Rut-terless Meals While Trying to Drop a Few Pounds

The portion I should have stopped at.

Let's face it. Dieting healthy eating, can be tedious. I struggle with meal planning in general, but add that a) my go to meals have historically been carb and fat laden comfort foods, and b) I don't want to make separate meals for myself and the other members of my family, and I can easily get in a low cal rut. I've partially combatted this by starting my meal first with the bulk of the meal being steamed vegetables, and filling in the sides with the main meal. But that has me feeling unfulfilled. 

I've been scoping my recipe's and trying to reinvent them as healthier options. Last night's option was my mom's Rice Hotdish. This is a simple dish of just rice, water, soy sauce, hamburger, and onion baked in the oven. I decreased the soy by 1/2 to just 1/4 cup, added ginger and garlic, used a whole large, onion, four carrots, three stocks of celery, and only 1/2 pound of hamburger. I had a zucchini lurking in the crisper so that went in as well. With this, I've cut the sodium, cut the fat, and upped the vegetables. It has sort of a stir fry taste. I ate too much though and the scale showed it this morning-comfort food after a tedious, but stressful day. I might have been the extra snack last night of hummus on bread with cheese, again, when not hungry. I guess that's the point of daily weigh ins.

My go to lunch last week was a big batch of black bean, corn,and tomato salad. I had bell peppers and onion left from the pizza so those went in as well. It made a big batch, and by Friday, I was at my last bowlful. To help with the boredom, I ate it slightly different each of the four days, adding the last of a jar of green olives one day, broken multi grain chips (left in the bottom of the bag) another, and served with a side of cottage cheese on the other two days. I'll take a break but will revisit it in another week as I have all the ingredients on hand.. 

I love steamed vegetables, but even something I enjoy gets dull. I've tried to perk them up with using different herbs and spices. Oregano, basil an parsley  elevated the simple California blend a couple times last week. A little ginger with some steamed carrots I did to go with the rice hot dish boosted the flavor a touch. 

I've been having a bit of peanut butter with banana slices or a clementine with a eight almonds (a mere 50 calories) for an afternoon snack. The nuttiness, even though I'm using a small amount of PB, helps my snack feel more substantial. Friday on a work break, I sliced an apple with an ounce of sharp cheddar cheese-just about an ounce. 

Historically, my weight loss down fall is over eating and eating too much of the wrong kinds of food. While I am feeling more successful, hitting the three week mark, I am worried about my boredom level and getting in a rut, that then gets me mindless eating.(second portions when I'm not even still hungry.) If you have hints that work well for you, please share. If there are any good healthy food bloggers, real people with crazy busy lives, please recommend them in the comments.

Lemonade Budget Cooking

My melancholiness from Friday is over or at least pushed aside.  Sometimes talking or in this case writing out angst, is enough to get the "ish" out of my system. On to other things. I learned a new term the other day from the Frugal Queen, called Lemonade Budget. Apparently it is the same as I've always referred to as the beer budget, as in champagne tastes on a beer budget. I guess that might say something of me that I didn't know the nonalcoholic version. Anyway, check out the link to FQ's favorite budget meal. As I try and not only keep my grocery budget in line, I also am challenged now with thinking through healthier options than my  simple carb loaded hotdishes and pastas. I've been wondering about my favorite lemonade budget meal, and how I can make it healthier. 

I make a killer macaroni and cheese.  The trick is to get the creamiest bechamel sauce first, at least 1/3 more than you need to cover the pasta, and then use a good mellow cheddar, and amply coat the macaroni. I've been experimenting with substitutions for the calorie laden cheese, 

Neufchatel cheese has 74 calories per ounce to 110 per ounce cheddar. In my recipe, I use at least four ounces or one cup of shredded cheese, but by using 2 ounces of neufchatel cream cheese plus only 2 of sharp cheddar, more punch per bite, and the recipe drops 13 calories per hearty serving, with no sacrifice in taste. Using olive oil instead of butter adds a healthy fat in the sauce and using whole wheat pasta ups the staying power. As I already use skim milk, the sauce is not that high in those calories, but even reducing 1/2 the skim milk with 1/2 cup of broth, drops another 10 calories a serving. While 23 calories isn't huge, if this is done on 14 meals per week, a pound of excess weight is gone without really doing a thing, not even factoring the health boosts of the oil and pasta, after 11 weeks, or 4.5 pounds in a year. 

Long game, right? If someone said I could be 22 pound slighter in five years without dieting, I'd want to hear what they have to say. Now I need to listen to myself and reinvent how I cook. I know about food, what can substitute for what; time to apply this and not just to my spurge meals. As I challenge myself to reinvent the humblest meals in my home, I'll share my successes and failures with you all.

Menu Plan is Just a Suggestion

I  menu planned on Saturday. Clearly this was not a plan but  list of suggestions for me. I've changed everything up, including not cooking Tuesday at all really, making myself an egg wrap and cutting up a cantaloupe. I'm not sure what DH ate when he got home, but DD2 made a quesadilla with black bean and corn salsa (from jar) and some of the melon. Last night was supposed to be spaghetti but after a grueling commute home as road construction season is upon us, I wanted to just crash. DH made a frozen pizza, of which I had two slices, and I steamed a load of frozen stir fry veggies. A dash of soy sauce and they were delicious.

Despite setting my meal plan aside, it is a smart exercise to know what food I have and at least a game plan to start the week. Tomorrow may still be fish or maybe Wednesday's spaghetti. Maybe I'll make a meatloaf with the hamburger that was going to be in the sauce. If it helps me not buy take out and fast food or go out to eat excessively, I'll keep giving meal planning a go.

This meant I haven't had the leftovers for lunches that I had intended. DH ate all the bread as he came home for sandwiches. I've been bringing a yogurt, fruit, hard boiled eggs,  and cottage cheese. I even stuck a frozen entree in my lunch bag Tuesday, not great for my improved eating plan, but at $. 88, not bad for my budget. I'm going to scramble a couple eggs to bring for lunch today with an apple. I find with not eating as many starchy carbs, I need a bit more protein or I'm dragging mid afternoon. If you meal plan, are you strict with your planning or do you use more as a guide? If you deviate, what are the reasons why?

 

Thinning Meal Plan

I'm challenging myself to create a meal plan for the week. I've been remiss, but every frugal blogger knows being organized and knowing what you have and how you will use it up is key to reining in the grocery budget. With my weight loss focus, I'm clipping the amount of "white" foods from my diet, which means relying heavily on hotdishes, pasta, and potatoes for myself will challenge me to shop and cook a bit differently. DH and DD2 do not need to lose weight and they love their white stuff. DH could probably improve his diet though, and I need easy to reheat meals for DD2 as the following week will be  a busy one before the play next weekend. Here's the general plan and I've loaded my freezer with bags of vegetables and salad in the fridge to fill me up and ration my consumption of rice, potatoes, and pasta..

Saturday
Pasta Fagiole Soup, French Bread (not for me though-well maybe just a crust)

Sunday
Spinach and cheese egg bake
Pork chops, mashed potatoes, broccoli (no potatoes for me)

Monday
Fish, brown rice pilaf, steamed Vegetables 

Tuesday
Pulled Chicken with BBQ, rolls, baked sweet potatoes

Wednesday
Spaghetti and meat sauce (me-reduced pasta, more steamed vegetables)


Thursday
Home made buffalo chicken strips, steamed vegetables, oven fries

Friday
Vegetarian Curry, white Rice (extra steamed carrots for me)
Leftovers for DH

Lunches: Leftovers and lots of fruit, raw vegetables, hummus, hard boiled eggs.


I'll be working on housework today still as I didn't get nearly as much done yesterday as I had wanted. We're meeting friends later, but  will grab a bowl of soup at home and avoid expensive and calorie laden bar foods. Yesterday I got caught up with laundry. This was massively needed after being gone two weekends ago, and not working from home last Friday, when I usually can get loads of laundry done while working and  avoiding commuting time. I felt better waking up this morning knowing that is done, plus some other chores.I'm hoping DH will help me with the office stuff tomorrow. How's your menu looking thus week?

Could a Digital Weight Loss Program be for Me?

We have a new benefit at work to support those of us that struggle with weight, exercise, and proper diet. It used to be called Prevent, but now the new company, Omada Health, has us all digital. I took the on-line screening to see if I qualify. Little doubt that my robust features would help me get into the program, but I was surprised at what I would receive once I did. Last Thursday a package came in the mail, quite a heavy package at that. In it was a digital scale. This is not any scale, but a smart scale. Once I weigh in, it  transfers my weight to my on-line account for tracking any changes. The package also had a tape measure to take measures of wait, hips, and torso, and other body parts should I choose to do so.  I did not at this stage take more than minimum, but into my online record went those as well. There is a food tracking log to keep as part of week ones lesson.

Checking e-mails Sunday night and I had several in my in box from my new Omada coach. Each Sunday night she will send me, and my cohort, a new lesson. There is online chats, and motivational tools to help stay on track. The program runs for 16 weeks, with a different focus every four weeks/month.

Month one: Eat Better
Month Two: Move more
Month Three: Prepare for Challenges
Month Four: Reinforce Habits

They boast that 80% of all who start and stay with it will see success.  Success is defined as a weight loss of 7.5% of total wight by the end of the 16 weeks. I would like to be more successful than that but seeings how I have lost a grand total of seven pounds since New Years, I'll take 7.5% in 16 weeks.  It will be hard. Let's take a look at my obstacles. 

Month one: Eat Better month started on October 23rd, one week before Halloween. The week of the chili cook off at work. Challenge accepted. 

Month Two: Move more starting November 21st, Thanksgiving week. This is a week that could see snow falls and frigid temperatures, but I will be trying to stay motivated to get up and exercise when I just want to stay in a nice warm bed.

Month Three: Prepare for Challenges, like the entire month of December! 

Month Four: Reinforce Habits, which should be appropriate with the new year. 

The scale thing creeps me out, a bit Big Brotherish for me. However, no lying or smiding the facts. Plus, no having to actually be weighed in front of real people.  I have fluctuated by over two pounds between Thursday when it came and this morning.  I guess that is probably normal. Has anyone else tried a digital weight management plan? Was it part of your health care coverage as this is for me, or did you spend out of pocket funds. Was it successful? Wish me luck and I'll be checking in with updates. 


Other health related updates, the tests from my rounds a few weeks back for the most part turned up nothing new. I will be checked again in about four weeks for iron and vitamin D once the heavy doses prescribed have had a chance to build up. I have a couple neurological follow-ups, but the doctor feels it is highly unlikely that I'm experiencing any more than an RA flare up. Combined with the vitamin and mineral deficiency, my symptoms were mimicking other autoimmune diseases. Wendy, you were right. Doctors may always find something more to look for, but I am still grateful all is for the most part, just routine.

Life Alterations

There have been many points in my life that altered my course to where I am now. Any variation I might have made could have led to a much different life than I have today, or at least different people. I'm reflecting a lot on this as my count down to turning 50 continues. I am not bothered at all by the age thing, but I don't want to look back at anything I may or may not have done with regrets about my choices.  I am fortunate to say that overall, I don't have any. I had a slightly different educational path than others in my field of work have had, but here I am working alongside them, with a wealth of experience I wouldn't have had in a more traditional path. I started a family young, but what I lacked in experience, I made up for with more energy than when DD#2 came along, but by then I had willing helpers. These were the big life points, and then there were other decisions along the way, conscious or not.

Two times in my life I made the decision, and followed through, on losing weight. Both times I did this, it had a profound impact on how I lived. The first was when I was in high school, eating a very calorie laden diet of peanut butter sandwiches and chips for lunch, and a lot of pizza, tacos, and other junk food on the fly from school activities and part time jobs. At 16, I  had a hip and then ankle injury that caused me to sit out of team sports my last two years of high school. The injuries weren't that bad, but my level of skill didn't develop to be competitive on the team. I still ate like I was working out daily, and soon the pounds stayed on.  Losing weight before my senior year of high school, and then keeping it off going into my young adulthood slender and healthy, kept me from putting on the Freshman 15. I had energy for inter mural sports and aerobics classes and waitressing to pay my tuition and rent. I could do hiking dates with my new marathon running boyfriend, now husband. I carried these good habits into my first years as a wife and mother, until, I took my first job in an administrative office setting, as opposed to in the classroom.  Nine pounds a year over six years jelled onto my frame. With proper diet, and more activity and less watching, I was able to knock about 30 of those pound off. This meant I felt good and could take my kids camping and back packing when there was little money for any other vacations, and could spend late afternoons and evenings comfortably swimming at the pool.I had the energy to raise two kids, work full time, and go back  to school. Still, I went into my last pregnancy 20 pounds heavier than with either of the other kids, and there it, plus another 20, stayed after she was born. A few extra pounds here and there and twelve years later, I was at a weight that had moved beyond overweight into obese. 

I've shed about 12 pound from that highest weight after I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and a degenerative disc in my lower back two years ago.  While I won't be "cured" the physical therapy routine did wonders on helping me strengthen what I can, and the exercise helped lose the first layer of extra padding, and I've mostly kept it off. I am now 45 if not really 55 pounds overweight considering I have a fairly small body frame. Each day I let it continue, I feel my quality of life diminished. I don't want anyone reading this to think I am judging others that are comfortable in their weight and have decided being thinner is just not a priority. For me, those last two significant losses, though neither to this amount, meant I could participate in more, for longer periods of time, than when I was heavier. Granted I am not chasing toddlers and preschoolers any more, and I have no ambition to be a college student again, but I do have great nieces and nephews, and eventually perhaps grand children to play with. I want vacations with walking tours and incredible places to see with steps to climb. 

I have the doctors clearance, as long as my numbers stay well, particularly iron and vitamin D, to start an aggressive diet plan, with continued exercise. She loved my 10,000 step goal and suggested I get some strength training in there as well, and as my knees can bear, a bit more cardio than just walking. I can't stress enough how important it is to talk with a knowledgeable medical expert-knowledgeable about my health history and can make suggestions appropriate for me. I received a referral to a nutritionist, who will help me make a flexible diet plan that will work with my lifestyle, and not have me reliant on too many different meals from my family. I'd love to lose the whole 50 by my birthday, which would be a 2 pound a week weight loss. Unrealistic probably, but with both increased exercise and better diet choices, 1 and 1/2 doesn't seem too far off base, and if not getting me at a normal BMI, within reach. This goal is in the blog, so it is real.  Wish me luck.

More of this...

...less of that.

I like this Body Mass Index  BMI calculator from the National Heart, Lung, and blood Institute.