You all know that I have anxiously been waiting to get my 10% goal, or 17 pounds lost since March 1. I only had .8 to reach that goal today.
So.fricken.close. But I’ll take it – I know my exercise has been changing the shape of my body, even if I don’t have a huge loss each week – but seriously? .6 three weeks in a row?
Today’s topic at WW was about the new Chose My Plate concept. Basically half of your plate should be fruits and veggies, 1/4 protein and 1/4 carbs. Looking back on the last couple weeks of what I have been eating, I think this week I really need to focus on the healthy guidelines, and making sure 1/2 of each meal is fruit and veggies. š
I figured out a way to have a two hour lunch on Fridays. Agree to cook lunch for everyone! We share office space with another company – we have half the building and they have the other half. We share an outdoor patio and they have provided a grill for us to use!
Here is our outdoor patio – its really cool once you put the umbrellas up so you aren’t sitting in the sun.
I sent an email to everyone to ask if they were in and asked for a $3 contribution – everyone who was in the office was game! On the menu? Greek chicken pitas with an israeli couscous salad and potato chips.
The chicken was cooked perfectly, but I think I loved the salad more. I kind of just kept throwing stuff in the mix and adding to the sauce – loved it!
Israeli Couscous Salad
- heaping 1/2 cup is 4 PointsPlus (makes 12 servings)
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces couscous, cooked according to package directions, cooled
- 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 an english cucumber, chopped
- 1/2 red pepper, diced
- zest of one lemon
- juice of one lemon
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup roasted sun flower seeds
Mix together the olive oil, garlic, cilantro, crushed red pepper, zest, lemon juice, sugar and salt and pepper and mix well. In a large bowl, add cooked couscous, chopped romaine, raisins and vinagrette and mix well. Just before serving, add sunflower seeds so they don’t get mushy.
I loved the softness of the couscous with the crunch of the cucumber and romaine and the sweetness of the raisins against the lemon zest. Yum!
Check out what I finally ordered for myself:
I like how it says on the first page “you may be so overwhlemed by all the controls on your camera that you haven’t yet ventured beyone fully auto picture-taking mode. Which is a shame because it’s sort of like buying a Porche 911 and never heading out for the open road.”
Hopefully I will be able to learn how to use my camera better. Because while I can once in a while take a picture like this:
The very next picture turns out like this:
Enjoy your Saturday! Tony and I are just about to go out to lunch and hit up a Japanese grocery store. š
Blurry or not that cheesecake looks amazing!
I just bought some Israeli couscous from Bob’s Red Mill and had no idea what to do with it. I think a salad sounds great!
I love that cous cous salad, raisins and sunflower seeds are such fun additions!!! I definitely want to make this, it’s perfect for summer!
You make me laugh – I love the last picture you shared. That couscous salad looks delicious.
Ahhh! So close! You’re doing awesome, Biz! So impressed! I didn’t WI this week. Crazy busy!
I have that Nikon (for D5000) for Dummies — I’m going to read it on my upcoming flight…finally!
Thank you so much for sharing that couscous recipe. I’ve been wanting to try a recipe with it. Now, I will š Looks delicious!
what a gorgeous patio to enjoy lunch, the couscous looks wonderful, lucky coworkers!
Oh man, so close! Good job on losing. What a treat for everyone that you get to cook for them. The salad looks great, I am going to give that a try this week.
I wish we had lunches like that at work – how fun! I love Israeli couscous and your salad sounds like it would really hit the spot right about now!
You are so close! You can do it Biz.
Your work patio looks amazing – I bet it would be awesome in early fall when it gets cooler out.
Nice grill!
Wow, I can’t believe you missed it by 0.2, but you’ll definitely get there next week. And a consistent 0.6 is better than a lot of things. But I do know what it feels like to be so close and just really, really want it. The chicken looks delicious. Sounds like a fun lunch. You reminded me that I need to buy some sort of dummy or how-to book for my Canon Digital Rebel T3 that I just got a few weeks ago. I’m like you. I’ve taken a few that I think turned out pretty well along with several that were not so great!
I love your patio! I am dying for a big backyard like that. They only exist for big bucks in California!
Good luck on your weigh-in next week. You’re so close!
You will definitely get there next week and look at how consistent you are being at going down and not up! I am just hoping I can do as well as you are. That salad looks so yummy, I am definitely going to try it.
I’m already noticing changes in my body (though, I wish I could target where it changes i.e. my thunda thighs!) and that makes me motivated to continue on this journey! I do need to eat more fruits and veggies though. I’ve been a ravenous beast this week and I think that’s why. Perhaps a challenge for myself this week?!
Think of it as losing a stick of butter each week. 8 sticks of butter in 3 weeks! That’s a lot of butta that’s no longer with you! š That sticker is all yours next week!!!
Just remember – losing is losing! š
You’re doing so awesome! The slow and steady wins it! Um, come work with me! What an awesome lunch. Your coworkers are lucky. I totally want to try the couscous salad
Darn, did you pee first?!
You’re doing great, Biz! You’ll get your 10% next week !!
I think you missed your calling – you should be a caterer!!!
You will get there next week, esp if you focus on eating more fruits and veg! Good job–you’re still moving steadily in the right direction. You’ve got some lucky co-workers-I bet they love you! I hope that book helps–I know I’d be clueless with anything but my own point-and-shoot.
Well, at least you’re consistent! How crazy, losing the exact same amount week after week…but at least you’re losing!
What a fun way to spend your work time – and I’m sure everyone loved the lunch you prepared! I agree, that salad looks amazing…I’d be all over that in a heartbeat!
When I did WW, I was in the 0.5 club. For months. And I bitched and moaned about it like no other, but my WW leader was awesome. She kept reminding me that it will still a loss and then she asked the group about the benefits of pokey weight loss. My favorite perk: the lady who told me that slow weight loss would save me thousands in skin removal surgery later on! She may or may not be right, but we all got a good laugh about it.
I know it’s so darned frustrating, but you’re doing great and eating well and sticking to a diet that is maintainable, not too restrictive and allows for the occasional indulgences. So you’re getting a high five from this girl!
C’mon biz, 0.6 is simply your lucky number. Embrace it!! At least you are losing. I am not. Then again, I’m not taking time for WW either.