Wednesday, May 19 -- Week 20, Day 4

Today was a good day. I ate lots of good food and got lots of great exercise. Now if only I could apply that to housework, I think maybe everyone would be a lot happier!

BREAKFAST:

• 3/4 oz serving cream of wheat
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup sliced strawberries with Splenda

This was very good. The taste of fresh strawberries has really grown on me. I really truly enjoy them. Too bad our latest box is gone. That will give me something to look forward to for next week though!

**********

LUNCH:

• Greek salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber, tomato-basil feta cheese, light Italian-romano-red pepper dressing)
• 1 thin slice homemade wheat bread
• 1 tsp. margarine

Also very good!! I absolutely LOVE this feta cheese!! That's unfortunate, because at that price, I'll probably never buy it again. Something tells me plain feta isn't quite as delicious as tomato-basil...

*******

DINNER:

• 3 oz. sautéed chicken
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup wax beans
• salad
• 1/2 cup sugar-free chocolate pudding

And now ... are you ready to feast your eyes on the most colorful dinner ever???

Or not. I can hardly wait until we decide on a stove. It's really hard to cook without an oven. This was supposed to be baked chicken. I just sautéed it in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. I seasoned the chicken with only salt and pepper. About 5 minutes before it was done, I drizzled a splash of white cooking wine into the pan and cooked it until it was evaporated. It made it a little more moist than it usually is.

As much as I enjoyed the chicken salad I got from Sheetz the other day, I figured I might as well put my chicken ON my salad. It was really good. This dressing was light 3-cheese ranch. I think I opened the bottle roughly a year ago and it's still good! That's not an exaggeration. I really think it was about a year ago.

This chocolate pudding mix came from Fisher's Country Store. It is REALLY good! I used all skim milk, but it was still very rich and not at all grainy. I prefer the chocolate to the vanilla, but both are quite good! And only 23 calories each serving (I divide a 4-serving pack into 6 bowls).

For snacks today, I had 2 graham cracker squares and a big bowl of vanilla frozen yogurt. Before the yogurt, I was at about 812 calories, so it was a big bowl. I ended the day at 1082 calories.

I ran 1 1/2 miles this afternoon, which burned about 200. Then this evening, I biked 6.5 miles during soccer practice, which burned about 400 more. Hopefully the scale will be kind in the morning!

Monday, May 17 -- Week 20, Day 2

This is my first week of creating my own menu, using the WW cookbook as a template. Our day had an unexpected interruption, so lunch went a little awry, but I still did my best to stick within the diet and chose a healthy lunch.

I apologize for the lack of photos today. I know that's a favorite feature, but it was an extremely hectic day. I'm lucky I got a chance to EAT, much less take pictures.

BREAKFAST:

• 1 over easy egg
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 slice wheat toast
• 1 tsp. margarine
• 1/4 cup skim milk

LUNCH:

• Sheetz grilled chicken salad with fat free Italian dressing

(This was supposed to be chicken on lettuce with mayo and tomato, bread, jello, and milk, but we ran out the door rather quickly right at lunch time, so I had to make do. My salad was only 168 calories, and it was REALLY good!)

DINNER:

• 3.5 oz sautéed haddock
• 1/8 of a large cast-iron skillet of grated potatoes & rutabagas
• 1 slice wheat bread
• 1 tsp. margarine
• 1/2 cup green beans

SNACKS:

• sugar-free jello
• banana

I just added up my calories for the day, and I realize that I'm only at about 839. Surprisingly, I'm not hungry, but I just ran 3 miles, which burned 400 calories. That leaves me with only 439 to get me through the rest of my day. I think I'm at a bit of a deficit. I'm contemplating eating something else before I go to bed. Part of me says, "839 is not enough. Eat something!" A bigger part of me is saying, "But you're not hungry. No need to eat anything." Time will tell which side will win, but I'm rooting for the "Don't eat" side.

***********

Guess which side won.... I just ate 2 graham crackers, for an additional 140 calories. Good night.

Weekends

Ok, apparently don't expect any posts over the weekend. There WILL be a post tonight though! I have a great menu planned for today, so stay tuned...

Planning Ahead

I was just looking over next week's menu, trying to come up with my own. This is going to be harder than I thought. Here is some of what I've come up with, very loosely based on the book's menu. I'm very open to suggestions!

Sunday Breakfast:

• 1 piece of fruit
• 3/4 oz oatmeal squares
• 3/4 cup skim milk

Sunday Lunch:

• broiled turkey burgers (assuming we have a broiler by then)
• 1 hamburger roll
• 2 tsp. ketchup
• 1/2 cup carrots
• cucumber-tomato salad

Sunday Dinner:

• macaroni and cheese
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup carrots
• green salad

Sunday Snacks:

• 2 pieces fruit
• 3/4 cup milk

**********

Monday Breakfast:

• 1/2 cup juice
• 1 egg
• 1 slice toast
• 1 tsp. margarine
• 1/4 cup skim milk

Monday Lunch:

• 2 1/4 oz. chicken on lettuce with 1 tsp. mayonnaise and diced tomatoes
• 1 slice bread
• 1/2 cup low-calorie jello
• 3/4 cup skim milk

Monday Dinner:

• 3 oz. broiled haddock
• 1/4 cup squash (whichever kind is on sale)
• 1/2 cup green beans
• salad
• fruit

Monday Snacks:

• 1/2 banana
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1 cup juice

**********

Tuesday Breakfast:

• 1 piece fruit
• 1 oz. cheese
• 1 slice toast
• 1/2 cup skim milk

Tuesday Lunch:

• deli meat on toast
• salad with 1 oz. shredded cheese
• canned fruit

Tuesday Dinner:

• 3 oz roast beef
• 1/2 cup wax beans
• 1/2 cup carrots
• salad
• 1 piece fruit

Tuesday Snacks:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 english muffin
• 1 tsp. margarine + 2 tsp. jelly

***********

Wednesday Breakfast:

• 1 piece fruit
• 1 serving cream of wheat
• 1 cup skim milk

Wednesday Lunch:

• Greek salad
• 1 slice wheat bread
• 1 tsp. margarine

Wednesday Dinner:

• 3 oz. baked chicken
• 1/2 cup brown rice
• 1/2 cup zucchini
• salad

Wednesday Snacks:

• 1/2 cup low-calorie pudding
• 1/4 banana
• 3/4 cup canned fruit
• 2 graham crackers

**************

Thursday Breakfast:

• 1 cup juice
• 1 pita broiled with mustard and 1 oz. cheese
• 1/2 cup skim milk

Thursday Lunch:

• 3 T. peanut butter
• 2 tsp. jelly
• 1 slice bread
• carrot sticks
• 1/2 cup applesauce

Thursday Dinner:

• 3 oz steak
• 1/2 cup snow pea stir fry
• fruit gelatin pie
• salad
• 1/2 cup skim ilk

Thursday Snacks:

• root beer froth
• 1/2 cup strawberries w/ 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1 piece fruit

*************

Friday Breakfast:

• 1/3 cup juice
• 3/4 oz oatmeal squares
• 1 cup skim milk

Friday Lunch:

• use up any ingredients that will go bad soon
• include a meat, a veggie, a fruit, and a salad

Friday Dinner:

• probably pizza, using any veggie toppings available
• salad
• low-calorie pudding

Friday Snacks:

• 1 piece of fruit
• 2 graham crackers
• 3 oz. frozen yogurt

***************

Saturday Breakfast:

• Use up any ingredients that will go bad
• include a grain, a fruit, cheese, and milk

Saturday Lunch:

• EMS DAY, try to not eat like a pig

Saturday Dinner:

• Use up any ingredients that will go bad
• include meat, 2 veggies, salad, small dinner roll

Saturday Snacks:

• canned fruit
• 1 piece fresh fruit

***********

That's the tentative plan. I've left it specific enough to actually have a plan to stick to, but vague enough to allow me freedom based on grocery sales.

One of the goals I hope to accomplish through this project is to learn how to menu plan like this by myself. My biggest hurdle is remembering to include enough fruits and veggies, as well as GOOD grains.

It has been very easy for me to identify patterns in this diet. Dinner always includes 2 veggies, and usually a salad, but very few (if any) grains. I think that's a pretty easy system to stick to.

I've been making a side dish (potatoes, rice, etc) for the rest of the family, because they'd overthrow me if I didn't. I usually have one very small spoonful, just so I don't end up craving it and hiding in the closet to eat a huge bowl of it.

Having built-in snacks planned into my day has been a huge help. It's nice to know that if I feel hungry between meals, I'm ALLOWED to have a couple graham crackers or a bowl of applesauce.

I'd like to give my "freedom" menu a fair shot this coming week. If it goes well, I'll probably try it again, using the WW book for ideas. Surprisingly, quite a lot of my proposed menu this week came directly from, or was greatly inspired by, the WW book. I didn't just completely make it up out of thin air. Using the book as a guide, and with practice, I hope to be able to do it by myself eventually.

Thursday, May 13 -- Week 19, Day 6

My willpower has been restored!

BREAKFAST:

Original:

• 1 small pear
• 1 oz. brie cheese
• 3/4 ounce crispbread
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• coffee or tea

My adaptation:

• 1 small pear
• 1 oz. colby cheese
• 3/4 ounce melba toast
• 1/4 cup skim milk

I don't recall having ever eaten a fresh pear before. It was ok. It'll grow on me.

I didn't even bother looking for brie cheese. I don't doubt that I'd like it. Maybe I'll try to get some next week. I wonder if I can get it in a really small amount, since I'm likely the only one who will eat it.

I had two unopened boxes of rosemary-olive oil melba toast in the cupboard from last week. That meal must've gotten skipped. Or ignored. Or something. I was a little nervous about it, because I do NOT care for the flavor of rosemary. I only bought it because it was the only flavor the had in stock. But it was surprisingly delicious! A fun finger-food breakfast. I read a vegetable cookbook while I was eating, and it lasted a good 15-20 minutes.

**********

LUNCH:

Original:

• tofu casserole
• alfalfa or bean sprouts with 1/4 cup sliced canned water chestnuts on lettuce and sesame vinaigrette
• 1/2 cup strawberry-flavored gelatin
• 1 cup skim milk

My adaptation:

• Greek salad
• 1/2 cup lemon low-calorie gelatin
• 1 cup skim milk

Tofu just isn't going to happen. Not now, not ever. However, I was supposed to have a Greek salad last week that I ended up missing. I had this super-expensive feta cheese in the refrigerator that I didn't want to go to waste, so I had the Greek salad instead of tofu casserole. It was quite good! It was tomato basil feta, lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato, and light Italian Romano dressing. Sadly, I'm almost to the end of that bottle. I'll have to get another, even though I've got about 20 salad dressings in the cupboard. And that's not an exaggeration.

**********

DINNER:

Original:

• 3 oz. broiled hamburger
• 1/2 hamburger roll
• 2 tsp. ketchup
• eggplant and pepper salad
• 1/2 medium dill pickle, sliced
• coffee-yogurt shake

My adaptation:

• 3 oz. hamburger
• 1/2 Kaiser roll
• 2 tsp. ketchup
• 1/2 cup fried potatoes
• 1/2 cup sautéed lemon-garlic green beans
• mango frozen yogurt

This was a really pathetic dinner. I was sad that my burger didn't have a top. Or cheese. Or bacon.

I have no comment on the eggplant pepper salad. I had fried potatoes and green beans instead. Because I could.

I saved the mango frozen yogurt for bedtime snack, only because it wasn't frozen yet. It was a little odd. Mango is an acquired taste, I think.

I ended the day at about 1235 calories.

Veal Medley

• 12 ounces veal cutlets, pounded and cut into 1-inch strips (I used veal cube steak)
• 1/8 tsp. white pepper
• dash salt
• 1 T. plus 2 tsp. margarine, divided
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used 1 cup)
• 1 T. enriched flour
• 3/4 cup chicken broth (I used turkey)
• 2 tsp. grated Parmesan cheese (I didn't realize we were out until it was too late, so I used mozzarella)
• 1/8 tsp. ground thyme (I've never been wild about the flavor of thyme)
• 1 cup sliced drained canned hearts of palm, 1-inch pieces (carrots worked just fine)
• 1 cup hot cooked enriched spinach noodles (I used Wacky Mac, which is a mix of spinach, beet, carrot, and white noodles)

Season veal with white pepper and salt. Melt 1 tsp. margarine in a small nonstick skillet; add veal and sauté for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring often. Remove veal and set aside. Add 1 tsp. margarine to skillet and melt; add mushrooms and sauté until tender. Set aside. Melt 1 T. margarine in saucepan; stir in flour. Stirring constantly with a wire whisk, gradually add broth; cook, stirring often, nuntil thickened. Stir in cheese and tyme. Stir in veal, mushrooms, and hearts of palm and cook 5 minutes. Add cooked noodles and toss.

I did steam the carrots in the microwave for 5 minutes first. And rather than mixing it all together, we just topped our noodles with the veal mixture.

Wednesday, May 12 -- Week 19, Day 5

BREAKFAST:

Original:

• 1/2 medium banana, sliced
• 3/4 oz ready-to-eat cereal
• 1 cup skim milk
• coffee or tea

My adaptation:

• 1/2 medium banana
• 1 1/2 oz ready-to-eat cereal
• 1 cup skim milk

Seriously, 3/4 of an ounce of this cereal was about 12 pieces. It was really good though! Quaker Oatmeal Squares. I ate them dry, and drank the milk separately. Delicious!

*********

LUNCH:

Original:

• 1 cup tomato juice with lemon wedge
• spinach-cucumber egg salad
• 1 ounce pita bread
• 1 tsp. reduced-calorie margarine
• 1/2 cup blueberries

My adaptation:

• 1 cup apple juice
• 3 oz deli meat
• 1 ounce pita bread
• 1 tsp. reduced-calorie margarine
• 1/2 cup strawberries with Splenda

I know this was a pitiful version of the original. I keep meaning to get V8 Splash juice. I know it's not quite the same as tomato juice, but at least it's got some tomato juice in it and is bound to be a better substitute than apple juice.

And egg salad is absolutely disgusting. So deli meat it was. I accidentally grabbed onion-flavored pitas, and I'm so glad I did! What a great way to add flavor without any extra calories! Now if only they made onion-flavored wheat pitas...

I am looking forward to blueberry sale season. $3.99 for a 6 ounce container??? I do NOT think so. I paid $3.48 for a 32 ounce container of these strawberries. They were really good. I thoroughly enjoyed them. Besides, aren't they pretty with their Splenda sprinkles?

***********

DINNER:

Original:

• veal medley (click for recipe)
• 1/2 cup baked acorn squash
• tossed salad with dijon-herb dressing
• 1/4 small cantaloupe
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• coffee or tea

My adaptation:

• veal medley (carrots instead of hearts of palm, whatever they are)
• 1/2 cup baked acorn squash
• lettuce with light Italian romano dressing
• 1/4 small cantaloupe
• 1/2 cup skim milk

This was good. Veal is expensive. The recipe called for 12 ounces, but at $9-something per pound, a half a pound was plenty. I just cut it up smaller. I had a pack of Wacky Mac noodles in the cupboard, which is a mix of carrot, beet, white, and spinach noodles.

The acorn squash ... our oven is still on the fritz. The oven guy is supposed to be here in the morning to fix it. I ended up cooking the squash in the microwave. It was so easy. And the flavor reminded me a LOT of sweet corn. I liked it. I did put a dab of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar on it, but I couldn't even taste it, so I'll just skip that next time.

The cantaloupe isn't in the picture, because I actually had that for a snack tonight after the soccer game.

Bread and butter was supposed to be one of my other snacks, but I chose to have it with dinner instead. I stupidly ate a whole slice. This was a quick-bake white bread, because I forgot to put the bread in earlier. It was very very dense, so my one thin slice was actually 3 ounces. I definitely should have had just a half a slice, but I wasn't thinking straight. So that cost me an extra 150 calories today. :-(

Everyone was quite happy with dinner tonight, myself included. It was a nice break after last night's dinner.

Just a heads-up: we won't be having Tofu Casserole for lunch tomorrow. More deli meat is just fine with me!