Almost There!

We're almost finished with Week 3 and will be done with the challenge before you know it!

Have you hit any snags? I felt sorry for myself this week because I haven't really seen any tangible progress even though I've completed every. single. workout. Although, when I was scratching my arm yesterday, I could feel muscle definition! And family members have told me I look like I'm losing (even if the scales say otherwise--well, my scale is currently on the fritz so I may just have to get a cheap analog to continue). My pants keep getting looser and I think I may even see a bit more definition in my waistline even if my stomach doesn't look like it's shrinking. Also, I hurt my left foot and ankle (and today, it feels like the inner muscle right below my knee is achy), so I've been glad the exercises have been fairly easy this week and not leg-intensive even though I'd like to burn more calories.

I posted yesterday on the community site that I'm getting kind of bored with my low-cal food options. However, I do go to the grocery store at some point this weekend so I'm going to see if I can vary it up a bit. Is anyone else having trouble finding healthy but tasty meals?

whoops... now to week 4 of the challenge

well, whoops on a few things.
1) that i totally forgot to post last week. forgive me. it was my birthday.
2) i definitely flaked on the week 3 thing.

so anyways, weeks 3 and 4 are pretty much the same. most allergens have been reintroduced. you're mainly working on continuing healthy habits like increasing vegetable intake, keeping sugar and processed foods to a minimum, and making healthy substitutions when possible (applesauce instead of oil, anyone?).

working out... have i already mentioned that i didn't do any of the exercises? yeah. none of them. but hannah has been, and she's my little yoga hero.

i'm still hovering at around 4 lbs down since the beginning of the year. not bad for three weeks. thing is, i'm not exactly sticking to the plan. the good thing is that the recipes are basically anything listed on the whole living website, which means a TON of good foods. the bad thing is that husband and i decided this would be a good few weeks to clean out the freezer and pantry and see how long we can go without buying food. so, i'll still be trying to make healthy changes, and i'll be counting calories, and adding veggies (we have a lot of snack bags in the fridge with fresh carrots, etc, and also lots of frozen veggies), and, and, and...

i'm working on it. i'll wii this week some, too. so that's something. my hopes are to continue with this energy high that i seem to have (yay, more sleep! yay, healthy food!), and lose about another pound or two this week. i can do that, as long as i don't eat pizza. or popcorn. whoops. and as long as i do SOMETHING active, even just the wii boxing. have you done that? it's rough.

Kraft Recipes

I've been a member of Kraft Foods' website for awhile now and recently realized that they have healthy recipes. Not only do they have healthy recipes, but they have a section of budget-friendly recipes that are also healthy! Can't beat that. You can search to find the recipes you like and add them to your "recipe box." It will also add the ingredients to a shopping list for you. I think I'm going to start utilizing this tool more often, now that I'm back at work and having to deal with a 3-month-old who goes to physical therapy twice a week. This will help me to save time while also providing much-needed healthy, inexpensive ingredients.

Here are just a few recipes I found that sound tasty:

Better-Than-Ever Beef Enchiladas - Enchiladas? Sign me up. 340 calories / 11 grams of fat per serving.

Chicken, Cheese, and Spinach Manicotti - I go nuts for any kind of pasta. 370 calories / 9 grams of fat per serving.

Layered Summer Salad - I love making things like this in the summer. Anything to not have to use my oven in this Arkansas heat. 180 calories / 14 grams of fat per serving.

Quick Chicken-Parmesan Pasta - Again, I love pasta. And this is nice because it uses pre-cooked grilled chicken. 330 calories / 12 grams of fat per serving.

Working on this

One habit at a time. This is my goal. I want to work on one habit at a time. But it's hard. I'm so excited. Recently, hubby and I moved into a new apartment which includes a gym membership. The best part about the gym? It's in building, right down the hall. How many times have I been there? Twice. Once to walk on an elliptical for about 30 seconds when hubby and I checked it out after moving in and once when we got a tour of the building before we signed a lease. Problem? I think so.

So, I guess adding work out time isn't as much of a habit as it as a completely new behavior. The habit I want to work on is buying frozen, pre-made breakfast items. I checked the health content of a Jimmy Dean breakfast bowl and about fell over. It's crazy how must sodium AND calories are in one of those things. They aren't filling and at over 500 calories, I expect to be full for awhile. So, I'm working on making things that will keep and are easy for mornings when I don't want to make breakfast or get sick of cold cereal.

While brainstorming of ideas, I remembered my Mom eating these little egg "quiches" while on the South Beach diet. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me. I remember them being pretty good! :-)

Vegetable Quiche Cups to Go!

1 package (10 oz) frozen spinach

3/4 cup liquid egg substitute

3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheese

1/4 cup diced green bell peppers

1/4 cup diced onions

3 drops hot-pepper sauce (optional)

Microwave spinach for 2 1/2 minutes on high. Drain the excess liquid.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups. Spray the cups with cooking spray.

Combine the egg substitute, cheese, peppers, onions, and spinach in a bowl. Mix well. Divide evenly among the muffin cups. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Quiche cups can be frozen and reheated in the microwave. Any combination of appropriate vegetables and reduced-fat cheeses may be used.

6 (2 mini-quiche) servings. 73 calories, Total Fat: 2.5 grams, Cholesterol: 4 mg, Sodium: 195 mg
(For detailed nutrition information, check here)

(This post was finished, I just forgot to schedule it... Sorry!)

budget tips for healthy eating

Here's some tips i've learned and formed on how to eat healthy on a budget. these tips work for me, and might not be great for you. but hey, it's somewhere to start, yeah?

1. Don't eat out. You often don't know what's in the dish you're ordering, how it was prepared, etc. and it costs a whole lot more! i can eat lunch out for $7 or more, or i can buy items to prepare lunch for the whole week for about the same cost-- bread, lunchmeat, fruit, and yogurt or pudding.
2. Buy in season. Spring? buy asparagus, cabbage, tomato. Fall? buy squash, melons, corn. not only is the food tastier, it's also cheaper and has more nutrients. want fresh fruits and veggies throughout the year? look into preservation methods. last week, i bought 10 ears of corn for $1, then prepped and froze them. berries freeze well as-is.
3. Don't buy the leanest meats. the fat that's on them can often be easily cut off (steaks) or poured off after cooking (ground meats). the fat that's included increases the flavor of the meat so you're not over-seasoning (aka adding tons of sodium!)-- and contrary to popular belief, fat doesn't make you fat. too many calories make you fat. read more here.
4. buy canned tuna! it's often on sale, and goes great on sandwiches, salads, or just as a snack with triscuits. but make sure you buy the tuna packed in water, not packed in oil.
5. Bring your lunch to work-- this one ties into #1.
6. Make your own "convenient foods"-- granola, breakfast bars, fruit spreads. You control what's in it so there's often not extra sugar and sodium added, and you know that you're making it with fresh ingredients. it takes extra effort, so it depends on how expensive your time is, but as with my granola, i baked it while doing other chores around the house. just search online for recipes for items you think you could make yourself.
7. drink water. lots of water. sometimes when you think you're hungry, you're really just thirsty. so there's the diet tip. the cost tip? drink tap water. it's actually better for you than bottled water.
8. Don't waste your money on organic fruits/veggies. i can see buying organic meats for the lack of growth hormones, but organic fruits and veggies aren't regulated as much by the USDA. if you have the money to spend, by all means, buy organic if you want-- but this post is about eating healthy on the cheap, and if it comes down to buying organic or buying nothing, buy the non-organic to save money.
9. make plans to use your leftovers. one of my favorite meals is to bake a whole chicken, surrounded by potatoes, onions, and carrots. then i pick apart the leftover chicken (okay, i beg chris to do that, cause i hate to get my hands dirty) and use that for chicken salad sandwiches for a few days. think ahead.
10. eat vegetarian. not all the time, but if you try to make two or three meals a week meatless, you'll see how much you save. a good portion of my grocery budget goes to chicken, pork, etc-- and when i cut that out and instead use a filling veggie like squash, mushroom, eggplant, i save money and end up getting more vitamins and minerals.
11. eat less. seriously. ever cook a hamburger helper? those meals are supposed to have 5 servings. i usually make it maybe 3 servings. that means i'm filling up on too much of the bad stuff, and not enough of the salad and veggie sides. also, just in general, eat less! how many times in a given week do you finish a meal and feel "stuffed" rather than "satisfied"? i know i do more often than i'd like to admit. so if i don't eat as much, two things-- i have more leftovers for the next meal, and i don't have to prepare so much in the first place.

there you have it. i hope some of these suggestions are helpful. they're things that i try to follow often, as i try to make healthy meals on a budget.
enjoy!!

Portion sizes

Using the iPhone LoseIt app has made me more aware of my portion sizes. Calculating the calories I take in requires that I pay attention to how much of each food I am consuming. We in the US tend to think big as far as portions go, my family lives in the Netherlands and my brother-in-law was shocked the first time he came to the US and they gave him, in his words, a gallon of Coke when he up-sized his meal. So, I went online looking for ideas on "reasonable" portion sizes. One site, dietblog, had an old post with photos of reasonable portions sizes, I will copy a few of them here. Basically a day's meals.

Oatmeal - 325 Calories
1 cup oatmeal with raisins
1 cup of fruit
1 cup coffee or tea
1 banana


Soup - 350 Calories
1 bowl of soup
1 small tossed salad
2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing
12 oz water
4 saltine crackers


Chicken - 345 Calories
6 oz of chicken
1 cup of green beans
2 pats of low-fat butter
1 small tossed salad
2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing
12 oz water

They all look totally do-able and leave some room for snacking during the day as well. I notice that this diet also seems to be relatively low carb.

Another interesting resource I found was a chart of relative measurements at MyPhotoDiet.com


Once again, handy to help visualize how much you are eating relative to what a normal portion should be.

EDIT: Sorry for the chart size, I cant seem to get it both big enough to read and not cut off the ends of the sentences.

the most important meal of the day

i had a goal last week: to eat something quick and healthy for breakfast every day. i looked online for recipes and found TONS of things i wanted to try. many of the ideas i found were egg-based, but since i'm allergic to eggs, i had to work around those ones. i am, however, looking forward to making a bunch of those at some point for chris.

"research shows" that a *healthy* breakfast should be low in calories and high in fiber and protein. it's recommended that you get at least 5g fiber and 5g protein for breakfast-- so that was my goal. surprisingly, the protein was much easier to find than the fiber. i thought fiber was in everything... i was wrong. enjoy these recipes and breakfast ideas-- many of them would be great for mid-afternoon snacks, also!

Tuesday
1 EarthGrains Thin Bun
2 thick slices of tomatoes
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

top each half of the bun with a slice of tomato, top with 1/8 cup cheese and a sprinkling of oregano, then broil in the toaster oven until the cheese melts.

Verdict: delicious. i would have this for a mid-afternoon snack, especially in the summer when the tomatoes are fresh and abundant. i felt energized all morning. feel free to switch the thin buns for english muffins-- just watch the fiber and calories.

Nutrition:
168 calories
4.7 g fiber
9 g protein

Wednesday
1/2 cup homemade granola
1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1/2 banana (sliced)
in a small bowl, layer most of the granola and banana. top with the yogurt. sprinkle with the remaining granola and banana

Verdict: delicious. i would have added more bananas, and i'd like to try it with maybe a mix of bananas and frozen berries. or just switch the bananas for the frozen berries. so many possibilities.

Nutrition:
405 calories
5.9 g fiber
12.6 g protein

Thursday
1 EarthGrains Thin Bun
1.5 T peanut butter
1/2 banana
spread peanut butter thinly on each half of the bun. slice up the banana and make a layer of it on one half of the bun, then top with the other half.

Verdict: convenient! it was the first breakfast we had on-the-go, which was great because we happened to both be running a little late this day. there wasn't too much peanut butter, which was nice-- it was just there to keep the bananas in place, and to provide some protein and a little flavor.

Nutrition:
294 calories
7g fiber
11.7 g protein

Friday
1 EarthGrains Thin Bun
1/8 cup stir-fry veggies
1 turkey sausage patty
(smidgen of ketchup if you're anything like me)

it's a stir fry sandwich! i cooked the veggies the night before so i just had to microwave them. the sausage patty was cooked up in the microwave in about 45 seconds. i layered the veggies on the bun, then chopped up the sausage patty and topped it. you could probably add some cheese if you want.

Verdict: messy. the original recipe called for it to be in a pita, which would have made it portable. as it was, it was difficult to eat just sitting at the table. it was delicious, though! i cooked the veggies with a little red pepper seasoning in them, and the turkey sausage was healthier than a pork or beef sausage.

Nutrition:
194 calories
4.3 g fiber
11.1 g protein

Saturday
2 Eggo Buttermilk waffles
1/2 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup frozen berries
toast the waffles, then put 1/4 cup yogurt on each. Top with 1/4 cup thawed berries.

Verdict: surprisingly delicious! as a devout syrup-user, i figured yogurt and berries on a waffle couldn't satisfy me. it sure did! and, like the tomato/cheese meal, it kept me satisfied for longer than some of the other dishes.

Nutrition:
340 calories
5.5 g fiber
10 g protein

Sunday
1 peeled and sliced apple
1 cup Raisin Bran cereal
sprinkle of cinnamon
layer half of the apples in a bowl, sprinkle with cinnamon, and top with the cereal. microwave for 30 seconds to one minute.

Verdict: pretty good. great flavor, but tasted kind of dry. needed a splash of milk or something in it also. next time i'll try it a little different.

Nutrition:
234 calories
9.3 g fiber
5.7 g protein

It's working, it's working!

What could hold me more accountable than a picture of my scale weekly? Nothing.

I did consider the picture... I even took some. I love you ladies, but I cannot subject you to such a thing. I figure, if I do keep dropping weight, and get to a reasonable size, I'll post the pics then :D

So for me, this week has been a battle of wills. I have four work-outs left in my "30 day challenge" and it seems I'm averaging 2 lbs per week. The work-outs are getting harder, and the pounds really are coming off! I love reading that you all are still losing weight as well. We can do this ladies.... we can do this!

In saying that, I will now admit to the ways that I have found to still have the things I love, without blowing the budget. No one was kidding when they talked about portion control. It truly is about portion control. Measure it out if you have too. And if you are feeling particularly snacky - have one of these:

Yep - I have considered eating a diet which consisted solely of ice cream bars. Alas, that would not be balanced so please, don't do it.

I leave you with a recipe I will be trying today!

Broccoli-Cheese Chowder

From EatingWell: Winter 2004, The EatingWell Diabetes Cookbook (2005) — Subscribe to EatingWell Magazine Today!

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This satisfying remake of broccoli chowder benefits from the creamy texture of cooked potatoes and smooth, tangy reduced-fat sour cream instead of getting its richness from as much as a cup each of cream and cheese. Not only is the flavor vibrant, but a single serving gives you over half of the daily recommendation for vitamin C.

---

READER'S COMMENT:

"This was a great soup! The recipe was easy and fun. I ended up adding extra cayenne pepper and dried mustard for extra flavor. I do suggest cooking this in the morning or mid-day for an evening meal, in order for the flavors to mix...

• Recipe

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6 servings, 1 cup each

Active Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 large potato, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 14-ounce cans vegetable broth, or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 8 ounces broccoli crowns, (see Ingredient Note), cut into 1-inch pieces, stems and florets separated
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; cook, stirring often, until the onion and celery soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add potato and garlic; cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Stir in flour, dry mustard and cayenne; cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.
2. Add broth and broccoli stems; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Stir in florets; simmer, covered, until the broccoli is tender, about 10 minutes more. Transfer 2 cups of the chowder to a bowl and mash; return to the pan.
3. Stir in Cheddar and sour cream; cook over medium heat, stirring, until the cheese is melted and the chowder is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

• Ingredient note: Most supermarkets sell broccoli crowns, which are the tops of the bunches, with the stalks cut off. Although crowns are more expensive than entire bunches, they are convenient and there is considerably less waste.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 205 calories; 9 g fat (4 g sat, 3 g mono); 21 mg cholesterol; 23 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 4 g fiber; 508 mg sodium; 436 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (61% daily value), Vitamin A (64% dv), Calcium (34% dv).

1 1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

You Can Have Your Pie and Eat It Too!

I have to share this recipe with you.  It's so simple and so delicious with virtually no calories.  That's right ladies!  This is all you need:

(1) .8 oz (22g) box of Sugar Free, Fat Free Jell-O Cook & Serve Vanilla Pudding
(1) .30 oz (8.5g) box of Sugar Free Raspberry Jell-O Gelatin (can substitute for Strawberry)
1.5 Cups of fresh Raspberries (can substitute Strawberries.  If you do so, cut the strawberries in half)
2 Cups of water
(1) Pie pan

Mix Cook & Serve pudding with 2 cups of water and bring to a rolling boil (this means the pudding is boiling as you are stirring).  Turn off heat & mix in gelatin.  Stir until gelatin is dissolved, set to side.  Pour all the raspberries in the bottom of the pie pan.  This should completely cover the bottom of the pan.  Pour the pudding/gelatin mixture over the berries and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to overnight or until the pudding/gelatin mixture has set.  Cut & serve.  Serves 4.

Now, are you ready for the calories and fat for this ENTIRE pie? 

314 Calories
3G   Fat

Per Serving?
78.5 Calories
.75G Fat

I hope you will give this a try.  It is very good.  The calories vary slightly if you use strawberries instead, but not much.  So, go ahead and have 1/4 of that pie for desert.  One thing is for certain, you won't feel guilty at all about it!

Calories, calories, calories

I'm on a mission to lose weight before I become pregnant again, so I'm on a bit of a time schedule. I hope to drop 15-20 pounds before May, and that challenge is not for the faint of heart. Keeping this in mind, I know that once May comes around, I will once again eat regular amounts of healthy food.

How does one count calories without becoming neurotic about it?

Honestly, I have no idea. I'm a little bit neurotic about it, so if I truly figure it out, I'll be the first to let you all know. In the meantime, I would imagine that the key is simply to eat food that is healthy, and naturally low in calories. Of course, all my favorite foods are naturally high in calories so it's been an interesting week for me as I sort through the foods I can put in my mouth.

I thought I'd share some of the things I eat, in hopes of giving you a few low fat/calorie ideas.

Breakfast: Smoothie. It's actually really good. Frozen berries, yogurt and orange juice. Make sure to add some honey, as it can be a little sour. You can even see one of my mini bagels in this pic! Mmmm diet bagel.

In alternate to my breakfast smoothie, keep in mind that two poached eggs on toast (little or no butter) have the same amount of calories.

Lunch: Seriously, I eat this everyday. My poor husband. Salt and pepper to taste.

I never did catch a shot of dinner this week, as hubs has been working, and I have been grazing.

Dinners for us have been consisting of stir-fry's with brown rice or BBQ'd meats with salads.

(Except when I'm eating the babies Mac n Cheese, or making the quickest ham sandwich I can in between dinner and bath time :)) Soya sauce is one of my fav condiments and it's very low in cal/fat and super tasty. Here's a quick salmon recipe for you. I apologize as there is no measurements. Ingredients to taste.... :)

Powdered ginger

Maple syrup

Soya Sauce (you're looking for a good sweet/salty ratio here)

Marinate salmon pieces over night, completely immersed in the mixture. Bake at 350 F for about 25 minutes, or firm. Keep checking. The chef thinks this is right, but he also cooks 40 pieces at a time :) Serve with rice!

Anyhow, it's been an adventure for sure. I thank goodness for this blog, as it's given me a few good recipe idea's that could possibly "spice-up" my boring eating regiment. I hope for more :) I'll leave you with a list of low cal snacking options, and my blessings for another great healthy week!

one cup of radishes, sliced or chopped, is 19 calories

one cup of cherry tomatoes, halved, is 27 calories

celery is pretty much an eat-all-you-want kind of snack food

one cup of mushrooms is 15 calories

one packet of Swiss Miss Sugar Free Hot Chocolate is 25 calories

one cup of chicken bouillon is about 5 calories

one cup of chopped broccoli is 30 calories

one package, Chicken Noodle Cup a Soup ... 45 calories

one cup, strawberry halves .... 49 calories

one peeled cucumber ... 24 calories

7 almonds ... 49 calories

1 tablespoon Better'n Peanut Butter ... 50 calories

15 grapes = 30 calories

one slice, Kraft fat free singles ... 30 calories

one slice, Oscar Mayer fat free bologna ... 22 calories