Challenge 1 Day 54

I am so ready for this challenge to be over!!! I am sick of logging my food in the spreadsheet and SparkPeople. Once this is over, I'm not using the spreadsheet any more. It's ridiculously redundant. I'll make up a new one just for weight and measurements, that's more detailed than Spark offers.

Food was good, I think. I don't usually have fruit right before bed, but the only other choice was candy.

cottage cheese
apple

cottage cheese
apple
coffee w/ cream

baked eggs w/ onion & green pepper, parmesan cheese
coffee w/ cream

pork rinds

carrots
tuna w/ mayo & mustard

chicken
mashed cauliflower w/ cream cheese

apple
cottage cheese

Calories - 1667
Carbs - 127 (18 fiber)
Protein - 168
Fat - 53
Ratio - 30.7/40.5/28.8

Challenge 1 Day 53

I changed the incline of the treadmill so I'm now walking/jogging flat instead of at an incline. Much better. I don't feel like my heart is going to burst out of my head and my head is going to pop off by the time I finish my last set of intervals. I'll try to increase the incline before the end of the challenge.

Food was so-so today. I didn't eat much, because I got a late start with breakfast, and my afternoon meal was interrupted. I did have the most fantastic chicken & pasta lunch though!!

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ light cream

whole wheat pasta
baked chicken breast
light creamy Caesar dressing

carrots
cottage cheese

tilapia w/ homemade tartar sauce
spaghetti squash w/ sliced onions

That's it. I have a massive headache so I'm going to bed.

Calories - 1287
Carbs - 124 (18 fiber)
Protein - 139
Fat - 33
Ratio - 36.8c/41.2p/22f

Challenge 1 Day 52

Good day, overall. It's getting late so I'm just going to post today's menu. I switched to light cream in my coffee.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

egg mates w/ green pepper, onion, garlic, cheese

ground turkey
carrots

chicken sandwich (wheat & fiber bread)
coffee w/ cream

cottage cheese

Calories - 1530
Carbs - 106 (14 fiber)
Protein - 172
Fat - 50
Ratio - 27.1c/44p/28.9f

Challenge 1 Day 51

There's a reason cardio on the treadmill was kicking my ass. I had the incline as steep as it would to. The incline has to be changed manually, by pulling out pins in the legs and raising or lowering the base. I have been walking uphill for a week. No wonder it sucked. Now, I have to decide whether I should put it flat or leave it alone, since I can do the 20 minutes BFL-style.

Food was really good today. I'm moving back into lower carb, and I hope to get down to about 100 grams of carbs per day. There is no way I will ever be super strict about carbs. I still have nothing against plans such as Atkins, but I'm too impatient to follow the carb ladder and don't want to give up rice and beans. Especially beans, now that I've rediscovered them. So I'm basically going to try portion control and common sense, with some lower fat products (low fat cream cheese, mayo, and cream mainly). I've also decided that I want to enjoy desserts now and then, and I don't really care which plan the recipe comes from. If it's low carb, great. If it's low fat, great. As long as it tastes good and I don't eat the whole damn thing, I'm fine. I'm not in a hurry to lose the weight.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

tuna salad

ground turkey
steamed cauliflower & broccoli

15 bean soup w/ beef
coffee w/ cream

colby cheese

Calories - 1745
Carbs - 120 (38 fiber)
Protein - 155
Fat - 71
Ratio - 27.6c/35.7p/36.7f

15 Bean Soup is to die for!!!!

I bought a one-pound bag of dry beans for 15 Bean Soup. Per half cup:

120 calories
1 g fat
20 g carbs (9 fiber!!!!!!!!!)
8 g protein

It comes with a packet of seasoning.

I soaked the beans overnight, then drained and rinsed. Simmer for about 90 minutes. I then added them to the slow cooker, which had some cut up chunks of lean beef in about 8 ounces of tomato sauce. Stir in the seasoning packet and cook on low until the meat is very tender.

This is the best comfort food ever!!! I wish the weather were a bit colder because this really would have hit the spot! I can't wait to make it again.

Mashed Winter Squash

I use butternut, acorn, and buttercup squashes to make these recipes. It's quick and easy and usually pretty tasty.

First, I cook up the squash, same way for any variety:

Cut in half with large knife. Scoop out seeds. Place in microwave-safe baking dish, with cover if possible. If you don't have a cover, use plastic wrap to cover the squash. Microwave for 6-10 minutes, depending on the size of the squash. You want the "meat" to be fork tender. I usually let it cool a bit, then scoop as much of the insides as possible into a large bowl. Then I add any (or all) of the following, depending on what I have in stock:

1/4 cup cream
1/4 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise

Mix it all really well, with beaters or potato masher.

You can also add spices, such as garlic powder, onion powder, seasoned salt, adobo, sazon, whatever you like. If I don't use any of the seasonings, I'll top it with brown sugar. If I use seasonings, I top it with grated parmesan cheese.

After everything is mixed, I pour it into a casserole dish and bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.

Challenge 1 Day 50

I was wrong. Mark it down, folks. It's a rarity that I admit error. Yesterday I said I was out of bagels and English muffins when, in fact, there was 1 English muffin left. So I ate that this morning to get rid of it. Now, I am out of bagels and English muffins. If I need a bread, I'll make a flax wrap/muffin or use the double fiber wheat bread we keep around.

apple
cottage cheese
coffee w/ cream

eggs ("fried" in non-stick spray)
English muffin

salad w/ ground turkey

carrots
cottage cheese

mashed butternut squash
round steak
coffee w/ cream

Calories - 1671
Carbs - 111 (17 fiber)
Protein - 144
Fat - 76
Ratio - 26.1c/33.8p/40.1f