Saturday, January 31, 2009
Saturday
yogourt & granola
small glass of fruit/veggie juice
Morning snack:
coffee
grapes
Lunch:
my leftovers from last night's supper: 1 shrimp/scallop kebab and rice pilaf
Mid-afternoon snack:
hummus & 1 pita
Supper:
Chris & I were invited over to his parents' house* for his birthday supper, and it was fan-freakin-tastic! We supped on baked salmon, potatoes, veggies (carrots, peas, beans, corn and potoatoes), and spinach salad. For dessert, coffee and carrot cake (I purposely put no sugar in the coffee on account of the sugar in the cake. I figured it was a nice compromise? ;)). I could NOT refuse that carrot cake, and I'm glad that I didn't. Oh.so.good. Rose, thank you again for a delicious feed!
*Side-note: I hopped on the scale at the W's...if memory serves, the last time I visited (Chris' Mom's birthday first week of January) I also hopped on the scale. The jury's out on whether or not the scale itself is accurate with regards to actual weight...but aside from that, if memory serves, I'm down 13lbs from the last visit on the same scale??? That can't be right... I can't see where it moved from...I did hop on twice though. Can't argue with the scale though, right? Eeeeeee! :).
Healthy Links
http://bodyforlife.com/search.asp?contentType=article&dynamicPage=/nutrition/articles.asp
The owner of the blog was on a journey, much like my own, to live a healthier lifestyle, not "diet" (I personally don't think it's a coincidence that the word "die" is part of the word "diet", but I digress). I didn't review the entire site, thinking perhaps it was a progam thing where they make you pay a bazillion dollars for 'consults' and special pills and potions and the like. However this link has articles related to healthy salad recipes, how to eat out at restaurants, guilt-free desserts, etc. I wanted to ensure I had a way to get back to this information, plus, I figured I'd share it with any of you readers who might find this blog. Let's face it, being unhealthy is as easy as the big honkin' piece of pie you might have just consumed, but getting healthy takes work. A lot of work... Here's hoping that educating oneself on the proper choices to make will lead to easier food decisions for me, and you, if you're open to it.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Friday is here!
Breakfast:
bowl of granola & yogourt, with 1/2 banana
coffee
Mid-morning snack:
grapes
coffee
Lunch:
chicken wrap (on a tomato basil wrap, with greens, green & red peppers & mushrooms)
yogourt
1/2 banana
Afternoon snack:
apple slices with peanut butter
Supper:
As Chris had a birthday yesterday, I took him out to supper. We went to Mosaic, and I did my best to order a healthy alternative. Chris did want an appetizer, and he chose nachos,...I had a few because I was frickin starving, and we waited a long time to eat (the place was packed!). My main course was the shrimp & scallop kebabs with rice and greek salad. There were two kebabs, each with two shrimp and two scallops, in-between grilled red & green peppers. I ate the salad, one kebab, and a bit of rice. I saved the rest for lunch for tomorrow. Later on in the evening, we went to Mavors for "dessert", where Chris had the creme brule, and I had a B52 coffee (Starbucks coffee with Kahluha, Baileys and Grand Marnier, garnished with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.....YUM!). Feeling pretty full, but we had a fantastic night, and heck, it's been 4 weeks...I totally deserved it :). Happy Weekend!
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Thursday
Mid-morning snack:
coffee
Trail Mix granola bar
Lunch:
some grapes
Supper:
chicken wrap with greens, broccoli, cauliflower, red onion and a very small amount of shredded cheese (hint: I don't recommend broccoli or cauliflower in a chicken wrap. Salad? sure...not a chicken wrap)
small glass of fruit/veggie juice
Night snack:
big cup of vanilla tea...it's freezing in here! I might make some popcorn*...craving some crunch, but I have to stay good...
*I consumed a very large serving of popcorn...it wasn't that good at all,...and I'll be picking it out of my teeth for the next two weeks :S.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Wednesday
yogourt with granola & 1/2 banana
coffee
Mid-morning snack:
grapes
Lunch:
salad, with greens, green & red peppers, mushroom, broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, almonds and a boiled egg (obviously by the shear variety there wasn't an overabundance of each vegetable)
banana
green tea
Mid-afternoon snack:
hummus & carrots
grapes
Supper:
mashed potatoes, peas and shrimp
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Tuesday
bowl of yogourt & granola
fruit/veggie juice
Lunch:
egg salad sandwich on 12 grain toast
banana
green tea
Supper:
leftover chicken/rice/salsa/green peppers rolled up in a sun-dried tomato wrap, toasted. It was delish.
Night snack*:
1 small apple & 1/2 banana with peanut butter (light)
sleepy-time tea
*I had an excruciating urge for chips. Luckily there were none in the house.
Willpower?
Monday, January 26, 2009
Manic Monday
Supper:
chicken, green pepper & rice with salsa mixed in, and topped with tex-mex cheese (really good!)
yogourt with chocolate chips
Back on the wagon Sunday
Brunch:
banana
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 slices of 12 grain toast
coffee
Mid-day snack:
carrots, cucumber, peppers & some cut up apple (thank you Lana!)*
Supper:
pasta & spaghetti sauce
2 garlic fingers
green tea
small piece of apple pie (the crust was delicious)
*Lana had Chris & I over to her place Sunday afternoon for movies, and supper. I had taken the leftover nacho dip from Saturday night. She had prepared a plate of cut up veggies and some apple just for me. You're the bestest Lana. Chris finished the dip, and I'm happy to say that I didn't have 1!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
A Mexican Fiesta Saturday
banana
breakfast bagel from Timothys*
coffee
Mid-afternoon snack:
hummus
flatbread crackers
glass of fruit/veggie juice
Appetizers during the Mexican Fiesta with my work girlies:
a few - no, I lie - several dips of my walkin' nacho dip
3 chips w/ onion dip (man, it took some restraint)
several carrots & ranch dip (I did try to health it up, I swear!)
2 anijitos
1 glass of wine
Supper** during the Mexican Fiesta with my work girlies:
1 chicken fajita
1 small portion of a chicken enchillada
2 more anijitos (they were so fricken GOOD)
2 small mozza sticks
3 mugs of water
*The second surprise of the weekend. I kinda hoped Chris would return from his photo shoot with a coffee...how delighted was I when he came back with Timothys coffee...and Breakfast Bagels from there too. They're fan-freakin-tastic... bagel, with cheese, egg, green pepper, red onion, oh, and bacon. Real piggy bacon. *slurp*
**At first I contemplated not posting about my Saturday evening consumption, but this blog is all about being accountable, right...good and bad. I showed excellent restraint in not going back for seconds, I'll have you know. I also declined the delicious-looking Skor bar cake. That, my darlings, took a lot of restraint!
Friday, January 23, 2009
Finally Friday
yogourt, granola and a few sprinkles of chocolate chips (I ran out of my own Vanilla Activia and had to turn to Chris' 'Natural' stuff which tastes like a$$, so I needed the chocolate to disguise the taste of a$$)
small glass of fruit/veggie juice
Mid-day snack:
banana
green tea
Lupper:
chicken wrap on a tomato basil wrap, with greens, carrots, & cucumber.
yogourt
grapes
Evening snack:
havarti and Snackwell crackers
grapes
After work I was delighted to see a snack sitting in the fridge that Chris had picked up for me...I guess he heard me complaining all week about how hungry I was getting off the late shift. He had gone to Pita Express and got me a small chicken schwarma wrap (nothing like Cedars, but it still tasted delicious). Was this the precursor to a 'treat' weekend? Well, perhaps...
Thursday
yogourt & granola
small glass of fruit/veggie juice
coffee
Snack:
banana
green tea
Lupper:
shrimp/wild rice frozen dinner from High Liner
1 slice of 12 grain toast
apple slices with peanut butter
Evening snack:
hummus
flatbread crackers
Night snack (after getting off the late shift):
hummus
1 pita
small glass of fruit/veggie juice
Thursday, January 22, 2009
To juice, or not to juice...
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Hump Day
bowl of Special K
coffee
...
1 boiled egg
1 slice of toasted 12-grain toast
glass of fruit/veggie juice
(I tried to eat a big breakfast to get me through the early afternoon)
Afternoon break:
1/2 tomato basil wrap with light veggie cream cheese
grapes
green tea
"Lupper":
salad, with boiled egg, carrots, cucumber, havarti & almonds
2 slices of 12 grain toast
PM Snack:
apple slices dipped in peanut butter
After work, again starving, I grabbed a bowl of yogourt, granola, and a few sprinkles of chocolate chips (wow, it was soooo good). I *needed* the chocolate after a lousy day. I finished the day with a cup of sleepy-time tea, which did as it claimed, and lulled me to a sleeeeeepy state. G'night - I'm *almost* at the end of week 3! I also have a girls night planned on Saturday, and I guarantee there will be non-healthy snacking.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Tuesday
banana
coffee
yogourt & granola
glass of fruit/veggie juice
Mid-day snack:
1/2 banana
green tea
"Lupper":
salad, with mixed greens, 1 boiled egg, havarti cheese, sliced almonds, cucumber & carrot
hummus and 1/2 a pita
1/2 banana
handful of grapes
PM Snack:
remaining 1/2 pita & hummus
grapes
After returning home from work I had a bowl of oatmeal and a sleepy-time tea.
Forging ahead...
Monday, January 19, 2009
Monday
Breakfast:
bowl of Special K Vanilla Almond (I love it)
coffee
Mid-morning snack:
1/2 of a sun-dried tomato wrap with light veggie cream cheese
2nd mid-morning snack:
TrailMix granola bar
vanilla tea
"Lunch"/Supper:
egg salad sandwich (without mayo, margarine or butter - not by choice, by having nothing available) on toasted 12 grain bread
tomato soup
yogourt
grapes
Evening snack:
hummus with pita, carrots and cucumber
grapes
Update: After I got home from work I had to eat another snack, as I was ravenous:
apple with peanut butter (if you've never tried, do it)
cheese
sleepytime tea (yes, the goal was to put myself to sleep so I'd stop eating!)
Sunday
Breakfast/Brunch: (we never wake up early enough to eat twice between morning and afternoon on the weekend)
1 fairly large chocolate chip pancake*
coffee
Mid-day snack:
hummus, with pita and carrots
glass of fruit/veggie juice
Supper:
large bowl of chicken & wild rice soup
1/2 peanut butter sandwich
Evening snack:
caramel tea
popcorn (we watched another movie)
*I woke up with a craving for them and Chris was cooking for me, so I wasn't going to toy with cravings, nor ruin the 'waited on' circumstance!
Saturday, January 17, 2009
A Cold Saturday
Breakfast/Brunch:
2 boiled eggs
2 slices of 12 grain toast
Mid-day snack:
peppermint tea
oat cake
Supper:
skillet (hashbrowns, peppers, onions & chicken bacon)
1 slice of 12 grain toast
glass of fruit/veggie juice
Night snack:
popcorn to go with our movie night
TGIF!
Breakfast:
bowl of Oatmeal Crisp cereal
coffee (ran out of yogourt and granola!)
AM Snack:
Trail Mix granola bar
coffee
Lunch:
leftover pasta dish from last night with shrimp, mushrooms & peas
salad, with greens, peppers, cucumber, almonds and cheese
PM Snack:
yogourt
havarti cheese and 10 Snackwell crackers
Supper:
1 hard-boiled egg and 1 slice of 12 grain toast (I wasn't that hungry so I will save my 2nd egg and piece of toast for when I come home, or tomorrow)
Night snack:
Tonight was my stamp club so the lovely host, Angela treated the girls to a special little something...ice cream topped with Baileys Carmel sauce...so.fricken.good. I asked for a small, small dish, and lapped it up like a crack addict. Coming home after, I felt a little peckish, but made myself a cup of tea instead of snacking.
Friday, January 16, 2009
D'OH!
It's not payday today.
It's next week.
I have one more week and am presently back in my OD.
It was a wonderful feeling while it lasted. At least I can celebrate two weeks of no fast food restaurants.
Heh. Bah!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Thursday
yogourt and granola
glass of fruit/vegetable juice
Morning snack:
grapes
coffee
Lunch:
egg salad sandwich on 12 grain bread
tomato soup (the lip is healing nicely)
yogourt
Afternoon snack:
hummus & carrots, flatbread cracker
Supper:
Pasta with shrimp, mushrooms, & peas in Alfredo sauce
What I've noticed...
-a positive balance in my bank account 1 day before payday
-I've not had to take acid reducer pills on a regular basis (regular = twice daily, as I did before). I did have one after BP and the Doritos though.
-noticeably more energy. I've not fallen asleep while watching tv in the evenings except Saturday, and I can blame that on two things: very little sleep the night before AND BP for supper.
-I'm really not a fan of raw carrots without a large smattering of some sort of dip.
-perhaps a slight improvement in my mood; if you ask Chris he'll deny that altogether, as he feels I'm a little more sensitive of late. Yeah, detox sucks; giving up the deliciousness that is chips is rough.
-No wasting of food! So far we've gone through 2 tubs of yogourt, a tub of hummus, a crapload of eggs, healthy snack crackers...and none went in the garbage! We've been very diligent!
I still need to get off my lazy arse and exercise...I know...baby steps (that excuse is starting to get old, isn't it?).
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Wednesday
yogourt & granola
Supper:
baked salmon
mashed potatoes
broccoli
Yay me...no junk today :)
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Tuesday
yogourt & granola
1 boiled egg
Mid-morning snack:
Due to the heartier breakie, I actually wasn't overly hungry when my morning break came 'round. A co-worker treated around some mini Laura Secord chocolates, and well, I'm not one to ever refuse chocolate. I didn't immediately go for the milk chocolate though, I opted instead for the 'extra dark'. I figured it was the 'healthier choice', and in that, a win-win...chocolate, every girl's pleasure, and anti-oxidants for a healthier me. Closer to my lunch however, I did get a bit peckish, so I had a clemmie to tide me over.
Lunch:
Veggie wrap, on a sun-dried tomato wrap, with broccoli, carrots, mushroom, greens, boiled egg, and cheese
yogourt
Mid-day snack:
2 Babybel cheese rounds and Snackwell crackers
Supper:
'Hash' with eggs, crumbled turkey bacon, mushrooms, onion, green pepper and leftover mashed potatoes (it was yum!)
1 slice of 12 grain toast
Is it really only Tuesday?
We're actually out of yogourt right now. There's a storm coming and I'm really not wanting to step foot in a grocery store on account of the humungous lineups that will be present. I'll see how the rest of my day goes. It's a nice thing to report though, having some healthy food completely consumed, and not wasted. Two tubs of yogourt and a full tub of greens have been completely consumed.
Baby steps :)
Monday, January 12, 2009
Monday
Breakfast:
bowl of cereal (Oatmeal Crisp)
coffee
Mid-morning snack**:
Trail Mix granola bar
coffee
Lunch:
Leftovers from last night (rice, with shrimp & peas)
yogourt
clemmie
Mid-afternoon snack:
hummus with flatbread crackers (yes, I'm running really low on both)
grapes
Supper:
1 scoop of mashed potatoes
1 small chicken breast, baked, with salsa and cheese over top (yumm-o!)
The dishes are done, the bed has been stripped and re-sheeted with the duvet (goin' down to -18C here tonight...brrr!), and I'm now off to Erin's for Bachelor night, where there may or may not be chips***. And if there are chips, I can't say that my willpower will sustain me from not eating chips. If there are other choices, however, I will try to aim for the healthiest :)
** Might I also add, that I did NOT eat one of the help-yourself-homemade-oatmeal-chocolate-chip cookies someone had left on the table at work. I wanted one, mind you, but I didn't. Now do I ever want one. Crap.
***Update at 12:08am - there were chips. Not just any chips...there were Zesty Cheese Dorito chips. I had a healthy portion of them, a Diet Coke and a Lindor chocolate. I guess we've determined that Monday Bachelor night is my 'treat' night. I don't feel all that good right now...perhaps that's a good thing, and perhaps next time I'll have better restraint. 'Urp.
Sunday
Brunch:
2 eggs
2 slices of turkey bacon
2 slices of toast (it was white *hanging head* ~ only on account of Chris getting it into the toaster quicker than I could speak up)
coffee
That was enough to tide me over quite efficiently, until about 4pm, when we started un-doing Christmas and I was suddenly ravenous...so I whipped out the hummus.
Mid-day snack:
Hummus & carrots and some flatbread crackers
Supper:
I make this concoction of rice, shrimp and peas that I enjoy so I had a serving of that and 2 overcooked eggrolls (they're in the freezer, and I don't like to throw away food, so some of the frozen stuff will just have to be consumed).
Night snack:
a small fudge sundae from DQ (we all must treat ourselves, after all) - and I didn't regret one delicious spoonful.
Breakfast
Any advice on quick, easy, healthy breakfast choices?
This 'healthy' eating thing is so much work.
Words of Wisdom
"A person cannot coast along in old destructive habits year after year and accept whatever comes along. A person must stand up on her own two legs and walk. Get off the bus and go get on another. Climb out of the ditch and cross the road. Find the road that's where you want to go ... The only sermon that counts is the one that is formed by our actions... life is what you make it. A person can grab hold of her life and change things for the better. This happens all the time. We are not chips of wood drifting down the stream of time. We have oars."
I may just have to refer back to this post from time to time...
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Shoulda had the salad...and turkey what?!
Next time, I will have the salad.
This morning, well afternoon, (it is Sunday after all) Chris made breakfast - toast, eggs, and turkey bacon. Turkey bacon is supposedly a healthier alternative to the traditional fatty 'real' bacon (mmmm...bacon). I will admit, I was very skeptical at the beginning, but when he positioned purchasing it when we went 'healthier' grocery shopping, I couldn't say no. I was just impressed that he was coming a bit more on board with a few changes. It really wasn't too bad! It's apparently 50% less fatty than regular bacon, and went nicely with the eggs & toast for an accustomed weekend breakfast. And, it doesn't shrivel up like normal bacon, so the yield is higher, and 2 slices almost felt like more than enough.
Oh, and by the way, I made coffee, and have consumed 2 cups. I just can't give that up. Perhaps later on in this journey for a healthier intake...and I will also keep drinking the green tea as well...but starting my day off without coffee? It's just wrong.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
God grant me strength
Breakfast:
bowl of cereal (Oatmeal Crisp)
green tea
Morning snack:
green tea
grapes
Trail Mix granola bar
Lunch:
shrimp & wild rice High Liner dinner
yogourt
clementine
Afternoon snack:
hummus & flat bread crackers
The work day is at a close and Chris has made arrangement for us to meet Marco & Krissy at Boston Pizza tonight for supper... I can't say that I will be able to sustain the urge to order my very favourite of all favourite dishes...shrimp feta penne...mmmmmmm (I'm drooling just at the thought of it). I suppose I've had a good few days and should treat myself though, right?....Or is it an attitude like that that has brought me to where my fluffy self is now?
Green tea is no substitute for java...
I figured I'd likely have a hard time getting to sleep after sleeping in yesterday; however, much to my delight, I didn't have any trouble. Chris & I finally hit the hay at midnight. At 1:30am I was abruptly awake again, though. "AMBER! You're SNORING! ROLL OVER!". So, I rolled over. And then I rolled back, and over and over. I tossed and turned, and, I didn't snore anymore, because I never got back to sleep again.
Of course it was ME that had to work this morning, not Christopher.
My morning is slowly crawling by...and I'm now really beating my inner self up for my decision to go sans java. I've had two green teas so far, and my pee is completely clear, but I'm.so.freakin'.tired. And really - is it fact, or is it psychosomatic? Am I really having problems concentrating because I haven't consumed coffee, or is it all in my head? There is caffeine in green tea - just not as high of a percentage.
So I'm tired. And cranky. And b!tchy. And I'm sick of chewing on things that are cold and crunchy. I'm craving two-all-beef-patties-special-sauce-lettuce-cheese-pickles-onions-on-a-sesame-seed-bun.......Back to my grapes....
Friday, January 9, 2009
TGIF
Update: On account of sleeping in today, it was really only a '2 meal' day...
Brunch:
2 hard-boiled eggs
2 slices of 12 grain toast
coffee
1 Lindor chocolate (because they're there, and I refuse to give up chocolate)
Afternoon snack:
a generous helping of peanuts
glass of V8 Fusion juice
Supper:
2 chicken wraps (tomato basil wrap, chicken cutlets, greens, & cheese); I didn't eat all 2 - more 1 and 1/2; Chris finished my 2nd one.
Night 'snack':
caramel nut tea
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Another day in...
Breakfast:
bowl of cereal
coffee
Mid-day snack:
grapes
Trail Mix granola bar
one Quality Street chocolate (because I was famished before it was time for break)
Lunch/Supper:
one ginormous salad with mixed greens, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, grated cheese and a boiled egg
yogourt
clementine
The salad was like chewing cud...but I got it down.
Night snack:
2 Babybel cheeses and 10 Snackwell crackers
I'm just about to leave work...and I'm still hungry...I will try to avoid the temptation of the bag of chips atop the refridgerator, but I can't make any promises. I will say, however, that I've been intentionally trying to increase my water intake and I've been peeing every 45 mins to an hour...Jeepers.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Acknowledgement
Christopher has repeatedly made comments about his little belly (I think he's cute as he is). Despite the fact that he doesn't look overweight, his eating habits are horrendous...and you know how it is...when two people live in one home and one person eats horribly, so does the other. We're lazy. We don't like prep work. We go for the 'simple' alternatives, and they always lead to the unhealthy alternative...the foods that are full of processed everything, a bazillion milligrams of sodium, a ginormogram of fats, etc...
I'm hoping that he and I both can travel this journey together.
Last night, we took the $200 Sobeys gift certificates he received for Christmas and went shopping. We bought chicken breasts, veggies, fruits... I tried to pick up some healthy snacking choices, like hummus, cheese, salad fixings too... I hope to start a new 'habit' of making a lunch to take to work. I should not only eat better, but I hope it also helps the pocket book, too. To help me stay accountable, and on the pep-talking advice of a dear friend, I'm going to start journaling my food (eventually, if enough gumption hits me, I hope to also add some exercise. Man, I just wish I liked to exercise).
Today was a pretty good day - so far - but this is all before I head to Chris' parents house for Chinese food in celebration of Rose's birthday (heh, there's always a catch):
Breakfast:
oatmeal
coffee
Mid-morning snack:
Trail Mix granola bar
coffee (I know I have to cut the coffee...eventually)
Lunch:
Highliner Shrimp & Wild Rice Dinner (frozen - not the best choice, but ...)
1/2 c. yogourt
clementine
Afternoon snack:
hummus with flat bread crackers
grapes
...now to hell in a handbasket as I salivate in preparation for some eggrolls and chicken fried rice...
Tomorrow's a new day.