New Year, New Start - January WISH Challenge

[Oneanne]

Free Choice Friday

I was hoping I'd have a new recipe to share this week but haven't gotten the kitchen squared away yet, so I haven't cooked anything from my new cookbook, but will cook something this weekend.

Yoga last night was absolute perfection, loved every bit of it, the teacher, the studio, everything... and my body did too. Leaving class was the first time I've felt giddily happy in longer than I can remember, I may have skipped my way home. And I slept very well last night and feel pretty darn good this morning.

The one work thing that I had to do this week, that I was kind of dreading, took place yesterday and turned out very well. I don't know why I keep getting myself wound up about things I've totally made up in my head.

We had one furious burst of snow mid-morning yesterday, but it only lasted a few minutes. There is rain/snow in some areas today, but for the city proper they are still saying later Sunday. Snow is always a big deal here because it's so hilly, and the city doesn't own snow plows. Have to say I'm looking forward to it.

Hope all have a happy and healthful weekend!

 

[piglet1979]

What do you think would or is working for you? have you tried different ways?

When i was in my early 20's I was diagnosis with low blood sugar (the opposite of diabetes) and was told to eat 6 small meals a day. i did this for a bit of time. I worked at a daycare in the room with the infants so it was easy to do. I basically ate 3 regular meals a day and 3 snacks. I also had to make sure what i was eating was low in sugar. it worked great for that time in my life. Now I eat 3 meals a day and if I am hungry at night I will eat a small snack. I have a desk job and can eat whenever I want but I am just not hungry to eat 3 small meals plus 3 snacks a day. Half the time I skip breakfast all together and eat lunch at noon. Most of the time I am still not hungry for dinner at 5 but will eat dinner with the family. Depending on the day I will eat a snack at about 8 but not always. I would much rather eat dinner at like 7 and then I would be fine the rest of the night but the kids and DH are starving (DH and DD get very hangry) by 5 so we eat then.

 

[Oneanne]

The more weight you want to permanently lose more of your life you need to permanently change.

This really spoke to me!

 

[sjrec]

I have heard such conflicting advise on hunger. Some say you need to eat 2 to 2, some you have to be hungry for an hour before you eat . Some say eat 3 times a day. What do you think would or is working for you? have you tried different ways?

For me this suits best. I tried lean habits book where you are suppose to be hungry for an hour before you start eating but wasn't my thing.

If I was hungry for an hour before eating I would probably overeat and/or make poor choices.
I think there are some very good takeaways from this book.

 

[sjrec]

View attachment 464071

It’s Free Choice Friday!

I made "Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili" again this week, I thought I’d share the recipe again in case anyone needs it (good for being snowed in and watching football @Oneanne). Any other favorite recipes anyone wants to share?

Taco Seasoning Ingredients:
1 1/2 TBS ground cumin
1 1/2 TBS chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Mix seasoning in small bowl.

In the crockpot, combine 8oz tomato sauce, 15 oz can black beans, 15 oz can kidney beans, 10oz frozen corn, 20 oz (2 10 oz cans) diced tomatoes w/chilies, 1 small onion (chopped), 4 oz chopped green chilies, and taco seasoning. Stir well. Nestle 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 8 oz each) on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or high for 6 hours. About 30 minutes before it's done, remove the chicken and shred. Return the chicken to the slow cooker and stir well.

Serving size: 1 cup
Calories: 221
Fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: 0.5 g
Cholesterol: 44 mg
Carbohydrate: 28 g
Fiber: 8.5 g
Protein: 21 g
Sugars: 6 g
Sodium: 729 mg

This is our favorite chili recipe now-the only change I make is to add three chopped peppers-usually an orange, red and yellow one.

 

[PollyannaMom]

will power is the absence of hunger.

Love this!

And I totally agree that protein is the key. I'm definitely a "several small meals" person, and I do tend to want breakfast within an hour to an hour and a half of getting up.

If I was hungry for an hour before eating I would probably overeat and/or make poor choices.

I definitely do! (In fact I call that state "too hungry to cook".)

 

[MickeyMom76]

What do you think would or is working for you? have you tried different ways?

I’m good when I’m working and stuck to routine. I drink a protein shake right after my morning workout. Then I usually eat a hard boiled egg and bagel thin as a snack during morning recess. Then I have my lunch during the kids lunch time. We have an afternoon snack in kindergarten. So I usually snack then, but no protein usually (maybe I should add some). That’s usually fruit and/or veggies. Then dinner when I get home. I also try to drink water if I start to feel hungry in between.

But on the weekends, it’s harder to follow the meal, snack, meal, snack, meal routine.

 

[MickeyMom76]

Be ready for your week.
Refreshed & prepared!
Relax, have fun, & be happy
Meal plan, food prep & workout schedule
Have a great Sunday

 

[PollyannaMom]

MickeyMom's post above reminded me, we still need one more host this month:

All set:

Weekly hosts
Week 1: PollyannaMom
Week 2: MickeyMom76
Week 3: Oneanne
Week 4: HappyGrape
Week 5: sjrec

 

[HappyGrape]

I am going to take week 4

 

[PollyannaMom]

I am going to take week 4

Thanks!

 

[Oneanne]

MOTIVATION MONDAY:



What is motivating you today?

 

[Oneanne]

So, the BIG SNOW happened all around the city, up to 9 inches in some parts, but in my neighborhood we barely got a dusty. Boo hoo. Yesterday started out with some pretty heavy grey clouds but then it cleared and was actually sunny. I was outside without my jacket several times, doing pre-snow stuff. The sunshine was quite a boost for my mood and got me to thinking maybe I should look into getting a SAD light, and I ended up purchasing a bulb for the floor lamp by the sofa and a small portable one to have here at my work desk. It hadn't occurred to me that part of the funk I've been in lately might be light related. This has been the darkest winter I can remember, I'm OK with the long nights it's never seeing the sun during the day light hours that is the challenge.

Motivation for this week is that the new kitchen island comes tomorrow. I cleaned and organized over the weekend, but didn't actually shift furniture around, so I need to start tackling that tonight to get ready. I am so looking forward to getting better organized in the kitchen. I did cook for myself this weekend, I didn't have lunch out either day, but it wasn't any new recipes or anything special. I'm traveling to Maryland for work next week, so I do need to eat as much out of the 'fridge as possible this week.

 

[sjrec]

Oneanne, Maryland means broiled crab cakes!

 

[sjrec]

It has been 60 plus degrees these past couple days, so getting outside was nice. My grandson and I spent an hour at the park playing basketball and then walked on the trail. I get what Oneanne was saying about lack of sun-if we have a couple days in a row of rain or overcast weather it definitely affects my mood. And my food choices.
Since it’s another warm day I will get out for a long walk.

 

[Oneanne]

Oneanne, Maryland means broiled crab cakes!

You know I lived in Northern Virginia for three years and never had soft shelled crab or broiled crab cakes during that time! There's really only two things we do on these types of trips - work and eat. We'll be just outside of Annapolis, so lots of good food options... provided there's no snow event that makes driving tough.

 

[MickeyMom76]

It has been 60 plus degrees these past couple days, so getting outside was nice. My grandson and I spent an hour at the park playing basketball and then walked on the trail. I get what Oneanne was saying about lack of sun-if we have a couple days in a row of rain or overcast weather it definitely affects my mood. And my food choices.
Since it’s another warm day I will get out for a long walk.

It has been nice the last couple days. Took the dog for a nice walk and got to talk to lots of neighbors since so many were outside playing with their kids or taking down Christmas lights. My neighbor often gets the winter blues and is fortunate enough to be able to afford a lovely vacation each winter with her family to help with that. They leave for Mexico (Resort area) on Thursday. I’m looking forward to Vero Beach in February. That’s helping me get through the darkness of winter. But again, the nice weather this past weekend was very helpful!

 

[MickeyMom76]

What is motivating you today?

My motivation is that I have 30 days until Vero Beach! Doesn’t look like I’m going to achieve my “Walk to Disney’s Vero Beach” goal, but I want to get as close as possible. I got some kids to walk laps with me out at recess today and some other kids wanted me to play tag and hopscotch with them. So I’m trying to be as active as possible!

 

[Oneanne]

TUESDAY TOPIC:



We've discussed food prep and meal planning multiple times - some of us are good at it and some of us not so much (me). A healthy eating blogger I follow recently did a post where she said the only plan she's a proponent of is:

1. Pick a meal pattern you can stick to in most circumstances
2. Choose the food for each meal in the moment, at meal time

So, make the choice about when you are consistently going to eat (dinner is always at 6pm) but choose your food when it is time to eat (and eat a meal's worth of anything you want). This way you are satisfied (there's that word again) and you have planned time gaps between when you eat (which is important for general health and weight loss). If you are having a craving you ask yourself "is it meal time?" and wait until it it is - if the craving is still there satisfy it (oh, twice in one paragraph!).

Would this approach work for you? If you are a pre-planner, how do you feel when you have to eat a meal that was planned days ago, but doesn't appeal to you when you actually get to it?

 

[sjrec]

My planning consists of having what I need to make four or five different meals in my fridge/pantry. I have an idea of what I will cook each night but it’s not set in stone. There are also nights where plans change (my husband isn’t home, one of isn’t feeling well) and a bowl of cereal or peanut butter toast is enough.
For us, the key is eating food that’s healthy (for the majority of our meals) that we really like. So the focus of my planning is having those four or five meals planned out and we’re good with any of them.