Last night's dinner was as good as I had hoped. It was Peppered Pork Chop Casserole from Day by Day. It's chops and rice, with tomatoes and green peppers. Not quick, because it has to bake for an hour, but I had time last night so that was ok.
Working out has become more of a challenge. I'm in my 3rd 30-day challenge and working on the hard level...and it is hard...much harder than the intermediate level. I do lunges and then squats and then jump lunges or jump squats one after the other until my legs feel like the noodles I ate with the linguine and clams a few nights ago. And then it's a couple of upper body exercises, and then the whole thing starts all over again. That which doesn't kill you makes you strong - literally!
No cooking for me today, we are having dinner at a friend's house. It's another Italian dinner - this time homemade gnocchi - a sabotage opportunity for those calorie gremlins. You know them - they're the sneaky critters that add calories (or WW points) before you know what hit you. It goes like this - "Mary Beth, you have to try this appetizer. It's so tasty, and it's shrimp - not fattening at all." After the fourth shrimp, you find out that it's so tasty because it was marinated in oil and than sauteed in butter! I'll have to be on my guard the rest of the day today just to be prepared for tonight.
Note to self - Don't weigh tomorrow!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Day 10 - Lessons Learned!
5 lbs! After all that agonizing and moaning and fretting and wondering what I was going to do if I gained weight in front of everyone instead of losing, I weighed myself this morning (even though my note to self yesterday was not to weigh everyday) and I lost all the weight I had gained plus a few more ounces! Now I'm at exactly 5 lbs! When I think of how much mental energy I wasted yesterday because I was upset and annoyed at what I was viewing as a major (can you believe it?) setback, I see that I really need to make a change here.
Repeat note to self: Save myself the agony and don't weigh every day! The scale is my enemy! Maybe it's time to have Manny hide the scale again so I can stop this obsessiveness.
I didn't cook at all yesterday because we had leftovers that needed to be devoured. But tonight I have something yummy planned. I wonder if it's a bad thing to be looking forward to dinner at 8:00 in the morning.
Repeat note to self: Save myself the agony and don't weigh every day! The scale is my enemy! Maybe it's time to have Manny hide the scale again so I can stop this obsessiveness.
I didn't cook at all yesterday because we had leftovers that needed to be devoured. But tonight I have something yummy planned. I wonder if it's a bad thing to be looking forward to dinner at 8:00 in the morning.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Day 9 - I Love Clams!
Linguine with clam sauce has always been one of my favorites, so I was especially excited to try last night's recipe - plus I was very hungry. Spicy Linguine and Clams from In a Flash. It was really tasty, but there were a couple of things I would do differently next time. First, I used too much garlic - not surprising, since I used more than what the recipe called for. I love garlic, too. Second, I should have used less red pepper. They didn't lie, it was fairly spicy. I didn't use the optional wine, either. My philosophy - no need to add extra points - I eat enough points as it is!
Disaster! I did the unforgivable and used a metal whisk (briefly) on a nonstick Calphalon pan! Luckily for me, there were no scratches, or I would be buying a new pan today. I'm very lucky Manny even lets me use his pans and all of a sudden he was on the verge of banning me from the kitchen for good, but one whiff of the garlic and clams made him realize on which side his bread was buttered! Whew - that was a close one!
On a different note, we've (this is the queen's we, because Manny does the shopping) have had some difficulty finding some of the ingredients in these recipes. For example, we couldn't find the right size can of clams, so we had to buy two smaller ones. I used both, which added more clams that what was called for, and that turned out to be good, but that's beside the point. Also, we couldn't find the type of sausage the cassoulet required, so we had to improvise there, too. I guess improvising makes them my own recipes, though, so I shouldn't complain. Maybe I should write a cookbook.
On a weight loss note - disappointment again today! I gained a little more, so as of today, I've lost only 3 pounds (give or take a few ounces). The only thing I can attribute it to is that we've eaten very late the last few nights, and that can't be good. I have been very diligent about what I eat and I've been getting my exercise. I would like to think I'm building muscle, but really. What little bit I've gained in muscle mass can't possible weigh anything at all!
Note to self: Stop weighing every day. We all know our weight fluctuates, and the ups are very hard to take!
Tomorrow will be better!
Disaster! I did the unforgivable and used a metal whisk (briefly) on a nonstick Calphalon pan! Luckily for me, there were no scratches, or I would be buying a new pan today. I'm very lucky Manny even lets me use his pans and all of a sudden he was on the verge of banning me from the kitchen for good, but one whiff of the garlic and clams made him realize on which side his bread was buttered! Whew - that was a close one!
On a different note, we've (this is the queen's we, because Manny does the shopping) have had some difficulty finding some of the ingredients in these recipes. For example, we couldn't find the right size can of clams, so we had to buy two smaller ones. I used both, which added more clams that what was called for, and that turned out to be good, but that's beside the point. Also, we couldn't find the type of sausage the cassoulet required, so we had to improvise there, too. I guess improvising makes them my own recipes, though, so I shouldn't complain. Maybe I should write a cookbook.
On a weight loss note - disappointment again today! I gained a little more, so as of today, I've lost only 3 pounds (give or take a few ounces). The only thing I can attribute it to is that we've eaten very late the last few nights, and that can't be good. I have been very diligent about what I eat and I've been getting my exercise. I would like to think I'm building muscle, but really. What little bit I've gained in muscle mass can't possible weigh anything at all!
Note to self: Stop weighing every day. We all know our weight fluctuates, and the ups are very hard to take!
Tomorrow will be better!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Day 8 - Tribute to the Tour
In honor of the last day of the Tour d' France (not really) I cooked Stovetop Cassoulet from In a Flash. It was good, although the breadcrumb topping was a bit much. I think the amount used needs to correspond to the diameter of the pan. Mine must have been narrower than theirs, because the result of mine was a mouthful of dry crumbs. Yuk! If I had used less crumbs, though, it would have been perfect.
Disappointment this morning - I gained 1.5 lbs. How did that happen? Oh well, it's still 3.5 lbs. for the week, and that's not too bad.
I haven't mentioned yet the exercise part of this plan. I've been doing (don't laugh) the Wii Pro Active as my workout. I've done the 30-day challenge on the easy and intermediate levels, and have now started the INTENSE level. Ooohhhh! When you're finished rolling around the floor laughing your head off, remember that exercise is exercise, and it seems to work for me. So, while I may look goofy jumping up and down in front of the TV, I'm burning some calories. Since some magic potion isn't going to take away these extra pounds, it looks like I'll have to do it myself.
Disappointment this morning - I gained 1.5 lbs. How did that happen? Oh well, it's still 3.5 lbs. for the week, and that's not too bad.
I haven't mentioned yet the exercise part of this plan. I've been doing (don't laugh) the Wii Pro Active as my workout. I've done the 30-day challenge on the easy and intermediate levels, and have now started the INTENSE level. Ooohhhh! When you're finished rolling around the floor laughing your head off, remember that exercise is exercise, and it seems to work for me. So, while I may look goofy jumping up and down in front of the TV, I'm burning some calories. Since some magic potion isn't going to take away these extra pounds, it looks like I'll have to do it myself.
Day 7 - A Day of Rest
Yesterday I cooked nothing! The day was far, far too busy for cooking, and we had plenty of leftovers from the other nights.
Weight loss is going well. I'm at almost 5 lbs. now. I'm feeling guardedly optimistic.
Weight loss is going well. I'm at almost 5 lbs. now. I'm feeling guardedly optimistic.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Day 6 - Danger, Danger, Will Robinson!
4 lbs!
Yesterday was Friday, the day I said was so fraught with pitfalls. And in spite of that, I still lost a little more weight! I defeated my enemy with oatmeal for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and then I was able to have pizza for dinner. I saved most of my extra points for the pizza and a glass of wine and boy was it worth it!
My culinary experiments switched to dessert yesterday. Blackberry Cobbler from All Things Sweet. It was delicious! Yes, I even ate a small serving of cobbler and yes, I really did lose a few more ounces!
Note to self:
It really is not necessary to throw empty cans and yogurt tops into the sink while cooking. They can go in the garbage or recycling just as easily, as Manny so kindly pointed out last night while he was cleaning up. It was a comment, which I have to admit, I did not accept all that graciously! Oh well, something else to work on. It's progress, not perfection, right?
Yesterday was Friday, the day I said was so fraught with pitfalls. And in spite of that, I still lost a little more weight! I defeated my enemy with oatmeal for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and then I was able to have pizza for dinner. I saved most of my extra points for the pizza and a glass of wine and boy was it worth it!
My culinary experiments switched to dessert yesterday. Blackberry Cobbler from All Things Sweet. It was delicious! Yes, I even ate a small serving of cobbler and yes, I really did lose a few more ounces!
Note to self:
It really is not necessary to throw empty cans and yogurt tops into the sink while cooking. They can go in the garbage or recycling just as easily, as Manny so kindly pointed out last night while he was cleaning up. It was a comment, which I have to admit, I did not accept all that graciously! Oh well, something else to work on. It's progress, not perfection, right?
Friday, July 24, 2009
Day 5 - I Might Be Liking This!
So far, so good. I haven't burned the house down, ruined any of Manny's pots, or cooked something unedible. There's still time, however...
Last night's dinner was Tortellini in Garlic Broth with White Beans and Greens from In a Flash. So easy even a caveman can do it...har har. I thought it was going to be tortellini cooked in broth, but it was more of a very thick soup, and delicious! My favorite so far.
Minimal mess, good food, a few more ounces lost - things are looking up!
Last night's dinner was Tortellini in Garlic Broth with White Beans and Greens from In a Flash. So easy even a caveman can do it...har har. I thought it was going to be tortellini cooked in broth, but it was more of a very thick soup, and delicious! My favorite so far.
Minimal mess, good food, a few more ounces lost - things are looking up!
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Day 4 - I Love Peanut Butter!
It's true. I'll eat anything peanut butter flavored. When I saw the recipe for Peanut Butter Breakfast Shake in the In a Flash book, I knew I had to try it (admittedly I have to try every recipe, but that's besides the point!)
Note to self:
Don't use the stick blender, an open container, and large ice cubes - I'm sure I don't need to describe the possibilities. Luckily I was quick on the release, so the mess was minimal!
I survived last night's dinner. I did have two servings of malfatti - they were delicious - but they were very small servings, only a couple of crackers and cheese, a large salad, and only 1/2 glass of wine. And I didn't gain anything!
Tomorrow will be a day off from cooking - and sabatoge day. I saved all my extra points to get me through Friday, because we go out to breakfast (danger) and I'm meeting a friend for lunch (danger) and we always eat pizza, burritos, or something equally as bad for Friday night dinner and movies (extreme danger).
Note to self:
Don't use the stick blender, an open container, and large ice cubes - I'm sure I don't need to describe the possibilities. Luckily I was quick on the release, so the mess was minimal!
I survived last night's dinner. I did have two servings of malfatti - they were delicious - but they were very small servings, only a couple of crackers and cheese, a large salad, and only 1/2 glass of wine. And I didn't gain anything!
Tomorrow will be a day off from cooking - and sabatoge day. I saved all my extra points to get me through Friday, because we go out to breakfast (danger) and I'm meeting a friend for lunch (danger) and we always eat pizza, burritos, or something equally as bad for Friday night dinner and movies (extreme danger).
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Day 3 - Ham
3 lbs so far - a little success is a wonderful thing. (Hey all you nay-sayers - I know the first 5 lbs. are easy, but there's nothing wrong with a little self-congratulation!)
Last night's menu was Ham Steaks with Apricot-Mustard Glaze from the In a Flash cookbook. No matter how carefully I plan, I never seem to have exactly the right ingredients and last night was no exception. So I substituted apple butter for the apricot jam the recipe called for. Actually, it was very good! This is a quick and easy recipe in the 15-minute recipe section of the book. So, with some couscous and some veggies, I had a quick and easy meal. This was important, because I didn't even start cooking until 9:30!
Wake up call - when I was desperately searching the internet yesterday for the name of the cookbook my first recipe was from (it was Day By Day, by the way), I realized that there are many, many WW cookbooks. In my first blog entry I believe I said I was going to make every recipe in every WW cookbook. In retrospect, it seems that may be an overly optimistic goal. I think I may just stick with the three books I have and be happy with that.
Today is going to be a dieting challenge because I'm having dinner at a friend's house, and she's making malfatti, and there will be appetizers, and wine, and dessert. I just have to remember - portion control, portion control, portion control...and watch my points during the day today.
Last night's menu was Ham Steaks with Apricot-Mustard Glaze from the In a Flash cookbook. No matter how carefully I plan, I never seem to have exactly the right ingredients and last night was no exception. So I substituted apple butter for the apricot jam the recipe called for. Actually, it was very good! This is a quick and easy recipe in the 15-minute recipe section of the book. So, with some couscous and some veggies, I had a quick and easy meal. This was important, because I didn't even start cooking until 9:30!
Wake up call - when I was desperately searching the internet yesterday for the name of the cookbook my first recipe was from (it was Day By Day, by the way), I realized that there are many, many WW cookbooks. In my first blog entry I believe I said I was going to make every recipe in every WW cookbook. In retrospect, it seems that may be an overly optimistic goal. I think I may just stick with the three books I have and be happy with that.
Today is going to be a dieting challenge because I'm having dinner at a friend's house, and she's making malfatti, and there will be appetizers, and wine, and dessert. I just have to remember - portion control, portion control, portion control...and watch my points during the day today.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Day 2 - The Beginning
Well, I did it! I cooked a meal...and it was pretty good! Three Bean Enchiladas from...well...I forgot the name of the cookbook! I'll have to add it later.
Note to self:
Don't put more in the food processor than what the food processor can hold. Seems like common sense. But I tried overload and what happened was the stuff at the bottom got over-chopped and the stuff at the top didn't get chopped at all! It should have been obvious it wasn't going to work when I had to smash the lid on to get the bowl closed In the end, I mixed it all up and got the texture I was after anyway. But then I had to fish out the garlic and chop it by hand. I didn't think that biting into a clove of garlic in the middle of an enchilada would add very much to the overall eating experience!
I served the enchiladas with artichokes, because we had them already. I know, when was the last time you saw artichokes on a menu in a Mexican restaurant? But I wanted artichokes, and I'm not a Mexican restaurant, so as far as I'm concerned, anything goes, as long as I stay under my points limit and I cook one thing from a WW cookbook. Those are the rules. Anyway, I made a Mexicany dip for them. It was very filling, and I stayed one point under my quota for the day.
Success!
Note to self:
Don't put more in the food processor than what the food processor can hold. Seems like common sense. But I tried overload and what happened was the stuff at the bottom got over-chopped and the stuff at the top didn't get chopped at all! It should have been obvious it wasn't going to work when I had to smash the lid on to get the bowl closed In the end, I mixed it all up and got the texture I was after anyway. But then I had to fish out the garlic and chop it by hand. I didn't think that biting into a clove of garlic in the middle of an enchilada would add very much to the overall eating experience!
I served the enchiladas with artichokes, because we had them already. I know, when was the last time you saw artichokes on a menu in a Mexican restaurant? But I wanted artichokes, and I'm not a Mexican restaurant, so as far as I'm concerned, anything goes, as long as I stay under my points limit and I cook one thing from a WW cookbook. Those are the rules. Anyway, I made a Mexicany dip for them. It was very filling, and I stayed one point under my quota for the day.
Success!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Cooking the Weight Watchers Way
Yes, being an honest person, I have to admit that I borrowed the idea from the movie. It's a good idea - why not use it? But I really didn't think that there would be anyone who cares about what I think about cooking. Then Manny had the idea that I could cook my way through the WW cookbooks and write a blog about my experiences (my friends and family know I don't cook, so this is a big deal for me!), and that I could include my weight-loss progress as well.
7 or 8 years ago I lost 25 pounds through the WW plan, and was able to keep it off until I hit that magic number, 50! Now that I'm here, the weight appears in the blink of an eye, but doesn't come off no matter how much chips & salsas I skip, how much excercise I get, or how many tantrums I throw with threats to never eat again until I lose some weight. Although I can do very well with counting points during the day, the nights are difficult. Manny does the cooking, and he's a very good cook, conscientious about fat content and ingredients. But it appears I have a problem with portion control (that's the only excuse I haven't used yet).
So, I'm here to make a pledge - I will make every recipe in every WW cookbook, and I will lose 25 lbs. (I would be happy with 15 lbs.) in the process. And, I'll record my experiences with each recipe here for anyone who is interested. Feel free to comment, take any tips you see, or share your experiences and encouragement. This is my very public way to lose weight, start cooking again, and hopefully have some fun in the process.
Happy eating!
7 or 8 years ago I lost 25 pounds through the WW plan, and was able to keep it off until I hit that magic number, 50! Now that I'm here, the weight appears in the blink of an eye, but doesn't come off no matter how much chips & salsas I skip, how much excercise I get, or how many tantrums I throw with threats to never eat again until I lose some weight. Although I can do very well with counting points during the day, the nights are difficult. Manny does the cooking, and he's a very good cook, conscientious about fat content and ingredients. But it appears I have a problem with portion control (that's the only excuse I haven't used yet).
So, I'm here to make a pledge - I will make every recipe in every WW cookbook, and I will lose 25 lbs. (I would be happy with 15 lbs.) in the process. And, I'll record my experiences with each recipe here for anyone who is interested. Feel free to comment, take any tips you see, or share your experiences and encouragement. This is my very public way to lose weight, start cooking again, and hopefully have some fun in the process.
Happy eating!
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