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!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
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!
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.
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.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
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.
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.
Saturday, January 28, 2012
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
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
Thursday, January 26, 2012
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.
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?
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?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
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.
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.
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