Back in the Saddle

Hello everyone! Where do I begin? First by admitting that I disappeared for a bit. I took the summer off from blogging. I tried to maintain eating PINK but will fully admit that I strayed some, it certainly is hard to stay PINK while out vacationing and camping but I didn't do awful. I was pretty darn good until August and then a couple of silly things happened that sent my emotions into a tail spin. I am an emotional eater, always have been. The result of the poor eating and exercising choices made due to my emotional termoil was a weight gain of 6 pounds. I was surprised to find out just how powerful emotions can be in determining the food and exercise choices I make.
                                      

                                      

First, right around the beginning of August I had to go to the DMV to get my license replaced because I lost it while running in the Spartan Race. (Boy was that a fun experience, and yes that is me.) While waiting for 2+ hours at the DMV another gentleman there hit on me. Long story short he handed me a piece of paper with his phone number on it and said he thought I was nice and cute and that he would like to see me again. Yes, it was flattering. I had not been hit on in a very very long time. While it was flattering and did wonders for my self esteem, it made me feel uncomfortable. How is that for an oxymoron? I hate getting attention from men due to previous experiences in life. Subconsciously, I believe I ate myself fat as a way of protecting myself from all the bad things that "could" happen to me if people found me attractive. My  fat is/was my shield of protection. So to get this unwanted attention made me feel uncomfortable and fear that I could be in danger of getting hurt again which I believe attributed to me making bad food and exercise choices this summer. (Does that make sense to anyone else? If not that is okay, it makes sense to me.)

Secondly, in the middle of August, my husband and I celebrated our anniversary with a few days away in Las Vegas. This was a much anticipated trip because we hardly ever get  away without our 3 children. When we arrived in Vegas, we went to pick up a rental car and as we stepped up to the counter, the woman who worked there said to me, "How far along are you?" I knew that I must have heard her wrong because I had just spend the last six months working hard to lose 50 pounds, surely she wasn't asking me if I was pregnant, was she? I replied, "Excuse me?" and she said, "When are you due?" I told her, "Oh, no, I am not pregnant" and maintained my composure. The woman was mortified and wasn't trying to be mean, but man oh, man did those words hurt. We got to our rental car and I burst into tears. I thought to myself why in the world am I working so hard to lose weight if I am still going to look pregnant. Let's just say the eating went down hill right with my emotions. Wow, do words have a ton of power if you allow them to.

I allowed those words to have more power than they ever deserved. I dwelt on that one comment for weeks to come. That comment took my self esteem from sky high to right back where it was before I started PINK which was rock bottom. Now, looking back I can see this, but in that moment all of my old habits and thought processes flood back and slapped me in the face.

So here I am today...I started reset again this past Monday and lost the 6 pounds I gained back this summer. I have another week to go on reset and then I plan to start phase 1 all over again. I am not going to allow the fear of being hurt by words or actions have power over my weight and ultimately my health anymore. So if you gave up on yourself this summer for some silly reasons like I did, I have one question for you, will you join me again in trying to find your healthy self?    

Chicken Fajitas

When I step on the scale every morning, I am amazed that I am seeing the numbers get smaller and smaller. Why? Mostly because I can't believe I can eat as much as I am and still be losing weight. I have never been this excited about a diet before and I have tried lots of them. I'm sure it isn't just the diet, I have changed my attitude regarding diets and wanting to be healthy. I feel great and I want to sing it from the roof tops!

I know that many people are struggling though and I did too the first 3 days so I want to tell you about a few things that have helped me. On PINK you can have all the vegis you want, so I add them to everything. I use them as a filler in everything to make my portion bigger. I like to eat and I want to fill satisfied when I eat don't you? Don't be a slave to the suggested meals in the book, they are just suggestions, you can also follow the blueprint for reset of 1 LP (low calorie protein) + LCV (low calorie vegetable) and come up with so many more satisfying meals that you will be amazed just like I am.

The other secret I will share with you that has helped is I make a double portion of everything so that I don't have to be constantly in the kitchen. When I make dinner I measure out 8 ounces of protein and double whatever it is I am making so that I will have lunch on hand the next day. If it is right at hand, you a less likely to grab something unhealthy. I know kind of a no brainier tip but it helps.

So onto what I had for dinner last night and lunch today.

Chicken Fajitas
Boneless skinless chicken breast
Vegetables and kind you want
   - I used zucchini, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and mixed bell peppers

Salsa (as natural as possible)
   - I use the Trader Joe's brand, ingredients are tomatoes, yellow chile, vinegar, salt, onion and spices)
   - I know it as added salt but I didn't use a whole lot so I didn't worry to much about it.
Head Lettuce/Iceberg Lettuce
   -This is what we will wrap our fajitas in.

Really easy to make saute you chicken in a little Pam. I like to cook my chicken until it has bits of brown on it, it adds so much flavor.

Once the chicken is browned, add in your vegetables and cook until softened and starting to brown.

Add in your salsa, just enough to coat everything and mix together.

Tear off whole leafs of lettuce for your shell and wash.

Fill with your lettuce leaf or leafs with the fajita mixture.

Wrap your lettuce around the filling just as you would a burrito and enjoy.

This can be a family friendly meal. My kids and hubby ate them like you would normal fajitas, flour tortilla, re-fried beans, cheese, sour cream etc. I did however have to just pick out the chicken for the kids. They prefer their vegetables raw. So they had a side of fresh carrots, snap peas and cucumbers.

Chunky Chili

Brrr....it has been cold here the last few days. We got a little bit of snow which was fun but snow always sends me into play then hibernation mode. I want play outside with the kids and then stay inside to cook and eat. I want to soups, stew, chowders, basically anything that will warm my to the core. Most of my typical recipes are out so I had to come up with something that will meet the PINK reset guidelines. Chunky Chili fit the bill for me but the rest of the family, my kids specifically won't eat chili with lots of chunky vegetables in it so here is how you can make Chunky Chili for those following PINK and regular chili for the rest of the family.

Items needed for both types of chili
1 20 ounce package of ground turkey
1 28 ounce can of diced or whole tomatoes no salt added
1 can of tomato paste (no sugar or salt added)
2 cans of beans,  (use any variety or mix you like, I used pinto and kidney)
water
diced onions
shredded carrots
shredded zucchini (for the Chunky Chili, I cut my zucchini into chunks, the regular chili got it shredded)

Vegetables to add to the Chunky Chili
mushrooms
cauliflower
green peppers

Chili Seasoning
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder

• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions for Chunky Chili

Start out by browning the ground turkey until it is cooked through. I add a little bit of garlic powder and pepper to the meat for added flavor. When it is done, get out you handy scale and measure out 2 ounces of meat. 

Next open and rinse your beans I used pinto and kidney beans. To your 2 ounces of ground turkey add 6 ounces of beans. I am making a double batch so that I have enough for lunch the next day On reset we are allowed 4 ounces of meat for lunch and 4 ounces for dinner, beans and meat are allowed but only 4 ounces thus I have a total of 8 ounces measured, enough protein for two meals, got it? 

Add in other vegetables along with your meat and beans. Add in about a third of your 28 ounce can of tomatoes and a third of your can of tomato paste and a third of your chili seasoning. Add in a little water to make it soupy and let it simmer until the vegetables soften and the liquid thickens and enjoy. Remember this is enough for 2 meals so save half for lunch tomorrow.

Directions for family friendly Chili

To the remaining ground turkey after you have removed your 2 ounces, add in some diced onions and saute until soft. 

To the meat and onion mixture add in what is remaining from your 2 cans of beans, your tomatoes and your tomato paste, chili spices, your shredded carrots and zucchini and a little bit of water to make it soupy. This is really just dumping in what is remaining after you have made your Chunky Chili. I shred the vegetables in this chili just to give a little hidden vegi's to the kids. They are pretty good about eating fruits and vegi's but a few more won't hurt them, plus they virtually disappear when they are cooked into the chili.

Cook until the chili has thickened and let your family enjoy.

Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers PINK Style

Yesterday was day 4 on the P.I.N.K Method diet and I am feeling good. I ran 3.1 miles on the treadmill at the Gym, took the dog to the dog park, visited the orthodontist, cleaned a little, did homework with the kids, made dinner and took a long walk with some friends in the evening. I seriously have more energy than I have in the past but that is not to say that the past few days haven't been hard. The first day on the PINK diet, I was starving. Day two I dealt with massive cravings, Day three was a mild headache but yesterday I felt great and I am seeing results. I don't want to focus on my pounds lost because this is really a journey of health and I don't want others to compare themselves to my results and get discouraged if they aren't seeing the exact same numbers but I will say this diet is working for me.

Tonight's dinner was incredible. My husband loves stuffed bell peppers so I was determined to figure out how I could make them using the PINK method approved foods.  I didn't want to have to make 2 different meals and double my work load. So here is my PINK version of southwest stuffed bell peppers also the version my husband ate and the variation of what my kids ate. Hey, I am all about only having to cook once to feed the family even though not all may like what we are having.

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers (PINK Version)

4 ounces ground turkey
1/4 cup diced onion
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup mushroom
1 cup cauliflower
1-2 bell peppers
1/3 cup Salsa
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning

(I used a 20 ounce package of ground turkey and browned all of it. I then removed 4 ounces of ground turkey and assembled my filling while the rice for my hubby's was cooking.)

Saute onions, carrots, mushroom, cauliflower in a pot until it begins to soften.

Add in the 4 ounces of ground turkey and  1/3 cup of salsa and Mrs. Dash. Stir around until mixed up and stuff filling into peppers. Top each pepper with a little more salsa and bake at 375 for 20 to 30 minutes until the peppers have softened.

Hubby's Stuffed Bell Peppers

Remainder of ground turkey should be about 16 ounces
1 cup of rice cooked
1/2 cup onions
1/2 cup Fajita sauce
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper

Saute onion until soft, mix in ground turkey and rice. Add the fajita sauce and stir to combine. Add in cheese and stir again.

Pink version peppers are the ones without cheese.

Stuff bell peppers , top with a little fajita sauce and a little more cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until peppers are soft.

Kid's version

So my kids won't eat the bell peppers but the stuffing used in my hubby's peppers is okay with them so I simply piled it into a flour tortilla for the kids and they had burritos, simple, easy and I didn't have to make a bunch of meals. I simply modified one to suit the entire family. That is my kind of meal and it was really tasty.

My First Post

I have been a stay at home mom for a long time, my oldest is 13. I am guilty of putting everyone else's needs above my own and there fore I have ended up over weight, okay let's be honest, obese. Well, not any more. My youngest went off to school full time this year giving me a lot of free time. I decided that with that time, I was going to finally focus a little more on me and getting healthy. I have tried diet and exercise over the years but quickly became overwhelmed. For this weight loss journey I chose to break up the two and first focus on exercise and then add in the diet part when I felt I was able.

Me running the race!!

I am happy to report that on Thanksgiving day (2011) I ran in my first 5K. I completed the run with a finishing time of just under 45 minutes which was my goal. I was elated and overjoyed to reach my goal of running a 5k. I finally felt like I had exercising down, it was becoming enjoyable,and it didn't hurt all the time so I decided I needed to add in the diet portion to a healthy lifestyle. I have chosen to do the P.I.N.K. Method for my diet plan and am currently on my 4th day or reset. I am down 4 pounds and feel great! I have found that eating on this plan can be tricky just because it is a new diet plan and there are not a lot of resources out there. So I thought blogging one of my meals that I came up with might be fun and help encourage others.

Turkey Meatballs with Marinara Sauce over a Bed of Roasted Vegetables

Marinara Sauce (made enough to serve 6

1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatos (I used Hunt's 100% natural)

1/2 onion diced

2 cloves of garlic crushed

1 1/2 TBSP Italian seasoning

Dash of Balsamic Vinegar

To make sauce, saute onions and garlic until they soften, add can of tomatos and Mrs. Dash and let simmer for 30 minutes or so. Near the end add a dash of balsamic and stir. Add your cooked turkey meatalls and  let simmer about 5-10 more minutes.

Turkey Meatballs (made enough for 5, 4 ounce sevings)

1 package 97% fat free ground Turkey (20 ounces)

Few Shakes of Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning

Dash of Balsamic Vinegar

Dash of pepper

To make meatballs, mix everything together and form into little meatballs. Saute in a pan with a little spray of canola oil until cooked through or mostly cooked through. They will cook in the sauce a little more so they don't have to be completely cooked.

Roasted Vegis (I ate the entrie amount, but eat what you want.)

1 small zuchini

1/4 red onion

1 cup brocolli

Mrs. Dash any flavor you like

To make the vegis, heat overn to 375, spread vegis on a cookie sheet, mist with olive oil or canola oil, whatever you have and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash. Roast about 20 minutes or until vegi's are tender.

To serve, lay roasted vegis on your plate and divide up the meatballs into five equal portions that way you know you are getting about 4 ounces since we used a 20 ounce package. Spoon sauce over meatballs and vegi's and Enjoy!

Edit: I should add that this is another family friendly meal if you add a tweak.  My family ate this also except instead of having it over roasted vegis, they ate it over whole wheat spaghetti noodles.