Chef Julia

So, I don't cook.

It's not that I can't cook...or don't like to cook...it's just I don't cook.
Chock it up to limited schedule, laziness, lack of organization, lack of a daily routine, lack of inspiration...I just don't cook.

Since I've been living on my own for the past 10 years (in October), I've maybe actually cooked about a month's worth of meals. The rest have been microwavable meals, takeout, or someone else has cooked for me (yay me for dating boys who cook!) But overall, too much money spent, and food wasted.

But it is a trait that has been increasingly bothersome to me. Takeout & eating out is insanely expensive and I bet most of my disposable income has gone towards this. It's also a matter of pride. I'm two months away from my birthday and being officially in my late thirties (ugh), it's something that I should just be doing.

So about a month ago I decided to sign up for Blue Apron. It's probably the most well known out of the subscription meal services which you cook for yourself. It delivers the ingredients and recipes to your door, perfectly portioned and precisely packaged.
Please note, this is my own review and I was not given anything in return for this by Blue Apron or any other websites.

Skip to three weeks later...I had received three boxes and had yet to cook one meal. That's what I get for starting this in the middle of tech week for a show I was opening. But I finally started making the meals.

I was worried that the ingredients were past their prime. They were all still usable even if the veggies were a little yellow instead of green. The meats were all frozen so I just had to defrost them to use.

First was Chicken Yakinaku:
Chicken in a Japanese Yakinaku sauce, along with carrots in a sesame & rice vinegar marinade, rice, and bok choy.

Photo: Blue Apron

This was definitely tasty. I really loved the carrots. Some of the rice was a little overcooked, but it ended up being a toasted/crispy texture - not burnt. I would have liked more bok choy-some of it I lost to yellow leaves that I didn't want to use. Boyfriend test-Thumbs up. He ate everything.

Second was Tangelo & Honey Glazed Salmon

Photo: Blue Apron

I loved this. I love sweet and salty combinations. I usually cook salmon with some sort of sweet glaze like Honey so this was right up my alley. The apple/farro combination was rather surprising, but really good. Boyfriend test - 2 thumbs up.

Last night I made the third meal from the first week...
Smoky Pork Burgers

Photo: Blue Apron

So this had a few casualties from being in the fridge for so long. The baby greens had gotten mushy/watery and had a funky smell so I tossed them. The broccoli seemed okay, but once I started preparing it, all the buds from the head started falling off, so I ditched that too. I grabbed some greens from another meal package to make the piquillo sauce. I was a little overwhelmed by the prep for this one for some reason. It wasn't difficult, but it wasn't as intuitive as the other meals I had made.

I really loved the piquillo sauce - maybe a little too much garlic, but it was delicious on the roasted potatoes, and had I planned for it, I would have thrown some on the burger. I wasn't crazy about the sauce for the burger - rather it didn't do much for the burger itself. And I would have probably salted the pork burger a little (it did call for it, but I didn't do it after I mixed in the other spices). Otherwise an enjoyable meal. Less a few veggies. Boyfriend test-2 thumbs up.

So three meals in, here are some of my reflections of the meals from Blue Apron...
The pros:

• I love the fact that everything is perfectly portioned for the dish. I don't have to worry about wasting an entire bunch of herbs or half a pepper just for the portion that the recipe calls for.
• Each meal comes with a recipe card with steps and photos! So you know how it's supposed to look. It really helps my inexperience of knowing what "minced" versus "chopped" versus "finely chopped" looks like. And I can also go on the website or the app for more photos and videos of the meal and other techniques.
• It definitely provides a whole different set of meals than I would normally cook. Ingredients that I would never consider using or wouldn't know how to use. It gives me an "outside the box"...inside the box. 
• I'm Cooking! Really - that's the biggest pro is the fact that I am actually taking the time to make these meals. Granted it took a few weeks to actually cook them. But I AM making them.

The cons:

• Everything is portioned...but the portions seem small to me. For instance the salmon in the photo is twice the size as the salmon they provided. I'm sure they are normal size portions and I'm just used to bigger portions, but I have found I am still wanting to eat something after I eat the meal.

  

  My portion of the Salmon and Apple Farro

• Not a ton of veggies. If I keep using their service, I may start to add on veggies to bulk up the plate a little more. I am technically still trying to lose weight and the veggies definitely would help me feel more satisfied and balance out the portion size.
• Prep time. On the recipe cards the prep time usually is around 15 minutes. In real time, it takes me sometimes a half hour or more to get everything prepped and chopped and ready to go. That may be my inexperience with chopping and stuff - maybe 15 minutes of prep if you are a Top Chef...

All in all I am enjoying the "adulting" it brings. So I will continue it for a while until I feel like I've gotten into the habit of cooking, and then maybe start buying my own ingredients. 

Until Next Time

Superfood of the Week: Blueberries

So staring today, I thought I'd start a weekly feature to highlight some of the foods I've been incorporating into my daily meals and why they're so great.

 

Today's Superfood: Blueberries

Blueberries are packed with antioxidants and Vitamin C, high in fiber, and an excellent source of Manganese which aids in converting proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into energy.

Plus they're so pretty!

Did you know there is a blueberry council? http://www.blueberrycouncil.org/

Fun Fact: This year celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the First Commercial Crop of blueberries in the US. Elizabeth White of New Jersey was determined to grow a flourishing industry for cultivated blueberries and with the help of USDA botanist Frederick Coville, she went on to identify the desirable properties of blueberries and crossbreed the plants to create the blueberries we know and love today!

Elizabeth White

Personally I was never a fan of blueberries until recently. But I've since changed my tune and now that blueberries are in season, I've been enjoying them daily with my yogurt.

But there's so much more you can do!!
Of course you can throw them in pancakes, make them into jams and syrups, and of course they're great in salads, pies and muffins.

But what about a Savory Blueberry Pizza?

Or how about  Chicken thighs with Blueberry Sauce?

OMG I'm getting hungry...

I love the combination of sweet and savory for my taste buds; and the blueberry is the perfect fruit to experiment with! Burgers, steak, salmon, pork...all great choices to try adding blueberries to the recipe. 

Do you have a favorite blueberry inspired recipe?

Share it in the comments!

Perspective

Perspective. I gotta remind myself to keep things in perspective.

So I started writing a post today with how frustrated I am that my progress seems so slow. I've lost 16.2 lbs in just over 2 months. I felt that the last time I joined Weight Watchers the weight was melting off, and that this time it feels like it's sneaking off...

And then I went back to my blog of June 2008. I had started WW on April 20, 2008, so June 25th was roughly the same time frame of my blog today.

And you know what...I had lost 16 lbs. And I was so thrilled by it!

I think the biggest difference between then and now, is I was already noticing changes in the way my clothes fit, in the way my body and face looks...I was starting at a much lower weight, so I think those pounds meant more...but still...it's the same 16 pounds.

This really does put a new perspective on where I am and how this process is going.

I do struggle with the fact that I'm not seeing more physical changes...my clothes are a little better fitting, but not everything. My face isn't quite as round, but not noticeably. Some days I feel strong and sexy, and other days I still feel flabby and disappointed. It's these things that get me hung up on my progress. But I also know I'm making major changes to my life that are meant to be permanent.

Perspective.

Here's some positives that I can celebrate.

• I started running again...well run/walking with the #c25k program. For the first time in more than 2 years I feel strong enough to throw in those intervals and keep going.
• I do have more energy overall--I'm not reliant on coffee in the mornings anymore, and I'm not as exhausted at the end of my long days on my feet.
• I have been tracking my food consistently!
• I have been getting a sh*t ton of activity points, often going out of my way to get to a goal
• I joined a gym to have someplace to workout when the weather sucks
• I'm cooking!! I don't cook. This is monumental.
• I'm craving the fresh healthy foods. I'm not even really tempted by the fatty junk food anymore...well at least not often. And when I do eat it, I'm eating less.
• I LOST 16 LBS!!! 
• And I'm still doing it! I haven't successfully stayed on plan since I first started so this is major. Two months later and I'm still going strong! Even if I'm in the turtle club :)

It goes to show what these small changes can really do. Consistency is key. For those of you out there who are struggling, let's do this. Keep it up. Keep going. Don't let little stumbling blocks stop you in your tracks. Just keep swimmin'. 

And keep perspective.

Suprise! I'm NOT back where I started

It's been a little over a month since I re-joined Weight Watchers, and I've had some great success with it! I've dropped 13 lbs. But I've also made some important strides along with the weight loss.

• I got through an intensely stressful show without a single binge on junk food. In fact I was so focused on what I was eating, how I was eating, and when I was eating that I LOST weight. I was moving a lot and kept myself fueled and even when I did have to join in on the "junk food" that is inevitable when doing a show, I planned it out, ate moderately and balanced it out with healthier stuff when I could.
• I got through a menstrual cycle without crazy cravings and ANY weight gain! I felt a little bloated, but not like usual.
• I wasn't reliant on coffee during these few weeks. I drank lots of water and since I was eating better, I felt better.
• I got a FitBit watch and I've been monitoring my steps. I was hitting the step goal each day so I bumped it up, and I was still hitting the step goal! One night I even took an extra trip out to dump the trash just so I could get in the last 200 steps to goal.
• Though I haven't changed sizes, my clothes are definitely fitting better, and I'm starting to see my face shape slim a bit.
• I STILL haven't had a single chip, or cheeto since!! 

Now that the show is over, I've been struggling a little to readjust to not being crazy busy, and to use my free time wisely. My weight loss has slowed down and this week I had a small gain. 

I know that a huge part of this is because I'm home more often. It's like when teachers are home for the summer. You have all this ambition to do projects and go outside, and you end up inside and thinking about what to eat.

I am also adjusting to eating with my SO. Who while he does enjoy healthy foods, he doesn't instinctively eat healthy foods. His dinner last night consisted of ice cream and Reeses Pieces. He also hasn't hit 30 yet so his metabolism hasn't shifted. He also hates exercise. Which is fine, but it does make it a little more challenging for me. I've been more tempted to eat things just because they're there, even if it's not that bad...just those habits are creeping back in. Or I don't want to eat bad and then I eat nothing...

My activity level has also decreased significantly. Most days I'm barely hitting 5,000 steps where I was kicking ass just two weeks ago. I keep intending to take walks, but either something comes up, or the weather gets in the way, or I get in my own way. My energy has been really low and I've been feeling in a slump, even though I have made progress.

These challenges have made a significant impact in just two weeks, which I don't want to let drag me down. I know the things I have to do and the changes I have to make. I am trying to focus on my successes which I know are pretty damn great. And I need to start addressing these fundamental behavior habits that caused me to gain the weight back in the first place.

A little long & wordy, but important to recognize both the challenges and the progress I've made in order to move forward.

Here's to May!

Surprise! I'm back where I started.

So needless to say, I did not follow through with that 28 day challenge.

Goodness those photos are awful.

Man those last couple of posts seem SO determined. And yet...I let it all fall by the wayside and only took on worse eating habits and gained more weight.

But I'm starting at the beginning. Again.

This week I re-joined Weight Watchers. Yyyyyyyup. 8 years later. In April again. I rejoined Weight Watchers. *Sigh*
Here was my first post from my first go-round
And my before and after back then...

April 2008

Sometime in 2009

And now my after...after...

December 2015

I'm disappointed in myself...but I'm not letting that get to me. I have spent the last few days tracking what I'm eating, making healthier food choices, even exercising! (Sort of)

And there's a lot that's different! The points system is pretty much the same, except it's now calculated to really promote lean proteins, along with fruits & veggies, and discourage you from foods with sugar and fat. So lean meats like chicken breast and pork went down in points, and anything carby went WAY up in points.

What is very different is I had the choice to do online only, online with meetings, or online with coaching! Now I might be able to do online only, but meetings are difficult to get to each week consistently with my schedule. So I signed up for coaching, which means I get a dedicated coach who I have weekly phone calls with and will help me develop my own personalized action plan for success. I can set up more than one coach, and I can schedule multiple phone calls during the week! It's really tailored to accommodate a weird schedule like mine.

This is not that far off from my actual schedule last month

And can I tell you how excited I've been? It's weird--even knowing that I'm starting so much further behind and have even more bad habits to change...I'm excited. I'm excited to have someone dedicated to my own journey. I got surprisingly excited to track my food. I've been actively making food choices knowing that they are lower in points, and nutritious...

and...

I haven't had a single chip, cheeto, or piece of junk food since Monday.
*and neither has my cat...which is a different story

This is a HUGE victory. I've spent so much money and consumed so many calories in the last few months on junk food. Sometimes it would be the only thing I would eat that day. And for someone who is turning 36 in just over a month, it was a big WTF.

Another new feature on the WW app is something called connect - which is a social networking community for members. The old site had a message board which I would go to, but I never was good at keeping up with online forums, and it seemed to have it's cliques and established posters. Plus I could only access it on a computer. Now, I have the connect feature at my fingertips to get support, ideas and encouragement from other members. Not to mention a 24/7 support chat feature if I need it. For someone who is part of the social networking/tech revolution, this is a great feature.

So there it is. April 2016, I am starting my journey on Weight Watchers again.

Healthy life, here I come!

Until Next Time <3 p="">

Starting photos

As promised here are my starting photos. This was not a happy thing to do (despite the smile). Seeing the shape my body is in is hard to look at point blank. And even harder to post. 

(Ta-da)

It's one thing to look at yourself in the mirror getting dressed when you're trying to cover up and disguise the fat and bumps and lumps with long shirts or jackets - it's another thing to focus on it directly like this. I did photograph myself in bra & underwear which was even scarier (sorry-not posting) but I have to keep reminding myself that this is my starting point. 

It's something to work forward from and something that I'll be able to look back at and be proud of how far I've come. 

Now I just have to get there. 

Until next time

-GeminiJulia

Day 1 - 28 Day Jumpstart

Today starts the #28dayjumpstart challenge as I mentioned in my last post. I joined the @fitgirlsguide on Instagram and purchased the reading material on www.fitgirls.com a few weeks ago. They were in the middle of a challenge and I was in the middle of a show. A completely time consuming and energy consuming show at that. So it was perfect timing when I saw the new challenge set up for right after Thanksgiving! 

Aside from working to get back to a healthier lifestyle after far too long of watching my weight go up and my pants get tighter, the timing works because it's before the typical January health kick that most people start. This doesn't mean it's going to be any easier. If anything, all the holiday festivities in the next month will make it more difficult to stay on track. But at the end of the 28 days (which will come out to December 27th), I will be able to say, if I can do it now, I can do it anytime! And as the calendar rolls into 2016, I won't be lamenting another year passing with no progress.

#TheResolutionStartsNow

This challenge is also supported by a dedicated community of fit girls all going through the same process - 28 days at a time. Which in reality is a manageable time goal. 28 days ago I was completely stressed out from trying to finish everything in time for the opening of one of the toughest shows I've ever stage managed. And I did it. And the time passed like nothing. Four weeks. That's all I need to focus on. 

The fit girl guide is tailored for our contemporary female sensibilities and schedule. They break it down week by week, meal by meal. They give short, specific, daily exercises. They give alternatives based on food preferences. They give suggestions for the lazy or the busy (me...both). Plus, they encourage sharing on social media for accountability and support from the fitgirl community. So far I'm really digging the entire process filled with positivity and encouragement.

So-here's to the next 28 days of progress! I'll post some starting pics and stats soon.

-GeminiJulia