Mexican Fiesta Made Healthy

Last night I made pinto beans, Mexican rice, and cheese enchiladas!! They were so good. I haven't been eating Mexican food lately because of the calories and fat content found in the tortillas and cheese. But, I had been wanting to cook Mexican for a long time now, so I made some homemade food.

The thing I must say is that at least I didn't overdue it when it came to eating time! What I mean is, last year I would have easily downed 4 enchiladas with a cup of rice and not even blinked an eye. Today I limited myself to 2 enchiladas with about a half a cup of cooked rice, and about a half cup of pinto beans and a cup of nonfat milk. Then I ate a piece of fruit and drank some water. I feel good by eating this way!

Also, in preparing the enchiladas, I used Christine's trick of heating the tortillas in a pan without oil. Traditionally hot oil is used to soften the tortillas in the preparation of enchiladas but I adjusted this step. I am using a rice blend of white rice mixed with brown rice. Traditionally, we used white rice to make Mexican rice. So, at least I am trying to eat semi-healthily with the brown rice! And, even though I fried the rice in oil, I used just a little bit of oil, and I used a good kind of oil, canola oil. I also added some peas at the end to the rice, mainly to use them up. But, by using the peas in the rice, it gave the rice a bit more of a healthy slant to it. And, the beans were just cooked in hot water over low for a long time, and I added a little bit of salt to taste. I'm quite proud of myself for omitting the oil in preparing to soften the tortillas. I could have made this meal a little bit healthier by adding a small salad or shredded lettuce to it. Maybe next time! Finally, I like to garnish my enchiladas with green onions, both for flavor and presentation.

The only thing that could have made this meal better would have been the enjoyment of this meal with another person. I should have invited someone to eat with me.

Yesterday I had lunch with one of my students. One of my ESL students. So, I wanted to take him somewhere he hadn't been before. So we went to IHOP. And, we ordered appetizers, the cheese sticks with onion rings and chicken fingers, and a cup of chicken tortilla soup, and a philly cheese steak sandwich. And, hot chocolate (with whip cream) afterwards. Yeah, not one of my best eating days. Okay, I should say meals.

Today started out okay eating wise. Ate a healthy breakfast. But, we were having a family dinner since sister is in town this week. So, for lunch just grazed on popcorn, diet soda, and yogurtland.

For dinner we had Woodranch. I was so hungry by dinnertime. I ate 2 pieces of chicken, 2 small ribs, and all the sides: mac n cheese, baked beans, mashed potatoes, garlic rolls (2), salad, and half a corn on the cob, and plenty of water. They had dessert too, but I didn't have any room for dessert, because I filled up on dinner. So, at least that was a good decision. But, that was after the damage had been done. At the time of eating, I was thinking that I had eaten light for lunch, and I was famished, so I used these reasons as justification for eating more than I would have normally eaten. So, tomorrow night I will have to go to the gym!

And, that was my day today!

Ugh

Today I don't feel good. I started out eating right for lunch. A salad, a corn tortilla with half of a small avocado, some yogurt, a nectarine and a small handful of nuts. And, then another handful of nuts. I just went crayze with the nuts and I dont know why. Sigh. I don't feel good at all. It's like my stomach and my body just know that I overdid it on the nuts. Next meal I'll do better. What else can I say? Naptime. I love Sunday naps.

A Little Good, A Little Bad

I might eat healthily all day, except once or twice each day (yesterday and today). For example, I ate mostly great the other day; I was truly pleased with myself. But, later I realized that I had eaten one small snack of rice cake (the glutinous kind). Even though it was a really small piece, like 4 or 5 bites, I still had it. And, it was good. It had beans on top of it, which is good for our health. But, it's something I have to definately watch and stay on top of (the eating of snacks).

For example, yesterday I was also pleased with my eating intake overall. But, for my afternoon snack I ate triscuit wheat crackers (about a small handful) and a cup of soy milk. Not a bad snack overall, but, I thought it could be improved if I were to snack on fresh veggies instead. Like carrots! By the way, I have some fresh cucumbers in the fridge now, so, I should remember to eat those. They would be way better for me snack wise, well calorie wise.

Today, this morning for breakfast is another example of a little good and a little bad eating. For the good part I ate one egg scrambled with a cup and a half of fresh chopped veggies and an orange, one cup of non fat milk, and a cup of hot green tea. The "bad" part of my breakfast today was eating one biscuit. And, I must say, it was one tasty and delicious biscuit!! I put a little butter and a little jam (jam has 50 calories for one tablespoon serving), but oh, the taste! And, I have a 2 dozen in my fridge. I can't eat them all. I gave a dozen away to Maria, one of Gerilyn's caregivers. What will I do with the other dozen?

I got up this morning and was planning on going to gym for body works class but after preparing breakfast, cleaning up the kitchen, and doing the laundry, I ran out of time. So, I was planning on going after worship service tonight, but, they're closed! So, sometime this afternoon I might be able to get in. We'll see.

That's it for now. I ate a multi vitamin today and the fish oil supplement. Got some fiber supplements too, so that should help my body's regularity. 45 minutes until morning worship service. Plenty of time!

On My Way to Success Today

I am pleased with my day today in terms of food and exercise.

Breakfast consisted of one scrambled egg with about a cup and a half of mixed veggies sauteed in margarine (country crock). Also, 2 turkey sausage links, one orange, one cup of nonfat milk, and one cup of hot green tea with brown rice (oh my how I love this blend). I also took a multi vitamin and fish oil supplement. Drank 8 cups of water overall.

So, yesterday I learned through my online research about some foods that are high in soluble fiber content. My stool is a little bit hard to come out right now (because I ran out of fiber supplements). That usually happens whenever I run out of fiber supplements. So, I thought I would add a half a cup of pinto beans to my diet, as well as some avocado because both contain good amounts of soluble fiber which our body needs. So, for lunch I warmed one corn tortilla (can you say 60 calories for one) and added half of a small avocado into it and rolled it up and ate it with some salt and lime juice. I felt so Mexican! And it was so good! I also ate a half a cup of pinto beans seasoned with cumin, oregano, salt, lime juice and some hot sauce (Tapatio brand). And THAT was so tasty too!! I also ate a nice big salad, about one and a half cups of lettuce, and a variety of fresh veggies chopped like cucumber, tomato, red onion, bell pepper and green beans. I used a little lime juice and some chipotle dressing. I went easy on the chipotle dressing because 2 T. contained 100 calories! I was out anyways, so I probably got around 1 T. or maybe 1 and a half.

My exercise today was a one hour class at the gym called "Body Works Plus Abs". We use weights throughout the workout and repetitions. I worked out I think every part of my body: upper body, lower body, torso.

Dinner was leftovers of the following: garlic mashed potatoes, and mint-fennel steak (but just a tiny bit like 2 oz. maybe), and a side of fresh green beans (not leftovers). After eating that I felt satisfied. But, I wanted to include some yogurt, and fruit afterwards, along with a 1/4 cup of mixed nuts. I feel totally great now!! I think I ate adequately healthy today overall. I am so pleased. I exercised and watched what I ate.

Oh yeah, one more thing. When I got on the scale today while at the gym, I weighed 139 today, and that was WITH CLOTHES ON. So, my body is doing something.

Something good I mean. Yesterday, I was thinking about my weight. And, how it has been around 140 for a long long time. I thought maybe my body is converting some fat into muscle, which weighs more. But, as long as I remain faithful to eating right, and exercising, then I do believe my body is going to eliminate more fat. It's a cause and effect thing. If I do A, then my body should do B. So, that's where I am at today.

I love writing in my blog. If you're reading this, I hope you enjoy my blog. And, more than that, if you're reading this, I hope that you too are finding success in your own personal weight loss and fitness journey!! I hope that this blog informs, motivates, inspires, encourages and/or helps in some way you the reader. Blessings and good day!!

Some Thoughts on Fat

A couple of thoughts come to mind. I've decided to try and lose my excess fat. I was doing some research online today on fat, and losing belly fat. In my research I learned that there are 2 kinds of fat: subcutaneous fat and visceral fat. The visceral kind of fat is what you feel under your skin. The other kind of fat, subcutaneous kind, is the fat found in your abdomen area. This is the kind of fat I have right now. It's also the kind of fat that is, incidentally, not good for you either. So, although I've made a tremendous amount of progress this year in losing weight, I think I am going to have the mindset to lose the next 10!! I've had the mindset before that I would like to lose this amount if my body would cooperate. Now, however, I insist that my body cooperate due to the health benefits it will have for my body. So, that is what I am thinking today.

As for dinner, I didn't even finish all my dinner! I felt full. Wild. So, I stopped when I felt the full feeling. There was no sense in continuing eating. It was a half cup of rice, about a cup of leftover seaweed chicken soup that I added some clams into, and about 4 pieces of kimchi since that's all that I had left. I drank a cup of water, a cup of nonfat milk and also ate a nectarine. I feel great! Not too full, not still hungry. I feel just right!

Planning still to go to Zumba class tonight with Jane. And, if my body is up for it, do the elliptical machine afterwards. But, that would be like 90 minutes of exercise straight, so I'm not sure my body can do it. Last night I failed to go to gym. So much for my new commitment. Today is a new day. I am committing to the next 6 weeks and making a renewed effort in my healthy lifestyle. This includes a daily (6 days) of elliptical machine for 30 minutes on top of my regular dance and aerobic program. I think now is a good time to add yoga/stretching to my routine as well. Why not? Afterall, I am "starting over" at this point!!

Oh, okay, there's one more thing I'd like to share with my readers. I went to the food pantry today in the morning to volunteer. One of the male workers said how nice I looked and how he couldn't keep his eyes off of me now! I know it sounds funny, but, I will say that English is his second language and I think he was attempting to say something kind to me! He was saying how nice I look. I look soo nice that he can't keep his eyes of off me. LoL. So, that is how I took it.

How can I decrease my fat intake? This is something else I am thinking of these days too. Less country crock, less oil, less margarine. But, a tiny bit is okay I think. More exercise. I learned that aerobic exercise is good for decreasing body fat in my online research today.

Workout Buddies

Having a workout buddy needed. Will help me get/keep motivation high. Sigh. Who can be my gym buddy?