Why Weight?

Spinach

Why Spinach is a Stress-Soother: Spinach is the magic cocktail of all greens. It provides a huge amount of magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that helps lower your stress level by keeping you in a calm state.

More Tips & Tidbits:

• Spinach is also full of foliate, calcium and, of course, iron.

So if you are having a stressful day…..eat some spinach!?  Isn’t that the first thing you think of when you are stressed…..”these kids are gonna drive me crazy!!!, where’s my spinach!!!???”

Just something to think about….

Yep that is right, at Why Weight we do it a little different!!!  We eat!!:) 

Here are the recipes from the meeting today:)  I got them from a new cookbook I got last week…Hungry Girl, I love her website, so I grabbed while @ Sams and my nose has been in it all week!:)  There are some great recipes in there…:)  I HIGHLY recommend it for sure!:)  She does some pretty cool stuff in there, so I decided to do one this week that was the most intriguing to me…LOL

LORD OF THE ONION RINGS

• 1 large onion
• 1/2 cup Fiber One cereal (original)
• 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute
• Dash of Salt
• Optional:  additional salt, black pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, etc

• Preheat oven @ 375 degrees.
• Cut the ends off of the onion, and remove the outer layer.  Cut onion into 1/2 inch wide slices, and separate into rings.
• Using a blender or food processor, gind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency.  Pour Fiber One “breadcrumbs” into a small dish and mix with salt and any optional spice you like.
• Next fill a small bowl with egg substitute.  One by one, coat each ring with egg and then in the “breadcrumbs”.
• Evenly place rings on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray.  Cook for 20-25 minutes, flipping rings over about halfway through.

Makes 1 HUMONGOUS serving. 

153 calories, 1 fat, 41 carbs, 16 fiber, 9 protein.  2 PTS

The only thing I would change is…add seasoning!!!  I was talking to Lisa when I made them and forgot that step…so ADD SEASONING!!!  that is the only thing…they were pretty good…I would make em again!  And for 2 pts and core…not to shabby!!!:)  I was pleased with this weeks selection!:)

Check out the Hungry Girl Website…it is pretty cool!  www.hungrygirl.com

I have to be honest, it was a shaky one…..I thought for sure I would gain or if not gain lose VERY little, but low and behold the 15 mile walk, lugging 10 loads of laundry, and eating absolutely nothing enjoyable on my birthday (unless you count a 2 pt bar while watching Sarah Palin tell Obama off enjoyable…haha actually I enjoyed both…haha) paid off!  Not sure what exactly it was but I did it, 1.2 lost this week, and it was a tough one…I said no to Birthday Cake, Cheeseburgers, Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup pie from Perkins, Birthday Cake, My dads French Fries, My dads Onion Rings, Baby Shower Cake, Really Yummy kinds of Ice Cream that Monica bought, and My dad Buckeyes (that btw Ethan made 50 of…haha  he is in training apparently!).

So tonight, this is me!!!  Happy and Loving Life (minus the fro!)!  It was touch and go yesterday tho…haha

And btw, I am eating something “Celebratory” this week….not for losing 1.2, but for my bday…:)  but then I will have to weigh again next week…hhmmm…..the vicious cycle….haha

O HOW I WISH……:)  Well today is my 33rd bday, and I have been offered yummy things 3 times this week in celebration…and I have politely turned them down.  Why you ask???  Well tomorrow is weigh in day….dog gone it!!!  Who planned weigh in day the day after my bday???  that is what I want to know…o wait, me!  LOL

My bday always seems to fall on the heel or in the midst of Labor Day weekend which by the way is not always the easiest around these parts…can I just mention we have 11 bdays between mid August and end of Sept that we celebrate in one way or another, so to say that Labor Day is more than a day off of work is an understatement for sure.  There are usually cakes (yes multiple), and hamburger, and all the other good stuff that picnics and holidays and bdays bring…so I did my fair share this weekend already!  Don’t get me wrong, I could have done MUCH worse, but I could have done better too…altho then I would have not eaten anything…haha  but I tried to be a good girl all week knowing that my bday is coming and usually turns into a self-proclaimed week long event!  Hey I am an only child, we know how to celebrate!  haha

But here I sit on my big day and all i have had that is “bad” was 2 pieces of low fat bread for bfast! LOL  not fun!  But noone said it was going to be fun right???  Well they are right, it isn’t!  But I did decide to pull myself out of my slump today and stop feeling sorry for myself and get a life!  So I dropped the kids off @ my parents and am enjoying some decaf coffee and some peace and quiet!   

 When my dad called this morning he said he hoped I got everything I wished for today….I laughed and said, “Well if all my favorite foods had no calories, pts or fat, then Happy Bday to me!”  We both agreed that that was not going to happen, so I decided to wish for WORLD PEACE!:)

Thank You Jesus for my life, I couldn’t have asked for a better one!:)

Yes that is right…I did it!!! 

We decided to take the route of walking to the Farmers Market today…and I think I am going to pass out!  It doesn’t sound like much but when you are as out of shape as I am right now…that is a long walk!!!

We put the kids in the wagon and packed Kenzie’s lunch and off we went on our journey, through the hood, through the park, and up to the gazebo….I think I walked 15 miles today, (not really, but my legs are shakin like crazy!), and Raym said I definently burned off the Cheesecake I ate last night….I was sweatin and huffin…LOL 

So I am proud of myself, I did it!  And if anyone wonders where I am tomorrow….on the couch not able to move…LOLOL

What does our Why Weight meeting have that noone else has????

FOOD!!!

That is right!  It was mentioned that that is what is missing from other weight loss meetings…food, we all love it, so why not have some healthy alternatives there that we all can enjoy!  Especially since we are all starving from not eating before weighing in!  haha

So this week we did the pita chips (mentioned in previous post) and various dips, all the dips were low in fat, calories and pts, and core as well!  Yummy….we did salsa, black bean and corn salsa, fat free refried beans and the one that was requested to be posted….guacamole…..:) 

Personally I am not a huge fan of guac, but know of the love others have, so I mashed, and separated, and stirred and added, and made some for the ladies and it was a hit!:)   I have to give my friend Melissa props for this recipe, it is hers, I just made it a little easier and used what I had on hand to make it my own…:)  I made a really small batch so obviously you would need to adjust for however large you would want yours…:)

• 1 avacodo
• 1 small lime
• salt
• roma tomato, diced
• jalepeno, diced & seeded (to add heat, throw in some seeds)
• fresh cilantro

I didn’t have a jalepeno here @ the house and I forgot to buy one @ the store, so I opened a can of Rotel, and used that for my tomatoes and chili peppers, it wasn’t as spicy as I would have liked, but I was not taking 2 kids to the store for a jalepeno…:)

Ok seriously, I am the sweedish chef…LOL  So I have no tsp of this, tbsp of that…I eyeball most things…so this is what I did…

• Scooped the pulp (for lack of a better term) of the avocado and mashed it with a potato masher, added kosher salt, half of the limes juice, added a couple spoons of the Rotel (or tomatoes and jalepeno’s if you did it right) and mashed em….then I got out my little hand mixer and mixed it up so it was smooth…that’s it!

It was super easy and everyone loved it…of course Raymond added hot sauce to it…LOL  Which did give it a little kick, but the kick would have been there if I would have used the real pepper.

And just a heads up ladies….I got a new cook book , and o man, next weeks snack is gonna be yummy!!!:)  I will definently have the coffee and tea going for this one!:) so yummy!!! 

Remember Thursday 10 AM, be there or go hungry!

Made-Over Deep Dish Brownies

REMEMBER…..Stressed is really DESSERTS spelled backwards!  LOLOLOLOL

That is what I was thinking today, as I was longing for a Banana Split (since it is National Banana Split day).  Ok not really, I wasn’t really wanting a Banana Split to celebrate this day of honor…but in thinking about some of the “pitfalls of dieting” this one is a list topper for sure…STRESS!

There are so many oppurtunities every day for us to become stressed, our homes, our kids, our spouses, our jobs….etc…and the list goes on and on…..and alot of times when those moments arise what do we turn to???  FOOD, yes that friend that never lets us down, that one who makes us feel better….FOOD.  And do you ever notice we don’t go for the broccolli when we  are stressed…haha  At least I don’t…LOL  I go for the cookies, or the chocolate, or the ice cream…something good to quiet my screaming (or whaling) on the inside…..so how does this urge to eat when stressed stop?  When do we channel that energy in a different place?  Good question…

I think it happens when we realize what we are doing to ourselves….I think once we realize that we really are hurting ourselves in the long run is when we channel it somewhere else.  Not only am I feeling stressed, but now since I was stressed I ate half of a pan of brownies, I feel guilty, and sick, and sad, and defeated…OOOO how many times have we done this…whether it be a pan of brownies, or a bag of chips, or a pint of ice cream, all in the name of stressed. 

It is a vicious cycle, and we have all run this wheel like a hamster so many times….we all know it happens, yet we find ourselves doing it again and again. 

I was never a stress eater before, that is before i had kids….LOL  I am not sure what happened but now when I can’t take the whining and crying any longer all I can think about is chocolate….and it takes me to my happy place   where children are happy and I am getting a pedicure, and my house is clean and dinner is made…LOL  but does it really???

So think about it, if you are a stress eater, what is it really getting you?  It doesn’t really bring me the joy that I hope it will, and it for sure doenst make my kids stop cryin!  LOL  But what will?  I don’t know but if you do, spill it!  I am sick of hearing them whine!  LOL  No, haha  no amount of food is going to bring me peace from that stress…..but what is? 

 That is what you have to ask yourself today, what can I do that is going to bring me what it is that I need when I am stressed…..and if at all possible find a way to get it.  It may not be easy but think of the rewards….not only are you going to find what you are looking for (Bono and the rest of the U2 band would be so jealous!hahaha), but you will feel better about how you got there! 

So what is it???  What is it that you can do to help you cope with the stress and not eat??

Found this on AOL tonight…:)

http://www.aolhealth.com/diet/basics/low-calorie-orders?icid=200100397×1208334089x1200455696

That is right…it is bigger than my head!!:)  I love these wraps!  I have been getting them for years and they are perfect for whatever plan you are following…:)  The whole wrap is only 1 point..if you are doing WW, and if you are doing any other it is loaded with fiber and way low with the calories!:)

Here they are….I get the flatbreads and the pitas…both are 1 Pt, and yummy!!:)  I get them from the actual bakery they make them in Ytown, but you can get them @ GE, they are more expensive (isn’t everything…LOL) but they do have them!:)  I cut the pitas up and throw them in the oven on low heat and let them get crisp and eat them as tortilla chips..dip em in anything!  They are TASTY!!!:)