Week 2: Weigh In

So, I lost another 1.9 pounds this week.  Not what I was hoping for but at least it is moving in the right direction.  I would really like to lose a minimum of 2 each week.  I really need to teach myself to only weigh once a week because the fluctuations from looking every day can really mess with you.  How can one semi bad day make you gain 3 pounds or one really good day make you lose 4?  I do believe that it is calories in and calories out overtime but your body changes daily with water and this weight can be so confusing.

So what is the exact science behind losing weight?  Most people don't truly understand that it is math!  A single pound is 3500 calories.  So if you want to lose a pound you have to burn 3500 calories more than you take it.  I want to lose 2 pounds a week so that means that I have to burn 7000 more than I take in within the week.  If you break that down then it is about a 1000 calorie deficit every day.  You can achieve this one of three ways: eat less, exercise more or a combo of both.  The combo is the easiest.  It would be hard to eat that few calories or exercise that much but if you do both!  That is great!
I will post more about this soon.  I want to cover things like basal metabolic rate and how many calories are in carbs, protein, fats, etc.  These are all things that people should understand, even if you aren't trying to lose weight.  It is basic science!

I am so close to a new threshold on my weight were the digit in the 10's place goes down.  I am going to try very very hard to make it there this week.  I'll need to lose a full 2 pounds!  Wish me luck!

Day 14

Since I was feeling bad about the weekend I tried to really clean up my diet on this day and eat cleaner meals.  When I talk about eating clean that pretty much means only eating foods that God made.  Not eating processed foods but more natural foods.  These include: milk, eggs, meat, fruits, and vegetables.

Have you ever tried to eat clean for a week?  It is harder than it sounds.  It is amazing how many processed foods we eat.  From cereal, bread, and pasta to lean cuisines and instant potatoes.  I actually try to avoid a lot of the processed foods but what can I say, "I like a bun with my hamburger" and "I like bread on my sandwich".  So many things are processed!  Pretty much all the stuff in the middle aisles of the grocery: crackers, granola bars, chips, canned foods, baked goods, etc.

Try eating clean for a week!  It is a challenge!

Last night I also had Zumba and I am not sure why but I just got this extra jolt of energy in the class. We literally killed it!  I almost felt like I was bouncing off the walls.  I wish every class was like that!

Greek Chicken & Quinoa Salad

Greek Chicken

Chicken thighs or breasts

1 C plain greek yogurt

2 TBSP olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 lemon (zested and juiced)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

1/4 C fresh parsley chopped fine

Put all ingredients in a plastic bag and marinate for at least an hour.  You can grill the chicken or bake it in the oven at 350.  You may eat it separately or I like to chop it up and serve it on top of my quinoa salad with tzatziki sauce.  I also like to add it to a pita pocket with more greek veggies and tzatziki sauce. (from recipefavorite.com)

Quinoa Salad

Prepare your quinoa (1 C quinoa, 2 C water or broth)

+ greek vegetables

• artichoke hearts
• olives
• tomato
• purple onion
• cucumber
• feta cheese

Pour some balsamic vinaigrette over the top.  I like to put about 1/2 C on the whole salad and then stir well.  The quinoa and veggies will saturate it up.  Chill for at least one hour.  If you need to add more dressing, you can when you serve it.  This salad is super yummy and fresh tasting! (by Cheryl)

Tzatziki Sauce

• 1 C Plain Greek yogurt
• 1 TBSP Lemon zest and juice (you could also use white vinegar)
• 1 Cucumber peeled/seeded and chopped fine
• 2-4 tsp garlic
• 2 tsp olive oil
• to taste-salt & pepper
• 1/2 TBSP dill (fresh is best)

These are estimates.  I taste as I go, some people like more/less vinegar or lemon.

Days 12 & 13 (The weekend)

The weekend was not good.  I totally went off plan.  I had a sandwich one day, Travis took the family to pizza one night (I only had one piece) and I totally indulged in a small bowl of ice cream!  Yikes.  It seems like once you head down the slippery slope it is easy to keep sliding.  Not every choice was bad but there were a few major flaws.

It was a busy weekend though.  Saturday I had Zumba and then we power washed our deck.  Sunday I taught a pro bono CPR class for all the childcare volunteers at my church.   The weekend just seemed to go by fast.