Adding Restaurant Nutrition Links

I want a place where I can list (and easily find again) links to restaurant nutritional information.  So I am making a list right here at my blog.  I am listed them to the right (at least for now).  Watch as it grows!!  :)

Zero Calorie Homemade Stevia Root Beer

While at the grocery store picking up some vanilla extract I found something that I had never noticed before... Root Beer Concentrate.  Intrigued, I picked up a bottle, although I wasn't quite sure at the time how I might use it.

The box includes a recipe to make your own root beer and of course it uses A LOT of sugar.

I just made my version of the recipe, substituting stevia (this time Truvia brand) for the sugar.

3/4 Cup hot water
9 pkts Truvia
3/4 tsp root beer concentrate
1/2 liter club soda (or any plain carbonated water) (16.9 oz)

Dissolve Truvia into hot water.
Add root beer concentrate and stir.
Chill mixture in refrigerator.
Add club soda to chilled root beer mixture.
Serve immediately.

It has been years since I have had a soda-pop so this was indeed a special treat.  Definitely will make this again! 

Pictures from 5K on my 44th Birthday!!

On Saturday, June 11, I decided to trek out in the early morning to (last minute) register for the J.R.Taylor Memorial 5K on the Montour Trail.

 

Went alone so had to do the self-photo thing...

Better smile...

Pre-registration guarantees a t-shirt. So I was prepared for them to be all out.  I arrived super early hoping they still might have some and yes!!  I was fortunate because they did run out before the race started.

My goal was to do better than 30:00.  My time was 28:12 !!
I finished...
111th overall (out of 214 finishers)

4th in my age group (out of 13 finishers)


Links to Full Results...
Results by Age Group 
Order of Finish

Goals Update and Review

GOALS REVIEW...
10th goal: Run in a 10K by Dec 2012
9th goal: Run in a 5K ACHIEVED Jun 11, 2011

8th goal: Join the National Weight Control Registry ACHIEVED May 2011
7th goal: Achieve "Superior" body fat % (<19%) ACHIEVED Dec 13, 2010
6th goal: (lose 121 lbs) 147 lbs 21.71 bmi ACHIEVED Dec 5, 2010

5th goal: Achieve "Excellent" body fat % (<22%) ACHIEVED Oct 16, 2010

4th goal: (lose 111 lbs) 157 lbs 23.18 bmi (Curves 100 lb Club) ACHIEVED Sep 6, 2010

3rd goal: Achieve "Very Good/Fit" body fat % (22%-<26%) ACHIEVED Jul 16, 2010

2nd goal: (lose 99lbs) 169 lbs 24.96 bmi "healthy" ACHIEVED Jun 9, 2010

1st goal: (lose 65lbs) 203 lbs 29.98 bmi "overweight" ACHIEVED Jan 17, 2010 

STARTED at 268 lbs 39.6 bmi "obese" Jun 3, 2009 

Why Hydrogenated Oils Should be Avoided at All Costs submitted by Dr. Donald by Green Pasture

Why Hydrogenated Oils Should be Avoided at All Costs submitted by Dr. Donald by Green Pasture

5K Training Update (10K training coming soon)

I have completed 8 weeks of 5K training.  Today I ran 3.1 miles (w/2 dogs) in 35 minutes.  We only paused a couple of times for poopin' and scoopin' :-)

So this is week 9 of my new running adventure (week 4 of the current program I am using).  After next week and 10 weeks of training under my belt, I plan on using a 12-week 10K training program to continue the journey...

Spark Your Way to a 10K 10K Training Programs -- By Jen Mueller, Certified Personal Trainer & Marathon Runner

excerpt from article...

10K Jogging Program
This 12-week program is designed for those who can comfortably run 2 miles, but want to work up to a longer distance. It is a general guide and may need to be adjusted depending on your fitness level. Also adjust speed or distance as necessary. This program assumes you’ll be jogging a 10K race at the end of 12 weeks. The last week of the program decreases your workout time so that you can rest in preparation for the race.

 

Week	Day 1 (miles)	Day 2 (miles)	Day 3 (miles)	Total Weekly Miles
1	2	3	2	7
2	2	3	3	8
3	3	3	4	10
4	3	2	3	8
5	4	3	4	11
6	4	4	5	13
7	5	4	5	14
8	6	5	4	15
9	4	5	4	13
10	6	5	6	17
11	6	5	6	17
12	4	3	4	11

We recommended jogging 3 times per week (spread across the week and not 3 days in a row), and cross-training another 1-2 times per week. Cross-training includes other cardio activities besides running and walking, such as biking, swimming, elliptical, rollerblading and other sports.

Recipe Experiments

So, in my search for the tastiest, healthiest, lowest calorie food options I have tried some strange recipes and some crazy food swaps!  I will blog more about that later :)

Right now I am on the search for a recipe to make a Miracle Whip replacement.  I want it to be tasty, low in sugar and low-cal of course.  BUT I also want my friend who can't eat gluten, dairy or eggs to be able to eat it as well.  Quite a challenge right?

I have been searching Vegan recipe sites for some options and I came up with 2 recipes that might be a good starting point.

This one from VEGAN WOLF uses flour.  So I would have to use something else... hmm, what about cornstarch?  I would also want to substitute stevia for the sugar.

3/4 cup Flour
1/2 cup Sugar (more or less to taste)
1 cup Water
1/2 cup Vinegar
------------
3/4 cup Vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp dry Mustard
3/4 cup silken tofu

Cook together flour, sugar, water, and vinegar until thick.

Combine last 5 ingredients in a blender and blend well.

While flour mixture is still hot,
add it to blender mixture and blend.

This one from VEGAN DAD is a little different.  I would want to use almond milk instead of soy and stevia instead of sugar.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup plain soy milk
- 1 1/4 cup safflower oil
- 2 tsp white wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp superfine sugar
- pinch of paprika   
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt

METHOD
1. Put soy milk in a food processor and start processing. Slowly drizzle oil in while blade is running. When all oil is incorporated, stop blade and scrape down sides. Add remaining ingredients and process briefly to mix through.

I will post an update on what I choose to do and how it turns out!

Fat 2 Fit Radio Podcast

I found another online resource with really SANE weight loss advise.  They are an online resource and a podcast...

Fat 2 Fit Radio

Weight Loss & Fitness Podcast with Russ Turley & Jeff Ainslie

 I have been listening to some of their podcasts and checking out what their site has and so far I am loving everything!

Food Find! Shirataki Noodles

I was grocery shopping last week and saw an interesting package in on the tofu shelf.  It is called Tofu Shirataki- "spaghetti shaped noodle substitute."  When I looked at the nutrition info I went into shock!  A 4 oz serving = 20 calories.  The whole 8oz bag = 40 calories!  Really?  Are they serious?  Now, I have never had tofu before but this might be perfect for my first experience.

Prepared a whole package for myself that evening.  I emptied the bag into a colander then rinsed it well with cool water.  I put the rinsed noodles in a ceramic bowl and microwaved it for 1 minute.  I heated a prepared meatball and some spaghetti sauce and then mixed in the heated noodles.

My Verdict...
The noodle texture is different from traditional pasta but the flavor was absolutely fine.  I enjoyed the whole bowlful with no guilt and no post-carb cravings*.  I will absolutely get these again and will use them in other pasta dishes!

I found these at the Giant Eagle Market District for $1.99 per 8 oz bag.

Here is a link to the official website...

 
Other reviews...
http://www.hungry-girl.com/newsletters/raw/247


http://luckytastebuds.wordpress.com/2009/01/23/tofu-shirataki-asspaghetti/

http://www.amazon.com/Tofu-Shirataki-Noodles-Spaghetti-Shape/dp/B000AQFQC6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

___________________________________
*Post-Carb Cravings = 1.  The insatiable desire to eat more after consuming starchy and sugary carbs with high Glycemic Index (especially refined flours and sugars).  2.  The result of eating food that doesn't satisfy appetite... only fuel it.  3.  The inevitable result of eating "Trigger Foods"

5K Training will Continue!

A couple of weeks ago I was thinking of how I could continue my running discipline and what the next step would be when I finished my 8-week plan.  I have considered moving on to a 10K training plan and that will probably be a future goal.  I really like the simplicity of the Spark People plans and was reviewing all the 5K plans when I discovered that...

Week 6 of my 8-week rookie 5K training plan...
5K Your Way Rookie Running Plan









was an EXACT MATCH with week 1 of the 5-week 5K Running Plan...
5K Your Way Running Plan









So I joined the 5-week Running Plan while still in the 8-week plan and I have been tracking my progress in both plans now for the last 2 weeks.  When I finish the 8-week plan this week I will continue with the last 2 weeks of the 5-week plan.

Now I just have to decide what to do after that! :)

5K Training!

I started an 8-week 5K training plan...um... over 7 weeks ago.  That's right... I am now on week 8!  So I guess it is going well :-)  .  My goal was to see if I could learn to like to run or at least not HATE it!  In the past whenever I would try to run I would head out and expect to be able to run 3 straight miles right away and in one day somehow establish a new habit and become a running enthusiast.  HA!  Yeah right.  Crash and burn every time and HATE it and not try again for years.

This time I found Spark People's 5K training plans and decided to follow one and NOT go overboard or try to rush through the process.

All Spark People 5K plans...


I chose...


5K Your Way Rookie Running Plan









The first few weeks were pretty easy and it was tempting to jump ahead but I resisted.

As it became more challenging I found myself thinking ahead to the upcoming weeks and wondering if I would be ready and able to get to the next level.  To my delight, I have made the transition every week so far and now find myself at the final week of my current program.

I have no formal race scheduled yet but I am looking for the right opportunity and I will be ready when I find it!  It is a great feeling :)