Well, seems I dropped off the old diet/good food thing 2 years ago according to this blog post. I am back on it again, and have been doing great for 45 days! I'm keeping my food records on an MS Office Calendar on my home computer. It gives me a way to look at my food consumption in a quick glance, and I can more easily keep track of how many days it has been since I committed to the effort.
This year, my decision came during my son's visit in January. He has gone to being a vegetarian. After some good eats cooked by him, and some good food talks, I decided to give it a try. I'm doing a pseudo vegetarian routine. That means I'm going meatless for the most part, but I'm not being anal retentive about if my food is cooked with food that has meat. For example, I made a lasagne that was 1/2 vegetarian and 1/2 meat. One side for me, one side for the husband. It also means that I will eat a little bit of meat once in a while. The emphasis is NOT VERY OFTEN. After seeing the news story about how red meat daily really messes with your health and shortens your life, its given me even more reason to continue.
Finding this blog post today, however, also shows me that I really start struggling with diet changes when I get to this 45 day mark. I have to admit that its been harder lately than it was a couple weeks ago. The temptation came after I ended up eating a school lunch. That was my first dip back into junky food...yup, a junk food school lunch of processed tacitos. I ate it cuz the school cook had saved it for me and other coworkers that were in a long meeting that went thru the lunch period. Anyway...that was last week, and I had an entire week of struggles. I started out each morning with a good oatmeal breakfast. Lunch was intermittently either okay or on target, and then the afterwork drive to my next location would hit and I would have the munchies. From munchies to dinner, my will power would fade. Next thing I knew, I'd gone off my track. The good news is that I KNEW I was, and so I'd try to make some error corrections. Those would be my personal interventions during the "not quite right" meal, by taking smaller portions and eating less. So...even though I deviated, I still made the effort to steer myself back towards my goal. I may have missed the mark, but instead of being miles from it with a zillion extra calories, I kept the "damage" to more of a minimum.
So...here I am today....and, I've been walzing on the edge of falling off. Again it was that after work travel time where I get the munchies. I have to come up with a plan to address that.
I am back, working my way again thru a commitment to good, healthy eating and losing/shedding pounds. Hope that I keep this one going all year.... Later.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Day 40 - It's a Blizzard out there!
The snowstorm and wind continued all night, closing Interstate 90 across the entire state of South Dakota, and causing all roads leading out of my town to be posted as "travel not advised due to large snow drifts." Again, it was wait and see: is school cancelled at my assigned school? (Note: since all the roads were impassable in my area, there really wasn't a way for me to commute the 65 miles so I guess whatever the answer, it was moot for me!! haha). 7:05 a.m....school cancelled. Another day of staying warm and occupied while the storm moved on, and the temperature dropped. I spent my day beading, and amazing myself with what I can do with beads!
Of course this blog, however, is about food. So, what has my menu brought for today?
With the bitter cold snowy morning, I had hot 5-grain oatmeal/hot cereal with nuts and dried fruit for breakfast. I shall chose to call it porridge, so that it will fit the theme of soup. Lunch was a marvelous Cauliflower Curry, made my friend Maria. (She will have to reveal the recipe - which seemed to be cauliflower and onions simmered in milk and cream) [she now reveals it was coconut milk!!]. A snack of sweet rice (possibly not the best for my diet) really hit the spot mid afternoon - with added currents, rasins and dried cherries. My dinner entre' tonight was Swiss Steak - ala the Joy of Cooking. (Not exactly soup...but, well, close). I ate an itsy-bitsy portion on a salad plate! (I'm teaching myself that this is okay...a kid's portion is enough!!).
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Swiss Steak - ala The Joy of Cooking with a few tweaks
Round steak
2 onions diced chunky
2 carrots diced into small pieces
2 cans diced tomatos
1 cup of beef broth
flour
salt & pepper
garlic powder
paparika
olive oil
Take the round steak and season it with salt & pepper, garlic powder, & paparika. Sprinkle flour over it and then take either a meat tenderizing hammer or a sharp knife and pound the steak. After doing one side, do the same to the other side. Repeat, only adding more flour. Cut the steak into 3 or 4 inch chunks.
Heat oil in a skillet. Brown the pieces of steak to seal in the juices. Set aside.
Take a medium sized kettle (dutch oven) and put the diced chunky onion pieces into the bottom. Place the round steak chunks on top of the onions. Spread the diced carrots over the meat, and then open and pour the contents of the 2 cans of diced tomatoes over this mixture. Add the cut of broth, plus a little water. (One or 2 bay leaves could also be added for flavor). Cover.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 2 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.
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Of course this blog, however, is about food. So, what has my menu brought for today?
With the bitter cold snowy morning, I had hot 5-grain oatmeal/hot cereal with nuts and dried fruit for breakfast. I shall chose to call it porridge, so that it will fit the theme of soup. Lunch was a marvelous Cauliflower Curry, made my friend Maria. (She will have to reveal the recipe - which seemed to be cauliflower and onions simmered in milk and cream) [she now reveals it was coconut milk!!]. A snack of sweet rice (possibly not the best for my diet) really hit the spot mid afternoon - with added currents, rasins and dried cherries. My dinner entre' tonight was Swiss Steak - ala the Joy of Cooking. (Not exactly soup...but, well, close). I ate an itsy-bitsy portion on a salad plate! (I'm teaching myself that this is okay...a kid's portion is enough!!).
******************************
Swiss Steak - ala The Joy of Cooking with a few tweaks
Round steak
2 onions diced chunky
2 carrots diced into small pieces
2 cans diced tomatos
1 cup of beef broth
flour
salt & pepper
garlic powder
paparika
olive oil
Take the round steak and season it with salt & pepper, garlic powder, & paparika. Sprinkle flour over it and then take either a meat tenderizing hammer or a sharp knife and pound the steak. After doing one side, do the same to the other side. Repeat, only adding more flour. Cut the steak into 3 or 4 inch chunks.
Heat oil in a skillet. Brown the pieces of steak to seal in the juices. Set aside.
Take a medium sized kettle (dutch oven) and put the diced chunky onion pieces into the bottom. Place the round steak chunks on top of the onions. Spread the diced carrots over the meat, and then open and pour the contents of the 2 cans of diced tomatoes over this mixture. Add the cut of broth, plus a little water. (One or 2 bay leaves could also be added for flavor). Cover.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 2 hours. Serve with mashed potatoes.
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Day 39 - Another Snow Day
Weds. January 6th - The question of the morning was "will there be school today?" The snow storm was upon us, the wind was howling, and the temps were below zero. The answer? No school. It was a day to keep warm, hang out, see what the wintery storm would bring.
My menu for the day included some leftover Chick Pea Lamb Curry for breakfast that my friend, Maria, had made for a meal a few days previous. My lunch was some of the leftover Chunky Chili with rice. For dinner? Time to take leftover roast beef that I'd made for the hubby and turn it into stew.
**********************************
Soozi's Home Make Leftover Roast Beef Stew - January 6th, 2010 version:
Get out a medium sized kettle (dutch oven) and put on the stove on low medium heat. Coat the bottom with olive oil. Add:
2 whole onions - diced chunky
3 good sized carrots - diced chunky
Saute'. Add more olive oil to prevent from sticking.
Take the leftover roast and cut it into 1 to 2 inch chunks and put it in the kettle with the onions and carrots. Add the leftover broth from cooking the roast (if you saved it). Add water so that the meat, onions and carrots are just covered by it.
Clean and peel 3 to 4 medium-sized potatos. Chop this into good sized chunks. Put these in the pot. Add a little more water if these are not covered by it.
Season to taste with:
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Pot herbs - such as sweet basil. (We have a savory pot herb mix that I use)
Chopped fresh parsley
2-3 bay leaves (Maria says that most everything is more flavorful with bay leaf)
Bring this to a boil, and then turn down the heat to have it simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
To finish, make a batch of buttermilk or baking powder biscuits (or use the instant refrigerator biscuits) and place them on top of the stew. Simmer another 20-minutes or until the biscuits are done. Serve. Yummmmm.
*******************************
The stew was a HIT! I had a small serving, keeping the biscuit dumpling portion to one. In the past, boy I would have probably eaten 3 or 4!! Nothing like a savory stew on a bitter cold, snowy evening!!
My menu for the day included some leftover Chick Pea Lamb Curry for breakfast that my friend, Maria, had made for a meal a few days previous. My lunch was some of the leftover Chunky Chili with rice. For dinner? Time to take leftover roast beef that I'd made for the hubby and turn it into stew.
**********************************
Soozi's Home Make Leftover Roast Beef Stew - January 6th, 2010 version:
Get out a medium sized kettle (dutch oven) and put on the stove on low medium heat. Coat the bottom with olive oil. Add:
2 whole onions - diced chunky
3 good sized carrots - diced chunky
Saute'. Add more olive oil to prevent from sticking.
Take the leftover roast and cut it into 1 to 2 inch chunks and put it in the kettle with the onions and carrots. Add the leftover broth from cooking the roast (if you saved it). Add water so that the meat, onions and carrots are just covered by it.
Clean and peel 3 to 4 medium-sized potatos. Chop this into good sized chunks. Put these in the pot. Add a little more water if these are not covered by it.
Season to taste with:
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
Garlic powder
Pot herbs - such as sweet basil. (We have a savory pot herb mix that I use)
Chopped fresh parsley
2-3 bay leaves (Maria says that most everything is more flavorful with bay leaf)
Bring this to a boil, and then turn down the heat to have it simmer. Simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
To finish, make a batch of buttermilk or baking powder biscuits (or use the instant refrigerator biscuits) and place them on top of the stew. Simmer another 20-minutes or until the biscuits are done. Serve. Yummmmm.
*******************************
The stew was a HIT! I had a small serving, keeping the biscuit dumpling portion to one. In the past, boy I would have probably eaten 3 or 4!! Nothing like a savory stew on a bitter cold, snowy evening!!
Thankful for Turkey Soup - Day 38
A full thermos of hot turkey soup and a full thermos of hot tea (mint/echinacea/ginger) rode shotgun with me to work on Tuesday, and both were wonderful to enjoy for a warm lunch. I'd had pretty good news with my weigh-in - my first time to step on the scales I'd used to set my "baseline" weight in November. The accurate count, and this is following the binge of food at my husband's holiday dinner Monday night, is that I've lost 15 pounds in 38 days.
I left about 1/3 of the turkey soup for my dinner, but I didn't have a chance to eat it. I'd had two juicy apples for a late afternoon snack while attending a school inservice. Those seemed to fill me up and I was engrossed in teaching girls how to knit using a knitting loom. My dinner came late, after I returned home from my long double day. (I work the daytime on Mondays and Tuesdays at one of my assigned schools, and then I work both evenings in the bording school dormitory).
My late dinner consisted of Quick Chunky Chili, a soup I whipped together in record time after getting home at 9:30 p.m....(Did I mention I battled my way home thru a snow storm that was picking up in wind speed and starting to drift in portions of the highways).
***********************
Soozi's Quick Chunky Chili - January 5th, 2010 version:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of very lean ground beef
1/2 diced onion
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1-2 cans of tomato sauce
3 cans of black beans
2 cans of chili beans
Season to taste with:
Kosher salt
ground black pepper
chili powder
cumin
corriander
hot curry powder
garlic powder
brown sugar (for a touch of sweet flavor)
Brown the hamburger with the onions and celery. Put into a medium sized kettle (dutch oven). Add all the rest of the ingredients, plus a couple cans of water using one of the bean cans. Season to taste. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until thickened. Serve.
(Note: adding all the beans before adding the extra water will force you to put in far less water to fill the kettle and shorten the thickening time. My slow chili is pretty much the same recipe, I just add more water and cook it for a couple hours).
*****************************
Even though eating at such a late hour is frowned upon, I'd arrived home frazzled from the drive and chilled from the bitter cold night. I wanted a nice, rich, thick, hearty meal...and chili came to mine. It was yummy. I will admit I ate two bowls, and I added some leftover rice. Looking at my food log, however, I doubt I broke 2000 calories for the day.
My husband loved the chili....all that was left was one quart jar full when all was said and done Tuesday night.
I left about 1/3 of the turkey soup for my dinner, but I didn't have a chance to eat it. I'd had two juicy apples for a late afternoon snack while attending a school inservice. Those seemed to fill me up and I was engrossed in teaching girls how to knit using a knitting loom. My dinner came late, after I returned home from my long double day. (I work the daytime on Mondays and Tuesdays at one of my assigned schools, and then I work both evenings in the bording school dormitory).
My late dinner consisted of Quick Chunky Chili, a soup I whipped together in record time after getting home at 9:30 p.m....(Did I mention I battled my way home thru a snow storm that was picking up in wind speed and starting to drift in portions of the highways).
***********************
Soozi's Quick Chunky Chili - January 5th, 2010 version:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds of very lean ground beef
1/2 diced onion
2 stalks of celery, diced
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1-2 cans of tomato sauce
3 cans of black beans
2 cans of chili beans
Season to taste with:
Kosher salt
ground black pepper
chili powder
cumin
corriander
hot curry powder
garlic powder
brown sugar (for a touch of sweet flavor)
Brown the hamburger with the onions and celery. Put into a medium sized kettle (dutch oven). Add all the rest of the ingredients, plus a couple cans of water using one of the bean cans. Season to taste. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until thickened. Serve.
(Note: adding all the beans before adding the extra water will force you to put in far less water to fill the kettle and shorten the thickening time. My slow chili is pretty much the same recipe, I just add more water and cook it for a couple hours).
*****************************
Even though eating at such a late hour is frowned upon, I'd arrived home frazzled from the drive and chilled from the bitter cold night. I wanted a nice, rich, thick, hearty meal...and chili came to mine. It was yummy. I will admit I ate two bowls, and I added some leftover rice. Looking at my food log, however, I doubt I broke 2000 calories for the day.
My husband loved the chili....all that was left was one quart jar full when all was said and done Tuesday night.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Days 37-38 - Wintery mornings
I started off Day 37 with good efforts, although kinda feeling under the weather. Awoke with a sore throat, and wondering about if I felt good enough to go to work. Turned on the early news and found my schools were posted as closed, so settled back in for a day at home.
I was so glad for the turkey soup...soothing for the throat and the soul! (smile). I added leftover rice the the soup and had it for breakfast, and again for lunch. Terrific re-start of this dietary plan. A bowl of the hamburger vegetable soup was my afternoon snack.
Evening, however, brought my husband's work Christmas dinner party. I decided it would be (another) one last meal of holiday celebration. My food choices consumed included large shrimp (yum...my favorite thing) of which I think I ate at least 20, salad & a wee bit of dressing, steak and a shrimp kabob, and a baked potato. I confess...I loaded on some butter and sour cream onto that potato. Needless to say, I was STUFFED when I left the party.
It means that today - day 38 - I am back at the "starting over again" point with the soup menu. I'm so glad I cooked the different soups for meals on Sunday. As I write, its getting close to time for me to leave for my long day of work, so I will head to the kitchen and heat up soup for the thermos, and pack up additional soup for my evening meal. It is a bitter cold day, with snow predicted. I think I'll be very glad to have soup as my companion as I commute the 64 miles to work and back today. Wonder if I should pack 2 thermos?
Today will also be my weigh-in day, as Tuesday's I have access to the good scale that I used at the start of this journey to establish my starting point, 38-days ago. It will give me a better picture of my "holiday effect"....once I shed my heavy winter boots & extra sweater! lol
More later!
I was so glad for the turkey soup...soothing for the throat and the soul! (smile). I added leftover rice the the soup and had it for breakfast, and again for lunch. Terrific re-start of this dietary plan. A bowl of the hamburger vegetable soup was my afternoon snack.
Evening, however, brought my husband's work Christmas dinner party. I decided it would be (another) one last meal of holiday celebration. My food choices consumed included large shrimp (yum...my favorite thing) of which I think I ate at least 20, salad & a wee bit of dressing, steak and a shrimp kabob, and a baked potato. I confess...I loaded on some butter and sour cream onto that potato. Needless to say, I was STUFFED when I left the party.
It means that today - day 38 - I am back at the "starting over again" point with the soup menu. I'm so glad I cooked the different soups for meals on Sunday. As I write, its getting close to time for me to leave for my long day of work, so I will head to the kitchen and heat up soup for the thermos, and pack up additional soup for my evening meal. It is a bitter cold day, with snow predicted. I think I'll be very glad to have soup as my companion as I commute the 64 miles to work and back today. Wonder if I should pack 2 thermos?
Today will also be my weigh-in day, as Tuesday's I have access to the good scale that I used at the start of this journey to establish my starting point, 38-days ago. It will give me a better picture of my "holiday effect"....once I shed my heavy winter boots & extra sweater! lol
More later!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Soup for Tomorrow & week to come
Since I will return to work tomorrow and be on the road/busy pretty much all week long, I decided to make a second pot of soup today (Sunday). It was time to visit the refrigerator and take a look at leftovers from the holidays. The garage refrigerator produced the leftover turkey - pretty much frozen in the pan. After sorting out the prime pieces to be sliced into lunch meat (for husband's lunch), and dividing a few more handfuls to be frozen for future soup-making, I had the misc. orts and chunks for turkey soup. This will be my second flavor of soup to use for lunch or dinner during this coming week:
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Soozi's Homemade Turkey Soup - January 4th Variety:
2-cups (or more) of leftover turkey meat chunks and orts
Water - enough to fill a small kettle
Coarsely chop all of the following vegetables:
1/4 of a head of cabbage
1/2 of a medium to large sized onion
2 stalks of celery
1 or 2 carrots
10 sprigs of fresh parsley (if you happen to have some)
Seasoning: (Season to taste!!)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt - season to taste
Pepper - season to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric
1/2 teaspoon sweet curry
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sweet basil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder - or chop up a couple garlic cloves
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Put all of the above into the kettle of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, and simmer some more. Simmering for a couple hours really makes the best soup. This will make a savory broth with a nice yellow tint. If you want, you can add some chopped potatoes.
This soup can be served with noodles or rice (make sure to cook either separately), but if doing the soup-fast diet, keep that pasta to a minimum!! ENJOY!!
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********************************
Soozi's Homemade Turkey Soup - January 4th Variety:
2-cups (or more) of leftover turkey meat chunks and orts
Water - enough to fill a small kettle
Coarsely chop all of the following vegetables:
1/4 of a head of cabbage
1/2 of a medium to large sized onion
2 stalks of celery
1 or 2 carrots
10 sprigs of fresh parsley (if you happen to have some)
Seasoning: (Season to taste!!)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon kosher salt - season to taste
Pepper - season to taste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric
1/2 teaspoon sweet curry
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sweet basil
1/2 to 1 teaspoon garlic powder - or chop up a couple garlic cloves
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
Put all of the above into the kettle of water and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, and simmer some more. Simmering for a couple hours really makes the best soup. This will make a savory broth with a nice yellow tint. If you want, you can add some chopped potatoes.
This soup can be served with noodles or rice (make sure to cook either separately), but if doing the soup-fast diet, keep that pasta to a minimum!! ENJOY!!
**************************
Seasons of Commitment - Day 36
Day 36 - 329 days to go
A little over 30-days ago, I began a commitment of "soup-fasting", initially related to my worry over the lack of sale of a house I "own" in Wisconsin. News had come in November that our house has lost additional value, and the gap between what we owe and what we may be able to get from selling is growing into the tens of thousands of dollars. Truth is, I'm distressed about the situation. At Thanksgiving, we made a trip to WI to do more with the house...a continued journey of packing/moving/storing things there, and on the way back, I made a vow to eat only soup as a prayer intent until I had an answer to the presenting problem. The vow began the moment my feet touched South Dakota soil again, and other than a "break" during the holiday festivities, my intent is to continue. Already, within a few weeks of the commitment (21 days actually), a friend has been in contact to explore renting our house. I did view this as a piece of the solution, thus "giving myself permission" to indulge in more varied foods over Christmas/New Years.
The benefit of the soup-fast has been a kick-start to losing weight (again)...(my life story since youth). Between November 29 and December 8th, 10-pounds had flown off my body!! By December 30th, 2009, another 7- pounds had melted away. A total of 17-pounds in 32-days. My tight water buffalo sized clothing has begun to loosen around my girth. WooHoo!!!
Although not much into "reality TV", I did make the decision to watch The Biggest Loser finale the other night...for some inspiration. It was inspiring to see all the various women contestants once my size (seems my weight was a common starting spot for several), now hovering between 150 to 130 pounds after a year or so of weight loss/life style adjustment effort. I realize that they have had the benefit of a total makeover via grueling coaching, exercise, and nutrition...as well as emotional releases. Catching other shows, which this New Year's week have had numerous fat-to-skinny personal interst stories, I'm trying to take all this to heart. People do it all the time! I can do it, too.
I've decided to start this BLOG as a way to keep a chronicle of my journey, and hopefully keep myself inspired in my undertaking. The soup-fast has become much more to me than a prayer intent for the house, as within the first 30 days, I have discovered that my body prefers the simple foods. SOUP AGREES WITH ME!! When I hit the holidays, and gradually started adding back "typical" everyday foods that my family eats...or that I eat, well, back came the bloating and gas. My first salad...my stomach questioned my consumption!! After upset from a "bag" soup with lots of macaroni, I have pondered if it is the wheat/gluten connection. Maybe yes, maybe no. What I do know is that when I eat broth rich with veggies and a little bit of meat....my body runs and hums along far better than on any other fuel.
Is my husband joining me on this journey? No. That does mean that when I'm not on the road for work, I do end up making him a separate meal. So far...not a problem. I'm not sure how it will be when 100 days have passed, however. His concern is that I need to have fruit in my diet. To answer that, I am adding a fruit smoothy (soup) intermittently into my menu.
So....here we go..today is Day 36, January 3, 2010. Warming on my stove today is a large pot of homemade hamburger vegetable soup. Should anyone become hooked on reading this journey, I'll try to include my recipes when I make a soup or change-up and can of soup. If anyone wants to join me on this adventure, kewl.
*********************************
Soozi's Homemade Hamburger Vegetable Soup - January 4th version:
1 1/2 lbs of very lean hamburger (ours is from a grassfed beef - bought directly from a rancher)
1 quart jar of home canned tomatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 onion - diced
2 stalks of celery diced
2 average sized carrots sliced diagonally
2 potatoes sliced into chunks
10 sprigs of celantro - chopped
1/4 of a head of cabbage, chopped coarsely
1 can of lima beans
Kosher Salt and ground pepper - seasoned to taste
Several quart jar's full of water to bring the broth level up closer to the brim
Brown the hamburger, salt and pepper to taste. Toss it into the kettle, add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer and simmer some more! Add more water if the broth level drops - unless you want a chunky stew type of soup.
*****************************
My plan is to put some of this soup into quart jars that I can pull from the fridge and use for lunch and dinner across the coming week.
Tip to Soup-Fasters: I now carry a "hot pot" with me to work so that I can quickly heat up soup. I also carry a thermos of hot soup so I can snack on it instantly. Having the thermos gives me the option to carry two different flavors of soup - one in the thermos, one to be heated up later in the hot pot. I had to come up with portable ideas, as I travel daily as part of my work, so this makes it possible for me to carry lunch and dinner soups to enjoy, or to have a thermos of soup for my snack while driving (instead of coffee, drink a cup of homemade soup) to ward off the munchies.
A little over 30-days ago, I began a commitment of "soup-fasting", initially related to my worry over the lack of sale of a house I "own" in Wisconsin. News had come in November that our house has lost additional value, and the gap between what we owe and what we may be able to get from selling is growing into the tens of thousands of dollars. Truth is, I'm distressed about the situation. At Thanksgiving, we made a trip to WI to do more with the house...a continued journey of packing/moving/storing things there, and on the way back, I made a vow to eat only soup as a prayer intent until I had an answer to the presenting problem. The vow began the moment my feet touched South Dakota soil again, and other than a "break" during the holiday festivities, my intent is to continue. Already, within a few weeks of the commitment (21 days actually), a friend has been in contact to explore renting our house. I did view this as a piece of the solution, thus "giving myself permission" to indulge in more varied foods over Christmas/New Years.
The benefit of the soup-fast has been a kick-start to losing weight (again)...(my life story since youth). Between November 29 and December 8th, 10-pounds had flown off my body!! By December 30th, 2009, another 7- pounds had melted away. A total of 17-pounds in 32-days. My tight water buffalo sized clothing has begun to loosen around my girth. WooHoo!!!
Although not much into "reality TV", I did make the decision to watch The Biggest Loser finale the other night...for some inspiration. It was inspiring to see all the various women contestants once my size (seems my weight was a common starting spot for several), now hovering between 150 to 130 pounds after a year or so of weight loss/life style adjustment effort. I realize that they have had the benefit of a total makeover via grueling coaching, exercise, and nutrition...as well as emotional releases. Catching other shows, which this New Year's week have had numerous fat-to-skinny personal interst stories, I'm trying to take all this to heart. People do it all the time! I can do it, too.
I've decided to start this BLOG as a way to keep a chronicle of my journey, and hopefully keep myself inspired in my undertaking. The soup-fast has become much more to me than a prayer intent for the house, as within the first 30 days, I have discovered that my body prefers the simple foods. SOUP AGREES WITH ME!! When I hit the holidays, and gradually started adding back "typical" everyday foods that my family eats...or that I eat, well, back came the bloating and gas. My first salad...my stomach questioned my consumption!! After upset from a "bag" soup with lots of macaroni, I have pondered if it is the wheat/gluten connection. Maybe yes, maybe no. What I do know is that when I eat broth rich with veggies and a little bit of meat....my body runs and hums along far better than on any other fuel.
Is my husband joining me on this journey? No. That does mean that when I'm not on the road for work, I do end up making him a separate meal. So far...not a problem. I'm not sure how it will be when 100 days have passed, however. His concern is that I need to have fruit in my diet. To answer that, I am adding a fruit smoothy (soup) intermittently into my menu.
So....here we go..today is Day 36, January 3, 2010. Warming on my stove today is a large pot of homemade hamburger vegetable soup. Should anyone become hooked on reading this journey, I'll try to include my recipes when I make a soup or change-up and can of soup. If anyone wants to join me on this adventure, kewl.
*********************************
Soozi's Homemade Hamburger Vegetable Soup - January 4th version:
1 1/2 lbs of very lean hamburger (ours is from a grassfed beef - bought directly from a rancher)
1 quart jar of home canned tomatoes
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 onion - diced
2 stalks of celery diced
2 average sized carrots sliced diagonally
2 potatoes sliced into chunks
10 sprigs of celantro - chopped
1/4 of a head of cabbage, chopped coarsely
1 can of lima beans
Kosher Salt and ground pepper - seasoned to taste
Several quart jar's full of water to bring the broth level up closer to the brim
Brown the hamburger, salt and pepper to taste. Toss it into the kettle, add all the other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Simmer and simmer some more! Add more water if the broth level drops - unless you want a chunky stew type of soup.
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My plan is to put some of this soup into quart jars that I can pull from the fridge and use for lunch and dinner across the coming week.
Tip to Soup-Fasters: I now carry a "hot pot" with me to work so that I can quickly heat up soup. I also carry a thermos of hot soup so I can snack on it instantly. Having the thermos gives me the option to carry two different flavors of soup - one in the thermos, one to be heated up later in the hot pot. I had to come up with portable ideas, as I travel daily as part of my work, so this makes it possible for me to carry lunch and dinner soups to enjoy, or to have a thermos of soup for my snack while driving (instead of coffee, drink a cup of homemade soup) to ward off the munchies.
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