Thursday, April 28, 2011

Wake Up!

Tornadoes devastate South, killing at least 251




Who Cares?

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Tuna Burgers

Nutrition Information
Fat: 7.7 g
Carbohydrates: 12.9g
Calories: 309.4
Protein: 45.1g
All Nutrition Information



A unique way to enjoy canned tuna.


Ingredients
2 cans chunk light tuna
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp horseradish
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil (for frying)

Directions

Mix all ingredients (except oil) together.
Form into patties and fry in hot oil until crust forms on each side.
Cover and finish in 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.

Number of Servings: 4
 Not a big tuna person but found this recipe on Spark People, going to give it a try in place of beef one of these days (I think...)

We survived another night of hell with the weather. I can't remember when I have ever seen it lightning for hours and hours straight. We have had about 9 inches of rain in 2 days. Nuts. Anyhoo...I hope everyone is safe and having a good week. I am trying to keep the food demon at bay, he has been clawing to get out since I ate more than I should this past weekend. Funny how just a little bit of straying causes me to want to EAT everything and anything.

Here is the menu for today--
Breakfast: 1 EggMcMuffin and coffee   8  points
Lunch: tuna salad sandwich on whole wheat, lettuce, carrot sticks, 9 pork rinds, small apple, unsweet tea 10 points
Dinner: ?:

I am doing 30 minutes most days on the elliptical. I vary my levels and feel like I am getting a good work out. Going to start upping the time by 5 minutes and my goal for May is to be on it for an hour each work-out. I can't report a loss for April, I have lost 2 pounds in the last 2 months. There is a part of me that wants to scream and cry, but there is the other part of me that sees I am eating healthy foods, no soda with sugar, lots of water and LOTS of exercise and I am proud of that. I continue the fight!

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Stormy Tuesday

Bad weather here, had 2 confirmed tornados in my county yesterday and everywhere you look there is alot of wind damage. Scary stuff and more on the way today. I nervously ate yesterday and got into my weekly points, something I usually do not do but I thought "no biggie that's what the extra points are for." This morning I plugged into MyFitnessPal and added up all my calories from yesterday just to see how many I had. Shit...I didn't realize since I have been eating lower carb AND following the WW points how many calories that meant even using the weekly points. Hmmm...I am going up and down again on 3 lbs, today I am up. So so tired of this but just can't figure out what my body is doing. Just staying with it though, I refuse to give up.

Breakfast this morn-- 1 whole wheat english muffin and 2 tbsp peanut butter with 1% milk. No pic, I figured that was such a boring breakfast it wasn't worth it, that and I gobbled it down.

Snack: my new fav find--Laughing Cow French Onion slice+ 1point
Lunch was turkey and pepper jack cheese slice sandwich on whole wheat bread with 1 tsp. mayo, carrot sticks and a yogurt parfait from McDonalds for 11 points. Once again I chowed down and I figure you know what a turkey sandwich looks like. Going to plug it all into My Fitness Pal again and see how many calories that would be. Hope everybody is having a good week.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Mad Monday

Back at it today, have to admit I was a BAD girl on several occasions this weekend in the eating department. I got back on the wagon this morning and plan on doing much better once again. I did make a couple of recipes that were WW/IR friendly and I did exercise daily and on Sat. I walked 2 miles at lunch and then worked out on elliptical that evening. Here are a couple of things I made:

Protein Pancake with Peanut Butter Agave Drizzle (picture of pancake with peanut butter icing is my son's half, he got more!)

And I also made Dancia's Chicken Potlicker Soup (I had the potlickers and wanted to make it before it got to be so hot here) and it was very good. I added some chicken breast pieces to the broth but other than that I kept it the same:

Here is a picture of my son, he had a large time dying Easter eggs. Hope everyone had a great weekend.


Tuesday, April 19, 2011

WTH?!?!

Stepped on scale this morning and up 3 lbs from yesterday. No it isn't that time. Not sure what kind of cruel joke my body is trying to play on me. Had 47 net carbs yesterday, a little lower than previous days and have worked out daily 30 minutes on elliptical.

I am going to be reading everyone's blog daily if I can but I won't be posting for a little while but this time it isn't due to regrouping. We have a kidnapped 20-yr-old girl and two dead bodies in our District so needless to say, I'm going to be a little busy...Hang tight with me and check back, I will return when time allows.

P.S. Thanks to Kelly at Happy Texans and The Princess for their words of encouragement and support lately.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Hard Weekend

Morning all, how's everybody doing? I had a hard weekend, I battled sugar and carb cravings until I thought I would cry. I ate a little extra fruit to try and get me through it. I figured that was better than the Reece's peanut butter eggs I have out for my son and family. I know many others get it completely out of the house but I don't think it's fair to those who can indulge occasionally that I can't control myself. Hoping this will pass soon but wonder if it just won't be an off and on battle.

For those who read my last entry and are concerned, just check into IR a little more. How I found out to check was a friend of mine had a 15-year-old daughter to be dx and after reading her info I KNEW I had to see a doctor. I should have 30 years ago but my mother didn't have a clue to even have me checked for such a thing. Even after knowing I resisted the diet, I DO NOT want to cut carbs so low, but I finally came to the realization when I wasn't losing on WW and exercising daily I had to quit fighting the obvious. I am in a learning process now on how to hopefully get my body to process food correctly and not store it as fat. I bought the 2011 Calorie King: Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter and as I read through it I realized I am eating carbs in many places I never knew they were, so I am figuring out how many a day I can eat and lose weight. An example, on past low carb diets that I only lasted several days on, I would eat peanuts and nuts like crazy. 1 oz of cocktail peanuts has 6 carbs. I never knew they had any so I binged on them. Gotta rethink and relearn my way of eating and it is going to be hard.

Weekend eating:
Breakfast: scrambled eggs with cheese, onions and peppers
Lunch: hamburger steak, large salad
Supper: celery and peanut butter, apple and orange throughout day for snacks

Friday, April 15, 2011

A Time for Honesty

A part of weight loss blogging, I am learning, is accountability and owning up to what is right. It is odd it is to complete strangers but then it is also to people who have a common ground: we are overweight and desperately do not want to be that way. On to my own honesty...last summer I found out I was Insulin Resistant and was told to follow "a low carb diet." I have tried "low carb diets" before and never lasted more than two days without switching diets so I could add in my carbs again. So, even when I knew I had IR I decided once again, to take matters into my own hands and started Weight Watchers new Points Plus Program because, hey, you can still have the carbs even as long as you add them into your daily points. Through the last 2 months I have learned something, not all "diets" are the same for everyone. You have to work it out and see what is best for you. I have worked VERY HARD to lose since January and really it is just refusing to budge very much. SO, with all of that said I am doing what I was advised to do last summer and have begun to eat according to being IR and am no longer going to follow the WW Points Plus Program. It is a wonderful program, one I wish my body would let me follow, but it won't.

 If you don't know anything about IR if you are over weight you probably should learn. Here is an idea of what it is:

"Reversing insulin resistance is really a matter of understanding insulin’s role in the body. Insulin allows glucose to travel from the bloodstream into the cells, where it is used for cell functioning. When we eat foods high in refined carbohydrates, insulin levels surge to remove the sugar from the blood and get it into your cells. This mechanism works very well for the most part. But if insulin spikes too often from a diet rich in the high-carb foods that trigger insulin secretion, your cells respond by decreasing the reactivity and number of insulin receptors on their surfaces. Eventually, this prevents glucose from getting into your cells, leading to high blood sugar and depriving your cells of the energy they need to function. This is why many women with insulin resistance experience carbohydrate cravings, fatigue and weight-gain — their cells are literally starving for energy, even when plenty of glucose is available in the blood. Down the road, your body’s capacity to generate insulin appropriately becomes depleted, and the result is type 2 diabetes.
But that’s just the basics — there is so much more than that going on here. The bigger problem is that insulin resistance lies at one end of a spectrum of related disorders called metabolic syndrome, a serious health challenge that takes on many different forms in the 21st century, leading not just to diabetes but a whole host of equally or even more problematic health conditions. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to the signals your body sends you when it is dealing with insulin resistance.
Our patients often ask why insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes are on the rise. In many cases, the answer lies in the food we eat — and our lack of movement. Our early ancestors focused on hunting and gathering food. This simple act involved two key elements: they were obtaining whole foods straight from their environment and getting a lot of exercise in the process. In modern society, we sit parked at our desks and in our cars for so much of the day, and food is available at almost every turn — much of which depletes the body rather than nourishing it. Meanwhile, the research is mounting that shows how foods high in refined carbohydrates, preservatives, pesticides, trans fats, toxins and super sugars like high-fructose corn syrup all contribute to insulin resistance."

Here is a self test to give you an idea if you need to look further into IR adapted from "The Insulin Resistant Diet":

Do You Have Any of the Following:?
1. A family history of diabetes, overweight problems, abnormal cholesterol or triglycerides, heart disease or stroke.
2. Frequent cravings for sweet, salty, crunchy snack food
3. The need to eat often or eat excessive amounts of food
4. A difficult time losing weight even if you exercise or cut back on food intake
5. A problem with weight gain even when eating small amounts of food
6. Weight gain mostly around your waist
7. Skin tags on your neck, chest, breasts, groin area or underarms
8. A history of irregular menstrual periods, especially skipping months
9. A history of poly cystic ovarian disease
10. High triglyercide levels
11. Low HDL cholesterol (the "good" type type of cholesterol) levels, that is, lower than 35 mg/dl
12. High LDL cholesterol (the "bad" type of cholesterol) levels, that is, higher than 130 mg/dl
13. High or boderline high blood pressure--even during pregnancy
14. Waist measurement of more than thirty-five inches for women or more than forty inches for men
15. The feeling you are addicted to carbohydrates
16. The feeling that you have no willpower when it comes to dieting
17. Jitteriness, difficulty thinking, headaches, or nausea that goes away when you eat
18. Hypoglycemia
19. Afternoon fatigue
20. Type II diabetes, borderline diabetes, or abnormal glucose tolerance tests
21. High uric acid or gout
22. History of blood clot in your legs, lungs, or breasts
23. Body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher
24. Native American, Asian, African American or Hispanic ancestry

If you have answered "yes" to three or more of these questions you are likely to have IR. The more answers to "yes" the more likely to your to be affected. "

I didn't start taking pictures of my food until yesterday and here is what I had: Breakfast--2 eggs scrambled with 1 slice bacon and little shredded cheddar cheese:
Snack: 1 Honeycrisp Apple sliced with 1 Tbsp. melted crunchy peanut butter:

Lunch: 1 Johnsonville Smoked Turkey Sausage on 1/2 a 100% whole wheat bun (took part of bun off from picture!) and some pork rinds (those must be a KELLY thing huh Happy Texans (Kelly) ? I know there is no green in this picture but I had to hit the grocery store and have had plenty since.  Dinner (no pic) was baked chicken breast  with asparagus:

And here is my own personal Satan: but I am kicking it's butt!!!
I hope everyone has a great weekend and does something fun. I will keep you posted on how this new IR way of eating is going.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Back in the Blog

Will be posting more tomorrow along with food I am eating but after much soul-searching and blog-researching and reading and thinking and praying I have made a decision about how I am going to revamp my daily eating and see how it works. More on this tomorrow...big shout out to everyone who has been commenting to me and encouraging me so far in this journey. I have never met you gals but already think alot of ya! Until tomorrow...

Monday, April 11, 2011

Last Post for Awhile

Going on a short hiatus, haven't been able to blog like I want due to work and with the scales not budging it's really starting to depress me. So I am going to keep up with other blogs and comment as I can, but right now I am stepping out of blogshere for a little while to regroup, rethink and focus on whatever I need to do to get me through this plateau. Hope to talk again with you again soon...

Friday, April 8, 2011

Freaky Friday

That's what my son's school is having today and I feel like it's been a freaky week. At work the nuts have been ringing the phone off the hook and it's not a full moon, must be some kind of change though. I am revamping my WW points with the help of someone and attempting to do as I see other's doing, adding more protein and staying away as much as I can from using points that are more what I call "carby."  I know I have issues with being insulin resistant so I am going to do as I should have done along time ago and steer those points in that direction. Breakfast was 1 egg with little extra whites, 1slice of bacon, sprinkle of cheese and spinach and onion for I figure around 5 points:


Had a Green Monster, 1 orange and handfull of spinach (I say 1 pp Marisa!) for morning snack and some mixed fruit for late afternoon snack.

Lunch was a HUGE salad with leafy greens, 2 Tbsp corn, broccoli, green pepper, carrots, 5 oz. baked chicken breast, 2 Tbsp. light Ranch dressing, and a few little crunchy thingys (I am figuring about 11 pp):


I am working out every evening on my elliptical and in a week have worked up to 25 minutes on Level 2. I know I have along way to go to get to where I need to be on this thing but last Saturday I could only do 5 mintues on Level 1. I have exercised every day but one this week and I am proud of that.

As I have said I have a few recipes I have found on different blogs and I hope to try them out this weekend. We may get more storms this weekend so we will be stuck inside and I will be wanting to eat so I plan on HAVING A PLAN where food is concerned. I really want to try the Pizza Chicken and here is one if the urge over comes me and I have to have something sweet, I am wanting to try. It is Low Fat Banana Bread Cookies by Shannon's Kitchen Creations (this is her picture of the cookies, not mine!) sounds good:
Weight Watcher Cookie Recipes
INGREDIENTS
  • 2 tbsp butter (melted)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1 banana, very ripe
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups oatmeal (old-fashioned)
  • 1/2 cup raisins, dried blueberries or dried cherries. (I used cherries)
 INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. In a bowl, thoroughly mix melted butter, sugars, banana, egg and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
4. Mix the flour mixture into the banana mixture.
5. Stir in the dried fruit and oatmeal.
6. Drop dough by tablespoons onto a baking sheet sprayed with pam.
7. Bake for 11-14 minutes until set and golden.
8. Cool 5 minutes and remove from tray right away to a cooling rack.
Makes 30 cookies, 2 Points+ each

I know, I know, here I am wanting to eat lower carb and talking about cookies! I said IF the urge becomes to great I may have to give them awhirl, or maybe someone else might like the recipe too! Have a good weekend everybody!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Pizza!

Hey everybody, how is it going for all? Me, meh, it's going, I am menstral and crazy but other than that it's all ok. I haven't weighed in a couple of days, didn't figure I needed to see that water gain and lose my mind, so I am just sticking to my daily points and waiting for a few.

No time to make breakfast this morning (really nothing sounded good) so before work I looked in my Dining Out points book from WW and ran through Burger King and got a Bacon, Egg and Cheese Wrap for 9 points. This isn't something I would normally do, I always make my own and try and stay away from fast food.     

Today for lunch I made Chicken Pizza and let me tell ya, it was a delish 11 points! Here is the break down: 1 whole wheat pita 4 points, 3 oz baked chicken breast 3 points, shredded mozzerella and a little pepper jack 4 points (I went a little cheese crazy!) handful of baby spinach leaves, little bit of red onion and a sliced mushroom, just a little bit of pizza quick sauce 1 point= 11 lip smacking pointeroos. Throw in a Diet Cherry Dr. Pepper and I was set.

I didn't get to try out my recipe for Chicken Pizza this past weekend but bought the stuff today to make it sometime soon. Anyone tried any new recipes they want to share?

Monday, April 4, 2011

Rainy Monday

It's storming like crazy here in ole TN so that means a day inside for lunch. I DID NOT have a good weekend food-wise. I ate too many sweets after not having any in a long time and I took the weekend off and didn't even count points. I didn't binge like I have in the past, I just kinda ate what I wanted to at my meals. I just felt I needed a break from writing everything down so I could recharge and start again. Haven't weighed since Friday and am not going to for a couple of days. I got right back on the program this morning tho. Going to brush off this past weekend and gear down for the rest of the month. I did look back at my food intake for the month of March and I noticed I am using alot of points on carbs. May have to look into that.

I got my eliptical set up! The first time I got on it I could only do 7 minutes on Level 1 and then yesterday I did 10 minutes on Level 1. It is hard to do but I am going to keep at it every day. It made me appreciate walking!

I started the day off with 3/4 cup Honey Bunches of Oats new cereal with raisins and 1% milk. This is very good cereal!!

and here is a shot of lunch, not too good from my phone but it will do:

A Thomas Bagel Thin with 4 oz. baked chicken, 1 tsp. mayo, raw veggies, 1/2 grapefruit and green tea (sugar free) for 8 points. Going to have a WW Cinnamon Cake for a treat later today.

I have a new find that I really enjoy and it helps get my water down Crystal Light Green Tea with Peach and Mango! Good stuff!!! It also comes in Raspberry and I plan on trying that once I finish this one.

Friday, April 1, 2011

I'm Back for a Little

Sorry, I have been out of comission but I have been keeping up with how everyone is doing. Between work, my son's dr appointments, and a bad case of TMJ I am behind in posting. I haven't been able to take any pictures lately but I promise to start next week ( I know I promised to do better this week but it's been a booger...) My camera doesn't take good pics so you aren't really missing too much anyway. I didn't make my goal to be under 205 lbs by yesterday but I stepped on scale this morning and made it. A little April Fool's my body played on me I guess. My exercise for this month was much more slacking than the first couple of months so instead of focusing so much on "pounds lost" this month I want to increase exercise, which is part of my goals for April. My eliptical is here and now comes the daunting process of putting it together. Hope to start working out on it this weekend sometime.

The son wants to go to see "Hop" this weekend which means I will be secretly carting in my purse my snacks. I love popcorn but as everyone knows movie popcorn is killer in points so I will just take a little something more points friendly. Any good snack ideas for moving watching?

Here is a recipe I plan on trying this weekend:

Pizza Chicken from Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes:
1 boneless chicken breast, pounded flat if thick
1 Tbsp pizza sauce
4 slices turkey pepperoni
1 tsp olive oil
2 fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 thin green pepper rings
2 thin red onion rings
1 oz mozzerella cheese
salt, pepper, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to taste
Season the chicken with salt and other seasonings, grill (I will have to bake mine, grill not up and going yet) Saute the mushrooms, peppers and onions until tender, not mushy; set aside. Spread sauce over cooked chicken, then top with pepperoni, the saute veggies and last the cheese. Sprinkle little extra Italian seasoning if desirded. Bake at 350 about 10-15 mintues or until cheese is melted.
I am going to servie mine with a big salad! Here is a picture of it from her site:
Hope everybody has a great weekend and has some good healthy eats!