5 pounds Lost since April 18

 

I have lost 5 REAL pounds … WOW… I didn’t give myself any goals, I just starting eliminating the garbage.  You might be interested to know a couple of times this week, I even enjoyed about a 6oz. glass of red wine.  (wow).

 

·         April 18 weight 167

·         April 30 weight 162

 

And, it was NOT easy.  It was work, it was self-denial and it took planning.

 

BUT…I am encouraged that I have found a way to eat that provides me with nutritional and delicious

Alternatives to the normal American diet without having to eat slimfast, jenny craig, weigh watchers or nutrisystems food (yuck).

 

So … if you like, I will continue to share my recipes with you.  I think this time, I’m really going to do it.  J

I broke through the plateau. April 2nd, 2009

I got on the scale this morning. I broke through the plateau. Whoo Hoo. I weighed in at 283 lbs this morning. That is a 5 pound loss. For a total of 16 pounds down. 299 – 16 = 134 lbs to go to lose 150 lbs. I lost an additional 1.5 inches off my body measurements for a total of 12.75 inches lost so far this year.

I know I should be excited, however I did want to be farther along than this. However it is great that it’s coming off. That 4 week plateau was a bear. Big time mind twister, which of course made it even more difficult.

Injuring my leg and becoming ill didn’t help my fitness level any. I am really exhausted just taking care of the kennels at this point. Seems like a never ending task. This bloody blizzard really threw a curve into my goals. It takes so much more energy to take care of the dogs the way I have them now that it is draining my reserves big time. No energy left to get bookwork, or anything else done for that matter. Frankly I think the physical, and psychological overload is what caused this last bout of illness.

4 more pounds till 20 pounds down. Whoo hoo. Truthfully right now I am so tired and discouraged that it feels more like phhhhtttt! Than whoo hoo.

The rate in which I am losing fat may not be earth shattering. But there is a definite upside to it. Losing it slower gives my skin time to shrink back to where it belongs. So hopefully I won’t need to have surgery to get rid of excessive skin. I guess time will tell for sure on that score. Although the thought of having to have mounds of skin surgically removed is not appealing in the least. Neither is having all that skin hanging around getting galds and nastiness under it. Yuck.

I’ve got to head out to the dogs and take care of them. I hope I can still function when I get back inside. I am so bloody tired that I’d like to just disappear. Poof! Gone, find someone else to dump on.

Ok I can have a totally crap day, or I can decide to live now and have a great day. Choose. Make the decision. I choose to enjoy the rest of my day no matter what the circumstances.

I feel better already.

Life is a journey, decide to enjoy the trip

Mary E. Robbins & the Hairballs

Robbins Run Ranch: Living the Dream With Our Pomeranians

Independent Beachbody Coach: Helping others Reach their Fitness and Financial Goals

307.788.0202

Weight Loss Update

Its been a while since I did a weight loss update. I dont have any fantastic numbers to report(I will do a picture post soon though). I do have something really freaking awesome to announce. I signed up to do a 5k in  about 3 weeks. I have always been fascinated by runners. Especially in Boulder. Women who were running in 20 deg weather. I wanted to be a runner but my first thought is people(MEN) are going to stare at my boobs bouncing up and down. I swear that is my first thought when I actually started running jogging. I then read Angie’s post abt the C25k programme.  I posted on the fitness blog and found more inspiration in Rohit’s post, I decided to sign up for  one myself. 

If you know me, I dont do anything 1/2 way. I research the hell out of things.  So first things first, I went out to speciality running store and got my feet checked. It was such a cool visit. The guy had me place each foot individually on a heat sensor pad and then run barefoot on a treadmill. He then played back the recording in slow-mo. Apparently I dont have issues, I dont over or under pronate. I push off from in between my big and 2nd toe. I am a size 10.5W. So after all that, I told the store guy that I dont have $200 to buy fancy running shoes, I want it to be under $100 with taxes included. Dude was nice enough to go search in the clearance aisle. Came back with 2 pairs, One was Asics and the other was Nike. The Asics  fit better and was $10 cheaper. I got that. Next I ordered the Nike + Ipod Sports Kit. The best $26 I ever spent. It is cool tracking device. One plugs into your Nano and the other into a shoe pouch. You select the distance , the playlist and off you go. After the run, you come home, upload via Itunes and it spits  out a fancy graph like the ones below.

 The first time, I ran was the treadmill and by run I mean jog. The highest I went was 4.2-4.4 and then back down at 3.9.I wanted to do the 5k but was paged by the daycare. I did 2 miles or so. Then I set out do the 5k outside.(April 16th) I mapped out a route on mapmyrun.com,  and set off. I ran till I couldnt run anymore and then walked. I alternated between running and walking and finished the 5k in 50 mins. I was exhausted by the time I reached home. Exhausted but estactic that I actually did complete a 5k.  The next day, I was a bit sore but not as bad as I thought I would be. 2 days later, I did the same route again, and this time I completed the trip in 47 mins. I was jumping for joy when I heard “Congratulations You have reached the end of your workout”  Its now been what 10 days? 12 days and this is my run on Sunday, my fastest ever at 42″37. The graph shows a steady pace until I reached my first uphill climb.(I live in a very hilly place) I ran  for almost a mile non-stop. Me! A person who hated doing the 2.4km in P.E class in school. My goal for the 5k is to do it under 40 mins.

My fastest Run Two Weeks Worth of Runs This is 2 weeks woth of runs. 23.03 miles, 1592 cals.

Day Fifty-Seven

Welcome to Week Nine!

This 12 week challenge is absolutely flying by.  We turned our books to the last page today, which symbolizes there’s only one month to go.  How unreal.

Today, as every Monday was weigh-in day and due to it being the end of another month of the challenge, it was also measurement day.  I knew I had pushed myself hard this week at the Gym, and bringing back up my visits to what the previous weeks were (Going twice a day on a couple of occasions).  As well as my Personal Training session on Tuesday, I had partaken in Body Pump on Wednesday and also BodyJam & Body Balance back to back on the Saturday.  Plus my own cardio and weight sessions on the other days.

This week I lost 1.4kg.  Which after last weeks gain of .3, is really 1.1kg.  Still, a girls gotta be happy with those results.  My measurements were taken and this months results are:

Bust: 99cm (-1)

Waist: 78cm (-4)

Hips: 99cm (-2)

Upper thigh: 63cm (-2)

Lower Thigh: 58cm (-3)

Arms: 30.5cm (-1)

Total CMS lost for Month Two: 13

Total KGS lost for Month Two: 3.5kg

TOTAL CMS LOST FOR TWO MONTHS: 40.5cm! (15.94 inches)

TOTAL KGS LOST FOR TWO MONTHS:  9.9kg (21.8 pounds)

42509

hey guys. it’s caity. I kind of binged tonight and I’m happy about that.

Because I learned something from it. After I ate that Mcflurry, I screamed and I made a promise to myself. I will never do this again. I feel worse when I do things like this! I’m finally getting it! The food is NOT NOT NOT making me happier, it doesn’t solve shit either. I feel so great right now. I made a plan for tomorrow

A goal without a plan is just a wish,

and girl, this ain’t not wish ; )

Love you, Love yourself,

Caity: )

Day 45: Eat Feces and Lose Weight

I’m not quite sure how I feel about the signs all over the building I work in that say “Mr. Sprout is the biggest loser!”

In the parking lot on my way into work yesterday, a lady I didn’t really know shouted at me. “Hey Sprout!” she said (we call each other by our last names), “How did you lose them 11 pounds?” She is pretty overweight and was really excited about learning my secret.

“Simple,” I said, “I quit eating junk, I reduced the portion sizes of the food that wasn’t junk and just started exercising a little bit.”

As soon as she heard the word exercise, the smile disappeared from her face. “Oh,” she said dismissively. She turned and got in her car without another word. From her tone and the disgusted look on her face you’d think I said, “Well, I just started eating my own feces and molesting kittens.”

The truth is, until 3-4 days ago, I wasn’t even really trying. All I did was:

1. quit eating crap
2. only eat the portion size I needed
3. exercised a minimal amount

And I lost 15 lbs in a little over five weeks.

Makings of a Genius

OOooook. It’s been awhile since I’ve not only posted, but more importantly, since I’ve taken the time to do a marination post. What’s a marination post, you ask? One in which I evaluate what I’ve accomplished lately and evaluate my goals. Am I on my way to achieving my goals? What progress have I made? Am I spending my time effectively and efficiently? And, most important, am I happy?

Well, I’m not perfect, by any means, but I’ve definitely made progress towards my goals, and I’m happy with that. I’ve taken two acting classes–one in movement, the other in basic acting skills. Now I’ll be starting another one on Monday on scene study. I can’t wait! Taking these classes have made me really realize that acting/theater/film is where I want to be. I do love politics…but that will have to be down the road, if I ever choose to make a career out of it that is.

Weight loss has stagnated a bit, basically because my eating habits are still slow in changing. I’m down 15 lbs since the beginning of the year, and am working out at least 3x a week. Now if I could only stay within my WW points to maximize the benefits. My promise to myself is to stay within my points this week! Let’s see what improvement I might see if I do. Perhaps that will be some added motivation to actually stay on track!

Other stuff is good. I feel like I need more time to write, especially since I have several short story ideas, but perhaps once teh semester is over, I’ll have more time!

Obtaining Phentermine 37.5mg Tablets

Phentermine is a prescription weight loss drug, and popular diet pill.  It is prescribed for obesity, and to quality for it you must have a body mass index over 28.  buy phentermine 37.5 online from this website called no prescription drug vendors. This drug could be helping thousands of people who need to lose weight, but the US Government and FDA are to script about how is allowed to take it.  This forces hundreds of people to resort to alternative means of weight loss, some being illegal drugs.

Mangosteen Matters in April

   Get Ready For Bikini Season with Xango Juice                                              Weight Loss Challenge

I am excited to share with you the new “Xango Weight Loss Challenge” This is NOT a diet, please read instructions below carefully.

 To mix your shake/smoothie start with the Kefir and Xango in the blender first, next olive oil, and last (clear) coconut oil. Note: You will notice that the coconut oil is in solid form, sort of looks like wax, so what I do is get a small jar and place a couple of tablespoons of the coconut oil in the jar, when I need to use it, I put the jar in a small bowl and fill with hot water to melt it. It works great, you might have to melt it each time you use it. I drink it about 15 to 20 minutes before breakfast and dinner. Drinking your water is a MUST!

 Dr. Michael Vincent is a Naturopathic Doctor, Chiropractor, and also a certified athletic trainer.  Dr. Vincent is also the doctor that “invented” the 30-day XanGo™ Juice Cancer Challenge that many of us have heard about, or even used!

 Dr. Vincent has now created his own XanGo™ Juice Weight Loss Challenge!  He has done this program out of his basement for the last few years, and has seen tremendous results.  This is an all-natural and healthy way to lose weight–especially women looking to get rid of cellulite.  He is in the process of writing a book about this process, but has allowed me to share this with my organization.

 Dr. Vincent shared with us that in order to lose weight efficiently, you first have to get your hypothalamus working properly.  The hypothalamus is also considered the “master gland” and is roughly the size of an almond, located just above the brain stem.  The Original Mangosteen Juice Formula, which we use, helps to do this.  Before you get started, first and foremost, weigh yourself.  Once you have an accurate number of your weight, start this program and keep track every few days of the weight you’ve lossed.

 Here is a formula that Dr. Vincent shared with us.  For those of you that want to lose 50 pounds or less, here’s the ingredients needed:

1.        2 ounces of XanGo™ Juice

2.        2 ounces of Kefir (flavored is preferred, such as strawberry, and is found at your local health store)

3.        1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

4.        1 tablespoon of coconut oil (must be liquid, may need to sit in the sun for a little bit to liquidize).

Mix all the ingredients well together until everything looks like a Strawberry Smoothie.  Then, bottoms up! It tastes like strawberry yogurt, or smoothie, and buying flavored Kefir, you shouldn’t taste the olive or coconut oils if mixed well.  Drink this twice a day.  For those of you wanting to lose more than 50 pounds, take 3 ounces of XanGo™ Juice, 3 ounces of Kefir, along with the tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and coconut oil,  3 times a day.It is also extremely important to drink half of your body weight in ounces of water every day to flush the fat from your system. For example, if you weigh 300 pounds, you need to drink 150 ounces of water each day.

 Now, the best part about this is that it’s NOT A DIET! Dr. Vincent told us at the meeting that he loves sweets! He did say however, that with a healthy choice of foods along with exercise you would see results faster, but it’s not a must!  Do you realize the word “diet” starts with DIE…something to think about!

 If you eat breakfast, stick with watery fruits such as grapefruits, watermelon, strawberries, etc.  Eat lunch between 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., and supper between 5 p.m. - 7 p.m.  What you eat is up to you.  Drink your “XanGo™ Mixture” in the morning, and again in the evening, or if you’re on the higher dose, drink with breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

 I’m sure more information about this will come in the near future, but as for now, this is all you need to know to get started! Try it for yourself, and don’t forget to track your results.  It’s Go Time!

Email: debbie@BeachBotanicals.org  

Please check your weight regularly and send me an email with the weight loss results.

P.S. Coconut Oil can be liquidfied by placing jar in sun or a bowl of warm water for a few minutes. Needs to be completely clear to avoid clumps.

I found Kefir (prefer lowfat) at Tidal Creek Coop. (pomegranet is my favorite flavor).

Laura Fenamore's Body Image Mastery

From what Laura Fenamore says, producer of the Body Image Mastery Plan, if you can learn to love yourself, you may never be fat again!

Do you need to shed weight and remain slim for the rest of your life? You are not alone. At the time of writing, about 1/2 the USpopulation are on some kind of diet - atkins, weight watchers, low calorie, even fasting - constantly trying to lose pounds. And a lot of them will shortly put on the pounds once again and so continue to try out numerous tablets and slimming courses for the rest of their lives. That is how the billion-dollar dietbusinessworks - it’d be out of a job otherwise.

Well, for folks who really want to enhance your body image, there is a new fantastic solution. Have you heard about the Body Image Mastery Plan? This course is intended to help you lose pounds by creating huge changes to the way you look at yourself, and shows you how to circumvent the yo-yo dieting/binging effect.

Laura Fenamore is the creator of the Body Image Mastery Plan which works on the plan she undertook herself with great success. At the age of twenty-three Laura weighed over 200lbs, she was drinking too much and extremely depressed. Using the Body Image Mastery Plan inside twelve months she had marvellously got rid of over 100lbs and never put it back on. 20 years after she is kept slim, attractive and gorgeous and you can view the videos toprove it. Laura’s programme is so galvanizing that it’s received affidavits from celebs such as Oprah Winfrey.

The Body Image Mastery Plan is a twelve week course and includes tele-seminars carried out by Laura herself. It has easy-to-follow, step by step plans thathelp you accomplish your target weight. Its focusis different from other programmes because it gets rid ofyour weight issues from the interior. It teaches you to adjust how you see yourself, the way to price yourself and boost your self-image, adjusts how you see nutritionand folk, and shows you the way to get rid of and most significantly keep off the weight.

He Says, "Running is Supposed to Make You Less Crazy"

I think A LOT while I am running (what else is there to do), but my brain tends to think about people I love, people I miss, people who confuse me. I end up thinking about my closest friends and family members while I run. And I also get a little paranoid while I am running sometimes, for reasons that I don’t understand.

Last weekend I was running by myself outside, and I chose a less-traveled, more hilly path than I normally would. The path goes down to a creekbed and over a bridge, and then back up the creekbed. There was a 50-ish man who passed me going the other way, and of course for some reason my paranoia struck and I found myself thinking about all of the ways I could get away from him should he come after me. OK, yes, that’s paranoid. I know this. If anyone ever came after me, my body would take over and do the right thing. So I shouldn’t be paranoid. But then, when I turned around, I caught up to him almost, because he was standing on the other side of the bridge, sort of jogging back and forth in a circle. He ran a bit, saw that I had crossed the bridge, I started to walk, and then he took off and I never saw him after that. I thought it was weird, but I went about finishing my run and minding my own business.

I was convinced, upon returning, that this man was a vision. He sort-of looked like my dad, so I got worried that something had happened to my dad. My dad and I ran together at the Blackwell Forest Preserve in DuPage County the entire summer before my Sophomore year in college (I was training to enter Navy ROTC with Marine Corps Option in the Fall … that’s another story).  Some of my fondest memories of time with my dad are the days when he and I would slog it out on the paths in the summer heat. I digress. I said to my husband when I came back home that maybe the man was an apparition and was there protecting me, making sure I made it over the bridge safely because there was some threat I didn’t see near the bridge - like a rabid deer or a coyote. My husband said, “You’re supposed to come back from running less crazy.” And then I told him about the small, sharp stick that I sometimes carried in my hand when I ran  last summer…for goodness sake I run on forest preserve land, there could be rabid raccoons , right? (Click the link to listen to “ghost stories” from This American Life radio series - Part I has the episode about the raccoon. It is not to be missed - actually, all of them are really good if you’ve got the time. Unfortunately I think you have to pay the .95 to download it to hear the whole thing. You won’t be sorry!)

So today, more running crazy. Except in a good way. My prescribed workout today was run 3 miles - I decided to interpret that as “Run 5K” because I know of a stretch of path that equals 5k. 5k=3.1 miles. I actually covered 3.2 miles because the stretch I chose is about 1.6 each direction. I walked briskly to the path as my warm-up, which is exactly 1/2 mile distance. I started to run, and really only made it 1/4 mile or a little more before I had to stop and stretch, and my legs were freaking out. I decided to walk, because I don’t want to get injured and if my body is too tired from ramping up distance too quickly, then I just needed to walk to cover the distance. So I walked a mile, and then I reached the landmark that was .3 miles from my half-way point. I said, OK, now run, and just see how far you can get comfortably with your legs. Listen to your body and just run. I wasn’t expecting what happened next.

And I’LL BE DAMNED if I didn’t run the .3 miles remaining to the half-way point and then I turned around and ran the ENTIRE 1.6 miles back to my starting point. HOT DAMN I ran 1.9  miles straight of my 5K run today!!!!!

At some point after I turned around and was heading back, the endorphins kicked in BIG TIME. This is where I get really emotional while I am running, and the bliss is hard to describe. I had visions of running track with my little sister, and then I started to cry because I miss her so much. I told her it was OK, and I said it out loud, and the vision passed and I kept going. Then, I got to a point where I realized I had been running comfortably for well over a mile, and then I started to smile and I even screeched out loud a couple of times as I realized that I would be able to reach my goal for the day without stopping again. I was THRILLED, absolutely thrilled.

This is the benefit of running outside, by yourself. Because you can really let your body express itself and you don’t have to worry about freaking out the people next to you on the treadmill, as you alternate from crying to laughing out loud with happiness because you are having a runner’s high.

Not so miserable

Last night I forced myself to go out and ended up at a friend’s house at midnight crying at how down I had spiralled in such a short period of time. They didn’t know what to say, but then not many people do. Anyway, them sitting there saying nothing was better than patting my hand and going “it will all be alright”. That’s one of the most unhelpful things anyone can say. Obviously it’s not going to be alright. I’m depressed, not dumb.

Anyway last night I decided to put myself back on Dexamethasone (which was confirmed today as the correct decision by my psychiatrist) and I am feeling better. I had a migraine most of today, and there’s nothing like physical pain to kill mental pain. I even did quite a bit of work. Other than my continual eating I am almost back to normal - I even tidied the lounge room (all the other rooms are a mess - tomorrow I plan to tidy the kitchen).

It’s now 2.30am and I am watching Rage - all the video clips to all the angry songs I used to listen to when I was in my early twenties. Tool, Rage against the machine, Marilyn Manson, Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Live etc. Maybe it’s just me, but there seem to be a few videos with child abuse themes. Or maybe that’s not right, it’s just I identify with these songs so very much (despite not listening to them for five odd years), and I identified with them back then, but back then I didn’t know why. It was all so obvious yet I couldn’t see what was right in front of me.

Starting Now

‘We place the highest value on the scarcest commodities.  M&M’s are made from cheap ingredients and available for easy grabbing on your way out the door at any convenience store.  But you won’t find diamonds within reach on aisle nine.  No, high quality diamonds are locked away behind the counter, and only serious buyers get to take a closer look.  Today, more than ever before, a woman of noble character is hard to find.  To be noble means to be dignified and gracious.  In the Amplified Bible, the word for noble is rendered “capable, intelligent, and virtuous.”  A woman like that is not easy to come by anymore.’

At the recommendation of a good friend of mine, I picked up Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be, A 90-Day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life by Donna Partow.  I’m itching to start it, but think it’ll be best to start it after I move so that I can give it my undivided attention.  However, I realize how silly that is considering life is always going to be there, it is always going to happen and if I can’t make time for growth and for God when things are busy…who am I trying to fool?  He needs to be a priority in my life and I need to learn to make Him one.

I am praying that this study will help me to live life intentionally, to live life with purpose, to live life with passion.  There are so many areas of my life where growth is desperately needed.  So many areas where I am failing to be the person I should be, the person God intended me to be. 

The book covers…

FAITH (establish a routine of spiritual disciplines you can follow for the rest of your life)

 FAMILY (gain practical insight and advice to improve the quality of your most important relationships)

FITNESS (learn about the powerful impact of diet on your total well-being)

PERSONAL APPEARANCE AND FASHION (develop a well-balanced approach to personal appearance)

FINANCES AND RETIREMENT PLANNING (get your finances in order)

HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT (get your home in order by de-junking, de-cluttering, and creating a realistic, personalized household routine)

MINISTRY (incorporate ministry into your life naturally)

BUSINESS (study what the Bible says about self-employment) and

SELF-MANAGEMENT (learn powerful self-management tools guaranteed to increase your personal effectiveness)

 

 So there really isn’t an area that isn’t covered and again, I am praying that God will use this book in my life for growth. 

 

I’ll let you know.

 

Starting Now by Ingrid Michaelson

Weight Loss is Science Not Luck

Anybody can lose weight and have a better body because it doesn’t happen by chance. It’s not luck or a roll of the dice. It’s not being at the right place at the right time. It’s biology and chemistry. It’s science. It’s a recipe. If you do A… B will happen. If you do C… D will happen.

Losing weight is not like becoming an actor or rock star. Generally achieving those levels of fame and fortune does require some luck, chance, or serendipity in addition to talent, hard work, dedication and determination. Weight loss is not like that. It’s not “fate” or “luck of the draw.” It is an option, a decision, a choice, and it’s available to everybody regardless of your body type. It just requires knowledge, consistent effort, self-discipline, and faith. Anybody can lose weight and have a better body. You just need to know what to do and then be willing to do it. It’s small changed adding up to big results.

Hulk Hogan Shocker! Showbiz Tonight's AJ Hammer Talks With His Panel About Statements by Hulk Hogan.

Hulk Hogan shocker!

Here we go this is my though on all this. First off Hulk Hogan just went trough hell when his son Nick Hogan,

Well we know how that fact went.He spent years on Broke Hogan and raise His kids good, while that chick of his “mooched” off of him for years. He spent million’s on her and his family. Now she has the nerve to sleep with a 19 year old and divorce him come on. Tonight I watched Showbiz Tonight’s story on this and it made me sick, how those 3 girls made comments about him, calling him a 16 year old kid in a 50 year old body, Yo he is more man then you’ll know bitches. Calling him sadistic and crazy like O.J. Simpson. Now I don’t remember the names of those 3 chick on showbiz tonight,

But I like to tell them to their face fuc you! they are bashing him, for what getting mad at the fact his wife is devorsing him and sleeping with a 19 year old like 20 years her junior. Man come on. They think he need’s help and he is a danger to her. Man screw them. Hulk if you read this don’t stop, tell them on TV fuc you all… I have the right to be mad and say what I want. If I was him I would bash that guys face in the ground, put him in the hospital and Burn his house. Man the world we live in when it is OK to send soldiers to war to kill Innocence and people just because the prez says so. You no what else The things I treasure most in life cant be taking away. So I voice my opinion and I hope many people comment on this post in his favor. Those fu ing bitches can die stop bashing Hulk. How would you feel, think proper people. Put yourselves in his shoes. Stay tune for more post or check my life changing website gainright.com or optimumhairloss.com

Jeremy Halisky the CEO at gainright.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Halisky

3 Breakfast Items to Avoid

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, we can make it least important by consuming some of the unhealthiest food choices. Everyone knows that some of the most nutritious breakfast ideas include whole grains, eggs, whole grain cereal, oatmeal, fruit and low fat dairy. What about some of the least healthy choices? Does anyone know what they are? In this article I will reveal some of the worst breakfast choices.

 

1. Whole dairy products. Buying whole milk or other whole dairy products is a poor nutritional choice. Everyone knows that all dairy products are available low fat or reduced fat, even fat free. It is up to us to make the switch. Low fat dairy is just as nutritious without the added calories, cholesterol and fats.
2. Fast food breakfast. This is a very popular breakfast choice. A lot of us find it convenient to stop at a local pastry shop or a fast food joint in order to get a morning treat. However, it is often shocking how many calories and grams of trans fat are contained within this morning treat. The best thing to do is to prepare your morning meal at home. This way you know exactly how many calories you are consuming. Furthermore, the foods you get at a drive through as nutrition-less empty calories.
3. Sausages, bacon and patties. These are very common yet unhealthy breakfast foods.

 

These are just some of the unhealthy breakfast meals. By eating a healthy breakfast you could increase your energy, improve your health and lose weight. People who lost a lot of weight also found help from all natural diet pills and all natural herbal remedies. So be smart and start our day off with the best breakfast.

Wednesday Workout

Prescribed Goal: cross-train 30 minutes

Actual: I chose 30 minutes on stationary bike (just a hair over 6 miles - I was reminding myself to go slow, don’t rush into this, don’t get injured or burned out); I was feeling peppy so I did another 10  minutes on treadmill, 5 mintes at 5.0 (which is the 12:00 pace) right after the bike to see how my warm legs felt (good lord that pace feels just right, but after a bit it’s too fast…that’s OK I’ll work on it), situps and stretching

Today’s Playlist Favorite: Shake It is still working it for me (see below); Rock Your Body by Justin Timberlake is a great cool-down song

One More Observation: good grief my belly looks pudgy while I am leaning over on the stationary bike…that’s OK

Nutrition Secrets for a Long and Healthy Life: Part One - "Carbs".... Good or Bad?

In the 1980’s, high carbohydrate diets were the fad. Remember the “Pasta Craze”? Subsequently, the Atkins Diet popularized the idea of reducing the amount of cardohydrates in one’s diet for dramatic weight loss. So which diet should you adhere to for not only weight loss, but also good health, longevity, and vitality? As usual, the truth is somewhere in between.

Before we can have a worthwhile discussion on carbohydrates and their effects on your body, some definitions are in order. First, what are carbs? Carbohydrates are one of the three main types of nutrients (the other two, proteins, & fats, will be covered in later issues of this blog). Simply put, “carbs” are sugar. But not all carbs are created equal. Carbohydrates that we eat can be broadly classified as “simple” and “complex.”

Simple carbs (for example sugar, fruit juice, candy, white bread, pasta made with refined flour) are rapidly absorbed into the blood stream and cause an rapid elevation in the hormone insulin. For many reasons, this “insulin response” can be unhealthy.  All of us have experienced the “sugar roller coaster” that follows eating a candy bar or a piece of delicious pecan pie. Immediately after eating a high sugar food, our bodies experience a rapid rise in blood sugar. This “sugar high” is followed within minutes by a sluggish, sleepy feeling due due to the insulin response kicking in, pouring the hormone insulin into the bloodstream to lower the blood sugar to normal levels again. The insulin response causes your body to convert and store excess carbohydrates into fat. Insulin can also cause “glycation” which is the binding of sugar molecules to protein in your tissues; this process leads to tissue damage, inflammation, and premature aging changes.

Complex carbs (for example most vegetables, brown rice, whole wheat bread, oatmeal, whole wheat pasta) are absorbed much more slowly and lead to a much slower rise in insulin. Complex carbs are therefore a far superior dietary source of carbohydrates than simple carbs. I find it useful to further classify complex carbohydrates in to another group, the “fibrous carbs.” This group, which includes broccoli, carrots, kale, celery, cauliflower, spinach, and others, shares all the benefits of complex carbs plus a high fiber content.

Another important way to reduce the insulin response is to combine any carbs you eat with a lean, high quality protein such as broiled fish or skinless chicken breast. The protein load slows the absorption of the carbohydrate into the bloodstream. I will cover the topic of proteins in another article.

So here is the short take home message: for a long and healthy life, replace the simple sugars in your diet with complex carbs. Sounds simple, right? I would start by taking an inventory of the daily foods you and your family eat. You will be surprised how much simple sugar enters your body every day. Sugar is an addiction of sorts, so be prepared for some complaining from your taste buds at first. But I promise that the increased energy and wellness that you will feel after just a week of reducing simple carbohydrate intake will astound you!

As always, I am available for any questions you may have, and please check out our website to learn more about Visionary Eye Care.

I fought the food but the food won

So the day was going great.  I was running late and didn’t get to eat breakfast (not good I know) but I was okay till lunch.  For lunch I had a grilled chicken breast, half a baked potato and salad.  Then later that afternoon I was hungry so I had a granola bar.  Then I went to the gym and kicked major butt on the treadmill and burned over 500 calories. 

Doing good so far….

Then I got home and was hungry.  I ate a ham sandwich.  Still not too bad.

Then I got stressed.

Sat here and thought about it.

Instead of trying to just feel better

I went to the damn freezer

and got the damn pizza

that I have been fighting with for days

and ate the damn thing

480 calories

That’s my whole workout!!!!!!  Gone.  As if it were nothing

If I had only looked at the calories before eating it….

But it’s too late to go back now.  It’s gone…done…and it’s ok.  I’ll just keep on going and remind myself that I didn’t get overweight with one personal pizza.

But how in the heck I ate a sandwich followed by a pizza (even though it was a small one), I’ll never know.

At any rate, I counted up all of my calories and I still stayed under the 2000 mark.  I had about 1800 today.  That’s rounding up.  So I’m not too horribly disappointed. 

Tomorrow is another day

Watch the Calories Baby

If we keep cutting calories every opportunity we have, the rewards will no doubt be in our favor. As discussed in the past, our weight loss program must not only be restricted to exercises. The least calories consumed means less work to burn it off. Here are a couple of tips.

Cut 100 calories … on your snack break

* Drink sparkling water instead of soda.

* Move your stash of Hershey’s Kisses at least 6 feet away from your desk—you’ll dip in half as often.

* Drain the heavy syrup from your can of fruit cocktail and then rinse the fruit with water before digging in.

* Have 1/2 cup of fresh grapes instead of that little snack box of raisins.

* Lay off the Lay’s Classic potato chips and have a handful of Rold Gold pretzels.

* Munch on a bag of Orville Redenbacher’s Smart Pop Kettle Korn, not Movie Theater Butter flavor.

* Chase down the ice-cream truck for a Good Humor vanilla sandwich, not a King Cone.

* Satisfy a crunch craving with baby carrots, not potato chips.

Cut 100 calories … when you’re not cooking

* Request the lemon chicken with white rice, not fried.

* Skip the crunchy noodles with your bowl of wonton soup.

* Ask for an order of Szechuan Shrimp instead of your usual General Tso’s.

* Choose the pasta with 1/2 cup of marinara instead of 1/2 cup of Alfredo sauce.

* Indulge your inner carnivore with beef stroganoff, not meat lasagna.

* Go with the baked potato (butter only), not the mashed, as your side of choice.

* Dip your dinner roll in marinara sauce instead of olive oil.

* Avoid anything breaded. Flour and bread crumbs not only add calories but also absorb more cooking oil.

* Pop 12 pieces of sashimi and 1/3 cup of edamame, not 12 pieces of spicy tuna roll.

Sources:- Sanford Siegel, D.O., founder, the Cookie Diet; Heidi Skolnik, M.S., co-author, The Reverse Diet; Allan Borushek, R.D., author, CalorieKing’s 2009 Calorie, Fat & Carbohydrate Counter (Family Health Publications, 2008); Jeff Halevy, fitness coach and personal trainer, New York City

Damage Control

Well, I weighed in this morning. It was pretty brutal. I gained 6.2 lbs. Ouch. I know a lot of that is probably water weight, considering I snacked on mostly salty stuff, but still. It’s amazing how quickly it comes back on.

But today is a fresh start. I’m going to get back on track and recover from this setback.

I ordered the same meal for each day, like I said I might try. Breakfasts this week = french toast; lunches = chessy enchilada; dinners = chicken fajitas; desserts = cheesecake/brownie/chocolate cake.

One advantage to this strategy is that it makes my coordinating fruits and veggies very easy to plan out for the week. For example, I know that I’ll want to have salsa and sauteed onions, peppers, and mushrooms to go with my enchiladas and fajitas, and strawberries or raspberries to go with my chocolate desserts. It keeps things very simple, and I already know that I will enjoy each meal for the week.

I also need to get back into a regular exercise routine. To have the energy to do that, I need to go to bed earlier each night.

So, to recap, here’s my plan of attack for the week:

• Eat same meals each day, incorporating fresh fruits and veggies into each meal
• Not have any extra food in the house beyond my JC meals and snacks
• Get to bed by 10 pm each night
• Go to the gym every day except Sunday (my day off from working out)
• Journal every bite I put in my mouth
• Continue reading self-help book on emotional eating, and do the exercises in the book/apply it to my life

Moment of truth

I know i promised I would not weigh myself for the entire month of March, but I lied. I kinda weighed myself every week. It is going much slower than I would like but I just keep reminding myself that I did not gain all this weight overnight, and should not expect to lose it all overnight. I do feel smaller though, my face and neck feel smaller and my goal pants seem to be fitting better with each time I try them though I need to get rid of the doughnut roll on the side that I get.

so here I go…I am actually proud that I have stuck in for as long as I did/have, and I dont want to give up. My new target is July. I go to Atlanta for the AC Milan game and I dont want to be fat for that one, so back to the grinder for me. Wish me luck.

P/S I am still not smoking….

Put an End to Fat Jokes

For many people, weight loss and dieting is a life-long struggle. More often than not, people who go on crash diets end up gaining the weight back when they stop dieting. Research has shown that there are several invaluable strategies that can aid in long-term weight loss. Here are some tips to lose that fat stomach for good:

1.) Exercise: this is the most important predictor of whether you will be able to lose weight and reach goals. Experts recommend at least five 30-minute exercise sessions per week. If you find a physical activity that you enjoy, you’re more likely to stick to it.

2.) Weight training: the more muscle tissue you have, the faster your metabolism will be. Increasing your metabolism is the best way to stay at your target weight.

3.) Keep a food diary: take some time each day to record what you have eaten and how much as well as any emotions or feelings present at the time. These diaries can provide self-awareness in terms of what triggers you to overeat.

4.) Eat slowly: the brain takes 20 minutes to signal the body that it has eaten enough. People who eat fast often eat beyond their true level of fullness within the first 20 minutes, taking in many more calories than they would have if they ate slower.

Laying it all out there

I am 25, overweight, and I will do something about it! Over the next 17 weeks I will participate in a Weight Watchers at work program to shed pounds and become a healthier person.

Why Change?

I am 5’8,” 210 lbs with a 43 inch waist. To put this in perspective, I weigh enough to qualify for the heavyweight division in boxing and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC.) Armed with this knowledge, I want to change. I need to change my habits.

What is My Goal?

In 17 weeks I would like to weigh 175 lbs and rock a 36 inch waist.

Additionally, there is another reason for making changes. I believe I am a great single guy that has trouble connecting with women I find attractive because of my weight. By losing weight, I hope to eliminate this sense of insecurity around women and make a difference in my dating life.

Why Weight Watchers?

I have heard many great things about Weight Watchers from friends and colleagues at work. Since my company holds Weight Watchers meetings every Tuesday and pays for half of the enrollment fee, I have no excuse now do I?

Have you been a part of the Weight Watchers program?

I look forward to chatting with you over the next 17 weeks and sharing my experiences.

- Weight Watchers Guy

Recap Day 5 Friday April 10th

Calories: Goal: Between 1330-1680

Consumed: 1337 Right On Target!

Water : Goal: 8 Cups

Consumed: 13 Cups- I Rock!

Exercise: Went to the gym for 35 minutes did tried day 1 for c25k before i start next week and did 5 min warm up on tredmil and 10 min of alternating jogging and walking, then walked the remaining 10.  Then did 10 minutes on stationary bike. Kept my heart rate at 150 the whole time.

The Perfect Marriage

So the whole purpose of this blog site is to share what I feel is the “Perfect Marriage” - Fitness and Nutrition.  You can’t have one without the other as some people tend to believe.  You may lose weight by eating right, but you’ll not have a tone and cut body without exercise.  Turn that around and you may have strong muscles and you may have a bunch of strength, but if you don’t have the proper nutrition and diet, your muscle will just grow under your fat and make you look fatter!

Beachbody and Mona Vie offer the best of both worlds for world-class results…between the new Beachbody “Shakeology” meal replacement shakes and Mona Vie’s amazing ability to assist your joints and free-radical scavaging offering you thirteen servings of fruits a day…add in one of Beachbody’s incredible workout programs such as P90X or CHALean Extreme and you can’t help but lose weight, get cut and strengthen up.

Here’s my regimin -

Shot of Mona Vie in the morning

Fruit and or nuts for snack

Shakeology for lunch

Fruit/small salad for snack

Light Dinner - Small amount of lean meat and vegatables

And don’t forget to drink a ton of water every day…

And for fitness I’m following the P90X workout routine…

Cap off the night with a second shot of Mona Vie and voila!

I am already seeing results and way excited about this perfect marriage of diet and fitness with Mona Vie and Beachbody…And I didn’t even mention that both of these products offer the ability to make money through the most amazing “New Generation Binary” comp plans.  So as we see results using these products and start telling people how we are getting these results…we can either sell the potential clients the products or have them join to do the same thing we are doing!   So it’s just the most amazing combination EVER!  Fitness, Nutrition and Income all in one!

Try it out…you won’t be disappointed…

(Pathway2Fitness does not require you join both opportunities to pursue any of the results talked about in this post.  Mona Vie and Beachbody are two completely seperate companies and compensation plans and must not be presented in such a way as to make someone think they have to participate in both.)

Chocolate Banana Snack Cake and A Lovely Day of Eats

Hi! Sorry to be posting so late, but I just got home. If you are reading this on Friday morning: TGIF! If you are up late on Thursday, happy almost TGIF! I had a couple of birthday gatherings to attend this evening, so I’m up a little past my bedtime. Even so, I wanted to give you the scoop on my grub for the day as well as a new and tasty recipe that I made. First things first, here’s a re-run for you:

I have enough pineapple for one more “Tropical Pineapple Right Side Up Breakfast Cookie.” I’ll be having it a few hours from now, and I’m looking forward to it already. I’m a little bit hungry, but hopefully I will make it until then! I had this morning’s cookie along with a cup of blueberry tea mixed with skim milk and unsweetened vanilla almond breeze. I’m loving this breakfast SO much! 

Today was a work from home day, and I usually go to noontime kickboxing when I’m working at home. Since I’ve been a bit more sore than usual this week, I decided to just do a more laid back cardio workout in the gym this evening. I still scorched about 600 calories, but I think my muscles were probably glad not to be subjected to a kickboxing workout today. I usually have a pre-kickboxing snack, and I decided to uphold the tradition– despite the lack of actual kickboxing. I snacked on a Sunshiny Blueberry Muffin from the freezer. Remember those? I did, once I found a couple in the freezer. It was still perfect once I gave it a very quick zap in the micro. I guess I can add “freezes well” to their list of attributes. 

I love these little muffins, and can’t wait until I have some bona fide Virginia berries from the farmer’s market to use in them. YUM! Eventually, lunchtime rolled around. My lunch looks very similar to last night’s dinner with two exceptions: skewer #1 and skewer #2.

I wanted to reheat my fries, and I was hoping to make them crispy. What’s a girl with no toaster oven to do? Well, make French fry kabobs in the pop up toaster! What else?!  Seriously!

 

I’m glad I thought of this, although I was a bit skeptical of the idea at first. I envisioned having potato bits trapped in my toaster forever or pulling flaming skewers from the toaster with my tongs in a blaze of glory, but it worked just fine. My fries crisped up, and I didn’t set anything on fire. Perfect! Plus, I got to eat my fries on a stick. There should be more foods on sticks! The leftover burger from last night was great along with some leftover steamed veggies and Country Bob’s sauce. I do love my leftovers! 

For dessert number one, I had a Brent & Sam’s Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie with some almond breeze on the side. I like to buy these cookies from time to time because they come individually wrapped. That’s perfect for me since it could take me months to eat a package of cookies! After that, I was still craving a little something.

I had two vanilla wafers with a smear of Mighty Maple PB. I just had three more, although you won’t see any photos of my late night snack. Sorry. Dessert number two was followed up sometime later by my afternoon snacks. I had a bowl of Greek yogurt from the Blue Ridge Dairy folks topped with some Bees ‘n Blossoms pomegranate honey jelly and some Zoe’s cinnamon raisin granola. I love how the jelly looks like a jewel sitting on top. This bowl was yummy and satisfying. I should mention that the bowl itself is one of my favorites. It’s jadeite, and it spent years holding bacon grease in my grandmother’s kitchen. It’s contents have changed somewhat, but the beautiful color is just the same. 

I also had a Pink Lady apple with some cashew butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon before I went to the gym. The apple was so crisp, and that’s just the way I like them. I hate mealy apples! Red delicious apples are NOT delicious, in my opinion.

Before I hopped into the shower after my time in the gym, I mixed up a quick snack cake recipe that I found on the Cooking Light website. I was, once again, trying to use up some of the frozen bananas in my freezer jungle, and this cake looked too easy and good to pass up. I’ll give you the link if you want to check it out: LINK. I, of course, tweaked my version based on what I had on hand, and my desire to knock the calories back a tiny bit. Here were my changes to the recipe I linked to above:

• I used 3/4 cup of sugar instead of 1 cup. I thought it was sweet enough, and the chocolate really rocked!
• I used 3/4 cup of all purpose flour and 1/4 cup of teff flour.
• I only had a little cup of Mott’s unsweetened pomegranate plus applesauce, and that worked just fine for the applesauce requirement.
• I used instant espresso powder since that’s the only “instant coffee” in my cupboard.
• I did not bake it on parchment paper, but rather in a 9×9 glass baking dish coated in cooking spray.
• I cut mine into 12 instead of 16 because… I like bigger pieces.

I’m sure that it would be fabulous if you just followed the recipe, but I thought I’d mention my little changes just in case you were curious. I can also think of about a zillion add ins that would be amazing! Peanut butter chips are at the top of that list! I do love Cooking Light, and I like that they provide the nutritional information for all of their recipes. When you start tweaking, you have to do some recalculating on your own, but it does provide you with a nice general idea, which I find to be very helpful.

This cake is similar to a cakey brownie. I like that the edges crisped up. I put mine in a bowl so that I could add…

… a bit of ice cream on the side, of course! Instead of having my fake cake this evening, I had the real deal. It was goooood! I have to recommend this recipe! I wrapped some pieces up and put them into the freezer. If I made them to clean out the freezer, but then put them back in, is this progress? Methinks the answer is yes. I’d rather find a bag of this chocolate banana cake in the freezer than a bag of gooey bananas any day. 

Oh gosh! I just remembered that I totally forgot to tell you about dinner. I was too excited about dessert! No surprise there, right? My dinner was quick since I had parties to attend. I heated up a container of Boca chili (one more thing out of the freezer), with a corn vita top (another thing out of the frozen jungle) and a piece of light string cheese. Quick and easy– which was perfect since I was in a bit of a hurry. I really did eat this before I had my cake and ice cream. Really. I did.

Now, I need to mix up my breakfast cookie, finish putting clean sheets on my bed, and then put myself to bed! Is it just me, or are clean sheets THE BEST?!

If you had to choose between “milk and cookies” or “cake and ice cream,” which would you pick? I’d have a hard time, but I think I’d probably have to go with cake and ice cream. Especially if the cake had frosting on it. Mmm… frosting!

Before I go:

Karen at To Be The Whole Package is hosting an Honest Foods giveaway that I would love to win, but you should enter it too.

Kelly at Happy Texans is having an awesome bagel giveaway, but you only have until tomorrow to enter so hurry!

There is a Barney Butter giveaway going on at Meloncauliflower’s site. Check out her recent Barney Butter fiasco. This post cracked me up. If you travel and are a foodie, you can likely relate!

Ciao for now, bloggies!

Weekly Weigh-In

I will be out of town for a long weekend due to the Easter Holiday, so I weighed in a day early.

Starting Weight: 315lbs

Current Weight: 287lbs

Next Goal Weight: 250lbs

Like many of you, I have spent a huge amount of my life on a diet. When I was in high school I would eat about 800 calories a day (a Little Debbie snack for lunch, a sandwich for dinner). I was able to lose a little bit of weight and kept it off for my junior year, before ballooning back up during my senior year. I also did the Atkins diet a couple of times, and was able to stick with it for about a month each time. More recently (two summers ago), I tried the “poverty diet” and ate very little because I had a strict budget. I supplemented this with a 2 mile walk/jog every night, and was able to get down to about 290lbs. Of course you know my weight from the beginning of January, so clearly that diet didn’t stick either.

I have to admit that this is the longest time that I have ever been on a “diet.” I use that term loosely, like many dieting bloggers do, because this isn’t really a diet for me. I’m completely changing my lifestyle and eating habits. My eating isn’t extremely restrictive, and my exercising doesn’t take up all of my time. It’s sustainable. No, I haven’t really been losing weight at the speed I would like, but I am creating new habits and it gets easier every day. One thing that has been incredibly helpful is just updating this blog. It helps to be accountable to someone, even if it is a handful of anonymous people on the internet. Plus the journaling aspect allows me to look back and see what I’ve done right, and what I need to improve.

I don’t know exactly what my point is with this entry. I think I wanted to say thanks to everyone who reads this, and those who leave comments encouraging me or telling me to get my butt into gear. I also want to encourage anyone who reads this to keep working! It is hard to learn new habits, and it is hard to change your life. You just have to keep trying until you find what works for you.

How to Remove Cellulite to Look Slim and Perfect In Shape

Cellulite is something that occurs quickly and without a warning. It consists of hard fat lumps entangled in between skin tissues. This makes it difficult for the body to flush out the fat deposits that are visible on the skin. If you want to know how to remove cellulite effectively then this article is for you. Just read this article and find effective ways to remove cellulite.

You can’t remove cellulite just by taking a balanced diet or simply applying a cream to the affected area. There are several things which you have to do in order to remove cellulite. These are as below -

1. Try consuming a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Avoid fried foods and refined carbohydrates such as white rice and white bread.

2. Keep yourself hydrated. Drinking plenty of water will not only help you to remove cellulite but also help your body to get rid of unwanted toxins.

3. You should also limit your caffeine, alcohol and salt intake in order to remove cellulite. Also try to quit smoking and avoid being around those who smoke. It is a proven fact that cigarette smoke harms your small blood vessels.

4. Remember to exercise at least half an hour daily. You can even try certain strength exercises if you want to target a specific area of the body. There are many exercises (generally known as cellulite exercises) that may help you to shed extra fat from specific area of the body.

5. Try to reduce your stress level. Stress can have a negative effect on your skin therefore find some effective ways to relax your mind and body during a time of tension.

6. On top of healthy diet and exercises for removing cellulite, you need to include anti-cellulite products and procedures that have been especially formulated to remove cellulite.

Remove cellulite to look slim and perfect in shape!

Looking for some more home remedies for cellulite? Check out the biggest home remedies website and find effective home remedies for obesity to shed extra body fat naturally.

Just too impatient

I had a really hard time at the gym tonight.  I went in tired, which probably added to it.  I got on the treadmill and only got up to 3.4 at a 5% incline.  Then I was only able to do that for about 10 minutes before I felt dizzy and had to slow down to 3.  Then I finally got up to 3.2 at a 4% incline and walked for 10 more minutes.  I walked for a total of 30 minutes and burned 370 calories.  So I hit the stair climber and did it for about 7 minutes and burned another 75 calories.  So I managed to hit 445 calories, but feel much more tired than last night. 

Decided I could probably use some ab work, so I did the exercise balls for 4 reps of 20.  Felt every one of em too.

I wish I could see some results of my work now. I know it’s too much to ask for, but when I’ve “dieted” in the past, I could lose 5-7 pounds a week.  And I know that working out builds muscle, so it comes off slower, but it’s still not as gratifying as seeing those numbers!  I just have to keep telling myself that it’ll pay off in the long run.

I calculated my basal metabolic rate and at my current activity level, I have to consume approximately 3000 calories per day to stay at the weight I am now.  I’m burning around 400 calories a day.  I didn’t eat much today because I worked a 12 hour shift and just wasn’t hungry.  I probably ate around 1000 calories.  I know that I need to eat more though.  That puts my calorie deficit at around 2400 calories.  Not sure at this point, but maybe I just need to eat more.

 

*** update — felt really sluggish and couldn’t concentrate.  I ate some fruit and feel much better.  I definitely think I’m not eating enough.

Weigh in day!

It’s weigh in day!  Get your weights to me and I’ll post the results tomorrow night!  If you haven’t reported in a while, it’s okay to jump back in!  We’ve got until May 12th, the Biggest Loser season seven finale to lose the weight for the contest and that’s still plenty of time to pull it off!  And just to remind you, here’s the prize!

We’ve got some great organizations that have jumped in to contribute to our prize, making it possible for our big winner to walk away with over $180 worth of prizes!  Click their links and check ‘em out!

• The Biggest Loser Complete Calorie Counter, $7.95 (from me)
• The Biggest Loser Cookbook, $21.95 (from me)
• Destination Transformation, $14.95; my first book!  Co-written by myself and ten other former Biggest Loser contestants!
• Race This! Volume 1, $39.00; Simply Youth Ministry has donated this great collection of dot style races!
• HEAL: Healthy Eating and Abundant Living, $12.99; a great new resource from Simply Youth Ministry all about pursuing health in a way that honors God!
• Refuel, $12.99; the new book from Doug Fields on connecting with God, another great donation from Simply Youth Ministry!
• Millennial Influence podcast CD’s, $15.00; a great ministry to those who work with teenagers, Millennial Influence has donated several cd’s of their podcast, each containing three episodes.  Check them out here!
• Motor Tabs, $55.98; Motor Tabs has donated two boxes of their rehydration tabs, each worth $27.99!  They’re a great way to stay hydrated during your workouts, and as an added bonus, they’re low calorie!  I love using them while I’m at the gym!

We Help Control Weight & Grocery Bill...Guaranteed

Tried everything to control your weight?  How about something that also controls your Grocery bill??  And frees up your time for more important things?  All it takes is Discipline & Diet….but wait, there’s more…. We provide the Discipline and you provide the Diet (we suggest low carb since it worked for many of us )  The toughest part is the Discipline….it’s so hard to walk through the grocery store without succumbing to all the special deals and treats that ruin the best of intentions and thus a proper diet plan.  Solution:  Send us your family grocery list and we’ll walk the grocery aisle guantlet for you.  And, it’s  Delivered In A Flash® by your CyberValet® Shopper.  Voila !! You save your Diet + your Time (1.5 hours average) + Money (68% lower bill) + Gas & Car expenses.   And, you can enjoy yourself while we’re working for you (here’s one suggestion below….)  Visit us at www.TheNowMall.com (Tallahassee, Miami South Beach and Dorado, PR…more areas opening soon…).   Best Regards,  Gail New Efficient Way To Shop

no microwave for me

Well, at least at home. At work the microwave is unavoidable. I have not had a microwave in my house for years. When I met my husband, he had one, and when we moved in together the thing lasted about a month before it went to Goodwill. I can’t stand microwaved food, and I don’t think the microwave, or the food that comes out of it is particularly good for you. Like I said, I actually do use the one at work, but it’s hard not to. There’s not much else for me to do when I pack my lunch, and it needs to be heated. I suppose I could become a raw vegetarian, but I don’t see that happening anytime soon (not that I haven’t thought about it…and I did buy a book about it). When cooking dinners at home, I stick completely to the stove top and oven. I actually BAKE potatoes. Imagine!

I have been reading some things on the web here and there about what other vegetarians are eating for dinner, and we shocked to see that many of them are eating microwave frozen dinners! I can’t even bring myself to eat one of those things at work for lunch. I certainly couldn’t imagine eating one for dinner. Those frozen dinners are just not good for you. I know that the Amy’s stuff isn’t terrible, but mostly they have too many calories, too much fat and too much salt. I certainly can’t say that I don’t eat any processed foods, but I like to read ingredients and nutrition labels, and cook as whole and organic as I can. I have to know what I am eating.

Tonight I did get kind of obsessed with getting a pressure cooker though. I think that it’s an old-school way of cooking fast. It’s supposed to also infuse food with more flavor. I’m all about that. I’d love to make brown rice in less then 40 minutes. So, my research on the subject goes on. I found a vegetarian pressure cooker book that looks pretty interesting. I also started looking into the cookers. I am leaning towards the Presto 6-quart. I am not ready to invest the big bucks for the fancy kind at this point, and this one has over 200 good reviews.

Hmmm…what to do…what to do…

Tonight we had vegetarian chili that I made yesterday. I used no oil at all, and it is super healthy. Lots of veggies and beans, and some Quorn grounds. I made a double batch and froze half, so we can have it again later in the week. Yesterday for lunch I ate it traditionally, but tonight I had some over shredded cabbage, and ate it with corn tortillas heated in the panini press.

Day 27

Rest (or X Stretch) - slept in ’til 9am

I should just start leaving out the X stretch part, since I’ve never done it nor do I think I will ever do it.  Frankly, when the end of the week rolls around I just don’t want to think about Tony Horton anymore.  The rest day is really just a break from his unfunny jokes, his super-fit, super-flexible cronies and from “bringing it” all the time.

Today is a momentous occasion, though.  It concludes my first month of the program (save for that day I lost when I readjusted the whole schedule.)  I don’t feel very different, though.  I don’t think I look different, either.  My clothes fit the same.  I can wear a tighter notch on my belt, but the usual one is fine.  I just don’t think the earth-shattering results I was secretly hoping for have occurred.  I’m no fool, of course.  I shouldn’t have expected to change the world with this, but I’ve seen other people’s blogs online and they seemed to have more change in their physique after only 28 days.  As a diabetic I know I should not have expected similar results, but yet I did.  Bah, that’s my mistake.  I know it, I own it.

Maybe the P90X Lean program isn’t what I should have started with.  I know Tony says its equally as hardcore as the Classic, but while the excessive cardio is probably great for my heart, its not really conducive to the more sudden, glorious musculature that I’ve seen develop on other people.

I’m going to read over the fitness guide again and make a decision today as to whether or not I wish to continue with the Lean program, or switch to the classic program for month 2.  As of right now, I don’t know.  The best way to make that kind of decision is to google even more blogs and see what other “real” people are doing.

Maybe I should take my pics today and use those to help gauge my decision.

Obesity – a review

Obesity – a review

Most people think that obesity goes no deeper than a less than fashionable look, but they are wrong. Obesity today is an epidemic, a disease spreading fast across both the industrialized world and emerging economies.

Obesity means having too much fat on your body. First and foremost, obesity puts a strain on joints and bones that have to sustain more weight than before, which leads to arthritis in the long run. The weight also tends to make people less active, which, in turn, means more weight is put on.

The lack of activity and high cholesterol brought by eating too much of the wrong kind of food impair the proper functioning of your heart and blood vessels. This results in high blood pressure, stroke and other blood and heart conditions. Excess weight also leads to apnea, the cessation of breathing during sleep.

However, obesity can be cured with patience and effort. As this diseases spreads over the land, so do the efforts for curing it increase. Talk to your physician if you are interested in getting rid of obesity.

Recognizing obesity?

The textbook definition of obesity is a body mass index of 30 or above. The body mass index is a measure of a person’s weight scaled according to height, as developed by Belgian scientist Adolphe Quetelet in 1840. This index serves to show the amount of fat stored on the body, and the higher your BMI is, the worst is your exposure to certain diseases.

Physicians also warm that having a lot of fat stored around your waist increases the risk of developing diseases. Going beyond size 35 in women and size 40 in men means only trouble in the future.

how much should i weigh

 

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Why Are You Losing It?

Good question right?

Why are you losing weight?

I am asking not to put you on the spot, but to challenge you to figure out the real reason YOU are losing weight, toning up, or any other form of getting fit.  We all hear lots of statistics about obesity rates and heart disease, diabetes and cancer.  We are also inundated daily with images of ridiculously fit stars and celebrities who seem to be able to work full time at keeping their six packs.  So where do you fit in?

Don’t get me wrong, frankly I am pumped for anyone to be making the choice to lose weight (when necessary) and get healthy, but to really make sustainable changes, you need to understand why you want to change.  All the best intentions from friends, family, doctors and colleagues don’t a fit body make, so ask yourself why you want to change.  The answer to that question will be what keeps you sweating through another hour of circuit training, turning away that extra slice of cake or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.

So, whether you want to look hot in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt, want to run a half-marathon, rock the beach in a hot new swimsuit, or simply get rid of the guilt when you do have a couple glasses of wine, find your answer.  My answer is my children (no, none yet, so I have many years of maintaining ahead of me).  I want to be able to dance at my childrens’ wedding and maybe even my grandchildrens’.  My mother was unhealthy my whole life and 4 years ago, I lost her.  She missed my wedding and she is the reason I want to stay fit and healthy, so my children won’t be writing about me, they can talk to me!  So take a second, right now, and ask yourself;

WHY ARE YOU LOSING IT?

The answer may surprise you, but one thing I can guarantee you, it will motivate you like nothing else !

Day 29 hawaiian juice fast/feast

The thing I am aware of today is that I feel strong and light.. Two day ago I was able to lift as much and with some exercises more than before i started the fast yet I have dropped about 18 lbs.  The result is I feel very flexible, very strong, more definition, much lighter, about 15 years younger, and a lot of energy, as well as feeing calm, centered and optimistic.  Isn’t juice feasting/fasting great!  I have been drinking a lot of young coconut water and am back up to about half a bottle a day of the e3live.  Today we will hit the gym, finish packing up.  Did about an hour and half of sunbathing yesterday , so I am pretty chocolate colored.  Goals for fitness next 3-6 months … get up to 50 chinups, 100 pushups straight, and 20 handstand pushups.  Lots of rock wall climbing, yoga, and swimming.

Love and light

Dr. George

Young vegetarians may have healthier diets but could be at risk for disordered eating behaviors

Young vegetarians may have healthier diets but could be at risk for disordered eating behaviors

Although adolescent and young adult vegetarians may eat a healthier diet, there is some evidence that they may be at increased risk for disordered eating behaviors.

In a study published in the April 2009 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, researchers observed that adolescent and young adult vegetarians may experience the health benefits associated with increased fruit and vegetable intake and young adults my experience the added benefit of decreased risk for overweight and obesity. However, current vegetarians may be at increased risk for binge eating, while former vegetarians may be at increased risk for extreme unhealthful weight control behaviors.  Read on

Friendly Competition at Twolia

A couple of my fellow bloggers over at Twolia, have come up with a contest OMT (Operation Muffin Top). Catherinette from The Catherinette Chronicles & KiKi from I’m Not Kidding and their followers are challenging each other to ready themselves for bikini season. You know…loosing the back fat, muffin top, etc. that plagues many of us (like moi). Caitlin even has a name for the unattractive stuff that pops out the top of your TOO small bra…aka Muffin Boob. Of course we are all striving for this type of bod, but  the question is…….CAN WE DO IT!!!

I do believe these women are SERIOUS and will kick some butt along with some pounds and inches! If you wish to join…go to either Catherinette’s or KiKi’s blog for contest rules and info! Good luck!

Being Able To Buy A New Wardrobe Has Nothing To Do With It

Can I just be real and tell you that I have DREADED writing this post. DREAD. ED. Probably because it will actually force me to do something about something I’ve struggled with for the past year - ok maybe few years.

My weight and eating habits.

There ya have it. It’s out there in blogland for the entire world wide web, or at least the four of you that regularly visit, to see. And to be perfectly honest I’m kind of excited. And terrified. And afraid I’m going to fall flat on my face.

When Hubby and I were married I was at my “perfect” weight - about 120. I was also bicyling alot. Oh ya I was smoking and not eating very well either. Since then I have quit smoking (thanks to Jesus). But I have also quit exercising and I still eat very poorly.

When Little Pip unexpectantly came a visiting last year I was up to 150. The weird thing is I didn’t feel overweight. I’ll write more about that later. But I think that has played a big role in my continuing to gain weight. During my pregnancy I actually think I was eating pretty heathly but I wasn’t exercising like I should have been and slowly my weight crept up there. I ended up at 198 (sorry I will not say 200) when Pip was born. Immediately I lost about 20 pounds and since then have lost another 10 and so am now at 164.

I recently came across some very cool bloggers who started The Sisterhood of the Skinny Jeans. But it’s not just for sisters so Hubby’s going to join with me! I might even convince him to blog a time or two. Ha ha.  The website is great and it’s just what I need to help get me motivated. Plus having to blog about it and tell all of blogland will hopefully hold me accountable.

Each week I’ll share where I’m at weight wise and also share what I’m struggling with, along with some tips and solutions in eating healthy and staying fit.  The Sisterhood also has some amazing giveaways and contests and right now they are having a giveaway for a great workout DVD. Head over to The Sisterhood to check it out!

Here’s our starting weights. Brace yourself.

Missy’s Current weight: 164

Missy’s Goal (ideal): 120

Missy’s Goal (realistic): 130

Hubby’s current weight: 217

Hubby’s Goal (ideal): 175

Hubby’s Goal (realistic): 190

So in conclusion: I need to lose weight. Hopefully The Sisterhood can help. Mr Twinkie you will be missed.