Wednesday, December 31, 2008

New Years Eve checkin

Ummmmm 114!?!?! I lost two pounds? I have no clue. My only guess is my body went into hyper shock from the few treats I had and then Sunday's no power bad food eating. Do you know how hard it is to eat healthy when you have no power?

Not sure what we'll do tonight for NYE. We may go to dinner or we may stay in. Course if we stay in, I have to go grocery shopping. We are out of everyday food.

I'm in love with clementines right now. The boxes of them are on sale and they make such a nice snack. mmmmmmm

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Christmas Eve Check-in

First week on Simply Filling and I maintained, still at 116.

I plan on having a few treats tonight and tomorrow, but just treats not grazing on the stuff like I used to do.

Christmas Eve menu has always been lasagna. This year I'm making a small pasta-less one for me. Bonus recipe!!!

1 large can tomato sauce
italian seasonings
fresh mushrooms
chopped peppers

Mix this altogether for sauce layer.

fat free ricotta
fat free shredded mozzarella

zuchini or summer squash, sliced lengthwise

Layer sauce, cheese and sliced zuchini. Bake at 400 for 30 minutes.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

12/17 Check-In

Starting this week I'm switching over to the new Simply Filling technique for tracking. It's basically the old "Core".

The Simply Filling technique rules

In addition to Filling Foods, there are some foods and beverages that you don't have to count POINTS values for (although they are not Filling Foods): beverages like coffee and tea without sugar, diet soda, club soda and seltzer (plain or flavored/unsweetened), and water; and fat-free condiments and seasonings like mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, fat-free dressing and fat-free salsa.
You don't have to count POINTS values for the 2 teaspoons of healthy oils (olive, canola, safflower, sunflower, and flaxseed oil) that you need for good nutrition each day (see the Good Health Guidelines).

Bread is not a Filling Food

Vegetables, beans & legumes cannot contain ingredients that are not Filling Foods. You also need to track POINTS values for vegetable juices.

Canned fruit must be packed in water or juice. Applesauce must be unsweetened. You must track POINTS values for dried fruits and fruit juices.

Cold cereals must be limited to one meal a day and eaten with fat-free milk or fat-free plain yogurt. Whole-grain cereals without added sugar, nuts or dried fruit are Filling Foods, as is any plain variety of cooked (hot) cereal that does not contain added sugar.

Choose and prepare visibly lean cuts of meat. Ground beef with no more than 7% fat, ground chicken and ground turkey cannot be part of more than one meal a day.

Whole-wheat pasta, potatoes and brown rice are limited to one meal a day

Processed meats such as deli items or hot dogs are not Filling Foods

Canned fish and shellfish must be packed in water, broth or tomato juice (not in oil).

Weight Watchers® Smoothies are limited to once a day.

With Simply Filling Maintenance you have 63 weekly points to use on the non Filling Foods. This technique is supposed to help you learn how to maintain without having to count everything.

Weigh in this morning, back down to 116.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

12/14 Football Food

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

--uncooked wheat lasagna noodles
--4 already cooked chicken breast halves
--jar of prepared pasta sauce
--1 cup buffalo wing sauce
--3 red, yellow, or orange bell peppers, chopped
--tub of fat free ricotta cheese (15 oz)
--2 cups low fat or fat free shredded cheese (mozzarella and cheddar blend)
--1/2 cup bleu cheese crumbles
--1/4 cup of water (add at very end)

Use at least a 5qt crockpot, or cut back on the amount of ingredients. In a large glass bowl, combine cooked and chopped chicken breast, the pasta sauce, and 1 cup of buffalo wing sauce.
Ladle a big spoonful of the sauce into the bottom of your crockpot. Cover with a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles. You'll have to break them to get a proper fit.Add a smear of ricotta cheese to the top of the noodles. Add a layer of chopped bell pepper. Sprinkle on a handful of shredded cheese.
Repeat layers until you run out of ingredients. Add the bleu cheese crumbles, if desired. Put the 1/4 cup of water into your empty pasta sauce jar and shake. Pour the liquid over the top of the entire lasagna.Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or on high for 4-5. When cooking time is complete, unplug and take off the lid of the crock. Let it sit for 20 minutes before cutting into. Or it will fall apart.

No bleu cheese on ours. *icky face*

ETA- owwww my tongue!!! I could only eat half a serving. Next time I'll only put 1/2 cup of hot sauce in it.

On the stovetop have a batch of zero point soup going and plan on making more Snickerdoodles.

Sorry for only one recipe today.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

12/10 Check-in

Up a pound this week, I didn't eat any extra last week. The new plan is out for WW and it's pretty much what I was already doing. I didn't just eat points, I paid attention to what I was eating and chose healthy non-processed foods.

My new heart rate monitor just came!!! Merry Christmas to me!!! I can't wait to try it out.

Sunday, December 7, 2008

12/7 Football Food

Got recipes today! Yay!

In the crock pot, Potato Soup. mmmmmmm is it yummy.

1 bag frozen shredded potatoes
3 cans fat free chicken broth
1 package country gravy

Mix all together and let simmer on low 4-5 hours. I add a package of diced lean ham to ours. mmmmmm Very good soup, and great on this extremely cold day.

1 cup= 1 point

No dip today.

The dessert I'm going to try baking today is a Betty Crocker recipe for Chai Latte cupcakes that I'm going to alter for WW.

1 box French Vanilla cake mix
12 oz Sprite Zero
3 TBS chai latte mix

Bake on 350 for 18-23 minutes. I'll let you know how these turn out after P gets back with my cupcake liners.

ETA- mmmmmm chai latte cupcakes, I love them. P thinks they need frosting. For 2 points a piece I like them fine just the way they are.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

12/3 After Thanksgiving Check-In

I ate for Thanksgiving, oh and a couple drinks too. mmmmm pomegrate martinis mmmmmmmmmm yummy

I had sweet potatoes, turkey, sausage stuffing and pumpkin roll for Thanksgiving. mmmmm pumpkin roll mmmmmmmmmmm Thank goodness for the lowfat recipe. I think I ate pumpkin roll once or twice a day since last Thursday. Seriously.


Oh and some rum and diet cokes last Wednesday night. Our local bar on the corner reopened, had to check it out.

So what's the verdict? 116, down three pounds. Seriously. *shrug* My body likes fuel. I need to remember that!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

11/30 No Food

Sorry, no recipes today.

I spent the day at a friend's house working on crafts.

Only thing I cooked today was venison chili in the crockpot.

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

11/26 Check - In

Back up to 119 this week. I didn't eat my APs last week and none of my WPs. Bad me! I know I need to eat more to lose or stay lower. Oh well. I'm still below goal and maintaining well.

Today is the day before Thanksgiving, so today I'm doing some prep work. I'm going to make the lower point Pumpkin Roll and my not so low point sausage stuffing for tomorrow.

I plan on staying on plan tomorrow, filling my plate with veggies first and then filling in with higher point foods.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

11/23 Football Food

Well except I have no Packer game today, it's tomorrow night. But Sunday is for football and I will be watching some. Did I mention I'm going to see Twilight today? Oh yeah DD is coming with me, but I'm going to see Twilight today!

For supper in crockpot- Easy Chicken and Dumplings


3 breast(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 cup(s) celery, chopped
onion, chopped
1 cup(s) carrot(s)
chunked potato, big chunks so they don't over cook
2 1/2 cup(s) Campbell's 98% Fat-Free Cream Of Chicken Soup, 2 cans, 1 can is 1 1/4 cup
Pillsbury Grands! Homestyle Reduced-Fat Buttermilk Biscuit(s)

InstructionsPlace chicken, chopped celery, carrots, chopped onions and soup in crockpot. Cook on low all day. One hour before serving time, rip apart bisucts and toss on top. Cook for an hour or until bisuits are cooked.

ETA turn the crock up to high when you plop in the bisquit dough. mmmmmm good, I fed two huge hungry men, one small hungry boy and me... everyone but me had seconds.

On stove top I have my zero point soup simmering. mmmmm I missed this soup.

Cookies tested today will be seeing how the Snickerdoodle recipe from last week, works as a base for chocolate chip cookies.

1 yellow cake mix
6 oz fat free vanilla yogurt
chocolate chips

I also bought a devils food cake mix, will make some chocolate chocolate chip cookies the same way.

ETA mmmmmm cookies, I think I like the chocolate ones just a little bit better. So it will be Snickerdoodles and chocolate chocolate chip cookies for the holidays.

I had a dip planned, but P is out in the woods all day with his buddy B and his son N... so not going to bother with one and will save it for next weekend.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

11/19 Check In

Well eating more is what I'm supposed to do apparently. I'm down to 117. I didn't expect to lose, but I'll take the cushion below goal.

Still exercising, but I did skip my run yesterday due to weather. We moved the treadmill out to the new building we built... but that building doesn't have heat. There's a stove but it's not hooked up yet. Running in 18 degree weather didn't sound like fun, so I skipped it and did a Buns of Envy DVD on onDemand. (and today my rearend is sore!) I may have to figure something else out to be sure I get my runs in, like bring the treadmill to work and run here.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

11/16 Football Food

No little dipper today, just me home watching football.

In big crockpot I have a whole chicken rotessiere style, which just means it's sitting up on foil wrapped potatoes so it doesn't sit in the juice it makes. I have it seasoned with garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and slices of lemon. I stuffed some of the garlic and lemons inside the chicken too.

Another cookie tried-

Snickerdoodles

1 box yellow cake mix
6oz of fat free vanilla yogurt
dash of cinnamon

Mix all together, will make a thick dough. Roll into balls(I sprayed my hands to keep it from sticking to my fingers) and arrange on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar and bake for 15 minutes on 350. Makes about 30 cookies. 2 cookies for 1 point!

Um? These are good. So good I think I may have to hide them from myself. Seriously.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

11/12 Check In

Up one pound to 119. I was stingy with points because of all the eating I had been doing the last couple of weeks.

I'm going to eat lots of weekly points this week and see what happens.

Still working out. Yay me!!!

Sunday, November 9, 2008

11/9 Football Food

In little dipper I have the Rotel sausage dip that we had a few weeks ago. mmmmm yummy

In the big crock pot I have White Chili.

1 - Onion, chopped
4 cups - Cooked Turkey or Chicken, chopped
2 (14.5 oz.) cans - Ready to Serve Chicken Broth (fat free)
1 (4 oz.) can - Old El Paso chopped Green Chiles
2 oz. (1/2 cup) - shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 ribs - Celery, thinly sliced
2 (15.5 oz.) cans - White Beans, drained ( I have one can northern beans and one chickpea)
2 tsp. - Cumin


Edited to say, add salt and pepper while cooking next time. Otherwise this chili is mmmmmm good.

I always make Pumpkin Roll for the holidays, so today I'm going to test a low calorie/low fat recipe.

Pumpkin Roll
15 servings

1 Angel Food Cake Mix - the 1 Step 1 cup cold water
1 can (15oz) pumpkin
1 TB pumpkin pie spice

Filling:
1 (8oz) FF Cream cheese
1 (3 oz) SF FF Cheesecake pudding mix
1 (8 oz) FF Cool Whip
Pumpkin pie spice to taste

Preheat oven to 350^. Line a jelly roll pan with waxed paper. Spray lightly with Pam. Beat the cake mix and water together in a bowl for 2 or 3 minutes. Fold in pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cake spings back when touched gently in the center. Let cool for 5 minutes. Put powdered sugar on a clean dish towel and flip the cake onto the towel. Carefully peel off the wax paper. Roll the cake and towel together on the longer side (get more slices for less points). Let cool for 5 or 6 hours. ETA no way, don't let it cool this long. I let it cool for an hour and I wish I hadn't. I never used to. The roll needs to be warm when you unroll it to frost it otherwise it breaks. Beat Cream cheese and slowly add Cool Whip in portions. This keeps the filling from getting lumpy. After this mixture is well blended, add the dry pudding mix and pumpkin pie spice. Carefully unroll the cake, spread the cream cheese mixture on the top. Gently roll the cake back up. I frosted the pumpkin roll with Cool Whip and a sprinkled with cinnamon. Very moist and doesn't taste low fat at all. Master cook says 107 calories, trace fat, trace fiber

ETA- OMH! So good, no idea it is low fat. It tastes like the original I made before, which was 5 points. This one? Only 2!

Heh since I have the oven going, I'm trying out some chocolate chip cookies too.

1 yellow cake mix
1 cup Eggbeaters
6 oz chocolate chips

Drop tablespoon fulls on cookie sheet, bake 350 for 15 minutes. Erk, only 12 minutes. The first batch was overdone. The second batch are perfect and yummy. ETA even later to say, DD says they are sooooo good. She was mad there wasn't more.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

11/5 Check In- Happy Birthday DBF!

Wooohooo we're going out for DBF's birthday tonight. I think he's going to pick Texas Roadhouse. mmmmmm steak!

Weighed in this morning and still 118.

Got back on the exercise routine this week. Yay me!!! Very happy that I did this.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Football Sunday 11/2 Food

The Pack is back playing this week after their bye week.

Dinner today will be Comfort Food.

1 rope low fat kielbasa or polish sausage cut in chunks
4-5 red potatoes sliced
1 can 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup

Heat all this together until potatoes are tender. mmmmmm It's cold today, so this will be stick to our ribs good warm food. You can make it even lower in calories, fat and points by using turkey kielbasa. I only had the low fat in the freezer.

In the Little Dipper I have a pizza dip warming up.

8 oz fat free cream cheese brick
12 sliced of turkey pepperoni cut in pieces
1 cup pizza sauce
1/4 cup fat free shredded mozzerella

It's amazing how low this dip is. 2 points! I have pretzel chips for me to dip in it and bread sticks for P.

My big batch cooking for today is just going to be Mashed Cauliflower. I've been switching back and forth from this and the zero point soup for lunches.

1 head cauliflower
3 wedges of garlic and herb Laughing Cow cheese

I may also experiment with a cookie recipe today too. I need to find some yummy low point cookies for the holidays.

Pumpkin Mookies

1 can pumpkin puree
spice cake mix
1/4 cup water

Mix together and drop by the spoonful on cookie sheet. Bake 350 for 5-8 minutes. (Depends on size)

Edited in the evening to say. mmmmmm The Mookies were very good, I added raisins. mmmmmm The pizza dip was very good and disappeared fast, even DD ate some.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

10/29 Check In

Not sure where it went, but I lost 2 pounds. I'm at 118. I did eat some of my weekly flex points the past two weeks, where before on maintenance I stuck to my daily 22 and rarely even ate my APs. (I know that's greek for some of you.) So basically I think my body needs more fuel. Maybe?

So things to work on this week-

continue exercising
play with points, maybe eat more food
need new recipes

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

10/22 Check In, Wow

OK, I know it can take up to 10 days for your body to show a binge.... so maybe next week's weigh in won't be a maintain. But. Today was!!! Woot! Still 120!

I did get up today and got back on my exercise schedule (I hope). Jillian made me cry for my Mommy. *giggle* Yesterday either my alarm never went off or I just plain shut it off and never woke up. So tomorrow it's back to running. I'm going to redo week 8 since I only did 2 days of it last week before my mini-vacation.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

10/15 Quick Check-in

Has to be quick, I'm late for a meeting. Still 120 maintaining well. This weekend should be fun! No counting for me, but I do plan on not over indulging too much. I know my stomache would revolt if I did. I'd rather not spend my vacation with friends in the bathroom.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Sunday Football Food 10/12

*burp*

Made the same Zero point soup, it's currently cooling in it's pot on the stovetop.

In dip crockpot, I have a dip warming... not sure if it's going to be good though. I'm not sure how I did it, but I screwed up. For some reason I swore the dip was a roasted red pepper dip.... turns out it was supposed to be sun dried tomato. Ooops.

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

8oz reduced fat cream cheese
1 jar of roasted red peppers- chopped

Place cream cheese in little dipper and top with the chopped peppers, stir after awhile to mix.

*shrug* We'll see if it's tasty. Update! During the 4th quarter of the latest Lions loss, we tried the dip. It's very yummy! P didn't like the pretzel chips I had to go with it, so he ate his on crackers but he really liked it.

For dinner we're having shrimp alfredo, I'm finally going to try the laughing cow alfredo sauce.

Laughing Cow Alfredo

3 wedges garlic and herb laughing cow cheese
1/2 cup low fat milk
1 TBS reduced fat parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder

That is for a single serving, so I'll be timesing it by 3 to make a 3 servings sauce and adding shrimp to it.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

10/8 Check-in

Still 120! Wooohoooo, Doing very well at maintaining.

Also doing well with exercising, I'm starting to feel the difference. *makes muscle*

I made chili and soup last weekend. The soup is soooooo good. I love it.

I'm stuck in a rut with the Bento thing, I just always have a sammich and a little thing of carrots and a little thing of grapes. *yawn* Boring! Maybe Bentos are better for summer lunches?

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Football Sunday Food

It's been cold here, so time for stews, chili and soups. So today I have cooking-

Meaty Chili- in crockpot

- big can of diced tomatoes
- tomato sauce
- 1lb ground beef
- chopped onion
- cut up leftover pork roast
- one lonely can of chili beans (Phil isn't big on beans and wanted meaty chili)
- lots of chili powder

Zero Point Veggie Soup- on stove top

- jar of homemade canned tomatoes
- diced zucchini
- diced summer squash
- sliced fresh mushrooms
- chopped onion
- packet of Savory Italian Herb mix

Rotel Dip- in small dip sized crockpot

-one package Jennie-O turkey breakfast sausage links, browned and chopped up
- 8oz low fat cream cheese brick
- can of Rotel- drained

I have baked Tostito scoops to go with that. We're also going to have fat free hotdogs with light hot dog buns. mmmmm I'm going to stuff my face today!

(The Rotel Dip comes from the crockpot lady at A Year of Crockpotting.)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Check-in 10/1

Still maintaining! Woohooo! LOL Considering the pizza, chinese and birthday cake that was consumed by me over the weekend.... I'm very pleased with my self.


It's cold this week. I need to find some soup and stew recipes that I can make in big batches on the weekend for weekday lunches.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

9/24 Wed check-in

Well my test worked, or atleast I didn't fail it. I think. I stayed at 120! I stuck to my exercise schedule for over a week now. Very happy with myself about that.

Still need to work on new breakfast and lunch ideas.

Monday, September 22, 2008

That was a test

and only a test. This weekend while camping, I had no computer access and unlike last time we went camping I didn't bring WW material to check points or track with. I didn't count points all weekend. I did have healthy food with us, so I'm not real concerned... but this will be a test. Stay tuned for this Wednesday's check in to see how it worked.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

9/17 Wed. Check In

Wednesdays are/were my weigh in days for Weight Watchers, so I'll continue that here. I'm still currently a paying member of Weight Watchers Online, but I plan on being able to do this on my own some day.

Weight- 120
Stayed the same. Yay! I was a little worried, since I finally started exercising and added back 4 points for maintenance. But no gain!

Things to work on-

-continue getting up early to work out.
-finding new lunch choices


I have been bringing Bentos for lunch, they just haven't looked much different then the first one so no pics. I need to find/make some new foods. I found a recipe for corn dog muffins, that I may try.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Couch to 5K

From www. coolrunning.com

Each session should take about 20 or 30 minutes, three times a week. That just happens to be the same amount of moderate exercise recommended by numerous studies for optimum fitness. This program will get you fit. (Runners who do more than this amount are doing it for more than fitness, and before long you might find yourself doing the same as well).
Be sure to space out these three days throughout the week to give yourself a chance to rest and recover between efforts. And don't worry about how fast you're going. Running faster can wait until your bones are stronger and your body is fitter. For now focus on gradually increasing the time or distance you run.


Week One
Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Week Two
Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

Week Three
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:
Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Week Four
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 2-1/2 minutes)
Jog 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Walk 1/8 mile (or 90 seconds)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

Week Five
Day One
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Day Two
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Day Three
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog two miles (or 20 minutes) with no walking.

Week Six
Day One
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
Day Two
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then:
Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
Day Three
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) with no walking.

Week Seven
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.5 miles (or 25 minutes).

Week Eight
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 2.75 miles (or 28 minutes).

Week Nine
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).
The final workout! Congratulations! Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then jog 3 miles (or 30 minutes).


Yes I'm on the program again. Did W5D1 this morning. Why do I stop running? I really do enjoy it.

Friday, September 12, 2008

My first Bento



My first Bento! What fun. It's probably been over a year since I first heard of Bento lunches and did all sorts of research and was going to try them. LOL I guess it's good it only took me a year? Or maybe learning portion control on WW helped give me the final push. Bento lunches are tradionally Japanese, with a rice base. Mine will probably not follow that and contain healthy stuff. *grin* The idea of them though is small portions arranged pretty in little containers. You can buy actual Bento lunch box stuff, but I went the cheapo route. The big container is just a throw away divided plastic container, I think by Reynolds? The blue and green containers are those silicone muffin cups, they're flexible so you can mix and match and make them fit.



Pita is chicken salad with a couple cuke slices, then I have cukes, carrots, grapes and trail mix to go with it. I also have a can of soup that I'll probably enjoy along with it.

Welcome

Instead of cluttering my public blog with foodie stuff, I started this one. I hope to have links to some of my healthier sites. (as soon as I figure out how the heck to add links)

Also this will be a great place to save recipes and ideas that I get from the WW site. So stay tuned!