Moved on...

So, christmas was less than a week ago, and I feel that I am fully back on track. From now on, everyday counts. I have my one year on the 18th of Febuary and I have a goal I need to reach. No more slip ups for me!

Here is my entry from today:

Breakfast: Multigrain cheerios: 150
                Apple: 80

Lunch: Panera- 1/2 turkey sandwhich: 280
                        Cup of french onion soup: 200

Snack: 2 chocolates :( : 120

Dinner: 1 slice of pizza: 250
            Large salad w/ chicken: 400

Snack: Yogurt: 90
            Orange slices: 60

Total: 1630
Water: 81 oz
Workout: 1 hour and 20 minutes at gym. Cardio + Toning.

I decided to start documenting my loss with pictures. I took my first photos on December 2nd. Since I only lost 4 pounds during December, I'm going to wait till my 1 year to take another picture. I will put those up around that time!

After xmas,

Christmas is over, and I am so sad. It was so so fun this year! I got amazing presents, had an amazing time with my family and am just over-all happy with everything. The day after christmas, there was a huge snow storm. We measured 23 inches of snow on our deck. It was so pretty! We all got stuck in our house and I spent the day watching movies. It was nice to finally have a day of doing absolutley nothing. Then, yesturday, I went shopping :). I wanted to spend some of my christmas money, however, I couldn't find anything! I am definalty in between sizes. Everything kind of fit weird. It was just not a good day for clothes. I did get toning sneakers though. I can't wait to wear them on the tredmill, and just out and about to see if they work. I got them on sale, so if they suck, I only spent 25 dollars on them.

When it comes to my weight I gained nothing, I lost nothing. This is the best outcome for me. Of course I would have loved to lost weight, but in reality I knew that wasn't going to be the case. On christmas of course I let lose. I had pasta for the first time in almost a year, I had a lot of yummy food but I don't care. It was christmas, I totally deserved to have one day of bliss. I've been using all my new amazing work out stuff. That definatly helped me not gain anything, I have been continuing to work out, which has been so fun. I needed to jazz it up, and it's paying off for sure.

Moving forward, I am back on track and excited. I have my one year coming up in 1 month and 3 weeks. I have my 65 pound goal way at the top of my list, and cannot wait to reach it!

Messing up.

I have officailly decided to just put this all on hold till the day after xmas. I am just getting way to frusterated and stressed. It's not worth ruining my holiday season. I think if I just stop stressing out about it, I won't "fuck up" so bad anyway. Mind you, my idea of "fucking up" is eating something healthy, that is out of the norm, and not recording. Also, I had 2 chocolate chip cookies 3 days in a row now. I haven't gained weight at all I just do not feel right. Im kind of a perfectionist, if you haven't already got that vibe, and I need things to be just right, and if they aren't, I put pressure on myself. Anywho, tomrrow I am going to the city, so with all the walking I will be doing Im not worried at all about gaining. Christmas day, my mom is making over-all healthy stuff, so Im not worrying. I'm just so so so excited for the day after xmas when I can just get fully back on track! I want this weight off so bad, and this month has honestly been a stuggle. I only lost 4 pounds this entire month. My mom keeps telling me I am nuts because most people gain like 10 pounds over the holidays, but Im not happy with my results. I am going to really push myself hard the end of December/begining of January before my semester starts on the 18th.

Since everything got messed up cause of this month, I knocked down my 1 year goal to 65 pound loss instead of 70. I definatly do not want to put unrealistic expectations on myself ontop of Decembers disappointment.

Anyway, I have been watching a lot of the biggest loser. What an amazing show! I never really followed it before but it is so inspirational.  I know the season ended, but I have in on demand. The new season starts on the 3 or 4 and Im super excited to follow the whole season. It's truley amazing how much those people lose in like 7 month. The person that won lost 120ish pounds I believe, that is incredible!!! Seeing how happy they were and their families was seriously beautiful. I cannot wait to feel that way when I reach my goal.

Here is my sad, sad journal entry from today.

Breakfast: Whole wheat bagel w/
                 reduced fat cream cheese:  340
                 Coffee: 30                            
                                                                   TOTAL: 370

Lunch: Big salad w/ grilled chicken
                               Carrots
                               Cucumbers
                               Crutons
                               Blue cheese crumbles
                               Balsamic = 360

Apple: 80                                             
                                                                TOTAL: 440


Snack: 2 homemade cookies: 200
           Diet swiss miss hot coco w/
           1 tbsp chocolate syrup: 80
                                                              TOTAL: 280

Dinner: Steamed veggies w/ beef 250
            1 cup white rice  200                      TOTAL: 450

TOTAL: 1540
Water: 70 oz.

Today sucked..

Yum.

I made a discovery not to long ago. I realized there are 4 foods I eat almost everyday. I noticed it one day looking through my food journal. This got me thinking about these foods, I did some research and was very happy. I wanted to share the health benefits I found.

Eggwhites. They are high in protein, and low in cholesterol. 1 cup of egg whites has as much protein as a 4 oz peice of chicken. Eggwhites also have many nutirents like, potassium, magnesium, calcium and phosphorus.

Apples. Apples are amazing. In one study I read about, they actually help shed pounds. They also help prevent diseases like types of cancer, and alzheimers. They always protect your bones.

Green Tea. It is packed with antioxidants which alone is a great reason to drink it daily. It also helps your body burn more fat. It is such a benefit to your over-all health.

Almonds. This is my favorite food on this list. I love almonds!! They are the most nutrient nut. I have heard that eating almonds on an empty stomach is more beneficail, so your body absorbs all the good stuff. Almonds are also good for your skin! Almonds contain vitamin E, calcium, and iron.

Holidays... ugh.

Things have been rough. I haven't lost anything in the past week, haven't gained either, which is good. However, I am still disappointed.With christmas coming closer, things are getting so much more difficult. I just kind of can't wait for it to be over. Not the holiday and the fun of it, just the food part. I have been feeling really bloated, and having heartbrun. I just feel tired also, all the sugar I think. My body feels out of wack. Im eating normally, but, when everyone in my house is baking, and making yummy treats, it is so hard to say no. I told myself not to deprive myself of anything, but the effect it is having on my body is just awful. I feel gross! From now on I think I will skip all the holiday treat stuff. I don't even want it anymore. I have lost interest.

Even though it has been hard, I am having such an amazing week. One final tomrrow night, and I am officaily done :)! My grades this semester are really good. In one of my classes, I got the highest grade! That was definatly a first. Im happy I was able to focus on school and my weight loss, because I lost 25 pounds over the course of the semester. I'm just going to have to hang in there for the next week, hope for the best, and do my best.

Crystal Renn

She is my IDOL. I used to work at Torrid, and she had done some modeling for the store. I thought that she was absolutly gorgeous, and I have had an obsession with her now for about 4 years. When her book came out I jumped right on it and have read it 2 times, about to read it a third. She is such an inspiration not only to plus-size women, but all women. Her courage is proof this it is OK to be yourself, as long as it makes you happy. Watch this video to get more of an idea of her story. It is a beautiful one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaBUM6o0v1Y

YAY!

So, I was totally right about the stress thing. I got almost everything done over the weekend, and this morning when I got on the scale, -3 pounds! I am SO happy, I cannot even put it into words. I feel completely on track and just ready to continue.

A lot of great things are happening for me. School is over in exactly 1 week! Only one small paper left to write and 2 finals. One of which I am totally going to kill. So overall school is deffinatly ending, and I am so happy. This winter break is going to be so amazing. I will just get to relax, and work on my weight loss! It's perfect timing to have this kind of break, so I can really work hard for my 1 year weight loss goal. My sister will also be home for a month! She lives in Arizona, and I have only seen her for a weekend since august, so sad! All of these factors will really help me stay positive and work even harder. I am just so happy!

Stress Effects ...

Finally, the weekend is here, and I have no weight loss to report. I have been eating almost perfectly, and went to the gym everyday this week except  monday and thursday. Im postive its just stress thats preventing the numbers on the scale to drop. I am so used to this, and it is so utterly annoying. Like this week, I could be so motivated to lose this and go to the gym, but nothing will happen! It has happened to me before. I do have a plan though!

I am NOT going to get discouraged. I know exactly why I am not losing the weight, I am not going to mess myself  up for any reason. I am going to keep eating good and going to the gym as scheduled. School and the fact that chritmas is coming up I think are my 2 main stressors. So this weekend I am springing into action. I have 2 major papers due this week, I am going to write one today, and one tomorrow. I am going to do the rest of my chirstmas shopping tonight. That was instead of dragging out my stress for another week, Im going to get it over with this weekend, so hopefully next week I have a fair chance of starting my weight loss up again when I am working very hard too.

I am also SICK. I have a stomach virus or something. Even though my mom thinks it's just from stress. No time to even think about it..

Feeling very motivated.

Although this week is literally from hell, I want to keep a level head. I know I need to worry about finals and school but unlike last semester (when I didn't lose anything for about a month at the end) I am putting myself high on my priority list. I am at a very important place right now. I feel motivated and REALLY want this weight off, I am not going to stop, not even for the next 2 weeks untill this semester is over. I am giving this 100% and school 100% I don't care how tired I am, I'll have an entire month off to recooperate :).

Tomrrow night in one of my classes we are having an end of the year party. Everyone gave money and we are getting chinese food. What a great thing to eat, right? I also made really, really cute cupcakes for the occasion, and I know other people are bringing dessert type stuff. I'm excited for this but nervous too. It's hard to enjoy myself when I am worrying about what I'm eating. My plan going in is just to have really small portions. Like, a couple bites. I'll eat something filling and healthy before hand. Also, go right to the gym after class.

Tonight at the gym I felt so great. I was on the elipical for 45 minutes. That was a first! I rememeber when I first starting going to the gym, I couldn't stay on it for 15 minutes. I love having small reminders like that to motivate me, and help me rememeber how truly far I have come, and how hard I have worked.

Here is my journal:

Breakfast: 1 cup cheerios with 1/4 cup milk: 130
                Small Banana: 80
                Coffee: 30                     TOTAL: 240

Lunch: Footlong veggie sub on wheat
          (tomato, lettuce, cucumber, green pepers,
          sweet pepers & banana pepers, no sauce)
                                                     TOTAL: 430

Snack: Pretzel/Almond/Raisin mix: 190
           Apple: 80                           TOTAL: 270

Dinner: 4oz chicken: 120
           Brown rice: 220
           Big salad: 130                    TOTAL: 470

Snack: Whole wheat crackers: 70
            Cheese: 35
           Clementine: 25                    TOTAL: 130

TOTAL: 1540
Water: 87 oz
Workout: 45 min. on eliptical, 25 minute toning stuff.

I have 2 months and 10 days until my 1 year anniversary of when I started this. I have that 70 pound goal in mind every morning, I wrote a sign for the back of my bedroom door, I want it more then anything!!!!!

STRESSED.

The end of the semester is coming up quick, I am swammed with essays, projects and a ton of other stuff. I am so stressed! Whenever I got a free second today I was doing my work. My eating was a little off today, I had to rush to class, so didn't have a real dinner.

Breakfast: Eggwhite & cheese on whole wheat: 150
                Clementine: 30
                Coffee: 30                               TOTAL: 210

Lunch: Lean cusine (Chicken stir fry w/ veggies): 300
           String cheese: 80
           Blueberries: 25
                                                               TOTAL: 405
Snack: 2 chocolate chip cookies :( : 220
           Apple: 80                                      TOTAL: 300

Dinner: Turkey sandwhich on whole wheat: 160
            Almonds: 170
            Fruit crisp bar: 100                     TOTAL: 430

Snack: Salad w/
            Free Italian dressing: 20
           1 tbsp of bacon bits: 25
           1/4 cup feta cheese: 90               TOTAL: 150

TOTAL: 1495
Water: 80 oz
Workout: Pilates, 30 min. on bike.

Hopefully things ease up soon! The semester is over in 2 weeks! I cannot wait.

Pilates, I love you.

Pilates are seriosuly incredible..

6 years ago I saw an infomercail for pilates. It looked to good to be true. I was out shopping with my mom one night and saw a pilates dvd. I thought to myself, what the heck! I bought it and I have loved it ever since. They really, REALLY work. If you hate working out, you will not hate pilates. I have a 20 minute workout on dvd, and a 45 minute pilates workout. It's great, and they are fun. If you follow along with the instructor, and do them consistantly, you will see results. I started doing them just 2 times a week (still working out other days) about 3 weeks ago, and I have already lost 2 inches from my thighs, and another 2 inches from my waist. It's great you can do them alone in your room! I really want to join a class soon to learn about them even more!

Here is my journal from today-

breakfast: Total cereal w/ skim milk: 280
                Coffe: 30                              TOTAL 310

lunch: chicken & rice stir fry: 280
         Salad w/ free italian, cheese, and crutons: 140
                                                             TOTAL: 420

Snack: Kelloggs Fruit crisp bar: 100
           Handful of Almonds: 100

Dinner: (Panera) Soup: 190
                         Salad:     180
                          Bread: 180               TOTAL: 560

Snack: Apple sprinkled w/ cinnomon: 80

TOTAL: 1570
Water: 87 oz

My eating could have been better today, I definaatly should have had more fruit. I was out and about all day, so I did what I could!

Low calorie options.

Often when my friends, or family ask me how I am losing weight and I say, just eating healthy, they seem disappointed. Like I have some magic spell thats helping me lose this weight that will help them too. Eating healthy IS the magic spell! It just takes work. I have found and fell in love with many products that are healthy, and low calorie that I have come to eat quite often. They really help me stick to this change.

COUNTRY KITCHEN LIGHT WHOLE WHEAT BREAD:


This bread is so GOOD! It is only 35 calories per slice. At first it may seem a little smaller, but the taste is so good. It fills you up without adding 160 calories, which 2 slices of normal whole wheat bread are.


ALL WHITES 100% LIQUID EGG WHITES:

I eat eggwhites every morning. It's good to start your day with protein, and eggwhites have it! It's 30 calories per 1/4 cup. I scramble them, or make an omlette, or a sandwhich. They are super quick.

BORDEN FAT FREE CHEESE:

 

This cheese is only 30 calories per slice! I normally see a red falg when I see packaged cheese but this particular brand is farmer owned and tastes really good.

KRAFT FREE ITALIAN DRESSING: 

I am a salad freak. This dressing is heaven sent for me. Its 20 calories per 2 tbsp. That is a lot of dressing for barley any calories. It has a really bold flavor which I love as well.

KELLOGG'S FRUIT CRISPS:

These are amazing. They taste like crunchy pop tarts. When I am craving something sweet I eat these. 2 per pouch! Only 100 calories.

EDY'S FRUIT BARS:

These ice pops are so good. When everyone in my house is eating ice-pops or ice cream and I want something too, I get one or two of these. Only 30 calories per pop! Super good!