One month down!

Well, as usual, I got busy and I did not post last week (the week of Thanksgiving!)

The day before Thanksgiving I weighed in at 191 lbs., 3 lbs. less than the week before!  This week, I did not lose weight, but I did not gain weight either.  (I guess I didn't over do it on Thanksgiving!) 

This month I lost  1" in my bust (yea!), 2" in my waist,  2 1/2" in my abs, 1" in my hips, 1/4" in my thighs, 1 1/4" in my arms, 3 lbs.,  2 lbs. of body fat, and 4 1/2 points in my BMI!

YEA! ME!

However, my biggest victory was when I got on the eliptical machine a few days ago.  In May I got on the eliptical and I literally was set to do 30 min. and after 2 min. I was like okay, maybe 15 min, then I'd get to 5 min. and be like okay 10 min.  I think I made it to 7 min. before I quit.  2 nights ago I got on the eliptical and I had run 2 miles in 22 min, and it was about 22 min. before I got to that "maybe a few minutes more."  Now, 2 miles in 22 min. translates into an 11 min. mile, which isn't great for in-shape athletic people, but considering 5 months ago I couldn't run 10 min., I will take the 11 min. mile!  Small steps!  I am also looking into a "Couch to 5K" program. 

Weight Watchers just launched its new program, the "Points Plus" program.  Some of the changes seem a bit daunting, but I really like that all fruit and almost all vegetables are no points value!  Some things now have higher points values, but they are basing their science on fiber, fat, protein, and carbs now as opposed to the old system which was essentially calorie counting.  SO, I am excited to see how the new program will go!

So, it is my goal to be more diligent in keeping up with this blog as I have had such great feedback from followers and non-followers! 

Thank you for your continued support!

The Countdown to the Holidays is at 3!

3 days until Thanksgiving- can you believe it?!  Where has this year gone?  Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the holidays and all that the constant parade of parties, goodies, and things has to add to my waist!  The worst part is parties where there is just food out all the time, a piece of cheese and a cracker as you walk by, 1 little truffle out of the open Russel Stover's box.  A cookie fresh out of the oven because you happen to be in the kitchen as the host or hostess are pulling them out!  Oh the calories can really add up if you're not at a sit-down dinner type party! 

I myself am guilty!  The local Christmas parade goes right in front of our house on the Sunday after Thanksgiving.  So we have invited a long list of friends and family to a "Razzle Dazzle Potluck Dinner."  Friends, family, food, and fun.  Yup, that pretty much sums up the holiday season!  So, we are getting it in all in one night all at once!  It should be fun, and hopefully a good practice on my own turf for these parties we will ineveitably be invited to attend.

I am waiting to see what other guests plan to bring before adding in some of my own healthy additions!  So, here's to the holidays, let the merriment begin!

Date Night

Again, an apology for being so lax!  It's a sign of the holiday's arrival!  Busy, busy, busy!  However, I am still going to Curves everyday with Kristen (the 6 days a week that it's open).  Although I did not lose on the scale again this week, I did lose inches which means I am toning my body!  The only place I did not lose this week was my thighs.  But in my arms I lost another 1/4 ", a 1/4" in my bust (YEA!!!), a 1/2" in my hips and in my waist!  She can punch me later for posting this if she reads it, but I'm so proud of all of Kristen's hard work!  This week she lost       1 1/4" in her waist!!!  All those extra sit-ups and rounds on the ab machines are really working!  So, you go girl!!!

Tonight Steve and I are going on a date!  We are going to see the new Harry Potter movie!  I am the first to admit that to me popcorn at the movies is a BIG must for me, but it's not really the healthiest choices for me either.  So tonight I am going to get the smallest bag of popcorn they have- so that I can say I had some, but I will forego the butter (sigh).  That way, Steve can still get what he wants!  But, it's a 2 1/2 hour movie, so needless to say there's A LOT of time to be tempted to reach into his popcorn, so in my purse (shhhh!  don't tell!) I am also bringing 2 bottles of water and a bag of baby carrots and a 100 callorie pack of Crasins!  Men may laugh at the big purses, but they cannot sneak anything into the movies!  I once snuck an entire coffee coolatta into the theatres!  Yes, I love me a big purse!

So, for me, having a plan for this evening is key!  My friend Nicole is coming to watch Dillon, so before we leave, I am making a grilled chicken and farfalle cooking light recipe- healthy and filling, so that when we get to the theatre it is less likely that I will make an impulse buy of something less than healthy because I will already be full of healthy, filling, dinner!  Additionally, I have decided what to sneak in to snack on!  AND I am not omitting the expereice of popcorn and a movie, but I have planned out what I will have so that I can stick to it!

In situations such as this, when I would have previously gone for an enormous popcorn with lots of that fake, crappy butter and lots of salty goodness topped off with a big ...  it is so important for me to make a plan before I leave. 

Wednesday night we went to friendly's for a quick dinner and although all of those burgers and bacon were calling my name, I went for a salad with grilled chicken, not the crispy, and I asked for them to not put on the bleu cheese, light balsamic vinegarette on the side please and thank you.  Was it what appealed to me when I was confronted with a menu full of yummy meltded cheese and bacon?  Not truthfully, but I made a plan before we got there that I would get a salad.  The planning ahead made me not feel so bad for getting a thin-crust personal pizza at a restaurant last night where we met up with some friends we hadn't seen in almost 6 months. 

Picking and choosing and planning.  It is the best way for me to stay on track!

Happy Saturday night everyone!

Here's What's For Dinner!

Grilled Chicken and Pesto Farfalle

This dish comes together quickly if one person grills chicken while another cooks the pasta and sauce. Garnish with basil sprigs, if desired. If you serve wine, a chardonnay complements the creamy sauce.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 2 cups pasta and about 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese)

Ingredients

• 1 3/4  pounds  skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 3/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• Cooking spray
• 20  ounces  uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2  cups  1% low-fat milk, divided
• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  (3.5-ounce) jar commercial pesto (about 1/3 cup)
• 3/4  cup  half-and-half
• 2  cups  (8 ounces) shredded fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
• 4  cups  halved grape tomatoes (about 2 pints)
• 1/2  cup  chopped fresh basil

Preparation

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.
2. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 10 minutes or until done, turning after 6 minutes. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Cut chicken into 1/2-inch pieces; keep warm.
3. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in colander over a bowl, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Place pasta in large bowl.
4. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Combine 1/2 cup milk and flour in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add milk mixture to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Stir in pesto. Gradually add remaining 1 cup milk and half-and-half, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 8 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring frequently. Add 1/4 cup reserved cooking liquid, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 cup cheese; stir until cheese melts.
5. Add chicken and sauce to pasta, tossing well to coat. Add tomatoes and basil; toss gently. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

508 (30% from fat)

Fat:

16.7g (sat 7.7g,mono 6.5g,poly 1.1g)

Protein:

38.3g

Carbohydrate:

50.7g

Fiber:

2.9g

Cholesterol:

81mg

Iron:

3.5mg

Sodium:

781mg

Calcium:

397mg

Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light, SEPTEMBER 2008

How to Avoid the Freshman 15

While looking for a low-fat Gravy recipe to share, I found this great article!  I know some of my readers are college students!

This article is from Cooking Light!


AVOIDING THE FRESHMAN 15

Making the move from home to campus life is a major transition for most college freshmen. Students are faced with sudden changes that often result in undesirable eating and fitness practices as well as stress and increased body weight. Studies show that the average freshman gains five pounds rather than the much feared “freshman 15.” However, a small amount of weight gain during each year of school can potentially add up by graduation. Try these tips for better health during college and beyond.
Stocking the Dorm Room
Limited kitchen resources and lack of cooking skills keep students from preparing healthy meals. However, a few small portable cooking appliances and healthy grocery store staples may aid in meeting nutrition goals. A mini fridge, toaster oven, and microwave are all you need to create quick, healthy meals and snacks. Be sure to check the dorm rules for using appliances before moving in.
Download the PDF: Dorm-Friendly Grocery List
Navigating the Dining Hall
College dining halls offer an array of healthier options. Follow these tips when making your selections:

• Choose a small plate and use the proper plate division rule. Make half the plate nonstarchy vegetables and/or fruit, a quarter of the plate a protein-rich food, and the other quarter of the plate a starchy vegetable (like potatoes or corn) or a whole grain (like brown rice).
• For breakfast, choose high-fiber cereals, whole grain breads, fruit, poached eggs, and non-fat yogurt or milk.
• Start at the salad bar by pairing spinach or Romaine lettuce with low calorie, nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, beans, corn, and low-fat cheese. Skip the creamy dressing and opt for vinaigrette.
• Watch for high-fat items that use these descriptors: buttered, in butter sauce, fried, crispy, creamed, in cream sauce, in its own gravy, Hollandaise, au gratin, in cheese sauce, escalloped, casserole, and marinated in oil.
• Choose these healthier food descriptors: steamed, garden fresh, roasted, broiled, and poached.

Socializing Smarter

• Excessive alcohol consumption is not only bad for your health but can also lead to weight gain. Remember: beer and alcohol are high in calories.
• Junk foods like pizza, fast-food burgers, sodas, donuts, and chips may be cheap and convenient, especially after an evening of late-night studying or partying, but the expanding waistline will make them more expensive and lead to weight gain in the long run.
• If you need an extra jolt of energy after a long evening, beware of the extra calories you dump in your coffee. Full-fat milk, sugar, whipped cream, and flavored syrups can add up quickly.

Reducing Stress

• Adjusting to a new home away from home, meeting new friends, and the pressure of making the grades all add up to one thing for many students: stress. Many people turn to food and alcohol to sooth their stressful mind, which leads to bad habits that will last a lifetime. Students should be ready to face the stresses of college life and find favorite (healthy) ways to decompress.
• Exercise keeps the brain stimulated and the body energized by releasing endorphins. Try exercising before a test or presentation to boost cognitive thinking. Most college campuses have gyms on campus, giving students opportunities to be fit and socialize in a healthy environment.
• Sufficient sleep at night is a must. There is a close relationship between weight gain and sleep deprivation. Lack of sleep robs the body of energy, causes irritability, and may result in nodding off during class.

Carol Lapin, MS, RD, CSSD is owner of CSL Nutritional Services in Houston, Texas. She is on the executive committee for Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Dietitians within the American Dietetic Association

Inches vs. Pounds

I am almost a week late, I'm sorry!  I have had a CRAZY schedule and life seemed to get super crazy at the end of last week!

SO, the question I'm sure you're all dying to know the answer.  Weigh-in Wednesday!

Well, I didn't lose lbs. last week, however, I did get measured at Curves again last week and I did loose inches!  I lost 1/2"inch from my arms, 1/2" from my waist, 1/2" inch from my hips, 1/4" from my thighs- oh, and surprise, surprise, I didn't loose anything from my bust!  For those of you who've actually ever seen me, I'm sure you realize it will be a while before I start seeing inches go from there!  Hahaha!  I've always been gifted in that department.

So, while I do feel just a tiny bity inkling of disappointment not seeing the number on the scale go down, I now realize that I have new measurement goals that aren't necessarly the scale, but they are attainable goals and measurements where I can have even more victories!

This week, I will try my best and at my next weigh in and measurement, we will see where I get- and then at the end of that day I want to be able to say that I did my best! 

Sorry so short today, but I am running, running, running doing laundry and cleaning today!  (Recovering from the weekend!)

Pass the pie, don't pass on the pie!

Ah the season of cakes and pies and cookies and fudge and pretty much anyting delicious and fattening!  So, how do we combat this evil, but delicious season?  It could be as simple as looking up the usual recipes that you normally do and search for ways to make it a lower calorie version! 

While I am not a pumpkin pie person, I know it's a traditional fare for this time of year, one that I may in fact be making at Christmas!  BUT...  I do love a good chocolate cream pie- especialy one with graham cracker crust! 

So, here are two Cooking Light recipes for two traditional holiday favorites!!!

Pass the pie, please!

 

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Refrigerated pie dough makes this classic pumpkin pie recipe simple to prepare. Bake the pie on a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven to encourage a crisp crust.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge and about 1 tablespoon topping)

Ingredients

• Filling:
• 3/4  cup  packed brown sugar
• 1 3/4  teaspoons  pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1  (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk
• 2  large egg whites
• 1  large egg
• 1  (15-ounce) can unsweetened pumpkin
• Crust:
• 1/2  (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• Cooking spray
• Topping:
• 1/4  cup  whipping cream
• 1  tablespoon  amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur)
• 2  teaspoons  powdered sugar

Preparation

Position oven rack to lowest position.
Preheat oven to 425°.
To prepare filling, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add pumpkin, and stir with a whisk until smooth.
To prepare crust, roll dough into an 11-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute.
Pour pumpkin mixture into the crust. Place pie plate on a baking sheet. Place baking sheet on lowest oven rack. Bake at 425° for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool completely on wire rack.
To prepare topping, beat cream with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Add the amaretto and powdered sugar, and beat until blended. Serve with pie.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

222 (30% from fat)

Fat:

7.4g (sat 3.7g,mono 0.7g,poly 0.1g)

Protein:

4.1g

Carbohydrate:

35.3g

Fiber:

3g

Cholesterol:

32mg

Iron:

0.8mg

Sodium:

241mg

Calcium:

104mg

Rick Rodgers, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

This lightened version of classic chocolate cream pie feature a smooth, rich chocolate filling and a creamy topping, but has only 8 grams of fat per serving.

Yield: 10 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

 

 

Chocolate Cream Pie
*Note from ME!  If you use reduced-fat or fat-free graham crackers for the crust and Brummel & Brown instead of butter or margerine, it will lower the calorie count further!

Ingredients

• Crust:
• 40  graham crackers (10 full cracker sheets)
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  butter or stick margarine, melted
• 1  large egg white
• Cooking spray
• Filling:
• 2  cups  fat-free milk, divided
• 2/3  cup  sugar
• 1/3  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 3  tablespoons  cornstarch
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 1  large egg
• 2  ounces  semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1 1/2  cups  frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
• 3/4  teaspoon  grated semisweet chocolate

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare crust, place crackers in a food processor; process until crumbly. Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter, and egg white; pulse 6 times or just until moist. Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8 minutes; cool on a wire rack 15 minutes.
To prepare filling, combine 1/2 cup milk, 2/3 cup sugar, and next 4 ingredients (2/3 cup sugar through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
Heat 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat. Gradually add hot milk to sugar mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return milk mixture to pan. Add chopped chocolate; cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (about 5 minutes), stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared crust; cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill 3 hours or until cold. Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling. Sprinkle with grated chocolate.
Note: If you want to serve this with a dessert wine, try Thomas "Razz," nonvintage Washington State. It's made from raspberries, which go well with chocolate. If your wine shop doesn't carry it, ask them to order it for you.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

242 (30% from fat)

Fat:

8g (sat 4.6g,mono 2.1g,poly 0.8g)

Protein:

5g

Carbohydrate:

38.5g

Fiber:

0.1g

Cholesterol:

30mg

Iron:

1.4mg

Sodium:

189mg

Calcium:

83mg

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 1999

S'no Excuse!

Winter is officially here...  It snowed today!  It's only November 8th and we had snow!  Sadly, the first thing I thought was "ooooo, today would be a great day to sleep in!"  Well, Dillon and our cable had other plans!  Dillon woke up at 7 and climbed into bed with me, I put on the tv and snuggled in with my little guy only to find out that our wacky New England weather had apparently shocked our cable and it was out.  This meant NO SLEEPING IN, NO GOING BACK TO BED EVEN FOR AN HOUR.  UP, UP, UP! 

We went downstairs and as I usually do on Mondays, I made pancakes- the batch makes enough to eat until at least Wednesday if not more!  Dillon and I sat down and ate breakfast- pancakes with syrup and a yogurt for him, pancakes with a smudge of peanut butter for me.  By 8:15 we were ar Curves ready to work out.  Not gonna' lie, I don't remember the last time i was anywhere at 8:15, especially not aa gym!  (Yea, me!)  We worked out- I say we because Dillon likes to dance around on the cardio squares with me!  Then it was off to the store to get a few things we needed (and of course, a few things we didn't need!)

I really wanted to go home and wait for Dillon's naptime so that I could sleep too!  My parents had other ideas, they decided to come over and help on some projects around the house.  As disappointed and exhausted as I was, it was good to get some projects done AND it made me keep moving and keep working! 

Tomorrow we go for family pictures for the first time since last Christmas and 31 lbs. lighter for me~  Needless to say, I am pretty excited to see pictures of me that I actually feel confident enough to be in!  YEA!  So, after Kristen and I hit the gym tomorrow, I will try and tire Dillon out a bit and get him down for a nap early (fingers crossed) so that I can "beautify" and then get him up in time for a bath and get over to our pictures!  Another busy,  busy day!
I've been trying to walk to the gym as often as I can or as often as Dillon will allow, it's just a little added exercise!  But, when I woke up this morning I was thinking that walking would be over- well, why?  I have a stroller that I can bundle Dillon in, and I have clothes to bundle me in!  The walk is 15 minutes on a slow day, I can do it!  (Today by 8 the snow had changed over to rain, so I wasn't going to walk in a cold winter rain, but snow on the ground will not be an excuse for not getting in a little extra cardio!)  Weather permitting, I will try and continue walking to the gym everyday! 

S'NO EXCUSES!!!

Have a fabulous week!!!

It's Almost Turkey Time!- Here's a Cooking Light Turkey Recipe to Consider!

While I am not hosting Thanksgiving, I am hosting Christmas so I am looking for tasty, healthy recipes to serve the almost 20 people we will be having!  Let me know what you think of this one and if you try it before I do, let me know how it works!

Covering the turkey breast with foil deflects the heat and helps prevent the white meat from cooking faster than the dark. The Make-Ahead Gravy features a rich, homemade turkey stock base. Enhance the gravy with pan drippings from the turkey.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 6 ounces turkey and 1/4 cup gravy)

Ingredients

• 1  (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
• 2  cups  chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 1  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 6  thyme sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 6  sage sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 6  marjoram sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 6  parsley sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 4  rosemary sprigs, coarsely chopped
• 1  tablespoon  canola oil
• 2  cups  water
• 1  cup  water (optional)
• 3  cups  Make-Ahead Gravy
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh sage

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.
Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Trim excess fat. Combine chopped onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, thyme, chopped sage sprigs, marjoram, parsley, and rosemary in a small bowl. Stuff body cavity with onion mixture. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Brush turkey with canola oil; sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cover breast with foil. Place turkey, breast side up, on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Pour 2 cups water into pan.
Bake at 325° for 1 1/2 hours; remove foil, and baste turkey with pan juices. Add 1 cup water to pan, if needed. Bake an additional hour or until a thermometer inserted in the meaty part of the thigh registers 165°, basting every 30 minutes. Remove turkey from oven; let stand at least 30 minutes before carving. Discard onion mixture and skin.
Place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour drippings from pan into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off 1 bottom corner. Drain drippings into a bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
Place the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add the turkey drippings, the Make-Ahead Gravy, and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat, and cook until the gravy mixture is reduced to 3 cups, stirring occasionally (about 5 minutes).
Wine note: A wine for your Thanksgiving turkey must be one that will stand up tall to the flavors of the fixings, from the savory meatiness of the gravy to the piquancy of the cranberry sauce to the sweetness of the sweet potatoes and the earthy, richness of the stuffing. A generous, mouth-filling, soft-textured red is a great bet. Here's a terrific one that's powerful but plush: Robert Keenan Merlot from the Napa Valley. The 2003 is $34. -Karen MacNeil

Nutritional Information

Calories:

380 (23% from fat)

Fat:

9.5g (sat 3.3g,mono 2.7g,poly 2.3g)

Protein:

67.4g

Carbohydrate:

1.7g

Fiber:

0.1g

Cholesterol:

228mg

Iron:

4.6mg

Sodium:

363mg

Calcium:

49mg

Rick Rodgers, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2006

Can You Feel the Rhythm!?

Just finished Day 2 at Curves and all I can say is that I really am a huge fan already!  If you are a woman and joining a gym is just not for you, find a local Curves branch and give it a try!  It is quick, upbeat, and pretty fun!  There's no set number of reps, no timer to set on a treadmill ('cuz there isn't one!).  I joined yesterday (after my mom has talked it up to me for several years and I ended up with 5 months worth of gift certificates!)  I decided, as I said yesterday that it was going to be the day to check it out and give it a try.  My exercise compadre, Kristen joined too, so today we went together!

The exercises go by so quickly, and it's very social (if you want it to be) that you barely realize you're exercising before it says "change stations now."  It takes only 15 minutes to complete the entire circut once.  (Who doesn't have 15 minutes!)  We do the circut twice- 30 minutes of quick, easy, social exercise- whoever designed Curves is a genius!  They knew what they were doing when attempting to make an exercise program for women!    Over the last 2 days, I have been the youngest person each time I have gone, but I know there are other women my age that go, just at different times, and my mom says that at the Curves she goes to there are even girls in high school that go. 

Curves is a great place to go and exercise if you don't want to feel stressed out by men working out around you, or being a distraction!  And because this is designed to be social and quick, you don't have to stop your exercise to chat with someone, where as at a typical gym, I was finding myself sitting on a weight bench talking to someone more than actually using the weights!  I will be the first to admit that when I joined a gym with Steve, it was really hard for me to not just sit and chat or watch him because he knew how to use all of the equipment and what exercises to do on them, so I was relying on him to teach me.  We don't have a Bally or a gym around that really has people to help you out at the gym, believe me, I looked for one that wasn't over 40 minutes away!  So, when I signed up at Curves yesterday, Marie, the branch owner not only showed me how to use each machine, she actually did the entire 30 minutes of circuts with me so that I didn't have to do it alone!  That really, really impressed me and made me feel valued.  (I know it's probably part of the deal when a new member joins, but when I went back today with Kristen, she did the circut with us again to make sure we were using the equipment correctly still!)  She could've just followed us around the circut, but she chose to exercise with us!  Maybe I need to work at a Curves!  :0)  Then I'd do a whole lot more exercise because I know how nice it felt to have someone exercise with me, it's always easier in my mind to stay motivated when someone is motivating you! 

So, day 2 of Curves and I'm still hooked!  I actually cannot wait to go back!  Kristen and I are off to Curves again tomorrow, but when Dillon goes down for his nap in about 45 minutes I will do my sit-ups at each commercial break!  Hopefully, this will help all of my "Dillon leftovers" go away!  (Now, I know that I"ve lost all my baby weight and then some, but that little pouch of baby belly is still there and I am aiming for that to go!) 

Have a happy Thursday!  It's almost the weekend!!!

Weigh-In Wednesday

I am feeling great today!  We are back on our walking routine, so that is helping, but, as you now may recognize, it's weigh day for me!  Oh, Halloween, I was worried you'd tempt me, but low and behold- remember the whole not depriving myself of candy, but balancing it out with exercise thing?  I guess I did a pretty good job, because not only did I NOT GAIN, but I lost 1.6 lbs. busting me through the 30 lb. mark FINALLY!!!!!!!  I am SO excited!  Each time I hit a new 5 or 0 down, I get renewed faith that I can do this, and I'm winning the battle!  I feel so jazzed and energized that I think when I finish writing, today will be the day I join Curves.  I have NO EXCUSES today.  Dillon is with my mom for the day, I've already walked, and the laundry can wait! 

I also wanted you to know that I am so greatful for your kind words, your well wishes, and how some of you have even shared with me that I've inspired you!  When I started this adventure last week, I didn't think anyone would really care all that much about what I have to say.  But, today, my friend Steph, who is currently living in Germany shared with me that she reads almost everyday!  (Mind you, Steph does not have an ounce to lose even after having 2 beautiful boys, but she reads anyways!)  I have another reader- she and I share a mutual friend that we are both concerned about and only hope that we can motivate her to get active and healthy.  You stories, comments, and encouragement mean SO MUCH to me.  I honestly think this is partially why I did so well this week! 

So, thanks!  Now, I'm off to check our Curves!

Pumpkin Muffin Recipe

I made this recipe last week; it was quick, easy, and the muffins were delicious!!!!  It's  a cooking light recipe!

These spicy pumpkin muffins are good for a quick breakfast on the run or to include in bag lunches. A combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar in the recipe creates a crunchy topping that contrasts with the moist, tender muffins.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: 1 muffin)

Ingredients

• 2 3/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  granulated sugar
• 1  tablespoon  baking powder
• 1  teaspoon  baking soda
• 1  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1  cup  canned pumpkin
• 3/4  cup  fat-free sour cream
• 1/3  cup  fat-free milk
• 1/4  cup  vegetable oil
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1  large egg
• 1  large egg white
• Cooking spray
• 1  tablespoon  granulated sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  brown sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture.
Combine pumpkin and next 6 ingredients (pumpkin through egg white); add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon the batter into 18 muffin cups coated with cooking spray.
Combine 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and brown sugar; sprinkle over muffins.
Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool on a wire rack.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

164 (19% from fat)

Fat:

3.5g (sat 0.6g,mono 0.8g,poly 1.9g)

Protein:

3.5g

Carbohydrate:

29.7g

Fiber:

1g

Cholesterol:

12mg

Iron:

1.2mg

Sodium:

269mg

Calcium:

78mg

Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2002

Halloween Candy Getting You Down?

Do you have a big bowl of Halloween candy sitting on your counter?  In your fridge?  On the bed-side table on your side of the bed?!  Are you completly craving a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup?  Well, although you may be avoiding the candy aisle, take a trip down.  There are some untapped resources you may have never even known about!

Hershey's has graciously turned their delicious candies- several, anyways, into delicious 100 calorie treats! 

These little hidden gems are cruely placed within the candy aisle.  Sometimes it's difficult to find them and not every store has them.  But, when you are facing a big bucket of left-over candy and there's a craving you cannot shake, this is an alternative.  OR have one, then walk away.  You could even label them with the days of the week on them.  However you choose to fight a craving for an ything- not just candy, think about the fact that you don't have to deny yourself or deprive yourself, but you do have to hold yourself accountable at the bottom of the bowl!

Happy snacking!

OH BABY!

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloweekend!  Ours was quite busy!!!  Although I did eat some candy I also tried to balance it out with lots of walks and sit ups!  (We will see Wedneday how balanced I kept it!)

Well, today's post is really more about baby weight- namely, mine!  I FINALLY called the midwife's office to see what I weighed at my very first pregnancy appointment, and quite frankly, I was SHOCKED!  Seriously, shocked!  In October 2007, at my very first OB visit, I weighed 210 lbs.  Until I just heard the nurse on the phone say that, I was completly and totally under the impression that I went into pregnancy weighing 160ish lbs.  (I guess they are smart enough to not spend too much time on the weight process when you're supposed to be gaining!)  HOLY MOLY..  I am still pretty shocked as I just called about 10 minutes ago! 

I know what you're all thinking, so, how much did she gain throughout the entire pregnancy...  DRUM ROLL PLEASE-  The day before my water broke, I weighed in at 261 lbs. in June 2008.   For those of you doing the math, tht is 51lbs.  (Wouldn't it have been great if all of that came off when the baby came?!)  At my post-partum appointment in July, I weighed 226.  So, only 16 lbs. more than my starting pregnancy weight and only 3 lbs. more than my starting Weight Watchers weight! 

Reality check for the day, I think so!!!

Lots of people are starting to ask when we will have another baby.  Well, my current weight is 194 lbs.  Which, is 30 lbs higher than what I actaully thought my starting pregnancy weight was!  My other response is, if I have a baby now, I will just put all the weight I lost right back on.  If I continue in my quest to lose, I will be a healthier pregnant person, but I will also worry less about how much I gain when pregnant.  The idea of gaining weight right now, even to grow another human is horrifying to me!  So, I will continue to work my butt off- literally, I hope!!!  And we will see! 

So, for those of you living in weight denial, like I apparently had been for quite a while even before becoming pregnant, step on a scale, it may just be the motivation you need to get moving.  If I had made this phone calle 2 years ago, I might have already become a much thinner person!  Now, that I know those weight stats, I'm REALLY proud of the progress I've made since committing to lose!  29 lbs. since comitting to lose, 66 lbs. since baby, oh- and I am 15 lbs. lighter than  when when I got pregnant with Dillon!

Have a fabulous week!

It's Halloweekend!

Happy Halloweekend Everyone!

Well, it's that time of year...  The dress rehearsal for the "Holiday Season;" it's complete with costume and everything- a literal dress rehearsal!

How long ago did you buy your candy? (You know, they put it out in August!) Have you already eaten through that bag?  Need to buy more?  This is the time of year where candy companies make GIANT bags of the mini candy bars and label them "fun sized."  We all know they sell this size candy bar all year (for most major candies), but they are in little 10 packs and called "miniatures."  For Halloween they are re-titled, "FUN SIZE."   (At Easter, they are fun sized and packaged in pretty pastels!)  Really, wouldn't a truly fun candy bar be in fact so big that you need to tilt it back to fit it through the door?  That is exactly what Chris told us at the WW meeting about his idea of "fun sized", he would have to tilt it to fit through the door.  I thought about it.  Point well made, that would be fun!

I have previously thought of these "FUN SIZED" candies as eating 4 equals one whole regular sized candy bar.  For some that's true, but for others it's really eating 2 full candies!  Woops!  And while we are passing out candy or sitting by the leftovers on the counter OR sifting through our kids' candy, are we really just eating 1 or 2 or 3 or 4?  Nope, we're popping open packages of "FUN SIZED" skittles and M 'n M s and eating them like the candy companies are going to stop making them.  Or maybe we are the candy sneakers that sneak a piece here and there or maybe we don't sneak and we just re-visit the candy bowl a few times (or more than a few!) 

So, now that I'm actually really looking at everything I put in my mouth, I realize that each "FUN SIZED" candy bar is 2-3 points- now that is for one, when you eat more than one it really equals out to being a little more per additional candy each time in one sitting!  So that is about 100-150 calories per candy.  When you have only 1320 calories to paryt of your eating plan, that 1 candy really takes a big chunk out of them!

Have you planned what to do with leftover candy?  I have a few plans if I have any extra- we are in a very populated neighborhood, so I don't know what we will really have left over, but my plans are...

1.  I bought mostly candy that I don't like, but are still popular- no temptation there!
2.  Dillon is only 2 so this is his 1st year going trick-or-treating, so I will keep some M n M's and things like that for special treats for Dillon.
3.  As for the rest of the candies- well, Steve can take them to work or I will take them to the dorm for the girls! 

The plan is to get it out as soon as possible!

So, enjoy your Halloweekend, but don't over do it, every bite counts!

Hold the BLT!

Although I am not a tomato person...  I do love me some bacon!  However, I am not talking about a delicious sandwich today! 

BLT- Bites, Licks, and Tastes!
When you cook and bake, BLTs can add calories to your day that you aren't even considering.  A bite of cookie dough, taste testing the frosting...  It all goes back to our childhood, when we were kids and mom was baking you were always waiting in the wings to lick the beaters or run your finger across the bottom of the brownie batter bowl!  Fast forward to our own adulthood, and here we are sharing this memory with our kids by giving them BLTs and of course, BLTing ourselves!  But, think about how much frosting or whatever you are really eating- before you even treat yourself to a cookie or other delicious cooking concoction!  Well, I only ate one cookie!  (After all the baking, but how many cookies worth of dough did I eat?  How much frosting did I eat while baking?) 

There's some food for thought, huh?!

Well, Dillon and I made some festive Halloween cookies, bats, pumpkins, and ghosts.  Sugar cookies from scratch and frosting from scratch that was first used as is for the ghosts, then dyed orange for the pumpkins, and then to the orange we added as much green and blue food coloring as it took to make the orange frosting a dark gray for the bats! 

Of course we had to top them off with sprinkles!!!

I made 3 trays of these delicious, festive cookies!  1 went to one my best friends and her family, 1 went to our next door neighbors (with 2 kids), the other- we ate some, and the rest I brought to the dorm for the girls!  I'm not going to lie, I am SO glad they are out of my house!

SO my parting thought for the evening...  The next time you are baking, remember to hold the BLT!

The Hardest Day of the Week

Well, it's "Weigh-In Wednesday" as I've started to call it.  Wednesday is the day of the week my local WW meeting falls on.  A few weeks ago, Nicole, our former WW Leader started the meeting with pom poms and stating "point 2, point 4, point 6, point 8, why don't we appreciate?"  This was of course referring to only losing small amounts of less than a pound.  She wanted to know why we weren't happy with a point something loss, because, after all, it is a loss!  And you know, in the end, those small losses still add up!

Let me tell you, that I "only" lost .2 pounds this week, but you know what...  It was a great .2 because I am now officially back to my 29lbs. of weight loss!!!  Only 1 pound away from losing a full 30 lbs. in 6 months!  That's 5 lbs. a month my friends, and if I could keep it up, in May 2011, I will weigh 60 lbs. less!  So in keeping with perspective and appreciating every victory, yea for me!!!

I have learned that "losing weight" is not about how much you lose each week, but in appreciating the fact that I have continued to lose weight!  WIthout being as dilligent as I could have or should have been for that matter, I have still continued to lose weight!   Sometimes I don't feel like I've lost that much or that I don't look that different  I think about the fact that I can still wear my size 18 jeans comfortably, well no kidding, I'm getting smaller, they are a whole lot more comfortable!  But then, you have one of those "off the scale victories" I talked about a few days ago.  My off the scale victory this week:  My son "pantsed" me in the grocery store wearing jeans!  Yup, he grabbed ahold of my pants and jumped up and then on his way back down, took my pants clear to the bottom of my butt cheeks before I realized what was going on!  So, now I have to go buy jeans, the pants we all hate to buy or try on and hate to give up once we find that perfect pair.  I have to go buy a smaller size (maybe a few smaller!) because my kid could pull them off of me like they were sweatpants with an elastic waist!  In case you were wondering, I'm pretty sure that there was no one else in the aisle with us, at least not that I noticed!  If there were, well, at least I had on cute underwear!  You know, it all goes back to that whole idea of putting things in perspective!!!

So, Tuesdays I have dorm duty until late, where last night, admitidly, I snacked more than I needed to, but today was "judgement day" and I weighed in, and I still lost!  It is the hardest day of the week because it's the day where I find out which direction my journey is going!  But in the end whether I lose or gain, I know that I have a new week, with new challenges, and new opportunities.  I have another whole week to try again!  With weight loss there is no shame in starting over, no shame in recomitting.  It's only a shame when you give up and don't try again!  So, surround yourself with supportive people, the ones who will be your cheerleaders, not the "diet police,"  (there is nothing more frustrating than someone saying "are you allowed to eat that!), and try, try again!

Happy Weigh-In Wednesday Friends!

"Too Busy" Is Not a Reason, It's an Excuse

FOREVER I had a list a mile long as to why I was "TOO BUSY" to exercise.  Actually, for me it translated to "too lazy," but who real wants to face that reality?  I was a stay-at-home mom so "all" of my time went to laundry- I cloth diaper Dillon and the washing process is about 4 cycles of washing, plus all the other laundry, and I made Dillon's baby food, he has never had a jar of baby food.  Plus, I had dorm duty, my gosh, I had to stay up until midnight making sure that 20 teenaged girls didn't plot to take over the world!  (You know, teen girls are quite crafty!)  Then of course there was all the dishes- we didn't have a dishwasher, and Dillon would be crawling soon so the floor needed to always be cleaned!  Sound familiar?  Yup, life!

Steve always likes to use the phrase: "life's tough, get a helmet!"

Then, when Dillon was about 10 months old, our priest offered me a job teaching Kindergarten at our Parish's school.  Well, that just added to all I had to do!  (DUH) 

Dillon's 1st Birthday Party, 2 months after I started working!  My mother-in-law is standing next to me, but gosh, it looks like she's 1/2 behind me!

Good thing Steve loves me, because gosh, I am about twice the size of when he asked me to marry him in this picture!

I got a wii fit, thinking I would lose all my weight and then some!  Well, you know, life...  I justified not working out because Dillon needed me, or he was upset if I wasn't holding him, or it was so hard to do the wii fit wearing a baby- I had a sleepy wrap, which, Dillon loved, but you know, working out holding a baby made it harder... sigh...

See, all snug as a bug in his sleepy wrap!

I would get on kicks where I'd go and take a nice long walk around the campus everyday, then, life...  you know, it gets in the way!  Last fall, I returned to my Kindergarten classroom, I had the sweetest students, I had fabulous, suportive parents, and a great teaching assistant; the truly ideal classroom situation.  Well, amost every mom in that room was gorgeous, beautiful, and thin, after not one, but two kids!  WOW, seriously, if I could post pictures of these beautiful, wonderful, moms, I totally would.  Well, I wanted to be like them!  Good motivation, huh, these hot moms dropping their kids of to me!  Well, actually, it was! 

I started bringing healthy snacks to work- setting that good example for my students.  After Christmas I even propsed that our school do a "Biggest Loser" competition so that we could keep eachother motivated and healthy- no, I didn't win!  As I started taking these little steps toward healthy living, I realized that a real key ingredient I was missing was exercise.  But, sigh, life...  It was REALLY REALLY hard to fit it in!  So, I decided I needed to find ways to fit it in while doing the things I normally did.

Instead of parking as close as possible to a store, you can never find those spots anyways, I looked for the last spot in the parking lot so that I had to walk just that little extra to get to the store.  Instead of hopping in the car and driving to dinner at the dining room, I ploped Dillon in his stroller and hoofed it.  After work, instead of sitting on the couch watching Dillon play, we played outside and ran around.  And then, as I stated in the first post, I decided enough was really enough and I couldn't do it on my own, I joined weight watchers in May of 2010. 

Fast forward 1 year and 1 month from that lat picture of my mother-in-law and I to July 2010:

Believe it or not, we didn't plan our outfits ahead of time!  Now, scroll back up to the 1st picture of us and then back down again!  WOAH!  Now I have a waist and my face has a slimmer shape! 

(Yes, I know, round is a shape, actually, that is circle...)

Now when Dillon goes down for a nap, I still take the time to relax, catch some tv, and in general not do too much, but if I'm watching tv, I do sit ups at the commercial breaks- as many as I can without hurting myself or over exerting myself.  

Dillon and I spent 2 1/2 hours raking leaves and pine needles in our yard this morning before his nap, I have blisters on my hands and I am really exhausted, however, our yard is clear, we go fresh air, and I worked up one heck of a sweat!  The yard had to get raked, so I did it, and it was a great work out!  Now, none of these things I have talked about are a traditional form of exercise, but on days when I don't have a walking partner or I just am in the mood for a different type of exercise, these things all work! 

So, instead of making excuses as to why I cannot exercise, or why I don't have time, I have changed my lifestyle to incorporate exercising and activity into the things I already do or that I have to do.  My son weighs 30 lbs. so if I wear him in his carrier while I'm walking, it increases my "workout" or if I pick him up and swing him around while playing with him, or if I chase him or get up and dance to music with him, believe, me, it's a work out!

So, stop making excuses and make progress, make changes!



Taking the time to do the math!

I'm sure that lots of you are aware of substituting applesauce in your baking for the oil/shortening, that's a pretty publicized substitution, but what about cooking, you cannot put applesauce on your grilled cheese skillet!

According to weight watchers, 1 teaspoon of butter is worth 1 point or 52 calories.  However, you probably need at least a tablespoon for a grilled cheese, if not more.  1 slice of american cheese is worth 3 points or 156 calories- most people put about 3 slices, 468 calories, we haven't even added in the bread yet!  If you use a good wheat bread, it's generally about 1 point a piece.  So, let's say to make your grilled cheese you have 3 slices of american cheese, 2 slices of bread, and ere on the side of caution and say 2 tbsp. butter- that equals 13 points on a weight watchers scale, roughly 676 calories.  Most adults' caloric in-take is based on a 2000 calorie per day diet, and you have used up more than 25% of that daily in-take on 1 sandwich; that is before you add chips, fries, or whatever you put on the side, or before you dip it in anything- I know some of you are dippers!  Not to mention, that's if you only eat one and if you don't eat a piece or two of cheese while you're cooking!)

Now, how can we lighten it up?  If you substitute Brummel and Brown, a delicious butter substitute, that actually still tastes as good, but for only 45 calories per table spoon (not teaspoon!)- if you were paying attention earlier, that is less than 1 point per serving ( but we still call it one when we count points!)  The low-fat or diet breads can be as low as 2 slices for 1 point if you take the time to read the labels and choose the right one!  SO, already, if we use the same numbers as above, 2 tbsp. of Brummel and Brown = 2 points, slices of low-fat/diet bread= 1 point, that's 156 calories and all we have to add is the cheese!  If you still use the regular cheese, you've still reduced the caloric in-take considerably!  However, if you use 3 slices of low-fat cheese, you're at only 2 points per slice; if you can bring yourself to give the non-fat cheese a try, that's only 1 point per slice!  So, let's do the math:

Brummel & Brown+Diet Bread+Regular Cheese= 12 points, 624 calories, not too different from the full fat.

Brummel & Brown+Diet Bread+Low-Fat Cheese= 9 points, 468 calories, a much bigger calorie reduction

Brummel & Brown+Diet Bread+Fat-Free Cheese= 6 points, or 312 calories, less than 1/2 of the calories from the full fat version.

And there you have a healthier version of a yummy comfort food that you can enjoy with a soup, a salad, or even some baked sweet potato fries and even go back for seconds!

A Picture Walk to Give You a Perspective

This is me in high school, the one on the left!  My Wedding Day- June 24, 2006

Christmas 2007, 4 months pregnant

June 3, 2008- Hours before having Dillon

3 Months after having Dillon

January 2009, 7 months after having Dillon

Do you think I EVER saw this person when I looked in the mirror?!

July 2, 2010- 19lbs. lighter

October 2010- almost 30lbs. lighter than May!

Me and My Boys!

The Beginning

Welcome Everyone!

A few words of introduction:

My name is Liz, I just turned 27.  I am from Connecticut where I live with my husband of 4 years, my 2 year old son, Dillon, and our Miniature English Bulldog, Chloe; she is 4. We just purchased our first house in April.

I was adopted at birth, so medical history is a true mystery to me, so a part of my quest is to stay as healthy as possible since I am at a medical background disadvantage.  My son, and the possibilty of a future child are another reason I am working so diligently to stay healthy.  My husband and enjoying life in genreal is a third reason to get healthier.  But of course, the most important reason is for me!  SInce I have started losing weight I can buy clothes at the store without trying them on and I know they will fit (this is considered an off the scale victory), I can run up the stairs carrying my 30lb. son and not be winded at the top, and I have more energy to do things!

In high school (1997-2001) I was a 3-season Varsity athlete- soccer, basketball, and softball.  I played on recreational teams during the summer.  My first year of college, I realized very quickly that the people at the small Catholic college I was attending were much more interested in majoring in "Better Living through Chemistry" aka drugs and alcohol than I was.  I had a 4.0, I was in the college's musical production, I went to church each week and was a member of the church choir.  So, when I wasn't studying I had lots of free time, but most people were off partying.  I hit the gym.  I woke up at 5:45 and walked across campus to swim at 6am.  I would come back from the gym, go to class, and return to the gym to swim at noon.  Another class and then back to the gym to swim at 5:00.  After the 5pm swim I would go and do 30 minutes on a cardio machine and 30 minutes on a nautalis circut.  Needless to say, after a year of this, I was in even better shape than when I was playing 3 varsity sports! 

After my freshman year of college (2002), I came home and worked as a lifeguard for the summer at a camp for children with special needs.  It was this summer that I met my husband- well, I already knew him, but we actually started dating.  Steve was also very into exercise.  He had been chubby throughout high school although, quite active, so he was very into fitness.  I had decided to transfer to a school in Boston for my sophomore year.  The city was great, the school was challenging and fabulous.  I completed my sophomore year with flying colors.  I was living in an apartment off campus, and I had about a 30 minute commute via the "T."  I didn't have a regular eating schedule or a regular exercise schedule because it was "such a hassle" to bring all of my school books and exercise clothes for the day into the city with no real "home base" as I didn't live directly on campus.  After my sophomore year, I returned home and again worked as a lifeguard at the camp for special needs children- with my future husband.

My junior year of college, I returned to Boston, but this time lived in an apartment right in the middle of the city in Beacon Hill.  This location was ideal and I lived just across the Boston Common from my school!  In the spring semester of my Junior year, we competed in the National Student Advertising Competition (NSAC).  It was a select group of marketing majors that had to apply and be selected for this course.  We had many late nights and long weeks as we pushed to make our advertising campaign come alive.  This was my beginning...  or maybe I should call it my be-gaining.  We were so over-tired and over-worked.  We ordered take-out and bought late night snacks at the convenienve store.  The philosophy was "if 1 cookie makes me feel this much better, imagine how 6 would make me feel!"  Yup, we were all doing it, we ate to stay awake, to keep up energy, to survive.  At that point, it was really survival.  Steve, his friend, and his sister came up during this crazy push to see a Celtics game, I went with them, and I slept on Steve's shoulder through the whole game!  I cannot even tell you who the Celtics played!  We survived!  We came in 2nd in our region, but our school was so proud that they still sent our team to Dallas for the American Advertising Federation Conference, and to see the finals for the NSAC.  The year ended- Thank God!  Again, I returned home to work my summer as a lifeguard at the camp for children with special needs- with my future husband!  I had started to gain some weight, but not a whole lot.  I was back into an exercising routine with Steve and it was coming off again.

Fall 2004, I was beginning my senior year of college, but not just my senior year- my last semester, I was going to graduate a whole semester early!  I had more late nights, more crazy eating habits, not too truly weight gaining, but not losing either.  Just existing.  I finished in December of 2004 with a B.S. in Marketing- concentration in Public Relations and Advertising.  (Yea, me!)  That Christmas Eve, dressed as Santa, Steve proposed to me in front of all of our friends and family.  I had not a clue!  This jump started a weight loss kick!  I joined a gym and I joined weight watchers.  I was doing great!  That summer (2005), instead of returning to camp, I was offered a job at a local private high school in the admissions office.  I had been working for about 4 months when the director informed me I would be traveling to Mexico to recruit students.  I was thrilled because this also meant I would be able to reconnect with my friends in Mexico from high school!  This also meant, I lost my way (or should I say weigh).  With so many families and friends taking us to dinner, offering us food that we could not turn down to be polite, and drinks that were obligatory celebrations, even trying to track on the Weight Watchers online tool became impossible for me and I just stopped.  Well, after 2 weeks in Mexico, I never went back to Weight Watchers, I never went back to tracking my foods, but I did still go to the gym, but not as often as I should have.  I was coaching girls' basketball and I was getting in the mix and running drills and things with the girls- exercise, right?  And, I could keep up with them!

June 2006, I moved into an apartment in one of the girls dorms on campus.  June 24, Steve and I got married and left for a cruise to Bermuda the next day!  This was perhaps one of our busiest years.  Steve and I were both coaching 2 seperate teams, we were both working full-time at 2 different schools, and I had dorm duty- I was responsible for the girls every other night and every other weekend, which meant I had to stay up until 11pm/12am 3-5 nights a week.  And do you remember what it was that I did the last time I had to try and stay up?  Yup, I ate!  I did gain weight, but not huge amounts, I had little time to exercise. 

Fast forward to summer 2007.  I decided after 2 years to leave my job in the school building, but not the dorm parent part to persue my Master's Degree in Elementary Education.  In Septemeber 2007 I began an internship program at a local school that essentially paid for my entire semester of grad classes.  At the end of September 2007, I found out I was pregnant.  A true surprise, but a complete blessing!  I didn't tell Steve for almost a week after I found out and when I finally did, he was so surprised/shocked that I think he didn't talk to me for 2 days!  But, he came around!  For the first few months I didn't gain very much at all, in fact one month, I didn't gain anything, but that was okay because I had started off a little heavier.  (I should actually call my midwife's office and see what weight I first weighed in at.) I left my internship at Christmas break because with a baby on the way I needed to be earning some money, so I was planning on substitute teaching at the school Steve worked at.  January 2, 2008, we found out that we would be having a little boy!  (We had already decided on the name Dillon!)  So, I was due June 6, 2008.  In between January and June, I flew to California, I chaperoned a week-long walking trip of Philadelphia and New York City with 174 international students (at 8 months); I even climbed the "Rocky Steps" at the art museum, and I substitute taught every day that I wasn't on the trip and I had dorm duty every night (yes, you read that correctly, EVERY night) and every other weekend.  I stayed busy, but as you do when you are pregnant, I gained weight.  In the end, I have no idea how much I gained while pregnant.  (Again, I should call my midwife and find out!)  On June 2nd I had an appointment with my midwife, she set an induction date for that Friday (my due date), well, Dillon didn't want to be told when to come out, so he decided to make his on plans.  On June 3rd, the 1st day in 6 months I hadn't taught, my water broke in the afternoon.  On June 4th at 2:27am, Dillon Robert came into our lives.

Over the next 2 years, I have no idea what I gained or lost, only that I had to shop at stores that I felt ashamed of because they were stores that people had referred to as "fat people stores" or the "fat person version of..... (insert store name here).  I was SO down on myself and I don't think I really bought any new clothes, with the exception of things for special occassions in the 2 years.  Then, in May of 2010, I decided that enough was enough.  I re-joined Weight Watchers and I committed hard-core to losing weight.

On May 5, 2010 I weighed in at 223.6 lbs.  As I said, I have no idea what that was relative to my first midwife appointment in 2007, but when I saw that, I was determined to not leave myself this way any longer.  By June 2nd I was 12.4 lbs lighter, weighing in at 211.2, but in just 4 weeks, had met and exceeded by 1.4 lbs my 5% weight loss goal.  By July 7th I had lost an even 20lbs, weighing in at 203.6 lbs.  By August 4, I weighed 200.6 lbs, making me 23lbs. lighter.  September 1, I FINALLY broke 200, I weighed 199.4lbs.  To most, they'd say "um, that's still pretty much 200lbs, but to me, FINALLY being under 200lbs. made me feel like I'd hit the lottery!!!)

Now I am back on dorm duty 2 nights a week and 1 weekend a month, and these nights prove to be my eating downfall and thus have slowed my weight loss process.  On September 29 I was 194.6lbs for an even 29lbs.  Then came my weekend on duty, the next week I weighed in 1.8 lbs. heavier- back up to 196.4 lbs.  I was SO upset with myself, it was such a huge setback to me.  I ended up skipping the next week because I was babysitting my friend's son, and i was not stressing myself out to weigh in with 2 toddlers!  So, I weighed in again on the 20th of October and I was down 1.6 lbs. putting me at -28.8 lbs, almost back to my -29. 

When I lost 25lbs, I donated 25lbs. of food- this is what 25lbs. of weight looks like, now imagine that on your body:

With holidays headed my way, I know that I will need to remember to track and be more diligent about substituting healthier ingredients in my cooking and baking.  I have been walking 2-4 miles about 3 days a week with a friend, but I find it a little hard (and I'm a little lazy) about going without her, but some days, I do!  I am also going to join Curves, as I have taken the sign that 3 gift certificates equalling 5 free months have come into my life.  So, now I am back on my weigh to being a healthier, more fit person! 

So here's my question to all the people who wait (weight) for January 1st or more often, TOMORROW to lose weight:  WHAT ARE YOU WEIGHTING FOR?!  I am not saying you have to do anything that I've done, but think about what will work for you?  Find your support, find an exercise buddy, find something that works for you!  Don't weight any longer!