They are just sitting in the fridge calling out to me. Reminding me that they are there and I should eat them.

If I don’t eat them, they will go to waste …

Yeah, I don’t want them to go to waste so I eat on them even when I’m not really hungry. This, this my friends, is not good.

But the leftovers they know my weakness and desire not to be wasteful.

Stupid leftovers.

Maybe I just won’t eat leftovers tomorrow!

…yeah, we’ll see.  Wish me luck!

g

Feeling stuffed and I was good yesterday! I had one plate, kept my portions small and only had seconds hours later. But I’m still stuffed and I think that this might help keep me from going overboard eating the leftovers….you know the leftovers that will taste better today than they did yesterday…

g

Sunday morning started entirely too early for someone who didn’t get done with a major writing project until 12:30 a.m. and didn’t actually go to sleep until 2:30 (I rediscovered TV, something I hadn’t really seen or enjoyed for the last week-and-a-half)

I got up about 8:15ish, maybe a little earlier. At 8:20ish, I got the first of two text message, it said my workout buddy was still meeting me for a torture session and bumped the time to 9 a.m. I was a little grumpy, because I could have had 15 minutes more sleep.

The second message was much more ominous making the grump disappear and the fear sink in.

“Dress warm we’re going to the park today.”

Hmmm, exercising outside in public where people can see me. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

At that particular moment, I knew I really didn’t like that idea. Really, really really didn’t like that idea. 

Why? Well, it because I am still not very comfortable with my body and believe that it is a frightening and disgusting site when I exercise. 

I thought about trying to get out of the exercise, but my friend has been kind enough to help me…she is taking time out of her schedule AND has to deal with me.

So I went.  And she made do a lot of cardio-type exercises…by the end of the workout, I could hardly do the exercises…I even bet it looked like I wasn’t trying (I was, just couldn’t do any more)

I was miserable and embarrassed but Meghan gave me something to think about: The point is always to move us out of comfort zones…whether it is forcing ourselves to be in a more public setting or starting a new type of exercise regime.

She said something about burning calories and exercise getting tougher, but I was deprived of oxygen and can’t remember…

Fat-free flour gravy

1 cup cold fat-free broth, divided

2 tablespons unbleached all-purpose flour

seasonings to taste

Pour 1/4 cup of broth in a covered container. Add flour and sake well to prevent lumps.

The next step can be done on the stovetop or in the microwave.

Stovetop: In a small saucepan, combine remaining broth with flour mixture. Cook on medium until boiling, while stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Continue stirring until thickened.

Microwave: In a four-cup glass measuring cup, combine the remainder of broth with flour mixture. Heat on high for 2 to 3 minutes (stirring well with a wire whisk after each minute) or until thickened.

*Use 3 1/3 tablespoons of flour for one 14.5-ounce can of broth.

Recipe makes eight 2 tablespoon servings. Nutritional values: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 47 mg sodium, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g dietary fiber, 0 g sugar and 1 g protein

Source: Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas, Thrid Edition

Fat-free pumpkin cheesecake

24 ounces fat-free cream cheese at room temperature

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup egg substitute (equal to 3 eggs)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 tablespoons packaged cornflake crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar and vanilla. Using an electric mixer, beat at high speed until blended. On low speed, beat in egg subsitute and spices. Increase speed top high and continue until well blended.

Spray a 9-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add cornflakes (optional) to the pan and shake lightly to oat the bottom and the sides. Pour in cream cheese mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until center is set but not firm. Cool on wire rack. Store in refrigerator for several hours. Serve with whipped topping.

Recipe makes 12 servings. Nutrtional values: 86 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 362 mg sodium, 12 g carbohydrates, 0 gdietary fiber, 8 g sugar, 9 g protein

Source: Quick & Healthy Recipes and Ideas, Thrid Edition

OK, my long paper assignment is done for my latest seminar. And I have two weeks before the next one starts. I shouldn’t have any reasons to eat junk food at this point, minus thanksgiving which I’m trying to find ways to make it a little better.

By the way, I just want you to know that I hate stress…well that isn’t entirely true. I live and breath in a deadline-driven environment that is stressful, and I can handle that. The stress I don’t like is that feeling that there is way too much to do, to be mindful of and not enough time. Never enough time. That’s what I don’t like because it always leads to an overwhelmed food junkie that turns to food…but I have to brag a little bit. Today really sucked. I’m not going to mince words, but every time I needed a snack, I picked up something good for me…low-fat string cheese.

So I am going to take a victory for that today. Lord knows I need one!

g

Let me start with saying that I am HUGE fan of Stacy’s Pita Chips. I love the plain ones. I love the flavored ones.

I hadn’t seen them at any of the local stores. Which has been a good thing because I really don’t need them.

However, I discovered them the other day a local store. I was grabbing some rice cakes when I saw them. There they were sitting in on the top shelf. 

They called to me.

“Ginger, Ginger. We are here. Buy us, eat us, love us.”

Yeah…I bought two bags: plain and Parmesan Garlic Herb.

That night, plain pita chips found their way into my tomato soup. Last night, they helped finish off some roasted garlic ranch dip. 

This week they have been that great and easy go to snack when I get home from work and need a snack.

But they aren’t the best choice. Nine chips is about 140 calories. I can get two servings of mini rice cakes for that. I can eat two servings of canned soup…I could have a piece of fruit or even candy.

Sigh, they are just so good and so hard to put down. 

Stupid pita chips, why did I buy you?! <please imagine me shaking an angry fist at the empty pita chip bag>

Today, at this very moment, I am very glad that I am a little on the portly side.

We trotted down to the beach viewing point near the house to see what the wind and rain was like with this storm that is a-brewin’

Really didn’t think it was too windy…after all, we’re from Oklahoma and are very familiar with strong winds. This will be nothing, I thought.

Yeah, windy is not the word I would use to describe the wind. The walk to the viewing point wasn’t too bad…wind blowing against you, you have put a little fight to walk against. Nothing major.

We got to the viewing point. The wind picked up and we were quickly peppered by pebbles of sand. It hurt. I don’t like this all of the sudden. We plan to walk to the point…as close as we can get.

The wind really picks up. Mr. X estimates it is probably 60 to 70 mph. Things on my jacket are hitting me in the face. I’m wondering if I still have earrings (luckily, I still have both rings)

It really starts to blow and the next thing I know, I have a death grip on the fence that keeps people from falling off the cliff.

I am not amused.

But thankful for my weight…first time ever. If I weighed a few pounds lighter I think I may have been blown to sea!

So we went to dinner and I had a cheeseburger, fries and two porters.

I made it through most of my burger…didn’t eat of the bun and surprisingly, I didn’t eat all of them fries. Since I don’t eat fries on a regular basis anymore, I almost always devour them when I do get fries. I made it through half, and then I just couldn’t eat anymore.

Don’t get me wrong, they tasted good, I was getting close to being full and I didn’t want to feel miserable.

I was kind of surprised that I literally pushed the food away from me — that is not a motion my hands are familiar with when it comes to food by the way.

So, now that “treat” is out of the way, I need to concentrate on my paper

g