Sarah Jayne’s Journey

I just got back from my monthly weigh in at the nurse’s office.  I am pleased to report that I lost 5 pounds this month which takes me down to 232 pounds.  I am pleased with that sort of rate of loss and I know I earned it because with exception of a few days I counted calories everyday and exercised to some degree (usually a 45 minute walk in the morning rather than my exercise bike because the weather has been really nice) most mornings.  So, I shouldn’t be all that shocked but you know how it goes because sometimes you can do everything right and still not drop an ounce.

Next month is probably my last month of being issued a xenical prescription and I have been really worried about that even though I know at this stage I am eating so well that it really isn’t the reason for my loss.  What I have been worried about is not having the structure of the monthly weigh in because I think that has had more to do with keeping me in check than the medication.  So, I talked to the nurse today and the good news is that even when I stop the xenical they are still going to let me part of the weight loss clinic and come in and get weighed every month.  I think that will be really important for me.

Looking ahead, I would really like to see myself in the 220’s next month.  I honestly can’t remember the last time I was in that weight range but I bet I was around 13 years old or younger.

For the past two days Anthony’s dad has been staying with us.  He has very kindly come down on the train to help us fix our shower that broke last week.  It is a very nice thing of him to do especially as he is 70 years old (but a young 70, if you know what I mean) and I am very grateful to him.  The only problem for me is that every time we have house guests I really start to stress inside about calories.

You may have been able to tell from the posts that I have made so far that I am a bit obsessive about counting calories.  It isn’t fun but I need to do it and I know that if I let myself slack off too much then my weight loss stalls.

However, as soon as there is more than myself and Anthony to cook for I just give up counting what goes into the meals I cook.  I don’t fully know what my problem is because it is just a matter of dividing the calories that go into the meal by how many people are eating.  I do that every single night when I cook for two so doing it by three or four really shouldn’t be any more difficult yet I don’t.

I think perhaps it is an embarrassment thing.  Nobody I know well enough to stay at my home is going to be critical of me for writing down everything I put into a meal and counting up calories but yet in some way it almost feels like a private activity that shouldn’t be seen by others.  Not at all rational, I know.
Then there is the fact that the food I am making most of time these days isn’t that kind of food most people eat.  For example, my (soon to be) father in law wouldn’t know what to do with a vegetarian stew if put it in front of him.  So, I think I go to pains to not put people in the position of eating something they might not like rather than worry about my own weight loss.

In actuality I don’t think I am doing that badly.  I made a fairly low fat chicken dish with rice yesterday and I will be making a chilli con carne  tonight that will be as low fat as I can possibly make it and still make it taste okay.  It is just that because I am not counting those calories at the evening meal I just give up on it for the rest of the day.  I am not eating badly for those other meals.  In fact, I am pretty much eating the exact same things but I just hate that I let myself ‘guess’ for two days about my calories rather than just put my weight loss first and pleasing people second.

Today is election day in London where we are voting for our mayor. There are also local elections around the whole of the country but in my neck of the woods the London Mayor race really is the only one getting proper attention. I am a bit (okay a lot of) of a politics nut and I never miss the chance to vote (in two countries, actually).

It was seriously pouring down with rain all day so no matter what time of day I went it was going to be a wet walk to the polling station. I put it off as long as I could but eventually I went out and of course came back cold and wet. So, I wanted to do something warming and filling for our meal tonight.

I was pretty good for my first two meals of the day with cereal and a salad as normal and I wanted to keep on track even though I wanted something comforting. So, I reached for one of my new favourite foods - pearl barley.

I never cooked pearl barley until about a year ago when I decided to try it and now we usually have it in some form once a week. It is really cheap and very filling which is a great combo for anybody and it is even better for those of us watching what we eat because it is very low fat and is a slow burning carb such as that which is good for diabetics and those of us on Low GI plans.

This is the barley dish I came up with tonight. I am a spice wimp and so I used mild chili powder but if you like things hotter use a hotter powder.

Spicy Tomato and Bean Barley Bake - Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, sliced medium thickness
1 cup celery, chopped
1 1/4 cups mushroom, sliced
1 cup pearl barley
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained
5 cups V8 vegetable juice
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons mild chili powder
2 1/2 ounces fat free sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Use an oven proof dish casserole or pot that can also be used on the stovetop and put over a medium heat on the stove.

Once the pot is hot spray with some non-stick cooking spray or use a bit of oil if you wish and put the onions in and fry off for about 5 minutes until they are going soft.

Add the carrots, celery and mushrooms and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the pearl barley and the pinto beans and stir through for 2 minutes.

Add the V8, garlic powder and chili powder and stir to make sure everything is well combined.

Cover and put into the oven and cook for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Keep checking it now and then to make sure it isn’t going dry. It is done when the barley is tender and most of the juices are absorbed.

Take out of the oven and dish out onto serving plates or bowls and then divide the cheese between the dishes and sprinkle on top. Serve.

My next weigh in is in 12 days so I am really going to try to eat as little meat as possible between now and then. I know I will have two days next week when I will have to as we have a house guest but other than that I am going to aim for as many meatless meals as possible such as this one.