CPK Cobb Salad for Lunch --- and Dinner!

Yesterday, Donnie and I and one of the sons decided to use these scratch-up coupons from California Pizza Kitchen that had appeared at our house. I remembered having a great garlicky chicken caesar salad there, and figured I would get that, sans croutons.

I also remembered lots of delicious wood-fired pizzas there, too, but I am low-carbing, so those were out! I have learned not even to look at the menu section for things that are off-limits for me, so I contentedly checked out the salad section.

My husband LOVES Cobb salads, and was pleased to see one on the menu. For some reason, at the last minute, I ordered one, too, instead of the planned chicken caesar salad.

WOW! Is that a LOT of food?! I ordered a full salad --- should have gotten the half-salad instead. (Note to Self: When a place offers half-salads, that is a clue that their full salads are too big!)

It was big and jam-packed with plenty of rich items. The CPK menu describes it as:

Chopped lettuce with applewood smoked bacon, fresh avocado, grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, chopped egg, basil and Gorgonzola cheese with our herb ranch dressing or blue cheese dressing. Fresh beets added upon request.

We both got the works, with blue cheese dressing. My DH gave me the avocado from his salad, since he is not a fan of the yummy green stuff. (Something is wrong with that!) I gave him my beets, though I AM a fan of their ruby goodness, since they are somewhat carby for me.

I didn't realize the salad would arrive with the lettuce already tossed with AMPLE dressing. By the time I mixed in all the other goodies, including double avocado, it was a pretty creamy salad, more like cold creamy soup with lettuce mixed in than like crisp fresh salad greens with a bit a dressing.

Don't get me wrong --- I liked it! It was pretty heavy though. Online sources put it at 585 calories and 10 net carbs, which is well within my daily target, but just more than I normally have for a lunch.

I would have preferred that the dressing not be mixed in already; if I order this again, I will ask for that. That way, I could still get a whole salad, which is a better bargain than a half-salad, yet the half I take home would not get soggy.

Maybe I'll just save the heavy salads for hungrier days.

Anyway, we had a pleasant meal, good conversation, and enough leftover Cobb salad for my dinner, all at 10% off.

Is Losing Weight Easier in the Summer?

Here it is, another perfect day in May, and I am doing GREAT at sticking with my eating plan and exercise routine.

A few months ago, I was struggling, at best. What's the difference?

For me, I wonder if it is the sunshine that puts me in a more optimistic frame of mind. I feel like the whole world is hopeful on a pretty summer day, and anything is possible.

Maybe it is just that I'm outdoors more, and more physically active.
I work in the garden, take the dogs for longer walks, generally move a lot more.
That makes me feel more like taking care of my body.

Maybe it is that I shed chilly-weather garments, and become more conscious of what has been lurking underneath the layers.
THERE'S motivation enough for anyone!

Whatever the reason, I am glad to be "in the zone" again, and intend to make the most of the summer advantage.

So, does anyone else have the same experience?

Butter Substitutes?

It can be problematic to find a balance between wholesome, real ingredients and less-than-ideal ingredients that serve to help get the weight off now. The butter substitutes like Parkay spray are a good example of that compromise.

Parkay Spray claims to taste like butter (though it is more like margarine to my taste), no cholesterol, no trans fat, in fact no fat at all --- or so claims the product label.

But, what's in it? Water, Soybean Oil, Buttermilk, Salt, Soy Lecithin And Polyglycerol Esters Of Fatty Acids (Emulsifiers), Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate (To Preserve Freshness), Lactic Acid (Acidulant), Artificial Flavor, Colored With Beta Carotene (Source Of Vitamin A), Vitamin A Palmitate.

Well, despite the scary names, most of those ingredients are kinda/sorta OK. But, how can it really be zero calories and zero fat with oil and buttermilk in there?

Once again, we run afoul of labeling loopholes. Yes, in the serving size listed on the package ( 1 - 5 sprays) the product is legally zero. But, it is not actually zero in any quantity.

In fact, Parkay Spray has .8 calories in 1 spray and 4 calories in 5 sprays. Fat content is .085 grams in 1 spray, .4 grams in 5 sprays. That means that in the entire bottle there are 832 total calories from 93 grams of fat.

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter is similar.

So, a few sprays for cooking gives a good calorie savings over larger amounts of butter or oil, and is probably worth the 'real food' compromise during the weight loss phase. Don't be fooled into thinking it is really 'free', though!

Winning Weight Loss Newsletter to Debut

First, thank you to all who have subscribed to the new Winning Weight Loss newsletter! I really appreciate the interest!

I am at work on our first edition right now, so you will get it soon!

Just a reminder --- if you did not find an email asking you to confirm your subscription, please check your 'spam' or 'bulk' folder in your email program.

Even if you clicked the button on here to subscribe, I cannot send you a newsletter unless you also click the link from the email you should have received. Otherwise, I'd be guilty of spamming, and I don't want to do that. It's a simple click, no hassle, and you can always opt out at any time.

If you can't find it, please try subscribing again. I don't want you to miss your first edition! Right now, we have 12 subscribers pending confirmation, 3 whose email addresses were somehow undeliverable, and 20 who are good to go. Not bad for a week! Thanks so much!

I used to publish a monthly print newsletter, so a weekly ezine is a new venture but not totally alien to me. It should be fun and helpful, I hope. It will help me have an outlet and focus in reaching goal and then maintaining, and I will do my very best to make it helpful to you, as well! I will probably experiment a little bit, as I learn my way, but we can enjoy the process together.

My intention is to share a menu and recipes for the week, along with a few good tips, tools, strategies, or thoughts. I will post most of these later to the website, but newsletter subscribers will get first peek, in case you want to include a few of my ideas in your planning and shopping for the week.

Hey, just a weekly reminder to stick to plan (or jump back on) might come in handy some day --- for all of us! We're all in this together!

Be watching your inbox!

Mirror, Mirror On the Wall

Body image is a funny thing. I wonder how many of us truly perceive our appearance in the same way as others see us. More to the point, I wonder how many of us are content with our body image.

Some people always think they are fat, even when they are so painfully thin that they are unhealthy. Clearly, that is disordered thinking. Yet plenty of others, especially women, are just never satisfied with their appearance, and don't seem to know exactly when to quit losing weight. After focusing on losing weight for so long, their imperfections are all they see when they look in the mirror.

On the other hand, some people always seem to carry a very positive self-perception, or at least a realistic one. Statistics say this is more likely to be the case with men.

I have experienced it both ways. I have had times of perceiving myself as both smaller and larger than I actually was, and I am working to adjust my perceptions to match reality.

I remember many years and many babies ago, in an earlier post-pregnancy weight loss effort, getting down to the weight I had set as my goal, yet thinking I needed to lose more off my hips and thighs. When I look back now at pictures, I can see that I was at a good weight, maybe even too slender in my upper body, but, yes, a little bigger on the bottom. I realize now I needed more toning, not more weight loss. In fact, had I worked out more, I probably could have carried a few more pounds very successfully. But, in truth, I will probably always have more than my fair share of curves in some places, so I might as well accept and enjoy that. I gave up the quest for ideal perfection years ago!

Even now, though, as I have lost weight, I have been surprised at the sizes I end up buying. I still tend to reach for clothing a size or two too big. I have gotten used to my bigger body in baggier clothes, and just can't quite wrap my mind around being small yet. But, I'm getting there!

But, the reverse was also true as the scale was on the way up. I would bruise my hips bumping into things, because I just did not realize I was that big! The pounds piled silently on while I wasn't watching.

I guess, for me, it is not a disordered body image, as much as it is lag time. Whether I am getting bigger or smaller, it takes a while for my mind to match the mirror.

For now, I can see myself much more objectively in a photograph than I can in the mirror. I suppose that is because I can remove myself a little farther from the moment, and take a 'big picture' view.

So, my 'reality check' is to wear clothes that fit, instead of being baggy, and to take more frequent pictures of myself, which is something I studiously avoided at my higher weights. The camera will be a more objective set of eyes than the ones looking back at me in the mirror.

For those struggling with body image, here is some helpful advice from Improving Body Image © by Judy Lightstone:

Developing a Healthy Body Image

Here are some guidelines (adapted from BodyLove: Learning to Like Our Looks and Ourselves, Rita Freeman, Ph.D.) that can help you work toward a positive body image:

1. Listen to your body. Eat when you are hungry.
2. Be realistic about the size you are likely to be based on your genetic and environmental history.
3. Exercise regularly in an enjoyable way, regardless of size.
4. Expect normal weekly and monthly changes in weight and shape
5. Work towards self acceptance and self forgiveness- be gentle with yourself.
6. Ask for support and encouragement from friends and family when life is stressful.
7. Decide how you wish to spend your energy -- pursuing the "perfect body image" or enjoying family, friends, school and, most importantly, life.

Think of it as the three A's....

Attention -- Refers to listening for and responding to internal cues (i.e., hunger, satiety, fatigue).

Appreciation -- Refers to appreciating the pleasures your body can provide.

Acceptance -- Refers to accepting what is -- instead of longing for what is not.

Good advice!

Dining Out

One of the earliest pitfalls I ran into while low-carbing was the difficulty in dining out.
My husband and I had a Date Night on Friday nights. We found it a pleasant way to get end the work week enjoying one another's company. Plus, let's face it --- we both enjoyed really good food, and plenty of it! (Maybe that's why he had to lose 40 lbs. and I'm 90lbs. down and still counting!)

When I began dieting, we kept up the weekly (or more frequent) dining out, just trying to make better choices. It didn't take long for me to realize I was usually sabotaging myself. The temptation to dive into the breadbasket or Blooming Onion was pretty strong! The familiar habits, the sense of celebration, the smells, the menus - it was hard to walk the straight and narrow path. Plus, even when I thought I had made good choices, it sometimes backfired. I found out some restaurants add sugar and starch to items you would never suspect! When I would step on the scales the next day, even when I had thought I was so careful, I would usually gain, or, at best, not lose. I soon realized something had to change!

In the interest of saving you the trouble I had, here are a few tips I learned the hard way:

* 1) Go out less often. You'll not only save carbs and calories, but also save money, too!

If all you want to do is get out of the house and spend time together, consider dinner at home (where you can be sure of what you are eating), and then go out after just for coffee, maybe. Or, just go for an activity, like a walk, bowling, dancing, browsing a bookstore, or whatever appeals to you.

* 2) Before you go out, check the menu online. Most restaurants post their menus online, and many include nutritional data. You can usually find it googling the restaurant name, nutrition. For instance, Outback, nutrition will lead you to this.

Other good sources for restaurant nutritional info are calorieking.com and dietfacts.com. You can find almost anything in one of those places.

That way, you can make food decisions with calm focus, not in the heat of the moment! Jot your selection down, and stick with it.

* 3) Grill - the server, that is! Ask questions about whether the dish uses any added injections, marinades, sauces, sugar, etc. (Yes, some places add sugar to salad dressings and vegetables!) Do not be afraid to specify exactly what you want, or to send it back if you don't get it. After all, they are in business to serve you, and they are used to accomodating special requests.

* 4) Reduce and limit unnecessary temptation.
~ Don't gaze longingly at the appealing photos in the menu; you've already chosen before you arrived.
~ Ask that the usual bread or chips not be brought, if that is acceptable to your dining companion(s). Otherwise, set that out of reach, preferably out of eyesight.
~ Ask for a to-go box or doggie bag to be brought with your food. Most restaurants serve portions far too large, so simply box up half your meal when it is served, and take your time savoring the rest.
~ If your companions order dessert, order a nice cup of coffee or something for yourself, add sweetener and creamer to your pleasure, and sip that instead.

* 5) Make it about the moment, not about the food. Don't fret about what you can't have. Rise above the food, and focus on the occasion, the experience, the people you are with, the conversation. Behave like the gracious host or hostess at your own dinner party. Make it an event, not a meal. Enjoy the moment!

That way, you'll also enjoy the weigh-in the next day, too.
Do you have any dining tips to share?