Getting Closer to the End of the Phase One

I still have a ways to go, but this past weekend was really good for me.  I was invited to a cousin's house for a little gathering.  

It was the first time in a while that I really felt comfortable and excited about going out to see people I don't always get to see.  I can be honest now.  The past few years I would cringe and have mini-anxiety attacks about going to various events in public.    My little devil would allow the shame and embarrassment of how I felt about the way I looked, to cause huge anxiety attacks, to the point I'd be in tears as I be going out the door.  I've talked about how I hated having my picture taken, but I don't think some people really understand the depth that it went into my head.  But I now know there are a lot of people out there who understand the depth this fear can have on a person.  So I'm more comfortable talking about it, hoping my journey helps them too. 

Prior to the party, I started to get nervous and over think about what to wear.   My cousin, Ann could tell you millions of stories about how I would change 5 or 6 times before we would go out in college.  And that would just be for dinner.  LOL  I've always been a little self-conscience about feeling pretty and confident.   My sisters could share tons of stories probably too.  

Anyway- prior to the party, I knew I was already able to wear a size smaller pair of jeans, since I had worn them the week before.   They were starting to feel a little looser, but I wasn't quite sure they were loose enough to try some of the next size smaller jeans I had been hanging on to.   I was all set to stick just the one size smaller pair and see if I could find a new-old shirt in my closet to wear with it.   As I was going through the clothes in the "skinny" part of my closet, I came across a pair of jeans I bought on clearance about 2 1/2 years ago.   They were 2 sizes smaller than what I was wearing this past July and still had the tags on them!

Instantly my little devil and angel were pulling my head in different directions.  My little devil was reminding me about when I bought them. I hadn't tried them on in the store, and when I got home, I couldn't get them over my hips, let alone zippered.    My little devil said not to try them on because if they don't fit yet, I would depress myself before leaving for the party.   My little angel, however, was a bit more confident and louder.   My little angel reminded me how loose the jeans from the week before were getting already.   Plus, she reminded me that my goal for the end of September was to be in the even next size smaller than those jeans.  So if I tried them on and still couldn't get them zippered, it would be even more inspiration to increase my levels in the fitness center.   She also reminded me I've just about achieved my weight loss goal for this first phase, so I have to commit and stay motivated to reach my next size goal too. 

Needless to say, I tend to go with my little angel's advice more and more these days - so I went for it!  I tore off the tags, tried on the jeans and Viola - they fit!!!!   And they weren't too snug either - I could still breath and sit down comfortably - and by the end of the night - no red marks on my waist either!!!   HAPPY DANCE!!!!   

This little victory did wonders for my confidence levels and completely put my anxiety at ease.    I even felt confident enough to wear a sleeveless top too.   I haven't worn a sleeveless top out in public in years.   I've worn them around the house or to work out, even a couple times when I was only going to be around my closest family members.  But this time, I felt pretty enough when I looked in the mirror, another first in few years.  So I left the sleeveless shirt on, through on some earrings, my new ring and headed out the door.  

Truth be told, I did have a couple moments later, when a few of our photographer cousins insisted on taking my picture.   One was a group shot and another was just me alone.  I'm still not sure I want to see those, but I didn't break down in tears or run away.  So another little victory for my little angel and me.  And pray my little angel is still strong enough when I see the pictures to keep me from crying. 

The party was really good for me too.   One of my other goals from my health coach, as you may remember, is to accept compliments.    My cousin, Sue, who hosted the party, came up to me right away when I got there and gave me a huge hug!  She not only told me how good I looked and how proud she was of me, but also, how she loved reading my blog and said I was a really good writer.   Even as I type this, its a little hard to share, since my little devil is reminding me how all the nuns would tell us to be humble and not brag about our accomplishments.  Course, my little angel reminds me, that I need to share this, as all positive feedback helps keep my motivated.   So thank you Sue for your great compliments!!!!   As other cousins arrived, I received more compliments and instead of just shrinking back, I openly accepted and thanked each person.   But not to worry - none of it went to my head.  I'm still the same and still have a ways to go.   Just storing them all for motivation when I have a weak moment. :-)

Later I went on to my first week of bowling with my new team that night.  I had just seen most of them the 2nd week in August, so wasn't expecting them to notice much difference.   I was surprisingly wrong!  My friend Ruth told me right away should could tell in my face.  I looked completely different - in a good way.   Course, I think a bigger and some what funnier compliment was when a new couple on my team thought I was in my early to mid-30's.    Now I know I'm supposed to just graciously accept compliments, but I do have to admit a little alcohol what involved.   I do often look younger then my age, but not by 10+ years.   Still, it was still nice to hear.  

All those compliments were great, and helped me stay on target for the rest of the weekend.  Which was very much needed as I had a weigh in day earlier than expected.   Today was a follow up visit with the nurse to retake measurements and blood work.     I still have to wait for the blood work results and might have them tomorrow.

But here's the results of my other measurements

I lost almost inch from my waist - If you remember at half-way, I didn't lose any, but was OK with that since my waist had always been proportionately smaller.

I lost a whole inch in my neck too!  Overall - looks like just 1/2 in from week one.  Course, I have to remind you here too that was because Nurse Debbie took my first measurements, and the increase at half-way was probably because each nurse measures differently.  

I lost 2 more inches from my hips!  Another huge victory!  The grand total since July - 6 inches gone forever!!!

My BMI score also went down another 1/2 point, for a total of 10.5 point decrease from July! 

My blood pressure was about the same.  The DBP number was lower.   But I don't have high blood pressure concerns, so I'm good.  The only thing that was strange was that this time, she could barely find it because it was so faint.  So she hooked me up to their automated machine.   I guess I was so relaxed I was almost dead.  LOL   Seriously though...really low blood pressure runs in my family, so not worried. 

The only thing that made me nervous was that my waist to hip ratio went from a .074 to .076.   She said not to worry.  0.80 was normal, so I was in the good range.  And as long as I'm still losing weight and inches, its no concern right now for me.   So my little angel is relaxing on this one. 

According to their scale, I've lost another 0.4 lbs from last week.  So I'm now only 1.2 lbs away from my goal.  I'm not really going to focus too much on this one since I still have my weekly group tomorrow, and I'm hoping it will be even closer tomorrow. 

One other thing I've gained from this experience, is my ability to stay "Glass Half-Full".   I've had some really interesting emotional struggles this last month.   Very close friends, who are like family, being diagnosed with cancer,  job stress and some other minor family drama.  All which would have made me want to go out and have ice cream or other sugary/fatty foods to help ease away the stress.  But I didn't.  Instead, thanks to all my support, I was quickly able to just find the silver-lining in each moment or day and stay on track.   It seems to get easier each day.   So if I can just inspire one of you who are thinking about becoming healthier, just commit to 3 weeks.  Not a life time, just 3 weeks.  Don't say you will "try", say you "will".   Don't say you "can't", say you "want to".   When life dumps a bucket of crap in the middle of your road, plants some flower seeds in it and move on.   Something more beautiful and happier really truly is just waiting to bloom to make your life a better one.   And Trust Me - I know -Its definitely easier said then done, but those first couple of steps to change, are so worth it.   I'm only partially through my journey, but I still feel very confident that I will be doing my photo shoot next summer.   And if I've inspired any of you to do the same, please let me know.   We can do the photo shoot together.  

Thanks again for all you support!  Love you all!!!

ANOTHER REASON WHY GETTING BACK ON TRACK DOES WORK!!!

Yes – It was weigh in day today!   For most people, its probably a horrible thought to have to weigh in right after a long holiday weekend, typically surrounded by lots of food.  In the past, my little devil would relish when weigh in days were later in the so I could have more time to work off the added calories.  But for my little angel and me, I love when that happens now.   It’s a great reminder not to over do it because I don’t want to see bad results on the scale. 

Plus, instead of working off “extra calories”, I focus on working off “stored calories” now. 

Like probably some of you,  I am not a fan of going to work out in a gym.  I’ll do it, but its not something that excites me.   I must prefer to get my exercise from doing various activities.   Walking outdoors is great, because it allows me to explore and take in a lot of pretty, beautiful things.  While I did enjoy and hope to get back to the Kankakee River State Park, just walking around the neighborhoods is great too.  There’s always something great to see walking on the country farm roads, be it other horses or dogs.  But there’s also pretty wild flowers, interesting décor, 100+ year old cemeteries and beautiful clouds and sunsets.  None of which I would see if I were in a gym.

 

Course, as I’m increasing my activity levels, I am always looking for new ideas to keep me active and increase my endurance levels. I miss the days when I got my exercise in playing softball, volleyball or broomball, not to mention the hundreds of calories I would burn off dancing the night away.   But all the folks I used to do those activities with have lives that are too busy to do those things regularly.  So I look for new activities to do on my own.   

One of the other great things about my work, is that they also write a healthy blog to keep all employees motivated, even if they aren’t on this program.   Their timing this week included a bunch of different activities, and broke down how many calories you could burn by doing each one.  So I’m sharing below this entry for any of you also looking for new activities.  

Ok…I know…you’re all waiting to read how I did last week.   Well….drum roll please………….

I shed another 3.4 pounds, basically making up for my 1.8 gain last week, plus an additional 1.6 gone!   

Happy Dance Time!

Next week will be my last week for the group meetings for this pilot program.  After that, there will be the week with another Nurse Visit and the following week with the Health Coach as part of this program.   In week on, I set up a SMART goal of wanting to shed 24 lbs during the 12 week program. If you remember, one woman, a long time Weight Watchers attendee, tried to discourage me from setting this goal.  Said everyone starting out a new program thinks they can lose 2lbs a week, but it really happens.  So I should lower my goal as not to be disappointed at the end of the 12 weeks.   Well, I didn’t listen to her.  I was done with excuses and my health coach confirmed that with a little dedication, a 24 lb weight loss goal in 12 weeks was attainable for myself.  So when it came time to talk about our challenges and successes today, I was very proud to announce that with 9 weeks into this program, I only have 1.6 lbs left to shed to reach my 24 lb goal for this first phase!   Yeah!!!!   My little angle and devil are both cheering “Way to Go Sue for doing it finally without any weight loss gimmicks!” 

Thanks again to all your continued support.  Every like or view of my blog is just added encouragement and support helping me stay on track!   We should be finding out soon what and when Phase 2 will begin after these 12 weeks are over.  I definitely will be signing up and continuing with my independent Health Coaching outside this program.   And yes…Deb…I’m working on the cook book too!   J

Here's the article: 

Alternative Activities That Burn Calories

By Charles Stuart Platkin, PhD, MPH © Copyright 2012, by Charles Stuart Platkin. All rights reserved.

The best way to lose weight is to do some kind of activity every day.

The best one is walking; however, it’s also important to do other activities to help burn even more calories and create an active lifestyle. Here are a few alternative activities and the calories they burn. Keep in mind that the calorie-burn level is for a 155-pound person, and the more you weigh, the more you burn. Also, note that these burn rates apply only when you’re actually doing something, not when you’re simply standing around, such as in the outfield waiting for someone to hit the ball your way.

Hacky Sack (aka Footbag) vs. Paddleball vs. Kickball

Developed in the 1970s by two Oregonians, a Hacky Sack is a crocheted bag slightly smaller than a tennis ball and larger than a golf ball. It weighs about 1 1/2 to 2 ounces. The bag is filled with sand, pebbles, beans or beads. The idea is to use your feet to keep the footbag in the air as long as you can. You can also play with other people simply by standing in a circle and passing the bag around, again trying to keep it in the air. Hacky Sack burns about 281 calories per hour.

Paddleball, similar to handball but played with a paddle, burns about 422 calories per hour. The game is fast-paced and great exercise. For more information visit the National Paddleball Association.

Kickball is pretty easy to play and can be loads of fun. The rules are similar to baseball, and it can be played almost anywhere. It burns about 492 calories per hour of actual play (which doesn’t include the waiting-around parts). Visit the World Adult Kickball Association for an explanation of the rules and to find an organized league near you.

Pulling Weeds vs. Croquet vs. Lawn Bowling

Gardening does burn calories. In fact, getting on your hands and knees and crawling around pulling weeds can burn about 316 calories per hour.

Lawn bowling is not about setting up pins on your weed-free lawn; it’s actually more similar to bocce ball than regular bowling. You need about 70 to 120 feet of lawn to create a “bowling green,” but if you’re not playing a major competition, I’m sure you could make it a bit shorter. The idea is to get your lawn bowling ball, which is slightly larger than your hand, near the “jack,” which is a pool cue-ball-sized white ball placed in the distance. Lawn bowling burns about 211 calories per hour. For more information visit the U.S. Lawn Bowls Association.

Croquet is another lawn game, and it burns about 176 calories per hour. You need mallets, which are sticks with a hammer-like bottom, to strike the croquet ball. The idea is to move the balls through the hoops (or wickets) on the course. Croquet sets can be purchased for about $120, and you can set up the course in your backyard. For more information visit the U.S. Croquet Association.

Table Tennis (ping pong) vs. Squash

If you know anything about squash, you’ll know it’s the clear winner in terms of calorie burn — about 844 calories per hour. Squash is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball on an indoor court and using several walls. Unfortunately, finding a squash court is not always easy or free. Your best bet is to look for a squash club in your area and take lessons — it’s not that easy to learn. For more information visit US Squash.

Table tennis is a fun, simple way to burn calories. The cost of a ping pong or table tennis table starts at about $250. The table is 9 feet long and 5 feet wide, and you will probably need about 4 to 6 feet on each end and about 3 to 4 feet on each side to actually play the game. Table tennis burns 281 calories per hour. Just for the record, regular tennis burns about 562 calories per hour if you’re playing singles. For more information visit USA Table Tennis.

Canoeing vs. Kayaking vs. Paddle Boating

Canoeing is romantic, fun, relaxing and can provide hours of entertainment. It also burns from about 211 to 490 calories per hour, depending on how hard you’re paddling. You can go to a lake, rent a canoe for the day, and take the entire family on an outing. Along those same lines, rowing a boat burns about the same number of calories. Before you try either one, it helps to make sure your core muscles have been strengthened for a few months to avoid back injury.

Kayaking is a bit more difficult, but it burns even more calories — about 350 just for starters. If you want a more interesting activity, try using a paddleboat, which burns about 281 calories per hour.

Looking for places to row your boat, paddle a canoe or go kayaking? Go to Recreation.gov for information on canoeing and kayaking at the more than 388 National Park Service areas and 3,200 federal recreation areas. You should also check out The American Canoe Association.

Horseback Riding

It may look like the horse does all the work, but that’s not the case. Horseback riding burns calories and can be hard work. Just sitting on a horse while it’s walking can burn about 246 calories per hour; trotting burns 457 calories per hour. There’s also a lot more to horses than meets the eye — they’re very sensitive animals and will actually “read” your personality type and react. That’s probably one of the reasons horses are often used in therapy — it’s called equine therapy. Even grooming a horse can help to promote emotional growth (and it also burns more than 200 calories per hour).

Damn !!!!

Well after the stressful week I had last week, I should have been prepared a little for not such great numbers on the scale.     Plus it is commonly known that after having a large weight loss one week, your body can sometimes make up for it by making it harder to drop more weight the next week.   Add in stress from an insecure woman at work, family stress, and 2 people you really love and care about have been given bad health news relating to their cancer diagnoses , I allowed my little devil a bit more control this week then my little angel wanted.

Sure, anyone who may have had the week I had, would justify and understand how the emotional drain tired me out.  Left me with little or no energy to feel like exercising at the end of almost every day last week.   But as much as I could justify my decisions as being part of every day life occurrences, that thinking is not going to help me get to my goal.  

But exercising wasn't the only thing my little devil had her little horns wrapped around.   I had gone 3 days in a row without tracking in my food diary.   When I back tracked to enter my foods, I was embarrassed to find out some of my healthy eating choices caused me go over my calorie amounts for those few days too.  My little angel even pointed out reminded I had I been tracking, I would have only had 2 margaritas instead of 3 on Saturday.  Plus on other days, I would have replaced the starchy carbs with fruits or vegetables - not only preventing me from going over my calorie limit, but eating foods that help make my body burn fuel better than some carbs.

It became very evident especially yesterday morning when I noticed I was almost at the same weight on the scale as the week before.  So that's when my little angel encouraged me to do some exercise after work last night and get back on track with tracking my food diary.  

When I woke up this morning, I felt good about today.   Even if the scale was the same as last week, that would be OK.  I learned my less and was still on target of reaching my first goal of the program-shed 24 pounds by the end of the 12 week program.   Surely I could to shed the 3.8 more pounds in these final 5 weeks.   My little angel and I were once again renewed, feeling strong, and motivated again.   More importantly, my little devil had been scolded and put back in place.

Unfortunatly, there was just one minor little problem that neither my little angel, devil or myself remembered to take into account when figuring out what number would pop up on the scale this morning.  And that problem was.....   

You cannot control Mother Nature!  

Much to my chagrin, I failed to take into account my other little calendar and newest monthly pimple that appeared on my face.  Needless to say, instead of just showing me at the same weight I was last week - the scaled double beeped this week, an shockingly showed I GAINED 1.8 pounds!!!!    

My first reaction was to just be angry at myself.  Had I been more on track and not let emotional stress and people sabotage my efforts, I could have still shown a loss on the scale, despite Mother Nature making her monthly visit. 

Immediately, however, my little angel kicked into full gear and reminded me that if I dwell too much on the things I should have done, it will give my little devil back some of her power.  Over the years I was my own worst enemy.   But I'm learning that if I "beat myself up" over what I "should" have done, it does little to help.   Worse, it usually leads to feelings of guilt and being a failure, which used to then lead to slowly giving up.  

Well not this time!  My little angel is still in control.  We both agree that I've learned from my mistakes.   We're just going to look at the positive sides of what I learned this week about myself.

  

1. I learned that my body does need exercise no matter how I'm feeling.

2.  I now understand how important it is to track my food diary throughout each day, so I can plan each meal better.

3.  Since "the time of the month" causes be to gain an extra 3-5 lbs in excess water weight, by next week, I can show an even greater weight loss amount.  Which seeing how I only need to shed 5 more pounds to get to my 24 lb weight loss goal, I'm still on target for doing.  

So yes, this week wasn't the greatest according to the scale.  But I'm still considering it as a little win for my little angel and me.  To sum it up, I'll compare it to the Chutes and Ladders, since I just played with my niece, McKenzie.  In the past, when days liked this happened, it was like landing on a chutes space where you slide all the way back to the start of the game.   But today, I was able for the first time to make more like just a little step back, but next week, I'm rolling the 6 that I need to take the next ladder up!    

Side Note - I shared my Mexican Chicken Recipe (see below) with my group and they loved it.  I told them how many of my supporters told me I should make a cookbook with all my recipes and explaining my inspirations and thoughts along my weight loss journey to a healthier life.  They loved it and said they would all buy copies!   So thank you to all of you who continue to inspire me!   There will always be a special place in my heart for all of you! 

Oops - Sorry

I apologize to everyone who was looking for my blog update yesterday. Sorry...just didn't get to it. My little angel has told me its only right to at least let you know what the results were without delaying further. I shed another 1.8 lbs so my grand total is 16.2 lbs total in only 5 weeks! All shed by the good old natural way of just watching what I eat and adding more exercise to my life. I haven't had to spend extra money on any supplements or weight loss foods. Just able to buy regular every day food @ the grocery store - not spending more - just buying better foods. Plus, I'll be honest, 90% of my exercise has been outside the fitness club, doing stuff that doesn't cost a dime for anyone! So hopefully if you've wanting to get in better shape/health, but didn't think you could afford it, I hope I'm inspiring you that you can do it without having to spend extra money on anything! :-)

I think I might have mentioned this site before, so I apologize if I'm repeating myself.  But  I highly recommend www.myfitnesspal.com and their free app for iphone/android phones. Its just another FREE & FUN way to help keep you motivated if you're trying to get in shape, shed pounds or just want to be healthier!

Especiallyy if you want to get started on eating healthy but don't know how to start, sign up for a free account here! You plug in all the information about yourself, and what your goal in, and it tells you exactly how many calories, exercise and even breaks how how much protein, fat, carbs, sodium, etc you should have daily. And it adjusts as you lose weight or exercise. The app even has a great scanning function when you go to add foods. You just have to hold the phone over the UPC code and it adds the info in for you without having to look it up. Just start with baby steps. Aim for meeting your calorie intake amount the first week. Then pick something else to track the next week, like sodium, exercise, water intake...whatever. The summaries for the day or week are really great to look back on. And of course, I love the weight & measurement trackers, as they're starting to look more like a jump off a cliff instead of just a little downhill path :-)

 

Ok...that's all for now.  I will definitely be updating you on all the great info Iearned yesterday in a very soon future post!

 

Thanks again for all your support!

PLEASE - Don't Be A Victim of Senselessness

Last night and today are very sad days for several families my sister, Beth and her family know.  So this horrific loss has moved me to write this entry in my blog.

It seems like at least once a week there is someone in the news who dies from a tragic auto/bus/motorcycle accident.   Some drugs or alcohol are involved, others, there just doesn't seem to be a good reason to explain other than the driver just wasn't paying attention in those few seconds right before.  

Laws for driving over the year have expanded.  I'm sure the Rules of the Road book I studied as a teen was much smaller than the ones new drivers today have to study.  We didn't have cellphones, not all cars had seat belts, and while drinking and driving were just frowned upon, there were no DUI laws yet.   Plus we laughed & bragged about piling 8 or people into a Camero so we could all get to the college dance bar. 

When I look back at the laws that have been enacted since I was a kid, they all have one theme - "They Enforce Common Sense". 

I used to think the laws about banning the talking on cell phones was crazy.  To me, its the same thing as talking to people in the car.   But lately, I'm all to aware how different it is to talk on the cellphone while driving.   I don't have voice commands, so I have to look to dial.  Even if just pressing one speed  dial button, my eyes are off the road for that second.   A lot can happen in that one second.  Even the safest driver can be caught off guard in one second.   I'm not just preaching, I've experienced it. 

Driving the country farm roads to the train, there's nothing out there usually in the morning.  Every person and animal is usually still sound asleep.   So one morning, when the alarm on my phone went off, my automatic reflex was to reach for my phone, glance quickly and turn the alarm off.  I'm quite adapt now at grabbing my phone without taking my eyes off the road.  But I still habitually glance at my phone to make sure I hit off, and not snooze.   It took barely a second.  A quick glance down and my eyes were back on the road.   However, in that quick second, a rabbit jumped into my path and froze there starring at me.  My instinct again was to swerve out of its way not to hit it.    Both the rabbit and I survived that moment, but it made a light bulb go off in my head.   I was lucky in so many ways.   I was lucky the rabbit wasn't a person.  I was lucky I only had my eyes off the road for a second.  A second longer and the rabbit would not have made it.   I was also lucky there was no traffic on the other side of the road.  Had my alarm gone off on a more traveled road, and had it been a person or car stopped in front of me, with traffic coming in the other direction, that one second of glancing down could have been a lot more horrific!

I know, I'm very grateful that one second happened when and where it did.  But it made me realise how much we all take for granted how many times we take our eyes off the road for "just one second", and don't end up in a horrific accident.   

I'm not mentioning this to make everyone afraid to get behind the wheel of a car and drive.   My thought is that in today's world of so many electronic gadgets and new distractions, we all seem to have let our guard down.   Whether your walking, biking, standing, or driving while talking or not talking on a phone, or listening or not listening to music, driving alone or with others, we always always always pay attention to what it going on around you.  

Not matter how safe you think you are, always pay attention to what's going on around you.  Use that peripheral vision and don't forget what's going on behind you.  You don't have to be paranoid, just glance around quickly.  If driving, keep your eye on what vehicles behind and on the side of you are doing, not just the ones in front of you.   I once avoided a bad accidentally because I could see the pickup  behind me wasn't paying attention to see me and the cars in front of me were stopped.  Because I could see the truck wasn't going to stop in time, and saw there was a turning median on my left without cars, I was able to quickly move out of the trucks way and avoid being hit.   Had I only been looking ahead waiting for the light to turn, it would have been a different story.  The guy in the truck pulled over to apologize.  He just glanced down to light a cigarette.  Something he had done thousands of time, but hadn't noticed traffic stopped this time.

I couldn't be angry with him.  Even back then I could recall times where I just glanced at the radio or to grab my purse from falling off the seat, only to look up and notice traffic stopped.  Fortunately, I always managed to notice with more than enough time to stop, but my heart would still be in my throat for a couple seconds.  

I'm sure we could all share similar stories.  But what I really wanted to take a moment and say is this:

Please do not be a victim of senselessness!   Use your common sense now, don't wait for a law to remind you.  Always Always Always be aware of your surroundings at all times!  Know what's going on so you have time to react!  

Know the roads you're traveling on.  If you know there's a stop light or street light ahead, start to slow down, but keep an eye on the person behind you.  Make sure they're paying attention to slow down too. 

When at a stop light/sign - NEVER stop right on the tail of the car in front of you.  You don't have to be one of those who leaves 1 1/2 car lengths either.  Driver's ed will tell you a good rule of thumb is as long as you can see the cars back tires fully and the ground right beneath them, that is close enough.  If you can only see partial tires or just the bumper, you are too close.   On wet or snowy days, you should leave even more space!   This is because you can never control what the car behind you will do.  If the roads are slick and they tap you, you're less likely to hit the car in front of you.   Plus, if there's no one on either side of you, it gives you room to verve out of the way safely. 

 Do not play the music too loud, and if you're a passenger, be aware that the driver needs to pay attention too.   Drivers need to be able to hear not only when emergency vehicles are coming, but its hard to hear honking horns or train horns if the music is too loud or too many conversations are going on at one time.  

I know I'm sounding like a boring mother-hen or annoying driver's ed instructor.  But it just really saddens me when I hear about a fatal traffic accident that may have been avoided when it was just a matter of using common sense while driving.  Its too late for the driver who hit my niece & nephew's much loved nanny, Bry and killed her boyfriend.   So hopefully by writing this, I will inspire at least one other person to slow down and pay attention whether they're walking, biking or driving, and prevent another senseless tragedy like this one. 

Thanks for listening. :-)

Sometimes It’s Good to be the Star Pupil!

Growing up, being the “Teachers Pet” or “Star Pupil” often made you labeled as a “Nerd” or “Geek”.  Being one who was tried desperately to fit in, or at least not feel like a complete outcast, I spent many years cringing as a kid/teen when I was told I was a “Teachers Pet” or “Star Pupil”. Well those days are happily gone! 

Today I had my first appointment with the physician as part of the weight loss program.   My health coach was also there.  She’s working double duty as they look for a replacement nurse.   Nurse Debby gave her notice and left L   Melissa took my measurements & blood pressure and we compared them to where they were back on day one.   They all improved, but apparently, they’ve all improved better than anyone else in the program, or anyone who has been doing just the individual health coaching without this weight loss program!   They told me that not only was I their Star Pupil, but they were almost in tears being so happy for me!   

I got rid of another 2.6 pounds this week, for a grand total of 14.4 pounds gone completely!!!!!!   My waist was the most stubborn to change.  But having an unproportionately smaller waist, I’m ok with that.  Less then 0.10 of an inch smaller.   And my hips got rid of almost 4 inches!!!!  And my BMI dropped almost 10 pts!!! Needless to say, my little angel, little devil and I are all doing major happy dances today!!!

Before I forget, I wanted to pass along some healthy tips and recipes.  Keep in mind; these are all the tips that have been working for me.   If there is nothing else you get out of reading all my blogs, please take this one thought away from it all.   Everyone is different!   If we were all alike, there would be one miracle health plan that would work for everyone.  But based on the number of weight loss programs out there, it’s obvious that everyone is different.   You have to know your own body and how it processes different foods.   Plus, you should always always always consult your own doctor or medical professional before starting any new health program!  

Tip #1 – If you have a craving for something you don’t think is good for you or basically empty calories (aka cookies, ice cream, chips, etc) – stop and think about what it is that you’re really craving.  Is it really the particular food item or is it the texture?  For me, it depended on the situation.   If I saw the food on TV, walking/driving past a restaurant, even walking past it in the grocery isle, a picture of it popped up on Facebook, my little devil wanted it instantly, and my little angel would have to stand up and say No!  But if I was sitting at my desk or just thinking about wanting it sight unseen, my little devil would think about getting it, but my smarter little angel realized it was the texture of the food I wanted, not really the specific food.   Fortunately for me, I’m getting stronger with just saying No to the ones I want, just because I see them.  My little angel is also helping me replace texture craves with healthier and better for me options.  For example, instead of eating ice cream, I can now have a ½ cup cold blueberries with 1 tbsp of lite cool whip mixed in. Cravings gone, and taste buds and tongue completely satisfied!!!  Another win for my little angel!

Tip #2 – If you’re not already, pre-plan your meals.  Ever little bit helps.  Don’t switch everything at once.  Make a little change each week.   I have already started grilling certain foods and freezing them for the week before I started this program.  But my little devil was being lazy in not remembering to bring my lunches, or basically skipping breakfast.  Now, my little angel & I have tons of foods in pre-packaged zip lock bags ready to go.   Not only is it more convenient and cheaper, but I now control what goes in my stomach more.  Even on the lazier days, I would grab a pre-packaged Lean Cuisine or Health Choice meal thinking I was being good.   However, those are often loaded with sodium or sugars.  Obviously ones with sugar are completely out for me now.   But I now know that the average adult should only have between 1500mg (diabetic or heart problems) – 2300mg (no health issues/concerns).  So I will now be reading labels for healthy sodium amounts.   By the way…just one teaspoon, not tablespoon, of salt has 2325mg of sodium!!!  

Tip #3 – Make healthier versions of the same foods. Unless your doctor/nurse or health coach tells you otherwise, you can probably just eat the same foods, just less of them.  

• Any of you who have been to a weight loss program before, one of the bit tips is to put half of your food away in the fridge or to go box before you start to eat. Cutting down on the portion size is one way to make it a healthier version.   If I really want something, I take it a step further and put the other ½ right into the freezer.   I’m less likely to take it out of the freezer to reheat, then if I just put it in the refrigerator.
• If you can’t cut down on the portion size, cut down on the condiments.  If you love soaking your burgers in ketchup or barbeque sauce, don’t freak out like my little devil initially did.   I’m talking about cutting down on the amount of condiments you use.  So yes, much to my little devil’s dismay, there are no more swimming pools of ketchup on my plate any more.   My little angel allows me no more than one tablespoon of any condiment at a meal.  Course, if I’m lucky to find a light version with no added sugar, I occasionally have 2 tbsp.   Doing this little trick not only saves me on countless of empty calories, but my little devil was surprised to find out I’m not giving up on flavor!  In fact, I’ve noticed that by using less, food taste better!   Instead of taking over the flavor of other foods, it’s just enhancing the flavor.   I use this tip with salad dressings too.  If I’m as home, my tip is to put all your salad ingredients into a plastic baggy, add my 1 tbsp of dressing, close the bag and shake.   This allows all the ingredients to get mixed more evenly and the dressing is evenly covering everything.   My little angel & devil both enjoy eating salads more because the flavors all compliment each other now.   I recently had a small Caesar salad during a lunch outing with my sister Deb.  Although they mixed it up for me, I could tell they put more than 1 tbsp of dressing on it.  And guess what?  The salad tasted horrible to both my little angel and devil!   The dressing over powered the rest of the salad so much, that I couldn’t finish it.   So embrace using fewer condiments and enjoy the natural flavor of your foods!
•     Next, make health substitutes.   My little angel and little devil are both extremely satisfied with using the Honey Wheat Sandwich Thins for 110 calories.   I use them for sandwiches and hamburger buns now!  They make regular white and whole wheat ones too.  I just don’t use those as they have sugar in them. Trust me; you won’t miss all that extra bread!  In fact, like cutting down on the condiments, I enjoy all the flavors of my sandwich now and the bread compliments the meal, doesn’t over power it.

Tip #4 – Add veggies to everything, even if just an ounce to start.  One way to start, add lettuce and tomatoes to EVERY sandwich you make!   (My little angel agrees that you can leave it off the beloved PB & J’s though.)   I started out that way, and now I imagine the entire Subway counter of veggie options, and load on other veggies like peppers and mushrooms.  And try adding some spinach leaves in with your lettuce!   The darker green the veggie is, the high PH balance or alkaline level will be in your system   High Ph levels aid in breaking down fats because fats add acidity to your system.    I also recommend adding one of Green Giants frozen vegetables to your dinner.   Keep an eye on the sodium counts if you’re using the ones with added seasonings or sauces.  My favorite is the broccoli with rice and low fat cheese sauce.  Yes, cheese sauce!  It’s a little indulgence I have…but my little angel even improved that by adding more broccoli to it. 

So finally, here are some quick and easy recipes ideas.

1.       Artichoke Hearts

Get one frozen package of Birdseye’s Artichoke Hearts.

Weber’s Gourmet Burger Seasoning or your favor garlic flavored seasoning.

Olive Oil cooking spray

Shredded Parmesan Cheese (light if you can find it)

Preheat over to 350.

In a pie tin, cover lightly with cooking spray.   Then line the pan with the frozen artichoke hearts with the larger leaf side touching the bottom of the pan.   Then spray again with olive oil just the lightly coat all the hearts.   Next, sprinkle the seasoning over each heart.  Not too much, but enough that you can see it’s on there.   Place pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.    Take out of over and turn on broiler.  Lightly sprinkle parmesans cheese to do a dusting over each heart.   If they look dry, spray with a little more oil.  Place under broil for 5 minutes.   Take out and serve hot!   Vegetable dishes that are heated up, always taste better if you eat while they’re still hot.  My little devil is recounting all the times as a kid where I left my veggies to eat last, and couldn’t stand them.  I spent many nights stuck in my chair after others left “until I finished my veggies”.   Had I known this trick about eating them while they were still hot, I probably would have been the first one to leave the table.  LOL!

2.       Sandwich Thin Ideas

Like I said early, anything you would put on a sandwich or hamburger bun will be good. But here are some of the flavors I’m enjoying:

·    3 oz of sliced turkey

·    1 slice of American or swiss cheese

·    1 small thin slice of canned cranberry sauce or 1 Tbsp of raspberry preserves.

·    Put each on a sandwich thin and then microwave for 30 secs.   YUM!!!  Conquers both my sweet & savory tooth at the same time.

·    1 Jennie-O Turkey burger – grilled or broiled with Weber’s Gourmet Burger seasoning

·    ½ shredded lettuce

·    2-3 spinach leaves

·    ¼ cup of fresh or grilled mushrooms

·    Tomato slice or 5 diced cherry tomatoes

·    1 slice of American or Swiss Cheese

·    1 TBSP of lite mayo or BBQ Sauce or Ketchup  (I’ll something use a little mayo to mix in with BBQ or Ketchup too)

·    Pile all or any variety of these ingredients on a sandwich thin and enjoy!  This has cured my little devil of wanting a fast-food burger many times.  Now becoming a favorite food for my little angel and devil!

·    3 oz or ½ chicken breast diced that was grilled or broiled with favorite garlic blend seasoning

·    2 tbsp of light mayo (yes…more than one…but needed)

·    5  cherry tomatoes cut in half

·    1 small celery stalk diced

·    Small shake of Paprika or chicken roisterer seasoning

·    Mix all above ingredients together.  It will look like you need more mayo, but you don’t.  Put in plastic bag and in refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  When ready to eat, put on sandwich thin, add lettuce and eat!   I made this for my sister Beth who loves chicken salad, and used to love it from this one place she used to work by.   She liked mine a lot, so I took that as a good vote!

Well, that’s going to have to be it for now.   Gotta get work done and lunch almost over.  Just wanted to share the newest update and recipes ideas.   Hope you’re all having a wonderful week!!!!