Week 5

Weight Lost: 0.6lbs

Baaaaaahhhhhhh. Terrible. Yes, I understand it’s still a loss and a win is a win but it’s such a TINY win. And it’s my fault because I officially haven’t counted points in 2 weeks. Hence the crappy numbers. Did a little better today except I still didn’t count points and probably went over my daily allowance. I HAVE to get back to eating right. Nothing fits and I refuse to buy new clothes until I lose more weight.

Three weeks of Bikini Body Mommy 4.0 down! The only days I’ve missed were the 2 at the beginning because I didn’t start on time. I’m ok with that. There are moments when I REALLY REALLY don’t like Briana and her torture routines but I am not going to give up. I already notice that I’m recovering faster from workouts. Most days I can even climb the stairs without my legs feeling as though they will give way beneath me.

I got new workout clothes! I know it sounds silly but it makes me more interested in working out. Maybe because before the stuff I was wearing didn’t fit very well… And I know it’s just in my house and no one sees me working out but wearing workout gear that fits (novel idea, huh?) and feels comfortable and doesn’t require adjusting everytime you move makes a big difference in the experience. Target had their C9 gear on the Cartwheel app (if you don’t have that and you live in the USA – because apparently Target isn’t in Canada anymore – download it now!) 20% off so I grabbed 2 of these shirts, 1 of this shirt, and 2 of these sports bras. I love the shirts and the sports bras are a GIANT improvement over the ones I had been wearing which were approximately 2-3 sizes too small.

We did WAY too much eating out this week. With not the greatest choices during those times. But I really really like fried okra and nachos. Not at the same time though. That would be weird.

Week 4

Weight lost: .8lbs  Hey! That’s better than last week!

Wow. Can’t believe I’ve been doing this for almost a month. I should have kept track of how many pineapples, bell peppers, and quarts of strawberries I’ve gone through.

Making brownies while working out isn’t necessarily the best choice. Even if those brownies are earmarked for the local police station in honor of National Police Week. Especially if those brownies are the best fudgey gooey brownies I’ve ever had. I mean, I had to taste one a few. Just the broken ones, of course. Couldn’t give those to anyone. Unfortunately (for you) I can’t share this recipe as it was given to me under threat of death if I were share it further. And even though I probably have described these brownies as “to die for” I’m not quite willing to back that statement up. So if you want some… well… you’ll have to come over.

I slipped on the stairs one morning this week and pulled something in my quad muscle. The whole thing didn’t hurt but a localized spot in the center felt like someone was stabbing me with a hot poker. So, needless to say, I skipped my workout that day but I made it up the next day! Pretty proud of myself that I haven’t skipped a day since I started working out except for the one, but I made that up. I haven’t always done wonderfully with my food choices but at least I’m working out!

I literally haven’t counted points at all this week. I have NO idea how that’s going to work out for me. I’ve tried still eating well but with all the leftovers from Mother’s Day it was really hard to count. And I don’t even want to know what the point count is for Fresh Strawberry Pie. Because it’s SOOOOOO good. That was my Mother’s Day present to me.

Bad moments. Not bad mothers.

This is something I read somewhere that I feel I need to get tattooed on myself. Somewhere I can see it daily. Like on my forehead so when I check out my frizzy hair and my newly zitty face in the mirror I can see it. And then every other time I see it throughout the day I might just remember that bad moments don’t make me a bad mom. Even if I REALLY REALLY feel like they do. Because some days, and more days than not lately, I feel like all I have are bad moments.

I don’t want to be the mom who yells at her toddler. I don’t. I go to bed each night telling myself I will be patient and understanding and I won’t yell or get angry or have a screaming mini-meltdown when my toddler doesn’t listen to me for the 73rd time that hour. And some days I follow my rules. And other days, which seem to be getting more frequent, I fail miserably. I read a post some time ago that I apparently need to print out and paste in various locations all over my house. You can read it here. If you don’t want to read it it basically talks about those moments you lose yourself because satan is digging at your self-esteem, your resolve, your patience, and playing up your inadequacies. But you should read it because it’s way better than my summary.

I want to be the mom that shows her children grace when they need it and consistency in the discipline they receive. I don’t want to lose my patience and yell and hurt the sweet heart of my precious boy. He is struggling with listening and obeying and doing the things he wants to do. I am struggling with being patient and consistent and teaching gently instead of being a shrew.

I’m not a bad mom. I love my children with every fiber of my being. I wouldn’t trade them for the world (even if I sometimes threaten to sell them to the gypsies). We have fun together and play and talk and I love those interactions. I know my son is growing and learning and I know I am too. I am growing in my role as their mom and learning how to navigate this new age and stage and the differences in having two.

So tomorrow, once again, I’ll try to be patient. I’ll try to use the right words to teach instead of yell. I’ll try to remember compassion when he’s melting down (again) because his napkin fell on the floor. And I might fail. Because I’m not perfect. I’m human and I’m flawed. But I will remember these precious gifts I’ve been given. I’ll remember that they are mine to teach and raise and love. And I will do my best.

Tasty Breakfast Muffins (Or Anytime-you-need-a-sweet-treat-that-won’t-derail-you Muffins)

So in the last two weeks I’ve make several batches of muffins to eat for breakfast. I tend to prefer sweet breakfast options unless I’m going the whole bacon-eggs-pancakes-hashbrowns route which, let’s face it, is neither practical on a daily basis or healthy. So enter tasty, not terribly unhealthy, muffins. Now, as I make them they are pretty small. I have used these for all the ones I have made since I started WW and the cups are smaller than regular baking cups. Side note: my only issue with the silicone baking cups is that, for whatever reason, they overcook the bottoms of the muffins. It’s a little weird and I haven’t figured out how to make it not do that but I still like that they are easy to use and clean. Soooo unpaid advertised over and back to muffins.

First we have Low-Fat Lemon Poppyseed Muffins. These are tasty fresh and also frozen. And, by frozen, I mean I will literally eat them straight out of the freezer. I know, I’m weird. But my friend H would totally back me up on that.

1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Cake Mix
1 C Non-fat sour cream or greek yogurt (I used greek yogurt in mine)
2 Tbsp Poppyseeds
3 egg whites
2 tsp Lemon Extract
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp grated lemon peel

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Batter will be thick. Fill greased muffin tins, muffin liners, or silicone baking liners. Bake 25-30 minutes until top springs back when touched. Don’t overbake them like I did my last batch. They get a little tough if overcooked. You want them just to start browning on top but that’s it. Cool about 10 minutes then top with glaze. You can eat them without the glaze for less sugar but really, the glaze is SO good so why would you want to?

Lemon Glaze

3/4 C Powdered Sugar
1 tsp grated lemon peel
3-4 tsp lemon juice

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl and spoon over cooled muffins. I glaze them and then once the glaze sets up a big pop them in a freezer safe container. Boom, done. My silicone cups end up making 18 muffins that work out to 3 PointsPlus a piece using non-fat Greek Yogurt (including glaze).

Next up we have Greek Yogurt Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins. Ok, I’m sure there is a simpler title for these like maybe “Greek Yogurt Oat Muffins” but I feel like the eater needs to know there are both bananas and PB in them too. I’ve adapted this from the original recipe found here to add the peanut butter, which can be done in two ways.

Option 1:

2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 C Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1/2 C Reduced Fat Peanut Butter
1/4 C brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 C quick oats
1/2 C chocolate chips – regular or mini (I prefer mini)

Preheat oven to 400. Using food processor, blend all ingredients except oats and chocolate chips until smooth. Add in oats, pulse until oats are small but not blended all the way in (original recipe calls for them to be blended smooth but I liked the texture better with the oats still in pieces). Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Fill greased muffin tin, baking liners, or silicone baking cups to make 12-16 muffins (depending on size of muffin tins – regular tins will make 12 muffins). Bake for 15-20 minutes or until top feels set and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. I prefer them room temp or just slightly warm versus straight out of the oven. Cool completely and freeze in freezer safe container.

Alternate lower-cal option:
1 C. Non-fat Greek Yogurt
4 Tbsp PB2 Powedered Peanut Butter
1/4 C Mini chocolate chips

This reduced the Points Plus in the muffins considerably down to 3 each or 4 for two, which is pretty good. My recipe makes 16 muffins. I prefer the smaller amount of chocolate chips over the original recipe. I like the texure of using the actual peanut butter over the PB2 but for the points/calorie difference I’ll suck it up and use the powdered stuff.

I hope you enjoy these! I know H has enjoyed the Lemon Poppyseed muffins this week for breakfast and so have my kiddoodles. Let me know what you think!

Week 3

Weight Lost: .4lbs Ugh. But I blame Mother’s Day and the Amazing Meatstravaganza we had for dinner that hubby smoked. Jerk chicken, pulled pork, and smoked sausage. And there were vegetables, I swear. Green beans (cooked with *ahem* ham), potato salad, and coleslaw. So good. I can’t even tell you how good it was. And there are leftovers to last ALL week. So we’ll see how I do next weigh in without counting points this week.

The Bikini Body Mommy 4.0 Challenge started Monday but between a super cranky baby and housework I didn’t get to start it like I wanted. Tuesday had MOPS and work so again, no go on working out. So I started Day 1 on Day 3 and, once again, was reminded just how out of shape I am. But the workouts are intense, but short, so I feel like I can make sure I get them done.

Special K Brownies should come with a warning about the contents of the box not looking a darn thing like the picture on the box. I don’t know exactly what I was expecting but it DEFINITELY was not a tiny chewy piece of chocolate the size of a Ghirardelli square. The taste wasn’t bad but wasn’t the best thing I’ve ever had. But, in one of those times when you need a piece of chocolate so bad you’d mortgage your house, these will do for only 2 points.

Dinner Monday night was Teriyaki Beef. SO GOOD. Seriously. Make this. It’s delicious.

I’m kind of surprised I’m not yet sick of fruit.

Wednesday’s post-workout smoothie lunch yielded a MUCH better result than the chocolate shake look-alike from Week 2. Bitty shared with me and also thought it was delicious.

I hate laundry. It never ends. NEVER.

Week 2

Weight Lost: .8lbs 😦 I didn’t do so well yesterday. Giant derailment. Giant. I may or may not have eaten 3 (maybe 3 1/2) pieces of cornbread cake. Which has no cornbread in it but lots and lots of sugar. And pecans. Oh, and butter. But hey, I still lost weight.

I am terribly out of shape. One day at the zoo awakened aches and pains in 79% of my lower half. Apparently I need to push a stroller with two kids and a big bag uphill for 1.4 miles every day. Then I could eat 2 brownies.

Coriander is not a spice I like in great quantities. Maybe in any quantity. **Side note: apparently coriander is also cilantro. Which is weird because it doesn’t smell or taste like cilantro.**

SO many things come up to derail you from eating well. SO MANY. And not all of them are of my own making. Some of them are made by someone else in a crockpot.

Spinach in a fruit smoothie makes the smoothie look like a chocolate milkshake. Which is a lie. Also, I really need a new blender.

I much prefer something sweet for breakfast. And it was warm last week so hot oatmeal wasn’t going to cut it. So I made a batch of slightly-smaller-than-normal (due to my testing out of these – review here) low-fat lemon poppyseed muffins. Make them up, freeze them, and eat one for breakfast. Even frozen they are good! I’ll post the recipe later.

So overall I didn’t do great last week. I still lost, which is good, but I made some pretty poopy choices. This week starts a workout challenge so hopefully I can eat well so I can get the full benefit of working out.