New Blog Updated: Day 9 of Son of DDDY Challenge: Milestone crossed, history in "numbers", blogging as a weight loss aid, water as "Gastric Band" for surgery-wussies, WonderSlim Discount, and Realizing I'm gonna have to learn to make soups....

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Day 9 of Son of DDDY Challenge: Milestone crossed, history in "numbers", blogging as a weight loss aid, water as "Gastric Band" for surgery-wussies, WonderSlim Discount, and Realizing I'm gonna have to learn to make soups....

My Biggest Dieter's Mistake and Slacking Off Issue Right Now: Not Cooking

I am totally NOT giving it 100%. I'm not even giving it 80%. Shoot, I'm barely hitting 55%.

And my biggest step backwards, my hugest slack-off, from when I was losing--and even maintaining--is...not doing grocery shopping, meal planning, and home cooking.

Without question, this is my big hurdle to tackle this week. Without this, I might as well admit I'm gonna fail.

I've been back into getting take-out, eating out. This spells disaster. It has. I'm stuck at just nearly 8 pounds from my best during this blog's existence. And it's not budging. I thought I could do it with judicious eating out. I can't.

It got especially bad when I was sick (hey, now there's an excuse to order pizza or have hubb go to the local Mexican restaurant or Kabob place). And as I was coming back home after driving through Taco Bell post Pilates (talk about ruining a good deed with a bad one), I told myself this had to stop. I had to get my cooking mojo back on.

So, I committed to myself to go get groceries either later today (if I can get my second wind, as I feel mighty pooped) or after my ultrasound appointment tomorrow. But no later.

I have to admit. I have NO excuse not to grocery shop and plan and cook meals. It's just plain laziness. It's just bad old habits taking over again.

No. Gotta kick the take-out habit. Trying to regulate it (ie, promising to choose only healthful options) isn't working. I gotta just make my food. I have to control what goes into my meals. I have to turn that stove and oven back on. I have to stock that freezer and fridge and the fruit bowls. Period.

And you know, I'm not the only one who needs to do this. Read this a few minutes ago at Diets in Review:

Since 1965, women have gone from spending 13 hours per week cooking meals to the meager 30 minutes per day now, and in that time the number of overweight women has more than doubled, to 65 percent. Biggest Loser cookbooks author Devin Alexander pointed out that “Twenty minutes in the kitchen will save you three hours on the StairMaster.”

Yes. We've become a nation of eater-outers, not home-cookers. Let's be real. At home, you have to measure out the oil and butter and dressing and cheese and portion the meat and chicken and tofu or whatever. You just don't get this plate, like magic, from the Kitchen Fairy. You can't say, "Well, maybe this mashed potato isn't so bad, or these veggies weren't doused in too much butter." At home, you can't fool yourself. You know exactly what's in there, cause YOU put it in there.

I love to eat out. As I told hubby yesterday, after we left the gynecologist (where he held my hand during the painful exam), when he commented how he likes buffets cause he serves himself (and he has VERY little food at buffets, cause his appetitie is pretty small for a tall feller, and they definitely MAKE money off him, cause he never eats 10 bucks worth!), I like being served. I LOVE having someone bring me yummies and take away dirty plates and ask me if I want coffee and dessert.

It makes me feel like an Empress. Or, okay, a Princess. :)

I think a small part of it's 'cause my parents were not eater-outers. Eating out was this amazing thing to me. I'd see sidewalk cafes in NYC when we visited Manhattan and it was so alien. A thing only special people did. Not poor people like us.

I never sat down in my first Chinese restaurant until I was 16, and that because a friend's dad invited me out to eat with his family. I found it astonishing. And it's the same today. I get this wild thrill at heading to a sit-down restaurant and having whatever my heart desires.

Sit-down restaurants are like small vacations. Drive-throughs are me just not wanting to do any work. Either way, they both are about self-spoiling. For me, anyway. Luxury. Not wisdom or self-control. Indulgence.

My parents never modeled this. This is just ME. Spoiling myself. Acting all rich, right? No...They were homey types, simple folks who worked very hard at low-paying work and who watched pennies like hawks watching field mice. Cooking at home was economical. No takeout, except for a walk to the bakery to get bread. That's what poor folks did and do, especially poor immigrant folks who have a hankering for their ethnic flavors, do. Eat at home.

For me, eating out is a huge luxury. It's what rich people do. What my parents could not do.

It's crazy how much money we waste eating out. Really shameful. We could be putting that towards retirement or paying off our car note. Seriously.

It's a bad economy--a perfect time to figure out how to eat well without spending a fortune. It's a challenge, but not insurmountable. For the $5 or $6 bucks that cafeteria or eat-out turkey sandwich costs plus whatever beverage you get and maybe that bag o' chips, you can make two to four lunches at home (depending on what you eat).

So, the Princess needs to haul her fat butt to Whole Foods and get what she needs for a week of meals. I love eating out too much to nix it altogether. But man, even if I reduce it to once or twice a week, that's better than what I've been doing. Every single dinner and most lunches out. Crazy. Foolish.

Oh, man. Back to the basics.

~

What I've Been Craving, Eating, Cooking...

BREAKFAST:
I've been making my egg white Greek omelets for breakfast. Lotsa protein, can have up to three veggies (depending on mood and size), and is amazing with fresh oregano and fresh cracked pepper.

Easy as can be, too: I use liquid egg whites (organic) and I use a pan depending on how much veggie I'm in the mood for. If I want to make it normal, with just feta, tomato, and oregano on top, I use a 7 inch skillet. I spray it with Olive Oil organic PAM, pour the egg white, let it cook on one side, flip the circle to cook on the other (I don't fold it), and then immediately put the feta I want on top (to get melty from the hot cooked side of eggs).

Next, I heat the tomato I chop up in the nuker for about 50 seconds. I like the tomato hot, not mushy. While it nukes, I pull the leaves off the fresh oregano. (If there is none fresh, I use dried, and just sprinkle it on the feta after I put it over the eggs.)

Once the egg whites are cooked the way I like (some like it crispier and cook longer), I put it on a plate, put the tomato pieces on top, and grind some pepper on top. If I'm in a splurgy mood, I drizzle EVOO on top (mmmmm).

One of my fave breakfasts.

Other veggies I like to add--spinach, red and green pepper, onions, olives.

FRUIT:
I've been craving papaya. Fresh, cut into chunks, some lime squeezed on top. It's just so fresh and satisfying and it's great for aiding digestion.

I've also been craving and cooking a bunch of sauteed spinach with garlic and EVOO. I dunno why I'm having this particular craving, but it's easy enough to saute this up in minutes and have a lovely snack or side dish.

Clementines! Oh, I'm mad for them right now.

SNACK:
Fage 2% yogurt with cherry topping on the side. This just hits my yogurt spot like mad.

DESSERT:
Homemade apple compote with frozen lowfat yogurt~~~This is a nice dessert that's easy and my husband enjoys, too. You get calcium, not a lot of fat, and the compote can be made sugar-free or with brown sugar, your choice. I slice up a good cooking apple, like Granny Smith, put it in a sauce pot (small one) with a touch of water (depends on how much "juice" you like)and lots of ground cinnamon. I also add some sort of sweetener (Splenda, usually, or brown sugar or honey), and, after it's come to a boil, I just let it cook on low heat until it's a texture I like. (Not very long, for me, about 10 mins).

Spoon over frozen yogurt (vanilla is our choice). Voila, simple dessert that's not bad for you and is bursting with fresh apple flavor. We had this last night. MMMmmmm.

I also like to get those low-calorie crepes they sell already cooked at the supermarket (less than 50 calories each), and fill them with a mixture of low or non-fat cottage cheese (or low-fat ricotta) and a berry compote (or the apple one). That makes for a high calcium, low-fat dessert that gives a serving of fruit, some fiber, and not a lot of damage in the calories dept. (about 200 calories, more or less, depending on how much the crepe is and how much cottage cheese or ricotta you use and which fat % is the dairy product selected).

~~~

Rocco's BIGGEST LOSER Recipes

If you want to try the recipes Rocco (Gosh, he's cute!) offered TBL contestants, here ya go:

Rocco's Recipes

The "Chicken Alfredo" is calling my name.
~

Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Saw Ellie Krieger make these Zucchini Parmesan Crisps on tv a few weeks ago. They looked really good.

Tonight, got a craving for something cheesy with supper, so I decided--given I had the items on hand: parmesan cheese, organic zucchini, EVOO, salt, pepper, bread crumbs--that I'd make them and satisfy that cheesy urge and get a veggie besides.

They're baking now. Can't wait...MMMmmmm.

Looks like they're about 2 points for a half-cup serving, for you WW gals. Would be less sans the bread crumbs. One can always fiddle with these simple recipes. I bet they'd be fine with just a slight misting of EVOO and sprinkling of parmesan and spices. If you try them, let me know whaddya think or if you tweaked the recipe.

Off to finish with supper prep.

~~

What I'm Making For Supper

Quick Bites: Baked Chicken Parmigiana I'm adding artichoke hearts and broccoli. Mmm.

Frugal Dieting

I was reading a blog on the housing crisis where the blogger broke down a California family of four's budget to show why expensive housing puts a family making 100K in a bind. Yes, 100K. What most would consider a really, really nice family income doesn't go as far when buying a house means paying 500K to be in a decent neighborhood. One really harsh commenter mentioned how she and her family ate on 200 dollars a month. She said she kept to a size 0 by eating small, and that saved money. Basically, she told the family of four to cut back on food and stop being "blimps."

How nice. The tyranny of the skinny chick on display.

And yet, there is something there. Not in the pride and harsh attitude of the small eater, but in the idea that if we cut back on junk, we can maximize our dollars on good food.

Soda, fancy-schmancy energy drinks, packaged convenience snacks, worthless candy. Preservatives. Sugar. Junk. Fake colors. We don't need them. That's wasted money which could have been better spent on fruit and vegetables and "clean" protein-sources and, in terms of sweets, an antioxidant rich dark chocolate.

Dieting can often be expensive in America, whether it's diet systems like Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem or Diet-To-Go or Bistro MD or The Zone Delivery or the Frankenfood type diets dependent on protein shakes and protein bars and other non-food foods. Any time someone cooks for you, portions for you, weighs for you, and wraps food for you in plastic or foil or paper--you pay more. Yes, it's easier. But it's costlier. And it's not always more healthful if it's loaded with fake nutrition and salt and fillers.

Let's face it. Those of us who are stay-at-home wives and/or moms have no excuse. We have the time to prepare fresh, wholesome meals from scratch. We don't need the convenience stuff, though we may have come to rely on them.

I think convenience plans have their place--say, you're in a stressful job and on deadline and having food delivered, ready-to-heat, let's you have more time doing what's needed beyond grocery shopping and cooking.

In general, making your own breakfasts of eggs and whole grain toast, or oatmeal and fruit, or leftovers and veggies in a whole grain wrap--instead of danishes or sugary cereals or oversized bagels at some take-away place--are gonna help you get your nutrition and fiber and keep the calorie levels under control. Taking a brown bag or bento lunch is going to help you watch what you eat and keep your dollars IN your wallet.

But what about those of us already eating breakfast before heading out, already making low-calorie lunches for work, already planning healthful dinners to cook at home? How can we save even more?

Prices for homes are coming down, but food prices are going up. So, somehow, cutting back is in order for many of us, even those of us wanting to keep to fresh and healthful organic fare.

What are you doing to save on groceries but not skimp on nutrition?

You may want to get inspired by the thrifty cooks involved in the Frugal Cooking Carnival. Maybe you can get an idea for how to tweak their offerings to make low-cost, diet-friendly fare.

One of the participants cooks vegetarian and healthfully, and her menu looks scrumptious.The three-day menu below came out to $7.35 per person. My hubby would hate it, but I grew up eating legumes every day, and I think it looks fabulous. Hey, maybe it will work for you:

Day 1
Breakfast: Oatmeal with apples, raisins, cinnamon, and pecans
Lunch: Black Bean Soup with blue corn tortilla chips
Dinner: Red Lentil Curry with brown rice
Snacks: Oranges, apples, sweet potato, raw carrots.

Day 2
Breakfast: Whole grain pancakes with homemade strawberry syrup
Lunch: Red Lentil Curry with brown rice (leftover)
Dinner: Split Pea Soup with homemade whole wheat bread
Snacks: Hot air popped popcorn, celery, pancakes w/syrup

Day 3
Breakfast: Oatmeal with three berries and flax
Lunch: Split Pea Soup with homemade whole wheat bread
Dinner: Red Lentil Curry with brown rice
Snacks: Sweet Potato, oranges, bread with applesauce

Anyone could lose weight on that high-fiber, vegetarian menu, I think, if the portions weren't binge-worthy.

I know I made some lima bean soup at home where my cost per two-cup serving came out to far, far less than what I'd pay in a restaurant, and I made it all organic, in the slow cooker. Today, I'm gonna make an organic vegetarian lasagna with the veggies I have on hand in the fridge. But I still need to examine where I can cut back here and there to maximize what we enjoy. Meatless, we cannot go. I could, but hubby is not a veggie-fied type, and he's got lactose issues. He won't eat tofu or beans; eggs don't agree with him. That leaves me having to get chicken, pork, beef (what he likes). I buy lean (tenderloin, breast) and that's expensive when bought organic. (I wish the man would eat beans!)

How do you stretch meat in dishes that are low-cal and high-nutrient?

If you have suggestions, let me know.

Onward and DOWNward!

Do You Like Pistou? Soup for You!

I loooooove pistou.

I used to eat lunch regularly in the late nineties and first couple years of the new millenium at a small, charming restaurant owned by a chef from North Africa with French ancestry. He made some really delicious fresh dishes, including a mozzarella with tomato salad that used a lovely, fresh, clean pistou. (His house specialty chicken is something I still miss in the years since it closed, due to, I believe, his illness.)

I got the following South Beach Diet recipe for Soupe au Pistou in my email box this week, and I had to save it as soon as I saw "Pistou." :)

Maybe you'd enjoy it as well. Here ya go:

Soupe au Pistou

Serves 8

Ingredients

Soup
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 leeks (white and pale green parts only), thinly sliced
3 medium garlic cloves, minced
Salt and black pepper
1 large can (48 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 can (15.5–19 ounces) white or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 medium zucchini, quartered length-wise and sliced
1 medium yellow squash, quartered
1 dried bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

Pistou
3 medium garlic cloves, halved
3 cups packed fresh basil leaves (2.5 ounces, from 2 medium bunches)
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Note
The pistou makes about 1/2 cup, so you aren't using the full 5 tablespoons of oil in the soup. Each serving receives only 1 tablespoon of the mixture.

Instructions
Warm oil in large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leeks; cook about 3 minutes, until softened, stirring. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds more, stirring. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes; uncovered. Add green beans to pot; simmer 6 to 8 minutes longer, until tender. Meanwhile, make pistou: In a blender or food processor, process garlic until finely chopped. Add basil and salt; process until basil is finely chopped. Scrape down sides of bowl. With the machine running, gradually pour in oil. Add cheese; process to blend. Ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Swirl 1 tablespoon pistou into each bowl.

Make-Ahead Tip Soup can be made 1 day ahead; pistou can be made 2 days ahead. Refrigerate both, tightly covered. Add pistou after heating soup.

Nutritional Information
159 calories 12 g total fat (2.6 g sat)
5 mg cholesterol
8 g carbohydrate
7 g protein
1.3 g fiber
377 mg sodium

Princess Pounds One Dragon Tonight

Well, hubby and I agreed to get Thai (delivered) for supper.

As I was checking the menu for the order, I felt that old, old urge to over-order. I stopped. Took a few breaths. Asked myself if I was in danger ordering.

Yes. The Overeating Ogre was knocking on my door. I thought about the facts: the restaurant portions are huge. Hubby and I do not like the same items. IT's not like we could share. I would, maybe, be too tempted to eat beyond a controlled portion.


I put down the menu. I decided no Thai delivery. Nope.

Hubby and I will make do with home-made, whole wheat pita pizza made with low-fat mozzarella. I can control the cheese on mine. I can control the size (one pita). I can add fruit and veggie to it. I can make iced tea. I can make some soup, if I need an extra bit of volume in the tummy.

Thai would have been delicious, yes, but Thai would have been, I'm sure, a mistake tonight. I was too ready to let the dragonfire consume me.

Princess gets this battle point.
~

Make Your Own "Diet" Pizza

I adore, adore, adore, crave, love, need, want, adore PIZZA! I even go a little demented when there's some cooking program in Italy and they make the authentic stuff with olive oil and basil and fresh mozzarella. OMIGOSH!

I think this took root in the Bronx, where one of the very few foods we ate out of the house--remember, way back then, folks ate the vast majority of their meals at home, especially poor folk like us, immigrants to boot--was pizza. Yummy, authentic, gooey, crispy, saucey, hot as can be, by the slice NEW YORK PIZZA. It's almost worth dying of a heart attack for those babies.

Yes, pizza is a big weakness.

And ordering it in is usually big trouble, capital B for BINGE.

There's an alternative.

The Grumpy Chair Dieter does it, and so do I, when I'm not lazy to the max and when I'm eating right, instead of picking up the phone and calling the local family-owned pizza place. She makes her own tasty, healthier pizza.

Here's how she does it.

I follow a very similar process, only I like to use Dei Fratelli pizza sauce, smear some on the pre-toasted bread. I use whole wheat pita (Daily Bread brand locally) or whole wheat flatbread. Even Ezekiel Bread does it in a pinch. I use part-skim mozzarella (fat free sucks). And I also like fresh tomatoes on top, plus green peppers and mushrooms and black olives, when I have them in the fridge. I also add garlic powder and basil (fresh or dried) and oregano. I like it HERBALLY!

It's very easy, but it's a matter of having the stuff on hand and taking the 10 minutes to chop and toast and smear and pile on and finish toasting. But it is worth it. I'll admit it. Especially since the delivery man bringing a gooey pie is just bringing a bunch of fat-on-ye-belly-and-hips.

Which means I need to put the stuff on my shopping list: pita, part skim mozzarella, tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, herbs, and sauce.

I love healthful, calcium-rich, lycopene-loaded, fiberful, flavor-bursting pizza!

Princess Dieter Discovers...Grits are Not as Satisfying as Oatmeal

Because of my current dental woe--ie, cracked tooth--I have been keeping to softish foods. So, instead of toast or crackers at breakfast, or even high protein bagels or meal bars, I've been having grits with my scrambled eggs. (I'm an egg freak. Watch for an egg factoid soon.)

Grits don't keep me as full as oatmeal, I've discovered. Huh. Hmmm.

Well, they both have fiber. They're both grain-based, starchy, whatever. But for some reason, oatmeal really does make me feel satisfied longer. One cup of cooked grits just doesn't beat one cup of cooked oatmeal. And oatmeal has that cholesterol lowering type of fiber.

So, time to make a huge batch of oatmeal.

Do you like the stuff? I do. But then, it's one of my comfort foods. I have very warm memories of chilly fall and cold winter mornings when mom would make me a very soupy bowl of oatmeal. She made it with milk, lots of milk, and I still like it best that way. Milk as the base instead of water, and lots of slow cooking to get it all mushy, and cinnamon. Mmmmmmm.

These days, I use skim milk. Sometimes add a bit of water to lessen the caloric count. I add cinnamon and vanilla extract. I put in some honey for the luxuriousness of it. But I principally sweeten it with Splenda. I like to make a big pot and put some in the fridge for enjoyment for a couple of days.

Makes me think of mom, milky oatmeal. Ah, I miss her. Wonder if they eat in Heaven. Oh, they must eat. How could it be Heaven without yumsy treats?

So, go make a pot of oatmeal to have a cup as a snack (add high protein powder if you're insulin resistant or diabetic or just carb-conscious), and save some to have with your breakfast. Your bowels and heart will thank you.

Six Beginning Steps To Get You A Weight Loss Happily-Ever-After Ending

Since the stated goal for Princess Dieter and all those who are on a similar journey is to achieve the happy-ever-after of a healthy weight and good fitness, let's see what Kathryn Martyn, NLP expert, weight loss coach, says are the necessary 6 steps for a successful outcome (ie. H.E.A.):

1) State what you want (not what you do not want). "I want to weigh 135
pounds."

2) Determine whether you can achieve it (do you believe it is
possible?).

3) What resources do you have and what do you need (time, money, gear,
clothes, equipment, coaching, whatever).

4) Check whether anyone else is involved and any potential obstacles that
may come up regarding others. Think of everyone involved in your day-to-day
life.

5) Picture yourself "as if" you've obtained what you say you want and see
if that picture fits. Do you like what you see?

6) Put together a plan of action for the achievement of your
outcome.

Okay, so, how far along have we gotten here. Let's do the checklist:

Regarding #1: CHECK. I stated in the previous post that I was aiming for 160. So, "I want to weight 160 pounds."

On to #2: As the footer philosophy and the first entries make clear, yes. I choose to have a positive attitude. I choose to believe I can do this. Why? Others have trod the same path. They are role models that say it can be done by a human being. Princess Dieter, being human, can do it, too. I may have more (or fewer) obstacles than other morbidly obese royalty who've gone before and succeeded, but it's still achievable. They showed it could be done. So, "Yes, I believe I can make it happen!"

Next--#3: What resources do I have? I previously owned or recently bought the following:

1. new exercise clothes--simple, basic, comfortable
2. two new pair of walking shoes, one white and light blue and one all-black.
3. a set of Bowflex weights
4. a resistance band
5. a stability ball
6. an exercise mat
7. On Demand cable channels with exercise classes
8. a treadmill
9. several books on dieting, including YOU: THE DIET and VOLUMETRICS

I have the time. I can't fall back on that excuse. It's the inclination I have to muster. AND I WILL!!!

I also plan to reassess the family budget and see if I can hire, even if short-term, a personal coach to give me guidance on how to exercise without hurting myself. At 289 pounds, it's very hard to move. Just walking is an undertaking. Going up stairs is killer on the knees--and going down is only marginally easier. So, expert advice would be beneficial.

Gliding to #4: Meal planning gets tough cause my hubby only likes a few veggies and fruits, and he won't eat beans or oatmeal or some stuff. But breakfast and lunch are pretty much clear sailing (M through F) and not such a hurdle on weekends. Dinner is the thing. We get take-out all the time cause I'm a horrible, horrible cook. Princesses should have someone else cook!!! This step will require coordination, and I"m working on it. I have to collect about 20 really easy recipes that include stuff hubby will eat and that works for my calorie/points needs. It's doable, but it's gonna be a difficult thing for kitchen-a-phobic and cooking-impaired Princess Dieter.


And now #5: YES!!!

Finally, #6: Still working on this one. Today, I"m going to the farmer's market and supermarket and getting lots of produce, whole grain pasta and bread, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. First, I need to figure out what we're gonna be having for dinners this week. Hubby needs soft foods due to oral surgery and I need stuff that's gonna keep me full and veggiefied. I'll put in about 2 hours in making a list (I have the books and magazines scattered about). Then, spend money on edibles time! (BTW, I put up a link to the Cooking Light site over on my sidebar. Lots of recipes there. Mmm.)

I also want to schedule a 20 minute exercise time for 5 to 6 times a week. I don't even know if I'll last for twenty given the radix lecti level of fitness at which I am. IF I only make it to 10 mins, then I'll have to break it up into two 10 minute periods. But can I do it? YES!

~~