Heat Wave....

Well if I have not lost as much as I wanted to - after the next few days of sweating, I should meet my goal!!! We are under heat advisories and warnings - stay in the A/C ... check on your neighbors and elderly loved ones... Winter cannot get here fast enough!!!!

I have lost almost 30 lbs in the past three months.  I'm very proud of myself, ... still got a long road ahead....

New favorite meal:

Whole Wheat Pita Pizzas

A little olive oil brushed on the bread

Thinly Sliced Tomatoes

Thinly Sliced Red Onion

Chopped Roasted Garlic Cloves from Fresh Market

Fresh chopped Basil leaves

Chopped Kalamata Olives

Crumbles of Feta Cheese

Mozzarella Pearls

Baked at 375 for about 15-20 minutes till all is melted and bubbly...

Yummy....

I'm thinking of trying a more Middle Eastern one... using Hummus or Baba Ganoush as the base then toast it up with tomatoes, red onions, basil, parsley, garlic, squeeze of lemon juice, olives, and feta... I think it would be amazing.... 

I found the local Middle Eastern bakery in my city and bought up a bunch of pita fresh out of the oven - still warm in the bag - took them home and froze half and we've been eating sandwiches or making pita pizzas for dinners.

Greek Yogurt Kick....

Well I've had my first weigh in - and I lost 12 lbs... I didn't make it to 20 yet... so still trying...
I had gum grafting surgery on Friday, the 11th of July, and then on the 13th I had a fever and stomach "issues" - which lasted through out the entire week... Friend told me she knew about 5 people with the same "virus"... I'm not weighing myself until next week.

So.... because of the gum surgery I was advised to only eat mushy things/soft things, and that yogurt would be a good and healthy choice.  So, I tried the Greek Yoplait 100 calorie Black Cherry.... I blended it for about 5 minutes until there was no white and the consistency was of whipped cream or a lite mousse... and it was outrageously delicious.  NOW.... I'm hooked.  All I want is yogurt.  It soothed my stomach and seemed to help the "tummy issues"...

Today I went out and I bought:
3 Dannon brand Oikos
3 Chobani 100
3 Yoplait 100

I just finished the Oikos Blueberry, it had 130 calories, and it was delicious, but I like the Yoplait 100 better.

Chobani - nope, too sour, too yogurty for me...

Yoplait is my favorite!!!!!  I will give my son who loves any kind of yogurt my rejects!!!!!

Farmers Markets

This past Saturday I decided to go to the Farmers Market near our downtown.  I walked away with spending $13.00 for 3 full bags of zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, bell peppers, and tomatoes.

I took out the new bright red roasting pan and filled it with veggies and roasted them - served them over Whole Foods Organic Brown Rice mixed with Quinoa, Almonds, and Dried Cranberries...

Cubed:
2 Small Eggplants
2 Zucchini
2 Yellow Squash
1 Sweet Yellow Onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
2 Large Beefsteak Tomatoes
1/2 a cup of chopped pitted Kalamata Olives

Tossed them all with Olive Oil, Tuscan Seasoning Mix, Ground Black Pepper, and Garlic Powder

Roasted them till the eggplant was soft and things were browning (would stir things up every 15 minutes to cook evenly)

400 degrees/1 hour

Served it over the rice/quinoa mix and was a real hit with my son.... one bowl and you are full and satisfied...

As of this weekend... I'm down 12.6 pounds!  13 more days to lose 6.5 lbs and I'll have hit my first mini goal....  I don't see why I won't make it... I've been walking more, eating salads and lots of veggies with some whole grains... basically being HEALTHY!!!!!!!

New Shoes and Make Up Make Me Happy.... (week 2)

My Saturday was bliss:

Shopped at Sephora (bought Nars Satin Gloss Lipstick pencil in "New Lover") and Dior Forever Foundation (I tried the copycat Lancome version, couldn't compare); picked up samples of Issey's newest Summer scents

Shopped at Home Goods (found some beautiful lavendar colored sheets on sale)

Shopped at Tuesday Mornings and bought a Cuisinart bright red roasting dish

Went to Benjamin Moore Paint Store and picked up swatches for my kitchen backsplash... right now I'm leaning away from my original choice of a yellow/gold to traditional red.

By the time I was finished shopping 7 hours later, I was home watching a movie on the couch and wiped out. The heat and humidity did me in... but I have to say I had a most wonderful day doing my favorite thing - shopping with my best friend...

Sunday I went to Whole Foods and bought:

Eggplant, Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Bell Pepper, Campari Tomatoes, Japanese Sweet Potato, and Kalamata Pitted Olives; which I took home, peeled, chopped, tossed in Herbs du Provence, Garlic, and Olive Oil (added a chopped up sweet onion), and then roasted them for an hour at 375 degrees in my new roasting dish - then served them over some brown rice.  Very filling... and VERY healthy.

Week 1 - I lost 6.6 lbs...13.4 lbs more to go to reach my first goal.

When I reach my first goal, I will treat myself to something new to wear... I imagine I will reach that goal by the time I go to see the doctor.  It's always easy to lose 20 lbs at first - it's after that that I have to be realistic and my mini goals will have to get smaller every month... And I will never treat myself again to something food related, but reward myself with something more lasting like new shoes, shirt, pants, etc. or even perfume.  Have to train myself to not think food is a comfort or reward.

Hip Hip Hooray - the Weekend is Almost Here!

I am starting my weekend off early with a trip to Home Goods and Tuesday Mornings after work tonight.  I am looking for a good/solid roaster pan to do vegetables in... like a "knock-off" Le Creuset. Roasted Vegetables will be the main staple in my house for the coming weeks.  I LOVE shopping at these places... sometimes you can just find the BEST bargains and get the greatest things.. though it can be hit or miss.

I bought a dozen eggs, the expensive Free Range "Vegetarian" Brown Eggs in the fancy clear plastic packaging.  Their sale by date was July 26th!  Figured they have to be pretty fresh..coming from a grocery store and having over a month to go!!!  I took them home, tossed up a salad, hard boiled the eggs ...peeled them up, started to slice them in my salad, and come to find out - yep they were fresh but also fertilized! The WHOLE ENTIRE CARTON!  I'm off eggs for awhile! (It doesn't help that my grown son acted like a teenage boy, laughing and squeezing the eggs with the stuff and putting it in my face to watch me turn green)

This weekend is all about ME....  I will be getting out and shopping for bargains and just being out... unless the weather turns sour, I plan to be out and about and among the world... not on the computer, not in front of the tv, but out... regardless of whether it is 100 degrees and feels like a giant sauna...

Happy TGIF!!!!!!!

Mini-Goals and Bandwagons

Jumped on the Bandwagon 

Saw the doctor that will help me with losing weight, getting healthy, and supervising it all - someone to have to answer to besides myself, of course.  The MAJOR goal has been set... but, we are working on MINI goals...

First Goal:  20 lbs.
Next Weigh In:  July 14th
Daily Water Intake:  96 oz. (3 - 32 oz. cups)

So far, so good... I've been suffering from Hayfever, so lunches have been just a cup of soup and maybe a bite of a little side salad... dinner has been veggies...but I'm swimming in all the water and Herbal (No Caffeine) teas I've been drinking... I've had so much energy, I've ended up just crashing out before 11 p.m. - earlier and earlier and better and better sleep.  Love it!!!
  

Ahhhh The Weekend is Here!

I am so looking forward to this weekend.  Allergies and Asthma attacks are on HIGH right now... I'm exhausted from not breathing and sneezing ... time to just relax, chill out, read a good book, and finish watching Orange is the New Black - Season 2.

Because of doom and gloom attitude, allergies, prednisone, and any other excuse I can find... I fell so far off the wagon, and now have a huge climb back up to make.  I'm going to need some help, I'm going to have to stop making excuses, and so... starting Monday - I see the "Diet" Doctor - and I've already got plans the next week to take my first Zumba class!!

The OCD obsession with diets/recipes/weight/exercise begins on Monday.  In Orange is the New Black, one of the overweight guards has a step counter - and he is constantly working on moving... even when he's standing still he's stepping in place... that will be me... sans the fictional prison setting and characters!