I have been gone for a while!  So sorry!  I am down 14 pounds, I have gained a few back, but only a few.  I am currently working on creating, and stickign to a food plan.  Here is my next weeks plan!

TH 2/25


BF: Spinach rice Casserole and MSF sausage
L: BBQ Lentils with veggie meatloaf
D: etouffee

FR 2/26

BF: Spinach rice Casserole
L: Veggie meatloaf with etouffee
D: BBQ Lentils and cheddar biscuit

SAT 2/27

BF: English Muffin sammie
L: BBQ Lentils
D: Vegan Alfredo with pasta & veggies

Cooking: Vegan Alfredo Sauce and pasta

SUN 2/28

BF: Four Seasons with parents
L: BBQ Lentils
D: Vegan Alfredo with pasta & veggies

Cooking: Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie, PEANUT BUTTER PASTA

MON 3/1

BF: Cereal & soymilk
L: Vegan Alfredo with pasta & veggies
D: Cheeseburger Pie

TUES 3/2

BF: Egg Muffin
L: Cheeseburger Pie
D: PB Pasta

WED 3/3

BF: Cereal & Soymilk
L: PB Pasta
D: Cheeseburger Pie

Of course, all of these are WWized and Veggieized recipes.

BBQ Lentils


Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup green or red lentils

1 cup barbecue sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar or honey

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 cup brown rice
1 large yellow or green zucchini

2 to 3 tablespoons shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of lentils, 3 cups of water and a dash of salt to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the lentils are soft. Once cooked, drain any excess water from the lentils. Mix in the barbecue sauce, brown sugar or honey, and the crushed garlic. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, cook 1 cup of brown rice according to package instructions.

3. Slice the squash into 1/4-inch rounds and place in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 to 5 minutes or until squash is opaque. Drain excess water and sprinkle the cheese over the hot squash. Serve over rice with squash Parmesan on the side.

Peanut Butter Pasta


Adapted from The Garden of Vegan

Makes 2-3 servings.

Dry pasta (enough for 2 people)

1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup hot water

1/4 cup soy milk or coconut milk (or more water)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp steak sauce or vegan worcestershire sauce

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp cayenne (more if you like it spicy)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

3-4 cups veggies (broccoli, bell peppers, edamame, carrots, peas, corn, etc), cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Cook the pasta. While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the peanut butter, hot water, and milk (soy, coconut, rice - if using) until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, steak sauce/worcestershire, garlic, cayenne, salt and pepper. When pasta is almost done, add vegetables and cook for another couple of minutes. Drain and return to pot. Pour in the peanut sauce and toss well. Garnish with chopped nuts, if using.

Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie


Get all the great taste of a cheeseburger magically baked in a pie.

Prep Time: 15 min

Total Time: 40 min

Makes: 6 servings

1 pkg Morningstar Farms Crumbles

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix (using Aldis Fit & Active mix)

1 cup milk

2 eggs

Total Time: 10 min

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.

2. In 10-inch skillet, cook crumbles and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through; drain. Stir in salt. Spread in pie plate. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. In small bowl, stir remaining ingredients with fork or wire whisk until blended. Pour into pie plate.

4. Bake about 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Veggie "Meat" Loaf


By Joanie Fuson

Nutritional information

Calories: 309.4

Sodium: 1,624 mg

Fat: 5.2 g

Carbs: 51.6 g

Fiber: 6.8 g

This was on the Indystar website a couple weeks ago.  It says it serves 4, but you can easily get 8 or more servings!  It's good on bread with light mayo too, like a cold meatloaf sandwich of my youth!


Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil, plus more for the pan

1 3/4 cups vegetable stock

4 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce

3 teaspoons hickory liquid smoke

2 cups textured vegetable protein (TVP)

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/4 cup diced red or green bell pepper

1 cup quick oats

1 3/4 cups ketchup

2 tablespoons vital wheat gluten

1/4 teaspoon each sea salt, pepper

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder



Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a loaf pan or baking sheet. Bring stock, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and 2 teaspoons liquid smoke to low boil in pan. Add TVP, stir, let sit 5 minutes.

2. Warm 1 tablespoon canola oil in saucepan. Add onion and bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Put onion mixture, rehydrated TVP, oats, 11/4 cup ketchup, wheat gluten, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce and 1 teaspoon liquid smoke in a large bowl. Stir until combined.

3. Put the mixture into a prepared pan or shape it into a loaf and place it on a greased baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup ketchup to the top of the loaf and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and serve warm.

Plateaus

Do you feel stuck? Is the newness of your weight loss regimen wearing down? Are you tired of counting, buying “diet” food? Are the cravings getting stronger and more intense? Has the scale slowed down or come to a screeching halt?

This week, we are going to discuss plateaus in weight loss. According to Weightlossforall.com, ”While you lose weight, you likely are cutting back on your calories. Although calorie-cutting helps you lose more pounds, it also can decrease your metabolism.” Livestrong.com goes on to include how exercise can be a factor in plateaus. “Once your body becomes too accustomed to a particular type of exercise, your muscles adapt and you will not lose as many calories.” So, according to this, we have to watch our calories, but adjust as we go and we have to keep increasing our workouts. Fun!



Plateaus happen. Your body has to adjust, much like your mind has to adjust to the physical changes taking place with your body. You will be getting compliments. One thing I have learned with my own journey that applies to many of us, if you have fought your weight for a period of time, the compliments are hard to take at first. Weight is often a barrier to physical contact or to make us invisible. I remember when I was first at goal in 2004, wearing more girly clothes that fit, I would have the door held open for me almost everywhere. It was always men and I always wondered what sick intentions they had going through their minds. I had to realize, hey they see an attractive woman and are being courteous. But, since I was heavy for so long and hadn’t had such attention, it was odd and uncomfortable for quite some time. Until my mind realized that I deserved such attention. Of course, everyone of every size deserves such chivalry, but sadly it isn’t always expressed.



How can you break a plateau in weight loss? Well, first you have to know what you are consuming to know if changes need to be made to your food. You can’t know what you are doing if you can’t look at what you are doing. In other words, track your food. Get a journal and write about your emotions, or at least your food consumption. If you have fallen into a rut of eating the same foods as they have become easy and give you more time in your schedule, find new foods. I have come to the realization that your metabolism slows down if you eat the same things all the time. Your body no longer has to think. It stands to reason that if your body gets ‘bored’ with a workout regimen that stays the same, it will do the same with regimented and similar food consumption. If your activity is becoming routine, switch it up. Now is a great time of year to get some new workout dvds. There are sales galore now. This is the time of year to get workout materials. And you may even want to get different clothes to wear during your workout. You may be bored with the same workout outfits and not even realize it.



Celebrate your successes! You won’t want to keep going if you aren’t giving yourself enough credit for all that you have accomplished. Remember this thought, what would you say to your best friend? Would you tell her to give up? Would you tell her she deserves to not lose? Would you tell her to eat whatever she wants? No. But I bet those thoughts go through your mind. Recognize and reward your successes, just not with food.



I have said it before, but I think it bears repeating. Look online for new websites and recipes. Switch up your food. You will enjoy the new tastes and your body will enjoy the new nutritional variance. And you will enjoy the scale the following week.



If you take any medicine, you may want to look at the side effects for weight gain. You may also have lost enough that your body needs less. Contact your doctor if you have any concerns. You will also get a boost if you make an appointment and your doctor congratulates you on your weight loss and efforts!



And lastly, realize that your body can plateau for no reason at all. It’s cruel, but it’s true!



My week was very inactive. I had 2 asthma attacks and felt like crud Tuesday through Sunday. I also started taking prednisone. Lovely! I worked out only Monday and was happy to see that despite being laid up quite a bit, I still lost .5 pounds! So, I am proud that I didn’t eat my sickness, which has been a pattern most of my life. I stuck to my program, but didn’t track. I am back on that wagon today. I am ravenous, as the prednisone is kicking in. But, I only take it through Wednesday, so hopefully that urge will calm. I am now down 11 pounds in the month of January. I am happy with that. And, I will be happy if I go to a more appropriate number of .5-2 pounds per week.



Here are my January and February pictures side by side. I can see some changes! Yay!

Week 3 was a success!

Have you ever found that the cravings come back after a couple solid weeks on plan? Do you start to feel restricted or bored? Has life happened and thrown several events at you that could cause a swift fall from that mountain you were progressing so nicely to its summit? Most people on weight loss plans find that the initial exuberance wanes after just a couple weeks. “When motivation to stick to your new eating and exercise habits wanes, and a quick glance in the mirror doesn't do the trick, considering the many health risks of obesity probably will get you going. By maintaining a healthier weight, you are more likely to live a longer life with fewer medical problems. Wearing a smaller size is just the icing on the cake; a happier, healthier life is the ultimate reward,” Weight Loss 101 on about.com. It happens to most of us, at some point in time. I have not met one person that has solid stick-to-itness ALL of the time. That implies perfection, and we all know perfection simply does not exist.




Besides, do you really want to be perfect? It’s a lot of work to maintain perfection!

Some of the reasons for motivation to fade, even slightly, and how to overcome them


Boredom with menu - Try some new recipes or switch your lunch and dinner choices – look for new websites with proven recipes

Feeling that it will take too long to achieve your ultimate goal - Focus on smaller more tangible weight loss goals

Not enough acknowledgement from others about your progress - Acknowledge it yourself! After all, it is your body and health.

Scale isn’t going down as fast as you think it should - Track your food to make sure you aren’t eating more than you need - Switch up your foods, your body may be bored.  Also remember that .5-2 pounds per week is the healthy weight loss range and that loss is the most sustainable once your ultimate goal is reached

Lots of events happening that have lots of temptations - Take an on plan dish - Maybe choose yourself and your goals and not go to all of them - Don’t under eat during the day (you will be starving and will go off plan)

Having cravings? - If you can eat a small portion of something you are craving that will help.  If not, acknowledge the craving and accept they will come, they will fade and your motivation will increase as you don’t give in

And the most important thing to remember: Reward your efforts, just not with food!



My stats: I released 2.5 pounds, for a total of 10.5 in 3 weeks (222.5 pounds). I exercised about 5 days this week, doing yoga mostly. I did clean out and rearrange my storage unit, all to get to my refrigerator out of storage. Mom and dad lost their back-up refrigerator. I spent about 45 minutes, and I moved a washer and dryer, and the refrigerator out and then put everything back in! My dad was shocked as he drove up to help and saw me standing next to a refrigerator and the unit closed. I think he was truly impressed. This was Saturday and I did 2 yoga sessions that day as well!

This will be a week of more aerobic workouts. I tried an excellent recipe this weekend and here is the link. It took some time but it has such depth of flavor. http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/index.php?RecipeID=113. And my reward for myself this week, to acknowledge 18 pounds gone, is to buy Whip It! It releases tomorrow and is about the same price. It will also help me to achieve my goal of being a derby girl someday soon. I am learning how to be a non-skating official in early February! Next step, tryout and get on a team!

Wowee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well, I apologize for getting this post up late. My computer is on the fritz, and I am not a happy camper.




But……………my weight is a different story! I lost a whopping 5 pounds this past week. I worked out all but Wednesday. I had an appointment and just didn’t feel like it when I got home. I ended up accruing 12 activity points (a food plan term). I knew I wouldn’t get a home tv workout in on Sunday (football at mom and dad’s) so I stopped at a local park and walk for 25 minutes there. The first part has a nice hill, so it gave some resistance. I felt it in the legs for sure. I did yoga, cardio boot camp, total body sculpt, and I even tried a belly dancing workout. Wow, I am so not a belly dancer!



A friend said this to me last week: “If I don't move I can't lose, and if I stop moving I gain.” Thanks Laurie, you are so wise! She hit the nail on the head. We have to move. A 5 pound loss on week 2 makes me think of the Biggest Loser. They always talk about how bad week 2 is weight-loss wise. Maybe it is that I actually worked out, but my week 2 was amazing! So, what are you doing to move and be active.

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I have found this to be true about weight loss:

To lose weight, we must eat healthy food. We must workout and lead an active life. Both will fuel your emotions and you.




If our emotions are in check, we will have more desire to eat well and lead an active life thus leading to weight loss.



If we are active, we will be more prone to positive emotions and to eat healthier food, thus leading to weight loss.

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What will you do this week? Will you check out Fit Tv? Maybe buy a dvd and use it? I purchased a dvd by Leslie Sansone with 5 workouts, including a Pilates workout. It even came with resistance bands for the Pilates. Is there a cleaning project you could do around the house? I earned 3 points cleaning on Monday, a day off work. That is not how I wanted to spend my day, but it is what it is.



I challenge you to burn some calories this week!



And let’s hope Monday posts a weight loss too! I am trying not to fear a rebound gain. But if it happens, I will accept it as my body fighting back. It happens. I am not going off plan, so my conscience would be clean!

Week one was a success!

Well, one week down and I released 3 pounds! It was so good to see that working hard, staying on my chosen food plan, and keeping track of my efforts paid off. But, I knew it would. It really is simple, if you choose healthier options, watch how much you eat, get some activity and water, you will shed pounds and feel better!




My week consisted of overnight oats, mush, and eggs for my breakfasts. My lunches were sweet potato shepherd’s pie, tofu with spinach and whole wheat couscous, a Veggie Subway Kids meal one day, and roasted veggies. Dinners consisted of the tofu and spinach dish, whole wheat pasta tossed with mushrooms, artichoke, and diced tomatoes, and plenty of seasoning. I had a couple salads, even taco salad without the shell Saturday night.



My activity was light, but I am not beating myself up about that. I am just starting. I did a circuit of a weighted ball for 15 minutes Monday evening. I shoveled plenty of snow for 45 minutes one night last week. Let’s see, Wednesday, I do believe. Saturday I did some lifting of heavy things into an attic. But I got to stay on the steps and have it handed to me so I am not counting that.



I had a volunteer orientation Saturday and I resisted the pizza that was provided. It wasn’t required to stay for lunch so I spoke my gratitude for the food provided but politely left. I just wasn’t ready to put my newfound momentum under that much stress and examination.



This week, my focus is on new foods as to not get bored. I am getting tofu on the way home and I am going to make something like this: Cornmeal “Shake and Bake” Tofu – Corn meal and seasonings added in for the dredge. Dredge your drained and cut tofu in soymilk and then coat with the mixtures. Spray a pan with oil, line it with tofu, spray the tops and bake at 350-400 degrees until it is looking nice and crispy. You can flip these after 15 or 20 minutes to make sure both sides look nice. (This is from a friend that has a young son. He loves these!) I made chili with pinto and chili beans, added in whole wheat pasta. I am planning on lentils this week. I discovered I have 3 bags plus a partial bag. Wowzers! I am also going to make chickpeas with a lite coconut milk sauce. Not sure how I am going to proceed with that one yet. But, it will have curry in it for sure. I have black beans and my sis wants Rachael Ray’s Pumpkin Black Bean Soup this week.



I am also going to focus on ramping up my activity. No snow in the forecast, unfortunately, so no shoveling. That is a good workout! I am going to do chores tonight. Tomorrow, while watching the Biggest Loser, I will do my weighted ball workout. I would do it tonight but I can’t do it 2 days in a row. Tonight, I think I will go for a walk. I will come home and put on my exercise pants, do that and get in the car when I get home and go to the store for my tofu. Yep, that sounds like a plan.

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Update: It was just too cold when I left work.  I went to the store, got my tofu, and came home and cooked.  I looked on Fit TV, I forgot we have that channel, and found Namaste Yoga at 6.  So, I did that!  I hate the commercial breaks but I kept doing the breathing moves.  I made chickpas with spinach, onion, and a coconut curry "sauce."  I also cooked barley, hard boiled eggs, and I am heading back to the kitchen to make my cornmeal tofu.  So, all in all, I think I have done well and I can sit and enjoy my Big Bang Theory.

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And you know what else? I hated water and was drinking loads of diet pop before last week. Now, I can hardly down a whole diet pop. I still like diet root beer and diet Dew, but I am drinking loads more water. Using a Brita at home and a pretty cup at work and home is helping.



Here are some links on fruits and veggies, and exercise tips from the CDC:



http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/month/index.html



http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/guidelines/adults.html



http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/measuring/index.html



http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/getactive/index.html



Have a great week everyone. I will be discussing the BL more next week. I identify with many of the contestants but I need to work through my thoughts before putting them here. Oh, and I will be doing monthly pictures. I just don’t think enough will be visible right now from week to week.

HANDBOOK for 2010

I received this forward from my friend Terri today.  I do believe this holds many gems of wisdom we could all apply to our daily lives.  If we follow many of these ideas, not only will we be happier and healthier, but we will be better stewards of the earth.  Weight loss is easier, and maintenance lasts longer when we are happy, in many ways other than our size or number on the scale.

Here's to 2010!


Health:

1. Drink plenty of water.

2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..

4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy

5. Make time to reach within each and every day...

6. Play more games

7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .

8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day

9. Sleep for 7 hours.

10.Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.



Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

13. Don't over do it. Keep your limits.

14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

16. Dream more while you are awake.

17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

23. Smile and laugh more.

24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...



Society:

25. Call your family often.

26. Each day give something good to others.

27. Forgive everyone for everything..

28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

30. What other people think of you is none of your business.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.



Life:

32. Do the right thing!

33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

34. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. The best is yet to come..

37. Love every day....we are so blessed

38. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

It is what it is!

233.0

Well, here I am world! I went from a size 10 with some rolls still from years of weight loss and gain to here. I could say, it’s the Ugly Truth, but I don’t want to use the word ugly in terms of me. Simply put, it is what it is. This is me in all my 233 pound glory. It does sadden me that just 2 years ago I was 168 pounds, plus or minus a few. I had a goal of 174 that I met in August 2004. By 2005, I had dropped into the 160’s, and one brief day to 159.8. And now, here I am again.



Like the non-matching outfit? Ha, get used to it! This is what I have. Oh, and see the difference in my legs? That’s from the foot surgery in August. Cool, huh?



I am an avid viewer of the Biggest Loser, so much so that Mom and Dad gave me the 2010 BL calendar for a Christmas present. I am excited to get it hanging and in use. The new season begins tomorrow night and I will be watching. I am always so inspired by the contestants and what they are able to accomplish “on the ranch.” Of course, having Bob and Jillian training you 8 hours a day would help anyone lose that kind of weight. They are asking for America to weigh in like they are going to do this opening show, in front of family and friends…so I did. My sister snapped this picture last night, and as I walked into the family room for the photo shoot, I said, “Don’t laugh.” So, obviously with the excess pounds I am carrying, I am also carrying some shame.



But, it is a new year and a fresh chance at releasing this weight and the continuation of my journey to maintenance of my weight loss, or release.



What am I going to do to get there in terms of weight goal?

I am following an older version of the Double W program, a very healthy plan for vegetarians. Note, you may notice numbers in ( ) in my food list. This is a note for myself about foods that aren’t on the food plan but that I am allowed to eat with a weekly allotment.

I am going to exercise more – I have flab that weight loss won’t help – my skin is much less elastic with the weight losses and gains

I am drinking more water

I am posting daily to an online message board of other friends following the same program

I am cooking meals ahead that are quick and easy to grab through the week that are on plan

Weighing in every Monday morning

Posting pic and weight here each week



Here is my menu for today:

Breakfast was “Overnight Oats” – ½ C regular oats mixed with ½ light Original Silk soymilk, a dash of cinnamon, and 30 cals - 2 teaspoons - of sugar (1) in a Tupperware and reheated in the micro this morning.

Lunch: Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie from the current issue of Vegetarian Times with a side of roasted veggies in Canola Oil, side of canned beets

Snack: Veggy patty (Morningstar Farms – if needed)

D: Wilted spinach with garlic and onion, tofu, and whole wheat cous cous, salad with light dressing (2)



I have had 32 ozs. pure water and 16 ozs. decaf diet pop.


So far, at 10 minutes before my lunch, I am on track. I am going to attempt to walk outside this afternoon when I get home. It is bitter cold here in Indiana. If I do not do that, I will do a workout inside. If I do go outside, I may even do more in the house just to warm up. : )



Thank you for seeing me on this journey. Knowing you are here with me helps so very much. My goal through this process is to help you as much, if not more, than I am helped.