Soup is Not Filling

I’m so sick of this tooth! I had the root canal on Tuesday and have been in pain ever since. 😦 That does not bode well for my training. I need to be able to eat real food and I’m telling you, soup is NOT filling.

For dinner last night I tried to eat some real food and was pretty successful. Michael blackened some salmon again (it was soft enough for me to eat) and we steamed some veggies. I overcooked the veggies so they weren’t crunchy at all. I was able to eat with no problem, so that’s good.

I topped the veggies with some Goddess Dressing (broccoli and sliced baby carrots).

It was nice being able to eat real food. I can’t wait for this drama to be done with.

I also got a package in the mail yesterday that cheered me up a little. My Bondi Band!

It’s purple with white writing (even if the picture doesn’t look it). I love it. I’m glad I got that saying on it. It’s totally me. I run because I like to, because I like that my body can do it…but I let’s be honest. I also love cheesecake and pizza. 🙂 I also got a decal for my car:

It’s kind of goofy, but I like it. 🙂

I spoke with my dentist this morning. I decided to stay home from work today and take it easy. Last night was ROUGH. I was in so much pain I was crying. And my threshold for pain is pretty high. I have numerous tattoos. I RUN. I’m training for an insane relay race. I can TAKE PAIN. But this tooth is bringing me down! My dentist is prescribing me some antibiotics. That’s usually a last resort for me because I hate taking them. I hate the side effects, I hate the way I feel on them. But I’m desperate at this point and Hood to Coast is in 21 days. I need to be on my game!

Hood to Coast Relay: In 21 Days!!!!

Food Repeat

Yard work was on the menu last night. No one told me living in a house was so much work! (Just kidding) Seriously, if it’s not one thing (kitchen remodel) it’s another. I swear those blackberry bushes will be the death of me! I keep telling Michael we need to buy or rent a goat to just eat everything back there. 🙂

Dinner last night was a repeat of Monday, minus the walk to the store. We eat a lot of “repeat” food. Dinner was bratwursts again. The way Michael prepares them is to boil them in water or beer first then grill them on the grill outside.

It was the spicy bratwursts this time and they are tasty! Zucchini is sliced, oiled and seasoned with Steak Seasoning. It’s a peppery-salty seasoning.

Dinner

We sat on the back deck again and enjoyed dinner and a brew.

QUESTION: How do you get creative with your meals? Is there a website you use to find recipe ideas?

Food Addiction

Skinnie Emmie wrote a great post the other day on Binge Eating. The post stayed with me and I started thinking about it because I could really relate. I was a binge eater back in the day. I could easily eat half a carton of ice cream in one sitting.

For me, my food addictions were from boredom and depression. I was bored, depressed about being fat, lazy and as a result would just eat. And eat. And eat some more. You don’t get to 250 without making lazy choices, that’s for sure.

Food Addiction is a sensitive topic. Honestly, I’m not sure if I believe in food addiction. There are people that claim food can be just as addicting as drugs. I believe that SUGAR can be addicting. I’ve gone through the effects of sugar withdrawal too many times to count! And nothing compares to the feeling of a sugar craving you can’t control.

I remember “back in the day” I would buy candy bars (my favorite were 5th Avenue Bars or Butterfingers) at the grocery store and stock up on them in my house. Honestly, they were probably the King Size bars, too (That’s 320 calories + the milk I was drinking with it!). I got into the habit of eating one every day and then when I’d run out, I’d get panicked. I didn’t have my daily candy bar! Did I just say oh well? Nope, I went to the store and got more! I got into the HABIT of eating the candy bars every day and felt WEIRD when I didn’t!

“Are you a food addict? (taken from Food Addicts Website)
To answer this question, ask yourself the following questions and answer them as honestly as you can.

1 Have you ever wanted to stop eating and found you just couldn’t?
2 Do you think about food or your weight constantly?
3 Do you find yourself attempting one diet or food plan after another, with no lasting success?
4 Do you binge and then “get rid of the binge” through vomiting, exercise, laxatives, or other forms of purging?
5 Do you eat differently in private than you do in front of other people?
6 Has a doctor or family member ever approached you with concern about your eating habits or weight?
7 Do you eat large quantities of food at one time (binge)?
8 Is your weight problem due to your “nibbling” all day long?
9 Do you eat to escape from your feelings?
10 Do you eat when you’re not hungry?
11 Have you ever discarded food, only to retrieve and eat it later?
12 Do you eat in secret?
13 Do you fast or severely restrict your food intake?
14 Have you ever stolen other people’s food?
15 Have you ever hidden food to make sure you have “enough?”
16 Do you feel driven to exercise excessively to control your weight?
17 Do you obsessively calculate the calories you’ve burned against the calories you’ve eaten?
18 Do you frequently feel guilty or ashamed about what you’ve eaten?
19 Are you waiting for your life to begin “when you lose the weight?”
20 Do you feel hopeless about your relationship with food?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, then you may be a food addict. You are not alone. FA offers hope through a real solution to food addiction.”

Montana

I had a heated discussion with a friend of mine who said she’s been on Weight Watcher since she was 13. She firmly believes in Food Addiction and was shocked that I don’t. I told her I was on the fence about it, not that I didn’t believe in it. She was surprised and said that I can’t be 250 pounds without being addicted to food.

Food Addiction is not like being addicted to alcohol, drugs, cigarettes. You HAVE to eat to survive and you can’t avoid your “drug” because you would die.

What I believe is that we want to make excuses for why we haven’t made the positive changes in our life. I say “we” because I’ve been there and I made all the excuses too! It’s so much easier to say “I don’t have time to work out” than to actually figure out how to make time.

“I can’t lose weight no matter what I do.”

“I work out but don’t see a change.”

“I’ll always be fat.”

I said all those things and more. And guess what? I wasn’t losing weight because I didn’t change my eating habits. I wasn’t losing weight because I was half-assing a workout and wasn’t consistent with going. And finally, I will not be fat forever. I made the changes to prove that statement wrong!

The reason I’m on the fence about Food Addiction is because if it were an addiction, that would mean I clearly CURED myself of my addiction, right? I was able to lose the weight and keep it off (for the most part) so how is it an addiction?

QUESTION: What are your thoughts on Food addiction? Have you experienced it? Do you think it’s curable?

Family Reunion Potluck

Saturday night was the potluck dinner. There was so much food there and honestly we had been eating all day (fresh crab and clams earlier). I had a spoonful of many things, but not all. I wasn’t starving and my tooth still hurt. There were many different kinds of salads.

Salad

Salad

And my aunt and uncle made Homemade Brisket–one of their many specialties. It’s amazing! I got a bunch of that because it’s so good.

Brisket

More salad:

Broccoli salad

My plate: one scoop of what I wanted to try. Lots of Brisket, two different pasta salads, some regular salad, my salad, mac and cheese and a very cheesy roll.

My Plate

Later was the dessert potluck. My mom made her famous brownies (which I will post a recipe of later), there was cheesecake, cookies of all kinds, rice krispie treats, and carrot cake.

Dessert

Dessert was always my weakness at any events–even more so at the family reunion. I remember as a kid eating TONS of the desserts. There were just so many and I wanted to eat one (or two or three) of everything.

My No Bake Cookies were a hit! They were gone faster than anything else. And a bunch of people said “Oooh Christmas Cookies!” I had no idea they were also known as Christmas Cookies. But everyone loved them and I had no leftovers.

Us

I was good and had one of my own cookies, half a piece of cheesecake (small, maybe two bites worth) and one of my mom’s brownies (the smallest one I could find). I am proud of myself for being able to resist the other sweets. We sat around the campfire and people roasted marshmallows and made s’mores. My aunt had brought humongous marshmallows–bigger than I’ve ever seen. They were probably the equivalent of four or five regular marshmallows. I had one with a graham cracker but it was too much and after a few bites I tossed it into the fire. It’s amazing how sweets just don’t appeal to me anymore.

One of my cousins made something called “S’mores Nachos.” He’s so funny! He takes a cast iron pan and lines it with foil, then places the graham crackers on the first layer. Then sprinkles mini marshmallows and chocolate and peanut butter chips on top.

S'Mores Nachos

Cook over a campfire and you’ve got “s’mores nachos”.

It was very good. I only had one bite to try it. The campfire was fun. Some people brought their guitars and there was a banjo. It was relaxing! Michael and I didn’t stay up nearly as late as the night before. We were tired from lack of sleep, traveling, bike ride, and a day of sitting in the hot sun.

QUESTION: Do you have any campfire tricks?

Weekend Report Card

How were my eats this weekend? I’d give myself a B+ total for the weekend’s foods. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Friday night’s Black tie dinner was all healthy foods and I didn’t overeat. I DID drink too much wine and I definitely didn’t need the cheesecake. So B- for Friday.

2. Saturday’s breakfast was healthy. I’d give it an A.

3. We hit the road for camping and unfortunately, the only lunch option was Taco Time. However, using my Myfitnesspal App I was able to figure out which lowest calorie item I could enjoy. I got the bean burrito for about 380 calories. Calorie-wise A-OK for lunch, HEALTH-wise probably a C-. 😦

Taco Time

4. We brought lots of healthy food camping to munch on –hummus, veggies, fruit, healthy crackers. I didn’t overdo it on dinner OR s’mores. B+

5. I realized Sunday night when I got home that I accidentally bought regular Tonic Water instead of Diet. So I give myself a D for Saturday night’s alcohol. The 100 calorie Vodka Tonic I thought I was drinking was really a 200 calories (times 3) drink. Bummer. I give that stupid mistake an F.

6. Sunday’s breakfast was our normal eggs, sausage and toast and that was fine. I give that an A.

7. Lunch on Sunday’s drive home however, was the same predicament: I got another burrito–this time from Taco Bell. And Michael got a burger from Burgerville. Fast Food Fail. I give myself a D- for the fast food factor. However, I did go swimming when I got home, so that’s a wash.

Taco Bell

After a weekend away, I have almost 500 items in my RSS Feed. Daunting! Last night, we watched the finale for “Breaking Bad.” It was great! Soon we start “True Blood.”

Last night I made dinner for myself. I steamed some Chicken Shu Mai from Trader Joe’s, a salad, and instead of rice I made Quinoa.

Michael and I were chatting about Saturday’s bike ride. Michael said I shouldn’t be too bummed about not being able to make it up that killer hill. He did a great job and made it all the way up without walking or stopping. He pointed out that I don’t do hills on a regular basis, and my bike is a lot heavier than his is (his is carbon). Very true. But I see it as a challenge to get better. I WILL be able to make it up those hills.

Lastly, there is nothing better than a shower and a comfortable bed after a weekend of camping!

QUESTION: What is your report card for the weekend? AND have you ever run a Half Marathon? If so, did you walk any of it or stay consistent in your running pace?

My Trip to Whole Foods

During my short lunch today, I speed-walked to Whole Foods in the Pearl District to get my free Oikos yogurt!

Free YOGURT!

While I was there, I picked up some Garbanzo beans, some whole wheat linguine, and some new Veggie Chips!

Whole Foods Finds

I’m having the Veggie Chips with my lunch today. They are okay. Kind of bland but low in calories.

I hope to try the yogurt tomorrow or this weekend and give everyone an update.

Calories for Lunch:  405

Almost time to leave for the day. Have a good afternoon! If it’s sunny where you are, enjoy it! 🙂