TOPS Thanksgiving Challenge, Chat, Exercise & Menu 11/20-11/27
Hey ladies, it's Thanksgiving week! How are you going to plan ahead for the big day?
Well, I tried something different today and didn't plan my meals out yesterday for today and instead let myself have a more liberal day. The result? I definetly had less healthy than usual foods BUT stayed within my fat and calorie limits and met my fiber and protein goals!
Vegetable Lasagna (high fiber, high protein, low fat made with zucchini, onions, garlic, tomatoes, spinach, tofu, vegan cheese, spices, roasted onion marinara sauce & whole wheat pasta): 650 calories
Grape Kombucha Tea: 60 calories
2 cups Vitasoy "Complete" (reduced sugar, extra fiber an protein soymilk): 140 calories
Amy's Refried Beans w/Green Chiles, HOT habanero salsa, olive salsa, avocado salsa, 2 tomatoes, 1 cup sunflower seed sprouts, 1/2 a cucumber and "Cabo Chips" (these are AMAZINGLY good corn tortilla chips that have only 2 grams of fat per serving!): 600 calories
1 serving lemonade: 100 calories
1 all fruit frozen strawberry pop: 50 calories
Total: 1600 calories and I *still* got to eat treats
I kind of feel nervous though, because even though I know I stayed within my calorie range, I ate some things (sugar in lemonade, soy cheese and salty chips) I have been avoiding and so it feels wierd I always over estimate my calories to be on the safe side
Busy week for me ladies Cleaning house and getting ready to start preparing for my hubbys vacation...which starts this Saturday. I wont be online much...but had to tell everyone to have a Happy Thanksgiving Keep up the awsome work ladies, I weigh in Tuesday night so I will let you all know how it went, and I will tally everyones challenge results this weekend so be sure to post final weigh ins
Yogini--I do the same thing and try to overestimate my calories. As for the foods you're not used to eating, sometimes that's actually a good thing to shake up your body a bit--I hope that's the case here and that it doesn't lead to any of that annoying additional water retention for you!
Christian--you have a great T-Day, too!
As for me, my TOPS meetings are Thursdays, so no meeting this week. I will still weigh myself at home to get an idea as to how I'm doing, but I always go by the TOPS scale for my "official" weight.
Today I will take 1 1/2 hours of Yoga, swim for 1/2 and hour and then enjoy the sauna and steam rooms (not "exercise" exactly but a nice reward for staying on program).
I am eating the following:
Brown rice with vegetable juice, tomatoes, carots, peas, celery, onions, garlic and olive salsa
2 pieces ciabatta bread
Salad of green apples, raspberries, purple cabbage, sliced almonds, dried cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice and agave nectar
1 cup tempeh and 3 cups veggies (bok choy, cauliflower, carrots, broccoli and garlic)
Beet, celery, carrot and ginger juice
1 cup soy milk
1 cup calcium-fortified orange juice with hemp protein powder
Today, I had passionfruit, mango and orange juice with hemp protein powder and a slice of "Woman's Bread" (an organic bread that has 6 grams of protein per slice)
3 cups romaine lettuce, 1/4 c. slivered almonds, 3 oz. veggie "chicken", 1 T Oriental dressing, 1/2 c. shredded cabbages, 1/2 cup brown rice, 2 fresh veggie spring rolls (raw) with 1 T. hosin peanut sauce and 2 bites of "drunken noodles" (spicy rice noodles)
Oh well...I have been eating conservatively lately but YESTERDAY I didn't have a single "real meal"...I was cooking and had "bites and licks" of things all day...mostly rich things
Since I lost 5.25 pounds this week, I really DON'T want to gain even an ounce back! My strategy? Eat conservatively today and exercise DOUBLE from Friday until Wednesday (my weigh-in day).
I will drink water and fresh veggie juice (beet, carrot, celery) until the meal which will take place at 2pm so there's time to burn through the food.
I will eat off a small 6" plate and only fill it once with Now and Zen "Unturkey" (seitan), mashed cauliflower, "succotash" (vegan cheese, zucchini, corn and tomatoes) and polenta with marinara sauce. I will also fill it once with salad and oil-free veggies. I will have a SMALL piece of mixed berry pie and dairyless cream. I will go on a walk after the meal and not eat anything afterwards.
I'm going to eat this instead of mashed potatoes:
"Mashed Cauliflower"
Make a "roux" out of 1 T. Earth Balance (healthier margarine) and 2 T. rice flour. Add a few pinches each of nutmeg and pepper. Add 1 cup plain, unsweetened soy yogurt (I like Wildwood), 2 T. vegan parmesean and then add 1 head steamed cauliflower. Add a splash of umeboshi vinegar or lemon juice and a few pinches of sea salt. Mash together and eat
Best of luck, ladies! Keep up the good work! Let's be the few, the proud, the TOPS members who actually LOSE the week after Thanksgiving!
I did pretty well! I still feel like I need to be extra strict for the rest of the time until my weigh-in day (Wednesday) so I'll continue my losing streak! I plan on doubling up my workouts until then
Thanksgiving turned out pretty well. I had one plate of food, but grazed quite a bit before/after, and had a couple of pieces of pie for dessert. My first turkey turned out quite well, though I left the neck inside and couldn't figure out why I couldn't fit any stuffing in. LOL. I thought the neck was in the gizzard bag.
I'm definitely going to do Thanksgiving again. I might even buy a frozen turkey on sale and cook it for Christmas.
I'm don't have my food planned this week, or even today. I've already eaten leftover deviled eggs for breakfast, and I have no idea where to start. I'll be back later, hopefully with a planned menu.
I have to say - I think Thanksgiving is my new favorite holiday. Someone else on 3FC pointed out that it's so laid-back, and it doesn't have all the hoopla of Christmas with the gifts and all. I totally agree - everybody is getting together and enjoying each other's company without the big orgasm of a commercial gift-giving fest.
I did ok too. Like you, Phantastica, I nibbled most of the day and then had one plate with everything. We had about 3 inches of snow! I tried to go out and walk with my DD yesterday afternnon and it was just too windy and cold
Today is better. I just got back from a 75 minute jog/walk out into the country. Tonite my DH is in a Mystery Dinner Theater - he plays a nerd I heard - so that should be fun
Monday will be here soon with the WEIGH IN. I will contiue to exercise and try to eat sensibly.
I am not sure if my "posts" are actually going through, t his is a test..... I might be doing something wrong......I have written several posts and they have not showed in the lists.. any suggestions?
TOPS Thanksgiving Challenge, Chat, Exercise & Menu 11/20-11/27
I always over estimate my calories to be on the safe side 
Cleaning house and getting ready to start preparing for my hubbys vacation...which starts this Saturday. I wont be online much...but had to tell everyone to have a Happy Thanksgiving 
Keep up the awsome work ladies, I weigh in Tuesday night so I will let you all know how it went, and I will tally everyones challenge results this weekend so be sure to post final weigh ins 
