What Happens In Vegas

9 responses

I've been back for almost a week now from our trip to Las Vegas and I have so much I want to share! The trip was really nice and I was so excited to see the grand canyon from the plane. It was up there on my list of most amazing things I've seen. Las Vegas is over the top; you can find an abundance of food, alcohol, gambling andescorts (if that's your thing.) Now I know why they call it "sin city". The casinos were these mini-towns that lacked distinction in time, no daytime or night time. It's kind of like Wal-Mart in that way.

The rest of vegas (from what I could tell) was desert, strip malls and houses that look the same. Not a place I'd ever want to live, but would love to go back!

We did lots of walking in Vegas, Sunday in particular. We walked almost the entirety of the strip, down one side and back up the other. Which resulted in a two pound weight loss at my weigh-in on Wednesday. We did a good deal of eating, but I found that it was easier to pass food along that I didn't want and was totally satisfied eating hald or a fourth of what I normally eat.

Speaking of weigh-ins I feel that it is silly to do a proper weigh-in around here until I'm at a weight that this blog has never seen. That will be a very exciting day for me...the low 260's. Trust me, you'll be the first to know when that happens. In the mean-time I've been going to weight watchers for 2 weeks now (wednesday will be my third week) and I've lost almost 5 lbs.

Going to the meetings has really helped keep me on track. I'm working hard not to follow my typical weight watchers mentality of low calorie

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Getting The Ball Rolling

28 responses

We're set to move May 14th and I couldn't be more excited! Our first home! And it's really cute. I think I mentioned before that we will now be "in town" which is in our small town, but there are so many things that we can walk to now: dinner, the grocery store, the library, the farmer's market, concerts etc. I miss that a lot, from living in Brooklyn.  Not to mention the added weight loss bonuses.

I've been going to weight watchers for about a month now and the weight loss hasn't been dramatic, but it has been steadily going down. Still re-losing gained weight, it is weight loss, but it's not the same when you are re-losing. When I get in the 260's I'm having a blog party or at least throwing confetti for myself.

So this is totally unrelated, but I 100% intended on going to BlogHer10 this year and just checked out the website for a ticket and guess what? SOLD OUT. Whaaa? It's April! I really should have jumped on the boat much sooner, I just didn't even consider that. I'm so thick sometimes, really. If anyone reading this needs to get rid of an extra ticket, this girl will gladly take it off of your hands!

I'm in a phase right now where I am doing some things really well and other things really horribly. We will call this the cheers and jeers section. Let's start off with cheers:

Cheers:

I'm getting things rolling with my jewelry shop a lot lately. I've been updating my shop about twice a month, I have six events that I will be selling at in May and in general I'm having a really good time making jewelry and learning as much as possible about it.I've been on Weight Watchers for a month now and I go with co-workers/Josh's mom which makes me accountable. If I was doing this alone it would be really hard for me to stick with it. Did you know I have a hard time sticking with things?I had my blood work taken recently and have been catching up with all those necessary evils that involves going to the doctor and checking things out. I found out I have a slow thyroid, which comes to no surprise, but I'm taking thyroid replacements now and should start feeling different in three months.I'm getting the mole on my neck removed next week. That is actually really gross to mention. But bless, I hate that mole and I've been self-conscious about it for yeaaarrsss and now I'm sucking up my needle/doctor fear and having it removed along with another one for biopsy. /gross topic (sorry!)We're moving! Which means I'm getting rid of stuff I don't need, clearing out and scaling down. I'm so excited to move I can hardly concentrate on anything. What color should we paint the kitchen? Would a neutral couch go best? How will we arrange the bedroom? So. freakin. excited.I got a new bike! I spoke with Joan from Supersizedcycles.com on the phone about an opportunity to try out one of her bikes. Two weeks later it's sitting on the front porch. I'm going to be riding a bike again and blogging about the process. I just can't believe it!I also get to try out a weeks worth of delivered vegan food from the fine folks at Gobble Green. I can't wait! I actually am excited to try out their all vegan menu and have heard good things about their services. Thanks Gobble Green!We're getting back into walking again, I'm running (haha more like fast walking/jogging) a 5k with Krissie (she is running the marathon!) in my old college stomping ground in November and I need to get ready. Last summer I could walk a 5k in 45 minutes, which isn't particularly good, but I know I can get better.

Jeers:

I have not been cooking. This is a weird habit I slipped into after the winter from hell (also know as "we haven't seen snow like this since 93'!!) I don't know what happened, but all regard to eating good food flew out the window. Foods that I normally regard as "not edible" came prancing right into our house, and then once the weather cleared out we just started going out to dinner. A lot. And we live 15 minutes from the nearest restaurant, that is just sad. I need an intervention! I love cooking, I miss cooking. I stare longingly at recipes that I want to cook and so yeah. I need to cook.

I need to exercise more. That's the story of my life, right?

I need to blog more. Oh time management how I long for you. You wouldn't guess from my year long sporadic postings that I do in fact love to blog. I love reading blogs. I love you blog, I do. I just let everything else pile up first. The wedding, last year. Moving this year and everything in between. If you learn nothing else about me: I am not a type A blogger. And we all know who they are. They are on top of emails, comments, twitter and they blog every single day, sometimes twice. Plus they have kids, or manage businesses and exercise and eat right all the time. And here I am, you give me more than 4 things to do at once and I just want to lay on the couch with my blanket. I get tired from just thinking about doing it all.

What are you guys struggling to stay on top of? Am I the only type B in internet land? Who needs breaks, solitude, time to get away?

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Gobble Green Review: Gourmet Vegan Delivery Service

6 responses

Having a blog is awesome. Especially on Thursday evenings when the delivery guy comes bearing a package of food! A couple of weeks ago Jennifer and Kevin from Gobble Green Gourmet Vegan Delivery Service contacted me to see if I'd like to try out their meal service in return for a review on my blog. Seven days of gourmet vegan food? uh, yes!

I sat in the living room with Josh sorting through the vacuum sealed meals and each time I'd pull something out  I'd yell "look it's pizza!" "look spaghetti!" it's the small things folks.

Here's the question...was I nervous about vegan food? Yes. Was Josh giving me weird looks as I pulled the food out? Food with ingredients pretending to be something they aren't? yes and yes. We eat meat, and we eat dairy (albeit local as much as possible) on a regular basis around here, so I think he (as open as he  is about food) was slightly relieved that he wasn't the one blogging about this sort of thing. That is, until I couldn't find my Gobble Green snickerdoodle cookies. Where had they gone?

Friday, day one. I decided to stick with the meals they had planned for the day despite my rebellious tendency to dance around rules. I was excited that I wouldn't have to think about what I was going to eat for breakfast or lunch. In the morning i plugged everything into Weight Watchers online...25 points total including dessert, not bad, not bad at all.

Breakfast started with a banana muffin and fruit salad. I let it sit on the counter straight from the freezer while I got ready for work. I took a picture frozen:

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Interview with Krissie from Questions For Dessert

TFG: Hi Krissie! Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions about your journey to lose weight and become a runner. You've kept a blog for well over three years now at http://www.questionsfordessert.com what brought you into the blogging world and how has it helped you to achieve your goals?

Krissie: I'm not really sure why I decided to start blogging. I remember reading a few blogs and thinking that I had finally found people like me - people who would understand me. It's funny for me to go back and read my first post and see how long I spun my wheels before I really made the commitment to those goals. I don't know that I would have made significant progress without my blog. I don't have a system in real life that indulges me to let me talk incessantly about myself. That's not who I am in the real world. My blog is just like a journal with accountability and feedback and suggestions. It really has been the key to keep me going.

TFG: Can you talk a little about how and why you became a runner and how this new identity has helped you with other health related goals?

Krissie: You know, I've wanted to be a runner ever since I was in college. I dated a guy who was a runner and he always wanted me to run with him. I was not interested. Then, when we broke up, I started running to spite him (healthy, huh?). When I started dating my husband, I didn't need running to fill that void anymore, so I stopped running. At the time, I was running maybe 2 miles at a time a few times a week. But it wasn't for me. For the past few years, I wanted to run for me.

I can't preach running enough. It, like blogging, has been absolutely necessary to my success. The desire to be a runner and actually becoming a runner has pushed me every day. I set a goal, I create a schedule, and I have to follow it. If I miss a few days and it messes up the schedule, I don't know how I'll do in the race. So if the schedule says I need to run today, I run today. It's that easy. It takes the guess work and the emotion out of the plan. I follow the schedule. No argument.

TFG: Speaking of identities, how has the "I'm a runner" identity helped you to stay focused on your goals? Before you started running on a regular basis, how did you mentally see a runners life as being?

Krissie: This "I'm a runner" identity has been huge for me. I know my readers tire of hearing that statement (I've got the comments and emails to prove it), but it think it is probably what I see as my biggest achievement, other than my marriage. Being a runner changes the way I make my food choices. Being a runner changes the way I look at sleep and alcohol and even laundry. Being a runner keeps me focused on the big picture because the big picture has such an affect on my running.

I really didn't ever think that a runner's life would be this involved. I honestly thought I'd just lace up my shoes and run. I thought that's what runners did. I love that I'm learning it's so much more than that.

TFG:What advice would you give to those who are struggling with a fitness identity and how has this mold helped your process?

Krissie: Wow. I'm still shocked when I realize that I have a fitness identity. How cool is that? I don't know exactly why I was bit by the running bug, but it has been a large part of my motivation long before I was able to run. I've been driven by running for such a long time. I always felt like I'd know I'd made it when I was able to run a 5K. Now I'm not sure I'll ever feel like I've made it. There'll always be longer or faster or harder to run. And I love that.

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Gobble Green Review + Super Sized Cycles

22 responses

This post is going to be all over the place, but that is kinda how my life is at the moment. I still have a few meals left from Gobble Green, but my stock is (sadly) running low! I tried the "burger" and fries with mango salsa, both were really good.

Here is what it looked like (ignore the "i need to eat this now" bites)

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One Year Later

10 responses

We're finally settled into our new home! We've got a garden (pots on the back deck), the living room and kitchen set up and it truly feels like home around here. I love it, everyday I find myself saying to josh "I love our home" and he agrees.

This past weekend was out one year anniversary. I can't believe it's been a year since the wedding, which was by far one of the best days I've ever had. I'd like to do it again, is that possible?

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The Cough Monster

5 responses

Last week went by so fast and I didn't get done as much as I was hoping to. Monday I had a tickle in my throat, that turned into a full-blown cough. My energy was low and things got put off. I hate that. I'm still fighting a (what sounds like) smoker's cough, but my energy is way up today!

I've done the dishes, cleaned and swept the living room, edited photos for this entry and now I'm blogging. It feels good to be productive again. I did manage to snap a few food photos from last week and this weekend. What I did get done last week was design a new logo for my new fine jewelry line (lorrielizabeth), got my portfolio site started (coming soon), finished some design work and sold jewelry at Floyd Jamboree this weekend, all was not lost.

Here is what I ate:

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Food Journals

One of the best things you can do to help reach your weight loss goals is to keep a food journal. A food journal will keep you focused on your diet and hold you accountable to your goals. It will also shed light on the reality of what you eat during the day and late at night. You may not realize how often you eat a bag of chips at midnight or how many cans of soda you drink on a daily basis. Keeping a well detailed food journal can also reveal under what circumstances you eat so you know what where your pitfalls lie. While this may seem like a step you would rather ignore, many diet experts feel it is worth the effort you put into it. In fact, it may be useful to keep a food journal a few days before beginning your diet to have a better idea of your habits.

What should you include in your food journal?

-Everything you and drink for that day.

-Exact proportions of what you eat and drink.

-Time of day you ate.

-Your mood at the time you eat.

Once you determine that your issue is portion control, poor food choices, or emotional eating, be sure to focus your notes in these areas to target your weaknesses. You will need to make your journal specific to you to gain the most benefit from this exercise.

Food Journal Rules:

-Be honest! We all have a tendency to even lie to ourselves; however, this will only hamper your goals. If you go off track and eat a piece of cheesecake at 2am, then record it. This journal can only benefit you and aid in accomplishing your goals if you are brutally honest. Do not record you had

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Emotional Eating

Do you eat when you are bored, upset, happy, or frustrated? Many do and it leads to overeating and weight gain. can devastate a diet and lead to more intense feelings of guilt and frustration. Simply put, it is unhealthy to eat your way through emotions.

" is eating for reasons other than hunger," says Jane Jakubczak, a registered dietitian at the University of Maryland. "Instead of the physical symptom of hunger initiating the eating, an emotion triggers the eating."

Are you an emotional eater? How often do you find yourself with an intense and onset craving for ice cream or potato chips? I know many who say they have not felt a hunger sensation in years because they eat out of emotion and not a physical need. Can you tell the difference between eating out of emotion and hunger?

According to the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center web site the following are signs of eating out of emotion:

1. Emotional hunger is sudden while physical hunger is gradual.

2. causes specific cravings such as ice cream or pizza. If you feel that only that craving will satisfy your need than you know your emotions are controlling your hunger. Physical hunger will settle for a variety of food options.

3. If you feel the need to be satisfied instantly with a specific food then your emotions are triggering a hunger response. Physical hunger can wait until a proper time.

4. will cause you to eat beyond hunger or the feeling of being full. Most are likely to stop eating once a physical hunger is satisfied. 5. Eating out of a physical need does not leave residual feelings of guilt while often leaves a person in a state of increased guilt or frustration.

If you recognize the signs of , you can learn to replace the food with something else. Resist the urge to satisfy your emotional needs with food and try a more healthy alternative like writing inn a journal, talking to a friend, or physical activity.

Related Articles:

How Your Past Can Be Affecting Your Food Battles

Confessions of an Emotional Eater

Confessions of a Late Night Muncher

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100 Calorie Snacks

Dieting does not mean you have to give up snacking. In fact, choosing snacks wisely can help you with your weight loss goals rather than deter them. Snacking prevents you from becoming over hungry which leads to unhealthy food choices and overeating. Yet, you must be certain to choose your snacks wisely to also avoid pitfalls. Let's face it; we all love to snack throughout the day. A nice rule of thumb is choosing a snack at 100 calories. Staying in that range keeps you in control of your snacking intake while making it easy to adjust to your individual caloric needs. You are most likely familiar with all the 100 calorie cookie and cracker snack options offered at your local grocery stores. Be very careful with that choice as your sugar intake will be affected. Not all are created equal; consider sugar and high fructose corn syrup consumption as well. Prepackaged items also tend to cost more, so you why not try some the options below?

100 Calorie Healthy Snacks:

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Three Yummy Low Fat Recipes

It is not realistic to think everyone who needs to loose weight is willing to give up comfort foods. Instead of denying yourself, I believe it's best to alter recipes to make a healthy yet delicious alternative. What we eat is key to how we feel and how we look. Below are three recipes to help you feel full and satisfied but will not contribute to your waistline.

Low Fat Full Flavor Garlic Mashed Potatoes

5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes6 oz. fat free cream cheese8 oz. fat free sour cream

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Mom Approved Cereal

Breakfast in my house equals a bowl of cereal on most days. It is not unusual to find a few of my kids eating cereal as a snack during the day as well. With all this cereal eating going on, I have to be sure I am feeding them quality cereal that is low in sugar and high in nutrition. I have searched the grocery store aisles for the most nutritious but still delicious cereal my kids will eat. One of my family favorites is Barbara's Bakery's Puffins cereal. Barbara's Bakery was generous enough to allow me to review some of their cereal. When the package arrived in the mail, my kids immediately grabbed bowls and milk. My son loves Puffins Original. Now, let me tell you why I love it and buy it almost weekly.

Features:

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What's in your child's lunchbox?

The biggest influence on how our children eat is you, the parent. That influence does not end with a packed lunch. We still need to be vigilant to provide healthy options even when processed, sugary, prepackaged foods are so much easier to pack. The 100 calorie cookie packs look to be a nice idea but they are loaded with sugar. Peanut butter and jelly is always a hit but jelly is packed with high fructose sugar. What kid doesn't love the crunch of a bag of potato chips? Yet, chips contain high amounts of fat. How about a nice turkey sandwich? Well, if it is deli meat it is likely high in nitrates and salt. So what's a health conscious mom to do?

Let's give lunch a makeover while retaining variety, great taste and fun. Here are some ideas to provide your child with a more nutritious lunch.

Sandwich Makeover:

Try using multi grain or wheat bread instead of white.

Peanut butter is a healthy option as it is a source of protein. Most peanut butters contain partially hydrogenated oils which are a negative so try almond butter or natural peanut butter.

Jelly is high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup so buy 100% natural fruit spread.

Instead of deli meat, use your leftover meat from dinner on a sandwich.

Meat you prepare on your own will contain less sodium; you can control the quality better, and will not have the nitrates of deli meat.

Top sandwiches with tomatoes, lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, avocado, or other veggies for flavor and additional veggie intake.

Drink Makeover:

Kids love those juice boxes. Juice is high in sugar, so it's best to cut that out if possible. However, if you insist on keeping the juice be sure it is 100% natural fruit juice with no added sugar. Minute Maid has 100% natural orange juice with added calcium and vitamins in juice box form.

Try packing water instead of juices. I have found that kids will drink water from fun containers more readily than a glass at home. Provide a slice of lemon or lime for them to squeeze in their water for flavor.

Instead of juice boxes try milk boxes in your child's lunch. Horizons is an organic company that sells white, chocolate and strawberry milk in box form. The box does not need to be kept to temperature to preserve the milk, yet you may want to provide an ice pack since most prefer cold milk. If you look in your organic section or dairy section of your grocery store, you will find plenty of milk and non milk (soy or almond) options to pack.

Chips Makeover:

If its crunch they crave here are low fat and yummy alternatives to chips.

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How many calories do I burn blogging?

Like many of you, I often feel that exercise does not fit into my daily routine. I'm a mom to four children, wife, dog parent, blogger and writer. My day begins with a yawn and very often ends with a yawn. In between all of that, I find my eating habits suffer or are nonexistent. One can hardly call grabbing a bagel or a protein bar in the midst of chaos an eating habit as it is more like an eating disaster. So, between chasing kids, writing articles and eating on a semi regular basis while only dreaming of that day I begin my workout, hardly leaves room for fitness. Are you with me? If you are, then you most like have noticed a few extra pounds or so keeping your other few extra pounds company. This has led me to a change of priorities but not before asking myself a question.

Having a true love for research and very curious mind, I could not keep myself from seeking out the answer. Through some sweat induced research which no doubt burned a good 100 calories, I found the answer to my question. I found that I burn 84 calories per 60 minutes sitting. That's right ladies and gentlemen, we burn while we sit. Writing, typing and reading also burn 74 calories per 60 minutes. However, studying burns 100 calories per hour. I knew studying was exhausting. Working on the computer burns 102 calories per hour and actively working at your desk, filing papers, answering phones, etc, burns 170 calories an hour. So, if I blog for one hour I will burn 84 calories sitting, 74 calories typing, 102 calories working on the computer in general for a total of 260 calories in one hour. Now, that is a rough estimate as I did not take in account studying, reading, and answering my phone. However, as much as I'd like to think I burn 400 calories an hour blogging, there is no high intensity blogging class. So, I basically did not even burn an average breakfast, lunch or dinner in the time it takes to blog.

Sadly, I have found that blogging is not a sport or a good way to keep in shape. What is the lesson today? Get off your computer for at least an hour a day for physical exercise. Playing with your kids for an hour will burn on average 270 calories. Better yet, take up running as a pace of just 7 mph will burn on average 783 calories after one hour. Take a low impact aerobics class after work or during the day to burn 414 calories on average after one hour. Adding in just one hour a day of physical activity to your day will increase the number of calories you burn while helping you remain active. While, I knew blogging would not qualify as an Olympic sport, sometimes seeing raw numbers is a great motivator.

Related Articles:

Realistic Exercise Goals

Getting Past Discouragement

Walking Through My Day

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Don't forget to read the nutritional label.

Many pay no attention to the nutritional labels on the food they buy. Not paying attention the labels on your food can lead to consuming more fat and calories than you expected. In order to understand the food you eat it is important to take heed of the fat and calories listed on the food item. Whether you are dieting or not nutritional information should never be ignored. Many times, we are in too much of a hurry to check the label and just assume chips are high in fat or pretzels are low in fat. If you have dietary needs or you are a diabetic, taking the extra step of checking labels is especially important.

The first thing you need to look for on a nutritional label is serving size. Do not assume that a handy grab bag of chips or crackers is one serving. You may find yourself consuming two to four times the amount of fat and calories you intended. Did you know that an average serving of ice cream is a half cup? Did you know that most handy grab bags of chips are actually two servings? Cans of soup or those cans of spaghetti you feed your children are often two servings. The amount of servings dramatically impacts your diet. You need to compare serving size of your favorite snacks to know what the better choice is when you feel the need to munch. Also, keep in mind that you will also increase your intake of trans fat, saturated fat and cholesterol, if you eat double or triple the serving size. You will not have the ability to balance your intake of sugar or carbs without first checking the label.

After checking the serving size, you will also want to check how many calories come from fat. This is a detail that is often overlooked by dieters. If you eat a cup of food that has 250 calories with 120 calories from fat that means almost half the calories come from fat. Can you imagine the impact of over eating a food where almost half the calories come from fat? This is not a step to overlook if you are dieting. The higher caloric intake the more weight you will gain and this leads to obesity. Be vigilant and read your labels to understand what you are eating. You may be surprised that foods you thought were good for you are not or which foods you are actually eating too much of.

Related Articles:

What's in your child's lunchbox?

How many calories do I burn blogging?

Alternatives to Cooking with Butter

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Toy Story 3...

One of the BEST movies I've ever seen! I cried like an infant at the end! This is a must see!

Just got back from a night away with my two youngest kids. Big sister has been at camp for a week, so I decided we would have a night away near the campsite. It was awesome. Movie, then dinner, then swimming and relaxing.

My life has been so hectic, but I have been trying to stay focused.

I feel renewed and ready to move on with the summer. Summer school that I am teaching is over on Wednesday, and not a day too soon! With my own summer school classes being so demanding, I need the extra time to focus on ME again.

I am SO behind on blog reading. Google Reader says I have 500

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Whew... made it!

Summer school (that I'm teaching) is o-v-e-r! Whew... I made it through alive! You could have never told me that four days a week, three hours a day, for one month, would be such a task! I am mentally DRAINED. I think the added stress of my own summer classes made it a lot worse. These are the two HARDEST classes I've ever taken... and both at the same time! I'm dying over here!

BUT... I see the light! At least now, I have a month off (minus a few teacher in-service days) before school starts back. I finally get to start working on my new classroom! Yay!


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Things Are Going Super Duper Fantastically Well

by Mary on June 23, 2010

in Thoughts

Even though I’m not weighing myself for the blog for the month, I stepped on the scale this morning. I felt like I was losing weight and I wanted to see if it was true.

It was.

I’m finally past my stupid plateau that lasted several months. I’m finally on the downward slope again.  Hurray for things finally working!  Operation Sexification is a win already! My body is feeling lighter and better and that in turn makes me feel slightly sexier. (Not sure how that works, it just does.)

I also finally gave in and started buying new clothes. Since I’ve got a roadtrip to pay for coming up soon I was trying to avoid any unnecessary expenses. But a lot of you finally convinced me in was a necessary expense. So I bought a few things, and will go buy a few more this week. I have to be honest, having just a few new things totally helped with how I feel. I’m not one to buy clothes often (everything I had was old or something thrifted/given to me), so new things definitely are a luxury for me that make me feel good if they fit and look good.

A few things I bought:

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Merry Go Round: Never Give Up

by Mary on June 25, 2010

in Link Love & Giveaways

So a few people told me that they liked watching my videos and that I should do more of them. Of course I had no idea what to talk about, so here are some thoughts lately that I’ve had about giving up, trying, and how this journey never ends.

I guess I get a little bit reflective every June because it’s when I finally decided six years ago to stop what I was doing and care about losing weight. A lot of you have only been around for the last few years where I got depressed again living at home after college and regained what I originally lost. But for me, this all began six years ago, before blogging, before the internet, before I had anyone to rely on but me. And that decision I made to finally care is the best one I ever made and I continue to celebrate it and reflect on it each June. I’ve come a long, long way both mentally and physically since then and I’m glad.

:)

And of course, it’s time for some awesome links I ran across this week:

Merry Go Round of Healthy Living Blogging Awesomeness!!

Healthiness:

Roni’s note to herself this week was really a note to all of us:

STOP doubting yourself. Just stop. Half the battle is won with confidence.

She also had a great post about how trying to get skinny will keep you fat. (Yeah, I loved her posts this week.)

Jess wrote a post about exercise vs. training. She no longer exercises, but trains for things. It’s a whole new mindset that I think is really awesome.

JackSht has some encouraging words (and note cards) for the bad days.

Lyn, aka Escape From Obesity, one of my favorite weight loss bloggers ever, reached 198 pounds and has lost 80 lbs total. She is one of my inspirations and I really love that she is really succeeding now.

Blogging:

Matt just published 21 tips health bloggers need to know. It’s got a few good tips, so check it out.

There’s a new fitbloggin video up about how to pitch traditional media.

Then of course, as always there is my guide to creating a better health blog. I still get lots of awesome comments about the ebook each week because people buy it and find it really useful. I want to start sharing those comments because it makes me feel really great that people are learning from my work!

“You should check out

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Weigh In: Bye Bye Plateau

by Mary on June 27, 2010

in Weight Loss

It’s been a while since I weighed in! But it’s that time now, at the end of the month. I start my EPIC road trip next week on Thursday, so this is the end of Oregon/Operation Sexification weigh in. It’s also the weigh in to start my trip on and see how that one goes! Haha.

My last weigh in was on May 30, basically a month ago! So how did I do this week? This month? Check out the video and the numbers.

(Going by my Youtube videos, it’s my 17th check in. Hehe. That’s sooo official like, except completely off because I’m so inconsistent with videos.)

Weigh In (Monthly)

Current Weight: 207.4 lbs
Previous Weight: 211.4 lbs
Weight loss:

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Weight Loss Success Story: Kepa (Fat Lazy Guy)

by Mary on June 28, 2010

in Success Stories

Before Kepa became my boyfriend, he was just a blogging buddy and someone I knew would be successful. I featured him on the blog back in 2008 as an ongoing weight loss success story. At that point in time he had gone from 504 pounds to 399. I knew he would reach his goal but one thing I didn’t expect was to be with him when it happened. But the fact that I was there in February when it happened made it all the most sweet to be part of his success. Now that I’m leaving this week to being the process of once again being with Kepa (hurray!) I figure it’s a great time to feature the final installment of his success story. After all, he has reached his goal and maintained that weight loss for over 3 months now. I’d say he is most definitely a success.

The following is the interview with Kepa. For a little bit of background on his story, check out his blog The Fat Lazy Guy’s Log or read his ongoing success story interview from 2008.

Last time you were featured, waaaay back in December 2008, you were an “ongoing success story” who had lost over 100 pounds. How much have you lost now?

Well my weight fluctuates, but I say I’ve lost over 130 kgs, or 287 lbs (290 if you want to round up ;)  I started my journey at 229 kgs (504.8 lbs), and now I weigh under 100 kgs (220 lbs).

Before:

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Do You Feel Skinny?

by Mary on June 29, 2010

in Body Image & Positivity

I’d be hard pressed to find anyone who would call me skinny. I weigh 207 pounds and at 5’2″ that classifies me as severely obese (or obese class II) with my 37.86 BMI. I wear a size 14 or 16 depending on the brand, and I’m nowhere near my goal weight. But despite all that, I feel skinny.

I do. I feel skinny.

I didn’t say that I am skinny. I’m obviously not, considering the circumstances. But I feel skinny. I’ve lost a chunk of weight and my body shape is different from the shape it began in. And because of all those changes, I feel skinny.

It’s a strange feeling to feel skinny when you are not. I’m aware that I’m not actually skinny. I’m aware that some people are horrified to find themselves at my current weight, or even my goal weight for that matter. I’m aware that most people wouldn’t look at me and think skinny. Gorgeous, maybe, but not skinny. And even knowing all this my brain still tells me that I look and feel skinny. I am lighter and smaller than I once was, and in my head this translates to skinny.

I know I’m not alone in this thinking. I think a lot of us that have lost weight eventually feel this feeling before we have reached our goal weight, before we have completely changed. Perspective is a very strange thing. We can feel skinny but still be obese. We can feel fat but actually be skinny. We can feel a lot of things that aren’t necessarily true.

The mind has the ability to think many things, and I think it’s our job to train it to think the things we want. For example, I want to think and feel skinny after all of my hard work losing weight and because of that desire and the actions I take to make it a reality I often do feel that way. I want to feel beautiful which is why I often look in the mirror and think that about myself. These aren’t things that I have to think or that come naturally (far from it). I could just as easily take the attitude that I’m still fat. I could easily think about how far I have to go. I could easily think about how my face isn’t perfect, or how my hair is not so great, and a million other little flaws could be amplified in my mind to the point where I can’t see my overall beauty. I could easily tear myself down and allow myself to think and feel negatively about my body. But I refuse to do that.  Instead I latch on to these positive feelings. I encourage them. I take days where I don’t feel positively as an opportunity to train my brain and make it focus on the positive. It might seem silly to repeat things to yourself over and over again, like “I’m thin and healthy” or “I’m beautiful”, but the more you tell yourself these things the more naturally they will feel to you. You will believe them, think them, feel them.

So I’m not skinny yet. But I feel skinny. I think I’m skinny. I tell myself that I am skinny.  I’m going to act like I am that, because it feels like a very good thing to be and I know that eventually it will be true. My body just keeps feeling better and better the lighter that I am. Maybe people who pass me on the street don’t have the same assessment of my body, but for me? I’m feeling skinny now. ;)

How about you? Do you/have you felt skinny before actually being skinny?

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Posts You Might LikeInspiring: From Obese to L.A. Marathon Top RunnerDid I Meet My Goals in 2008?Why I Don’t Pay Attention To The Scale And You Shouldn’t Either5 More Ways To Motivate Yourself to Exercise

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Things I’ve Learned In Northern California

1kim July 5, 2010 at 12:00 pm

Loving this post Mary – and all of your NorCal/Bay Area shout outs. I love living here too! It is so fun hearing you enjoy all of these local treasures! Glad you enjoyed your time, and I’m so excited for you and Kepa to be reunited – not as excited as you I’m sure – but still very excited! Have fun, and enjoy the rest of your time in CA. :)
kim

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Confessions of a Late Night Muncher

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28 Mar 2010 09:00 PM

When do you cave into your food cravings? Do you race for snacks when you walk in the door, when you are bored or stressed? I am a late-night muncher. I remember in college, after a night out, I would always stop for pizza or grab a bag of chips at the store on the way home. Unfortunately, years later, little has changed, except now I have a few kids and fewer cocktails.

I could easily consume two thirds of my calories after everyone else is in bed. I wish there was a late night munchers anonymous. We could talk each other out of devouring that box of cookies or bag of chips. I could have a sponsor; someone who overcame her cravings to help me stay on the wagon. I would call her when I was feeling weak. Wouldn't that be fantastic? Instead, I have an internal dialogue going on:

Good me: You don't need it, why would you sabotage the rest of your day?

Bad me: I will stop at just four, and work out extra tomorrow.

I know that I am not hungry, but every night without fail, the cravings kick in just after I put the kids to bed. One of my clients suggested drinking a cup of green tea. She said that it is filling and feels like a treat. I don't know what kind of treat she was thinking of, but surely it was nothing like the M&M treats I love. I usually do squats and crunches, which distract me sometimes, but I usually still end up raiding the kitchen. The only solution I have found is going to bed early, but the time I am most productive is when everyone else has gone to sleep.

My only saving grace is that I can usually be satisfied by something nutritious. The foods that I want to have are the cookies and crackers, but if I reach for a glass of water/tea and a grapefruit or carrots that will suffice. The important thing to remember when you get those cravings late at night is to stay away from carbohydrates. Also, don't get too discouraged. If you do give in, tomorrow is another day. We get to start fresh each day, even when we get off track.

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Easter Basket Ambush

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31 Mar 2010 09:29 PM

My mother-in-law was so sweet and sent the kids Easter baskets that arrived today. Who sends a one-year-old candy? It is just staring at me, as if to say, "I dare you." I usually give up sweets for Lent, but not this year. I don't have that extra excuse to keep me strong and withstand the urge to eat the goodies.

I broke into the sour cherry gummies. Okay, I actually finished them off. What is wrong with me? I usually have more self-control. Maybe it is the rain that has not let up for the past two days. Yes, "blame it on the rain," that's it. Wasn't that a Milli Vanilli song back in the day? Oh yes, now it is stuck in my head, definitely a song from the 80s.

At this point I won't even be ready for my one-piece bathing suit this summer. I must get back on track. Thank goodness Easter will be over next week. I also already ate the most compelling snack for me, the sour gummies. Hopefully, I can focus on moving forward now.

That brings me to my point. Do not deprive yourself. Of course, I could have stopped at a handful of gummies, but we only live once, right? If there is a food that you have a strong affinity for, allow yourself to indulge once in a while. After you indulge though, don't let yourself get stuck in that rut. Pull yourself out by jolting yourself into action. You can do this by exercising, which in turn releases endorphins and fights off the desire to dive into the candy. Alternatively, you can discard the rest of your stash. Luckily for my children, I don't have weaknesses for any of the other candy they received.

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Letting the Holidays Drag You Down

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09 Apr 2010 09:25 AM

What is it about holidays that seem to drag you down when you have been doing so well with eating healthy and exercising? I don't know if you can relate but it seems every time there is a holiday or celebration, I fall. Not only did we celebrate Easter this past weekend but we also had two birthdays in our family to celebrate. So there was plenty of candy and cake.

For some reason when we are enjoying a holiday I tend to overeat. During other times of eating, I keep my portions small. But it seems like there is no better time to pile on the potatoes or add some extra green bean casserole than when you are celebrating a holiday. Then there is that extra large piece of cake you take. Add to that sneaking into the kids' Easter baskets and it seems you have the makings of a weight loss plan gone south.

Even worse are the after holiday sales that take place. I should have avoided the aisle when I went grocery shopping just two days after Easter. But sadly, I was drawn to it. I couldn't resist saving some money. At least that's what I tried to convince myself but I have a confession to make. That half-price bag of pastel M 'n M's and the bag of speckled jelly beans, guess where they are? They are stashed away in my desk. It really wasn't about saving money after all.

The other part about holidays dragging you down is that I tend to get out of my exercise routine. I am so busy preparing, I don't have time to exercise. Then I have eaten so much, I tend to feel guilty and for some reason think there is no point to start again. So I let a few days go by, and then start all over again the following week. I really need to come up with a combative plan the next holiday that rolls around.

Weight loss will never happen if I keep falling every time there is a holiday or a celebration. Sticking to healthy eating habits and exercise has to be a lifestyle that doesn't take a vacation.

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Maintaining Your Weight

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16 Apr 2010 06:06 AM

Are you happy about the idea of just ? We rarely hear people talk about that. We constantly hear about the need to lose weight but we don't hear about the part where we just maintain our weight.

I have been in a real rut lately with my eating and exercise habits. I fell off the wagon for a bit and although I have tried to get back on, it has been a rough road. It's become that rollercoaster ride of having ups and downs. I just can't seem to get myself completely together. One would think that the warmer temperatures would spur me on but it hasn't really helped.

Now I am at this point where I am thinking to myself, "Okay, at least what I can do for now is maintain my weight." I certainly don't want to put on additional weight so if I can't get myself back into the groove of things, at least I can maintain what I have so that I don't give myself additional weight to take off.

What about people who are on a diet to lose weight and finally get to that point where they just have to maintain? I think some people struggle with the whole idea of being satisfied where they are at. That has been something I have had to really self-talk myself about. Can I be satisfied where I am at? Could I be content to just maintain? Can I accept myself just the way I am?

Many times we have to really look at what our motivation for weight loss is. Is it to look better than your best friend? Is it to draw attention to you? Is it to get that new boyfriend/girlfriend? Do you just want to look good on the beach this summer? I think when we dig down deep and really consider our motivation for losing weight; we will make some important self-discoveries.

There really are people out there who need to stop worrying about dieting and concentrate on maintaining. It kind of drives me nuts when I see an obviously thin or fit person talk about dieting. What about maintaining? What about being satisfied with where you are at and focusing on maintaining that weight?

Unfortunately we are surrounded by such mixed messages-we are told to super-size our meals yet we are also told that a size 12 is considered "plus size." How do we combat against that?

I really do believe that at this particular point in time I need to just be satisfied, strive to eat healthier, get in some exercise and think about maintaining. Once I see some success that way, where I haven't packed on extra pounds and I have been slowly learning how to eat better and get exercise in, then I may be ready to get rid of those few extra pounds I have been wanting to.

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How the Past Can Be Affecting Your Food Battles

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27 Apr 2010 06:13 AM

It seems in my journey to exercise and eat healthier, I always have something to contend with. I have been making small changes since the start of the year. However, I can say that I have seen these small changes make a positive difference in one way or another. Yet every week I seem to have a different battle to fight that is meant to bring me discouragement.

What I have been noticing the past couple of weeks is I lack the ability to control my size portions. I tend to eat beyond full and I wasn't exactly sure why. Why do people eat to a point of being uncomfortable? I always seem to go just behind full, not to where I am feeling sick but just enough that I feel discouraged for doing so.

Now I'm not a psychologist but at some point in my past I heard that if you grew up with little food, hoarding food could be an issue later in life. I don't hoard food but like I said, I do have trouble eating until I am pleasantly full. I always feel like I am wasting food. Why scrape away the last of those mashed potatoes into the garbage? It's such a waste.

I wasn't raised to eat everything on my plate. You just did because we didn't have a lot of it. Now I am beginning to wonder if my past is playing into the way I view food today. If it is, I have to redirect my thoughts. I have to stop seeing food as something that I need because I may not have enough. Even though I know it's not the case, it could be that subconsciously I am thinking that way.

I know of others who battle with food for other various emotional and psychological reasons. It doesn't have to be a losing battle. Sometimes we just have to get a new mindset. Once we recognize what we may be contending with, we are better equipped to face it head on and change it.

One of my favorite sayings is from Dr. Phil. "You can't change what you don't knowledge." Whatever it is in life, food or anything else, if we don't acknowledge what the real issues are nothing will change. I would guess that there are many others out there who battle with food for emotional reasons. Try to figure out what the underlying thinking may be and then work on changing that thinking.

We can redirect our thoughts and take them on a better, healthier path.

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How Would You Like to Get Paid to Lose Weight?

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29 Apr 2010 07:36 AM

What better incentive could you have to lose weight than to get paid for it? Welcome to the world of Healthy Wage, a program that uses incentives to not just lose weight but to live a happier, healthier life.

With Healthy Wage you also get social support, information resources, expert support, and technology that will help you set goals and track them. There are five health challenges that you can choose from. Here's a summary of what they are:

The BMI Challenge provides $100 from corporate sponsors to obese Americans who lose weight.

The SuperSizer challenge gives you the opportunity to bet on your weight loss ($150 or $300). You are then rewarded for losing the weight ($450 or $1,000).

The Biggest Loser Matchup challenge invites teams of five to compete for the greatest percentage weight loss from May 15 to August 15. It's the first national weight loss competition with cash prices up to $1,000.

The Top Motivator challenge rewards people for helping friends to lose weight. Every month those who help someone lose the most weight will receive $1 per pound lost.

You also have the Weekly Weigh-in where users can check in once-a-week, report their weight, share tips using an online support community, and earn rewards from sponsors.

This program was designed after research showed that weight loss was more effective when there were small cash rewards available, when people's money was at risk, and when there was support from family and other social networks.

There is so much more to share about this program. In my next blog, I will talk more in-depth about the Biggest Loser Matchup which was inspired by NBC's hit show "The Biggest Loser." Next week I will be interviewing two past contestants who are part of the Biggest Loser Matchup, Peter Thomas from season 2 and Neil Tejwani from season 4. So look forward to my blogs which will share what I learned from these exciting interviews.

Check out Healthy Wage and see how you can get paid to lose weight and get healthy.

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Biggest Loser Contestants Motivate Healthy Wage Members

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30 Apr 2010 12:15 PM

Yesterday I blogged about an exciting new program called "Healthy Wage." This program offers incentives to help you lose weight and get healthy. Both are important factors to consider when deciding to make a lifestyle change. It's not just about losing the weight; it is about creating a healthier you.

In this program are five health challenges that members can choose from. One of them is the Biggest Loser Matchup, which was inspired by the hit NBC show, "The Biggest Loser." This particular challenge invites teams of five people to compete for the most weight lost between May 15 and August 15.

An exciting component to this challenge is the help you will receive from two past contestants of "The Biggest Loser". They are Pete Thomas from season two and Neil Tejwani from season four. Next week I will have the awesome privilege to interview both contestants and then share with the readers at Families.com how they are helping to make this an incredible opportunity for those who are seeking to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle.

If you enter into the Biggest Loser Matchup, they will help the teams by providing daily motivation, tips, workout routines and stories from their time on the Biggest Loser ranch. What more could you ask for in receiving some of the very best help and motivation that is out there.

Each team will pay $100 at the time of enrollment ($20 per person) and will weigh in each week at one of the more than 3,000 participating gyms. The winning team will receive $10,000 in cash. Second place winners will receive $5,000 and the third place winners will receive $3,000. If that doesn't inspire someone, I don't know what can.

When you enter the Matchup, you will receive a fitness initiation from a health club trainer, along with a packet of information and advice. This is sure to be a very popular opportunity so you don't want to miss your chance. You can sign up by visiting Healthy Wage.

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Does my writing make me look fat?

It seems lately, I have been pointed in the direction of health, well being, and weight loss. In the midst of being asked to review two fitness items, a spot to write for the Weight Loss blog became available. Currently, I write for the Home Schooling blog here on Families.com. I am very excited to get my fingers working out on the keyboard as your Weight Loss blogger as well. Weight loss is a topic that I have become all too familiar with through my life. From a quick stint with an eating disorder, to getting in great shape, to getting out of shape, to loosing baby fat, to gaining baby fat, I've seen it all. I have fat clothes, skinny clothes, clothes I plan to wear again, clothes that mock me as I pass over them in the closet, and clothes I hate to admit are my size. I am not a fad dieter but I have been known to go "low carb" and count calories. On Tuesdays, I often think, "whoa, I forgot to start my diet on Monday...guess I have another week to indulge". Through my journey I learned that health really is more important than size and not just something I tried to convince myself of to help me sleep at night.

So, what qualifies me to write in this realm? All of the above! Yes, I studied a bit of nutrition in college and researched it on my own. Knowledge of nutrition and how the body works does help one understand the dynamics of weight loss, however, my "every woman" understanding of the emotional dynamics of weight loss is an asset. As I begin to finally loose those thirty pesky pounds using my experience, I hope to encourage all those out there that weight loss is attainable and about more than what you see in the mirror. I know how to lose weight. I know what to eat and what not to eat. I know how many calories one burns eating. Most of all, I know to become successful at losing weight one must be focused on more than an old pair of jeans that mock you as push them aside for your "fat" jeans. As I work my way back to energy and health, I encourage you to join me.

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Teaching an Active Lifestyle from an Early Age

There are many temptations that keep us inside and sitting for long periods of time. We spend our evenings watching TV, catching up on Facebook, playing video games, board games, or eating long dinners with those we love. Individually, these things are not negative to our well being. However, anything taken to an extreme will have a negative effect on our lives and possibly the lives of our children. What do your children see you do on a regular basis? Are you encouraging a healthy active lifestyle?

When I was a child, the neighborhoods were buzzing with children riding bikes, playing ball in the front yard, throwing a football with dad, or playing cops and robbers. As I sit and look out of my window, the only children on the block outside playing ball are my own. As parents, we need to encourage our children to get outside and play. This will keep them at a healthy weight and encourage a long life of physical activity. This is important to instill in a child very early in life. The earlier you instill an active lifestyle the more natural and ingrained that lifestyle will be for that child as he grows. The best way to encourage a child is by doing it ourselves. When our children see that we can balance updating our Facebook status with going on a bike ride or a walk, they will learn to do the same.

Ways to encourage young children to become active:

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Alternatives to Cooking with Butter

If you are like me and your best friends are fat, most notably butter and oil, you may need to make a few changes in your diet. So, can we say goodbye to our fat unhealthy friends without saying goodbye to flavor? Yes, there are healthier options that are low in fat, do not contribute to cholesterol and do not require us to live without flavor. Best of all, most of these alternatives are easy, inexpensive and products you may already have on hand.

1. "Honey, pass the honey."

Many of us start our mornings with a slice of toast or a bagel lathered in butter. Push aside butter for healthier and tasty alternatives like honey, jam, jelly or fruit butter.

You may also want to try making your own fruit butter. Fruit butter is easy to make and free of cholesterol and fat. Pick your favorite dried fruit and a fruit juice. Simmer a cup of dried fruit and about a cup of fruit juice over low heat for about thirty minutes. Stain the fruit and blend in a blender and you are done!

Bonus Hint: If you insist on buttering up your morning then try whipped butter. You will cut out 7 grams of fat by using whipped butter in place of regular butter.

2. Coconut Oil: the new trendy and tropical alternative.

Studies show that people who consume more coconut products are leaner and healthier. Coconut oil actually promotes weight lost by supporting metabolism and proper function of the thyroid. Coconut oil does not contribute to heart disease nor does it raise cholesterol. Be aware that hydrogenated coconut oil is just as unhealthy as trans- fat. Coconut oil also brings out the flavor in many foods.Just between you and me coconut oil is also a great facial moisturizer and hair treatment. The oil does not clog pores and can be used daily. You can cook up a great meal all while giving yourself a beauty treatment. How's that for multi-tasking?

3. The Applesauce of my eye.

A great way to cut down the fat and still enjoy yummy baked goods is to replace the oil in a recipe with unsweetened applesauce. Using unsweetened applesauce will not change the flavor but may change the consistency of a recipe. Wait, do not skip this tip just yet there is a solution. In recipes where the fat is essential to the process of baking you can still replace half the oil with half applesauce. For instance, if the recipe calls for cup oil you will want to use cup oil and cup applesauce. What no applesauce on hand and you have a craving for something sweet? You can substitute this replacement with plain non-fat yogurt or fruit puree.

4. Olive Oil is not your enemy.

Don't let the word oil scare you! Olive Oil is a wonderful alternative to other cooking oils. Olive Oil offers health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease by controlling LDLs (bad cholesterol) and raising HDLs (good cholesterol). Olive Oil is also rich in vitamins A, B-1, C, D, and E. This is certainly an oil that is on your side without being on your hips.

5. Saute the meat not the fat.

If you love to saut but don't love the fat then try one of these replacements: water, fruit juice, cider, wine, fat free broth, or fat free cooking spray. Likely you will have some of these on hand to make this healthy change simple and delicious. Isn't it about time you can fry it up in a pan without regretting it in the morning?

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The Importance of Water When Dieting

Our bodies are made up of 50-70 percent water. Water is essential to life and good health. Drinking too much water is nearly impossible as our bodies will adjust with urination output. However, not drinking enough water can lead to dehydration. When we do not drink enough water our kidneys do not function properly. Since we do not store water in our bodies, it is vital that we consume the proper amount daily for good health. While we can survive for a week with no food, it only takes days to experience harmful and deadly effects of dehydration. Water helps maintain our body's temperature, regulate circulation, lubricate joints and contribute to healthy skin.

So how much water is sufficient? While this largely depends on a person's size, the guideline is eight glasses of water daily. If you are exposed to prolonged heat or have been exerting yourself physically you will need to drink several more glasses to prevent dehydration. An overwhelming amount of our daily liquid intake comes from beverages while only about 15-20% comes from food. Keep in mind that alcoholic beverages are dehydrating. Caffeinated beverages are not dehydrating as once thought but will add to the amount of liquid required in a day.

Will drinking water help you lose weight? Water does not aid your weight loss as much as it maintains proper body function. Often your body will mistake thirst as hunger, so drinking the proper amount will alleviate this issue. Water can be used to suppress or control appetite since your body will not seek food to maintain a healthy liquid intake. Water will increase metabolic rate which will in turn allow for more calories to burn faster. Many foods today contain less water content in order to be stored for a greater amount of time. Consuming these foods will cause you to crave which will lead to increased calorie consumption. Increasing your water intake after working out will help maintain your energy level and aid in recovery. Water is essential to a healthy life and to maintain a healthy weight.

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Smart Choices At McDonald's

You rush from the bank to pick up the kids at school to drop one off at soccer and the other off at football. By the time you get home there will be no time to make a healthy dinner and with pennies in the back after paying for football cleats and soccer uniforms, there is no money to eat out. So what's a mom to do? Can you in good conscience choose a fast food restaurant to feed your family? You know the content of fat, oil, trans-fat and who knows what else that will invade your kid's bodies if you order a cheeseburger and fries. This is all without considering what making this decision will do to your diet. Yet, the children's choir in your backseat keeps chanting, "McDonald's! McDonald's!"

Relax and take a deep breath while I try to put your mind at ease. While fast food is not prime diet or health food, moderation and making clever choices can save the day and your sanity. This is also a perfect time to teach your child how proper choices can allow you to indulge yourself even at a fast food restaurant. Be armed and prepared with this list of better options the next time you find yourself at McDonald's drive thru.

Healthier alternatives at McDonald's:

-Fruit 'n Yogurt Parfait with granola boasts a mere 160 calories and 2 grams of fat. -Apple Dippers as an alternative to French fries has 35 calories and 0 fat. You can have the low-fat caramel dip with only 70 calories and 0.5 grams of fat.

-Choose low-fat milk over soda in Happy Meals . What child doesn't love chocolate milk? You will love it for them at 100 calories and 2.5 grams of fat. -Hamburgers weigh in at 250 calories and 9 grams of fat.

-Cheeseburgers turn up the calories but not too high at 300 calories and 12 grams of fat.

-If you truly crave those fries then order a small with 230 calories and 11 grams of fat. -Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich has 420 calories and 10 grams of fat.

-Try the new snack wraps which have 260 calories and 9 grams of fat. -Order one of McDonald's tasty salads which have no more than 320 calories and 9 grams of fat.

While fast food is never the best option you can make the best choices for your family. Your child can have a hamburger, apple dippers and chocolate milk for a lunch or dinner with 455 calories and 11.5 grams of fat. Try a snack wrap and parfait with granola for yourself for a lunch or dinner with 420 calories and 11 grams of fat. With some proper choices you can enjoy a quick bite out at your child's favorite fast food restaurant.

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I'm Bored Therefore I Eat

So there you are sitting at your desk with nothing to do but tap your pencil in a rhythmic motion to the annoyance of your co-worker in the next cubicle. While you were just getting the hang of tapping out the American anthem, you decide that vending machine is calling your name. Hmmm...what sounds good in this moment of sheer boredom? You can choose from a candy bar, chips, soda, or Little Debbies. Well, this is already working as the choosing process is already giving you something to do for the moment. As you slip your quarters in the machine you make a last minute decision to press D3, a huge 30 grams of fat covered in chocolate. It's funny how your mood can affect your decision making, isn't it? You spend the next several minutes in chocolate bliss and forget all about your boredom. That is until you throw the wrapper away, and now you are not only bored again but feel like you instantly gained five pounds. This leads to frustration, a sense of going off the diet wagon, and right back over to the vending machine for a non-diet soda. Can you escape this cycle of diet defeat?

Eating out of boredom is more common than the common cold. It devastates your diet and your mindset toward your goal of better health and well being. You begin your diet on Monday morning but by that afternoon you blow it and say, "My diet starts on next Monday." This attitude is counterproductive and obviously not helpful in attaining your fitness goals. So, what's a dieter to do during those weak moments of boredom? Here is a list of ways to alleviate this glitch in your diet plan.

-Drink water. If that is too boring, drink sparkling water with lemon or lime.

-Be sure to snack on regular controlled intervals so your mind will not wonder to food in moments of boredom.

-Read a book.

-Paint your nails.

-Call a friend.

-Write an email. -Play an online game to pass the time.

-Go for a walk.

-Go for a run.

-Take five minutes to clean out your junk drawer.

There are plenty of ways to keep your idle hands busy and off the cupcakes. Do something productive to keep you busy, so in the end you get a small task done while not increasing your calorie consumption for the day. If you just cannot resist the urge make yourself wait fifteen minutes before reaching for something to eat. This often will get you back to your senses. If you feel you must eat then be sure to provide yourself with a snack that will not devastate your diet like rice cakes, grapes, watermelon, etc.

Related Articles:

Just Say No to Super Sizing It

Getting Past Discouragement

Ready to Take Weight Loss Seriously

.sociable

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The "book", and Weight Watchers...

A few people recommended this book to me yesterday in the comments... guess what? I already have it! I ordered it last week, and actually made it through the introduction this weekend. I am going to buckle down and actually start reading it today. I am still reading "The End of Overeating" by David A. Kessler... it's just taking a while. I just don't have time to read like I used to! But I really think that this is imporant, and that this reading can give me insight I need. 
I actually have another book on the way, too. It's called "The Diet Cure", and it was recommended by my friend, Greta (BigBottomBlogger).


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Peaceful...

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's out there in blogland! I hope your day was filled with love and happy times. I know that my day was very peaceful, and I enjoyed spending it with my kids.

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Uncluttering

Is that even a word, lol. Well, even if it's not... I hope you get the drift. I feel like that's how my brain feels right now. Like it's trying to clear out the clutter...


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Weight Watchin'

Yesterday, I just did it. I re-joined Weight Watchers. I was out running errands, and the thought occurred to me that it was time for the Tuesday meeting. I just went in and did it.

And then I felt... embarrassed? Let down?

I actually walked outside to get myself together. I actually thought, "how am I going to admit to my blog-friends that I re-joined Weight Watchers?" Does that even make any sense? It's not like I have done something wrong.

I think the bottom line is that I need accountability. I am just not one of those people who can eat intuitively (at least not right now). I need parameters that are easy, and Weight Watchers has always given me that. I have always lost weight on WW.

What I hope is different this time around is the quality of food I eat. I know so much more this time around about how to eat whole, unprocessed food. I really think I can do it this time.

Like Lyn (Escape from Obesity) always tells me, I need to stick to it for a certain amount of time so it has the CHANCE to work for me.

So I am giving it 4 weeks.

I am already feeling good. The meeting was nice, even though the regular leader wasn't there. I have heard from co-workers who go there that she is awesome. I also recognized someone that went to the meeting with me YEARS ago who has re-gained about 50 lbs. Several people came up to me after the meeting and offered encouragement, which felt good. Already, it seems different from "last time". Like the people are closer? The last time I went to meetings here, people basically just weighed in and left. These people seem kind of connected, which will be great for me.

I spent time last night packing my lunch and calculating points values. Today I was prepared and I am feeling good! I have plenty of points left for the day, so there is no reason for me to go over. I forgot how much I prefer counting points vs. counting calories.



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Butterflies

...in my stomach, that is.

I am so nervous about my interview tomorrow. This is BIG. I really want a job in this district.

I have been nauseous all day. Panicked. Stressed. I hate this feeling.



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Confident?

This weekend was AWESOME. Overall, the last week I really felt like my life is finally moving in the right direction. I have mental peace about everything, and the sadness and depression is going away. I am FINALLY finding peace with my food choices, and at the same time am finding peace with myself.

On Saturday night I went out with a friend. The whole thing made me a little nervous, because going out seems to be "one of those things I don't do anymore." For a while, I felt like the good times were out of control. I reeled myself in, and have just stayed there for a while. But this weekend, I was just in the mood to get out and have fun, and that's just what I did.

I had a new outfit that I'd bought for a Mother's Day gift to myself, so I got all dressed up - hair, makeup, etc. I felt so pretty. I really loved my shirt and the way my makeup looked.... (my friend only uses MAC cosmetics, and has a collection that a makeup artist would envy! Whenever we go out, I always use her makeup...). I wore really cute heels and felt like a million bucks.

We hopped around to several different parties and had a blast! I didn't eat the usual crap, kept the alcohol to a bare minimum, and still had SUCH a good time.

One thing kept coming up, though. Everywhere we went, women kept telling me that I was beautiful. When men approach me, I usually don't pay attention because they usually just want to get in your pant, lol. But these were random women that I didn't even know that were complimenting me - and seemed sincere! Even my best friend looked at me at times and would say, "you look exceptionally beautiful tonight."

Ordinarily, I don't know how to accept a compliment, but on that night, when I said "thank you" I really meant it. It made me feel awesome.

At one party we went to, this really pretty woman came over to me and said, "you are so pretty! I love how confident you are - you really are an example for us big girls that we look just as good as those skinny girls!"

Me?

So I asked my friend yesterday (as we were re-capping the great night we had) if she thought I seemed confident.

"Yes - whenever you're dressed up and go out, you are confident as hell. Only people who really know you know that you struggle with it..."

She is so right. But at least I can fake it til I make it, right?



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What's your best part?

Lyn (Escape from Obesity) asked a great question on her blog today... what is your best part?

Without having to even think about it, I knew the answer... my neck/chest/shoulder region. When I crop pictures, this is always how I do it so I "look" my best. For whatever reason, when I get to about 280 lbs or so my double chin disappears and my collar bone emerges. I think it looks sexy! I am between 270 - 280 lbs on all these pictures above....

What about you? What is YOUR favorite feature? No matter what size you are, you should have SOME part of your body that you look at and say, "not so bad!". Lemme know what it is in the comments, and link your blog if you write about it!



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Making time for ME!

Over the past few days, I have been juggling about 100 balls in the air. I am almost at the end of my rope... literally. But Saturday at 12 noon will officially be the end of our school year. That means I am OFF until June 7! I am almost done with my plans for summer school, so now I just need to catch up on my coursework for my Master's program. Whew!

I have made several decsions about this summer that will hopefully help me get on track for the summer:

1. I am re-joining the gym. This will serve two purposes: to get back into a fitness routine and for my family to have pool access for the summer. It is getting HOT in Tennessee, so a gym membership will allow me to exercise no matter how hot it gets. Last summer, it worked out really well. I would exercise for an hour or so while the kids were in childcare, then we would all change into swim clothes and we would go swimming.

2. I am going to get back into clean eating for myself and the kids. We have been slacking off for the past two weeks. I've been letting fast food creep back in, which has to stop now. We are still not bringing the bad stuff in the house in grocery form, so we have not completely reverted back to our old ways. But I want to get a grip before my kids get too used to eating bad stuff again.

3. Starting June 1 I am going to detox from sugar again. I have been weaning myself off sodas since Friday. I drank my last one with dinner last night. So now, it's time to get rid of sugar. I have done it once, I know I can do it again. My body doesn't like sugar, so I need to kick the habit.

I am waiting until June 1 because I know I will be at home, in a controlled environment. There will be no excuses, like running late for work or being in a hurry. We were planning a trip to Florida for the week, but I cancelled it last night. I need a week for ME. I need a week to relax and just have some peace and quiet at home before summer school begins. I know my kids were disappointed, but they will get over it.Posted byskinnyhollieat12:49 PM

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I can do anything.

Yesterday was my 34th birthday. I am officially in my “mid-thirties”, lol. But I’m okay with that! Older and hopefully wiser!

Diane (The Incredible Shrinking Family) left a comment on my Facebook page yesterday, where she said, “This is your year.”

So many people think of the beginning of one’s year being January 1. But Diane’s right – our “year” should begin with the day we are born! I appreciate her saying that, because it really made me think.

This is my year.

I have been struggling for a long time.
Struggling in my childhood.
Struggling as a single mom.
Struggling in my marriage.
Struggling with abuse.
Struggling with weight loss.
Struggling with finances.
Struggling with school.
Struggling with my job.
Struggling as a single parent (again).
Struggling with self-esteem.
Struggling with friendships.
Struggling.

Finally, finally… I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. After 15

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Finally... time off!

Today is my offical first day of summer...

I got to sleep in (until 7 a.m., lol) and had my lawn mowed by noon! I am thinking about grilling for dinner tonight, so I wanted to get it done. It's been a while since I mowed the yard myself and it kicked my butt! In a little over an hour, I burned over 1000 calories! My body is so SORE right now!



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Significant

Something happened today. Well, I think it's been building for about a week now.

I went to a cookout for Memorial Day. I did not overeat. I had a hot dog (beef, no nitrates) and was about to eat a burger, but only ate about 1/3 before I put it down. I was full. Now, let me tell ya - my bff makes burgers that are out of this world. And I still put it down. I didn't have sides either. There was potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans, etc. I didn't have any. I think the change in my mentality is .

I am do excited about the sugar detox that starts tomorrow. I have been just waiting for Memorial Day to pass by so I could eat what I wanted. Who knew that I wouldn't even want to eat like a mad woman? As a matter of fact, I have been eating well for at least four days. I feel good. I feel energized. I feel like I am in a good place.

And there is even stress still! My life is still crazy - but I am now making the CHOICE to take control. It really is a choice, you know. I can choose to be in control of my actions, or I can let the stress be an excuse.

HELLO... The stress will always creep up. It can not be an excuse to be bad to my body and to destroy my health.

My JUNE top TEN:

1. No refined sugar.
2. No packaged food with over 5 grams of sugar. (I got this idea from Yum Yucky.)
3. Fruit is allowed.
4. No alcohol.
5. No more than one 12-oz diet soda daily.
6. Limit artificial sweeteners.
7. No fast food.
8. 150 oz. of water per day (approx. 1/2 my body weight in oz.).
9. Back to the gym! I am shooting for 5 days/week of SOME TYPE OF EXERCISE.
10. Limit processed food.

This list is DO-ABLE! I will also be tracking and counting points/calories along the way to make sure I am within guidelines to lose weight. I will weigh in in the morning, and the scale is going on vacation until July 1. The last thing I need is for the scale to play with my mind during this time.

My #1 goal for June is to get back into good habits that will be good for my body. I know that sugar is toxic for me, and it leads to cravings and binges. It's a habit I've kicked before, so I know I can do this again. It's necessary. I have to do this for me.

I am so ready for change!Posted byskinnyhollieat10:46 PM

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Fitness Assessment Results

Fitness Assessment
June 2, 2010

Weight: 303
Resting Heart Rate: 65
Blood Pressure: 118/72
Body Fat: 45.6% (This was described as “off the chart” for the computer program she was using. She had to take additional measurements with the calipers and calculate another way. EMBARRASING.)
3-Minute Step Test: 132 BPM (Up and down on a step for 3 minutes.)
Sit and Reach: 14 (This measures my flexibility.)
Bench Press Test: 30 Reps (Lifting 35 lbs. She said this was great.)
Measurements:
Chest – 46
R. Upper Arm – 18.5
Waist – 54
Hips – 57
R. Thigh – 34
R. Calf – 20

I have to admit, the numbers are depressing. The bright side? I now have a plan. The trainer was very encouraging and though it was great that I was taking control of my health. But I felt grossly out of shape and fat as hell.

I will return to the trainer for a re-assessment on August 1. My goal is to lose 20 lbs, and to also increase my strength and lower my active heart rate. I am so glad I did this assessment. Now I will be able to measure my success in other ways BESIDES THE SCALE.

I hopped on the elliptical for some cardio after the assessment, and had to stop after 23 minutes because my left foot was HURTING. The arch of my foot was rubbing my shoe the wrong way and it was painful. I tried to keep going but pain started shooting up my leg so I stopped. I figured with the step test and the bench pressing I did, that I got in my 30 minutes.

I really need to find some new shoes. I’ve bought three new pair so far and they all hurt my feet after I wear them for a while. They are comfortable when I buy them, but don’t pass the workout test. Ugh. Very frustrating.

Sugar-free June is still going well! Almost too easy so far… no cravings, no headaches. Maybe the fruit I’m eating is keeping this process painless. My eating has been clean and healthy. No sodas today, either! I am feeling great!

Did I mention I lost 3 lbs since yesterday? Yes, I know I am supposed to ditch the scale. But I wanted to weigh in for the fitness test today so I would have an accurate number.

The rest of the day was spent by the pool. Lovin’ this vacation!Posted byskinnyhollieat8:17 PM

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Weekend: Interrupted

Today started off GREAT....

....But is ending terribly.

NOT with eating, though. Shocker.

I have finally had an emotionally trying day where I am NOT using food to comfort myself.

Original Plan: Head to Jess's house around noon... swim... cook... relax and have fun for the rest of the evening. Make a grocery run so that food will be on plan and making good choices will be easy.

What actually happened: Well, everything was on plan until dinner. That's when I got a phone call. My ex basically ruined my day and sent me into turmoil. In about 2.5 minutes I was so stressed out I wanted to cry. I wanted Ben & Jerry's, Oreos, and Krispy Kreme. I wanted to numb the pain with food.

But I didn't. Because that really never works anyway.

I decided to just come home. I'll go back to Jess's tomorrow, because I still need to watch her kids so she can work tomorrow afternoon. But tonight, for me, I just needed to come back home.

After I publish this post, I will go to bed so I don't have to deal with temptation. I won't let my mind trick me into thinking I'm hungry.

If there is one thing I can control right now, it is what I put in my mouth. I will not let stress and emotions derail me. I am doing too well.

I will re-group, and try to stay focused this weekend. I stocked Jess's pantry with good, healthy food for me to have while I'm there. No excuses.Posted byskinnyhollieat11:04 PM

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I made it through the weekend...

... and I did well!

My stress level is HIGH right now.

I didn't sleep last night.

Things are hectic.

But I did NOT eat my way through it. I made it through this weekend with only a few slip-ups. Minor ones.

I went out last night, and my group of friends did their "usual" trip to IHOP after our shenanigans. I ordered an omelet, but they brought out pancakes with it. I ate some, but not all... maybe 1/2 of the three small pancakes. I love IHOP's pancakes, and it was worth it. The rest of my eating had been on point for the day, so I just vowed to do well today. I ate 1/4 of the omelet and gave it away.... It didn't have sugar but it looked way too fattening to eat. The last think I need is a stomach-ache from too much grease!

Today, my ex and I took our kids to Chuck-e-Cheese. I got the salad bar, and started out with a big salad w/lots of veggies and low-fat ranch dressing. I was only going to eat one, but I ate two slices of pizza while we were there. My day was so crazy, it was 5 p.m. and that was really my first "meal" of the day and I was hungry. I started to get that "guilty" feeling, but I nipped it in the bud. I was not going to beat myself up over it and start a binge.

I just ended my day with a bowl of fruit, and I am very proud of how I held it together this weekend. Between being away from home, dealing with stress, and eating out, I held it together in a way I believe NORMAL people do.

This is real-life. I have to be able to live in a way that will allow for the occasional slip-up. It doesn't mean I have failed.

Next week I am going to devote a lot of time to my workout regime since I missed it this weekend. I found myself doing squats and leg-lifts in the pool yesterday because I "missed" exercising and wanted to do "something". Kinda made me giggle, lol.



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Interesting...

I had an inservice meeting today and I absolutely fell apart! I am NOT ready to be out of my controlled eating environment. I have done well all week, but take the control over the menu out of my hands and #fail.

I had candy. I ate the barbeque, chips and baked beans for lunch. Damn! I controlled portions and didn't go back for seconds like everyone else. I also drank a lot of water. But candy - that's a no-no.

This is what I will do DIFFERENT.

I am already back on plan. This will NOT be a free-day-I-will-start-over-tomorrow-because-I-messed-up-today type of day. No.

I am NOT throwing in the towel.

I am on my way to the gym, and I will eat light for the rest of the day. I stocked up on lots of fruit and veggies last night, so I have good food to choose from. I am also posting this NOW so I will be accountable.

I am REALLY trying to change my mentality. It can't be ALL or NOTHING. Grey areas do exist, even if it shouldn't be a color you choose often on this journey.

I will not give up easily. I will be consistent.

I struggle with consistency.



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Must see...

SherRon, Shoes To Losesaid...

I DON'T identify with this woman. I am infuriated with her!

She is the most selfish woman on the planet. Because of her glutenous ways her daughter is going to grow up without a mother.

She should be fighting with everything she has to stay alive for her daughter instead of just giving up the fight.

June 10, 2010 1:07 PM

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Inspiration...

Sorry for my absense, but life is INSANE right now as usual. I am totally overwhelmed with grad school and LIFE. But more on that later...

Eating... well, it has been better. I am still holding strong with the no sugar plan for June, but there HAVE been slip-ups.

While I am getting my act together for a post, let me introduce you to my new friend, Caroline...



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YumJared Sugar Sweet Free Day

Yum Yucky and TheAntiJared would love for you to go sugar free for one day and make a pledge of any amount (through Paypal) to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

"We are challenging you to take control of the Sugar Beast and go sugarless AND artificial sweetener-free for one day. All pledged proceeds will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Association in support of a cure for Type 1 Diabetes."  

Read Yum Yucky's original post HERE. There is also a give-a-way!

I'll definitely be joining in! Will you?Posted byskinnyhollieat10:08 PM

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A Major Shift In Thinking

by Mary on June 10, 2010

in Emotional Health,Thoughts

I was a bit cynical in my review of The Secret, but I have to admit something…

It really changed my thinking.

After reading the review you probably didn’t get that feeling, but it did. I’ve felt a major shift in my mindset in the past few days. It’s something huge and something that I know will bring about some good weight loss success. Want to know what that shift was?

I started thinking of my future healthy self.

Sounds pretty simple, right?

But for me it wasn’t. For the longest time I’ve been trying to lose weight but I haven’t been able to get past 200 lbs. For the longest time I’ve thought things like “I can’t even imagine what I would look like under that weight.” “I can’t set a goal weight because I don’t know what I’ll look like in the future.” My inability to see, to comprehend myself as a smaller person, has been one of my biggest mental stumbling blocks. It’s been a lot easier to stay the weight that I am or above it because I know what that’s like. I know what I look like and feel like and what size clothes I need to buy. Anything under than 200 is foreign, and slightly scary, territory. When I’ve tried to picture it I’ve gotten scared or confused and often self-sabotaged myself so that I wouldn’t succeed.

Although I don’t

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The Right Direction

by Mary on June 11, 2010

in Link Love & Giveaways

Right now I’m feeling so good and happy and like everything is finally coming together and I’m headed in . I think visualization and the ability to believe in myself succeeding was something I was missing and really needed to figure out. Now that I have I feel like things are just going to start working for me.

And if feels like they already are. I know I’m losing weight again. I know that I’m getting smaller. I feel it in my clothes, in how I feel, in how my body looks in the mirror. I’m so tempted to go back on my “surprise weighin” in July, because this feels really exciting for me and I want to share it with you all who support me when I need it the most. But I’m a girl of my word, so I’m not going to weigh in this month (I’m going to wait until before my roadtrip of epic fast food proportions). But I will update soon with a video, so hopefully you will be able to see the progress yourself.

But it’s just so. freaking. EXCITING!

I love how I feel right now and there are a lot of little things that I feel like are contributing it. I’ll go into detail on each of these in future posts, but I believe that my awesome fantastic feelings lately are because of these things: visualization of my future healthy self, eating way more fruits and vegetables, and cutting out the majority of the sugar I eat. Remember when I gave up sugar for just a week? Well I took the tips I learned from that to drastically cut back my sugar consumption – basically as little added sugar as possible and no sweets except on weekends. It’s a pact of sorts with my love because neither of us really love how sugar makes us crazy addicted. So far it’s going really well and the cutbacks on sugar in addition to those other things have me feeling awesome.

And since I’m feeling so good, I wanted to share some good Friday links…

I’ve been reading In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto

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