Goal 110

Welcome

I have been trying for about two years to eat healthier and exercise more.  The three questions I get all the time are:

1. What am I eating?
2.  Where do I find the time? 
3. Why bother?

The purpose of this blog is to answer all of those questions and keep me accountable for what I’m eating! If I have to tell all of you what I am eating, maybe that will make me think twice before I grab the M&M's.

I am going to start by answering the last question – Why bother?  That’s simple; I want to live to be 110.   When I was about 25 I decided I was going to live to 110.  When I was 33 it hit me it wasn’t going to happen eating Burger King.

I am going to try and post everything I eat right down the damn Girl Scout Cookie I just ate. (Really I just ate one.) And when I have a delicious recipe I’ll share it with you.

Follow along with me and maybe we can help each other to live to 110!

Tiffany

First Day Back to the World-O-Sugar!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

 Today is my first day back on sugar!! So watch out I’m assuming it’s going to get a little crazy!  

2 cups black coffee

Breakfast: Nutty Granola Cereal

Lunch: When OUT to eat!!! Mole Pablano, seasoned rice, refried beans,  chips & salsa, and a Texas Margarita!     Welcome back o-world of sugar!!

Snack: Banana

Snack: 2 Samoa Girl Scout cookies AND a Cheryl’s iced sugar cookie!  (I have to admit my stomach was upset after that)

Went to a wine tasting, probably had 2 glasses of wine total.

Dinner: Went to Applebee’s and totally lost my mind. I figured it was the first day back on sugar so I should really eat something unhealthy!  I had Fiesta Lime Chicken, which was great!  BUT, I looked it up in the internet when I got home and couldn’t believe the amount of calories and crap in it!

Nutritional Facts
AppleBee's  Fiesta Lime Chicken
Calories Calories from Fat	1285 423
Total Fat	47 g
Saturated Fat	14 g
Cholesterol	187 mg
Sodium	1443 mg
Total Carbs	136 g
Fiber	6 g
Protein	74 g

 

By the way that makes this dish almost 33% fat and 42% carbs!!!  Please eat this meal at your own risk!

What I Learned After 31 Days With No Sugar

Well, I did it – I only had two small slips in 31 days (Both equaling less than 2 grams of sugar.)    Well   there was one more technical slip; at 10:30 pm on the 31^st day I ate not one but two Dark Chocolate Hersey Kisses.  They were great!

I have to admit, I was a skeptic and didn’t really think that not eating sugar would make a difference.  I was wrong!  I have to say I really do feel better!  I am never tired in the afternoon and I wake up feeling more rested than ever.   Two friends also did this with me and had similar results.  One found that when she was driving home after work she wasn’t tired any longer.  My other friend used to get migraines and didn’t have one all month!

The first week was the most difficult.  Being shocked again and again by all of the products with added sugar and then trying to deal with all of those sugar cravings.   I finally found a cure for the cravings; I would eat a few golden raisins.  They have lots of natural sugar and taste nice and sweet.  It was just enough to cut the cravings.   

By week two we had it down to a system!  We knew what to eat, what not to eat and had some good recipes.   We learned to substitute the sugar in some recipes with honey or molasses.   We actually talked about trying make margaritas with honey or maple syrup but decide not to go that far.

The hardest part of not eating added sugar is trying to go out to eat.  It’s next to impossible.  You have to figure almost every condiment, bread, cracker, sauce etc. has added sugar.  There was literally NOTHING on the McDonald’s menu I could eat.  COSI had 2 items on their menu.   I spent a few hours on the internet trying to find food I could eat.  Most of the times we just chose to stay home.

I am going to try and continue to eat less sugar – but no sugar is just too difficult for the long haul.   What is funny is now that I have been “allowed” to eat sugar for two days I don’t really care if I have it or not.  I haven’t had a single sugar craving.  Mind you, I did eat 3 cookies yesterday but only because I could! 

One more day with no sugar!!! Girl Scout Cookies here I come!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

2 cups black coffee

Breakfast: Banana

Lunch: Balsamic Salmon Spinach Salad

Snack: Banana and a pear

Glass of wine after work, Tobin James, 2007 Chateau Le Cacheflo!  YUMMY!

Dinner: Curried Fish and Ezekiel bread with whipped cream cheese (Because I can't take the heat! lol)

Snack: Dried plums and Walnuts

Water Water water!

Funny thing – I really think I ate the same exact things today as yesterday!  Anyhow, I am crazy excited that tomorrow is my last day with no sugar!  I can’t wait to get one of those Girl Scout Cookies that have been calling my name!!!

Spiced Up The Curry Tonight! Day 29 With No Sugar! woo hoo - 2 more days!

Monday, March 29, 2010

3 cups black coffee

Breakfast: Nutty Granola Cereal

Snack: Banana

Lunch: Balsamic Salmon and Spinach Salad with some Chips & Hummus

Snack: 10 Raisins and Hummus with Cucumbers

Dinner: Curried Fish with Brown Rice and Ezekiel Bread with whipped cream cheese.

1 glass of Chianti

Water, water ,water

Oh, I keep forgetting to put in when I work out!  I went to the gym did 20 minutes of interval training on the treadmill and then worked out my arms and shoulders with weights. 

Tonight was my second time cooking the curried fish.  I decided to add a little more spice and used Hot Curry instead of Sweet Curry.  I can officially say it was hotter! My nose was running and I ended up getting a piece of bread to try and  calm the fire in my mouth.  It was really good!

Balsamic-Salmon Spinach Salad

The prep time on the original recipe says 20 minutes.  It really didn't seem to take that long.

This would work great as a packed lunch if you made it the night before.  You could just keep the cooked salmon separate and then warm it up in the microwave.  (This is assuming you have a microwave available at work!)

• 1 salmon fillet (6 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons reduced-fat balsamic vinaigrette, divided
• 3 cups fresh baby spinach
• 1/4 cup cubed avocado
• 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1 tablespoon sunflower kernels, toasted
• 1 tablespoon dried cranberries (It was the no sugar month so there are no cranberries on my salad)

Directions

• Brush salmon with 1 tablespoon vinaigrette. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 10-15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Cut salmon into two pieces.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss spinach with remaining vinaigrette. Divide between two plates. Top each with half of the salmon, avocado, walnuts, sunflower kernels and cranberries. Yield: 2 servings.

Nutritional Facts
Serving Size	½ or recipe
Calories	283
Total Fat	19 g
Saturated Fat	3 g
Cholesterol	50 mg
Sodium	219 mg
Total Carbs	9 g
Fiber	3 g
Protein	21 g

 
From Healthy Cooking by Taste of Home http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Balsamic-Salmon-Spinach-Salad?cpi=1&sort=

Well, I Ate Sugar On Day 28 - But I'm Ok With It And Here's Why... (No it's not the pancakes!)

Sunday, March 28, 2010

2 cups black coffee

Breakfast: Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes

Lunch: Herb crusted salmon, mixed greens salad with Boathouse Caesar dressing (No sugar!) and Corn 2 glasses of torrontes (wine wine from Argentina)

Snack: banana and Orange Pistachio Wild Rice Salad (About ¼ cup)

Dinner:  Pork Chop Suey on soba noodles

Snack: fresh pear

Lots of water all day.  if I drink something besides water I'll let ya know!

We had lunch at my parents house on Sunday (As usual!) My Mom has been trying very hard to cook meals on Sunday with no sugar.  (Actually, she has been doing great and cut out sweets the whole month of March in honor of my no sugar month. Yeah Mom!!)  So, we sat down to eat on the last Sunday with no sugar and my mom made instant mashed potatoes.  Yes, they have sugar in them.  No big deal, we just skipped the potatoes, there was plenty of other food!  She made this great herb crested salmon and actually went to the trouble of make breadcrumbs out of bread with no sugar.   The bad part about the salmon was the recipe also called for mustard.  Usually no big deal, BUT my Mom thought she would jazz it up a bit and use my sister’s homemade sweet and spicy mustard.  I have to admit, I didn’t have the heart to tell her it had sugar in it and I just ate the salmon.  She was so upset that the potatoes had sugar I wasn’t about to tell her the salmon did too!  Heck, how much sugar could there have been in the breading.   I figure I can let a couple grams of added sugar in one month slide!

Healthy Breakfast Ideas and Recipes from Web MD - Definitly worth Sharing!

11 Balanced Breakfast Examples

So how do you work these healthy foods into your breakfast when you're dashing out the door on a weekday morning? Try these 11 quick and healthy breakfast ideas: 

1. A higher-fiber granola bar (like Fiber One chewy bars), a banana, and 8 ounces low-fat or skim milk. This breakfast will give you 365 calories, 67 grams carbohydrate, 12 grams fiber, 13.5 grams protein, 7.5 grams fat, 3.6 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, and 235 mg sodium.
2. 1 small whole-wheat bagel, 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese or 1 tablespoon natural peanut butter, plus 1 cup fresh fruit (like sliced strawberries). (384 calories, 65 grams carbohydrate, 12.3 grams fiber, 20 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 3 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 654 mg sodium.)
3. Omelet made with 1/2 cup egg substitute, 1/2 cup vegetables, and 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese, served on 100% whole-grain English muffin. (288 calories, 35 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams fiber, 28 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 724 mg sodium.)
4. Multigrain waffle topped with 1/2-cup fresh fruit and 1/4 cup plain yogurt with 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of ground cinnamon stirred in. (265 calories, 48 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 11 grams protein, 5 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 12 mg cholesterol, 386 mg sodium.)
5. Two slices French toast made with whole-grain bread and one egg (use a higher omega-3 type if possible)  blended with 1/4 cup fat-free half-and-half or low-fat milk, 1/8 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon. (278 calories, 42 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 14 grams protein, 6.5 grams fat, 1.5 grams saturated fat, 215 mg cholesterol, 480 mg sodium.)
6. Breakfast burrito made with 1 whole-wheat tortilla (weighing about 50 grams), 1/2 cup egg substitute scrambled with 1/2 cup assorted cooked vegetables, and 1 ounce of reduced-fat cheese. (304 calories, 32 grams carbohydrate, 6 grams fiber, 25 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 669 mg sodium.)
7. Cooked oatmeal (1/2 cup "lower sugar" instant oatmeal cooked with 3/4 cup skim or low-fat milk), topped with 1/4 cup dried fruit or 1/2 cup fresh fruit and 1 tablespoon chopped nuts. (341 calories, 60 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 13 grams protein, 7 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 365 mg sodium.)
8. Breakfast sandwich made with 1 whole-grain English muffin, 1 1/2-ounces light turkey breakfast sausage and 1 ounce reduced-fat cheese. (300 calories, 28 grams carbohydrate, 5 grams fiber, 21 grams protein, 12 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 690 mg sodium.)
9. Smoothie made with 6 ounces low-fat "lite" yogurt blended with 1 cup frozen fruit and 1/2 cup soy milk or low-fat milk. (230 calories, 42 grams carbohydrate, 6.5 grams fiber, 9 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 130 mg sodium.)
10. Yogurt breakfast parfait made with 6 ounces low fat "lite" yogurt, 1/2-cup fresh chopped fruit and 1/2-cup low-fat granola. (302 calories, 65 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams fiber, 10 grams protein, 4 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 4 mg cholesterol, 170 mg sodium.)
11. Whole-grain cereal (1 cup) with 1/2-cup skim or low-fat milk and 1/2-cup fresh fruit (like blueberries). (276 calories, 62 grams carbohydrate, 10 grams fiber, 11 grams protein, 2 grams fat, 0.2 grams saturated fat, 3 mg cholesterol, 424 mg sodium.)

You can read the full article at Web MD: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/healthy-breakfast-ideas-and-recipes?

New Salad For Lunch and A Saturday Night Wine Tasting - Great Wines!

Saturday, March 27, 2010

2 Cups black coffee

Breakfast: Banana

Lunch: Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Cumin Dressing and Yogurt Sauce and Orange-Pistachio Wild Rice Salad

Snack: Raisins (About 7) banana – left over Chicken with Mango BBQ sauce (Yes, I was hungry)

Dinner: Left over Pork Chop Suey on soba noodles

Went to a wine tasting – it probably equaled about 2 glasses of wine.  Favorite wine of the night – 2008  Orin Swift The Prisoner.  A great blend, and very balanced 46% Zinfandel, 26% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, 10% Petite Sirah,  2% Charbono, 1% Grenache

Came home and had another glass of wine while sitting around chatting.  Another great evening with friends!

 Snack: Chips and Hummus

Great Dinner With Fabulous Company!

Friday, March 26, 2010

2 cups black coffee

Breakfast: Banana

Lunch: Crab and Baby Spinach Salad (3^rd day in a row -  I love this stuff!)

Snack: Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese with red onions and cucumbers!

Dinner: Pork Chop Suey, Orange-Pistachio Wild Rice Salad & Green Beans with mushrooms and shallots

Way too much wine!  My aunt and uncle came over for dinner (And yes, they actually like everything!  That or they faked it well.)  We drank 3 and half bottles of wine.  Had a great time!  We really don’t get to see them often enough!  Love you guys!  btw Stacy,  we still have wine on the wall. lol

Green Beans with Mushroom and Shallots

Total Time: 15 minutes

• 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup sliced shallots (about 2 medium)
• 3/4 pound assorted fresh mushrooms, (ie: button, baby bella, shiitake, oyster, chanterelle), sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Put green beans in a microwave-safe bowl with the water. Cover tightly and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Carefully remove the cover, drain in a colander, shaking off any excess water, and set aside.

While the beans are cooking, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water they release has evaporated and they begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the green beans and stir to combine and rewarm. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Nutritional Facts
Number of servings	6 (1/2 cup)
Calories per serving	80
	% Daily Value
Total Fat	5 g
Saturated Fat	0.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	7 mg
Total Carbs	11.5 g
Fiber	3 g
Protein	4 g

Another Ellie Krieger Recipe!  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/green-beans-with-mushroom-and-shallots-recipe/index.html