Weigh in Wednesday

Good Morning Sunshines!!

It's weigh in Wednesday - which means it's the day of the week where I reflect on how things are going, how I'm feeling, and how the scale moved this week.

Results from Happy Scale

My moving average today is 193.4 -- which means a +0.4 change in weight.  My 10-day best is also +0.4... So I'm going to call it a gain of 0.4lbs.  

According to Happy Scale, my weight trends are a gain of 0.4lbs.... so yeah...

I'm not entirely surprised, as I ate a bit more than normal this week, but I do want to acknowledge what this means for hitting my next milestone... An extra month??  Aww Heck Naw!  This makes me determined to prove Happy Scale WRONG! :D

Points Breakdown

My Weight watchers week starts over each Monday, so I'll list the final points score for each day during the calendar week.  I'm following Points Plus, which means in addition to the 30 points per day I can swap activity points and have 49 weekly bonus points.  For each day the score will be:  GOAL/ACTUAL/+ACTIVITY

Monday - 30/46/+0

Tuesday -30/39/+5

Wednesday -30/37/+4

Thursday - 30/41/+2

Friday - 30/46/+8

Saturday -30/66/+0

Sunday - 30/51/+3

If you're keeping score, then my week totals were 210/326/+22.  If you take what I ate (326) and subtract what the goal was (210) AND  take away the 22 activity and 49 bonus, then you'll see my overeat was 45 points!!

After seeing this in black and white, I'm glad my gain was only 0.4lbs!  

Goals for this week:

First, I will to eat according to the 21 day fix plan -- but while still tracking and monitoring how I feel as I eat.  This means a focus on whole foods (power foods) like veggies and fruits as well as lean sources of protein.

Second, I will incorporate meditation into my routine daily -- with a focus on being fully present throughout the day (especially while eating).

Third, I will include 21 day fix workouts on days when I'm not schedule to run & strength workouts on days I do run.  For example, yesterday I ran in the morning and did Back & Biceps later that night.

How was your weigh in this week?  

Do you incorporate meditation into your routine?  

How do you balance workouts (strength v cardio, etc...)?

Thoughts & Things for your Thursday

I have a few thoughts and things to share today -- most of which are centered around one gnawing fact:  I keep waking up at 3am and can't get back to sleep!

My issue of waking up at the Devil's Hour hasn't happened every night -- but it has happened often enough that it's becoming a problem.  It seems to only happen on days when I haven't had a run or a workout -- and it only seems to happen during the summer months. 

This struck me as odd, because I'm usually super stressed out during semesters and much more calm and peaceful during breaks (summer & winter breaks).

Some research

Of course I turned to Google -- I searched and searched and stumbled upon a few different theories:

• Something in chinese medicine associates this time period (2-3am) with the liver?
• Catholics associate this time (around 3am) with the Devil's hour and some have reported seeing doors close or dark figures lurking as they awake in a panic
• Adrenal gland issues?
• Low blood sugar -- due to spiking sugar throughout the day.

Which is it?

I'm not going to rule anything out -- but the Low Blood sugar option seems like the easiest place to start.  If it's something more sinister I'll need a medical professional or an exorcism!

What am I going to?

My main concern is that my body is somehow out of whack.  For me, falling asleep and staying asleep is the ultimate prize at the end of each day.  The more restful sleep I get, the more I'm motivated to do good works the next day.  The more tossing and turning I do, the more worthless I am the next day.

So my plan is three fold:

1. Workout or run each day - hopefully this will exhaust me enough to sleep all night
2. Watch my blood sugar - by watching what I'm consuming and limiting the bad stuff (ie. refined or simple sugars or simple carbs without protein during meals, too much snacking, lots of processed junk) I'm hoping to balance this blood sugar thing out.  I'm also going to try to have a small snack before bed of an apple and almond butter or carrots and peanut butter.
3. Track my nights of no sleep -- hopefully by collecting more and more data, I'll begin to see larger trends.

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night?  

What do you do to fall back to sleep?  

Do you watch your blood sugar? Any tips and tricks would be great!

Share your experiences & let me know in the comments below ^_^

  

Wednesday's Workout

Todays' Workout

Five Rounds with as little rest as possible in between.

• 10 - Ground to Overheads with 25 lbs
• 12 - Jumping Toe Touch Squats
• 10 - Thrusters with 25 lbs
• 12 - Jumping lunges
• 10 - Sumo high pulls with 25 lbs
• 12 - Side Ab Crunches (12 on each side)

Dinner tonight-- FIRE CHICKEN!

Pre - workout snack -- Powerballs!  Made with PB, Oatmeal, Honey, Nuts, and love!!

Dinner (post workout) -- FIRE CHICKEN with Cheese and Rice.  

Recipe found here from Maangchi!!

Just for Fun Friday #3

Making Mandu!

This week, hubby and I made homemade Mandu!  This is the recipe we used.... Thank you Maangchi!

This is something new we tried for the very first time -- and we think it'll become one of our family traditions!

What's Mandu?

 Little Pockets of heaven!  They are dumplings made with a seasoned meat and vegetable stuffing that are then steamed, added to soups, or in my case pan fried.  (It's basically a Korean Pierogi with a thinner skin or the Korean version of a Potsticker...SOO GOOD!)

To make them I used two kinds of store bought "skins" -- Big round ones (like below) and plain old Wanton Wrappers.

We mixed up the meat mixture -- I used all Beef instead of some beef, some pork... added seasoning, onion, green onion, garlic, cooked and chopped sweet potato noodles (like the kind you used for JapChae), and crumbled tofu.

You take a thin little wrapper, add some filling and fold up your little balls of deliciousness.  Pictured here you see three Mandu made by hubby (on the left) and two made by me (on the right) -- you can tell because my ends point out and his are crumpled in.

Once we had a nice stockpile build up, I pan fried a few in some vegetable oil -- SOO GOOD and CRISPY!

Random Childhood story

I've always been a fan of any kind of dumpling.  Korean Mandu, Chinese Pork Buns, Polish Pierogis -- if it's a cute little dough packet with a delicious filling, then it qualifies as one of my favorite foods.

Growing up, my grandparents lived very close to a Catholic church that had very Polish roots.  My paternal grandmother was part Polish -- so she loved this!  Every year, the church would coordinate efforts with the heavily Polish local population to put on a full blown "Polish Festival" to raise money for their church and Catholic School.

This this was the Sh**!!  There were Super sketchy Carnival rides, Polish bands to play Polka non-stop for the whole 3-day festival, a grown-ups only Beer Tent and all your typical carnival foods -- including Caramel Apples, Elephant ears, and funnel cakes.

There was a huge tent with nothing but games -- ring toss, balloon dart pop, bingo, etc... even Texas Hold 'em!  All games cost a quarter or $0.50 and would go towards fundraisers for the school or charity.  If you won a game, you'd get a prize -- Once I even won a GORGEOUS doll!

At the very back of the festival's lot, there was a CANDY TENT!  The entire tent was just display after display of candy -- some pieces were 5 for a penny, others were a quarter each, and the full bars or packs were a dollar or more.  I would save up my money (or beg for allowance) and stock up on candy.  The festival was in August and at times I would still be eating my candy horde well into Halloween season...

The Polish festival was something we looked forward to every year.

The best part was the fact that they had any kind of Polish food you'd like -- Kielbasa, cabbage, and of course PIEROGIS!   That's right -- addition to all the other food stands, you could also get the most delicious, fluffy, crunchy, chewy, cheesy, potatoe-y Pierogi ever!  They always had three kinds -- Potato, Cheese, or Potato & cheese.  You could get individuals or combos and they let you have as much sour cream as you needed.  My favorite were the potato & cheese (why choose right?).

I remember ordering some that were so fresh and hot that I couldn't wait to take a bite!  I burned the crap out of my mouth, but it was worth it.

For this Just for Fun Friday -- I challenge you to either:

(1) Try some MANDU!!  Any local Korean restaurant (worth their weight) will serve these either steamed or pan fried -- try them both and let me know which you prefered!

(2) Make some dumplings!  Any kind of dumplings!  I have found that one common thread through most cultures is their embrace of the dumpling...

What will you do Just for Fun today?  

What's your favorite kind of dumpling?  

Do you have any fun things you like to do with family every year?

Just for Fun Friday #2

Here's a "Just for Fun Friday" fact for you--not all Kim (seaweed dried into sheets) is the same.  

I've tried several types, some Korean and some not and I have to say Korean seaweed is the best!  (Not at all bias...)

Korean Kim just seems flakier and crispier and it's seasoned so it has a burst of flavor and texture in your mouth while you chew it. Other seaweed sheets are tough and flavorless. (I'm looking at you Japanese nori...)

This brand, aptly named A+ Kim, is the bees knees -- and makes these cute individual packs. 

  

Random Childhood story

When I was little, my mom would sometimes make us Kimbap -- Rice rolled up in seaweed sheets with eggs and veggies, and then sliced into little disks of heaven.  Sometime she would make a dipping sauce with soy sauce and hot pepper flakes --  It was the BOMB! 

Sometimes, when I was feeling ravenous and impatient -- my mom wouldn't even go through the added trouble of cutting the Kimbap -- so she'd make a roll up for each one of us kids and we'd walk around outside chewing on our snack.

There used to be a Korean Market right near our house, a long time ago -- when I was maybe 4 or 5.  My mom was friends with the owner/operator so we'd get to go in the back -- where there was a break room/living quarters complete with a fridge, cabinets, and a stove/oven.  On the other side of this massive supply/break room there were huge pallets of bagged rice.  

We'd climb all over them and while we were playing, my mom and her friend would fry up some eggs to make us Kimbap.  Once they fixed this snack, they'd bring us over our plates and we could eat them right there on top of Mt Rice Bag...  It was beyond cool.

Sometimes when I see Kimbap at the market registers, I think of climbing those bags of rice and the crazy fun we'd have imaging we were scaling a tower to take over a castle, or that we'd be the first Point-Five-Koreans to reach the peak of a huge mountain.  Such fun!

For this Just for Fun Friday -- I challenge you to either:

(1) Try some Korean Kim!  You can find it on amazon or go for the A+ KIM from a local Asian Market near you

(2) Recall a favorite game you used to play as a kid -- the more you used your imagination, the better!  Share with a comment/reply.  

What will you do Just for Fun today?  

Do you ever get random flashbacks triggered by something you see, eat, or smell?

Thirsty Thursday #2

Hydrate!  It's Important

For today's Thirsty Thursday, I've researched why proper hydration is so darn important.  Turns out, there are medical reasons, not just sports performance reasons!  SHOCK!  Here's the article that I found and will be referencing throughout.

Your body is made up mostly of water.  On a microscopic level, water is the medium through which cells move, remove waste, process bodily functions, and lubricate joints and themselves.  If you're dehydrated you'll feel it!  Symptoms include little to no urine, dry mouth, headache, confusion, dizziness, and sometimes (like with me) nausea.

If you are already sick with fever or are throwing up, it's extra important to remember to hydrate -- because you're at higher risk for dehydration.  Same for those exercising, pregnant, or trying to lose weight -- so basically everyone ever.

Ok, it's important -- now what?

Drink!!  The article recommends 6 to 8 eight ounce glasses of water a day or what is reasonable for your situation.  If you're a fan of the 21 day fix, you'll remember that the program recommends half your weight in ounces (so 80 ounces for a 160lb person -- that's 10 eight ounce glasses).  

The good news is, you can spice up your water by adding things like fruit, mint, or even a mix of both.  Strawberry slices with mint leaves is banging!

You can also change up what you're drinking entirely and opt for a fruit and vegetable juices, milk, tea, or coffee.  Even some caffeinated drinks can contribute to your overall hydration -- but be aware since these come with a caloric price tag.

Eating soups, veggies, and fruits will keep you moist and is a great "cheat" for those of us that can't fathom drinking constantly throughout the day.

Random Childhood story 

When I was young -- maybe 4 or 5 -- I was really sick.  Throwing up, dizzy, super sleepy, and crazy nauseous.  I couldn't keep anything down and my head was burning up with fever.  Turns out, I was super dehydrated.  My parents had to take me to the ER, in the middle of the night, where they strapped my arms down to a board and put in an IV of fluids.  

Once I was in the ER, I don't really remember much besides waking up and seeing my arms strapped down and calling out for my dad and him not being there.  I panicked and called louder and louder until he came running, red eyes strained with worry and fatigue.  He had literally just stepped out to grab some coffee and use the restroom but had been basically by my side all day.  He felt so bad that I woke when he wasn't there, that even though I fell back asleep he wouldn't leave again.

My mom had to stay home with my sister and little baby brother (who wasn't even walking yet) -- but I could only imagine how scary it was for her.  Before my dad took me to the ER, I remember my mom was super mad.  They were 20 somethings with three kids and to think of an ER bill on top of what I'm sure were stretched resources... *shudder*  poor thing.  

My biggest take away, growing up Point Five Korean, was to drink drink drink after that.  I was terrified that (1) I would get strapped into a bed with a HUGE needle in my arm again and (2) my Korean Mom would be ULTRA PISSED if I was responsible for another ER bill...

Another random fact from this memory -- I got to wear my pink fuzzy slippers to the ER and hold a plastic shopping bag in case of car-vomit.  Even though I'm sure it looked super bad -- I felt basically like a rockstar.  BOOM Pink fuzzy slippers... what you got?  lol!   ^_^

How do you stay hydrated?  

What's your favorite drink?  

Do you have any childhood dehydration/hydration stories??? Please tell me I'm not alone :-/

Just for Fun Friday #1

EatYourKimchi

I was exploring various aspects of Youtube the other day and stumbled across this hilarious Canadian couple -- Simon and Martina -- who moved to Korea and have lived there for nearly a decade.  Their Youtube Channel hosts a collection of videos that capture life and eating in Korea - -amongst other things.

Their dog -- Spudgy -- looks just like my dog Henry!!!  Isn't his little cartoon character cute?

After watching far too many of their food videos, I was seriously craving some great Kimchi Jjigae and dumplings and rice and all of the food!!  Hubby sympathized with me and planned a trip to our local (45 + min away) Korean hot spot.  The plan was to have lunch, go shopping, and get full!  Gotta love the hubby!

For this Just for Fun Friday -- I challenge you to either:

(1) Try some Korean foods if you live near a Korean restaurant -- If you don't do spicy, order Bulgogi (Marinated beef) -- You'll thank me later.  OR

(2) Check out some of the "food porn" on the EatYourKimchi Youtube channel -- then find a Korean restaurant or store near you!

What will you do Just for Fun today?  

Do you follow any Youtube channels?  If so, please share!  I'm late on the Youtube game and am in need of some recommendations!

Why PointFiveKorean??

Anyone thinking, "why Point.Five.Korean"?

I know right!
Okay maybe more like "WTF?" or "WTH?"

It's an inside joke that captures a little bit about me in a way that's just my style.  Is it grammatically correct?  NOPE -- and neither am I!  Is it profound, uber-intellectual, and mysterious?  NOPE -- not that either. What it is, is what I am -- straight to the point with a little humor.

I'm half Korean -- my daddy met my super cute mommy in a little town in South Korean.  They met, fell in love, and BOOM!! Since I'm a numbers fan and math nerd, I see "half Korean" and think 1/2 = 50% = 0.5 Korean... and there you have it, Point.Five.Korean it is.

So where's the inside joke?  Well anytime I'm feeling particularly awesome, I will scream "Point.Five.Korean!!" as if it were a sports broadcaster announcing a winning goal of a Stanley Cup finals hockey game.

Yup -- I've done this more often than I'd like to admit.  Yep. Deal with it ^_^ Thanks for dropping by!


Any of you have crazy inside jokes that won't ever die, no matter what??

Any other Point.Five's out there? 

Leave a comment/reply and let me know  ^_^

Salmon Patties

Made these beauties for dinner tonight. 

 
I always ate these simple Salmon Patties at my grandma's house and she always served them with tomato soup. This meal hit the spot!!

Ingredients

• One large can salmon - if you can, get boneless skinless.  If your store is like mine and didn't have that option, just drain and remove skin and either remove bones or crush them with your fingers or a fork. 
• Two eggs
• 1 cup finely Chopped onion
• Half a sleeve of crackers, crushed & pulverized. 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil - for the pan while cooking
• Tomato soup on the side for dipping. 

Directions:  Heat pan, add oil to lightly coat bottom of pan.  Then mix the salmon, eggs, onion, salt, pepper, and crushed crackers and form patties. Cook until brown and crispy on both sides and cooked through. 
Try it!! It's so good!!! ^_^

What are your favorite recipes for salmon?  

Did your grandma/grandpa/aunt/uncle/etc... have a special signature dish??  

Leave a reply and let me know!