Tag: Instant Pot

Humor, Instant Pot, Planet Fitness, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

Alive and Cooking

Cruz2Lose

The last few days have been quite busy and although I failed to get any writing in, life just sometimes happens, I did manage to slip in a few workouts. Since I began strength training, I am learning to live with waking up feeling like I have been hit by a truck full of cement going at top speed.  Some days I find myself waking energized and refreshed, other days I wake up wondering if I should be cast into a zombie role on the Walking Dead. I think I need to increase my water intake, work out a little earlier or layout in the beach somewhere in the Caribbean for a month or five. Since the latter is probably not a realistic option at this moment, I will start with increasing my water.

As far a nutrition goes, I am always looking for creative ways to cook chicken in my Instant Pot.  I tend to reach for chicken as my “go to” meat and after a while I find that I am eating the same things over and over. The other night, while stalking my spice cupboard for something different, I noticed a few packets of Lipton Onion Soup mix. Hmmm…I opened up a packet, dumped it on a plate, and rolled boneless chicken thighs in dry the soup mix. I added a cup of water to my IP, put the chicken thighs on the trivet, and then set the time for 13 minutes.  After my IP finished its natural release, I opened up the lid to find absolutely perfect boneless thighs. Fabulous!

Time to hit the gym!

 

 

Humor, Instant Pot, Planet Fitness, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

Wine and Pizza – No Regrets

Cruz2Lose

Yesterday I went on an IP cooking rampage.  I got up in the morning and made pork chops for daily lunches and then I went on to make my first pot roast along with carrots, onions, parsnips and potatoes.  The roast recipe called for cooking the roast for 45 minutes, and then allowing it to naturally pressure release.  Once that process is finished you can toss in your veggies.  Well, I had cut up quite a bit of vegetables and I was determined to stick all of them in the pot.  I closed the lid and reset the IP to cook an additional 9 minutes. I waited for what seemed like eternity for the IP to come to pressure again and it was taking longer than I could ever imagine was acceptable.  I decided to do a quick release so I could get into the pot and perhaps empty it out a bit; I was certain I ruined dinner.  When I opened the pot everything was cooked to perfection!  I don’t even know or understand how that happened.  I will just go with it and assume that there was some sort of miracle that took place inside my Instant Pot.

I did not go to the gym today, however, I used hand weights at home and hoped for the best.  This evening I watched Wedding Crashers, I drank wine, and ate thin crust pizza in celebration of some excellent news that I received this afternoon; hopefully I can share this next week.  I do not live my life with regrets.  This weekend I will work a little harder and eat much better but no apologies for partaking in wine and food in celebration.  Back on track tomorrow.

Have a wonderful evening!

Humor, Instant Pot, Planet Fitness, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

Squash The Guilt

Cruz2Lose

Since I have cut carbs I am always looking for healthy options so I don’t get stuck in a rut of eating the same things over and over.  Last night I cut a spaghetti squash in half (not lengthwise), cleaned out the seeds, put the two halves in my 6 quart Instant Pot and moved them around a few different ways until they fit, added a cup of water to my pot and set it on manual for 7 minutes. Once the timer went off, I finished up with a quick release.  This was a cooked spaghetti squash  game changer, the squash nearly pealed itself.  I shredded some left over chicken that I had from the day before and topped it off with healthy spaghetti sauce. Spaghetti squash makes for a fantastic substitute for spaghetti noodles.

Yesterday I was consuming low carb noodles.  Today I found myself in a movie theater watching Black Panther and eating buttered popcorn like there was no tomorrow.  It was absolutely fantastic, so was the movie!  When I came home, I felt a little pang of guilt and so I decided to look up the carbs and fat content in a bucket of Regal buttered popcorn. Depending on which site you go to, this information varies and ranges from you made a big mistake to oh my gosh you are going to die.  I ate well over a half of a bucket of buttered popcorn which has so much fat that it is likely my arteries are hardening like rigor mortis as I type.

After performing a Picard facepalm I decided to focus on the positive changes that I have made like….spaghetti squash noodles.

Time to hit the gym!

Humor, Instant Pot, Uncategorized, Weight Loss

Out Of My Comfort Zone

Cruz2Lose

After going to bed late last night, I set my alarm at 5:00 am to check on my Instant Pot Yogurt. I am not certain what rock I have been living under but prior to purchasing my IP, I had no idea that making yogurt at home was actually a thing.  Apparently there are a couple different ways to do this and I chose the Cold Start Method at Friedalovesbread.com, although, I did not add any sweetened condensed milk.  Instead, I will add a little vanilla and toss in some berries to sweeten it up.

It just occurred to me…who in their right mind gets up at 5:00 am on a Sunday to look at yogurt?  I better make certain I am taking in enough calories for healthy brain function.

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I had every intention of sitting on my behind today and doing absolutely nothing, however, by late afternoon I started feeling pangs of guilt for not going to the gym; I got dressed and headed out the door.  Once I checked in I started to walk toward my comfort zone, the treadmill.  I stopped, turned around and headed toward my nemesis, the elliptical. I was still sore from leg day but I was determined to push through on this thing.  Last time I spend a whopping 12 minutes before my legs were jelly.  Well, I don’t mean to brag but I upped my game by an entire minute. That’s right, 13 whole minutes.  Next I will be catching flies with chopsticks.