Rest

Rest

This past weekend Mo and I helped my brother-in-law and his wife move into their new home. The first thing I did when we returned home from helping out was take a two hour nap after waking up I went directly to bed. I now realize since the weight is coming off I have been more active and it is okay to take a day off to rest.

I need to take it easy this coming week because I managed to hurt my back not from helping out with the move but from rushing around the house and not paying attention to what I'm doing. For the coming week I will not be doing the C25K plan. I will be strictly sticking with my points plus target to aid in my weight loss.

Once again planning ahead came to my rescue in this weight loss journey. I packed my salads and snacks for the days I would not be home while helping with the move. This also allowed me to enjoy a nice dinner with everyone without going over my points target.

Here are the latest results:
Weight: 273.0
BMI: 42.8
93lbs until adoption process begins
C25K: on hold

My lesson for the week was it is okay to rest every now and then.

Till next week...

Preparing for Winter

Preparing for Winter

Just like the squirrels hunting for nuts to put away for the winter. I too have been preparing for the long winter ahead by canning and freezing. Corn, tomatoes, green beans, peaches, eggplant, relishes, jelly & grape juice are just some of the summers bounty that I tuck away in my freezer and pantry. Canning & freezing not only helps keep down the cost of food in the winter months, but I also know what is in these foods. There is no sound more gratifying then the pop that a seal makes or nothing more frustrating than trying to stuff a full quart bag into the 1 inch square space left in the freezer after spending hours in the kitchen. However, in the end it is worth all my time and effort when we sit down to eat home made tomato soup, or enjoy a good ole peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Since I have been up to my elbow in tomatoes lately Mo and I have enjoyed a BLT or two in the past week.

Here is my twist to this classic Sandwich:
* 2 Slices of bread (toasted)
* 1 Oz. Chevre goat cheese (I buy a herbed garlic at a local farmers market)
* 3 Slices Morningstar Farms veggie bacon strips
* 2 Thick cut slices of tomato
* 1/2 C. Spring salad mix
* 1 T. Hellmann's light mayo
* Salt & Pepper to taste




Work from bottom to top, on one slice of toast spread the Chevre then add the warm bacon, tomato, salt and pepper to taste, spring mix, then on the remaining slice of toast spread the lite mayo and top to complete this yummy BLT. We have been enjoying our BLT with a fresh ear of corn.

Yesterday I started week 1 of the Couch to 5K plan (C25K). I want to do the plan as intended however with the extent of my workouts lately week 1 is a piece "o" cake for me. I will be doing the following: M.W.F. running (C25K plan) & T.T.S.S. walking. Watch for my progress with my weekly results.

Here are the latest results.
Weight: 274.8
BMI: 43
94.8 lbs until adoption process begins.
C25K: Week 1 in progress

It was a great week for me on this journey now all I have to do is repeat, repeat, & repeat again.

Till next week...

Celebrating Too Much

Celebrating Too Much

With the satisfaction of completing my 30 Day challenge I decided to reward myself with a glass of wine. Then the next day I didn't exercise and things just kept going downward from there for the rest of the week. Then yesterday Mo asked me if I had been exercising. I was honest and said "NO, that I haven't had enough of time". Then he gently reminded me of what my goal was and how much we both want it.

This morning I got back on the treadmill and while on it I came up with a new challenge. I want to be able to run in 5K's next year. So the Couch to 5K program is my next challenge. Here is a link: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml to the program I will be using. I will keep you informed on how I'm doing with this challenge as I go along so watch for my progress.

I have never been so happy that my weigh in day is monday. Weight Watchers was closed this monday because of Labor Day so my results for the week will remain the same as last week. I did however try to weigh in this morning on my way to work and the Weight Watchers center was not open at that time. I am not going to avoid the scale this week. I will go in and face the results of my celebrating however it will be after I have published this post for the week.

The lesson I have learned this week is not to celebrate with food. I will have to come up with a different way to celebrate my successes.

Till next week.

Grange Fair

Grange Fair 2011

The Centre County Grange Fair is like nothing most people have ever seen. When most people think of a fair they think funnel cake, games, animals and entertainment, not campers, tents and vacation. Having the privilege of growing up in Central Pennsylvania my family has been a resident of the fair for many years.

This tent has been home away from home for one week in August for as long as I can remember. I have many fond memories from the Grange Fair and like going back each year to catch up with friends that I don't get to see but once a year at the fair.


A must have at the fair for me is Sunset ice cream.





This year I went in with a plan so I would not feel guilty about having a cup of Peanut Butter Ripple. Yummy! To pass up on the many tempting fair foods, I packed salads for lunch and my family prepared our own dinner in the tent. Doing this not only helped with my diet it also helped save money.

Mo & I along with my cousin's family spent Friday night camping out in the tent. I woke up early Saturday morning because my body does so naturally and whispered to my cousin's daughter do you want to go for a run. Having left my own sneakers at home I put on my husbands and off we went running around the perimeter of the fairgrounds twice. I thought I would miss exercise due to it not being on the treadmill, however when my legs turned to jelly and ached the next day I know I had a good workout and had no need to make up for it. I must say it felt pretty good to get outside and run so I'm going to continue running in the future.

Here are my latest results.
Weight: 277
BMI: 43.4
97 lbs until adoption process begins



What I came to realize this week is it's okay to have a treat. I just have to plan for it..

Till next week.

Family & Friends

Family & Friends

Recruiting help from family & friends to reach 180 is what I have been up to this week. My husband (Mo) and I together have come up with this goal. Once I reach this goal we have agreed to start the adoption process for a child we both can love. The only thing standing in the way of having this is my weight. I have been sharing my goal with family & friends and have been receiving positive remarks like keep the exercise up, I'm proud of you, and so on.

Why didn't I do this sooner? The answer to this I can honestly say is fear. I didn't want people to know how much I weigh, and I was afraid to ask for help. Thinking I could do it all on my own only lead to failure. In the beginning of this journey I mentioned I didn't want to be afraid to live and making this public is one way to face my fear. Telling friends and family are baby steps that I am taking forward on this journey with them now at my side cheering me on I will be sure to reach 180.

This summer I discovered how good watermelon is and how much I enjoy it. Every time I come home with one Mo just rolls his eyes and utters another one. I know the season will soon be coming to an end soon and until then watermelon will continue to be in my refrigerator. One of the ways I like it is to simply cube the watermelon up and add some fresh chopped mint and refrigerate till cold. It's so yummy and the best part is you don't have to feel guilty about eating it and it's even better when you share it with friends & family.

Here are the latest results:

Weight: 280.8

BMI: 44.0

30 Day Challenge: 23 down 7 to go

The upcoming week I will be facing another hurdle which I will be sure to share. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I will be able to clear this hurdle with as much success as I did the family reunion.

Family Reunion

Family Reunion

Every year in August, I make a covered dish and my husband & I go to Whipples Dam State Park for our annual family reunion. This year the reunion was my first hurdle I had to clear on this journey to change my life and lose weight. I jolted out of bed on the day of the reunion thinking I had over slept and I would not have the time to exercise, make my casserole, and get ready. Feelings of dread came across me only to be swept away after glantzing at the alarm clock and realizing I had plenty of time to do all the above and more. We arrive at the reunion where fun was to be had but first we say grace and I grab a plate and head toward the buffet table and this is what I see.

The vegetarian in me had no problem passing up any of the dishes that had meat in them and I proceeded to make the best decisions about what to eat for myself. Looking at my plate with the food on it I thought to myself there is no way I can point this out and I was thankful for all the extra points I earned from my 30 day challenge for the week.

Back at home that evening when dinner time came around, telling myself I should not eat anything to make up for the unknown points value at lunch put me on a straight path to the refrigerator. One generously packed cheese sandwich and a big bowl of watermelon later I so badly wanted ice cream. This is when I had a ah ha moment for the day and realized my weigh in at Weight Watchers was the next day and why ruin my entire weeks work on this one day. So I went to bed..

Here is my latest results:

Weight: 285.4
BMI: 44.9
30 Day Challenge: 16 down 14 to go

Looking back on the week I not only managed to clear a hurdle. I came to realize that I don't have to punish myself for the unknown and the important thing is to remember to get right back on my journey for the better me.

30 Day Challenge

30 Day Challenge

Some say it takes 21 days to create a habit. With this in mind I have come up with a 30 day challenge for myself. For the next 30 days I am going to wake up at 6:00 am and hop on my treadmill for 45 minutes. Knowing I will be out of town a couple of these days I have decided to add 5 days onto the challenge for every day missed. My goal is to complete the challenge and create a new healthy habit. I will share my progress on this challenge along with my weight, BMI each week.

My husband (Mo) and I really don't like to eat out all that much and cooking can be a chore at times. I am a vegetarian and he is a meat eater and many times we have sat down to eat together with two entirely different meals. I managed to make a meal that we both enjoyed and I want to share it with you.

Kalasta

1 bunch Kale~washed and roughly chopped

12 oz Portabella mushroom~sliced

1/2 c. Sun dried tomatoes

1 T. Garlic~ minced

2 T. Olive oil

Salt~ to taste

Bowtie Pasta

Classico pesto~to taste

Saute the garlic mushrooms & kale in olive oil, season with salt to taste when tender add sun dried tomatoes and take off heat. Cook pasta according to package and drain.

Toss pasta, kale mixture, and pesto together.

Serve warm.

Add to or make as much or as little as you like. Enjoy!

Well my first week back on Weight Watchers went well. Packing lunches, keeping a food journal & walking on the treadmill where a big part of the past week. I have a couple of hurdles coming up in the next few weeks which I will be sure to share with you. I'm just going to go into them prepared and enjoy life.

Here is the latest results:

Weight: 290.2

BMI: 45.3

30 Day Challenge: 9 down 21 to go

Till next week.