30 minutes step aerobics done while I watched Dancing with the Stars. Good show to step to, too, since there's lots of music to keep me moving! Faster on the fast songs, breathing a little more on the slower songs, moving the whole time! I even did jumping jacks during two of the commercials, and ran up and down the basement steps during two other commercials!
Sparkpeople says I burned 168 calories. I'll take it!
Monday, March 31, 2008
Broccoli-Wokly
Chicken and Stir Fry for Two
Chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. pineapple juice
1 T. sesame seeds
1/2 stalk lemon grass
Garlic (fresh or powder)
Ginger
Stir Fry:
250 grams Kirkland Signature Stir Fry Vegetables
1 C pineapple tidbits
1 C frozen peas
1 C broccoli
1 T. sesame oil
For the chicken, mix all ingredients except chicken in a pan. Heat on medium/high heat until warmed through. Add cubed chicken and cook until chicken is done. Reduce heat and simmer while the stir fry cooks. Add sesame oil to a wok over medium/high heat. When hot, add vegetables and pineapple. Stir fry until all frozen vegetables are cooked. Add chicken and remaining sauce to vegetables and stir to mix. Serve immediately alone or over brown rice.
Nutrition information
Stir Fry:
245 calories
8 g. fat (7 from oil)
38 carbs
9 g. fiber
8 g. protein
Chicken:
216 calories
10 g. fat (7 from oil)
1 carb
.5 g. fiber
28 g protein
Chicken:
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
1 T. pineapple juice
1 T. sesame seeds
1/2 stalk lemon grass
Garlic (fresh or powder)
Ginger
Stir Fry:
250 grams Kirkland Signature Stir Fry Vegetables
1 C pineapple tidbits
1 C frozen peas
1 C broccoli
1 T. sesame oil
For the chicken, mix all ingredients except chicken in a pan. Heat on medium/high heat until warmed through. Add cubed chicken and cook until chicken is done. Reduce heat and simmer while the stir fry cooks. Add sesame oil to a wok over medium/high heat. When hot, add vegetables and pineapple. Stir fry until all frozen vegetables are cooked. Add chicken and remaining sauce to vegetables and stir to mix. Serve immediately alone or over brown rice.
Nutrition information
Stir Fry:
245 calories
8 g. fat (7 from oil)
38 carbs
9 g. fiber
8 g. protein
Chicken:
216 calories
10 g. fat (7 from oil)
1 carb
.5 g. fiber
28 g protein
Monday, Monday...
Mmmm! I just had a HUGE plate of stir fry for dinner, and it was delicious! I'll post the recipe in a bit for future reference.
My stir fry was a huge amount of food, and included 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables, which isn't half bad! If you include the grapefruit I had for breakfast and tomato soup I had for lunch, plus the 200 grams of carrots I had for a snack, that puts me at SEVEN servings of fruits and vegetables for today! I think it's a personal record! And the best part about my ginormous dinner? I'm feeling full, and I'm only at 900 calories for the day! That means I can treat myself to an ice cream cone or bowl of ice cream tonight, and maybe even another little snack.
On the water front, I have 8 oz to go and I will have had my 2 liters for the day. Yay!
And now for the exercise... we'll see if I get it in tonight or not. If I don't get it during the day, it's always a little iffy. But I will try to motivate myself to do something, even if it's stepping while I watch TV for a while. I've had a loooong day and a kiddo with no nap, so maybe some mindless TV is just what I need to wind down. If I can get some exercise in to burn off the stress and the calories while I'm at it, all the better.
My stir fry was a huge amount of food, and included 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables, which isn't half bad! If you include the grapefruit I had for breakfast and tomato soup I had for lunch, plus the 200 grams of carrots I had for a snack, that puts me at SEVEN servings of fruits and vegetables for today! I think it's a personal record! And the best part about my ginormous dinner? I'm feeling full, and I'm only at 900 calories for the day! That means I can treat myself to an ice cream cone or bowl of ice cream tonight, and maybe even another little snack.
On the water front, I have 8 oz to go and I will have had my 2 liters for the day. Yay!
And now for the exercise... we'll see if I get it in tonight or not. If I don't get it during the day, it's always a little iffy. But I will try to motivate myself to do something, even if it's stepping while I watch TV for a while. I've had a loooong day and a kiddo with no nap, so maybe some mindless TV is just what I need to wind down. If I can get some exercise in to burn off the stress and the calories while I'm at it, all the better.
First Pound Down
since I started calorie counting again! Yay! I'm officially at 120. Now if I can just do that 10 more times, I'll be in good shape!
Grapefruit for breakfast this morning. Now I've got to get Ellie dressed and get some lunch food together and we'll be off to Taylor's for the day!
Grapefruit for breakfast this morning. Now I've got to get Ellie dressed and get some lunch food together and we'll be off to Taylor's for the day!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
12 Rules for Improved Nutrition
I borrowed the book Fertility, Cycles, & Nutrition by Marilyn M. Shannon from Erika a few months ago, but have been so discouraged in trying to conceive that I just didn't want to think about it anymore. So the book just sat on my bed stand until Erika asked if I'd read it the other night. I decided to pick it up and at least give it a try. I have only read the first chapter so far, but have been pleasantly surprised at how practical the information in the first chapter was, not only for those who have fertility issues they hope to resolve through diet changes, but for everyone who wants to be healthier. I will not follow everything she puts forth, but I think her 12 Rules for Improved Nutrition are a good place to start for healthier eating habits.
1. Eat more complex carbohydrates, less saturated fats, and adequate, not excessive, protein.
2. Substitute more nutritious ingredients for less nutritious ones.
She suggests limiting these foods:
3. Eat more raw foods, and cook other foods gently.
4. Eat a greater variety of foods.
5. Sharply limit sugar and caffeine.
6. Chew your food thoroughly.
7. Store natural foods carefully to minimize nutrient loss and spoilage.
8. Beware of eating out.
9. Obtain pure drinking water if possible.
10. Prepare your meals thoughtfully.
11. Enlist your family's cooperation.
12. Use the 80-20 rule. (80% ideal diet, 20% imperfect)
Bold rules are ones I want to work on more.
1. Eat more complex carbohydrates, less saturated fats, and adequate, not excessive, protein.
2. Substitute more nutritious ingredients for less nutritious ones.
She suggests limiting these foods:
- sugar
- white flour
- fruit juices
- soft drinks
- prepackaged foods
- fatty meats
- bacon, sausage, lunchmeats, ham
- shortening
- processed peanut butter
- artificial food additives, especially aspartame
- processed cheese
- margarine
- excessive or uniodized salt
- coffee
- chocolate
- caffeinated tea
- excessive dairy products
- coconut
- fresh fruits
- fresh vegetables
- whole grain breads
- whole grain pasta
- brown rice
- millet
- whole grain flour
- dried beans
- natural peanut butter
- nuts and edible seeds
- olive, peanut, soy, and safflower oils
- lean meats
- poultry
- ocean fish
- milk (in moderation)
- yogurt
- eggs (in moderation)
- herbal teas
3. Eat more raw foods, and cook other foods gently.
4. Eat a greater variety of foods.
5. Sharply limit sugar and caffeine.
6. Chew your food thoroughly.
7. Store natural foods carefully to minimize nutrient loss and spoilage.
8. Beware of eating out.
9. Obtain pure drinking water if possible.
10. Prepare your meals thoughtfully.
11. Enlist your family's cooperation.
12. Use the 80-20 rule. (80% ideal diet, 20% imperfect)
Bold rules are ones I want to work on more.
Meal Planning...
It's Sunday, and the start of a new week. Tomorrow and Tuesday I will be at Taylor's house all day helping her with the new babies, so will need something simple to make for dinner. Today was day 2 on the menu planner,
... so it looks like tomorrow is fruit for breakfast and oriental for dinner. Hmmm... what fruit do we have? We have fresh strawberries, but I was really hoping to make strawberry spinach salad with them. Well, maybe (if I actually get up and get myself going in time) I could make a fruit smoothie! That would be good! We have frozen strawberries and blueberries. Nah, too time consuming. Ummm... Okay, now I have to go look and see what fruit we actually have so I can decide what I want for breakfast. It would be so much easier if I just ate a packet of oatmeal. But the schedule says fruit, so fruit it is.
Oh, look! We have grapefruit that I forgot about and need to eat soon before they go bad! Now I've got one on the counter in a bowl, ready to be cut and eaten for breakfast tomorrow! Yippee! Ellie can have the remainder of her fruit cocktail in the fridge and we will be good to go! Quick, easy, and delicious.
We'll have stir fry for dinner. That's easy. Everything else on the list takes more work than just dumping some frozen vegetables into the wok and frying them up. Plus it guarantees me another serving of vegetables. I'll add in a cup of pineapple, too, and have an additional serving of fruit. That will be good.
Tuesday it looks like toast for breakfast and breaded fish for dinner. Another Costco frozen quickie. I don't usually like fish, but we'll see how I do with the breaded cod. Leif says it's good with balsamic vinegar, so I will give it a try.
Well, that's a good start, so we'll see if I can't just plan out the whole week's worth of menus to simplify the rest of the week. I ought to make a habit of planning out meals again, just to make sure I am getting a good balance and think through what we're having for dinner instead of just making the first quick thing that comes to mind. So this week we'll have...
Monday - Stir fry (with added peas and pineapple)
Tuesday - Breaded cod and broccoli
Wednesday - Vinegar Grilled Chicken and Spinach Craisin salad
Thursday - Spaghetti and green beans
Friday - Enchiladas (I think I have some already frozen) and corn?
I'll buy groceries at Costco on Thursday, so we'll see what fruits and vegetables I can pick up then for next week.
... so it looks like tomorrow is fruit for breakfast and oriental for dinner. Hmmm... what fruit do we have? We have fresh strawberries, but I was really hoping to make strawberry spinach salad with them. Well, maybe (if I actually get up and get myself going in time) I could make a fruit smoothie! That would be good! We have frozen strawberries and blueberries. Nah, too time consuming. Ummm... Okay, now I have to go look and see what fruit we actually have so I can decide what I want for breakfast. It would be so much easier if I just ate a packet of oatmeal. But the schedule says fruit, so fruit it is.Oh, look! We have grapefruit that I forgot about and need to eat soon before they go bad! Now I've got one on the counter in a bowl, ready to be cut and eaten for breakfast tomorrow! Yippee! Ellie can have the remainder of her fruit cocktail in the fridge and we will be good to go! Quick, easy, and delicious.
We'll have stir fry for dinner. That's easy. Everything else on the list takes more work than just dumping some frozen vegetables into the wok and frying them up. Plus it guarantees me another serving of vegetables. I'll add in a cup of pineapple, too, and have an additional serving of fruit. That will be good.
Tuesday it looks like toast for breakfast and breaded fish for dinner. Another Costco frozen quickie. I don't usually like fish, but we'll see how I do with the breaded cod. Leif says it's good with balsamic vinegar, so I will give it a try.
Well, that's a good start, so we'll see if I can't just plan out the whole week's worth of menus to simplify the rest of the week. I ought to make a habit of planning out meals again, just to make sure I am getting a good balance and think through what we're having for dinner instead of just making the first quick thing that comes to mind. So this week we'll have...
Monday - Stir fry (with added peas and pineapple)
Tuesday - Breaded cod and broccoli
Wednesday - Vinegar Grilled Chicken and Spinach Craisin salad
Thursday - Spaghetti and green beans
Friday - Enchiladas (I think I have some already frozen) and corn?
I'll buy groceries at Costco on Thursday, so we'll see what fruits and vegetables I can pick up then for next week.
Now THAT'S the way I like it!
Today was a GREAT day in food land. I've been struggling with it, and today I hit my groove. We'll see if I'm still in my groove tomorrow, but one day at a time. Today I:
And to top it off I even got to enjoy an ice cream cone after dinner. Now THAT'S a good day!
I didn't get any exercise in, which is fine. My goal right now is 20 minutes 3x a week, usually MWF. Unless we exercise as a family, I take the weekend off. Tomorrow I'll be at Taylor's all day helping her with the twins, so we'll see if I get the exercise in, but if I don't get it in tomorrow or Tuesday (I'll be there Tuesday, too) I will do it WThF instead. I WILL get at least 20 minutes in 3x this week.
- Drank 2 liters of water - my daily goal!
- Ate 1298 calories - within my ideal daily goal of 1200-1300!
- Had 5 servings of fruits and vegetables!
And to top it off I even got to enjoy an ice cream cone after dinner. Now THAT'S a good day!
I didn't get any exercise in, which is fine. My goal right now is 20 minutes 3x a week, usually MWF. Unless we exercise as a family, I take the weekend off. Tomorrow I'll be at Taylor's all day helping her with the twins, so we'll see if I get the exercise in, but if I don't get it in tomorrow or Tuesday (I'll be there Tuesday, too) I will do it WThF instead. I WILL get at least 20 minutes in 3x this week.
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