Breakfast Roundup...

image courtesy of gregnockles.com

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. And certainly, there is a lot out there to choose from when it comes to this meal. Do you want sweet? Do you prefer a savory meal? Heavy, light, or in between?

Here are a few of my favorite breakfast choices at the moment. I tend to lean more toward the savory side of things, but there are a few sweeter treats in here! {Note: Yes, I drink coffee daily, with milk or half and half.} And these have all been taste-tested, successfully, by my kids too!

Baked Oatmeal Cups, served with Greek yogurt and fruit
[note: I use a whole egg, and only 2 Tbsp. of honey, and I consider two of them a serving]

Whole wheat toast, or a whole grain English muffin, with almond or peanut butter, and sliced banana

"Country style" sweet potato (cook sweet potato most of the way, peel, cut into cubes, and saute until brown and crispy, using olive oil spray), with sauteed greens (kale or spinach), and a poached egg or two. Good with salsa as well!

Overnight, No-Cook Refrigerator Oatmeal
[I especially love fresh strawberries... this is more of a summertime treat]

5-Minute Oatmeal Power Bowl
[I make mine with soy milk, fwiw]

A whole grain [low-carb] tortilla, toasted lightly and filled with 1-2 scrambled eggs, a big handful of sauteed spinach, and salsa. Or, I use one egg plus an egg white, add a sprinkling of grated cheese, and make a quesadilla instead.

Whole grain sourdough toast, or a whole grain English muffin, topped with mashed avocado and a fried egg; fruit on the side

Once in a while, I love pancakes or waffles. I like this recipe, though I sub in whole wheat flour. I top pancakes/waffles with apple butter, or a homemade hot fruit sauce (just cook together some blueberries, tiny apple chunks, cinnamon, and a dash of vanilla. Add a spoonful of honey to taste.)

And sometimes, I just have Greek yogurt with raspberries or strawberries, and some chopped walnuts.

I also make baked oatmeal, an occasional fritatta, and I've found grits are really good when mixed with salt, pepper,and  a little cheese, and then topped with a soft cooked egg!

I'm always on the lookout for new breakfast ideas!

MILESTONE!

I finally reached the first ten pound mark!!! It was truly awesome, seeing the number on the scale this morning.

Yes, I am truly moving slower than a snail at this point, but...

• I reached a milestone
• I am feeling good about food these days. Intuitive eating, baby! I've actually found I need less food than I presumed, and that if I actually wait 20 minutes after eating, before cramming more food down my throat, I am often satisfied with the smaller amount I started with. Often, but not always. And I'm eating foods I enjoy.
• I'm not tracking calories, or nutrients at the moment. But I feel good, and the scale is shifting in the right direction!

I've come to the realization, with the smaller plates/amounts of food, that I can always eat more if I am still hungry, but I can never eat less when I am already overfull.

How's that for a brilliant insight?

I do want to up my exercise, and get The Girl moving more. The rain, while great for the drought here, is not as helpful for exercise, but I think today I'll make us both toughen up and get out there for our two mile walk. And push-ups and squats always make me feel good too. The problem with using the treadmill is that it disrupts the internet or something, and no one can watch TV (streaming because we don't have cable or a satellite dish) while I'm walking/jogging on the darn thing!

And yes, I still focus on eating healthy foods... real ones. Lots of veggies, both because I love them, and because they are filling. Whole grain products, not bleached white stuff, partly because I really don't care for the white stuff...I prefer my breads and grains on the chewy side. Some fruit, because it's yummy. Good proteins, like eggs, beans, Greek yogurt, and some meat. I drink a lot of water currently, especially since I changed my "rules", and I don't get that second cup of coffee until I've downed my first water bottle (18 oz) of the day. And a little chocolate, but it has to be the good, dark stuff!

Sort of a My Plate approach, but more the Harvard version than the government's version, since the Harvard one has water more than dairy and mentions healthy fats. However, I don't do veggie oils much (which is what they mention), instead focusing on olive oil, avocados, nuts, and coconut oil. And I do love butter (which is not bad for you, by the way!)

This week, I used the kids, and myself, as guinea pigs, for a new breakfast recipe: Baked Oatmeal Cups. They were a big hit! The kids had theirs with honey (whole fat) Greek yogurt, and [defrosted] blueberries, and I had mine with plain (whole fat) Greek yogurt, and [defrosted] raspberries, and blueberries. Definitely going on the regular breakfast rotation, since they are filling, delicious, and easy. [Note: I used a whole egg, and reduced the honey to two tablespoons]

Have a good rest of your week! As always, here's some inspiration....

Almost to the 10 pound mark....

Or I should say, almost to the FIRST ten pound mark! I'm currently down a total of 9.2 pounds. I like to approach my ultimate goal in 2 ways... by 10 pound increments from the original weight, and in getting below 5 pound markers... under 205, under 200, under 195 (my current goal beyond the first 10 pounds), and so forth.

The past several days were immensely stressful, and I haven't really gotten any good exercise in. I am hoping to hit the treadmill tonight, aiming for 3 miles in 45 minutes. And I want to do 15 minutes of arm/upper body strength training. Tomorrow, I'm aiming for the treadmill time plus 15 minutes leg work.

We did go on an amazing hike the day after Thanksgiving, reaching the top of Bald Mountain. We could see for miles (about 130 of them)! We could see the ocean, San Francisco, Lake Berryessa, the Sierra Nevada mountains, and more.

It was a very chilly hike, about 45-48 degrees (Fahrenheit), 6 miles round trip, about 4 hours total. And we climbed over 1000 feet. The picnic at the top tasted fabulous!

Monday Motivation...

Goals this week:

• Eat smaller, healthy meals and snacks (between 1400-1600 calories daily)
• Drink plenty of water (have to fill my new water bottle at least 4 times a day)
• Move daily... minimum is the two mile walk with The Girl
• Strength train at least twice
• Get sleep
• Start meditating in the mornings for 5 minutes
• Go hiking on Black Friday

Stats...

I've decided that, to help keep me honest and on track, I will post certain stats every Friday... weight every week, and measurements once a month.

So here goes nothing....

(And yes, this makes me a tad uncomfortable... I feel so exposed)

Weight: 200.6 as of this morning

Bust: 43 inches

Waist: 39 inches

Hips: 45 inches

Thighs: 25.5 inches [each]

Upper arms: 14 inches [each]

Neck: 14 inches

Clothing size: 14/16

And now I feel officially huge.

But I know I can change. I can make those numbers very different.

This weekend, I am trying a workout I picked up at the library: Iron Yoga, which takes two exercises I don't do enough of—weight training and yoga—and combines them. It's outside the norm for me, but that could be a good thing! I had been working through the C25K app training as well, but I think I have my first shin splint, and running is on the painful side. So I am trying other exercises while it heals, and then I am looking at a more gradual approach to running.

*Now, about those calories... I know my friend K said not to go below 1600, but I have lost precisely ONE pound in THREE weeks. That's slower than a snail's pace. And I felt uncomfortably full about half the time. (Okay, but to be totally honest, I do fit in a smaller size of pants, so there is that). And I was getting obsessive about counting grams of protein and calories every day.

 
So I'm taking a break from calorie counting, and just eating good, real food, in reasonable portion sizes, and of course, I weigh myself daily.


So how about an update on The Girl? Truthfully, I have not been keeping on top of her fitness like I should. Like I need to. First, let me explain that she is homeschooled, so she's at home, a lot. And she spends most of her time sitting. About 3/4 of the year, she does roller derby, which involves a lot of exercise and hard skating, twice a week, for a minimum of an hour and a half. But right now, the season is over, so she's not doing that at all. She watching YouTube videos and playing Minecraft instead. And she makes her own breakfast every morning while I am at work. I do stock the house with healthy options for this meal, but then I looked at her portion sizes... and promptly bought smaller ("custard cups") bowls for her beloved yogurt.

Last night we took a 2 mile, moderately paced walk. She was fine with it, so we'll be doing that at least 5 times a week. One thing that really struck me when I read Who's The New Kid? was the sheer simplicity of Heidi's 5-4-3 plan, which for them was 5 days swimming, 4 days walking, and 3 healthy meals a day. I'm making my own for The Girl, which is 5 days walking, 4 days other activities (strength training, skating, etc.), and 3 healthy meals a day. Luckily, she loves veggies and fruit, so the food part, besides portion size, should be easy enough to tackle. No, I am not putting her on a diet. It is about living a healthy lifestyle.

Tonight I have my own challenge. You see, The Husband and I have been married 20 years as of yesterday! So tonight we are heading out for dinner, and I want to make good choices. We've already decided to split the "small plate" of grilled calamari as an appetizer. Then, I though, why not stick with the small plate approach (the Grilled Moroccan Chicken Wings sound so good!) and get a side of veggies? Or, if I don't see a good option there, or the size is ridiculously small, I will set aside half the food I get with a "large" plate. And we can split a dessert. I'm not totally going to deny myself deliciousness with such a momentous occasion!

So, with all that said, have a great weekend, and again, I'll leave you with a motivational meme!

Chugging Along...

Yes, I am having trouble settling on a name for this blog. But I think I'm happy now!

I have a friend, about my age even—I'll call her K—who lost over 100 pounds a few years back, and has kept it off. She's now a wellness coach actually, and a huge inspiration! A few times, I have turned to her for advice, which she has freely given. And for a week, or two, I would follow it... at least half-heartedly. And then, strangely enough, only sort of following what worked for her would not work for me, and I'd give up.

Now, about a week and a half ago, I decided to ask her about calories. And she messaged me back, giving me her advice (her advice, btw, never go below 1600, but focus primarily on protein and water). And then she asked if there was anything else she could do to help.

(In case you want to figure out your actual caloric needs, try this formula)

Umm, yeah. I can use some help.

So I asked if I could check in with her once a week. And she said yes, that she would love that.

Something has clicked in me this time. Yes, I am a repeat dieter. I have tried many a food plan and exercise plan, only to give up. This time though... I'm not sure how to explain it. Part of it is that I feel I owe her for wasting her time in the past. Part of it is that I really want to set the best example I can for my twelve year old daughter, since she's a bit of a couch potato. Part of it is that my fourteen year old son loves that I am more active with him—we go bike riding together, work out together, and he wants to try trail running together. And part of it is that I just really want to be fit and healthy. I am tired of weighting/waiting.

image courtesy of indulgy.com

Plus, eating healthfully and moving feel so good!

Well, except today. Today I am sore all over. I swear I can feel EVERY muscle in my body. For that, I blame those BeachBody Insanity dvds my sister passed on to me. Which, as they currently raise my heart level a little too much, I may set aside for the time being, in favor of my treadmill, my Bowflex, bicycle, and of course, the great outdoors. Living in northern California I'm lucky that I can exercise outside nearly year round. Plus, the dvds are a little isolating, and I want fitness to be a family endeavor. 

(Here's a heart rate formula for you too)

So K is there for me to check in with, to give me a boost, and advice, when I need it. I have also started reading weight loss memoirs for some added inspiration, and when I have downtime at the college library (a job hazard), I've been reading through current and back issues of fitness/health magazines.

On my reading list:
Secrets of a Former Fat Girl (currently reading)
The Incredible Shrinking Critic
Half-Assed: A Weight Loss Memoir
The Weight Loss Diaries

I've already read:
It Was Me All Along: A Memoir (great book!)
Passing for Thin: Losing Half My Weight and Finding Myself (also very good)
Who's The New Kid? (inspiration for helping my twelve year old)
I'm With Fatty: Losing Fifty Pounds in Fifty Miserable Weeks (funny and informative)

I'll probably find some more titles later on.

On the agenda:
Figure out healthy dinners for the rest of the week. I've got breakfast and lunch covered.
Walk a lot today. I walk a mile on my break time at job 1, which is a good start at least!
Full workout tomorrow.
Lots of walking Friday.
Full workout Saturday/Family exercise time (hiking?)

I'll leave you with a motivational image...

image courtesy of rebloggy.com

Ha... It Didn't Last

The vegetarian project, I mean. We toughed it out for almost 3 and a half weeks, but finally caved in. It did refresh my approach to cooking, so that was nice!

The negative side though, was after having a more restrictive plan, I kind of fell apart afterwards. I am trying to go back to Intuitive Eating, with which I am having a hard time. Don't get me wrong—I think it is a fabulous approach to food, and ideally the way to go. I know diets don't work. In our society though, quick fixes are adored, and it seems everyone is on a diet of some sort.

How I feel trying to figure this all out

And even figuring out how much to eat is hard. Every calorie calculator says something different. MyFitnessPal says around 1300 to actually lose weight. The IIFYM calculator (If It Fits You Macros) says closer to 1800 or 1900. The simplest method is the one I found here: How to Calculate How Many Calories You REALLY Need. So I multiplied my current weight by 12 (trying to exercise more, but I don't always, so I am playing it safe here), subtracted 200 for being over 40, and then subtracted 500 to lose some weight. And got around 1700. So I've reset MyFitnessPal to 1600. I figure that's a good medium between all the other numbers.

And I found this super simple strength workout that I can do before work. I know strength training is very important for weight loss and general health. And in all honesty, I am not the type of person that will get up at 4 (or even 5) am to go running or something. Added to the strength training, I walk a lot. I do a mile each morning on my at-work break. And then The Girl and I will be walking two miles every afternoon (gotta get her moving too!). I also skip elevators, park at the far end of the parking lot, and so forth. I've started riding my bike to and from my second job once a week... it's only 3 miles each way. I wish I could do that more, but scheduling-wise it is very difficult.

Now, how am I trying to make that all work with Intuitive Eating? Well, while I do have a rough calorie count to aim for, and I log foods/exercise, I eat what I want, though I do kind of watch portion size. And of course, I then read posts like this one that says you can't really have both healthy eating and intuitive eating. But then, I disagree a bit here. No, IE isn't about setting "rules" when it comes to "healthy" versus "non-healthy" foods, it is about making peace with food, honoring your hunger, respecting fullness, and finding other ways to deal with emotional eating triggers. Sounds pretty healthy to me. Of course there are those times when I really just feel like eating crap foods. Sometimes I want the whole bag of potato chips. And then something else, maybe chocolate, or ice cream...

And then sometimes I think I've got this nailed. Like this morning... I really wanted a muffin, and apple butter, and almond butter. So I toasted one of my homemade apple-oat muffins, cut in half. Spread the cut sides with a little almond butter, and topped that with my mom's fabulous homemade apple butter. Poached an egg, made my coffee, and settled down to a delicious breakfast. It was so good, and satisfying, because it was what I wanted, but I didn't overdo it (a wee bit under 400 calories, by the way). 

And one of my current favorite authors/speakers/bloggers, Andie Mitchell, offers some great advice on eating what you love while losing weight/maintaining a weight loss:

When I started pairing whatever meal I craved with a mound of vegetables, I found that I felt the fullness I needed and wanted while also satisfying the craving.

I started filling half of my plate with vegetables, and then eating those first. And I didn’t just quarantine any green thing on my dinner plate and promise myself I’d eat it for health’s sake; I found out which vegetables tasted best to me and experimented with different methods of cooking them. I bought a new and different veggie each Sunday at the market. I used herbs and spices. I learned that roasting vegetables in a burning hot oven makes for sweetness without added sugar.

Each night as I cooked dinner, I made sure that I paired that perfect square of lasagna, those two slices of my favorite spicy caramelized onion pizza, the two tacos — with at least double that of vegetables.

And in time, I trusted that I could eat what I craved and always feel full.

Thankfully, I love vegetables... lots of them, cooked (or not cooked) many different ways, so for me, this advice really works. 

In closing, something for me to think about:

What's Up?

My husband has always been a meat and potatoes kind of guy. That's how he was raised, and that's how he functions. Yes, I could "sneak" in plant based/vegetarian dinners, but I couldn't say, "hey, this is a vegetarian meal!" I guess it is all in the presentation?



Anyhow, that's how it has been for almost 20 years, so you can imagine my surprise this week when he said "I want to go vegetarian for 28 days. I want all of us to do it together."

Which is funny, because The Girl had actually come to me earlier in the week, and said she wanted to try being a vegetarian for a few weeks, and all I did was say "Okay, I can help you with that." And, I had just (re) watched Forks Over Knives, and was in the midst of reading VB6 myself. So I was already in a good mindset. Still, M going along with this, of his own free will and desire, threw me for a loop. Regardless...

So, as of today, I am following the VB6 plan (pretty much... I still can't stand plant based creamers for my coffee), and we are all eating vegetarian. Thankfully I have a plethora of vegetarian cookbooks from my own vegetarian days (6 years vegetarian, 2 vegan... before kids), and there are tons of websites out there with good recipes. For example, Oh She Glows is a fabulous site! Tonight I'm making her 15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta, which I know everyone in the house loves already. I already made her 5-Minute Oatmeal Power Bowl this morning, topped with diced Turkish dried apricots and a spoonful of peanut butter, a splash of almond milk...So good! And very satisfying.

I'm kind of cheating on lunch today. Usually I make my own foods, but I know today is super busy, so I'm taking a shortcut and trying this...

This company has been pretty darn trustworthy for years, and the food is above average, by a long shot, for frozen. Their drive-thru is really good too!

And so it is launched, the great plant-based household food experiment of 2015! We're hoping to improve some health issues, satisfy everyone's taste buds, save a little money (beans and grains are much cheaper than meat!!!), and generally enjoy the journey! My mission is to prove to the family that eating this way can be very satisfying and delicious, and while we may not stick with it entirely after the 28 days, it is at least a step in what I think is a good direction for us.

Why?

Why am I undertaking this journey?

Because...

I want to be able to enjoy my life to the fullest, for as long as possible.

I like feeling strong and healthy.

I want to be there for grandchildren, and maybe even great grandchildren.

I am watching my father's health deteriorate. He's 82, and has never taken good care of himself. He's got high cholesterol, high blood pressure, gout, macular degeneration, kidney issues off and on, etc.

I don't want high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, the risk of stroke... I know these things could happen anyway, but I can at least try to prevent them!

I want to be a good example for my children, especially The Girl, as like me she tends to eat more, and sit around more.

I've found I really like a lot of physical activities, and there are more I'd like to try! I love walking, hiking, swimming, and bodyboarding. I'd like to try stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, more backpacking, maybe even some rock climbing. I want life to be an adventure!

You'll notice, it is not about looks. Sure, I would like to look better, to be able to maybe rock board shorts and a bikini top next summer (see, I'm not so delusional that I'm aiming for a bikini bottom too, not with these stretch marks!), but that's not at the heart of it. The heart of the matter is feeling good in and about my own body. To be friends with myself. To nurture and nourish myself.

Along those lines, I did something yesterday I have not really accomplished before... a 24 hour fast. I did drink a lot of Ultrabroth, and two Kombucha drinks (the chai is really tasty! Guava is okay), throughout the day, but I even skipped my coffee!

I did this as I felt bloated, tired, heavy, and somehow foggy. I can't lie and say it was easy, but today I feel better, and though the scale didn't budge, my stomach is noticeably flatter! And I can say I really enjoyed my morning breakfast burrito (whole wheat tortilla, 2 homegrown eggs, fresh salsa). I also slept like a dead thing, which I am sure helped.

I don't know that I will fast again anytime soon. I don't see it as a necessity, but it was overall a good experience.

Today I am back to eating my healthy foods, logging them on MyFitnessPal, and trying to get in 10,000 steps! Tonight's dinner is a family favorite—Deconstructed Stuffed Cabbage Casserole—it's easy to make, healthy, and an all-in-one-bowl type of dinner, great after an afternoon at the park!

Doing This Together

Hey, I'm back! And I have some updates...first, I am putting a link to this blog on my main blog, which makes me feel very vulnerable. But then, accountability is supposed to help.

I also posted a recipe below for my quinoa salad, which even the kids love.

I've been tracking most days on MyFitnessPal, to which I have linked MapMyRun and Pacer. I love apps sometimes! My calorie goal is 1520 a day, to lose a pound and a half each week. Plus I get extra calories for exercising, though I am trying to use less of those. I've been walking regularly, and (my new addiction), bodyboarding when I can. I am eating a heavily plant based diet these days... sort of a loose Flexitarian approach (a wee bit more flexible for the kids and husband than for me) mixed with Intuitive Eating. And it seems to be working!

The best part is that I have help and partnership in this journey. The Girl decided she wants to get more fit too, and she's lost 3.5 pounds in two weeks just by eating more plant foods and moving almost every day. She swims with a friend, goes on walks with me, bodyboards, does roller derby practice, etc. According to CDC guidelines, she is currently 25-30 pounds overweight, which freaks me out, and which I feel horrible even needing to face, but she is totally making progress in the right direction. And The Boy has joined in too, because he wants to build muscle and endurance!

We started a new challenge this past weekend. Near our home, there is a regional park with a parcourse  (i.e. fitness) trail. We tackled it Saturday, in 90+ degree weather, and it took us literally two hours to do the whole 3.07 mile course. And truthfully, I struggled with some of the exercises -- apparently I am not good at jumping anymore! We're hoping it'll take less time next time, which will be the Saturday after the upcoming one (other plans that day). And we set a big goal... we hope to go on a [mild] backpacking trip late next spring, so we need to be in top shape for that. While the kids have gone backpacking before, the hike in to camp that time was only a mile and a half. I'd like to do the five mile hike in to another campground this time! Eventually we hope to do some backcountry backpacking.

Another way I get some workout time in is to take the kids to the local school after hours. They bring scooters and skateboards, while I tackle a flight of stairs over and over. And I take a walking break at work every morning. I found I can just get in a mile on my break!

Some recent inspiration...


and   

The first book helped me figure out some of my issues along with a general approach to tackling the weight loss. The second book helped me figure out how to help The Girl. I also look at the websites associated with the authors/subjects on a pretty regular basis: Can You Stay for Dinner and Breanna Bond.

I realized that this has to be a family approach... the healthy eating and exercising regularly. I don't want to cook two complete dinners each night, nor do I want to feed my kids unhealthy stuff. Together we've been looking at (rough) portion sizes, making sure we get plenty of fruits and veggies in, finding healthy snacks. And I find I really like doing this together!

Yummy Salad

I made a huge bowl of this to serve all week... I put about 2 cups of this over baby mixed salad greens, and it is SO good! High in fiber, with a good amount of protein, plus it's gluten free, vegan, oil free/very low fat, etc.

Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cans black beans, rinsed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 bag frozen corn (roasted version if available)
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
1/2 cup salsa/pico de gallo
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1/4 cup (more or less) chopped cilantro
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp. ground pepper, or to taste

After you rinse the quinoa, cook it to the package directions. Meanwhile, chop your veggies. When the quinoa is done cooking, mix everything together in a big bowl. Chill, then taste for seasoning, adjust as needed.

You can also add chopped avocado if you like. And you can add chopped chicken too, which naturally makes it not vegan, but still very good.

Baby Steps... Day 1

Hi, I'm G, and I am overweight.

I am a 42 year old mom of two, married for 20 years this fall. I work as a part-time secretary, part-time tutor, part-time student, full-time mom and wife. While I am a generally healthy, and relatively happy, woman, I've had issues with my weight for years. I've lost up to 50 pounds at a time, only to gain it back, because I did what everyone does... diet it off, then binge it back on. Over the years that I have been doing this, I've looked at the "normal" people enviously...those that seem to have no issues with their food, their weight. I've looked at glamorous larger women enviously, wondering why I can't accept myself the way they do. And all along, I've wanted to be thinner, able to do more, healthier.

Not skinny, mind you. I have a stockier frame, so that's not happening. But I can tell you, that at 5'7", I should not weigh as much as I do. Yesterday, I clocked in on the scale at 203.8. And I have a 12 year old daughter who has been getting chubbier over the years, so I feel now, more than ever, I need to be setting a good example. A healthy, active example.

Instead, I look like this....

So, here I go! My journey has begun. I am on my second day of healthy eating, with well-planned meals, and plans to do strength training alongside the cardio today, using our Bowflex and treadmill.

I'll leave you with some more pictures that help illustrate why I want to change... sorry they are blurry: