tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30201012161118725542024-03-14T07:40:31.667-07:00I Gained the World and then SomeAnnehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-12945388728106230322015-11-10T16:26:00.001-08:002015-11-10T16:46:27.000-08:00Countdown to Thanksgiving<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
November 10, 2015</div>
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There are only 15 days left before Thanksgiving! Most people associate Thanksgiving with eating a lot of food and then doing it all over again for a before bed snack and then the next day with the leftovers. It doesn't have to be that way though.</div>
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For the past several years, since I've been with my fiance, there have almost always been three separate Thanksgiving dinners. My mom would make a Thanksgiving dinner not on Thanksgiving, my future mother-in-law would make a Thanksgiving dinner not on Thanksgiving and finally, on Thanksgiving Fiance's parents would take us all out for Thanksgiving at a fancy local restaurant.</div>
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This year, however, I put my foot down and I now have the pleasure of hosting Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving! This is very exciting for me as I love to cook! And what I love even more is putting a healthy twist on heavy favorites, which is what I am going to try to do this year. There are a couple things, however, that I will keep traditional. As<a href="https://shauntfitness.com/" target="_blank"> Shaun T </a>says, "eating 85% healthy, working out consistently, and eating 15% fun!" So 85% of my Thanksgiving feast is going to have to be healthy and 15% will have to be fun!</div>
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So what's on my menu you ask? Well, the only thing set in stone is the local farm-raised turkey, stuffed with aromatics rather than dressing/stuffing. Don't get me wrong, I love stuffing, and that is one of the things that I will leave traditional, but I really am interested in playing around with aromatics and poultry. So I will be placing things like lemon, fennel, garlic, sage, and rosemary in the bird and we will see how that works. Of course, I will make gravy with the drippings. I am planning on roasted brussel sprouts and butternut squash, or sautéed if the oven is too busy. I am debating mashed potatoes because my mom really loves them, but I will make half the amount that is usually made since a huge bowl almost always sits in the fridge for the week following and never gets eaten. There was an amazing recipe for <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/white-cheddar-mac-n-cheese-carla-hall" target="_blank">white mac and cheese with horseradish that Chef Carla Hall made on the Chew yesterday</a>, but I think that would just kill me because I would totally overeat that for sure. I think some sort of corn dish might be appropriate, but I haven't thought one up yet. Maybe some green beans too, but not that creamy junk with the French's fried onions on top, I never did like that stuff. I also plan on making my own cranberry sauce and I am pretty excited about that.</div>
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For the 15% fun, I will make via stovetop a version of my mom's beloved stuffing, but try to lighten it up a bit and I love adding chia seeds for a little flare. Of course I will make homemade rolls and/or crescents. I already rock at making my own big fluffy dinner rolls, but I have never made crescents, so this will be a new challenge. I know, it's easy just to pop open the exploding tube and pop them in the oven but like I said, everything is going to be made by my own two hands, crescents included!</div>
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Finally, for dessert I will offer two pies. One pie will be a pumpkin, sweet potato and butternut squash pie. The other one is the kicker and partially the reason why I wanted to host Thanksgiving, it's called the <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/apple-pie-with-cheddar-cheese-crust-michael-symon" target="_blank">Miley-High Apple Pie, which is probably really called the Mile-High Apple Pie, but Chef Michal Symon named it after Miley Cyrus, who he was dressed as on the Halloween episode of the Chew</a>, where this pie was debuted. The pie is unique to me – Granny smith apples piled high with an aged white cheddar crust. SOLD!</div>
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So that's my potential menu, and like I said I am planning on sharing some recipes over on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/I-Gained-the-World-and-then-Some-1428521350741043/?fref=ts" target="_blank">my Facebook page</a> in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, so be sure to check it out!</div>
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P.S. I will leave you with this recipe that I saw yesterday on the Chew (I know I have talked about the Chew at least three times in this post). I wasn't planning on serving a salad with my Thanksgiving meal, but if I did, it would be this one. I plan on making this in the next couple days because it just looks too delicious not to. Here's the link: <a href="http://abc.go.com/shows/the-chew/recipes/acorn-squash-with-baby-bitter-greens-valerie-bertinelli" target="_blank">Acorn Squash with Baby Bitter Greens Recipe from ABC's The Chew</a></div>
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-79128849869372071602015-11-07T08:31:00.000-08:002015-11-07T08:31:14.520-08:00Weigh-In Wednesday: Week 4 (Belated)<div class="MsoNormal">
November 7, 2015</div>
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Look out ya'll I'm breaking all the rules!! To say the least, this week has been pretty hectic. This week I dealt getting sick and being completely out of commission a couple days and then caring for my 4 year old who also got sick and was up with a frog in his throat all night. Sickness mixed with working, running to my chiropractor three days a week, running my son an hour round trip to school four days a week and then venturing an hour out of town to meet a dog we are trying to help my mom rescue, it's been crazy. So now it's Saturday and I have some downtime here after work and I want to post my results because it was a good week and before getting sick I worked really hard for this week's loss!</div>
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I did weigh in on Wednesday and I lost 2 pounds, which is my weekly goal. A 2-pound loss is healthy number to aim for each week.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubPLK-1ydF5glQESe21hG-oIKsvL_J6r3sWKEjveaBAgoSes3E7F_raKqFn0dS23HjhG5kURUJkKb-ar6URFqdwNEyrUccysvPsNlDVPl4eqwaGS7AdLWSlbrMlKRx3LV-zBFJXgzCJA/s1600/Wk4+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubPLK-1ydF5glQESe21hG-oIKsvL_J6r3sWKEjveaBAgoSes3E7F_raKqFn0dS23HjhG5kURUJkKb-ar6URFqdwNEyrUccysvPsNlDVPl4eqwaGS7AdLWSlbrMlKRx3LV-zBFJXgzCJA/s320/Wk4+chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Week 4 results!</td></tr>
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I wanted to keep this short, so thanks for checking in!</div>
Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-71052413710746602432015-10-28T08:11:00.002-07:002015-11-07T08:31:57.435-08:00Weigh-In Wednesday: Week 3 (and 2)<div class="MsoNormal">
OCTOBER 28, 2015<br />
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I promise I am not a flake and I also promise that I didn't skip Week 2 because I gained. Truth is life happens and there are other things higher on my list of priorities and I can't always get to the blog, but I assure you I will try my best to stay consistent.</div>
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WHAT HAPPENED TO WEEK 2?</div>
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Life kicked in and I got super busy. Once Wednesday slips away my OCD kicks in and I just can't fathom making my Weigh-In Wednesday post on Thursday, I JUST CAN'T! So, my heading for Week 2 was going to be "Whose bright idea was it to make Weigh-In Wednesday fall after Taco Tuesday?" Such is life (and sometimes life is tacos). So Taco Tuesday happens, as it happens nearly every Tuesday because I love to cook and I love Mexican-inspired dishes. My goal is to take traditional favorites and lighten them up. Unfortunately, no matter how light I make them there still is the possibility of overeating. It happens. So Week 2 I had a gain of 0.2 pounds. Although it is never fun to see the scale go up, it is always a learning experience of what changes you can make in your day-to-day life to keep the scale going down. It is always tough, but try not to beat yourself up over a gain, no matter how big or small it is. Just tell yourself you can do better and prove it to yourself.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Week 2</td></tr>
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WEEK 3</div>
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So for Week 3 I set a goal to move more as my workouts have been fizzling the past couple weeks (or months). I stepped up my game a little, but I still found myself talking my way out of working out. I had a really good workout on Thursday, where I was full of energy and didn't want to stop. The Friday my body was aching and I talked myself out of another workout. Leading up to Wednesday, my workouts have been fizzling again, not very intense, sort of taking the easy way out and not accomplishing what I set out to do this week. So I will try again to impress myself for Week 4. It's all about trying and trying and trying and never giving up, and that's what I am going to do. I did lose 0.8 pounds, which is great and what I deserved from the effort I put in this past week. It takes a while to get back into the swing of things. I'm looking forward to Week 4!! </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSm3BFHqYY8s043v7nt646eZbcDpjtjNUZum8MqKMQ3Abb-ekUaE274vDrgkA2c-cwHBfqLyu9Lm92Nngc-LEI1BMZ1539uExvAnomZzRRC6VRu9VGAhDbM-iiwMmwb7ju4ZNiiZhrlyw/s1600/Wk3+chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="202" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSm3BFHqYY8s043v7nt646eZbcDpjtjNUZum8MqKMQ3Abb-ekUaE274vDrgkA2c-cwHBfqLyu9Lm92Nngc-LEI1BMZ1539uExvAnomZzRRC6VRu9VGAhDbM-iiwMmwb7ju4ZNiiZhrlyw/s320/Wk3+chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Week 3</td></tr>
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-20265466174163259152015-10-14T07:21:00.001-07:002015-10-28T08:13:38.702-07:00Weigh-In Wednesday: Week One<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
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OCTOBER 14, 2015</div>
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So my life has been completely hectic for the past month. I feel like I lost a couple weeks of my life and I am still not sure where the time went. Anyhow, I decided I would try to do a weekly weigh-in post. I started it last week, October 7, 2015, but life got in the way and I was unable to make the first post. So this will stand as the first post and the first-week result post.</div>
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Last week, I set my goal to lose 40 pounds. I will weigh in each Weigh-In Wednesday and see how I do. I encourage you to follow along with me at home. Whether you have 100 pounds to lose or 10, keeping visual track is an excellent way to stay accountable. It doesn't have to be just pounds that you are keeping track of but you could do inches, how much water you are drinking, how many fruits and veggies you are eating, get creative. Write it down each week in a journal or you can make a nifty Excel graph like I did, there are also a million apps out there that do the same thing without a lot of effort from you. One of which that I recommend to EVERYONE is SparkPeople. I have been a member of SparkPeople since 2008! It is free, check it out!</div>
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WEEK ONE RESULTS</div>
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This week I have lost 2.4 pounds! I am actually impressed with this number because I didn't get a lot of exercise in as I was super busy all weekend with activities and concerts, which also included indulging in some not-so-wonderful foods. However, I did do a lot of walking all weekend at said events. I am proud of that number and can't wait to see what next week will be when I put some more effort behind it!</div>
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-73207434070182387642015-09-15T18:02:00.001-07:002015-09-15T18:11:13.070-07:00Back to School<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b>BACK TO SCHOOL</b></div>
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As my son returns to his second year of preschool, I realize I have fallen off the face of the earth again. Well, I didn't just realize this, I have known it for quite some time now. I am the picture-perfect proof that we, as humans, are not perfect and can fail and fail again. It is quite all right to fail, there are a lot of learning opportunities that come with failure, but it is what you do with that failure that makes the difference. Do you let the failure overpower you and take you over? Or do you overpower, take over and rise above the failure? It may have taken a little longer than I had hoped, but I decided to overpower my failure and rise above it. To further understand where I am coming from, let's take a brief look at my past year.</div>
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In August 2014, I was full of confidence, I had lost 70 pounds and was in the best physical shape of my life. When my son started school in September, my schedule shifted as I had to drive him 1 hour round trip to his school. This left me with one less hour in my day, but 2.5 hours with me stranded a half hour from home with nothing to do. I found something to do. I started Couch 2 5K and ran in the nearby park each day my son was at school. I was never a runner, I hated it, but with C25K I learned how to run in a way that was addictive and rewarding and I loved it. I was skeptical thinking, "I can't even run for a minute, how am I going to run for 3.1 miles in 8 weeks?" C25K is designed in such a way that it literally builds your body to be able to go from couch to 3.1 miles in 8 weeks. It was unbelievable. I never did finish it, though. I signed up for a local 5K as a practice run for the Great Pumpkin Race. I ended up winning a silver medal for my age group. Unfortunately, being new to running, I didn't realize the importance of having a good pair of running shoes and I ran in my worn out $30 C9 shoes from target and for the 2 weeks following I could barely walk due to some sort of strain on the bottom of my foot. By October and the Great Pumpkin Race, I was all healed up and running again, in a new and better pair of shoes. I didn't do as well as I did in the other 5K, but I did beat my time from the previous year by a lot and I was super proud of that! I didn't train at all that previous year and it was pretty unbearable.</div>
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November through January, I was slacking off a little, as one normally does around the holidays and in the winter, I gained 10 to 15 pounds but for some reason I kept telling myself, "It's okay, I won't let it get above XXX pounds." By January, it went above XXX pounds and I told myself, "It's okay I won't let it get above YYY pounds." This pattern of self-forgiveness continued for a while until I got to a point during the early part of the year where I said, "Oh my God, what have I done!?" And by that point, all I could dwell on is "how could I have done this to myself?" I felt like I was in a fog. It's no lie that my life between the fall of 2014 and now has been nothing short of stressful, hectic and overwhelming. I had a stretch where I was really down and in a dark place, something I am usually able to shake, but this time I couldn't. It was like I wasn't myself and like there was no way out. I felt like I had worked so damn hard to get to where I was and then I literally let it all go. I swore I wouldn't ever get above 200 pounds again. I swore I would never eat the way I was eating again. I swore I would always exercise and stay healthy. I promised the world to myself a year ago and there I sat in a puddle of my own broken promises.</div>
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By June, I had gained back 38 pounds, that was over half what I had lost, it was devastating to say the least. I was broken. I was depressed. I was disappointed in myself. But I had a choice. Was I going to sit around and feel sorry for myself and just let the landslide that was my life keep tearing me down? No! I was worth far more than that. I had to find that fight I found within me several years ago when I first set off on this journey to a healthy me. I had to find that fight and fuel that fire that I knew I had in me and rebuild my life!</div>
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It didn't come easy, it was actually harder this time. I had so many "fresh starts" over the past few months, which ultimately lead to "I'll try better tomorrow." I kept trying and kept pushing and searched and searched and searched for that spark to light my fire. It wasn't until the end of August that I could say I finally found it, and I am doing all that I can to keep my fire going. With a whole year of darkness, I've finally found the light.</div>
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Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-14625924594292100172015-01-04T19:02:00.003-08:002015-01-06T05:38:40.417-08:00Cheez-It Chicken - A Tad Lighter Version<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjY-jMMksXxFFb-X8t-8JhDnSkYDjgQe4YotfDfOxjSmNc3ilsa8DWkmY_n1VwBi0RvrjBdjNDrDmjIh8FmPYFhCF5nDS6wSluVN6tMmOr3PeLT29uGPR4gJFwycY5LHaQdt21R0-eps/s1600/Cheez-It+Chicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnjY-jMMksXxFFb-X8t-8JhDnSkYDjgQe4YotfDfOxjSmNc3ilsa8DWkmY_n1VwBi0RvrjBdjNDrDmjIh8FmPYFhCF5nDS6wSluVN6tMmOr3PeLT29uGPR4gJFwycY5LHaQdt21R0-eps/s1600/Cheez-It+Chicken.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since it is a new year I would like to start sharing some of
my favorite recipes and cooking tips. If
you know me personally, you know that I am a Cheez-It addict. We literally can’t have them in the house
because I will eat the whole box and that is a very, very bad thing!! I am pretty good at eating portion size and
in moderation on EVERYTHING else BUT Cheez-Its… I can’t explain it, I can’t
change it or get over it, I just have to accept it and try not to buy
them. With that said, the rare chance I
do screw up and buy them I have to get rid of them in other ways and one of my
favorite ways is with Cheez-It Chicken.
There are several different variations out there, some call for flour
and egg, Dijon or honey mustard, sour cream, mayonnaise and so on. I was so ready to make it for dinner tonight
using the “Hellmann’s Chicken” method by using mayonnaise and cheddar cheese
and sprinkle the Cheez-Its on top. That
method didn’t fit into my Spark People meal plan for the day so I had to
lighten it up a bit. I then remembered I
had some plain Greek yogurt in the fridge that I needed to use up soon so I
decided to use that. These came out so
tender, juicy and flavorful and the “breading” stayed on perfectly. I was so impressed by this method, I will
surely be adding this to my arsenal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you try this recipe, let me know how you liked by leaving
a comment!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">INGREDIENTS:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 ½ to 2 cups Cheez-It or like brand crackers (could use
reduced fat too!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Black pepper, to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 ¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into
strips</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">½ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 to 3 tablespoons shredded cheddar cheese </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">DIRECTIONS:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Preheat
oven to 375 degrees and spray a foil-covered baking sheet with cooking spray.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Crush the
Cheez-It crackers and mix in pepper.
Place mixture in bowl.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. In another
bowl, mix the Greek yogurt and the shredded cheddar cheese.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Working
with one chicken strip at a time, first roll strip in yogurt and cheese mixture
until it is evenly covered. Next roll
the strip in the Cheez-It mixture and place it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Bake in
the preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. ENJOY!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>NUTRITION FACTS
(APPROX.):</b> 5 Servings;
Calories: 215.4; Total Fat: 6.7 g; Cholesterol: 71.9 mg; Sodium: 168.7 mg; Potassium: 233.8 mg; Total Carbohydrate: 7.8 g; Fiber: 0.3 g; Sugar: 1.0 g; and Protein: 29.3 g.</span></div>
Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-22335197988362631262014-09-09T13:50:00.000-07:002014-09-09T13:59:08.883-07:00SALAD JAR<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>MOVE OVER SALAD BAR
THERE'S A NEW KID IN TOWN, THE SALAD JAR!<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been quite obsessed with making salads in a jar
lately. I call them "Salad
Jar" like salad bar... haha… get it?
Salad jar… right. Well, these
things are amazing! I started making
them about a month ago and I am hooked and now making them every week. Since I am chopping and stuffing everything
into the jars on one day and putting them into the fridge to use over the next
7 days, I am saving a ton of time!
HOLD UP! Did you just say 7
days? YEP! I did! I have stretched these little gems out for 7
days of lunches or dinners! If you
follow the layering guide they are still UNBELIEVABLY fresh on day 7! I am still so shocked about it and I have had
several of these so far.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before when I would buy lettuce for salads, I would buy my
head of romaine and chop it, rinse it, spin it in the salad spinner to dry and
place it in a large zip lock container with a paper towel to absorb
moisture. I would then grab from this
container over the next week when I wanted to have a salad. Truth is by day 4 the lettuce would already
be starting to brown and wilt and it would never make it to day 7 and would
ultimately end up in the trash! With
this jar method I can't even begin to rave about how fresh the lettuce is STILL
on day 7! It literally is like I just
cut, washed and spun it. I have read
several blogs about this and the claim that these salads in a jar will stay
fresh for up to 7 days and I have always been like yeah… right… until I finally
decided to try it. I am a believer and
you can be a believer too, just follow the simple building directions outlined
below! ENJOY!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>LAYERING GUIDE</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love big entrée salads so I use a 1 quart wide mouth mason
jar to make these salads. You can use
any size and any ingredients as long as you follow this simple layering guide.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(FROM BOTTOM OF THE JAR TO TOP)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1. DRESSING/SAUCE</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2. HEARTY VEGETABLES
(i.e. tomatoes, onions, peppers, broccoli, carrots, celery)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
3. LESS
HEARTY VEGETABLES AND BEANS (i.e. mushrooms, zucchini, corn)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
4. PASTA AND
GRAIN (i.e. pasta, rice, couscous, quinoa)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
5. PROTEIN
AND CHEESE (i.e. meat, eggs, cheese, shrimp, chicken)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
6. LETTUCE (and anything else that
would get soft or soggy such as nuts or seeds, possibly croutons or chips but I
always just add those when I am ready to eat it)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in; text-indent: -.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When you are ready to eat your salad jar just shake it up
and dump it out into a bowel to enjoy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>SALAD JAR RECIPES
THAT I HAVE CREATED AND TRIED (with Weight Watchers Points Plus values)<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0qq85ANSuPfkA9F7xaEso0oh5aCeDVD3vRo1oIddoEmoSnGv7JvOW6GT7pmtR2PmDC2DYwancyOXxr44zcqlvZwhp3LlP3UvZXbghdkQ_0N34-MgrC1G5kEpDzdhl6HTxNIofcUMXbI/s1600/20140909_145843-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn0qq85ANSuPfkA9F7xaEso0oh5aCeDVD3vRo1oIddoEmoSnGv7JvOW6GT7pmtR2PmDC2DYwancyOXxr44zcqlvZwhp3LlP3UvZXbghdkQ_0N34-MgrC1G5kEpDzdhl6HTxNIofcUMXbI/s1600/20140909_145843-2.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a><b>BUFFALO CHICKEN SALAD
JAR<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ken's Lite Blue Cheese Dressing (2tbs) – 2pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce (1tbs) – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cherry Tomatoes – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Red Onions – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bell Peppers – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Broccoli – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grilled Chicken (3oz) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Crumbled Blue Cheese (1/8c) – 1pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Romaine Lettuce – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TOTAL POINTS PLUS –
6pp<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>GREEK CHICKEN SALAD
JAR<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Drew's Greek Salad Dressing (1tbs) – 2pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7iJDsPju27UTcLwENWKgfsy-e26oz2uW9ybcbfYef2H301Sc2ZDk6KmN0DFhpMWDEHJdT4FpcnfJZBtiXjOohl_93D5yMN01FJAauCZDmAgHBjwGFIbatV-x6B22OHjGnBVGOAAtExk/s1600/20140909_145904-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7iJDsPju27UTcLwENWKgfsy-e26oz2uW9ybcbfYef2H301Sc2ZDk6KmN0DFhpMWDEHJdT4FpcnfJZBtiXjOohl_93D5yMN01FJAauCZDmAgHBjwGFIbatV-x6B22OHjGnBVGOAAtExk/s1600/20140909_145904-1.jpg" height="200" width="171" /></a>Cherry Tomatoes – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Red Onions – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bell Peppers – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Black Olives (5) – 1pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grilled Chicken (3oz) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Crumbled Feta Cheese (1/4c) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Romaine Lettuce – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TOTAL POINTS PLUS –
9pp<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TACO SALAD JAR<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyOu-rUypHyXndsmwd5bU51p2Wg84f8SfS35xi-A0-iHpCAgJvi3enNenkZhqSKi1wJKU8BKXL1_9jO4C0C_WS_LhLD9_xAfki_0oJs2ebWNGmPRyorBwqIq_HwojZWa3qqDePCA-k80/s1600/IMG_20140905_141012-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEyOu-rUypHyXndsmwd5bU51p2Wg84f8SfS35xi-A0-iHpCAgJvi3enNenkZhqSKi1wJKU8BKXL1_9jO4C0C_WS_LhLD9_xAfki_0oJs2ebWNGmPRyorBwqIq_HwojZWa3qqDePCA-k80/s1600/IMG_20140905_141012-1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
Medium Salsa (2tbs) – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ken's Lite Ranch (1tbs) – 1pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cherry Tomatoes – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Red Onions – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bell Peppers – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Canned Corn, No Salt Added (2tbs) – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Canned Black Beans, Low Sodium (2tbs) – 1pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ground Turkey Taco Meat (3oz) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shredded Cheddar Cheese (1/2 oz) – 2pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Romaine Lettuce – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TOTAL POINTS PLUS – 7pp<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Optional Topper:
Blue Corn Tortilla Chips (4) – 1pp<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRL9X_0dk5BjxxpfRQk8N2GVWDKoFz2Khg7mD_48LI3NshR0tjk6VsIE3eWIZhvL4uF8kTEo95Qs0wVYrhGmu71_mfvW6_jR6F2pVbijdGyFd5RUgQij4WzcqdgYqmmSuE6OyxJoVLIQ/s1600/IMG_20140830_133209-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeRL9X_0dk5BjxxpfRQk8N2GVWDKoFz2Khg7mD_48LI3NshR0tjk6VsIE3eWIZhvL4uF8kTEo95Qs0wVYrhGmu71_mfvW6_jR6F2pVbijdGyFd5RUgQij4WzcqdgYqmmSuE6OyxJoVLIQ/s1600/IMG_20140830_133209-1.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<b>ITALIAN PASTA SALAD
JAR<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ken's Lite Italian Dressing (2tbs) – 2pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cherry Tomatoes – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Red Onions – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bell Peppers – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Garbanzo Beans (1/4c) – 1pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whole Grain Pasta (1/2c) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grilled Chicken (3oz) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cubed Cheddar Cheese (1oz) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Romaine Lettuce – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TOTAL POINTS PLUS – 12pp<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>CHICKEN CAESAR SALAD
JAR<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ken's Lite Caesar Dressing (2tbs) – 2pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cherry Tomatoes – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Red Onions – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bell Peppers – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grilled Chicken (3oz) – 3pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Grated Parmesan Cheese (2tbs) – 1pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Romaine Lettuce – 0pp</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>TOTAL POINTS PLUS –
6pp<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
*Optional Toppers:
Seasoned Croutons (4tbs) – 1pp</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-77238941964097391972014-09-09T13:11:00.000-07:002014-09-09T13:59:04.818-07:00Weight Loss, Dreaded Plateau and More...<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>I'M BACK!</b></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></div>
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have been away from this blog for over two years. Over that time I had completely took control
of my life and started on a journey to a healthy lifestyle. I had lost 70 pounds, went from a size 22+ to
a 12/14, and learned a whole lot about my body and what I put into it in the
process.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGO0lMuTMjgmuXXy12lg94CNTJgqqAZ_IF5lItduDo4QQN_gLiqEcDeDllOexO_FFuRV6RZV-4Ds0hzNujANTh-BTo8uCs_Sopc9xNLp3mS-Iuqr723pCRUdjuBk1jRQnObFDNbfIe2l4/s1600/10425448_10152426052203397_5548792342887867664_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGO0lMuTMjgmuXXy12lg94CNTJgqqAZ_IF5lItduDo4QQN_gLiqEcDeDllOexO_FFuRV6RZV-4Ds0hzNujANTh-BTo8uCs_Sopc9xNLp3mS-Iuqr723pCRUdjuBk1jRQnObFDNbfIe2l4/s1600/10425448_10152426052203397_5548792342887867664_n.jpg" height="320" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">June 2014</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8ypqfvu0HAPotxDcVwDoiQodhsj843J7Ldfl77E4g6XSnHmYOLzqSSLQMpjKeJz9fVqBaFS9V8Tk_gA94omxtFK-agAXvDU0OZic4xzHSfN_lro86aNsC0tRUyT-3zAFeX_94XjF9H0/s1600/525635_10150864496949164_519936286_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8ypqfvu0HAPotxDcVwDoiQodhsj843J7Ldfl77E4g6XSnHmYOLzqSSLQMpjKeJz9fVqBaFS9V8Tk_gA94omxtFK-agAXvDU0OZic4xzHSfN_lro86aNsC0tRUyT-3zAFeX_94XjF9H0/s1600/525635_10150864496949164_519936286_n.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom and I May 2012</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Losing weight is not easy, it is hard and you have to have
it on your mind every single second of the day.
Losing weight is a HUGE commitment to yourself. It is easy to give up, easy to fail. Even now, 70 pounds down, I still can slip up
majorly on the drop of a dime. It is way
too easy to fall back into your old habits so that is why it has to be on your
mind all of the time.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I had finally reached "ONEderland" sometime around
March 2014 and since then I have been gaining and losing the same 5-7 pounds continuously. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I like to call this period in my journey the
DREADED PLATEAU. Everyone talks about
it, some people get there, some claim they are there when really they just in
the process of giving up, some people are really there and stuck there a very
long time, and some people take that plateau and kick its ass! I want to kick its ass. I WILL kick its ass.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, this plateau is no laughing matter. I remember hitting a small one when I was hit
220 but I managed to get out of that one within a month or so. This one is insane. No matter what I do, no matter what I eat, I
am stuck. Some people will say,
"Well, that's just your body trying to tell you you don't need to lose any
more weight." Well, those people are
wrong. Please, let me be the judge of
where I am and where I want to be. I am
currently 195 and my BMI is 28, which is overweight. (*Note:
I don't really give a crap about my BMI because BMI is a terrible
measure of health and should be discontinued by all healthcare professionals,
but for informational reasons I will mention mine as it used to be like 38….) So, no, I am not done. My body is not done. Let me be the judge of where I want MY body
to go and where MY body is capable of going!
Actually, my goal is to lose 100 pounds.
That would bring me to around 162 pounds. When I get to 162 pounds I might like, I
might not. I might want to lose more, I
might want to gain a little back. That's
my decision.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I even joined Weight Watchers (WW) online a couple months ago
to try to see if it was my eating that was throwing me off track, but that
wasn't the case. I have not had any
success yet with WW, just the same up and down that's been going on for
months. I hit 190 and I can't get past
it and then I will give up for a fleeting moment, eat too much or sit around
too much and then think crap… 195 again….</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I have not done a lot of research into plateaus or how to
break through them because what works for one person may not work for every
person. I know they say a simple change
in routine will help most of the time.
I've tried new activities and pulled out some old ones and nothing seems
to make me budge the right way.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MY PLAN TO BREAK THAT 190 WALL</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That little newborn you see in my very first (and only
*sorry*) blog posts is now a 3 year old little boy who just started preschool
last week. We chose a very unique
preschool that my brothers and future brother-in-law attended, because it's an
amazing school, but it happens to be 30 minutes from our home. He goes three days a week for 2.5 hours. I won't be driving back and forth, it's not
worth it. Instead I will use that 2.5
hours to break my plateau into pieces.
My plan is to start going to the walking trail near the school and doing
C25K, something I tried years ago and quit very early on. Then when the weather gets too cold I will
take it inside at a nearby gym. I have
never been much of a runner because I thought I couldn't do it. I am still not very good at it (for now) but
the feeling it gives me makes me crave it and want it more. Hopefully by adding running to my routine it
will give my metabolism the boost it needs to beat this plateau!!!!!!!!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_skieYA5V160CyCOeXjVnTw7m5YHL4ZqFmIRIDxicnL_s3m56HUhKJ24blmr7g1CCdRa-syRE8j5eRad4RYHapiAq1YeugCl-dBf4gKbCvp4xZe89VacxsduLW5faOI65A62xwQ2gQg/s1600/Before+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV_skieYA5V160CyCOeXjVnTw7m5YHL4ZqFmIRIDxicnL_s3m56HUhKJ24blmr7g1CCdRa-syRE8j5eRad4RYHapiAq1YeugCl-dBf4gKbCvp4xZe89VacxsduLW5faOI65A62xwQ2gQg/s1600/Before+(3).jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris and I with our son August 2012</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris & I Nov. 2013</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">MY GOAL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last fall, my fiance, Chris, and I completed a Great Pumpkin
Race 5K. Chris won a bronze medal for
coming in third in his age group. I came
in second to last out of EVERYONE! BUT I
came in just under 45 minutes and I set out to finish in less than 45 minutes,
even if it was 44:59, I was going to do it and I did. It was hard.
I was still getting over a terrible cough left over from a terrible two
week cold, so that held me back a little. Also, I wasn't in as good of shape as I am
now. But I am still not a great runner
(yet). ANYWAYS…. I just signed up for
that race again for this October 26th. I
have seven weeks to get to where I can run for the majority of the race so that
is why I chose C25K to help train me. My
goal is to win a medal at this year's race, or at the very least beat last
year's score. But I am dreaming big, I
want that medal!!!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am writing this for accountability. If there is someone out there reading this, I
want you to know I am doing this and am changing my life! If you are reading this and want to begin your
journey or need to begin your journey, I am here for you. I support you. I want to inspire you and motivate you. Whatever it is you want to do, YOU CAN! And don't ever forget that.</span></div>
Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-53296649584659338192012-02-06T20:22:00.000-08:002012-02-06T20:22:40.493-08:00I am part of a team...It is a great feeling when you belong and are accepted. I have struggled very much along my journey, but there are many others like me that I didn't know of. I finally found what I needed to get my butt into gear, support. Yes, I have SparkPeople and all that but that just wasn't working for me this time.<br />
<br />
I am thankful that I was a part of the What to Expect When You're Expecting - June 2011 Mom's group which lead me to the WTE June 2011 Momma's Facebook group and I gained 300 new friends. These are friends who have been there from the beginning and they have an answer to every question I have and they are the support I need.<br />
<br />
This group decided to hold a Biggest Loser Competition and that is where we are now. We broke up into groups. I am on the Blue Team with 9 other lovely ladies who voted for me to be the team leader; which was such a kind gesture. We hold each other accountable as we log our weights week by week. We at the tail end of week 4 now and I couldn't be happier with my team, we have lost well over 40 lbs together and we are not stopping! I am so happy to finally have found something to get me moving and make me happy! It's definitely showing!!<br />
<br />
GO BLUE!!!Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-12155126670434626822011-08-12T20:05:00.001-07:002011-08-12T20:24:39.650-07:00Not Enough Time in the World...<div><p>So this is my third post and not much has changed. My weight went down about three pounds but goes up and down from there each day. My little one is taking better to breast feeding and I try to nurse him for each feeding before giving a bottle. I feel that my supply is going down. I don't know if I am not drinking enough water or if I'm doing something else wrong. I am going to try to drink more and if that doesn't help I will bring out the fenugreek again. It figures now that he has got the hang of the breast I will lose my supply.... ugh. </p>
<p>I have been feeling better. My back doesn't seem to be bothering me as much as it used to, I give credit to either the fact that I am moving more or for my fiance cracking my back; things have been feeling good ever since. I have started with regular walks and even started using Your Shape Fitness Evolved and Dance Central for Kinect. I was surprised by how much energy I seemed to have after working out, it might be a plus to keep it up.</p>
<p>Last week I went for my six week postpartum check up and I found out I had lost 23 pounds since the day before my Marcus was born. I already knew this was about where I stood in the weight loss area, slow and steady will get the last 20 pounds and more off. Unfortunately, my doctor had an emergency and had to leave the office before seeing me. I had to reschedule till yesterday. She made it yesterday and she said I am all back to normal.</p>
<p>Last week I also had the ... pleasure to go shopping to try and find bridesmaid dresses for my friends wedding in May 2012. The first store we went to was very awkward. The clerk asked me my size and I had no clue, I was embarrassed as I told her I had s baby 6 weeks ago and I have no idea where I stand today. She brought me a range of sizes. The smallest was a size 18 and the largest was a size 32! Was this lady crazy? A 32!?!?! Really? Anyways... the 18 fit the best but I was stuck trying the other dresses on and clamping them... which you really cannot get a feel for a dress that is many sizes too big. The second store we went to I was able to tell the girl size 18 or 20 and she brought me those sizes only. This clerk was very helpful and made the already difficult fitting a lot more pleasurable. We didn't settle on a dress yet, the only thing I worry about is if it can easily be taken in or let out.</p>
<p>I started school back up this week again which ads a ton more to juggle with my little one. It is going to take a while to get used to all of this. This is a new and exciting time in my life which can also be rather stressful as you know. I don't want the stress to hinder my weight loss success. Who's still with me??!?!?!</p>
</div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-1785191056402667242011-08-02T10:05:00.000-07:002011-08-02T10:07:42.903-07:00This is going to be a lot harder than I had thought.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixz_kj6zEAX-1F4y7fxQ4WVffue88tuaebrdSUTvffBkixb-OeNgMQ8zPWlC8NiM_rvSM18A_2J2CbpXzCHwiWqf-1105ZS37RGftKv6QsxDvsqlff0RFW6YGdIP0PiZhnGDBDZWL6uGY/s1600/DSCN1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixz_kj6zEAX-1F4y7fxQ4WVffue88tuaebrdSUTvffBkixb-OeNgMQ8zPWlC8NiM_rvSM18A_2J2CbpXzCHwiWqf-1105ZS37RGftKv6QsxDvsqlff0RFW6YGdIP0PiZhnGDBDZWL6uGY/s320/DSCN1173.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>So, if there is anyone out there actually reading my blog you will notice I haven't even found the time to write a second entry. It's been over a week since I started my blog and I had wanted to write every Friday and update on how I am doing, truth is; it's Monday and I am not doing too well.<br />
<br />
It is very difficult to find the time to exercise let alone do anything else for myself. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, I love every second with my son and I wouldn't change a thing, I just think that I am going to have to set off a lot slower than I had thought. The first problem is that it is so very hot outside and by the time it cools off enough to take my little one out for a walk I am way too exhausted, or some how the day just slips away from me and it too late. I know this is completely understandable considering the circumstances.<br />
<br />
This past week I had gotten two walks around the neighborhood in, and a few short stints of playing Dance Central on Kinect. If you haven't tried Kinect I highly recommend it! The Dance Central game sure gets the blood pumping and it is crazy fun! My fiance downloaded some extras for the Your Shape Fitness Evolved and it has a post baby work out which I can't wait to try.<br />
<br />
I have some road blocks already though. First off, my fiance started a second job today and he will be gone a lot more now and I will be alone with Marcus for most of the time. Second, my legs and back are feeling awful! It is hard to get up and down and hard to walk at times. I am hoping with more movement that all of that will fix it's self. I developed a sciatica problem during pregnancy and.... Well see right there... Now it's Monday, I couldn't even finish my blog in one sitting. Where was I? oh yes, a sciatica problem, it seems to still be present and that slows me down a lot. I am hoping with movement that I can overcome this issue and it won't be a big problem.<br />
<br />
To make the ending to this short and sweet, I am going to try and get moving more this week, and of course I am going to try and cook meals again so I don't settle for fast food, take out, or ever frozen processed junk. It's going to be hard, but I can do it!<br />
<br />
Take care!Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3020101216111872554.post-53813012230118613032011-07-22T11:55:00.000-07:002011-08-12T20:25:28.244-07:00I Gained the World.... and Then Some<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This is my world!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawYgR2_TIAvk0YRH0jqK3EGCE91vE4f47ScMMtSNu3TOobZkTFIrXwdSm1cKJpaUGhE8cEdTtaQ1gv73s5Sug558iECBmj8oH3KZ8l2dxAAxP1lacA9ybMdXVKtkVgo5eNeOEWueF16E/s1600/30766-IMG_5244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiawYgR2_TIAvk0YRH0jqK3EGCE91vE4f47ScMMtSNu3TOobZkTFIrXwdSm1cKJpaUGhE8cEdTtaQ1gv73s5Sug558iECBmj8oH3KZ8l2dxAAxP1lacA9ybMdXVKtkVgo5eNeOEWueF16E/s320/30766-IMG_5244.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He is my everything! All 9 pounds 2 ounces of him! This is my son Marcus, born June 24, 2011 at 7:33am. He weighed 9lbs 2oz (which he is over 10lbs now) and was 21 inches long. I was lucky with my labor and delivery. I labored for under 5 hours all natural until the last possible second when I got an epidural. No sooner than when I laid down from getting the epidural my legs were up in the air and I was pushing (it's a long story about a short birth) and 15 mins later Marcus was here. I couldn't be happier with my beautiful baby boy, he has brought so much joy to my life.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">...And then some...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I feel that I was at somewhat of a disadvantage going into my pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy I had lost over 35 pounds by changing my diet and exercising a ton. My highest weight at that point was 235 pounds and around July 2010 I had hit 199 pounds on the scale and I was so ecstatic! Then I went on vacation and kind of lost my motivation for a while and in the fall I ended up around 209 pounds. November 6, 2010 my world changed when I found out that I was pregnant. It was such an amazing feeling knowing that there was a life growing inside of me.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">As soon as I knew I found out I had it in my mind that I could eat more food! Food that I had been depriving myself from for over a year. I didn't go too crazy though because my first trimester and part of my second was filled with horrible morning sickness. I couldn't eat veggies but I could eat fruit, especially citrus; until I ate a grapefruit and threw up - that was the end of the citrus craze. My lifeline was McNuggets and grapes, they soothed my tummy.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">After the morning sickness subsided around week 17, I ate pretty well for awhile. Once I hit week 24 I was so hungry all the time. They say when it's a boy that you eat like a teenage boy. I gained 10 pounds in one month, and my weight gain was pretty high at every appointment. During the end I couldn't stop eating! I was constantly hungry! My 39 week appointment was June 23, 2011, and I had gained 7 pounds from the last week, I weighed 268 pounds. 7 POUNDS IN 1 WEEK!! How embarrassing it was when my doctor mentioned that I gained 43 pounds the whole pregnancy. I thought 43 was a decent number, after all I enjoyed myself. However, it was still embarrassing that she called me out like that. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Little did we both know, that the next morning I would be losing at least 9 pounds 2 ounces. When I returned home from the hospital I weighed myself and I was at 256 pounds. I was a little disappointed by only losing 12 pounds. However, about 2 or 3 days later I weighed myself again and was at 245 lbs, I lost 23 pounds, and that is where I am now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">I am 4 weeks postpartum today and I am ready to start this journey to a healthier life. I had done it before which means I can do it, and I sure as hell am not going to waste all my previous hard work losing all that weight just to be up there again. My hope is by writing this blog I can be held accountable and be more credible for what I am doing. I also hope that I can motivate other women out there who are in the same boat. So come on and join me! After all, we have already proven ourselves capable of surviving those 9 or 10 months of pregnancy AND childbirth, so what else do we have to lose except a bunch of baby weight? We can do this, and we will do this!</span></div></div>Annehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16979924425571947241noreply@blogger.com0