Week 3 Update and Excellent Motivational Speaker Links!

As many of you know I was a little worried about my weigh in this week, so I was happy to see a 1 pound weight loss.  I remember from watching The Biggest Loser that week 3 was always a tough week for them.  Anyway I'll definitely take it.

cran h2o

I'm trying a little something new this week, drinking 56 ounces of cran water a day.  For strict BFC followers it may not be something you want to do because the entire 56 ounces contain 9 grams of sugar.  However for me, I thought it was a reasonable amount of sugar, especially if it's a significant benefit.  It's not something drank all at once either.  I'll let you know what I think.

TODAY'S MENU:
Breakfast:  CLIF kid organic ZBAR  chocolate brownie
Lunch:  tuna (flavored with mustard, apple cider vinegar), TRISCUIT FIRE ROASTED TOMATO AND OLIVE OIL, 2 cucumbers (flavored with apple cider vinegar, salt, pepper)
Snack (if hungry):  apple and walnuts (small handful)
Dinner:  pork roast, broccoli, turnip greens
56 ounces of cran water for the day + lots of H2O.

 I found a new to me product I absolutely LOVE, the TRISCUIT crackers I referenced above!  In fact I think I love them a little too much!  I've been eating them with lunch, only 6 because that's a serving.  They're also SUPER BFC FRIENDLY, with 0 sugar and 20 carbs!  Do you love them?  They are super yummy and delicious with the tuna, but I think they'd be awesome with anything.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM LAST WEEK:  I learned that when cooking bacon I MUST NOT under any circumstances snack on bacon while cooking it!  I did that last week....let's just say my family didn't get to eat much of it.  I'll eat it in a recipe or with a meal, but that's it.  It's crack to me.  Ha.

I've mentioned before that I never stayed on track with any eating plan before I listened to this speaker.  It's really resonated with me in numerous ways.  It doesn't hurt that he's a good friend of mine, so I trust what he says.  Here's the blog talk radio episode (called Failure to Launch) that changed my life:

Listen to Internet radio with Scot Ferrell on Blog Talk Radio

Website:  scotferrell.com

Let me know what you think.

QUESTION OF THE DAY:  What motivates you?

WHAT TO IMPROVE UPON THIS WEEK:  sleep!  I don't get nearly enough of it.  This week my goal is to be in bed with the lights, PC, phone OFF by midnight.  Yeah, I'll sit up to about 2 a.m. on my accord, definitely not good for weight loss.  It makes me a carb-a-holic the next day.

Hope your day is a healthy, joyful one.

Be healthy. Be strong.

Never Forget.

While getting ready for church this morning Fox News was broadcasting from NYC and observing a moment of silence for when the 2nd plane hit the twin towers.  I couldn't help but cry remembering all of those lost lives, and how many have lost lives since, defending, protecting, and serving our country.  Then another blog I follow posted this video.  It made me smile, so I thought I'd pass it along.

I've still been plugging along this week, eating healthy most of the time and working out.  I haven't really lost any weight this week so far, but it is my TOM so I'm O.K. with it.  I need to eat a little healthier this week, because next week we go to the beach & I want some good numbers leading into vacation. I DID make my work out goal this week of going to the gym 5 times!. I do feel good about that.  Tomorrow's my official weigh-in date, so I'll let you know.

My kids start Awana tonight.  They kick-off registration with an ice cream social.  I'm definitely not going to have any ice cream.  I don't feel deprived either.  I'm gonna cling to this quote a good friend that's an author/motivational speaker says.  "If I live for today, will end up trading what I want for what I want right now."  Thinking of this quote is gonna keep me on track tonight!  In fact his radio show is what has kick started my weight loss when nothing worked for me before.  If anyone is interested let me know & I'll send out a link.  He's really awesome!

Question of the day:  Where were you when you heard the news on September 11, 2001?

I'll see y'all tomorrow when I post week 3 results.

Have a great evening!

Be healthy. Be strong.

Week 2 Update!

In week 2 I've lost 5 pounds bringing my total weight loss to 16 pounds, just by changing what I eat and working out.  I think not eating any starchy foods at night is making a huge difference.  I don't eat that way every night, but almost every night.  Like one night this past week we had take out pizza & I did have 2 medium slices of cheese pizza with a few carrot sticks.  I really think I can maintain my current eating philosophy forever.  I just love working out too.  With 2 small kids at home it's an awesome way I'm reducing my stress level. Plus it has a most positive benefit of not hearing, "Momma, Momma."

On a personal note.  Had my annual checkup with my GYN today.  I think I'm interested in getting a Mirena IUD.  The most excellent side benefit is no menstrual flow!  How cool would that be.  Do any of you have one?  Like it?  Just wondering?  We're definitely done having kids & it works for 5 years.  I just really don't like the idea of going without anything and getting a SURPRISE.  Oh, and it's no estrogen, just progesterone.

I know my weight loss is going to slow down this week.  I'm just gonna try to concentrate on doing what I'm doing & I'll get there eventually!

I'm planning to do a workout routine this afternoon, maybe Netflix?  Do you have a favorite workout DVD?  If so, I'd love to hear & try it out, especially if I can find it on Netflix.

Hope your day is a joyful, healthy one.

Be healthy.  Be strong.

 

Chocolate Is Good For You

Hi everyone, I wanted to pass along this yummy chocolate recipe I've concocted.  Chocolate for breakfast, what could be better?  I was feeling a little drowsy this morning and thought chocolate peanut butter oatmeal would taste awesome!  It's so rich though, I normally don't eat it all.  I know during that time of the month when I'm craving chocolate, this will be so much healthier than a refined flour, sugar, oily kind of treat, and will satisfy that craving completely.

Yum-o Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal
1/2 cup of old fashioned oats, cooked with 1 cup of water, either stove top or microwave
2 squares of dark chocolate, chopped (I used Endangered Species Chocolate, 88% cocoa)
1/3 scoop of Garden of Life Super Seed (optional)
1 Tablespoon of no sugar added peanut butter
2 packages of Sun Crystals
vanilla extract to taste

Cook Oatmeal

Add all other ingredients except chocolate.  Stir.  Add chocolate last, not stirring completely. 

 A smaller portion would make a tasty dessert, maybe with some whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Nutritional stats:  Calories 360, Carbs 41, Fat 19, Protein 12, Sugar 5, Fiber 9.

Let me know what you think and if you made any modifications?  I'd love to hear. :)

Happy cooking.

Take care,

 

Rockin' My New Fitness Plan

Between changing my nutrition & fitness, I'm getting results, losing about 1/2 pound per day & 3 inches in my waist over the past 2 weeks.  Today I wanted to talk about my fitness plan.  I'm actually enjoying it too, really!  I have more energy for my kids, and more patience too.  Not to mention, I'm in the best mood ever!  It gives my serotonin a boost for the rest of the day.

To begin, my goal is to walk through the doors to Fitness 19 five days per week.  I have tried working out at home, but with a 4 year old underfoot it's almost impossible for me, so a gym is a better alternative.  Psst....and this gym is cheap, really cheap.  Since getting healthy takes a no excuses mentality, I must not allow excuses to even enter my brain.  Oh and energy zappers please stay away.  You know those people you're around for a minute that suck any optimism and happiness within you and make you run for some chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, or a whole roll of cookie dough for that matter.  No thanks, take your ice cream & negative talk, I have a goal in mind that I WILL ACHIEVE.  Sounds harsh, doesn't it, but it works and why would you wanna be around such energy drainers anyway.  Life's too short!  Cut the cord y'all.  (Can you tell I'm from the south?)

 O.K., so now I'm in the door now what?  I can't afford the personal trainer, that's $19 per hour.  And, listen up local fitness 19, you have no women trainers.  What's up with that?  I think most women would be more comfortable working with a woman.  I would, rather than some 20 year old jock.  Stepping off my soapbox now....  Thankfully I have trained in a gym some (thanks to boyfriends of old), so I have an idea of where to start.  Then I figure between the Internet & friends I'll just pick up the rest as I go along.  Who knows maybe I'll call up an old boyfriend and ask them? ;)

So here's the 5 day plan:

• Cardio everyday for up to 1 hour.  My goal is an hour, but so far the most I've done is 45 minutes.  Cardio is where I'm adjusting my time in the gym because some days all I have is an hour.
• work abs everyday
• each day I'll work a different body part

I'm loving the weight training too!  I love the feeling of stretching and squeezing a muscle.  It's so empowering too.  And don't worry, you won't have lumpy, bumpy, muscles (as my 8 year old says).  Think Jennifer Aniston.  A funny story about muscles, a few weeks ago my daughters and I were standing in line at Wendy's waiting to order our food, my oldest, the 8 year old said with a bright-eyed amazed look on her face, "LOOK Mom at his muscles."  I said, "yes, I see his muscles.  Now don't stare."  I know he heard us.  I wasn't more than a foot away. 








Question of the day:  Do you currently have a fitness plan?  What is it?  What part do you love?

Video of the day:  Britney Spears' Ab workout


I think I am going to try out this ab workout. Although I know I won't be able to do all of the reps, I can work up to it.

Hoping your day is a joyful, healthy one.

Be healthy.  Be strong.

Take care,

 

Goal Achieved and random thoughts, of course ;)

I obtained my 1st weight loss goal today.  I've lost the 1st 10 pounds!  I'm really excited because I've been trying to lose weight for years, as I was saying in a recent post.  What I'm doing is really working and I'm going to keep doing it.  I have a goal in sight and I will make my actions match the outcome I want to achieve.  The ultimate goal is to weigh between 115 to 120 pounds.  I really don't want to say at this point what I do weigh, but suffice it to say I have a way to go. My plan is to break down my goal into 5 pound mini goals. I've negotiated with my hubby to give me $100 for every 5 pounds lost, sort of as an incentive for me.  Really though, I think the main reason I asked him to give me $100 dollars was so I wouldn't feel guilty spending money on myself. 

I'm actually beginning to enjoy the journey and the pleasant surprises along the way.  Like last night when my husband came into the bedroom after eating corn chips, at first it smelled like "feet", but then I realized oh that's a corn chip smell.  I think my sense of smell is improving as well as my taste buds.  A month ago those chips would have smelled good to me & I probably would have munched on a few and I still would if I had really, really wanted some.  However, I didn't eat any because I have a goal insight that I want to achieve and to me that's more important than a few seconds of pleasure from the chip, that's surely not going to do me any favors.  However if it had been my favorite dessert, banana pudding southern style, I would have definitely had small amount & not felt guilty at all. 

I think my husband thinks I'm going through a midlife crisis of some sort.  I think he is too though, and I'm honestly not sure where it's going to take us.

Tonight I went to the gym while my oldest daughter was at gymnastics.  We came home immediately after her gymnastics practice & he was none to happy that I hadn't fried the eggplant & okra from our garden.   In his defense he was probably looking forward to it because I've definitely honed my okra frying skills.  After the 1st bite, almost everyone raves about them.  It took me about half a summer one year to get the recipe like his mama's, and the bad part was I couldn't ask her because she was deceased.  Am I planning to snack on any when I cook them?  Nope. 

I've had something else on my mind today too.  Last week a good friend of mine went back to work after being a stay-at-home mom like myself.  With our kids getting older, the youngest being 4 1/2, I plan to go back to work when the youngest enters elementary school.  So I've started thinking about what I want to do as far as a career.  I think the answer occurred to me today.  In every job I've ever had, I excelled in one area.  Management always put me in this area, I felt very comfortable doing it, and always received the very highest praise from senior management in this capacity.  Now I'm not saying I was a perfect employee, far from it.  What I am saying is this is one aspect of my job I enjoyed the most, found the easiest, and the most rewarding.   My main career before staying at home was as an assistant manager and senior loan officer in a bank and also a loan officer at a credit union.  Oh and I also was in sales at another bank.  People really trusted me, which I think was the main reason I was successful in sales because I'm not a pushy person at all.
This area that I had much success, fulfillment and joy was in a public relations/almost negotiator sort of role.  I loved going to Chamber of Commerce meetings and functions, speaking with local business owners, and being on the front line drumming up business or just talking with folks about their family, health & what's important to them.  Honestly though talking to people on a personal level made the business deals a piece of cake.  I also really enjoyed telling people no in a positive way.  Never tell them what you CAN'T do, tell them what you CAN do.  Now, what job that is in today's market, I have no idea?  Thanks for listening to me ramble like this. 

Anyway this is what I ate today:

breakfast:  O.K., I've been on a roll with this one lately & it just doesn't get old.  Old fashioned oats, (instead of cinnamon I used pumpkin spice & it was really good), peanut butter, Sun Crystals, apple,  & Garden of Life Super Seed.  Unless your spouse dislikes the smell of peanut butter, you'll love this.  My hubby fusses when he smells peanut butter in my oatmeal, so I try to eat it at a considerable distance away from him. 

lunch:  This was just heavenly.  Food For Life brown rice tortilla, hummus, lettuce, carrots.  I lightly toasted the tortilla, then folded it all up like a taco.  Yum-O!

dinner:  Salad (romaine, carrots, cucumbers, Bragg's healthy vinaigrette)  You may not see cucumbers on the salad...well, I actually ate those while making dinner ;) .  McDougall's black bean and lime soup (see below)

 

. 

I didn't cook much today, usually don't on Mondays, which are very busy for us, but I don't like to eat at fast food restaurants too often as well.  I didn't plan on it being a vegan day, oh well. 

my littlest pumpkin before taking her to dance class today.

 

 

Question of the day:  How has you spouse or significant other reacted to your weight loss, positively or negatively?

Thanks for listening everyone.  Hope you had a fabulous Monday.

Be healthy.  Be strong.

Take care,


 

What I ate today!

 After requests of what I've been eating, I thought I would post what I ate on Saturday.  O.K. drum roll please......O.K. it's not that exciting.  Here it is:

Breakfast, well this was really lunch by the time I got around to eating, oops:  oatmeal with an apple, cinnamon, peanut butter, Sun Crystals, Garden of Life Super Seed

For snack I had some leftover chopped raw fruit & veggies from the fridge:  cucumbers, apple slices, baby carrots, and a small handful of pecans.

Dinner:  ribeye from Earth Fare (no antibiotics, no growth hormones, vegetarian fed), steamed broccoli  with organic butter, and Vitaminwater zero. .  I can't always afford to buy "pricey meat" but if I find a good sale I'm all about it.

Just add in lots of h20 & that's it.  I didn't get any formal exercise in, but did manage 7,000 steps according to my pedometer.  I'm going to the gym in the morning for cardio & weights.

I'm trying to concentrate on protein, fruits, veggies, and some grains.  I'm also trying to pay attention to how I feel after eating.  I noticed having a little abdominal pain after the oatmeal, not much though.  Then after dinner, I felt a little quesy.  The same thing happens to me after eating eggs.  I wonder if it's the fat?

Anyway that's it...still trying to experiment to see what works best for me.

Wanna hear an awesome non-scale victory today!?  I was at church today walking to pick up my "little pumpkins" when someone I used to date (when I was skinny & hot) stopped to speak to me.  His eyes actually followed my body down & back up.  You know like your boyfriend would always do when he saw a fine looking girl.  I thought, YES!!!!!!!!  This is a great day!  Of course I told my husband & he said in a sort of kidding like tone, "oh, (wink) you're just getting hot for your next husband."  Which is so not true.  I'm doing this for me!

Hope you have an awesome day!

Be healthy.  Be strong.

Take care,