In Case No One's Noticed...

I haven't been here!

Been very busy with work, and summertime stuff, but now that fall is here I think I'm starting to nest (and blog) again.

I'm back ladies!

Not a Good Day Today

Today just isn't a good day. I feel anxious, but can't figure out why, just a general uneasiness - I HATE that feeling. All the anxiety just sucks the energy right out of me.

I have way to much on the go right now. Three weddings in 2 weeks! How does someone cope with that?! I'm in all 3! And how in the world do you know what to buy your best friend for a wedding present?! This just sucks.

I feel like I've been spending loads of money and seeing nothing of it. Just one more depressing thing to think about...

I need a vacation. A real vacation, with nothing else to think about but nothing.

BBQ Rules - Too Funny (Yet True)!

We are about to enter the summer and BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity, as it’s the only type of cooking a ‘real’ man will do, probably because there is an element of danger involved.

When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:

Routine…

(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.

(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.

Here comes the important part:

(4) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine….

(5) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(6) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is burning. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while he deals with the situation.

Important again:

(7) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

More routine….

(8) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(9) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dis hes.

And most important of all:

(10) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
(11) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed “her night off.” And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there’s just no pleasing some women….

I Have My Very Own Meeting!!!

Gah!

Weight Watchers offered me my very own meeting in Fredericton! And I took it! I'm now the Tuesday night leader (Fredericton, 5.15pm soon to be 5.45pm, for anyone who wants to drop by!).

I'm so excited and so nervous! I can't believe I have my own meeting to do what I want with it!

I'm Officially a Weight Watchers Meeting Leader!

Woohoo!

I can now officially be declared a WW Leader! I never thought it was even possible! I'm so excited to start! Training was fantastic, and I got to meet some really nice ladies there. My mind is racing trying to come up with cool ideas - if you have any great motivators, let me know girls!

Just finished making a core chili for the week. I even put some cocoa in this time, it makes it a really nice brown colour - will let you know how I feel about it once I try it.

Finally! Training Tonight!

The day has finally arrived! I'm getting trained to be a WW Leader tonight and tomorrow! My goal will finally be realized! I never thought in a million years that I'd ever get here. I'm so eager to get the materials to look at! EEEEEKKKK!

On another note, one of the younger WW Leaders here in Fredericton is moving. :-( She's one of my favourites - just a complete sweetie! She's moving to Vancouver, to be closer to her family. I told her about all of the great girls out there and she was pretty excited about it - she's going to be a leader out there too.

Me and PM...

Had to post the picture of us from Canada Day.

It was such a delight to meet you Leanne! I hope we get to have a few more evenings together someday!

Lions and Tigers and Anniversaries - Oh My!

I have a couple of anniversaries on the go today (and tomorrow). Today marks two years that Stephen and I have been together.

Tomorrow will mark two years that I have been at my WW goal weight. It's hard to believe it's already been that long...

Here's to a couple more years!

Such a Good Holiday Weekend!

Not that I did anything exciting, but still...

Went to Maine on Saturday with my folks and picked up all kinds of interesting American food finds: Heluva Good Dip (really frickin' good too), WW yogurt (I have yet to try it), mystery doritos, diet mountain dew, instant chocolate milk powder (in individual packets), FF cheese, and all kinds of other weird and wonderful items. Everytime I visit, it makes me realize that Americans have every opportunity to either become extremely obese, or extremely fit and healthy, they just have to choose, because they have everything they need at their fingertips to accomplish either.

Had my first Core WI yesterday and was down 0.4 lbs. I was totally happy with that, considering that I haven't been hungry once since switching. I think I'll keep core for myself forever! And I will love her, and squeeze her, and...

As for my last event of the weekend (so far) - I finally got my hands on a Wii Fit! I conned the girl at our local walmart into calling me when they got some in, and she did! I picked up the last 2 in the shipment, one for us, and one for my friend Scott, who's been looking for one for his parents. It totally rocks and I love it!

I'm meeting PM tonight downtown at the fireworks! I'm so freakin' excited to finally get to meet her! I can't believe I finally get to meet one of the girls from the boards in person! And one of the sweetest ones too!

What a great weekend!

The Crazy Thread

I think I'll talk more about this here, as opposed to facing the possibility of being judged on a public message board.

I will seriously benefit from the crazy thread.

I officially acknowledged that I had a problem because I was forced to acknowledge it. I had a bad break-up in university was subsequently medicated to help control my emotions and underlying depression. I remained medicated for a couple of years (at least), but I was terrible at taking my medication, mostly because I was ashamed I had to take it at all. Not to mention the fact that I suffered from terrible side effects. I eventually just stopped taking my meds altogether.

Eventually I started taking a natural supplement that seemed to help.

I no longer take anything to help myself, although I honestly think that I've developed better coping mechanisms in the meantime.

To be continued...

Happy Birthday Mom!

It's me mum's birthday - her 50th. So this is a post about my mom.

Geez, I'm already getting emotional and I haven't even written anything yet. I just love my mom so much - she's one of my best friends and I have no idea what I'd do without her. We talk every single day.

So tonight, we're going down to my parents' house for cake and ice cream - my favourite treat in the whole wide world. I can't wait. Just the six of us, eating cake and ice cream, pure bliss. I even get to pick the cake - woot!

Happy birthday mom - I pray we have many many more nights of cake and ice cream - love ya, love ya, LOVE YA!

I'm back!

It's been waaaayyyy too long to catch up, so I'm just not going to bother, I'll just list the most recent highlights.

I switched to core this week, and so far I absolutely love it! I'm eating about the same amount of food that I used to (in terms of points), but I'm not hungry because I'm not forcing myself to save points for my evening snack. It's going well, and I hope to see a loss this week.

PM is coming to visit my area next week and I'm sooo looking forward to her visit! It'll be the first time I've met anyone from the boards.

I'm taking a super long weekend off this weekend - Friday til Wednesday. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm going to be missing the annual camping trip to PEI since Stephen has to work Saturday and Sunday, but he is off Monday and Tuesday with me - maybe we'll go camping on our own.

Still waiting for our garden to take off. I sure hope we get those veggies to grow! It'll be a great sense of accomplishment if this baby actually works!

Meal Plan: Day 6, Monday February 4th

Breakfast: (5 pts)

1/2 C SF FF Yogurt (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/4 C 1% Cottage Cheese (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/2 Medium Apple (40 cals, 0.3g fat, 1.4g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1 Medium Kiwi (46 cals, 0.3g fat, 2.6g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1/2 Small Orange (31 cals, 0.1g fat, 1.6g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon (2 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)
1 Fibre One Bar (140 cals, 4g fat, 9g fibre --> 2 pts)


Lunch: (5 pts)

1 Whole Wheat WW Bagel (150 cals, 0.5g fat, 9g fibre --> 2 pts)
1 Tbsp LF Peanut Butter (80 cals, 5g fat, 1g fibre --> 2 pts)
1 Medium Grapefruit (74 cals, 0.2g fat, 2.7g fibre --> 1 pt)


Dinner: (11.5 pts)

1 Lean Burger (170 cals, 9g fat, 0g fibre --> 4 pts)
1 Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun (140 cals, 2g fat, 3g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/2 Lg Sweet Potato (68 cals, 0.2g fat, 2g fibre --> 2.5 pts)
115 grams Potato (107 cals, 0g fat, 1.7g fibre --> 1.5 pts)
1/8 C Ketchup (40 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1 T LF Mayonnaise (50 cals, 5g fat, 0g fibre --> 1pt)


Snack: (3.5 pts)

1/2 C LF Frozen Yogurt (100 cals, 2g fat, 0g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/2 C Cheecha Snacks (0.5 pts)
1 Tbsp Homemade Chip Dip (1 pt)

Daily Totals:

1428 calories
36g fat
220g carbohydrates
61g protein
31g fibre
3 litres water

25 points

Meal Plan: Day 5, February 3rd

Breakfast: (8 pts)

1 PC Blue Menu Chipotle & Red Pepper Tortilla (190 cals, 4g fat, 4g fibre --> 3 pts)
3 egg whites (51 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
3/8 C Egg Beaters (80 cals, 3g fat, 0g fibre --> 1.5 pts)
Mushrooms, Peppers, Onions --> 0 pts
100 grams Virginia Ham (90 cals, 2g fat, 0g fibre --> 2 pts)
1 Tbsp Tostitos Southwest Ranch Dip (30 cals, 3g fat, 0.5g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
4 Tbsp Salsa (25 cals, 0g fat, 1g fibre --> 0 pts)


Lunch: (0 pts)


Dinner: (6 pts)

1 PC Blue Menu Mushroom & Provolone Chicken (150 cals, 3.5g fat, 0g fibre --> 3 pts)
1/2 Lg Sweet Potato (103 cals, 0g fat, 3.8g fibre --> 2 pts)
1.5 C Mixed Veggies (75 cals, 0g fat, 6g fibre --> 0 pts)
1 Tbsp Light Cheez Whiz (30 cals, 2g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)


Snack: (19 pts)

4 Bottles Light Beer (411 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 8 pts)
2 Hot Wings (264 cals, 12g fat, 0g fibre --> 6 pts)
3 Tbsp LF Sour Cream (53 cals, 2.3g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
15 Baked Tostitos Scoops (100 cals, 0.8g fat, 1.5g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/8 C BBQ Sauce (60 cals, 0g fat, 1g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
3/4 oz Light Cheddar (68 cals, 5g fat, 0g fibre --> 1.5 pts)


Daily Totals:

1778 calories
35g fat
147g carbohydrates
135g protein
19g fibre
2 litres water

33 points

Meal Plan: Day 4, February 2

Breakfast: (0 pts)


Lunch: (8 pts)

1 Chicken McGrill Sandwich (300 cals, 6g fat, 2g fibre --> 6 pts)
1 Tbsp McChicken Sauce (100 cals, 10g fat, 0g fibre --> 2 pts)
1 Side Salad (20 cals, 0g fat, 1g fibre --> 0 pts)
1 Tbsp LF Thai Dressing (18 cals, 0.8g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)
1/4 Pkg McDonald's Buffalo Sauce (18 cals, 0.8g fat, 0.5g fibre --> 0 pts
1 Medium Diet Coke (0 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)


Dinner: (13 pts)

1.5 Slices PC Deep Dish Pizza (555 cals, 27g fat, 3g fibre --> 13 pts)
2 C Tossed Salad (44 cals, 0g fat, 4g fibre --> 0 pts)


Snack: (2 pts)

2 C Spinach (14 cals, 0.2g fat, 1.3g fibre --> 0 pts)
1/4 C Salsa (25 cals, 0.1g fat, 1g fibre --> 0 pts)
3 Tbsp LF Sour Cream (53 cals, 2.3g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
10 Baked Tostitos Scoops (60 cals, 0.5g fat, 0.9g fibre --> 1 pt)


Daily Totals:

1231 calories
49g fat
137g carbohydrates
61g protein
14g fibre
2.5 litres water

23 points

Meal Plan: Day 3, Friday February 1

Breakfast: (5 pts)

1/2 C SF FF Yogurt (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/4 C 1% Cottage Cheese (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/2 Medium Apple (40 cals, 0.3g fat, 1.4g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1 Medium Kiwi (46 cals, 0.3g fat, 2.6g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1/2 Small Orange (31 cals, 0.1g fat, 1.6g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon (2 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)
1 Hop & Go Plus Bar, Banana Nut (140 cals, 5g fat, 4g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/8 C 2% Milk, Coffee (15 cals, 0.6g fat, 0g fibre --> 0pts)


Lunch: (5 pts)

1 Whole Wheat WW Bagel (150 cals, 0.5g fat, 9g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/4 C Tuna (60 cals, 0.5g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1 Tbsp Light Whipped Dressing (30 cals, 2g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/2 Tbsp Dill Pickle Relish (5 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)
1 Medium Grapefruit (74 cals, 0.2g fat, 2.7g fibre --> 1 pt)


Dinner: (10.5 pts)

1 Lean Chicken Burger (130 cals, 7g fat, 0g fibre --> 3pts)
1 Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun (140 cals, 2g fat, 3g fibre --> 2pts)
1.5 Tbsp Tostitos Southwest Dip (45 cals, 3.8g fat, 0.8g fibre --> 1pt)
1/2 Lg Sweet Potato (81 cals, 0g fat, 3g fibre --> 1.5pts)
1/2 Lg Potato (87 cals, 0.1g fat, 1.4g fibre --> 1.5pts)
1/8 C Ketchup (40 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0.5pts)
1 T LF Mayonnaise (50 cals, 5g fat, 0g fibre --> 1pt)



Snack: (4 pts)

2 Slices Bodywise Bread (90 cals, 1g fat, 4g fibre --> 1 pts)
1 Tbsp LF Peanut Butter (80 cals, 5g fat, 1g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/2 C Skim Milk (43 cals, 0.2g fat, 0g fibre --> 1pt)


Daily Totals:

1498 calories
34g fat
192g carbohydrates
78g protein
32g fibre
2.5 litres water

24.5 points

Some of my food tricks...

There have been so many threads lately about Superbowl Sunday and the food that goes with it that I thought I'd post a few of my little pub food items and how I make them...

Essentially all you need to bread anything is a good high-fibre breading, then you can make all kinds of wonderful appetizers with it. I usually grind up my older bread in my food processor to make my bread crumbs, then I use them for everything!

I make jalapeno poppers by hollowing out my jalapenos, filling them with a combo of FF cream cheese and grated LF cheddar, dip them in egg whites, then bread them with my breadcrumbs seasoned with pepper and maybe a little parmesan. Then just bake em up for about 20 minutes - very good!

I make my "wings" the same way. Just cut up my chicken pieces and dip them in egg whites, then into my seasoned breadcrumbs. Usually I season the breadcrums with BBQ chicken seasoning and some thyme. Then bake em up. Once they're cooked, I toss them in whatever wing sauce I want (Franks Buffalo is super delicious!).

Potato skins are also not so bad for you. You can bake up some potatoes. Hollow them out and save the hollowed out flesh for another meal. Then just sprinkle the skins with LF grated cheddar, some real bacon bits (which are surprisingly not that bad for you), and some green onions. Then just rebake them until the cheese melts. Serve them with salsa and/or sour cream.

Roast veggies in the oven (you could also bread these if you'd like), and serve them with LF peppercorn ranch dressing. A good substitute for deep fried veggies.

Bread up some LF cheese sticks for a mozza stick substitute too.

Also - nacho dip! Mix equal parts FF cream cheese and LF sour cream. Put in a baking dish, cover with salsa and all kinds of veggies if you want. Grate some LF cheese on top and bake until bubbly. Serve with baked tostitos.

Meal Plan: Day 2, Thursday Jan 31

Breakfast: (3 pts)

1/2 C SF FF Yogurt (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/4 C 1% Cottage Cheese (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/2 Medium Apple (40 cals, 0.3g fat, 1.4g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1 Medium Kiwi (46 cals, 0.3g fat, 2.6g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1/2 Small Orange (31 cals, 0.1g fat, 1.6g fibre --> 0.5 pts)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon (2 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)


Lunch: (4 pts)

1 Whole Wheat WW Bagel (150 cals, 0.5g fat, 9g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/4 C Tuna (60 cals, 0.5g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1 Tbsp Light Whipped Dressing (30 cals, 2g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/2 Tbsp Dill Pickle Relish (5 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)


Dinner: (7 pts)

1 Serving Shepard's Pie (357 cals, 2g fat, 5 g fibre --> 7 pts)
3 tsp Hot Sauce --> 0pts


Snack: (3 pts)

2 Cups Cheecha Snacks (90 cals, 2.6g fat, 1g fibre --> 2 pts)
2 Tbsp Tostitos Southwestern Ranch Dip (60 cals, 5g fat, 1g fibre --> 1 pt)


Daily Totals:

1156 calories
19g fat
145g carbohydrates
89g protein
26g fibre
2.5 litres water

20.5 points

Meal Plan: Day 1, Wednesday Jan 30

Breakfast: (11 pts)

1/2 C SF FF Yogurt (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/4 C 1% Cottage Cheese (50 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1 Medium Apple (81 cals, 0.5g fat, 2.7g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon (2 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)
Birthday Cake (358 cals, 16.5g fat, 0.9g fibre --> 8 pts)


Lunch: (4 pts)

1 Whole Wheat WW Bagel (150 cals, 0.5g fat, 9g fibre --> 2 pts)
1/4 C Tuna (60 cals, 0.5g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1 Tbsp Light Whipped Dressing (30 cals, 2g fat, 0g fibre --> 1 pt)
1/2 Tbsp Dill Pickle Relish (5 cals, 0g fat, 0g fibre --> 0 pts)


Dinner: (7 pts)

3oz Lean Pork (169 cals, 8g fat, 0g fibre --> 3.5 pts)
1.5 C Mixed Veggies (75 cals, 0g fat, 6g fibre --> 0 pts)
1/2 C Four-Cheese Risotto (165 cals, 3.5g fat, 0.5g fibre --> 3.5 pts)
1/4 C Frozen Peas (28 cals, 0.1g fat, 1.5g fibre --> 0 pts)


Snack: (3 pts)

2 Slices Bodywise Bread (90 cals, 0.5g fat, 4g fibre --> 1 pt)
1 Tbsp Light Peanut Butter (80 cals, 5g fat, 1g fibre --> 2 pts)


Daily Totals:

1426 calories
38g fat
189g carbohydrates
88g protein
27g fibre
2.5 litres water

25 points

My Little Eating Experiment

I went for my regular WW monthly lifetime weigh in yesterday and I'm up a couple of pounds - no biggie.

While I was there, I picked up one of the two-week trial coupons to use WW Online. I used to be a paying member online once I didn't have to pay for meetings anymore, but have since decided that it's an expense I no longer wanted.

Anyway, this leads me to my experiment. I'm going to track my points online for two weeks. I'm also going to simultaneously track my eating in SparkPeople to see the differences. I've often wondered if my points allowance was giving me a fair amount of daily caloric intake. We'll see... I'm going to post my daily meals, and the associated information.

Gotta Get This Off My Chest!

There have been lots of posts on the WW boards lately about things that people think matter to their weight loss, but don't, and I am really feeling the need to address two of these things:

1. Eating salt does not make you "gain" weight. Salt will make you retain water, which will show up on the scale, yes, but this is not fat and does not make you any more overweight. Water weight is just water, not fat. A litre of water weighs approximately 2 lbs, and if the amount of salt you're eating causing your body to retain this much water, then so be it, but at least you aren't holding on to 2 lbs of fat.

2. Whether or not you work out before a weigh in will only make a difference to that week, not to your overall weight loss (as is true for point 1). There are many factors to consider when you're working out - how much water are you drinking during the workout? How much water have you sweat off during your workout?, etc.

Now, having said my piece here, I will also say that I acknowledge how important it is psychologically to "see" a loss on the scale every week if you deserve one. I know we're all just trying not to sabotage ourselves right before weigh in. But just keep these things in mind EVERY weigh in - our body is going to do what it's going to do whether we like it or not. This is why we have plateaus and get frustrated. It doesn't mean we should give up!

Meat & Alternatives: Poultry

Higher in protein and lower in saturated fat than red meats, poultry is an excellent source of high-quality protein, with all the essential amino acids, as well as calcium, copper, iron, phosphorous, potassium, and zinc.

All poultry has a similar range of nutrients, with the biggest difference being in the fat content. A 3-oz portion of roasted, skinless light turkey is the lowest in calories and fat, with 135 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 25 grams of protein, compared to 170 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 20 grams of protein in a comparable portion of skinless roasted duck. A 3-oz portion of roasted chicken breast without skin has 26 grams of protein, 142 calories, and 3 grams of fat compared to the same serving with skin at 195 calories and 8 grams of fat.

Most poultry fat is under the skin; removing the skin before eating the meat greatly reduces fat content.

Because most poultry is sold with it's skin intact, it is susceptible to spoilage from bacteria that remain on the skin and in the cavity after processing. Kept at the average refrigerator temperature, chicken skin will become slimy in about 6 days, indicating a 10000-fold increase in bacteria. You should wash your hands, and scrub knives and cutting boards in hot soapy water during preparation.

Recipe: Buffalo Chicken "Wings"

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Egg whites, for dipping chicken pieces in

Fresh bread crumbs, made from high-fibre bread

BBQ chicken seasoning, Thyme, Parmesan cheese, Garlic powder - all to taste

Frank's HOT Buffalo Wing Sauce

Light peppercorn ranch salad dressing, or blue cheese dressing, for dipping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F. Season bread crumbs with bbq chicken seasoning, thyme, parmesan, and garlic, to taste. Cut chicken breasts (or thighs) into wing sized pieces. Dip chicken pieces in egg whites, then coat in bread crumb mixture. Bake chicken in oven until cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Once chicken is cooked, place in a plastic container with a cover. Add desired amount of sauce to coat chicken. Serve with dressing for dipping.

Frustration

I guess my the title of my post says it all... I'm frustrated!

I just can't find the time to do anything for myself lately. Work is crazy, home is crazy (mostly due to puppy)! It's a good thing we got this puppy though, because as my mother has told me, this is great practice for having kids! You have next to no downtime!

Luckily, my eating has still been on par, although I sure have been tempted to throw healthy eating out the window lately! It sure would be easier to get home and stuff all kinds of goodness in my face, as opposed to trying to cook healthy meals for Steve and I. Poor Stephen, he asks me last night for my help, "Can you help me get back on track with my eating and drinking water and stuff?". Since quitting smoking, Steve's put on about 5 lbs, which I think looks great on him, but of course he doesn't see it that way. We eat healthily anyway, but I think he just needs a little more encouragement and to change a couple of habits. So of course I'll help! We'll be getting groceries tomorrow as usual, and we always pick up lots of healthy stuff, so maybe we'll try a couple of new products to keep our interest. We need good snacking options, other than the usual stuff like popcorn. If I find anything new, I'll keep everyone posted!

Delicious Dinner Last Night

We had the most delicious dinner last night, so I'm gonna talk about it. It's something we hadn't eaten in so long - since getting the puppy I'm finding it hard to find the time to cook a real most nights. Last night though, we had one of our old favourites - buffalo chicken, baked potatoes, and baked veggies in cheese sauce (ie. soup). So today I've decided to highlight each of these foods in my food blog - look for recipes there!

Vegetable: Potatoes

There are many varieties of potato, but yams and sweet potatoes are not among them; they are not even related to the white potato, which is a member of the nightshade family, and is related to peppers and tomatoes. For most North Americans, potatoes are a major component of the diet - usually in processed forms that are high in fat and salt.

Potatoes are surprisingly delicious and low in calories. When eaten with the skin, they are high in complex carbohydrates and fibre; one medium-sized baked potato (with the skin) provides 25 mg of vitamin C, which is 25% of the adult Recommended Dietary Allowance, along with a good supply of vitamin B6, thiamine, niacin, and magnesium, 800 mg of potassium, and a moderate amount of zinc. The skins are rich in chlorogenic acid, a phytochemical that has anti-cancer properties.

Potatoes have a relatively high glycemic index (GI), which may be an issue for diabetics or people trying to lose weight by following a low-GI diet. Many people think potatoes are fattening, but this is determined by the way they are prepared.

Potato Facts:

• The average potato has approximately 120-150 calories, a small amount of protein, and almost no fat. The same potato turned into potato chips has 450-550 calories and up to 35 grams of fat; 115 grams of french fries contain about 300 calories and 15-20 grams of fat.
• Baking, steaming, or microwaving a potato preserves the maximum amount of nutrients.
• Don't store potatoes and onions together; the acids in the onions aid the decomposition in the potatoes, and vice-versa.

Weekend Exercise

OK, I'll fully admit that I've been sitting on my expanding bottom for quite a while now, well, since we got the puppy. I have been running maybe twice since we've gotten him - they're just such a handful in the beginning.

Now that he's starting to get a little older and wiser, I've decided to turn him into my newest piece of cardio equipment - the Gottagowalkthepup*.

*Patent Pending

The Gottagowalkthepup* is an evolutionary new workout! Works like a charm! An hour hike through your favourite city park (Odell in my case) and your workout is complete! Also involves short stops for scooping poop, and sniffing stuff. Wear your heaviest boots (seriously, could Sorels be any heavier?) for trekking the terrain to add another fat-burning element to this already difficult cardio session. Other optional attachments include leash, ski poles, water bottle, camouflage puppy hoodie, and a pocket full of kibble.

Be careful not to overuse the Gottagowalkthepup* as the motor will need a recovery period after each use (see Figure 1-1):
















Figure 1-1: Gottawalkthepup's* motor after an hour's use

Remember, if you take care of your Gottagowalkthepup*, it will serve you well for years to come!

My New Food Blog

Some time ago I had created a recipe blog. I didn't really pay much attention to it though after I created it. So I've come up with a better idea. I'm going to start updating a food blog daily...

LINK TO FOOD BLOG ON THE RIGHT ----->

I'm hoping to add a new food everyday, along with recipes and product reviews of some of my favourite and not-so-favourite food products.

I hope everyone likes it!

Water - Vital for Life

Two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, water is the most abundant substance in the human body, accounting for up to 60% of our body weight. Even though water has no calories or other nutrients, we can go for only a few days without it. In contrast, a healthy person can survive for 6 to 8 weeks without food. A loss of only 5 to 10% of body water results in serious dehydration, while a 15 to 20% loss is usually fatal.

Vital Functions

Water is essential to virtually every body function, including digestion, absorption, and transport of nutrients, elimination of body waste, and regulation of body temperature, as well as many other chemical processes. Water is needed to build all body tissues and is the base of all blood and fluid secretions such as tears, saliva, and gastric juices, as well as the fluids that lubricate our organs and joints. It also keeps our skin soft and smooth. As our body ages, it becomes dryer. An infant's body is 75 to 80% water, compared to 50% after age 65 or 70.

How Much Do We Need?

The human body needs enough water to ensure the urine is pale, not dark or bright yellow. For the average adult this translates to 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. Most of this comes from drinks, but surprisingly there is a substantial amount in foods as well. Fruits and vegetables are 70 to 95% water, compared to 75% of an egg, 40 to 60% of meat, poultry, and fish, and 35% of bread.

While trying to lose weight, it is said that you should consume half of your body weight in ounces of water. In my case, at 135 lbs, I should be consuming approximately 68 oz. (2 litres) of water daily.

It is also important to remember that you should consume as much water as you excrete during any given day. So on days where the weather is hotter or you sweat due to a hard workout, you should consume more water.

The Purpose of Teed's Food Blog

The purpose of my food blog - I wanted to be able to post interesting food facts, recipes, and product reviews all on one blog. Since I will now be using this blog to post all of my recipes, I will be removing my recipe blog, not that I had posted much on it anyway. Please visit often, as I'll be posting daily!

Hope you find it interesting!

My Fatty Inspiration

Inspired by a thread on the WW boards yesterday about what people compare their weight loss to...

I've lost about 75 lbs overall since being at my "peak" weight of 206 lbs. My weight loss can be compared to a batch of mashed potatoes to feed a small army, ie. 2 x 25lb bags of potatoes + 25 lbs of butter. Yummy!

I also just wanted to show everyone what a pound of fat looks like, so that when ya'll get discouraged that you "only lost a pound" this week, look at this and feel good about getting this crap off your beautiful little bod!