Struggles

I faced a couple of struggles today, and ate too many almonds and cashews. I don't know how that will impact my weight tomorrow, but I'm not expecting a loss.

I'm not quite sure why the nuts were what I wanted to eat...cashews at work this morning, and the almonds at home this evening...but I will be making that garbanzo bean recipe where you bake them in the oven and they get crispy. I think that was part of the problem.

My husband went on a walk around the block with me this evening. I do enjoy walking with him, although he's a much faster walker than me. He's gotten much better at staying at my pace even though it's a challenge for him. He's 6' tall, lean and lanky, and was a runner, so it's like hitching a thoroughbred to a drafthorse when we walk together :P

Progress:
South Beach Phase 1, Week 1
5/25/09 - 245
5/26/09 - 243 (-2)
5/27/09 - 241 (-4)
5/28/09 - 240 (-5)
5/29/09 - 239 (-6)

Exercise:
5/26/09 - 2 miles (twice around McKinley Park)
5/28/09 - 1 mile around the block
5/29/09 - 1 mile around the block










~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Eating Out

Tonight I have a meeting at a local cafe. Eating out can be a challenge because I want to stay on plan and still enjoy my meal. This cafe has their menu online, so I was able to check it out and I know what I'll be ordering before I get there.

It's all in the planning :)


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

A System of Support

One of the most vital ingredients to success in weight loss is a support system. It's important to choose people who are encouraging and good cheerleaders who will also be honest with you about your choices. One of the best online resources is the 3 Fat Chicks forum. It's full of great information and very friendly people, but you will also need to develop in-person support.

I'm thankful I found the 3 Fat Chicks forum, and I've also been blessed with some wonderful friends who are supporting me on this journey to a healthy life. Beside my wonderful husband (who loves me and finds me wildly attractive right now) I can count my friend Amy. She's straight-talking in the nicest way, encouraging and fun. I can talk to her about my struggles and she's there to encourage me to keep on going, that it's worth it.

If I didn't have this support, I don't know if I could stick with this. I am very thankful :)


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Goals

I think an important part of successful weight loss is to have goals. My current weight loss goal is to reach 165 lbs, and to walk 7 miles a week.

To reach 165lbs, from today's weight I'd need to lose 75lbs. If I lose 2 pounds a week, it would take me 38 weeks to reach my goal. From today's date, that would put me at goal on Valentine's Day :) What a great date!

I am planning to walk faithfully after work each evening, beginning with 1 mile each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 2 miles each Tuesday and Thursday. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll be meeting with at least one friend at a local park in the evening and we'll walk around the park twice, and on the other evenings I'll walk around the block I live on once after work.

As I get used to walking again, I'll do 2 miles on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 3 miles on Tuesday and Thursday.

Eventually I'll be adding some other exercises to the walking, but for now getting active again is enough.

Progress:
South Beach Phase 1, Week 1
5/25/09 - 245
5/26/09 - 243 (-2)
5/27/09 - 241 (-4)
5/28/09 - 240 (-5)

Exercise:
5/26/09 - 2 miles (twice around McKinley Park)
5/28/09 - 1 mile around the block







~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Menu Planning for Week 2

So now that it's Wednesday, I'm looking at recipes on the 3FC forums to choose what I'll be preparing this weekend.

Right now the recipes I'm considering are:

Breakfasts:
Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Cups
Ricotta Muffins
Southwestern Breakfast Scramble

Main dishes and sides for lunch and dinner:
Main - Chicken Cheesesteak Saute
Side - Parm Roasted Broccoli

Main - Mexican Chicken Casserole
Side - Seattle Black Beans

Main - Barefoot Contessa Grilled Lemon Chicken
Side - Slow-Cooked Zucchini Coins with Chopped Herbs and Crumbled Feta

Desserts:
Lemon Breeze Cups
Pecan Roll Dessert
Chocolate Breeze Cups




~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Phase 1 - Day 3

I woke up this morning feeling really good! I'm still a bit tired, but I'm positive that being back on a healthy diet and getting regular exercise will take care of that, as long as I'm getting enough sleep. I was ready for bed by 915 last night, so I went and laid down, then read a book for about 30 minutes. I'm finding it easier to get up on time.

Losing weight during phase 1 of South Beach seems to go quite well for me. I think it's because I've been eating so poorly before beginning, too much sugar and processed foods. It's scary how much that bad stuff contributes to my weight gain. This is actually the second time I've done SB. The first time was about 5 years ago, and I lost approximately 16lbs the first two weeks. It's like a detox period where the body flushes all the bad stuff, but it doesn't continue to be so dramatic as you enter phase 2.

Tonight after work I had planned to walk around the block, but I took too much time at the grocery store. I'm also making the Canadian bacon egg cups for breakfast for the rest of the week. I have a small group bible study on Wednesday nights, so I can't get much more than that in if I have other things I need to do before leaving the house at 630.

My official weigh-in day is Monday morning, and my sweet husband will be taking progress photos every Sunday evening. I'll be sharing those here eventually.


Progress:
5/25/09 - 245
5/26/09 - 243 (-2)
5/27/09 - 241 (-4)


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Recipe Reviews

As I continue on this lifestyle change, I'm going to evaluate the recipes I choose on their ease of preparation and taste.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta
This was fantastic! I love brussels sprouts, and I'm always up for new ways to serve them that don't involve cream sauce. I made sure the brussels sprouts were cooked through by steaming them a bit first to begin the cooking. I purchased two 1lb bags of brussels sprouts at Trader Joe's and cooked each of them in the microwave for 2 minutes each, then I trimmed the ends, sliced them in half and mixed them with some olive oil, minced garlic and pancetta (which I also bought pre-diced at Trader Joe's). I baked them for 30 minutes until they began getting brown and the pancetta was crisping. Delicioso!!! :P
Easy to prepare: Very easy
Rating: *****

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Pancetta
Preheat Oven: 375-400 F.

1-2 lbs. Brussels sprouts
2-3 tsp crushed or minced garlic
3-4 tsp diced pancetta (or proscuitto)
3 tsp olive oil or to taste

Preheat oven to 375-400. Clean brussel spouts, cutting large ones in half. Put in a 9x13 pyrex dish and toss with garlic (I use jarred for convenience), pancetta (can buy diced at Trader Joes) and olive oil. Roast in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until brussel sprouts get a bit browned.

Orange Dream Cheesecake
I followed this recipe exactly, and am not that wild about this. It's too tart and tastes a bit dry. I'll make this again, but instead of the cream cheese I'll replace it with fat free ricotta and add some Splenda to make it a bit sweeter.
Easy to prepare: A little involved but still easy
Rating: **

Orange Dream Cheesecake
1 package sugar-free orange jello
2/3 cup boiling water
1 cup fat free cottage cheese
1 small tub 97% fat free cream cheese
2 cups 97% fat free Cool Whip

Dissolve jello in boiling water and let cool for 5 minutes. Place in blender with cottage cheese and cream cheese. Blend until well mixed. Place in a bowl and fold in the Cool Whip. Refrigerate

Goat Cheese and Basil Chicken Breast
Oh, yum :) If you love goat cheese and fresh basil, this is a great recipe. It was getting late in the afternoon when I began working on this recipe, so instead of slicing a pocket in each breast, I completely butterflied them and layered them with the goat cheese and basil. I sprinkled the bottom of the baking dish with the garlic powder and lemon pepper, then laid half of the butterflied breasts on top of that. Afterwards I cut up a log of goat cheese and placed that evenly on top of the chicken breasts, then tore fresh basil leaves and layered those onto the goat cheese. I then took the remaining chicken breasts and put those on top, then sprinkled them with more garlic powder and lemon pepper.
Easy to prepare: Fairly easy :)
Rating: ****

Goat Cheese and Basil Chicken Breast
Chicken breast, skinless, boneless
Goat Cheese, sliced
Fresh basil leaves, sliced or torn
Garlic powder
Lemon Pepper seasoning

Take the chicken breasts and butterfly (slice through the width, but not all the way, as you are creating a pocket).
Stuff a slice of goat cheese and about 1-2 T. fresh basil into each breast. Close up with some toothpicks so filling does not fall out. Season breasts on both sides with garlic powder and lemon pepper.
roast in the oven for probably 20-25 minutes at 375 degrees.

~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Phase 1 - Day 1 and 2

Yesterday was day 1 of phase 1. It was an interesting day since I was home due to the Memorial Day holiday. We had one of our friends over, and she helped us with some light gardening. We also watched 'Fireproof' and some of the Jon & Kate Plus 8 marathon.

I find it difficult to follow an eating schedule when I'm not at work. At work, there are clearly defined times for breaks and lunch, so it's easy to stay on track. At home, it's not so clearly defined. I may need to get a timer to set for the next snack/meal so I don't forget.

Tonight I need to cook the canadian bacon cups tonight since I didn't get them done on Sunday. I won't have time the next two nights due to other commitments, and I'll run out of breakfast for me and my sweet husband before then, so tonight it is.

I'm going to have to adjust my beginning weight on the 3FC forums. It's actually 245, not 251. That's a happy thing :D

Today I'm very sad about Jon and Kate. I've been watching their show for a couple of years, and feel like I know them. It's heartbreaking to see that they seem to be on the verge of a divorce. I hope and pray that this is a wakeup call for both of them, and that their desire to put the kids first motivates them to work on their marriage, as that's the best for the kids. This sadness is coloring my day :(

Thankfully breakfast seems to be quite filling. I stopped by McDonald's this morning to get a large unsweetened iced tea and will be reusing the cup all day.

I seem to be in the right frame of mind for phase 1. I have no desire to cheat (well, except for last night when I was putting the leftover couscous into a dish for my husband to have with his lunch today...that was a little tempting) and am not feeling ravenous. It's good :)

Eating at work today went quite well. When I started feeling munchie between snacks/meals, I'd grab one almond from the can of smoked almonds I have at my desk. Throughout the day I had about 5 almonds. That seemed to tide me over :)

Once I got home I had the goat cheese and basil chicken breast, along with a small wedge of cheese, then I met up with my friend Amy to walk around McKinley Park. We did that twice, and now I'm home and feeling wonderfully worn out. It's warm today, and I live in a house with no air conditioning, so the bedroom door is closed and our portable window air conditioning unit is running in there.


Progress:
5/25/09 - 245
5/26/09 - 243 (-2)

Exercise:
5/26/09 - 2.2 miles (twice around McKinley Park)


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

I start day 1 of Phase 1 of the South Beach diet tomorrow!!! I nearly can't wait :D

I didn't splurge much this weekend, but I did go to The Squeeze Inn after work on Friday to get a Squeeze with cheese (The Squeeze Inn is a local dive that's been featured on 'Diners, Drive Ins and Dives' on Food Network). I just love that burger, but it's a once a quarter or so thing.

Surprisingly, I'm not having any cravings or misgivings about starting this way of life again. I think part of it is that I remember how good I felt when I lost 40lbs before, and how neat it was to not have that double chin and how pretty I felt in clothes that weren't 'fat girl' clothes.

I've spent the afternoon leisurely cooking food for the coming week, and since tomorrow is a holiday I'll finish up the last couple of things tomorrow.

I was quite disappointed to see that Trader Joe's didn't have the mini snack packs of celery and natural peanutbutter, perhaps they were just out of stock. I sure hope they haven't discontinued them. For this week I'll be making my own packs of those.

Tomorrow I'll be asking my cute husband to take some beginning photos of me so that I can keep track of my progress visually as well as on the scale. Monday mornings will be the official weigh-in day, and Sundays after church will be when my cutie pie husband takes my weekly progress photos. My plan is to make a video of them eventually once I reach my goal weight, just to see the progress.


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Exercise

I think that along with changing my eating habits for the better that I need to be sure to include exercising. I'm going to begin with getting back into walking regularly.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays I'll walk around the block once after work, that'll be just over 1 mile. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I'll be meeting one of my friends at McKinley Park and we'll walk around it 2 times, that'll be 2 miles. I may not be able to make it around 3 times at first, but I'm going to be working up to that.

I'm also going to begin taking some psyllium husk each day, and will also begin my regimen of some unfiltered apple cider vinegar each day.

I'm really looking forward to beginning this again...I'm glad!


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Reasons for living a healthy life

I want to keep track of all the reasons I can think of to live a healthy life:

1. I want to look attractive and cute
2. I don't want a double chin any longer


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Shopping

I'm getting quite excited about starting the South Beach diet again. I just got back from a shopping trip to pick up all I needed for this week's recipes. I'm enjoying having a menu and a plan again.

Tomorrow after church I'll begin all the cooking and that'll take up most of the afternoon. I have Monday off, but will be beginning the eating plan.


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Planning for Phase 1, Week 1

Today I'm working on the menu for next week. I've chosen recipes and am determining amounts to buy this weekend.

I found a great resource for South Beach recipes at this site. It has a nice variety of recipes, and they're sorted out by phases.

Here is my menu for the week:

Breakfast
Baked Eggs in Canadian Bacon Cups
or
Greek Omelet (which I'll likely also make into cups)
For my husband I'll be adding whole grain toast with butter and a cup of milk or orange juice

Snacks (morning and afternoon)
Celery and natural peanutbutter (Trader Joes sells these in a cute little 3 pack with all-natural PB)
Sliced cucumber with a lowfat mozzarella cheese stick

Lunch
Basil Goat Cheese Chicken
and
Refrigerator Cucumber Salad
My husband will also be getting either some couscous or rice pilaf

Dinner
Salmon fillet with lime and dill
and
Roasted brussels sprouts with garlic and pancetta
As with lunch, I'll be adding couscous or rice pilaf to my husband's meal


Dessert
Orange Dream Cheesecake
or
SF Orange Jello

I find it easiest to have the same items for breakfast, lunch and dinner during the week, and to change up the snacks. Next week I'll choose two different items for lunch and dinner so that we have a bit more variety. For now I need to keep it simple.

My husband needs to gain weight, so I'll be supplementing his meals with whole grains, dairy and extra protein.

I'll be cooking all of this on Sunday or Monday, then freezing the food in single portions so that all we need to do each morning is pull that day's meals out of the freezer and go. I don't have a lot of time in the mornings...I get up at 6am and need to be on my way to work around 6:45.

So far this is the plan for next week :)


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose

Beginnings

Well, here I am, ready to begin living a healthy lifestyle. I've done this before and have failed, but I refuse to stay a failure.

If you have made mistakes, there is always another chance for you. You may have a fresh start any moment you choose, for this thing we call "failure" is not the falling down, but the staying down. ~ Mary Pickford

This week I'm getting prepared to begin phase 1 of the South Beach Diet on Tuesday, May 26th. Today is a day of choosing menus for the week that I can prepare on either Sunday or Monday (which I have off from work), buying the ingredients and mentally getting ready.

I also plan to implement exercise, following the steps outlined by Chantal Hobbs in her book, "Never Say Diet".

Each moment, I am choosing to live a healthy life. It begins right now.


~ His Sweet Gypsy Rose