Edamame & Pear Crostini

Today was weigh in day...239.4  Looking good so far. Down 51 lbs with WeightWatchers and 62 since last July. When I sit here and think about it last year at this time I was tipping the scale at 301. WOW it really makes me think as to why did I let myself get like that. In high school i weighed around 200 and in college I was 225, but I was active, I played sports went to the gym in the mornings and was generally busy. I know you hear it all the time people get out of school and sit at a desk job, quit playing sports, find excuses to not go to the gym. Why sweat when I don't have to.

Last July after telling my wife for the 100th time that I'm going to go on a diet or I'm going to really try now, I finally did it. I remember the day that I decided. It was Sunday that I decided that Tuesday will be the day I start my new healthy lifestyle. I had tried to start a few months/weeks before but I did not have my mind right on this. So that Sunday I thought to myself I will start on Tuesday. The one thing I LOVE IS MONICALS PIZZA. It just so happens that Mondays are fresh pizza all you can eat night at our local monicals. I know I know don't deprive yourself BUT this is my last supper kinda thing. So that Monday we went to monicals for dinner with some friends and I had a Large Pepperoni pizza all to myself. I did good all day with the foods but this was it my last i don't give a shit meal so to say lol. Afterwards I never told anyone didn't mention that I was going to put 100% into this just kind of did it on my own and soon people started to notice me losing the weight.

Mixed emotions really, I am extremely happy for the weight loss and the overall feeling I have. Less back pain when I wake up in the morning to being able to actually run a few miles not without having to stop or crawl  back to the house. Its hard in the fact that you still see yourself as the big boned kid. The one that never got over the insecurity of being big. People say oh get over it, its not that hard. Mind you those are the same people that never dealt with being big. It does take some time to get used to, it takes time believe it or not to take compliments or to be able to share how you have done it. It is a emotional roller coaster, not meaning i physically show it but in my own mind (scary I know) I still feel like its not enough. If one week I gain 3 lbs and I worked my butt off kinda makes you think why try anymore, then there are times when you go in and you lose 4 lbs and think man I didn't do anything to deserve that result. I have learned to take it day by day and broke it down to meal by meal. Just because I mess up one meal does not meat I will mess up my next meal or write the whole day off. I try to better myself with the next one.

I have a GREAT support group (My wife Alison who I can not thank enough for helping me stick to my goals, my friend Melanie who started ww with me and is doing a fantastic job as well, and my Family, my Thursday morning WW group and an awesome WW Leader Beth)

a quote people say "Skinny never tasted so good" always makes me kinda of laugh and say in my head yea well skinny never had a birthday cake blizzard did they. :) ha but it is a great quote. Another that I have come to love is "You can't beat somebody that never gives up" 

until next weigh in Shawn T and I have a date for some more INSANITY.

Edamame & Pear Crostini

Servings: 30

Serving Size: 1 crostini

Calories: 62

Fat: 3.3 g

Carbs: 5.3 g

Fiber: 1.1 g

Protein: 2.9 g

Old Points: 1.3 pts

Points+: 2 pts

Ingredients

1 (16 oz) bag frozen shelled edamame

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 (12 oz) baguette, thinly sliced

1-2 Bartlett pears, peeled and diced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Cook adamame in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place in ice water.  Drain and set aside 1/4 cup whole edamame, process the remainder in a food processor until coarsely chopped.  Combine mashed edamame with reserved whole edamame, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 cup mint, cheese, salt and pepper.

Place baguette slices on a baking sheet, brush lightly with remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and bake for 10 minutes.  Top each baguette slice with 1 tablespoon edamame mixture and 2 teaspoons of chopped pear.  Garnish with additional mint, if desired.  Enjoy!