We're back in Charleston after spending the night at my Mama's house. I'm a little swollen from traveling and being a little off the plan. We had lunch today at the Beacon Drive-In. That's not exactly weight loss friendly. I also drank sugary drinks today. I still kept up with all of it and I will still share it with you. Lisa and I are planning to head over to the gym for a walk in a little while and I just finished planning out the menus for the rest of this week. I also decided that once I finish the package of deli chicken in the refrigerator, I won't be buying anymore. I need to replace processed foods with fresher whole foods. That also means the rice cakes are going away, too. I'll replace the deli chicken with baked chicken tenderloins I will make here at home and the rice cakes will be replaced by fruits & more popcorn for now.
Meal #1
whole sliced apple
2 scrambled eggs
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
rice cake
Meal #3
Fried Flounder Sandwich
Sweet Tea
Cabbage Slaw
Meal #4
1 cup grapes
1 wedge laughing cow light swiss
2 1/3 cups kettle corn
Meal #5
2 hard boiled egg whites
2 1/3 cups kettle corn
1 tbsp peanut butter
1.5 oz sliced chicken
1/2 oz mozzarella
Meal #6
Hamburger with Chili & Mayo
Coke
1/2 cup pistachios
I've already consumed about 5 cups of water and am working on another 32 oz bottle. Maybe the outlook will be a bit brighter tomorrow.
30 April 2012
29 April 2012
Sunday splurges
I had an insane food day with my family today. I'm also trying to post via iPhone app. Ugh! Ready to start again tomorrow! 
28 April 2012
Squeezing in a Blog Post
We're about to hit the road and head for my Mama's house, but I couldn't let y'all down and leave out today's menus. I told you I went to Waffle House super late last night, so you'll see that counted as meal #1 for me today. I did that because I tried to make up for it today. I just don't want to leave anything out.
Meal #1
Double Angus Cheeseburger (Waffle House)
Waffle w/ Sugar free syrup
Meal #2
1 scrambled egg
1 cup grapes
Meal #3
caramel corn rice cake
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #4
whole sliced apple
1 oz mozzarella
2 hard boiled eggs
2 oz deli sliced turkey
Meal #5
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 cup grapes
Meal #6
Teriyaki Chicken
2 Vegetable Spring Rolls
(this is coming from my favorite Chinese restaurant)
I compensated for last night's Waffle House binge last night that I had enough calories left at the end of the day to order a smart dish from my favorite Chinese place. I also consumed at least 12 glasses of water today AND saw the scale slip down one more pound.
I feel better than I have in a long time. My pants won't stay up. I had to buy new shoes for work because mine were flopping off my feet! I'm not sure how the posts will work out tomorrow, but at a minimum, I will get you a menu late tomorrow night. Maybe it will be a day for picture posts!
Meal #1
Double Angus Cheeseburger (Waffle House)
Waffle w/ Sugar free syrup
Meal #2
1 scrambled egg
1 cup grapes
Meal #3
caramel corn rice cake
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #4
whole sliced apple
1 oz mozzarella
2 hard boiled eggs
2 oz deli sliced turkey
Meal #5
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 cup grapes
Meal #6
Teriyaki Chicken
2 Vegetable Spring Rolls
(this is coming from my favorite Chinese restaurant)
I compensated for last night's Waffle House binge last night that I had enough calories left at the end of the day to order a smart dish from my favorite Chinese place. I also consumed at least 12 glasses of water today AND saw the scale slip down one more pound.
I feel better than I have in a long time. My pants won't stay up. I had to buy new shoes for work because mine were flopping off my feet! I'm not sure how the posts will work out tomorrow, but at a minimum, I will get you a menu late tomorrow night. Maybe it will be a day for picture posts!
My Love Affair...
with Squash! I love the stuff. Squash soup. Stewed squash. Fried squash. SQUASH CASSEROLE!! Grilled squash. Baked squash. Squash and Zucchini. Sautee'd squash. I love the stuff. I used to check the menu of a local restaurant in my hometown before I would go to make sure that the squash casserole was on the menu. It made the whole trip ten times better. I can't remember a time when I turned the stuff down. It's my favorite vegetable.
Can't you tell? It's on the menu EVERY day it seems. When I was cutting up my two yellow squash earlier I couldn't help but think about the fact that I had looked forward to my squash all day long. I couldn't wait to get home to eat it. Just the thought of it prevented a haphazard swing through a fast food drive-thru on the way home from work. (I'm blaming the Waffle House thing on the Jimmy John's I had earlier in the evening.)
Does anybody have an awesome squash recipe?
I've just been tossing them in a sautee' pan and adding a dash of salt when they're done. It's great like that, but I'd love to shake it up a little bit.
Can't you tell? It's on the menu EVERY day it seems. When I was cutting up my two yellow squash earlier I couldn't help but think about the fact that I had looked forward to my squash all day long. I couldn't wait to get home to eat it. Just the thought of it prevented a haphazard swing through a fast food drive-thru on the way home from work. (I'm blaming the Waffle House thing on the Jimmy John's I had earlier in the evening.)
Does anybody have an awesome squash recipe?
I've just been tossing them in a sautee' pan and adding a dash of salt when they're done. It's great like that, but I'd love to shake it up a little bit.
Day 12
If any of you are following me on My Fitness Pal, you've already seen that I ordered a sub sandwich from Jimmy John's today. Was it worth it? Yes and No. Yes, it was very very very delicious. It tasted so good it made my mouth tingle. No, it wasn't worth the nearly 800 calories I spent on that one meal and no, it wasn't a good idea for my plan in the long run. I was too hungry later. And we ended up at Waffle House. You'll see that on tomorrow's menu because it was after 1:00a.m. and that's where I felt like adding it.
Here's the Friday breakdown:
Meal #1
2 eggs scrambled
1/2 cup grapes
Meal #2
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 oz mozzarella
1 hard boiled egg
Meal #3
Jimmy John's Country Club on French Bread
Meal #4
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 oz mozzarella
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats Classic Kettle Corn
1/2 cup grapes
Meal #5
whole sliced apple
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #6
2 whole yellow squash sautee'd (just cooking spray this time)
In other news, I ordered new running shoes today and the new bathing suit I ordered arrived in the mail today. I'm excited about the new shoes. My sister says they're amazing. They're expensive if nothing else.
Also, we're going to my Mama's house tomorrow night after work and staying til sometime Monday. Sunday is my splurge day, so that shouldn't be much of an issue and Lisa has agreed to pack my cooler for Monday's meals. I suppose my biggest concern is travel tomorrow night. I usually drink soda when I travel. Maybe I'll make a pot of coffee and mix us up some yummy coffee drinks for the road while she's packing our coolers. I'm also a little concerned about next Thursday and Friday. We're going to House of Blues in Myrtle Beach to see a concert and spending the night. I know we'll be fine, it will just require some extra planning on my part.
Here's the Friday breakdown:
Meal #1
2 eggs scrambled
1/2 cup grapes
Meal #2
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 oz mozzarella
1 hard boiled egg
Meal #3
Jimmy John's Country Club on French Bread
Meal #4
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 oz mozzarella
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats Classic Kettle Corn
1/2 cup grapes
Meal #5
whole sliced apple
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #6
2 whole yellow squash sautee'd (just cooking spray this time)
In other news, I ordered new running shoes today and the new bathing suit I ordered arrived in the mail today. I'm excited about the new shoes. My sister says they're amazing. They're expensive if nothing else.
Also, we're going to my Mama's house tomorrow night after work and staying til sometime Monday. Sunday is my splurge day, so that shouldn't be much of an issue and Lisa has agreed to pack my cooler for Monday's meals. I suppose my biggest concern is travel tomorrow night. I usually drink soda when I travel. Maybe I'll make a pot of coffee and mix us up some yummy coffee drinks for the road while she's packing our coolers. I'm also a little concerned about next Thursday and Friday. We're going to House of Blues in Myrtle Beach to see a concert and spending the night. I know we'll be fine, it will just require some extra planning on my part.
27 April 2012
Day 11
It's been one of those days. You know the ones. Everything is fine. Until it's time to go home. It was one of the most uneventful days ever. Everybody was in their place. All operations were running smoothly. No one was complaining about things we couldn't change. Then it all went haywire right at quitting time. The server for the computer system is about to be completely kaput. It's driving us all crazy. But, we're all doing our share of helping it limp along until we can do something about it. Tonight, it decided that it wanted special attention, so I was sitting on the phone with technical support until after midnight. Finally, I was free to go home.
Or so I thought, I got about a minute away from the hotel and got a phone call about a key to a door that until tonight I had been led to believe did not exist! Needless to say, I went back to investigate and after a good 45 minutes of guesswork, was able to finally solve the puzzle...and actually leave to drive home.
Let's get to the good stuff. I know, I know, it's time for the menu. But first, let me tell you how awesome Lisa is.
On nights like this, I want comfort food. I want scrambled eggs & cheese with grits & toast and coca-cola. So I asked Lisa if she wanted to meet me at the Waffle House. She said she wanted to but shouldn't. I said I shouldn't but I wanted to and I was starving. Know what she did?? She volunteered to finish preparing my night time meal at home! She sautee'd my squash for me and put it in the oven to keep it warm. She kept me from doing something I would have immediately regretted. And that was some darn good squash!!
Alright, menu time.
Meal #1
1 cup grapes
2 eggs scrambled
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
caramel corn rice cake
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1/2 sliced apple
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #3
1/2 sliced apple
1 cup grapes
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #4
2 cups mixed greens
1 slice onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz deli sliced turkey
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
Meal #5
1 orange
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats kettle corn
2 hard boiled eggs
Meal #6
4 oz baked chicken tenderloins
2 whole yellow squash sautee'd in
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I managed to consume 12 whole glasses of water today. That is a lot. But, it's a lot closer to what I'm actually suppossed to be consuming that what I've been getting.
I had every intention of heading to the gym after work to start my c25k program. Unfortunately, all of the hoopla at work derailed that plan. I will get there eventually.
Or so I thought, I got about a minute away from the hotel and got a phone call about a key to a door that until tonight I had been led to believe did not exist! Needless to say, I went back to investigate and after a good 45 minutes of guesswork, was able to finally solve the puzzle...and actually leave to drive home.
Let's get to the good stuff. I know, I know, it's time for the menu. But first, let me tell you how awesome Lisa is.
On nights like this, I want comfort food. I want scrambled eggs & cheese with grits & toast and coca-cola. So I asked Lisa if she wanted to meet me at the Waffle House. She said she wanted to but shouldn't. I said I shouldn't but I wanted to and I was starving. Know what she did?? She volunteered to finish preparing my night time meal at home! She sautee'd my squash for me and put it in the oven to keep it warm. She kept me from doing something I would have immediately regretted. And that was some darn good squash!!
Alright, menu time.
Meal #1
1 cup grapes
2 eggs scrambled
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
caramel corn rice cake
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1/2 sliced apple
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #3
1/2 sliced apple
1 cup grapes
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #4
2 cups mixed greens
1 slice onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 oz deli sliced turkey
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
Meal #5
1 orange
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats kettle corn
2 hard boiled eggs
Meal #6
4 oz baked chicken tenderloins
2 whole yellow squash sautee'd in
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
I managed to consume 12 whole glasses of water today. That is a lot. But, it's a lot closer to what I'm actually suppossed to be consuming that what I've been getting.
I had every intention of heading to the gym after work to start my c25k program. Unfortunately, all of the hoopla at work derailed that plan. I will get there eventually.
26 April 2012
25 April 2012
Day 10
We made a big dinner at home tonight, but all that sautee'ing & such caused the house to get hazy, so we opened the back door. Charlie slipped past us and we had to go retrieve him. He is incredibly curious about what might be outside, but since he's never been an outside cat, he freaks out once he gets out there. I've got the scratch marks on my arm today to prove it. Otherwise, I thoroughly enjoyed preparing and sharing that meal. My cooler looked pretty much like it always does, except that Lisa and I both took an unplanned day off work to handle a few things and we packed our salads rather than using what's usually available at work.
Meal #1
1/2 Green Smoothie
hard boiled egg
Meal #2
1/2 green smoothie
Meal #3
caramel corn rice cake
whole sliced apple
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #4
1 oz mozzarella
2 oz deli sliced chicken
2 1/3 cups kettle corn
1 cup grapes
Meal #5
2 cups mixed greens
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1/4 cup cherry tomatos
1 oz cheddar
1 stalk celery chopped
1/8 cup sliced mushrooms
1 slice onion
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
Meal #6
8 Large boiled shrimp
2 whole sautee'd squash
1/2 cup roasted brussels sprouts
1/4 cup sautee'd mushrooms
2 cornbread muffins
I'm going to probably eat a No Sugar Added Fudgesicle before I call it a night.
How are y'all doing? Is anyone else on the plan?
Meal #1
1/2 Green Smoothie
hard boiled egg
Meal #2
1/2 green smoothie
Meal #3
caramel corn rice cake
whole sliced apple
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #4
1 oz mozzarella
2 oz deli sliced chicken
2 1/3 cups kettle corn
1 cup grapes
Meal #5
2 cups mixed greens
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1/4 cup cherry tomatos
1 oz cheddar
1 stalk celery chopped
1/8 cup sliced mushrooms
1 slice onion
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
Meal #6
8 Large boiled shrimp
2 whole sautee'd squash
1/2 cup roasted brussels sprouts
1/4 cup sautee'd mushrooms
2 cornbread muffins
I'm going to probably eat a No Sugar Added Fudgesicle before I call it a night.
How are y'all doing? Is anyone else on the plan?
Maintaining Motivation
I know that the health I need is within my grasp. I know that I am the only one who can go after it. I can't send someone on an errand to bring back my health. I enjoy the food I'm eating every day and I'm not really craving anything else. I'm just a little ...depressed? I wish I had done this years ago. I'm having some trouble staying focused on the fact that I can't change the past, I can only prepare for the future and live in the present.
It helps that I'm tweaking the menu almost every day, but giving it a good clean up at the end of each week. I'm also ready to add some exercise to my daily routine.
The secret to making the smoothies go down fast & easy? CILANTRO and plenty of blend time. Any questions?
It helps that I'm tweaking the menu almost every day, but giving it a good clean up at the end of each week. I'm also ready to add some exercise to my daily routine.
The secret to making the smoothies go down fast & easy? CILANTRO and plenty of blend time. Any questions?
24 April 2012
Day 9
I can't believe how fast time is flying by. I'm so grateful for Lisa and all the help she is to me on this journey.
We did NOT do our first day run this morning because I woke up feeling disgusting. This is probably my body screaming at me for eating pork fat at supper last night. No worries, though, I'm right back on track today.
Happy Eating Friends!
Meal #1
2 eggs scrambled
1/2 oz cheddar
1/2 cup grapes
Meal #2
whole sliced apple
laughing cow light garlic & herb
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
rice cake
salad at work including:
mixed greens
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
slice red onion
4 oz deli sliced turkey
2 tbsp Kraft Free French
Meal #4
orange
2 1/3 cups Angie's kettle corn
laughing cow light swiss
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #5
1/2 cup california pistachios
Meal #6
4 oz baked chicken tenderloins
2 whole squash sautee'd
1/2 cup orange sherbert
It's been a delicious day!
We did NOT do our first day run this morning because I woke up feeling disgusting. This is probably my body screaming at me for eating pork fat at supper last night. No worries, though, I'm right back on track today.
Happy Eating Friends!
Meal #1
2 eggs scrambled
1/2 oz cheddar
1/2 cup grapes
Meal #2
whole sliced apple
laughing cow light garlic & herb
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
rice cake
salad at work including:
mixed greens
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
slice red onion
4 oz deli sliced turkey
2 tbsp Kraft Free French
Meal #4
orange
2 1/3 cups Angie's kettle corn
laughing cow light swiss
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #5
1/2 cup california pistachios
Meal #6
4 oz baked chicken tenderloins
2 whole squash sautee'd
1/2 cup orange sherbert
It's been a delicious day!
23 April 2012
Day 8 (Did I miss Day 7?)
It's Monday. I'm off work on Mondays. Lisa's friends Phyllis & Justin & their little girl Lilliana were here to visit with us today and we spent the entire day "playing" in Charleston. Lisa DID pack my lunch bag for me and thankfully, I took it along for the day, but I had a HUGE supper. Things should be back to normal tomorrow with the work week starting up again. I am absolutely EXHAUSTED! We're also suppossed to start the c25k training in the morning. It's gonna be interesting to see how that works out. I'll update you all tomorrow.
OH! And, since I officially weigh in on Mondays...I'm at 274...6lbs down from last Monday!
OH! And, since I officially weigh in on Mondays...I'm at 274...6lbs down from last Monday!
22 April 2012
Sunday Funday
What a great day it's been! Lisa, Susan, and I went to High Cotton for brunch! SO YUMMY! As always! Sunday is my splurge day and splurge I did. I had no idea how to "count" what I ate, but I did at least attempt to log it all in.
I'm suppossed to start training for the 5k tomorrow. I'm super excited about that, too, the more I think about it. I've also made myself a list of prizes to give myself as I accomplish little and BIG goals. The first one comes at 10lbs. I get new running shorts! I'll give a full report of where I stand aiming toward that goal tomorrow. I'll reveal the rewards a little later.
We also did our beginning of the week shopping today to pick up fresh fruits & veggies & more deli chicken & mozzarella. I've got some prep work to do for dinners in a little while and I've got laundry going now.
Those of you who have voiced your support this week, I thank you. I need a cheering squad and you guys are awesome!
I'm suppossed to start training for the 5k tomorrow. I'm super excited about that, too, the more I think about it. I've also made myself a list of prizes to give myself as I accomplish little and BIG goals. The first one comes at 10lbs. I get new running shorts! I'll give a full report of where I stand aiming toward that goal tomorrow. I'll reveal the rewards a little later.
We also did our beginning of the week shopping today to pick up fresh fruits & veggies & more deli chicken & mozzarella. I've got some prep work to do for dinners in a little while and I've got laundry going now.
Those of you who have voiced your support this week, I thank you. I need a cheering squad and you guys are awesome!
Day 6
Well, today was the end of my first working week on the plan. It was also the second full day with no carbonated beverages. I'm not off caffeine, but definitely, no more soda. Next week, along with starting my walking challenge, I'm gonna start training for an easy 5k. It's meant for fun, not speed, but I want to be in good shape to do it. It's planned for the fall and I'm excited about it. I'll share details later. Check out http://www.c25k.com/ if you hate exercise as much as I do. Looks like a good program for beginners.
I know, I know. It's time for today's menu.
Meal #1
1/4 sliced peaches (NO SUGAR ADDED)
2 eggs scrambled
1/2 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
Fudgesicle-No Sugar Added
Rice Cake
orange
1/2 oz cheddar
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
"chef" salad (from employee cafeteria)
3 cups mixed greens
1 slice onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
4 oz deli sliced turkey breast
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
Meal #4
1/2 cup sliced pears (NO SUGAR ADDED)
apple
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 cup Angie's Kettle Corn
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #5
1 oz cheddar
3 oz baby carrots
Meal #6
2 grilled pork chops
2 scrambled eggs
coffee w/ 1 creamer & splenda
Tonight, I'm working on next week's meal plan to reduce the sugar a little bit. I'm also developing some rewards for myself for some specific milestones. I'll share all that once I've gotten it all worked out. I loved being able to log onto My Fitness Pal today and see that I'd come through an entire week with disciplined habits. I'm looking forward to adding some exercise next week.
Tomorrow is Sunday. That's splurge day. We have reservations at High Cotton for brunch. I can't wait. It's gonna be amazing.
I know, I know. It's time for today's menu.
Meal #1
1/4 sliced peaches (NO SUGAR ADDED)
2 eggs scrambled
1/2 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
Fudgesicle-No Sugar Added
Rice Cake
orange
1/2 oz cheddar
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
"chef" salad (from employee cafeteria)
3 cups mixed greens
1 slice onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
4 oz deli sliced turkey breast
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
Meal #4
1/2 cup sliced pears (NO SUGAR ADDED)
apple
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1 cup Angie's Kettle Corn
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #5
1 oz cheddar
3 oz baby carrots
Meal #6
2 grilled pork chops
2 scrambled eggs
coffee w/ 1 creamer & splenda
Tonight, I'm working on next week's meal plan to reduce the sugar a little bit. I'm also developing some rewards for myself for some specific milestones. I'll share all that once I've gotten it all worked out. I loved being able to log onto My Fitness Pal today and see that I'd come through an entire week with disciplined habits. I'm looking forward to adding some exercise next week.
Tomorrow is Sunday. That's splurge day. We have reservations at High Cotton for brunch. I can't wait. It's gonna be amazing.
21 April 2012
Facing the Truth
The truth is, I'm too big. The truth is, I don't like to look at ALL the numbers. The truth is, I'm lazy. The truth is, I had to say NO to going out for food & drinks this week and I didn't like it. Monday is coming fast and I'm not in the habit of taking these daily walks. I'll start logging my steps, too.
I finally went and posted all of Monday's measurements on MyFitnessPal. I will keep up with this better. I also loaded my pictures onto my hard drive so that I can share them with you eventually. I plan to take them every Monday with all the measurements.
I added some new friends on MyFitnessPal. My sister included. That was encouraging.
I'm going to my Mama's next weekend. I need to call her and make sure that she understands that I can't be off the plan for more than one meal. I know she'll be supportive, I just don't want to be a pain.
I'm nervous about tomorrow being unstructured. It's my "free" day, but I'm planning to keep the freedom to a single meal splurge. I will probably compensate for it throughout the day. We have reservations for brunch at High Cotton. If I'm only gonna eat in a restaurant once a week, that's the place I want to be!
Alright y'all! Here we go with the last day of the first fully structured week. I'll check in with a menu here tonight.
I finally went and posted all of Monday's measurements on MyFitnessPal. I will keep up with this better. I also loaded my pictures onto my hard drive so that I can share them with you eventually. I plan to take them every Monday with all the measurements.
I added some new friends on MyFitnessPal. My sister included. That was encouraging.
I'm going to my Mama's next weekend. I need to call her and make sure that she understands that I can't be off the plan for more than one meal. I know she'll be supportive, I just don't want to be a pain.
I'm nervous about tomorrow being unstructured. It's my "free" day, but I'm planning to keep the freedom to a single meal splurge. I will probably compensate for it throughout the day. We have reservations for brunch at High Cotton. If I'm only gonna eat in a restaurant once a week, that's the place I want to be!
Alright y'all! Here we go with the last day of the first fully structured week. I'll check in with a menu here tonight.
Day 5
The mysterious lunchbox..Haha! It's like people have never seen anyone bring their own food to work. Oh well! Mine was stuffed with all kinds of yummy goodness today!
Meal #1
New green smoothie (info is in previous post)
hard boiled egg
Meal #2
1oz pretzels
1 cup canteloupe
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
"chef" salad (from employee cafeteria)
3 cups mixed greens
slice of red onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
4 oz deli turkey
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing (I finally got smart & took my own bottle of dressing for my at work salad.)
Meal #4
1 cup angie's artisan treats classic kettle corn
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup diced pineapple
1 fried chicken tender (these were in the cafeteria and just smelled so good i couldn't resist just a bite)
Meal #5
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1/2 oz cheddar
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #6
4 oz baked chicken tenders
2 whole yellow squash sautee'd in
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sliced peaches (NO SUGAR ADDED)
I've also had lots and lots of water today and NO SODA!!! I had a vague headache around 5pm, but it quickly passed without medication OR soda. I was pretty proud of myself about that.
The walking challenge starts Monday. I'm pretty excited about that. Susan brought me a pedometer today. I just have to figure out how to set it so that it measures properly. My friends are the greatest cheering squad a girl could ask for.
I'm going to bed early, y'all! Sweet dreams!
Meal #1
New green smoothie (info is in previous post)
hard boiled egg
Meal #2
1oz pretzels
1 cup canteloupe
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
"chef" salad (from employee cafeteria)
3 cups mixed greens
slice of red onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
4 oz deli turkey
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing (I finally got smart & took my own bottle of dressing for my at work salad.)
Meal #4
1 cup angie's artisan treats classic kettle corn
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup diced pineapple
1 fried chicken tender (these were in the cafeteria and just smelled so good i couldn't resist just a bite)
Meal #5
2 oz deli sliced chicken
1/2 oz cheddar
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #6
4 oz baked chicken tenders
2 whole yellow squash sautee'd in
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sliced peaches (NO SUGAR ADDED)
I've also had lots and lots of water today and NO SODA!!! I had a vague headache around 5pm, but it quickly passed without medication OR soda. I was pretty proud of myself about that.
The walking challenge starts Monday. I'm pretty excited about that. Susan brought me a pedometer today. I just have to figure out how to set it so that it measures properly. My friends are the greatest cheering squad a girl could ask for.
I'm going to bed early, y'all! Sweet dreams!
20 April 2012
Posting Twice a Day?
Well, that seems to be the pattern. No guarantee that I'll keep it up, but for now, I wake up with fresh thoughts and when I come back at night, it's more about all the yummy food I've been munching on all day long.
I'm joining a walking challenge April 23-June 4 to see how many miles I can log in that amount of time. No other pressure, just sheer distance. This should be fun. It will also, hopefully, kickstart some exercise for me. I hate exercise. I need to get up and go to water fitness, too. For now, I'll focus on one thing at a time.
I just finished making my breakfast. If you're keeping up, you might notice a pattern of a green smoothie every other morning. Today's is different though. And DELICIOUS I might add. It's got 2 packed cups of fresh spinach, about 20 sprigs of fresh cilantro, a cup of canteloupe, 1/2 cup pineapple, a banana, 6 oz dannon light & fit peach yogurt, 6 oz silk unsweetened original almond milk, and about 15 ice cubes (ice maker size). I thought my original was good, this is awesome.
I'm a firm believer that food is medicine. We have to put good medicine in for good results (fat loss, steady blood sugar levels, lowered cholesterol levels, diabetes prevention, etc). For the first time in my life, I'm trying to be healthy for me and my future. It's not about what anyone is expecting of me or for some kind of reward. It might take a long time, but it's nothing compared to the quality of life that will come from the hard work.
Y'all have a good day! Let me hear your story. Why are you working so hard?
I'm joining a walking challenge April 23-June 4 to see how many miles I can log in that amount of time. No other pressure, just sheer distance. This should be fun. It will also, hopefully, kickstart some exercise for me. I hate exercise. I need to get up and go to water fitness, too. For now, I'll focus on one thing at a time.
I just finished making my breakfast. If you're keeping up, you might notice a pattern of a green smoothie every other morning. Today's is different though. And DELICIOUS I might add. It's got 2 packed cups of fresh spinach, about 20 sprigs of fresh cilantro, a cup of canteloupe, 1/2 cup pineapple, a banana, 6 oz dannon light & fit peach yogurt, 6 oz silk unsweetened original almond milk, and about 15 ice cubes (ice maker size). I thought my original was good, this is awesome.
I'm a firm believer that food is medicine. We have to put good medicine in for good results (fat loss, steady blood sugar levels, lowered cholesterol levels, diabetes prevention, etc). For the first time in my life, I'm trying to be healthy for me and my future. It's not about what anyone is expecting of me or for some kind of reward. It might take a long time, but it's nothing compared to the quality of life that will come from the hard work.
Y'all have a good day! Let me hear your story. Why are you working so hard?
Day 4
I know I posted an update this morning, but I've made a promise to keep my menus posted here and I intend to do just that. Plus, I've got a few things to say anyway.
Lisa cut up a fresh pineapple tonight and I'm excited about having some tomorrow in my pack. I'm also interested to see how my smoothie is going to turn out since I intend to use canteloupe in place of the strawberries I normally use. The ones I bought on Sunday had to be thrown out on Tuesday because they were already molded! How annoying!!
I love it when I walk into work with my big ol' lunch bag and everybody wants to know what's in it and when they see it, they want to share it!! Here we go with what was in there today!!
Meal #1
2 scrambled eggs (just some cooking spray in the pan)
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
1oz pretzels
1/2 oz cheddar cheese
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
whole sliced apple
1tbsp peanut butter
"chef" salad (from the employee cafeteria)
3 cups mixed greens
slice red onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
2 oz deli turkey breast
2 tbsp ranch dressing
I also had a slice of quiche in the cafeteria...yummy, but not on the plan.
Meal #4
1 &1/2 cups canteloupe
1/2 cup sliced pears (NO SUGAR ADDED)
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats classic kettle corn
Meal #5
1oz cheddar cheese
2oz deli sliced chicken
whole orange
caramel corn rice cake
Meal #6
There isn't one today. I didn't feel like I could eat another bite so I didn't. I am at least finishing up my 8th or 10th cup of water. I did have just one fountain diet coke this afternoon. I will break this soda habit. I promise.
LISA IS AWESOME. LISA IS AWESOME. LISA IS AWESOME. I just can't say it loud enough or enough times to get this point across. She's in the kitchen right now packing our lunches for tomorrow. She will be the reason I succeed on this journey. Did I mention that Lisa is awesome?
Lisa cut up a fresh pineapple tonight and I'm excited about having some tomorrow in my pack. I'm also interested to see how my smoothie is going to turn out since I intend to use canteloupe in place of the strawberries I normally use. The ones I bought on Sunday had to be thrown out on Tuesday because they were already molded! How annoying!!
I love it when I walk into work with my big ol' lunch bag and everybody wants to know what's in it and when they see it, they want to share it!! Here we go with what was in there today!!
Meal #1
2 scrambled eggs (just some cooking spray in the pan)
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #2
1oz pretzels
1/2 oz cheddar cheese
2 oz deli sliced chicken
Meal #3
whole sliced apple
1tbsp peanut butter
"chef" salad (from the employee cafeteria)
3 cups mixed greens
slice red onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar
2 oz deli turkey breast
2 tbsp ranch dressing
I also had a slice of quiche in the cafeteria...yummy, but not on the plan.
Meal #4
1 &1/2 cups canteloupe
1/2 cup sliced pears (NO SUGAR ADDED)
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats classic kettle corn
Meal #5
1oz cheddar cheese
2oz deli sliced chicken
whole orange
caramel corn rice cake
Meal #6
There isn't one today. I didn't feel like I could eat another bite so I didn't. I am at least finishing up my 8th or 10th cup of water. I did have just one fountain diet coke this afternoon. I will break this soda habit. I promise.
LISA IS AWESOME. LISA IS AWESOME. LISA IS AWESOME. I just can't say it loud enough or enough times to get this point across. She's in the kitchen right now packing our lunches for tomorrow. She will be the reason I succeed on this journey. Did I mention that Lisa is awesome?
19 April 2012
Mid Week Replenishment
So, we're going through groceries much faster than I ever expected, so a round of shops was in order. I got up early (if you can call 8:30 early) and Lisa and I headed out with our lists in hand. Of course when we pulled into the Publix parking lot it started to pour buckets of cold water from the sky so we shopped cold and wet!
10 lbs of chicken tenderloins, more apples, grapes, quinoa, brown rice, lots more squash, more spinach....the list goes on. I couldn't believe how much food we actually need when we're eating at home.
We have a plan to inventory the cabinets, freezer, and refrigerator over the weekend and make a master grocery list so that we know what we have plenty of and what we're going to want to replenish quickly. All this because as soon as we returned from THREE shops, there were already items for a new list.
WE GOT NEW KNIVES!! Our knives were awful. They wouldn't cut hot butter. So we invested in several..including one of those fancy ceramic ones and new cutting boards, too, so that we can do meat and produce on seperate boards.
I also replaced my cold travel cup at a price I do not wish to remember and got a new lunch bag...a larger one so that I don't have to cram my food into the tiny 6 pack cooler I used the first few days this week.
I gotta go to work soon, so I'll be checking back in with y'all later tonight to share the menu and any other thoughts I come up with. OH, and welcome to any of you who've come here from my community over at MyFitnessPal!
10 lbs of chicken tenderloins, more apples, grapes, quinoa, brown rice, lots more squash, more spinach....the list goes on. I couldn't believe how much food we actually need when we're eating at home.
We have a plan to inventory the cabinets, freezer, and refrigerator over the weekend and make a master grocery list so that we know what we have plenty of and what we're going to want to replenish quickly. All this because as soon as we returned from THREE shops, there were already items for a new list.
WE GOT NEW KNIVES!! Our knives were awful. They wouldn't cut hot butter. So we invested in several..including one of those fancy ceramic ones and new cutting boards, too, so that we can do meat and produce on seperate boards.
I also replaced my cold travel cup at a price I do not wish to remember and got a new lunch bag...a larger one so that I don't have to cram my food into the tiny 6 pack cooler I used the first few days this week.
I gotta go to work soon, so I'll be checking back in with y'all later tonight to share the menu and any other thoughts I come up with. OH, and welcome to any of you who've come here from my community over at MyFitnessPal!
Day 3
I'm tired and ready for bed. But, part of this plan, is to make sure I've opened every opportunity to be successful and, for me, that means, keeping this blog up to date on a daily basis so that I have to be honest about what's really happenning every day. So, here I am again.
If I haven't said it 14 times already. Lisa is AMAZING. Her willingness to love me by taking on the task of preparing my food every day is above and beyond anything I could expect from a friend. I am preparing most of my food for Meal #1 and Meal #6, but anything that has to be portioned from a larger stash, she's doing it for me. She's cooking chicken tenderloins so that they're available to be quickly reheated and there's brown rice in the refrigerator that she's already prepared so that a few minutes with the skillet is all I need to get my last meal prepared. I need an amazing way to repay her for being so awesome.
Are y'all ready for day 3's menu? Here we go again!
Meal #1
hard boiled egg
green smoothie (the recipe for this is in day 1's post)
Meal #2
NO SUGAR ADDED Fudgesicle
green smoothie
Meal #3
"serving" of salted pretzels (i think it's 1 oz, Lisa does all the portioning for me)
1/2 green apple
1 tbsp peanut butter
Meal #4
"chef" salad I made in the cafeteria at work that included:
3 cups mixed greens
3 oz deli sliced turkey
hard boiled egg
1 slice red onion
1/8 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tbsp honey mustard
2tbsp ranch dressing
Meal #5
1/2 cup sliced peaches
1 orange
1 wedge laughing cow light garlic & herb
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats classic kettle corn
Meal #6
1 cup brown rice
3/4 cup sliced carrots
1 whole sautee'd yellow squash
3 oz grilled chicken tenderloins
2 cups strawberries
1 cup Angie's Artisan Treats classic kettle corn
I feel like I ate like a little piggy today. I also consumed a very large amount of water and only about 1/2 the amount of diet coke that I had yesterday. I need to come off of that stuff completely.
I'm gonna try to start taking some pictures of the products I'm using and especially of these gorgeous nighttime meals! We'll start with tonight's dinner! (Um, ok, so, this photo is actually at the top of this post. I'm not extremely expert on "blogger", so, that's where it's staying for now. Also, adding the photo REALLY screwed up the formatting in this post and I had to go back and "repair" it. Any ideas about that?)
We're getting up earlier than usual tomorrow to run a few errands. We're in dire need of a new cutting board (Lisa dropped ours behind the stove...we aren't sure how to retrieve it.) We also need sharp knives and to replenish some of the items we're going through quickly.
Oh, and my traveling cup got broken today (I need this for that second smoothie!) and my lunch bag is a little on the small side, so maybe I'll replace those, too.
Ok, it's time for bed. See y'all here tomorrow night!
18 April 2012
Not Carved in Stone
I have no idea how well this will work. It looks nutritious on paper. It seems to be enough food to get me through the day. I'm starting this journey at 280 lbs. I've been heavier...by about 10 lbs...several years ago. I'm thankful I never passed that 300 mark, but I'm terrified that I will spend a lifetime battling health problems related to my weight if I don't get it under control right now. I'm just a normal, busy, single adult. I don't like to exercise, even though I know I should do it. I have a gym membership, but I rarely use it. I need encouragement to exercise even a little bit.
I just wanted to be clear that is not an exact science. I am hoping it will work. Based on all of my reading and research, it should work. I may be constantly adjusting it. That's one reason why I haven't posted a weeks worth of menus. I'm wide open for comments and suggestions. Please, just don't be mean. If you can't say something positive, I'd rather you save your rant for somewhere else. I need encouragement, not criticism.
The journey has just begun. Let's keep moving. Who knows what tomorrow may hold?
I just wanted to be clear that is not an exact science. I am hoping it will work. Based on all of my reading and research, it should work. I may be constantly adjusting it. That's one reason why I haven't posted a weeks worth of menus. I'm wide open for comments and suggestions. Please, just don't be mean. If you can't say something positive, I'd rather you save your rant for somewhere else. I need encouragement, not criticism.
The journey has just begun. Let's keep moving. Who knows what tomorrow may hold?
Day 2
Today was my first day at work with my new plan. It seemed to work out just fine. Here's the menu.
Meal #1
scrambled egg
1 slice honey wheat toast
1 wedge laughing cow lite creamy swiss
1/2 cup sliced pears (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
Meal #2
whole orange
rice cake
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #3
whole sliced apple
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup sliced peaches
Meal #4
2 oz sliced deli chicken
1 oz cheddar cheese
1 cup Angie's Kettle Corn
Meal #5
3 cups mixed greens
5 grilled large shrimp
1/2 tsp champagne vinaigrette salad dressing (I'm not even sure it was that much...just dipped the fork about every 3d bite.)
Meal #6
1 block chicken flavored ramen
3 oz grilled chicken
1 cup sliced carrots
I got a little hungry between meals 5 & 6, but it wasn't terrible. That was also the longest stretch between meals and it was almost 3 1/2 hours. I also consumed a LOT of water today. Something like 70 oz, then I had a 16oz diet coke. This is a lot more liquid than I am used to consuming.
In case I didn't mention it. Lisa is awesome. She packs all of this up for me in the morning and makes it EASY for me to pass up any other ideas about a meal. It's a plethora of snacks right at my fingertips!
Meal #1
scrambled egg
1 slice honey wheat toast
1 wedge laughing cow lite creamy swiss
1/2 cup sliced pears (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
Meal #2
whole orange
rice cake
1 oz mozzarella
Meal #3
whole sliced apple
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 cup sliced peaches
Meal #4
2 oz sliced deli chicken
1 oz cheddar cheese
1 cup Angie's Kettle Corn
Meal #5
3 cups mixed greens
5 grilled large shrimp
1/2 tsp champagne vinaigrette salad dressing (I'm not even sure it was that much...just dipped the fork about every 3d bite.)
Meal #6
1 block chicken flavored ramen
3 oz grilled chicken
1 cup sliced carrots
I got a little hungry between meals 5 & 6, but it wasn't terrible. That was also the longest stretch between meals and it was almost 3 1/2 hours. I also consumed a LOT of water today. Something like 70 oz, then I had a 16oz diet coke. This is a lot more liquid than I am used to consuming.
In case I didn't mention it. Lisa is awesome. She packs all of this up for me in the morning and makes it EASY for me to pass up any other ideas about a meal. It's a plethora of snacks right at my fingertips!
17 April 2012
The Grocery Shopping
I said I'd mention the FOUR grocery stores later. Well, here's your later. I had a list...and a willingness to spend a frugal amount of cash on groceries. So, we ended up at FOUR seperate establishments to purchase groceries for the week. Publix was the big stop, because believe it or not, they had the best sale prices for fresh food! Then a quick stop into Food Lion (which we could have skipped, but the canned veggies WERE cheaper here). Another quick stop in at Bi-Lo, they were cheapest for canned fruit. And a stop at Costco for Popcorn. I know...seems excessive, but this stuff really is amazing. Want to see my grocery list? I'll share it.
Groceries
Almond Milk (Unsweetened)
Mozzarella cheese (look for the stuff that's around 70 calories per oz)
Light Yogurt (Dannon Light& Fit in the 4 packs seems to be the most economical)
fresh strawberries
mixed greens
fresh spinach
canned peaches (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
canned pears (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
apples
peanut butter
cheddar cheese
orange sherbert
baby carrots
Fudgesicles (NO SUGAR ADDED)
Deli sliced Turkey or Chicken
Frozen chicken tenders
cilantro (to add to the mixed greens if you like it)
canned sliced carrots
canned french style green beans
Angie's Kettle Corn
pretzels
rice cakes
grapes
bananas
eggs
Nature's Own Honey Wheat 40 calorie bread ( I didn't like the 9-grain as much.)
brown rice
Kraft Free French dressing
Kraft Free Catalina dressing
I also take a multivitamin (VitaFustion MultiVites Gummies) and a B12 supplement just for good measure.
I'm suppossed to be drinking 96 oz of water a day. I'm used to drinking a lot of diet coke. I recommend the crystal light flavor packets if you're not a huge water fan.
Groceries
Almond Milk (Unsweetened)
Mozzarella cheese (look for the stuff that's around 70 calories per oz)
Light Yogurt (Dannon Light& Fit in the 4 packs seems to be the most economical)
fresh strawberries
mixed greens
fresh spinach
canned peaches (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
canned pears (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
apples
peanut butter
cheddar cheese
orange sherbert
baby carrots
Fudgesicles (NO SUGAR ADDED)
Deli sliced Turkey or Chicken
Frozen chicken tenders
cilantro (to add to the mixed greens if you like it)
canned sliced carrots
canned french style green beans
Angie's Kettle Corn
pretzels
rice cakes
grapes
bananas
eggs
Nature's Own Honey Wheat 40 calorie bread ( I didn't like the 9-grain as much.)
brown rice
Kraft Free French dressing
Kraft Free Catalina dressing
I also take a multivitamin (VitaFustion MultiVites Gummies) and a B12 supplement just for good measure.
I'm suppossed to be drinking 96 oz of water a day. I'm used to drinking a lot of diet coke. I recommend the crystal light flavor packets if you're not a huge water fan.
Day 1 (Yesterday)
I spent the day playing taxi driver for a friend. It was a good way to start the program since I was away from home all day. Lisa packed my little cooler and I was on my way.
Meal #1
hard boiled egg
1/2 of my green smoothie* (I'll add this recipe at the end. It's delicious.)
Meal #2
2 oz sliced deli chicken (I got the Publix brand rotiserrie style.)
1/2 oz sliced cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced pears (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
Meal #3
whole sliced apple
1 tbsp Peter Pan Peanut Butter
Meal #4
1/2 of my green smoothie
1 cup Angie's Kettle Corn (they sell this stuff at Costco, check their website for other retailers)
Meal #5
whole orange
1 oz cheddar cheese
Meal #6
uh...I had a bojangles cajun filet biscuit...but...that was NOT on the plan
I was SUPPOSSED to have:
3oz grilled chicken tenders
1/2 cup cooked carrots
1/2 cup green beans
1 cup brown rice
2 cups of mixed greens
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
I will try to do better today. There was no excuse for my grabbing a biscuit instead of drinking some more water and waiting til I got home for my dinner. I would have had more food and less guilt.
MY GREEN SMOOTHIE
2 cups fresh spinach
1 medium banana, sliced
4 large or 6 medium or 8 small strawberries, sliced
1 6 oz container light yogurt (I used peach, it's also good with strawberry banana, coconut, cherry...pick your favorite, just make sure it's light.)
6 oz ( I just fill the empty yogurt container) Silk Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
Blend this until smooth, then add about 8 or 10 ice cubes and blend again. YUMMY!!
Meal #1
hard boiled egg
1/2 of my green smoothie* (I'll add this recipe at the end. It's delicious.)
Meal #2
2 oz sliced deli chicken (I got the Publix brand rotiserrie style.)
1/2 oz sliced cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced pears (Del Monte NO SUGAR ADDED)
Meal #3
whole sliced apple
1 tbsp Peter Pan Peanut Butter
Meal #4
1/2 of my green smoothie
1 cup Angie's Kettle Corn (they sell this stuff at Costco, check their website for other retailers)
Meal #5
whole orange
1 oz cheddar cheese
Meal #6
uh...I had a bojangles cajun filet biscuit...but...that was NOT on the plan
I was SUPPOSSED to have:
3oz grilled chicken tenders
1/2 cup cooked carrots
1/2 cup green beans
1 cup brown rice
2 cups of mixed greens
2 tbsp Kraft Free French dressing
I will try to do better today. There was no excuse for my grabbing a biscuit instead of drinking some more water and waiting til I got home for my dinner. I would have had more food and less guilt.
MY GREEN SMOOTHIE
2 cups fresh spinach
1 medium banana, sliced
4 large or 6 medium or 8 small strawberries, sliced
1 6 oz container light yogurt (I used peach, it's also good with strawberry banana, coconut, cherry...pick your favorite, just make sure it's light.)
6 oz ( I just fill the empty yogurt container) Silk Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
Blend this until smooth, then add about 8 or 10 ice cubes and blend again. YUMMY!!
Prep Work
I can do this. Now what?
I wrote menus. I'm suppossed to eat something every 2-3 hours (this amounts to 5 small meals in a day) and then eat a larger meal at some point, too. I'm trying to keep the smaller meals to around 200 calories (maybe a little less) and the larger meal around 500. This puts me somewhere between 1200 and 1500 calories every day. Don't worry, I won't starve. There's a lot of food in that bag every morning.
Speaking of that bag, I have the most amazing roommate and old friend in the history of such folks. She asked if she could do anything to help. Could she help? How was anything she did going to make this any easier for me? Indeed, she could. First, she did all the measurements for me that I wanted to keep track of. (I'll share those some other time.) Then, she took pictures. Yes, there are now photos of me in just shorts and a bra. I'm fat. They're scary. I'll share those later, too, maybe after there's noticable difference and I can post more than one set. Even more than that, though, she agreed to pack my food for the day. Every day. The measuring, the slicing and dicing, the packing. The hard part. The part where I could cheat myself or nibble while I was working at it. She does it for me. There is no temptation for me to add an extra ounce or an extra teaspoon. This woman deserves a medal for her awesomeness.
Let me guess? Now, you're wanting to know what's on those menus? That's coming up next.
I wrote menus. I'm suppossed to eat something every 2-3 hours (this amounts to 5 small meals in a day) and then eat a larger meal at some point, too. I'm trying to keep the smaller meals to around 200 calories (maybe a little less) and the larger meal around 500. This puts me somewhere between 1200 and 1500 calories every day. Don't worry, I won't starve. There's a lot of food in that bag every morning.
Speaking of that bag, I have the most amazing roommate and old friend in the history of such folks. She asked if she could do anything to help. Could she help? How was anything she did going to make this any easier for me? Indeed, she could. First, she did all the measurements for me that I wanted to keep track of. (I'll share those some other time.) Then, she took pictures. Yes, there are now photos of me in just shorts and a bra. I'm fat. They're scary. I'll share those later, too, maybe after there's noticable difference and I can post more than one set. Even more than that, though, she agreed to pack my food for the day. Every day. The measuring, the slicing and dicing, the packing. The hard part. The part where I could cheat myself or nibble while I was working at it. She does it for me. There is no temptation for me to add an extra ounce or an extra teaspoon. This woman deserves a medal for her awesomeness.
Let me guess? Now, you're wanting to know what's on those menus? That's coming up next.
Beginning the Journey
I have PCOS. If you don't know what that is and want to know more, you can google it and there will be more information than you will ever be able to finish reading. The bottom line for me and relative to this journey, though, is that it is very very easy to gain weight and nearly impossible to lose weight. I've been on every "normal" diet known to man and generally I will lose 5 pounds and not another ounce. I've done Atkins, Weight Watchers, South Beach, Calorie Count, Slim-Fast, and even the old school plan of a 2000 calorie day. Nothing happenned. Nothing.
So, in light of all this, I thought I would try medi-fast. Sounds like a good idea, right? WRONG. First of all, it's insanely expensive. (Who can afford to pay $16 a box for cereal bars?) Second of all, the plan keeps a person to around 900 calories a day. I'm pretty sure that I would become the meanest person ever on 900 calories a day...especially if it consists of nothing but, let's face it, chocolate milk and meal bars or cereal bars or whatever they are. (Let's forget the fact that I heard it all tastes disgusting and I need to actually like the food I'm eating if I can't have much of it anyway.)
So, I did research. I read diet plans. I crunched numbers. I debated spending ungodly amounts of money on terrible food. Then, out of nowhere, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I can do this. I can plan my own diet. I can restrict my own calories. I can make sure I am getting adequate nutrition. I can buy regular food from a regular grocery store (or 4, I'll get to that a little later).
Are y'all ready? Here we go.
So, in light of all this, I thought I would try medi-fast. Sounds like a good idea, right? WRONG. First of all, it's insanely expensive. (Who can afford to pay $16 a box for cereal bars?) Second of all, the plan keeps a person to around 900 calories a day. I'm pretty sure that I would become the meanest person ever on 900 calories a day...especially if it consists of nothing but, let's face it, chocolate milk and meal bars or cereal bars or whatever they are. (Let's forget the fact that I heard it all tastes disgusting and I need to actually like the food I'm eating if I can't have much of it anyway.)
So, I did research. I read diet plans. I crunched numbers. I debated spending ungodly amounts of money on terrible food. Then, out of nowhere, it hit me like a ton of bricks. I can do this. I can plan my own diet. I can restrict my own calories. I can make sure I am getting adequate nutrition. I can buy regular food from a regular grocery store (or 4, I'll get to that a little later).
Are y'all ready? Here we go.
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