While Brett and I were going through paperwork the other day, I came across a photo of our family taken in December 2015 at luau. We’d been here about a year and a half, and the girls and Brett all had nice tans while I was still the color of a pale pink shell. I was also quite a bit larger than I am now, but back then I wasn’t walking five to six days each week and I definitely wasn’t counting calories.
I am terrified of gaining back the pounds I’ve lost and kept off once we begin traveling again. I like the way I feel now, and the way my clothes fit, but wonder if I will be able to maintain the same level of exercise and keep track of the calories we consume. Brett and I have been having a bit of fun talking about what sorts of things we can eat for our meals that will help us maintain our current shape. For example, we know eating a croissant, pain au raisins, or scones and jam every morning is definitely not the way to go but having them once or twice a week will be okay. We can share a sandwich at lunch instead of each having our own, or a bowl of soup or have a small amount of cheese and fruit. Whatever we do it’s going to require effort and discipline on our part because there will be so, so many tasty options. We’re confident we will figure it out – we’ve come too far not to – but there still remain so many unknowns right now.
We continued to use up what was in the freezer last week, but picked up more produce at Costco (cucumbers, artichokes, and butternut squash) and a couple of vegan/vegetarian entrees at Walmart. We will be our last Big Shop before our daughters arrive next Tuesday, but the focus next time will be on getting things they love to eat and want me to fix for them.
Sunday: Butternut squash ravioli with pesto; roasted zucchini
Monday: Coconut squash dal; steamed rice; Indian-spiced coleslaw
Tuesday: Pasta with plant-based ‘meat’ sauce; steamed artichoke
Wednesday: Chick’n patty sandwiches; onion rings; cherry tomatoes
Thursday: Tikka masala mini pizzas with roasted butternut squash & feta cheese
Friday: Plant-based chick’n pot pie; roasted butternut squash
Saturday: Vegetable fried rice
We ate pumpkin pie all last week, but finished last night. We’re having cream puffs tonight and tomorrow we will begin a lemon meringue pie which will take us all through this week. We’ll have the last of the cream puffs when the pie is done and then be ready for the girls’ arrival and some new desserts. We’re hoping to pick up a Costco’s chocolate cake for them because they love it (and it’s a dessert I can pass on as it’s too rich for me).
Walmart had vegetarian entrees that have either been out of stock for a while (pot pies) and and one we haven’t seen before (enchiladas). The vegetarian potstickers were a new item at Costco – they’re very good. Everything else we’re having this next week will get a lot more out of the freezer. We liked the tikka masala and squash pizzas so much last week that we’re going to have them again this week as well.
- Vegetable yakisoba
- Vegan chili dogs
- Tikka masala pizzas with roasted squash & feta
- Baked ziti casserole
- Vegetable enchiladas
- Vegetable potstickers
- Be’f pot pie
After all the beautiful weather preceding this last week, we were due for some rain and it arrived! We somehow slipped in a walk between storms on Monday. It looked great when we arrived, but as we turned around we noticed a beautiful rainbow fronting a huge, dark bank of clouds – oh oh. We took a detour through the woods, and when we came out the clouds were gone, headed off in another direction! We headed out again on the Pavilion path, but noticed another rainbow leading another bank of clouds our way, this time from another direction. We walked fast and got around the loop and back to the car before the rain arrived.
Starting counter-clockwise from the top left: Monday’s walk.
On Tuesday we shopped, and for some reason this past week I ended more tired than any walk up at the park! I think it was because Costco had moved so many things so we were circling the aisles looking for items on our list, with the same happening at Walmart (our total was two and half miles combined through the two stores). Thursday it rained all day and Friday started out equally gloomy, but was glorious, if a bit cool, in the afternoon. Saturday weather was questionable, very cold (for Hawaii) and with rain threatening all afternoon, so we stayed home. This week’s weather has been a roller coaster but we walked when we could and watched our calories on the days we couldn’t.
The Occasional Nomads 
Now I am craving a pot pie, and a rainbow!
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These are Marie Calendar vegan pot pies! We had one earlier and it was amazingly good, so when they showed up again last week we snapped up some more. Comfort food at its best!
Rainbows in Hawaii come both before and after rain. If one is in front of clouds, look out – you’re probably going to get wet. The ones after the rain are wonderful though, and usually big and beautiful here.
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Good to know! Thank you for the info on both pot pies (Marie Calendar, who knew?) and beautiful rainbows!
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I am thinking that Mother Nature had a good laugh at you scurrying around to avoid the rain! I never knew rainbows could come before rain- I’ve never seen that in Midwest US. I guess ai always liked rainbows because to me they meant storm’s over and sunshine coming.
I continue to be curious about how little protein it sounds like you’re eating, but probably I’m misunderstanding about the pot pies, rice, pasta. I know if I eat too many carbs without significant protein at the same time, I feel tired, weak, sweaty, and shaky. But I’m not your Mom or your nutritionist! There’s nothing like looking at photos to see how successful (or not) our food choices are!
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Until I lived in Hawaii, rainbows always came after a storm, never before. It took a while for me to catch on here, but we get them both before and after! Before clouds is not a good omen though and the clouds behind a rainbow are to be watched carefully to see which direction they’re going.
MyFitnessPal always includes daily macros at the bottom of each daily food diary, and so far I seem to be getting enough protein and other macros. If I’m over on something, I cut back and/or make adjustment. We eat carbs but very little – when you see a picture with rice on my plate that’s only 1/4 cup (except for fried rice – I eat 1 cup when we have that) and whatever I’m eating with it includes protein; with pasta I only eat 1/2 cup for a serving. Other than things like a hamburger or hot dog roll, I only eat one slice of bread – no big sandwiches (I can go through a whole week without eating bread though). Most of my carbs come from the small dessert we enjoy each day. Things like pot pies are a treat (but still include protein from a plant-based chicken substitute). Anyway, according to MyFitnessPal I am getting enough protein every day for my weight and age, because there’s also protein included in my breakfast, lunch, and planned snacks. Americans tend to overeat protein. I know I did before I gave up meat, and sometimes a smaller amount doesn’t seem like enough or that it’s being overwhelmed by carbs.
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Reading about the extreme weather in Hawaii and thinking of you. Instantly thought of your fully stocked refrigerator. Sending positive thoughts that your power remains on.
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Thank you for your concern, Carol. Yesterday’s rain was epic – it was raining hard when we woke up and still raining hard when we went to bed late last night. It never stopped, but no power outages here thankfully. There’s been n rain so far this morning, but it’s still overcast, and more rain is expected through tomorrow. We’re grateful our apartment is elevated off the street!
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