Restart - new start - another start?!

No, I think I'll just say I'm keeping on with what I've already started! If I require myself to "restart" mentally and emotionally, much less physically, every time I have a bad day (week?!), I'll never get on a roll. 

I thought I would feel discouraged because I did have another pretty bad week, starting last Saturday at the teen retreat. I didn't pay much attention to what I ate. I don't think I did too bad, but it was all downhill from there: Chinese buffet, huge deli sandwich, McDonalds, cake last night, etc. I'm not discouraged, though. All our talking and writing is keeping me positive, believing I can do this over time. 

Today I'm going to start journaling again. I'm going to think about what I put in my mouth. I'm going to add 2-3 oz. of protein to my food pyramid and try to keep the hungries at bay. I'm going to focus on portions. I also need to give some thought to a short-term goal. I don't have any clothing issues like your jeans. I think I'll start with under 220 (on my scale) as my short-term goal. (Eeck! I said out loud how much I weigh! Shocking to me to see that number. Oh, well.)

Starting Monday, I am going to start walking just a little each day...or going for a short bike ride. I'm also going to start tackling my *!@?$ boxes my basement is filled with that I've been meaning to get to for 11 months. I hope to focus on those two things in March. Well, those things and my eating... ;-)

Onward and upward!

Loved talking to you!

Cindy, you were such a blessing this morning! I'm sorry I was so scattered at the store. Trying to do too much at once. But I reflected on your retreat story, and was really encouraged! I am reminded of a great sermon we heard from Isaiah the other day. Specifically Is6:8, "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said "Here am I. Send me!" I've got the chills Cindy b/c you are living that out at this very moment, and telling me and others of the incredible blessings from the Lord for opening yourself to His will and following it. Amazing! Thank you!

I will post more about the Best Life in a little while. One encouraging thought is that I'm enjoying trying some of these new healthy foods. They taste awesome, and it's nice knowing I'm making choices to live my best life! Love you!

Forward Progress

Hey! I just joined the Bob Greene Best Life Website. It is $19.95 for the first month, and $9.95 each month after, you can cancel whenever. I think this is the program I want to try for a while. I love that when I'm shopping at the store I can find his seal of approval on products. And they've all been good for me and yummy so far. The website has lots of neat areas, you can log in your food intake, journal your emotions (which is why I'm glad we're here too!), chat with other folks in the same boat, get tons of recipes. They also make a meal plan for you for every day, and you can customize it with what you actually eat. The food base is incredible. It has tons of entries, like the Pizza Hut veggie thin crust pizza I ate today. Still way too many calories, but I think this website will help me get real about what I'm eating! I'm going home Monday morning and hope I can get on board quickly with it. Right now my current activity level is to get 90 minutes of exercise a week, I think I can handle that time requirement. It's a slight challenge that I need!

Thanks for the pep post. I enjoyed it, and took it to heart! Love you!

Truths

Our weight cannot define us. Does not define us. Will not define us. 

It does not determine our worth, our beauty, our value. 

A good or bad eating day will not define a good or bad day. 

We will rejoice in all the small successes and only look at our failures in order to learn. Other than that, they are behind us.

Even though change will be slow, we will change. We are capable of it, desire it, deserve it. 

Pep talk! xo 

Total System Crash!

Oh my goodness, I wonder if I have a restart button! The next few days are going to be rough when I go to Springfield to diet. I developed bad eating habits there, but can try to combat it a little by walking in their great neighborhood. I feel too rushed to even pay attention to all this, but I think next week when I get back, or maybe even in Springfield, I want to take some serious uninterrupted time to go over the pyramid and get my journaling going. After that, I think I can implement some real changes. Some good things are that my stomach is somehow shrinking. Like I had Chinese today for lunch, but was stuffed after I ate the egg drop soup and egg roll. I hardly touched my entree, very unusual for me! I am emotional right now, and overeating a bit in response. Please pray for me to find another way to handle situations and feelings! I miss you so much, and yes we need to take the long term view and we're in this for a while! It will be so worth it, however, to feel healthy and strong! We're both beautiful ladies just waiting to get out! Actually, I think we're beautiful anyway, but sometimes I don't know myself lately when I look at pictures. Ugh!!! Focus on the positive... I'm giving myself a pep talk ha ha! I hope so much to talk this weekend. Did I mention the website Eatbetteramerica.com? It has yummy recipe remakes... talk to you soon!

Restart

Well, I'm back in the saddle again (sing it!). ;-) I had a good day yesterday...almost. I did have a few peanuts that I didn't write down. I did, however, count that 1/2 a piece of pizza and the 2 Girl Scout cookies I ate! And...I'm on my 4th day without a headache! Yeah! I hope to walk today, a stroll really, but outside and moving. 

I think this losing weight is going to be very hard! I don't know what the key is going to be for me. Being consistent and building new habits? Keeping my eye on the goal of health? Making progress? Not sure. I may need to give some thought to that. 

I have some good ideas for this week - tasty breakfasts (cereal I like, frozen waffles), easy lunches (make a delicious wrap with store-bought bbq, lots of homemade coleslaw that takes like 5 minutes to make, lots of good vegies which I actually do love), and some healthy dinner options. I do have a couple nights this week I'll be eating out - one at a potluck. That will be a challenge, but I think I'll just try to save as many proteins and carbs as I can. 

Love you!! Let's keep doing this together. xoxo C

Is it only Wednesday?

Aah! I'm not doing too great this week. I keep just forgetting that I'm trying to eat better. How can I forget?! Friday night. Again on Saturday night. Sunday lunch with Tim. Last night. What's up? Somehow I need to stay f.o.c.u.s.e.d!

Today I ate a tiny frozen dinner for lunch that hasn't satisfied me at all. I'll have a struggle this afternoon not snacking on peanuts (!) I bought for a crockpot Thai chicken recipe. Time for milk and yogurt? ;-) Ooh, yum! :-/

Yes, I have to totally avoid some places. KFC, for one. My favorite Chinese buffet - toture! McD's I can do all right, because I really only go there for b'fast, and their egg mcmuffin isn't too bad...if I skip the Coke and hash browns! Oh dear, this is tough. We'll both keep it in perspective, though, and get the hang of it. Yes, that food pyramid is quite a tiny amount of food compared to what I've been eating. The hunger was pretty bad for about 1 1/2 weeks. Then it got better. Don't forget those 3 milk portions a day. They will help keep you full. 

Chin up, stomach in, belts tightened, attitude adjusted, menu planned (sort of) and ... I'm off!

Baby Steps

This process is so funny! It seems every day I do lots of good things (and need to give myself credit for that!) and then a bad meal comes along or an irrisistible goodie. Perhaps the key is having as many days as possible that are as good as possible. Does that make sense? Because life doesn't stop when you're cutting calories! I do feel like my clothes are a little looser. And I seem to be getting full on less food! I checked out the pyramid and it seemed like not very much food at all. But then I realized, oh, this is what someone my age and height is SUPPOSED to eat in a day. Light bulb! Did you start off immediately following those guidelines? It seems hunger would be out of control at the beginning on that, so did you add in some veggies or nuts for a snack in between meals?

I'm reading a book about changing our patterns to make dieting more successful. One thing I do that can lead to downfalls is, as you know, I love to get a tea or diet coke through a drive through. Well, there's 2 places I do this, where I occasionally add in calories I don't need. Chick Fil A has these incredible little chicken breakfast biscuits, but I'm sure they're not good for me! And sometimes at McD's, Anne Marie asks for hashbrowns, and I get an Egg McMuffin. So I have decided, for now, to avoid those two places when I get my caffeine fix. Best plan is to have tea at my house, but in case I'm on the go, I think it's wise to break those habits. Do you have some things like that which provide hidden calories? I'm trying to evaluate and find some more!

Hope you're having more success this week! Love you! By the way, she's curvy too! Maybe we'll find a sequin suit like that for our "after" pictures, haha!

Why?

Very good idea, Julie. Here's my list. Pretty basic, but has been true for a long time...

• to be healthier (so I don't have as many worries in my old age!)

• to do the things outside I want (climb mountains, ride my bike, play touch football)

• to shop at a normal store (save money, wear cuter clothes, make shopping easier!)

That's pretty much it for me. Basic.

 xo!

Weekend

Well, I didn't do too great this weekend. In fact, I haven't written a thing down since Friday. That's ok. I'll get back on the horse tomorrow. 

Let's see, ideas for sweet treats. Frankly, I really like Ovaltine. That way I get a milk serving, and some chocolate! ;-) I also very much like dried fruit - so sweet, a fruit serving, and no fat. Always a plus. Dessert isn't my weakness - salty snacks are, so I'm looking for alternatives to tortilla chips. I've rediscovered lowfat, microwave popcorn. God bless Orville Redenbacher!

I AM praying for you...and will continue to do so. This is the time we can both experience success!

How's it going?

Crazy weekend! Hope you are continuing with your successes. I still need to get on the pyramid site, and start journaling my food. Am much too aware that my portions are too large. Today I was wanting a little something sweet for dessert, but not to blow it. I need to get some Jello FF pudding for such cravings, seems to really hit the spot. Any ideas from you on that? I need to post the list I made for why I want to lose weight. I will do that here in a day or so. I'm sure you can relate to a few of the ideas, and have some unique ones of your own.

Love you so! Pray that I will get my crap together and get organized enough to start this formally. I think I'm still wrapping my head around it, which is such an impt step for me! Talk to you soon!

Confession and rejoicing

So, I got to our Bible study last night, served everyone my Indo food, then totally forgot - I mean totally - to pay attention to how much I was eating. I think I did all right, though. I can tell my stomach is shrinking. I just don't want to eat as much as I did just a couple of weeks ago! It is quite amazing! I did, however, eat a cupcake after getting home. Boo!

And...I got on the scale this morning to discover...I have lost THREE POUNDS!! Can you believe it? In 2 weeks? I am so excited! If it is wasn't so early in the morning, I would call you! ;-)

This is a huge encouragement to me. The things that encourage me most are:

• I'm not feeling deprived - the food I'm eating is tasty, satisfying and interesting
  
• I'm not hungry all the time - I'm finding ways to use my portions to satisfy me throughout the day
• I'm actually losing weight - which means this is working
• I'm doing this for free - not paying for any weight loss plan
• this is something I can keep up

Those are all great things! This coming week I hope to start walking every day I don't have something else scheduled. I can't stand walking for exercise; however, I love music, I love being outside. I'll hopefully combine those two things I do like and get past the not-liking-walking-thing! After all, I don't have room to do aerobics, I won't join a gym, and even though I love riding my bike, it can be quite a production when I only have 1/2 an hour or something like that.

Whew, enough from me! Love to you! C

P.S. The caption on this poster says, "Find the biggest ass and kiss it." Just thought that was funny. ;-)

I'm learning!

Hello! Trial run!

Even with ribeye...

Hi, dear friend, 

Here's our first blog on losing weight. I hope this helps us succeed!! :-)

Here's my plan:

follow the food pyramid

start walking next week

Not too complicated so far! Ha, ha...

I'm having dinner with my family tonight, and Becky told me she bought ribeye. I also met Dad for b'fast at one of my favorite restaurants. Knowing I was going to want to save all my protein portions for the yummy steak, I had granola, fruit and an English muffin for b'fast. For lunch I was equally disciplined and had 2 tortillas filled with homemade coleslaw of cabbage, carrot and red pepper. It was actually quite yummy! If I still get hungry this afternoon, I have some milk portions leftover and can have some chocolate milk or yogurt. Yeah! A successful day of choices! Good for me!

You asked me about a lowfat salad dressing/vinaigrette. Short answer: no. I try to just use as little as possible - the old Weight Watcher's trick of dipping your fork into the dressing really works! I have heard, however, that several ladies I know really like those new spray salad dressing. Wait, I'm wrong. Ken's Steakhouse (can you buy that brand?) has a delicious, low-fat or fat-free raspberry pecan vinaigrette. It is very good!

Good luck! Write soon!