Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

I'm very happy for the long weekend ahead!  We have some fun things planned.  Saturday I'm going to my nephews Lacrosse tournament, Sunday I'm working out with a friend, Monday we're going to the Cubs/Sox game.  3 years ago Chris and I met at the Cubs/Sox game.  The first picture below is a picture from the day we met.  I think it's pretty cool that we have pictures from the very first day.  I remember showing that picture to everyone who asked about "the new guy I met."  :)  The other two pictures are from the past two years of going, I love this tradition!  Happy Memorial Weekend!

Can I Zumba Again?

Before we got married and I was trying to lose weight to fit into my dress, I went to Zumba at least once a week.  I loved it!  Anything that involves music and dancing, I'm in.  In fact I asked Chris the other day if music had the same effect on him that it did on me?  I can alter my mood just by putting on certain music.  I am always singing along to the radio (sorry honey that you have to listen to that all the time, lol), looking for new songs to add on to my workout playlist, etc.  Music really does have the ability to get me going, on the flip side - if I'm in a bad/sad mood it can also put me deeper into that mood.  I assumed it had that effect on everyone, but Chris said that while it can make him feel aggressive while working out (not in a bad way, in a pump him up go get mad and lift more kind of way) it doesn't alter his mood to make him more happy, sad, etc.  

So anyway back to Zumba.  The combo of the upbeat music and dancing made the workouts fly by and fun.  I haven't done a class though in a very long time.  I have gained a pretty significant amount since my last class, so I'm worried about going back.  While I was at the gym last night I intentionally went to one of the machines that was by the group fitness room.  I knew Zumba started at 6:30.  I didn't go in, but I watched for about 10 minutes (while still working out of course).  I wanted to go in, but my nerves got the best of me.  I'm a little apprehensive about trying to do another class until I lose some of this weight.  This weight (or perhaps I should say my mindset at this weight) is stopping me from doing the two workouts I love the most - Zumba and swimming.  I know, I know I should just get back into it (especially swimming) but I don't want to embarrass myself, give myself a heart attack or injure myself by trying to do these with so much weight on.  So the new mini-goal is to lose a bit more weight so that I can do the stuff I like to do and will want to keep doing to lose more weight!

    

Avoiding a Party

Chris helped me make a tough decision yesterday.  One of my co-workers, who has worked with me for a very long time, had a going away party yesterday.  I wanted to go, but I was concerned about all of the eating and drinking while I'm getting back into my diet groove.  I decided I wasn't going to go and started to get a lot of crap from coworkers about not going so the guilt started to sink in.  After texting back and forth with Chris about the where, when, etc. he said something that really stuck in my head.  He said "If you think you have the will power to not eat crap and drink then go.  If not, don't put yourself in the position to fail."  That hit home for me.  I don't think I would have been able to go and sit there in front of all of that temptation without giving in.  I certainly know my coworkers would have started with the "you can have ONE drink" or "come on, one won't hurt" etc.  So I made the decision not to go.  In the end I was happy I made that decision, but it was a hard one to come to.  I need to remember sometimes that I can't please everyone and I need to consider what's more important to me at that particular time.  Yesterday what was most important was making healthy decisions for myself.

 

Getting Back on Track

I am so excited that I am home this week, ALL WEEK!  I have a crazy travel schedule coming up.  New York City, Dallas, Denver (as soon as it's finalized I'll let you CO family know when), Louisville (x3), Atlanta, San Fran and LA.  Most of this travel will be done by September so I will be racking up the frequent flyers.  It's nice to be home for a bit and back in a routine.  Last night Chris grilled up some corn, salmon and chicken breasts, we put honey mustard on the salmon and it turned out really good.  I also spent a good chunk of last night making egg white omelette's to freeze.  I sauteed up some mushrooms, onions, green pepper, asparagus and GET THIS spinach (more on this in a second) and then when they were done added egg whites.  When the eggs were almost done I added a slice of 40 calorie Swiss cheese and folded the eggs over into an omelette.  I made 5 individual omelette's.  Time consuming upfront, yes - however now I don't have to worry about breakfast at all and can just pop them out of the freezer when needed.  It also helped that we bought a new omelette pan and I was excited to try it out :)  The mushrooms, asparagus and spinach were all fresh, but when we saw the diced onions and green peppers in the freezer section I grabbed them.  Such a time saver!

So speaking of spinach.  Remember how I've said "I like spinach, but spinach doesn't like me" well I think we're friends again!  I've had some pretty "adverse" reactions to spinach in the past, I won't get into all the gory details but it was bad for awhile.  Whenever I order a salad at a restaurant I have to request that there is no spinach.  Well a month or so ago I was pretty sure that there was spinach in the salad I had and I nothing happened.  So when Chris and I bought our juicer we were juicing Kale and I said we should try spinach to see if anything happened, again nothing.  I made an omelette the other day with spinach and nothing.  I had a salad while out of town last week and nothing happened, so I think it's safe to say that spinach and I are friends again :)  I'm happy about this because I do like it and it's so good for you.

Over the weekend Chris and I went to a health food store in Orland that my Aunt Jeanne recommended, New Vitality.  They've helped her with some of her gluten health and recommended that Chris go talk to them about his allergy/blood pressure issues.  The woman that we spoke to (the owner) really knew her stuff.  She recommended what to eat and what to avoid for both of us and also recommended some new vitamins.  I think we'll be visiting them again, plus the added bonus they sell my So Delicious coconut creamer that I love.  We'll have to make a trip back soon considering this morning I spilled 1/2 of the container on my pants, shoes and kitchen floor - Happy Monday :)

I Need Help

With as sporadic as the blog has been over the past few months, I don't know if anyone even reads it anymore.  I wouldn't blame anyone if they didn't.  If you do though, this is me throwing my hands up asking for help.  I am so frustrated with myself.  I'm not blaming the fact that I haven't lost weight on anyone else but me.  I have no will power.  I have tried and I start off great and the second I'm faced with a struggle, I cave. I feel like I have been dealt a few blows over the past few months, we got pregnant - we lost the baby, we had a house to move into - we lost the house, my grandma passed away, etc.  I've been traveling a lot more with work dinners/drinks, late nights and early starts, etc.  Yes I know these all sound like excuses, and yes they are.  I just feel stuck.  Don't get me wrong, I still think I have a great life and I am thankful for it, this is just one of those times that I'm struggling a bit.  I have 37 years of reacting the same way to something, eating and drinking for celebrations for grieving for stress for pretty much everything.  I am trying to make a change, but it's not easy.  If anyone can offer any suggestions, comments, kicks in the butt, help, anything I'm willing to listen.  It's not easy for me to admit that I'm failing at this, but that's why I started doing it too - the good, the bad and the ugly.

Blah

I'm kind of feeling a little blah today.  Nothing I won't soon get past, just blah.  I'm not letting that ruin my food choices though.  Sticking with the plan.  I am very excited for this weekend though.  Tonight we're going to my friend Eve's to hang out.  Tomorrow is my nephew's Kentucky Derby themed First Communion and Sunday we're going to go up to Michigan for some much needed family time.  So while I have the blah's right now, I know it will pass soon.

New Food Find

On Monday Chris and I went to Costco and found this in the freezer section.  This picture says 2 servings, but the Costco one had 8.

Chris and I had already talked about eating oatmeal for breakfast so when I came across this I knew I had to have it.  I eat breakfast at work so I don't have a stove to cook on.  These individual packs are perfect!  I have a glass bowl, throw in the frozen oats and 3 1/2 minutes later it's ready.  Now yesterday the oatmeal bubbled over and I noticed it happening again today so I have to keep an eye on it while it's cooking.  If you have any tips on how NOT to make that happen, please let me know.  I also have a bag of no sugar added frozen berries (blueberry, raspberry and blackberry) from Costco that I add in after it's done cooking.  It doesn't add any sweetness to it, but I like the flavor.  Chris has been adding honey to his oatmeal so I may have to try a teaspoon or so of that.

If you look at my food log from yesterday, don't worry I didn't deprive myself of 577 calories.  I'm not trying to kick start a diet by starving myself.  I went to the gym and those are the calories I burned :)

A New Challenge

If you read yesterday, you know I'm not happy with myself right now.  I'm lacking will, motivation, etc.  If you've read the blog in the past you know that I have a slight obsession with The Biggest Loser, especially Olivia and Hannah the two sisters who made it to the finals in season 11.

I follow them on their website and yesterday they launched a new challenge.  They partnered up with a website called Diet Bet.  You have to weigh in (by taking pictures) and post your weight (no one else see's it).  Then you have four weeks to lose 4% of your starting weight.  Everyone that wants to participate puts in $25.  After the four weeks, whoever's hit their 4% goal is a winner and splits the pot, which is currently at $36,500.  That's not the best part though!  The best part is that one random winner will win a week long stay (with a guest of their choice) at The Biggest Loser Resort in Chicago!!  There are a few Biggest Loser resorts around the country, one happens to be right here :)  AND Hannah and Olivia will be there for the week!!  I realize that there are almost 1500 people participating so the odds are against me, however I'm looking at this as a new way to motivate myself as well.  Would I absolutely love to be able to go to the resort for a week, HECK YES, but jump starting my weight loss again will be worth doing this.

I know that this seems like another gimmick or fad, but I'm ok with that.  This is how I'm looking at it.  If every few months I find something new that motivates me, that's good.  At least that means I'm staying on track and trying something new and not just giving up.  At this point in time it's something that excites me and makes me want to eat right and get to the gym, so it's working.  Enrollment is open until May 6th so if anyone else wants to look into it or sign up you can find it on Hannah and Olivia's website myfitspiration.com    Just an FYI if you sign up and win, you have to take me as your guest, HAHAHA :)  It's also a good website just to check out for recipes, motivation, and new ideas.  Here's to 4% in 4 weeks!!