Starting weight : 161.6 lb
Ending weight : 157.8 lb
Change : 3.8 lb lost (average .85 lb lost per week)
This time last year : 179.2 lb
My goal for this month was super ambitious and was to hit 157.4lb, which is my lowest ever on weight watchers. This would have meant I needed over 1lb lost per week average. It didn't happen, but I came pretty close. If I'd managed to maintain the one week I gained 0.4lb, I would have hit it on the nose, but I can't say that I'm ungrateful. I had a pretty rough two weeks at the end of the month and only made it to the gym one time. I also lost 3.8lb for the month which is the most I've lost in a single month since May 2010, when I was still breastfeeding, so that's a big accomplishment.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Monday, August 29, 2011
Apple Crisp
We had guests for dinner last night and this is a great dessert recipe. It makes a large dish, so if there aren't many people, you can cut the recipe in half.
Ingredients:
For the base:
5lb granny smith apples
grated zest of 1 orange
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Splenda blend granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup Splenda blend granulated sugar
3/4 cup Splenda blend brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, diced
Note: the packages of Splenda blend say to use only half of what it calls for in regular sugar, but after many uses, we've learned that's not the case, so if you don't use Splenda blend, the measurements for real sugar would be the same as listed above.
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 glass baking dish. Peel and cut apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the baking dish.
Step 2:
To make crust, combine flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in a bowl and mix until the mixture is crumbly and and the butter is the size of peas. We use a spatula to mix but you can use a mixer on low speed. Scatter evenly over the apples.
Step 3:
Bake for 1 hours until the top is brown and apples are bubbly. We suggest making it a bit before you plan to eat it because it stay hot a really long time and will stay warm for hours if just covered with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Make 10 servings; 15 Points Plus each
Ingredients:
For the base:
5lb granny smith apples
grated zest of 1 orange
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup Splenda blend granulated sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
For the crust:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup Splenda blend granulated sugar
3/4 cup Splenda blend brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 lb cold unsalted butter, diced
Note: the packages of Splenda blend say to use only half of what it calls for in regular sugar, but after many uses, we've learned that's not the case, so if you don't use Splenda blend, the measurements for real sugar would be the same as listed above.
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x13 glass baking dish. Peel and cut apples into large wedges. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the baking dish.
Step 2:
To make crust, combine flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in a bowl and mix until the mixture is crumbly and and the butter is the size of peas. We use a spatula to mix but you can use a mixer on low speed. Scatter evenly over the apples.
Step 3:
Bake for 1 hours until the top is brown and apples are bubbly. We suggest making it a bit before you plan to eat it because it stay hot a really long time and will stay warm for hours if just covered with a sheet of aluminum foil.
Make 10 servings; 15 Points Plus each
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Weigh-in for 8/27/2011
Last weigh-in (8/20/2011) : 158.8 lb
This weigh-in (8/27/2011) : 157.8 lb
Change : 1 lb lost
There are hardly words to describe how I feel about this weigh-in. I am shocked and grateful at the same time. I really have no explanation for the loss because I was up on Thursday and that was before we had to unexpectedly eat out for dinner. I thought that was going to be a nail in my coffin for the week. There are weeks every so often that are an anomaly. There are two types : weeks when you're really good, but end up with a gain or weeks when you've been not so good and end up with a loss. I have to believe that because of my vow to get back on track in the gym, I've been given the push with this gift.
This weigh-in (8/27/2011) : 157.8 lb
Change : 1 lb lost
There are hardly words to describe how I feel about this weigh-in. I am shocked and grateful at the same time. I really have no explanation for the loss because I was up on Thursday and that was before we had to unexpectedly eat out for dinner. I thought that was going to be a nail in my coffin for the week. There are weeks every so often that are an anomaly. There are two types : weeks when you're really good, but end up with a gain or weeks when you've been not so good and end up with a loss. I have to believe that because of my vow to get back on track in the gym, I've been given the push with this gift.
Friday, August 26, 2011
I Feel Like I've Fallen Off the Wagon
This week has not been the best for me and it feels like I've fallen off the wagon in a way. I have only made it to the gym once all month and I think that's a bad place to be. I've had so much success recently and without the gym, I feel like I'm going to bounce back up. I am making a vow to go to the gym next week, even if I'm tired. Two weeks ago, I had some major dental work on my right side (I go back for the left side in three weeks) and am still feeling the effects. I can't sleep at night without ibuprofen because of the throbbing and no one feels like being good and working out when they don't feel well.
When I weighed myself mid-week I was up a little and that gives me the sinking feeling that I'm headed for the 160s again, which I don't want to do. Two years ago, I was in the low 160s and felt great. Now the high 150s isn't good enough. Sure, I have an entire wardrobe that fits me amazing right now, but I'm not happy with where I am. Of course, another monkey wrench in my week was that last night I was going to make the oven stew for dinner and when I went in the fridge, my beef had gone bad. I had some chicken starting to thaw in the fridge for tonight and kept going back and forth about what to do. I had pasta for lunch, so the meal it was meant for wouldn't work and if I did plain chicken breasts, I didn't have a marinade and we'd done chicken the night before. We ended up going out, which I'm sure won't help my week at all. I'm very nervous about tomorrow on the scale and crossing my fingers that I'm not above 160 and and can get my but in gear to keep losing.
When I weighed myself mid-week I was up a little and that gives me the sinking feeling that I'm headed for the 160s again, which I don't want to do. Two years ago, I was in the low 160s and felt great. Now the high 150s isn't good enough. Sure, I have an entire wardrobe that fits me amazing right now, but I'm not happy with where I am. Of course, another monkey wrench in my week was that last night I was going to make the oven stew for dinner and when I went in the fridge, my beef had gone bad. I had some chicken starting to thaw in the fridge for tonight and kept going back and forth about what to do. I had pasta for lunch, so the meal it was meant for wouldn't work and if I did plain chicken breasts, I didn't have a marinade and we'd done chicken the night before. We ended up going out, which I'm sure won't help my week at all. I'm very nervous about tomorrow on the scale and crossing my fingers that I'm not above 160 and and can get my but in gear to keep losing.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Oven Stew
Ingredients:
1lb stew beef
1 onion
celery
carrots
red potatoes, cut chunky
1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can peas with liquid
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 2 1/2 to 3 quart Corningware dish, place a layer of stewing beef, onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes.
Step 2:
Layer over all : can of cream of mushroom soup, then can of tomato soup, then can of peas with all liquid. Salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT STIR. Be careful not to fill dish to the top to prevent spilling into the oven. I recommend covering a baking sheet with aluminum foil and placing the dish on sheet in oven.
Step 3:
Cover dish and bake in oven for 3 hours. Enjoy!
Makes about 9 servings; 9 Points Plus per serving
1lb stew beef
1 onion
celery
carrots
red potatoes, cut chunky
1 can condensed Cream of Mushroom soup
1 can condensed tomato soup
1 can peas with liquid
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a 2 1/2 to 3 quart Corningware dish, place a layer of stewing beef, onions, celery, carrots, and potatoes.
Step 2:
Layer over all : can of cream of mushroom soup, then can of tomato soup, then can of peas with all liquid. Salt and pepper to taste. DO NOT STIR. Be careful not to fill dish to the top to prevent spilling into the oven. I recommend covering a baking sheet with aluminum foil and placing the dish on sheet in oven.
Step 3:
Cover dish and bake in oven for 3 hours. Enjoy!
Makes about 9 servings; 9 Points Plus per serving
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Baked Ziti with Chicken
Ingredients:
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
28oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
12 oz cooked whole-wheat pasta
6oz shredded 2% mozzarella cheese
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and cook over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Drain off any fat, then add onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes
Step 2:
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Bring to simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3:
Stir in cooked pasta and half the grated cheese. Spread evenly into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Top evenly with remaining cheese.
Step 4:
Bake until cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing into 8 pieces.
Serves 8
1lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
28oz can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
12 oz cooked whole-wheat pasta
6oz shredded 2% mozzarella cheese
Step 1:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut chicken into bite size pieces and cook over medium heat until thoroughly cooked. Drain off any fat, then add onion and green pepper. Cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes
Step 2:
Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Bring to simmer, then reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Step 3:
Stir in cooked pasta and half the grated cheese. Spread evenly into a 9x13 inch baking pan. Top evenly with remaining cheese.
Step 4:
Bake until cheese has melted and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes at room temperature before slicing into 8 pieces.
Serves 8
Monday, August 22, 2011
Slow & Steady
Pre-Pregnancy
Post-Pregnancy
Most people start a diet expecting big results fast and that's not usually how things work. Average weight loss per week on weight watchers is 0.5lb - 1.5lb a week. This means that there are bigger weeks and then there are weeks that are smaller or even possibly a maintain or gain. I've seen it all in my 5+ years on program. It always starts out big and then tapers off as your body recovers from the shock of less calories.
Above are two charts that show my weight loss. The first one is my first 3 years before I got pregnant and the second one is the last 18 months since Brady was born. So take into account that the second one is only half the amount of time as the first. As you can see both started out going down really fast, then they started to level out. You can see in the first chart how I've gone up and down, although never close to gaining it all back (except when I was pregnant). It's tough losing weight and even harder keeping it off. Those who stick with it are those who understand it's a process that's not going to result in 30lbs lost in 2 months.
Since I gained last week, it makes me worry about bouncing up again or hitting a plateau. I've had hot streaks like this before and they don't last forever, so I'm always thinking it's going to end at any time. Before this current hot streak, I was stuck in a plateau from Thanksgiving to the beginning of April, bouncing between 172lbs and 170lbs. It's a tough place to be mentally because you just feel like throwing in the towel and as shown by my first chart, I've done just that before. Gaining 15lbs because you're tired of being stuck in a plateau doesn't make you feel any better. Especially, when you start thinking that you have to take it all off again. When you hit a plateau, it helps to chart your entire weight loss and look at the trend. If it's a slow, steady, downward trend, you need to focus on that.
Above are two charts that show my weight loss. The first one is my first 3 years before I got pregnant and the second one is the last 18 months since Brady was born. So take into account that the second one is only half the amount of time as the first. As you can see both started out going down really fast, then they started to level out. You can see in the first chart how I've gone up and down, although never close to gaining it all back (except when I was pregnant). It's tough losing weight and even harder keeping it off. Those who stick with it are those who understand it's a process that's not going to result in 30lbs lost in 2 months.
Since I gained last week, it makes me worry about bouncing up again or hitting a plateau. I've had hot streaks like this before and they don't last forever, so I'm always thinking it's going to end at any time. Before this current hot streak, I was stuck in a plateau from Thanksgiving to the beginning of April, bouncing between 172lbs and 170lbs. It's a tough place to be mentally because you just feel like throwing in the towel and as shown by my first chart, I've done just that before. Gaining 15lbs because you're tired of being stuck in a plateau doesn't make you feel any better. Especially, when you start thinking that you have to take it all off again. When you hit a plateau, it helps to chart your entire weight loss and look at the trend. If it's a slow, steady, downward trend, you need to focus on that.
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