"Should I eat breakfast?" I've been asked this question a lot. My answer? YES!
Some research suggests that those who eat breakfast have a better chance of eating better (and some studies suggest less) than folks who skip a morning jump start.
And that's exactly what breakfast is: a jump start. Your metabolism runs constantly. However, when you sleep it slows down. Like, turtle slow..... How do you tell it to get going? Breakfast.
"But I can't eat early in the morning" or "I don't like breakfast foods" or "I don't have time to eat breakfast".
Who said breakfast has to be omelets, pancakes, waffles, or even eggs? Your breakfast can be whatever you want. You can eat dinner for breakfast. Why not eat tonight's leftovers for breakfast tomorrow?
Ok, maybe that's pushing it (we had tuna noodle casserole. I think I'll pass). But you get my point. Your breakfast is just that - YOUR breakfast.
Here are some suggestions:
No Time -
* a hard boiled egg and an apple
* a cheese stick and a banana
* frozen breakfast sandwich (microwaved, of course) and a pear
* a protein bar and a bag of grapes
* nonfat Greek yogurt with fruit added
* almonds and 2 oz of lean lunch meat
* a whole wheat bagel with light cream cheese and a bag of strawberries
* hummus on a whole wheat pita
* something from the "make ahead" list below
More time -
* scrambled eggs or egg whites in a tortilla
* oatmeal with berries
* turkey bacon and egg beaters
* high fiber cereal and skim milk
* a fruit smoothie made with nonfat Greek yogurt
* a Reese's smoothie made with PB2, chocolate protein mix, a banana, almond milk, and ice
* BLT's with turkey bacon
Make ahead -
* high fiber muffins
* homemade granola (there are tons of recipes online)
* fritattas
* quiche
* crock pot oatmeal
If you're not a breakfast food person, eat some lunch meat and a piece of fruit. Breakfast should be what you want it to be. I find having the same thing every morning works well. I have 1 cup of Better'n'Eggs Egg Whites with hot sauce, salt, pepper, and a 1/4 cup of low fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese. I have this 29 days out of 30 each month. Why everyday? Because it's easy, it takes hardly any time, it's FULL of protein so I stay full, and it's cheesy yumminess. Along with my coffee, this gets me going and keeps me there. A couple of hours later I will usually eat some fruit.
And that brings up an important point: you don't have to eat breakfast immediately after getting up. If the thought of putting anything in your mouth besides a toothbrush makes you ill, wait a bit. I have some friends at my WW meeting who have to get up and go to work at 5AM. They do their routine at home, go to work, and eat breakfast there. They say it's usually after 7AM when they're eating. That's OK, too. As long as you eat somewhere close to two hours after you wake up, you're in a good place to get your body going.
And if the thought of protein that early in the morning doesn't appeal to you or what I listed above sounds like too much food, eat your fruit first then wait a bit an add in your protein. In fact, eating something every two hours is one of the best way to keep your body running efficiently.
Here's the nutshell:
* YES you should eat breakfast every day
* YES you should eat what you like.
* YES you should find ways to fit it in. Don't make time excuses - you just have to have a plan.
* YES you should eat within about two hours of waking
* YES you will probably eat less or at least make better choices later in the day
Here's the confession:
* Before I started losing weight, I ate one Bacon, Egg, and Cheese bagel, two hash browns, a cinnamon melts, and a Diet Dr. Pepper at McDonald's about 4 days per week.
* The other days of the week were high calorie junk, probably candy, if truth be told
* I had to train myself to eat breakfast. Be prepared to have to do this.
And FYI - the breakfast I used to eat.....?
1390 calories and 101 grams of fat. That's a days worth of calories for a calorie-reduced diet plan.
Stick THAT in your arteries and smoke it. ;)
Monday, October 7, 2013
Sunday, September 29, 2013
"Only"
I'd like to take a moment to address the word "only".
I find this is a word in the fitness/weight loss word that is the kiss of death. For example, "I only ate half" or "I only walked a mile today".
The worst? "I only lost half of a pound/one pound/two pounds this week".
Let me put this in perspective for you: I have been going to Weight Watchers since January of 2011 (let's call it 136 weeks). If I'd only lost a pound a week, I would've been at my goal 3 months ago. Sure, I'd have been there a year ago had I lost two pounds a week. But you know what? I went through a lot in the last year that has helped me be better and stronger in this process and I wouldn't trade a minute of it. I don't think a year ago I was ready to be at this stage of my journey (I reached my goal yesterday - 177 pounds removed). I surely wasn't as active on a regular basis as I am now, I hadn't plateaued very much at that point (plateaus are an excellent way to practice for the way life will be for the rest of my life. At least that's what I've taught myself), and I hadn't developed enough or strong enough relationships with people who I knew could keep me going and help me maintain my weight loss.
Here's another way of thinking of the word "only"......
Do you hold yourself accountable for only having one more serving of mashed potatoes? Do you hold yourself accountable to only one more slice of pizza? Do you hold yourself accountable for saying "It's only one day I won't exercise"? Do you hold yourself accountable for only eating one more handful of candy?
If you're going to beat yourself up about only losing a half pound/one pound/two pounds, then why don't you beat yourself up about not making all the other healthy decisions you could make each day?
This is only my perspective and I hope it helps. Could you imagine me saying "I only lost 177 pounds"?
Ummmm.....no. I like to replace "only" in that sentence with "really".
So try that the next time you want to say "I only....."
I really lost a half a pound!
I really lost a pound this week!
I really lost two pounds this week!
I really ate the entire bag of candy.
It was really one day I didn't go exercise.
"It's really my life I'm changing". Put "only" back in there.....
"It's only my life I'm changing". That's not true. You're changing other lives, whether it be your kids, or spouse, or friends, or whoever.
You never know who you are inspiring.
And believe me.....YOU are inspiring. ;)
I find this is a word in the fitness/weight loss word that is the kiss of death. For example, "I only ate half" or "I only walked a mile today".
The worst? "I only lost half of a pound/one pound/two pounds this week".
Let me put this in perspective for you: I have been going to Weight Watchers since January of 2011 (let's call it 136 weeks). If I'd only lost a pound a week, I would've been at my goal 3 months ago. Sure, I'd have been there a year ago had I lost two pounds a week. But you know what? I went through a lot in the last year that has helped me be better and stronger in this process and I wouldn't trade a minute of it. I don't think a year ago I was ready to be at this stage of my journey (I reached my goal yesterday - 177 pounds removed). I surely wasn't as active on a regular basis as I am now, I hadn't plateaued very much at that point (plateaus are an excellent way to practice for the way life will be for the rest of my life. At least that's what I've taught myself), and I hadn't developed enough or strong enough relationships with people who I knew could keep me going and help me maintain my weight loss.
Here's another way of thinking of the word "only"......
Do you hold yourself accountable for only having one more serving of mashed potatoes? Do you hold yourself accountable to only one more slice of pizza? Do you hold yourself accountable for saying "It's only one day I won't exercise"? Do you hold yourself accountable for only eating one more handful of candy?
If you're going to beat yourself up about only losing a half pound/one pound/two pounds, then why don't you beat yourself up about not making all the other healthy decisions you could make each day?
This is only my perspective and I hope it helps. Could you imagine me saying "I only lost 177 pounds"?
Ummmm.....no. I like to replace "only" in that sentence with "really".
So try that the next time you want to say "I only....."
I really lost a half a pound!
I really lost a pound this week!
I really lost two pounds this week!
I really ate the entire bag of candy.
It was really one day I didn't go exercise.
"It's really my life I'm changing". Put "only" back in there.....
"It's only my life I'm changing". That's not true. You're changing other lives, whether it be your kids, or spouse, or friends, or whoever.
You never know who you are inspiring.
And believe me.....YOU are inspiring. ;)
Monday, September 9, 2013
Focus after injury
Probably my favorite activity is Zumba. More specifically Nitro's Zumba (Yes, he goes by "Nitro" and yes it implies what you think it does about his Zumba).
On April 9 of this year, we were doing my favorite routine, "Fire Burning" by Sean Kingston. It's high energy, very "dancey", and just a whole lot of fun. There's also a lot of jumping. So imagine how it felt for me to come down on my left foot toward the end of the song only to hear an incredibly loud "POP", feel my legs buckle beneath me, and leap toward the wall for support. I think some of my fellow Zumba friends thought I'd run into the wall (as the move I had just completed moves forward quickly, and I'm a klutz by nature).
Sadly, my first thought wasn't, "I'm hurt and should stop walking." Nope. My first thought was, "what if this means I can't workout anymore???"
And so I couldn't. At least not how I had been. At this point in my weight-loss journey I was doing 10+ hours of workouts per week, including boot camps, Zumba, elliptical, weights, Turbo Kick, and much more.
Long story short....I went to the doctor, had an MRI done, and he confirmed that I had torn my meniscus. He scheduled me for surgery two months after my injury. My first question to him was "How soon can I get back to my regular activity?" His advice was, and I quote, "Pretty much anything you can tolerate. But I wouldn't run marathons or do Zumba or something like that."
Seriously? No Zumba?
So what to do next? I was on a mission to get these last 10 or so pounds off and activity was a huge part of that process. It was an identity for me even. So much so that when I put on makeup, did my hair, and wore something other than workout clothes, my kids wondered where I was going so dressed up.
After the injury, I gave myself a few days of rest. And then I went to the YMCA and worked on my upper body. My arms, back, and abs. A few weeks later, I added super-slow walking on the treadmill, as tolerated. Eventually, I was able to more than 2.5 mph on the treadmill. Once I could do that, I knew I would have enough strength in my knee to do light weight amounts on the Nautilus machines for my legs: hamstrings and quadriceps and calves. Eventually, I could walk farther and faster, and could add more weight for my leg exercises. The Saturday before my surgery I even jogged a 10K. And I didn't walk any of it. I was sore. And I cried when I finished. But it wasn't because I hurt - it was because I was amazed at what my body had accomplished. I had pushed myself farther than I ever thought I could and I came out stronger in the process.
And then I had my surgery, which sidelined me more than the initial injury. The doctor had recommended I rest, ice, and elevate my leg. So I did that as much as I could and continued working through the injury in the same way I had post-injury/pre-surgery. I worked my upper body first, then added walking, the added leg exercises. After I saw the doctor six weeks later, he was amazed at my progress. He also told me he always recommended physical therapy to surgery patients. But all my work and patience had paid off - he said I should continue as I had and increase my activity as tolerated. I had officially avoided physical therapy. Woohoo! That's what I had been working so hard to accomplish. That, and getting back to my Zumba.
I'm a really bad patient. I probably should have slowed my activity schedule and given myself more time to recover. But hindsight is 20/20.
Here's what I would recommend to anyone else who has an injury in the middle of a goal or for someone just used to being active:
* Take your doctor's advice. But be willing to ask questions. Tell your doctor what you typically do and ask for modifications or recommendations for alternatives. They may not know, but they should be able to tell you things you shouldn't do and you can find something that will work for their suggestions.
* Just because you're injured in your lower (or upper) half, doesn't mean you can't work the upper (or lower) half. There are always exercises to do for each part of the body. I was in "batwing elimination" mode during my recovery. I worked my arms. A lot. I still have batwings, but they're not as noticeable anymore. At least I hope. :)
* Try something new! I used the recumbent bike and the stationary bike at the Y during my recovery. I felt funny since I was able to do so many other things before my injury, but I kept moving on whatever piece of equipment my body would tolerate. And eventually I was able to welcome the elliptical back into my world. It just took time.
* Give yourself permission to stop if it hurts. I still have trouble running/jogging. It still hurts to do that sometimes. And when it does, I listen to my knee and I stop.
* Listen to your body - it will tell you what it can tolerate.
But here's the greatest piece of advice I received after my injury: (from my dear friend, Laura, who had injured her back previously and had been in a similar situation to mine)
FOCUS ON THE FOOD! Get back to basics and relearn the plan. Whatever plan you're on (mine is Weight Watchers), get back to the basics. Measure everything. Track everything. Make smarter choices. Now that I wasn't as active, I wasn't able to eat as much as I had while exercising so vigorously. So I did what she suggested. And I lost weight during my two recoveries (I consider my time pre-surgery as a recovery, too).
I hope this helps in some way. Being injured when you're working toward a goal could be a time to make excuses. Don't do it. I can't imagine backsliding just because of injury. Not saying I couldn't actually do it, but the thought of having to re-lose any of this weight sounds awful.
And now, we Zumba!
On April 9 of this year, we were doing my favorite routine, "Fire Burning" by Sean Kingston. It's high energy, very "dancey", and just a whole lot of fun. There's also a lot of jumping. So imagine how it felt for me to come down on my left foot toward the end of the song only to hear an incredibly loud "POP", feel my legs buckle beneath me, and leap toward the wall for support. I think some of my fellow Zumba friends thought I'd run into the wall (as the move I had just completed moves forward quickly, and I'm a klutz by nature).
Sadly, my first thought wasn't, "I'm hurt and should stop walking." Nope. My first thought was, "what if this means I can't workout anymore???"
And so I couldn't. At least not how I had been. At this point in my weight-loss journey I was doing 10+ hours of workouts per week, including boot camps, Zumba, elliptical, weights, Turbo Kick, and much more.
Long story short....I went to the doctor, had an MRI done, and he confirmed that I had torn my meniscus. He scheduled me for surgery two months after my injury. My first question to him was "How soon can I get back to my regular activity?" His advice was, and I quote, "Pretty much anything you can tolerate. But I wouldn't run marathons or do Zumba or something like that."
Seriously? No Zumba?
So what to do next? I was on a mission to get these last 10 or so pounds off and activity was a huge part of that process. It was an identity for me even. So much so that when I put on makeup, did my hair, and wore something other than workout clothes, my kids wondered where I was going so dressed up.
After the injury, I gave myself a few days of rest. And then I went to the YMCA and worked on my upper body. My arms, back, and abs. A few weeks later, I added super-slow walking on the treadmill, as tolerated. Eventually, I was able to more than 2.5 mph on the treadmill. Once I could do that, I knew I would have enough strength in my knee to do light weight amounts on the Nautilus machines for my legs: hamstrings and quadriceps and calves. Eventually, I could walk farther and faster, and could add more weight for my leg exercises. The Saturday before my surgery I even jogged a 10K. And I didn't walk any of it. I was sore. And I cried when I finished. But it wasn't because I hurt - it was because I was amazed at what my body had accomplished. I had pushed myself farther than I ever thought I could and I came out stronger in the process.
And then I had my surgery, which sidelined me more than the initial injury. The doctor had recommended I rest, ice, and elevate my leg. So I did that as much as I could and continued working through the injury in the same way I had post-injury/pre-surgery. I worked my upper body first, then added walking, the added leg exercises. After I saw the doctor six weeks later, he was amazed at my progress. He also told me he always recommended physical therapy to surgery patients. But all my work and patience had paid off - he said I should continue as I had and increase my activity as tolerated. I had officially avoided physical therapy. Woohoo! That's what I had been working so hard to accomplish. That, and getting back to my Zumba.
I'm a really bad patient. I probably should have slowed my activity schedule and given myself more time to recover. But hindsight is 20/20.
Here's what I would recommend to anyone else who has an injury in the middle of a goal or for someone just used to being active:
* Take your doctor's advice. But be willing to ask questions. Tell your doctor what you typically do and ask for modifications or recommendations for alternatives. They may not know, but they should be able to tell you things you shouldn't do and you can find something that will work for their suggestions.
* Just because you're injured in your lower (or upper) half, doesn't mean you can't work the upper (or lower) half. There are always exercises to do for each part of the body. I was in "batwing elimination" mode during my recovery. I worked my arms. A lot. I still have batwings, but they're not as noticeable anymore. At least I hope. :)
* Try something new! I used the recumbent bike and the stationary bike at the Y during my recovery. I felt funny since I was able to do so many other things before my injury, but I kept moving on whatever piece of equipment my body would tolerate. And eventually I was able to welcome the elliptical back into my world. It just took time.
* Give yourself permission to stop if it hurts. I still have trouble running/jogging. It still hurts to do that sometimes. And when it does, I listen to my knee and I stop.
* Listen to your body - it will tell you what it can tolerate.
But here's the greatest piece of advice I received after my injury: (from my dear friend, Laura, who had injured her back previously and had been in a similar situation to mine)
FOCUS ON THE FOOD! Get back to basics and relearn the plan. Whatever plan you're on (mine is Weight Watchers), get back to the basics. Measure everything. Track everything. Make smarter choices. Now that I wasn't as active, I wasn't able to eat as much as I had while exercising so vigorously. So I did what she suggested. And I lost weight during my two recoveries (I consider my time pre-surgery as a recovery, too).
I hope this helps in some way. Being injured when you're working toward a goal could be a time to make excuses. Don't do it. I can't imagine backsliding just because of injury. Not saying I couldn't actually do it, but the thought of having to re-lose any of this weight sounds awful.
And now, we Zumba!
Sunday, September 8, 2013
I hate restaurants.
I do. I really do. I haven't figured if it's my loathing of their giant portions, lack of healthier fare, or my total distrust in my own willpower.
I don't eat out very often at all. I like the idea of someone else doing all of the work. That's about where my tolerance of restaurants ends. However, I live in the real world and I know that eating out occasionally happens, even in my world.
So, how do I dine away from home successfully? Here's what I do. Usually. Well, I try to, anyway:
1. I decide if the meal is to celebrate or is it to just get something in my belly. If it's to celebrate, I probably have planned ahead and know where I'm eating. Therefore I can research the menu ahead of time (most places have their menus on their website) and plan accordingly. In these instances, I give myself permission to eat something I wouldn't otherwise cook at home, something special. And regardless of the nutritional value, I enjoy myself. Seriously.
2. If it's to nourish myself rather than to celebrate, I try to keep to my go-to places. These would be instances when I'm caught away from home unexpectedly. My go-to casual places are Subway, Cracker Barrel, Ruby Tuesday, and Applebee's. While none of these are by any means my favorite places to eat, I know I can do well there. Everyone knows Jared lost a lot of weight at Subway, so that's self explanatory. But Cracker Barrel? The home of biscuits and gravy and that life-changing hash brown casserole! But they have a blackened catfish that's really good. Pair that with three sides of green veggie and I'm full and guilt-free. Applebee's has a WW friendly menu if you look for the WW items. I'm not a huge fan of their selections but they're OK. Ruby Tuesday has an all you can eat salad bar. I pair that (sans cheeses, meats, and high fat dressings, etc.) with the three veggie plate (spaghetti squash, grilled zucchini, and asparagus are my favorites). I'm not going to lie - I go a little crazy at a salad bar.
3. But when I'm caught off guard and I see cheesy, fried, wonderfulness staring me in the face, it is much more difficult.
a. avoid the salads at all cost. Most restaurant salads have a ridiculous amount of calories. Plus, they're not filling and their pretty generic.
b. ask if it's possible for accommodations to be made to your menu choice. Most places are willing to do this because they want you to come back and tell your friends you had a great experience. But, if they won't.....
c. choose a high protein, lean meat something. This could be the generic grilled chicken breast or a lean piece of fish. But get interesting.....
d. choose the burger sans bun. You could ask for lettuce leaves and make a low-carb wrap. If you don't want to ask for modifications, just don't eat the bun when it comes to you. Or ask for every veggie under the sun for your burger and use half of the bun. Burgers are actually a great way to eat out, look like a "normal person" and still get to eat a lot. Plus, they're fun and seem so much worse for you than they actually are. And don't get cheese on it. Duh......or mayonnaise.
e. Ask for an alternate side. Choose a baked potato over fries. Ask if they have a steamed veggie option. Or this is the instance to order a salad, without all the cheese, croutons, and bacon. Ask for a light dressing. If they don't have one, maybe they have salsa - this makes a great way to dress a salad!
f. I love Mexican food. Fajitas are a great option. And you can ask them for no sour cream and no cheese, if you'd like. They'll even keep the tortillas if you ask them. But if you love these things, I say eat them. Sadly, I despise green peppers. If I'm not confident when I ask for no green peppers that I won't actually have green peppers on my plate, I will usually go with a shredded meat choice, like a shredded chicken burrito. But I will get salsa verde on instead of enchilada or cheese sauce. But what about the chips and salsa? You could turn them away. But I have found that some places have carrot or celery sticks they'll give me instead. Hooray for options!
g. Stay away from Italian places at all costs unless it's a celebration. 'Nuf said.
h. Shrimp or crab. If these options are available, as long as they're not fried, go there.
Some random tips for eating out:
* Be the first to order at your table. Then don't change your mind.
* Ask for a half portion or ask for a to-go container to come out with your plate and box half of that pile of food away. Take it out to your car if you're worried you'd eat it while sitting there. I totally would.
* Order off the appetizer menu. And maybe a side vegetable. A la carte can be your friend.
* Ask questions, but be polite. You'd be amazed what a server is willing to ask the kitchen to do if you're complimentary and friendly to them.
* Ask for the hidden menu. Panera has a hidden menu. Look it up - it's delicious!
* Share with a friend.
* Order off the kids menu. I eat a happy meal at McDonald's every now and then. I could get the southwest chicken salad and dressing for 9 points or I can get a cheeseburger happy meal for 11. I'd rather spend the 11 and have salty cheesiness and a baby portion of fries. And apples. So I even have dessert. :D
* Soup is a good option, too. Just don't choose the clam chowder or creamy-pot-of-calories version. Chicken noodle and especially French onion (without the crouton and cheese) are great ways to fill your belly for a small amount of calories and to not feel deprived. Try the French onion soup without the topping - the soup is really made of onions. Huh, who knew? ;)
* Don't eat off your kids' plates when they don't finish. This counts at home, too.
* If you really want dessert, those shot glass versions are perfect! If not, ask for one dessert for the table. As long as you like your company enough, you won't mind clinking spoons, right?
That's about all that comes to mind at this point. If you have a specific situation, please ask. I've probably encountered it. But after talking about all this food, I need a snack now. And I don't do hungry.
I don't eat out very often at all. I like the idea of someone else doing all of the work. That's about where my tolerance of restaurants ends. However, I live in the real world and I know that eating out occasionally happens, even in my world.
So, how do I dine away from home successfully? Here's what I do. Usually. Well, I try to, anyway:
1. I decide if the meal is to celebrate or is it to just get something in my belly. If it's to celebrate, I probably have planned ahead and know where I'm eating. Therefore I can research the menu ahead of time (most places have their menus on their website) and plan accordingly. In these instances, I give myself permission to eat something I wouldn't otherwise cook at home, something special. And regardless of the nutritional value, I enjoy myself. Seriously.
2. If it's to nourish myself rather than to celebrate, I try to keep to my go-to places. These would be instances when I'm caught away from home unexpectedly. My go-to casual places are Subway, Cracker Barrel, Ruby Tuesday, and Applebee's. While none of these are by any means my favorite places to eat, I know I can do well there. Everyone knows Jared lost a lot of weight at Subway, so that's self explanatory. But Cracker Barrel? The home of biscuits and gravy and that life-changing hash brown casserole! But they have a blackened catfish that's really good. Pair that with three sides of green veggie and I'm full and guilt-free. Applebee's has a WW friendly menu if you look for the WW items. I'm not a huge fan of their selections but they're OK. Ruby Tuesday has an all you can eat salad bar. I pair that (sans cheeses, meats, and high fat dressings, etc.) with the three veggie plate (spaghetti squash, grilled zucchini, and asparagus are my favorites). I'm not going to lie - I go a little crazy at a salad bar.
3. But when I'm caught off guard and I see cheesy, fried, wonderfulness staring me in the face, it is much more difficult.
a. avoid the salads at all cost. Most restaurant salads have a ridiculous amount of calories. Plus, they're not filling and their pretty generic.
b. ask if it's possible for accommodations to be made to your menu choice. Most places are willing to do this because they want you to come back and tell your friends you had a great experience. But, if they won't.....
c. choose a high protein, lean meat something. This could be the generic grilled chicken breast or a lean piece of fish. But get interesting.....
d. choose the burger sans bun. You could ask for lettuce leaves and make a low-carb wrap. If you don't want to ask for modifications, just don't eat the bun when it comes to you. Or ask for every veggie under the sun for your burger and use half of the bun. Burgers are actually a great way to eat out, look like a "normal person" and still get to eat a lot. Plus, they're fun and seem so much worse for you than they actually are. And don't get cheese on it. Duh......or mayonnaise.
e. Ask for an alternate side. Choose a baked potato over fries. Ask if they have a steamed veggie option. Or this is the instance to order a salad, without all the cheese, croutons, and bacon. Ask for a light dressing. If they don't have one, maybe they have salsa - this makes a great way to dress a salad!
f. I love Mexican food. Fajitas are a great option. And you can ask them for no sour cream and no cheese, if you'd like. They'll even keep the tortillas if you ask them. But if you love these things, I say eat them. Sadly, I despise green peppers. If I'm not confident when I ask for no green peppers that I won't actually have green peppers on my plate, I will usually go with a shredded meat choice, like a shredded chicken burrito. But I will get salsa verde on instead of enchilada or cheese sauce. But what about the chips and salsa? You could turn them away. But I have found that some places have carrot or celery sticks they'll give me instead. Hooray for options!
g. Stay away from Italian places at all costs unless it's a celebration. 'Nuf said.
h. Shrimp or crab. If these options are available, as long as they're not fried, go there.
Some random tips for eating out:
* Be the first to order at your table. Then don't change your mind.
* Ask for a half portion or ask for a to-go container to come out with your plate and box half of that pile of food away. Take it out to your car if you're worried you'd eat it while sitting there. I totally would.
* Order off the appetizer menu. And maybe a side vegetable. A la carte can be your friend.
* Ask questions, but be polite. You'd be amazed what a server is willing to ask the kitchen to do if you're complimentary and friendly to them.
* Ask for the hidden menu. Panera has a hidden menu. Look it up - it's delicious!
* Share with a friend.
* Order off the kids menu. I eat a happy meal at McDonald's every now and then. I could get the southwest chicken salad and dressing for 9 points or I can get a cheeseburger happy meal for 11. I'd rather spend the 11 and have salty cheesiness and a baby portion of fries. And apples. So I even have dessert. :D
* Soup is a good option, too. Just don't choose the clam chowder or creamy-pot-of-calories version. Chicken noodle and especially French onion (without the crouton and cheese) are great ways to fill your belly for a small amount of calories and to not feel deprived. Try the French onion soup without the topping - the soup is really made of onions. Huh, who knew? ;)
* Don't eat off your kids' plates when they don't finish. This counts at home, too.
* If you really want dessert, those shot glass versions are perfect! If not, ask for one dessert for the table. As long as you like your company enough, you won't mind clinking spoons, right?
That's about all that comes to mind at this point. If you have a specific situation, please ask. I've probably encountered it. But after talking about all this food, I need a snack now. And I don't do hungry.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Food addict?
I'm not going to lie: losing this weight has been one of the hardest things I've done in my entire life.
My husband has smoked for almost 30 years (he's on an e-cigarette now and has cut back to 1-2 regular cigarettes per day. Yay!) and we have the discussion often about how difficult it is to quit smoking. I'm happy he's making this change to improve his health. But then he starts rambling on about how it's impossible to completely quit....he'll never get it 100% under control....it's an addiction and he's been doing it for almost 30 years.....blah, blah, blah.
And then I trump him: at least you don't need cigarettes to survive.
I'm a food addict. At least I think that's what it could be called. Sure, I know food is fuel and not entertainment or meant to make me feel better. But it it is and it does.
So why is this important for me to say out loud? Well, because I'm sure I can't be the only one. Even after all this weight loss and all this time on Weight Watchers, I still have quantity issues. I like to see a big, huge plate of food. I like to know I'm still getting to eat the wonderful, gooey, cheesy, or chocolaty things I've loved for so long. Honestly, I still like to eat like I'm a glutton. I'm a pig and I'll admit it.
The catch is that I've found ways to make the foods I love fit into this new lifestyle. I still eat mass quantities of many foods but I know which ones I can and can not eat on a regular basis. And I've learned how to adapt recipes to be more friendly to my body and the Weight Watchers program.
Here are some examples:
* I use nonfat, plain Greek yogurt to make creamy sauces, dips for my veggies, and in brownie mixes (yes, I'm serious!).
* I use cauliflower to make "mashed potatoes" and make quinoa salads seem bigger than they are.
* I use butternut squash as most of my sauce for macaroni and cheese. Because, let's not forget, I could swim in a tub of mac'n'cheese and totally call that my happy place.
* I use high fiber anything as often as I can. The fiber helps keep me full and can lower the Points Plus Values of foods (sometimes).
* I make a mean sandwich. And it's usually about 4 inches thick because I've loaded it with lean protein and LOTS of veggies.
* I use applesauce in baked goods instead of oil.
* If a recipe calls for veggies, I'll see if I can double the amount of veggies without altering the consistency or flavor too much.
* I measure. Everything. This sounds like such a simple thing, but it makes a HUGE difference.
There are more, but these are the most common things I do.
So being a food addict can be a good thing. I like food. For me, that means I'm willing to eat almost anything (I hate green peppers and coconut with a passion. Not together. Ewwww. But there's just as gross to me separate). Being able to eat like this let's me try more things, eat better, eat different, and never get bored with what I eat. I can always find or create new ways to cook and experiment.
And this works to my advantage as a food addict. Because how could you enjoy losing weight if all you eat are chicken breasts and steamed broccoli.
Although this has been one of the most difficult things I've ever done, losing weight has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
My husband has smoked for almost 30 years (he's on an e-cigarette now and has cut back to 1-2 regular cigarettes per day. Yay!) and we have the discussion often about how difficult it is to quit smoking. I'm happy he's making this change to improve his health. But then he starts rambling on about how it's impossible to completely quit....he'll never get it 100% under control....it's an addiction and he's been doing it for almost 30 years.....blah, blah, blah.
And then I trump him: at least you don't need cigarettes to survive.
I'm a food addict. At least I think that's what it could be called. Sure, I know food is fuel and not entertainment or meant to make me feel better. But it it is and it does.
So why is this important for me to say out loud? Well, because I'm sure I can't be the only one. Even after all this weight loss and all this time on Weight Watchers, I still have quantity issues. I like to see a big, huge plate of food. I like to know I'm still getting to eat the wonderful, gooey, cheesy, or chocolaty things I've loved for so long. Honestly, I still like to eat like I'm a glutton. I'm a pig and I'll admit it.
The catch is that I've found ways to make the foods I love fit into this new lifestyle. I still eat mass quantities of many foods but I know which ones I can and can not eat on a regular basis. And I've learned how to adapt recipes to be more friendly to my body and the Weight Watchers program.
Here are some examples:
* I use nonfat, plain Greek yogurt to make creamy sauces, dips for my veggies, and in brownie mixes (yes, I'm serious!).
* I use cauliflower to make "mashed potatoes" and make quinoa salads seem bigger than they are.
* I use butternut squash as most of my sauce for macaroni and cheese. Because, let's not forget, I could swim in a tub of mac'n'cheese and totally call that my happy place.
* I use high fiber anything as often as I can. The fiber helps keep me full and can lower the Points Plus Values of foods (sometimes).
* I make a mean sandwich. And it's usually about 4 inches thick because I've loaded it with lean protein and LOTS of veggies.
* I use applesauce in baked goods instead of oil.
* If a recipe calls for veggies, I'll see if I can double the amount of veggies without altering the consistency or flavor too much.
* I measure. Everything. This sounds like such a simple thing, but it makes a HUGE difference.
There are more, but these are the most common things I do.
So being a food addict can be a good thing. I like food. For me, that means I'm willing to eat almost anything (I hate green peppers and coconut with a passion. Not together. Ewwww. But there's just as gross to me separate). Being able to eat like this let's me try more things, eat better, eat different, and never get bored with what I eat. I can always find or create new ways to cook and experiment.
And this works to my advantage as a food addict. Because how could you enjoy losing weight if all you eat are chicken breasts and steamed broccoli.
Although this has been one of the most difficult things I've ever done, losing weight has been one of the most rewarding things I've ever done.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Everyone needs to be "Miss America" at some point.
I have to admit, one of the oddest things I hear (almost daily) is "You're such an inspiration!"
Who? Me? (As I turn my head to look for someone behind me)
Sure, after losing 175 pounds I could be seen as an inspiration. Finishing my degree, certification, and starting my masters is pretty awesome. A lot has happened since I last blogged (almost a year ago - yikes!).
But the most important thing that has happened to me is that I have been inspired. I'm in the "home stretch" now - the last three pounds to my goal weight. It takes a lot of inspiration and motivation to get to this point. That's why I am so grateful to the people in my life who have given me reason to celebrate.
I feel a "Miss America" moment coming, so here it goes. And so as not to offend, I am listing these by the order they pop into my head, not necessarily by their impact or importance in my life.
My Mom - Between babysitting, running kids, potty training, putting up with my workout schedule, and all the other mess I lean on her for. The kids have a strong, supportive, loving environment because of you - Thank you!
Hubby - You have made this journey an enjoyable one for so many reasons. While I can't stand how scrawny you are even after eating an entire pizza, bag of chips, regular soda, and bologna sandwiches every day, you have been an unbelievable support and I love you. Truly.
My boys: Trey, Nathan, and Gabriel - You guys are my world and I love you more than you'll ever know. Being able to keep up with you is so much of the reason I began this journey. I hope I have shown and will continue to show you what a strong, intelligent woman can do. And quit getting so tall......
My daughter, Anna - We've had some rough times during this journey but I know that we are stronger because of them. I love you to the moon and back. I hope you see in me that being strong and intelligent are good qualities in a woman. You already are, so I can't wait to see these qualities flourish in you. Oh, yeah - quit getting so tall.....
Carrie and Laura - I'm not sure what to say except "Thank you". You will never know what your friendship has meant to me. How you two have inspired and pushed me is immeasurable. And having fun on this journey has been paramount to my success and you two have certainly brought the fun. :)
My other Y family - I never would have thought of my closest friends as coming from a place with torture equipment. And that we voluntarily subject ourselves to it and all those classes? Being around wonderful people like you makes it so much easier to tolerate the sweat, bad dance floors, and inadequate air conditioning. Thank you.
My WW family - My leader Tracy, everyone that works at the center in Edwardsville, and everyone that attends the meetings there - What a great group of folks. You are most of the reason I don't miss a meeting. I would be lost without you all and I'm so appreciative of the encouragement you give me.
Nitro, Nicole, and Roger - Three of the most wonderful fitness folks I have ever met. Because of all of your classes, I am stronger, leaner, thinner (duh), and better. Even when I think I can't go any further, I find it within myself to push harder and faster and farther than I ever thought I could. You are the reason I look like I do. That food part - pfft - we all know it's the burpees and salsa dancing that do it, right?
Michelle L - We did so much of this journey together. You encouraged me to do things I never thought I'd do, you offered support to me when you were having your own difficulties. For this I am so grateful and I look forward to seeing you on this journey again.
My church family and the newly formed support group - What an awesome group of ladies to call "friend"! I am so happy to have all of you in my life and to get the chance to offer to you what I have learned. Thank you for giving me that opportunity. God knew what he was doing when he guided me to Zion four years ago.
"Old" friends - Facebook is an amazing tool! To be able to reconnect with others from my past (having been a military kid and moving all the time made it hard to keep in contact) has been fantastic! You're words of encouragement and support have helped me trudge along during those hard moments. Even when you had no idea, you helped me. Thank you.
All the Facebook pages I follow - DTP, Skinny Mom, Skinny Jeans Dreams, et al: Thank you for your pics and quotes and words of advice. Such great information and resources are available for the taking.
And to my Lord and Savior - You know. And I know that you know. :)
I sure hope I didn't forget anyone specific, but in case I did I am sorry. But know that for everyone in my life I am so grateful. Even those who don't know me - you never know whose life you will affect. I know I never knew I would affect so many people's lives. At least that's what they tell me.
;)
Who? Me? (As I turn my head to look for someone behind me)
Sure, after losing 175 pounds I could be seen as an inspiration. Finishing my degree, certification, and starting my masters is pretty awesome. A lot has happened since I last blogged (almost a year ago - yikes!).
But the most important thing that has happened to me is that I have been inspired. I'm in the "home stretch" now - the last three pounds to my goal weight. It takes a lot of inspiration and motivation to get to this point. That's why I am so grateful to the people in my life who have given me reason to celebrate.
I feel a "Miss America" moment coming, so here it goes. And so as not to offend, I am listing these by the order they pop into my head, not necessarily by their impact or importance in my life.
My Mom - Between babysitting, running kids, potty training, putting up with my workout schedule, and all the other mess I lean on her for. The kids have a strong, supportive, loving environment because of you - Thank you!
Hubby - You have made this journey an enjoyable one for so many reasons. While I can't stand how scrawny you are even after eating an entire pizza, bag of chips, regular soda, and bologna sandwiches every day, you have been an unbelievable support and I love you. Truly.
My boys: Trey, Nathan, and Gabriel - You guys are my world and I love you more than you'll ever know. Being able to keep up with you is so much of the reason I began this journey. I hope I have shown and will continue to show you what a strong, intelligent woman can do. And quit getting so tall......
My daughter, Anna - We've had some rough times during this journey but I know that we are stronger because of them. I love you to the moon and back. I hope you see in me that being strong and intelligent are good qualities in a woman. You already are, so I can't wait to see these qualities flourish in you. Oh, yeah - quit getting so tall.....
Carrie and Laura - I'm not sure what to say except "Thank you". You will never know what your friendship has meant to me. How you two have inspired and pushed me is immeasurable. And having fun on this journey has been paramount to my success and you two have certainly brought the fun. :)
My other Y family - I never would have thought of my closest friends as coming from a place with torture equipment. And that we voluntarily subject ourselves to it and all those classes? Being around wonderful people like you makes it so much easier to tolerate the sweat, bad dance floors, and inadequate air conditioning. Thank you.
My WW family - My leader Tracy, everyone that works at the center in Edwardsville, and everyone that attends the meetings there - What a great group of folks. You are most of the reason I don't miss a meeting. I would be lost without you all and I'm so appreciative of the encouragement you give me.
Nitro, Nicole, and Roger - Three of the most wonderful fitness folks I have ever met. Because of all of your classes, I am stronger, leaner, thinner (duh), and better. Even when I think I can't go any further, I find it within myself to push harder and faster and farther than I ever thought I could. You are the reason I look like I do. That food part - pfft - we all know it's the burpees and salsa dancing that do it, right?
Michelle L - We did so much of this journey together. You encouraged me to do things I never thought I'd do, you offered support to me when you were having your own difficulties. For this I am so grateful and I look forward to seeing you on this journey again.
My church family and the newly formed support group - What an awesome group of ladies to call "friend"! I am so happy to have all of you in my life and to get the chance to offer to you what I have learned. Thank you for giving me that opportunity. God knew what he was doing when he guided me to Zion four years ago.
"Old" friends - Facebook is an amazing tool! To be able to reconnect with others from my past (having been a military kid and moving all the time made it hard to keep in contact) has been fantastic! You're words of encouragement and support have helped me trudge along during those hard moments. Even when you had no idea, you helped me. Thank you.
All the Facebook pages I follow - DTP, Skinny Mom, Skinny Jeans Dreams, et al: Thank you for your pics and quotes and words of advice. Such great information and resources are available for the taking.
And to my Lord and Savior - You know. And I know that you know. :)
I sure hope I didn't forget anyone specific, but in case I did I am sorry. But know that for everyone in my life I am so grateful. Even those who don't know me - you never know whose life you will affect. I know I never knew I would affect so many people's lives. At least that's what they tell me.
;)
Thursday, September 20, 2012
What track are you on?
I went on vacation with the kids this summer and every day since I've thought, "I really need to get back to my blog. I miss it". So here I am.....months later. But I'm still on the same mission and am still on track. What track?
* I'm so close to hitting my next weight goal I can smell it (it smells like sweat, if you must know). It's only 3.2 pounds away. It's a weight I haven't seen since I was 14 or so. If I don't hit it this week, I should hit it the next (I go to WW religiously at 6:30 on Saturday mornings).
* I am 12 pounds from losing 100 pounds at WW. I'm hoping to hit this goal by Thanksgiving. That seems a long way away, but I have to be a realistic and while on this journey I've come to realize (thanks to my friend, Michelle) that I can do the work but my body is going to lose the weight on IT'S schedule, not mine. By the way, that twelve pounds will put my grand total at 154 lost since my highest weight. That's the size of a grown woman!!!!
* I will have eight more pounds off by Christmas (twenty from now). Surprisingly, Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't what I'm worried about: it's Halloween. I'm a candy junky! I have resolved to allow myself two pieces of my choice per day. No, I don't trick-or-treat. I steal from the kids. In the middle of the night. While they're asleep. I'm still a food-sneaker, candy-a-holic, and apparently the only person I know who does this.
* I will have ten more pounds off by Valentine's Day (thirty from now). Just say no to chocolate covered strawberries. Oh, wait....strawberries are zero points and the chocolate would be so worth it. A box of 6, please, Hubby!
* I will be at goal by our anniversary (March 11). That's only seven more pounds from the last goal and thirty-nine pounds from now. I will also be within hours of finishing my internship at this point. This goal puts me at a grand total loss of 181. That's more than Hubby weighs right now. It's fun to think I've "lost him" without really losing him. :)
* I will be a lifetime member of Weight Watchers by my birthday (May 1). I will be FORTY! So many things to celebrate: becoming a lifetime member, completing school, being gainfully employed again (hopefully), surviving the first year of high school, middle school, and kindergarten for three of my kiddos, the joy raising the kidlets, the love of a wonderful man, and a mother who has supported me and our family in every way possible through the entire journey.
You might ask, "Why would thirty-nine pounds take you seven more months"? Well, partly because it's taken twenty months to lose ninety pounds. And because I know the last little bit is the hardest to deal with. I know that seven months is a reasonable amount of time and gives me wiggle room in case my beloved body doesn't participate as well as my mind. It's 5.57 pounds per month. Totally doable.
So, what goals have you set for yourself?
* I'm so close to hitting my next weight goal I can smell it (it smells like sweat, if you must know). It's only 3.2 pounds away. It's a weight I haven't seen since I was 14 or so. If I don't hit it this week, I should hit it the next (I go to WW religiously at 6:30 on Saturday mornings).
* I am 12 pounds from losing 100 pounds at WW. I'm hoping to hit this goal by Thanksgiving. That seems a long way away, but I have to be a realistic and while on this journey I've come to realize (thanks to my friend, Michelle) that I can do the work but my body is going to lose the weight on IT'S schedule, not mine. By the way, that twelve pounds will put my grand total at 154 lost since my highest weight. That's the size of a grown woman!!!!
* I will have eight more pounds off by Christmas (twenty from now). Surprisingly, Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't what I'm worried about: it's Halloween. I'm a candy junky! I have resolved to allow myself two pieces of my choice per day. No, I don't trick-or-treat. I steal from the kids. In the middle of the night. While they're asleep. I'm still a food-sneaker, candy-a-holic, and apparently the only person I know who does this.
* I will have ten more pounds off by Valentine's Day (thirty from now). Just say no to chocolate covered strawberries. Oh, wait....strawberries are zero points and the chocolate would be so worth it. A box of 6, please, Hubby!
* I will be at goal by our anniversary (March 11). That's only seven more pounds from the last goal and thirty-nine pounds from now. I will also be within hours of finishing my internship at this point. This goal puts me at a grand total loss of 181. That's more than Hubby weighs right now. It's fun to think I've "lost him" without really losing him. :)
* I will be a lifetime member of Weight Watchers by my birthday (May 1). I will be FORTY! So many things to celebrate: becoming a lifetime member, completing school, being gainfully employed again (hopefully), surviving the first year of high school, middle school, and kindergarten for three of my kiddos, the joy raising the kidlets, the love of a wonderful man, and a mother who has supported me and our family in every way possible through the entire journey.
You might ask, "Why would thirty-nine pounds take you seven more months"? Well, partly because it's taken twenty months to lose ninety pounds. And because I know the last little bit is the hardest to deal with. I know that seven months is a reasonable amount of time and gives me wiggle room in case my beloved body doesn't participate as well as my mind. It's 5.57 pounds per month. Totally doable.
So, what goals have you set for yourself?
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