Recipes

Baked Oatmeal


2 cups oats (I use whole, not quick)
1 cup dried fruit 
handful of nuts
dash of salt
cinnamon as desired 
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup of brown sugar (or honey)


Toss dry ingredients in a bowl.  In separate bowl or large measuring cup:
2 cups milk 
2 T melted butter (opt)
1 T vanilla
1/3 cup honey or maple syrup
2 eggs


Whisk together and stir into dry ingredients; in bottom of 8X8 greased pan, slice a whole banana, then sprinkle fresh or frozen blueberries on top of that.  Pour oatmeal mixture on next, smooth out and bake at 350' for 35-40 minutes.  




Disclaimer: all images are from Pinterest.

Crunchy Roasted Chickpeas

2 cans cooked chickpeas (also called garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
olive oil
seasonings to taste (I used sea salt and garlic powder)


Rinse & drain chickpeas, pat dry with a paper towel then toss in a ziploc bag with 1-2 T olive oil and seasonings.  I used about 1 teaspoon of sea salt and about 1 tablespoon of garlic powder.  Toss well to coat, spread on baking pan and bake in a 400* oven for 30-40 minutes.  Toss gently on pan every 10 minutes or so, and let cool when done baking.  They'll crunch up even more when cool.  Store in a dry, airtight container.  
 

Speaking of Pinterest, check out my board called YUMMO on Pinterest.  Click on the photos to see the source.  http://pinterest.com/happystamper62/yummo/

Happy Day (Sundays & Mondays posts)

I'm happy today; the sun is shining, the house is warm, my tummy is filled with a comforting & satisfying bowl of oatmeal, and we're gonna go for a little ride!  A little chilly out, but I'll bundle up under my leather jacket and it'll be good to get a little "wind therapy" as they call it!  :)  


Tim & I went to my niece, Linda's house for dinner last night; she and her husband, Karl, are fantastic cooks and made THE MOST delicious meal!  Roasted chicken covered with all kinds of seasonings, venison sauteed with onions & peppers (blech!), lentils cooked w/ celery, onion & carrots.....ooooh, it was SOOO good!  A couple glasses...okay, a few...okay, FOUR (small) glasses of White Zinfandel was my drink of the evening and the perfect accent to the meal.   Brock, Sylvia & Anna brought an awesome salad and Ghirardelli brownies.  What a fun time we all had!  


I was VERY happy to get on the scales this morning and see that I'm down two more pounds and at 243#.  That makes 10# since the 18th of April.  A good start and very encouraging; I even noticed a pair of jeans getting looser a few days ago!


MONDAY:
I read this article in Prevention last week:http://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-tips/weight-loss-tips-reset-your-body-clock-belly-melt-diet?cm_mmc=Spotlight-_-887026-_-04232012-_-How-to-Lose-Weight-All-Day-Long-read-more
(One of these days I'll figure out how to post a link properly!)  I like to read about how to eat for energy and to boost the metabolism and realize that many of the tips given in this article are things I already do!  In fact, I realized that my attitude re: health and nutrition has definitely changed for the better in the past few years! Before 2008, I didn't care about the nutritional aspect of food, although I did care about preparing "healthy"meals for my family; as in, meat or casserole, vegetables and a starch of some sort.  But I had no interest in calories, carbs, fats, proteins, etc.  I just wanted to cook and eat what I liked.  Hence, the eventual creeping up to 266# by the summer of 2008.   Wow!  What a diva!  NOT!  :}  

July 2008 at 266#

Thank goodness that since the start of 2fatchicksonadiet in 2008 and now as DivaInDisguise, I AM interested and far more knowledgeable about the food that I put into my body and how it works for me.  My eating habits HAVE changed a great deal!  Never in the past would I happily eat lentils, black beans, hummus, celery and carrots because I like them, greek plain yogurt, etc. etc. etc.  My refrigerator is more often filled with these things, plus healthy cuts of meat, lots of fresh veggies and fruit and I include grains, legumes and good proteins in my diet every day!  Yeah, I still love the bad stuff; cheese doodles and cake still tempt me and put a pan of homemade Baked Macaroni & Cheese in front of me, and I lose all control.  But for the most part, I love GOOD food and am thankful I've finally "grown up" that way!  

April 2009 at 198#  

Today I'll start my day with delicious and nutritious Baked Oatmeal and pack a lunch of celery & carrots w/ hummus, a chicken sausage wrapped in a low-carb whole-grain tortilla loaded w/ pepper slices, baby spinach, a little mustard and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, an apple and a big bottle of water.  Dinner will be steak and chicken breasts that are marinating in the fridge this very moment and I'm going to try a new recipe: Roasted Cauliflower and will make quinoa to go w/ our meal.  Pretty good eating, wouldn't you say?  Oh.  And I'm down another pound this morning, for a total of eleven.  Yup, it's another happy day!  

Call Me Butter Cuz' I'm on a Roll!

Isn't that a cute saying?  Tim just said it to me the other day after beating the socks off me in Words With Friends!  Love that game, but love it more when I'M winning!!  


Well, I can't believe I actually posted that last horrifying temper tantrum of a post, but.  I did.  So.  Moving on!  


I'm relieved and glad to report that I'm back "on a ROLL!" of eating and exercising.  Truly, I'm motivated by my friend, Sandra, who just keeps on working her tail off and sticking with the stuff, no matter what happens.  And I'm encouraged by my cousin, Sylvia, who fights the same fat-battle that I do (stop & start/lose & gain) but who doesn't give in to her emotions by bitching and moaning.  She just laughs it off, accepts her temporary back-tracking and charges full-steam ahead!  I always said I'm not a competitive type, but perhaps I really am!  I don't wanna be left behind by these ladies in this get healthy/get thinner season!  :)  


Here are some real numbers to show what's been happening:  

• April 16th  249#  (GAH!!)  
• April 18th   253# (what on EARTH?!  I gained FOUR pounds in TWO days???)
• April 19th  251#  (I took control again)
• April 20th  248# (okay now!!  Eating well & exercising.  THIS is more like it!  This is what my body USED to do!) 
• April 21st  245#  (WOW!!)
• April 22nd  245#  
• April 23rd  246#  (I ate more and later than I should have the night before)
• April 24th  244#  (that's today; good swim class and one delicious serving of Eggplant Parmesan for dinner afterward.  I was so tired out that I went to sleep early!) 

I'm just thankful to see results for my efforts and am encouraged to keep on.  The forecast for this weeks weather was very discouraging, and I wasn't sure how motivated I'd be to get out there, or go to the gym (I seem to have an aversion to going there) but thankfully, the sun is trying to shine and that means walking or biking.  Unfortunately, my foot causes me alot of pain when walking (for exercise) and that bums me out.  I have enjoyed my swim class recently and guess I'll keep doing that too.  

This past weekend I tried some healthy recipes; Eggplant Parmesan 

(I figure it's better for me than lasagna!!), Roasted Chickpeas w/ Garlic & Sea Salt (yummo!) and Baked Oatmeal w/ Dried Cherries & Pecans.  I have a Pinterest board filled to the brim with awesome-looking recipes and healthy foods to try.  I may make the Healthy Chocolate Cake which has applesauce, grated zucchini &/or carrots and whole-wheat flour.  Sound good?? 

WARNING: Pity-Party Ahead!

***I wrote this a couple weeks ago and did not post it because I was so ashamed of myself.  But in the name of being honest, and because I do want this blog to be "real", I will publish it today.****  But be warned.  I was in a BAAAAD place!  :{


Well, here I am again, more than a week later from my last post.  (day after Easter) Feeling bummed, and ashamed, and frustrated and just about ready to say "f _ _ _ it!"  I know that sounds awful and crass and it makes me a quitter.  But it's true! I AM a quitter!  I start and stop, start and stop.  Blah, blah, blah, whine, cry, pout.  What a baby!  Who wants to read this crap anyway??  How much more pathetic can I get?  Don't you wanna just kick me in the butt??  Or say "just shut up, you whining, crying brat!!"  I DO!!  I want to kick myself in the ass and slap my own face!  :{  GAAAAHHH!!  


I have regained any weight I lost and am back up to 253# as of this minute.  I barely fit into my fattest clothes (sizes 18/20) and feel like my face is huge, cheeks puffing up, making my eyes little squinty pig eyes.  I don't just eat "normally" but overeat like a mad woman, even when I'm not even remotely hungry.  I make excuses to not work out, not walk, not swim.  

• "I don't feel good."  
• "I'm tired."  
• "I don't have time."   
• "I don't look too bad."  
• "I'm not THAT fat!"  
• "Tim loves me just the way I am."  
• "I'll probably just gain what I lose." 
• Etc, etc, etc.  
• WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME????!!!   :<

If I actually post this stupid, whining blog post, I'll feel publicly humiliated and ridiculous.  What's the point, anyway??  I probably need to see a shrink; there must be something mentally wrong that I abuse my body this way and abuse my self-esteem by putting this crap out there.  I look at my reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall; there I sit, wearing my HUGE comfy old nightgown that I just found packed away with fat-pants I don't fit into, face all bloated, hair a wreck, glum face.  Wow.  Pathetic.  


What is wrong with me???  How can I keep doing this over and over?  Who even wants to hear/read this crap?  Why do I  bother?  I'm no help to anyone, least of all to myself.  I don't know what to do.  I'm my own worst enemy.  Why can't I be consistent and stick with my plan?  It's really not difficult.  I feel good when I'm eating well and exercising.  I like what I eat when I'm eating well.  I have good energy.  So what is WRONG with me?????  

Rainy Monday Blues

What a gloomy, rainy day.  Blah.  Ick.  Ugh.  Sigh.  It's the perfect weather to go along with my weight this morning; I'm up two pounds.  How depressing is that?  On the other hand, after moaning, groaning, fuming and freaking in my mind this weekend I finally came to a point of resignation re: the scales and this odd way my body is responding to my changed diet & exercise.  I had decided to enjoy without going hog-wild, the delicious Easter dinner I prepared.  Ham, baked potatoes, green bean & swiss cheese casserole, delectable rolls, lemon-pineapple jello salad & chocolate cream pie.  Wow.  That sounds like a lot of food!  I did use sugar-free jello and pudding, and some of the main meal was low-carb-ish. And I did expect a gain today, due to the greater amount of food I ate, plus the water-retention factor of ham~so.  That's that.  

Pinterest images of Easter Dinner

I'm sad to say that I didn't make my goal of ten pounds this month either.  In fact with the added two pounds, it puts me at a depressing total of only 5# in all.  But 5# is better than no pounds.  And today is Monday, a new start day.  


My plan to get up early for the gym didn't happen this morning but I am planning to do my swim class this afternoon.  I look forward to that.  It's always great exercise and easier on my body.  I'm counting on it making me so tired tonight that I'll go to bed early & enable me to do early morning weights at the gym tomorrow.  


A friend of mine in NY just posted a new weight-loss blog entitled "Battle of the Bulge" and I'll follow her journey and progress, give her my support via comments and hopefully be inspired & motivated by her efforts!  It really does help to know I'm not alone in this work and to have friends who can empathize and encourage.  That's part of the purpose of this blog o' mine!  


Well, I need to hop off, read a little more in my Beck Diet book, re-read my Response & Advantage cards, pack healthy, energizing food for the day and get a move on!  Thanks for reading!  Happy Monday!  :)

It's Official! I'm a HOG!

HAHA!  Actually, I'm a card-carrying official member of HOG (Harley Owners Group) and proud of it!  

I don't own a Harley but I got me a Harley dude!  Would you believe that we rode to the HOG meeting at Backstage restaurant this evening?!  It was a tad chilly on the way there, riding into the wind (why was MY face cold and Tim's wasn't?) but warmed up quickly with good company, a Long Island Iced Tea, dinner for Tim and a fun meeting with lotsa laughs amidst announcements for the spring and summer riding season!  I can't WAIT!  (I hope I'm a good long-distance rider.) We're planning to ride this weekend and look forward to warmer temps!  


Well, I'm sorry to say my scales STILL haven't budged and I had a bad attitude again today but got over it, and will try not to cry and moan anymore!  Sandra suggested I hide the scales and just weigh once a week.  I truly don't think I could go that long w/o hopping on!  But maybe I'll try it.  Maybe.  In the meantime, I'm going to not only jot down my food on paper but start recording here what I'm eating; maybe you'll see what I'm not in regards to the food and set me straight!  Here's what I enjoyed today:


Today's Eating:

• coffee/2 eggs on whole grain toast w/ slice o' cheese (7:30am)
• no snack  :(  not good; shoulda fueled the metabolism.
• leftover chicken fajita filling in a small corn tortilla (only ate half the tortilla)/coffee/energy ball (2pm)
• GF'd chicken breast w/ salsa & dollop o' Greek yogurt/ (instead of sour cream)/V8 (5pm)  * I chose to eat at home instead of ordering at the restaurant w/ Tim
• 2 spoonfuls of cottage cheese/clementine/sunflower seeds (8:30pm) * I was peckish when I got home & am worried about not eating enough.  
Today's Exercise:  15 min on elliptical/15 min on stepper/30 min weights 

I'm hoping tomorrows client has been home this week and messing up his house so I have lots to do for six hours!  I'll pack some delicious and healthy food and will look forward to my FRIDAY night!!  Yahoo!!  Tim & I are going out to dinner with Sara & Mike at the Lakeview House Restaurant where she now works and then we're going to listen to live music at On The Rise.  A friend of Tim's is playing blues guitar!  Sounds like a fun evening, huh?  I think so too.  See ya!  

Sitting. Waiting. Starving.

My stomach is clenching and wrenching on itself as I sit in this huge, squashy leather chair in the Kia dealership, awaiting the removal of my snow tires.  It's 4:39pm and I got here at 3:10pm.  And I am starving.  Which can't be good for my metabolism.  It needs to be fed.  Soon.  :/  


6:55pm 


What a day.  I feel somewhat whine-y and ridiculous about my temper tantrum online this morning re: the fact that I HAVEN'T LOST A FREAKING POUND despite....oh right.  You already know.  Well, add that to dark, gloomy weather, and a long workday, it definitely made me feel down & grumpy all day.  Pathetic, I know.  But it did.  I packed leftover Margarita Chicken, rice & beans into a low-carb tortilla for lunch and had an apple.  It was good.  And I waited till lunchtime to eat it.  Pat on the back, Sharon!  :)

Our planned dinner was cheese n' chicken fajitas; what I didn't plan on was spending almost two hours getting tires switched over, then having to pick up Becca from her class.  I scrambled home by 5, quickly made the fajitas in a skillet and GF'd (George Forman) the remaining chicken, threw some filling into my tortilla and scrambled out the door with it, to pick up Becca.  Not an easy (or very smart) thing to eat in the car, but I WAS STARVING!!  

So, I definitely didn't eat slowly and savor my food; in fact, while it was cooking, I scarfed down a handful of tortilla chips w/ some salsa & sour cream.  Bad.  But not TOO bad. I stopped myself before going crazy.  


Now it's 7pm, I'm letting dinner subside a bit before heading to the gym; got a new batch o' Energy Balls in the freezer and I'm feeling better.  I sure could use something "sweet" to end my day with.  :)  

Read Up

I just read this on one of my weight-loss blogs in regards to dieting & self-sabotage:


And so this pattern has repeated every time I’ve tried to diet or lose weight over the years, time and time again. Sure the food of choice changes but the pattern remains the same.

• Go on diet/change eating/eat right/exercise
• Lose weight/start to feel better
• Think: I know how to do this
• Self Sabotage and tell myself its okay because “I know how to lose weight”

So here I am, lather rinse repeat. I know how to lose weight. I know that I must plan; I must take a certain set of actions yet something inside of me goes crazy and the more I fight it the more I want to binge eat. Every single day is a battle. Every single day I fight with myself. Every single day I force myself to do what I need to do. Most of the time I do what I need to do but not all of the time because something inside of me still triggers that self sabotage mode and I have to stop myself before it turns into a full blown binge.

Do you self sabotage? How do you overcome it if you do? How do you stay on plan? I’ve tried using fear as a motivator and I’ve found that I don’t scare that easily. I treat every day as a fresh start and a new beginning. I haven’t self sabotaged yet but I feel it building and I have to find a way to turn it off. I’m fighting as hard as I can but at the same time I’m so scared.


I'm learning how to stop the cycle of letting my thoughts sabotage my weight loss efforts.  Now I need to learn how to stop freaking out over the number on the scales and truly take satisfaction in all the good I'm doing for my body.  I THINK I am, but the scales are definitely controlling my emotions.  ACK!  

Here's another link to help me deal:
http://www.diet-blog.com/06/5_ways_to_break_a_weight_loss_plateau.php

Okay, I'm outta here.  Planning to hit the gym after work today.  

Laughing...but not really.

 
I found this on Facebook this morning and sorta laughed.  But didn't.  That old lady with the gun is how I feel this morning.  And I'm not being unrealistic about my goal weight.  Or unrealistic to expect some sort of result for the continual effort I'm putting into this.  My scales have not budged since I somehow gained two pounds earlier in the week.  I could scream.  :<

Hurtin' Unit

Oooohhh....I hurt!  :{  Perhaps I was a little too enthusiastic with all this gym action!  Last night's session included a very bizarre machine that did odd things with my arms and legs.  Then this morning I added a few extra pounds to the weight machines I used, knowing it's good to stretch the muscles.  This evening I walked two miles with Sandra but was in pain most of the way, as earlier in the day I slipped and fell at a clients home, wrenching my bum-knee exactly where it already hurts!  Argh!!  I'm hoping four Advil and resting in bed w/ my leg up will help it to feel better!  I have early gym plans for the morning, but don't want to do anything foolish either!


It was a good day!  I had sort-of a plan for eating and packed lightly for lunch and snacks while I was working.  But at 3pm I was starving!  Since I was out & about, I bought half of a rotisserie chicken from Price Chopper and nommed on that!  Ahhh...so good!!  THEN!  Becca & I ended up eating dinner together at Chili's where thankfully they have lower calorie options.  I chose Margarita Grilled Chicken on a bed of black beans/rice/veggie bits.  YUMMO!  And only 550 calories for it all!  And not only that!!  I only ate HALF!!  :)  (remember that rotisserie chicken?)  So, although that wasn't planned either, I applaud myself for making healthy choices today.  And for remembering while I ate a few tortilla chips to slow down and enjoy them!  


So, here are some things from Pinterest I've pinned to my Healthy Inspiration board; I can't wait to make some of this food!  These Healthy Protein Bars are next!  
This smoothie is made with peanut butter, bananas, oatmeal and yogurt.  Sounds good!  


And THIS chocolate-y treat looks SOOO good!  It's made with only coconut milk & cocoa powder!  Both of which I have in my cupboard!  If I weren't so sore, I'd go make it right now!  (except it isn't planned for today, so I'll plan to make it tomorrow!)





And finally, I leave you with this:

Frustrated But Keeping On

Good morning!  It's Tuesday (a day closer to Friday!) and the sun is shining!  Yay!!  I don't know what the temps are supposed to be today, but the sunshine alone is encouraging to me!  I've been in a little mind-funk lately; mainly due to frustration with my scales not moving despite doing a great job with eating and working out.  I know that the scales should not be my measure of success, and I do give myself credit for all the good things I'm doing for my health and body.  But man!!  I used to see pretty fast results for my hard work, and I just can't understand what's going on now.  :{ 

But I'm really going to try and not let the scales bring me down; I know that it'll happen and I just have to keep on despite frustration.  It's been awesome to have friends to workout with; I met Sylvia & Cindi at the gym this morning at 5:30am and did 15 minutes on the elliptical to warm up then a solid 30 minutes or so on the weights.  Good stuff.  This evening I'm going to meet Sandra for some brisk walking and catching up; that'll be good too!  

Okay.  Back to my book, The Beck Diet for Life.  I love reading my Advantages and Response cards each day, knowing I'm retraining my mind and thought patterns. Here's what I read each day:

• The only way to lose weight permanently is to learn dieting skills and practice them every day!  Then dieting will get easier and easier.
• What is my ultimate goal?  To do what I feel like doing? Or is it to lose weight for good?  I cannot have it both ways.  I must commit to the task at hand & practice the skills over & over.
• NO CHOICE!  To plan food for the day, eat only the planned food at the planned times and exercise at least 5X a week.
• I'm choosing to say NO CHOICE!  If I want to lose weight, I have to do what I need to do, not what I feel like doing.
• If I choose to eat this unplanned food, I'm strengthening my GIVE IN muscle; if I resist it, I'm strengthening my RESISTANCE muscle.
• Either I resist eating this unplanned food today OR I deprive myself of all the advantages of losing weight.
• I can always PLAN to eat this food tomorrow!
• OLD THOUGHT:  "I'm hungry!  I have to eat!" 
• NEW THOUGHT:  "I'm hungry!  Oh well, dinner's in an hour and I can wait."
• Negative Fast-forward 10 minutes after eating unplanned food:  How will I feel after eating this?  Will I feel weak and out of control?  Disappointed with myself?  Hopeless about ever losing weight?  Discouraged that I undermined my efforts?  Will it REALLY be worth a few minutes of pleasure??
• POSITIVE Fast-Forward 10 minutes:  Will I feel strong & in control?  Proud of myself?  Hopeful for success?  delighted that I exercised my RESISTANCE muscle?  Which is better; eating or NOT eating unplanned food?
• My weight isn't who I am.  It's not a measure of my worth.  It doesn't define me as a "good" person or "bad" person.  It's just information.  
• Eating slowly makes me feel satisfied sooner, makes me aware of quantity, gives more enjoyment of food, visually satisfies me, helps me be calmer, keeps me accountable and builds my self-control and resistance skills.

I could go on & on, but this gives you an idea of how I'm going to learn new dieting skills to help me succeed this time!  

Okay, gotta hop off here and get ready for work; have a great day!  And think good thoughts!  :)

Encouraged

I wrote this on Saturday morning and forgot to post it~

Good Saturday morning!  It's another cold and gloomy day and it's been bumming me out, especially after the glorious taste of summer we enjoyed not too long ago!  

I AM, however,feeling somewhat encouraged with my newest endeavor and want to share that with you despite the thoughts that sometimes go through my head:

• Oh, who cares about your blog, Sharon?  Everyone's sick of hearing you whine that you can't stick to a diet and lose weight!
• Why bother writing about it anyway?  All you're doing is baring yourself to the public, and for what purpose?
• You make yourself pathetic by showing your weaknesses.
• Blogging about weight loss efforts doesn't help you lose the weight so why waste your time?
• You need to write more helpful & informative stuff anyway, not just use the blog as a forum to complain!

Etc. Etc.  But, even if those things are true, I'm going to persevere.  It really IS a help to me to write this stuff out.  And I hope that by baring myself to others, it helps thin people understand the psyche of a fat person, and encourages other "fatties" fighting the same mind-battles, to know they're not alone.  

So, why am I encouraged this morning?  Well, here's why:

• I've been successfully following the general precepts of the Beck Diet plan, reading the Advantages & Response cards I wrote out earlier in the week.  
• I've planned each days food and have pretty much stuck to the plan.
• I have decided to stick with low-carb rather than retrain myself to count calories.
• I used the techniques this week to stop & think before eating~ 
• I realized that despite going back & forth this month, I actually have lost 9 of the 10# goal for this month, and I have till April 8th to lose that last pound.  
• Tim said he noticed my face looks a little thinner.  (was he just being nice??)  :)

  SO!  Here's a picture of my delicious lunch    yesterday: 

 This low-carb pizza was made on 7 gram Lavash bread and loaded with low to no-carb items.  It was delicious and satisfying!  

Advantages

Good morning~ I'm down two more pounds from Mondays weight.  Yay.  


Here are the Advantages to losing weight permanently:

• I'm going to build character, resolve and integrity
• getting on the scales will feel good
• shopping for clothes will be fun again
• I'll no longer feel fat, ugly, gross, un-sexy, unloveable
• it'll decrease the chances of future health issues
• it'll help my current state of health
• I'll feel so much better about myself
• Tim will be proud to be seen with me, not just because I'm "pretty" but because I'm healthy and fit
• I'm gonna feel so good physically
• I won't get up feeling stiff and sore anymore
• I'll rock those smaller, cuter clothes!
• I'll no longer feel self-conscious in my clothing
• I'll extend my life and live it more fully
• I'm gonna be HOT!  :}
• I'll be a help and inspiration to others trying to lose weight
• I'll have so much more energy
• I'll be a good example to my girls and others
• I'll be able to get rid of my excess sizes of clothing taking up space in my home
• I'll become adept at planning meals, shopping and being in control of eating
• I'll no longer feel compelled to compare myself to others
• I'll be more confident
• I'll be a wiser shopper of food and save money
• I'll be in control of my body instead of the other way around
• My new habits will be a help and encouragement to Tim
• I won't be constantly adjusting my clothing to "hide" my fat
• I will no longer be controlled by my body & it's cravings or emotional eating
• My girls, friends & family will be proud of my accomplishment
• 
  

Decision Time

No mystery as to how well or badly I'm doing with this weight-loss endeavor!  If you don't hear from me for days, (weeks or months) chances are I've blown it once again and probably regaining the little weight I lost.  What a futile, endless, hopeless-feeling waste of time and effort.  I'm so sick of my lack of resolve, lack of self-control, lack of momentum, lack of seriousness and determination!  :{  This past couple of weeks I've been half-heartedly trying to eat well and be consistent with exercising.  I'd lost a few pounds, gained that FOUR, lost a couple more and just feel....stymied.  As usual.  


So, remember I mentioned this book last week?  It came the other day and I've been reading it with great interest.  Listen to this:  "it not only guides you in what to eat and how to eat, but it also helps you change your mindset about dieting.  It leads you to make the psychological changes you need to be satisfied with your food choices, your ultimate weight, and yourself."  and "you will learn a powerful set of psychological tools that will enable you to stick to your healthy eating plan, no matter what.  You will learn how to talk back to your inner saboteur~ These sabotaging thoughts are common to any dieter who's struggled to lose or maintain weight loss."  


If you've followed this blog for any time, you know that I've struggled with allowing my negative thought patterns to become roadblocks to my progress.  I KNOW that I make excuses in my head and justify wrong choices with lies.  It's easy to identify, hard to stop.  It'll be life-changing for me if this new book will help me to change all that and see real & lasting success at last.  

So, here are Stage 1 Success Skills:
1.  Motivate yourself daily.
2.  Weigh yourself daily.
3.  Eat slowly, sitting down.
4.  Give yourself credit.
5.  Get moving.
6.  Overcome hunger, cravings and emotional eating.
7.  Plan and motivate your eating.
8.  Follow your plan, no matter what.
9.  Get back on track-right away.  


I like this too:
Think Thin Initial Eating Plan
1.  You will enjoy real food, not "diet" food.
2.  You won't make any food "off-limits".
3.  You will know what to do when you reach a plateau.
4.  You won't feel hungry as you have on other diets.
5.  You will continue to eat this way for a lifetime.  


This diet requires a solid commitment to follow the plan all the way (what diet doesn't?) and that makes me wonder if I can or will?  It requires calorie-counting; uh oh!  I've been a low-carb dieter for a long time, although we see how far that's gotten me!  :(  It is everything that I've resisted in my dieting; the plan that Sylvia & I created allowed us flexibility and a way to still eat the foods we love best, meats, cheese, dairy, etc.  Yet it didn't change my mindset or thought patterns; I lost weight ultimately, but not without the continual back & forth crap that plagues me now. And I didn't learn life skills to keep the weight off.  Perhaps it's time to truly get serious about losing weight and commit to a sensible, serious plan?  

What the HECK??

Good GRIEF!!  So frustrating!  I got on the scales this morning and apparently I've gained FOUR POUNDS!!  :O  Since Wednesday?!  Despite pretty careful eating?!  Tim & I did enjoy a delicious meal last night at Naru, our favorite Chinese restaurant, but I chose a dish loaded with vegetables and meat, didn't eat the rice and we had no appetizer.  So perhaps the salt content is the problem.  SIGH!  :{  Oh well, today's another day & I shall persevere.  :)  


Meanwhile, here's some humor via Pinterest!  
 

How funny is that???

 



Today's the day we get Tim's bike from the dealership!  Yay!  Unfortunately, it's cold and gloomy and requires heavier duty gear than I have yet.  But it's exciting to know his bike will be ready & waiting when it warms up again! I actually heard the "S" word re: this coming week! Wow. Well, we DO live in Vermont, after all, and the unusual warm temps have  been a bonus.  


Okay, off I go~ happy weekend to you all!  Eat well and stay active!  :)  


  

Today's Eating:

AM:  Total cereal w/ strawberries & almond milk/coffee

AM Snack:  2 energy balls/

Lunch: chicken salad/clementine/cheese popcorn

PM Snack:  coffee/boiled egg

Dinner: grilled chicken sausage & veggies on lavash w/ 1/2 slice cheddar/slice o' pineapple/small glass white wine

Today's Exercise: 30 minutes on stepper at the gym then 30 min on weight machines

My goals for the week were:

• lose 5 pounds by Saturday AM (I've lost 6# since Monday!)  YAY!  
• eat well each day
• exercise Monday-Friday for sure; plan something for Sat or Sun as a bonus!  

So far, so good!  

My fridge is filled with delicious food:

• baby spinach/baby carrots/grape tomatoes/red peppers/celery sticks 
• fresh pineapple slices/clementines/ruby red grapefruit in little containers/strawberries
• leftover boiled dinner from last Saturday night.  May have to pitch that.  It was sooo good though. 
• homemade vegetable soup
• egg salad & chicken salad
• grilled chicken breast/grilled garlic chicken sausage
• greek yogurt/Light & Fit yogurt
• hummus
• cheese sticks/cheddar/American cheese
• corn tortillas/lavash bread/wonton wrappers

Speaking of food, I found these images on Pinterest and hope to make some this weekend!  Here's one:  Black Bean Burgers.  

 

And another:  

 

This is called Muggin; sounds like breakfast!  Take a little less than a quarter cup of quick oats, 1 egg, a small handful of blueberries, and some brown sugar or Stevia if you like things sweet, and mix it all up in a coffee mug. If you want your muffin a little moist a tablespoon of plain soymilk or almond milk will do it. Then place in the microwave for 1 min. 

And one more: Homemade Frozen Pumpkin Yogurt 

 

Alright, it's time to say goodnight.  

Happy Girl

Good morning, friends!  Looks like another beautiful summer, I mean, March day here in Vermont!  My dog, Emily, is lying at the end of my bed with her nose on the window sill; she is SOO cute!  Penelope is curled up nearby; she was outside all night so is feeling all cozy & sleepy!  I LOVE my children, furry ones & not so furry ones!  :)  

Let me tell you about our first ride of the year!  And what a wonderful ride it was!  My  jacket fit well enough and it was great to put that helmet on my head again! 

 I met Tim at the dealership where he was waiting with a spankin' new Harley that needed miles put on for conditioning before it sells.  (Who knew that?!)  A pretty, sparkly blue bike with - what??  No back seat??  Gulp.  Two big compartments on the sides which I had to climb over and then perch my queen-sized butt on the little space  behind Tim.  But I was HAPPY!!  At last, we were going riding!!  No jacket required; it was about 80 degrees when we left and felt so GOOD to be in the wind and sun!  I also enjoyed hanging on to my honey, peering over his shoulder at the road ahead and enjoying the landscape around us.  Granted, I kept sliding backwards, especially on the uphill climbs and granted, my hips, butt and back were killing me by the time we got back, but I wouldn't have NOT gone had I known it would be that way.  It just makes me all the more grateful for Tim's amazing Road Glide Ultra with it's big, cushy seat and backrest for me!  We're planning to make as many trips this summer as possible!  


I was stoked to get on the scales this morning and see that I've lost 2 more pounds!!  Wowza!  So exciting and motivating!  Even though I know this is the way my body loses weight at first, and that I can gain them back almost as fast, it does make me happy!  I've been eating really well and getting some good, healthy exercise without going crazy at the gym.  (I'm too lazy for that!)  My intention and purpose is to eat healthy food most of the time, get physically active at least 4-5 days a week and still enjoy treats and special occasions without feeling deprived.  Yesterday I allowed myself to have a Clarks Sunoco  creemie with Becca; I asked for a baby but it came out bigger than that.  OH WELL!  Guess I could have eaten half and put the rest in the freezer...NOT!!  :)  


Okay, so I'm trying to decide if I should post Today's Eating in the morning before my day starts (which means I have a plan, which is good) or in the evenings post.  Which I don't always write at night.  It's so funny; I'll get a little feeling of panic thinking "oh no!  what did I eat today???" but after recalling what I ate and either jotting it down or at least reviewing it out loud, I realize it wasn't so bad!  Isn't it interesting how we all have specific ways to diet and lose weight?  And what works for one doesn't for another?  


I found this book online and think I'll order it.  I like the premise.  

From Publishers Weekly

Can thinking and eating like a thin person be learned, similar to learning to drive or use a computer? Beck (Cognitive Therapy for Challenging Problems) contends so, based on decades of work with patients who have lost pounds and maintained weight through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Beck's six-week program adapts CBT, a therapeutic system developed by Beck's father, Aaron, in the 1960s, to specific challenges faced by yo-yo dieters, including negative thinking, bargaining, emotional eating, bingeing, and eating out. Beck counsels readers day-by-day, introducing new elements (creating advantage response cards, choosing a diet, enlisting a diet coach, making a weight-loss graph) progressively and offering tools to help readers stay focused (writing exercises, to-do lists, ways to counter negative thoughts). There are no eating plans, calorie counts, recipes or exercises; according to Beck, any healthy diet will work if readers learn to think differently about eating and food. Beck's book is like an extended therapy session with a diet coach. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition

Sounds interesting, huh?  

Okay, gotta get ready for work.  Happy Thursday to ya!  :)

In Review

Good morning!  I'm so pumped!  The scales show I'm down two more pounds for a total of 9# since I began again on March 8th!  It's amazing how good it feels to be getting my body moving, eating well and feeling more energized!  


Although I've said all this before in previous blog posts, 

I'm going to review what Sylvia & I worked out for our 2fatchicks weight loss endeavor in 2008/2009.  We created a plan that was perfectly suited to our lifestyle and schedules.  Because it was successful, this is my method now!  

Here we are, about a month into it~

And here we are, ready to take off for our reward trip to Florida after losing most of our weight!  

In the first picture I weighed about 250 pounds; in the lower picture I weighed about 200~ I started the journey at the horrifying weight of 266 pounds!  


Okay, so here's what we did to achieve our results:

• did it as a team
• created a plan to cover every possible hindrance & situation
• planned for short term and long term rewards
• joined Planet Fitness w/ the Black Card membership
• started tanning to feel more attractive (and it worked)
• worked out or got physically active 4-5 times a week
• ate mostly low-carb without crazy counting, weighing or measuring
• drank lots of water 
• held each other accountable 
• created a blog (2fatchicksonadiet) and a bank account to save money
• put money into our account to pay for our reward trip to FL
• allowed ourselves to "cheat" occasionally (okay, so almost every weekend, which meant we sometimes gained back what we'd lost the week before)
• planned for the days eating and exercise 
• weighed and measured at the beginning of each month and recorded it for comparison along the way
• took pictures along the way

That's all I can think of right now; I'll have to refer back to our old blog http://2fatchicksonadiet.wordpress.com/2008/07/  to see what else we did.  It was a very heady and exciting time for both of us; I'd never lost that much weight before and size 12 felt downright SKINNY!  :)  Sadly, I can't experience that "first-time" joy and excitement ever again and have to reach for different motivations and purpose.  

Obviously, since I've gained back much of the 75# lost since 09, I've tried and failed to get it back off, to stay off.  But I keep telling myself it's better to keep getting back on the horse than to give up completely and never ride again!

So, here's two more pictures for comparisons sake!  Sara told me I should use my thin pictures for motivation rather than my hugely fat ones. I don't know.  They're both useful in some ways!  :)

Erin & I last year in April; I was a little heavier than I am now.  

Another Florida picture when I was not quite at my lowest weight of 191~ not too far off though!

Alright!  That's it for today!  I'm trying to decide if I'll go to a swim class morning, or another bike ride.  Gotta make something different for breakfast first though; I'm getting a little tired of yogurt w/ maple syrup!  Maybe some yummy scrambled eggs with onions, ham, peppers and cheddar!  That'll be a hearty and satisfying meal to hold me till lunchtime!  


I'm pretty psyched for our first ride of the season this afternoon! I'll try to remember to take pictures!  Enjoy the day! 

A Day

Happy Tuesday, friends!  It's very late and I should turn off my light, but it was such a good day, I want to write about it!  I didn't go to the gym after my morning client after all; it was such a beautiful day that I rode my bike instead. I mapped it on MapMyRide and it was 5.87 miles.  Not too bad!  This evening Sandra and I met for a walk through Brennan Woods neighborhood and did a brisk 2.3 miles.  So today was a good exercise day!  


Today's Eating:
AM:  greek yogurt w/ maple syrup & pecans/energy ball/coffee
AM Snack:  almonds & craisins
Lunch:  cheese stick/clementine/apple/egg salad
Snack:  coffee
Dinner:  1/2 cup chicken salad/few bites cottage cheese/strawberries/few bites of boiled dinner/leftover piece of steak 
Snack: nada

I hate how fat my face is here!  And this was 20# lighter!  Ugh.  But it's still a happy picture!  

So, tomorrow is going to be our first ride of the year!  I'm SO excited!  Not sure where we'll go but it's gonna be so fun!  Tim is getting to break in a brand-new bike for Green Mountain Harley Davidson dealership~ hopefully his own bike will be ready soon!  I got my gear out and tried on my jacket; happily, the 5# lost since last week made a bit of difference in the fit.  It's not quite as snug and I could move my arms freely.  It may be too warm to wear it, but I'll bring it just in case.  


I'm taking the day off for the adventure and will make up work on Friday.  It's GREAT to have such flexibility in my job and clients who're willing to flex as well.  :)


So sleepy now~ Goodnight!