Sunshine ~ Bravo on your choices.

Timmyshawn


Natalia ~ We all need days off and as long as we don't go crazy or do it to often we should be fine. Sounds like there was lots of temptations.

Tinky ~ It is very confusing so I played with my calories until I found out what worked for me. This week it has been a real slow loss but my calories are higher than normal and I am alright with that. I just want to make sure I either lose or maintain over the weekend. Last weekend was the first time in a long time that I didn't actually gain. Shew.

Zenor ~ How are you feeling today? I sure hope you are feeling better.

Calories Wednesday: 1586
Higher than normal but I was really active last night and hungry when I sat down to watch TV so I had a 90 calorie drizzle pack and a cup of air popped popcorn.

I couldn't resist last night I made another one of those yummy salads. I don't know why but I just can't get enough of it. I could easily become a vegitarian at this point with the Morningstar and Boca products. They are pricey to me but they are so good and I figure good for you, well at least I hope.

I took my pony out for a short drive last night, he was such a good boy for me, well what I consider a good boy. Yes, he kept trying to turn around but he listened when I said no and he went the speed I wanted him to go. DD took him out when I was done and he wouldn't listen to her at all. For some reason he doesn't like my DD and even gave her hassles about putting the harness on, I normally do it alone. She probably won't take him out again for a while. She said she couldn't slow him down. He is definitely my boy.

Has anyone tried to use the Boca "ground beef"? I was thinking about trying to make chili with it. Like I said, I could easily become vegetarian with this stuff. Someone said they used it to make tacos but I don't remember who. Maybe this weekend I can try making it.

I started doing strength training again this week. I was dedicated to doing for over a year and then, not a clue why, all of a sudden I lost the will to do it. I am getting it back to do it again. I know what happened is I was trying to do the full body two days a week instead of breaking it up into areas 6 days a week. What I mean is one day I do upper body, then mid section and then legs. That way it only takes about 15 minutes a day instead of about 40 to 50 minutes straight two days a week. So, I am back to doing the short segments 15 minutes a day. So doable for me.

Well I better get going and I will talk at you later.

This was sent out to us at work and I thought you all might enjoy it.

May is Physical Fitness & Sports Month

Did you know that exercise could help you to be sharper at work and make you feel less tired at home? Exercise can also give you some quality time with your spouse, and it can help you enjoy a cookie without guilt. Here are 10 fitness facts that will inspire you to get off the couch.

1. Exercise boosts brainpower.
Exercise helps your mental function. It increases energy levels and increases serotonin in the brain. It is clear that those who exercise are more productive at work.

2. Movement melts away stress.
Once you start working out, you will experience less stress in every part of your life. Exercise produces a relaxation response and will elevate your mood. When you are less stress, you are less irritable. This, in turn, could improve your relationships with your family and coworkers.

3. Exercise gives you energy.
When you improve your strength and stamina, it is easier to accomplish everyday tasks. And this will help to make you feel more energetic over the course of the day.

4. You can find time to exercise.
The key is to use your time wisely. You can easily kill two birds with one stone. Spend time with your family, while getting physical activity. For example, take a bike ride or play at a park with your kids. At work, schedule a meeting on a golf course. You do not have to make time to go to the gym, by taking an hour out of your day. You can work short spurts of activity into your day. Squeezing three 15-20 minutes of activity is just as effective as doing it all at once. To lose weight and keep it off, the U.S. government says you should accumulate at least 60 minutes of exercise per day.

5. Fitness can build relationships.
Exercising with a partner can do a lot for a relationship, whether it’s your spouse, sibling, or friend. Exercise is also a lot more fun when you have a partner! People who workout with someone else, stay with programs and reach their goals more often than those who do it alone.

6. Exercise wards off disease.
Exercise has been shown to slow or help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, and loss of muscle. It also helps ease aspects of the aging process. Exercise can even boost immune function, which means you will spend less time being sick.

7. Working out pumps up your heart.
Exercise creates a stronger heart, which helps make exercise feel easier. Your heart and cardiovascular system will function more effectively. When the heart becomes stronger, it pumps more blood per beat. Only a couple days after you start exercising, the body adapts to the stimulus, and it becomes easier. It will not take as much effort when it comes to breathing.

8. Exercise lets you eat more.
You cannot just eat anything, but you can afford to enjoy some of the things you like when you exercise regularly.

9. Exercise boosts performance.
After a few weeks of a new exercise program, your clothes will start to fit better and your muscle tone will improve. You will be strengthening your muscles, increasing your flexibility, improving your overall performance, and you will gain a greater sense of endurance. Your reaction time and balance will also improve.

10. Losing weight is not the most important goal.
The main (and sometimes only) reason people start exercising and improving their diet is with the goal of losing weight in mind. The long-term goal of losing weight is sold too heavily on people starting fitness programs. People do not tend to stick with the program, if they do not see results quickly. The main goal that people should look to is to increase their level of functioning in their everyday activities. Strive to feel better, to have more energy, and to be less stressed. With a goal of losing weight, exercise has to become a part of your everyday life.

Source: http://www.webmd.com/content/article/109/109203.htm

Tinky ~ Thanks for the information. I have always been a huge meat fan, raised that way. When the Atkins plan came out and I was introduced to it I was SOOOO elated but I ended up with kidney stones and I was told that the program was not for me by my kidney specialist. So for me to like all this Boca and Morningstar products tells you how good it is. I think its on the expensive side but how can you put I can't put a price on my health.

I am just an animal lover in general. I would rather be with animals than humans which people think is weird but that is just me. I grew up in the country with one other kid my age and she was a brat because she was an only child. So, I prefered being with our family dog, cats, rabbits and went to here house to try and con a horse ride or even to take one out and brush it. My Dad wouldn't allow me to have a horse so having my horses is my dream and I thank DH all the time for making it possible. He likes the horses but doesn't do anything with them except work for them. He maintains the pastures, make sure we have hay and helps feed them. He used to ride but it bothers his hips so his pleasure comes from seeing me get to spend time with them. Wonderful man.

I have a wedding that I should go to, the brat girl I grew up with, but I am not going. I found and excuse and sticking with it. I don't approve of how they met or anything else. Probably because I was hurt in an identical situation. It would be one thing if the guy was single or even separated from his wife when she started dating him but she knew he was married and still living with his family and she continued to date him until she finally told him he had to leave his wife and he did. ARG!

OK, can you all tell I am chatty today? HAHAHAHA! Its friday and I try to work as little as possible. I work my tail off all week so I have a light load on Fridays.

Okay, I have to tell someone... I GOT TICKETS TO GO SEE BOB DYLAN!!!

I know this may not seen exciting to most people, but he's a legend and we got seats on the floor, so we are pretty close to the stage. Woo hoo!

Happy Friday everyone!

I finally got my car on the road, legally! Tags only set me back $5, that wasn't as bad as the keys. So I went for a drive and didn't get any speeding tickets, which is a good thing. That car is a cop magnet, I have to watch the speedometer like a hawk. (But it's so much fun!)

Zenor- Very cool about the tickets! Isn't it fun when you get to do something out of the norm? And glad you're feeling better!

Lara- I made tacos with the morningstar ground meatless product, they were okay. Tried it with spaghetti, didn't like the texture. I guess I could get used to it if I really wanted to! The hot dogs were gross! LOL
I love the Boca products & so do the kids. Very convenient when I don't have time to make dinner. Kroger has the largest selection, Walmart has the lowest prices. I go to Walmart and stock up.
Good job on your strength training! Every time someone posts about exercise, I get a little more motivated! I got my eye on an elliptical machine, will have to wait another month before I can get it.

Natalia- Congrats on the weight loss! I can't wait to get in the healthy BMI zone. Don't beat yourself up over your 'naughty' food day. Thats' why I love calorie counting, it's okay to occasionally have a day like that. I guess we have to be accountable for how much we eat, and quit letting food be our enemy. That's what I am learning here. Especially since I have a 9 yo who is counting cals with me. He still has a sweet treat everyday, he's learning to make healthier choices and to eat a serving, not 3 at a time.

Rocknroll- WTG with the exercise!!! Wow, I got tired just reading what you accomplished!

Timmyshawn- hope you feel better soon!

Well, I better get back to my day, lots of stuff do to. Tomorrow is my weigh in, so I want to be really good today!
Have a nice day everyone!

Mary. Portion control is my biggest issue. All these years what I thought was a serving is actually two or three servings. I know that now but it is still hard to keep it under control. I do notice now I get full faster than I used to and I now push it away when I feel full. Before I would just keep cramming it in until it was gone. I have been working on slowing down on how fast I eat also. I noticed my family is scarfers. Its faster, faster, we look like a bunch of starving people or like someone is going to take it away from us. GEEZ! I just noticed this a couple weeks ago and I am working on slowing down. I actually started laughing once when we were all at a restaurant and had to explain why. They were like thanks alot!

Zenor ~ I am so excited for you, I know I would be and I don't know of to many people that wouldn't want to go.

Hi everyone-
Congrats to everyone on the losses!!! And also everyone that is sick hope that you feel better soon!!!

My week has been ok. I ate a little more than I ususal do but I haven't gained anything. I have been holding steady at 146. Well the house work is already calling my name. I will try to post some more tomorrow!!
Mary

Calories for today~ 1484
Fiber~ 35 grams

Everyone have a great weekend!

Thanks for the encouragement everyone!

Yesterdays calories were around 950 and i took it easy and did two brisk walks that burned off a total of 370.

Anyways, i weighed in this morning and took my measurements! Down one pounds and down a total of 7.5 inches from last week!

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been gone for so long. We were out of town for a graduation, then the kids and I stayed with my parents. We left here on Friday the 11th and we just got home this afternoon! I had only planned on staying until Monday, but our plans changed when my husband found out he had a job interview, and wouldn't be here to help me with the kids. I can handle them during the day, but going 48 hours with no help would be more than I could manage. (And still keep my sanity.)

My goal for my extended out of town visit was to maintain my weight. I weigh in the morning so I will have to see where I'm at then. I couldn't count calories, but I tried really hard to eat well - probably came in under 2000 for most of the time. A few "slipups" of birthday cake and taking an extra serving, but all in all I was very impressed with myself.

Today's numbers:

Total: 1746
Fat: 49 443 26%
Sat: 17 155 9%
Poly: 7 65 4%
Mono: 16 142 8%
Carbs: 229 814 48%
Fiber: 25 0 0%
Protein: 109 436 26%

BREAKFAST: oatmeal, coffee with whole milk
SNACK: cottage cheese, crackers
LUNCH: 6" Turkey on wheat, 1/2 bag sunchips, 2 lowfat oatmeal cookies
SNACK: chicken sandwich, Spanish rice, refried beans
DINNER: 1 c. homemade vegetable beef, ice cream

EXERCISE: walked for about 1.5 hours around a festival with a baby on my back

I'll be better about posting this week, and I will let you all know how my morning weigh-in goes!

I'll catch up on posts as best I can....

I am going to have to catch up on posts later...busy busy today! I am finally starting to feel better so I have to catch up on everything that I didn't get done this week. I just wanted to drop in and let ya'll know that I have a
2.2 lb loss for this week!!!! I am so happy to see the scale move down!!! I feel like that 2 lbs was worth a million. I am so happy and excited! Well I'm off to get busy on the cleaning. I'll be back later.

Hey Ladies! How is everyone!? I hope everyone had a great weekend. I did ok so far. LI've kept my calories under 1500 for Saturday and Sunday. It's below my normal, since I ate more than that on Friday, just trying to balance everything out. I kind of hope I don't have to weigh in at the Women's Clinic tomorrow...my day isn't until Tues.

Petra- Great job at not gaining!!! That's always better than the other. I missed Deadliest Catch last Tues, so I will have to watch it this Tues.

CJC- Hey there!!! You are still doing great. You have a lot on your hands. A little slip up is ok too! Hope your weigh in goes well tomorrow.

Heather- Congrats on the loss!!! Wooo hooooooooo!!!!

Well off to do laundry. I do love the feeling after I work out, but doing it is trying. LOL

My hubby just left for a couple days for business. He doesn't have trips often but when he does I get a major migraine from the stress. Maybe I can avoid it this time. But its my first time alone with the three kids. aaaah!

I've also hit that little bump where I feel like I've come a good ways in my weight loss, but I still have so far to go its depressing. Do you notice a rhythm of these emotions? It goes something like this...Content, excitement over more weight loss, depressed over a pic or glance in the mirror that makes you realize you are still "fat." and it goes in a cycle all the way down to goal weight. <sigh>