Friday, July 22, 2011

Rhubarb Custard Pie

I realize that I committed a mortal sin by not including the recipe in a previous post about the evilly-good rhubarb custard pie that MIL made last week. The recipe is below. Enjoy!

4-5 cups cut rhubarb (1/2 inch to 1" pieces)
2 eggs
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/4 cup sugar
pie crust (mom made her own crust, but a store-bought crust will do just fine)

Place the rhubarb in a prepared pie crust, spreading evenly.
Whip the eggs, nutmeg, and sugar until nice and fluffy
Pour over rhubarb.

Bake at 400 degrees for one hour, testing for doneness at about 50 minutes and continuing to check every 10 minutes until done.

Mmmmm, mmmmm, good! Serve with a dollop of fresh whipped cream--to die for. CAUTION! This is not calorie-free. This has been a public service announcement from the women who consumed 4 slices of the pie in a two-day time span, thus blowing her calories for the day. Over and out.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Disclosure




As promised, I am disclosing my starting weight this time around. I was at the highest weight I have ever been in my life. I remember when I was pregnant for Joe, I got up to 170 pounds. I thought I was a moose! I would love to be 170 again. Here goes nothin'...262. Big, fat, 262. I hadn't been on a scale for 6 months, and I was dreading it. I stepped on the scales at the doctor's office, which are digital. No hiding it--262 pounds.








That was at the end of April. As of today, I am at 244. My goal is to lose 1.5 pounds a week. That's 6 pounds a month, and I have been staying pretty on track. I know it will take a long time to get it all off, but I know if I try to lose it too fast, I will put it right back on.








I had Bud take a picture of me so I could post it. As I said, each month, I will be posting a new picture. I can't really see the difference yet, but I can feel the difference. Clothes aren't as tight. I don't get as winded, and I don't feel as tired.








So, in three months, almost 20 pounds. It feels pretty good to say that. I think after the next 20, people will start to notice. Tracking on Livestrong was the best thing I ever started doing...








Right now, I am at 1699 calories per day. That is actually a lot of calories, but I am still losing. I input my weight each week, and Livestrong readjusts my calorie intake accordingly. I started at 2200 calories, and they slowly peeled it back to keep me on track over the weeks. I don't feel deprived. Some days, I don't use the full amount of calories, and I am satisfied. That is the biggest thing for me--I like food--A LOT. So if I feel like I am being deprived, it doesn't work for me. It tracks percentages of carbs, fats, proteins, salt, cholesterol, etc. I almost always go over in the sodium category, mostly from not eating fresh. Now that fresh fruits and veggies are plentiful, I have been doing much better in that department. I don't tend to salt food at the table unless it it REALLY bland. I am more of a pepper person. And I don't salt watermelon and cantaloupe like a lot of people do.




It will be another 7-8 months or so before I put the 200 lb mark behind me. THAT is when I will start feeling success! Thanks for following me on my journey.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Rhubarb Pie, My Nemesis




My MIL is evil. I told her I love rhubarb, but haven't had any in many, many years. So of course, she has to make me a rhubarb custard pie. I have eaten three pieces in the last 48 hours. Did I happen to mention that I am on a diet? Evil, evil MIL...




The good news is, I now officially don't like rhubarb. Although rhubarb is not the culprit. It has maybe 25 calories a cup. Wait, let me go check...I was close. It has 29 calories per 1 cup diced rhubarb. I have been tracking every bite that goes in my mouth ever-so-faithfully for three months. I think I mentioned Livestrong.com before. It is an awesome tool for anyone who wants to track diet, fitness, or wants to be up on the latest fitness advice. You can visit it here




I have to weigh in tomorrow, and then I will post a picture of what I look and how much I have lost in total. I will also divulge how much my starting weight was--NOT a pretty number.




I often get asked how much I want to lose. My answer? One pound at a time until I feel healthy. I don't know what the magic number is, but I do know that it will be when I am able to climb a flight of stairs without getting winded, when I can wipe my own ass without breaking into a sweat, and when I feel good in my skin.




See you tomorrow!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Live, on the road, it's the Bud and Dee Tour!




We left Alabama at 7:15am this morning. Ghost, our dog, delayed us, as she decided to hide under the trailer. Bud crawled under the house, only to have her scoot herself even FURTHER under and toward the front. Bud finally decided to start the van and honk the horn--danged if she didn't come out! She was shaking all over, but we got her in the van.



Ms. C. gave us a show with big ole crocodile tears. The only reason she doesn't want us to go is because that means she will need to step up to the plate and take care of Mr. M. I give it until after the 4th before she tries to get him in the nursing home...



Hubby accidentally doubled up on his anti-anxiety meds, and nearly gave me a heart attack as I watched him in horror from my rearview mirror, swerving all over the road like someone who was two sheets to the wind. I got us off the highway asap and fed him, and he drank coffee. The next leg was much more controlled, much to my relief.



We are at the Econolodge in Lebanon, TN. Lebanon is where Bud and I took our one and only "real" vacation--and even that wasn't totally a vacation, as I had a job interview. That was almost 17 years ago--wow! We camped at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park, and it will always be the sweetest memory for me.



First thing I did after taking a shower was crack open a Chelada. Have you ever had one of these? They are a redneck version of a Bloody Mary, made with Bud Light, Clamato juice, lemon juice, and salt. I usually add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and celery salt to kick it up a notch, but it is perfectly respectable on its own. Instant de-stress in a can....aaahhhhhh!



We had to pass through Hacklesburg, Alabama on our trek. The devastation from the April 27th, 2011 tornadoes is something I cannot even put into words. Trees snapped and twisted in two; tin, cars, and other debris can still be seen wrapped around trees like crepe paper; Houses flattened; the Wrangler plant reduced to a pile of twisted steel beams and rubble. FEMA trailers could be seen everywhere.




I can only say that the resilience of these people to start over, rebuild, and move past this horror was inspiring. I had a lump in my throat as we meandered through the carnage left by the EF 5 tornado.




I'm cracking open my second Chelada and flipping through the book to see who will deliver...hasta luego!








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