Superbusy Saturday

Woof today has kind of been a whirlwind. I needed to do my CPR recertification this morning which was a three hour class. It wasn't bad...it was as fun as any CPR recert class can be. Followed by going to visit a couple of my friends. We ended up going to the Olive Garden for lunch. I had a cup of minestrone soup and one serving of the salad with low fat Italian...but then I blew my good meal with a piece of cheesecake. I've been craving it and I made the decision to have it. And I don't feel bad about it...but I counted it in all my calories and I'm a little over for the day.

So extra exercise to shred those extra calories is in order! I've already done by required 20 minutes for day but I'm planning on more this evening before dinner. Right now I'm cleaning the house, doing laundry, and moving. It's also a form of exercise! So I hope this one splurge isn't reflected in my weigh in on Wednesday! I'm not too worried though, I enjoyed myself and sometimes a few extra calories (I only went 250 over for my daily allottment. I already put in my breakfast and my plan for dinner) can help kick your metabolism in the behind. SO hey...good choices, good plan...we'll see what my friend the scale has to say!

Tomorrow will be the last day of this week's goals...and I think I have some good ones for next week! But let's recap!

NSV:

1) I will not let any one tempt me with leftover holiday goodies.

2) I will take time to read a magazine cover to cover without any interruptions.

3) I will take down all of the Christmas and Hannukah decorations and put them away.

Exercise:

1) I will exercise for at least 20 minutes each day.

2) I will work up the courage to try the 30 Day Shred

Nutrition:

1) I will track my calories religiously on Sparkpeople.Com EVERY DAY!

2) I will drink at least 80oz (10 glasses) of water EVERY DAY!

3) I will do at least 2 meals on my own on my Jenny Craig program.

As far as I'm concerned we can say SUCCESS!!! I met my goals for the week!! I am still working on water today but I've already had 6 glasses and I usually have 2 with dinner and then 2 in the evening when I start to get hungry. RIGHT on track!

Hope everyone is doing great with your goals this week! I'm loving reading all the new blogs of my SCC chickies!

Happy Saturday!

Weigh in Eve

Tomorrow I weigh in again, does it get any easier??

I did a pretty good job eating this week even though I went out on Saturday. I was running around like nuts today and had to stop for lunch. Went to Whole Foods and got a veggie sushi roll and seaweed salad. It was good and filling and very few calories! I waited too long to eat though, I have a terrible headache. Ugh.

I am hoping for a loss tomorrow...really a small one would do! :D I've noticed that my clothes are getting VERY loose which feels great. However that also means I'm going to need some new ones soon! Which is good because I looove fall clothes. Would love to get some new things for my trip to Ireland!!

Today's recipe is one of my absolute favorites of ALL TIME. This will make me break my diet again and again...now I don't have to!


Carrot Cake
Serves: 24

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups grated carrots

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 9x13 inch pan or two 9 inch round cake pans.

2. Separate eggs and beat egg whites until frothy, then continue whipping and gradually add 1/2 cup of the white sugar. Beat until stiff.

3. In a large bowl combine; the cake flour, wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon, mix until blended. Add the oil and the buttermilk and mix well. Add the egg yolks and mix well. Fold in the egg whites and then the carrots. Pour batter into prepared pan.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 35 minutes.

Nutritional Breakdown

Sad Sunday

Well my sister is off on her way to Italy!

We spent the weekend together hanging out and having fun. I splurged a little yesterday, I'll admit. I ate out for lunch AND dinner but I made excellent choices. And we had some frozen yogurt at TCBY which I just had a little bit and enjoyed it! I am back on plan today and eating well. I also cleaned up in the house and got some exercise.

Not really looking forward to work this week. Already I know I'm going to be annoyed. I just have to focus on the positive. I feel a little depressed and very annoyed...but it's going to be fine! Enough bitching and more moving my buns!

I made this recipe for my family this weekend...these cookies are AMAZING. They are gluten free, low calorie, and aboslutely AMAZING. Seriously, they have almost NO ingredients and they turn out amazing. And they are INCREDIBLY quick to make. Make these. Now.


Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies
Makes: 20 cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup splenda for baking
1 Large egg white (1/4 cup of egg whites from a carton)
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Cup Peanut Butter (Smooth)
1/2 cup Chopped walnuts

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Combine all ingredients until smooth
3) Use medium cookie scoop and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet
4) Bake 10-15 minutes
 

Nutritional Breakdown

 

Weigh In Wednesday WOOHOO!

Okay so I have to stop for a minute and just vent about my Jenny Craig Consultant. I called yesterday because I knew I'd have a hard time weighing in and getting my food, so I gave her my order and told her I'd be in right when the center opened at 8am tomorrow because I am waiting for the delivery of my new bed. The delivery people are not going to be waiting around for me...and I don't want to have a hassle. She said okay.

So I told her I'd be in at 8am...so I get there early and I wait...and I wait...8:05am passes. And I live about 20 minutes from my center without traffic...and 291 was absolutely packed. So I started getting a little worried. I see her saunter in and I went, with my sister, to pick up my food, weigh in and go. She was extremely rude saying "Oh you need to wait, give me a minute". Uh lady, you've been keeping me waiting for almost 15 minutes now...I know how to weigh myself on the scale!!

I couldn't have been happier when I saw a loss of 3.6 pounds!!!! I am 279.4 today!!!!!!!!! Which means there is a new photo update of me on the sidebar of the blog, YIPEE!!!!! But she didn't say congratulations or great job...

What does she say?

"ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE EATING?"

Umm...pretty sure I'm not full of energy and buying all this Jenny Craig food if I'm not eating it? Also, I've told her about twenty times that I use sparkpeople to count calories and stay within my food goals even though I'm on Jenny Craig. I just looked at her...

Really? Do you think I got to 310 (My highest weight) by not eating? Do you think I just suddenly gave up eating after 23 years and decided I was done with it? Uh no, I like food too much ahaha. Second of all, I'm peppy, well hydrated, excited, coming into the center with my sister (Family support). Do I seem like a person who's starving themselves for weight loss? I don't know what the hell this woman is on...or what her deal is...but I'm so over it. I have lost a total of 30.6 pounds...and I'm not stopping here. WOO!!! That witch can be miserable on her own damn time. I'm done with it.

My sister even said to me on the way out "What is that lady's problem? You said good morning and how are you...and she was rude to you." She told me to "GIVE HER A FEW MINUTES" in a very snippy tone. And my sister heard the whole 'Are you not eating' comment. Clearly my sister has seen I've been eating lol. Whatever, sorry to continue to vent about it. I am just very annoyed.

In honor of eating right and losing weight...the healthy way, here is today's recipe!!! I decided I needed something a bit sweet to kick off my Wednesday.


Almond Macarroons
Makes: 24 Cookies

Ingredients

2 2/3 cups shredded coconut
5 tablespoos and 1 teaspoon Splenda for Baking
1/4 cup All Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 egg whites
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup slivered almonds

Directions

1) Combine coconut, splenda for baking, flour and salt. Stir well. Then add egg white and almond extract, stir. Then add in almonds and combine well.

2) Drop spoonfulls of batter onto greased baking sheet.

3) Bake at 325 for 22 minutes or until golden brown.

4) Remove immediately to wire racks to cool.

Nutritional Breakdown

Holy Moly Weigh in Wednesday!!!

Well as we all know...I kind of had a bad weigh in last week. And I was kind of upset about it...but the one thing that I said to myself is that I am not going to let a few potholes in the road ruin my trip. :D

So I was pretty good this week. I ate on plan 95% of the time except that one wierd Sunday where I ended up making some pretty bad choices. Probably because my period is back again...yes, again. I had it for a solid 2 months, then it went away...and now it's back with a venegence. I feel like utter crap...and I really should go to the doctor...but as many of you know, nurses are the worst patients in the world. I already know what's wrong with me...why do I need to pay an expensive copay for them to tell me the same thing? Bleh. If it stays this bad, I will go. Otherwise, I'll live. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger???

So... now the results of my weigh in...

I LOST 4.2 POUNDS!!! That brings me to 283 even! WOW! Down a total of 27 pounds...and I feel fantastic (other than the cramps and bloating and general PMS). I'm very happy and excited!

In other news, the new food came into Jenny Craig today and I am a sucker for trying new things. This morning I had the apple cinnoman waffles and sausage! It was VERY good! I decided though it needs more cinnamon, so when I make it next time (I ordered 3) I am going to add some myself. The apples are very tender and delicious, the sausage actually tasted really good to me too! Like I said, I am a total sucker for all things Fall. Apples, pumpkins, the crisp smell of leaves, WAHOO!

So for today's recipe I decided to share my delicious low fat/calorie version of one of my favorite fall treats!


Apple Crisp
Makes: 8 Servings

Ingredients

3 medium granny smith apples (or other tart, firm apple)
1 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp Splenda for Baking
2 Tbsp all purpose flour

Topping:
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Combine apples, cinnamon, splenda and all purpose flour. Spread mixture into a 9x9 baking dish.

2. In a small bowl mix topping ingredients, mixing with a fork until crumbly. It is okay if there are bits of butter left visible, that's okay, they will melt!

3. Bake approximately 25-30 minutes until top is browned and apples are soft.

Nutritional Breakdown

 

We Will Never Forget - 9/11/11

Ten years ago on this day, the lives of America and the world changed forever. I will never forget where I was the day of the attacks. It seemed like a normal, crisp September morning; I remember there being a slight chill of fall in the air. At the time, I was in middle school and I had many things on my mind: boys, my outfit, and what friends I had study hall with. I was not thinking of the ramifications of a terrorist attack or politicial stife or religious extremism. I couldn't tell you where Iraq was on a map...nor could I pronounce Afghanistan.

I was in my theatre arts class that day...I remember we had been particularly silly. Suddenly the principal came over the loudspeaker informing us that there would be notes going home to our parents, a representative would be coming down to pass them out. We needed to stay in our classrooms until told otherwise. The planes had crashed into the towers in the morning, followed by a plane crashing outside the pentagon, but it was near to 2pm in the afternoon before we were told. One of the girls in my class' fathers was on a business trip and was visiting the World Trade Center. I remember how scared and confused I was: Who would do something like this!?

Being in Connecticut, which is where I live, New York City is not far away. Black clouds of dust floated over the sun and over our cities for weeks. I was scared...and my brother who was very young at the time, had horrible nightmares. In fact, all of it seemed like a horrible nightmare. I went to prayer circles and vigils as we waited...a week...then thirteen days (the longest that a person could've survived in the rubble)...then a month. Now it has been ten whole years, and I know that I'll never forget. Today I send my prayers and love to the victims' families and friends, I give thanks for those who survived and were spared, and I hope for a future when violence and terror is gone from the world and peace reigns.

No matter what, I will never forget.

In honor of the victims of 9/11, my recipe today is a patriotic trifle, filled with yummy fruit and American colors!



Patriotic Trifle
Makes: 14 Servings

Ingredients

1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
1 package (3 ounces) sugar free strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold water
1 carton (8 ounces ) cool whip free, thawed, divided
1 pint fresh blueberries
1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered
4 tsp. Splenda (or to taste)
1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes

Directions

1. In two small bowls, combine each gelatin flavor with 1 cup boiling water. Stir 1/2 cup cold water into each. Pour each into an ungreased 9-in. square pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.

2. Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup strawberries for garnish. The rest add to a large bowl and add splenda and stir, allow berries approx 1 hour to soak up some sweetness.

3. Cut the gelatin into 1-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or serving dish, layer the strawberry gelatin, half of the cake cubes, half of the fruit mixture and approx 1/2 of a container of Cool Whip Free.

4. Top with blue gelatin and remaining cake cubes, . Garnish with reserved berries and remaining whipped topping. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Breakdown

 

Enjoy! I'll be spending the day with my dad. I hope you all have a great rest of the weekend!

Monday Recipe

Hi all,

Today is the first live update I've done for a couple days. I'm writing this from my grandparents' house! It's been a tough couple of days for food. I've done okay but I definitely could've done better. My grandparents don't have a microwave and so I can't really bring my Jenny Craig food. I can't stand the salad kits, they're nasty...so I've been doing meals on my own. I packed my cereal and brought that with me and I brought measuring cups. It's just hard...my grandparents eat on a rigid schedule and they get very upset if you eat snacks. You will catch hell if you get caught eating between meals...

So I'm just doing the best I can. We'll see what the scale says on Wednesday!

I figured today that we could switch gears and try something sweet. Something to use up those end of year veggies that are in overbundance for some!!!

ZUCCHINI BROWNIES
Makes: 24 Brownies

Ingredients

3/4 cup Canola oil
1 1/2 cups Splenda for baking
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup fat free greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups shredded zucchini

For Frosting:
1 cup cool whip free
1 pkg sugar free chocolate pudding mix (Jello)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Combine butter, splenda, egg and beat with a handheld mixer. Beat in yogurt and vanilla.

2. In a seperate bowl combine flour, cocoa, salt. Gradually add the dry ingrients into the wet, stirring well. Add shredded zucchini last.

4. Pour mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Cook at 350 for approximately 40 minuntes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

5. In a seperate bowl combine cool whip and pudding packet, beat with a handheld mixer until smooth.

Nutritional Breakdown

Yummy brownies with veggies! Can't get much better than that!