Ready For Summer Challenge

I am totally behind on the Ready For Summer Challenge, so I hope it's okay if I am starting late!

Summer Goals:

• Lose at least 15 pounds.
• Wear a size 20.  I am in between a 24/22 now.
• Start cycling.
• Reach 14+ activity points every week.
• Drink at least 6 glasses of water every day

Since I missed the first week, I am starting fresh with Week 2.

Here are my Week 2 goals (mini goals):

• Lose 1 pound (WI on Thursday)
• Walk 5 miles this week
• Drink 6 glasses of water every day
• I will try a new workout, but don't know what yet

My weight loss has been up and down.  I hate the roller coaster ride.  I need to get a routine down to help.

I finally finished The Age of Innocence.  So I can knock one book off of my 2012 goals.  I'm behind on some of the other goals though.  In March, I did try roasted kale chips for the first time, so now I need to find 8 other fruits/vegetables to try.  I need to find a recipe to do for April, along with a bonus recipe for the one I missed in February!

I'm behind on blogs and mine needs updated, so that is what I'm working on today.  Hope you all have a wonderful day!

O Happy Day!

I weighed in Thursday and I am so happy to report a -3.6 pound loss!!!  Which makes my grand total:

25 pounds gone forever!!!!

I am so happy about that loss.  I was really struggling there for awhile, especially with all of the traveling involved.  It's good to get a loss like that.

Another thing I am super happy about is the Ready For Summer Challenge!  It begins March 26 and goes thru June 3.  My girl Maren is putting on the challenge to get all of us hip girlies in shape for summer!  I am all in!  Can't wait to get started!  Come and join in the challenge with me!  I am thinking about my goals for the challenge and don't want to do something too easy.  What kind of goals are you thinking about doing?

Well, I have lots to do today.  I need to clean out our spare bedroom, take some things to storage, and there is always a mountain of laundry waiting for me.  Plus, I need to catch up on some blogs.

Have a wonderful St. Patty's Day!!

We really need to stop meeting like this.  I hate that I can't post as much as I used to.  I have been gone out of town for work and am needing a break!  So glad I am finally back for a little while.  I had to weigh in last week on Saturday because I was in Cincinnati all week.  That's okay, because I lost 1.2 pounds!  Yay!  I was expecting to gain or maintain, so the loss was a nice surprise.  All the walking you do in and out of airports can really add up, especially if you have a layover.

I won't be weighing in this week until Thursday.  I have a two day meeting starting today and just really wanted some space between weigh ins.  I should be back to my normal Wednesday WI by next week, fingers crossed!

I am so behind on your blogs.  So sorry!  I adore each and every one of my new blogging friends!  I will make my rounds this morning and evening.  Have a wonderful day!

Hello!

Good morning.  I finally have my computer back AND figured out how to post from my iPhone.  I am not technologically savvy, so it takes me awhile.  When I first started this blog, I thought I needed to have long posts, full of meaning.  I was wrong to think that because it has caused me not to post at all.  I think a quick update here and there should suffice, right?

As you can see from the past two WIs, I am still at -20.4 pounds.  It's been a struggle these past few weeks.  I do great during the holidays, but on normal weeks, I almost sabotage myself.  I also missed the recipe for February, so I am doing two in the month of March.  I have one that I can't wait to try!!!

I can talk about getting back on track, but the proof will be in the results.  I am going to miss my Wednesday WI this week since I will be in Cincinnati for work.  I won't be able to weigh in until Friday or Saturday.  That's going to suck.  But, I am taking my pedometer with me and plan to get in my steps while on the road.

I have so much catching up to do.  It feels so good to be back on here again!  I have missed everyone!!

Another WI

Hey there. Where have I been? I've been hiding, in shame. I had a gain last week and I wanted to crawl under a rock.

I have another weigh in and I am NOT looking forward to it. There is so much anxiety.

I am blogging from my iPod because the computer is soooo slow! Ugh!

Well, just wanted tinker everyone know I'm still here.

Silent Sunday - Not Really

Good morning.  Just sitting here, enjoying my cup of coffee while my kiddo and his friend sleep in this morning.  They had homecoming last night and then stayed up to play Black Ops.  I think they went to bed around 2 am.  As soon as they get up, I have promised a breakfast of cheesy scrambled eggs and toast.

I've got a birthday coming up in less than a month.  I will be turning 38.  Oy!  Getting up there.  My goal was to lose 10 pounds in February, but after maintaining last week, it's not looking so hot.  A person my size should be losing weight every single week.  I started this journey at 316.8 pounds, my heaviest weight ever.  I am now down to 296.4.  I am grateful I am no longer in the 300's, but I am really hating the 290's.  I just want to get rid of this excess weight faster, but I know it takes time.

I think I am just beating myself up.  The squiggly line is going down on the charts and that is what I should be focused on.  Staying on track and disciplining myself is what needs to happen.

Okay, I hear the kiddos.  I just asked my son if he would be interested in going for a walk today.  The answer is yes!  Guess I am off to a good start.  Typing all of this out helps.  It's a not so silent Sunday, I guess.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

Back To Normal

Good morning!  I am so glad this crazy week is behind me.  With the trip to Vegas, the no loss at weigh in, the crazy snacking I have been doing and the stress of my job, it's a miracle I haven't broken down yet.

I weighed in Wednesday with no gain, no loss.  I am getting extremely frustrated with the no loss, then a big loss, then a no loss with another big loss.  My WW leader says that it happens to her as well.  It's annoying because when I think I am having a great week and I am expecting to see a loss, it doesn't happen.  Why do our bodies have to be so difficult?

Anyway, it's junior homecoming for my kid and he is going with two of his guy friends.  I am taking them all to dinner and then dropping them off at the dance.  They are all juniors and none of them have a driver's license.  I told my kid he needs to get in gear!  Trucking him and his friends around is not what I plan on doing all next year.

I am looking forward to this next week.  It will be back to my normal routine.  I need to get some grocery shopping done as I am out of fresh fruit and veggies.  I live for fresh fruit and veggies.  Pears are on sale this week and they looked great when I passed them in the store yesterday.  I love their sweet grainy texture.

Off to read your blogs!  Catch you later!!!

Live From Las Vegas

I forgot how much walking you do here.  Thought I would update while I have a few free moments.  I got in about 6 miles of walking yesterday, earning 8 activity points.  I did eat at the Bellagio Buffet, but made some great choices.  I had all my points from the day since I only had a piece of toast for breakfast yesterday.  The food was delicious and the desserts were small, thank goodness!

I ate a ton of veggies (asparagus, spinach, broccoli).  I also had a small piece of fish, a handful of cocktail shrimp (no sauce), two mussels, scallop ceviche and 4 cheese ravioli.  For dessert, I had a very small piece of tiramisu and two bites of bread pudding.  I even had 5 points to spare!!

I am getting ready to head downstairs to grab a quick breakfast and some coffee.  Then it's back to work on the laptop before the convention.

Have a great Monday!

Viva Las Vegas

I am heading to Vegas today for a work conference.  What's the best part about being in Vegas?  The food!!!  And let's not forget all of the walking I will be doing.  No worries!  I am tracking every morsel.

This week is going well.  I would love to see a 2 pound loss on Wednesday.  All the walking will definitely be helpful this week.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I will post a few pics when I get back.

I'm Back

Yay!  I am back.  AND with great news!  I am down another 3.4 pounds!!!!  WooHoo!  I weighed in Wednesday and was shocked.  I figured from the stress and having to be out of town, it would have been another maintenance week or a gain.  But I stayed hydrated and ate pretty well while I was gone.

It feels good to blog again.  I have been so busy with work this week since I missed 4 days last week.  I am leaving for Las Vegas on Sunday and won't be back until Tuesday.  We have a convention to go to, so it should make for a pretty boring time.  I mean, who wants to be in Las Vegas during Valentine's Day!  Can you imagine all of the people flocking there to get married?  Yikes!

Anyway, I am off to read blogs because I have missed everyone so much!!!

Have a great weekend!

Wednesday WI

The scale gods were looking down upon me this morning!  I stayed even, which means no gain!  I almost started crying.  My WW leader said it was a good NSV since I have had so much stress and have had to be out of town all last week.  I will agree!

This makes the total loss for January only 6.8 pounds.  I am going to do my best to shed at least 10 pounds in February.  I am confident I can do it.

Just wanted to check in again.  Have a great week!

Another Update

My grandmother did pass away last night.  I was out of town, but drove back this morning.  I have all the "running around" completed, with a haircut for my son as the last thing to do.  I am going to pack everything tomorrow.  We are leaving to meet up with my brother and will stay the night in Missouri tomorrow, then drive in to Ohio on Thursday.  All reservations have been made and I also grabbed our cooler for drinks and snacks.  I do not plan to stop that much, so I am packing a lot of finger foods to take along.

I also weigh in tomorrow.  I know it's going to be a gain.  I have checked the scale and I can feel it.  I will most likely be up 2 pounds.  I am still going to weigh in and not let it discourage me.

We are driving back on Sunday.  I am hoping I miss all of the Superbowl traffic in Indianapolis on Sunday.

I probably won't post until I get back, so with that being said.....

I hope everyone has a fantastic week!  Work hard, play hard and get on that scale win or lose!

Update

Just got a call from my mom.  Looks like my grandmother has taken another bad turn.  She has very shallow breathing.  My dad says it may be tonight or tomorrow.  I am still heading out of town for my work meetings.  I can always drive back.  I just need to keep busy or else the little things will get to me.

The kid isn't going to be too happy, but he certainly understands.  The family wants him to be a pallbearer since he is the only great-grandson.  I am a little leery about it, considering this is the very first funeral he has attended.  Not to mention, it's falling on his birthday.

Anyway, just wanted to update in case I am MIA for the rest of the week.

Recipe and New Vegetable

To finish the month of January strong, I am getting two of my goals partially accomplished.  The first one is to try a new recipe every month.  I saw this on The Barefoot Contessa, went to the Food Network website and brought up the recipe.  It's Brown Rice, Tomato and Basil.  It is actually pretty good.  I did make a few revisions to the recipe.  Instead of champagne vinegar, I used aged white wine vinegar and used 1/2 cup of basil and 1/2 cup of Italian parsley.  The fresh smell of basil reminds me of summertime and goes great with the grassy taste of the parsley!  Yumm!!

Brown Rice, Tomatoes and Basil

2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients

1 cup Texmati brown rice
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup Champagne or rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 tablespoon good olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ripe tomatoes, large-diced
1 cup packed basil leaves (1 large bunch), chopped

Directions

Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil and add the
rice and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Return to a boil, cover, and simmer
for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the water is
absorbed. Transfer the rice to a bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, remaining teaspoon of
salt, and a pinch of pepper. Pour over the rice. Add the tomatoes and
basil. Mix well and check the seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

© Copyright 2012 Television Food Network G.P., All Rights Reserved

Brown Rice, Tomato and Basil



If you want, sprinkle some RF feta cheese crumbles for an extra point.  It's what I do and I love the zing the feta gives it.  This is a great side dish and is good at room temperature.  I think the longer you let it sit, the better it is.  The flavors all have time to hang out together and get super delicious!

Another goal I wanted to partially accomplish is to try a new vegetable.  I have never tried fennel because of the anise flavor.  Well, I heard that if you roast it with olive oil, salt and pepper, you can't even taste the anise flavor.  I decided to give it a go for tonight's dinner.  I cut off the stalks and cored the bulb.  I cut the bulb up into sections and tossed them with olive oil, garlic salt and pepper.  I roasted it in the oven at 400 degrees for one hour, turning it after 30 minutes.  Once it was roasted, I add some Parmesan cheese.  It turned out okay.  I think it would be much better with other root vegetables, as I could still taste a hint of anise.

Here's what my dinner looked like this evening...

I'm terrible when it comes to taking pictures.  I don't have patience to get the format to be perfect and such.  Oh well, this is what you get!  It's the roasted fennel, brown rice with tomatoes and basil and a baked center cut pork loin chop that has 1 tbsp of bread crumbs and parsley.  Not pictured is the two cups of spinach salad with goat cheese and olive oil dressing.  The meal was good.  The boyfriend didn't even complain.

I also got in a 1.5 mile walk, thanks to Maren.  She is such an inspiration!  BTW - I downloaded Endomondo and it's fantastic!  Super easy and pretty accurate!

So this week will be just as hectic as the last.  Tomorrow - In the office all day, niece's basketball game in the late afternoon, drive 3.5 hours away for a meeting the following day.  Tuesday - Three meetings lasting until 5 pm and a 3.5 hour drive back home.  Wednesday and Thursday - In the office all day as we close the books for our fiscal year-end.  Friday - Back at the office for more work.  I am suppose to be off on Saturday and Sunday.  It's my son's 17th birthday, so we have plans.  The weekend will most likely result in two of his friends staying over, followed by lots of video games and laser tag.

Still no word on my grandmother.  Apparently she has not eaten in three days and is not hooked up to any IVs.  She is still awake, but not coherent.  I am hoping we will not have to do a road trip this weekend, as I do not want to attend a funeral during my son's birthday.  It should be a happy day, not one with tears.

Good night and have a great week everyone!

Is It Sunday Already!

Time is flying by!  Maybe it's because I decided to work yesterday.  I had to take some pictures for a manual one of the departments is making.

This morning when I was making my scrambled eggs, I decided to salt and pepper the mixture before I cooked them.  I usually just salt and pepper after they are done, but it tastes so much better when they are incorporated before cooking!  I am one who really likes to taste their food and I couldn't believe the difference it made.  I am doing this from now on!

This morning's post will be short.  I need to catch up on blogs and go to the store for my weekly fresh buys.  I know fennel will be on the list today!!!

Catch you all later!

Hello!

Wow!  So glad I made it thru this week.  I feel like a new person.  My grandmother is still alive, but it's just a matter of days.  She has Alzheimer's.  I wish there was a quicker way to pass.  It's sad seeing loved ones having to wait.

Food hasn't been great this week.  I actually went over my points Thursday and Friday.  But I am off this weekend and I am planning on getting some good walking in with the beautiful 50 degree weather we are having!  I need those extra steps if I am going to make my walking goal of 500K.

I also have a recipe I am going to be trying tomorrow.  It's part of my New Year Goals!  You haven't forgotten about yours, have you?  I am right on track.  I am also halfway finished with my book, The Age of Innocence.  It's very old fashioned and I love thinking about the mannerisms and the style back in the old days.  It sounds like everything was so posh over there in Europe.  But I'm kinda glad it's not like that anymore.  I love my "automobile" and not having to go around in a horse and carriage.  I also love my modern technology!  Besides, who wants to sit around in a stuffy dress with lace, girdle and garters?  Not me!  But I like reading about it.

The vegetable I am going to try next week is fennel.  Ugh.  I hate anise flavor, but I was watching Ina the other day and she says if you cut it up, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, throw it on a sheet pan and roast it, you can't even taste the anise flavor.  So I am going to give it a whirl because it's one vegetable I wish I liked, but after hearing what it might taste like, I have never tried it.  I hate anise flavor!  Yuck!

It's getting close to the end of January.  How are you doing on your New Year Goals?  I hope you haven't given up!!!!

WI Wednesday

Good Morning!

I went to WW to weigh in this morning.  I am happy to report that I lost 3.6 pounds!  WooHoo!  This brings the total to 17 pounds.  I have been on WW for 7 weeks now and I am making some progress.  I feel awesome!

I have also joined a walking challenge at work.  I have to walk at least 500,000 steps from today to March 31.  That is 66 days of about 7,600 steps per day.  Holy crap!  I only walk a few thousand a day as it is.  Looks like this is going to be a great challenge for me to strive for.  And I can only imagine the weight will continue to come off as I do this.  The increased activity will help my health tremendously!

I bought a WW pedometer.  They were $5 off, so I thought I would try it.  Does anyone have one?  Do you like it?

Gotta get to work.  Just wanted to check in and share the good news!

Aagh!

Just got home and my day is not even over with.  I still have to pick my kid up from music practice at 9 pm!

Dinner is in the oven, should be done in a few.  I made baked tilapia and roasted eggplant and asparagus.  I just finished a huge spinach salad with tomatoes, goat cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a little bit of dressing.  It was yummy.

Tomorrow is going to be crazy!  Gotta drop the kid off at school, pick up the rental car, go weigh in, drop off some food at my aunt's house and then take the 3 hour trek out of town to a meeting.  The meeting will last about 2 hours and then I will make the 3 hour road trip back home and drop off the rental car.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that I can make it back by 6 pm.  Man, I hope so!

Okay, I am pooped!  I even typed this post fast!  No time for spellcheck!  Bye!!

The Night Before Crazy

Yeah.  So this coming week is going to be crazy.  Here's how it looks:

Monday:  In at 7 am, 2 conference calls and off by 3 pm to catch my niece's basketball game
Tuesday:  3 hour road trip out of town to a meeting, 2 hour meeting, 3 hour road trip back from meeting
Wednesday:  Office Day
Thursday:  All day training meeting from 8-5, but have an hour drive to and from
Friday:  2 hour meeting with an hour drive to and from
Saturday:  2 hour meeting, then off
Sunday:  I am suppose to be off

Here's the kicker..... my grandmother is not expected to make it past this week.  So, I have will most likely miss part of this week or next to make the 14 hour drive to Ohio, attend her funeral, drive back 14 more hours the next day.  It will be a 3-day whirlwind trip, one I am not really prepared to make.  I don't mean to sound nonchalant about the whole thing, but I am already stressed to the max and I am on the "no emotion" persona.

Moving on.

Today was a good day in points!  Breakfast was about 8 points - coffee and 2 pieces of toast.  Lunch was sushi and iced tea - 10 points.  Dinner was 18 points - 2 baked boneless and skinless chicken thighs with 1 tbs of bread crumbs, baked potato with 1 tbs of whipped butter, 1 cup of peas and 3 cups spinach salad with tomato, goat cheese, salad dressing and olive oil.  I have 12 points to spare and need one more milk, so I am going to have a Chobani Greek yogurt that I bought today.  Make that 8 points to spare.

Speaking of buying food, I raked in the fresh veggies today!  From the produce department I grabbed some Italian parsley, fresh broccoli, baby carrots, green beans, eggplant, baby spinach, sweet potatoes, Roma tomatoes and grape tomatoes.

I also went to the deli and grabbed some fresh mozzarella balls and goat cheese.  From seafood I had to go for the tilapia that was on sale.  We are having this tomorrow with roasted vegetables!

I bought a few other things for the rest of the fam, but they have really been enjoying the healthier meals I have been preparing.  Since there have been no complaints, I decided to make chocolate chip blondies and peanut butter chocolate chip blondies for home and work.  I am not a big sweets person, so there is absolutely no temptation.  The kid is super excited.  It's been forever since I baked anything for him, so I thought I would indulge them tonight.  I did cut the bars into the correct serving size though.  He's only allowed one tonight!

Hope everyone had a good weekend.  Mine could have been better, but with the news of my grandmother, it's put a bit of a damper on things.  I will say this Passion Fruit Chobani yogurt is delish!!!!  Love the crunchy texture the little seeds give it.

I'm off to read blogs!  Night!

Saturday Musings

Good morning!

Just sitting here with my eggs, toast and coffee.  It's great to have the weekends off most of the time.  Tomorrow I have to go in for a few hours for a quick meeting at a store, but then I can enjoy the rest of the day at home.

Today will be eventful.  My son has a friend staying over this evening, so he is the one up doing the housecleaning.  That is the deal we make.  It's not a lot, but it's housework I don't have to do!  WooHoo!  My son does a pretty good job on his weekly chores.  He is in charge of cleaning the bathroom, his room and doing dishes each night.  Oh, and he takes out the trash every day, along with any yard work that needs to be done in the warmer months.  My boyfriend doesn't do much.  He will do a load of laundry every now and again, but that's it.  He usually does yard work and is in charge of the maintenance for our vehicles.  I do everything else.  Cook, laundry, clean the other rooms, vacuum, mop, etc.  Now that I think of it, the boyfriend has it made.  Hmmmm.... we may need to come up with a honey-do list on his days off.

Do any of you have eTools on WW online?  I love the app they have for my iPhone!!!  I can put my points in anywhere!  It has been such a lifesaver for me.  I use it every single day!

Okay, need to get some blogs read.  We are going out for dinner, so I had a late breakfast to tie me over until we go out.  Thank goodness the place we are going has a vegetable plate I love!

Catch you later!

Today was a good day on points!

Breakfast - 12 points
2 eggs - 4 points
Toast w/butter and jelly - 7 points (I know it's a lot!)
Coffee w/creamer - 1 point

Break - 1 point
Decaf Coffee w/creamer - 1 point

Lunch - 12 points
3 cups of seaweed soup - 3 points
20 medium mussels cooked - 9 points
2 cups water - 0 points

Dinner - 9 points
1/2 stuffed bell pepper - 9 points
3/4 cup of steamed broccoli - 0 points
2 cups of water - 0 points

Dessert - 2 points
Decaf coffee made with skim milk - 2 points

Total Points Used - 36
Total Points Left - 12

The only thing I did not get in today was my activity and oil.  I don't take multi-vitamins.  I get enough from the foods I eat.

The seaweed soup came from my mom's house.  She literally makes a big bucket of the stuff!  It's seaweed and mussels.  It's in soup form and made with mostly water with a bit of chicken broth and clam juice.  It's so good!  It's probably not even that many points, but I wanted to add a point for each cup just in case.

The half a bell pepper was 9 points and worth every one of them!  I used 80% lean ground beef, 1/2 cup of rice, stewed tomatoes and 2/3 cup of shredded colby cheese.  I could have had two, but was full after the first one.  Three months ago, I would have automatically put a whole pepper on my plate.  Today, I was full after eating half, so I stopped.  I am really proud of myself.  I ended the evening with a nice cup of steamed milk with a teaspoon of decaf coffee.  Yumm!

I have been looking for some recipes so I can get another one of my goals down.  I am leaning toward making a new side dish for a meal.  I will probably give it a go on Sunday.

I have to travel again next week.  I will be home late two nights, so dinner will either have to be packed in the car or something light when I get home.  I did pretty well this week, so we shall see.

I am off to read more blogs!

Happy Friday

Oh my gosh!  I've been gone forever!  I need to learn how to post blogs from my iPhone.  Anyway, I had an awesome weekend with my parents and then when I came back, I had to go back out on the road for work.  It's been a hectic week, but I made it.

So I weighed in a day early this week, on Tuesday instead of Wednesday.  I am happy to report a 3 pound loss!  Yay!  I was thrilled and relieved.  I am off to a good start so far this week.  Even though I have been on the road since Wednesday, I made great food choices and packed a bag for the road trip.

Well, I am seriously behind on reading blogs.  I will catch up today.

Happy Friday Everyone!

Anxiety

I have a weigh in this morning.  It's one day early, but I will be out of town later today and tomorrow and I would rather weigh in earlier than later.  I get anxiety about weighing in now.  The losses have been piddly and I don't know why.

I have been told I should get weighed in the morning because your body retains water throughout the day.  So I will weigh in at 9 am today, which is 3 more hours away.  I am not sure if I should eat or drink anything.  Do I wait until after I have weighed in?  Or should I just do what my regular routine calls for?

When I weigh in on Wednesdays, I can go super early because the WW place is open early on that day.  I usually eat breakfast right after, around 8:30.  Today it's not until 9, so I don't know what to do.

This is crazy, right?  Ugh!  I hate WI day!!!

Hiding Out

You read that right.  I've been hiding out.  Why?  Because I only lost 0.2 last week.  It's humiliating.  Just being honest.  I couldn't face anyone right away.  I didn't go into an eating frenzy, although I did want to.  I did change the batteries in my scale, so everything is working correctly now.

I am heading off to see my folks this weekend.  I will track my food everyday on the WW app for iPhone.  I love it!  So convenient.  My folks do not have Internet, so I won't be seeing you until Monday.  I am going to catch up on blogs before I leave tho.

Have a great weekend!

On Track

Weighed myself again today.  Looks like I am on track to get some sort of a loss tomorrow.  Yay!

I need to tell you about the most amazing dinner I made last night!  I made a turkey meatloaf for the first time.  We had it with steamed Yukon gold potatoes and roasted eggplant and zucchini.  That meatloaf was better than any beef meatloaf I have ever had.  I also used a bunch of fresh herbs and added onion and garlic.  So tasty!  You could eat 8 ounces for 8 points!  That's a lot!

Anyway, on with the day.  This morning for breakfast I am having two eggs full of fresh herbs and 2 pieces of toast.  I need it to last me until noon.  I have meetings, so I won't be able to stop for a huge break.  Which reminds me, I need to get going.  Just wanted to check in with all of you!

Have a great day!

Groceries and Meal Planning

I took a peek at the scale and I am right on track for a loss this week!  I just need to keep on course.  Easier said than done.

I went grocery shopping today and got lots of fresh veggies from the produce department - red seedless grapes, baby spinach, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, potatoes, onions and a head of cabbage!  The cabbage is going to be one of the new vegetables.  I have had cabbage before, but it was kimchi.  Kimchi is basically a Korean staple of fermented spicy cabbage.  I have had kimchi turnips, cucumbers, green beans, etc.


(picture by closetcooking.com)

Since this is the only way I have really ever had cabbage, I am planning to cook one for the first time.  I am pretty excited about it!  Not sure what the best way of cooking it is, but I am sure there are some recipes I can look at.

Let's see, I also bought some tilapia, which is what we are having for dinner.  Did you know that 8 whole ounces of tilapia is only 4 measly WW points?  I couldn't believe it!  We are also having rice and roasted asparagus to go with it.  Yumm!

Some other things I bought for meal planning this week were boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs, ground sirloin, ground turkey, lean boneless center cut pork chops, a new bread (Nature's Own Honey Grain which is only 2 points vs. the 3 point Earth Grains), and a few frozen items - mango sorbet and peach sorbet.

Tomorrow is going to be a really busy day, so I have decided to pack a lunch and snacks.  I will be driving on the road during lunch time, so instead of a drive-thru window, it's going to be a sandwich and some grapes.  I haven't decided on dinner yet.  I could make some spaghetti made with ground turkey or we could have the chops.  I haven't made up my mind yet.  I will look thru the Food Network before bed to see if anything inspires me.

Curious.... how do you plan out your meals?  I could use some ideas.

Hope you all had a great weekend!  See you in Monday!

Eleven

I was tagged by Leigh and Poison yesterday and so I thought I would give this a try since I am new to this and would love to make more blogging friends.  I will warn you that I am very outspoken sometimes, so if certain words or things offend you, well, I guess you can stop reading.

Now on with it!

11 Random Things

1.  I am half Korean and was born in Seoul, South Korea.
2.  I named my blog Half Chinked because growing up I was made fun of, ridiculed, bullied and harassed for being an Asian American.  I was called a chink numerous times, so that is why I have decided to face it.  Since I am only half Asian, Half Chinked fit for me.
3.  I am the oldest of three, with a sister and a brother.
4.  I was a single parent for awhile until I met my boyfriend.
5.  I secretly hate my son's father.  He is a deadbeat dad and has really done nothing to help raise our son.
6.  I was actively involved with sports all the way to college.  I played college basketball and was very good at volleyball and track during high school.
7.  I want to build my own dream home.  I have the land, now I just need the finances to build it during these crazy economic times.
8.  I love to win.  It comes from being a first born for sure and the athlete in me.  I hate losing.
9.  I am a reality TV junkie.  I love the following shows:  The Amazing Race, Biggest Loser, Survivor, Big Brother (my favorite), etc.  I have about 25 shows that I actively DVR.
10.  I am secretly in awe of Ina Garten.  She is a food goddess and I wish she was my neighbor.
11.  I love to cook!

Okay, that wasn't too terribly scary.  Although I will have to do a separate post one day to explain the blog title more in depth.  It's one of the main reasons why I am overweight.  Moving on....


11 Random Questions for Leigh

1.  What was your favorite food when you were a child?

This is easy.  It would have to be kim pop.  This is Korean style sushi, but as a kid, my mom would season the seaweed with sesame oil and salt.  She would toast it over a flame so that it was crispy.  Then she would make sticky rice and flavor it with sesame oil and soy sauce.  This would go into the little squares of seaweed and she would fold them in half.  Best thing ever!  My son loves these also!

2.  What is one of your favorite quotes?

One of my favorite quotes is, 'Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.'

3.  What is your favorite body part?

My boobs.  I love my boobs.  Lol.... I warned you.

4.  If you could stay a certain age forever, what age would it be and why?

I would stay 18 forever.  I don't drink so I am not worried about the drinking age, but 18 was one of the best years of my life.  I would love to stay that age.

5.  If you could choose anyone, who would you pick as your mentor?

This one is hard.  I love to do so many things, so it's hard to pick.  I would have to say my current boss.  He's amazing!

6.  If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be?

I would love to meet my Korean grandfather and grandmother.  My grandfather died when I was 2 years old and my grandmother is still alive living in Korea.  I have not seen her since we left when I was almost 3 years old.

7.  What celebrity do you get mistaken for?

That's funny.  Margaret Cho during her heavier years.  She's a Korean comedian.  We have the same body type and same sense of humor.  I think she's great.

8.  What would you name the autobiography of your life?

That's easy.  The name of this blog - Half Chinked.

9.  What was the first thing you bought with your own money?

A car!  It's really not the very first thing, but it's the first thing I bought and paid off by myself.

10.  What was the last experience that made you a better person?

The last experience that made me a better person was when I burst into tears in front of my 16 year old son and told him I was tired.  I was tired of being a parent by myself and for always feeling like the bad guy when it came to his dad.  It was so much of a relief to let it all out.  Poor kid.  He took it well and was very encouraging.  That experience changed my life.  I am no longer feeling like I have to be Super Mom.

11.  What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?

The Help.  I saw it in the theater and was bawling within the first 10 minutes.  Movies about people overcoming prejudices in their lives is inspiring and moving.  I can totally relate.

11 Random Questions for Poison

1.  What do you want done with your body after you die?

I have always wanted to be mummified.  I know this sounds crazy, but it's fascinating to me.  Besides, how would I know if my family actually did it for me after I am dead?  It's not like I would be there to review the process.

2.  Would you rather receive a practical gift you need or something silly that means something special?

I would choose a practical gift, something I could use.  On the other hand, when I give gifts, I do the silly/special gifts.

3.  How many pets do you have and what kinds?

None.  And I am glad.  Not a pet person at all.  I do not like dogs and cats.  Not as pets anyway.

4.  If money weren't an issue, what would you buy?

I would hire a personal trainer and a chef.  Does that sound lazy of me?  hahaha.....

5.  What is one thing you plan on doing before 2012 is over?

Accomplishing most of the goals I set for myself.  You can check them out on the sidebar.

6.  How did you spend your last birthday?

I spent it pigging out at our favorite Mexican restaurant.  The one I have not been back to in over 3 months.  Yay!

7.  What are you hoping your next NSV will be?

I would like to curb some of my overeating habits.  I tend to do this at night after dinner.  I keep snacking sometimes and it will get the best of me.  Need more self-control with that!

8.  What is your favorite healthy snack?

Right now it's clementines and grapes!  Yumm!

9.  Do you like crunchy or creamy peanut butter?

I grew up on Peter Pan creamy, but I love the crunchy stuff.  I love any kind of peanut butter!

10.  Do you wear your shoes inside your house?

Absolutely not!  Cardinal Rule #1 of a Korean household - shoes come off at the front or back door!!!

11.  What kind of car do you drive?

In my dreams I drive a Mercedes SUV, but in real life I drive a Hyundai Sonata (Korean-made of course).


Wow.  That felt good.  Those were some awesome questions!  I am suppose to tag 11 people, but I don't even know 11, so I have chosen to skip that part.  Once I get to know more bloggers, I would love to participate more.  I do hope I haven't scared anyone off.  I have had a good life, but some parts I wish I did not have to go thru.  But it makes us who we are.

I'll check you out later!

Nutty Bread, Nutty Me

I am addicted to the Earth Grains 12 grain bread.  It's so nutty and I love the texture and taste.  It's also 3 points a slice and I have had 4 slices today.  Ugh!  Two for breakfast and two with dinner.  I won't be buying it again because I am a bread lover and this bread is like sweets to a sweet tooth!  So, no more for me!

I walked 4 laps around the high school track today.  I think that is a mile.  It earned me 3 activity points, so that was good.  It was a nice day with a bit of wind, but I am glad I got out and walked.

I need to do some grocery shopping tomorrow (purchase new bread) as I am running low on fresh fruits and vegetables.  This week we had fresh steamed broccoli one night and roasted cauliflower and tomatoes tonight.  I love the taste of cooked fresh veg compared to canned or frozen.  I am planning on buying a new fruit or vegetable tomorrow so I can knock out one item from my 2012 goal to eat 10 new fruits of veggies.  I might try a leek or a squash.  Any suggestions out there?

I also finally got my first book from Barnes and Noble yesterday.  I purchased the Age of Innocence and read two chapters today.  I really like it so far.  The big words that most writers don't use anymore are what I love most.  The long sentences used to describe the simplest of things.  Love it!!!  I plan to have the book read by Valentine's Day so I can start another one.  I won't be doing a book report or anything like that, so if you want to know anything, just ask, or you can read it yourself!  I am pretty sure you can get it online for dirt cheap, but I am traditional when it comes to books.  I will only get hardback unless it's extinct.  lol....  Yes, another validation for my nuttiness.

I am off to finish reading blogs, so hope you all had a fantastic Saturday!

Yay For The Weekend!

So glad the weekend is here!  I got to sleep in today.  Breakfast consisted of some yummy toast and scrambled eggs.  I haven't been getting enough dairy, so I had a glass of skim to go with it.  Lunch will be a baked chicken thigh with steamed broccoli.

I am planning to walk around the track today.  It should be a nice day.  Can't wait!  Check in later!

Good morning!  Did awesome with my food yesterday.  Eating breakfast and lunch are definitely the right thing to do for me.  I ate dinner super early at around 6 pm.  We usually eat around 7 to 7:30.  I had two clementines and yogurt for dessert around 8:30 pm and still had 7 points to spare!  It was a great day.

This morning for breakfast, I am having 1/2 cup of Eggbeaters and 2 slices of 12 grain bread with whipped butter.  Breakfast will probably be around 10 points.  I like to be around that much each day.

I've only done some activity once since my weigh-in.  I will probably jump on the treadmill later today.  If it's still nice out when I get home, I may just go for a walk.

Have a great day everyone!

Lesson Learned

I gained.  Ugh.....

I am up 0.4.  I know that is minuscule to some, but man!  What a disappointment.  And I know exactly what went wrong this week.  No breakfasts.

I did brunches instead, thinking I could be slick and combine breakfast and lunch so I wouldn't use that many points.  What ended up happening is that by dinner time, I was starving and overate.  I still kept within my points value, but there were a lot of points consumed late in the day with little or no activity.  Lesson learned.

This week I am making it a goal to stay on track and make sure I eat breakfast and lunch every day.

Today wasn't a good day with food.  I was so busy at work, I had to skip lunch.  Not a great start.  I weighed in around 4:30 today.  I had dinner before 7 pm and still have about 12 points left plus 3 activity points from walking on the treadmill this morning.  Don't think I am going to use them tonight.

I am not hanging my head in defeat.  I really learned a valuable lesson today on what I need to do.  I thought by changing it up this week a little bit would help, but it turned out the opposite.  The great thing is I am not going to give up over a silly 0.4 gain on the scale.  It's not even a half pound!

So, it's back to the basics for me this week.  I can't wait until next week.  I am going to kill that weigh in!

I've got a weigh in later today.  I am kinda sorta looking forward to it.  Anyone else get a bit of anxiety when weighing in at Weight Watchers?  I am sure it's normal.

I'll post weight later this evening.

Have a good day!

Reality Check

Whoa.

Today was a reality check.  It was totally stressful and I didn't realize how my bad habits come into play when I am super stressed at work.  I totally skipped breakfast.  I had a small clementine and hot tea around 10 am.  Then at noon, I made really bad choices!

For lunch I had two baked chicken thighs, one cup of mashed potatoes and one cup of buttery corn.  Lunch was like 24 points (I think)!!!  Ouch!!!

For dinner I am making a baked pork loin chop (9), potato and zucchini gratin (6), and a huge salad w/dressing (3).  I also used olive oil to bake with and I always add that to my points value regardless (2).  So dinner will be 20 points.  I now get 48 points each day compared to the 50 I was getting starting out.  I am sure my points will drop again after tomorrow's weigh-in.  Considering I even lose anything!

I am excited about starting my goals for 2012.  I have already ordered my first book for the year, picking it from the Top 100 list.  I actually asked my boyfriend to pick a number between 1 and 100.  He chose #58 which ended up being The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.  I ordered the hardback from Barnes and Noble  It should be here sometime by the weekend.  I can't wait to start reading it!

I've also been looking at new recipes I can try.  One of my goals is to try a new recipe and to also try new fruits and vegetables, so combining the two makes sense.  It's fun looking up recipes online and then putting them in the recipe tracker to see how many points I can get it down to.

Well, I am off to read blogs.  What kind of new fruits and vegetables have you tried?

Goals, Not Resolutions

Happy 2012!!!

Good afternoon!  I just got off the treadmill.  It was my very first "official" activity since joining WW on December 7.  I walked for only 15 minutes, so it wasn't a sweat-soaked workout, believe me.  I want to gradually build up my activity since I am just starting out.  My plan is working so far and that is what I will continue to do.

Last night my boyfriend and I went over to his brother's house for New Year's Eve.  It was fun.  We played poker and then bingo for prizes.  I won a Monopoly Deal card game and the BF won a baseball cap, lottery tickets and a pillow pet.  The pillow pet was his favorite out of the three gifts.  Uh, yeah.  I also did great on the food and points, with 3 points to spare.  WooHoo!

I thought a lot about what goals I wanted to make for 2012.  They are specific and measurable.  Here is what I have come up with:

• Walk in a timed 5K.
• Run in a timed 1-mile.
• Try one brand new recipe each month and post on my blog.
• Try at least 10 new fruits or vegetables (I have eaten a lot of different things, so this may be hard).
• Go vegan for one week this year.
• Read at least 4 books from the Top 100 Classic list from Modern Library.
• Give back.  Volunteer at the local food bank at least 3 times this year.

Not too bad.  I want to achieve at least 5 out of the 7 goals.  That would be a good accomplishment for 2012.  I plan on giving myself a "checkup" each month.  I want to make sure these goals don't fall by the wayside.  I know I can do this.

What goals did you choose for yourself for 2012?