Weightloss Tracker
Friday, December 31, 2010
Wow! Inspiration for Everyone!
Check out Tricia's blog post about her amazing weightloss. She is very inspirational and every word she wrote about the day she changed her life reflects exactly how I feel. I changed my life on December 15, 2010 and I will also forever remember that day. I hope that you have a life changing day in your future and it will be one that you will never forget in a good way! :)
New Year's Day Menu
I hope you are looking forward to a new year of healthy eating! I sure am! I am looking forward to trying new recipes, new foods, and cooking more at home. One of my favorite new websites is Skinny Taste. This website is full of awesome recipes that are healthier takes on favorites. I also love that Gina (the blogger) includes all nutrition information and Weight Watchers points!
I am really excited about fixing healthy, fresh mimosas (freshly squeezed orange juice and champagne) in the morning to go along with the banana pancakes on her blog. Check the recipes out and take a taste for yourself!
Good luck to a new year full of healthy foods and exciting new recipes! Cheers to a healthier and happier YOU!
I am really excited about fixing healthy, fresh mimosas (freshly squeezed orange juice and champagne) in the morning to go along with the banana pancakes on her blog. Check the recipes out and take a taste for yourself!
Good luck to a new year full of healthy foods and exciting new recipes! Cheers to a healthier and happier YOU!
New Year's Resolutions/Goals
I have really been thinking about what my new year's resolutions should be for 2011. As I have been thinking, I realized that I don't want to make a list of new year's resolutions because normally I never can keep them. Instead I want to make ONE resolution and then a list of goals. I feel like a new year resolution is a very lengthy goal since it spans over 365 days. You really have to choose something that you feel you can do for a long period of time without feeling the excitement of accomplishment. I do feel it is important to make one because it helps you become excited about the new year. Make a list of your ONE new year's resolution and a list of goals you would like to accomplish THROUGHOUT the year. :)
Happy New Year and I hope this will be your best year yet!!
My New Year's Resolution: To stay focused on my new lifestyle of eating whole foods.
Things I Would Like to Accomplish in 2011:-Run/Walk a 5K
-Cook more meals at home.
-Drink at least 3000ml of water daily.
-Be an inspiration to others who are struggling with weight loss.
-Shop locally at my local farmer's market.
-Exercise at least 4-5 times a week.
-Get my BMI in a healthy range.
-Wear my pedometer every day to keep me accountable for how many steps I have taken.
-Try fruits and vegetables that I have never tried.
-Expand my tastebuds and try new foods that I wouldn't have tried before.
-Eat at new restaurants.
-Become closer to God.
-Help others who are struggling physically, financially, emotionally, etc.
A few quotes to get you started on the right foot for the new year:
We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.
Edith Lovejoy Pierce
I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's.
Henry Moore
As we look into 2011 we look at a block of time. We see 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds. And all is a gift from God. We have done nothing to deserve it, earn it, or purchased it. Like the air we breathe, time comes to us as a part of life. -Unknown
The new year is full of time. As the seconds tick away, will you be tossing time out the window, or will you make every minute count? -Unknown
This is a time of new beginnings and the celebration of life. -Unknown
December 31
The Good: The weather was wonderful today here in South Carolina. The temperature outside was around 70 degrees. I was excited to get a chance to be outside so I took my dog, Bud for a nice walk around our neighborhood. I enjoyed getting fresh air and seeing many of my neighbors out and about. It definitely made me excited about Spring!! I am looking forward to adding an afternoon walk with one of my dogs when I get home from school this semester. :)
Also, stepped on the scale this morning, another 1.5 lbs lost! Love to know that those pounds will never be back on this body again! :)
The Bad: For some reason today, I have not been able to stay full with any of my meals. I snacked more today than usual. I did end up drinking more water today, trying to see if I am thirsty instead of hungry. It did help my cravings but I did have to have several snacks in between my normal meals. I didn't feel bad about eating the two snacks I had today because 1) I hate healthy foods and 2) I know my metabolism is working because it is telling my body that it needs fuel. It is all about making the right choices. :)
The Ugly: Shawn and I bought a detox drink last week from 14 Carrot and I have been waiting to try it. I finally decided today that I would give it a try. I opened it right after breakfast this morning and took one sip and threw it away. It was DISGUSTING! I decided that I would rather eat certain foods to help detox my body than drink that disgusting drink. I will make note not to buy that drink again! I am glad I at least tried it because you never know. :)
Also, stepped on the scale this morning, another 1.5 lbs lost! Love to know that those pounds will never be back on this body again! :)
The Bad: For some reason today, I have not been able to stay full with any of my meals. I snacked more today than usual. I did end up drinking more water today, trying to see if I am thirsty instead of hungry. It did help my cravings but I did have to have several snacks in between my normal meals. I didn't feel bad about eating the two snacks I had today because 1) I hate healthy foods and 2) I know my metabolism is working because it is telling my body that it needs fuel. It is all about making the right choices. :)
The Ugly: Shawn and I bought a detox drink last week from 14 Carrot and I have been waiting to try it. I finally decided today that I would give it a try. I opened it right after breakfast this morning and took one sip and threw it away. It was DISGUSTING! I decided that I would rather eat certain foods to help detox my body than drink that disgusting drink. I will make note not to buy that drink again! I am glad I at least tried it because you never know. :)
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Great Calorie Tool!
Check out The Daily Plate for an awesome tool to figure out how many calories you should consume daily. This tool includes options for gaining weight, maintenance, and losing weight. All you have to do is plug in your age, height, weight, and rate how active you are and then your daily calorie amount pops up. I hope you find it as useful as I do!!
Awesome Finds
Today, mom and I went to Earth Fare and The Fresh Market. What an awesome experience and I hope that one of them will open a store somewhere close to Lexington! I could have spent all day in both stores! Check out some of the awesome food finds I found today. :)
Wasa Rosemary Flat bread (New!)- I love Wasa crackers and Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese. I have never seen the flat breads before until today! I cannot wait to try them for a delicious low-calorie snack! Keep your eyes open for them!
Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips- I have heard these chips taste wonderful! I love the colors they come in! The package says that each serving of these chips is a full serving of vegetables. Don't get me wrong, I love my fresh veggies but having a serving of veggies chip style is something to look forward to! I will let you know how these beauties taste once I try them out!
Agave Nectar- I could not believe how many options of agave nectar I found today! I have not been able to find this jewel in my local grocery store so I knew I was going to be on the lookout for it today. The great thing about agave nectar is it tastes really sweet without the extra calories. It is great to mix in smoothies, use a syrup, or use as a topping on berries. It also is a low-glycemic sweetener which is great for people who have type 2 diabetes or PCOS.
Quinoa (Keen-wah)- I was so excited to find Quinoa today because I have been reading about the amazing benefits it provides your body. It is similar to rice but it packs tons of vitamins and is very healthy for you. I cannot wait to try it alongside of chicken and fresh veggies. The Quinoa I got is also gluten free which will help with my husband's Celiac disease. Awesome product!
Coconut Oil/Butter- Another product I was excited about finding was coconut oil! In the book, The Eat Clean Diet, Tosca talks about the health benefits of adding coconut oil/butter to your diet. She made tons of suggestions and says it is very good to cook with. Coconut oil can be cooked at very high temperatures and does not transmit unhealthy fats when cooked. I am excited about adding something new to my morning cooking routine! The coconut oil/butter does not look like oil at all in the jar but once it heats up, it turns into a clear liquid that resembles oil. Google "coconut oil" to find out all of the benefits!!
Pomegranate- I have always been fearful of this large, red fruit because I had no idea how to eat it or open it. I finally found a great tutorial on a healthy eating cooking blog about how to open and eat a pomegranate. Once I saw how easy it was, I wanted to try one myself! Pomegranates pack a lot of health boosters such as vitamins, antioxidants, and more. I cannot wait to open up this yummy fruit!
Last but not least, my FAVORITE, Cliff White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Granola Bars- 2 words: Simply AMAZING. I ran across these bars at our local health food store, 14 Carrot 2 weeks ago. I have not been able to stop thinking about these bars since then. These bars are the ultimate yummy snack. They are salty and sweet and good for you. The best part about these bars is they come in packs of 2 so when you look at the already good nutrition label on the side, you get a surprise: it is for 2 bars!! How awesome is that?! I don't even crave chocolate candy bars anymore because of these delicious bars. Please go try to find these wonderful bars yourself at 14 Carrot or Earth Fare. I am stalking Publix until I find them there and will let you know when they arrive. :)
Also, word of advice, remember to look at the package and get the CRUNCH Granola Bars NOT the energy bars. Please learn this from my past experience. :) I got a little too excited when I THOUGHT I found these at Publix but ended up being sorely disappointed when I got home and realized I got the energy bars when I thought I had found the Crunch bars.
I hope you will be able to get a hold of some of these delicious items and I will keep you updated on any recipes or reviews I have! :)
Wasa Rosemary Flat bread (New!)- I love Wasa crackers and Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese. I have never seen the flat breads before until today! I cannot wait to try them for a delicious low-calorie snack! Keep your eyes open for them!
Terra Exotic Vegetable Chips- I have heard these chips taste wonderful! I love the colors they come in! The package says that each serving of these chips is a full serving of vegetables. Don't get me wrong, I love my fresh veggies but having a serving of veggies chip style is something to look forward to! I will let you know how these beauties taste once I try them out!
Agave Nectar- I could not believe how many options of agave nectar I found today! I have not been able to find this jewel in my local grocery store so I knew I was going to be on the lookout for it today. The great thing about agave nectar is it tastes really sweet without the extra calories. It is great to mix in smoothies, use a syrup, or use as a topping on berries. It also is a low-glycemic sweetener which is great for people who have type 2 diabetes or PCOS.
Quinoa (Keen-wah)- I was so excited to find Quinoa today because I have been reading about the amazing benefits it provides your body. It is similar to rice but it packs tons of vitamins and is very healthy for you. I cannot wait to try it alongside of chicken and fresh veggies. The Quinoa I got is also gluten free which will help with my husband's Celiac disease. Awesome product!
Coconut Oil/Butter- Another product I was excited about finding was coconut oil! In the book, The Eat Clean Diet, Tosca talks about the health benefits of adding coconut oil/butter to your diet. She made tons of suggestions and says it is very good to cook with. Coconut oil can be cooked at very high temperatures and does not transmit unhealthy fats when cooked. I am excited about adding something new to my morning cooking routine! The coconut oil/butter does not look like oil at all in the jar but once it heats up, it turns into a clear liquid that resembles oil. Google "coconut oil" to find out all of the benefits!!
Pomegranate- I have always been fearful of this large, red fruit because I had no idea how to eat it or open it. I finally found a great tutorial on a healthy eating cooking blog about how to open and eat a pomegranate. Once I saw how easy it was, I wanted to try one myself! Pomegranates pack a lot of health boosters such as vitamins, antioxidants, and more. I cannot wait to open up this yummy fruit!
Last but not least, my FAVORITE, Cliff White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Granola Bars- 2 words: Simply AMAZING. I ran across these bars at our local health food store, 14 Carrot 2 weeks ago. I have not been able to stop thinking about these bars since then. These bars are the ultimate yummy snack. They are salty and sweet and good for you. The best part about these bars is they come in packs of 2 so when you look at the already good nutrition label on the side, you get a surprise: it is for 2 bars!! How awesome is that?! I don't even crave chocolate candy bars anymore because of these delicious bars. Please go try to find these wonderful bars yourself at 14 Carrot or Earth Fare. I am stalking Publix until I find them there and will let you know when they arrive. :)
Also, word of advice, remember to look at the package and get the CRUNCH Granola Bars NOT the energy bars. Please learn this from my past experience. :) I got a little too excited when I THOUGHT I found these at Publix but ended up being sorely disappointed when I got home and realized I got the energy bars when I thought I had found the Crunch bars.
I hope you will be able to get a hold of some of these delicious items and I will keep you updated on any recipes or reviews I have! :)
December 30
The Good: Mom and I had an awesome day today shopping at local organic and health food stores. We had a blast expanding our minds and taste buds while shopping at The Fresh Market and Earth Fare. We found tons of items that I have not seen at Publix but have been reading about in the various health food books I have read lately. Not only did we find unique food items, we also saw some of the freshest vegetables and fruit I have ever seen! I felt like a kid in a candy store in both stores! I was amazed at the beauty and freshness of so many whole foods that it made me forget all of my old processed food favorites. I walked away with many delicious new fruits and veggies to add to my meals this week. :)
Also, I started this morning off stepping on the scale with another 1 pound gone! I am at a total of 10 pounds lost in the last 3 weeks! Woo Hoo!!
The Best: Yes, I couldn't resist adding another column to this entry today! Mom and I ate a fabulously delicious lunch in Columbia at a little healthy restaurant called Zoe's Kitchen. Wow! What an awesome little place with amazing food! Mom had the steak wraps with yogurt dipping sauce and I had a grilled feta sandwich on whole wheat bread. AMAZING! I can tell you that my taste buds are popping now that I am eating fresh, healthy foods. I cannot imagine going back to the old-fried food days. I would highly recommend checking out Zoe's Kitchen if you are ever near Forest Drive in Columbia. I am hoping that we can get one in Lexington soon! It would be an awesome addition to our downtown area so let's keep our fingers crossed that we might get a Zoe's Kitchen in Lexington one day. :)
My Yummy Grilled Feta Sandwich (whole wheat bread, feta cheese, basil leaves, spinach, sliced tomatoes, and grilled onions):
Check out their philosophy: Recipes derived from fresh ingredients such as vegetables, chicken, olive oil and feta cheese along with moderating consumption is Zoe's philosophy on nutrition. As with all Mediterranean diets, the basic building blocks are fresh vegetables, cheeses, olive oils along with produce and fish. All of the recipes at Zoe's Kitchen start with fresh ingredients each morning and if consumed with moderation would constitute a well balanced diet. We look forward to serving you again soon! (AWESOME!)
The Bad: I did not plan my meals very well today while mom and I were out and about. I did great with eating every 3-4 hours until later this afternoon once we left Earth Fare and headed back to Lexington. I had gone almost 5 hours and could tell that my body needed fuel. We had plenty of food in the car with us that we had just bought and I should have gotten an apple, banana, or granola bar to eat on the way home. I was starving once I finally walked in the door but luckily it was time for dinner.
The Ugly: I once again did not get any formal exercise in today. I did walk a good bit with mom today while shopping but I really need to get myself motivated to get back on my treadmill daily.
Also, I started this morning off stepping on the scale with another 1 pound gone! I am at a total of 10 pounds lost in the last 3 weeks! Woo Hoo!!
The Best: Yes, I couldn't resist adding another column to this entry today! Mom and I ate a fabulously delicious lunch in Columbia at a little healthy restaurant called Zoe's Kitchen. Wow! What an awesome little place with amazing food! Mom had the steak wraps with yogurt dipping sauce and I had a grilled feta sandwich on whole wheat bread. AMAZING! I can tell you that my taste buds are popping now that I am eating fresh, healthy foods. I cannot imagine going back to the old-fried food days. I would highly recommend checking out Zoe's Kitchen if you are ever near Forest Drive in Columbia. I am hoping that we can get one in Lexington soon! It would be an awesome addition to our downtown area so let's keep our fingers crossed that we might get a Zoe's Kitchen in Lexington one day. :)
My Yummy Grilled Feta Sandwich (whole wheat bread, feta cheese, basil leaves, spinach, sliced tomatoes, and grilled onions):
Check out their philosophy: Recipes derived from fresh ingredients such as vegetables, chicken, olive oil and feta cheese along with moderating consumption is Zoe's philosophy on nutrition. As with all Mediterranean diets, the basic building blocks are fresh vegetables, cheeses, olive oils along with produce and fish. All of the recipes at Zoe's Kitchen start with fresh ingredients each morning and if consumed with moderation would constitute a well balanced diet. We look forward to serving you again soon! (AWESOME!)
The Bad: I did not plan my meals very well today while mom and I were out and about. I did great with eating every 3-4 hours until later this afternoon once we left Earth Fare and headed back to Lexington. I had gone almost 5 hours and could tell that my body needed fuel. We had plenty of food in the car with us that we had just bought and I should have gotten an apple, banana, or granola bar to eat on the way home. I was starving once I finally walked in the door but luckily it was time for dinner.
The Ugly: I once again did not get any formal exercise in today. I did walk a good bit with mom today while shopping but I really need to get myself motivated to get back on my treadmill daily.
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
2011 Wish List
I have compiled a list of things I would like to get to help me with changing my lifestyle during 2011. I wanted to share them with you in case you would like them too! As I get them, I will review them and write a post about them. :)
1. BodyBugg
I want one of these awesome gadgets that the Biggest Loser contestants wear. After reading Ali's book, Believe It, Be It, I decided that I really would like one. She talks in her book about how much it helped her stay accountable for calories coming in and calories being burned. She said she would not go to sleep until the screen on the BodyBugg said 0. The only problem is this bugg is $275.00 on sale!
2. Jillian Michael's 20lb Adjustable Kettle Bell
After seeing the awesome reviews on kettle bell exercise, I would like to invest in this set of kettle bells. Not only does this set come with a DVD of exercises, it also stores really well. I also like the fact that it is adjustable so I would not have to continue buying kettle bells of different weights. I could use these to do several circut exercises. This set of bell weights is $89.00 on Amazon.com and I have seen them at Target for $85.00. Another expensive purchase but when looking at all of the non-adjustable kettle bells, this is your best bang for your buck since you only have to buy one of these.
3. Camelbak M.U.L.E. 100oz Hydration Pack
I really would like to have one of these hydration packs to use when walking/running. This would be a great thing to carry instead of a water bottle in my hand. Also, this pack has a lot of room to add snacks, keys, wallet, etc. Eventually, I really would like to start hiking or biking and this would be very ideal to take with me. Some friends of ours had one when we took a trip with them this past fall and they used it for their dogs when they took them for long walks. I would love to be able to take our dogs hiking maybe this spring and this would be very helpful for them too. This one costs around $78.95 on Amazon.com.
4. Zumba Fitness for Wii
I fell in love with Zumba last summer and unfortunately have not found time to put it in my schedule with school. I need to start going back to the Thursday night classes starting next week. Since I cannot make the morning class like I used to, I would love to have the Wii game to use along side of the Thursday night class. I have read and heard it is a lot of fun and burns tons of calories!
5. EA Active Sports 2 for Wii
This video game is supposed to pack a lot of punch! It includes a 9 week personal training routine that is specifically made for your body type, weight, height, skill, etc. I have read glowing recommendations for this game. My sister got it for Christmas this year so I will have to get her review before I buy it. She has heard great things about it and wanted to try it out herself.
1. BodyBugg
I want one of these awesome gadgets that the Biggest Loser contestants wear. After reading Ali's book, Believe It, Be It, I decided that I really would like one. She talks in her book about how much it helped her stay accountable for calories coming in and calories being burned. She said she would not go to sleep until the screen on the BodyBugg said 0. The only problem is this bugg is $275.00 on sale!
2. Jillian Michael's 20lb Adjustable Kettle Bell
After seeing the awesome reviews on kettle bell exercise, I would like to invest in this set of kettle bells. Not only does this set come with a DVD of exercises, it also stores really well. I also like the fact that it is adjustable so I would not have to continue buying kettle bells of different weights. I could use these to do several circut exercises. This set of bell weights is $89.00 on Amazon.com and I have seen them at Target for $85.00. Another expensive purchase but when looking at all of the non-adjustable kettle bells, this is your best bang for your buck since you only have to buy one of these.
3. Camelbak M.U.L.E. 100oz Hydration Pack
I really would like to have one of these hydration packs to use when walking/running. This would be a great thing to carry instead of a water bottle in my hand. Also, this pack has a lot of room to add snacks, keys, wallet, etc. Eventually, I really would like to start hiking or biking and this would be very ideal to take with me. Some friends of ours had one when we took a trip with them this past fall and they used it for their dogs when they took them for long walks. I would love to be able to take our dogs hiking maybe this spring and this would be very helpful for them too. This one costs around $78.95 on Amazon.com.
4. Zumba Fitness for Wii
I fell in love with Zumba last summer and unfortunately have not found time to put it in my schedule with school. I need to start going back to the Thursday night classes starting next week. Since I cannot make the morning class like I used to, I would love to have the Wii game to use along side of the Thursday night class. I have read and heard it is a lot of fun and burns tons of calories!
5. EA Active Sports 2 for Wii
This video game is supposed to pack a lot of punch! It includes a 9 week personal training routine that is specifically made for your body type, weight, height, skill, etc. I have read glowing recommendations for this game. My sister got it for Christmas this year so I will have to get her review before I buy it. She has heard great things about it and wanted to try it out herself.
December 29
The Good:OMG! I had the most amazing pizza tonight from our local ZPizza. ZPizza is a fully organic pizza joint that specializes in incredibly yummy pizzas, salads, and pastas. Tonight on the way to our Wednesday night church class, I picked up one of ZPizza's Rustica pizzas, The Chicken Sausage and Arugula. Simply AMAZING! What makes it even better is the nutrition label! Check it out: Chicken Sausage and Arugula Rustica 1 Slice Cal 70 Fat 2 Sat Fat 1 Sodium 210 Carbs 9 Fiber 0 Protein 5. I do wish it had more fiber but even without the fiber the nutrition facts are fabulous for a piece of yummy pizza! I would highly recommend checking ZPizza out when you can! They also have a deal right now BOGO on the Rustica Pizzas through January 31, 2011 using the code BOGO1210.
The Bad: I have been exhausted today for some reason so I ended up taking a 4 hour nap today! Ah!! I just think about all of the things I could have gotten done but at the same time, my body obviously needed rest. One of the important things I have been reading about in the many books I have read on health lately is making sure you are getting 7-8hours a sleep a night. Since I have been off my usual schedule from school, I have not consistently been getting this amount of sleep so I am guessing my body just finally told itself that it needed some rest.
The Ugly: I will be honest and tell you I did not exercise today. :( I have missed two days in a row. Not good. I plan to get back on track. I can truly tell a difference when I have spent time working on cardio every morning. I am hoping to get into a good routine next week when I start back school even though getting up at 5:00am is not going to be fun. Oh well, the way I look at it is that I am getting my life back on track and it will be well worth it in the long run. :)
Tomorrow, my mom and I are planning to go hit up some health food stores in Columbia. I am looking forward to finding many things I have been reading about lately. So far my list includes:
-Coconut butter/oil
-Agave nectar
-Organic meat
-Fresh organic berries
-Quinoa
-Goat cheese
I cannot wait to let you know what all I find. :) Check out Earthfare.com for great coupons on many staple items.
My Bookshelf: I just finished reading The Eat-Clean Diet and was satisfied with the information I learned from it. She includes wonderful recipes in the back with full colored photos. She also includes great nutritional information and highlights many important food items to help you change your lifestyle to healthy, whole food eating. Check it out if you get a chance!
The Bad: I have been exhausted today for some reason so I ended up taking a 4 hour nap today! Ah!! I just think about all of the things I could have gotten done but at the same time, my body obviously needed rest. One of the important things I have been reading about in the many books I have read on health lately is making sure you are getting 7-8hours a sleep a night. Since I have been off my usual schedule from school, I have not consistently been getting this amount of sleep so I am guessing my body just finally told itself that it needed some rest.
The Ugly: I will be honest and tell you I did not exercise today. :( I have missed two days in a row. Not good. I plan to get back on track. I can truly tell a difference when I have spent time working on cardio every morning. I am hoping to get into a good routine next week when I start back school even though getting up at 5:00am is not going to be fun. Oh well, the way I look at it is that I am getting my life back on track and it will be well worth it in the long run. :)
Tomorrow, my mom and I are planning to go hit up some health food stores in Columbia. I am looking forward to finding many things I have been reading about lately. So far my list includes:
-Coconut butter/oil
-Agave nectar
-Organic meat
-Fresh organic berries
-Quinoa
-Goat cheese
I cannot wait to let you know what all I find. :) Check out Earthfare.com for great coupons on many staple items.
My Bookshelf: I just finished reading The Eat-Clean Diet and was satisfied with the information I learned from it. She includes wonderful recipes in the back with full colored photos. She also includes great nutritional information and highlights many important food items to help you change your lifestyle to healthy, whole food eating. Check it out if you get a chance!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Journaling
I do feel that journalling is one of the most important keys to weight loss. When I did lose about 30 pounds before my wedding two years ago with Weight Watchers, my husband and I both wrote down every thing we ate every day. It was great for us because we were able to see where a lot of our points were going and what foods had less points than others. I also think it is very important to journal about weightloss because there are many days of ups and downs and it is great to see how you overcame a down or were able to go back and remember how you felt during an "up" time. So, I will be using this blog as a journal that I hope you and I will both be able to take something from. :) The way I like to journal is pretty simple, the "good", the "bad", and the "ugly", hence the name of my blog. :) Enjoy!
The Good:I SURVIVED THE CHIRSTMAS HOLIDAYS!! I really feel like that should be on a t-shirt that I can wear proudly. This was the first time in my life that I have been serious about losing weight and this is also the first holiday that I had to experience during this new life change I have made. Of course the funny thing about it is that I started this life change the week before Christmas. Talk about timing! I decided that it was a good thing after being upset over all of the yummy things I COULD have eaten but didn't because I feel like if I could survive the holidays then I could survive just about any meal throughout the year! AWESOME!! I really focused on eating whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meat. I tried my best to stay away from the fattening casseroles and delicious-looking desserts. The only dessert that I ate was a slice of caramel cashew cheesecake that my sister made. I knew she was making it and I knew that I wanted a piece of that cheesecake more than any other dessert so instead of eating dessert throughout all of the many meals, I saved everything to have a piece of that cheesecake and boy was it worth every CALORIE!! Yumm!! Overall, I didn't gain any weight this year which is awesome! I have actually lost 2 pounds during it all! That is a HUGE GOOD!! Once again, I am reminded that, I CAN DO IT!
The Bad:I have not been writing everything down in my Weight Watchers food journal like I should. I have to get better about doing that because it keeps me accountable and allows me to chart my progress.
The Ugly:The other day when I cleaned out my closet, I found a pair of pants I wore before my wedding and saw how small they were (not really but in my eyes they were small!). I realized that I have gained back every bit of the 30 pounds I lost before the wedding plus 20 more! HOW?! I realize now that even when I lost the 30 pounds before, I never changed what I ate (processed foods), I just ate less of them. I am excited to see how my weight will change now that I am eating less and eating whole foods instead of processed junk!
The Good:I SURVIVED THE CHIRSTMAS HOLIDAYS!! I really feel like that should be on a t-shirt that I can wear proudly. This was the first time in my life that I have been serious about losing weight and this is also the first holiday that I had to experience during this new life change I have made. Of course the funny thing about it is that I started this life change the week before Christmas. Talk about timing! I decided that it was a good thing after being upset over all of the yummy things I COULD have eaten but didn't because I feel like if I could survive the holidays then I could survive just about any meal throughout the year! AWESOME!! I really focused on eating whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and meat. I tried my best to stay away from the fattening casseroles and delicious-looking desserts. The only dessert that I ate was a slice of caramel cashew cheesecake that my sister made. I knew she was making it and I knew that I wanted a piece of that cheesecake more than any other dessert so instead of eating dessert throughout all of the many meals, I saved everything to have a piece of that cheesecake and boy was it worth every CALORIE!! Yumm!! Overall, I didn't gain any weight this year which is awesome! I have actually lost 2 pounds during it all! That is a HUGE GOOD!! Once again, I am reminded that, I CAN DO IT!
The Bad:I have not been writing everything down in my Weight Watchers food journal like I should. I have to get better about doing that because it keeps me accountable and allows me to chart my progress.
The Ugly:The other day when I cleaned out my closet, I found a pair of pants I wore before my wedding and saw how small they were (not really but in my eyes they were small!). I realized that I have gained back every bit of the 30 pounds I lost before the wedding plus 20 more! HOW?! I realize now that even when I lost the 30 pounds before, I never changed what I ate (processed foods), I just ate less of them. I am excited to see how my weight will change now that I am eating less and eating whole foods instead of processed junk!
Back at it again but for real this time!
Hey! I am back at this difficult task called "weightloss." I cannot believe I have not updated this blog since August! Yikes! I promise to do better this time around. :) I just started working on my weightloss for the umptempt time but I honestly think this time is going to be it. I don't know what came over me after the Biggest Loser finale a few weeks ago but whatever it was has changed the way I look at everything!! Life, food, mood, etc. I think the two biggest motivators from the finale were Patrick and Lisa. I was absolutely shocked at how much Patrick had lost and what he is doing with his life now. I have an unemployed husband so I could relate to how Patrick has felt during the last few months dealing with being unemployed. It is NOT fun. :( Anyway, he got me motivated and then I saw Lisa come out. She was on the pink team this season. I think I related to her more than anyone who has ever been on the show because we have very similar features and we both have almost the same "start" weight. When I saw her step out in the beautiful black dress she was wearing that night all I could say was, "WOW! I want to look like THAT!" She looked absolutely stunning and I was amazed!
Ever since that night, I have been motivated to get back to losing weight once and for all. After the finale that night, I got on Amazon.com and ordered Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism and Detox 4 Life by Natalia Rose. I ordered the book written by Jillian because 1) I have a lot of respect for her and 2) she suffers from the same disease I have, Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. One of the biggest down falls with having PCOS is weight gain. I saw that if Jillian can look like what she looks like, I certainly can beat this disease too! I find comfort in knowing that she has overcome some of the difficulties with PCOS and it gives me the inspiration to do the same. I started reading both of these books and was absolutely shocked at what they had written. In a good way! After reading the disgusting facts about processed foods, pesticides, hormone induced milk/meat, I was ready to clean out my pantry! Needless to say, the next day my pantry took a comeplete overhaul! I got rid of almost EVERYTHING in it because I realized that all I was consuming was processed foods that were filled with tons of toxins, high processed sugars, chemicals that I cannot even begin to pronounce and many other things that were wrecking my body. What a WAKE UP call!! I was shocked to see how many foods in my pantry had high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. It is one of the worst ingredients you can put in your body! Crazy!! I felt so much better just reading Jillian's book and realizing what I was doing to myself and thinking of all of the damage I had already done in my 24 years of life. I know it sounds strange for me to say that I felt better but I honestly did because now my weight gain seemed to make sense. I felt like I had just uncovered the secret that I had been missing out on for all of these years. I know there are several other factors to weight loss but I felt like this had to be a huge break through!! I also did an overhaul on my fridge and I now enjoy looking into it seeing tons of color from fresh fruits and vegetables. :)
I have so much more to say about my wake up call but I don't want to overwhelm this post. Instead of writing it all here, I am going to write a little about it along the way as it sinks in more and I work with the new life changes I am making. If you need to lose weight or you want to become healthier, I do suggest buying Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism book from Amazon.com or another book store of your choice. Her book will open your eyes to the large corporate food organizations who could care less about what they are putting into foods and care more about the money they are making when you buy their product, she will also help explain why certain foods are better for your health and body, and she also has included many helpfup reference charts to help guide your choices to healthy eating. I hope you also follow me along the way as I attempt to lose more than 100 pounds in the next year.
I am ready, are YOU? -Hope :)
My Bookshelf:
Ever since that night, I have been motivated to get back to losing weight once and for all. After the finale that night, I got on Amazon.com and ordered Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism and Detox 4 Life by Natalia Rose. I ordered the book written by Jillian because 1) I have a lot of respect for her and 2) she suffers from the same disease I have, Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome. One of the biggest down falls with having PCOS is weight gain. I saw that if Jillian can look like what she looks like, I certainly can beat this disease too! I find comfort in knowing that she has overcome some of the difficulties with PCOS and it gives me the inspiration to do the same. I started reading both of these books and was absolutely shocked at what they had written. In a good way! After reading the disgusting facts about processed foods, pesticides, hormone induced milk/meat, I was ready to clean out my pantry! Needless to say, the next day my pantry took a comeplete overhaul! I got rid of almost EVERYTHING in it because I realized that all I was consuming was processed foods that were filled with tons of toxins, high processed sugars, chemicals that I cannot even begin to pronounce and many other things that were wrecking my body. What a WAKE UP call!! I was shocked to see how many foods in my pantry had high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient. It is one of the worst ingredients you can put in your body! Crazy!! I felt so much better just reading Jillian's book and realizing what I was doing to myself and thinking of all of the damage I had already done in my 24 years of life. I know it sounds strange for me to say that I felt better but I honestly did because now my weight gain seemed to make sense. I felt like I had just uncovered the secret that I had been missing out on for all of these years. I know there are several other factors to weight loss but I felt like this had to be a huge break through!! I also did an overhaul on my fridge and I now enjoy looking into it seeing tons of color from fresh fruits and vegetables. :)
I have so much more to say about my wake up call but I don't want to overwhelm this post. Instead of writing it all here, I am going to write a little about it along the way as it sinks in more and I work with the new life changes I am making. If you need to lose weight or you want to become healthier, I do suggest buying Jillian Michael's Master Your Metabolism book from Amazon.com or another book store of your choice. Her book will open your eyes to the large corporate food organizations who could care less about what they are putting into foods and care more about the money they are making when you buy their product, she will also help explain why certain foods are better for your health and body, and she also has included many helpfup reference charts to help guide your choices to healthy eating. I hope you also follow me along the way as I attempt to lose more than 100 pounds in the next year.
I am ready, are YOU? -Hope :)
My Bookshelf:
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Day 2
The Good:
I stepped on the scale this morning and I have lost 1.5 pounds in about 1 week. Woo Hoo! Little victories as I call them. :) Also, I tried this awesome snack yesterday with Wasa Crackers and Laughing Cow Cheese spread...sooo yummy and only 4 points for 4 crackers and 2 things of spreadable cheese!
The Bad:
I am still hungry after school... I need to find some quick and easy snack ideas this weekend to tie me over until dinner.
The Ugly:
My school picture this year is awful! I can tell I have gained tons of weight especially in my face. Hopefully I can change that for next year's picture!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Tuesday, 8/24/10
Day 1
The Good:
Check out this awesome recipe from Weight Watchers. I made these muffins the other day and they were delicious!! I only had fresh strawberries on hand so I made strawberry muffins instead of blueberry but they were sooo good! Only 4 points and they were HUGE!!
POINTS® Value: 4
Servings: 12
Preparation Time: 14 min
Cooking Time: 35 min
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
These muffins were a hit at our last recipe tasting. We couldn't decide which was better: the moist, blueberry-bursting cake or delicious crumb topping.
Ingredients
2 1/4 cup(s) all-purpose flour, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
1 large egg(s)
1 cup(s) sugar, divided
3/4 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk, divided
2 cup(s) blueberries, washed and picked over
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Place muffin liners in a 12-hole muffin tin.
In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg with 3/4 cup of sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add sour cream and beat until thoroughly combined; blend in vanilla extract.
Add half of flour mixture and half of milk to sugar mixture; beat until just combined. Add remaining flour mixture and milk; beat until smooth.
Fold in blueberries and fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full; set aside.
To make streusel topping, in a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup each of sugar and flour. Pour in melted butter and combine with fingertips. Divide crumb mixture over muffins; gently press into top of muffin batter with fingertips.
Bake until slightly golden and a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for about 10 to 15 minutes and then transfer muffins onto racks to cool completely. Yields 1 muffin per serving.
The Bad:
I was starving today after I left school. I need to prepare an afternoon snack so I don't gorge myself as soon as I walk in the door which I am very guilty of!
The Ugly:
I had a HUMONGUS craving for a corndog today at school. I wanted one very badly and the smell was very yummy as it filled the lunch room. I did stop myself and remind myself that as yummy as it looks, it isn't for me! I can only imagine how many points that dog in a bun has!
Welcome!
I am beginning this blog at the start of my journey of weightloss. I hope to share my ups and downs along with tips and recipes that I come across. I hope that this will be a great help to others as they struggle through their weightloss too. Enjoy!
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