Focus on the Positive!

This blog is a lesson that I need to learn myself.  I'll start with a quote from my wonderful bootcamp coach, Lisa Jacobs

Sometimes we can be our own biggest critics. I don't know about you but sometimes the negative mantra tape plays over and over in my head "You aren't good enough, fast enough,cute enough, you don't try hard, I'm disappointed in you, why couldn't you do that etc"...
I hope you will start to change the words played over and over in your head this weekend to something like "I did it. I improved. I am proud. I am strong. I am powerful. I am wonderful. I am created exactly how I am suppose to be. I took the challenge and stepped up. I feel good" Tell someone in your life about what you did this past week and instead of saying "Yeah, but I was the slowest, sweatiest, biggest, worst etc" Say "I am proud of my hard work." Period.  See how it feels!

The idea for this blog came after having a conversation with Patrick (my husband) about body image.  I had just come in from the gym (at 6:45AM) and he said "Do you even realize how thin you are getting?"  and I immediately said "But look at my stomach! and my inner-thighs! and my butt!".  We continued the conversation while I was getting undressed and he asked me to say what I like about myself.  This is how the conversation went..."I like my stomach but only these exact 3 inches.  I like my legs OK...they are strong now but I hate this part.  My butt isn't bad...except for this part"  I could not say anything nice about myself without including an exception.    I didn't focus on my new muscles! or my increased stamina! or my smaller jean size!  or my better overall health!  We discussed how I need to make sure that I am not saying these things in front of the kids.  So that made me think about what I should be saying in front of my daughters. and to myself!  I could use some help with this!  But this is what I have come up with so far...

"I feel so strong!"  "I love to run" "Wasn't it fun to run down all those hills in San Francisco?" "Eating healthy makes me feel so good!" "I did about 40 push ups today!  Want to try some together?"

So my advice (from someone that is still learning...every day!) is to focus on your positive!  What would your biggest supporter say to you?  about you?  Turn off that negative voice!

and today....MOVE IT!  Just go.  Do anything. walk, run, dance, skip (yes. you can!  We do it in bootcamp and it is kinda fun...especially if you say 'lalalala" while you are skipping!)  You will thank me (and yourself) later!  really.  and please post a comment and tell me about it! 

and by the way, you look fabulous!

with love,

Laura

Recipes!!

I have been posting recipes on Facebook but thought that I would share them here...

I have been trying all kinds of new vegetarian and vegan dishes.  I usually post the recipe as it was given to me and then note any changes that I made.  Enjoy!!

Patrick's Homemade Veggie Soup

8 cups water -you can also use 4 cups of veggie broth and 4 cups of water but watch out for sodium
2 - 4 potatoes - diced
2 cups carrots - chopped
1 zucchini - diced
1 yellow squash - diced
a handful of fresh green beans chopped
1 can of kidney beans with juice
1 can petite diced tomatoes with juice
1 can sweet peas with juice
1 can of corn with juice drained
4 tablespoons of medium salsa

Boil the carrots and potatoes first. When they are cooked throw everything else in and simmer for awhile. You will be able to tell when it's done.

Laura notes: I don't use corn and rarely peas because I prefer everything fresh. I will use corn when it comes in season and we have left over cobs. I buy organic canned beans. The non-organic have extra disgusting crap. I have also used dry but you need to start the night before and soak them over night. It also makes about a billion beans. (I guess that I could freeze them?)

When I don't have salsa, I use cayenne pepper. I don't measure anything, (not even the list above - I just guessed for the benefit of the recipe) so I just sprinkle the pepper in. maybe a tsp?

I like things spicy (Patrick doesn't) so his recipe says 4 tablespoons. I use 8. at least.

I like potatoes but you could make it with less.

I think that's it.

Enjoy!!

Love, Laura

Pumpkin Spice Bread

From Vicky- thanks!

Here is the original recipe.

3 tbs ground flaxseed
1/2 c water
1 1/2 cups turbinado sugar
1/2 cu applesauce
1/2 cup canola oil
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp each cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, and ground ginger
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts

sprinkles of oats for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the flaxseed and water until thickened. Combine flax mixture in a large bowl with sugar, applesauce, oil and pumpkin. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, spices, baking soda, powder and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold in the walnuts. Lightly grease loaf pans. Divide into two regular 8 inch pans or four mini. If desired, sprinkel with oats or sugar. Bake large loaves for about 55 min and smaller for about 40. Let site for 20 minutes before removing from pan.

Here is how I changed it. I doubled the recipe. I used a rectangular cake pan. I used whole grain whole flaxseeds, raw sugar, double the applesauce and no oil, canned plain pumpkin and no nuts. I did not double salt.

It was very good!

Patrick's Mush Loaf

Makes a fairly small loaf. Need to double for the whole family.

1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1/2 pack of onion soup mix
15 oz package of mushrooms

Combine all except mushrooms in bowl and mix. Dice mushrooms finely, then add and mix thoroughly into dough-ish blob. Make into loaf, place in small pan. Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Tonight I added my salsa to my serving and it was great.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use Gold Medal all-natural)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar or raw sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon of nutritional brewers yeast (I bought it at whole foods - it adds protein)
1 beaten egg
1 cup skim milk
2 heaping tablespoons applesauce

I stir with a hand whisk until just mixed and cook.

that's it!

The kids eat them without syrup. We only let them have it on their birthdays and Christmas so they have learned to not need it. :)

Madeline does not like blueberries and Mekiah does so I add a few blueberries to some of the pancakes right after I plop them in the pan.

and not sure if it makes a difference but I make them on the small side.

Paella

Paella is the quintessential Spanish dish traditionally made with tons of seafood. But as a vegan cashews become the protein. You still get to enjoy the incredible depth of the flavor that goes along with the dish. Use a decent white wine here. When you're cooking with wine the flavor actually gets more intense rather than the opposite so take that into account when you're dumping Franzia into the dish.

1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
4 tbsp organic olive oil
12 oz organic brown rice
1 large carton organic vegetable stock
6 oz dry white wine
1 16 oz can organic chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
½ tsp dried tarragon
1 tsp dried basil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 red pepper, chopped
3 sticks celery, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, whatever is locally available, chopped
½ cup frozen peas
¼ cup broken cashew nuts
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a large, heavy saucepan fry the onion in 4 tbsp olive oil.

2. Add rice to the pot.

3. Add vegetable stock, wine, tomatoes, tomato puree, tarragon, basil, garlic, and oregano to the pot.

4. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Add peppers, celery, and mushrooms and cook for another 30 minutes until the rice is cooked.

5. Add peas, cashew nuts, salt, and pepper.

6. Heat through until peas are ready and serve.

I made this and it was good. Loved the tarragon flavor. Some changes...I cooked the rice ahead of time and I would add spinach and more veggies. and I have a question for my chef friends...I hate when the color cooks out of food. How do I keep the peas green and the peppers red but still have everything cooked?

Eggplant Musakka

(from my sister-in-law, Tabra - thanks!) 

10 Italian eggplant, sliced - I used 1 regular eggplant because I couldn't Italian (Chinese, Indian and Japanese - but not Italian)
4 to 5 Roma tomatoes sliced
1/2 cup fresh sliced parsley
1 cups sliced onions - I used a purple onion (they are pretty!) and diced it
1/4 cup sliced garlic
1 15 or 16 oz can chick peas (I used 2 cans organic)
1 serrano or jalapeno chopped and no seeds (I used a chili pepper)
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used regular)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1 16 oz can plain tomato sauce (I didn't love this part of it...may just leave out next time and use more tomatoes)
olive oil
salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss sliced eggplant with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tsp salt, spread on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Heat a saute pan and add 3 tablespoons olive oil, then add onions and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, next add chick peas and cook for another 5 minutes, set aside. In a deep baking dish begin layers the vegetables, sprinkle bottom of the dish with 2 tables spoons of the bread crumbs then a layer of eggplant, next a layer of tomatoes, sprinkle with parsley, add a layer of the onion mix and then a couple tablespoons of tomato sauce, season layer with 1/2 tsp salt and some black pepper, then repeat layer and top with tomato sauce and chopped chili. Mix remainder of bread crumbs and Romano cheese and sprinkle on top of baking dish. Place in a preheated oven at 450 degrees and cook for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving. Serve by itself or with grilled chicken or steak.

Next time: I am going to double the eggplant and add spinach and mushroom. Leave out the tomato sauce.

I ate this as my main dish. Patrick said that he would have liked it as a side dish and would have added rice. he picked the beans out of his portion and the kids did not like it at all. *sigh*

A healthy lifestyle...do it for yourself!

I heard this rather sad story from a friend.  She has an acquaintance that weighed over 400lbs and was constantly berated by her husband for being so heavy.  She had some type of weight loss surgery (gastric bypass or something similar) and lost a lot of weight.  She then had plastic surgery nips and tucks and now weighs 130lbs and can wear a bikini.  Is her husband happy now?  No!  Now he is upset because she is getting attention from other men.  He, now, constantly berates her for how she dresses and wants her to cover up her new body.  What a jerk.  I really hope that she continues her healthy lifestyle and ignores him.  or leaves him if that is needed.

The moral of the story is that you need to do this for yourself.  You can't rely on positive attention from other people or even the hope that "once I lose weight he/she will love me more or treat me better".  Cause it ain't (necessarily) gonna happen.

I am very lucky to have a large net of supportive family and friends but I, also, have people in my life that are negative and not supportive.  It would be very easy to listen to these negative voices and just give up.  "You are right, I can't do this"  "It's too hard" "I am being too restrictive...it will never work"  IF I was doing it for them.  I'm not.  I am being healthy for me.  I love the way that I feel.  I love being able to run (OK slow jog). and I love just being healthy.

So get out there and move!  Give up something unhealthy in your life.  Start with something small...like soda.  Just give it up cold turkey...you don't need it!  and once you accomplish that you will see that you can do anything.  You can choose to not have dessert.  You can choose to not eat crappy fast food.  It's not worth it!  But you are...you are worth the little bit of extra effort it takes to eat and move in a healthy way.  You will love yourself and the good people in your life will love you still.

Don't wait for Monday to start a "diet".  Just go for a walk today.  Eat healthy today.  Don't wait.

I know that you can do it.  and so do you!

Coming Out of the Closet

The other day I was talking with my sister.  Not the sister that has a blog and is not afraid to "put it all out there".  No, the other sister...the one that has quietly lost XX pounds.  XX pounds while working full-time and taking care of 3 boys, including a baby.  This sister gets up very early and works out before driving an hour to work a full day.  And she has made other significant life-style changes.  On her own...quietly. (the XX is because she really does not want to say how much she has lost)

This is what we were discussing.  Do we tell people how much weight that we have lost? 

But if we tell them...then they will know how much we used to weigh...and/or they will look at us and think "wow..xx pounds lost and she is still huge!" (that one is mine)  I think about this all of time.  Do I post the size of my new jeans? (but some people will think that is still huge!) Do I admit to how much I have lost? or worse..to how much I still want to lose?

I was walking for my coffee treat this morning and thinking about this dilemma.  I tried to think about what I would tell a friend if she did not want to tell the blog world how much she has lost because people will think "Wow! That much and she is still huge!".  

This is what I told me...First, you are not huge.  (I almost believe it!).  Second, what you have done is a major accomplishment!  You should be proud and you should be telling the world.  and finally, anyone that reads your blog is your friend and they wish you well. In fact, most of them are cheering for you.  On your wall, to your face or quietly to themselves.  Any one that is reading your blog that is not your friend...well who cares what they think!  and what are they doing here anyway?

So here is the latest update...from me anyway...I have lost 60lbs. If you want to know any other details...just ask...I will probably tell you.

If you want the update from my sister...you will have to ask her to come out of the weight loss closet!

Shit Happens

Cars die, husbands go out of town, people get sick, pets run away, hearts get broken...

Life just happens.  Not every day will be perfect.  You will hit speed bumps on your road to health.  You will have your resolved tested.  You will be sad or mad or depressed or all three.  You will feel like staying in bed all day (even though you can't sleep), you will feel like eating an entire bag of chocolate somethings.

You will just feel like giving up. period.

Don't!  Just Don't.  Nike tells us to "Just Do It"  Well I say...Just Don't Do It!  Just don't give up.  You can do this.  You can be healthy.  You can exercise and you can feel great.  You deserve it.  And you need to do it for you.

This has been a trying week for me.  One craptastic thing after another.  Seriously.  I feel like the Universe is testing me...and I am failing.  Miserably.  I haven't been to the gym in a week.  I have walked every day but not more than 2 or 3 miles.  I eat popcorn for dinner!  I haven't been sleeping...I have been crying.  In short...it suuuucks!

But it's time to snap out of it!  I'm going to pull up my big girl panties and deal!  This week will end...things will return to some semblance of order...or not.  But whatever happens I am not going to take it sitting down!

To quote my good friend, Whitney Pintello...

I am the shit, the bomb, the queen. In case you needed to know.

Yes, Whitney, you are!  and so am I and no one can tell us differently. 

So...gym, my love, I will see you tomorrow!