Apple and Sage Porkcops

Browned boneless center cut pork loin chops that were seasoned with sage, salt, and pepper

Sautéed sweet onions

Added and sautéed honey crisp apples

Returned chops to pan and covered until ready to serve

Served with brown rice and roasted broccoli

Thanksgiving NSV

We had decided last week that we would run today in addition to doing our INSANITY workout. (I have REALLY missed running while doing INSANITY.) This morning I realized that I might not have the motivation later to run. I rarely workout in the afternoon. So we decided to get a run in and skip INSANITY.

Going out I knew we would get one mile in and I wanted to do at least two.  We haven't run in about four weeks so I didn't know what to expect.

Mile one was a typical first mile for me. It takes me a mile to warm-up. Half way through mile two I wanted to quit. My heart rate was at 180 and the twenty-five degree weather was making it hard to breathe. However, I went home with several NSVs:

1) I exercised on a day when I normally focus solely on food.
2) I stuck with a decision to run today even though it meant missing a scheduled workout (I might still get it in).
3) I pushed myself to finish mile two AND three.
4) I finished my 5k in one of my fastest times ever.
5) I burned one and half times as many calories in my run today than I do in a typical INSANITY workout.

Headed in the Right Direction

In working to achieve a healthier and fitter self, it's important to have more than one way to measure success. Since I'm trying to lose weight, one of the ways I measure success is with a scale - pounds lost of course. I'm grateful that I am wise enough to want more than to weigh 150 pounds (or whatever magic number). I want more! I want to naturally gravitate towards healthy food choices. I want to become stronger and lift heavy weights. I want to run longer AND faster. I want to look good in my clothes. I want to feel great and be grateful each morning I wake.

This week I have not been making the best food choices, and I have been struggling to track. Today, however, I was determined to track and stay within my points. By dinner time I only had four points. I get sooo hungry when I get off work and want to eat everything. Then, I want to eat when the family eats too. Tonight I decided to cook only vegetables. We had whole okra, squash with a bit of 2% cheddar cheese, steamed string beans with onion and bacon (not a veggie but just a bit). Fred and the kids also had corn on the cob, but that would have taken all of my points! I am so glad I went to the grocery store yesterday and bought plenty of fresh fruits and veggies: apples, mandarin oranges, pears, squash, green beans, spinach, onion, and mushrooms. We had sauteed spinach, onion, and mushrooms for dinner last night with some chicken. If I hadn't gone to the grocery store yesterday, I might have eaten fat free Greek yogurt or cereal with milk for dinner.

Fred has been fitting into some smaller sizes lately. Here is a blazer he bought at the end of July. It is now too big. He is holding the back so that the front looks proper. He tried on one size down at the store, and it was a bit loose. Two sizes down looked great on, but he said the arms were a little snug. I couldn't tell though. (The blazer doesn't match; he was trying it on while getting ready for work.)

My Favorite Fast Food Meal

I really do love Wendy's. I can do without eating out, but when we are on the road, I need to have a meal that I know the points of.  I like to have a Jr. Hamburger with added lettuce and tomato, a kids fry, a cup of water, and a Jr. Frosty (usually chocolate). Sometimes, I might drop either the fry or frosty depending on the number of points I want to spend. While this meal might be a splurge point wise, it only costs about three dollars.

burger - 6 pts+

fry - 6 pts+

water - 0 pts+

frosty - 5pts +

I don't mind eating a salad (especially the Berry Almond Salad), but I usually have a taste for a burger. Wendy's tastes far better than McDonald's in my opinion. If it weren't so full of fat (and points!), I'd opt for a number one Sonic burger with added cheese, chili and coleslaw and an order of onion rings. YUMMY!

Summer's Fresh Bounty: Berry Almond Chicken Salad

I LOVE Wendy's Berry Almond Salad. I can't say I like the price, but it sure tastes good.

I had a taste for one yesterday and decided to make one of my own instead of going out to buy four for our lunch. I used all spinach because I didn't have any spring mix on hand, which I like as a base for my salads. Our younger kids aren't too fond of blueberries, so I got some fresh blackberries to use along with a ton of strawberries. I didn't put any cheese on the salad, and I opted to omit the iceberg lettuce that can be found hiding out at the bottom of Wendy's salads. Fred grilled us some chicken breasts, and the final result was absolutely delicious and filling!

Our dressing, Marzetti Simply Dressed Pomegranate Vinaigrette, complimented the salad nicely.

Wendy's full salad ~ 12 pts+

Bridgette's salad ~ 8  pts + (including 85g spinach, 1 c strawberries and blackberries, 4 oz grilled chicken, 14g chopped almonds, and 2 Tbs dressing)