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...