Tag Archives: nutrition

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12 Week Reward

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Well, after all the whining in my last post…IT HAPPENED! Twelve weeks and I made that 20 pound loss mark, 20.2 pounds actually. I am so beyond jacked!

I have four more weeks in my initial Noom registration. In that four weeks my goals are to lose five more pounds, to increase my two daily walks by 10 minutes for an extra 20 minutes a day, and to investigate some new diabetic-friendly recipes that are also calorie-friendly and Noom-friendly.

Anyway, today has been a very good day. Thanks for following along this journey, Dear Readers.

Meet me at the Kingdom.

Donna

PS. I am booked at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort French Quarter for my 65th birthday. Finally plan to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. It’s something to plan for, and something to help me stay on the straight and narrow.

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Shocked Back to Reality (Get Real)

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OK, here’s the deal. I stepped on the scale this morning, and received a huge shock. I have been living in denial…again. My weight has crept back up to an alarming number. I have been making some really lousy choices, and they have caught up with me. I love watching “The Real,” a talk show on the Fox network with a diverse group of young women. They hold each other accountable for “getting and being REAL” everyday.  I am going to GET REAL and hold myself accountable for every bite I take and for every step that I physically take.  I won’t do it to beat myself up; but to consciously make better decisions. I felt so good when I dropped some weight and was eating well and moving more; and I will strive for that again.

I had a doctor’s appointment scheduled for today. Just a routine check-up to get my high blood pressure meds renewed. I called this morning to double check on the time, and they have no record of an appointment for me.  Now I remember very well calling and making an appointment, but my doctor’s office recently moved. I’m just gonna chalk up the mix-up to their move. So I rescheduled. You see, I am prediabetic, so I always have my blood sugar checked when I go in. I have to make these lifestyle changes before I am a full blown diabetic on meds. For now it is controlled with diet and exercise. (How long is that gonna last, if I keep making bad choices?)  So…here I go again.

  1. No more sugar (I am a full blown sugar addict currently out of control) Help me, Jesus! And he will!
  2. Keep my portion sizes down (Aim to quit before I’m stuffed…eat to live, not live to eat)
  3. Lots and lots of veggies (Aim to eat veggies throughout the day, not just at dinner)
  4. Water and more water (Less coffee and more water)
  5. Walking a bit everyday (Even if it’s just back and forth in my porch, or around my house in the AC on high ozone days when my asthma kicks in)

I must admit, Dear Readers, that I am feeling a bit discouraged, but not defeated. As long as I keep do-ing, (To quote Yoda, “Do or do not. There is no try.”), I am not defeated. All prayers and words of encouragement are welcome.

Let me know what’s up in your life. Really, I want to know.  Blessings on you!

Donna

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Reason and Raving

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After much deliberation I have decided to keep the name of my blog as Donna’s Destination Disney.  Here are the reasons why:

  • As a member of the Disney Vacation Club, I plan/hope to get to a Disney destination every three years.  In 2015, I went to Walt Disney World for 8 glorious nights in October. In 2012, I went to Disney World for a week in December. In 2018, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, I hope to go to Disneyland Paris for 5 nights with the family in September.
  • The thought of visiting and walking around a Disney destination is great motivation for me to eat well and move more.
  • I am a mega Disney fan, so from time to time, I will post Disney related info, like…

Frozen Ever After and the new Soarin’ opened this week at EPCOT.  The wait for Frozen Ever After is over 3 hours long as I type this.  Holy cannoli!! I can hardly wait to ride those rides, yet there is no way I would stand in a three hour line to do so.  Geesh! What an exciting time at the Disney parks what with Shanghai Disney opening this month, too.

Now on a more serious note: the senate today voted down 4 pieces of legislation that would make it tougher to mass-shoot Americans.  Shame on them!!  I really do believe that those who voted down this legislation are representing the NRA, NOT their own constituencies.  Election time is coming and it’s time to take a stand voters; these NAY voters on this legislation have to go!

I believe in the right to bear arms. I do. If you need a pistol to feel safe in your own home, I have no problem with that. If you hunt and need a specific rifle to get it done, I have no problem with that. [I am a carnivore, too. ;)] But enough is e-bloody-nough! These assault rifles should not be readily available. And if you are on the terrorist watch list or the no fly list, you should have a hard time purchasing a gun. That just seems like common sense.

Thanks for letting me get that out of my system.

I am striving to eat better by planning our menus and by trying out HelloFresh, a home meal-delivery service.  Here’s what they say on their website:

1. We create amazing recipes. Each week our chefs create amazing recipes for you that are easy to prepare. Our meals are interesting yet simple. And we ensure that your diet is balanced and varied.

2. We do the shopping for you. Tired of wasting time at the grocery store? We do it all for you; from creating the recipes and planning the meals, to grocery shopping and even delivering all of the pre-measured ingredients right to your door!

3. Free Delivery! We deliver everything straight to your door, so you can skip the trip.

4. You prepare delicious meals in your own home. We are More Than Food. Quick and easy recipes, no fancy equipment or techniques, and no obscure ingredients. Our mission is to help you get nutritious and delicious meals on the table.

Sounds great, right? I’ll let you know what I think in a few weeks.  I am expecting my first delivery tomorrow.  I ordered 3 meals per week. I figure this will help us to try some new and interesting recipes for awhile.

As for exercise this week: I only made it to the Rec center on 2 days last week, but I did move around a lot more at home.  My walking buddy hurt her back, so she can’t come with me for awhile.  It’s so difficult to get myself up and out without her to hold me accountable. However, “I am responsible for me. I need to be the change I want to see.  I need to get up and walk.” Hmmm…not a bad mantra.

Today I got up and emptied out my closet, because there is a leak in our air conditioner in the attic and the entry to the attic is through my closet ceiling. The leak is bad enough that there is water pouring into our guest room.  Yuk! I think I walked a mile back and forth with all my stuff: clothes, books, pictures, memorabilia, etc… I was sweating like I’d had a full body workout, and now I have the aches and pains to prove it.  My walking for today will be a run to the grocery store to finish out our week of grocery needs.

Then we need to batten down the hatches, because the weather is supposed to get ugly all day tomorrow, thunderstorms, possible tornadoes and much heavy rain. Help me, Jesus!

That’s about it for today.  Thanks for reading and following me on this journey of my senior-citizen life.  You, dear reader, are precious to me.

Donna

PS: I am LOVING the Grandma gig! My grandbaby Ida is so amazing! I can hardly wait to hold her again. She’s already 4 and a half weeks old. She has a head of beautiful dark hair. She likes to hear singing (especially her mama’s voice). She’s learning so much everyday. *happy sigh* My heart is so full, as I see pictures of her growing. I am so very thankful!

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Adventures in Cuisine

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Meatless Monday ended up being Meatless Saturday, which was a blazing 90+ degrees with high humidity and ozone warnings. We had Chef Salads, and although our meal was meatless, I did include half a hard-boiled egg in each salad and a few cubes of cheddar cheese for protein. I had made Chunky Vegetable Chowder on Friday to have with our Friday Hammy Sammys, so we had the leftover chowder with our salad. Here’s the recipe. It makes a lovely summery, veggie soup.

Chunky Vegetable Chowder from Betty Crocker 30 Minute Meals for Diabetes

6 large servings 3 carbohydrate choices

Ingredients:

  1. 1 tablespoon butter
  2. 1 medium green bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
  3. 1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped (1 cup)
  4. 8 medium green onions, sliced (½ cup)
  5. 3 cups water
  6. ¾ pound small red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces (2 ½ cups)
  7. 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme OR 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  8. ½ teaspoon salt
  9. 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
  10. 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
  11. 2 cans (14.75 oz each) cream-style corn

Directions:

  • In 4-quart Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onions; cook 3 minutes stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in water, potatoes, thyme and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer about 10 minutes or until potatoes and tender.
  • Stir in remaining ingredients; cook about 1 minute or until hot (Do not boil, or it will curdle).

Seriously, get this cookbook, Betty Crocker 30 Minute Meals for Diabetes.  It is fabulous!!

In an effort to educate our palates and try some new things to keep some spice in our marriage 😉 Mike and I made a curry together for the first time ever. Yes, we cooked it together. I found a relatively easy recipe at verucaspice.com. Here’s the recipe…and, oh yeah, it was delicious!

Indian Chicken Curry by Nirali Patel at verucaspice.com

4 Servings

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pound chicken breasts, cubed to bite size
  2. 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  3. 1-8 oz can tomato puree
  4. ½ a red onion, fine chopped (1 cup)
  5. 1 heaping teaspoon fresh grated ginger
  6. 1 heaping teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  7. 1 Serrano chili, finely chopped (optional)
  8. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  9. 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  10. 1 teaspoon ground garam masala
  11. ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  12. ½ teaspoon red chili powder to taste
  13. Juice of ½ a lime
  14. Salt and pepper to taste
  15. A little over 1 cup of water

Directions:

  • Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and fry until they are golden for 6-7 minutes.
  • Add ginger and garlic and fry for 30 seconds, reducing heat to medium.
  • Add tomato puree and continue to cook for 6-7 minutes until a lot of the water has evaporated and oil starts to seep through the mixture.
  • Add spices (except garam masala). Fry spices in mixture for about 5 minutes.
  • Add cubed chicken and stir, coating all pieces.
  • Add the water and stir well. (Stir in the Serrano pepper here, if you choose to use it.)
  • Cook, partially covered for 10 minutes until chicken is cooked through. You can uncover and let moisture cook out if you wish.
  • When at desired consistency, add garam masal, lime juice, salt and pepper.
  • Enjoy!

I know it looks complicated, but it really wasn’t. And it was so tasty, and not at all spicy hot. I don’t think I’ve ever had the spices turmeric or garam masala in my kitchen before.  Turneric is so pretty…and tasty.  We didn’t use the optional Serrano pepper, but we will try it next time. Mike likes spicy hot foods, and I’m willing to try it once anyway.

As for progress on the rest of my quest: Joan and I have now been to the Rec Center to walk for 4 days.

  • Day one-I walked 4 times around the track…thought I was gonna die!
  • Day two-I walked 5 times around the track…pretty sure I did die for a minute there. 🙂
  • Day three-I walked 4 times around the track and quit because it was 90+ degrees and humid out, and I was going grocery shopping from the Rec center. I was fairly OK after the Rec Center, and circling around a stroke after grocery shopping.  I will not push that hard on such a hot and humid day again!
  • Day four-I walked 7 times around the track. After six laps I felt really good so I thought, “What the heck; I’ll do one more lap.” Then after my seventh lap, my feet, knees and back were VERY unhappy.

Tomorrow will be Day 5 at the Rec Center. I plan to be in the moment (not just thinking about getting it over with), and I will listen to my body, stopping at the first sign of actual distress.  And hey, 13 laps is a mile, so I made it over a half mile yesterday. Woop!!

Thanks for reading, dear friends! God bless your day

Donna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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A Miracle

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Hello Dear Readers,

Welcome back! I want to share something that happened to me several years ago. On a spring day, I attended a half-day women’s retreat at the Chicago Botanic Gardens. If you’ve not been to the Chicago Botanic Gardens, it is a lush, green, stunningly beautiful place to walk and wander amid the scent of the flowers and plants surrounding you. I highly recommend it as a place of quiet meditation, or as a place to contemplate nature at its manicured finest!

Anyway…about a dozen women met there at 9:00 am. We chatted together for a bit then were sent off to write down our thoughts in several areas of the Gardens.  We met back at 10:00 am and then again at 11:00 am to share our thoughts. Then we met at noon in the cafeteria for lunch and wrap-up.

At one point in the morning, we were sent off to find a quiet place to to sit and pray and then to pick a question out of our retreat booklet to answer.  I chose: “What type of a plant are you.” I thought, “What is this Barbara Walters?” It was one of her favorite questions when interviewing celebrities. (Actually it was, “What kind of a tree are you?”) Here is what I wrote after my prayer time:

“In the precious garden where God’s human’s handiwork is seen, where do you see you? Are you the prairie grass standing tall, stretching up and up to praise God and feel the warmth of the Son? Do you bend gently with the wind in joy at your freedom? Do you bend sharply in the bluster of winter?”

“Who are you?”

“Are you the willow, long and slender, reaching up for the heavens, then dropping down to caress the waters of the earth? Do you dance and sway to nature’s music?”

“What, in nature, are you?”

“Are you the rose, vermillion in your beauty and splendor? Do you bloom under God’s watchful eye, pleasing those around you and hiding your prickles in shadows?”

“Me? I am the English Oak. Solid…sturdy…stocky. Yes, I bend with the wind, I, too, dance and sway for my creator. But my roots go down deep. My roots grow down, down, down into the solid packed earth, gripping rocks and soil to stay rooted. Rooted in God’s Word.”

“In God’s garden, there is room for all. Each of us on our own path, yet each of us is designed as part of one plan. Too small and busy are we to see the whole garden, but we can believe the One who holds the whole garden in his hands.”

That’s it, and believe it now more than ever. If we are just content to bloom where we are planted and then trust God for the rest, we live our lives in perfect peace. I am where I am because of God’s plan and my own choices.  And right here and right now God can use me for his purposes.  And wants to use me AND you, too.

And here’s the miracle: when we gathered back to share which question we had chosen the ladies read, one by one, the question they had chosen and their thoughts and meditations. When it came to my turn, I kept flipping back and forth to find the question that I had answered. (“What type of a plant are you?”) Hmmm…even though I had read and reread that  question many times in my meditation, it was nowhere to be found in the retreat booklet. God let me see the question that I needed to answer. I am still humbled and in awe of this simple gift God gave to me on that morning. God is good!

Blessings, my peeps.

Donna

PS: I rejoined the Rec Center and plan to meet my friend Joan there three days a week to walk.  I know I could step out my door and walk, but with the heat of summer and the poor walking condition that I am in, the Rec Center is a better option.  I can do a lap and then sit to recover, then walk another lap, sit to recover, etc… Also I have started planning better meals and cooking with purpose again. And on Saturday I will make my first Indian dish, “Indian Chicken Curry-Quick and Easy” recipe by Veruca Spice. Check out the website at http://www.verucaspice.com. Really good stuff for expanding the palate!

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New Beginnings

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Here I am again, Dear Readers.  I will change the name of my blog when I figure out how to do so.  Maybe “Destination Donna” or “Notes on the Way to a Healthier Me” or “Donna’s Life-As She Sees It.”  Please weigh in on that.  I’m looking for ideas.

I hope to blog at least once a week, or as the Spirit inspires. so here goes…

I officially retired on January 1, 2016. I was given the last two weeks of December 2015 off as a bonus. I thoroughly enjoyed those last two weeks in December. Mary Ann (our kitty) and I had a wonderful time looking at all the colored lights and ornaments on our Christmas tree. Some days I didn’t even get dressed. I was in recovery from 15 years on the job and those same 15 years of sleep deprivation. It was glorious!
But those two weeks bled into the next two weeks…and then the next two weeks…and then the next two months…until five months later I have packed on 40 of the pounds I worked so hard to lose for our Florida trip last October.
So…here I go again.  I am reworking my goals:
1) Eat healthier more diverse and interesting meals. (Introducing maybe some Indian cuisine into our diets and researching Mediterranean cuisine). In general I tend to be nervous about trying new things, but it’s time to branch out.
I will be inspired by my mum who as a young bride tried daily to bake bread for her handsome soldier newly from the Army. There was a veritable graveyard of loaves of bread buried in their backyard from her failed attempts. 🙂 But she persisted. I will follow her lead and dive boldly into the fray!
2) Institute “Meatless Mondays” whereby (inspired by my vegetarian daughter and her vegetarian, gourmet cook of a husband) Mike and I strive to eat meat-free one day a week. Thus giving a gift to the environment (the planet) and giving a rest to our digestive tracts which spend much time breaking down meat.
3) Take a walk everyday, no matter how small. My joints are sore. I have a bad hip and a bad knee and a bad foot; and I think they actually got so bad from my sedentary lifestyle.
4) Pick one bit of housework to do every day, again, no matter how small. It is time to go through the piles upon piles of stuff gathering in every nook and cranny of our place.
That’s enough goals for now. I want to work my way to a healthier me, slow and easy. I want to make the most of the years I have left on this mortal coil. (However many years they may be.) And along the way there will be some fun things to enjoy, like maybe a family trip to Disneyland Paris, or another trip to be with our new grandbaby Ida May (She is a treasure beyond price!),  her mum and dad, too…and Herbie the wonder whippet.
So here we go, dear readers. Follow along if you wish, and thank you for the encouragement you’ve always give me along the way. Blessings on you.

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The Final Countdown Begins

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Day 420 in my meandering my way to Mickey

Today I received and email from Disney Destinations.  It is titled, “About your Disney Resort hotel arrival!” Woop woop!  It contains:

  1. Info about the 3-bedroom grand villa that we are staying in at Disney’s Old Key West Resort.
  2. A recreation calendar during our time there.
  3. Info on turning our vacation into a celebration at the resort.
  4. A couple warnings (the monorail is being worked on, Downtown Disney has construction going on)
  5. A reminder about Disney Vacation Club Member perks.
  6. And some transportation reminders.

Gosh, it’s so-o-o-o close now.  A mere 10 days away.  I started planning my packing today.  I’ve put some things aside, so I can find them when I pack in earnest next weekend.  I am so pumped that we will all be there soon!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

Shout out to Trudy, who had a birthday yesterday!  Love you, Sister!  AND Shout out to Emi, who became a British citizen this week.  Congratulations, dear daughter!  Poppa and I couldn’t be more happy for you!

 

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Back on the Wagon

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Day 418 in getting back on track on my way to meeting up with my main mouse Mickey!

I am back on track and moving forward.  I woke up early and walked this morning.  I felt invigorated as I walked to Baby by Justin Bieber (Come on now; don’t be a hater.) and Bang Bang by Jessie J, Ariana Grande and Nicki Minaj.  I actually danced part way home to Bang Bang.  🙂

The baked pumpkin last night was delicious!  I highly recommend it, during this pumpkin-y time of year.  Here’s the recipe again: 1 small baking pumpkin; olive oil; sea salt; pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves); brown sugar (I omitted the sugar and it was still scrumptious!).  Cut your pumpkin in half. Scoop out all the seeds and guts.  Cut the pumpkin into 1-inch slices.  Oil both sides lightly. Put on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt, pumpkin pie spices (and brown sugar). Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  (Or a bit longer if you want them really mushy-soft.)  Peel off the skin as you eat it.  SO GOOD!

I’ve had a sugar-free, healthy choices kind of food day today, so I’m feeling pretty content.  And it’s only 12 days until we fly off to Walt Disney World.  I am feeling very blessed and extremely excited!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Doh!

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Day 417 in some bad choices on my way to meeting Mickey (13 days to go)

I succumbed to my dark side today.  On the way to work I pulled into Dunkin Donuts for a dark roast coffee, but I drove out with a Pumpkin Macchiato.  Why did I do it?  I do not know.  I just wanted it and made that choice.

The problem with making one bad choice in the morning is that it makes it all the easier to make more bad choices as the day progresses.  Once I drank that much sugar, I craved more sugar by the end of the work day.  So…when I picked up a salad from Potbelly for Mike and I to share with our baked chicken tonight, I also picked up 2 chocolate brownie cookies.  Then I promptly ate them.  Argh!

So tonight for dinner I am back on the wagon.  I’m trying something new tonight.  I picked up a small baking pumpkin, sliced it into 1-inch slices, sprinkled it with olive oil, then added pumpkin pie spice and sea salt.  The recipe called for brown sugar, too, but I’m going to try it without.  Enough is enough with the sugar already!

Here’s to better choices and a healthier day tomorrow.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Working To Play

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Day 416 in getting ready to meet Mickey (14 days to go)

Today I started the difficult task of working ahead on the job, so I can have as much done as possible before we go to Florida just 2 weeks from today!!  We will be there for eight nights, so with travel days, that makes nine days away from the office. Even though it is really only six “work” days I’m missing, there is a lot of work to get ready before we go.

  1. Work on the November newsletter
  2. Prepare mailings that must go out while I’m away
  3. Get church bulletins ready for two extra Sundays
  4. Get church announcements ready for two extra Sundays
  5. Prepare prayers and lessons for two weeks out
  6. Arrange for some office coverage each day I’m away
  7. And…and…etc…etc…

I did manage to eat well today, and I am sugar-free.  I didn’t get a walk in, because I slept through my alarm.  I will get up early tomorrow and tackle a walk again.  I did walk around more than usual at work today though.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: Happy birthday, Dear Kirk (nephew extraordinaire)!  And happy National Coffee Day, Dear Readers!