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!