Thursday, August 22, 2013

Rainy Day Temptation - Great Pot Roast!

It seems to rain everyday!
 Even Miss Elizabeth Cat is tired of staying inside watching the rain.  It seems like a day where South Carolina has a record breaking 68 degrees and 4" of rain would be a cookie day for sure.  But no, I'm on a diet and I will not be tempted by sweets. Maybe not sweets, but what about beef?  I've been eating so much chicken, turkey, and fish (sorry vegans) that I lost myself for an afternoon and went to the grocery to pick up a chuck roast. Here is the best pot roast recipe ever!  (No pictures because my family LOVED it and it was gone before I could get up from the table to get the camera!)

MAMA'S OLD-FASHIONED POT ROAST

2 tablespoons onion flakes
4 pounds lean chuck roast
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon paprika
   Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup water

1.  Sprinkle onion flakes over bottom of large pot.
2.  Preheat pot and brown meat on all sides.
3.  Add all other ingredients and cover.
4.  Cook on low heat for about two and one-half hours or until meat is tender.
Serves 8
 (3 oz. serving = 282 calories, 20 g. fat,and 0 carbs)
---from SLIM FOREVER by Mary Sargent

I halved this recipe and cooked a 2 pound roast.  It was oh-so tender after one and a half hour.  The house smelled wonderful.  Even Miss Elizabeth perked up! 


(What cha cooking, Mama?)
 
Hope you are having a sunny day!
Love,
Lottie


Thursday, August 8, 2013

Healthy August

In July , I wrote a post about how I was challenging myself to walk 26 miles over the 31 days of July.  Well... I did it!   In fact, I walked 31 miles! I was amazed at how easy it was to remind myself to walk everyday.  We even drove to the walking track at the lake (20 miles) a couple of times just to shake things up!


 It takes twenty-one days for the
 mind and body to create a new habit.
                                                                     --- Checklist for Life for Women

I must have created a habit because here it is the 8th of August and I'm still walking!   One thing seemed a little strange to me, however.  It looks like I would have lost weight, but  I weighed exactly the same as when I started?

30 minutes brisk walking = 300 calories burned
                                                                      -- Roizen and Oz, You on a Diet

How could I burn an extra 300 calories a day and still not lose weight?   I had to admit to myself that  I was eating like it was still the 4th of July!  Time to make a change!

My Healthy August challenge is to follow a portion control diet the five weeks of August.  I have been writing down everything I have eaten and have been eating LOTS of vegetables.  Maybe I'll create another habit!  I'll let you know how it goes at the end of August.

Hope you are having a healthy August, too!

Love,
Lottie

PS:  Read about other people who are starting a diet in August.
The 4 week Back on Track challenge.