Nov. 6: Thank you!

All of the feedback and encouragement I have gotten from you all has been amazingly helpful at getting me back on track.  I don't know if this applies to the rest of you all, but diet, weight loss, and whether I'm on track or not isn't something I can really talk about in my everyday life.  None of my friends are really dieting, so the topic is boring to them.  I work with a bunch of guys who would just stare at me blankly.  The people that I do know who are dieting are still in that place of justifying every bite they put in their mouth.  I'm good enough at doing that - I sure don't need someone else making up excuses for me!

So really, that leaves a forum that a post on with people I just adore, and this blog.

I believe, strongly, that without this blog to keep me honest, I'd have quit long ago.  I'd never have hit my goal weight and I would have probably yo-yoed back up to a higher weight than last year's Maximum Density.

I also love sharing recipes with you! I really enjoy cooking and being able to share some tricks and ideas is so much fun to me!

This week's menu:

Monday: Honey Garlic Meatballs, brown rice and steamed green beans
Tuesday: Mexican pita pizza
Wednesday: Ground chicken and bean burritos
Thursday: BBQ Beef Chili
Friday: Upside-down Nachos


What are upside down nachos?  I posted the recipe last year but it's definitely worth posting again.  I thought I had a pic somewhere but I can't seem to find it.

I use some of my big batch Mexican ground chicken for this (recipe below)

UPSIDE DOWN NACHOS

In an oven safe pan, layer, in this order:

~1 serving of ground chicken mixed with 1/4 cup of black beans

~ chopped veggies of choice (think peppers, onions, tomato, etc)

~1/2 serving (about 25 grams) of finely shredded cheddar

~ 6 blue corn tortilla chips, crumbled

~ the other half serving of cheese

Bake this in the oven at 400* until hot, bubbly and delicious.  (5-10 minutes)  When it comes out of the oven, top with plain, low fat yogurt and salsa, and perhaps some homemade guacamole if you are feeling industrious.

I love this because it gets rid of my pub-food appetizer cravings.  My kids love it because it has a funny name.  6 tortilla chips never made anyone fat, and neither did a bit of cheese.

BIG BATCH MEXICAN GROUND CHICKEN

2 pounds of extra lean ground chicken

chopped onion and garlic (to taste)

sprinkle of sea salt

chili powder (I like LOTS)

1/2 cup of barbecue sauce or ketchup

In a nonstick pan, cook the chicken, onion and garlic until chicken is cooked through, stirring to keep it broken up.  Once chicken is cooked through, season with sea salt and chili powder.  Stir in your choice of bbq sauce or ketchup and heat through until hot and thoroughly mixed.

There are a billion and one uses for this big batch of yumminess.  I'll list a few.

~ Taco or burrito filling

~ Mexican pizza topping

~ Mixed with brown rice

~ Upside down nachos

~ Meat for chili

~ Taco salad

~ In a pinch, stir it into canned spaghetti sauce and serve over pasta

I make a batch of this nearly every week - it's a staple in our house!



Nov. 6: Still Going Well!

So far, so good.  I have finally stayed on plan for a few days in a row!

I managed to stick to my menu this week.  As well, when I got faced with grabbing something on the go, I got the healthiest options possible. At a workplace lunch, I only had two very small pieces of pizza, skipped the wings and breadsticks, and didn't feel like I was deprived.  On the go, I grabbed a bean burrito and a bottle of water.  I was pleased with that.

My calorie intake has been under 1800 all week, but so far, the scale isn't showing it at all.  It is so hard for me to budge the scale (downward at least).  On the bright side, I feel much better.  I feel lighter and more energetic when I eat healthy unprocessed foods.

My challenge this week is finding time to exercise. I don't know how on earth I am going to fit it in, but that is the missing link in my "get back to a healthy weight" plan.  I'm going to ponder that today and post my plan.

This morning, I'm taking my girls to the mall to wander around while I get my haircut.  Lunch will be at the food court.  I'm going to get a Greek Salad with grilled chicken at the souvlaki place - a pretty good option from the choices available.  This weekend will be a rush of birthday parties and chauffeuring kids, but I plan to get out on at least two long walks with the dog.

I'll be back this evening with an exercise plan!

November 4: Motivation, at Last

Of course I had to hit a solid 10 pound weight gain from my goal weight to actually find my motivation, but Daisy's got her groove back today.

Here is what I did not eat today:

~ the donuts a co-worker brought in to share
~ the gigantic Tootsie Roll a friend gave me
~ the caramel-filled, chocolate-covered ball of yumminess a customer brought me
~ nary one sip of Diet Coke crossed my lips today!

And somehow, after weeks of shoveling in everything I could find to eat, I didn't especially want any of this stuff.

Wow.

It makes me wonder if the soda pop is the culprit.  I had all those months (8 of them) where I really didn't have craving issues, and drank no Diet Coke.  It will be interesting to track!

Today's eats:

4 graham crackers with peanut butter
fat free yogurt with protein powder and granola
ground chicken with veggies and 20 grams of tortilla chips crumbled on top
stir fry with chicken breast, broccoli and mushrooms
2 more graham crackers cause they are yummy~

This tallies up to

1649 calories
150 g carbs
60 g fat
140 g protein

I'm really really really happy with this.  It is the most control I have felt in a while.

Dear Motivation,

I've really missed you while you have been away.  Things aren't the same without you, that's for sure.  Things that would not be the least bit enticing when I have you in my life are nearly addictive in their power to suck me in.  It's like peer pressure from a group of bad friends when you are away.

I need your steadying presence so I can actually lose this weight and figure out how to maintain the loss.  Please don't leave again!  I promise to make it worth your while if you never break up with me again.  Just imagine the things we can do together!

Your friend,
Daisy

Nov. 1: Starting the Month Off Right

I just love a new month. Something about turning that page on the calendar always makes me feel a rush of anticipation, that feeling of a fresh start.  I feel like I've put the bad stuff from the previous month away, just by the mere act of turning that page.

So, in honor of starting the month off right, here is my weekly meal plan.

Monday: Chicken soft tacos, brown rice, guacamole and beans
Tuesday: Leftover Mexican food
Wednesday: BBQ beef chili
Thursday: Stir fry w/ cooked chicken breasts and broccoli
Friday: BBQ chicken pita pizzas

Already made are grilled chicken breasts and BBQ beef chili.  Today, since I have the day off, I'm making a yummy fiesta meal for supper.  I have salad fixings, baby carrots, and prepped veggies for the stir fry.  I need to pick up some fruit and the week is set.

Did everyone have a fun Halloween? I managed to limit my indulgence to a few packets of Twizzlers.  I also humiliated my dog by dressing her as a princess.

Tip of the day:  Freeze the Halloween candy your child is not going to eat this week and take it out in the mornings to put in his or her lunch pail.  You are less likely to eat it if you risk breaking a tooth to do so!