Awareness and Monday

A couple of weeks ago, during the Biggest Loser episode in Dallas, Bob shared some advice with a woman who asked about losing "those last 5 pounds": be really aware of every calorie in to help limit those unnoticed extra calories that sneak up on us. You know the ones - the overflow of a 1/4c of oatmeal here, an extra dip in the PB jar there, and before you know it you're confused about why something feels snug despite eating healthily overall.

For the last week or so, I've been struggling with a couple of things. I am stressed out about a few things I'm dealing with right now and I am also frustrated about feeling good and healthy, except for my foot, and wanting to work out but still can't... unless I want to exacerbate my injury and spend more time in the boot.  I've been struggling with my inability to workout how I normally / used to and how I feel that it is affecting my body. Throw on top constant weather warm-ups and cool-downs and I find myself grazing a bit more these days. Especially on munchy items like cereal and the TJs roasted crac almond butter. Of course, just in time for the summer...

For the past couple of weeks I've been going to the gym again for pilates and water aerobics and lifting weights at home. Of course, I walk at least 2 miles a day commuting to work but there's lots of sitting in between. My goal for this week is to be more aware of my eats and more importantly: my grazing because that's where I know I'm getting lazy. I also am going to think about the things I can do and remind myself that this is temporary and my foot must heal properly. I struggle with patience, can you tell? :)

Anyways, last night's dinner was an attempt to use up some left overs. I mixed a generous 1/4c of each: brown rice and black beans with a couple of spoonfuls of salsa, a handful on spinach on its last leg, and the final bit of fajita veggies. Plus, the most fantastic, fun vegetable ever: an artichoke. These were such a favorite of mine as a kid. I used to try to con my mom and dad out of their artichoke hears too - mmmm, sooo good. I sprinkled this with TJs 21 Seasoning Salute and had maybe a 1/4 tsp melted Earth Balance for dipping but dumped out half of the butter.

Dessert was a pear w/ AB and cinnamon and a 1/4c of some sliced pineapple. I purchased one yesterday on sale and it is juicy and flavorful. I'm very excited to have this on hand this week! Oh, then there was cereal....

It's another rainy, cool Monday morning so I kicked it off with an egg white and a nice pink bowl of hot cereal. In the mix:

• 1/4c minus 1.5 tbsp BRM hot cereal
• ~1.5 tbsp roasted buckwheat
• 1/4c unsweetened almond milk
• 3/4c water
• cinnamon, small bit of Earth Balance
• 1/2T chia seeds, 1/2T PB, ~1/4c frozen mixed berries
• pinch of almond slices, crushed
• 7 or 8 cacao nibs (small pinch)

Here's to a positive, busy, good week!