tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74069634573748997172024-03-21T08:47:42.123-04:00The Fatty Cake Girls ClubThe Fatty Cake Girlshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12019632491403476955noreply@blogger.comBlogger665125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-44062630679284307602012-01-19T11:38:00.000-05:002012-01-19T11:38:50.623-05:00Thirty-Five?! Already??<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm going to be thirty-five! Thirty-five!!! Oh crap! It's that big scary number, at least for us woman. That number means your official old! Sorry. It does. Suddenly you have to start getting a million tests run if you get pregnant, and God forbid, because at thirty-five your risk factors for a million different birth defects goes through the roof! And at thirty-five your body suddenly decides it doesn't want to lose weight anymore. At thirty-five your body <em>freaks out</em> and starts hoarding every molecule of fat that passes between your lips. At thirty-five we are suddenly aware at just how fast time is flying by. At thirty-five we become acutely aware of our age. At thirty-five your skin falls off and your eyeballs melt from their sockets!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ok, maybe not.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Where did the time go? I was twenty-five the other day. I swear it. And get <em>this</em>, trying to lose weight! I have been trying to lose weight (successfully and un-successfully, healthy and other wise) since I was about twelve. Twenty-three years of battling the ever growing bulge! Nothing to help you feel like a loser more, eh?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">You know what I mean don't ya? You get all gung-ho, determined that "this is it!" and you are off, and maybe you do really good for a few weeks, maybe even months...but then...BAM! For one reason or another you fall off the wagon, maybe you gain it back, maybe you don't, maybe you gain back twice what you lost... In the end it just leaves you feeling like a loser. But not the "biggest" one. Just a plain 'ol loser. Failed. Again. (And again, and again...)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Why is this healthy lifestyle so illusive to so many of us? We all have a million excuses, rationales. And some are good, allowable, if you will. Depression kicks my butt. I have good reason for my depression. I have good reason to want comfort, wherever I can find it. Maybe you have good reason too. But in the end, it just piles on to the already loser like feelings. And the cycle continues.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I wish I was here to say "Its time. This is IT! I'm done, I'm ready, let's get started!" I wish I could offer you guys a modicum of wisdom. I mean, sure, I have the know how. I've lost the weight, I know how to put it right back on too. Weight loss is a math calculation. Burn more calories than you consume. Period. Don't eat less than 1200 calories. Eat mostly whole foods, organic if you can, mostly veggies and fruit. Get off your butt. Lift some weights. I mean, its not rocket science people!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So what's the problem?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Well, most people who struggle with weight loss for long periods of time can tell you it isn't always just about the calories. There's something to the mental game. That's where I choke up. Frankly, I'm lazy. I'm tired, so I sit down. I'm hungry, so I eat whatever is the easiest, fastest (most of the time that's processed crap). I don't really buy junk food though. But I can turn anything into junk food about as fast as a wink! Or I'll just get in the car. Now, if I didn't have a car... I'd have to grow my own food! LOL! Which I do, btw. Some. I have lots of berry bushes and veggie patches. But oddly enough, I save them for my four year old. Because somewhere deep down inside, I <em>KNOW</em>. I know that she needs the good stuff. I'd never allow her to subsist on high fat, high sugar foods the way I allow myself to. I'll have a Slim-fast while I am making her a boiled egg with organic fruit and veggies, whole grain toast and PB. But they learn by example don't they? And believe me, she's noticed the Slim-Fast. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">They key to my success is getting over my propensity for laziness. Just do it! Right? Well, we'll see. Today I say YES! Because I do not want to see 35 roll around while I am still an out of shape, unhealthy blob! I've dedicated this round of weight loss to see 27lbs gone by my thirty-fifth birthday in April. That's 2.1lbs a week. A tough, but doable goal. And though I may not be blogging much anymore (because really, how inspirational is a blog full of failures, and whining?) know that no matter what comes my way (another dead baby #2 due date this week, and the anniversary of my first still born next week) I never give up. I give in for a while, but I refuse to accept that I am supposed to be fat my entire life, even if I am sad. And really, in the end, that's the thing that counts, not giving up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here's to not giving up...again, and again, and again!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-33009411964148372472011-11-29T20:32:00.000-05:002011-11-29T20:32:10.378-05:00Are we Wie-ners? Yes we are!!<div style="text-align: justify;">So how cool is this?? Lynnette and I were chosen for a blog award! Its our first one, and yeah...I'm a bit geeked! I'm a dork, I know, but how fun that someone else out there actually thinks what we have to say is entertaining...even if its with a sort of head shaking disbelief! So here is our nifty little award!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="width: 125px;"><img alt="2011 Two Shoe Guys Fitness Blog Award Winner" src="http://www.twoshoeguys.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/best-2011-blog-blue-125.png" style="height: 125px; width: 125px;" /><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: x-small; line-height: 110%;">Awarded by the <a href="http://www.skechers.com/women/styles/athletic-shoes" title="athletic shoes">athletic shoes</a> fanatics at <a href="http://www.twoshoeguys.com/" title="Two Shoe Guys">TwoShoeGuys.com</a>.</span></div></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Oh yeah! Oh yeah! You love it! ;)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">So, having bragged, I guess I should offer a little update on myself...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Though we are surly <strike>wieners</strike> winners in someones <strike>twisted</strike> brilliant mind, I myself? Well...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">I AM A LOSER!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Yup, that's right. I am losing pounds! That's right people, plural! P.O.U.N.D.S! I am down about 2lbs a week. I'm walking most every day, and keeping my cals around 1300...which is giving me a deficit of a thousand cals a day (thank you Bodybugg!). I am loving that I have lost a pant size since October, and my belt? Well, lets just say its wrapping a bit further around these days! I'm thrilled!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">BUT,</div><div style="text-align: justify;">And its a biggin'...</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Christmas is coming! ARGH! The holidays, my nemesis! And worse yet, the winter, and worse still...January (you'll have to go back and figure out why January is so awful for me, lets just say I'm horribly sad in January and I am an emotional eater!). But I'm keeping my chin up, and I am preparing for the worse and thumbing my nose at all of those <strike>ooey-gooey-delicious-mouth-watering</strike> [dangerous] cookies!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Good luck to you this holiday season! If you have any tips on keeping yourself under control I'd love to hear it in a comment, or visit us on Facebook!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-44096766149685318382011-10-28T13:33:00.006-04:002011-10-28T13:48:58.343-04:00Who knew beans could taste so insane??I know I haven't posted in forever. I haven't given up on getting healthy, I've just been focusing more on doing it than talking about it. Sometimes this blog just makes me feel like a loser, and its best avoided.<br /><br /><br />Anyhow, I'm hosting a little Halloween shin dig tomorrow with a few little tikes, so I was trying to find some uber healthy appetizer ideas since we are roasting hotdogs over a fire for the main course. I needed to balance out the dogs, ya know? Anyhow, I made this <a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/garlicky-white-bean-dip-10000001816290/#reviewForm">Garlicy White Bean Dip </a>to go with some raw veggies and home made wheat pita chips I made. Can I just say O.M.G.!! Seriously. I mean, I eat veggies. Or at least, I <em>try</em>. Its sort of an effort. I prefer carbs and fat. But this dip...it has me yearning for them...just so I can have the dip too! The dip is 83 cals per 2tbs. Today, the dip, was the main focus of our lunch. Its beans!! I mean, vitamins, protien...and garlic, lots of garlic (though you can add or reduce at will). And the lemon cuts through it all and with the fresh oregano everything taste so fresh and scrumdidelyumpshish! Though, honestly, at this moment I could breathe fire and chase off the <i>entire</i> Cullen family!<br /><br /><br />Seriously.<br /><br /><br />I just hope there's enough left for our party tomorrow.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-65702443937309888022011-08-08T09:22:00.002-04:002011-08-08T09:25:08.327-04:00I have serious issues!Yeah, I think I'm just about the ONLY person in this world who decides its time to loose weight, and then actually puts weight on.
<br />
<br />
<br />Like I'm gonna starve so I'm storing up...
<br />
<br />
<br />I have serious issues.
<br />
<br />
<br />Here's to trying again, and finding the courage to dump the soda down the drain and not make Mac-n-Cheese.
<br />Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-31448440630097642922011-08-03T10:38:00.003-04:002011-08-03T10:40:45.112-04:00My first dip back into exerciseI went for a walk. It was a half hour walk, I burned 160 cals. That's about 5 cals a minute. The humidity is dreadful! I can't breathe and it really made me tired! But I walked the big block around my area and feel good about it. Now the key is to not lay down and take a nap! :DHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-59015974928964424402011-08-03T10:27:00.000-04:002011-08-03T10:37:34.227-04:00Well now THAT's funny!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkpc-u_fSlNoYUSY1cpmnsIU9NKnNPsy_ug2HvKo33ALH84CuxuQEYOr136AxVMDzYo9QknOoReu19C5oAd1Fc1W5pKQnsLBnJUdV_4F09jiRpsgNKboj1xfrS2lgJ4_F-nUilwARHXF7/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDQxNzUuanBn%253F%253D-754228"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBkpc-u_fSlNoYUSY1cpmnsIU9NKnNPsy_ug2HvKo33ALH84CuxuQEYOr136AxVMDzYo9QknOoReu19C5oAd1Fc1W5pKQnsLBnJUdV_4F09jiRpsgNKboj1xfrS2lgJ4_F-nUilwARHXF7/s320/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDQxNzUuanBn%253F%253D-754228" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636638864355113122" /></a></p>I saw this on my morning walk today! Feels like I'm in a movie!<br>Sent via BlackBerry from T-MobileHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-83855360688729485712011-08-03T09:18:00.004-04:002011-08-03T09:58:10.903-04:00A good start<div align="justify">It's been a good few days. I'm aiming to have a 500+ calorie deficit each day (meaning I burn 500 calories more than I eat, and I know this thanks to my BodyBugg). So far so good. Monday I had a 655 cal deficit and yesterday I had a 915 cal deficit. I even tried to go for a walk last night and I got half way down the driveway and realized that it was raining. Not wanting to ruin my shoes, my iPod or my Bodybugg; I went back inside. But I was proud of myself for making the effort to even put my shoes on and grab my iPod and walk out the door. I'm going for a walk this morning. I'm walking my daughter over to her grandmother's house. No, it's not far. I might get in a twenty minute walk, which is leagues away from my hour and a half walks of last fall...but I'm so out of shape I have to start small.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">So as far as food goes I'm just trying to be normal and moderate. Moderation is a big issue with me. I can't have <em>just one</em> of anything. I've also been cooking at home, so I'm sure that's a HUGE help. Yesterday I made a mix version of Fettuccine Alfredo from McCormick. I wasn't a fan. Last week I made the Knorr version (using half cream and half milk) and it was way better. We LOVE Alfredo around here and knowing that we're upwards of a thousand calories when we eat it out, I'm trying to learn how to make it here at home so that we can save about half of those calories. The week before I made it from scratch; cream, milk, Parmesan cheese and butter...it was SO not good! So I am on a mission to try a new recipe or mix each week until we find one that we LOVE as much as eating out. I'd really love to find out how to make Carrabba's version of it. But for know the Knorr mix will be a staple in the cabinet because it was super fast and pretty good. Tonight we are having Venison steak on the grill with sweet potatoes and corn on the cob. Sigh. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. But that's the key right? If you're gonna shove calories in, they had better be worth it! Then tomorrow I am making Southwestern Steak Salads with the left over meat (avocado, black beans, grilled corn, pico...). If I can keep myself eating food that I look forward to here at home, then maybe the eating out crutch won't be so missed.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">I'm also drinking a lot of Slim-Fast. No, I don't promote it, I don't think it's healthy or good for you. Its loaded with sugar and who knows what else. But, its a crutch. I am using it to deal with a massive caffeine addiction (I used chocolate and add instant coffee for an iced mocha flavor). I am also using it to shrink my appetite which is out of control. But for the same amount of calories you could have an egg sandwich on a wholegrain English Muffin with a slice of 2% cheese singles and a few strawberries. Way more healthy, way more food and for the same calorie price. Its by far a better choice...it just doesn't have caffeine. Maybe I should learn to drink black coffee. I love tea, but it takes me several glasses of tea to ward off that nasty headache. Sigh. So little by little I am cutting back on the caffeine because I'm too big of a wimp to endure the three day caffeine with drawls.</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">This morning I was down to 170.3lbs. SCORE! I love the first fast few pounds that come off thanks to water. I'm so close to being back in the 160's, and that, for some reason, is very motivating to me!</div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Ok gotta walk the little monster over to her grandma's and get busy trying to "settle in" to this new home that is still a frustrating disaster! Here's to another day of trudging along.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-33317715019539127082011-08-01T10:40:00.004-04:002011-08-01T11:14:30.608-04:00So much for THAT!!I swore that if I lost weight I would NEVER, EVER gain back even five pounds of it.<br /><br /><br />So much for that.<br /><br /><br />I've gained back 18lbs. That's 9 weeks of hard work. Nine weeks of missing out on time with my family, counting every minuscule calorie and using muscles in my body I didn't know existed. Nine weeks, wasted...again.<br /><br /><br />I have to be the worlds biggest yo-yo dieter. And really, we all have our excuses, our rationale, reasons why we forgive our splurges and laziness. I'm really good at talking myself into being absurd when it comes to food. My two biggest nemesis are Soda and restaurants. And yes, you can eat healthy and maintain a loss while eating in restaurants, if you try. I don't. I always tell myself it's the last time, but in reality I know full well I'll be right back in that restaurant the next day. Pile on top that I am a stress eater and recently an emotional eater, and most of the time I just feel doomed.<br /><br /><br />But you can't call me a quitter!<br /><br /><br />Because I keep coming back for more. I keep starting over. I keep re-losing. And I never really give up hope that someday I will lick this terrible lifestyle and get myself in full gear and finally lose ALL of this weight once and for all.<br /><br /><br />So here's a quick little back story on where I've been lately...<br />:::<br />We finally sold our house. YAY! In the midst of the chaos of showing, packing and all of the other crap that comes along with moving we ate out everyday, sometimes two and three meals. We ate out so much the thought of another restaurant made me sick to my stomach. In the midst of that I got pregnant (a happy surprise), and then found out the baby was Ectopic and had to be removed and well frankly loosing another baby did me in for a while. Since we all know how well I handle grief when there's food with in a mile of me. All of this going on as we moved to our new home. And our new home, though its great and I know that someday I will be thrilled to live here, right now I'm just over stressed, overwhelmed, over tired and over done! So far the best thing has been that moving here also meant that eating out was out of the question both financially and because there really isn't a whole lot around to eat at. And somewhere in between losing this last baby and moving I picked up a raging caffeine addiction and am on my way to becoming a bonifide drunk. Ok, maybe not a drunk, but I have really been enjoying my margarita's this summer. And the heat is a killer! I live in a great area for walking and bike riding (though I can't even SEE my bike its so buried) and even if I could get out from under the whole unpacking-getting-settled-in thing its just too bloody HOT!<br /><br /><br />Anyhow all that to say that though I am under the gun these days, I loath what I see in the mirror and am so utterly disappointed with what I've done to myself, I am at it once again. In part because watching Food, Inc and The Future of Food on Netflix has freaked me out about eating! Anyone seen these documentaries? Gross! If I could figure out a way to have a farm in the suburbs (on an Island no less) I would really consider it! And I am so put out by what they've done with Canola that I'm about to switch to LARD!! Ok, not really, but I've decided to only ever buy Canola oil from Whole Foods (their 360 brand) since it is made with NON genetically modified canola, and apparently since the US government doesn't require GMO foods to be labeled (WTH?!) its pretty hard to find...or even know it once you've found it! And not that I'm all up in arms about GMO food as much as I am about the lawsuits they're slapping on small time farmers...ok, you'll just have to go watch the movies yourself. Its despicable!!<br /><br /><br />So I'm off. I don't know that I'll be all crazed about blogging my every step. I mean frankly, I don't even have the time to be on the PC these days. But I'm going to start focusing more effort back into loosing this weight again. I was pleased as punch last Thanksgiving about the progress I made and how good I felt and looked. And now I am right back where I was last July. I am just so very disappointed in myself.Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-25056904881420274852011-03-16T10:00:00.000-04:002011-03-16T10:10:24.073-04:00Eat, Drink & be Merry!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0eD-w0Z3kmdZlWChWReGlPlGsCUrF5wDu2837Z_79LjfKtiJ3N3mZttRGeMXxTEBAzA0MLRrUr0uw-PtZpgKhtSniEti4Z3MBunhITkiCp2dAHipRgkYd2FCDBhLcchPf2sVLp7W5hGX/s1600/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDM1OTMuanBn%253F%253D-724074"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl0eD-w0Z3kmdZlWChWReGlPlGsCUrF5wDu2837Z_79LjfKtiJ3N3mZttRGeMXxTEBAzA0MLRrUr0uw-PtZpgKhtSniEti4Z3MBunhITkiCp2dAHipRgkYd2FCDBhLcchPf2sVLp7W5hGX/s320/%253D%253Futf-8%253FB%253FSU1HMDM1OTMuanBn%253F%253D-724074" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584679937194467074" /></a></p>Lynnette bought me this great magnet! Its so fitting since the two of us are so funny about starting over "tomorrow", and the rationale behind enjoying our food! Lol!<br><br><br>I actually managed to follow through with making healthy food for lunch and dinner while Lynnette was here for our little girls day of scrapbooking. I decided on the Roast Need <br>Salad with Blue Cheese in Pitas for lunch. It was the first time Lynnette has ever had Blue Cheese, and she liked it a lot. For dinner we had that Hearty Pineapple Pizza, which was divine! I made a salad and a bread stick (from extra pizza dough) to go with it. We also had iced mint tea and these mini chocolate cakes. I also burned over 2300 cals for the day! Who knew scrapbooking was such a strenuous activity?! <br>Sent via BlackBerry from T-MobileHeatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-18766228509948591302011-03-11T10:32:00.005-05:002011-03-11T11:28:30.349-05:00Cooking for the Blues<div align="justify">So, I have been feeling <strong>very</strong> down lately. <em>Again</em>. Since I'm an emotional eater [<em>sigh</em>] I am trying to use it to my advantage. I hate cooking, but I love food. So I figured I would go out of my way to cook something divine for breakfast, since if I <em>have</em> to cook it should be something worth <em>really</em> eating, right? Cereal and oatmeal just aren't cutting it. This way I get the best of both worlds. I get to eat something for "comfort" and yet because I cooked it its better for me, not to mention far lower in calories than eating out, and I get to count the calories I burned while standing there cooking it, and then ultimately cleaning it up too. Yay.<br /><br /><br />So this morning, for breakfast, I made <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/09/corncakes-with-maple-yogurt-topping.html">Corncakes with Maple Yogurt Topping</a>.<br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 120px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5582846869734544306" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpWd7ywmoedBd3PJFbE8znnoog30lazxvwIXxG0l1CMJC1eAC-h-fIBRVDz5FcilLC0kAAvruflzzOyPF759nT_ScoVeYUZgOFph3E33i9kKyJRwahSG-NLewIhwLBoLmNK95zvi8YM4Rb/s200/100_6884.JPG" /> <p>They were delicious! And no, that's not butter on top, it's pineapple! Sheesh! I haven't gone that far overboard! And this is about 3 servings. I had to make the picture look good, you understand. ;) I didn't eat 3 servings. I ate 1 1/2 servings. ;)</p><p>Anyhow, the hubster is splitting town for a few days starting on Sunday. Is it me? Do I smell? I mean I haven't been exercising, but then again I haven't really been showering either. Huh. I'll have to look into that. Uh, anyhow, I look forward to cooking a bunch of food that he's not into. In fact, Lynnette is coming over on Monday, so I'm going to try to plan some easy food for us to eat at home. We need to maximize Scrapbooking time, you see. I'm thinking of having Lynnette's <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/2010/03/hearty-pineapple-pizza.html">Pineapple Pizza</a> or <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/2010/01/chicken-almond-hoisin-wraps.html">Chicken-Almond Hoisin Wraps</a> for lunch. Maybe I'll make the <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/05/roast-beef-salad-with-blue-cheese-in.html">Roast Beef Salad with Blue Cheese in Pitas</a> because that is one of my all time favorite lunches. I love the <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/05/chicken-with-lime-creole-sauce-in.html">Chicken with Lime Creole Sauce in Tortillas</a> recipe a lot too, but it might be a tad involved for the day. And then there is always this --> </p><p align="center"><a href="http://img.timeinc.net/recipes/i/recipes/ck/06/08/tostadas-ck-1215924-l.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 166px; HEIGHT: 153px; CURSOR: hand" border="0" alt="" src="http://img.timeinc.net/recipes/i/recipes/ck/06/08/tostadas-ck-1215924-l.jpg" /></a></p><p>OMG!! I love these <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2009-05-13T20%3A29%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=7">Chicken and Summer Veggie Tostadas</a> from Cooking Light (I posted the recipe on <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/">our recipe blog</a> too), although I make them into quesadillas instead of tostadas. They're easier to eat that way. But Lynnette posted a <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/2009/03/spinach-and-turkey-lasagna.html">Spinach & Turkey Lasagna</a> that is made with a white sauce and is more Alfredo-ish than anything. I thought it was to die for! And if I made it in advance, we wouldn't have to stop to cook. And then I could give some to my MIL who seemed really interested in making it herself. Not to mention there would be left overs for the Muffin and I on Tuesday when the Hubster would still be in New Orleans (no doubt eating some of the worlds finest food! But <em>no</em>, I'm not jealous AT ALL!! Grr!). Well anyhow, all this talk about food might be making me want to eat, and I'm still pretty full from the Corncakes this morning.</p><p>What are some of your favorite healthy recipes? If you'd like to submit one (or more) to the <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/">Fatty Cake Girls Club Recipe collection</a> (credit going to you with a link to your blog too, of course) <a href="mailto:aladyontheverge@gmail.com">click here</a> and send us an email containing the recipe, why you love it, and where it came from originally along with your name and a link to your fitness, diet or recipe blog and we'll give it a try. If it pleases our taste buds (we're not real picky around here) and is on the lighter side we'll be sure to share it with the rest of our bloggers, and also on our <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fatty-Cake-Girls-Club/184248688279221">Facebook Page</a>. Recipes can be anything from meals, to desserts, to drinks and cocktails (we love those!) or even tips and tricks (like using an oil sprayer with melted butter to spray on your popcorn).</p><p>If you haven't checked out the <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/">recipe section</a> of our blog, what are you waiting for?? Tried and true <a href="http://fattycakerecipes.blogspot.com/">Fatty Cake Recipes</a> are waiting for you!! ;)</p></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-70774136183497190392011-03-07T10:52:00.002-05:002011-03-07T11:30:45.601-05:00The "official" weigh-in and Monday.<div align="justify">Well, my official weigh-in was 157.2lbs. I'm down 0.8lbs. Losing weight around here is a slow go because I keep sabotaging myself. And watching how it affects my calorie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">deficits</span> (one or two bad days a week) its clear to see why for years I didn't lose anything. All those times I dieted and binged and never really lost and used to get so mad because at least I was doing good part of the time...I'm grateful that I did good some of the time or I would have been a much heavier person. And as we've all figured out, its not usually a one day <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">occurrence</span>. My binges seem to last a couple of days at the least. But thankfully I went to the gym several times last week and that allowed me to still lose what I did.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">At least I'm still losing weight. And that's the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">bottom</span> line.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I've been really frustrated and angry about the house selling situation lately, and it causes me to throw up my hands and not care about my diet. My dream house, the one that was actually obtainable, sold before we could sell ours. Again. And I'm having a hard time keeping my self reeled in with the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">disappointment</span>. I know that things like that are more <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">exaggerated</span> than they should be, but I have such little tolerance for disappointment anymore. And frankly I am so DONE with living in this house and I just want to get out and move on with our lives.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Its March. Thank GOD!! There is still snow on the ground, and I know there have been many years where it snowed here in mid to late April, but I feel desperate for summer to arrive. I miss my walks. I miss the quiet and serenity. I miss my audio books. I'm just so not a gym girl. I love boxing, but that's about it. I'd so much rather be walking, especially since I enjoy it, and I swear I burn the same calories.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Anyhow, I'm just feeling blah today. For the past several days, I guess. I really want a soda (and a little vodka). I've been staying up way too late, but this morning I slept in (thanks to Sesame Street!!). I'm not feeling refreshed though. I'm feeling sore and <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">groggy</span> and like <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">doo</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">doo</span>. I need to do laundry (every blasted week!!) and I need to go to the grocery store. Lent starts on Wednesday, and I'm hoping it very much alters the way we eat around here for the next 6 weeks....</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I had a lot more of a post written, but to add to my mood Blogger decided to puke and I lost it all. And frankly now I'm in too bad of a mood to rewrite it. Its probably better that way.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Thanks a lot Blogger!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-41166538729026446952011-03-04T09:25:00.003-05:002011-03-04T09:38:34.789-05:00Its a week of new things!<div align="justify">So, I did great yesterday! I kept my calories low, my burn high! I ended with an 1,160 cal deficit! I went to 2 exercise classes, boxing and my very first spin class! Today I am wiped out and am just too darn tired to stand here and type.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Today I'm taking the day off from exercise. I don't want to push it. I've done 4 classes in the last two days and I think I need to take off today. I may feel differently by 6pm and choose to go to class, but I'm doubting it. But, I'm also taking off Saturday due to scheduling conflicts. SO maybe I ought to go tonight.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Eating will be a cinch today. My husbands grandmother made her Chicken Soup, which we love, and we have a vat of! So, we'll be eating that for dinner (I might make some herbed rolls to go with it, maybe a salad) and I might even have it for lunch today! I had oatmeal this morning, so I'm off to a good start.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">But I am sooooo tired today. I didn't sleep well last night, and between that and the soreness and the exhaustion from the last couple of days of butt kicking. I have to clean up my house in case we get a showing tomorrow while we're out looking at houses on our own. But right now all I can think about is a nap, or at least sitting down on the couch!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-28308344218256693412011-03-04T09:23:00.002-05:002011-03-04T09:39:58.197-05:00A Review: Spark Energy Drink by AdvoCare<strong>Spark Energy Drink by AdvoCare</strong><br /><br />AdvoCare boasts that Spark Energy Drink "Is a sugar-free source of long-lasting energy and heightened mental focus and performance.*" Here is the overview from their website:<br /><br />OVERVIEW<br />•Our #1 seller<br />•The most nutritionally advanced energy drink on the market<br />•Sugar-free, long-lasting energy*<br />•Surprisingly fast-acting*<br />•Contains 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients designed to synergistically provide a healthy, balanced source of energy*<br />•Just 45 calories per serving<br />•Sharpens mental focus*<br /><br />*And as usual those statements are not evaluated by the FDA. Yahda ,Yahda. For a more complete overview of this product you can visit the description page on AdvoCare <a href="https://www.advocare.com/10099718/Store/ItemDetail.aspx?itemCode=A2091&flavor=G&size=C">here</a>.<br /><br />Spark comes in several flavors. Cherry, Citrus, Fruit Punch, Grape, Mandarin Orange and Pink Lemonade. 14 Pouches (1 serving each) will run you $22.95, or you can purchase a canister with 42 servings for $51.95 ($1.24 per serving). AdvoCare recommends 1 to 3 servings per day, between meals.<br /><br />Today I tried the <em>Mandarin Orange</em> flavor mixed in 8oz of iced water at 11:20am. My first impression of the taste? Whoa! Too sweet. Ugh. So I added a couple more ounces of water. Ok, I can drink this. It has a very <em>Tang</em> like flavor. Remember <em>Tang</em>? I'm not a huge <em>Tang</em> fan, but the flavor wasn't too off putting and I drank it down pretty fast. I didn't guzzle it, doing that with anything makes me sick. But I drank it in under ten minutes. I think if you were/are a <em>Kool-Aid</em> fan you'd dig this flavor. I'm thinking this might be fun in some sparkling water. Note to self, try that with the Fruit Punch flavor next time. You really have to give it a few good stirs or its a bit gritty. I let it sit for a few with the ice to get it nice and cold and to give the powder time to really dissolve. That seemed to do the trick. It has a little bit of a funky after taste. Maybe the artificial sweetener (Sucralose)? I loath diet pop and all things with Splenda/Saccharine or any other form of artificial sweetener, so I think this might be a personal hang up and not something everybody experiences. Spark boasts 125mg of Caffeine (about the same as a cup of coffee according to <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/AN01211">Mayo Clinic</a>, but Red Bull has 76mg and Extra Strength Excedrin has 130mg for 2 tabs) along with 200mg of <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/taurine/AN01856">Taurine</a>, 750% DV of Vitamins B-6 and B-12, 300% DV Vitamin C along with high percentages of a few other vitamins and minerals. I researched all of the major ingredients and didn't find anything dangerous (although the Mayo Clinic sure doesn't have a high opinion of Caffeine!) to the average healthy person. <em>Healthy</em> is the key word here peeps! This product should not be used by pregnant or nursing woman and should not be used by children or persons sensitive to caffeine or taurine.<br /><br />Below you will find a run down of how my day played out with the use of Spark.<br /><br /><strong>Timeline</strong><br />7:45am - Woke up sore and tired (as usual).<br />8:30am - Ate 1 1/2 servings of Chocolate Frosted Mini Wheats w/ 6oz Skim Milk<br />11:20am - Drank Spark with 10oz iced water<br />11:30am - Started to feel <em>something</em>. Maybe my blood pumping? Maybe I feel a tad bit more alert. Is it my imagination?<br />12:00pm - No jitters. Feeling a bit more awake, but otherwise normal. At Broccoli Cheddar Soup and a Whole Grain Baguette.<br />1:00pm - Feeling like I've had a lot of coffee. No shakes or "jitters", but feeling excitable and like my heart is beating a little faster than normal. I'm certainly awake and alert now.<br />2:45pm - Feeling a bit better, not quite so <em>coffee</em> feeling. Still no shakes. Starting to feel a little tired again, but overall still alert.<br />5:00pm - Don't <em>feel</em> anything, like caffeine coursing through my veins. But don't feel quite so tired. Ate Dinner, Tamale and Chimmichurri rice. Didn't feel the need to snack. That's something.<br />5:30pm - Boxing Class<br />6:30pm - Ate an AdvoCare Double Chocolate Snack Bar (OMG! It tasted like a candy bar!)<br />6:40pm - Spin Class (too tired to notice anything)<br />8:30pm - Shower, noticed that I'm not feeling the effects but that I don't feel mentally tired, just physically (from 2 hours of exercise).<br />10:15pm - Bedtime. I couldn't fall asleep. I laid there for what felt like hours, tossing and turning. I had a horrible nights sleep. I woke up countless times and slept very restlessly.<br />8:15am - Awoke feeling pretty much the same as usual, sore and tired.<br /><br /><br />The problem is that I don't know if my sleep problems were because of the Spark, or because of the exercise. I usually sleep hard after an intense work out, but I was so sore and wiped out after spin class. In pain really. I do intend on drinking the other Spark mix later this week. At that point I'll come back here and write a follow up. That way I'll be able to know if it was the Spark or if it was just me.<br /><br /><br />What did I think overall?<br />Well, it works. I think I had the same effect that I would've if I'd have had the Mocha, minus the calories, sugar and general lack of nutrition (which is a bonus). This is a nice coffee substitute if you yearn for some get up and go with out the coffee flavor (which I happen to really sink down into). I'm like a Folgers commercial with my Mochas. The extra vitamins are always a nice plus. Sadly I can't say if my mental focus was heightened because I don't really do much that involves a whole lot of brain power. I mean after all I'm <em>only</em> a SAHM [rolls eyes]. Seriously though, I'd love to see how this would work on a college student studying or taking exams.<br /><br /><br />The bottom line?<br />If you're looking for a different way to get your pep back and are over coffee and sugary sodas, this might be the product for you. Its fast, easy and handy (since the pouches can go right into your purse or bag) which is a plus. The flavor isn't bad and you could add it to any beverage. <em>Think</em>; cherry flavored Spark in a chocolate flavored protein shake...chocolate covered cherry?? Who knows? Maybe. And if you feel you might miss the fizz, you could always mix it with sparkling water. I certainly think its worth a try.<br /><br /><br />Interested in giving <em>Spark Energy Drink</em> a try for yourself? Visit <a href="https://www.advocare.com/10099718/default.aspx">Emily's AdvoCare Profile Page</a> to order, or shoot her a message <a href="mailto:%20celestialpetunia@gmail.com">here</a>. Tell her the Fatty Cake Girls sent ya!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-88217871829758159192011-03-03T08:41:00.005-05:002011-03-03T09:56:23.225-05:00A Full Circle, New things and Pushing Forward!<div align="justify">Ow!! Boy am I sore, stiff and tired this morning. I went to both Yoga and Zumba last night. I'm proud. Yoga comes with this lazy, sorta relaxed activity. And it can be. But last night I burned 141 calories in the hour that I did it. My shoulders and arms ached. I actually managed to make it up into a full circle! That's this!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 171px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 127px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579851398582226194" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTD66tnZpuW8Uj4WPraRJkQPcvZQlkzJroFAQgKP6mdw_6oarTSNgPL6kHKNUhARdoFsPwroTwhfLtHAhS-oWSR72ANjCFg54iKuTfwoZk5ym75ylEMLPDW27yWkmQIxxKHVWYb4GWqwu4/s320/Full+Circle.jpg" /><span style="font-size:78%;"> <div align="center">Picture credit goes to </span><a href="http://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/2010/sep/280910-Yoga-fitness-health-calories-stress.htm"><span style="font-size:78%;">Mid-Day</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;">, from whom I stole it!</span><br /></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">At which point I got stuck and had to sort of fall to the side to get out of the pose, but I was shocked and thrilled to death that I could do this move!! But because it was the gym's first Yoga class, the instructor took a lot of care (and time) explaining each move, which is good, but also means you stay in the same pose for several minutes. And I felt like I was in downward dog the ENTIRE class! So by the end my feet were wet with sweat (ew!) and my wrist and shoulders ached. But it was fun and I burned 2.6 cals a minute, which is pretty great!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">And then Zumba. Zumba is always a trip! If you haven't tried Zumba I highly recommend it. Its silly, and fun and confusing and sexy and a great work out! I burned 385 cals in the fifty minutes I did Zumba. I'm getting better. I got a little more of the foot work down this time. My instructor is a hoot! She sings, and makes exaggerated moves and bounces...and is just all around fun. We did a lot of jumping this class (I'm not real fond of jumping) and I was wearing new shoes and ended up with a blister. Lucky for you the picture I took of my blister to post here some how disappeared (call it divine intervention) and is no longer available. So you luck out! But I have a blister on the bottom of my big toe! Any suggestions on what to do about that? I have boxing tonight (and maybe even spin) and don't want to be distracted by my big toe when I need to concentrate on kicking my instructors booty!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So like I said. Ow! And yawn! Wowsers I feel wiped out today! Its probably a good thing that the Muffin is going to Grandma's for the day. Something tells me I'm going to have a short fuse. And there is no room in my diet today for a Mocha. I could use a little kick, so my dear friend <a href="https://www.advocare.com/10099718/default.aspx">Emily</a> has supplied me with a couple samples of a product called <a href="https://www.advocare.com/10099718/default.aspx">Spark from AdvoCare</a>. Ever heard of it? It has caffeine in it (bonus) and some other things that give you an energy kick (for 45 cals), and boy do I need one today! I'm pretty sensitive to energy drinks, so we'll see if my heart feels like it'll explode a little later. I'm giving the Mandarin Orange flavor a try today. Its a powder that you mix into water (I'm assuming). I'm also going to give their protein bar a try tonight in between my boxing and spin class, if I work up the courage and energy to go to both classes that is. Anyhow, if you're interested in AdvoCare (A Christian based company, FYI) or their products, trot yourself on over to <a href="https://www.advocare.com/10099718/default.aspx">Emily's profile page</a> and have a peak-a-roo!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">But what was I saying...Oh, so I have the day off of being Momma! My house needs a little tidying, but nothing that'll take too long. Laundry is pretty much done. I have to still put it away though. So it looks like today is one of those days that could go either way. I could spend the day on the couch and snacking (like I used to do) or I can keep busy and find projects to work on. I'm gunning for option number two. In fact, I've been trying to organize my acrylic stamp collection in my scrapbook room into binders so that I can actually see what I have without digging through 70 sets in a messy drawer! So maybe I'll work on that. I really would rather go outside and dig around in my garden, but there is still snow on the blasted ground!! ARGH!!! So, inside I will stay. I'm also having lunch at Panera with my girl friend. That's always great fun, and I love Panera. I'm getting a bowl of their Broccoli Cheddar Soup and a Whole Grain Baguette. Dinner will be a Tamale from Trader Joe's with their Chimichurri Rice. That brings me in just over 1400 cals for the day, and I'm hoping I can actually do the two classes tonight so that I can have a major calorie deficit for the day! That would be awesome!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So far I've had a 1,643 calorie deficit for the week. If I can kick out a 1,000 cal deficit each day until Monday I'll have burned enough to scorch off a pound and a half of pure fat! That would be great. I really need to start seeing a number lower than 155, for my mental well being. I think If I can start seeing some lower numbers, even see a 14o something would kick my butt into gear and get my brain on track again. I can't keep jumping on and falling off in the same week. Its not conducive to losing weight!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So here's to another great day, and here's to trying new things and pushing yourself to the limit!</div></div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-7113587346867186192011-03-02T08:27:00.003-05:002011-03-02T09:19:50.915-05:00No small slip ups!<div align="justify">Wow! Let's just say that in <em>this</em> house, there are no small slip ups!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Ok, so I knew that yesterday was going to be a day of low burn. I sat, all day (and I mean ALL DAY) at the indoor play yard letting my daughter play. Yes, I could've jumped in and played with her, crawling through the structure, climbing, building...but you see my daughter has social issues. Ok, so they're probably not <em>issues</em>, yet, but I don't want them to turn into anything (since I think social anxiety runs in her family on her daddy's side). She doesn't have an issue in the world with adults, but you throw her in the mix with a few kids and she becomes clingy and shy and almost frightened. I'm a social butterfly, it's hard for me to understand shyness but I try to respect it. I try not to force things on her. BUT, when we get into situations that require child interaction (like parks and playgroups and story times) I insist she go play with the kids. "Momma's sitting right here, and I'm gonna watch you, and you can come over to talk to me whenever you want, but you must go play with the children." If I do this, and I stay back, she does real well interacting with kids. If I jump in a play with her, I'm like a life preserver and she doesn't even attempt treading water. She shuts the kids out and I become her playmate. And I can't have that. I know it seems like just another rationale or excuse, but I'm pretty set on this issue and it is what it is. So, I sat all day from 10:30am to 6pm. Like I said, ALL DAY!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">No, I could've tried to offset the sitting by going to my class as I had planned. It was a late class and I had more than enough time to get there. But, I didn't go. I should've. Or at least the guilt makes me feel like I should have, but after boxing and waking up yesterday with my back tweaking a little (again) the Hubster talked me into taking it easy and not going to a class that is known to be full of lifting and squatting (my 2 biggest nemesis) and easing into exercising. Cause I'm sorta like that, all or nothing. I quit and become lazy beyond compare and then I dive in head first and am all gung-ho till I hurt myself. I saw his reasoning, it made sense, and since he always seems so smart to me, I took his advice. I stayed home.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">But really, that's not what hurt me. Lunch, at 730 cals for next to no food was not good. Next time I'll have to pack a Slim-Fast or something. You're not supposed to bring in food or drinks, but I can't eat the kid food there and still maintain a low cal day. But even lunch didn't kill me. And surprisingly I did good all day. I didn't snack on the plethera of kid snacks. I had a No-Sugar added Mocha for less than 150 cals. But the problem came when it was after 7pm before I even got to <em>think</em> about eating, and having had so little food at lunch and no snack...I was in a bad way. And the only thing I could focus on was KFC food. KFC in and of itself isn't <em>awful</em>. But having 2 biscuits and 4 packs of the honey sauce (which is more HFCS than honey) and then a stupid parfait bucket on top (at 290 cals!!) it wasn't good. My only saving grace was that I don't eat the skin and batter. While my dh managed to only ingest 650 cals (skipping the biscuit, but eating the skin (which is 400 cals compared to the 150 for no skin) and having 2 potatoes instead of coleslaw) I managed to <em>double</em> that number. Dinner was over 1200 cals alone, putting me at a 700 calorie surplus for the day. SURPLUS! Meaning I ate that many <strong>more</strong> cals than I burned. Shameful. And not even worth it. And a great example of what happens when you get overly hungry.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Thankfully I'm still in a deficit for the week thanks to the awesome day I had on Monday. I'm dissapointed though that I've brought my average deficit WAY down for the week thanks to yesterday. But alas, today is a new day and I am moving forward.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Tonight my friend is going to the gym with me. The Hubster, being the most awesome husband ever, has agreed to watch her 2 kids on Wednesdays so that we can go to class together. So tonight we are going to Yoga first and then Zumba. In the past I have enjoyed Yoga, so I'm hoping this Yoga class will be fun, and not kill me so bad that I can't make it through Zumba. I like Zumba, a lot. Its confusing, but its a lot of fun and I don't feel like I'm going to die when I'm doing it, which is why I agreed to do two classes back to back. Tomorrow is Boxing and Spin, and I am very tempted to do both of those classes too, but we'll have to see. I have all of my calories planned out for the day, and we're going off to visit some friends this morning, so that'll keep me out of the pantry (as long as our hostess doesn't think she's Little Debbie!).</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I'm excited for the day. That's a nice feeling. I'm not letting yesterday get me down. I tracked all of my calories, all 2504 of them, and that's a big step (tracking calories on an off day). I can feel Spring coming, in spite of the nasty snow on the ground. I am trying to stay focused and positive. Letting one bad day turn into a bad week is what keeps me down, and I am tired of being down.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-74811415489382338092011-03-01T12:31:00.003-05:002011-03-01T12:39:09.477-05:00A Moment of Truth<div align="justify">The kind lady who runs this indoor play yard was nice enough to get me the nutrition info off of the box of Chicken Tenders. 220 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">cals</span> each. So once I eat 3 and then the sauce I'll be at 730 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">cals</span> for ONE MEAL! And though they are quite tasty, they're not THAT tasty. I mean, to me, that's Blizzard worthy calories.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So immediately my brain goes into the "Dang! I already blew the day (cause obviously 730 <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">cals</span> does that?!) I might as well get a Mocha. The chips look good. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Oooh</span>, look! They have Tropicana Twister Soda (its close to Sunkist)!" But I reeled it back in. I tucked tail and tromped back over to my table with the my tenders (all 730 calories worth) and left behind everything else. I still have my work out class tonight to help me combat some of my calories, and if I don't bring in a 1,000 calorie deficit for the day, so be it. But I don't have to let it all go to the dogs. I can try to eat a smaller calorie dinner and work even harder at my class tonight. Either way I'll still have a deficit, and it'll be worth it.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-38667790797811365252011-03-01T10:56:00.004-05:002011-03-01T11:37:29.979-05:00Boxing, Burning and Babbling!<div align="justify">I finally made it to the gym last night for the first time in weeks! I went to my boxing class and it was truly the first time I have ever exercised where I thought I was gonna puke! That was interesting! It was a long and grueling class and I really felt like I worked as hard as I could. This morning I was down to 155.8lbs, so yesterday's weigh-in showed a lot of water weight! I woke up feeling like I got hit by a Mack Truck and yes, my back hurts...again. Sigh. Hey, I'm trying. If I could figure out a way to keep from re-hurting a 15 year old lower back sprain I would! Anyhow, I have plans tonight to go back to the gym for a 7:30p class (an awesomely convenient time!!). I'm not really sure what kind of class it is, but he's a personal trainer of some sort. Its the beginner's class, we'll see.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I managed to kick out a 1,300 calorie deficit yesterday! That was thrilling! I kept busy all day with laundry (and managed to get 90% of it done, a real accomplishment in my house!) and entertaining the Muffin. I burned about 380 cals at my class, a testament of how hard I busted my butt since I usually do about 325 in the same amount of time! I'm hoping for a high burn in tonight's class too to help make up for the hours I am sitting on my bum at this indoor play yard for the Muffin. Poor kid has been so bored, I had to get her out of the house! Sigh. The things we do for our kids! LOL! This place is so loud and I'm getting a headache. The Muffin even said the screaming was hurting her ears. :) She's three. Crazy kid.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Lunch at this place ought to be interesting. They do a pretty good job at offering some decent food. I mean, you always think you could do a better job. They offer soy milk in squeeze boxes, though my they don't offer real milk (Horizon makes Organic Milk in squeeze boxes too), they have little pots of canned fruit, they have apples, they have apple juice, and they make pretty decent meals. Baked Chicken Strips, salads, sandwiches, grilled cheese... But not having access to any nutrition info makes it hard for me to gage my calories. Rest assured though, I'm going to ask if the chicken tenders have nutri info on the bag. They come from GNC, so I might get lucky.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Tomorrow the hubster has committed to babysitting my friends kids so that we can go the the Yoga class and then the Zumba class. I'm excited. This is the first time my gym has offered yoga. And I think I can handle Yoga before Zumba. At least we'll find out. And I'm more inclined to go if my friend goes along too.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I have no idea what to make for dinner. I have a ton of food, but its all frozen. Guess I'll hit the store for something. I don't even know what I'm in the mood for. Something different. Guess I'll have to search around online for the next great thing!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I'm too distracted here and I think I'm babbling. I'll spare you all and be done with this post.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-67518392444628939062011-02-28T10:39:00.003-05:002011-02-28T11:10:53.774-05:00Dissapointment, Withdrawls,Binges and a Dallop of Good!<div align="justify">I won't lie. I weighed in at 158.0lbs this morning, up from the 155.4lbs I saw Thursday morning. Sigh. What happened? Well, I think carb withdrawals happened. I'm not sure though. I was sailing along like nothing would stop me, and Friday evening I crashed and burned. I got it in me that I wanted a big fat juicy bar burger. I obsessed about it all day! So I thought I would get it out of my system before I binged. Ha! Looking back it now sounds silly. But I did it. I had a real bar burger complete with grilled onions. I put a dab of mayo on it. Then, enter fries/onion ring basket. Sigh. I need to just start punching my dh in the mouth when he opens it. That way I don't have to say no, since it never seems to come out anyhow. In the end all of the grease made me sick to my stomach and miserable. Lesson learned? You'd think so, right? Nope. Saturday came along and for a myriad of excuses I blew that day, and then it snowballed into Sunday. Sunday was rough. All day long I obsessed and craved and felt crazy about food. Its all I could think about, all day!! Seriously. I started out trying to give in to the temptations a little here and there, but keeping track of them so that I could log the calories, thinking this would help control them. A chocolate, and then another. An ounce of Doritos, a cookie, then another chocolate and it just kept getting stronger and stronger until I found myself with a bowl of Triscuits...after standing in the closet stuffing more chocolates in my mouth. I even hid it from my DH who was watching me spin out of control with a look of chagrin on his face. I let him down. It was written all over his face. I ate in shame, and I couldn't stop myself. Finally I gave in and had a bowl of pasta for dinner, after all, its all I really wanted in the first place. Sigh.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">And the consequences showed up this morning on the scale. I'm so disappointed in myself, and ashamed. I don't know what got into me. I don't know why I felt like I was possessed and being controlled by some outwardly thing that demanded I stuff myself with junk. Why do we binge? I wasn't feeling deprived, like I said, I ate the burger. Why do we crave sugar and salt to the point of insanity? Why do we allow ourselves to give in and be beaten down when weight loss feels so much better?</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Its bringing me down. And on top of the crap I'm dealing with personally, and feeling trapped in our home I've been feeling very blue, which is never a good combination. Stressed and blue, and like a failure on top of it all. Sigh. How do you pull yourself out of it when you've gotten in too deep?</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">For me, its the same old thing. I'm going to continue tracking and making dinners abd getting to the gym. I'm going to put the weekend behind me and trudge on, since that's really my only option anyhow. Some good news is that the results came back from the Endocrinologist and I'm all good. No PCOS, no insulin resistance, no diabetes, no excuse. I'm thrilled. Nothing like a little something you can't control to give you a great excuse to neglect. But I don't have that excuse. I have only myself to blame, and myself to depend on to get my butt in gear and get this weight off once and for all. I have to continue getting myself to the gym. I know what works for me. 1,400 cals a day and a good hour or so of decent exercise. That gets my body moving and the fat melting. Get it done Heather! Binging doesn't make the basement not flood, it doesn't make the house sell, it doesn't make your dreams come true, it doesn't bring your son back, and it certainly doesn't make you svelte! It makes you depressed, it makes you feel worthless and ashamed, and it makes you fat! KNOCK IT OFF!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-92014680573593310472011-02-24T23:31:00.002-05:002011-02-24T23:36:15.839-05:00Triumphant moment!<div align="justify">I just had to jump on and let you all know that I kicked out a more than 1,000 calorie <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">deficit</span> today thanks to cleaning, shopping and playing with the Muffin! I'm thrilled to death! I made those Chicken Burritos for dinner, and aside from me trying to burn the house down...or <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">at least</span> smoke us out like a bunch of moles, they were pretty good! I'm pumped and ready for Monday's weigh-in, which is a nice feeling, and frankly one I had lost. Tomorrow I head back to the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">Endocrinologist</span> to get the what-what on my hormones. Hoping that I'm right as rain, but somehow know that's not the case! Let's at least hope I'm not diabetic!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Here's to triumphant moments! May you get to experience your fair share!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-15726733575374720392011-02-24T10:19:00.003-05:002011-02-24T10:37:23.315-05:00Progress!<div align="justify">YES! I am back down to my low point of 155.4lbs (and its only Thursday!). I'm hoping that means I'll see a 154 come Monday. But, I have to make it through the weekend, and those seem to be my nemesis lately. It's helpful that the hubster is back on track too. It keeps him from even suggesting we go out to eat, and that means I don't have to have the will power to say no.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Yesterday did not go according to plan. A friend of mine was really sick, so I went over to watch her kids while she went to the doctor, right at dinner time. I actually resisted the guacamole and chips she had, and I resisted eating dinner with the kids (which I made). By the time I got home it was after 7pm and I was starved. I didn't get to make the burritos (we're having them tonight) but I was able to quickly throw in some chicken nachos since I had all of the stuff on hand, chopped and ready. That was cool. So I managed to stay pretty darn close to my calorie target.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">The bad news is that I started feeling down in the dumps yesterday and between that, being sick and then babysitting, I did a whole lot of sitting around. That means my burn was low. Really low. 1843 low. I need to be at 2350 a day. So my deficit was only 450 cals, but I'm still on target to loose a pound of body fat for the week. It'll be hard to gage though, since I've already lost all of that water weight (4lbs) this week and I don't really know what my true starting weight for the week was. But whatever happens I'm already counting this week as a good one. I lost all of the weight I put on during my sluggishness (even if it was all water), and I'm back on track with my food. Heck, I'm even hoping I can hit the gym tonight. My dh has been super sick, so I doubt he'll want to be deserted with a cranky evening toddler. But perhaps.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I have a showing on my house this weekend, so the plan for today is to stay busy cleaning up the house. I also told the muffin I'd take her to McD's for lunch so that she could play in the tubes. Hope she doesn't get MRSA. I'll have to spray her with Lysol when we're done. :) But that also means I am eating there. I'm planned on a 4pc nugget and a yogurt parfait. That puts me at about 400 some odd calories. The sad part is, it won't even be that good. I mean, its ok...but for 400 cals I could've had something great at home. Anyhow, the muffin has cabin fever and she asked if we could eat there, and since we never do that... See how I rationalize things? I also have to shovel some snow to make a path to the garage for the showing, so that'll burn some nice cals too! I'm going to really try to stay active today and not sit down much. It'll be hard though, I'm so tired I feel like collapsing, even as I stand here typing this.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I feel like I have to <em>demand</em> a good day in order to get one. I read a quote yesterday about it not being about will power but <em>want</em> power. So, since I <em>want</em> this, I'm demanding cooperation. Here's to demanding another great day! How bad do you want it? How far are you willing to go to get there? Do you demand it to be so?</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-8573413610037170752011-02-23T09:07:00.004-05:002011-02-23T09:47:35.397-05:00I'm back!<div align="justify">Whew! I'm feeling good this morning and feeling like I am ready! I've had 2 good days in a row. Perfect with my eating and tracking, and on Monday my deficit was 715, and yesterday I had a 921. I'm slated for a pound and a half fat loss right now. The good news is that I've lost 3.5lbs of water weight since Monday, puting me back at 156.4lbs (a pound up from my low). That makes me feel awesome! I hate redoing weight loss. It's such a kick in the teeth to have to repeat weeks. Its one thing to waste weeks, its another to have to redo them! So, hoo-ray!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I'm feeling back on track. Which is good. I've been floundering for a few months now, and I am finally feeling recharged and ready to go. Getting two good solid days under my belt helps a lot too. I have my meals planned. I have everything I need for them (and as you've seen, lots more that I don't). Tonight I'm making Cooking Light's Dec 2010 <a href="http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=50400000108353">Chicken and Bean-Stuffed Burritos</a> for dinner. Last night I made a garlic herbed chicken pizzza. It was ho-hum but fast, and the hubster seemed to enjoy it.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I'm still sick and this morning I'm feeling wiped out and lethargic. But I've decided that even though I am too tired and stuffed-up to go to the gym, I can still lose weight through my diet. I don't know why I get into that all or nothing mentality. Like if I can't get to the gym, then why bother counting calories. So, I'm logging my food like a little soldier and I'm trying to get up and clean and shop, which is helping to burn some calories.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Summer is coming people. Its coming. It doesn't feel like it right now with these Arctic temps and snow, but Spring is about 6 weeks away, tops. Then we'll all be free to cut lose and frolic in the sun. BUT, until then we'll have to persevere. Keep your chins up, keep trudging through.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-49383009698028173972011-02-21T11:04:00.004-05:002011-02-21T11:59:08.846-05:00Join the club!I'm trying my hand at a new <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Fatty-Cake-Girls-Club/184248688279221">Facebook Page</a> for the Fatty Cake Girls Club Blog. Think of it as the e-version of a coffee house. Come join us there and swap frustrations and ideas! Or promote yourself and your blog! I've also added a FB LIKE button there on the right! go ahead, admit it...YOU LOVE US HERE!Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-36742083710881177772011-02-21T08:52:00.007-05:002011-02-21T09:45:31.140-05:00Its not forever, and its worth it!<div align="justify">159.8lbs</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I hate falling off of the wagon. I hate having to constantly re-loose weight I've already struggled to loose once, and in some cases many times. But, here we are again. I'd like to think that its water, and maybe a pound or two is, but I measured myself and I can assure you...the numbers went up.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">So. I'm trying to FOCUS on the weight I've gained (almost 5lbs). Maybe NOT focusing on the issue is part of my problem, acting like the choices I make don't have consequences. So today I'm going to remind myself of those 5lbs every time I even think of not hitting my 1,000 calorie deficit.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So far so good, but its only 9am.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">One hour at a time, right? LOL! Seriously though, I've already planned my meals for the day. I've planned out just over 1,200 calories (since I need to leave a little wiggle room in case I start to lose control). I've let myself graze and munch for the last couple of weeks, and now I am afraid that I am going to have to put my appetite back in check! That's the hard part after a long binge. Retraining your body to know when its hungry or not. Shrinking your appetite.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">These binges frighten me. I mean, its one thing to fall off of the wagon and not loose for a while. Its a whole different story to binge and gain. I need to find balance. I either know how to diet, or I know how to gain weight. There's no middle ground. The sad part is I didn't even binge on anything I <em>really</em> loved. I mean, if I was gonna gain 5lbs, I'd have rather have eaten brownie sundaes everyday. Not Cheeze-Its (which btw, I loathe!). Its messed up. Anyhow, I really don't have that far left to go. It really won't take me but a few months of hard work to be done with all of this. But I get so wrapped up in the stress of it all, and I get bitter and resentful and then I throw my hands up. Its hard to keep a realistic hand on my expectations. Loosing weight is hard, it is!! Planning all of your meals and measuring and reading labels and being prepared and making healthy choices and dragging your butt out of the house to that gym or walk or class all takes effort and stamina and determination. Its time consuming and it gets in the way of plans, family time, hobbies and other fun stuff. But the reality of it is that <strong>its not forever</strong>, and <strong>the end result is so worth it</strong>. Just like labor. Nobody <em>wants</em> to be in labor, but once that child is born...what you went through, the pain, its all worth it. I just need to keep reminding myself of that during those times when I'm tired and I want to quit.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">And there really isn't an excuse for not cooking well. I mean, look at my pantry!</div><div align="justify"></div><p align="justify"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 226px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5576146586178147330" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtz0GYUu_3pTEk-An47AkPZuOUVQl30Bq0ktw3KS_LIIBMjvw-FOdn6HS9WgFUYY_vi_EDlkRs3k4VF1olVSk-OeEDfUXYvpW-3TIs7y5Sj1JITGV7lpWqSprIig1UYb8NbBh3HmndzmEp/s400/100_6921.JPG" /></p><p align="justify">There really isn't any reason in the world why I can't cook decent meals! And if you think this is bad, I have another one in the basement...and an additional side by side fridge (and they are all this stuffed full of food). I have pounds and pounds of naturally organic venison. I have fish, and chicken breasts and organic vegetables and fruit both fresh and frozen. I have whole grain pasta and beans and soups and nuts. Everything to make a good healthy meal. <em>Many</em> good, healthy meals! In fact, I don't even have a ton of junk food. I mean, I can't keep myself in check, so I don't buy those things. The fact of the matter is that I actually have to go out of my way to binge. And really, who binges on fish and beans? Nah, I <em>invent</em> bad stuff. Microwaving chocolate chips and PB for the biggest PB cup you've ever seen! Dipping pretzels and Wasa crackers in Nutella. Melting chocolate chips and adding nuts and dried fruit for a sublime brittle like thing, and then eating it in handfuls. Sigh. Its a sickness.</p><p align="justify">So anyhow. I had a Slim-Fast for breakfast so that I could get my jolt of caffeine and keep my booty moving all day. I have lots of chores and laundry I'd like to get done. And if I can keep my butt up off of the couch and get those things done, that will help big time in the calorie burning department. For Lunch I'm making Bean & Ham soup. Its a cold, nasty, dreary day. The perfect day for soup. Plus, I need to eat more vegetables, so bean soup is a great way to do that! Then for dinner I'm making frozen fish patties with rice and veggies. I mean, its not the tastiest meal on earth, but its fast, its easy and its low calorie. And these days I need that. I worked in a snack and some fruit too. Plus, it snowed...again. So I'll have to shovel at some point. But the muffin is very sick, and I can't have her outside with me...so I might have to do the shoveling much later (and beat my neighbor kid to it). But it is my plan to hit the 1,000 calorie deficit mark, even if it means I have to get on that blasted elliptical.<br /></p><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">But, its not forever, and it'll be so worth it. Right?</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-33993982950573209902011-02-20T22:30:00.005-05:002011-02-20T22:52:51.926-05:00Make Different Choices!<div align="justify">Sabotage.<br /><br />At least that's what I keep claiming. And really I might not be far off of the mark because as of my last post my dh has gotten influenza, I've gotten a sinus infection and my daughter went from having a small cold to now having influenza with maybe a day in between, but probably just a few hours, and now we are in the middle of an ice storm. So OBVIOUSLY I can not control what has been going on with my eating (since I just have to eat when I'm bored/frustrated/stressed/not feeling well) and I can not control how many times I've made it (or not) to the gym because of illness and weather, I mean, its out of my hands, right?<br /><br />Uh. No.<br /><br />You see, its not out of my hands. I CHOSE to eat poorly, and I CHOSE to skip my workouts. Now, obviously I'm allotted a couple of days of rest and relaxation as I recoup from my sinus infection, and obviously I shouldn't be taking my germies to the gym to ever so kindly hand over to my fellow fat fighters, but in all reality I took my little inch and stretched it a couple of miles.<br /><br />I was reading a delightful post over at <a href="http://fatgirlscanrun.com/2011/02/14/talk-to-the-hand-mother-nature/#comment-1777">Just Running</a>, where she was actually responding to a post she read over at <a href="http://www.leavingfatville.com/2011/02/being-honest.html">Leaving Fatville</a>, and it really struck home with me. How many times have I gotten on here to complain and gripe about how life has gotten in my way? But Amy mentioned something in her post that resonated deeply with me. </div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"><em>"When you make choices that are no longer satisfying, guess what? MAKE DIFFERENT CHOICES!"</em></div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">I mean, it really shouldn't seem all that brilliant, because it is quite simple. It reminds me of that saying everyone has about the definition of insanity (doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results). It really is <em>that</em> simple. The choices I am making are not getting me to where I want to go, so I need to make different choices. Notice she didn't say "better choices". Because, as she points out, there aren't good or bad choices, they're just choices. I make the choice to skip my workout this afternoon. I make the choice to go skinny dipping in a bag of M&M's while watching TV for 4 hours. These are all choices that I alone am making, and if I'm so bummed about the results these choices are leading to, well then its time to make different ones!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Because no, it's not all about being perfect all of the time. Its about making a different choice then the ones I made that slowed me down, and knocked me off course. So while my daughter is still very ill and I can not get away to go to the gym...I do own an elliptical, several exercise DVDs, and a Wii Fit. And while I may not feel quite up to making a 4 course meal just yet, I think I am capable of tracking my calories and making quick and healthy meals that easily fall into my calorie budget. Because honestly, sometimes we just make being healthy too hard. It isn't about endless hours spent at the gym, or fancy shmancy dinners. Its about choosing to get off the couch, choosing to drink that water instead of the soda. Its about choosing to have a normal serving of pasta over that enormous bowl, or choosing to savor 1 piece of chocolate instead of four.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">Health is a choice. I chose to be fat. I chose to be lazy. I chose to be unhealthy. And since those choices no longer satisfy me, I choose to be different.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">The choice is yours too.</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406963457374899717.post-3425773734554794212011-02-15T10:33:00.004-05:002011-02-15T11:10:38.661-05:00What has happened to me!!!???!<div align="justify">Seriously. I don't know where my mojo went! Christmas came and that was the end of it! Now here we are some seven weeks or so later and I am STILL not back on track! I keep starting and stopping. And I continue to tell myself its just one thing after another. I'm being sabotaged. And while some of that may be true (because there has been some sickness floating around), frankly its mostly just excuses and me being lazy. I mean, let's call it what it is and stop trying to sound like a victim. I'm a victim of my own laziness. That's it.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">But, I've run out of excuses. I mean really. The holiday's are over. My blue month is over. Birthday's are over until April. And now Valentine's Day is over. Its warming up this month (we're talking 40's people!!), the snow is melting, the sun is more frequent, the days are getting longer, I've already paid this months gym membership, and a friend is going with me on Wednesday (and boy do I hope that's a new routine!). Now all that's left to do is buckle down and just do it! Get my calories back in check, get my butt back in motion. Loosing 2lbs a week took a lot of effort, but I did it! I know what was working for me, and I figured out how to get it done. Which frankly is tough for a lot of people. Figuring out how to get it done for them. But I did that. Now I just have to stick to it again. I mean, I HATE the winter, LOATH it really, and I know that its put a real hiccup in my weight loss journey (since I'd so much rather be walking and bike riding and gardening and playing outside then stuck in a dark stinking gym).</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">And if nothing else I have to do it to prove to my mother that it CAN be done, and that she can do it too! I mean I have a lot going against me. I emotionally eat, I've struggle with depression for 2 years now, I have a husband who has the same weaknesses as myself and I'm easily convinced to sway, and then I have PCOS and Insulin Resistance. That's a lot to overcome all in one stroke. But again, my biggest hindrance is my own laziness. It really is. I procrastinate and rationalize so much of my life its ridiculous! But the key here people is that I understand and know my own weaknesses and downfalls. I know what trips me up, I know what is a surefire way to failure. And I believe knowing is half the battle. The other half is learning to counteract those times of trip-ups (birthdays, holidays, special occasions, ultra busy times) and to be prepared. Its the whole "failure to plan, is planning to fail" bit. And its so true! I've seen it in my life time and time again. So I struggle with planning and I struggle with follow through! A whole heap of a lot of good it does me to plan dinner if I let my dh talk me into skipping making it (which doesn't take a whole lot of effort since I hate cooking and I hate cleaning it up even more!) and then I end up never making it and ultimately throwing the food away. Its disgusting really.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So anyhow. Now that I am on the far side of the most common things that drag me down, I'm hoping that today I can get a fresh start (even though its a Tuesday) and get back into the routine of going to my exercise classes, cooking healthy foods and tracking my calories. Because that is my recipe for success. Move, eat well and track it all! I'm up about 4lbs, though I think a lot of it is bloating and water retention (because its about that time, and I've been eating very poorly!). So, luckily I haven't undone all of my hard work from last fall, and frankly it really would just take me a few months of hard work to get done with this!</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">The plan for this week is to get my proverbial sh!t together. I've made plans and worked out a schedule for getting my lazy butt into the gym for the week. I have new kicks, so I'm hoping that'll help some of the foot issues I've been having during classes. I've got a well stocked pantry, and a pretty good idea for several meals to make this week. My dh is feeling determined to get back on track (since he's gained several pounds and is feeling very sore and down on himself again lately) and wants to stop eating out (which is really helpful for me). SO really the only thing holding me back is myself.</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify">So, SELF, its time to suck it up and get back in motion!</div>Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04602706939281669017noreply@blogger.com4