Day 9 - I Told Me So

Remember a couple days ago how I mentioned that if I don't get breakfast in early I get ravenously hungry by evening?

Yup.

That was today.

But I was responsible about it. I did have a good breakfast (a smoothie in a bowl). I ate kinda junky the rest of the day, but I accounted for it all and can call it quits for the day now. I know it's not going to derail me... But now my tummy hurts. : /


Tomorrow: The chia seed!

Day 240 - Peanut Butter Chocolate Apple Bowl

I'm into bowls. I'm also NOT into meals right now. This is mostly due to lack of time and energy caused by newest love (Baby). So I'm thinking outside the plate.

I needed to get some fruit in for the day and I was craving protein of some kind. So this is what I created, and it made a great mid-afternoon snack/meal-thing. Check it out...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Apple Bowl

Hmmmm.... just noticed that gigantic chip in my bowl. Time to head to Pier One : )

Here's the recipe and Weight Watcher's Healthy Checks breakdown:

• 1 small/medium apple (I like Granny Smith)
• 2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup Bear Naked Heavenly Chocolate granola
• 1 tsp safflower oil

This provides:

• 9 Points Plus
• 1-2 servings fruit
• 1 serving heart healthy oil
• delicious whole grains and satisfying protein

It may seem like a lot of points, but when you have to squeeze in meals in the form of snacks, feel satisfied, and demand yummy things in your mouth... this works perfectly! The peanut butter adds the heftiest portion of points and I'm thinking of changing it up slightly for tomorrow using fat-free Greek yogurt instead. I'll let you know how it goes : )

How would you compose your snack bowl? I would love to hear your thoughts below!

Day 192 - Big Confessions

I have been sick for about 4 months; the last 4-5 weeks being worse. I battle this everyday, and most of the time I win. But it will always take it's turn having the better of me. I've come to realize this about my life, and I have found ways to fight it. But I will always fight it.

The difference now is that I have set myself up a new lifestyle, a healthful one, and this sickness is interfering to a detrimental degree. It's burning the vast landscape of good habits I've worked so hard to develop. I know better days will come again, and as always I have to ride out this storm.

But this journey has been about interacting in a positive way with food; about learning how to take care of my body. Now, I have no appetite. I've resisted food for the last 2 weeks (not completely, I wouldn't be here to write to you all). I have accumulated about 18-20 hours of sleep over the last 8 days. And because when it's here the illness rules, it's been difficult to break.

I'm trying hard, and I'm fighting. And I'll make it out, I know this about myself. It's why you haven't seen many recipes or dinner ideas in the last 2 weeks. I will commit to making something great for you by this weekend. Let's give it a deadline: before my Sunday weigh in post (which may be drastic again) I will have sent out some good food love.

In the meantime, I'm off to attempt to eat something. And sleep.

Day 187 - Weigh In Day... And some other stats

WOW!!!
Another 5.6 lbs. down this week! But I must admit that it was not a very healthful week, and part of it is a rebound from the prior low-loss week. (See last Sunday's weigh in post). I've felt off all week and am prepared to eat properly again beginning today. I also am prepared for the scale to possibly not be so friendly to me next Sunday.

But for now, HAPPY DANCE!!!

All together I've lost 39.95 inches overall and 57 lbs.
My hips (butt) and thighs have slimmed the fastest and most... I was surprised by the butt--I thought that would give me the most resistance. But now I have a cute backside : ) You should have seen it yesterday in that new pair of jeans... I was tempted to take a picture for you all, but I thought it might be odd.

Next stop- lookin' hot...

Tomorrow: Breakfast Burritos with a sun-dried tomato wrap. Yum.

Day 186 - Not Eating Does Not Help Weight Loss

I've been feeling a little off this week. Many reasons, none of which should have kept me from eating what I need to daily, but that's what happened. I need a much better plan for the next two weeks--they will set my habits on the right track leading up to my departure for a 3 week trip out west to eat and drink my way through Seattle and Portland.

There have been at least 4 days this week that I haven't eaten all of my points (Weight Watcher's).

GHGs (good healthy guidelines)? What are those?

And my tracking my food... well that was painstaking.

We'll see what the scale gives me tomorrow. Stop by to see.

Day 171 - Factoids About Weightloss

Well, factoids about my weightloss really...

At almost 50 pounds down (we'll see if I made it there on Sunday!!!) I am constantly cold. Apparently I got used to having such a supple amount of insulation, like a baby seal, that I'm having a difficult time regualting my body temperature now. It sounds small and insignificant, but I've always been the warm type--no jacket in winter, never really wearing socks, camisoles so long as it was at least 65 degrees outside. Now I need layers.

Eh. It's a good excuse to cuddle close to my hubby : )

My appetite has subsided, as has my craving for junk foods. I thought I was going to have to fight against my old eating habits all of everyday forever. I know I will have to battle that at some point, and more often at certain times than others. But in general, my palate has changed and so has my desire to eat out of boredom or emotionally. It has taken an immense effort to relearn good habits, but it is one of the best efforts I have ever made towards anything in life.

I have learned also that once I grab onto something that I want to accomplish, truly from the depths of my soul want to accomplish, I dig my heels in and don't let go until I get what I want. I am amazingly persistent (my husband said he has always known this about me), I refuse to take 'no' for an answer (again, hubby asked why this was news to me), and I make a great advocate for great causes.

Feeling good about myself : )

Tomorrow: A new pizza recipe!!! I cannot wait to show you this one... Points Plus friendly and delish.

Day 142 - Why Planning Daily Meals Is Good

Yesterday was a rough day. I woke up late (no thanks to again trying to stay awake late to watch Pirates of the Caribbean, I've never seen them; I know, I'm really behind) which lead to being unable to pack my typical snacks and lunch to take with me to school. It also created a bad choice for breakfast.

Usually I have protein (egg whites), veggies and fruit for fiber, skim milk for dairy, and oats. This is a big breakfast, but it gets my metabolism going first thing in the morning but leaves me completely satisfied. So satisfied, in fact, that I don't get the munchies throughout the day, especially if I time my snacks and lunch properly. This is great for preventing over eating and feeling ravenously hungry (which inevitably leads to bad choices and me whining to my husband about what I shouldn't have eaten).

I failed to do all of this, and an eclair (which was planned) and a giant shortbread cookie (which was not planned) wound up in my mouth. I tracked everything and accounted for it, and it's completely within my eating plan but I just want to set myself up for success and to NOT fall into these food traps.

Well, needless to say I came home and was famished! So I talked with the hubby and we created a fun southern-style salad with what we found in the pantry and icebox.

BBQ Chicken and Corn Salad... yummmmmmmmmmmm!

Let's analyze what we see here, shall we?

Salad: a bed of fresh mixed greens, 1/4 cup sweet corn, 1/4 cup Pico de Gallo, 4oz. BBQ chicken breast.

Sides: 2oz wedge of garlic and herb focaccia bread; 2 tbsp. each Jack Daniels Original BBQ sauce and sour cream. (I can't help myself, I love sour cream with BBQ and chicken!)

This was packed with flavor and had 2 servings of veggies in it (1/2 cup between the corn and pico de gallo, and 1 cup of mixed greens). You can easily knock down this 11 PP meal by skipping the focaccia and the sour cream, but I think it's too dry without the bit of extra BBQ on the side. Still need a Heart Healthy oil for the day? Drizzle a teaspoon of safflower oil over the greens, it has no flavor or aroma like olive oil and only your happy heart will know it was there!

Tomorrow - Snacks: morning, afternoon and early evening. Yup, there's time for all of them!

Day 131 - Weigh-In Day!

I knew this was coming- sooner or later. It's a normal matter of course during a weight loss program. But It hurts nonetheless. My first gain.

Up 1.4 lbs. this week, taking me back over the 210 lb. mark that felt so good.
The positive things about this is that I knew it was coming. I knew how poorly I had eaten all week, failing most days to fulfill my GHG's and eating a lot of carbs. I've made a meal plan for the week ensuring that I don't leave much to chance. I doing my best to keep carbs at a minimum and not eating past 7pm. (Except maybe sugar free Jell-O, which is more like water suspended in gelatin). I need to revisit my posts on my goals, remotivate by reviewing what I want from my efforts.

Time to get refocused, let last week go as a lesson in what doesn't work for my body, and do better this week. Now that I've had my morning coffee and weighed in I can begin my day...

For tomorrow: How I'm letting go of the upset over a gain. And perhaps my weekly menu.

Day 122 - Time for a change...

I am still going to be here, doing what I do, letting everyone peep into my odd little world. So while the blog may look slightly different, worry not readers! It's still me.

Today = good eating, good tracking, good time at school meeting someone new and learning from the best. I'm inspired, energized and my ambition is strong as ever! And I'm feeling good about my date with the scale on Sunday morning.

Days 111, 112 & 113

I'm home, again, from Buffalo and I had a wonderful time! Almost too wonderful... I tried my best to keep the visit from being about the 'tastes' of home, but that's kind of what happened. OK, I need to be straight with myself and everyone else- that's EXACTLY what it became. I didn't necessarily overeat, but I ate crap. And lots of it. The scale wasn't friendly to me when I snuck onto it this morning, but we'll see what it says on Sunday. Need to behave and get in some movement, or ALOT of movement. Alright- let's get to it.

Day 1 of vacation.... (day 96)

Well, eating has not been great today. But I'm not out of control. I'm realizing that I need to be able to adapt to real life situations where I cannot always create the best environment. I'll do alright. But I'll do my best. And in the meantime, I'll play lots of hand and foot and get lots of sun!