Guilt free salad dressing – trust me!

One of my most recent cookbook purchases has been Gwyneth Paltrow’s much written about “My Father’s Daughter”.  I am totally in love with her Green Rice recipe (you can find it here via this great blog – Milk and Mode).

That lead me to her website Goop where I found, what I now think, is the best salad dressing ever.  And because you guys are so good to me, I thought I would post the recipe below.  Trust me, it’s bloody delicious and its thickish consistency; I have been covering a rice cake with it for snacks between meals. Nom, nom.

Picture courtesy of The Parsley Thief.

Japanese Ginger-Carrot Dressing

1 large carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons roughly chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons sweet white miso
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1/4 cup grapeseed or another neutral oil
2 tablespoons water

Whiz the carrots, shallot and ginger in a blender or food processor until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides, then add the miso, vinegar and sesame oil. While the machine running, slowly drizzle in the grapeseed oil and the water.

If you love chili like I do, chop up a couple of small red ones and add that to the mixture to give it a little bit more zing!

Portion Sizes

I just found this diagram and love it.  I seriously have a hard time with ‘how much should I eat’ at any one time.  Usually it’s way too much and this is a great guide.

Excited that it’s almost the weekend.  I have a lot to do and then not so much to do.  I love weekends like that.  I also plan to update this little blog on my running progress (which is going rather well if I don’t say so).  Who would have thought that I could enjoy it as much as I am.

Happy Thursday.

This is me one week ago – trust me it’s a VERY flattering shot.

Wow.  What a crazy 7 months it’s been in my life.  Sometimes it’s been just fantastic, and at other times I have been at the point of despair, not quite sure how I can go on with the situation as it is.

And in the middle of all of this, yes I have put on weight.  These past couple of days I have decided to be completely honest with myself (yes it took me a couple of days to face up to the scales).  I have put on SEVEN-POINT-FIVE kilograms.  That would be 16.5 lbs.  This has only happened over the last 4 weeks – and now is the time to do something about it.

It was not a shock.  I mean when your clothes start getting that little bit too tight and your jeans are, well not at all loose, then your body is telling you something.  And that’s OK.  Well actually it’s not that OK but I now have the tools in my pocket to get rid of this weight and shed even more this spring just in time for summer.

Bring on summer I say.

I am good with a goal.  When I lost nearly 25kgs, it was because I wanted to lose 25kgs.  Now, given what I have put on I want to lose 18kgs.  That will have me weighing in at 63 kgs or 138.6 lbs.

Not only will I go back on my program (documented throughout this blog) but I have set a secondary goal.  That goal is to run a 5k marathon.  YES, a 5k marathon and me.  Now that’s a big goal.

Yes that’s the one highlighted.

I started Sunday.  I kind of started on Saturday with buying a new sport bra (my how they have come on since I last bought one – as well as the cost – $80!!) and a new pair of Brooks running shoes (um when did work-out shoes cost you $250??) and socks (HELLO – $35 for socks that ‘support’ you).

Armed with this $365 investment I signed up to the 0-5k Runkeeper program ($4.95).  I love love love Runkeeper – I’m an ex-researcher and anything that will give me stats makes me very happy (as well as knowing that I am getting closer to my goal).

The Runkeeper program

My last goal is to work on my blog again.  It really kept me focused as I navigated through the maze of weight loss.  This now leads nicely into how I want to finish my first (well not quite) entry

THANK YOU for all the emails and messages you have sent asking how I was.  It really meant a lot to me.  You have no idea how much.

Much love, Carolyn

Photo evidence…

Yes.  This is how far I have come.  I have about another 10/15 kgs to go, but I found this photo of me, taken in November, a real eye opener.  This is what hard work and saying yes to ‘I want my health and life back’ will do.

Happy Tuesday.

It’s bloody hard

Yep.  It seems the closer I get to my goal, the harder it becomes to focus.  But there is no stopping me now.  Just another 10kgs and I will be there.  I know it’s ‘do-able’ and I cannot wait to have a slice of cheese again .  23.2kgs (51.04lbs) down.

It’s been so busy at work that I have been reading all your wonderful blogs, but just haven’t had a chance to comment on any of them.  You still all inspire me so much.

I need to remember this

I think this is one of the most important lessons this whole ‘getting back my body’ project.  I love love love healthy food, but I ate way too much of it, all the time.

Portion control will be key for me as I move into maintenance in 15kgs (33lbs) time.

(Relatively) Slow and steady

Well I am pleased to report that I have not put on but lost over the Christmas / New Year period.  In fact, with my official weigh-in today, I am now down 19.7khs (38.94lbs).  I am proud, but not amazed, and that’s a good thing.

Today at the Doctors they asked me to pick up this huge water bottle and walk around with it.  I could barely lift it up – it was so heavy and weighed about 16/19kgs.  That, she said, was what I had been walking around with. Holding it for about 3 minutes, I began to feel the pressure all over my body.  I know there’s no such as thing as ‘never ever-again’ but seriously NEVER will I go back to that weight again.

What I need to do now is knuckle down and get rid of these next 15kgs (33lbs).  The difference from when I first started is knowing that I can do it and how much it will be worth.

Yes, I’m still here

Contrary to popular opinion I’m happy to tell you I’m still on track.  I really wanted to take some time out, relax with Mr Man and the dogs and spend some time away from the Internet (but not emails unfortunately).

I enjoyed reading all your posts about the ups and downs you faced over the holiday period.  So inspirational.

I finally had a drink on the 24^th December.  That would make it 2 months and 3 days since my last drink.  The champagne tasted so good and I savoured every last drop.  But I realised something interesting – I become very, very moody when I drink.

Not drinking for a while heightened my level of intoxication and I didn’t like it at all.  So now, there is no drinking – not even a sip, before I reach my goal weight of 60kgs to 65kgs (around 140lbs).  I had my last weigh-in before Christmas and I’m pleased to tell you that I’m down about 17kgs (37.4lbs).  I can really feel the difference.

Mr. Man and I spent the holiday period went swimming and laying in the sun (with copious amounts of sunscreen of course).  We went for walks on the beach with our four legged boys and caught up on the all sleep we missed throughout the year.  Best of all, I didn’t feel like the fattest person in a room full of people at parties we went to!

Someone recently asked me how I managed to stay so strong over the past couple of months.  I didn’t think I had a ‘stay strong system’ as such, it was more a stick to the plan and don’t deviate, even for a bite of food.  Thinking about it, I realised I did have a system and it’s all around ‘is this equal to that’.

Let me demonstrate:  I am offered a glass of champagne and I really want it.  I mean REALLY want it.  I then do a few sums in my head that goes something like this:

If the feeling of walking from the sand down to the water in your bathers and not feeling huge and embarrassed about the how much you weigh is EQUAL to the enjoyment of the glass of champagne (that will last for about 5 minutes) then you can have it.  Go for it I say to myself.  I have not yet found any food or drink that is equal to what I was feeling over the holiday period.

I have my weigh-in on Thursday and I think I have dropped 1kg or so.  As long as I have remained steady I will be good to go.  And you know what?  Even if I haven’t, that will be OK too, because now know that I can do something about it.

Let me also take this opportunity to wish you a very Happy New Year and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the inspiration you have given me over 2010.

Note to self

Dear Carolyn,

Please drink more water and much less Coke Zero.  I realise you broke the back of your Diet Coke Vanilla obsession when you were living in New York – please let’s not go there again OK?

Thanks,

Your new body

Getting there

Nearly 15kgs (31.9lbs) down. I can’t believe it!

It’s been so long since I wrote a post and I must admit that I am feeling slightly guilty as I love my daily dose of blogs that inspire and keep me going when it get’s tough.  I don’t feel like I’ve been putting in my fair share.

‘Real’ work has been crazy these past weeks – traditionally this is our busiest time with clients wanting stuff done before they go on vacation – how inconsiderate!  I haven’t been able to get in the right headspace to write about all the things I want to say about being on this diet (it’s bloody hard) and slowly starting to see results.  Things like:

• My rings are almost too loose on my fingers now
• The compliments I get nearly every day
• Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror and being surprised (in a good way)
• Walking into most shops and knowing that I will be able to find something that looks good and fits me
• Fitting into some of my shoes (of all things) again
• Not having sore feet and cracked heels

I’m so happy that I only have another 4 or so days at work before I take off for vacation until the New Year.  This year Mr Man and I have decided to stay home and enjoy the time with family and friends.  I desperately want to go away, but business has been incredibly tough on us this year, so maybe next year.  I will have a ‘proper’ Thanksgiving in 2011.

I am nervous about all the food and drink that goes along with this time of year.  I know that I’ve been the strongest I ever have about being discipline with my food, but you know what it’s like: just one little bit can turn into ‘why not I’ve already had the lions-share with that bite’.

Given how restricted my foods have been, I know that eating something ‘normal’ again will, without doubt, put my tummy into over-drive.  Taking it slowly, and only eating when I am hungry will be my modus operandi.  During the weeks’ break I have also committed to not putting on any weight and staying steady (being kind if I don’t loose any – which is inevitable).  As I’ve mentioned before, I can see that celebratory bottle of Dom waiting for me and I will savour every, single drop without fail.

There is such a beautiful sea breeze blowing through the doors at work at the moment and I am happy that I am on the way to becoming comfortable in my own skin again.