Monday, February 13, 2006

Monday Morning Confessions

Well, it's Monday morning and it's time to start again.  Last week I was sick and I was not watching my food.  I was drinking a lot of fluids.  Thankfully, I'm feeling better now,but all three of my babies are now sick with the same dang thing.

So, with a March 17th deadline looming in my future (a challenge from the chubclub) and a May 20th Ball just ahead of that it is time for me to get serious and to start making (and keeping) some serious progress. 

Weigh in: 218.4

Fat percentage: 44.9

Fat lbs: 98

This is as bad as it's ever going to get for the rest of 2006 and this challenge period.  I have two dresses in the mail, one a size 18 and one a size 14.  I will be wearing one of those two dresses to the ball.

 

 

Sunday, February 12, 2006

In praise of the Apple

 

Tammi Flynn is the creator of the www.3appleplan.com diet.  By having dieters include an apple at each meal, she increased the fiber intake painlessly and the resulting weight loss has been amazing.  While I have not used this particular diet, I thought I'd mention it in passing during my essay on apples.

The apple is a small round fruit with crunchy flesh.  This is one of the earliest fruits to have been cultivated, originating in Kazakhstan and carried by traders on the Silk Road.  As early as the second century B. C., people were producing apples of a consistent variety by taking cutting of a tree and grafting them onto suitable rootstock.  This must be done because the exact same type of apple won't grow from a planted seed.

Immigrants to America brought apple seeds, which gave rise to entirely new varieties further diversified by breeding with native American crabapples.  The spread of American apples was encouraged by the aptly monikered folk hero Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman in Massachusetts in 1774, who collected large amounts of seeds from cider mills and planted them on his travels.

About 2,500 known varieties of apple are grown in the U. S. and more than 7,500 are grown worldwide- all of which must be picked by hand.  Apple varieties are categorized as eating (or dessert), cooking (or baking), cider, and crab.

Most apples are available year-round.  Crab, Jonathan, and Macoun are generally available in the fall and winter.  Cortland, Crispin, Jonagold, McIntosh, Pink Lady, and Winesap are available September through April or May.  Later season apples (from October through June or July) are Empire, Idared, Rome Beauty, and York

Choose apples with smooth, clean, shiny skin and good color for the particular variety.

Over mature fruit will be unpleasantly mealy without firm crunch.  Avoid apples with dull skin, bruises, or punctures (which results in decay spots).

Store apples in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Apples may be left out for u to 48 hours before they turn mealy.  For long-term storage, apples must be absolutely sound with no blemishes or bruises, and must be kept in a dry, cool place without touching each other.

 Apples have no sodium, saturated fat, or cholesterol.  Eating an apple can also reduce the level of cholesterol already in your blood and lower your blood pressure according to studies at Yale University.  Apples elevate your blood glucose level safely and gently- and then keep it up for a longer period of time than most foods.  The practical effect of this is to leave you feeling fuller longer.  Apples constitute one of the riches sources of soluble fiber in the supermarket.

New Age Candy AppleIngredients:
1 granny smith apple peeled
1/4 teaspoon sugar free cherry flavored gelatin
2 tablespoons diet cherry cola
2 tablespoons thawed frozen reduced fat non dairy whipped topping

Directions:
Slice apple crosswise into 1/4 inch thick rings; remove seeds. Place stack of apple rings in small microwave bowl; sprinkle with gelatin. Pour cola over rings. Cover loosely with waxed paper. Microwave at high 2 minutes or until liquid is boiling. Allow to stand, covered, 5 minutes. Arrange rings on dessert plate.

Serve warm with whipped topping.

Makes 1 serving.

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories: 102
Fat: 2g
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 23g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 1mg
Fiber: 4g
Exchanges 1-1/2 fruit

Thursday, February 9, 2006

Folly or Temptation to succeed

 

 

I think I mentioned that we have a Welcome Home Ball in May. Well.. today I took advantage of a one day sale and ordered the two dresses above.  The one on the left is a XL (18) and the one on the right is a size 14.  Huge leap of faith that I will be ready to wear one or the other AND LOOK SMOKING HOT by May 20.  :)

 

Wednesday, February 8, 2006

Worth Thinking About

Things that make you think a little.......

1. There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq during the month of January.....In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January. That's just one American City, about as deadly as the entire war torn country of Iraq.

Side note by Journal owner:  We've lost more soldiers in after action accidents than we have in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  When our soldiers come home, they tend to be a bit reckless, resulting in loss of life at home.

2. When some claim President Bush shouldn't have started this war, state the following .

- FDR...led us into World War II. Germany never attacked us: Japan did. From 1941-1945, 450,000 lives were lost, an average of 112,500 per year.
- Truman...finished that war and started one in
Korea. North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 55,000 lives were lost, an average of 18,334 per year.

- John F. Kennedy....started the Vietnam conflict in 1962. Vietnam never attacked us.

- Johnson...turned Vietnam into a quagmire From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year.

- Clinton...went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent, Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.

3. In the two years since terrorists attacked us President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran and North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.


The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking, but...It took less time to take
Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation.

We've been looking for evidence of chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.

It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick killing a woman.

Wait, there's more......................

Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senator John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living. This is a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of our military.


JOHN GLENN ON THE SENATE FLOOR Date:
Mon, 26 Jan 2004 11:13 (this conversation actually took place during a 1974 debate for the democratic seat for Ohio)

Senator Howard Metzenbaum to Senator Glenn: "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?"

Senator Glenn: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by antiaircraft fire on 12 different occasions.I was in the space program.

It wasn't my checkbook, Howard; it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank. I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a veteran's hospital and look those men - with their mangled bodies - in the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job! You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their Dads didn't hold a job.

You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.

You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job? I'll tell you, Howard Metzenbaum; you should be on your knees every day of your life thanking God that there were some men - SOME MEN - who held REAL jobs. And they required a dedication to a purpose - and a love of country and a dedication to duty that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what made this country possible.

I HAVE held a job, Howard! What about you?"

For those who don't remember - During W.W.II, Howard Metzenbaum was an attorney representing the Communist Party in the USA

If you can read this, thank a teacher.... If you are reading it in English thank a Veteran.

Monday, February 6, 2006

I'm Sick!

Sick moose - Click image to download. I woke up this morning with a very bad sore throat.  I knew this was coming, I've been having a scratchy throat lately.  And the late hours I've been pulling this weekend have not helped.

I did manage to get in a three mile walk yesterday, that is the plus side to all this. 

Football helmets - Click image to download.Here in Germany we get the SuperBowl in "real time"  which means if we want to watch it, we are up late into the night. 

Three women - Click image to download.Three of us got together at Laurie's house last night to watch.  The festivities began here at around 11 pm (pre game stuff) and the game concluded around 4 AM.  It was an exciting game.  I'm not a big football fan, but I managed to stay awake for the whole thing.

Princess on bed - Click image to download.I'm going back to bed now.  All the water weight I gained while I was on TOM is gone and I'm at 215.2 this morning.   Be back tomorrow.

Sunday, February 5, 2006

Dinner was a smashing success!

Hearts

Dinner was pretty good.  The recipes all came from Cooking Light Magazine, either Nov 2005 or Dec 2005. 

The main course was Sweet Vermouth Chicken.  This was incredibly easy to make and the flavor was awesome. Definitely a new recipe that will be used over and over again. The per serving calorie count was 315.  For WW points it came to: 6.

Side dishes were Honey-Glazed Carrots. YUMMY!! Calories: 51 WW points: 0.

Basmati Rice (I had to substitute the rice, so I was not thrilled with the result... would not make this recipe again)

Mixed Salad with toasted walnuts  (cal: 55, WW points: 1) and Vanilla-Pear Vinaigrette( cal: 14, WW points: 0).  Another one that I would do again.

Flaky Dinner Rolls (cal: 160, WW points: 3).  I would definitely do this one again.

Champagne GlassesWinter Spiced Red Wine Sangria (the biggest hit of the night!) Cal: 149, WW points: 3.

Dessert was a hodge-podge affair, since I was unable to get all the ingredients I needed for my first choice.  We had cheesecake with raspberry sauce. Not a light dessert, but definitely good.

Hearts

 

We spent part of the evening doing facial masks (cooling, invigorating, etc) and doing manicures.  It was fun and relaxing and I think everyone had a good time.  I also gave each guest a picture of the six of us from Halloween that came out nice (I think it was in a previous entry here) plus a small valentine sampler (chocolates). Sweet Somethings

 

Wednesday, February 1, 2006

Breaking the Surface

Bitch. Please.I've had a headache for the last few days.  One of those that kind of sits at the back of your head just letting you know it's there, but not actually making it impossible to function.

Last night I went to bed at 9:00 pm because I just couldn't take the pain of my children's voices anymore (yes, they talk loud and it was making my head pound).   But instead of making it better, sleeping seemed to make it worse.  I woke up about midnight and was really wishing it would just go away.  As I lay there thinking, I began wondering if it might be a dehydration headache. 

My water intake has been a bit off this week since I've been kind of busy.  Since I figured it couldn't hurt, I got up and drank 16 ounces of water.  As time passed it seemed the pain eased just a bit and I was able to go back to sleep.  I woke this morning without the headache and at this point.. I'm working to keep myself hydrated.  Now, it may or may not have been the answer, I'm just so grateful to finally feel better that I figure it can't hurt to keep up with the water drinking.

 

So... all systems are go again and I'm feeling much better.  

Ready to take on Linda's challenge to not cheat this month.  :)

Little Hearts

And on a P.S. note with respect to the Valentine CD my hubby sent me.  The song "The Dance" while definitely a Garth Brooks song, was not done by him for my CD.  The singer was part of a Garth Brooks tribute album.  His name (I have since learned) is Tony Arata.