The entitlement factor.

                             
The day I started working out (spinning) again (Friday, January 27th, to be exact), was concluded by a night out with friends, a "hearty" meal (you know you're in for it @ a place called "slaw dogs"), a couple a' glasses of wine, & several bites of ice cream (since we *had to try almost every. single. flavor.).  The following day, my grandma came to stay… & we proceed to eat our way through the weekend.  Monday mornin' came… another grueling spin class.  That night, we all went out for another "hearty" meal.
                    
The next day, I was googling "average spin cost" to justify [to my grandma] my membership cost.

Somehow, I stumbled upon an article entitled:

Bethenny Frankel Says Spinning Classes Make You Fat! Really??

First of all, I am not a 'Real Housewife' fan, so believe it or not- I had no clue who Bethenny is.  But WHAT??  How does working my ass off (literally) make you fat??  So, of course I had to read further.

And although her statement is pretty ridiculous & far-fetched, it actually woke me up- from my mindless-eating-stupor.  The basic premise is this...

High calorie-burning cardio workout = increased appetite = eat whatever you want (post workout) to satisfy said appetite (because you worked out, after all) = more calories inhaled than burned = no weight loss, & potential gain.

If I actually wanted to lose weight, I needed to be conscious of what/how much I was eating... not entitled.  And although it isn't a new concept by any means, it's one that I apparently needed to "re-visit"... & I'm sure glad I did.

Since both of those meals in which I scarfed down post workout involved french fries, I decided to arm myself with a new version- more suitable to ass-burning.  So, without further ado~ this week's tried & true recipe {& a great tip!}...


{this week's recipe isn't actually a new recipe- since we've baked "fries" several times before.  Jillian's version is new [to us] but similar to the ones we usually make... just a little less olive oil, & a higher oven temp.  BUT, the **big tip/secret to getting perfectly crispy fries actually comes from Tyler's oven fries... see below for more...}

roasted russet fries

serves 8

4 large russet potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
a "bit" of salt (kosher or sea salt) & pepper

Preheat the oven to 475.

**Preheat a large baking sheet in the oven for at least 5 minutes.

Cut 1 potato lengthwise into quarters. Cut each quarter lengthwise into 2 to 3 wedges. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl, along with the olive oil, s&p and toss gently until thoroughly coated.

Dump them onto the hot baking sheet, spreading them into a single layer.

Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping once midway through, until the potatoes are cooked through, brown and crispy. 
                       
*COOK'S NOTES
  • When you check the fries and flip them midway through, get a feel for how fast they are cooking and finish accordingly (depends on your oven & the size of the potato/cut).
  • The ones in the photo above were peeled- & cooked at a lower temp... I had to return Jillian's book to the library and went by memory!
  • In case you're wondering, I did end up ordering the book (borrowing it & using it for a few weeks showed us that it was in fact worth yet another cookbook purchase).
                    
We're all entitled to a little healthy indulgence :).
                     

13 comments:

  1. I like the post. I also like the recipe. I need to look into this Jillian book. I have hypothyroidism so always feel like I fall victim to my metabolism and am no in control. Carrie is emailing me with more details on the diet she mentioned, so I'm going to look into that too. But I don't know if I could give up a lot of the things that one asks you too.

    But Yay for spinning! And Yay for careful eating. I made a lower cal peanut butter dip that is high protein as my recovery snack yesterday and ate it with an apple. It was yum. It was 1tbsp pb and 2 tbsp nonfat greek yogurt. It mixed so well together.

    I'm also doing the Self and Tone it up drop 10 challenge to supplement my cardio classes and running.

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    Replies
    1. according to the recipes that you've recently posted, i think you're off to a fantastic start in the "healthy eating" department. we use jillian's cookbook as a guideline, but it's been more about what we can *add-in (to replace/supplement/accompany) than what we have to give up... products that we may not typically cook with, ones that are completely new to us (i.e. coconut oil, coconut milk- in carton, not canned, white whole wheat flour) altogether, or ones that we've had in our repertoire in the past but have gotten away from (i.e. various whole grains- bulgar, pearl barley, agave). it's nice to have new products (and old) to keep it interesting, to have a large variety to choose from... makes me feel more empowered and less restricted :). (and items like maple syrup, honey, olive oil/coconut oil, nuts... are okay and recommended even! -in moderation of course)

      yes- yay for spinning! went this morning after leg training yesterday... pretty tough. but came home to a recovery snack of greek yogurt, a bit of honey, and quinoa crunch (one of the recipes) :)! that pb snack sounds wonderful! definitely going to try that.

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  2. So true. It can take an hour to work off 500 calories but approximately 5 seconds to consume them!

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  3. Those actually sound tastier than fried fries!

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  4. I think it's always a tough balance to strike. When we work out hard, our bodies (might) need extra protein, but it's all about smart choices on what you eat. Healthy food, smart choices. And in the end, 1lb=3500 cal. So even if you burn a bunch, you have to be negative 3500 cals in a week to lose a pound. I agree with the idea that some people work out and then over eat because they feel they have 'earned' it...it's a hard habit to break for lots of people. Weight loss is such a tough road. You know I struggle with it. And after this week of spring break eating....oh my god!!!! And I start Insanity this weekend. Ouch. It's going to hurt!

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  5. O.k. I think you are my little angel sitting on my shoulder encouraging me to get back to the gym. It's been almost a year since I've taken a spin class and I am just tired of feeling physically weak. Now it's just a matter of making it a priority and finding/making the time.

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  6. I. LOVE. CARMELA'S! Awww I wish you called me up, love Slaw Dogs too! :) Love Tyler's oven fries and I tried your quinoa crunch--I'm obsesseddd now! Thanks!!

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  7. I LOVE baked fries! In fact, I think we're making them tonight :) I'm going to need to look into that cookbook.

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  8. Hey, I saw your butt yesterday and you look lovely. :) We can encourage each other in our new healthy endeavors.

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    Replies
    1. why thank you!! (best compliment i've received all week... or year :))

      yes- definitely need to encourage one another.

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  9. this reminds me of this mass email my mother in law sent the other day. I am just going to cut and paste, is this ok?

    Check your shampoo bottle label.

    I don't know WHY I didn't figure this out sooner!!!!
    It's the shampoo I use in the shower!
    When I wash my hair, the shampoo runs down my whole body
    and (duh!) printed very clearly on the shampoo label is this warning.

    FOR EXTRA VOLUME AND BODY!

    NO wonder I have been gaining weight!!!
    Well! I have gotten rid of that shampoo and I am going to start
    using Dawn dish soap instead. Their label reads,

    DISSOLVES FAT THAT IS OTHERWISE DIFFICULT TO REMOVE.

    Problem Solved!!!

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    Replies
    1. omg... this is so funny. love it!! (and seriously- "cut and paste" annnnytime you want :))

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