Salt is my enemy!!!!

I was working on the computer, drinking a glass of V8, and I thought to myself, "I wonder if V8 juice is really good for me? Let me Google it." The results were not good. 80% of V8 juice is tomato juice with some pureed veggies I could handle that. I reached for my handy, dandy 20/30 book to check the food in the back. In the back of this book there is a list of foods I am allowed to eat, cut back on, and avoid. V8 juice had a bomb. Bomb = avoid. So sad. I bought a few containers of V8 juice thinking that this was going to be the new drink of choice; instead I made a stew with it last night. I need to concentrate on my salt intake. I feel bloated and I feel like I am retaining water.


Last night I made a stew. This stew consisted of black beans, kidney beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes, portabella mushrooms, corn, and V8 juice. I seasoned my stew with cumin, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and chili powder. I tasted my stew and something was missing. I could not put my finger on it I was missing something. I opened the fridge and I saw a half of a bag of sauerkraut. Mmmmmmmm...I love sauerkraut, but in my stew....I don't know. So, I put a little bit on a spoon with the stew and yummmmmm...my stew tasted like cabbage soup. I love cabbage soup. So, I was eating a big bowl of my "steoup" (Rachel Ray term of stew and soup together) while watching "The Young and the Restless" and then it hit me...sauerkraut is so good.... sauerkraut is cabbage...that has been fermented...mmmm...sauerkraut..."SALT!!!!!!!" Oh crud!!!! Salt again...and a lot of it. So, this is my last pot of salt that I am going to eat. Pictures are still to come of the steoup.

For lunch today, I went to Wendy's because I was craving a baked potato. So, I ordered a broccoli and cheese potato and a grilled chicken sandwich. What a great lunch. I treated myself to a special treat.... food prepared for me!!!!

Bad news....

No more V8 juice for me.....too much sodium.....so sad!!!!  :(

Many pictures to add!!!

Since I have started watching my diet and the food that I am eating, I have enjoyed cooking and finding new recipes to try out.  I have really enjoyed taking pictures to add to my diary.  Here are so pictures that I wanted to add. 

Last nights dinner consisted of a chicken breast sandwich and vegetables.  I was having a strange craving last night, oh no...don't worry.  This craving was for sauteed onions and mushrooms.  I also wanted horseradish and sauerkraut.  So, I put it all together.  It was delicious.

My newest favorite drink is V8.  Today at work, I poured a glass of V8 and added some veggies to the glass along with hot sauce and pepper.  YUMMY!!!!

For dinner, I made a thin and crispy pizza.  I used the flat out wrap.

On the flat bread, I added some pizza sauce, diced tomatoes, cheese, red onion, green pepper, and mushrooms.  The pizza turned out very well.  I will make this over and over.

The finished product:

Along with the pizza, I ate some spicy bean and pulled pork chili...mm.mmm..good!!!

My phone sucks...

I am hating my phone right now.  I charge my phone each night and I lose all juice by noon, the next day.  This is messing my flow up.  I have taken a few pictures that I would like to post about a product that I bought, I guess I will have to wait until I get home tonight to upload my pictures.

I bought a few products this morning that will become a staple in my household.  The first product that I bought was Fiber One Key Lime Pie Yogurt.  I love this yogurt!!!!  I am a big fan of key lime pie and this yogurt is only 50 calories and has 5 grams of fiber.  High fiber and low calorie.

The next product that I bought, High Fiber V8 juice.  I had to decide between high fiber and hot n' spicy.  I decided to buy the high fiber, I can add my own hot sauce.  I cannot believe that I have turned my entire attitude around about tomato juice.  The only thing that I was missing....vodka!!!

The last product that I bought, Flat Outs.

For lunch, I made a turkey sandwich wrap.  The wrap tasted great, good texture and only 100 calories, 2.5 grams of fat, and 8 grams of fiber.  I bought the whole wheat with flax seed flatout.  Tonight, I think that I may try to make pizza. 

I love these products and they will always be in my kitchen.

Pictures to come, later tonight.

Another Monday.....

I am proud to announce that I am past the headache phase, the sugar craving phase, and the eat when I am bored phase.  I am now into the weight loss phase.  I weighed myself this morning and I was surprised, I have lost 25 pounds since January 4th.  I have been 100% dedicated to my lifestyle change and I am enjoying the change.  When planning meals, I think about the fresh produce that is in season and how I can use it.  I love coming up with ways in incorporate beans into my meals.  The most fun that I have had is coming up with new soups and chilis.  Last night I made the most wonderful chili.  The chili is called spicy bean with pulled pork.....fantastic!!!!

This chili is hearty and flavorful....I think that this is the best chili that I have ever made.  The only fat that is in this chili is the fat from the pork tenderloin that I used.  I used northern beans, tomatoes, diced tomatoes, chipotle pepper, green pepper, onions, and green chilis.  So good!!!

When I was younger, I was never a fan of tomatoes.  Lately, it seems like I am incorporating them in every meal that I eat.  Today, I went to Speedway and bought a bottle of V8 juice.  Funny how tastes change with age.

My breakfasts remain the same.  Usually, I eat oatmeal or high fiber cereal with an apple and yogurt.  Sometimes for added fiber, I eat a slice of toast.

When I have a craving for something sweet, I make hot tea.  Good Earth tea is wonderful.  Spicy and sweet is the way to go.

After I re-organized my clothes, I took some time to prepare tostadas.  I used corn tortilla and black beans, I added corn to the black beans and topped the tostadas with tomatoes, lettuce, and jalapenos.

Clothes, clothes everywhere.

I do not want to assume that most people have a closet like mine. I will assume that women have a closet like mine. My closet consists of many sizes of clothes. The range of sizes varies. My summer clothes are all around the same size; my fall and winter clothes are small and larger, no in between. Three years ago, when I lost 125 pounds, I decided to take control of my closet. I took the time to sort my clothes out and throw away the clothes that were too big. I vowed to myself that I would not become that size again. At that time, my clothes were one size, the smaller version of me. Then slowly the weight came back. One week I was able to wear my favorite jeans and sweater and two weeks later, the clothes became tighter and tighter. I had to begin to buy larger clothes and larger clothes, so my closet is back to the way it was, various sizes for various seasons. My plan for the weekend is to organize my clothes. My organization abilities will come in handy for this situation. I will organize by season and then by size. The clothes that are not in season and the clothes that do not fit will go in the basement. My mini goal is to slowly creep back into the clothes that I have bought within the last three years. I will set mini goals for myself...each time I open up a smaller container of clothes, I am one step closer to a new me.


My meals have remained healthy and balanced. The only part of the equation missing is the exercise. After I get my clothes situation under control, I will have more room to move in my bedroom which means I will be able to workout in there.

My breakfast, on Thursday, included high fiber oatmeal, cottage cheese, and pineapple.

My lunch was delicious.  Chicken salad, sliced cucumber, and lentil soup.

The dinner that I made last night was fantastic and healthy.  I have to say that I eat tons of chicken.  Last week, I bought a bag of Troyer chicken.  Oh my, I love it!!!

Wendy's and Subway.....

I have not had fast food in 20 days.  No french fries, no cheeseburgers, no soda, basically no terrible food.  Last night, for dinner, I went to Wendy's.  I ordered a plain baked potato and a small chili.  That was my dinner.  For an evening snack, I made an eggbeater sandwich with basil and tomato.  So, I ate Wendy's.  I ate fast food, but is Wendy's considered fast food?  Yes, there is a drive thru and in one minute or less the food is in the car.  When I say "fast food", in my mind, I am thinking Big Mac, fries, McNuggets, and a shake.  Or I think about a nacho bell grande or a chili cheese burrito.  My dinner calories that I ate measured at 470 with 6 grams of fat, and 12 grams of fiber.  Not too bad, plus my dinner was pretty good.  So, yes I ate at a fast food restaurant, but I did not eat fast food.  There is another place that I can think of that I do not consider fast food, Subway.  7 of their 6inch subs have under 6 grams of fat.  I would have no problem with eating Subway everyday.  I love it!!!  That is not going to happen.  I am going to continue to eat at home 95% of the time.  I cannot wait to start my garden. 

I had a delicious lunch today.  I ate the rest of my spinach/bean soup and I ate 2 corn tortillas filled with black beans and corn.  YUMMY!!!!