Happy Friday!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Friday!

I've been scarce around here this past week... and I do apologize. My husband and I are dealing with an unexpected situation this week, and that has been requiring all of my time and attention. Hopefully things will work out quickly and I'll get back to regular blogging soon. In the meantime, send some good thoughts and prayers my way, and I'll pop online to blog when I can.

The good news is... I am "on plan" and have been seeing the number on the scale slowly-but-surely move down. Since things are so hectic right now, I am planning to report my next weigh-in on October 9th, which will be exactly 8 months since getting back on track.

I hope you are all doing well... and I'm wishing you nothing but the best!

xo,
C.C.

Kiss the Cook Friday

Wow! I haven't posted a "Kiss the Cook Friday" recipe since July 31st when I shared the yummy recipe for Southwestern Black Bean Salad! Oops! Sorry about that!

To make up for my lapse in posting recipes, I'm going to share one of my all-time favorites today. Easy, Cheesey, Spinach-y Baked Ziti!

I came up with this recipe a few weeks ago when I was in the mood for some yummy yet nutritious Italian food. And... this has easily become one of my favorite figure-friendly meals.

I'm only cooking for 2 people, and the recipe I'm sharing makes 4 servings. If you're cooking for a family, go ahead and double or even triple this recipe. If you have leftovers... they won't last long anyway! And to round out the meal... go ahead and serve a small side salad with this pasta dish. Yum!



Easy, Cheesey, Spinach-y Baked Ziti

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Ingredients:
6.5 oz. (dry) whole wheat ziti or pasta of your choice
1 1/4 cups fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/4 cups fat free cottage cheese
1 jar Newman's Own spaghetti sauce (or any sauce that is about 70 calories per 1/2 cup serving)
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped and added to pasta while cooking
1 T. minced garlic (I use minced garlic from a jar.)
1 T. dried parsley

Cook ziti according to package instructions. Add fresh spinach to boiling water a few minutes before pasta is thoroughly cooked. Drain.

Put drained pasta/spinach in a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the spaghetti sauce. Mix well.

Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray.

Layer the pasta mixture and spaghetti sauce in casserole dish as follows:

1. 1/2 of pasta mixture
2. 1/2 of spaghetti sauce
3. 1/2 of pasta mixture
4. 1/2 of spaghetti sauce

Bake uncovered in 350 degree F oven for approximately 45 minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted. 5 minutes before removing from oven, sprinkle a tiny bit of shredded mozzarella cheese over the top of casserole.

Nutrition Information:

1/4 of recipe=1 serving

474 Calories per serving

Don't Lose What You've Gained

So... I've mentioned that I've been struggling a bit lately. I've been dealing with some stress, I didn't have internet for a few weeks and couldn't blog or use my Fitday account to log my calories, and I kind of slacked off with the healthy eating.

And my husband noticed. He noticed last Wednesday... when I was sitting on the recliner eating my second donut of the day. He didn't say much, but what he did say was quite profound.


Husband: You better be careful. You don't want to LOSE all that you've GAINED.

Me: What??? You mean I don't want to GAIN back all the weight that I've LOST.

Husband: Nooooooo. I mean you don't want to LOSE all that you've GAINED.

Holy Shnikies, Batman! Am I married to the wisest man on the face of the earth or what??? Ummm... probably not... hehe... but he's GOT to be in the top 10%!

Honestly... when he repeated what he first told me... and I allowed it to register in my brain EXACTLY what he was saying... I was dumbfounded. Why hadn't I ever thought of that???

This weight loss journey is NOT just about losing! It is about gaining as well! It's about gaining a new and improved body and life! It's about gaining health and mobility! It's about gaining self-esteem and confidence! The list could go on and on and on!

This past week, I've really pondered what my husband told me. And here are just a few of the things that I have GAINED while LOSING weight these past few months:

1. It's easier to get in and out of the shower and perform household chores.
2. My body doesn't ache when I get up in the morning.
3. I can buckle the seat belt in the car now.
4. I fit into some of my smaller clothing.
5. I actually enjoy going out to eat every now and then.
6. I get out of the house more in general.
7. I'm gaining self-discipline.
8. My feet don't swell anymore.
9. It's easier to walk up steps.
10. I have more energy.

You know what? My husband was right. I do NOT want to LOSE what I have GAINED!

I have GAINED so much already... and I know that I will GAIN even more as I continue to LOSE weight. And so will you! So... let's stop focusing so much on what the scale says we're LOSING... and let's start focusing on what we know we're GAINING!

How much have you GAINED lately?

"The Biggest Loser" 3 Words or Phrases Game

Hey! Remember yesterday's "catch up game?" I do! You guys left clever, entertaining, and informative comments... and I enjoyed reading every single one of them! And I thought it would be fun to do the same thing today... with the topic being last night's episode of "The Biggest Loser."

If you want to get more specific with the topic, say... Alison's dress or something... just write that before you share your 3 words/phrases. Here's an example:

Alison's Dress: Hot! Hot! Hot!

Or...

Alexandra: Annoying. Cry-baby. Buh-bye.

OK. That was kind of harsh... hehe... so I'll do another one...

Alexandra: Too bad. So sad. Looks fab!

How about...

Jillian: Potty mouth. Scary. Crazy!

Hmmm... that was kind of harsh, too. But... Jillian would probably like that... so I'm leaving it at that. hehe

Anyway... I think you get the picture... especially if you played along yesterday. So... let's get this party started! Who's going to be first???

:)

Playing "Catch Up"

You know, ever since I had some internet problems in August and was offline for a few weeks, I have been having the hardest time catching up with all of you! There are currently 1,000+ posts to read in my Google Reader account! Holy shnikies, people! I will never be able to read all those posts and get caught up with all of you! Unless, of course, you'd like to play a game of "catch up" with me.

Here's all you have to do. Simply leave a comment on this post. And the comment has to be either 3 words or 3 short phrases that reveal how you've been doing the past few weeks. That's all! It couldn't be more simple!

And, by the way... I got this idea when I was listening to a radio show the other day. The hosts were having callers phone in and describe their weekends using only 3 words or 3 short phrases. The caller that really made me chuckle shared this: "Cell phone. Four-year-old. Fish bowl." I think you get the picture. lol

OK... I'll get us started. My 3 words/3 phrases are...

"Struggling. Overcoming. Persevering."

And now... what about you? What are YOUR 3 words/phrases to describe how you've been doing the past few weeks?

Struggling or Getting Stronger?

I don't know about you... but I am SO ready to kick some major weight loss butt the rest of this year! I'm inching closer and closer to 300 pounds... and I cannot wait until I cross over into the 200's! I haven't seen anything on my scale with a "2" in front of it since 1999. That is 10 freaking years, people! And that is WAY too long, in my opinion.

It would be nice if I could get under 300 pounds this year, but even if that doesn't happen, I KNOW that it will happen next year. And for now... I'm just going to continue to make the best choices I can every day.

To be perfectly honest, I've been struggling a bit lately. But struggling is not synonymous with "failing." Struggling is a part of life. And overcoming our struggles only makes us stronger and more appreciative in the long run. So here's to overcoming... and persevering! And... here's to a great rest-of-the-year for all of us!

xo,
C.C.

I Was Abducted By Aliens

Just kidding! hehe

Hi, everyone! I just wanted to pop in and tell you that today is the first day in almost 2 weeks that I have had internet service! I am SO sorry that I disappeared so unexpectedly! And I just want to thank everyone who emailed me and left comments wondering about how I was doing and where I was hiding. I truly appreciate your concern... and I've missed you all like crazy!

I'll be back in a day or two to give you a weight loss update. And I look forward to getting back to regular blogging and catching up with all of you!

Have a great weekend!

xo,
Chubby Chick