Mmeeehhhhhhh!

This week started off a little more entertaining than it has become...so we had to try to liven it up a bit.

Monday was our 2 week weigh in for our family competition...and while I knew I wasn't going to win because my husband beat me by 0.27% lost...I was disappointed (excited for her, though) that our cousin, Courtney, beat us.  (BTW - I rescind my "suck it"...I know you did a lot of walking this last week and it looks like it paid off).

But what it comes down to is that we each lost about 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks...which is GREAT but it was also a little disappointing - because my instant gratification turned on.  I just want it gone!!  I know its not going to happen quickly, but I do have a hard time accepting that sometimes because it came on SO easily.

Anyway, Monday night I decided it was about time to "create" my own recipe.  We made burritos with ground beef, black and kidney beans, whole wheat tortillas, lettuce, a little cheese and some cauliflower "rice".  It was pretty good, but I have to tweak it a bit before I put it up in the recipe section.  I'm excited that many are enjoying/looking forward to the baked banana oatmeal...you are, if you have not yet experience it, in for a real treat.

Tuesday, we decided that we were a little curious about how many calories and grams of fat are in some of our meals.  We started putting in some recipes...and were actually a little disappointed.   Its not that the food was bad...it was that we're probably now eating anywhere between 1800-2100 calories a day and yet we are losing weight just through eating better.  I was disappointed with how awful we were treating our bodies before.  I know I should be happy about how much better we are doing...but it's hard not to be upset about the damage we were doing for so long.

Food-wise...we got a little bored with our roasted tomato and basil leftovers this week...so leftovers I think are going to have to be frozen for a different week...which kinda made our week of meals a little bland.  BBQ Chicken Pizza Pockets were good...you should check them out!!

With all of the mmeeehhhh this week, we decided to step it up a little bit.  We've been trying to get out on walks everyday...but between going out to shoot and editing photos...we get a little lost for time.  By the time we think about getting out to walk, it's starts to get dark.  And between that and the back and forth weather, we decided to get The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout the Xbox 360 kinect.

We started it last night and I liked it a lot...I was sweating up a storm...and while I'm not feeling too beaten up today, I was feeling it during - tried to push through the pain, but it was getting the better of me.  Kurt is having a little more trouble with it, because they give you a very quick here's how to do it, but he has a little more trouble following along, but I think if he does it more...it should get better. 

So I'm trying to get out of my funk, so it doesn't start to get the better of me.

On a more positive note, our seeds are growing like gangbusters in their little greenhouse...and of course we aren't ready to plant them outside yet...but I'm hoping so soon because I really am excited for them to grow.  We've planted thyme, cucumbers, carrots, jack-o-lanterns, cilantro, snow peas, basil and sugar pumpkins.  I am SO excited!!

What is wrong with us?!

Hello all,

I know that we haven't been the bastion of good health for many years but now that I know what "real food" is and tastes like I don't want to go back to my old way eating garbage.  As many of you know or don't know I like to see what is going on in the world, much to Candace's dismay sometimes... but I felt it necessary to post this story.

I came across this article and nearly gagged on many many levels.  I read this story on msnbc.com http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/23/11357034-did-heart-attack-burger-claim-a-second-victim-at-vegas-diner?lite&preview=true and was horrified by this restaurant.  The "Heart Attack Grill" are you freaking (I want to use much harsher language ) kidding me? It figures that a city that would benefit from a meteor hitting it would allow this affront to humanity to be built.  The burger buns are covered in lard and the largest item on the menu has over 8,000 calories in it. That is over 4 days of food in one burger.

I understand obesity and the causes of it but to reward something that WILL kill you is insane.  One of the advertisements is if you weigh over 350 pounds you eat free. I expect a old time carnival barker yelling out front "That's right folks, if you have given up on ever improving yourself and want to die young and sick eat yourself to an early grave on us." They have a ambulance parked out front for Christ sake!?! 

I realize this anger might be surprising from me, but after losing 5 pounds in 2 weeks by eating the correct portions of unprocessed foods it makes me so angry to see businesses pray on the anguish that obese people feel about themselves is immoral.  The idea old idea of a jolly old fat person is patently ridiculous. At the beginning of this, I was 265, about 75 pounds overweight with a BMI of 34 which put me in the obese category.  I know that my weight isn't that severe but I now realize how bad I felt before even with a 5% decrease in weight. Imagine if you are 200 pounds overweight, and imagine how horrible you feel physically. Then triple it then you have an idea what it does to you emotionally. Have you ever watch "Horders" and do you notice how many of them are obese?

This wretched place helps perpetrate the myth eating bad food is cheap and good food is for those with money.  Our food bill has decreased by half by eating good. It rewards activity that requires help from loved ones and those in the health profession.  This type of restaurant and its promo's are like a bar saying "If you drink till you pass out, then you drink for free" or "Have a DUI, then drink for free".  I hope the turd that opened the restaurant gets sued to bankruptcy. And to any would be patrons... Seriously? Do you play Russian Roulette when you are bored, do you drink rubbing alcohol when your run out of Rum? Why eat something that brags about "This Establishment is Bad For Your Health". My father brought this to my attention, 2 million US children go to bed hungry every night. How many children could be fed a well rounded meal rather than helping obese people kill themselves.  8,000 calories divided by 12 is about 670 calories, a large dinner for a child. 12 child for each of those meals that one person stuffs down there mouth.

Sorry for the rant, but this just made me very annoyed. My next post will be much happier I promise

Bye for now!

Fingernails Don't Belong Here

This whole eating better and getting off our butts thing has been working out pretty well...much better than I would have thought originally.  We are still trying to get used to some things.  For me that includes still having energy at the end of a more active day and eating things that I know are better, but that I'm not a huge fan of.

Yesterday and today have been filled with trying to fix the exterior of our new house.  We've finally have the front yard sprinklers working...only had to dig up half of them.  Luckily none of the pipes underground have broken.  But I've been pretty drained of energy by the end of it all.  I know that with time that will lessen, but it's a pretty big hurdle to overcome - because some days I'm still just looking for an excuse to stop.

Last night for dinner we had Roasted Tomato and Basil Casserole and I am anything but a tomato person...it's mostly a texture thing, but I also have a bit of an issue with the flavor.  I wanted to try it because I am extremely fascinated by the spaghetti squash, but I had to talk myself into it because of the tomatoes.  It was a bit of a struggle, but I figured the worst thing was that I didn't like it (Kurt, of course, will eat most things) and I just make something else.  It was a good thing though - I very much enjoyed it.  I still had a little difficulty getting past the skins and the sliminess but it's something that I would eat again.

With healthy eating comes new experiences.

If I had to complain about one thing though...it would be fingernails.  After 30 years on this planet and the conscious ones of biting my fingernails, I had finally given it it.  They were growing out and actually looking great.  Between mixing and kneading dough, continuous chopping of vegetables, grating garlic and cheese and working in the yard, I decided that fingernails don't belong here.  See...and you thought I was going to complain about all the food I'm "missing". :)

If you haven't seen it already, check out our breakfast this morning...Baked Banana Oatmeal.  It was super yummy!!

Excited for dinner tonight...making BBQ chicken pizza pockets with homemade barbecue sauce.  Will keep you updated!!