Walking!

Wow - its been almost a week. The new job has me busy! So busy in fact that I am trying to figure out just how to squeeze in the exercise. So I decided to try a different route to and from work. This new route involves one less train switch which is pretty awesome and a .8 mile walk to my office. Done in reverse - another .8 mile back for a total of 1.6 miles in a day! It is through crowded city streets - so not exactly a jog, but there is some sport involved as you are constantly figuring out how to leap past the slow poke or tourist that just stops dead in their tracks to look up. Speaking of that - if you do ever come to NYC please move aside before stopping short and looking up. We realize there are a lot of awesome things to see - but really - its for your own safety and virgin ears if you are not a fan of explicatives.

I am however, getting a little concerned about my weight. I continue to gain - all in my stomach area despite a very good diet consisting of mostly organic foods. I know how many calories is in everything I eat - so I am still calorie counting as well. I am starting to get concerned that there is something going on beyond my control (like fibroids or something)since my waist band keeps expanding. It is incredibly frustrating and depressing. My new insurance starts on Dec 1st - so that will be my first priority. And no, I'm not pregnant! I had my tubes tied, and the paranoia in me did force me to buy a test which was of course negative.

So there you have it. At least I will be getting in a nice walk every day and hopefully at some point will actually make it to kick boxing!

Paneer Instead of Punches

Ok, so I admit it. I didn't go to kick boxing last night. Instead I went for Indian food with my honey. You see, my kids have been sick since Sunday and I have gotten no sleep the past few nights. I was exhausted. So a nice dinner sounded like the perfect solution. I stuck to a vegetarian dish so I was good. I then came home and passed out. Didn't even watch the World Series.

So I promise I will get to kick boxing. It may just have to wait til the weekend.

Lets Get Physical!

So I have figured out that I have gained 29lbs since I stopped going to kickboxing about a year and a month ago. So much happened that it became impossible. My dad passed away, I got divorced and I lost my job. A trifecta crap shoot if you will. But now things are looking up. I got a new job and have an awesome fiance :) So I have decided that no matter how crazy my schedule is, I am going back to Kick-boxing. I felt awesome when I was actively going, and I had lost a lot of weight and gained a lot of muscle. It was one thing that REALLY worked for me. I know its going to kill me the first couple of times I go back, but the weight should (hopefully) start melting off! That and I need the energy back that I used to feel when I was going.

So tell me more about kick-boxing you say? Well - I go to this place called CKO. The trainers there are awesome. If I didn't feel so comfortable in this place I would look for something more convenient to my new job, but really - I feel like there is nowhere else I can go. There are people of all shapes and sizes in this class. The instructors treat everyone the same, knowing that those of us not in as great a shape as the others are there to get healthy. They are so supportive and never make you feel like you don't belong there with the "super healthy" folks. Its an hour long class with the last 10 minutes devoted to abs. When you leave you are drenched in sweat. It works out every muscle and you see the results really quickly. I was amazed with how much better my body looked in only a few months the last time I actively went. So with all of you as my witnesses - I am going back. Wednesday night will probably be the night, so I will post after my first class back.

Hopefully this along with the new improved diet will be the one-two punch I need to lose those 30-40lbs. Sorry - I just couldn't resist the pun.

Props to Quick Food

So as you may have gathered from my previous posts, I have a new job. This is exciting stuff. I am working "all the way downtown" in "the city". For those of you not from around these parts, that translates to the Wall Street area in New York City (aka NYC, aka Manhattan). It's a really cool part of town. The Stock Exchange is a block away and the spot where Washington was sworn in as President is around the corner. There are cobblestone streets with really old buildings and pubs. Its a total maze, nothing makes sense compared to the very easy to navigate grid that makes up most of the city. Lots of nooks and crannies with great little restaurants.

So during my first week of work, I was very pleasantly surprised with some of the local breakfast and lunch places. Not only were they quick and easy, but they were diet friendly. And I'm not just talking healthy choices, I mean they had the calories of everything displayed right in the store (even on the big menu/price boards). You didn't have to navigate the web to find nutrition info (though the sites are great too), it was just right in front of your face!

So Cosi and Pret A Manger both get BIG props (both have many locations world wide). I have found that I am making better decisions at lunch since the calories are right there for me. Something that might have sounded appealing by description would suddenly not look quite as good when I realized I could get something else equally appealing for half the calories.

So not only do I get to explore my new work neighborhood for some cool stores and pubs, but I feel like I have so many more food choices than I thought I would. Oh and of course there is a Starbucks on the corner (awesome). Not a bad deal, especially after that long commute "all the way downtown".

The Supper Club

So at least twice a month I go out with the same group of people sampling the cuisines of the world. Recently we have done Thai, Japanese, Indian, and Polish. Last night we did Portuguese. Have you ever gone to a Portuguese Restaurant? Well they give you a ridiculous amount of food. It was all good, but the side of pig that I received didn't exactly help the diet. I however, did bring more than half of it home. The Sangria was particularly tasty and three of us finished off a pitcher. I know, I know, more than the one glass I said I would limit myself too - but hey - it had fruit in it :)
And really, the most important thing about these supper club meetings is the company. Sometimes we invite "outsiders" to the festivities. Regardless, the company is always great and is an evening I always look forward to.
Oh, and last night I was celebrating my first day at my new job! Woo Hoo! Needless to say it was a long - but fun day!

Splat!

That was the sound of me falling off the wagon. Actually, I was pretty good all day. Then tonight we went to the world famous White Manna Hamburgers. If you have never heard of it, its a tiny little burger place from the 1940's. It's been highlighted on the Food Network numerous times, most recently on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. I'm not quite sure if this place qualifies as a Diner or Dive, but the burgers are tasty.



So I had three sliders. Not so bad considering most people walk out with sacks. I will admit they were pretty darn good and I think I will still be tasting them for hours. I will of course blame my raging PMS for this momentary lack of food discretion. Maybe pairing it with a 2009 vintage of bottled water will some how counterbalance the burgers.



But hey, we all need to have a little wiggle room with our food, and like I said, I stuck to my organic, all natural goodness for the better part of the day. I will once again swear allegiance to Amy tomorrow, but for now its off to watch Anthony Bourdain. Gotta love his snarky sense of humor.

Hormones, Why Do You Hate Me So?

Uuuggghhh - sometimes being a girl stinks. I can just feel the hormones taking over my body. Things swell, my face breaks out and I get cranky and hungry!!!! So I have decided that I am not going to do my weigh-in tomorrow. I know I did well all week, but I know I will get disappointed (and more cranky) if I see little to no loss. So I will just wait til next week and I should see an even bigger loss (which will make me spontaneously break into the happy happy joy joy song).

I was very good tonight though when the munchies hit, and just had a 90 calorie granola bar. Luckily my man knows he has to be strong for me and did not bend when I "suggested" we get some ice cream. Ahhhh...ice cream sounds so yummy!!!!

Oh well - off to bed soon. Hopefully that will quiet my rumbly tummy.

Not All Frozen Food Is Created Equal

As promised, I have some more food reviews. First I am going to start with Indian food. If you don't have much experience with Indian food you should really give it a try! So flavorful and so many meals that you can eat if you happen to be vegetarian. Plenty if you're not too! Now granted, a lot of Indian food in the US isn't totally authentic - but you know what? Its pretty darn good anyway! So on to the reviews:

First - the worst frozen Indian food EVER:



I had Sukhi's Palak Paneer and it was terrible! First of all it was overpowered with Jalapeno flavor. Jalapenos in guacamole = good. Jalapenos in Indian food = WTF? Secondly, the spinach was so fine it was like baby food. The naan was ok considering it was microwaved. Overall it was just awful. I took two bites and then sent it to its final resting place.

Next is my favorite frozen food brand Amy's. I have had a couple of their Indian meals and they have been very good. They are complete with rice as well, so no extra work . Great to bring to work for lunch and pop in the microwave. Overall, Amy's has not disappointed me yet - so I will keep on trying all of their stuff!

Now if you want to have really great frozen Indian food, Deep Foods is the brand for you!! This stuff is great! Also all natural and tastes so fresh. The spice and texture is just right. Only thing about this brand is that you have to make your rice separate (though you can buy their microwavable rice as well - it has goodies like cashews and raisins and spices in it). Their Palak Paneer and Kofta Curry are my absolute favorites! Truly the best frozen Indian food out there. I will add their link to the links we love section if you want to check it out!



I have also recently tried Amy's pesto pizza and black bean burrito. Both are super tasty! Just as expected. My only complaint is that the pizza was not microwavable so I can't bring it into work for lunch. Though - they may do that on purpose, cause baking it in the oven gave it a really nice crust. Their spinach pizza in a pocket is awesome too. Way better than any Hot Pocket I ever had!!

I am just so excited their are so many great frozen organic meals out there making my new diet so much easier. I have come to enjoy making some of my good for you, veggie filed meals, but having the convenience of frozen options is great as well!

No, Hell Didn't Freeze Over - That Was Just Me Baking

That's right folks. I baked today (and if you know me you are wondering when the body snatchers came and took over). In fact I baked up some pretty tasty pumpkin, cranberry and pecan muffins! AND they were organic (well except for the brown sugar) and only 140 calories! I am actually pretty proud of myself because they came out nice and fluffy even though they have no butter or oil! I used apple sauce instead of oil and the pumpkin puree adds a nice amount of moisture. And even though they were only a 140 calories each, they were not void of taste! I substituted maple yogurt for buttermilk, and it had lots of yummy spices and a decent amount of brown sugar. They have a nice pumpkin spice flavor with a tart cranberry thrown in here or there. I may make some small modifications next time (like soak the craisins in OJ for a little bit and actually remember the vanilla extract), but for a first go - they were pretty good. I can only imagine how awesome they would be with cream cheese frosting. But alas, that would make them very un-diet friendly.

So if you are wondering - here is the recipe!

1 1/2 cups`organic oat bran pancake and waffle mix
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce (or vegetable oil, if you're not calorie counting)
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk ( I used 6 oz maple yogurt instead)
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400 and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in spices.

In a separate bowl, beat egg with brown sugar until well combined. Mix in egg and combine. Stir in vanilla, buttermilk, applesauce and pumpkin puree.

Pour wet mixture into dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in nuts and raisins.

Pour mixture into muffin cups and bake approximately 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

The real taste test will be tonight when I make my honey try one!

Ok - off to find those body snatchers to get my body back...

A Fat Tax?

So without getting political, I'd like to post this article for your perusal. It suggests a "Fat Tax" on foods that are fattening or have no nutritional value. And while the idea of another tax may seem well... off putting, I do think it could have its merits. The US Government spends zillions (yes that is a guesstimate) on food subsidies for corn farms to produce high fructose corn syrup. I could go on a MAJOR tangent here - but basically the stuff is bad news! I will be sure to touch on that in a future post.

So if there is a fat tax, that money could go to a few places: health care to help attack the growing obesity epidemic or to organic farmers to help the reduce the cost of organic foods. It's cheap to be fat and expensive to be thin (and healthy). We need to change that.

So check out the article and post your thoughts in the comment section below. I'd love to know what you think!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/05/ruiz.obesity.tax/index.html

Food Rave and a Challenge!

I just ate a breakfact so good that I had to write about it. It's Amy's Tofu Scramble with Hash Browns and Veggies.



So do you see the picture of the sliced tomatoes on the box? Well they are actually in there! Its not just a "serving suggestion". This meal is sooooooo good. It is so flavorful you can't even believe it came out of the microwave. The tofu takes the place of scrambled eggs (Amy's doesn't use eggs in any of their products) and it is a perfect substitution. Honestly - it is a great substitution because the taste is very similar. It also has 19g of protein and 4g of fiber! So if you are a spinach fan I would definitely check this out!

So on to the challenge! Fellow blogger Carissa (her blog is called Have You Seen My Weight?) is also losing weight (and doing a good job at it may I add!) and has taken on a challenge to do 1500 crunches in a month. So that is 50 a day or 100 every other day depending on how you'd like to break your exercise routine down. On the surface it doesn't sound too hard. In fact - I'm sure day 1 won't be terrible. It's day 2 I'm worried about. You know - the day you "feel" all those ab and core muscles you didn't even know existed! But hey - thanks to beautiful daughter number 2 I have a lovely c-section belly. It could use some help to get it nice and flat! So Carissa - I'm there with you and will post my progress along the way in my side bar.

Well - I may check in again later today. This was meant to be a quick post!

Yeah Baby! 4 Pounds!!

Woo Hoo!!!! Finally! Some weight loss! And not just some - 4 lbs to be exact! I know you always lose more the first couple of weeks on a diet because your body is detoxing and getting rid of excess water, but I'll take it! What a way to start off. It hasn't been the easiest week, but I have changed my perspective and I take one day at a time. I don't think about not eating some foods forever, but rather - I think how I'm not going to eat that today. It works for me. I makes things feel much less overwhelming.  I have also really drastically changed my diet. I am still eating some meat and dairy, but my diet has a more vegetarian focus. And not a macaroni and cheese vegetarian, a veggies and tofu vegetarian. I am also buying organic so I can avoid hormones or antibiotics in my food. I mean, if you have to take hormones or steroids for a medical condition, weight gain is usually a prominent side effect. So I am postulating that if there are all kinds of hormones in the food we eat - well then maybe that adds to our weight problems as well.

So you may ask - Tell me ex-hot-pocketer - what exactly are you eating????  Well, one of my favorite things to make is my "Big Salad". It's fresh and homemade, but it's like Sanda Lee semi-homemade easy. Here's what's in it:

Start with a 4 Qt Bowl
*Fill it with organic salad greens (aka the pre-washed box or bag from the grocery store)
*Slice about 5 strawberries and add to lettuce. You can really put as many strawberries as you want, cause lets be honest - strawberries didn't get us fat). You can of course use blueberries or peaches or apples - whatever fruit floats your boat - but my salad included strawberries.
*Add one-third cup dried cranberries. This is one serving - about 130 calories
*Add one-quarter cup chopped pecans (you can buy them that way - no actual chopping necessary) - about 210 calories (you can also use walnuts if not a pecan fan)
*Add 3 Tbs Poppy Seed Dressing. I use Brianna's (its on that "special" salad dressing shelf). All natural and DE-LIC-IOUS! The Poppy Seed dressing is key here - it makes the salad. 240 calories

Mix it all up in the big bowl. If you can add, you know that comes out to 580 calories. So lets say its 600 with the lettuce and strawberries. This salad is at least 2 servings. So you can separate it out into containers and have a 200-300 calorie serving. Or serve it to the family for dinner. Everyone I have made this for LOVES it! And if you feel like there is a little something missing, you can put some parmesan shavings on top. But don't go crazy - cause cheese IS what made us fat!

I am also eating great convenience food like Amy's and Indian foods from Deep Foods (to be highlighted in a future post) and yogurt and tons of veggies (I had stuffed zucchini and red peppers this weekend). I am also adding tofu to meals to cut down on the meat consumed or replacing the meat with it all together. Give the extra firm stuff a chance. Really - it can be good! Especially in a stir fry or added to something flavorful. Tofu takes on the flavors of everything its cooked with and provides protein. Really, honestly, its not bad!

Oh, and I didn't have a drop of alcohol all week. No red wine or anything. And I'm not even shaking! LOL I even feel better. I do still need that cup of coffee in the morning, but baby steps.

Thanks for checking in. Please feel free to leave comments or add me to the blogs you follow. All the encouragement I can get will help me along the way. I don't want to disappoint any of you!

I Love Amy

So before you guys get your boxers in a bunch, I am speaking of Amy of Amy's Organic Foods. As you know, I am all about convenience (hence the Hot Pocket experience) so finding a way to make eating healthy even easier is music to my ears.


So Amy's ( http://www.amys.com/ ) is awesome!!! So many great varieties of food. All organic and vegetarian. Some are vegan, and all but two varieties are Kosher. They really make eating nutritious veggie filled meals so simple! Cause I mean really - making all this stuff fresh can be a bit of a pain. Its fine if you have time to make a nice dinner, but when you need a quick lunch they are great! AND they even have pocket meals! Yes! Of course I was drawn to these - lol. I had the spinach and feta pocket last night and it was delicious! And trust me - I am about eating food with actual taste - I wouldn't recommend this stuff if it tasted like cardboard.






Their website is awesome too. I guess a lot of people wrote to them saying that they lost weight using their foods, so they have developed their own diet section. The web site is very complete and even includes a blog from the actual Amy (she's a student at Stanford - her parents started the food company when she was born).


So I will definitely post reviews of all kinds of Amy's foods as I try them. I have had a couple of their Indian meals and they are awesome! I will also build a list of links to convenience food companies as I share them on my blog. I already know of a few I will highlight in the future!


So yes - eating organic, healthy food and convenience really can go hand in hand!

A Call To Blog!

Hi Folks!

So its been a little while since I've blogged and a lot has happened. First, I realized that while the Hot Pocket Diet was a fun experiment - its one that didn't work. But hey, that's what experiments are for right? Some work and some don't!

So why the decision to change Hot Pocket Lady, you may ask? Well, this lady is getting married in a year and she needs to look smokin' in her wedding dress!! I mean really, all those folks I haven't seen in years need to think I've looked super hot all along. Well that and I need to get healthy too, not just thin. I need my pipes to work, my skin to look good and to have more energy. All of which come with a healthy diet.

So whats the game plan? Well I did buy the "Skinny Bitch" diet book. Had I realized this was just one big push to be vegan I may have resisted, but it did have a lot of valid and interesting points. So basically I will eat a LOT more veggies and fruit. Also, when I do eat meat or drink milk in moderation it will be organic. And I do have a confession. Are your ready? Wait for it.....ok, I actually like Tofu and veggies burgers. I mean genuinely like them, like I order them in restaurants and everything. So they will be making a lot more appearances in the diet as well. I will also be sure to keep the calories at 1600 or less per day. And the kicker, I am giving up alcohol. Basically the only time I will have any is red wine if we are out to dinner. And then it will only be one glass. This is definitely a major lifestyle change for me.

So I started this diet on Monday and have stuck to all of the above. I have actually lost 2 pounds since then. Yes, ok, another confession - I weigh myself almost everyday. I just can't help it! I am a girl - its just part of my wiring. Much like we like sparkly things and shoes and purses.

So the blogging will continue. Hopefully you will support me on the continued journey to lose 30 (or maybe 40) pounds. And I am giving myself til Sept 2010 to lose the weight - so we will do this on a realistic and safe timetable to get it all done. More importantly that's 11 more months of my witty humor. LOL!

Exercise!

So I found yet another interesting article, this time about exercise. It postulates that exercise in the 30-60 minute bursts often prescribed actually makes us fatter, and that continuous, lower rate exercise like walking or gardening is actually better for us, keeping things more "even". I found it interesting and thought you might too!

http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1914857,00.html


As for me - I am still eating a Hot Pocket a day and it is working out pretty well! Hopefully the scale will be favorable tomorrow with my new mix of Hot Pockets and "home made" meals. I think this is a better mix. I have to say I feel a bit better actually! I am also writing everything down and measuring everything out (aka journaling). I think this will help with the margin of error or guesstimates that I was using previously. I was probably consuming more calories than I thought. And if you were wondering, a half a bottle of red wine is about 250 calories. I'm capping mine at a glass now! Toodaloo!

Time For An Adjustment

Ok, so I think its time to admit that Hot Pockets all day, every day may have not been the best idea. I mean, I do like the Hot Pocket, but its nice to have a little more variety.

So while I am not going to give up Hot Pockets completely, I really do want to lose 30 lbs - so its time for an adjustment. I think its time for a "regular" low calorie, low fat diet that corresponds to my calorie intake needs. I have done some research and this means that right now I need to consume around 1600 calories a day with a limit of 54 grams of fat per day. I will continue to use a combination of fresh foods including fruit and vegetables as well as convenience food such as Hot Pockets. I think its important to be realistic, knowing that some meals have to simply be convenient.

I will also be a bit more vigilant about getting in exercise at least 3 times per week, hopefully more. As I lose weight my calorie intake will also change, so I will be sure to make you aware of that along the way.

So while my diet will probably still include one Hot Pocket per day for the convenience factor, I will be adding in a lot more fresh or "home cooked" meals.

And I will still post weigh-ins on Thursday - so wish me luck!

"Plus Size" Model Kudos

I found this article on Facebook and just thought I had to pass it on. Its about a "plus" size model (who in actuality is a size 12-14 aka "regular" size large) who posed without being airbrushed or anything in Glamour Magazine. The magazine itself is getting lots of kudos for the picture, but I think the media in general should be more aware that people come in all sizes and that some men actually like some meat on a woman's bones. Shocking - I know!

http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2009/08/on-the-cl-the-picture-you-cant.html

Hope you enjoyed. My week ended pretty well, getting through some tough emotions. I apologize if my last post was a little heavy. But there is more to life than a nutty diet and a woman trying to recapture size 8. That's why I thought the above article was fitting.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Life, Death and Hot Pockets

So, just to warn you, today's post may be a bit "heavy" for a Hot Pocket diet post. But its now August 19th which means, one year ago today my dad died. And my dad didn't just die, he committed suicide.

My dad was a goofy guy - this ending was completely out of character. I suppose he was really good at covering up just how depressed he was. I mean, he was the guy that would come up with something completely ridiculous like the Hot Pocket Diet. Though his diet may have consisted solely of Beyer's Ice Cream.

Everyone has those days that truly changed their life and this was one of them. I'd like to think I understand why he did what he did, but in reality I am sure I never will. But if anything good came out of it, I realized that I had to live my life differently than I was. I had to not be afraid of making myself happy, I had to not be afraid to make major changes in my life, simply - I needed to live myself.

So this whole Hot Pocket thing may sound completely absurd to you - but its just a way for me to try to reach a goal while being able to make people laugh and to laugh at myself in the process. It's a way to show that life doesn't have to be completely serious all the time, because we have enough to worry about. 20-30 extra pounds should be the least of it.

So there may not be a weigh-in this week or a lot of silly banter, but don't worry - I'm still eating my Hot Pockets and will be sure to update you on my progress. Right now though I have a few other things to be thankful for besides melty cheese in a pocket.

I think the following quote sums it up nicely:
"I hope it is true that a man can die and yet not only live in others but give them life, and not only life, but that great consciousness of life." Jack Kerouac

I now have that great consciousness of life and I have my dad to thank for it. I just wish I could have gotten that gift another way. But then I guess it wouldn't have the same effect.

Thanks for listening - I'll be back in a couple days.

Please check out www.afsp.org; www.trufoundation.org for more information about suicide and depression.

Ahh, Now Things Get Fun!

So, as you know, I am always asking for comments, and to be fair, I haven't asked for positive comments only! So I received the following anonymous comment that I would like to explore further...

"As a registered nurse, it is not surprising to me that you are having problems losing weight on this diet. While the calorie count might be in line with weight loss goals, the sodium level of products like these is extremely high. This is not at all healthy and can cause water retention leaving you bloated and heavier. You may think this is a fun pop culture experiment, but don't think that you are the next Jared from Subway. His experiment was at least healthy."

I am of course taking this comment as a nurse who is concerned for my health, and I am most appreciative of this. And yes, like most packaged food, sodium is indeed a concern. So of course this piqued my interest. Maybe she's right - perhaps this is the reason my weight stalled last week. So I of course investigated. Of all the hot pocket varieties in my freezer the HIGHEST amount of sodium was 760mg. That comes out to 32% of your suggested daily intake.

If you look at the nutritional info supplied by Subway, there are only two sandwich's that have less sodium than my highest sodium Hot Pocket. There is a chicken sandwich at 750mg of sodium (so it is 10mg less, but I would call that negligible) and the veggie sub at 410mg. This value is also without the addition of mayo or mustard. They would add 90mg or 55mg per teaspoon respectively.

http://www.subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/nutritionlist.aspx?id=sandwich

Unfortunately, the Hot Pocket web site does not have their nutrition info spelled out, which is quite disappointing, but like I said, I have quite a few varieties in my freezer and have pretty much settled into these as my "normal eats" with the highest being 760mg. So that being said, if I have 3 (of my highest sodium) Hot Pockets a day, that would put me at 96% of my suggested daily intake of sodium.

To put things in further perspective a serving of Campbell's tomato soup has 880 mg of sodium. Lean Cuisine's Sesame Chicken has 640 mg of sodium. (yes sometimes they find their way into my freezer too)

I think we all realize that anything packaged and frozen is going to have sodium. Anything that has cold cuts on/in it is going to have sodium.

So how do I combat that? Well I only drink water (and one cup a coffee every morning). I also supplement with fruit, veggies and yogurt. Just like the "subway" diet, this diet is about convenience. Its about proving a point that you don't have to buy "diet" food for more money when you can find products with similar nutritional values. Its about the busy mom, dad, student, whatever that can't or simply isn't going to spend time cooking. It's about finding a way to limit your calorie intake while still actually enjoying what you are eating.

And like I said in a previous post, I'm much cuter than Jared. LOL. Only 26 lbs to go!

So keep the comments coming! All of them really are appreciated. Had this sodium issue not have been brought up, I may not have looked into it. Now I can feel even better about my Hot Pockets!

No loss this week :(

Well, I guess it had to happen. Last week must have been a freak weigh-in. After Disney and all, I did expect to gain a little. But not to worry - everyone has a week where they don't lose or have a slight gain. It just means you have to keep trying and not have 4 glasses of wine and baklava the night before weigh-in. LOL

Like I said - I give myself a couple nights a week of "real" food. Also - on average, one night a week I go out with a group of work friends and we pick a different nationality to dine on. Tonight is Polish Food. Not quite as diet friendly as say... Japanese food, but I will enjoy my pierogies! Or shall I say Potato Pockets!

And despite my non-loss, I'm in a great mood today. My honey and I had a lot of fun last night - and that's what really matters :)

Uuuuggghhhh!

Uuuuggghhhhh! I am so depressed! I took a sneak peek at the scale this morning and its not looking good. Can a few cookies really bring me back to where I started? I thought 3500 calories made up a lb?! I mean I have to reduce my diet by that to lose one, but it seems I only have to consume about 500 to gain one! Maybe I should have just waited til Thursday like I'm supposed to, but now I'm just down in the dumps. Oh - and there was a fly in my coffee this morning. Ewww. Its just been that kind of day and its not even noon yet!

I guess I will definitely be doing some exercise today. Maybe I will take the girls out for a walk - that could be fun!

Wish me luck - maybe it was just a fluke this morning. I sure hope so!

Home Made Cookies

So my honey made some home made (like really from scratch) cookies. He made chocolate chip cookies and my absolute favorite chocolate cookies with white chips. He then brought half of them to work and left the other half of them home with me and the girls.

Do you know how hard this is???? I think I had 3 already. Uuuggghhh. I am a woman. I have no will power against homemade chocolate cookies!

Looks like I am going to be having water and veggies for dinner to make up for my cookie gobbling today. I already had two Hot Pockets too - so I am sure I am approaching my calorie quota.

Seriously - why do I have to be one of those women that gains a pound just by thinking about dessert and it takes me a week of eating 1300 calories and exercise to loose half a pound!

Well it is about 110 degrees out so maybe I can go sweat off a cookie or two. The bright side is, once I eat them all there will be no more cookies left in the house!

The Panini Pocket Review

OK - so I tried the Panini pocket for lunch today. There are definately some pro's and con's to said pocket.

First of all, it tasted fine. I got the cheese steak panini and it basically tasted as expected. The crust however was a bit more pocket like than panini like. I think if they had used the formula that they use on the "soft subs" they may have gotten a little closer. Basically I expected the crust to be crispy on the outside yet thick enough to give it some "fluffiness". That didn't happen.

Perhaps the biggest negative is that a box actually only contains one meal. While it says that it is 220 calories and there are 2 servings on the box, that's really not the case. You have to cook the entire panini at once. So unless you have someone readily available to share it with, you actually have yourself a 440 calorie meal. It also says "more filling" on the box. Yeah - no kidding - I have to eat two servings at more calories - of course its going to be more filling. While the calzone pocket clearly states on the box that it is one meal, the panini pocket leads you to believe otherwise - and that's just not cool.

So unless the good folks at Hot Pockets can come up with a way to put the panini in two separate sleeves just like every other Hot Pocket they sell, I have to give this product a thumbs down. Oh and did I mention it costs more? So paying more for half the meals - not good my friends, not good.

It will be back to regular old Hot Pockets for me!

Yay Its Friday!

Not much new on the diet front - still following the plan. I did however purchase the new panini Hot Pocket. Not a pocket at all, but figured I'd try it. I'll definitely let you know how it is. I figured a little variety couldn't hurt. They say its the spice of life after all.

Overall I'm just happy that its Friday and its my weekend with the girls. They are starting to realize that I eat an awful lot of Hot Pockets - so its pretty funny. Hopefully we'll have some nice weather so we can do some fun stuff with them this weekend. Time to get out of the house and get some fresh air!

Happy Weekend Everyone!

So Tell Me More Crazy Hot Pocket Lady!

Ok, So I realize that at some point the topic of Hot Pocket's and diet alone will get a little old. So thought it might be nice to tell you ten fun facts about me! I hope this gets some of you who pop in to check to start to follow me and even comment sometimes. I can use all the support I can get!

So here we go!

1. Favorite TV Channel: HGTV. I watch it waaaaaayy too much. Candice Olsen is my favorite designer.

2. Favorite Color: I like reds - from pink to burgundy. and of course black. Its slimming you know!

3. Tattoos: Yes - have 'em, like 'em. I think good tattoo art is amazing. Some true artists of our time. I'll even post a pic of my big back tattoo :) My tattoo is of the Norse Goddess Freya with her blue cat given to her by Thor. She is standing on a bed of Lilies. I got it to represent my girls. So if you think about it - you can figure out their names pretty easily. LOL

And if you're wondering - losing about 20-25 lbs will get me back to that body - lol. We don't want a stretched out tattoo - eeewwww!

4. Latest Accomplishment: Gutting and redoing a 1920's home. It was what I could afford after getting divorced and it is now just how I like it. I feel like I gave it life again!

5. Charity of choice: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention - my dad actually committed suicide a year ago this August. Part of the reason for my weight gain I think. Its a great organization. Nobody should have to be stigmatized by depression etc. Suicide actually accounts for 13% of deaths in my Dad's age group. Way more than I ever thought and way too high.

6. Vice - besides food - I would have to say wine. Love it!! Learning about wines from different regions of the world and vintages is exciting to me.

7. Secret geeky love: I love watching election results. Especially presidential ones or ones that put the fate of the house or senate at stake. Blue, Red - which way will they go???

8. Places I'd like to visit: China, Japan, the end of Argentina so I can get on a boat and actually go to Antarctica, Egypt.

9. Some cool places I've been: Australia, most of Europe, Israel, Canada, took the train across the US (not by choice - but that's a whole other story!). Favorite Cities: Belfast, Prague, and my birthplace: NYC!

10. The meaning of life: My two girls. I honestly believe that you have no idea what love is until you have kids. I think all you parents out there would agree. If you are lucky enough to find your soul mate too - well I think then maybe you have found your heaven on earth.

So hopefully now you don't think I'm a total whack job that only eats Hot Pockets. In fact I think I am going to sub dinner and fourth meal tonite with a (sensible) dinner with my honey!

So please keep checking in - I'd love to hear from you!

Weigh-In Part Deux

So by some miracle I lost another 6 tenths of a pound! Even after my eating in Disney, a couple days back on track bought me back down! I feel a definite sense of relief! So that is 4.4 lbs overall in two weeks!! Hopefully another full week on the diet will make next week's weigh-in even more exciting! I have a wedding to go to next weekend too - so another couple of lbs lost would definitely make the dress look better!!

So now that I am back home its time to run some errands and of course buy some more Hot Pockets! I ran out of breakfast one so I had the chicken, bacon and cheese one for breakfast today. It was good - but not the breakfast taste I was looking for.

Then maybe I will let Jillian Michaels kick my butt again this afternoon before my honey gets home :)

Yard Work - Yuck

So for some reason it has been a super rainy summer, therefore causing jungle-like growth in my yard. I feel like all I do is weed my yard. I mean, it takes months for the pretty flowers and trees to grow, and in like 2 days there are weeds the size of small trees. So frustrating!!! So tonite we did some major yard work. I spent most of the night in that hunched over weed-pulling position while my honey was in the hunched over weed-whacking position. We should both have some pretty nice feeling backs tomorrow. I rinsed off, but I still have that creepy crawly buggy feeling - I hate that!

So, basically, I burned some calories in the yard, and it was a true Hot Pocket only day today. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the weigh-in is ok tomorrow after the vacation eating. I'll be sue to post results tomorrow morning!

Back On Track!

OK! Well we got home late last night and got a good night's sleep in our own bed for a change. I also had a whole day of Hot Pockets! Yum. I actually missed my crazy diet. There is just something so easy and comforting about it.

I am very nervous about weigh-in though! Even though we did lots of walking in Disney, we also ate (and drank) quite a bit. We had one really nice dinner at Artist's Point in the Wilderness Lodge. If you've never been there, put it on your list. Its one of those Disney gems geared towards adults. It's quiet, has a great wine list and just wonderful food. So that night we of course split a bottle of wine and shared a dessert too. We then headed over to Raeglan Road - a great Irish pub for a few more drinks and enjoyed some great traditional Irish music.

So basically - as hard as you try to eat well while on vacation - you definitely are not keeping it to 1400 calories a day. And yes - maybe it was silly of me to start a diet a week before going on vacation, but like I said - life happens and if we keep planning around things we'll never be on track.

But I am going to give myself to Thursday to weigh-in. Hopefully I will at least keep off my initial 3.8 lb loss. Wish me luck!

Hanging Out In The Airport

So my trip is coming to an end as I sit in the airport waiting for my flight to board. I have to say that I am looking forward to sleeping in my comfy bed and waking up to a delicious Hot Pocket tomorrow. I can't even believe it, but I missed having my Hot Pocket meals! Hopefully I made good food choices and did plenty of walking in the hot Florida sun.

So the blog will get back to its regular rhythm tomorrow - just wish me luck at weigh-in!

OH - and I almost forgot - there is a store at the Boardwalk Hotel at Disney that sells Hot Pockets! Bravo Disney!

Everything is Magical!

So I am in Disney right now, and well, following the Hot Pocket diet is pretty darn hard here. Especially with all the great restaurants. Hopefully all the walking we do in this muggy Florida weather will help balance things out a bit.

Though, as my honey and I were driving up to the Wilderness lodge for dinner last night we saw someone getting their luggage out of the car and they had an entire bag of Hot Pockets!!!! Maybe he knows about the diet! Are you out there? Are you a secret follower of this crazy blog?

I never did get the microwave I requested in my room either - adding extra difficulty to having said Hot Pockets. But not to worry, I have plenty at home waiting for me to enjoy them!

Happy Weekend!

Drumroll Please!

So its the big first weigh-in day and I am very excited to report that in my first week on the Hot Pocket Diet (actually six days if you want to get technical) I lost 3.8 lbs!!!!!!!!!

I do realize that people tend to lose more the first couple weeks of any diet - but I am very happy with my initial results. I have found that by eating these smaller meals more often I have a bit more energy. I mean I took on painting a bathroom this week and I got my butt to exercise for the first time in months!

And actually - I kind of look forward to some of those Hot Pockets! I have definitely found my favorites (and not so favorites).

And of course, I am not attributing my weight loss to any magic contained within the Hot Pocket, but rather to lowering my calorie intake to between 1400-1500 calories a day (3-4 Hot Pockets plus some healthy snacks). This is a much lower calorie intake than I was (obviously) at before, yet a healthy amount just above the 1200 minimum. It also gives me a little wiggle room as I continue to lose weight.

So, yes, I am very excited about my first week. This will definitely keep me motivated to continue on my diet. I am however, going away for a long weekend with my honey tomorrow, so this will present a big challenge for me. All my meals will be out, so I will have to be really vigilant about keeping to the small meals throughout the day. I will try to sneak in a Hot Pocket here or there and am hoping that our hotel has a microwave for said meals, but if not, I think I can handle a couple days after such a motivating first week!

Stay tuned for updates from the road and next week's weigh-in!

The First Truly Awful Hot Pocket

OK, so I finally stumbled upon the pocket full of nasty meat everyone jokes about. The Italian Style Meatball Sub Lean Pocket was truly awful. Most of it went in the garbage. I promptly replaced it with the most delightful four cheese lean pocket. Yes - that is simply warm gooey goodness in a pocket.

So for all of you waiting for this moment - it has happened. Not all Hot Pockets are created equal. Nope, not at all.

I also added some real exercise (read: not painting or pushing a double stroller with 80lbs of kids around a mall) to my day. I did some Jillian Michaels DVD. For those of you not immediately familiar with her name, she is the "motivating" trainer on The Biggest Loser. The great thing about the DVD is that it has 3 levels of training that you can choose from. It is also only 20 minutes long. It is however about 20 minutes worth of sweaty torture. I haven't sweated that much since kick-boxing class. In fact it was probably just as intense - just packed into a shorter time frame. I also used 3 lb hand weights as well. My little girls did the routine with me using barbie dolls as their hand weights. It was actually quite comical. The best part was when my whirlwind of a 4 year old said - "gee - this lady doesn't even let you take a break - I'm getting tired." Watching a 3 and 4 year old try to do push-ups, jumping jacks and the other exercises was quite funny as well. So overall - thumbs up on the DVD. It definitely gives you a workout. I can feel the ache setting in all over my thighs already. Tomorrow morning should be awesome!

So remember - Italian Style Meatball Soft Sub Lean Pocket = terrible nasty meat. At least now you know I don't work for Nestle in their Hot Pocket division. Only honest opinions handed out here.

Wish me luck with my weigh-in tomorrow morning!

Tomorrow Is The Big Day!

So tomorrow is the first weigh-in. I'm feeling pretty good - so I'm not too worried about it. I have really been working hard to get all my Hot Pockets in, in addition to some healthy snacks and lots of water.

I have also been getting so much done around the house. The bathroom is officially done and all the baseboards in the kitchen are done and painted. My honey and I worked extra hard last night! And even with all that extra activity I still stuck to my 4 Hot Pockets for the day.

So wish me luck - I will post my first weigh in results first thing tomorrow! And don't forget to tell all your friends about the hot pocket diet blog!

:) Kelly

What a Busy Day!

So today I am home with my two little ones. And yet - I still got tons done. I went to the Home Depot and Target and then I painted the bathroom! I got the girls a couple of toys and Sponge Bob DVD's - so they entertained themselves for a while. I couldn't even believe it!

I also tried a new Hot Pocket today. The croissant pizza pocket. YUMMY! And I had my favorite egg, cheese and applewood bacon Hot Pocket for breakfast. So another good start today!

Hopefully we will be able to finish the trim in the bathroom tonite so I can really decorate!

Maybe these Hot Pockets are giving me energy! LOL

:) Happy Monday!

A Total Hot Pocket Day

So today was a true Hot Pocket Diet day. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and 4th meal. It worked out well with all the running around we did today. We actually accomplished a lot - getting a new table for the kitchen and finishing the baseboards in the kitchen as well. I bought a house a few months ago that we had to pretty much gut - so every weekend has a new project!

And if you are wondering - no - I'm not sick of hot pockets yet. There is enough variety that I'm not getting bored yet. The 4 cheese pizza is still my favorite :)

Have a good week everyone!

:) Kelly

Balloons Everywhere!

So I went to a balloon festival today. It was lots of fun! I had never seen a hot air balloon up close and there were tons of them! There was even a Darth Vader balloon which was pretty awesome.

This of course meant festival food, but I was very good. Just one small cheese steak and water. My honey had a funnel cake. While it was tempting, I was satisfied with just a small taste.

So overall today was another good day. Got all my Hot Pockets in and did really well at the festival. Tomorrow should be pretty laid back and one of my "exclusive" Hot Pocket days.

I'll add a couple more pics from the festival for fun. We were so close to the area where they blew up the balloons!

So How Can This Possibly Work?

Ok, so the Hot Pocket Diet idea sounds a little nutty. I get it. However, its really not much different than eating pre-packaged Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers or Lean Cuisine now is it? And if you talk to most nutritionists they often suggest eating smaller meals throughout the day. So if you eat 3-4 Hot Pockets a day at an average of 320 calories each - you are right on target! Throw in some healthy snacks like fruit, veggies and yogurt and you are set. Plus, with Hot Pockets you actually feel full after, or at least like you didn't eat some crappy diet food with all the life sucked out of it. Eating smaller meals in closer increments actually helps your metabolism - much better than eating one or two big meals per day.

So really - there is a method to the madness. Hot Pockets just makes those 3-4 meals a day way easier. It doesn't get much faster than two minutes in the microwave now does it?

And since tonite is Friday Niiiite, I think I will be substituting some wine and possibly home made guacamole with my honey for 4th meal. Like I said - we do have lives :)

So day two was another success. Hopefully weigh-in on Wednesday will reflect that!

Cheers!
Kel

Show Me The Numbers!

Ok - so you are sitting here thinking - this lady may be a little crazy - but hey - it just may work. But how will I really know? I need something more than lbs lost. I need measurements. give me something I can track and graph. I want to see a pie chart or something!

Despite the horror at what I found my measurements to actually be, I will post them as my "start" or "before". Cause after all, the worse the before looks, the better the after will seem!

So I did these measurements myself on the biggest part of each measured area.

OK - here we go: Week 1

Thigh : 27 1/8"
Calf : 16"
Bust: 40"
Waist: 33"
Hips: 47"

BMI 29.7

Height 5'5"

Size: 14 (12 on a good day)

Weight - well - not quite ready to post that yet - we'll just say 0lbs lost ;)

So we'll make my first mini gaol to be getting rid of all size 14 clothes and get into 12's.

And I just had a chicken artichoke lean pocket for lunch. Gotta say it was my least favorite so far, but still not too bad. It didn't seem as "full" of warm gooey goodness as the others, but not terrible. Still so many more varieties to try!

So please, don't be afraid to follow me on this crazy journey. I think it will be lots of fun!

Hot Pockets and Breakfast go hand in hand!

So I tried a new breakfast Hot Pocket today - the egg, cheese and applewood bacon. I have to say, I think Hot Pockets were made for breakfast food! Besides only taking 2 minutes to cook, they give you a nice hot breakfast that you don't have to sit at the table to eat.

And I have to say that it was pretty tasty. The pocket itself fills the need for toast or a biscuit and there is just enough food in the filling. The applewood bacon Hot Pocket definitely gets a thumbs up! Coupled with a nice cup of coffee it was a great breakfast.

And I didn't have that orange last night, so I'll probably have it as a snack shortly!

Enjoy your day!

The Four Cheese Hot Pocket

So I finished my first day of the Hot Pocket Diet. I didn't have breakfast - so I had 3 Hot Pockets today.

For Lunch I had the Meatball and Mozzarella soft sub hot pocket. It was pretty good!

For Dinner I had the Philly Cheese steak pocket. While it was no Pat's or Geno's it was still pretty tasty.

For 4th meal I had the 4 cheese Hot Pocket. It was so good! Like a giant pizza roll. LOL. Washed it down with a Sam Adam's Summer Ale. Not so bad for a snack while watching The Big Lebowski.

Oh yes - I also had a yogurt today and may still throw in an orange. We'll see how I feel later.

I got some tasty looking ones for breakfast. I hope they are yummy!

The Hot Pocket Diet!

Welcome to the Hot Pocket Diet page! This may sound crazy, but well, most diets do now don't they? This idea hit me while noticing the nutrition info on my hot pocket. They range from 250--350 calories and are more filling than other "diet" meals with similar amounts of calories.

So you could have breakfast, lunch, dinner and even 4th meal for only 1200-1300 calories a day! Or you could eliminate 4th meal and have a glass of wine or two out with friends instead! I mean - we all have lives - so we need some wiggle room - even in the hot pocket diet plan.

So here is what I plan to do:

3-4 hot pockets a day for at least 4-5 days a week. The other days I will probably be eating out with friends or enjoying a nice dinner with my honey. But I will be sure that the other two meals I eat on these "off" days are indeed Hot Pockets. I will also supplement my meals with fruit, veggies and yogurt equalling approximately an additional 200 calories per day. So basically, my initial goal is to keep the calories at approx 1400-1500 per day. I will also take vitamins and soluble fiber. Finally, I will add the dreaded "physical activity" at least three times per week. I will not be taking any other type of weight loss supplement.

So you may be wondering a bit about me. How much does she need to lose? Is she a couch potato? Is she certifiable? Actually, I am your pretty typical mom with two young kids and not much time. I am 35 and have a BMI of 29.7. I wear a size 12-14, so while I am overweight I don't have 100 lbs to lose. If I lose 30 lbs I will have a healthy BMI of 24.7. So this is my initial goal. I would love to lose more, but I think 1 goal at a time will work a bit better for me. I'd like to wear a size 8-10, which would definitely be possible if I lose 30 lbs.

So, on this site, I will post my weight loss once a week to see what (if anything) happens. I will also let you know if something out of the ordinary like vacations or special events interfere with the Hot Pocket diet. I will also, of course, talk about hot pockets! I will discuss the different varieties, which taste the best and the differences between the regular Hot Pockets and the Lean Pockets. There isn't a huge calorie difference between the two - so it will be more of a "is it worth it" type comparison.

And mostly - this is a fun page! Yes - I want to lose weight - but hey - it is kind of an odd idea - so any Hot Pocket funnies I find will also be posted. We need to laugh at ourselves too!

So as of today, the diet officially starts. Wish me luck!! I will be updating often!