NON WW & WW NEWBIES, OUR NEW LIFE, THE START OF SOMETHING WONDERFUL

trooworld

Hi all! I had a pretty good day yesterday as far as eating goes. Healthy stuff went into my mouth but I did not track. I will pre-track today so that does not happen. I did not get to the gym, I should get to the gym tonight though (fingers crossed).

@cbabie oh your poor grandson! One tooth extraction is bad enough, but 5??? Ouch! Yes, I'm not coordinated either, that's why I prefer things like lifting weights and yoga. Great job on the tracking, when I don't lose and don't gain, I like to think of it as I am practicing for maintenance.

theslightedgeforever

bugmom I have been pretracking my meals since beginning of July and I've lost about 16 lbs. Compare that to first half of the year where I lost a total of 1.8 and just half@ss tracking. well done on the Bunco snacks

trooworld Try Crossfit and see if you like it Sometimes it's good to change it up. Keeps boredom from setting in I tried a new Brazilian dance Youtube video. At first I thought easy because the pace was slower than I'm used to but you use your whole body and I was pouring sweat by the time I was finished. I'll do it again.

cbabie Maintaining is better than gaining. You've slowed down your ship now turn it around. I laughed at the way you spelled the candy that melts in your mouth not in your hands. Getting to be like your younger sister? We should put our husbands in the travel trailer. I wouldn't mind if it has internet lol Let them grill the food and I just sit and read

Daily check in food exercise 21 min treadmill water 4 glasses

trooworld

Hi all! Well, I knew it was a good week for me but I didn't know how good: I lost 3.5 lbs!!! Turning down homemade pizza, making good choices at the restaurant, making my Mon-Thurs meals on Sunday and pre-tracking all helped get me to that loss. Now just to repeat!

@theslightedgeforever I think I will. I have been looking into it, and you don't need to be in a certain physical condition to start. I saw this one woman was 500 lbs when she started Crossfit. She lost a bunch of weight and is still doing it.

achagpar

Hi all!

Well done @trooworld -- congrats on the loss!

This has been a pretty lousy week for me all around. Came down with a cold, guests visiting so didn't make it to the gym (didn't feel much like going regardless), harder time tracking (although I did my best) and not sure I always hit my water target... but I'm maintaining at 123.2, which is 1.8 lbs below my original goal and 3.2 more than my new one. Lots of traveling coming up so not sure how well I'm going to be able to control my diet but we'll see. I think if I come back at the same weight as I am now, I'll be happy... if I lose, I'll be ecstatic!

@theslightedgeforever would love to try that Brazilian dance workout... can you share the link?

Well, that's it for now! Have a great day everyone!

trooworld

Hi all! I'm so tired right now, I didn't get home from work until 8:30 last night, we had an exhibit opening at our museum (we have a museum in part of our building) and I attended that, and it was really fun but I shouldn't have stayed so late. Now, I'm ready for bed again lol. I did really well at the opening--- I didn't eat much of the food and I had 1 1/2 glasses of wine. I tracked the appetizers using your method, @theslightedgeforever . I hope this day goes by fast!

@achagpar thanks! I'm sorry you had a bad week and I hope you are feeling better.

theslightedgeforever

trooworld What a great loss this week. See? All your good choices led to that.

achagpar I hope you feel better.

https://youtu.be/E40tZSMaEoQ

trooworld

Hi all. Another great choice last night: hubby wanted to make homemade pizza, I put my foot down said I was trying to lose weight, he ended up making flatbread pizza which is much healthier. I'm drinking some coffee now and then will go to the park and walk for a bit and then go get some healthy groceries. Have a good day!

@theslightedgeforever thanks! Yes, it did pay off.

theslightedgeforever

trooworld Good for you for putting your foot down and choosing the healthier option.

Daily check in Food Exercise none Water 2 glasses

trooworld

Hi all! Yesterday was a decent day, I'd say it was a good day. I did what I said I'd do, and I tracked my food intake and was under. Today looks like it will be a busy day: I'm making most of the meals for today through Thursday if I don't run out of steam. I'm making:

- Ree Drummond's Simple, Perfect Chili
- Sesame Noodles
- Pinto Bean and Quinoa Taco Filling for tacos on Tuesday
- Curry-Spiced Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Burgers
- Meatball Stroganoff (using frozen meatballs)

Let me know if you want any of the recipes, I'm happy to share.

I pre-tracked my meals again today, that always works really well for me. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

theslightedgeforever

trooworld Pretracking works for me too. I'd like the meatball stroganoff recipe please

Daily check in food exercise none water 2 glasses

https://youtu.be/NJe-kyqw3ZM

theslightedgeforever

I lost 1.5 lbs

trooworld

Hi all. Well, I didn't get anything done yesterday, it was too hot here. My hubby did cook all but one of the meals.

@theslightedgeforever CONGRATS on your loss! Here is the recipe, it's from this page: https://dinnerthendessert.com/meatball-stroganoff/

Meatball Stroganoff (It came out to 488 cals WITHOUT the noodles and using light sour cream, and that is if it is 4 servings...because that bag of meatballs that I bought was 1 lb, which was not enough for 6 people. I think you could make it healthier by cutting out some of the butter or using Brummel & Brown spread instead of butter, and serve it over quinoa or just not have a starch?):

1 pound egg noodles
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)
8 ounces crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup flour
3 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 bag Cooked Perfect Angus Beef Meatballs
1/4 cup sour cream

Cook the egg noodles to one minute shy of the direction on the bag and drain (do not rinse).
Add two tablespoons of butter to a cast iron skillet on medium high heat.
Add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and brown for 2-3 minutes before stirring.
Brown for an additional two minutes before adding the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.
Add the flour and whisk well, cooking the flour for 30 seconds.
Add the beef stock and Worcestershire sauce to the pan and whisk until smooth.
Add in the meatballs and cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
Add in the sour cream and cook and additional 1-2 minutes before adding in the pasta and serving.

bugmom92

Hi everyone! Last week/weekend was stressful. Managed to get back on track (and tracking) and staying there now since Oct 6, so it's getting back to being a habit. Your stroganoff recipe looks yummy. Have you ever tried the meatballs at Ikea? I think they are less calories, even their beef ones. I can only eat the chicken and vegetable ones, as they do not contain gluten. The chicken ones are delicious and would work in your recipe - by the time you were done with the sauce and such no one would know they were chicken, lol.
I couldn't figure out what to cook tonight, mostly because I'm so tired on Mondays after teaching all day (would NOT want to teach full time in a classroom!). So I grabbed a 1 serving container of tomato and red pepper soup (bought at Sam's Club in bulk), and some Trader Joe's Pumpkin Soup Crackers, and that worked out great! It's nice to have stuff like that on hand. Tomorrow I actually need to cook...bought a big thing of chicken breasts at Sam's Club this weekend. I think I'm in the mood for kabobs. A friend mentioned tzatziki today and now I'm hungry for it (with 3 cucumbers I just picked in my fridge).

@trooworld - I'm interested in the recipe for your curried sweet potato and wild rice burger. I love sweet potatoes, but need more creative ways to use them.

I didn't want you all to think I fell off the face of the earth again, so I'm checking in. Need to go sleep now though...super tired. Curious...anyone here ever try Plexus products? I started 4 days ago...primary goal with that is fix some health issues, though of course I hope to find some help in losing weight. The "Slim" (or what people call "the pink drink") does seem to curb my appetite. I like that. The drink itself...well, it would taste good I think if it wasn't for the stevia. Yuck! I hate stevia. But if it turns around my health, I'll drink it forever lol. I'm always hopeful, yet always a skeptic, so we'll see what happens. So far, so good, I think.

Later!
Karla :-)

trooworld

Hi all! Another good day yesterday. I was over in cals and carbs due to "fun food" (hubby made homemade caramel corn) but that's okay, I can do that occasionally. I did not get to the gym, I'm hoping to get to the gym tonight.

@bugmom92 no, I have not tried the meatballs there. I never go to Ikea, but if I ever do, I'll make sure and try their meatballs, I've heard they are yummy! It sounds like you have some good easy recipes on hand, that's a great idea. The tomato pepper soup--- yum! I love kabobs. CONGRATS on being on track and tracking since Oct 6th! The curried sweet potato and wild rice burger came out really good, I just ate it for dinner last night and it was delicious. If you add the optional pecans, they are 274 cals per burger (without toppings or bun). Here is the recipe:

Vegan Curry-Spiced Sweet Potato & Wild Rice Burgers (makes 6)

1 large sweet potato
1⁄2 cup uncooked wild rice blend
1-15 oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons cumin
1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
freshly ground salt and pepper to taste
1⁄3-1⁄2 cup breadcrumbs or oat flour
1⁄3 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons coconut oil for cooking
Optional:
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
For topping:
avocado, arugula, red onion

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Use a fork to poke sweet potato several times. Place sweet potato on a small plan lined with foil and bake in the oven for 30-45 minutes or until fork tender.

While sweet potato is cooking, cook the wild rice by adding 1 cup water and wild rice to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until tender.

Add cooked sweet potato (not the skin) and chickpeas to a large bowl; mash with a fork or potato masher. (Alternatively you can use a food processor and pulse them until somewhat, but not completely smooth.) Next stir in cooked wild rice, curry powder, cumin and garlic powder. Add salt and pepper to taste. Then stir in breadcrumbs (or oat flour), cranberries and pecans, if using. The pecans add a lovely flavor, but aren't necessary. Shape mixture into six patties. It's easier to shape and cook the patties when they are cold, so if you'd like you can keep the mixture in the fridge until cold then form patties (I recommend doing it this way!).

Heat coconut oil over medium heat in a large pan. Once oil is hot, add patties and cook for about 7-9 minutes, then VERY carefully flip. Cook for an additional 7-9 minutes on the other side, adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Serve on their own or in a bun! I love mine with avocado & arugula. Makes 6 burgers.

Source: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/2015/10/vegan-curry-spiced-sweet-potato-wild-rice-burgers/

cbabie

Morning all, I am way behind in post. I have had a very crazy weekend..I was tracking really well but yesterday did not. I will probably go back and track and continue with my getting back my health. I weighed on Sunday and I am still at the same weight, no loss no gain. So it's time to shake things up...LOL

I will read all the post and reply, but have to leave to take my GS to the dentist...he had 5 teeth removed last Monday...he lost 5 lbs...I said, maybe I should go that route...LOL.. but I NEED all my teeth.

It's great to see all the post and know that you all are on the journey successfully and we have all learned lessons...however, just had a thought..how are we going to handle the "food" holidays that are coming our way? My mom always said, forewarned is forearmed.....

Cbabie

theslightedgeforever

trooworld Thanks for the recipes. My husband can't eat red meats so I always have to make chicken meatballs. I will make this sometime this week. I wonder how zucchini noodles would be in place of the egg noodles?

bugmom The IKEA meatballs are half beef/half pork. I didn't know they had chicken ones. I'll have to look. That's good that you are planning around your schedule.

cbabie I need one tooth pulled. Maybe I'll lose one lb that week. Holiday planning. Keyword is plan. Pretracking is still the #1 success tool. Thanksgiving is only one day Not an entire month. Same for Christmas. Unless you are planning on having trick or treaters no reason to buy Halloween candy. People use the excuse of it only comes out once a year. So on those days plan what you are going to eat. If you can't bake goodies without eating them all do you really need to be baking? You can stop at one or two cookies you know. You keep saying you can't but you don't smoke or drink do you? There are holidays almost every single month. We just make these looooooooooong.

gemwolf If you try the recipe let me know.

Daily check in food exercise 29 min Latin Dance water 3 glasses

trooworld

Hi all. I made it to the gym, rode the bike for 30 minutes and then wanted to leave (it was getting late and needed to get home to make dinner). Food was good.

@cbabie I wondered where you were. No loss, no gain = practicing maintenance. Your poor GS! How am I going to handle the food holidays coming my way? Halloween: no problem, there are no trick-or-treaters that come my way so I don't have to buy candy. There will be some candy at work, but I can resist (candy isn't really my thing). Now, Thanksgiving is another story altogether. I always fight w/my husband trying to make healthy sides but he never goes for it nor do I think his sister would. So, I make a few healthyish sides that I can eat, take less of the carb-heavy dishes and try not to gain too much lol. At Christmas, it is easy because we don't do a big dinner, we do either enchiladas or lasagna, so it's like any other meal except a little less healthy. How are you going to handle it?

@gemwolf110 sure!

@theslightedgeforever I think zucchini noodles would be an excellent substitute.

trooworld

Hi all. Well, I had a big gain this week, I gained every bit I lost last week + 4 ounces. I don't know what happened. I didn't eat anything unhealthy this week, the only thing I did was not drink enough water. I can only hope that it comes off next week. I'm so discouraged. I seem to keep gaining and losing the same 3-4 lbs over and over again.

trooworld

Hi all. Where is everyone? I'm talking to myself again I guess. Well, despite my 3.9 lb gain yesterday, I did not eat poorly. I continued to eat well. I don't know what else to do but continue to eat healthy and track. That's all I have to say.

achagpar

Hi @trooworld and all,

I'm traveling overseas... and eating.... and not exercising as much as I usually do... and having trouble tracking.... and not getting my water in... and feeling the weight pile on. I'm scared about how much I would have gained, so I'll be right there with you (gaining back a loss) but I promise I'll be back on track once I'm home. I'm gonna try to be better on the next leg of my trip but it's SO hard when traveling, especially when they feed you SO much (without calorie counts, but likely super high), and there's little time to hit the gym. Oh well. I'll report back next week with the damage report...

Chat later!

trooworld

Hi all. I'm tempted to hop on the scale to see if that gain went away, but I haven't. Scratch that--- I just did and I lost 1.7 of that 3.9 lb gain. I knew it wasn't a true gain, and I don't think the rest of it was either. We'll see next week. Today, I'm going to take the first step in trying to get over my biggest fear (my fear of public speaking): I'm going to go to a meeting of ToastMasters International. I'm very scared, but I'm going. A coworker offered to go with me, but I told him he didn't need to come. Mostly I said that because if I have to talk, that would just make me more nervous. lol Well, I hope you all are okay, it's been mighty quiet around here.

@achagpar best of luck overseas, that can be tough.

cbabie

Hi all, I am so sorry I have not been on here. My days are just inconsistant. I have had trouble getting my routine back. I met with an old coworker yesterday for lunch and part of it is that I am never at my computer anymore. Yes I know I can do it on my phone, but I hate using my phone...too hard to type. I am so much faster on a keyboard. LOL

@trooworld You know our bodies are a magnificent crazy thing..LOL I am sure you are doing great and it will all balance out. I apologize to you that you have been left alone...I am here to support you and should be a better friend. Keep pressing in to what you know to be healthy!!

@achagpar Overseas travel? UGH, not my thing. Actually, I just hate to fly. LOL Enjoy your trip and try not to stress over what you are eating. It's not where you will stay, you will come back home, you will have your normal routine and this is just a bump in the week..LOL The thing is you know it's only for a short time and you are watching and making choices...sometimes it's the lesser of 2 evils, but you are choosing.

Cbabie

theslightedgeforever

trooworld Looks like you are doing an excellent job of being consistent on your exercise. Good plans for the holidays I think I'm going to have the same thing happen regards to weight. Food was good but I'm on an exercise rest week. Water wasn't as good as before. So we just get back out there and try again. Toastmasters is a good organization.

achagpar How exciting being overseas. How's the food? You won't be exact on calorie counts but you can get close. Just find something similar and choose the calorie count that's in the middle. Not highest or lowest. Take a pic of your plate before eating so you can track later. Remember this is just an experiment in your journey. Take notes and see how you can do better next time. Also, your body retains fluid when flying. You'll get back to where you want to be.

cbabie Can you take your computer outside? Is it a laptop? What about an Ipad? Then sit outside and have your morning coffee and take a few minutes to be with us. I have that problem when my routine is off which it has been this week.

daily check in food over by 45 calories over carbs over carbs by 57 exercise gardening 75 min water 8 glasses

trooworld

Hi all! I've got a lot to do today, I don't know how I'm going to get it done: I've got to go to the tire shop and get one of my tires checked out, meet up with a friend and go to an early Day of the Dead festival, and then come home and have the energy to cook my meals for the week. We shall see if it gets done. Maybe I'll do the cooking this morning and go to the tire shop this afternoon. I went to ToastMasters, it was a special meeting where they were presenting a new format for their club, so I only had to talk to introduce myself. That was bad enough lol. I'll go back next week.

@cbabie I wouldn't want to do this on my phone either, I do 90% of it on my computer, even my tracking. No worries, I was fine here all by myself lol! Thanks though.

@theslightedgeforever yeah that is all we can do.

theslightedgeforever

I went to dermatologist today and came out with three biopsies. I have stitches in two areas so I'm not supposed to stretch or lift weights for two weeks. So I'll be walking .

Daily check in Calories good carbs over Exercise none water 2 glasses

trooworld

Hi all. I walked a lot yesterday (went to a Day of the Dead festival in my neighborhood) and ended up exhausted, my left knee hurting. I came home and took a nap and cooked most of my meals for the week. Here's what is on the menu with links if you are interested:

- butternut squash and black bean enchilada skillet
- orange-glazed grilled acorn squash with a side of ??? (gotta stop by the store for something)
- pan seared tofu and spinach with spicy peanut sauce over rice
- smashed chickpea avocado salad sandwich with cranberries & lemon (this is really good, I had it for dinner)
- creamy roasted butternut squash pasta with peas
For breakfast: easy sweet potato & bacon breakfast fritters made in the oven instead of fried (put in a muffin-top tin, baked @ 375 for 40 mins)

@theslightedgeforever I hope everything turns out okay, that's certainly not the way you want your visit to go, is it? That's good you can still walk.

trooworld

I forgot to say: food was a bit over in cals, I had fun food for lunch. I need to work on drinking more water, that's going to be a goal this week.

cbabie

Morning all!

I am sitting at my computer for a change. YEA... I didn't track all weekend, but I did stay away from most sugary foods...ate more carbs than I should have. However, it's Monday and we can begin again. Isn't that is what is great about this? We get to start each day afresh.

@trooworld I have to drink more water too, it's all I drink, but I "forget" to drink. Good job on getting your busy Sunday all completed. I am sorry your knee hurts. UGH...my nerve thing acted up on my foot and leg for some reason last night as I was trying to fall asleep. I haven't had that in a while. I am thinking it's because we have the cooler on. (moisture in the air)

@theslightedgeforever Well I am going to believe that the biopsies come back negative...LOL the only time negative is a good word.

Okay gals going to get my day started...on my fitbit...I thought my neice passed me, but I passed her in steps..my sister is at the bottom...what's up with that?

Cbabie

theslightedgeforever

trooworld Good for you for trying new things. Day of the Dead festival sounds fun. Your meals sound wonderful.

cbabie Why don't we all challenge ourselves to drink more water this week versus last week. If we all have been tracking then we will be able to tell our progress. Funny how my fitbit has become just my watch and timer

Daily check in food over on carbs and cals Exercise none water 3 glasses

WW weekly meeting highlights

https://youtu.be/5atwwDtMh_M

theslightedgeforever

I gained 0.3 lbs