Weigh in 2:33

Positive progress!  This week has been so exhausting that I haven't had too much time to make bad decisions.  I have been trying to get back into a good pattern and had some success.  During the day I wasn't all that hungry this week so I was able to be really diligent about portion sizes and meal times.  After rehearsal was the real challenge for me this week.  Coming home late after the biggest energy expenditure of the day and having leftovers and snacks readily available has been very difficult, because I am genuinely hungry.  I am eating dinner at the latest around 6:45 and coming home around midnight.  I don't think it would be possible to not eat something, but I have tried to be smart about what I eat.  It seems to have worked, at least in part.  Here are the numbers:

Current Weight: 289.4 lbs
Starting Weight: 440.2 lbs
Weight Loss This Week: 2.2lbs
Weight Loss in Year 2: -4.2 lbs
Weight Loss Total: 150.8 lbs

Back on the right side of 290.  Well on my way to being under 280 by October 1st.  I also feel a lot better this week.  I didn't realize that I was feeling less than my best until I started eating a bit better.

One of my successes this week was turning a holiday cookout into a chance to make a really good choice.  I decided I would make turkey burgers, which are perfectly acceptable, but leave some things to be desired.  Burgers are hard because they never really have a ton of veggies.  I took inspiration from meatloaf and decided to make a turkey veggie pattie.  It turned out incredible.  Not only did it shave off calories and create a more balanced meal, it kept the burgers very moist, which if you've ever made turkey burgers you know can be a big issue.  I went freehand, but here is the recipe to the best of my recollection.

Turkey Veggie Burgers:

20 oz low fat ground turkey
1 Red bell pepper - diced finely
1 Green bell pepper - diced finely
1 half standard package cremini mushrooms chopped finely
One medium onion - diced finely
Half Zuchini - Diced very finely
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced very finely
1T Worcestershire Sauce
Dried Rosemary to taste
1/2 t poultry seasoning
2 T milk or water soaked bread
Garlic powder
Salt
Black pepper

Saute onions, salted heavily, over medium low in butter or oil until lightly brown and sweet, 8-10 minutes.

Add other vegetables and mushrooms, Worcestershire Sauce, and seasonings.  Increase heat to medium and saute until soft and the mushrooms have soaked up most of the liquid.

Remove mixture to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool completely. Once cool reserve 1/4 of mixture.

Add ground turkey, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and wet bread.  Mix by hand until homogeneous.  Try to make sure the bread is very evenly distributed. 

Form into patties, I made 6.  If the burgers do not have trouble holding together you can add the rest of the veggie mixture, and mine were fine with all of it in.  They are very delicate, so refrigerate until just before cooking.

Grill over medium heat until cooked through, at least 5 minutes per side, but these are hard to overcook, so go as long as you like.  DO NOT COOK LESS THAN WELL DONE.

Serve on your preferred burger vessel.  Very good with mustard, or unadorned.

If anybody tries these out let me know what you think.  My favorite thing about these burgers after the flavor, which is great, is the fact that the mixture stretches the turkey so that a good sized pattie has about 3 1/3 oz.  Two patties is a very filling meal but really only has one serving worth of turkey.  With a sensible side and low calorie buns (like the sandwich thins from Arnold/Orowheat) you're very balanced and not blowing your calorie totals.

I also realize this recipe sounds like a lot of work.  If you like, process all the veggies but the onions together in a food processor until finely chopped.  The onions need to be separate or they won't brown properly.

Weigh in 2:32

If I have gotten any lesson from the past few weeks it is that bad habits are a lot easier to slip back into than they were to kick in the first place.  Snacking, sugar, and poor planning have been my downfall over the past few weeks.  Yesterday I once again started calorie tracking so I can at least have a little bit of instant accountability.  I forgot how much easier it was to say no to that extra serving or mindless snack if you have to put it in the log.  With tech starting for my show I do not know how much planning  I will be able to do, but at least I can keep myself on the straight and narrow.  I have not felt well at all over the past few days because of the crappy diet I have been feeding myself for the past couple weeks, and that has to stop.  Here are the numbers, and my commitment this week is that this is as high as it goes.

Current Weight: 291.6 lbs
Starting Weight: 440.2 lbs
Weight Loss This Week: -1lbs
Weight Loss in Year 2: -6.4 lbs
Weight Loss Total: 148.6 lbs