Revolving Diet

2013 Fresh Start ~ Day 73 ~ 3/20/2013

We all stayed the same!!!!

No one lost -OR- gained last week!?!  So odd, but pretty good!

Have we all increased our work-outs and now the muscle is building ? 

How AWESOME is that!  I am not even going to put up the chart, no reason to - you know where you are and you know what still has to be done.

I apologize for late post (actually late post for yesterday, but early post for today). I got home last night and spent the entire night moving heavy boxes from my living room to the basement.  In my attempt to clear out one room so I can work on pulling up the rug in my bedroom this coming weekend!  It's going to be a very busy, labor intensive weekend!

I spent my New Years Eve pulling up the rug and painting my spare bedroom (computer/junk room) and with Spring here, I am now focusing my efforts on my bedroom and next up the living room!  I have been in my house over 14 years and other than little minor (read...VERY MINOR) upgrades, it's time for a change.  Losing weight, getting healthy - I just have more energy and am making changes to things in my environment.  Not looking at the same things that I have put off for much too long. 

Are you feeling the itch to change things too?  Not sure if losing weight is the reason, but for me finding I have extra time and energy, removing focus from food (trust me I still think about it 24/7) and putting more focus on getting healthier -  I feel I am making strides in other parts of my life and changing up my home is a positive!

It's the first day of SPRING!!!  Time for renewal, time for changes, time for firsts!

Keep things going forward, don't look back !

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

2013 Fresh Start ~ Day 16 ~ 1/22/13

Hi Guys,

Still waiting for a few updates to your weights for last week...I am hopeful all losses!!!

Same weight on scale this morning and I am a bit backed up.  I will be starting Rapid Results tomorrow, even if just for a few days to get the scale to move!  It's so frustrating when things are going along smoothly and then STOP...NOTHING...NO MOVEMENT ON SCALE...

I am happy it's not a gain, but if you are like me all you wanna say (SCREAM) at the scale  is "COME ON ALREADY MOVE DOWN....WTF???!!!"

Intersting Poll:

Seriously, thinking about food only 12 times a day??  I look at recipes constantly, I do not fall under the "normal" on this Poll!!  Snack in secret- YES  Binge ate, YES. 

That was the past...2013 has a new determination!!! No Snacking, Sneaking, Binging...ALL HEALTHY!!!

Get your numbers to me!!  Have a SUPER night!

KEEP MOVING!!!!  Every little bit of exercise helps!

 

Day 335 ~ 12/19/12

 Pulled the bag of Crio Bru out this morning.

Today was the “TEST” day of the Cocoa Bean Coffee.  I picked up the insert for our Kuerig last
night. 

I was thinking it was going to taste like water chocolate – how I refer to those hot chocolate packets you mix with water.

 

This is what the ground cocoa beans look like in my freshly opened bag.  Grounds are a little bigger
that regular coffee grounds, but it smells like chocolate. 

 

 This is the brewed cocoa beans, a lighter color than coffee wierdly the color of mud, it seems a little "thicker" than coffee.

You can't really see from my picture but there is a slight oily residue on the top layer.  It's not gross or anything, but it is noticible.

I tried it plain (no sugar or milk) and it was okay,  it wasn't hot chocolate.  It was a watered down version cross between coffee consistantcy and the flavor of chocolate.

I added 1 teaspoon of sugar.  Then a dash of cream and another teaspoon of sugar. Then had to re-heat in microwave because it got too cold while I was playing around with swishing it over my tongue to get a good description for you.

For those of you that NEED coffee first thing in the morning.  I am not sure this would be a
good substitute.  It is tasty in every way I tried it.  I am not going to start the challenge this week, you now with Christmas and everything - but right after the holidays I am going to add it into the regualr routine (without cream & sugar) and see if I notice the difference.

Are you as bored as I am with this "Drop 33 or Lose 35 by Christmas" Diet?????  It's like I read the back of the books ending before I read the book....I know I am not going to lost 33, I haven't even barely hit 10 pounds (way off that too)...so it's inevitable that this is not working...

I will plug through until the last day - this Sunday - and then a break for the holidays....

Breakfast Fruit: Banana

Breakfast: 1 cup oatmeal, dash of cinnamon

Lunch: Chobani fruit (lemon) yogurt, ham & cheese lettuce wraps

Dinner: Big Salad (spinach, tomatoes) pan seared Tilapia with garlic, olive oil, oregano, paprika

Good Day!!!  

Have a SUPER NIGHT!!!

Morning Motivation...

Day 283.2 ~ 10/30/11

After the "WAKE UP - it shouldn't be happening in October"  snow storm yesterday - I was in a baking mood.  Specifically PUMPKIN.

I LOVE Pumpkin. The flavor, the vegetable, etc...I used one recipe for breakfast - it's low fat and I made a quick and easy dessert to bring into work tomorrow.  (Recipes to follow)    

 After shoveling last night for over an hour, that Hot Cocoa with Baily's was a welcome warm me up.  It's not an everyday splurge (although, it should be) but it's pure deliciousness (chocolate) and relaxing (the liquor) properties had me sleeping like a baby last night!

Breakfast: Pumpkin Bread in a bowl (3 gram fat, 175 calories, 15% calories from fat),1 cup Orange Juice (0 grams fat, 54 calories, 0% calories from fat)

Lunch: Completely skipped.  Breakfast totally filled me up.

Snack: 1/4 cup Wasabi Soy Beans(4.5 grams fat, 130 calories, 31% calories from fat), 1 bottle Honest Tea 1/2 Lemonade, 1/2 ice tea (0 grams fat, 100 calories, 0% calories from fat)

Dinner: 2 homemade Stuffed cabbage (16  grams fat, 340 calories, 42% calories from fat). Fat and calories is a guess, I used (1) pound 93% ground beef, 1 medium head cabbage, 1/2 cup rice, onion, garlic, spices, tomato pureee and diced tomatoes. 

Pumpkin Bread in a Bowl (from Chocolate Covered Katie) http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/09/29/pumpkin-bread-in-a-bowl/

(can be gluten-free)

• 1/3 c canned pumpkin (or cooked pumpkin)
• 3/4 c nondairy milk
• 1 cup flake cereal (I like spelt flakes, but bran, corn, etc will work. Some people have even used oatmeal!)
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• sweetener (such as stevia, sugar, or even maple syrup)
• optional: chocolate chips, pecans

This was SO FILLING and surprisingly really tasty, just liek recipe says a "pudding"...I was not hungry again until about 3:30pm.  When you first put everything together, its really loose. But after about 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator all the flavors combine and it stiffens up.

The pumpkin version will have about 175 calories, 8 grams fiber, 7 grams protein, and 3 grams fat.

She also has a banana version (more calories, same fat content) http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2007/10/15/abc-another-breakfast-creation/

Now the dessert for work, Pumpkin Dump Cake.

Pumpkin Dump Cake Recipe http://cookiesandcups.com/pumpkin-dump-cake/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+cookiesandcups+%28cookies+and+cups%29

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree
• 1 10 oz can Evaporated Milk
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted
• 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans
• 1/2 cup toffee bits (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray a 9×13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking spray
3. In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine.
4. Pour into your prepared pan.
5. Sprinkle your entire box of cake mix on top, followed by your nuts or graham crackers and toffee chips.
6. Pour your melted butter evenly on top.
7. Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned.

Quick notes

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

 
So quick and easy, no blender needed AND It smells incredible....I'll let you know how it tastes tomorrow once people dig in at work.  This one I had to avoid today, being this recipe has (2) sticks of butter would surely throw off my FAT intake today!!!!  I was surprised this recipe wasn't from Paula Deen!

Here I am at the end of Stop The Insanity Diet.  It was an eye opener.  Things I thought were low fat (just by looking at the fat %) ended up being high in fat.  It's something to keep in mind for the future in picking out certain foods.  I did get frustrated during the week when I did think something was low fat and after calculating turned out to be high fat. I posted late every night out of frustration of not being sure if I was doing the calculations correctly, was I getting enough calories, was I getting too much fat. 

I would not do this diet again, unless I had some help.  That sounds weird but true.  Maybe I am looking too far into it but doing the additional calculations made me crazy.  I like cut and dry and with as much as I enjoyed her book and the way she looked at the Fat and Caloried breakdown - it just was too aggravating to me.

I hope your weekend went well and you are prepared for the Trick-or-Treaters tomorrow!

Have a wonderful night!!

 

Day 282.2 ~ 1/29/11

Quick update as I need to get outside and shovel.  The below pictures were about an hour ago - there is twice as much snow now!!  Here is where I am getting today's exercise!

Breakfast: English Muffin(1 gram fat, 120 calories, 8% calories from fat), 2  scrambled Egg Whites (.06 grams fat,  17 calories, .03 % calories from fat), 2 slices bacon (4.18 grams fat, 54 calories, 70% calories from fat)

Lunch: Progresso Penne Pasta Soup(2 grams fat, 160 calories, 11% calories from fat)

Snack: 1/4 cup Wasabi Soy Beans(4.5 grams fat, 130 calories, 31% calories from fat)

Dinner: 1 bag steamed broccoli, cauliflower , carrots (0  grams fat, 120 calories, 0% calories from fat), HomemadeTurkey Chili (1.5 grams fat, 130 calories, 10% calories from fat)

Snack:  Most likely will be a hot cocoa with some Baily's....after I finished shoveling!

If you are experiencing this craziness (SNOW IN OCTOBER...REALLY???!!??)

Keep warm and dry!!

 

Day 281.2 - 10/28/11

I've lost the 1.6 pounds I gained, after my Halloween candy splurge on the 25th.  I have since packed up most of the candy (gotta keep some in the off chance we have trick-or-treaters) and I am bringing some over to my Dad's tonight...he's tall and thin (go figure) he's also celiac and has followed a gluten free diet for last the last 10+ years, luckily for him he can still have most candy (and for me to get it out of the house)!

Breakfast:  Trader Joe's Steel Cut Oatmeal ( 2.5 grams fat,  150 calories, 15 % calories from fat, 1 cup (8oz) OJ (0 grams fat, 110 calories, 0% calories from fat)

Snack: 2 Hard Boiled eggs (only 1 yolk)(4.86 grams fat, 86 calories, 51% calories from fat) , 1 Lemon Zinger Tea

Lunch: 1 can Bumble Bee Tuna in water, drained and mixed with 2 teaspoons mustard (2 grams fat, 140 calories, 13% calories from fat)with lettuce & tomato on 2 slices Pepperidge Farm Light Style Oatmeal bread (0 grams fat, 90 calories, 0% calories from fat) and

Dinner:  No Idea....Going to Dad's for dinner.  Skipped one snack just in case. 

 If you haven't gotten your Halloween Costume together....here are some last minute ideas....

 

 

 

 

 

  

THIS LAST ONE COULD BE AN ADULT COSTUME TOO!

 I LOVE halloween....unfortunately, hubby is away and there no one else is having a party  :o( 

 Whatever you decide to go as for Halloween (or if you just stay home and hang out, like me...) ENJOY!!

 

 

Day 280.2 ~ 10/27/11

It's raining again (I know ....AGAIN) in NJ and I am skipping class tonight.  My second/spare/computer room is in dire need of being cleaned out and that is my goal tonight.  This week has been rough, between being busy at work and running around after work - I just needed a night to chill out and get something done.  Tomorrow I was invited to my Dad's for dinner and this weekend is full so tonight is the only night. 

This morning I tried to be a little more prepared, unfortunately I did not do the calculations until just now ....the peanut butter, the tomato sauce and the parmesan cheese fat calculations were a bit of a shock....I know now, what to skip during the next few days!  If I had made my own sauce (no oils added), I could have gotten away with it...as far as the peanut butter (for protein) and parmesan cheese (for taste/flavor) is usually a staple on a good portion of diets...who knew the fat would be so much of the total calories???

Breakfast: Organic Raw Multigrain Cereal (3 grams fat, 130 calories, 20% calories from fat), 1 cup Orange Juice (0 grams fat, 110 calories, 0% calories from fat)

Snack: 1 TJ's Chocolate yogurt (2 grams fat,  130 calories,14 % calories from fat) - (forgot to include in picture)

Lunch:1 can Progresso Garden Vegetable Soup (0 grams fat,  180  calories, 0% calories from fat) and 2 tablespoons Skippy Peanut Butter  (16 grams fat, 190 calories, 76% calories from fat), 1 tablespoon Welches 1/2 sugar grape jelly  (0 grams fat, 20 calories, 0% calories from fat),, 2 slices Pepperidge Farm Light Style Oatmeal bread (0 grams fat, 90 calories, 0% calories from fat) 

Snack: 3/4 cup Trader Joe's Crunchy Green Beans (4.5 grams fat, 130 calories, 31% calories from fat)

Dinner: 1 bag steamed mixed veggies (0  grams fat, 120 calories, 0% calories from fat), 2/3 cup Ronzoni Smart Choice Pasta (.5 grams fat, 170 calories, 3% calories from fat), 1/2 cup Sauce with Merlot wine in it (5 grams fat, 70 calories, 64% calories from fat), 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese ( 1.5 grams fat, 20 calories, 68% calories from fat)

ALL Fat Gram numbers for the day: 32.5 grams fat, 1,360 calories, 22% calories from fat

One day closer to the weekend and to getting rid of the Halloween candy.  No matter how well you try to avoid it, it's there staring at you and taunting you to take some, they are small, no one will notice.....ARRRRRGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!

Candy and Sweets (cakes, pies, cookies, etc) are my krytonite!!!! 

Why isn't there a Super Hero Woman out there, that does everything, run a house, do all the errands and then stops injustices of the world, only to have a secret candy obsession that once she starts eating it her super powers fail and she's stuck sitting at the bottom of her closet with a shoe box of half eaten goodies and she knows she is no good in making the wrongs of the world right. 

 She knows she brings it upon herself but once the craving hits, all bets are off on if she will make it out of her house to do good. The weird thing is that, she uses candy in her crime fighting. The crimes she fights are rude kids, neglected animals and helping the elderly, more like paying it forward and not using harmful violence. One of her guns is filled with SPREE, the other with SMARTIES.  She has a licorice whip she uses to tie people up and uses lollipops as darts (the sticks work well this way).  Mini cakes are also used - especially those marshmallow snowballs - thrown at violators they just end up sticking to everything and prohibit violators from running away.  Emblazoned on her chest is "SS" for the Sweet Sleuth....her alias CCE (Closet Candy Eater)....Okay, my mind escaped for a bit there...see what happens when I miss exercise!!!!

Have a GREAT NIGHT!!!

 

Day 279.2 ~ 10/26/11

The majority of my calories (and fat) came late in the day.  I do not normally like to eat so heavy at night but running around after work prevented me from going lighter (I ate in my car, while driving...sometimes there is no way around it!!)

Breakfast: Tassimo Latte (3.5 grams fat, 70 calories, 45% calories from fat), Trader Joe's Steel Cut Oatmeal ( 2.5 grams fat,  150 calories, 15 % calories from fat, 1 cup (8oz) OJ (0 grams fat, 110 calories, 0% calories from fat)

Snack: Lemon Zinger Tea and  (2) Halloween packs pretzel bats and jacks ( .10 grams fat,  100 calories, .09% calories from fat)

Lunch: 1 can Bumble Bee Tuna in water, drained and mixed with 2 teaspoons mustard (2 grams fat, 140 calories, 13% calories from fat)with lettuce & tomatoe on 2 slices Pepperidge Farm Light Style Oatmeal bread (0 grams fat, 90 calories, 0% calories from fat) and 3/4 cup Trader Joe's Crunchy Green Beans (4.5 grams fat, 130 calories, 31% calories from fat)

Snack: Peanut Butter Shaklee Cinch Bar (7 grams fat,  270 calories, 23% calories from fat)

Take-Out Dinner: Wendy's Ultimate Chicken Grill Sandwich (7 grams fat, 360 calories, 18% calories from fat), Value Natural Cut fries (11 grams fat, 230 calories, 43% calories from fat) and a bottle of water

ALL Fat Gram numbers for the day: 37.6 grams fat, 1,650calories, 21% calories from fat.

The book has comparison charts that breakdown the difference of FAT % of several types of foods, for example:

1 oz American Cheese - 8 grams of fat, 100 calories =72% fat

60 carrots - 8 grams of fat, 1,858 calories =4% fat

10 cups kidney beans - 8 grams fat, 2,248 calories = 3% fat

  

 

From these examples and others in the book, on paper you can see where the lower fat is...I would have to ask myself - Do I (more like, could I) really eat 10 cups of kidney beans because they are lower in fat and give up something else?  Most of the examples are extreme...50 English Muffins @ 8% fat or 115 bananas @ 4% fat. 

 I understand she is trying to make a point that there are substituions out there and they can be very filing without breaking your "fat allotment" for the day and most people are not going to eat the amounts she has as comparisons, but I am finding this diet a little harder than others I have been on.  Maybe I am making it harder than it really needs to be - but I just feel that when I add up the total fats for the day (the regular way - just count them the way they are listed on the package) I am way off...but then doing the calculation with my total calories -  I just feel like I am missing something and the fat count seems less.  Tomorrow I am going to look over some low-fat menu planners and base my day on one of these and see where it lands me fat content wise.

 

I hope your day went well and are looking forward to just two more days of the work week !

 

Have an awesome night and a WONDERUL Thursday!!

 

 THINK HAPPY, BE HAPPY!

 



 

Day 278.2 ~ 10/25/11

Bad, BAD night.  Yesterday's lack of calories (or filling enough food, I was full when I wrote my blog).  I dug into the Halloween candy, all minis...but still.....(2) Twix bars, (2) Snickers, (1) Grand bar and had two cups of Kettlecorn popcorn.  I felt awful after.  Not sick, just guilty.  I paid for it this morning with a 1.6 pound gain (I didn't even eat a pound of candy...how can that be??... maybe the salt on the popcorn??).

It is, what it is, I can't undo it and there is no use wasting time thinking about what I should have done....hopefully the candy urge is out of my system and today I tried to move in to healthier (less fat) day....and for the record, I did not even look at the calories or fat.

Breakfast: English Muffin(1 gram fat, 120 calories, 8% calories from fat), 2  scrambled Egg Whites (.06 grams fat,  17 calories, .03 % calories from fat), 2 slices bacon (4.18 grams fat, 54 calories, 70% calories from fat), Tassimo Latte (3.5 grams fat, 70 calories, 45% calories from fat),

Snack: 1 cup baby carrots ( 0 grams fat,  70 calories,0 % calories from fat), 1/4 cup dry roasted pistachios (14 grams fat, 120 calories, 105% calories from fat),

Lunch: Large salad (lettuce, tomatoes, red onion) with 4 oz turkey breast  (6.48 grams fat,  268 calories, 22% calories from fat) and 1 tablespoon fat free dressing (0 grams fat, 20 calories, 0% calories from fat),

Snack: Peanut Butter Shaklee Cinch Bar (7 grams fat,  270 calories, 23% calories from fat)

Dinner: 1 bag steamed broccoli & cauliflower (0  grams fat, 120 calories, 0% calories from fat), 4oz Broiled Tilapia  (with lemon and spices) (1.93 grams fat, 109 calories, 16% calories from fat), 1/2 cup white rice (.18 grams fat, 121 calories, .013 % calories from fat)

After Kickboxing - Snack: 1 Large Golden Delicious Apple ( 0 grams fat, 82-100 calories, 0% calories from fat)

ALL Fat Gram numbers for the day: 31.33 grams fat, 1,189 calories, 24% calories from fat

If I did my figures correctly, I came pretty much in line today.  Could of used a few more calories, but today I was honestly full and there is no chance of a backslide into Halloween candy. I had kickboxing tonight, one good side effect from exercising (for me anyway) is not being hungry after. I hope the exercise purged out the junk food from yesterday!!

I found this interesting breakdown of some "JUNK" foods that fall under the 20% FAT and they are definately not foods that should be considered on this diet (with exception to the beer or wine, I'd like to squeeze that in sometime this week  :0)....):

• 2 oz. fruit chews candy (4.9 grams fat, 234 calories, 19% calories from fat)
• 1.6 oz. milk caramel candies (2 grams fat, 180 calories, 10% calories from fat)
• 1 piece Boston cream pie (6 grams fat, 270 calories, 20% calories from fat)
• 1/4 cup chocolate syrup (.6 grams fat, 164 calories, 3% calories from fat)
• 10 small gumdrops (0 grams fat, 135 calories, 0% calories from fat)
• 10 large jellybeans (.1 gram fat, 104 calories, 1% calories from fat)
• 12 oz. cola (0 grams fat, 154 calories, 0% calories from fat)
• 12 oz. wine cooler (0 grams fat, 215 calories, 0% calories from fat)
• 12 oz. beer (0 grams fat, 140 calories, 0% calories from fat)

The thought being, just because it has no FAT, does not necessarily mean you should have it on this diet.  

 After kickboxing, I turned on our portable heater - it's going to dip down into the 40's tonight and I refuse to turn on the house heat until at least November 1..I am trying to hold onto Fall as long as possible....

You can tell it's cold by looking at Booby the Cat:

  

She's got her little paws under the heater....too cute!

Have a WONDERFUL night!!