Off Gluten

So I am not sure if I have blogged about this, but on top of my Goodlife Personal Trainer, I have also employed a Goodlife Nutritionist. My trainer had previously taken dairy out of my diet and my nutritionist has added big time to the list of foods from which I should stay away. Most of the things she has done have been pretty easy to deal with, such as drinking water pretty much constantly throughout the day, or portion sizes, but some have been really hard – like eating gluten free. Not only is gluten delicious, but it is in EVERYTHING!! My trips to the grocery store are now at least 50% longer because I have to read the ingredients in everything I want to purchase. I miss gluten.

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Tasty Tuesdays: Strawberry Shortcake

This tasty fruit dessert is a great light end to any meal.

Ingredients:

- package of prepared mini angel food cakes
- 1 package of frozen strawberries
- honey
- fresh fruit: pears, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries
- Cool Whip

Directions:

place entire package of frozen strawberries in a large saucepan. Cook on low heat, covered until strawberries are thawed
Add honey to taste to the mixture and stir continuously until thickened
Top Angel Food cakes with portion of sauce
Top with sliced fresh fruit and then Cool Whip

Serve and Enjoy!

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Tasty Tuesday: Asparagus

Okay, so asparagus makes your pee smell funny, but whatever, deal with that and make this delicious vegetable dish.

This meal is really, really simple to make. First snap off the hard ends of your washed asparagus and place it in a baking dish. Lightly coat it with olive oil and garlic powder and give it all a good toss. Cook until tender (approximately 5-10 minutes depending on how crunchy you like them) in a 350 degree oven. As soon as the spears are cooked, pour a little bit of balsamic vinegar over them and then crumble feta cheese on top. Serve and enjoy.

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Despite my efforts…

Despite my efforts, this past month was not a good one for me. I tried to get back to Curves, and though I did not completely fail at that, I did not achieve my very low goals. I was, however, able to burn at least 1000 calories each weekend on the elliptical and then do a great deal of walking or housework as well. I intend on keeping this last part up throughout this month as it was actually pretty easy (well in relation to how hard it was to do anything else this past month). I also felt really great after doing it and often rewarded myself with a nap while watching the boys play video games.

In terms of food, I was able to make healthy meals to eat during the day, but then the evening would come and I would end up eating one thing almost each night that I really shouldn’t have. I have realized this and am trying my best to entertain myself with something else so that I will not eat, though it is quite hard.

This month is going to be about getting back on track – or rather getting more on track than where I am now. I need to figure out what I need to do to reward myself that doesn’t cost money or have calories. I really don’t know what that will be just yet --- if you have any ideas, let me know.

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Balsamic Vinaigrette and Cucumbers

This is a new snack I discovered (for myself, obviously it has been out there for quite some time) during a trip to The Works (shhh...don't tell my diet I went to The Works it doesn't know yet). A little balsamic vinaigrette dressing and several slices of cucumbers (sliced on an angle to make it fancy-like) make for a delicious morning or afternoon snack. Most 'counting' diets consider cucumbers to be free food (for example, Weight Watchers and the Curves diet) so all you need to account for is about 1 tablespoon of dressing. The Kraft Calorie-Wise version has 25 calories and 2 grams of fat in 1 tablespoon and I even had some leftover when I was done. Delicious.

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July Recap

So July appears to have been a stalemate. I lost a few pounds throughout the month but haven't made any big leaps towards my goals. I am still just a little bit off from 10 lbs lost.
My food was pretty good this past month though I did have a few treats here and there. My exercise started out really well but unfortunately incredibly high workloads and stress levels made me miss almost two weeks of Curves. Not only is that disappointing, but it is also a little sad as I actually enjoy Curves for the most part (as previously mentioned).
My goals for the Fall are not really achievable anymore (I wanted to get back into regular size jeans before I started having to wear them again) but I am still going to work really hard in August to get as close to them as possible. Unfortunately this means another shopping trip at a larger size - hopefully I can find a few items that won't break the bank.

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Almost…

Just a little update today ---
I am currently 0.8lbs away from 10lbs lost.
I need to weigh-in again at Curves so I will find out how many inches I have lost in a little bit.
I am pretty happy with my progress so far especially when you consider that I am pretty happy with the tastiness of the food I have been eating.

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June Update

Apparently I have fallen back into the habit of posting here once a month. As things are starting to go better for my weight loss I will try to change that in July. But for now, here is my June update.
I officially started the Curves weight loss and management plan on the 21st. I am now on Phase 2 of the diet and am feeling pretty good. I stepped on the scale this morning and found that I lost about 6.5lbs last week alone. I know most of this is water weight, but that is the point of Phase 1 of the diet.
I didn't have many problems with the diet last week though I did have to use my willpower a few times:
1. We went out for dinner on Thursday and rather than having delicious greasy pizza, I ate dinner beforehand and then just had a garden salad (with dressing I brought from home). It was hard, but I did it and was really proud of myself.
2. When the earthquake hit last week, all the staff were sitting outside. The VP of the company came by with some candy and offered me some. I took a Reese peanut butter cup and held it until Dave had finished his candy and then gave it to him (that was the intention from the beginning). It was very hard not to eat it as I love those things.
3. All week long, our friend Justin was at our place. I cooked dinner for Dave and I and occasionally him as well. Both of the boys would eat a second helping of dinner, or a treat afterwards. I had to resist the temptation to follow suit.
All that being said, I did treat myself to a third of a piece of chocolate cheesecake on Saturday when I was out with my mom and sister-in-law. It was delicious and I think it was very well deserved.
I am really happy with Phase 1 of the Curves Diet and am ready for Phase 2. Hopefully it goes as well.

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Tasty Tuesday: Mr. Bow Jangles

Mr. Bow Jangles has been posted on this blog before, but it is so good that I have decided to repost it - this time with photos.
Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp each honey and lime juice
1 Tbsp each olive oil, Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 oz bow tie pasta uncooked
3 cups broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Whisk together soy sauce, honey, lime juice, olive oil, mustard, vinegar and garlic. Pour marinade over chicken cubes and let marinate for 30 minutes.Pour 1 cup boiling water over tomatoes and let soak for 5 minutes - drain, chop and set aside.
Chop broccoli into bite size pieces and cook in boiling water until tender. Prepare pasta according to package. Cook pasta in boiling water until tender.Transfer Chicken and marinade (and onions) to large non-stick skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Mix everything together in a large mixing bowl and serve.Notes: I tend to leave the tomatoes out since I don't really like them and it is still very yummy. I also only use 2 chicken breasts and add more broccoli. Make sure the marinade comes to a boil when you are cooking it and the chicken to ensure any bacteria are killed.

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Tasty Tuesday: White Cheddar Macaroni

I apologize for this one readers, but I have been slacking in the dinner preparations lately and have been saving this as a backup hoping I wouldn't have to use it; White Cheddar Macaroni.First things first, the ingredients: essentially you just need the box of white cheddar macaroni, milk and butter or margarine.Boil a pot full of water and then add the macaroni. Drain the macaroni once fully cooked and then place it back into the pot. Add the milk, margarine (1 cup and 1/4 cup according to the package, though I would suggest using less margarine) and sauce (from the package) and stir until the sauce thickens.Once the sauce has thickened, serve and enjoy.

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November Update

I have been trying to get more exercise in, but so far have been failing. That being said, I have had multiple days with increased walking (highly increased), but I haven't worked out until I broke a sweat or anything like that.
My food intake has been through the roof this past week, but before that I was doing really well. Dave and I had bought some healthier food and I was starting to make lunches the night before for work. I am going to work on a few meals today to get back on track with that as it is a relatively easy thing to do and helps out so much.
I have also been trying to think of ways to make this blog more active. I want to post here on a more regular basis, but really how often do you want to read posts where I say that I am not exercising as much as I want to but am getting better with my food (that is the general idea of all of my posts isn't it?). I was thinking along the lines of a feature as that seems to be working wonderfully on my other blogs - I just haven't decided what the feature is going to be just yet. If you have any ideas, let me know please.

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October > September

Overall October was better than September was in terms of my weight loss attempts. Though I don't think I lost much, I definitely feel like I have gotten back on track. I am eating properly and starting to track my food intake again. I have increased my exercise, though have no set routine just yet. I definitely have things to work on this month but feel better now than I did a month ago and that is definitely a plus. Dave and I are going grocery shopping tonight to once again pick up some healthier foods. My main goal this month is to get in a decent workout at least once a week.

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Thanksgiving

Dave and I ventured to Newmarket for his family's Thanksgiving this past weekend and I have to say, I am pretty pleased with how I handled myself. I didn't overeat, in fact I didn't even get seconds. I had one slice of apple pie for dessert and left it at that. I didn't move around as much as I should have, but I did play with his wee cousin Olivia and carried her around for a large portion of the day. I of course spent the majority of my time there taking photos and am pleased with those as well - but that is not for this blog.
Hopefully I will be able to continue this trend of restraint through the Beach Family Thanksgiving, which is this weekend. *fingers crossed* - again.

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Been A While

It's been a while since I stepped on the scale. This point was proven correct when I got on it this morning and found that I am up to only 7 lbs lost. I was down to as much as 10 lbs lost, but a combination of Chicago and shear laziness has brought me back up. Now that I know this however, I have no excuses to letting myself continue on this downward (or rather upward) spiral. Dave and I picked up a few groceries last night and I intend on getting back on track with eating home cooked, healthy meals and cutting back on the restaurant meals. I have been choosing better restaurants meals, most of the time, but they are still higher in calories and fat than the alternatives I can whip up at home.
I did get a fair bit of exercise in this weekend though, by walking around downtown Ottawa taking photos both Saturday and Sunday. This upcoming weekend is sure to be a challenge as it is Thanksgiving, and though most people give themselves a break on this holiday, I feel that the past few weeks have been enough of a break for me and I need to do my best to stay within my limits. Fingers crossed on achieving that goal.

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Chicago

I have been eating heavier while here in Chicago as most of my meals are provided for me and aren't the healthiest of choices. BUT I have also been walking around a great deal more than I usually do. I have walked about 2-3 hours most nights taking photos and generally taking in the sites of the city. I am really enjoying it so far and hope that my weight loss goal for this month doesn't get blown out of the water because of it - but if it does, I will just have to work even harder next month.

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Mr. Bow Jangles

Yet another favourite from the Podleski Sisters. I believe it is also from Crazy Plates. The name of this recipe is from a popular song written and originally recorded by Jerry Jeff Walker in 1968, Mr. Bojangles.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp each honey and lime juice
1 Tbsp each olive oil, Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cubed
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 oz bow tie pasta uncooked
3 cups broccoli
1/2 cup chopped green onions

Directions:
Whisk together soy sauce, honey, lime juice, olive oil, mustard, vinegar and garlic. Pour marinade over chicken cubes and let marinate for 30 minutes.
Pour 1 cup boiling water over tomatoes and let soak for 5 minutes - drain, chop and set aside.
prepare pasta according to package. Add broccoli to pasta for last 3 minutes. Drain and return to pot.
Transfer Chicken and marinade (and onions) to large non-stick skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.
Mix everything together and serve.

Notes: I tend to leave the tomatoes out since I don't really like them and it is still very yummy. I also only use 2 chicken breasts and add more broccoli. Make sure the marinade comes to a boil when you are cooking it and the chicken to ensure any bacteria are killed.

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Weekly Update

Another loss this week, 2 lbs this time! Really happy with that and feeling good about my goals.
Dave and I went grocery shopping this weekend and got some really healthy food so I have high hopes for getting away from all the fast-food and restaurant meals we have been having lately.
I have to see about getting some exercise in this week, even if it is just something small. Dave and I went for a walk around the Agricultural Museum yesterday and I feel good about that and want to keep it up. That's pretty much everything for this update.

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Pod's Pad Thai

As previously mentioned, I love the Podleski sister cookbooks. The following recipe is one of my favourites from their Crazy Plates book, it is found on page 67. And yes, I do have the page number memorized. I have made it for Dave and I on multiple occasions and also served it for Chris one night when she came over for dinner. I also made it for everyone at the cottage one night and everyone loved it. I strongly suggest trying it out.

Pod's Pad Thai
8 ounces Rice Noodles, uncooked
1/4 cup Ketchup
2 tablespoons each reduced sodium Soy Sauce, Lime juice and Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon each seasoned Rice Vinegar, Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed Red Pepper flakes
1 teaspoon Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup diced Red Onions
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Bean Sprouts
1/2 cup grated Carrots
1/4 cup chopped Green Onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh Cilantro
1/4 cup chopped Peanuts

Cook noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Rinse with cold water and drain again. Set aside.
To make sauce, combine ketchup, soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, vinegar, oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large, non-stick wok or skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook and stir until onions are tender, about 3 minutes. Add sauce and bring to a boil. Add cooked noodles, bean sprouts, carrot, green onions and cilantro. Mix well.
Cook until noodles are heated through, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle individual servings with chopped peanuts.


A few notes: I don't put in the cilantro as Dave and I aren't really fans and it is still absolutely delicious. You can also use the vermicelli type rice noodles but it makes it harder to stir in the end and I don't think it has the same feeling when you eat it. Also, you can add either chicken, shrimp or pork to this dish, but I would suggest it be precooked. If you do marinate the meat in the sauce before-hand, make sure you bring that sauce to a boil before you mix it in with the other ingredients.

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Inspiration from my Mom

I spent the weekend at my parents' house this past weekend and was rather inspired by my mom. She has gone back to weight watchers (WW) as is attending the meetings once a week and participating in the new momentum plan. She is doing really well and has already lost over 10lbs! I was so happy for her as I could tell she was happy about it too. We spent the weekend making yummy, healthy meals for each other and I told her a few of my secrets to WW. I introduced her to the Smart pasta (the stuff that looks and tastes like regular white pasta but is actually whole wheat) and how to incorporate soy sauce into her stir-fries to give them a little extra flavour. She told me about her victories of the buffet at a recent work meeting she went to and other such things. She has done really well and in eating properly with her all weekend I lost over 2 lbs! I am sure it is mostly water weight and probably has to do with my currently high stress levels, but it is something and it happened when I was behaving 110% so it is definitely encouraging me to keep behaving. So to sum things up, my mom is doing well and I am so proud of her.

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Purchased

I purchased a WW scale yesterday and am so happy with it thus far. It measures per cent body fat and % water as well as your BMI (which I can calculate anyway) and obviously your weight. It has room for 10 users which is humourous to me since I will probably be the only one to ever really use it. It was 60 bucks, which is much more than I would normally spend on something like this but I read the reviews and it sounds pretty accurate and that is keeps that accuracy for quite some time. The weight is states is 8.6lbs lost from my intially starting weight assuming that my starting weight was correct - it may have been higher who knows at this point. I am going to go with the weight on my new scale and start again - more or less from scratch. The basement is almost ready for the home gym and I am getting really excited about it. I plan on asking some friends if they want to set up some "gym" time and come over for workout sessions with me - keep me motivated and whatnot. I also think it could be a great way to keep connected with them and see them on a regular basis. Anyway - that is what I have done lately and this week will hopefully be my last without proper workout area - though my food has been almost right on target lately and my water intake is increasing steadily.

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