Posts by amilojev

It really depends on what kind of tofu you get.  In most mega-markets it comes in two varieties:  soft and firm (my grocery store also carries extra firm)

Soft tofu is also called silken tofu.  It is very soft, always gooey in texture and falls apart easily (sounds like that's what you got).  It is often mixed with fruit and some liquid to create a smoothie (I'm not a huge smoothie fan)

Firm (or extra firm, which I prefer) usually comes in a solid block.  While it can break apart easily, it is *not* gooey, think more easily crumbly.  Even this is kind of gross in the packaging, with all the viscous liquid surrounding it.  The best way to get rid of any of the gooey plastic issues you are having is to press a bunch of the water out.  Even though it is firm, it still holds a significant amount of water.  Slice it evenly, wrap in paper towels or a clean tea towel, lay out and place a cookie sheet on top with some weight (a few cans of tomatoes works for me) and let them sit for ~30 minutes.  Then I marinade them for ~15 in balsamic, worschesire, garlic, and spices, pat them dry and cook in a little olive oil for ~3 minutes per side until golden brown and delicious

Tofu is an awesome source of protein and ounce for ounce of protein, the cheapest source out there (stolen from my favorite cooking show, Good Eats).  Often when faced with an ingredient I want to start using more but aren't sure how, I go to foodnetwork.com or cookinglight.com and search for recipes

Sorry to be so long winded.  Hope that help

New York and Company is my absolute favorite store of all time!  They carry a wide range of sizes and awesome clothes (esp since they have pretty good sales in between seasons). 

Feeling fat in certain mall stores is something I think a lot of people have been through, so you are certainly not alone.  Finding stores that fit your lifestyle (ie. more professional and grown up looking clothes verses the size two party clothes a lot of stores carry) is much easier than fitting yourself into some strangely conceived notion of thinness and beauty.

Try to enjoy yourself next time you end up at the mall!

LOL!  Did you work in the same restaurant I did?  Crazy how waitressing seems to be the same no matter where.

Honestly, I gained some weight waiting tables.  I guess if I were you I would try to stay busy constantly.  There are always people who need water, even if they aren't your table.  Keeps you moving, which I totally think of as exercise. 

Good luck, hope those tips are rolling in this weekend

I also get a ton of fiber (way more than necessary) and I only go once a day, sometimes twice.  You are definitely in the norm

To me, eggs just aren't the same if they aren't yellow.  My problem is that I could eat 6 or 8 scrambled eggs and not think a thing of it.  So I usually do two whole eggs and two egg whites, it looks like a lot of food (high volume) but eliminating the two yolks cuts down the calories.

And no, I don't waste the yolks! (most of the time at least). I freeze them until I have amassed 8 or so yolks and make a few batches of creme brulee (my favorite guilty pleasure) and have friends over for dinner so I can divy them up and eat just one

I actually like to buy fresh beets and roast them.  Cut the tops off of the beets (save them).  Take a paring knife and slice the outside of the beet off along with 1/8 inch or so of the pulp (the part right against the skin tends to be a little tough).  Then chop it in to chunks, I don't know, an inch cubed.  Toss with some olive oil and roast at 425 degrees for 30-45 minutes.  They are finished when you can run your knife through them without much resistance.

I like the tops of the beets more.  Clean them and dry them off as best you can.  Cook several cloves of garlic in some olive oil in the biggest pan you have and toss in the beet greens with a little salt.  Saute until wilted and cooked through, 5-8 minutes.  Enjoy

I love fried catfish.  I dip mine in flour, then egg white, and then a combination of corn meal, chili powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  The spices are just enough to give it a kick.  And yes, I will occasionally indulge in the fried stuff (maybe twice a year at home and if I'm at some hole in the wall dive place where the fried fish smells phenomenal), but usually I will bread it as above and then place it on a wire rack (the kind you cool cookies on), put that above a sheet pan, and then roast the breaded fish at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes (depending on how think, how large the pieces, etc).  It's no deep fried goodness, but it's pretty darn good if I may say so myself

I get a really tight feeling in back (not a knee, I know, but it sounds like a similar weird pain) when I jog.  I started doing yoga a few times a week in december and since I've put more emphasis on stretching, I don't get the stiffness when I run.  It may just be a coincidental overlap, but maybe warming up on the treadmill for 5 minutes, stopping to stretch and then going again will help.

Sorry to hear about your pain

My podiatrist told me to sterilize a needle (put it in the flame of a lighter or something for 20-30 seconds), rinse it with rubbing alcohol and put a single hole in the blister, drain it as best you can without pressing on it too hard, then clean it again with rubbing alcohol and put a nice big band aid on it.  I know they are painful, good luck!

While I am as obsessive as the next person, I make a really big effort to count calories during all my meals, rarely eat lunch out with my colleauges, etc but when my husband and I go out to dinner (maybe once a week) I have no qualms about getting whatever I want.  I believe that we should have all things in moderation and if we go to a nice steak house on a saturday night, I am going to have a medium rare sirloin (which, coincidentally, is about one of the leanest cuts of beef you can get in most restaurants)

While I am not a fan of coconut doughnut toppings (keep it basic and glazed for me, thanks) I do agree that you should eat a brownie once in a while, log it in and shave back a few calories for the next day or two.  Especially iced brownies, talk about doubly awesome

Your grocery list is SO organized!  I am jealous, I usually throw together a makeshift list while standing in front of the refrigerator before going to the store and always forget something.  First and foremost on my list is skim milk!  My husband and I go through several gallons a week (with no kids).  For lunch I really love the Flatout tortilla wraps.  My store has them on a little shelf in front of the deli counter.  They are really big wraps, only 90 calories each and ~ 6g fiber.  Then I'll fill it with whatever I happen to have laying around, either some hummus and turkey or leftover stir fry from the night before.

Have fun grocery shopping

I also ate way too much pizza, wine, and alfredo this past weekend and when I stepped on the scale at the gym last night, I had gained FOUR POUNDS since friday.  I know most of it is water weight or temporarily gained weight.  I try to keep my calories between 1700 and 1800, but if I majorly binge I will cut down to 1400 to 1500 for two or three days.  And drink more water (and coffee, which probably doesn't help)

Best of luck with your week (ugh, it's only tuesday too)

When I first started I spent a lot of time doing that, but now that I've done it for 3 months it's not so bad.  Some times when I get to work I will immediately log breakfast and then "prelog" what I am going to eat for lunch, since it's packed and I know what I a going to eat (it's a nice break from checking my email).  Then in the evenings, all I have to do is log my gym activity and what I had for dinner.

The food log has definitely helped me keep my eating in check.  I have always eaten very healthily, but used to eat a lot of it!  Keep with it and I know it will get easier

I also remember failing a few biochem tests in college (if its any help, I was a chem major, got a C in biochem and four years later I am about to finish my PhD in chemistry, trust me, no one cares about biochemistry except those in that field, lol).  My problem is not eating when I am stressed, but drinking when I am stressed, which is way more calories.  I put on a lot of weight my first few years of grad school but about a year ago I made a conscious decision to stop drinking (well, a lot, lot less) and I have lost a lot of weight since then.  I have also made it a point to go to the gym more often, and I think that has helped too.

Good luck the rest of your semester, it's gotta be close to the end!