Zero to Healthy

You have to make it yourself.

Story time!  Last year, I had a weekly ritual which I lovingly called Pizza Thursday.  Yes, it is exactly as it sounds.  I ordered pizza and breadsticks at least once a week (if not more often) from Papa John’s.  Large pizza w/ pepperoni, sausage and mushrooms.  Being that it’s just me and the boyfriend here we had two options of consuming this pizza.  Scarf (which I’ve done on several occasions) or break it up into a few meals.  Either way, that is a lot of pizza!  Each order was about $25 so we were easily spending at least $100 or more each month on pizza alone.  Going back and calculating what I was eating, I was also putting away over 1000 calories PER MEAL!  No wonder I gained 20 lbs. last year.

So this year, I made a resolution.  No more ordering pizza.  But, as I may have mentioned earlier, I love pizza.  Pizza is my junk food weakness.  So I learned how to make it from scratch.  We’ve made our own dough, sauces, and figured out how to make a personal pizza when we want.  Obviously there are multiple benefits to doing it ourselves.  We have more money in the bank, we’re not taking in as many calories, and we don’t eat it as often.  To date, we’ve only ordered pizza 3 times, but it was never for just the two of us (large groups) and only because we ran out of an ingredient for our homemade pizza.  Weekly or more to 3 times a year?  I call that HUGE progress.

Most of the junk food you enjoy is totally doable at home.  Pizza, potato chips, burgers, french fries, desserts, etc.  The reasons we’re going to start making it ourselves:

• Eliminate all those “scientific” ingredients in our food that serve as a preservative or substitute for other ingredients.
• Know and gain an appreciation for what is actually in our food.  Also to learn how easy it is to make these things ourselves (often for much tastier).
• Save money!!!  In most cases, it’s WAY cheaper to make these items ourselves.
• Control our portions-get ready for some serious discipline though.

I will start posting recipes in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out!  I feel I must issue a warning.  Just because you can make junk food doesn’t mean you should go overboard eating it.  Even though self-made junk food is a healthier option in my opinion, you still need to limit how often you make these treats for yourself.

I offer this recipe as an easy to make alternative to constantly ordering out.  It’s tasty, healthier, and always made to order.

Here’s how we do it:
*We make our own pizza dough. For when we want smaller, personal pizzas, we have a bag of pitas available.
*I make my own pizza sauce in bulk. It last about a month, and the longer it sits in the fridge, the yummier it gets.
*We buy the 5 lbs bag of mozzarella from Costco (yes, we use that much cheese).
*We keep toppings that we like on hand.
*Have a little bit of cornmeal so we can slide the pizza onto our pizza stone.

Recipe for whole wheat pizza dough
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes until foamy.

2) Stir olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then slowly (not all at once) mix in the whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour. Knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth (about 10 minutes). NOTE: If you have a kitchen aid with the hook attachment, this whole process is much easier. Place dough in a completely oiled bowl. Turn the dough ball to completely coat the surface in oil. Cover with a towel and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size (about an hour).

3)When dough is doubled, turn onto a floured surface. Divide into 2 or 3 smaller balls. At this point, if you’re planning to freeze, we place the balls in the fridge to slow down the yeast. When the balls stop expanding (about an hour), wrap them in saran wrap and place in freezer. If you’re going to make pizza, set the divided balls aside and let rise again for about 45 minutes.

4) Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if using a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat). You can roll out your dough with either a rolling pin or just your hands. You can place it on a well oiled pizza pan, if that’s what you’re using. With a pizza stone, you should have a pizza board. Sprinkle some cornmeal on the pizza board, then place your dough on the board. Give the board a couple shakes to make sure the dough slides easily.

5) Dress up your pizza! Sauce should be spread within about half an inch to the edges. Place in the oven for about 10-15 minutes, until cheese starts to brown. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes before you cut into it. ENJOY!

How to make your own pizza sauce:

I also make my own spaghetti sauce, and there’s really not much difference between the two. And there’s almost no way to mess it up, because you have to taste it as you go (fun!).

I use two or three 15 oz cans of tomato sauce (remember, we’re making for lots of extra here). In a saucepan, I add some olive oil and saute about three cloves of garlic. Because I’m a garlic fiend. You can use less or none at all. Up to you. Once I start to smell toasty garlic (pretty quick), I add my fresh ground pepper and herbs: oregano and basil, but again, use what you like, some red wine vinegar, and some balsamic vinegar. Once the herbs are a bit moistened, I add my sauce.

Once everything is mixed together, taste a bit. If it’s bland, the first thing you add is a bit of salt. Salt is what will start brightening all the yummy flavors. Feel free to add as much salt as you’d like, but keep tasting as you do. You don’t want a salty sauce. Once you’ve added some salt, if you’re not tasting as much of a certain ingredient as you’d like, add a bit more.

Put everything into a container that will seal well, and put in the fridge so it can get to know itself. I don’t mess with measuring out ingredients here. For you, it may take a while to figure out what you like, what you don’t like (make smaller batches if you’re still experimenting). The great thing about sauce is that it’s so customizable! Play around with it. Fail. Succeed. Have fun!

Making pita pizza!

The only difference between pita pizza and a whole pizza is what you’re using for a crust. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the pita how you would a normal pizza. Bake for about 10 minutes. If you want crispier crust, cook for a few extra minutes. It’s done when the cheese starts to brown a bit.

If you make homemade pizza, please share your recipes and tricks!

If you’ve browsed the internet looking for couch potato workouts, you’ve most likely come across the walk/jog method (I’m not sure if that’s what it’s officially called).  In a nutshell, this particular method of exercise allows you to do a walk, a jog, or a combo of both depending on your fitness level.  The point is to build you up from a non-runner to someone who can run with ease.  Running is a very good exercise to have in your arsenal, so even if you don’t plan on shooting for a marathon, you should at least get comfortable with running.  This method is not particularly innovative, but it’s basic.  It’s a starting point.  And for that reason, we like it.  So.  Let’s get started!

Read through all the levels listed below and begin wherever is most comfortable for you.  Remember not to push yourself too hard too fast, but you do want to strive for improvement at your own pace.

• Level 1: Walk for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week.  If 30 minutes is too much for right now, scale it back to 20 and work up to 30.  You want to be able to walk 30 consistently and comfortably for at least two weeks before moving on to the next level.
• Level 2:  30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Jog for as long as you can.  If that happens to be 10 seconds, so be it.  Then walk.  When you feel ready, jog again for as long as you can.  Then walk…repeat.  End with a 5 minute walking cool-down.  Do this for one or two weeks.
• Level 3: 30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Now, we’re going to start timing your jogs.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Alternate jogging for 30 seconds and walking 1.5 minutes for 20 minutes.  End with a 5 minute cool-down.
• Level 4: 30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Alternate jogging for 1  minute and walking 1.5 minutes for 20 minutes.  End with a 5 minute cool-down.
• Level 5: 30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Alternate jogging for 2  minutes and walking 2 minutes for 20 minutes.  End with a 5 minute cool-down.
• Level 6: 30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Alternate jogging for 3  minutes and walking 2 minutes for 20 minutes.  End with a 5 minute cool-down.
• Level 7: 30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Alternate jogging for 4  minutes and walking 1 minute for 20 minutes.  End with a 5 minute cool-down.
• Level 8: Approx. 30 minute sessions 3-4 times a week.  Walk a 5 minute warm-up.  Alternate jogging for 5  minutes and walking 1 minute for about 20 minutes (math doesn’t exactly add up on this one).  End with a 5 minute cool-down.
• Level 9 and beyond:  Same as level 8, but you’re going to add an additional minute to your previous time until you are running for 20 minutes with no break.

At the end of every work out, you MUST stretch the muscles you used! Also, make sure you stay well hydrated.  Another thing to keep in mind-this is merely my suggestion to you as ONE way to follow a walk/jog schedule.  You’re more than welcome to do walk/jogs where you stay at level 2 (just make sure you’re improving your duration).

At what level are you starting?  Do you have another way you’re using the walk/jog?  Post in the comments section!

I came across a few articles on the internet that talked about “looking the part” of someone who exercises.  And in order to look the part, you should go out and buy a super cute exercise outfit, brand new shoes, a stylish water bottle, fancy electronics like a pedometer and an ipod…  I have many times in the past gone out and bought workout things with the intention of using them to work out, but once I had said items in my hands, I suddenly lost steam.  Those cute work out pants usually became cute pj pants.  So instead of putting any effort into looking the part, let’s become the part.

What you need to start exercising-a good pair of exercise shoes if you’re working out outside (and that’s debatable in certain circles), and clothes you can move and sweat in.   That’s it!  If you do need to go out and purchase these items (and by need, I mean you do not own), by all means go for it.  But I would encourage you to keep it cheap.  We can talk about “upgrading” your gear AFTER we get in a routine and actually have something to show for our initial efforts (we’ll get into incentives in a later post).

It’s no secret that water is great for one’s well-being.  But aside from the advice of drinking 8 glasses a day, I really didn’t know why water was good for me other than to keep me hydrated.  Which is pretty important in and of itself.  Hydration keeps your body functioning.  Throughout the normal course of your day, you are losing water by breathing, sweating, urinating…you know, being alive!  So that water needs to be replaced.  Thus, you need to drink water.  But how much?

From rooting around on the internet, about 2 liters a day seems to be the best answer I can find.  There’s no exact science to it though.  A lot of factors are going to come in to play mostly depending on your personal circumstances.

• Exercise: You’ll lose more water during exercise than if you’re stationary.
• Environment: Hot or humid outside?  Up your water intake.
• Sick or unhealthy: As a general rule, you want to increase the amount of water you drink.  May also want to switch to Gatorade.  Always consult your doctor in these instances.

Water is not your only source of water (go figure!).  Many foods, like fruits and vegetables get most of their weight  with water.  Also, any other beverage will give you a bit of water, but ultimately the best, most calorie-free option is water itself.

Rule of thumb-If you’re drinking water, if you’re not feeling thirsty and your pee is clear to slightly yellow, you’re fine.

Tips for staying hydrated:

• Carry a water bottle with you
• Always drink water with every meal
• Drink a glass or two of water as soon as you wake up

• Current weight: 155.5 lbs
• Exercise: pretty much nothing 
• Diet: egg & cheese on a thin bagel, 2 cups of coffee (w/ cream and sugar), 1/2 pita with cream cheese, 1/2 cup of ice cream, pasta with a homemade marinara

Today was crazy hot!  So…that’s my excuse for having such a craptastic workout day.  Not to mention it wasn’t the most stellar food day either.  But, I did up my water intake.  Mostly due to the heat, but also I just couldn’t seem to get enough.  I’m still chugging it.

So we’ll just call this an off day.  Tomorrow we’ll get back with it.

Write down a list of foods and drinks that you love but know are not good for you, and are foods that you enjoy on a regular basis.  Mine would be:

1. Pizza
2. Dr. Pepper (although I’ll drink other soda if it’s available)
3. Hamburgers w/ cheese
4. Fast food
5. French fries
6. Ice cream
7. Bread-because I enjoy it in excess
8. General Tao chicken from my favorite Chinese restaurant

Now, pretend like you have to give these foods up.  Right now.  No more.  You’re done!  The thought alone is enough to make you want to run to Burger King, right?  Hey, if you have the discipline to stop all of your bad habits right now without getting the jitters, then you are a better human than me.  Most of us don’t have it in us to quit these foods cold turkey.  Instead, we need to start cutting back.

• One good way  to cut back is not to buy it in the first place.  Instead of ordering pizza, is there something else in your kitchen you could have or could you make your own pizza (we’ll get into cooking your own junk food later)?  Avoid the ice cream section in your grocery store.

• Another is to keep a food journal and give yourself daily/weekly allowances.  For example, if you drink 4 cans of soda, cut back to 2 or 3 in a day.  Or if you usually take 5 trips to a fast food joint in a given week, only allow yourself to go 3 times a week.

• Start thinking about beverages other than water, plain tea or black coffee as a dessert and limit how many “desserts” you can have in a day.  Example, you had a mocha on your way to work, so you can’t eat ice cream after dinner.

• Cut your naughty foods in half.  Instead of having a whole can of soda, mix half of that can with soda water.  Instead of ordering a whole fast food meal, order just the sandwich.

• Once you’re 100% successful in a step of cutting down on a food, keep continuing to scale back your intake

So you see, the idea is not to completely eliminate these foods.  If you eventually get to a point where you no longer eat a trouble food, more power to you!  I’ve managed to eliminate Dr. Pepper from my everyday life, but I do drink it occasionally.  Because it’s tasty!  Pizza and general tao…that’s another matter. 

What trouble foods do you love but need to limit?  How are you cutting back?  Post in the comment section!

• Current weight: 155 lbs.
• Exercise: 1.5 hrs of walking around at puppy training class
• Diet: thin bagel w/ cream cheese, 3 cups of coffee (w/ cream & sugar), pita pizza, 4 Tbls of ice cream, 3 spicy chicken drumsticks

I am feeling the sore from yesterday’s walk/jog.  Actually I started feeling it last night, and knew today would be rough.  So we decided that our puppy training class would count as our daily exercise.  Should be ready to go again tomorrow.

Pol and I finished our first weight graph.  We started just before July 1st and ended today.  The results:

• I lost 5 lbs.  Pol lost 11 lbs.

Most of our weight loss was due to altering our diets a bit.  We only incorporated consistent exercise a couple weeks ago.  I’m very happy with the progress we’ve made.

This is the calendar that we’re using to track our exercise.  Our system:

• 1 star=standard 30 minute or more workout
• 2 star=extra intense workout (like our hiking day)
• 1/2 star=taking in easy, but still exercising (like a 15 minute walk)

Pretty simple.  The point of keeping track is two-fold.

1. Gives us a visual as to how often we are exercising.
2. We’ll be using the stars to create an incentive program.

With an incentive program (which we’ll talk about later), it can be really easy to abuse your tracking method.  “Well, walk/jog required extra motivation and I had a long day so it was really hard and it was raining…so I’ll give myself two stars.”  Resist the temptation!  Ultimately, you’re accountable to yourself.  So be honest with yourself.  The worst that can happen is your hard work paying off. 

I’m thinking about switching to a different calendar because of all the cute pictures on the days.  Makes tracking a bit difficult and cluttered.  But otherwise, it’s been super helpful to see at a glance how we’re doing for consistency.  You’ll notice week 2 of August doesn’t have a whole lot.  We were still recovering from the monster hike, although we certainly didn’t intend to take the whole week off.  Actually, until we began working out again on the 14th, we hadn’t realized we had taken so much time off.  Go visual!

How do you track your exercise?  Post in the comments!

I came across this tasty recipe when I was looking for a way to use up some left over red lentils.  I am so happy I found this!  Not only is it super delish, it’s healthy, low calorie, easy to make, easy to alter, and makes amazing leftovers.  Oh, and it’s vegan.

This recipe serves 8.  About 200 calories per serving.  It can be served over rice (it pairs really well with basmati) or by itself.

Red Lentil Curry

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of red lentils
• 1 large onion, chopped into strips
• 3 Tbls of curry paste (see note 1)
• 1 tsp of turmeric
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder  (see note 2)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white sugar (see note 3)
• 1 tsp minces garlic
• 1 tsp ginger root, minced
• 1-14.5 oz tomato puree (see note 4)
• some olive oil

1) Wash the lentils under cold water until the water runs clear.  Add the lentils to a large pot, cover with water, and cook until lentils are tender (about 15-20 minutes).  Drain those once they’re cooked.

2) In a large skillet, caramelize the onions in a bit of olive oil.  Once onions are browned, stir in spices, sugar, garlic and ginger (helpful hint: mix all the spices together ahead of time).  After about a minute, add tomato puree.  Scrape any brown goodness from the bottom on the pan.    Bring to a simmer.

3) Once the lentils are tender and the mixture is simmering, add the lentils to the mixture.

4) EAT!!!

NOTES:

1. We used red curry paste, but I bet green or yellow would be tasty too.
2. Add more chili powder if you like more spice!
3. I’m not sure if the white sugar added anything to this dish.  I’m going to try nixing this next time to see if there’s a difference.
4. If you don’t want to buy a can of puree, make it yourself!  Take three small tomatoes and puree them in a food processor.  Don’t worry about removing the seed unless you want to.  If you do, puree four small tomatoes.

Ideas for altering:

• Adding zucchini, bell peppers or other veggies
• Adding chicken

Give it a try!  Let me know what you think.