Moonangel's Weight Loss and Healthy Eating Log

[zena]

How much do you weight? Last time, you told us you were planning to lose 5-10 pounds. It doesn't sound like a obese person. Anyhow, woman always outlive the man. So, don't worry about that part.

You don't have to be an obese person to want to lose some weight.

I personally want to just get to a healthy weight.  I'm not obese but am above my BMI. Just losing 3 lbs would be a big difference so 7 to 10 lbs would be a giant difference but still not enough for me to be stick skinny.

[Renaissance]

Have you tried drinking tea to help with your weight loss?  Most teas are beneficial in reducing cholesterol as well as suppressing appetite.  What I do is eat a small breakfast in the morning to start the metabolism.  I brew a thermos full of tea and I take it to work and drink it throughout the day.  I feel I am less hungry because it fills my stomach.  When I come home I'm not hungry, but I usually eat some fresh vegetables along with either chicken or fish.  I might have a small portion of rice.  I exercise (running and lifting weights) once in the morning for 1 hour and once in the evening for 1 hour.  I've been losing about 3 pounds a week.

[zena]

Have you tried drinking tea to help with your weight loss?  Most teas are beneficial in reducing cholesterol as well as suppressing appetite.  What I do is eat a small breakfast in the morning to start the metabolism.  I brew a thermos full of tea and I take it to work and drink it throughout the day.  I feel I am less hungry because it fills my stomach.  When I come home I'm not hungry, but I usually eat some fresh vegetables along with either chicken or fish.  I might have a small portion of rice.  I exercise (running and lifting weights) once in the morning for 1 hour and once in the evening for 1 hour.  I've been losing about 3 pounds a week.

It's good your schedule works for you.  I think that's the goal: to find something that works and be consistent with it.  That's my hardest problem because I like variety and have always enjoyed variety.  Changing it would be like getting rid of my arm or something.

As for teas, I drink them daily.  There are periods where I only drink tea and don't eat very much but I tend to only remain at my weight and not fluctuate as much when I do that.  Then, there are periods where I have to have my junk food fill.  I try to substitute with healthier stuff like veggies and fruits but when it doesn't hit the spot, I get really irritated until I have that hamburger.  It's weird.  It doesn't happen often but I know when it happens so I allow myself a hamburger or whatever junk food I'm craving just to get over that hill.  There's gotta be a way to work that out but I can't seem to find it.

Right now, I'm going through a weirdness.  I can't stand white rice.  Not sure how long that will last but I haven't eaten it for a couple of days now and I don't seem to care for it for the moment.  We'll see how long that lasts.  I am eating French bread though but sparingly because I'm also not in the mood for bread of any kind.  I did make myself two s'mores earlier today though.  Not good but it's been like 10 years since I've had s'mores and it will probably be my last, although I have to admit, I will be eating the graham crackers and maybe chocolates separately throughout the next weeks.

[zena]

Sounds like you are pregnant. I kid...

LOL! 

I'm not. I think it's nerves/stress...things like that.

[Renaissance]

Sweets, especially chocolate, are my weakness. I'm like you where at times I have to fill that craving. Just the other night I was up at midnight bbq a steak. Although I fall into the temptations, they are far and few. Plus when I do eat the unhealthy, it's in small portion.

Good luck with your journey.

[zena]

Sweets, especially chocolate, are my weakness. I'm like you where at times I have to fill that craving. Just the other night I was up at midnight bbq a steak. Although I fall into the temptations, they are far and few. Plus when I do eat the unhealthy, it's in small portion.

Good luck with your journey.

LOL!  Yeah, we all have our weaknesses.

Thanks.

[zena]

So I actually gained about 3 lbs that I now need to lose on top the 10 lbs I still need to lose.  I'm not exactly sure how that happened but I think it's because I haven't been exercising...h ave been sick (pain-wise) and it's been coming and going to I can't even ride my bike until I'm back to good health.  If I do exercise and ignore the pain, it will only make it worse, and I don't really want to go see my doctor twice a month for meds.  I'm trying to eat healthy but for some reason the food I'm around is junk.  Yesterday had a hotdog.  Tried to avoid but went to an open house and thought maybe they'd have healthy stuff (they had grapes) but the rest were junk food.  I also had a Chipotle naked burrito for lunch with my sister.  I wasn't too hungry but figured it would hold me over until the open house.  It's always hard to eat healthy when I'm out and about.  At home I have better choices.  Like this morning, I had one scrambled egged with a side of lightly stir-fried zucchini in olive oil.

Last week made zucchini pasta with turkey marinara.  Not as great as with meat sauce so probably wont' try again with turkey.  Side of roasted asparagus and French bread.

[zena]

Over the weekend I made tabbouleh with quinoa.  I found the recipe through Pinterest which took me to LuLuLemon's sister site or something, in which this recipe was posted. This was my first time making tabbouleh, and with quinoa, and it tasted so delicious! (I love tabbouleh and have had it before but with bulgur).  I tried quinoa once before but it was a prepackaged flavored one where I simply needed to microwave which ended tasting like cardboard and kept me away from it for a long time.  Making the seeds from scratch tastes so much better!  Quinoa has a nutty taste and a nice aroma to it.



I've always been looking for a substitute for white rice and tried brown rice but brown rice just doesn't taste very good and it hurts my stomach.  It makes me feel heavy.  Quinoa is so light and healthy.  After I eat quinoa, I feel good, light, and my stomach doesn't feel hard or hurt.  I did some research and there's just so many good stuff to say about this seed.  I researched a few online sites and they pretty much all say the same thing, which is:

1. Contains All Amino Acids
2. High in Fiber
3. High in Iron
4. High in Magnesium
5. High in Riboflavin
6. Rich in Manganese
7. Contains Lysine
8. Has Antiseptic Properties
9. Supports a Gluten-Free Diet
10. Low on the Glycemic Index
11. Contains Flavonoids
12. Helps You Avoid Getting Fat
13. Good Source of B Vitamins
14. Potentially Anti-Inflammatory <---this could help me with my sickness issues.  I actually feel a lot better, although I've just started eating quinoa so we'll see.  It's crazy but it seriously does seem to be helping.
15. Helps Lower Cholesterol (YES!!!!!)
16. Helps Lower Blood Pressure (YES!!!!)
17. Helps Balance Blood Sugar Levels
18. Supports Weight Loss Efforts

Ref: bembu.com/quinoa-benefits

Quinoa is easy and quick to make and you can eat it plain or add whatever you want for flavor.  I like it tabbouleh style because it gives it a fresh herb-y taste which I can't get enough of.  I will probably never eat white rice again.  I 'll just have to remember to make some to take with me to family gatherings and such.

[zena]

I mentioned earlier that I was going to make fish tacos.  Well, I made it yesterday and it was delicious.  Was also very easy and quick to make. 



Then, for dinner, I just had the fish, slaw, and avocado with quinoa tabbouleh.  I prefer this way to the corn tortilla.  I'll be making more of this dish in the future, both with the tortilla and quinoa.

[zena]

I'm out of my favorite tea.  Getting more today!!

[zena]

It feels good to get on the scale and know that a couple of years ago I was 5 lbs heavier.  Just need to stay positive and motivated.  Last night I was watching YTs on raw vegan and I'll never go raw completely or vegan ever but I'm going to incorporate a raw vegan dish at least once a week in my meals.

So I went to buy Peach Passion tea and they didn't have it.  I was bummed but I did find a different brand of peach tea + there was a sale so I got a few more teas.  Rooibos tea is one of my other favorites.  I did some research and learned that this tea is actually very health beneficial:

Its medicinal attributes have been confirmed by The US Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC, which has affirmed that red rooibos tea is capable of reducing cancer, heart disease, premature aging and other serious conditions. Ref here.



And, these are all my teas:

[SummerBerry]

I never like tea or maybe it is because I haven't found the right one with good blend of flavor.  I trashed all teas and coffees in the cabinet.  Right now it's too hot for tea in the summer.  What about tea that are chilled that is good?  I might have to try Starbucks chilled tea once.

[zena]

I know what you mean.  I am picky with my teas but I also like trying new teas.  If I don't like them, I throw them away too.  It took awhile for me to find the ones I really like.  It makes it easier to shop for tea when you know what you like.  For instance, the Ginger Peach Tea by The Republic of Tea isn't as great as the peach tea by Zhena's.  But, it was good iced though so that's how I've been drinking that one. I put a little bit of honey in it...more than I normally do because it's a bit bitter.  Zhena's Peach Tea wasn't bitter.  Also, I like Rooibos tea just by itself (pure).  I've had it blended with other spices and it wasn't all that great.

Starbucks teas are pretty good.  My fav is the peach mint tea.  Right now though I've been getting the iced chai latte. 

[SummerBerry]

I know what you mean.  I am picky with my teas but I also like trying new teas.  If I don't like them, I throw them away too.  It took awhile for me to find the ones I really like.  It makes it easier to shop for tea when you know what you like.  For instance, the Ginger Peach Tea by The Republic of Tea isn't as great as the peach tea by Zhena's.  But, it was good iced though so that's how I've been drinking that one. I put a little bit of honey in it...more than I normally do because it's a bit bitter.  Zhena's Peach Tea wasn't bitter.  Also, I like Rooibos tea just by itself (pure).  I've had it blended with other spices and it wasn't all that great.

Starbucks teas are pretty good.  My fav is the peach mint tea.  Right now though I've been getting the iced chai latte.

I took my daughter and her friend to Sno Crave for ice cream.  I had their hot green tea and it was good.  I finished the whole pot because I was not going to waste $5 and $12 for ice cream.  Look up their website and menu but look like it based in CA.  I might go another time and taste the other hot tea flavor. 

I don't brew tea at home and just tea bag.  I'm not sure if I have too much hot water that it lose flavor or just doesn't taste right.  Every time I order tea there is not a time where I would throw it away.  We don't have a lot of store here in this small town.  Target and Walmart selection is what I get but sometime I want to try other but it's not carried.  I don't know about nutrition or supplement store like GNC if they have tea or not. 

[zena]

I took my daughter and her friend to Sno Crave for ice cream.  I had their hot green tea and it was good.  I finished the whole pot because I was not going to waste $5 and $12 for ice cream.  Look up their website and menu but look like it based in CA.  I might go another time and taste the other hot tea flavor. 

I don't brew tea at home and just tea bag.  I'm not sure if I have too much hot water that it lose flavor or just doesn't taste right.  Every time I order tea there is not a time where I would throw it away.  We don't have a lot of store here in this small town.  Target and Walmart selection is what I get but sometime I want to try other but it's not carried.  I don't know about nutrition or supplement store like GNC if they have tea or not.

I think I had green tea ice cream at a restaurant once a long time ago.  But, it sounds like you got a ton of it...that's a lot for ice cream.  I'm glad you liked it.

As for steeping, put a tea bag in 8 oz of hot water and steep for a couple to three minutes.  If you use loose leaf, use about 1 tablespoon to 2 (in a sieve or strainer...or without one...I do that sometimes).  If you want it stronger use more leaves, but don't steep it any longer than a few minutes otherwise it will be bitter.