That horrible "D" word and Creamy Ranch Mashed Potatoes

recipe to follow

With the time of year being what it is, it seems everyone is on that dreaded "D" word. I don't happen to use the word because in my experience the dreaded "D" word is a temporary solution to a permanent problem. 4 years ago I weighed in at 180 lbs. Just playing with my children in the yard exhausted me. I was nowhere near healthy enough to keep up with them. They were growing older and faster as I was growing older and fatter. I didn't need a temporary solution, I needed a lifestyle change. So, I made the decision to change.

Anyone who knows me also knows that when I make my mind up about something then stay out of my way. I hit the internet for hints and tips and talked with friends about what worked for them. Looking and hoping for an easy fix. I didn't find one but I did find some awesome advice.

 I now weight 140 lbs and at 5'4" may still have a little junk in the trunk but not enough to slow me down. With that being said, if you are truly serious about losing weight and serious about getting healthy, without the use of drugs or surgery, then I have a few suggestions for you.

Remember, these are only suggestions that worked for me. If you have found something that works for you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE feel free to comment. I love new ideas!!

1) Before going to the dinner table drink a full 16 oz glass of water. This helps you feel full faster and aids in digestion.

2) When setting the table set yourself a kid sized plate. It looks fuller with less food, fooling your brain.

3) When you are finished clear your plate away, even if no one else is done. The longer you sit there with an empty plate the longer your brain has time to convince you that you need to eat more.

4) Cook at home, from scratch, as much as possible. Only you can control how much fat/calories go into your food.

5) When you can't cook from scratch try to avoid those really nice convenient prepackaged casserole foods. A lot of times they add a lot more fat for flavor and sodium to aid in the preservation and extend shelf life. Let’s face it getting healthy is about more than calories and fat grams. Watch that sodium as well.

6)  Keep a bag of baby carrots on the counter when you cook. That way when you feel you need to "sample" the meal more than just flavor checking, snag a carrot. This satisfies that urge to chew without adding fat and calories.

7)  Add flavor not fat. Become best friends with your spice cupboard. Parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, dill, rosemary, celery seed, and mint are good choices. Use parsley and celery seed in your stews. Use oregano or basil in anything with a tomato base. Throw some thyme in your scrambled egg whites. Goof around with a sprig mint in your boiling potatoes (just remember to remove it before you eat). However, if you don't use much and worry about the spices losing their kick then you may want to keep these spices in your freezer. The cold and the dark will help to preserve their flavor. At the end of this blog I have included a recipe for Creamy Ranch Mashed Potatoes, made with no added salt or fat, just pure flavor. Try it out and let me know how it went!

8) Exercise!! Walk the dog, do some gardening, scoop snow, do squats while folding laundry, use your own steps as a stair master, visit your local goodwill for an exercise video. Even if it’s a cheesy 1980 sweating to the oldies it's better than nothing. Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator. Have two or three stops in town? Walk! Even if it’s only a half a block every little bit helps. By all means avoid signing up for a gym, if you already have then GO GO GO. I can't tell you how many friends I have that have signed up for a gym then never went for feeling self conscience. Trust me; those people don't care what you look like. YOU care what you look like...that's why you’re at a gym!

9) Tell everyone who will listen that you are in the middle of a lifestyle change. It's amazing how peer pressure helps with motivation.

10) Pick "free" foods that you enjoy and keep them available! Mine were cereal, baby carrots, popcorn, oatmeal, fruit, and basically anything fresh and raw. So when you do have that irresistible urge to snack, you’re not crashing anything.

11) Don't be afraid to treat yourself. Just keep it small. A mini candy bar, fat free ice cream, 2 or 3 cookies, or split a piece of cake with your best friend/kid/husband (sometimes he could be all three). My weakness is Wendy's Frosty's. Chocolate of course, I don't know what they were thinking bringing in that new vanilla stuff. It's just not a Frosty unless it's chocolate. I order the mini kids sized and it's plenty to satisfy my sweet tooth.

12) Water, water, and more water. Don't like drinking water? Flavor it with something calories free if you have to but stay away from tea, coffee and other diuretics. Water helps your food "flow" through your digestive system. The result is better absorption of the good vitamins and less of that floating fat. A general rule of thumb is half your weight in ounces. I weight 140 therefore I try to drink 70 ounces a day. I put heavy emphasis on the TRY since I do fall victim to Mt Dew at bowling. What can I say..I'm human.

13) Weigh yourself on the same scale and weigh often so you know when you’re getting off track. Please note that a woman's weight will fluctuate a few pounds in the wrong direction depending on where they are in their cycle. It's all that nasty bloating. >:( Don't let it get you down or throw you off track.

14) EATING OUT CAN BE A DISASTER but no worries, look for light or healthy options on the menu. Choose baked potatoes over fries and chose EITHER butter OR sour cream, not both. Order fresh or steamed veggies over breaded and deep fried. Stay away from Au gratins or casseroles. Choose scrambled egg whites instead of fried eggs.  When you have the choice of soup or salad, choose the soup. The warm liquid in your belly helps to satisfy the hunger urge. Overall you end up consuming fewer calories for the meal.

15) Last but not least. Remember not everything needs to be a healthy choice. All work and no play made Jack a dull boy. Enjoy that nice rare steak just pair it with a baked potato and steamed veggies. Enjoy that tasty bacon paired with scrambled egg whites and wheat toast. Enjoy that Texas sized waffle with fresh fruit and yogurt.

Whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 50 I know you can do it. Find what works for you and stick to it!! Don't let the little setbacks ruin you. You will fall off your horse but get right back on. I'm rooting for you!

Barb

Creamy Ranch Mashed Potatoes

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1 package (or 1 ounce) of dry ranch dressing mix

2 lbs quality russet potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/4 inch slices

1/4 to 1/2 c fat free milk (optional)

Rinse your peeled and sliced potatoes very well to rid them of as much starch as possible. 

Cook them over medium heat until they are translucent and tender. 15 to 20 minutes. 

Drain and without adding anything else return the potatoes to the pan and put it back over the medium heat. 

Stir the cooked potatoes over the heat until all the excess water has evaporated and you have nice dry crumbled potatoes.

Remove from heat and mash in the sour cream and ranch dressing mix until well blended.

If you like your potatoes even creamier feel free to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fat free milk.