Black Friday in more ways than one

I stepped on the scale this morning expecting the worse. I haven't weighed since Sunday when I was 175.6. Today, I was 181.6. Six pounds in five days. Who does that? Well, me, that's who. I've easily gained ten pounds in a week without even trying. I'm some sort of freak of nature and if I was on a deserted island I'm pretty sure I'd survive longer than anyone because of my body's unique way of holding on to calories.

180 is my freakout weight. Someone once asked me if there's a weight that scares me into sanity. 180 is that weight. The reason is because at 180 my size 12 clothes are tight. At 185 my face changes. I've seen it happen. I normally have a long, slim face, but at 185 it starts to noticeably change. Of course it changes before that, gradually, where I hardly notice it, but at 185 it's like wow, who is that woman in the mirror.

A word about Marie Callendar's pies. First, I made two pumpkin pies, one using a Weight Watcher recipe for 3 Points for 1/8 of the pie, and one with Stevia from an internet recipe. They were both disgusting. My husband went to the store on Thanksgiving Day and purchased two Marie Callender pies. One was Key Lime, one pumpkin. I can pass on pumpkin but I can't pass on Key Lime. 1/10 of that tiny pie was 320 calories, 16 grams fat and 45 grams carbohydrates (not to mention 35 grams of sugar). I ate three slices (1/10 each). That stuff is POISON.

Before that I ate the traditional dinner with the best ever organic turkey from Trader Joes. That turkey was worth every cent. I've never eaten such a tasty bird.

I could tell you more of what happened in detail, but it's pretty obvious. It wasn't just yesterday,  but it was all week. I ate too much and didn't exercise enough. I worked from home two days in a row when I was feeling weak when it came to food. Even though I attempted to make Thanksgiving as healthy as possible it wasn't just Thanksgiving Day that was my downfall, it was the entire week. It was my "it's the holidays!" attitude that got me in trouble.

Now for the plan of action. Today I'm 100% back on plan. Counting Points because that's what I do best, drinking water by the gallons and a good solid gym workout for an hour and a half. Just knowing that I have my plan back in place makes me feel better.

Part of my plan is to get back to posting on a more consistent basis and reading blogs and commenting. Even though I've been reading, I haven't commented much. Mainly because I felt like a hypocrite. When I'm not doing well on my plan I drop the posting and commenting as well. Who wants to read about me eating Key Lime pie? How can I give any advice when I'm a dismal failure? Well, I need to change and get back to myself.

Just by posting this I feel 100% better. Weird, but sharing my failures makes me feel stronger and hopeful.

Grilled Chicken With Kung Pao Sauce

Hello, healthy kung pao

     We’ve all been there: After another long day at the office, you collapse onto the couch, hit speed dial, and order the couch, hit speed dial, and order Chinese takeout—with a large side of guilt. You know all that fatty fried meat smothered in sauce is a calories bomb, but it’s quick and easy—and you swear you’ll save half for tomorrow’s lunch.

     Well, we have a better idea (and you can eat the entire thing): a slimmed-down version of kung pao chicken, a Szechuan staple. Created by Chris Yeo, the owner and executive chef of Sino Restaurant + Lounge in San Jose, California, the recipe calls for grilled, skinless chicken breasts in place of the typical breaded and deep-fried stuff. “By flame broiling the chicken instead of cooking it in oil, you cut tons of fat,” says Yeo. “And since you’re using low-sodium soy sauce and unsalted peanuts, the sodium is also drastically reduced.”

     So put down the phone and get grilling. We promise you won’t miss the greasy Styrofoam container—or all those extra calories.

Grilled Chicken With Kung Pao Sauce

Before : 510 Calories(for 4 ounces), 36 Grams of Fat

After : 173 Calories(for 4 ounces), 5 Grams of Fat

Serves 6

Prep time: 5 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, rinsed and patted dry
  
  


• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp low-sodium soy suace
  
  


• 1 tbsp black or red rice vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  
  


• 1 tbsp plus 1 tsp water, divided
  
  


• ¼ tsp sugar
  
  


• ¼ cup oyster sauce
  
  


• ⅛ tsp sesame oil
  
  


• ½ tsp cornstarch
  
  


• ¼ cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
  
  


• 1 scallion, slivered
  
  

Preparation:

• Grill chicken (you can use either a barbecue or 10-inch grill pan) over medium for about 7 minutes on one side and 3 on the other or until cooked through.
  
  


• In a medium saucepan, mix soy sauce, vinegar, 1 tbsp plus ½ tsp water, sugar, oyster sauce, and oil. Bring to a boil over medium.
  
  


• In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and remaining water; drizzle the mixture into the sauce. Return sauce to a boil and simmer for about 1 minute or until slightly thickened; remove from heat and set aside.
  
  


• Using a pastry brush, coat each chicken breast with sauce. Garnish with peanuts and scallions and serve immediately.
  
  

Make 6 (1 chicken breast, 2 tbsp sauce) Servings:

Weight Loss Recipes Amount per serving: 173 calories, 5 g fat, <1 g saturated fat, 5 g carbs, 29 g protein, 1 g fiber, 24 mg calcium, 1 mg iron, 071 mg sodium

Better Than Green Bean Casserole

A couple of years ago I came across this recipe in Vegetarian Times and served it for Thanksgiving in place of traditional green bean casserole - you know the one with the canned soup and canned fried onions. This dish is so delicious and such a crowd pleaser I have been making it ever since. Here is the recipe direct from Vegetarian Times -- I hope it finds a way to your holiday table this year!

3 Resolutions That Really Work

     More than 75 percent of people who make resolutions abandon them within months. But the problem isn’t a lack of willpower—it’s how you frame your goals. We asked experts to tweak common vows so you can finally reach your dream weight.

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OUT WITH THE OLD I’m going to lose 10 pounds this month. “To drop a lot of weight in a short period of time, you have to drastically slash your calories intake,” says Elisa Zied, R.D., the author of Nutrition at Your Fingertips, And even if you shed those extra pounds, chances are you’ll eventually gain them back. “Most of the time, the weight you quickly shed reflects a loss of water and lean muscle mass,” she says.



IN WITH THE NEW I’ll trim 100 to 200 calories from each meal. “The easiest way to lose weight is by taking small, manageable steps,” says Zied. You might, for example, shave off a few hundred calories by measuring your morning cereal, swapping full-fat dressing for light, and leaving behind a few bites of your dinner.

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OUT WITH THE OLD I’m kissing carbs good-bye. That whole-wheat pasta dish can fill you up and help you slim down. According to a recent study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, people who followed a low-carbs diet were more likely to be overweight than those who ate carbs regularly.

IN WITH THE NEW I’m going to add more whole grains to my diet. Whole grains are packed with antioxidants and fiber, but the majority of Americans get only one serving daily. Swap popcorn or whole-wheat crackers for potato chips and oatmeal or granola for your cornflakes.

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OUT WITH THE OLD I’ll never eat _____ (insert favorite treat) again! “Banishing a food you love will only make you feel deprived and want it more,” says Elizabeth Ward, R.D., the author of Expect the Best. “So you’ll be more likely to binge.”

IN WITH THE NEW I won’t bring home _____ (insert favorite treat). Allow yourself to savor your indulgence a few times a week. “Just don’t keep it in your kitchen if you’ve polished off an entire container before,” says Ward. That way, you’ll have to make a trip to the store to satisfy your craving.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

It's 16 degrees right now, which for Seattle is really COLD!

I was out the door this morning at 5:30am headed for the gym (it was 20 degrees). I got to the end of our street, turned around and came home. Even though I grew up in Alaska and know how to drive in snow and ice, I don't have studded snow tires or 4-wheel drive. I decided only a fool would risk their life just to go work out.

I worked from home today because the roads were horrible so I went to the gym on my lunch. Not my best workout because I was rushed, but at least I went in spite of the roads. I increased all my weights by an extra five pounds. Even my concentrated bicep curls, I used a 25-pound dumbbell on the last set of 8. It wasn't as painful as I expected but I'm a little sore. I'm trying to amp up my strength training a little. I've been doing the same size of weights for too long, it's time to bump them up a little.

Not much else going on except that. I'm completely stressed out over a work project that is suppose to be code complete by tomorrow. It's not done. Almost, but not quite. Theoretically I still have the four-day holiday but it makes me sick to think about working over the holiday.

This afternoon when I was dealing with a particularly complicated problem I could actually feel my blood pressure going up. I have a blood pressure cuff and it was at 154/72. Yikes! Normally I'm 120/60, so this isn't good.

My eating isn't perfect, I tend to eat too much when I get stressed. I know, crazy isn't it? I haven't gone totally nuts on the food, just a couple slices of my favorite bread (remember, there were two loaves), and maybe too many grapes, and a handful of marshmallows. I don't even like marshmallows and they're only in the house because of Thanksgiving.
This is a weird post. Scattered. Boring. Sort of like how I'm feeling tonight.

2010 Limited Edition Classic Poultry Blend Seasoning - ON Sale Now!

LivingAfterWLS General Store
The low-sodium herb blend is shown here in the decorative tin. The 2-ounce container (1/2 cup volume) is plenty to flavor your favorite autumn roast poultry, pork and vegetables throughout the cold winter months and will stay fresh and flavorful stored in the functional reusable tin. Tin measures 4-1/4"x 2-3/4" x 1-1/4" deep. Spice blend is delivered in

Holiday Pies: What Every Weight Loss Surgery Patient Should Know

By Kaye Bailey
We all know we shouldn't reach for the holiday pie after Weight Loss Surgery (WLS) - it's against the rules and the potential to make us sick is very high. If that's not enough to motivate restraint how about considering the nutrient analysis of some favorite American pies. Take a look and see if it is really worth it to taste that full-fat, full-sugar dessert:

(Based on a 1/8