What's Going On - and a YUMMY Recipe

So things are feeling pretty on track right now. I've got the hang of using my Bodybugg and I am averaging about a 1,000 calorie deficit daily - which scientifically means I should lose 2 lbs per week. That is my goal for right now!

Things have been hectic and crazy around here. Back-to-school shopping, birthdays, moving at work from one office to another, meeting up with highschool friends - a lot of good things.

I went Nordic walking yesterday with my sister. We did about a mile at a local school track. I showed a burn of over 250 calories - which is pretty good for walking. I truly enjoy it, and on a day like yesterday - mid-80's, sunny, blue skies, mild breeze - it was heaven!

Tomorrow is my last day to be able to pack up my office! So it's going to be a long day. I plan on utilizing my crock pot! I haven't used it very much this summer, but I truly rely on it in the fall and winter!

Here is what I'll be making:
Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 9.85 oz • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Points: 3 ww points
Calories: 171.9 • Fat: 1.6g • Fiber: 3.8g

• 24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
• 14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 15 oz can black beans
• 8 oz frozen corn
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
  
• salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

I found this recipe on a wonderful blog - Gina's Skinny Taste blog, full of WW recipes!

I went to our storage room a little bit ago and found a few brand new items of clothing that I've never fit in to - just a little bit small. They all fit now! Woohoo! I have a super cute dress for fall, 2 dressier tops for work, and 2 more casual ones for home. Hurray!

Well, that's about it for me. Weigh in is Friday - I am just hoping I won't be retaining water! That's always such a downer!

Sherry

Menu Plan Monday & Weekly WW Update

I'll admit it - I am not all that great at updating my blog here. I figured I would do a 2 in 1 and get my menu plan listed as well as review my first week on Weight Watchers!

My menu plan is linked up with Menu Plan Monday over at at the Organizing Junkie's blog!

Sunday - We had mini pizzas ! I took Alternative pitas, popped them under the broiler for a couple of minutes with a spray of Pam and granulated garlic, then topped them with pizza sauce, fat free mozzarella cheese, olives, veggies, and mini turkey pepperoni! They were quite good, kid approved, and only 4.5 WW points each!

Monday - Quick dinner as I am busy busy today! Boca Chick'n patty in a flatout wrap with light mayo and pickles. Side of baby carrots.

Tuesday - Mini turkey meatloaves, baked potatoes, green beans, green salad

Wednesday - Mom's house for dinner

Thursday - Thai grilled chicken, broccoli, and bulgar pilaf

Friday - Pizza roll up burritos and spicy oven fries

Saturday - Mom's birthday! Not sure what she is going to have - maybe Chinese? Mexican? I will just have to be extra careful!

So on to my first week of Weight Watchers.

Things went well. I felt like I was eating too much. I had trouble getting in all my points. At mid-week I was CERTAIN I had gained a couple of pounds. I wanted to trust in the process so I kept at it. I ended up losing 5.4 pounds! Woohoo! The best loss I've had in many, many months!

I exercised 5 days. I rode my recumbent bike, did Zoga, went for a walk, did strengthening exercises with dumbbells and a toning cord, and went to the beach and water jogged, treaded water, swam, and did other exercises in the water for two hours.

New foods tried: WW 1 point bars in Red Velvet Cake - um, YUMMY! Unfortunately they are discontinuing them. Boo! WW 2 pt pretzel chips in garlic and herb - they are just OK. Flatout Wraps - multigrain, 2 points - again, YUM! Loved them!

Favorite breakfast: 1 cup Simply Potatoes, 2 turkey sausage links, 1/4 cup SW Eggbeaters, and a couple tablespoons ff cheddar. Top w/ some hot sauce for a yummy, filling 7-pt breakfast! (You can cut back to 1/2 cup potatoes for 1.5 less points)

NSV - (non scale victory) The shorts I bought in the spring which were a little snug can now be pulled down without being unzipped!

I've lost 3.5 inches off my waist, 3.5 inches off my hips, 1.5 off each thigh, 1 off each arm, and 1.5 off my chest since June 20th! Woot!

Have a great week!

Sherry

My First Weight Watchers Meeting

Boy it's been a busy day! But I am proud of myself! Some of you know, I deal with anxiety issues and have a problem with going to new places and being in new situations. I got myself up and out the door and to my first WW meeting all with very little anxiety! Woot!

Not surprisingly, everyone there was SO nice. The regular leader for Friday's meeting is on vacation, so there was someone else who filled in. We talked about snacking today and what the best snack options are.

There was a 14-year-old girl there with her mother and I told her that I would be bringing my 14yo in the next week or two! (Waiting for letter from pediatrician) They can motivate eachother and hopefully become friends.

I've always said that I feel out of place at WW meetings (I joined several times, the last being about 8 years ago) because it seems like most of the people there need to lose 30 pounds or so. Today when I walked in I was NOT the heaviest woman there! WOOT! HURRAY! There were a few of us with a good 100-200 pounds to lose!

I'm not sure if you know this about me, but I love STUFF. I sometimes even have issues with shopping - it makes me happy. *sigh* But they gave me my little booklet and my pamphlets and oh - I get e-tools too - but I will always be a Spark girl!

After the meeting I bought the new members thingie w/ the dining out guide, recipe book, points book and 3-month tracker. I bought the tracker cover, a box of 1-pt red velvet bars (OMG so good) some pretzel/cracker things, and a water bottle. (told you)

Of course I had a little shopping high - so I went in to Catherine's, which is conveniently located next door! They had an extra 60% off of clearance and I have a 10% off members card. I ended up with a long nightgown (my kids call them moo-moos - whatever, I love them and I will wear them forever) and a black shrug. I only spent 24 bucks! Yay!

Then I went to Meijer and got loads of healthy foods (of course) like Egg beaters and turkey sausage and Flat Out wraps and corn on the cob and some apriums (I think they are another cross between apricots and plums? will look them up) and some dessert pears (no idea - I'll take a pic and tell u what they taste like) and other goodness. I picked up Jillian Michael's book "Winning by Losing" - for motivation. Never can get enough of that.

I bought a measuring tape, measuring cups and spoons too. Our measuring cups are always in the dishwasher. My daughter measures everything too.

So yes, shopping high.

Now I have to finish picking up the house and then I'm headed downstairs for a workout! 30 minutes on the bike and Spark strength exercises.

Dinner is chicken on the grill, corn on the cob, green beans, salad, Texmati rice veggie blend and watermelon. Yum!

Oh, and I will tell u now - I have nowhere near enough points for the day. I have to work on that. I get 38? 39? Will have to check. I eat a lot of veggies and fruits and most of them have 0 points per serving.

Better get back to housework so I can get my workout in! After dinner I am going for a short walk with my sister. My feet are killing me so I doubt I'll even make it a mile - but every little bit counts!

Blessings and hugs,

Sherry

Moving ahead

So my pity party is officially OVER. I woke up this morning determined and focused! Yay me!

I got up and made breakfast -

Thomas' bagel thin in everything flavor (LOVE)
1 large egg, 3 strips turkey bacon
1/4 cup strawberries, 1/4 cup cherries, 1/2 cup seedless black grapes - yummy!

Worked my way through the Internet, updated my weight loss journal (I have a few - I have a book I keep notes in and a motivational binder and other stuff - I'll share someday!) and then went downstairs for a workout!

I did about 10 minutes of stretching, did squats and lunges 10 minutes of abs, then 40 minutes on the recumbent bike! That is my new record. I did 9.2 miles. Yay me! I've only been using it about 2-ish weeks. I started at 2 miles. I love being able to build up so quickly! After that I used a 32.6 lb barbell and did curls and I'm not sure what the other stuff is called. Then some not even girl pushups (my upper body is laughably not strong - so I use the air hockey table and do pushups off that) and finally used my resistance bands for more upper body work. I was downstairs about 90 minutes! For me that is simply incredible. I feel awesome!

Lunch was a big salad topped w/ protein.

2 cups of "very veggie" Dole salad mix
1 cup English cucumber
3 oz Tyson grilled chicken
1/4 cup reduced fat feta cheese
2 tbs reduced fat italian parmesan dressing
and 1 large banana

I'm not quite ready to divulge my weight here on this blog - but hopefully at some point I will. I'm not sure who I'm hiding from - as everyone who knows me obviously can see how much I weigh! All in good time, all in good time.

Anyway -- I use Spark People (can't say enough good things about it!) and they set my calorie range really really high - like 2250 average? I just try to stick to around 1800 at the moment. I am joining Weight Watchers on Friday and will go with their points system - which if I read right will give me 38 points? Not sure if that is the old system or new. I'll update. (If you go to WW, you now know how heavy I am. ha!)

Dinner was at Mom's. Had tortilla encrusted tilapia with wild rice, corn on the cob and salad. Yum. Sis and I went for a walk after dinner and then I had Skinny Cow strawberry cheesecake icecream. Oh. My. Goodness. That stuff is the best! 150 calories of yummy-liciousness!

All in all a good day.

Sherry

Beware: Wild Woman High on Hormones

I feel terrible today. Worse than terrible. I feel like my body has been thrown around a mosh pit, only to be dropped and trampled on. Thank you monthly gift.

I've been reading so many weight loss blogs and healthy cooking blogs lately for motivation. And they ARE a lot of motivation. However, today they are making me feel guilty. Everyone seems to have better mojo than I do. If I want to do this, REALLY do this, I need to become more dedicated and determined.

I promised my daughters I would take them to the drive in tonight and see "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" and "Karate Kid". Weeeeeeee. I'm going to take my current read with me, "The Shack" by William P. Young.

Speaking of weight loss and books, I just finished reading the cutest chic-lit book called "He Loves Lucy" by Susan Donovan. It's a highly enjoyable quick read. Perfect for the beach or road trip.

I need to wake up tomorrow with a new resolve. I need NOT TO FAIL tomorrow. I need not to binge. (By binge I mean eat 500-700 calories within 30 minutes before I even realize what I've done. Going off plan for stupid things like pudding and granola bars) I need to stick to my workout plan. I need to get my fat butt to Weight Watchers for more consistency. *sigh*

Tonight for dinner I baked chicken in the oven with some Mrs. Dash and Lemon Pepper seasoning with baked potatoes. I ate a can of chili and some Sun Chips. I'm so ashamed of my lack of willpower. I'm so irritated with myself! I don't want to be like this. I want to be strong and in control and I want to feel HUMAN. Not only that, I want to feel feminine again. I want to more than a mom, a daughter, an employee, a friend -- I want to be ME. I want to be a person. A whole person.

So that was all quite serious. My mood is particularly foul. But tomorrow is another day!

S

And she lives!

Ok, I absolutely suck and haven't posted in 2 months. Life has kept me busy and blessed.

We went on vacation to Busch Gardens in VA, the Virginia Aquarium, Washington DC, New York City, New Hampshire, and Boston. It was exhausting and tortuous and wonderful.

I'm down 46 pounds now. I officially started on August 7th of last year. I ate healthy and exercised for two months, lost 25 pounds, then I quit for 5 months. I gained back 15 pounds. I restarted in March of this year and here I am. So it sounds like I am the slowest loser in the world if I say I lost 50 pounds in one year (I hope to make the 50-lb lost mark by Aug 7th) so I have to let people know that I was MIA for 5 months of that. But whose weight loss journey is straight and narrow anyway?

Dinner tonight was chicken teriyaki. I diced up about 10 different veggies, chicken, made brown rice and used a low calorie teriyaki sauce. It was pretty good. Served it with salad.

Tomorrow is back to work and I just dread it. My work is just crazy.

I tried a new fruit today. A pluot. It's 30% apricot and 70% plum. Insanely good. Sweet, juicy, and pretty to look at.

Have a great week,

Sherry

The (very) Red, White, & Blue

 

It’s been a really hot week here in Michigan.  Mostly sunny and until today, humid. 

My youngest daughter and I went to a local beach on Wednesday and we played in the lake for 2.5 hours.  I was very careful to slather her in waterproof sunscreen several times, but wasn’t so careful with myself.  The end result looks something like this: 

(not my picture)

My back and shoulders are the worst – but it was my own fault, so I will stop complaining.

So did anyone watch the finale of Biggest Loser? Dancing with the Stars?  American Idol?  I watched 2 out of the 3.  I missed DWTS even though I watched most of the season.  I was happy with the Pussycat Doll winning with Derek (love Derek!) and I was very happy for Michael to win Biggest Loser, even though I was rooting for Ashley.  On AI I liked the girl better – thought the guy was just kinda “meh” – but again, I didn’t watch the whole season, maybe I was wrong.  Where do you weigh in?

Speaking of weight – I lost 5 pounds two weeks ago and the scale has not BUDGED since.  I have been eating healthfully, lots of veggies and fruit, drinking almost nothing but water, exercising – and NOTHING!  I’m getting so aggravated.  I so want to see that number go down! 

Last week I read “The King’s Rose” by Alyssa M. Libby and it was quite good.  It was the story of Henry the VIII’s 5th wife, Jane Howard.  She was only 15 and married to the King when he was 50.  Ewww.  But it was a quick, simple read and I enjoyed it very much.  4/5

Now I’m reading the 2nd Alaskan Quest novel by Tracie Peterson, “Under the Northern Lights”.  This book continues the story of Leah and her brother, Jacob, who run a small trading post in Alaska.  I can’t say much about it, because it would ruin book 1 for you! 

Well, I best take my daughter and her friend to play put-put golf before their incessant talking makes my brain explode.  :)  (teens!)

Have a wonderful, safe, and happy Memorial weekend! And may God bless all those men and women who serve (and served) our country!  My grandpa was in WWII, I had an Uncle who was in the Korean war, and 3 Uncles in Vietnam.  What bravery it must take to protect the US!  I am amazed at their dedication. 

Sherry