New Favorite Foods

I have found a few favorite foods lately that I wanted to share with you.

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I have been making a 3 point salad lately that I could eat everyday and not get sick of. It is fresh and light and great for spring.

The best part is it is super filling and easy to bring somewhere.

I use spinach only for the greens, they only have 7 calories and almost 1 gram of fiber per cup. I use about 4 cups of spinach, so filling. I add 2 tablespoons of fat free Italian, just the walmart brand, it's just as good as regular in my opinion.

I also add a hard boiled egg and then the egg whites of 2 more hb eggs. I feed my dog the 2 yolks and she loves them, the fat is really good for their coats.

In the past I found sun dried tomatoes that weren't in oil that were great added to this salad. Artichoke hearts are also great added to it for an extra point.

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Edamame is a great salty 2 point snack.

I measure out a cup of them (still in the pod) and warm them up in some warm water. Drain off the water sprinkle on some kosher salt and they are so yummy and fast.

(only eat the seeds not the pods)

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Our new family favorite is popcorn. My husband was begging me to make him some this week. It can be a tiny bit intimidating at first but it really is very easy and cheap.

All that you need is a medium sized pot with lid, popcorn kernels and oil. Pour 1 teaspoon of oil (olive or vegetable) and 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels into the pot and place on medium high. Shake the pot so the kernels are covered in the oil. I leave the lid on but offset so the steam can escape. Listen for the first pop, if you take the lid off it will come flying out, just a warning. Once you get a few popped put the lid squarely on and shake so that the already popped isn't at the bottom burning, offset the lid to let the steam escape again. You don't need to constantly shake it, make sure you let the steam escape so that the popcorn doesn't get wet from it.

Listen for the kernels to slow down and almost stop popping (like microwave)

I sprinkle on some popcorn salt or molly mcbutter (a dry topping found in the seasoning aisle)

You will most likely have a few pieces fly out the first time and if you burn it throw it out and try again (I never have so don't worry too much).

It really is so yummy and only 1 point for a very filling snack!

Training begins

Yesterday I started my walking/running routine!

I had a great walk even though I was pretty sore before I started. I was able to get in 4 miles though in about 70 minutes. I am hoping to get faster by the end of the summer but today was just day one! I am glad I went today though since Denver is suppose to get a ton of snow tonight and for the next few days. It will give me a good break before I start again when the weather should be nice again on Saturday. Don't underestimate recovery time and how important it is to your body.

"A runner who runs every day is an injured runner" -Runner's World

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Carolina Girl sent me a great article about running vs walking and the calories burned. It makes total sense but is a little confusing. Check it out if you have questions.

I do know that if I tried to run 4 miles straight even at a slow pace I would never make it. I still burned 700 calories today by the time my heart rate returned to normal. I was thinking back to the summer I lost 17 lbs and if I do the math that is over a pound a week. If I continue walking this summer I hopefully will loose a pound a week again and be at goal by the end of the summer.

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I really don't have a definitive goal yet. I am making small goals and when I get to where I feel great I will start maintaining. I know most people have an ideal weight where they felt their absolute best but I really don't have one. I use to never worry about weight until woke up one day and was unhappy. I know that I can look at bmi but really it is such a huge range it doesn't help me. According to it I could loose 25 more pounds and be healthy. I am guessing that would be way too many but I would say it will be at least ten more pounds.

walking vs running

I have been told twice this week that running and walking the same distance burns the same amount of calories. This was such a revelation to me. I know that those of us who aren't an amazing runner beat ourselves up because we could have such a better workout if we were running. While it may take a little longer to walk the same distance I know that I can go for a farther distance if I am walking and if your heart rate is lower you will burn more fat. I am talking about still pushing myself not just taking a stroll. When I was in college I went for a four mile walk almost everyday with a friend, I can't tell you how great I felt that summer. I also lost 17 lbs without doing changing anything else. That means that I was dropping almost 1.5 lbs a week.

I am hoping that I can do the same thing this summer and get to my goal weight. We have the most amazing trail that winds 66 miles though out Denver and it's suburbs.

My favorite section starts at one of the rec centers, winds past some amazing houses giving great glimpses of the backyards and has the canal flowing with water next to it.

It is most likely my favorite place in Colorado. Nothing is better than spending an hour with a girlfriend or Hubby in the cool evening air on the trail.

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The summer hubby and I started dating I was planning on spending my summer evenings walking four miles like I did the previous summers. He unexpectedly asked me out Friday of Memorial Day weekend, I thought I would have another carefree single summer. I tried to get him to join me but he wanted to just take a very slow more romantic walk. We ended up spent almost every evening eating out and getting cold stone after dinner. Do you know that a small (like it) of cake batter is 14 points before add ins. I could have eaten that and the frozen coffee I was enjoying everyday and be at my daily points. I have no idea how I slowly gained weight that year but rapidly put it on the year after we got married when I wasn't eating that way everyday.

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I plan on once again walking on the canal in the evenings this summer. I am hoping that if I start going by myself Hubby with soon want to join me.

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Remember that when you are adding exercise you don't need to add extra calories. Unless you are working out for hours everyday your body will function just fine. I find though that when I workout I am less hungry that day.

We are about 8 weeks away from swim suit season now...

Are you getting closer to your goal or farther away?

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I can tell you that I have done great when I plan ahead and write down all of my food for the day on paper like I showed you during my last post and I have failed miserably when I don't. I am not sure how many of you follow my other blog as well but I felt great in my interview clothes yesterday. I was able to purchase a fitted button up shirt in a small from the same store that I bought a large one from two years ago! I also gave away my old pants that are three sizes too big! I can't tell you how freeing it is to give them away. I also feel so great that the next time I am 35 lbs heavier will be when I am 4o weeks pregnant. It is so freeing to know that I never have to be that heavy again.

Getting ready for spring

I took a quick glance at my calender today and realized it is roughly 1o weeks till Memorial Day Weekend!

I don't know if that strikes panic in you or excites you that we still have 3.5 months to get ready for swimsuit weather. Personally I am really excited to think that if I follow my points I can lose 10 lbs if I track my points for the next few weeks. I know they say that you can lose 1-2 lbs a week but I don't want to set myself up to fail by thinking I will lose 2 lbs per week. I am going to be very careful about planning a cheat meal once a week so that I will have something to look forward to.

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I have 5 lbs to lose again since I have been so bad about following my points lately. It was 6 but I already lost 1 lb by following my points yesterday. I can't tell a huge difference but my clothes don't it as well as they did 5 lbs ago.

I am excited to see if I can get all the skirts that I wore while we were dating to fit perfectly!

This Memorial Day it will be 5 years since we started dating!

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Yesterday was my 2nd day in a row getting a workout in and following my points!

It isn't a lot but I have to get back on track one day at a time.

a picture of points planning

I wanted to share with you a picture of how I just started tracking my points. I know I told you about it yesterday but I figured it would be best if I added a picture.

It's 1 pm and I try to eat half my daily points by this time. The left side shows what I have already eaten and the right is a rough outline of what I will eat later. It contains 2o points, my daily allowance. I have learned its better to look at a list of foods that fit into my daily points rather than look at all the foods in the fridge or pantry. The bottom foods with no numbers next to them are 0 points to mix in through out the day. If I am craving something I can substitute it for something on this list but it helps so much to make a plan.

I have also included wine in my points for the day. I make sure that I really enjoy my 1 glass so that I am not tempted to drink the entire bottle. I am sure we all know what happens when we start to drink and there is food around. It also helps to throw 1 or 2 ice cubes in your wine to make it go a little further. (Sounds silly but it really helps.)

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Do any of you have great 0 point items that tide you over when you have already eaten your daily points?

walking

I have started taking my dog for walks again. I am trying to get in a loop around my complex once every morning and then again that evening, it takes only about 10 minutes to make a loop. I think this will really make a difference because 10 minutes is so easy to get in but really adds up. It is just an extra bonus that I don't have to waste time or money driving to the gym. I will still go to the gym to lift weights a few days a week since I like using the machines there. It is so much easier now to walk in the evening since daylight savings time. I can't tell you how happy it makes me when the days seem so much longer. I know that a lot of people have a hard time adjusting but I LOVE the change.

new shoes

I got the most amazing pair of running shoes this weekend and I am so excited to see what they do for my running! I didn't pick them out the way that I normally would though.

If you want to see how I picked them out I posted about it yesterday on my other blog, here is the link.

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I failed miserably this weekend but I am planning again today! I am using a notebook so for a little something different. On the left side of the page I write down what I have eaten and on the right I plan all the food options I can eat that day. When I am hungry I just pick off the list. I would normally write down my points in my phone but then I delete it the next day. I am excited to be able to look back and truly see how many days I actually follow my points. I am also planning on writing down what kept me from following or what exactly put me over on my points.

Failing to Planning

Liz shared this quote with me and I loved it so much I thought I would share it with you.

"Failing to plan is planning to fail"

Isn't that so true and so powerful?

I will leave you with that this weekend.

Something needs to change

Ladies I have to admit to all of you, I have been terrible lately about following my points.

Tomorrow is a new day though and I am so thankful for that. I have figured that I need to plan out my entire week. I need to include time at the office, gym time and a cheat meal to keep me on track and give me something to look forward to each week.

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I had my yearly doctors appointment last week, I was so excited to see how much I had lost since last year. I was so disappointed when it was barely anything. My husband did point out that it was so much better though than gaining weight.

I also think that I need to start attending meetings again. This for me was when I really saw the dramatic pound a week weight loss that we all hope for. If you are just having a hard time following online I would really recommend attending meetings.

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On a positive note, I mentioned on my other blog that I saw the family that I use to nanny for. It is funny because I mentioned last week to my hubby that I would feel good if I saw them because I was a size smaller than when I was their nanny. Low and behold I see them the same week. I know that I may not be at my perfect weight yet but at least I didn't feel like I had changed a ton since I had seen them.

(Good thing they didn't see my huge weight gain after I got married.)