Whole 30 - Two weeks down

(forgot to hit publish on this yesterday)
Today is technically Day 15 in my Whole 30 experience.  I started on Wednesday the 1st and today is Wednesday the 15th.

So far, I've lost 6 pounds.  I should be THRILLED with that amount (and overall, I guess I am), but I lost 5 pounds the very first week.  I guess I just thought I would have lost more this past week.  One of the Whole 30 "rules" is that you don't weigh yourself.  Well, you can take away my dairy and carbs but you can't take away my scale.  I weigh myself every morning and have continued to do that on Whole 30.

My clothes are fitting much differently.  My size 8 pants are too big and some 6s are pretty roomy and starting to hang in the tush.  Annoying, but in a good way!

I have made some new recipes that I want to remember so I will link them here:
Steak with mashed cauliflower and brussel sprouts
Chicken drumsticks with veggies
Crockpot Chili (I am using turkey instead of beef because that is what's in the freezer)
Time for Dinner steaks with grilled veggies and side salad (I took a pictures of Mike's...mine was without cheese)

What I love (and hate because of the time it takes) most about Whole 30 is trying new recipes and foods.  Before this month, I had never made sweet potato chips, kale chips, chicken drummies, cauliflower mash pots, spaghetti squash, brussel sprouts, and my VERY FAVORITE, frozen banana "ice cream" (frozen bananas, almond butter, and water blended up).

I can't believe I am over halfway done with this thing.  It is much easier...although I have had many many temptations.  I find it easiest to say that I am lactose intolerant when ordering things are restaurants to make sure they don't use any creams or cheeses in sauce/on salads/etc. 

Anyone out there doing Paleo/Whole 30?  I'd love some more links to good recipes.  Can you eat the Aldi's fruit strips?  (I love those things.)  What do you drink other than water?  Those of you that finished Whole 30, how did you ease back into "normal" clean eating again?

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Whole30

On May 1st, I decided to start the Whole 30 challenge.  1 month without alcohol (see how I put that one first) dairy, grains, sugars, and legumes.  (Shopping List)

Why would I want to do this?  Honestly, with only 1 month until my sister's wedding with about 5 pounds to get to my goal, I felt like this program would help me out.  I've never had much of a sweet tooth and Mike and I generally eat pretty clean.  My problem is that I am Ethan's garbage disposal.  I finish his mac n' cheese, take a little handful of his goldfish, and "taste" a bit of everything I give him.  Extra calories that were just adding up. 

I am now 6 days into the program and it really hasn't been horrible.  I mean, yea, I miss the convenience of more processed food.  I have a comfortable set of recipes and this program has definitely forced me to try new things.  I've only done this since last Wednesday and I've made so many new things.

Pretty obsessed with spaghetti squash, kale chips, sweet potato chips, and banana "ice cream" (frozen bananas with almond butter).

From left to right:
Egg muffins with mushrooms, onions, and bacon
Mixed greens with steak strips, tomatoes, guac, and salsa
Scrambled eggs with peppers and salsa, turkey bacon, avocado
Chef salad with turkey, bacon, hard boiled egg, avocado, and salsa
Spaghetti Squash (with zucchini and chicken)
Rotisserie chicken, asparagus, and peppers with guac
Kale chips
Sweet potato chips
Banana "ice cream"

There is a cute little timeline out there that says how you should be feeling for each given day.  Right now, I should be in the "I just want a nap" phase (which yesterday was the "Kill all things" phase), but I don't feel that way at all.  I really have felt totally normal since starting this diet (other than hungry the first couple of days).  I mean, I could always take a nap, but nothing anything out of the ordinary.

People have asked me if this is SOOOO hard.  So far, it hasn't been.  The hardest part has been preparing.  The shopping, cooking, chopping.  That's been the hardest part.  But the actual act of not eating dairy and cheese hasn't been bad.  I'd like a glass of wine, but I will get to have one in a few weeks.  It is just a month.  I won't die. (I keep reminding myself of that over and over again).  I love this quote from the website...

"It is not hard. Don’t you dare tell us this is hard. Giving up heroin is hard. Beating cancer is hard. Drinking your coffee black. Is. Not. Hard. You won’t get any coddling, and you won’t get any sympathy for your “struggles”. YOU HAVE NO EXCUSE not to complete the program as written. It’s only thirty days, and it’s for the most important health cause on earth – the only physical body you will ever have in this lifetime."

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I did it! (and a giveaway)

I did it!  Today, I officially hit my 20 pound weight loss.  It all started last year (January 24, 2012) and one year and 3 weeks later, I finally met my first BIG goal.  20 pounds!  I promised a giveaway so here we go.  One of my favorite things!

It is a BicBand (my favorite headband EVER...doesn't slip) and the only chevron one offered on the site. It is a little "Christmas-y" but not really.  The pink and lime green give it a fun, cute feel.  All you have to do is comment and I will use the Random Number Generator to choose a number on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20th! 

What is your favorite workout? Do you run?  Crossfit?  Yoga?  Videos at home?

My new goal is to lose another 10 by my sister's wedding in June.  Let's do this!

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State of the Body

I have written a lot about my struggle with my weight.  Feeling good about myself has never been something that has been easy for me.  I was never a skinny girl growing up and although I wouldn't have ever described myself as obese (well, other than postpartum on the BMI chart), I have had weight issues for over 15 years.  For the first time in a long time, I am starting to feel more confidence that I'm moving in the right direction.  I wrote this post in January of last year, and since then I have lost 17 pounds.

 

I know the picture isn't the best with different angles, outfits, picture orientation, etc. but I thought it would work.  At the end of the day, I still lost the weight. (Seriously, please don't pin the picture above...don't know why anyone would anyway.  It took enough courage to post this on my blog, I really don't need it on other forms of social media.  Thanks!)
I work with a personal trainer once a week, I'm tracking my food on My Fitness Pal (find me, I'm lhcass on there and can always use the extra motivation/accountability), and I'm trying to squeeze in 30 Day Shred videos during the week.  My goal is to lose 10 more pounds before my sister's wedding in June.  I'm currently 15 pounds more than my wedding weight and getting back to that size just seems pretty impossible to me.  So, 10 more pounds is my goal (and I will finally be in the "healthy weight" category according to the BMI chart) and I'm really hoping to get there.  I just need to find a way to stay motivated without getting down on myself.  My stretchmarks aren't going to go away.  My skin isn't going to suddenly tighten back up.  Sooooo, I need to find a way to embrace the skin I'm in.  Stop comparing myself to the Hollywood moms, bloggers, pinterest pictures, and even my own friends.  Easier said than done, huh?

To celebrate my efforts, for Christmas, my mom gave me my first LuluLemon gift...the Cosmo Pant.  The clothes are outrageously expensive and I can't imagine buying anything for myself...but man, they are amazing. 

 I think I am going to treat myself to a new pair of Nike Free shoes.  I love them.  They are so comfy and cute.  They aren't great for running but I can use them for other workouts.  I have the neon green ones below but Nordstrom has a cute pair or grey/pink that I have my eyes on.

I'm also obsessed with my BicBand headbands.  They are the ONLY headbands that I have found that stay put.  I wear the skinny bands in turquoise and yellow but might have to get a few more.

Alrighty, that's it.  Hope everyone has a nice week!



 

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Mish Mash

Oh man...I hate that such a negative post has been looming on my blog over almost 2 months!  Time to change that and include a quick update on what's going on in our lives.  Such a busy time for this little family!

Ethan
Man, this kid is growing so fast.  He is at such an awesome age (16 months) and he really is so so smart.  He has TONS of words and new this week:  bubbles, outside, balloon, and yummy.  Our Parents as Teachers Educator came over and confirmed that Ethan is as much as a genius that we expected :)  (Don't all parents think their child is the smartest and cutest on the planet?!)  Life with him is just so amazing right now.  I'm not coming down from this "Mommy High" anytime soon!  I just gobble up every minute with him that I can and love every second.


Mike
Oh, my poor husband.  He has been working so sooooo sooo hard lately.  He has been burning the candle from both ends for awhile now and today marks the start of his crazy wedding season.  Pretty much from now to November, he will be shooting weddings and sessions every day of every weekend.  He has been working all day at his full time job, then he comes home to work on getting our house ready to go on the market, and then stays up late with those projects or works on his photography.  He has done such INCREDIBLE work around the house by fixing every little issue that has come up, painting, landscaping, and our house looks great!  I don't know how he balances all of his work, our house, and being such an awesome daddy and husband. 


The House
Our house will officially be on the market next Sunday and we will have our first open house.  I can't believe this is happening.  The POD will be picked up on Tuesday, the photographer will come on Wednesday, we will have a garage sale on Saturday, and then open house on Sunday.  Pretty incredible!  As I have mentioned before, leaving our "small town" Kirkwood will be very hard.  But we are excited about a couple of bigger homes that we have found that are closer to our parents and my work.  We know it will be a sad transition but one that is necessary for our family.  (The picture below was on our first day in our home in 2008.)


Running
Ohhhh, running.  Training for the half marathon was going really well.  UNTIL a few weeks ago.  After I ran, I had a lot of aching pain in my right knee.  I gave it a rest and tried again the next week.  Same thing and I was barely able to walk for 24 hours.  I iced it and took ibuprofen and it the pain went away quickly.  I decided to give it one last shot today.  My sister and I were attempting 7 miles in Forest Park (and in the back of my head, I knew my knee wasn't going to make it.)  It started aching at 1.7 miles but I wanted to try to get a bit further.  I had to stop at about 3.2 miles because of shooting pain.  I am so disappointed.  I've never had knee pain and I've been running off and on for about 4 years.  I'm going to my chiropractor on Monday (he also specializes in sports medicine) to see if this is the end of running for me.  I have a feeling that it is.  I cried when I had to stop and my sister had to finish the run without me.  I could have done it.  The rest of my body and my mind could have done it.  Why why why is my knee failing me now :( 
*I've decided to describe the pain since I have a lot of runners that read and comment!  Help me out, ladies.  The pain starts a couple of miles in.  It is the outside of my right kneecap.  It generally aches and today was the first day with shooting pain.  When I get home and rest, it starts to feel stiff and it very painful to bend it.  It is especially painful to go downstairs, but it is ok to go up.  I can bend my knee when pulling it forward (like at a 90 degree angle) but it really hurts when I bend it backwards (like to kick my tush).  The pain lasts about 24-48 hours and then completely vanishes until my next run.

Weight Loss
I think I have gotten the most comments when I post about weigh loss and my body image issues.  I started trying to lose the baby weight when Ethan was about 8 months old.  (I realized the 9 months on, 9 months off thing was just around the corner.)  I started in February and by March, I was sad and frustrated.  But I didn't give up.  This summer, I took a stroller fit class and started training for this 1/2 marathon.  I got on the scale last weekend and it showed that I have lost 15 pounds since I started trying in February!  It's awesome to FINALLY (after over a year) fit back into my prebaby clothes and feel OK about my appearance.  I like having my confidence back and it feels great to have people tell you that you look good.  I am my sister's Maid of Honor (I hope she doesn't call me the Matron of Honor...that sounds old) in June and I'd love to lose 10 more pounds by then. 

Baby Fever
Of course, I have waves of it but it's pretty much been at bay for a couple of months.  I am just totally enjoying Ethan and everything life is offering us right now so we aren't there yet.  We want to move and get into the next year before we start entertaining the idea of #2.  Also, Ethan is just so perfect and it scares me to think about what #2 could bring...don't they say if you have a great first kiddo that your second will surely be a terror?  Haha :)  (Or vice vera, of course!)

Congrats if you made it to the end.  That is what has been going on in our lives and the reason that I haven't been able to blog as often as I'd like.  Summer and Fall in St. Louis are my favorite seasons with so much to do.  Last night, we did the Balloon Glow in Forest Park and today enjoyed the Green Tree Festival's parade and will go the craft fair after naptime.  Love this time of the year and this weather!   Hope you are enjoying it too!  Happy Weekend!  XOXO

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5K and update on OLW

I'm not sure exactly what week we are at now, but I'm still continuing to try to lose weight.  Last weekend, I completed the Couch to 5K program again and I ran another 5K.

First of all, it was an awesome day for a run.  About 65 degrees and overcast.  My goal was to beat my first (and best) 5K time of 33:30 when I ran the Turkey Trot 3 years ago.  I trained and ran with a friend from work who had never run more than 5 minutes stretches.  We finished the first mile around 9 minutes and I knew we were going much faster than usual (we are usually around an 11 minute mile).  But we kept up pace and ended up finishing around 32:30.  (I also want to add that my Garmin said that we ran 3.4 miles so it was a true 5K, I think we would have finished around 30 minutes.)  Either way, this was a HUGE improvement for me...especially post-baby. 

To date, I have lost 10 pounds and I'm back to my pre-Ethan weight.  Now, I want to lose 10 more pounds to get me back to a healthier weight for my body.  I want to continue running but I know the St. Louis summer heat can be killer.  Thank goodness for the treadmill!  I also want to get back to 30 Day Shred to try to firm up the arms and legs. 

I'm feeling much better in my own skin.  Nothing feels worse than not fitting in your own clothes.  It took me a year, but I'm finally feeling like myself again.

And of course...I'm starting to feel baby fever again.

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Thanks

Thanks everyone for your support, suggestions, motivation, and advice. You ladies are really amazing and it was so great to hear from you all.

Obviously, I am not alone with my issues with food, body image, weight, and being healthy. I hate it. I really, really do. I've been working my butt of this week and it's another week of losing NOTHING on the scale. I just don't get it.

I know I need to be doing something different. Maybe working out smarter, and not harder. This week, I ran 4 days (Friday, Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) and did Zumba class (Monday, Wednesday). NOTHING.

I probably need to join a gym. I need to get a trainer. I need professional help. But right now, I really don't have the time or energy. I feel like I'm burning the candle at both ends. My baby is almost 1 (and of course isn't sleeping at all due to teething) and super fun to be with, work is crazy as we try to wrap up the year (only 6 more weeks!), and I feel like the weekends are full with errands and to-do lists.

I'm not just sitting on my butt eating bonbons. But I know my diet needs to be improved. I know that I need to track my food consistently. All of these things, I KNOW. Excuses, excuses....I know that too.

I'm not a complete failure at losing weight. I've lost 7 pounds since the first week of February. But 7 pounds isn't enough for me right now. I'm still 5 pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm still wearing my maternity skinny jeans. I've been "trying" for 12 weeks now. My goal at the beginning was 1.5-2 pounds a week. That would put me at -24 instead of this measly, little -7

I'm training for a 5K on May 12 so I've been doing c25K. I track my food on Loseit.com. We have a Zumba instructor teach classes at work after school. I do weights and abs at home. I've done Weight Watchers many times before and have been moderately successful there (at most, I lost 10 pounds a couple of years ago). A bunch of friends at work are losing A LOT at Title One Boxing. Unfortunately, they don't have late classes and don't have a childcare area for Ethan.

I just want to hit that -10 pound mark before school is over. I would think that I could get to -3 more pounds in the next 6 weeks. I'm going to do it. I'm going to do it!

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OLW- FAIL

I'm a failure at losing weight. It's just not happening for me. I'm tired. I'm tired of being fat. I'm tired of no clothes fitting. I'm tired of hating the way I look. I'm just plain old tired. It's time to start thinking of some other extreme (for me) options. I'm thinking about getting a trainer, or starting a P90X type program, starting a gluten-free or some other "crazy (to me)" diet, or maybe even some vitamins/supplements/pill that aides in weight loss. Something needs to happen. Summer is quickly approaching and feeling this way about myself isn't fun. (And it isn't just a self-image thing. My BMI is now in the "obese" category.)

Any suggestions on how to lose weight fast. What route should I go?

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OLW- Week 7

This week :-1.5
Total: -7

I missed a couple weeks in there but they weren't too good. One week, I gained a pound and the next week, I just lost a half pound. But now I'm back on track! We are meeting 8 more times until the end of the school year so if I can continue losing about a pound week, I will be well on my way to my goal.

Spring break is coming up so I'm hoping that I don't sabotage myself with a lack of routine and exciting vacation.

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OLW- Week 4

This week: -0.5
Total:-4.5

Stupid half pound. Would have liked a full pound to get me to -5. But I know why it didn't happen for me this week. I didn't do Zumba this week and I normally do it twice. I got a cold and only got on the treadmill twice. I didn't track any of my calories from Tuesday-Friday. Soooo...next week will be better. I would like to lose a couple pounds by next Friday. OK...since it is out there, I have to do it now! Have a great weekend!

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OLW- Week 3

This week: -1
Total: -4

Not too bad. There was a lot of discussion about how women retain a lot of water around "the time of the month" and what-not. Personally, I've never really believed that it would make a huge difference on the scale but the ladies say that it can add 2-3 pounds. I was nervous that I would be a victim Aunt Flo but luckily, I wasn't. 4 pounds in 2 weeks isn't bad (I'm just going to pretend that first week of no loss didn't happen).

Still running/walking 4 times a week and doing Zumba after school 2 nights a week. Not sure if the half marathon in April is doable. Thinking about the relay in April and the half in October is more sensible. Not willing to give up yet.

*Still looking for picture formatting help. *QUESTION- When I blogged about Italy, I was able to copy and pasta images straight from Facebook. They were big and filled the screen. Now, I am not able to copy from Facebook at all. Am I doing something wrong or has something changed? Not sure how to finish blogging my Italy trip now with a similar format and look. Help please :)

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OLW- Week 2 (woo hoo!)

Every Friday, a weight loss group at work meets for 30 minutes before school starts. Last week...nothing. This week...I LOST 3 POUNDS! WOO HOO! I can't believe it!

Monday- zumba
Tuesday- running
Wednesday- zumba and running

I worked out a lot less but I tracked all of my calories on the Lose It app on my iPhone. The weekend was TERRIBLE but I made up for it during the week. I am becoming a lot more attentive about what goes into my mouth and that is making a big difference. Also, this week, it was SO much easier to run. I am trying to add more distance and found out that I can do Week 5 from the C25k program (run for 8 minutes, walk for 5 minutes, run for 8 minutes). I'm going to try to run 2 miles this weekend without stopping. Baby steps....but I'll get there!

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OLW- Week 1 (and frustrated)

Operation Lose Weight has just begun...and already I'm frustrated. I went from ZERO activity to doing SOMETHING every day. Activity this week was this:

Saturday- run/walk 3 miles
Sunday- run/walk 2 miles
Monday- 1 hour Zumba
Tuesday- run/walk 3 miles
Wednesday- run/walk 2 miles
Thursday- nothing (meetings till 7:00 and then dinner out)

ANDDDDDD....I didn't lose a thing. Not a think. Come on, really? We even went out to Mexican with friends and instead of my usual chicken quesadilla with lots of cheese, sour cream, and guac, I choose grilled fish tacos on corn tortillas. Shouldn't that at least give me -1 pound. Throw me a bone here!

Next Friday's weigh-in better show some results. This week's goal is to continue to workouts but track my food. I'm paying for Weight Watchers online but not taking the time to sit down and figure it all out (stupid, I know). I'm going to make myself accountable my reporting my weekly progress until Mexico. Annoying for you, but hopefully motivating for me.

AND, I forgot how much running hurts. Everything hurts. I'm sure my body is totally confused why I weigh so much and I'm trying to run. Hopefully when pounds come off, it will get easier. I'm thinking of using the Gallaway method a lot of you told me about. It seems like interval training is going to be necessary if I really want to do a half. I can either train to do the Marathon relay and run the whole thing (6 miles) or train for a half where I'm definitely going to need to walk.

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Operation "Lose Weight" begins!

"9 months on, 9 months off." People have been repeating that phrase over and over to me. Well, folk, Ethan is 8 months old and I officially have 23 days until "9 months off".

I've never been skinny and I'm not trying to get skinny. I'm trying to get to a good place for myself and my body. So, let's quickly go over this past year and a half. I started here (September 2010-4 weeks pregnant):
End ended here (32 pounds later...May 2011-9 months pregnant):I walked out of the hospital down 20 pounds. (That was a perk of having a baby that was 9 pounds, 4 oz!) I felt pretty good, 20 down only 12 to go. I lost another 5-6 pounds by my 6 week post-op appointment and felt like I was in the home stretch. And that is where the weight lost stopped. I have not lost 1 pound since Ethan was 6 weeks old. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've gained a few lately.

I feel pretty horrible about myself and cringe when I see pictures of what I'm looking like now-a-days. With a trip to Mexico in my near-future, I am motivated to finally lose those last 7-10 pounds (and then some).

The plan is to train for a half marathon. It's hard to believe that the last time I ran was 16 months ago. Pathetic. We bought a treadmill and I'm happy to say, that I have used it every day this week.

I saw this great idea on Pinterest:
I thought that it would be really great for me to actually see the amount that I am trying to lose. Honestly though, 25 measly little marbles don't look like that much. They just sit at the bottom of a rocks glass. I'm going to need to find a skinny vase of something. I'd love to check in here with updates on my marbles :) Probably not weekly but maybe monthly.

So, 25 pounds is the goal. I'm hoping to get to -20 by the Mexico trip and 25 would be icing on the cake. I'm going to cut back on the booze, start a working out regimen, and watch what is going into my mouth. Weight loss isn't magic...it's simply a science. Less in and more out. WE CAN DO THIS! Here goes nothing!

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Weight loss....BLAH...

I haven't mentioned my anything about weight loss in a while. That's because nothing has really happened. Gain a pound, lose a pound, stay the same. I have been stuck for a month or so. I know that I haven't been counting my points as well as I had at the beginning and I know that I also need to get active more often. I am holding strong at -7.5 lbs but I would like to lost another 5-7 before Italy. This week, I am going back to make a "0 Point Veggie Soup" that was in my first Weight Watchers booklet. If if love vegetable soups, this is a great one. I will eat about 10 crackers with this (2 points) and sometimes a little something on the side. This is a great recipe if you want to keep your points down for the day! If this recipe isn't your style, you can find tons of other "0 point" soups out there like this one, or one with a Mexican, Asian, or Italian flair.Ingredients

• 4 cups spinach, washed
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 medium celery ribs, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 28 ounces canned no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed

Put all of the ingredients in the crockpot on high for 5 hours. Make sure to remove the bay leaves!

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Yummy Recipes!

Last week, I made two new, delicious recipes and both got thumbs-up from Mike. He had been out of town a lot this month and I was really excited for him to finally be home. I woke up early to make these yummy mini-omelets and they were awesome. (Both photos from Gina's Weight Watcher's Recipes)This recipe can be found HERE. I used 6 whole eggs and 2 egg whites and made 11 omelets instead of 9. Don't be worried that you have more broccoli than egg mixture. It all evens out in the end and tastes great!

On Thursday night, I decided to bust out the good ol' crockpot (my favorite invention) and made Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili. Ohhhhhh baby. Delish!!!My veggie amounts didn't quite match what the recipe called for HERE but again, it still turned out great. We ate some of the chili in corn tortillas and some with cheese and sour cream on top with a spoon. Someone at work told me that it is great over rice (like in the picture above) too.

I know that weight loss and recipes aren't really "fan favorite" topics on my blog and they don't get a lot of comments. BUT...this is where I am right now in my life so I'm going to keep blogging about it :)

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Weight Loss and Websites

Today, I stepped on the scale and had a big loss. I lost 3.4 lbs this week!!! Awesome, right?!? Wellllll...it comes after last week where I had a pretty BIG gain. I guess I am starting to feel the frustration of the yo-yo. I know that cutting out alcohol will definitely improve my numbers on the scale but I am not ready to do that just yet.This week was awesome because I finally met a HUGE running goal. I went outside last Saturday and ran. And ran. And ran. I ran longer than I had ever run before. I ran longer than I ever thought I could run. I ran for 56 minutes and 53 seconds. HELLO...that is almost 1 hours of running! Without stopping!!! Never did I think that I would ever be able to do this. I couldn't even run the entire 5K on Thanksgiving without about 30 seconds of walking. This was HUGE for me and if you don't believe that I did it, here is the proof...Here is where I stand as far as weight loss.
WW Week 7
Weigh-in: -3.4 lbs
Total Loss: -7.0 lbs
Slow and steady. I have had big losses but a couple of gains too. I really need to be more committed to this weight loss. I am sure that Mexico lingering in my future will help motivate me.

There are a couple of weight loss sites that I would LOVE to share with you. Being on weight watchers has really forced me to make conscious decisions about what I am eating. I can honestly say that I haven't been to a McDonalds, Taco Bell, or Qdoba (they are all within 1 minute from my house) in 7 weeks.

The first, new favorite site is Hungry Girl.This site is amazing! You can find delicious recipes include how to cook with my favorite cheese, Laughing Cow (only 1 point per wedge). Seriously...check out these recipes right here! I love California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ Chicken Salad. LOVE IT! I can make it on a pita for only 6 points. Ummm...yes, please! If you subscribe to her site, you will get emails almost daily about great swaps and how you can make your favorite restaurant items. I will be trying this recipe very soon!

Ok...next site. Actually, it is a blog...Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes. Go there. Now. Everything on this site looks amazing! I haven't actually made anything from this blog yet but I have all of the ingredients for the Crockpot Chicken Taco Chili and will be making it next week. A few of my friends tried this Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Breasts and had wonderful things to say. I will be trying this one out soon too! I love how all of the Weight Watcher points are already figured out!

Finally, Dottie's Weight Loss Zone (restaurant section). You can go to any of your favorite restaurants to find out how many points are in the meals you want to eat. This site has been necessary for me. I have had 3 night events at school over the last couple weeks where I have had to run out and get something to eat before returning to school. I am able to go to this site, find something that fits within my points, and enjoy. I was pretty shocked to see that many of my favorite foods were worth more points than I can eat in one day. Mike almost died when he saw that the nachos he gets from Taco Bell were 18 points. That is almost 1 day of food for me.

Sooo...that turned out to be a much longer post than I thought it would be. I guess if it was helpful to anyone, then it was worth it. Have a great night!

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WW- Week 5...Slowly by surely...

WW Week 5
Weigh-in: -2.4 lbs
Total Loss: -6.6 lbs

Yahoooo! I love weeks when I lose! Especially when one comes a week after I gained. On Saturday , Mike and I took a wonderful run in Forest Park with our great friends, Peter and Kate. Mike and Peter ran 7 miles (Mike's longest and fastest run ever). Kate and I did run/walk intervals and ended up running 3.5 miles total with probably another mile of walking. I really liked running in the park and I would like to do it more often when it starts warming up!

Unfortunately, we ate Mexican TWICE this weekend and I have a feeling it is going to impact this weeks weight loss. We shall see...

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Updates!

I seriously need to get better about this blogging thing. Thanks to those of you that are still reading and commenting. I promise, once I get through this semester, I know I will be better about updating.

This week is conference week, which is usually the worst time of the year. I feel like I am a crazy lady all of the time. I am busy at work, taking my final 2 masters classes, and my calendar looks like a mess. I just need some time to myself to relax and I honestly know that it won't happen until after school is out and I have graduated.

I am just looking forward to this... I can do it!

WW Week 4
Weigh-in: +0.8 lbs
Total Loss: -4.2 lbs

Whoops! I guess that is what I get after over-indulging BIG TIME over the weekend while celebrating Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day. Oh well! It was worth it! This week will be another rough one because I am super stressed and busy, which really makes it hard for me to work out. I ran 4 miles for the first time and I am hoping to be at 5 miles next week. Only time will tell! I weigh in this Thursday for week #5 so let's hope for a big minus.

AND THANK YOU so much for commenting on my post about donating to Haiti. I got 46 comments and decided that 50 cents per comment just wasn't enough. I definitely didn't want to donate only $23. Instead, I donated $2 per comment plus $8 and gave a total of $100! What a fun way to donate!

Finally...our roof is having more problems. We noticed a spot on our ceiling in our room months ago. Well...long story short, we need to do some more patching up and put another $700 into the roof. Uck....the joys of being a home owner.

Just noticed that it is 9:30...bed time. What have I become?

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WW-Week 3

Week 3
Weigh-in: -2.4 lbs
Total Loss: -5.0 lbs

Yahooooooo! So happy about my loss this week. Although I drank a ton in Columbia last week (I still need to blog about that!) and ate El Rancho at 1:30 am, I still lost. I ran 3 times last week and swam 3 times. I just hope I can do it all again this week with Mardi Gras and Valentine's Day around the corner!

Google Reader people...come out and check out the new layout. I wanted to post bigger pictures while still holding onto the labels and links on the right side. Mike also made me a new header to change things up!

Finally, if you haven't commented on THIS POST, please do it. I will be making my donation next week!

Ohhh...one more thing. As I am adjusting the colors on my new blog layout, I can't figure out how to change the color of the links within my posts. See the link above...I don't like the light brown color. Does anyone know what it is called so I can change it! Thanks :)

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