Viva la Tinga!

Mexican food is delicious. I probably don't need to tell you this.

Just to be clear ... I'm not talking that Chi Chi's Fake Mexican via America/Tex Mex stuff like chimichangas, mind you. (While I like that, too, that's not the stuff to which I am referring.)

I'm talking real Mexican, made by Mexican Grandmas. The Abuelita I hold in highest esteem is my sister's mother-in-law, Margarita Nava. She's playing an important role in the Rose Bowl party we're having tomorrow. And I'm willing to bet she would be surprised to know that, considering she's probably totally unaware of what the Rose Bowl is.

So, we're mixing a little American and Mexican in a taco bar/buffet. Serve-yourself-easy and make-your-own-delicious. Choose your meat, choose your fixings, choose your delivery vehicle (corn tortilla, flour tortilla, whole wheat tortilla, baked chips, regular chips, tostadas ... you get the idea) and chow down.

To go with the standard Tex-Mex ground beef with taco seasoning and shredded orange cheese, I've also got a secrete weapon that's lean and flavorful and makes my mouth water.

The Nava's Tinga!!!!!!!! (Abuelita's recipe as told to Juan Carlos.)

Tinga
2-4 chicken breasts on the bone
1 white onion, sliced
1 can chipotle in adobo
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
Salt and pepper

Put chicken breasts in soup pot, cover with water, add sliced onions, salt and pepper and bring to boil, reduce to simmer. Cook chicken until done; save cooking liquid. Pick chicken off bone and return meat to big skillet or soup pot with onions. In a blender, puree one or two chipotle peppers with a spoonful or two of the sauce. To chicken, add enough of the cooking liquid to make it a little wet. Add the chipotle puree a little at a time, tasting as you go. NOTE: The chipotle is HOT. Start slow and increase to your taste, making it as spicy as you like it. Add chopped tomato and salt and pepper to taste. The longer it stews, the better it tastes.

(I often make this with boneless, skinless breasts. I just substitute a can of chicken stock for the juice. If I don't have a tomato on hand, I will use a can of diced fire-roasted tomatoes.)

Traditional way to serve: In the Mexican section of the grocery store, buy a package of tostadas. (Fried corn tortilla ... like a big Tostitos chip). Spread a little crema (Mexican sour cream) on the tostada. Then add the tinga. Sprinkle with queso fresco (Mexican crumbly white cheese like a mild Feta), diced white onion and chopped cilantro. Squeeze some lime on the top if you want to be crazy. But of course it's good in taco salad, in a whole wheat tortilla burrito, on my left arm, from a shoe, etc.

Turn It Up!

I have this week off from work. Which means I have plenty of time in the morning to get my workout completed.

But I'm starting to get bored with my routine: Roll out of bed, run a brush through my Medusa locks, slide on a headband, pull on some workout clothes, pee the dog, hit the stairs for the basement, stretch, and walk ... for three, four or five miles at a 3.9 mph pace.

Yawn. Same thing, day in, day out.

So yesterday, it occured to me I could do something different.

I wanted to run. I REALLY wanted to run. I even did for about 10 steps. And then I got freaked out and stopped. While my knee is feeling much better, it still doesn't work properly. (You would have laughed had you seen me stutter-stepping in the front of church on Christmas Eve as I tried to figure out how to kneel for communion. Kneeling isn't one of my best skills since "the incident." Jim occasionally catches me doing butt lifts on the floor in the bedroom and the maneuver I use to get back on my feet cracks him right up.)

So in spite of my desire to run, I thought it best to not ... better to walk for 10 more years than to run and risk blowing my knee up the rest of the way and be sidelined again, right?

So I just turned up the speed. Not a lot. Went up to 4.2 and did it for a half mile. (I'm also on a 3 incline, BTW.)

Then I slowed down and walked at regular pace for a quarter mile. And fired it back up to 4.2 again.

I forgot how much fun it was to do the intervals. Up and down. Up and down. Challenging myself to go farther faster. I sweat more. The scale showed positive results. And my brain was entertained.

Duh. Not sure why this didn't occur to me last week. I'm already looking forward to tomorrow. I hit 4.3 for a half-mile today and didn't fall on my butt. Maybe I can do 4.4?

Unexpected Benefit of Being Thinner #4

It's much easier to buckle your seat belt.

I no longer have to scootch my butt over in my seat to find the receiver end.

Size Doesn't Matter

I spent part of my day today trying on dresses and swimming suits. The idea was to 1) get some extra walking in and 2) sort of get started on vaca planning.

Here's what I learned:

It doesn't matter what size you are, you still look like hell in a fitting room mirror when trying on swimming suits.

I'm not sure what I was thinking, but I really believed trying on swimming suits would be FUN this year. Boy, was I wrong.

All I could see was the stuff I didn't like. Blobs of skin here. Lumps and bumps there. Sure, the blobs and lumps and bumps were DIFFERENT from the ones that were there last year. But they were still all I could see.

How irritating. And what a number that blasted reflection can do on your head.

Really? I worked so hard for so long and I still look this bad? What will it take to get where I like what I see? If I feel the same now as I did a year ago, what was the whole point? How do I get my head to catch up with my body?

But I learned something, too. There is no such thing as perfect. If I felt this way before and I feel this way now, 80 pounds later, I'm guessing most women feel the same way about their own bodies, no matter how big or small.

You are not alone.

Talkin' Turkey

New recipe for ground turkey. And it's good! But you have to start the night before.

Turkey Chili
1 pkg. ground turkey, browned with some onions
1 packet of TexMex Chili seasoning mix
2 cups dry mixed beans
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
2 Tbsp dry onion flakes
2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste

Day before you want to eat it: Place 2 cups of dried beans and 8 cups of water in a mixing bowl. Let them soak over night. In the morning, drain off soaking water and place beans, 6 cups water and cumin, chili powder, onion flakes and some salt/pepper in the crock pot. Set on low and let the beans cook all day.

When you get home from work, drain water from cooked beans and brown off the turkey with some chopped onion. Mix the packet of dry seasoning with the turkey. Add turkey to beans and dump in two cans of tomatoes into crockpot (or mix the whole thing in a kettle on the stovetop). Heath through. Adjust seasoning to taste.

And if you don't want to go to all the trouble of the dry beans, use canned beans! Just drain/rinse off all the salty liquid first. You could also add a can of corn. Or some jalapenos. Serve with nice wheat rolls. (Though cornbread would be good, too, just not as good for you.) And a little light sour cream and sprinkle of reduced fat cheese.

Bad News, Good News, Bad News

Bad News: Stepped on the scale this morning before working out and I had "gained" yet another pound ... making the holiday 3-day total (sing it with me like Golden Rings) "FIVE Extra Pounds."

Good News: After pushing through a truly punishing five miles on the treadmill with a tight chest and barking cough, I weighed in again and was back down to only two pounds over last week's total. You and I both know I have some issues with my scale going on here and water weight, but the numbers affect how I feel about myself, so they're important. I can live with a two pound swing.

Bad News: Home computer has been invaded by viruses and other bad things. Not sure what to do about that. Posts might be more sporadic until I get it fixed.

Oh, Sugar.

Sugar wasn't the word I really wanted to use there. The one I wanted starts with an SH sound, but is shorter, ruder and much more forceful. You get the idea.

I wasn't going to post today. It's Christmas. You have other things to do and so do I. But I thought this might be helpful.

I didn't work out this morning. Still feeling like crap, and it's Christmas. I also ate like a raving lunatic yesterday: ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, raw shrimp, buckets of Chex mix, an Xmas cookie, three glasses of wine, four or five cans of diet soda, cheese, those delicious ham/cream cheese/pickle roll-ups ... and that was AFTER church. Again, you get the idea.

So out of curiosity and fear, I stepped on the scale this morning after telling myself I wouldn't.

I "gained" four pounds.

Since yesterday morning.

Now, I know I ate a lot. But I didn't consume four pounds of food in total, let alone create four pounds of flesh from that food since yesterday.

I know the number is a reflection of the salty foods helping me hold onto some water. I know the number is surely linked to the sheer number of carbs I consumed (they seem to affect me worse than eating lots of other food groups). I know the number is absolutely a reflection of eating too much or out of the ordinary the day before and yesterday.

No matter what I attribute it to, the number was still shocking, disheartening and a little scary.

That little bit of fear creeps up in my chest and my head starts racing ... is this it? Is it all over? Have I wrecked it all and in two weeks I'll be back in those size 20 jeans?

So I start talking to myself. And to Jim. This is OK. I didn't gain four pounds in a day any more than I can lose four pounds in a day. It's a marathon, not a race. I'm going to go up and down a little. It's Christmas and my jeans still fit. I can do better today and tomorrow and will probably have to button down a little.

I CAN button down. And will. This will be OK because I'm tough and determined and I haven't come all this way to give up now. I've worked out every day for the past month so that I can take today off.

And take today off I will. Because today is Mexican food at Karla's and I'm going to enjoy it.

In moderation, of course.

Merry Christmas ...

Wishing you and yours a warm, wonderful and wish-come-true Christmas. Eat a cookie or two and don't worry. We'll all get back on the horse in a day or so.

Fighting Through

I really felt like crap last night when I went to bed. I was firmly convinced I'd wake up this morning feeling the same and it would be a great reason to not work out.

Woke up. Just laid there. Hoping, I think, for some major coughing or nausea.

Nothing.

Yeah, my throat still hurts. I'm coughing a tiny bit. My nose is still running a little. My chest feels a little tight. But nothing too serious.

So I put my workout gear on and went downstairs to hop on my treadmill. I walked extra ... five total miles ... because I knew that I was going out for lunch and drinks today. I even added a few punch-while-I-walk moves to pick up my heart rate and did four bench press sets of 12 reps.

I still don't feel great. But I feel great knowing I'm not letting the holidays or a cold get in the way of my goal.

Feed a Cold AND a Fever?

I think I'm coming down with something. My throat is sore, my head is fuzzy, my nose is running.

And I'm starving.

Why is it that I never get the kind of sick that takes away your appetite?

Jim's been coughing and hacking for more than a week. I knew it was just a matter of time. But I was hoping my new "healthy attitude" would protect me from those little bugs.

Guess not.

So I'm going to eat a grapefruit in an effort to ward off any additional little bugs that are thinking of taking up residence.

Dedication

On my way to work some mornings, I drive past a man walking on the side of the road toward the little town I live near.

Now, when I say little town, I mean little town. There is one church, two bars, a post office, an automotive repair shop, a general store and a coffee house. All on one street.

The man is older, around 60, I'd guess. Gray hair, heavy-rimmed glasses, big gray mustache and overall disheveled look. When it's cold, he wears one of those pouffy parkas with a fur-trimmed hood.

He walks against traffic, heading into town, and always nods at me as I drive by. I always nod back.

The first few times I saw him, I was impressed with his gumption. He's really committed to this walking thing, I thought. Good for him.

And then I noticed ... he usually walks with a lit cigarette.

Now THAT'S dedication.

So now the story I've built for him goes like this: He has had some sort of heart trouble. His doctor has told him to get more exercise. So every morning, he gets his shoes on, shouts at his wife that he's going for his walk and heads out the door. She doesn't know he sneaks a cigarette on the way. He walks to the bar on the far end of town and stops in for the shake of the day and one light beer. (This is Wisconsin. Bars are open before 8 a.m. and he won't be the only guy in there debating whether it tastes great or is less filling.) When he's done, he pushes his empty can and glass toward the bartender, slowly gets up off his bar stool and mumbles a friendly, "See you tomorrow," before making the trip back home.

He's happy. She's happy. The doctor is happy.

I'm happy, too.

Fa La La La Landmines

Boy, it's hard to eat right this time of year.

Between team celebrations at work, holiday dinner out with neighbors, family events, the countless piles of cookies and chocolate that pop up everywhere ... ugh.

I know I don't HAVE to munch on the chocolate covered strawberries that arrive on my desk. I am fully aware that the pizza restaurant HAS salad. I am capable of simply making that damn caramel Chex mix and giving it away WITHOUT eating any of it.

But it sucks you in. Just a bite. Just a taste. Just one.

Some days it feels like a hopeless battle. And, honestly, some days it is.

Fight back! Play defense. Here are a few ways I do:

When I took one work team out for holiday breakfast, I chose IHop because I know they have egg beaters and turkey bacon. When I took another team out for lunch, I chose Panara Bread because they offer all-veg options and show the calorie count on the posted menu. At last Saturday's pizza buffet restaurant, I ate two pieces of pizza (and enjoyed every bite!), but loaded up on the salad first so I didn't stuff five pieces in my face as my belly filled up.

And I upped my walking. Just a little, but enough to make me feel like I was controlling the playing field a bit.

Every little bit helps. Small decisions add up. You have to be practical and know you probably aren't going to be perfect. But you can do a pretty good job if you plan a little on the front end.

Now, if someone would just come get this blessed Chex mix off my counter ...

Unexpected Downside of Being Thinner #3

I have no idea what size underwear to buy.

The old ones fit like too-big granny panties. But it's not like you can try the new ones on before purchasing.

And at JCP, buying one pair at a time gets pricy because they tend to sell the types I think I like as 3-for-$24 or whatever ... with the single pair at $12.50 or something ridiculous.

Today's new pair not so smurfy. (TMI?)

Sign from God?

OK, so I spent ALL morning in church today. Attended an 8:15 a.m. service to hear my cousin's daughter sing in a cantata. Drove to Fort to see the back-to-back performances of the K-second grade and third-fifth grade Christmas programs at my home church.

The music at the first was truly beautiful. The kids at the second two were darling. (I especially loved the handsome third grader wearing the crooked donkey ears.)

The rest of my afternoon was dedicated to working out and making caramel chex mix to give away as a gift. Not necessarily in that order.

I started with the chex mix.

And I ate some cereal. I ate some pistachios. I ate some pretzels. Then I started making the chex mix. And I ate some more as I was melting, mixing, baking.

I was eating too much. Much too much.

And then ...

... I bit my lip.

Hard. Drew blood. It swelled up.

Yes, God. I get it. Stop eating already. Time to work out.

Crazy!

Today, an 8.

Sometimes retail therapy is better than looking at the scale. Crazy.

Crabby!

As you already may have noticed, it's been a rough week. Fittingly, I ate a lot of crab.

Well, fake crab, really. I like it; so sue me.

I add it to lettuce salads often. One of my go-to combinations includes onions, celery, carrots, sunflower seeds, aforementioned crab and light or fat-free ranch dressing. Perhaps a cherry tomato if I'm feeling frisky.

But one of my favorite ways to eat it is like this:

Better Than Subway Seafood & Crab
Fake crab
Onion, chopped
Celery, chopped
Fat-free or light Ranch dressing
Light cream cheese, heated a little in micro just to make it spreadable

Mix like tuna salad ... same consistency. Eat on toasted whole wheat pita. Or in Boston lettuce leaf wrap. Or on a whole wheat tortilla. You get the idea. Might even be good hot ... like on a toasted whole wheat English muffin under the broiler. Maybe with a dash of hot sauce and some low-fat mozerella or parmesean?

Tell Someone!

It sounds easy. If you're working really hard trying to get healthier, you're probably sharing that information with your friends and loved ones, right?

I'm not sure that's always true. I do think, however, that getting some support from the people around you can make the process better.

I was scared to death to tell anyone. Not because I'm shy, exactly. But because I just didn't want anyone to know how embarrassed I was and how crappy I felt about myself. I didn't want to try and fail and have someone know I failed. (In reality, I probably didn't want to admit any of that to myself.)

Over the years, I had learned to deflect all conversations about weight. I learned to poke fun at myself first, so no one else had to. Above all else, I learned to hide the way I felt. I never asked about anyone else's journey, either, because I didn't want to put them in an uncomfortable position. So I just NEVER talked about it at all. The elephant in the room.

But I got lucky.

I had two great friends who had been down the same road and were willing to share everything.

Hungry Girl cookbook? Check. Words of wisdom from Weight Watchers? Check. Endless discussions about different kinds of workouts and results? Check. News about past triumphs and failures without gloating or shame? Check.

All with no judgement. All with compassion. All with respect.

I didn't know it at the time, but I needed that outlet. I needed to talk about it. And, honestly, I needed people to help hold me accountable.

(By telling my family I was doing this, they knew I wasn't supposed to bury my face in a bowl of Chex mix at a party. By telling my friends I was doing this, they graciously suggested Subway for girls' lunch out instead of pizza.)

So, tell someone. And if you need someone to talk to about it ... let me know. I'd like to pay it forward.

Healthier Hash

Today was one of those days.

One of those days I was glad I worked out in the morning. Because after a non-stop, balls-to-the-walls, pull-my-hair-out-while-trying-not-to-cry day, I would have gotten home and said, "(Screw) it." And then ate a Dove ice cream bar, if I had one. Or two.

So as hard as it is to drag myself out of bed, I know it's the best thing.

And dinner needed to be easy.

So here's what it was.

Healthier HashOnions, chopped
Leftover roasted sweet potato chunks
Turkey sausage
Eggs
Salt & pepper

In a little canola oil, soften up the onions. Chop the potatoes a little more finely. Add them, cook until warm. Chop up the sausage and toss it in; heat through.

Gross But True

(Warning, this may not be for the faint of constitution.)

My skin is too big.

Well, not all of my skin. But certain parts. And it's pretty gross.

I keep hoping that over time it will snap back. Or shrink. Or suck up. Or something. So far, no luck.

I'm not exactly sure what to do about it, either. Part of me thinks that if I got on some kick-ass weight lifting program and built some nice muscles, that would take care of some of it. Part of me thinks that an information-gathering-trip-to-a-plastic-surgeon-slash-discussion-with-insurance-to see-how-impossible-that-is is the only way to go.

It pisses me off that I let it get so far before I did something about it. And now I have to live with the consequences.

My thighs and upper arms are the grossest. I'm torn between laughing and crying as I cardio box with Wii and hear my wing flaps slapping against my torso. (The noise is funny. The reality, not so much.) Every morning when I stretch before walking, I tug up on my wrinkly, dimply thighs to see what they'd look like all tight and smooth.

What a crappy deal.

We're planning on a Caribbean vaca some time in the next few months. While I'd really be comfortable enough to throw on a bikini (only in front of total strangers, mind you), I just can't imagine showing this weird sack of loose goo to an unsuspecting public.

Of course the cold, hard truth is that I can't even begin to think about doing anything until I've kept the weight off for a year or so ... just to make sure the new me is going to stick.

But I can't help but wondering what I'd weigh if I could just cut it all off. That's sort of creepy, too, isn't it?

Unexpected Downside of Being Thinner #2

I'm freezing ALL the time.

I'm wearing long jammie pants to bed. Sometimes with a hooded sweatshirt. With the hood up. And socks.

I absolutley hate wearing socks to bed. I hate having things all wrapped around my legs as I flop around. I hate having Jim's furnace body too close to mine as I try to sleep.

But here I am. Clinging to him for dear life as if we're buried in an iceberg together.

Now, I know there could be other reasons for the change in my internal thermometer. But menopause works the other way, right? Too hot. Not too cold.

So shush your mouth.

They're Baaack!

Remember the three pounds I said I lost this week? Two must have missed me and came back. I'm guessing I was either a smidge dehydrated and am now back to properly liquidated. (I bet that's different than hydrated.) Or, the scale is just buffed up.

Oh well. They will come off again. I'm a whole lot tougher and more determined than they are.

Not My Mama's Barf-e-cue

In my family, we call Sloppy Joes "Barbecues." They are a staple on a potluck table at a family gathering and something my mom made at least once every two weeks when we were kids because they were cheap and easy and fast. I remember eating them a lot in high school as she was trying to make sure we had something in our stomachs between after-school practices and part-time jobs.

They were always served on a white hamburger bun (that usually had been frozen, so it was kind of dried out and a little cold) and served with Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. The side dishes on that table probably consisted of a plate of colby cheese and dill pickles.

And I LOVE them.

Well, I love my mom's. I'm not a huge fan of the versions other people make. Can't stand Manwich.

Every once in a while I just get a hankering for one. Her secret recipe was ground beef and a bottle of Heinz Chili Sauce. That's it. Mmmmm. I like mine with a piece of colby cheese all melting on it. Truth be told, I abhor the white hamburger bun and will put them on just about anything else ... but I love the barbecue.

Jim hates them. And he calls them "barf-e-cues."

Now, he hates them all. Not just hers. Or mine. I guess that would make him an equal-opportunity hater.

Since last week was such a crazy, hectic mess and the coming week doesn't look much better, my plan was to use today to get a little ahead and ready for the rollercoaster ride that will start Monday. You know, make a few things to put in the freezer so they'd be ready when we got home late. Barbecue was just the ticket, but how do I make Jim like them?

I did this:

Not My Mama's Barbecue
Olive oil
1/4 c onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 pkg. ground turkey
Salt and pepper
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 can shoepeg corn, drained
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 bottle chili sauce (located by the ketchup in the grocery store)

In a big frying pan, go once or twice around with olive oil. Add onions and celery, cooking until they're a little soft. Add the turkey, salt, pepper, cumin and chili powder. Break up the turkey as it cooks. When there's no more pink, add the beans and corn. Let it cook until all the liquid from the veg has cooked off. Taste it, adjust salt and pepper if you need to. The add the bottle of chili sauce. (Make sure to dump it all in, then add a little water to the bottle and shake it to get every last bit out. Doing this reminds me of my thrifty mom.)

Let it heat all the way through. Adjust seasoning if you need to. If you don't like a lot of cumin and chili, add less. If you like more spice, red pepper flake or even a little chipolte in adobo or a jalapeno would be good. I serve it on bakery wheat buns or a tortilla or on a whole wheat flatbread.

Jim even said he liked it. Assured me it was the corn that did it.

More is Less?

I lost three pounds in the past three days. Seems odd. I'm assuming it's not "real" and I'll fluctuate back up one or two tomorrow.

But for right now, it feels good.

The funny part is that I haven't eaten that well in the past few days. I had a Christmas cookie two days in a row. I ate an orange, pickles and some cheese after 8 p.m. I had Subway for lunch one day. I made horrible spaghetti and turkey meatballs for dinner Wednesday night and since it was so bad, I ate plenty of other stuff (including potato chips) to compensate for it.

I didn't eat anything truly awful. I didn't eat a LOT of anything. I just varied the pattern and ate a little more than I normally do.

There are times that I think being diligent day in and day out causes your body to lock into a pattern and not let go of any weight. And when you throw it a curve ball, it sits up and takes notice.

The key, I guess, is not to get too cocky and think eating more or eating late is OK all the time.

But wouldn't it be better if the catalyst of the weight loss was the Christmas cookie?

Unexpected Benefit of Being Thinner #3

I snore less. Or so they tell me. (But the dog has started snoring more. Not sure if they're related issues.)

Tricks for Treats

Ever sit down with a bag of chips, start munching and all of a sudden realize the bag is more than half gone?

It happens so fast. It happens with cookies, too. And candy. And French fries. Your intent is to just have a few. And then, ker-wham, you've ingested enough fat, salt and/or calories to last you all day.

To make it worse, if you sit in front of the TV while ingesting, this whole process speeds up and you eat more in less time ... in the case of chips, often the whole bag disappears. I think we should call it the "Law of TV Time Lapse" or something like that.

So I arm myself against this dangerous phenomenon. And I really try not to eat in front of the TV at all.

If I want chips, I open the bag, grab a small dish (like a ramekin or 1 cup measure) and fill it as full as I can. Then I clip the bag back up and put it back in the pantry BEFORE I sit down to eat my booty. I eat them one at a time to make sure this experience lasts as long as possible, savoring each and every one. (I'm not sure I've mentioned my love affair with potato chips before. It's not natural.)

At work, I don't keep any candy at my desk. But I do occassionally help stock someone else's bowl. If I have to walk to get it and someone watches me take it, I end up eating fewer pieces.

If I buy sunflower seeds or dried blueberries or dried cranberries, I divide them up into "single servings" using those little snack size plastic bags. When I want something sweet, I grab a little bag and go.

I'm also not too proud to admit that I will sneak a couple of fries, with permission of course, from somebody's plate, but never order my own.

Isn't that rude?

Marathons are for Chumps

I talked to a guy at work today who runs long distance races for fun. Trail races ... which means they take place on trails. As in, uneven terrain and hills and stumps and roots and rocks. Not on a shiny smooth road.

And they go for 40 miles.

That's 4-0.

Not some wimpy 26.2 like those lightweight marathoners do. He runs for more than 9 hours in a row. I find this insane.

I'm lucky to do 25 miles in a week. And I'm walking.

I guess I get the desire to do it one time. I can imagine the adrenalin rush. I think it would be so very cool to be able to walk around, casually letting it slip into conversation that you ran a 40-mile race. But after that ... I just don't get it.

Here's the kicker: he's training for both a 50- and 60-mile race in 2011.

Suddenly, 3 miles on weekdays and 5 miles on weekends doesn't seem like such a big deal. Or even that difficult.

How's that for inspiration?

I Ate Around It

Sometimes, the best intentions truly do lead to hell.

You see, I made Christmas cut-out cookies yesterday. (Mistake number one, if you want to keep score.) For the record, I'm a total slacker in the cut-out department. I buy a box of frozen dough, all cut out and ready to pop in the oven. It's LAZY and CHEATING, and I simply wouldn't have it any other way.

This year, I bought a whole box (mistake number two) ... even though my cookie dough "dealer" (who has a friend who works in food service and gets our secret cookie dough club a discount) allows us to buy a quarter or half box. The whole box is 12 dozen cookies or something outrageous. As you'd expect, they take up a lot of room in the freezer.

In an effort to reclaim some of that freezer space, I set up a little cookie assembly line for a few dozen. Baked 'em. Frosted 'em. Decorated 'em. Sent a bunch home with my mom and dad after the Packer game. Took some in to work for a friend that doesn't bake. That left a dozen or so here in the pantry.

I ate one and vowed to not eat another until the weekend.

So tonight when I got home, I DIDN'T eat one. I ate my dinner. And then a piece of cheese. And then some grapes. And then a few kernels of caramel corn some sinister boy scout convinced me to buy. (Mistake number three.) And then an orange.

Thank goodness I just didn't eat the cookie. I probably consumed three times as many calories trying to avoid it.

Not smart.

Every once in a while I feel a little guilty buying the bag of Dove chocolate squares. I should have enough discipline to not need it. But when I get in a mood like today, eating the 40 calorie Dove square is a better option than eating all around the cookie I want, but don't eat. It satisfies my sweet tooth and puts the angry beast shouting "Feed ME!" inside of me to rest.

What's a Lentil?

Today I was looking for something warm, vegetarian and filling. I found lentils and curry powder. Voila.

Lentil Soup
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
A handful of baby carrots, chopped
1-2 tsp chopped garlic (I use the kind in the jar)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp nutmeg
2 c rinsed lentils
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
8 c chicken or veg stock (I prefer low sodium/organic)

Optional:
1 pkg turkey kielbasa, chopped
1 c spinach or kale


In stock pot over medium heat , go a few times around the pan with olive oil. Toss in onion, celery and carrot. Cook until onions are translucent and celery/carrots start to soften. Salt and pepper to your liking. Add garlic, heat through. Add spices. (Back off on curry and chili if you don't like it too spicy.) Let the flavors blend for a couple of minutes. Add the lentils, tomatoes and stock. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer for about an hour. Before serving, add optional turkey sausage or greens. Let them heat through.

Feeds an army. (And I hope it freezes!)

Goodwill and Good Riddance

I've been holding on to some of my big clothes. As I grew out of them, I started folding them neatly and piling them on shelves in the closet in the back bedroom. The piles grew and grew.

At first I was afraid to let them go.

I think I was worried that I'd need them. And it would be stupid to have to go buy big sizes again if I did.

The shelves filled and I reached a point where I just didn't have room to store the stuff anymore. So I began taking a shopping bag or two to Goodwill every month or so. I consciously gave away what I liked least first, hanging on to the more expensive work clothes or the favorite pieces.

This morning I decided it was time for all of it to go buh-bye. I filled about five plastic grocery bags and two larger shopping bags with what was left of both my clothes and Jim's.

Then I saw a pair of those size 20 jeans and I just had to do it.

I put them on. Over the jeans I was wearing. And I burst out laughing, standing in the closet. I could literally pull them out 8 inches from my belly button. I could grab handfuls of denim at each outer thigh.

I ran to a mirror to see what they looked like and I couldn't believe the shape I saw staring back at me. I just couldn't get my head around it.

It's like I almost can't remember looking like that. The proportion of length to width looked so off kilter to me.

I ran to show Jim. To his credit, he didn't laugh. He said, "Holy shit."

The person I see in the mirror now is a different one than the person who wore those pants. While my first instinct was to laugh when I tried them on, looking at those pants now makes me a little sad.

Sad because I remember how bad it felt to feel so bad all the time. And I never want to feel like that again.

We dropped it all off at Goodwill. All except those pants. I'm going to tuck them away to help me remember.

Overwhelmed and Under Inspired?

You know those days or weeks or even occassionally months where the world is spinning so fast and it's all you can do to hang on?

I know you have them. We all do.

I'm in one of those cycles now. Work is a bonafide cyclone. I have no idea if I'm coming or going. It feels like there's 874 things to do and I can't even seem to knock numbers 1-5 off the list. Jim is stressing a little about his job and that makes me worry. My kid is experiencing some medical issues that consume part of my thoughts. My family is going through a stressful time. The holidays are coming and I have nothing done ... and on and on and on and on ...

There just aren't enought hours in the day to put a dent in any of it and the stress level is (say it like Rachel Zoe) be-yond.

So when I wake up at 4:40 every morning and immediately start worrying about whatever it was that I was worrying about when I fell asleep, the first thing I think about is skipping my workout. I just want to pull the covers over my head and hide. Right now, in fact, I'm already dreaming about sleeping in tomorrow and NOT making the trip to the basement to hop on the treadmill.

I haven't missed a day in more than three weeks, I reason. Surely I deserve a day off. Surely I have earned a little extra snuggle-in time.

Right?

That old thinking is so easy to fall back into. I fight it often.

I fight it with this:

I remember that the workout IS the reward. The workout is the thing that HELPS the stress. The workout lets me take one worry OFF my list.

And, quite frankly, the workout is the one thing I can control in this whirlwind.

It's 45 minutes set aside for just me. It's the one point in the day where I put myself first.

Staying healthy is the very best thing I can do for myself.

So I get out of bed. Head downstairs. And walk.

I hope YOU make time to be nice to you, too. You deserve it.

Supper in a Hurry

Went to work early today. Meetings literally back to back all day. Home after 7 p.m. with Jim about 10 minutes behind me.

I hate days like these.

So here's a fast supper that let's you use up the half a can of fire-roasted tomotoes leftover from the meatloaf. It's far from fancy gourmet. But it fills the void.

Pizza Quickies
2 or 3 whole wheat English muffins
1/4 cup-ish onion, chopped
1 small can mushrooms
1/2 can fire-roasted tomatoes
Handful or so of reduced fat shred mozerella
1 pkg. turkey pepperoni

Toast the English muffins until they're nice and crunchy. Saute the onion and mushroom (or whatever other pizza toppings you like) in a smidge of olive oil until the onions start to soften up. Pour the tomatoes in and let it all heat together. Spread on muffins, put a few slices of pepperoni on and sprinkle a little cheese. Nuke until cheese melts. To use for veg night, eliminate pepperoni and throw whatever veg you like on top.

Unexpected Downside of Being Thinner #1

I'm driving Jim a little crazy with my incessant requests for heartfelt, new-each-time positive feedback about a new shirt or a dropped pound or the appearance of my ass.

He's kind of over it.

Unexpected Benefit of Being Thinner #2

It's easier to cross your legs.

(My grandma was the world's best leg crosser. She was tall and thin and her top leg would wrap all the way around her bottom leg ... so she could tuck her toe in back behind the bottom one if you know what I mean. I always envied this so very much. I can't do this, mind you, but I can cross them comfortably and my foot hangs down toward the ground like it's supposed to. When my thighs were bigger, my foot stuck out to the side and that's just not a comfortable way to sit.)

Mmmmeat-ish Loaf

After the big eating holiday on this rainy, dreary day, I was craving something homey and substantial. I made this. Hope you like it.

Mmmmeat-ish Loaf
Adapted from a Sandra Lee recipe in some kids cookbook of Karla's

1 pkg. ground turkey (1-1/4 lb. usually)
1 envelope Chicken Taco dry seasoning (or, I imagine, any fajita or southwestern-ish version would do)
1/2 of a small can corn (mexi corn or niblets) or a healthy handful of frozen corn
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 to 1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 c to 1/2 c reduced fat shred ched
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

Mix all but tomatoes in bowl. Like more veg? Add more. Like a spicy jalapeno? Add that. Spray a loaf pan with canola oil. Press meat into pan, top with half the can of tomatoes. Bake 400 for 55 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 180.

I think ground turkey can be squeeky on your teeth if it's not super well done. This grosses me out. So the veg mixed into the meat helps prevent it from drying all the way out as it cooks all the way . If you love tomatoes, you could even drain some of the juice out and mix them into the meat. Crumbled up the next day, it will make good taco salad protein, too!

Sometimes More Weight is Good

Why is dog food in the very back corner of the store, I wondered, as I hoisted a 44-pound bag of Iams Mini Chunks on my shoulder and began to make my way to the front. Because it's holiday time, the trip is more challenging than normal as I try to dodge the special displays that seem to be everywhere.

About halfway to the checkout, I realize that I'm not that strong. And that I should have grabbed a cart.

No choice now but to power through. So I do. It's a "free" workout, right? It's cardio and strength training!

Someone told me that cardio training is working while you are actually working out. But the minute you stop, your body stops receiving the benefit. Lifting, however, keeps working even after you're done, they said.

I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but I buy it somehow. I know I feel better when I feel stronger. At this point, I even have a little, defined bicep muscle that makes me smile.

I'm not a professional by any stretch of the imagination. Kati left a weight bench at our house when she moved out and I use it a couple of times a week to bench press about 50 pounds. I do three or four sets of 10 or 12 reps now ... in the beginning it was all I could do to get two sets of eight reps done. I'd like to increase the weight, but the next level "up" is too heavy for me. So I just pump away with what I have.

Then, every once in a while I'll pop into the weight room we have at work and try to do 15 or 20 minutes of something. Arms, legs (well, one anyway), shoulders, inner and outer thighs. I also bought a few hand weights (8, 15 and 20 lbs.) and I mess around with when I'm bored. I even occassionally try to do push-ups, but I stink at them.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you can combine some cardio with some strength building, it seems like you get a greater overall benefit.

When you're working so hard, anytime you can get 2 + 2 to equal 5, take it!

My Sister is HOT

Want to pick up a boring baked chicken breast? Give some scrambled egg beaters a little zip? Make a turkey burger a little more interesting?

Salsa is a wonder drug.

And my sister makes the best. I'm sharing her recipe, knowing I have probably bastardized it in some way in the 10 or 12 years I've been making it.

But that's the totally cool thing. You can make it however YOU like it. The recipe police are certainly not going to come arrest you.

Karla's Salsa
6-7 Roma tomatoes
1/4 to 1/2 medium sized white onion
1-2 jalapeno or serrano peppers (whatever your produce dept has, seed or not depending on your capacity for heat)
2-3 pinch grabs of cilantro (I love cilantro and usually add more)
1-2 jalapenos from a small can of pickled jalapenos (in ethnic food aisle, packed in vinegar, the label usually shows the peppers with carrots and onions)
1-2 tsp of the vinegar "juice" from the can above
2-3 tsp salt
On hand, but perhaps not necessary: ketchup, sugar

Karla chops up the tomatoes and onions in a few pieces and adds everything to a blender, liquifying until no chunks remain. I usually keep half of the salt and half of the peppers out and, once blended, I adjust the salt and heat. (It takes more salt that you think.) Her salsa is smooth and tastes great spooned on anything. If the tomatoes aren't really ripe or in season, they may need a little boost. If so, I squirt in a little ketchup. And, even a pinch or two of sugar. Too hot? Add more tomatoes and taste and adjust.

Lisa's Pico de Gallo
Same ingredients as above, but I seed the tomatoes and only put half in the blender. Also only put half of the onion in the blender. Chop the remaining tomatoes and onions and add back to the mix when you're done blending. Just makes it a little chunkier.

Lisa's Summer Salsa
Same ingredients as above, made like Pico de Gallo, but add the following:
1 can white shoepeg corn or Niblet corn
1 can rinsed black beans
1-2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped
More jalapenos, if you like it that way.

Serve all with Baked Scoops chips. Or use like a relish/chutney over grilled meat or fish.

P.S. My sister is one of the coolest people in the world. Do you know how every once in a while you are reminded of things like this? Today was one of those days for me; hence, the ode to her salsa. It's true that your siblings are the people you know for the longest. I know I don't say it often enough, but I am very fortunate that I get to share this life's journey with her. (And I'm not saying this because she helped create the two beings that I love more than breath itself. Though, this does work in her favor.)

Prepare to Maintain

Wow. Yesterday was delicious. I woke up this morning thirsty (too many of those ham/cream cheese/dill pickle nibbles and too much stuffing) and didn't hit the treadmill. It's the first time in more than two weeks I skipped my morning workout.

Jim and I hit a few stores first. Then went out for breakfast (egg beaters veggie omelette, whole wheat toast, no potatotes) and now we're home on the couch, snacking a little.

And I'm having a little fear about this whole holiday thing.

It's going to be hard. Probably harder than I thought.

Should my goal be to maintain through Christmas? Should my goal be to keep on keeping on? CAN I be successful? Will I actually gain?

Freaking out a little.

When I'm on task, it's easy for me to "forget" what it feels like to eat whatever I want. I just don't do it. Out of sight, out of mind, sort of. But the cold hard truth is I LIKE eating. I enjoy eating. When I'm doing it, eating feels good. The habit of sitting on the couch with a bag of Cheetos, baked or not, is easy to fall back into. Really easy.

I don't suspect I'm alone in this feeling or thinking. I wish I could tell YOU that sticking to healthy eating is simple ... snap! I have told many people that I like this Mediterraean thing because it's something I truly believe I can live with forever. I hear my own voice in my head, "It's not a diet! It's something I can stick to!" Sometimes I hate the perky me.

But getting here wasn't easy. And I did this. I did the work. I made a choice to do the right thing every day because I know that making the right choice feels so much better in the long run than the way that damn Cheeto makes me feel today.

I'm off to work out now. Getting back on the horse. Repeating the mantra: If I do the right things, the right things will happen. If I do the right things, the right things will happen. If I do the right things, the right things will happen.

Because I control it all.

Happy Thanksgiving

Only here do we have to worry about eating too much. Many around the world worry about having too little to eat every day of the year.

Good day to count blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

BYO ... Whatever

One of the things my mom has asked to to bring tomorrow is a salad. So I'm bringing one that tastes good, looks good and is pretty good for you. It's a great strategy for potlucks and holidays.

A couple of years ago, we invited some people over for the first of what was to become the annual AirFest Party at our house. At the time, our house wasn't finished ... we had drywall, electrical, a deck and cupboards in boxes. But no plumbing. We set up some tables in what would be the living room, plugged in a crockpot full of pre-grilled brats and opened the cooler. Voila! Instant party.

One of my friends brought her own turkey dog to throw in the crockpot. At the time, I thought it was a little weird. I mean, it was one meal. Did it really make that big of a difference to eat a turkey dog versus a regular brat?

Now I know what she was talking about. (And I've since learned a great deal about this weight loss thing from her.)

It does matter. Not sure if there's going to be something there for you to eat? Bring your own.

Greek Salad
1 red onion, chopped
1 container of cherry tomatoes (I usually cut the bigger ones in half)
1 can medium black olives
2 English/seedless cucumbers, chopped
1 container fat free Feta cheese crumbles
1/2 bottle of light Greek dressing (my store only has one brand that is light)

Mix it all up the night before serving.

Thanksgiving Cometh ...

It's almost here. My very favorite day of the whole year. I LOOOOOVE Thanksgiving Dinner more than I love cheesburgers, chocolate chip cookies, crusty french bread with butter and cheese.

I love that perfect bite on one fork ... a little turkey, a little mashed potatoes and gravy, a little of my mom's sage stuffing and a little cranberry sauce from a can.

Oh, baby. It just doesn't get better than that.

So how do you gear up for a day that's all about eating?

I'm just gonna eat.

Someone asked me yesterday if I was sticking to my "diet" this week.

Nope. But I'm not going to blow my diet, either.

I'm going to stick to the things I crave and want most. I'm going to skip the things I like OK (like green bean casserole) and the things I eat every day (raw veggie tray).

I'm also going to work out in the morning before breakfast and I'm going to see if I can arrange a group walk after the big meal, weather permitting.

And I'm not going to feel guilty or worry about it or fret. It's one day in a whole year and I'm going to enjoy it.

Hope you do, too.

STUCK! And Stuck Again. And Again. And Again.

I swear. I have been stuck at the same weight for the past three or four weeks. And it pisses me off.

I work and work and work and the scale sort of hovers around the same number. Maybe up one pound today, then down one, then up one, then steady, then down two, then up one, then steady ...

You get the idea.

And it's frustrating.

Early on, the pounds came off faster. Obvioulsy, there was more of them to lose at that point. But it wasn't uncommon to lose three or four of the little darlings in a week, every week. And I got addicted to the game. I looked forward to weighing in each morning, if you can imagine such a thing. Couldn't wait to see what had happened each night. Even caught myself checking in after work, because I just had to KNOW!

The official weigh in, however, was in the morning, when the scale would show the lowest number possible for the day. I made sure to only weigh in the altogether because even PJs could add a fraction of a pound. I learned (or thought I did) that my scale seemed to register lower after the bathroom was filled with steam, so I weighed in after my shower, making sure to squeeze every drop of water out of my hair with a towel first. I even tried to pee twice ... just to make sure I'd expelled have every last ounce of potential additional weight. (Gross, but true.)

It was fun to watch the pounds come off.

These days, the pounds are dropping slower. There's less to lose, true, as I'm within about 17 pounds of my goal. But now I feel like I'm on a new cycle. Like I manage to lose two or three or four and then level off for a few weeks. Then I lose a few more over a couple of days, and level off again. In the middle of that, I bounce up and down "gaining" and "losing" the same three pounds for at least three weeks.

It drives me bananas. I mean, I'm working just as hard. I'm eating pretty OK. Nothing seems to be significantly different.

It's hard to not get discouraged. But I found something of a solution.

I go try on clothes. Because even though the number on the scale isn't significantly different from what it was a month ago or two months ago, I fit in smaller sizes. My assumption is that while I'm not losing pounds, perhaps I am still losing inches. And that helps me get through the blasted plateau.

I choose to think of it this way: My body needs time to rearrange itself. It needs to adjust to the new reality before it can fire up again. And, so far, I haven't been disappointed. It might take a while, but the scale does go down.

(And I have to mention the fact that us girls have the additional battle of monthly water weight, which I won't go into detail on, but want to acknowledge. That's two gross things in one post. Three if you count my mention of my altogether. You're welcome.)

Bottom line, I know that as long as I'm doing the right things, the right things happen. Eventually.

And I repeat it over and over and over and over and over and over again.

Unexpected Benefits of Being Thinner #1

(This will be a recurring entry, BTW)

Jim can pick me up off the ground. And occassionally does.

I Hate Squash

Why then, did I just make Butternut Squash Soup, you ask?

I made it because someone gave me a squash from their garden and because I'm tired of the stuff I've been eating. And, in my best spokesmodel voice, because they're chock full o' nutrients that are good for me!

After a while, you just get sick of the same old, same old. Or at least I do.

Remember a few posts back where I mentioned that I threw some kale into a stirfry? Same principle.

I peruse the produce department now like a treasure hunter. I'm looking for something new or different or even strange. I buy the standard carrots and cauliflower and red peppers. Some lettuce and onions. A lemon, probably.

But then I try to find whatever is in season that looks good.

Early on when I was eating mostly vegetables, I just craved different textures or flavors. Just wanted to put something in my mouth that felt different. For instance, I started buying cherry tomatoes this summer ... and I don't like raw tomatoes. But they gave me a different kind of crunch in a salad.

I've learned that I can stretch stirfry dishes with Nappa cabbage. (It's my "eat a lot without doing damage" theory.) I can pump up the nutrition of anything with kale or spinach. Banana peppers are very different from poblanos. Spaghetti squash doesn't taste like squash. I like the English cucumbers better than the ordinary kind. I like to mix mushroom varieties. Cilantro is good in anything. (Though I know some people vehemently disagree.)

However, sometimes my eyes are bigger than my stomach and my courage, to turn a phrase. I have bought, and thrown away, vegetables I couldn't figure out what to do with. Just last week, I tossed out an eggplant and some fennel because I couldn't get to them with a good idea before they went bad.

That's a stupid and wasteful thing, mind you. But sometimes the week just doesn't work out and I don't get to them in time.

I've also learned to do the same thing with spices. I love lemon pepper, cumin and Mrs. Dash. But I also spend some time with the spice mixes that are now available. McCormick has some low or no salt versions ... the Mediterranean one with a light blue label, I think ... works on everything from veg to eggs to meat.

Maybe lots of people already eat this way. I just didn't before.

I want to make one thing perfectly clear, however. There is still NO WAY I'm eating a banana. Yuk-O.

Butternut Squash Soup
Adapted from 3 or 4 recipes on AllRecipes.com

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes. (This is a pain in the @ss, BTW. Sharpen your knives beforehand.)
1 medium sweet yellow onion, rough chop
2 stalks celery, rough chop
2 small cans/boxes chicken stock (I used the low sodium kind.)
2-3 stalks fresh oregano
4-5 stalks fresh thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
1-2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp to 1 Tbsp curry powder
Red pepper flakes, to your liking
Salt & pepper
Olive oil
1/3 bar of light cream cheese

In a big soup pot, drizzle a little olive oil and sweat onions and celery with salt and pepper. When they start to soften up, toss in the squash. Stir it up and let them cook for a few minutes. Add nutmeg, cumin, red pepper flakes, fresh herbs (peel them off stalks and toss them in) and enough chicken stock to just cover it all. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and let it go until the squash is fork tender.

Separate the squash from liquid. Remove the bay leaves. Put squash/veg in blender or food processor. (If the mixture is hot, keep a hand on the lid when you mix!) Puree it so that there's a little texture, but not chunks. Add back the liquid as needed. I think I used about half, but this is your call. If you want it thinner, add more. If you want it thicker, don't add as much.
Melt in cream cheese and adjust salt/pepper/curry powder/red pepper flake to your taste. Let simmer on stove for a while.
WARNING: This is sort of bright gold and looks a lot like baby food. I'm not so sure I dig that part. But Jim said "You can make this again," which doesn't always happen.

Weekends are Hard

I'm sitting here, still full from breakfast ... and all the taste testing that happened during breakfast preparation ... and I'm sort of dreading the second half of the opening day tradition.

Dinner at the neighbors.

I'm not dreading it because I think my neighbor is a bad cook. (Quite the contrary, actually!) I'm dreading it because I really should eat some raw veggies and a fake buffalo chicken pattie and call it a day.

For reasons like this, I find the weekends hard.

There's always something going on that involves eating, like Friday night fish fry or a Badger/Packer get together with popcorn and taco dip. Or, maybe worse, there's nothing going on and you're sitting at home as the pantry and fridge call your name.

It takes all I have to not snack all day long.

I try to get my workout in early, so that no matter what else happens, I know I have minimized the impact. Then I try to stay busy.

In the summer, it's easier to be outside doing something. And there's always housework. Ugh. This time of year is a little harder.

My plan of action today was to head into town and run some errands. I'm not actually a big shopper, but I figure the mall keeps me off my rear end.

So, I ran to TJMaxx and Old Navy, parking as far away as I could to take advantage of the extra walk. I didn't exactly work up a sweat, but it was better than nothing.

It can be a little frustrating to be "good" all week long and make progress on the scale and then hold steady or even gain a pound back during the weekend.

I just remind myself that this is a marathon and not a sprint. That I'm doing the right things to meet my goal. That if I PLAN the weekend a little, I can make sure to do as little damage as possible.

Whew.

And now I have to go eat some chili. Wish me luck.

In the Name of Research ...

... I've been baking all afternoon.

You see, tomorrow is opening morning of the gun deer season here in Wisconsin. That means Jim's all a=tingle as he dreams of the big buck with the atypical rack he missed during bow season.

And that means it's my turn to host the third annual neighborhood hunters' breakfast, a tradition we've created with the people that live across the road.

On the menu is not-so-healthy fare like Egg Casserole (complete with ham, cheese and a can of cream of mushroom soup), hash browns, a pigs-in-a-blanket deal with sausage/pancakes/apple butter, and some fresh fruit.

I chose not to go full healthy on the main dishes because I don't want to push my new way of eating on innocent bystanders. While I could have made the casserole with egg substitute, low-fat soup, reduced fat cheese, turkey ham, and the "white" whole wheat bread, I didn't. I could also use half white potatoes and half sweet potatoes for the hash browns, but I'm not sure everyone likes sweet potatoes. I DID choose turkey sausage for the pigs-in-a-blanket and am hoping they won't notice.

In an effort to round out the meal, I wanted to bake something sweet, but wasn't sure what to make.

I'm a little out of practice on the whole baking thing.

So, I decided to see if I could make an old favorite recipe a bit healthier with some simple substitutions.

And it worked!

Lisa's Pumpkin Bars
(They were called "Bee's Pumpkin Bars after my MIL, but now I think I can claim them as my own. I'll give you my ingredient first, and the original option second.)

1 14-16 oz. can of pumpkin
1 cup egg substitute (or 4 eggs)
1 cup granulated sugar AND 1 cup Splenda (or 2 cups granulated sugar)
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup organic applesauce AND 1/2 cup vegetable oil (or 1 cup vegetable oil)
2 cups AP flour
2 Tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

(RE: the applesauce and oil ... I used a liquid measuring cup and filled it to the 1/2 cup line with applesauce, then poured enough oil in for it to hit the 1 cup mark)

Mix it all in a big bowl until smooth and pour in jelly roll pan or lined muffin tins. Bake 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Frost with cream cheese frosting. You can make this with low-fat cream cheese, too! But I just bought a can. After the ham and cheese and fried potatoes ... it's not like a spoonful of frosting is going to matter much.

Mmmmm. The house smells so good right now!

The Title of This Blog Sucks

I wish I knew how to move the content to a more appetizing-ly named home.

Sorry.

It was a good name for the original blog. Not such a good name now when all I talk about is food.

I Lied.

I lied. I implied in an earlier post that I threw away ALL canned/bottled/prepackaged food in my house.

I didn't.

Well, not ALL of it, anyway.

I do make my own spaghetti sauce and enchilada sauce. (Recipes to come as soon as I make them again and pay attention to how much of what stuff I put in there.) I have definitely eliminated boxed potatoes, canned soup, box dessert mixes, Hamburger Helper/Rice-a-Roni things, frozen pizzas, individually wrapped American cheese slices, cinnamon rolls in a tube ... you get the idea.

But there are a few things I keep on hand.

Cereal: Instead of Fruity Pebbles (our favorite), now it's Raisin Bran and Honey Bunches of Oats. Not significantly different if you read the labels, but the intent is there. And I literally measure out a cup of it when I want some, so I know how much I'm ingesting.

Salad Dressing: I know Rachel Ray says it's easy to make your own, but I have never done it successfully. So I buy the light version, selecting those with as little sugar and salt and chemical-sounding ingredients as possible.

Honey Mustard: For dipping those big, hard pretzels. Satisfies the crunch craving.

Packets of Taco/Fajita/Ranch Dressing Seasoning: The salt is too high, but again, I haven't figured out how to make it myself.

Stir Fry Sauce: Bottle or dry seasoning packet. Again, watch salt and sugar and chemicals. Someday I will figure this one out.

And, with that being said, here's what was for supper tonight:


Stir Fry
Pull some of that Rotisserie chicken out of the freezer and thaw in microwave. The idea is to have WAY more veg than chicken.

In a small pan, boil some water and get a little whole wheat spaghetti going. Again, the idea is to have mostly veg. But even just a little pasta makes it seem like a more filling meal.

In canola oil, on med-high heat, stir fry your favorite veg, putting the ones that take the longest to cook in the pan first. Cut all into similar sized/shaped pieces so they cook at the same speed. This was in my fridge tonight:

Red onion
Sliced mushrooms
Carrots
Water chestnuts
Zuchinni
Yellow squash
Kale (Yes, KALE! It was the first time I've ever tried it. More on that later.)

When the veg mixture is halfway done, toss in the chicken and spaghetti. Sprinkle with lemon pepper to taste. Add a glub or two of Stir Fry Sauce. Don't drown it. Use a little at first and then use the pasta water to "stretch" it. You can always add more, but can't take it out.

The Truth About Men and Women

As previously discussed, I wouldn't have started this journey had Jim not taken the first step. I think it's also fair to say that I wouldn't have stuck with it had Jim not been participating alongside me.

Having someone beside you, going through the same thing, is a really powerful motivator. If you can, find a friend or a buddy or a partner to take the challenge with you. Someone to pick you up when you need a boost and someone to celebrate the victories. Both are important.

There was a time when all we talked about what what we ate, how much we lost, what we were going to eat, how much we were going to lose, who said what about our new physiques, what clothes no longer fit ... blah, blah, blah. You get the idea.

We were sort of obsessed.

I remember thinking, "I wonder what we'll talk about when we actually get to our goal?"

(The same thing happened when we started building our house. Total immersion and complete obsession. How do you fill the void when it's over? Find a new obsession.)

It very quickly became apparent, however, that this was affecting me differently than it was affecting Jim.

He got out of the gate FAST. He started dropping weight very quickly. From the beginning of March to Memorial Day, he lost about 40 pounds. He lost it so quickly that his cheeks looked gaunt because his skin hadn't quite caught up.

I was losing, too, but the results weren't so noticeable or dramatic.

Worst of all, I felt like I was working my hind end off to get there. Sweating. Running. Walking. Dancing. Lifting. And he was doing ... nothing. Well, nothing extra anyway.

Creep.

Sure, his job is more physical than mine. So I guess he was moving. To add insult to injury, though, he really wasn't following the food pyramid as strictly as I was. In fact, there were days I wasn't sure he was following it at all.

He made changes, to be sure. He did stop drinking Mountain Dew. He did cut down on red meat. A lot. He switched to Baked Cheetos for a snack. He certainly ate more fruit and vegetables.

But he also ate a burger every now and then. He brought home ice cream. He ordered hash browns with his breakfast and had the audacity to actually EAT them.

And that made me mad. Well, jealous, really.

I'm guessing that's just the difference between boys and girls.

They seem to have an easier time of the whole losing weight thing.

Creeps. All of y'all.

In the end, it doesn't matter. We're both healthier. Jim has been maintaining his weight for a few months and clearly doesn't need me to tell him how to eat. He's figured out what works for him and is doing it.

Of course, I'm still "coaching" on the Food Pyramid, though my angle now is "overall health and heart healthy" vs. weight loss. I just can't help myself. (You know how I am!) There's something I like about telling him what to do. Even if he doesn't listen.

And I'm still jealous.

Best Vegetables Ever

Grilled Veg
Zuchinni
Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Cut zuchinni into large "planks." Drizzle veg with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put on outdoor grill. Cook until just soft enough, but not too soft.

Easy. (Embarassingly so.) Fast. DEEEE-licious.

Scared to Death of Hamburger

After good month or so of very strictly following all the rules, I could see results. The pounds were starting to come off, the clothes were getting bigger and I was really happy.

Then one night Jim comes home and tells me that my mom and dad are coming to our house and we're all going out for 2-for-1 burger basket night at the little tavern/restaurant near our house, Skip's Friendly Villiage.

At Skip's, there's a beautiful concoction called the "Stump Burger."

I love this burger.

A lot.

It's a half-pounder, studded with Stump's Hot Olives, covered with a slice of pepperjack and smothered in taco sauce. And it's soooooo good.

But I was in a lather. Sitting at the bar, I was quite literally hyperventilating.

How could I eat an enormous, greasy, cheese-covered hamburger ... on a white bun? With french fries? Would potato chips be better?

If I eat this hamburger, will I get sick? Will I gain back every ounce I already lost? Will I fall off the wagon and return to my old eating habits?

Should I eat the whole thing? Will I be able to stop after half? Will I wake up tomorrow 5 pounds heavier?

I've got myself so whipped up I'm shaking. And sweating. Jim just looks at me and says, "Knock it off. You're fine. It won't kill you."

The burger comes. And I'm still terrified to put it in my mouth. But I do.

And I eat the whole thing. Every last morsel.

I went to bed very worried. What had I done?

But, much to my surprise, the scale was OK the next day. One hamburger hadn't wrecked the whole deal.

And I knew I could eat right today and tomorrow and keep moving toward my goal.

Liberating.

But just in case, I make a fake burger and fries that fills the craving when it's an all-veg day.


Portabello Mushroom Burger and Sweet Potato Fries

Portabello mushroom caps
Jar of pesto
Parmesean cheese, grated
Panko breadcrumbs
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
Whole wheat "Thin Buns"
Sweet potatoes

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel potatoes and slice them into sticks. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on cookie sheet and bake until they start to brown and are soft enough. Flip them over once so two sides get "crunchy."

Clean the mushroom caps and scrape off the "gills" from the underside. In a small bowl, mix a couple of spoonfuls of the pesto, a little parmesean and some breadcrumbs, so it forms a lumpy paste. Drizzle both sides of the mushroom caps with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Throw them, gill side down, on your grill or a grill pan or even a panini maker. Let the underside cook. Then take them off the heat and spread the pesto mixture on the gill side. Put them back on the heat, topside down, to cook the other side.

Toast the buns. Build the burgers, topping with whatever you like.
Note: This is NOT a low fat thing. And if you use too much pesto or too much parm, it's salty. But the fat is mostly heart-healthy olive oil.

If It Feels Good, Do It

I guess the point of those last three posts is this:

If you pick an exercise that you like to do, you will keep doing it.

Find something you like. For me, it was walking. And when I couldn't walk, I found something else. Now that I can walk again, I'm walking. But every once in a while I plug in the Wii just for something different.

The same concept is true of the eating.

Find something you like and can stick to and then do it. For us it was Mediterranean. For you, it might be something else. Weight Watchers or calorie counting or whatever.

But the cold, hard truth is that you have to eat less and move more. It's a simple math equation of calories in and calories burned. Along the way, it's probably wise to make nutrition one of the goals because that's what helps you live and love a long time.

Not too exciting. But the payoff can be thrilling.

Footloose? Maybe. Fly Girl? Not.

A friend had recommended Wii's Just Dance as a good party game. Have a few drinks and let people try to shake their behind to MC Hammer's "U Can't Touch This." The first day I brought it home, the girls tried it and I laughed so hard I cried. It's hysterical ... with or without beer. (For me, not them.)

Since I wasn't running or walking, I had to figure out what to do to get some exercise. I was using hand weights on the couch, but that wasn't enough. I started doing sit-ups on an exercise ball, too. But again, not too aerobic.

So I fired up the Wii and thought I could at least do the arm motions to work up a small sweat.

And I danced my ass off, to quote that TV show.

I started slowly, shakin' my moneymaker just a little. I eventually started marching in place while doing the arm movements, so as to not put too much stress on my knee. Then I picked up the pace. Sometimes I followed the dances as the Wii gods intended and sometimes I made up my own 1980's-Jane-Fonda-areobics-like moves.

Had. A. Ball.

Cracked myself up when I caught my reflection in the patio doors. No one would ever confuse me with Jennifer Lopez or any other Fly Girl.

Knee hurting? More arms, less marching. And then I bought Gold's Gym Cardio. It's boxing. And FUN.

I jab. I hook. I uppercut. And I sweat.

What's the lesson? During this whole ordeal, I learn that I can still lose weight as long as I eat right and move SOME. I don't HAVE to run 5 miles a day to be successful.

Thank God.

Hangin' from My Armpits at the Raintree Resort

We start the Dells week at the Wilderness. Water park our guts out. Inside, outside, wave pool and deer park, horseback riding ... we did it all.

Somewhere along the line, we had the idea that if the first part of the week was livin' it up at the swankier Wilderness, we could be more practical the last couple of day and finish our adventure at the more affordable Raintree Resort.

The girls want to swim, so my mom and sister head to the outdoor pool. I put on workout clothes, grab a bottle of water and head to the fitness center in the basement. It's deserted, so I hop up on the treadmill and start with my quarter mile walking warm-up.

As 0.25 clicks by on the odometer, I press the "faster" button and ease into a run. Quite literally 10 or so steps into my run pace I hear a pop like I've never heard before and my left knee gives way.

I catch myself by my armpits on the treadmill and the belt keeps rolling as I frantically try to find the "stop" button.

I bet it was funny to watch.

So there I am. On the treadmill. Freaking out and trying to catch my breath. I get up on my right leg and determine I can't put weight on my left. "Just chill out. It's just going to take a second, " I tell myself. Try again to stand on it. Holy Moses, no! That's not going to work.

Hmmm. What are my options here? I'm in the bowels of the hotel, by myself, 12 feet from the door. If I can get to the hallway, surely someone will come by, right?

So I hop down off the treadmill, using other machines to steady me. Try to step on my left leg again. Nope. Not yet.

Hop to the door. Manuever out into the hallway and wait. I can hear voices, but have no idea where they are. So I wait. And no one comes.

I can see a door at the end of a long hall that will take me to the indoor pool. About halfway down the same hall, there's a staircase that will get me to the lobby. Can I hop that far?

Hop. Hop. Hop. Hop some more. I'm at the stairway and wondering how much hop I have left. I decide it's unwise to try to make it to the pool. So I sit on the bottom stair and start scooting up on my butt.

I land in the lobby, patiently wait until the person working the front desk finishes checking in a couple. "Excuse me," I say. "I need some help. I did something to my knee in the fitness center and I can't stand on it."

She looks thoroughly confused, but comes over to see what's going on. I ask her to go get Karla. As she hurries back down the stairs, I finally relax long enough to realize how much my flipping knee hurts and tears spring to my eyes.

Several doctor trips, crutches, braces, Xrays and an MRI later, I learn I have a radial tear in my meniscus, which means it's unlikely to heal on its own and unlikely to respond to surgery. Plus, there's too much arthritis in the joint for a person my age. Recommendation from sports doc is to stay as active as I can, do some PT, and try to delay surgery as long as possible. No pivot/push sports like tennis. Walking OK; running out.

(P.S. I'll let Karla tell you how she put me on one of those brass luggage carts to evacuate me from the hotel.)

I'm pissed off. Completely and utterly pissed off. At this point, I've lost about 40 pounds and have no desire to slow down the pace. I can literally see the quad muscle in my left leg disappearing. I'm scared to death to get back on the treadmill. Can't get down my stairs to the basement anyway.

And then I discover Wii Just Dance.

O! The Big E!

It's probably about time to talk about the other half of this losing weight equation.

The Big E.

Exercise.

Da da DUM!

Will you believe me if I tell you that I actually look forward to it? I do. I swear.

I've never been a joiner. I don't dig the idea of Jazzercize or Pilates class. So that wasn't my choice. I've tried tapes/DVDs before and never really liked that either. So I started with plain old ordinary walking.

Just me and my dog in the basement. Me on the treadmill. Her sniffing around the corners and 2x4s. (The basement isn't finished, in other words.) At the time, Jim was still on the road and not home at night. So I'd get home from work, eat, and then head downstairs.

The first night I walked a mile at a 3.0-ish mph pace just to see what that was like. I have always walked, on and off, so it wasn't that big of a deal. And I held on to the machine for dear life, though, because as I think I've mentioned before, I'm a bit clumsy.

I didn't walk every night. But I tried to do it a few nights a week. I gradually increased both the distance and the speed. Gradually.

I'd play games with myself ... bump up the speed one notch for a quarter mile and then knock it back down again. Then the next night, I'd bump it up for a quarter mile two different times during the two miles. Then I'd try two notches. Then go from two to four times. And on and on.

For a while, 2 miles a night felt like a LOT. But over time, it starts to get easier. Soon I was up in the 4.0 range for three or four miles. Then 4.5. Then I'd kind of run. It was the slowest run in the world, mind you, but it was a run. Soon I was running more intervals than I was walking. And then the game became how far could I run without walking?

By the end of May, just three months after I started this whole shebang, I was running 5 miles at a time. I'd do 5 miles on Saturdays and Sundays, and only about 3 miles on three or four nights a week.

I loved that I could keep challenging myself and meeting my goals. I loved that it was all me ... it didn't require any sporting equipment, other players, or a gym membership. I liked one-upping myself each time.

I loved coming upstairs, sweating, and telling Jim how far I'd gone.

I even entertained the idea of running a half marathon. It just felt so good to be "free" in my body.

I loved it so much that I took running clothes on vacation when my sister, nieces, mom and I went on a week-long vacation in the Dells in June. I told them I needed one hour a day to work out and they made sure our schedule allowed it.

That was the last time I ran.

In the Beginning ...

In the beginning ... there was a lot of salads. I was militantly following the rules.

In fact, I admit to being a little terrified of carbs, as if one soda cracker would send me straight to a Willy Wonka Eat-a-Thon.

Case in point: If I went to Subway at lunch, I'd order the Veggie sub, American cheese, with just a little honey mustard on whole wheat. Then before eating it, I'd open it up and scoop out what I thought was the "extra" bread, leaving as thin a crust as possible to hold the rest of the sandwich together.

Freakazoid.

The truth is, I like to eat. I like to eat a lot. And I like to feel like I'm eating a lot of food. So this whole concept of limiting food was tough to get my head around. But when you look back at the Food Pyramid, you very quickly learn that it's hard to actually eat as much as it says you can in one day.

If I wanted to eat a lot, I just made sure I was eating a lot of vegetables.

Taco salad was light on the taco and heavy on the salad. I'd literally fill a medium size mixing bowl and eat the whole thing. A BLT with turkey bacon was stacked HIGH with lettuce.

Psyched myself right into thinking I wasn't really cutting down.

Here are two of my favorite salads. I usually keep a bag or head of some kind of lettuce on hand. If you're feeling really wild, toss in some spinach.

Taco Salad
Lettuce
Raw veg of your choice and lots of them. My favorites are carrots, red onion, red peppers. Fill the bowl!
Low fat shred ched
A handful of crushed baked Tostitos or Sun Chips (the Sun Chips stay crunchier)
Meat: I either take some of the previously discussed shredded rotisserie chicken and heat it up on the stovetop and mix in part of a packet of taco seasoning and water or I fry up some ground turkey and do the same. I prefer the chicken because I don't like the way the ground turkey LOOKS. It's too pale.
For dressing, I just plop on some light sour cream and a dollop of salsa
(My friend Kristen makes the world's best Taco Salad and this isn't as good, but it will work.)

Catered Salad
It seems I get served a version of this salad every time I have a meeting or seminar in a hotel, thus the name.
Mixed greens
A little red onion
A few sliced carrots
A handful of walnuts
A spoonful of blue cheese
One sliced pear (The red skinned ones look pretty)
Some rotisserie chicken (I like mine heated)
And Neuman's Own Light Cranberry Walnut Vinagrette or Raspberry Walnut Vinagrette

Staples Save the Skinny

Didn't get home from work tonight until 7:30 p.m. My lunch had worn off long about 5:30 and I was starving. Jim had already eaten, so I poked my head in the fridge hoping to strike gold.

And, lo and behold, there was something decent to eat. A few somethings as a matter of fact. Which makes the issue of eating so late a little less daunting. I honestly try to NOT eat after 7ish if I can help it. But sometimes you just can't.

These items are staples in our house. By combining a couple of things, I can whip up a fast supper. Or, if I'm feeling lazy, I can just graze on a few individually and be satisfied.

• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Cheese (Low-fat string cheese and Weyauwega brand Diamond Marble ALWAYS on hand.)
• Low-fat sour cream (Yes, we go through vats of this it seems) to make veggie dip and other things
• Johnsonville brand turkey sausage (With or without cheese ... both have same fat grams ... feels like you're eating "more" than a turkey hot dog when wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla.)
• Cans of black beans and mushrooms
• Baked Cheetos (Sometimes you just NEED a crunch and I can't tell the difference between these and regular.)
• Fake eggs
• Frozen broccoli
• Assorted boxes of "steamers" frozen veg (No "sauce" or cheesy varieties, just straight veg.)
• Walnuts or almonds
• Low carb whole wheat tortillas (WARNING: some whole wheat torillas REALLY suck. Texture like sawdust. I like the La Banderita brand because it's palatable with a good balance of carb and fat.)
• Rotisserie chicken (I buy them on sale, pick off the bone and freeze single servings in ziploc bags.)
• Fake crab
• Whole wheat spaghetti/rotini
• Tuna packed in water (Jim likes those single serving pouches, tuna or salmon, but I think they look, smell and taste like cat food. I want Albacore in a can.)
• Red peppers (More vitamin C in a pepper than in an orange, I heard!)
• Apples
• Light yogurt (LOVE the desert flavors like lemon meringue pie or chocolate/raspberry.)

And ...
A bag of Dove dark chocolate squares. Well, at least that's my choice of indulgence. Remember what Dr. Kidd said ... "You gotta live a little, too." One piece is only 40-ish calories and sometimes it's the best bite of the whole day. I nibble off the corners and let it melt on my tongue and enjoy every last second of it.

Falling Back into New Habits

Daylight Savings Time is wreaking havoc on both my sleep and tummy growling schedules. I'm awake at 4 a.m. and hungry at 10 a.m.

Putting one of those things to work for me.

I'm not what you'd call a morning person. In fact, I never set an alarm clock unless I have to catch a flight or make a very important early meeting. I HATE HATE HATE being startled awake with that incessant blaring, whether it's the tone or the radio. It's intrusive, annoying and guarantees a bad start to the day. The last thing I need is to wake up already irritated.

I'd much prefer to ease into the day, and those who know me and love me understand that it's best for all I come in contact with to allow me to do so.

So, uncharacteristically, I'm using these new-found early morning hours to work out before the sun breaks.

I roll out of bed, pull on some workout clothes, let the dog out and head downstairs to begin the day in a new way.

My hair looks spectacular, by the way.

I stretch for a few minutes, as my 43-year-old body proves a little creaky-er and tighter in the wee hours of the day than it would be if I waited until evening. I do some arm circles, throw a few punches, touch my toes and just try to loosen up my hips and knees.

Then I hop on the treadmill and walk for 3 miles.

Before the knee injury, I'd run 3 miles. Now it's a walk and I'm happy to do it.

I find that I actually enjoy the alone time and use it to get my head around the day to come. It also cuts down my showers per day from two to one. (One before work, and one after an evening workout before bed.) Call me environmental.

And it also means I have time to actually cook dinner at night because I'm not rushing home from work at 6 p.m., then trying to shove some food in my face before working out, showering and falling into bed.

Here's what we had last night:

Hummus and Pita Chips
Make hummus: In food processor, mix one can of drained chickpeas (save liquid in case you need it to thin out mixture), 1 tsp of chopped garlic, 2 Tbsp of tahini paste (sold by the peanut butter at my grocery store), couple of sprigs worth or fresh oregano, salt, juice of 2 lemons. As it's mixing, drizzle in a little olive oil just to make it the right consistency (a little stiffer than refried beans). Or, use a mixture of olive oil and juice from the garbanzos if you want to cut the fat a little. Serve with pita chips and cucumber slices.

Make pita chips: Cut a whole wheat pita pockets into triangles. Spread out on cookie sheet and lightly spray both sides with veg oil. Bake 5-10 mintues in 350-degree oven, until crispy.

Greek Chicken (Sandwiches)
Gyro sauce: 1 cup plain Greek yogurt (light sour cream will do in a pinch), 1-2 tsp. cumin, 1/4 peeled/grated seedless cucumber, salt to taste, 1 tsp finely chopped garlic. Mix.

Marinated chicken: Marinate skinless boneless chicken tenders/pieces in mixture of 1 part olive oil, 1 part fresh lemon juice, a few sprigs of chopped fresh oregano and salt/pepper for 30-40 minutes. Bake in 350-degree oven, saute on stovetop or grill.

Assemble chicken and sauce in whole wheat pita if you want a sandwich or skip the pita and just dip chicken in sauce.

But What Do You Eat?

That's the thing people ask me most. They ask how we're losing the weight. If they seem interested in my answer, I ask them if they want a copy of the Mediterranean Food Pyramid. And the next question is almost always ...

"But what do you eat?"

So here's what I eat.

Weekday Breakfast: 110 calorie whole wheat Bagel Thin with reduced fat Skippy peanut butter and a can of Cherry Coke Zero.

Weekday Lunch: 1-2 cups raw veggies with a tablespoon or so of ranch dressing, two harboiled eggs (white only) and a cup of skim milk.

Weekday Dinner: Varies quite a bit. Sometimes chicken and veg sauteed in olive oil. Sometimes fake crab in a salad. In the beginning it was a LOT of taco salads made with chicken or ground turkey.

Snacks: Raw veg and dip made with light sour cream and Hidden Valley Ranch "Fiesta" variety, baked Scoops with salsa (read labels; watch salt content if you buy a jar), grapes (OMG, we ate hundreds of pounds of red seedless grapes this summer) or fruit.

On weekends, it's not quite so regimented. The biggest difference early on was that we simply went out to eat so much less. We ate out once a week, twice at the most. Once for dinner and once for breakfast, perhaps.

And we shared a meal or took half of whatever we ordered home. Plus, you can look up the nutrition information for most "chain" restaurants online so you can PLAN BEFORE YOU GET THERE!

Restaurants with healthy options:

• Applebee's 500 calorie meals and Weight Watchers meals
• Panera Bread shows calorie counts on the posted menus!
• IHOP offers fake eggs, turkey bacon and the menu includes a nice selection of healthy choices, with calorie counts identified.
• Subway. Duh.
• Taco Bell's "Fresco" choices can be OK in a pinch.
• Fudrucker's has a turkey burger and a salmon burger ... beware of condiments and white bread.
• Mexican restaurants often have a fajita-esque thing on the menu ... Jim and I split one order and skip the guac, cheese and sour cream.

Half as Big, Twice as Nice

I bought two pair of size 10 pants yesterday on my way home from Milwaukee.

Two different brands ... so it's not like I found the biggest 10s in the store and doubled up while the going was good.

Size 10s.

The first pair of pants I ever bought outside of the children's department was a size 9. I remember them clearly ... forest green Wrangler corduroys from Copps Department Store in Fort. I was in junior high, I think. And I can't remember a time in my adult life where I wore a size 10. On an exercise kick a over a decade ago, I got down to a size 12 for about two weeks. But never a 10.

I am torn between thrilled and disbelieving.

Eight months ago I wore a size 20. And they were none too roomy.

I'm not too proud to admit I do a little "end zone dance" in the fitting room when these victories happen. In the mirror, I look myself very purposefully in the eye and smile.


Here's a "Top 10" favorite in our house. I try to have vegetarian days at least once, preferrably twice, a week. So we eat this morning, noon or night. Good protien and an easy go-to on meatless days.

Egg Substitute Scrambles
Chop up your favorite veggies, sautee in EVOO, then pour in some Egg Beaters or other egg substitute. Finish with cheese. I usually have a few different kinds of cheese on hand and some are reduced fat varieties. If I use "full fat" cheese, I just use less.

Favorite combinations:

• Asparagus, portabello mushrooms, onions, tarragon and reduced fat Swiss cheese
• Spinach (nuke the frozen, squeeze out all liquid), onions, white mushrooms, a spoonful or two of prepared pesto, parmesean
• Red peppers, onions, turkey bacon (prefer Oscar Mayer brand), sharp cheddar

That's It? The Big Secret?

I hope that didn't disappoint you. If you didn't read it all, it essentially says:

Eat more vegetables. Eat less junk. And though it doesn't say it implicitly, it implies: Exercise a little.

Shocker, right? Quelle suprise! Or however that's spelled a la Francais.

Here are a few other rules we've adopted:

• Throw away all white food. And don't buy more.
• No more fake food (cheesy potatoes from boxes, soup in cans, prepackaged anything).
• Read the labels. See how much salt and sugar there is in a can of baked beans or spaghetti sauce or enchilada sauce. It's so easy to buy a can of crushed tomatoes and make your own.
• Even the "convenient" frozen meals are LOADED with salt.
• If faced with a choice between "real food" like full fat cheese or a 100-calorie packet of oreos, I pick the cheese every time. If I'm going to get the calories either way, my body may as well have some nutrition to go with it.

Grocery shopping took a LONG time those first few weeks. But it gets easier.

Rule #1: If you don't want to eat it, get it out of the house. Throw it away (you don't have to tell your mom you're wasting food) or donate it to the local food pantry. If it's there, you will find a way to get it to your mouth.

Mediterranean Food Pyramid

Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid (From Dr. Kidd)
People who live in the area around the Mediterranean Sea have traditionally had low risk of heart disease. Research studies show that when people in other parts of the world eat a diet similar to that eaten in Mediterranean countries, they reduce their risk of heart disease. The Mediterranean diet contains an abundance of fruit, vegetables, and vegetarian proteins, moderate amounts of whole grains, and small amounts of red meat. Regular use of fish, olive oil, and nuts make this diet slightly higher in fat than the typical heart healthy diet, but the fat is mostly unsaturated, which can be beneficial for the heart. A Mediterranean diet can be especially helpful for people who have high triglyceride and low HDL cholesterol levels.

Whole Grains
4-6 servings per day
Serving = 1 Slice whole wheat bread
1/2 large whole grain bun
6-inch whole wheat pita
1/2 cup cooked whole grain cereals (oatmeal, cracked wheat)
1/2 cup cold cereals without added sugar (wheat, oat, bran)
1/2 cup cooked whole wheat pasta, brown rice, or barley
1/2 cup potatoes, corn, peas or winter squash
1 oz small whole grain crackers

Whole grains are high in fiber and have less effect on blood sugar and triglyceride levels and refined, processed grains like white bread and pasta. Whole grains also keep the stomach full longer, making it easier to lose weight.


Non-Starchy Vegetables
4-8 per day
Serving = 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables or 1 cup of raw vegetables

Examples on non-starchy vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, carrots, tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, green beans, asparagus, zucchini, peppers, salad greens and mushrooms


Fruit
2-4 per day
Serving = One small piece of fresh fruit, 1/4 cup dried fruit or 1/2 cup juice

Whole fruits are preferred because of the fiber they contain, but frozen fruit with no added sugar and fruits canned in their own juice are also good choices. Limit fruit juices since they contain as much sugar as regular soda.


Legumes and Nuts
1-3 per day
Serving = Legumes: 1/2 cup kidney, black, garbanzo, pinto, soy, navy beans, split peas, or lentils, 1/4 cup fat free refried beans or baked beans
Serving = Nuts and Seeds: 2 T. Sunflower or sesame seeds, 7-8 walnuts or pecans, 20 peanuts, 1 T. peanut butter, 12-15 almonds

Aim for 1-2 servings of nuts or seeds and 1-2 servings of legumes per day. Legumes are high in fiber, protein, and minerals. Nuts are high in fat, but the fat is mostly unsaturated, and may increase HDL without increasing LDL. Raw or dry roasted nuts typically do not have added fat.


Healthy Fat
4-6 per day
Serving = 1 tsp olive or canola oil;
1 tsp regular mayonnaise;
2 Tbsp of regular or light salad dressing, made with oil ;
5 olives (limit these due to salt content if you have high blood pressure);
2 tsp light margarine;
1/8 of an avocado

These fats are mostly unsaturated so they will not increase LDL levels.  Remember that fats do contain concentrated calories, so keep the servings small, as recommended.      


Low-Fat Dairy Products
1-3 servings per day
Serving = 1 cup of skim milk or light yogurt; 1 oz of low-fat cheese

Soy milk, yogurt, and cheese can take the place of dairy products. If servings of dairy or fortified soy are less than 2 per day, a calcium and vitamin D supplement is recommended.


Fish or Shellfish
2-3 times a week
Serving = 3 oz (about the size of a deck of cards)

Prepare fish by baking, sauteing, broiling, roasting, grilling or poaching.  Choose fatty fishes like salmon, herring, sardines, or mackerel which are high in omega-3 fats, so it has healthy effects on triglycerides and blood cells.


Poultry
1-3 times a week
Serving = 3 oz (about the size of a deck of cards)

Bake, saute, stir fry, roast or grill the poultry you eat, and eat it without the skin.


Eggs
2-4 times a week
2-4 yolks per week; unlimited egg whites

Egg whites can be eaten in unlimited amounts. One egg yolk contains approximately 215 mg of cholesterol and 2 grams of saturated fat.


Sweets
Use infrequently. Limit to occasional enjoyment

Sweets can contribute to high triglycerides, elevated blood sugar, and weight gain. Sweets include desserts, candy, sugars, syrups, fruit juices, and soda. Consider using fruit as a dessert.


Red Meat
Up to 3-4 times per month
Serving = 3 oz (about the size of a deck of cards)

Red meat includes beef, pork, lamb and veal. Always choose lean cuts (such as loin) and trim visible fat. Bake, saute, stir fry, roast, broil, or grill the red meat you eat.


Moderate Amounts of Alcohol
No more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men
One drink equal: 12 oz of beer, 4 oz of wine, or 1-1/2 oz of liquor

People with high blood pressure or high triglycerides, or those taking certain medications may be advised to avoid alcohol completely. Ask your doctor to be sure.