New Year, New Goals!

Another year, another set of goals.





I don't love New Year's Resolutions. I like to make goals all the time, so what makes New Year's Resolutions so special?!?



But in the tradition I will outline my goals for this year :

1) To stay the course on this path of healthly living.


2) Make better food choices.


3) Rebounding faster when I don't make good choices.


4) Make exercise more a part of my life.





Good luck to all those on a path to healthier living.





Happy New Year!!!

Merry Christmas

I just wanted to wish all a very Merry Christmas!!!!

I haven't been watching what I eat. It seems so futile over the holidays. We did go for a long walk on Saturday and we have more long walks planned for today and hopefully tomorrow. So I'm already gearing up for Shannon's Easter Challenge. I won't be try to lose weight, but I will be trying to exercise 30 mins, 4 times a week.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and here is hoping you are always on Santa's NICE LIST.

Peeking out

Hello all! I finally feel like I can peek out over my desk and blog a little.

The Holiday season by nature is so busy, but work has made mine that much busier.

Finally it is slowing down and I can take blogging break. I have been able to keep up with some blogs but just haven't had the time to sit down myself and share.

Food and I haven't been friendly these days. I haven't been paying attention to eating the good stuff and have been giving in to the bad stuff. I haven't been walking either (maybe this is confession time too).

I have come to realize more and more I am a stress eater. Get busy, get to eating. My weight this week was 182. (ouch).

But the more I keep up with other blogs the more I get my focus back and start paying more attention, so thank you all for that!

Food log today

b-fast whole wheat english muffin with almond butter

1/2 honeycrisp apple.

2 cups coffee

(planned) lunch - turkey sandwhich on whole wheat with 1 slice cheese

carrots and laughing cow cheese.

(planned) dinner - turkey meatballs with pasta and sauce

frozen veggies

romaine salad

Weigh in and other news

Well I weighed in this morning and was not so happy with what I saw. It said 181. Ugh! But I think this might be the last time I will expect to see a real lose for a while. I got some other news this week. I am officially pregnant. Well that is what the little test in the box told us. So I still need to follow up with the Dr. in a few weeks. So that is why I think I won't be seeing anymore losses.

This is not the end of blogging or trying to living a healthier lifestyle, it is just the temporary stoppage of my looking for weightloss. I will be picking it back up next fall.

I really need to step up the healthy lifestyle stuff more than ever now. I had gestational diabetes with my last pregnancy and I really don't want to deal with that this time. I really need to keep up the walking and focus on eating well the entire time. No thinking that I can eat for two (two adults that is) and can have fries and bad foods just because.

So this is my next step in the journey called life and my growing as a person.

We are soooooooooooooooooooooooo happy about this news. You, my blogger buddies, are the first people I have shared it with outside of the hubby and I. We are planning to let family know at Christmas then co-workers and everyone else after confirmation with the Dr.

Weekend wrap up

Well this weekend went pretty well and I stayed somewhat on plan. I had several salads and we had a lighter dinner than usual on Saturday night. Sunday morning brunch was a flank steak gyro that was pretty yummy. We indulged on some nice cheese Saturday night, but I stayed away from all alcohol this weekend. But I did get sick and have been feeling good at all.

I peeked on the scale on Sunday and it wasn't good, but I will wait until the official weigh in on Wednesday.

Monday -
Breakfast whole wheat toast with a little almond butter
1/2 cup of fruit salad.
2 cups coffee

snack - carrots and cheese wedge.

Lunch - left over King Ranch Chicken soup
1 slice of whole wheat toast
coke zero

dinner
left over turkey chili
1/2 cup of rice
2 squares corn bread
1/4 roast acorn squash

3/4 cup ice cream. I could kill hubby for buying this!!!


Today so far
breakfast - smart ones calzone
2 cups coffee

lunch - brocoli cheese soup
1 slice whole wheat toast

snack - carrots and cheese

dinner- Hubby brought home subway sanwiches. Mine was a 6 inch turkey breast on whole wheat and cheetoes.

Food Log 12/7/2007

I have a little time to post about today and tonight...so here is goes

Breakfast -
Wholewheat english muffin with Almond butter
all natural yogurt - blueberry
2 cups coffee

lunch
Glazed Chicken Lean Cuisine
carrots & cheese
coke zero

dinner - Asian Chicken salad.
1 steamed dumpling
a few bites off of hubby's plate (fries and mac and cheese)

dessert - coconut gelato, just about 1/2 cup. It was way yummy.

See yesterday's post for my busy weekend plans. Not sure I will get on much this weekend with company in the house. I will be thinking Salad all weekend though!

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Weigh in and food log (Think Salad)

My weigh in this morning was good news. 178.8, much better than last fews weeks. Overall a 1.6 lb loss. Yippie, now I just need to keep this up.

The In-laws are coming in to town for a visit. That means hubby and I get date night on Friday....which will probably include a dinner some where (think Salad, think Salad). Then lunch out on Saturday (think salad, think Salad), then pie and coffee at my Mom's house with inlaws, (think just coffee), then cook out dinner with In-Laws Saturday night (think more salad and a little lean steak). Then Sunday entails, breakfast (think whole wheat eng. muffin) then lunch after Church (think Salad).

So maybe my law of attraction will kick in if I can keep thinking Salad this weekend :)

Food log
Breakfast whole wheat english muffin with almond butter and skim milk
2 cups coffee with splenda and dash of cream

lunch - Lean Cuisine - butternut squash ravioli. (and on a side note, if you are a lean cuisine fan, I LOVE THIS NEW DINNER, it is so tasty.)
carrots with cheese
coke zero

Dinner - Shake and bake chicken tenders about 3 tenders.

roasted asparagus

chicken roasted 90 second microwave rice

water

dessert/ snack for today - non-fat latte (hubby makes great ones)

1 square Ghiradelli dark chocolate with mint

1 square Ghiradelli dark chocolate with caramel.

I noticed I didn't have any other snacks today so I didn't feel as bad about the 2 squares of chocolate and I specifically bought the dark chocolate kind so they might be just that little bit healthier. They were supposed to be for christmas sockings, but Hubby got a sweet tooth and I was fearful of his usually trip to the ice cream shop, so this was a easy out. We only had 4 total so there are still plenty left for Christmas sockings.

but most likely baked chicken breast, steamed veggies and a salad.

Food Log 12/5/2007

I have already resisted temptation today and I feel good about it. When I get up super early and come into work before 6:30, sometimes I stop by Chick-fil-a and get breakfast. Today I talked myself out of it! How cool it that?!?! I was so proud of my self. And last night while the sweet tooth hit, I heated up my hot water for hot tea. But in my rush to get out of the house this morning and get to the office, I didn't weigh in. But I peeked yesterday and it was 179.6, down a little so I was hoping for a hint more loss today. I will try and remember to weigh tomorrow for the official weigh in list.

Breakfast
whole wheat english muffin with almond butter (at home)
1 cup skim milk (at home)
2 cups office (at office)

Lunch - Lean cuisine something of other
coke zero
carrots and cheese

snack - 2/3 cup cheerios snack mix

Dinner -
Turkey Chili with black beans and dark red kidney beans
Salad with cucumbers, tomatoes and feta cheese with little bit of vineg. dressing
square of cornbread and some rice

100 cal microwave popcorn

Food Log 12/4/2007

Yesterday was a good food day. I stayed on plan and felt good about it. Here is what is planned for today.

Breakfast
whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
1 cup skim milk
2 cups coffee

lunch - butternut squash lean cuisine
carrots and wedge of LC cheese
coke zero

snack - 7 almonds

snack - 2/3 cup of cheerios snack mix, 130 cals

dinner
left over turkey meatballs and penne pasta with sauce
+frozen mixed veggies with little cheese sauce


hot tea.

Another on plan day. 2 down and about 18250 to go :)

I am really wanting somethig sweet, but so far resisted.

I have some new inspiration

I have a couple of weightloss heroes (sheroes really) that I would like to give some attention too. First is my cousin...well cousin in law. I haven't seen her in several months. We live in the same city, but life gets busy. Well I saw her at church yesterday (her daughters were in the Christmas program) and she has lots 40 lbs since this summer. I had heard from family that she had started hitting the gym. But when I saw her yesterday I just had to go on and go to her about how great she looked and asked what she was doing. She started walking this summer and decided when she lost X #of lbs she would treat herself with a gym membership. Well she did and now goes to the gym at least a couple of times a week.

The other is blogger friend Shannon. She has really stepped things up the holiday season and is seeing good consistent losses on the scale. She has the turtles to prove it ; ) Way to go Shannon.

I have been so wishy-washy about watching what I eat and exercising lately and it is catching up with me. I have been feeling so blah....so again..today is a new day.

Goals this week....not eating out at lunch, none, nada, zip, zlich.
Walking/working out at least 3 times this week.
Logging my food every day...either here or on a note pad...just somewhere.
No unplanned snacking, that means no nibbling here and there. Just 2 planned health snacks a day.

Food log
breakfast
whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
1 cup skim milk
2 cups coffee

snack - 10 almonds

Lunch - Lean cuisine pizza
carrots with 1 wedge laughing cow light cheese
coke zero

snack - 1oz string cheese

dinner - health by sleath meatloaf
organic mac and cheese 3/4 cup
Salad with walnuts, little bit of crumbled feta, cherry tomatoes with lite rasp. vinegerette.

evening treat hubby made me a non-fat latte

I stayed on plan today....yippie!!

I made a BIG effort to stay away from snack this afternoon and I avoided the cake someone brought in the office kitchen. Staying on plan feels like a really big accomplishment.

Food log 11/29/2007

Breakfast -
whole wheat toast w/ some cinnamon and sug.
1/2 light yogurt
2 cups coffee

snack carrots and wedge of laughing cow light cheese (garlic and herb)
10 almonds

lunch
left over mac & cheese with ground sirloin (about 1.5 cups)
coke zero

Dinner (not sure yet, uh oh...unplanned isn't good)

In hiding

I feel like I've been in hiding (I bet some others think that too). If I'm hiding I'm just hiding from myself and the scale. Neither of them have any thing good to tell me lately.

I have eaten ok this week...better than the last few weeks that is for sure.
But the scale...the cruel, cruel scale...that one is tormenting me. I weighed in this morning at 180.4...I'm back up to the 180's again. Geez...what is wrong with me?!?!!? I know I am not doing enough. Not enough calorie counting, not enough working out. Just not enough of anything.

But on to better stuff. I did work out once the week so far and since it is just Wednesday, that is good for me. I did 10 mins of cardio on my cardio machine and then several sets of weights on the weight machine. All totalled I spent just under 30 mins working out. I also passed up the chocolate covered popcorn at the office front desk all week..that is HUGE for me.

So far this week I am giving myself credit for passing up the yummies at the front desk and working out at home once so far this week.

Games we play

Here are the questions and here are my answers in red

I give you money and send you into the grocery store to pick up 5 items. You can only pick one thing from the following departments.. what is it?

1. Produce: asparagus
2. Bakery: whole-wheat english muffin
3. Meat: ground turkey
4. Frozen: cascadia farms french cut green beans
5. Dairy: yo baby yogurt

Let's say we're heading out for a weekend getaway. You're only allowed to bring 3 articles of clothing with you. So, what's in your bag?

1. yoga pants
2. undies
3. comfy t-shirt

If I was to listen in on your conversations throughout the day, what 5 phrases or words would I be most likely to hear?

1. okie dokie
2. sweet
3. I love you
4. What are you making us for dinner?
5. Hi!

So, what 3 things do you find yourself doing every single day, and if you didn't get to do, you probably wouldn't be in the best mood?
1. goodmorning and goodnight kiss from hubby
2. waking up the little one
3. kisses from the little one

We're talking a 3 hour block with nobody around. What 5 activities might we find you doing?
1. napping
2. Law and Order:SVU marthon
3. blogging
4. picking up clutter
5. laundry

We are going to the zoo. But, it looks like it could start storming, so it'll have to be a quick visit. What 3 exhibits do we have to get to?
1. turtle
2. hippos
3. seals

You just scored tickets to the taping of any show that comes on t.v. of your choice. You can pick between 4, so what are you deciding between?
1. Oprah
2. Grey's Anatomy
3. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
4. House

You're hungry for ice cream. I'll give you a triple dipper ice cream cone. What 3 flavors can I pile on for ya?

1. Sweet Cream
2. Bubble gum
3. Pistacio

Somebody stole your purse/wallet…in order to get it back, you have to name 5 things you know are inside to claim it. So, what's in there?
1. burt's bees
2. cell phone
3. eye glasses case
4. hot pink plaid wallet
5. key chain with a little bitty flip flop that says my name

You are at a job fair, and asked what areas you are interested in pursuing a career in. Let's pretend you have every talent and ability to be whatever you wanted, so what 4 careers would be fun for you?

1. nutritionist
2. event/wedding planner
3. website developer
4. florist

If you could go back and talk to the old you, when you were in high school, and inform yourself of 4 things, what would you say?
1. dump that cheating boyfriend and keep the friend
2. learn to like to be athletic...find some form of exercise that you like to do and keep at it
3. Don't be afraid of that big school, you will do great there and meet lots of great people
4. Tell your Daddy you love him every single day.

I got this from Chubby Chick and Twix. Hubby is watching something I'd rather not on TV and i've been away from my blog for 4 days. Feel free to play along. I'd love to see your answers

Thanksgiving

Hi all! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I have been out of town and therefore out of touch. I'm also sick....stuffy ears, runny nose, feeling tired, fever for a few days and sore throat. I got a flu shot so I am hoping it is just a cold or sinus infection.

Every Turkey Day we travel to my hubby's 96 year old grama's place. She is in bad shape and it can be depressing, but she is in good spirits and is well taken care of. She likes to tell stories on my hubby and all my in-laws. She also loves seeing the kids. She is taken care of by her son (hubby's uncle). We always eat at the apartment and it is never what I would call healthy food. More like easy to fix food. Pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, cake and ice cream...because we always celebrate something. He is also OCD, and get fussy is his plans are not followed. So the only benefit it thatI just don't eat much, even though it isn't healthy. I look forward to getting back to routine this week and hopefully getting back to working out.

I weighed last Wednesday and the news wasn't good. I'm still working on my new attitude. I really want to maintain some control from now to Christmas so things don't get too out of control and I feel like I'm starting over at New Years.

New day, new week, new attitude

I hope I can keep this up, but this morning I woke up at 4:30ish and worked out for 30 mins of the cardio machine (kind of like an eliptical) in our workout shed. Yes, workout shed. We had a storage shed in the backyard that is like a mini gym...TV, cardio machine and weight machine...why I don't use it more, I can't tell ya. But I did this morning!!!

I thought I wouldn't have a chance to walk after work, so I took the opportunity to work out this morning. It will be a busy holiday weekend for us and we will be traveling 6 hours from home. We won't be having a big feast, but still temptations will abound. I have a new attitude and I'm going to be revisiting my Beck Diet Solution Book. My goal is to get in at least one more work out this week...hopefully Tuesday afternoon.

I'm still feeling perky and upbeat right now. The sleepies might hit me later.

I didn't have the best food weekend, but today is a new day.

Food log 11/19/2007
Breakfast
4 oz. yogurt
1 whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
2 cups coffee with cream & slenda

Lunch - lean cuisine beef tips and brocoli (220 cals)
biscuit

dinner ????

Food Log 11/15/2007

The last few days I have been feeling lightheaded. Not too much, but noticable for me. I read around and based on other things that have been going on, I think I am a little anemic. So I was on the hunt for some red meat (extra iron) today for lunch. I eat chicken and turkey, but not much red meat. So I tried to find a why to get red meat without eating a burger. Then I thought of fajitas. Not horrible right...it wasn't a huge plate either.

Breakfast - whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
small can of V-8
2 cups coffee with cream and slenda

Lunch
personal fajita plate...needed to eat some red meat.
key lime coconut patty (saved for a sweet treat today)
1/2 cup pinto beans, some onions, lettuce and 1/2 cup spanish rice, 2 tortillas
coke zero

Dinner - chili (lean beef) with dark red kidney beans
and cornbread

Weigh in and working out

I had great intentions yesterday. I packed my clothes and at the end of the day I went in the restroom to change. I put on my shorts, t-shirt, socks, hair in pony tail...shoes?!?! where are my walking shoes?!?!?!???!!!!!! UGH! Geez. So I went sock footed to the car totally bummed. But I didn't give up. I still went to pick up the little one and we worked out in the living room.

I did 3 set of 10 reps on my arms (3 different exercises), 3 sets of 10 pushups on my Bosu ball. I wish my form looked like hers, but I have to do pushups on my knees and I also had my sons rolling his truck across the ball. I did several sets of squats on top of the bosu ball. I think all this took about 15 to 20 mins. Not a ton, but better than just sitting on the couch right? right!

Today my weight was 179.4...going down a little. Progress is progress.

Now on to today's food log.

Breakfast

whole wheat english muffin with almond butter

3/4 a pear

2 cups coffee

Lunch

Lean Cuisine Pannini (planned)

carrot and cheese

Dinner whatever the hubby makes...he says grilled chicken salad.

Food Log 11/13/2007

Feeling much better today. I have my walking clothes and plan for a walk this afternoon before getting littles (my son) from school. I have also been thinking of dusting off the weight machine in the backyard and doing some weights. I guess my lazy weekend is really getting to me.

Here is today's food so far and I will update through out the day

Breakfast -
Simple Harvest (took the suggestion from Summer) Vanilla, almond & honey (160 cals)
2 cups coffee with slenda and creamer (about 15 cals each, 30 total)


Lunch - Lean Cuisine Veggie Pizza (330 cals)
carrots and cheese wedge (55 cals)
coke zero

Dinner - Turkey meatballs
1.5 cups Wholewheat pasta
.5 cups organic pasta sauce (with extra spinach)
spinach salad with carrots, feta cheese, walnuts, sunflower seeds and lite raspberry balsamic ving. dressing
1 cup skim milk

WOW I stayed on plan today...that is amazing.

Food Log 11/12/2007

Breakfast - Simple Harvest vanilla, almond, honey flavor.

snack - small popcorn and diet coke(movie snack with little one)

lunch - turkey pannini

dinner - potato soup
spinach salad with organic feta cheese, carrots and light balsalmic vinegar dressing

dessert - mini ice cream sandwich

I'm feeling better. I've been a little more tired than usual lately and I'm not sure what that is all about. But I'm not nearly so irritated.

Got my review at work and it was good...decent raise, so I can't complain.
Got my cycle figured out....good news and bad news with this one, not little one on the way, but there is always next month.
The friends thing is under control. So all in all I'm doing much better.

Irritated

I've been so irritated that last few days.

irritated with work...it is review tim
irriated with some friend situations....apparently I'm the only one that can email people about getting together.
irriated with my cycle......i wish it would just figure itself out and let me know if I'm PG, or not
irriated with myself most of all.....I haven't been "on plan since before Las Vegas and boy does it show. I'm tired, and did I mention irriated yet ; ) HA!

and this morning at my Weigh in I weighed 180 lbs. Where did all my hard work go?

I need focus and I need to get back on track. But I love this blogging world for helping me correct myself faster than I would have before. I see many others having their ups and down and pressing on. They give me hope that one day I will stop this pity party and get back in the game.

So here I sit, still a little irriated but getting better. I'm eating my humus with baby carrots and whole grain cracker with a bottle of water.

Food log 11/7/20007
b-fast - whole grain omega 3 bread with peanut butter
2 cups coffee with slenda and dash of cream

snack
baby carrots
humus
whole grain cracker sheet (about 4 crackers)

lunch
tortilla chips and guacamole
coke zero

dinner
Chick fil a strips salad
sweet ice tea

snack - hot coco

Recipe

Hello all. I am back at home but still settling in. I wanted to drop by and say hello and leave this recipe post. Summer mentioned a week ago about thinking about recipes to add to the holiday potlucks. It got me thinking about my holiday potlucks. I usually bring spinach dip, yummy creamy, not so healthy spinach dip. I thought this year I would pick a new healthier dish. Well I think I found one.

We had a Halloween potluck yesterday and one of our IT guys brought this. It was yummy and looks really easy to make. It requires a little chopping, but not too much. And look at those veggies and there is nothing creamy or too fattening in sight. Not sure what you would call it...Since it was a Halloween Party we called it Monster Brains Dip, but it seems like a black bean corn relish. Did I mention it was so tasty?!?! I ate it with tortilla chips, but pita chips might have made it even healthier.

1 can Rotel (drained)
1 can Black Beans (drained) ~ I would rinse them in cold water too
1 can White Shoepeg Corn (drained)
1 small Red Onion (chopped)
1 clove Garlic (chopped)
Cilantro (add to taste) (chopped)
½ cup Italian Dressing

Mix all ingredients together and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour so it gets nice and cold.

If you want double the recipe use ¾ cup of Italian Dressing instead of 1 cup.

If you have a good healthy recipe that would make a good holiday fit, please tell me about it in comments. It can be a dip, side dish, casserole, dessert. I'll taken them all! Thanks in advance!

Food log 10/25/2007

Breakfast - WW english muffin with almond butter
2 cups coffee

Lunch - Lean Cuisine Glazed Chicken
coke zero

#1 snack - lollipop
#2 snack- 1/4 apple

dinner - 3 homemade baked chicken tenders
Annie's Organic mac and cheese with secret cauliflower puree
steamed mixed veggies

dessert - mini-ice cream sandwich


I forget to blog about my weigh in this week. I think I was living in denile. It was gain. I weighed in at 177.8. YUCK!

I can tell I have doing lots of emotional and stress eating. It has been really busy at our house. but that is really no excuse. I have been making better choices this week..finally!

Food log 10/24/2007

Breakfast - whole wheat english muffin and almond butter (I'm seeing a pattern here~ hehe!)
2 cups coffee

Lunch - Lean cuisine rosemary chicken and wild rice
coke zero

snack - carrots and wedge of light cheese
1 oz cheese

dinner - turkey meatballs with pasta and pasta sauce (pasta sause has added spinach)
cauliflower and broccoli in cheese sauce
mini ice cream sandwich

Food Log 10/23/2007

Breakfats
Whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
2 cups coffee w/cream & splenda

Lunch - lean cuisine steaks tips and broccoli
coke zero

snack - lollipop
1 oz cheese

dinner
2 small slices frozen Wolfgang puck cheese, pesto and tomato pizza
spinach salad with mandarin oranges, blue cheese crumbles & walnuts with vinagerett

4 cups light microwave popcorn.

Food Log 10/22/2007

Breakfast
Whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
2 cups coffee with creamer (15 cals ) and splenda

lunch - lean cuisine sesame chicken

snack - mini ice cream sandwich (100 cals)

Dinner - lean cuisine Glazed Chicken & Rice (with extra brown rice)
diet coke
2 homemade biscuits

Not too bad actually. My biggest cheat was the 2 biscuits. My hubby was feeling really sick and his only request was biscuits, so I made him some...and tried them too.

Fact or Bullfact

I came across an article while doing a little searching on the web. Tell me which one of these is Dieting Fact or Bullfact. (clickover and highlight the area after the sentence to find the answer on this page or go to this link.)

1. You can't lose a lot of weight and keep it off. Bullfact

2. Your "set point" determines how much you weigh. Bullfact

3. Poor willpower is to blame for excess weight. Bullfact

4. The best weight loss regimens incorporate structured exercise three to five times a week.Bullfact

5. Losing just a small amount of weight has significant health benefits. Fact

6. You should eat only low-fat and no-fat foods. Bullfact


The search that started all this was the theory of "set point". The theory is this ~ "The set point theory was introduced by a group of researchers in 1982. The basic premise of the theory is that the body has a built in weight regulating mechanism, largely genetically determined, that will tend to keep your weight in a physiologically established comfortable range."

I don't necessary believe that your body has a predetermined weight and that it is always trying to get back there (of course the assumption here, is that your set weight is higher than what you would want it to be). But I do believe our bodies settle into a weight after some dieting and we need a jump start to get the weight loss going again. This might be due to the fact that we lose some weight and our metabolisms adjust to our new weight and calorie intake and output.
I have hit the point where I need a jump start (or kick in the pants). I have been lucky really that my weight hasn't jumped up, so I think my body likes hanging out at this weight, but I would like the scale to move south a little more. My blogging has helped me keep this in focus. I haven't done a great job lately, but when I read others changing their eating habits, joining weight watcher, walking thru the summer...they give me motivation to keep my own lifestyle changes in focus.

The end of this week and weekend I was not on plan. I was way off plan. We will see what the scale has to tell me on Wednesday, but I have some time until them to get back on track with my eating and walking. The weather is cooling off here (finally) so I want to get back to walking more.

Food Log and Halloween-updated

Today food log
Breakfast - Special K Chocolate cereal with skim milk
2 cups coffee

Lunch - Wendy's baked potato, small chili and casear side salad


dinner - turkey meatballs with pasta and pasta sauce
1.5 slices whole wheat toast
green peas

100 cal ice cream sandwich

*** WOOOO WHOOO....no cheating today!********

My goal today is to not cheat...just one day with no cheating.

Halloween

So we have a "SEXY" Halloween party to attend this weekend. Yeah! Like I want to think about dressing in a "SEXY" costume. Well I think I have come up with an idea...tell me what you think.

I have a pink sweat suit with hoodie jacket. I was going to iron on the name "Bridget" on the back of the hoodie, wear bunny ears, stick the bunny tail on the sweat pants, wear a push up water bra (to help the girls out a little), a playboy t-shirt and carry around 2 Barbie Dolls....VOILA ~ I am Bridget from the GirlsNextDoor (the 2 extra Barbie's are Holly and Kendra~yes, I know I watch too much trash E! TV). Hubby will be Hef in his smoking jacket and black satin PJ bottoms. I might get some gray hair spray for Hubby.

I will be covered and more comfortable, but still being"sexy"...well kind of.

Weigh in

Today I weighed in at 176.6. Not too much change, but I won't be surprised if it went up. The big company party is tomorrow. I will need to will power then. Then this weekend is a big Halloween party and next weekend is Vegas. Oh my! Busy busy busy....and eating, eating, eating.
Wish me luck.

Geez, what was I thinking

Well I was thinking. Well I kind of was, but I wasn't listen to my smarter inner voice...I was instead listening to my sabotaging "I can't be thin" voice. I went to Walgreens to get some cash and some greeting cards. I walked out with Cheezums! WHAT IN HEAVEN'S NAME WAS I THINKING. Now something similar has happened before when i went to Walgreens. But I need to get to the heart of why I do it. I think this time it is stress/emotional eating. I have been super busy at work (no excuse) and I have to back to back weekend of going out of town for business and for personal reasons. I think the stress of all this busy-ness has gotten to me. I can't believe I ate those stupid chips. And the worst part is I did it all in secret. Secret eating it the worst because if it were okay you wouldn't feel the need to finish the food before you get home to you husband and plan to throw the "evidence" out the next day so he won't see it.

I need to start setting more mini-goals about my eating again. Small doable things that help me feel in control of myself and my eating.

Food log 10/16/2007 (updated)

Breakfast - chicken breast sandwich on whole wheat with spinach, mustard and slice of cheese
2 cups coffee
water

lunch - chicken club pannini (lean cuisine)
coke zero
1 cupcake from yesterday office birthday

snack - 8 almonds

dinner - 2 halves english muffin pizza's (inspired by something to chew on post) They were super yummy!
3/4 cup broccoli and cauliflowers in cheese sauce
3/4 cup brown rice
water

100 cal dark chocolate
100 cal mini ice cream sandwich

pringles cheezums...this was awful!

Food Journal 10/15/2007

Breakfast - 3/4 medium apple
whole wheat english muffin with almond butter
water
2 cups coffee with cream

2 chocolate cookies (good thing they are gone now)

Lunch
Lean Cuisine - Steak mushroom and cheese pannini (sp?)
water
coke zero

Birthday cake day at the office - 1 cupcake, piece of pineapple, 1 strawberry and 1 choco. covered strawberry.

Dinner - 3 sneaky healthy chicken nuggets for the family (battered with wheat germ and pureed broccoli and peas in the batter)
3/4 cup sneaky mac and cheese (added pureed cauliflower/zunichi)
3/4 cup broccoli and peas with 1 slice cheese on top.

1.5 chocolate chip cookie

100 cal popcorn

Food Journal 10/14/2007

Breakfast - 4 oz low fat blueberry yogurt
english muffin with almond butter.

lunch - veggie soup (progresso light zesty vegetable) with extra corn added
2 chocolate chip cookie

dinner - subway 6 inch turkey breast on whole wheats with provalone, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, red onions, black olives and reg. mustard with salt and pepper. Plain baked lays and diet coke

snack - 6 more chocolate chip cookies.


Minus the cookies and today was a good choices food day.

I also am focusing on feeding the family healthier dinners. I pureed a bunch of stuff tonight to add to dinner this week in hopes of kicking up the nutrition content of dinner. Hubby and little one do not like veggies...so I will be sneaking them into their dinners.

Turned upside down

I feel like everything has been turned up-side-down and I'm just now getting this turned right side around. My little one has been in the hospital for the last 39 hours. He started to have problems breathing on Thursday. We gave him some breathing treatments at home since we have a history of this. Then those weren't helping so thursday night I called my pedi's office and they said to take him into the ER. We did and he was put on oxygen and then admitted. He is ended up having a virus that caused him to having breathing problems. We all spent 2 nights in the hospital while the virus ran its course. Emotional eating kicked into high gear.
We had a midnight Mc Donald's run one night because it was close and open and we were starving. I made some better choices other times, but really didn't put forth much thought it what I ate. I am settling back down and we are all back home safe and sound. So back on track tomorrow...and I had been doing pretty good for my 3 whole days ; )

Food Journal 10/10/2007

Breakfast - chicken breast (deli style) sandwich on whole wheat toast with mustard, cheddar cheese and spinach
2 cups coffee with cream and splenda

lunch - Lean cuisine seasame chicken and veggies dinner
coke zero

snack - animals crackers (240 cals)

dinner - chicken cordon bleu (costco) 1 cup Annie's organic mac and cheese, steamed veggies and fruit salad (apple, peach, grapes)
1 oz string cheese

snack - 100 cal microwave popcorn

Weigh Day

This morning I weighed in at 176.4. A loss....and considering how I have been behaving I am very happy with it. I'm still hovingin the 176 arena and that is ok. I have packed my walking clothes today and hope to get a walk in after work, but before gettting the little one from daycare. I get an A for my eating yesterday...not an A+ but a good solid A. I have to say I impressed myself with our dinner last night. Whole grains, veggies, fruit...you name it. Well balanced.

Food Log 10/9/2007

Breakfast - 2 small slices of margherita pizza
10 black seedless table grapes
2 cups coffee with creamer (25 cals each)

Lunch - Lean Cuisine Mac & Cheese dinner
coke zero

snack (2:55pm) 10 green olives
snack (4:45 pm) small bag baby carrots and wedge of laughing cow cheese (approx 55 cals in all)

Dinner - 1/2 to 3/4 cup turkey/beef chili on a whole wheat bun
peas and mixed steamed veggies - about 1/2 cup
brown rice - about 3/4 cup
fruit salad (cut up apple, peach and some grapes) about 1/2 cup

Pre-bible study drink - Starbuck's shaken green tea - sweetned

Here we go...again (again)

UGGHHHHHH!!!! I have been so off plan lately Today's food isn't great.
Breakfast - english muffin with almond butter
1 cup coffee with non-fat 1/2 and 1/2

lunch - caesar side salad (had way too much dressing)
2 slices of a small margherita pizza

I was doing good up until this part. I came home and made a microwave cake. I made about 1 piece and then pitched it. It tasted about as bad as a microwave cake sounds like it would taste.

Dinner - A Ground Beef casserole (cream of mushroom soup, picante sauce, can of corn, 1.5 cups pasta and cheddard cheese). I had about 2 cups of casserole.
Broccoli in cheese sauce.

After dinner - chocolate skim milk & 100 calorie popcorn.

I just have the muchies...and not for good reasons. I think it is related to it being my T.O.M. Which that in it self makes me mad/sad. I was really hoping to be PG right now. But guess that is not for us this month.

That brings me to Oct. It will be a struggle. I have a big conference that is hosted by my work. BIG dinner, cocktail party (with yummy stuff there too) and then a big breakfast buffett the next day. Then hubby and I are attending another conference in Vegas. (YEAH VEGAS BABY!) That part if fun and I know there will be nice dinners there and eating out for every meal. We are making it a long weekend get away so there is a celebration factor too.

All of that brings me to this monthings goals. I know there will be times when I will not eat the best...ie conferences coming up. So in the mean time I need to increase my focus on those normal days and make them the best healthy eating days possible. This also means stepping up my walking again. I have really gotten lacks about walking on weekday afternoons.

So here is to stepping up the healthy eating and walking again.

A long path

I heard these 2 phrases in sunday school.
#1 - We get bored and we give up

#2 - A Long obedience in the same direction.

Both can sum up my experience with weight loss, now and in the past. Many, many, many times I have gotten bored and given up. I lose a little and then it stops (I get bored). Then I give up. I give up the eating right, I give up the exercise, I give up hope.

But the #2 phrase is the one I feel fits my current situation. It is a long path, this changing your lifestyle to a healthier one. It takes time and effort that can't be achieved quickly. I have made great strides in the last 5 years. My eating habits and what I eat have changed drastically. They aren't perfect, but they are much improved. So I need to continue to be obedient and not give up so easily.

So here is to continued obedience in the same direction. We may stumble and fall, but lets fall forward and not backwards.

10/6/2007

Food Journal:
breakfast - biscuit w/ sausage and hashbrowns
lunch - spanish rice lean cuisine
snack - 9 small pieces of dry deer sausage, small bag baby carrots & laughing cow cheese wedge
dinner - chicken cordon bleu (240 cals) brocoli with cheese sauce (110 cals)

Hubby and I had a nice date night but it got off to a late start. My niece and I confused each other so she didn't make it over until close to 7:20, that made dinner start around 8pm once we got seated. We were both starving since we normally eat by 6pm. We enjoyed the peaceful dinner and then rented a movie...Knocked up...kind of a funny piece considering that I hope to be knocked up...now or soon. It was funny and so dead on in some part about how women deal with things and how men deal with things. Him not reading the baby books was soooo like my husband with our son. We both laughed about that.

Hope every has a nice weekend. !

Food Log 10/5/2007 and Date night and other stuff

First off my food log
Breakfast -
1 oz cheese
1 slice whole wheat cinnamon toast
2 cups coffee

Lunch - 2 slices veggie pizza, 1 slice meat pizza, Coke Zero

Dinner - to come (date night with Hubby but I plan to get a salad where ever we go)
spinach and articoke dip with tortilla chips.
Grilled Chicken salad with gorgonzola cheese, dried cranberries & a vingerett.

dessert - shared piece of green tea cheese cake with hubby and had decaf coffee with cream

I called and asked my niece to baby sit for us tonight so that is nice. We haven't been out to a movie in a while. There is nothing out there I'm just dying to see, but I can't pass up a night out with the hubby. Not so good news...i have taken a couple of PG tests this week and all negative. I'm bummed. I was hoping this would happen faster. It did last time, but patience isn't one of my virtues and maybe I need to get a little more.

Food Journal 10/4/2007

Breakfast
grapes (about 12)
whole wheat toast with melted cheese
1oz of cheddar cheese.
2 cups coffee

Lunch
italian wrap from schlotzsky's
cracked pepper chips
coke zero

snack piece of pecan pie (hubby didn't take it to work)

dinner
beef and turkey chili on a bun.

Inspiration

I love stories like this. She has lost 95 lbs and kept is off for 1.5 years and now she is going back to school to help others. If I ever went back to school, I would go back and get a degree in nutrition. I feel like there is so much for me to learn about nutrition.

I think stories like this just reinforce that little steps over the long haul can make a big difference. It is about a lifestyle change and not just dieting.

Food Journal 10/3/2007

Weigh in day was today and I weighed 176.8. I'm still happy to see that number. It wasn't up too much.

Food Log
Breakfast - Activa low fat peach yogurt and 1/2 English Muffin with Almond butter
2 cups coffee - 1 splenda and creamer

Snack - snack size bag of Chex Mix (210) and some olive tapanad.

Lunch - Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich, fries and iced tea

dinner - whatever hubby cooks (LOL!) tonight he cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu (from Costco) brown rice and zuchini and other veggies.

Last update...Hubby had a sweet tooth and I had low will power. He went to the store and bought a WHOLE PECAN PIE. Uggggghhhh!!! Yes, I had a piece, a relatively small piece and my best estimate on calories is 250. Hubby promised to take the pie to work today.

Biggest Loser

I just loved it tonight on BL during the blue teams time at a real 24 hour fitness, when Bob was in everyone's face telling them they could do it and how they deserved it! OH MAN! If I could just get Bob's pep-talk on my ipod, I would play it and push myself.

I can pep-talk myself to death sometimes, but usually it is not when I am actually working out. When I am actually working out, it is more like. "Oh, I don't want to get over heated"...."Not sure if I should push myself that much today...maybe another time." I have a million excuses. But oh if I could get Bob to yell at me...man the things I could accomplish ; ) HA!

I was bummed, along with Bob, that the Blue team didn't even try to do the challenge and that they were going to leave it up to the other teams to pick who went home.

I am guessing the "campus" is closed for spring break. It should be a good show next week.

Props to the Black team for stay 6 strong another week, but their time is coming....it has to.

I think overall my money is still on Phil, but I also like the twin brothers. They could go all the way.

I was so happy for Julie (I think it was Julie) on the Black team because she has had low numbers every week and keeps plugging away and this week it paid off for her.

Benefits of keeping a food journal

I go back and forth (and back and forth and then back again) on keeping a food log. But I have come to realized that is really does help me keep on track with my eating.

I really keeps me honest about what I am eating and makes it harder for me to forget when I slip up. So here I go again. I will be trying to log my food here everyday.

Some links on benefits of keeping a food journal

1) Quakers Oats

2) Yahoo

I am also trying to change my taste buds for sweet. I am cutting down the Splenda I add to coffee and tea. My diet soda comsumption is down too. I will have one here and there but not as many as I used to have. Ooooo more news. I brought my walking clothes today so I can walk after work today. I haven't done this for well over a week.

I will come back and edit this post to include the rest of my food for the day, but so far....

Breakfast

Whole wheat English muffin with almond butter

Decaf Ice tea with 1 splenda

Coffee with 1 splenda and little cup of creamer (15 cals)

snack

5 green olives, 1 kalamata olive (with pits)

Kashi TLC trail mix granola bar (140 cals)

Lunch

small bag of baked lays (140 cals)

turkey breast on whole wheat sandwich

raspberry limon ice tea

Dinner

spinach ravioli with extra spinach and cherry tomatoes

1 slice whole wheat toast

decaf ice tea

Dessert

1 scoop coffee ice cream

(full disclosure - i had a few bites of little one scoop too)

Star

Twix was ever so sweet in awarding me this blogging star award on her blog. I have been a little out of touch this last week or so, so it means a lot that she thought of me.

I would like to pass this along to some fellow bloggers that inspire me with their posts.

Lady T and Something to chew on.

Rebooting

Can you re-boot your brain, or really, your taste buds? Dr. Oz says you can and Bob Greene says you can.

Here is what Bob actually had to say..

Each person has the power to adapt their taste to healthier foods, Bob says. "Your tastes adjust. We habituate and we do it both ways," he says. "If you start cutting out the sugars, cutting out the sodium, you will taste the natural flavors of the foods."

I'm a firm believer that you can really change your tastes. We have given up white rice, white pasta, white bread and as much high fructose corn syrup that we can. We started doing this about 5 years ago and it worked, or maybe whole wheat products have gone way tastier. But we have done it. I also was a non-tomatoe eater for many, many, many years. But now I love tomatoes. Maybe our taste buds change as we get older too.

If I only knew then (in my 20's) what I know now. But this is a process, a sometimes very slow process, but a forward moving process none the less.

I am thinking about trying and giving up my sweetner. I don't use sugar, mainly splenda, but that is like 700 times sweeter that sugar, so my taste buds have gotten used to it. I say thinking about it because I can't quite talk myself into it yet. I am on the verge, but not over the line yet.

So who know, that might be my next goal. I have actually done really well at giving up the diet sodas.

Weigh in day

Today was weigh in day. I weighed in at 176.2. I have to say I was suprised....HAPPY but surprised! And I finally get what I have been wanting for a while. A NEW NUMBER.

So depending on which weight I start from as of my last weigh in . I am either 1.3 lbs down, or .8 lbs down or .3 lbs down....but any way you look at it the numbers went down.

Helping Hands

Ecclesiastes 4:10
10 If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!

So this was my message in bible study tonight. I thought it spoke a lot about what we all want to get out of our blogging. We are hear to help each other out.

So much of what other say (blog about) helps me out. I hope something I am going through (blogging about) can make just one person realize they are not alone.

Hi there!

Hi there!!! I'm super busy and I have a case of the funk again...but I wanted to say HI there!
Hope everyone is doing well. I'm am hoping to be back soon with more posts after work slows down.
Have a good week.

Let's get out of the funk

Seems like there is an illness going around. It is the "In a funk flu". Seems like it has spread to some of us in our little blogging worlds. Lady T mentioned being tired the other days. Twix was has been out of sort, Chubby chix was stressed out and I wasn't too happy myself on Wednesday.

So here is to a good weekend for all of us. I hope you ladies (and any gents that might be reading) have a great weekend.

I will envy no more..well about this anyway ; )

I no longer have scale envy. I stopped by my favorite Target store today and bought this beauty. It weighs in .2lbs increments. I also calculates body fat and water %...but not sure I'm ready for all that yet. I gave it a test drive...which I would normally NEVER weigh myself in the afternoon. That breaks fat girl rule #101 which says you can only weight yourself in the morning and you have to be buck nekked.

But even weighing myself this afternoon I weight 177...which rocks since that is what I weighed at 6:30 am this morning!!!!! So I am already liking my new scale better.

Scale Envy ~ Weigh in day

I have scale envy. I envy the scales of my blogger buddies. My scale only weights in 1/2 lbs increments. I never really noticed it too much before but now I do...when ever little 1/10th of a lbs would make me smile just a little.



I stepped on the scale today and it said 177.5. I stepped off in a huff! geez..you have to be kidding me. Then I stepped on again 176.5. Okay, a little better...but Seriously, did I just lose a lbs with that step...I think not!. Then just to get an average I step on again 177. I was getting a little peeved at this point so I stopped obsessing. That is when the scale envy hit me. I notice lots of others weigh-ins are in smaller increments. So I will be looking around at Target for a new scale.

I wasn't expecting a huge loss, but I felt like I did a good job this week. I walked 3 days last week and 2 this week so far. I ate well, not perfect but not horrible. So I was hoping for some progress, but I guess unless it is over .5lb then I just won't be able to see it on the scale.

I told hubby this morning we needed a new scale and he said it was only .5 lb. That is when I told him I need a more accurate scale. He just kind of laughed a me.

More insight for me

I learned something else at a bible study yesterday. The teacher was saying sometimes when we are in a desert and wandering around we long for the days we were in slaverly (story from Exodus).

She was talking about glamourizing the past just because today is a little hard. This really hit home for me. I can easily get in a mind set that this lifestyle changing is just too hard. Who really needs to be that healthly anyway (HA!). I need to stop living in the past.

I need to remember it took me a while to put this weight on and my body has gotten used to it, so it will take some time and some changing to get it off. None of this changing can or will happen over night.

This is also when I have to remind myself why I am doing this. The main reason is right here.....

Pretty good reason!

Pre-baby after Picture and Current Before Picture

I have always struggled with my weight, but it is a moving target so to speak. When I was in high school, I thought I was "so fat" when I weighed 132. But then again everyone else around around me weight about 105. Then in college I dated a guy who was more obsessed with my weight than I was. I bought into his line of crap and lost it for him...not me. I went from about 150ish to my lowest ever of 127 (or the lowest I can ever remember weighing as an adult and i was only 19 at the time). Then a short time later he broke up with me. I think I remember weighing that 127 a whole 1 day.

More recently I weighed 165 when I got married. Here is the pre-baby after pic.

This is circa summer 2003 and I had lost about 15 to 20 lbs on the South Beach diet. I think I weighed about 167 in this picture. This is when my healthy eating lifestyle started. I started to learn more about eating right. Eating more fruits, veggies and whole grains.

I gained a few pounds after the wedding, you know, wedded bliss and a good honeymoon. Then 1.5 years later I get pregnant. I only gained 33 lbs of "baby weight" but your body is just not in the same shape after that little one is finished with you, ya know?!?!

So here I am at my new before of 188lbs, Christmas 2006. I am 11 months post-pregnancy.
So that is where this blog comes in, it is me and my blogging buddies, holding myself accountable to keep a healthly lifestyle going. We are trying to get pregnant again, but that doesn't mean the healthly lifestyle goes out the window. I will still try and exercise and eat healthy, but weightloss will not be my focus if I get pregnant. But after #2 is here, there is no holding me back. I am going for it. My goal weight will be 145, give or take alittle ; )

Biggest Loser and Goals

First to my goals from last week.
1) To not drink any more diet sodas (or sodas of any kind). I have done well at this one. Actually better than I thought I would do.

2) To try and drink decaf. whenever possible. This one not as much as the other, but I am drinking lots more water and come coffee in the mornings. By just eliminating the soft drinks I cut this down a great deal.

3) Get in 3 days of exercise between now and Wednesday (hopefully this will include the season 1 BL DVD). I didn't get 3 days of exercise in, but I did get 2 days in. I also jogged some on those 2 days, so I'm giving my less lots of credit for this one.

Now to Biggest Loser. I just loved it. I kept waiting for the black team to join the other teams, but I guess that will have to wait another week. Even though she was booted off this week, I was impressed that she had lost 60lbs. That is great.

I just couldn't believe how sad it was when those 6 people didn't get picked. I was almost in tears. But all is well, they have Jillian and she will get them into awesome shape. I am so excited that the season has finally started.

I still haven't giving up on my quest to get the Biggest Loser workout DVD. I checked overstock.com today and they have it, but it will take a while to get here to me.

Weigh in day

So today was my second weigh-in day and I lost 1 lb. So I am back to where I was and that is great, but I really want to see a new number I haven't seen in a long while....say like 175 or less.

I have noticed I'm been drinking a ton of water. That has been good for me. I also have had this want to jog and get a good sweat on. I did that on Monday. It was fun pushing myself. I didn't jog my entire time. I did 3 little stretches on jogging, but it got the heart rate up and the sweat level up. Unfortunately it rained yesterday during my walking time (after work but before I get the little one from daycare) and that meant just going home and paying more attention to what I ate.

I am a little frustrated. I have wanted to buy the Biggest Loser Season 1 workout DVD but I can't find it anywhere but online. I guess I will break down and order it somewhere on line, but I was hoping to get it fast and start on it. I also didn't get to watch the Biggest Loser season premier last night, but I have it saved and look forward to watching it tonight.

In Remembrance

Tagged!!!

I have been tagged by Mrs. Shannon....So here goes...8 Randon things about me.


1) I am a CPA married to a CPA and we have a sign that says..."CPA's count"...aren't we cute and funny accountants.


2) I love American Idol....love, love, love. I call in and vote every season.


3) My Dad shaved his head for a radio station contest so me and my best friend could meet Billy Ray Cyrus when Achy Breaky Heart was the biggest thing ever! I still have pictures and the hat Billy Ray signed....somewhere. I didn't ask him to do it either...talk about random.


4) I just received a level one Reiki attunement.


5) I can touch my nose with my tongue. weird I know.


6) After dropping my son at day care I like to listen to his Veggie tales CD to learn the words better. I hate singing along to songs that I don't know the words too.


7) I have a huge thing about Elvis. I think it is a something for the women in my family. We all love Elvis. My hubby and I even decided that we had to Sirius satellite radio instead of XM because they have an all Elvis station...Elvis lives on Sirius 13!


8) I have a blogging addiction...recently developed ; ) My husband actually told me I was addicted to the internet the other night. Just because I didn't want to watch another episode of "the Universe" with him...whatever.

Not sure who I can tag since most of the folks blogs that I check out have already been tagged....but here are a few.

Southern Fried Fatty since she is part of the reason I picked up this blogging thing.

Twix

The Lassie & The Laddie

Inspiration

CNN has a series called Fit Nation. Here is a little inspiration from someone who has lost 110 lbs.

Three years ago Sharon Twitchell was miserable.

Sharon Twitchell lost 110 pounds and went from wearing a size 22 to a size 2 in 10 months.
more photos »

Carrying 227 pounds on her tiny 5'2" frame, the 51-year-old mother and wife could barely squeeze into her plus-size clothing.

Just for you Twix

This is just for you Twix. You were so brave to post a picture when it was the last thing you might have wanted to do.

This is me circa 197?....(sorry I couldn't be as brave..heheheh)

Challenge Checkin

Well yesterday was a really good food day. I made good choices and it wasn't that hard : ) today has gotten off to a great start too. I have already had two servings of fruit.

The other good news is that I stopped eating when I was full. GREAT IDEA HUH?!?!?
It is always a great idea but most of the time I just have to finish off whatever I have on my plate. So my resistance muscle is finally ahead of my give in muscle.

Health Snacks

As I sit here chopping on my little piece of beef jerky for my morning snack I thought I would share this link I found with some suggestions for healthy snacks. I was designed for the kiddos, but it is has some good ideas. I came across it on Parent Hacks it is a fun site with good ideas and tips for the kiddos.

New goals

Okay I think I have come to a decision about the diet sodas (and thanks to my blog buddies for their helpful comments). I think those are out for now. I have done it before and I can do it again.

The goals for this weekend and until my next Wednesday weigh in are:
1) To not drink any more diet sodas (or sodas of any kind).
2) To try and drink decaf. whenever possible.
3) Get in 3 days of exercise between now and Wednesday (hopefully this will include the season 1 BL DVD).

More credit...and thoughts on diet drinks

Today (or really yesterday and today) I get credit for walking 20+ mins and packing my walking clothes so I can do it again today. I feel like I'm back on track a little. My food choices have been OK...not horrible, not terrific...so all in all...OK.

The thing I'm dealing with now is whether to give up all caffeinated drinks or to just give up diet sodas. More secrets here, but we are trying to get pregnant. We might find out something soon. So the giving up caffeine is a part of that but I have this pull that I should be giving up diet sodas ...caffeine free or not all together. Then there is this other part of me that say....NO don't give up those too, you have already given up so much, what is the harm in a little diet soda now and then. I think my "give in" muscle is trying to test my "resistance" muscle and the "give in" muscle is winning.

Giving Credit and Biggest Loser

I think I will start keeping track of what I give myself credit for here. It will strengthen my "resistance" muscle.

Today I get credit for:
Making good food choices yesterday.
packing my workout clothes for a walk today.
making the conscious decision to think about what I eat and when I eat...not just grazing or eating to cover up emotions.


Now on to Biggest Loser! I love this show...have for 3 years. I love Bob!!! Jillian kicks butt. Nothing against Kim, but I have known Bob and Jillian longer. I just get so motivated by the stories and the progress you can see with just working out and eating right. Last night's "How are they doing now" show was great...because I have wondered if they kept the weight off.

I also want to know about Moe from year one...Maurice. I loved him and really hoped he made lots of progress. (edit...Maurice is running of Nashville City Council...gotta love Google).

I can't wait for the season to really start. I have read a couple of blogs mention the Biggest Loser workout DVD. I might have to pick that one up.

Challenge Accepted and keeping secrets

Christine issued a challenge to fellow weight loss bloggers. I'm accepting the challenge to be honest with myself and count the number of days I stayed on track and the number of days that I didn't. When you look back over your day it give you something to strive for...Overall did you make good, healthy choices, or did you make choices that could have been better. Thanks Christine!

The Beck Diet Solution talks about giving yourself credit and this is a great way to do that. The more you give yourself credit for the good decisions you make the more good decisions you will make. It is like strengthening your "resistance" muscle and weakening your "give in" muscle.

Now the other piece of today's post. Are you keeping a secret?? Do people know you are blogging about your weight loss and struggles to live a healthier lifestyle? I am.



Well you ladies and gents on the world wide web know...but my family doesn't know. Oh they know I blog on my family someplace else, but they don't know about this..yet. I have been thinking of telling my husband what I have started. Mainly just so he doesn't think I'm having an affair or looking at something on the web that I shouldn't be. Now when I'm blogging on this site and he steps over by the computer, I close everything down.

Oh he would be supportive, he always is. He has never struggled with weight issues. His issues are more about keeping weight on, not keeping it off. We both try to eat right and get exercise.

I like the privacy that this platform allows. I can say things and hash things out with myself and others going thru similar issues. People who have never been thru struggles like this don't always understand why I feel like I do....how the littlest comments will make me breakdown...how I take personal comments people make about other people "being fat" and then think to myself..."well if they think they are fat, then I must be a huge pig".

So I think I will be telling my husband but maybe just him for now. I think blogging and reading other's blogs helps keep me focused on my ultimate goal...living a healthy lifestyle forever. And really this blog is for me and living the healthier lifestyle is for me...not because other people think I need to loose weight.

So it will still be our little secret for now.

Weigh in day and more inspiration

I need to pick an official weigh in day. I don't do Weight Watcher (but I have in the past and really like it) so I don't have a certain day set as my weigh in day. I usually step on the scale every other day or so. When you do that you see daily highs and lows but it is harder to see concrete progress. I used to weigh on Monday's, but I don't like that because I'm not on my best behavior on weekends (usually). I liked it when I weighed in on Tuesday because I left like I had a little distance from the weekend and my body would adjust back to "normal". Fridays might be good because it would be pre-weekend...hmm that is a thought.

I think I will split the difference and try Wednesdays as weigh-in day. So next official weigh-in day will be September 5th.

Now on to a little more inspiration. I have little sayings or reminders posted all over my office. They serve as little reminders of what I am doing and what I am planning to accomplish.

Here is today's:

Look not mournfully into the past, it comes not back again. Wisely improve the present, it is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear and with a manly (womanly) heart. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

This helps remind me that there will be times I "fall off the wagon" and not eat as well as I should, but every new day is a day to start over....put myself 1st again. This also reminds me to not fear the future. Everything changes over time and I can't control that. I just have to deal with what is before me.

I will be out of town for the weekend and I'm planning to really use my hunger scale this weekend and make the best food options that I can. Hope everyone has a great holiday weekend!

Inspiration

Just a few little inspirational thoughts for the day.


Impatience never commanded success. - Edwin H. Chapin


I like this because we can't be impatient about this process. It took me a long time to get to this weight and it won't just fall off tomorrow.


Convenience never built character (another Beth Moore bible study snippet)

This one tells me that this process will build my character because the hard stuff does that to you.

It is easier to be wise for others than for ourselves - Francois De La Rochefoucauld

This ones tells me that I haven't been putting myself first and now is the time to do that.

Many only learns in two ways, one by reading, and the other by association with smarter people - Will Rogers

My new friends in the blogworld are smart people that set good examples, lend support, make me smile and some times shed a tear because you know you have been right where they are.

It is all about Freedom!!!

Tonight I went to my regular Tuesday night bible study. We just wrapped up the Beth Moore study called Living Beyond Yourself. Session 10 was all about the fruit of the spirit that is self-control. How appropriate a topic is that for someone on a weightloss/healthy living journey?!?!!? All I can say is WOW.

It was great. I came home just wanting to pour out everything she talked about right here on this blog.

She discussed that on one side of the spectrum there is neglect. When we "let ourselves go" or when we have given up for awhile and need a jump start again. We are not respecting ourselves.

The other end is obsession. Obsession with fitness, obsession with calories, obsession with food in general.

She suggested we need to find a balance and that balance is RESPECT. Respect for ourselves. To quote her study guide "Deeply absorbing a biblical perspective of our physical bodies would free us from the horrific stress our culture has placed on us." "Therefore honor God with your body." (or in other words...Respect Yourself) I'm not meaning to preach here, but this stuff really spoke to me. In our media and culture today we are bombarded with images that make us feel bad about ourselves. We are wonderful people that deserve to be happy and respected. And if we don't respect ourselves we are telling the rest of the world they don't need to respect us either.

She was saying that we need to find a place of freedom and that is some place between neglect and obsession. We should be attentive to the point of respect and work on "recapturing the lost art of moderation." We can be attentive by paying attention to what we eat and how much exercise we get, but not to the point that it becomes all consuming.

Chubby Chick has a great post today on something very similar to this topic. She mentions being free several times. When we find this balance we will be free to play with our kids without being winded or tired. We will be free to go to any store and shop. We will be free to go to any restaurant and sit in any booth or chair they take us too. We will have freedom.

Your freedom and mine might be two different things. Your freedom might be a size two, while my freedom might be a size ten (I took that from Beth's lesson too.) We need to find a place were we use moderation as our guide.

Victory happens one day at a time. So go out there and find your freedom....you deserve it!!!

food log Monday August 27, 2007

Goal for this week

I am heading out of town over the holiday weekend. This means being away from home and away from my normal foods. The goal this week is to watch my hunger scale. To stop eating when I am hungry, not matter if that hurts peoples feelings or they think I haven't had enough to eat. This also means hurting my feelings by telling myself I have had enough.


Breakfast
Coffee, decaffeinated, made from ground ( 10 fl oz ) 6 cals
Milk, cow's, fluid, whole ( 0.25 cup ) 36 cals
Muffin, English, whole wheat, 100% ( 1 muffin ) 118 cals
Cheese, Colby ( 1 slice (1 oz) ) 112
Turkey or chicken breast, prepackaged or deli, luncheon meat ( 1.5 slice (1 oz) ) 47

snack
Beef jerky ( 3 cubic inch ) 148

lunc h
Vegetable beef soup, canned, undiluted ( 1 can ) 220
crackers, saltine ( 8 cracker ) 104


dinner at the Melting pot (I had to plug in items that were as close as I could get)
Cheese fondue ( 0.5 cup ) 246
Mixed salad greens, raw ( 2 cup, shredded or chopped ) 18
walnuts 80
dressing 80
Milk, chocolate, NFS ( 0.5 cup ) fondue 104
Strawberries, raw ( 0.5 cup, NFS ) 23
Bread, French or Vienna ( 3 large slice (5" x 2-1/2" x 1") ) 288
cheesecake pieces 182
pound cake pieces 58
brownie pieces 38
2 marshmallows 38
4 almond cookies 111

total for the day 1864

Total

Sooooo not a healthy eating weekend

breakfast -
2 bacon cheese kolaches
non-fat latte (1 cup skim)

Lunch
Beef brisket and sausage sandwich ( 1 sandwich )
onion rings
sweet Tea

dinner
left over chicken enchiliada's
tortilla chips
queso

Total for the day...approx. 1785 (that is from fitday and I tried to be as exactly with my food as possible, but it has to be more calories than that...it feels like it.)

Keep Walking

Last week I received 3 comments on my weight or better yet, on my size, because they don't know what I my weigh. Three different co-workers/friends made comments. One said that I "was looking skinny", another said, "Girl, you are looking good in those jeans." and yet another asked if I was losing weight because "I am seeing less and less of you when you walk down the hall." My scale hasn't budged so it makes me think that my walking is slimming me down even if the scale isn't showing it. That or the rules I've learned on "What not to Wear" are really paying off.

Lately I have forgotten my ipod while walking. This leaves me with whatever is in my head. Lately it has been a little song that repeats over and over and over in my head when I am taking my walks. It is from a Veggie Tales DVD called Joshua and the big wall. If there is a little kid in your life that likes Veggie Tales, this is one of their cuter songs in my opinion.

It is called Keep Walking. It is sung by little french peas with little french accents.

It is a mean little song actually. It kind of sounds like a Monte Python song. Here are the actual lyrics and little audio. But here is the piece that keeps repeating in my head.

Keep walking, but you won't knock down our wall.

Keep walking. But she isn't gonna to fall!

It's plain to see, your brains are very small..

To think walking, will be knocking down our wall.

When I was walking on friday afternoon I changed up the lyrics to fit my situation a little better. It goes a little something like this

Keep walking, your butt is getting small.

Keep walking. It will be tiny by the fall!

It's plain to see, it is getting very small..

and to think walking, is what did it all!!!

So to all you walkers out there...Keep walking...your butt is getting small!!!

food log August 25

Breakfast - 2 biscuits, 1 piece sausage, 3Tbs gravy
lunch - 1 hot dog, 1 cup mac and cheese
dinner - chips with queso, ice tea, enchilada diavlo (about 6 bites)

I walked just under 4 miles today, about 8500 step just with that walk. I'm sure my steps were over 10,000 for the whole day. I have a little sunburn to show for my walk, but I'm still feeling good. The entire walk took me over an hour. I pushed the stroller and we took a few water breaks because we were walking from 10:45 to about noon and it was HOT!

Friday August 24 food log

Breakfast - breakfast bite (140), blueberry juice smoothie (70),

Lunch - OH BOY! this one was bad. The office catered in Mexican food. I had too much. 1 cheese enchilada, 2 beef fajita tacos with sour cream and guac., chips & queso, 1/2 a brownie

Dinner - 1/2 cup corn, 2 hot dogs

dessert - 1 cup ice cream.

I did get out an do my walk (20 mins) and my steps yesterday were over 6300.

It is hubby's birthday weekend. That means cooking him breakfast of his choice and dinner out with friends and family.
The breakfast he has requested in biscuits, sausage, strawberries and he has requested Kolaches for Sunday . I am planning a 1 hour walk on Saturday to help combat this menu.

Diet Library

I have developed quite the diet/healthy lifestyle library over the last several years.

My little library currently includes:



Bob Green The Best Life Diet

You! The owners manual

You! on a Diet

Superfood Rx: 14 Foods that will save your life

Beck Diet Solution

South Beach Diet

South Beach Diet Cookbook

Omega Diet

Ultimate Fitness

Secrets of a Former Fat Girl

My 2 cent reviews
South Beach Diet/South Beach Diet Cookbook (purchased spring 2003)
This jump started my healthy eating lifestyle. I feel like I learned a lot about how my body processes foods. I lost and kept off about 15 lbs while exercising and following South Beach. I went from about 183 to 165. I was slowly gaining the weight back, then I got pregnant. Post pregnancy I haven't been able to drop back down to my pre-preg. weight (172), just about 5 lbs shy of that goal. But just before I got pregnancy I was 7 lbs higher than my lowest post South Beach weight (165). My ultimate goal weight is 140 to 145, so I have a way to go.

Omega Diet (purchased summer 2003) I found this book to be very informative and had some great recipes. They have a wonderful healthy granola recipe. I would eat 1/4 cup with some yogurt and it would keep my satisfied until lunch. I came across this book when my father in law was having heart surgery. The hospital was advertising this book. I thought that if a book a hospital advertising it, it must be healthy. It taught me a lot about the benefits of canola oil and eating whole grains, veggies and fruits. It also helped explain why when we eat meat from grain fed cows we are just getting more Omega 6's but if we buy grass fed beef we get more of the good Omega 3's. There was so much good stuff in this book for me.


Superfood Rx: 14 foods that will save your life (purchased sometime in 2004) I think I heard about this book on Oprah, as you can tell I did with many of my other selections. It was very insightful on the health benefits of eating certain foods. I learned how good for you blueberries, pumpkin, nuts, wheat germ and spinach can be for you. I have tried to incorporate more superfood into my diet ever since.

You! the Owners Manual (2005?) I have to confess, I don't remember too much about this one. I read most of it but I think it is more of a reference book for me now. If something is wrong with me I go to this book to see my body should be working. I do like to learn about how my body works and why it does the things it does.

You! on a Diet (2006?) I think I need to go back to this one more. I have tried to eliminate the bad ingredients this book mentions. Most notably high fructose corn syrup and enriched flour. Hubby and I threw out most of our pantry after reading about this stuff. We are label readers now. One thing this book suggests that I liked and need to follow more is repetition. Dr. Oz suggests eating the same breakfast and lunch everyday and then changing things up at dinner. I also liked that they focus on your waist measure and not just the scale. It was something else I could use to see if I'm at risk for certain chronic diseases. The part of the You! books I didn't like were their use of silly pop-culture references. In ten years those jokes will not make any sense.

Bob Green's the Best Life Diet (2007) I liked parts of this book, but didn't like the way it would always refer to his website and pay eating plan. It turned me off. I do believe that stopping eating 2 hour before bed time can make a big difference. I still try to follow this rule. I like the idea of being active by just taking more steps in a day. I bought a pedometer and wear it all the time now. It helps me gauge how active I have been on any given day. I've only hit 10,000 steps twice, but I do feel a sense of accomplishment when I hit over 6,500. A normal day at the office barely gets me 3,000.

Beck Diet Solution (April 2007) This one really helped me. It was like a breakthrough. Finally a book not about what to eat, but about how to change the way I think about eating. I really think that is the key for me. If it was as easy as just saying no then I would be a size 2. But why can't I seem to say no! that was my question.

Secrets of a Former Fat Girl (Summer 2007) SFF for short. SFF was very similar to Beck Diet Solution, but it was one girls personal journey. I could identify with what she had to go through to lose her weight. The changes she had to make forever in her life. She has been able to keep habits forever that I have tried to establish in myself. Her ideas parallel the Beck Diet Solution so I think these book compliment each other well.

I'm always looking to read more and learn more about healthy eating and living. If you have any book recommendation, please let me know.