Quick oatcakes

^This

My new favourite breakfast/ snack/ anytime food.  One of the Vancouver hiking girls suggested mixing oats with a beaten egg and I finally got around to trying it… and OH.MY.GOSH I’m in love.

High protein. High fiber. Quick and easy to whip up in under one baby nap time. Perfect to freeze for grab and go, or reheat. Way easier to pack in your purse than a bowl of oat meal. Fun and flexible with whatever flavours you fancy: apple and cinnamon, bacon and maple syrup, almond and peach, berries, pumpkin spice. Maybe even experiment on the savoury side with fresh herbs ans veggies. Whatever you like.

What to do
Beat an egg, or two
Add a splash of milk if you like * I use soy or almond
Mix
Add some quick oats. I don’t know, maybe 3/4 cup per egg.
Mix. It should be like the consistency of slightly runny oatmeal.
Add flavour foods – I used diced apple with ginger and cinnamon.
Mix
If the mixture is too runny, add more oats.
Cook them in a pan on the stove, like a pancake.

Done and done.

I’m planning on making a few batches of these for the freezer, different flavours, for quick to-go snacks in the car or hiking.

Any other flavours I could try??

January restart recap…. learning curve

I started back with my monthly WL goals in January trying to lose 10 lbs with restricted calorie food plan, tracking everything with MyFitnessPal. com ( http://myfitnesspal.com ) which went well, until baby M hit a major growth spurt and needed to feed ALL!THE!TIME! They call it cluster feeding. She was on the boob like every 20-30 minutes. I had quickly dropped 6lbs in the first 3 weeks, then whamo! My body turns into a human feeding machine. On day 2 I was about to go crazy and the only way I knew I could get her to give me a break was to distract her with a walk outside. Too tired to even wear her ( Google ” baby wearing” “woven baby wraps” “baby carriers”) I put her in the stroller and went around the block 4 times, making sure I hit the bumpiest spots until she fell asleep. *Note: baby m is usually very easy to get to sleep but this time she was extra fussy from all that growing. I felt crazy like after days without sleep and weak, shakey and very close to passing out. So I did what I had to do. I went out for a burger. I was gifted enough baby-nap-time to down the most delicious piece of meat I’ve had in months ( I’m pretty much a vegetarian now, but we’ll get into that in a few days) . I also had a Guinness milkshake …. desperate times people. It was weird and divine.

After this … er…episode?? I learned a few things and realized my plan needs adjusting.

What I learned:
I learned that I can not approach weight loss like I did in the past with a strict schedule, strict reduced-calorie meal plan and a rigorous fitness routine. Neither my baby-lead schedule nor my body will allow it.

10lbs in one month, while breast feeding a growing infant is simply not realistic, nor healthy.
Sometimes you just need a big fat juicy burger.

New approach and new goals:

-1 lb per week or -5 per month ( instead of usual 10) this allows me a healthy 1600 calorie daily goal
– adjust daily goal as necessary depending on current conditions: more/less nursing, how much activity ( hiking etc) , did I get ANY sleep the night before. In other words, its just a baseline suggestion and it’s totally okay if I go over when necessary
– fit in fitness everyday and everywhere. I can hike with an 18lb baby so why do I take the elevator every time??? I dunno. “Get down and give me 20”, walk to the store instead of drive.

– keep the fridge stocked with luscious, vibrant, beautiful produce. (This is not an issue for me after 3 years of try hard vegetarianism)…then find time to make it into s#*! I can easily grab and eat for lunch, freeze for later,  or just grab and snack on RIGHT NOW !

I leave you with some pics of my weekend.

Thetis lake - feb 2

View from Dallas road parkway

220lbs with 17.5lb pack (aka baby)

Ahem! Tap. Tap. Is this thing on?

Looks like its time to dust off the old blog. This is a fresh start, a chance to re-find my voice and refine my weight loss goals, as a 30 something very single new mom. Baby just turned 4months old and although I stayed healthy through the entire pregnancy, the new lifestyle of taking care of another human being is really really hard, and great and wonderful and an adventure, and really really really hard. The stress, the weird schedules, those moments while you’re breastfeeding and can’t reach your water or lunch, constantly carrying this little person and passing by a mirror to realize you haven’t brushed your hair in 4 days and there is spitup on your shirt. And you don’t even care.

This is my new life, my new goals and my new adventures in weightloss

Hiking Mount Doug - Jan 27

And to get this party started… drum roll please…

Starting weight 219

who knew almods were so tasty?

It’s funny, and kind of sad… I have never eaten an almond until this past weekend. I grew up being told I was allergic to all nuts and I could die if I try them so I made sure stayed away. It is really true, mostly, that I have a nut allergy, except to the almond as I found out only a few days ago. I have had a couple minor reactions to walnuts, pistachios, macadamia and most other varieties swearing them all off as one evil and necessary caution. It was my sister who found out from my oldest brother that we are all not allergic to one nut impartial, the almond. So, for the first time, I ate an almond… And didn’t die, didn’t swell up or need emergency medical attention. I only discovered what I have been missing my whole life. This will completely change my life and has opened up a world of new options and flavours. It’s really exciting to find a healthy delicious food to add to my life. Who knew almonds were so tasty? 🙂

mmmm dinner.

I’m BAAAaaaack. Back from 2 weeks vacation that is, with 5 extra pounds that seemed to want to stay longer. But, I don’t mind. I had so much fun, met so much family, and ate so much good food. 184.6lbs today.

The other reasons I’m not worried? I had a plan. I planned on letting vacation be free and fun and let 5 lbs slip by. I also have an August plan laid out and the day vacation ended, is the day I jumped into a new fitness plan and the most super strict healthiest habits ever.

I’ve joined another 1 month yoga challenge at my favourite studio. With so many types classes and times to choose from, there is no reason not to fullfill the 30 day goal. My plan is to do 4-6 strength and conditioning classes and when I’m just too freaking tired, do Yin which is a very slow stretching kind of class.

The healthy habits??? Well, first of all, I have to remind myself that I’v had my fun. I thoroughly enjoyed myself on my trip and now it’s over and time to get back into the weightloss mindset. While on my travels I saw a poster, it was so stupid and lame but it really hit a nerve. It was a picture of a couple having a picnic on the bottom of the ocean floor complete with scuba gear, and said “make wise choices always”. Duh! This is probably how that girl in the poster stayed so trim. I’m not sure why this concept never really hit me before, something so simple and true. So, this is my August mantra “make wise choices always”. This is easy when I’m in my planned routine but not so much when weekend roll around and treat-amniesia sets in. So, I’m going to adopt this new habit… To always choose the best option in all situations, dinner nights out with the girls, beach bbqs, or just sitting at home watching movies.
Along with practicing this new healthy habit, I am planning meals, keeping a fridge full of healthy fresh options, portioned and ready to grab, and sticking to the no sugar, no dairy, no fried foods, and no white carbs. Picking lean protiens, plenty of delish veggies and finally, choosing 2 servings of fruit with less sugar and carbs but more fiber when possible. Like a plum instead of grapes, strawberries instead of a banana.

Tonights dinner is a perfect example of a typical meal.. And it took less than 5 min to throw together.
100 grams – skinless boneless chicken breast (about half of one breast) I get mine from a local butcher and pay the extra $ to get the grain fed organic. bbqed them up with some spices, cut in half and ready to grab for lunches or dinners.
2 cups fresh spinach
And for fun, 1 fresh apricot diced up and mixed with the grilled chicken.

No dressing, just a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Sometimes I will use apple cider or balsamic vinegar for different flavours.

Delish. So good I can’t wait to make it again for lunch.

My weight goal seems overly ambitious, to reach 169lbs, but I seem to do better and work harder when goals are just slightly more than what I think I can do. So I say 169 but will be happy with 173.

Well, that’s all for now. I will keep you updated regarding my weight loss progress frequently. 🙂

hello 170’s

After 1 year of hovering in the 180 plateau, I have finally pushed through and broken into the 170’s. Holy effing goodness!!!! At this moment I am having a flood of mixed feeling. More than anything, I feel so happy, like I just won first place in a one man race…like the fitness gods finally recognized my hard work to get here, and like I finally have something worth blogging about.

But then I think about the last 6 weeks and every single day of not only staying on track but pushing myself harder than before, sticking to a “tight” meal plans, being strict down to every single bite of food that goes into my body. Running 1 more kilometer when I feel like stopping, keeping plank pose when I feel like collapsing to my knees, and completely retraining my mind to crave healthy food instead of junk…. And how hard it was to get past those hurdles mentally and physically. But how much more is it going to take to get to my end goal… How long will it take. It’s overwhelming. I’m tired.

it’s these moments that I have to remind myself to keep a healthy balance…. to accept the award of feeling proud of all my hard work, without getting too cocky and thinking that I’ve done enough…. To stay level and focused to the end. I like to think of this as a new starting point… With 30lbs to go to reach the big goal 149….To keep this momentum and healthy mindset going to get me there.

Yay me!!! Fewf.. “Deep breath”…. Ready! Set! GO!

Here’s a fun song from my running playlist that always helps me remember to stay balaced and focused….. Tightrope by Janelle Monae 

Stackofpennies – posted on the go with wordpress for BB.

Pre-vacation goal

I seem to be fighting against the last 2 lbs to get me out of the 180s and into the 170 before I head out on a road trip/camping vacation in 5 days. Think I can do it? We’ll see.

This week I’m doing a mini yoga challenge complete with vegetarianism and did extremely well. I even woke up this morning with that “skinny” feeling you get after days of being perfectly perfect in almost every way. I barely swayed from the healthy plan, ate a million veggies and fruits, drank an entire lake’s worth of water, and did as much activity as my body would let me and I feel effing fantastic mentally and physically.  But now it’s Friday (need I say more)…..  I’m heading into the weekend wanting to start the party early, enjoy some festivities and do what people do on weekends, chill out and that is exactly where I tend to fall out of my healthy routine. I seem to forget that calories exist starting at 5pm Friday when I get out of work, straight through saturday and somewhere in the middle of sunday, I remember that Monday happens tomorrow and need healthy lunches and switch back to healthy mode. I then wonder why the scale doesn’t budge.   

 This week while in the middle of yoga, struggling to get through the routine and my mind was racing between a million thoughts, something came to me. I realized that I need to find new solutions to the same old problems. Trying the same approach to each week will produce the same results. DUH!!! it just clicked. So, I built a new weekend plan around this mantra of trying something new. Instead of having “free” weekends, I’m going to have 1 free TREAT!!!. ONE!!!!  not 1 day of treats, not 1 treat meal… just 1 treat (1 ice cream or 1 piece of cake, or 1 portion of candy. etc)  and sticking to the guidelines, No fried foods, No Dairy, No Sugar, and No White Carbs for all other meals and snacks. Sounds strict but, not being strict is not bringing me any success and it’s time to push through. …. plus, I no matter what the scale reads, I still benefit from feeling awesome from eating super duper healthy. That can’t be a bad thing.

2 more hot yoga classes on Monday and Wed. and a final weigh in before I hit the road. 

Today’s weight: 182.4

 

Here is a picture from March, 1 year anniversary of the hiking girls. 187lbs.

Dinner on a Tuesday Night

Walking is really so simple. It’s all about taking one step right after the other until, eventually, you’re where you want to be.

Tonight’s simple and oh so delicious healthy step towards my goal was making dinner. Topping a perfectly healthy day off with a summer salad minus the oil, 100g of chicken breast (skinless/boneless), 1 wasa multigrain flat bread with 1/4 avocado and some chunks of tomato.

As it’s freaking hot out at the moment, I’m waiting until later to go for a 5km run.

And… That’s how it goes today.

Stackofpennies – posted on the go with wordpress for BB.

Far from gone but on the right path

Yes, I know. I’ve been neglectful but alas, sweet reader, My laptop is FIXED!!!! which makes the labour of blogging a million times more convenient and enjoyable from the comfortable coziness of my bed.

There has been so many changes to life in the last few months that time literally slipped away which is all the more reason to keep writing myself through this whole weight loss process.

Today, I am at 180.2. yuP. I actually lost. New numbers. Numbers I have never seen before. everything from 183lbs downward is a new “skinniest ever” number.

First of all, I have to admit that I gained about 10lbs in April and May and crept all the way back up into the 190’s. 197 to be exact, plus 2 extra pound of water retention. That is the number I saw right before I started a superly insane strict DIET at the beginning of June. I knew I was so far off track that I needed to do something extreme. Between not losing anything for a whole year and hovering around 185ish, then the weight moving upward, I FREAKED OUT!

Here’s a picture of me mid weight gain : 

The crazy diet plan: 100g of lean protein, 2 cups of 1 vegetable (no mixing), 1 piece of fruit for a snack. 3x per day. 

Easy enough right? RIGHT. It was so simple there was no thinking or planning work involved. It was as easy as half a chicken breast atop a bowl of fresh spinach, a squeeze of fresh lemon and a dash of pepper…  I tracked everyday and still stayed in the healthy ranges for necessary calories, protiens, fats. etc. and all of the recommended servings of each item, except for carbs.

The hard part was that it got so boring and sucking all the life and fun out of creating enjoyable dishes BUT, I still stuck to the plan. For 3 whole freakin’ weeks. Swayed slightly a few times and mixed a couple vegetables but actual made it through to the end successfully.

Week 1 I lost 9.8lbs.

Week 2 I lost  5.8

Week3 – 4.4

for a grand total of 19lbs. The results are INSANE which made it worth it. Now I’m feeling energized, on track and in control, empowered, and excited to see results.

Here I am on the final day about to go out for my Canada Day Festivities. 180lbs . and THAT lovely lady is my best friend Jax who has also recently lost a whole bunch of weight. We’re so proud of each other and ourselves. It’s great to have that kind of support.

    I also ran 83km total in June, and walked over 100kms total.

Heading into July, I want to keep the general idea of the healthy diet plan, no white starches, no fried foods, no dairy and no sugar. Along with following the simple, more strict rules from Monday to Friday with a few modifications (like mixing veggies), 100g of lean protein, 2 cups of veggies, 1 fruit. 3x per day.

My next goal is to be rid of the 180s and into the 170’s. 175 to be exact, by VACATION time, July 20th.

Happy Canada Day everyone!!!

weightloss reasons

I got the inspiration to re-think my weight loss reasons from Meg’s Blog . During my intense yoga challenge experience, I thought a lot about how fat I am without applying any real constructive conclusions. I just let myself feel down and upset about it, and that’s just pathetic. It’s also so far from my usual behavior and can’t explain why I was thinking that way.  I rarely ever feel down, and when I do, I like to use it as an emotional compass to point me to what I need to work on, or make changes and get in line and make happier or more fulfilling.

Post pathetic thoughts, I am thinking much clearer and inspired to take on some new challenges but.. it all comes down to the big question “WHY!” what good reasons am I doing all this for.

So.. here’s the revised short list of reasons why I want to lose weight and reach goal.

1. Everyday activities will be effortless.

2. I could wear a bikini on a vacation

3. be able to advance my hiking to overnight/weekend treks.

4. stay looking younger for longer (no better beauty treatment than a healthy lifestyle)

5.  to feel successful when look at how hard I worked to change and reach goal.

6.  keep up with very fit boyfriend when we try to do fitness things together. I’m almost there, but he can still beat me to the top of the mountain.

7.  prevent long-term health issues directly related to being overweight (diabetes, high cholesterol)

8. attention. I’m not going to lie. I love the attention I get even now, when people say.. OMGOSH, you look so different. I can’t even imagine what I’ll look like in 35-40 more lbs.

9. running, hiking, yoga will be easier and more enjoyable.

10. new challenges.  going from weight loss to performance and speed.