Here's my favorite chicken soup recipe, just in time for these cold winter days. Vary the veggies to suit your taste. or if you have leftover veggies, save them and use them.

Chicken Soup. Photo by Theresa

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts*
• 1 box (32 oz) chicken broth, use equivalent amount of fresh or canned broth)
• 4 carrots (sliced)
• fresh ginger (optional)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn or peas (or some of both)
• 1 small onion
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• olive oil

*You may use any part of the chicken. Sometimes I cook a whole chicken or buy one from the store and add pieces of chicken to the soup once the all the vegetables are cooked.

Directions

This soup can be made quickly on the stove or slowly in a crockpot. It depends on my level of hunger, time available or what kind of chicken I have on hand as to which method I use.

1. Cook the chicken and save the broth.
2. Place a small amount of olive oil in the bottom of a deep pan, add the onion and garlic and cook until onions are translucent.
3. Add chicken broth to the pan while the onions and garlic are steaming hot.
4. Add ginger, corn, carrots and lower heat. If you need more chicken broth add it at this time
5. When the carrots are cooked, add the cooked chicken.

December 04, 2014

I love a bowl of hot corn chowder, especially in the winter. This recipe is on my short list to make and when I do I'll add a photo.

Ingredients

• 2 packages organic sweet frozen corn
• 1 large yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cups organic chicken stock
• olive oil
• 2 poblano chili peppers (if you can find them)
• 2 large carrots, sliced thin
• 2 packs Al Fresco chicken sausage of whatever flavor you like (or any other sausage you prefer)
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• salt & pepper (salt optional)
• cilantro

Directions

1. If you are using the poblano peppers, cut in half, remove seeds and veins(wear gloves for protection), place under broiler until skin blisters, put in paper bag for 10 minutes, then peel and chop.
2. Cook sausage and cut.
3. Saute onion, celery, carrots and garlic, covered, on medium-low heat until carrots are a bit soft.
4. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil and add corn, peppers and simmer for just about 5 minutes until corn is done.
5. Using food processor or immersible wand, puree about half of the mixture…that will give you thickness without flour or other thickener.
6. Turn off heat, add as much chopped cilantro as you like (or if you don't like cilantro you could add fresh dill, or any other herb you prefer), and sausage
7. Salt and pepper to taste

Fritatta:
I'm going to give you the base recipe and then you can put in whatever you want, whatever you have hanging around in the fridge. I tend to make a lot because then there are easy leftovers.

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion
• 1 package organic turkey bacon-diced (or any other kind of meat you like)
• peppers/mushroom, summer squash, left over broccoli, whatever
• 8 large eggs, beaten with a couple of Tbs of water I sometimes add some parmesan to the beaten eggs)
• any kind of cheese you like
• any herbs you like
• olive oil

Directions

1. In large non-stick pan saute onions and bacon in olive oil until onions are soft and beginning to caramelize 
2. Add in other veggies and stir if pan has gone dry, add a bit more olive oil 
3. Heat pan on high for a minute add beaten eggs and immediately reduce heat to lowest setting
   cook over heat until eggs are set on the bottom and it looks like they are cooked at least half way through turn on broiler to low and place rack about 8 inches from flame 
4. Wrap pan handle in foil to protect from heat 
5. Put some more cheese on top  
6. Place under broiler until brown on top and eggs cooked all the way through…usually about 5 minutes

December 04, 2014

This silky sauce is perfect drizzled on grilled shrimp, carne asada, steak, sausage, chicken, dolloped over tacos of any kind (I eat tacos without a shell all the time), or used sparingly as a salad dressing. Intensify your dish by sprinkling the top of your dish with piquillo or chopped red peppers.

Cilantro Crack Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 bunches of cilantro with stems chopped off, washed, and shaken; the extra water will help the sauce
• 1 large or 2 small garlic cloves (more if you love garlic)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon white vinegar (this is the secret ingredient; if you don't have white vinegar use lime juice, but the white vinegar really is the secret ingredient)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or a food processor and blend on slow speed. 
2. Stop the blender intermittently to push ingredients down with a wooden spoon if necessary.
3. Taste the sauce and if it doesn't make you feel ALIVE--add 1 more tablespoon of white vinegar.

For a thicker and creamier sauce, to use as a spread, use half the olive oil and double the mayo.

You may also substitute mayo for Greek yogurt, but it may not be as silky.

Sauce should keep for about 3-4 days in the fridge.

Recipe and photo source: Real Foodies

December 04, 2014

Here's a recipe that is as healthy as it is tasty. The rutabaga, also known as turnip or yellow turnip, is a root vegetable that is high in antioxidant and anti-cancer compounds. According to Dr Mercola, "Beta-carotene-rich rutabagas are also an excellent source of potassium and manganese (for energy), and a good source of fiber, thiamin, vitamin B6 (helps support the nervous system), calcium (for strong bones), magnesium (helps absorb calcium and combat stress), and phosphorus (helps metabolize proteins and sugars)."

Oven Baked Rutabaga Fries

Ingredients

• 2 rutabaga (swede turnips)
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp Ariosto potato seasoning (contains: juniper, sage, and marjoram as well as basil, rosemary, and salt)
• 1 tsp Ariosto chili garlic seasoning (contains: salt, rosemary, garlic, sage, juniper, bay leaves, oregano, parsley, and garlic)
• grated Parmesan cheese, to sprinkle on top

Ariosto seasonings are available via Amazon.com.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Peel the skin off the rutabaga and julienne it. 
3. Use a good sharp knife to cut the rutabaga into equal french fry (not too skinny) size pieces.
4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Layer the rutabaga slices on the paper and sprinkle with olive oil and seasonings. 
6. Mix well.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, tossing after 10 minutes or so, so that they bake even.

Serving Options

• Once baked, lightly sprinkle top of fries with grated Parmesan cheese. 
• Serve with ketchup.

Recipe and photo source: Novice Housewife

December 04, 2014

Swim through this holiday season by staying in the river (on program)! Celebrate the joy of welcoming in 2015 feeling good about where you are on your weight loss journey. Don't give in to holiday treats this year--the real treat is reaching and maintaining your goal size.

Photo by Theresa

Stay strong in your resolve to stick to the basics of this program (eating clean). All the information you need to reach your goal size is within you...

Can I have...
When in doubt - leave it out. There are no gray areas - you are either on key or you're off.

Cheese, oh the cheese!
Cheese is a condiment - break up with cheese if it's problematic for you. Cheese is trouble for many of us, because we think "well, at least it's not sugar!" The problem is that too much cheese stops our weight loss. When I broke up with cheese, my weight started to drop again. See a trays of cold cuts at a party? Have some, but pass on the cheese.

Fatty Foods
Be aware of your daily fat intake. Yes, we're allowed chicken wings (without breading), but be mindful of how often you have them. The same applies to bacon.

Bite for Bite Meat and Protein
Stop eating more veggies than meat. If you go back for more food, because you're still hungry or because it tastes so darn good, keep your meat to veggie ratio in balance.

Hungry?
An increase in appetite is best met with lots of meat, organic if you can. It may be a sign that you're eating too many veggies. I've had hunger last for nearly a week before it went away. The hunger will pass if you just stay the course.

Craving Sweets? 
Avoid sweet veggies. Protein and green veggies calm down those sweet cravings. Push back on the cravings ("I want to not want this") and they will subside. Give in and your cravings will only get stronger.

Bored with Food?
It's time to change up your menus. Start by making your meals tastier than ever. Look for recipes ideas on Julie's website or this blog.

Swim through the holidays and when New Years Day rolls in you won't need to join the millions who start a diet only to give up a few days or weeks later. 

You can do this. You are doing this!

December 03, 2014

This weight loss journey is a lot like a marathon: there are no shortcuts and no skipping steps. You must be prepared. You must be focused. You must stay the course and go the full run. This means planning ahead and doing what's necessary to reach the finish line.

These photos are from 5k and 10k races I've done since starting this program. The July 1998 photo was taken in a garden where I walked less than ten minutes. Back then, that was all the walking I could do. My heart was broken that I couldn't do more, but that was my life in a size 30/32. My weight loss journey has been a long one, but I am happy with where I am today: my goal size is in sight and my resolve to stay the course is stronger than ever.

Last night I ran the Bright Nights 5k at Forest Park with key friends Megan and Lou. Support is great to have when running a 5k and it's equally true on our weight loss journey. I experienced a fun non-scale victory moment with Megan before the race when a photographer looked at us and said "This is a great photo opp!" That never happened to either of us before!

Looking at this photo taken before the race with Megan and Lou, I ask myself: who is this woman? It's me - antlers, blinking lights around my neck, and all! I never would have worn those antlers when I was a size 30/32! It was great to let myself have fun like this!

Before the race with Megan and Lou

Five months ago I started training for last night's 5k. This gave me plenty of time to complete my eight week c25k app, but for no particular reason I stopped training after week four day two (6 weeks ago). I continued walking an average of 13,000 steps daily and I stayed committed to this run. Last night I stayed in the moment and let go of what I could have or should have done. I pushed myself as best as I could and in the end, my race time was my usual 5k race average: 44:57.

Finish time: 44:57 for this 5k (3.1 miles)

Sometimes when I'm walking or running I want to take a shortcut. There's a course I take just outside my neighborhood where the road dead ends and sometimes I REALLY want to turn around before the end of the road, but I don't. I push away those thoughts, just like I push away food cravings. 

One day while training for this 5k, I started an inner dialogue to encourage me to keep running. I realized my words of encouragement to stay the course while running were also applicable to my weight loss journey. As I alternated running and walking along with my c25k app, I used another app to record my thoughts on how training for a 5k is similar to my weight loss journey...

Stop hesitating.

Get focused. Stay focused. 

At some point you have to stop thinking about it and just do it.

Don't let anything get between you and that finish line.

It's not just about the finish line - it's about today and what I do now. Right now is about putting one foot in front of the other and seeing my commitment through.

Go for it. Define what "it" is that you want and stay the course. In this moment "it" is about finishing my training today. With my weight loss, "it" is about staying on program today.

I paused for a moment and asked myself: who is this woman?

At some point while recording my thoughts, I realized multitasking was not a good idea, as it took my focus away from running. I must stay focused, so I can reach the finish line as fast as possible.

This weight loss journey isn't a marathon, as weight loss isn't about getting to our goal size as quickly as possible. It's about changing our way of eating so we can lose weight and keep it off. Perhaps we should act as if it is a marathon:

• Make a plan and stay the course
• Keep your eyes on the finish line
• Reach and maintain your goal size

Whether you're training for a race or just starting this weight loss program, you need plan. The program gives you the plan and it's up to you to embrace this new way of eating and to stay the course. Once this new way of eating becomes an instinctive part of your lifestyle, your focus shifts away from "all things food" to other aspects of your life. Once we "get it" (how to eat on the key program), we can incorporate more into our life and spend less energy focusing on how to stay on program, as that becomes automatic.

The timing of this "shift" varies for each of us, just as how long it takes us to reach our goal size varies. You and I may start at the same size, but you may reach your goal size in a year and it has taken me nearly four years. There are many different factors behind why this is different for each of us, but it takes as long as it takes.

It's about finishing what you started.

You don't have to become a runner if you don't want to, but do what it takes to stay the course and reach your goal size!

Are you ready to finish what you started? Yes, you are!

marathon stay the course training weight loss

December 02, 2014

You are far more than a singular life struggle and that struggle is not your whole identity. As we lose weight, many of us have times where we are frustrated because the weight isn't coming off "fast enough," but this kind of thinking can get the better of us. Perhaps when we feel this way it's time to step back a bit and see if there's something else in our lives going on. Is it possible that this moment of doubt is really about not feeling "good enough" in another area of your life?

Don't let your struggle become your identity

You are "good enough" just the way you are, but sometimes we lose our focus and become discouraged about our weight loss journey. Perhaps giving yourself permission to change your way of thinking about yourself will help you regain your focus to stay the course.

This excerpt, from the blog of Marc Chernoff: Marc and Angle Hack Life, Tips for Productive Living: 20 Things to Remember When You Think You’re Not Good Enough, written by Marc Chernoff, is full of sage advice that I couldn't resist sharing.

Sometimes the hardest part of the journey is simply believing you’re worthy of the trip.

1. Nobody is doing better than you because nobody can do better than you.
   YOU are walking your own path. Sometimes the reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes circumstances with everyone else’s public highlight reel.  Forget what everyone else is doing and achieving. Your life is about breaking your own limits and outgrowing yourself to live YOUR best life.
2. Where you are right now is a necessary step.
   Sometimes we avoid experiencing exactly where we are because we have developed a belief, based on our ideals, that it is not where we should be or want to be. But the truth is, where you are right now is exactly where you need to be to get to where you want to go tomorrow.
3. Everything is coming together… maybe not immediately, but gradually.
   When times are tough, remind yourself that no pain comes without a purpose. Move on from what hurt you, but never forget what it taught you. Pain is part of growing. Remember that there are two kinds of pain: pain that hurts and pain that changes you. When you roll with life, instead of resisting it, both kinds help you grow.
4. It is your resistance to “what is” that causes your suffering.
   Remember, happiness is allowing yourself to be perfectly OK with “what is,” rather than wishing for and worrying about “what is not.” “What is” is what’s supposed to be, or it would not be. The rest is just you, arguing with life. Think about that for a minute. This means your suffering only ever occurs when you resist how things are. You cannot control everything that happens to you; you can only control the way you respond to what happens. In your response is your power.
5. Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace.
   Choose to be miserable and you’ll find plenty of reasons to be miserable. Choose to be peaceful and you’ll find plenty of reasons to be at peace. Think about it. Are you skilled at making yourself miserable? With those same skills you can make yourself motivated, effective and fulfilled. Do so.
6. You are always good enough to try, and that’s what’s important in the end.
   Everything you achieve comes from something you attempt. Make the attempt. Trust me, twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do. Give yourself a chance.
7. There’s always something small you can do.
   There is absolutely nothing about your present situation that prevents you from moving forward, one tiny step at a time. Remember, vision without action is just a daydream; vision must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, you must step up the stairs. And all you have to do is take one step at a time. Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take that step.
8. Failures are really just lessons that need to be learned.
   No day is ever wasted when you live it with purpose and presence. Value and enjoy the journey, even when there are detours along the way.
9. Yesterday’s impossibilities may be possible today.
   Experience is the hardest kind of teacher; it gives you the test first and the lesson afterward.  But this is really a blessing. It means you’re growing stronger and more capable with every passing day. So don’t you dare give up on today because of the way things looked yesterday.  Don’t even think about it.
10. What “might happen” can only stop you if you let it.
    Rather than worrying about what might happen, move forward and use your energy and intelligence to deal with what does actually happen.
11. The quality of your vision drives the quality of your life.
    It’s up to you how you visualize things and what you focus on.  Forget what you don’t like.  Focus on what excites you.  If you see a possibility, explore it.  If you have a dream, live it.  Those who are passionate and excited about what they’re doing have an advantage that is nearly impossible to conquer.  Be one of these people.
12. You don’t need to get everyone’s approval first.
    Stop listening to what the world says you should want. Start listening to who you are. Truth be told, there are only a few people in this world who will stay 100% true to you, and YOU should be one of them.
13. What you’re capable of achieving is greatly based on how much you want it.
    When it means enough to you, then you can do it. When you are willing and committed and persistent, you will get yourself there, every time. Success is neither magical nor mysterious.  Success is the natural outcome of consistently applying your focused effort to what you want.  The fatigue might be there sometimes, but you must understand that putting it aside is the single most important factor in succeeding.
14. Your best bet is to give yourself no other choice.
    It’s amazing what you can do when you have no other choice. In fact, achievement consists mostly of giving yourself no other choice. You are more than good enough; you just have to own it – you have to own everything you are and everything you’re up against. If you believe your troubles are too powerful, then you’ll never allow yourself to rise above them. Stop fretting. Quit worrying. Don’t complain. You know what you must do. So do it.
15. You have to work hard on yourself too.
    Self-respect, self-love, self-worth… there’s a reason they all start with “self.” You can’t receive them from anyone else. Earn the respect of others by having the audacity to respect yourself.  Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with pots of gold at both ends. It’s your responsibility, above all, to see your own value. And this responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and deciding for you; it means learning to use your own brains and intuition to make things happen – hence, grappling with hard work.
16. You are stronger than whatever is troubling you.
    Use each setback, each disappointment as a cue to push on ahead with more determination than ever before. When something bad happens, you can either let it define you, let it destroy you or let it strengthen you. The choice is yours. So pump yourself up! You are a lot stronger than you think you are. You may not be where you want to be yet, but look how far you’ve come.  Celebrate the fact that you’re not where you used to be.
17. For everything you’ve lost, you’ve gained something else.
    Appreciate what you have today. Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. No regrets, just lessons. No worries, just acceptance. No expectations, just gratitude. Life is too short. The story of your life has many chapters. One bad chapter doesn’t mean it’s the end.  So stop re-reading the bad one already, and turn the page.
18. You have made the best of some tough situations.
    Smiling doesn’t always mean you’re happy with everything. Sometimes it just means you’re strong and smart enough to accept it and make the best of it.
19. Your scars are symbols of your strength.
    Don’t ever be ashamed of the scars life has left you with. A scar means the hurt is over and the wound is closed.  It means you conquered the pain, learned a lesson, grew stronger, and moved forward. A scar is the tattoo of a triumph. So don’t allow your scars to hold you hostage.  Don’t allow them to make you live your life in fear. You can’t make the scars in your life disappear, but you can change the way you see them. You can start seeing your scars as a sign of strength and not pain.
20. You are still here trying.
    If you have no other testimony right now, you have this one “I’m still here trying.” Be positive, patient and persistent. The more you feel like quitting, the more there is to be gained by continuing to do all three. Because the strongest people aren’t the people who always win, but the people who don’t give up when they lose.

November 22, 2014

I have a few short non-scale victory stories for you today. Small moments in time, glimpses into unexpected but significant changes in my life because of my weight loss. Moments that easily go unnoticed, but today I pause to celebrate them. A comment made by a waitress that would have a whole different meaning if I was still size 30/32. A moment when you, yes you reading this blog, saved me. A moment with me and my little black skirt.

Theresa and Alanna at Johnny's in South Hadley

The Waitress

This is one of those moments that people who have been obese can appreciate, but the humor and the awesomeness may be lost on those who have not struggled with obesity.

Last week I was at Johnny's Bar & Grille with my key-friend Alanna, enjoying great conversations over salt and pepper wings with roasted Brussels sprouts. After we were finished eating, the waitress cleared our table and before stepping away she said something that momentarily rendered us into silence.

"I can't believe you ate the whole thing!"

I was speechless, as I tried to grasp the meaning of what she said: I can't believe you ate the whole thing.

"Wow!" I said to Alanna, "That is not something someone would have said to me three years ago when I was wearing size 30/32 -- it would have had a whole different meaning!"

Alanna said she had too been quiet for the same reason: the waitress saw us as "normal!"

We claimed this as a great non-scale victory!

Before I move on to my next story, I must share these incredible before and after photos of Alanna. One year and what an incredible transformation! 

Alanna September 2013 vs September 2014

Saved by the Blog

I can't tell you how many times this blog has saved me. Really, I'm not kidding! Once in a while when I'm in a grocery store and someone pass me, pauses, backs up their grocery cart, our eyes lock, and they say "Are you Theresa from the blog?"

You know who you are--and thank you for saying hello and chatting for a few minutes! You saved me a few weeks ago!

It is because of those brief encounters that I could tap away (push away) intense cravings. I was on the way back from Rhode Island and all the way home all I could think about was chocolate -- and where I could get some. I was obsessed for two solid hours.

What saved me is that no matter how I played it out in my mind, and believe me I visualized EVERY store between my brother's house (where I left my car) and my house, no matter where I envisioned myself stopping, I imagined one of you would be in that store, our eyes would lock as you recognized me and then you would see me -- holding chocolate -- what would I say?

Oh no, I could not let that happen!

I tapped it away -- I pushed past the moment and I drove home nonstop.

So, thank you for saving me!

Me and My Little Black Skirt

I bought a little black skirt at Lane Bryant at the end of summer. I know, I swore off going back there, but I knew I could get great bargains in my size because when I was a size 30/32 all the best sale items were size 14.

I always hated those women who came into Lane Bryant's in their size 14’s and scored on bargains. This visit I was one of those women! This was an egotistical non-scale victory, but I must admit: I was proud to be one of those women!

A few days later I brought the skirt back. When the sales clerk asked why I was returning it, I told her "because I don't have any tops to wear with it."

"It's a black skirt - everything goes with it!" she said.

The sales clerk's comment haunted me. I kept thinking how sassy I'd felt when I tried the skirt on in the store.

A few weeks later I had to have that little black skirt.

Back in Lane Bryant's again, I looked through the (much smaller) section of summer close-out sales, but it wasn't there. Then I remembered: when I was a size 26/28, there were always 14's mixed in with 26/28's. Sure enough -- there was my beautiful little black skirt -- now on sale for even less than I paid before!

Three years ago I would not have worn this little black skirt. In fact, back then, I didn't wear dresses at all. Today, wearing short dresses and skirts is one of my favorite non-scale victories. 

I wore my little black skirt for the first time when I went to dinner with key friends. The knee length black skirt paired perfectly with a blouse that had been in my closet all along.

Susan, Karen, Theresa at Plan B looking at the very key-friendly menu

The blouse, which I'm wearing in the photo above, is one of many beautiful hand-me downs that I’ve been blessed to receive from key friends -- you know who you are!

I don’t always remember who gave me what outfit, but it was fun when Jill saw me and smiled. I knew immediately that the blouse had been hers.

"I always loved that blouse!" Jill said, "It had always been one of my favorites!"

I've dropped more weight these past few months (yeah!) and it's been great to pass clothing on to other key friends.

What about you? What non-scale victories have you experienced?

November 07, 2014