Um....can anybody tell me where the past week has gone??? I lost it somewhere. So, since I know this week is going to be uber crazy with all the preparations for my little Chicklette's birthday party this weekend, I am going to brush all the subjects I had planned last week. I am going to address calorie counting, how much protein we should consume and frozen diet meals. Okay, let’s get to figuring all this out!
Calorie Counting. It’s a tough thing to do and I will admit that I do not do it every day. I just don't have the time to be honest. But the good thing about it is, after you do it for awhile you get a feeling for what the amount of calories are for foods you eat all the time. Once you know that, it’s easy to figure out how much of what you should be eating in a day. I’ve read in several articles that the average woman should consume anywhere between 1200 to 1550 calories in a day. But to find out what the recommended amount of calories you should be consuming, I advise going to http://www.sparkpeople.com/ and setting up an account. This website will calculate the proper range of calories you should consume based on your weight, body type and your weight loss goal. They also have a section where you can enter in the foods you consumed and it will calculate how many calories, how much protein, fat and carbs you ate. It’s nice because it gives you the totals and you know how many you have left to consume or just how much you went over. You can also track how much water you drink. (I love sparkpeople and you will see that I refer to that website often.) There are also many apps available for smart phones that will track calories for you. (there's an app for just about everything these days!) I have yet to try any of the apps, so at this time I cannot give a recommendation, but if you are just starting out with calorie counting, it might not be a bad idea to try one! (or if you have a rec for an app, send it to me, I would be glad to try it and possibly recommend it) Now, I know that there are cons to calorie counting. All I'm saying here is this is what I do and it works for me. I am willing to try most things and see if they work for me. Yes, it's easy to obsess over calories, just like it's easy to obsess about your weight. But if you can get to the mindset of 'okay, so I know I can eat X amount of calories a day' and then strive to stay in the right range, you will find that you don't have to deprive yourself too much on the foods you like. Also, know that it is okay to go over every now and then. Just don't do it everyday. Maybe once a week max. For instance, I have a "cheat day" that I give myself once a week. On this day, I can eat what I want and not count the calories. On cheat day, I have what I want and I don't feel guilty. I know that the next day I have to get back on the program and be focused in my nutrition and workouts. So, in a nutshell, if you haven't tried calorie counting, maybe you should. It might be what you need to get passed a plateau or maybe just get started on a weight loss journey.
Protein Consumption. Again I am going to recommend http://www.sparkpeople.com/ to calculate just how much protein you should consume. Protein is important. It helps your body to not only build muscle but to also repair muscle after an intense workout. Of course, taking care of our muscles is important. Building muscle and maintaining muscle is good for your metabolic rate and it’s crucial to weight loss. If you find yourself feeling weak, tired, completely out of energy, eat some protein. Within minutes you will feel better. It takes the body a longer time to completely digest protein so you will also feel less hungry for a longer time. Protein comes in just about everything you eat but you should know the foods that contain the most amount of protein. Also, different kinds of proteins affect the body in different ways. Some might cause you to gain weight, probably because they may be high in fat and calories. So you should probably stay away from the bacon, sausage, ham, some red meats, etc. But meats like fish, chicken and turkey provide a good source of protein without high amounts of fat and calories. Another source of protein that I enjoy is whey protein. I love to make shakes with whey protein. Not only do I get a significant amount of protein, but they taste pretty good too. One warning though, read the labels! Some of the whey protein products contain lots of sugar, artificial ingredients and calories. Try to find a kind that has little sugar and the fewer ingredients the better. I have two kinds that I have tried. Jillian Michaels has her own brand which is decent tasting. The other kind I think is called Advanced. I got it at Walmart. It was economical and also tastes okay. I have found the trick to making shakes is to use skim milk. Mix the powder in the milk with a spoon and let it sit for about 5 minutes. The shake will be less gritty and the flavors will have blended together much better. What I like about the shakes is they are easy to make, can be used as a snack or supplement a meal and they are fairly portable. So if you are having trouble fitting in your protein, try a whey protein shake.
Frozen Diet Meals: Okay, so I might get a bit preachy on this topic. I have an opinion and I'm sharing it. Here is the thing; there are definitely pros and cons to using these meals. The pros: you learn the proper portion size of foods, you can lose weight, you get your protein, veggies and maybe even a fruit in your meal all with the convenience of being able to pop it in the microwave and have a full meal within minutes. There is also no messy preparation and very little clean up afterwards. The cons: they can be very high in sodium, they often do not taste very good and they can be expensive. They also contain processed meats and if you look at the ingredient list, it probably has a lot of things you cannot pronounce. If you are doing something like Nutrisystem or Jenny Craig where all of your meals are their foods, you run the risk of gaining the weight back after you stop eating their foods. (I have known a few people where this has happened.) For instance, I had a co-worker that did the Nutrisystem food program. She lost a ton of weight! It was awesome to see her lose weight just by eating and not really exercising. It really made me kind of jealous. But then she got to her goal weight and stopped eating the meals. She tried her best to eat healthy. She ate lean meats and kept her portions small. But the biggest problem I saw was she was eating foods that were similar to what she had been eating. Like lasagna, hamburgers, mac n cheese….I’m sure I don’t have to tell you how quickly she gained that weight back! Even though these were the types of foods she ate on the diet, they were not made with the same stuff. She learned all about portion size, but not about the proper types of ingredients to cook with. In the end, I kind of feel those types of diets really do a disservice to people. They don’t teach you anything about how to eat. Other than, if you start to gain weight, buy our products again to lose the weight. To me, that is not cool. Give a man a fish and he will eat a meal. Teach a man how to cook a fish and he will eat for life. Or something like that!
If you are going to do the frozen food thing, just be careful and do your research. Make sure you are learning what types of foods to eat and the proper portion sizes. Don’t be tricked into buying frozen meals for the rest of your life to maintain your ideal weight. Okay, off my soap box.
I hope I provided some useful information. I know there are a ton of details I left out. But truly, you need to figure out what is best for your body. I highly suggest going to websites like http://www.sparkpeople.com/ . There is tons of information on that site as well as calculators and even experts you can ask questions you may have too.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Topic of the Day: Sodium Intake
Okay, so I've decided this week I am devoting myself to figuring out how to eat. Yes, I'm in my.....thirties.. ah hem... I mean twenties (wink wink) and I have no clue how to use these utensil thingies. No really, I'm talking about reading labels of the foods we buy and figuring out exactly what we need to look for.
We all know that we need to watch the amount of fat and calories we consume. But what about sodium? There are so many articles out there about this stuff. Some say don't worry, just eat. Others say reduce or eliminate. But which is right? While I am not a licensed nutritionist or a doctor, my opinion is, you should stay within the ideal daily range. Its recommended that we should consume 500 mg minimally and up to 2400 mg of sodium a day. Our bodies need sodium to function properly. Sodium is necessary to maintain the proper balance of fluids in tissues and blood functions. It also aides in the transmission of nerve impulses as well as aiding in the balancing of calcium and potassium to maintain a healthy heart. So its important that we do not eliminate. Also, when we drink water, excess sodium is released.
Keeping all that in mind will help when we read the food labels at the supermarket. A food that contains 100 or even 200 mg of sodium is not a high sodium food. A food that contains 500 mg or higher, that might be considered high. But you have to keep in mind, what else are you consuming on the day you might eat that food? Are those foods low in sodium? So maybe a meal that has 550 mg would be good for you that day. When you figure you have 2400 mg to play with, it does open up your options.
However, I am often surprised when I read a label and there is a number like 900 mg or sometimes its over 1,000 mg. One thing I know for sure though, so called "diet" foods are almost always higher in sodium. The more the food has to be processed, the more sodium it will have. Also, the more a food is processed, the more other ingredients seem to sneak into the food. But that will be a topic for another day.
When I want a chicken sandwich, just give me a hunk of chicken on a bun. Don't give me something that barely resembles chicken but might sort of taste like it. I like my foods to be pure. It's definitely one of the reasons you will not catch me eating those frozen entree's anymore. Not only do they contain ingredients I cannot pronounce, but they are loaded with sodium. And they do not taste like chicken. (You hear me Subway!?!? Your roasted chicken breast does not taste like chicken! And its loaded with 750 mg of sodium. Add the sodium count for the cheese, bread, condiments, whatever side item you might have and you could be looking at a meal of over 1,000 mg of sodium.)
Its true that any fast food is pretty much loaded with sodium. So its just another reason to avoid it. Its also true that its okay once in a while to splurge and have a guilty pleasure. One meal is not going to destroy your fitness or weight loss goals. Just make sure you drink plenty of water (not sodas!) afterwards and your body will get back to feeling like itself again.
Finally, lets address how sodium can affect weight loss. Sodium can cause water weight gain. So if you are consuming large amounts of sodium, your body will retain some water. But if you can keep your intake within the recommended range, along with drinking water you can expect to feel less bloated and maybe lose a pound or two. Be warned though, reducing sodium is not a way to lose all the weight you want. You still need to reduce your calorie intake, drink plenty of water and exercise.
Losing weight is serious work. Not only is it physical work, but its also mental. Its a science. My Grandpa used to say "eat everything in moderation" and I think that was pretty sound advise. Don't eat sweets every day, but maybe once a week. Don't eat super salty foods every day, but maybe once in a while. Don't work the same muscle groups every day, but every other day at most.
We all know that we need to watch the amount of fat and calories we consume. But what about sodium? There are so many articles out there about this stuff. Some say don't worry, just eat. Others say reduce or eliminate. But which is right? While I am not a licensed nutritionist or a doctor, my opinion is, you should stay within the ideal daily range. Its recommended that we should consume 500 mg minimally and up to 2400 mg of sodium a day. Our bodies need sodium to function properly. Sodium is necessary to maintain the proper balance of fluids in tissues and blood functions. It also aides in the transmission of nerve impulses as well as aiding in the balancing of calcium and potassium to maintain a healthy heart. So its important that we do not eliminate. Also, when we drink water, excess sodium is released.
Keeping all that in mind will help when we read the food labels at the supermarket. A food that contains 100 or even 200 mg of sodium is not a high sodium food. A food that contains 500 mg or higher, that might be considered high. But you have to keep in mind, what else are you consuming on the day you might eat that food? Are those foods low in sodium? So maybe a meal that has 550 mg would be good for you that day. When you figure you have 2400 mg to play with, it does open up your options.
However, I am often surprised when I read a label and there is a number like 900 mg or sometimes its over 1,000 mg. One thing I know for sure though, so called "diet" foods are almost always higher in sodium. The more the food has to be processed, the more sodium it will have. Also, the more a food is processed, the more other ingredients seem to sneak into the food. But that will be a topic for another day.
When I want a chicken sandwich, just give me a hunk of chicken on a bun. Don't give me something that barely resembles chicken but might sort of taste like it. I like my foods to be pure. It's definitely one of the reasons you will not catch me eating those frozen entree's anymore. Not only do they contain ingredients I cannot pronounce, but they are loaded with sodium. And they do not taste like chicken. (You hear me Subway!?!? Your roasted chicken breast does not taste like chicken! And its loaded with 750 mg of sodium. Add the sodium count for the cheese, bread, condiments, whatever side item you might have and you could be looking at a meal of over 1,000 mg of sodium.)
Its true that any fast food is pretty much loaded with sodium. So its just another reason to avoid it. Its also true that its okay once in a while to splurge and have a guilty pleasure. One meal is not going to destroy your fitness or weight loss goals. Just make sure you drink plenty of water (not sodas!) afterwards and your body will get back to feeling like itself again.
Finally, lets address how sodium can affect weight loss. Sodium can cause water weight gain. So if you are consuming large amounts of sodium, your body will retain some water. But if you can keep your intake within the recommended range, along with drinking water you can expect to feel less bloated and maybe lose a pound or two. Be warned though, reducing sodium is not a way to lose all the weight you want. You still need to reduce your calorie intake, drink plenty of water and exercise.
Losing weight is serious work. Not only is it physical work, but its also mental. Its a science. My Grandpa used to say "eat everything in moderation" and I think that was pretty sound advise. Don't eat sweets every day, but maybe once a week. Don't eat super salty foods every day, but maybe once in a while. Don't work the same muscle groups every day, but every other day at most.
Friday, March 18, 2011
This Week in Review
This week has been a good week. I've lost a pound and my pants are definitely looser, so I think I can safely say I'm out of my plateau. I've exercised every day. I did skip the elliptical machine on Wednesday, but that was the only day I didn't do it. I also really tried to focus on my eating and I think I did pretty good. Over all, I would call this week a success.
The highs of the week were: I completed the dreaded yoga video. I got up early every day I was scheduled to and exercised. On Tuesday I squeezed in 3 workouts. Thursday I managed to achieve some sort of super motivation. Or maybe just plain stubbornness to get my workout and chores done.
The lows of the week were: I was uber tired Wednesday. (Probably because of Tuesdays activities.) I think there is some sort of conspiracy against me between the couch, TV and my children.
Yesterday morning, my butt somehow became stuck on the couch. No matter how I tried, I could not get up. I was stuck there for a whole hour. I think the couch and the TV were plotting together to get me to pay more attention to them. It took alot of effort, but I did finally manage to remove myself from both the TV and the couch. I did a workout and then tried desperately the rest of the day to do my chores. But my children also seemed to be plotting against me achieving any kind of productiveness. Yes, yesterday was a challenging day. Even though I had all these forces going against me, I managed to get all but one item on my 'To Do' list done.
As a Mom I feel like I am constantly battling doing things for myself and doing things for others. More often than not, I will put my family first. I don't think that is a bad thing. But I do need to remember that if I want to be a part of their lives for a long time, I need to take time out for myself and do things that will make me healthy. Taking time out for myself will make me a better parent, a better wife, a better friend. Being healthy and making healthy choices should not be a chore. It should just be something we do. Exercising can be fun. Eating "healthy" can still taste delicious and not be a time consuming overly complicated cooking experience. So, having said all that, my goals for next week are: 1. continue to do all scheduled exercises 2. prepare healthy meals the whole family will enjoy. (okay, so I know the likelihood of the whole family enjoying it may be a stretch, but that doesn't mean I can't try. Oh boy, what am I in for???)
The highs of the week were: I completed the dreaded yoga video. I got up early every day I was scheduled to and exercised. On Tuesday I squeezed in 3 workouts. Thursday I managed to achieve some sort of super motivation. Or maybe just plain stubbornness to get my workout and chores done.
The lows of the week were: I was uber tired Wednesday. (Probably because of Tuesdays activities.) I think there is some sort of conspiracy against me between the couch, TV and my children.
Yesterday morning, my butt somehow became stuck on the couch. No matter how I tried, I could not get up. I was stuck there for a whole hour. I think the couch and the TV were plotting together to get me to pay more attention to them. It took alot of effort, but I did finally manage to remove myself from both the TV and the couch. I did a workout and then tried desperately the rest of the day to do my chores. But my children also seemed to be plotting against me achieving any kind of productiveness. Yes, yesterday was a challenging day. Even though I had all these forces going against me, I managed to get all but one item on my 'To Do' list done.
As a Mom I feel like I am constantly battling doing things for myself and doing things for others. More often than not, I will put my family first. I don't think that is a bad thing. But I do need to remember that if I want to be a part of their lives for a long time, I need to take time out for myself and do things that will make me healthy. Taking time out for myself will make me a better parent, a better wife, a better friend. Being healthy and making healthy choices should not be a chore. It should just be something we do. Exercising can be fun. Eating "healthy" can still taste delicious and not be a time consuming overly complicated cooking experience. So, having said all that, my goals for next week are: 1. continue to do all scheduled exercises 2. prepare healthy meals the whole family will enjoy. (okay, so I know the likelihood of the whole family enjoying it may be a stretch, but that doesn't mean I can't try. Oh boy, what am I in for???)
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
When Exercising is NO FUN!
Okay, so I know I'm a bit of a weirdo in that I actually like to exercise. I love facing a workout not knowing if I will be able to do all the reps or moves. And when I do make it through I feel so good about myself. But every now and then, even I, the resident fitness weirdo, will come across an exercise routine that I do not like. Sometimes it’s a dance your way thin DVD that is so fast paced and the instructions on how to do the moves are not clearly stated and I end up just staring at the TV wondering how the heck I'm supposed to do that. Or sometimes, it’s a yoga video.
Now, first I need to say this: I used to love yoga. I mean LOVE yoga! I would do it 5 times a week sometimes and would often persuade myself into replacing a scheduled cardio session with a yoga session. I was definitely devoted to the practice. But then I had a baby and got out of my healthy habits and blah blah blah. Now, 5 years later, here I am trying to do a yoga video. The first time I tried this particular video was 2 weeks ago. I made it about 20 minutes into the video. (I should also state that it’s a whopping 90 minute video) Yes, 20 minutes in and I was so frustrated that I gave up. I could not "quiet my mind" and just "go with the flow". All I could think about was the fact that this video was cutting 90 minutes out of my day and I a mile long list of things I needed to get done that day and I was falling out of the poses left and right. So I quit. And suffered the mental anguish of guilt the rest of the day. Last week I skipped the yoga video all together. But I do have a good excuse for that. I have this relative that visits monthly and often when she arrives she brings an onslaught of symptoms that make me ill.
However, today, I completed said yoga video. I feel good about myself completing it. Did I enjoy it? No. I'm trying to psych myself up for it since I have to do it again tomorrow. I'm trying to convince myself that maybe I can actually do some of the poses the next time I do the video. There were 4 poses that I absolutely could not do. While I did eventually manage to get into one of them towards the end of the time I was supposed to be holding the pose, I was only able to hold it for about 10 seconds. And the couch helped me. LOL But I figure, hold the pose for any amount of time is better than nothing or not even trying at all.
I think that I did not enjoy the yoga video because of a couple of reasons. 1) Its 90 minutes long. I can barely sit through a movie that is 90 minutes long. I don’t have the attention span for it. 2) Frustration. I find it nearly impossible to just devote myself to the movement and clear my head and focus on what I am doing. One of the things I loved about yoga before was it forced me to concentrate on me and nothing else. You literally cannot hold some of those poses if your mind is elsewhere. These days…. I would love to block life out for 90 minutes. I really should figure out how to do that. Did I mention this video is 90 minutes? I need to not focus on that. I’m sure that will help!
I realize that yoga is not for everyone. And maybe now that I am a mom, yoga is no longer my cup of tea. But let’s face it. Sometimes we need to do things that we don’t truly enjoy to get the results we seek. So who knows, maybe after completing this 90 day workout series, I will be back to enjoying yoga. Only time will tell. But what I really want you to get out of this is: Even though you might not be enjoying a certain exercise that you must do to achieve a goal, try to keep your eye on the prize. Just know and trust that if you keep it up, you will achieve your goal. And just imagine how good you will feel about yourself when that moment happens. Until next time! Namaste.
Now, first I need to say this: I used to love yoga. I mean LOVE yoga! I would do it 5 times a week sometimes and would often persuade myself into replacing a scheduled cardio session with a yoga session. I was definitely devoted to the practice. But then I had a baby and got out of my healthy habits and blah blah blah. Now, 5 years later, here I am trying to do a yoga video. The first time I tried this particular video was 2 weeks ago. I made it about 20 minutes into the video. (I should also state that it’s a whopping 90 minute video) Yes, 20 minutes in and I was so frustrated that I gave up. I could not "quiet my mind" and just "go with the flow". All I could think about was the fact that this video was cutting 90 minutes out of my day and I a mile long list of things I needed to get done that day and I was falling out of the poses left and right. So I quit. And suffered the mental anguish of guilt the rest of the day. Last week I skipped the yoga video all together. But I do have a good excuse for that. I have this relative that visits monthly and often when she arrives she brings an onslaught of symptoms that make me ill.
However, today, I completed said yoga video. I feel good about myself completing it. Did I enjoy it? No. I'm trying to psych myself up for it since I have to do it again tomorrow. I'm trying to convince myself that maybe I can actually do some of the poses the next time I do the video. There were 4 poses that I absolutely could not do. While I did eventually manage to get into one of them towards the end of the time I was supposed to be holding the pose, I was only able to hold it for about 10 seconds. And the couch helped me. LOL But I figure, hold the pose for any amount of time is better than nothing or not even trying at all.
I think that I did not enjoy the yoga video because of a couple of reasons. 1) Its 90 minutes long. I can barely sit through a movie that is 90 minutes long. I don’t have the attention span for it. 2) Frustration. I find it nearly impossible to just devote myself to the movement and clear my head and focus on what I am doing. One of the things I loved about yoga before was it forced me to concentrate on me and nothing else. You literally cannot hold some of those poses if your mind is elsewhere. These days…. I would love to block life out for 90 minutes. I really should figure out how to do that. Did I mention this video is 90 minutes? I need to not focus on that. I’m sure that will help!
I realize that yoga is not for everyone. And maybe now that I am a mom, yoga is no longer my cup of tea. But let’s face it. Sometimes we need to do things that we don’t truly enjoy to get the results we seek. So who knows, maybe after completing this 90 day workout series, I will be back to enjoying yoga. Only time will tell. But what I really want you to get out of this is: Even though you might not be enjoying a certain exercise that you must do to achieve a goal, try to keep your eye on the prize. Just know and trust that if you keep it up, you will achieve your goal. And just imagine how good you will feel about yourself when that moment happens. Until next time! Namaste.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Good Week!
I don't know about you, but I kicked my own arse this week. Not only have I done the P90X workouts (well, except for yesterday) but I also added in an elliptical session every day. Yes, the girl who despises getting up before noon, got up early to work out (well, except for today). I am noticing some changes in my body, which is really nice, but so far, not much movement by the needle on the scale. Its times like this that I really love my husband. He says nice things like "you know, muscle weighs more than fat. I think you have more muscles." Of course, I have to then pose like a body builder in the mirror and inspect my muscles to see if indeed, they are bigger. Maybe. Yes, I think my triceps are bigger. So I am quite proud of myself for sticking to my goals. I am also happy that I have managed to keep my calorie count up to where it should be and have consumed water. Over all, it was a good week.
During this week, especially Wednesday, I discovered that it was beneficial to have someone cheering me on. Especially when it was towards the end of the workout and I was getting really tired. Someone to yell at me to keep going. That I could do it. I can honestly say, I don't think I would have been able to do as many reps if my husband hadn't told me to keep going. I might have actually stopped working out. I was that pooped. He isn't aware of this yet, but I think he is going to have the new job of watching me work out. And when I start to stop or slow down, he is going to yell at me. I'm sure he won't mind. ha ha
I did make some pizza for dinner last night. I made my own dough and used low fat cheese. So yes, it was healthy. At least my side of the pizza was. But, I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of the crust. I thought it was a bit cardboardish. The recipe was simple enough, only about 5 ingredients, but I think I need to do some more research. There has to be a way to make better tasting whole wheat crust without making it unhealthy. One thing the pizza had going for it though, it was very filling!
I'm looking forward to tonight's dinner. Marlboro Man sandwiches. MMMM MMMM good! Of course, mine will be sans bun, but the meat and peppers are tasty enough to not need a bun. I can smell and taste them already!
During this week, especially Wednesday, I discovered that it was beneficial to have someone cheering me on. Especially when it was towards the end of the workout and I was getting really tired. Someone to yell at me to keep going. That I could do it. I can honestly say, I don't think I would have been able to do as many reps if my husband hadn't told me to keep going. I might have actually stopped working out. I was that pooped. He isn't aware of this yet, but I think he is going to have the new job of watching me work out. And when I start to stop or slow down, he is going to yell at me. I'm sure he won't mind. ha ha
I did make some pizza for dinner last night. I made my own dough and used low fat cheese. So yes, it was healthy. At least my side of the pizza was. But, I have to say, I wasn't a huge fan of the crust. I thought it was a bit cardboardish. The recipe was simple enough, only about 5 ingredients, but I think I need to do some more research. There has to be a way to make better tasting whole wheat crust without making it unhealthy. One thing the pizza had going for it though, it was very filling!
I'm looking forward to tonight's dinner. Marlboro Man sandwiches. MMMM MMMM good! Of course, mine will be sans bun, but the meat and peppers are tasty enough to not need a bun. I can smell and taste them already!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Creole Burgers
Ingredients:
1lb Ground Chicken
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
1/2 Medium Sweet Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced Garlic
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
10 drops Louisiana Pepper Sauce (or Tabasco Sauce, which ever you like)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Lightly spray or season a large saute pan. Saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender. Remove from pan and set aside to cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken and and cooled mixture. Add the egg, bread crumbs, and pepper sauce. Mix all together well and then form into patties.
Place the patties into the large saute pan and cook burgers over medium heat until done. (about 5-7 minutes per side)
Note: I topped my burgers with a thin slice of Pepper Jack cheese. It did add a little bit more of a spicy kick and was delicious!
1lb Ground Chicken
1/2 Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped
1/2 Medium Sweet Onion, finely chopped
1 tsp minced Garlic
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1 Egg
10 drops Louisiana Pepper Sauce (or Tabasco Sauce, which ever you like)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Directions:
Lightly spray or season a large saute pan. Saute the onion, garlic and bell pepper until tender. Remove from pan and set aside to cool completely.
In a large bowl, combine the chicken and and cooled mixture. Add the egg, bread crumbs, and pepper sauce. Mix all together well and then form into patties.
Place the patties into the large saute pan and cook burgers over medium heat until done. (about 5-7 minutes per side)
Note: I topped my burgers with a thin slice of Pepper Jack cheese. It did add a little bit more of a spicy kick and was delicious!
Good Food and Future Goals
Last week was not the best week. But at least I did manage to do all my workouts. So that was good. And I did lose another pound. Awesome!
I have to admit. I am stuck on another plateau. I really dislike plateaus. But they happen and all I can do is try to work through them. This week I am changing some eating habits. I am cutting out bread and pasta. I figure increasing exercise is not enough, I need to do something to motivate my body into letting this extra poundage go. So I have decided to cut the bread and pasta as well as run once a day. Yesterday I ran on the elliptical machine. Actually, I will probably run on the elliptical until the weather warms up. I do not enjoy running in the cold. Nor do I enjoy walking in the cold. Come to think of it, I don't really like doing anything in the cold. Why do I live in Michigan again??? hmmm...
Yesterday was my first day without bread. I did have some pasta with my lunch though. It was a Healthy Choice meal and hopefully I ate it early enough in the day to burn it off. I only have one more of those meals left so after that is gone I will officially be bread/pasta free. I'm nervous about this change. I absolutely love bread. I adore pasta. Hopefully this sacrifice will get me the results I want!
Last night I made Creole Burgers. OMG!!! They were SO delicious!!!! I was very surprised at how wonderful they tasted. In fact, I am anxiously awaiting lunchtime today so I can have one. I can definitely foresee these becoming a staple food. The burgers are made with chicken and I was so amazed at how moist these turned out. And what was even more amazing was my little Chicklette gobbled hers up too! I will share the recipe in a separate post. :o)
Recently I have been thinking about taking up running again. I so miss running. I haven't ran consistently since before Chicklette was born. After the car accident I have struggled with knee pain. I did have surgery on the bad knee and it does feel remarkably better. I'm just nervous about trying to run on it again. I think I just need to get out there and do it. Prove to myself that I can do it. Hopefully running on the elliptical machine will help in getting me ready not only physically, but emotionally to run outside. I'm hoping to maybe do a 5k sometime this year. We will just have to see how it goes!
I have to admit. I am stuck on another plateau. I really dislike plateaus. But they happen and all I can do is try to work through them. This week I am changing some eating habits. I am cutting out bread and pasta. I figure increasing exercise is not enough, I need to do something to motivate my body into letting this extra poundage go. So I have decided to cut the bread and pasta as well as run once a day. Yesterday I ran on the elliptical machine. Actually, I will probably run on the elliptical until the weather warms up. I do not enjoy running in the cold. Nor do I enjoy walking in the cold. Come to think of it, I don't really like doing anything in the cold. Why do I live in Michigan again??? hmmm...
Yesterday was my first day without bread. I did have some pasta with my lunch though. It was a Healthy Choice meal and hopefully I ate it early enough in the day to burn it off. I only have one more of those meals left so after that is gone I will officially be bread/pasta free. I'm nervous about this change. I absolutely love bread. I adore pasta. Hopefully this sacrifice will get me the results I want!
Last night I made Creole Burgers. OMG!!! They were SO delicious!!!! I was very surprised at how wonderful they tasted. In fact, I am anxiously awaiting lunchtime today so I can have one. I can definitely foresee these becoming a staple food. The burgers are made with chicken and I was so amazed at how moist these turned out. And what was even more amazing was my little Chicklette gobbled hers up too! I will share the recipe in a separate post. :o)
Recently I have been thinking about taking up running again. I so miss running. I haven't ran consistently since before Chicklette was born. After the car accident I have struggled with knee pain. I did have surgery on the bad knee and it does feel remarkably better. I'm just nervous about trying to run on it again. I think I just need to get out there and do it. Prove to myself that I can do it. Hopefully running on the elliptical machine will help in getting me ready not only physically, but emotionally to run outside. I'm hoping to maybe do a 5k sometime this year. We will just have to see how it goes!
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