Just when you thought you weren't looking THAT different...

So this evening I joined Kristen and her family to cheer on her youngest son in a basketball game.  We were sitting in the bleachers and one of his team mates walked in with his family.  This is a family I've known for a couple of years know and have seen enough over the past two years that they should know who I was.  The boy and his family walked in and his mom said hi to Kristen and kind of nodded at me.  About 10 minutes later, she tapped me on the shoulder and said "Oh my GOD!  I didn't even recognized you!"  TOTALLY made my day!  So, you see, sometimes you are feeling, as my former WW meeting leader, Nicole would say, "FLUFFY."  That's me right now, feeling fluffy, but nothing makes you feel any better when said fluffiness comes along and someone doesn't recognize you!

The first time this happened to me was at a wedding on New Year's Eve.  I was standing next to the former cafeteria director talking with him about my husband, the DJ.  (Mind you, this is a person I spoke with and saw every school day for 2 years!)  He actually looked me in the eye and asked "what happened to Liz?"  I looked at him and said: "you mean, ME?!"  He almost fell over.  I guess when you don't see someone for six months and they are used to seeing you at 223 lbs, to see the same person 6 months later at 191 lbs. made a big difference! 

These power boosts to the ego are what Nicole used to refer to as "off the scale victories!"  So, on the eve before I step on the scale for the first time since my mulligan, I had a GREAT off the scale victory!  Wish me luck tomorrow, fingers crossed! 

 Remember what I looked like 7 months after having Dillon-

not too different from my starting WW weight!

And here I am on New Year's Eve!

(2nd from the right)

Eat This Not That

While leisurely walking through my local Walmart (a favorite passtime of Dillon and I), completly appreciating the other mid-day, mid-week clientel (you know who I mean), I found myself wandering the book section.  I came across a book called Eat This NOT That! by David Zinczenko.  I did not actually pick up the book, rather I wondered what it would say. 
Most interestingly, a friend sent me a Facebook message- where would we be without FB?!  She had purchased a book not realizing it was the same one she already had- it was.... Eat This NOT That!  She wanted to know if I would like her second copy!  SURE WOULD!  Had I picked it up at Walmart, I probably wouldn't have bought it.  It's "such an easy read" that I actually sat and read it cover to cover  marveling at what this new dining out guide had to offer me. 

The little, square book is divided into chapters-
1.  New Rules of Eating Out
2.  The Best and Worst Restaurant Foods in America
3.  At Your Favorite Restaurant
4.  Menu Decoder
5.  The Captive Eater's Survival Guide

Did you know that "changes in calorie counts for various foods over the past 20 years" can account for how restaurants make us fat?  Over the past 20 years, a cup of coffee has gone from 45 calories to 330 calories- that is a 630% increase in calories in 20 years!    The best breakfast sandwich, the McDonald's Egg McMuffin- only 300 calories!  (Remember, while it may have 10 more calories than a Burger King Ham Omelet breakfast sandwich, it has less sodium and more protein!)They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, did you know that skipping breakfast raises your risk of obesity by 450%?!  (That is just 1 of 7 habits of highly obese people discussed!)  Want to know what else has changed or what else to eat/skip?  You'll have to read chapter 1!!!

Chapter 2, the one everyone skips to and makes a conversation piece!  It sure is fun to sit with friends and marvel over what you don't know!  Want to know what they have deemed the "Best Kids' Fast Food Meal?"  It's the McDonald's 4-piece chicken nuggets with apple dippers, caramel dip, and 1% milk (390 calories).  "Worst Food Invention?"  It's Domino's Chicken Carbonara Breadbowl Pasta (1480 calories)- instead, at Domino's you could have 3 medium slices of ham and pineapple pizza for only 465 calories!  Chapter 2 is packed with lots to learn- you can even find out what they deem the "Worst Food in America"- it is power-packed with 3021 calories!!!

Chapter 3 works like a little restuarant guide that gives you some "Eat This NOT That" options for many major chains in America.  This guide is nice because it gives you 3 healthy picks and 3 picks to avoid- they also showcase other tidbits in the margins!  Let's use Applebee's as an example:

You can order the Steak and Grilled Shrimp for around 390 calories vs. the Grilled Shrimp and Spinach Salad that will cost you 1040 calories.  Even their Applebee's Guilty Pleasure Pick- a Bacon Cheese Chicken Grill only clocks in at 710 calories, still significantly less than the salad option presented earlier!  Applebee's "worst offender" is the Sizzling Steak Fajitas- although 1300 calories, 5900mg of sodium!  Chapter 3 is a real eye opener!

Menu decoding- this takes you beyond thinking about fat, calories, etc.  This decodes what names of things REALLY mean!  They have broken an example menu down for you by category.  For example the Japanese Menu:

You may be unaware of this (yeah right!), but "tempura" is secret code for deep-fried.  Veggie or meat, deep-fried is deep-fried!  A 6oz. serving of Sake can cost you 230 calories, the same amount of wine or a 12oz. beer only has about 150!  California Rolls (6-8 pieces) has 255 calories and 7g of fat.  Miso Soup, made from soy beans gives you lots of isoflavones, antocarcinogenic properties, and at least one study shows that they prevent your body from overproducing fat cells.  (Who knew?!)  You too can check out your favorite style of eating establishment and decode  the menu!

The final chapter discusses "being held captive" in a location like the airport.  You get through security and you have been up since 4 to get onto your 9am flight- you'll just grab a coffee and a.... AND A WHAT!?!  Surely a muffin is better than a bagel and DEFFINETLY better than a donut... Or is it?  A Dunkin Donuts "sugar raised donut" (not widely available, so check the others too) is only 190 calories compared to a whopping 510 calories and more sugar than in 4 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in the blueberry muffin!  Eating 2 of those donuts is still better than grabbing that muffin!  Reality check, I think so!  Do you hit the vending machine at work for a 3pm pick-me-up to make it through the end of the day?  1 package of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups is better for you than a Kellogg's Nutrigrain Bar!  Not only does this make me re-thing healthy choices for myself, but also for my family.  I have given Dillon Nutrigrain bars thinking I'm giving him a healthy option- there are worse things to give your kids, but the first two ingredients on the label... high-fructose cornsyrup followed by regular corn syrup- 12g of sugar in just one little fruity bar!  HOLY MOLY!

I learned a lot more than I thought I would reading this little book!  Now, this whole entry sounds like an advertisement for the book, which I guess, it is.  (You're welcome, David Zinczenko!) But, my purpose in sharing this with you is that it is a really useful tool.  It gives you another perspective in making healthy choices- whether you're trying to lose weight or just be a healthier you!  The link to the website for this book is to your right in "Liz's Little Links" not only is it free shipping, but you will also get the tandem book, Cook This, NOT That for free!  (This makes it a better deal than getting it at your bookstore!) 

Going into my weekend on duty tomorrow night- you know how hard those are on me, I thought this would be a good way to remind myself of healthy/healthier snack and meal options!  Here comes the weekend, on your mark, get set, go!!!

Mulligan

Hello my fabulous readers!  Appologies for the extreme hiatus!  At the urging of one of my oldest friends, I have taken up my pen- well, my keyboard again.  He has promised to follow me on FB, so now I have you, my loyal readers to start keeping me honest again,!  He shared with me that his mom also joined Weight Watchers and has lost 35-40 lbs. and is successfully keeping it off.  So here I am again with a wake up call and getting back on my horse!

For those that don't know, a "mulligan" is a golf term for "do over."  So here I am using mine!

We had a fabulous holiday season!  Full of friends, family, and of course, FOOD.  You know, those foods that only come out in the holidays- Mom's macaroni and cheese, Grandma's cheesecake?  Yup, you only get them once a year- or at big holidays- did you indulge? 

I would like to think that I did not OVER indulge, but I deffinetly got off track with my exercise and with my eating.  I FINALLY got weighed in at Curves again last week- GAIN...  I now weigh in at 199 lbs.  Okay, so not too bad.  My clothes still fit, no one really has noticed the gain except for me. 

Life has gotten in the way a bit- I was in physical therapy 2-3 times a week, they have limited they types of exercises I can do- cannot really do cardio beyond walking; with the massive amounts of snow we've had this winter, I cannot even go for walks, our sidewalks are just finally starting to melt, and the temps are just starting to warm up again.

So, off I go... 199 and losing! 

Happy 2011!

One month down!

Well, as usual, I got busy and I did not post last week (the week of Thanksgiving!)

The day before Thanksgiving I weighed in at 191 lbs., 3 lbs. less than the week before!  This week, I did not lose weight, but I did not gain weight either.  (I guess I didn't over do it on Thanksgiving!) 

This month I lost  1" in my bust (yea!), 2" in my waist,  2 1/2" in my abs, 1" in my hips, 1/4" in my thighs, 1 1/4" in my arms, 3 lbs.,  2 lbs. of body fat, and 4 1/2 points in my BMI!

YEA! ME!

However, my biggest victory was when I got on the eliptical machine a few days ago.  In May I got on the eliptical and I literally was set to do 30 min. and after 2 min. I was like okay, maybe 15 min, then I'd get to 5 min. and be like okay 10 min.  I think I made it to 7 min. before I quit.  2 nights ago I got on the eliptical and I had run 2 miles in 22 min, and it was about 22 min. before I got to that "maybe a few minutes more."  Now, 2 miles in 22 min. translates into an 11 min. mile, which isn't great for in-shape athletic people, but considering 5 months ago I couldn't run 10 min., I will take the 11 min. mile!  Small steps!  I am also looking into a "Couch to 5K" program. 

Weight Watchers just launched its new program, the "Points Plus" program.  Some of the changes seem a bit daunting, but I really like that all fruit and almost all vegetables are no points value!  Some things now have higher points values, but they are basing their science on fiber, fat, protein, and carbs now as opposed to the old system which was essentially calorie counting.  SO, I am excited to see how the new program will go!

So, it is my goal to be more diligent in keeping up with this blog as I have had such great feedback from followers and non-followers! 

Thank you for your continued support!

The Countdown to the Holidays is at 3!

3 days until Thanksgiving- can you believe it?!  Where has this year gone?  Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the holidays and all that the constant parade of parties, goodies, and things has to add to my waist!  The worst part is parties where there is just food out all the time, a piece of cheese and a cracker as you walk by, 1 little truffle out of the open Russel Stover's box.  A cookie fresh out of the oven because you happen to be in the kitchen as the host or hostess are pulling them out!  Oh the calories can really add up if you're not at a sit-down dinner type party! 

I myself am guilty!  The local Christmas parade goes right in front of our house on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  So we have invited a long list of friends and family to a "Razzle Dazzle Potluck Dinner."  Friends, family, food, and fun.  Yup, that pretty much sums up the holiday season!  So, we are getting it in all in one night all at once!  It should be fun, and hopefully a good practice on my own turf for these parties we will ineveitably be invited to attend.

I am waiting to see what other guests plan to bring before adding in some of my own healthy additions!  So, here's to the holidays, let the merriment begin!

Date Night

Again, an apology for being so lax!  It's a sign of the holiday's arrival!  Busy, busy, busy!  However, I am still going to Curves everyday with Kristen (the 6 days a week that it's open).  Although I did not lose on the scale again this week, I did lose inches which means I am toning my body!  The only place I did not lose this week was my thighs.  But in my arms I lost another 1/4 ", a 1/4" in my bust (YEA!!!), a 1/2" in my hips and in my waist!  She can punch me later for posting this if she reads it, but I'm so proud of all of Kristen's hard work!  This week she lost       1 1/4" in her waist!!!  All those extra sit-ups and rounds on the ab machines are really working!  So, you go girl!!!

Tonight Steve and I are going on a date!  We are going to see the new Harry Potter movie!  I am the first to admit that to me popcorn at the movies is a BIG must for me, but it's not really the healthiest choices for me either.  So tonight I am going to get the smallest bag of popcorn they have- so that I can say I had some, but I will forego the butter (sigh).  That way, Steve can still get what he wants!  But, it's a 2 1/2 hour movie, so needless to say there's A LOT of time to be tempted to reach into his popcorn, so in my purse (shhhh!  don't tell!) I am also bringing 2 bottles of water and a bag of baby carrots and a 100 callorie pack of Crasins!  Men may laugh at the big purses, but they cannot sneak anything into the movies!  I once snuck an entire coffee coolatta into the theatres!  Yes, I love me a big purse!

So, for me, having a plan for this evening is key!  My friend Nicole is coming to watch Dillon, so before we leave, I am making a grilled chicken and farfalle cooking light recipe- healthy and filling, so that when we get to the theatre it is less likely that I will make an impulse buy of something less than healthy because I will already be full of healthy, filling, dinner!  Additionally, I have decided what to sneak in to snack on!  AND I am not omitting the expereice of popcorn and a movie, but I have planned out what I will have so that I can stick to it!

In situations such as this, when I would have previously gone for an enormous popcorn with lots of that fake, crappy butter and lots of salty goodness topped off with a big ...  it is so important for me to make a plan before I leave. 

Wednesday night we went to friendly's for a quick dinner and although all of those burgers and bacon were calling my name, I went for a salad with grilled chicken, not the crispy, and I asked for them to not put on the bleu cheese, light balsamic vinegarette on the side please and thank you.  Was it what appealed to me when I was confronted with a menu full of yummy meltded cheese and bacon?  Not truthfully, but I made a plan before we got there that I would get a salad.  The planning ahead made me not feel so bad for getting a thin-crust personal pizza at a restaurant last night where we met up with some friends we hadn't seen in almost 6 months. 

Picking and choosing and planning.  It is the best way for me to stay on track!

Happy Saturday night everyone!

Here's What's For Dinner!

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Farfalle

This dish comes together quickly if one person grills chicken while another cooks the pasta and sauce. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired. If you serve wine, a chardonnay complements the creamy sauce.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 2 cups pasta and about 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 20  ounces  uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2  cups  1% low-fat milk, divided
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  (3.5-ounce) jar commercial pesto (about 1/3 cup)
• 3/4  cup  half-and-half
• 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4  cups  halved grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh basil

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until done, turning after 6 minutes. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces; keep warm.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Place pasta in large bowl.
4. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Combine 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in pesto. Gradually add remaining 1 cup milk and half-and-half, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 8 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup cheese; stir until cheese melts.
5. Add chicken and sauce to pasta, tossing well to coat. Add tomatoes and basil; toss gently. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

508 (30% from fat)

Fat:

16.7g (sat 7.7g,mono 6.5g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

38.3g

Carbohydrate:

50.7g

Fiber:

2.9g

Cholesterol:

81mg

Iron:

3.5mg

Sodium:

781mg

Calcium:

397mg

Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008