Baked Ranch Chicken= Mmm Mmm Good

Baked Ranch Chicken– 5 points +

Just made this the other night for dinner... Delicious! Definitely will be making this again, if you are not worried about points, sprinkle some cheese on top :-) 

Ingredients

§  4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (4oz each)

§  1 cup cornflakes cereal

§  1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

§  1/2 cup fat free sour cream

Instructions

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.    Rinse and chicken breasts and pat dry. Evenly coat both sides of each breast with sour cream.

3.    In a large Ziploc bag, add the cornflakes and Ranch Mix, and crush cornflakes well.

4.    One by one, put each sour cream coated chicken in the seasoned cornflake crumbs and gently shake until chicken breast is coated.

5.    Place coated chicken in a 9×13 inch baking dish that has been sprayed with non-fat cooking spray. Lightly mist with an olive oil mister, and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour.

Preparation time: 10 minute(s)

Cooking time: 1 hour(s)

Entire recipe makes 4 servings

Serving size is 1 chicken breast

Each serving = 5 Points +

PER SERVING: 198 calories; 3g fat; 10g carbohydrates; 31g protein; 0g fiber

Recipe Credit to LaaLoosh.com

Salad Dressing Without the Guilt

Salad Dressing without the Guilt!

I have finally found a salad dressing worth trying! By Bolthouse Farms: this line of dressing only has 45 calories or less per serving. One serving is 2 Tbsp (35-45 calories), 1.5-3g fat, 115-270 mg sodium, 1-7g carbs, 6 g fiber, 4g protein- that is a Points Plus value of *1. I am totally going to be grabbing this for my salads. I will report back on whether it tastes great too!

Now comparing this to the ranch that I would normally eat- which is typically Ken's Ranch Dressing ends up equalling out to 5 Points Plus! Definitely NOT worth the points!

Turkey Taco Salad= Superb

Turkey Taco SaladEntire recipe: 354 calories, 10.5g fat, 656mg sodium, 36.5g carbs, 9g fiber, 11g sugars, 31g protein --PointsPlus® value 9*  Prep: 10 minutes Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups shredded lettuce
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 4 oz. raw lean ground turkey (7% fat or less)
• 1 tsp. taco seasoning mix
• 1/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp. frozen sweet corn kernels 2 tbsp. salsa
• 3 baked tortilla chips, lightly crushed
• 1 tbsp. light sour cream

Directions: 

• Place lettuce in a large bowl (or on a large plate).
• Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Cook and stir pepper and onion until softened and lightly browned, about 4 minutes.
• Add turkey to the skillet, and sprinkle with taco seasoning. Cook and crumble until fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Add black beans and corn, and cook until hot, about 2 minutes.
• Transfer contents of the skillet to the lettuce bowl. Top with remaining ingredients, and dig in!
• MAKES 1 SERVING

Recipe thanks to Hungry-girl.com http://www.hungry-girl.com/weighin/show/thirty-minute-meals

Bacon Ranch Turkey Wrap

Recipe.... Success!

I tried a Bacon Ranch Turkey Wrap this week for lunch (from laaloosh.com) and I would have to say... YUmMy! Easy to make, super quick to prepare on the go, I would encourage using the points on the real bacon, it makes the taste. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• Flatout flatbread (I used a tortilla low carb high fiber instead)
• 2 slices of bacon ( I used reduced sodium regular bacon)
• 1 oz turkey deli meat
• 1 slice fat free American cheese
• 1 tomato, thinly cut slices
• Red onion slices
• 1/4 cup light ranch dressing
• Romaine Lettuce

WW points plus (6) for 1 wrap! 

260 calories; 9g fat; 5g carbs; 28g protein; 9g fiber 

Find the full recipe here: http://www.laaloosh.com/2014/01/13/bacon-ranch-turkey-wrap-recipe/

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta

Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta – 6 points +

(Pictures property of Jillian Bernath)

Okay this is a Great recipe, light, yummy, and with the best stuff ever, ranch... bacon.... cheese... does not get better than that! Will definitely be making this again!

Ingredients

§  1/2 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped into bite sized pieces or strips

§  6 slices bacon, cooked (I used Applegate Farms Reduced Sodium Sunday Bacon)

§  8 oz whole wheat pasta, uncooked

§  1 packet ranch seasoning mix

§  1 cup fat free milk

§  1/2 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar, shredded

§  2 green onions, diced

§  Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1.    Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.

2.    Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp, then drain on paper towels. Chop bacon when cool enough to handle. Drain most of the bacon drippings from the pan, leaving about 1 tbsp. Return pan to medium hit heat.

3.    Season chicken with salt and pepper, and add into the skillet with bacon drippings, and cook until no longer pink and becomes golden brown, about 4-6 minutes.

4.    Add in milk and ranch dressing packet, and stir well. Cook until thick and bubbling. Add in cheddar cheese and 1/2 of the reserved bacon. Cook, stirring regularly until cheese is melted. If sauce becomes too thick, thin it out with some fat free chicken broth as needed.

5.    Spoon sauce over pasta, and sere with remaining       bacon and green onions sprinkled on top.

Entire recipe makes 6 servings

Serving size is about 1 cup

Each serving = 6 Points +

PER SERVING: 249 calories; 5.5g fat; 31g carbohydrates; 19g protein; 3g fiber

( Find Recipe at: http://www.laaloosh.com/2014/04/15/chicken-bacon-ranch-pasta-recipe/#more-10623)

Some Good Guidelines

I love these guidelines I found on a blog:

1. Cleanses should not be considered a weight loss method.
2. Fancy shakes are not a requirement to being healthy or losing weight.
3. You don’t have to eat less to lose weight.
4. Cardio is not necessarily the answer.
5. It’s how your clothes fit that matter.
6. Fitness should be considered a boost to your efforts but not the overall answer for losing weight.
7. Some of the best foods for weight loss are those with the highest calories.
8. Breakfast is optional.  Be mindful of when you are hungry instead of eating out of habit or on the clock.
9. Your greatest success in losing weight centers around reducing sugar.
10. Fat doesn’t make you fat.
11. If it’s too good to be true, it is. Stop the cycle of purchasing weight loss promises.
12. A combo of HIIT workouts and resistance training is the best way to boost your metabolism and burn fat.
13. It takes three months to establish new habits. Give yourself the time you deserve to make it work for the long-haul.
14. If you reduce sugar you will crave it less.
15. When you slow down at meal times, you automatically eat less.
16. If it’s in the house you will eat it.
17. Grains are not a necessary component to your diet.
18. You can still eat bacon.
19. Eat your vegetables; you’re not five.
20. Gluten-free doesn’t necessarily mean healthier to the average (non-Celiac) person.
21. Dehydration can mask itself as hunger.
22. Small plate = less eating.
23. Pay attention to the bliss factor when snacking. When something stops tasting blissful (usually around 3-5 bites), stop eating it.
24. You probably need less protein than you think.
25. Juice is not healthy. Eat your fruit. Drink water.

Eat with purpose.

Full article at: http://www.dailyhiit.com/hiit-blog/hiit-diet/weight-loss/25-truths-weight-loss/\

Weigh in Day Week 2

It's official, week 2. I really slacked in working out this week, and I was being pretty hard on myself about it, but it is very difficult when you work midnights to want or have the energy to work out. 

I also have a confession... I did not follow weight watcher this week. In fact, I'm not sure if I will do it again. I have found something very similar but meets my needs. It is call the Eat Clean Diet. 

This is what the Eat Clean Diet is:

Clean eating is NOT a diet

Clean eating is NOT a calorie restriction

Clean eating is NOT about meal frequency

Clean eating is NOT deprivation 

Clean eating is NOT perfection

Clean Eating guidelines:

Avoid Processed foods

Avoid most refined foods

Avoid Artificial ingredients and preservatives

Avoid Alcohol

Avoid Soda Pop and Fruit Juices(added and natural sugars)

It is similar to Weight Watchers, but I can eat when I'm hungry, I don't have to completely freak out about grains/carbs, it has the same concepts, but it just seems more fitting and less "harsh" for me. I really liked not having to count my "Points" this week. I ate when I was hungry!!! I did not go grab a Big Mac, I was still making healthy food choices and watching what was in the product, but I was FULL! 

And you know what the best part is.... I still LOST weight. Maybe not AS much as I would have liked to this week, but hey, everything takes time, and I am still getting used to my new food choices. (I also only worked out like maybe 2 times :-X). 

Original Weight: 148.6 Lbs

This Week's Weight: 146.2 Lbs

Weight Loss Total: 2.4 Lbs!!!!!!!

It might not be as much weight loss as I would like, but it is still an accomplishment, and I am very happy!

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Recipe.... Fail 

Tonight I tried to make Cauliflower Pepperoni Pizza Casserole (recipe from skinnytaste.com, and I would have to say I was pretty darn excited about this recipe. It looked and smelled awesome. Until we tasted it. The cauliflower "crust" just was not very fitting for this dish. And nevertheless we probably wont be making this again...

Find the full recipe here: http://www.laaloosh.com/2013/08/13/cauliflower-pepperoni-pizza-casserole-recipe/

Chicken-Sausage Penne

Made this recipe today and it was definitely a good one around here! It was super easy to make and the sausage definitely made it scrumptious. Great serving size to fill ya up too! This recipe is a must share for a healthy meal that is filling! 

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Chicken-Sausage Penne (thanks to hungry-girl.com!)

   

Ingredients:

• 4 oz (about 1 1/4 Cups) high-fiber penne pasta
• 1 (12 oz) bag broccoli cole slaw
• 1 Cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 Cup chopped onion
• 1 Cup sliced mushrooms ( I left this out)
• 9 oz (3 links) chicken sausage with 8g fat or less per 3 oz serving ( I used turkey sausage instead)
• 2 Cups canned crushed/diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp garlic
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper

1. Prepare pasta in medium pot per instructions. Drain, transfer to large bowl, cover to keep warm
2. Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add broccoli slaw and 1/4 Cup of water. Cover and cook until mostly softened (4-6 min)
3. Add bell pepper, onion, mushrooms to skillet. Cook and stir until soft (6 min). Add remaining ingredients to skillet, cook until hot. 
4. Mix pasta and sausage mixture together and serve


Serving Size (2 cups): 298 calories, 6.5g fat, 806mg sodium, 43g carbs, 9g fiber, 11g sugars, 20g protein -- PointsPlus® value 7*

Struggles....

Last night I pretty much had a mental breakdown. I felt like total crap because I was starving. I didn't want to eat chicken because that is pretty much all I have been eating the past two weeks now. I ended up eating pizza... I felt so guilty, I felt like a failure... I felt like I could not do this anymore. 

I hit an all time low, I was moody, pretty much starving, and was ready to just quit the WW program. I have realized that this is a great program to start out with, but I keep harping myself into trying to make this total change in my life and limiting myself from any food that I am used to. I need to find healthier options that taste good to ME and foods that I can enjoy and learn to love, not forcing myself to eat things that I know are better but can barely swallow... seriously.

 I am not sure if I will stay with the WW program in the long haul... it has been helping me to realize my eating habits, make better choices, portion sizes, and being more conscious about what I am eating, but I cannot stand feeling like I am still hungry and being worried about going over my points! 

There HAS to be a balance! I don't like being moody, grumpy, and difficult to be around, I do not like this at all, and I for sure have not liked myself the past couple of days. Something has got to change here....There has to be a way to eat healthier, exercise, and lose weight, without starving yourself of things you still love. 

One thing I have accomplished so far is I have not touched fast food since I started almost two weeks ago, this is a big accomplishment for me, and I have no desire to eat fast food either! I have learned through WW how terrible FF is for you along with simply eating out all the time. And I am SURE this is a HUGE source of my weight gain, no doubt. I have also cut my pop consumption way down and have stuck with it as well! I have only had one 12 oz Pepsi a few times now, and I have limited my 1 Pepsi to the nights that I work (this is from drinking 3-5 cans/bottles a day!). 

So there is my rant, I have been making changes, even though it seems rather slow. I feel like I have cheated at WW the past 24 hours!  I am sitting in my computer training class for work for 9 hours today, so I figured I would do something with my lunch break besides look up healthy recipes that actually sound like they will cater to my picky taste buds! :-) 

Next mission: Focus on drinking WAY more water to promote weight loss!

Food Prep Day!

First official food prep day has taken place... I spent several hours last night looking up recipes and planning out a weekly menu and shopping list. By doing this I realized, hey I can actually eat some food and not go over my points!

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(Strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, grapefruit, oranges, apples, string cheese, hummus, low fat high fiber muffins, Light Progresso soups for work, reduced calorie rye bread, 2 new recipes: frozen make ahead crock pot santa fe chicken, fiesta bean salad) Will report on the new recipes whether we like them or not!

Other recipes planned for this week:

• Eggs Florentine
• Creamy Scrambled Eggs with Scallions and Tomatoes 
• Egg McMuffin Sandwich
• Tomato, Spinach, Mozzarella Panini 
• Chicken with Spinach and Mozzarella

Weigh in Day

Okay, so I fixed my scale and ended up putting off weigh in day by one day because I read that when your muscles are sore you should put off weighing in because your muscles retain water to heal themselves, and let me tell you I was sore- it was terrible to just sit down I was so sore! Check this out:

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* After are hard workout, glycogen is depleted and when you eat sugar (from simple or complex carbs) your muscles will soak up a fair amount of it along with some water right away. 

* When you work out hard, you get tiny micro-tears in your muscles. To repair, they retain some water to help the process along. 

* Once your muscles get better even though maybe not fully healed, your body starts to move the water, waste, blood, etc. through you muscles much more normally causing you to “lose” the weight.

(the full article is at http://run4change.wordpress.com/2009/07/13/qa-post-weight-gain-after-events-sore-muscles-and-hard-efforts/)

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So the results were in this morning and I was scared as I waited for the scale to decide what it wanted to say.....

Starting weight : 148.6 lbs
Weigh in week one : 146.8 lbs

That was a weight loss of 1.8 lbs this week and I am happy about that!!!! Hard work does pay off, even if it's not as quickly as you may like!

Week One

One week ago today, I decided to join Weight Watchers. I'm not overweight, but I can say that I have gained at least 25 pounds in the last two years and I have never weighed this much. I knew I ate terrible and I kept saying I was going to make a change. I finally just jumped in and did it. I knew if I kept going the way I was, being able to get started was only going to be that much more difficult. I was not happy with myself, I'm not as fit or toned as I would like to be, and I really don't want to buy new clothes because I barely fit into mine right now. I took the leap, I sucked it up, spent the money, and joined weight watchers, I mean I felt pretty motivated... how hard could it be...right? 

So, it's official, I have completed week one of weight watchers. My scale is out of service so I have no idea if I actually lost any weigh currently, but I'm not sure if I want to know right now either! I had no idea when I spontaneously joined WW that getting down to 26 points was going to be as hard as I have now discovered. By day two, I wanted to cry. Going from eating fast food almost on a daily basis and have about 4 cans of pepsi a day to drinking only water, cutting out pop, cutting out fast food, and trying to eat healthy food has been an eye opening week for me. 

This week we also joined Planet Fitness, we worked out 4 times this week. It felt good, but it also made me realize how out of shape I am. I used to be able to do the elliptical for 40 minutes... right now I can barely manage 20. Makes me quite sad. I also bought Shaun T's Hip Hop Abs and have done that about 3 times now as well... it's pretty good, definitely can feel it the next day. 

Trying to find food that was minimal "points" has been very difficult. I'm a pretty picky eater to begin with so that does not help much. It's nice that fruits and veggies are 0 points, but seriously who can eat a celery stick without some peanut butter? I thought granola in my yogurt was good.... it ended up being like 30 some points, that's more than my daily allowance! Even regular yogurt was 6 points! I thought to myself this is nuts! How do people do this? So it's been give and take, but I'm starting to become more acquainted with how many points things are, it's still taking getting used to. I must say once again, this has been an extremely difficult week for me. One day I used most of my points and I was still starv-ving! It has been hard trying to find a balance between things that are good for you and also filling. 

Last night was my last day of week one, and.... I had to have normal food again, so we got a Little Caesar's Pizza... little did I know that ended up equalling 22 points! That is crazy to me. But I needed some food..... what I found surprising was that after eagerly awaiting to eat it, it didn't even taste that good! SO weird. I came to the conclusion- a drastic change like this is hard. It is OK to have some "normal" food, just in moderation, and not nearly as often as we used to. (When I say "we" I'm referring to my boyfriend and I who is happily supporting this journey with me :-)). 

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(One dinner we had this week, skinless chicken with garlic seasoning, cauliflower poppers, peppers and onions, and a salad with egg, tomatoes, croutons)

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My goals starting the week after next (not this week because we already went to the grocery store haha):

1. Work out at least 4 times at the gym

2. 3 days of hip hop abs

3. Plan a weekly menu for the next week

4. Plan next week's grocery shopping around the menu plan