Week 11:The cold hard truth

When trying to be the healthiest person that you can be and get all svelte we all have to face some cold hard truths.

Truth one: There is no beer that is compatible with weight loss. Sure, there are "light" beers. They taste like water mixed with a dash of urine. They are super easy to drink so you end up having four instead of two.  A good craft beer that is worth drinking is packed with calories.  At least we can take solace in the fact that a glass of red wine is heart healthy. It is not light on calories, but at least it has some health benefits.

Truth two: Wonderful, glorious, delicious bread is not that great for you. Sadly, this includes the whole bread family: corn bread, biscuits, bagels, rolls, croissants, pitas, anything that is doughy and delicious. White bread is useless. Whole grain is better in moderation. One piece won't kill you. Diving in headfirst to a bread basket will mess up your whole week.

Truth three: Abs are made in the kitchen. This is a favorite saying of my trainer friend Jason. I think it is a total bummer. Apparently you can go as hard as you want at the gym, but if you don't lay off the real butter and cake you are never gonna be svelte and healthy.

Truth four: Guys lose weight faster than women. WTF. This is unfair. I have heard ladies around the world lament this very fact. A girl can work her butt off at the gym to lose the same weight that a guy drops just by quitting drinking soda.

This is why it is extra exciting that we have two ladies in the hunt for first place in our family weight loss competition. Annie and Gabby have both been in first place for at least one week. They are with in a couple of decimal points with the boys. It is a real possibility that the ladies may take this thing.

Our top five have become an impressive lot. Trading places weekly and staying with in a few hundreths of a percent of total weight loss.

It is not all men. It is not all women. It is not the youngest in the group. It is a wide range.

On any given week you can find Gabby in the top five. She has hitting the gym hard, but she got a job. Now she burns calories by standing all day. She also uses her desire to beat Evan Peterson as motivation. I think that desire to win helps burn additional calories. Gabby has also changed her eating habits.

You will also find Annie. She had a baby seven months ago and is working to lose the baby weight. She is well on her way. Having an infant doesn't allow a lot of time for work out (or for peeing by yourself for that matter). Annie is making sure that she is cooking healthy meals and using the stairs at work.

As I mentioned in my last post you will find Evan in the top five. Last night at nearly midnight this man made me show him an ab work out. He can almost taste the victory. He refuses to let it slip away from him.

Another frequent top fiver is Dave. He and Evan have upped their competition quota by adding in at least two racquetball games a week. Dave invited Evan and I to play two weeks ago and there has been nonstop racquetball trash talk ever since. Dave also plays a weekly game with another friend. He has also been hitting the gym and making healthy food choices.

Even skinny vegan boy has gotten in on the racquetball games.

The last person who makes up the top five is either Jeremy Carroll or Mark Guckin.

Mark is the oldest member of the competition. He has consistently lost weight. He has cut portions, is making healthier choices and is using the elliptical.


Jeremy Carroll is pretty much a beast. He is teaching karate again. He is very health conscious and he doesn't like to lose.





There are several of us that are just short of that top five each week. Don't get to comfy guys. We are coming for you.



This weeks dinner was cooked by Dave. It was corned beef and cabbage. It was delicious. It probably wasn't all the great for us and may have been part of a ploy by Dave to take out the competition. It was so damn good I don't even care.

Week 10: The dark horse.

Ladies and gentlemen, this race has a dark horse.

It is a horse who needed to be poked, prodded and cajoled to even join the race. He was a late addition to the race. He wasn't the horse I would have put my money on.

During week one this horse ate ice cream while all the rest of the horses choked down there hay.

Then, all of the sudden, the horse took off running. Now in the middle of the race the horse is in first place.

Which horse is number one?  The one that I am married to!

Okay, enough with the horse analogy. It is getting weird.

Back to who is number one. As I mentioned, it is my husband, Evan. This guy, the one who swore up and down that he wasn't going to be a part of this. The one who was not interested in participating in a family initiative to get healthier. The man who thought that an appropriate dinner was a bag of Doritios. The gentleman who, when asked where he wanted to dine that evening, routinely answered "Taco Bell". The guy who skipped breakfast, ate a lunch of chips and washed it down with about thirty cups of coffee, each with copious amounts of sugar. The man who hoarded candy and coffee cakes in a drawer on his side of the bed. The one and same person who thought that a Cesar Salad with full croutons and dressing was a healthy option. The man who was horrified when I suggested that he switch from who whole milk to 1%.

The same man described above has now lost over 10% of his original body weight. He cut all the sugar out of his morning coffee. He quit drinking soda. He made the switch to low fat milk. He is going for almost daily power walks. He has started to incorporate other types of exercise. He is counting calories and kicking ass. I alternate between being incredibly proud and wanting to kick him in the shin.

He also cooked our family dinner this week. It is okay ladies, I know you are jealous.

He made a low fat version of Chicken and Eggplant Parm complete with Spaghetti Squash noodles. It was a fan favorite.

Here is the recipe directly from the horse, err umm Husbands mouth.

Chicken & Eggplant Parm

Boneless Chicken Breast, butterflied, cut into smaller portions, and pounded (8 pounds) It feeds 20.

Bread crumbs to cover the top of the chicken once placed on the baking sheet (one large can)

Low Sodium Crushed Tomatoes (see the brand - it's in the pantry), seasoned to taste. (4 pounds total)

I used a food processor on half a red onion and garlic to brown in the pan before adding the tomatoes, black pepper & red pepper.

Skim Mozz

2 large Eggplants, cut into 1/4" thick Circles

2 spaghetti squash

40 ounces, radishes.

 

Cut radishes into quarters, toss in olive oil, sea salt and pepper to taste.  Bake at 400F for 45-minutes to an hour.

 

Cut the spaghetti squash in half length wise, and Bake for 30 minutes at 400F (45 at 350), then use a fork to remove the insides (will look like pasta).  toss the squash pieces with a little olive oil to keep it from sticking.  Set aside.

 

Place the chicken / eggplant on baking sheets, cover the top in bread crumbs, and cook at 400F for 10 minutes (15ish for the chicken, depending on the thickness), remove, add sauce to the tops, sprinkle with cheese and place back until the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).

 

The vegan option was the Eggplant Parm without the breadcrumbs and Cheese, however, vegan cheese is available.

 

Week 9: Wonder Woman thinks that running sucks too.

This week was a much better week for me (3 lbs). I got back into the swing of going to the gym.

I have finished the second week of Couch to 5k and moved on to the third week. So, I have officially made it two and a half weeks longer in the program than the times I tried in the past.  I have started scouring Pinterest and Etsy for outfits to wear when I run my first half marathon. Thus far I am torn between a Wonder Woman tutu outfit and a t-shirt that says "running sucks". I feel like these two choices in running attire fairly portray my complex feelings about running.

After smoking for 15 years every time I manage to run for more than thirty seconds, I feel like Wonder Woman. When I manage to run outside or on a treadmill without falling flat on my face, I feel like Wonder Woman. Every time I complete a new leg of the Couch to 5k program without embarrassing myself by vomiting all over the treadmill, I feel like Wonder Woman. When I decide to go running instead of watching a movie, or taking a nap, or eating ice cream, or going out with my sister, or pretty much anything, I feel like Wonder Woman. With all these Wonder Woman like feelings I think that I deserve a Wonder Woman tutu. When I finally manage to run 3.2 miles or 13.1 miles I will feel like Wonder Woman and I will damn sure deserve a tutu.

Have I mentioned that I love both Wonder Woman and tutus. You know what I don't love? Running.

Sorry in advance to all the hardcore runners that think running is better than sex, chocolate and sunshine all rolled into one. I have to disagree. In fact, truth be told. I think that running sucks.

Every time I am so hot that I am pretty sure that my brain is about to fry like an egg, I think that running sucks. When my shins ache, my calves burn and sweat is rolling into my eyes I know that running sucks. When all the muscles in the lower half of my body are tight and achy I am certain that running sucks. When I check the time and find out that I have only been running for two minutes, even though it feels like at least fifteen, I am positive that running sucks. When I can't breath and my lungs feel like they are going to explode, I think about how running sucks. When I realize that I am balling my fists, tightening my shoulders and clenching my jaw and if I can't figure out how to maintain a decent form than I will never be able to run a 5K, let alone a half marathon, I am without a doubt, certain that running sucks.

When I finish running and step off the treadmill or slow down to a walk for a minute - I feel like Wonder Woman again. In those moments I love running. I think that it is great. I am glad that I did it. I feel like a bad ass runner.

It is possible that I am both a sadist and a masochist when it comes to running. I love to hate running. I love to make myself sore. I have come to enjoy the smell of Bengay.

 Even though more than half of the time I loathe running. I have chosen to become a runner. I am working hard to convince my body and my mind that running is something that is good for us and even possibly enjoyable.

When I run that half marathon in a wonder woman tutu and a red and blue t-shirt that says running sucks. I will be sure to post pictures.

Enough about me, let's talk about some folks who are kicking ass. My family! Collectively we have lost more than 100 lbs. The top four are in almost a dead heat. We have two girls and two boys in the top four. The girls are not letting the boys run away with this thing.

Dinner this week was at Susie and Marks house.

Susie made a healthy lasagna from Cooking Well. Here is the recipe.

• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 ounce fresh Parmesan cheese, grated and divided (about 1/4 cup)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup torn fresh basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (24-ounce) jar lower-sodium pasta sauce
• 9 cooked lasagna noodles
• Cooking spray

Our vegan option was a vegetable curry. Here is the recipe.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Cooking spray
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic), divided
• 1 1/3 cups (1/4-inch-thick) slices carrot
• 1 habanero pepper
• 3 cups cubed peeled calabaza or hubbard squash (about 1 pound)
• 1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomato
• 2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced (about 3 cups)