weren't when I noted symptoms on my log sheet.  Funny huh?   Anyhoo...that warrants a med change from lisinopril.
And.....I have arthritis in my neck--spurs and such which now explains the numbness and pain.  MRI is next on the agenda and we'll see what can be done about that.  
So all in all, a mixed bag.  I hope the thyroid meds give me a boost.  I really need it.   I'll carry on and hopefully as the weight comes off, I'll feel even better and maybe I'll be able to get off some of the other meds I take right now.  Wouldn't that be cool?

A dinner recipe

OK...so it was my birtday and yeah, I did cook.  But honestly, I'd rather stay on track and be comfy at home than go out.   I cooked a little Cornish hen with some wild rice and baby carrots.   One slice of my homemade whole wheat bread with Benecol and voila!   Dinner was served.

The recipe is really easy.  Take about a cup of apple juice, some maple syrup and a stick of cinnamon.  Boil this for a while until it seems a little thicker and turn off the heat.
Grab a Cornish hen, rinse and place in a pan.  I used a metal bread pan since these things are so small.  Pour some of the above mixture over the hen and sprinkle with salt.   It's going to take about 50 minutes on 425 to cook.   While this is in the oven, get some carrots, sliced or whatever is easier,  and pour some of the mixture over them and make sure they're coated.   Put those in the oven with the hen.  
Once the hen is done, the carrots probably will be too (they should be tender).  
The wild rice is a no brainer--Uncle Ben's and you can make that while the other stuff is in the oven. 

We split the hen so portion was no biggie and just a spoonful of the rice and half the carrots.   So to recap, there was protein, a veggie, a starch, and some carbs.  Pretty complete I'd say.  
Let's hope it's more filling than what I had the night before.   My stomach was rattling before I fell asleep and I awoke starving.  Not good. 
OK...off of here for now and time to get ready for bed now and the doc in the am.   Wish me luck! 

One more day

I don't know why I'm nervous about going to the doc tomorrow.  I know I'll get test results but isn't that what I wanted?   I also find as the time gets closer I'm nervous about stepping on to the scales.  I suppose that for all my 'whatever, I'm going to do the best I can' attitude I'll still be disappointed if I haven't lost a pound or so.  
I've been disappointed so many times before.  Yesterday wasn't that bad.  Oatmeal for breakfast, Chik Fil A chargrilled sandwich for lunch, then a small piece of meatloaf, steamed broccoli, and a serving spoon size of mashed potatoes.   I really watched the portions on that.   Later we had a small slice of orange-cranberry bread with a half cup of coffee and played cribbage.  
This am I'm getting another modified WW recipe for breakfast.  The original is carmelized Granny Smith apples and waffles.  I don't have a waffle maker so they'll be pancakes.  I'm going to substitute any eggs to egg beaters, use soy milk, and whatever else I can do to make it even better.   Not sure about lunch but I'll make sure it's also within the WW spectrum and then supper will either be half a baked Cornish hen with some veggies. 
OH...and I made bread yesterday.  I took my favorite recipe and instead of four cups of bread flour I substituted half for whole wheat flour.   We'll see how that tastes tomorrow.  Here's a pic of another loaf I made a while back.   I love bread!  

So, if my recipe for breakfast turns out OK, I'll post it tomorrow. 
Cheers!

Back in the saddle tomorrow

Really busy weekend with company and got a lot of fun things done, eating being one of them.  I'm  not going to focus on the bad things I ate but the fact that I MOVED.  A lot.   Tomorrow we'll jump right back on the good eating wagon and be on track still. 
I'm actually looking forward to my doc's appointment on Wednesday.  I want to know if the tests showed anything and if they didn't, then what's the next step.   I also need to know what their scales say compared to mine.  I'll hop on the scales here right before I head out and then I'll know how different they are and what my starting point is.  I think I was 167 two weeks ago but will double check on that. 
Breakfast will probably be oatmeal with flax seed and a few walnuts.  Not sure about lunch but one job I need to do is get those cookbooks back out and work on some menus, a grocery list, and shopping.  Always fun.  So...it's still game on.  More later.....

Another good day

Wow, was it a busy one.   Finished cleaning the house, kinda danced around a bit too.  Does that count as exercise?   It should if it doesn't but anyhooo....
For the last two days I've had some real issues with hunger.   I did well for just over two weeks but now about an hour before I should eat, my stomach really starts to growl.  What's that about?   I haven't given in yet but it's really hard to not grab something carby when you get like that.  
Tomorrow's going to be a cheat day, except for breakfast.  We're going to Universal so there'll be lots of walking around but pretty much the only thing to eat at a theme park is junk.  Again..the strategy will be portion control.  I don't mind a bit of a cheat but you all know how much food these places pile on the plate.   I'm doing well and don't want to over do it.   Besides, who wants to ride a coaster with an overfull stomach?   So...two weeks in and hanging in there.  
The weather should be nice too so booonnnnnuuuussss!   Since we'll have company I doubt if I'll get the chance to post tomorrow night, playing hostess and all that.   Soooooooo...catch up on Monday.
Cheers!

FRIDAY!!!!!

Ran around like a maniac yesterday but still managed to eat pretty good.   Turned in my Holter monitor, will get the results on that next week.   I've decided that the best way to deal with eating out is to eat half and eliminate sauces or condiments.   Yesterday we had lunch at Peach Valley.  Love that place even if parking is horrendous.   I had their curry chicken wrap, sans red pepper (not a big fan of peppers).  Jen made a half order of their apple fritters so two of those and half the wrap with water.   I wasn't falling over full even though I was starving when I got there and could have eaten the whole thing. 
Something else that may have helped was drinking a lot of water with lemon prior to getting our food.  That seemed to quiet my stomach so I didn't dive in to my plate. 
I really wanted to crash yesterday afternoon I was sooooo tired.  I'm sure I didn't sleep well the night before all taped up with electrodes.  Just kept going and went to bed early. 
Today I'll be running around some more getting ready for guests this weekend.  We're doing Universal tomorrow so posting will be light this weekend.  And I'm sure the food won't be the best but we've done pretty well this week and will just view it as a cheat day.  And not to forget there'll be lots of walking.   So it'll be a good weekend after all.

Wednesday and hanging in there

John made the stuffed French toast this am with the last banana.  It was right on the edge of going bad so good thing.   I hate to waste, especially these days.  Lunch wasn't so good but it was my favorite-- Bojangles chickent filet biscuit.  First one I've had in about three weeks.   They aren't that bad really but you do feel guilty if you eat anything fried.   No snacking this afternoon but I did give in to a  nap.   I'm wearing that Holter monitor for 24 hours.  It's important to try to maintain the normal routine and try to replicate symptoms.   The pounding started and I had some shortness of breath.  Everything's documented.  My big fear is I'll have no symptoms like I've been having and they'll think I'm nuts.  Kinda like when you take your car to the mechanic and it runs beautifully.   Why is that????? 
I have to say this thing is uncomfortable.   My chest is full of those little adhesive electrodes with all the little wires terminating in this unit that's about the size of an iPhone.   Luckily I can remove these around noon tomorrow and get a quick shower.   On the downside, many times these things leave red circles so that's a bit embarrassing--I'll just wear a t-shirt if it does. 
Supper tonight was 1/2 of a sub and I'll eat the rest tomorrow for lunch or supper.  
So....all tests done, fingers crossed on the results, and still feel pretty good about my eating habits overall.  One week from today I'll go back to the doc and you know they'll weigh me.   Just gotta keep doing what I'm doin' and hope I've lost a pound at least!

Tomorrow some tests

I'll get the bloodwork on various hormones done in addition to getting the Holter monitor.  And if it's not outrageous get my neck x-rayed.   Maybe these tests will help to determine why I feel so awful and perhaps why I'm so overweight.   It would be nice if I could blame this on hormones...sluggish thyroid or something but the chances of that are slim. 
So...I continue with making my lifestyle changes.   Today was a pretty good day.  Oatmeal with ground up flax and soy milk for breakfast, a ploughman's lunch (salad, cheese, bread) and tonight a small bit of stuffed port, a few roasted potatoes, and steamed broccoli.  I was very careful with the portions and was satisfied with that.   Overall I didn't feel the best in the world today--just super tired but another small victory--I did not take a nap.  I kept going and that's something.   So...fingers crossed that if something does show up it'll be fixable.  Cheers!

Into the second week

And not doing too bad.  This am we had the leftover pancakes with bananas like I made over the weekend.  For lunch I had a sandwich made from sourdough baguette, some baked chicken, prosciutto, and FF feta cheese lightly toasted.  After I removed from the oven, I added some spinach, small sliced tomatos, and balsamic vinegar. 

Tonight could have been a bit of a disaster with a special wine tasting but I did very good there.   I had about a handful of some pasta and two pieces of cubed foccacia.  That's it!   I felt pretty good, well the wine helped that.   But I'd say another successful day of watching portions, eating a little better, and continually moving.   Which reminds me...my feet are hurting!

A good day and a yucky soup recipe

So...yesterday was pretty good.  We had Irish oatmeal for breakfast made with soy milk, flax seed, and walnuts.  It was a little bland but that's ok sometimes.   Then we split a sub from Firehouse.  That may not sound like much but normally we would have gotten one each so splitting is much better.   For supper I made this vegetable soup from a recipe and it was bleck.  Without going in to much detail the ingredients were good, it smelled great, but had NO taste whatsoever.  We had to keep adding pepper and salt and I finally gave up.  Too much salt would make me blow up like a balloon probably and that's probably to a swift idea. 
On the plus side, we stayed busy all day--no hiking or running but just active.  I was tired by 8:30p and looking forward to a good night's sleep.  
So again, it's all baby steps, making little changes all along, staying positive and adjusting where necessary.  I hope after the 8th I can start walking.   Just feel I need to wait on the all clear from my doc.  And who knows...maybe by then I will have lost a pound or two.  Fingers crossed.

It's the weekend!

Time to be good and make up for some earlier sins this past week.  I'm not going to get too wound up in feeling bad though as I think that's counter-productive.  I'm going to focus on today and what's ahead.  To goal today is to eat better and stay busy--no afternoon naps.  As much as I love a nice long siesta, it's probably not a good idea as I'm not burning any calories just laying there like a beached whale. 
Some friends invited us over for a cookout yesterday which presents an interesting problem for people watching the amount or portions of foods.   It's one that has to be dealt with if you aren't a hermit.   There'll always be birthdays, holidays, Super Bowls and such with vast quantities of food.

I ended up being pretty good I think.  I had a burger and a cookie.  It was funny because every few minutes the hostess would pass around a plate of some new goodie she'd just gotten out of the oven.  Apple turnovers, cranberry scones, and M & M cookies!   ARGH.    It was very hard to say no but I did.  They say you should also concentrate on eating slow and focus on how you feel.  I was full but not bloated.   Also, because the conversation was lively, that makes you slow down while eating.  A super fun time and much appreciated too.  Today it's going to be about staying busy again and enjoying being outside.  Maybe watching some hurling practice in the park?

So with that, I have another recipe, this one totally my own and it's breakfast again.  That seems to be the easiest meal to deal with for us.  So here it goes, my Irish Banana Pancakes.
I used about a half cup of all purpose flour, used a coffee grinder to powder some Irish steel cut oats and put both in a bow--this ended up being just over a cup total.  To this I added about 3/4 tsp of baking powder and 1/2 tsp of baking soda.   Mix those well and add 1 eggs worth of egg substitute and enough soy milk to make it a loose batter as you would expect in pancakes.   Fire up a griddle or frying pan and add some Benecol and once melted, add your batter.   I made four small in the pan--just a little larger than a drink coaster.  These won't rise much like regular pancakes.  I suppose I could noodle with the recipe and perhaps add more baking powder & soda but I digress.  Once these are done, add Benecol if you like and top with bananas and a little warmed maple syrup. 

These pancakes taste a little nutty and were pretty good if I do say so myself.  I did serve with some extra lean bacon because it is important to get a certain amount of protein with each meal.  It keeps me from getting hungry at 11 am instead of noon.

Not a good girl the last few days

It's hard finding good things to eat when you're traveling.  Some places you may come to rely on that do serve good options many times don't exist and such was the case for us.  We were in a section of Florida that is dotted with cute little towns and LOTS of farmland, but only fast food places at a couple of intersections.  So we'll get back on track and be good this weekend, counting the last few days as our cheat days.  Still, it makes you feel wretched to fall off the wagon when you're trying very hard AND I must admit, I was feeling better. 
In the wee hours of Friday morning I woke up really sick.  Maybe my body was rejecting the junkfood but it hammered home a lesson.  I need to continue to eat better so I can lose weight slowly and not feel like crap.  And with that...I have another recipe, this time a dessert!
All you need is about three bananas, a pie crust--you can use graham cracker (no sugar if possible) or chocolate, some butterscotch pudding (you can cook this in the microwave) and some chopped pecans.
Toast the pecans and put in the bottom of the crust.  Cook the pudding in the microwave.  Slice bananas on top of pecans and pour hot pudding over everything.  Chill it and eat it.  Really yummy and not too bad.  Enjoy

A really tasty breakfast idea

Going to make my entry tonight instead of in the am.  We'll be running around like maniacs and I probably won't have time.   Not a great day for sticking on the plan.   Breakfast was good.  Did that Greek frittata thing again.    On the road food isn't great.  I did my best though and we did go for a walk tonight after foraging at Taco Bell.   They do have some decent options by the way. 
But back to my main topic.  Here's a stuffed French toast that is really yummy.   I've made it quite a few times and even my MIL, who will tell you she's not crazy about new stuff, liked it so there ya go. 

It was a WW recipe, but I've made my own modifications to it and I think it's better.  I know I don't have amounts listed by honestly, just eyeball it.  You can't mess this up.   Enjoy!
What you need:
raisin bread (2 per serving)
egg substitute
vanilla
soy milk (watch the sugar on some brands)
bananas
lower fat cream cheese
Benecol spread
maple syrup

Mix the egg substitute, a dash of vanilla, and soy milk in a bowl and whip together
spread some cream cheese on one side of the bread and top with sliced bananas.  Heat skillet on medium heat and add a tablespoon of Benecol.   Dip the bread in the egg/milk mixture, it's OK if you get some on the banans, and place in the skillet.   While that's cooking, dip one side of the remaining slice of bread and place on top of the bananas.  Brown both sides to your liking.  Plate and slice diagonnally, topping with a little warmed maple syrup. 
I like to cook these pretty slow, over a medium heat, so the bananas are nice and warm and the cheese is a little melty. 
I tend to view recipes as suggestions which is why I modified the original so much.  This is a filling breakfast, takes about 10 minutes to prepare and cook too so if you're in a hurry, it's a good option.

Week 1---Thursday

Almost to the end of the first full week of our eating plan and I have to say it's been OK.  I haven't felt deprived, I'm not starving (if you saw my thighs you'd say I could live off those things for a year anyway). 
Last night we had this peach-glazed pork loin thing.  It was pretty darn good.   You make a rub out of a little brown sugar, cumin, chipotle for your pork.  In another bowl you mix some apple cider vinegar, about 2/3 cup of peach preserves, and dijon mustard.  I heated this up in the microwave to make it more liquid.  Since there's just the two of us, I cut two peaches in half and after spraying them with Pam, I glazed the cut side with the peach preserve mixture.   The man fired up the grill and put the pork on the lower rack with the peaches, cut side down, on the top rack.   I gave him the leftover peach glaze to brush over the pork as it was cooking.  I steamed some broccoli in the microwave for some extra green.  The man liked it so it'll be a keeper for the future.  
We finished the evening off with another piece of the banana-caramel pie (WW recipe) and some coffee.  I'm full but not miserable so that's good.  
Since we won't be home tonight or tomorrow, we'll just have to do the best we can on the road.  So far that's consisted of us splitting dinners or hoagies.   Hey...ya do what ya can eh?

So it begins

So, the new eating plan started Monday, January 25, 2012.  I've whipped out my WW cookbooks, created an Excel spreadsheet that fits my needs, and went grocery shopping over the weekend.   Here's how I hope this will play out.   For the next thirty days I plan to adhere to this eating schedule.  From Monday through Friday we'll eat better--that means using the recipes of which I have a plethora--and watch our portions.  Saturday and Sunday can have some cheat meals. 
What kicked this off really is not only does my weight continue to climb without a difference in eating, but now the hubby's having issues.    I just returned from the doc myself and have a pantload of tests to take.  Is it my heart?  Something  with my cardiovascular system?  Something else entirely of which I have no clue?   I can't begin to know but I do know this:  I must lose weight.  So I'll say it now.  I weighed 167 today.  I'm 5'1".  Not good eh?  That's about 50 pounds from where I should be.   That's a load to be toting around.  No wonder my feet, knees, and hips bother me.  Also may be why I'm short of breath and tired a lot.  
So...I'm starting at 167 on 1/23/12.