Things I have been cooking/eating. Weight Watchers edition!

So I restarted weight watchers. I had to, the last 9 baby pounds are still kicking around even though I have been running/walking and it was time to get my eating under control. The awesome thing is as soon as I started eating healthier I noticed an increase in my milk production. I seriously have anxiety about it so it was great to see! The hard thing is as a breast feeding mom I get 41 points a day, 49 extra points a week and activity points. Example for you my 2.15 mile run gave me 8 points extra. UM what is going to happen when I up my mileage???? I know my points will drop as I lose weight, but the 49 remains the same and training like I will be will make me have more points anyway, so its pretty much a wash. This is hard because I don’t eat that much ever, which might be the issue with losing the weight!

I gained 60 lbs through my pregnancy. I was 189 pre-pregnancy and in really good shape. I was running 9-10 minute miles and strength training with my personal trainer so the number on the scale never bothered me. Cue my last weigh in before giving birth at 250lbs……OUCH! That is like 20lbs less than my husband who is 6’5″. So boy was I glad when I got home from the hospital and 30 of those pesky pounds were already gone….see ya water weight. Oh I clearly have no problem posting my weight and as a reference for everyone at my thinest (healthy weight) I was 150lbs. I probably never want to be below that, I look thin but I look strong and normal! So even though I have already lost 52 lbs….wow thats crazy to say,  I still have 48 total I want to lose (including those 9 pregnancy pounds!) Putting my weight out there for everyone makes it a lot harder to slack off…plus I really don’t care what anyone thinks about how much I weigh. Seeing me in person I dont look like I weigh 198 lbs and I am pretty happy looking like I do with a one month old baby!

Now that we all are caught up, lets see what I have been eating, with the help of my sous chef Camden!

Yesterday’s breakfast was:

Oatmeal, grapes and laughing cow cheese. If you haven’t dipped grapes in laughing cow cheese you aren’t living.

Total points 6.

Five for the oatmeal, 1 for the cheese zero for the grapes. Breakfast around here has to be quick, what with the baby somehow magically knowing when I eat and having a melt down. I haven’t been eating breakfast since he was born because of my weird sleep schedule but now I make sure I do!

Lunch yesterday was:

Baked Potato Soup: weight watchers recipe, topped with turkey bacon, sour cream and cheese (stirred in) 7 points. Cheese 1 point, Almond crackers 4 points for 16 crackers!!!! Grapes zero.

Total points: 12 

This brought my total to 18 for the day and I was full. Grandma had family dinner, no picture but she had pulled pork sandwiches, ribs, rice, baked beans and sweet potato fries. I ate a little of all of it and after tallying the points it was

Total points 28

So a lot, enough to push me over my 41 points by 5 and use up 5 of my extra 49 for the week, so no worries there and I went over. BUT I don’t usually eat like that so I guess I have to snack more during the day.

Today Breakfast was the same.

For Lunch I made chicken lettuce wraps, Camden helped.

We got the ingredients ready.

See, helping!!!

They came out great and I used the recipe builder to figure out the points, super filling and only 3 points per wrap. I had 2 so

Total points: 6

My added issue is I am on a run every three days training plan (don’t want an injury) so I will get extra points today and don’t know how to use all of them up healthily. I could eat ice cream but I feel like that defeats the purpose completely!

HELP ME! I need to eat enough to adequately train, feed the baby and still lose weight the correct way! Suggestions welcome 🙂

Slow Carb Recipe and Weight Update!

So today I did not run as planned. I did train with Jeff in the morning, but I also had a touch of food poisoning, yea it was a very fun day for me! Last night we went to dinner and I had a salad, clearly not washed well or something because as soon as we got home I had a headache, the spins and was sick to my stomach, so you can guess what happened all day today in my world! Anywho thats not what we are hear to talk about but it is an update on why I didnt train as hard as I would have liked today! Also as of today before all stomach issues, I was officially down 9lbs and boy does that feel good!

Tuesday night I really wanted Tacos…Slow carb diet says no though! My idea of tacos is SHELLS or HINT OF LIME TORTILLAS crushed into a bowl, lettuce enough for a salad, ground beef, refried beans and RICE! The solution was clearly to make my own rice from Cauliflower and MAN WAS IT GOOD!!!! So here is the recipe!

CAULIFLOWER RICE:

Step One: Prepare your tools for me that is my food processor (one of the best gifts from my wedding registry!), and my favorite cutting board and knife. There is something about that one knife that you love to use, maybe thats just me since I love to cook. But my Henkel style knife is awesome and I LOVE IT! Then of course Cauliflower!

 Please excuse my recycling behind the food processor I was too lazy to take it to the sink!

Step 2: Cut up cauliflower into small enough pieces to be evenly chopped in the processor!

Not chopped yet, but seriously how many pictures did you want???

Step 3: Mix in FP until the size of rice.

Step 4: Place into a microwave safe bowl, DO NOT ADD WATER it will get gummy and weird not that I did but I know it will! Cover with Plastic wrap and microwave for 3 min. The water in the cauliflower will cook it enough and make it nice and firm but chewy.

The finished product:

How good was the salad….off the charts of course! Dan even loved it!!!!

On another slow carb note, Friday our insurance Reps took mom and I to lunch to discuss our account and I had this beauty!

It came with those eggs, gave them to mom. The oranges and tomato I cannot eat so I skipped those as well. I know you are saying Alex you cant eat breaded fried chicken either, and to that I say….

THIS IS A MIRACLE OF RESTAURANT FOOD! BAKED WALNUT ENCRUSTED CHICKEN! No frying and no bread crumbs so it totally fits in!

Now it is off to bed I am planning an early morning run tomorrow! Hope everyone has a wonderous weekend!!!

Updates on weight loss, running and why I havent blogged in 2 days!

So I have not written a new post in 2 days! I hope you missed reading the blog just as much as I have missed writing it! I would have written more, but I have been so busy with working and getting ready for vacation! I also hope that you will be okay with no new posts from 5-5 to 5-12, while we are in Mexico!!!

I am so sorry to say this as well but I have not ran since SUNDAY! The week was not only busy but I was pretty sick. Thanks to my monthly visitor I have been really cramped and sick to my stomach. Smart move on my part for not running, because I know my body would be throwing a fit at me right now if I had. However that all changes in about 15 minutes when Krystle and I are going out for a run. I have felt so guilty the past couple days about not going, but realize its probably better I dont!

As for my weight loss, since starting my slow carb dieting and exercising last Monday I am down 6 pounds (as of my weigh in Thursday!) I am happy with that and plan to be down the 15 I wanted by May 5th when we leave for our trip! I have also been tanning which is always an adventure am i right?!?! In my case it seems like my face gets darker and darker and as you go down my body it gets less and less tan, ghost white legs and a tan face is always a sweet look right?

Well I am off on my run, look out for lots of posts this weekend highlighting the cool things I did that kept me too busy to blog!!!

Have a great Friday! What are your plans for tonight? We are probably doing our usual dinner and maybe the movies to see the lucky one!

Alex’s 30 Day Challenge!

It was so good that as I was rating it I decided this was always the right and better choice!

For Dinner I made this…..

There is two servings in the bag and 370 calories per serving. However there is high sodium, so to combat this I added more water and some Mrs. Dash, since there is no sodium in there. I also added a full bag of broccoli. Once this was all added I have enough for 4 servings and it does not taste watered down at all!

Now it is time to do some cleaning, some treadmill running and then sleep. I a have a very busy work day ahead of me tomorrow, a date with the EASTER BUNNY, and of course being the DD for my brother’s Birthday Extravaganza!!!!!! HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND EVERYONE!

Working out, Salads and Blue Ribbons

Thursday we went to Dinner at Moe’s, keeping with the detox I got a salad, which is key there, they are so good! You also do not need dressing due to that salsa! The salad was lettuce, cucumbers, black olives, guacamole, and black beans, super tasty!!!!

The red salsas are their regular salsas, and the browner one is a limited time habanero smokey tomato, that was my absolute favorite! So good, but way too spicy to put any more than that on there.

Friday night we went to chilis,I got their grilled chicken salad I asked for no chicken and no cheese and dressing on the side. The waitress suggested I try a bean patty on there, I did and I will never go back to chicken there! It was grilled and super delicious. The salad unfortunately came with cheese on it but I picked around it. The dressing was a honey lime vinaigrette and was perfection!

I forgot to take a picture of that one sorry! Also after dinner with our friends on fridays we usually get ice cream, since Dan and I have given up sugar we didnt do that, and I have t say I did not miss it. Don’t mistake the fact that I love ice cream, when I do eat it again I will probably pee my pants in excitement before I take the first bite. (Exaggerating, but only a bit!)

Friday at work I was down another 1.5 pounds in our biggest loser weigh-in and was really excited to take out 15 candies, they were promptly put into a cup and delivered to my Dad. He keeps trying to eat them out of the container at work and remembers right before he opens it and it is always funny to watch him bobble the container and say no no I cannot eat those whoops!

Today, I woke up and went to Fitness Underground, the link is to their facebook page, check them out if you are looking for a great and supportive personal trainer! I am so glad Jeff helps me so much with my fitness and running, I really can see differences from where I started and now, plus today at work everyone said they are seeing a difference too, so that is always a huge plus! After my workout, in which my arms were murdered! I went home and picked up my chili for our chili cookoff!

I WON THE BLUE RIBBON!!!! That means I get to go to the Regional Chili Cookoff and give everyone a sample of my chili. Yes the contest was completely anonymous, and I was so happy. I always wanted to be a chef and have my own restaurant so it was nice to win!

Me, Krystle who tied for third with a customer (not pictured) and Bill who took second place and will also go to the chili cookoff, because my Dad wanted a customer to be able to go as well. By the way I was wearing high heels with that dress but my feet got really tired from standing all day.

Now I am off on a date with my husband to Dinner and the movies to see Wanderlust! I am pretty pumped about a nice date with my sweetie!

Recipes Low Calorie Pancakes and Brown Sugar Garlic Chicken!

As requested here is the recipe for the pancakes! Just divine! Under that I am including the chicken recipe from dinner last night, so good! Also a picture, the Potato Skins turned into Potato Casserole as I was not delicate enough with scooping the sweet potatoes out, but oh well still tasted great!

 

 

“Blintz” Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup

Makes 8 silver dollar pancakes, serves four. From “Cook Yourself Thin Faster.”

 

Ingredients

3/4 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese

3/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 pinch salt

2 egg whites

2 tsp sugar (I leave this out and they come out just fine, but if you want a little sweetness, the calorie count below includes it).

cooking spray

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup blueberries 

 

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mix the cottage cheese, sour cream, and vanilla.

2. In a small bowl, mix the dry ingredients (except the sugar), then gently stir into the cheese mixture.

3. Using a standing mixer fitted with a whisk or a handheld mixer, mix the egg whites and sugar together until soft peaks form. They will have doubled in volume; do not overmix or they will become dry.

4. With a spatula, mix in one third of the whites to lighten the cheese mixture, and then gently fold in the rest of the whites.

5. Spray a large griddle or nonstick pan with cooking spray and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Using a 1/4 cup measure or large spoon, drop dollops of batter onto the hot pan and smooth to form silver dollar pancakes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly golden brown and turn, cooking an additional 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through. Keep warm as you cook the remaining batter.

6. For the syrup: combine the maple syrup and the blueberries in a small saucepan and cook over low heat until the mixture is warm, stirring occasionally, about 2 to 3 minutes.

 

 

NUTRITION PER SERVING

Calories: 250

Total fat: 1g

Sodium: 467mg

Sugars: 22g

 

 

 

Brown Sugar & Garlic Chicken Breasts

 

The original recipe called for breasts but I had boneless skinless tenders so that is what we used.

 

• 4 Chicken breasts or 8 chicken tenders
• 4 tablespoons Brown Sugar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves of garlic chopped finely or pressed

Instructions:

Mix everything excpet chicken into a sauce pan and heat over meduim heat, whisking until smooth. Put chicken into a casserole dish LINE IT WITH TIN FOIL, OR YOU MAY LOSE A GOOD BAKING DISH R.I.P. PYREX :(. Pour sugar mixture over chicken and bake at 450* for 15-20 minutes. The combo will bubble up and the top/sides of the dish may look bruned when it comes out, but it isnt! You may want to add a bit of extra oil or water before cooking.

Still really good as pictured below!

Let me tell you none of that chicken was burned, I know that last piece looks like it got quite the suntan, but it was so delicious!

This was Dan’s plate I ate while he was at the gym, and I ate it all then realized NO PICTURE, I need that for the blog!!!!

Finally a close up of the casserole YUMMY!

 Hope everyone has a great Valentines Day! I will be posting this recipe later, also low calorie and I will make it again!

Favorite foods made lighter!

Sunday I was not able to do much, but I was able to cook a lot of food to prepare for the week!  I don’t know if anyone has ever seen the show or owns the cook yourself thin cookbook like I do, it is awesome! You can still eat your favorite foods and lose weight with easy swaps that cut calories and not flavor!

For breakfast I made blueberry Pancakes, made lighter with cottage cheese, sour cream and egg whites. They are so fluffy and light and do not use any sugar! If you warm the syrup and blueberries together in a pan before serving it is heavenly!

 The finished product along with some low calorie whole wheat muffins (also from the book)

I do make substitutions to each of the recipes as I do not like walnuts in muffins, and I didnt have some things on hand for the other recipes but I made it work!

I also made some hash, everyone loves corned beef hash, but it is so fatty! We didnt eat any of it yesterday but we have enough for the week. Substitute sweet potatoes and tofu, (i know tofu scares alot of people, but if you roast it in olive oil and seasonings with the sweet potatoes, it is THAT much yummier!) The orginal recipe calls for baked tofu, however I wanted it to pick up flavors better so I roasted it.

Tofu and sweet potatoes, onions and jalapenos, all for the hash.

The finished product!

Please excuse the inside of our fridge, but I also made some turkey chili. We have it for lunch for the week, it is hot but cut down with cocoa powder and cinnamon. Really delicious!

Finally for dessert last night we had the best thing of the whole weekend!

Greek yogurt, mixed with melted white chocolate, some heavy cream and raspberries and sugar so they would release juice. It was 264 calories and so good, much better than ice cream! The original recipe calls for strawberries, but since our local supermarket did not have them in stock, due to a large sale I used my FAVORITE FRUIT!

I will not post the recipes here, since it would be the LONGEST post ever! But if people would like them I will post them into separate posts!

Tonight for dinner we are having brown sugar and garlic chicken and sweet potato twice baked potatoes!

I will post later and really hope to be able to get a run in, my back is really not doing well today!

Weight Loss and Running.

I have never been skinny, well lets rephrase that, I have never thought I was skinny. I was very thin all the way up to around age 15-16. I have been on a constant diet since I hit puberty, and what woman hasn’t. I am not afraid to tell you what my weight is, (because I dont have anyone to impress, I have the man of my dreams and he loves me the way I already am) and I will but first let me explain. I lost a lot of weight before the wedding (I was originally 200lbs when I started losing weight), the week before I was around 162.0 and the day of I was around 174.2 due to stress and relaxing on my workouts.

Now that we have went on the honeymoon and throwing out my back I weigh in at around 185.0 and am 5’8″.  I am rounding up its closer to 184, but since its not .0 I am not counting it. Yes I am hard on myself I always have been in life. Sports, weight, appearance, but that is just me. Now with the help of running I have become more motivated to finally do it once and for all. My goal is to be between 145-148, so I have around 40 pounds to lose. Thanks to the magic of pintrest.com I found a really good motivator.

The post-it on top says “counting beans, not for consumption.” Mom wrote that because we are accountants and I think she thought it was funny.

This is actually mine from my desk, as you should be able to tell due to the hello kitty post it! I bought the glass jar at Homegoods for $4.99. I have around 40 pounds to lose so there are 400 chocolate candies in there and they each represent .01/pound. so for each .01 I lose I get to take one out when the jar is empty I am done, and then I have a cute little jar for my desk! Plus I get to give the candies to my co-workers,  I wanted colored rocks but the store didnt have any! Plus if I do decide to have any they are only 15 calories for 5, so not bad! Plus with this sitting on my desk (where I spend most of my time,) I have to think of everything I eat.

The nicest part is that I do not run to lose weight, I found something I really do love, that motivates me to eat healthier and be more active overall, the weight loss is just an added bonus. I did put on around 5lbs when I first started running again, but that is normal and I will work through it and burn it right off!

If people can go on national television and weigh themselves I can share my weight with the internet. And I do, I use sparkpeople.com as well, and have made some great friends there.

Whatever will motivate you is what will work for you, so I am proud of myself for making this breakthrough in motivation!