Tag: chili

Weight Maintenance Month 11: Week 2

Day 1

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Blueberries, Water
Kashi^® Island Vanilla biscuits with blueberries and 2% milk.
Lunch: Salmon Salad, Triscuits, Carrots, Water, Tootsie Roll
Lemon Salmon Salad (only ate half) with 6 reduced-fat Triscuits, some carrots, and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Dinner: Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread, Water, Chocolate
Lazy Lasagna (actually less than a serving size because I cut it into more than 9 pieces), 1 small piece of garlic bread, salad (lettuce, grape tomatoes, shredded carrot, less than 2 Tbsp. light Ranch), and a Ferrero Rocher chocolate for dessert.
Snack: Orange, Fruit Bar, Water
1 orange, and a blueberry That’s It Mini Fruit Bar.

Day 2

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Mango, Water
1/2 cup quick oats mixed with salt, cinnamon, and slightly less than 1 cup 2% milk, microwaved for 90 seconds, stirred, microwaved for another 30 seconds, and then I stirred in some peeled, chopped honey mango.
Lunch: Salmon Salad, Triscuits, Orange, Water
Same lunch as Day 1, but with an orange instead of carrots, and no dessert.
Dinner: Chicken Cacciatore, Green Bean Casserole, Jell-O Salad, Grapes, Water, Brownie, Ice Cream
We had dinner at my mother-in-law’s house. There were some snacks beforehand, but I stuck to grapes. I tried to keep portions small for the meal (less than 1 cup of pasta with sauce, 1 chicken thigh, and 1/4 – 1/3 cup of casserole and salad), and then had a brownie and a small scoop of ice cream for dessert.

Day 3

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
Chocolate Cheerios™ with sliced banana, strawberries, and 2% milk.
Lunch: Burrito, Orange, Water, Tootsie Roll
Amy’s Organic Black Bean Burrito (microwaved frozen burrito), an orange, and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Dinner: Chili, Corn Muffin, Melon, Water
1 cup of leftover chili, a corn muffin, and some cantaloupe.
Other: Hot Dog, Water
We went to a hockey game; I ate dinner beforehand so I didn’t have any of the food there (I figure I can get it any time we go to a hockey game), but then my daughter snagged one of the hot dogs they shoot from a cannon, and she only wanted half, so I ate the other half.
Snack: Fruit Bar, Water
I probably should have skipped any snack or only had fruit since I had the hot dog, but I know the That’s It Mini Fruit Bars are only 1 Point and I really wanted one.

Day 4

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Banana, Pear, Water
1 slice whole wheat bread, toasted and topped with 1/2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter and sliced banana. Also had a pear.
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Apple, Water
Half of a turkey sandwich (whole wheat bread, light mayo, whole grain mustard, reduced-fat cheese slice, turkey, sliced pickles) and an apple.
Dinner: Lasagna, Garlic Bread, Salad, Water, Tootsie Roll
Same dinner as Day 1, except I had lite Catalina dressing on the salad this time, and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Snack: Carrots, Dip, Triscuit, Grapes, Water
Carrots and 1 reduced-fat Triscuit (yes, 1) with low-fat veggie dip, and also some grapes.

Day 5

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Strawberries, Water
Kashi^® Island Vanilla biscuits with strawberries and 2% milk.
Lunch: Turkey Armour^® LunchMakers^®, Apple, Water
Crackers, meat, and cheese, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert. Also an apple.
Dinner: Chicken Salad Wrap, Carrots, Potatoes, Water, Chocolate
Chicken salad (1 Tbsp. light mayo, country Dijon, 4.5-oz. can chicken breast drained, 7 dried cherries, 7 lightly salted almonds) on a whole wheat tortilla, plus canned carrots (did 2 cans drained and microwaved with 1 Tbsp. butter spread, but only had about 1/2 – 3/4 cup), roasted potatoes (tossed with olive oil and salt and roasted at 400, tossing occasionally), and a chocolate covered cherry for dessert.
Snack: Fruit Bar, Cheez-Its^®, Water
A That’s It Mini Fruit Bar and 5 reduced-fat Cheez-Its.

Day 6

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Banana, Blueberries, Water
Grape-Nuts^® (1/2 cup) with 2% milk, sliced banana (half of a banana), and some blueberries.
Lunch: Soup, Toast, Water
Half of a can of Campbell’s^® Chunky^® Savory Vegetable Soup with some soup toast (whole wheat bread spread with 1 – 2 tsp. olive oil and toasted).
Snack: Melon, Orange, Water
A few pieces of cantaloupe and an orange.
Dinner: Stir-Fry, Rice, Melon, Water, Cupcake
Chicken Stir-Fry served over about 1/2 cup of jasmine rice, with some honeydew melon on the side and half of a cupcake for dessert. I used a little over a pound of chicken, but also lots of veggies – half of a large onion, half of a bag of broccoli, 3 bell peppers, half a bag of sugar snap peas, and part of a bag of shredded carrot. This time I just seasoned the chicken with salt and pepper, but still added ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.

Day 7

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Apple, Water
Same breakfast as Day 2, but with chopped apple (half of an apple) instead of mango.
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Apple, Water
Same lunch as Day 4, but with only half of an apple.
Dinner: Stir-Fry, Rice, Melon, Water, Cupcake
Same dinner as Day 6.

How Did I Do?

I think I did pretty well this week. I drank plenty of water, ate plenty of fruits and vegetables, and watched my portions. The only extra Points I had were probably at dinner at my mother-in-law’s, the half of a hot dog at the hockey game, and the cupcakes, but none of those were big portions. I skipped nighttime snacks or kept it light.

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers^® program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.

Weight Maintenance Month 11: Week 1

Day 1

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Blueberries, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Island Vanilla biscuits with half of a banana (sliced), blueberries, and 2% milk.
Lunch: Turkey Armour^® LunchMakers^®, Mango, Water
Crackers, meat, and cheese, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert. Also a few slices of honey mango.
Dinner: Picadillo, Rice, Broccoli, Water, Cupcake
Approximately 1/2 cup jasmine rice, some picadillo (more than 1/2 cup, but less than 1 cup), and some broccoli microwaved in the bag and tossed with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper. Half of a cupcake for dessert.
Snack: Apple, Water
Half of a sliced apple.

Day 2

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Blueberries, Milk, Water
Same breakfast as yesterday.
Snack: Banana
Needed something to tide me over, so I had the other half of the banana from breakfast.
Lunch: Soup, Water
A can of Amy’s^® Quinoa, Kale & Red Lentil soup.
Dinner: Picadillo, Rice, Squash, Water, Cupcake
Same dinner as Day 1, but with spaghetti squash instead of broccoli.
Snack: Orange, Water, Hard Seltzer
A mandarin orange, plus a hard seltzer with friends (luckily only 100 calories!).

Day 3

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Apple, Water
1/2 cup quick oats mixed with salt, cinnamon, and slightly less than 1 cup 2% milk, microwaved for 90 seconds, stirred, microwaved for another 30 seconds, and then I stirred in some peeled, chopped apple.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Grapes, Water
Whole wheat tortilla, light mayo (1 Tbsp. or less), whole grain mustard, 1 slice reduced-fat cheese, turkey, lettuce, tomato, plus some grapes on the side.
Dinner: Chicken Sandwich, Carrots, Water, Cupcake
Wendy’s grilled chicken sandwich with some baby carrots, and half of a cupcake for dessert.

Day 4

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Blueberries, Milk, Water
Cheerios™ with sliced banana, blueberries, and 2% milk.
Lunch: PB&J, Apple, Water
Half of a PB&J sandwich (whole wheat bread, less than 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter, 1-2 tsp. jelly) and an apple.
Dinner: Chili, Corn Muffin, Water, Water, Cupcake
1 cup Nonstop, No-Chop Chili, a Cornmeal-Cheddar Muffin, and half of a cupcake for dessert.

Day 5

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Island Vanilla biscuits and 2% milk.
Lunch: Turkey Armour^® LunchMakers^®, Apple, Water
Crackers, meat, and cheese, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert. Also apple slices.
Dinner: Chili, Corn Muffin, Water, Tootsie Roll
Same dinner as Day 4, except with a midgee tootsie roll instead of half of a cupcake.
Snack: Grapes, Water

Day 6

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Blueberries, Milk, Water
Grape-Nuts^® (1/2 cup) with 1/2 cup 2% milk, sliced banana (half of a banana), and some blueberries.
Lunch / Dinner: Pork Tacos, Water, Cream Puff
I had a late breakfast, and then we went out for my mother-in-law’s birthday for dinner. I got 3 pork tacos, which were much bigger than I thought they would be, and also topped with coleslaw. I probably shouldn’t have eaten all of them, but I thought they wouldn’t reheat well because of the coleslaw, so I finished them off. I also had a cream puff for dessert.

Day 7

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Blueberries, Milk, Water
Same breakfast as Day 4.
Lunch: Peanut Butter Crackers, Apple, Water
1 package of peanut butter crackers and an apple.
Dinner: Picadillo, Rice, Spaghetti Squash, Water, Tootsie Roll
The last of the leftover picadillo and rice (even less than I had before), rounded out with a whole bunch of leftover spaghetti squash with salt and pepper. A midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Snack: Grapes, Orange, Water
A few green grapes and an orange.

How Did I Do?

I think I did pretty well, but I did overeat for dinner on Day 6. I also had cupcakes for a fair portion of the week, but I only ate half of one each day and either skipped my nighttime snack or only had fruit, and I’ve lost weight doing that before. I drank plenty of water and ate lots of fruits and veggies. I watched my portions and made good choices (except for that one dinner). I didn’t exercise, but I was doing some lifting and toting one day, and walked quite a bit another. So, overall, I think I did pretty well, but we’ll see!

No regrets.

Weight Maintenance Month 9/10: Week 5

Closer to my goal – hopefully only 1 or 2 more weeks away!

Day 1

Breakfast: Muffin, Yogurt, Blueberries, Water
I warmed one of the Pear and Walnut Muffins from Day 7 last week, broke it up, and mixed it with 3/4 cup plain non-fat Greek yogurt and some blueberries.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Apple, Water
Whole wheat tortilla spread with some of the cucumber-yogurt dressing from the Falafels on Day 7 last week, then topped with turkey and some of the cucumber-tomato salad from that same meal. Half of an apple on the side.
Dinner: Chili, Cornbread, Water, Cupcake
Serving size of White Chicken Chili with Poblanos, serving size of Jalapeno Corn Bread, and half of a cupcake for dessert.
Snack: None
I figured with the cupcake I had had enough for the day.

Day 2

Breakfast: Muffin, Yogurt, Blueberries, Water
Same breakfast as Day 1.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Orange, Water
Same lunch as Day 1, except with a mandarin orange instead of an apple.
Dinner: Chili, Cornbread, Water, Cupcake
1 cup Nonstop, No-Chop Chili with cornbread from Day 1 and half of a cupcake for dessert.
Snack: Melon, Water
Honeydew melon because I needed a little something.

Day 3

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Blackberries, Water
1/2 cup quick oats mixed with salt, cinnamon, and slightly less than 1 cup 2% milk, microwaved for 90 seconds, stirred, microwaved for another 30 seconds, and then I stirred in some blackberries.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Apple, Water
Same lunch as Day 1, and that’s the last of the falafel leftovers!
Dinner: Chili, Cornbread, Water, Cupcake
Same dinner as Day 2.
Snack: None
Probably had enough for the day.

Day 4

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Milk, Water
Nature’s Path Blueberry Cinnamon Flax with sliced banana (half of a banana) and skim milk.
Lunch: Samosa Wrap, Orange, Water
Amy’s Organic Indian Samosa Wrap and a mandarin orange.
Dinner: Soup, Salad, Water, Chocolate
I went out to dinner with a friend – a cup of French onion soup and a side salad (shaved Brussels sprouts, Napa cabbage, pickled red onion, green apples, Gorgonzola, sweet potato, and apple cider vinaigrette). A turtle later for dessert.
Snack: None
Wasn’t sure how many Points dinner was, so no snack.

Day 5

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Strawberries, Milk, Water
Chocolate Cheerios™ with sliced banana (half of a banana), chopped strawberries, and skim milk.
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Orange, Water
2 slices whole wheat bread, less than 1 Tbsp. light mayo, whole grain mustard, and lettuce. Mandarin orange on the side.
Dinner: Chicken Chowder, Soup Toast, Fruit, Water, Cupcake
Serving size of Chicken Chowder with Chipotle, “soup toast” (1 slice whole wheat bread spread with 1 tsp. olive oil and toasted), grapes, and half of a cupcake for dessert.
Snack: None

Day 6

Breakfast: Cereal, Strawberries, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Cinnamon Harvest biscuits with chopped strawberries and 2% milk.
Lunch: PB&J, Apple, Water
1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 Tbsp. or less of peanut butter and less than that of jam. Apple on the side.
Dinner: Chicken Chowder, Fruit, Water, Cookie
Same dinner as Day 5, but with no soup toast and a Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie instead of half a cupcake.
Snack: Water

How Did I Do?

That’s right, only 6 days this week – I weighed myself a day early and – spoiler alert – I was done! So, I did really well! I drank water, I ate fruits and veggies, I watched my portions and measured when I needed to, and I planned and made light dinners throughout the week. I had gotten cupcakes from the local bakery because they had flavors that I wanted to try, but I only had half of a cupcake each day (or some other small treat after those were gone), and I skipped my nighttime snack (or only had fruit). When I went out to dinner, I ordered something that sounded good, but wasn’t too much food.

No regrets!

Extra Recipes: Chicken Chili and Jalapeno Cornbread

From Weight Watchers^® Slow Cooker Recipes: White Chicken Chili with Poblanos. You put mashed and un-mashed, undrained navy beans, chicken, poblano, onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, salt, chicken stock, and flour in a crockpot, cook it, shred the chicken, and top it with cilantro, pepper, and potentially some low-fat sour cream. It smelled great when it was cooking, but I thought it was missing something flavor-wise. Next time I might add a can of diced tomatoes and lime juice. I served it with a Jalapeno Cornbread from the Cooking Light Complete Cookbook (recipe below), which can also add some flavor if you break it up into the chili.

*Great together, but I might make some additions to the chili next time*

White Chicken Chili with Poblanos

1 15.5-oz. can navy beans, undrained (I used Great Northern Beans since that’s what I could find)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
2 cups chopped poblano chile (this was 4 peppers for me)
1 1/2 cups chopped white onion (I might use a sweet or yellow onion next time)
1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh garlic
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups unsalted chicken stock (I used reduced-sodium chicken broth)
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
Variation: Add 1 can diced tomatoes with the other ingredients, and some fresh lime juice at the end
Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)
Cilantro (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

Mash 1/4 cup of the beans with a fork; place in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Add the chicken, next 6 ingredients, 2 1/4 cups of the stock, and remaining navy beans to the cooker. Whisk together the flour and remaining 1/4 cup stock until smooth; stir into the mixture in the cooker. Cover and cook on low until the chicken is done and the mixture is slightly thickened, 3 to 4 hours. Remove chicken, coarsely shred, and return to cooker. Ladle 1 1/3 cups into each bowl and top with 2 Tbsp. sour cream, cilantro, and/or black pepper if desired.

Nutritional Info: 224 calories, 2.8 grams fat, 5 grams fiber

Jalapeno Corn Bread

*Skillet cornbread with little flavor bursts throughout*

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup minced seeded jalapeno pepper
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 Tbsp. minced fresh cilantro
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
7 oz. can whole-kernel corn, drained
1 tsp. canola oil
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients. Combine milk and remaining 6 ingredients (I added eggs first so I could beat them in the bowl, then added milk and whisked that together, then the rest); add to cornmeal mixture. Stir just until moist.

Coat 10-inch cast-iron or heavy ovenproof skillet with oil and cooking spray. Place pan in preheated oven for 7 minutes (don’t do this too early or the oil will burn, and if the pan is ready before your batter is ready, it will cool down too much before you add the batter). Pour batter into heated pan and bake for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 12 servings / wedges

Nutritional Info: 171 calories, 4.7 grams fat, 1.8 grams fiber

Enjoy!

Weight Maintenance Month 6/7: Week 4

Week 4!? This is taking longer than my other check-ins, but it was also more weight to lose to begin with since I skipped a check-in. Just to make sure I’m really eating the right amount of food (and to get this over with as quickly as possible), I’m going to go back to counting Points and measuring serving sizes again.

Day 1

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Cinnamon Harvest biscuits with 2% milk. I counted out 31 biscuits and measured 1/2 cup milk and realized that I’ve probably been having slightly more than a serving size.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Apple, Water, Tootsie Roll
Whole wheat tortilla, spinach, turkey (I used the scale to measure serving size), reduced-fat cheese slice, and leftover sautéed veggies that I used as a hot dog topping on Day 7 last week. Half of an apple on the side and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Dinner: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Watermelon, Water, Truffle
Two Diner Meat Loaf “Muffins,” about 1/2 cup mashed potatoes, about 1 cup watermelon, and a chocolate truffle for dessert.
Snack: Veggies, Dip, Water
Broccoli, carrots, and grape tomatoes dipped in low-fat veggie dip.

Day 1 Check-in: Even though I would normally think of this as a solid weigh-loss day, I was over on Points. According to the Weight Watchers^® program circa 2007, I should be having 19 Points per day. Breakfast was 5, lunch was 6, meatloaf was 6, watermelon was 1, and my nighttime snack was 1 – that’s 19 without counting the mashed potatoes or the truffle. I probably should have had only one meatloaf muffin, which would have put me right around 19. I figured the truffle was part of my Flex Points for the week (35 extra points you have every week that you can use or not use), but now the mashed potatoes are too.

Day 2

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Apple, Water
1/2 cup quick oats mixed with salt, cinnamon, and slightly less than 1 cup 2% milk, microwaved for 90 seconds, stirred, microwaved for another 30 seconds, and then I stirred in some peeled, chopped apple. I always measure the oats and milk for this anyway, so it was just how I always make it.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Apple, Water, Tootsie Roll
Same wrap / lunch as Day 1, except with no cheese on the wrap.
Dinner: Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans, Water, Cookie
Leftovers from Day 1, except I only had one meatloaf “muffin” and canned, microwaved green beans instead of watermelon (the watermelon was gone). Same amount of mashed potatoes. My husband brought home cookies, but luckily they included nutritional information, so I knew I could have half of one and still stay within my Points for the day.
Snack: Fruit, Water
Didn’t have the Points left for much else, so I just had cherries and grapes.

Day 2 Check-in: This time I only went 1 Point over for the day. Breakfast was 6, lunch was 5, dinner was 5 plus mashed potatoes (which were probably around 3), and snack was 1. Skipping the cheese on my wrap, having less meatloaf, 0 Point green beans as a side, and only having half of a cookie all helped.

Day 3

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Banana, Water
Nature’s Path Blueberry Cinnamon Flax with sliced banana (half of a banana) and 2% milk. I measured both the cereal and the milk.
Lunch: Soup, Toast, Water
1 can Amy’s Organic low-fat Vegetable Barley Soup with soup toast (whole wheat bread spread with 1 tsp. olive oil and toasted).
Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Slaw, Water, Cookie
About 1/2 cup each of Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken and jasmine rice, and then I filled the rest of my plate with broccoli slaw. Half of a cookie for dessert again.
Snack: Popcorn, Apple, Water
I didn’t really have any Points left, but I was hungry, so I had less than half of a bag of low-fat microwave popcorn (I tried to keep it to around 1 cup) and half of an apple.

Day 3 Check-in: Only 1 Point over again. Breakfast was 6, lunch was 4, dinner was 9 with dessert, and snack was 1.

Day 4

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Banana, Water
Whole wheat toast with 1 Tbsp. all-natural peanut butter and half of a banana sliced over the top.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Banana, Water, Tootsie Roll
Same wrap as Day 2. The other half of the banana from breakfast on the side and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Slaw, Water, Cookie
Same dinner as last night.
Snack: None
Bed early, so no snack.

Day 4 Check-in: This time I was one Point under; I saved 1 Point for a nighttime snack, but then went to bed early. Breakfast was 5, lunch was 4, and dinner was 9.

Day 5

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Cinnamon Harvest biscuits with 2% milk. Counted and measured again.
Lunch: Granola Bar, Banana, Water
Snack lunch – Nature Valley™ Fruit & Nut granola bar and half of a banana.
Dinner: Chili, Cornmeal Muffin, Water, Truffle
Nonstop, No-Chop Chili and a Cornmeal-Cheddar Muffin, with a truffle for dessert.
Snack: None
Bed early, so no snack.

Day 5 Check-in: I was right around 19, but maybe a little over. Breakfast was 5 Points and lunch was 4. Dinner was probably 8, but I may have mistakenly measured a little over a cup of chili. Not sure how much the truffle was, but I think probably 3 or less. I also used extra-lean ground beef in the chili instead of ground round, but used low-fat buttermilk in the muffins instead of fat-free, so that may have made a difference too (although hopefully it balanced out).

Day 6

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Apple, Water
Same breakfast as Day 2.
Lunch: PB&J, Grapes, Water
1 slice whole wheat bread with 1/2 Tbsp. each of natural peanut butter and grape jelly. Grapes on the side.
Dinner: Chili, Cornmeal Muffin, Water, Truffle
Same dinner as last night, but this time I measured exactly 1 cup of chili (also added a little water before reheating). I also warmed up the muffins a little in the microwave.
Snack: None
Another early night.

Day 6 Check-in: Right around 19 again. Breakfast was 6, lunch was 4, dinner was 8, and the truffle was 3 or less.

Day 7

Breakfast: Cereal, Banana, Milk, Water
1 cup of Special K^® Red Berries with sliced banana (1/2 of a banana) and 1/2 cup 2% milk.
Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Apple, Water, Tootsie Roll
Whole wheat tortilla spread with 1/2 Tbsp. light mayo and country Dijon, topped with 1 reduced-fat cheese slice, turkey lunchmeat (serving size), spinach, and sliced apple (1/4 apple). Another 1/4 apple on the side and a midgee tootsie roll for dessert.
Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Slaw, Watermelon, Water, Truffle
Same dinner as Day 3, except less broccoli slaw and some watermelon too. A chocolate truffle for dessert.
Snack: Water
I didn’t really have any Points left.

Day 7 Check-in: Another “around 19” day – 5 Points for breakfast, 6 for lunch, and 7 or 8 for dinner, plus a truffle.

How Did I Do?

This week was kind of an eye-opener. My portion sizes for some things had slid a bit in the wrong direction, and most of the time, even though I had reasonable, healthy meals, I didn’t really have any Points left for a nighttime snack, especially if I had a dessert (even a small bite). I kept to right around 19 Points per day, and even if I was 1 or 2 Points over most days, those extra Points all combined were still well under my 35 extra Flex Points for the week. Also, I drank water, had plenty of fruits and vegetables, and planned my meals out for the week. No exercise, but I think I should do well this week!

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers^® program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.

Extra Recipe: Nonstop, No-Chop Chili

I chose this chili from the September 2001 issue of Cooking Light magazine because it seemed quick and easy, and it was. No chopping required, just ground beef, corn, salsa, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chili beans, canned tomatoes, and a little sugar. It had great flavor, and I was glad I doubled the recipe so we could eat it more than one night. I served it with Cornmeal-Cheddar Muffins. Bonus – the kids liked it too!

Here’s how I made it.

Nonstop, No-Chop Chili

3/4 lb. ground beef (calls for ground round, but I used extra lean)
Cooking spray
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup bottled salsa
1 Tbsp. sugar
16 oz. can chili beans, undrained
14.5 oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained

Cook the ground beef in a large Dutch oven coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat for 4 minutes or until the beef is browned, breaking up with a spoon. Add spices; cook and stir for about 1 minute. Add the rest of the ingredients (water through tomatoes) and bring to a boil, stirring to loosen any spices from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Yield: About 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional Info: 254 calories, 8g fat, 7.2g fiber

Enjoy!

Weight Maintenance Month 4: Week 2

Day 1

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Cinnamon Harvest biscuits with 2% milk.
Lunch: Chicken, Carrots, Rice, Broccoli, Orange, Water
Leftovers from last week – chicken thigh and carrots from Day 5 served over 1/2 cup rice from Day 6, and broccoli from Day 7 (we all had different leftovers that day, and I made more broccoli for some to have as an extra side). I had a mandarin orange too.
Dinner: Chicken Sandwich, Beer, Water
OK, so the 2 glasses of beer weren’t technically part of dinner; they were at a going away party for a friend. Then we picked up Wendy’s on the way home – grilled chicken sandwich for me. Water when I got home.
Snack: None
Went to bed early!

Day 2

Breakfast: Oatmeal, Apple, Water
1/2 cup quick oats sprinkled with a little salt and cinnamon and mixed with slightly less than 1 cup 2% milk – microwave for 90 seconds, stir, microwave for 30 seconds, then add half of a chopped, peeled apple.
Lunch: BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Cornbread, Potatoes, Fruit, Water
There was a BBQ event at a nearby church; I had BBQ pulled chicken in a bun, a couple of bites of cornbread and cheesy potatoes, and some fruit “scraps” at home (a strawberry and the rest of the apple from breakfast).
Dinner: Chili, Corn Muffin, Water, Cupcake
Beef and Beer Chili, a Cornmeal-Cheddar Muffin, and half of a cupcake for dessert.
Snack: Popcorn, Oranges, Water
Low-fat popcorn and 2 mandarin oranges.

Day 3

Breakfast: Cereal, Fruit, Milk, Water
Cheerios™ with sliced banana, chopped strawberry, and 2% milk.
Lunch / Dinner: Appetizer, Orange, Pork, Mashed Potatoes, Salad, Water, Ice Cream Bar
My parents invited us over for an early dinner. I had one Wheat Thin with dip, a mandarin orange, pork loin, mashed potatoes (about 1/3 – 1/2 cup), salad (filled most of my plate with this, tried to keep dressing light), and half of a Klondike bar (I split one with my mother-in-law).
Snacks: Granola Bar, Triscuits, Salsa, Cheese Stick, Apple, Water
I was hungry when we got home, so I had a Nature Valley™ Fruit & Nut granola bar to tide me over, then 6 Triscuits with salsa, a reduced-fat cheese stick, and half of an apple later.

Day 4

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Kashi^® Cinnamon Harvest biscuits with 2% milk.
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Apple, Water, Tootsie Roll
Whole wheat bread, light mayo, country Dijon, reduced-fat cheese slice, turkey, thinly sliced apple, lettuce. More apple on the side, plus a midgee tootsie roll for a treat.
Dinner: Chili, Corn Muffin, Water, Cupcake
Same dinner as Day 2.
Snack: Triscuits, Salsa, Cheese Stick, Apple, Orange, Water
6 Triscuits with salsa, a reduced-fat cheese stick, apple slices, and a mandarin orange.

Day 5

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Same breakfast as yesterday.
Lunch: Soup, Toast, Orange, Water
A can of Amy’s^® Quinoa, Kale & Red Lentil soup with soup toast (whole wheat bread spread with 1 tsp. or less of olive oil and toasted), and a mandarin orange.
Dinner: Salad, Pears, Water, Cupcake
Lettuce, sliced carrots, low-fat shredded cheese (about 1 – 2 Tbsp.), chopped green olives (about 5 – 6 small olives), raisins (about 1 – 2 Tbsps.), and lite Catalina dressing (1 – 2 Tbsps.). Part of a can of sliced pears packed in juice on the side, and half of a cupcake for dessert.
Snack: None
Just didn’t happen.

Day 6

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Nature’s Path Blueberry Cinnamon Flax with 2% milk.
Lunch: Turkey Sandwich, Orange, Water
Toasted whole wheat bread, light mayo, country Dijon, a reduced-fat cheese slice, turkey, and some of the sautéed veggies from Day 4 dinner last week (warmed up in the microwave), plus a mandarin orange on the side.
Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Slaw, Watermelon, Water, Chocolate
Crockpot Teriyaki Chicken with 1/2 cup jasmine rice, broccoli slaw, watermelon, and a truffle for dessert.
Snack: Triscuits, Salsa, Cheese Stick, Apple, Water
6 Triscuits with salsa, reduced-fat cheese stick, half of an apple.

Day 7

Breakfast: Cereal, Milk, Water
Same breakfast as yesterday.
Lunch: Ham Armour^® LunchMakers^®, Veggie Dip, Apple, Water
Crackers, meat, and cheese dipped in low-fat veggie dip, half of an apple, and the tiny candy bar included for dessert.
Dinner: Teriyaki Chicken, Rice, Broccoli Slaw, Grapes, Water, Chocolate
Same dinner as yesterday, except with grapes instead of watermelon and a square of chocolate instead of a truffle.
Snack: Popcorn, Grapes, Apple, Water
Low-fat popcorn, grapes, apple slices.

How Did I Do?

There were a few things to balance out this week. There were cupcake flavors I wanted to try from the local bakery, but I only had half of one each time. I had a couple of beers at a friend’s going away party on Day 1, but I just had a grilled chicken sandwich for dinner and no snack later. There was a BBQ event on Day 2, but I stuck with pulled chicken, only had a couple of bites of the sides, and filled it out with fruit. We went to my parents’ for lunch/dinner on Day 3, but I tried to keep my portions right, filled the rest of my plate with salad, and only had half of an ice cream treat for dessert. The rest of the week, I stuck to healthy, right-sized breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and snacks and drank plenty of water. So, I think I did pretty well!

No regrets.

Extra Recipe: Beef and Beer Chili

From the September 2007 issue of Cooking Light magazine: Beef and Beer Chili. It has beef, onion, red pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, beans, tomatoes, beef broth, beer, cornmeal, and lime. It smelled amazing while it was cooking, and while it wasn’t bad, it wasn’t as flavorful as I thought it would be. But, I think some small tweaks could make it really good. I served it with Cornmeal-Cheddar Muffins.

Here are my recipe notes:

I doubled the recipe since it only serves 4. I’m curious to see if the leftovers are more flavorful after sitting for awhile.
I cooked the beef, onion, and peppers, then added the garlic for 30 seconds before adding the spices.
I think next time I would try it without the sugar; I don’t know that it needs it.
Next time I would also either add more salt, or maybe something else to add some depth of flavor (my husband adds things like Worcestershire and mustard to his chili – I might try that). Maybe some spice too – diced jalapeno, and chipotle chili powder or ground red pepper or black pepper.
The cornmeal didn’t seem to thicken up the chili much, but I was okay with that.

I think this recipe has potential; I may revisit it in the future.

Enjoy!

Week 1: Day 1

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Toast, Orange, Water

Peanut butter toast is one of my go-to breakfasts. It’s just one slice of whole wheat toast spread with one tablespoon natural peanut butter. Add some fruit (I added an orange), and/or a low-fat yogurt to get some dairy, and you’re good to go.

The bread we usually have in the house is Koepplinger’s^® 100% Whole Wheat. If you want whole wheat bread that’s actually made with whole grains of wheat, look for the phrase “whole grain” or “whole wheat” in the ingredient list; otherwise, you may not be getting what you think. (more info here)

I like Smucker’s Natural Peanut Butter, because it has salt, which is not true of all natural peanut butters, but necessary to me whenever peanuts are involved. The upside of natural peanut butter is its simplicity; there are only two ingredients – peanuts and salt. The downside is all the stirring you have to do the first time you open it. It never fails that I realize I have to switch to a new jar when I am in a hurry, or just trying to throw something simple together. But, if you get it blended really well that first time, you won’t have to do it again. And it tastes so…peanut-y. No sugar or other junk getting in the way.

Lunch: Turkey Wrap, Yogurt, Water

A turkey wrap is one of my standard lunches, and one that you can easily customize. I start with an 8-inch whole wheat tortilla (see notes above on choosing whole wheat). Then add flavor: 1/2 a tablespoon of light mayo and some whole grain mustard (what I used on this day), or some light veggie dip, or some hummus, or some light mayo or low-fat yogurt or light sour cream mixed with hot sauce or herbs or spices…there are a lot of flavor options to choose from. Then I add a slice of reduced-fat cheese (you could also do shredded, crumbled, or skip the cheese). Then turkey (or any lunchmeat, or no meat at all) – just pay attention to the serving size. Then veggies – on this day, I opted for shredded carrots. You could also add greens (lettuce, arugula, spinach, etc.), tomato, cucumber, peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli – really, any vegetable on hand that you think might be delicious in your wrap. Sometimes I add chopped apple with my shredded carrots. Sometimes it’s just hummus, a bunch of veggies, and some Kalamata olives. There are endless possibilities.

Normally, I have a piece of fruit with my wrap, but I didn’t get any dairy with breakfast, so I added a yogurt instead. You could definitely do both. I had a black cherry Activia^®. I’m not a big fan of artificial sweeteners or anything that pretends to be sugar. But, I also think if you’re eating yogurt straight up, it needs some sweet – but not too much. So, I look at nutrition info. This particular cup of yogurt had 12 grams of sugar – that’s a little high, but it’s what I had in my fridge and I like it. At some point, I may camp out in front of the wall of yogurts at the grocery store and look for something that has less than 10 grams of sugar (real sugar) and try some different brands out, but I’m not there yet.

Dinner: Chili, Bread, Grapes, Water, Cake

The chili was a recipe from my March 2007 issue of Cooking Light (more about my CL collection another time). It was good – ground beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, beans, and spices that you don’t usually see in the average chili, like cinnamon and garam masala (recipe here). I probably added more garlic than it called for, I skipped the parsley since I didn’t have any, I just added all of the beans instead of saving some to sprinkle on each serving (I didn’t get the point of that), and I added more water before I let it simmer (there wasn’t much liquid in it). I also skipped the raw onions on top. My 9-year-old loved it and went back for more. My 5-year-old ate it without complaining, which is something. Success!

*Beef, bean, and tomato chili with cinnamon and garam masala – yum!*

The bread wasn’t just any bread – it was Zingerman’s chili cheddar bread, a pound-your-fist-on-the-table-when-you-bite-into-it-because-it’s-so-good sort of bread. My father-in-law got me a bread club subscription as a Christmas gift, so I have a few loaves in my freezer. This particular bread isn’t normally what I would choose to eat while losing weight, but I had already planned on serving it with the chili, and it was totally worth it. I did look up the nutritional info on their web site to figure out what the damage was, and while it was more points than I would normally spend on bread, it wasn’t too bad. We had grapes as our fruit/veggie, but you could also do other fruit or a salad.

Full disclosure, I also had a slice of frosted banana rum cake. I had made the cake earlier in the week to use up some bananas, and I could have just let my family eat the rest, but I also loved it so much and how it turned out, so I ate a small-ish piece. There wasn’t any nutritional info in the recipe, so I just looked up how many points a piece of frosted cake was in general – turns out, a lot. But, Weight Watchers^® has (or had, not sure what the current program has) something called Flex Points – basically a set number of extra points you have every week that you can use or not use. Flex Points are for special occasions, or just giving yourself a little leeway each day, or, in my case, finishing the banana cake that is too good to pass up. So, I figured I could have 2-3 small-ish pieces over the first few days and that would be all of my Flex Points for the week. Plus, I convinced myself, I was exercising every day! (more on that later)

Snack: Carrots, Sugar Snap Peas, Veggie Dip, Apple, Water

Generally, the nighttime snack is where my husband and I struggle the most. The kids have gone to bed, we’re watching TV, and we want to munch on something. And then, something sweet sounds good. And, ooh, what if we got nachos?! At, you know, 10:00 at night. Yeah.

We definitely snack a lot differently when we are trying to lose weight. Usually I only have one or two or zero points left at the end of the day, which basically means fruits and veggies. This night, it was veggies with Marzetti^® light ranch veggie dip and apple slices (we usually split a large apple, Fuji lately). In general, I try to go for “light” or “reduced fat” instead of fat free. In things like cheese, it’s because cheese needs at least some fat, or there’s no point in eating it. In things like veggie dip and salad dressing, it’s because I read that some vitamins are fat soluble, meaning that your body won’t absorb them (or not very well) unless there’s some fat tagging along with them. And if I’m eating all of these fruits and vegetables, I want their full benefit. Plus, I like the idea of fat being necessary, because it is. Your body needs some fat, and there are plenty of good, healthy fats – fat isn’t the enemy. You just need to find that happy place somewhere between fat free and donut ham hamburger.

Exercise

I don’t remember exactly what I did for exercise the first day (this was almost a week ago, before I decided to start a blog). I know it was one of three things: the first part of my Denise Austin fat-blasting Yoga DVD, a beginner full-body workout that I found on Amazon Prime (it may say beginner, but it was hard!), or running, jumping, and doing jumping jacks for 30 minutes on my mini trampoline while watching Runaway Bride on Netflix.

How Did I Do?

I think I did pretty well. I was only one point over my allowance for the day, not including the cake. I figured out a way to have the cake that also worked within the program. I drank plenty of water – one glass with every meal, plus 1 – 2 before and after meals. I exercised for at least 30 minutes. I probably could have done without the cake, but I don’t feel bad about Day 1.

No regrets.

*Note: I am using tools from the Weight Watchers program circa 2007, because that’s what I have. So, the Points values that I am using may differ from the current program.