Day 7: 1/2 Pound Down

Well, I'm seven days into my self-assigned challenge of taking a picture of everything I eat for (at least) 30 days. I'm liking what's going on!

First, I stepped on the scale this morning and am down half a pound. Yay! That might not seem like much, but I'm looking at it this way: If I lost half a pound every week for a year, I'd be 26 pounds down overall. That's fun to think about!

Secondly, it's forcing me to make better choices. It feels great to be honest and accountable to myself, but I also know there are a handful of people out there watching and offering their support, and I'm proud to tell them -- through my pictures -- Hey, look, I chose tomato soup instead of a bag of potato chips today.

Finally, I'm starting to see my diet through a rainbow lens. After having a completely beige day a few weeks ago, I'm been challenging myself to work more color (and I don't mean M&Ms) into my day. This morning, that meant a handful of blueberries mixed into my oatmeal. Delicious! And, a serving of fruit before I even got dressed!


What would you learn about your diet if you photographed everything you ate for 30 days?

30 Days and Five Pounds

A Twitter conversation yesterday inspired and motivated me. Talk of money-saving tips at the grocery store turned into eating healthy, being accountable, and supporting a new friend as she does the same.

I haven't been very good about keeping up with my photos of everything I eat for the past week -- spraining the heck out of my ankle and having a bad reaction to the pain meds had me a bit out of commission. But I want to do better. And I want to keep track for 30 days. How hard can 30 days be?

So, today is March 12. I've taken a picture of everything I've eaten today, and I'm ready to commit to 29 more. Join me. It's simple: Take a picture of everything you eat and keep a photo journal of it for 30 days. I have two goals as I do my 30 days: Make sure there is something colorful and fresh every day, avoiding all-beige days, and lose 5 pounds.

I love it when inspiration and motivation strike unexpectedly!

Taste the Rainbow

We've hear it all the time: We should fill our plates with color to get the best variety of nutrients. Filling a plate with all beige food just doesn't cut it.

I've been taking a picture of everything I have eaten for the past week -- and I mean everything -- and I see a trend. My rainbow isn't there. I eat a lot of beige, including shades of white, eggshell, cream, brown, yellow and tan. Looking at all of the pictures back-to-back-to-back just isn't very appetizing, so I can only imagine that it's not very good for me either.

So for now, I'm not going to make some drastic goal about reducing calories or anything like that. For now, for the next week or so, my goal is simple: Eat more colorfully!

A New Way to Journal

I take lots of food pictures. Whether we're eating when we travel, visiting local restaurants or even cooking at home, I always have a camera within quick grabbing distance.

Couple that with the fact that I'm ready to start trying to get healthier again, and I had an idea: I'll journal, but in photographs only. So, yesterday at lunch, it began. I took a picture of everything that I ate yesterday and my photo food journal was up and running!

My goal is simple: to be honest with myself and more thoughtful about what I eat.

Our brains can do so odd things, like when we're driving late at night and your brain says, "Sure, rest your eyes for 10 seconds. It'll be fine." When it comes to food, my crazy brain often tells me, "If no one else sees you eat it, it doesn't count." Well, with this need photo food journal, it doesn't matter if anyone else sees me eat it. I'm taking a quick photo to force myself to see it.

It's about accountability and honesty. And if I can lose a pound or two along the way, I'll be thrilled!

Potato and Onion Skillet Bake

I can't remember when or where, but within the last year or so, I saw a potato and onion dish made on TV that I wanted to try. So this evening, having a kitchen stocked with fresh potatoes and onions, I wanted to find that exact dish.

I googled. And found nothing.

I tweeted. And got a few suggestions.

But I never got an official recipe. So I whipped one up myself at dinnertime. Here's all it took:

• Thinly sliced potatoes
• Thinly sliced onion
• Salt
• Pepper
• Grated cheese
• Olive oil

I started by swirling an oven-safe skillet with oil, and then started layering ingredients: A layer of potatoes, then onions, all sprinkled with salt and pepper, then a layer of cheese. I repeated until I reached the top of the skillet, ending with potatoes, a drizzle more of oil, salt and pepper. I then baked at 375 for about 40 minutes.

I turned it over on a plate, sliced it and served it up! We'll definitely be having it again soon.

A Simple Request

Do me a favor and eat something healthy today.

In the last year, two men in our family have had a total of five stints placed. Both of these men under the age of 60.

It's the food. It's too much of the bad stuff and not enough of the good. We all know the formula -- eat less and better, and move more -- but it can be so hard to live it. But small changes in your day will make all the difference.

• Choose an apple instead of cookies.
• Drink an extra glass of water today.
• Eat one instead of three -- whatever "it" is.
• Bake or grill instead of fry.
• Don't drown it in cheese.
• Walk around the block. Again.
  

I love these men, both of them, and I want them around for many more years. You too!

Does Where We Shop Matter?

My jaw was gaping open the whole time I read this article from MSNBC about more expensive grocery stores having thinner shoppers. The first post I read tried to twist the research to say that shopping at these more expensive stores would make you lose weight. Not likely...

The article starts out like this:

The percentage of food shoppers who are obese is almost 10 times higher at low-cost grocery stores compared with upscale markets, a small new study shows.

Researchers say the striking findings underscore poverty as a key factor in America’s growing girth.

Sad. And scary.

Here's another quote that really got me:

... a calorie-dense diet cost $3.52 a day compared with $36.32 a day for a low-calorie diet.

How can that be? And how can we fix it?

Food Pantry Blog Project: Day 2

I woke up hungry this morning, but not as hungry as some. (And you know as I type that and think about it, with just two days into this project, I'm thinking about the word "hungry" in a different light. But more on that in a later post.)

I'm a grazer. I normally have a mid-morning snack and a mid-afternoon snack. But yesterday, I stuck to three meals, just as many families do every day. If they're not having to get by with even less...

Three square meals a day should be plenty for me. And my guess is that if I could cut out some of that regular snacking, I might also be able to cut out a few pounds. But that's a different story...

All that being said, I woke up immediately thinking about food. What was I going to have? Well, I only really have two options right now: oatmeal and Cheerios. Unless I want to have spaghetti leftovers. That has been the biggest eye-opener for me while participating in this project. I worry about what's next, and I really have no choice about it. What I have is whatever was in the bag of items I "received" from the Pflugerville food pantry.

I had oatmeal for breakfast again. This time with a banana.

For lunch, more black beans and rice, with a bit of salsa. (Do you know about Hell on the Red salsa made in Telephone, Texas? Such good stuff.)

For dinner, Hamburger Helper with canned green beans on the side. I also had some fruit/veggie juice with breakfast and dinner both.

I'll be taking a break from the project Saturday. We have several social obligations and I simply don't want to do the project halfheartedly. So Sunday, I'm back on it at 100 percent to finish out my seven days...

Food Pantry Blog Project: Day 1

Well, I just completed my first day with the food pantry blog project that many Austin bloggers are participating in starting today. I must say, I need to work on my black-bean skills for the rest of the week. But I will admit: Black beans and rice with a spoonful of salsa made for an awesome lunch.

It was a bit of an emotional morning getting started. I found myself worrying all morning about having enough food to feed me and Cole for the week. (Just imagine making the list last for a whole month.)

Here's how my day actually looked:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with a bit of butter and half a can of sliced pears. I'm not a fan of pears, but it was good to get some good, cool fruit in.

Lunch: Black beans and rice with a spoonful of salsa. It really made a great lunch, but I need to work on my bean skills.

Dinner: Spaghetti and garlic bread.

So I walk away from Day 1 proud of myself for sticking to what I "received" from the food pantry and what I was able to supplement with my food stamp-equivalent purchase. I also realize that I need to get more veggies in, and that's definitely on the menu for tomorrow.

One thing that I didn't expect but that I found myself doing all day: measuring like a mad woman. If I have to make things last a whole week/month, I'm rationing and portioning every step of the way...

The List

Here's the list we'll be working with as a couple dozen Austin food bloggers dive into the food pantry project. It's pretty close to exactly what recipients walked away with when they visited a food pantry in Pflugerville just last week. They can visit once a month.

(We're each duplicating this bag on our own instead of taking one from the pantry and possibly from someone with a need.)

To supplement their monthly take away from the food pantry, many are lucky enough to also receive help from the SNAP program (food stamps) or WIC. The maximum benefit that we heard about during our meeting Wednesday evening was $200 for a month.

So, since I'm doing this for seven days, I'll use the full list as I plan my menu, cook and eat, and keep my "extras" (like fresh produce and dairy) to under $50.

Here's the complete list of food pantry items some Pflugerville recipients took home last week:

• 2 cans spaghetti sauce
• 4 cans veggies
  
• 4 fruit cans
  
• 1 meat selection (like 1 lb. of ground beef)
  
• 3 drink items (choice of large bottle of cranberry apple juice and/or powdered milk and/or apple juice boxes)
  
• 1 bag spaghetti or egg noodles
• 1 bag of beans
• 1 bag of white rice
• 1 package of jalapeno slices
• 1 ready-made dinner (like Hamburger Helper)
• 1 bag/container of oats
• 1 bag of cheerios
• 5 lb. bag of potatoes

Update: I just finished my shopping for this project, and my "extras," those things someone might use their SNAP or WIC benefits for, came to $28.17.

Tonight We Meet; Tomorrow We Blog

A group of about 30 local food bloggers will get together at the Capital Area Food Bank this evening to talk about a project to raise awareness of hunger, not only around the country but right here in Austin. And I'll be there.

We've each been given a list of food that a family typically receives in a bag of groceries from a local food pantry. We can also supplement that list with the amount that we might get on food stamps. Then we'll eat from it for a week.

There is such an imbalance in our country: A recent CNN article said that 17 percent of children in our country are obese. Not just overweight, but obese. Yet, according to statistics, one in five Texans don't know where their next meal will come from.

I plan to attack this project from two directions: On a personal note, I hope it will give me a greater understanding and appreciation of food so that I can tackle the odd relationship that I have with it. I also hope that I can talk even just one person into donating to their local food bank or pantry to help someone else out.

Follow along with all the bloggers on the food bank's blog. And I'll give you a daily update here.

Wish me luck! And go ahead and donate five bucks while you're thinking about it!

Dark Chocolate and Almond Homemade Granola

This concoction was a total accident. How could my house -- one normally stocked with vanilla extract by the liter -- be out?! Totally out. I scratched my way through the pantry, trying to find something that would be even close. Needing four teaspoons of vanilla, I found only three of almond. "Close enough," I told myself. And then I found the rum extract and rounded out the four total teaspoons I needed with that. Nervous, I tried it. But I think it worked.

The recipe I ended up using on the fly:

• 8 cups rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 teaspoon rum extract
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups slivered almonds, toasted
• 2 cups golden raisins
• 2 cups dark chocolate M&Ms

Preheat oven to 275 and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine brown sugar and water in a 4-cup microwave-proof glass measuring cup. Place in microwave on high for five minutes -- stirring about halfway through -- and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from microwave, add extract and salt. Stir.

In a large mixing bowl, combine oats and brown sugar syrup mixture. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Spread the granola onto cookie sheets and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden and crunchy.

Toast slivered almonds over medium heat for about five minutes or until they just start to brown.

When the oats mixture comes out of the oven, add toasted almonds and raisins. When granola has cooled completely, add M&Ms. Store in an airtight container or enjoy right from the bowl!

So Simple

Cole and I enjoyed Easter brunch at Fleming's yesterday. Everything was great, as usual, and we walked away with a recipe to try. It only has two ingredients, but it's so good and so simple.

Sour cream and honey dipping sauce for fresh fruit. And you guessed it: It has only sour cream and honey in it. Well, at least until you dip your fruit in. One part sour cream and one part honey, and you're good to go!

We paired it this evening with oven-roasted turkey breast, with bananas, strawberries and cantaloupe for dipping. It's also great with honeydew and pineapple. Enjoy!

Learning

Did I tell you that Mom and I took a cupcake-decorating class a couple of weeks ago? We sure had a good time. I'm itching to bake and decorate and make deliveries. Do I have your address?

Beer and Cheese

I'm not a beer drinker. Never have liked the stuff. But Saturday Cole and I had the opportunity to support a local brewing company and Austin's soon-to-open only cheese shop when our friend Jodi over at Tasty Touring brought the two together for a beer and cheese pairing.

Amy and Rob over at Independence Brewing Co. paired four of their bubbly beverages with four offerings from Kendell and John of Antonelli's Cheese Shop. I would have never thought about it, but a swig of beer on top of a bite of cheese can completely change the way the tastes dance across your palate. Throw a grape or an almond on top of it all, and the flavors -- and even the aromas -- can change again. All resulting in some delicious surprises.

I can't wait for Antonelli's to open so that I can play with more flavors. I'll leave the beer-drinkin' to Cole...

Fresh French Fries

Is there anything better, really, than a bag of fresh French fries straight from the fatty, bubbling oil, doused with salt, so fresh that they leave grease marks on the bag? Too hot to eat, but you do anyway...

My friend Megan and I were talking about Food Inc. this morning, and it made me think about SuperSize Me from several years ago, and I immediately hit YouTube. The DVD has a spectacular "extra" about McDonald's fries, and I was very pleased to find it. It was just the reminder I needed today. Delicious.

Big. Fat. Donuts.

I should know better. No girl who struggles with her weight should even think about going to a place called "Gourdough's." Add a tagline like "Big. Fat. Donuts." and it shouldn't even be on my radar. But I went anyway this weekend. Twice.

As is very popular in Austin, Gourdough's is housed in a cute little airstream trailer. Its South Lamar location makes it the perfect place for an after-movie or late-night snack. And what a fun night the creators must have had when they got together to decide on the menu! "Naughty & Nice," "Blue Balls" (seen here) and "Margaritaville" all grace the menu.

I must say, the donuts are really good! They come out to the table at just the perfect temperature, absolutely piled high with great toppings. They do not skimp.

And they do not care about the size of my butt.

Good Start

I haven't stepped on a scale in about a month. I know without even looking that I gained my six pounds from Jenny Craig back. I can feel it in my jeans. I was thinking about it this morning, and I'm guessing I've lost the same 20 pounds four times now. I know that's not healthy. And I know all I can do is keep trying and going from this very moment.

My goal is simple right now: To eat better and less. And to track it all.

Breakfast: cereal: 100 calories
1/2 cup fat-free milk: 40 calories
banana: 80 calories
(220 calories)

Lunch: Healthy Choice pasta lunch: 340 calories
crunchy bread sticks (90 calories)
(430 calories)

And then I worked a 13-hour day and ordered pizza for dinner. Dadgumit.

Lost

Why is this an issue for me? Why do I have to obsess and worry and fret? I know all the rules and tips and tricks, why can't I just use them?

I'm kinda at the point of not knowing what to do, just kinda lost. I mean, I know what to do: Eat less, eat better, move more. But I'm missing something somewhere. There's a disconnect between the knowing and doing. How do I bring it together? How do I get some momentum toward healthier?

Here's what I'm gonna try today: Just tracking calories. Good, bad or ugly, I'll be putting them here. I think that's part of the issue for me: accountability. Working from home, I'm afraid I'm taking on this "the calories don't count if no one sees me eat them" attitude. Maybe the simple act of tracking -- of showing the world what's going into my mouth and onto my hips -- will make a difference. Here we go!

Breakfast: Sugar-free cappuccino: 50 calories
cereal: 150 calories
1/2 cup fat-free milk: 40 calories
banana: 80 calories
(total: 320 calories)

Lunch: tuna and crackers: 210 calories
steamed veggies and butter: 150 calories
(total: 360 calories)

Afternoon snack: 1/4 cup peanut butter M&Ms: 230 calories
(total: 230 calories)

Dinner: grilled cheese sandwich: 400 calories
vegetable soup: 70 calories
Hostess snack cakes: 100 calories
(total: 570 calories)

Total for the day: 1480 calories. That seemed much easier that it normally is for me. Maybe the trick for me is the tracking, the accountability, the honestly with myself. And maybe I'll count calories again tomorrow.

Three Cookies