I am sitting here, happily (but tardily) writing this week's issuance from my sofa. Quite frankly, I am EXHAUSTED! I actually did back to back races this weekend - Saturday was the Central Market Thrill of the Grill 5K in Plano and this morning (yes...in the rain/wind/coolness) was the Heels and Hills 10K in Irving. When I did a quick check of the pedometer, when all was said and done, I have done 13.75 miles between Saturday and Sunday. Do you realize that this is MORE than a half marathon? I like to say that I did a half...it just took me TWO DAYS to complete it. I logged over 29,000 steps, did 13.75 miles, and burned over 1450 calories over the last two days. It should also be noted that I did sprint across the finish line in both races, although I did not run the entire two races. I jogged a bit on Saturday, and walked the 10K on Sunday.
The finishing touch to the whole race weekend was that I actually got to see Coach Dwayne this morning! He looked so great in a skirt (much better than me, anyway!). Men can do this race, but they have to dress in skirts to do it. Dwayne was pacing the 1:55 half marathon group. Quite comical. We had a superman, a guy in a mini skirt and fishnet knee-hi's (don't ask...) and someone in a kilt. I think that Heels and Hills is something that I will continue to do. Love what they stand for!
I think this is the reason that I am typing from the couch. I got home this morning after the race, pulled the Veracruz into the garage (hubbie advised this since there was yet another severe-potentially-hail-
I had a maintain week (up a slight .8 from last week. Anything over or under a pound is a maintain in my book. No need to obsess over minor fluctuations!) I am also beginning to settle nicely into the new job. I was also told that my manager would be taking care of the backfilling of my old job this coming week. Although I will be crossing my fingers, I will also NOT be getting my hopes up!
My goals for the upcoming week include the following:
- Submit my monthly reporting on time
- Don't go crazy while doing bullet #1
- Try to take a break to get some walking in, since I will in all likelihood be working from the house to accomplish bullet #1
- Track, track, track
- Reflect on how GREAT this weekend was
- Check in with my accountability partners for motivation and feedback
This week, the topic of our meeting dealt with keeping things interesting in the kitchen so you don't get bored. I know that with the introduction of the new Weight Watchers program, many of you guys may have been a bit gun shy, because of the way that PointsPlus are calculated. You may have found that you were sticking with the same chicken dish and same lunch or dinner for most of the week. The good news story is that most lean protein (chicken, fish, eggs, etc...) have NOT changed values with the shift in plans. Also, fruits and MOST vegetables are now zero PointsPlus values.
Our meeting focused on ways to beat boredom. An example here (that I liberated from this week's Weight Watchers Weekly) is:
If you always go for CHICKEN, you may want to try...
Grilled tuna steak, mahi-mahi and trimmed pork tenderloin for a similarly mild but appealing flavor. The PointsPlus values work out to be the same, 3 to 4. You can also add zing to lean turkey with sauces made with honey and mustard, apple and cranberry, tropical fruit salsa, or Indian-inspired lime, cucumber, and chutney. Shape ground turkey or pork into burgers, meatballs, or a wonderful meatloaf!
If you always go for APPLES, try...
Pears, kiwi, apricots, and cherries/blackberries. These are all good sources of fiber, and are all loaded with vitamins and minerals. Grab fresh apricots for an on-the-go snack instead of an apple, or slice kiwi in half crosswise and scoop out the flesh with a teaspoon. An easy taste treat: Grill pears for a sweet-smoky dessert (drizzle with balsamic vinegar and brown sugar or honey), or add your favorite berries to natural yogurt for a fresh and satisfying dessert or snack
If you always go for PASTA, try...
Quinoa, barley or whole-wheat couscous (technically a pasta!), for their satisfying texture and nutty taste. They're all Power Foods, too, with more fiber than pasta has. Quinoa also delivers 8 grams of protein per serving! Mix into salads, soups, and stews; or prepare as hot or cold side dishes.
If you always go for CARROTS, try...
Cucumber, fennel, jicama, snow peas, or even raw string beans as fresh, easy-prep alternatives to the old orange standby-and all three are zero PointsPlus value. Slice into sticks if necessary and then dip in low-fat hummus, salsa, or tzatzike (Greek yogurt dip) for a crunchy, fiber-packed snack.
If you always go for WATER, try...
Seltzer with slices of your favorite fruits and veggies-- lemon, oranges, watermelon, cucumber, mint, or lime. Or...just add a splash of 100% fruit juice (try cranberry, pomegranate, or grape) for sweet flavor without all of the PointsPlus values of juice alone. If you are a soda fan, consider investing into a carbonating machine (like Sodastream), to bubble up any drink, including tea. I actually bought one of these machines in 2005 because my husband and I prefer carbonated water to traditional sodas. Sometimes, I think that the only reason I drank sodas was for the carbonation, so this appliance filled that bill nicely!
If you always go for SANDWICHES, try...
Whole-grain tortilla wraps, corn tortillas or crispbreads in place of your usual bread slices. You can also get creative with the in-betweens; cottage cheese with red and yellow peppers, low-fat turkey with cilantro and homemade guacamole, or smoked trout with fresh spinach and cucumber slices.
What is Elissa eating these days? These are my favorites, of late!
- Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup Kellogg's All Bran Bran Buds, 1/3 cup pumpkin and a dash of pumpkin pie spice. If you need to cut the tang of the yogurt, use Stevia or agave nectar. Also add a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract if you like!
- Jazz, Pink Lady, or Fuji apples
- Cara Cara Navels
- Butternut Squash. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Nuke squash for three minutes in the microwave to soften the skin. Don't use a veggie peeler (I tried that this afternoon and proceeded to kill my Kyocera Ceramic one!!!). Cut squash in half and discard seeds and membranes. Cut skin off and cube squash into 1/2 inch pieces. The skin will be easy to remove due to the microwaving! Lay squash on a large baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for about 30 minutes or so, until squash gets soft. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice, a dash of kosher salt and about 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Mmmmm.....
- Chicken salad made with Costco rotisserie chicken. Pull breast meat off of chicken, and dice up. Add two to three tablespoons of Hellmann's Light Mayo, chopped celery, a bit of diced red onion and celery salt. Perfect on matzo or as a wrap!
- New potatoes
- Baby spinach wilted in a teaspoon of olive oil with garlic
I'd like to leave you with this quote from the meeting room. I love this because you do NOT have to deprive yourself. Just be smart and account for everything!
"Deprivation is one of the most fattening things you can have!"
~JC on Weight Watchers.com
Product Du Jour
At our race this weekend, I was introduced to Siggi's Icelandic Skyr Strained Nonfat Yogurt. Now, as a fan of Greek yogurt, I was excited to try it. The vanilla was so creamy and would be great frozen as a dessert! Worth trying. Website: http://skyr.com/
Website Du Jour
I am a follower of Laura Thornquist, "My D/FW Mommy" who appears on WFAA in the mornings. She is known for searching out the great local deals so that we don't have to stress over them. If you are living in the D/FW area, you should really check out Zaycon Foods. Their website is: https://www.zayconfoods.com/. I took advantage of a great deal last month on 93/7 ground beef. For $2.89 per pound (which is about 1/2 of the price in the grocery store), we were able to purchase the ground beef in bulk and as as a result, saved quite a bit of money.
The company is based out of Washington State, and does monthly sales events locally in a few states, Texas included. There are various pickups around the metroplex, including Frisco, Plano and Lewisville. They do everything, so that on the event day, all you do is print out your order confirmation and show up. You don't even have to get out of your car! They load it for you.
Below is a bit about their sales model. No, I was NOT compensated by the company, but I believe in spreading the word about great service and products where I can!
Having missed out on the chicken event back in Jan/Feb, I hope to take advantage the next time it comes around. You can also split your purchase(s) with other families to help save on cost as well!
| 1) COMBINED BUYING POWER | 2) DIRECT FARM-TO- CONSUMER | 3) SOLD BY THE CASE | 4) SELECT PRODUCTS | 5) SALES EVENT MODEL |
| We combine the buying power of many families together, enabling us to negotiate huge savings on food purchases for your family | We bring products direct from the farm / processor (or as nearly as direct as possible). The products are as fresh as if you had your own farm, but without all the chores | We sell food products only by the case. No extra costs for handling. And no more empty shelves in your pantry | We sell only what we eat ourselves—high quality, healthy food. Our focus is on a select number of commonly consumed food items such as fresh meats like chicken, beef, turkey, pork and fish | Our unique sales event approach turns traditional food purchasing on its ear. Convenient, quick, organized—about 2 minutes and you never even need to get out of your car |
Recipes
Spring Salad with Strawberries & Goat Cheese
Tangy goat cheese is the perfect balance for sweet strawberries. When strawberries are not in season, try thinly sliced, red-skinned pears.
Course: light meals
PointsPlus™ Value: 3
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10 min
Cooking Time: 0 min
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp orange juice
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp balsamic vinegar, aged-variety
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp table salt
4 cup(s) mixed greens (or use baby spinach if you like!)
1 cup(s) strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup(s) semisoft goat cheese, crumbled
2 Tbsp salted dry-roasted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
Instructions:
In a cup, stir together juice, oil, vinegar, pepper and salt; set aside.
Arrange mixed greens in a large shallow bowl; top with strawberries, cheese and nuts. Just before serving, stir dressing and drizzle over salad; toss gently but well. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.
