Im sweaty....

Lol - that is a special tribute to my beautiful friend Nikki - its too bad she doesn't read this because she would probably pee herself.

But seriously, I am sweaty... well I was but I showered real quick. I just did my first P90X and WOW! I feel great! I also did 12 minutes afterward on the elliptical! I burned 500 cals before I took off my HRM!!!! JT and I also went to dinner with my friend Chelsea and her husband at Olive Garden this evening and we both made great choices. We skipped salad with the dressing already on for soup and I had mussels and two orders of side veggies (broccoli and asparagus!) I also had diet coke rather than wine tonight - even though I REALLY wanted wine! lol! JT had a tomato pasta dish with grilled chicken on top. :)

No big plans for tomorrow except working out and homework (for both of us!) I also have to go to Walmart for socks and undies lol! (JT has a slight obsession with socks so I am sure he'll be happy to go and pick up a few packs for himself lol!) Im also hoping it warms up a little so we can go on a darn bike ride! It has been FREEZING here! (for Texas at least! lol)

anyways - Today's article!!!

Eating on the Go

With the average American eating one meal a day away from home, it’s critical to learn to make healthy choices when on the go. With careful thought and some planning, you can eat out and stay on the right road to your weight loss goal.

Make Educated Decisions

Restaurant foods are known for their hidden fat and calories. Just one teaspoon of oil or lard adds 45 calories of pure fat to your meal. An extra 50 calories a day of hidden fat in a restaurant meal can result in a five-pound weight gain over the course of one year! That’s why it’s so important to use the nutritional information on menus, websites and pamphlets. These resources provide calorie totals which can help you decide what items to eat while still maintaining your target calorie deficit. Many restaurants have “healthy” items that are lower in fat and total calories, and choosing these items may make it easier to hit your target calorie deficit.

Tips for Eating Out

Use these tips to stay on track while eating on the go:

● Always ask how the food is prepared. To cut calories, request that items be grilled, baked or broiled.
● Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat restaurants. Research shows that people tend to eat more when there’s more food available. Also, restaurants add extra fat to various items to help food retain its taste.
● Ask for sauces, cheese and salad dressing on the side so you can control the amount you eat.
● Replace French fries, onion rings, casserole side dishes and creamy or cheese soups with steamed rice, a baked potato, a broth-based soup, corn, beans, fresh fruit or a side salad.
● Order bread, toast, sandwiches or rolls dry and add your own condiments (butter, mayonnaise, etc.) to control the quantity.
● Split entrees and large portions of meat when servings are especially large. If you’re dining alone, ask for a box right away and package the extra food to take home.
● Order extra vegetables with your entree.
● Instead of an omelet with cheese, try an egg white omelet with flavorful vegetables such as onions, mushrooms, green peppers and/or tomatoes.
● Choose chicken, turkey or fish instead of fatty beef, hamburgers, pork or lamb.
● Avoid alcohol’s empty calories. If you choose to drink, opt for light beer and wine spritzers rather than frozen fruit drinks, liquors and creamy after-dinner drinks.
● Pick restaurants that provide nutritional information.

Ways to Avoid Fast Food

The key to staying out of the drive-through or vending machine is being prepared. When we wait too long to eat, appetite can overshadow our ability to make sensible choices. Keep your meal replacements (a.k.a. Apex Fitness Fast Foods) such as bars, crisps, protein cookies and shakes in your car, gym bag, desk or purse. These items can help you accomplish three critical components of weight control: 1) portion control; 2) balanced meals and 3) regular meals. Studies demonstrate that consuming foods from your normal diet AND incorporating meal replacements leads to greater weight loss than traditional calorie restricting diets.

Focus on the Big Picture

Keep in mind that indulging in your favorite foods won’t necessarily prevent you from reaching your goal. The bodybugg system gives you tremendous flexibility - if you miss your target calorie deficit one day, you can make it up over the next day or so by eating less and/or moving more.
Remember that when it comes to weight loss, it’s not what you eat, it’s how much you eat that determines your success. In other words, you can eat what you want and still reach your goal as long as you maintain, on average, your calorie deficit.

Hope this is helpful for everyone! Thank you for your support as always and next week WE WILL BE IN THE 160s!!! WOOT! haha :) :)

Frustrating Friday

Ugh. and Smile. Both at once really. haha

SO, despite my enthusiastic post last night about not being bothered if I wasn't in the 160's this week, I was pretty bothered this morning when I was 170.8. I was 169 or a bit less ALL week - and it comes to weigh in day and im not. The thing is though, if I wouldn't have cheated and weighed in early I wouldn't have been disappointed because at least I had gone down over a lb. Ugh - NEXT WEEK! ( I know that is what I said last week) but this is NOT EASY! And I am going to have to keep working hard. The most important thing is NOT to get discouraged!

I was talking to JT about what I can do to take my workouts to the next level and he suggested I do P90x. It seems that my main problem is that I go into my workouts without a solid plan - not being organized makes the workout less effective for me, so if I do a workout dvd that is intense (even if I can't do it intensely for a while! lol) I will be organized and get a solid workout in every time. I will do swimming and biking on the side for extra and fun! :)

Another problem is that I haven't been logging my food because I haven't had my boddybug - which is BS because I can still log my food I've just been silly. So I started doing that today. I isn't that I am eating food that is bad, but if I don't pay close attention I might be eating too much food that is good for me! lol.

SOOOOO I have lost 7 lbs. so far. That is pretty good. that is 2.3 lbs. a week on average. If I can do a bit more next week I will make my monthly goal!!

Thanks as usual for all of the support! <3

tired tired Thursday

Great day! But I am exhausted. I just don't have the energy to do a last-chance workout! We'll see how that will effect my weight loss!

Oh well - this is a LONG TERM goal - so if tomorrow the scale says 169 rather than 168 or 170 rather than 169 thats still 2 lbs. down and next week I'll be even lower. I think the most important thing is working this into my lifestyle and managing how I feel. :)

JT my tandoori chicken again tonight but it was a little hot for me - tomorrow he is going to make some extra chicken breast with no red pepper flakes so I can enjoy the meal. :)

Well - to reiterate, tomorrow is weigh in day! I hope I made some progress! :) Here is today's article! -

Managing Your Appetite
The Human Appetite – Friend or Foe?
The human appetite was a survival mechanism that our ancestors needed to be able to withstand harsh conditions. Those who were able to consume and store large amounts of body fat in times of plenty were more likely to outlast their leaner counterparts when food was scarce. Obesity did not exist hundreds of years ago because people were constantly burning calories while hunting and gathering food, finding clothing and shelter, and doing daily chores by hand. Compare this to modern day living where food is relatively cheap, available around the clock, and daily activity is mostly sedentary. Unfortunately, the human drive to eat has not changed with the times, and for many it is a huge challenge to controlling body weight.

Managing Your Appetite is Essential for Weight Control

To maintain your current body weight, you must be able to manage your appetite (which is more difficult for some than others) and balance the calories you burn with calories you consume. To lose weight, we must create a calorie deficit (burn more than you consume) while keeping hunger at bay. To accomplish this, it’s important for your body and mind to have a sense of fullness and satisfaction from the calories you consume throughout the day. Without this sense of satisfaction, chances are that you won’t achieve your goal. Incorporate the tips below into your daily routine to help manage your appetite and your waistline:

o Eat breakfast everyday. Those who do are less likely to overeat later in the day.
o Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies to add bulk to your diet.
o Eat protein with every meal to help you feel satisfied. Poultry without the skin, fish and lean meats are good choices.
o Choose fiber-rich whole grain products instead of refined (white) products including whole wheat pasta, bread and tortillas, brown rice, and bran products.
o Have a broth based soup and/or small dinner salad before meals to fill up before the main meal.
o Stay busy - especially during stressful situations. Instead of eating, take a brisk walk, talk to a friend or write in your journal.
o Choose to eat your calories instead of drinking them. People who drink a calorie containing beverage end up eating more total calories at each meal.
o Carry healthful snacks to avoid getting too hungry between meals (fruit, veggies, nuts, meal replacement bars and drinks, protein cookies, crisps)
o Remove tempting foods from your environment. Often times we eat because we see or smell the food – not because we’re hungry. If it’s not there, you can’t eat it!
o Wait 30-40 minutes before reaching for another helping or desert. It typically takes this long for your brain to register fullness.
o Have a strong breath mint or chew sugarless gum after and between meals. This can curb the urge to eat more.
o Brush your teeth after every meal. This sends a signal to your brain that you’re finished eating

Fill up on Fiber!

Dietary fiber is extremely effective for controlling hunger. You should try to consume at least 25 grams daily yet most of us get only half of that. Fiber is contained in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and nuts and contains zero calories. High fiber foods are typically high in volume and low in calories. In other words, you can fill your tummy with more food and fewer calories. Fiber also slows down the digestion and absorption of foods, which helps you feel fuller longer.

Ways to Curb Your Sweet Tooth

Cravings for sweets are natural. In fact, even newborns respond more positively to sweet taste than to bitter ones. This may be connected to mechanisms that originally helped our species survive. Bitterness is generally correlated with toxins and sweetness is associated with energy, creating the bias for sweetness. This innate human instinct causes us to crave sweets even when we are not hungry. (Ever order dessert even though you’re stuffed?)
Unfortunately, restaurants and food manufacturers use this natural craving to lure us into consuming more than we need. While your sweet tooth will probably never be completely eliminated, you can limit its influence by eating balanced and well-timed meals throughout the day. If you are still craving something sweet after a full meal, satisfy it with a small portion of desert (1 oz of rich chocolate) or a healthier choice such as sorbet with fresh berries.
Click here for tips on Controlling Portion Sizes and Eating on the Go.


I hope this is helpful for everyone. I know one of my biggest problems is always feeling hungry! My stomach has gotten used to the amount of calories I am allowing myself though mostly, so I haven't been feeling bad at all! :)

I can't wait to report my success in the morning! Thank you all for reading as always!

Not enough time in the day!

As I said in the title - there simply aren't enough hours in the day!! ahhh!

First, I just wrote this whole blog and the thing messed up so I am having to re-write it.. the thing that sucks is I was doing it before going in to workout! Yes! It is 1130 and I am JUST NOW going in to do my workout! I am crazy! But it must be done! haha

JT has a gazillion things to do for school tonight so instead of him cooking dinner I had sushi. It was awesome! On a good note though, he had the best workout hes had thus far this evening! He feels great and he is already starting to make some major progress! We both have our long days at school tomorrow, but if its nice he is going to ride his bike to school and tomorrow evening he is going to run with his new running buddy. :) While he is out running I am going to workout here!

Oh! Guess what we did tonight! We signed up for: warriordash.com
seriously! go check it out and click on Texas! I am SOOO excited! Thank you Vicky for the idea! By that time we should be at or very close to our goals so I know I will be able to do it! It is going to be so much fun preparing for it together and then completing it together!! :) :)

I know I said I would share some articles starting today so here is the first one! Hope it is helpful for you all:

Water Weight and Weight Fluctuations

Normal 24-hour body fluid fluctuations leading up to your weigh-in can affect your scale weight. Bowel movements, hormonal cycles, total and type of fluid and food consumed can result in temporary water weight. As a result, the scale alone may not accurately represent your progress when comparing back-to-back weigh-ins. In the long run, however, the scale will capture your progress.

Consistency is Key

To help avoid this water weight discrepancy, try to weigh in at the same time of day, wearing similar clothing, and maintain the same lifestyle pattern up to the moment you step on the scale. In other words, try to keep your total and type of food and fluid consumption the same during each 24-hour period before your weigh-in.

Timing is Important

You may want to consider weighing in every week towards the end of the week. Many people update their weight and/or body fat on Mondays, which may be the worst day to measure your progress. Think about it – weekends tend to be the time when we get off track with workouts, social events and dining out. By Monday morning when you step on the scale it is highly likely that your body weight has fluctuated.
Women should consider their menstrual cycle when weighing in. Women retain water and other fluids for at least one week before menstruation begins. Therefore, you may need to wait a week before updating your weight. Lastly, remember that high sodium foods may cause you to retain excess fluid. Restaurant meals and pre-packaged foods tend to be high in sodium.

Muscle Gain

You may have gained muscle since your last weigh-in, which would offset any weight reduction due to fat loss. In other words, if you’ve gain a pound of muscle and lost a pound of fat, the scale would not reflect this. This is a desirable outcome, especially since muscle is more active than fat, even at rest. Your fat loss will eventually outpace your gains in muscle, however, and you will begin to see weight loss.

Success Factors Other Than Weight

If your weigh-in reveals no change after one week but your circumference measurements, body fat, visual appearance and/or clothing size are improving, you are most likely making progress and your body weight is fluctuating for the reasons discussed. However, if your weight remains the same or increases for more than two weeks, and you’re not making progress in any of the above areas, you are probably not meeting your daily calorie deficit. To get back on track, you’ll need to eat less, move more, or do a combination of the two.
If your bodybugg program shows you’re in a calorie deficit and you haven’t lost any weight over the past few weeks, click here to learn more.

Thanks for reading guys! See you tomorrow...then FRIDAY WE WEIGH IN! WOOHOO!
Oh, and feel free to share your successes on here too in the comment section! I'd like to hear how everyone else is doing! AND i'd love some healthy recipe ideas!!! <3

Keep on keeping on!

Such a great day.

First of all, I love school. I have such an awesome schedule - time wise and class wise this semester!

Just to share, I have really been going out of my way to focus on the positive things in my life rather than the negative so I can continue this weight-loss effort stress free. I find when I am stressed, things don't go as well for me. AND I am still 110% on track! Not a single slip-up that wasn't planned for! (cheat meal two weeks ago)

I feel great! I just got done working out and JT and I also went on a bike ride earlier today which felt great! JT found a running partner too, which makes me feel better! I felt so guilty that I can't run with him and I think doing an extra few minutes of cardio every day will really help him reach his goals!

For dinner this evening we had Turkey chili with Fage greek yogurt on top. It was AMAZING. I will have JT write the recipe out so I can share it. He changed up another not-so-healthy recipe to make it work for us. :) At some point this week he is going to make me another fish recipe of some kind. They have really good looking tuna steaks at our local grocery store and I loved the Tilapia.

So - I cheated and weighed today (I know I shouldn't do that - it is just SO hard to resist!) And I cannot wait to see how my results go Friday! I am so encouraged by what I saw! It makes me want to work three times as hard!

On a different note, along with my bodybugg, I got access to a website to help me track my progress. On this website, they have weight loss and nutrition forum with a lot of awesome articles. I will begin sharing those starting in tomorrow's blog.

As always, thank you for reading! <3

Manic Monday

I know... I know... I said I wouldn't take yesterday off but I did anyways! haha I always forget JT has to teach Mondays and end up running around like a chicken with my head cut off Sunday evening trying to help him prepare for the following day (ironing clothes, packing lunch etc...)! Plus I was exhausted from some pretty hard core football watching!

Overall Sunday was a very good day. I took a rest day from working out but I did not eat a cheat meal! I ate well all day and resisted the urge to order pizza and wings during the football games! I also ate well all day today and worked out first thing this morning with Beverly to get it out of the way!

I'll be damned if I don't lose a couple pounds this week! haha I cheated today and weighed myself and the scale is actually quite low :) So I am hoping it sticks until Friday (and goes down even more!)

JT will also be cooking a great dinner tomorrow so I will make sure to post pics and more articles and such. I am trying to be productive and actually make this blog worthwhile for everyone to read, sorry if it has been boring the last few days! I will do better as the week goes on! I need to do some serious research, find some articles and post them for everyone's benefit.

I plan to go on a bike ride tomorrow, do some elliptical cardio and lifting tomorrow for my workout. I hope it is a nice day! OH, and if any of you have interesting articles to share or recipes etc... please feel free to do so! I could use any and ALL help!

Thank you all for reading!

whistle while you work

OH my lord I DID NOT want to work out today. But I did it and ended up feeling GREAT! :)

Today was Biceps and triceps - I also did cardio on the elliptical.

I also did my measurements today... omg horrible. Im not even kidding - the highest measurements I have had since I joined the Navy! Thank GOD I am working to change that. And honestly, as high as they were I don't feel that bad because I know that I am working very hard to change - forever.

We got ingredients for healthy chili to eat tomorrow during the football games and in the morning I am making protein pancakes for JT and I! It has been so long since Ive made them! Should be interesting! haha

For those of you who are salt addicts or love warm-up meals, you should def. check out this article: http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/01/21/salt.intake/index.html

I would have just pasted the article but my computer is being stupid. Anyways, its a good one.

I will check in tomorrow and not take the day off! :) Please tell me more about the supplements you take (brands etc...) Thanks!

Bummer.

Yes - today was weigh in day. And I am a little bummed. 160's are off the hook for my visit this week... I was 172 exactly :( so I only lost .4 lbs. I am very pleased I maintained pretty much but I was really hoping to lose 5 lbs. again.

I am going to have to ramp up workouts this week and really watch my diet. I thought I was doing good but it just wasn't quite enough. I still FEEL better though, which is what really matters.

I also REALLY need to take my measurements because maybe I lost some inches or something this week that I don't even know about because I haven't done my darn measurements!!!! haha

Tomorrow is a new day! I'll write more after I get in a great day of working out and feeling better about my zilch weight loss! haha :)

OH PS- what supplements do any of you use?

Getting hott aint easy!

OH lord... SUCH a long day at school today and the TV broke (again....) but I am feeling good and not letting things that don't really matter make me upset. Im feeling great and TOTALLY ready for my weigh in tomorrow morning!!!! (160's here I come!)

After I finish the blog tonight I am going to do plyometrics with JT from his P90X video. Its going to be hard, and I HATE that we are working out at midnight, but what can you do? We both had school ALL day and otherwise we wouldn't get a workout in. :) We'll see how I do... I watched him do this workout last week and it is TOUGH! (ill have to modify it a bit for my back Im sure... but still - it looks SO HARD!)

On another note I am definitely going to try to get some swimming in tomorrow! I found out our school has a heated outdoor pool (and its like 75 here so even if it weren't heated im sure I'd be fine). I think that will be a good addition to my cardio.

I wanted to share a good weight loss article I found today because I think many people are confused about the importance of weight training while on a weightloss plan. Many of you probably already know, but just in case (or as a reference point for friends) here is a pretty good article that explains why it is important-
(by the way, there are lots of BS links they want people to click on... sorry about that, I just wanted to share the content.)

1. Exercise is essential for weight loss

It's nothing new, but exercise is probably the most important predictor of whether you will succeed at long term weight loss and weight loss maintenance. In order for exercise to be helpful in weight loss, you should strive for a minimum of five 30 minute sessions per week. The good news is that recent research has shown that three 10 minute sessions in a day are as good as one 30 minute session. This helps many in combating the old "no time for exercise" excuse. Be certain to find something you enjoy. You'll be more apt to stick with it. Try walking with a friend, joining an intramural sports league, participating in outings with a group like The Sierra Club, or trying some classes at your local gym. Once you give exercise a chance, you will begin to enjoy its positive benefits on your psyche as well; you will literally become "hooked."

Having trouble getting a workout in? Why not try one of these Diet Channel recommended programs:

• 15 minute boot camp workout
• Power workout for busy executives
• 10 minute workout for busy moms

2. Weight loss and weight training

We chose to list this separately from the "exercise" category because of the significant weight loss benefits attached to weight training in and of itself. The basic equation is this: the more muscle tissue you have, the more calories you will burn. This is why world class weight lifters must eat thousands of calories a day to maintain their weight. Muscle is active tissue, fat is not. Thus, muscle "burns" a significant number of calories each day for its own maintenance. In her book Strong Women Stay Slim, Miriam Nelson, a Tufts University researcher, showed that a group of women who followed a weight loss diet and did weight training exercises lost 44% more fat than those who only followed the diet. While aerobic activity can help burn calories, muscle's where it's at when it comes to giving your metabolism a significant daily boost even at rest.

Read Cardio and Strength Training: How do you create a balanced routine? to find out how best to pursue numbers 1 and 2 above in tandem.

3. Keep a diary for triggers that hinder weight loss

Keeping a food diary can be a huge asset in successful weight loss. Devote some time each day to record what you have eaten and how much, your hunger level prior to eating, and any feelings or emotions present at the time. A food diary can provide a large amount of self-awareness. It can identify emotions and behaviors that trigger overeating, foster greater awareness of portion sizes, and help you discover your personal food triggers. Study any patterns that emerge from your food diary and identify where you may be able to make more healthful changes. A food diary provides an added benefit of keeping you focused on and committed to your goals. Start keeping a food diary today by printing our food diary.

4. Stay focused on being healthy, not on becoming thin

Many people become more successful at long term weight loss when their motivation changes from wanting to be thinner to wanting to be healthier. Change your mindset to think about selecting foods that will help your body's health rather than worrying about foods that will affect your body's weight. The Food Pyramid offers a basic outline of the types and amounts of food you should eat each day to give your body the nutrients it needs for optimal health.

5. Find out why you overeat

All too often overeating is triggered by stress, boredom, loneliness, anger, depression and other emotions. Learning to deal with emotions without food is a significant skill that will greatly serve long term weight control. The Solution, a book and national program developed by Laurel Mellin, RD, helps participants to identify their eating triggers and respond to them without food. A research study showed that the participants in this program demonstrated a better rate of long term weight loss maintenance than those who simply diet and/or exercise and don't address behavioral and emotional issues. Chronic over-eaters and "emotional eaters" can be significantly helped by learning new behavioral skills such as those Mellin presents. You can also seek help with behavioral and emotional eating issues from a licensed counselor or psychologist in your area.

6. Weight loss support: join a weight management group

A big key in long term weight control comes from receiving encouragement and support from others. You can check to see if groups such as Jenny Craig offer programs and resources in your areas. You may also wish to check with your local hospital to see if their registered dietitian conducts group weight loss programs.

7. Weight loss and portion control

With the advent of "super-size" meals and increasingly huge portions at restaurants, our concept of normal serving sizes is a distant memory. Be mindful of the amounts of food you consume at a sitting. When necessary, divide your food in half and ask for a take home bag. It is all too easy to be a "plate cleaner" even when served enormous portions. Learn to pay attention to your hunger level and stop eating when you feel comfortably full, not stuffed.

8: Lose weight slowly with small changes

Try to remember that "losing 15 pounds in two weeks" is nothing to celebrate. It is important to realize that the more quickly weight is lost, the more likely the loss is coming from water and muscle, not fat. Since muscle tissue is critical in keeping our metabolism elevated, losing it actually leads to a decrease in the amount of calories we can each day without gaining weight. Fat loss is best achieved when weight is lost slowly. Strive for a weight loss of no more than 1-2 pounds per week. One pound of weight is equivalent to 3500 calories. By making small changes like eliminating 250 calories a day from food and expending 250 calories a day from exercise, you can lose one pound (of mostly fat) per week. You can calculate how much time you need to exercise to burn 250 calories by clicking here. You can calculate your caloric needs by clicking here, and then subtract 250 from that number.

9. Eating slowly can lead to weight loss

Did you ever notice that thin people take an awfully long time to eat their food? Eating slowly is one method that can help take off pounds. That's because from the time you begin eating it takes the brain 20 minutes to start signaling feelings of fullness. Fast eaters often eat beyond their true level of fullness before the 20 minute signal has had a chance to set in. The amount of calories consumed before you begin to feel full can vary significantly depending on how quickly you eat. So slow down, take smaller bites and enjoy and savor every tasty morsel.

10. Weight loss through eating less fat - but do it wisely

We've known for some time that limiting high fat foods in the diet can be helpful with weight loss. That's because fats pack in 9 calories per gram compared to only 4 calories per gram from proteins or carbohydrates. To many, the message to limit fats implied an endorsement to eat unlimited amounts of fat-free products. Just to clarify, fat-free foods have calories too. In some cases fat-free foods have as many calories as their fat laden counterparts. If you eat more calories than your body uses, you will gain weight. Eating less fat will help you to lose weight. Eating less fat and replacing it with excessive amounts of fat-free products will not.

For more information on high-fat foods you should continue to eat, even when trying to lose weight, see the following article from TheDietChannel: Healthy and Fat? 5 High-Fat Foods You Should Not Avoid.

Hope everyone has a great night. Tomorrow JT is making us another delicious dinner! Can't wait to show everyone! :)

Work work work

Another day on the weight loss train! And my weigh in is only TWO DAYS AWAY! In order to meet my overall goal, I'll have to weigh about 169/168 this week. It would be awesome to be at 167 though so I'll be down another 5 lbs! :)

I just got done doing a pretty good workout. I did 12 mins on the elliptical to warm up, then I stretched and did a back-injury friendly lifting workout and finally I did another 10 mins on the elliptical. I know that isn't a lot of cardio - I am going to try to go swimming at the university pool tomorrow to get a bit more in, Thursdays are my long days though so I may have to put that off until Friday.

The journey is still going pretty well. We are buying healthier food overall for the house and JT is still making healthy meals. We are also being a little more lax and actually working this "diet" into our lifestyle. We have been doing research about healthy "fast food" options in case we need something in a pinch and Im surprised how many healthy options both Wendy's and Chick Fil A have! The main thing I know though is that we have to be careful about picking up more than the healthy stuff and not putting sauce on the sandwiches etc...

Something that REALLY disgusts me though is the fact that so many restaurants have food that is seemingly healthy and in reality it is NOT. They only have it as a trick to rope people in! For example, the Market Fresh sandwiches at Arby's are SO horrible! They seem healthy but they are over 700 cals and most are around 30 grams of fat... CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT! It is RIDICULOUS! No wonder our society is obese! How many people do you think go there to order that thinking they are doing well? Same with salads etc...! Its just sad.

I can't wait until I achieve my goal and become a trainer - I am seriously going to educate every single person I can about things like this. I really feel a need to pass this information on. And not because I think I know everything, but because I have struggled with my weight my entire life and I am tired of it. Thank God I have had a serious realization, so many others do not though and I just hope I can help them. And, there seems to be a big push in society lately to be "healthier" - hopefully that starts to make an impact on politicians and we can start raising standards and outlawing high fructose corn syrup and MSG etc...

Ah well - I digress. :) Thanks for listening today - today will be another successful day for me! Hope it is for all of you too!

To lose is to GAIN!

Pretty good Tuesday after a long weekend!

Eating wise and workout wise the day was successful. I did cardio and for lifting did delts and abs. My back is still extremely sore so Im trying to figure out what I can and cant do. The yoga over the weekend was great, but I think it may have further irritated my back... i just don't know.

Watched biggest loser again tonight. It is always a big motivator for me because if they can work out as much as they do, I know I can!

So the usability of the gym is pretty high. There is plenty of room and with what we have, we can do just about everything except swim.. ha :) That would be awesome though wouldn't it! What id really love is to have is a hot tub in here!

Ok, I know this is short today, Ill have a lot more tomorrow!

Still moving forward -

Another productive/fun weekend!

Again, I took Sunday as an off day for the blog :) I might not do that every week but so far that seems to be the day I feel like just passing out haha. As you can see, I have finally posted the gym picture! It is finally finished! Doesn't it look awesome? It is an environment very conducive to working out. It is motivating to see it every time I walk by. AND, in addition to my awesome gym, JT also makes me awesome dinners every night. This is doable. Definitely doable.

As far as eating goes this weekend, things went pretty well. Saturday night we went out with JT's parents to dinner at a local Italian restaurant. I was a bit worried because I didn't know if they'd have healthy options that were obvious but it is pretty silly to think EVERYTHING at a restaurant is bad! I ended up getting a glass of red wine, one piece of bruschetta and for my main course I had chicken primavera (grilled chicken sauteed in oil and garlic with vegetables, served over pasta) :) It was satisfying, I didn't overstuff myself at all, and I was even able to resist the tiramisu that JT's dad ordered for the table!
Yesterday we decided to have our cheat meal during the football games. We had some wingstop wings and fries. They tasted ok, but they weren't so good that I want to eat them constantly, in fact, our cheat meal didn't even compare to the food that JT has made over the past week. I know its good to break it up and have something like that to confuse your body, but I don't know if i'll have one every week. I did yoga AND the elliptical Sunday and OMG yoga is hard!!!

Today was a very productive day! I did yoga again... omg hard. I did much better though than yesterday. And that is the goal - to just improve every day. To improve my knowledge, improve my work ethic, improve my workouts, improve my body.

For dinner this evening we had Tilapia with Purple Potato Crust - it was SO delicious!

Ingredients

• 4 (4- to 6-ounce) tilapia fillets
• 8 to 12 ounces purple potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced rosemary leaves, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/3 cup minced fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the fish fillets on a work surface and season with salt and pepper. Top each of the fillets with enough slices of potato to completely cover the surface of the fish, overlaying the potatoes like shingles. Sprinkle the potatoes with a bit more salt and pepper, and the 1 tablespoon rosemary leaves.

Heat a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the butter. When the butter is melted and the oil is hot add the fish, potato side down. Place the skillet in the oven and bake until the fish is cooked through, about 15 to 17 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the extra-virgin olive oil, chives, the remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

To serve, place the fish on serving plates, potato side up. Drizzle the fish and the plate with the chive oil. Serve immediately.

It was literally like butter was melting in my mouth - and fish is SO good for you! (it didn't taste like fish AT ALL though!)

I want to thank all of you for you advice on snacks, workouts, all of your support and encouragement and just reading and showing interest in my blog. It means so much to me. It really helps motivate me to continue. Not only because I will be a better me, but because I feel now like I have made a commitment to all of you, and this is one commitment I can and WILL keep. <3

Keeping it Together

Another successful day of eating and living a healthy life!

We accomplished a lot around the house cleaning wise (and bulldogge wise! haha they were stinky!), watched several old school episodes of Biggest Loser and went to dinner and to see the Wizard of Oz with JT's parents. Dinner was good - I had a glass of red wine, a piece of bruschetta and chicken primevara (chicken sauteed in oil and garlic with veggies over pasta.) It was pretty good. I feel like I made healthy choices and definitely watched my portions!

The Wizard of Oz was awesome too and to cap off the evening we are currently watching the football games and relaxing.

While we were out and about today, I picked up a yoga dvd which focuses on strengthening back muscles to fix posture and help with lower back pain. I am going to do that first thing in the morning! I sure hope it helps!

Thats about it for tonight, I will check back in tomorrow with my measurements and a new, awesome dinner recipe hopefully! Thank you all for the support and words of encouragement!

Hard work, AWESOME results!

Well today was weigh-in day and I have GREAT news! I am down 5 lbs.!!! I was 172 this morning! Even better news is that JT also lost 5 lbs! We are moving in the right direction!!!!! I have less than 30 lbs. to lose now!

I was actually pleasantly surprised by the weigh in this morning because I don't feel like I've completely ramped up like I plan to. I worked out 4 times officially in that week and none of them were very strenuous! Once we finally get that darn elliptical set up and I can actually do cardio twice a day I bet I'll see even better results!

I am also surprised how good at-home exercise videos are. I did tae bo last night like I said and got an OK workout in, but today Beverly came over and we did a weight lifting workout that she had and it was very difficult/rewarding. I know I am going to be SOOO sore tomorrow! lol!

The only true hang-up I've had so far is back pain. I am not supposed to run because I have protruding disks. Due to being overweight, running would jossle me a bit too much, however, even doing leg lifts made it sore - to the point that I could barely stand it. Does anyone have any low-impact workout suggestions that would be pretty demanding? I was thinking palates but I have never done them and am not sure what to expect. It isn't something that will hold me back from being active, but I am scared to seriously injure my back because I am still pretty weak muscle wise back there and again, I have excess weight still. Once I drop the weight and build some more muscle I think I'll be fine to run, do leg lifts etc...

Sorry to say I didn't keep my word and do measurements this morning but I will get around to it eventually!

On a different note, tomorrow should be an interesting challenge. JT and I are going to dinner with his parents (and to see the Wizard of Oz at Cowen Center Jennifer!) and it has been determined that we will do Italian or Asian. I am trying to think of healthy options besides Salad I can eat. Both places are locally owned so I can't get nutritional info for them. I plan to have a glass of red wine, but besides that i have no clue! Any suggestions? I could REALLY use some help!

I made dinner tonight and it wasn't very good so I am not going to post pics lol. :) I tried to make turkey melts on wheat buns but I burnt the bun and didn't leave them in the oven long enough to "melt" haha I figure I must have had the temp too high. Oh well, i tried and I think JT appreciated the break from cooking (he even choked down the dinner and said it was pretty good... haha).

Ahhhh anyways - thanks again for the support this week! Those 5 lbs. were hard work, but completely doable! I am on target for my April goal! Next week I'll be in the 160's again! WOO HOO! <3

Big day tomorrow!

My first weigh in is in the morning! I can't wait to see my progress! I am a tad worried due to VERY sore muscles but even a couple of pounds would make me so so happy!

I had class from 930am until 740pm so it was a long day! Not bad though, I am enjoying my classes and I managed to eat healthy all day! I also just got done doing some Tae Bo!!

As far as dinner goes, I don't have any awesome dish pictures to share tonight! We cut up leftover chicken breasts and put them in a salad. :)

I didn't have a chance to tape myself and take measurements today but I will do that tomorrow along with my weigh in. I will also post some pics of the living room/gym too. :)

I know this is a short update but I'll have more to add tomorrow! <3 Thanks all!

production = progress

A lot of progress made today! We cleared all of the furniture out of the living room finally and have everything except the elliptical set up! I had a GREAT workout today too with Beverly! I got all of my text books and I ate great AGAIN today! We cleaned a ton (deep cleaned even!) Plus I've been cheating and weighing myself every so often and I KNOW I am going to make my goal of 173 by Friday! That will be 4lbs. lost in the first week!!!!

We also played a game of disc gold today which ROCKED! It was such a beautiful day! Life is just so much more enjoyable while working toward a goal. :)

Tomorrow is my long day at school (930am - 740pm) as well as another long day for JT, so we've got a few challenges but we'll be ok. (we'll pack a healthy lunch and snacks.)

Dinner tonight was pretty good and quite easy to make (something I may be able to do in the future to give JT a break from cooking - for those of you who know me this is proof this recipe is VERY easy!)

Grill Chicken Breast with Avocado Corn Salsa

For Salsa:

• 1 ear corn, roasted
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/4 cup minced red bell pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Directions

Cut the kernels off the cob and mix together with all the remaining ingredients. Keep covered and refrigerated.

The recipe for salsa should not be made a day in advance, as the avocado will turn brown.

For Chicken:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1 cup lemon juice
• Olive oil as needed
• Salt and pepper

Preheat grill or broiler.

Season chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper. Brush with lemon juice. Grill 10 to 15 minutes total on a hot grill, turning 3 times. Serve with Avocado Corn Salsa.

I totally forgot to take my measurements yet this week so I will do that tomorrow at some point so I can track that progress along with everything else. From past weight loss adventures I know sometimes you lose inches before weight :) So I definitely need something tangible like that to look for. I think that is the main difference between men and women. I absolutely need to see results to feel like what I am doing is worthwhile. (Usually) For the first time with this journey though, how I FEEL is reward enough to know I should continue on this path. I'd still like the measurements though, just in case I have a down day!

This blog has been such an outlet. When I am getting ready to make decisions I know I have all of you to answer to and it really motivates me to make the right ones. Thank you so much for your support! See you tomorrow!

Still going strong!

Another wonderful day!

Although I had 3 classes today and what felt like a katrillion things to do, I was still able to eat healthy and not let stress take over, I was still able to fit in a real workout, and JT and I got to enjoy Biggest Loser together while eating a healthy and DELICIOUS dinner (rather than the CRAP we used to eat while we watched it... haha talk about irony!)

The gym isn't quite ready still - the elliptical still needs to be put together and I need to hang up the hooks for our bands and such and after that, the last step will be taking the last bit of furniture out of the room. If any of you come over for dinner, please understand we'll be eating on TV trays and sitting on weight benches! lol! (just kidding... I'll pull out the fold up table at least!)

Biggest loser tonight was a great episode and motivator. To see people of that size work SO hard to regain control of their lives is so inspiring! What makes me sad, is that bad choices are so easy to make and so hard to avoid in our society. Bad food is cheaper, more convenient, and do to the processes they use to make it, addicting and better tasting to us than food that is good for us. What can you do? What can our society do to change? Well, firstly, I think it starts in the classroom. Teachers MUST model health and embody it. Teachers MUST teach our children about nutrition, healthy eating, the importance of taking care of our bodies etc... WE ONLY HAVE ONE BODY! School lunches need to be healthier, parents need to be involved. For someone to get to 500 lbs... 1000lbs.... its a disease, not a lifestyle choice and SHAME on anyone who doesn't view it as such. Without the knowledge people can't fix the problem. I have friends who are just so in denial about their ridiculous eating and it hurts me to see them make excuse after excuse and fool themselves. I did it... I DO it! I have to really work to change that about myself because its so easy to slip back to that and I constantly find myself questioning my choices. And talking about it, and writing it out so when I re-read this a million times I SEE it will help me the most I think.

alright, well sorry to go off on that tangent, I just really wanted to address that issue. :)

On a different note! Here is the dinner recipe for the night! We had Goat cheese and red pepper stuffed chicken breast with smoked chili cilantro sauce! :)

Ingredients

• 8 ounces soft goat cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped nicoise olives
• 1 red pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh finely chopped thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 large boneless chicken breast, pounded thin
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

Preheat grill. Mix together the goat cheese, olives, red pepper and thyme in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Lay each breast out and fill with the cheese mixture. Brush the breasts with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste, secure with toothpicks. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

• SMOKED CHILE-CILANTRO SAUCE
• 2 poblanos, smoked, peeled and seeded
• 1/4 cup red onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup spinach leaves
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 teaspoons honey
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a blender, combine the poblanos, onion and lime juice and blend until smooth. While the blender is running, add the oil slowly until emulsified. Add the spinach and cilantro and blend until smooth. Add the honey and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Well, that is really about it for today. Tomorrow will be a very productive day because JT and I both have Wednesdays off! We are going to finish the gym once and for all, play some disc golf, do some house chores etc... Beverly is coming over so we can get in a workout together and I'm sure we'll have an amazing dinner again! :) Thanks for reading all! <3 love your feedback!

New week, new challenges!

I decided to take Sunday as a day of rest from the blogging
scene :) I was tired last night and today was JT's first day of student teaching so it was a bit hectic here trying to get everything laid out etc!

Although I didn't write, JT and I still stayed on track yesterday! No cheat meals yet! (we'll start to fit them in eventually, but we'd like to make some progress first.)

Yesterday was pretty uneventful. We basically spent the day working on the gym and watching football. We also did our grocery shopping for a couple of days - which reminds me: How do any of you break up your shopping? If we go for two weeks or even one full week at a time the stuff sometimes goes bad, or we forget stuff etc... going every few days seems good so far, except I feel like we're spending more money than we would otherwise? Then again, we're eating better and sadly, in our society, eating healthy is pricey!

So we got the flooring in for the living room to gym project and I'd say we're pretty much done. I did a very light workout tonight to test the floor out and get my heart rate pumping a bit and I am SOOO excited! It is SOOO awesome to have a gym in the living room! Once it is completely finished I'll take some pictures to share.

Speaking of pictures, we took our "before" pics finally today. I felt like crying after seeing them and I was so embarrassed for JT to see me like that (so disgusting) I couldn't stop laughing out of awkwardness and discomfort. Its pathetic. Thank God I am working to change that. If any of you need some motivation just take some "before" pics in a pair of short shorts and a sports bra and trust me it makes an impact. I contemplated working out from tonight until April straight after looking at them! haha (but seriously... i really did...)

Ok, so school started today as well and so far so good. I only have one class on Mondays and then the rest of my classes are Tues/Thurs which will be nice because I'll have 5 free days a week basically. Out of the 5 I am taking, 3 of them I only attend once a week, which is nice because you just get it over with. I am happy I'll finally be able to get into a schedule too because I am really slacking in that respect. I can barely get out of bed by 9!

Dinner tonight was amazing as usual. We had Tandoori Spiced Chicken Breast with Grilled Tomato Jam and Herbed Yogurt Sauce over a pita for dinner. (another Bobby Flay recipe may I add Jennifer!!!!)

Recipe -

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 tablespoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon ground cayenne
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3 (8-ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 pita breads, warmed on the grill
• Tomato Jam, recipe follows
• Herbed Yogurt, recipe follows

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high. Combine all spices and the oil in a medium bowl to make a paste. Rub a thin layer of the spice paste onto 1 side of each chicken breast. Grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until slightly charred and just cooked through. Remove from the grill, let rest 5 minutes, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Serve openface on pitas: the chicken slices, a few dollops of Tomato Jam, and a drizzle of Herbed Yogurt.

Grilled Tomato Jam:

nocoupons

• 5 plum tomatoes
• 1 serrano chile
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grilling
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 small Spanish onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Pinch saffron

Heat grill to high. Brush tomatoes and serrano with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill tomatoes and serrano on all sides until charred. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan on the grates of the grill or on the side burners. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the tomatoes, serrano, balsamic vinegar, and saffron and cook until thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Herbed Yogurt:

nocoupons

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

What's awesome too is that the herbed yogurt is made with greek yogurt which is very good for you! (and I needed lots of that to cut the spice! it was a pretty spicy one tonight - it was SO good!) Plus, spicy food is supposed to be good for digestion! :)

Weigh in day is Friday - to meet my goal i'll have to be at 173 solid. I know I can do it!

Thank you again for the support everyone!

Still no slip ups!

Let me start by saying that eating healthy is easy when you have a live-in chef. :)

Today was a very productive day in the Bolestridge household. We literally cleaned the entire day and took another trip to the storage building. Our living room is almost completely bare now (except for one corner that we turned into a little reading nook!) and as soon as we get the flooring down we'll be in business. We also de-junked quite a bit. It is amazing the crap I've hung on to over the past couple of months (and years... lol)

Body image wise today I am feeling really low. I don't know what it is about trying to lose weight that makes me feel so bad about how I look. I feel like I have a million fat rolls and I just feel disgusting in general. A couple of weeks ago it seems like I felt fine how I was and now that i'm actually doing something about my impending problem I feel worse than ever. It makes me feel very motivated for a change though so I guess its not all bad.

On a different note my food for today was pretty good. I went over my calorie limit the program sets for me but I am feeling so hungry all the time (im hoping that's a sign that my metabolism is going crazy! lol) that I don't feel so bad about eating a bit extra as long as they are good choices.

breakfast today was oatmeal soaked in 1 cup of 1% milk overnight with a couple of craisins and some coffee
snack- greek yogurt and a string cheese
lunch- sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese, olive oil mayo, olives and turkey lunch meat as well as a serving and a half of tortilla chips and salsa
snack- marathon bar
dinner - spanish spice rubbed chicken breasts with parsley mint sauce, broccoli and mashed potatoes :)
snack - i am going to have a steamed artichoke and dip it in hummus

here is the dinner recipe (amazing...<3 Bobby Flay)

Ingredients

Spice Rubbed Chicken:

• 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, ground
• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, ground
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 (8-ounce) boneless chicken breasts
• Olive oil
• Parsley-Mint Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat your grill to high.

Whisk together the paprika, cumin, mustard, fennel, pepper and salt in a small bowl.

Brush the chicken with a few teaspoons of oil on both sides. Rub the breasts on the skin side with some of the rub and place on the grill, rub side down. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the breasts over and continue cooking until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter and immediately drizzle with some of the Parsley-Mint Sauce. Let rest 5 minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side.

Parsley-Mint Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cups tightly packed fresh mint leaves
• 3/4 cup tightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 serrano chiles, grilled, peeled, chopped
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup olive oil
• Water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the mint, parsley, garlic and serranos in a food processor and process until coarsely chopped. Add the honey and mustard and process until combined. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil until emulsified.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and whisk in a few tablespoons of cold water to thin to a sauce-like consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Off to look at before/after pics on bodybuilding.com... its such a great motivator. I will be taking my "before" pics tomorrow and after a month I'll take more and post both to show my progress. :) hopefully I make lots! haha

Oh, any more snack suggestions by the way? Also, does anyone have any recipes they can share? Thanks guys! <3

Goals, working to achieve them

Great day today.

I am happy to report that day two went as well as day one in the eating department. JT and I even met Beverly and Daniel out for dinner at Applebees but we were both able to find healthy options and stick to them! I am so proud! Not only was the food low calorie, but it was satisfying as well - and I didn't feel like crap afterward! (as I often do after eating food high in fat... it just makes me feel sluggish!) AND we had a GREAT time with our friends!

We were also able to make a trip to the storage building with one of the couches and a few tables, the living room to gym transformation is really coming together. I'm hoping we can finish that up in the morning so we can get on with the workouts!!! We also decided today that we are going to de-junk our lives. Do you ever notice that you keep things around because you might use it "someday" or what if you NEED it in a pinch and you had just thrown it away the previous week? Then how would you feel? Well, I've decided I'd rather feel bad for 5 minutes for throwing something I needed once ever away than having it cluttering my house and stressing me out. We are such a society of "things" and I'm tired of having those things everywhere. haha.

So- I have been thinking about my goals and although I may add to it as time goes on I have some things to get started with.

I hope to get down to 144 lbs. and 18 percent body fat. I hope to reach that goal (at least the weight loss portion) by April 13, 2010. That would mean I'd have to lose 11 lbs. a month. Although that's a lofty goal, I think it is obtainable because I am changing my diet and exercise so radically. (and the people on biggest loser can lose 200 lbs. in 5 months... although unhealthy in my opinion on their parts I don't think 11 a month is pushing it on mine!)
Speaking of exercise - my goal is to exercise twice daily. Once upon waking up (that one will only be stretching and 25-30 mins of cardio) and once during the day or evening (this workout would be weights and a bit more cardio.) I am hoping to workout 6 days a week, 5 if I need an extra day of rest.
One of my main goals is to make this a lifestyle change rather than just a fad or a moment in time. I can give 1hour and 30 mins of my day to working out and I can eat better - it makes me FEEL better!
I want to drink at least 65 oz. of water daily
I want to really break my sweet addiction. Its something I struggle with greatly and if I can detox that craving out of my body maybe I can lose the constant need for sweets from my life

My long term goal from all of this is to become a personal trainer. It is something I have wanted to do for a long time, and its something I can only do if I am in great shape myself. I know I am a good motivator, I love helping people and get a lot out of it so I have decided I am going to do it. :) (i will give all of you free sessions once I get my certification!)

So far that is all I have but I think its a great starting point. (OH and I want to look SUPER hot in a bathing suit at Gina's wedding in the Bahamas in August!) Even if the goals don't happen in the time-frame I hope for, they will happen and that is all that matters - this isn't a race, it is a journey!

Ok - so my food for today is as follows
Breakfast - snickers marathon bar and coffee
snack-babybel and a serving of pretzels with peanut butter in them
lunch- packet of tuna with olive oil mayo and a diced pickle mixed in, a greek yogurt and a piece of string cheese
snack- apple and string cheese
dinner- grilled talapia with mango lime salsa served over pilaf rice with steamed broccoli (applebees rocks!) and a glass of Ecco Dimoni wine
snack- haven't had this one yet, but I'll probably have a glass of milk and some more pretzels or another greek yogurt with some granola

without my last snack I am at 1288 calories (isn't it amazing how much I ate and because its so low fat its only that many calories!) Oh and I did MUCH better on my water intake today!

Thats about it for tonight - but if you all have any suggestions for healthy snacks etc... please share them! That is the thing I have the hardest time with!

Better eating, better attitude!

Day 1 of healthy eating started today.

Not only does it feel great, but it tasted great! (more on this later...JT spoils me with AWESOME food!)

I'd like to discuss a few important issues. First of all, I am slightly irritated by our gym selections in the area because none do complete body testing work-ups. I went to premier fitness today and they did a scale body fat test and the calipers and the readings were so different I don't know where to begin!

The scale, which is supposed to measure body fat and water etc, said I was 37 percent body fat and weighed 177 lbs. I believe the 177 is accurate (because my scale says that too :( ...) but the calipers, which are supposed to be more accurate, said I was 27 percent body fat. Now, the trainer who did the testing said I was more than likely somewhere in the middle so who knows. I decided to check out how much calipers cost online and found a digital set with good reviews for 14 dollars. Those should be here in a few days and I'll re-evaluate those numbers then. Either way however, I have a lot of work ahead of me! I am still trying to find a gym to give me a full work-up similar to the one I got while I was in the Navy at a base gym - it was amazing and I am sad I can't get it now!

Secondly, I have a serious issue with the amount of information provided to school-aged children about nutrition. I am going to do some more research about this topic and write about it more in-depth in a future blog, but i wanted to bring it up to hear anyone's opinion about it! :)

Ok - so food today

Breakfast - Snickers marathon bar (love those!) and coffee
lunch- salad with romaine lettuce, a chicken breast, feta cheese, cranberries, almond shavings and balsamic vinegar and lite ranch (mixed together) for dressing
snack- orange and half an ounce of almonds, babybell cheese
dinner- (and this was amazing....) Pork Chops stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and spinach! SOOO GOOD! Broccoli and potatoes
snack- snickers marathon bar and an apple

Overall, I am really happy with that, although i will try to eat more for breakfast tomorrow and I will also try to do better on drinking water - I only had about 40 oz. today :(

here is the recipe for the dinner -

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 (10-ounce) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and excess water squeezed out
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese
• 1/3 cup fat-free cream cheese
• 4 (4-ounce) center-cut pork chops
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions

Warm the 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, and thyme. Cook until combined, about 2 more minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Add the goat cheese and the cream cheese. Stir to combine and set aside.

Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the thickest portion of the pork chop. Stuff each pocket with 1/4 of the spinach and sun-dried tomato mixture and close the pork around the stuffing. Season the outside of the pork with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl combine the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, and mustard.

Warm the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot add the pork. Cook until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to a side dish and tent with foil to keep warm. Add the chicken broth mixture to the skillet over medium-high heat. Scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan as the chicken broth simmers. Reduce the broth by half to make a light sauce, about 8 minutes. Spoon some sauce over the pork before serving.

tomorrow I am going to start my work-out routine too! I am so excited! Thanks for the support guys! I will post my short-term and long-term goals tomorrow! <3>

First day home

OH weight loss.

I don't know if I said this yet, but JT and I are actually doing this together. We both just weighed ourselves to see just how much damage we did over the last couple of weeks and I gained about 5 solid pounds... how disgusting!

I am so ready. Tomorrow I plan to go get my body fat tested and have an official weigh in at a gym. I plan to do that once a month so I can track my progress with no questions at all.

We got home this afternoon and immediately started coming up with some healthy dinner options for the next couple of days as well as snack ideas etc...We went to the store this evening to get that stuff and picked up an adjustable kettle bell and a mini trampoline that was on sale for 30 bucks at Walmart as well. I feel good to know we get to start fresh with healthy food in the house only! I am also SO excited about the trampoline! (this is it - http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/golds-gym-circuit-trainer-mini-trampoline-36-inch).

What we plan to do is completely change our living room into a gym. We don't really have company over ever so its just wasted space anyways and it will be SO hard to make excuses when the gym is right in the other room of our 950 sq. ft. house lol! We will be putting down this foam puzzle inter-locking matting to protect the floors and we already have an elliptical, a weight bench and free weights as well as various resistance bands and such. We also have access to the college gym which JT says is very nice.

Ok - that's its for today. I will check in tomorrow with my data from the weigh in/body fat test. Thanks for the support guys!

The Journey Begins

I am tired.

Tired of how I feel about myself, tired of feeling uncomfortable saying how bad I feel because people who love me always tell me I am ridiculous and look great, tired of not being the athlete, person, friend, wife, woman I have always striven to be and tired of making bullshit excuses for myself. Sadly, the reason I am tired of these things is because I myself have done nothing to change them. That will all change now.

This blog will be an intimate and honest account of my journey to a healthier, happier me. I will do my best to share tips, recipes, workouts I enjoy, pictures etc... as well as the ups and downs of the journey and my failures and successes. I hope that if you decide to join me on this journey you will do so for the long haul and offer support, constructive comments etc...

Within the next few days (once we make it back to Texas) I will get my body fat taken, as well as take my measurements and weigh myself for my "starting weight." I will post those as well as before pics and my short-term and long-term goals.

Thank you in advance for your support - I hope this blog will help you as much as it will help me.