Happy Holidays

I am about a day away from my Christmas Vacation, so there might not be a lot of posts from me the next 2 weeks.

My other Authors can post though if they have any resolutions, or fitness tips for the holidays.

Evil Evil Goodie Day

Hello friends.

Anyone else have an office goodie day where there are chocholates and candies all over the office? And then for lunch we have a big potluck with food and food and food..... TONS.

Well mine was last week, and I am SO proud of myself for the restraint I showed. Don't get me wrong, what I ate would have blown any diet or calorie count for a sane day, but I did good!

For any mothers out there...

I found this article very interesting even though I don't have kids.

http://www.beachbody.com/product/284.do?code=NEWS_284_QUIZ#article3

Also I saw Jerry Seinfeld's wife on The View a couple weeks ago plugging this book (#7 on the list). (Mel see the comment about pink pancakes, I bet Alley would love it!).

http://www.beachbody.com/product/newsletters/284.do?code=NEWS_284_NUTRITION#article2

Lunch ideas?

I am looking for lunch ideas. I know a lot of you bring lunches everyday to work...I would like to be better about bringing in my lunch...but I am tired of sandwiches...what other things do you girls bring in?

Confession: Yesterday I had...

Yesterday I had...

Honey bunches of oats cereal
Arby's Big Beef and Cheddar combo with curls
8 oz prime rib w/Veggies and salad
Tall Screwdriver
2 pieces of fudge
the rest of a bag of Cheeto's (maybe 3 servings?)

Tuesday was even worse, so I wont reiterate here, but sometimes just confessing my bad habits helps.

Are you getting enough sleep?

I am not sure if I have been getting enough sleep lately. Without mentioning what time you go to bed or get up, how much sleep do you average?


I get between 7 and 8 hours a night, but sometimes I feel like that is not enough!

Find time to Exercise Tips

I often read beachbody newsletters, and saw something in this one that really caught my eye.

I'm going to try combining the tip from "Big Bang Theory" (Women wake up faster to high pitched sounds) with the touch your toes as soon as you wake up in the morning to get the blood to go through your brain!

Beachbody Newletter: 7 Tips to help you find time to exercie

Instead of...

Instead of talking about how much we ate (fudge, chicken, stuffing....) lets talk about how much we exercised!

Anyone manage to get in some? I did ONE a treadmill, weights and crunches workout on Sunday. Felt nice.

After the holidays

Because of my circumstances (I had a tonsillectomy 1 week ago) I haven't been able to eat much of anything lately and everything I eat tastes like crap - Brian made a delicious 7 cheese mac & cheese for me and all I could enjoy was the smell. I'm really just eating because I have to right now.

This might sound odd, but during this time I've learned to enjoy food by savoring it in my mouth because I'm chewing it much slower - also end up eating less. I've adopted this method because of pain in my throat, but I'm going to try to continue to eat slower and smaller portions once I'm recovered - lets see if I can do this.

Since the holidays are always a difficult time to stay healthy I've decided to focus on enjoying myself BUT also only eat small portions when I'm hungry, even if it's not all healthy stuff.

I was all up for the "virtual recipe club" but for one reason or another I haven't yet tried the recipe Karen posted (which was due on 10/30). I probably won't be able to try it till December so I vote for starting this club back up after the holidays...any thoughts?

An open letter to my stalker...

No, I'm just teasing! :)

What have I been up to, you ask? Let's see...

Up until about 2 weeks ago I'd been going to 3 classes a week - Monday was bootcamp - Wednesday is yoga - bordering on POWER yoga - and Saturday morning is a nice easy yoga at 9am.

Halloween brought me a chance to skip that Wednesday night class, so I did. :) I haven't missed a Saturday yet, but I haven't been to my Monday night bootcamp in 3 weeks. 1 week was cancelled - the next my kidlets were sick and this week I have a horrible backache.

My eating habits have been horrible too! Alas, the boyfriend likes to eat poorly just as much as I do. :) We're happily gaining weight together! LOL

This week was meant to be the week that I got back on the horse so to speak. However, my back hurts so badly that I can barely walk. I cleaned the garage like a mad woman this weekend. I also put away all 30 (yes, I had 30!) pots that were outside my house with various annuals in them. There was a lot of bending and twisting.

I keep teasing the boyfriend that I think I'm preggers. Of course, we all know there's no way that's possible, but it's fun to tease. I have all the symptoms. Boobs are bigger. Smells make me nauseous. My back hurts. See - it all fits. Alas, I know there are no more babies in my future, but it's fun to dream!

Needless to say, I keep telling him that I won't marry him until I'm a size 8. Now don't go getting any big ideas that there are plans in the work, becasue there aren't. There's no ring on this here finger (yes, I'm pointing) either - so no jumping to conclusions. But someday, I'd like to. Therefore, I need to get my ass in gear because it's going to be a while until I get to be a size 8.

So, Mr. or Ms. Stalker, there's my update. I'll get my buttox back in gear when the back stops hurting. Hopefully sooner rather than later because not being able to pick up my kids really sucks.

Fight It

This is what we are fighting against!

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/11/its-a-fat-world.html#more

November 2007

Only 2 months left in 2007!

You can do a lot in 2 months health wise, but the holiday season is notorious for trips out of town, big dinners and snacks galore.

What are your plans to keep sane during the holidays?

Quick Easy Dinner

Here is a quick and easy dinner I made last night with food I had in my kitchen. Just thought it might help someone...

Time: Less than 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• Pasta (I used Ziti, but you can use anything)
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Olive Oil
• Parmesan Cheese
• Any other veggies you have in the house
  

1. Cook Pasta
2. Saute Onions and Mushrooms in Olive Oil til done
3. Mix cooked pasta, sauted vegetables, and shredded parmesan cheese
   

Solution for our Fitness woe's? I don't think so.

http://www.happynews.com/news/10272007/product-combines-workstation-treadmill.htm

Solved Karens Problem

Blogger has solved Karen's problem of not being able to get back out to the website to read when someone posts a comment on a thread out here!

When you post a comment on a thread look for the checkbox if you would like to know what people comment after you!

It's called:
Email follow-up comments to ...

-Danielle

My Goals

I have not yet hit my goal of working out every other day in a week. I have however went from no working out at all to 3 times the 14 - 20th, and 2 times the 21st - 27th!

Thanks again to my husband for going on walks with me the last couple of weeks and for setting up my treadmill in front of the TV downstairs so I can entertain myself while I work out.

How is everyone else doing on working out?

Anyone else cooked the October dish?

Haven't post forever!

I have some new goals.
To be at 150 by Aug. 12th 2008.
Drink 10 glasses of water a day!


Since I'm having a baby I haven't worked out at all. I have been trying to eat healthy but I'm always hungry because of this little guy. If anyone wants to have a cooking day some weekend we can all cook over at my house.

Meal Ideas

One of the things I struggle with is ideas for meals...seems like I start repeating after 1 week and that is pretty boring. Just to get the discussion started, how about next week we each post what we had for dinner each evening (assuming it is homemade :) ).

My turn to focus

Thanks for including me girls! It is really time for me to focus...and I mean it this time. The recent health scare of my dad with the quadruple bypass surgery has really gotten me thinking about the importance of taking better care of myself now. I am going to need a lot of support from you guys. My first goal is to get back to tracking everything I eat. My biggest challenge is sticking with it, but I am going to go with Jossie and do "one day at a time."

The Gluten-Free Geek

I figure I should at least introduce myself. Hello!

I have been gluten-free (no wheat, barley, rye, and oats) for a year after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease. For someone that has never dieted before in her life, I think I adapted pretty well. I have never cheated, even though I have been tempted. I was one of those sickening people that could eat anything and everything since I was always hungry, and not gain a pound. I'm surprised no one thought I was bulimic. Not anymore. You have gotten your revenge people! Celiac isn't always accompanied by weight-loss, which makes it so hard to pinpoint it in those that don't have the classic celiac symptoms.

Some of the challenges with a gluten-free diet involve time, price, taste, and convenience. It takes a lot of time to shop for groceries, cook from scratch, and do the dishes. Or when in a rush, there are quicker options, but they are generally more expensive and not very healthy. Taste -- well, we're dealing with some new ingredients with different flavors and textures. Sometimes it is hit or miss. Going out always requires planning ahead. I usually plan on failure, so I always stash food in my purse. For the most part it is easiest to eat my meals at home and pack a lunch for work. I go out to eat occasionally, plus I've got some great friends that have taken on the gluten-free challenge and cooked for me too.

I've been pretty lazy for about 2 years since I started getting more sick, then once I was better, I just wanted to give my body time to heal and not push it at the gym. Now I have to push through it and I'm trying to work out more regularly (whenever you ask me, I'm always trying to work out more regularly, its been an ongoing goal that I really haven't been successful with).

Since everyone else has goals, I figured I would share mine.

1. Work out 4 times a week and make it a habit
2. Find fast and easy meals to cook that are still healthy and meet the GF criteria
3. Cook meals ahead of time to have when I'm busy
   
4. Start by losing 5 pounds

Karen, the Gluten-Free Geek

New Authors?

I have invited Karen and Kathryn to be authors with us!

Kathryn is interested in our cooking club, and Karen so that she can have blog post comments emailed to her if she wants!

-Danielle

I've already revised my mini-goals a bit. Here they are...


Previous:

1. Cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner myself
   
2. Wake-up on weekdays at 6:15AM to exercise, 8AM otherwise
   
3. Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily
   
4. Cut out coffee completely
5. Don't miss a day - one day at a time

New:

1. Eat home-cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner.
   
2. Wake-up on weekdays between 6:30 - 6:45AM to exercise and 8AM on weekends.
3. Drink 8 - 10 glasses of water daily.
4. Drink at most 2 cups of coffee.
   
5. Don't miss a day - one day at a time.

(what I meant by "cook myself" is eating at home, Brian helps out A LOT and I definitely don't plan or can cook all the meals myself :-)

Tidbit on coffee -
Find it here: http://www2.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/slide_yourbody_healthfood_108.jhtml

Coffee actually has been shown to reduce liver cancer and to be effective with (or with symptoms of) Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases," Dr. Oz says. "So there are a bunch of different places where coffee can play a role. The reason it got a bad name is because it does have side effects, for example, migraine headaches and heart palpitations. But if you're not having them, coffee is reasonable."

Did we mention, it's good for those bowel movements, too? Dr. Oz suggests 24 ounces of coffee a day is a rational amount.

Recipe Club #1 October 2007 DUE October 30th

Here is our first official recipe! I have changed its format a bit and included the composite nutritional information. For those avoiding certain foods please try it with whatever modifications you like!

Recipie Club #1 October 2007 Due Date 10/30

Ingredients
* rice (brown, white, wild, basmati, jasmine, black)
* vegies (usually go for a frozen blend with broccoli)
* firm or extra-firm tofu (I like the refrigerated tofu
* about a tablespoon of olive oil, enough to coat the pan
* Bragg's or a soy sauce
* powdered garlic

Instructions
1. Cook the rice.
2. Cook or steam the vegies.
3. Cook the tofu -- I cut the tofu into cubes. Heat the olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Add the tofu. I put in about as much soy sauce until the tofu is covered (Bragg's is lower-sodium). Then some garlic on top. Stir it up.
4. Cover and stir once in a while to make sure it doesn't burn. It takes about 10 min or so to cook so it isn't squishy/raw anymore. Not sure if that is the best way to cook it, but it gets the job done. ;-)

I like to layer the rice, then veggies, then the tofu in the proportions you like/want on your plate or bowl. The tofu helps flavor the rice. And save the rest for leftovers.

Nutritional Information:
1 cup cooked brown rice
3 oz tofu
1/2 cup cooked broccoli
1/2 tsp Bragg's
1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Calories....: 423
Protein.....: 13.29g
Carbohydrate: 52.8g
Total Fat...: 18.25g (this is counting the whole 13.5 g for 1 tbsp of olive oil)
Fiber.......: 6.5g
Sodium......: 110mg

Superfoods

Last night Karen mentioned the superfoods book that Brandon loaned her, I thought this article fit in well with that conversation.

Fish 2 times a week! Shouldn't be that hard, but for some reason it is!

http://www.health.com/health/article/0,23414,1591547,00.html

I worked out again today. :)

Bootcamp class at 8 pm.

I hurt already and it's 9:30.

Someone else tell me they are working out. ;)

And here's a current weigh-in: Today 209. Talk about sucky. I was at 206 on Saturday. It's PMS -- totally, so I hope that it'll go away just as quick as it came.

Oh yeah - does everyone have a fitday account? I keep mine accurate - do you? It's here...

Blogging from my couch!

Hi y'all. (I really wanted to put in It's Britney Bitch somewhere in here... but since I'm not Britney... well, you get the picture!)

I'm blogging from my couch while watching my children play play-dough. How cool is that!? I finally got my wireless access set up again in the house. If I had known my router was so nearby, I would have done it months ago!

I'm currently reading a book called The Beck Diet Solution: How to Train your Brain to Think like a Thin Person. Week 1 is all about getting ready to diet. No dieting involved yet, though. It's just preparing and making sure that you have the tools to be able to resist temptation. Week 2 is about getting ready to diet. I'm somewhere in the middle of week 2 even though it's been 3 weeks since I started reading the book. :) So far I'm down 6 lbs. 6 lbs in 3 weeks is SO SLOW compared to what I'm used to, but if it stays off, who gives a rats ass, right?

My goal is to be down to 170 lbs (hopefully a nice solid size 10-12) by my birthday Feb 11. I love that Mrs. Schulz gave me a 10 day buffer zone in my goals!

Here's my workout schedule currently:
Monday: Boot amp class - I did the first one last week. It was painful, painful, painful. I was sore until Wednesday!

Tuesday: Off. Walk with kids -- if I can after that damn Bootcamp Class!

Wednesday: Yoga class. It is so wonderful to have that night of stretch after having a day to recover from Susan's (the instructor for the Bootcamp Class) brutal class. Allison, the Wednesday night teacher does a good 10 minute ab set at the end of class. Eventually I'm hoping to do Step at 7 and then Yoga at 8 on Wednesday. We'll work up to that. :)

Thurday: Off.

Friday: 45- 60 minutes on the elliptical + weight lifting

Saturday: 9am Yoga class. Kathy teaches this. It's far more relaxing than the Wednesday night class. She does things slower and more methodically than Allison. :)

Sunday: Still up for debate. I'm trying to decide between taking Step at 6 or just having another day off!

My Mr. Wonderful likes the fact that I'm working out, so he's watching the kids for me while I hit the gym.

Meanwhile I'm trying to eat more balanced meals more often. Lately I'm kind of stuck eating home made breakfast burritos (3 egg whites, 1/4 cup shredded cheese, turkey sausage in a 8" whole wheat tortilla) for breakfast at 7. I eat a snack at 9. It's usually a handful of homemade trail mix (toasted almonds, unsalted cashews, peanuts, dried cranberries and some chocolate chunks). Lunch is a sandwich and salad or soup at about 11. There's another snack between 1 & 3 - sometimes popcorn, sometimes yogurt. It all depends. :) Dinner is something very, very low carb. I'm trying to stay away from carbs after 5. My body just holds onto them. It sucks. I'd love to eat bread without problems!

While I'm eating all of this I try to drink 4 liters of water a day. Yes, you read that right - 4 liters. I've got a 2 liter pitcher on my desk. My drawer is full of crystal light because there comes a point where I can only drink so much water flavored water. :)

Jossie - welcome. I probably should have put this at the top, but well - I was just so excited! :)

I actually made this great recipe the other day and it was SO easy. Now - you think I can remember it? It had whole wheat pasta, ground seasoned turkey, brocolli, dried aprocots and peacans. It was fabulous.

Oh - the other thing that is my go to fast food is 1 Morningstar Farm's Black Bean Burger on top of my salad with 1/4 cup shredded cheese, refried black beans and a couple of tablespoons of salsa. I sometimes crumble some tortilla chips over the top like they are crutons (is that speled right??!)! It's so good! I've found that the key to the tofu stuff is to cook it the right way. Well, I didn't really find on my own, I was told, but ya know - I know it anyway. :) The Black Bean burgers work really well in a frying pan on each side for 6-7 minutes until they carmelize and get a little crunchy. And I TRULY adore the damn tofu chicken patties. They remind me of Elementary School Lunch. :)

And to Anonymous - no, we do not have another bride yet. She's picked out the dress though. LOL I'm just waiting for the very large diamond ring. He was asked about when he was going to marry me by one of our customers last week. He said he figured I wouldn't live with him in sin forever. I told him he'd better have a more solid answer then that. I told him again that I wouldn't wait 6 years for my ring like he made his ex-wife wait. Hopefully that's enough of a hint. :)

Ok - did I cover everyting? Gosh - I hope so.

I just have to shout out to Karen. :) I read your blog all the time girlfriend. You, Jossie and Dani should come up some time and we have a girls night watching chick flicks or going out and drinking or something!

K - Done now.

Aideu mis amies.

My view

Hi Ladies,

Like Danielle said, I have been invited as an author to this blog so I can post now.

I'll start with a bit of my background. As a teenager I was very active and never had to worry about what I ate because my mom always cooked healthy, delicious, Spanish meals and I never learned how to cook because I didn't have to. Since I was active, I never thought of "being healthy" but then I went away from home for college. I had no clue how to cook so I'd call my mom to help me make a grocery list and talk me through cooking the meals I would eat for the next 3 days. I didn't always have time for that so I ended up buying a lot of frozen foods, like pizza. I started gaining weight and my activity level greatly decreased.

Then I got married to Brian (which you have all met I'm sure) and he IS an amazing cook. That worked out great because I didn't know what I was doing in the kitchen. Well, it turned out that it wasn't so great because I kept on gaining weight. I took notice that my clothes wasn't fitting me anymore and tried a couple diets that worked, until I stopped doing them :-)

To make the long story short....I've grown up and figured out that it's important to be healthy for other reasons than just appearances. My father has diabetes and so does everyone else in his side of the family. Chances of me getting diabetes are huge, but I am 26 years old and ready to prevent ever having to deal with that.

My ultimate goal is to never ever feel like I'm on a diet or that I'm restricting myself from eating anything yet still live a healthy life. If it wasn't for my jeans feeling tighter and my shirts smaller, I wouldn't worry about my appearance...I don't want to spend tons of money in new clothes when I know that I'm working towards a goal that will solve that.

I'm very far away from my ultimate goal, but I have milestones, which I like to call mini-goals, that will help me get there. Here they are in no particular order...

mini-goals

1. Cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner myself
   
2. Wake-up on weekdays at 6:15AM to exercise, 8AM otherwise
   
3. Drink 8-10 glasses of water daily
   
4. Cut out coffee completely
5. Don't miss a day - one day at a time

I'm sure there are more mini-goals that I'm forgetting, but these are the most important ones to me right now.

The most difficult one is #1. I have to admit that Brian has learned to cook healthy and even though he complains, I think he's OK with it. Since this is the most difficult one for me, I need help in this area and that's why I want to propose to you to help me begin a virtual recipe club. I was hoping that you all can help me figure out all the details, but it will require commitment. It shouldn't be difficult because you have to cook at least once a week (or month?), right?

I was thinking that each one of us could post a healthy recipe once every month, this will change later I'm sure. Ideally the recipe should be hearty and contain carbs, vegetable, and protein. Since it's only 3 of us, we will each have 2 recipes to try out in that month and we can then comment on it. That's it, easy isn't it?

Let me know of your ideas :-)

I promise this will be the only post that is this long!!

~Jossie

The new me

Posting as the new me!

Weeks goals:

• Pack and be ready for departure 6 AM Friday morning (going to ND)
• Start Thank you Notes from Wedding. (eat that frog, so do the hardest ones first).
• Make progress on changing my name.

I added Jossie as an author to this BLOG, Jossie feel free to create your own posts!

I'm probably going to scrap our tracking pictures, are they accurate for anyone? The little slide ruler things?

You may ask why I didn't start working out this week... or at least why I'm not reporting that I worked out..

This weekend I got a well needed break from the world with a couple of rainy days, and this week am focused on getting things done at work so I can earn my Friday flex day. My weight is holding steady at 170 lbs.

Anyone else starting exercise or healthy eating plans? Give us an update (as anonymous said we need some inspiration out here !).

-Danielle

So... Now that I'm married...

I want to wait about a week before starting anything crazy workout wise because I was killer sick last week, but B and I read an article about a diet called "the abs diet".

Anyone heard of it?

It's Official

The engagement is OFF and the married life is ON!

Still not quite all sunk in yet, but i'm still processing.

The week with family and friends helping us celebrate was amazing. I was so glad to see everyone.

Good Advice

Add Years to Your Life with 6 Changes
Source: Woman’s Day magazine

Doctors and scientists concur: the way you live your life today has a big impact on the number of years you have left to live and how fully you are able to enjoy them. Sally Brown, author of Live Longer: Your Whole Health Route to Longer Life suggests making one small change a week. This, she says, can make a big difference in the long run. She suggests these changes:

1) have more “date nights”
2) dance to stimulate mental and physical coordination,
3) sleep more,
4) stand with good posture,
5) visualize yourself as youthful, energetic, and
6) laugh and giggle.

One of those days...

It started out as one of those days.

The days when you get up, decide to not shower, do your hair or dress up at all.

Throw the hair back in a ponytail, put on your boyfriends baggy shorts and an old top you bought so long ago you don't even know where it came from.

Take the time to put lotion on your face (cuz after all we are just about 30, have to worry about wrinkles and sun damage)...

Then get to work and have someone say " You look nice today"?!?!?!

What the...

PS. Gained 3 lbs on the long weekend...Back to the drawing board.

MSN Articles on Emotional Eating

I know I do this sometimes... and sometimes I don't realize it till the whole bag of chips is gone.

This is also one of the reasons why I try to stick to sensible eating instead of calling it a diet. As soon as its a diet then its something I can cheat on, which gives you a thrill you know? Makes it Forbidden and all the more fun.

Emotional Eating:
http://health.msn.com/dietfitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100166042&GT1=10212

One quote that really struck me as key..

"Many people report to me that as they're approaching their goal weight they often sabotage themselves and all of their efforts. They wonder why that is. It doesn't seem to make any sense. In fact, you may be able to relate to that experience.

The answer, time and again, proves to be simple: if you didn't have your weight to think about you might have to think about what's really bothering you, and that's very frightening, because I know that you feel powerless to change the things that really bother you. "

Monday Check-In

Feel decent today. Worked out "hardcore" Saturday morning.

Kept up with the small meals and threw a bit of a fit last night when Brandon was trying to plan too much food for dinner. Made sure to include Fruit with our starch and meat :)

Did go to the movies though and a bit of unconscious eating made the small popcorn go away before the previews were even done! After that I had brought a snack of pretzels to keep me from other bad things at the movie theater.

Weight today 166.5

Goals this week. Work out Monday, Wednesday Friday. Bring lunch to work 2 days.

Ugh

I suppose I should be thrilled with losing 6 lbs in 2 weeks. However, I'm just plain not.

I've been working out every fricking day. Hard. Not this easy 'workin in the garden' crap. ;) Ok - so it's not crap for you, but I'm in good shape already (yes, you can be fat and in good shape damnit). So for me to lose so slowly pisses me off. I'm eating really well. Though, I think my body really, really, really doesn't like carbs. I'm easing back on them now. Upping the protien and throwing out that damned Fat Smash diet. My Good God, I ate tofu for 9 days straight. No meat. All fruits and veggies. It was great and all. I felt good by the end of it. However, you'd think that I would have been down 10 lbs by then, but alas...

Needless to say I'm frustrated. REALLY Frustrated.

Anyway - if I keep up this way, but the time Christmas rolls around I might weigh 175.

My flower girl :) Isn't she cute! And precocious... She was in the middle of beating my sister over the head with the ballon when I took this picture.

Mondy Check In

I'm a little late for my Monday check in but I remember my weight from Monday.

168.5

So not going anywhere. BUT Here IS what I did this week.

1) Lots of gardening, pulling weeds etc, good workout for the butt muscles (gluteus maximum).

2) 2 nights of "clean up the basement" work. Last night resulted in my treadmill, weights area and TV all being in good shape downstairs and ready to use. Brandon did a lot of the work, but I was the "run things up and down the stairs" person.

3) Passed up a Peanut Butter and Chocolate desert today.

4) Been eating healthier when I can, trying to eat less food, earlier dinners and lighter lunches. Even packed up 1/2 my sub sandwich from lunch yesterday and saved it for dinner.

Yep. I'm back on the wagon

Since my bridesmaid dress didn't fit, my boyfriend decided to go all Harvey (from Celebrity Fit Club) on my ass. Since Monday, I've been on the first phase of the Fat Smash Diet. Yep. Fruits & Veggies - all I want. Tofu. 2 cups of brown rice. 1 cup of Oatmeal. 2 cups of milk. 2 - 6oz containers of yogurt. That's all I get to eat for 9 days. I'm on day 3. So far -- so good.

Along with that, I've been working out every night. 500 calories on the treadmill. :) It isn't so bad... it's just... tiring. It helps that my kids are gone. Add to that the weight lifting every other day.

If it kills me, I'll be down to 180 by the wedding. AND my dress will fit!!!

First Monday in July

Hello and welcome to July. I can't believe its here already. 1 1/2 months to wedding!

My Monday check in is this...

• Did a good job this weekend of not eating till I was stuffed. I tried to only eat when I was hungry.
  
• Did not so great on the car snacks for the drive (Lots of Cheezits, and licorice)
• Thanks to Linda's variety of food I had a good mix of fruits along with higher fat foods like hamburgers and bratwurst.
• Weigh in about 166 lbs. I say about because I ate breakfast and got partway dressed before weighing myself so I subtracted 2 lbs off what the scale said.
  

Future Plans

• Three 30 min exercise sessions this week. Starting after work today, mow grass or walk if its nice out, treadmill and weights if it is not. One session will be more than covered by Thursday's Kayaking adventure.
  
• The holiday week means no overtime for me, and I am taking 1 additional vacation day. No overtime means more time for wedding stuff and for working out. Like a vacation almost!
  

It's Official

We are engaged :) Kind of late I know, but we didn't get or engagement announcement in the paper till just this week.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/articles/index.cfm?id=42337%A7ion=celebrations&freebie_check&CFID=41492045&CFTOKEN=89546500&jsessionid=883026676c414f2d553e

We put it in the New Salem ND paper, Bismarck Tribune, and the Grand Forks Herald.

Monday Check-In

Monday June 25th. 8 weeks till the wedding. I have about 7-10 lbs to lose to start to feel a bit better about fitting into my dress and all that. Not to mention just maintaining muscle mass now that I am almost old.

Monday June 25th: 166.5

I have been hovering around this weight for many weeks now. Being too busy to workout and eat healthy.

Enough is enough...

Something happened to me the last few days. Something made me really tired of not looking my best physically.

1. My friend Jossie's getting back into eating right and working out, it has inspired me quite a bit.
   
2. I tried on my wedding dress for a fitting and they couldn't get the top clasp together in the back.
3. Conversations recently about family history of various diseases.
4. Trying to be a good role model for young ladies in my Girl Scout troop and my siblings.
5. Its summer and hot and I have shorts and tank tops that I used to wear that now look bad on me or just plain don't fit.
6. I came up 1 flight of stairs on Friday and was out of breath enough that I couldn't carry on a conversation right after getting to my desk at work.
7. I have been having digestive issues lately and I have been eating pretty much anything in sight and indulging in fast food, big meals out and other food vices a lot lately.
8. Having a clean house makes me feel like I want to get other areas of my life in order as well.
9. Seeing the garden start to grow reminds me of how great it is to grow and eat fresh vegetables!
   

That is a lot of reasons, but they all culminated into an action.

This morning I went for a walk outside. It was a bit hard especially since I chose a hill to walk up first thing, but it felt great. I followed that up with reading a bit of my old diet book "Change One: Lose weight simple, safely and forever" and following one of their breakfast guidelines.

• FF Cottage Cheese,
  
• wheat toast (with strawberry preserves),
  
• watermelon
  
• and a couple glasses of water.

I'm not to the point yet where I am going to commit to a 6 day a week workout plan, a restricted calorie diet, or a weight loss goal of x lbs by x date.... but I am to the point where I just want to do something... so I did.

Wedding Website

For those of you who were not on my email a few weeks back, here is my wedding website!!
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/DanielleBurkhart&BrandonSchulz

Tell me what you think, and if I misspelled or said something wrong as far as you know!

-Danielle

Oh my...

This past weekend was our Bride-To-Be's Bachlorette party. I ate way too much, but had a blast...

I came home yesterday, Sunday, and watched Inside Brookhaven Obesity Clinic on TLC. Talk about scary! I think that everyone should watch this at least once. As they were talking about their food addictions, I realized that maybe, per chance, I am a food addict. Seriously. It's the first thing I think about in the morning and the last thing I think about at night. Stepping on the scale 300 times a day is a reminder that I shouldn't be eating what I'm eating... (I'm writing this as I eat my breakfast of watermelon and lots of water.)

The thing that broke my heart the most about the Brookhaven show was that some of the 700 and 800 lb folks are smuggling in food and completely cheating. They are allowing it, because, if you don't have access to your addicitons, you can't truly fight them. However, for the half of the 75 residents that AREN'T cheating, that has to be SO difficult!!! I cannot imagine being big enough to have to check myself into a rehab center only to have people smuggle in food crack like french fries and pizza.

Anyway, as I was watching that, I was thinking that I needed to go work out. I didn't, since Im so damn sore from either the bed at the hotel, or from dancing. :( I will run a little today if the kids give me time. I'm home with them since daycare is closed.

There's also a show called Big Medicine that I'm going to try to catch tonight.

Oh, and I'm up 1lb from the weekend of partying. :) But, that should be gone by tomorrow!

Not good.

Well I haven't done anything for a couple of weeks. And my body feels it. I really need start. Now it's been so long that I'm even scared to step onto that scale to see my weight.

How is everyone else is doing? I'm sure better then me :)

A great article!

100 Ways to cut 100 calories

The Early Bird...

I started out today by waking up at 7:11.

If you don't know me really well that is the earliest I have woken up without an alarm clock, since I was in High School probably!

I rolled out of bed, got ready, even hefted some 8 lb weights a few times before breakfast and got to work by 8!

To make it even more amazing I went to bed at 1:11. Not sure what this will do to my normal afternoon slump at work... but I have some diet pop to help me through if I need.

I'm afraid it's a story of "too little too late" but I am going to heft those 8 lb weights every day this week. Try to build muscle or at least keep what I have before this weekends trip. Maybe if I give myself sore arms for a couple of days I'll be better prepared for hefting a canoe and pack around the BWCA.

Trip still on for those who know about the fire up there. Its not yet touched the areas we are going to and they have now controlled it enough that they said they would let people back in our intended area.

Ticker Missing

Mel, where is your ticker! I see only mine and Kelly's :(

Let us all know your workout plans, you were so KICKING all our butts, and I'm sure when you get back on the wagon you will again!

Backpack Anyone?

So while I am not meeting any workout goals, or weight loss goals... I have achieved one milestone in my life.

I have backpacked! We rode in a canoe to a site across the water, brought everything we needed on our backs.

I was able to help carry a canoe, with my backpack on, and help B get the canoe on his back, canoe around a lake... and sit out in the rain with my rain pants and jacket on.

Wait that last part I am very experienced at... its rained on our camping adventures the last two weekends in a row!

166 lbs

Well I'm still at 166 lbs.

Not much else to say for myself.

Food is good...

5/7/07

Banana, toast, butter, pb, 8 oz peach juice

Cantelope, small ham bun, kraft cheese slice, light mayo, small salad, FF french dressing, Diet pop.

Cup and a half of rice and serving of polish sausage. Diet caffeine pop

Sweet Tarts, 1/2 Hershy's chocolate bar, most of a pkg of Red Vines.

I have actually been making much better food choices lately, and had a couple big walks this weekend.

Saturday - Celiac Walk, just under 2 miles, I walked with my backpacking pack with a tent and sleeping bag in it! A bit of a stress on me, but I could totally handle it.

Sunday - MS Walk. 5 Miles... no big backpacking bag, but I did carry a camel back with a water bladder. Brandon informed me I didn't drink enough water, but I sure carried it! This walk did end up giving me a cramp today, in my calf.

Up next for me will be a weight routine to get ready for Boundary Waters. I might even use the gym membership I pay for ;)

Sorry to hear that your workout routine has suffered Mel, Just remember some is better than none, and exercise is supposed to help mental clarity right?

AND

I picked out a pair of wedding shoes today ;) Not set on it, but I got them and plan to insert some gel thingys to make them feel better (as someone who doesn't wear dress shoes much).

http://www.famousfootwear.com/product.asp?product_id=1011003&variant_id=31028

Did anyone notice...

That all 3 of us have decided that 22% body fat is a good goal?!?

Strange, huh? :)

I haven't been doing very well lately. There's been no workouts in my routine for a good 2 weeks now. What has been in my routine? Rehearsals. Kids. Panic Attacks. Overbearing Mothers. Hot Boyfriends. Kids. Playing outside. Practicing. Auditions. Playing Catch. Flying Kites. Work. Work. And lastly, More WORK!

This week, I finally went to see my doctor about my panic attacks. They started in late December and lasted until mid-January last time. It was almost a daily recurrance. Thankfully, at that time, I had a co-worker who had been prescribed Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug, and she'd give me one when it got so bad that I couldn't deal anymore. When the panic attacks started again -- oh, about a week ago -- they were worse than before. They have always felt like someone was sitting on my chest making it very hard to breathe, but now it was starting to feel like a heart attack. It hurts all the way across my chest and down into my left arm, making it numb.

There are side effects of the medicine that she put me on that I'm not too excited about. Namely weight gain and lack of libido. Now, I'm not so much worried about lack of libido, since I'm one of those chicks with an overactive libido anyway. The poor boyfriend was relieved that I would no longer be humping his leg every night. ;) However, the weight gain thing concerns me a lot! I'm fat. I don't WANT to be fat, and I'm working HARD not to be fat! UGH! We will see. It seems like some people actually LOST weight while on it, so hopefully I'm one of those. ;)

We start up with the next round of the Biggest Loser -- Office Edition next week. That means back to the grind of working out and eating right. Until then, though, I'm going bananas eating anything I want. ;) Naughty, Naughty me!

Weight Loss - Diet Ticker

Weight Loss - Diet Ticker: " "

Weight Loss - Diet Ticker

Weight Loss - Diet Ticker

Sad Realization Day

One of my goals was to blog about my diet. What I was eating etc. Its obviously been abysmal lately because my weight this morning was 166.5 lbs. But this is part of my shame.

Monday April 30th 2007
Banana, 2 toast w/ butter and Peanut Butter
5 medium pieces of pizza, 3/4 cup Cottage Cheese
Small Coldstone Ice Cream (Peanut Butter and Chocolate)
3/4 cup chopped up Anduille sausage, 1 and 1/2 cup Mac and Cheese

Tuesday May 1st 2007
Banana, 2 toast w/ butter and peanut butter
1/2 Pork Chop, 1 and 1/2 cup brussel sprouts w/ pepper and butter, sour cream donut
McDonalds Fillet-a-Fish and Ranch snack wrap
3 pieces of Meat Lover Pizza (Paradise Petes)

Pretty bad I know.

Yesterday we went hiking for an hour at Quarry Hill, so I was able to burn some of it off, but more than anything it made me realize how out of shape I have let myself get. Then again I was also hauling a backpack with water bottles, a tent and sleeping bag in it, so it was rightfully harder than hikes the last 2 weeks.

I have to adjust my goals because its now May 1st, and I have not reached them.

Wedding Blog of things I will never have

There were a few cute things out here (the cups with the tree and letters carved in it), but overall its way fancier ideas than my wedding is, but fun nonetheless.

http://www.stylemepretty.com/

New Goal.

I have wanted to do a 5K run/walk for the longest time. So i just signed up to do one in late May. So I will have to workout to get ready for this. I just hope I can do it. I already feel my legs today since I worked out this evening for an hour and15 min and no Kids.

Bad Bad Danielle!

I gotta work out. I keep saying it all the time. I keep saying I gotta start working out. It's been about two months since I've worked out. And I just don't have the time. Which uh..is odd. Because I have the time to go out to dinner. And uh..and watch tv. And get a bone density test. And uh.. try to figure out what my phone number spells in words.
- Ellen DeGeneres

Been 4 months for me without a regular workout routine...

I'm working on it!

Really need to start doing something.

I feel like I haven't done anything. I really need to start working out more. My parents came down here so all I have been doing is eating. And I feel it. I haven't went on the scale yet since I know I don't want to see the number.

Cleaning the house counts as working out right? LOL Because it seems like I do that all the time. I just signed up to go workout every Thrusday night so that should help me.


Here's is what I would like to do:
Want to be at 145 at Aug. 12th my b-day.
I want to work out 3 times a week.

Good lord Gertruide...

Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to get in all of that protien?!?!

If you checked my fitday journal, you would see that I only got in 112 grams of protien yesterday. I really thought I'd get closer than that! UGH! I bought some protien bars yesterday afternoon. Hopefully that will help me get closer. The good news is, my carb count is low *AND* I dropped 2 lbs! :) SWEET! I also did an additional workout last night -- which is wonderful since my children decided to wake me up 7 - yes, you read that right - 7 - times between the 2 of them last night. Needless to say, I did not get up and workout again this morning. The good part is, today is Wednesday and that means that it's Daddy's day. I'll have time to workout tonight since it's snowing in Rochester and I'm not heading that way in this snow crap for my voice lesson! :)

I'm going to change my goals up in the little Orange section above, but did anyone else see the whole Valerie Bertinelli article in People? Supposedly she's a size 14 (my current size!). The picture on the front makes her look huge!!! I was obsessing last night asking the boyfriend if I looked that big. He said that I wasn't that big and that she looked WAY bigger than me. :) (See - they DO get smarter the older they get!) That being said, her goal is an 8 by September. Mine is going to be a 10 by August. Totally do-able. I figure that I should hit a 10 somewhere between 160 & 170. Right now, I'm at 197. At 2 lbs a week, which I usually surpass when I'm really trying, that would put me at 28 lbs down by August 1, or at 169. That should be a nice solid 12 -- at MOST! Hopefully, it'll be a 10. :) We shall see, right?

The Jenni's Bridal folks ordered me a size 16. She said that right now, my measurements are between a 16 and an 18. My only fear is that -- WHEN -- I get to a 10 that it would put me in a size 12 dress, which is 2 sizes of alterations to the dress. Now, the skirt I'm not worried about. That should be as easy as removing 1 panel or gore or however they've got it put in and adjusting the waistband. The top will be trickier. But, whatever. That's up to my mom or Jenni's Bridal -- whoever does the alterations.

Wow - this got long. Anyway... the moral of the story is -- I shouldn't be the fattest bridesmaid. :) I will be tall and skinny like Karen! :) (no offence, Jenny, but I don't remember if you're tall and skinny or not... :) Let's all aim for a size 10 or smaller, k?)

Edited to add: Here's another link to Valerie's Jenny Craig Blog. That way I can keep up with her! :)

Photo Finish... On your lunch?

How hard is it to write down everything you eat in a day? Not too hard, but how much easier to just take a photo of each meal :)

Photo food diary's and I haven't signed up or anything but it is supposed to be free!

Article: http://www.happynews.com/news/1212006/group-launches-nutrition-support-line.htm

Website: http://www.myfoodphone.com/

Easter

I think we all assumed Easter weekend would be a dieting fiasco... but for me it was SO much more.

I had some friends over on Saturday to dye Easter eggs and one (who shall remain nameless) brought over 3 bags of candy. Needless to say I took in more sugar that one day than a human should in a month!

Sunday I was good during the day but from the Ham dinner on it was all about food and snacks. Even kept on the candy that had been mercilessly left at my house!

Monday morning I still weighed 162, but this morning I weighed 163.

On the plus side I got lots of cleaning the house exercise Friday (rearranged the living room) and Saturday, and last night I got my butt on to the treadmill for 1/2 hour of walking. Now just to keep it up.

How was your Easter?

Revised Goals... :)

Or maybe just updated? I dunno.

I gained 4 lbs over the weekend. It sucked, but ya know - with my period starting (and I'm totally holding more water than ususal, I can feel it in my ankles especially!) - and the holiday at my mom's, I'm not surprised at all. I haven't worked out in 5 days either. I was just beat! So, that being said - there are new goals now. The good news - the size 14s still fit. ;)

The weight goal remains the same, but will probably NEVER happen, at least not the 180 by the end of the month!

I got told that I need to up my protien intake. I bought a cookies and cream flavored protien shake mix this weekend at GNC. I'm going to mix it with some milk and boost up my protien. My goal is to eat at least 200 grams of protien a day. We'll see if I can manage it without being full ALL the time (wouldn't that just suck?!)! :)

Secondly, I'm cutting out the carbs after 4. Ok, not completely cutting, but no rice or potatoes with dinner, etc. I'm going to attempt to get in most of my carbs at lunch time or before. Oatmeal for breakfast -- that kind of deal.

Thirdly, eat more. Yes, you heard me, eat more of good things, like fruits and vegetables. I'm already not eating much red meat, though I did splurge and have a burger last week. My grandma sent us home with 3 lbs of fresh ground beef -- from the butcher in Cando -- for our Easter present. I'm not complaining, but it got thrown in the freezer. :)

Fourth, less running more walking. I'm going to split up my hour workout into 30 minutes running, 30 minutes walking. Supposedly part of the reason I'm not dropping weight as quickly as I think I should is because my heartrate is constantly in 'cardio zone' instead of 'fat burning zone'. Duh - who knew there was a difference! The zone to burn fat, for me, is 114 to 152 bpm. That's about 30 bpm slower than my heart rate is when I'm running. So, I figure I'll do the morning run like usual to blast the calories and then do a nice 30 minute walk in the evening. I hope that works!

And that is my update for this lovely Easter Monday.

Thursday April 5th

4/5/07
Scrambled Eggs and ketchup, banana
2 cups Rice including stir fry veggies with Tofu, Banana, apple juice
1/3 apple, 1/3 orange
Miso and Veggie Soup
Banana and PB Toast (no butter)

Not the best day (had the toast and eggs which are not on the diet)

Sorry to say Karen my Miso soup experiment was kind of blah. I think we got the wrong kind of rice noodles because the recipe said to put them in with all the veggies and boil for 10 min, while the instructions on the back said to boil, then drain. Brandon said it was just like they got too mushy. They were more like spaghetti looking noodles, rather than the really fine angel hair like ones. For Veggies, I used Celery, Pea Pods, and Carrots. It was ok, I saved 3 small leftover containers, trying to get as much of the veggies as possible, but still tossed out quite a bit (it made 9 servings!). It was definitely edible though!

Maybe cut the servings in 1/2 for your first experiment.

Brandon is officially off the diet wagon. He had a HUGE bowl of ice cream complete with caramel, fudge and nuts last night. Also he broke into his summer sausage while he was foodsavering them. I was able to resist on both counts... but now its making me hungry :(

Still NO workout though! I procrastinated my work and cleaning by doing other things, like making Miso Soup?!?! So by the time that was all wrapped up I HAD to get to my work.

If no plans come up I should be able to get 1/2 hour in on our treadmill tonight. 5:30 pm appointment!

I'm not a bride to be but I once was.

Here is what i have been doing for my workout:

Monday: Starting weight 162.

Tuesday: Did windsor plitates for 20 min. and did 20 min of Fat burning work out.

Wednesday: walked around the block with 30 pound toddler on my back. Weight 161.

I would like to get down to 145. I was at that for my wedding two years ago. Where did my skinny body go?

Thanks.

Thanks for letting me post on here. I am super excitied.

April 4th

Today was the first day of solid foods.

4/4/07
2 strawberries and 1/2 banana
6 oz of straw/ban/orange shake
1/4 cup short grain brown rice, Veggies, Cranberry Juice
V8 Juice, Tuna/Crackers/Olives
Uncle Ben's brown rice, stir fry veggies with Tofu cubes.

I think I ate a bit too much at dinner last night. I also failed to do any intended workout. I got home and had lots of food preparations and house cleaning up to do. Then after a bit I had to settle in to some work. I should have worked out right away when getting home instead of cleaning and prepping food. I did feel a bit woozy still after the juice fast however, so I wussed out.

Re-Attempting the workout tonight. I have been asked to restrict my hours to 40 a week now so getting in a few workouts a week should not be a big deal.

So far, so good... :)

Ok, well, mostly good on my 1 hour of cardio.

Let's rewind, shall we?

Monday: Ran 30 minutes (2 miles) in the morning. Completely meant to get my other 30 minutes in after work. Instead, I fell asleep on the couch at 8:30 -- in the middle of the Twins season opener! Oh my! I have no idea what is wrong with me! I did get in the 30 minutes of weight lifting that I meant to do. I'm up to 3 sets of 10 reps at 15 lbs for my biceps. I'm going to have nice arms come August, damnit. Just wait until you see my tricep definition!

Tuesday: Was up at 4 to do regular workout of 2 miles. I woke up feeling exhausted. My eyes were puffy in a way that the good Lord never intended. I finally forced myself onto the treadmill, got .5 miles into my run and almost collapsed (ok, so I exaggerate a little). Needless to say, I decided to give up for the morning. I sat on the couch and went to watch some TV. I almost fell asleep! I was inexplicably exhausted. I just don't get it! I called into work to tell them I wasn't coming. Then, like a really good mom, took the kids to daycare and proceeded to sleep until after 11! That is SO not like me! :) I have a hunch that my poor body is fighting something, but I'm not sure what it might be. I did get in my hour of cardio though - from 4 - 5 right before I had to get the kids. I think I did a total of just over 4 miles (it would have been more if I'd actually run the whole time.)

Today: Plan is to get my hour in today at the gym. I think I'll mix it up with some eliptical (is that how you spell it?).

To win the final weigh-in over my co-worker (who has lost 50 lbs since January 1!), I'd have to lose at LEAST 25 lbs this month. Did I mention that he couldn't lose another lb for me to win? ;). Even to win the last weekly weigh-in, I'd have to lose 4 lbs by Monday. That's most likely not going to happen since there's ham involved this weekend.

Meanwhile, Ms. Bride-to-Be, any idea what size ended up getting ordered for me for the maid-o-honor dress? I'd love to hear you say that if you take me down a size that I'm a 12. ;) I'm still aiming to be a size 8, but ya know... we'll see.

And lastly, have we mentioned that I'm planning on doing a 5K in May?

Juice Fast - Day 2

Yesterday I started a juice fast. No restrictions on how much I can drink, just that it has to be fruit/veg juices, herbal tea, green tea, water, and even a protein shake I can make myself. We couldn't find a small amount of vegetable protein powder to add to it, just a huge container, so we are going without that part of it.

Its only 2 days, and then we move on to a restricted veggie diet. It includes brown rice or wild rices, and even Miso Paste, which we are interpreting that to mean we can use Tofu as well. We picked up some extra firm Tofu and are going to incorporate it into a few meals this week.

Yup I have been saying We, Brandon is doing it with me! I'm so happy and I hope he keeps it up.

We also decided to stop 12 hours early on Easter Sunday so that we can eat an Easter Dinner. It will still be mostly veggies, but can't pass up ham!

I envision when we complete this detox, that I will be able to control my portion sizes better, and continue to include more veggies in my diet. I am even considering one meal a day be a juice meal, as I start to lose weight towards my 150 lbs by May 1st goal!

Thanks Brandon for you support.

A Challenge...

My boyfriend's very, very good friend is a personal trainer. He has extended a challenge to us: 60 minutes of cardio every day in April. Holy crap. I suppose if I'm going to do the 5k in May, an hour of cardio won't kill me, right? :)

Think thin. Think thin.

I challenge every one of you, dear readers (are there any? ;)) to do the same. 60 minutes of cardio. 30 days. Good luck and may the force be with you.

Because I can can can...

That's one of the songs on my workout list. :)

Anyway, I dropped this to the 'bride to be' in an email, but figured I'd post it here too because I'm so fricking excited. :)

Here's my measurements as of yesterday in the fitting room at Talbot's shortly before I purchased a size 14 dress for the summer!

Bust: 40.5"
Waist: 35"
Hips: 45.25"
Height: 68"

Mom retook them yesterday. I'm glad she did. My waist measurement was off by a good 2.5 inches. :)

I'm pretty much a standard size 14 now. I tried on some Calvin Klein pants last night -- they are notoriously small -- and the 14 fit. Talk about exciting! :) Ralph Lauren 14 fits too! WOO HOO! I bought myself a new suit in a 14 yesterday too! A $200 suit for $50. WHO is the shopping goddess? :)

Friday March 30th

3/29
Total Lean Cereal, 1/2 cup milk, v8 juice
Donut
Wopper Jr xKetchup, chick tenders, sweek and sour.
30 min walk
Blueberry Muffin, Hard boiled egg, Tuna w/mayo and relish on Ritz with olive.
Potato Ole's, hardshell taco, chocolate bar

I had a brisk walk today at work. The usual head east in the interior hallway, then loop around a building down by Manufacturing, and head back. Takes 30 min! Good thing I was wearing my sneakers today.

I have updated my goals on the main page. Broken it into a 3 week plan, and shifted my goal of 150 (now a 13 lb weight loss) to May 1st. That is a weight loss of 2-3 lbs a week.

Wednesday March 28th

1 Banana, kiwi/Rasp juice
Cinnamon flavored bagel
Cucumber tomato Salad, Pesto Cavatappi (small) at Noodles
Snackwells, Diet 7 UP
Chick Nuggets, fish fillet, Sundae
30 min total workout (treadmill + upper body weights)

Diet journals are not very interesting, but I decided the best way for me to keep one was in a notepad, then transfer it to my blog :)

Above is the contents from yesterday and here are my motivations:

• I bought so many cute clothes in size 12 last year when I was thinner, I want to fit back into them.
• I don't mind paying the extra to alter my dress down to a size 10 for my wedding :)
• A healthy diet includes lots of cancer fighting veggies. Is there any family these days that doesn't have a history of it somewhere?
• For my future kids... If I can kick these bad habits now, maybe my kids wont even start, and establish some good habits instead!

It should have gone without saying (but this is me we are talking to), but what are YOUR motivations?

I'm working out tonight!

Well friends and family, I'm working out tonight.

Nothing strenuous, but easing back into some cardio and weights, and right at home so no excuses!

Bridesmaid Dresses

Hello Bridesmaids :)

I would like you guys to go find this dress and try it on, send me pics as soon as you can. Unless it fits someone horribly this is the dress I would like to go with.

(Karen is obviously exempt).

We will decide later if the dress should be cocktail length or floor length.

New Bridesmaid Dress Option?

We found a bridesmaid dress at Davids Bridal last night that comes in the color "Clover" which is their version of the medium green color. I guess it could take 14 weeks to get in, so we would have to order soon!

Here is Karen modeling it, on the pro list is its price, $110 (with $20 off because I am going to buy my dress at Davids Bridal), on the con list is the length (not quite the below the knee I was thinking) and the back, which appears to v down just past the normal bra line (so a special bra will have to be worn).

What do you guys think?

3 Final Dresses to choose from.

Revision

Had to revise my weight golas, as losing 11 lbs in 1 week is no longer realistic.

Shoveling went a long way to getting me exercise this weekend though :)

Mel - do you need to revise your goals at all? Hows it cookin good lookin?

:)

Foiled

You all know how I love the dress shopping...

but this time I had a really good excuse! Everything today was cancelled due to weather, including Mel coming to Rochester and trying on dresses for/with me!

These are the two I liked. #1 has the option of customizing the color of the straps and the 3 tiers of material at the neckline.

#2 was very comfortable, has a flattering neckline and the beads on the bust are just a bit of dazzle, which I liked.

Option #1: After seeing the other two we decided that the clear beads at the bottom of the top was not quite enough.
Option #2) We would have this in a tea length skirt, they would all have to be hemmed anywyas, so may as well hem to tea length!
Option #3) pair this with a satin or that other fabric skirt, also tea length. The skirt and top main color would be the medium green and the sash would be a lighter green (lettuce I believe it was called).


I have yet to ask for prices on any of these... that will be step 2.

Dress Shopping Saturday Feb 17th

Thanks Karen for coming dress shopping with me and for remembering to bring a camera (at the last second).

I will post my 2 favorite dresses and the top 3 bridesmaid dresses (picture them all in a medium green color).

For my health I have started up with working out again. 1/2 hour on the treadmill tonight with hand weights :) Starting slowly as its been a few months.

Weekend Calorie Fest

I ate a lot this weekend, and was too busy to get much in for exercise.

My weight loss has completely stagnated and while I eat a tinsy bit healthier than I did before, I still do not stop myself from multiple days of overindulgence.

Last week I tried a 10 min of exercise per day, and then forgot to keep track of walks and such by about Thursday when my busy weekend was begining.

Not proposing any solutions yet, or new goals, but Just Telling The World.

Mel, how is your 'birthday indulgence' recovery plan? Have you got one? Step 1 was to make me take home the leftover pizza and the ice cream cake.

-Danielle

Someone Else's Wedding Blog

I had fun reading about the origins of tradition, throwing shoes at the bride and groom... replaced with throwing confetti, good trade....

http://wedding-xili.blogspot.com/

Wedding Update

Well everyone will be sad to hear I have not had time to give bridal or bridesmaid gowns a thought the last week or so.

All I really have in my head is what needs to be done.. .but here is what has been figured out.

Date: August 18th 2007
Size: 120 people on the guest list (small wedding so sorry for those freinds and family who did not get invited)
Ceremony: Foster Arends Rochester City Park (4 PM)
Reception: Mayo Civic Center Riverview Suites (6 PM)
Officient: Pastor Linda (from Bethel Lutheran Church in Rochester)
Caterer: Canadian Honker (Chicken and beef)
Centerpieces: Live Bacopa plants with spikes
Cake: Daube's bakery (3 tier)

Wedding Update

I dont have time to give an update on my wedding, I think I have time to give a list of what we still need to do...

Order Cake
Rent Tents/chairs
Find PA
Get PA Permit
Find bridesmaid dresses
Find gown
Order invitations
...

Woo Hoo

This is pretty!

I'm glad you changed it now.

I think you've got me correct. But, according to my fitday page - my goal is 161 by 4/27. That's just for my 'Biggest Loser' competition at work. Though, I'm aiming for it.

My official weigh-in start was on 1/2 and I was 215.8.

Weigh in on 1/8 - 208.8.

7 pounds in 6 days. Not too shabby if you ask me.

My other goal is to workout 6 times a week. Last week, yes. This week... well - I skipped today, so we shall see. :) I'm just so tired today!

I'm not really doing the Thin & Healthy diet right now. I'm just trying to stay between 1200 & 1400 calories a day and keeping it balanced. I'm also not eating 1 hour before bedtime and drinking a TON of water/Crystal Light/Caffiene free diet soda.

I want to be super hot for your wedding (and mine, eventually, hopefully - who knows!).

Rah Rah Sis Boom Bah! :)

New Look

We have upgraded to the new blogger! Makes the page elements easier to fiddle around with, as you can see by the photos and GOALS that I added.

Mel did I represent your goals correctly? I believe you have authority to edit so please do if I typed something wrong.

Tell me what you think! I put some time into this today and I really feel I chose the best template of the ones they had offered.

This is for you Mel... and Me!

Eating Healthfully: Tips to Make it Easier

by Larry Lindner

Many people wonder how to cook and eat healthier foods which don't require a lot of time or money. Chances are that you have a good understanding of the basic principles of health and nutrition. But thanks to today's fast-paced lifestyles, the real challenge is practicing what you know!

Occasionally, we find ourselves resorting to "quick fixes," which gradually may become bad eating habits. Then we build up reasons, or "myths" about why we can't eat better. See if you recognize any of the common "myths" listed below. You may be surprised how easy they are to change.

Myth No.1:

Eating nutritiously is too expensive.

Some four in 10 people believe that fruits, vegetables, fish, and the other components of a healthful diet cost more than they currently spend on food, according to a survey conducted by Princeton Research Associates. But that isn't necessarily the case.

Consider what happened when researchers at Pennsylvania State University and Cooperstown, New York's Mary Imogene Bassett Research Institute gave nearly 300 people with high blood cholesterol how-to home videos for cutting fat from their diets. After nine months, the participants who had lowered their blood cholesterol the most had also lopped an average of $1.10 each day off their food bills. That comes to more than $400 a year (or $1600 for a heart-healthy family of four).

It makes perfect sense when you put pencil to paper. A bowl of cereal with milk costs a lot less than buying a donut or muffin on the way to work. And a mid-afternoon apple or banana is still cheaper than a candy bar.

Reject the mindset that resists spending on healthful food. The same person who balks at spending $2.99 for a pint of strawberries in the dead of winter or $7 a pound for fresh fish might think nothing of paying at least $2.99 for a pint of super-premium ice cream or buying take-out lunches all week.

Myth No. 2:

It's too hard to eat the recommended 5 daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

On average, Americans eat three servings of produce a day instead of the five or more servings advised by the National Cancer Institute and the USDA's Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

But having a piece of fruit is not the only way to slip more produce into the diet, even though many people assume that's what Five-A-Day means. What about adding a couple of slices of tomato and a lettuce leaf to a tuna sandwich? Or mixing a cup of finely shredded carrots into a pot of spaghetti sauce?

There are many other creative ways to add fruits and vegetables to your diet.

Myth No. 3:

I don't have time to eat better.

Sure you do. The average adult American watches 22 hours of television a week. No doubt you could trade an hour of reruns or game shows for an hour in the kitchen preparing a lasagna layered with vegetables or a from-scratch meal of chicken breast, potato or rice, and a salad. If you buy pre-cut salad fixings, you'll even make it back to the T.V. in time for the final credits.

There's nothing wrong, by the way, with using bottled spaghetti sauce and other time-saving convenience foods to prepare your "from-scratch" meals. Just remember that the more you rely on processed/convenience foods, the harder it is to control the fat and sodium content of the foods you prepare. But relying on already-prepared supermarket products doesn't undermine your intentions to prepare nutritious meals. That's especially true in light of the many low-fat, reduced-sodium products available to consumers today.

Myth No. 4:

My sweet tooth prevents me from having better eating habits.

Eating well doesn't mean denying your sweet tooth. It just means taming it. Accept that sugar—high in calories and low in nutrients—is going to be a part of your life. Just eat less of it but enjoy it more.

Don't just haphazardly eat ice cream right out of the container, or indiscriminately cut slices of your favorite coffee cake at the kitchen counter. Instead, deliberately serve up a scoop in a bowl or a slice on a plate, sit down, and savor every single bite. You're entitled. When you're done, walk away knowing that you can have more tomorrow or the next day. You can have your cake and eat it, too.

Myth No. 5:

I like fast food too much to eat well.

Fast food doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing thing. Giving into a burger or burrito craving a few times a year won't kill you or sabotage your good intentions. Furthermore, fast food doesn't have to mean bad-for-you food. All the major fast-food chains now offer lower-calorie, reduced-fat sandwiches, shakes, and salads.

Another way to fit fast food into your healthful lifestyle is to combine it with not-quite-so-fast food. Buy the burger or fried chicken at the drive-through window. Don't order the French fries or coleslaw dripping with dressing. Instead, drive straight home, bake a potato in the microwave and serve up some of those pre-cut vegetables you bought on your weekly trip to the supermarket. You'll save fat, calories, and money.

Myth No. 6:

A vitamin pill will make up for my inadequate diet.

Don't bet on it. The problem facing most Americans is an abundance, rather than a lack of, nutrients, including calories, fat, and sodium. And no pill is going to undo that. Moreover, nutrition researchers are discovering that certain foods contain health-enhancing substances known as phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are found primarily in plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Although research is in the preliminary stages, phytochemicals hold promise in the fight against chronic disease, including cancer and heart disease.

Myth No. 7:

I often overeat, which doesn't go hand in hand with a good diet.

It's certainly not a good idea to eat more than you're hungry for every time you sit down to a meal. But almost everyone has polished off a box of cookies in one sitting or stuffed themselves silly at a holiday dinner at least once in their lifetime. The trick is not to beat yourself up about it. Eating too much once in a while isn't a fatal character flaw. In fact, the more you forgive yourself the occasional binge, the easier it is to go back to your regular, healthful eating habits the next day. Punishing yourself emotionally about how much or what you've eaten sets up a self-defeating cycle of "being good" and "letting all hell break loose" at the refrigerator door.

Myth No. 8:

If I exercise, I'll be extra hungry, eat more, and gain weight.

In fact, people who exercise regularly often eat less than those who don't. Regular and moderate exercise may actually suppress appetite a bit. And, exercise can help relieve stress. Stress can lead to nibbling on more food and excess calories.

If you debunk a myth a month, you'll be on a health track by the end of the year. You can do it. Rethinking the myths and the alibis can afford you more food choices than you may ever have imagined, and a resulting lifestyle that is both healthful and invigorating.

Try these recipe tips for a healthier diet.

For Breakfast, Dessert, or a Snack

The following healthful foods can be eaten for breakfast, snack, or as a topping to your favorite dessert.

Fruit: Spoon some sliced fresh or canned fruit over ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Apple treat: Slice up fresh apples, add cinnamon, a pinch of sugar, lemon juice and heat in microwave until apples are soft. Spoon over yogurt.

Fruit smoothees: At high speed, blend one cup buttermilk, a banana, a dash of sugar, and a teaspoon of vanilla. Or make a thick berry shake by blending a cup of (low-fat or skim) milk with a cup of frozen strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries.

Suggestions for Entrees

Apple-pear dressing: Puree apples and pears in the blender (with a pinch of sugar) to make a dressing for pork or chicken.

Pasta with tomato/corn sauce:Whisk 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, and pepper. Add 1/2 cup canned or cooked corn kernels, one chopped scallion, and fresh chopped tomatoes. Mix in fresh or dried basil or oregano (if desired,) and spoon over cooked pasta.

Quick chicken/tarragon dinner: Mix Dijon mustard with tarragon, and spread mixture over cleaned boneless chicken breasts. Place in pan, add white wine or chicken stock to cover bottom of pan, and cook in preheated 350-degree oven or toaster oven for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.

Resources:

Does a Cholesterol-Lowering Diet Cost More?
Paper presented at the 66th Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association, November 8-11, 1993. Saul JA, Rader JM, Jenkins PL, Mitchell DC, Shannon BM, Pearson TA. The Mary Imogene Bassett Research Institute, Cooperstown, NY and the Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA.

Protect Yourself by Taking the Fifth. Tufts University Diet & Nutrition Letter, Volume 11, No. 3, May, 1993.

American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org

International Food Information Council
http://www.ific.org/

Five A Day
http://www.5aday.gov/