Adventures of an Overweight Chocoholic

Support is Not Just for Boobies!

2013-10-19T12:08:00.002-04:00

It is breast cancer awareness month, so in honor of the wonderful woman in my life who are fighting and have kicked cancer's ass, I give you a boob joke. ;)

Since my doctor put me on this ultra strict no fun diet last July, I have lost a total of 26 pounds. If we want to go back the few years when I first started this blog, I am down a total of 45 pounds from when I was at my heaviest.

45 pounds!!! That's a small child!!!

One of my biggest milestones happened at my last doctor's appointment where in the first time in five years I am under 200 pounds. I'm hoping by the end of next week my BMI will be officially out of the morbid obese category, and I'm only 15- 20 pounds away from being considered healthy enough for fertility treatment. To many woman, 15-20 pounds seems like a lot to lose. From where I was to where I'm heading, it sounds like such a small amount in comparison.

My last few weeks I have not lost as much weight as I have in the past months. When this happens, I begin to feel discouraged. I'm more likely to have just one little cheat.... This time however, something amazing happened.

Everyone started coming up to me and asking what I was doing.

There is nothing that cheers a person up faster than hearing how amazing they look!

Ever since I lost a small child's worth of fat off my body, everyone wants to know how I am making it happen. I am more than happy to share, and I always use the disclaimer, "this is what a DOCTOR told me to do." The diet is strict, and it may not be right for everyone. After I scare the person with the diet, I tell them the real reason why I have been successful:

My support staff.

There is no way in hell I could do this on my own. Scroll back several years worth of blog entries and you can see my feeble attempts to get my life back! If you really want to lose weight, and I mean REALLY want to lose weight. You must give up on the notion that you can do it alone and accept the help and love from your own designated support staff. Sure, maybe you can lose ten quick pounds, but unless you are willing to commit to a lifestyle change, it will not stay off.

When I say support staff, I do not mean going out and hiring some expensive Hollywood-kick-your-ass-and-only-eat-wheat-grass-trainer, I mean the people in your life that can boost you up when you are down. The people that you can talk with, ask advice, share recipes, and give a hug when needed. I want to share my support staff and explain why these people are the reason I am so successful!

1.) My doctor.

When I showed up at Riverside Surgical last May, it was because I was feeling miserable and being bounced from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with me. I was nauseous and in a lot of pain. When the surgeon I saw said there was nothing he could do and that I would probably feel better if I quit being a fat ass (my words, not his ;) ) he referred me over to his partner saying that my health factors and BMI percentage qualified me for obesity surgery. I was floored. I went home frustrated, disgusted with myself, disgusted with him for not being able to help me, disgusted with the people who can eat whatever they want and not gain weight, disgusted with PCOS for making it nearly impossible to lose weight, and disgusted with every woman that does NOT have PCOS. It was not fair. Safe to say I was in a pretty dark place. However, disgusted as I was, frustrated as I was, I went to what I called in my head, the "fat doctor." As much as I dreaded this appointment and as much as I hated myself for even having to go to it, it was the best decision I could have made.

The doctor looked over my health records. He listened to my infertile fears, he told me that I didn't need bariatric surgery because he believed I could lose the weight myself. He became my educator and my cheerleader. He set me up with a dietitian, talked with me about planning a diet to fight my diseases, and helped me set goals. My appointments are short and I joke about them being my monthly "shamings", but in reality he has been supportive and understanding and human. He understand that I am going to have a beer with friends every once in a while. He understands that I am going to go crazy and scarf down some treats. He understands how what we put in our body can affect our mental state and our physical overall well being. He has taught me what I need to do to be healthy.

2.) Myfitnesspal

Free and easy. It keeps track of the food I eat and as a social networking site I am able to connect with friends who are in the same boat as me. We can cheer each other on and be accountable for one another's actions. One example was I didn't log my food intake for the day and got a text from a friend reminding me to do so. I was in a frustrated spot, and the text reminded me that others are watching! How can you let your friends down!! I also love the community boards and discussions that take place by others trying to lose weight. :)

3.) My friends

Being told how great you look is an instant mood boaster! Not only that, friends let you bitch and complain and know when to agree with you, when to make you laugh, and when to give out hugs when needed! You need to tell your friends what you are doing so they can become your fan base for success.

4.) This Blog

It's lame, I know. :-p I'm a horrible blogger, but having a space to type out my achievements and bitch about my setbacks is awesome. In a few months I want to be able to cross out ~~overweight~~ chocoholic and write about what it is like to live a healthy life as a former fat girl!

5.) My husband (gross mushy moment warning)

I saved my husband for last because he has been my rock throughout this whole process. He was there when I was sick, and he told me that it would be okay when we weren't sure what was going on. He understands my worries about never getting pregnant and lets me know that no matter what happens, we will be together.

Dave is forced to eat my experimental cooking and always claims he likes it. He tells me I look great no matter what, he humors me when I break out one of my crazy impromptu ideas, and he loved me before I lost weight, he loved when I was going through sugar withdraw, and he loves me now.

If you wish to change your lifestyle; not lose just weight but change your lifestyle, learn to ask for help. Support Staffs are the key to being successful. You just have to let them into your life!

That One Pair of Jeans...

2013-09-13T18:05:00.001-04:00

So I have a pair of jeans.

When I bought these jeans a few years ago, they fit well.

Then they fit not so well.

Eventually, they didn't fit at all.

Our first jean day after our summer vacation was the day I learned I couldn't even pull these jeans up over my butt. I sighed, folded the jeans back up, and put something else on. There those jeans sat for the last two years. Every once in a while I would forget that those jeans didn't fit, take them out of my dresser and try to put them on again.

Every time I just folded them back up and put them away.

Today was our dress down / jeans day. Of course, this morning I woke up late and had to rush around trying to not be late for work. I opened up my dresser searching for a pair of jeans to wear. Folded up in my drawer were those jeans. Same place I have left them for the last two years. I didn't even realize it. I threw the jeans on, threw on a shirt, grabbed my keys and quickly headed to work. It wasn't until a red light 15 minutes away from my house that I looked down and realized what I was wearing.

It was the jeans. The jeans that went from being regular everyday jeans to my skinny jeans. I was in them.

And the status of the jeans had changed again. They were no longer my "skinny" jeans.

They were too big.

On Wednesday I head back to my doctor and right now I am on track to have lost at least 25 pounds since June 24. There is a second milestone that I should hit, but I am going to save that entry for when it happens. I could run upstairs and weigh myself right now and probably already be there, but I am only counting official weigh-in days at my doctor's office.

I found myself becoming obsessed with the number on the scale. Everyday I would weigh myself. Sometimes multiple times a day. Now I just trust. I trust myself that what I am doing is working. Let the scale talk next week.

For now I am going to wear those jeans. Soon they will be so big I will not be able to wear them.

I'm going to enjoy this moment.

The Good Outweighs the Bad

2013-09-05T20:23:00.002-04:00

I have had some phenomenal weeks this summer.

My first involved the week where I lost seven pounds. I still have no clue how the hell I did that. The doctor looked at my food intake and said, THAT'S WHY!

It doesn't hurt that I have had to eliminate most things free my diet. That includes wheat, gluten, flour, sugar... pretty much anything with high carbs, lol. Apparently Atkins on Steriods is a great diet!

Then came the need to buy new pants. THAT was awesome. In fact, if you sneak up on me while I am wearing shorts, it only takes a quick tug for me to be pantless. :-p

My first week going back to school. The one week a year where we have hour long lunches and get to leave the campus like a grown up and have lunches with our coworkers at restaurants. Knowing how I have no willpower, I chose not to go. No temptation is the best way for me to stay focused!

Then there was my last appointment.

Still on my high, I figured I must have lost at least another seven pounds!! Maybe more!!

Nope.

Measly two pounds.

Now this is with a diet where I do not go over 1000 calories. I rarely go over 800 calories, actually. The high protein intake makes me not hungry. Before everyone jumps on saying that is too few calories, please remember that I am working with a doctor. I am taking many vitamin supplement and other medications.

So when I am almost perfect, it drives me insane to see so low of an impact. It makes me focus on the two small cheats I had. Could a freaking tootsie roll stop success? Did the cookie I grab cause me to gain weight back that I might have lost?

It drives me crazy.

I have stopped weighing myself weekly because I found myself obsessing with the scale. Sometimes I still can't help myself. However, it doesn't count until I get to the doctor's office.

That is what I try to focus on.

Since June 27, 2013 I have lost a total of 16 pounds. It has been slow with sudden drops to back to slow. I have never been as aware of what I put in my mouth as I am now. Do I occasionally break and have a small cheat? Of course. I'm human. I wouldn't lose anything if I could never give myself a break!

I know it is working, but I prefer instant gratification. If I am sticking to the strictness of my diet, I want every week to be a big weight loss week. Not 2 pounds in three weeks!

A drop is a drop. At least I am still losing weight.

I just want the award to be worth the deprivation.

High on Protein

2013-07-02T12:20:00.002-04:00

This past week I have been following the rules and restrictions of the diet placed on me by a weight loss surgeon and dietician. I am not interested in weight loss surgery, he just happens to focus on both surgical and nonsurgical weight loss. I was very skeptical when I received the diet I was supposed to follow for my first week.

Me: “Wait, no fruits and vegetables?”

Dietician: “Right! I bet you never expected a nutrition expert to tell you that.”

Me: “So… basically I am nawing at the legs of various animals for a week?”

Dietician: “No, you have several options for lean protein blah-blah, blah-blah.”

Me: “Our relationship isn’t going to work if you do not understand my sarcasm.”

So I left the doctor’s office and spent the next week eating foods high in protein, low in carbs, and very low in calories. Ridiculously low. So low that if I told one of the many weight loss forums that I am only eating between 500 -750 calories, everyone would yell at me.

Thus began my week.

Still skeptical about not starving with such few calories, I began living the high protein life. Here is an example of my daily food intake:

Breakfast: ¼ Cup egg whites and 2 slices of turkey bacon

Snack: Disgusting vanilla protein shake

Lunch: 3 pieces of lean roast beef and 1 low fat string cheese

Snack: Babybell Mini Light Cheese

Dinner: 4 oz of ground turkey meat flavored with taco seasonings

Snack: Chobani nonfat no flavor plain Greek yogurt.

64oz of water

Because I am eliminating all produce, I am also taking daily vitamin supplements to help with the vitamins I am now lacking.

So, how did it go?

The diet was actually surprisingly easy to follow. I’ve been keeping a daily food journal and this first week was easy thanks to grocery shopping and preparing all meals myself. I am currently on summer vacation so it is much easier to remain disciplined when it is the only thing I need to focus on. I was also surprised that I wasn’t hungry. On most days I had to force myself to eat the final snack of the day because I felt full!

Today I went back to the dietician for a weekly check in and I was down 3 pounds. I know that losing three pounds in a week is great, but I couldn’t help but feel a little frustrated that it wasn’t more. I mean, I’ve been following this diet and I had hoped that with as low as a calorie intake in addition to working out all week it would have been more. A loss is a loss, and that is great but it was a little anticlimactic. I keep trying to pep talk myself that my body is still adjusting and hopefully this next week with yield better results!

The high on protein life continues again this week, so hopefully my check in next week will yield better results.

Me.

2013-06-27T16:47:00.002-04:00

This is me:

This picture was taken on June 26, 2013. No sucking in. No trying to hide jiggly fat with angles or poses. In fact, I’m trying to put it out there. A raw picture showing who I am: roles, scars, wobbles, and all.

Why would I do this? I try to be honest on here. This is the reason why I am a horrible blogger. The truth scares me. I feel like a disappointment. I’m tired of feeling like a disappointment. So here I am again:

Me.

I can make up excuses for why my successful start of the year went downhill the last few months. I can talk about the crazy making drugs I use to fight my PCOS and infertility. I can talk about the pain in my abdomen that cost me several days of pay, many medical bills, and a liver biopsy. I can talk about how I refused pain management because if I do get pregnant, I don’t want to hurt the baby.

The bigger reality? I can talk about how I quit and how it ashamed me.

Tuesday I went to a doctor who specializes in weight loss. I was dreading this appointment because I was worried that I would be told that I was a failure. I am very anti doctors right now, so another appointment was the last thing on my mind. I was worried that since this office also specialized in weight loss surgery, I would be pushed down a path I wasn’t ready for.

Fortunately, surgery wasn’t even mentioned. I met with a doctor who seemed generally excited to meet me. He was encouraging, he was complimentary, he was optimistic. He made me smile when all I wanted to do was cry. He looked at my medical history and said, “I can help this.”

So I am set up on a plan that I will gladly share. However, please remember that I am not a doctor and I am not a dietician. What has been planned for me is not necessarily right for everyone else. I have weekly appointments where I talk with weight loss professionals to see if it is working.

The first step I had to realize? This is me:

And she is pretty awesome. Flaws and all.

Demotivational

2013-02-03T17:54:00.000-05:00

Isn't that a lovely title?

Not exactly the up-and-hugs-sunshine-out-of-my-ass post I've been writing.

Why?

Because this is real.

I had a horrendous week diet and exercise wise. I worked out Monday. Tuesday - today nothing. Diet wise? Three horrific days of caving into to my weakness: Sweets.

It started out innocent enough. A piece of cake to celebrate a friends birthday. Missing a water zumba class to help out a friend. Then another birthday. Then I missed my run.

Then it spiraled. Bad choices that left me hungry, which caused me to make more bad choices. A general yicky, tiredness that caused me to stay on the couch. I realize now how easy it is to slip back into old habits.

I can only hope that I stay where I am now, and not gain anything.

Granted this was technically part of last week and part of this week, but I don't think on Wednesday it will matter what part of the week it was.

Tomorrow I start fresh and get back on track. I've already made my lunch for work. Picked out my breakfast. Packed my bag for water zumba tonight.

I'm ready to not let this week defeat me.

I'm doomed to have a bad passport picture..aka Wednesday Weigh In

2013-01-30T20:17:00.001-05:00

It is hard for me to believe that it has been just about 10 years since I was getting reading to move back to Germany and study in Berlin. The time has come for me to do something I've been waiting 10 years for:

Get a new passport.

I have bad luck with passport pictures. My first passport I was only 15 years old, but I looked like I smoked a ton of doobie prior to going in to the post office.. Luckily I only had to carry that passport around for five years. My second passport picture came after a stupid idea of perming my hair, realizing that wasn't a good idea, so I cut my hair extremely short. Horrific hair, AND I was going through a glasses wearing phase.

I went, paid for the picture, took it and then... I looked like this:

Rabid Badger picture courtesy of: http://crossfitsparta.com/2012/11/01/badger-4/

Okay, maybe it wasn't THAT bad. It was pretty damn close though. I remember getting the picture and staring at it in horror. As a college student about to study abroad in Europe, I was trying to save my money for fun things. Like spontaneous trips to Oktoberfest and things like that.

Not wanting to waste the money on a new set of photos, I tried to convince myself that the photo really wasn't that bad and mailed in my passport renewal form. Two months later I got it back and it really was that bad. *Sigh* I vowed never to willing show the passport to anyone.

I know you think I am being ridiculous. It really cannot have been that bad of a picture.

It was.

You know how most border guards have absolutely no sense of humor (yes, even you my dear bro-in-law ;-))?

Well, Eastern European border guards are even less amusing. On my way through the Czech Republic (prior to their joining of the EU), not one but TWO border guards laughed at my picture. Going through customs? Smirks and snide comments about how that picture MUST be me, because who would want to fake that!

So today I went and got a new picture for my 10 year renewal passport.

I was very excited. I thought about how different my life is from the way it was 10 years ago. I've been all over Europe, I graduated college, I began teaching. I've taken kids overseas several times! I've lived in 4 states and two countries. I got married. What an amazing ten years!

Then I got my picture. *sigh* Not as bad as a rabid badger, but nothing to get excited about.

Then a new thought came to me. See, today was my weekly weigh in. My last one for the month. My first month completed.

An I lost 3 more pounds, bring my total weight loss for the month of January to 10 pounds.

10 freaking pounds gone. My pants are falling off. Literally.

I realized, this picture represents what will soon be the old me. The girl who couldn't lose weight. The 31-year-old woman with the same health issues as a 62 year old. The picture people will look at and say NO WAY!

A reminder to the healthy, happy, fit woman of how hard she worked to get there.

Bring on the next 10 years!

Recipe Review: Summer Vegetable Crepes

2013-01-24T20:28:00.001-05:00

In my hunt for tasty low calorie foods, Eating Well has been a great resource for filling and yummy food that isn't too difficult on the waist line. This recipe caught my eye and I quickly pinned it with the hope of trying it soon. Fresh veggies, crepes and cheese?? Sounds good to me!

I was able to get all I needed for the recipe at Publix, excluding the fresh corn. I think out of season corn tastes blah, so instead of paying I just picked up a can of low sodium corn and rinsed it twice before using it.

When I got home I chopped up the veggies and added a little bit of extra virgin olive oil to the pan:

The veggies smelled great! In addition to the recipe below, I also added some minced garlic and minced onion!

I added the cheese to the veggies and stirred it up good! It smelled so good. :)

I scooped out the filling and added it to the crepes.

Big tip: Use the wax paper from the crepe packaging to assist in the rolling of the crepe. Without the whole thing falls apart!

Mmmmmmmmmm!

I added the chive/sour cream/ milk / lemon sauce to the tops and it was time to eat!

I used fat free sour cream

These were SOOOOO yummy. I am glad I made them on a Water Zumba night, because I could not just eat one crepe. As filling as it was, they were so good I ate half of another!!

Here is the official recipe from Eating Well:

Summer Vegetable Crêpes

Recipe is from Eating Well at http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/summer_vegetable_cr_pes.html

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chopped zucchini
1 1/4 cups chopped green beans
1 cup fresh corn kernels, (I used canned corn)
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crêpes,

PREPARATION

Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining 1/4 cup chives, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
To roll crêpes, place one on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on the piece of plastic separating the crêpes in the package). Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable-cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup) down the center of the crêpe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll the crêpe around the filling. Place the crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 302 calories; 17 g fat ( 8 g sat , 6 g mono ); 46 mg cholesterol; 25 g carbohydrates; 15 gprotein; 3 g fiber; 687 mg sodium; 485 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Calcium & Vitamin C (35% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1

Wednesday Weigh in Day or alternative title: The Day People Noticed

2013-01-23T17:24:00.001-05:00

Hi!

I was a little nervous this morning before I hopped on the scale. See, last week was a "party week." On Thursday we celebrated my awesome principal's achievement with a surprise party that equaled extra snacking. Not toooooo crazy, but I still took advantage of some yummy food. Then on Saturday my husband and I (with our second wife Suzie) attended Columbia's World Beer Festival. If you have never been to a World Beer Festival and enjoy a good beer, make it a priority to attend one somewhere. So much fun!

However... lots of beer... plus bad choices on snack foods due to copious amounts of beer made me think that this week wasn't going to be a good weight loss week. However I worked out. I attended my Water Zumba class, I've been running further and further every time I go out, and I even fit in some weight lifting to strengthen my muscles.

I figure I'd just accept that I would have to work harder next week.

So I hopped on the scale this morning... and I have lost another 2 pounds! Keeping up with my weekly weight loss goal of 2 pounds!

So, weekly weigh in: -2 pounds
Total weight loss since January 1, 2013: 7 pounds.

I'll take it. :)

However, today was a different weight loss mile stone. Today for the first time since I started my goal, people said something to me. "You've lost weight."

Now I am not one of those people who keeps track of my inches lost. That is a little too much work for me. However, I have noticed that my pants are a little baggier and my wedding ring is becoming a little lose on my finger. I'm stronger overall, and I know I've lost inches. Now it is starting to show.

I can't help but smile.

People keep asking me, are you doing weight watchers? Jenny Craig? Some "pay money for quick results" gig?

I am so proud that I can say no. I am working out. I am making healthy choices when I choose what to eat. I keep saying no to sweets and am keeping track of what I eat and the calories I take in.

I'm working hard.

I finally learned that there is no quick fix. It wont magically happen and I need to keep staying focused in order to be successful.

I need to keep doing what I am doing, because it is working and I feel GREAT.

I'm Addicted to Exercise

2013-01-19T15:23:00.002-05:00

Actually I am addicted to the endorphins that come from a good work out, which I am currently high on.

That actual working out part can suck hairy donkey balls for all I care. ;)

New running shoes... with PURPLE stripes

I have been dealing with shin splints and sore knees for the past couple of weeks, and decided to mix up my routine to help with the pain. First I treated myself to brand new running shoes, and then I decided to mix up my exercise pattern so I wasn't doing the same thing, to the same spot, causing the same pain over and over.

On Sunday Suzie and I ralked (run + walked) the Lake Murray Dam with my wonderful husband watching and cheering us on as we ran ahead. As gorgeous of a day it was, I just wasn't feeling good. My legs hurt, especially my right shin. Pushing myself made me feel miserable. It was obvious that I needed something different.

To mix things up a bit, I talked Suzie into going with me to Water Zumba on Monday night. That class was a lot of fun, but I will share more on that later. I felt great after the class. A little tired, but nothing too bad. However, I didn't realize how much I had really worked out my legs. On Tuesday night I headed to the gym and tried treadmill running, but I just couldn't do it. I could barely get myself to run for 20 seconds without having to slow the treadmill down to a walk. Even a brisk walk was too much. I kept myself moving at a slow pace so I could still burn some calories, but I felt extremely discouraged. I was meeting my old enemy of too much too fast. My brain tells me I can, my body is telling me "HELLZ NO!"

Since Water Zumba is only Monday and Wednesday nights, I decided to go to the class again Wednesday night and take Thursday and Friday off from exercising. Thursday was a long night at work, and Friday I was just tired. So I waited. I gave my body a chance to recover. I upped my protein, made a batch a larabars, and got a good night's sleep. Which brings me to today. The first time I ran a full mile in who knows how long.

And it felt great.

I know that mile is not much to many people, but to me it was a pretty big deal. See, I know that since I ran one mile, I can run two. Then three. Then I am going to enter some 5k road races and continue to grow from there. Maybe it's the endorphins talking, but now I know the mileage is there. It's in me and I am going to do this.

One mile at a time.

Wednesday Weekly Weigh In

2013-01-16T17:41:00.002-05:00

So last week I counted calories, ate healthy, rejected cake, and worked out almost daily. When I got on the scale I happily saw that I lost four pounds!

This week I did the same. So when I got on the scale I lost one pound.

ONE.

I know, I know. It is still a loss and considering that my program says I'm only supposed to lose 2 pounds a week, I am still a pound ahead of schedule.

This is when I realized how much we focus on actual numbers. I didn't focus on what a great job I did sticking to my diet and working out. I didn't focus on how I can feel my pants starting to hang loose or how I am able to run farther and faster ever time I go out.

I focused on how I only lost one pound and how maybe the PCOS is being a bitch and how no matter how hard I try, the PCOS will win.

All because a $5 machine I stepped on said I only lost one pound.

I feel that this is the struggle many dieters face. It's not a race, it's a marathon and I haven't even reached the half mile mark yet, and feel frustrated because it isn't going as fast as I would like.

So here is my weekly pep talk.

I will not be beaten by a $5 machine that I step on.

I will be happy for doing the right thing.

When I feel frustrated or sad, I will think of something that makes me happy. Like this:

Recipe Review: 20-Minute Hoisin Skillet Salmon

2013-01-15T18:17:00.001-05:00

Salmon is constantly touted for its heart healthy omega threes, low calorie, superfood... blah, blah, blah.

To me, it has been my cooking foe.

I've tried grilling it. I've tried baking it. I've tried pan frying it. No matter what, it tastes like overcooked salmon crap.

However, I have refused to give up on it.

When I found this recipe at foodnetwork.com, I decided to give salmon another go. The ingredients intrigued me and it sounded like a simple enough recipe! To give myself more pressure, I invited Suzie over for dinner and a workout. Here is how it went:

I did need to make a special trip to Publix, not just for the Salmon fillets but also for hoisin sauce. I wasn't sure what hoisin sauce was and figure if I didn't know what it was suppose to taste like, I wouldn't know if I was making a homemade recipe correctly. Anyway, I digress. The trip to Publix was mostly painless, however Salmon is not the cheapest fish. I sighed to myself as I bought the fish hoping that this time it would be eaten and not thrown out for tasting like crap.

I added the beans and the hoisin sauce to the pan, chopped up some broccoli and added it to the top.

I nestled the salmon into the pan, and then because I love broccoli, I added some more!

I followed the recipe by letting the sauce come to a simmer and then reduced the heat and put a lid on top. I was still in denial that a salmon recipe could be so easy.

Cooking note: I omitted the red pepper flakes because I didn't have any and forgot to buy some!

I waited until the salmon was flakey and cooked through. For the first time in my salmon cooking career, the salmon resembled something that looked edible!

I love cilantro so I added plenty on top of the salmon!

I was so surprised on how yummy this recipe was. Normally Salmon is so strong in its fish taste that I force myself to eat it down. No forcing was needed! Dave has decided that this is one of those recipes that needs to enter our dinner rotation.

Here is the whole recipe:

20-Minute Hoisin Skillet Salmon

Courtesy of: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/20-minute-hoisin-skillet-salmon-recipe/index.html

Ingredients

One 15.5-ounce can low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 cups medium broccoli florets (about 8 ounces)
Four 5-ounce salmon fillets, skin removed
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Directions

Combine the beans, 3/4 cup water, hoisin sauce, red pepper flakes and garlic in a large skillet. Top with the broccoli, nestle in the salmon and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, cover the skillet and cook until the salmon is flaky and just cooked through and the broccoli is crisp-tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Drizzle with lemon juice and sprinkle with cilantro if using. Add salt to taste and serve.

Serves:4; Calories 297; Total Fat 9 grams; Saturated Fat 2 grams; Protein 36 grams; Total Carbohydrates 20 grams; Sugar 3 grams; Fiber 6.5 grams; Cholesterol 64 milligrams; Sodium 529 milligrams

A Week in Review

2013-01-13T12:48:00.000-05:00

Yesterday my friend Suzie and I made a day of going to the gym and then shopping. Suzie needed to pick up a few things at Target and I had a 30% off coupon from Kohl's, as well my $15 Dress Barn rewards coupon that was about to expire. I was originally hoping I could use it for new pants, but since I am doing so well I decided to wait in the hope that soon I will need a smaller pants size anyway.

Soon... not later.

And I actually believe it to be real this time.

This past week was a full work week since coming back from our winter vacation and it was a test of normalcy for what the majority of my school year is like. I would like to brag about what I wonderful morning person I am. That I jump out of bed the moment my alarm goes off, brush my teeth, shower and get dress, with plenty of time to dry my hair, put on make up, eat a full breakfast and make my lunch for the day. Maybe I wake up early enough to go to the gym or run before work! All of this with a smile on my face.

In reality, my alarm goes off and I hit the snooze button telling myself I only need five more minutes. This repeats about 4 times before I wake up, swear, jump out of bed and hop in the shower. I frantically wash my hair, brush my teeth and throw on clothes. I attempt to at least put on some eye makeup and dry my bangs so they do not cowlick or curl randomly. The rest of my hair dries by the assistance of the heater in my car and perhaps an open car window. Lipstick is applied at stop lights or quickly in the parking lot of my school.

My husband assists by preparing my coffee for me and if I made a lunch the night before (instead of telling myself I'll make it in the morning), I grab it and maybe grab some fruit or a breakfast bar to eat in the car (if I remember during my frantic rush). I then drive to school hoping my wet hair doesn't snarl and that I avoid dumping coffee on myself.

Lovely, right? I am jealous of people who can wake up and actually have some down time before having to get ready for work. My husband is one of those. He learned early on in our relationship that attempting to wake me up will involve his sweet wife turning into a banshee mountain lion who screams, growls and roars in her attempts to scratch his eyes out. He knows that I need to wake up on my own.

Looking back on my week, I realize how much my morning routine affects my calorie count for the day. On the mornings that I grabbed a breakfast and had a premade lunch, my calorie count for the day was lower and I wasn't hungry. No desire to snack and no stabby feelings developed as the day came to a close. On the mornings where I was a total mess, (no or little breakfast, no lunch or crappy school lunch) my calories would actually be high or even over my limit due to unbeatable snacking urges and less desire to workout.

It is only thanks to exercising that not all my calories were over on those days. Luckily, those days are the minority and not the majority. Which brings me back to shopping / working out with Suzie.

Suzie is not only one of my closest friends, she is also my work out buddy and motivator. We convince each other to work out when we really do not want to. Thanks to our puppies becoming doggy bffs, we also have built in running partners that need their energy run out of them. We are a great team. Yesterday Suzie convinced me to workout and we decided to make it a day and add our shopping trip in.

My favorite thing lately about working out is how I am able to now burn more calories in the same amount of time. I am able to do more and run more than I have since I started working out. I have been committed to counting calories and working out and eating healthy portions of healthy foods for 13 days now. It may seem like a small amount of time, but it is the longest I committed myself without ever missing a day or stopping. So I decided to award myself.

Yesterday I used my gift card from Christmas (thanks mom!) and my coupons to buy a beautiful new fancy purse (fancy = not a $5 clearance purse from Target) and earrings. I am to scared to buy clothes right now, so I wanted to accessorize. Dress up my ears a bit in practice for when I do have to buy brand new clothes. It felt good. My new plan is to celebrate my achievements with little rewards. Normally in the past I would just insult myself into a depression for not being as good as I think I should be. Since that didn't work, I am determined to stay positive. Even when the day comes that I have to fight and slay the PCOS dragon, I will stay positive. That adventure however, is for a different blog post.

I was debating moving my weekly weigh in day to Sunday, but since I really started this diet on a Wednesday, I am going to stick to Wednesday as the actual weigh in day. I am forcing myself not to became a slave to the scale and not to constantly obsess over the number. I'm only set up to lose two pounds a week, so any more is a bonus. If I stick to what I am doing and the number doesn't change, I refuse to get mad.

This blog is a great place for me to pep talk myself. My advice to anyone reading: remember to take the time to be your own cheerleader. As great as it is to have others cheer you on, it means nothing if you can't pump yourself up.

Wednesday Weigh In

2013-01-09T21:28:00.002-05:00

It's been a full week since I started my new years resolution and the results have been promising. :)

TOTAL WEIGHT LOSE: 4 pounds

The program I am using has me set to lose 2 pounds a week, so you can see how I was pleasantly surprised to see I lost 4 pounds instead.

According to my calorie count, I was 1419 calories under my allotted calories for the week. Over half of those negative calories came from working out, the others from choosing low calorie foods such as more veggies and cutting out processed sugar.

Considering two nights ago I sneaked a peak before going to bed and saw that I had "gained" two pounds, this morning I smiled and fist bumped a few times. I now there is still a loooooooong way to go, but I'm the girl who hired a personal trainer for three months and only lost 5 pounds.

I'll take my four pounds.

Recipe Review: Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chive sauce

2013-01-07T20:53:00.000-05:00

I am something of a "hobby chef." No culinary training, I just enjoy cooking! I love looking up recipes and am addicted to Pinterest. Since I have started counting calories, I have been making it a point to look up low calorie recipes. I found this recipe from EatingWell and decided to try it out:

Sauteed Chicken Breast with Creamy Chive Sauce (full recipe below)

The recipe called for pretty much everything I already had on hand. I did make a few exceptions. What attracted me to this recipe was the calorie count. The taste seemed kind of bland, so I did add some extras.

Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour. This is where I made my first change. Instead of using all purpose flour, I opted to use whole wheat flour. In addition I add a half a teaspoon of smoked paprika and a teaspoon of garlic powder.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.

3. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often. In addition to the shallots, I added some minced garlic. Instead of using canned chicken stock, I used my own turkey stock left over from Thanksgiving dinner. I poured WAY too much in. It left my end sauce a little more soupy than would be desired. Once again I substituted whole wheat flour.

It was at this point I also realized I was way under on my calorie limit for the day and decided to pour myself a glass of wine since I had to open a bottle anyway!

4. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately. I choose to use nonfat sour cream.

Like I mentioned earlier, I used WAY to much turkey stock. I just assumed it would thicken and it didn't. My final sauce was very soupy. To compliment my chicken, I added a side salad of field greens and spritzed some Wishbone Italian spritzer dressing onto the salad.

The total calorie count for the meal ended up being:

Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chive Sauce: 244 Calories

Side Salad: 5 Calories

Wishbone Salad Spriter: 20 Calories

8oz Glass of White Wine: 193 (I treated myself today)

Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Creamy Chive Sauce

From EatingWell: December 2005/January 2006, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)

4 servings

Active Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, (about 1 pound), trimmed of fat
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 large shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup chopped chives

PREPARATION

Place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or heavy skillet until flattened to an even thickness, about 1/2 inch. Season both sides of the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place 1/4 cup flour in a shallow glass baking dish and dredge the chicken in it. Discard the excess flour.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover and keep warm.
Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon flour; stir to coat. Add wine, broth and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil, stirring often.
Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until heated through and no longer pink in the center, about 6 minutes. Stir in sour cream and mustard until smooth; turn the chicken to coat with the sauce. Stir in chives and serve immediately.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 244 calories; 9 g fat ( 3 g sat , 3 g mono ); 72 mg cholesterol; 1 g carbohydrates; 26 g protein;0 g fiber; 679 mg sodium; 334 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Niacin (50% daily value), Selenium (31% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 1/2

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 4 very lean meat ,1 fat

I Never Really Knew True Motivation

2013-01-06T18:35:00.002-05:00

I've known for several years now that I suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It wasn't something that just popped up out of no where, it just took me until I was 26 years old to get myself properly checked out. It explained my crazy irregular cycles, and it explained my trouble with weight, high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. It wasn't until recently though, that I thought about how it affected my chance of getting pregnant.

I was told back then that I would most likely need to take some type of fertility drug if I wanted to try and have kids. I didn't really think about it then. I wasn't seeing anyone seriously and having kids was the furthest from my mind. I could barely afford to pay for myself, let alone a child... so birth control was used, and used intelligently.

Five years later I am happily married to a wonderful man and secured financially. Having a baby began to enter my mind. Knowing that it might be difficult to conceive, I stopped taking birth control the night I got married. It wasn't that we were actively trying, just that now I wasn't doing anything to stop it from happening.

I figure it would take my body to adjust to no longer being on birth control, but after the first few months of not having a period, I started to wonder. At three months I took my first pregnancy test. Negative. At five months I took another, then again at six months. All negative. I made an appointment with my doctor since I was over due for a physical anyway, and asked. She also gave me a pregnancy test and once again it came up negative.

Further tests showed that once again my ovaries were covered in cysts and I haven't ovulated in at least six months. Tack on 3 non stop years of birth control... plus irregularities prior to that, who knows how long it had been. Basically, my body says I can't have a baby.

I asked my doctor what I could do. I am taking metformin again, but basically I need to lose weight. Frustration sets in for me, because thanks to the PCOS, it makes it difficult to lose weight. I am the girl who paid close to a thousand dollars for a personal trainer... and only lost 5 pounds. What will make this attempt different from all of my others.

I don't know if I will be successful in losing the weight I need. However, I never had this type of motivation before. I know people will say, "oh... you still have plenty of time to get pregnant!" But honestly, I don't know if that really is the case. I'm worried that I have a window closing that other women don't. I never thought I would be thinking kids so quick into my marriage, but what if I miss my window?

What am I doing that is different this time? I joined "Lose It" and downloaded the app so I can keep better track of my calorie intake. I am only a week in, but I have stayed committed by logging everything I eat everyday. I joined a website called "Fitingitin" in the hopes of forming comradery with other weight loss fighters. I am working out with a good friend and am taking my new puppy on long vigorous walks. My husband supports me and my crazy hormonal metformin mood swings. I have this blog in hopes that I'll find some readers to help keep me motivated when I want to give up. I have new motivation. If you read my blog, please take a moment to leave a comment. It helps me. If you have nothing to say, just type "Motivation."

My motivation is to beat down the symptoms of PCOS and get my life on track.

A New Year, an Old Goal

2013-01-05T18:23:00.001-05:00

It's the same old, same old. I guess.

You know what I am talking about. It's a new year, so people make those resolutions. This year I am going to try to be less of a fat ass.

I say this every year. I even created this blog. Still overweight. Still addicted to chocolate. What will make this year different?

I don't know if I can answer that question.

I know that my life is different from where I was. I'm happily married, with a loving and supportive husband. I live in a nice house in a state that stays warm in the winter. One of my closest friends moved to my town. My husband and I got a wonderful puppy for Christmas.

What will make this year different?

I can't answer that.

I am happy with myself so far this year. I'm counting calories. I am taking the dog on long walks where I attempt to run a bit. My friend and I motivate each other. My husband knows not to bring junk food into the house or offer to go to those bars where we drink some beers and eat double fried fat food and wings.

I have a renewed since of hope. So much so, that I am attempting to resurrect this blog.

My knee hurts. My shin is aching and my lungs are burning. I've denied chocolate cake twice this week.

I am going to keep trying.

Chicken Taco Nachos

2012-02-18T12:52:00.007-05:00

I've had bad luck with colds this year. New job in a new state, my immune system isn't as strong as it normally is. Because of this, I have been enjoying many recipes involving whole chicken and homemade chicken stock. I do plan on blogging about my chicken soup and why I now love cooking whole chickens, but today I am going to skip ahead and share a good leftover chicken recipe that both Dave and I really enjoy.

Chicken Taco Nachos:

Leftover chicken shredded into bite size pieces
Taco seasonings (I prefer the low sodium kind due to blood pressure issues)
2 Fresh Jalapenos (or more or less depending on your person hotness taste)
Slice Olives
Blue Chips
Mexican Cheese (I prefer fat free cheddar)

Preheat oven to 375

In a frying pan, heat up the chicken with the taco spices.

Grab a baking sheet and cover it with blue chips (or other type of tortilla chips). Slice the jalapenos and spread them around over the chips.

Spread out the heated chicken over the chips. Top with olives and cheese.

Pop the baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Let cool for a few minutes so you don't burn your taste buds and enjoy. :)

This is quick and easy for those night you want a quick meal and need to get rid of that extra chicken!

Bye, Bye, Gallbladder!

2012-01-23T19:58:00.004-05:00

What a way to start the new year! After some stomach pain and sickness, they yanked my gallbladder out last Thursday. For a person who is pretty doped up and not hungry, I have been looking up a lot of yummy recipes that my body can't handle eating right now. However, I've had a surplus of facebook friends posting about making granola so I decided to add my recipe to the mix. I have to thank my friend Cheryl for sharing this recipe with me!

yummy granola:

4 cups oatmeal
2 cups coconut
2 cups nuts
3/4 cup veg. oil
1/2 cup honey
brown sugar

Mix ingredients and spread in a sheet pan. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes.

Add dried fruit after you bake it (cranberries, raisins, etc.).

This granola is soooo tasty. I also add chocolate chips to it as well (I wouldn't be a chocoholic without it!). This tastes great with yogurt or with warm milk. :) Another great idea is to throw some of this granola into a food processor with some dates and make into an awesome bar.

I want some now. I hope my lack of gallbladder lets me eat it! ;)

Breaking the Chains and Living Free

2012-01-09T16:49:00.004-05:00

Photo Courtesy of revolutionofrealwomen.com

It is that time of year where we make a bunch of resolutions. This year I am choosing to make promises instead. Here we go:

I promise to play more. To run around outside, play with puppies, laugh like a middle schooler, and be silly.

I promise to love. Enjoy my family and friends and enjoy the ride as I prepare to marry my best friend.

I promise to try new things in the kitchen. Homemade meals with spices instead of salt and play with new creations for both of us to enjoy.

I promise not to focus on the scale. I promise to continue to eat healthy and be active, but to not obsess over the numbers. By continuing to eat healthy and giving myself time to play, I need to trust in myself and my ability to live and love my happy (healthy) life. :)

I ate fish and I didn't die

2011-10-17T21:26:00.004-04:00

My whole world has been turned upside down.

A little bit of a back story. About 9 years ago I ate a plate of mahi-mahi and broke out in hives. Ever since then, I have avoided fish like the plague. However, recently I went into Publix and saw a sample tray of what I thought was chicken. It was really yummy so I grabbed a few more pieces before I realized it was talapia. Panic set in and I waited for the hives to come. To my surprise they didn't. I am now able to introduce a healthy new meal into my routine and Dave will be thrilled since he loves to eat fish.

So even though I have NEVER made fish before, I tried my hand at cooking pecan-crusted tilapia.

I do not have pictures to post, but the next time I cook it I'll be sure to add it into a new post. :)

Here is the recipe from Publix, my changes will be in italics. :)

Pecan-Crusted Tilapia

1/2 cup pecan pieces, finely chopped (I ran out and hold to go without on the last piece)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup flour (I used whole-wheat flour)
1/2 cup skim milk
1/4 cup egg substitute or one egg
1 1/2 lb tilapia fillets
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 cup canola oil ( I used extra-virgin olive oil and was no where close to 1/4 cup)

Prep

Chop pecans and combine with bread crumbs in a shallow bowl
Place flour in second bowl
Whisk milk and egg together in a third bowl

Steps
1. Sprinkle both sides of fish with seasoned salt. Dip fish in flour (coating both sides) then dip into egg mixture (allowing excess to drip off). Finally, dip into pecan mixture.
2. Preheat large saute pan on medium 1-2 minutes
3. Place oil in pan, then add fish; cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden 145 degrees. Serve

The was fish was so moist and didn't have that icky "fishy" smell. I am really psyched. Fish is a so nutritious and I've been avoiding it for years. Stay tuned for more recipes as soon as I try them!

I’m not pregnant, I’m just fat. ;)

2011-10-07T13:02:00.003-04:00

So.

In dealing with my struggles with PCOS and high blood pressure, I procrastinated long enough and finally went to the doctor’s office to get my prescription refills, including the dreaded Metformin.

One of the sucky things about PCOS is that in addition to cysts, messed up girl stuff, manly hair, and oh yeah, wonderful weight gain, many woman with PCOS are also insulin resistant. I am one of those lucky gals. In fact, this was one of the conversations I had with the doctor who had just met me that day:

Me: In addition to the ultrasound and other testing, I had a glucose tolerance test that involved poking me with a needle nine times. I went back to work the next day looking as if I spent my day off shooting up heroin.

Doctor: (weird look)

Me: I promise, I don’t do Heroin. It’s too expensive. Anyway, it came up not bad but not good… or better said I guess, not normal but not threatening. Kind of like me!

Doctor: (gives awkward chuckle) Okay, have you had any other types of testing?

Me: Yes. Luckily, I had a great OB/GYN who took that information and ran an insulin resistance test…which was only ONE needle poke instead of nine. My friends did not try to stage an intervention after that test.

Doctor: With your family background and your history with PCOS, you really should be eating as if you ARE diabetic.

Me: I have actually lost 20 pounds. I know it’s hard to see that considering you don’t know me, but I really have.

Doctor: That’s great! However, it would be in your best interest to follow a diabetic diet.

Me: Diabetic chocolate is basically a fancy name for laxative.

Before the doctor could say that they really weren’t excepting new patients, the topic of conversation moved to my Metformin prescription. For those of you who don’t know what Met is, it is a drug used in treating both PCOS and Type II diabetes. In my non-chemist understanding of the drug, it is suppose to help regulate your hormones to stop your pancreas from shooting out excess insulin that your body ignores as well as helping to stop those fat cells in your stomach from absorbing that excess insulin and cortisone that gives one the look of a baby bulge. With that in mind, it is also supposed to help woman with PCOS lose that excess weight and promote the ovaries into ovulating again. After several discussions with doctors, I know that if I ever want to spawn my own kids I need to take these pills. I also know that if I want help in fighting the PCOS weight battle, Met will help. I also know that taking it now may prevent me from becoming a full blown diabetic in the future.

Apparently it is a “wonder drug.”

If this drug is so great, why do I have to force myself to stay on it? The side effects are horrendous. The first time I tried taking Met, I didn’t last a week. The sickness that accompanied it was debilitating. Eventually, once your body is used to the drug, the side effects are suppose to stop, but I wasn’t willing to give it a chance.

The second time I attempted Met, my doctor gave me a prescription for the extended release tablets. The extended release was supposed to be much easier on the stomach. I could get myself to take 500mgs, but still found it difficult to increase the dosage.

After my discussion with the new doctor, and another discussion about the pros overpowering the cons, and my hope of looking spectacular on my wedding day, I have managed to empower myself into taking the entire 1500mg prescription.

And it sucks.

Okay, to be fair… I am actually getting used to the medication. I am no longer retching or knocking over sixth graders as I race to the bathroom. I still get hit with waves of nausea, but those are becoming few and far between. I’ve lost five pounds in two weeks, but I’ve also had a hard time keeping down what I’ve eaten the last two weeks… so I don’t think that is the pro we were looking for. Also lucky is that even though I wake up nauseous in the morning, it does eventually fade away. However… that has started a new problem.

Let’s review my current side effect symptoms:

1.) Waves of nausea hit me when I first wake up in the morning and do not fade until after I get to school.

2.) I am fatigued from not sleeping well thanks to stomach cramps and other yucky feelings.

3.) Drinking alcoholic beverages worsens the side effects, so I’ve been avoiding drinks until I can handle myself better.

Yesterday at my job (which I JUST started this school year), four woman asked me if I might be pregnant.

Ugh. If four women have actually ASKED me the most taboo question of all, how many people are thinking it?

Therefore, similar to those pins that say, “I’m not fat, I’m pregnant”, I have created a new slogan that states: “I’m not pregnant, I’m just fat!”

Hopefully wearing it as a pin on my shirt will end all confusion. ;)

Mac and Cheese

2011-09-21T17:00:00.005-04:00

So one day at work I was procrastinating and checking my email, when a recipe for a healthy alternative to Mac and Cheese popped up. Intrigued, I clicked on the link and sure enough, yumness popped up.

I loooooooooove mac and cheese. The incredibly unhealthy Kraft kind. Mmmmm... yellow cheese powder. Of course Overweight Chocoholics attempting not to look like Miss Piggy in a wedding dress has banned the Cheesiest from her wedding dress diet. Seeing the blue box sitting on those grocery shop shelves brings a single tear to my eye.

The recipe I found with its whole grain pasta and spinach has a lot more umpf than the kiddy Kraft kind, but the goodness is too much to pass up. Looking at the recipe, I decided to make some changes and turn it from a side dish into a yummy baked casserole able to be eaten over multiple days.

The original recipe is so:

Ingredients

3 tablespoons plain dry breadcrumbs, (see Tip)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 16-ounce or 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
1 3/4 cups low-fat milk, divided
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 ounces (2 cups) whole-wheat elbow macaroni, or penne

Preparation

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with cooking spray.
Mix breadcrumbs, oil and paprika in a small bowl. Place spinach in a fine-mesh strainer and press out excess moisture.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until steaming. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth; add to the hot milk and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce simmers and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar until melted. Stir in cottage cheese, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Cook pasta for 4 minutes, or until not quite tender. (It will continue to cook during baking.) Drain and add to the cheese sauce; mix well. Spread half the pasta mixture in the prepared baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Top with the remaining pasta; sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.
Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

As yum as this recipe seemed, I decided to make some changes to slim it down and make it a whole meal instead of a side dish.

For the pasta, I chose to use whole-grain penne pasta and cooked enough to fill a shallow casserole dish. Since the dish was shallow, instead of layering the spinach, I chose to mix it in with the pasta and cheese sauce.

Instead of using plain breadcrumbs, I choose to use panko style breadcrumbs for its superlicious crunchy taste. Since I used a larger casserole dish, I need more than three table spoons. The oil was still more than enough and lightly coated all of the breadcrumbs. I also used 1% milk (it was what we had), whole wheat flour, fat-free cottage cheese, and mixed a cup of fat free cheddar with the extra sharp cheddar.
When mixing the cheese, in addition to the nutmeg, I also added a teaspoon of garlic powder and a teaspoon of paprika to give the cheese a little extra flavor. I also substituted a pinch of seasalt instead of regular salt.

Once the pasta was mixed with the cheese sauce, and spinach, I added the breadcrumb layer and popped it in the oven to cook and bubble for a yummy dinner for Dave and me.

Oh my god. This thing was unbelievable. We actually ate this dish for 3 days without any complaints, and were sad when it was gone. Perfect comfort food without the powder cheese! This meal will be added into the rotation.

According to the original recipe, a serving of this casserole was around 500 calories. Give and take my fatfree changes, it is a hearty meal. The best part is I didn't have to eat a lot to feel full and energized for the whole day. This was definitely my kind of meal!

I'm not dead yet!

2011-09-17T19:13:00.011-04:00

Uhhhhhhhh...

What do you say on a blog you haven't updated for months?

Can I say I was really busy? How about really, really, busy?

Biggest news is that Dave and I are engaged and getting married in July. I am so happy even though I have flashing red lights saying DANGER! DANGER! BRIDES WEAR WHITE DRESSES!

No one wants to look like Miss Piggy on her wedding day!

Would a wedding be the only thing going on? Of course not! After a great job opportunity, Dave and I packed up and moved further south. We both moved, started new jobs, and found a new house that we currently are waiting to close on.

Me, I'm under pressure to continue living as healthy as I can. I feel like I need some motivation to get out of my "I'm tired" rut, so I am turning back to my blog in a hope to pump myself up. I even have blog post ideas like how Weight Watchers and AA are secret twins. One is just more badass than the other.

So for now I am working on working out. And avoiding chocolate.

PS Not sure why the font is all messed up!

Just call me Honey Badger...

2011-03-26T17:04:00.002-04:00

This video was posted on one of my favorite blogs: The Bloggess. I've decided to share it with everyone because my new motto is: Honey Badger don't give a Shit!

Honey Badger gets bit in the face by a cobra and takes a light cat nap. Then he gets up and eats the cobra. Cobra in a tree? Honey Badger don't care!

I am going to spend the rest of my days trying to be as bad ass as Honey Badger!