jump to navigation

Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit January 31, 2011

Posted by cirellih in Food.
Tags: , , , ,
add a comment

I made Black Bean Soup the first week of January, and have been enjoying it ever since! The perfect lunchtime fix, a delightful dinner on the go, its possibilities seemed never-ending! My soup bowl has overrun with goodness. My soup seemed to last forever, but today was the sad day that brought an end to the magical soup.

The Recipe:

  • 1 lb. bag of dried black beans
  • 8 cups of water
  • 1 ham bone
  • 1 cup chopped ham
  • 2 cups of chicken stock
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 large carrots
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp cayenne powder
  1.  Soak the black beans overnight, making sure that the water is at least a few inches over the beans to account for expansion.
  2. Add the 8 cups of water and the ham bone to the beans and bring to a boil.
  3. Once the water has boiled, add in the stock, tomatoes, onions, carrots and cayenne powder. Reduce to a simmer.
  4. Let cook for simmer for 1.5 hours. Add in the chopped ham.
  5. Cook for an additional 1/2 hour. Remove the ham bone.
  6. Serve with a splash of vinegar or dab of sour cream. Enjoy!

 

Soups are such a wonderful way to get a hearty meal with lots of vegetables involved. I’m sad to see the black bean soup go, but it is an exciting prospect to think of my next project! Maybe a chili, perhaps a broth soup with greens… there are so many possibilities!

Saturdays are for Weight-Ins January 30, 2011

Posted by cirellih in Food, Goals, Motivation, Weight loss, Weight Watchers.
Tags: , , , , , , ,
add a comment

Each Saturday I sacrifice my precious sleep and join the 9:00 Weight Watchers meeting. We get checked in and then get weighed in each week before the meeting begins.

This week, I lost 2.8 pounds for a grand total of  10.4 pounds!!!! 

Just .6 more pounds until I meet my 5% goal!

I partially attribute my success to having healthy lunch ideas on hand. I never have a very long break, so this guy has been my lunch-time friend.

Say hello to my Bella Cuchina Panini Press. He’s a lifesaver. I can make delicious, warm and most of all healthy sandwiches in mere minutes. On todays menu was a pressed chicken sandwich with spinach, pickles and garlic and herb cheese. It was delicious!

I’m not sure what makes them so delicious, but instant gratification is definitely part of the appeal!

Fish are Delish January 29, 2011

Posted by cirellih in Food, Health, Planning, Weight Watchers.
Tags: , , , ,
add a comment

Friday Fish Night!!! Tonight I went for fish tacos and they were sublime, if I do say so myself!

Recipe:

  • Fillet of Tilapia
  • Mission small whole wheat tortillas
  • Baby Spinach
  • Orange Bell Pepper
  • Salsa Verde
  • Greek yogurt sauce with cilantro and onions

Pan fry the tilapia with a tiny bit of canola oil. Warm the tortillas in the oven for a few minutes. Place the baby spinach as a bed on the tortillas. Add the fish, pepper, salsa and yogurt sauce. Enjoy!!!

Easy peasy dinner full of veggies and delicious goodness!

An Overview January 29, 2011

Posted by cirellih in Food, Goals, Health, Weight loss, Weight Watchers.
Tags: , , , , , ,
add a comment

I thought that I might give a brief overview of the Weight Watchers program. There are many reasons as to why I chose WWs over other weight loss programs.

1. My mother had used the program years ago and had great success. I felt if they had been working for the past 20 years, they must be onto something!

2. The new points plus program is easy to follow. All that’s required of me is that I track the food that I eat each day… I’m pretty sure that their success is from a guilt complex. I continually find myself thinking throughout the day, “I shouldn’t eat that, or I’ll have to write it down.”

3. They have revamped the points plus program so that fruits and vegetables are zero points. It makes healthy choices easy when it’s a non-guilty way to snack during the day.

4. Weekly meetings help keep me on track throughout the week. Having a group of people that are all striving for the same goal is nice.  During the meetings the members relay what has worked for them, what hasn’t gone so well. There is a camaraderie of the group is inspirational.

5. The weigh-ins at each meeting are also helpful. There is accountability for what you ate, and how much you exercise during the week.

Each day, you are given a certain number of points based on your height and weight. This points value is calculated during the weekly meetings after the weigh-in. As you lose weight, the daily points value goes down until you reach the lowest value, 29.  So far, I have managed to stick to the plan and not go over my points many days.  My weight has gone down each week… so fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Pumping the Irons January 28, 2011

Posted by cirellih in Exercise, Food, Goals, Motivation, Planning, strength training.
Tags: , , , , ,
add a comment

As part of my new and improved exercise plan I have decided to add in some more strength training components. The hubby bought a Gold’s Gym Slant Bench which has an adjustable back and resistance levels which can be set to the desired level.

Not particularly the most complicated piece of equipment, but it allows me to work out my upper body and to attempt crunches. I’ve decided that strength training is an important aspect of my routine as well as yoga, walking, snowy outdoor activities, and eventually gym time.

My goal for the weekend is to plan out meals for the week. I think that this will counteract my typical behavior of standing in front of the fridge desperately hungry and trying to rack my brain for something to create from the meager foods left at the end of the week.

Weight Watchers has a cool system where you can type in a few foods that are in your fridge and they give you recipe suggestions. We’ll have to see what they come up with for pasta, cilantro, peppers, lettuce, ground beef, and chicken!

Besides, I have to be super healthy tomorrow… the day before the dreaded weigh in!