Menu Plan Monday

Should I bear testimony of menu plans again? I've been incredibly ill - worse than in many, many moons. But, because I had a plan of meals, my boys haven't had to suffer. A few alterations were made (leftover pizza became the main course last night since I still wasn't up to eating), but it was one less stress for me to deal with in my incapacitated state. I love menu plans.

So, here is what I've got planned for the week:

Monday: Crock-pot chicken and potatoes with a side of Normandy veggies. (I put chicken breasts, chopped up potatoes, sometimes carrots, and bbq sauce thinned a bit with water in the crock-pot and cook it all day).

Tuesday: Minestrone Junk Soup with fresh bread. (I got this recipe from a ward cookbook. It sounded disgusting to me and then I had to make it for a ward activity and it was the only soup completely devoured! So I tried it ... and I like it! Go figure! I don't use nearly as much hamburger as it calls for and I just dump it all in my crock-pot and cook it all day.)

1 1/2 to 2 lbs. hamburger
1 onion, minced
3 cans minestrone soup & 3 cans water
1 32 oz. can pork & beans
1 T. worcestershire sauce
1 t. garlic salt
1/4 t. oregano

Brown meat and onion. Combine other ingredients. Mix well. Cover and simmer for 20 mins. Stirring occasionally.

Wednesday:  Spaghetti with green beans and birthday cake! 
My Rusty will be 2!

Thursday:  French Toast (we ended up having some
Pumpkin Pancakes from the freezer last week instead
of French toast, so I just put this back on the menu)

Friday:  Fast Food Friday

Saturday:  Homemade individual pizzas

Sunday:  Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches in honor of Superbowl Sunday

That's my week. What's on your menu?

Last Night on the Biggest Loser

My cable is shutting off today.  So I was excited to watch last night's episode on live TV.... for the last time.  We chose to turn the cable off because by and large we don't really watch anything worth paying so much money for.  However, my prime time favorites will be dutifully watched online.

Like Biggest Loser.  See last night's 1 hour episode Here or below.



***SPOILER ALERT***

So we had a half episode because of the State of the Union address.  So we didn't get to see the weigh in, but there was still lots of other things to see.

First off, Don is struggling.  Last week he and his brother each gained 9 lbs at the weigh in and his twin went home.  Now they are separated for the first time in their lives.  It's got to be hard for him, but he just doesn't seem to be getting to that point of the change of heart.  His cuss-fest didn't even seem that impassioned.  At the end of the show they showed a clip from next week.  Bob is telling someone that he hopes they get what they need at home because they aren't getting it at the Ranch.  I have a feeling he's talking to Don. 

Also in that clip they show that someone gains 6 lbs.  Is it Don sabotaging the weigh in again or someone else?

I'm scared it might be someone else.  The decision to send the Green Team to the Unknowns let us see that much more of what their experience has been like.  I think nearly everyone I know struggles with eating well and eating right.  The Unknowns have had their meals prepared for them every single day.  No worries about calories, balancing carbs and protein, or tasting their food while they prepare it and not adding that to their daily calorie journal (I read somewhere that a single taste while cooking can be as much as 25 additional calories--not sure if it's true, but it's got to add some calories).  They've had everything done for them (including making their beds) so all they've had to worry about was working out.  What's going to happen when they get just a little bit of reality thrown at them?  I'm worried.  I don't want to see any of them go.  They are by far my favorite team.

I loved how they welcomed the Green Team and encouraged them.  I thought the challenge was crappy, though.  Even with the weight difference for the numbers they had to hoist 70 ft into the air, the Green Team still had a huge burden of playing on behalf of other people.  It just seemed so lopsided.  But I'm probably biased since there are certain colors on the Ranch Team that are bugging me.  I wanted the Green Team to win.

Two things kind of struck me with this week. 

First, I admire Courtney approaching her mother to clear the air about being a disappointing daughter.  Anyone else have things they'd love to talk to their parents about but will never gather the courage to do it?  I hope they can truly stay close knit and continue to love and support each other. 

Second, that temptation had to have been difficult.  What would be the star in your food temptation?  I don't know exactly.  Red Vines, probably.  Ice cream with toppings, most likely.  Peanut M&Ms, yeah.  But I'm such an emotional (hormonal?) eater that it varies.  They'd have to also stock donuts, brownies, Chinese food, Italian food, nachos, and soda pop.  They aren't always my vices, but there's a good chance I'm more susceptible to one of them at any given point in time.

How about you?  What's your temptation?  Do you blame Arthur for giving in at the Temptation?

More Menu Ideas

I've been wanting to join in on the bandwagon of meal plans and ideas.  But I have this ingrained notion that I'm not a good cook and have no originality. 

But I've been thinking about Jeri Dawn's request for menu options for a while now.  And thought I'd share my own two cents.

One of the biggest things I've been wanting lately is a longer-term monthly plan where I can buy things in bulk.  I started couponing and I can buy several of the same items, especially when they are on sale.  But I don't have the freezer space to do once a month cooking.  I need another strategy.

So, I found this cookbook by Biggest Loser.  I know.  I seem obsessed.  Maybe I am.  But it's a healthy obsession, pardon the pun.

There are certain things I want from my dinner. 

1.  I want it to taste good.
2.  I want it to be healthy.
3.  I want it simple enough for me to make.
4.  I want it to be cheap.

So maybe in conjunction with Menu Plan Monday, some of these recipes may come in handy.

I've been trying to use coupons to buy things while they are on sale.  So the other week I found 24 oz Prego sauce on sale for $1/each.  Boneless/skinless chicken breasts were on sale for $1.76/lb.  And Colgate toothpaste was free.  That has nothing to do with dinner, but it was a GREAT find.

Anyway, I do have enough freezer space for things like large amounts of chicken broken down into baggies and smaller portions from a larger meal.  So here are some of my favorite recipes from the book.  (I'm including the links of where I got these so I'm not infringing any copyright issues.)

Grilled Chicken Parmesan

Makes 4 servings4 (4-ounce) trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Olive oil in a sprayer (not store-bought spray that contains propellant)
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup low-fat, low-sodium, low-sugar marinara sauce, or more to taste
6 tablespoons finely shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly Mist both sides of the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken, turning once, for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until it is no longer pink inside and juices run clear. Transfer to a baking dish.

Heat the sauce on low in the microwave until warm. Top each breast with 2 tablespoons marinara sauce, followed by 1 1/2 tablespoons mozzarella, and 1/2 teaspoon Parmesan. Bake the chicken for 3 to 5 minutes, or just until the cheese is melted.

Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 169 calories, 29 g protein, 5 g carbohydrates, 3 g fat (less than 1 g saturated), 70 mg cholesterol, 1 g fiber, 210 mg sodium

I use a George Foreman grill, so this recipe takes about 15 minutes to make.

Baked Ziti

Makes 8 servingsOlive oil spray
1 (14 1/2-ounce) box fiber-enriched ziti or penne rigate (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
2 large egg whites
8 ounces (4 cups) finely shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
3 1/2 cups low-fat, low-sodium, marinara sauce
2 tablespoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly mist a 13" x 9" x 2" ceramic or glass baking dish with the olive oil spray.

Cook the ziti according to package directions until al dente. Drain.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the ricotta, egg whites, and all but 1 cup of the mozzarella until well combined. Add the garlic powder and season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooked pasta until well combined.

Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the prepared dish.

Add half of the pasta in an even layer over the sauce.

Layer the remaining pasta over the sauce. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 cups sauce evenly over the top of the pasta, then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and the Parmesan over the top.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 10 minutes longer, or until the mozzarella is melted. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces or spoon among 8 bowls and serve.

Nutrition at a Glance
Per serving: 350 calories, 22 g protein, 57 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat (3 g saturated), 20 mg cholesterol, 8 g fiber, 429 mg sodium

New Favorite Meatballs
Olive oil spray
2 egg whites
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 pound 96% lean ground beef

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly coat a large nonstick baking sheet with the olive oil spray.

In a medium bowl, using a fork, mix together the egg whites, oats, and milk until well combined. Add the parsley, onion, oregano, garlic powder, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes and mix until combined. Mix in the beef until well combined.

Make 32 uniform meatballs, each about 11/4" diameter (use a cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons for ease). Roll the balls with your hands and arrange, not touching, on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink inside.

Makes 4 (8-meatball) servings

Per serving: 194 calories, 26 g protein, 10 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat (2 g saturated), 60 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 252 mg sodium

You can also use the meatballs for Meatball Subs.  I've found that a single serving of the meatballs is pretty substantial, so we usually have plenty of leftovers.

And one our favorite recipes doesn't rely on the Prego I bought at an awesome price, but it's worth sharing:

Enchilada Chicken
4 (4-ounce) trimmed boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons salt-free Mexican or Southwestern seasoning (like Mrs. Dash)
Olive oil spray
4 tablespoons enchilada sauce
2 ounces (1 cup) finely shredded Cabot 75 Percent Light Cheddar
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Season each chicken breast evenly on all sides with the seasoning. Place a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over high heat. When hot, lightly mist with the olive oil spray and add the chicken. Cook, turning once, for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or just until the chicken is golden brown on the outside.

Remove the pan from the heat and top each chicken breast with 1 tablespoon of the enchilada sauce, followed by one-fourth of the cheese and one-fourth of the cilantro. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 4 to 6 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink inside and the cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings
Per serving: 162 calories, 31g protein, 1g carbohydrates, 3g fat (1g saturated), 71mg cholesterol, trace fiber, 230mg sodium
Again, I use my George Foreman and then transfer the chicken to an 8x8 dish to stick into the oven.  Takes about 15 minutes. 

And if you want some other ideas of what to do with your bought-in-bulk chicken there is:

Chicken Salad Dijon with Grapes and Apple

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry

****Additional Side note: I made the Enchilada Chicken tonight and remembered that Josh and I like the green enchilada sauce more than the red, but try what you like.  Even the small can is more than one meals' worth, so I just freeze it and use it for the next time.

Weekly Goals

Yes, I'm two days late with asking you to check your progress on your goals from last week.  I've been sick.  And it has messed with my brain.  I think I can finally use my brain for something other than a skull-filler. 

Back to business.

How did your goals go last week?  I had determined to wake up earlier to have some spiritual time before getting the kids up and going.  And really, before this cold knocked me down, I did really well.  My days were not perfect and the kids still argued and got into trouble.  But I was able to handle it so much better.  It felt so good and I'm pretty sure it was the goal I needed.

This goal is still a work in progress.  Unfortunately, habits cannot form in seven days.  And according to This Article from PSYBLOG, even the idea of 21 days is just an old wives' tale.  And none of us are old wives.  One study showed it took an average of 66 days to create a new habit. 

So, my goal this week is to continue my scriptural mornings (complete with prayer) and to exercise as soon as I can physically handle it.  Maybe by Wednesday or Thursday.  No need to aggravate my cold and make it last even longer than it has.

What are your goals for this week and how did last week go?

Menu Plan 1/24/11

I love to menu plan, but I don't stick to it religiously. Sometimes I move Monday's dinner to Wednesday or throw something out and do a cereal night. But at least I have a plan to deviate from rather than no plan at all.

Without further ado, my plan for dinner this week:

Monday: Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup (similar to this recipe) in bread bowls with carrot and celery sticks

Tuesday: Tony's Favorite Casserole (similar to this recipe) with green beans, canned peaches, and a salad

Wednesday: Chicken Nuggets, crinkle fries, salad, carrots, and canned pears

Thursday: French Toast, Vienna sausage (for the kids), and fresh fruit

Friday: Fast Food Friday (probably Subway)

Saturday: Pizza Night

Sunday: Chicken and Broccoli Rolls with salad and fresh fruit

There you have it. Maybe it isn't all the most healthy stuff, but I try and then I have to throw in stuff my kids will actually eat! What's in your plan this week?

Roasted Acorn Squash, Pomegranate and Arugula Salad

(From this week's Biggest Loser. I kind of like squash and we have a few pomegranates so this one tempts me.)

Prep time is only 10 minutes and cook time is 15.
Serves 4.

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1 shallot, cut into thin slices
½ large acorn squash (about 18 ounces), peeled, halved, seeds removed, cut into 1 inch wedges
2 cloves garlic
2 spring thyme
4 cups wild arugula
1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds
1 tablespoon toasted pine nuts

Preheat oven to 350F.

Toss acorn squash with 1 tablespoon oil, garlic cloves, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Place contents of bowl on baking sheet and put in center rack of oven. Cook until squash is tender and edges begin to caramelize, approx 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and set aside.

To make vinaigrette: place vinegar in small mixing bowl, while whisking, slowly pour in remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to emulsify. Add shallots and season to taste.

In a large mixing bowl, toss arugula with vinaigrette and pomegranate seeds.

Place arugula on four serving plates, divide the squash among the plates and tuck them in between the leaves. Garnish with the toasted pine nuts.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 140; Total Fat g 8; Sat Fat g 1; Cholesterol mg 0; Sodium mg 220; Total Carb g 17; Dietary Fiber g 5; Sugar g 4; Protein g 2.

Menu Plan Monday

Ever run out of ideas for feeding your family? Ever dread the question "what's for dinner?" Ever look at the clock, see that it is 5 o'clock and thank heavens your husband can pick up fast food again?

Sadly, I do. Starting at about 4:30 is the witching hour at my house. Right about the time I need to get dinner on, the kids all go bezerk. The last thing I want to do is chop onions with them fighting and crying around my ankles. Even worse is having to come up with an idea for dinner with them all crazy.

It is a work in progress, but I'm trying to fix this problem. As tasty as Subway sandwiches are, we can only eat so many of them. One solution would be freezer meals, but I haven't devoted myself to that in a while. But my other solution I have done fairly consistently for years and years. It helps. When it doesn't help, it is usually because I'm lazy.

Menu planning. Do you plan a menu? I love it. Really. Almost as much as peanut m&ms!

There are a gazillion methods out there and almost as many websites to guide you through the process, but it is really quite simple. Just write down what you'd like to have for dinner for a week. I like to do it two weeks or a month at a time, but that is just me. Now there are methods ... using the grocery store ads to plan it so you can plan your meals around specials and sales or planning a theme night for every night of the week (Italian night, Mexican night, Breakfast night, etc.). But none of that is necessary. Just write it down, use that as a guide when you do your grocery shopping (or plan your menu based on what's in your pantry), and, VOILA, you have a menu plan.

So, I was thinking ... since we are all friends here and I'm sure we could all use more variety in our diets, what do you think about doing a Menu Plan Monday? It is fairly common in blog-land. Each Monday we would just list our dinner menu for the week, linking to recipes if they are online. Orgjunkie.com does a linky party for it every week, so here is a lot of samples from last week: Menu Plan Monday.

Wanna play? I'll post my menu for the week on Monday...

Last Night on the Biggest Loser

Okay, so it's now Week 3 on this season of The Biggest Loser.  You can go to nbc.com or see the episode below.



***SPOILER ALERT***

Can I just tell you how glad I am to finally have the Unknowns revealed?  We now have permission to learn about the team members.  I think these new trainers both seem interesting and truly want to help the contestants on the show.  I'm looking forward to what they can continue to do with their team.

So now that we know the trainers we got a little more of who the team is.  I still like them.  Despite the eggs over the barrier stunt at the challenge.  And, holy Moses!  That man is a machine!  I haven't seen every season, but it seems that the older men don't generally lose so much weight so fast.  And I'm still cheering for Rulon. 

Another big part of the episode focused on the lunch with Curtis Stone.  Does anyone understand the fascination?  Maybe if I was single.  Or liked blonds.  Or Englishmen.  But his recipe looked good.  You can actually find the Poached Pears here.  Look to the left of that link for some of Curtis's other recipes. 

Overall I thought the episode was much more enjoyable than last week..... until the weigh in.  The twins claim they each gained 9 lbs this week as a fluke.  Really?  Really???  How do you feel about that?  Can a person actually gain 9 lbs in a week while honestly trying to lose weight on the Biggest Loser Ranch?  And if you think that's funk-tified, can TWO people?  It's fishy.  And sad.

What did you think?

A recipe

I know, we're about goals. This isn't a food blog; but sometimes some new menu ideas stir us up a bit.
In response to Jeri Dawn's query, here's one idea that is easy and super tasty. This is Kelly's Healthy Stir Fry and serves about 4.

Kelly serves hers with brown rice since it's healthier than white. I should be as good.
This recipe bears substitutes and adaptations very well. Go with what you have on hand and what you like. If you love zucchini and not peppers, then add more zucchini and use less (or no) peppers.
While you can use baby carrots (or none at all) this is a recipe where the flavor of fully-grown carrots really does make a difference. It was this recipe that got me back into full carrots for other recipes, as well.
The beef bullion makes a nice flavor without the need for any more seasonings or sauces. Important for me, since I'm a soy sauce junkie on most stir fry.

Using a large skillet, cook 2 breasts of chicken, diced/cubed
Before it starts to stick or burn, add 1 cup water and 1 cube beef bullion
Add 3-4 carrots, peeled and sliced
Simmer for 5-8 minutes.
Add 1 sliced zucchini and 1 sliced yellow squash
In another minute, add 1 pepper, sliced. Red is pretty, but any color will do.
2 more minutes simmer, and you're ready to serve

Variations: onions, sliced water chestnuts, baby corn, mushrooms, celery, eggplant, etc.
If you like more liquid, make it with another cup of bullion.

Stress

Anybody feel stress?

I don't generally. At least I like to think I don't. But when I get sick kids, I can't help it. There is NOTHING I can do to make them better. I can try to ease their symptoms and speed their recovery, but I can't MAKE them better. I hate that. That's when I feel stress.

I have sick kids. One just finished a 5 day bout with 102* fever. Another is starting a nasty bout with his Restrictive Airway Disorder. A third is cutting his 4 top teeth all at once. I've had a bit of stress this last week.

That stress showed on the scale. I had a 0 pound loss. I have to think of it as a 0 pound gain, though. I ate a lot of Hershey's Nuggets and even a donut the last few days, so to maintain my weight really isn't bad.

I read an article that gave 7 ways to reduce stress this morning. It has a step to try each day for a week. None of these steps will actually take the stress out of our lives, but it can help us manage it better.

1. Breathe. Yes! It's that simple. Breathe deeply, but don't hyperventilate. Inhale as though you were sniffing a delightful scent. Then stre-e-e-tch your arms high over your head as you slowly and completely exhale.



2. Set boundaries. Just like the stressed-out mom who sat in the playpen to keep away from the children, you can erect some barriers. Decide what you will do — and when. Better still, decide what you won't do and dare to say "no." Try to avoid anything, and anyone, who wastes your time.



3. Clarify your goals. Decide exactly what needs to be done, and plan a smart way of accomplishing each task. Oh, and give yourself a pat on the back every time you achieve even one of your goals, no matter how small.



4. Put yourself first. That's right! If you aren't functioning at your peak, your work and your relationships will suffer. Find time for yourself, and try to do at least one relaxing thing each day: Take a bubble bath, or read a chapter of a favorite book.



5. Give yourself a break. It's okay to goof off, cancel a lunch date, or miss a deadline now and then. In six months or 10 years, who will remember?



6. Get spiritual. Get in touch with your spiritual values, and align your plans and activities with them. For instance, read an inspiring book, then figure out how to incorporate what you learned into your day-to-day life.



7. Take five. Right now, stop what you are doing to cherish the moment. Savor whatever you're drinking or eating. Or go outside and smell the air, the flowers and the trees. Feel the wind, sunshine or rain on your face. Listen for tiny sounds. Take a moment every day to marvel at the wonders all around you.

Today, I'm going to breathe. How about you?

Cindy

Weekly Goals

Looking back on your week, how did your goal setting/achieving go? 

I had decided to exericise at least 4 times during the week, and I did.  Yet I don't feel especially good about myself.

So I have to wonder, did I set the right goal?  If I had only one goal to accomplish for an enire week, what would it be?  It would have to be something that truly gives me a sense of joy as I fulfill it.  And another sense of joy when I finish fulfilling it.  It would have to be something specific, because generalities are impossible to complete.

So again I wonder, did I set the right goal?

Nope.  Don't think I did.  I didn't need exercise to feel good about myself this week.  I needed something else.  Something a lot more important.

This week I want to focus on the beginning of my day.  It seems that most days I press snooze for as long as I think I can get away with and then I run in a scramble to get kids dressed and fed, lunches thrown together, and kids out the door to the bus.  It's hectic.  It's messy.  It often includes tempers and whining. 

How am I supposed to want to do anything good with my life if that's how I start my day?  And my children's day as well?

So to truly find some happiness, my goal this week is to wake up half an hour before I "have to".  I want to take time in the quiet to read my scriptures and actually kneel to say my morning prayers instead of murmuring something as I'm running around because I know it's the only chance I'll have to pray in the morning.  If I can feel good about my spiritual efforts, hopefully I will feel better in many of my other efforts as well. 

Well.  That was longer than I intended.

What are your goals for the week?
Shelly

Free Workout Music

I only know a couple of these artists and I know absolutely nothing about these songs, but if Subway and The Biggest Loser say we should be working out to them ...

Oh, and they are free!

Subway Workout Music Link

Cindy

Manage Negative Thoughts

I took a Healthy Habits quiz with Weight Watchers this morning. Apparently, my biggest flaw in the healthy habits realm is managing my negative thoughts. Bummer.

I believe in "mind over matter" and the "power of positive thinking" so this was a bit of a let down. But not entirely unexpected.

The post-quiz article said:

Negative thoughts creep into most people's minds. But for some of us, they kind of take over—and we don't even realize it's happening. Negative thoughts come in the form of all-or-nothing thinking, ("I'm never eating chocolate again!"), absolute thinking ("I should" or "I ought"), and self-fulfilling prophecies ("I can't").

We believe what we tell ourselves. And what we tell ourselves shows up in what we do. That's why these kinds of negative thoughts are dangerous: if you expect to fail, you probably will; if you set unrealistic expectations, you probably won't meet them, you'll be disappointed...and then your mind will flood with more negative thoughts.

Does this happen to you? The slowness of my weight loss in comparison to others is hard for me. I start getting down on myself and questioning why I'm not losing faster. I don't focus on the good. I forget where I was compared to where I am today. I probably shouldn't have gotten rid of all my fat pants! Trying on a pair now and then would be a good reminder. I need to tell myself how great I am, how far I've come, and how I'm going to kick butt getting the rest of the way!

My friend whose tummy it is good luck to rub (aka Buddha) said, "With our thoughts we make the world." I may be slow, but I'm gonna make my world a thin and healthy one!

Cindy

What's your effort level?

I played racquetball today. I love that sport. Not only is it a fun sport and a good full body work-out, but it is incredibly therapeutic to slam a ball around a small room repeatedly.

I digress.


With Weight Watchers you earn "activity points" for the things you do throughout the day and for any exercise you do. As I went to enter my points for playing racquetball, the program asked me, "low effort or high effort?"

As much as I'd like to say that my game against Kevin was a high effort game, it really wasn't. I was only sweating a little bit and my muscles aren't screaming at me post-game and I only purposefully slid to try and get the ball (read: fell) once. I have certainly played much more vicious games. So as I took the 4 points instead of the high effort 9 (for reference, a McDonald's regular hamburger is 7 points), I was led to think about our weight loss efforts.

Is your journey to weight loss and/or good health low effort or high effort? Are you giving it your all? Does it occasionally cross your mind or is it a constant? Are you willing to sacrifice your body for the ball? Are you sweating? Are your muscles screaming at you?

I haven't jumped on the exercise bandwagon yet. I keep meaning to, but just haven't. So, other than a few choice dates with my husband, I am not actually sweating a lot in my weight loss journey. I do want to use exercise - my post-four-babies-body is gonna need it!

I guess what I'm admitting is that I'm low effort right now. It is working for me - I was down another pound this week (7 pounds in 6 weeks). But I wonder what high effort would get me? What could high effort get you?

Cindy

Realistic Comparisons

At 7 months pregnant and more than 50 pounds above my ideal, I'm feeling large. I have to rock a bit to get the momentum to roll out of bed. I watch Biggest Loser and feel like I'm one of them... in fact, I'm within 10 pounds of somebody's starting weight right now (though I'm sure she's shorter than me.)

So while there is a reason for my size, I'm feeling pretty gross.

Today I came across a photo that somebody took of me wherein I looked great. I remember that day: I felt great. I was healthy and had energy.

That photo will be my competition, when the doc approves it after this kid is born, that is.

I can't compare myself with most people, even people genetically connected to me. Lots of women can be 130 pounds and be healthy. The day I reach 130 I will need serious medical attention. When I'm a size 6 it will indicate a need to check me for anorexia.

I'm pretty sure we've got consensus here: that we're all looking to be our best selves. That includes mind, body, and spirit. My best self has to be measured against me; not somebody else. The only person I should compete with is me. The only person I should compare to is me.

Last Night on The Biggest Loser

Last night was the second week of this season's Biggest Loser.



***SPOILER ALERT***

So last night the Unknowns, as the group with the unknown trainers is being called, came across as the Goliaths and Bob and Jillian's team as David.

It's only Week 2 and I'm getting tired of the tension of the competition already.  Don't get me wrong.  I'll still loyally watch the entire show, especially because we have yet to learn much about half of the players.  And maybe that's the problem.  In an effort to keep the identity of the trainers quiet, there's not much of a bond we get with their team.  I don't know that the donuts were actually from the Unknowns' team.  I think that was a gimmick.  But mean, nonetheless.

What about the idea that Bob and Jillian's team is the Underdog?  True, in the past it seems that teams with more women are generally the team that struggles more.  But there's no reason why both teams can't completely succeed and prevail.  Both teams have members with LOTS of weight to lose, so there's no real difference in that category.  I think the challenge proved that the Ranch team just had no leader where the Unknowns team seemed to have Rulon step up and lead the way to an obvious victory. 

I'm just annoyed with the whole team vs team thing.  Maybe it's just my mood the last few days, but it didn't do anything for me.

I did, however, find Dr H's evaluations interesting.  He kind of adds that scare tactic element to his presentations, but honestly, I think sometimes reality is hard to take if you don't have it smack you in the face.

The best part of the night, in my opinion, was the weigh in.  I'm so happy for Courtney to finally be under 300 lbs.  What an accomplishment that she's been working on for a long, long time.  And who couldn't enjoy Arthur's victory dance on the scale? 

Let's hope for another successful weigh in next week and a BETTER insight to the Unknowns.  The show is risking a major let down if they don't present these new trainers just right.  It's already been shared that Jillian is leaving the show but Bob is staying.  It will be interesting to discover if both Unknowns stay for Season 12 or if they have to duke it out for Jillian's spot.

Patience in Attaining Our Goals

I especially like the story of President Uchdorf's military training.  Thought I'd share.

Confessions of a Guilt-aholic

Hello.  My name is Shelly and I'm a guilt-aholic.

Somewhere in my lifetime I've been given a double dose of guilt.  There are even different categories.

Wife guilt: Do I support my husband sufficiently?  No.  There's so much more I can be doing in our home to make it a haven, especially since the only other place he frequents is the fast-paced emergency room (as a nurse, not a patient, thank goodness).  I could sit here and think of the kitchen that needs a major scrubbing, the laundry that need to be folded and put away or the floors that need vacuuming, but then I'd begin to feel guilty about it and I'd have to stop writing to go take care of it.  So we'll just move on.

Mommy guilt: Oh, this one is so prevalent and overwhelming.  Do I do enough to show my kids that I love them?  Do I feed them healthy enough foods?  Do I teach them the best ways to live in the world but not be of the world?  Those answers are easy: Nope, nope, nope.  Honestly, I think even the most "perfect" Mommy could find things she wishes she could improve on.  I hear these incredible moms I know talk about lists of things they wish they could do better and I just sit there thinking, "If you struggle, what hope is there for me???" 

I was reminded about how ridiculous my Mommy guilt is yesterday.  We are no strangers to waiting rooms.  I hate those places.  But when you're waiting for your little child to be procedured (not a word, but you get it), you have to wait what seems to be an eternity.  The first time I had to sit in the waiting room to wait for Matt's procedure I didn't bring anything to do because as the perfect Mommy I should have been waiting on pins and needles at the edge of my chair thinking only of my little boy.  Let me tell you, that kind of pressure on your brain is enough to make you crack.  I had to learn that I was NOT a bad mom for wanting to distract myself from what was happening in the other room.  Just human.

It's that distraction that I need to learn again.  This time in reference to my Health guilt.  It is so easy to sit here and think about where I could be if I had stayed on my path of diet and exercise: prepping for a half marathon, prepping for a 10k (the Plan B if the 1/2 wasn't attainable), 30 lbs lighter, a trim body, strong muscles, fewer body aches, months of established habits. 

But I don't have those things.  I've been too on and off in my work outs and good eating habits.  So what do I do?  I sit think about things that I have no control over.  I'm on pins and needles on the edge of my seat thinking only of the time that I've lost and cannot get back.  I swim in the guilt of "what could've been." 

The problem is, there's no magical cure to get over that guilt.  It's a mental game.  And I can be plenty mental.  Life was rough, I'm feeling better, I can get back to the things I need to do, and work hard toward my goal again.  Instead of dwelling on the last several months of poor decisions, horrible eating, and loss of control, I need to think of the efforts I'm currently making. I ran 2 miles in 23 minutes yesterday while pushing a stroller.  Not the most impressive numbers, but I did it. 

I don't think I'll ever be cured of my Guilt.  But I can do my best to become a recovering Guilt-aholic everyday.  It's all part of my 4000 step recovery process.

Mens sano in corpore sano

I studied Latin in college. Just so you know.

Mens sano in copore sano is an oft quoted line from the Roman poet Juvenal. It is often quoted as "A healthy mind in a healthy body."

We live in a world of unknowns. Along we trod doing our best to be healthy and make good habits and then an unknown hits us. It could be something as obviously life-changing as unemployment or death. Or something that seems trivial, like contention with a friend or a child's fourth stinky diaper of the day. Whatever that unknown is, however trivial it seems, it can make a big impact on our healthy goals.

When our mind and heart are struggling, it is so much more difficult to focus on our health. For many of us, that's why we have the weight or health challenges we do ... our physical needs take a back seat. I am certainly no different. When my heart hurts, ice cream sounds way more appealing than a good run.

But maybe there IS something to Juvenal's word. Maybe it is easier to keep a healthy mind if our bodies are healthy. I've read all about those happy endorphins we are supposed to get when we exercise. I've experienced the calm that comes from a long walk. I've felt the soul healing benefits of slamming a racquetball ball into a wall over and over and over.

So my challenge for myself this week is "a healthy mind in a healthy body." When my nearly 4 year old plays deaf (selective hearing), instead of grabbing a handful of M&Ms, maybe I'll hop on my stationary bike for a couple of miles. When my baby is learning to fall asleep all by himself (again), maybe I'll do a few yoga poses rather than open the pantry. And, when I've been told what a mean mom I am (yet again), maybe I'll do a few jumping jacks (and mumble under my breath - I am still human).

Cindy

info on the lurker

Shelly has also graciously allowed me to put my two cents on this blog. Currently I'm wondering if I have even one cent to share!  I figured that since I have yet to contribute to a blog that tells about my life and family, and I am quite frequently lurking about all of your blogs, I had better get you up to date.

Hmm... I think the last info anyone really had on me was just around High School Graduation.  A lot has happened in the past almost 15 years.  I attended the College of Eastern Utah in Price after graduation.  Went very unwillingly (because all my friends were in Logan or at home going to Weber) on a full scholarship. Had a lot of fun and met Dennis in January of 1997.  We dated, and I fell in love.  We were married on Nov 1, 1997.  We stayed in Price because I had the rest of my scholarship to use to get my associates. It was a free college education, and I wasn't going to give it up.  We wound up staying in Price for the next 10 years.  I graduated (Dennis had graduated before we met) and I worked for an attorney in town doing secretarial and collections.  The secretarial work was great, I loved working on all the legal forms. The collections was very heart breaking and made me feel very cynical toward mankind. I was quite excited to quit in June of 2000. Allen was born in July and I have been a stay-at-home mom ever since.  I love it!   

 Dennis has been working in the oil and gas industry since 2000. He has worked for a few different companies including Conoco-Phillips, and has provided wonderfully for our family.  He currently works for Weatherford as the Price shop manager, providing sales and service for the hundreds of natural gas wells in the area. 

Boy #2, Taylor, arrived in November 2002. Boy #3, Bryant, in July 2005.  While I was pregnant with Boy #4, Jaxon, we decided to move from our tiny little home in Price to a slightly larger home in Huntington (just 20 min south of Price). This is the little town Dennis grew up in, and where most of his family still lives. We live in his old home ward boundaries, and while I initially had serious doubts about being in the old ward, so close to the in-laws, etc.  I have grown to love this little town and the people here. 


Jaxon was born in October 2007 and due to unexpected and fairly serious complications, he needed to be our last little one.  (I'm sure I'll get into all of this at a future date, this post is getting long enough as it is!) 

I spend the majority of my time doing laundry, volunteering at the school, trying to fulfill my calling as YW 2nd Counselor (just gotta love those 12 year olds), spending lots of time at the library, going to my clogging class and running interference with 4 little boys: 2 scout schedules, 2 basketball schedules and homework for 3.

I don't know how much insight I can provide for The Bloggest Loser, but I will give it a try!
Crisanne

Weekly Goals

Okay, so it's that time of the week to realize that the weekend is over and it's time to get serious again.

Really, I think long term goals are important and necessary.  But they can't be fulfilled without the accomplishment of smaller, more manageable goals.  I encourage you to think of those things that you want to do in the long run: lose weight, eat healthily, not gain too much pregnancy weight, sleep more, etc. 

I've been trying to get back on the weight loss wagon, but I seem to lose steam by the end of the week.  I'm hoping if I have a forum to report to, I might be more conscientious of how I spend every day and what I do (or don't do).  If I will help me, maybe it can help you too.

What do you want to accomplish this week?  Just think of one goal that will help you feel good/healthy/invigorated.

This week I plan to exercise AT LEAST four times.  That includes running and/or videos.  I don't have a gym membership.  And until they are free and a lot closer to my house, I probably will continue my makeshift exercise programs for a long time.

What do you hope to do this week?

Once-A-Month-Cooking

Do you do once-a-month-cooking?

I don't. But I want to.

It is also known as freezer cooking or batch cooking. The idea is to spend the majority of one day cooking and end up with enough meals to feed your family for a month. You freeze the assembled meals and usually just warm them up before eating.

I've done it a couple of times and it really was fantastic to not think about dinner ... just pull something out of the freezer and go. I did it last just before baby #4 and in less than 5 hours, I had 16 meals (and all the dishes) done.

There are lots of websites and books out there that explain and give menus and shopping lists. Most of the recipes I've done are comfort food ... soups, lasagna, enchiladas, pot pies. You know, all that yummy stuff that sticks to your hips.

I was very excited when one of the websites I frequent, Once A Month Mom, decided to do a diet menu! Everything is supposed to be lower in calories and better for you. I haven't tried any yet, but a few of them intrigued me. I especially love that they have a breakfast and lunch menu. I too often eat the same thing day after day. This could liven up my lunchtime and if I just have to pull it out of the freezer to eat it ... shoot, how can I go wrong?!

Each recipe on the diet menu lists the nutritional information, including Weight Watchers Points and PointsPlus. Sadly, the traditional menu doesn't have this already figured out for you - and there are some good looking recipes there too.

I'm thinking I might finally get serious about once-a-month-cooking. Now to find that one day in the month ...

Why me?

Shelly invited me to participate here.
Why? I don't really know.
Maybe I'm here to help everybody feel great about themselves: I'm not losing weight.
I feel like I'm gaining at the approximate rate of a toddler Clydesdale.
I gain 60 pounds per pregnancy... 40 of them will slip off easy; but that's later.
In the next 2 months I expect to gain 20 more pounds... the tough-to-lose pounds.

I'm six feet tall, and I'm not a willowy model-type size 6.
I did make size 10 once, just before I got bought my wedding dress.

I like my desserts, I like my dairy, and the one thing to sink all hope for me is to tell myself I can't have something. Soda only actually calls my name when I've decided to abstain for awhile. One of the biggest chocolate months of my life was the month when I was supposed to be skipping it. I've never been stupid enough to suggest cutting ice cream.

Better strategy for me: tell me what I will have or will do. Example: I will include fresh vegetables with dinner every night this week.

So why me?
I don't really know; but I'll try to be real, useful, positive, and helpful.

-Mindy (Merinda)

Why do I have any say here?

Hi. I may pop my head in to post things now and again here. Hope you don't mind.

You may wonder why I get that privilege. Other than being one of Shelly's oldest and best friends (if I do say so myself), I have a weight problem.

I was a skinny kid. I love looking at pictures of how skinny I was ... chubby cheeks, skinny thighs. Ah. Those days didn't last long. As puberty hit, I became curvy. Sixth grade was bad. I did a cartwheel one day and burst out the inner thigh seam of my acid washed jeans. Okay, so the acid washing probably contributed to the weakness of the fabric, but my curvy thighs didn't help.

Junior high. Could anything hurt a self image worse than junior high? How about a guy who you thought was one of your best friends calling you fat and ugly? That was seventh grade.

Eighth grade was another blow. We had to have our body fat tested in PE. It was the final testing of the semester and mine was up a few percents. Up to 33%. A third of my body was fat. I was humiliated. I loved my PE teacher and I understood her concern for me. I blew it off under my happy face and explained how my dad had been in the hospital for a couple of months and I was spending a lot of time sitting and eating take out. I felt fat.

So it went on. I couldn't borrow dresses for dances, let alone any other time. I was even hidden in a dance picture once. I'm just a floating head behind all the other skinny girls and guys.

The sad part is that I look back at those pictures and I don't think I was so bad. Really. Sure I wasn't skinny, but I wasn't fat. But I felt it.

Time went on. College. I gained a few pounds my freshman year, but nothing major. I played a lot of racquetball and that may have been my saving grace. But I also ate every meal in the cafeteria ... buffet style eating and not always the best choices.

Then came the joy of being a bridesmaid. Ahh, the ugly dresses. The worst came when I was brought a dress for one of them. I was told it was the LARGEST dress they could find and they hoped it fit me. It was a size 9. I was a size 12. It didn't fit. Not even close. The look on that mother's face can still come back to me. One of disgust and why was I messing up their wedding by not fitting into the dress they wanted me to wear.

More time went on. I got married. I tried birth control for some acne problems I thought I was having. I gained 15 pounds in one month. I cried.

A year after I got married I had a cyst removed. A cyst that my doctor said he'd only seen on fat, hairy men. I cried again.

A couple of years later, I was diagnosed with PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome). I didn't have a blood test or an ultra-sound to diagnose me. I was diagnosed by my hairy arms and my fat. Cool, huh? A year later I did have an ultra-sound and I did have PCOS, but to be diagnosed because of my fat hurt.

I tried to lose weight. I watched what I ate. I exercised sporadically. I wasn't a yo-yo with my weight. I stuck. I stuck at my post-freshman weight until I gained those 15 birth-control-pounds and then I kept those right up until I finally got pregnant five years later.

I loved the first trimester. I lost 10 pounds. It was the biggest move on the scale, in the right direction, I'd ever seen. Then I proceeded to gain another 30. It was all gone by 2 months post-partum though. I was back at the same weight I'd been for all those years. Then I got depressed. I didn't realize it. People weren't really talking "baby blues" much yet. Mine hit just before Halloween. I tried eating myself happy. The day after Easter I finally stepped on a scale again. I was up 13 pounds. I had to buy size 16 jeans. I was done.

I signed up with Weight Watchers Online that day. Over the next 7 months I lost 31 pounds. I did it all by controlling my food. I didn't go hungry. I didn't eat strange things. Just controlled proportions. I didn't even exercise regularly.

I weighed less than I did on my wedding day. I loved it. I felt great. I felt attractive. I did NOT tell people what I weighed. I knew if they knew that number, they'd still think I was fat and I didn't feel fat any more.

I was still 10 pounds from my goal, but I got pregnant. Then I got pregnant again. And again. PCOS seems to have gone away - but I still have hairy arms, go figure.

In between there I was a Health/PE instructor at an elementary school. I taught kids how to take care of themselves and exercise and move and have fun. It was the best job in the world.

So why do I have anything to say here? Maybe I don't. Maybe I don't have anything of value to add. Some of you were those darn skinny friends in school. But I've come to learn that just because you are skinny doesn't necessarily mean you are healthy or that you have a good self image. I want to be healthy. I want my kids to be healthy.

I have some overweight in-laws. Severely over-weight. It is hard not to worry that it is in the genes somehow. So while I'm going through my own journey to get to that magical number on the scale, I'm also trying to make my whole family healthier in the process.

A disclaimer ... I am doing Weight Watchers. They don't count calories. They just released a new program and it doesn't take calories into consideration at all. It tracks fat, carbs, protein, and fiber. So if I share a recipe or easy meal, I most likely won't know the calories for it. I apologize.

I also won't always be so long winded. Really. But as I watched The Biggest Loser this week and heard these contestants pass up 4 weeks of immunity just so they wouldn't have to train with an unknown trainer, I thought about Shelly's invite for me to contribute. If you know a bit about someone, it is easier to listen to what they say. If you can relate to someone, it is easier to give advice. If you know someone, it is easier to be their friend.

I need good friends to help me reach my goal. As of my weigh-in this week, I need to lose 29 pounds.

Cindy

Last Night on The Biggest Loser

Just for kicks, I figured I'd post about the most recent episode of The Biggest Loser since the newest season just began last night and I'm really hoping for a much more enjoyable season than the last one.  I was glad Patrick and Mark won, but I really could have done without most of the rest of the season.

If you missed last night's episode and want to watch, go Here

or watch it here.




***SPOILER ALERT***

So, there are a few reasons why I'm excited for this season.  I've already begun cheering for people and I'd like to see them progress. 

The grey team (Moses and his daughter Kaylee) are from Shelley, Idaho.  Um, hello?  That's the coolest named city in the country.  Plus, I used to live just a few miles from there.  I don't personally know Moses and Kaylee, but I already like them.

The blue team consists of the largest contestant yet. Arthur is over 500 lbs, yet only 2" taller than I am.  It's heart breaking and I want to see him succeed and become healthy.

But the biggest reason I'm excited is because the yellow team consists of Rulon Gardner and his friend Justin.  Rulon won the Olympic gold medal in wrestling in a shocking match that surprised the world in 2000.  But I like him more than just because he's such a featured player this season.  It's because I've met him.  He's a really nice guy.  He mentored my brother who wrestled through high school and went on to earn a wrestling scholarship for college.  I can't wait to see how he does.

So, what are your thoughts on the two new trainers?  And what about the four weeks of immunity?  When they announced that, my jaw dropped.  That's a LOT of immunity! 

It's no surprise that new trainers are being introduced.  Bob and Jillian can't do the show forever.  And new twists have got to be difficult to come up with after 11 seasons.  I just really hope we are introduced to them next week. I don't want to miss out on seeing how the teams working with the unknown trainers are doing just to keep them secret for a few more weeks.  I'm already a bit disappointed that we missed the bulk (pardon the pun) of that group's weigh in.

But, when it comes to the challenge and the teams that got to choose which trainers they wanted (the unknown trainers and 4 weeks of immunity or Bob and Jillian and no immunity), it made me wonder.  What would I do?  Especially if I didn't know that their group would have such great results in the first week. 

I think I'd take the chance with the new trainers.  And I'd hopefully learn enough, and lose enough, to be able to withstand whatever twist is happening in four weeks when everyone comes back together. 

What would you do?  And what do you think of this new season?

Hey! A New Post!!

That's right. After nearly two months of silence, the Bloggest Loser is active again.

I've thought about posting several of the health issues I've dealt with over the last several weeks:

Eating well during pregnancy
Depression eating
Controlling portion sizes during the holidays
Healthy alternatives to holiday cookies and chocolates

Can you tell which aspect of health I've been struggling with lately?

So here it is, a new year.  Time for resolutions.  So far, I've kept my food journal and actually been kind of low in my calorie intake.  I'm going to have to bump it up a little. 

I also started exercising again.  It's been a while.  I pretty much quit running after the two 5k's I did at Thanksgiving.  So now my muscles are screaming at me.  But it's the satisfying, "I HURT SO GOOD!" kind of way. 

And here we are.  I look forward to starting this blog back up again.  I've got some recruits to help me keep things going.  I think it's going to be a beautiful thing!