Posts from — March 2011

Thank you guys for helping me not feel so badly about my head!  LOL!  Now we really need to put our odd-shaped heads together and come up with a cool headband that will stay!

So, today was the start of weight training!  After pouring over Tosca’s recommendations in The Eat Clean Diet Workout, I finally put together my first workout.  I headed to the basement, readied my weight bench and dumbells and got to it.  I warmed up with 15 minutes on my 100 yr. old stepper, then started the lift…

Try not to hysterically laugh at that wussie amount of weight, Lori, Miz and Janetha!  Well okay, you can laugh.  I sure was while doing it!  I can’t believe what a weakling I am!  Hey, but we all gotta start somewhere, right?

Anyway, it was fun!  I am committing to doing weight training 3 days a week.  I’ll take my measurements and check them in a month or so.  Should be cool to see if I see flab shrinkage

After pumping feathers iron, I fixed up a protein packed breakfast – egg white omelet with light mozzarella and a side of pan-fried Canadian bacon (4 PP)…

Lunch was a delicious mix of random eats from the fridge.  A scant cup of Creamy Asparagus Soup, Cheese Stuffed Roasted Peppers, carrots, Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and a Thomas’ Pretzel Bagel…

A 10 PP tasting lunch!

I must confess, I picked up more of the pretzel bagels today while running errands.  They are just too good, but only 3 PP so very easy to fit into the plan.  For those that asked, I have seen them at both Walmart and Target.

After having those delicious Cheese Stuffed Roasted Peppers that my Mom made, I knew it wouldn’t be long before I made them.  Mom originally saw the recipe on The Cooking Channel, but tweaked it a little.  I did the same based on what I had on hand.  This was the perfect recipe to use up the roasted peppers I made last Sunday! 

Cheese Stuffed Roasted Peppers

• 4 whole roasted red peppers
• 1 egg
• 1 cup reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Mix cheeses, egg and thyme in a small bowl. Set aside.
Cut each pepper in half lengthwise. Stuff each half with about 2 tablespoon of the cheese mixture.
Place stuffed peppers in a shallow baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and set.

Serves 4.  Each serving (2 stuffed pepper halves) is 3 PointsPlus.

These are so good!  You can also used jarred roasted peppers if you don’t want to roast your own, just make sure you drain and dry them well before stuffing with the cheese mixture.  Also, I think so many cheeses would work well in this recipe, so use whatever you have and try them!

Afternoon snack – the standard Green Monster (1 PP)…

I was in the mood for a big taco salad for dinner, but didn’t quite have all the right ingredients.  I threw together a makeshift one (10 pp)…

• 3 oz.  taco seasoned 96% lean ground beef
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1 oz. cheddar cheese
• carrots
• romaine
• 1 tbsp. guacamole

Works for me!

Have a great day, everyone!

What is your favorite vegetable?  I really most of them, but I’d have to pick carrots as my favorite!

Let’s talk about the bizarre shape of my head for a minute, shall we?  In an effort to contain my Bride of Frankenstein hair while running, I put on this headband (pardon the gray, it’s color time) …

But, headbands do not stay on my head because I have this bulbous top, but flat bottom.  They always slide up the back of my pancake head! 

Ironically, the headband was called Stay Put, too.

Fail.

In other non-deformity related news, guess who’s my new running partner???…

My DAD!!!!

He’s always been an avid exerciser, but not really a runner.  Lately, he’s been hammering it out on the treadmill and told me he’s been running almost 3 miles in 30 minutes!  Holy Speed Demon! 

I told him he should do the upcoming 5K with me.  He was interested, but wanted to give running outdoors a whirl first.  So, he and I met this morning at my usual trail and set off doing 3:1 intervals.  He stuck with my pace the whole time, although I’m certain I was holding him back from going faster! 

We finished up at 2.45 miles….

Way to go, Dad!  I definitely see a 5K in his future

And he wants a “Gymbob” now!  I kept saying, “GYMBOSS, Dad, GYMBOSS.”  LOL!

Before meeting up with Dad, I had a fun breakfast thanks to this new find…

Pretzel BAGELS!  Who can resist that combo?!

I added the salt to make the bagel a “pretzel” and served it with a fried egg ( 5 PP)…

So good and doughy! 

The bagels taste exactly like a soft pretzel.  This is a bad thing for me since I LOVE soft pretzels.  Luckily, the family likes them as well, so they should be gone soon.

For lunch, I brought back the salad kit .  In the mix…

• romaine lettuce
• 2 oz. leftover bbq chicken (from the weekend)
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup lite 3 cheese blend
• 1/3 cup chopped carrots
• 2 slices center cut bacon
• 2 tbsp. Hidden Valley light ranch dressing

A big and crunchy 8 PP…

Afternoon snack – a deep Green Monster (1 PP)…

Dinner was a family favorite – Chicken Cutlets- along with the not so favorite sweet potatoes and broccoli rabe (13 PP)…

I roasted the sweet potato slices on a sheet pan like this…

then topped them with cheddar cheese and ran them under the broiler…

What’s not to like?!  *shoots daggers at family*

More for me!

Have a great day, everyone!

Are you a headband wearer?

Such a slow moving day today!  The daughters have been sick, so there’s been lots of lounging in pj’s;  myself included!

In an effort to keep the sickness from attacking me, I’m spraying Lysol like a banshee and eating well

Breakfast started it off with an open-faced egg white omelet with turkey sausage and cheese (5 PP)…

Lunch was a big bowl ‘o green…

This Creamy Asparagus Soup is delicious!  Served with a simple turkey wrap – 2 oz. turkey, lettuce and wasabi mustard rolled in a La Tortilla Factory tortilla…

A satisfying 7 PP lunch…

I had a nice treat in the afternoon.  Veronica submitted these Double Chocolate Banana Muffins for the buttermilk BSI challenge a couple of weeks ago and I had to make them…

Each standard sized muffin works out to 5 PP.  They are light and chocolaty.  The daughters are loving them, too!

Despite the cold weather, the sunshine was making me want to grill.  A summertime bbq was the theme!

Burgers (96% lean) with 2 % cheese on whole wheat buns (8 PP), baked fries (4 PP) and pineapple…

Eaten while dressed in two sweatshirts, flannel sweatpants and singing , “Summa, summa, summertime” between bites.

I’m finishing the evening mapping out my strength training plan.  I know I keep saying that, but I really am DOING it !!  The problem has been that I can’t seem to find the right fit.  I’m probably making this way harder than necessary, but I feel like I need to fully understand this whole weight lifting thing.  I tried to delve into the slow weight training movement, however, after a few workouts, I realized that I don’t have the patience for this type of workout (or a lot of other things – HA!).  Sad, but true.

Anyhow, I came upon this book in the library…

It’s EXCELLENT for a confused beginner like me!  Tosca Reno takes a basic approach in explaining weight training, then guides you through the different exercises, showing proper form and giving tips for a successful workout.

I just got to the best part…

Off to formulate my plan!

Really! 

I mean it! 

I’m gonna do it!

Have a great day, everyone!

How many times a week do you strength train?