HYC Check In

Aaack! (apparently I'm channeling Cathy today - need chocolate!) I missed Tuesday's check in. In its continuing efforts to befuddle me, the scale showed gain of 1 pound this week at 224. My body never ceases to amaze me. I was as diligent this week as I was the week prior, spinning, calorie counting and all, and yet, a gain. Ah well, you win some, you lose some. I do know that I did allow that bugger sugar into my life, and even though I was in my calorie range, I think 100 calories of sugar is very different from 100 calories of apple, ya know? Note to self, less sugar.

Moving on! I can't let the scale dictate my moods - even though it is very easy to do so. I made it to all of my workouts this week, and rocked them! I feel proud and strong and healthy. Hooray.

Hope everyone else had a fabulous week too!

HYC Check In

I am so happy to report that today the scale was 223 - on the nose, baby. That's a 3 pound loss - (not counting last week's menstrual swelling) and I couldn't be more thrilled. This week I focused on keeping my calories between 1700 and 1900 - I was over on some days, but I kept my protein and fiber up. I definitely owe some of this to the spinning class, and the fact that I kept my energy up during my work outs. Determination! The best part was that I was able to have two social events that involved eating not so great food, and I emerged unscathed, satisfied and without guilt.

I also had a shining moment in Pilates this week. I've been taking that class once a week since February, and every week, I try to do a jack knife. And every week I heave and push and my legs go up, but my tush stays on the mat, and that's that. Last Thursday, I did it!! It was so exhilirating and I got a high five and a genuine "Good job, Sara. All right!" from the instructor. Yippee!

I feel like I'm starting over. I see that I've been sort of mamby-pamby since March, and this week has proved that I really have to watch my calories, and today makes it feel as though the effort was worth it. Why I can't remember this all the time, I'll never know. Today I'm wearing a skirt that is one size too small, (it was only $6 at the Goodwill!) and I don't need a slimming undergarment to do so. That's a rock star kind of feeling. Let's hope that this forthcoming week is successful as well! I wish everyone else good eats, good movement and good feelings.

For the record

In case something goes horribly awry between now and weigh-in day, I'd like to report today that the scale showed 223.6. That's a 2.4 pound loss. And last night I had pasta, wine and pie. And a great workout. Stepping on the scale this morning was like opening a gift from Santa that you were hoping for but not sure you'd really get. Fabulous.

Superstar Spinning Cycler

Status: Sore

Activity: Strenuous Spinning

I ventured into new territory last night, the Group Cycle class at the YMCA. Also known to the cool kids as spinning, I think. It started out like most group exercise classes for me: biggest girl in the class? Check. Most sweaty and inexperienced? Check. If I were friends with the other riders and could ask them embarrassing questions, I would likely be able to confirm that I also qualify for most sore pelvis today. Note to self to check the seat next time. This was 45 minutes of serious activity; I had no idea how hard it would be. Walking out on my spaghetti legs, I had a feeling that I haven’t had in a while. Pride mixed with oh my gawd, I am so completely tired and spent and so sweaty gross must shower - NOW. The kind of work out afterglow where you finish and feel like you’ve earned a piece of cake, but then you don’t eat it because that would ruin it. I haven’t been there in a while.

It’s also an honor system work out. You can decide how tense to make your resistance, and how fast you want to go. I sometimes suffer from “Keeping Up with the Instructor” syndrome. Where I push myself to learn something quickly and do it just as skillfully and quickly as the instructor, even though I should focus on learning it before trying out for the Olympics. But I realized that the class is 45 minutes, and 10 minutes in I was already sweating, so maybe just dial it back notch, sister. This turned out to be prudent advice to my self. When I walked out of there I felt exhausted, but also somewhat excited. Here’s a new activity that could be the key to making that durn scale move the other way. I challenged myself and I liked it. I'm feeling powerful again - like I will succeed instead of just hoping that my efforts will work. Kind of like a superstar.

HYC Check In

Oh period power. You are amazing. You transform the scale, my self-esteem and my handy Excel weight loss chart in the blink of an eye! My womb is apparently very full; coupled with last night’s big family dinner Mom – style and this morning the scale reported a hefty 231.5 pounds this morning. That’s 5.5 pounds up in one week. Impressive, no? I’m letting this one roll off my back…

This week I experimented with reduced carbohydrate intake – that lasted about 2 days. I read too many horror stories, and have decided that I will focus on building muscle, and taking in low-fat, low-cholesterol protein. Hello, beans! Another discovery this week, I think I need to count calories again. FitDay has become new and improved, and they now make a recommendation on how many calories to eat each day based on your weight loss goal. So, I’m aiming for that. Calories: 1722 per day, fiber a minimum of 25 grams a day, protein, trying to hit 85 grams a day, and 5 days of cardio. Overall, I’m feeling pretty good about my efforts this past week. I did ride the sugar roller coaster for a few spins, but promptly got off. I'm continuing on, hopefully with some results!

I Loaf You

As the day turned unseasonably and irritatingly rainy and cold last Sunday, (my calendar still says August but in Seattle, it is apparently October) it was clearly meat loaf weather. There are many comfort foods in the world, but none so quintessential for me as meat loaf, with sides of mashed potatoes and green beans. This meal embodies Sunday night dinner around the family dining table, talking about the week to come, and squirting ketchup, much to my Mother's chagrin. All the while anticipating The Muppet Show to come on after our baths. There is also something very satisfying about getting your hands in the bowl and mixing everything together. You have to be gentle, but thorough, much like we want our lovers to be, yes?

My Safeway recently had a buy one get one free sale on ground turkey. It was time to lighten up my Mom's classic recipe. This recipe is decidedly lower in fat and tastes really good! I used both pounds of turkey, so I could freeze some.

Sara's Mom's Lightened up Turkey Loaf

2 pounds ground turkey
16 oz frozen spinach, thawed
2 cups finely diced onions
4 cloves minced garlic
1 and 1/4 cups diced green peppers (or any other color you like)

3 eggs

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce (sodium, I know, but soooo good)
2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp seasoned salt
2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 - 1 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a non-stick muffin tin with cooking spray or your favorite non-stick agent.

1. In a large bowl, crumble the turkey.
2. Squeeze dry your spinach. I like to wring mine in a clean dish towel - there's a lot of water in there that you don't want in your loaf! Break up the spinach with your hands (it will clump) and sprinkle over the turkey.
3. Dump in the onions, garlic and green peppers
4. Lightly beat the eggs, adding Worcestershire sauce, peppers, salt and thyme, pour egg mixture over all.
5. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs over the whole mixture, and get in there and get dirty! Mix everything together with your hands, gently so as to not toughen the meat.
6. Add more breadcrumbs if you don't think it will bind well. I can't think of a great way to describe this, but you just have to grab a handful, squeeze it, and see if it holds its shape.
7. Now, if you've over breadcrumbed, add more Worcestershire, or you can add a little vegetable oil.
8. Grab your greased muffin tin, and start grabbing balls-o-meat. Press them into the pan, mounding them tall a little bit, until you've filled the tin.
9. Whatever you have left, shape into a little loaf, and place in a suitably sized baking dish.
10. I prefer a browned loaf, but of course you can add the traditional tomato sauce or ketchup to cook on top.

Bake for 35 minutes, and check to see if it is browned, and the internal temp is 170 degrees. Your meaty muffins will most likely be done, but your full loaf may need some more time.

Allow your mini loaves to cool in the pan completely. Then fish them out, wrap in foil, and freeze them, for a meat loaf muffin any time. I've been weighing mine, and they come out to about 4 ounces apiece. A perfect portion, I think.

Steam some green beans, toss them with a little olive oil and roasted almonds, and mash up some taters, get your ketchup bottle ready, then dig in with someone you love, or just wait for The Muppet Show.

Note to self

When experimenting with reduced carbohydrate intake, do not use hand lotion that smells like sweet, buttery, yummy, forbidden lemon cookies. Oh la la! Not helping.