A smile.

Me, at 296.5 pounds.  Sierra with the photobomb.

Woke up this morning and got ready for this weekend's trip to bumble-F, and looked in the mirror and smiled.  Not sure if it's the outfit, but I felt good.  Felt leaner.  It's the first time I've really felt that way since I started.  My clothes have started to fit better - which in my eyes, is much more satisfying than what I see in numbers on the scale.

Speaking of numbers, the WW facilitator this week says that she regrets not taking measurements throughout her weight loss process.  All she has to go by were the numbers on the scale.  So, I've decided to take measurements on a monthly basis as well, starting on 8/1.  I'll measure my bust, my waist, my hips, and the circumference of my arms and thighs.  Of course, it would have been more satisfying to see that from the very beginning, but I can't turn back time.  I'm already feeling and seeing the difference in my stomach area.  And my boobs (of course) - last place to gain, first place to lose.  Heh.

Anyway, I'm off to the wilderness.  A weekend of empty calories in the booze I will be drinking.  Hopefully I'll offset it with morning walk/runs down the rural road with a very happy Sierra and some swimming tomorrow in the St. Croix.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Short-term goal achieved!

When I started this journey 6 weeks ago, I said that my short term goal was to lose the '3' as my leading digit on my weight.  Yesterday, I hit that milestone - and some - with a -3.4 pound weight loss for the previous week.  That makes two good weeks in a row - -4 and -3.4. 

So, my new short-term goal is my 10% threshold - 275 pounds.  I've got just over 20 pounds to go to hit that threshold. 

My long-term goal is, and will continue to be, "one-derland."

This is my Friday today, with a weekend in the wilderness ahead.  It's my annual weekend with the Row Vegas crew at a cabin in Northeastern Minnesota.  The good news is that we'll be remote and there will be a lot of activity and not a whole lot of food temptation.  However, there will be intake of a bunch of empty calories in liquor.  I'm looking forward to the kick-back weekend, because I know I deserve it.  We'll see how I come out of it with next week's weigh-in.

Recipe: Pecan-Crusted Chicken

Tonight's delicious yumminess was another page out of the "The Biggest Loser Cookbook" (2006).  Besides the recipe below, I paired tonight's dinner with some mushrooms tossed in balsamic vinegar and baked.  YUM.

Pecan-Crusted Chicken

1 large egg white
2 tbsp minced roasted pecans (I didn't roast them ahead of time, worked just fine)
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley leaves (I didn't have any - was just fine without)
1/4 tsp salt
2 small (1/4 pound) boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of visible fat
Honey mustard or Dijon mustard to dip

Preheat the oven to 350.  Lightly mist a small nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a small, shallow bowl, beat the egg white with a fork.

In a small bowl, combine the pecans, parsley and salt.  Spread half of the mixture on a sheet of waxed paper.  Dip 1 chicken breast into the egg white to coat.  Place the smooth side of the breast on the nut mixture.  Press to adhere.  Place the breast, nut side up on the prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with the second breast and place on the baking sheet, not touching the other breast.

Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink.  Let stand 5 minutes.  Serve with honey mustard/dijon mustard for dipping, if desired.

Nutrition Details:  183 calories, 28 g protein, 1 g carbohydrates, 7 g fat (less than 1 g saturated), 66 mg of cholesterol, less than 1 fiber, 379 mg sodium.  Calculates to 4 WW Plus points. 

Recipe Credit: "The Biggest Loser Cookbook" (2006)

Looking GOOD, Billy Ray! FEELING good, Louis!

I posted this quote from "Trading Places" earlier on Facebook.  Some people thought I was just being silly, but it was truly how I was feeling at the time of the post.

I had my weekly weigh in today.  I knew it was a good sign when the WW attendant who was checking me in and weighing me said, "Great week!".  I had lost 4 pounds since last Monday.  Going into today's weigh-in, I wasn't sure how it was going to be going into this week.  On paper, things looked good - but I've been burned by that before.  I traveled for business last week.  And I was also at home for a few days, where my mom feeds me well.  I made good choices, though, and it obviously paid off.  The same attendant reminded me that I was just over a pound away from my first number on my weight being a 2.  I'm almost to my short-term goal that I set in the very beginning of this journey.  It feels like forever ago - and a long time coming - but it's that close to being reached.

I've been in a workout drought - mainly because of our real drought.  It's been in the 90's and 100's as long as I can remember, and that's certainly not conducive to doing any type of activity outside (by choice).  The last time I played volleyball, I was home the following morning with heat exhaustion.  I really want this heat to subside so that I can get back outside walking again.  My goal of monthly 5K races has also fallen by the wayside, as I haven't done one since May.  I'm hoping to get one on the calendar in August, when my schedule frees up again.

I am a little concerned about my blood pressure.  On Saturday, it was low enough for me to have dizzy spells upon standing up along with constant nausea.  My mom took my BP for me that night, and it was 110/55.  I typically am in the 130/80 range.  Since Saturday, I haven't had any issues, but I'm obviously going to keep an eye on things.

Surviving the Slip-Ups

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life, and that is why I succeed." - Michael Jordan

Definitely a good mantra to live by.  This is my third time on Weight Watchers - the first two times were doing the online-only tracking.  This time around, I'm doing the online tracking but have also included the accountability and education that comes with the weekly meetings.  This week's meeting was all about learning from slip-ups.  The message conveyed: mistakes will be made...nobody's perfect.  What really matters is how you learn from those mistakes and move on. 

One mistake that comes to mind that I've definitely learned by with going on this program: counting out true servings.  In the past, I used to just grab the bag of chips or the box of crackers and just eat until I felt full.  Instead, I'm getting out a bowl and dishing myself what is a true serving based on what the snack bag/box says.  If I still feel hungry after that 'true' serving of what I ate, I grab some fruit.  Free points that don't count toward my daily allowance.

I'm on a business trip this week.  It's definitely harder to stick with plan when you don't have specific items in your fridge to choose from.  You have to go with the force - what's available on a quick timeframe OR making the right choice when you're faced with not a lot of options of dinner locations.  All of this while trying to stay healthy at the same time.  Tonight, my dinner was at "the best burger joint in town" - Nutz Deep II.  (Waiting for laughter from my reading audience on that name.  Yes, I bought a tee shirt.  I HAD to.)  Though the burgers on the menu sounded absolutely amazing, I opted for a grilled chicken ranch sandwich (with bacon!).  It was delicious.  And much healthier than the burger alternative.  Fries would have been an extra cost to the meal.  Since I'm on the business expense budget, I opted out.  Perfect - less temptation.  I had a very miniscule serving of potato chips - actually looked like a 'true' serving - not a 'restaurant' size serving.  I said no to the beer and opted instead for a Diet Coke.  However, I did partake in a few cheese curds in the appetizer.  Regardless, I was proud when I left.  I made good decisions - all on an empty stomach.  I'm not sure I could have said that a couple months ago.

Monday's weigh-in was a successful one.  Down 1.6 pounds.  Again, it's not like the weight is melting off, but it's a loss.  I felt that it should have been more based on the week I had "on paper" last week with diet and exercise.  I need to be happy with the baby steps.

Recipe: Chicken Quesadillas

I'm an awful cook.  My brother inherited all of my mom's culinary skills.  I can't randomly pull something together using ingredients around the house.  I think this is one of the main reasons why I get extremely nervous to have people over around mealtimes.  If I screw something up for me - I'm the only person that's shit out of luck.  If other people are there expecting a great meal from me...well, yeah...

However, I'm decent at following recipes.  I've been searching my cookbooks for items to make for my dinners during the week.  I found a good one in "The Biggest Loser Cookbook" that I made for dinner this evening that was DELICIOUS and figured I'd share it.

 Chicken Quesadillas

2 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 whole-wheat flour, 96% fat-free tortilla (8" diameter)
1/2 cup (1 ounce) finely shredded 75% light cheddar cheese

For rub:
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Pinch of garlic powder
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cumin (I used cumin seeds since I didn't have ground cumin, worked out just fine)

Preheat grill.  In a small bowl, combine the rub spices and rub the mixture evenly over the chicken.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 10 minutes for flavors to blend.

Place the chicken on the grill and lower the heat to medium.  Grill the chicken for 2-4 minutes per side or it is no longer pink and the juices run clear.  Set aside for about 10 minutes.  Chop the chicken coarsely.

Preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat.  With an oven mitt, briefly mremove it from the heat to mist with cooking or olive oil spray.  Lay the tortilla in the pan and cook for 30 seconds.  Flip the tortilla and evenly scatter cheese over half of the tortilla.  Top with the chicken.  With a spatula, fold the tortilla in half over the filling.  Cook for 1-2 minutes.  Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes.  Slice into wedges.

Nutrition Details: 242 calories, 26g protein, 25g carbs, 5g fat (2g saturated), 43mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 454mg sodium.  Calculates to 6 WW Plus points.  (I made two servings for myself.)

Recipe Credit: "The Biggest Loser Cookbook" (2006)

Article: Ideal Weight

I woke up to this article being on Yahoo! this morning, and I thought I'd re-post it.  http://health.yahoo.net/experts/losingitwithliz/4-myths-ideal-weight

Myth #1 is creepily close to me - maybe I'm being too ambitious by trying to hit 185-190, which is my college graduation weight.  Regardless of that being too ambitious, that number is SO far off, that I'm just trying to make the small milestones at this point: 1) a 2 as my first number and 2) 10% or down 30 lbs.  I feel that if I look at the more short-range goals, I'm more apt to stick with it.

I'm getting over my tantrum from Tuesday's weigh in and am basically flicking off the scale until next week's weigh-in.  Yesterday, though it was a holiday, was a VERY good day.  I had a delicious NY strip - my brother is perhaps the best grillmaster ever.  That, and a can of Honey Weiss, was my splurge for the day.  Otherwise, I had a serving (without seconds...monumental, folks) of the pasta salad I made, corn on the cob and a ton of the fruit salad I brought.   And I said no to the cupcake that I was offered.  Small things that will hopefully add up.

Supposed to hit 98 degrees today.  And I'm playing volleyball tonight.  Well, if I had any water weight on Tuesday's weigh-in, it will certainly be gone after tonight's match.

Eff you, scale.

When I ended the week on Sunday night, I had 39 activity points earned and 28 weekly points remaining for a total of 67 points that I didn't even dip into. 

So, it should have been a good week, right?

I gained 0.4 pounds.

Really?  I feel bad for AD, who had to deal with my sulking butt through our Weight Watchers meeting today.  How could I have gained weight after a very good week on paper?  These, my friends, are the moments where I wonder why I bother trying.  If I stick with the plan and do what they say - and gain weight - then, what's the point?  I did get a gift from AD after the meeting - a bag of Pop Chips, her go-to delicious salty snack.  Of course, she had another 3 pound loss this week - which makes about 9 pounds so far.  I need to remember that she's 18 and has a much more active metabolism than I do.

It's still effing frustrating, regardless.

A Holiday Week

Last week, I left 39 activity points on the table as well as just under 20 of my 'overage' points for the week.  I weigh in tomorrow and I certainly hope that the scale reflects what my diet and activity says.  We'll see.

It's a holiday week!  I think these are the hardest times to stay on plan, especially when there are delicious cookout foods hanging out all over the place.  I'm getting together with my brother and his family on Wednesday, and it looks like I'll be able to stick generally to plan based on what we have planned for the menu.  Of course, I can dip into those extra weekly points as well if I need to and I'm sure I'll earn some activity points by chasing my 3-year-old nephew around on Wednesday as well.   Why don't they have 'Chasing quick-footed children' listed as an activity in the points tracker?  Let's be realistic.

This week is also going to be a VERY hot one - I'm not going to get out for a 5K like last week since temperatures are going to be in the mid to upper 90's.  I may have to dust off the Wii Fit and get some time on that - in the luxury of air conditioning.

I posed a question on Facebook about ideas about salty, yet 'healthy' snacks that are WW friendly.  I had some fantastic feedback - here's a sample of ideas:

• Nuts - peanuts, pistachios, almonds
• Raw veggies dipped in koshier salt (accompanied by a lot of water)
• Flavored rice cakes
• Hard cheeses - parmesan, manchego, sharp cheddar
• Special K chips
• Popcorn (...this is one of my faves!  Especially now that I've been able to learn how to do stovepop oil popping from my mom.)
• Pop chips
• Pretzel sticks (...this is my current go-to for a snack fix)
• Pickles
• Salted in the shell sunflower seeds (...if I actually had some coordination, I'd totally do this.)
• Pork rinds
• Salsa on carrots, celery
• UTZ salt-free chips and pretzels
• Baked kale chips

I have to grocery shop tonight.  Does anyone else dread that chore as much as I do?  Too many temptations and it's easy to deviate from a list for me.  Wish me luck and willpower, folks...