Chicken and Arugula Open-faced Sandwich – Minding Your P’s and Q’s cover
Day 31
Minding your P’s and Q’s is an old English adage that dates back to the Middle Ages and there are multiple explanations for its use. One explanation is that “minding your p’s and q’s” meant minding your pints and quarts, as in glasses of ale (beer). While this idiom originated in pubs, inns or alehouses (the precursor to today’s bars and nightclubs) to remind patrons not to drink too much, I’m using it to help me remember portion control and the quality of the food I eat.
I’ve lost 13 pounds since starting my weight loss journey on June 27th through yesterday, July 26th. My new weight is 250. Woohoo! But, losing 13 pounds in one month is not a recommended weight loss achievement! My research tells me that a “Reasonable Weight Loss Per Month” (this is a link to a Livestrong article), is between 4 to 8 pounds a month or 1 to 2 pounds a week.
So, what did I do to lose almost double the recommended amount of weight right off the bat? I got sick. I got sick on July 3rd and was diagnosed with Strep Throat on July 9th and still have not yet fully recovered! In fact, I’ve had a relapse and spent this past Wednesday evening in Urgent Care again!
I don’t recommend getting sick to further your weight loss goals! {grin}
My goals for the first month were (see my earlier post, Cankles and Zits):
-
Weigh myself every day and record the results – the good, the bad and the ugly.
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Be mindful about what I eat and record what I eat; don’t count calories, but record what I eat and how much.
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Drinks lots of water; not really a problem for me because I don’t drink sodas very often.
- Get rid of the zits!
I was successful on all goals, except for the zits…I still have some of those stinkin’ zits!!!
So, in practicing “minding my p’s and q’s”, these are my goals for next month:
- Improve my health
- Stay the course
- Achieve steady weight loss at a reasonable pace.
When I was feeling well enough to cook (and eat), I did create several new “skinny” recipes and you can link to all of them below:
- Caprese Salad Roll-ups
- Chicken and Arugula Open-face Sandwiches
- Coffee Banana Protein Smoothie
- Tri-Colored Roasted Potato Salad
I actually created more new “skinny” recipes than the ones listed above. I just haven’t had time to post them, being sick and all plus that darn Blog-o-versary Party kept taking priority! But, check them out the four above…they are all really yummy…and stay tuned for many more to come! In addition, I fell back on some “tried and true” recipes that I enjoy and ate them several times throughout the month:
- Easy Peasy Caprese Salad
- Poached Chicken Breast Tenders
- Summer Berry Chicken Salad
- Turkey and Avocado Salad with Craisins
So, by keeping my eye on the prize (skinny mini me!), I’ve been doing the following:
- Weighing myself everyday
- Drinking lots of water
- Watching my portion sizes
- Keeping a daily food journal (of what I ate; not the calories)
- Look to lower calorie, lower fat, lower sugar, lower salt alternatives when fixing meals and creating recipes!
Tip of the Month:
Practice “minding your p’s and q’s”. Paying attention to the size of your portions and the quality of the food you eat reaps rewards!
P.S. Avoiding pubs, bars and nightclubs will help you reach your weight loss goals faster {grin}. Just saying!
What weight loss tips do you have? Please share in the comments section; we would love to hear what works for you!
Tootles,
Related Posts:
(other posts about The Incredible Shrinking Woman)
(other healthier, weight-loss friendly recipes)
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