Bird Flight

I continued to stick to my eating plan perfectly, this second week of my Fitness & Weight Loss journey. My large Week 1 weight loss kindled my zeal to continue, along with some nice hikes in new places. I’m happy to report good results again, and share some of my newest observations. But first, my weigh-in results:

Week 2 Weight Change:  – 1.6 lbs ( – 0.73 kg)

Cumulative Weight Change (Weeks 1 – 2):  – 4.2 lbs ( – 1.9 kg)

Exercise:  My husband and I started Week 2 with some lovely walks. One was at a park we just recently discovered, just 25 minutes drive from our house! New Jersey has a countless number of parks and walking/biking trails. We often visit the same five or six that are very nearby, but it pays to look slightly further afield, on occasion. After all, variety is the spice of life. When things get boring, it’s good to change things up. We did skip a couple days because of the weather, but Hubby and I have since discussed that. We agreed to do calisthenics (or dancing) inside the house, when the weather is too unbearable. YouTube has great videos to lead such exercises. Hubby found a few in Czech (his native language), so I’ll be expanding my Czech exercise-related vocabulary. “Raz, dva, tři, čtyři.”

Observations/Thoughts: Last week’s big weight loss was a great motivator this week. This week’s loss should be, too. But beyond the number on the scale, I also noticed comfort wearing a few shorts that had previously felt tight. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I felt I appeared thinner already. I certainly feel a bit thinner. I’m sure the water weight loss I mentioned last week was a contributor, but I know some fat disappeared, as well. Or was I just experiencing a cognitive distortion of sorts? Was I really thinner looking so early in my journey? I asked my husband these same questions, and he said I did look a little trimmer. I’ll believe him. No sense not. In any case, I am a bit surprised I only lost 1.6 lbs (0.73 kg) this week. I expected it to be more.

Interim goals:  I’m still aiming to get down to the next 10 lb weight bracket. Given this week’s loss, that will require an additional 1.9 lbs (0.86 kg) weight loss. Upon reaching that, I will set a new interim goal. I also intend to continue the increased daily exercise. Will I reach this interim goal by next Friday? We’ll see.

Recipe Share

Low Fat/Low Sugar Apple (or Peach) Cake– The first two times I made this cake, I used apples. The third, I used skin-on pitted sliced peaches, instead. All were pleasant to eat, and low guilt. The first time, I made it exactly as directed with lemon zest. Hubby particularly liked that flavor. The second time, I used ½ teaspoon cinnamon, instead of the zest. That was my favorite apple version. This time, I used ripe peaches (in season), instead of apples, with great success! In the peach version, I used almond extract instead of vanilla, and also used ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon (tossed with the peaches) instead of the lemon zest. As a topping for the peach version, I sprinkled on some almond slices before putting it in the oven. Regardless of the fruit used, you’ll likely need less than the recipe calls for. Click here to view. I only needed three medium apples or peaches.

Pasta Primavera (no cream needed) – Veggie and pasta lover? I enjoyed the following Pasta Primavera recipe from Skinnytaste’s site (click here to view). I made substitutions for a couple of the veggies, based on what I had on hand (i.e. green beans and carrots instead of broccoli). I did not use the cream, as the recipe author said could be eliminated, and didn’t miss it. Add some sautéed shrimp or chicken, if you want added protein, or keep it vegetarian using the vegetable broth. Other ideas for add-ins or substitutions might be capers, sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, sliced olives, artichoke hearts, and/or spinach. Consider using whole-grain pasta, or other type, instead of regular ones.

Stuffed Mushrooms with Bruschetta Topping – I had some beautiful large portabella mushroom caps, so made this vegetarian recipe found by clicking here. I made the filling exactly as published, but instead of fresh tomato in the bruschetta topping, I used chopped sun-dried, previously soaked in oil. I also garnished the cooked stuffed mushrooms with a few pan toasted pine nuts. I served the mushrooms on beds of baby spinach along with tomato slices, and then drizzled it with quality balsamic vinegar. Delicious!

Approach: Beyond exercise, my weight loss approach is based on a Mediterranean style diet and a former Weight Watchers diet called the “Core Plan”, which includes lots of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, pulses and legumes, lean proteins, low fat or fat free dairy products, small amount of healthy fats (i.e. olive, canola, avocado), and extremely limited amounts of refined sugars. I am also using MyFitnessPal (MFP) to track my foods consumed, and provide guidance on a daily calorie, carbohydrate, fat, protein, and salt intake.

See you next Friday!