I'm home!

I didn't post my usual weigh in on Sunday because I went on a weekend road trip with my husband and a friend of ours. We had a lot of fun!

I weighed in this morning and to my surprise, I still managed to lose 1.4lbs this week. Given that I had an extremely difficult time finding food that would fit onto my plan while I was away, I'm very happy with that result. It seemed that the only places we could get food were terribly unhealthy and I felt sick to my stomach after a few meals. I really don't miss eating that way!

I am hoping that I'll have a nice drop this week after I flush out the sodium, but we'll see since it's only a few days till my next weigh in.

Whether you're Canadian or American, enjoy the long weekend coming up and remember that you don't need to indulge to enjoy yourself and celebrate!

Isn't it boring?

I was talking to an acquaintance yesterday who insisted that programs like Nutrisystem must be boring because you just eat the same old thing out of the box every day.

I've got some new recipes to share- anyone bored yet? :)


Rotini with Meatballs and Tomato Sauce (Dinner):


I would normally add cottage cheese to this entree to make it more like a lazy lasagna, but I decided to do a version of the recipe I used with the Chicken Pasta Parmesan. I sauteed chopped spinach, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and tomatoes in a pan with garlic, and then dumped the entree over the top. I added 2 tbsp of fat free cream cheese (I wanted a little more since I added so many veggies) and let it simmer until blended. It was delicious!

Count this as your dinner entrée + veggies + 1 extra for the cream cheese (up to 35 calories' worth).

Nutrichocolates (Dessert):


I was a little nervous about these when I opened the package- they looked terrible. The chocolate looked old and dried out and I was regretting my decision to order a few for messing around with. Then I stuck them in the microwave for 30 seconds and was pleasantly surprised by what I saw!



They melted perfectly and tasted great. I cut the ends off some strawberries and rolled them around in the dish of melted chocolate and put them on a plate to harden.



They were absolutely delicious, although I confess that I wanted very much to have a glass of champagne with them. I managed to avoid that temptation. My only suggestion is that when you put them down to dry, put them on wax paper or something so that you aren't looking at a plate with melted chocolate globs stuck to it and trying to figure out how to get them off to eat them!

Count this as your Nutrisystem Snack plus one extra for the strawberries (you don't need a full SC serving, 35 calories of strawberries is a lot!).

Red Beans & Rice with Sausage (Lunch):


I love zesty Cajun food, and this entree seemed perfect for tweaking.

Spicy Cajun Gumbo (Lunch/Dinner):

1 pkg NS Red Beans & Rice with Sausage
1 cup sodium free chicken broth
3/4 cup sodium free diced tomatoes
chopped green pepper, green onion, Spanish onion
1.5 oz diced shrimp
1.5 oz chopped chicken
chili spice, black pepper, red pepper flakes, Old Bay Seafood Seasoning to taste

I just threw everything in a pot and let it simmer together. It made an enormous serving that I had a hard time finishing. This counts as lunch + protein + veggies. If you get an extra carb at lunch time, I'd add 1/3 cup of wild rice as well. You could also lower the shrimp and chicken to 1oz each and add an oz of turkey sausage, too!

This meal was definitely full of flavour and I really enjoyed it!

Count this as your Nutrisystem Lunch entrée plus 1 Powerfuel (or a dinner entrée) plus veggies.

It's been 20 weeks...

In not much more time, I'll have been following Nutrisystem for half a year. I have lost almost 45lbs, with my 2lb loss this week.



If I was talking to someone else, I'd say how great that is. But to me, I am just impatient to get on with it! I have nearly another 80lbs to go and that seems like so much. I was looking through some of my pictures from a couple of years ago when I was about forty pounds lighter than I am now, and I looked so much better than I do now! I miss those clothes. I miss getting checked out by guys when I go to the casino. I want to be there again- and then blow right past it because I want to lose another 40 pounds on top of that.

My friends keep telling me all in good time... but I am so impatient and ready to get on with this!

My son's birthday is October 2- I am setting a mini goal for myself to get to 70lbs lost by then. I think that is going to be a challenge but I'm going to try.

Getting excited again

Sometimes I think all it takes to get re-energized about weight loss is a new recipe or two! One of the things that really sucks about a lifestyle change is not being able to eat the food you love (which got you to where you needed the lifestyle change!). The best part about Nutrisystem is that I'm learning ways to adapt those old meals into things that are healthy and still delicious! I mean, who would have thought that cheesecake was doable on a weight loss program?

I've got a review and a few new meal ideas to share today.


Chicken with Dumplings (Dinner):


Boy, what a disappointment this was! I knew when I saw the shape of the box that it wasn't the same as the one on the Canadian plan that I reviewed earlier, but I was hoping it would at least taste similar. *buzz* Sorry, you lose. The gravy is runny and it just doesn't have that rich flavour I loved in the original entree. Now, the new one does have 7 grams of fat fewer and is lower in calories too, but I'd rather have the other meal anyway.


Pancake Mix (Breakfast):


I made another version of the Blueberry Ricotta Danish with plain pancake mix and cherries and it was still delicious! I think this is a great base to play around with, with different fruit filling and dried fruit in the mix.


I also used the Pancake Mix for breakfast this morning. I got the idea from looking on the NS boards for other savory breakfast ideas, since I think the Egg Frittata is gross. So I tried this and it was amazing!

Cheesy Egg and Bacon Biscuits:


1 pkg NS Pancake Mix
1/3 cup milk
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 oz shredded cheese
1 tbsp bacon bits
2 tbsp Egg Beaters

Mix together everything except the Egg Beaters (and maybe save a little cheese too) and pour the batter into sprayed muffin cups. Top each muffin with 1/2 tbsp of Egg Beaters and any remaining cheese. Bake at 350 until the tops are crispy and eat while they're hot!

This breakfast was SO filling and delicious. I think I am going to have it again tomorrow! You could also try subbing ham or veggie sausage for the bacon if you prefer.


Chicken Pasta Parmesan (Dinner):


I like this entree as-is, but I was craving a cheesy flavour tonight and didn't want to overdo the cheese since I'd had those yummy breakfast biscuits already today. I sauteed a little spinach and onion in a pan with garlic, and dumped the Chicken Pasta Parmesan over top. I stirred in 1 tbsp of Ultra Low Fat Philadelphia cream cheese and let it simmer until it was bubbling. This was so creamy and delicious! I might add some mushrooms and tomatoes next time, too.

Woohoo!

Despite getting little sleep lately, I managed to lose 2.4lbs this week! I'm pretty excited. I know I didn't cheat or go off plan, but I've felt pretty down in the dumps, so I needed something good to pick me up a little.

I also discovered another non scale victory this morning- I looked in the mirror and noticed the lovely purple stretch marks I got during my pregnancy are fading away! I thought I'd be stuck with them forever but now perhaps my dream of one day wearing a bikini is possible!

I just need to stay positive and keep doing what I'm doing, because it's definitely working!

Plugging along...

I'm feeling a little better today. I know I just have to keep one foot in front of the other and I'll get there eventually. My husband says if I had taken a good Before picture that I'd be able to see the difference. That kind of scares me- how far did I let myself go? I guess you just don't really notice until it's too late. I can't undo the past; all I can do is continue what I'm doing because it's working! I mean, since February 1st, I've lost 40lbs (and I weigh in tomorrow!). I can't even imagine carrying that much extra weight. Maybe I still have a long way to go, but if I keep this up, I WILL reach my goal.

Everyone has a bad day once in a while. It's important to remember that you're not alone and you can get through it!

I tried a few new things recently with mixed reviews.


Chocolate Caramel Dessert Bar (Dessert):


This just really didn't do it for me. I guess when I think of caramel, I want something thick, rich, and gooey. It's probably not possible to make something like that diet friendly, so I'd rather just do without. This was more like a granola bar with chocolate drizzle and caramel flavour. I'll pass.


Egg Frittata (Breakfast):


I was kind of hoping the general word on this was wrong, because every once in a while it's nice to have a non-sweet breakfast (I'm not a big cereal fan, as you can probably tell from the lack of reviews in that area!). This just didn't really taste good. I did try making it into a breakfast burrito (extra carb serving) with cheese and hot sauce, but I found it less than satisfactory. I'd rather have a muffin or pastry and make a real egg on the side for a dairy/protein.


Trail Mix Bar (Lunch):


Oddly enough, I was expecting not to like this. I really don't know why. It was one of the items that I'd kind of stuck to the back of my cupboard and was delaying trying it (I'm sure we all have those!). To my surprise, I took a bite and really enjoyed it! There were big chunks of nuts and fruit and just enough chocolate for flavour. I think Nutrisystem has really outdone itself with the lunch bars- they are all fantastic.

Three Cheese Pasta with Chicken (Lunch):


I had this in the dinner version before (I just looked through my tags and I guess I didn't review it then) and wasn't crazy about it, so I wasn't expecting too much from the lunch one either but I felt I would give it a try. Again, I was surprised to find it tasty and filling. I added some more chopped chicken for protein and it was cheesy and enjoyable- I wished for more when I came to the end of my bowl. I will be ordering more of these in the future. I am not crazy overall about the selection of NS lunches so it's nice to have another option available.

Chocolate Chip Scone (Breakfast):


Back when I lived in a bigger city, I used to love going to the Great Canadian Bagel for breakfast (in the US you have the same chain with your country in the name). My favourite was a toasted chocolate chip bagel with cream cheese. It was like having dessert for breakfast! Well, that bagel alone had 383 calories, 5 grams of fat, and 76 carbs- before you even add the cream cheese. I was deciding what to have for breakfast this morning and I took another look at the chocolate chip scone and decided to give it a try.

Mmmm! I sliced it in half like I do when I'm making French toast and popped it in the toaster until it was toasted and melty, and then spread some Ultra Low Fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese on top. It definitely satisfied the bagel craving and for many fewer calories and more protein and fibre!

Some days are harder than others

I try to stay positive and upbeat in this blog, but I have my down days, too. There have been so many good things lately- reaching 40lbs lost, fitting into my wedding rings again, and other non scale victories. Then I look at myself in a full length mirror and I just want to cry. I still just see a big fatty looking back. I know I can't expect it all to just melt off and I'm still doing so well, but emotions aren't logical and I'm having a harder time coping than I thought I would.

I tried to go buy some new pants since the jeans I was wearing are far too baggy around the waist (I can pull them off without undoing the button), but apparently my figure has redistributed since I had my son because I can't fit into clothes that I used to wear at this weight. It really brought me down and I left the fitting room feeling so ashamed.

I've also decided to change my final goal- you'll note that when you see my ticker. I'm going for broke since I know I can get there eventually- it's just hard in the meantime not seeing the changes in myself. At 40lbs, I was hoping to really notice a difference, and I don't. I know I'm my own worst critic, but it's still hard. All I can do is stick to it and know that eventually I WILL achieve my goal weight and be able to smile at the person I see in the mirror.

I have some more food reviews to share and I'll try to get them up in the next day or so.

Need a Chinese food fix?

I gotta be honest- the Nutrisystem Asian meals tend to suck pretty badly if you liked those foods before. They just don't have the same taste. Maybe that taste is fat and salt and all the other bad stuff, but NS has done a good job of making reasonable facsimiles of those, so why can't they make a decent Asian sauce?

So that led me to consider an old recipe I used to make that was a hit with everyone who tried it, and find a way to make it NS friendly.

Grilled Chicken Breast (Dinner):


Chicken Lo Mein

1 NS Grilled Chicken Breast
1 carb serving whole wheat spaghettini (80 calories, 15g carbs)
1/2 cup beef broth
green onion, diced
2 cups of your favourite stir fry veggies
1 tsp peanut butter
garlic (to taste)
1 tsp soy sauce (optional)
1 tsp cornstarch blended with cold water
1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
2 tbsp Kraft light Asian Sesame dressing (optional)


Modifications:
If you have an extra carb serving, you might want to add either more pasta or baby corn to this recipe.

I know this recipe has 3 fat servings listed... you can drop the dressing or the oil if you want to, but the whole recipe only has 15g of fat total. Personally, I just choose other meals that day which are very low in fat and call it a day. For example- the lunch Peanut Butter Bar has 10g of fat while the Vegetable Beef Soup only has 1.5g, so I don't think this recipe makes the day out of line if you are smart about your other choices. However, please keep in mind that strictly speaking, to keep this meal within the planner, you must use cooking spray instead of sesame oil and skip the dressing (unless you get a second fat serving in which case you can have two of the three).

Directions:
Prepare pasta as directed and set aside. Heat sesame oil or PAM spray in a pan and saute garlic and green onions. Add diced chicken and top with Asian Sesame dressing. Add chopped vegetables, beef broth, and peanut butter and stir well. Pour pasta into pan and stir in cornstarch if needed. Add the soy sauce and stir, then cover to allow flavour to blend. Serve with a cup of Egg Drop soup as an appetizer if desired.

This has all the flavour of Asian takeout and it's healthy; plus you get an enormous serving that you probably won't be able to finish! It's good enough to serve to company and they'll have no idea that it's "diet food"! It's also an easy meal to flex if you don't want to use the NS Grilled Chicken Breast- just substitute 100 calories' worth of your own chicken.

I'm still here!

Sorry it's been so long since I updated. We went out of town for an event my husband was part of and for some reason the computer I had access to blocked Blogger so I wasn't able to post.

Things have been going really well- this past week I lost 3.2lbs to bring my total to 40lbs! I'm so excited to be getting my next Nutribear. Since my son was born, I have lost 65lbs.

I've had to do a lot of flexing this past week as well since I was out of town and doing a lot of eating at restaurants. I'm especially proud of the 3.2lb loss this week as a result because I made conscious decisions to eat well while I was out- and I still enjoyed my meals!

We ate at one truly wonderful restaurant. It's easy to find when you go out that to get your meal without all the fatty extras, you have to ask for substitutions and witholdings, and it gets annoying. I don't really mind and restaurants are happy to do it, but it's so nice to go out to eat and just be able to order a meal and know it's going to be healthy and delicious without any changes at all. If you find yourself in the Thornhill area of Ontario, definitely make a stop at Shoom Shoom. I went with a group of people and I was actually able to enjoy a healthy meal with appetizers, entree, and dessert! We started with an order of warm whole wheat pita bread served with baba ganoush and hummus, then a large green salad. Their salad dressing is fat free, and it's a very thick, flavourful basil vinaigrette. For my entree I chose grilled rainbow trout fillet with steamed vegetables and for dessert I had their all fruit smoothie. It was a wonderful meal and I would love to eat there even if I wasn't trying to lose weight!

I've got some ideas in mind for new recipes, so check back soon!