Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 1 1/2 cups bran cereal
                 1 banana
                 1 cup skim milk

Snack- 1/4 cup mixed nuts
            1 cup cinnamon applesauce
            water (16.9 oz)

Lunch- 1 slice turkey, 1 slice cheese, honey mustard,
            lettuce and 3 slices tomato on 2 slices whole wheat bread
            1 lowfat cheese stick
            water (16.9 oz)

Dinner- 2 slices pepperoni pizza
            1 bread stick
            water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 1 cup lowfat yogurt
            water (16.9 oz)

I did eat pizza for dinner tonight because I have alot to do once the kids get home from school and I didn't have time to fix dinner today.  Other than the pizza my eating was pretty good today.

For my exercise I walked 2.1 miles in 31 minutes around my neighborhood.

Weigh in- week 5

After all my worrying and complaining last night I got on the scale this morning and I had lost weight. Its still not 2 or 3 lbs but I will take it. I lost 1 lb so thats a total of 9.6 lbs in 5 weeks. That puts me .4 lbs behind my goal of losing 2 lbs a week. I think I'm going to have to adjust my goal to 1 lb a week at least until my I figure out why I'm losing so slow or my weight loss picks up. Here are my new goals if I lose 1 lb a week from here on out for a year.



August 10, 2010- 247 lbs (starting weight)

September 7, 2010- 239 lbs

October 5, 2010- 234 lbs

November 2, 2010- 229 lbs

November 30, 2010- 225 lbs (24 lb loss for Thanksgiving, thats a lot to be thankful for)

December 28, 2010- 220 lbs (27 lb loss for Christmas would make it a very merry Christmas)

January 25, 2011- 215 lbs

February 22, 2011- 210 lbs

March 22, 2011- 205 lbs

April 19, 2011- 200 lbs

May 17, 2011- 195 lbs (it would be nice to celebrate our 5 year anniversary with me under 200 lbs)

June 14, 2011- 190 lbs

July 12, 2011- 185 lbs ( 2 days before my birthday what a wonderful birthday present to myself)

August 9, 2011- 180 lbs (67 lbs is alot to lose in a year)


I would be pretty happy to be at 180 lbs by this time next year.

Hopeless

What do you do when you are starting to feel like losing weight is hopeless?  I'm not at that point yet but I keep asking my husband how come I'm not losing much weight when I'm eating right and exercising.  I know its better to lose the weight slower because then you have a better chance of keeping it off but it just feels like the scales not moving.  I'm still determined to lose weight so I'm not giving up but I do have that fear that one morning I'm just going to wake up and say screw it I'm tired of working so hard for nothing.  I read other peoples blogs and I know I should not compare myself to them but they are losing 2 or 3 lbs a week.  My weigh in is tomorrow and right now I don't even think I'm going to have a loss this week.  I just don't get what is stalling my weight loss.  I know as you get older your metabolism slows down but just a year ago I dropped 40 lbs doing Weight Watchers.  I compare how I eat now to how I ate 2 months ago and it is a tremendous difference.  Could it be the medicine I'm on, my doctor did do some blood work to make sure everything is working right but I haven't gotten the results yet.  I'm going to call her tomorrow and see if I can find out.  Its never been this hard for me to lose weight before.  I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome years ago but once I got down to a certain weight that didn't seem to be an issue anymore but I'm wondering if its not back now.  I haven't had my period now in a couple of months but there is pretty much no chance that I'm pregnant because I got my tubes tied over 7 years ago.  Maybe my PCOS is back and that can make it harder to lose weight.  If I could just figure out what is standing in my way then I can change it but I have no idea at this point.  I know that I'm not exercising as much as I should be but I've lost weight before without exercising at all.  Its like trying to find a needle in a haystack as to what is going to work for me.  I feel like I'm just being such a complainer but never in my life have I put so much into to losing weight only to get so little in return.

Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 1 cup frosted flakes
                 1 banana
                 1 cup skim milk
                 water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 1 granola bar
            water (16.9 oz)

Lunch- 2 slices turkey, honey mustard, 3 slices of tomato
            and lettuce on 2 slices whole wheat bread
            1 cup nonfat yogurt
            1 cup grapes
            water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 1 lowfat mozzarella stick
            1/4 cup mixed nuts
           
Dinner- 1 cup cauliflower
             1 cup green beans
             1 cup corn
             water (16.9 oz)

I tried really hard to watch what I was eating today and stick to my eating plan.  I decided to eat just vegetables for dinner because I had already gone over the amount of sugar, protein and sodium I was suppose to have for the day.  Any suggestions on how to improve what I'm eating would be appreciated.  I know I should have avoided the granola bar but I was so hungry this morning in photography class and I mentioned it to the girl sitting beside me and she offered me a granola bar; I think it was because I cut my cereal I ate for breakfast in half.

Well I was going to walk but I got lazy, why do we make excuses to get out of doing the things that make us healthy?

Black Bean Cookies

I posted a recipe the other day for black bean brownies and everyone in my house loves them.  When I first heard of putting black beans in brownie mix I decided to experiment with other recipes to see how it worked and I came up with these.

Black Bean Cookies

Ingredients:
1 pack Double Chocolate chip cookie mix
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
3/4 cup water

Drain and rinse black beans and puree beans and water together.  Add pureed mixture to cookie mix and stir until combined.  Spoon onto baking sheet.  Bake as directed on box.  I thought they were just as good as the original recipe.

Eating plan

I've been eating the same way for about 5 weeks now with not much weight loss so I have decided to make a few changes.

First off my breakfast, I've been eating 2 cups of cereal for breakfast and I've even tried cutting the sweetier cereal with another kind thats not so sweet to reduce the sugar content but now I've decided to just eat 1 cup instead of 2 cups because I still believe I am eating to many carbs.  I may add a piece of fruit or a cup of yogurt to my breakfast to keep me full. 

Secondly concerns my snacks, I've been eating alot of sweet fruits and cereal bars and I've already chosen to give up my favorite fruit, watermelon because I just believe I was eating to much of it and if its in the house I'm going to eat it.  I think I'm going to reduce my fruit intake to 1 1/2 cups which is what the food pyramid recommends.  This amounts to about 1 banana, 1 small apple and 1 large peach.  If you want to determine what is the appropriate amount for you then click on this link http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/fruits_amount.aspx

Next I've been eating a sandwich for lunch most of the time and I've already switch from mayo to mustard and from white bread to whole wheat bread.  I think the only improvement I can make would be adding veggies to my sandwiches such as lettuce and tomato.  The food pyramid recommends that I get 2 1/2 cups a day of vegetables which I can definitely get between lunch and dinner.  If you want to determine what is the appropriate amount for you then click on this link http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/vegetables_amount.aspx#

The food pyramid recommends that I get 3 cups of dairy which I don't really get in on an average day so I will have to work on this.  I need to start replacing some of my snacks like granola bars and cereal bars with a cup of yogurt which would count toward my dairy.  If you want to determine what is the appropriate amount for you then click on this link http://www.mypyramid.gov/pyramid/milk_amount.aspx

Now for my dinners; I have improved alot on my dinners from reducing my carb intake to increasing the amount of vegetables I try to get in.  I do need to start watching my serving sizes though because you can still over eat on something good for you.  I think I need to start using a measuring cup to determine the right portion size at least until I can eyeball it. 

As for what I drink, I only drink water and maybe once a week a diet soda but I do need to increase my water intake.  I have been trying to do this for awhile with not much success.  I think I need to make a daily chart where I can mark off my water as I drink it.  This may sound extreme to you but you have to understand that I plan out everything I'm going to do everyday of my life so this isn't really out of the usual for me.  My recommended daily intake of water for my weight is 120 oz.  If you want to determine what the appropriate amount of water to drink daily for you is click on this link http://espring.com/English/home.aspx

I'm going to the grocery store tomorrow and stock up on some foods that I want to try and I need in the house.  I have a list on my blog of low fat, low calorie, high fiber foods which you can find by clicking on this link http://nevertheskinnygirl.blogspot.com/2010/09/bored-with-my-eating.html  .  This is my grocery list for tomorrow:  water packed tuna, canned peaches and pineapples, pinto beans (I may throw them in the crockpot), bran cereal, raisins, mixed nuts, jello, applesauce, romaine lettuce, cauliflower, cucumbers, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, grapes, cantaloupe, low fat yogurt, broccoli, ground turkey and sunflower seeds.  By having lots of stuff to chose from I'm hoping to stick to my healthy eating plan.

If you have any suggestions to improve my eating or weight loss effort please feel free to comment.  I hope some of these links can help you determine the proper amounts of food to be eating daily.  Good luck with your eating plans.

Tagged

Floriana at http://sugarlessdiet.blogspot.com/ tagged me and of course I'm up for a challenge so here it goes.  She asked the following 8 questions and here are my answers.

1.  If you were an animal, what would you be?
I would be a mule because I can be very stubborn and bullheaded.

2.  What is your favorite movie of all times?
I'm not sure that its my favorite of all times, I'm not even sure I have a favorite but I had never seen Casablanca before and my husband started watching it one night and I said I can't believe you are watching this stupid movie and about midway through he wanted to turn it off and go to bed and I so oh no you aren't I love this movie and I have to see what happens.

3.  How many diet books have you read?
Not that many maybe 3 or 4, but I've read alot online.

4.  What's your dream job?
My dream job would be a fashion photographer or maybe traveling the world taking pictures of beautiful places.

5.  What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
There are so many answers to that question.  Lets see my stomach, my thighs, my boobs, my frown lines, my arms....you name it I don't like it.

6.  What is your favorite clothing item?
I'm not really into fashion and I'm a stay at home mom so its not like I have to get dressed up to go to work so I really don't have a favorite clothing item......ask me when I'm skinny......lol

7.  What is your favorite sport?
Easy I only like one....football.....Favre fan all the way.

8.  If money was no object, what plastic surgery would you have if any and why?
Ok we will start at the top and go down.  First a face lift and botox in my frown lines, then liposuction under my chin.  Next I would have a boob job, not to get any bigger just to put what I have back where it should be.  Then a full body lift where they cut you all the way around and cut out a big section of skin then pull you back together and sew you up.  Maybe a butt lift or butt implant because when I lose weight I don't have a butt at all.  I would love to have my inner thighs done and my upper arms but I'm not sure its worth the giant scar you have after surgery.  After all that I would have liposuction done on any trouble areas and then I would have veneers put on my teeth and maybe even have some hair transplants because my hair is kind of thin on top or at least hair extensions.  As you can see I have thought alot about this....if only I could win the lottery.

My questions:

1.  If you could meet anyone in the world, who would it be?
2.  What is one thing that you love about yourself?
3.  If you were shipwrecked on an island and could only have one food to, eat what would it be?
4.  What is one accomplishment in your life you are most proud of?
5.  If someone gave you one wish what would it be?
6.  If you only had one week to live what would you do?
7.  Do you have a bucket list and what is number one on your list?
8.  What is your biggest regret?

I tag:
http://imshrinkingblubeari.blogspot.com/
http://alltheweigh2009.blogspot.com/
http://pudget1.blogspot.com/
http://shelikes2run.blogspot.com/
http://355fat.blogspot.com/

All you have to do is answer my questions, ask your questions and tag a few blogger friends.


If I didn't tag you and you are in the mood to join in consider yourself tagged.

Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 1 cup rice krispies
                 1 cup frosted flakes
                 1 banana
                 1 cup skim milk
                 water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 1 fiber one bar
            water (16.9oz)

Lunch- chili w/ cheese and lite sour cream
            diet coke (12 oz)

Snack- 2 black bean brownies
            water (16.9 oz)



I haven't had dinner yet and I'm not sure if I'm eating anything since I'm not hungry.  I might have a snack afterwhile.

I just finished my exercise, I walked 2.1 miles in 31 minutes.

Update:  I did eat a bowl of cereal for dinner with 1 cup rice krispies, 1 cup frosted flakes and 1 cup skim milk.

Fun at the Zoo

We decided to take the kids to a small animal zoo we have in the area called Buffalo Beals.  Here is the link if you would like to check it out online http://www.buffalobeals.com/ .   It was a pretty nice day to get out and enjoy sometime together as a family; it wasn't to hot and the wind was blowing to keep you cooled off.  This zoo has monkeys, different kinds of birds, llamas, and a variety of other kinds of animals.  I got in alittle exercise walking around there but I'm not counting that as my exercise for the day.  I thought I would include some pictures of the fun we had and some of the animals we seen.

Here is my son Josh feeding a miniature pony.

Here is my son Josh feeding a parrot carrots.

I'm not sure what kind of bird this was but I just thought it looked cool.

This was a cool parrot the only thing it kept saying was hello.

This ostrich just seemed so girly.

Here is Josh trying to convince Dylan not to be scared to feed the giraffe.

I'm not sure what this was it looked like a cross between a buffalo and a cow.

I loved all the monkeys they were so cute.

This guys name was JR and he would spit water at you.

 

Here is Josh and Dylan trying to feed the geese but they were mean and chasing after them.

Here is my husband and the kids feeding the camels.

Sorry these are not very good pictures they were took with my cheap digital camera.  I can't wait to get my good digital camera after the first of the year.

Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 2 packs of instant oatmeal
                 2 slices bacon
                 water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 1 fiber one bar

Lunch- 2 slices turkey, 1 slice cheese and honey mustard
            on 1 whole wheat bun
            water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 1 apple
            2 small black bean brownies

Dinner- chili with cheese and lite sour cream
             water (16.9 oz)

I look at what I eat now compared to 2 months ago and I eat so much less now.  It just surprises me that I'm not losing weight faster than I am.  I guess its true what they say as you get older your metabolism slows down.  Just have to keep chugging along; it may be a slow journey but boy if its not going to be beautiful when I get there and it will only make me appreciate it even more. 

I'm not sure about exercise tonight.  I really want to walk around the neighborhood but its raining here.

Bored with my eating

In an attempt to come up with new foods ideas I have made a list of low fat, low calorie and high fiber foods.




Low fat foods

Olive oil, canola oil, nonstick cooking spray, safflower oil and flavored oils

Water-packed tuna, salmon and sardines

Canned vegetables and Fruits; peas, carrots, corn, beets, mushrooms, asparagus, peaches, pineapple and pears-in light syrup

Canned tomatoes (whole, diced or crushed), tomato puree and tomato sauce (with no added salt)

Canned or dried black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, kidney beans, navy beans, black-eyed peas, rice, lentils, barley, couscous, quinoa, bulgur, kamut, great norther beans, green peas, lima beans, mung beans, soy beans, split peas, tofu, white beans and adzuki beans

Whole wheat pasta

Anchovies, capers, pimientos, peppers, artichokes, pickles, sundried tomatoes and minced garlic

Low-fat, low-sodium canned soups and soup mixes; low-sodium, fat-free broths, bouillon cubes and stock concentrates

Herbs, spices and seasonings; whole garlic, garlic paste, tomato paste, chili paste, bottled ginger, low-sodium worcestershire sauce, soy sauces and bottled marinades

Vinegars, mustards, low-fat or fat-free salad dressings and mayonnaise

Whole grain breads, rolls and bagels; whole wheat flour; whole-grain cereals such as oatmeal, bran flakes or low-fat granola

Dried fruits; cranberries, cherries, blueberries, raisins, apples, apricots, dates, figs, peaches, pears, prunes and strawberries

Nuts and seeds; almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, filberts, pistachios, pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds and flax seeds

Honey, molasses and maple syrup

Pretzels, low-fat microwave popcorn, jello and applesauce

Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, spinach, potatoes, avocado, acorn squash, artichoke, asparagus, bean sprouts, beets, brussel sprouts, butternut squash, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, hubbard squash, leeks, mushrooms, okra, onions, parsnips, rutabaga, yellow squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, wax beans, zucchini, bok choi, broccoli, collard greens, dark green leafy vegetables, kale, mesclum, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, turnip greens, water crest, beet greens, chard and dandelion greens,

Strawberries, grapes, watermelon, apple, apricot, banana, cantaloupe, casaba melon, crenshaw melon, figs, grapefruit, honeydew melon, lemon, lime, kiwi, mango, orange, papaya, peaches, pears, persimmon, pineapple, plums, pomegranate, blueberries, boysenberries, cherries, cranberries, currants, gooseberries, loganberries and raspberries,

Angel food cake

Egg whites

Vegetable soup

1% reduced fat and skim milk and soy milk

Skinless chicken breast

Skinless turkey breast

Lean beef, pork, lamb and veal

Catfish, cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, herring, mackeral, pollock, salmon, sea bass, snapper, swordfish, trout, tuna, clams, crab, lobster, mussels, oysters, scallops and shrimp

Low fat peanut butter

Bulgur, cracked wheat, oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, muesli, whole grain barley, pearl barley, whole rye, brown rice, wild rice, amaranth, millet, and quinoa

Whole wheat crackers and whole wheat tortillas

Low fat yogurt, low and reduced fat cheese, skim mozzarella, low fat string cheese, neufchatel cheese, low fat cream cheese, low fat puddings, low fat custards, low fat frozen yogurt and low fat ice cream 
 
Low calorie foods

Broccoli, brussel sprouts, tomatoes, potatoes, celery, mushroom, watercress and red peppers,

Cottage cheese, low fat

Chickpeas and potatoes

Whole long grain rice and brown rice

Tofu

Yogurt, fat free or light

Rice cakes

Lean lunch meat and lower fat or fat free hotdogs

Breakfast and granola bars

Lowfat cottage cheese, low fat cheese

Popcorn, air-popped

Pickles

Sugar free jello

Light bread

Mustard and ketchup

Apricot, melon, currants and grapefruit

Beef, canadian bacon and ground turkey

White eggs
 
High fiber foods

Raspberries, pears, apples, strawberries, bananas, orange, figs, raisins, apples w/ skin, apricot, dried apricots, blueberries, cantaloupe, dried figs, grapefruits, peaches, dried peaches, plums, dried dates, prunes, blackberries, kiwi and mangos

Whole wheat pasta

Bran flakes, oat bran and oatmeal

Popcorn, air-popped

Brown rice

Rye bread, whole wheat and multigrain bread

Split peas, lentils, black beans, lima beans, baked beans, chickpeas, kidney beans and pintos

Sunflower seeds, almonds, pistachio nuts, pecans, cashews, flax seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, soybeans and walnuts

Artichokes, peas, broccoli, turnip greens, sweet corn, brussel sprouts, potatoes w/ skin, tomato paste, carrot, avocados, beet greans, bok choy, cabbage, cauliflower, cole slaw, collard greens, green beans, celery, kale, onions, sweet peppers, summer squash, sweet potatoes, swiss chard, tomato, winter squash and zucchini

I don't want to get bored with what I'm eating and that effect my weight loss efforts.  There are many foods that I have been scared to include in diet such as nuts and oils because I always thought of them as very fattening and bad for you but in small portions they are actually healthy for you.  I guess I still have alot to learn.  Hope this list may help some of you others come up with some new foods to try, if you find anything thats really good let me know.

Black Bean Brownies

Yes I said black bean brownies, it may sound weird but they are so yummy.  My kids prefer these brownies to regular brownies because they are more fudgy.  With a few subsitutions you have a brownie that is lower in fat and higher in fiber and protein.  Remember there is still alot of sugar in these brownies so no you can't eat the whole pan....lol

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:
1- 15.5 oz can black beans
1 large box of brownie mix
nonstick cooking spray to coat pan

Instructions:
Spray 9x9 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Open the can of black beans and drain out the liquid then rinse off the black beans.  Put the black beans back in the can and finish filling the can with water.  Dump the black beans and water into a blender and puree.  In a mixing bowl combine brownie mix and pureed beans, stir just until combined then pour into pan.  Bake as directed on box. 

I have these baking right now and I thought I would take this time to give you the nutritional information on both normal brownies and black bean brownies so you can see for yourself the difference.  The following information is for the whole batch, you can use this to decide whatever serving size you want by dividing each amount by the number of servings.

Normal Brownies                   Black Bean Brownies
3400 calories                                2620 calories
160g fat                                          40g fat
0g fiber                                           21g fat
480g carbs                                    537g carbs
340g sugar                                    320g sugar
40g protein                                    48g protein
2100mg sodium                            3265mg sodium

As you can see we cut the fat by 75% and increased the fiber from 0g to 21g.  The carbs did go up alittle and so did the protein but as far the significant increase in sodium I'm not sure if thats an accurate measure or not because we did dump the liquid out of the black beans and rinse them off so I would think that would have decreased the sodium alot.  I still would chose the black bean brownies over normal brownies anytime.  I've tried other recipes with yogurt and applesauce and none have turned out as fudgy and chocolatey as these.  And if you are worried about tasting the black beans in the actually brownies, you don't, they just add to the fudginess.  If I can get a good picture of the brownies once they are cooled and cut I will post that later just so you can see how good they look.  Here is the picture I promised even though its not that good, can't wait until I get a better digital camera.

Exercise Challenge

I was recently sick with a cold and I got out of my routine of exercising and when something throws me off like that its very hard for me to get back on track so I've decided to set up an exercise challenge for myself.  I saw something similiar to this on Katie's blog http://katie-fttw.blogspot.com/ and I decided to do it myself.  Of course her goal is alot higher than mine but I didn't want to set something I wasn't capable of accomplishing, that wouldn't be motivating.

As you can see I have a new ticker on the right side of my screen now and it starts at 0 and goes to 160.  I have challenged myself to walk a 160 miles by New Years.  Now for some of you that might be nothing and maybe once I get going on this challenge I may have to up that number.  The way I came up with this amount was to figure out how many weeks were left until January 1st, 2011 and if I exercised 5 days out of each of those weeks and went 2 miles each time thats 160 miles.  It will be a motivator to see that little person moving across that ticker getting closer to 160.  Thank you Katie for giving me this idea.

Now for my reward!!!   I think a new pair of walking shoes would be a pretty good reward, plus if I walk that far I will need a new pair.  I don't need a reward to finish this challenge because just accomplishing it will be good enough but alittle extra incentive never hurts.  Has anyone bought a pair of the new Shape Ups they have out?  I have wanted a pair but they are like $100.00 and I'm not the kind of person to spend that much money on a pair of shoes.  Are they worth it? 

Just alittle reminder of what I'm working so hard for.

Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 1 cup frosted flakes
                 1 cup rice krispies
                 1 banana
                 1 cup skim milk

Snack- 1 fiber one bar
             water (16.9 oz)

Lunch- 2 slices turkey, 1 slice cheese and honey
            mustard on 2 slices whole wheat bread
            1 cup lite vanilla yogurt
            water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 3 small peaches

Dinner- 2 riblets
            1/2 cup corn
            1 cup green beans
            1 cup broccoli
            1 cup baked beans
            water (16.9 oz)

I ate pretty good today I think.  I also fixed mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese for dinner but I ate veggies instead of eating those carbs.

I am exercising tonight if it kills me....lol

Update:  I just walked 2.1 miles in 32 minutes, not to good but it is a very hilly area.  I'm just proud of myself for starting my exercise back.

Award Time

Thanks to Michelle at http://makingmefit.blogspot.com/ I'm receiving the following award.

The rules:

1. Post who gave you this award - Done
2. State 10 things you like.
3. Give this award to 10 other bloggers and notify them with a comment.

Things I Like:

1.  Scrapbooking....I love creating and preserving memories!!!
2.  Photography......Again love creating and preserving memories!!!!
3.  Going to the beach....nothing like waking up to the sun rising over the ocean and going to sleep
     listening to the waves crashing on the beach.
4.  School.....I can't believe I'm saying that but now that I'm older I really like being back in school.
5.  Fall......love to see the beautiful colors and feel the cool crisp air.
6.  Fresh fruits and vegetables.....the only reason I will hate seeing summer ending.
7.  Blogging....I'm new to the blogging world but its really addictive.
8.  Christmas.....its such a beautiful time of the year with everything decorated so pretty.
9.  The new Chevrolet Camaro.....what a cool car.
10.Pizza....probably the most perfect food in the world.

And the bloggers I'm giving this award to are as follows:

http://sugarlessdiet.blogspot.com/
http://imshrinkingblubeari.blogspot.com/
http://unveilingthediva.blogspot.com/
http://suckitinbuttercup.blogspot.com/
http://inweighovermyhead.blogspot.com/
http://www.scalejunkie.com/
http://katie-fttw.blogspot.com/
http://toosexy4thisfat.blogspot.com/
http://kyokocake.blogspot.com/
http://alltheweigh2009.blogspot.com/

You all deserve it!!!

Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 1 cup frosted flakes
                 1 cup rice krispies
                 1 banana
                 1 cup skim milk

Snack- 2 cups watermelon
            1 fiber one bar

Lunch- 1 slice turkey, 1 slice cheese and honey
            mustard on 2 slices whole wheat bread
            water (16.9 oz)

Snack- 2 cups watermelon

Dinner- 2-6 inch blueberry pancakes
             1/4 cup syrup
             2 slices bacon
             water (16.9 oz)

Today wasn't the best eating day, it was another sugar packed day.  I eat the last of my watermelon today and I'm not buying another one because I just eat way to much of it.  Watermelon has become my dessert because of its sweetness.  I also didn't get in much water today so that's something I'm going to definitely have to work on.  Also I decided to fix breakfast for dinner tonight because it would be alot quicker and easier and I ended up eating 2 slices of bacon and 2 pancakes which I wasn't feeling that bad about eating until after I was done.  I don't know why I keep telling myself that I like pancakes because I don't.  They make you feel bloated and just plan yucky and the syrup doesn't help any either. 

I've been putting off exercise and using being sick as my excuse but I definitely need to get back at it.  I've just gotten lazy and I'm struggling to get started again.  I just need to push myself to do it and then I will keep doing it, its just breaking through that wall thats standing in front of me thats the hard part.

Whoa trigger!!!!

My question to you is what triggers a binge for you? 

Luckily since I've starting blogging my weight loss journey I haven't had a binge yet, thank God.  What I want to know is what triggers a binge for you?  Is it a certain emotion or a craving for a food you absolutely love, is it a lack of willpower or are you just trying to bury some deep dark feelings you don't want to surface?  I've probably experienced each one of these at one time or another.  For me food can be a punishment or a reward.

If I'm sad, depressed or mad then I turn to food to comfort me, to take away the bad feelings I don't want to feel.  If I'm happy then food can only add to that happiness right.....wrong.   If I've done something I'm proud of or I've really accomplished something then why not go out to eat to celebrate, I deserve a reward for my hardwork, but is it a reward....heck no.  What if I'm bored?  The first thought that pops into my head is what do I have in the kitchen to eat?  Why is it every emotion leads me right back to food?  I'm not a robot; I have freedom of choice, then why is it when it comes to food I don't or I can't make a better choice?  Its time I reprogram myself to respond to these emotions in a different way.  If I'm sad, depressed or mad then apparently someone mad me that way right?  I have started to think why give that person the satisfaction of winning twice by binging.  I'm stronger than that!!!   I don't need food to make me happy; I need to be healthier to be happy!!!!  Reward myself with food.....why would I do that when there are so many other things that can serve as a lasting reminder of my accomplishments.......clothes, jewelry, perfume....etc.  If I'm bored....why should I be bored I have this blog to keep me busy, I have hobbies, school and a family to take care of.  My emotions will no longer be the cause of me binging....I've taken my power back!!!

Cravings?  Lets see cookies, cakes, ice cream, chocolate, pizza, fast food....you name it I pretty much crave it....oh lets not forget brownies and donuts.  As you can see I'm a fast food and sweetaholic.  Its very hard not to give into these cravings; everywhere you go food is right in your face.  Quick, inexpensive, fattening, greasy, calorie loaded goodness just calling our names.  The trick for me is to give into those temptations....yes thats right give in, but you have to do it sensibily.  If I want fast food I get the healthiest thing they have on the menu.  That doesn't mean ordering 5 grilled chicken sandwiches because they are better for you then eating a burger, you also have to watch portion size to.  I also stay away from anything that has been fried, I go for grilled, baked or broiled.  Now mind you I don't eat out all the time but when the day has been busy or I don't feel like cooking then I chose the healthiest fast food I can find.  As for sweets I also allow myself to have them on occassion, but I limit the size I buy and how much comes into the house.  If I'm craving chocolate then I usually get something like a single peppermint patty.  Or if my husband is eating something sweet then I will take a bite or two and thats it I stop.  I would never ever bring a whole cake or a half gallon of ice cream in the house at least at this point because I still don't have the control I need not to binge on it.  You have to find what works for you and stick to your guns.

Lack of willpower....that pretty much described the old me.  I committed and recommitted myself a million times over to losing weight but here I am 37 years old and 238.4 lbs.  I've asked myself so many times why is it so hard to lose weight if I want it so bad, all I have to do is stop eating like I do.  If only it was as easy as making your mind up to lose weight we would all be skinny.  My willpower has grown so much just since starting this blog.  Maybe its the accountability or the support I'm receiving but I feel more empowered and in control of my life and my eating then I ever have been.  For most of us and me included we let this long journey overwhelm us and it can if you focus on how long its going to take to get the weight off but for me I'm taking this journey one day at a time.  I get up in the morning and I have my routine that I go through each day...... breakfast, lunch and dinner around the same time.....go to school, clean the house, run errands, make phone calls, whatever it is I need to get done that day.  I try to keep my mind off food and keep it busy thinking about other things.  Food should not be the main focus of our day and then our lives come second.  I use to plan my day around my food; now I plan my food around my day.  Just slow down and enjoy the journey because when you get to your destination you want to remember where you came from so you never go back there again.

Burying my feelings.....what else is there to do with them, feel them?  Yes thats what we need to do and I know thats not easy.  I have spent many years completely blocking out any feelings I had.  I was just an empty shell just going through the motions but like I've told my husband so many times if you don't feel the bad feelings you can't feel the good ones either.  You can't pick and chose or at least I can't.  Now I let myself feel...if I need to cry then I cry.... if I need to laugh then I laugh.  You let the feelings out then you don't have to use food as a coping device to stuff those feelings down.  I know for many people there is abuse and other things that have led them to deal with their feelings in this way and for something that extreme you probably need counseling.  I'm not ashamed to say that I have been in counseling.  There are so many good things that can come out of letting go of the past and moving forward and giving yourself permission to live your life, emotions and all.  Don't let anything stand in your way of weight loss....just face your fears and conquer them then you can begin to live a healthy, happy, long life.

Thank you

When I started this blog I honestly never expected that anyone would read it, I hoped but never assumed.  Now only 4 weeks later I have 22 followers, how exciting.  There are so many sweet and supportive people who leave me comments and keep me motivated and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Most of you who follow me and even ones who don't I try to visit your blogs and leave comments to show you encouragement back.  Its so nice to discover a community of people from all over the world that support each other; no matter what race, religion, age or sex everyone is the same here.  I do have to admit one thing though this blogging thing is addictive.....lol.  I love turning my computer on and seeing the comments that have been left and I love reading other peoples blogs and seeing what is going on in their lives for the day.  For the ones that have been blogging for awhile does this newness wear off?  Honestly I hope not because I've finally found a way thats keeping me on track with my eating and exercise and I have all of you to thank for that.  I wish all of you the greatest of success and I only hope that I can be there as much for you as you have for me.

Food and Exercise Journal

Breakfast- 1 cup frosted flakes
                 1 cup rice krispies
                 1 banana
                 1 cup skim milk
                 16.9 oz orange juice

Lunch- 4 oz rotisserie chicken breast, 1 slice cheese,
            honey mustard on 1 whole wheat bun
            2 cups watermelon
            16.9 oz diet coke

Dinner- 2 fresco ranchero chicken soft tacos (taco bell)
             water (16.9 oz)

I've been so busy today that I haven't eaten that much which I guess is a good thing. 

I might try to exercise here in a few minutes even though I'm still not 100% yet.  This cold has really interferred with my exercise.  Wouldn't it be crazy if I lost more weight next Tuesday after not exercising much?  Guess we will see what happens.

Weigh in- week 4

Well I weighed in this morning and it wasn't what I wanted it to be but it was still a loss.  I lost a big whopping .6 lbs for a total of 8.6 lbs in 4 weeks.  I was going to post progress pictures but considering how little I have lost I doubt you would be able to see a difference so I think I have decided to just take pictures for every 20 lbs I lose.  I'm hoping to lose more weight next week but I need to get over being sick first so I can start exercising again, maybe tomorrow.  I am trying to watch more closely what I eat now after finding out how much sugar and sodium somethings have in them.  I ate alot of fresh vegetables for dinner tonight and I didn't add any salt and boy could I tell a difference.  I guess I'm just going to have to get use to eating less sodium like I got use to drinking fat free milk.  Well I'm signing off for tonight, this blogging thing is a little addictive.....lol.  Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone.