Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away

Yesterday was a good day. Aside from being out of breakfast Lean Cuisines, I ate well, and drank more than enough water thanks to it being 500f degrees out with 500% humidity. Ah, Delaware.

Lunch was a LC panini. I admit, after that, I ate some of this bread pudding my mom had made. It was really sweet and made me wanna puke. But it could have been much worse, diet-wise, like if it had been good, I would have eaten a lot more.

Made it back to yoga today. It was hot. I was dripping with sweat. The air here is like pudding and it was extremely hard to breathe, but aside from skipping a few warrior poses which always kill my feet, I kept up. Tonight I'm hoping (and thinkin, and wishin) to go to a friend's pool after work. MUST get my ass to the beach soon!

Dinner was fantastic. Fresh tuna steaks that my dad's friend caught, which I marinated in an orange-soy-ginger marinade, broiled and sprinkled with sesame seeds and soy sauce. Side of bok choy, cooked in a pan with very little oil, then tossed with pepper, soy sauce, and a splash of sesame oil (you really don't need much of that stuff!) and then, again, sprinkled with sesame seeds. Salad was a very simple cuke-tomato-onion salad tossed with rice wine vinegar and just a smidge of lowfat feta. And more water. Jeremiah cleared his plate, which included 3 (smallish) tuna steaks. I was beaming with pride - that means he liked it. A LOT.

Late night, J busted out these damn good mini-cookies. I had two, and then just said no.

It's that time of year when we are about to be bombarded with garden veggies, so I'll be posting recipes! Healthy ones will be here on this blog, and not-so-healthy ones over at http://second-helping.blogspot.com. Stay tuned!

Blah.

No change in weight this week (probably due to vomiting this weekend - not on purpose!), but feeling crappy.

I see an obvious connection between how I eat and how I feel, yet I eat crap anyway. Why? Because it tastes so good! And it's so damn cheap and easy!

Need to get back on the ball, and definitely need to get my body moving. This has been a stagnant summer for me so far. I haven't even made it to the ocean yet (I HAVE gone to the bay!) and it's almost JULY!

Look-better-feel-better-inside-outside-Look-better-feel-better-inside-outside.

Maybe I'll have to start thinking of some new and exciting recipes soon. I even ran out of Lean Breakfast Pockets and haven't made my way back to the store yet.

I Disgust Myself.

I deserve to say I'm up ten pounds after all the crap I consumed this weekend, but somehow, I don't know how, I'm down 3.5. I've stopped trying to make sense of it all.

Because I am so ashamed, I'm going to re-cap what I did eat this weekend:

Friday - started off well.
B: Lean Pockets, coffee, water
L: LC Panini, small spinach salad (referenced in last post), water
D: Leftover Indian food (referenced in last post) - healthy, but I ate WAY too much of it.

Saturday:
Breakfast: Hidden egg (fried egg and 1 piece of [ugh] fried whole wheat bread), coffee, coffee, coffee. And then a diet Pepsi.
Lunch (this is where it gets really scary): KFC Extra-Crispy thigh and wing, coleslaw, mac'n'cheese (sm portion), and REGULAR PEPSI. Oh yeah, and a biscuit. With honey.
Dinner: Chinese takeout - 1 spring roll, 1 bowl hot'n'sour soup, 1 fried dumpling in dipping sauce, about 3/4 c. white sticky rice, Gen Tso's chicken, and a bit of Roast Pork Lo Mein. Oh yeah, and a fortune cookie.

Sunday:
Brunch: 2 Lean Cuisine 4-cheese pizza pockets. Fwiw, I see absolutely no need for FOUR TYPES OF CHEESE in a diet food. Too much cheese. And that's saying something.
Apps: Cheese and crackers, water, Strawberry Margarita.
Dinner: a very good amount of steamed crabs in Old Bay, corn on the cob w/butter and Old Bay, and a Miller Lite.
Dessert: 1.5 homemade brownies with 2 small scoops Breyer's Light Double-Churned Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, about 4 black cherries (halved) and HOT FUDGE.

I got home from eating all that yesterday and my fingers were so swollen from the sodium that my rings wouldn't budge. I drank 4 huge glasses of water before I even had to pee. I've been drinking water almost non-stop since then.

Monday:
B: coffee, lean breakfast pockets, water, water, water
L: (to be) spinach salad with either leftover chicken breast, chopped, on top, or small, broiled crab balls on top. Jello. Water.
D: slow cooker chicken breasts in salsa sauce (redundant much?) on small corn tortillas with lots of veggies. Water, water, water.

Recipe - Strawberry Spinach Salad

D'oh! It was so good I forgot to take a photo before eating it! No fear, I'm having it again for dinner (Forgot to bring it home!!!), because even though I made 1/2 recipe of dressing, there was still WAY too much for 2 side salads, which my mom and I had with Lean Cuisine Paninis.

KT120's Spinach and Strawberry salad - 4 servings

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds
1 Tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tablespoon minced onion
10 ounces fresh spinach, rinsed, dried and torn into bite-size pieces
1 quart strawberries, cleaned and sliced
1/4 cup almonds, blanched and silvered

Note: Proportions above are how they were given to me. I used much less oil (because I'm not a fan of oily dressings), about half or less of the sugar, and a smidge of Splenda. And a little more Worcestershire. And I just sliced the onion and put it right on the salad. I apologize to anyone who is ever offended by my bastardization of their recipes. It's what I do.

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sesame seeds, poppy seeds, sugar, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire sauce and onion. Cover and chill for one hour.
In a large bowl, combine the spinach, strawberries and almonds, Pour dressing over salad and toss. Refrigerate 10 to 15 minutes before serving. ENJOY!!!

Breakfast: Coffee w/half&half (from the shop), 2 Lean Breakfast Pockets, Large glass of water
Lunch: Spinach & Strawberry salad, Lean Cuisine Panini, 1/2 Breyer's Light Yogurt with 5 cherries & 5 grapes (I had a serious sweet tooth going, but that, along with the cup of coffee I'm now drinking, seemed to quell it a bit.)
Dinner: Leftover Lamb/Vegetable/Tofu curry and rice (HEAVY on the veggies), strawberry-spinach salad, lots of water.

Planning to cook this weekend:

• butternut squash soup
• slow-cooker salsa chicken (for wraps
• salmon

I NEED A NEW SCALE!!!

Update - Hmmm

I was just about to post a photo of the gorgeous salad I had for lunch, and it appears I have misplaced my cord to connect camera to computer. Pooey.

My sexy salad:

On a bed of greens (and accompanied by a slice of just-baked-this-morning whole wheat bread which I couldn't resist buying from the bakery):

radishes, cucumber, sweet onion, petite baby carrots, avocado, hard-boiled egg, a couple red kidney beans, and bacon bits.
With this lite honey-mustard dressing: I love the dressing and I love the man.

Although I sure would rather they put THIS picture of him on the bottle instead:


I know, I know, he's reeeeeaaallly old now and it's kinda gross, but he's HOT. And he's RICH. And he SHARES IT WITH EVERYONE. And he makes kick-ass salad dressing. And since I can't post a photo of my beautiful salad, I need to post a photo of my beautiful salad-dressing manufacturer.

I got on the scale several times this morning and decided....

that I need a new scale.

The damn thing doesn't read the same twice, and getting it to go back to zero when I step off is near impossible. I think (stress: THINK) I might even be down a pound from yesterday's depressing high, but how can I possibly tell?

Anyone have any suggestions for a quality scale under $50? I don't give a great goddamn about body fat, etc. Just consistent weight, and preferably one with big numbers as I am borderline blind.

Good today, although I am (A) craving sweets, and (B) going to a friend's house for dinner. She's supposedly making shrimp and ribs. I'll try to eat more shrimp, less ribs, and little to none of whatever deliciousness she throws at me.

Maybe tomorrow I'll show you my sexy salad.

eta and my friend just called to cancel for dinner on account of her sick daughter who was SCREAMING in the background. Now I don't know what's for dinner. I REALLY want Indian food.

Update - Sloth. Now with photos!

Ugh. I knew it. I'm up. A lot. 4.5 lbs to be exact. Now, it IS the wrong day to weigh in, but I don't think that's the issue. I don't even think the food I ate on the camping trip is the issue. It's the food I ate BEFORE and AFTER the camping trip, when I was too busy and/or tired and/or lazy to make something healthy. And the sugary and/or alcohol-laden drinks on the camping trip, but I didn't really drink all that much.

There were a lot of pix taken this weekend in which I look like a cow. A fat, red, sweaty cow. I'm going to post one so that I can punish myself in that way. Ah, here's a lovely one:
















That's me, letting it all hang out, cooking a huge pan of greasy potatoes and veggies. In honesty, I ate about 2 pieces of potato and a few pieces of onion out of that pan, but apparently I absorbed all the grease through my pores and it went directly to my jowls. Nice. And that's not even the worst pic.

This one was REALLY bad, so I cropped it just below the boob, which is you can not see the great gut spilling over, which is really evident when sitting next to high-contrast skinny husband:

















At least in THIS one I look fat and happy! I was collecting sea glass.














For comparison, here are a few from 2004-2005, when I was really doing well - lowest @ 198...



















































At the time, I was feeling good about the progress I had made, but still felt like I had SO much left to go (I did) and that the difference wasn't that noticeable (it really was!). In a way this totally sucks to think about, because I just slacked a whole lot and knowingly let that weight ease itself back on, and now I'm back up near my record high all over again. But in a way, it's good to be looking at these photos, realizing I looked pretty damn good at 199 (and it's VERY apparent in my face) and while I'll look even better at 180, 199 is definitely within reach and I can't wait to get back there. And to take some new pix.

Plan of action (for now):
Lean Pockets for breakfast. LC or LP or salad for lunch. Fruit and veggies for snacks. Lots of meals from garden. One veggie dinner per week - no meat at all. Healthy, Phase 2-like dinner all nights. Careful with snacks. Lots of water. Fix bike and ride it. Get back into yoga. No entire weekends "off."

I can do this, right?

Recipe - Yum-Yums

I've gotten mixed reviews on this one, but I love it. Those who don't are those who don't really like ricotta. I know you SB'ers are used to it, so maybe you'll like it too. Ate it up too fast to take a pic, sorry! (next time...)

INGREDIENTS
1/2 container of strawberry cheesecake flavor Breyer's Light yogurt
slightly less than equal amount of low-fat (or FF) ricotta cheese
1 strawberry

DIRECTIONS
Mix yogurt and ricotta and put in a fancy dish.
Top with sliced strawberry.
Eat with your favorite spoon.

Update - When she was good, she was very, very good

and when she was bad, she was HORRID.

Although I am pleased to announce that I am down a total of !FIVE POUNDS! I do not have high hopes for this week. Started it off yesterday by finally caving to an immense pasta craving, and I'm not talking about no Barilla Plus, I'm talkin' real Italian spaghetti from my favorite local Italian restaurant, drowning in sauce, with some eggplant parm on top, and the whole thing covered in (ok, it really was too much) mozzarella cheese and broiled. Oh. My. Gawd. Apologies to those I just pissed off and covered in drool.

And there was no way I could eat it all, so guess what I'm having again tonight?! BUT... I was good all day today. I'm going to be "very, very good" when I'm good this week, in anticipation of the horridness (diet-wise) of the super-awesome camping trip I'm leaving for on Thursday, during which I am sure to eat and drink Things That Must Not Be Named.

And when I get home, I'll eat salads for a week. I swear.

Update - End of week

Well, aside from a few asides, I haven't been half bad this week! I cheated and checked the scale today (shouldn't have checked until Monday) and *crosses fingers* it looks like I might be down another two pounds, despite eating and drinking way above my max last weekend, and the Great Chocolate Craving that hit me the other day.

It has been surprisingly easy to keep eating the Lean Breakfast Pockets every day for lunch, and even more surprising, I haven't gotten sick of them! They're actually pretty good, although I have come to the conclusion that one simply is not enough.

Eating micr0-lunches every day has not been as easy. I just want something more interesting at lunch, so I've been eating a lot of salads. Yesterday I had a salad with drained white tuna (packed in water) with lite Caesar dressing, then a jello with 1/2 banana sliced in it.

Last night's dinner was the salmon mentioned on Tuesday/Wednesday as dinner. Yeah, well Tuesday was a SHITTY DAY, as I may or may not have posted here, and I just was NOT COOKING. I arrived home Wednesday night to find that the salmon looked a little funny, so we ended up eating the leftover Chinese food from the night before (shame, shame on me!) and then on the way home from work yesterday (Thursday) I picked up some more salmon. This was the final menu for yesterday:

• Salmon baked in foil with lemon juice, dill, S&P, and 1/2 oz of vodka
• Light saute of spinach, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and cubed tofu in a lemon-soy base
• Whole grain wild rice
• wonderful light salad made with chopped onions, red peppers, and cukes tossed in a homemade Japanese rice-wine/light sour cream dressing
  

The rice felt like such a treat. Carbs, I say!

Still can't seem to shake the after-dinner treat, so I'm just trying to make sure I always have a few low-calorie choices lying around, like SF jello (where would I be without you, dear jello?!), SF popsicles, and low-carb, low-cal choco/ice cream-like treat. Otherwise, I'll just eat whatever I find. Better something half decent than that!

Today's lunch will be a salad, greens topped with the leftover salmon and sour cream salad. Yum. Maybe a hint of Mr. Newman's light honey-mustard to kick it up.

Tonight for dinner I promised J steak. He is such a red meat lover and he has been patiently waiting all week for his fix. Tonight's dinner:

• NY Strip Steak
• ?
• ?

I guess I'd better get on that!

Recipe - Strawberry Ricotta Cakes

STRAWBERRY RICOTTA CAKES

Reposted from nami-nami







I thought these looked really tasty and promising for adaptation to South Beach, as they are basically ricotta and egg, and there's not too much sugar in them, so switching to a substitute shouldn't make too much difference. Note: i haven't tried this yet.

Again, please let me know how it goes if you make it!

INGREDIENTS:
1-3/4 c. ricotta or milk curd cheese
3 Tbsp caster sugar
3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp ground almonds
@ 1 cup strawberries, coarsely chopped

To sprinkle:
superfine caster sugar
cinnamon

To serve:
strawberries and whipped cream

DIRECTIONS:
Mix milk curd, sugar, eggs, ground almonds, lemon zest and strawberries in a bowl.
Line 12 muffin tins with paper cups, divide the curd cheese mixture between the tins.
Sprinkle with fine sugar and cinnamon.
Bake at 180°C for about 40 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are lovely golden colour.
Serve warm or slightly cooled*, decorating the cakes with strawberries and whipped cream.

* It is not advisable to put these cakes in the fridge, as the curd cheese becomes somewhat grainy.

Update - Holiday weekend

The holiday weekend was definitely NOT GOOD for my eating patterns. First off, I was running around like a headless chicken, and not eating what or when I was supposed to. Second, I was drinking, which not only contains calories and carbs, but goes well with food, namely, bbq. Third, I made 2 desserts, neither of which was terribly unhealthy, but yes, I ate two desserts. AND since it was our house, guess who ended up with the leftovers.

Fourth, on Monday we went to see Pirates of the Caribbean. For once, we got there early, and had enough time to hit the dollar store before the movie (read: candy) and then hopped over to Bob Evans for a quick dinner (read: unbearably greasy) before the show (read: popcorn). Jeremiah threw up when we got home. I was jealous of him.

Yesterday I made up for it. Due to a supremely crappy day, I had no appetite. Which would have worked in my favor, except that I couldn't bring myself to cook the lovely dinner I had planned, so I had Chinese food (read: more grease).

And today? Another bad day (read: chocolate). But other than the chocolate, and a wee spoonful of berry sherbet after lunch, I've stayed with the Lean, frozen foods again today. They really aren't that bad. Either that or I am just extremely lazy.

So we'll not try right now to list all the crap I ate this weekend (though I may indeed come back later and do so) but instead, start with today:

Breakfast: coffee w/cream and sugar, 2 lean breakfast pockets
Lunch: 2 lean pockets, smidge o' sherbet
PM munchies: 1/2 Hershey's Extra Dark bar (UGH), 1/2 diet pepsi
Dinner: broiled salmon with sour cream/dill/horseradish sauce, wilted spinach, ???

Day 5 (and I missed a few posts)

Wednesday:
Breakfast - 2 Lean Pockets Ham, Egg & Cheese
Coffee with 1 t. sugar and 1 oz. cream
Lunch - Lean Cuisine Panini
1/2 Light yogurt with 3 sliced peaches in extra-light syrup
Dinner- omigod, I can't remember! Oh, that was the tilapia. Wait a minute.....

Thursday:
Breakfast - 2 Lean Pockets Ham, Egg & Cheese
Coffee with 1 t. sugar and 1 T. lite non-dairy creamer
Lunch: Salad w/crabmeat & lite honey-mustard dressing
Snack: 20 cashews
Dinner: Barilla plus pasta with onions, portobellos, tofu cubes, and shrimp in a very light garlic/slightly creamy sauce.
PMS indulgence - skinny cow no-sugar added ice cream sandwich - SO FREAKING GOOD.

Friday:
Breakfast - Lean Pocket Broccoli & Cheese
Coffee with 1 t. sugar and 1 T. lite non-dairy creamer
Lunch: Salad w/crabmeat & lite honey-mustard dressing

which I am going to go eat RIGHT NOW.

(to be updated later)

Recipe - 5 pt Trifle - DELICIOUS

My mom's neighbor, who leads a Weight Watchers group, made this trifle for a party I went to a few months ago. I think I'll make it this weekend.

Oh lordy, is it ever good. And only 5 pts for 1/6 of the recipe, which is a LOT.

ANGEL FOOD TRIFLE
makes 6 servings: 5 POINTS per serving *

The traditional English version of this dessert layers ladyfingers with jam, custard, and heavy cream, along with fruit. This lower-point version is made with a creamy ricotta-vanilla yogurt "custard" to cut calories while increasing calcium.

1 c. skim milk ricotta cheese **
2 c. sugar-free vanilla flavored yogurt ***
1/2 angel food cake, cut into 1" cubes
2 c. thawed frozen unsweetened berries ****
1/4 c. + 2 Tbsp whipped dessert topping *****

1. Mix together ricotta and yogurt in a blender or food processor until smooth.
2. Arrange half the cake cubes in the bottom of a medium-size glass bowl.
3. Top with 1 c. berries.
4. Top with 1-1/2 cups of cheese/yogurt mixture.
5. Top with layers of remaining cake cubes, 3/4 c. berries, and remaining cheese/yogurt mixture.
6. Decorate with remaining 1/4 c. berries.
7. Top each serving with 1 Tbsp. whipped cream.

* This is the original recipe, so points are based on these ingredients. Read below for her changes.

** Fat-free ricotta

*** sugar-free peach yogurt (or to match whichever fruit you use - see below)

**** lightest-syrup peaches, drained

***** Lowfat whipped topping

Abs Diet For Women

There was a piece on this on the Today show this morning. It sounded pretty interesting:

Re: Food

• 6 meals per day
• 12 "ABS DIET POWERfoods" must be staples of your diet
• Almonds and other nuts

  Beans and legumes

  Spinach and other green vegetables

• Dairy (fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese)

  Instant oatmeal (unsweetened, unflavored)

  Eggs

  Turkey and other lean meats

• Peanut butter

  Olive oil

  Whole-grain breads and cereals

  Extra-protein (whey) powder

  Raspberries and other berries

• Drink an 8-ounce smoothie for breakfast, as a meal substitute, or as a snack before or after your workout.
• Stop counting calories
• Drink Lots of water
• For meal per week, forget the first five guidelines! "Have it, savor it, and then dig back in for another week."

They also have some interesting info on powerfoods, which I'm going to copy/paste here:

#1: Almonds and Other Nuts
Superpowers: builds muscle, fights cravings

Secret weapons: protein, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, folate (peanuts), phosphorus

Fights against: obesity, heart disease, muscle loss, wrinkles, cancer, high blood pressure

Sidekicks: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, avocados

Imposters: salted or smoked nuts

#2: Beans and Legumes
Superpowers: builds muscle, helps burn fat, regulates digestion

Secret weapons: fiber, protein, iron, folate

Fights against: obesity, colon cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure

Sidekicks: lentils, peas, bean dips, hummus, edamame

Imposters: refried beans, which are high in saturated fats; baked beans, which are high in sugar

#3: Spinach and Other Green Vegetables
Superpowers: neutralizes free radicals, which are molecules that accelerate the aging process

Secret weapons: vitamins including A, C, and K; folate; minerals including calcium and magnesium; fiber; beta-carotene

Fights against: cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, osteoporosis

Sidekicks: cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and brussels sprouts; green, yellow, red, and orange vegetables like asparagus, peppers, and yellow beans

Imposters: none, as long as you don’t fry them or smother them in fatty cheeses

#4: Dairy (Fat-Free or Low-Fat Milk, Yogurt, Cheese, and Cottage Cheese)
Superpowers: builds strong bones, fires up weight loss

Secret weapons: calcium, vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus, potassium

Fights against: osteoporosis, obesity, high blood pressure, cancer

Sidekicks: none

Imposters: whole milk, frozen yogurt

#5: Instant Oatmeal (Unsweetened, Unflavored)
Superpowers: boosts energy and sex drive, reduces cholesterol, maintains blood sugar levels

Secret weapons: complex carbohydrates and fiber

Fights against: heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, obesity

Sidekicks: high-fiber cereals like All-Bran and Fiber One

Imposters: cereals with added sugar and high-fructose corn syrup

#6: Eggs
Superpowers: builds muscle, burns fat

Secret weapons: protein, vitamin B12, vitamin A

Fights against: obesity

Sidekicks: none

Imposters: none

#7: Turkey and Other Lean Meats (Lean Steak, Chicken, and Fish)
Superpowers: builds muscle, improves the immune system

Secret weapons: protein, iron, zinc, creatine (beef), omega-3 fatty acids (fish), vitamins B6 (chicken and fish) and B12, phosphorus, potassium

Fights against: obesity, various diseases

Sidekicks: shellfish, Canadian bacon

Imposters: sausage, bacon, cured meats, ham, fatty cuts of steak like T-bone and rib-eye

#8: Peanut Butter (All-Natural, Sugar-Free)
Superpowers: boosts testosterone, builds muscle, burns fat

Secret weapons: protein, monounsaturated fat, vitamin E, niacin, magnesium

Fights against: obesity, muscle loss, wrinkles, cardiovascular disease

Sidekicks: cashew and almond butters

Imposters: mass-produced sugary and trans fatty peanut butters

#9: Olive Oil
Superpowers: lowers cholesterol, boosts the immune system

Secret weapons: monounsaturated fat, vitamin E

Fights against: obesity, cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure

Sidekicks: canola oil, peanut oil, sesame oil

Imposters: vegetable and hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fatty acids, margarine

#10: Whole-Grain Breads and Cereals
Superpower: prevents your body from storing fat

Secret weapons: fiber, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, vitamin E, magnesium, zinc, potassium, iron, calcium

Fights against: obesity, cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease

Sidekicks: brown rice, whole-wheat pretzels, whole-wheat pastas

Imposters: processed bakery products like white bread, bagels, and doughnuts; breads labeled wheat instead of whole wheat

#11: Extra-Protein (Whey) Powder
Superpowers: builds muscle, burns fat

Secret weapons: protein, cysteine, glutathione

Fights against: obesity

Sidekick: ricotta cheese

Imposter: soy protein

#12: Raspberries and Other Berries
Superpowers: protects your heart; enhances eyesight; improves balance, coordination, and short-term memory; prevents cravings

Secret weapons: antioxidants, fiber, vitamin C, tannins (cranberries)

Fights against: heart disease, cancer, obesity

Sidekicks: most other fruits, especially apples and grapefruit

Imposters: jellies, most of which eliminate fiber and add sugar

Re: Exercise

Apparently, exercise is optional for the first 2 weeks of the diet, I assume so you don't try to do/change too much and give up right away.

Focus on muscles and strength training, not just cardio.

It goes on to talk about circuit training and compound exercises, which I know little about.

Thoughts on the ABS Diet?

Day 2

Well, Day 1 went pretty well, although it seems really weird and not good to me to eat so many carbs. I definitely need to start fitting in some extra protein to keep me satisfied and balanced.

For those few readers keeping up, I went back and updated yesterday's entry this morning, so there's stuff that wasn't there yesterday.

Day 2 is going to look eerily familar:

DAY ONE:
Breakfast: 2 Lean Pockets (Bacon, Egg & Cheese)

Calories: 150	Calories from Fat: 40
Total Fat: 4.5 g	Total Fat % Daily Value*: 7%
Saturated Fat: 2 g	Saturated Fat % Daily Value*: 6%
Cholesterol: 40 mg	Cholesterol % Daily Value*: 13%
Sodium: 280 mg	Sodium % Daily Value*: 12%
Total Carbohydrate: 21 g	Total Carbohydrate % Daily Value*: 7%
Dietary Fiber: 2 g	Dietary Fiber % Daily Value*: 7%
Sugars: 2 g	Protein: 7 g
Vitamin A % Daily Value: 2%	Vitamin C % Daily Value: 0%
Calcium % Daily Value: 8%	Iron % Daily Value: 10%
Weight Watcher Value: 3	Diet Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Medium-Fat Meat

Times 2. I was hungry and those things are small! I'll get down to 1 shortly.

**********************************************************************************
Lunch:
Lean Cuisine Southwest-style Chicken Panini (I'm going to gently de-carb!)

Calories 280

Calories From Fat 70

Total Fat (g) 7 11% Saturated Fat (g) 3 15% Trans Fat 0 Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1.5 Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1.5 Cholesterol (mg) 30 10% Sodium (mg) 730 30% Potassium (mg) 140 4% Total Carbohydrates (g) 32 11% Dietary Fiber (g) 3 13% Sugars (g) 3 Protein (g) 20

Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 30% Iron 15%

Diet Exchanges 2 Lean Meat,2 Starch

and
about 12 carrots w/FF ranch dressing

and


Sugar-Free Jello Cup
10 calories, no sugar







**********************************************************************************

DINNER: (homemade)
Broiled Tilapia
Mustard Greens
Roasted Butternut Squash
very small sweet potato w/cinnamon
small side salad with LF honey-mustard dressing and 1 T. queso fresco

Smart Ones brownie w/1 sliced strawberry



Exercise: will do 30 mins stationary bike @ lunch After lugging the bike back into the guest room [so I could watch Days while riding] I got on and realized, man. that bike sucks! It needs, like, a whole bottle of WD-40 and a facelift. I did stretches and yoga instead. Meh. Perhaps tomorrow I'll do some push-ups & crunches during lunch instead. Or (blasphemy!) skip Days and take the dog(s) for a walk. Parents are discussing getting a new bike but keeping it in the garage. Must convince Dad to keep it inside till Fall!)

Calories: 1422

grams cals %total Total: 1422 Fat: 55 491 36% Sat: 18 159 12% Poly: 8 68 5% Mono: 20 179 13% Carbs: 145 506 37% Fiber: 19 0 0% Protein: 90 360 27% Alcohol: 0 0 0%

Fat Carbs Protein Alcohol

Water: Bad so far Better

Where I went wrong: Eating J's leftover tilapia; caving to the chocolate craving (but at least in a semi-decent way!)

Positive Thought for the day: I'm feeling a little bit better physically and mentally already. I'm glad I started facing reality again. And I balance my fat/carb/protein pie chart almost completely into thirds.

New Diet - This should be interesting.

I fall off the wagon, I climb back on with renewed gusto. Then I fall off again, usually because I'm too (insert choice of word here: tired, broke, lazy, busy) to keep it up, so I end up falling for the easy, unhealthy, "fast food" option and then, after a day or two of being filled with carbs, fats, and the like, I lose all motivation to start again.

So....

this is by far not the best diet plan, but I'm going to see how it goes. Last night I went to the grocery store and picked up LOTS of Lean Pockets (breakfast and lunch varieties) and Lean Cuisines. I'll do my best to eat a healthy, homemade dinner, but if it's one of those days, instead of calling to order a cheesesteak, I'll microwave a Lean Cuisine instead. With the weather warming up, I'll be craving salads, so when we do go out to eat, or when I am so inclined to prepare one, I'll have a fabulous salad instead.

DAY ONE:
Breakfast: 2 Lean Pockets (Bacon, Egg & Cheese)

Calories: 150	Calories from Fat: 40
Total Fat: 4.5 g	Total Fat % Daily Value*: 7%
Saturated Fat: 2 g	Saturated Fat % Daily Value*: 6%
Cholesterol: 40 mg	Cholesterol % Daily Value*: 13%
Sodium: 280 mg	Sodium % Daily Value*: 12%
Total Carbohydrate: 21 g	Total Carbohydrate % Daily Value*: 7%
Dietary Fiber: 2 g	Dietary Fiber % Daily Value*: 7%
Sugars: 2 g	Protein: 7 g
Vitamin A % Daily Value: 2%	Vitamin C % Daily Value: 0%
Calcium % Daily Value: 8%	Iron % Daily Value: 10%
Weight Watcher Value: 3	Diet Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Medium-Fat Meat

Times 2. I was hungry and those things are small! I'll get down to 1 shortly.

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mid-morning snack: 1.5 T SmartBalance Omega-3 PB and 4 slices banana on 1 slice ww toast.
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Lunch:
Lean Cuisine Southwest-style Chicken Panini (I'm going to gently de-carb!)

Calories 280

Calories From Fat 70

Total Fat (g) 7 11% Saturated Fat (g) 3 15% Trans Fat 0 Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1.5 Monounsaturated Fat (g) 1.5 Cholesterol (mg) 30 10% Sodium (mg) 730 30% Potassium (mg) 140 4% Total Carbohydrates (g) 32 11% Dietary Fiber (g) 3 13% Sugars (g) 3 Protein (g) 20

Vitamin A 15% Vitamin C 4% Calcium 30% Iron 15%

Diet Exchanges 2 Lean Meat,2 Starch

and


Sugar-Free Jello Cup
10 calories, no sugar







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DINNER: (homemade)
Broiled Tilapia
Mustard Greens
Roasted Butternut Squash

Duh. I forgot we had planned the tilapia for Wednesday (tonight) because we found some of Nieci's fabulous white chicken chili in the freezer and had defrosted it for last night. So we had that (I made it as lowfat as possible!) with fresh, homemade salsa, and homemade baked corn tortillas. Yum.

Also, stolen outright from a fellow dieter, something I need to start addressing daily:


Exercise: skipped yoga class but did 30 minutes yoga @ home, incl. some stretches that really helped my back.
Calories: ~ 1,350 - Good
Water: Average
Where I went wrong: not having a pm snack, I think, led to bad mood, led to not going to yoga.
Positive Thought for the day: I felt better after going home and doing my yoga by myself. It helped me combined Me-Me-ME time with stretching/moving time.

Beans, Beans, the musical fruit

You know how the rest of the song goes!

I'm hitting on lots of different kinds of beans and legumes today, not just the tootin' kind. Beans have lots of protein and are very versatile, making them a good source of protein/healthy carbs for dieters.

Re-posts from other yummy sites:

from KalynsKitchen.blogspot.com:

Green Bean Salad with Hearts of Palm, Olives, Red Pepper, & Feta

(Makes 4-6 servings, recipe created by Kalyn)

1 lb. fresh green beans, preferably French green beans
1-2 cups sliced hearts of palm
3/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced in half
1 cup roasted red bell pepper from a jar, diced in pieces about 3/8 inch square
(could substitute sun dried tomatoes)
1/3 cup Feta cheese
fresh ground black pepper to taste

Dressing:
1 T balsamic vinegar
2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 T chopped fresh oregano (or use small amount dried oregano)
1 T chopped fresh basil (I would omit basil if I only had dried basil)

Trim ends from green beans. (I do this by gathering a handfull, then standing them up on the cutting board while holding loosely so the beans all line up, then trimming the end. Turn over and repeat with the other end.) Cut beans into pieces about 2 inches long.

Steam beans until they are barely tender-crisp. I steamed mine ten minutes in an electric vegetable steamer. On the stove top, it would take less time. I prefer the beans quite crisp.

While beans cook, combine balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, chopped fresh oregano and chopped fresh basil in food processor. Process until herbs are very finely chopped and dressing is mixed well. (I did this in the small bowl chopper attachment of my immersion blender, which worked great.)

When beans are as tender as you'd like them, remove from steamer and plunge immediately into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Remove beans to colander and let cool about and drain about 15 minutes. When beans are cool, combine with small amount of dressing and marinate 30 minutes, or longer if possible.

When ready to serve salad, combine marinated beans with sliced hearts of palm, olive halves, and chopped red pepper. Add as much dressing as needed to moisten salad and combine gently. (You will not need all the dressing.) Add feta cheese and stir 1-2 times to barely mix in feta. Grind over some black pepper and serve immediately. This will keep for several days in the refrigerator, but bring to room temperature before serving the leftovers.

South Beach Suggestions:
This salad is a perfect side dish for any phase of the South Beach Diet. It would taste great with Very Greek Grilled Chicken or Grilled Spicy Tuna. For phase two or three, add something like Georgette's Really Lemony Greek Pilafi.

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Spicy String Bean Saute from Cookinglight.com

2/3 pound green beans, trimmed
1/3 pound wax beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cups (1/3-inch-thick) vertically sliced Peruvian or other sweet onion (about 1 large)
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Cook beans in boiling water 2 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Rinse under cold water; drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 3 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beans, juice, oregano, and red pepper; cook for 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Add capers, salt, and black pepper, tossing to coat.

Yield 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

CALORIES 73(30% from fat); FAT 2.4g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.2g); PROTEIN 1.7g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 52mg; SODIUM 209mg; FIBER 3.4g; IRON 0.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 11.1g
Denise Boba, Bloomingdale, Illinois , Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2005

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Bean Salad with Artichokes from Cookinglight.com

Salad:
1 cup chopped plum tomato
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (19-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 (19-ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (14-ounce) can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

Dressing:
1/4 cup (1 ounce) feta cheese, crumbled (lowfat is fine)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 garlic clove, minced

Preparation

To prepare salad, combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl.

To prepare the dressing, combine the cheese and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour dressing over salad; cover and chill for 1 hour.

6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups salad)

CALORIES 294(15% from fat); FAT 4.9g (sat 1.1g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 14.1g; CHOLESTEROL 4mg; CALCIUM 75mg; SODIUM 404mg; FIBER 13.3g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 49.2g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2001

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South Beach Diet Edamame Salad

Adapted from The South Beach Diet, by Arthur Agatston, M.D. (Rodale Press, 2003).

Edamame are vibrant, tasty green soybeans in the shells, and are readily available in most frozen sections of supermarkets and health food stores. This salad has a whopping 15 grams of protein to 18 grams of carbs - an unusual ratio. If edamame is not readily available, you can substitute chick peas.

1 bag (16 ounces) frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans)
1/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch radishes (8 ounces), cut in half and thinly sliced
1 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Toss the edamame, vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, radishes, and cilantro together in a large bowl.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

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South Beach Diet Cannellini Bean Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes

4 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced red onion
3⁄4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded, and diced
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk together oil, vinegar, onion, and oregano in a large mixing bowl. Add cucumbers, beans, and bell pepper; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

180 calories
8 g fat
1 g saturated fat
7 g protein
22 g carbohydrate
5 g dietary fiber
80 mg sodium

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White Beans with Garlic & Arugula from Foodfit

Ingredients

1	cup	cannellini beans
3	cups	Basic Chicken Stock (see recipe), or low-sodium canned
1 1/2		carrots, cut into 1" pieces
1 1/2	stalks	celery, cut into 1" pieces
1	tablespoon	olive oil
3	tablespoons	chopped pancetta
3	cloves	garlic, chopped
		salt to taste
		freshly ground black pepper
3	cups	washed and stemmed arugula

Cook:50 minutes (cooking time)

1. Soak the cannellini beans in water overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Drain beans, put them in a pot and add the chicken stock, carrots, celery and enough water to cover the beans by an inch or so.
3. Bring to a simmer uncovered over medium-high heat. Do not boil. Skim foam that comes to the surface. (Do not add salt because it will prevent the beans from becoming tender.)
4. When the beans are tender, about 1 hour, remove from heat. Drain and discard the carrots and celery. Set beans aside. (The cannellini beans can be cooked ahead of time, covered and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
5. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
6. Add the beans, season with salt and pepper, and heat thoroughly.
7. Turn off the heat and gently fold in the arugula leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Black Bean Salad with Lime Cumin Dressing from Cookinglight.com

Salad:
1 cup thinly sliced celery
3/4 cup vertically sliced red onion
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Dressing:
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

To prepare salad, combine celery, onion, and black beans in a large bowl; toss well.

To prepare the dressing, combine the lime juice, sugar, oil, and cumin in a small bowl; stir mixture with a whisk until blended. Pour over bean mixture, tossing to coat.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 245 (17% from fat); FAT 4.5g (sat 0.7g,mono 2.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 13.1g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 59mg; SODIUM 316mg; FIBER 6.9g; IRON 3.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 41g

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Escarole with Bacon & White Beans from cookinglight.com

2 bacon slices, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
6 cups chopped escarole (about 2 [8-ounce] heads)
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained

Cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon, reserving 2 teaspoons drippings in pan; set bacon aside. Add onion to drippings in pan; cook 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally. Add garlic; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add escarole, and cook for 2 minutes or until escarole wilts, stirring frequently. Add sugar, salt, pepper, and chicken broth; cook 15 minutes or until escarole is tender, stirring occasionally. Add beans; cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with bacon.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 123 (29% from fat); FAT 3.9g (sat 1.3g,mono 1.6g,poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 5.7g; CHOLESTEROL 6mg; CALCIUM 62mg; SODIUM 525mg; FIBER 5g; IRON 1.7mg; CARBOHYDRATE 16.3g
Cooking Light, JANUARY 2007

More "Salads"

Hot days, cool salads.


This one comes from Bon Appétit, April 2006, from Giada De Laurentiis:

ORZO WITH TOMATOES, FETA, AND GREEN ONIONS

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 pound orzo (or riso)
• 2 cups red and yellow teardrop or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 7-ounce package feta cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

1. Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, and honey in small bowl.
   
2. Gradually whisk in oil.
   
3. Season vinaigrette with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
4. Bring broth to boil in large heavy saucepan.
   
5. Stir in orzo, reduce heat to medium, cover partially, and boil until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.
   
6. Transfer to large wide bowl, tossing frequently until cool.
7. Mix tomatoes, feta, basil, and green onions into orzo.
   
8. Add vinaigrette; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
   
9. Add pine nuts; toss. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 8 servings.



and this one is from Vegetarian Times, and I suppose is not really a salad. Regardless,



Goat Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms on Tomato Salad
(no photo for this one... yet.)
SERVES 4 -- Egg-free

Zucchini blossoms (squash flowers) are either male, which have stems, or female, which are attached to baby squash. Either will work for this recipe. If possible, use zucchini blossoms picked the same day you plan to use them. Store them in a tightly sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator until you are ready to cook.

• 4 oz. fresh, mild, soft goat cheese, at room temperature
• 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 2 Tbs. coarsely chopped fresh marjoram
• 8 large fresh zucchini blossoms
• 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 2 cups vine-ripened cherry or other small tomatoes, halved or quartered, or two large vine-ripened tomatoes cut in bite-sized pieces

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly oil baking sheet or line with parchment paper, and set aside.
2. Mix cheese with half basil and half marjoram. Form into 8 balls of equal size.
3. Inspect blossoms for insects, and snap off pistils inside flowers with fingertips. Cut stems to about 1 inch. Put ball of cheese inside each blossom, and arrange on baking sheet. Brush blossoms with half the olive oil, and season lightly with salt.
4. Bake stuffed blossoms for 7 to 10 minutes, or until petals collapse onto cheese and sizzle slightly around the edges.
5. Meanwhile, toss tomato halves or slices with remaining olive oil, marjoram and basil. Season with salt.
6. To serve, arrange salad on four plates, and top with warm blossoms.

PER Serving: 190 CAL; 6 G PROT; 17 G TOTAL FAT ( 6 SAT. FAT) ; 4 G CARB.; 15 MG CHOL; 110 MG SOD.; 1 G FIBER;