The bad thing about sharing all of my previous weight loss successes on my blog previously means I kind of have to share the failures as well.
So, it’s been about two months since I fell off the wagon. I’m not necessarily sure why I fell off the wagon or how it happened, I just know it did and since then it’s been a gradual downward spiral. It’s pretty disappointing. I know what I have to do to get back on track, I just haven’t done it yet.
Sure, I could blame the lack of accountability for Weight Watchers Online, but that would be a cop out. The online program is really something you need to self regulate and I started cheating, which led to where I am now.
I have since cancelled my WW Online subscription.
I know what I have to do – I just need to do it now.
Day Twenty Five: Healthy Pumpkin Spice Muffin Recipe
I’m going to say you’re welcome now, because after you try these Pumpkin Spice Muffins, you’ll be thanking me. Not only are they super easy to make, they’re healthy and damn tasty. My wife and I got the recipe from her Aunt, and since October is a month where pumpkins are in the forefront, I just had to share these instant Fall classics with all of you.
That’s right. Just like David Cross, I’m addicted to chicken pot pie these days. Not just any chicken pot chicken pot chicken pot pie. Rachel was looking for healthier recipes to try and she came across this super easy (and healthy) recipe for chicken pot pie. And, if you’re like me (unemployed and hungry), this recipe is super cheap, hearty, and will last for days.
Ingredients –
1 Rotisserie Chicken (the recipe calls for cooked chicken breasts, but I think it’s easier and cheaper to use the rotisserie chicken)
1 bag frozen stewed vegetables
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% Fat Free can because I want it to be healthier)
1 can chicken broth
1 ready to bake pie crust (feel free to make your own crust, but I’m going cheap and easy with this recipe.
pepper
Directions –
Take a 9×13 casserole dish and put the chicken meat in the bottom of the dish (you’ll have to peel it off the rotisserie chicken…and avoid the temptations of even the leftover cooked skin).
Next, put the bag of frozen stewed veggies on top of the chicken. No need to thaw them out.
In a separate bowl, mix the cream of chicken and chicken broth together until the chunks of cream of chicken are dissolved. Pepper to taste. I’m a huge fan of pepper, so I go crazy, but you don’t have to. After it’s peppered, pour the mixture on top of the chicken and veggies.
Then, unroll the pie crust. I know the crust is round the and dish is rectangular. Have no fear, simply cut off the excess on the edge and use it to fill in areas that weren’t covered by the crust yet.
Once you have the crust how you like it, make sure to poke some holes or carve some designs into it. That’s an important step (and a good way to let your creative juices/frustrations fly).
Then, place in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for an hour. Let sit for a few minutes, and enjoy.
Like I said, it’s a very simple recipe, and there are plenty of opportunities to edit and make your own. Now that I’m Mr. Momming it around the house, I prefer quick and easy, while still relatively healthy.
The way I prepared it above averages out to about $10-$12 for the entire casserole dish. We seem to get about eight or servings out of this recipe, so like I said before cheap, easy, healthy, tasty, and filling.
Chicken pot pie with a side of Sam Adams
I don’t have the points calculations in front of me, but if you’re on Weight Watchers like me and are interested, hit me up and I’ll let you know.
Now, a question to my readers – do you have cheap, easy, and healthy food options that you’d like to share? Rachel and I are always looking to beef up our repertoire!
I’ve been going at it for a few weeks now, and this week saw my first weight gain since I’ve rejoined Weight Watchers. It was only one pound, but it hit me harder than I expected it to. So, what did I do today? Went for two 40 minute walks and then in the evening I jogged for the first time since Lily was born. The last time I actively ran/jogged/did something with my feet other than walk, was the summer of 2009. It felt good to be out there jogging again, but man it was tough. I was out there for 20 minutes, and when it was all said and done, I ended up jogging for 8 of the 20 minutes. Not bad for a fat dude who still has a long way to go. I’m making progress though.
What got me motivated during my jog? Eminem, Nas & Damian Marley, and Against Me!. Those are some great bands to get you pumped up. What are songs or artists that motivate you when you need to reach down into your guts to break through to the next level? My wife and I are working on some mixes for our next bouts with jogging.
Damn, it feels good to get back in the swing of things when it comes to exercise.
In case you were wondering, the title of this blog is the Eminem song that really got me going the first time I got really tired on my jog.
I know some of my family may feel uncomfortable with me speaking so honestly about my current weight issues and what I’m doing to fix those issues. I’m not writing these blogs for them though – they’re all for me.
So, I’m just completed a month of Weight Watchers and I’m celebrating for two reasons – 1) I achieved my 5% weight loss goal (losing 5% of your starting weight) and more importantly, 2) I left the 300 club. That’s right, there’s no longer a 3 in the beginning of my weight and there will never be a three in the beginning ever again. I’ve said this before and it obviously didn’t stick – this time is different though.
When I started Weight Watchers this time, I was told my ideal healthy weight is between 145 and 179. That seems insane to me. I can’t remember the last time I weighed that much, but dammit I’m shooting for 175. Oddly, this time around, 175 doesn’t seem to hard or so far away. I’m doing this the healthy way and the right way, but after a month, I’m already seeing the end in sight, which is both amazing and scary.
I’m making great strides though – I’m walking faster, feeling better, and my clothes are getting looser.
I’m still taking it step by step, day by day.
Oh, as for writing, I’m going to go clean the bathroom. We had to bathe both dogs tonight because they decided to play in the mud.
I’m not sure how to chalk this one up – good, bad, funny. I think it’s good and funny (not good n plenty).
The first thing that happens to me every time I start to lose weight is that the pounds fall off my backside first. What results is me joining the Saggy Bottom Club. No, my butt isn’t sagging – my jeans are. I’m almost 31-years-old, and my jeans look like I think I’m 18 all over again. It’s a small price to pay to get healthy. Luckily, I have other pants in my collection that are smaller sizes – see, I’ve always had faith that I would get a healthy weight.
So, to all my friends, family, and co-workers who may see me walking around with my pants sagging, it’s not a sign of disrespect, it’s a sign of transformation – a well-needed one.
OK, back to writing/not writing.
At the moment, I’m watching The Killing with Rachel.
I read my last blog over again and it kind of sounded like a “woe is me” thing. I didn’t intend that at all, so I wanted to take a break from whining about writing to post about something else.
For those folks who know me, I’ve struggled with my weight for years. I’d say the last time I really had things under control was my junior year of high school. Since then I’ve been as high as 320 and as low as 240. That’s an 80 pound spread. I’m not happy about it (in fact, I’m pretty embarrassed about it to be honest), but it’s just the truth. I’ve done just about everything diet-wise – Atkins, South Beach, vegetarianism, and Weight Watchers. I’ve had plenty of excuses for the gains and plenty of success when I apply myself, but at the end of the day, I’ve been stuck in a cycle of yo-yo dieting. I’ve finally decided to do something about it. I’m going to do it the old-fashioned way with diet and exercise as I work to transform my life. I’m back on Weight Watchers and it’s the most confident I’ve felt in years. I’ve lost ten pounds in the last two weeks and can already feel the differences. I’m walking faster, and even went for walks that were as long as five miles last week. This is only the beginning and I can’t (and won’t) be stopped. As I lose the weight, I’m also starting to chip away from my fat kid mentality. That’s the hardest part for me so far, but dammit, by the end of 2012 I’ll weigh 175 pounds – which is a weight that I can’t remember when the last time I saw it was.
So, what’s different this time? What’s going to stop my cycle of yo-yo dieting?
Dane Jackson - Musings of a Curious Mind 