Weight Loss!

Monday morning I made a quick breakfast inspired by a Pinterest post. I put almond butter on a whole wheat bagel thin and then topped it with slices of strawberries and bananas. It was super filling and I'm thinking I'll also try a variation with lite cream cheese. And yes, it's on leftover Hanukkah paper plate.

My version of http://pinterest.com/pin/246079567111370951/

For dinner, I had planned to make a mashed faux-tatoes side (cauliflower) to go with some fish that Nick was making. Then Nick got the cold that knocked me out for 2 weeks so  I was left to my own devices. This might be a good time to explain that meat scares me. I don't mind eating it, but I really only feel comfortable cooking ground beef/bison/turkey. Give me anything else and I don't know how to tell when it's done. Despite this fear, I found a recipe for lemon chicken breast and decided to give it a shot because I felt my chances of succeeding were stronger with chicken that with fish (don't ask why because I have no logical explanation).

I asked Nick some questions about cooking chicken with enough hesitation that he made me promise not to give him food poisoning. I told him I wouldn't although, let's be honest, that was an empty promise. I figured if I killed him, at least it would put him out of his congested misery. So I followed the recipe minus the white wine because we were out (I know...unacceptable!) and took a picture before I inevitably ruined it.

My version of http://pinterest.com/pin/246079567111408833/

Surprise! It turned out pretty great! Although after plating the meal, I realized how bland it looked and made a mental note to add some colorful veggies next time. The steamed cauliflower was mashed with some butter and salt and pepper like the recipe instructed and it tasted a little blah. Then I added a little Parmesan cheese and green onions on top which almost fooled me into thinking they were real potatoes. This is a HUGE deal to me because I've had a love affair with potatoes for my entire life and that's what I usually crave when the chubby girl in my head gets loud. Now I know I can satisfy that starchy urge with cauliflower. Success!

I ended the day by doing 5-6 songs on Just Dance for the Xbox Kinect and then the workout below. It was hard, but things are slowly getting easier and I feel very accomplished at the end of the day. And it turns out that I'm already starting to see the results. After a week of healthy eating and exercise, I've lost at least 3 lbs! I say at least because after the number on the scale got super depressing, I stopped weighing myself. I've lost 3 lbs from that number even though I'm sure I had gained a little since then so it's probably more. This small win has me feeling super motivated to keep going so you can expect more recipe and workout reviews.

Complete weekly workout here http://pinterest.com/pin/246079567111370809/