Category Archives: Know and Tell

Talking to Myself

I’ve been talking to myself since I finally stepped on the scale last week. Yikes! That number I saw was shocking to me.

Before I stepped on the scale, I had already planned and started a 1200 calorie a day eating plan. I bought a book for inspiration but my choices are personalized.

After a full week on 1200 calories a day I’m telling myself…

1200 calories is plenty of food to eat in a day.

Some days after dinner and being satisfied, I still have 200 calories left to consume.

It’s okay to eat the same thing over and over again if it is what I like.

Adding cucumbers to wraps gives you a delicious crunch and satisfaction.

That a single serving of oatmeal with a walnut, two teaspoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of blueberries was delicious and satisfying and under 300 calories. (I’ll be having that for breakfast again)

The varieties of good food I can eat is encouraging and doable.

A Costco chicken deboned chopped or shredded and frozen in smaller portions is a plus.

Shopping with a list of  good things to buy is important. I need to have those items on hand.

Keeping an ongoing, daily list of everything I put into my mouth is necessary for me.

My math skills are being challenged in figuring out calories then adding and subtracting. 🙂

I’m reminding myself that things might be slow going but I’ll be pleased in a month, more pleased in 2 months, etc.

A huge help for me is knowing my ‘girls’ are cheering me on. They are praying with me for resolve to continue doing what is good for me physically and mentally. Accountability is key.

Because of my Plantar Fasciitis I’m not able to walk regularly for extra exercise but I have started chair exercises with a YouTube that is good and going well. Just 10 minutes in the session but still helpful and easy on my feet.

Another reality is that there will be special events where I won’t be counting calories and that is okay.

As my clothes feel less tight I will remember to take notice and be thankful.

You won’t hear any weekly reports from me about this journey but I will try to post something monthly or every six weeks for more accountability.

This ground turkey soup I made on Saturday ended up being 175 calories per cup (8oz.) and was very tasty per Greg and me.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. cooked ground turkey
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 1 can Rotel original diced tomatoes and chilies
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 small zucchini sliced
  • 2 mushrooms sliced
  • 1 Carrot sliced

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in soup pot.
  2. Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer.
  3. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Serve while hot.

Yield: About 5 cups

Note: This was spicy with the Ro-Tel but added some nice depth of flavor.  You can substitute a can of chopped tomatoes instead if you don’t tolerate hot spice.

Some other meals I’ve enjoyed, just to name a few.

  • Low Fat Cottage cheese with pineapple
  • Cooked ground beef wrap with cucumbers and salsa
  • 2 eggs on toast
  • Strawberries with a squirt of whipped cream
  • Avocado and egg on toast
  • Cheese melt on English muffin
  • Teriyaki Chicken breast with rice and brussels sprouts

Know and Tell Friday ~ March 7th

 

Here are the questions for this week’s Know and Tell from To Know Him.

Question 1
I have been blogging for a year this month, so my question is what made you start your blog?

As of March 3rd of this year my blog is one year old. I started my blog because my brother made me. I was emailing people all the same sort of stuff he thought would be great on a blog. He had a blog already that I was commenting on. I was apprehensive because I didn’t know if I could handle the technology. Baby steps and a year under my belt and a lot of what I was afraid of isn’t scary anymore. There is still a lot for me to learn.


Question 2
Do you speak another language? If so, why or how did you learn it? ~My first language was Russian. My parents are Russian immigrants and they came to the U.S. in 1947. I was born in 1951. I had 3 older siblings that paved the way for me to learn English. Sorry to say that my Russian is quite dismal. I can read it and I understand more than I can speak. I took Spanish in high school and really didn’t retain much of that language either. ~
~Question 3
Morning person, or night owl (or somewhere in between)? Nowadays I’m more of a morning person. Many nights I’m in bed by 9:00 P.M. and then wide awake at 5:00 A.M.
 ~
Question 4
Do you exercise on a regular basis?   I’m glad you asked this question now because I walk for at least an hour a day except for Sunday. This is my primary exercize. I’ve come to realize that at my age this is the only way to keep the numbers on the scale from creeping up…


Bonus Questions
Question 5
If money were not an object what is one thing you would like to do for another person?  ~ Take my children to Ireland and Great Britain and pay all their home and vacation expenses while we were away.
~
Question 6
What is one of your favorite attributes of our Lord God? ~God’s sovereignty is very important to me. He is the one that is in control and it’s not up to me. That really gives me peace and freedom when I screw up like I’m bound to do!
~
Question 7
Have you ever thought about adoption or foster care?Every time I’ve thought about either of these I have not  had a positive response to make the leap.
~

To see more Know and Tell answers click here.

Know & Tell Friday ~

Question 1
I can’t bear the sound of_________.


A smoke detector going off when there isn’t a fire. Ouch hurts the ears. We have one that goes off when the bathroom gets steamy.  I also can’t bear the sound of someone being criticized without mercy and love.

Question 2
I would love to time-travel back to_________.

My husband says he’s really reluctant to go back to the age before the flush toilet.  :0) But he doesn’t have a blog so I guess I better answer this one. I would like to go back and sit in on an Inklings evening at The Eagle and Child (Bird and the Baby). It would be fun to hear Lewis and Tolkien read from their works in progress.

My husband and daughter outside The Eagle and Child in Oxford,  England.

Question 3
Shop alone, shop with mom, or shop with friends? If I’m doing serious shopping I prefer to be alone. A fun shopping day at Goodwill I like to share with my loved ones…

My sister Lana in the book section of one of our favorite Goodwill’s in Bellevue, Washington.
 Question 4
Worst movie ever? Oh this is an easy one for me. Ishtar hands down is the worst movie ever. I think Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty were in it. From the 80’s. There have been many lousy movies but I don’t watch many to be able to judge them.
Question 5 (More of a poll)
Have you ever had your heart broken (by the opposite sex…not by a family member, or close friend)Oh yes, it was high school, when I thought I was in love, and I was dumped. Thank God from whom all blessings flow, that I was dumped….

Bonus Questions
Question 6
In what area of your life have you felt the most judged (by others or even self condemnation) My verbal communication skills have been a challenge for me. I do a lot better with writing my thoughts. So when I share deep thoughts or feelings verbally and it comes out wrong I feel the most vulnerable and judged.
Question 7
(relates to number 6) Are you now free from that judgment, and how did you get free if you are?

Over the years I have learned to let people know about my challenge verbally. This has helped them be more patient in letting me express myself more clearly.


What is one new way you could be a blessing to your pastor (or other ministers) this year? I think the most effective way I can bless my pastor and other ministers is to pray for them faithfully and let them know that I am praying for them.

~For more Know and Tell or to join in click here.

Photobucket is holding all my photos I stored with them from 2007-2015 hostage. They have blacked out all those photos on my blog posts. OH BOTHER! I’m slowly cleaning up my posts.

 

Know & Tell Friday

 

1. Do you read or study best in silence or in a place with background noise? Why?

I read and study best with quiet. I think this is the way I learned to study over the years. I find noise, TV, people talking loudly too distracting for me.

2. If you were to write a book about your life, what would it be called?

I’m thinking this might be an ok title, The Journey from East Los Angeles.

My first response was The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

3. (This question is a deep one…I know it should be a bonus, but I already have a few bonus questions chosen for this week) Why do you think divorce is so prevalent?

For the oversimplified answer I’m going to say that selfishness is at the bottom of this. Also we don’t believe that marriage is truly a covenant sealed by God but instead a contract to break when things go bad.

4. What’s the best way to resist peer pressure?

I think you need to be at peace with God and who He has created you to be.  Then you need to recognize the gifts He has given you and be content in using them.

5. What is the most serious illness or injury you ever faced?

When I was in college a week before my finals during Spring Quarter I came down with Scarlet Fever. I had to stay in bed flat on my back for over a week. I’ve never felt my throat burn and hurt as much as during this time. I had to take incompletes in all my courses and make up the finals just before Fall quarter. Needless to say I didn’t do really well on these finals.

Bonus Questions
6. When was the last time you felt like you had a laugh with God?

When I catch myself doing something I just commended myself for not doing. I always laugh at how easy it is to get caught in the act of being a sinner.

7. What do you say to someone who is going through a tragic or hard time?

I don’t say “I know what you’re going through”. It’s ok to cry with them with no words. I do say that I will pray for you and better yet pray over them right then and there. When I do pray I really try to depend on the Holy Spirit to guide these prayers so I don’t say something from the flesh that isn’t helpful. I say I’m coming over to sit with you, answer the phone for you, make dinner for you, clean the house for you (sensitivity to the person is important as some people wouldn’t want you barging in). Another practical expression of kindness in hard situations is to go to the store and take some groceries over.

Now if you’d like to read more Know and Tell head over to To Know Him.