My cousin's wife (who I usually just call my cousin or friend) posted on Facebook today that she was going into a cooking frenzy.. Their third child is due in a couple weeks, and she wants to have a stocked freezer of food that all she or my cousin has to do is thaw and reheat. She's making things like meatloaf, taco pockets (I don't even know what those are), breakfast burritos, and a few casseroles.
Now all of those things sound delicious, but not necessarily low-fat or "point-friendly." I need some recipes for healthier versions of the types of foods she's making. I also thought, since the weather is turning cooler, that I could make some soups or chili. Those would make great lunches, and it'd get me away from eating a sandwich everyday. I also don't know how to wrap or store these foods in the freezer. And when you're ready to thaw them out, how would you prepare the meal? Pop in the oven? OK. How long? What temp? These are the kinds of things I need to know.
As you can see, I need some help. Please send me any recipes you may have and/or hints or tips on how to freeze and then reheat these foods. If I get any, or if I find any online, I'll come back and post them here.
Thanks!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
The Happiest Place On Earth
The family and I are in Florida this week. We came down Sunday night to spend time with my in-laws. We've had an amazing time. We hung out Monday morning here in Satellite Beach - my in-laws live a couple blocks from the ocean. Sweet! Then, Monday afternoon we made our way over to Orlando.. checked into our hotel, and headed out to dinner. Fuddruckers. Needless to say, I didn't exactly eat great that night. I enjoyed it a whole heck of a lot, though.
Tuesday we went to Disney's Magic Kingdom. I love Disney. We walked (and walked... .and walked... and walked a little more) until I thought my feet were going to fall off. It doesn't help that I'm still having issues with my foot and knee from when I fell in June, but I did it. And even more impressive is I didn't complain too much. I can't say I ate very well at the hotel (breakfast) or at Disney (lunch) or at IHOP (dinner). But again, I sure did enjoy it.
On a funny side-note... my daughter is the only kid I know who thinks The People Mover is a thrill ride. We rode it twice, and the second time she was yelling, "Woohoo!!!" everytime it sped up a little. It was absolutely hysterical. The other "must-do" for Colleen.. the Carousel of Progress. Seriously... you sit in a chair, and the building turns so you end up seeing different scenes to show how we've progressed from the turn-of-the-century times to a little more recent times. Logan loved It's a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Wednesday, we slept in a little, had breakfast at the hotel again, and then headed over to Downtown Disney. Had a blast! We walked through the stores and did a little shopping. We ate at the T-Rex Cafe. (I think that's the name.) Oh boy, did I not eat right, there. I had mushroom ravioli in some kind of cream sauce. It was divine. We left at around 3:30 and headed back to Satellite Beach, where we drove over to Pat's Place (I'm not sure if it's in Satellite Beach or another city) for dinner. I had spanikopita and a Greek salad.
So, here it is Thursday morning. After all the yummy food I've eaten this week... I'll be shocked if I have a loss this week. But you know, I'm not going to be upset about it. It is what it is. I had a blast. I enjoyed what I ate. And now it's time to start making those wise food choices I told myself I'd make while on vacation. We head home tomorrow, and Saturday is my Weight Watchers meeting. It could be a bit (a lot) scary, but it is what it is. The important thing for me is that I don't let a (possible) gain derail me. I have to pick up right where I left off before vacation and keep moving forward. I know I can do it, I just need to not lose that momentum that I had before we left Georgia.
Tuesday we went to Disney's Magic Kingdom. I love Disney. We walked (and walked... .and walked... and walked a little more) until I thought my feet were going to fall off. It doesn't help that I'm still having issues with my foot and knee from when I fell in June, but I did it. And even more impressive is I didn't complain too much. I can't say I ate very well at the hotel (breakfast) or at Disney (lunch) or at IHOP (dinner). But again, I sure did enjoy it.
On a funny side-note... my daughter is the only kid I know who thinks The People Mover is a thrill ride. We rode it twice, and the second time she was yelling, "Woohoo!!!" everytime it sped up a little. It was absolutely hysterical. The other "must-do" for Colleen.. the Carousel of Progress. Seriously... you sit in a chair, and the building turns so you end up seeing different scenes to show how we've progressed from the turn-of-the-century times to a little more recent times. Logan loved It's a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean.
Wednesday, we slept in a little, had breakfast at the hotel again, and then headed over to Downtown Disney. Had a blast! We walked through the stores and did a little shopping. We ate at the T-Rex Cafe. (I think that's the name.) Oh boy, did I not eat right, there. I had mushroom ravioli in some kind of cream sauce. It was divine. We left at around 3:30 and headed back to Satellite Beach, where we drove over to Pat's Place (I'm not sure if it's in Satellite Beach or another city) for dinner. I had spanikopita and a Greek salad.
So, here it is Thursday morning. After all the yummy food I've eaten this week... I'll be shocked if I have a loss this week. But you know, I'm not going to be upset about it. It is what it is. I had a blast. I enjoyed what I ate. And now it's time to start making those wise food choices I told myself I'd make while on vacation. We head home tomorrow, and Saturday is my Weight Watchers meeting. It could be a bit (a lot) scary, but it is what it is. The important thing for me is that I don't let a (possible) gain derail me. I have to pick up right where I left off before vacation and keep moving forward. I know I can do it, I just need to not lose that momentum that I had before we left Georgia.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Meeting Goals
This past weekend was huge for me. I'd set some goals for myself, and I reached them this past Saturday.
Goals
1. My first 5%. This was actually a goal set by Weight Watchers. I wasn't trying to reach it by a certain date, I was just trying to reach it. That 5% goal was 14 pounds.
2. Get under 270 pounds by Labor Day. I did set a date, but it wasn't something I was going to beat myself up over if I didn't achieve. I don't ever want to set a date/weight goal that if I don't meet that goal I'll be upset. I set an "aiming for" goal, but if I don't make it, that's OK. This is a long journey I'm on.
3. Hit 15 pounds lost. Again, I had no timeframe for this, it was just a mini goal I wanted to hit.
So yeah... totally met my goals.
I have been avoiding posting my weight because it's just too darn embarrassing. But here goes my progress so far.
7/23/11 283.6
7/30/11 278.8
8/06/11 275.4
8/13/11 274.6
8/20/11 274.4
8/27/11 270.2
9/03/11 268.6
I've got a long way to go, but it's OK. I'm setting small goals for myself and celebrating when I achieve those goals. If I look at where I want the end result to be, or try to give myself a deadline, when I miss those goals or deadlines I'll get frustrated and give up. I can't afford to give up. I want to be healthy and fit too much to give up this time.
September Goals
1. Lose 6 pounds. This isn't really a "by this date" goal. It's just an "aiming for" goal. If I'm down just 3 or 4 pounds in September, then I'll gladly take that. There's no way to know what my body will do. I could have a "perfect" week and only lost half a pound. The body is a strange and complicated creation.
2. Exercise two days a week. I've not been doing any exercise since I fell in June. I'm still having problems with my knee and foot, but I need to get some kind of movement or activity in. Even if it's playing the Wii Fit or Wii Zumba for 30 minutes, it's better than sitting in front of the computer or television. I'm hoping that I'll eventually be able to afford to get back into the gym. I miss it, and there are things I can do there that will be easy on my knee and foot.
There are things I can't control, and there are things I can. My goal is to do the best with the things I can control, and hope it has a positive impact on the things I can't control. It's a long journey. I've already said that. And as embarrassed as I am to admit where I let myself get to, I'm proud of myself for doing this again. A slow progress toward being healthy is certainly much better than no progress at all or moving even farther way.
I covet your encouragement. Just as there are cheerleaders to help keep the energy and excitement up during a game, I could use all the cheerleaders I can get to help me keep up my energy, momentum, and excitement as I journey toward better health.
I'm posting a picture a friend took of me this summer. It's the most recent one I have that I actually let someone take. I'll post an updated photo sometime later... maybe that'll be what I do when I reach 250 pounds. As for now.. this is the last time I ever want to look like this!
Goals
1. My first 5%. This was actually a goal set by Weight Watchers. I wasn't trying to reach it by a certain date, I was just trying to reach it. That 5% goal was 14 pounds.
2. Get under 270 pounds by Labor Day. I did set a date, but it wasn't something I was going to beat myself up over if I didn't achieve. I don't ever want to set a date/weight goal that if I don't meet that goal I'll be upset. I set an "aiming for" goal, but if I don't make it, that's OK. This is a long journey I'm on.
3. Hit 15 pounds lost. Again, I had no timeframe for this, it was just a mini goal I wanted to hit.
So yeah... totally met my goals.
I have been avoiding posting my weight because it's just too darn embarrassing. But here goes my progress so far.
7/23/11 283.6
7/30/11 278.8
8/06/11 275.4
8/13/11 274.6
8/20/11 274.4
8/27/11 270.2
9/03/11 268.6
I've got a long way to go, but it's OK. I'm setting small goals for myself and celebrating when I achieve those goals. If I look at where I want the end result to be, or try to give myself a deadline, when I miss those goals or deadlines I'll get frustrated and give up. I can't afford to give up. I want to be healthy and fit too much to give up this time.
September Goals
1. Lose 6 pounds. This isn't really a "by this date" goal. It's just an "aiming for" goal. If I'm down just 3 or 4 pounds in September, then I'll gladly take that. There's no way to know what my body will do. I could have a "perfect" week and only lost half a pound. The body is a strange and complicated creation.
2. Exercise two days a week. I've not been doing any exercise since I fell in June. I'm still having problems with my knee and foot, but I need to get some kind of movement or activity in. Even if it's playing the Wii Fit or Wii Zumba for 30 minutes, it's better than sitting in front of the computer or television. I'm hoping that I'll eventually be able to afford to get back into the gym. I miss it, and there are things I can do there that will be easy on my knee and foot.
There are things I can't control, and there are things I can. My goal is to do the best with the things I can control, and hope it has a positive impact on the things I can't control. It's a long journey. I've already said that. And as embarrassed as I am to admit where I let myself get to, I'm proud of myself for doing this again. A slow progress toward being healthy is certainly much better than no progress at all or moving even farther way.
I covet your encouragement. Just as there are cheerleaders to help keep the energy and excitement up during a game, I could use all the cheerleaders I can get to help me keep up my energy, momentum, and excitement as I journey toward better health.
I'm posting a picture a friend took of me this summer. It's the most recent one I have that I actually let someone take. I'll post an updated photo sometime later... maybe that'll be what I do when I reach 250 pounds. As for now.. this is the last time I ever want to look like this!
Saturday, August 27, 2011
I confess....
I haven't posted in a couple weeks (I guess that's how long it's been). Last week's weigh-in had me a tad bit bummed. I lost, but barely. Last week I was down .2 - really???? That's it???? Yup. That was all.
So, I thought about what I was doing and what I wasn't doing... and I think I pinpointed my two big problems.
What I Was Doing
When we'd serve lunch at the pre-k where I work, I'd help myself to a little. The kids had all been served, and there was some leftover. And it looked so yummy. What would a spoonful hurt, right? (By spoonful, I don't mean a teaspoon. I'm talking about the big ol' serving spoon.)
What I Wasn't Doing
I wasn't tracking everything that went into my mouth. So, that spoonful of yumminess I sampled at lunch never made it to my online tracking. When dinner was done, I'd show that I had "X" number of points left (I'm doing Weight Watchers), and so I didn't measure anything - I snacked without worrying about the portion sizes.
I did (and didn't do)these for a week. It's no wonder .2 was all I lost. It's a wonder I didn't gain. I have no idea what I actually ate that week. Nothing was bad for me, it was just too much. In the past on Weight Watchers, I'd do this.. and start gaining.. and quit.
I refuse to give up.
How I Changed This Week
I decided after my very small weight loss that I was going to change my mentality where tracking is concerned. I had to make tracking as necessary as brushing my teeth or taking my medications. I didn't eat anything that didn't get written down. Even when I was "bad" I was still "good" and tracked it. I still tasted the yumminess that was prepared for the meals this week. But I tracked it. I also gave myself a much smaller portion - a taste, not a serving - and put it in a small drinking cup (like the small bathroom cups you use to rinse).
So, maybe you've made it this far and are wondering how I did with the changes.... I lost 4.2 pounds this week, giving me a 5-week total of 13.4 pounds gone! Yay, me!!!
So, I thought about what I was doing and what I wasn't doing... and I think I pinpointed my two big problems.
What I Was Doing
When we'd serve lunch at the pre-k where I work, I'd help myself to a little. The kids had all been served, and there was some leftover. And it looked so yummy. What would a spoonful hurt, right? (By spoonful, I don't mean a teaspoon. I'm talking about the big ol' serving spoon.)
What I Wasn't Doing
I wasn't tracking everything that went into my mouth. So, that spoonful of yumminess I sampled at lunch never made it to my online tracking. When dinner was done, I'd show that I had "X" number of points left (I'm doing Weight Watchers), and so I didn't measure anything - I snacked without worrying about the portion sizes.
I did (and didn't do)these for a week. It's no wonder .2 was all I lost. It's a wonder I didn't gain. I have no idea what I actually ate that week. Nothing was bad for me, it was just too much. In the past on Weight Watchers, I'd do this.. and start gaining.. and quit.
I refuse to give up.
How I Changed This Week
I decided after my very small weight loss that I was going to change my mentality where tracking is concerned. I had to make tracking as necessary as brushing my teeth or taking my medications. I didn't eat anything that didn't get written down. Even when I was "bad" I was still "good" and tracked it. I still tasted the yumminess that was prepared for the meals this week. But I tracked it. I also gave myself a much smaller portion - a taste, not a serving - and put it in a small drinking cup (like the small bathroom cups you use to rinse).
So, maybe you've made it this far and are wondering how I did with the changes.... I lost 4.2 pounds this week, giving me a 5-week total of 13.4 pounds gone! Yay, me!!!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
It's the little things in life....
Well, I had a small weight loss this week.. only 0.8 this week. At first I was bummed. Seriously? The week before I had no idea exactly what I ate, was pretty sure I'd gone over points some days, and I lost over 3 pounds. This past week, while I wasn't perfect, I knew what I was eating. I expected more.
But...
1. Many days I went to bed without having reached my points target. I would have 10 more points to eat on many days.
2. I lost. Period. I. Lost. Weight. Gotta remember that if I had gained 0.8 of a pound I'd have been ticked that I had gained almost a pound back. Yes. I lost almost a pound.
3. I ate Mexican the night before WI, and that may have caused me to retain water the following morning.
4. My three-week total weight loss is 9 pounds. And I'm pretty darn proud of that weight loss, too. It's the little things... they add up to make something big. I'm not going to lose 3-4 pounds each week, or be 150+ pounds lighter at the end of a year. I didn't gain this weight overnight, and it's certainly not going to drop off my body overnight, either.
5. I promised myself that I wouldn't go into a weigh-in each week with a number expectation in mind. I would do the absolute best that I could do, and whatever that number is I'd embrace it and keep on the journey.
So, while it may have "only" been 0.8 of a pound gone this week, every little bit adds up. I'm ecstatic to be only 1 pound away from a 10-pound weight "gone." (Doesn't saying "lost" imply that you need to find it? I don't want to find it. It's gone!)
Oh, can't forget... my pants were a little looser this morning. No, not loose as in "I need to go shopping" or "I can pull the next size down out of storage... I could just tell that they didn't hug my legs today like they did the last time I wore them. I'll take it!
But...
1. Many days I went to bed without having reached my points target. I would have 10 more points to eat on many days.
2. I lost. Period. I. Lost. Weight. Gotta remember that if I had gained 0.8 of a pound I'd have been ticked that I had gained almost a pound back. Yes. I lost almost a pound.
3. I ate Mexican the night before WI, and that may have caused me to retain water the following morning.
4. My three-week total weight loss is 9 pounds. And I'm pretty darn proud of that weight loss, too. It's the little things... they add up to make something big. I'm not going to lose 3-4 pounds each week, or be 150+ pounds lighter at the end of a year. I didn't gain this weight overnight, and it's certainly not going to drop off my body overnight, either.
5. I promised myself that I wouldn't go into a weigh-in each week with a number expectation in mind. I would do the absolute best that I could do, and whatever that number is I'd embrace it and keep on the journey.
So, while it may have "only" been 0.8 of a pound gone this week, every little bit adds up. I'm ecstatic to be only 1 pound away from a 10-pound weight "gone." (Doesn't saying "lost" imply that you need to find it? I don't want to find it. It's gone!)
Oh, can't forget... my pants were a little looser this morning. No, not loose as in "I need to go shopping" or "I can pull the next size down out of storage... I could just tell that they didn't hug my legs today like they did the last time I wore them. I'll take it!
Monday, August 8, 2011
Look Before You Leap
There are so many instances where the phrase "look before you leap" applies. But I couldn't help think about it today as I was checking out at Wal-Mart.
The temperature outside was 95 with a heat index of 103. (Yes, I know it's hotter in Texas.) I was so thirsty, and what do they so graciously put at every other cash register? Yep, a soda fridge. But this soda fridge didn't have Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper. Nope. It had root beer and cream soda.
I. Love. Cream. Soda.
I didn't even think twice before I opened that baby up and got myself one.
I didn't think twice as I started drinking it as soon as I got back in the van.
I was halfway done before I thought twice.
It was then that I realized... I should have looked before I leaped.
This bottle of cream soda had 310 calories and 77g carbs. No protein, no fiber, no fat. All that equaled 8 PPV (Weight Watcher's points). That's more points than I consumed at dinner tonight or breakfast this morning.
Oh boy.
Well, guess it's a good thing I had planned a light dinner tonight, huh?
The temperature outside was 95 with a heat index of 103. (Yes, I know it's hotter in Texas.) I was so thirsty, and what do they so graciously put at every other cash register? Yep, a soda fridge. But this soda fridge didn't have Coke, Pepsi, or Dr. Pepper. Nope. It had root beer and cream soda.
I. Love. Cream. Soda.
I didn't even think twice before I opened that baby up and got myself one.
I didn't think twice as I started drinking it as soon as I got back in the van.
I was halfway done before I thought twice.
It was then that I realized... I should have looked before I leaped.
This bottle of cream soda had 310 calories and 77g carbs. No protein, no fiber, no fat. All that equaled 8 PPV (Weight Watcher's points). That's more points than I consumed at dinner tonight or breakfast this morning.
Oh boy.
Well, guess it's a good thing I had planned a light dinner tonight, huh?
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Week 2... Success???
Yes, it's a question.
I did lose weight this past week, but can I really call the week a success? I think it was more luck than real success.
School started back this past Monday. I wish I could say that we just slipped into a wonderful routine, and I ate wonderfully and tracked it all. I didn't, though. I did great during the day, but at night I blew it. We gave in to being tired or stressed and ate out too much. I could have made good choices eating out, but I didn't.
I thought for sure I'd gain, so imagine my surprise when I lost 3.4 pounds. My two week total is 8.2 pounds gone.
I'm aiming this week to eat at home more (we can't afford to eat out anyway), take my lunch to work everyday, and try to get some exercise. Even a short walk is more than I have been doing. I'm aching to get back to the gym, but it's not in the budget. I'm making Weight Watchers be in the budget because I need the accountability, and I need to lose weight too badly to just keep ignoring it.
Morbid obesity isn't fun, and it isn't healthy. I'm at the point where I've finally come to terms with just how badly I need to get a grip on this. I know I'll be happier as my weight decreases. My family will be happier, too.
And I think we'll all be healthier. I'm hoping the changes I make in my life will positively influence my family to make better choices. I beamed today when the kids got excited that I was cutting up a watermelon.
I have to get a handle on this and keep moving forward. I can't give up. I need to be healthy, and I need to be a good role model for my children. So, week 3... here I come.
I did lose weight this past week, but can I really call the week a success? I think it was more luck than real success.
School started back this past Monday. I wish I could say that we just slipped into a wonderful routine, and I ate wonderfully and tracked it all. I didn't, though. I did great during the day, but at night I blew it. We gave in to being tired or stressed and ate out too much. I could have made good choices eating out, but I didn't.
I thought for sure I'd gain, so imagine my surprise when I lost 3.4 pounds. My two week total is 8.2 pounds gone.
I'm aiming this week to eat at home more (we can't afford to eat out anyway), take my lunch to work everyday, and try to get some exercise. Even a short walk is more than I have been doing. I'm aching to get back to the gym, but it's not in the budget. I'm making Weight Watchers be in the budget because I need the accountability, and I need to lose weight too badly to just keep ignoring it.
Morbid obesity isn't fun, and it isn't healthy. I'm at the point where I've finally come to terms with just how badly I need to get a grip on this. I know I'll be happier as my weight decreases. My family will be happier, too.
And I think we'll all be healthier. I'm hoping the changes I make in my life will positively influence my family to make better choices. I beamed today when the kids got excited that I was cutting up a watermelon.
I have to get a handle on this and keep moving forward. I can't give up. I need to be healthy, and I need to be a good role model for my children. So, week 3... here I come.
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