Days 10 & 11

Wow! So I have been so freakishly busy the last couple of days I haven't even have the chance to post here!

First things first, I said I would post my quick and easy vegetable soup recipe, so here it is:

Quick & Easy Vegetable Soup:

· 1 pkg Lipton onion soup mix (I use the beefy onion for added flavor)
· 1 32 oz can beef broth (no fat, low sodium variety)
· 2 stalks of Celery, chopped
· 4 carrots, diced
· 1 16 oz can diced tomatoes
· 1 tablespoon minced garlic
· ½ teaspoon thyme
· 1 12 oz pkg frozen green beans
· 1 cup frozen peas
· Salt & pepper to taste

In mixing bowl, mix together soup mix and beef broth —set aside. In a large stock pot or dutch oven, combine celery and carrots. Pour soup mixture over celery and carrots. Add diced tomatoes, garlic and thyme. Cook over medium heat just until boiling. Add frozen peas and green beans, returning to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until vegetables are done. Season with salt and pepper.

I sometime vary the ingredients—for example, I made this recently using zucchini instead of carrots and added some bok choy during the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.

I have been eating a lot of this soup since I made a big pot of it a few days ago. Its been a huge lifesaver in terms of time for food preparation. Its quick and easy and really tasty! It hardly tastes like you are eating something that is so good for you.

Once again, there is not too much to report since much of my time in the last few days has been very work centered. I will say that I have felt a lot more energy as a result of my healthier eating habits. Getting though my hectic schedule has been easier since I have been eating more "fuel-efficient" foods. I have been eating a high-fiber oatmeal for breakfast which has been both delicious and filling. I have been trying to stay away from eating as many carbs throughout the day. I sauteed an entire bag of spinach with garlic for work and that worked out well, too. I ate that with either some grilled fish or chicken. One word of warning, though: Be sure to chew some powerful mint gum after eating so as to not offend co-workers! I've been keeping a couple of the ready-to-drink high protein shakes on stand-by, in case I get too busy to stop and heat something up or need it to be portable. I have really grown to depend on them to get me through in a pinch!

One of my co-workers brought in muffins and I was dying to have one. The blueberry ones just looked marvelous. As soon as I read the fat and calorie content, I was floored! 450 calories and 27 grams of fat, 43g carbs! Ouch! I was glad I didn't take one and seeing those numbers were a quick deterrent from contemplating it further. It occurred to me that I would have eaten one (maybe even two) in the past without even a moment's thought. It really made me realize just how careless I had become with my eating habits and grateful that I am making the effort to be more conscientious now.

I still haven't made it to the gym! I have been staying pretty active at work, but I still would like to get to the gym, so I am hoping to get there this week. I had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine who told me that weight loss/maintenance is only 20% exercise--the majority comes from what you eat and caloric intake. There has even been research recently that backs this up. So it is a 20/80 (20% exercise, 80% diet) formula. That is not to discourage exercise--it is a vital part of healthy living. It just won't help you lose weight if not combined with a proper diet.

So that is what I have for now. I know I crammed two days worth into one, but as I said before I have been slammed with work so there isn't much else to tell.

Until tomorrow...

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't -- you are right."