Sept 18
B= 2 c mik, vits, banana
L= Jason's Deli small Pollo Mexicana Spud
D= homemade corned beef, carrots, onions, bread/butter
S+ choc muffin

Hubby spend most of Sat at the local airshow, so we packed a lot into today! My dad felt well enough to go to church, lunch, and a little shopping; when we visited today he said he's in no pain and just wants to get back to normal. Everyone at church made a big fuss over him surprised to see him recovering so quickly.

Angela, I'm sorry you and your Hubby are fighting. Would counselling help? Please keep posting to tell us how you are doing, even if its just to vent or a quick checkin. Hang in there.

Beverly, I get bored quickly when I eat the same things. I feel I need variety, also.

Mj, sounds like you are doing great and making a lot of fans!

Good Morning! I am LOVING this fall weather...it's my favorite time of the year!
Beverlyjoy--How are you doing? Any luck w/ low sodium recipes? You are exactly right...one day does NOT define your week.

patchworkpenguin--Wow...your dad is awesome! Good for him, I hope he is making sure he rests too, but I'll bet your mom is making sure of that

I lost 2lbs last week and worked hard, so a good week overall!

I have been craving bad carbs...stuff I haven't eaten in over 6 months...not sure where that is coming from...I cannot even imagine how sick I would feel if I actually ate that stuff, so I won't, but ugh...not fun!

Tonight is a gym night and I can't wait! Gym clothes are packed, ipod is charged...I'm ready!

Have a great day everyone!

Hi friends... yesterday was a healthy day. Grateful to hop back on my plan and not give myself any permission to continue to eat unplanned, unhealthy food.

I did figure out some ways to switch my menu up a bit. I can have from 1500mg - 2000mg of salt each day. I should give myself actual permission to get close to that higher number once in a while. However, I do want my blood pressure to go down.... I am borderline high. I got some low carb, high fiber wraps, more beans (no salt addes), different veggies than usual. and more.

Tonight is the annual Dancing with the Stars kickoff gathering with a family on my street. It started when there little girl was in preschool and loved dancing. She is in fourth grade... still the tradition continues. It will be the last time, however, as they are moving to Idaho in October. I have strawberries and no salt pretzels. They always bring some sweets and a pepperoni twisty thing (way too much salt)

breakfast - toast with pnb, once slice soy bacon, roasted green beans

snack - pumpkin with butter spray, cin, & sfs maple syrup

lunch - wrap of light swiss cheese, beans, tomatoes, stewed tomatoes with t parm cheese

snack - watermelon, fiber bar,

dinner - tuna salad, sweet pot, sliced tomatoes

snack - strawberries, pretzels.

MJ - happy dance for another two pounds. I am thrilled for you. Kudo's for getting your gym stuff ready to go!

PWpenguin - I am so your dad is doing well. Good plan.

Angela - I am sorry you and DH are having some problems. I am glad you are feeling better physically. Plan, Plan and Plan some more, friend.

Shout out to Rainbow, Lottie, Dixiechick and anyone that stops by.

Have a great day everyone.

Hi all y'all!

I have been rearranging furniture as I am having company for our famous International Balloon Fiesta. Desk and computer have changed rooms three times! This totally screws up my routine and I just don't get around to posting regularly like I should. None the worse for the wear as the scale is back to 201.5.

Went shopping on Sat and started on Christmas - yay! Happy to report my underwear is now a size 9 (was a 13) and jeans are 16 (was 26). I went through my closet again and found three more shopping bags worth to donate.

I have also been given more responibility in our Homeless Ministry which now includes purchasing all the food items and hygiene products and the Christmas gift bags and items. I also have to run around to go to Goodwill, Savers, Thiftown, etc, for the backpacks, belts and blankets. Then complete a speadsheet for the expenditures and submit receipts.

b1: coffee, yogurt
b2: hb eggs, pumpkin
l: WW tuna wraps (chopped onion, celery, raw spinach) nectarine
d: stacked and loaded hamburger on sandwich round, peas, blueberries
e: yoga, water aerobics

Beverlyjoy - I get so bored with my food routine too. But on the other hand, if I go too far out of my standard selections, I run the risk of not being able to get back to making better choices. Its always been a dilema for me.

penguin - when looking for canned pumpkin, look on the lower shelves in the baking section. I buy it all the time and my grocer carries it year round. I love those muffins but my lo-cal favorite is 1 can of puree, 1-2 TB of pumpkin pie spice and 1 package of SF FF white chocolate (or vanilla) instant pudding. I have 1/2 c. with my hb eggs so I get a serving of a veggie that is technically a fruit. I have used it in a graham pie crust, too. My vet also recommended I feed the puree (heaping TB) to my dog, too. She loves it!

mj - I totally agree this is a great time of year - my favorite!! Congrats on the 2#. Nice and cool in the a.m. for my walk.

Angela - hang in there, chica.

Rainbow - what a cool idea for a workout. That sounds like fun. En garde!!

Sept 19
B= 2 c milk, vits, banana
L= roast beef sandwich
D= Pizza Hut's pasta, mixed veggies, meatball pizza's
S= 1 choc muffin
E= 45min cardio/weights

Dinner was given to us by my parents. Someone gave them the pasta as an 'after surgery' meal but its not on Dad's scrict diet so they gave it to us. We at the pasta and the veggies, then an hour or so later were hungry again so we make the pizzas. Then we split a muffin then split another. We both have a tendancy to not eat during the day and then be insatiable at night.

We watched the movie "Grace Card", filmed here in Memphis {unlike say Memphis Beat!}. It was a very good movie; Hubby and I got a little distracted at times by the places we recognized and have been.

Chix, congratulations on the new responsibility! Sounds like a lot of work but I'm sure its worth it.

Beverly, glad you could find some new menu items!

MJ, not fun to crave the things we can't have.

Hi everyone! I am wearing a skirt today. I was getting my clothes together last night (yep...I pick out my clothes the night before..I have to..otherwise I would just stand and stare..not because I have so many, but because I just don't function well in the AM, hahahahaha!) and realized that I bought like 3 skirts and I need to be wearing them before they are too big! I really like it, I just feel more "put together".

Beverlyjoy--How was the DWTS kickoff? YEA for finding some different foods to work into your menu.

DixC Chix--Oh my goodness...that's a lot of re-arranging! That's great about more responsibility at the Homeless Ministry. AWESOME job on smaller sizes!!!!!

patchworkpenguin--No, it isn't...but I think I have at least figured out the reason...

So...I emailed my trainer about my bad carb cravings. We "talked" about it and he really doesn't know where it is coming from, especially at this point. I have really been thinking about it and I *think* I may have figured it out. I actually don't think it is food related at all. Well, it is, but what I mean is, it's turning into fall which is my absolute favorite time of year. LOTS of great fall memories. Lots of fall bdays and our wedding anniv soon. Plus, cooler weather always means time to get back into the kitchen and cook and bake, at least it always has for me. To add to it, I have been missing my dad like crazy and while I loved him dearly and he was an amazing cook...he was not a healthy cook. So, honestly, I think it's all just "old, mental stuff" creeping up on me...bringing up all those old "food memories". Because, really, there is absolutely NOTHING that I am "craving" that I really want to eat. If I did really want it, I would have some and I haven't. I don't plan on it. I emailed that to my trainer last night. I'm interested to see what his take on that is. The bottem line is, it doesn't really matter where it is coming from, although I do like to figure things out!

OH...I'm not sure if I shared this with all of you or not yet. Something else I have been "talking" to my trainer about is my goal. I have officially decided that 140 is no longer my goal. I will reach it and then set a new one...I have NO idea what the new one will be yet, I'll decide that once I reach 140.

Zumba tonight and I can't wait!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Well, I've gained back 5 of the 6 pounds I lost. It's likely due to a bit of cheating I did on the weekend, even though I don't think I cheated THAT much (certainly less than the weekend before) and likely due to the spaghetti I ate last night when I got home from work.

I'm really, really sick of salad to be honest. Cycle 1 ends on Thursday and basically, I've nothing to show for it except a pound gone, which in 17 days I don't think is all that impressive. I lost more weight and was happier just calorie counting.

I know cycle 2 allows more stuff, but it's still very restrictive and I'm not sure i can do it. It's still really heavy on salad with just a wee bit of grains.

I'm almost ready to talk to a nutritionist through my doctor's office to ask for help. I gave this 17 day diet a really good try, but I don't know if I can go on.

I'm debating having a sensible breakfast (yogurt and some fruit) and just taking a sandwich to work with some veggies, a piece of fruit, and a yogurt. It's not allowed on the plan, but it beats the **** out of salad.

Good Morning!

b1: coffee, yogurt
b2: hb eggs, pumpkin
l: WW tuna wraps, pear
d: salmon, broccoli, brown rice, blueberries with yogurt and walnuts
e: body pump, zumba

Another gorgeous day tempting me to take a nap on the swing. Alas, I have to do laundry - need clean workout clothes for zumba tonight.

My gym is offering a pre holiday shape up plan - six weeks/six sessions with a trainer and nutrition plan for $375. It is supposed to be eat 500 calories less and burn 500 calories more a day using Fitness Pal. So basically it boils down to $62.50 a week for one hour with a trainer. I'll have to check on the normal rate for an hour with a trainer. But it isn't WOWing me.

mj - Good insight for those mighty, mighty cravings.

Beverlyjoy - I am a DWTS devotee. I like what I see on opening night. I am glad there are no shoe-ins.

penguin - I love Memphis Beat but are the locals not so fond of it or is it not filmed there? I also love In Plain Sight thats filmed here in Alburquerque and they represent our city fairly.

rainbow - I am not a fan of structured menu diets. For me, they aren't real life and set me up to feel like a failure when I am not perfectly on plan. But it is all a learning experience and a process to get to what works. If calorie counting worked before, well, there's nothing like building on success! Your sensible choices look like success! Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Good Morning!

Rainbowgirl--HUGS!!! You sound really frustrated and I would be too. Honestly, I believe a person has to find something that s/he can stick with. If the 17 day thing isn't it, maybe it is time to try something different. Your idea to make sensible choices sounds really good. I think talking to a nutritionist is a fantastic idea also. Hang in there, you'll get it figured out.Let us know what you decide.

DixC Chix--It is gorgeous here too! Hard to focus at work...but I have lots of windows in my office, so at least letting in lots of sunshine! I know around here, that's about the going rate for a trainer, but w/ out the nutritional planning (most of the trainers here don't help with that...which is too bad, since it is so important). At our Wellness Committee meeting yesterdy at work we talked about putting some things in place for the fall/holidays...we do a lot in the spring and summer and kind of back off a bit. We are going to have a "water challenge"..people (or teams--and it would be the average for the team) would have to drink at least 40oz of water each day...we have a lot of staff who don't drink any, so we are starting low...and a weigh in "contest"...people will weigh in before Thanksgiving, after Thanksgiving, after Christmas, and after New Years (or something like that...)...I forget what we named it, but it was something cute...and anyone who either loses weight or maintains gets their name in a drawing for gift certificates. We did it last year and a lot of people participated.

Good news! The carb cravings seem to have gone away!!! I really think that by "talking" about it (and trying to figure out where they were coming from), rather than trying to just ignore them and wait for them to go away...helped a lot more than I realized.

OH! A friend of mine shared a blog that she frequents for recipes and I wanted to share it with you. DH is actually making the pumpkin cupcakes w/ pumpkin chocolate frosting for me next week (I emailed the recipe to my trainer and he gave it two thumbs up!) As I was searching the blog, there are some really yummy looking recipes on there. My friend uses the recipes all the time and says they are great, I haven't yet...but they sure look good!


http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/

http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/cle...pkin-cupcakes/

Chix, Hubby and I watched the first Memphis Beat but didn't like it. Its called Memphis but its filmed in Louisana {outside shots too! They occasionally have a shot of Memphis such as Beale St} so it doesn't represent Memphis very well. First strike, Memphis doesn't have 'parishes' we have districts. We didn't like any of the characters enough to keep watching.

Rainbow, I hear you on the salad. not my favorite either. I would choose something that you are happy with and can stick to longterm rather than struggle with a plan you are already unhappy with.

Step 20:
B= 2 c milk, vits, banana
L= turkey sand
D= Corned Beef, veggies, bread {judging from the amount of fat on the top of the leftover corned beef in the fridge we won't be having that again soon! yuck!}
S= choc muffin, fresh from the oven wheat bread! I added more wheat flour and its better this week!}
E= 30min treadmill

DixC_Chix: I figured I would go with the plan because it would take the steps of planning the meals out off of me. I work a lot (although hopefully, I can quit my second job soon) and subsequently I usually have very little time to write out a meal plan or stare at the kitchen and go "Ok..what am I going to make?" This is even harder given that I eat only one meal at home. Lunch and dinner (and snacks) are all had at work in the evening, so I have to make both of those meals, plus snacks. It can be daunting. Calorie counting did work, but it was a lot of time and effort. I also paired it with 45 minutes of walk/jogging a day, 45 minutes I don't have currently with this second job (again, really hope to quit it soon). I've taken a look at the cycle 2 menu and I think it's more doable for me than this first cycle was. I did lose 6 pounds in 9 days on it, but regained much of it this past week by being frustrated and "giving up." Cycle 2 should hopefully be better.

Personal training here tends to vary in cost. I know the rec center that I do the cardio kickboxing at charges something like $48/hour for personal training. The fitness gym I wish I could afford to go to even once weekly, the one I had so much success with during the Fitness Fantasy contest I was in, costs about $300/month for once weekly 1 hour sessions. So about $75/session. $62 would seem about the median cost, at least for here. Definitely check it out for your area though. Personal trainers (if they're GOOD) are so awesome. I feel way more motivated knowing someone is counting on me to be there; not just like a fitness buddy, but as in I'm the reason they're hired kind of thing. Paying them is also pretty good incentive to get off my butt lol.


mj5: I'm going in to make an appointment with my nurse practitioner today in hopes of getting a referral to a nutritionist. I'm just so lost - there's so much information out there and I can't seem to find something that REALLY works without a TON of effort on my part. The calorie counting was great, but even at 1500 calories I had to do at least 45 minutes of cardio on a daily basis to see the weight loss. Maybe I just have high expectations and the weight loss I achieved then was actually pretty good. It just seemed like I had to work harder at it than I really should have had to. I went to a nutritionist before, on that contest I was in 5 years ago, but her advice was not very helpful (like: freezing sandwiches for the week. Frozen sandwiches go soggy. Giving me her cookbook filled with recipes that are either too big for one person or have ingredients that are just too expensive). That's why I've liked this 17 day diet, because everything is really simple. But the first cycle is just.. ridiculous and I've heard that from other people too. I'm really hoping the second cycle, which I'm going to start on Sunday rather than Thursday, will be better. I also have to work on getting more exercise in. So far this week, I've yet to go to the gym. Tonight I'm going - I told my coworker I'm bringing my Xbox with the Kinect in so we can do the dance routines.

Thanks so much for the recipe blog! I'm going to look over it - the pumpkin cupcakes sound devine! I love fall because of all the good hearty food (pumpkin muffins, etc). The carb cravings going away is another huge HOORAY! for you Those are awful, so it's great that you've managed to overcome them and/or learn mechanisms to overcome them.

patchworkpenguin: Glad to see that adding more wheat flour worked good for you! Chocolate muffins sound so good right now. I normally love salad, but a steady diet of it for 2-1/2 weeks is just overkill. I'm actually for the first time in a lo-o-o-ng time craving red meat and that's something I very rarely even have in the house. Time to move on to the next cycle and if that doesn't feel better, then move on to something else. It's not like I haven't tried, right? lol

Today:

Breakfast: Half a bowl of mom's home-made cream of potato soup with tons of veggies (she makes it with milk, rather than cream).
Snack: Cup of grapes.
Lunch: Turkey and cheese sandwich on very expensive organic bread (I can't believe I paid $6 for the loaf).
Snack: Greek yogurt w/ a bit of strawberry jam.
Dinner: I have no freaking clue. Probably a reasonable portion of spaghetti with a side salad.
Snack: Cucumber slices and some cheese.
Exercise: 30 minutes with the Kinect.

Sept 21
B= 2c milk, vits , banana
L= 1/2 chickfila chicken salad sand, small peach milkshake {so-so}
D= S'west Patties, homemade salsa, refried beans w cheese
S= choc muffin 2c milk
E= 30min cardio/weights

Shortly after posting on Tuesday, my dog had a seizure and had difficulty getting up or walking. Vet kept her overnight. They x-rayed her back and hips and confirmed what I suspected - severe arthritis. The best guess so far is that she had seizures because of whatever is going on in her head - dementia, etc., (panic attacks) and during the seizure(s) she damaged her spinal column which is causing the extreme weakness and numbness. She also has some kind of infection.
She is home now and I continue to give phenobarb, prednisone, baytril, benadryl. She is pretty much incontinent so I set up a area in LR with plastic and old blankets and towels, a couple of cushy dog beds and her food and water. She can only get up with help and walk with a towel sling under tummy. We are hoping that the steroids with reduce inflamation in the spine and hopefully see improvement in 5 days.

I made it to Onderland. In view of recent events, not nearly as significant as I thought it would be.

Hi friends... the last couple of days have been kind of crazy - sorry to be MIA. I haven't stayed well on my plan. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever get this food stuff under control. But - I just need to keep trying - because, just maybe, the next time will be THE time it takes.

MJ - thanks for the recipes.

As always, thanks to you all for being my WL friends - along with your constant support and holders of wisdom. Have a great day.

Hi everyone! Oh my...I was just at the most boring meeting EVER! Ugh..and I was sitting right next to our Deputy Exec Director...so, yea, I couldn't even like play w/ my phone or anything..hahahahaha.

rainbowgirl--Sounds like you have an excellent plan for yourself. How was the gym? I LOVE fall too, my absolute favorite time of year. There are some great recipes on that site. I ended up ordering the e-book version of the cookbooks. I am making DH a " lemon chocolate chip angelfood cake w/ raspberry sauce" for his bday cake. It sounds SO fancy...but looks really easy. I'll let you know how it comes out!

patchworkpenguin--Hi!

DixC Chix--Oh no...I am so sorry. I hope your sweetie is doing better. Congrats on making it to Onederland.

Beverlyjoy--That's the important part, to keep trying. We are here for you!!!!


Tonight is the abs class again and Zumba! Wish me luck w/ class 2 of abs...

Enjoy your day!