Healthy Meals!

Many of you know that I have a cooking blog, where I try to make healthy, creative, and cultural food. I recently made this post on my food blog as a "Resolution Helper" that contains links to my recipes that are of classic dishes made lighter, and some inventions that are healthy.


I have so many people ask me about food and calorie count, so I thought this might be a good list! All of the dishes are linked to my cooking blog posts.

Lightened-Up Classic Recipes (all linked to the post)

• Burger and Fries I (Cranberry Turkey Burger with Squash Fries)
• Burger and Fries II (Thai Turkey Burgers with Mango Salsa and Sweet Potato Saratoga Chips)
• Burger and Fries III (Southwest Turkey Burgers and Grilled Corn)
• Baked Corndogs
• Baked Chicken Parmesan with Eggplant Penne
• Spaghetti and Meatballs (low-fat/cal) with Baked Zucchini Sticks
• Baked Eggplant Parm, Lowfat Caesar Salad
• Stuffed Peppers
• Veggie and Tofu Pad Thai
• Pasta, Pesto and Peas
• Ratatouille
• Baked Eggrolls, Sesame Chicken Teriyaki
• Chicken Milanese (based off Uno's)
• Lasagna (Spinach and Chicken Sausage)
• Pasta e Fagioli
• Boneless Buffalo Tenders and Spicy Ranch Fries (Baked)
• Classic Meatloaf
• Turkey Meatloaf Wellington (play on Beef Wellington)
• The Breakfast Horseshoe (NOT healthy, just a 'lighter' version of the original!)

Healthy Recipes from My Kitchen (all linked to the post)

• Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadillas with Fire Roasted Red Pepper Soup
• Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onion Tart (made with low-fat crust) &Spinach Citrus Salad (with a light citrus dressing)
• Shredded Pork Soft Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw (try it with corn tortillas and leave off the Guac. for a super healthy meal)
• Tuscan Veggie Pappardelle
• Asian Slaw in Baked Wonton Cups, Spicy Asian Chicken Meatballs (great healthy appetizers!)
• Herb-Citrus Inspired Turkey Dinner with Fixings - all super healthy!
• Spicy Orange Chicken Stir-Fry
• Asian Salad with Chicken Potstickers and Carrot Ginger Dressing
• Rice Noodle Slaw Salad Bowls
• Fajita Pasta
• Roasted Beet Spinach Salad
• Butternut Squash, Stilton, and Apple Phyllo Tart

Reader Question/Updates/Plans!

Today's Reader Question comes from: sunflowerramos!

I would love to know your eating/exercise habits.
My exercise habits have changed throughout my weight-loss journey. At first, I was soley using the elliptical and walking my dog. That took me through the first 50 lbs. After that, I started running with the C25K. Then I started using The Shred. I like to change it up depending on the season, and how my body feels.
In the very beginning, I was more focused on cardio and building up resistence and working out longer. Also, I bought an elliptical, so I mostly did that.
After I got bored with the elliptical, and the weather was nice, I started C25K.
Then I wanted to start doing weight training for some muscle definition, so I started The shred.
Now, I use a mixture of everything, some days I run and shred, some I just shred, some I just run, some I swim at the Y. I try to do something every day, no matter how short (20 min. shred) or long (2 hour walk with Pumpkin).


My eating habits have been pretty much the same throughout, I've just recently upped my calories.
Here is a snipet from another post where I talked about food and my food blog:
"I try to keep my dinner to 700 calories each night. I also try to make sure I have one starch, one lean protein, and 2-3 vegetables. From the healthy living standpoint, I use almost no pre-packaged products (with the exception of coindiments) and I use minimal canned vegetables or pre-made sides. If there is a specific recipe you want a caloric breakdown for, please ask! Also, most of my meals are made for 2-3 servings (so my husband has some extra). "




Do you use a journal?
For ther first 50 lbs, I used a journal. It really helped me track my food and exercise. It also had a glossary in the back that had calorie counts for common fruits, veggies, meats and starches.
Here is a snipet from a previous post that I wrote about the journal:
"The journal I used, I Will Lose Weight This Time, is set up like a reference book with helpful tips, as well as a guide to calories and fat in certain foods, it also has interactive sections where you can record your weight loss goals, it encourages many small goals. It also has a place for you to put your measurements and a picture.I used the food diary section for the first 3 months of my weight loss process, just so I could get used to counting calories and remembering how many were in each food I ate. It also has little stickers for you to put on the day when you did a good job!The daily journal has a place for your weight, foods you've eaten, and exercise, so you can keep track of it all."




Updates:
Back in the day when I was starting my weight loss, I would weigh myself on Friday and Monday, hoping to see a -1 each time. Then I started to slow down, and only weighed on Friday, hoping to see -1. Now that I've got momentum working and I've been doing well, I'm going to try to get off the last 19 (yes, I'm down one more!) in the same fashion. It is an unfortunate time (CHRISTMAS!!!) to try to lose the weight, but since my body seems to be working the way I want it to right now, I'm not going to try to hold off and maintain until after Christmas.
It's so interesting how the body works, some months it's torture to lose 1 lb., sometimes I'll take off 2-3 in a week when it seems like I'm just sort of trying.


and now, Plans!
My plan for the last 10 is to have a big old countdown going on, and put in lots of photos of me along the way. Since I'll be at my parents for Christmas, I'll try to gather some photos that mark the lbs. along the way. Now I still have 9 to lose before this starts, but I'm getting really excited. I'm going to need everyone's support, especially now and during the next 2-3 months!


So this might be my last post until after the holidays. I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year! Be safe, indulge a bit, have a great time with family and friends, and workout hard!


As an aside,
I am so floored by the support and amazing comments you all left on my 'reward outfit' post! Seriously, it meant so so so much to me. I can't thank you all enough. It's been a long journey, and I'm excited that we're so close to hitting that -100!!! I really do feel so great, and I really appreciate the motivation you all provide.

So I'll leave you with a few photos from our Christmas card session back in November!

My reward outfit :)

With Christmas parties upon us, as well as church and dinners, I wanted to have a nice new outfit to wear because I keep under-growing my clothes! Since I hit -80, I decided to go out and buy something nice for myself. Money is tight, but I had some great coupons... and I deserve it!

So I went to The Limited - one of my favorite stores, because I had a 50% off coupon. I saw the black top, which I LOVED, but couldn't find any skirts or pants that matched.... until I found white pants. Now I've had an aversion to white pants my whole life because 1. only skinny people should wear them, and 2. i am accident prone. JJ convinced me to at least try them on. Well when I put the whole outfit on, I absolutely LOVED it.

I know, to some people white pants is like - - - whatever. Pants are pants. But for me, it's just another super duper high feeling, and it makes me sooooo happy that I've been working so hard. Shopping is so much more fun now when I can go into a store and literally try on anything, and it's not the biggest size they have!

So anyway, there's the new outfit (and the boots were $15 at rack room (another 50% off coupon on already marked 50% off boots!) I clearly don't know how to pose in a photo of just myself... but oh well!

80!

After hovering around the 77-78 lb. lost mark, I finally hit -80 lbs. this morning!
I was kind of in shock... I've been trying really hard to eat less because I haven't been working out as much (stupid cold weather)! So I was hoping to maybe lose 1 or 2 at the most, but I got 3 and hit -80!
So now I'm down to 20 to go. And at the worst time for me, really. Christmas + New Years + Cold Weather = Hard to lose weight!!! I love summer when the produce is fresh and the air is warm and I'm so much more inclined to be active... But no excuses, clearly I can do it.

Now I'm off to go run on the treadmill (boo) - but Sunday it's supposed to be 53! Hopefully I'll get in 4.6 outside then!

New Running Shoes! (and the funny story that got me them....)

Since I started running, I knew that my adidas crosstrainers weren't perfect, but were still nice shoes. I wanted to get a pair of running shoes, but I heard they were very expensive. And really, did it matter that much if I, a non-competitive "runner", had running shoes? I didn't think so, but my dad had a different take on that...


About 2 months ago, my sister, brother-in-law, mom and dad all came out to Bloomington to visit. My sister had planned on going running with me Saturday morning, but didn't want to get up as early as I did, so I went without her. Well after I got back from running 4 miles (my longest to date then) I was so happy, and bragged a little to my dad. He then decided to go for a run while I got breakfast ready, and Kristine decided to go with him - one problem, she forgot her running shoes! Luckily, we're about the same size, so she borrowed my adidas'. When they returned from their 5 mile run, she stormed in the house and proceeded to tell me my shoes were crap, how could I possibly run in them, and I NEEDED to get proper running shoes...


Before my parents left that weekend, my dad told me he was so proud of my running accomplishments, and he wanted to buy running shoes for me. He told me that when I came home at Thanksgiving, we'd go buy them because Bob Ronkers, a shoe store in Cincinnati, and the location of registration pick-up, had a store wide sale the day before the race. I was so happy, I'd finally get running shoes!


So fast forward to last Wednesday - my mom, dad, JJ and I went to Bob Ronkers to pick up the numbers and get new shoes. My dad told me a sales person would come up to me and I should tell them it was my first pair, and they would ask me questions and fit me properly. So I was browsing through the shoes when someone came up to me - his name was Bob. He introduced himself and we chatted for 15 minutes about my running and what I was looking for. He then sized me and went to the back room to find some shoes he thought would be good for me. My dad came over with a big smile on his face and said, "Thats Bob!!!" (as in Bob Ronkers, the owner!) He then spent another half an hour with me while I tried on a few brands of shoes and different sizes, he took me to the back room and had me walk on the incline, and he gave me a great pep talk for the 10k the next day. He even told me that I would be OK to wear my new shoes!


So I ended up getting Nike Air Pegesus shoes! They were stickered at $85 there, and we got them 20% off - a great deal! I HIGHLY recommend anyone in Cincinnati shop at Bob Ronkers for their running shoes and apparel, as that was all on sale too. Bob even recommended some socks to me, explaining that cotton was not desirable for running as it held moisture. I ended up with zero blisters and no foot pain at the race!


Well, Kristine didn't take well to my dad buying me new running shoes and not her, she suggested it was all a ploy to make it into the blog - lol. How many people even read this? I don't know... but it's funny to me. So THANKS first and foremost to Kris. If you never complained about my 'crappy not running shoes', Dad never would have offered to get me new ones! Thanks to Dad, for buying me my first pair of big girl running shoes! Thanks to Bob Ronkers for helping me find a fantastic pair of shoes, and for telling me I'd be ok to wear them at the race!


Here's a photo of Kris, Dad and I at Thanksgiving... see, you're both in the blog equally :)


and PS - to anyone wondering, around 12,000 people ran the T-day race, so they give you a chip to put on your shoe that calculates when you start and finish - there were so many people I didn't even cross the start line until 10:40!