Drumroll, please!

Weight – 261.2 (264.4)

Waist – 46” (47”)

Chest – 49” (49”)

 

In case you’re wondering, my starting weight was 271.8, so I’m down 10 lbs and 3 inches in my waist & chest since 3/28/13. Overall, I feel good, but I feel it’s important to share a couple of my not-so-good moments over the last couple of weeks.

1.       My bowels are weird. Seriously. One minute I’m constipated, and the next minute I can’t get out of the bathroom. I’ve started a probiotic, which will hopefully help regulate some things, but any natural laxative remedies would be greatly appreciated.

2.       I’ve been waking up with belly / side pain each morning. It’s miserable.  I’m not sure what’s going on, but have upped my water intake to flush out the old kidneys. The pain usually goes away by midday.

3.       I ate a piece of greasy Little Caesar’s pizza the other night. And ½ a Mexican Connexion wet burrito on Saturday. And three dark chocolate Kit Kats last night. I felt TERRIBLE for a minute, then not anymore.

4.       I yelled at my son Jameson for wanting to go to Burger King last night. I feel like he should also eat everything that I do, and not WANT fast food anymore. Then I remembered that HE’S EIGHT. I felt TERRIBLE about that for a minute as well. He doesn't like most of the things I've been cooking, but I still HOPE he's learning by my example. He's eating more fruit and veggies, and making healthier choices. I suppose a little fast food once in a while is OK (for him).

 

So far the transition in my life has been pretty easy, and this week’s menu looks fantastic. We’re having pork loin, black bean soup, and low-calorie chicken enchiladas (with homemade sauce), among other things. One of the changes that I thought I’d never like, and never be able to follow, is the menu planning / cooking on Sunday; however, I love it! I absolutely love going through my recipe books and creating a grocery list, and feel so accomplished when the shopping is done and everything is put away. It’s sweet relief, and a very welcome change in my lifestyle. Have a great week!!

Fat Fridays - A Comparison

I always picked a day that was for eating more of whatever the hell I wanted. Most often that day was a Friday, hence the moniker “Fat Friday”. Let’s be honest – I ate like crap every other day, too – but Fridays were reserved for really tying on the feed bag. Here’s what a typical Friday used to look like for me:

 

Breakfast – McDonalds #2 – Sausage McMuffin w/ Egg, large Coke, and a large Caramel Mocha.

Lunch – KFC Bowl and a large Cherry Pepsi

Dinner – Little Caesar’s Pizza (three slices), usually several breadsticks, large diet Coke.

Dessert – pint of Haagen Daz Vanilla Swiss Almond ice cream.

 

I calculated the totals on myfitnesspal.com, and I’m surprised I’m not dead.

Calories – 4,323

Carbs – 525

Fat – 201

Protein – 127

Sodium – 6,010

Sugar – 271

 

Here’s what I’m eating today, Fat Friday, Healthy Style!

 

Breakfast – Oatmeal w/ cinnamon, brown sugar, dried prunes, and almond milk

Lunch – Slow Cooker Lasagna (Weight Watchers recipe), and one serving of green grapes.

Dinner – Lean Cuisine Deep Dish Three Meat Pizza (I promised Jameson pizza for dinner!)

Dessert – One serving of pineapple.

 

Calories – 1,092

Carbs – 164

Fat – 25

Protein – 57

Sodium – 1,767

Sugar – 48

 

Let’s compare those side-to-side:

Calories – 4,323 / 1,092 (3,231 difference)

Carbs – 525 / 164 (361 difference)

Fat – 201 / 25 (176 difference)

Protein – 127 / 57 (70 difference)

Sodium – 6,010 / 1,767 (WOW. 4,243 difference. That’s HUGE. No wonder I feel lighter!)

Sugar – 271 / 48 (223 difference)

 

You know what’s great about Fat Friday, Healthy Style? I have enough calories left over to have a beer. I think I taste a Bell’s Two Hearted in my future! Or…maybe two.

 

Let's Shop!

I’ve been asked by a friend to post my weekly menu, so that ya’ll can get a better idea of what I’m eating, and perhaps get an idea of what you might want to shop for this week! All recipes are available upon request – just drop me a message and I’ll send them over. (This post would be a mammoth one if I included them all!) The following is what I shopped for on Sunday, and what is planned for the week (until Saturday).

Breakfast:
Oatmeal (Becky Grubius recipe) – Bring one cup of water, some cinnamon, and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries (or any other dried fruit) to a boil. Add ½ cup of oats and bring to a simmer. Cover & let stand until water is absorbed.  

Lunch:

Cambell’s 100% Natural soup – each can is two servings. I split the can into two containers and place in the fridge. Voila – lunch for two days!

Multi-grain tortilla chips & all natural (or homemade) salsa

Salad with cubed ham or chicken and lite Caesar dressing

Shrimp Cocktail – yes! I’m that fancy! Shrimp is low in calories, and is deliciously good for me! I buy a large bag of frozen shrimp and thaw only what I need for my lunch.

Baked potato with butter – I buy the pre-wrapped taters at the store so they are all ready to pop in the micro. However, I hope to grow some of my own this summer!

Dinner:

Ginger & Lime Baked Fish – served with brown rice.

Crispy Chicken with Horseradish (I had this last night – yummy!)

·         One pound chicken breast

·         ¾ cup bread crumbs

·         ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

·         ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

·         2 tablespoons prepared horseradish

·         1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

·         ¼ cup white wine (I used Pino Grigio, and had a glass with dinner).

·         Mix bread crumbs, salt, and pepper on a plate and set aside. In a bowl, combine the horseradish, mustard, and wine. Cut chicken in 4 oz pieces, coat with wet mixture, then cover with bread crumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

·         Serve with vegetable side of choice, or salad.

Italian Pot Roast (slow cooker meal)

Slow Cooker Lasagna (with 100% whole wheat noodles)

Peasant Soup

·         One pound ground lamb (I found this at Family Fare in Hastings)

·         1 medium onion, chopped

·         2 stalks celery, chopped

·         ¾ cup quick cooking barley

·         1 (15 ½ oz) can of diced tomatos

·         5 cups vegetable broth

·         2 garlic cloves , diced

·         1 large or 2 small zucchini, diced

·         10 oz frozen mixed vegetables

·         Bay leaf

·         ¼ teaspoon thyme

·         ¼ teaspoon oregano

·         ¼ cup dried parsley

·         In a large pot cook lamb, onion, and celery until lamb is no longer pink. Drain fat and add tomatoes, garlic, bay leaf, and broth, and bring to a boil. Add barley, zucchini, frozen veggies, and spices.  Reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.

So there you have it! This is the menu for my week, and as I said, additional recipes are available upon request.  I didn’t add snacks, but most often eat red peppers, Skinny Cow ice cream bars, pickles, or cereal. What do you think? Any suggestions on my menu are greatly appreciated!

Weigh-in Day!

Doesn’t everyone dread weigh-in day? NOT ME! Since I’m not dieting, but rather making a lifestyle change, I’m not concerned with what the scale says (even though the scale was very kind to me this week). Here are my new stats – the numbers in parenthesis are from the last measurements, for your comparison.

Weight: 264.4 (271.8)

Waist: 47” (49”)

Chest: 49” (53”)

Seriously!!

I don’t want to toot my own horn either, but I will! This lifestyle change is proving to be easier than I had ever dared to hope. I have weaned myself off of sugar (my niece’s birthday cake was TOO SWEET for me to eat). I easily resisted McDonald’s on Saturday, while my family chowed down (I didn’t even ask for a French fry). I have not had a soda for 10 days, and don’t crave it at all. I did my grocery shopping for the week, and am prepared with lunch, dinner, and breakfast menus until Friday.

 

WOW. I’ve realized that I CAN DO THIS. I have an amazing new cookbook from my dear friend Catie, I’ve the support of my lovely taskmaster Becky, and the love of a great family. I'm not going to say that this journey will continue to be an easy one - but will the wonderful encouragement I've received from all of you, I can hardly fail!

Don't Eat the Fritos

At Kmart last night picking up some odds-n-ends, (including a new Brita water bottle for me), Jameson spied a bag of Fritos, and of course had to have them.  Since Jamo is so very spoiled, I purchased said chips, against my better judgment. Why aren’t there ever HEALTHY snacks in the checkout lane? Anyway, we got into the car, and Jamo opened the Fritos. The sweet smell of corn chips wafted up directly to my quivering nostrils. I heard a voice…

DON’T EAT THE FRITOS

I’ve never been one that listens to my inner voice. I usually think that voice is full of bull, and I completely disregard “her” sane and logical suggestions; however, this time that skinny voice was SCREAMING.

DON’T EAT THE FRITOS.

I listened. I did not eat the Fritos. I told Jameson that next time I think we should try to find a healthier snack, like a piece of fruit, or a 100 calorie pack of his beloved Oreos. I went home and got a premade salad out of the fridge and chowed down.

As I sit here typing this while eating a mid-morning snack of red & green peppers, I marvel at how far I’ve come from just a week ago. I don’t know if the weight is falling off, and at this point I don’t even care, but I do know that I’ve turned a major Frito corner. I might have wanted one or two of those glistening corn chips, but I didn’t NEED them.  And besides, red peppers dipped in a light Caesar dressing are by far more delicious.

Duh.

I should be ashamed of myself.

I’m embarrassed, and I’ll tell you why. I’m 37 years old, and I’ve just figured “it” out. What’s “it”, you might ask? That healthy eating and moderate exercise will actually make you feel good. Whaaa???

Who would ever guess that clearing out the gunk in one’s system could actually IMPROVE the way one feels? Perhaps this is a shocking concept to some of you, but it’s true! I feel great. This will be my 7^th day off of soda and fast food. I've been eating nothing but healthy fruits and veggies and low calorie meals. I've been drinking water like it’s going out of style. I have more NATURAL energy. Seriously – I feel as though I’m a different person already, and am completely floored that this change could happen in such a short amount of time.

What’s even better – I’m not dieting, but changing my lifestyle. I’m not starving myself. This isn't a roller coaster ride of deprivation and reward – it’s a daily, monthly, yearly change to how I eat and how I feel about food.

For your perusal, here is an example of the daily menu that I've adopted:

Breakfast – 1 serving oatmeal w/ raisins, brown sugar, almond milk, and flax seeds.

Snack – 1 apple

Lunch – 1 serving clam chowder (Campbell’s 100% Natural), medium salad w/ lite Caesar dressing, ham, and green peppers.

Snack – 1 Cutie

Dinner – chicken fajitas on whole wheat tortillas, with cheese and lettuce. (After dinner I made a serving of brown rice, put it over the chicken, and saved it for lunch!)

Dessert – 100 calorie Tapioca

I would like to encourage any and all of you reading this blog to message me recipes or tips to share with others. I've got an excellently yummy recipe for low calorie Shepherd's Pie that I made last night, and that I'll post soon. Forward this blog to your friends, or enter your email address above to follow me. We can be so strong together!

Food is Fuel

This weekend was...difficult, but not in the ways you might think! 

First of all, I'm off the product Xyngular. It was a nice thought, but it just will not work for me. I did fine the first couple of days, but was increasing unhappy. Although I spent the money on this product thinking it would be a miracle for me, I began to understand what I was warned about. I was basically starving myself, and I was not learning how to change my life. Good thing there is a 100% money back guarantee. I'll be taking advantage of their return policy.

On Saturday, with the help of my dear friend, I began what is truly a new direction in my weight loss journey, which is learning how to EAT, rather than DIET. 

Shocking, isn't it?

Rather than rely on some sort of miracle, I should be changing the way I think about food, and how I eat it! 

I sit here now, eating an apple, having had an entirely satisfying 170 calorie breakfast of delicious oatmeal... happy. I feel good, and know I can make this change in my life. I am now 5 days soda free, 5 days fast food free, and 5 days closer to my ultimate goal.

If you are keeping track, I am 3 lbs down in 5 days. I'm now at 268.4. I'm kicking ass.