Move over Vitamuffins...here comes Betty Crocker!

Pin It Tonight I made chocolate "muffins" (some would call them cupcakes I guess...we'll call them muffins so I can eat one tomorrow for breakfast!).  This was the simplest recipe every:

3 cups All Bran
3 cups water
1 box Betty Crocker Low Fat Brownie Mix
1 Tbsp baking soda

Mix bran and water and let sit for 6 minutes.  Add brownie mix and baking soda and stir until mixed.  Line (and spray!) 24 muffin tins and fill almost all the way to the top.  Bake at 350 for 18-20 mins (don't overcook!).

Points
1 = 1pt
2 = 3.5pts
3 = 5.5pts

BEWARE:  These are EXTREMELY high in fibre.  One half cup of this cereal containts 12 grams of fibre...this recipe has THREE cups of cereal in it...pig out on them...only if you dare!

Thanks for the recipe Shondi!!

Next recipe to try after these are gone is the one with the cake mix and the canned pumpkin...

Stay tuned for tomorrow's weigh in results...I'm nervous - this week was the Indonesian party (which I could not count because I had no clue what most of it was!  And nary a vegetable in sight!) and I also had ice cream cake (which I counted!)...I just feel heavy this week if that makes any sense...I exercised every single day this week except today, so I should be OK...we'll see I guess :-)


 Food from the Indonesian party:

Where you least expect it

Pin It So, I think I've already established that I have a superb support system of friends and family.  This week proved to me that I also am blessed to have such a support system at work.

Tuesday we were scheduled to go out for supper with the admin girls at work.  We had planned to go the Fife and Drum (bar at the Marriott hotel) - I'd been there since beginning WW, so I had already broken down the points for their spinach salad, which was oh so tasty!  I was all set to go...until I looked at their online menu on Tuesday morning and realized that they no longer had my salad on the menu!  Now most restaurants would have something suitable for someone on WW...not so much here.  They did have a couple other salads - caesar (might as well have a big mac!) and one that had bacon and chips in it!  Everything else was deep fried-ish (wings, nachos, potato skins, etc.).  I decided on Tuesday afternoon that I would quietly back out of dinner and go home - there was no way I could fit this stuff into my daily plan, nor did I want to (well, I DID want the food, but I want to be in control even more).  In the end, I decided i would go and have a diet sprite and then beg off early.  I got there and everything was going according to my plan - was getting ready to bolt from those wings/nachos/skins and go home and have my salad.  All of a sudden the waitress appears with this spinach salad (with dressing on the side)!  I was so confused!  I hadn't even ordered a salad!  Turns out that my co-worker, Angela, had gone over to 44 North (the "real" restaurant at the Marriott) and asked if they would put together a spinach salad for me and bring it over...and they did!!  I was so touched!!  I was trying not to be too much of a stick in the mud, just sitting there, not eating anything, but I was feeling very sad and...quite honestly...very sorry for myself!  Angela's actions were so encouraging to me and meant more to me than she will ever know.  Eating at home and at work is one thing - you can easily control those environments (for the most part!), but eating out is somewhat unpredictable and hard to control...

So Thursday was my first day this week that I was able to go to water aerobics.  My friend/neighbor, Cheryl, had finally been free to come with me.  She normally has yoga on Thurs nights, but it was cancelled this week and she and I were both really looking forward to aquanoodle!  Off we go, both in our new swimsuits and we get to the door of the pool and it is CLOSED FOR MAINTENANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  So sad....  So I go home to make my salad I had planned for supper...lettuce wilted...thought I'd make myself a baked potato to go with my salmon I'd planned to have on my salad...potatoes had sprouted, tomato was yucky, grrrrr!  Thursday was NOT a good day WW-wise.  So I had my salmon and some brown rice and corn for supper with a bit of spicy thai chili sauce on it...it was OK, but a disappointing day nonetheless.

Off to begin a new week!  Tomorrow I am going with Bianca and Demon to an Indonesian gathering...beware of the food!!!!!!  Perhaps this week I'll commit to being vegetarian (zero point veggies only)!  lol just kidding...although today I did try a veggie (portabello) burger and it wasn't bad!

Do I know you?

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Well, I really realized last week that I'd made a change in my appearance...I met a friend for supper that I hadn't seen since before I began WW (this time!).  We were meeting at my usual haunt (Swiss Chalet...where the points always satisfy!) and I went up to the hostess for a table for two and told her that my friend may have already gotten us a table - sure enough, she was already there.  She said she'd seen me come in and didn't recognize me! lol  I'm sure it only took a split second before she did finally know it was me, but I think I threw her off a bit!  It was a great feeling :-)  I often wished in the past that I could go away to "Fat Camp" and come back all skinny and beautiful, but when you are losing weight and the same people see you every day, sometimes it gets dull and boring, so it's nice to run into someone you haven't seen in months and get that warm gushy feeling...not sure I'm explaining what I'm really thinking, but I'm trying.  Anyways, moving on!  

Made my "regular" muffin recipe this week, but instead of banana, I used pumpkin (thanks Shondi!).  I realized after I made them that I should have bumped up the sugar a tad...forgot that ripe bananas are sweet...whereas pumpkin...er, not so much :-(  Oh well, I did eat them anyways!  By the last one I actually considered NOT changing the sugar back when I make 'em again!

So I had a goal I'd set for myself wayyyyyy back in January when I booked my trip to SE Asia.  To reach that goal, I need to lose 10.8lbs in the next 6 weeks!  This past week was a slow week, but this week I'm aiming for a big number like the week before when I lost 4lbs.  I don't care if I have to drink my way to and from work every day (in water, that is!) and run around the buildings at lunch time, I'm gonna pull at least a 2lb loss this week!!!  At seven months into the program, losses of 2lbs or more are rare as your body starts to slow down, but I've discovered if I shock my body by doing something new (like I've done in the past 3 weeks with water-cise), it reacts positively.  I think this week I'll bring my sneakers to work and start walking at lunchtime if the weather cooperates...then again...I work downtown where almost everything is connected by PEDWAYS!  lol I guess I really have no excuse :-)

OK, so I'm off to prepare for the week - lunch is ready (made turkey soup tonight) so I just have to pull it together and set out my breakfast and put my sneakers by the door and I'm off to the races!  Wish me luck!!!!!

Over the hump

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This is a huge (no pun intended!) milestone for me.  As of today, I have officially lost 52.6 pounds!  I've lost weight before in the past, but never seemed to be able to get beyond 47-48lbs and I've finally made it over the 50lb hump!!  In the past 2 weeks, I have started going to water aerobics (3 times/week for the past two weeks, but working up to 4 x per week).  I am starting to notice a bit of the "melted candle" effect in my legs and arms, so that tells me I really, really need to start going to the gym and working out with weights, not just doing the cardio at the pool.

I've been trying to figure out what's different this time.  I know initially I started this journey (this time!) because I was planning a trip to Europe again and didn't want to be jammed like a sardine into one of those airline seats for hours on end.  My trip to Europe has, obviously, been replaced with my trip to SE Asia in June, so I still have the motivation of a trip to keep me going.  I've come to the conclusion though that it's not just the trip that keeps me going.  The support I have been getting from my friends and family has been amazing, to say the least.  I never thought I'd say that Facebook has helped me lose weight, but I recently started posting my losses (just the number, but those who know me knew what it meant) and the response has been astronomical!  I also have a bunch of lady friends who have been super supportive supportive in person.  In the past I've had people in my life who have (I'm sure, unintentionally) sabotaged my efforts to lose weight, but no more!  I think that I now have myself a solid set of friends who honestly care for my well-being and that means more to me than anyone will ever know.

Well, off to buy a new bathing suit (the old one's are about to have wardrobe malfunctions if I don't replace them soon!!) and then to meet an old friend for supper and a movie...

Might head to the gym this week...we'll see!!

The muffin disaster of 2010

Pin It Ok, I think I'm a decent baker - baking is not my strong suit, but after my successful experimentation with ingredients in my banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins, I got the urge to bake again last Friday before Shondi came...here are some photos:

So I've needed new oven mits for a while...it became quite apparent on Friday when took the muffins out of the oven and burned my thumb (see the hole?) on the pan and flipped the muffin pan upside down...

Uh oh...I picked them all up...but there's one missing...where DID it go???









Ok, I found it...

Ok, now I KNOW I truly have baking talent...how many people can burn their thumb, flip the pan, close the door and in a split second as the door is closing, catch a muffin and SQUISH it between the oven door and the oven?  See folks?  REAL talent...



All in all, these muffins were OK (if a little deformed...did I mention they were not done when I took them out?), but I would not make this recipe again...I'll stick with the chocolate chip one :-)

Balsamic Shrimp Sauté and Fat(ter) Pants

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Ok, I know the two of these have nothing in common :-)

Here is a photo of me with my largest pants:

Now here is the recipe for the latest meal I made (from WW magazine)

Balsamic Shrimp Sauté

Prep 15 Min, Cook 15 Min, Serves 4

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
3 any-color bell peppers, sliced
1 large fennel bulb, sliced or 1 tsp fennel seeds
4 garlic cloves, chopped
3 plum tomatoes, diced
2 tsp chopped fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 1/2lbs medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and fennel; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes; cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes soften, about 2 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are just opaque in center, about 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with vinegar. This recipe works with the Simply Filling technique.

PER SERVING(About 2 cups): 190 CAL, 5 G Fat, 1 G Sat Fat, 0 G Trans Fat, 160 MG Chol, 668 MG Sod, 17 G Carb, 5 G Fib, 20 G Prot, 93 MG Calc. Points Value:3 

Photos

 

 

I blame the sodium

Pin It I suppose it was bound to happen sometime, but I don't think I was mentally ready for it this week. I've had my first gain since I began WW on October 3, 2009 :-( I was up 1.6lbs yesterday. Now, truthfully, when I think back on my week, I can see why. Don't get me wrong, I still wrote down EVERYTHING I ate and, to the best of ability, I recorded the points and stayed within my allotment, but...there were some things beyond my control (sort of) this week:

1) Monday - baby shower @ work - pizza for lunch, plus cake. Without knowing the true nutritional info on these two items, I had to make a best guess using the WW books and the generic foods in there (i.e., cake, store bought with icing = 7 points for one slice...who knows how big that slice really is??!)

2) Tuesday - out for supper to my usual haunt (S.C.) where I had my usual meal...and then I forced Tina to order the extra order of "free" french fries...I had 12 of them (I counted and everything!), but unfortunately there is nowhere in the book to look up "12 S.C. french fries", so I had to guess again... Also on Tuesday, I could not resist the leftover shower cake in the lunchroom, so I had what I deemed to be "half of a slice" for 3.5 points...again, may be a gross understatement in points.

3) Wednesday - birthday cake at work today (see Monday & Tuesday for issues on this)

4) Thursday - thought I was doing well - made my self a stirfry for supper and instead of using a teryaki sauce, I used soya sauce and corn starch...BAD idea...After work I must have had 5-6 cups of water...I think on Saturday morning they were STILL floating around in my body somewhere!

5) All week I've been snacking on these new Thinsation treats - while low in points (and not overly high in sodium), I think the addition of so much processed food was something else the body didn't like. I had them at least once per day and, if I had points leftover, I had them more than once. This week I have planned out one per day - for the END of the day, if points permit.

Ok, so I can't really blame the sodium entirely. I think the combination of that stirfry and the guessing on so many foods this week (I usually don't do that!) brought on the 1.6lb gain - which I clearly deserved. I've been so careful since I joined WW to limit my exposure to foods that I could not control or accurately count the points on, but this week I chose to let it get out of control. Today I press the restart button and begin again. I'm grateful that my gain wasn't so bad as to force them to take away my latest 5lb star (no, they wouldn't really take it away!) - it could have been so much worse.

Stay tuned for my next blog in a few minutes - recipes, photos, etc. to come...

Restartingly yours,
Tanya

Low Fat Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Low Fat Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

4 medium bananas, mashed
1/4 cup Splenda (or sugar, but it will increase calories)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup whole wheat flour 
1/2 cup rolled oat (instant is fine)
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Add sugar to mashed bananas and mix.


2. Add beaten egg and mix.


3. In a separate bowl mix all dry ingredients.


4. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix well.


5. Mix in applesauce.


6. Add chocolate chips and Stir.


7. Spoon into medium size muffin tin (spray your paper muffin cups so they won't stick) and fill 3/4's full.


8. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350.

If using Splenda, WW points = 2pts (well worth it for these muffins!)

Photo update - original...29lbs and 40lbs

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I've lost a small child...

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Or the equivalent of one anyways!  My friend's almost three year old weighs the same amount as what I have now lost.  I'm doing my happy dance today!  Finally...after 23 weeks on WW, I have hit the 40lb mark!!!  Woohoo!!  Carrying her upstairs to put her to bed last night really drives things home for me...that little girl weighs about 40lbs - I've lost one of HER...

I am so happy today - this, plus the beautiful weather we've been having for EIGHT, count 'em, EIGHT straight days, makes me do the dance of joy!  I so love the spring.  I think it's my favorite time of year - the snow melts, the tulips and crocuses start to crop up, the birds sing, the sun warms my apartment...ahhhh  I am so happy I think I am going to put my music on and clean like Snow White and whistle/sing while I work!

Happy Saturday everyone!!

I need to go back to elementary math class apparently...

Pin It so...40- 35.8 is NOT 3.2...haha, here I thought I was 3.2 lbs away from 40, but I was actually 4.2 away.  Oh well, I did manage to lose 3lbs this week, bringing my total to 38.8.  Only 1.2lbs away from 40!  Yesterday I made Kamryn get on the scales (no, not obsessed with the child's weight...read on!).  She weighs 49.5lbs...soooo....in 10 more lbs, I will have lost AN ENTIRE KAMRYN! hehehe, the things we look at the keep us going!

Yesterday was a beautiful sunny day here in the HRM - a tad windy, but still, a lovely day.  I headed over to the Darkside after breakfast and took a swing by Guy Frenchy's on Tacoma Drive...it's funny - when I was a 24/26 there was NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING in my size...everything was 18/20...now that I'm an 18, EVERYTHING I pick up is a 24/26!!  grrrrr!  Some lovely things over there in size 24/26.  Oh well, I did manage to get a 2 skirts (one knee-length denim and 1 long one), a pair of work capris (don't quite fit nicely yet, but will by capri season), a pair of shorts and a pair of cotton capris.  Also picked up 2 books - my entire haul came to $24...not bad for my transition wardrobe.  After Frenchy's I was picking Kamryn up at a birthday party on this side of the bridge and then the two of us headed to Mom and Dad's for the afternoon.  It's funny how different children (siblings) are from each other.  Kayleigh would KILL for alone time with Auntie/Nanny, whereas Kamryn complained that she had no other kids to play with...hehehe  Oh well, we went to the playground and then took a drive to the new Value Village in Pleasant street...Mom got a skort and I got nada...although that store is VERY well laid out.  Everything sorted by type/size and even, to some extent, colour!  Impressive for a second hand store!

Well, I must go do a bit of tidying of my apartment and then get ready for church.  Off to enjoy another beautiful sunny day in the HRM!

I'm at a standstill....

Pin It or so it seems... last few weeks I've been losing .8, .2, .8...grrrr...I'm not cheating - I mark it all down...but I think my sodium intake has been somewhat higher than normal, what with the Olympic snack hours we've been having at work the past two weeks...I'm not used to a) snacking in the afternoon or b) eating chips every day!  Now, I was honest and did record these in my food journal...I did count the points...and I did stay within my point range...but I suppose the choices I made were not the wisest I could have...to top that off, Ann was visiting from England and we had Indian food on Thursday (more sodium) and I had lemon pie last night at the Big Stop after Arlene and I dropped Ann off at the airport...This week I have my friend Tanya coming from St. John's - luckily just meeting her for a quick drink (diet 7-up of course!) after work on Friday and will be able to beg off any junk food (I hope!).  I have a Dr's appointment a week from tomorrow and had hoped to be down another 3.2lbs by then so I could claim to have a total of 40lbs gone by my Dr's appt...three more days to go - here's  hoping!

Well, I'm off to bed now...two days down, three to go...long week already and it's only Tuesday!