veges

veges

So I am not the biggest fan of vegetables, which makes the prospect of eating a plant based diet difficult.   Veges have to be cooked properly and flavored properly for me to enjoy eating them (see previous article on Brussels sprouts).  So this week is my first attempt of going sans meat.

Last night I made vege fajitas, and not only were they tasty they were very satisfying.

Easy Fajitas (Veges only)

1 yellow onion half chopped, half julienned
2-3 pepito peppers, chopped
3/4 cup of mushrooms
6-7 stalks of asparagus cut into 1 and 1/2 inch pieces
5-6 baby carrots chopped
1 fajita packet

In a large sauté pan heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil add onions and let them cook until transparent.  Add the rest of the vegetables.  Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the colors on the veges look more vibrant.  Add 1/4 cup of water and then your favorite fajita mix, stir until combined and all veges are evenly coated. Cook for and additional 3 minutes.

I served mine with a sprinkle of shredded low fat cheese, a spoonful of salsa and 1/4 of avocado.

The above recipe made enough for 2 for dinner, and leftovers for one.

Fiesta time?

workout warrior is back

workout warrior is back

Today was day one of the new 12 week challenge.  This one focusing on leaning out, which is perfect timing for my new lean eating diet.

Instead of my normal lunch, or rather the same go tos I have for lunch today I tried my hand at an avocado salad.  It was so good and fresh, and I didn't leave hungry.

Avocado Salad (one portion)

1/2 avocado chopped
5-6 grape tomatoes (leave them hole)
1/2 teaspoon caper berries
drizzle olive oil
drizzle rice vinegar
add kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Quick Tip: When using avocados you can keep them from going bad by saving the side of the avocado with the pit in it.  The pit will naturally keep the avocado from going brown.  Same for when you make guacamole, just place the pits in the leftover guac and you will keep it from going brown prematurely.

Enjoy!

the man makes a good point

the man makes a good point...

As previously mentioned I am reading http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implications/dp/1932100660 which advocates for a plant based, non processed food diet.  I'm only 30% of the way through the book, but I must say the man makes his point. 

Food, specifically bad food has a direct impact on the diseases/conditions you will get as you age.  Many of these conditions make you susceptible for more dire circumstances.  The book talks about fad diets and the ability sustain limited calories and cutting out specific foods.  30% of the way through the book and I am ready to make a change...the question now is what to eat?

This week is my first attempt at cooking a plant based, non processed food diet at home.

First up is vegetable fajitas...stayed tuned for new recipes all this week!

for better or for worse

for better or for worse...

This last week has been my week to recuperate from the hectic schedule I keep. I have not worked out at all, and I have allowed myself indulgences that I do not typically get to have.

The results are staggering...while I have enjoyed myself, the physical results speak for themselves.  You can see a change for the worse, in my tone and my weight, in the way my clothes fit...Its amazing after a year spent of limiting this behavior and working to improve how quickly the results of the hard work can disappear.

The lesson is a good one...back sliding into old behaviors is easy, the food and the workouts are equally important...and I am not training for the short run, I'm training for my life.



So for better or for worse, I know I cannot repeat this type of indulgence...

whipped cream

whipped cream

Lets let TFG girl have a moment to talk about whipped cream.  Whipped cream is the easiest, most versatile culinary delight.  It takes only minutes to  make, and can last for a 5 days in your refrigerator.  Its richer and creamier than anything you can buy, or spray out of a bottle or worse yet stir from the frozen foods section.  Please do yourself and TFG a favor and make honest to goodness whipped cream, and savor the difference on your sundae, piece of pie, or in your hot chocolate.

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Whip on high with whisk until stiff peak (when you lift whisk out of the whipped cream and turn upside down the point the whipped cream makes stays up right instead of curling over)

Best to place in a glass bowl and cover with saran wrap and then refrigerate.



    

food

food

As you might have realized by now I LOVE food.  Since loosing weight, people have asked how I have done it.  When I say that I cut out carbs and sugar the response is overwhelmingly "oh I could never give up bread, sugar etc.."  I know this not because I hear it all the time, but because I said the very same thing when faced with a decision on making a change so I could lose weight.

One year ago, right about now I went to my doctor, and asked why I couldn't loose weight. I thought I was eating healthfully and going for runs regularly.  He had me keep a food journal for the week and the outcome was to give up the carbs and the sugar. It was simple he said, give them up and lose weight (10 to 15lbs) or keep eating as I liked and always be 10-15lbs heavier than I wanted to be...to me the choice was easy.

I have recently heard about and started reading a book called http://www.amazon.com/The-China-Study-Comprehensive-Implications/dp/1932100660.  The China Study suggests that it might be healthier to go to a plant based diet...and my immediate thought was "oh I could never go without a hamburger"....so maybe this diet is on to something?

I guess we shall see in posts to come...

my mantra

my mantra



On days when it would be easy to give in to eating tempting treats, or to skip the gym.  I go to my mantra "nothing tastes as good as being fit feels."  More than the goodness of feeling good and being in shape, to me if feels awful to be uncomfortable in my own skin, uncomfortable in my own clothes, unhappy with the image I see of myself.

avocados

avocados

I love avocados.  When I was a kid my family would make a whole meal out of avocados filled with baby shrimp and topped with a light dressing, it was an amazing little summer salad, or easy appetizer.  I love to have fresh avocados with eggs for breakfast. 

One of my most favorite tricks is to make tuna salad and replace the mayo with avocado.  Now as an avid mayo lover I would have never bought in to this trick until I tried it, but its fantastic.  You do not miss the mayo AT ALL!

I think that when most people think of avocados their minds go straight to guacamole.  Traditional guac is great...but while traveling a few years ago I stumbled upon a great TexMex version of guacamole.

2 avocados mashed
2-3 roasted cloves of garlic (use olive oil in a sauté pan, heat, add cloves of garlic and brown on both sides, do not burn, press through a garlic press while still warm)
Add salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste
Add 2-3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
2-3 dashes of hot sauce
One large spoonful of fresh salsa
Lime zest
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Stir together and enjoy with veges, cucumber or chips

challenge day

challenge day

This is a different kind of challenge for me. This week is my off week.  I take a break from the gym to recuperate, rest and relax. This week is about il dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing. 



As I get home my mind is racing with all the "nothings" I can could be doing, cook, walk the dog, blog, email...etc.  The challenge here is to really relax, and not race from one activity to the next...but to take pure enjoyment in sitting back and enjoy the sweetness of the break I have earned.

almost there

almost there

One more workout and then I like to take a week off to let my body recuperate, another non food good reward for hard work. 

Even after 12 weeks of this cycle and 36 weeks of the previous cycles I am still having to talk myself into today's workout...it doesn't get easier...I just get stronger.

Almost. There.

workout warrior

workout warrior

This week I have vowed to eat cleanly.  That doesn't mean that I am not craving sweets.  To curb that craving I have a dinner salad filled with fresh fruit and vegetables.

Orchard Salad
2 Sliced Strawberries
4-5 Blackberries
4-5 Raspberries 
1/2 Apple, chopped
1 slice non fat/low sodium honey roasted turkey chopped
1oz crumbled herb chevre cheese
1 hard boiled egg (use only the white) chopped
4 baby carrots chopped
4-5 leaves of romaine lettuce

Top with olive oil, kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

fun reward

fun reward

When I last spoke about fun rewards I failed to mention a totally just for fun dance class I take. Tonight's fun reward is giving myself an extra hour just to enjoy this class.  There is some cardio value in a dance class, but like I have said before not enough to make an impact on my weight.  So this class is just about dancing for the joy of dancing, singing along to the be boppy music, and lifting my mood after a tough day.

stay focused

stay focused

When I first started going to my weekly spin class, I was almost 30 lbs over weight.  The side view of me on the bicycle was defeating...at first I looked at the teacher to find my focus.  Once I got a feel for the class I would "race" my more advanced classmates.  After months of focusing my attention on others to get through the class, I finally turned the focus back on me.

I caught a look at myself in the mirror.  The class and diet were working, I didn't linger on the imperfections I still saw in the mirror.  I locked eyes with myself and stayed that way through the rest of class, in a dead heat race with myself to do the best I had ever done...it worked.  Now when I face a challenge, I stare straight ahead and dare myself to do more than I believe I can.

challenge

challenge

Finishing strong. I took a spin class recently that was really difficult.  The teacher had us doing all kinds of moves and exertions to get the most out of a 60 minute workout.  With ten grueling minutes to go before we started the cool down, I, like most of the other students, was slowing down.  She looked at us and said finish strong, be able to leave and be proud of what you did here today.  The last 10 minutes was a drop in the bucket compared to what I have done for the rest of class, there was no reason to give up on myself in the final stretch...so this week's challenge is finishing strong. 

Going through the last week of any routine, I challenge myself do to more than I have done, lift heavier, run harder, do more...this week will be no exception.  I am also challenging myself to cut out any mini cheats (i.e. hot chocolate, candy) and finish the week with a totally clean diet...

The Year End/Last Week Challenge has begun. Six days of clean eating, and INTENSE workouts.

the tools

the tools...

One of my favorite tools in going through the weight loss process has been Fitbit. http://www.fitbit.com/home

Fitbit has an online dashboard that allows you to set goals, track activity, and food. They just released a product called the Fitbit Flex. 

http://reviews.cnet.com/wearable-tech/fitbit-flex-black/4505-34900_7-35566773.html

I have been waiting for this product to get a full picture of my workout activity, goals, and sleep patterns.

So as reward for a year of hard workouts I have just ordered my fitbit flex! stay tuned to see how it works!

good reward

good reward

changing the reward system.  I didn't think I used food as a reward...until I realized I did.  If I had to get through a tough task at work I gave myself permission to eat candy, if I wanted to treat myself to something fun, I would choose a fun restaurant and order food that was bad for me, if I was unhappy with something food would cheer me up, even in small doses.  It was like a little gift I could give myself.

When I started working out, I realized this habit of rewarding myself with bad food was something I needed to change.  The road of ahead of me was going to be tough and I didn't want to sabotage my journey by rewards from an unhealthy life style.

Here is what I came up

1) manicure/pedicure
2) new clothing item
3) new toy (see tomorrow's blog)
4) a pass to spend some time pampering myself (i.e. staying after my workout to enjoy the Jacuzzi, steam and sauna)

What is your healthy reward?

will power? or won't power?

will power? or won't power?

People always talk about will power...but for me it's about won't power...what I won't put into my body...or what I should NOT put in my body.



I have learned that no matter how much effort I put in with workouts and eating healthfully I am EASILY derailed.  What I have found out about myself is that I must have a plan AND I must be able to see that plan.  Every morning I literally pack up my snacks for the day and I line them up.  That way I know I will not go without and I will not need to look elsewhere for food, even if donuts appear right under my nose.

challenge day

challenge day

so now what?  I have shared before I do 12 week cycles from www.bodybuilding.com.  The last few cycles have been further broken into 6 weeks increments.  As I started this week I realized I had 2 weeks left of this 6 week cycle which is the second 6 week cycle in a 12 week period.  All this to say that come the end of this 12 week cycle I will have been on this workout routine for 1 year straight.  For 1 year I have not missed a workout, 5-6 days a week, every week.

When I got to my goal weight in December, I reveled in it for about one week and then I thought well now what? I had lived and breathed getting healthy and accomplishing the healthy eating, the workouts and finally the goal weight, I didn't know what to do next.

The good news for me was I headed into the holiday season, so I decided to change NOTHING.  I hopped on another 12 week cycle so that I could maintain my new weight through the holiday feasts.  When that ended I knew I wanted to round out the year by getting through one more 12 week cycle. 

So now, I need to find the next challenge...what will it be?

thinking small

thinking small

A friend turned me on to a great idea.  Apparently you can find a variety of 30 days challenges online.  In 30 days you focus on a particular body area and address it with fitness.

So because summer is right around the corner and this is the beginning of the month, we are starting the 30 squat challenge.  This is in addition to your normal workout routine.

We all took before pictures, for our own enjoyment, to see how far we can come in 30 days.

Who's in with me on this challenge? 


 

something from nothing continued

something from nothing continued

Another great way to make something from nothing and use up extra ingredients is to make a pasta salad. 

Boil spiral noodles to start and let them cool as you gather the rest of the items needed. 

I like to go savory for this salad

Dry Salami sliced
Low fat string cheese coin cut
Black and Green Olives sliced
Mezzetta Giardiniera mix, is low in calories and a great vege add! I drain out half a bottle and add the veges (see link below)
 
http://www.mezzetta.com/our-products/detail/giardiniera

Mezzetta pepperoncini sliced

Dressing
Use your favorite Italian Dressing or the super secret recipe (on yesterday's blog)
Mix together. 

You can served immediately, or you can prep the night before.  The salad is even better 24 hrs later.

Enjoy