The "S" Factor

I love hanging out with my friends and going out on dates with my hubby. The holidays are fun and summer is even more so! Quite frankly, I love being a social butterfly!! I think life is just too short to not have fun! However, being social can wreak havoc on your waistline, if you’re not careful. Lately I have been finding myself getting very anxious before social events. All the food starring me in the face saying “You know you want a little piece of me.”  Or, you tell yourself you’re only going to have one glass of wine and before you know it there’s an empty wine bottle sitting on the counter. The anxiety has always kind of been there since I started my weight loss journey but I’m pretty sure I’m more anxious about it these days because I only have 5 more lbs to lose and let me tell you, they are the hardest 5 lbs I’ve tried to lose this whole journey! You would totally think it would be easy!  Social events tend to make me either maintain my weight for the week or put me up a little. 

Another reason I think I feel more anxious is also the fact that since the last weekend in February I have had something going every single weekend. And it doesn’t stop here; it’s going to keep going into the summer. I don’t have a free weekend until the first of June!! I swear I’m not complaining because like I said, I love to be social and I’m so looking forward to the bachelorette parties, bridal showers and weddings in the weeks ahead. All of these social events coming up are going to make losing the last 5 lbs, before summer (because that’s my goal) extra hard.  So really, my 2 reasons go hand in hand. I know I’m not alone in this. The “S” factor is challenging for those losing weight, maintaining their weight and even for those wanting to lose weight but don’t know where to start. 

As I try to keep my anxiety at bay and just let myself relax and have a good time at all the social events without worrying that I am going to gain 5 lbs just by looking at all the food and alcohol, I feel I need a game plan. And not only do I need a plan, I need to make a promise to myself to stick with it. So, what’s a girl to do:

1.       Thou shall fill up on healthy protein, grains, fruits and veggies before I head out the door.

2.       Thou shall not go thru the Taco Bell drive thru, or any other late night food joint, after drinking all night.

3.       Thou shall refrain from sugary alcoholic beverages and while I’m at it, thou shall also refrain from drinking a whole bottle of wine.

4.       Thou shall not order “high in fat/calories” meals at restaurants. Even if it looks healthy. Ask how it is prepared. (Example, “Is the dressing a vinaigrette or is it creamy?” “Is the fish baked with butter or oil?”

5.       Thou shall socialize. After all, a party is about the friends, not the food!!!

6.       Thou shall keep thy eyes on the prize. Which is more rewarding, reaching thy goals or eating deep fried goodness?

7.       Thou shall keep up with a workout routine.

8.       Thou shall write down EVERYTHING consumed. You bite it, you write it!

9.       Thou shall only make one trip to the food spread at a party, with the smallest plate thy can find.

10.   Thou shall shake thy tail feather on the dance floor.

I will be leaving a healthy recipe with you today. I made this the other night for my family and it was delish!

Sweet & Sour Meatloaf (Courtesy of www.hungry-girl.com) served with a side of Sweet Orange Roasted Baby Carrots (Courtesy of www.weightwatchers.com)

Ingredients:

Loaf
1/4 cup chili sauce (the kind stocked near the ketchup)
1/4 cup low-sugar grape jam/jelly
1 1/4 lb. raw extra-lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (Like egg beaters) (I just used 2 minus the yolk)
1/4 tsp. each salt and black pepper

Topping
2 tbsp. chili sauce (the kind stocked near the ketchup)
2 tbsp. low-sugar grape jam/jelly

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick spray.

To make the loaf, mix chili sauce with jam/jelly in a large bowl. Add all other loaf ingredients and thoroughly mix. Transfer to the loaf pan; if needed, smooth out the surface with a spatula or spoon.

In a small bowl, mix topping ingredients. Evenly spread topping over the loaf. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or until meatloaf is cooked through. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

Nutrition Facts per serving (1 slice):

Calories: 227

Fat: 5g

Sodium: 521mg

Carbs: 17.5g

Fiber: 0.5g

Sugars: 11g

Protein: 25g

Weight Watchers Points Plus Value: 5

Sweet Orange Roasted Baby Carrots:

Ingredients:

1 pound(s) uncooked baby carrots   

1 tsp orange zest, freshly grated   

1/2 cup(s) unsweetened orange juice, fresh   

2 tsp canola oil   

1/4 tsp table salt   

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon   

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°F. Toss all ingredients together in a 13 X 9-inch baking pan until well-coated. Cover with foil and bake, shaking pan once to toss, until carrots are crisp-tender, about 30 to 35 minutes.

Uncover pan and roast until carrots are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes more. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving. Serves 4. 

Weight Watchers Points Plus Values: 2 per serving

What Happens in Vegas, Does Not Stay in Vegas!

I feel like I have so many topics to touch on and not enough hours in the day to blog! I’m one of those people that need complete silence when I’m reading a book or writing. Since I have a 2 year old, I NEVER GET THAT. By the time night falls, and our little princess is in bed, I’m doing a million other things.  However, I promise to keep blogging whenever I can. 

So, it’s been just over a week now that my husband and I have come back from our little vaca to Vegas. We had four fabulous days of rest and relaxation. Oh wait, I take that back, I had four fabulous days of rest and relaxation. My husband however, had to sit in 8 hour conferences 3 of the 4 days we were there. He still enjoyed himself in the evenings but let me tell you it was so nice to just hang out by myself. I rarely ever do that. If I am hanging out by myself, I’m doing things like running to the pharmacy for my daughter’s vitamins or doing the weekly grocery shopping. Needless to say after four days of gourmet meals and tasty adult beverages, including a plastic guitar filled with 88 oz. of Bud Light, I came home 4 lbs heavier! Slightly mad at myself for not making good choices at every meal but at the same time ok with it because after all, it was vacation. Luckily, the majority of it was water retention and mostly diminished as I got back to my normal, healthy living. So obviously for me, What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas, does not hold true, because 4 lbs of toxins came home with me. 

This whole vacation and weight gain really started to make me think. It’s just so hard to go on vacation and not gain a little bit of weight. And I use the term “gain a little bit of weight” loosely because I do realize that a lot of the time most of us that come back from vacation and see a higher number on the scale it is because of water retention from eating out for every meal and enjoying a glass, or two…or in my case, 6 glasses of alcoholic beverages a day. Of course you are wondering,” what’s the problem then if it’s just water retention?”  The problem is for those that are still in the weight loss phase, it’s a minor setback. It took me all week and 2 days to lose that gain when I could have been working on losing that 71^st lb. Do I regret my vacation indulgences? Not really, I enjoyed myself and made smart choices when I could. For instance, I drank Vodka with water instead of a Mojito, and I chose salad at some meals. However, I cannot dwell on the weight gain. I just have to move forward and jump right back into my routine the minute I get back home. The great thing about vacation is that it gives you something to look forward to; a chance to get away from your everyday life, routines and stressors. But the even greater thing about vacation is that it makes you realize there’s no place like home.

Here’s a little quote I came across recently and thought it perfect for today’s post:

“A setback is only a setup for a comeback.”

No matter what setback life challenges you with, always pull yourself back up and continue to work hard to reach your goals. 

NUTRITION TIP:

Top 20 Super Foods You Should Eat More Of

Courtesy of www.healthcastle.com

1.       Beans & Lentils

2.       Black Rice

3.       Blueberries

4.       Cherries

5.       Coffee

6.       Concord Grapes

7.       Dark Chocolate

8.       Dried Plums

9.       Edamame

10.   Figs

11.   Green Tea

12.   Kale

13.   Kiwi

14.   Mushroom

15.   Quinoa

16.   Salmon

17.   Squash

18.   Strawberries

19.   Sunflower Seeds

20.   Walnuts

Falling In Love

In honor of Valentine’s day week I’ve decided to write about falling in love. Don’t worry; I’ll spare you the details of how I fell in love with my husband. Instead, I’ll tell you how I have fallen madly, deeply and utterly in love with my new sports bra. That’s right, a sports bra. As you all know from a previous post about my H-Bombs, working out isn’t always the easiest. I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect sports bra.  After doing a little Google searching, I stumbled upon a sports bra by Freya. Even though the price was outrageous, reviews were great so I had to have it. A week later I put it on as I got ready to head out to Zumba. One look in the mirror to make sure I looked ok and all of a sudden I had images of Madonna, circa 1990. Two cones had manifested on my chest, YIKES! I did a few Jumping Jacks to see if this sports bra was worth stepping out into the world with. And that would be a yes, they literally did not move! AMAZING! Zumba came and went and I couldn’t have been happier. It was a miracle! About 2 weeks after my initial wear I had it on and walked past my husband to get my shoes and coat. All of a sudden I hear in the most perplexed voice, “Why do your boobs look like cones?” I couldn’t help but laugh because he was so right, and totally confirmed what I saw in the mirror was so. Naturally, I busted out my Madonna “Vogue” moves. Needless to say, I’d rather have cone shaped boobs than ones that jiggle as much as my butt does when I’m shaking it in Zumba.

Also on my list of recent loves are a couple food items I’m completely obsessed with lately. The first being plain Greek yogurt. I’ve been a fan of the fruit flavored Greek yogurts for a long time now, but I just couldn’t do the plain. I would try over and over and every time I took a bite I just couldn’t get the image of eating a spoonful of sour cream out of my head. However, thanks to Costco and the wonderful person serving up samples of plain Greek yogurt with honey drizzled on it, I have fallen in love with the plain. Of course I have to eat it with a little bit of honey but a little bit of honey goes A LONG WAY! I’ve tried Chobani and Fage brands and personally like Fage better. The texture of Fage is a little more pudding than sour cream, which I feel the Chobani is more like. The best part of making the transition over to plain Greek yogurt is that it is so much more filling than the fruit flavored ones!  Another love is this PB & J Trail Mix I found at Costco. I love trail mix but try and stay away from them because they are loaded with fat, but this one is a little lower than most and is the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The ratio of dried fruits to nuts is higher which brings the fat down. As with any trail mix, I portion out the serving size and put the bag away. Trail mix can be deadly if you mindlessly eat out of the bag or a big bowl. The dried strawberries in this particular mix are awesome…YUMMY!

HEALTHY RECIPE:

Crock Pot Chicken Tacos

Ingredients:

6 chicken breasts

16 oz jar of salsa

1 Packet Taco Seasoning

Directions:

1.       Place all three ingredients in a crock pot. Cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 4 to 6 hours.

2.       Serve with your favorite taco toppings. Watch your cheese and sour cream portions and load up on the veggies.

3.       This chicken can also be served on salad greens to make a taco salad.