Weigh In Day - Patti

My official weigh in day is Thursday morning. 

On the positive side I am doing a great job on maintaining my weight with in a 1 pound range. 

That would really be great if I was at my goal weight but since I have about 15 pounds to go it's very frustrating. 

The scale goes up .8, down .8, up .8...

I guess that's not too bad considering I've eaten 4 hot fudge sundaes over the past couple of weeks, celebrated two of my boy's birthdays with double fudge chocolate cake and attended a BBQ cook off where I had to sample eat ribs, pulled pork, chicken, baked beans, coleslaw, peach cobbler...Well you get the idea.

An occasional treat is OK but I have to face the fact that 

I've eaten too much and I need to get back on track!

I'm thankful for a new day, a new start...

The Lord's loving kindness indeed never ceases, His compassion never fails. 

They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:23

Beans and Greens Soup Recipe by Patti

I usually eat a big salad for lunch. Romaine topped with cucumbers, peppers and onions. For protein I like to add 1/2 cup of beans. Yesterday I wanted to try something different so I made a big pot of beans and greens soup. 

Beans and Greens Soup

This recipe makes a lot of soup and it's even better the next day. 

Freeze the soup in 1 cup portions and you'll have a quick lunch ready in minutes. 

1 pound of dried beans (I used Great Northern beans but you could use whatever you like)
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like it hot)
2 carrots shredded
1 pound package of frozen collard greens or turnip greens
2 TBS olive oil
3 quarts water
Optional: 2 slices of bacon or 1/2 cup ham or a ham bone

Soak the beans overnight in water. Drain and rinse the beans.
Saute the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes in oil until tender.
Add the beans and water. (add the bacon or ham if using) Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Continue cooking until the beans are tender. (Usually about 3 hours).
Add the carrots and the greens. Simmer for 1 more hour. Add additional salt to your taste.
Add more water or vegetable broth to make the mixture soupy.

Eat Well!

Patti

My Typical Breakfast - by Patti

I find it's easier for me to stick to a basic eating plan for breakfast and lunch. I don't want to have to think about it too much so I have a few go to meals that I turn to.

This is what I usually eat for breakfast.

If I'm in a big hurry to get out of the house or I'm eating breakfast late I have:
Almond milk and fruit smoothie
Blend until smooth-
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 cup fruit (frozen cherries are my favorite but I also like banana and pineapple)
This is 1 WW plus point.
This meal in a glass gives me a good dose of calcium (450 mg) and one fruit. If I don't have this for breakfast I usually have one in the afternoon.

If I'm in a hurry or don't feel like cooking I have:
Cereal and Fruit
1 Shredded Wheat biscuit (the big biscuits, no sugar added)
Banana (the only fruit I like on cereal)
1/4 cup of milk (I don't care for too much milk on my cereal)
This meal gives me a dose of fiber (one biscuit 3 grams), one fruit and a little bit of calcium.
This is about 3 WW plus points

Most mornings I make the time to have:
Egg, Veggies and Toast
1 cup veggies such as broccoli, spinach or zucchini
a little bit of onion and peppers
1 tsp olive oil
1 egg
1 TBS grated cheese
1 slice Ezekiel bread toasted with 1 tsp butter
Saute the veggies in oil until tender, add the beaten egg and stir till cooked through, top with a little cheese.
Including the toast this is about 6 WW plus points

This breakfast gives me a good protein, healthy oil,
whole sprouted grain and one serving of veggies. It also
keeps me satisfied until lunch time. 

What do you like to eat for breakfast. Care to share?

Today is the day the Lord has made!

Enjoy it!

Patti

Tip of the Day - Be Ready to Work Out

Sometimes there are legitimate reasons to skip a work out but often even the slightest little thing can hinder our efforts. Like when you're heading out the door to the gym and can't find your weights or off to Zumba and your shimmy-shake skirt is no where to be found. And you know how it is. When you miss one workout it gets easier to miss the next one and then the one after that.

Do you ever get frustrated when it's time to go and you can't find what you need for the gym? Sometimes it's easier to just say forget it because it's too much trouble? 

Don't make excuses! Be prepared!

My sweet daughter in law gave me one of her tote bags that she wasn't using so I put it to good use to store my Zumba and workout gear so it's ready to grab as I run out the door. 

 This is what I keep in my bag at all times:

• Enduro towel
• Extra socks
• Hair clip
• Cash
• Weights
• Stretch band
• Mini 1st aid kit 
• Pain reliever
• Wet Ones
• Germ X
• Shimmy scarf 
• Mat
• Bag of raw almonds

The only thing I have to add is my water bottle and I'm ready to go.

What keeps you from working out? 

No more excuses-find a solution!

Patti

What I Ate Yesterday - September 11, 2013 by Patti

Our first habit was to keep a food journal and I have this firmly established. I write down every BLT (bite, lick and taste:-)

One thing I've been doing for the past couple of weeks is when I write food in my journal I indicate whether it was a good choice, poor choice or a choice that is OK in moderation or OK but could be better. Of course my goal is to always make good choices but I hope at least the good will out number the poor. I also go back and look at the poor choices and the OK choices and try and see if I can improve them.

:-) = good choice
- = OK in moderation or OK but could be better
:-( = poor choice


This is what I ate yesterday...

Breakfast:
1 egg with onion and broccoli scrambled in 1 tsp olive oil :-)
1 piece Ezekiel sprouted bread toasted :-)
1 tsp butter - (in moderation)
Green drink made with 2 cups kale, 1/2 cup pineapple and water :-)
Cranberry water - water, unsweetened cranberry juice, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar :-)

Lunch:
Salad made with 4 cups romaine and 1 cup cucumbers :-)
1/2 cup kidney beans :-)
honey mustard dressing :-(  (I need to find a better salad dressing-I'm going to try to make my own)

Afternoon snack:
banana and kiwi :-)

Dinner: Logan's Steakhouse
Salad :-) (they make the best salad!)
honey mustard dressing :-(
6 ounce steak - (This wasn't really a bad choice but I should have only eaten 3-4 ounces. I should have taken half of it home and had it for lunch the next day)
asparagus :-)
1 small piece of bread with butter - (This wasn't too bad-I only ate one small piece)
Peanut butter sundae :-(  (Ice cream seems to be my downfall:-( This wouldn't have been so bad except Sunday I had an hot fudge sundae - I need to really be careful and limit treats like this.)


9 good choices
3 OK choices in moderation
3 poor choices (includes the salad dressing which I'm working on today)

Exercise:

Cleaned house and vacuumed (yes, I consider that exercise:-)
Walked at the mall for about 40 minutes

Eat well and have a great day!

Patti

What I Ate today - September 11, 2013 - Trina

Breakfast
       8 oz Hot Lemon Water with 1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
       8 oz Dr. Berg's Cranberry Drink
       24 oz Tropical Sensation Smoothie (The Conscious Cleanse p. 225)
       14 Almonds

Lunch
       7 oz Salad (Baby Spring Mix, Carrots, Cucumbers, Purple Cabbage, Red Onions) with
       1/2 Chopped Apple
       2 Tbsp Raisins
       1 cup Mixed Beans (Chickpeas, Red and Black Beans)
       Homemade Avocado, Lemon & Ginger Dressing

I enjoyed everything about this salad except the beans so

I will try having a salad and then some homemade bean soup for my next lunch.

      1 cup Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Dinner
       Stewed Chicken with vegetables (onions, celery, carrots and red cabbage)
       (2 drumsticks without skin)
       Rice
       French style green beans

Dessert
      Homemade oatmeal cookies

MY PLAN - SEPTEMBER 9 - Trina

My Menu 

  September 9-18, 2013

Drinks:

Water
Lemon Water
Warm Lemon Water with 1 Tbsp. Ground Flaxseed
Cranberry Water
Herb Tea
Dr. Berg's Cranberry Drink

Smoothies:

   - My Broccoli,Pineapple, Apple & Banana Smoothie
   - My Spring Mix, Cantaloupe, Pineapple Smoothie
   - The Conscious Cleanse Apple Salad Smoothie p. 220 
   - The Conscious Cleanse Morning Glory Smoothie p. 223
   -   "        "              "          Blueberry Blast Smoothie p. 220
   -   "        "              "          Tropical Sensation Smoothie p. 225

Fruits:

Apples, Pears, Bananas, Blueberries, Raspberries, Plums,Cantaloupe, Pineapple, Lemons and Limes

Salads:

   - Oh She Glows Go-to Kale Salad
   - Oh She Glows Thai-Inspired Hydrating Cucumber Salad with Roasted Spiced Chickpeas
   - Oh She Glows Fall Detox Salad

Cooked Vegetables & Legumes:

   - Collard Greens, Broccoli, Green Beans, Red Beans, Black Beans, Blackeye Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils (Brown)

Meat

   - Fish, Chicken & Turkey

Other:

   - Vegetable Fried Rice
   - Black Beans & Rice
   - Black Bean Soup
   - Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

Exercise

   *Walk 60 minutes (3 times a week)

   *Zumba Class (60 minutes 1- 2 times a week)

   *Strength Training 10 minutes (2 times a week)

FINDING MY PATH TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE! by Trina

Finding My Path to a Healthier Lifestyle-one that will help me reach my weight loss goals

 where I began

Over the past few years I have done a lot of research trying to find the perfect exercise and eating plan. I've reviewed, read and/or purchased a NUMBER of books including the following:

*Change One                                      *You: On a Diet

*Curves                                              *21 Pounds in 21 Day

*Living Low Carb                              *The Best Life Diet

*The Fat Flush Plan                           *The Biggest Loser

*The Weigh Down Diet                       *Atkins Diet

*Eat This, Not That                            *The All New Atkins Advantage

*Never Say Diet                                  *The South Beach Diet

*The All-New Free to be Thin             *The Calcium Key

              and many others including the what's listed below

Here's what I've discovered...

• I am a perfectionist. So after one mistake or slip up and I throw in the towel for that day or week, waiting for a fresh start.
• I haven't developed effect methods to deal with stress
• I am an emotional eater.
• Most experts have their own ideas concerning what constitutes a healthy diet and MANY DO NOT AGREE what that is; even the research being done is sometimes contradictory. The views on how to develop a healthier lifestyle/diet range from - eat all fruit, eat vegetables and fruit, no protein, yes protein, high protein, low protein, no grains, yes grains, low carb, high carb, no salt, yes salt, raw food, cook food, etc. So how do I, a non experts choose what is right.

By beginning with what I know:

          *I was created by God so it make sense for me to look to Him to help    

          me decipher all this information and choose what would be best for me.    

         

 So I plan to use information from following to help me find my path to a healthier lifestyle and to achieve my weight loss goals:

*The Bible/Prayer

*Bob Greene Total Body Make Over

*A List of Healthy Habits I believe God gave to me

These 4 things along with Weight Watchers help me to lose over 25 pounds

*The Fat Flush Plan                                      *Faithfully Fit

*The New! Abs Diet for Women                     *The Conscious Cleanse

*Jenny Craig's What You Got to Lose?           *The Vice-Busting Diet

*The 7 Principles of Fat Burning                   *Eat To Live

See Part II for what I like about these books and how I will to use what I've learned to implement my plan for a healthier lifestyle.

A Day Trip - Jekyll Island

A fun day trip trip to Jekyll Island to meet the author of "Splendid Isolation". The historical novel about the Jekyll Island Millionaires' Club written by Pamela Mueller. 

We combined reading the book with a quick tour of the Millionaires' village. Knowing the history really made the buildings come to life.

It was very interesting talking with Pam not only about this book but about writing in general. She gave us some really good tips. (Just in case we ever want to write a novel or our own diet book:-)

We had a great time and met some new friends!

Do something new and have fun today! 

Patti

A Recipe for Nancy and Mary - Quinoa and Black Bean Salad

Just for you guys...

One of the things I'm trying to do on this healthy habits journey is to add new things to my diet. This recipes includes both a new grain and a new oil that I've never used before.

It's actually pretty tasty so I hope you'll give it a try!

A few facts about quinoa:

• pronounced - Keen-Wa
• a complete protein - contains all 9 essential amino acids 
• contains iron, lysine and magnesium 
• high in fiber

What you need:
1 cup quinoa
2 cups chicken or veggie stock or water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
1/2 red pepper,chopped
1-2 chopped garlic cloves
1 - 15 ounce can of black beans rinsed and drained
Juice from one lime (about 2 Tablespoons)
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
hot pepper flakes - depending on how hot you like it


Place the quinoa in a colander or sieve and rinse under running water. The water will look almost soapy be sure to rinse until the water runs clean.
Place the quinoa, salt and the liquid in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to cook about 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.

Put the veggies, garlic and black beans in a bowl and add the sesame oil and the lime juice. Toss and allow to marinate while the quinoa is cooking.

Sesame seeds and oil are high in many vitamins and minerals such as calcium.
Good for your heart and bones. 

For more intense lime flavor you can grate some of the rind as well.



Once the quinoa is finished allow to cool slightly then add to the veggies and black beans. Toss together.

Add a few flakes of hot peppers. Taste and adjust to your liking. Some like it hot so you may want to add more or just serve extra hot pepper flakes at the table.

Let the mixture marinate for at least 2 hours to blend the flavors.

Serve on a bed of lettuce like a salad or you can serve this with nacho chips as a dip.
This is even good when used as a filling in a wrap.


Nancy and Mary...I hope you'll give quinoa one more try!

Eat Well and Try Something New Today!

Patti