Loser Jars and Getting Back on Track

I have been doing an awful job of staying on track since about May. I attribute it to a number of factors, especially being swamped at work and being in a new relationship with a wonderful woman who feeds me too well with things that are not good for me... and I let her. :-D SOOOO I am trying my darndest to get back on track and start anew, all the while educating my other half so we can... or at least I can... make better choices.

I saw a great idea on the Slim Reapers Lose It forum and decided to do it... LOSER JARS! You put glass gems, marbles, or even pebbles in a one jar to represent the pounds you need to lose. In another jar to the side, you place pounds you actually lose. Pictures below will show you what I mean.


All you need are jars, gems, and decorative stickers.

Front View

Side 2

Side 3

Side 4, with my starting weight and end goal weight.

Top view of the gems

I have lost 32 lbs. 32 gems represent lbs.

I have 43 lbs to lose. 43 gems represent lbs.

105-Calorie Easy "Homemade" Chocolate Greek FroYo

It's HOT outside here in Houston, and my usual chocolate cravings are in overdrive. Today I discovered that I can make frozen yogurt using things I already had in my home...

Items Needed

• Two trays of ice
• 1/4 c. water
• Salt
• Gallon Ziploc baggie
• Snack size Ziploc baggie
• Stonyfield Farms Oikos chocolate greek yogurt, single-serve container (100 calories)
• Almond milk or other liquid to thin (5 calories in 1/8 c. of almond milk)

Process

1. Empty Greek yogurt into snack-sized Ziploc bag. Add a splash of almond milk to the baggie and seal.

2. Empty two trays of ice into gallon-sized Ziploc bag. Add generous amount of salt and about 1/4 c. of water.

3. Place snack-sized baggie inside of the gallon-sized bag and seal.

4. Shake bags until the yogurt gains texture of ice cream/frozen yogurt.

5. Remove from bag and enjoy!

Greek Yogurt (comes in different flavors!)

Finished product being consumed... and greatly enjoyed!!!

Before and After - Photo Logging

Do you keep visual reminders of what was and what now is? I do. I highly recommend it as a matter of fact! It's not too late to start unless you already reached your losing end point.

What I do...
1. Take a face shot once a week (usually Saturday in the same location with the same lighting) and post in a facebook album. This permits me to flip through the album and see the progression of my face and features slimming or changing in good ways. I can also do some good side-by-sides after a while.
2. At the beginning and every month or so, take a profile shot. Look at that chin shrink!
3. Take pictures of your bigger clothing to show how much you have shrunk. :-)

Do you do anything like this? Please share!

Some examples of mine...

 Compiled 3.22.12

 Losing inches!!!

 Size 24 ---> 20

Cauliflower Crust Pizza - 446 Cals

When I started a calorie-reduced diet, one thing I really missed was pizza. My current daily calorie budget is 1,211. I don't have enough to spend on pizza when each slice has hundreds and hundreds of calories... and goodness only knows I would never have just one slice. I started seeking alternatives. I found recipes, experimented, and altered. Here's what I've come up with for excellent pizza. (Please note that this crust is firm but not crispy... if I find a way to get it crispy, I'll update!)

Ingredients:
Fresh cauliflower - 1 cup grated

Kraft Mozzarella Cheese, 2% - 1 cup, separated into 1/2 cups

Medium Egg, 1 each
Ground Oregano, 1 tsp
Ground Parsley, 2 tsp
Pam brand olive oil cooking spray

Ragu Pasta Sauce, Tomato and Basil Light (no sugar added) - 1/2 cup (less if you'd like)


Method of Madness:
1. Using a cheese grater, rice 1 cup of cauliflower. Then, microwave for 2 minutes. DO NOT add water, and DO NOT cover!

2. Add 1/2 cup of mozzarella, egg, oregano, and parsley to the cooked, riced cauliflower. Stir well with a fork. This is the crust!

3. In a non-stick pan, spray a liberal amount of Pam brand olive oil cooking spray. Place pan on burner and turn heat on medium-high. Put mixture in the center of the pan. Using a plastic spatula, press crust mixture evenly in pan.

4. Once the bottom has firmed to your liking (without burning), slide crust onto a plate and then flip over in pan to cook the other side.

5. Add sauce and top with cheese/additional toppings. Cover to melt cheese.

6. When the cheese is melted, check the bottom of the crust to make sure it is firm throughout. Carefully slide pizza onto plate. CONSUME! :-D You can also share this with someone and enjoy 1/2 of the calories... though for dinner, I like the whole yummy thing!!

Calorie Breakdown: 

Cauliflower Pizza (edit name & serving)

446 calories

Mozzarella Cheese, 2% (edit) 1 Cup 280 calories Sauce, Pasta, Tomato & Basil... (edit) 1/2 Cup 60 calories Riced Cauliflower (edit) 1 Cup 30 calories Herb, Oregano, Leaves, Dried (edit) 1 Teaspoon 2 calories Herb, Parsley, Dried (edit) 2 Teaspoons 2 calories Egg, raw (edit) 1 Each 70 calories

Smart Food Choices

Making smart choices with food is hard... wow is it difficult! 

What are some of your smart swaps? Feel free to post below! Here are a couple of delicious, flavor-packed snacks I enjoy in the evenings (calorie contents included):

Mock Bagel - 138 calories

1. Open a sandwich thin roll and lay both pieces flat.

2. Split one container of cheese onto the flats and spread evenly.

3. Sprinkle with dill and enjoy!

Naturally Sweet - 185 calories

Post your smart swap(s) in the comments section!

Green Zone Rewards!

My favorite rewards that keep me happy but in the "Green Zone"...

1. Nature walk/exploring
2. Playing Wii or other game
3. Watching a movie while snacking smart (think 100-cal bag of popcorn, raspberries, and square of dark chocolate)
4. Buying a new article of clothing (smaller pants, yay!)
5. Getting (or giving myself) a pedicure

What are your favorite rewards? :-) Tell me in the comments section below!

Health - Overweight Effects

Every body handles excess weight differently. What are some problems you have had because of excess lbs? (Feel free to post in the comments section if you'd like...) I'll tell you a few of the problems I've had and the solutions I've found.

Knees

My knees started screaming at me. I acquired creaky sounds and excruciating pain that would wake me in the middle of the night and leave me near paralyzed. This flared up really badly during curling season because of the way one delivers the stone... and this was when I would curl 4-5 times a week. Then, two years later, I decided to try a Couch to 5K (C25K) program and went home each night with swollen knees and the inability to move much. I found that buying knee support braces and wearing them during runs would keep the blood/fluid flowing and would prevent swelling and pain after exercise. The last thing I needed was an excuse not to exercise!! I have a feeling that as I lose weight, this problem will become less. If not, at least I have my braces to help me through. 

Heartburn

Can you believe I've had heartburn since the end of my middle school years? I couldn't figure out why I got it so frequently (numerous times a day) or why Tums just weren't working. In high school, I had an upper GI done and found that I had GERD. I still didn't really put the whole puzzle together and didn't change my eating habits. In college, I switched to using ranitidine (generic Zantac), but I had to take twice the recommended dose to get it to work. Since moving down South for work a year and a half ago, I've had less frequent heartburn problems, but it still hadn't gone away and boy was I frustrated. I realized about 15 days ago that I had only gotten heartburn ONE TIME since the start of the new year. The change? Eating habits. Yes, it sounds obvious... but that is because it is! Eating more healthfully and reducing the amount of greasy, fried, and acidic foods makes such a difference. Heartburn is your body's way of saying, "NO THANK YOU" even though your taste buds may be greedily saying "MORE! MORE!" My grandma died when I was in college because she developed cancer of the esophagus. It was a terrible way to die. She had heartburn from a young age but didn't change her diet or take it very seriously. That will not happen to me.

Fatigue/Depression

No exercise and eating poorly is a dangerous combination. Not exercising leads my body to become tired on a daily basis and gives me more time sitting at home craving foods (whether stress-related or boredom-related). Lacking energy leads me to depression. Boosting happy hormones in my body happens through exercise. Also, knowing I did something positive for myself makes me feel happier, so positive food and exercise choices literally make me smile. I feel weak and defeated when cravings have control over me. So basically, I've been able to combat both fatigue and depression by making positive nutrition and exercise choices. I also have come to the realization that I am worth it. :-D Journaling and blogging are great outlets!

Thank you for reading!

"I once was lost, but now am found... was blind, but now I see..."