Holiday week thoughts

The holiday week is officially beginning!  Let’s start out with a holiday favorite of mine that is back now – the gingerbread bagel at Panera!

Yuuuummmmm!!!! Yum!

Today was a slower work day with both jobs.  It’s going to be spotty all week with the holiday, so I am going to have to flex my hours a lot to get in all my work.  It’s going to take some planning to get everything done that I need to.

After working what there was in the morning, I got busy in the kitchen making something fun that I will share for recipe Tuesday:

Then I made regular lunch.  Stocked up on groceries after bagels, so I had lettuce and pita.  The carrots are old, though LOL!

And some red grapes – on sale for $1.89 a pound!

One thing that I adore about blogging is that you can go back and read about stuff in the past in detail, not just memory stuff.  I had said this after last Thanksgiving, and I really think it says a lot about my way of life now.

I despise feeling stuffed.  I don’t like it when I am so uncomfortable after eating that I can feel my stomach bulge (something that I could not notice at 250 pounds) or that I wished I hadn’t eaten something.

That last part is so important to me.  I have made it my mission to not feel guilt or remorse over food anymore.  To do that meant to conquer the part of me that would just eat and eat because it was the holidays (or whatever occasion) and the food was there.  I don’t have to eat 5 slices of cranberry bread just because 5 slices are available to me.  I don’t believe in deprivation, but I also know that is is okay to *not* want something.  I didn’t have any pumpkin pie last night because I didn’t want any.  I certainly could have had it because it was there, right?  What I really wanted was the cheesecake.  I knew that if I had both the cheesecake and the pumpkin pie, I would have been stuffed.  So, I didn’t have the pie…

As you all know, enjoying food on a daily basis is important to me to keep the weight off.  That way I don’t feel the need to gorge on particular days of the year, especially since I don’t restrict my calories to the extent that I feel the need to do that.  That is just what works for me.  Everyone is different in how they need to approach these things.

Maybe that is what is meant by everything in moderation?  Not to say that I don’t have those binge/snack days still, but as time goes by, I am becoming more comfortable with myself.  Sometimes I wish I could go back to my 20-year-old self and hand her this post. 😉

It was cold today at 39 degrees, but we took an afternoon walk today.

All the leaves are gone except this one tree.  How odd.

Football and afternoon lattes commenced after the walk to warm up.  I just love latte time with John.  Not only is he my biking buddy, but he is my coffee buddy.  And to think 16 years ago when we met he hated coffee (can you believe I still went on a date with him??)

Pixie also likes latte and football time.  I don’t think a kitty could look any happier.

I also made dinner tonight – very productive in the kitchen lately.  I got some fresh stew beef at the smokehouse yesterday and wanted to do Alton Brown’s pressure cooker chili.  It’s so easy and so tasty!  I subbed baked tortilla chips for regular.  Actually used up the 1 beer that has been in our fridge circa 2009.  The pressure cooker is one of those kitchen things that I forget about and then wonder why after I use it.  I also managed to hit the Baked Tostitos pretty hard while cooking dinner.  🙄   What was I just writing above about not eating something just because it is there??

I must say this was so, so good.  Wow.  It is rib sticking, though!  I didn’t need any fruit with this dinner as I was quite full.

Gotta get back to checking in with work and losing the football picks again this week…

4 days until egg nog lattes!!

25 thoughts on “Holiday week thoughts”

  1. debby

    Doesn’t waiting for something make it taste so much better?

    PIxie = perfect lap warmer on a day like today (its about 36 degrees here. I am enjoying Sophie’s warmth on my lap today.)

    I remember when you wrote that last year. And I wish it was true for me–well, it is true most of the time. But sometimes, like at work, I just eat until I am uncomfortable, and I just wish I would stop that. I guess as long as there are more days that are not like that, that’s the best I can hope for for now. Eating so good (good food and good amounts) today makes me feel a little less frustrated about yesterday.
    .-= debby´s last blog ..It Was A Dark and Stormy Night =-.

  2. debby

    Hey Lori, just checked out that recipe, which sounds absolutely delicious. What do the chips do in the recipe? Do they just dissolve and act as a thickening agent? I realized when I read it that I liked it because there were no beans LOL. I imagine I could do the same thing in the crock pot? Also, it says it makes 4 servings–3 pounds of meat for four servings? What did you think about the serving size? I love that you paired it with a big serving of broccoli. I find that that is what I actually WANT to eat with most dishes–just a lot of veggies.
    .-= debby´s last blog ..It Was A Dark and Stormy Night =-.

    1. Lori Post author

      The chips thicken it – and yes, they do dissolve. The pressure cooker makes the meat so tender. Meat does cook down. For 1 pound of meat – it made 3 servings for us (I cut the recipe down to use 1 pound of beef). Serving size of about a cup in that bowl I had. The serving size was *plenty*. This was definitely filling.

  4. Vee

    Having our words to look back on really does make a difference, doesn’t it? Wish I’d blogged about my Thanksgiving last year but it’s actually pretty firm in my head about how horrible an experience it was.

    But this year … we’re gonna go see the Harry Potter movie and eat at a restaurant. Just the 3 of us. Fun and relaxing.

    Egg nog lattes? Yum…. sounds good! Can I get those in low carb decaf?

    Vee at http://veegettinghealthy.blogspot.com
    .-= Vee´s last blog ..No Sunday Silly Move Today =-.

  9. Robin aka 'trtl.rnr'

    Oh, Lori!

    I love the idea of looking back at last Thanksgiving’s thoughts. Found myself rereading old posts recently for something else. Now I want to read my holiday thoughts more carefully. Thanks for the wonderful idea.

    If Pixie ever needs a vacay, feel free to send her south. This feline mama would love to love on her! LOL

    Gorgeous tree. Tenacity. 😉

    Funny about the ‘old’ carrots ~ I eat them anyway! Darn things just last and last and last….

    *hugs* from Orlando!
    .-= Robin aka ‘trtl.rnr’ ´s last blog ..Mon Motivation Wk 46- Belief Confidence =-.

  11. Jody - Fit at 53

    Lori, I was just going to tell you about the gingerbread bagels! I saw them yesterday & bought 3 to put in the freezer for when I want them…. was already too late yesterday & of course I know where to get more. They only had 3 left!

    Pixie is living the life…. such a cutie!

    Like you, I don’t enjoy the stuffed feeling. I have my cookies every weekend & holidays are no different. I eat healthy & save for the treat! 🙂
    .-= Jody – Fit at 53´s last blog ..Travel-Carry Baggage =-.

  12. Joanne

    I have to stay away from pumpkin bagels. They only make me crave more. Hence the moderation thing goes out the window 🙁

    Have you done a pumpkin latte? That sounds good. The egg nog latte doesn’t sound too bad either…if it’s a tough day at work, make sure John spikes it. 😀
    .-= Joanne´s last blog ..Chocolate Chile Lava Cakes =-.

    1. Lori Post author

      I have not done the pumpkin latte. Maybe I did years ago, but I drink my lattes unsweetened now. I do like the nog, though! I ask them to cut it with half skim milk and half egg nog so it doesn’t bowl me over.

  13. cammy@tippytoediet

    I like to look back at old posts, too, and see how my core beliefs and actions have stayed the same no matter how I might try to “tweak” them. 🙂

    I don’t mind a short-term stuffed feeling, if I ate food I truly wanted. It’s when I’m overly-full because I’ve done the EBIT (eating-because-it’s-there) thing that gets me flustered. And fortunately, recommitted to improving.
    .-= cammy@tippytoediet´s last blog ..Warm Weekend Update =-.

  14. Dawn

    I enjoyed this post and will try to remember it when I’m in Kentucky at my MIL for Thanksgiving. That I can enjoy anything but like you I sure don’t want to feel that yucky stuffed feeling so I will make choices instead of having everything. Glad you and John are coffee buddies, I never could convert Mike but I have Kevin drinking it with me and even Marie loves some hot tea with milk now *smile*.
    .-= Dawn´s last blog ..The FMT Project =-.

  15. Leah

    “Everything in moderation” is key in my journey as well. It’s one reason I was attracted to your blog. Some people choose to be much more extreme in their eats, and that’s fine for them, but not my choice.

    Having said that, it is funny how “extreme” is not always very different from what I’m doing now some days. LOL

    I remember flexing lots during the holidays as an MT and I hope you don’t go nuts trying to work around it all.

    Have a great week!
    .-= Leah´s last blog ..Thankful Days – Womanhood =-.

  20. Ang

    The good thing about being gluten free is that I can’t eat much that is served at Thanksgiving! Last year was the first year I can remember that I didn’t need to put sweatpants on after dinner! haha!

    Oh those gingerbread bagels. I will always remember how fabulous they are.

    I’m embarrassed to say I have had 3 eggnog lattes in the 2 weeks they’ve been offered.
    .-= Ang´s last blog ..Maple Roasted Chicken and Veggies =-.

  21. Lori Lynn

    I couldn’t quite tell what the 2nd picture was. Looks rather interesting! The upcoming Thanksgiving holiday has me a bit nervous with the anticipation. All the foods my mom fixes, I love, and it’s hard to go overboard on them!

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