Cookie Rookie - Weight Loss Week Eleven Day Six - Lite and Easy (Lite n' Easy)

Week 11

Day 6 - Monday
31/03/2014 
Cookie Rookie

Where's the egg?

Breakfast: Smokehouse Ham, melted Cheese and Tomato on a toasted Multigrain Muffin

 *Addition: Homemade Coffee (low fat milk, no sugar)

I enjoyed this breakfast but I just really wanted eggs this morning.  That's one of the issues with Lite n' Easy, if you don't feel like something you pretty much have to eat it anyway.

Sorry, I over nuked you.

Morning Snack: Red Apple

*Addition: 2 x Microwave Oat & Raisin Cookies (Recipe here)

I wanted to squeeze in a workout before lunch so I decided to have something that was filling, had some protein and was also delicious.  I had seen this recipe on YouTube and it sounded so simple I wanted to give it a try.

It was so quick and easy to make, it really was sweet enough from the Banana and they were so filling that I didn't have room for my Apple, so I had it later.

I nuked mine for the full 90 seconds forgetting that it would continue to cook outside of the microwave and over cooked it. :(  It was still good but just dry and a bit hard, next time I will nuke them for 60 seconds (1000 watt microwave) and see how they go.

Broccoli Bake? 

Lunch: Cheesy Chicken & Macaroni Bake

Orange

 *Addition: Half large Banana (left over from the cookie)

Red Apple (that I didn't have for my morning snack)

This was pretty yummy, loved all the veggies in there.  You don't see Broccoli too much in Lite n' Easy, well I don't, so it was nice to have a different vegetable.  It was cheesy but I was expecting more cheesiness, maybe that's due to the 54 Homestyle Macaroni Bake  dinner as that is way cheesy.  

Unfortunately, like the Macaroni Bake, it did have those soggy baked Tomatoes on top *shudders*.  I just have a thing about cooked Tomato on it's own, I just don't like it.

Mmm nuts

Afternoon Snack: Almonds, Pretzels & Peanuts

 *Addition: Orange (from my lunch)

One of my favourite snacks, no surprise there as it has nuts in it, salty, crunchy goodness. (I'm talking about the snack, not nuts...)

Mmm Pasta, Tomato, Cheesy

Dinner: 68 Fettucine Provincale

I don't think I've had this one for a while but I enjoy it.  It's just simple.  I love Tomato based sauces, cheese and pasta and this has them all.  Really nice Tomato based sauce, but it doesn't have any meat so it may not appeal to everyone.

Glasses of water: 8

*Addition: These are items that are not part of the 1200 calorie Lite n' Easy plan.  I have added these to increase my calorie intake from the calories burned off during exercise.  For a more detailed breakdown, please see the My Fitness Pal image at the bottom of this post.

Who knew I would enjoy exercise?

Exercise: Dancing (More about my Melercise routine here)

I just don't feel right now if I don't get a dance session in everyday, well every weekday at least.  I was getting into the habit of looking at my Polar FT4 watch constantly to see how many calories I burned. I didn't do it at all today and I don't plan to in the future, I find I just enjoy dancing more that way.

What did you enjoy today?

My Food Diary via My Fitness Pal

Tim Tams By The Zumbo Man - Weight Loss Week Eleven Day One - Lite and Easy (Lite n' Easy)

Week 11
Day 1 - Wednesday
26/03/2014

Layered Breakfast in a Jar

Breakfast: Almond Toasted Muesli  and Passionfruit Yoghurt

 I added 100 grams of Blueberries, 100 grams of Raspberries (frozen and defrosted) and 50 grams of Farmers Union Light Greek Style Yoghurt.

You will see me adding more food and snacks during the day as I'm back to exercising and eating back my calories.  I knew I was going to work out today so I added some extra yoghurt and fruit.  I layered the Passionfruit Yoghurt, then some Raspberries and Blueberries, then some more Passionfruit Yoghurt, more berries and then topped it with light Greek Yoghurt and the Muesli. 

It was a really yummy breakfast but I don't think I will have this amount of Yoghurt again.  Yoghurt and my tummy don't really mix well and it makes me a little queasy, so this was way too much Yoghurt for me. 

Finally a good Apple

Morning Snack: Red Apple

Have they (Lite n' Easy) been listening to me or did I just get lucky?  This Apple was delish!  Sweet, crunchy and fresh.  The Apples I have been getting lately were powdery, not this one.

Let's focus on the Grapes...

Lunch: Asian Chicken Salad with Crispy Noodles and Sesame Soy Dressing

Seasonal Fruit (Grapes)

After confessing my love for the Warm Chicken & Cous Cous Moroccan Salad with Yoghurt Dressing (blog post here), I had high hopes for this salad.  I have to say I was a little disappointed.  

For starters I don't like cold Chicken and I didn't like the Soy Dressing, it was a little too tangy for me.  I liked the crunch element being there and the Crispy Noodles were okay, but I would have preferred some Croutons or something else. 

The Grapes, oh my, the Grapes.  I have not had luck with Grapes lately and I have been provided with sour Grapes (read post here), but today they were lovely!  So sweet and fresh, love them!

Oh yeah!

Afternoon Snack: Double Chocolate Cake

Low Fat Banana & Raisin Muffin (Recipe here)

Can we just take a moment to appreciate this cake...oh my stars!  I had my suspicions about a Double Chocolate Cake that was low fat and low calories but I shouldn't have been at all.  It's delicious and most certainly does not taste low fat.  I love when I heat it up in the microwave that the Chocolate Chips go all oozey and melty...*drool*.

So yummy :)

Needing to add some more calories to my day, I decided on this homemade Banana & Raisin Muffin.  I love these and have a batch of them in my freezer waiting as a little healthy snack.  The recipe is here.

Chicken Dinner is a Winner

Dinner: 18 Roast Chicken

 I had a great workout this afternoon (details below) and I was so ready for dinner.  This was so good!  I really love this one and order it on a regular basis.  I have a competition with myself to see just how much Chicken, Potato, Gravy and Stuffing I can fit in one bite. ;)

Glasses of water: 9

Raspberry and White Chocolate <3

Additional Items:  Homemade Coffee (low fat milk, no sugar)

Adriano Zumbo Tim Tam - Salted Caramel
Adriano Zumbo Tim Tam - Raspberry and White Chocolate

I put in a good workout today and I haven't had a treat the whole time since I started my weight loss journey and this blog, so I decided to treat myself tonight.  I love Adriano Zumbo and his Zumbarons, so I was so excited to find that he had teamed with Tim Tam to create these.  They have been sitting in my cupboard for weeks, first time that has happened, ever!

I decided on the Salted Caramel and Raspberry and White Chocolate Tim Tams (educating myself on the calories first).  I didn't really think much of the Salted Caramel, it just tasted like a Caramel Tim Tam with some salt thrown in but the Raspberry and White Chocolate, I think I'm in love.  ;)  I don't usually like White Chocolate that much but this was divine.  I couldn't have eaten any more though as they were so sweet!

I'm so sorry to do this to you as I know you're probably trying to lose weight too, but they are currently on special at Woolworths for $1.50, now I feel like a drug dealer.  I really think it is important to treat yourself every now and then and I try to have a treat snack or meal and not a whole day, if I can help it.  But I did show restraint as usually I would have eaten half a pack, the big pack, without even thinking twice. 

Exercise: Beginner Strength Training with 3 kg weights.
Workout DVD - 3 Mile Walk with Leslie Sansone with 400 gram weights.

Last time I did this I did ten of each but did the lunges all the way down and my thighs hurt for two days.  I didn't want to write myself off and not be able to exercise the next day so I only did half lunges.  I plan to do this two times a week and gradually build the number from 10 to 15 reps and then increase the weights. 

 This isn't the exact one that I do but all of her workouts are pretty similar.  I did sweat, I did get tired, I was uncomfortable and I wanted to give up about twenty times.  I know that this might not seem much to people but I'm 137 kilograms and just starting out.

Burn Butt, Burn!

This is how much I burned off doing the weight training and the 3 mile walk.  I know that because I am bigger I will burn off more calories so I'm enjoying it while it lasts.  I'm finding it a little difficult to increase the food but I'm getting there gradually.

My Fitness Pal - My Food & Exercise for the day

I've started entering all my food, exercise and water in to My Fitness Pal (here), so that I can see how many calories I'm consuming and how many I need to eat back once I've burned them off.  It's so helpful! (Feel free to add me). 

You can see that my sugars were a bit high today thanks to the Zumbo Tim Tams but I'm not planning on doing this everyday!

My New Workout Buddy - Weight Loss Week Ten Day Seven - Lite and Easy (Lite n' Easy)

Week 10
Day 7 - Tuesday
25/03/2014

Making my own breakfast

Breakfast: Smokehouse Ham and Egg on a Toasted Multigrain Muffin
Weet - Bix & Multigrain Toast with Peanut Butter

I would have preferred to have Ham and Egg on a Muffin but the Egg was broken, yet again :(  They really need to fix this as this has happened, to me and others, so many times.  They do put the Egg in a plastic container but the plastic is really flimsy so it doesn't do much at all. 

I couldn't be bothered with figuring out how many calories in an Egg and then what to replace it with, so I scratched the whole thing and started over. 

I ended up having one and a half Weet-Bix (this seemed to be about the same amount as the Lite n' Easy cereals) and a slice of Wholemeal Toast with about 10 grams of Peanut Butter.   I'm lucky I had these foods at home though.  It does get me use to preparing my own breakfasts, the quantity and the types of food.

This is a snack?

Morning Snack: Dried Apricots

I do enjoy these but to me five dried Apricots doesn't make much of a snack.

Good to have some variety

Lunch: Cheese, Tomato and Caramelised Onion Multigrain Sandwich

Kiwifruit

The other choice for lunch today was the Roast Chicken Linguini but I have had it before and wasn't too impressed with the quality of the Chicken, so I decided on this.  

It might seem boring but it's nice to have just a sandwich for lunch sometimes and break it up a little.  I toasted it as I have a thing for melted cheese and it's more enjoyable than defrosted bread. I do like the Caramelised Onion as it gives it a sweet flavour and otherwise it would just be a Cheese and Tomato sandwich. 

I'm not a Kiwi fruit fan but I eat them anyway.

Munch, munch, munch... This is a snack! :)

Afternoon Snack: Popcorn

You can't go wrong with this snack, so good, even though it's not smothered in butter and flavourings.

One of my favourites

Dinner: 72 Spinach & Ricotta Tortellini

A favourite of mine that I constantly order.  It doesn't have any meat, but I don't think it needs it.  I enjoy the taste and consistency of the pasta and the sauce is creamy.

Glasses of water: 7

Additional Items: Homemade Coffee (low fat milk, no sugar)

Exercise: Workout DVD - 1 Mile Walk with Leslie Sansone with 400 gram weights for the upper body sections. 

While I can't find the exact walk I did, there is a similar one on Youtube for you below.

1 Mile Walk with Leslie Sansone on YouTube

Burn it off - Polar FT4

I ordered the Polar FT4 heart rate monitor watch and got sick soon after it arrived.  I have been waiting to exercise and use it for two weeks while I recovered.  It was like eternity not to be able to play with my new shiny toy. 

I purchased mine from Polar World (here) for $99 with free shipping.  I think there is cheaper online but I wanted to buy it direct from Polar and have the warranty and I believe they are around $140 in stores. 

Image source: memegenerator.com

I have been so run down this is how I felt after exercising!  But I didn't want to push myself too hard as I'd only just recovered.  I found that wearing the heart rate monitor I did push myself a little more, I would see my heart rate dropping and increase the intensity.

I didn't realise that I would burn so much, I thought it would only be about 100 calories or so, I was wrong.

Eating back the calories

I know I've said it before but it's important to eat the calories you burn off during exercise and it's really important not to go under 1200 calories as this is the minimum for women. 

 I did my exercise in the afternoon and wasn't expecting to burn off this many calories!  200 calories is a lot to eat in one sitting!  This is not my plan going forward, I want to spread out the calories during the day so it's not so much.  I couldn't eat all of this but I gave it a good go. ;)

What is your favourite workout? I'd love to hear from you :)