Catching Up

I had another bummer week as far as workouts are concerned. I came down with some weird cough thing a couple of days ago and had the achy fatigue thing going on again! So last night i forced myself to just walk moderately on the treadmill for about 25 minutes and do some stretching. So much for kicking up the workout this week, that just did not happen. Oh well, i guess i have to make exceptions when they are necessary. I think i have a mild cold and i am feeling much better today. Also, my energy seems to be coming back so tonight's workout should at least be a jog/run.

Recipe Success

Well, we were in a pretty boring rut as far as lunches and dinners are concerned, and then i scored a Sendik's magazine from my mom's house today that has some really wonderful recipes in it. Tilapia Tacos with black beans and avocado and Turkey Lettuce wraps with peanut sauce and chili garlic sauce are just the tip of the iceberg! I also scanned over some great asparagus recipes, which i have been wanting to get into lately. I love asparagus, but it has to be cooked to perfection or it can be really nasty. I am really looking forward to trying these new recipes and I will post the results.

3 Foods You Must Learn to Love

Egg Whites

One of my main staples are egg whites. I love them cooked and topped with a spicy salsa. I eat them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I know some people gag at the thought of eating an egg white, but they are low calorie, high protein and a true "super food". Light, yet filling at the same time. And topped with anything you want, they make the perfect meal.

Mushrooms

There are so many wonderful varieties of mushrooms out there, from regular old white mushrooms, to portobellas and they are another one of my top foods. They are chocked full of vitamins and water so you feel full yet they are so light you don't ever feel stuffed or tired. Many people use them as a substitute for meat. I can't wait to get the grill fired up this spring so we can start grilling them, yum!

Fish

And NOT fried! A great fish is essential for eating healthy. I personally love tilapia fillets. It doesn't taste "fishy", it isn't very expensive and there are so many thing to do with fish. Anything you can do with chicken from salads to tacos!

Keeping the Motivation Going By Watching tv??

I am addicted to watching weight loss shows. Surprisingly, not "The Biggest Loser". There is a show on A&E called "Heavy" that follows 2 morbidly obese people as they are sent to a treatment facility for one month to pair up with nutrition experts, a trainer, doctors etc.. to learn how to workout and eat healthy. It is amazing! But the real inspiration is watching the trainers work with these people. It's rare that you see people who care so much about the happiness of other's. And the trainers not only help the client's workout, but also act as therapists, mentors, and friends. It gets me close to tears every time. Definitely worth watching, I guarantee you'll feel motivated after seeing this show.

Weight Loss Week 3

This week's weight loss total...1 lb! :( I blame it on the pms, haha! Somewhat disappointing after losing so much in the first 2 weeks but i know it has to even out at some point. Oh well, at least i didn't gain or maintain, i still lost a pound.

Running was awesome last night, my stamina is WAY up. I ran hard and it felt good. The dizziness told me it was time to stop running, lol! Maybe i pushed it a little too hard. But i still didn't do anything to really push it to the next level. Maybe i will try to do the OnDemand stuff this week since i obviously couldn't do it last??

It's a winner!
I've been thinking hard on new dinner ideas as we have been in a rut. One of our favorite meals that Josh makes are his cilantro lime chicken tacos; they are awesome. So to make it healthy, he made it into more of a salad. Instead of using a shell, he put shredded lettuce as a base and topped it with the yummy chicken, finely diced onion and tomato and then we added salsa and taco sauce at the end as a "dressing" It was SO good and i highly recommend this one. We took out the calories of the taco shells, sour cream, and shredded cheese. I also had planned a small side of black beans and corn which we forgot to do so maybe we can do that tonight as a main dish.

Week 4 goals
I NEED to add something to my workout this week!
Bring my weight loss up to 2-3 lbs this week.
Start a recipe log of our new healthy recipes. That way i won't get lost trying to think of stuff.

A Week of Ups and Downs

Wow, this week was a major challenge. Definitely a week full of ups and downs and a major test of how i am REALLY doing with this whole healthy eating thing! First I want to start with the "downs", that way i can end on a high note, lol (maybe :/) Well, there's nothing like having 2 kids ages 2 and under with double ear infections to put a little damper on one's exercise efforts! Talk about "hell week"! I did get in a really good run including some light "boxing" on Monday. Tuesday, going with my "amp it up every week" mantra, I did about 20 minutes of OnDemand workout stuff that was really intense. Aaaannnd then it went downhill from there. I was up all night Tuesday night... and Wednesday... and Thursday with sick babies. Not that I am complaining or like this is some new thing to me. I anticipate it, but it still sucks when things are going good and I am in a good routine. But it happens; it's life. I've learned how to roll with it. I still did really good with my eating, but then I started to feel a little under-the-weather myself. I knew this week was pms week and i was already nervous about weight gain/water retention, etc... But by Friday I was chilled and achy all over and super nauseous. I actually did try to run and I got about 20 minutes of really pathetic jog/walking in until i realized i needed to rest. All weekend I felt like awful with body aches, chills, and feeling like i was gonna barf.

However, I still have to give myself a little encouragement because i really stayed on my game with my eating. On Saturday night we ordered Chinese, and I got some steamed chicken and veggies with garlic sauce on the side. Not awesome, but good enough to satisfy a little craving. And SO much better than the usual General Tso's chicken with rice and egg rolls! Today, even with the Packer game, i only had a little snack and very small dinner and not even a drop of alcohol. I think i am starting to realize how much i shrunk my stomach! My appetite is about 1/3 what is was 2 weeks ago.

On another positive note, I have really begun to see the results of my daily workouts. My legs are amazingly stronger than when i began and my stamina for running is WAY up. I know i could easily do a good hour of working out with 30min of running and 30 min of other random cardio activities and stretching, but time management stands in my way on that one. Working out is just a small speck on the timeline of my evening which also includes dinner, watching kids so josh can run also, homework, bath time, play time, snack time, bedtime routines and activities, etc...

I am SO glad this week is over and i usually dread Sundays. But i welcomed it today, as this coming week has to be better than last! But for 14 days at this, I am damn proud of what i have accomplished. I foresee buying a new pair of jeans in another week or two as a reward! :)

Lesson Learned!

You know those people that say you can eat like crap and lose weight at the same time? Only if you just eat small portions of it? I used to be one of those people. But I have had a very important realization about this subject. Sure, I think a person treat him or her self to a burger or ice cream once in awhile, but the truth of the matter is, you are what you eat. I have never felt better in my life than right now. Now that I am putting the right food in my body, I feel so energetic and renewed. Sure, I could eat a happy meal every day and still lose weight if i only eat that and something healthy later, but i am going to feel like crap after I eat that meal. I will be lethargic and I will have a stomach ache. I know from many past happy meals! :) Happy meal doesn't make you feel so happy. Maybe it should be called Makes-you-feel-good-while-you're-eating-it-and-really-crappy-for-the-rest-of-the-day Meal!!? Plus, with all the junk in that food, a person's body doesn't want to process it (or know how to properly) so it sits in your intestines for days. Gross! I look at it this way; I've had 30 years to eat whatever I want and enjoy all the yummy junk food in the world. Now it's time for me to be healthy and feel good! So when I am tempted to pick up something bad and eat it, i just think...ok, i've had this before, I know it tastes good but what is it going to do for me??? Until this becomes pure habit, I need to rationalize and reason with myself about these things! ;) I feel so free in knowing that I control what i put in my body and the food is no longer controlling me. That is a huge goal for me and I am so thrilled to be achieving it.

Ampin' it up!

This morning I checked out some of my options on the OnDemand exercise channel. I've been interested in kick boxing and they happen to have a kick boxing option. It was INTENSE! Maybe not for your average in shape person but it is for me. I did about 10min of that and then i checked out a dance workout option. That was really fun! I suck at learning choreography, but it was really fun to try and do something different. I think I will go between the two this week.

weight loss week 2

Total weight loss for week 2 : 4lbs! Even with a couple of bumps in the road this past week, 4lbs makes me happy! I really did have some rough times trying to eat well last week and over the weekend with a combination kids birthday party and packer party where there was plenty of food. I ate a taste of everything, ok maybe more than "a taste" but i didn't go overboard, which normally i would have. Also, with my crazy hormones coming into play this week, things should get interesting. I felt really crappy and tired over the weekend, mostly due to boredom and mood swings, but i really feel re-energized today and have been eating great so far. Hopefully i will have the energy to do my 30 min run/jog and i still need to do something else to kick it up a notch this week. I realize that the On Demand workout during the day may not always be an option, as today my kids didn't nap at the same time so i couldn't get to working out. Maybe i will add crunches to my workout. I'd like to add more cardio time ideally, but i'll have to play that by ear this evening.

I am still looking for some good dinner recipe ideas...We did fish last week and there was one recipe i really liked. But to be honest, I'm not much of a seafood person in general. We are on chicken again this week, which is a little boring since we eat a lot of chicken. We could possibly go vegetarian for a week, but I'd like to have SOME kind of protein involved, and no it will not be tofu! I've tried that all different ways and i just can't gag it down! I'm also am not a fan of red meat. Plus it's not good for you anyways, so i'm not missing out much there. Hmmmm...my options are slim when i break it down like that. Must think of NEW IDEAS!!

a couple days of crazy, now back on track!

I took a few days off of posting here because i was working on getting some art work done to display for Art Milwaukee. Leading up to this, especially the day of, I was SO nervous! And i don't know why?? I guess because i have not shown publicly in so long, and i haven't ever shown any 2D work. My nerves got the best of me and i just slightly went off track for a couple of days. Not to get super specific, but i had a couple pieces of pizza, a cookie and taco bell. I may or may not have been ever so slightly intoxicated after the Art Milwaukee event, so Josh and I went a little binge. Exactly what I don't want to do, and not to justify any of it, but we RARELY get out, plus my nervous energy played a big part in it as well.

Healthy and Flavorful Dinners
Instead of posting every little thing i eat every day (especially since my diet isn't all that exciting or varied) i am going to just write down the good recipes we have made. For example, last night we had a super healthy dinner of baked portobella mushroom with a bruschetta-esque filling. The filling was fresh tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flake, balsamic vinegar and then a little mozzarella cheese melted on top. I will post a pic of it later today! I highly recommend this recipe. It's filling and light and the same time; that's the magic of mushrooms!

Workout highs and lows
I really pushed myself this week in my working out. My legs are exhausted, especially when i wake up in the morning. I tried really hard to run as much as possible, however i did skip thursday since i had the art event. Friday, I really had to make an effort and did 20 minutes. My goal is to amp up the workout every week. This week was supposed to be trying to run instead of fast walking and I'd say I was about 85% successful in this venture. I am still seeing awesome results, so my motivation is high. I need to think of something to do for next week's workout in addition to the running. OH! I found the On Demand workout channels last night, ummmm, awesome!! There are SO many options; dance, yoga, pilates, cardio, kickboxing. So I will give that a try next week maybe while the kids are napping during the day!

Eating well with kids is a whole new experience

I love to think back to the days when Josh and I were living together in Oshkosh with freedom to do whatever we wanted. Taking as much time as we wanted to workout at the fitness center, or run outside. Going slowly through the grocery store, picking out something healthy to make at home. But, reality is, we have 3 kids and minimal time to prep and cook healthy dinners. Thank God my husband likes to come home and cook, AND is is creative cook!
I will be the first to admit, my kids are not ideal eaters. They don't sit around popping grapes and granola into their mouths. They have a lot of pizza, grilled cheese, mac n cheese and the occasional happy meal (which they never want to eat anyways)!! I guess they don't eat like total crap, they do have a healthier side to their diets...they love whole grain bread, peanut butter, eggs, yogurt, apples, chicken, rice, soups, etc...

Eating well with kids around is a tricky situation, especially since i am a stay-at-home-mom. Why? Because I am constantly preparing and thinking about food! This means I am always around their food and constantly tempted to nibble on whatever they are having. This is no innocent indulgence, this is total sabotage of my diet! A little leftover pancake here, a couple bites of the leftover mac n cheese there, someone didn't finish their cookie for dessert, i guess i will!! NOT GOOD! This has to be one of the hardest parts of my daily struggle with food. And just being conscious of how often I used to "clean up" after them so-to-speak it's no wonder I have extra weight on me!! Not only is it to my benefit, but it gives a clearer picture of what the kids are eating. I know we need to work harder on improving our kids diets and we can't get mad at them. Of course kids are going to fight eating veggies for dinner but it is our responsibility as parents to give them the option to eat healthy. And we eat super healthy so why shouldn't our kids model us? I think after so many years of being in that nightly struggle of "eat your carrots! eat them now, or you will go to your room!!" we just got sick of it . So it's like, "fine eat your pizza for dinner, just get something in your stomach!" It's the last thing we want to do in the evening after a long day of working/taking care of kids. So hopefully as we turn our diets around together we will introduce our healthy eating habits to our kids. The problem right now is, we don't really make kid-friendly recipes. I don't think our kids would appreciate it if we made them eat spicy chicken curry and veggies. That would just be torture. But we could leave a smaller portion out for them without the spice in it. It's all about time management and patience, 2 things that are hard to come by in our household of 5, but we are trying to get there one day at a time!

Workout side note:

So i ROCKED it out in my workout last night running most of my 30 minutes. I'm sure my runner friends are laughing at me right now, but it was HARD for me!! And i can feel it in my legs today. But it feels oh so good. Just like i said last week, it's hard but i am seeing amazing results so the motivation is definitely there. :)

1/11/11 (!!)
bfast: 1/2 BAGEL W/THIN
SPREAD OF CREAM CHEESE
COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

lunch:

RICE AND VEGGIES

BANANA W/TBSP PB

snack:

SMALL BOWL CHEERIOS

W/SKIM MILK

dinner:

PRETZEL CRUSTED TILAPIA

W/HONEY MUSTART SAUCE

SPICY BROCCOLI SLAW

snack:

YOGURT

ALMONDS

CHEESE STICK

activity:

30MIN FAST WALK/JOG/RUN

weight loss week 1

grand total weight loss for week one?...5lbs! Good, but i was hoping for 6 :) I was down a little more but i guess weight fluctuates, so it's no biggie, I don't want to get caught up in the numbers. Plus, I can feel the difference already in the way my clothes fit and my energy level, etc...which is way more important.

A new week = new goals

Starting out strong this Monday morning. I am looking forward to my evening workout as i plan to run/jog this week, instead of walk. It is my goal to amp up my workout every week. For example, next week I may expand my time to 45 minute. The week after, I may add sprints at the end of my run, the next week I may add some light free weights, etc...The idea is to never get comfortable or complacent with my workouts. I need to feel exhausted after each session. Hopefully I can come up with enough things to keep it fun and challenging. I'm sure Josh will have plenty of ideas. I am hoping he can show me how to use the stand-up boxing bag we have in the basement. I would LOVE to get into some kick boxing as well!

Another thing I need to do this week, is add some new recipes/snack ideas in the food rotation. I realize I've been eating either an apple, banana, or string cheese for snacks every time! Please feel free to pass on any ideas to me, I am not very creative in the kitchen these days. I need foods that are quick and easy but healthy. I do not have a lot of time to prep/cook. Maybe if I even try some new/exotic fruits like mango or whatever, instead of blah apples and bananas.

bfast:

EGG WHITE OMELET W/SALSA

COFFEE

snack:

1 OUNCE MOZZA. CHEESE

lunch:

CUP CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

snack:

1/2 BAGEL

THIN SPREAD PBUTTER

BANANA SLICES

dinner:

CHICKEN/VEGGIES/RICE

W SWEET&SPICY ASIAN SAUCE

snack:

HANDFUL ALMONDS

activity:

30MIN JOG/RUN

Weekend and Nighttime Eating

So normally on the weekends, Josh and I will treat ourselves to some not-so-healthy treats such as fried food, fast food, heavy snacks, etc...Since this is not the case anymore, we really need to be conscious of our eating habits on the weekends especially. Usually Friday night we'll snack and for sure on Sunday, since we spend Sundays at my parent's house for the afternoon where there are snacks a plenty. Friday we were starving and didn't eat until 6:30pm and we had Taco Bell. I guess not great but a welcome treat after a week of eating super healthy, plus we ate pretty small for taco bell!! Saturday, we did great and I really amped up my workout and jogged/ran for most of it which was HARD but it felt great after. And we treated ourselves to a few drinks and some chips and salsa that night. Also, we had gotten into a habit of treating ourselves to a yummy breakfast either saturday or sunday morning, but the egg white omelet with salsa was awesome and enough this morning. But i will admit it was hard since my in-laws were visiting saturday and sunday and they were eating bagels with cream cheese, bacon, and eggs!! But, instead of getting deterred by the food around me, I am staying super motivated by seeing great results from all my hard work. Like I said, I know Sundays are going to be my hardest days as far as staying on track. And I don't want to get into the habit of having a "cheat day" because i don't want it too be like that. I want to eat healthy ALL the time and of course treat myself to something once in awhile. I just think going all out and eating whatever i want one day a week will eventually be a downfall for me. Not that it's the same situation, but I'm sure someone who has an alcohol problem, shouldn't give themselves one day a week to get all drunk. Not saying that a person with an alcohol problem should drink at all but...I guess it works for me this way. I've done the "cheat days" before and i've fallen "off the wagon" because of it. When I was really into eating healthy and working out the summer after I graduated from high school, I allowed myself to have some once a month, like a couple pieces of pizza or whatever, and that worked much better for me. Maybe I will do something like that again.

I am super proud of myself for this first week and I am going to do my weigh in tomorrow. My weekly weigh in will be every monday since that's when i started. Hell no, i am not going to log my weight, but i will log my weight losses or gains ;) haha!

A Quick Note on Eating Out:

They always say to watch out for the high fat dressings that go along with the "healthy" salads when you go out to eat or eat at a fast food restaurant. Well, Josh and I split a McD's grilled chicken caesar salad for lunch saturday and I checked the back of the dressing packet. 1 whole packet is a serving and there are 190cals in the packet. So splitting that it was 95 cals a piece, not bad. And those salads are great for splitting with someone, or saving half for a later meal. They are HUGE!! But if there isn't the option to measure so carefully, they usually have a low-fat vinegarette option. However, I am a true believer in having a little fat with every meal, so if you use portion control, even with a fattier dressing, it's not that big of a deal.

1/8/11

bfast:

CUP OF YOGURT

COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

DIET SODA

lunch:

CAESAR SALAD W/

GRILLED CHICKEN

snack:

HANDFUL UNSALTED ALMONDS

dinner:

MINI HAM SUB

snack:

CHIPS/SALSA

activity:

30MIN RUN/JOG

1/9/11

bfast:

EGG WHITES/SALSA

COFFEE

snack:

APPLE

lunch:

CHICKEN CAESAR LETTUCE WRAP

snack:

A FEW NUTS (UNSALTED)

CHEESE STICK

dinner:

CARROTS

BEEF AND MUSHROOM W/

SAUCE AND NOODLES

1 BROWNIE BITE

My Inspiration

My first and foremost inspiration to get healthy is my husband Josh. About 6 or so years ago he was 100lbs heavier!! We've both been on diets and working out together for years, but he has made an actual life change in totally rethinking the way he eats, exercises and lives his life. Of course, because I live with him and have seen the transformation first-hand, I am totally inspired by him to make the change myself.

There is something to be said for a person who takes it upon him or her self to completely change their life for the better. Especially while not necessarily having total support of the people around him (ahem, ME!). Not that I didn't support him getting healthy but I didn't really make the effort NOT to eat like crap in front of him. Mind you, during this period of time, I went through 3 pregnancies and MANY junk food craving. I went through many weight highs and lows myself, getting in pretty decent shape when my first son was about 2 years old. But as I eventually got pregnant for the 2nd and 3rd time, I put about 10lbs on with each pregnancy that never came off. You know how there women who are "good" at being pregnant those who don't think it's all that great? Meaning, some women get pregnant, eat super healthy, workout, barely even notice they are pregnant?? Well, that was NOT me! Total opposite; I ate whatever I was craving, didn't stay active, and had every ache and pain and complaint imaginable. I had always wished I had put more into eating healthy and being active during my pregnancies, but that is a lost cause now, so all I can do is look ahead and try to get my body back as best I can!

Runner Friends

I am also greatly inspired by a group of people i call my "runner friends" and you all know who you are! Josh is also included in this group. I can't even imagine training for a 5K, 10K, half marathon or marathon. I give so much credit to all of the people i know who just get off their ass in any way, not necessarily running. It is hard not to be a couch potato in this world and it actually takes conscious effort to not be one.

Past Mistakes=New resolutions

I used to justify EVERYTHING in the way I took care of myself. And the one person who really broke me of that is Josh. We aren't 19 anymore. Back then i would jog for a week, do some crunches and I'd have washboard abs and go trouncing around in my little belly baring shirts. NOT so much anymore. At this stage of life, and maybe because i was never a serious athlete or a healthy eater and my body isn't used to being in great shape, I have to really make a substantial change in diet and exercise. REALLY understand how little 1200 calories/day is. If I eat a 300 cal meal that is already 1/4 of my daily intake! And I still have to eat 5 more times in that day (3 snacks and 2 more meals). Also, running up and down the stairs 50 times a day with a kid in my arm or heavy laundry baskets is NOT working out. You have to exhaust your body every time. You have to amp up your workout when you know it's getting monotonous. And you have to do both eating less and exercising. Unless you want to starve yourself, which is just not a good idea if you want to be healthy ;) For instance, we went to Vegas in August of '08 and I starting running about 2 months before that but i did not change my diet. I did not lose a single pound. I think I finally proved to myself that I had to eat less AND workout if I wanted to see viable results. It's a sad reality for all of us who have hit 30 and/or had babies. Our bodies just don't work the way they used to. In saying that, I truly believe that a person has to come to understand the value of what they are eating and what they are burning in calories before they can make a real change.

1/7/11

Bfast:

CUP OF YOGURT

COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

lunch:

EGG WHITES W/SALSA

snack:

dinner:

BEAN BURRITO

CHICKEN TACO

DIET SODA

snack:

activity:

NONE

HELLO Energy!

Eating well doesn't have to be boring!

Last night Josh made an AWESOME chicken/veggie/rice spicy curry dish and i used some of the leftover veggies and rice and chicken to make this yummy lunch today! It was really quick since we buy the small tenderloin chicken pieces, all i have to do is throw it the pan and give it about 10min to cook through. They real key is portion control. Keep in mind we only had about 1/4 cup cooked rice per serving. I also find it helpful to use our small plates, not the large dinner plates. Less space to fill up!

Energy is back!

Maybe too much? I have had trouble falling asleep the past couple of nights due to my new found energy from eating lighter and I'm sure the evening walking as well. I guess I can't complain about that though, being a mother of three small kids i need all i can get!

Gotta give a shout out to the McDonald's Oatmeal and fruit bowl which i had for a snack yesterday. It is semi-healthy ;) and so yummy and filling. It is pretty high in calories for a snack, about 250 cals, and you can get it w/out the brown sugar and save yourself about 20 cals. But seeing as i am NOT calorie counting and my diet really fluctuates, I can justify it. For example, yesterday I had so few calories for breakfast, snack, and lunch I easily could get away with a high calorie snack in the afternoon, especially when i am going to need the energy. It's about the time in the day I am picking Ethan up from school, running errands while dragging 3 kids with me, getting home, starting dinner, doing chores, etc...

1/6/11

Bfast:

SMALL BOWL CHEERIOS

FEW BANANA PIECES

COFFEE

snack:

ORANGE

lunch:

SMALL PIECE CHICKEN

1/4C RICE,CORN

TINY BIT OF SHREDDED CHEESE

SALSA

snack:

STRING CHEESE

HANDFUL PRETZELS

DIET SODA

dinner:

CHICKEN/VEGGIE CURRY

activity:

30MIN FAST WALKING

Withdrawals are a bitch

So months ago i did this 3 day detox diet where i ate "clean" food. No preservatives, no sodium, no caffeine. I had the worst headache of my life. Now I am not depriving myself of caffeine or salt really, but i think the sudden drop in sodium-laden packaged foods and definitely the sugar is hitting me. But seeing my results is keeping me super motivated as i know this will pass. Plus, I LOVE my workout time, which rocks! I used to always dread running on the treadmill, staring at the cold and grey basement walls. But now i just crank up my music and it is such a nice break. 30 minutes of fast walking and then a cool down and shower after gives me about 45-50 minutes just to myself and at a stressful time of the day for me. Thanks to my husband for watching the kids and giving me this awesome time I so need. I feel so much better mentally and physically after my workout. And i like that i am starting with walking so I am not burning myself out. For example, my baby had me up for 2 1/2 hours in the middle of the night, but i will still be able to manage a 30 minute power walk this evening. Plus, we seem to be in a better routine as a family with our scheduled workouts. That is always nice since everyone (especially kids) functions better when following a routine.

About the food:
Well I am doing great with eating, although it is only day 3. I did really have some urges to eat last night but i just had my healthy snack and worked on a drawing for awhile and i was fine. The one thing i have noticed is that i was parched in the middle of the night. I think it is because i am eating less and therefore not getting a lot of the water i would just from eating food. I need to amp up my water intake. But i have lost about 5 pounds so far and i know this is all from water retention. I think i peed like 4 times the first night after i started eating clean. Feels good, like my body is regulating itself. I feel MUCH less bloated and my clothes fit better. And all this only after a couple of days. I can't wait to see what it will be like after a month or two!!

Another thing, i am LOVING lettuce wraps. I like the texture of the crunchy lettuce better than the chewy texture of a flour or corn tortilla wrap. And i am cutting out a ton of calories and sugar by using the lettuce. Anything that you can make as a wrap can be a lettuce wrap, it's a great alternative to sandwiches which just load you up on sugar.

Another great thing about eating clean is that you actually taste food to your full potential. It's like your palette has been cleansed. This also happened to me (but more dramatically) when i was on the detox diet. I remember getting a cup of cottage cheese for a snack and i almost spit out the first scoop. It tasted like someone had poured salt into the container. You start to realize how much sodium is already in your food, and you don't need to ADD additional salt. Plus, for me, when i can really taste my food, i feel like i don't need to eat such big portions. Just savoring the yummy flavors of small portions is satisfying in itself. Just to experience this, i recommend anyone to try "clean" eating for even just a couple of days.

1/5/11
Bfast:
1/2 APPLE
1 PIECE WHOLE WHEAT TOAST
SMALL SCOOP PBUTTER ON TOAST
COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

lunch:

EGG WHITES

SALSA

DIET SODA

snack:

FRUIT AND OATMEAL

dinner:

CHICKEN/VEGGIE CURRY

1/4C JASMINE RICE

snack:

1 CUP POPCORN

1 MINI CHOC CHIP COOKIE

activity:

25MIN FAST WALKING

I am over it!

My idea for this blog popped into my head via some inspiration from a friend. We have been discussing how happiness is not attained through personal gain of superficial wants such as money, fame, power, etc...but through giving back to others by way of relating your own personal struggles. That got me thinking, one of my top 3 personal struggles that has been defeating me for years: Eating and Weight Loss! Something i think most people can relate to.This blog will log my day-to-day challenges of really changing the way i live. I am retraining my brain and my body to eat clean and healthy.

A little history

As a child, I was never taught to eat healthy. We had some fruit and veggies in the house and dinner always consisted of meat, starch and canned veggie. Meals were usually anything from a can or a box. Highly processed, salty, and UNHEALTHY! No wonder why i always felt so sluggish after i ate. I would come home from school and pretty much eat a whole meals worth of calories as a snack, then have dinner, then usually be snacking until bedtime. I was never truly over weight by most people's standards and definitely not obese, but i was always heavier than i ought to be for my size and age. And i was lucky i wasn't bigger with the eating habits i had come to believe were "normal".

Growing up, my siblings and I were not monitored at all when we ate, how much, or what we ate. My mother uses food as a medication for stress in life and that's what i do too. My father was just as bad, and he could eat whatever he wanted and not gain an ounce. He'd sit down to a huge plate of food every night before bed! Nighttime eating was almost a necessity in our house. That brings me to where i am today. My mother looks horrified when i take food away from my children. She gets angry if i don't let them eat ice cream for dinner. Her philosophy is...get something in there stomach. If they didn't eat dinner, just give them whatever they want to fill up their stomach. She also believes that if you are craving something, your body needs it. SO, in a nutshell, it was a long road to get to the point where i could actually understand why i wasn't losing weight when i was taught those things were normal. But of course going through health education in high school and college, and just being interested in gaining the knowledge on my own, i have no excuse to not be healthy anymore.

What it's all about

I will use this blog to log my daily food intake, but no calorie counting. I will also log my weekly weight losses (or gains, as i'm sure there will be struggles!) This blog will be my new stress relief; NOT food. I know I need to retrain my brain to find solace in something other than food. It almost hit me like a bolt of lightening, but i know really it has been a long long time coming...I finally realized I am OVER eating. And OVER eating has 2 meanings.

1) I am literally eating too much!

2) I am so OVER it and there is a freedom i feel in finally realizing that. Food isn't going to solve anything for me. It may put a band-aid on a wound for 5 minutes, but then i feel worse and so the cycle begins!

Writing is therapy for me. It's all about refocusing your mind and energy. Writing will be my new therapy when i am struggling with my kids or life stress in general. Instead of reaching for the cookie or ice cream, i'll just write about it. I'm not saying this will be easy, but it has gotten easier for me since i have had the realization that eating doesn't do it for me anymore. I don't get any satisfaction from eating when i am stressed. It used to appease me, but now it just makes me feel blah. Writing actually makes me feel good and empowered. It just makes sense!

things i know

Most important is to start by realizing things you know and to really be aware of them when you need to. For example, I know my hardest time of the day is late afternoon and evening because it is my most stressful time of the day.

I know if i start snacking, i won't stop.

I thought so many times about joining Weight Watchers because i've witnesses many people have so much success with losing weight and keeping it off but i couldn't do it in the end. I know about healthy eating, nutrition, exercise and i have a wonderful family and group of friends to support me. It just feels right to use all of my accrued knowledge and put it to some use!

There is more to this than just healthy eating. I've come to a point in my life when i realize that change is about the freedom of choice. This is a philosophy i am diligently trying to apply to ALL aspects of my life. But I want my boys to have a good example of healthful eating, and nutrition, and exercise. I want them to have all of the knowledge i did not have, so they can make better decisions!

Anyways, here are my first entries:

1/3/2011

Bfast:

1/2 BAGEL

TSP. CREAM CHEESE

COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

lunch:

2 SLICES DELI HAM

1 SLICE PROV CHEESE

1 KAISER ROLL

1 CUP 1% MILK

snack:

1 SERVING CHEERIOS

1% MILK

snack:

1 DIET PEPSI

HANDFUL OF PRETZEL COMBOS

dinner:

ICEBERG LETTUCE WRAP

W/SMALL PIECE CHICKEN

SHREDDED CARROTS

RADISH SLICES

PARM CHEESE

CAESAR DRESSING

snack:

BANANA

TSP. PEANUT BUTTER

activity:

30MIN POWER WALKING

ON TREADMILL

1/4/2011

Bfast:

EGG WHITES

SALSA

COFFEE

snack:

STRING CHEESE

lunch:

ICEBERG LETTUCE WRAP

W/CHICKEN

PARM CHEESE

RADISH

CARROT

OLIVE OIL DRESSING

snack:

YOGURT

BANANA

HANDFUL PRETZELS

DIET SODA

dinner:

SMALL PIECE CHICKEN W/PEPPER SAUCE

PEAS AND CARROTS

snack:

CHEERIOS W/MILK AND 1/2 BANANA

activity:

30 MIN FAST WALKING ON TREADMILL