My Journey

TGFED!

2010-07-23T10:43:00.001-07:00

I'm tired of just TGIF! Why should we only thank God for Friday!? Let's start a new movement! TGFED! THANK GOD FOR EVERY DAY!

My thoughts for today are on Goal Setting:

It has been so important in my new journey to implement goals. Long term, short term, serious and not so serious. I would like to share with you some of my goals and what I am doing to achieve them.

1. Lose at least 6 pounds each month. I am tracking this on my Wii Fit Plus by weighing myself every Wednesday morning. I am dieting and exercising to achieve my goal.

2. Lose 50 pounds. I do not have a time limit for this goal, although there is NO reason with my short term goals in place, that I shouldn't achieve this goal in at LEAST 1 year.

3. Lose 100 pounds. This is my ULTIMATE goal. As with my last 2 goals, I am dieting and exercising to achieve my goal, but in addition to that, I would like to make this a lasting goal by making all of my changes complete Lifestyle changes. Not just what I eat and what exercise I do, but how I eat and exercise, where I eat and exercise and when I eat and exercise.

4. Build a deeper relationship with God. There is no time limit on this goal as I think your relationship should build every single day until the day you go on to be by His side. Here are SOME of the things I am doing that I believe will only help with this goal. I attend my church service EVERY week. I am in the midst of attending our "Growth Track" series at my church so that I can better learn how I am being called to ministry. I am a member of a "small group" at my church. I have made changes to much of the media that both I, and my children are exposed to. I have made the choice to live by the bible each day. One example of this was when I was baptized this past Easter at my church, I made the decision to abstain from sexual intimacy with my fiance Phil until the day that we are married. This may seem silly to some of you, seeing as we already had a daughter together, however, it is MY belief that it is NEVER to late to seek a close relationship with God, which includes living by HIS word. Not only do I think this will strengthen my relationship with the Lord, but I believe it will also strengthen my relationship with Phil. One other thing I am doing to build my relationship with God, is to respect ALL that he's given me, including my body. This is where my new healthy lifestyle comes in!

Some of my other goals include, going back to school, trying our for our church worship team and even traveling to Italy to research my family tree. And, as with all other parts of my life, I believe that God can help me obtain my goals. I pray to him each day for strength and perseverance!

Update!

2010-07-21T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! SO if you are following my blog, I'm sure you've noticed that I have not posted my food intake recently. After I hit about 10 pounds lost, I decided to take some time and try to eat without recording every single thing. What I did was use the www.myfitnesspal.com to look up questionable foods and I would just eat until I was full. I was scared to death that doing this would be a horrible idea. I thought I would over eat completely. But, as it turns out, the last 2 weeks have been amazing!

I have kept up doing some exercise as often as my pain level will allow me to and I have eaten until I am full. And in the last 2 weeks I've lost over 3 pounds!!! This is the FIRST time in my life I have felt as if I am doing things "right". I'm losing weight at what is considered to be a healthy pace, 1 to 2 pounds each week. I'm eating healthy, and exercising. I'm shopping for my food at our new grocery store Earth Fare, which gives me a WHOLE store worth of healthy food choices. If I'm in a rush it is nice to talk into a store and not have to question every thing I pick up!

I have also been praying a whole lot, just asking God for strength and the ability to be able to have control over this body that He lent me during my time here on earth. And, I'm trying to keep busy... I have been keeping involved with the kids' activities and even more will be coming this fall!

So, my purpose now when I log in, will be to log my weight, which I'm now weighing myself every Wednesday morning; blog about how I am feeling; blog about any products, food, weight loss tips I'm using to help me and pass them on to you! My zumba class is now over with and will not be returning until the fall, but I will be posting some different exercise options I am using as well, even some videos I have found online! I am also going to be talking a little bit more about my future goals and life plans. I think these goals as well are helping me to stick to my new healthy lifestyle. I feel as if I am being called to ministry and if I am going to do that, I want to not only be a good influence to people on the inside, but on the outside as well.

My prayer for you today:

Dear Lord, I ask you today to continue to give me strength and a feeling of purpose in my life. I ask you also to keep my family and friends who have supported me on my journey, close to your heart. May you bless their lives the way they have continued to bless mine. Also, Lord Jesus, I keep in my prayers my blog followers. Although I may not know them all personally, I ask you to bless their lives and continue to speak to me through them. I pray for the health, safety and overall well being of my friends, family, church family and blog followers. And today, I'd also like to pray for any people in those groups who have not yet come to know you, Lord. I pray that they feel a MOVEMENT in their hearts Lord, a COMPLETE desire, as I recently felt, to serve you and live their lives in a way that is pleasing to you. THANK YOU LORD for coming into my life and THANK YOU for my church family, who helped me to find you, Lord, at a time when I needed you most. I PRAY that I may be of help to someone close to me as they were a help to me! I ask this through your SAVING son, Jesus Christ. -AMEN-

Wednesday - June 30, 2010

2010-07-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

Water: 3 cups

Supplements: None

Exercise: None

Suggested Nutritional Intake After Exercise:
1350 calories; 186 carbs; 45g fat; 51g protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1332 calories; 207 carbs; 29g fat; 77g protein

Food:
Breakfast-2 egg whites fried in parkay butter spray with 1 slice velveeta cheese and 97% fat free ham and 1/2 c diced watermelon
Snack- 1/2 C. Brusters Strawberry Swirl Diet Ice Cream
Lunch- 1 telera roll with 4oz broiled cod fish and 1/2 tbsp mayonnaise and 3/4c Green Giant Steamers (Red Potatoes and Green Beans)
Snack- 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar
Dinner- 2 turkey hotdogs on 100 calorie buns with ketchup spicy mustard and relish, 1/4c chicken noodle side dish and 1/2 service of the left over Green Giant Steamers from lunch
Snack-

Notes: Today was kind of a test to see how well I could do with my diet with eating first instead of logging the food and then eating. Normally I get an idea of what I want in my head, then I come online and log the food and then I eat what I have logged. This way I can ensure that I don't go over my daily limits. Today I did not do that and as you can see I went over on my carbs and protein. I also did not drink nearly enough water, didn't take my supplements and didn't exercise. I have not weighed myself today and we'll see what the verdict is tomorrow when I DO weigh myself!! I'm sure I will be sticking to my normal routine after I get the results from today!

Weight: Not taken today.

Tuesday - June 29, 2010

2010-06-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

Water: 7 cups

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Caplets

Exercise: 40 minutes zumba

Suggested Nutritional Intake After Exercise:
1861 calories; 256 carbs; 62g fat; 70g protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1210 calories; 185 carbs; 30g fat; 69g protein

Food:
Breakfast- 1 Mini Whole Wheat Bagel and 1/2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
Snack- 2 cups diced watermelon
Lunch- 1 of my Mock Arby's Roast Beef Sandwiches
Snack- 1 Active Lifestyle Chocolate Bar
Dinner- 3/4 package Green Giant Asian Vegetables, 1/4c grilled chicken thighs, 1 corn on the cob with parkay butter spray and salt and pepper, 1/2 telera roll
Snack- 4oz grilled salmon fillet

Notes:
Today was a wonderful day both for food and exercise. I was finding that I was not hardly hungry at all come dinner time but I made sure to eat because at that point I had only had about 700 calories or so for the day.

Weight: 255.1 pounds

Monday - June 28, 2010

2010-06-27T23:28:00.000-07:00

Water: 4 cups

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Supplements

Exercise: 30 minutes Zumba

Suggested Nutritional Intake After Exercise:
1,733 calories; 238 carbs; 57g fat; 65g protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1,237 calories; 203 carbs; 26g fat; 60g protein

Food:
Breakfast- 1 banana, 3 slices Honey Ham, 1 Mini Whole Wheat Thomas' Bagel with 1 tbsp Cream Cheese
Snack - 1 Active Lifestyle Chocolate Bar
Lunch-1 Mock Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich
Snack - 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar and 2 Sugar Free Pep-O-Mint
Dinner- 1 Tilapia Fillet, 1 cup Green Giant Steamers (Roasted Red Potatoes, Green Beans & Rosemary Butter Sauce), 1 Michelob Ultra (lime cactus)
Snack - 2 cups Watermelon

Notes: Today was a stressful day for me and therefore I felt huge desires to eat. I tried to fight it this time by just doing other things and I think my actual nutritional intake will prove that I did this well! Also did 30 mins of Zumba at home, but had to take it down in intensity due to my pain level.

Weight: 256.6 lbs

Sunday - June 27, 2010

2010-06-27T22:57:00.000-07:00

Water: 4 cups

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Supplements

Exercise: 5 minutes moderate paced walking (it was tooooo hot today! lol)

Suggested Nutritional Intake After Exercise:
1382 calories; 190 carbs; 46 fat; 52 protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1323 calories; 216 carbs; 26 fat; 74 protein

Food:
Breakfast- 1 small banana and 1 mini whole wheat bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia cream cheese
Snack- 1 Venti Non-fat White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks
Lunch- none (was out shopping)
Dinner- 1 slice french bread with parkay butter spray, 4oz strip steak, 3oz lettuce, 1 small tomato, 2 tbsp Marie's Parmesan Caeser Yogurt dressing
Snacks- 1 sugar free hard candy, 1 active lifestyle peanut butter bar, 1/2 c Bruster's Strawberry Swirl (no sugar added, fat free)

Notes: Lesson for today- You cannot just order your normal drink from Starbucks and this time make it "non-fat" thinking it will be OK on your diet! I was COMPLETELY shocked after I got home and looked up what I had to drink! My advice for the day: If you know you are getting anything to eat or drink while you're out, or going to a specific place, look up something you CAN eat or drink FIRST!!

Weight: Not taken today.

Saturday - June 26, 2010

2010-06-26T13:00:00.000-07:00

Water: 4 cups

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Caplets

Exercise: none

Recommended Nutritional Intake After Exercise:
1350 calories; 186 carbs; 45 fat; 51 protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
987 calories; 162 carbs; 29 fat; 40 protein

Food:
Breakfast - 1/2 large banana, 1 cup tea with skim milk, 2 100% whole wheat Thomas' Mini Bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Lunch - Roast Beef Sandwich with horseradish and bbq sauce, 3oz lettuce with Marie's Parmesan Caesar Yogurt Dressing
Snack: 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar
Dinner - 1 oscar meyer turkey hotdog on a whole grain bun with grilled onions and spicy mustard, 1cup frozen italian cut green beans with parkay butter spray
Snack: 1 Active Lifestyle Chocolate Bar

Notes: WOOOOOHOOOOO! This was a GREAT day for keeping under my nutritional count! Must be making up for yesterday! HAHA

Weight: Not taken today.

Beating Fast Food Cravings

2010-06-26T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have a REALLY hard time beating my fast food cravings! (As seen by yesterday's McDouble! haha) It is really easy when we get busy to just run through the drive-thru and grab that one thing that we think in the spur of the moment is going to cure our every desire! LOL

I have come to the conclusion that if I can mock my favorite fast-food-finds at home, then I will be last tempted to do a drive-thru while I'm out!

One of my favorite things in the world is an Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich just SLATHERED in Arby's and horsey sauce!!

Here is the Nutritional breakdown for 1 Regular Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich with 1 packet of Arby's Sauce and one packet of Horsey Sauce:
415 calories; 44 carbs; 18g fat; 23g protein

On the mock sandwich I make at home I use:
1 Healthy Life 100% Whole Wheat Sandwich Bun
6 Slices of Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh Slow Roasted Roast Beef
1 TSP Boar's Head Pub-Style Horseradish Sauce
1 TBSP Bulls-eye Texas Style BBQ Sauce

My nutritional breakdown:
208 calories; 27 carbs; 6g fat; 15g protein

Can I get a double Y!!??? YUM and YEAY!

Friday - June 25, 2010

2010-06-25T11:58:00.001-07:00

Water: 5 cups

Supplements: 2 mega green T caplets

Exercise: 20 minutes aerobics

Recommended Nutritional Intake After Exercise:
1,606 calories; 221 carbs; 53 fat; 60 protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1,547 calories; 213 carbs; 50 fat; 87 protein ( ugh! YIKES!)

Food:
Breakfast- 2 Fried Egg Whites in Parkay Butter Spray, 1 100% Whole Wheat Thomas' Mini Bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 2 cups diced watermelon
Snack - 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar
Lunch - Roast beef sandwich on a whole grain bun with pub style horseradish sauce, 3 oz lettuce and 2 tbsp Marie's Parmesan Caesar yogurt dressing
Snack - 1 McDonald's McDouble, 1 Small Vanilla Iced Coffee From McDonald's
Dinner - .5oz smart taste rotini, 1/2c roasted chicken breast, tsp minced onion
Snack - 1/2 Active Lifestyle Chewy Oats and Chocolate Bar, 1/2 C Bruster's No Sugar Added, Fat Free Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream

Notes: Ok, so as you can probably see... today was not a great day for me food-wise. I felt extremely hungry today, or at least I thought I was. I was extremely stressed and dealing with pain and some depression and I constantly felt hungry. I think from now on when those times come, I need to exercise, or read, or find something else to do besides eat. Thanks to me NOT doing that today, my protein count was out of control again :( I am proud that when I did feel a craving, that I ate SOMETHING, and I ate something smaller than what I normally would eat. In the past in situations where I was depressed and felt extreme hunger I would binge eat.

Weight: 257.1 lbs

Thursday - June 24, 2010

2010-06-25T11:37:00.000-07:00

Water: 4 cups ( I know, I need to drink more)

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Caplets

Exercise: 20 minutes Zumba

Recommended Nutritional Intake AFTER Exercise:
1,606 calories; 221 carbs; 53g fat; 60g protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1,330 calories; 189 carbs; 32g fat; 88g protein

Food:
Breakfast - 3 egg whites fried with parkay butter spray, 1 Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 1 cup red rose tea with a tbsp. skim milk
Snack- 1/2 c. Dannon Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt with 1/4c Kashi Go Lean Cereal
Lunch - 5oz canned chicken with minced onion and 1 tbsp REAL mayonnaise, with once slice of tomato and one slice of american cheese on a french roll
Snack - 1 medium banana
Dinner - 2oz rotini smart taste pasta with minced onion and tomato, 1/2 c. rotisserie chicken, 1 grilled corn on the cob with parkay spray butter and salt and pepper
Snack - 1 cup watermelon

Notes: Today was another bad pain day for me, but at night I took some pain medication and was able to work through 20 minutes of Zumba in my living room. Also, I have been concerned about my extremely high protein intake. I have always been told that protein is SO good for you, but for some reason a red light was going off in my head every time I saw that I was 20g or more over my recommended daily protein allowance. So, I decided to do some research. It turns out that something like 70% of the population overeat protein AND for dieters it's actually bad, because apparently proteins are the hardest foods to metabolize!! So, this COULD be why I'm not having the kind of results I would like. So I'm adding a new goal to my list, and that is to watch my protein intake. I'm going to TRY to not go over my recommended allowance each day, at the very MOST 5g over. The fact that I've been going over my limit by the 10's is making me nervous!

Weight: 257.7 lbs.

Tomato Chicken Fettuccine

2010-06-24T05:34:00.001-07:00

Begin by taking one frozen chicken breast and poaching it in some water in a frying pan over medium high heat. Boil until approximately half way cooked, then move the chicken aside.

Break up approximately 2oz Ronzoni Vegetable Fettuccine into about 2 inch pieces and drop into now boiling chicken broth. Cook for 10 minutes and then drain.

Put frying pan back on stove and over medium heat add 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. When the oil begins to bubble add 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes and 1/4c very thinly sliced yellow onion. When onion begins to sweat and become translucent, sliced the half cooked chicken and add to the onion mixture. When chicken is beginning to brown, add one medium ripe tomato, cut into large chunks. Saute this mixture until tomatoes JUST begin to cook down.

Add fettuccine to your pan and toss with tomato, chicken, onion mixture for about 1 minute until noodles are heated back through.

Bring to your serving plate and add approximately 1 tablespoon FRESHLY GRATED Parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!

Approximate Nutritional Values:
484 calories, 49 carbs, 13g fat, 43g protein

Wednesday - June 23, 2010

2010-06-24T05:13:00.000-07:00

Water: 5 cups

Supplements: 1 Mega Green T Caplet

Exercise: None

Recommended Nutritional Intake:
1350 calories; 186 carbs; 45 fat; 51 protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1391 calories; 202 carbs; 34 fat; 90 protein

Food:
Breakfast:
3 egg whites fried with parkay butter spray, 1 mini Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Snack: 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar
Lunch: 1 98% fat free oscar meyer Turkey hot dog with 1 tsp spicy brown mustard on a Sara Lee Whole Wheat hot dog bun. Salad with: 1 grilled portabella mushroom, 1 c lettuce, 1 c. chopped cucumber, 6 grape tomatoes, 2tbsp Marie's Parmesan Caeser Yogurt Dressing
Snack: 1/2 C Bruster's Fat Free, No Sugar Added Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream
Dinner: 3/4 C chicken, 1 medium tomato, 1/4c onion, sauteed in 1/2 tbsp EVOO with 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper and a 1/2 tsp salt an tossed with 2oz Ronzoni Vegetable Fettuccine & 1tbsp Parmesan cheese; 1 french roll with parkay spray
Snack: 1 cup watermelon

Notes: My pain level was severe today. I attempted to do some exercise at around noon, however I could not seem to accomplish this without feeling like my body was falling apart. So, I am going to attempt some stretching and yoga today and I think from now on I will be alternating days with Aerobics and Stretching/Yoga/Strength Training. I am also looking into seeing a new doctor for pain issues as well as the weight loss. I also went a little over on my intake for the day and had forgotten to take my second green tea supplement so I was a little hungrier than I have been the past few days.

Weight: 260.1 lbs

Tuesday - June 22, 2010

2010-06-22T19:01:00.000-07:00

Water: 6 cups

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Caplets

Exercise: 65 minutes aerobics ( 20 minutes Wii Fit Plus, 45 Minutes Zumba class)

Recommended Nutritional Intake AFTER Exercise:
2,192 calories; 302 carbs; 73g fat; 82g protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1,395 calories; 172 carbs; 55g fat; 62g protein

Food:
Breakfast- 3 egg whites fried with parkay butter spray, 1 Mini Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 1 cup red rose tea with 2 tbsp Half & Half
Snack - 1 McDonald's Breakfast Sausage Burrito, 1/2 McDonald's Sausage Biscuit
Lunch - 1 Oscar Meyer 98% Fat Free Turkey Hot dog, 1 Sarah Lee Whole Wheat Hot dog Bun, 1 tsp Spicy brown mustard, 4 spears broccoli with parkay butter spray
Snack - 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar, 1/2 Starbucks Vanilla Frappuccino
Dinner - 1 Grilled Portabella Mushroom Caps, small lettuce/tomato/cucumber salad with 1 tbsp Marie's Yogurt Parmesan Caesar Dressing

Notes:
My pain level has been REALLY high today. Energy was EXCELLENT with no crash today. Still not sleeping well. Pretty sure I'm eating too late in the evening. Also, an amusing little story... As for my mcdonalds snack, it was COMPLETELY NOT planned! My daughter had two infected teeth and this morning she got her last one treated at the dentist. Well what I've been doing is taking her for ice cream after to help with the swelling and to just "make her boo boo's" better. So this morning our appointment was earlier than usual so when we got out the ice cream shop wasnt yet open yet, so I decided I would take her to McDonalds to get her a quick bite and would get her a yogurt parfait instead of the ice cream. They were still serving breakfast and out of my normal habit I ordered her the yogurt as well as 2 burritos and a sausage biscuit for myself. I at the burrito and half the biscuit before I realized what I was doing. (This should be a GREAT example as to the kind of "trance" if you will, that food puts me in!! I don't even realize what I'm doing, HONESTLY!) I have been in such a horrible habit of just eating whatever I want whenever I want, that it's become like second nature to me.

So, I am really proud of myself for a couple reasons. 1. I was honest with myself that this is definitely a problem in my life. 2. I was honest enough to immediately log the food and change my food plan for the day as soon as I got home. 3. I was honest enough and had enough guts to not lie about it on here and to blog ONLY the truth about my eating habits. And lastly 4. For recognizing that mistakes like that will cost me and I then changed my eating plan AND added a little extra exercise than planned to "make up for it".

Weight: 259.7 lbs.

Monday - June 21, 2010

2010-06-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

Water: 8 cups

Supplements: 2 Mega Green T Caplets

Exercise: 16 minutes Stretching, 80 minutes total aerobics (50 minutes Wii Fit, 30 minutes Zumba)

Recommended Nutrition AFTER exercise:
2,085 calories; 287 carbs; 69g fat; 78g protein

Actual Nutritional Intake:
1,521 calories; 149 carbs; 68g fat; 76g protein

Food:
Breakfast: 3 Egg Whites fried with Parkay Butter Spray, 1 Mini Thomas' Whole Wheat Bagel with 1 tbsp Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 1 cup of Red Rose Tea w/ 2 tbsp Half & Half
Snack: 1 Active Lifestyle Peanut Butter Bar, 1 cup milk
Lunch: 1/4 Muffuletta Sandwich from McAlister's Deli
Dinner: 2 Oscar Meyer 98% Fat Free Turkey Hot dogs w/ 2 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard on 2 Sara Lee Whole Grain Hot dog Buns, 4 broccoli spears with parkay butter spray

Notes: I felt VERY energized today!! I had a small crash after the first Green T caplet wore off, but I think that is because I took it when I was already exhausted from not sleeping well the night before.

Weight today: 257.9 lbs.

Starting My Journey

2010-06-21T07:45:00.000-07:00

I'm starting my new journey today! I really feel as if God spoke to me yesterday and told me that I have NO business taking care of the body HE gave me, the way that I do!

*AND I FULLY AGREE*

So, I've had the tools for a while to change my life and treat my earthly body with more respect and love, but it is time to use them!

On this blog I will be posting each day what I eat, any tools I use, my exercise, and any feelings I have that are associated with my weight loss/healthy lifestyle journey.

YEAY for a new day!!