Diet Delites

Monday, April 24, 2006

Monday Weigh-In

I have been extremely lax this week. No posts. Nothing. My paying job simply interfered with my passions. So, in order to keep the bill collectors at bay, I shirked my responsibilities to my readers.

As I do when I am under stress, I eat. And this week was no exception. However, on most days I only ate two meals a day -- always breakfast and a second heavier meal between 3 - 4PM. This meal combined lunch and dinner. When I am working I tend to put blinders on and charge right through lunch without so much as a hint of a hunger pang. (This should be telling me something -- KEEP BUSY.)

I am happy to say that even though my diet was anything but limiting, I did manage to lose 1 pound. I couldn't believe it. I am still hopeful that I will lose the 30 extra pounds although I am more realistic about the timing. I doubt that I'm going to make it in 30 weeks. It's like climing up the pea gravel on Mt. Saint Helens -- two steps forward and one step back. That's OK. I'm going to enjoy myself and not let the disappointments overwhelm me. Even if it takes 30 months, I'm not going to quit and you shouldn't either.

Ciao for now (or is that chow for now).

Monday, April 17, 2006

Dreadful Monday Morning Weigh-In

Well, I really fell off the wagon this week. I knew the 2-pound loss last week was an anomoly, although the net loss was 1 pound. After pizza, fudge brownies, chips and dip, lemon cream pie, lasagna and way too much wine, I have regained that pound. So, I am back to where I started when i first posted this blog -- 165 lbs. Am I disappointed? Of course I am, but not enough to keep me from climbing right back up on the wagon again.

My week was filled with anxiety and stress, and I eat when I am anxious or stressed. I can't help myself, and I know there are many, many people out there in the same boat. Perhps a dose of valium is the answer, but I can't afford to go to the doctor to find out. Besides, I'm not sure I want to go around feeling like a zombie.

Spring is soon to arrive here in the Pacific Northwest. I hate to exercise, but I don't mind an early morning walk. It help clears my mind to start the day. In some cases, a walk in the early evening clears my mind so I can sleep better. I walk almost two miles but only when the weather is pleasant. It's as much exercise as I can tolerate. I'm not sure if it helps with weight loss, but it's better than doing nothing. You won't catch me on treadmills or stationary bicycles. I tried Curves but found that way too boring for my taste. Perhaps I walk because I don't think of it as exercise but as therapy for my psychological disorders (stress and anxiety), and it does help with those.

My goal is to lose 2 pounds this week. My taxes are filed, so I don't have that stress to deal with. Temperatures are forecasted to be in the mid 60's. Looks like smooth sailing. I'll weigh in next Monday and we'll see.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Deliteful French Toast

Who says you can't eat well and diet? My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. I'm not sure why, except that I love most breakfast food and don't have to think so hard about what I'm going to eat. This recipe isn't as easy as pouring yourself a bowl of cereal, but I think you'll like it nonetheless.

2 slices of 100% whole wheat lite bread (40 calories per slice)
1/2 cup egg substitute
1 tsp. vanilla, maple, almond or orange flavoring
Dash of cinnamon
Olive oil spray
DaVinci Gourmet Sugar Free Pancake Syrup (If you can't find this in a store near you, get it here
http://www.davincigourmet.com/788.html
2 slices Louis Rich Turkey Bacon

Spray 12" non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and place on burner on medium heat.
Pour egg substitute into a shallow bowl. Add flavoring and cinnamon. Stir well.
Soak bread slices one at a time on both sides in egg mixture. When completely soaked, transfer to skillet. Fry on each side until brown, probably not more than 2 - 3 minutes per side.
Pour syrup over fried bread slices.
Serve with 2 slices of microwaved turkey bacon.

Serves one, approximately 210 clories

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Deliteful On-The-Go Dieting

For anyone who enjoys eating out, you absolutely must bookmark this site: DietFacts.com DO IT NOW!!
Listed on this site are the nutritional values for menu items of a wealth of fast food restaurants -- Burger King, Wendy's, McDonalds, Subway, Quiznos Sub, Applebee's, Olive Garden, Red Lobster, and hundreds maybe thousands more. You cannot be without this information and take your diet seriously. I keep a short cut on my desktop for quick reference.

If you know that you're going to be stopping off for a bite, plan your outing BEFORE you leave the house. If you have restaurant favorites, print out the menu items that are within your diet parameters and keep them in a binder in your car. Check this site on your laptop with a Wi-Fi connection or on your Web-connected cell phone. Whatever you do, keep this site accessible in order to keep your diet on tract while eating out.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Deliteful Mushroom Soup

This soup is so yummy you can eat it all and still have plenty of unused calories to indulge in a Deliteful desert.

10 ounces button mushrooms
Olive oil spray
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. plain flour
1-3/4 cups vegetable stock
1-3/4 cups 1% milk or "ultra" skimmed milk
Pinch of dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh basil leaves or shredded parmesan or peccorino-romano cheese for garnish

Separate the mushroom caps from the stalks. Finely alice the caps and finely chop the stalks.
Spray a non-stick skillet with the olive oil spray. Add the onion, mushroom stalks and 1/2 to 3/4 or the sliced mushroom caps. Fry for about 1 - 2 minutes, stirring frequently, and then cover and sweat over a gentle heat for 6 - 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the flour and coook for about 1 minute. Gradually add stock and milk to make a smooth thin sauce. Add the basil and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer, partly covered, for 15 minutes.
Cool slightly and then pour the soup into a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Spray another non-stick skillet with olive oil spray and fry the remaining mushrooms gently for 3 - 4 minutes until they are just tender.
Pour the soup into a clean saucepan and stir in the sliced mushrooms. Heat until very hot and adjust the seasonings . Garnish and serve.
Serves 4
Approximate calories for the entire recipe exclusive of cheese garnish, 295. Eat to your heart's content and have a piece of Deliteful Cheesecake for dessert.

Monday, April 10, 2006

Deliteful Monday Morning Weigh-In

April 10, 2006
I am ecstatic. When I jumped on the scale this morning, I was surprised to find that I was down 2 pounds to 163. It's probably just water weight that dropped off due to the number of glasses of water I drank yesterday. I'll know for sure tomorrow if my weight still registers 163, but for right now, I'm on cloud nine.


Days like today don't come often (at least not often enough). There are more disappointing weigh-ins than surprising ones. But days like today certainly keep me pointed in the right direction.

Sunday, April 09, 2006

Deliteful Diet Data













Me in 2005 @ 165 .......................Me in 2003 @ 175
Even 10 pounds makes a difference.

No recipe today. I want to pass on something that I read although for the life of me I can't remember when or where, but I have found it to be a truthful reality.

Your body needs 10 times your current weight in calories to maintain that weight. In other words, I weigh 165 lbs. In order to maintain that weight, I can only eat 1650 calories per day. In order to lose weight, I must eat less; if I eat more, I will gain.

One pound equals 3500 calories. In order to lose one pound per week, you need to decrease your caloric intake by that amount or 500 calories per day. In other words, for me to lose my goal of one pound per week, I can only eat 1150 calories per day or 8050 per week. If I wanted to pig out on 3450 calories one day, I would have to fast for 3 days that week!!! Or I could eat all 8050 calories in one day and fast for the other 6 days of the week. Because I'm counting calories, I can spread those suckers around any way I want as long as I don't go over my allotted calories per week. And you know what else? I can spread them around eating ANYTHING I want as long as I don't eat more than 8050 calories for the week.

Sounds delightful, doesn't it. The truth is that you could do this if you had the will power. The reality is that you probably don't have the will power. I know I don't. I'll try to maintain my 1150 deliteful calories per day and be content with a piece of Deliteful Cheesecake for now.


Thursday, April 06, 2006

Deliteful Cheesecake

You don't have to be afraid to serve this tempting treat to company. With around 185 calories per serving, it won't kill your diet either.


3/4 cup finely crushed graham crackers (approx. 10 squares) or graham cracker crumbs.
3 tablespoons whipped butter, melted
1 - 15 oz. container low-fat ricotta cheese
1 - 8 oz.container plain, nonfat yogurt or nonfat sour cream
1/2 cup Splenda for baking (different than regular Splenda)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 - 8 oz. package or container of nonfat cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup egg substitute ( Egg Beaters, Better-n-Eggs, etc.)
2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Fresh fruit such as strawberries, blueberries and/or kiwi slices


Prepare crust by combining crushed graham crackers and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Press onto the bottom of an 8" square glass baking dish. Bake in 325-degree oven for 7 minutes. Cool.


Prepare filling by combining in a blender container the ricotta cheese, yogurt, sugar, flour and lemon juice. Cover and blend until smooth; set aside. In a large mixer bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add egg substitute and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined; beat on high speed until smooth. Slowly add ricotta cheese mixture to cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed until combined.


Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour filling into crust. Place the dish on middle shelf of the oven and bake 1 hour or until the center is set when shaken. Wooden toothpick inserted into center should come out almost clean. Cool completely. Chill for 4 - 6 hours. Before serving, top with fresh fruit. (It's even good without fruit.)


Serves 9


Enjoy!


Tuesday, April 04, 2006

INTRODUCTION TO DIET DELITES

Welcome all you chubbies out there that are still looking for that magic bullet that will take off the pounds at warp speed. Get a grip!


THERE IS NO MAGIC BULLET

I've been trying to lose weight for most of my adult life. At 62, I am still trying. The only reason I weigh 165 lbs. and not 265 lbs. is because I go on a diet every single morning -- and it almost always falls apart by 5PM. This has been my routine for over 30 years.

My ideal weight is 130 lbs. The last time I weighed 130 lbs. was when I was 35 years old. At that age I really should have weighed 120 lbs. So at 35 I was already 10 pounds overweight.

For 27 years I have been consistently adding pounds. The biggest gain was in 1999 during menopause when inexplicably I added 20 pounds in 2 months. The doctor explained that it was due to severe anemia. My body had shut down and was storing every little bit I ate as fat. That drove my weight up to 165 lbs.
I leveled off at 165 lbs., but over the next 5 years I added yet another 10 pounds. When I got on the scale in December, 2004, and saw 175 lbs., I nearly fainted. If I didn't do something fast, I was heading to real obesity.

Within 3 months I lost 10 pounds. It was the hardest thing I have ever done. Climbing a mountain is easier than losing weight. I know; I've climbed a mountain. (That really is me in the picture.)

May 30, 1993 -- Top of Mt. St. Helens -- 140 Lbs.

In 2005 I managed to take off another 5 pounds. Unfortunately, in November I went on a 2-week Caribbean cruise with a friend whose only form of entertainment was eating. With no will power (and not a whole lot else to do on board for endless days at sea) I gained back 5 pounds. It probably would have been more if I had imbibed on all of the sugar-laden drink specialties. Instead, I drank a lot of water and managed a 1.5 mile walk each day on the jogging track.

On March 20, 2006, I began a new lease on life. Among other things, I am bound and determined to lose 30 pounds, but I need help. We all need help.

This post is for those of you who want to join me on my weight loss journey. Here I will make myself accountable to you. Here I will share with you one secret to making dieting more palatable -- reworked recipes.

Over the years I have taken many of my favorite dishes and reduced their calorie counts so that I don't have to deny myself the pleasures of eating. I will begin posting those recipes for you to enjoy as well.
Keep in mind that I am not a nutritionist, a diet guru, a gourmet cook or expert on anything related to food. So you may get rough calorie counts, but don't expect a full read-out of nutritional values. Some recipes won't be all that precise either. I tend to cook with a pinch or this, a smattering of that, a dash of something else. Some would call it creative cookery. You may have to use your creative sixth sense to discover what's right for you. Also, the recipes will be very simple. A Julia Child I am not.

Tomorrow I will "weigh in" with the first of the reworked recipes. Until then --

HAPPY WEIGHT LOSS


 
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