It was brought to my attention in my Weight Watchers meeting on Monday, that when you lose weight, you sleep better. I hadn't thought about this until a woman said it and I realized that I am in fact getting better sleep. My back doesn't hurt while laying down all night and I don't find myself tossing and turning through the night like I did before I lost these 17 pounds. I used to think it was my old lumpy mattress, but really, I think it is the weight I'm working on taking off.

I am doing pretty well with the limited meat thing. Every few days I find myself having something with some chicken in it, or yesterday I had a turkey sub from Jimmy Johns (which I LOVE) but as far as red meat, I've managed to steer clear of it and have been feeling great. This past week I am having to really focus on getting in the greens and other protein sources so it's not just a carb load. I feel great after eating lentil soup or hummus and peppers and pitas, or a veggie burrito.

I used to think that "those people" that don't eat meat were just being annoying, but I am taking this turn in life for ME. It isn't about being like everyone else. It isn't about (necessarily) what the world is saying about carbs and ethics or whatever. No. This time, I am trying to find the right balance with food that works for my body so that I can achieve the results that I need to get my body into it's best form. It's best shape. I want to be healthier and have more energy. If taking out meat helps me to do this, then taking out meat is what I'll do. If it turns out that I do want to re-introduce meat into my life, then I will learn that as I go. Bottom line is, I am trying to listen to my body more and feel what I'm feeling.

This week I was up a pound. I think this was because I didn't have enough fruits and vegetables and protein. It was a crappy food week. I also didn't track as well as I couldv'e. I'm hoping that the arrival of my ipod touch will inspire me to keep tracking, due to the weight watchers etools ap that I will download for it. yay.

good week

I weighed in today at -2.4 !!! yay.
I went meatless for a week. THAT showed me some great results. I'm going to stick with it for a while, at least as long as I can stand it. If anything, MOSTLY meatless.
Good week.

movie night

Tonight I am having movie night at a friend's house and she asked me to make something sweet/dessert-y, so i'm going with the tried and true yummy ginger cookies.

Big Soft Ginger Cookies
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt (optional) {do it!}
1 egg
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup margarine (I used butter)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt and set aside. Place butter in a large bowl. Beat with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds to soften. Gradually add the cup of sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add egg and molasses, beating well. Stir dry ingredients into beaten mixture. Shape into 1 1/2" balls (about 1 heaping teaspoon of dough) (I used my smallest ice cream scoop, which measures 1 TBSP and scooped them out into uniform little domes). Roll in the 2 Tbsp of sugar, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2 1/2" apart. Bake for 10 minutes, or until light brown and still puffed. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Let stand 2 minutes then put on wire rack to cool. Makes 24-3" cookies. (When I used the Tbsp scoop, it made 41 cookies).

Lunch is leftover Finaghty's hummus. yumm. with celery and a roll from dinner last night.
I am in the process of making (the dough is rising) French Bread Rolls this afternoon. I am excited to see how they turn out.

"Skinny Bitch"

"THIS IS YOUR LIFE! Live it to the fullest with reckless abandon. Seize the day. And do it again tomorrow. Live. Go get your dream job. Search for your dream man. Fear nothing. Try everything. Be excited. Dance. You'll never get yesterday back, but today is yours for the taking. Make it great." -Skinny Bitch, pg 187

Tonight I finished reading Skinny Bitch. It was very thought provoking. It might have even changed my life. I have a whole new way of looking at meat consumption. I really liked this book.

Finaghty's Irish Pub

Mom and I had lunch with our friend Ramona (as per every thursday after our knitting class at the senior center) at Finaghty's Irish Pub this afternoon. I got the Hummus and Pita plate with a diet coke. It was really good.

meatless day 4!

"An Englishman and a Scotsman were discussing oats. The Englishman, with his nose in the air said "In England we feed oats to our horses, and in Scotland you feed oats to your men...", to which the Scotsman replied "...that's why in England you have such fine horses and in Scotland we have such fine men!"

tomorrow i'm going to have some oatmeal. :)

okay, i had one of the lentil burgers for dinner with lettuce tomato and onion on a hamburger bun and it was sortof alright. tasty enough. when paired with the veggies. It tasted exactly like what it is....beandip burger. a nice way to get in your protein, b3, zinc, calcium and such...without meat.

Lentil Burgers

Today I made vegan veggie (lentil) burgers and put them in the freezer. They smell pretty good.
The recipe I used, can be found HERE .

tonight was kinda annoying while babysitting. I felt like a warden and not a babysitter. the kids are 5 (boy) and 8 (girl) and they were just rotten today.
so afterward, i stopped at taco time as planned, but had the bean crisp burrito meal instead of the veggie fit bowl. and a diet soda.

meatless day 2

so yesterday we didnt actually make the lentil spaghetti sauce, but i found a lentil patty recipe today that i'm going to try this week.
i made it through yesterday meatless. yay.
today has been fine as well. no headaches. i've had peanut butter as my protein so far today. tonight i think i'll cook up some black bean burgers. or something chickpeas.
i'll try and get some vegan next. no milk eggs cheese dairy and meat. i dont usually eat a ton of dairy, so this COULD be easy-ish. i do enjoy beef, so thats my challenge. but its been easy so far.
tonight, actually, i think i'll stop at taco time after i babysit and get a fit bowl. rice beans salsa. yum. yes, thats what my dinner will be.
all meatless day two is nearing completion.