Skinny chicks and a rooster November challenge (closed)

I like that it's nutrition week... I am not exactly sure what you mean by 30% protein so I don't know if I am doing it but here's what I've done thus far:

Monday -- 94 g protein, 14 cups of water

Tuesday -- 96 g protein, 16 cups of water

Wednesday -- 56 g protein, 10 cups of water

I don't really know about trying new foods... makes me a bit nervous! BUT, I will! I have to tell you that I have found some interesting recipes lately... will let you know if they are any good! There is some hope for those of us who are cutting back on or cutting out sugars!

Tomorrow is a Wine & Tasting... I have to be a bit careful with that. It's good because it's small portions of food and at least one is something I can't eat (scallop & shrimp skewers). Friday is a craft sale at work and they have the best peanut butter fudge... and they have the best popcorn... darn it! Tough... tough...


Cyndi -- Good to know what you are doing. Is the tri that you are looking at a Sprint level? I need to get a little better about the plan that I have for the gym and how to train for a triathalon. I have two free training sessions and haven't done them yet. Figure that will help me focus in on the things that I should do. I kinda rotate through the weight machines -- and they got new ones that are waaaaaaaaay closer to free weights! They each hold different amounts of weight (I mean each side does) and move seperately... it was a bit scary the first time! BUT I don't really know what all I should be doing, etc. Found a new app for my iPod that will keep track of what I am doing and the settings for each so that should help me with looking for progress.

Steph -- Zumba kicked my butt the other day. More than ever! I was actually sore... I haven't been sore in a long time. You know - that GOOD kind of sore! Loved it! I always think of you... And... I love, love, LOVE that you talked about wanting to be an instructor for spin. I will be a trainer or instructor of some sort. I will. It's that simple. I have much, much, MUCH further to go... but I will! One of the people I supervise became an instructor after losing 100 pounds. She's is in amazing condition and looks fabulous! I just will be an instructor or trainer one day... I will. So, it's good to know that you WILL be too... Keep up with spinning - one of these days, I'll get the guts. Not tomorrow though...

Staci -- hoping that elbow gets better... try and look at it as your body knowing best! Don't stress about 10 pounds before Christmas... sometimes focusing on nutrition and relaxing will allow your body to release pounds too! And, when you get to start working those muscles again, your body will feel the change up and it may release more because it's confused. Trust... Trust... Trust. (I know, easier said...)

IncredibleShrinking (sorry, forgot your name) -- I just got a bunch of hair cut off... it's so liberating! I find that the more pounds I release... the more that I cut off my hair! I was worried because I still feel like I have a round face and no neck... well, just a small neck (secretly - that was one of my goals in the journey... to find a neck!), so I thought - ahhh - shorter hair not good. BUT I love my new hairstyle! Makes me feel like I should start wearing a little makeup now too... and I just can't do too much, because I don't want ALL that attention, but I love my hair! So... cut some and feel the liberation!

Carla -- whereas Bobbie calls my love (i.e. the elliptical) the devil - the truth is that i have said all along that the bike is the devil! The recumbent and the upright work different muscles, so keep doing the recumbent but do add the upright! Depending on the gym - you will find that they have different seats. The LifeCycles has a wider seat at mine than the Espresso. AND I love (word used quite loosely, I mean as much as I can like a bike - this is the one) the Espresso because you actually have to steer the thing and it actually will take you on courses. I like that part. BUT if I am going for distance, I am on the LifeCycle. I will every 4-5 times switch to the recumbent just for the change-up of muscles. And, yep... cutting processed sugars. I eat natural sugars - my biggest contributer is actually bell peppers if you can believe it, but... I do have some - but yesterday I only had 6 sugar total... and it was in my beef jerkey! I can't believe a total like that but I try to eat fruit several times a week vs daily at this stage of my plan/program. The other contributing sugar comes from sauces or spices though I really try to watch it. I have reduced sugar ketchup, that type of thing. Anyway... it is hard, especially when I allow myself a small spoon with buttercream frosting on it! Then, the cravings are there all over again. Those bars... always look SSSSOOOOO good to me! But, I know that it's helping and working and... well, honestly, I get sick pretty quick when I eat it. The buttercream had me nauseated and dizzy in under a minute. Like a big sugar high, without any enjoyment!

Scott: Quinoa - love it! I like the protein content in it, cause I am a big protein fan... but I also like the texture. I have had it for breakfast and it was good, though, I had it full of brown sugar... woops! I also have had the savory types. If you look, there will be several kinds you can do that have the flavorings, however, as you are careful of your sodium, none of them might work. Go with Cyndi's suggestion and let us know! I hear that she's quite the cook... so if anyone would know - it would be her!

ReNae: Hello my furry little honey badger... did you see that the honey badger is now doing Pistachio commercials? Good to see you and I am happy to hear you are loving the gym! I am quite a gym fan myself and feel like my own version of Steph's gym bunny... not so sure I am as agile or cute as a bunny -- but not sure what to call myself! LOL.

Bobbie: I still disagree... the elliptical is so wonderful! The bike... not so much. BUT I, like you, have a thing about finishing things in an even or orderly way... I often can go 20 minutes more when I think that I'm just gonna finish this lap or this mile, etc. and force myself not to watch it, than I have to keep going to get to some other mark... he, he, he. Love that others do this!

Becky, I used to ride only the recumbent, but then after I gained that last bit of weight, I found I couldn't keep my body in the right position and it would kill my back, no matter where I had the seat, so I started only riding the upright. I won't say my *kitten* doesn't hurt, some days more than others, but I like what it's doing for my thighs :bigsmile: Whenever i get on a machine that I know I won't keep up if I watch the time, I have the tv on full screen (ours all have tvs built in), so I can't see anything, and then when I feel like I really can't make it anymore, I look.

Steph: Already ahead of you 50 calf raises done and 25 squats so far.

Trying to get as many of this spontanteous challenge done, and feel like I need to update each time I do a set or else I might not do them.

100 calf raises
50 squats
25 pushups
20 arm extensions

I know I'll get 100 crunches in at the gym, so that's not a problem...those pushups and arm extensions are killer though; I've always had a weak upper body. :blushing:

I did get my protein for yesterday and am planning on at least 12 waters for today. I am in on the spontaneous challenge except for the arm extensions and push up because of my elbow. I will try to double the rest though.

Edited to add- I was just freaking out a little because my ticker went from 46 pounds to go to 55 and I was like"No I didn't gain weight!!" But I remembered that I changed my goal. When I hit my goal now I will have lost exactly half my body weight.

Hello again,
Well, I only have to do 25 more pushups to complete the spontaneous challenge. I have 8 cups of water in so far today, and should get in at least 4 more. I did 10 minutes on the elliptical today as well as my regular bike. I tried a spin bike to see if i would be able to do a class, and man oh man, do they hurt the buttocks. I don't know if I can do it or not. Will try again tomorrow. Bye for now.

Bobbie: If you are getting results with your thighs from the bike... I am jealous. My legs just simply stay huge!


Didn't do much today... am just absolutely exhausted! I did meet one of the goals I set though... check out that ticker! Woot! Woot! for me! Very happy... but am emotionally and physically exhausted!

Bobbie: If you are getting results with your thighs from the bike... I am jealous. My legs just simply stay huge!

Well, I've lost 2 inches in my thighs since we started keeping track in September. I've lost 3 since I first started this process. I think the bike has a lot to do with the 7 inches lost in my hips too.

Not sure about the healthy recipe thing. I more tend to focus on taking the sodium out of things than worrying about anything else.

Here's my recipe - Chicken Tamale Casserole. Very quick and easy to throw together. It's originally from Cooking Light but I made a few changes. The original uses a can of cream-style corn instead of sweet corn, and has plain chicken on top (I added the bean and Rotel).

1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 can of sweet corn
1 box of corn muffin mix
1 4oz can of chopped green chiles
1 10oz can of red enchilada sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1 can of black beans
1 can of Rotel

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine 1/4 cup of cheese, milk, egg substitute, cumin, ground red pepper, corn, muffin mix, and chiles in a bowl and stir until just moist. Spray a 9x13 baking dish and pour mixture into dish.
3. Bake for 15 minutes or until just set.
4. Pierce the surface of the cornbread all over with a fork, and pour about half the enchilada sauce on top.
5. Combine the remaining enchilada sauce, chicken, black beans, and Rotel in a bowl, then spread over the top of the cornbread. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top, and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese melts.

8 servings comes out to 344 calories/serving. It is high in sodium due to all the canned products, but we like it enough that I'm going to make some more changes and get that number down, even if that means it becomes a "on the weekend when I have extra time" meal instead of a quick after work meal like it is now

150ml quark
and about 100ml fat free fromage frais.

What is quark and fat free fomage frais???

Here is my recipe. I have only made it once, but we really enjoyed it and will eat this again. Easy to make.

Sole and Vegetable Rice

INGREDIENTS
6 Frozen Sole Fillet(s)
Fresh or Dried Dill Weed
Butter
Lemon Slices or Lemon Juice
1 cup brown rice cooked in 2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup zucchini, cubed
1/2 cup sweet red pepper, diced
3/4 – 1 cup fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 chives, green and white parts diced
1 tbsp butter
dash of dill weed
lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS
Place fish in baking pan in single layer
Shake dill all over the top of fish
Place 3-4 pats of butter on fillet
Drizzle with Lemon Juice and place lemon slices (optional) on top of fish
Wrap foil tightly (fold ends and along top) and bake in 400F oven for approx 30 min or until done
Cover dish tightly with foil and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until cooked
Saute veggies in large skillet in PAM until tender (I added some lemon juice)
Add cooked/steamed rice to skillet and cook 5 min
Add, lemon juice and dill weed and stir well
Place rice in dish and top with cooked fish (plus juices from cooking)
Serve with sauteed green beans or other vegetable of your choice

Serves 3, Calories: 242, Carbohydrates: 6, Fat: 2, Protein: 46

So sorry, Steph lovely, but I've been a complete wipe out this month - and I'm afraid I can't promise to be better this week. However, I'll be back properly for next month. xxxxx