Quick Food Fix : A salad transformed

I am really bad at following through on the 'Getting Fit' business. When Fit Bit was new, I was completely hooked on and then health became a bit unmanageable, the first thing out- Being healthy. Sad as usual, but true.

But once again, trying to make better choices, a day at a time. In addition, we are contemplating a beach vacation which is motivation enough.

This weekend we had our besties in town and needless to say we pigged out. Every single meal. So by Sunday night, we all were done. Salad- Juice was the way to go.

Sumit made one of his delicious Juice concoctions and I decided to make salad.

My chatter box said- Salad is not going to fill me up. So I decided to twist it up.

Calling it

Transformed Salad: Cross between torta and Open Sandwich: Or just Something Delicious

Ingredients:

Finely  chopped

1. Zucchini - 1/2 cup

2. Carrots - 1/2 cup

3. Peppers - 1/4 cup

4. Onions  - 1/4 cup

5. Parsley- 1/4 cup

6. Lettuce - 3/4 cup

7. Garlic  - 1 clove

8. Shredded Cheese  - Per taste (Or substitute with Goat Cheese)

9. Hummus  - Per taste

10.Spices: Chili Pepper, Black Pepper, Dried Basil, Salt

11. Pita bread/ Any flat bread

To make:

1. Sauté onion garlic in olive oil.

2. When translucent add the spices per your taste

3. Add all remaining vegetables except parsley and Lettuce

4. Cover and let the vegetable steam

5. On a pan, let the pita bread get warm

6. Sprinkle cheese and then add vegetables on half of sandwich (Just so you can close it)

7. Add lettuce and parley.

7. Close sandwich and Enjoy when crisp.

We ate it with hummus dip and sriracha!

It was our dinner last night and lunch to go today. And needless to say this will be on our dinner rotation menu.

What I loved about it was, its like a warm salad. But the pita (I used whole wheat with sundried tomato) helped transform it in a complete meal. The simplicity of the spices bring out the complete taste of the vegetables.

The cheese helps close the sandwich really well and I cut it in Pizza shapes for lunch for the kiddos.

Welcome to try out the 'Transformed Salad: Cross between torta and Open Sandwich'

Good Job

It's rare to tell yourself that. Especially when you know you have not reached your goal but still pat your back and say, you are on the right track- Great Job.

I realized it, this past weekend when a friend commended Sumit on being fitter than before. I am proud of him. He has been good with his Getting Fit business on the Fit Bit. But he was not happy since its far far away from his goal of 15K steps every single day.

Learning from this, I am taking a step back and appreciating my self- Good Job.

I met my walking targets most days past week on the Fit Bit.

I recently joined a Yoga Studio and went to class 4 times in a week.

I made a few better choices. For example, ordering salad instead of pizza. I actually walked past from my yummy bagel place and ordered oatmeal for breakfast instead. But yes, I did enjoy a fair share of cake and cup cakes.

I have woken up at an ungodly hour of 5:30 am to make it to my class before kick starting the day. Whist V was in her class, me as a chaperone decided to talk the hour in the passage looking like a fanatic. But oh well. I did meet my target of steps!

For me, I don’t have a specific goal with this Getting Fit stint. I just want to be more active than I really am. I don’t think the jeans are any looser or the tummy is any bit in. Or better yet, I have not lost a single pound. But you know what, I am proud of myself. For just getting off my hinds and moving.

So good Job- Garima`

The lesson learned by a daddy-daughter moment

I have had the Fit Bit on for a while now. V has been nagging me let her wear it for One day. This Sunday, I caved and said- Fine wear it.
The whole day, she excitedly kept tapping to see how well she was doing. She would keep checking on how Sumit's Fit Bit progressed as well. She would walk at a place while we ate food. She was running a patio on a crisp afternoon just to see the five lights of Fit Bit.
We returned home after a long day, and she excitedly went on the Fit Bit app on my phone to realise, she is 590 steps away from her goal of the day. She was super tired, but was keen on completing the steps.

Looking at her tired face, I mumbled to Sumit, let her be. Its okay if she does not finish it.
As usual, she overheard us and was like- I want to feel the 'buzzing on hand'. Once you complete the daily goal, the Fit Bit vibrates and on the wrist it feels like a buzzing sound.
Sumit was super supportive of her and much to my dismay encouraged her to finish the goal. Now in reality, 590 steps is two rounds end to end in my apartment. We have one long corridor. But I was super tired myself and could only imagine how tired V was.
To motivate and encourage V and Sumit headed to the deck. In two minutes I heard sqeals of laughter and delight.

I run up to the deck to realise its V who felt the 'buzzing' on her wrist and completed her goal.
She was delighted and Sumit was happy to see that. She kept saying, 'I finished my steps on the firt day I wore it, yeah'. She hopped to her room and slept with the broadest smile.

I, well I learnt a very important lesson. To complete a goal sometimes is as important to start it and the journey to completion is as memorable and fun as you make it.

And another update on the Getting Fit business

 Notice how I call it 'Business' since sadly it does take more of my time 'thinking' about it than I would like.

Two weeks ago, I had made a promise to keep up by 10 K a week and sadly health was not the best (See I already am giving excuses) But in all due honesty, minus the days when I preferred to not move if I didnt have to, I did do my 10K. Every Single day.

This week however, is better. Better because Sumit being hugely disappointed in me, re-set my goal to 8K steps a day. And I am meeting it EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I know I should be happy, but sadly I take it with a pinch of salt, since I am not 'pushing myself'. Oh well, small steps as they say, or in this case I should say- Lots of Steps!

What am I doing differently besides walking a little more than I used to?

1. Having a whole some breakfast, I know its counter intuitive to talk about getting fit and then say, oh I have a bigger breakfast. But trust me, its helping. I dont know how, but it is, since I am not cranky come lunch time. And above all, since I am waking at an un godly hour of 5:45 nowadays, the bigger breakfast keeps me sane.

2. Finishing off last meal by 7:30 pm. It helps that this week is Paryusan and I should not eat after sun set anyways. But its helping. How- This I can answer. Late dinners = Evil Sin! and Point 1: Heavier breakfasts comes in handy, since well how to say it--I am famished!

3. More water. This is easy for me, since I love water and trust me I can down a lot. But I am now making a conscious effort of skipping my afternoon coffee and substituting that with more water. I have skipped coffee 2 out of 4 days. Hehe! So thats 50% reduction ya'll!

And besides that nothing.

Sumit however is doing a lot more and I am proud of him. He takes most of his meeting walking. He will try to walk minimum 12K. He is trying to substitute all snacks with fruits or smoothies or more fruits. And above all, he is resuming tennis or will walk for his weekly volley ball game or will go and play more basket ball in the evenings.

See, now I feel super bad, since compared to all of the above, I am doing hmm nothing. So I guess him reducing my goal to 8K should be slap on the wrist.

Ouch Ouch Ouch

So the saga of the 'Getting Fit' business continues.

A friend asked me recently, whats so great about 'Fit Bit' and I honestly responded: It shows you what a sedentary lifestyle you lead.

Tch Tch- This Lazy Business is bad!

I should keep up: Well for both, blogging and secondly and more importantly for my 'Getting Fit' business and its reporting!

Its been exactly a month, since I bought the 'Fit Bit'.

The journey has been 'up and down' and sadly 'more down than up'. Ok, let me elaborate.

The first two weeks, the novelty of it was awesome. I was keeping up with it, increased my target to 10000 steps and doing good. I didn’t meet it every day, but met it 5 out of 7 days. Yay!

But in the past two weeks, I have been BAD. Last week, I met my target of 10K steps only ONE day. Yes NOT GOOD.

And on top of it, I relished food way too much and in my case it SHOWS, everywhere and more importantly my jeans are more snug than I want them to be.

So another Monday, another resolution!

Well. My aim for this week is simple- I want to meet my target EVERY SINGLE WEEK DAY!

That's it.

Just meet my target and I promise come next week, I will 'display' my weekly report that Fit Bit sends me and puts me to shape.

 Sumit bought a Fit Bit for himself as well. So its two of us now. Our cousins, who introduced us to this, have been insisting we join them for 'Group Tracking' and I am not up for that YET. So the struggle continues.

I think the best and the worst part of Fit Bit is- It really shows how LAZY your day to day life is. If we cant do 10K steps in a day at the age we are, the future looks a bit well 'podgy'. Yes my initial target was 8K which I meet comfortably, but I want to push myself, just a little at a time.

So wish me luck> I want my 10K badges!!

Another Day, Another Try at this "Getting Fit" Thing!

I have documented this business of 'Getting Fit' before and was not very successful. I am all about healthy recipes and the fun stuff. But still, the weighty matters have become integral to me. Mind you, I am not happy about it. But it is what it is.

Luckily or painstakingly, I have come to a point where I don’t have (major) body issues. I am what I am and am comfortable in my skin (most of the times and for the rest, there is Spanx!). With kids, work, life in general, I really don’t get time for working out. Yes, that can be a priority and taking an hour out from my day with such a supporting husband should not be hard.

I get that, but it just falls down the priority list. I can’t even come up with an excuse as to why?

Recently, we had family visiting and my cousin introduced us to this thing called 'FitBit'. Concept is simple, it’s a fancy name for a cooler and more hi tech pedometer. It counts the number of steps you take in a day. Simple.

(Image from google)

But the fun part is, you can set targets for yourself, synch in with the endless possible gadgets to see how far you are from your daily target, challenge with family and friends who have this as well. If you really are into it, you can even include calorie intake in its app and track it from there. The sleep tracking tells you, did you have a restful sleep or now. Somehow this with kids makes me pity myself a bit ;-)

Well, I caved and we bought one for me. I am on day 3. Today

Day 2, I was 1000 steps away from my target of '8000' steps a day.

Day 2: I was 2000 steps OVER from my target of '8000' steps a day.

Hmm> Today, I am hoping to catch up and ensure I meet my target.

Since its new, the novelty factor makes it so much fun. I cant wait to synch it up and see, how I am doing. The cool thing is, you are walking anyways for life in general. This just keeps a tab on it and keeps you accountable. As Sumit says 'It makes you push yourself just a little bit more in your daily routine' And then I am hoping slowly it will encourage me to walk a bit more, to increase my targets slowly and continue this.

I will be realistic; I know I am enthusiastic due to the novelty of the device. But oh well, me being me, lets enjoy the moment and worry about it later!

The only thing I didn’t like about FitBit since I wore it, It's ugly. A black plasticky band on you. The other colors were all sold out. Even this one, took me a good time to get my hand on. Plus with its material, it really looks unfashionable, stocky and eww. But I know it’s for a purpose, so I will suck it up and continue wearing it. But I really DONT like how it looks. It's app for the iPad also has a lot to desire for.

We have ordered a band for Sumit. It should arrive in a couple of weeks and then we will have company in this wonderful misery of the 'Getting Fit Saga'