LEAN Team Tips

Our LEAN blogger Jim is doing great. Read on to see how he is progressing! I have also included a very good recipes for Taco Soup that I got from Sparkpeople nutrition website.

Taco Soup

16 oz ground turkey or lean ground beef
1/2 cup onion chopped
taco seasoning
2 14 oz cans of diced tomatoes with green chillies
14 oz can (drained) kidney beans
1 cup water
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup garbanzo beans, smashed

Directions -
Brown meat and onions over medium heat in a saucepan, stirring occaisionally. Drain off excess grease and add taco seasoning. Add diced tomatoes and stir for a bout a minute over med heat. Add beans and water. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add corn and mashed garbanzo beans. Simmer additional 5 minutes.
Garnish with chopped cilantro, baked tortilla chips or sour cream.

3/19/2010
I have lost two lbs per week since we've started. (A total of four pounds so far.) Noreen weighed me yesterday at our weekly meeting and we're down to 239 lbs.
Two pounds per week is a good pace for me right now - I'm still transitioning into a new mindset. But, I'm developing a solid sense of what food is going into me (and how much) and suspect that I'll take exercise more seriously soon. Before, things like healthy diet and exercise were just fleeting thoughts in my busy day - with little to no chance of getting traction. That's changing and it feels good. The key is I'm developing self-awareness and discipline.
I've done well keeping below my calorie budget. I'm not drinking enough water yet though and exercise is negligible. Also, it's been tough for me to routinely eat breakfast.
Noreen advised me to start small on the exercise - like walking the dog even for 10 mins a few times per day.
So, let's see how I do when I start exercising, drinking my quota of water, and having breakfast every day. My self-awareness and comfort with the fact that this isn't hard stuff to do are both growing strong. I'm building a solid foundation for the rest of my life. I'm optimistic about it, for sure.
Highlighted day - Tuesday, March 9th -
• 900 calories in 40 minutes (Twizzlers - chain-munch).
• A 570 calorie dinner on board the USS Dallas (SSN-700) - Los Angeles class Fast Attack Nuclear Submarine.
Thanks to my friend, Bill, a former Submarine Captain, I was a guest of Commander G.R. Arnold and his crew onboard the USS Dallas (SSN-700). This is a sister ship to the USS Montpelier (SSN-765), on which Commander Arnold once served under Bill's Command . She's in Portsmouth for some upgrades and maintenance and the opportunity was seized for a visit.
On the way there, I downed a ton of Twizzlers (close to 1000 calories). I knew what I was doing - no excuses - except for the fact that I was extremely jazzed to be on my way to a private tour of a state-of-the-art Nuclear sub ... accompanied by my friend, a decorated and distinguished former Commander.
So, 900 calories later, we pull into the Portsmouth Shipyard. Talk about an overwhelming sense of history and tradition. There are buildings there dated back to the mid 1800's (the mind swims that within those stone walls were the people back in the day constructing and maintaining the ships we still read about in our history books) - and buildings so large it's really hard for the mind to comprehend. The place means business.
The tour was ... overwhelming. If you ever get the chance to go on a tour - DO IT! Once you step down the ladder you're immersed in a totally self-sufficient world - clean as a whistle, efficient as mankind can muster, and crewed by some of the most impressive and well-trained people in the world. You'll sleep better at night knowing that we have the best equipment, best people and the most advanced technology out there. War's a awful thing - but if we're going to tangle, it's good to know we have the best there is - bar none.
Near the end of the tour, we came to the Officers' Mess - a small but comfortable room with space for about 10 people to eat (the table is big enough to serve as a surgical operating table - for which it which it serve doubles-duty). The table was already set and Commander Arnold asked us if we'd like to join him for dinner.
We started with a Salad, then to the main course of turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and carrots - all served family style. A Galley Crewman stands by and takes your plate away after each course, followed immediately by the next. After dinner, I had a small piece of cake and cup of coffee to finish out what was arguably one of the most memorable dining experiences of my life. There I dined with two Submarine Captains - one current, one former - and was treated to outstanding conversation, a fine meal, and excellent service - all in the belly of a 300 foot plus nuclear fast attack submarine - who's accomplishments are still classified to this day. Tough to beat that. And, all this for 570 calories.
I think I can forgive myself for the Twizzler-fest this time.
And, speaking of indulgences - I actually got away with downing a few beers last Wednesday night after a Baseball Board Meeting. Even with three, stayed below my budget. Not sure I'd blog about it if I had more. ;-)