Starting anew... again...

Had a disheartening moment.  Time to focus!  Really focus on getting this weight off once and for all!

Just logged into SparkPeople to look up an old workout, and saw that I am currently 30 pounds heavier than I was in September 2009.  How did that happen?  I did Weight Watcher's last year and lost over 30 pounds, and am around that same weight now.  It's disheartening... and motivating.

I'm going to take the motivating bit and run with it!

Last Thursday, May 30th, I started logging my foods and exercise on MyFitnessPal.
On Friday, the 31st, I received my new FitBit One and the FitBit Aria wifi scale.
On Saturday, June 1st, I took my first kettlebells class at Condition Kettlebells in Inman Park.

I'm logging everything!  Every bite.  Every step.  Well, the FitBit does that part.  Every exercise.
Weighing every morning.  Although I don't plan to pay great attention to that...
And, will take various measurements every Sunday.
Oh - and post here with random thoughts, feelings, and progress reports.  I like having this little webspace to keep track of my thoughts, and hopefully one day share my successes.

These are my goals and guidelines.  I commit to following them!

I also purchased a compact elliptical and bike combo machine, which is currently sitting in my craft area.  It's in a perfect spot for me, but will have to be moved any time guests are coming over, as it does block the dining room off a bit.  Might see about moving that bamboo screen and the chifferobe somehow to delineate the separation of the two rooms and better hide the exercise equipment part.  Alternately, I'll finally move Granny's chair out of my bedroom and put it in that corner.  We'll see...

For now, I'm leaving it right there!  It's in my way, it's on my mind, and it's been a great way to get myself to do at least 30 minutes while watching TV in the evening.

Trout with Creamy Potato Salad & Wilted Spinach

That was really good!  The trout skin didn't get quite as crisp as the Food Network folks would have suggested... so I need to remember to do that on a higher heat.  Also, this was my first use of the new skillet - so everything stuck a little bit.  I had expected as much, and took greater care when flipping the fish to keep the skin together as much as possible. 

On the spinach salad, I'd suggest adding some toasted pine nuts, and even more spinach.  You know how wilted spinach seems like such a small amount.  The potato salad was very easy to make.  I appreciate how they try to make these recipes with 5 or so ingredients.  Clean flavors, and fairly easy instructions, are a winner all around.

I definitely think this is another of those recipes that it will be easy to remember and cook 'off the cuff' at some point in the future.  Thus far, that's been the biggest benefit to me.  I think I'll be able to recreate several of these recipes without the notes in front of me.  That's worth a lot!  If only something could be done about all the little plastic bags and containers.

All in all, it was certainly very tasty.  Looks to me like three servings of potato salad, one serving of spinach, and two perfect portions of trout.  I'm quite full just now - and am hoping I've saved enough room for the No Pudge! brownies I made while the potatoes were boiling.  Yum!

Cheers!

approx. 12 Points+

Adorable! Too much. Delicious!!

Delicious wins!!

From Saturday:
Got my first Blue Apron box today and it is adorable!

Individually wrapped portion sizes for each recipe. There are a whole lot of tiny packages and plastic. Need to figure out how to minimize that. All, but the meat pouches, should be recyclable... and, I won't have any food waste. Will that be a wash, in any way?

My plan is to have one for dinner and the other for lunch. Going to force myself to eat leftovers. Hope it works! And I'm going to find out how well the recipes save, in case I can't do the leftovers that very next day. Oh, and I bought these adorable BentGo bento boxes on sale on Amazon. They're a bit bigger than a traditional bento box - and should be a very good size for portion control - and super cute enough to make me enjoy packing my lunch.

Okay, now going to get everything out of the box and take a picture.
This box contained:
Cod with Caponata & Fergola Sarda
Turkey Burger Sliders with Argula Salad
Pho Beef Noodle Soup

[unboxed photo]

Current:
Tonight I made the Cod with Caponata & Fergola Sarda

It was delicious! I particularly enjoyed how easy was to make, and that it seems like something I can remember and just pull off from the top of my head. Thorough and clear directions. Remember the peanut butter and jelly sandwich? Read through the entire recipe first! Then you'll remember to keep the eggplant in a separate bowl.  :-)

[dinner - must work on food photography skills]

Though it did take me about 45 minutes which I guess is a little over their estimates.

And I still think there's an awful lot of packaging. What can be done about that? Think!

[unbox photo]

I will have to get some Fergola Sarda. Tasty little pasta balls, would make a nice alternative to rice, quinoa, and orzo.

Plan to chop harder fruit, veg, and nuts on Sunday. That will save a bit more time in the evening, and keep me from creating excuses about time, which will in turn enable me to have packed lunches during the week. Good plan!!

Note: create a similar delivery plan - send an easy grocery list of pantry items. Dried spices, vinegars, mustards, nuts...  Enough for two to four weeks of recipes.
Would require a good deal more recipe database organization. Then the recipient can learn to measure those items, save packaging, and build a pantry of staples.

In the end it was well worth it, I now have a lunch tomorrow and had a delicious dinner all in the span of about 45 minutes. Oops! Still need to finish cleaning up the kitchen


ETA:  Was created on iPhone Blogger app - which has limited photo abilities.  I just now (05/08/13) moved them into the appropriate positions.