Weight Loss Update and Student Teaching Lunches

Well, the stress and constant standing of student teaching is great for weight loss. I am now at 312.2, almost 3 pounds down from just a few weeks ago. Right on track, even though I have not been tracking my food. I am glad for it, and glad that student teaching actually helps me reach my physical goals. I have not been walking all that much after school (we had a long weekend, so it ended up being 3 walks last week, not my goal of 5) because my feet are just too dead from standing all day. But so far, that is ok. When the weather gets a bit cooler, and as I get more used to being on my feet, that will hopefully change.

Also, I am taking advantage of bringing my lunch to school. It sounds simple, but you can't eat what you don't bring with you. So I try to bring a reasonably healthy (albeit fairly large) lunch. Lately it has been centered around a cup of kale for a salad with fresh herbs like dill or cilantro for more flavor, carrots and snap peas, with a couple tbsp of dressing. Then I will bring some fresh fruit, like grapes, or maybe a couple dried dates for fiber. I am bringing a little (1/4 cup) of chicken salad to put on the salad or nibble on alone because it will go bad soon if I don't, and that will switch to a hard boiled egg probably when the chicken runs out. Lastly, a piece of cheese, and some fruit snacks for dessert. I love fruit snacks. And I am allowed to have one junky splurge. Then I refill a water bottle with iced tea.

It is a lot to eat for lunch, but I tend to eat it in such a way where I eat the fresh things first, so if I am not hungry, I just won't open the cheese stick or fruit snacks, or anything else that will keep. Great for days I am starving, like today, but it still works for days I am anxious or lacking appetite but still want a nutritious lunch. I never skip lunch. I'd die.

I am hoping to make the check ins a monthly thing, but we will see how it goes.

Recipe: Kale Salad

I jumped on the super duper trendy bandwagon of kale awhile back. I am not always the best about eating my veggies, and kale is super healthy. I did not realize though that many (if not most), eat kale cooked, as I had been eating it exclusively raw. While totally ok to do so, I don't think I will ever go back. Slightly wilting the kale first makes it super tender, and as a side bonus it also becomes the most vivid shade of green.

Doing it is simple - I put a fairly deep pan on the stove on medium, and add a little water. Then put in the raw, washed kale (it is ok if it is wet, and in fact probably works better at allowing the kale to slightly cook a bit faster).

For me, if the pan is already hot, it takes maybe 60-90 seconds for all of the leaves to turn the richest green you have ever seen.That is when I usually take it off the heat and transfer into a bowl to cool. I usually do two big batches like the ones in the picture for about three salads worth.

After that, all you need to do is let it cool, add whatever to it you like, and eat. I roasted up some yellow squash to go into it, just roasted for 40 minutes in a baking pan with olive oil and some Mrs. Dash (I try to avoid adding salt, as most dressings offer plenty of flavor). Then I mixed it with some chipotle ranch dressing because obviously this was looking way too healthy. I still have enough salad for about two more salads, and I will likely roast up some broccoli tomorrow to add into it too. Other toppings I enjoy are hard boiled egg, grilled chicken, artichoke hearts, marinated mushrooms, shredded/crumbled cheese...pretty much anything that can go on a salad. Plus, easily portable too, and is likely to become a feature in the student teaching lunchbox. Nomnom.