Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Weigh In Tuesday!

Merry Christmas indeed! I was being a Scrooge this year because for Christmas, Santa brought me an extremely painful, bloating, heavy period. Plus, I didn't get to the gym once this week. I thought for sure it would foil my weigh in plans. But I guess there is still a little bit of magic for everyone on Christmas morning :) I was very pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the scale :)

WEIGH IN : WEEK 11

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 269 lbs
Weekly Loss: 3.6 lbs
Total Loss: 38.5 lbs

Merry Christmas to you all, and thank you for your continued support!! Loves!!

Oh and just for fun, here is how well my nails are growing! Yay transformations!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Weigh In Tuesday, and Refocus Time.

I was worried about this week's weigh in. To be totally honest and accountable, I got a little off track this week. I stayed on program as close as possible calorie and nutrient wise, but I certainly wasn't following the plan as it was meant to be followed. Why? I'm not sure. I think mostly because everything I have left to eat are things I don't want. It started because a few days last week I felt pretty nauseous all day long. Nothing sounded good, so I didn't eat. I've felt better for about 4 days now, and my new box of food is being delivered Thursday, so its time for a serious refocusing and reflecting pep talk with myself. I can so this.

That being said, here are this week's results.

WEIGH IN : WEEK 10

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 272.6 lbs
Weekly Loss: 3 lbs
Total Loss: 34.9 lbs

I feel fortunate to have still lost this well this week. I didn't cheat and eat off program foods, but it could've gone the other way. :)

Friday, December 14, 2012

Ooh yea!

I had an amazing stroke of genius at midnight. It involved and oven, and a turnip. Crazy you say? Wait til you taste this amazingtotallyfeelslileyou'recheating snack. Ladies and gents, I present to you:

Turnip fries with spicy ketchup!

I was really craving fries tonight. I love fries. I miss them. Then wham! This hits me. I have a few turnips in the fridge... Hmmm. I took a smallish medium turnip, peeled it, then sliced it into fry shaped sticks. In a pan, I sprayed Pam, tossed the fries with a dash of garlic powder and mrs dash original salt free seasoning, and mixed up the whole thing. Then I arranged the fries in a single layer and cooked them in a pre heated 425* oven for about 15 minutes, stirring a few times, and out came this golden, delicious smelling creation. They were a little limp, but I totally felt like I was eating fries. A tablespoon of ketchup with a few drops of hot sauce made it so awesome. Mission accomplished.

The best part?

Melo's awesome turnip fries: 54 calories (including ketchup)

Same amount of potato fries and ketchup: 107 calories!

Win!



Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Weigh In Tuesday

WEIGH IN : WEEK 9

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 275.6 lbs
Weekly Loss: 2.8 lbs
Total Loss: 31.9 lbs

Woo hoo! :)

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Food

I know this diet isn't about food. It's about using food as a tool to re-teach yourself proper nutrition and portions. But damn. Lately my lean and green meals have been so amazing that I have to wonder if I'm not cheating! I have to say the meals themselves have vastly improved since my first few days of egg white scrambles. Eating healthy and clean doesn't mean flavorless, bland, or not filling. I've learned that using spices is very important in making an enjoyable meal. I've also discovered that miracle noodles are, indeed, a freaking miracle!! Every meal I've used them in so far has blown my mind. I highly recommend them. Any how. It's been a little while since I posted, so here's a photo collage of my dinners as of late :)











Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Weigh In Tuesday!

Sooooo close!! I didn't quite make it to 30 lbs lost this week but I was darn close! Next week baby!!

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 278.4 lbs
Weekly Loss: 2.8 lbs
Total Loss: 29.1 lbs

The Hoodie Experiment : Then and Now

The first week, I only took a front facing picture, but week two I started taking the profile ones as well. Here is week one to present facing forward and week two to present in profile. :)





The Hoodie Experiment : Week Eight

It's been 4 weeks since I took pictures in my hoodie. I'm glad I waited (thanks Sarah!) because I can really see a difference. This is week 4 to week 8. I really should do a week 1 to present for fun :)

Week Four ----> Week Eight



Friday, November 30, 2012

Recipes!

I've been experimenting with my lean and greens this week, and have been very pleasantly surprised and impressed with the results. I'm very fortunate in the way that I lovvvvve all veggies. I get excited about eating cabbage and turnips.. yup! So hopefully those of you who want to try these recipes can turn a blind eye to some of America's most hated vegs and just taste before you judge! I didn't write anything down (ha!) so I will be attempting to do this from memory! Each one of these meals makes a huge portion, is 200-400 calories, and makes and keeps you full for hours! Albeit, you have to pee a little more often since you're having a lot of broth with the soups, but it's totally worth it! hehe. Here we go friends! Hope you enjoy!

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Skinny Turkey Meatball Soup
Yields 2 servings
349 Calories per serving

20 oz of 99% fat free ground turkey (will yield about 16-18 oz once cooked)
3/4 cup of peeled and cubed turnip (the smaller the better when you buy them at the store)
1 large stalk of celery
1 very small shallot diced (about 1 tbsp)
1 tbsp low sodium tomato paste (I used Cento brand in a resealable tube. Click here to view)
32 oz Pacific Natural Foods organic free range low sodium chicken broth (This has the lowest sodium I've seen)
2 tbsp egg whites
2 cloves of garlic diced
1-2 tbsp Mrs.Dash Salt Free Chicken Grilling Blend (I have almost all of these blends. An awesome investment!)
Red chili pepper flakes to taste (I prefer spicy!)
Pam cooking spray
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, mix turkey, egg white, garlic, 1 tbsp Mrs.Dash, parmesan cheese, and pepper flakes.
Without overworking the meat, blend all ingredients thoroughly and form small meatballs. Turkey mixture will yield about 35 meatballs. Heat a large pot over medium high heat and coat lightly with Pam cooking spray. Arrange meatballs in pot and turn frequently to brown on all sides. It took me two batches to cook them all. Once cooked, set aside in a foil covered plate. Coat the bottom of the pot lightly with Pam again. Add shallot, celery, and turnips. Saute until vegetables begin to soften. Add tomato paste to pot and mix. Slowly add the chicken broth and deglaze as you go along. Scrape the bottom of the pot to release the flavorful brown bits. Once the broth is all in the pot, add the meatballs and simmer on medium low for 10-15 minutes. Add another dash of the chicken grilling blend and chili flakes if you wish to add more flavor. It's ready to serve! Add 15-17 meatballs to your bowl for 1 serving. Enjoy!


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 Chicken and Veggie Soup
Yields 1 serving
271 calories per serving

One 5-6 oz chicken breast
1/2 cup green cabbage shredded
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup zucchini slices
Mrs.Dash seasoning (any) to taste
2 1/2 tbsp Herb Ox sodium free chicken granules (Click here to view. This stuff is amazing!)
3 cups of water
Pam cooking spray

In a pot, mix water and chicken granules until well incorporated and bring to a boil. Place raw chicken breast in bouillon and cover. Cook 15-20 minutes until cooked thoroughly. While the chicken is cooking, place the zucchini and mushrooms on a cookie sheet and spray with Pam. Sprinkles Mrs.Dash seasoning on them, and put in a 450* oven for about 15 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken breast from the bouillon and shred with 2 forks in a bowl. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the cabbage. Take the mushrooms and zucchinis from the oven and add to the pot. Simmer the mixture for an additional 10 minutes, and it's ready!


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Spicy Turkey Chili with Cauliflower "Beans"
Yields 2 servings
345 calories per serving

20 oz of 99% fat free ground turkey (will yield about 16-18 oz once cooked)
1 cup yellow bell pepper chopped (Any color will do, I just had yellow on hand)
2 cups of cauliflower extremely well cooked (I steamed it in the microwave)
3 tbsp low sodium tomato paste
3 tbsp  Herb Ox sodium free chicken granules
3 teaspoons hot sauce, any kind
2-3 tbsp Mrs.Dash seasoning (any)

Coat the bottom of a large pot lightly with Pam, and once heated, add the turkey. Crumble and brown. Add the chopped peppers in and brown together. Mix chicken granules in about 3 cups of hot water and set aside. Add the tomato paste to the turkey mixture and stir. Once well mixed, add a little bit of the chicken broth mix.  Using a potato ricer, push the cauliflower through, making the "beans". Add broth as needed to created desired thickness. Season to taste with Mrs.Dash and add hot sauce. Mix together, and eat! Yum!











Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Weigh In Tuesday


Woohoo! I had a good week this week, I could feel it. It started with feeling positive about my choices on Thanksgiving, and continuing on! I'm very excited to only be 4 lbs away from 30 lbs lost.. Didn't I just celebrate losing 20?! This is awesome! =D

Soup Recipes to come soon!!


WEIGH IN : WEEK 7

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 281.2 lbs
Weekly Loss: 3.6 lbs
Total Loss: 26.3 lbs

Friday, November 23, 2012

Skinny thanksgiving

It went really well! Everything smelled and looked divine but it wasn't too difficult to resist. The only thing I had that I considered a "cheat" was one slice of pickled beet. My dinner turned out delicious! The turkey was to die for, and I was so glad to have some! All in all, my dinner was 508 calories. I'm proud of myself for sticking to the plan and being satisfied with what I had. The best part? After dinner while everyone around the table was too full to move, I felt great! Full, but not stuffed. I had so much fun being girly with my cousins Aria and Emma. We crimped our hair, did our makeup and painted nails. I felt cute and girly for the first time in a long while. It was a very successful beginning to the holidays!



Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Goals, and more changes!

When I started Take Shape for Life in October, I made monthly goals for myself in a facebook group, and I realized I hadn't shared them on my blog... They are simple, easy and realistic goals that I knew I could achieve, and I have! Yay! In October, my goal was to simply drink all of my water each day. About a gallon and half daily. There might have been a few days in that month when I was a few ounces short, but for the most part I was at goal or beyond each day. :) It's not too difficult for me, I love water!! My November goal, I wasn't sure if I could achieve, but I have and I couldn't be more excited!! My goal was to fit in a size smaller jeans. Around week 5, the jeans that I was wearing when I first started started sagging. If I wasn't careful and walked or wiggled too fast, they started falling right off! I was constantly pulling them up and it started getting really annoying! During week 6, I decided to try on smaller jeans I had in my drawer. I hadn't worn those in almost 8 months. They were too tight and gave me a very unattractive stomach bulge, so I that's when I got the bigger ones. I couldn't believe it when I tried them on. They fit like a glove! I kept digging, and it turns out that I  have several pairs of pants that fit now! Some of those pants haven't been worn since 2010. A few days later, I realized i weigh less now that I did in the summer of 2010! I am so excited! Yesterday, while trying to figure out what to wear to Thanksgiving, I rummaged in the back of my closet where I keep all of my smaller clothes. I pulled out a few sweaters that were given to me for Christmas a few years ago that never really fit well, and that's when I realized I've gone down a shirt size as well! 3X is much too big now, and all of the 2X sweaters that I have fit perfectly! That was REALLLLLY fun and encouraging. :) I can't wait to have more moments like this! Now to come up with a December goal... hmmm.

Thankful

I've been thinking of all the things to be thankful for this year, and I have many.

Due to my recent success, one of the things I am most thankful for, is my improving health. It all started in late summer with the help of my amazing grandmother and aunt. I was able to see a new doctor who helped me stop taking the medication that was making me feel worse. It's incredible how much better I felt after dosing down and coming off of it completely. I probably wouldn't have had the physical or emotional strength to begin my journey with Take Shape for Life if it hadn't been for that alone. So from the bottom of my heart, thank you so much Grandma and Caro for helping me get the help I needed.

Secondly, I would like to thank my health coach, Trinity. Without her encouragement and guidance, I probably would have hesitated and not started this program. She continues to be my guide and cheerleader though this, and it would be hard to do it without her! So thank you <3

Thank you to all of my friends and family who have been so incredibly supportive. I decided to make my story public not only for accountability, but because I knew the group of people I surround myself with on and offline would have nothing but love and encouragement for me. I feel blessed to be able to share this with you all and so thankful for each and every one of your positive comments. It warms my heart, and gives me that extra push to keep going. Mom, you especially. Your pride in my progress makes this even more worthwhile. In the end, you'll be rewarded with grand babies, I promise ;)

Thank you to my darling husband. He works incredibly hard to provide me with the means to do this. Aaron, you are so amazing. Each day you tell me I am beautiful, and that you are proud of me. Your love is unconditional and I feel it grow every day. You are my rock. I couldn't imagine life without you. One month from today, we will celebrate 6 incredible years together. Thank you for all that you do for me. I love you. I am thankful for our life, and our little family. It will grow someday, but we sure are cozy snuggling in bed with our 2 furbabies. I will always remember these years.

I am thankful to be fortunate enough to be a business owner. Though sometimes it may be scary, and it isn't exactly lucrative yet, Bruno's gives me the freedom to do what I love for a living, make my own schedule, and spend some time with my partner in everything, my husband. I know we will succeed in time.

There are so many things to be grateful for. I am so blessed to be able to have so many. To all of you who touch my life each day, thank you. I hope you are surrounded by family today and enjoy the time spent together. Don't forget to take a moment and remember there are some in this world that are not as lucky as we. Cherish your good fortune. Happy Thanksgiving!


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Weigh in Tuesday

Well, to be honest, I am a little surprised by this week's weigh in. I kind of had an off week eating wise, where I got into the bad habit of eating too late and sometimes skipping my last meal. I am going to start this week off on a better foot, but it's mighty encouraging to see this number this morning :) I'm very pleased with my progress. :)


WEIGH IN : WEEK 6

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 284.8 lbs
Weekly Loss: 2.6 lbs
Total Loss: 22.7 lbs

Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving

As soon as I began considering doing the Take Shape for Life program, one of the first thoughts that crossed my mind was, "MAN!! Thanksgiving and Christmas are gonna suck!!" My family makes the best food around the holidays. I knew it was going to be very tough to resist.

As it turns out, I'm glad that I had these thoughts early. I've been mentally preparing for weeks. I've had my menu planned for a few days now. Thankfully, I can have turkey; 6 oz of white meat. But no mashed potatoes, no gravy, no stuffing, no bread, no desert. Sigh! But I came up with ways to make it seem like I was still having a traditional dinner. With my turkey, I'll be having mashed cauliflower, garlic green beans, and a salad :) for desert, I will have a medifast brownie.

Since I've never made mashed cauliflower before, I decided to test run it with my lean and green tonight. FREAKING. AMAZING!! I steamed half a cup of it, put it in the magic bullet with about a teaspoon of milk, a little parmesan cheese, garlic powder and Mrs.Dash seasoning. Whirl, whirl, whirl, and it was ready! It was the same consistency as mashed potatoes, and color too! And it tasted delicious. I'm glad I tested it! Now I'm even more excited for Thursday. :)

Bring it on, skinny thanksgiving!!!



Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The difference..

It's there :) I see it! I am so excited! I plan on taking my next progress picture at 50 lbs lost, so it will be an even bigger difference! But this... 20 lbs in 5 weeks and looks where I am. I measured last night too, and I've lost 5 inches around my waist. So exciting!!! I am so happy it's working for me and that I like it enough to stick with it! Even if I hated everything, heck with results like these I'd eat sawdust! hehe.





Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Weigh In Tuesday

I DID IT! YES YES YES YES! *dance party* By the skin of my teeth, but I still did it! I'm so excited and proud of myself! Tomorrow I get to take my first progress picture! Woohoo!


WEIGH IN: WEEK 5

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 287.4 lbs
Weekly Loss: 2.8 lbs
Total Loss: 20.1 lbs

Monday, November 12, 2012

Cooking Fish...

Is not as easy as it looks! Lol. I got a great deal on a big bag of talapia fillets, and I was really excited to try it. I think I've had tilapia once or twice before maybe at a restaurant, but have never cooked it at home. I unthawed it in the fridge, then rinsed and patted them dry like the directions said, then I put it in a pan with a tiny little bit of olive oil, and I just let it cook with a little bit of garlic. It took a little longer to brown than I would've thought, maybe next time I try I'll have the heat on a little higher. As I tried to flip it, the fillet sort of fell apart. At the end, it just turned into pretty much fish sticks and fish chunks LOL, but it was delicious. I was surprised at how mild it tasted, because when I rinsed it and as it was cooking, it smelled a lot like fish. Overall I enjoyed it, and I will have it again soon. For my vegetables, I had a little bit of leftover spaghetti squash, with some spray on butter, and a little salad made of spinach and Romaine, with pinenuts and three tomatoes lol. A tasty dinner!

Tomorrow is weigh-in day. I hope hope hope hope hope I've lost 3 pounds so that I can be at a 20 pound loss. I know I can't expect a big loss every week, but 3 pounds would make me really really happy. I guess we'll see in the morning!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

You must try this recipe!

I was browsing YouTube a few weeks ago trying to remind myself how to cook spaghetti squash and came across this video. I changed a few things about the recipe (I can't use onion, and I seasoned my turkey with Italian sausage seasonings - amazing!) and I cooked my squash in the microwave instead of the oven to make it faster, but if you follow the general idea of this dish like I did, you will get a great outcome!

http://youtu.be/klzHi8wzJ1s


This is how mine turned out tonight one of the best meals I've had in give weeks!!


Friday, November 9, 2012

A working dinner

Hanging out at Bruno's tonight with my hubby and puppies. We are working/watching the hockey game :) I went home to pick them up and made myself dinner at the same time so I could take it back with me. This is my first attempt at a little batch stir fry since starting and I really enjoyed it! I found some 98% fat free pre-grilled chicken breast strips by Tyson at Safeway the other day. I decided to give them a try despite the fact that they were a little higher in sodium. If I plan my meal carefully while using them, I can definitely stay within the sodium regulation. They are very tasty and very easy and convenient. I definitely recommend them. I put them on top of salads and I used them in this stir fry with mushrooms, zucchini, and green cabbage. Mmmm. I love cabbage. I've missed it. I'll be using more of it soon :)

Monday, November 5, 2012

The Hoodie Experiment : Week Four

Not much change if at all this week. I can't wait til it fits a little better!

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Yummy recipe, but feeling sick

Thank you Pinterest! Homemade turkey sausage stuffed zucchini! It turned out a little dry because I didn't follow the recipe exactly (it called for mixing the turkey with ricotta cheese) but it was still very tasty. I don't think the zucchinis were large enough, hence not hollow enough, but it was still delicious anyway!

I started being sick today :( a cold with a sore throat and drippy nose. I'm hoping it won't stick around too long. I was just talking to Trinity today and explaining how I feel like this week was crappy. I've been bloated from my period, now sick, and (tmi) I've been super constipated with tons of gas in my belly :( Soooo uncomfortable. The Beano doesn't seem to be helping. I think I need to make sure I'm drinking all my water, that will help. And get back to the gym when I'm feeling better. Sigh. I don't know why, but I'm not expecting much from the scale this Tuesday. I've missed a few medifast meals because I've been eating too late in the morning etc... Oh well. Next week is a brand new week! Entering month two Tuesday! Wow!!


Friday, November 2, 2012

It's the little things

Last night I decided to paint my short stubby little nails. I've always been a nail biter, my whole life. Stress, habit, whatever the case was, I've always done it since I was little. The only time I was ever able to grow them out by pure will and determination was for my wedding in 2009. I had a lovely natural French manicure that I loved, and then a month later hockey season started and that was that lol.

When I started medifast, I knew I wanted to grow out my nails as part of my transformation. At first, I told myself I should definitely wait a few months. Because how hard would it be to give up two such addictive habits, eating junk and chewing my nails, at the same time, right?? The last few days I've caught myself consciously trying to stop myself when I started. I figured it was the sign that I was ready! So last night I searched high and low in my reject cosmetic bin lol and found 2 very old bottles of polish. It was goopy and tacky and hard to apply, but even after just doing that, I felt 100 times cuter!

If I can make it a week without chewing, I'll go buy myself a new bottle of polish. If I can make it a month, I will (inspired by my bestie Jawnell) go get a shellac manicure with adorable nail art. :) I'm so excited! I can do this!!

It really is the little things...


Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Skinny Fajita Salad

I totally made this up tonight and boy is it a winner! Try it! It doesn't even taste skinny!!

7 oz (cooked weight) of 99% fat free turkey strips (found mine at Fred Meyer)
10 sprays wishbone balsamic salad spritzer
10 sprays wishbone Italian salad spritzer
Few shakes of Mrs.Dash salt free chicken seasoning
Few shakes of Mrs.Dash salt free fiesta lime seasoning
Few shakes of onion powder
Few shakes of parsley flakes
1/2 cup any color bell pepper pieces
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup romaine lettuce

At least an hour before beginning to cook, put turkey in a quart size ziplock bag. Add a few shakes of Mrs.Dash chicken seasoning and 10 sprays of wishbone Italian dressing spritzer. Close the bag and massage for a few minutes, spreading the spices and dressing evenly. Refrigerate for an hour or overnight.

In a large skillet, spray a light coating of nonstick cooking spray. Add the peppers in an even layer and sauté for about 5 minutes. Turn the pieces over and repeat. Once the peppers are soft, move them to the outer edges of the pan. Place the mushroom slices in an even layer in the center of the pan. Sauté until golden brown, then flip and repeat. Once all the veggies and soft and browned, add a few shakes of onion powder and parsley flakes. Stir mixture until well blended. Add turkey strips and brown until no pink remains. Add a few shakes of Mrs.Dash fiesta lime seasoning and stir everything thoroughly.
On a plate, place the romaine lettuce and dress with the balsamic salad spritzer. Toss to coat evenly. Add turkey mixture on top and voila! Enjoy!

Only 288 calories for the entire meal!


Monday, October 29, 2012

The Hoodie Experiment : Week Three

Looking at these pictures this week, I think I see a small difference, but in the wrong direction. Unfortunately, as my body obviously hates me, Aunt Flo has made an appearance for the second time this month... It's only been 10 days since she left and now she's back. Ugh. Obviously not normal, but what else is new. I am feeling bloated and tired and just blah. I still don't have my replacement scale, but maybe that's a good thing this week. I wouldn't want to be disappointed if the number went up a little due to my stupid uterus. I swear it hates me. Sigh...

Friday, October 26, 2012

My new food is here!

Oh happy day! Just when it was time to eat, and I was dreading swallowing down fruit punch (blargh!), the UPS man appeared at the door! He was carrying the box of all the yummy new foods I ordered. Now I can start working the not so great tasting stuff in with the things I like, and make it a little less painful! As I sit here typing, I am enjoying honey mustard pretzels, and by enjoy, I really do mean enjoy =) Finding things you like makes it easier. But honestly, it's not even hard anymore. It was never really ever hard to begin with. I think I was very fortunate to have an easy transition. Once my mind was made up, and I was ready, there was no looking back. It was not an option.

 My Mom made me realize the other night, that we are very much alike in that aspect. She quit drinking pretty suddenly, after making up her mind in 2003. She is coming up on 10 years sober in March of '13. (I AM SO PROUD OF YOU MAMAN!) We make up our minds, and that's it. It's the Marinier blood in us ;)

At the very beginning, Trinity told me, "It's not about the food. The food is only a tool." When you're used to eating like I used to, you don't truly understand. 2.5 weeks in and 10.7 lbs down, I totally get it now. Yes, it's nice when things taste good, but really, the only reason that food is going in is to keep you well nourished on your weight loss journey. Regardless, I'm glad I like things! :D



Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Cauliflower Lasagna

Many people have asked me about how to make the delicious meal my mom and I enjoyed last night. Thank you to my health coach Trinity for posting it! It's very filling and delicious!


Cauliflower Lasagna

Ingredients

4 cups cooked cauliflower, grated or shredded in the food processor
3-4 cups shredded low-fat mozzarella, divided
1 cup eggbeaters
1 - 1 1/2 cups non-fat (or low-fat) cottage cheese
6 Tbsp parmesan cheese (optional)
16 oz 99% lean ground turkey, cooked with Italian seasonings
2-3 cups no sugar added, low-carb spaghetti sauce (or no sugar, no salt tomato sauce)


Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and spray 9x13 casserole dish with non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix cauliflower, eggbeaters and half the mozzarella. In another small bowl, mix the cottage cheese and parmesan cheese (if using).
Spread half the spaghetti/tomato sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish. Spread half of the cauliflower mixture over the sauce. Spread half of the cottage cheese mixture over the cauliflower mixture. Spread half the ground turkey over the cottage cheese. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Spread remaining mozzarella over top of lasagna.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, then allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

This makes 4 "lean and green" portions and is a perfect dish for leftovers! It is extremely filling and super tasty.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Weigh in Tuesday

As dubbed by my best friend Jawnell, today is Weigh in Tuesday. Sadly, my scale is broken. It's just reading an error message. :( I've contacted the company who say it was probably defective and they are sending me a new one. In the meantime, since I can't weigh myself this morning, I whipped out the measuring tape and I measured. I wasn't expecting much but I wanted to at least do something! I was surprised with the results!

Arm: start 16 in now 15 in
Chest: start 54.5 in now 52 in
Waist: start 60 in now 57 in
Hips: start 57 in now 57 in
Thigh: start 30.5 in now 29.5 in

Exciting!! I'm dying to know if I'm under 300!! I'll try to find a scale ASAP!

Monday, October 22, 2012

The Hoodie Experiment : Week Two

Well, I don't know how I managed such good lighting in my bathroom last week, because this week I couldn't get a good picture to save my life. So I apologize if it looks a little funny, but I put a filter on it to make it a little bit lighter see you could see. It would probably help if I wasn't wearing all black LOL, but those of you that know me, this is very normal for me. I can't wait to get colorful skinny clothes!!

While I was at it, I took a side view picture, because I had taken one last week just for my own personal viewing. But I figured I could put them next to each other and see. Not much has changed, but! It's beginning!

The first big change

There are little things here and there that I've noticed changing in the last two weeks, but today, I definitely see the first big change. For the last year or so, my wedding right has been getting so tight I could hardly take it off. I had to twist and pull and it left big dents in my finger. Happy to report that today, it slides around easily and comes right off in one smooth try. I'm sure lowering my sodium content has much to do with that, but it's still very exciting!

In other exciting news, I found fat-free feta cheese at Safeway tonight!! Woo hoo! Guilt free protein to put on my salads! I had some tonight and it was delish!

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Temptations & Uterus Melting

Today, we helped our great friends Patrick and Krysi move into their new (first) home. I am so happy for them! It's a great house that they can grow their little family into. My job was to babysit their adorable 14 month old son Logan so the boys could do the heavy lifting.That being said, I needed my medifast meals today to be extremely fast and easy. I had hot cocoa for breakfast and brought along 4 bars for the rest of the day. I normally limit myself to 2 bars per day to have a little variety in my eating, but today I really did need it to be quick and easy. Logan and I had the best time. I cuddled him for three hours while he slept, we danced, tickled and laughed bunches, and explored his new house. He is such a happy little soul, his smile and laughter is infectious.

His lovely mama got home in the early evening while Aaron and Patrick kept moving the heavy stuff, and since there was literally no food in the house, Krysi was so sweet and considerate and asked if it would be rude of her to order takeout. I decided at the start of this journey that MY issues with my diet would absolutely not deter anyone else to do what they pleased. It was very sweet of her to ask, and I told her it would not bother me. She went to pick up Chinese food, and the silly girl was eating behind the corner in the kitchen. I invited her to come sit with me and told her she didn't need to hide. Her plate looked delicious, with rice and noodles and everything I miss, and smelled heavenly as well, but that voice in my head said no and I flipped a switch that turned it off. I was flirting with the thought of being tempted for a second, but it didn't last long. I am glad, because later in the evening when I came home, I was rewarded with a delicious diet approved meal that I felt great about. Three servings of roasted veggies, (mushrooms, zucchinis, and asparagus) a 4 oz grilled chicken breast, and 2 vegetarian sausage patties to make up the protein for my small chicken. Oh and of course a wedge of laughing cow light for my healthy fat. It was amazingly delicious!

We left their house at about 8:30 pm and by then little Logan was pretty tired. When he realized we were about ready to say goodbye, he got very sad and started to cry and launched himself at me. I gave him hugs and kisses and tried handing him back to his parents, but he was sobbing and fighting to stay in my arms. Can you say heartbreak and uterus melting?!?! It took about 10 minutes to detach him from me and get his attention onto something else. But he noticed when we tried to sneak out and he started to cry and chase after me. I almost cried too. I could still hear him through the front door as we walked to the car. <\3 Needless to say, my maternal clock was ticking so loudly I could barely think, but the one thought that did make it through was, I have to keep going and stay strong so I can have my own baby sooner than later. Oy. Rough goodbye, little Logan, rough goodbye. But see you soon <3

Friday, October 19, 2012

Sometimes it's hard to measure...

I scoured the Internet high and low for "how many whole mushrooms equals half a cup" and to no avail. Then I tried to convert "how much does a half cup of veggies weigh". We all know I'm not a math whiz, but all this measuring confusion is driving me batty. I settled for 6 pieces each of mushrooms, zucchini, and yellow peppers. How do you measure what a half cup of a veggie is anyway? Anyone? Do you chop it, fit it in half a cup, then try to remember how many pieces it was? Lol. Geesh. I'll have to do more research. But you definitely need whole veggies or bigger chunks when you're making this. Yum!

The Gym

Aaron and I joined a gym earlier this month; Planet Fitness in Vancouver. It was too good to pass up. It's only $20 per month for the both of us. I knew I wanted to start going as part of my program, but as recommended by Take Shape For Life, I waited a little until my body was used to less calories. I still have to be careful and not go workout crazy. It's a fine balance between fat burning mode and starvation mode. I need to make sure my body doesn't think it's getting too little, or it will start holding on to fat. Lol. That would be bad. But I want to work out anyway, to start building up some muscle mass. It felt great when I was done! I'm excited to start going often. I'll do a little cardio, but mostly focus on weight training to tone and stuff :) I'm glad the first workout is behind me! :)

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Tonight, I wanted to eat.

Like I explained to Trinity, I wasn't necessarily "starving", but my brain and mind wanted to eat. Is it the habits and brain finally catching up and wanting to binge? Who knows. All I know is I wanted to eat. We came home earlier tonight so I could fix dinner sooner than later. I had leftover spaghetti squash in the fridge that needed to be eaten or thrown away and I didn't want to waste. There was probably a good cup a a half there, (rather than a cup) but I just plopped it on my plate. I wanted something green too so I made a very small side salad. My lean protein was a grilled chicken breast. I was trying to eat slowly but I just wanted to EAT. So I did. Afterwards I felt slightly guilty. Guilty over a half a cup of squash lol. After I computed everything and I texted Trinity, I felt better. Turns out today was the day I've had the lowest amount of calories since I started. I ate a little more squash than I should have, but in the end, it didn't harm anything, and I hope that I've gotten this need to eat something substantial out of the way. One day at a time, right?

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Week 2, here we go!

When in doubt and starving.... Have egg whites for your lean protein. I had a cup and a half (!!) of egg whites, with a vegetarian sausage patty crumbled in, and with mushrooms and zucchini yummmmmy! It made a big ol heaping bowlful and now I feel like I ate a huge meal, but still ate healthy! Best of both worlds!

Aunt Flo is still with me, *grumble* I hope she takes a hike soon. The last few days, I've been feeling super bloated and (icky!) gassy. Like there are constant bubbles in my tummy. I'm sure it's my digestive tract adjusting to all the soy, but in the meantime I stopped at the pharmacy tonight and with the pharmacist's recommendation, bought some Beano. It says directly on the box it helps digest soy and high fiber veggies, so fingers crossed it helps me! I feel like I've gained all the weight back just in bloat. EW.

Today I modified, and placed my new medifast order. I'm very excited that the next box of food delivered to me will be filled with things I look forward to eating all day, not just things that leave me choosing the lesser of two evils everyday ;) I really am very glad that there are several things in the medifast line that I enjoy. It will make these coming months much more enjoyable. =]

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Success!

My first week is over, done, behind me!
And the best part, is I have great results to show for it!

WEIGH IN: WEEK 1

Starting Weight: 307.5 lbs
Current Weight: 302.0 lbs
Weekly Loss: 5.5 lbs
Total Loss: 5.5 lbs

I am ecstatic! What great motivation to keep on keeping on!

Monday, October 15, 2012

The Hoodie Experiment : Week One

My awesome mom got me this hoodie a few years ago. I've worn it maybe three times. It was always a little snug from the get go but got progressively worse as time went on. I didn't want to wear out in public. So! I decided to chart the progress of how this now ill fitting hoodie will change over the course of this journey. Each week on Mondays before my weigh in, I will take a new picture of me in the hoodie! Can't wait to see what it looks like in a few weeks!!

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Dinner success!

I finally fixed my spaghetti squash and buffalo meatballs. Omg. Outta this world! I get to eat this and lose weight?! Heck yes! Yumm!

Aunt Flow decided to make her monthly visit yesterday. *grumble* I feel so yucky and bloated. My health coach, the lovely Trinity, said that being on your menses often results in less weight loss than you would usually see. BUMMER! But! I get to have another weigh in after it ends, even if its not Tuesday =D we shall see! One day left!

Saturday, October 13, 2012

The week is flying by!

Tomorrow is day 6 already! This week is going pretty fast. Everything is still going well. Yesterday I tried two soups and they weren't too bad! I like savory things better than sweet things anyhow, so I like having those options. Besides the pudding, I've found that the only things I really don't like are the puffs or bites... Ick. I won't be ordering those again.

I was late having my lean and green meal tonight and I was feeling pretty hungry and weak-ish. I'm not doing a very good job of sticking to the meal plan lol. Tonight the plan was to have spaghetti squash and buffalo meatballs. I had no patience to make that tonight. In fact I had no patience to make anything at all. So my sweet hubby sent me to the bedroom to relax and he fixed me grilled shrimp, steamed cauliflower and a salad again. DELICIOUS!

The thing that I've noticed the most the last few days, is the difference between feeling satisfied and feeling stuffed to the seams. I'm realizing it was my habit to eat until I was too full to eat anymore. Measuring my portions carefully and only eating what's on my plate makes a huge difference. You know that ughhhh 'eww fooood babyyy' feeling you get after overeating? I don't feel that anymore. I feel lighter, and have more energy. And the best part is I get to eat again 2.5 hours later :) I think this is a good step for me. I can't wait (but I'm still nervous) until weigh in on Tuesday morning! Yay!

Chicken and wild rice soup with a few pieces of grilled chicken in it.

Friday, October 12, 2012

My before picture, and day 4 disaster.

I've been excited/dreading taking my "before" pictures. Excited because I will only see myself change, but dreading because I hate seeing myself now. Nevertheless, it's part of the process, so here we are.

This morning was a fiasco. I decided I wanted to bring my lean and green to lunch with me today (I'm not sticking to the meal plan at all lol. Whoops) so I got up early to cook my frozen chicken breast on my little George Forman grill. Bad idea... Next time I need to thaw the chicken first, as it burned the top before the middle was done. Oh well. I'll eat it a little charred. Then I completely forgot about my pine nuts in the oven and burned those to a crisp, setting off the smoke alarm and agitating the dogs. When I thought nothing else could go wrong, I realized the can opener was broken and I couldn't open the can of sliced black olives to use as my healthy fats. Geeeez. So I decided to have a wedge of laughing cow light in addition to my breakfast to replace one healthy fat, and I'll have another as my before bed snack. Yikes. Oh well. Deep breath lol