Reasons for Overeating

I just read a very powerful post on Roni's site. She talks about emotional eating and it is really great. Here is a little quote:

“You will not lose weight until you value yourself more.”

It really made me think about myself and my own habits. I feel that since my IVF attempt in June, when I have let "getting pregnant" go, I am finally making some progress with getting in shape. I feel like a big weight has been lifted (not pounds, but figuratively :) and I can see what a toll this (infertility) has taken on me, mentally and physically. Out of the past 6 years, I have been trying to get pregnant for 4 of them, and pregnant and having a newborn, the other 2.

Now, I feel like I can make fitness goals. It is exciting.

I can't wait to see what happens.

I promise to post more...

Yo-Yo Exercising

My poor body. Due to my fertility treatments, I have been a yo-yo exerciser. Just when I thought I had started to get in better shape, I stopped. Then half-way started up again. Then stopped again. You get the picture, right.

So yesterday I started 30 Day Shred AGAIN. I thought I was going to DIE!!! I couldn't finish the push-ups, or the lunges, or the side to side arm lift things. Jillian would have been screaming at me could she see the wimp that I was...(Thank goodness she couldn't.)

So today I tried to talk myself out of doing it again. I thought about doing the Biggest Loser Power Sculpt video, but I knew that it wouldn't be as hard, and when every muscle in my body hurts, something must be right? or wrong... :) So the little angel on my shoulder won out over the little wimpy devil, and I did it again. Yea for me. I even managed on both days, to do 30 mins on my elliptical after. Even though I felt like Jello.

So I probably ate a bit too many calories today, and started picking my body apart, and then I thought about how I can only do better if I can keep up the workouts. I saw major improvements before I stopped last time, and now, with no (forced) stopping in sight, I am so excited. Maybe I can really get into shape this time for the first time in YEARS!

Update

Haven't posted in a while, and wanted to post an update. After dealing with infertility for the past few years, we finally did IVF last month. Well, I found out a few things about my body, and getting pregnant was a long shot. Suffice it to say, that the treatment didn't work, and I am not pregnant.

So we are giving it a rest for a while. It has been close to impossible to try to think about weight loss and cooking and recipes, and since those things weren't a priority, neither was blogging about them. But now that fertility treatments are over for a while, I am ready to get back on track!

The Plan:
I am not going to be super strict with counting points, but I will have them in the back of my mind as I eat and cook. I still will be making weight-watcher dinners and trying out new recipes, but I am going to try to lose the rest of my weight by eating reasonable and incorporating a great workout. We'll see how it goes. I did gain about 5 lbs last month and I am hoping to lose that soon.

I am just excited to have my life and body back! I am excited to see what kind of progress I can make. Wish me luck!

Orange Creamsicle Protein Shake

While we are on the topic of protein shakes, here is an idea that I came up with when I had some orange juice around. (I don't keep it on hand that often because of the calories) My daughter loves "shakes" so I can make this one and split it with her:

Orange Creamsicle Protein Shake
2 Servings/2 pts ea.

12 oz. orange juice
1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I use designer whey)
3/4C cup ice cubes
1-2 tablespoons sweetener (I use Splenda)

Blend well and split in half. Enjoy!

Special K Protein Shake

Ok-more beverage posts...
The folks at Special K contacted me and asked me if I would like to try a sample of their new(ish) protein shake. Of course, being a sucker for anything free and easy, I said yes. A couple of days later the shake arrived and I immediately had to try a taste. I am not a regular consumer of protein shakes; I only occasionally mix up my own with Designer Whey Protein powder, but rarely buy the pre-made ones.

Back in the day, when I was working full time, I would buy the Slim Fast shakes, or the Costco ones to help me get breakfast in. Of course I liked them, anything chocolate and sugary is good to me. However, they never filled me up for more than a couple of hours.

They sent me the Milk Chocolate flavor, which was very tasty. There is 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, which is nice since most protein shakes don't have nearly that amount of fiber. In Weight Watcher's terms, they have 3 points.

Summary:
Tastes Great (Similar to Slim Fast)
3 Points
A great snack, but it wouldn't work for ME for a meal replacement

There is a Reason for the Slacking

So a couple of months ago I mentioned that I was going through IVF to try and get pregnant. Well that first round got cancelled because my body was not responding very well to the drugs, and not enough follicles (which contain the eggs) were developing. So that round turned into artificial insemination, which wasn't successful. So this month we have gone through the whole IVF process, which has resulted in only one healthy embryo, which was implanted yesterday. So you can understand why my posts have been few and far between. Now I am on bed rest for several days and finally have lots of time on my hands.
So send your positive thoughts my way that this little embryo sticks!

P.S... We don't even want to talk about how I have been eating the past couple of weeks. The good news, is I have maintained my 128 lbs through all this up until Monday when I was weighed before my egg retrieval surgery.

SoBe Lifewater 0

Here is another good option for naturally sweetened flavored waters. Personally, I like the VitaminWater 10's a little better, but these are pretty good too.

These are really interesting flavors:

Black and Blue Berry: Husband loved this one
Yumberry Pomegranate: Pretty Sweet, toddler's favorite
Fuji Apple Pear: Interesting and Different, we all like it

Skinny Habit: Watch What You Drink

OK-I am back!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I get tired of plain old water to drink. I know it is the best thing for you, but I like to have other options for beverages that are healthy, and get the biggest bang for your calorie. So this week (or two or three...notice I changed the heading to be Skinny Habit instead of Skinny Habit of the Week) I am going to focus on Skinny Beverages. As always, you are welcome to chime in with your faves.

How about we start with the new flavored waters.
VitaminWater 10
Lemonade: 5 Stars-Love it! It has the perfect amount of sweet.
Orange: 4 Stars- Like it
Tropical Citrus: 3 Stars- Like It
Acai-Blueberry-Pomegranite: 1 Star- Not a huge fan

With these type of waters, they can be a little too sicky-sweet for me, so I am pretty picky. I like that the new ones are naturally sweetened, so that is a plus.

What do you think??? I love comments!

Next post, will review the new SoBe LifeWater 0s.

Bad Posting

Hey guys,
Sorry for not posting this week... I have been sick and am leaving for a mini-vacation today. Will be back next week!

Interesting Vegetable Ideas

I have come across some great blogs with some interesting vegetable ideas. I haven't tried these yet, but they come from awesome sites, and look great! Here are some that I can think of right now...

Zucchini Pizza Bites

Cauliflower "Spanish Rice"

Cauliflower Fritters

Stuffed Mushrooms

Zucchini Lasagna

Spaghetti Squash Salad w/Tomato, Basil and Feta

Cauliflower Cream

Garlic-Honey Asperigus

Easy Veggie Ideas

What are some great ways to eat lots of veggies throughout the day? Here are some of my favorites:

1. Pita Pizzas or Calzones
-Start with Western Bagel Alternative Pita
-Spoon some low cal pizza sauce
-Pile on the veggies
-Top with a little bit of mozzarella cheese


2. Weight Watcher's 0 point vegetable soup
-Can freeze in individual servings

3. Quick Egg White Veggie Omelet

4. Broccoli Salad (Lasts for a few days in the fridge)

5. Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers
-Frozen veggies with cheese sauce you steam in the microwave
-1 pt. for huge serving

These are my top 5, what are your ideas?

The Best Broccoli Salad Ever!

I never thought I could eat raw broccoli until I made this salad. You can use florets, or broccoli slaw mix. Either way, it is amazing! My husband wants me to make it every week and he can eat 2 cups at a time.

8 Servings/ 2 pts. ea (about a cup)

2 bags broccoli slaw or 8 cups chopped broccoli
7 T Sweet Poppy Seed Dressing (I used Trader Joes, but another brand at 2 pts. for 2 T would work too)
1/2 C Dried Cranberries
1 oz. candied pecans, chopped
2 oz. light feta cheese, crumbled

Mix everything together and enjoy!

Container Vegetable Garden

As part of my quest to make vegetables a bigger part of my life, this year I decided to plant a container vegetable garden. This type of garden is perfect for people who do not have a big planting area or maybe just have a deck or patio and no yard at all. Now is the perfect time of year for doing this. I am not a gardener, and do not consider myself to have a "green thumb" at all.

But how great will it be to be able to eat garden fresh vegetables in a couple of months?

For those of you who are interested, this is how I got started:

1. I bought/found my containers and saved a lot of money by using storage containers instead of traditional pots, which are expensive. I went to Walmart and bought some big buckets for $8 each, and drilled drainage holes in the bottom with my husband's drill. The plastic pots that size were $14. Then I found a couple of rectangular storage bins laying around in the garage, and drilled holes in them too!

2. Then I went to Home Depot and bought my potting soil. I bought the cheapest one that would work for vegetables, because you can add your own fertilizer/plant food. The big bags I bought were $4.99 each, versus $13 for Miracle Gro.

3. Then I went to a gardening center/nursery to buy my plants and plant food. You can buy them at Home Depot or Lowes, but as a beginner gardener, I wanted to talk to someone knowledgeable about which plants to buy. The plants are about the same price anywhere, anyway.

4. Came home and filled my pots with soil, and mixed in my plant food, and planted the plants.

This happened last Thursday, and they have already grown at least 3-4 inches already! It is very exciting. I encourage everyone who has even the tiniest sunny place to plant a veggie or some herbs. It is really a fun thing to do with kids, or even with your partner. And not to mention, a really smart thing to do in this economy.
Patio Tomatoes
Zucchini
Green Beans
Green, Yellow and Red Bell Peppers
Grape Tomatoes

Skinny Habit of the Week: Load up on Vegetables

Last week's Skinny Habit actually lasted about two weeks, so I thought it would be good to introduce the next one. Load up on vegetables. Another one that is so simple in theory, but I think it is hard to actually do every day.

I love vegetables. I love some raw, some cooked. I still don't think I eat enough of them, except at dinnertime. I think my difficulty is not having quick, easy, accessible veggie options. If I have to wash, cut and steam them,(except at dinner time, when that is normal) I probably won't eat them and will choose an easier snack or lunch option.

We know why vegetables are good for us, but why are they essential for losing and maintaining weight?

1. They are low in calories and high in volume
2. Most of them are high in fiber
3. They contain a lot of water which fills you up
4. They can help reduce food cravings
5. The nutrients from veggies can help our physical and emotional well-being

So my goal with this week's posts, is to explore all the possibilities with veggies. Any tips and advice on how you get more into your diet are welcome!

Breakfast Musings

While my daughter eats breakfast, and I sit at my computer eating mine, I thought I would read a few of my favorite blogs. This post made me think.

I started the in-vitro process this month. Gave myself injections every night, and went to almost daily doctor's appointments to check the progress of my follicles. (The fluid-filled sack the eggs grow in.)

Once the follicles start growing, any real exercise is off-limits. So to make a long (and painful) story shorter, after about 8 days only 3 of my 10 follicles were responding to the medicine. In-Vitro was cancelled and replaced with Intrauterine Insemination. So that was done on Saturday and Sunday. Now I am just trying to keep my stress levels low so that it has a chance of working.

What does this have to do with anything? Well, Roni's post made me think about exercise. I had to stop exercising and it was an almost-daily habit to get a great work-out in. Right now, I am told to take it easy, and with my particular fertility doctor, if I do get pregnant, NO exercise at all is permitted in my first trimester, as I am considered high-risk. I can't even walk the dog I don't have.

I would have thought this would have been a welcome break, and it was at first. But I miss it. I can't believe I do. I miss feeling the sense of accomplishment. I miss the energy it gave me. I miss the endorphins it released. I miss the sense of becoming stronger and fitter.

Don't get me wrong. I am not complaining about this process I am going through. Any future child is worth all this. But I have learned something about myself, that Roni in her post has discovered also. I really do love exercise and can't wait until I can add it back into my life.

Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

One of my favorite things to eat with breakfast is greek yogurt. For 2 WW points, it is a great way to start off your day right. This morning I had open face egg white sandwiches with Oikos Honey flavored greek yogurt on the side. I am really full for only a 5 point breakfast.

A few little facts about this yummy, thick, tart and creamy yogurt:

*110-120 calories for each 5.3oz container
*Fat Free
*13-15 grams of protein
*Comes in plain, vanilla, honey and blueberry
*You can download coupons off the Oikos Website
*So much more satisfying than regular yogurt!

Give it a try. It is super good.

"Skinny" Monkey Bread

Here is a super yummy recipe for monkey bread that is low in points/calories. To make it a filling breakfast, I added some banana and eggs to make a great weekend breakfast. Great for Sunday brunch, or for a holiday breakfast.
6 Servings-3 Pts. ea. (about 130 calories)
8 Servings-2 Pts. ea. (about 100 calories)

1 Tube Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits (Small Blue Can, comes in packages of 4)
1/4 C Splenda
1 t. Cinnamon
1/4 C Brown Sugar
2 T light butter
2 t. milk

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a pie pan with butter flavored non-stick spray. Cut each biscuit into 4 pieces. (I used a pizza cutter and it worked great) In a large zip lock bag, pour in the cinnamon and splenda. Put the biscuit pieces in the mixture and shake till coated. Place each piece into the pie pan. In a small saucepan, heat the brown sugar, butter and milk. Boil for 1 minute, and then pour over the biscuit pieces. Bake for about 8 minutes. Cut into 6-8 servings.

Skinny Habit of the Week: Eat a Good Breakfast

This sounds more like common sense than a "skinny habit," but this is one habit that really helps in weight loss and maintenance. The days that I either skip breakfast or eat a wimpy one (ie. just grab a bar or something) are the days when I really struggle to eat right.

On those days, I am usually starving by 11am, and then am cranky and miserable until I get some lunch. I am impatient with my daughter, and when I do eat, I usually compensate and eat more. Some days, the compensation doesn't stop with lunch.

I have been in maintenance mode for a couple of weeks now (as I have started my in-vitro process) and have been eating a little more for breakfast than I used to. I am noticing such a difference in my hunger levels. I am noticing that it does carry into the whole day. I am less hungry over-all and more satisfied with the other meals.

Some of my breakfast staples:

Liquid Egg Whites
Alternative Bagels
Fiber One Frosted Mini Wheats
Peanut Butter Puffins or Reg. Puffins w/
Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (40 cals/cup)
Banana or other fruit
Bran Muffins
Greek Yogurt
Oatmeal

I mix and match, for a breakfast of 5 or 6 WW pts. Sometimes I microwave some egg whites and eat them with a bit of light melted cheese on a bagel. Sometimes I have my cereal with fruit and a muffin on the side. Other times I eat some fruit and greek yogurt with eggs, or with cereal. The more filling, the better.

If you aren't currently eating a filling breakfast and trying to lose weight, give this a try and see what happens!

Chocolate Torte

OK. Let's be honest here. Once in a while we all need something sweet. And according to my Skinny Habit of the Week, it is important to not over-indulge.

My solution is simple. If you are a chocolate lover like me, and you make this dessert, it would be REALLY HARD to over-indulge. This dessert is so rich and satisfying that it kills all cravings. You really cannot eat two.

Craving Killer Chocolate Torte

4 Servings/4 pts ea.
(about 215 calories)

1/4 C fat free vanilla yogurt
1 t vanilla extract
4 lg. egg whites
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder (tastes better with a good brand)
2 T instant no-sugar added vanilla pudding
1 T whole wheat flour (can use white also)
1/2 t. salt
Four 3 1/2" diameter ramekins
Light Vanilla Ice Cream

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray each ramekin with non-stick cooking spray. Place them in a baking dish filled halfway with water. In a medium mixing bowl, with a whisk, mix the yogurt, vanilla, egg whites and sugar. Once combined, add the cocoa powder, pudding, flour, and salt. Mix until just combined, and no lumps remain. Pour into the ramekins, equally.

Bake for 24 minutes, or until tops are shiny.

Take out of water bath and cool in ramekins for 7-10 minutes. Turn ramekins upside down on plates and tortes should come right out.

Cool for another five minutes and then top with your favorite low-fat or fat-free ice cream.

My favorite is Breyers Fat Free and it is awesome. You definitely cannot tell it is fat-free. Only one point per serving, also.

Blog Post Spotlight: Treat Yourself

Wow.

A friend of mine, Melanie (who actually guest posts here once in a while) emailed me a link to a great blog post about "treats." It fits right into my Skinny Habit of the Week. Here is a snippet, and I know you will want to read the whole post:

"I wonder why you can’t get this simple lesson to stick in your head. The days you eat well are the days that you feel brighter and cheerier. You get more done. You aren’t plagued by headaches. The kids are positively affected by your happier outlook. You enjoy them more and they enjoy you.

You call your indulgences “treats”? No, dear self. A treat is something that makes you feel good. Try a few chapters of a favourite book. A bubble bath. A cuddle session with your kids. Try turning on a fun song and dancing. Try eating something you enjoy that nourishes your body and your self-respect both."

Check it out.
I promise it will not be a waste of time.