Monday

Here were are at Monday! I've been moody all day. I think partly because I'm really wanting to make my goal tomorrow, but not certain I've achieved it! I am proud of myself, however, for running 2 miles last night, and that accomplishment trumps the weight anyway!

The other reason I am moody is because we are waiting on word for something, and I get anxious during these times. I used to deal with this anxiety by eating. Now I am TRYING to not use food as my go to for stress! So, I'm trying writing out as my stress reliever! I love to write, so this should be a good trade off!

Today was an excellent food day (in my opinion) -- pretty stoked with my choices today, though there is always room for improvement!

Breakfast
Veggies (mushrooms, onions, peppers) and egg whites (omelet) -- on top of a bed of spinach leaves and topped with salsa
Strawberries, blueberries and banana

Snack
string cheese and 1/2 serving of wheat thins

Lunch
Black bean burger on 1/2 slice of roll up bread, topped with simply ketchup, onion, tomato and spinach
6 cheez-its

Snack
Granola Bar

Dinner
chicken and veggies topped with salsa, 1 bite of a cheese crisp (made w/ lite cheese)
1/2 a yogurt

What a weekend!!!

OK, So Friday Food Journal --
English Muffin/v. sausage
turkey wrap w/ spinach, peppers, onions
Movie Popcorn (a small, shared with a friend, no butter)
550 cal. Island Grilled Shrimp dinner at AppleBees
(need to look up my snacks, I have them written down elsewhere)

Saturday Food Journal--
English Muffin/v. sausage/low fat colby jack slice
5 shrimp (left over from Friday dinner)
Turkey wrap w/ spinach, peppers, onions
granola bar
2 slices Cheese pizza
spinach, onions, peppers, feta cheese & balsamic vinaigrette

Sunday Food Journal--
English Muffin/ v. sausage/low fat colby jack slice
banana
Kashi dark chocolate mocha almond granola bar
grilled chicken sandwich w/ lettuce and tomato (whole wheat bun)
yogurt


Hasn't been my best eating ever this weekend... but the weekend was awesome. Friday night, I took my precious friend out to the movies for her birthday. Saturday started off with grocery shopping and then soccer for the kids. Following that, our friends came over and we worked on decluttering and took several boxes and bags to Goodwill!

This morning was amazing! I got up at 5:30 am and headed to Stafford VA to meet up with one of my CHF board members. We drove up to American University. Of course we got lost, but it was the best tour of DC I've ever had! Oh my gracious!!! The embassies were fascinating! We finally made it to American University, where we set up for and then participated in the Congenital Heart Walk DC Metro. We had a HUGE turnout. We met some amazing people. And most of all we just had fun raising money for such an important cause (the NUMBER 1 birth defect in the world!) Following the walk, we headed home. Then my kids had their end of the year choir performances at church. Once we got home from that, we put the kids to bed and I decided it was much to beautiful a night to stay in, so I chose to go for a run. The night was so gorgeous that I did not stop with my 1 mile, but rather continued and completed TWO miles! This was a first for me!

Earlier in the day, a family member (that I love) posted some pictures of me from two weeks ago that absolutely deflated me when I saw them. I thought "I'm working SO hard, and yet I still look so sloppy and fat. It's just gross and depressing." I told Matt my feelings and he looked at me and said, "Are you going to let some PICTURE determine how you feel, or are you going to rely on the way your clothes are fitting?" -- he had a good point. SO, then I turn on the computer, and my friend posted a picture from the Heart Walk this morning... and I could see all the hard work I've been putting in and the pay off. I was also able to try on and zip up several size 18's tonight. Then topping it off with a 2 mile run (no stops)... I feel MUCH better. I just needed a boost after those pictures. Now I'm ready to go to sleep and tackle the new week. I know I should have had more to eat today, but I did not plan well for the business of my day!

Just a quick one...

Feeling so great about the progress as of late. Parted with 3 bags of clothes today. Parting with another bag tomorrow! Super excited to be FITTING in smaller clothes!

Food journal for Wednesday

English Muffin w/ Veggie Sausage
dried fruit and nuts
grilled chicken on whole wheat w/ lettuce and tomato
triscuits/string cheese
homemade shrimp and veggie fajita on w.w. tortilla w/ lettuce

drank all of my water

NEED to get to the grocery store for some fresh fruit!!!

Back Again!

OK, that was annoying ... blogger was down for a few days and I was unable to blog... very frustrating. Anyway, we are back now and I'm ready to bring you up to speed! We recommitted ourselves to the program last week as we are entering week 4 which tends to be the week where people lose steam. I am FULL STEAM AHEAD! I am determined to see the 250's during this 8 weeks. I am 7 lbs from that goal, and I WANT to achieve it. I also want to see improvement in my push ups and planks (working on them at home AS well as during class).

I had a major accomplishment this week -- Friday night my husband and I were to attend my friend's 40th birthday party. She threw herself a big BALL (formal, think Prom) for her 40th -- What a wonderful night. I think I danced for 2.5 hours straight (only cut out for water during slow songs)... It was a major workout, and I loved every moment of it. In March, she and I had gone shopping to find dresses for the party. We both found dresses we loved. Mine was purple. It was a size 24. Beautiful gown. Well, obviously, it no longer fit by this past weekend. SO, I had to find something else to wear. (By the way, she ended up finding another gown and wearing that instead of the one we picked out... lol) -- So, I knew I had two dresses in my closet that still had tags on them and had never been worn! One was a 22 and the other a 20. I didn't really like the 22 -- it just didn't feel "appropriate" for the occasion, a little too conservative and plain, though it is a cocktail dress. SOOOOO... I tried on the size 20... a royal blue straight gown, that just skims the body, spaghetti straps -- not over the top fancy, but also not too conservative. I tried it on, and IT FIT! HUGE milestone right there, considering in March I was pretty much in a 26, squeezing myself into a 24!

So, let's fast forward to Friday morning. I decided to try on a pair of jeans that had been chillin in my dresser drawer for several years (probably close to 6 years) -- They were size 20. I slid the jeans up over my hips. They were quite snug. BUT, I thought, hey, I may actually be able to button and zip these... and so I gave it a try. Low and behold, they zipped and buttoned! They were tight (think major muffin top) BUT, I couldn't even pull 22's up over my thighs in March, and here it is May and I can not only pull 20's over my thighs, but my hips too, AND I can button and zip them! Matt asked if I could sit in them. I told him there was only one way to find out. And I sat down on the bed. The button did NOT fly across the room, as I had feared it may! AND I could still breathe! I was in the happiest of shock! And, re-motivated to continue to work hard! :)

Now, about food journalling... do you think that because the blog was down, I stopped journalling my food??? Do you? Well, if you do, you don't believe in me too much! ;) I kept up with the journaling by writing everything down on a yellow piece of paper I keep on my fridge! I will spare you the days that were missed... but I will add today's food intake. I will say that I had 5 parties to attend this weekend. I made it to only 3 of them. At one party, I ate nothing, but did drink water. At the next party (catered), I enjoyed a mini salmon cake, one bite of a mushroom stuffed with blue cheese (so delicious!), 3 cubes of cheese, carrot sticks and peppers, one sip of the birthday girl's signature drink (I let the hubby finish it, very very very sweet drink), then for birthday cake she had purple velvet cupcakes. The husband got one and I took one bite of it... just enough. Then Saturday I was at a Tastefully Simple tasting party. The hostess fixed a tray filled with glorious veggies -- so while I did TASTE the dips and sauces, I did so with veggies for the most part. I may have had 12 chips, total. I ate one bite of the apple cake (and I made sure my bite had a huge chunk of apple, rather than cake). Also, when dipping, I made sure I just tasted the product, rather than slathering my chips or carrots in the sauces and dips. I also ate 4 pieces of beer bread (but could have eaten a whole lot more, that stuff is my weakness) -- luckily, I planned ahead for that day and adjusted my calories to leave plenty of room for tasting. I also had a sip of a vodka lemon slushy -- it was good, but not worth more than the small sip I took. I prefer to EAT my calories! All in all, I feel I planned ahead well for my party filled weekend, and I do not believe that I "over did it" at any of the events. I practiced a lot of self control and I am pleased with my weekend.

I found a treat at Target tonight. This will NOT be an everyday snack for me. This will be when I am having a hankering for Frappuccinos! Tonight, I found a Kashi Granola Bar -- it's Dark Chocolate Mocha Almond -- and if I drink ice cold water with it, then I feel like I'm treating myself to a frapp, without having the calories and guilt! :) It's 130 calories... a perfect snack! AND it's very filling!

OK so here is today's food journal, and then I'm hitting the hay so I can attempt to run in the morning (weather willing)
Breakfast
2 eggwhite omelet with spinach, mushrooms, onions, peppers, salsa and parmesan cheese

Lunch
Grilled chicken, lettuce and tomato on whole wheat bun (275 cal)

snacks
5 triscuits and 1 string cheese
1 Granola Bar (Kashi) with dried fruit

Dinner
Turkey Spaghetti with very veggie sauce and a sprinkle of parmesan

AND I had all of my water! :)

Terrific Tuesday

This morning was a kick BOOTY workout... no literally... we worked on our booty today! I can say, with a smile on my face, my butt HURTS... and why am I happy that it hurts? because that means my butt is changing shape and shaping up! WOOOHOOOO!!!! My shoulders also hurt, and I'll be demonstrating to my sister in just a moment, those downward dog shoulder dips we did. Other parts of me hurt as well (like my abs) -- I love it! Change is happening! :)

We weighed in today, and while my weight loss was modest, it was still happiness to me! I've gone from 288 lbs down to 266.5! Yes, that is nearly 22 lbs, folks! :) I am beyond thrilled! It sure is motivating!

Here is my food journal for Tuesday, 5/10

Breakfast
English muffin w/ veggie sausage

Snack
1/2 small chocolate chip muffin at Muffins with Mom at my son's preschool (he selected my muffin for me)
string cheese

Lunch
Spinach and field greens salad w/ peppers, onions and feta cheese w/ balsamic vinaigrette
Blueberry fruit thin

Snack
fruit salad and 1/4 cup cottage cheese
2 bites of pudding (made some for Maegan who had oral surgery)

Dinner
Ate at Kitchen 64
Fish Tacos:
grilled fish, lettuce, pico de gallo, avocado on 6 in flour tortillas (2, but only 1 w/ avocado)
1/2 cup rice & beans
(boxed up the 3rd taco and the rice & beans)

I have had more water than I care to think about -- at least 20 oz at class, 32 oz at home, then at least 32 oz at dinner

Happy Mother's Day!

What a great day! My children sang in church this morning. We followed that up by coming home and changing. Then we went out to watch my nephew play football. Following that, we took my mom out to late lunch at Plaza Azteca. (my brother and sister came along, which was great. Mom had all but my nephew there celebrating with her.) Once we finished there, we drove back to mom's house to wait for my nephew to be dropped off by his dad. (Yes, his father is THAT much of a jerk that for the 2nd year in a row he violated his visitation rights and kept my nephew on mother's day.) Once he arrived, we played frisbee in the front yard and laughed and laughed. I think my mom was happy to have all of her children and grandchild with her (even if only for a few moments) on Mother's Day. Now the kids are headed to bed. I am going to put on my workout clothes, and head out for a quick jog! I'm a little full from, late lunch, so this may be more of a slog than anything! ;)

Food from today:
Breakfast:
Eng. muffin, v. sausage, cheese
Snack:
cottage cheese, dried fruit/nuts
Lunch/Dinner:
2 tablespoons Guacamole (fresh)
2 tablespoons Mexican Rice
Aztecal. Salad (shrimp and chicken over lettuce, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes, green peppers, onions... and I added salsa rather than using salad dressing)

In our visit to Plaza Azteca 4 bowls of chips were brought to our table. I had ZERO. :D Following our meal, they brought out complimentary sopapillas... again, I had none! :) And I did not feel one bit deprived!
It was a gorgeous day and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect Mother's Day!

*** UPDATE *** I RAN the ENTIRE MILE tonight! Not stopping, no walking... I ran my very first FULL MILE! WOW! I feel extremely strong! :D

Weekend Journaling

So, I did not do such a great job of journaling since Friday! That is all on me! It's been a wild couple of days. Friday morning, my oldest had oral surgery, my youngest three were and still are sick (ear infections/respiratory distress). I did not leave the house at all on Friday. Saturday was completely different, we left at 7:30 am and returned at noon and I left at 1 and did not get home until 9:30 p.m. -- exhausting. Saturday morning was soccer games. I was ill prepared! The morning rush was in such haste that I completely forgot to make my breakfast or pack snack for the soccer field. Luckily, the husband had cash on him and we were able to purchase bottles of water (I even forgot the kids' water bottles) and snacks. I opted for the nut/raisin mix (120 calories, but I shared it with the kids and my dad). When we returned home, I had to rush to get things ready to take to my cousin's house for the post funeral family gathering. Again, I was ill prepared. I called my sis and asked her to grab a bag of carrots at the store. I had hummus, so I knew I could take that and there would be SOMETHING I could eat up there!

I was in a full on headache when I got home, so I chugged some water and went straight on to bed.

Friday's Journal
Breakfast
english muffin, veggie sausage, lite cheese
snack
Cottage Cheese
Lunch
Black Bean burger, 1/2 a 110 calorie wrap, spinach, onion, pepper and tomato
1/2 serving of whole wheat cheezits
Snack
Carrots and Hummus
Dinner
wilted spinach with sauteed mushrooms and garlic, feta and parm cheeses
1/2 cup Blood Orange Sorbet

all of my water

Saturday
1/2 bag of raisins & nuts
eng. muffin, v. sausage, lite cheese
1/2 serving cottage cheese
dried fruit
green beans and potato
carrots and hummus
beer bread w/ dipping oil/balsamic vinegar
fresh pineapple
veggie/barley soup

I can't even tell you how many bottles of water I drank, but it was a lot.