Author: Victoria Elizabeth

Victoria Elizabeth http://www.victoriaelizabethann.com Bubbly and enthusiastic, I am a lover of all things pink. My writing style is as eclectic as my personal library, so you'll see everything from dark poetry to light-hearted short stories posted in my portfolio.

Quick and Easy Crockpot Paleo Chicken

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A quick and easy recipe for Paleo-on-the-run!

Ingredients:

  • One pound organic, farm-raised chicken breasts.
  • One jar (16 oz) organic salsa. (I do the SPICY kind!)
  • One large yellow onion, chopped.
  • One large green bell pepper, chopped.
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions.
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro.
  • 1/4 cup chili powder.
  • The juice of two limes.
That is one of the biggest onions I've ever seen. It must weigh two pounds.

That is one of the biggest onions I’ve ever seen. It must weigh two pounds.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in your crockpot. If the salsa doesn’t fully cover the meat, add a cup of water and an additional tablespoon of chili powder to ensure the meat and veggies are submerged.

I put my crockpot on high and let it cook for about three hours. The other option is to put it on low and let it cook all day, but I’ve discovered it has a tendency to get saltier that way (cooks down all of the water). If you need to cook it all day, consider adding extra water and use a low-sodium/no salt added salsa & spice mix.

Chili Powder

Chili Powder (Photo credit: artizone)

Serve with Paleo wraps (Julian Bakery makes them – a bit expensive, but convenient!) or over cauliflower rice!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Slipped

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I didn’t post my Weigh-in Wednesday update yesterday. You may or may not have noticed.

Why?

I slipped.

I went on a binge for the first time in several weeks.

Yes, I’ve over-eaten junk food several times in the past month, but I’d always maintained control. I stopped myself. I splurged and then regained composure.

Last night, I didn’t stop.

Screen Shot 2013-12-05 at 11.30.57 AM

I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t stop.

I started innocently. Healthy. A piece of salmon. Some cheese.

Then beer. Chips. Cookies. Chocolate.

I couldn’t stop shoving food into my mouth. My stomach growled, my brain roared. My husband came home during the middle of my binge. Normally, that snaps me out of it.

This time, I kept eating.

He asked me if I was hungry.

“No.”

He asked me why I kept eating if I wasn’t hungry.

“I don’t know.”

He suggested I eat some baby carrots – they would fill me up and I wouldn’t feel guilty.

I went into the bathroom to shove cookies into my mouth.

I finally stopped around midnight, not because I was full, but because I had run out of accessible junk food. The only options left were apples, carrots, celery … not the satisfaction you want during an episode.

My husband, confused (and likely disgusted), took our puppies for a walk while I sulked on the couch. When I was sure he was gone, I slipped into the medicine cabinet and pulled out my hidden supply of laxatives. I’ve told him, and everyone else, that I don’t buy them anymore.

(There is a box hidden in my car. Another in the kitchen.)

One pill? Three?

FIFTEEN.

Fifteen small, pink pills. Fifteen guarantees of pain, of redemption. Fifteen annular gifts, each promising to purge my stomach and my soul.

The pain this morning was unbearable. Knife in the stomach, tearing a burning path into my lower intestines. Cramps, exaggerated by dehydration, crippled my abdomen. It feels as if you’re slowly digesting a belly full of razor blades. You can feel the acid churning.

I sat in a hot bath at 4:30 in the morning. I prayed, vows of lies and false promises.

“God, if you make this pain go away, I promise I won’t binge again.”

“I swear I’ll throw the box of laxatives away.”

“I will start fresh tomorrow. I will eat right. I will exercise. I will take care of myself.”

“I promise to love the body you’ve given me.”

Each lie, greater than the last.

The pain subsided, a combination of warm water and 800 mg of ibuprofen, and I climbed back into bed, damp and despondent.

My husband slept, my puppies snored, and I cried.

It wasn’t until 8am that the true effect of the pills kicked in and, despite the previous hours of suffering, I couldn’t help but smile when the scale consigned a loss.

Laxatives: 1, Scale: 0

Self-Esteem: -1,000,000.

~ Tori

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Holidays vs. Will Power

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York Peppermint Pattie

OK, I still plan to post my “Weigh-In Wednesday” segment later today, but I needed to take a moment to vent (scream) about my severe lack of control the past two weeks with regards to candy.

I have literally been consuming 50% of my daily calories in the form of sugary, processed treats. While delicious, this is a HORRIBLE habit and one that I thought I had broken many months back. Unfortunately, thanks to the over-preparation of many of my colleagues for Halloween visitors, there has been a surplus of “fun-size” and “minis” floating around my office that would make any dentist cringe (or celebrate, depending on their excitement on the profits from potential cavity fillings).

Yesterday alone, I had 2 mini milk chocolate Hershey bars, a mini Butterfinger, 2 mini York peppermint patties, and 2 fun-size bags of mini Reese’s peanut butter cups. Yeaaaaaaah. Over 500 calories of pure JUNK!

English: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Minis.

So, what’s the solution? How do I break this trend?

I’m consuming over 2,500 calories per week in pure candy (probably closer to 5,000, to be brutally honest), which is resulting in an utter stand-still in my weight loss and the cancellation of my sweat-filled workouts.

I can’t stop. Candy has become crack. How do I break through this bad habit?

How do people maintain their will power through the holiday temptations?

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

~ Tori

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Wednesday Weigh-in, Week Two (A Day Late!)

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Whooooops!

Even though I remembered to take a photo and weigh myself yesterday, I absolutely forgot to post my details. Wow, only two weeks into this new habit and I’m already missing due dates. Ha!

I blame the holidays. I spent the day with my family only to come home to house guests, so it was a hectic (but fun) day!

I'm trying to wear the same outfit for every weigh-in photo so you can see the small nuances and changes to my body.

I’m trying to wear the same outfit for every weigh-in photo so you can see the small nuances and changes to my body.

 

Weight: 134.0

(This actually upsets me, as I had gone down to 129.8 on Friday of last week, but I had a feeling that was due to dehydration… oh well.)

Waist/Thighs: unknown.

(My husband misplaced my measuring tape.)

I’m concerned that I’m going to take a major step back with today’s Thanksgiving eating, so I’m planning to go for a long run and get a workout in before I gorge on all of the good stuff. Hopefully I can make it to next week’s weigh-in without too much damage!

On that note, friends, it’s time to gobble ’til you wobble!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

 

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Tangible Success!

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OK, I know I have a tendency to stress out over the scale and that my weight naturally fluctuates as a result of being a woman, not due to sporadic efforts on my part.

With that in mind, I try to measure my success based on meeting certain goals.

In this case, it was a pair of size four jeans.

While a little snug (they are skinny jeans, after all), I am formally wearing size four jeans at both Express and Old Navy. I’m a solid five at Target and I only wear a six in Lucky Brand due to my wider hips (they don’t seem to like those bones for some reason). Even at the infamous Forever 21, I’m wearing their size 26-27 jeans and their dresses (mostly) in a small.

Regardless of what the scale says this Wednesday, I feel like I’m seeing success (finally).

And seeing is believing!

Bon appetit, my friends!

Tori

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Weigh-In Wednesday: Week One

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OK. Here goes.

Absolute transparency in the hopes it keeps me accountable.

weigh in 11.20.2013

Physical Concerns:

  • Stomach: it’s always the first area of my body to show my lack of regimen. If I gain an ounce, it shows up on my stomach.
  • Thighs: specifically, my left thigh, which is chubbier than my right. This picture accentuates it.
  • Upper Arms: no matter how many push-ups I do, I can’t seem to get my biceps lean and toned.

Today’s Weight: 135.0 (yup, it’s up)

Waist: 28.5″ (taken at the belly button)

Left Thigh: 21.75″

Right Thigh: 22″

I figured I should outline my goals here, since I’m going to post this weekly.

Goals:

  • Weight: 120-125
  • Waist: 26″ (or less)
  • Left Thigh: 19.5″
  • Right Thigh: 19.5″

Whew. This was harder than I expected it to be. It’s one thing to post my weight, another to post a picture – posting my weight, picture, and measurements all in one transparent parade is rather confounding. Fortunately, knowing that I have to do this again next week already has me thinking about the steps that I can take to make sure I’m healthy this weekend (so I show positive results next week).

Wish me luck!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

A New Feature to the Blog: Weigh-In Wednesdays

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As I mentioned this weekend, I’ve really been bad lately with my diet and, as a result, my weight is up. I went from 130.6 just three weeks ago to a whopping 138 on Sunday morning when I stumbled onto the scale (after a weekend of gorging and excess). Since Halloween, I’ve really been letting myself just eat whatever I want (while still exercising 4-5 days per week) and I’ve learned that I just can’t get away with that with my body.

Unlike the rest of the world, I cannot exercise and eat what I want.

I will gain weight. FAST.

It’s unfair, but it’s the body I was given. I have to make the best of it. Awareness is the answer.

As part of an effort to hold myself more accountable, I’m going to publicly post my stats every Wednesday as well as a new (quasi-revealing) picture to show the progression of my body.

Starting tonight, I will post the following every Wednesday:

  • My weight (as taken in the morning)
  • My waist circumference
  • Left & right thigh circumference
  • A full body photo (shorts/sports bra)

I’ve been very regimented this week so far – a big thanks to MyFitnessPal & GymPact for keeping me honest with myself – and I went into the week with far more meal-planning than I had previously, so I’ve managed to keep my food intake in check and the scale is slowly creeping down.

Tonight, after work, I’ll be posting my first “Weigh-In Wednesday” and I hope that all of you can help to keep me encouraged, motivated, and accountable to my goals.

On that note, please watch for a post later this evening and, as always, bon appetit!

~ Tori

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Paleo Italiano Chicken Burgers!

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Today’s lunch!

As I mentioned yesterday, I did quite a bit of prep-cooking for the week to help me get back on track. One of the meals I made ahead of time were these Paleo Italiano Chicken Burgers! Super simple and perfect for reheating during the week.

Super Simple Ingredients:

  • 1 lb organic ground chicken
  • 1/4 cup diced, sun dried tomatoes
  • 5 button mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 tbsp chopped, fresh basil (dried basil works, as well, but the flavor isn’t as intense)
  • 1/3 cup of Daiya mozzarella cheese alternative
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp ground black pepper
  • 1 raw egg
  • 2-4 tbsp tapioca flour

Easy-Peasy Prep:

  • Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl and kneed together. The egg and flour will help the chicken, which is always more moist than beef, stick together and form patties. I start with 2 tbsp of flour and increase, as necessary, if my patties aren’t holding together.
  • This makes four generous patties, which you can keep thick (juicier!) or flatten out for quick cooking.

My husband threw these on the grill (medium heat) for about five minutes each side. They came out PERFECT!

I’m having one of these patties (roughly 275 calories) along with leftover boiled Brussels Sprouts for lunch today at work!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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TexMex Paleo Burger Recipe

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I’ve been awful with my diet recently, mainly because I haven’t been prepping and planning my meals the way I normally do. As a result, my weight has crept up a bit and I’ve decided to host an intervention for myself – I’m planning out recipes for the week.

Since I always have a craving for greasy Mexican food, I decided to create a simple recipe that includes all of the flavors I love but is quick to throw together and doesn’t require cooking effort beyond throwing it on the grill.

I introduce – the TexMex Paleo Burger!

They even look beautiful raw!

They even look beautiful raw!

Super Simple Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lbs extra lean ground beef. (Grass-fed, if you’re strict Paleo)
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 4 tbsp chili powder (less if you don’t like it spicy)
  • 6 button mushrooms, chopped small
  • 4 tbsp dried onion flakes
  • 1 raw egg
  • 1/4 cup tapioca flour (coconut flour works, as well, but you may need to add a tiny bit of water)
  • 1/3 cup of Daiya (non-dairy, non-soy) cheese alternative. I used sharp cheddar, but they have a Pepper Jack version that would be great, too!

Simple Preparation:

In a giant mixing bowl, start with your ground beef. In my case, I add all of the spices and mushrooms first, then hand mix by folding it together on itself a few times. Once that’s formed into a very thick mix, I add the cheese, raw egg, and tapioca flour. This helps it all to stick together and form solid patties.

As you can see, I form very generous-sized patties – each is probably 7-8 ounces.

The BEST WAY to cook a burger is always going to be on the grill: about 5 minutes on each side with this thickness if you’re cooking it on a medium heat. If you must pan fry, keep the temperature low so that they cook all the way through.

Personally, I like making my burgers at least 4-6 hours before I plan to cook them, as I think the flavor intensifies as they sit in the fridge. Also, letting them chill in the fridge seems to help them hold when cooked. If they hit the grill at room temperature, they seem more likely to break apart.

The finished product!

The finished product!

I’ll be posting more recipes this week, as I’m spending my Sunday prepping for a week of healthy, clean, Paleo eating!

On that note, bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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Hungry, Hungry Hippo!

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I am a junkie of the Huffington Post. I have a tendency to start my morning on a reading binge, going through about a dozen articles (via my cell phone) within the first thirty minutes of waking up. Half-asleep and attempting to brush my teeth, I scroll through the pages as quickly as my groggy eyes can read them.

While I’m often consuming articles on trending news or world wide events, most of my reading consists of the Healthy Living section: diets, workouts, and nutritional advice.

One article, specifically, caught my eye today:

9 Sneaky Reasons You’re Ravenously Hungry

Today’s article really struck home, as I struggle with the voracity of my appetite most days of the week.

Seriously, if I allowed myself, I could consume THOUSANDS of calories at every meal and still have room for more. Perhaps it’s the remnants of my bigger days, but I can put away food with the best of them.

My dream job... if calories didn't count.

My dream job… if calories didn’t count.

In reading these tips, I feel like I need to smack my forehead a few times. I know these rules, but I don’t adhere to them. I’m horrible about skipping breakfast (coffee counts, no?) and I’m horrible about mindless munching.

Take, for example, this morning:

Since it’s a Monday, I decided to start the day with a healthy breakfast – four turkey sausage patties.

220 calories, 26 grams of protein, and all natural ingredients. Good job, right?

Yeaaaaaah!

Then I got to work.

Four rice cakes (NOT PALEO!) topped with sunflower nut butter (yum!) and raw wildflower honey and I’ve consumed double the calories of my breakfast in just minutes. And it’s not even lunch time yet!

WHOOPS.

I guess I’m just a hungry, hungry hippo today.

I'm the pink one, of course.

I’m the pink one, of course.

Fortunately, it’s still early in the day, I have a healthy lunch packed, and I plan to hit the gym extra hard this evening – both to burn off stress and the excess calories. I’m glad I read this article this morning, as it brought me back to a point of awareness. Most of my dieting failures are the result of complacency – I stop paying attention. Being aware of what you point into your body is just as important as working out and far more important than the numbers on the scale.

So kudos to HuffPost for reminding me to be aware! I needed that today!

On that note, it’s time for this hungry, hungry hippo to get some work done. Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

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