Happy Tuesday Everyone!
I don't know about any of you, but I have been seriously struggling lately. I've hit that wall that we all do when we diet. That wall that tells you this isn't fun anymore. When you first start a diet, the first 3 or so months are somewhat of a honeymoon phase, where you are excited that you are losing weight and people are noticing how great you look. But similar to any other addiction, the cravings come back. This is where I am at right now.
I find that I reach this delusional state of mind after I have lost a little bit of weight, that I can suddenly eat whatever I want and the weight will continue to fall off. This, of course, is not true. It also doesn't help that for the last 3 weeks I have been on hormone overdrive because my cycles were affected by the infection that I had in my ear (for some very strange reason). PMS is no joke. I don't crave chocolate, like most cliché PMS cravings. I crave carbs. Pasta, and bread, and donuts, OH DONUTS! Krispy Kreme donuts are my weakness. I usually don't like sugary treats, but I will always make an exception for some Strawberry glazed with sprinkles.
So here's the thing. I can feel that I've gained weight back. I notice it most in my face. I feel more sluggish, and just that moving in general is more difficult. I don't own a scale, but I can tell that the weight has started to creep back. And so I feel like I'm starting all over again. Once you give in to those cravings, it's just as hard to wean yourself off of them as when you first began.
For those of you who follow my Pinterest account, I have a board of motivation that I pinned when I first started it, but have not looked at it for a while. This morning, I kind of gave myself the mental "snap out of it" slap and looked at the board for some support in essentially starting over again. I look it as falling off the wagon and giving in to my drug of choice. One of the inspirational sayings that I pinned really struck hard with me:
Chill. Let's be realistic here. You don't drop two jean sizes in one day. you won't lose fifty pounds in one month. You're going to binge every now and then. You will go a day or two without working out. Your weight is going to fluctuate here and there. You're going to try new techniques, and they're not going to work. You're human. You're going to fail. But nothing great is every accomplished without a few obstacles. Girl, you got this.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Monday, June 29, 2015
Update
Happy Monday Everyone!
I know that I've been MIA for a while. I have been sick for the last 3 weeks or so, being constantly dizzy with no relief. I finally broke down and went in to see my doctor and blood tests told us that I had an inner ear infection. Ever since my back infection in November after surgery, my immune system has been shot. I have been highly susceptible to infection. This was the weirdest infection ever though. It not only made me extremely dizzy all day long, but it made my vision blurrier than normal, and stopped my period (which was the weirdest of all of the symptoms). But, sure enough, as soon as I started taking my antibiotics, I started my period. I am feeling a little bit better, but I'm not done with the antibiotics yet, so hopefully I will continue to get better.
Stay cool everyone!
Jenelle
I know that I've been MIA for a while. I have been sick for the last 3 weeks or so, being constantly dizzy with no relief. I finally broke down and went in to see my doctor and blood tests told us that I had an inner ear infection. Ever since my back infection in November after surgery, my immune system has been shot. I have been highly susceptible to infection. This was the weirdest infection ever though. It not only made me extremely dizzy all day long, but it made my vision blurrier than normal, and stopped my period (which was the weirdest of all of the symptoms). But, sure enough, as soon as I started taking my antibiotics, I started my period. I am feeling a little bit better, but I'm not done with the antibiotics yet, so hopefully I will continue to get better.
Stay cool everyone!
Jenelle
Friday, June 19, 2015
Fitness Fridays - Resistance Bands
TGIF Everyone!
I want to start a new segment of this blog called Fitness Fridays. Now I can't guarantee that it will come around every Friday, but as I start doing more and more activities, I want to share both my progress, as well as the activities that I am doing with you.
When I had my first back surgery 3 years ago, I went through physical therapy for about 2 months because of the nerve damage that occurred from the herniation. One of the things that we used a lot during physical therapy was resistance bands, and they are deceptively a very good work out for weight training beginners, and even for regular resistance training.
For someone like myself who has very rarely been active or worked out in their life, starting to do so is not only very difficult to do physically, but can be very intimidating mentally. Where do you start when you have so far to go? You start at the beginning, with very small steps, and slowly build as time goes on.
So, about a month ago I purchased some resistance bands and an activity workbook from Amazon.com.
This is precisely the kit that I purchased. Resistance bands get thicker with each level of difficulty, so the thinnest band is the beginner band with the least amount of resistance. I especially like resistance bands because you get a strength training work out without having to pay for a gym membership, and for someone like myself who is still under lifting restrictions, these are a gentle way to ease in to strength training.
Part of my insurance requirement for this surgery is that each month I have a fitness goal. Resistance training has been part of that goal for the last month.
Now don't get me wrong. Resistance training is a great way to start for beginners, but it can also be a great work out for people who are more physically fit as well. For a higher level of difficulty, simply look for a thicker band.
There are a lot of great workouts that you can do with resistance bands to strengthen your arms, legs, back, etc.
Here is an example of just one of the great arm work outs that you can do with resistance bands. The name of the workbook that I purchased is called Resistance Band Workbook: Illustrated Step-By-Step Guide to Stretching, Strengthening, and Rehabilitative Techniques by Karl Knopf M.D. It's very easy to use and comes complete with pictures and suggestions for stretches for knee pain, back pain, shoulder pain, etc. I highly suggest it.
Have a great weekend!
Jenelle
I want to start a new segment of this blog called Fitness Fridays. Now I can't guarantee that it will come around every Friday, but as I start doing more and more activities, I want to share both my progress, as well as the activities that I am doing with you.
When I had my first back surgery 3 years ago, I went through physical therapy for about 2 months because of the nerve damage that occurred from the herniation. One of the things that we used a lot during physical therapy was resistance bands, and they are deceptively a very good work out for weight training beginners, and even for regular resistance training.
For someone like myself who has very rarely been active or worked out in their life, starting to do so is not only very difficult to do physically, but can be very intimidating mentally. Where do you start when you have so far to go? You start at the beginning, with very small steps, and slowly build as time goes on.
So, about a month ago I purchased some resistance bands and an activity workbook from Amazon.com.
Part of my insurance requirement for this surgery is that each month I have a fitness goal. Resistance training has been part of that goal for the last month.
Now don't get me wrong. Resistance training is a great way to start for beginners, but it can also be a great work out for people who are more physically fit as well. For a higher level of difficulty, simply look for a thicker band.
There are a lot of great workouts that you can do with resistance bands to strengthen your arms, legs, back, etc.
Have a great weekend!
Jenelle
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Diet-Friendly Father's Day Meals - Burgers and Fries..?
Happy Thursday Everyone!
This week is almost over, and Father's day is drawing near. I've been planning my own Father's Day meal, and trying to figure out what to get my Dad for Father's day. He's usually pretty easy to shop for. It it's beer, black licorice, or Seahawks he'll love it.
For today's Diet-Friendly Father's Day Meal, and in honor of International Picnic Day, I wanted to share one of my favorite summer time recipes - The Classic Burger and Fries. Who doesn't love a good burger? The only issue with burgers and fries, is that there are so many calories and carbs in the traditional meal. What I have done is lightened up this classic dish to make it more waist-band friendly.
Ingredients:
-3-4 large Rutabagas
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-3 tbsp. Mrs. Dash Seasoning
-Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees. Line a cooking sheet with foil.
2. Skin the rutabagas, similarly to how you would skin a potato. Chop the rutabagas into thick sticks for your fries and lay out on the cooking sheet.
3. Sprinkle the oil, salt, and Mrs. Dash over the fries and toss well to coat. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes, or until fork tender and golden brown.
These fries are great, they are a little bit sweeter than potato fries, but for the most part you can't tell the difference.
Happy Eating!
Jenelle
This week is almost over, and Father's day is drawing near. I've been planning my own Father's Day meal, and trying to figure out what to get my Dad for Father's day. He's usually pretty easy to shop for. It it's beer, black licorice, or Seahawks he'll love it.
For today's Diet-Friendly Father's Day Meal, and in honor of International Picnic Day, I wanted to share one of my favorite summer time recipes - The Classic Burger and Fries. Who doesn't love a good burger? The only issue with burgers and fries, is that there are so many calories and carbs in the traditional meal. What I have done is lightened up this classic dish to make it more waist-band friendly.
Jenelle's Burgers
Ingredients:
-2 lbs. lean ground beef, grass fed and organic
-2 tbsp. garlic salt
-2 tbsp. Mrs. Dash seasoning
-1 head iceberg lettuce
-Desired toppings (cheese, ketchup, mustard, tomato, pickles, avocado, etc)
Directions:
1. Spray your BBQ grill with non-stick cooking spray and start at medium heat
2. In a medium bowl, mix the ground beef, garlic salt and Mrs. Dash together until well incorporated (you will need to use your hands). Form 6-8 patties from the beef (depending on your size preference)
3. Cook the burgers on the grill until your desired doneness. If you are adding cheese, I suggest putting it on about 1 minute before you take the burgers off the grill.
4. Take two leaves of the iceberg lettuce. Place one leaf down and put the patty and desired toppings on top of the leaf, then place the second leaf down. Fold the leaves until the burger is covered, much like a wrap.
I love this recipe because you get the satisfaction of holding a burger and eating one, but you save on all of the empty calories, sugar, and carbs that you find from the buns. Now for the fries. One of the foods that you are not supposed to eat after you have any kind of weight loss surgery is potatoes. This is because of the consistency of them, and the tendency that they have to cause blockages in the stomach, especially for Gastric Band patients. Not only this, but potatoes are full of starches and carbs that are not necessarily the best thing for you. What I have done is substituted the potatoes for Rutabagas.
Jenelle's Rutabaga Fries
-3-4 large Rutabagas
-3 tbsp. olive oil
-3 tbsp. Mrs. Dash Seasoning
-Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450F degrees. Line a cooking sheet with foil.
2. Skin the rutabagas, similarly to how you would skin a potato. Chop the rutabagas into thick sticks for your fries and lay out on the cooking sheet.
3. Sprinkle the oil, salt, and Mrs. Dash over the fries and toss well to coat. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes, or until fork tender and golden brown.
These fries are great, they are a little bit sweeter than potato fries, but for the most part you can't tell the difference.
Happy Eating!
Jenelle
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Diet-Friendly Father's Day Meals - Meatloaf and Cauliflower "Pasta" Salad
Happy Wednesday Everyone!
I hope you are all having a good day so far. I went to see Spy last night with one of my best friends. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. It was absolutely hilarious!
Continuing my week long theme of Diet-Friendly Father's Day meals that Dads will enjoy, but that won't destroy your diet, today I will be sharing with you a delicious and healthy meatloaf recipe, as well as my recipe for Cauliflower "Pasta" Salad.
Ingredients:
-2 tsp. Canola oil
-1 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
-1 onion, finely chopped
-1 carrot, finely chopped
-1 celery stalk, finely chopped
-1 lb. lean grass fed organic beef
-1/2 cup cook quacking oats (not instant)
-2 large egg whites
-2 tbsp. ketchup, plus more for brushing on top
-1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 tsp. dried thyme
-1 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-3 garlic cloves, minced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 4.5" x 8.5" loaf pan with cooking spray
2. In a large non stick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the vegetables in the bowl and mix well. Press the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
4. Bake the meatloaf for 30 minutes. Remove and brush additional ketchup on top of loaf. Cook an additional 30-45 minutes, until done. Remove from the oven and slice into 8 slices.
My Dad loves this recipe, and I have to say so do I. The only draw back to this is that it does take so long to cook. I usually will make this on weekends when I have more time to cook. Now for the sides. I first made this recipe as a Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe that I had found and altered on Pinterest, and it is always a crowd pleaser. I usually make this dish for potlucks. Well, with the Gastric Sleeve, and really with any diet, you shouldn't eat pasta. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, there are a few things that you can use to substitute for pasta, and in this case I use cauliflower.
I hope you are all having a good day so far. I went to see Spy last night with one of my best friends. If you haven't seen it yet, I highly recommend it. It was absolutely hilarious!
Continuing my week long theme of Diet-Friendly Father's Day meals that Dads will enjoy, but that won't destroy your diet, today I will be sharing with you a delicious and healthy meatloaf recipe, as well as my recipe for Cauliflower "Pasta" Salad.
Healthy Meatloaf
Ingredients:
-2 tsp. Canola oil
-1 cup finely chopped white mushrooms
-1 onion, finely chopped
-1 carrot, finely chopped
-1 celery stalk, finely chopped
-1 lb. lean grass fed organic beef
-1/2 cup cook quacking oats (not instant)
-2 large egg whites
-2 tbsp. ketchup, plus more for brushing on top
-1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 tsp. dried thyme
-1 tsp. salt
-1/4 tsp. black pepper
-3 garlic cloves, minced
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray 4.5" x 8.5" loaf pan with cooking spray
2. In a large non stick skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the mushrooms, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl.
3. Add the remaining ingredients to the vegetables in the bowl and mix well. Press the mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
4. Bake the meatloaf for 30 minutes. Remove and brush additional ketchup on top of loaf. Cook an additional 30-45 minutes, until done. Remove from the oven and slice into 8 slices.
My Dad loves this recipe, and I have to say so do I. The only draw back to this is that it does take so long to cook. I usually will make this on weekends when I have more time to cook. Now for the sides. I first made this recipe as a Tortellini Pasta Salad recipe that I had found and altered on Pinterest, and it is always a crowd pleaser. I usually make this dish for potlucks. Well, with the Gastric Sleeve, and really with any diet, you shouldn't eat pasta. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, there are a few things that you can use to substitute for pasta, and in this case I use cauliflower.
Jenelle's Cauliflower "Pasta" Salad
Ingredients:
-1 head of cauliflower, broken down into florets
-2 bell peppers, medium dice (red, orange, or yellow)
-1 small can of sliced olives, drained
-1/4 cup powdered parmesan cheese
-1 1/2 cups balsamic vinaigrette (my favorite is Newman's Own)
Directions:
1. In a pot over medium heat, cook the cauliflower through (10-12 minutes). Drain all water and place the cooked cauliflower in a bowl.
2. Add all other ingredients to the cauliflower and toss to mix. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours to cool down. Serve cold
I hope your Dad enjoys this meal as much as mine does.
Happy Eating,
Jenelle
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Pre-Op Month 3 Weigh In
Happy Tuesday Everyone!
I am taking a break from my Diet-Friendly Father's day meals this week to bring you my month 3 weigh in update!
Every month I visit the nutritionist that is overseeing my pre-op weight loss for 6 months, as is required by my insurance company before I can have the Gastric Sleeve surgery. I have really started to notice a huge difference not only in my face, but in my body as well. Clothes that were once too tight fit loosely now, and I have an easier time moving around.
The weigh in this morning told me one thing. To date I have lost 30 pounds, currently weighing in at 362.2 pounds. This puts me very close to the weight that I was before I moved to Alaska over 3 years ago. I gained 10 pounds a year, which doesn't seem like a lot, but when you think of the fact that it's 30 pounds in 3 years, it is a lot. That's how I gained all of my weight. 5 pounds here, 10 pounds there, all slowly and over my entire life, until it spiraled out of control.
I have 3 months of Pre-Op dietary requirements left, and then I can schedule my surgery in September. I get so excited thinking about the future, and all of the things I am going to be able to do once I am healthy. I can go hiking, I can ride a bike, I can be comfortable in my own skin.
Tonight I am going to a movie with a friend, so I can celebrate with a small popcorn.
Have a great day everyone!
Jenelle
I am taking a break from my Diet-Friendly Father's day meals this week to bring you my month 3 weigh in update!
Every month I visit the nutritionist that is overseeing my pre-op weight loss for 6 months, as is required by my insurance company before I can have the Gastric Sleeve surgery. I have really started to notice a huge difference not only in my face, but in my body as well. Clothes that were once too tight fit loosely now, and I have an easier time moving around.
The weigh in this morning told me one thing. To date I have lost 30 pounds, currently weighing in at 362.2 pounds. This puts me very close to the weight that I was before I moved to Alaska over 3 years ago. I gained 10 pounds a year, which doesn't seem like a lot, but when you think of the fact that it's 30 pounds in 3 years, it is a lot. That's how I gained all of my weight. 5 pounds here, 10 pounds there, all slowly and over my entire life, until it spiraled out of control.
I have 3 months of Pre-Op dietary requirements left, and then I can schedule my surgery in September. I get so excited thinking about the future, and all of the things I am going to be able to do once I am healthy. I can go hiking, I can ride a bike, I can be comfortable in my own skin.
Tonight I am going to a movie with a friend, so I can celebrate with a small popcorn.
Have a great day everyone!
Jenelle
Monday, June 15, 2015
Diet-Friendly Father's Day Meals - Grilled Salmon Kebabs
Happy Monday Everyone! I hope you all had a good weekend!
Since Father's day is this Sunday, I wanted to spend this week sharing some ideas for meals that you can cook for Dad that he will love, but that won't bust your diet. Now, my Dad is super easy to please, but I can always tell when he enjoys something more than usual, and these are a few of his favorite meals.
For the sides with this delicious salmon dish, I made up my Baked Asparagus, and a quinoa mushroom dish.
Since Father's day is this Sunday, I wanted to spend this week sharing some ideas for meals that you can cook for Dad that he will love, but that won't bust your diet. Now, my Dad is super easy to please, but I can always tell when he enjoys something more than usual, and these are a few of his favorite meals.
Grilled Salmon Kebabs
Source Skinnytaste.com
Nutrition Information:
Calories - 267
Protein - 35g
Ingredients:
-2 tsp. chopped fresh Oregano
-2 tsp. sesame seeds
-1 tsp. ground cumin
-1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
-1-1/2 pounds skinless wild salmon filet, cut into 1-inch pieces
-2 lemons, very thinly sliced into rounds
-olive oil cooking spray
-1 tsp. kosher salt
-16 bamboo skewers soaked in water 1 hour
Directions:
1. Heat the grill on medium heat and spray the grates with oil. Mix oregano, sesame seeds, cumin, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl to combine; set spice mixture aside.
2. Beginning and ending with salmon, thread salmon and folded lemon slices onto 8 pairs of parallel skewers to make 8 kebabs total. Spray the fish lightly with oil and season kosher salt and the reserved spice mixture.
3. Grill the fish, turning occasionally, until fish is opaque 8-10 minutes total
For the sides with this delicious salmon dish, I made up my Baked Asparagus, and a quinoa mushroom dish.
Baked Asparagus
Ingredients:
-1 bunch asparagus
-2 tbsp. olive oil
-2 cloves minced garlic
-1 tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees and line a cooking sheet with foil. Wash and trim the white ends off of the asparagus. Lay the asparagus out on the cooking sheet and spread out
2. Coat the asparagus in the olive oil and sprinkle the garlic and kosher salt over the top. Gently toss the asparagus to fully coat with the oil, garlic, and salt. Place in oven and cook for 15 minutes
I hope you all enjoy this delicious salmon dish, whether or not it is made this Sunday. It's one of my favorite salmon recipes and I make this asparagus all the time.
Happy eating,
Jenelle
Friday, June 12, 2015
Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Caserole
Happy Friday everyone!
I hope everyone has been having a good week. It has been so warm here in Seattle the past few days! It's hard to cook when it's so hot, but it's a lot easier to get out and be active in the nicer weather!
Tonight for dinner, I am cooking one of my personal favorites, Stuffed Pepper Casserole. This is a recipe that I came up with when I lived in Alaska, and I absolutely love it. Not only is it super easy to make, it's also a cheap meal that's healthy and makes a lot. When I first started making this, I used 2 packs of preseasoned Taco flavored rice. You know the ones that take 3 minutes to cook in the microwave. Once I started this journey, however, I switched to Quinoa for a healthier option.
I hope everyone has been having a good week. It has been so warm here in Seattle the past few days! It's hard to cook when it's so hot, but it's a lot easier to get out and be active in the nicer weather!
Tonight for dinner, I am cooking one of my personal favorites, Stuffed Pepper Casserole. This is a recipe that I came up with when I lived in Alaska, and I absolutely love it. Not only is it super easy to make, it's also a cheap meal that's healthy and makes a lot. When I first started making this, I used 2 packs of preseasoned Taco flavored rice. You know the ones that take 3 minutes to cook in the microwave. Once I started this journey, however, I switched to Quinoa for a healthier option.
Jenelle's Quinoa Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Ingredients:
-2 cups uncooked Quinoa
-4 cups low sodium chicken broth
-2 tbsp. taco seasoning
-1 lb ground turkey
-9 bell peppers (3 red, 3 yellow, 3 orange)
-14.5 oz can of enchilada sauce
-1/2 cup sour cream
-4 cups Mexican shredded cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
2. In a medium sized pot on medium heat, combine the quinoa, chicken broth, and taco seasoning. Stir to incorporate the seasoning through the quinoa. Cook the quinoa, stirring every 3-5 minutes until the quinoa has soaked up all of the liquid (about 20 minutes)
3. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the ground turkey through until fully cooked
4. Dice all peppers, getting rid of the seeds and stems and place in a large mixing bowl.
5. Add the enchilada sauce, cooked turkey, sour cream, cooked quinoa, and 2 cups of the mexican shredded cheese. Stir well and pour the pepper mixture into n 8"x10" casserole dish. Top the dish with the rest of the shredded cheese and cook in oven for 25 minutes.
This dish holds up really well as left overs.
Happy eating
Jenelle
Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Eating Out Without Pigging Out
Happy Wednesday Everyone!
I hope everyone has been doing well and staying on track, if that is what you are trying to do. This week, I have been out a few times with friends for meals, and it is always a struggle to find healthy food at restaurants. Unless the restaurant you are at is awesome and has the calorie and nutrition content on their menus, or available to look at in a pamphlet, it can be very hard to find something healthy to eat that won't bust your diet.
There are a few things that I do to help myself keep on track when I eat out...
1. Read carefully, and know your foods. When you go out to eat, the first thing you might think of as "healthy" is anything on the salad menu. This is often very misleading, and salads can contain more calories than you might think. Let's take a look at one of my favorite restaurants, Red Robin:
If I were looking for a healthy choice, my first look would be a Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad.
Looks pretty healthy huh! For this salad alone, you are looking at 772 calories!!! Now, granted there are things you can do to lower that number, such as no avocado, no jalapeno coins, etc. But let's take a look at the Red's Tavern Double Burger...
Now that's what I want to eat. For this burger, with two patties and a side of steamed broccoli, you are looking at 695 calories. It's still a lot of calories, but much less than a salad. This is why it's important to know your foods. Dressings have a lot of calories in them, and unless you can eat a salad without dressing, go for something you will enjoy (within reason). My usual go to's on a menu are chicken breasts, or burgers without the bun wrapped in lettuce. These are more satisfying than a salad, and have more protein, so you will stay fuller longer after your meal.
2. There's an app for that. In this day of smart phones and apps, there is really no reason to not know the calorie content of what you are eating. Most chain restaurants list their nutrition facts on their sites, but let's say you are in an unfamiliar area and don't know what's around you. When I worked as an insurance agent, I was on the road 12-14 hours a day, and it's very hard to eat healthy on the road, especially in unfamiliar areas. One of my very favorite apps was HealthyOut. This app lets you put in your current location, or an address, and will list for you the restaurants in that area and the dishes on that menu that fit within your tailored dietary restrictions.
This app is amazing not only for people on diets, but for people with any type of dietary restrictions as well! And, it's a free app!
I hope that these suggestions help you make better choices when you eat out with friends.
Happy eating!
Jenelle
I hope everyone has been doing well and staying on track, if that is what you are trying to do. This week, I have been out a few times with friends for meals, and it is always a struggle to find healthy food at restaurants. Unless the restaurant you are at is awesome and has the calorie and nutrition content on their menus, or available to look at in a pamphlet, it can be very hard to find something healthy to eat that won't bust your diet.
There are a few things that I do to help myself keep on track when I eat out...
1. Read carefully, and know your foods. When you go out to eat, the first thing you might think of as "healthy" is anything on the salad menu. This is often very misleading, and salads can contain more calories than you might think. Let's take a look at one of my favorite restaurants, Red Robin:
If I were looking for a healthy choice, my first look would be a Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad.
2. There's an app for that. In this day of smart phones and apps, there is really no reason to not know the calorie content of what you are eating. Most chain restaurants list their nutrition facts on their sites, but let's say you are in an unfamiliar area and don't know what's around you. When I worked as an insurance agent, I was on the road 12-14 hours a day, and it's very hard to eat healthy on the road, especially in unfamiliar areas. One of my very favorite apps was HealthyOut. This app lets you put in your current location, or an address, and will list for you the restaurants in that area and the dishes on that menu that fit within your tailored dietary restrictions.
This app is amazing not only for people on diets, but for people with any type of dietary restrictions as well! And, it's a free app!
I hope that these suggestions help you make better choices when you eat out with friends.
Happy eating!
Jenelle
Monday, June 8, 2015
Emotional Eating
Happy Monday Everyone!
I had a pretty good weekend. One of my friends from High School is leaving tomorrow for a year long bicycle tour of Europe, so we had a going away party for her at a local bar. It was a lot of fun.
On a less happy note, I found out this morning that I was not accepted to the University of Washington, as I had initially been told I was. To me, it is pretty devastating. I need a college degree to become a teacher, and had been going to University of Phoenix online, but that school is a joke! The teachers are not involved in their own classes, and the students suffer for it. I graduated High School with a 3.5 GPA, but just withdrew from University of Phoenix with a 1.78 GPA because of the lack of support from teachers, and the lack of communication. This prevented me from getting in to UW.
Now, my very first instinct when this happened, was that I wanted to eat. I wanted to eat pasta, and tons of it. How do you stop yourself from emotional eating? I know this is a huge problem for a lot of people, and it is incredibly difficult to not do once you have done it in the past.
One of the things that my nutritionist taught me about Emotional eating, is how to recognize the signs and how to act once you recognize them.
1. Think about it. One of the first things that my nutritionist taught me about recognizing emotional eating is to stop and think about what you want to eat. Usually, with emotional eating, you have to have a certain food right away, and no other food will satisfy that hunger. With regular hunger, you may have a preference, but you are willing to eat any type of food to satisfy that hunger. For example, when I found out about UW, I wanted PASTA, and only pasta, and it had to be that moment. That is how I knew that it was an emotional hunger.
2. Take a breather. Once you have asked yourself what kind of hunger you are feeling, you can treat that hunger accordingly. If it is in fact emotional hunger that you are feeling, drink a glass of water and wait for 30 minutes. Oftentimes thirst is miscommunicated by our brain as hunger, so taking a drink of water and waiting for a bit will let your body rehydrate, but it will also give your emotions a chance to cool down.
3. Rethink it. If after 30 minutes your body is still insatiably hungry for that one item, find the next best thing to satisfy it. For example, if you are craving chocolate, don't reach for the Snickers bar. The best way to satisfy a chocolate craving is with 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for 80 calories. For me, my emotional hunger food is pasta. What I do for emergencies, is keep a pack of Easy-Mac in my cabinet. One cup of easy mac is around 200 calories, so it's still a lot, but it's a lot better than two entire boxes of Macaroni, which is what I used to eat when I wanted pasta.
Eventually, you can train your body to replace those unhealthy eating habits with healthy ones, but in the mean time, it's all about moderation.
Here's to a better day tomorrow!
Jenelle
I had a pretty good weekend. One of my friends from High School is leaving tomorrow for a year long bicycle tour of Europe, so we had a going away party for her at a local bar. It was a lot of fun.
On a less happy note, I found out this morning that I was not accepted to the University of Washington, as I had initially been told I was. To me, it is pretty devastating. I need a college degree to become a teacher, and had been going to University of Phoenix online, but that school is a joke! The teachers are not involved in their own classes, and the students suffer for it. I graduated High School with a 3.5 GPA, but just withdrew from University of Phoenix with a 1.78 GPA because of the lack of support from teachers, and the lack of communication. This prevented me from getting in to UW.
Now, my very first instinct when this happened, was that I wanted to eat. I wanted to eat pasta, and tons of it. How do you stop yourself from emotional eating? I know this is a huge problem for a lot of people, and it is incredibly difficult to not do once you have done it in the past.
One of the things that my nutritionist taught me about Emotional eating, is how to recognize the signs and how to act once you recognize them.
1. Think about it. One of the first things that my nutritionist taught me about recognizing emotional eating is to stop and think about what you want to eat. Usually, with emotional eating, you have to have a certain food right away, and no other food will satisfy that hunger. With regular hunger, you may have a preference, but you are willing to eat any type of food to satisfy that hunger. For example, when I found out about UW, I wanted PASTA, and only pasta, and it had to be that moment. That is how I knew that it was an emotional hunger.
2. Take a breather. Once you have asked yourself what kind of hunger you are feeling, you can treat that hunger accordingly. If it is in fact emotional hunger that you are feeling, drink a glass of water and wait for 30 minutes. Oftentimes thirst is miscommunicated by our brain as hunger, so taking a drink of water and waiting for a bit will let your body rehydrate, but it will also give your emotions a chance to cool down.
3. Rethink it. If after 30 minutes your body is still insatiably hungry for that one item, find the next best thing to satisfy it. For example, if you are craving chocolate, don't reach for the Snickers bar. The best way to satisfy a chocolate craving is with 1/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips for 80 calories. For me, my emotional hunger food is pasta. What I do for emergencies, is keep a pack of Easy-Mac in my cabinet. One cup of easy mac is around 200 calories, so it's still a lot, but it's a lot better than two entire boxes of Macaroni, which is what I used to eat when I wanted pasta.
Eventually, you can train your body to replace those unhealthy eating habits with healthy ones, but in the mean time, it's all about moderation.
Here's to a better day tomorrow!
Jenelle
Friday, June 5, 2015
How Does She Do It?
TGIF Everyone!
I wanted to start by showing a picture of how small my body is getting. Now, for any of my readers who don't personally know me, you won't really be able to tell a difference, because I don't have a before picture. My nutritionist has one, but I would never have taken a full body picture before I started this. I was too embarrassed of how my body looked. While I still have a VERY long way to go, I am actually starting to see the results in my waist line, which is amazing.
I am getting so much support from my friends and family throughout my journey, it is incredible. I have still not told very many people about my plans to have surgery, not because I am unsure that I want to have it, but because it's very personal. It's weird to me, but I feel more comfortable sharing this experience with complete strangers than I do with my friends. Lately, some of my friends and family have been asking me how I am losing the weight. I thought I would share it with you as well.
In order to qualify for this surgery, many insurance companies will make you do a pre-op diet period of either 1, 3, or 6 months. During this period, you do not actually have to lose weight, you just can't gain it. This period is to show your insurance company that you CAN lose weight, and that their investment in this surgery is worth the money, since it is technically an elective surgery still.
The pre-op diet that my nutritionist has me on a low calorie, high protein diet. This diet constitutes of between 1200-1500 (900-1200 for the men) calorie per day diet, with a minimum of 3 meals a day, and 20 grams of protein at each meal. She also wants me to watch my sugar intake, not necessarily with a limit to the amount of sugar that I intake each day, but just to be mindful of the types of sugar that go in to my body, because refined sugars can slow down the weight loss process.
For those of you who have a hard time picturing what this looks like in terms of food, here are a few meal suggestions for you.
Breakfast:
-Protein coffee drink (3-4 shots of espresso over ice with a Premier Protein shake)
-Protein smoothie (Premier Protein Vanilla blended with frozen berries)
-Greek yogurt over Kashi Protein Plus cereal with fresh fruit
-2 eggs (however you like them, I like mine scrambled with cheese and pepper) and 2 slices of turkey bacon
Lunch:
-Trader Joes Turkey Meatballs (100 calories for 2) with marinara sauce
-Grilled Chicken strips and veggies
-Shrimp Caesar salad
Dinner:
-Oven baked chicken (my recipe) and green beans
-Taco Salad (My recipe)
-Trader Joes Brat (no bun) and Brussels sprouts
Snack ideas:
-String cheese
-Rice Cakes
-Air popped popcorn
-Frozen fruit
-Premier Protein shakes
One of the things that helps me keep track of my calories so that I don't go over, is keeping a food journal. I personally like to write things down in a small journal that I keep in my purse, but there are also plenty of aps for your phone for just this, my favorite being MyFitnessPal.
I hope this helps some of you move in the right direction to finding the best lifestyle change for your body. Let me know if you have any post suggestions or questions. I would love to hear from any of my readers! Email me at jenellesjourney@gmail.com or comment on any post.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Jenelle
I wanted to start by showing a picture of how small my body is getting. Now, for any of my readers who don't personally know me, you won't really be able to tell a difference, because I don't have a before picture. My nutritionist has one, but I would never have taken a full body picture before I started this. I was too embarrassed of how my body looked. While I still have a VERY long way to go, I am actually starting to see the results in my waist line, which is amazing.
In order to qualify for this surgery, many insurance companies will make you do a pre-op diet period of either 1, 3, or 6 months. During this period, you do not actually have to lose weight, you just can't gain it. This period is to show your insurance company that you CAN lose weight, and that their investment in this surgery is worth the money, since it is technically an elective surgery still.
The pre-op diet that my nutritionist has me on a low calorie, high protein diet. This diet constitutes of between 1200-1500 (900-1200 for the men) calorie per day diet, with a minimum of 3 meals a day, and 20 grams of protein at each meal. She also wants me to watch my sugar intake, not necessarily with a limit to the amount of sugar that I intake each day, but just to be mindful of the types of sugar that go in to my body, because refined sugars can slow down the weight loss process.
For those of you who have a hard time picturing what this looks like in terms of food, here are a few meal suggestions for you.
Breakfast:
-Protein coffee drink (3-4 shots of espresso over ice with a Premier Protein shake)
-Protein smoothie (Premier Protein Vanilla blended with frozen berries)
-Greek yogurt over Kashi Protein Plus cereal with fresh fruit
-2 eggs (however you like them, I like mine scrambled with cheese and pepper) and 2 slices of turkey bacon
Lunch:
-Trader Joes Turkey Meatballs (100 calories for 2) with marinara sauce
-Grilled Chicken strips and veggies
-Shrimp Caesar salad
Dinner:
-Oven baked chicken (my recipe) and green beans
-Taco Salad (My recipe)
-Trader Joes Brat (no bun) and Brussels sprouts
Snack ideas:
-String cheese
-Rice Cakes
-Air popped popcorn
-Frozen fruit
-Premier Protein shakes
One of the things that helps me keep track of my calories so that I don't go over, is keeping a food journal. I personally like to write things down in a small journal that I keep in my purse, but there are also plenty of aps for your phone for just this, my favorite being MyFitnessPal.
I hope this helps some of you move in the right direction to finding the best lifestyle change for your body. Let me know if you have any post suggestions or questions. I would love to hear from any of my readers! Email me at jenellesjourney@gmail.com or comment on any post.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Jenelle
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Jenelle's Oven Baked Chicken
Happy Thursday Everyone!
One of my family's favorite recipes of mine is my Oven Baked Chicken. I learned how to make this dish from my Mother, but I have tweaked it over the years and perfected it. Not only is this dish delicious, but it has very few ingredients, which makes it clean and healthy. I like to pair this dish with Haricot Verts (French green beans), boiled on the stove, strained, and garlic, olive oil, and salt added to them for flavor. Seasoning is very important when you cook, and can take something bland to something amazing very quickly. I always season liberally when I cook, and don't usually measure seasonings either. Now, if you are just starting out cooking, it is a good idea to measure everything until you get comfortable enough to eyeball rough amounts of measurements.
One of my family's favorite recipes of mine is my Oven Baked Chicken. I learned how to make this dish from my Mother, but I have tweaked it over the years and perfected it. Not only is this dish delicious, but it has very few ingredients, which makes it clean and healthy. I like to pair this dish with Haricot Verts (French green beans), boiled on the stove, strained, and garlic, olive oil, and salt added to them for flavor. Seasoning is very important when you cook, and can take something bland to something amazing very quickly. I always season liberally when I cook, and don't usually measure seasonings either. Now, if you are just starting out cooking, it is a good idea to measure everything until you get comfortable enough to eyeball rough amounts of measurements.
Jenelle's Oven Baked Chicken
Ingredients:
4-6 Chicken Leg Quarters (or your favorite part of the chicken)
1/4 cup Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning
Salt to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 400F degrees. Line a cooking sheet with tin foil
2. On the foil lined sheet, lay out each of chicken. Liberally sprinkle Mrs. Dash Original Seasoning on each side of the chicken, and lightly sprinkle salt on each side of the chicken. Rub the seasoning in to the skin
3. Arrange the chicken rib side down, and place in the oven for 1 hour.
This chicken is a delicious alternative to Fried Chicken. The skin gets nice and crunchy, and can satisfy that craving that you get for fried chicken without all of the calories and grease. The best part is that each chicken leg quarter has only 340 calories and almost 40 grams of protein!
Happy eating!
Jenelle
Wednesday, June 3, 2015
Healthy Energy Boosters
Happy Wednesday everyone!
The last few days I have been so exhausted. A few years ago, I was in a car accident (a very minor one, but still managed to do some damage), and herniated three discs in my lower back. I had surgery three years ago to remove the damaged part of the top one (a Lumbar Laminectomy where they remove not just the herniation of the disc, but also part of the vertebrae). It was so badly herniated that the disc was fused to the nerves, causing me to have permanent numbness in part of my left leg and foot. My surgeon at the time was very conservative, and was hoping that by removing the top, worst, one, the others would correct themselves. Well, almost exactly 3 years later I found myself having the same pain symptoms as I had the first time, with the added red flag symptom of bladder control issues. I ended up having two more emergency surgeries on my spine, resulting in all three hernias being removed, as well as part of the other two vertebrae. Long story short, I have back issues.
When I moved back home from California in January, I started sleeping on my parents' old mattress, which is sagging in some places. For the last few weeks, my back has been absolutely killing me when I wake up, and it has resulted in me being exhausted all day long from not sleeping. Well, I still have to get through the day. This has left me looking for healthy ways to boost my energy, without going for the quad shot caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks.
As I mentioned in one of my first posts, I am a coffee fiend, but I am also not a huge fan of the taste. I used to get a venti iced mint mocha from my local coffee stand every morning. After a suggestion from my nutritionist, I switched to ordering 4 shots of espresso over ice, and adding a protein shake to it. I like to add chocolate protein shakes, so it tastes like a regular mocha. Not only is this low calorie, but it has a ton of protein in it.
Some other healthy energy boosters are:
The last few days I have been so exhausted. A few years ago, I was in a car accident (a very minor one, but still managed to do some damage), and herniated three discs in my lower back. I had surgery three years ago to remove the damaged part of the top one (a Lumbar Laminectomy where they remove not just the herniation of the disc, but also part of the vertebrae). It was so badly herniated that the disc was fused to the nerves, causing me to have permanent numbness in part of my left leg and foot. My surgeon at the time was very conservative, and was hoping that by removing the top, worst, one, the others would correct themselves. Well, almost exactly 3 years later I found myself having the same pain symptoms as I had the first time, with the added red flag symptom of bladder control issues. I ended up having two more emergency surgeries on my spine, resulting in all three hernias being removed, as well as part of the other two vertebrae. Long story short, I have back issues.
When I moved back home from California in January, I started sleeping on my parents' old mattress, which is sagging in some places. For the last few weeks, my back has been absolutely killing me when I wake up, and it has resulted in me being exhausted all day long from not sleeping. Well, I still have to get through the day. This has left me looking for healthy ways to boost my energy, without going for the quad shot caramel Frappuccino from Starbucks.
As I mentioned in one of my first posts, I am a coffee fiend, but I am also not a huge fan of the taste. I used to get a venti iced mint mocha from my local coffee stand every morning. After a suggestion from my nutritionist, I switched to ordering 4 shots of espresso over ice, and adding a protein shake to it. I like to add chocolate protein shakes, so it tastes like a regular mocha. Not only is this low calorie, but it has a ton of protein in it.
Some other healthy energy boosters are:
1) Bananas. I'm not a huge banana fan (it's a texture thing), but they are loaded with anti-oxidants and tons of vitamins that boost energy naturally.
2) Chia seeds. Chia seeds are tiny little wonder seeds full of omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorous, manganese, and protein. I like to add them to juices and smoothies, but you can sprinkle them on salads as well. They are not only great energy boosters, but also keep you satisfied.
3) Pomegranates. Now, pomegranates aren't in season right now, but pomegranate juice is a great alternative. Add some Chia seeds to it and look out!
Now, you may have noticed that I have not included any Red Bull or Monster type energy drink on this list. I am not a fan of those. They have so many chemicals in them, and often times do more harm to your body than good.
I would love to hear from my readers! Post any comments or post suggestions either here, or you can email me directly at jenellesjourney@gmail.com
Have a great day!
Jenelle
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Pasta Alternatives
Happy Tuesday everyone! I am seeing that we may have a few new readers, so welcome! For those of you who have been with me since the beginning, welcome back!
As I mentioned in an earlier post (I believe it was the one about my Taco Salad recipe), once you have a Gastric Sleeve surgery, you are not supposed to eat pasta. This is because of the texture of pasta once it has been chewed. Because Pasta becomes so doughy, and your stomach is so small, it becomes difficult for your new tiny stomach to digest, and can even get stuck causing stretching and extreme pain. Now, I don't know about you, but one of my MAIN vices is Pasta. I mean just look at it!
It's so pretty! And it comes in so many different shapes! Not to mention, it's super cheap and super filling, so for someone on a budget, It's a good way to make sure that your family gets enough to eat without spending a ton of money. So if there's all of these great things about pasta, why is it so bad for you?
One thing that makes pasta so unhealthy for us, is the fact that most pastas are made from highly refined flours, similar to the flour used to make white bread. This flour has been highly processed and bleached to make it as fine as possible, but in the process of doing that, you lose a lot of good nutrients. If you absolutely have to use pasta (maybe you have a picky eater in the family, or maybe you're like me and you're going to eat pasta until you can't anymore), I suggest going with either enriched pastas or whole wheat pastas. These pastas have more nutrients in them than regular pasta, so they are slightly better for you.
If you want to eliminate pasta all together, there are some great alternatives you can use. These are a few of my favorites:
1) Zoodles. Zoodles have recently become more of a trend in healthy eating, but people have been doing this for years. Put simply, a zoodle is a zucchini noodle. In order to make these, you need either a spiralizer or a specific grater. These work great and have a great taste. The only downside, in my opinion, is that you do have to have a specialized tool in order to make them, and it does take a little bit of time to prepare them for cooking.
As I mentioned in an earlier post (I believe it was the one about my Taco Salad recipe), once you have a Gastric Sleeve surgery, you are not supposed to eat pasta. This is because of the texture of pasta once it has been chewed. Because Pasta becomes so doughy, and your stomach is so small, it becomes difficult for your new tiny stomach to digest, and can even get stuck causing stretching and extreme pain. Now, I don't know about you, but one of my MAIN vices is Pasta. I mean just look at it!
One thing that makes pasta so unhealthy for us, is the fact that most pastas are made from highly refined flours, similar to the flour used to make white bread. This flour has been highly processed and bleached to make it as fine as possible, but in the process of doing that, you lose a lot of good nutrients. If you absolutely have to use pasta (maybe you have a picky eater in the family, or maybe you're like me and you're going to eat pasta until you can't anymore), I suggest going with either enriched pastas or whole wheat pastas. These pastas have more nutrients in them than regular pasta, so they are slightly better for you.
If you want to eliminate pasta all together, there are some great alternatives you can use. These are a few of my favorites:
2) Quinoa. I personally love quinoa. I cook with it about once a week, and you will see many quinoa recipes from me. Quinoa is a seed or grain that is related to the spinach plant, but it's not a spinach seed. These cook just like rice does, and just like rice, the red version is better for you than the white version. Quinoa has the highest protein out of any grain. That's what makes these little guys great. Not only are they pretty darn tasty, but they are high in protein! Now Quinoa can be an acquired taste. I love it, and my Dad likes it, but my Mom doesn't like the texture of it. But another great thing about Quinoa is that, similar to rice, it is used to make flour, and hence can be formed into pasta shapes. This type of pasta is not only healthier for you, but the texture is something that a post-Gastric operation patient can tolerate.
3) Cauliflower! Cauliflower, in my opinion, is a true superveggie! It is so incredibly versatile! When I was growing up, my Mom would make home made Mac and Cheese, and she would always put Cauliflower in it. Now you see a lot of places making cauliflower crust pizzas, or even cauliflower steaks. This food is finally getting the attention that it deserves. For years I have been using cauliflower instead of pasta. One of my favorite things to make with it is Spaghetti and meatballs, with cauliflower instead of pasta. It has such a mild flavor, that it really can be used in anything!
These are just a few of the MANY alternatives to pasta out there, but these are some of my favorites. I would love to hear your ideas for pasta alternatives. Feel free to email me at jenellesjourney@gmail.com or to leave a comment on any of my posts.
Have a great day!
Jenelle
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