Thursday, June 30, 2011

I'm Taking a Supplement

I'm not a big supplement taker. Mainly because I don't want to take something I haven't researched and then just end up putting more crap in my body.  I don't really have a lot of time for research.  Multi-vitamins are about as much of a supplement as I get.  When I was pregnant I also took an iron supplement, but that's it.  However, four years ago when I first lost weight I read about Conjugated Linoleic Acid or CLA in Tosca Reno's book, The Eat Clean Diet.  She wrote, "it is used to promote fat loss and growth of lean muscle tissue.  It is highly effective in assisting with weight loss and seems capable of changing your body composition."  That sounded pretty good to me!  However, I researched it a little and found out that you shouldn't take CLA when you're nursing because it can be passed to the baby and you don't want your baby losing fat.  So, I put it off and got pregnant again and then nursed again and now I'm finally to a point where I can take it. 
Now, please hear me when I say this.  I do not believe for one single minute that CLA is a miracle supplement that is going to melt the fat off my middle, butt and thighs and give me long sleek muscles.  I do think that it might help get that process moving a little faster if I'm doing the workouts and eating right as well.  So, I just started taking CLA yesterday.  I take one pill with every meal.  We'll see what happens.
What about you?  Are there any supplements that you're taking?  Anything that you swear by?

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Reality Check

You know how when you go on vacation you take lots of amazing pictures of yourself and you're happy with every single one of them and feel like you could be on the cover of the next fitness magazine?  Yeah, me neither.

So, we did go on vacation and we did take lots of amazing pictures, just not of me.  I mean my husband took some pictures of me like this one.  And I thought okay, not great, but not totally horrible.  I mean I have on make up, my hair is done, my boys are being goofballs and I'm smiling.  I mean yes, I can see the chub in my midsection, but I'm not surprised.  I know it's there.  No big deal.
Then my sweet well meaning husband takes this picture and I think,  Wait! No! That is not me!  Someone has totally messed with this picture.  I do not look like that!  Then like being slapped across the face I realize yes that is me.  Yes that's my stomach rolling like the river over my thighs and yes my arms really are the size of tree trunks.  Okay, so I know that pretty much anyone that is bent in this position will have stomach rolls.  BUT I didn't expect it to look like this on me.  It was at this point that I politely told my husband that I would no longer be in any vacation photos and he politely responded with the fact that I would be in photos.
I'm glad he told me that I had to be in pictures because we got this cute one.  No I'm not happy with how I look, but it's our family and I'm part of it.  Rolls and all.
I hate that middle picture.  Despise it.  Loathe it.  But you know what?  I'm glad he took it.  I needed that reality check.  I needed to see that the crap I'm eating is turning my body to crap.  I needed to see that the lack of exercise is turning me into something I hate.  I needed to see that no matter how I fix my hair or how much make up I put on or I cute I dress that being fat is not cute or pretty.  All the make up, cute clothes and great hair can't hide the rolls.  It sucks, but it's my reality, it's my truth and I'm going to change it.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Back from Vacation and a Big Yummy Salad

Okay so first, the following pictures are total crap. I still don't have a working camera and so I'm using my phone. Sorry. Moving on.

We are back from our amazing vacation. We spent two weeks with my brother-in-law and his wife in Seattle and it was wonderful. It is beautiful there and we definitely enjoyed escaping the 100+ heat in Austin for 60 degree days in Seattle. We ate out a lot. I was surprised however when I got home to find that I had only gained 3 pounds. I was expecting a lot more. Yeah! Now to get that off. Here's a picture from some of the beautiful scenery on our drive through the Cascade Mountains.

Once we got home I was ready to eat some veggies.  I was seriously craving them.  I think it's funny how once you start eating pretty healthy that your body will start craving the good for you foods when you don't have them.  So, I decided a big salad was in order for our dinner last night.  I used Green Leaf Lettuce, Spinach, Grape Tomatoes, Avocado, Cucumber and Carrots. 
Making the salad also let me use my new salad spinner that I got for cheap at IKEA.  This thing is awesome.  So easy to use.  I dumped in the greens that I wanted to use, used the little slotted inner bowl as my colander when I rinsed and then just stuck it back in the spinner and started spinning.  It got the leaves super dry and saved me time and paper towels.
This is what I ended up with.  I picked up a new salad dressing at the store.  I had never seen or heard of SASS dressings before, but it caught my eye this time.  I brought it home and I love it.  I tried the Smokey Ranch dressing and it was delish.  It almost tasted like Bacon Ranch.  Besides being delicious here are some other reasons I love it:  32 calories a serving, no ingredients that I didn't easily recognize, no corn syrup, and they're located in Austin (I love supporting local businesses).  After reading some of their website I think I'm even more in love.  I am going to pick up some of the Sesame Garlic dressing next time I'm at the store to use on chicken.  When we were in Seattle we had some amazing take-out from a terayaki place and there was a garlic sauce for the chicken that was awesome!   I'm hoping this dressing compares.  I'll let you know.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

I'm on vacation!

Sorry I've been absent for a little while, but I'm on vacation.  I meant to set up some blogs to post automatically while I was gone, but I didn't get around to it.  I promise to be back soon.

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

I resisted...

Tonight I really wanted to dig into the pint of Starbucks Hot Chocolate Ice Cream that is sitting in my freezer.  I wanted it soooo bad.  But every time I started to walk to the freezer I would have thoughts of that smokin' hot little number I plan on wearing when I reach my goal weight and I would stop.  Motivation is a powerful thing, a powerful thing my friends. 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Fresh Fruit and Eggs!

The other day my mom called and said that she had some fruit and eggs left over from a brunch at her house and she wanted to know if we wanted them.  She didn't have to ask twice!  We love blueberries and strawberries around this place and can't get enough of them.  She also gave us 4 dozen eggs.  Let's see, that will last us about 3 days : )  Seriously my boys love eggs. So thankful for a mom who blesses us with yummy healthy goodness.
**by the way....I store all my berries in jars.  I think it helps them last longer.  I don't know if this is actually true, but it's my opinion.

Monday, June 6, 2011

New Books!!

I love to read.  I especially love to read cookbooks.  I devour them front to back as soon as I get them.  I'm also beginning to love read books about health just as much.  I got some good books this week!  I can't wait to go through them.  I'll share my thoughts about them when I'm finished reading.  Can't wait to see what I learn.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Rewarding My Efforts

I've been trying to make healthy choices. Over all I'm doing pretty good. I'm not perfect, but I'm not expecting perfection so it's okay.  There are days when I take a step and move forward, like when my only option is Chick-fil-a and as much as I want a regular chicken sandwich and waffle fries and a Dr. Pepper, I order a grilled chicken sandwich on a whole wheat bun with a side of fruit and a Coke Zero.  Days when I make a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Then there are days when I take a step and move back, like eating a big bowl of Frosted Mini-Wheats for dinner when my husband and kids are out.  And there days when I take a step and fall flat on my face, like ordering the fried chicken sandwich and fries and Dr. Pepper.  But, I always get back up and keep going.  Step after step after step.
So, to celebrate my steps forward I decided to get some super cool feathers in my hair.  My dad asked if I was getting in touch with my inner hippie : )  Anyway, I love them and get compliments on them all the time.  I'm learning that rewards don't have to be food.  There are all kinds of great things you can reward yourself with.  Fun nail polish (or if you've done super good then go get yourself a real live manicure or pedicure and sit in one of those fancy smancy vibrating chairs!), new clothes, sweet new haircut, or new hair feathers.  Go on reward yourself for good choices and good behavior!  You deserve it! 

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Salmon Cakes

Why are they called cakes?  There's nothing really cakelike about them.  They're not fluffy, they're not sweet.  But boy oh boy are they good.
The other day I was looking for recipes on Epicurious.  I wanted to do something new with my zucchini.  I happened across this recipe for salmon cakes that included zucchini and thought I would give it a shot.  The original recipe used mayo and had a fennel slaw as a side.  I just wanted the cakes and so I didn't do the slaw.  I also subbed greek non-fat yogurt for the mayo and made a few other changes.  It was delish!
Here's my version:
Salmon and Zucchini Cakes
3 Tablespoons Greek Non-Fat Yogurt
Juice from half a lemon
Chopped Chives (I just grabbed a handful from the garden, not precise)
1 TBSP Dijon Mustard
2 Cans of Salmon, drained and flaked
2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread, toasted and pulsed in a food processor to make into crumbs
1 Zucchini, grated

In a small bowl combine yogurt, lemon, chives and mustard.  Set aside.  In another bowl combine salmon, bread crumbs, and zucchini.  Then add yogurt mixture and combine.  From salmon zucchini mixture into small cakes.  Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes per side (until browned).  There's nothing in this that's raw that you have to make sure is cooked.  So, just cook them until they brown on both sides.

I had mine over fresh spinach with a side of apples and it was perfect. So, go try some Salmon Zucchini Cakes. Just don't expect anything sweet or fluffy : )