Tag Archives: nutrition

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Same Ol’, Same Ol’

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Day 160 in my rambling on as I wait to meet Mickey

True confession time: it’s one of those days when I am seriously UNinspired.  I’m not blue or struggling or giving up.  I just can’t seem to give a rip today.  So my plan is to stay sugar-free, eat healthy, balanced meals and move around as much as possible.

See, I told you, nothing new and exciting today.  Just the same ol’, same ol’.

So I’ll share a memory with you.  It’s one that comes back to me often, so it had a profound impact on me at the time.  Our family was visiting some family friends at their camp.  I was about 10 years old at the time.  I was swimming with their daughters and having a wonderful time in the river.  When we came up to eat lunch, I overheard someone say to my mom, “Donna has quite a little figure developing.  You’re going to have to keep a close eye on her.  She’ll be getting all sorts of the wrong type of attention.”  Now at 10 years old I had no idea what “the wrong type of attention” was, but it didn’t sound good, so I made sure to wrap a towel around myself to cover up.  Was I doomed?  Was there no way to avoid this “wrong type of attention”?

Well, I don’t know, but I do know that I sabotaged that figure before the “wrong type of attention” could kick in.  🙂  It’s so strange to think about how powerful words can be, hey?

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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…Early to Rise

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Day 159 in my meal planning to get ready to meet Mickey at the Magic Kingdom

Today’s plan was to get up early and prepare a crock pot meal before I left for work.  I put together a pot roast: potatoes, carrots and water in the bottom, the browned, seasoned roast next, onions on top.  I can hardly wait to get home and open my front door.  I know it will smell delicious!  I’ll serve the meal with a salad and whole grain bread.

I like the challenge of balancing what is on my plate: half vegetables, one quarter meat (about 4 ounces), and one quarter grain/potato/rice, etc…

The tonight I want to do some more Disney research.  It pumps me up and makes me want to stay the course.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I lost a dear friend yesterday.  She valiantly fought a voracious cancer.  She is in glory, and I am thrilled that she is beyond pain and suffering.  But, Betty, you will be missed!

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Planning for Success

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Day 158 in my tasty travels to meet Mickey at Walt Disney World

Today’s plan is to get back to some serious menu planning.  I need to get back to lean proteins, whole grains,  lower glycemic index choices, fruit and many, many vegetables.  So tonight I will plan out the next week, looking through my (low sugar) recipes.  Then I’ll put together a shopping list for this weekend.

On the menu for tonight: Weight Watcher’s Chili.  This is an old recipe that I picked up back in the 70’s.  🙂

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pound of ground turkey (or chicken or beef or soy mince)
  2. 1 small to medium chopped onion (depending on how oniony you like it)
  3. 2 to 3 cloves of chopped garlic
  4. 1 large can/bottle of tomato juice (I always pick low sodium or no salt added for juices and veg)
  5.  spices to taste (I use chili powder, red pepper, black pepper, oregano, basil, marjoram)
  6. 1 can dark red kidney beans
  7. 1 can black beans
  8. 1 can wax beans
  9. 1 can French cut green beans
  10. 1 can bean sprouts
  11. 1 can diced tomatoes
  12. 1 small can mushrooms
  • Brown the onion and garlic in a little oil
  • Add the meat and brown.  (If you use soy mince, add it after the tomato juice)
  • Add the tomato juice
  • Season with your spices of choice
  • Drain all canned veg (except diced tomatoes) and add to soup
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Then simmer for 20 minutes to an hour.

It’s so tasty!  And even better the next day.  It freezes well, so it makes several meals for Mike and I.  Yum!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Energized at Last

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Day 153 in my efforts to get healthier to meet Mickey

My plan for today was to do the big grocery shopping on my own, after work, in subzero temps.  And I did it.  It took me over an hour to get all the things on the list.  And the good news is I had energy to spare.  I felt great.  My knees didn’t ache.  My hip wasn’t screaming.  By back was fine.  I have to tell you 37 pounds ago, that would not have been the case.  Thanks to this journey I’m getting my life back, and I like it!

Once I got the groceries put away, I prepared lemon-pepper shrimp with brown rice and steamed broccoli for dinner.  People, it was delicious!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Winter Wonderland Woes

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Day 152 in my trek to meeting Mickey

Today’s plan was to batten down the hatches and make it through this impossibly wintry day.  The temperatures this morning were subzero with wind-chills in the ridiculous range.  Then it warmed up to above zero at about noonish so the snow could begin.  At 2:30, my boss said to go home before the weather got any worse.  So I drove through whiteout conditions on ice covered roads.  I literally inched my way home  To quote a cartoon that I saw on Facebook this morning, “My face hurts.  Why do I live in a place that makes my face hurt?”  I know there has to be something wrong with being so crazed about driving in this weather.  It points to a lack of faith…or…is it common sense?

Anyway I made it through, and I am home.  I can heat up some roasted red pepper and beef soup for dinner with a nice crunchy bread.  And then just because we have them, I will boil us each (Mike and I) a Vollwerth’s natural casing hot dog or two.  Oh, yeah, we are comforting eating tonight.  Plus we’ll have plenty of fresh veggies to compliment the meal.

Jarvi, out.   Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Things Are Looking Up

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Day 151 in my trek toward Mickey

1) Fever…gone!  Hallelujah!  I still feel exhausted, but the fever has not returned.

2) Stomach-still some issues.  But it is definitely getting better.

So my plan for today was to go back to work, stay sugar-free, eat healthy and put some extra steps in my day.  Mission accomplished.  Mischief managed.

It is several degrees below sanity outside here today.  It’s the type of day that just getting up and out the door, making your way to work, putting in your day, hitting the grocery store for a bit, and traveling back home feels like a MAJOR accomplishment.  So I feel good about this day.

I had to hit the grocery store, because we literally had nothing in the house for dinner but three bread crusts and a half stick of oleo.  🙂  It’s lousy to be sick for so long.  You eventually run out of food.

Anyway…things are looking up here at the Jarvi household.  Slowly, but surely, we are feeling better.  PTL!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Encountering Mickey

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Day 148 in my quest to encounter Mickey

Today my plan was to research and figure out where I will meet up with Mickey in October, so this is it.  On October 14, 2015 (Lord willing and the creek don’t rise) I will meet up with Mickey in the Magic Kingdom at the Town Square Theater.  I am so-o-o-o excited when I envision it.  Me: “Thank you, Mickey, for inspiring me to get healthier this past year!”  Mickey: Silently nods head and shakes my hand.  Me: “Mickey, you have been a true friend.”  Mickey: Silently nods and rocks back and forth from foot to foot.  Me: “OK, g’bye, Mickey.”  Mickey: Silently gives me a hug and waves goodbye.

I guess it’s a good thing they aren’t allowed to talk.  How would they ever do the voice, right?

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Facing the Music

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Day 147 in my disco-dance to Disney and my marvelous mate (the British word: mate, as in friend) Mickey.

Today’s plan was to assess the damages.  Now that the holidays are behind me, I had to face the music.  Yes, I was careful, more careful than I have ever been during the holidays.  BUT I was far from perfect.  So I bucked up my courage and stepped on the scale this morning.  After all, I need to know where I am, so I can dig back in, right?  I was so nervous.  Would this be my first gain in nearly 5 months?  Would I step off the scale in tears after swearing up a storm?  Would I have to break out the next size up…again?

Wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles…I actually lost weight over the holidays!  Woo hoo!!!  Now I am down 36.8 pounds from the beginning.  That’s another 3.5 pounds since I weighed myself on December 11.

I am so chuffed.  It makes me want to keep on keeping on.  So come on 2015, let’s dance!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Salad and Swimming

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Day 136 in my quest to be at my best when I meet up with Mickey

I’ve been at work for just over three hours, and the printer has been humming the whole time, except for a small break when I ran the church’s January newsletter to the post office.  Christmas Eve…printed and in place.  Christmas Day…printed and ready to go.  Sunday, December 28…printing now and I will stuff it and have in ready within the hour.  Praise God!!

Lord willing and the creek don’t rise, we are headed out of town on five days of vacation after work today.  My plan for today is to swim tonight at the Hampton Inn (or my version of swimming which is to walk around in the pool for half an hour) and to order a salad when we dine out at our favorite Green Bay eatery, Grazies Italian Grill.  I will skip the amazing pasta this time.  After all, it’s Christmas Eve eve, so I want to be as good as possible.  Seriously, folks, all bets are off for the next two days.  I won’t go crazy, but I will indulge in some holiday favorites.

I will meet you at the Kingdom!

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Blue Apron 3

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Day 130 in my march to the Magic Kingdom and Mickey

Today is day three in my busiest work week of the year.  Man, I am wiped out!  Every year I think it will be better than before: less stress, better organization, and every year it bites me in the butt…again.  There are just not enough hours in the day.  OK…I got that off my chest.

My plan for today was to cook a lovely gourmet meal with Mike for our dinner tonight.  We still had our third Blue Apron meal to cook: Chicken & Chestnut Pasta with Savoy Cabbage & Granulated Honey. Look at these ingredients:

  1. 8 ounces Ground Chicken
  2. 8 ounces Whole Wheat Spaghetti
  3. 2 Carrots
  4. 2 Cloves Garlic
  5.  2 Stalks Celery
  6. 1 Yellow Onion
  7. One half Pound Savoy Cabbage
  8. 1 Bunch Rosemary
  9. 2 T. Butter
  10. 2 t. Granulated Honey
  11. One quarter Cup Roasted, Peeled Chestnuts
  12. One quarter Cup Grated Pecorino Cheese

It was delicious!  And it made a mountain of food.  We have plenty left over for lunch tomorrow.  Leftovers are always my favorite lunch.

Back into the fray tomorrow.  🙂  Meet you at the Kingdom!