Monday

It's Monday, time to weigh in for Tessa's Challenge!

And the scale says:

291.4

Same as Friday, so I guess I'm happy with that.
(I took the picture, but as I mentioned- my camera acts pretty stupid. I have been trying all day to get it to turn back on. If I do get it to work I'll post it later, but I wanted to get this up for Tessa.
The good news is I ordered a new camera last week, and should get it tomorrow. yay!)

I went a whole week (and one day) with out eating any take out, stopping at any drive throughs, and ordering ABSOLUTLY nothing, and I only lost .6 pounds... not so happy about that... I know I could have eaten better this week, but I really thought I did well enough to loose more, while having NO fast food. Oh well. A loss is a loss and I am happy about that! Maybe it would have been better with out Easter, but still... I am disappointed...

Don't worry, I'm not going to use this as an excuse to order out EVERY day :) In the past I might have lol.

It is beautiful today, a perfect start to my sons spring break. I'm always glad when he is on break, but this time I am also a little worried. He will be staying up later, and I'm sure I will be to. My schedule will be really off, and that's why the weekends are so hard for me I think. So this will be like a week long weekend... yeah I'm a little worried...

Here's My Day:
Breakfast: nothing
Snack: (42) 1 snickers mini
Lunch: (452) Tuna Sandwich on one piece of Earth Grains Whole Wheat, with mozzarella instead of cheddar (less calories, but it's really because I ran out of cheddar lol) about 10 sour cream and cheddar chips, 8 baby carrots, 1/2 tbs light ranch. Water
Snack: (7) 1 starburst jelly bean
Snack: (42) 1 snickers mini
Dinner: (1549) Hungry Howie's- 2 medium (actually pretty small) pieces of pepperoni pizza, 4 small pieces of cheese bread with 1.5 oz sauce, 1/2 turkey bacon club sub with 1 mayo packet. 6 oz Mtn Dew.
Snack: (265) about 1 1/2 cup peanut butter cap'n crunch with about 1/2 cup FF skim milk
Total Water: 51 oz
Total Calories: 2357
Ugh, I did pretty bad today. And I feel like it too. I feel really full and gross. I realized today, I don't even like those potato chips. Really, I don't like that sub very much either and that's what I ALWAYS order from Hungry Howie's, but tonight it made me feel sick. I feel pretty Yucky right now. Definitely didn't stick to my just one rule, ugh.
Maybe I did let the disappointment effect me more then I realized... But over eating sure isn't going to help me loose more!!!!
And I really am happy with any loss!
Now I'll be up to late again, and I will make sure I don't snack anymore, Just water :) One good thing is I can actually have just one piece of candy at a time!!! I honestly thought that was impossible until yesterday! If I had one snickers, I would sit there and eat at least 5 before, now I really can have just one... even just one jelly bean!!!!
I'll do better tomorrow! I have a busy day and hopefully walk off all this junk!
Treadmill: 24 minutes/.8 mile  5 minutes of that with 2 LB weights
Crunches: 120 (3 sets of 40)
Even though I feel like crap, I still did the treadmill :) I ruined my no pop streak, I don't want to ruin whatever streak I have going for getting on the treadmill everyday!

I'm back... I just had 2 jelly beans, which brings my total calories up by about 14... I can live with that I guess lol. Goodnight!

HAPPY EASTER!

I didn't take this picture, but it is to cute not to share!

Today is Easter, the first Holiday I've had to deal with since I started this journey on Jan 1st... I'm sure that's the case for a lot of us.

We are going to My brother's to have Easter dinner with my Mom, Step Dad, and 3 brothers. I am in charge of making macaroni. Today will definitely be a challenge for me. I am going to have to try really hard to control my portions, and get only one plate if possible... I'm going to try and keep in mind I have to weigh in tomorrow for Tessa, and hope that keeps me on track! Good luck to all of you who also have dinner plans, we can do this!!! Happy Easter!!!!


WELL...  I didn't do TO bad. When I was getting my first plate, I knew that I might come back and get more, so I got pretty small portions. I think I did pretty good. Of course it would have been better if I only got one plate...and I never once thought of weighing in tomorrow lol. But for my first holiday, I think I did ok. I had more candy today then I've had in a while, but even that wasn't mindless eating like it used to be. No shoveling candy in my mouth without thinking about it, I thought about EVERY piece.
I had a good Easter besides the food too :) Ray hid our son's Easter basket and of course he found it in 2 minutes, but he was surprised about the stuff we got him and it was great :)

Here's My Day:
(42) 1 snickers mini
Breakfast: (605) Chips and eggs (my spin on migas) with salsa and cheese. 8 oz Orange juice
(42) 1 snickers mini
Easter Dinner: 2 small portions of each: ham, mashed potatoes and corn, my macaroni, 2 biscuits- 1 with strawberry preserves. 1 cup of whole milk (that's what they drink over there)
Dessert later: 1 piece of vanilla cake, 1 cup of whole milk
Snack: (75) 1/8 cup of Starburst jelly beans
(42) 1 snickers mini
Late Dinner: (340) large salad with 1.5 tbs light ranch and 1/8 cup of mozzarella cheese. Egg Salad(one hard boiled egg and 1 tbs miracle whip) on 1 slice of Earth grains whole wheat(i really don't like this bread)
Total Water: 37 oz
Total Calories: 1146 PLUS Easter Dinner and Easter Cake.
I'm pretty tired, and just don't have the ambition to figure out the calories of dinner, especially since the only thing I prepared was the macaroni. It's probably a lot... I'm not mad at myself or anything, but I could have done better.
Tessa left a comment that said we have to think of holidays just like any other day, and that is so true. I know that too... it's just hard.... eating is really the only thing my family does together... but I will have to control myself no matter what others around me are doing...

I was full when I got home (NOT stuffed and bursting at the seams like EVERY other holiday in my life) and really didn't want to do the treadmill, but I did :) I'm proud of myself for that. I'm doing 21 minutes a day now, no matter what! :) I'm also carrying 2 LB weights for 5 minutes of it, but I keep forgetting to write that!!!
Treadmill: 21 minutes/.73 mile (5 minutes of it with 2 LB weights)

Oh! I did the initial test for the 200 sit ups Saturday... and I must be doing them wrong... I already do crunches(which is what the plan calls for), and pushing myself, I can already do over 100. I'm thinking that I am not coming up high enough or something. Maybe not keeping my back straight enough... I'm not sure...but I guess I will wait on that. When I do it I definitely feel it in my abs, so I know I'm working them out. But at my size I can't really do them any higher, so I'm going to stick with doing my crunches for now. I still think that http://www.200situps.com/ looks like a good plan... just not for me I guess :) I will try and do my crunches more often though, I'll try every other day for now.

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter! See you tomorrow!

Easter Candy

I have maneged to stay away from all Easter candy, until today. I went and got what I needed for my son's Easter basket, and couldn't resist having some. It seems like having the candy just made me crave sweets, but I think I did good.

Here's My Day:
Breakfast: (84) 2 miniature snickers
Lunch: (205) about 3/4 cup of leftover broccoli cheese rice with 1/8 cup mozzarella cheese and 2 taco bell sauce packets
Snack: (84) 2 miniature snickers
Snack: (240) 3 store brand oreo cookies with 1 cup FF skim milk
Dinner: (680) 1 1/2 half cups of Easy Tuna Casserole, 1 slice of Earth Grains Whole Wheat toast with 1/2 tbs FF ICBINB, 1 cup of FF skim milk
Snack: (27) 1/4 colby jack cheese stick
Total Water: 30 oz
Total Calories: 1320
I can't get the snickers bag out right now for the calories because my son is up and doesn't know about them yet lol. But I will fill in the calories tomorrow.
I bought some new 100% whole grain bread because I ran out of the other kind. I REALLY liked the last kind and will get that as soon as I'm done with this loaf. I don't like this loaf as well- to grainy. It is called Earth Grains and is 100% natural and made with Eco-Grain. It also has 3 grams of fiber per slice. All of this sounded great to me so I got it. I get home and look at the calories... 110 PER SLICE!!!! Wow! So I guess any sandwiches I have will be with only one slice of bread :(  Yeah, I think I'll stick with the last loaf I had- Arnold's brand... I can't wait till this loaf is gone lol.

I decided to start writing down some recipes. Because I want to share the good healthy ones (like taco soup). Also so you will be able to see what the ingredients are in the things I eat a lot of, without me having to list them every time. This way you can just click it if you want to know :) This one, the tuna casserole, is something my mom used to make us when we were kids. It's probably not the healthiest thing- but I love it and don't have it to often (only because my son doesn't like it)
Treadmill: 21 minutes/.7mile (5 minutes with 2 LB weights)
Crunches: Initial Test
I am going to try out the http://www.twohunderedsitups.com/ plan today. I saw it on asphyxiated emancipation's blog: Less of me the hard way. Today is the initial test :) I am going to do that right now!

EASY Tuna Casserole

1 box of macaroni and cheese
1 can of corn, drained
1 can of tuna, drained
1 can of cream of mushroom soup

Boil macaroni according to directions. Drain. Return to pot. Add the cheese from macaroni box, corn, tuna and cream of mushroom soup. Stir and heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

221 calories per 1 cup. Makes about 6 1/2 cups

Taco Soup

You will Need:
1 pound Extra Lean Ground Beef
1 packet taco seasoning
1 packet Ranch seasoning
2  14.5 oz cans diced tomatoes, DO NOT DRAIN
1 can of Rotel, DO NOT DRAIN (generic 'diced tomatoes with chilies' works just fine)
1 can of Black Beans, DRAINED
1 can of Corn, DRAINED
I also add Kidney beans, (and recently chili beans) you can add whatever beans you like
I also add a Rotel can full of water

Directions:
Brown the meat, drain the fat.Return to large pot and stir in all ingredients
Simmer for about an hour-

We love this, it is so easy and DELICIOUS. I like to eat it plain, just as it is. Has a lot of flavor and is just the right amount of spicy :) Ray always eats it with flour tortillas.(and sometimes shredded cheddar cheese)
ENJOY!
1 cup is very filling .
213 calories per cup, makes 9 cups.

Weekly Weigh In Time...

The scale says:

That's another 1.2 pounds lost!

I'll take that... I had hoped I would loose more since I haven't stopped at one drive through or ordered one single thing...and then was so depressed when I thought for sure it would be a gain! I guess I didn't make the best choices this week... including today, So I am fine with 1.2 pounds :) More then fine, I'm happy with that:) Woo hoo!

My totals for the week are:

Treadmill: 3 hours 35 minutes/ 7.3 miles

Crunches: 300

I had Ray take some more pictures of me, I plan to do this the first of every month. No change really... but SOON! :) I made a page just for this, so to see the pictures of me from now on, it will be on the right under PAGES and called Pictures of My Weight Loss Journey I think I'll make a page for the side view pictures I took also... I feel So Brave right now! LOL :)

Here's My Day:

Breakfast: Nothing

Lunch: (710) 1 chili dog with about 7 tortilla chips with cheese, salsa and chili, Water

Snack: (470) 7 store brand oreos and 1 cup 2% milk

Snack: (145) Large iceberg mix salad with 1 tbs light ranch, 1/8 cup cheddar, 1 tbs almond accents

Dinner: (396) My Tuna Sandwich, 8 baby carrots, 1 tbs light ranch

Snack: (200) about 1 1/2 cups of Lucky Charms with 1 cup FF Skim milk

Total Water: 48 oz and 7 oz Sobe Life Water

Total Calories: 1921

I made some pretty bad choices today. Had leftover chili and went into human garbage disposal mode... The cookies, there is no excuse for either. The only thing I can say is that if you have a craving for cookies,  DON'T bring the whole bag in the living room, get a plate and get 3 and go!!!

Treadmill: 21 minutes/.75 miles (5 minutes with 2 LB weights)

Had a HUGE pity party, Hope you missed it!

I have to quick apologize for my pity party I was having for myself yesterday... That was a side of me you will rarely see, I don't do that often...
To be honest, I think I am stressed out by my mother, on top of the job thing, on top of probably gaining, there is also Easter... Every holiday brings up thoughts and memories that I can keep at bay for most of the rest of the year... Without boring you to death, I'll just let you know that we used to have a big happy family, EVERY holiday for my whole life we went to my Grandma and Grampa's house and it was wonderful. Since my Grandfather died things have changed... My Grandmother let her horrible daughter Sherry and her son move in, and Sherry took over her life. She stopped having Easter Dinner in 2007, and by the summer of 2008 she had convinced my Grandmother to disown her whole family... me, my brothers. my mother(her own daughter), my son, even my great aunt(her own sister)... So that was the short version lol. My Grandmother was the one person in my life that I knew I could always count on... and it hit me pretty hard, hit all of us pretty hard... So anyway, it has been almost 2 years, but it still gets to me, mostly just around the holidays.
BUT enough of my pity party lol. I am much better today :) It is a beautiful day, and even when it gets to hot later I will try and remember that LOL.
IT COULD ALWAYS BE WORSE. That has been my motto for as long as I can remember. It is what has helped me get through life, and somehow I forgot that yesterday.
Sure I have my problems, but so does everybody else! There are bigger problems out there than mine! Even though things seem bad sometimes, it could really always be worse. My life may not be perfect, but I am grateful for the things I do have. I have a fiance that loves me, and is so perfect for me. I have the most wonderful son in the world. I have a lot to be grateful for and am sorry I lost sight of that...
No matter what the scale says today, I am not going to be discouraged and I'm NEVER going to give up and continue to loose this weight... The rest of life will just work itself out :) Thanks for listening.