Not So Pleasantly Plump - by Candi

So, I tried  out the new Blog to Lose….I like it but its kinda confusing.  I know that its confusing because its new but still.  I just really started to get this system down and now I have to learn something entirely different?  Dont get wrong, I think Roni did a great job with the new site, but Im just trying to figure out if I should move over or not.  Are you guys moving over, or just staying here? Blog to Lose really reminds me alot of Myspace with the way its set up, and I think thats what I liked about this site….is that its more like a journal then a myspace page.  Maybe I should just play around with it a little more.  I didnt see where you can add pages like I have at the top of this page and I also couldnt figure out how to add categories like I have on the right side, which I really like.  Anyone have some suggestions?

So, I got this link off of Roni’s page and Im not sure what I think, I mean I know they said that it wouldnt be exactly what I’d look like after 40 lbs lost, but I think I just look smaller, not slimmer - does that make sense? I mean, my face doesnt look thinner, neither does my body, really.  I dont know….it was fun and free.

What do you guys think?

Candi’s Virtual 40 lb Loss 

Thats right, I did both last night! Ive had the Turbo Jam workout DVD for a while now and only tried it once when I first got it.  I wasnt commited then and just thought it was too fast paced and hard.  But Ive been thinking recently about trying it again.  Even though I know walking is a really good way to lose weight and I have been losing doing it, I thought I should be doing other things too.  Maybe I’ll see even better results on my weigh in day.  SO I did it, loved it, and feel it today! It is hard but the more I do it the more I’ll get the moves down and I know I’ll really enjoy it then, plus its really up-beat and they play great music.  The  video is 40 minutes long and I did 30 min.  Then I thought, I still really want to try that Couch 2 5K, so I did that too, for a half hour, although I just did the intervals for about 15 minutes.  Surprise, Surprise I was able to do it, no problem! I mean, I was sweating and panting and all but I was able to do it without feeling like I might die. And thats always good. Skinny minnie here I come….

Well, since this seems to be all the craze on the blogs lately I decided to look into it (thanks, Donna).  It seems perfect for me since Ive been walking (and trying to run) for 4-5 days a week for 3 months now.  I walk on the Treadmill briskly using arm weights for 60 minutes each night, I attribute my 13 lbs lost to that and eating right of course.  During my walks I always try to run a little but after about a minute, Im completely out of breath and feel like I may just faint! It does seem to be getting a little easier but not much and I still cant do more then 90 seconds.  So maybe this program will help, Im willing to give it a try. Ive noticed that even though I feel like the running might kill me while Im doing it, theres a part of me that enjoys it…the running that is.  I dont know how to describe it, theres something about it that feels good and I know that if I could go a little longer, I’d enjoy it even more.

Hello all, had a relaxing, fat filled weekend, but Im going to spare everyone the gory details and just get back on track.  I did manage to make a new soup yesterday, this was in between me shoveling in tortilla chips and chili cheese queso dip.  Anyway,  I got this off Womens Health website and it turned out really good………

Ladle sunshine into dreary winter nights with this mood-lifting mix of lean protein (turkey) and soluble fiber (barley). Eaten together, they ensure that blood-sugar levels stay nice and steady, so you don’t have a manic high followed by a six-story drop. Peppery mustard greens add a touch of spice and provide folate, which helps crank out more serotonin — one of the brain chemicals that drive your joie de vivre.

Turkey, Barley, and Greens Soup
Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

1 Tbsp canola oil
1 c onion, chopped
1 c carrot, chopped
8 oz ground turkey breast
11/2 tsp poultry seasoning*
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3/4 c quick-cooking barley
4 c fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 c water
2 c (4 oz) mustard greens, coarsely chopped  *(i didnt have mustard greens so I used spinach)

1. Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add onion and carrot. Cover and sauté, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

2. Increase heat to high and add turkey, poultry seasoning, salt to taste, and pepper. Sauté, breaking turkey into small chunks, until meat is no longer pink, about 3 minutes.

3. Add barley. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add broth and water. Bring to boil.

4. Reduce heat to simmer and add greens. Simmer until barley is cooked, about 10 minutes.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 267 calories, 5 g fat (0.5 g saturated), 520 mg sodium, 38 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 20 g protein

*Tip Poultry seasoning is a blend of dried herbs. Dried sage works just as well.

4/25/08   179.5  YAY!!

Thats right, I had a major case of the 24 hour (and then some) stomach flu yesterday. It woke me up at about 2 in the morn Tues and lasted the entire day.  At first I wasnt sure what was going on since Ive never had anything like that before.  I was thinking possibly food poisioning since I made fish the night before but it wasnt undercooked or anything.  Then I talked with my sister who was home sick with same exact symptoms as I was having and so was her husband, (which we all probably got from Maddie, my niece, since she was throwing up at my house on Sunday) thennnn….Shane called me from work saying that he was coming home early because he was feeling bad, it was just crazy.  My entire body was so incredibly aching I could barely walk, so I was in bed all day but I could never really get comfy because my back was hurting so bad or I was too hot then too cold….it was awful.  That sickness is right up there with my worst toothache, thats how bad it was.  Luckily, when I woke up this morning I felt 10 times better, its still lingering a little bit but I was able to come into work so thats good.  Gosh, I wouldnt wish that on anyone! Although I must say that its great for a diet, all I ate was a bowl of noodle soup and some french fries;)

Its Monday. ummmm…..what else? Well, I did pretty good over the weekend.  Shane and I went out for dinner and drinks (as usual) Friday night, and no, I didnt forgo my cocktails but I did get the chicken fajitas. I didnt use any cheese and I loaded up on the veggies.  So thats not too bad……   Saturday I did some deep house cleaning for about 5 hours and I ate really well.  My 3 yr. old niece spent the night saturday and  I had a day at the park planned for her and I on Sunday but unfortunately she ended up getting really sick sunday morning.  It scared me to death, she was throwing up exercist style.  She’s never done that before, so my sis came and picked her up and I dont know what happened but I ended up ordering a ham and cheese pizza from hungry howies.  Where that came from? I dont know. I ate about 4 pieces over a few hours and that ended up being my lunch and dinner, so I guess thats not too bad.  Maybe it was that I just had to deal with a 3 year old who wouldnt stop throwing up everywhere, I really wasnt in the mood to cook anything?? Thats a good excuse right? Sounds good to me.

Well its weigh in day and Im down -1.5! Im at 182.5!  HOLY MOLY, I past my 10 lb mark (183) it took a while but damn it, I did it! Such a happy day for me…….Im almost to the 170’s! And its been a while since Ive been there.  Ive went back and forth from the 190’s to 180’s for the past couple of years so Im super excited to be so close to the “7’s” Its just so amazing how Im actually doing it this time, I know that I have a ways to go but still…the scale is going in the right direction! Im so happy right now, I feel like yelling at the top of my lungs…”Im doing it” (I kinda sound like those annoying Results Weight Loss commericals that I loath) Ive really gotton dramatic over the past few days, whats up with that?! I guess when this is something that you’ve wanted for so so so long but never did anything about it or failed every time you tried, now Im doing it, sticking with it and seeing results, its so gratifying!

Shane started his “diet” this past Sunday, he started eating breakfast every morning, eating healthier lunches and he’s even been walking after work on the treadmill before I get home.  Now get this, Sunday he weighed in at 233, when he weighed this morning with me, it said 225! What the H-E- double hockey sticks? (sorry I had to do it) Now, Im happy for him and all but 1 WEEK and he’s down 8 lbs!? Sooooo unfair, it took me 2 months of working my butt off to lose 8 lbs……I told him he’s not allowed to weigh in with me anymore..lol….

Dear Candi, Remember how great you feel at this very moment.  Your happy, your eating healthy, your exercising daily and you feel so good about all of it.  Your happier because of all the positive changes your making in your life and the fact that you have stuck with this longer then anything you’ve ever started before, is an accomplishment in itself.  Keep telling yourself that this is a long process but it will pay off.  This is something that you are going to battle for the rest of your life, but it will get easier, its already gotton easier in the past 2 1/2 months.  Just imagine how great your going to feel in another 2 1/2 months! Dont forget this feeling! (a little dramatic, I know, I cant help it;)