Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Some things stay the same

Today, I weighed in and was the same as my last weigh-in. Though I wish I could have seen a loss, I'll always take maintaining over the alternative of gaining.

Honestly, I've been kind of noncommittal about my food lately. The other day I was reading through some old blog entries. I was struck by my enthusiasm, my determination, my drive. Where did that go? Am I just tired? Over it? Why can't I seem to put my heart into it and keep it there?

It's frustrating for me. And I suspect it is for you, too. One week I'm yelling in victory and the next I'm just meh. Alas, I just have to keep going the best I can. I think I might have to realize, though, that this is definitely not my best, and push myself a little harder.

Last weekend I did the Strong Legs Run (which will probably be my Photo Phriday entry). I did OK. I have been fighting a cold for a while, so haven't been as diligent about my exercise. Also? Friday I decided to drink a bottle of wine when I had a friend over for dinner. Oops. That may not have helped. Still, I did it. And that's what counts, right?

I went grocery shopping last night and planned for the week, which I haven't done in a few weeks. I made a chicken creation in my crockpot last night (threw in some chicken breasts, cream of broccoli and cream of mushroom soup and some frozen broccoli), which turned out pretty yummy. I'll probably eat that for a few days. I'm also going to make a meatloaf at some point this week.

Last night I made a salmon filet seasoned with my beloved Salmon Magic. I also made some zucchin, using a recipe I'd almost forgotten. It's yummy and simple, so I thought I'd share:

Sautee a little garlic (I used about a clove. Garlic and I sometimes don't get along, so you might want to use more if you love it) in some olive oil (I just sprayed my pan with my Misto) for a few minutes.
Cut zucchini into rounds and place in pan.
Brown zucchini on both sides.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

See? Easy-peasy. Forgive my less-than-exact recipe, but I just kind of eyeball all of it. The cheese gets a little gooey and crispy on the zucchini. It's good stuff.

What are you guys making this week?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Knowing you like cauliflower you might like this:

Buffalo Cauliflower with Bleu Cheese dip

Servings: enough for at least 3-4 people

Ingredients
1 head cauliflower, cleaned and cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 cup buffalo sauce
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, flour, and garlic salt, whisking until mostly smooth (it’s ok if there are a few lumps left).
3. Very gently (cauliflower can be pretty delicate), place the cauliflower in the bowl and lightly toss to completely coat with the buttermilk mixture.
4. Place the cauliflower in a shallow baking dish and bake for about 15-18 minutes or so (watch it, it may start to brown up quickly on you.)
5. Meanwhile, combine the buffalo sauce and the melted butter in a small bowl.
6. Carefully remove the hot cauliflower from the oven and pour the buffalo sauce mixture over it, stirring gently to coat it as best you can.
7. Return the cauliflower to the oven and bake for another 5-8 minutes or so. Let cool slightly and serve immediately.

Bleu Cheese dip (healthy version...because there is no sense in having a healthy meal option if you are going to dunk it in a tub of fat).
3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 small clove garlic, chopped (or garlic salt - but make sure to not add more salt later if you do this haha)
1 tablespoon skim milk or buttermilk
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Anonymous said...

Erika, I know you asked for meal ideas but this week I'm on a special diet because I'm scheduled for a medical procedure next week and I don't want to think about food now. But I really feel the need to write to you this week (so much so that I lost the first one I wrote and I just can not let this go any longer, so I'm trying it again!) I always read your blog whenever you publish one and I sense your frustration more and more. I realize that you want so much to lose every week the way you started out on this journey and you have lost quite a lot of weight now. You have had plateaus before and you are at a plateau again! I hear the frustration in your writing and I ache for you! As a lifetime dieter myself, I have been through those times over and over. I lose and I stay the same and gain some and I lose again(it seems so anyway)but it's the same with all of us. As your godmother, I really worry about how frustrated you seem. But I do the same thing and last week I was talking outloud to myself about how eratic my weight has been lately. That man that I'm married to who almost never says anything spoke up and said, "losing weight and maintaining that lose you've already accomplished is done the same way. You have to eat the same way to do both." I didn't get it but I thought about it a while and then it "hit" me. We can never go back to the way we ate before if we want to accomplish our goal. When we do get to our goal if we go back to the way we ate before, we will gain that weight we've lost back! We are learning to eat healthy so that we can lose weight(especially if we are doing Weight Watcher's)and this is a lifetime change that we have to continue! You, my Dear, are accomplishing the most difficult part of dieting...not regaining that weight you've lost! I really don't think that you will ever get so frustrated that you decide to go back to the way you used to eat. Look how much you have accomplished so far! So many people who have lost weight. gain it back. I know a lot of people who have done it. Erika, you are doing an amazing job of losing weight whether you are at your goal or still on your way! I want you to hold up your head and be proud of the amazing job you have done so far! I love you so much and I'm very proud of you!

Anonymous said...

E - when you make the zucchini, did you use actual grated parmesan (what I would consider "the good stuff") or the kraft powdery parmesan (the stuff in the green plastic can that I would sprinkle on pizza).

Erika said...

I did use the green can stuff, because I had it, but mine isn't powdery. It's the Kraft shredded Parmesan and Romano, I think? It looks like actual shredded cheese--not the green-can Parm of my childhood!