Tag Archives: diet

Trampoline?

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I’m trying, once again, to control my eating and increase my movement. This image above describes my efforts to date. I have just started recording my food intake and exercise on MyFitnessPal.com in an effort to –

  • acknowledge that I need to (I lie to myself a lot)
  • plead with my husband not to show me he loves me with a buttered muffin from the microwave
  • come to terms that my meals are okay, but the combinations are above my 1200 calories and 40 grams of carbs limit
  • focus my efforts to keep my mouth shut and my body active

I had my usual breakfast. We’re planning to stop at the deli to bring lunch home (I will either get fish or chicken ONLY – no ‘meal.’) I was going to have leftover beef stew and some garlic bread for dinner, but NO! That puts me way over my limit, so we’ll have a large salad, instead. I’ve built in my orange dream bar for desert. This combo will bring me in under on calories and at my limit on carbs for the day. I’m also going to do 15 minutes on my elliptical machine and 30 minutes in yoga stretches this afternoon.

I’m doing pretty well until after lunch. Then I go nuts for some reason. I have no clue why, but instead of continuing to be disgusted with myself, I’m changing what I’m doing. If I can do this for a week or so, I can get back on track. We’re not planning to have or go to any holiday parties. My biggest ‘enemies’ are my husband and myself.

I’ll make it a point to fix some things that are on my diet to eat as snacks, in case I think I’m starving to death. :0)

Today is Tuesday. I’ll plan to get back to you about my progress NEXT Tuesday. Hopefully, I can report that I’m being good and making progress.

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Filed under Acting Like a Grownup, DIET!, exercise, Healthy Eating

New Recipes

I have found that trying to combine eating low-carb and feeding my diabetic husband to be a bit of a challenge. I fell into a trap of my own making several months ago, opting to eat what HE ate. NOT GOOD! Mostly now, I can fix low carb meals and then add extra things he can also eat into the mix.

I have found that getting a husband to try new foods, substitutions, and new recipes is a character-building exercise. For example, the substitutions of spaghetti squash for pasta and riced cauliflower for rice just won’t work for him. He’s like a little kid, making faces and being quite dramatic.  Happily, though, he is very supportive of my trying new recipes.

I tried one for chicken thighs in the crock pot last night. You’re supposed to thicken the juices with xanthan for use as a gravy. I made rice for him and I ate spaghetti squash. I like anything with a gravy-like sauce, so I thought it was pretty good. He praised the tenderness of the chicken, and he liked the rice, but the sauce, not so much.

I’ll cut up the leftover chicken tonight, combining it with cream of chicken/mushroom soup that he particularly likes, and serve it over rice for him and cauli-rice for me. It’s not quite as low-carb with the soup, but I can work around it to make my day come out under my limits.

Meanwhile, I’m glad we’ve found some substitutes for things he loves so he doesn’t feel deprived and walk around looking hangdog:

  • Arizona Zero Peach Tea
  • Alpine Sugar-Free Apple Cider Mix
  • A&W Sugar-Free Soda
  • Sweet Freedom Blue Bunny Ice Cream Sandwiches
  • Sweet Freedom Blue Bunny Ice Cream Cones
  • Jello Sugar-Free Cups

Now I just have to practice NOT feeling deprived MYSELF when he eats without having to worry about carbs…. (I’ll try to make a list of good things I have found that make eating low-carb much easier and post them for those who might be interested.)

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Filed under Acting Like a Grownup, Attitude, Challenges, Cooking/Recipes/Low Carb Lifestyle, DIET!, Healthy Eating

Multi-Shampoo Day

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Heat index is 110 degrees F. today. UGH.

Amber and I went out to the garden to plant 3 celery plants and take pics of my squash. Then we walked out to the greenhouse so we could take pics of my husband’s ham radio tower which now has THREE sections together. By the time we got back to the house, my head was not only wet, it was dripping. UGH. It’s always hot in Arkansas in the summer ( July and August are the worst). We’re used to that, insulating ourselves from the heat as much as possible. This year, though, we’ve had a lot more humidity than usual. I’m too old for humidity, I find. I refuse to wash my hair more than three times a day, though – so if you’re coming to see us, I might look like an exploded dandelion.

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Since I  planted my first celery this year, I’ve learned two things:

Thing One – I’m supposed to be giving them a lot more water than the rest of my garden plants. I’ll keep using the irrigation system, but will also arrange to add extra water to the celery a couple of times a day.

Thing Two – I’m supposed to be tying the stalks together tightly as they grow. I’ll give that a try, but I’m not sure that’s a workable thing. I may just continue to come out and cut some stalks when they’re ready and let the plant do its natural thing.

I planted two spaghetti squash plants grown from seed taken from one bought at the store and sprouted in a glass in the kitchen. I now have FIVE spaghetti squash(es)! I’m not sure what the plural of ‘squash’ is. Anyhow, they’re looking great. Pics below.

I spent about an hour in the raised bed square foot garden yesterday trying to catch up on the weeds. I got things pretty much under control. Even with irrigation, the heat is stressing plants out now, so I’m feeling lucky to have anything still alive. I’m concentrating on trying to keep the plants as comfortable as possible, growing where and how they want to.

This grape tomato plant spread out all over one whole 4’x4′ square planter. Since it has blossoms all over it, I’m just letting it take over the planter.

 

The marigolds are happy. They don’t have very many plants to protect right now. Such happy-looking flowers! (Celery plants are along the back of the marigolds.)

 

Two of the spaghetti squash. I’m just pulling up the vines that spill over the box, spreading the vine carefully over the dirt and letting them go where they may. I put special plastic melon holders under the squash for support. I guess I’ll harvest these soon, as they’re getting to be the size of some I’ve bought at the store. They have blossoms on the vines, too, so I may get more!

 

Three new celery plants planted this morning.

 

 

Two more spaghetti squash(es). you can see a couple of yellow squash blossoms.

 

And this is a dog plant……

Amber went with me to plant the celery and take pictures this morning. She loved walking around under the planter boxes, enjoying the new world…  she got hot, too, and jumped into her pool on the way back from taking pics of my husband’s tower.

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Filed under DIET!, Gardening, Healthy Eating, Square Foot Gardening - Raised Beds

Pineapple Glazed Pork Loin Recipe

I really can’t say enough about Dana Carpender. Between her 300 15-Minute Low-Carb Recipes and her Slow-Cooker recipes, I have really all I need for our efforts to eat low carb. She uses down-to-earth, rather than super-fancy, hard-to-find ingredients. I really like that.

I can either start something in the crock pot early or I can opt for a dinner than takes about 15 minutes to put together. I really like that, too.

A couple of nights ago I tried a recipe from the 15-Minute book called, “Pineapple Glazed Pork Loin.” My husband immediately declared it a winner and asked if we could have the leftovers the next night. :0)

“Pineapple Glazed Pork Loin.”

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 pound boneless pork loin, cut about 1/2″ thick*
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons canned, crushed pineapple in juice
  • 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Splenda
  • 1 teaspoon spicy brown or Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic or 2 cloves garlic, crushed

*Feel free to use thinnish pork chops, instead.

Directions:

  • First, pound the pork until it’s about 1/4 inch thick. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and saute’ the pork, covering it with a tilted lid. Give it 4 to 5 minutes per side.
  • While the pork’s browning, combine the pineapple, vinegar, Splenda, mustard, soy sauce and garlic. When the pork is browned on both sides, add this mixture to the skillet. Turn the pork over once or twice to coat. Put the tilted lid back on the pan, cook for 1 to 2 minutes, turn, re-cover, and give it another 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to serving plates and scrape any remaining liquid from the pan over the pork before serving.

Yield:

2 servings, each with 4 grams of carbohydrates, a trace of fiber, and 22 grams of protein.

MY NOTE: Since I served a veggie and a salad, we were happy to eat half the pork loin for one meal and then the rest as leftovers the 2nd night. My husband has already asked if I have another pork loin on the grocery list. :0)

His grade – “YUMMY!”

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Filed under Cooking/Recipes/Low Carb Lifestyle

Low Carb Minestrone Soup Is a Winner!

Wikipedia

Wikipedia

My husband’s firm opinion is that Campbell’s Soup is the best and that no one should even try to compete. He ate his words – as well as the soup – last night! :0)

The recipe is for “Minestrone” and the source is Low Carb Recipes for Diabetics by Don Orwell.

He looks as food as medicine. He promotes what he calls Super Foods that boost immunity, promote weight loss, and slow aging. This is the first of his recipes we’ve tried, and we’re really impressed.

The Minestrone Recipe serves 8 to 10. It’s sugar fee, gluten free, dairy free, egg free, and nut free. So what’s left? Really good soup!

Ingredients:

  • 3 tbsp. coconut oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 cup tomato sauce*
  • 1/2 oz red wine (optional)
  • 1 cup raw cannellini beans*
  • 2 cups green beans*
  • 2 cups baby spinach, rinsed
  • 3 zucchinis, quartered and sliced*
  • 1 tbsp. chopped oregano
  • 2 tbsp. chopped basil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. olive oil or cumin oil

Instructions:

Put all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours

NOTES: (MINE)

  • I used a whole can of tomato sauce
  • I used a CAN of cannellini beans
  • I used a CAN of green beans
  • I used ONE zucchini
  • I went lighter on the herbs and spices
  • At my husband’s request, I added some cut up roast beef (about one cup, diced)
  • I added some xanthan gum thickener about half an hour before serving

I really liked this soup, but I’m much easier to please than my husband. HE liked it, too. He requested we eat some of the leftovers tonight, along with garlic bread made with our new low carb bread.  He sounded surprised when he told me it was “good – really good,” and then mentioned it again when we were cleaning up. I have two large glass bowls of soup left. I’m thinking that I’ll serve one of them for us tonight and freeze the other to enjoy later.

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Filed under Cooking/Recipes/Low Carb Lifestyle, DIET!

Getting the Lard Off Progress Report 12/15/2016

AnimalWallpapers - DesktopNexus

AnimalWallpapers – DesktopNexus

I’m finally getting my eating after dinner until better control, though I have to admit it’s a fight, one night after the next.

I’m doing a combination of

  • re-reading the books that got me motivated in the first place
  • finding better low carb snacks to eat
  • finding more active things to do to distract me before bed
  • drinking more water after dinner

My scale is beginning to show a downward movement again, although I’m still re-losing the weight I thought was gone.

I’m feeling good about my yoga practice.

Bajiroo.com

Bajiroo.com

Most every day I’m doing two 1/2 hour sections of the DVD set “Gentle Yoga.” Today I just finished “Legs,” and “Overall Flow.” I’m beginning to feel looser. I’m beginning to be able to sit with my knees bent, feet under me, without my feet cramping so much, and without the tops of my thighs screaming. I may never be able to bend over and touch my fingers to the floor, but I’m stretching the right muscles to do so. When my back is hurting, I now know that doing yoga will make it feel better. I’m also learning to relax at the end of the sections for 5 minutes, something I feel REALLY hard to do at the beginning. AND, I can now lie on my back on the floor and put my hands over my head and touch the floor behind me – something that was impossible in the beginning.

I’m pairing the yoga practice with some exercises for my abdomen. I’m hoping all this will come together gradually to impress my tape measure, too.

Today I made a new recipe for dinner – Low Carb Minestrone.  My husband came in while I was avidly chopping up veggies and said he thought it was good I was making Beef Stew. I told him it was Minestrone. He said, “But it has beef in it, doesn’t it?” I told him it didn’t have ANY meat in it. He looked disappointed, and asked, “But COULD it have some beef in it?” At that point I relented and added some leftover roast beef to the mix. I’ll let you know what we think tomorrow.

I hope your day has been fun.

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Filed under Acting Like a Grownup, Attitude, Challenges, Changes, DIET!, exercise

Help!

Ryan Fitness Professional - WordPress.com

Ryan Fitness Professional – WordPress.com

For two days in a row I’ve been really, REALLY good – eating what I’m supposed to eat, and NOT eating what I’m not supposed to eat. I’ve done two sections on my yoga DVDS for two days in a row – the first day was “Joints Mobility” and “Overall.” Yesterday was “Head, Neck & Shoulders” and “Overall.” Today my day got away from me and I didn’t do my yoga.

My scales are laughing at me.

Clipartix

Clipartix

I realize that the scales may be showing water weight, increased muscle, etc., but right at the moment, it seems I’m making excuses for myself.  I’m going to be sure to get my yoga for the rest of the week, but it would be SO NICE if the scale would at least PRETEND to be impressed….

By the way, I tried a nice low carb recipe for chicken, broccoli and pimento cheese that we liked. I’m going to tweak it a bit before I present it here, but this will definitely be a keeper!

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