Apparently the old adage that no news is good news, is not necessarily true!
This week I've been sick all week... thus the "no news" part. So, is that good news? Obviously not.
So - no update this week, other than I'm alive! Imagine that.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Friday, May 15, 2009
Fashion (non)sense!
I would like to think that I'm savvy enough to have some sort of fashion sense. I don't know. Today, on my way back from Dr. Pain and passing Mister Softee and the other usual temptations along the route, I also had the unfortunate privilege (?) of walking behind a woman who, I think, might not understand what looks good on her figure and what does not. This woman was wearing a t-shirt and a pair of Daisy Duke short shorts and sandals. Okay, so nothing too shocking there - that is if you are about 16-20 years old and have a slender body, and slender legs too. This poor woman's 'muffin top' was spilling so far over the itsy bitsy shorts that it was hard to tell if the shorts were low riders or not. What I do know is that they were excessively short - and very tight. So not only did she have a muffin top, her thighs were squeezing out of the shorts as if they were escaping some type of high pressure tube. This woman was under the delusion that she was a svelte size 10. Her sandals were nice though!
Then I passed another woman - walking toward me - who appeared to be somewhat strung out. She was wearing a 'cardigan' (I use that term loosely) that was hanging off her. She also had a flashdance type top on and was obviously braless - I know that because her right boob was literally completely exposed! She was wearing track pants that were way too big for her. She must have weighed about 110 pounds - soaking wet.
What polar opposites. I think they got their wardrobes mixed up!
Then, to make matters even worse, I passed Cultures/Thai Express and looked in the window - there was another woman, rather tall, wearing jeans, a sweater and track shoes. She too had a muffin top and looked really frumpy. I wanted to scream at her, to tell her that she looked so frumpy and didn't she realize that........ oh wait, that was my own reflection in the glass!
Sigh.... It's friday again.
Then I passed another woman - walking toward me - who appeared to be somewhat strung out. She was wearing a 'cardigan' (I use that term loosely) that was hanging off her. She also had a flashdance type top on and was obviously braless - I know that because her right boob was literally completely exposed! She was wearing track pants that were way too big for her. She must have weighed about 110 pounds - soaking wet.
What polar opposites. I think they got their wardrobes mixed up!
Then, to make matters even worse, I passed Cultures/Thai Express and looked in the window - there was another woman, rather tall, wearing jeans, a sweater and track shoes. She too had a muffin top and looked really frumpy. I wanted to scream at her, to tell her that she looked so frumpy and didn't she realize that........ oh wait, that was my own reflection in the glass!
Sigh.... It's friday again.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
1 point ice cream....I must be dreaming!
I went to see Dr. Pain, the Chiropractor, again today. He is adjusting (no pun intended) quite well to his new name! Again, on the way out, Mister Softee was staring at me in the face... begging me to come and see and taste... vanilla, chocolate, the 'twist', which seemed totally appropriate to me after being adjusted. I walked by, crossed the road, ran into hot dog vendor number 1, crossed another road, hot dog vendor number 2, another road and voila, mister softee number 2 right in front of the hospital.
I hate Toronto!
I did find a delicious treat at the grocery store - Chapman's Yogurt+Plus Madagascar Vanilla - 1/2c = 1pt. YES!!! It's true! It doesn't even taste low fat! It's fantastic. Try the chocolate - 1/2c = 2 pts. No more will I sit by, drooling, while my family and friends eat ice cream! I can have a decadent delicious delight all to myself and not wreck my week.
So, take THAT, Mister Softee! You don't hold any power over me anymore! Bah!!
I hate Toronto!
I did find a delicious treat at the grocery store - Chapman's Yogurt+Plus Madagascar Vanilla - 1/2c = 1pt. YES!!! It's true! It doesn't even taste low fat! It's fantastic. Try the chocolate - 1/2c = 2 pts. No more will I sit by, drooling, while my family and friends eat ice cream! I can have a decadent delicious delight all to myself and not wreck my week.
So, take THAT, Mister Softee! You don't hold any power over me anymore! Bah!!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Dr. Pain and Mr. Softee
Today is Friday. The sun is shining. All is right with the world. I think.
Because of my rather sore back, I've been re-visiting my chiropractor whom I have nick-named "Dr. Pain".. or as I called him today "Helga." I mean, please. He's been working some very tight areas in my upper back, my lower back, my butt, and my neck. I told him not to work too much on the butt, if it was getting tight, let it go! he he. Okay seriously, he's been doing a great job and my pain has been decreasing with each visit. His real name is Dr. Robert Evans... okay that name alone conjurs up images of sausage and bacon, and eggs, and home fries, and Biscuits and sausage gravy at Bob Evans in the U.S.
..... I need a moment .....
Okay, I'm back.
So, yes, went to see Dr. Pain today. On my way back to work I passed not one, but TWO ice cream trucks "Mister Softee"... seriously! I thought "this is providence, first I see dr. pain and then I see Mr. Softee... it's a sign!"
I walked past both trucks, and two hot dog vendors... but my stomach was now very upset with me - so I ducked in to a Timmies - and bought chicken noodle soup. Probably the best choice of the day. I rounded it out with a fat free yogurt, an apple, and skim milk. Good choices.
Weigh in tomorrow. Sigh.
Because of my rather sore back, I've been re-visiting my chiropractor whom I have nick-named "Dr. Pain".. or as I called him today "Helga." I mean, please. He's been working some very tight areas in my upper back, my lower back, my butt, and my neck. I told him not to work too much on the butt, if it was getting tight, let it go! he he. Okay seriously, he's been doing a great job and my pain has been decreasing with each visit. His real name is Dr. Robert Evans... okay that name alone conjurs up images of sausage and bacon, and eggs, and home fries, and Biscuits and sausage gravy at Bob Evans in the U.S.
..... I need a moment .....
Okay, I'm back.
So, yes, went to see Dr. Pain today. On my way back to work I passed not one, but TWO ice cream trucks "Mister Softee"... seriously! I thought "this is providence, first I see dr. pain and then I see Mr. Softee... it's a sign!"
I walked past both trucks, and two hot dog vendors... but my stomach was now very upset with me - so I ducked in to a Timmies - and bought chicken noodle soup. Probably the best choice of the day. I rounded it out with a fat free yogurt, an apple, and skim milk. Good choices.
Weigh in tomorrow. Sigh.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you!
Last week was busy for me. For most of it, I lay flat on my back. Muscle spasm - bad. I couldn't get into the car and so spent a few days working from home with my laptop on my stomach while I strained to see the screen. Not ideal. On Thursday I flew to Halifax for a meeting. I remember getting up and showered, dressed, and making my way downstairs to see, standing at my door, my driver who was 15 minutes early! Ack! I hustled as best I could and finally walked out the door. I painfully climbed into the front seat of the airport van and then it happened....
The door.
The van door was wide open and that meant I had to reach, stretch over to grasp it. It may has well have been 20 feet from me, it felt that bad. I finally got it, and without tears, closed it. Then the twist to grab the seat belt. What was I doing and why was I determined to get to Halifax? Sheesh!!
My driver is a sweet older man, retired dutch farmer, John. I like him. I've had him several times. This time he talked to me about his wife, who was in her early 70's and apparently tall and fit. He talked about how she exercises regularly to stay in shape. He figured she was about the same height as me - I'm 5'10". Here's the killer.... "of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you". Ack again. It was like taking a bullet. He hit a bulls eye, right in my gut!
My new mirror - the image of John's wife - was right there and it hurt to look into that!
So, off to Halifax - I didn't hit Timmie's at the airport - the line up was too long and I didn't have much time. So, I hit Starbucks instead. Earl Grey tea with Skim Milk (good choice) and a pumpkin scone (bad choice). Arrived in Halifax, got the shuttle to the hotel, and there I was met and taken immediately to lunch. Crab cakes and spinach salad. I chose water to drink. The crab was delicious, the salad was even better (except for the goat cheese, which I don't like.) After a 3 hour meeting, I went to my room and laid down - and fell asleep once I found a comfy position. My phone rang, it was an old friend from Kingston days and we met up for dinner - after she walked me about 42 blocks "looking" for a place to eat... we passed hundreds. We settled on King Henry Arms, a pub about a block from the hotel. Yes one block. I was now near tears and didn't really care what I ate anymore. I had Fish - and chips - and it was SO good. Nothing like pub food when you're in a pub. She came back to the hotel with me as we were going to continue talking to catch up... she stayed until 10:30 p.m. Our original plan was to sit in the hotel bar for a while, but to be honest, I was a little nervous about being in the bar and ordering more crap,... er, food. My room was safer.
Another day or two of meetings and then the flight home - early - and this time I did go to Timmie's at the airport - and had a sausage breakfast sandwich, which I enjoyed very much.
I told myself I had earned it - I was in pain and food makes me feel good. Okay, that's not really true. Timmie's was just the first place I hit when I got to the airport. Believe me, at Halifax "international" airport, there's really not much choice.
The rest of the weekend was a mix of friends and food - why do these two things go together? I have no idea. You see friends - you eat. Perhaps I should lose all my friends, that way I'd never eat again. Or would I? Maybe I'd be so sad that I was friendless that food would be my best friend! Either way, you see my dilemma. Food gets in the way!
Now it's Tuesday - I won't even tell you what I did yesterday - it's sick. Okay, I'll tell you. I had a scone for breakfast (with butter and homemade lemon curd. yum), followed by some fruit, followed by pretzels, followed by lunch - fruit, followed by potato chips, followed by an apple, followed by guilt and remorse, followed by a healthy dinner.
Today, for the first time in a week, I'm on track again. Seems I couldn't find the track in the last week, or I was avoiding it completely. Whatever. I'm choo-chooing along the track now remembering the words of John "of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you"...
Hmmmph, I'll show you! (*waves fist in the air*)
The door.
The van door was wide open and that meant I had to reach, stretch over to grasp it. It may has well have been 20 feet from me, it felt that bad. I finally got it, and without tears, closed it. Then the twist to grab the seat belt. What was I doing and why was I determined to get to Halifax? Sheesh!!
My driver is a sweet older man, retired dutch farmer, John. I like him. I've had him several times. This time he talked to me about his wife, who was in her early 70's and apparently tall and fit. He talked about how she exercises regularly to stay in shape. He figured she was about the same height as me - I'm 5'10". Here's the killer.... "of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you". Ack again. It was like taking a bullet. He hit a bulls eye, right in my gut!
My new mirror - the image of John's wife - was right there and it hurt to look into that!
So, off to Halifax - I didn't hit Timmie's at the airport - the line up was too long and I didn't have much time. So, I hit Starbucks instead. Earl Grey tea with Skim Milk (good choice) and a pumpkin scone (bad choice). Arrived in Halifax, got the shuttle to the hotel, and there I was met and taken immediately to lunch. Crab cakes and spinach salad. I chose water to drink. The crab was delicious, the salad was even better (except for the goat cheese, which I don't like.) After a 3 hour meeting, I went to my room and laid down - and fell asleep once I found a comfy position. My phone rang, it was an old friend from Kingston days and we met up for dinner - after she walked me about 42 blocks "looking" for a place to eat... we passed hundreds. We settled on King Henry Arms, a pub about a block from the hotel. Yes one block. I was now near tears and didn't really care what I ate anymore. I had Fish - and chips - and it was SO good. Nothing like pub food when you're in a pub. She came back to the hotel with me as we were going to continue talking to catch up... she stayed until 10:30 p.m. Our original plan was to sit in the hotel bar for a while, but to be honest, I was a little nervous about being in the bar and ordering more crap,... er, food. My room was safer.
Another day or two of meetings and then the flight home - early - and this time I did go to Timmie's at the airport - and had a sausage breakfast sandwich, which I enjoyed very much.
I told myself I had earned it - I was in pain and food makes me feel good. Okay, that's not really true. Timmie's was just the first place I hit when I got to the airport. Believe me, at Halifax "international" airport, there's really not much choice.
The rest of the weekend was a mix of friends and food - why do these two things go together? I have no idea. You see friends - you eat. Perhaps I should lose all my friends, that way I'd never eat again. Or would I? Maybe I'd be so sad that I was friendless that food would be my best friend! Either way, you see my dilemma. Food gets in the way!
Now it's Tuesday - I won't even tell you what I did yesterday - it's sick. Okay, I'll tell you. I had a scone for breakfast (with butter and homemade lemon curd. yum), followed by some fruit, followed by pretzels, followed by lunch - fruit, followed by potato chips, followed by an apple, followed by guilt and remorse, followed by a healthy dinner.
Today, for the first time in a week, I'm on track again. Seems I couldn't find the track in the last week, or I was avoiding it completely. Whatever. I'm choo-chooing along the track now remembering the words of John "of course, she doesn't weigh nearly as much as you"...
Hmmmph, I'll show you! (*waves fist in the air*)
Monday, April 27, 2009
Tracking in an untrackable world.
I was told to update my blog.... so I am.
I have been feeling rather low lately - feeling plump (nice word for FAT) and generally unattractive. Knowing spring would finally arrive at some point, I needed a perk, a pick-me-up, something, to make me feel pretty again. Of course, it's all cosmetic and underneath anything I do, is still this plump body... but I am sure there is a skinny person in there just dying to get out!
Saturday morning was delightfully gorgeous! Hot temperatures. I faithfully went to Weight Watchers, again, on Saturday morning to weigh in. I was very disappointed. After having what I thought was a very good week, I was up 1.6 lbs. To say I was frustrated is an understatement. Two weeks in a row - very well behaved in my eating habits. Nothing to show for it. I tried not to be overly discouraged, but how can I help that? I seriously felt like downing an entire bag of Lays Classic potato chips.... with high fat dip!! (focus, focus, focus)
I needed to get control..... Really. I mean it. So..... Let's reverse a day.....Step 1 to the "new improved" me.... Cut hair. Check. On Friday I visited my favourite salon, in Kingston, with my favourite stylist Lisa. She's awesome. She knows me inside and out. She was my confidante, my soul mate, my make-over artist extraordinaire. When I first started going to Lisa (in 1997) she basically did whatever I asked her to do. After regularly seeing her for a little over a year, I called her one day and said "Lisa, I need a change... go watch this movie (and I gave her the title) and THAT'S how I want my hair cut!" When I went into see her the next week, Lisa had a tray all set up for me and said "Heather, I am not doing your hair like that. After about a week you would hate it. Do you trust me?" Of course I trusted Lisa. Lisa then took my shoulder-length dark dark hair (I'm a natural chestnut brunette) and cut it short with incredible blond highlights. I fell in love with my new look very quickly and kept my hair like that for several years, varying the overall length, but basically hooked on blond layers. After moving to Newmarket in 2002 and trying several different salons, in frustration and bad hair, I returned to Kingston to get my hair cut - for another few years. I found someone in Newmarket, she went on maternity leave, found someone else, she quit, found someone else, she went on mat leave. Found a guy, he went on long term 'sick leave' (he's back, but I don't entirely trust him!). Bottom line, I missed Lisa. So, on Friday, as I said, I went to Kingston and had my hair cut and coloured again. I left there feeling rather perky, and very cute. Then Saturday morning struck, and the dreaded 'weigh in.' If I got all my hair cut off, shouldn't my weight go down?
I woke up Saturday to glorious sunshine. Hot temperatures promised throughout the day only bode well for my new cute look (admit it, I'm cute... he he) and perky spring in my step! I faithfully went to Weight Watchers to weigh in. I was very disappointed. After having what I thought was a very good week, I was up 1.6 lbs. To say I was frustrated is an understatement. Two weeks in a row - very well behaved in my eating habits. Nothing to show for it. I tried not to be overly discouraged, but how can I help that? I seriously felt like downing an entire bag of Lays Classic potato chips.... with high fat dip!! (focus, focus, focus)
I met my husband for breakfast afterwards at a little place in Newmarket called Spiducci's. If you haven't tried it, you should. Spiducci's uses no added salt to any of their foods and basically season with spices! Further, Spiducci's does not deep fry anything. Nothing. I had the junior breakfast - 2 eggs (poached), 1 sausage, 1 slice rye toast (no butter) and their signature home fries - THESE are worth trying! Previously cooked potatoes, now tossed on the grill with onions, peppers, a touch of lean ham, and lots of spice! *note - ask for a glass of water at the same time you order these.... and a box of Kleenex to wipe the tears! These are not for the timid taste buds!Saturday breakfast is my indulgence for the week. I was good after that. And hey, it could have been worse. I could have eaten at... *gasp*.... McDonald's! Eeewwww.
After breakfast, a quick trip to the grocery store to 'stock up' on the essentials. We've made the conscious decision lately to only buy what we need for the next few days, thus not allowing our aging brains to forget that we bought 300 pounds of spinach which is now rotting in the fridge (is THAT what that smell is?) Success at the grocery store, and a bill of $78. Not bad.
Home to work in the yard. This meant changing out of my official "weigh in" clothes (my black and now very faded yoga pants.) I donned a summer skirt - and of course had to shave my legs first.... I didn't realize how white my legs really were until I shaved!! 'Nuff said. I wiped down some patio chairs, didn't quite get the table out there yet, talked about how we were going to landscape this spring and took a break. Hey, wiping down two chairs takes a lot out of a person!
Scott needed to buy some topsoil to add to the front yard - so off we went into town to pick up dirt. Since I had a light tan skirt on, I didn't touch the dirty dirt. *Note to self: continue to wear light tan skirt to avoid messy yard work! While Scott worked away in the yard, I opened windows in the house - you can do that in a tan skirt without risk of getting all dirty!
I snacked throughout the day on grapes, yogurt, and for supper (since my husband and a neighbour went to a Jr. hockey game somewhere) I had some leftover pasta from a previous dinner (Catelli Smart Pasta with 9g of fibre per serving... ya baby) and homemade sauce made mostly with fresh veggies, tomatoes, herbs and spices... delicious! I was still in control and I made it all the way to dinner. Saturday evening, however, I began to reflect on my 1.6 lb increase, and ate two packages of weight watchers crisp thingies, and..... Helluva Dip. Who does that???? Feeling riddled with guilt, I washed it down with about a gallon of water.
Back in control on Sunday - breakfast was some high fibre cereal (2 pts) topped with 1/2 c of fresh blackberries 1/2 c raspberries) and 1/2 skim milk. Delicious and very healthy. Lunch was a bowl of Black Bean Soup from PC Blue Menu - also delicious and a whole wheat WW bagel. Now, dinner was a little different a little more challenging....
We were attending a banquet Sunday night and I was a little nervous but feeling still very much in control - soup was course number 1 - cream of leak. ARGH... CREAM SOUP, the dieter's nightmare. I ate it. It was really good! Next came the salad - green with a vinaigrette dressing. Okay, I ate it - not sure of the dressing but there wasn't much on mine so that was okay. Main course - chicken breast covered in a cream sauce of some sort. I scraped the cream sauce off my chicken, and also removed the skin! Okay, I'm good. I ate my veggies, and 1/2 of my mashed potatoes. Oh, and I left about 1/2 of my chicken too. Control level: still good. Dessert - sigh - dessert. A little pastry cup came, lined with chocolate, filled with a custard of some sort, topped with a few fresh berries and whipped cream. I removed the whipped cream from the top, ate the few berries, and about 1/2 of the custardy thing, left the edible cup.
Overall, I would said I was successful! I left the banquet not feeling stuffed, but not feeling hungry either. I basically stopped eating when I no long felt any hunger. I also ate very slowly. Maybe I'm finally catching on? Dare to dream!
So, today is Monday. I'm at work. I ate a healthy breakfast (cereal, skim milk, berries) packed a healthy lunch and a snack. Planned out tonight's dinner before I left for work. I am totally sick and tired of paying to weigh in every week - I need to do this - I HAVE to do this!
Wish me luck.... my skinny soul is screaming at my fat body to make way! My fat body better watch it, skinny me has attitude raging inside!
I have been feeling rather low lately - feeling plump (nice word for FAT) and generally unattractive. Knowing spring would finally arrive at some point, I needed a perk, a pick-me-up, something, to make me feel pretty again. Of course, it's all cosmetic and underneath anything I do, is still this plump body... but I am sure there is a skinny person in there just dying to get out!
Saturday morning was delightfully gorgeous! Hot temperatures. I faithfully went to Weight Watchers, again, on Saturday morning to weigh in. I was very disappointed. After having what I thought was a very good week, I was up 1.6 lbs. To say I was frustrated is an understatement. Two weeks in a row - very well behaved in my eating habits. Nothing to show for it. I tried not to be overly discouraged, but how can I help that? I seriously felt like downing an entire bag of Lays Classic potato chips.... with high fat dip!! (focus, focus, focus)
I needed to get control..... Really. I mean it. So..... Let's reverse a day.....Step 1 to the "new improved" me.... Cut hair. Check. On Friday I visited my favourite salon, in Kingston, with my favourite stylist Lisa. She's awesome. She knows me inside and out. She was my confidante, my soul mate, my make-over artist extraordinaire. When I first started going to Lisa (in 1997) she basically did whatever I asked her to do. After regularly seeing her for a little over a year, I called her one day and said "Lisa, I need a change... go watch this movie (and I gave her the title) and THAT'S how I want my hair cut!" When I went into see her the next week, Lisa had a tray all set up for me and said "Heather, I am not doing your hair like that. After about a week you would hate it. Do you trust me?" Of course I trusted Lisa. Lisa then took my shoulder-length dark dark hair (I'm a natural chestnut brunette) and cut it short with incredible blond highlights. I fell in love with my new look very quickly and kept my hair like that for several years, varying the overall length, but basically hooked on blond layers. After moving to Newmarket in 2002 and trying several different salons, in frustration and bad hair, I returned to Kingston to get my hair cut - for another few years. I found someone in Newmarket, she went on maternity leave, found someone else, she quit, found someone else, she went on mat leave. Found a guy, he went on long term 'sick leave' (he's back, but I don't entirely trust him!). Bottom line, I missed Lisa. So, on Friday, as I said, I went to Kingston and had my hair cut and coloured again. I left there feeling rather perky, and very cute. Then Saturday morning struck, and the dreaded 'weigh in.' If I got all my hair cut off, shouldn't my weight go down?
I woke up Saturday to glorious sunshine. Hot temperatures promised throughout the day only bode well for my new cute look (admit it, I'm cute... he he) and perky spring in my step! I faithfully went to Weight Watchers to weigh in. I was very disappointed. After having what I thought was a very good week, I was up 1.6 lbs. To say I was frustrated is an understatement. Two weeks in a row - very well behaved in my eating habits. Nothing to show for it. I tried not to be overly discouraged, but how can I help that? I seriously felt like downing an entire bag of Lays Classic potato chips.... with high fat dip!! (focus, focus, focus)
I met my husband for breakfast afterwards at a little place in Newmarket called Spiducci's. If you haven't tried it, you should. Spiducci's uses no added salt to any of their foods and basically season with spices! Further, Spiducci's does not deep fry anything. Nothing. I had the junior breakfast - 2 eggs (poached), 1 sausage, 1 slice rye toast (no butter) and their signature home fries - THESE are worth trying! Previously cooked potatoes, now tossed on the grill with onions, peppers, a touch of lean ham, and lots of spice! *note - ask for a glass of water at the same time you order these.... and a box of Kleenex to wipe the tears! These are not for the timid taste buds!Saturday breakfast is my indulgence for the week. I was good after that. And hey, it could have been worse. I could have eaten at... *gasp*.... McDonald's! Eeewwww.
After breakfast, a quick trip to the grocery store to 'stock up' on the essentials. We've made the conscious decision lately to only buy what we need for the next few days, thus not allowing our aging brains to forget that we bought 300 pounds of spinach which is now rotting in the fridge (is THAT what that smell is?) Success at the grocery store, and a bill of $78. Not bad.
Home to work in the yard. This meant changing out of my official "weigh in" clothes (my black and now very faded yoga pants.) I donned a summer skirt - and of course had to shave my legs first.... I didn't realize how white my legs really were until I shaved!! 'Nuff said. I wiped down some patio chairs, didn't quite get the table out there yet, talked about how we were going to landscape this spring and took a break. Hey, wiping down two chairs takes a lot out of a person!
Scott needed to buy some topsoil to add to the front yard - so off we went into town to pick up dirt. Since I had a light tan skirt on, I didn't touch the dirty dirt. *Note to self: continue to wear light tan skirt to avoid messy yard work! While Scott worked away in the yard, I opened windows in the house - you can do that in a tan skirt without risk of getting all dirty!
I snacked throughout the day on grapes, yogurt, and for supper (since my husband and a neighbour went to a Jr. hockey game somewhere) I had some leftover pasta from a previous dinner (Catelli Smart Pasta with 9g of fibre per serving... ya baby) and homemade sauce made mostly with fresh veggies, tomatoes, herbs and spices... delicious! I was still in control and I made it all the way to dinner. Saturday evening, however, I began to reflect on my 1.6 lb increase, and ate two packages of weight watchers crisp thingies, and..... Helluva Dip. Who does that???? Feeling riddled with guilt, I washed it down with about a gallon of water.
Back in control on Sunday - breakfast was some high fibre cereal (2 pts) topped with 1/2 c of fresh blackberries 1/2 c raspberries) and 1/2 skim milk. Delicious and very healthy. Lunch was a bowl of Black Bean Soup from PC Blue Menu - also delicious and a whole wheat WW bagel. Now, dinner was a little different a little more challenging....
We were attending a banquet Sunday night and I was a little nervous but feeling still very much in control - soup was course number 1 - cream of leak. ARGH... CREAM SOUP, the dieter's nightmare. I ate it. It was really good! Next came the salad - green with a vinaigrette dressing. Okay, I ate it - not sure of the dressing but there wasn't much on mine so that was okay. Main course - chicken breast covered in a cream sauce of some sort. I scraped the cream sauce off my chicken, and also removed the skin! Okay, I'm good. I ate my veggies, and 1/2 of my mashed potatoes. Oh, and I left about 1/2 of my chicken too. Control level: still good. Dessert - sigh - dessert. A little pastry cup came, lined with chocolate, filled with a custard of some sort, topped with a few fresh berries and whipped cream. I removed the whipped cream from the top, ate the few berries, and about 1/2 of the custardy thing, left the edible cup.
Overall, I would said I was successful! I left the banquet not feeling stuffed, but not feeling hungry either. I basically stopped eating when I no long felt any hunger. I also ate very slowly. Maybe I'm finally catching on? Dare to dream!
So, today is Monday. I'm at work. I ate a healthy breakfast (cereal, skim milk, berries) packed a healthy lunch and a snack. Planned out tonight's dinner before I left for work. I am totally sick and tired of paying to weigh in every week - I need to do this - I HAVE to do this!
Wish me luck.... my skinny soul is screaming at my fat body to make way! My fat body better watch it, skinny me has attitude raging inside!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Easter Success!
I made it through Good Friday... no problems. My husband and I were busy most of the day, beginning at 3:15 a.m. when the alarm clock sounded! I could have thrown it through the window at that point! We were on our way to a Good Friday prayer vigil... and had to be there for 5 a.m. Yep, we made it. Went out to breakfast afterwards (at 7 a.m.) where I chose wisely: the menu listed 3 eggs, i asked for just 2, poached, and peameal bacon (low fat choice over regular bacon), with rye toast (hold the butter). AND COFFEE!!!!!
Mid day, I ate fruit and yogurt.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, thankfully. We did meet up with some friends and had a bite to eat at Williams Coffee Pub in Richmond Hill. I like that place. My husband and I shared a turkey club panini (1/2 each) which I did NOT enjoy. went home that evening, and ate a bowl of cereal. Ugh.
Weighed in on Saturday and I was down 0.8 lbs. Okay, I'll take it! Thank you. It did spur me on a bit to keep it up. From Weight Watchers (WW), we headed to IKEA to look for a bookshelf. Oooh, 99 c breakfast! We got into the line up and then an IKEA person told us that breakfast was done, but if we wanted to wait, lunch would start in 15 minutes. No thank you... I just wanted the cheapo breakfast. So, i saved myself the scrambled eggs and sausage and crap that you get for the 99c. Again, a little victory for me and one less dollar for IKEA. he he.
Picked out my bookcase and some other misc. shelves, etc. and headed for the checkout. The delicious and sinful aroma of cinnamon buns was beckoning me. While Scott lined up to pay for all my stuff, I thought, hm, no breakfast yet, maybe we should have a 50c hotdog!! So, I left him at the check out while I walked over to the food counter to order 2 50c hotdogs and 2 waters.... and um, a 6-pack of cinnamon buns. My $1 purchase (for the 2 hotdogs) turned in to $7.88 purchase (to add to my $300 IKEA bookshelves) It's okay. It's all okay. Loaded the stuff in the car and began the drive home. It was sunny and cool and the hotdog tasted like crap. ($1 wasted) the water was cold ($2) and the cinnamon buns dry ($4.88 wasted). I ate one bun - just one. When I got home I checked the points - each cinnamon bun was 8 points. Yikes. What a freaking waste of points! It was awful. Note: if you are in IKEA anytime soon, remember the cinnamon buns smell way better than they taste, and for 8 points, it's really a huge waste of money and points.
Feeling like I let myself down for eating and wasting those precious points, I made a healthy supper for the both of us: I call it "Heather's Pizza". I've written about it before, but here's the condensed version:
1 WW whole wheat tortilla (1 point),
1 tbs pizza sauce (0 point)
4 Yves veggie pepperoni slices (1/2 point)* (note 16 of these = 2 points)
30 gm light mozarella (2 points)
green peppers, onions, mushrooms (whatever veggies you want) (0 points)
I round it up to 4 points ea.
I made us two each for dinner for a total point value (each) of 7 pts (or 8 if you're rounding up). Try it, it's very filling.
So, back to the cinnamon buns.....My husband had 3 1/2 buns before the day was over. I literally felt ill watching him. Every time I looked at the package, another cinnamon bun was missing. Ick. Sunday morning he had another 1/2 bun before we left for church. The final cinnamon bun was shared 1/2 to Scott and the other 1/2 to my daughter's boyfriend before lunch - BEFORE lunch!
I wisely chose to have cereal and berries with skim milk for my breakfast on Easter Sunday. Success goes to Heather! Lunch consisted of a nice green salad (with sliced strawberries), Oven roasted potatoes, grilled pork tenderloin (very lean), cauliflower, asparagus. Very healthy Easter lunch indeed. Success to me again - I chose not to have bread with my lunch, nor cheese sauce on my cauliflower. Dessert, again success - I had purchased PC Blue Menu Apple Crisp - one serving is just 2 points!! I transferred the apple crisp into my own baking dish (he he) and baked it, and passed it off as "home baked", which, technically, it was! Everyone else had ice cream with their dessert. Not me. I had it plain. YES! I'mn catching on! There were also some sickly sweet Easter cookies. I passed on those and gave the leftovers to my daughter's boyfriend and his family to take home. YES!!!
In the early evening (around 5:30 p.m.) I had a Fibre 1 bar - 2 points - to hold me over while I decided what to do about supper... Supper. Supper. Did I really need it? Nooooo. Supper, therefore, consisted of a hot cross bun with 1 tsp of butter. toasted. delicous. and a yogurt on the side.
All in all, I had a very successful weekend. I recognized the cinnamon buns were not worth 8 points - although I wished I had checked them BEFORE I ate one at all!! *sigh* note to self: Check first, inhale cinnamon buns second!
Now it's Monday. How am I doing? I didn't have time for breakfast this morning before I left home. I packed my cereal. Added some berries (in a baggie for later). I bought skim milk at work (5 pts). I had my healthy breakfast, as usual. Mid morning snack - Fibre 1 bar (2 pts)
Lunch wads a tuna sandwich (4 pts... the way I make it, it's just 4 points, but WW bread is key!), an apple (1 pt) 1 fat free sugar free yogurt (1 pt). I'm on track....
Hope my enthusiasm lasts the entire week!
Mid day, I ate fruit and yogurt.
The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, thankfully. We did meet up with some friends and had a bite to eat at Williams Coffee Pub in Richmond Hill. I like that place. My husband and I shared a turkey club panini (1/2 each) which I did NOT enjoy. went home that evening, and ate a bowl of cereal. Ugh.
Weighed in on Saturday and I was down 0.8 lbs. Okay, I'll take it! Thank you. It did spur me on a bit to keep it up. From Weight Watchers (WW), we headed to IKEA to look for a bookshelf. Oooh, 99 c breakfast! We got into the line up and then an IKEA person told us that breakfast was done, but if we wanted to wait, lunch would start in 15 minutes. No thank you... I just wanted the cheapo breakfast. So, i saved myself the scrambled eggs and sausage and crap that you get for the 99c. Again, a little victory for me and one less dollar for IKEA. he he.
Picked out my bookcase and some other misc. shelves, etc. and headed for the checkout. The delicious and sinful aroma of cinnamon buns was beckoning me. While Scott lined up to pay for all my stuff, I thought, hm, no breakfast yet, maybe we should have a 50c hotdog!! So, I left him at the check out while I walked over to the food counter to order 2 50c hotdogs and 2 waters.... and um, a 6-pack of cinnamon buns. My $1 purchase (for the 2 hotdogs) turned in to $7.88 purchase (to add to my $300 IKEA bookshelves) It's okay. It's all okay. Loaded the stuff in the car and began the drive home. It was sunny and cool and the hotdog tasted like crap. ($1 wasted) the water was cold ($2) and the cinnamon buns dry ($4.88 wasted). I ate one bun - just one. When I got home I checked the points - each cinnamon bun was 8 points. Yikes. What a freaking waste of points! It was awful. Note: if you are in IKEA anytime soon, remember the cinnamon buns smell way better than they taste, and for 8 points, it's really a huge waste of money and points.
Feeling like I let myself down for eating and wasting those precious points, I made a healthy supper for the both of us: I call it "Heather's Pizza". I've written about it before, but here's the condensed version:
1 WW whole wheat tortilla (1 point),
1 tbs pizza sauce (0 point)
4 Yves veggie pepperoni slices (1/2 point)* (note 16 of these = 2 points)
30 gm light mozarella (2 points)
green peppers, onions, mushrooms (whatever veggies you want) (0 points)
I round it up to 4 points ea.
I made us two each for dinner for a total point value (each) of 7 pts (or 8 if you're rounding up). Try it, it's very filling.
So, back to the cinnamon buns.....My husband had 3 1/2 buns before the day was over. I literally felt ill watching him. Every time I looked at the package, another cinnamon bun was missing. Ick. Sunday morning he had another 1/2 bun before we left for church. The final cinnamon bun was shared 1/2 to Scott and the other 1/2 to my daughter's boyfriend before lunch - BEFORE lunch!
I wisely chose to have cereal and berries with skim milk for my breakfast on Easter Sunday. Success goes to Heather! Lunch consisted of a nice green salad (with sliced strawberries), Oven roasted potatoes, grilled pork tenderloin (very lean), cauliflower, asparagus. Very healthy Easter lunch indeed. Success to me again - I chose not to have bread with my lunch, nor cheese sauce on my cauliflower. Dessert, again success - I had purchased PC Blue Menu Apple Crisp - one serving is just 2 points!! I transferred the apple crisp into my own baking dish (he he) and baked it, and passed it off as "home baked", which, technically, it was! Everyone else had ice cream with their dessert. Not me. I had it plain. YES! I'mn catching on! There were also some sickly sweet Easter cookies. I passed on those and gave the leftovers to my daughter's boyfriend and his family to take home. YES!!!
In the early evening (around 5:30 p.m.) I had a Fibre 1 bar - 2 points - to hold me over while I decided what to do about supper... Supper. Supper. Did I really need it? Nooooo. Supper, therefore, consisted of a hot cross bun with 1 tsp of butter. toasted. delicous. and a yogurt on the side.
All in all, I had a very successful weekend. I recognized the cinnamon buns were not worth 8 points - although I wished I had checked them BEFORE I ate one at all!! *sigh* note to self: Check first, inhale cinnamon buns second!
Now it's Monday. How am I doing? I didn't have time for breakfast this morning before I left home. I packed my cereal. Added some berries (in a baggie for later). I bought skim milk at work (5 pts). I had my healthy breakfast, as usual. Mid morning snack - Fibre 1 bar (2 pts)
Lunch wads a tuna sandwich (4 pts... the way I make it, it's just 4 points, but WW bread is key!), an apple (1 pt) 1 fat free sugar free yogurt (1 pt). I'm on track....
Hope my enthusiasm lasts the entire week!
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Oh, get serious!
Okay, so yesterday I blogged about stupid stuff. I am, shamefully, embarassed that I actually wrote that! Today - I'll get serious!
I read an article today about the five things to do to boost your metabolism. My metabolism, being menopausal, not only needs boosting it needs booster cables and a jump start.
I read an article today about the five things to do to boost your metabolism. My metabolism, being menopausal, not only needs boosting it needs booster cables and a jump start.
- The first thing is not to skip breakfast. Check. Got that covered. Love my breakfast. Hm, so far so good.
- Eat more protein. Check. Hey, I'm good at this stuff!
- Say "adios" to refined grains. Um, okay, no white bread, right? That's okay, I like multi grain type breads and whole wheat pasta. I think this may mean adios to cookies!
- Watch for and stick to low glycemic index foods. What? So I had to look that up. This means eat fruits, veggies, and other good stuff (avoid white breads, pastas, rice).
- Think green! Okay, I have my recycling under control, what has this got to do with metabolism! Ya, I know - greens, as in salad crap, er, delicious salads, etc.
This is a lot of work. I think it may be easier just to use the jumper cables! Oh, I learned something today - a large milkshake from McDonald's has half of your daily calorie intake (approx 1130 cal) and 28 gms of FAT (17 of those are saturated). This is as much as having two quarter pounders! UGH! Yet, I can really get my teeth into a quarter pounder... as obscene as that sounds. Maybe my real issue is that I'm addicted to food porn!
Monday, April 6, 2009
The bunny, the bunny...whoa i love the bunny.
So Easter is around the corner. With Easter comes delicious chocolate - better known as "The Bunny". Whether I like my chocolate in bunny form, or as an egg, or just a blur as it whizzes from a box into my mouth... there's no denying, I am accutely aware that my chocolate fixation is heightened at certain times of the year - Christmas, Valentine's Day, and Easter! Oh the bunny!
Personally, my bunny is not in bunny form but rather anything - seriously anything - that is covered in chocolate. So I'm doing my best to avoid the sweet confection. But I think chocolate actually may be stalking me - ya, that's it, it's stalking me! I was looking up recipes to cook something a little different.... beef.... ya nothing different there... but one of the ingredients was bitter chocolate! Beef and chocolate???? Yikes. See? It haunts me. stalks me, beckons me to follow it into the abyss of "I'm never leaving your thighs and butt" land. How am I ever going to be thin?
It made me wonder. Chocolate should be a controlled substance, especially for women! We all know what it does to us! Definitely controlled. Need a prescription for it. "Doctor, I'm ill, I think I need chocolate" "Hmmm, okay, I see your plight - I prescribe chocolate 3 x a day for the next 10 days, be sure to finish all your medication." Oh thank you! Sounds way too easy. The problem, of course, with controlling a substance is that it ends up on street corners being sold by punk kids trying to hook a whole new generation on the chocolate substance. Pssst, wanna fix of chocolate? Do you need to ask? Chocolate could become the drug of choice for me. I can see it now - I'd sell everything I own to get my chocolate fix. When I finally hit rock bottom, I'd be living on the street, begging on corners, please ma'am just a small square of caramilk? I'm hurtin' bad! People would avoid me, walk on opposite sides of the street, small children would point and stare while their mother's would whisper as they walked by "she used to have it all, until chocolate took over her life." Maybe I'd go into chocolate rehab. Maybe I would join a chocolate support group! Hi, my name is Heather and it's been 24 hours since my last chocolate fix. After the meeting, we'd all go for coffee and someone might slip a square of dark stuff into my pocket.... **shudder** Oh the bunny.
Maybe I could find something else to obsess about at Easter, and Christmas and any other significant day.
Okay, enough. No bunny for me this year! Apparently it completely ruins your life! Stupid bunnies! Pass the carrots (with a side of eggs!)
The Bunny, the bunny, whoa I love the bunny
I don't love my mom or my dad, just the bunny
The Bunny, the bunny, Yeah I love the bunny
I gave everything that I had for the bunny
I don't want no heath food when it's time to feed
A big bag o' bunnies is all that I need
I don't want no buddies to come out and play
I'll sit on my sofa eat bunnies all day
I wont go to church and I wont go to school,
that stuff is for sissys, but bunnies are cool!
I don't want no pickles, I don't want no honey,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
I don't want a tissue when my nose is runny,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
I don't want to tell you a joke that is funny,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
I don't want to play on a day that is sunny,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
(words courtesy of veggie tales)
Personally, my bunny is not in bunny form but rather anything - seriously anything - that is covered in chocolate. So I'm doing my best to avoid the sweet confection. But I think chocolate actually may be stalking me - ya, that's it, it's stalking me! I was looking up recipes to cook something a little different.... beef.... ya nothing different there... but one of the ingredients was bitter chocolate! Beef and chocolate???? Yikes. See? It haunts me. stalks me, beckons me to follow it into the abyss of "I'm never leaving your thighs and butt" land. How am I ever going to be thin?
It made me wonder. Chocolate should be a controlled substance, especially for women! We all know what it does to us! Definitely controlled. Need a prescription for it. "Doctor, I'm ill, I think I need chocolate" "Hmmm, okay, I see your plight - I prescribe chocolate 3 x a day for the next 10 days, be sure to finish all your medication." Oh thank you! Sounds way too easy. The problem, of course, with controlling a substance is that it ends up on street corners being sold by punk kids trying to hook a whole new generation on the chocolate substance. Pssst, wanna fix of chocolate? Do you need to ask? Chocolate could become the drug of choice for me. I can see it now - I'd sell everything I own to get my chocolate fix. When I finally hit rock bottom, I'd be living on the street, begging on corners, please ma'am just a small square of caramilk? I'm hurtin' bad! People would avoid me, walk on opposite sides of the street, small children would point and stare while their mother's would whisper as they walked by "she used to have it all, until chocolate took over her life." Maybe I'd go into chocolate rehab. Maybe I would join a chocolate support group! Hi, my name is Heather and it's been 24 hours since my last chocolate fix. After the meeting, we'd all go for coffee and someone might slip a square of dark stuff into my pocket.... **shudder** Oh the bunny.
Maybe I could find something else to obsess about at Easter, and Christmas and any other significant day.
Okay, enough. No bunny for me this year! Apparently it completely ruins your life! Stupid bunnies! Pass the carrots (with a side of eggs!)
The Bunny, the bunny, whoa I love the bunny
I don't love my mom or my dad, just the bunny
The Bunny, the bunny, Yeah I love the bunny
I gave everything that I had for the bunny
I don't want no heath food when it's time to feed
A big bag o' bunnies is all that I need
I don't want no buddies to come out and play
I'll sit on my sofa eat bunnies all day
I wont go to church and I wont go to school,
that stuff is for sissys, but bunnies are cool!
I don't want no pickles, I don't want no honey,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
I don't want a tissue when my nose is runny,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
I don't want to tell you a joke that is funny,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
I don't want to play on a day that is sunny,
I just want a plate and a fork and a bunny
(words courtesy of veggie tales)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Butter me up, baby!
I recently watched (again) the movie "Kate & Leopold" in which Leopold, a duke from the 18th century, is transported to modern day New York through some weird time continuum. Far fetched, but cute. So is Leopold. Falling for New York ad exec Kate, he agreed to participate in a screen test for, and then shoot a commercial for "Farmer's Bounty", a margarine that was supposed to taste like butter. The day he shot the commercial was the high point and explains my distaste for margarine. The scene goes like this (sort of)... Leopold has a close up with him after his 'butler' serves him the Farmer's Bounty. "Fresh, creamery butter.... is there anything that tastes so good...." and then goes on to talk about how Farmer's bounty is lower in fat, and will add to your taste buds while not adding to your waistline. Then, he bites into his bread that he smothered in the supposed delicious tasting butter substitute, Farmer's Bounty. The look of utter anguish on his face as he tries hard to swallow it is priceless. He then goes on a rant about how disgusting it is. He lost the commercial! Kate, later tells him it's margarine, it's supposed to taste bad. And that, my friends, is where I enter the debate.....
This week, I had a debate with a fellow dieter *gasp*, about the use of butter or margarine. I love butter, and butter loves me! We have a mutual understanding - I won't discuss the saturated fat in butter if it doesn't add pounds to my thighs. I've kept my end of the bargain. Butter on the other hand, did not! It has wrapped itself nicely around my thighs ... and butt... and other places. I have forgiven butter because I love it so.... But, before I discard with my affair with butter, let me present my argument.
Until recently, all margarines were hydrogenated (a process of heating refined vegetable oils) which of course, produced a dangerous type of fat called Trans Fatty acids. Nasty things, these trans fats. I also learned that another way of "disguising" trans fats was to label them as partially hydrogenated oils. Gasp! Imagine! Partially! Now, of course, with the emphasis on lowering the nasty cholesterol (LDL) margarines have been 'healthified' - yes that's a word, I made it up myself! It means they are not totally healthy, but healthier than they were! They now contain omega 3 and plant sterols. According to my university nutrition course (that's supposed to make me sound like an expert) omega 3 keep your brain functioning and also acts as an anti-inflamatory. Omega 3 is also good for the health of your heart. Plant sterols, apparently, help reduce cholesterol.
So, what about my beloved butter?
Well, butter is natural. it is also an excellent source (seriously) of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. It is a pure fat (okay that sounded bad as soon as I wrote it down) and doesn't contain many of the allergens found in other dairy products, so people who are generally sensitive to dairy can tolerate butter very nicely, thank you!. Unfortunately, the downside to butter is that it contains dietary cholesterol (the bad stuff) and saturated fat. *Here, I hang my head in shame* One teaspoon of butter contains 7 gms of saturated fat. The recommended daily allowance of saturated fats is no more than 10-15 gms per day. Yikes. Saturated fat is the leading cause of heart disease.
So, I concluded that butter and margarine both have their good and bad points. It comes down to personal preference. Given the pros/cons of each, I choose butter! I do limit my intake of the creamy indulgence, and count each point (1 tsp = 1 pt). Other than the omega 3, lower fat content, and plant sterols, I still believe that butter is a healthy choice especially for the fat soluble vitamins! but agree it must be used in moderation! Your body NEEDS a certain amount of fat. (he he... i can justify anything). I do try to eliminate much of the crap in my diet as possible, and I therefore choose unsalted butter. Next time you are in the grocery store check out the sodium level of your beloved margarine over my beloved unsalted butter! Butter wins.
Butter is my treat. I don't use it everyday. I use it sparingly. I count the points. I make sure that I get my other things in, the other plant sterols, omega 3, etc., that my body and brain need to keep functioning. It seriously comes down to personal preference, and I prefer the taste of butter over the falsely labeled margarine...."I can't believe it's not butter"... who ever came up with that slogan should be shot! I can't believe it's EDIBLE should be the real name! Ick. I have weighed the health benefits/risks of both.
Feeling quite justified in my argument with my friend and now I have only one thing left to say....
Please pass the butter!!!!
This week, I had a debate with a fellow dieter *gasp*, about the use of butter or margarine. I love butter, and butter loves me! We have a mutual understanding - I won't discuss the saturated fat in butter if it doesn't add pounds to my thighs. I've kept my end of the bargain. Butter on the other hand, did not! It has wrapped itself nicely around my thighs ... and butt... and other places. I have forgiven butter because I love it so.... But, before I discard with my affair with butter, let me present my argument.
Until recently, all margarines were hydrogenated (a process of heating refined vegetable oils) which of course, produced a dangerous type of fat called Trans Fatty acids. Nasty things, these trans fats. I also learned that another way of "disguising" trans fats was to label them as partially hydrogenated oils. Gasp! Imagine! Partially! Now, of course, with the emphasis on lowering the nasty cholesterol (LDL) margarines have been 'healthified' - yes that's a word, I made it up myself! It means they are not totally healthy, but healthier than they were! They now contain omega 3 and plant sterols. According to my university nutrition course (that's supposed to make me sound like an expert) omega 3 keep your brain functioning and also acts as an anti-inflamatory. Omega 3 is also good for the health of your heart. Plant sterols, apparently, help reduce cholesterol.
So, what about my beloved butter?
Well, butter is natural. it is also an excellent source (seriously) of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. It is a pure fat (okay that sounded bad as soon as I wrote it down) and doesn't contain many of the allergens found in other dairy products, so people who are generally sensitive to dairy can tolerate butter very nicely, thank you!. Unfortunately, the downside to butter is that it contains dietary cholesterol (the bad stuff) and saturated fat. *Here, I hang my head in shame* One teaspoon of butter contains 7 gms of saturated fat. The recommended daily allowance of saturated fats is no more than 10-15 gms per day. Yikes. Saturated fat is the leading cause of heart disease.
So, I concluded that butter and margarine both have their good and bad points. It comes down to personal preference. Given the pros/cons of each, I choose butter! I do limit my intake of the creamy indulgence, and count each point (1 tsp = 1 pt). Other than the omega 3, lower fat content, and plant sterols, I still believe that butter is a healthy choice especially for the fat soluble vitamins! but agree it must be used in moderation! Your body NEEDS a certain amount of fat. (he he... i can justify anything). I do try to eliminate much of the crap in my diet as possible, and I therefore choose unsalted butter. Next time you are in the grocery store check out the sodium level of your beloved margarine over my beloved unsalted butter! Butter wins.
Butter is my treat. I don't use it everyday. I use it sparingly. I count the points. I make sure that I get my other things in, the other plant sterols, omega 3, etc., that my body and brain need to keep functioning. It seriously comes down to personal preference, and I prefer the taste of butter over the falsely labeled margarine...."I can't believe it's not butter"... who ever came up with that slogan should be shot! I can't believe it's EDIBLE should be the real name! Ick. I have weighed the health benefits/risks of both.
Feeling quite justified in my argument with my friend and now I have only one thing left to say....
Please pass the butter!!!!
Saturday, March 7, 2009
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil
Well, here I am in Savannah, Ga. The weather is delightful. The food is more delightful. Savannah is home to the sensational murder featured in the book and movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"... a freaky movie with Kevin Spacey based on a true story. My problem with Savannah is that at midnight, I'm usually up here with others who are drinking and eating all the bar snacks. So I'm being good with my club soda's but evil with the bar snacks. I don't even know how to count them. I'm not. I'm getting ahead of myself... let's start at the beginning.
Leaving Toronto airport I had my Timmies card with me and thought I'd grab a bite at the airport - sorry ma'am, this is a cash only location. ARGH. Cash, cash... think Heather, what does that look like. Cash... oh here it is! Okay, I have... no cash! I had enough in my wallet to buy an all important coffee (no winning cup) and yogurt. Okay, so far I'm on plan! Arrive in Washington, D.C. No U.S. money. Thankfully only 55 minutes between flights and that's not enough time to switch terminals, find my new gate and settle in. Arrive in Savannah - at 7:00 p.m. Starving! Seriously starving. I'm sure that another 1/2 hr and I would have passed out cold. We got to the hotel... and by 'we' I mean myself and my boss and other science geek types. we decided to meet for dinner in the hotel at 7:45. The restaurant was phenomenal - decadent - not on plan! Figured I'd be okay though, because I hadn't eaten all day. I ordered chicken, grilled. No wine. I got to bed after midnight.
The next morning I met my trainees (I brought 3 with me, 1 from Toronto and 2 from Calgary) for breakfast in the same location as we had dinner the night before. The menu was full of delightful things as eggs bene, etc. I ordered a bowl of fresh berries and an english muffin, butter on the side. I'm in control! Off to Savannah via water taxi for a morning of walking - it was quite warm. Found the most delicious store "Savannah Candy Factory" where they were giving out free samples of the pralines. YUMMY!!!! Yes, of course I had one, or two... and then went back from a different direction, for a third! Back at the hotel, lunch was 'boxed' at the first session of this conference. I ate my sandwich (no mayo), the apple, and a club soda to drink. I reluctanty let my brownie disappear from my box and into the trash. It didn't want to go. It went kicking and screaming... oh wait, that was me!
Dinner, again, was quite decadent and I gave up the chocolate cake for dessert... I clervly said "I can't eat chocolate"... so they brought me key lime pie - REAL key lime pie... I ate half of it - the slice not the pie! Then an evening at the hotel bar where I had more club soda this time sexed up a bit with a slice of lime. I didn't get to bed until after 1:30 a.m.
Friday, we took the water taxi over into Savannah and ate at Huey's, a wide-open waterfront cafe. Not much healthy on the menu here... in fact NOTHING healthy. The three trainees had (a) a seafood omlette (scallops, shrimp, lobster) smothered in hollandaise, (b) Eggs benedict & cheese grits, and (c) bacon & eggs. I had french toast with pecan butter.... it was so covered in sugar I was almost ill eating it. I didn't finish it, couldn't finish it. I also had 2 cups of very strong coffee (I was tired!). Strangely, I was slightly hyper for the morning! We walked the entire morning, again, in the historic district of Savannah. Side note: if you ever get the chance to visit here, you should! Arriving back at the hotel for lunch.... we found out lunch was not provided. Okay, I'm still living on my caffeine although I did have a sugar crash. Thankfully there was a 'snack' provided to delegates - fruit kabobs. I had 2.... and a granola bar. At the break - more fruit. Dinner was beef....and shrimp. I had the beef with asparagus and grilled tomatoes.. and some ooey gooey good potato dish... YES I ATE IT!
So here's where it pays to know the meeting planner.... She knew my efforts to try to lose weight and tried to plan her menus around what was 'healthy'... remember we are in the south and healthy means skipping the grits with breakfast. The meals had sauces that were not creamed, the salad was caesar - mine came without dressing and they brought me a vinegarette on the side, the soup the second night was lobster bisque... I had vegetable soup - the only one in the room! I feel good!
Mid afternoons are my down time and danger time... to easy to grab something not healthy to stuff down my throat. Thankfully, I packed a few 2 pt bars, and MJ gave me a really yummy granola bar with chocolate (1 point) that was phenomenal!!! These little treats are getting me through to dinner.
Now it's 8:48 a.m. on Saturday and my friends back home are all weighing - in. Me.... I'm off to a fresh berry breakfast again and a morning poolside. I'm feeling in control. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling a little tired, but sitting by the pool, in the 80 degree sunshine, relaxing, will feel good today. I just have one question.....
Where did I put my pralines?
Leaving Toronto airport I had my Timmies card with me and thought I'd grab a bite at the airport - sorry ma'am, this is a cash only location. ARGH. Cash, cash... think Heather, what does that look like. Cash... oh here it is! Okay, I have... no cash! I had enough in my wallet to buy an all important coffee (no winning cup) and yogurt. Okay, so far I'm on plan! Arrive in Washington, D.C. No U.S. money. Thankfully only 55 minutes between flights and that's not enough time to switch terminals, find my new gate and settle in. Arrive in Savannah - at 7:00 p.m. Starving! Seriously starving. I'm sure that another 1/2 hr and I would have passed out cold. We got to the hotel... and by 'we' I mean myself and my boss and other science geek types. we decided to meet for dinner in the hotel at 7:45. The restaurant was phenomenal - decadent - not on plan! Figured I'd be okay though, because I hadn't eaten all day. I ordered chicken, grilled. No wine. I got to bed after midnight.
The next morning I met my trainees (I brought 3 with me, 1 from Toronto and 2 from Calgary) for breakfast in the same location as we had dinner the night before. The menu was full of delightful things as eggs bene, etc. I ordered a bowl of fresh berries and an english muffin, butter on the side. I'm in control! Off to Savannah via water taxi for a morning of walking - it was quite warm. Found the most delicious store "Savannah Candy Factory" where they were giving out free samples of the pralines. YUMMY!!!! Yes, of course I had one, or two... and then went back from a different direction, for a third! Back at the hotel, lunch was 'boxed' at the first session of this conference. I ate my sandwich (no mayo), the apple, and a club soda to drink. I reluctanty let my brownie disappear from my box and into the trash. It didn't want to go. It went kicking and screaming... oh wait, that was me!
Dinner, again, was quite decadent and I gave up the chocolate cake for dessert... I clervly said "I can't eat chocolate"... so they brought me key lime pie - REAL key lime pie... I ate half of it - the slice not the pie! Then an evening at the hotel bar where I had more club soda this time sexed up a bit with a slice of lime. I didn't get to bed until after 1:30 a.m.
Friday, we took the water taxi over into Savannah and ate at Huey's, a wide-open waterfront cafe. Not much healthy on the menu here... in fact NOTHING healthy. The three trainees had (a) a seafood omlette (scallops, shrimp, lobster) smothered in hollandaise, (b) Eggs benedict & cheese grits, and (c) bacon & eggs. I had french toast with pecan butter.... it was so covered in sugar I was almost ill eating it. I didn't finish it, couldn't finish it. I also had 2 cups of very strong coffee (I was tired!). Strangely, I was slightly hyper for the morning! We walked the entire morning, again, in the historic district of Savannah. Side note: if you ever get the chance to visit here, you should! Arriving back at the hotel for lunch.... we found out lunch was not provided. Okay, I'm still living on my caffeine although I did have a sugar crash. Thankfully there was a 'snack' provided to delegates - fruit kabobs. I had 2.... and a granola bar. At the break - more fruit. Dinner was beef....and shrimp. I had the beef with asparagus and grilled tomatoes.. and some ooey gooey good potato dish... YES I ATE IT!
So here's where it pays to know the meeting planner.... She knew my efforts to try to lose weight and tried to plan her menus around what was 'healthy'... remember we are in the south and healthy means skipping the grits with breakfast. The meals had sauces that were not creamed, the salad was caesar - mine came without dressing and they brought me a vinegarette on the side, the soup the second night was lobster bisque... I had vegetable soup - the only one in the room! I feel good!
Mid afternoons are my down time and danger time... to easy to grab something not healthy to stuff down my throat. Thankfully, I packed a few 2 pt bars, and MJ gave me a really yummy granola bar with chocolate (1 point) that was phenomenal!!! These little treats are getting me through to dinner.
Now it's 8:48 a.m. on Saturday and my friends back home are all weighing - in. Me.... I'm off to a fresh berry breakfast again and a morning poolside. I'm feeling in control. I'm feeling good. I'm feeling a little tired, but sitting by the pool, in the 80 degree sunshine, relaxing, will feel good today. I just have one question.....
Where did I put my pralines?
Friday, February 27, 2009
Rrrrroll up the Rrrrrrim
Yes indeed. It's Roll Up The Rim time at Tim Horton's. I love Timmies. They are so polite. Every year I am handed cup after cup that very politely gives me an invitation to visit them again any time! The infamous "please play again" cups! I get one every time. The irritating thing about Roll Up The Rim (RUTR) is the crazy long line ups both in store and at the drive thru's. As if the line ups weren't long enough already! People desperate to win a free coffee, or a muffin! Me? No, I'm content to receive my polite invitation to come back again anytime I feel like it!
Today is Friday. Weigh-in is tomorrow. Today is also dress down day at work so I'm wearing my jeans. I have my own 'rim' that I can roll up! Yep. The tummy fat - probably left behind from Fat Tuesday - has rolled itself over the top of my jeans. I can literally pick it up and roll it now! Roll up the fat! That's my new mantra! I mean, after all, there could be a prize under it!!! Ooooh maybe there's a flat tummy in there somewhere. So what if I roll... up.... and dream of pushing all that rolled up fat into my breasts! Eureka... I rolled up a winner!
Nope, nothing.... so now my middle looks like a muffin. Mmm, muffin...
I'm on my way to Timmies... the muffins are calling me. My flat tummy will have to wait.
Today is Friday. Weigh-in is tomorrow. Today is also dress down day at work so I'm wearing my jeans. I have my own 'rim' that I can roll up! Yep. The tummy fat - probably left behind from Fat Tuesday - has rolled itself over the top of my jeans. I can literally pick it up and roll it now! Roll up the fat! That's my new mantra! I mean, after all, there could be a prize under it!!! Ooooh maybe there's a flat tummy in there somewhere. So what if I roll... up.... and dream of pushing all that rolled up fat into my breasts! Eureka... I rolled up a winner!
Nope, nothing.... so now my middle looks like a muffin. Mmm, muffin...
I'm on my way to Timmies... the muffins are calling me. My flat tummy will have to wait.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Fat Tuesday
Fat Tuesday... the mere sound of that sends shivers up my spine. Today is the day we are supposed to indulge in 'fatness' in preparation for Ash Wednesday... or as it is better known, the start of Lent. So in keeping with a healthy lifestyle, today the cafeteria at the hospital is serving pancakes, bacon, sausages, etc. Strangely Fat Tuesday never really held a fascination over me. The one day of the year that I am NOT obsessed with food, I think. I guess the purpose is to fatten yourself up so that you can live off that fat during lent. Not entirely sure. Sounds reasonable though.
So, here's the problem. What happens when Fat Tuesday started in 1997? I did go through a "lean" period for about 2 years (2002-2003) when I was just 5 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight. Sigh. Really I'm living in Fat Decade. I figure lent can last for about 15 years now! I've got enough padding to see to it that I don't waste away to nothingness. This week at weigh in, I was up 1.6 lbs. That's my first gain in a while, well, since Fat Christmas anyway. I'm calling it Fat Setback. In order to discipline myself to get through this week, I found a new route into work - one that goes right through the centre of just about every underground food court imaginable. I found a Great Canadian Bagel! I thought they were out of business! I was so excited I had to buy a Cheddar Jalapeno Bagel, toasted, with butter. *Note my self control in not getting cream cheese. Hey I'll take every little plus I can! Okay, thought I, one bagel is not going to hurt me. The next day... I had a Cheddar Jalapeno Bagel, toasted, with butter... and a muffin when I got to work. I'm on a downward spiral.
Today - I took the subway! No underground walking which I foolishly call exercise! I did stop at Timmies and got an herbal tea and no muffin, no bagel, nothing. Today, it is Fat Tuesday. Today I will be like Jack Sprat who could eat no fat. Unfortunately the rest of the week I'm more like his wife who could eat no lean!
Today, I am very aware that fatness is all around me (and apparently stuck to my thighs and butt), today I made my lunch, which is lean, and I have it here with me. Today, on Fat Tuesday, I am JACK SPRAT!!!
Tomorrow.... well, that's another story.....
So, here's the problem. What happens when Fat Tuesday started in 1997? I did go through a "lean" period for about 2 years (2002-2003) when I was just 5 pounds away from my ultimate goal weight. Sigh. Really I'm living in Fat Decade. I figure lent can last for about 15 years now! I've got enough padding to see to it that I don't waste away to nothingness. This week at weigh in, I was up 1.6 lbs. That's my first gain in a while, well, since Fat Christmas anyway. I'm calling it Fat Setback. In order to discipline myself to get through this week, I found a new route into work - one that goes right through the centre of just about every underground food court imaginable. I found a Great Canadian Bagel! I thought they were out of business! I was so excited I had to buy a Cheddar Jalapeno Bagel, toasted, with butter. *Note my self control in not getting cream cheese. Hey I'll take every little plus I can! Okay, thought I, one bagel is not going to hurt me. The next day... I had a Cheddar Jalapeno Bagel, toasted, with butter... and a muffin when I got to work. I'm on a downward spiral.
Today - I took the subway! No underground walking which I foolishly call exercise! I did stop at Timmies and got an herbal tea and no muffin, no bagel, nothing. Today, it is Fat Tuesday. Today I will be like Jack Sprat who could eat no fat. Unfortunately the rest of the week I'm more like his wife who could eat no lean!
Today, I am very aware that fatness is all around me (and apparently stuck to my thighs and butt), today I made my lunch, which is lean, and I have it here with me. Today, on Fat Tuesday, I am JACK SPRAT!!!
Tomorrow.... well, that's another story.....
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Valentine's Day... I Heart Chocolate
Happy day-after Valentine's day! My weigh-in yesterday - I was down 0.4 lbs again. Okay not earthshaking but hey, that's three weeks in a row with a weight loss, so I'm happy about it.
Yesterday was also Valentine's Day... I need a T-Shirt that says "I survived Valentine's Day". My husband, my biggest supporter, did not buy me chocolate. I was glad he didn't. I was disappointed he didn't. No, really, I was glad he didn't. We decided not to go out for a price-inflated dinner and opted to cook. Yes! I could control what I ate if I ate it at home. So, we had steak - which Scott bbq'd (a little too well done for my liking, but... meh.... still tasted good!) T-Bones! I baked a few potatoes, steamed some asparagus, and made a delicious spinach salad. Very healthy dinner. Until the bread. My weakness is carbs.. bad carbs... like delicious french bread! sigh... tasted great! Okay, I did limit the bread so I did maintain some control. Dinner was great, I didn't finish my steak and gave half of it to Scott.
Oh, I found a new salad dressing that I love! Renee's Wellness, Tuscan Vegetable... 0 points!! HUGE flavour. Try it.
Did I say I 'heart' chocolate? Yep. I do. So while Scott did not buy me chocolate, we did have a delicious chocolate swirl cheesecake for dessert. Why, pray tell, do I not check these things out before I eat them? I had a tiny piece - and I mean tiny - and it was 7 points. 7! ARGH. I vowed never again would I waste so many points on such a tiny bit of food again. NEVER! Oh the determination. The resolve. The guts!
I survived Valentine's Day. Today is Sunday. I had some delicious black-bean soup for lunch with the leftover salad and my new favourite dressing. Total lunch points - 3!! Ya baby. I'm good. I feel in control. I feel successful. I need to celebrate my success...
um....please pass the cheesecake!
Yesterday was also Valentine's Day... I need a T-Shirt that says "I survived Valentine's Day". My husband, my biggest supporter, did not buy me chocolate. I was glad he didn't. I was disappointed he didn't. No, really, I was glad he didn't. We decided not to go out for a price-inflated dinner and opted to cook. Yes! I could control what I ate if I ate it at home. So, we had steak - which Scott bbq'd (a little too well done for my liking, but... meh.... still tasted good!) T-Bones! I baked a few potatoes, steamed some asparagus, and made a delicious spinach salad. Very healthy dinner. Until the bread. My weakness is carbs.. bad carbs... like delicious french bread! sigh... tasted great! Okay, I did limit the bread so I did maintain some control. Dinner was great, I didn't finish my steak and gave half of it to Scott.
Oh, I found a new salad dressing that I love! Renee's Wellness, Tuscan Vegetable... 0 points!! HUGE flavour. Try it.
Did I say I 'heart' chocolate? Yep. I do. So while Scott did not buy me chocolate, we did have a delicious chocolate swirl cheesecake for dessert. Why, pray tell, do I not check these things out before I eat them? I had a tiny piece - and I mean tiny - and it was 7 points. 7! ARGH. I vowed never again would I waste so many points on such a tiny bit of food again. NEVER! Oh the determination. The resolve. The guts!
I survived Valentine's Day. Today is Sunday. I had some delicious black-bean soup for lunch with the leftover salad and my new favourite dressing. Total lunch points - 3!! Ya baby. I'm good. I feel in control. I feel successful. I need to celebrate my success...
um....please pass the cheesecake!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Swiss Chalet - Okay!
Hi. My name is Heather. It's been 2 days since my last Swiss Chalet binge. (HI HEATHER)
I am a [hangs head] Swiss Chalet-a-holic. I ate at SC (as we addicts fondly call it) on Saturday. Chicken breast (I ate the skin), fries (I ate the fries) ordered a multigrain roll but got a white roll instead (I ate the roll), and sauce (I had the sauce) and sauce (I had another sauce)... and butter... and coffee (with milk in it, because after all I am watching my weight!)
Damage:
Chicken - 6
Fries - 11
Roll - 2
Butter - 2
Famous Chalet Dipping Sauce (x2) - 2
Coffee - 0
Milk - negligible
Grand total: 23 points
Then, a colleague of mine called and asked if I wanted to grab lunch with her. Grab lunch? Grab my bulging gut instead! "Sure, I'd love to. Where are we going"... Ya, Swiss Chalet. So, determined to be better with my choices, I chose a very healthy lunch but somehow when the server asked me it came out as "Chicken, white, with fries and a multi grain roll... oh and can I have a glass of water please?" Clever, I know... throw in the water to make it "healthy".
Ashamed of myself, and riddled with guilt... I ate my chicken - with the skin, I ate my MULTI-GRAIN roll (one butter thank you!) and I ate most of my fries. I was proud of myself - I left abut 1/2 dozen on my plate! I'm improving! Grand total for lunch: 23 p0ints. Okay, really... who doesn't like SC fries? Really.
I went home that night and had soup. Just soup.
I determined that I must be better at this if I'm ever going to get my wardrobe pay-off. As I rolled into bed I scolded myself and then drifted off with a heartburn filled fitful sleep - fries drenched in sauce were chasing me!
I am a [hangs head] Swiss Chalet-a-holic. I ate at SC (as we addicts fondly call it) on Saturday. Chicken breast (I ate the skin), fries (I ate the fries) ordered a multigrain roll but got a white roll instead (I ate the roll), and sauce (I had the sauce) and sauce (I had another sauce)... and butter... and coffee (with milk in it, because after all I am watching my weight!)
Damage:
Chicken - 6
Fries - 11
Roll - 2
Butter - 2
Famous Chalet Dipping Sauce (x2) - 2
Coffee - 0
Milk - negligible
Grand total: 23 points
Then, a colleague of mine called and asked if I wanted to grab lunch with her. Grab lunch? Grab my bulging gut instead! "Sure, I'd love to. Where are we going"... Ya, Swiss Chalet. So, determined to be better with my choices, I chose a very healthy lunch but somehow when the server asked me it came out as "Chicken, white, with fries and a multi grain roll... oh and can I have a glass of water please?" Clever, I know... throw in the water to make it "healthy".
Ashamed of myself, and riddled with guilt... I ate my chicken - with the skin, I ate my MULTI-GRAIN roll (one butter thank you!) and I ate most of my fries. I was proud of myself - I left abut 1/2 dozen on my plate! I'm improving! Grand total for lunch: 23 p0ints. Okay, really... who doesn't like SC fries? Really.
I went home that night and had soup. Just soup.
I determined that I must be better at this if I'm ever going to get my wardrobe pay-off. As I rolled into bed I scolded myself and then drifted off with a heartburn filled fitful sleep - fries drenched in sauce were chasing me!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Let's Make A Deal....
Let's Make A Deal... Monty Hall.... game show... come on, you've heard of it!! Hmm, maybe I'm dating myself here. LMAD was a game show where people in the audience dressed in the wackieste costumes they could think of to get the attention of MC Monty Hall. He would then ask them for stupid things like "I'll give you $100 right now if you have a used tea bag in your purse" Usually somebody did! But then there was the big deal at the end "do you want to trade your veg-o-matic chopper for what's behind door number 1, door number 2, or door number 3? And yes people did. Sometimes they got awesome trips, sometimes they got, um, teabags!
Fast forward to 2008 - Deal or no deal. You don't even need a teabag for that one! Just figure out where the money is in the briefcases (held by very trim models) and you win.
Fast forward again - February 8, 2009. Let's Make A Deal or No Deal - Nash version!
Yes, that's right... I struck a deal! I was complaining that I had no clothes to wear - okay well I had clothes, just not anything I liked wearing! sheesh... don't be so technical! Anyway...... My husband asked me the dangerous question about what my 'goal weight' was. Gulp. I told him! Yikes... right out on that proverbial limb! So here's the deal.... My darling man made me a deal - reach my goal weight and he would give me this certain sum of cash to buy a new wardrobe with. Really? Well, hey, if I lose all that weight I'm going to need to unmentionables (to mention them here that would be, well bras, etc.) So the deal includes a seperate budget for lingerie! Oh ya baby.
Deal!
I am pretty darn freaking motivated now. My lunch is packed today. I have healthy fresh lunch in my work fridge here. I have a case of water sitting beside it (I like it room temp). My weigh in on Saturday gave me a bit of oomph as well as I was down 1.4 lbs. Ya, yippee for me! It was a triumph, a small one, but a triumph in an otherwise tough week. I still haven't lost the weight I gained over the Christmas Season! Sigh. But now, oh yes now... the motivation is on!
Hmm... I probably should have negotiated a budget for new shoes too... sans used teabags!
Fast forward to 2008 - Deal or no deal. You don't even need a teabag for that one! Just figure out where the money is in the briefcases (held by very trim models) and you win.
Fast forward again - February 8, 2009. Let's Make A Deal or No Deal - Nash version!
Yes, that's right... I struck a deal! I was complaining that I had no clothes to wear - okay well I had clothes, just not anything I liked wearing! sheesh... don't be so technical! Anyway...... My husband asked me the dangerous question about what my 'goal weight' was. Gulp. I told him! Yikes... right out on that proverbial limb! So here's the deal.... My darling man made me a deal - reach my goal weight and he would give me this certain sum of cash to buy a new wardrobe with. Really? Well, hey, if I lose all that weight I'm going to need to unmentionables (to mention them here that would be, well bras, etc.) So the deal includes a seperate budget for lingerie! Oh ya baby.
Deal!
I am pretty darn freaking motivated now. My lunch is packed today. I have healthy fresh lunch in my work fridge here. I have a case of water sitting beside it (I like it room temp). My weigh in on Saturday gave me a bit of oomph as well as I was down 1.4 lbs. Ya, yippee for me! It was a triumph, a small one, but a triumph in an otherwise tough week. I still haven't lost the weight I gained over the Christmas Season! Sigh. But now, oh yes now... the motivation is on!
Hmm... I probably should have negotiated a budget for new shoes too... sans used teabags!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Superbowl, supersize, super disaster!
What do nachos, chili, hot wings, perogi's, and football all have in common? Ya, Superbowl Sunday! Why do they call it superbowl? I mean the trophy isn't shaped like a bowl, as the Stanley CUP and the Grey CUP are! So why 'bowl'?
My theory? Simple... it's because of the HUGE bowls of food that you eat around these events!
Last night my husband and I went to a neighbour's house to watch the superbowl. we consumed all of the above foods plus some (crackers & various cheeses, grapes, strawberries.... veggies & dip, etc.) None of the foods were low fat - okay with the exception of the wee bits of fruit and veggies. The one healthy choice I made was to drink mineral water rather than anything alcoholic or high in sugar, although my neighbour did try to get me to drink... she even poured me a drink which sat in front of me the entire night. At the end of the evening she apologized for trying to force it down my throat!
So, superbowl, supersize, super disaster! My eating.... argh... what can I say? I love wings!! I was able to stand up against the urge to eat nachos... they were so laden in cheese I could feel my arteries clogging just by looking at them. I tried to put a few on my plate but about 1/4 lb of cheese came with it... so I left it - untouched - on my plate. The wings however... wow, at 3 points each, I think I ate an entire day of points in just the wings! sigh...
Thankfully today is Monday and I have all week to eat healthy before weighing in on Saturday. I can do this!
My theory? Simple... it's because of the HUGE bowls of food that you eat around these events!
Last night my husband and I went to a neighbour's house to watch the superbowl. we consumed all of the above foods plus some (crackers & various cheeses, grapes, strawberries.... veggies & dip, etc.) None of the foods were low fat - okay with the exception of the wee bits of fruit and veggies. The one healthy choice I made was to drink mineral water rather than anything alcoholic or high in sugar, although my neighbour did try to get me to drink... she even poured me a drink which sat in front of me the entire night. At the end of the evening she apologized for trying to force it down my throat!
So, superbowl, supersize, super disaster! My eating.... argh... what can I say? I love wings!! I was able to stand up against the urge to eat nachos... they were so laden in cheese I could feel my arteries clogging just by looking at them. I tried to put a few on my plate but about 1/4 lb of cheese came with it... so I left it - untouched - on my plate. The wings however... wow, at 3 points each, I think I ate an entire day of points in just the wings! sigh...
Thankfully today is Monday and I have all week to eat healthy before weighing in on Saturday. I can do this!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Agony
What is agony? It's when you've been 'good' all week and your weight goes UP! AGONIZING to see the number for sure. Agony is seeing the perfect pair of boots and no money in the bank to buy them... AGONIZING! But really, agony is when you hurt your back and you have no stomach muscles. THAT, my friends, is real agony.
Last week, somehow I hurt my back. I had to go to Kingston and by the time i got there I was close to tears from the pain. Deciding that sitting in the Queen's U library for 5 hours working was not the best idea for my back, so I sat for 3 hours in a local Starbucks. Thankfully, I had some cash so I was well hydrated with my Skinny London Fog! Of course, after hour 2 I was a bit hungry but too sore to move much, so I had a pumpkin scone. This has got to be the yummiest creation ever made... at the sacrificial point range of 9. Sigh. I ate it.
Knowing that my pain was not going to go away in the too soft seats, I looked up the number of the hotel on the internet.. oh, another point... i'll come back to that one*... and called. Um no it's 10:30 and check in isn't until 3 p.m. Okay, but I am in agony sitting here at Starbucks. Yes, said the quasi-friendly voice at the hotel, I can understand how sitting in a Starbucks spending your life savings on designer coffee could be painful! No no, you don't understand, I'm in pain!
Finally, after giving a very convincing sob story, which had nothing to do with the price of coffee, I was told there was a room available but it was on the 4th floor. I really didn't care... as long as it had a bed I could lay my aching body down on! I walked the 2 blocks to the hotel and checked in. The 4th floor... is the same floor as the pool. The pool was a stone's throw from my room. The hallway reeked of chlorine... and so did my room. But... I was in too much pain to worry too much about it. I got on the bed and after crying for 20 minutes, finally found a spot that didn't hurt too much, and drifted off into a fitful sleep.
Later that evening, my husband (who was in Kingston with me, at another meeting) took our son and daughter-in-law (the son that is NOT married to our daughter-in-law) out for supper at a TexMex place where I set my sights on being "good" but after the free nachos and salsa, and a feast on fajitas... all sense of good was blown away like chaff.
I actually weighed-in while I was in Kingston, the morning after the texmex binge. I was up 0.8 lbs. ARGH. Of course lying around most of the week and then eating mass quanitities on a friday night, well, what could I possibly expect?
So, now it's Tuesday, I am at home. Blogging. The pain is worse than before. I am sure I will be up this week as well as any muscle I may have had is in such spasm right now that it's just no good. I'm in agony.
This blog is not as cleverly written (as if the others had been!) as my previous ones, pain prevents me from being too witty today!
..........................
* internet. Starbucks is listed as an internet hotspot. So, when you get a connection you get a message that tells you tht you can "buy" 2 hrs of internet time with your Starbucks card (those little gift card things). Are you nuts? I opened up the list of active sites in the area.... and voila, two doors down from Starbucks, in Kingston, is a quaint little place called "The Sleepless Goat" (http://www.thesleeplessgoat.ca/) (I highly recommend that for lunch... they have really different foods, kind of a hippie type atmosphere). Anyway, The Goat has free internet... free.... and the signal picks up in the Starbucks. So, thank you to the goat for letting me use your internet while sipping expensive tea in Starbucks.
Last week, somehow I hurt my back. I had to go to Kingston and by the time i got there I was close to tears from the pain. Deciding that sitting in the Queen's U library for 5 hours working was not the best idea for my back, so I sat for 3 hours in a local Starbucks. Thankfully, I had some cash so I was well hydrated with my Skinny London Fog! Of course, after hour 2 I was a bit hungry but too sore to move much, so I had a pumpkin scone. This has got to be the yummiest creation ever made... at the sacrificial point range of 9. Sigh. I ate it.
Knowing that my pain was not going to go away in the too soft seats, I looked up the number of the hotel on the internet.. oh, another point... i'll come back to that one*... and called. Um no it's 10:30 and check in isn't until 3 p.m. Okay, but I am in agony sitting here at Starbucks. Yes, said the quasi-friendly voice at the hotel, I can understand how sitting in a Starbucks spending your life savings on designer coffee could be painful! No no, you don't understand, I'm in pain!
Finally, after giving a very convincing sob story, which had nothing to do with the price of coffee, I was told there was a room available but it was on the 4th floor. I really didn't care... as long as it had a bed I could lay my aching body down on! I walked the 2 blocks to the hotel and checked in. The 4th floor... is the same floor as the pool. The pool was a stone's throw from my room. The hallway reeked of chlorine... and so did my room. But... I was in too much pain to worry too much about it. I got on the bed and after crying for 20 minutes, finally found a spot that didn't hurt too much, and drifted off into a fitful sleep.
Later that evening, my husband (who was in Kingston with me, at another meeting) took our son and daughter-in-law (the son that is NOT married to our daughter-in-law) out for supper at a TexMex place where I set my sights on being "good" but after the free nachos and salsa, and a feast on fajitas... all sense of good was blown away like chaff.
I actually weighed-in while I was in Kingston, the morning after the texmex binge. I was up 0.8 lbs. ARGH. Of course lying around most of the week and then eating mass quanitities on a friday night, well, what could I possibly expect?
So, now it's Tuesday, I am at home. Blogging. The pain is worse than before. I am sure I will be up this week as well as any muscle I may have had is in such spasm right now that it's just no good. I'm in agony.
This blog is not as cleverly written (as if the others had been!) as my previous ones, pain prevents me from being too witty today!
..........................
* internet. Starbucks is listed as an internet hotspot. So, when you get a connection you get a message that tells you tht you can "buy" 2 hrs of internet time with your Starbucks card (those little gift card things). Are you nuts? I opened up the list of active sites in the area.... and voila, two doors down from Starbucks, in Kingston, is a quaint little place called "The Sleepless Goat" (http://www.thesleeplessgoat.ca/) (I highly recommend that for lunch... they have really different foods, kind of a hippie type atmosphere). Anyway, The Goat has free internet... free.... and the signal picks up in the Starbucks. So, thank you to the goat for letting me use your internet while sipping expensive tea in Starbucks.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Mock Pizza
Forgot.. wanted to share my newest 'homemade' pizza.... well, not literally because you can't have any over the internet and besides, I ate the whole thing!
Okay so here goes -
1 Weight Watchers whole wheat tortilla (2 pts)
5 slices Yves veggie pepperoni - (0.6 pts - so count it as 1 so you don't mess up!)
20 gm shredded low fat (ugh) mozarella (2 pts)
onions (red or white.... thinly sliced or chopped)
green peppers
red peppers
mushrooms, sliced
and a partridge in a pear tree.
1 tbsp pizza sauce (0 pts)
Preheat oven to 400.
On a cookie sheet, place the tortilla, spoon the pizza sauce over top and spread.
top it with everything else. If you like soft pepperoni, put the pepperoni under everything else, if you like it crispier put it on top of the cheese.
Release the partridge outside (if you release inside it will just make a mess of your house!)
Bake the 'mock pizza' at 400 for about 12 minutes.
Eat. Enjoy.
Points: 5
Filling - extremely!
Taste - spectacular
Okay so here goes -
1 Weight Watchers whole wheat tortilla (2 pts)
5 slices Yves veggie pepperoni - (0.6 pts - so count it as 1 so you don't mess up!)
20 gm shredded low fat (ugh) mozarella (2 pts)
onions (red or white.... thinly sliced or chopped)
green peppers
red peppers
mushrooms, sliced
and a partridge in a pear tree.
1 tbsp pizza sauce (0 pts)
Preheat oven to 400.
On a cookie sheet, place the tortilla, spoon the pizza sauce over top and spread.
top it with everything else. If you like soft pepperoni, put the pepperoni under everything else, if you like it crispier put it on top of the cheese.
Release the partridge outside (if you release inside it will just make a mess of your house!)
Bake the 'mock pizza' at 400 for about 12 minutes.
Eat. Enjoy.
Points: 5
Filling - extremely!
Taste - spectacular
The Band wagon
What, pray tell, is a Band Wagon? Why must we either be 'getting on the band wagon' or 'falling off the band wagon'? Where's the music on the band wagon? Where's the band? Who IS the band? Hmmmph. I decided I hate the band wagon. Why is that I must choose to be on it, or falling off it? Whatever happened to marching to the tune of a different drummer? Was HE on the bandwagon? I have no idea about the band wagon, but I do know band 'width'... and my width is, well, it's wide.
Last week I tracked, like a good girl. I ate "filling foods." I used about half of my 35 flex points. I was, what I think is, ON the band wagon. What did it get me? .4lbs ya, that's not 4 as in FOUR pounds.. it was ZERO POINT FOUR as in 0.4 as in not quite 0.5 or half a pound. What is up with that? Well I'll tell ya... I went home after weighing in and ate all day. Yes I did. I ate. Ya, I quasi tracked it too. I was actually better than I thought - because in my mind I only used 4 of this week's flex points.
Why do we have husbands? Oh, let me tell you why... so they can tell you exactly what you DID eat. Did you remember to write down the 2 chocolates you ate. Yes I did! Thank you very much! Oh, well did you write down the other 2? Other 2? I had two more? Oh ya, thanks okay, I'll write that down. Did you write down the 3 cookies you ate too? I had 3 cookies? Really? Yes, you did. Okay, fine, I'll write them down too. What about the bite of Kirstie's souvlaki when you met her at the mall? Okay, now he was just getting annoying!
Today, I did much better. I tracked almost everything. I also packed my lunch for tomorrow and wrote it down in my tracker. So I feel justified, verified, vilified... and a little petrified... that he's going to ask me "did you write down....."
I think I'll accidentally toss him off the bandwagon... maybe he'll break something!
Last week I tracked, like a good girl. I ate "filling foods." I used about half of my 35 flex points. I was, what I think is, ON the band wagon. What did it get me? .4lbs ya, that's not 4 as in FOUR pounds.. it was ZERO POINT FOUR as in 0.4 as in not quite 0.5 or half a pound. What is up with that? Well I'll tell ya... I went home after weighing in and ate all day. Yes I did. I ate. Ya, I quasi tracked it too. I was actually better than I thought - because in my mind I only used 4 of this week's flex points.
Why do we have husbands? Oh, let me tell you why... so they can tell you exactly what you DID eat. Did you remember to write down the 2 chocolates you ate. Yes I did! Thank you very much! Oh, well did you write down the other 2? Other 2? I had two more? Oh ya, thanks okay, I'll write that down. Did you write down the 3 cookies you ate too? I had 3 cookies? Really? Yes, you did. Okay, fine, I'll write them down too. What about the bite of Kirstie's souvlaki when you met her at the mall? Okay, now he was just getting annoying!
Today, I did much better. I tracked almost everything. I also packed my lunch for tomorrow and wrote it down in my tracker. So I feel justified, verified, vilified... and a little petrified... that he's going to ask me "did you write down....."
I think I'll accidentally toss him off the bandwagon... maybe he'll break something!
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