Thursday Thoughts May 24

 

Goals Achieved

1. I tracked everyday! Go me!  And it showed with a weight loss, albeit a small one, and I was proud of myself. I also tried “upside down” tracking and it worked really well for me.  There were a couple days when I got home from work famished and just started snacking like crazy, then I freaked out cause I “wasted” so many points and was just about to “ah, screw it”, then I remembered I was starting fresh—still lots of points in the 24 hour period, took a deep breath, and made some better choices.

2. Workout 6 days—Yes!  I took a rest day on Sunday, but made all my other workout appointments.

3. I also planned healthy meals and really stocked my fridge and pantry well this week.  I had lots of fruits and veggie choices and I made sure they were all easily accessible.  I even made a little “snack zone” in the fridge!

Goals for this week

1. Continue tracking

2. Workout 6 days and begin triathlon training.

3. Make smart choices at graduation parties.

4. See a drop in the scale next week even with a crazy weekend.

Anticipated Obstacles to Goals

1. Open houses.  I have two this weekend; one is my cousin’s on Saturday and the other is my baby brother’s on Sunday.  Nate and I are also staying at my parents starting tomorrow to help out with getting things ready. I’ll also be driving up early to help my aunt out with my cousin’s party.   This will be tough because I’ll not only have to make healthy choices at the parties, but while helping to get things ready.  The good news is there IS lots of healthy food at my mom and dad’s.  The bad news is that they also stock more treats, so there will be more to say no to.

2. Memorial Day We don’t really have big plans on Memorial Day, but I want to make healthy choices about how I spend this day and not use it as an excuse to extend an already crazy eating weekend.  My goal for Memorial Day is to rest up (start the work week on a good foot), eat normally, and move!

3.  Hectic work week.  I am moving into my summer schedule for work.  While I love it, and I designed it, there will be some long days so I need to think through my meal choices even more thoroughly so I can pick and prepare foods I’ll actually be in the mood for and willing to make after a long work day.

My Exercise Plan

Friday: 20 minutes HIIT Intervals (probably running)

Saturday: Arms Workout

Sunday: Off/Playing at Davy’s open house

Monday: 20 minutes HIIT (running) + Strength workout

Tuesday: 45 minutes of Yoga

Wednesday: Upper body Strength and 200 meter swim (broken down into 25 meter increments)

Thursday: Bike 45 minutes

Las week our WW leaders asked us where we wanted to be on the next holiday weekend, the 4th of July.  I want to have completed a sprint triathlon and be 5 pounds lighter. (And just a few pounds from goal!)  It’ll take dedication and fortitude, but I’m confident I can achieve both these goals!

Live Happy Friends!

What are your goals for this week?  Where do you want to be on July 4th?

Run for Fun

 

Hey friends!!

I set out last night for a speedy run.  It was a beautiful evening and I had a “speedy” workout on my calendar. I was feeling great to be out running and felt like I was really clipping along.  I wanted to be running a 10 minute mile, but when I checked my speed after my first mile I was running a 10:44.  Boo!  It really made me sad and I was heading into my “hilly” mile.  At my halfway point I was closer to 10:50 and it was really getting me down.  So I turned off my nike app and just started running. 

And I started to have fun again!  And I ran into this beauty:

I stopped; soaked up the wonder of it….put a big smile on my face…

And finished my run with it on my face!  Instead of focusing on my time or stride, I thought about running like a child, opening my heart, being present the moment, and enjoying myself.  And from the way that last sentence sounds, I think the 30 Day Yoga Challenge is getting to me in a good way. 

Live Happy!

When was your last “fun run”?

Chicken Enchilada Pie

 

I whipped up this recipe last night after I saw a similar recipe on weightwatchers.  I love enchiladas, but they are kind of time consuming to assemble.  I’ve tried other mexican lasagna dishes, but I love that this pie fits tortillas perfectly and is a nice serving (with some good leftovers) for a dinner for two!

Chicken Enchilada Pie

Ingredients

8 oz chicken breast tenders

2 teaspoons taco seasoning

1 Tablespoon onion flakes

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup fat free cream cheese

1 cup cheese plus 1 T (I used 1/2 cup cheddar and 1/2 cup spicy feta)

3 burrito sized tortillas

6 oz tomato sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

Optional add-ins: black beans, chopped bell peppers, corn, green chilies, any other yummies you can dream up!)

Chop chicken breasts into small pieces.  Grill chicken and onion flakes in pan sprayed with olive oil spray.  Once cooked through (no pink remaining) add garlic, water, and taco seasoning.  Simmer 2 minutes until it begins to thicken.  Reduce heat and add sour cream.  Simmer.  Spray pie plate with nonstick olive oil spray.  Place 1 tortilla on the bottom.  Spread 1/2 chicken mixture across the tortilla.  Top with optional add-ins if desired.  Top with 1/2 cup cheese.  Repeat layers.  Top with last tortilla.  Mix tomato sauce with chili powder and cumin.  Pour over the top tortilla and spread around the top. (It’s perfectly okay if it slide down the sides too!) Top with 1 Tablespoon cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.  Allow to cool for a few minutes, slice and serve. 

Healthy Tex-Mex!!  Who’d have thunk it?!? And this recipe got a thumbs up from Nate, so you know it doesn’t taste too healthy or weird AND you can feed it to your picky eaters. 1/4 of a pie is 5 points plus if you’re a Weight Watcher. That calculation includes add-ins of 1/4 cup black beans and 1/4 cup green peppers. Hope you like it!

What’s your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant?

I miss all the crazy-good Mexican and Tex-Mex in Texas! My favorite place to eat Tex-Mex is a lovely restaurant called Margaritas that is on the Riverwalk in San Antonio.  They have amazing chicken enchiladas, plus Texas-sized margaritas, plus tons of people watching on their outdoor eating area!! Great place!