Day 12

Still plodding along here, not much to really report. Tomorrow starts our Boot Camp and it should be so much fun. Who would have thought that being accountable for exercise and healthy eating could be considered fun??

B: cottage cheese
S: cheese stick
L: turkey roll up with avacado, laughing cow cheese
S: none
D: grilled lean hamburger, salad, summer squash
S: piece of chocolate cake and buttercream frosting! (It was my daughter's birthday and never again, I got a massive headache!)

Weigh in tomorrow!

New Pictures

In preparation for Boot Camp, I had new photos taken today. I think I will probably be a total of 10 lbs down (or more...hopefully) on Monday but if not, these are close. Since I am wearing more revealing clothing, I think you will get a better idea from the next set of pictures as to the loss. Just click the link over to the left to see the pictures.

Tonight was a NSV night since we went to Olive Garden to eat. I didn't get the sausage/potato soup that I love, I ate salad. I didn't eat a breadstick (not that I normally do anyway) and I didn't get my cannaloni. I ordered the grilled pork and asked in place of roasted potatos, that I get roasted veggies. I had to admit, my husband looked at me in amazement as I cheerfully ate veggies that I normally push to the side. Heck, I normally would not have touched these! I ate onions, I tried peppers (no thanks), I ate squash and I ate zucchini. I did eat the itty bitty mint chocolate at the end of dinner though. Oh well, if that bit means I have failed, this is just not the lifestyle for me anyway.

Tomorrow I plan to take my measurements and I will post those here as well. My boot camp page is private so while I will give MY info here, I am not at liberty to share the info on the others taking part with me.

B: 2 eggbeater omelette, cheese, ham
S: cheese stick
L: turkey wrap (lettuce, avacado, Laughing Cow cheese, turkey and horseradish)
S: None
D: grilled pork tenderloin, roasted veggies, salad
S: fudgesickle

I think I did pretty good today!

Lalalala

Not too much to report here. I did get in my exercise this morning. Luckily, I did it when I had since I had one of my boys come home sick. He just laid on the couch but it makes it harder when I have more of them home. As it is, the 2 year old likes to march with me and the 1 year old gets mad when she can't get too close since I am moving around.

I am still concerned about my caloric intake since it is below 900 again! Geeze, I ate a lean hamburger and had chicken for dinner. I don't know what else to do here. I even had guacamole (made with drained fat free plain yogurt instead of sour cream)!! I guess I am going to have to figure a way to boost a few hundred more calories in there since I don't want my body eating into my muscles.

I got a book, based on the recommendation of a lady who shed an amazing amount of weight. The book I am reading is called "Strong Women Stay Slim" I want to add some strength training to my exercise and have considered getting some ab workouts too.

I am actually getting excited about Boot Camp. I think it is great, there are 12 of us that are taking part and it is such a supportive group. I can't wait to see how we do in the upcoming months. My husband is considering joining us on the sides and I am going to encourage him to do that. I am going to be posting up some pictures again. I am hoping to be down 10 lbs on Monday but even if I am not, it will be new pictures with current measurements.

Here is my meals for the day:

B: cottage cheese
s: mozzarella cheese stick
l: lean ground beef patty, lettuce, guacamole
s: cashews
d: grilled chicken breast, steamed broccoli, salad (I am not listing everything I put in here, suffice it to say I put more than just 3 kinds of lettuce)
s: fudgesickle...love this since it satisfies my sweet need without compromising anything.

I got the form today for the 5K run at the beginning of April. It comes through the kids school but it was kinda freaky that I was writing about it yesterday and the form shows up today. Guess that means I really need to fill it out and enter.

Thwarted

I started out to do my exercise this morning and it got interrupted after the first mile. Things got hectic to the point that I never was able to finish it. Wahhh! Tomorrow is another day, Scarlett, and I plan to do better.

Boot Camp is fast approaching and I think my goals, beyond weight loss, are going to be on water drinking and exercise.

Speaking of exercise, I found out that I am not going to be able to run in the half marathon I had planned. Things keep piling up on that specific day, things that I can't put off. I know there are those of you who think I should put me first in this case but I don't feel right in handing everything off to my husband that day while I go run for a few hours. I am going to continue my training for it and maybe next year I will be ready to run an actual marathon.

There is a 5K race here in town in early April. The kids normally run in the 1 mile fun run and so I am planning to take part in the 5K run. It is not a half marathon but it does give me something to aim for.

Here is my meals for the day:

breakfast: 2 vegetable quiche cups to go
snack: none today
lunch: salad with chicken, hard boiled egg, avacado, broccoli, lettuce and artichoke hearts (dressing)
snack: celery with laughing cow cheese
dinner: grilled pork chop, asparagus, salad
snack: fudgesickle

See you all tomorrow!

Whoops!

I don't know how it happened but the morning got away from me and before I knew it, it was lunch time. The whoops is that I didn't think to eat breakfast! This is not a good thing, I think missed meals lead to raging hunger and prowling for food.

Some friends on another board and I are taking part in a Boot Camp for Exercise/Weight loss for the month of March. It doesn't really differ from the blog I keep but we will be required to post a monthly goal and give daily updates. I think it is going to be fun! I love doing this with other people who struggle with the same things I do.

Here is my meals for the day and I just realized I didn't blog on Tuesday! Eeek! Okay, nothing went on so first will be Tuesday meals and then today.

Tuesday breakfast: cottage cheese
snack: mozarella cheese stick
lunch: salad with tuna, sprouts, cucumber, broccoli, artichoke, dressing, sunflower seeds
snack: cashews
dinner: spaghetti with spaghetti squash, salad
snack: pistachios, fudgesickle

Wednesday breakfast: whoops!
snack: cheese stick
lunch: 2 eggbeater omelette, cheese, ham, cottage cheese, broccoli
snack: laughing cow cheese w/celery
dinner: chicken breast, acorn squash, salad
snack: orange cream yogurt

Tuesday I was on the low side for calories so I made an effort today to have more calories.

The verdict is in

and it shows that I did, in fact, lose weight from last week! Woo hoo! Check out the thermometer to see where I am currently. I will be gald to see the red go up, up, up!

There is not a lot to say for today. I got a George Foreman grill so when I want to grill something, I don't have to go fire up the Weber in the backyard. I tried a burger, following the guidelines in the book, and it was soooo overdone! In the next few days, I will try one again and just follow the time that I would normally do it on a grill outside. I also got some cute little fluted condiment cups to put my dessert in. I make the ricotta creme or yougurt and 1/2 cup just swims in a regular sized bowl. It fills up these cute little .33 cent cups nicely and give the illusion that I am getting a bunch! heh...

Tonight we had a Pack meeting and it was Fiesta Time...all kinds of Mexican food. I took a bite of some refried beans and that was it. I was a good girl until we got home and I made my own dinner. Since it was a hectic night, my food intake was down. I normally would not worry but because I am also a nursing mother, I need to make sure that I don't compromise my supply at all.

Breakfast: yogurt with cinnamon, nutmeg and splenda
snack: mozarella cheese stick
lunch: salad with almonds, cucumber, avacado, sprouts, tuna and FF dressing
snack: cashews
dinner: grilled lean hamburger, lettuce
snack: Peanut butter cup ricotta creme. (SB approved!)

Tomorrow I plan to eat more salad and veggies! I am also making spaghetti for dinner....using spaghetti squash for my noodles.

First Weekend

My very first weekend on this new way of eating has come and gone with little stress (as far as eating went).

Tomorrow is the big weigh in day to see how things are going. I am hoping the 3 lbs are still gone and perhaps 4??

I ate more today, I think since it was Sunday and I didn't have a snack like I normally do, I was more hungry than I have been. Even with that, I think I still did well.

Breakfast: 2 egg omelette with ham and cheese
snack: mozarella cheese stick
lunch: grilled hamburger steak, avacado, plain yogurt
snack: fudgesickle
dinner: grilled lean pork chop, green beans, boiled cabbage
snack: 1/2 cup cottage cheese

I didn't eat as much salad today as I normally do and actually ate more meats than I have been. I think once a week is not bad to go lighter on the salads.

I need to expand my lettuce horizons too, beyond iceberg. I really am not fond of leaf lettuce but as long as I have some crunch in the salad, I can eat the lettuce.

Okay, tomorrow is the big weigh in, I will see if this is taking hold and doing well then!

Day Four

I am still trying fish and have yet to find one I like.

You may ask why I am eating fish when I don't like fish. I am trying to make sure I don't like fish rather than I just don't like the way it is fixed. So far, I have tried grilled cod and a spicy talpia and have not liked either. I am not sure on tonight's fish if it is the fish that I didn't like or the capers in the sauce so I am giving both the sauce and the fish another chance before declaring that I don't like it. I am going to try some farm raised catfish in the next few days to see if that fares any better.

I was out running errands today and never really felt hungry. I did have a total NSV though that I have to share. Right now, the remote to our TV in bedroom is missing. While I was searching for it (still lost), I came across my favorite candy bar, a Nutregous, in a stack of books. I didn't even pick it up (so it is still there in the stack of books)! Woo hoo! I didn't even consider eating it or taking a nibble.

A friend on another board gave a recipe that called for an ingredient that is not in my Phase I yet and another asked me what harm a dusting could do. I want to put my answer here again just so I can have a reminder.

If I can justify a "dusting", then I can certainly justify a "taste" as well, can't I? If a "taste" is acceptable, then surely a "nibble" would be okay. Heck, if I can get away with a "nibble" then a "teeny bite" wouldn't hurt me. And the cycle goes on. If I justify, at least in my mind, even a little cheat, that opens the door for me to jusify in my mind a bigger cheat than that and all the work I have done is down the tubes. I don't want to even open the door, I want to be in control of what I eat rather than what I eat to be in control of me.

Here is what I have eaten today:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup cottage cheese with cinnamon, nutmeg and splenda
snack: mozzarella cheese stick
lunch: salad with avacado, broccoli, sprouts, mixed lettuce, sunflowerseeds, baked ham and dressing
snack: fudgesickle
dinner: spicy talpia, cauliflower, salad (think lunch but smaller and no ham)
snack: laughing cow cheese w/celery

I also found out I can have fat free sugar free plain yougurt so I am going to get some and mix up a bit for breakfast. It will have to wait until Monday though.

Still Going

Day 3 has come and gone with little change. I am eating big meals and not feeling hungry. Snacking is still a constant challenge and I really want sweet stuff. All in all, I think it is going very well.

I broke my own rule and got on a scale today rather than waiting for Monday. If it is accurate, I am down 3 lbs from Monday. I will hold off celebrating until Monday though...if it is true than I hope I am down more!

My meals today were:

breakfast: 1/2 cup cottage cheese with cinnamon and splenda
snack: mozzarella cheese stick
lunch: salad with turkey bacon, avacado, sprouts, cucumber and dressing
snack: 30 pistachios
dinner: 4 oz roast beef, mock sweet potato (acorn squash) and salad/dressing
snack: celery with natural peanut butter

I also feel like I had a NSV since I sliced cake for everyone else and didn't get a slice myself. After seeing the 3 lbs, it is sure tempting to "reward" myself but I didn't do it. I had my celery stalk with natural peanut butter instead.

Second Verse, same as the First

Sorry, it was required that I do that after reading another blog that was singing Henry VIII. Okay, so today was the second day of beaching and I think it is going well.

I still catch myself starting to eat a bit of this, a bite of that and I have stopped myself each time. It is sooo tempting to give in but I didn't.

I did have a lowlevel headache most of the day and a few hours where I think I had a low grade fever. I took some tylenol and slept a few hours and felt fine. I think it was not related to all this since I just started but I guess it could be.

I had to take a few kids to dental appointments today and forgot to bring a snack with me. By the time I got back home, I was raging with hunger. I need to remember to bring a snack with me next time.

Here is a run down of today's menu:

Breakfast: 2 egg omelette with a sprinkle of cheese
Midmorning snack: 1 mozarella cheese stick
Lunch: salad with tuna, avacado, alfalpha sprouts and dressing
Midafternoon Snack: celery stalk with Lite Laughing Cow cheese
Dinner: baked chicken, green beans and salad
Treat: Sugar Free Fudgesicle

Today blew as far as getting any exercise in but tomorrow, I am going to do that in the morning. I have the morning free, no errands to run.

I want to give a big thumbs up and kudos to my buddy, Alexis. It is her story to tell but she had a fantastic NSV and gets applause from me on it.

South Beach Day 1

Yep, you read correctly, I have decided to get some beach front property and start lounging on South Beach. For those of you who now REALLY think I have lost my mind, I am simply going to be following the South Beach diet.

The first two weeks, so I have read and been told, are the most difficult. I am at day 1 of 14 in the first phase of the diet. Here is what has been eaten today (or will be before I am done)

Breakfast: 2 egg omelette with a sprinkle of cheese
Midmorning snack: 1 mozarella cheese stick
Lunch: salad with grilled chicken, sunflower seeds and dressing, 2 mini sugar free Reece's Cups
Midafternoon snack: 1 wedge Lite Laughing Cow cheese
Dinner: cod fillet, steamed asparagus, salad
Dessert: Vanilla Creme Riccotta

I am not hungry but it has really driven home how much I snack. It is so insidious too... a bite of cereal when I pour it for the kids, a cookie when I make lunch, the rest of a banana after I cut it up for Kierynn, a cracker when I give some to Iain etc etc etc

My jogging stroller came last night and since I had to go pick up Son #1 from school, we walked up there. Ugh, remind me to NEVER walk with Son #2 again.... I got a watch that counts down so it lets me know at the half way mark if I am at the pace I want or not. Smart watch? No, I know where the 1.5 mile mark is and if my watch goes off before I reach that spot, I am going too slow. On a positive note, a neighbor saw me out and then called this evening to suggest that we go out walking together. Cool! An actual walking partner!

I will be posting daily from now on since I want to keep my food journal tied in here as well. I think it will help me stay on course.

You just don't know how tempting it is to eat that ONE chip, that ONE chocolate heart or that ONE bite of whatever. I was good, I didn't do it!

Brrr!

It was below 30 this morning when I bundled up the kids and got my husband to come out walking with me. I really regretted not wearing any gloves for about 5 minutes until my hands got warm.

He had used his truck to get the milage so I had him set his watch to count down to the half way mark. We were walking and both pushing strollers so I had him do a 15 minute walking mile. I was kinda bummed that we didn't quite make that at the half way mark so we picked up and finished within the time I had in my head.

Later today, we double checked the milage and he was OFF! We DID make the halfway mark and actually because it was off, we did marginally better than a 15 minute mile. I think that is darn good considering we had the strollers and we live in a hilly neighborhood.

I am currently contemplating doing something different as far as eating goes. I have been following a meal plan but it is limiting and I find myself really craving the sweets it lacks...as in anything with sugar! I am looking at a few other options and will decide in the next few days what I am going to do.

My double jogging stroller should be here tomorrow...probably while I am down in Nashville in the morning.

Still need to work on the water drinking issue though. It is easier to do in the summer but in the winter, I really have to force myself to drink it.

Woo hoo!

I have a double jogging stroller on its way to me. I have missed being able to use a double jogger since my last one went ka-put last year. Although it is a harder workout, even with wheels, I enjoy being able to get out and have someone to talk to while I am running/walking.

My weightloss/exercise buddy has set a goal of 15 lbs lost by Easter. I am joining her on this goal so am going to be working hard to be down there with her.

My short term goals are to drink more, more, more water and exercise more.

I have to also say that I am loving my shoes. They are so comfortable. This is the first decent pair of shoes I have gotten and what a difference!

Ha, Ha! Fooled ya!

I know those of you who are reading along were thinking to yourself "Uh oh! She stopped blogging, that means she stopped again!" but this time, you would be WRONG!

I have continued to do my exercise but I did have a week long break while we went down to Orlando on my son's Make A Wish trip.

We did a whole lot of walking, not at a brisk pace but still a lot of walking, while we were there. Of course, we did not eat well at all and I was a little apprehensive about getting on the scale when we got back. I really didn't want to see a huge gain although I did expect some gain.

I was very pleased and surprised to see that I maintained the weight I went down with (which is down one from the last time I gave an update). If you want to read about Devin's trip, you can check out his blog over at A Day in the Life of Devin

I got a decent pair of running shoes today, New Balance 715. I did a 4 mile brisk pace WATP workout with them to help break them in. It is only 25 outside so I am being a weenie and breaking them in without actually going outside to run. I suppose I need to get a pair of workout pants to actually go run in.

My goal is to be up to 6 miles by the end of next week. I would also like to be down in weight as well.

A big ole wave and hello to my fitness partner, Alexis! Thanks for checking in!