Healthy Friday

Week 3 and I weigh more now than when I started. I'm doing all the right things.

Things are different this time.

About 3 or 4 years ago, Superman and I both lost about 20 lbs. We were eating all the right things while depriving ourselves of everything yummy. We were exercising a lot. Like, it's all we thought about. Hours and hours of walking plus whatever DVD we could get our hands on. We both lost 20 lbs like nothing.

Things are different this time.

Things changed and we either couldn't keep up with all the exercise or skipping 1 day turned into skipping weeks and we both gained it all back plus an extra 10 lbs or so.

Week 3 and I weigh more now than when I started. I'm doing all the right things.

"If there's one skill that could further your fight to shed pounds, it's patience. People want instant gratification - to lose 20 lbs in 6 weeks. But even if you achieve your goal, that happiness leaves as quickly as it comes because you can't sustain the measures you took to get there, measures that probably made you miserable anyway. Everyone wants instant results, but permanent weight loss calls for a long-term commitment and a change in mind-set." Fitness magazine, Feb 2010.

So, it's week 3. I weigh more now than when I started. But I'm not trying to get into a bikini this summer. I want to be healthy for life.

"As most people are aware when we first start any new exercise the muscles involved adapt over the first few weeks by becoming stronger, a strength increase often leads to a gain in muscle mass. It’s possible to gain 2-3 pounds of lean weight within a few weeks without noticing any change in musculature because the layer of excess fat will cover small overall muscle gains. These new gains in lean mass can also mask any loss in body fat, especially if you’re only losing fat at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week. It’s also possible that initial muscle gains could overtake any fat loss and the dieter sees scales actually go up!" www.weightlossforall.com.

So we're taking it slow. My ticker now means nothing. No more weighing in. What used to motivate me by seeing the lbs melt away is now discouraging. Especially when we're both seeing little changes in our bodies already. And the little compliments I've been getting from Superman are so much better than seeing a number drop on a scale!

I'll still keep you updated. But my mind-set has changed. I'm in this for life change and not bathing suit season. And that's a very important change this week!

Ready for a double dose of food this week? These recipes are from Betty Crocker. It's the Slow Cooker Beef-Tortellini Soup and the Parmesan-Black Pepper Breadsticks.

What you need (soup):
1 lb beef stew meat
1 large onion, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 large carrot, chopped (3/4 cup)
1 medium stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (10 1/2 oz each) condensed beef consommé
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
2 cups frozen cheese-filled tortellini
1 cup frozen cut green beans

In 3 1/2- to 4-quart slow cooker, add beef, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sugar, tomatoes and beef consommé in order listed.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 8 to 9 hours.

About 25 minutes before serving, stir in basil, frozen tortellini and green beans. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook about 25 minutes or until beans are tender.

320 Calories. Source.

What you need (breadsticks):
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
5 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/4 oz)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, melted
Additional cracked black pepper, if desired

Heat oven to 450°F. Lightly grease large cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray. In medium bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, water, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 2 tablespoons of the cheese until soft dough forms.

Sprinkle work surface with Bisquick mix. Place dough on surface; roll to coat. With rolling pin, roll into 10x8-inch rectangle. Brush with butter. Sprinkle with remaining 3 tablespoons cheese; press in gently. Cut crosswise into 12 strips. Gently twist each strip. Place 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with additional pepper.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light golden brown. Serve warm.

110 Calories each. Source.

Oh.My.Sweet.Heaven. I'll admit, I was worried. I believe that was my first time ever making homemade soup. And I've been known to pick a side that either doesn't go well with the main dish or it completely overpowers it. But I did awesome this week! The breadsticks were absolutely delish alone, but when you dipped them in the soup? I want to marry them. *Swoon* It was all so good! We actually ate the leftovers the very next night and we will be having this again!

Plans for a support team at school for Princess have been put on hold. That's a good thing! I added on Tuesday that she got a 100 on her quiz that day. The next day she took 4 reading tests (AR tests for those who know what that is) and got 100 on all of them! It made me feel really good to get an email from her teacher saying "I don't know what you're doing at home, but keep it up!" Princess had a small meltdown after that and didn't want to study her 5's for her multiplication quiz yesterday. We studied, but she just wasn't into it. She failed that one yesterday and had to do the write off last night, but she did much better with that. And with the teacher's cooperation, I cut her off at 9pm with 7 sets complete instead of 10. Not bad! But the teacher is going to keep me updated over the next few weeks to see if we need to pursue testing for dyslexia or if the extra help from us at home is all she needed. I'm starting to think she may have inherited her mom's laziness gene.

SCPM tomorrow. Be there or be square.

Welcome back Friday. I'm so glad you're here.