The Pay Off

Ok folks, so this whole challenge has been exactly that.....a challenge, but I've learned so much!  Not necessarily a ton about nutrition and exercise, but I've learned SO much about my body and what works and doesn't work and how eliminating artificial ingredients and eating whole, natural foods has me feeling like a million bucks!  I literally just sent a text to the man of my dreams telling him that I fully plan to keep a lot of the nutrition "rules" in place after the challenge is over, but use them more as guidelines.  What does that mean?  Well, to me, it means that I may enjoy some cheese, an alcoholic beverage, or maybe even some fresh bread or a pasta dish when I am dining at someone else's house.  However, here, at home, when I have the most control and where I spend the most time and when I pack my lunch or even dine out....anywhere I make a choice about what to put in my body without inconveniencing someone else....I choose to stick with "the rules", because it makes me feel good and why would I choose anything else?

I've tried a few new things lately too (of course).

One of my favorites is this breakfast which I believe I've shared before.  The combination of high fiber, high protein keeps me satisfied all the way to lunch!

Banana and Granola

1 handful of sunflower seeds

1 generous shake from the bag of the following:

           chopped pecans

           sliced almonds

           shredded unsweetened coconut

1 banana on the side for dipping

Yes, this is a lot of fiber and it's also a lot of protein.  PERFECT for after the gym!  My digestion is one of the most improved things I've noticed during the challenge.

Next favorite would be the BISCUITS!!! Yes, cheesy, garlicy, buttery BISCUITS!!!!  These are easily the closest thing you'll get to Red Lobster Cheddar Biscuits that are 100% compliant.

Cheesy Garlic Biscuits 

1/2 cup Coconut Flour
1/2 cup Nutrtional Yeast
8 Eggs (separated)
1 tsp Cream of Tartar
Sea Salt to taste
1/2 tsp baking soda
8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold butter, cut into pea sized cubes
Minced Garlic to taste (I used Tastefully Simple Garlic Garlic)

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Cut in butter and mix with hands or fork until crumbly, put back in the fridge to keep cool.

Whip egg whites until white and frothy.  Add yolks and beat until thoroughly combined.  Slowly add egg mixture to dry mixture and fold in until mixed completely.  The batter will be wet....that's ok, DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR!

Place by spoonfuls on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAMAZING!

I enjoyed a couple of these fresh and warm out of the oven with some butter....yes, real live unsalted butter.  It's ok, you can have it!  I'd planned steak, roasted broccoli and these biscuits for the dinner, but my daughter didn't want steak so we did a breakfast for dinner egg sandwich with some pork sausage on them....equally wonderful!

The next item on the new foods list is tomato zucchini stewp.  Mine turned out great, but I sure didn't stick to the recipe on this one and I don't have ANY sort of measurement for any of this, because this is how I roll when it's not baking which is 100% chemistry....I throw a bunch of stuff in a pot and pray it turns out tasty LOL.

Zucchini Tomato Stewp (not quite stew, but not quite soup)
Zucchini, cut up - about 3 small
Onion, sliced, chopped, however you like it - 1 whole big gorgeous yellow one
Ground Turkey seasoned with salt free Italian Seasonig, browned
2 big cans of stewed tomatoes
Garlic Salt
Pepper
Baby Bella Mushrooms, diced to hide them from my daughter, I used a 1/2 of a box because it was all I had
1/2 bag frozen peas (leftovers from the freezer)
Celery, diced - about 4 ribs WITH leaves!
Carrots, chopped
Parsley
Oregano
1 box of chicken stock (I use the Rachael Ray brand)

I don't remember what else.  I basically cleaned out my fridge of veggies.

And that's that.  Currently I have some chicken and steak marinating in a combination of olive oil and homemade taco seasoning to be tossed with some onions and peppers and stuffed in a crisp green romaine lettuce leaf with some avocado and salsa......or maybe I'll pile it on top the spinach I need to get used up in the fridge and make a salad out of it.  Either way, bound to be DELICIOUS!

Other plans for the week include Stuffed Portabello Caps, Chicken Sweet Potato Stir Fry, Pork Ribs with Rib Rub, and Jerk Chicken and Pineapple bowl and I'm sure there will be a night when the kids want the all natural hotdogs from our small town meat market and I'll whip up some rosemary seasoned sweet potato fries too.  We'll see.

So what's the pay off....well here's how the challenge has been going....

Week 1: -8 lbs

Week 2: +2 lbs (UGH!)

Week 3: -.6 lbs (UGH again!)

Week 4: -5.8 lbs!!!!!! WOOT WOOT!

Proof that hard work and persistence pays off!

P.S. I danced my ass off at the gym again this morning and did a lot of stretching.