South Beach

Oh! Hello, there! No, I haven't forgotten about you, I just have been eating very badly this summer. I don't know why. Not so much my lunches and dinners but the snacks. Oh, the snacks...someone save me from myself.

Hopefully that's about to change since my husband's orthopedic surgeon told him he needs to lose 20 lbs and suggested the South Beach Diet. He is going to have hip replacement surgery (I know, he's only 37. Crazy) within the next 6 months or so and can't do much working out other than swimming due to that bum hip. The doctor's wife is a nutritionist and has her own diet plan which is very similar to South Beach, so he suggested we look into that (his wife's plan is one of those where you have to purchase all the food and we just can't afford that). He actually lost 50 lbs himself so that's encouraging. I already have the book (psssst, the Kindle version is only $2.99 right now!) and have been looking at it periodically. And you know what? I don't think it's going to be as hard as I originally thought.

If you would have asked me to try this diet 5 years ago, I would have laughed in your face. But now that we've been adding more fresh vegetables and fish to our diet and now that I'm no longer scared of buying produce, the first phase (which is mainly vegetables and lean meats and eggs--no carbs or fruit) that lasts 14 days doesn't look that difficult to me. It's not going to be EASY because things get old after awhile and Hubby is used to lots of sweets, but I think I can handle 2 weeks worth of strict eating. And it's not like it's taking away everything tasty. We are allowed chicken breast, fish, salads, eggs, low-fat dairy, sugar substitutes, all the vegetables we can eat except for potatoes, and even coffee (although they suggest decaff, we are NOT going there). The next phase adds in fruit and healthy carbs (whole grains and such) and then by the third phase, you should be used to eating healthy that it's more of a lifestyle now than anything. They say you quit craving the sweets after the first few days on the diet and I believe that, because I've gone on successful sugar detoxes and after the first few rough days, it gets better. The problem is falling off the wagon by going on a binge and never getting back on. So, if we can keep from doing that, then we'll be good.

The great thing about this is that there is rapid weight loss in those first two weeks and it's mainly belly fat, which both of us struggle with. Now, I know that sounds hinky and too good to be true, but if you think about it, you're cutting out all the BAD foods and eating what's healthy and right, all the great things they eat in the Mediterranean and way back before we had so much processed foods. And it's not like Atkins where you just gorge on meat and meat and meat. I just don't even see how that is healthy. What I've been reading through this book is that this is a heart-healthy diet and can help prevent diabetes. That's always a great thing!

So, have any of you tried this diet before? Is anyone interested in doing it with me? I'm not sure when we'll begin, but the sooner, the better, in my book!

Summer Cookin'

Summer cookin', had me a blast. Summer cookin' happened so fast... wait, what?

So, summer has ARRIVED and is in full force here in Arkansas. It's hot, sweltery (is that a word?), and makes you just want to stay inside. Unfortunately, being active outside this time of year is way more uncomfortable than during the spring and fall months. Bike riding is miserable and expect to have a soaked shirt if you want to go hiking, even at dusk. The only thing I want to do is sit in my son's blow-up pool with a cold drink in my hand.

I confess that when I lost my workout mo-jo due to my tendonitis, I REALLY lost it and haven't been active since. It was really difficult for me to commit to getting up that early and working my body and if I'm going to do that again, I have to psych myself up and need lots of encouragement. The toddler still isn't sleeping as well as he used to and has started getting up a little earlier in the mornings (mornings are already a rush for all three of us to get out the door) so I'm rethinking the working out first thing in the morning. It's also hard for me to go to the gym in the middle of work because our locker room isn't right next to our gym and I have to go in and change, go work out, go back to the locker room to change out of my sweaty clothes and then it ends up being an hour or more and I only get 30 minutes for lunch. So...excuses, excuses, I know. I'm going to try to start doing Zumba at home on the Wii because at this point, I think it's my best choice. Now, the best time to do that is still up in the air.

The good news in all of this is that I haven't gained back those 5+ pounds I lost. How I haven't is beyond me but I think it may have to do something with how active my little boy is and the stamina it takes to keep up with him. So, even though he wears me out, I guess it's good for me!

All that being said, I am currently trying to make a grocery list and since it's so DANG hot, I'm trying to figure out what I can fix just using my stove top or crock pot or broil (less time in the oven) so my whole house doesn't go up to 85 degrees during suppertime. Some things I've started making that have been good are roasted chicken in the crock pot (which stretches to two or three meals), balsamic broiled veggies with pasta, steak quesadillas with pre-made steak strips, salads with imitation crab and lots of cut up veggies, corned beef sammies (using canned corned beef and provolone on pumpernickel or rye). Most of these are low-fat and if you pair them with healthy options, then you have a well-rounded dinner.

What are your go-to summer meals? Are you doing anything active right now? What would help you get motivated to do better?

Almost There!

We're almost finished with Week 3 and will be done with the challenge before you know it!

Have you hit any snags? I felt sorry for myself this week because I haven't really seen any tangible progress even though I've completed every. single. workout. Although, when I was scratching my arm yesterday, I could feel muscle definition! And family members have told me I look like I'm losing (even if the scales say otherwise--well, my scale is currently on the fritz so I may just have to get a cheap analog to continue). My pants keep getting looser and I think I may even see a bit more definition in my waistline even if my stomach doesn't look like it's shrinking. Also, I hurt my left foot and ankle (and today, it feels like the inner muscle right below my knee is achy), so I've been glad the exercises have been fairly easy this week and not leg-intensive even though I'd like to burn more calories.

I posted yesterday on the community site that I'm getting kind of bored with my low-cal food options. However, I do go to the grocery store at some point this weekend so I'm going to see if I can vary it up a bit. Is anyone else having trouble finding healthy but tasty meals?

week 3? already?

yes. i just reused a title from a discussion i posted in our community site.

i'm contemplating making a ginormous salad for dinner tonight. with grilled chicken on top. and cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms... all sorts of good veggies. yum.

i'm holding steady at 6 pounds lost. i consider that a win after my weekend neglect of the loseit app, beer(s), nachos, and a hot dog. no, i didn't go to a baseball game, even those are token baseball foods. i had the nachos at a bar, and the hot dog from sonic. so it wasn't a regular, plain hot dog. it was the one with sauerkraut and a little bacon. oh, and the one with peppers and pickles. so really, it was two hot dogs. so like i said, i win by staying within the weight i was on friday.

what else? like tamara, i fail at the wii challenge. but i'm staying active. and husband has been holding me accountable. he has asked me how things are going, and if i'm still doing the wii. i didn't hate telling him i wasn't, because i'm still doing the walking. not a walking plan or anything, but i'm making a point to walk the bridge at work (a mile and a half, round trip) at least once a day. i've taken to doing the stairs up two flights (really 3 because in between is a utilities floor), which does not make my thighs happy. but happy doesn't get me into a different size pants.

oh, and for dessert yesterday, husband and i had strawberry shortcake. yes, we had dessert. because you can make strawberry shortcake for under 200 calories. angel food cake has practically none, and use the light cool whip. then it's just fresh sliced strawberries and sugar!
trust me, it's the perfect summer dessert. especially now that berries are in season.

Week 1 Progress!

Hey! Look at that! Almost 2 lbs down! In true Tamara style, I must continue to publicly humiliate myself by posting my weight every week, in order to keep myself accountable. Not so bad really... a good push in the right direction. Anyhoo, as some of you may know, I have a relatively new child.
Sometimes I sleep, sometimes I don't... and sometimes I think I can do it all! Hurrah! Go Tamara! With no sleep. Mmmm... not so much. I got worn down, downright exhausted, and then I got sick.

SO! NEW PLAN! While I will continue to work out (cheer!) I will not diet. No sir. Gimme some cheeseburgers... (just kidding guys... that would be mean) but I will continue to keep taking in the proper amount of calories for my bod... I just really hope that the workouts, and my conscientious (balanced!) meals help me continue to lose weight like I did this week. I'm going to keep hoping.

In saying that, I did miss two work outs this week. I'm going to get back on it tomorrow... I'd hate for it to tell me to start over!

I'm really really interested in hearing about what you guys are eating (and not eating!) as we move through this challenge. Tuna and rice cakes aren't cutting it. Or special K cereal. Or boring chicken.

I'm starving. :D

foods that help you lose weight

(unlike tamara, i'm not posting my measurements on here. if you want to find them, they're hidden over at our spruz community site. so, find them at your own risk.)

so, how'd your workout go? it started today, remember? don't forget to check out (and join!) our community, found here. check in often, reply to threads, post pictures... consider yourself an integral part of this challenge! because honest, without all of you out there, i wouldn't be participating. well, the "badges" that you earn through wii active help motivate, too :-)

i thought about doing my exercise right after work. i figured i don't have a kid or other obligations, so i'd just have a lazy morning, then do it tonight. nope. i did it early. REALLY early. usually my husband is the only one who wakes up at this time, and i roll out of bed an hour later. but i figured if i could work out while he is in the shower, then i miss that embarrassing time when he has to watch me flail around like an epileptic monkey. so, from about 5:45 until a little after 6, i did my day one challenge. and all i can say is, "woah". it's been a year since i worked out, and even the easy one kicked my butt. i can't WAIT until next week, because i know i'll be doing better by then.

now, as nice as it is that we're all (finally?) getting active, that doesn't mean you can eat whatever you want. below i've listed foods that help you lose weight, as taken from the nest:

grapefruit-- steadies blood sugar levels, acts as a diuretic.

green tea-- only helps weight loss if you drink 5-6 cups a day!

hot peppers-- decrease cravings for other foods, and increase metabolism.

water-- increases the efficiency of your metabolism.

broccoli-- lots of fiber, your body has to work harder to digest it.

greek yogurt-- helps digestion, lots of protein for the low fat and calories!

lean protein-- increases metabolism..

happy challenge!

one week-- right!

i don't even know how many times i've said i'm back. but really. once you stop trying is when you really fail. isn't there a quote like that out there? anyways, leann said recently that it's about changing so much more, and that's true. i can't tell you how great things are in my overall life right now. money's going alright. we're maybe moving to a new place to be able to put some in savings. and, like leann, i'm doing the 30-day challenge on encouraging your husband. god is so good.

so, i guess the next place i need to keep working is at my fitness. and darlings, as much as i talk about wanting to be fit, right now my motivation is weight loss. i'm currently more than i've weighed in about a year or so. blame it on stress from school, or work, or whatever. but blaming doesn't help my jeans fit better. you know what does? watching what i eat. taking a walk during lunch. yeah. that.

so, i've faithfully used the loseit app on my phone for all of last week.

and i did good! as much as it looks like i'm under, i'm sure it's much closer to being on target. i try to document correctly, but when there's three options for "apple", how do i know i'm picking the right one? the good thing about at least writing it all down is that it keeps me accountable. i don't eat whatever i want, then write it down. if i did that, every day would be red. instead, i bring cupcakes for a work meeting, but don't eat any. i choose water over calorie-filled beverages. and i eat breakfast. that's a big one for me.

anyways, i know this post wasn't full of inspiration, or even a recipe, but i just wanted you all to know i'm back. and instead of not documenting my weight because i'm ashamed of it, i'm writing it down now. so if you follow me on twitter, i didn't actually gain 7 pounds in a week. i just hadn't written it down in so long. but it's time to be honest, and follow through!

i need to start walking.

The Road to Healthy Eating

I actually have a progress report this week. Last Saturday, I bought groceries. I got a LOT more produce than I normally get: two bags of baby carrots, some bell pepper to cut up for snacks, a bag of oranges, some apples, some bagged salad, fresh mushrooms for roasting, among other things. I also bought all whole-grains and all lean means: a large bag of tilapia, shrimp, lean pork chops. I bought substitutions for more healthy quick-meals for weeknights and lunches: whole wheat tortillas for steak quesadillas, whole grain buns for BBQ, whole wheat pasta for shrimp arrabiatta, lots of steamed veggies, low-fat canned soups, etc. I also bought a ton of healthy snack options: low-fat granola bars, fat free yogurt, hummus to go with the carrots and bell pepper. I also got brave and bought some almond milk--not a huge fan but it works in my cereal. The almond aftertaste is a little daunting.

I spent a lot of money but got enough to last us two weeks. And I spent about the same amount as I normally spend. But I went to Kroger and I usually can find some really good deals and utilize their sales combined with their coupons and come out really well. Here's a breakdown of what my day of eating usually looks like:

Breakfast: cereal with almond milk
Morning snack: fat free yogurt
Lunch: lean cuisine and carrots with hummus
Afternoon snack (if hungry): orange
Supper: Regular supper but smaller portions since I'm not starving from all the snacking during the day
Drinks: water and a little bit of coffee

I'm doing SO much better with my portion sizes. I have not gorged myself (really, this is a huge step forward) once this week. I even leave food on my plate. One night, I was craving ice cream, so I just bought the little bitty tub of Skinny Cow low-fat ice cream. It was a very small, single-serve tub and just enough to give me a chocolate fix. I haven't eaten much sugar at all this week. Mostly, just in my cereal (Honey Nut Cheerios or Cocoa Puffs--I usually don't eat Cocoa Puffs but some days I just want something chocolatey). Yoplait has so many great yogurt flavors that I feel like I get a treat every time I eat one. At first, the hummus was a little peculiar but it's growing on me.

I still need to eat more veggies at suppertime, but it's been one of those weeks when I'm lucky if I get supper on the table before the baby's bedtime. I'll try to do better next week. I think I may cook fish tonight and I'll pop in a bag of veggies if so and maybe some brown rice. Maybe not even any carbs at all.

Honestly, I'm not craving junk food like I did. I'm not have the ravenous chocolate withdrawals like I used to. I can't say that I've lost any weight or that I feel GREAT yet, but I know I'm on the right track. Now, if I could just get some exercise in. Tomorrow will be a lovely day in the high 60s, so I may take the baby out for a brisk stroll. I'm sure he'd love to get out of the house, as would I. I want to try to go to bed earlier and get up a little earlier and do my workout DVD. That's my next goal. That, and continuing to buy healthier foods. If I have to buy snacks for my hubby, then I'll get stuff I don't like. That way, I'm not even remotely tempted to eat it.

How have you all been doing?

Following Through

I think I've mentioned before that I have major problems with follow-through. I can plan and plan and plan to my heart's content but then never take action on it. It's not just with exercising or eating right. It's with organization, cleaning...you name it. Or I start something (like a book, for instance) and then just quit halfway through if I get tired of it.

I would love to shout "NO MORE. FROM THIS MOMENT ON, I WILL FOLLOW THROUGH!!!" but I can't make that promise. But I will TRY to do better. I have a few things I want to do to slowly change how I eat and exercise and hopefully, one of them will stick. No quick and fast changes here because in my experience, those usually flop.

Exercise. The bane of my existence. I loathe working out. Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who immediately feel better once they start walking on the treadmill. I hate it. I hate it with every fiber of my being. It's not that I'm lazy, I just don't like to get sweaty and huffy and puffy and I honestly just don't feel better afterward. Some people love working out; I don't. Plain and simple. But it's a necessity if I want to get back down to my pre-baby weight and then some. And I want to be healthier and have more energy. I know that exercise contributes to that. I have a very, very energetic little 8-month-old and I can already tell he's going to continue being rambunctious. I need to be able to keep up with him.

There are Zumba classes in my town three nights a week. I would love to attend but I have a dilemma--the classes begin at 7:00 p.m. That is a little late for me, as that's around the time we start the baby's bedtime routine. He usually gets a bath in between 7:15 and 7:30 and then goes to bed around 8:00. This would really mess up that schedule and my dear husband could just do the routine for me, but he's recently had hip surgery and is on a walker. Therefore, he can't kneel at the bathtub, pick the baby up and get him dressed for bed (and the boy is REALLY squirmy) until he is able to put weight on that leg. That may be a month or more. However, when he's able to do these things, I do want to go because for $5 a class, who wouldn't? My mom is even considering going so I would have an accountability partner. She's trying to get healthier as well. In the meantime, I bought a $6 Gold's Gym "Lose the Baby Weight Fast" DVD but I have a hard time doing workout DVDs in our house because I like to have privacy and the only TVs we have are in the living room (where my husband hangs out and is always watching TV) or the baby's room (don't worry, my baby doesn't watch cartoons all the time...it was already mounted to the wall in that room before we turned it into a nursery and it hardly gets turned on). So, I can't really work out after the baby's in bed because the extra TV is in his room...I guess I could get up earlier and do it while Hubby is showering. Ugh. I have an accessible gym at work and I just need to suck it up and use it.

Food. I need to make healthier substitutions and cut out most of my sugar. I've been doing fairly well on the no sodas goal I have except for the past few days. I need to buy a stainless steel water bottle so I can utilize the cold spring water we have here at work. We have disposable cups but they are so tiny that I have to go back and get refills every 5 minutes. Good for my legs, not so good for my productivity.

I've cut out sugar before with pretty good success. Just starting the detox process is the hardest. I will go grocery shopping this weekend and the sweets that I do purchase for Hubby will be stuff I don't like. And I'll be mindful of my bread and grains so that I get whole grain. I found a website called Eat Better America that gives you recipes but includes the healthy substitution. It's even got healthy appetizers and snacks. So, you can still make chicken enchiladas, but they are less fattening because you have subsituted it with healthier options. And "healthified gravy"? Sign me up! I'm going to try out some recipes and may report back here.

Substitutions will be the easiest thing for me to do. I don't do well with a diet if I stay hungry constantly. And I need something acceptable for Hubby because we can't afford to buy two different sets of food and he's kind of picky about diet stuff. He wants to lose some weight too and I've seen his portion sizes get smaller since his surgery (and before, probably due to the pain medication). He's already lost some weight without meaning to. I know that I need to cut down my portions but I want to stay satisfied. I have a really hard time with that. And I'm not a big snacker, but maybe I should snack more with healthy options so I'm not constantly hungry.

Anyway, this is my plan. Time will tell if I follow through or not...

My thoughts on the challenge - Week 1

When Erin posted about the Whole Living 28-day challenge I thought it sounded pretty interesting. I had looked into “Clean Eating” a bit before and this seemed similar, although more focused on the whole person not just the diet. So, Ryan and I decided to try it. Having him on board makes it a lot easier (and harder) to do. It's easier in that I have someone there to be accountable to, someone there to motivate me, someone to discuss the recipes with and to hold my hand on the bad days. But it's also harder to cheat. HA!

So far it's been rough and getting rougher every day. I really want to say that it's been fantastic, that I feel great, that my energy level is higher but I. just. can't. I am proud of the small victories. I passed up coffee and doughnuts at my bi-monthly bookclub meeting, I skipped a lunch at the bowling alley with the playgroup. I didn't steal a fry when I grabbed lunch for my oldest at a drive-thru the other day. Which is another problem, the kids. Their treats are still in the cabinet, I still prepare “regular” food for them, milk, cheese, eggs and bread. They eat some of the meals, but the big one won't touch green food with a 10 foot pole since he eats like the picky 3 year old he is. The baby, on the other hand, loves the smoothies, granola and brown rice, he even ate a decent portion of the vegan risotto I made. I have managed to maintain my willpower and have stuck to the diet and the recipes on the website. (Full disclosure I have had 2 cups of full caf tea, a week ago now, to stop the raging withdrawal migraine but none since then) The food has actually been really tasty, and there are definitely a few keeper recipes in there. But the cravings are not going away, and in fact are getting worse. I would sell my soul for a Dr. Pepper.

The program focus not just on the food but on the mind and body as well. Yoga is part of the daily routine and I only missed one day, hurray me! You are also supposed to de-clutter, reorganize and de-stress. But, I am HUNGRY. I don't feel satisfied after meals and snacks and my mind is constantly on the next meal, even though I am not calorie restricting myself at all. Since I now cook for both lunch and dinner plus the 3 daily snacks I find myself prepping, cooking, eating, cleaning up and starting the prep all over again. Toss in the kids needing attention and I just don't have time to do the other prompts. This is even accounting for the fact that I did a partial media fast. I checked in on twitter on my iphone but I stayed off my computer until after the kids were in bed and I haven't watched any of “my” tv in over a week now. I found a restaurant that offers vegan meals and will prepare anything gluten-free as well if you ask, it that was a marvelous day. I stuck to the diet and got a break from cooking! But when the big one spilled my leftovers I wanted to cry.

Honestly, I shouldn't even be writing this post. I am not supposed to complain anymore and that's all this is. What do you think? Should I give it more time? Am I expecting too much? I feel like I am doing this all wrong because I am not getting the results I am supposed to get. I am supposed to be feeling amazing and all I feel is... cranky.

28 day challenge: week 1

alright. i'm ready. seriously. i've been psyching myself up for this all week. i've been tapering off on my caffeine intake-- down to a cup sunday morning, and i didn't even have a headache. so i switched to caffeine-free tea instead of coffee. sometimes you just need that hot drink in the morning. i also stocked up on tons of fruit and really healthy, but still hearty, snacks.

so here's the plan this week:

breakfast: fruit (blueberries, blackberries, apples) with sweet tahini sauce and plain sunflower seeds.
this morning, i forgot the tahini sauce. 
which means i probably forgot fiber.
but the fruit was still delicious. 

snacks: half a smoothie in the morning, healthy nuts in the afternoon.
and i do plan on trying one green smoothie this week.

lunch: brown rice, steamed veggies, in a viniagrette.

dinner: as shown below.

all recipes can be found here, along with many many more options for meals.

remember- adjust this to work for you. i'm not making millet. i'm using brown rice in its place. i couldn't find plums for my breakfast. no big deal. they had no shitake mushrooms at the grocery store i went to, so i'm using baby bella mushrooms. didn't have baby bok choy, so i'm using regular. it's okay. the point of this is not to beat yourself up if you don't do it perfectly. the point is to find ways that you can live healthier. is it cutting out soda? sweets? limiting television? sleeping more?

Resolutions = Goals

Why hello there fellow Twitter to Get Fitter ladies! I am indeed still alive and still doing well! I am however, horrible at remembering to blog. I need to start making it a daily habit over on my personal blog. I think that will be my New Year's Resolution, er- goal... we'll see. I think goal has a much more positive connotation than resolution. Resolutions mean failure for millions of Americans. Goals have promise and hope all wrapped into them, so speaking of New Year's goals, I have a few health-wise that I'd like to implement!

1. Drink 8 glasses of water a day. I simply don't drink enough water. I drink \juice and a TON of diet soda. (Which I'm not ready to cut out of my diet quite yet.) I need more milk, but that goes into #2.
2. Balance the food groups. I seem to get plenty of carbs and protein, but not enough dairy or fruits and veggies. I'm adding more veggies to dinner and trying to keep fresh fruit in the house. It's helping. I wish grapes were on sale more often and strawberries were perpetually in season!
3. Get to the gym. I will get to the gym twice a week. Every week. If I feel like going more, I will. But I will go for at least 45 minutes, twice a week. I think I can find time for that. Even if it's only on the weekends. Besides, Will goes every day for 45 minutes. I really only need to join him once a week and find another time to go on my own. We each use his gym time as some "alone" time. Even happily married newly weds need time apart. That's for my mental health! :-)
4. Quit sweating the small stuff. So I just ate a cookie. Or maybe two. I don't do this ALL the time. And most of the time I choose a few crackers, a glass of water or juice, or handful of tortilla chips and salsa. (I consider this a wash. A serving of salsa, 1/4 cup, is one serving of vegetables. And I drown my chips.) Overall, I do a good job choosing decent snacks when I have access to them. I need to find more "on the go" snacks to take to campus. Any suggestions?

So there are my four health related resolutions. They are all reasonable and attainable. And I can measure all of them, for the most part. I think that's important for me. I need to be able to measure my goals and make progress towards them. Now, excuse me while I go pour a glass of water!

What are you doing to get healthy in the New Year?

how bout that challenge?

remember the challenge/contest that was mentioned, well, in october??

i've got something for ya now. the new year is coming. and you know what that means. fresh starts. new you. attempts that fail after a month, if you're lucky. two weeks if you're an average american.
i made those stats up. but i believe most of us fail our resolutions soon after we make them.

well, how about more of a participation thing, than an actual resolution? it's not an easy one. but nothing worth it ever is.

i got some free martha stewart magazines thanks to my darling mother-in-law. well, it seems included with this are some issues of whole living, a martha stewart production. it's neat. better than something limited like shape magazine, it seems to encourage general healthy living.

there's a challenge in the january issue-- if you can find this magazine, feel free to get it so you can participate!-- that doesn't look easy. but i'm going to try it, and i am inviting all of you to join it also. i'll start it every monday starting in january, and i'll tell you what the magazine says to do for that week, or you can look at it online here. it is sort of a cleanse, limiting when you eat things like processed foods and sugar and meat. here's the run down of what it will cover:

week 1: pare down and purify
eating lots of smoothies, beans, veggies, millet. fresh fruits, lots of water. avoiding things like added sugar, alcohol, caffeine, wheat, eggs, dairy...
using yoga to detox your body and clearing clutter to detox your mind.

week 2: lay a wholesome foundation
gradually add in some avoided foods like wheat, dairy, soy. i can't wait to try the avocado dressing on the creamy kale salad this week. also get to have oily fish. continue to avoid sugar, processed foods.
continue yoga, focusing on core strength. focus on positive emotions.

week 3: gain momentum
explore spices in your diet. this week's menu includes things like roasted tomatoes, roasted chickpeas, and creamy broccoli-white bean soup. also something that looks like a cookie, but i don't know what amaranth is.
exercise is more cardio and invigorating workouts

week 4: a new you-- for good
increase the plant-to-animal ratio in your diet. the chipotle-avocado sandwich looks delicious. so does the linguine with toasted almonds, lemon, and romano cheese. yum.
continue the workout from week 3.

so. it's not easy. it's also not a crash diet. more of a see-what-you-can-live-without-in-your-diet regime. like sugar, which is a HUGE problem for me. it shouldn't be a daily addition, but more of a fancy treat, you know? i'm not saying that i'm going to follow this all the way. i have some things that will be hard to live without. like a whole week with just smoothies? we'll see how i do. but i thought it would be fun, and i know that when i eat better, and DO remove those certain items from my diet, i feel so much better. so i'm going to really try to show myself i can do this.

use this week to prepare for week 1. log on to the site, and click on the "food and recipes" tab. i've already got the menu pretty much planned out for next week, and it definitely doesn't look like i'll be starving!

I remembered it was Thursday!

Usually, I have a problem with Thursdays. I am in class from 11:30-4 without breaks on Thursday. I leave my apartment around 10:30 and return at 5. I also have started coaching from 6:30-8 four days a week. So on Thursdays, when I get home from class I usually forget to blog. But this week, I remembered! (Woot!)

I don't have a lot of positive to report or any real changes except, I'm not eating fast food. I've had fast food maybe twice since I last posted 3 (THREE???) weeks ago. I've been to the gym at least once a week for those last few weeks and continue to park my car in a way that maximizes the amount of walking I do on campus.

Additionally, I've cut down on the amount of juice and regular pop I drink. I drink only diet now or water. I've been drinking more water than I was, but not as much as I "should" be. I haven't lost any weight, but I'm feeling better. I'm not as sluggish or tired and I have more energy. So that is a definite plus!

With the upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and all the extra food that gets passed around, I am grateful my Thanksgiving with my family was almost two weeks before the Thanksgiving at my in-laws. This spreads out the large caloric intake instead of doing back-to-back giant meals.

I'm in charge of dessert at my in-laws this Thursday. I'll be taking apple crisp and pretending it's good for you because it has apples in it and try to choose the white meat turkey rather than the ham my SIL loves. But that turkey is a treat. It comes on dry ice from Virginia and we only get it twice a year. Christmas and Thanksgiving. I'm sure MIL would serve it for Easter as well, but we don't usually get together for Easter. Anyway, I'm going to try to freeze some of our ham to enjoy over time rather than pig out on it all in a few days. I only wish there was a way to hide it from the hubby... he'll probably eat it all before any left-overs make it to the freezer.

But aside from watching what I eat and walking, I have another tidbit I'd like to share: everything in moderation. Go ahead and have that piece of pie, but make it a smaller one. Eat stuffing, but make it a smaller serving. Snack on olives, but fewer than half the can. Enjoy the holiday, enjoy your family, and don't beat yourself up over it. Thanksgiving only comes once a year. (...Thankfully!)

frustration

remember hannah's post last week? when she said she was below her goal, and how she's skinny and all? well, she is. it's sickening, really. two gorgeous boys and she looks like she did in college. i was lucky enough to spend part of this weekend with her when she visited dallas. so on sunday morning we all went out to breakfast together, and i got what i always order (the pancake combo, hashbrowns, sausage, no eggs with fruit instead-- *hangs head*) know what hannah ordered? the same thing. only she had eggs instead of fruit. well, with all her weight loss, i'm positive she's going to be that girl that picks at half of the items, nibbles on the bacon, and that's it.

nope.

she ate it all.
so did i.

but she looks so much better than me! so i have decided that genetics sucks, and also that she usually drinks water for breakfast and lunch, and only ate pancakes to make me feel like not so much of a pig.

right?

*sigh*

but anyways, i'm on the boat with leann. there are so many places in my life that i've lost control, so soon as i get them all under control, i'll feel like i have better control over my fitness and weight and dieting. wow, i just said control three times in one sentence. sorry about that.

Accountability

This is an accountability check. That's progress, right?

Well, I have basically nothing to report this week other than I am lazy and eat too many cookies. I want to lose weight without having to get off my tush to go to the gym or quit eating sweets; I didn't win the genetic lottery, to borrow a phrase from Kyrstin. Leftover Halloween candy haunts me (luckily, it's almost gone) and Husband must have cookies in the house at all times. I'm going to start buying ones that I don't like (Pecan Sandies, Double-stuffed Oreos, Nutter Butters, etc.) so I won't eat them. Pretty much nothing that has chocolate in them. Can't. Resist. Chocolate.

I could attend Zumba once a week (it's only $5 a sesson here in town) but I don't have the time. Class starts at 7 and I start getting the baby ready for bed around 7:30. UGH! Does it ever get better? Before I had a kid, I just thought I was busy. I had no idea.

All this is compounded by the fact that Thanksgiving is coming. I loooooooooove Thanksgiving food. And I'm sorry, but yes, I'm going to overdo it. Sweet potato casserole, corn bread dressing, buttery rolls. Nothing is healthy about any of that. Thanksgiving comes but once a year and I will partake.
In more positive news, I did sign up for the American Heart Association walking program but I haven't even started. I signed up Monday and it generated a program for me that will start out slow and gradually increase in intensity for weight loss. I haven't done a thing all week. Maybe it will get better. But I have motivation...my brother is getting married in April and I don't want to be the fat sister.

I believe Kyrstin signed up. Does anyone else want to join us?

LeLe, out.

we have a new start!

check it out, ladies! we have a new starting point!

as i was on south campus, eating lunch with a friend (chinese. i don't wanna talk about it), i saw a poster and thought i'd look into it a little more.

so there's this national start eating healthy day, sponsored by the american heart association. you can get more information by going to the walking site, which i don't get, because i couldn't find much more information (well, my computer is loading the internet really really slow for some reason. that's probably it). but anyways, we all have until this wednesday to eat junk food. but seriously, think of the timing. right after halloween, so you can devour all that candy you didn't give out (or that you stole from your little ones).

but then...
(insert scary music here)
it's the holidays.

you know what that means.
sweets.
potlucks.
food.
food.
fooooooood.

so here's what i need to work on over the next, well, forever, but i'll start with it over the holidays. eating less. if i want to try some of everything, grab a BITE. that's right, just a bite. and when i'm making things, i'll continue to make them healthier. like, adding applesauce instead of oil when i'm baking. and using seasonings to make things flavorful instead of salt.

i'll make it through this, no problem. i got it. and, i'm going to follow the AHA and start eating healthy.
on wednesday.

Hello, hello!

hey everyone, it's erin. i'm so happy to announce that we have a new blogger! please tune in every wednesday when scarlett will be writing for us. i don't know about you, but i'm always up for a new point of view-- especially when it has to do with healthy living! scarlett can also be found on her personal blog, over at confessions of a shieldmaiden.

welcome, scarlett!

Hi, everyone! It’s me, the new kid on the block (“Whoa-oh-oh-OH-oh! Hanging tough!!”…) Whew. ::straightens up:: Sorry. Had a little flashback to my childhood there. Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Introductions. ::waves:: Hi!

If you’ve hung around me long enough, you probably know my real name. But, my workplace has this finicky thing about social media and identifiable employees, so for the purposes of blogging and many internet activities, I go by Scarlett. I’m 30, live in Seattle (Yes, it rains here, yes, I’m addicted to coffee…), and I’m single with no kids. Well, I have a dog. He weighs more than most kids, (130lbs) so he kind of counts, right? I have half a Master’s degree (working on the other half!), a full-time job doing customer service and human resources for a large outdoor retailer, and a schedule filled with so many things that I barely have time to sleep some days.

I guess you could say that proper fitness has always been an issue for me. My weight’s gone up and down for most of my life. I can lose it when I have to (at various points in my life, I’ve been a competitive swimmer, dancer, and professional actress – all activities which require slim a tone body), but here’s the thing, it’s not in healthy ways. I’ll alternate between being super-obsessed about my weight, and just not caring and living my life. I’ve been in the ‘too busy to care’ phase for quite awhile…and I had a little bit of a wake up call when I went to the doctor for a broken rib and had to step on the scale…213 pounds.

Holy heck.

213!??!?!?!?!?!?!!

When did this happen, and where the heck was I that I didn’t notice? I mean, yeah sure, my clothes have been a bit tight these days, and my shirts have been a little more boob-y than usual but…did I really put on 23 pounds in the past year? I wanted to cry, and not just from the pain ripping through the side of my ribcage.

I know EXACTLY why I’ve gained the weight. I eat like crap, and I eat late at night. I’m just going to be honest, I’m lazy as heck when it comes to cooking at home. I can’t exactly afford the good stuff (too much fun with credit cards in my youth has left me with some serious bill payments), so I buy what I can afford on my grocery trips. I write a weekly food blog, so I buy the good stuff for my recipe, and then buy the average food for the house. I never eat breakfast, unless you count my cup of coffee, my lunches are scarfed down at the greasy-café at my work (we’re too far in the suburbs to make it anywhere else in my 30 minute lunch), and when I get home from work at 11 at night, I just don’t have the desire or energy to cook a meal. I’ll drive-thru it, or grab whatever freeze dried concoction has the least amount of freezer burn.

I exercise, but it’s obviously not enough to make up for my meal damage. I go to Zumba twice a week (well, I did before my rib incident. Starting again in November), and I’m a total Zumba addict. Like, I’m the Zumba-girl with the cool Zumba pants, toning sticks, and the gypsy-bell skirt. I love it, and I get a total workout. I’ve also started tracking my daily activity with DS Personal Trainer: Walking, which has a cool little monitor that you wear everday. I’ve also been working on the Shieldmaiden Challenge, just to monitor the amount of activity I do daily. No, I’m not going running everyday, but I’m not just sitting around.

But, I also know the math; if you’re not burning more calories than you’re taking in, you’re not losing weight. When I’m taking in 3,000 calories of junk daily, I’m sort of setting myself up for failure from the start, right?

Okay, so I’ve rambled on about my challenges and made my obligatory excuses. Here are my goals: I would really, really like to fit into an 8/10. I like my curves, I have no ambition nor desire to become a skinny bag of bones. (Okay, maybe I’ve fantasized about having Keira Knightley’s body once or twice. I’m currently a 14/16. Knowing my body, I think that means I have about 35 pounds to lose. But, I want to lose them the right way this time. I know all the sneaky little tricks the entertainment industry uses – I’ve been there and I know they work – but they don’t work forever, and all you wind up with is a messed up metabolism and a breaking-down body. I’m going to focus on food, and figure out ways to make better choices with my meals, even when they’re on the run (which is most of the time). I’m also thinking about going back on South Beach, which I love, actually. The food is pretty good and I have a couple of the cookbooks. (Hey, anyone interested in doing it with me? Teamwork, FTW?) I’m also going to start eating breakfast, which has always been sort of a four letter word for me. I’m just not hungry in the mornings, to be honest, but I’m told it helps kick-start your metabolism for the day so….we’ll see.

Sorry for the super-long-rambly post. If you’re still here and reading, THANK YOU! I’m so happy to get to be a part of  Twitter to Get Fitter, and can’t wait to catch up with all of you lovely ladies on your fitness journeys!

No Excuses

 Arguments I have with myself...


"I don't have enough time to exercise."

You have a lunch break in which you usually just waste time surfing the internet. You can also take 15 minutes mid-morning and 15 minutes mid-afternoon if you need to (the smokers get breaks, so why can't you go to the gym?). You have a free gym on-location. You have a free locker with a combination to store your shoes and gym clothes. Use those resources.


"I'm too tired."

You think you're tired now? Just wait until the baby is crawling and then walking and you have to chase him around. He's not getting any lighter. Go lift some weights, woman.


"I can't afford to eat right."

That didn't stop you from spending $4.15 on a (fried) chicken biscuit, hash rounds, and a Dr. Pepper this morning in the BK drive-thru. You could have used that money for in-season fruit. Apples, for instance. Quit wasting money on junk.


"I don't have any motivation."

Yes, you do. Feeling good. Being healthy. Getting back into pre-pregnancy clothes, or at least, clothes that make you feel like you aren't wearing a tent. Looking good for your husband. Being fit enough to keep up with your son. Plenty of motivation.


I know it's not reasonable to think that I can look like this again... (about 65 pounds ago)

 But not impossible that I can get back down to this... (about 40 pounds ago and the time I felt most comfortable with my body)

Heck...I'd settle for 20 pounds at this point and think 30 is do-able, even though I know it may take me 6 months to a year to do it. So, my goal is to go to the gym THREE days a week for thirty minutes a pop, starting out. I can divide it up if I need to, going 15 minutes here, 15 minutes there, so long as I get 90 minutes of activity per week. I plan on walking the treadmill for 15 minutes at a time, on an incline and at least 3 miles per hour (more, if I can handle it). I will also do the weight machines: arms, legs, core.Eventually, I'll move up and intensify.

So, the first thing I need to do to get started on Monday is to pack a gym bag. Then set my Outlook Calendar to pop up around mid-morning as a reminder. If I have to wait a bit, I will snooze and not turn off the reminder. I will have water on-hand. Yes, I will do this.

Please keep me accountable.

In a few days, I may come back and post about a "diet" (not really a diet, but more of a new way of eating and exercise where you consume most of your calories in the morning and work them off before afternoon) I read about in All You Magazine. I think it may be something to try out.

Kraft Recipes

I've been a member of Kraft Foods' website for awhile now and recently realized that they have healthy recipes. Not only do they have healthy recipes, but they have a section of budget-friendly recipes that are also healthy! Can't beat that. You can search to find the recipes you like and add them to your "recipe box." It will also add the ingredients to a shopping list for you. I think I'm going to start utilizing this tool more often, now that I'm back at work and having to deal with a 3-month-old who goes to physical therapy twice a week. This will help me to save time while also providing much-needed healthy, inexpensive ingredients.

Here are just a few recipes I found that sound tasty:

Better-Than-Ever Beef Enchiladas - Enchiladas? Sign me up. 340 calories / 11 grams of fat per serving.

Chicken, Cheese, and Spinach Manicotti - I go nuts for any kind of pasta. 370 calories / 9 grams of fat per serving.

Layered Summer Salad - I love making things like this in the summer. Anything to not have to use my oven in this Arkansas heat. 180 calories / 14 grams of fat per serving.

Quick Chicken-Parmesan Pasta - Again, I love pasta. And this is nice because it uses pre-cooked grilled chicken. 330 calories / 12 grams of fat per serving.