The 20 Pound Countdown: A Petite Person's Weight Loss Blog

Exercise and the Brain

2012-01-13T20:26:00.002-05:00

So, brawn and brains do go together. A great article, via my grandmother, pointed out that exercise (as well as sleep) can be important to overall intelligence. For a fun read, see:

Buff the Brain

Goal!

2011-07-23T15:31:00.004-04:00

I finally hit my goal weight this week. It seemed to just melt off this week - fitting with the intensity of the heat outside. Maybe it baked off on my early evening walks!

Next goal - Shape up a bit more!

BAI, The New BMI

2011-07-23T10:22:00.003-04:00

Ever thought that the BMI (Body Mass Index) calculation did not accurately reflect whether you are at a healthy weight? I have definitely felt this way. Now, after 200 years of using BMI, enter BAI (Body Adiposity Index) into the picture. What is "adiposity" you say? The root word, adipose, means "of or relating to animal fat," according to Merriam-Webster (https://www.m-w.com/).

BMI uses a ratio of your height and weight, while BAI your height and hip measurements to calculate whether you are in a healthy range or not. BAI requires advanced math, but, of course, there are already online calculators available. A large study of Mexican-Americans and African Americans have confirmed the calculation to date. Now, other races and ethnic groups are being studied to confirm BAI's accuracy.

And, of course, there is already a BAI app for the iPhone available.

Where we are

2011-07-19T14:11:00.004-04:00

I did not quite make it down by 3.5 pounds before my vacation, only .5 pounds. Luckily, I managed not to gain pounds on my vacation. This was probably due to a lot of walking around, running after and carrying my little one, and eating much lighter dinners here and there to balance out very heavy breakfasts and lunches that are traditional.

I am still working on the last few pounds and trying to do things to keep up my energy. It is tough taking care of a little one, working full time, and keeping a home organized! Need a lot of energy!

My current plan is to eat a lot of vitamin rich foods (like veggies), get a little bit more structured exercise, and make sure I am getting enough sleep.

The "New" Food Pyramid

2011-06-13T09:21:00.002-04:00

USDA just released a new food pyramid... a plate with a cup. The pyramid is out the window. While there has been criticism already in the news on the new image and guidelines due to their simplicity, I think the new image and guidelines are a step in the right direction. The visual is straight forward and easy to follow.

Some critics have said that it doesn't reflect the actual guidance on how much protein, for example, a person should eat. However, I think that if the US ate anything near the image, we would probably be in a much better place!

Progress...Months Later

2011-06-11T21:49:00.003-04:00

So, I just have 3.5 pounds left to lose, down from 12, when I first posted. This is about 1 pound per week to lose before I go on vacation.... Want to get beach body ready!

Motivation Is The Key

2011-01-03T19:08:00.006-05:00

Motivation is the key to weight loss. At least for me, it is. So starting out again in a journey to re-lose 12 pounds that I picked up in pregnancy, it is time to reassess my key motivators for being a healthy weight. It is also a great time of the year to do this anyway.

MOTIVATORS
- I feel much more outgoing, perhaps because I spend less time being self-conscious about how I look and what I am wearing, and pay more attention to the people around me.

- I have more energy! It is somewhat contradictory to think that less calories can equal more energy, but for me it does. I know this has a positive impact in multiple areas of my life, including my relationships and my work.

- I want to be a good example to others. I have a Little One and people around me to whom I might be an example, and I want to be a good one.

What are your key motivators?

Long Time No Talk...

2011-01-02T22:11:00.005-05:00

Okay, so it has been a long time since I last posted! This is due, in part, to the carrying of and eventual arrival of my Wee One in the fall. One handed typing makes me a little batty, so I have avoided it for the most part since the Wee One was born.

I don't really believe in New Years resolutions, but I do think it is a good time of the year to take a step back and think about where I am and where I want to be in the future.

As far as health goals, I am looking to drop my remaining pregnancy pounds, which are somewhere between 12 and 15. I haven't weighed myself since returning late last night from a vacation, so will need to do that soon to know exactly how many I want to lose. This time around, I will be exploring how to do exercises with a Wee One in tow and now also have to avoid milk products.

Extreme Eating

2010-05-26T20:13:00.003-04:00

An article came out today on extreme calorie meals... and I have to admit to eating one of these...

Extreme Eating 2010

Eat Organic: Yet another reason, esp if you have children

2010-05-17T13:38:00.004-04:00

Another study came out talking about the harmful side-effects of pesticides in food: increased levels of ADHD.

Study: ADHD Linked to Pesticide Exposure

I try to eat organic as often as possible and will have my little ones do the same someday. The husband participates by default much of the time. Examples of which fruits and veggies are more susceptible to pesticides: The Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 of Produce

Food Allergies - Overdiagnosed?

2010-05-12T10:11:00.003-04:00

Today there was an interesting article about food allergies, and how they are overdiagnosed. The author provides an interest contrast, by providing examples of when they have been underdiagnosed (single incidents). As a person with multiple food allergies, this is interesting to read, but doesn't make me any more inclined to go back to eating things that I know cause a reaction within a few minutes....

Food Allergy Diagnosis "An Inexact Science"

Week 4!

2010-02-04T19:04:00.000-05:00

A: -8.2 (Dang!)
J: -4.6 (Awesome)
Mom: -1 (Keep it off!)
Husband: -5 (Don't let the Super Bowl add it back!)
R: Dropped out. Sad
Me: -4.5
Sis (surprise joiner): -3

Final totals should be rolling in!

Teens with High Cholesterol

2010-01-23T11:38:00.003-05:00

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I love numbers and national studies. Here is the newest...

CDC: 1 in 5 Teens Has High Cholesterol. Now What?

Week 2 of 5

2010-01-20T07:06:00.002-05:00

Weight loss totals for week 2 are starting to roll in. Total weight losses so far since the start of the bet:

J: TBD
R: TBD
A: -.8
Mom: -1
Husband: -0.5
Me: -4.5

Tips for Weight Loss in the New Year

2010-01-17T21:45:00.003-05:00

The article, "Getting Healthy Is about More Than Diet, Exercise," provides three tips to help lose weight in the new year:

1) Watch out for the blues

2) Get your sleep

3) Eat greenery

Nice, quick read.

Week 1 Weigh ins

2010-01-11T21:51:00.006-05:00

We are now up to 6 people in the 5 week, 5 pound bet! Weight loss totals for week 1 are starting to roll in. Results so far:

Me: -3
J: +1
R: +1
A: +.8
Mom: -0.5

Husband: forgot his baseline... he might be 5 pounds in 4 weeks.

New Year Bet: 5 for 5

2010-01-09T20:18:00.003-05:00

And... we have a New Year's bet on. 5 pounds, 5 weeks. 4 participants to date: R., J., Me, The Husband, and My Mom. Week one weigh ins should roll in soon. Buy-in is $5 to be given to the first person to lose and keep off 5 pounds for two weeks.

Gluten Can Kill You

2010-01-02T18:50:00.003-05:00

I read an article called "Gluten: What You Don't Know Might Kill You," by Dr. Mark Hyman, that is a great motivator to kicking off my next gluten, corn and soy free year. The article mentions a broad, new study that found that gluten increases the risk of death from cancer or heart disease in those who are sensitive.

Even scarier, 99% of people who are sensitive to gluten don't know it. "This is ground-breaking research that proves you don't have to have full-blown celiac disease with a positive intestinal biopsy (which is what conventional thinking tells us) to have serious health problems and complications--even death--from eating gluten."

The article goes on to list 55 other "diseases" that gluten can cause: "These include

Osteoporosis,
Irritable bowel disease,
Inflammatory bowel disease,
Anemia,
Cancer,
Fatigue,
Canker sores,
Rheumatoid arthritis,
Lupus,
Multiple sclerosis,
Almost all other autoimmune diseases.

"Gluten is also linked to many psychiatric (vi) and neurological diseases, including

Anxiety,
Depression,
Schizophrenia,
Dementia,
Migraines,
Epilepsy, and
Neuropathy (nerve damage).
It has also been linked to autism.

One of my favorite quotes from the article is: "We used to think that gluten problems or celiac disease were confined to children who had diarrhea, weight loss, and failure to thrive. Now we know you can be old, fat, and constipated and still have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Getting Cardio with Injured Knees

2009-10-25T12:39:00.003-04:00

I found a short, but good Q&A on how to get in cardio exercise with knees that aren't quite up to snuff. A few of my family members are currently experiencing knee challenges.

How can I get cardio exercise if my knees are damaged?

Key recommendations:

You can break up the cardio you get into smaller chunks
Try swimming, cycling or other sports that take the weight off your knees
Don't just think about traditional exercises. Cleaning the house and gardening count, too.
Keep up strength training

A Conversation on Staying Healthy

2009-10-25T12:28:00.004-04:00

A nice conversation between Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Jillian Michaels on staying fit at 40. Light on content, but a nice little conversation. (Not that I am 40, but I am busy... one of the topics discussed quickly).

Conversation on Staying Healthy

1 Week Challenge

2009-09-25T11:18:00.005-04:00

My mother has initiated another throw down, and a book is the prize at the end of the week. 100 sit ups and 20 push ups every day for the next week. My sister and cousin, L, are joining in, too.

Anyone else want to join in?

Simplifying Life

2009-09-13T19:29:00.002-04:00

Some people, myself included, can gain weight when under stress. While there have been many articles on how to reduce weight gain related to stress, a friend posted a link to a nice article on simplifying life. Thought I would share the key highlights from the article "How to Live A Better Life with Less:"

Do Less
Have Less
Produce Less
Consume Less
Connect Online Less
Connect with others, and your passions, more
Edit, edit

Be Optimistic, Live Longer!

2009-08-18T10:04:00.005-04:00

A new study came out that shows that optimistic women live longer. A quote from a study author:

"'Taking into account income, education, health behaviors like [controlling] blood pressure and whether or not you are physically active, whether or not you drink or smoke, we still see optimists with a decreased risk of death compared to pessimists,' says Dr. Hilary Tindle, lead author of the study."

Keep the hope alive! You'll live longer!

4 by 4 Results (A Bit Late)

2009-08-17T17:12:00.002-04:00

A very late run down of the 4x4 week results. Overall, none of us managed to lose 4 pounds in 4 weeks, but two of us did decrease our weight. The Mother was down 1 pound overall (super given how much she has lost already), and I lose 2.5 pounds.

Onward and always positive... !

Week 1 of 4

2009-07-12T20:26:00.001-04:00

On Wednesday's weigh in, the results were:
Me = Down 1 pound
My sis = Up 1/2 a pound
Mom = Up 2 pounds

Just a few weeks to go.

Healthy Vacations

2009-07-06T13:49:00.007-04:00

This is the perfect time of the year to put in my two cents on healthy vacations. My mother, sister, and I managed to have a relatively healthy vacation last year near Gulf Shores, Alabama, by renting a condo where we could prepare most of our own meals. We did eat out some (must enjoy the local fare!) and did stop once at an ice cream shop, but those outings were well balanced against the rest of our meals. We also made sure we got in walks/runs on the beaches.

The trickiest part of managing my food, now that I am not traveling Monday through Thursday for my project, is when I go to the in-laws' river house on the weekend. They are always preparing yummy food, and the hardest part is moderation. I definitely need to make sure I am not treating my weekend trips there as vacations from healthy eating!

I came across an article on America's healthiest beach and lake getaways, for those of you who head toward American waters for holidays.

iPhone Weight Loss Tool - A Secret Weapon

2009-07-03T11:06:00.003-04:00

One of my weight loss weapons in the 4 pounds 4 weeks bet, is a free application I downloaded on my iPhone. The app, called "Lose It!," automatically tracks calories and exercise against a weight loss goal of your choosing. The app calculates calories for foods in its large database, has some brand name foods, will track calories burned in a day, and will estimate your daily calorie needs based on your weight loss goals. It also allows you to enter your weight each day and makes a nice little weekly chart of your weight loss.

Lose It! has been very easy to use so far, and it may become my secret weapon in winning this bet with my mom and my sister who is now joining in the fun. (My sister has an iPhone, too, so she may try to find an even better app to try to beat us out.)

4 Pound, 4 Weeks

2009-07-02T21:22:00.003-04:00

It's on. Again. My mother, sister, and I have bet: 4 pounds in 4 weeks. Who would like to join us?

The Obesity Numbers Are In!

2009-07-01T20:39:00.005-04:00

I love the time of year when the new obesity numbers by state are released. Mississippi is still the fattest state, with a 32.5 percent rate of adult obesity.

The report: F as in Fat 2009

The report does note some positive trends in policies enacted by states, including more states with nutritional standards for school lunches and required screening for child obesity.

This report also notes that the current economic recession may exacerbate our health/weight issues due to an expected rise in food costs, increasing rates of uninsured and unemployed, and stress.

20 Pounds!

2009-06-24T21:45:00.001-04:00

Well, even if I haven't lost 20 pounds, my mother has! Woohoo! Great job, Mom! She is on track to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks.

I Got It from My Momma

Understanding the Body

2009-06-24T21:35:00.004-04:00

An interesting article came out in the Wall Street Journal called What Your Body Is Telling You. It talks about symptoms to watch, such as white nails near the cuticle that are red/brown near the top. Fun article... but not one for hypochondriacs.

Top Foods to Buy Organic

2009-06-18T12:36:00.003-04:00

One of my reasons for buying organic - pesticides are originally derived from nerve gas agents used in WWII. Why would I ingest remnants of nerve gas agents? That cannot be good for a body.

CNN.com has an article by CookingLight on How to buy the best organic foods. The article mentions a study that found organic foods may contain more nutrients than their non-organic peers. The most useful item from the article, was a link to a myrecipes.com article on the top 12 foods to buy organic (because of the high-levels of pesticides they absorb). The 12 foods are:

Peaches
Apples
Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Lettuce
Grapes
Pears
Spinach
Potatoes

Exercising with Pets

2009-06-09T13:14:00.005-04:00

I love taking long walks and running with my dog. I especially like it when he breaks into a game of "Chase me" randomly along our walks. I came across a cute article on CNN that talks about exercising with animals... This article goes a bit further than my pup and I go, in terms of working out together. It talks about people who lift cats as weights and doga (yoga with your dog). I will admit my dog does like to try to do yoga with me, when I am working out at home.

A Little Mercury with Your Corn Syrup?

2009-06-08T21:03:00.006-04:00

My grandmother sent along interesting link from elements4health.com. (Yes, my grandmother is still cooler than your grandmother.)

A quote from the article: "Just published in the Environmental Health journal is a science commentary reporting that mercury was found in 9 of 20 samples of commercial high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), a common sweetener of foods and beverages."

Corn syrup is one of my life enemies. I mean this literally, because I am allergic to corn and because corn syrup is everywhere. I am constantly finding it in items that have no need for corn syrup (or any other sweetener). Also scary from the article mentioned above, is that it lists that a specific type of oatmeal is high in mercury, too.

Tops for Gluten-free Bread

2009-06-05T09:48:00.005-04:00

I found a new gluten-free bread brand that is so good, even my husband asks me to buy it so he can sneak a roll out of the freezer every once in a while. A company called Against the Grain Gourmet has mastered making gluten-free pizza crusts, rolls, and baguettes. Their foods also exclude corn and soy, key for me.

These bread products have a lot of calories due to containing cheese, but wow do they taste yummy! Their pizza crusts are super easy to throw a topping on and pop in the oven. So far my favorite pizza toppings include:

A little tomato sauce
Fresh baby spinach
Halved cherry tomatoes
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

10 Pounds, 10 Weeks

2009-05-30T13:59:00.004-04:00

My mom is still kicking it. She has lost a total of 17 pounds this year. She is now setting a goal of losing 10 pounds in 10 weeks. She is also changing her focus to getting stronger by eating right and exercising. Weight loss will be a side benefit. Fantastic attitude, if you ask me.

She is pushing me to get a personal trainer, like her. I think I may stick with taking yoga classes. I finally started on a local project a week ago and will be working in town for the next three months. That means that I can take yoga lessons during the week! A luxury.

My mom is now up to walking/running an average of 3 miles. Great progress! This week her exercise included:

Walking on Monday
Core training Tuesday
Walking after work Wednesday
Thursday core training
A long walk this weekend

Working Too Much and Weight Gain

2009-05-23T13:31:00.001-04:00

My grandmother sent me the link to an interesting article. (That's right. My grandmother is more tech savvy than your grandmother.) The article highlights a study that found that 1) more than 40 hours per week and 2) work fatigue lead to weight gain.

These findings are completely in line with my own experiences. I find I tend to gain weight and/or hold weight I want to get rid of when I am working a lot of hours (tends to be steady-state for my job). This is especially the case when I am travelling.

The article notes four suggestions for avoiding weight gain:

"Take a break from your television"
"Simplify and consolidate"
"Evaluate your work schedule and tasks"
"Take a good hard look at your job"

#1, check. I don't watch too much television... perhaps, it is the Internet I need to stay away from... The other suggestions are worth consideration.

Keeping up with Mom

2009-04-26T06:50:00.000-04:00

Motherly update: My mom is keepin' on in her effort to lose weight. She lost 4.5 pounds in 5 weeks (through last week). This week, she didn't lose any weight, but did lose 1/2 an inch off of her thighs. I think she is convincing my sister to take her on in her next challenge. Go mom!

Fat People Are Worse for the Environment

2009-04-25T11:27:00.001-04:00

I came across an article today, that struck me as funny (perhaps it is because the title is similar to mine above). The conclusion of the article on CNN.com is that overweight people are worse for the environment because they cause higher fuel usage in transport.

To Toast With a Glass of Wine or Not?

2009-04-21T17:31:00.003-04:00

A very good summary article came out today, discussing some of the confusing messages about whether wine is good for your health or not. Key points included that drinking wine may:

Improve your overall health

Lead to liver disease

Increase women's chances of breast cancer

Lower your chances of heart disease

Increase your "good" cholesterol

Be better to drink when you are older

Increase your blood pressure

Cause dementia (heavy drinking)

Decrease the risk of dementia (lighter drinking)

I enjoy drinking wine, and find this article pretty concisely lays out what has been presented in the media in recent years. However, it doesn't really come to a definitive conclusion. That is for us to do, thankfully.

Rolling on...

2009-04-08T21:34:00.003-04:00

My mother, as always, is an inspiration. Her report this week included:

She lost two more pounds and is down to a 14 pound total weight loss so far.

She's still counting my calories and working out, including hiking and walking at the zoo near her work.

She has one week left and one pound to go to reach her goal of 5 pounds in 5 weeks.

Daily Red Meat Consumption

2009-03-28T09:54:00.001-04:00

A new study came out that indicates that daily red meat consumption increases a person's chance of death. The study also indicates that eating white meat (chicken, fish) has lower chances of death. Some of the articles on the same study suggest eating lentils or other legumes, which appear to the have the opposite affect, instead of meat.

Want to Live Longer? Cut Back on Red Meat

Mom Won the Bet!

2009-03-27T09:32:00.004-04:00

In Summary:

Mom lost a whopping 11.5 pounds since we started the bet and increased the duration and consistency of her workouts each week. Go mom!

I lost a respectable 4 pounds total, but ... did not nearly reach my goal, so I will have to pony up the dough. The bet definitely made me be better about exercising when I travel and was fun. Would recommend it, even to those who lose.

My mom is now urging other members of the family to get healthy, too, and she is setting a great example! She is going to continue losing weight over the next few months, so I will keep track of her on my blog.

Men vs. Women in Weight Loss

2009-03-07T11:15:00.004-05:00

There is a nice summary of differences between men and women in dieting, and what they can learn from each other in Newsweek.

Why Guys Diet Differently

The summary includes that men tend to lose weight better through competitions and can say "no" to trouble foods more easily. Women are smarter about nutrition.

It Is The Calories, Stupid!

2009-03-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

A new study came out on the effectiveness of various weight loss regimens. The conclusion is that multiple types of diets can work, so long as the dieter watches their calories. I didn't find this study particularly profound, but it does go to show that there are different diets that can work for individuals and their personal preferences.

In 4-Diet Study, All Lost Weight if They Watched Their Calories

Shooting for the Stars

2009-03-04T22:06:00.002-05:00

My mom is definitely ignoring the moon and is shooting for the stars. She hit 10 pounds of weight loss today! Congrats, mom! You rock! She has even kicked her exercise up another notch. Wow!

My mom has decided now to keep on going and to try to match me on losing 1 pound per week for the 5 weeks of March. I have 5 pounds left, having dropped a pound last week. I won't have a weigh-in for another two weeks or so, because I am traveling (even through the weekends) for the next week and a half.

Some Catching Up to Do

2009-02-23T23:01:00.002-05:00

There are 5 weeks left in our bet, and I have 6 pounds go to. My mom has only 3.5 pounds left. I have some catching up to do.

Overall, my mom and I have been stymied in our weight loss for the last two weeks. She, however, has been kicking up the exercise a notch and may come in with a super drop surprise at some point soon.

A cold got me down last week, but I am feeling better this week and walked for over an hour yesterday and today, and did some strength training. My mother reported that she has started to even throw a little bit of running into her exercise. Go, Mom!

Not the Best Week

2009-02-09T20:11:00.002-05:00

Last week mom stayed steady. She had the flu, unfortunately.

I went up 1.5 pounds. Yikes. I did get in my exercise.

I am starting this week off on a much better foot and am rapidly hoping to turn things around. :)

Weight Loss Blogs

2009-02-03T16:13:00.000-05:00

Mom's favorite weight loss blogs:

theantijared.blogspot.com

zeusmeatball.blogspot.com

mcc394.blogspot.com

My only comment on my mom's favorites, is that they are all men's blogs! Where are the women?!

Strategic Grocery Shopping

2009-02-02T15:48:00.000-05:00

I received a request for tips on how to have enough healthy food at home to last through a work week. Here is my shopping strategy (when I am not traveling for work):

Figure out my meals for the entire week.
Check that planned meals meet my fruit and veggie quota.
Count the number of snacks I will need (e.g. 5 fruits, 7 yogurts for snacks, small bag of carrots and hummus).
Make a grocery list.
Go shopping at least once a week, with the list. Make it quick, just going to what I need.
Prepare meals as much in advance as possible, including pre-packing lunches and dinners for the week (such as on Sunday).

In my opinion two well-planned trips in two weeks is better than one long trip once every two weeks. The more often you shop, the more fresh food you are likely to have. I started to do more frequent grocery shopping while I lived in France. My husband is also good about picking up food for dinner on the way home if there was a gap in the planning.

For a second opinion, try this article on 10 Tips for Healthy Grocery Shopping.

Mom Is Kickin' Butts and Not Takin' Names

2009-02-01T15:10:00.004-05:00

Mom lost a whopping 2.5 more pounds this week! She is down a total of 6 pounds already. She fit in her exercise, but she may not hit 3 workouts this week due to a virus that is keeping her down.

I maintained my weight this week. I am pretty proud of myself for fitting in my four workouts, when I worked an outrageous number of hours between Monday and Friday.

I have 10 weeks left to lose 6 pounds. Mom is making me nervous... she has just 4 pounds more to go.

Counting Calories: Mom's Weight Loss Weapon

2009-01-28T06:00:00.001-05:00

One of my mom's weight loss weapons is counting calories. She uses the tool available at caloriecount.about.com.

Drop It Like It's Hot!

2009-01-26T23:05:00.005-05:00

Me: Lost 2 pounds total (one last week). I worked out every day last week that I was at the hotel, even when I had to wake up well before the sun did to fit in a workout.

Mom: Lost 3.5 pounds total (3 pounds last week!). My mom completed 1 hour core training, 30 minutes of core training, and did sit-ups/push-ups most nights. She also got in a walk in her new shoes at the zoo. She's dropping it like it's hot.

Hoping to keep up the weight loss and exercise, even though my travel schedule is starting to wear on me again. My fourth week of travel in a row... with many more to come.

Eating with Your Stomach

2009-01-19T09:32:00.000-05:00

CNN.com has a short article reminding dieters to eat with our stomachs, rather than our eyes. Eating with our eyes can lead to overeating.

Eating with Your Stomach, Not Your Eyes

Match-up: Mom Bests Me

2009-01-17T09:29:00.002-05:00

This week, I maintained my weight, and my mom dropped .5 lbs. She has remained good about exercise, and I will have gotten in my 4 days of 30 minutes a week by the end of the day today.

Fast, Safe Weight Loss

2009-01-14T20:51:00.002-05:00

If you are kick-starting your year with a diet, I came across a good, down-to-earth article on what it takes to lose weight rapidly and safely.

Lose Weight Fast: How to Do It Safely

The bottom line is that you really have to cut back on calories (not below 1050/day), and you will have to exercise at least an hour every day. It can result, depending on your current weight in 3-5 or more pounds of weight loss per week.

Week 1: Me Versus My Mom

2009-01-12T20:55:00.002-05:00

Week 1: I came out a bit ahead of my mom on weight loss, but she stepped up on exercise.

Me: -1 lb
Mom: +.5 pound

But she did an awesome job, kicking up the exercise and improving her calorie intake. She worked out 3 times, including working in a 30 minute walk at the zoo and a one hour hike. Bravo!

I ate pretty well, until the weekend. I also worked out at the hotel gym three mornings in a row (a record in the past two years!) and got in a 40 minute run and a couple of long walks with my pup. I am tracking my workouts in http://www.presidentschallenge.com/, because I have trouble remembering when I worked out with my hectic travel schedule (every week in Houston, Monday through Thursday).

I think we are both on the right path to not have to owe each other the $150 we bet.

Obesity and 3 Degrees of Separation

2009-01-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

How Your Friends' Friends Can Affect Your Mood

Health Tips for Busy People

2009-01-06T06:00:00.001-05:00

I came across a great little list of health tips for busy people.

Experts Reveal Health Secrets for Busy People

My mother and I might have to employ a few of these tactics to help us reach our goals!

Betting on Weight Loss

2009-01-04T20:48:00.005-05:00

It's on. My mother and I have put $150 each on the table to work toward our weight loss goals. This bet was sparked by an earlier post on this blog.

Goals

Mom -

10 pound loss

Exercise at least 3 days per week for 30 minutes/day

Me -

8 pound loss

Exercise at least 4 days per week for 30 minutes/day

Due Date

March 29, 2009

If one of us doesn't meet our goal, we have to pay up to the other participant. Weight loss goals were determined by current weight and level of fitness.

2008 Weight Ticker

2008-12-31T20:45:00.000-05:00

I am posting my weight ticker since beginning this blog earlier this year. I will still have a weight ticker, but it will start with the first week of the 2009!

October 31: 15
October 25: 16.5
September 27: 15.5
September 20: 16.5
September 12: 16.5
September 6: 18
August 15: 15
August 9: 15
August 2: 15.5 lbs (whoops)
July 26: 14 lbs
July 19: 12.5 lbs
July 12: 16 lbs
July 4: 15.5 lbs
June 28: 16.5 lbs
June 22: 17.5 lbs
June 14: 18.5 lbs
June 6: 20 lbs
May 30: 20 lbs
May 24: 18.5 lbs
May 17: 22 lbs
May 10: 20 lbs

Willing to Put A Price on Your Weight Loss?

2008-12-31T11:46:00.005-05:00

I found a great end-of-the-year article. It includes money and health, a combination I always love.

What would you be willing to pay to reach your weight goal?

Would you be willing to money down to help motivate you to lose weight?

Putting A Price on Procrastination

Hm... How much would I be willing to put up to finally reach my goal... will have to think on it.

Top Diets and New Years Resolutions

2008-12-29T10:39:00.006-05:00

For anyone thinking about their health goals and looking for a new diet in the new year, I found an article on the top 10 healthiest diets:

The Top 10 Healthiest Diets in America

Part of what interests me about this article, is that I do not recognize six of the top ten diets:

The Structure House Weight Loss Plan
The Step Diet
The EatingWell Diet
The Best Life Diet
The Solutions
The Spectrum

I do not particularly believe in making diets a part of my New Years resolutions. (I think they should be ongoing goals...) However, I do think that at least a couple of times a year it is good to look back and see if I am meeting my continuing goals (whether financial, health, career, etc.). And, why not have a review at the beginning of the year?

Good luck in your health goals in 2009!

Back from My December Vacation

2008-12-29T10:36:00.002-05:00

I didn't reach my diet goal before leaving for my December vacation this year, but I had fun anyway. I left a few pounds lighter for vacation than when I first started this journey last April, and probably felt better during the vacation because of it. And now... continuing on in 2009 toward my goal. :)

The Enemy in Fast Food: Corn

2008-11-15T20:50:00.002-05:00

It turns out that corn is in almost all fast food meals. An article that came out this week highlighted that out of hundreds of samples, only 12 were not traced back to corn. Yikes. For someone allergic to corn like me, the article is a nice reminder to avoid fast food meals.

Inspiring Weight Loss Stories

2008-11-09T22:09:00.002-05:00

I found a nice set of inspiring weight loss stories. I always find them motivating, so I hope that you enjoy!

FDA Now Admits It May Have Been Wrong

2008-11-03T05:25:00.003-05:00

In a follow-up to the last post, the FDA has now admitted that the recent criticism "raises important questions" about BPA.

Of course, as I write this, I am at the airport and relegated to drinking water from a plastic bottle, which I am sure is riddled with chemicals... I like to think, if I had an option for a glass container I would choose it.

Busted! The FDA, Not Me. I Have Been Good.

2008-10-29T23:22:00.004-04:00

Reports came out today indicating that FDA ignored the damage that BPA (bisphenol A) can do to babies. Worries me that this is in addition to Canada's restricting its use in baby items earlier this year and reports about increases in breast cancer associated with the chemicals in plastic.

Experts: FDA ignored evidence when calling BPA safe

I, other than drinking out of a plastic bottle as I type this, have been good today. I chose the right option at dinner with a colleague, going for a healthy salad instead of the special (fillet topped with shrimp and scallops). Was tough, but I won.

I also managed to sneak in a couple of miles of walking and a wee bit of strength training.

Hearts Like Greens; Meat, Salty, and Fried Foods, Not So Much

2008-10-20T21:07:00.002-04:00

A "Western" diet, and even some Asian diets that are high in salt are bad for the heart. A new study, very large in scale (multi-continent, 16,000 people) made a big splash in the news today with that headline. While the conclusion about the Western diet is not new, incorporating many cultures to test the results is interesting.

Greens, Greens, Greens, They're Good for Your Heart: Study

The articles on this same subject did not mention exercise.

I have been a bit delinquent in my posting and in my food journaling, too. However, I have managed to get in exercise at least twice a week (usually four times a week) with my heavy travel schedule. Today, I took a nice stroll in a park near my hotel in Houston. I find travelling weekly (Monday through Thursday every week) tiring, but am trying to find ways to keep my energy up.

Finances and a Happy Heart

2008-09-29T21:20:00.002-04:00

The news is blooming with my favorite topics, health and finance. Perhaps, the financial crisis is driving some of the analysis around financial health? I came across an article today about how financial stress can translate into health distress.

How the Financial Crisis Could Break Your Heart, Literally on Health.com

In honor of being healthy I managed to eat pretty well today and made myself walk on the treadmill at the hotel gym (tiny) and do some yoga back in my room.

Debt and Weight Loss

2008-09-18T07:30:00.002-04:00

Today, I found an article that describes the similarities between weight loss and getting rid of debt. My two favorite news items to read involve health and money (followed closely by jewelry and energy industry news), so I was very excited to come across an article that combined both topics!

The author of the article says that changing both debt and weight require a conscious lifestyle change, belief, and forming good habits.

Weight loss and debt seem to be two top-of-the-mind problems for most Americans. Perhaps, treating both issues in a similar way and attacking both at once may work for people.

Walking!

2008-09-16T00:01:00.003-04:00

I found another article on one of my favorite exercise activities: walking! This is an interesting article on how to use walking for weight loss - with a few tips to spice up your walks.

Fitbit - A New Fitness Gadget!

2008-09-14T20:20:00.002-04:00

The hubby, who knows my love of fitness gadgets like the Nike+ Ipod Sensor, found the Fitbit!

It is not out yet, but I am tempted to pre-order one. It can measure the calories you burn all day, including while you sleep.

Skinniest Counties

2008-09-10T19:13:00.000-04:00

I found a ranking of the skinniest counties in the US! I may have mentioned my interest in obesity broken out by geography in a previous post.

What surprised me the most about this list is that I have lived in 3 of the 25 skinniest counties and would not have guessed that!

CNNMoney.com Best Places to Live - Skinniest

Keeping a Record

2008-09-08T21:15:00.001-04:00

I was very good last week, landing very close to my target. Journaling definitely keeps me in line. I will update this post later to put in the food I consumed and the exercise, but must grab some zzz's. Has been a long day, as I traveled to Houston for work.

Last Week's Review

2008-09-02T21:46:00.003-04:00

This post is a bit late... I went from Houston for work to an out-of-town outing with the family for the long holiday weekend within 36 hours. I ended the week last week quite a bit over plan. Around 1000 over. I had a lot of work lunches and dinners out, and did not do super hot in moderating my food intake. I missed my weigh-in, too. Here is the review:

Sunday:
Coffee with agave nectar
Rice cereal w/rice milk
banana
Toast with cheese
Olives
Cheese Snack
Mashed Turnips
Aubergine with lamb
Wine

Monday:
Coffee with half and half
Rice cereal w/rice milk
Banana
Ropa vieja with rice and black beans
Grapes, bit of cheese

Tuesday:
Coffee with agave nectar
Oats with raisins
fruit (Papaya, berries, banana)
Rice, etouffee, pickles, cheese
Cucumber salad, Mozzarella & Tomato salad, marinated mushrooms, hummus, wee bit of manchego cheese
Banana
Chocolate

Wednesday:
Coffee with half and half
Oats
Fruit
BBQ with beans
Bacardi and Diet Coke
Sushi
Sliced sirloin
Dessert
Wine

Thursday:
Coffee with half and half
Oats
Banana
Vegetarian Southwest Salad
Carpaccio with salad greens
Seafood risotto
Sample of desserts
Wine
Chocolate

Friday:
Coffee with agave nectar
Rice cereal with rice milk
Bread with Cheese Spread
Sliced tomato with salt
Vegetarian Green Curry Eggplant
Banana Custard

Saturday:
Coffee with agave nectar
Mixed green salad with sliced turkey
Watermelon
Sliced beef
Souffle with okra and squash
Bake with heart of palm
Wine

Exercise:
Sunday: Ran 3 miles, walked 3 miles
Monday: Walked 45 minutes
Tuesday: 30 minutes stationary bike, 30 minutes strength
Friday: Walked 2 miles
Saturday: Walked 2 miles & Strength

No Slackin'

2008-08-18T22:24:00.004-04:00

No slackin' this week. Interim Report below.

Sunday Grubs:

English muffin
Coffee with Sugar
Crabs
Potatoes
Mixed fruit
Sunflower seeds
Nectarine
Mac & cheese
Peach

Sunday Moves: Walked 4 miles

Monday Grubs:
Coffee with agave nectar
Peach
Gluten-free Amy's Pizza
Mixed fruit (cantaloupe, watermelon, peach, mango, blueberries)
Squash
Pickle
Aubergine stuffed with tomatoes, shallots, and chickpeas (mmmm)
Monday Moves: Walked 4 miles

Making Weight Loss a Permanent Habit

2008-08-17T21:59:00.006-04:00

I read an article today on bad and good eating habits. The article describes how you can turn eating healthy into a habit, resulting in weight loss. The article was sent to me by my wonderful Moma. It is worth a read: Behavior Modification

The article strikes a cord with me, because I have seen that my body does get used to (after 5-6 weeks of consistency) good eating behaviors, and it also lets me know when I am changing the good behaviors into bad ones. One of the reasons I have found traveling so difficult this summer is that I have been traveling to new cities, with coworkers who typically choose the restaurants, and have been working a hefty number of hours (resulting in snacking).

I do think, though, that I am the one that controls how much goes into my mouth and should be tracking and adjusting a bit better than I have been, and don't want to make excuses for situations that are not likely to change. I do think my health is and always will be more important than my job over the long term... I just need to remember that each time I am going out to lunch and din din while traveling.

I Am Still Slacking

2008-08-17T21:53:00.003-04:00

I am still slacking at tracking my calories. I have only tracked about half my calories over the past few weeks, but am trying to turn a new leaf again starting this week as far as journaling goes. I have maintained/dropped about 1/2 a pound of weight over the past couple of weeks. I have also kept up my exercise, managing to get in at least four days a week, even with traveling each of the past four weeks to a few different cities.

Sending props out to my mom, who has stuck to using her personal trainer while working an outrageous amount this summer, and to Miss Piggy for winning the personal battle and hitting the gym today.

Pole Dancing, Anyone?

2008-08-11T16:40:00.002-04:00

Pole dancing for weight loss?

Pole dancing helps strip off pounds

Not my thing, but entertaining to read.

The Exercise Pill

2008-08-05T10:31:00.004-04:00

Have any of you read this about this crazy new pill that could make people fit like marathoners? I wonder if it will make you grow an extra arm too, to help you swim faster.

Oral Pill Turns Slacker Mice into Marathonists: Study

This both sounds promising (perhaps to help people with serious metabolism problems...not slackers) and makes me suspicious (in light of potential abuse by superstar athletes).

I am glad that they have already created a test so that athletes could be checked for use of the pill. No cheating.

Fessing Up!

2008-08-05T10:14:00.005-04:00

Okay. I admit it. I put up a post about how tracking food is good and how it works for me... and then I don't track my food for two weeks while traveling.

Even though I am traveling again this week in hurricane territory, I am back to tracking my food and exercise. I had a weight reversal (regaining a couple of the pounds of my mysterious three pound loss a couple of weeks ago), but am back on track. You may yell at me or provide encouragement. :)

Food Diaries = 2x Weight Loss

2008-07-24T08:35:00.000-04:00

My mother passed an interesting article to me this morning. The article noted a study where the impact of keeping a food diary led to double the weight loss of not keeping a food diary.

Keep a Food Diary, Lose Twice as Much Weight

You can probably tell from my previous posts that I am pretty religious about keeping a food diary and tracking my calories. It worked the first time I dropped pounds, and, hopefully, it will get me to the finish line.

Hefty US States

2008-07-22T20:43:00.005-04:00

I love when new data on hefty states is published each year. Do you notice the % of people who are obese? Does your mind register that (in most US states) 25% of the people you meet are obese and more than 50% of people are overweight!? That is huge (literally).

Sometimes I think that people's perception of weight can change because everyone else around them may also be chubby, so it becomes "okay" and even "normal." I relayed this in a previous blog post, as I have seen noticeable differences in the average weight of workers across different clients and mentioned a study that came out last year discussing how individuals' networks of friends can influence weight.

I was curious whether or not (mis)perception of weight had any more data behind it, so I did a little more research on the tubes and found a study that came out recently indicating that over the past ten years people's perception of weight has been changing. Obese and overweight people are less likely to identify themselves as being overweight or obese. That sounds like a dangerous trend.

Getting Closer to the Half-way Point (Weekly Summary July 13-19)

2008-07-20T16:10:00.008-04:00

My weight dropped an amazing 3.5 pounds this week. I didn't do anything special, compared to prior weeks, but I did follow my plans pretty closely.

I was only 150 calories over my goal of averaging 1200 calories per day, but feel pretty good that I was able to keep that close to my goal, having gone out to dinner and to an engagement party. I hope to keep this weight loss rolling to hit my skinny by December goal. :)

Weekly Summary July 13-19:

Sunday:
Left over turkey bacon and cheese souffle
Rice crackers & cheese
Watermelon
Chicken & stuffed eggplant (onions, tomatoes)
Wine
Plum
Exercise: Walked 6 miles

Monday:
Rice and Shine with cheese (grits-style)
Watermelon smoothies (2 glasses)
Stuffed eggplant (onions, tomatoes)
Cheese
Stuffed eggplant (ground lamb, onions)
Coconut ice cream & chocolate sauce (no corn syrup, woohoo)
Wine
Exercise: Yoga and walking, I think. Forgot to record it in my tracker and presidentschallenge.com.

Tuesday:
Coffee with agave nectar
Banana
Yogurt
Salad (spinach, chick peas, olives, blue cheese dressing)
Cheese and crackers
Plum
Coconut ice cream
Exercise: Walked 6 miles

Wednesday:
Coffee with agave nectar
1/2 container of 0% Greek yogurt, sprinkle of gluten-free cereal for crunch, and 1/2 banana
Salad (spinach, chick peas, olives, blue cheese dressing)
Sparkling water with spash of orange juice
Cucumber, 1.5 cups
Crackers with cheese
Broccoli
1/2 chicken breast
Exercise: Walked 6 miles

Thursday:
Coffee with agave nectar
1/2 container of 0% Greek yogurt, sprinkle of gluten-free cereal for crunch, and 1/2 banana
Salad (1/2 chicken boob, 3 olives, spinach, chipotle ranch dressing)
Jicama
Artichoke
1/2 cup broccoli
Talapia fillet
Chocolate pudding and dab of coconut ice cream
Exercise: Ran 2 miles, walked 2 miles

Friday:
Coffee with agave nectar
1/2 container of 0% Greek yogurt, sprinkle of gluten-free cereal for crunch, and 1/2 banana
Yogurt beet salad
Jicama
2.1 glasses of wine
Muscles
Fries, 15 strips
Exercise: 1 hour yoga, walked 6 miles

Saturday:
Coffee with agave nectar
1/2 container of 0% Greek yogurt, sprinkle of gluten-free cereal for crunch, and 1/2 banana
Yogurt beet salad
Tuna
Jicama
Chicken & beef at dinner
Hummus & similar
Lima beans
2 stuffed grape leaves
Custard dessert thing
Exercise: Walked 6 miles

I am slowly starting to build running back into my routine to be prepared for the 10 mile race I am in October.

I am also starting to think of self-reward presents for making it 1/2, 3/4, and 100% to my goal weight. Perhaps a new 3G iPhone? Any other suggestions of mile marker gifts? I hope to stay on track, even though I will be traveling for the next three weeks in a row.

Hunger Can Make You Happy?

2008-07-19T13:00:00.001-04:00

I came across an article that says hunger can make you happy. The article is pretty interesting... although they push some of the rats in their study into deep water! What is with that!? They couldn't figure out another way to test?

Hunger Can Make You Happy

Quick Little Food Quiz

2008-07-18T09:43:00.003-04:00

I came across a fun little food quiz this morning on CNN Health. I scored 4 out of 6. Let me know if you beat my score!

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Nutrition and Fitness?

Atkins and Mediterranean Diets Trump Others

2008-07-18T08:32:00.000-04:00

All over the health news yesterday were the results of a large studying comparing the Atkins Diet, Mediterranean Diet, and a low-fat diet. The results were that those on the Atkins diet had the best results in terms of lowering cholesterol and losing weight, followed closely by the Mediterranean Diet. Sounded like the Mediterranean Diet seemed to work well for the women in the group. Here is one of the many articles on it in yesterday's news:

Low Carb Plan Best in Study

This article finds a slightly different conclusions - that losing weight is difficult - based on the study:

Healthy Diets Shown to Have Benefits Despite Modest Weight Losses

And, and this article questions how good the study was:

Never Ending Diet Wars

While, I have not tried the Mediterranean Diet, I have tried the Atkins Diet and found that it worked pretty well for me. I got really tired of having meat, but generally felt much better and did lose the pounds. But now, looking back, I wonder if I felt so much better because I was eliminating things I am allergic to (wheat, corn, soy) on the Atkins Diet, but didn't know that I was allergic to them at the time. That could account for why I felt so much better.

Favorite Health TV Show

2008-07-15T20:17:00.007-04:00

On Saturdays my ideal activities include:

Waking up,
Eating breakfast while watching HGTV,
Taking the dog out for a long walk or run,
Returning/showering in time to watch my favorite Saturday morning TV show,
Watching my favorite Saturday morning show on BBC America (12EST and 12:30EST)

You Are What You Eat is hosted by Gillian McKeith, a holistic nutritionist, who works with overweight and/or otherwise very unhealthy Brits. She coaches them for eight weeks.

What I like about this show:

They do before and after body overviews of the people (difference in 8 weeks)
She has people record what they eat (or their friends record it) over a week, and then shows it to them all on one table (usually disgusting)
She gives people the equivalents of what bad food equals in good food (e.g. how many cups of sugary, milky coffee a week equal how many eggs you could eat for breakfast with those calories)
She analyzes people's poo and even smells it (really)
She has the participants blood work done which often leads to finding interesting deficiencies due to participants' unhealthy ways
She makes people eat vegetables and fruits and exercise
Entire families are often involved

This is a fun show to watch, and I am excited to get my Tivo hooked up soon so I can record it on the Saturdays when I have less domestic plans.

Anyone want to come over, have lunch, and watch some You Are What You Eat on Saturday?

Turkish Inspired Almond and Banana Dessert

2008-07-13T16:04:00.005-04:00

My hubby just returned from a trip to Turkey, and I was inspired by some of the pictures of food that he took. (We both take pictures of interesting foods we eat when we travel.) The Turks use quite a lot of honey, almonds, and other nuts in their desserts, so I decided to use some of the almond meal and honey I have at home.

Ingredients:
Almond meal
Honey
Little pat of butter
Salt
Banana (optional)

I put the almond meal in a pan and began to heat it for a minute. I tossed in a little bit of salt. I then added a honey in slowly mixing it in until my almond meal formed one solid clump. I then began to wrap it into a log shape and added a pat of butter to the pan. I kept turning the log in the pan until it was a little browned on the outside. I then took it away from the heat, sliced the almond/honey log and served it with part of a sliced banana. I actually found that the banana was almost too sweet with it. But the log was tasty, and the husband doled compliments.

Egg, Cheese, Turkey Bacon Souffle

2008-07-13T15:55:00.005-04:00

One of my creations this weekend included an egg souffle with cheese and turkey bacon. I used a recipe straight from mamashealth.com.

I substituted regular bacon with turkey bacon. (My turkey bacon is also nitrate and other bad things free.) I also substituted regular flour with gluten-free flour.

This is the second time I have made this recipe, and it has been tasty both times. The hubby approves as well. It is a good way to use several eggs if they are nearing their expiration date, as was the case with a batch I had in my refrigerator.

This recipe does "de-poof" as soon as it starts too cool, so it is fun to serve it right away. It also still tastes great when reheated later.

Weekly Summary (July 12) - The sweets monster on the prowl

2008-07-13T12:19:00.008-04:00

This week my weight climbed by half a pound. The sweets monster came out toward the end of this week. There is no denying. I also wasn't tracking my calories at the beginning of the week when I wasn't feeling well, and when I started counting I was already well over for each day. I feel confident that I can do better this next week because I was able to do a bit better yesterday and am not feeling the cravings today. I also have my kitchen nicely stocked with veggies and have my hubby's support.

Very importantly, the hubby helps my motivation by telling me I look skinny and good and is very tolerant of the days when I need to cut back on calories because I realize I have some making up to do. :)

I did manage to get in my exercise, walking 2-6 miles every day with some weight training and yoga mixed in, but I did take it easy toward the beginning of the week (slower pace). I also had some fun experimenting with recipes and will be posting a few more later this week.

Weekly food summary (Sweets monster on the prowl late in the week)
Sunday (Yikes, mainly sugary, useless carbs):
Gluten-free pancakes
Mac and Cheese
Apple slices and cherries
Sparkling Pomegranate- Apple Juice

Monday (Pretty good day):
Gluten-free pancakes
Apple
Yogurt with black currant jam
Sparkling Pomegranate- Apple Juice
Egg ranchero (egg, cheese, dab of sour cream, fresh salsa) with 2 slices of turkey bacon
Figs with Greek yogurt, honey, and caramelized pecans

Tuesday (Pretty good day):
Sparkling pomegranate apple drink
Soup
English Muffin
Soup
Figs with Greek yogurt, honey, and caramelized pecans

Wednesday (Uh ohs, I bring home ice cream from the store...):
English Muffin
Rice & Shine made with water, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
2% yogurt & jam
Soup
Chips
Ice cream
Strawberries

Thursday (...and rice pudding):
Strawberries
2 rice puddings
Ice cream
Plum
Chips
Hummus
Rice Crackers
chocolate pudding
Mango

Friday (...and chocolate pudding...thankfully child sized, but still):
Rice pudding and Strawberries
Banana
Cucumbers and Rice crackers with hummus
2% Yogurt
Chocolate pudding

Saturday:
Rice and shine
Egg, cheese, turkey bacon souffle
Watermelon
Mango
Banana, almond meal and honey dessert
Tom yum soup with shrimp
Plum wine

Exercise:
Sunday: Walked 6 miles and strength
Monday: Walked 6 miles
Tuesday: Walked 6 miles
Wednesday: Walked 2 miles and strength training
Thursday: Walked 6 miles
Friday: Walked 6 miles
Saturday: Yoga, ran 4 miles, walked 2 miles

Impromptu Summer Stew

2008-07-09T19:01:00.004-04:00

While I was raiding my kitchen cabinets yesterday, I decided to make a stew. I wanted something that wouldn't be too rough on my tummy (still recovering from last week's bug), contained some veggies, and that I actually already had ingredients to make. I was very loooow on food stuffs in the house yesterday (which has now been rectified by a trip to Whole Foods).

I created an easy, impromptu stew that turned out quite nicely.

Ingredients:
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can water
1/2 can chick peas (drained)
1/2 can yellow squash (drained)
1/3 of a package of gluten-free rice noodles
Olive oil
Garlic
Salt
Parsley, onion powder, coriander, pepper to taste

I coated a little bit of the pot's bottom with olive oil and began cooking a little bit of minced garlic until it started to brown. Then I poured in the can of tomatoes, the water, the chick peas, the yellow squash, and added salt. I brought those to a boil. Once they were boiling I added the rice noodles and cooked the soup based on the rice noodle's timing (8 minutes for my noodles). I added parsley, onion powder, and coriander (only a little dash of each).

After pouring the soup in a bowl, I added some black pepper. Turned out to be quite yummy and approximately 3 servings. I love the days when I am not traveling for work and get a chance to experiment with cooking.

Figalicious

2008-07-08T22:50:00.004-04:00

While grocery shopping last week, I spied an unusual fruit. A fig. I thought about it and realized I had never made anything with fresh figs before. I decided to purchase the pack and, yesterday, made my first fig dish.

Ingredients:
6 fresh figs
Honey
Greek yogurt
Pecans or other nut
Brown sugar
Salt
Butter

The recipe was very easy. Turn the oven to 350F. Next, make a tinfoil pouch for the figs. Then, cut off the stems and cut a cross deep into the figs. Put the figs upright in the tinfoil pouch. Pour honey across the tops. Put pouch, tightly sealed into oven for 45 minutes.

While that is cooking, I caramelized the pecans by heating them on a skillet for 2-3 minutes, then added the butter (just enough to coat the nuts), some brown sugar, and salt. I let them cool as the figs finished baking (and, of course, sampled the product).

When the figs came out of the oven, I topped them with Fage Greek 2% Yogurt and the caramelized pecans. This makes approximately 2 servings.

Enjoy some figs!

Frozen Summer Treats!

2008-07-07T16:21:00.006-04:00

I love frozen treats in the summer time. However, I avoided many of them until recently due to their high sugar and sometimes high-fat content. Trader Joe's has a few great options... Caribbean Fruit Floes are one of my favorites... though I would have to check the ingredients again before purchasing.

I also have taken to making pops by freezing ripe bananas this summer. They make a creamy treat after they are frozen and only contain their natural sugar. You can coat them with chocolate or yogurt too before freezing for a fancier treat. I also came across a recipe that calls for rolling them in honey and then Rice Crispies on bakingbites.com.

I may try watermelon pop next. A few of the recipes call for blending and then freezing:
1 cup of watermelon
1 cup of orange juice
1 cup of water

Mmm... even a watermelon smoothy.

My favorite gluten-free/homeopathy blog also has a pops (or "lollies" as I guess they call it in the UK) recipe that looks delicious that I will have to try in the not too distant future:

Rose Pink Ice Cream Lollies

I will be grocery shopping again in the next day or two and looking forward to creating my next frozen treat! Please send any other frozen treat suggestions my way!

Continuing on the Path

2008-07-07T15:48:00.004-04:00

I managed to lose another pound last week, so I am down 4.5 pounds into my weight loss. Closing in on 25% of my goal. The reasons for my weight loss last week are a toss-up. I got a bit of a stomach bug/ache that may have helped me more easily keep within my calorie goal. Hopefully, this week my stomach will repair itself, and I will be back on the path. (I think it was a stomach issue resulting from eating something I am allergic to without realizing it because it also came with hives...)

With the stomach issues, I didn't get in quite as much exercise as I normally do, but did get in several 6 mile walks early in the week. I also got in a 4 mile walk on Thursday and a bike ride on Saturday.

Yesterday, I started this week off right (joking a bit) with some gluten-free Trader Joe's pancakes. I mixed in real cocoa and a few of the allergen free chocolate chips, too! :)

I also walked 4.5 miles and a little strength training. I am still a bit in recovery, so I snuck in a late afternoon nap. As my stomach recovers, I am going to try to work back in more vegetables (which have been making my stomach queasy on sight) and less pure carbohydrates.

Three Week Roll! (Weekly Summary)

2008-06-28T21:39:00.004-04:00

I am on a three week roll now with losing weight, so I am very pleased. I am 3.5 pounds into my 20 pound weight loss. My start was slower than I wanted, but I hope to keep on moving down the scale.

I was especially pleased with my weight loss this week, because I was traveling for work and attended several lunches and dinners with coworkers. I managed to stick to my calorie plan and still get in plenty of fruits and some veggies. I also worked out in the hotel gym two of the four days I was travelling. I did not keep an extensive list this week of foods consumed, so no reports for you there.

Breast Cancer Risk Increased by Drinking and Food Containers

2008-06-22T17:29:00.002-04:00

I heard an interesting news story on my way to a museum exhibit with the hubby today. The news story discussed the growing body of research linking estrogen mimicking plastics and chemicals to increased risks of breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Link to Estrogens in the Environment

The article above also includes some simple steps to lower breast cancer risks: not drinking from certain types of plastic containers, avoiding makeup and cleaners with certain ingredients, etc.

June 15-21 Weekly Diet Summary

2008-06-22T16:56:00.003-04:00

This week was successful! I lost another pound and was very close to my total calorie goal for the week. I am pretty pleased with the food consumed (other than it being a little higher calorie at the beginning of the week than I wanted). I changed my breakfasts this week, and stayed away from oats. I mainly ate Rice and Shine in the mornings.

Monday's Summary:
2 cups coffee with agave nectar
Rice & Shine made with water, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
2% Yogurt
Indian Lentils
1.25 cups jicama
Salad (radish, fennel, apple, carrots all finely sliced; dressed with tahini and sesame seeds)
Chips
Walked 2 miles (instead of 6 due to a storm)

Tuesday's Summary:
2 cups coffee with agave nectar
Rice & Shine made with water, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
Salad (radish, fennel, apple, carrots all finely sliced; dressed with tahini and sesame seeds)
1 frozen banana pop (1 ripe banana, on a skewer, wrapped in plastic wrap, frozen)
2% Yogurt
Chips
Turkey bacon
Orange
Walked 6 miles

Wednesday's Summary:
2 cups coffee with agave nectar
Rice & Shine made with water, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
2% Yogurt & 1.5 cups of cucumber with salt and pepper
1 frozen banana pop (1 ripe banana, on a skewer, wrapped in plastic wrap, frozen)
Gluten-free pasta with shrimp & sauce
Appetizers
Walked 6 miles and did yoga

Thursday's Summary:
2 cups coffee with agave nectar
Rice & Shine made with water, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
Salad with chickpeas, salad olives, blue cheese dressing, cucumber
1 banana
2% Yogurt and Cereal
Chips
Chicken breast
Vegetables cooked in chicken breast juices
White wine
Walked 6 miles

Friday's Summary:
2 cups of coffee with agave nectar
Rice & Shine made with water, sprinkle cinnamon and sugar
0% Greek yogurt with 1/2 banana
1 medium peeled apple
Large Greek salad with gyro meat
Walked 2 miles, Ran 4 miles

Saturday's Summary:
2 cups coffee with agave nectar
2% Yogurt
Cereal
Banana
Salad with left over chicken breast, blue cheese, radishes, olives
English muffin with tahini
Crystal Light Cherry Limeade Slurpee
pickle
2 glasses white wine
Walked 6 miles and did strength training

I am only 2.5 lbs into my 20 pound weight loss, but am feeling hopeful that my weight loss will continue. I am traveling four days this week for work, but will try to keep to my weight loss plan.

Big Breakfasts Can Aid Longer-Term Weight Loss

2008-06-18T14:02:00.003-04:00

A study that indicates that eating big breakfasts can aid weight loss is all over the news today. Here is one of many links that can be found to the story:

'Big Breakfast' Diet Helps Shed Pounds