Hot for the Holidays Challenge

No loss this week...still recovering from TOM! ARGH!

Lyn's Habit a Week Challenge Week 4

I am doing Lyns Habit a Week Challenge we are on week 4 of 16
Week 1- Fix your water intake
Week 2- Move Get up and move daily
Week 3- Eat a Veggie
Week 4- Increase your Fiber

Didn't do so hot with the eating of the veggies this past week. TOM kicked my butt! It made me wanna shovel anything and EVERYTHING I could into my mouth. UGH! This will be a good challenge as my 'witch' Dr wanted me to increase my fiber without a 'pill'...ugh....going back next week and so far NOT so hot :( BUT my Acid Reflux has pretty much diminished to once or twice a week instead of 5 or 6 times a day! I'm all but off of the Prevacid, just taking the Licorice Root. YEAH!

Just a funny for all us 'exercisers'

Lyn's Habit a Week Challenge Week 3 Eat a Veggie

I am doing Lyns Habit a Week Challenge we are on week 3 of 16
Week 1- Fix your water intake
Week 2- Move Get up and move daily
Week 3- Eat a Veggie

Last week's challenge went well for me but I didn't push it until Saturday when a 'light' went on and I have done very good since then. I've walked for 15-20 minutes with the Walking away the Pounds dvd's which are more 'intense' than normal walking. I am doing the 1 Mile ones right now and I am feeling the burn and feeling great about it!

This week's challenge is to increase your veggie intake. This will be somewhat hard for me, I do eat a lot of salads for lunch and have started having more and more veggies as snacks, but I need variety, having carrots & green bell peppers for snacks every day in and out gets mundane.....gonna try and 'spice' things up a bit.

Chubby Chicks Christmas Challenge Week 8 Weigh in!

Name: Heather
Pounds Lost This Week: 2.6 (Weigh in 219.2#)
Total Christmas Challenge Pounds Lost: 8.8
Pounds to Go to Reach Christmas Goal: 21.2
Weekly Summary: I have started exercising more and I think it is really paying off! I am doing the Walk At Home DVD's. Right now I am doing a 'Walking Away the Pounds 21 Day Challenge' (my own), and it's very motivating so far...day #3

Pushing myself!

I pulled a muscle in my chest somehow today at work, it hurts when I breathe deep but I was BOUND and determined to get the exercising in and even though I set out for the 2 Mile High Calorie Burn, I was only able to do 1 Mile of it. Which IMO is better than nothing. I was going to give up after 5 minutes too and I told myself I needed it, then looked at my 'poster' on the wall and WANT that Better Fit in my clothes after 3-4 days walking dang it! Thanks everyone for the encouragement! It helps!

Walking Away The Pounds 21 day Challenge
Day 3: WATP for Abs: 1 Mile of the 2 Mile High Calorie Burn

Justa lazy sunday

Walking Away The Pounds 21 day Challenge

Day 2: WATP Abs: 1 Mile Walk w/waist belt (hoping to be up to 2 miles this week)

I'm proud of myself! It's just a little after 12:30 and I've already done my exercise for the day. I am psyched for this challenge I've done for myself! I hope I can keep it up!

I am SO Munchie today. TOM is coming this week, I think that's why! It's BAD! ARGH! Definitely using flex points today! I ran out of my Woman Vitamins from Watkins and the past 2 months have been HECK with the TOM. My Natural Dr, suggested Evening Primrose Oil to help so I'm trying that.

Walking away the pounds!

I received this in my email this week from Leslie Sansone's Walk at Home Program
and it's just what I need...'kick in the butt' to get me walking again! I do good sporadically then just taper off and quit.

What you can expect after 21 days walking our way:
Instantly, during your first walk...your mood improves! You know you are doing something good for your life! You can overcome any setbacks or challenges. Walking makes you feel that GOOD!
After 3-4 days of walking...you will notice the "better fit" or more room in your clothes!
After 7 days of walking...real changes are happening! You have used body fat as energy (fat burning!) Muscles feel more toned! Do you notice that you make healthier choices at meal time as well? That's the POWER OF WALKING!
After 14 days of walking...you have lost REAL body fat! 4-5 pounds of actual body fat looks like 7-10 pounds lost! A more proportioned body is emerging!
After 21 days of walking...you are down a size of clothing! Muscles are more defined, inches are lost, 6-10 pounds are gone! Your energy is through the roof! All health measurements improve- blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels and so much more!

Start Walking Strong!

__________________
I'm going to challenge myself to do 21 days of the Walk at Home DVD's! This is a difficult thing for me, especially on my day's off....gonna do it!

Today's DVD: Walk away the Abs 1 Mile walk (couldn't handle more...too stiff/sore).

Friday Focus October 17th

This weeks good n bad
1- Bad: Not planning the meals
2- Good: Lots of days drank all my water
3- Bad: Not enough Exercise didn't exercise EVERY day
4- Bad: Too many Sweets
5- Good: Increased Vegetables
6- Good: Realized that 4 days of the week at work, I get about 5 hours of exercise in, (cleaning, washing walls, windows, making beds, scooping litter boxes, carrying about 5 18# garbage can loads out to dumpster)
(Goodness I tend to have lots of the same Good N Bad's)

Next Weeks Goals:
1- Stay on Plan! (Plan and Prepare....last minute meals are a weakness)
2- Exercise 5 days This is a start for me
3- Contine with water drinking EVEN on day's off!
4- Make an eating out "Safe Bet List" Basically a list of my favorite fast food places and 'safe' meals so I don't go overboard like I did

I need to continually focus on my goals. I'm going to type them up and print them out and put them EVERYWHERE so they are in my constant attention!

Healthier 'Alternative' Recipe

For the Plumping your Pumpkin challenge over on Choosing to Lose, this week's bonus challenge was to find a healthier alternative to your favorite 'fatty' recipe. My ALL TIME favorite is Taco Salads...decked out:

Here's what I found:

The new recipe is quickly becoming a favorite! I love Hungry Girl's recipe. We have it regularly here now! Here's the old one, Taco Salads have ALWAYS been my favorite! Now I eat them with a lot less fat & lots less calories: Traditional Taco Salad: Shell, Refried Beans, Hamburger, Quacamole, Cheese, Tomatoes, Sour Cream Serving Size: 1 salad (including shell) Calories: 945 Fat: 57g Carbs: 72g Sodium: 1,910mg Fiber: 12g Sugars: 8g Protein: 38g POINTS® value 23* Hungry Girls Rockin Taco Salad HG's Rockin' Taco Salad Taco-tastic! Taco salads have been around since the '60s. And they seem to be getting greasier and more calorie-packed as the decades pass. Not to worry -- HG is here with a version that has a mere FRACTION of the calories and fat of your typical taco salad. Here's the scoop... Ingredients: 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce 1/2 package Boca Meatless Chili (or about 2/3 cup of another low-fat veggie chili**) 1/4 cup chopped tomato 1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese 2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream 1 tbsp. chopped or sliced black olives 6 Guiltless Gourmet Tortilla Chips (any flavor -- or any other baked tortilla chips**), crushed Directions: Prepare chili as directed on package. Place lettuce in a big bowl. Top with tomatoes, chili and cheese. Then add the olives and sour cream. Finish off with the crushed tortilla chips, and enjoy! MAKES 1 SERVING Serving Size: 1 salad (entire recipe) Calories: 230 Fat: 3.5g Sodium: 794mg Carbs: 31g Fiber: 10g Sugars: 7g Protein: 23g POINTS® value 4*

My 5 Weight Loss Tips

1- Drink all your water EVERY day, limit sodas/carbonated beverages
2- Plan for snacks each day etc so you don't have 'binge' moments (moments where you've got the munchies and just grab whatever's closest). For me my 'binge' moment is the 30 minute drive home from work.
3- Keep on top of your weight. I know you're not supposed to weigh in every day but for me it helps me keep track of major fluctuations so I can make adjustments to my plan, BUT I only record it for MY records 1 x a week. Just don't dwell on the dailies or you'll go NUTS! Basically if you only weigh in once a month or every few months...that weight'll creep up on you!
4- Indulge in Healthy Desserts --For me I do the Smart One's desserts, staying within points but not 'going' crazy with points and most of the time they 'hit the spot'.
5- Support Groups --I LOVE the Choosing To Lose Forum Weight loss is a DIFFICULT task and one that shouldn't be attempted alone. Support systems, whether it be WW, C2L, Friends, Family etc are GREAT as it keeps you on track and supports you with your ww.

Share your weight loss tips! I'd love to hear them!

I'm Deficient.....

Well I got my blood test results back yesterday...WOW only 1 week! I STILL haven't heard from my other Dr other than that my pap was normal. Anyways I'm Vit D Deficient. Normal ranges are 32.0-100.0 My level was at 30.3. It says Recent Studies consider the lower limit of 32.0 ng/ml to be a threshold for Optimal Health. So I guess I need more sunshine :). He wants me to start taking 5000mg twice daily for 2 months then down to 1x day with rechecking levels in 6 months. It explains some of the bone/muscle weakness/pain I've been experiencing while exercising.

Lynn's Habit a Week Challenge Week 2

I am doing Lyns Habit a Week Challenge we are on week 2 of 16
Week 1- Fix your water intake
Week 2- Move Get up and move daily

This is a hard one for me, I'm not an exerciser by any means, I have spurts where I'm motivated but most of the time I'm just ....blah about it! I NEED to do this. I even bought an Elliptical machine a few months back and have only used it about a dozen times. I can do this!

Cute Diet Crafty Ideas....

~ MAGIC WEIGHT LOSS BEANS ~

1 Remove beans from bag.
2 Throw them on the floor.
3 Bend down and pick up each bean.
4 Repeat hourly as needed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ HOME EXERCISER ~ (a block of wood)
1. Place in middle of the floor
2. Walk around it two times
3. Rest, you've just walked around the block two times.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ Three-Step Diet Program ~

Three plastic forks,
Step 1 :for 20-30 lbs weight loss, 1 has only one tine removed and label the fork with "1"
Step 2: for 30-50 lbs weight to lose, 2 has two tines removed and label the fork with "2"
Step 3: 50 lbs + has all tines removed and label the fork with "3"
All three are put into a bag together and they can diet in a 3 step program.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
~ Diet Rock ~
I am a little diet rock
As cute as I can be.
Although I'm sweet to look at,
I'm both fat and sugar free.
When you get up each morning
Lift me high into the air,
Then set me on the floor 10 times
Before sitting on the chair.
Please place me on the table
At the place YOU plan to eat
And remember I am watching
What YOU do and what YOU eat.
When you are serving up your plate
Please leave my section free,
And I'll reduce the calories
By the space you saved for me.
After you have eaten,
Although I'm just a rock,
Please slip me in your pocket
And take me for a walk.
If YOU do this faithfully,
Then in a month or two,
Although I'll still be just the same,
YOU'LL be a slimmer you.
- unknown

Chubby Chicks Christmas Challenge Week 7 Weigh in!

Pounds Lost This Week: None
Total Christmas Challenge Pounds Lost: 6.2
Pounds to Go to Reach Christmas Goal: 23.8
Weekly Summary: Week went well, had a lot of Reflux so had to watch what I ate which didn't help much in the Weight loss dept.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Ever since I saw the movie way back when I've wanted to try some and have just never gotten around to it. Well here in Utah we had SNOW this weekend....and this weeks forecast is 71! LOL! You know you live in Utah if you have SNOW and 70's in the same week :). Anyways my mom and dad had a TON of tomatoes and a lot were green so I picked some up and made some Fried Green Tomatoes tonight!
YUMMY! I really enjoyed them! Here's the Recipe I used:

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES from Southern Living

Yield

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 3 medium-size green tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch slices
• Vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Combine egg and buttermilk; set aside.

Combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, cornmeal, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or pan.

Dredge tomato slices in remaining 1/4 cup flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in cornmeal mixture.

Pour oil to a depth of 1/4 to 1/2 inch in a large cast-iron skillet; heat to 375°. Drop tomatoes, in batches, into hot oil, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Sprinkle hot tomatoes with salt

***IMO they could have used a little more flavoring in the breading...not sure what though.

How much water a day?

Hydration Calculator Results - How Much Water You Need to Drink Today

Here is how much water you need to drink today.

A person who is 220 pounds
and is exercising for 30 minutes ,
is not pregnant,
is not breastfeeding,
lives at a high altitude,
lives in a dry climate,
drinks 0 alcoholic drink(s),
when the weather is not very hot or very cold,
and is not sick with fever or diarrhea should have:

129 ounces of water today, or 3.9 liters.
If you eat a healthy diet, about 20 percent of your water may come from the foods you eat. If you eat a healthy diet you can drink 103.2 ounces of water today, or 3.1 liters.

Remember that water is the best source for your daily fluid needs. Other good beverages include milk, herbal teas, low-sodium broth, 100% fruit and vegetable juices. Soft drinks will also count toward your daily total of fluid, just remember that sugar sweetened soft drinks and fruit juices add extra calories to you daily diet that you don't need.

Chubby Chicks Christmas Challenge Week 6 Weigh in!

Pounds Lost This Week: 2.3
Total Christmas Challenge Pounds Lost: 6.2
Pounds to Go to Reach Christmas Goal: 23.8
Weekly Summary: Good week, had some upset tummy issues, but I'm determined to stick with the diet and lose this darn weight!

Friday Focus October 3, 2008

Here's this week's Friday Focus:

This weeks good n bad
1- Bad: Not planning the meals
2- Good: Lots of days drank all my water
3- Bad: Not enough Exercise didn't exercise EVERY day

Next Weeks Goals:
1- Stay on Plan! (Plan and Prepare....last minute meals are a weakness)
2- Exercise 5 days This is a start for me
3- Contine with water drinking EVEN on day's off!
4- Make an eating out "Safe Bet List" Basically a list of my favorite fast food places and 'safe' meals so I don't go overboard like I did

So I sort of blew last weeks goals but am going to work on it! I NEED this! I am down to 221.8 which is the lowest I've been in a while! I am SO going to lose the rest of this weight for the holidays!

Hot for the Holidays Challenge

Well I am at 221.8 which is a 2.8# loss from last weigh in. YEAH!

My 'Push it" moment was one night after work I was pooped (my work is physically demanding) anyways I didn't really want to exercise and pushed myself and did some on my elliptical machine. It felt great after I was done :).