How Youse Talk?

In an aside, my BFF sent me this cool test on the NYTimes website - it was accurate for me!

SkinnyPizza & Gym Drought Begins

It's been three days since I went to the gym, and two days since exercising. I'm already embarking on a decline after barely hitting the two week mark. This is how I do. 

It's highly unlikely that I'll make it to the gym tomorrow on New Year's Eve and with vacation sadly coming to an end this week, it seems my resolution is doomed before the new year has even begun. 

Maybe I can make it Friday after work?

Today, I amazingly turned down an offer of Crumbs cupcakes - they're not my favorite anyway as I find them too sugary and I'm not keen on buttercream frosting. Why did writing that make me feel like a traitor? I'd still happily eat Crumbs but today, I tried to make up for yesterday's indiscretions and thought I'd try out SkinnyPizza (my sis offered mall to home delivery).

Here's dinner (after I helped myself, I remembered to take a picture):

I really wanted to like SkinnyPizza - they have many things going for them that I really appreciate, such as thin crust made with no preservatives or additives, organic, low calorie cheese and all natural toppings that are free of hormones and antibiotics. The business is environmentally conscious and its website conveys a genuinely progressive and healthy attitude. You have the freedom to construct your pizza however you'd like, and there are a lot of options to mess around with.

Here's the rub - it could be attributed to the delay between baking and eating, and the transport in the bitter cold, but this was some weak pizza. Also, a 100% whole wheat crust was chosen and maybe the standard crust would not have been so rubbery and soggy. I'm guessing in-store consumption would lend itself to a crispier experience. See, how many excuses I'm making- I really wanted to like this pizza! 

The sauce, veggie toppings and cheese were very nice - if I didn't know the cheese was lower calorie using part-skim milk, I wouldn't have guessed. However, the chicken topping was the most flavorless, tough, destined to be rejected pieces of chicken ever grilled into existence.

While I'm not likely to order SkinnyPizza again, I think this pizza is salvageable and could possibly be very good given these conditions - eat in the store (the take-out box is an innovative circular box that can be popped into the oven at home, but I was too lazy and hungry to wait to use it); don't order the whole wheat crust unless you know and are ok with what you're getting instead of good pizza - oops; SkinnyPeeps marinate or tenderize your chicken! The Buffalo Chicken topping adds flavor but the meat is still tough. Pending this, I'd go with other toppings.

At least eating this pizza helped me to stay within the bounds of myfitnesspal calories for today - not only because it was skinny but because I didn't feel like eating very much of it. Score!?

p.s. I'd like to say this helped me get pizza out of my system for a while but instead, I may wake up tomorrow craving to set right what today went wrong.

Keeping It Real

Feeling dejected about my unraveling earlier this day, I went back and reviewed my blog postings. Wow, while I kept up with exercising (sort of, cardio and not even strength) my nutritional input was highly suspect. Coldstone after the gym, chocolate cream pie, fried foods - it's no wonder I haven't seen more of a change in the past two weeks. In fact, I'm lucky I didn't head in the opposite direction towards the increasing side of the scale. It seems the exercise is the only thing that staved off holiday weight gain (at least until my calorie intake of the past 24 hours catches up to me). I guess there is a silver lining that blogging helped me to realize. Sadly, my metabolism isn't what it used to be and now, I can't expect to see results just because I'm exercising when I'm eating whatever I want, albeit in smaller quantities. Looking back at the blog photos was pretty funny and helped put things in annoying perspective.

Maybe I will get to the gym tomorrow and this fresh outlook will help me eat less cookies along the way.

p.s. I kept up with the blogging! Not everything I wanted to cover but it's something.

Hurling Myself Off The Wagon on Sabbath

Today marks two weeks since I started exercising and counting calories and in all that time I lost 2 pounds. TWO FREAKING POUNDS!!!!??? 

Granted, I don't have a gargantuan weight loss goal - more like 10-15 pounds and fat loss/building muscle. Yesterday's exercise session (35 arduous minutes on the treadmill at my sister's place) made 9 exercise days out of 13, yet I still look pretty much the same as I did two weeks ago. Although loved ones encouraged me to stay the course, I felt my will crumbling. 

Admittedly, my diet also hasn't been perfect but for the first time, I hadn't exceeded the myfitnesspal allotted calorie intake on a daily basis over a consistent period. Today, this came to a resounding rest (and not end, hopefully).

I could not motivate myself to get in the gym before it closed early. I concerned myself with other matters, such as this holiday gift of cookies open in the house:

This is like leaving around crack in a tin for a junkie. Look at the damage caused in mere minutes!

My particular undoing came in this form:

Years ago, the non-chocolatey items would have languished in cookie tins at our house, save an inexplicable interest by the elderly. But my tastes have matured considerably through the years, and consequently, I have gone through 14 of these damn cookies in the last 24 hours. Double digits may sound unreasonable, but they're so delightfully crisp and light! And buttery... And fat laden. It was like I was on a mission to undo thirteen long days on this one- and unlike the pains of the last two weeks, this I could accomplish effortlessly.

My madness did not end there. My Very Best Mummy Buddy and I hit up The Burger Spot, which is conveniently located on the same block as TCBY. We went, we saw and I plundered!!!

Our booty (and now, my booty) included their signature burgers on brioche buns, such as:

The Mexican burger topped with pepperjack, gaucamole, salsa and sour cream):

The Californian Turkey Burger, with avocado and this yummy thousand island sauce reminiscent of the Big Mac special sauce:

The Salmon Burger, with a slaw topping and herb sauce:

Salmon is supposed to be healthy right!? See here the goldeny, deconstructed, inside view:

Each delicious burger came with a side of fries, which can be upgraded to sweet potato fries. I prefer not to mix sweet with my savory but did throw in some sweet potato fries for variety. The fries came with this dipping sauce that seemed ranch dressing based:

Let's step back for a more complete picture!

Oh yes, and feast we did. If the grease from what I was ingesting could leak through multiple barriers, what kind of imprint would it leave on my insides?

Yet, I was undeterred. I moved on to dessert with ease. Frozen Yogurt is not a healthy alternative when your add-ins are heath bar crunch, chocolate chips, extra extra crunchies and copious hot fudge:

According to myfitnesspal, I exceeded my calorie allotment by 1,000, not including the extra extra crunchies for which I was unable to identify nutritional info.

And so endeth the 14th day. 

p.s. Talk about a setback.

Post-Christmas Slump (and eventual Gym Day 8)

Celebrated a phenomenal Christmas!

It was an ethnic food celebration including the tuna cutlets from my last post, chicken tikka masala and biriyani (fried rice). Dessert included cousin-made chocolate cream pie and bro-administered milk, dark and white chocolate fondue! I easily exceeded my calorie allotment according to the myfitnesspal app but it was a holiday complete with guilt-free lack of gym attendance because it was closed (as if I need an excuse not to go to the gym but it was liberating not to have to invent one).

We continued the festivities into the next morning with our slumber party peeps, who have since gone home. Now, I have no excuse not go to the gym which is open 24 hours today - but I'm not feeling it at all! I have lost all motivation! I've been gearing up without actually making any moves to go. 

Check out one of my most cool Christmas presents from my Brother Numsey:

(Cozy hugging) Hoodies with zippered pockets!

This TEC (Technology Enabled Clothing) hoodie, complete with zippered outer and inner pockets, truly is the "perfect workout companion" as described on TEC's website.

GREETINGS FROM SUPER COOL HOODIE!

They're a convenient and comfortable way for me to transport my gym essentials, including car keys, phone and iPod- I prefer my beat-up old iPod (also a Christmas gift from my bro years ago - best brother ever!!!) to storing music on my phone because the iPod holds a wealth of favorite workout tunes. I will get into motivating workout music, without which I am incapacitated from doing the treadmill, in another post. 

p.s. In non-startling news, I did not make it to the gym on Thursday. However, I forced myself to go on Friday and felt extra motivated wearing my TEC hoodie. Finally, I didn't have to check my pockets compulsively while at the gym to make sure things hadn't fallen out. This hoodie is better than a gym bag! 

I not only logged 30 min on treadmill (I definitely felt regression after enjoying two days off and eating large) but I stuck around for a Body Works Plus Abs group class that started less than ten minutes after I got off the treadmill. I wasn't keen on extending my workout by an hour (wish they offered half hour condensed versions of group classes - an hour is too long!!). However, I attended because I've been neglecting strength training to address my weakness and lack of muscle tone. It was rough making it through the class and I didn't complete the entire series of exercises/reps. I have a real issue with lunges, more specifically that I really hate doing them! I was also unable to hold a plank for more than ten seconds. This was discouraging, which should inspire me to keep at it, but I can't make any promises.

p.s.s. I followed up my extended workout by polishing off the leftover Coldstone Creamery ice cream in the freezer. 

Bad, very (deliciously) bad.

Coldstone is probably one of the worst things to eat if you're trying to lose fat and a 1/2 cup serving offers 240 calories and 13 grams of fat, 9 of which are saturated!!?? according to myfitnesspal- whoah, I should have looked that up before doing this:

This is the abyss which gazes back into my belly. 

Christmas Eve Tuna Cutlets (and Gym 7)

Felt very accomplished after making it to the gym on Tuesday before it closed at 2 pm for the holiday - got in 30 minutes on treadmill.

Later that afternoon, helped my Mummy prepare a household holiday treat - tuna cutlets. Here's a rough breakdown of the recipe (harassing your Mom to capture pictures, as I did, is not required):

1) Sauté onion, garlic and ginger:

2) Open giant can of tuna my Dad purchased from Costco:

3) Drain tuna and crumble into small pieces:

4) Add sautéed mixture to the tuna:

5) Add turmeric (looked like two teaspoons for giant tuna- actually 66.5 ounces in that can):

6) and some pepper and salt:

7) Add mashed potatoes (we used instant Idahoan) - enough to bind the tuna but not so much that you overwhelm the tuna-ness:

8) Add one egg white to moisten:

Hey, Mummy's egg shell cracked open in the shape of a heart!

9) That's me mixing - don't worry, I washed my hands!

Until we get this:

10) Mold the tuna into cutlets- we like ovals:

Going from this:

To this, took a while:

11) Beat egg whites for breading the cutlets (waste the yolks, sorry - apparently the yolks cause more volatility when frying):

12) Dip cutlets in egg whites and roll in bread crumbs. Usually we use seasoned Italian but this year, I wanted to try seasoned Panko to compare:

13) Have your Mom or other responsible adult deep fry until golden brown:

And voila! 

Panko on left was delightfully crispy, but Italian on right was more flavorful (probably because it has cheese as an ingredient and 200 more milligrams of sodium per serving than the Panko). So, I combined the two for the ultimate coating:

YUM! A tasty treat, especially freshly fried! I almost burned my tongue trying to eat them before they had cooled enough.

Merry Christmas and may your holidays be filled with sweet Mama-made delights (or the equivalent, although I'm not sure what that is)!

p.s. I have no idea what the calorie/fat count of these are and I don't care!!!!

Gym Day 6 & Backlog

This blog is so boring! I've fallen off in posting but not yet on the gym which is an achievement (yes, huge for me even if I'm only 8 days in). 

After not exercising and indulging in "good" eating the past weekend, I made it back to the gym on Monday. 

By "good," I mean thoroughly delicious but not consistent with waistline aspirations. The good eats included:

1) Homemade empanadas! 

I favored the chicken-stuffed (among beef and veggie/corn & cheese) because I've been trying not to eat mammals. I've been largely successful despite various lapses (I can't help but devour Tony Boloney's Signature Philly Cheesesteak in AC). 

2) Fresh Baked Pizza (I ate almost all the red before taking this photo but I ain't mad at the white/ricotta version either):

3) Barefoot Contessa's no-bake cake (Only after eating multiple slices, did I check this out on MyFitnessPal - crap, did each slice really have 386 calories and 28 grams of fat!???):

4) Utz Sour Cream & Onion Chips (the best kind of sour cream & onion chips) paired with a creamy mix of French Onion Dip & Olive Salsa - this concoction spontaneously formed on my plate and was magically delicious!

++

= IN MY MOUTH!!!

Other deliciousness included a most delectable Chocolate Almond Croissant from a french bakery in Queens (thanks to my dear friend SJ who picked up the last of the lot that day!) and a medley from Sanford's diner in Astoria - I would have taken pictures but I ate it too quickly. This gives me more reason to go back, for the sake of reporting of course. An item on my re-eat list includes the "Gouda Stuffed Duck Burger."

It was 2:32 am when I stopped writing and I never got to my point! Describing Monday's impromptu Vinyasa Yoga session will be relegated to the graveyard of stale blog topics in my head.

Gym Day 5 TGIF & Get Em Bodied

To be written! Peace!

Gym Days 3 & 4

They did happen! Again, just cardio on treadmill for 30 minutes each day including cool down. I've been skipping stretching because I've been squeezing the workouts into a packed schedule- that's not good cause that doesn't help address my lack of flexibility but does enhance my post-workout soreness. At least, I made it so I feel good about that.

While 4 days in the gym in the past 5 days feels like a huge accomplishment, I am discouraged because my pants aren't fitting any looser yet. Today, I insisted on wearing work pants that I used to fit into comfortably earlier this year- "used to" being the operative phrase. Pre-breakfast defiance at home cools at the office in the wake of lunch and a waistband cutting into your gut, the pain of which eventually leads to the undoing of not just the top but second button- the secrets I keep dreadfully in my seat.

I'm not sure I'll have the patience to stick to this if I'm not seeing immediate results. However, despite not losing more than a pound so far, I do feel a lightness in spirit each new day I follow through on my resolution - a high that lasts about 24 hours resulting from the act of exercising not only my body, but my will. It would be something to arrive at the day when I can actually trust the promises I make to myself... in my bikini. 

What's for dinner?

Low-fat, low-sodium Chicken burgers with avocado, spinach, tomato and "Mount Olive Bread & Chips" pickles! Thanks to the Top Chef in our family!

No bun, ketchup or mayo- the avocado added a delicious creaminess that surprisingly made me not miss my usually necessary condiments. If eating healthy could always be like this, I'd still eat dessert - let's not kid ourselves, but I could minimize the damage and still enjoy my meals immensely.

p.s. I was ketchup's biggest fan and now I know why - apparently half a teaspoon of sugar lurks in each old school packet of ketchup.

To demonstrate, BooBoo (just one of my beloved nephew's many nicknames, including Baba, Babart and Mr. Pants) has assisted his Dad in doling out 1 teaspoon of sugar which helps two packets of ketchup go down.

I would squeeze through those suckers at about a 1 ketchup packet:1 fry ratio, which amounts to packets in the double digits since I love my fries... So without realizing it, I was having ketchup as dessert?! I don't know about you, but I'd much rather have cake!