A Year in Review

Wow, 2010 where did you go? Occasionally, I like to interrupt my diet blog for just some general thoughts...this is one of them.

Looking at the year in review it started off not that bad but I guess everything was saved up for the end. The highlight of the year came in July, when my husband and I renewed our wedding vows. It was a great celebration with friends and family.

In August, I lost my job shortly after my three year anniversary. That was a challenge in itself. However, God has been good and always provides for us when we need it most. He knows our needs and always meets them for us. I am still actively seeking work and I have a few things in the works. I have a feeling this is going to be one of those things that falls on God's time and not my own.

The end of the year brought challenging issues. Again, God has been good to me. He has shown me who my real friends are and they have been a great sense of support for me over the last few weeks. These friends have lifted me up in prayer when I have felt like I could not go on any further. It really brought true meaning of Moses in the book of Exodus. If by chance any of you are reading this...I just want to say I love each and every one of you with all of my heart and you mean the world to me. Thank you so much for being there for me and just listening.

My wish for the new year is that relationships that need to be mended will find healing and the Lord. That I will continue to grow spiritually and remain focus in my studies. Lastly, that I will make WW lifetime sooner, than later. The word that I am going to focus on this year is humble. (I heard this on Klove this morning and though what an awesome idea.)

Happy New Year my friends!!!

Supersize Me Part 1 - Uric Acid

One of the interested facts I took away from the movie Supersize Me, was that after two weeks on the fast food diet the doctor's warned him about his uric acid levels. I decided to take a look at the long term effects.

First, high uric acid level (hyperuricemia) is an excessive concentration of uric acid in your blood. Uric acid is waste produced during the breakdown of purine, a substance found in many foods. Uric acid normally is carried in your blood, passes through your kidneys and is eliminated in urine. A high uric acid level may not cause problems. However, some people develop gout, kidney stones or kidney failure due to high uric acid levels. A high uric acid level may appear prior to the development of high blood pressure, heart disease or chronic kidney disease. OUCH! However, it's often unclear whether a high uric acid level is a direct cause or merely an early warning sign of these conditions.

The number one cause of high uric acid levels....Obesity! Obesity increases the likelihood of developing gout. It is a known fact that food is fuel for our bodies but many of us (including myself) use food for pleasure and comfort. However, when we over indulge in high caloric items such as fast food and sweets, are bodies are unable to process it correctly. God did not develop our bodies to consume massive amounts of fast food and processed foods. We have become a society of quick and easy...therefore fast food sells. High uric acid levels is just one of the bodies warning signs that our bodies are crying out for help.

Halloween Candy Point Value

Tomorrow marks one of the largest candy days of the year. For all of us Weight Watchers people it is the kick off to the year end eating holidays. But how do we survive? Well it is by arming ourselves with point values. So here it is the point values to all of that candy that will be coming into your house tomorrow.

Candy Item/Size/Point Value
3 Musketeers, 2 fun size bars 3 1/2


1000 Grand, 2 mini bars 4 1/2

Abazaba, mini, Each 1

ABC Fruit Chomps, 7 pieces 3

ANDES Creme de Menth Thin Mint , 8 pieces 5 1/2

Animal Crackers, 11 crackers 3

Almond Joy, 2 snack size bars 4

America1s Original Bubble Gum, 4 pieces 1 1/2

Atomic Fireballs, Each 1

Baby Ruth, 2 fun size bars 4

Big Hunk, mini, Each 1

Bit-O-Honey, 6 pieces 4

Blow Pops, Each 1.5

Bubble Gum, super, 2 pieces 1

Butterfinger, 2 fun size bars 4

Butternut Mini Bar, .75 oz 2

Candy Corn, 22 pieces 3

Caramello, 2 snack size bars 4

Crispy Caramel Fudge Bar, snack size, Each bar 2

Caramel & Peanut Butter Crispy Bars, snack size, 2

Chocolate Toffee Crisp Bar, snack size, Each bar, 2

Crunchy Peanut Butter Bar, snack size, Each bar, 2

Double Bubble Gum, 2 pieces 1

Heath Bar, 5 snack size bars 6

Hershey's Bar (plain), 2 snack size bars 5

Hershey's (almonds), 2 snack size bars 5

Hershey Kisses, 8 pieces 5

Hershey Kisses or Hugs, 3 pieces 2

Hershey Miniatures, 5 pieces 5

Hershey Tastations (any flavor), 3 pieces 1

Hershey Sweet Escapes 2

Hi C Juice Fillers, bag (5 candies) 2

Hot Tamales, Each snack box 1

Jolly Rancher, 3 pieces 1

Jolly Rancher Mini Stix, Each 1

Kit Kat, 3 (2 pc) snack bars 6

Kit Kat, Each mini 2

Lemonheads, Each box 2

Life Saver Five Flavor Candy, 4 1.5

Life Saver Gummi Savers, 2 rolls 2.5

Life Saver Pops, Each 1

M & M (plain), Each fun size pack 2

M & M (peanut), Each fun size pack 2

M & M Crispy, Each pkg 5

Mars, 2 fun size bars 4

Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses, 6 pieces 3.5

Maynards Wine Gums, 1 roll (44 g), 3

Mike & Ikes, Each snack pkg 1

Milk Duds, 4 fun size boxes 4

Milky Way, 2 fun size bars 4

Milky Way Lite, minis, 5 pieces 3

Milky Way Lite, regular bar 3.5

Mounds, 2 snack size bars 4

Necco Wafers, Each roll 1

Nerds, Each box 1

Nestles PB Mallow, Each 3.5

Nestles Baby Ruth, Each 4.5

Nestle Crunch Fun Size, 4 bars 5

Now & Later, 3 mini bars 3

O'Henry, 2 fun size bars 5

Peter Pan Peanut Butter Cups, 4 pieces 6

Pumpkin Pop, Each sucker 1

Raisinettes, 3 snack size boxes 4

Red Hots, Each box 2

Reese's Crunchy Cookie Cups, 2 snacks 4

Reese's Miniature Peanut Butter Cups, 5 pieces 5

Reeses Peanut Butter Bites, 3 pkgs 5.5

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, 2 snack size 4

Reesesticks, 2 snack size 4

Skittles, small pack 3 pkgs 4

Skittles (regular), 2 packs 3

Smarties, 3 rolls 1

Smuckers Fruit Fillers, Each bag (5 candies) 2

Snackwells Nut Clusters, Each piece 1

Snickers, 2 fun size bars 4

Snickers, minis (4 pieces) or 2 fun size bars 4

Spree Candies, 8 pieces 1

Spree Twist, 2 rolls 1.5

Starburst, 3 fun size pkgs 4

Starburst Fruit Chews, 8 chews 3.5

Sugar Babies, 2 snack size pouches 4.5

Sugar Daddy Pops, 3 3.5

Sweethearts (Necco), Each (1 1/8 oz box) 2.5

Sweet Tarts, 2 rolls 1

Tootsie Hot Chocolate Pops, Each 1.5

Three Muskateers, 2 fun size 4

Tootsie Roll, 2 snack bars 2

Tootsie Roll Midgees, 6 pieces 3.5

Tootsie Roll Midgees - small, 11 pieces 2

Tootsie Roll Pop, Each pop 1

Triple Chocolate Wafer Bar, snack size, Each bar, 2

Twix, (mini size) Each 1

Twix, Each snack size bar 2

Twix, Regular Size, Each (2) pack 7

Twizzlers Pull-n-Peel Cherry Candy, 3 pieces 2.5

Twizzlers Strawbery Twists, 4 twists 2.5

Werther's Original, 3 pieces 1

Whoppers Malted Milk Balls, 2 snack size pouches 5

Wonka Nerds Gumballs, Each 1

Wonka Shock Tarts Gumball, Each 1

Wrigleys Chewing Gum, 5 pieces 1

York Peppermint Patties, 3 patties 3
 
Choose wisely and plan ahead! Pass out candy that is not a temptation to you. Place the bowl of candy out towards the end of the Trick or Treating. Hopefully, the last few kids will take it all. Donate your left over candy to a food pantry or local youth services. Plan for success!
 
Happy and Health Eating,
Dawn

Fall Favorites Part 2

I love pumpkin!!! It is one of my fall favorites. I was lucky enough to have a fellow Weight Watchers member share with me a pumpkin breakfast muffin recipe. I made a batch and the results are in...THEY ARE GREAT!!! The best part is you can grab them on the go. Even my picky eater son loves these muffins.

Here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Breakfast Muffins
1 - 14 oz Can of pumpkin
1 - Box of Cake Mix (Carrot Cake or Spice Cake is recommended)
1/2 c of Water
1 c of Bran Flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the water and pumpkin into the box of cake mix. Once it blended add in the Bran Flakes. Place batter into 12 cupcake pans with cupcake liners. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until done. Serving Size: 1 Muffin @ 2 pts.

Please leave me a comment if you make these muffins. I would like to know what you think!

Happy and Healthy Eating,
Dawn

Fall Favorites

Fall is here! Here in Illinois we have been enjoying mildly warm temperatures but the cooler weather will be coming. Fall is a time for comfort foods such as hot soups and for me anything pumpkin. Soup is a really good to not only warm you up but fill you up. How many times do you enjoy a three to four course meal at home? I know, it does not happen at my house. However, when we go out and enjoy a cup of soup or a side salad we tend to eat less of our main course. So why not treat yourself to some hot soup when you come home from work! The soup will help fill you up so that you do not over eat when you finally sit down for dinner after a long day at work.

Today, I made a batch of zero point soup to have on hand. It is great to have when you are hungry but don't want to use a lot of points. I find cooler temperature make me want to eat more. Having a cup of Garden Vegetable soup not only helps me to get in my veggies for the day but also fills me up. I modified my soup by adding some leftover tofu and by using collar greens instead of cabbage. ***Please note that tofu does add points to the value.*** You can modify the recipe by adding any zero point veggies without modifying the point range.

Here is the recipe for the zero point version in case you need it:

Garden Vegetable Soup
2/3 c diced carrots
1/2 c diced onions
2 garlic cloves
3 c of fat-free broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
1 1/2 c chopped green cabbage
1/2 c green beans
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 tsp of dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c chopped zucchini

Spray a large sauce pan with nonstick cooking spray, heat. Saute the carrots, onion, and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Add all of the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered about 15 minutes or until beans are tender. Makes 4 Servings.

Tomorrow, look for the recipe for Pumpkin Breakfast muffins. My other fall favorite!!! :)

Happy and Healthy Eating,
Dawn

Recommitting...Again

Like anything losing weight and maintaining weight is not an easy task. Almost a month ago I lost my and my mother instantly thought that I would I would gain back all of the weight I lost. Well I only gained 1 lb. However, I gained 5 lbs prior to losing my job. Why? Well, my meeting was shut down that I attended during my lunch hour. I found my old leader at another location on Saturdays but a few weeks after joining that meeting I started class that meets every other Saturday. The Saturdays in between I have been busy with other things. I should have attended a meeting on another day but I didn't and was weighing in once a month.

Weighing in only once a month was an eye opening experience for me. I felt like a thread that was slowly unraveling. The more time I put in between meetings the more I would just eat whatever I wanted to eat. I had lost my focus and the weight was slowly creeping back up. I knew I needed to do something sooner than later.

Today I went to Weight Watchers. I rededicated myself to the program. As I was sitting in the chair I felt like the leader was talking to me. She shared about how important it was for her to attend meetings. The whole experience felt like when you are sitting in church and your pastor delievers a message, you think that he wrote it just for you because it relates to everything going on in your life at that moment. So I am rededicated and fired up to do this thing. 15 lbs to Goal!

Where did the struggle start? Part 5

A couple of years after my son was born I was having really bad headaches. I decided to get a referral to a doctor that specialized in headache medicine. Like all doctors he wanted me to have a series a blood tests. I got a call later the next day asking to come back in that they needed to redraw my blood. A few days later I got a call asking me to come back yet again for another blood test. This time I asked why they needed to draw blood from me again. I was told by the lab tech that I was being tested for Hepatitis. I held my emotions in and as soon as I got to the car I started crying. A million thoughts ran through my head of how I could have contracted or gotten Hepatitis.

I went back to the doctor a couple weeks later and he advised me I did not have hepatitis but that I needed to go see a gastroenterologist. I made the appointment and an ultrasound of my liver showed that I had Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. All of the fat from the Big Macs and french fries were collecting in my liver and was causing it not to function properly. I was told that I needed to lose weight or I could suffer from serious liver damage. I joined an at work Weight Watchers with my coworkers. I believe this was my first round of Weight Watchers. Well I did not stay with it long and I went back to my old ways. I suffered with negative emotional states and interpersonal conflict. Not to mention my motivation was very low. I loved food and there was no way I was going to give it.

My negative emotional states were affecting my marriage, my work and relationship with friends and family. I was a very unhappy that some times I don't even know why I was unhappy. It seems like I was always having some sort of fight with my husband. I continued to find comfort in my food. We would fight and I would go to the store and sit in my car and eat an entire tube of cookie dough. Eating always was and continued to be my way of coping with negative emotions. I would eat and fall into a more depressed state. This was my battle for several more years.

To Be Continued...

Where did the struggle start? Part 4

I remember that day that I found out I was pregnant. I had just eaten lunch and became sick at work. I went home and that night took a pregnancy test at my best friend's house and then I took another. Then I came home to another one sitting on the back of the toilet. Apparently, my mother had her "feelings" but I am sure there was some snooping going on.

Being pregnant was great! It gave me the license to eat because I was "eating for two" or so I thought. I feasted on McDonald's Big Macs and ice cream every day. I was gaining so much weight in between doctor visits that the doctor had begun lecturing me. They told that I was gaining too much weight and they advised me to see a nutritionist. Forget that! For that time on I made sure that I never made an appointment with that doctor again.

I did not let the doctor discourage me from my eating. Anamite's mom worked at Mrs. Fields and she would always bring stuff home. There was this one night that I found a bag of peanut butter dream bars. (For those of you doing Weight Watchers is it 35 points for 1 bar.) I ate the entire bag. I remember this day all too well because when she came home she wanted to know what happened to her bars. That was not the first time I heard that question.

That summer Anamite and I were married. I remember buying my dress a week before the wedding and it almost did not fit the day of. I continued to grow bigger and bigger. I got so big that when I went to my doctor's appointments I stopped looking at the scale. I gained around 80-100 lbs during my pregnancy. I remember the scale being around 260-280 lbs by my 9 month. My co-workers kept telling me that they have never seen a person get pregnant from head to toe. But it came with a cost. My legs swelled up and I was having trouble with high blood pressure. That December our son was born. He weighed 10 lbs 2 oz. He was born with a dislocated shoulder and low blood sugar. He is now my junk food junkie. I often wonder if there was a connection between all the junk I ate and his love for junk food.

Now I was a mom and a wife who continued to hate herself.

To Be Continued...

Where did the struggle start? Part 3

Leaving High School was another major transition in my life. I did not keep in touch with very many of my friends. But I did not want to go away to college because the unknown scared me. I ended up taking classes at Joliet Junior College and decided that maybe I could start my life over. Maybe with a different crowd people would judge me less. That summer after taking a mandatory summer class for LD students, I made a new friend. She introduced me to her boss and helped me to get a job at Fashion Bug. I worked hard and eventually moved up to an Assistant Manager type roll. I was trained to close the store and open the store and drop the nightly deposits. It felt good to have such a great responsibility at a young age. I also found I enjoyed having my own money because it gave me freedom to buy what I wanted and to dine out. It was nothing to me to hit the Burger King Drive Thru get a whopper, fries, coke and Hersey pie. Only to get a shake a few hours later when I got off work. Though I was doing somewhat well something was still missing.

So I decided it was time to start dating. Because I had no self-confidence there was no way I would ever approach a guy, so I started talking to people on the internet. During this time I did some insanely crazy things. The song by Waylon Jennings comes to mind Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places. It was during this time that my mom actually showed concerned about me. My life had spun all out of control and I was 19 dating a 35 year old. However, like everything else in my life it did not last long. I again fell into depression that I was unlikeable and would never have anyone to love me.

It was a few short months after that when I met Anamite. I remember that day very well because I had just gotten out of the hospital. It did not take long for me to find out he loved food as much as I did. This was of course was heaven for me. We lived an hour apart so we would take turns staying at each other's house. But I was struggling with my morals, school and life in general. A few months later we were engaged and I dropped out of school and we moved in together. I thought that love was the answer to my void but I was wrong. Our relationship was strained and a lot of my immaturity and insecurities were to blame. How could I love and care for someone else when I didn't even know how to love myself?

A few months later, after a night out with pizza, I woke up at 4 AM with horrible pain. I could not breath and I felt like I was having a heart attack. I arrived at the hospital shortly after 5 AM via ambulance. I was scared. My family was far away, Anamite was at work and I had just been taken to a hospital and I had no clue where. It did not take them long to figure out that I needed to have my gall bladder taken out. Since I was no longer in pain they sent me home and I was to call a surgeon. Because of the hurt that I caused someone very close to me I was left at the hospital for several hours after they told me to go home. I did not know what to do. I was scared, very hurt and again feeling very unloved so I turned to food.

Two months later the wedding was canceled and I moved back home. Because I hated myself so much, I took a lot of my unresolved emotions out on Anamite. Looking back I think that I just treated him the way my mother had always treated me. The first few months of my life after moving home was a nightmare. Most days I sat in my room staring blankly at the wall.  Again, I felt that God had failed me again. I felt unloved, alone and that nothing in my life would ever go right. I fell into a bad depression and one day my dad came to me and said he would move all my stuff back to Palatine if it would make me happy again. But I knew that this would not make me happy because I had this big aching hole. This is when I decided that I needed to lose weight because then maybe I could find love. I started taking Fen-Chi a Chinese herbal supplement that helps block fat. This way I could "eat what I want but still lose weight". Now that is my kind of diet!!! I did lose a considerable amount of weight (about 50 lbs). I decided to start dating again. During that time my mission was to hurt as many guys as I could. Why? Well hurting people hurt other people. Right after my 21st birthday, Anamite and I decided to try our relationship again.

That spring I found out we were expecting a baby.

To Be Continued...

Disclaimer

Dear Readers,

Before I continue on I would like everyone to know that this blog series is a collection of my thoughts. Food addiction and eating disorders are a serious matter and should not be taken lightly. Addiction of any kind is a life long battle. That is why I created this blog to help me stay true to myself and give others the opportunity to know that they are not alone.

It has taken me many years to come to terms with a lot of things in my life. Bringing them into the light has helped me to heal. I ask that if you are reading this series to keep an open mind and heart. Nothing in this blog is written with the intention to hurt anybody else. I know that I have hurt many people over the years. I hope that if you are one of them, you can read understand that I was a very hurting person but that no longer reflects who I am today.

Blessings,
Dawn

Where did the struggle start? Part 2

Looking back I can't really remember when exactly food became the love in my life. I can remember being about 8 years old and in Cub Foods with my mom. We were in the bakery area of the store and I saw this wonderful looking pastry. I asked my mom if I could have it. She told me no. I remember saying to myself that one day when I was all grown up and on my own I would buy all I could and eat them.

My sister moved out when she was 18. My mom loved to bake and cook. She would spend the day making wonderful bread, cookies and candies. During the holidays she would make fudge and all kinds of creations and store them in the room that once was my sister's. I would sneak in there every time my mom would go outside and take what I could and eat it. Sometimes I would hide them in my room until later. At night when my parent's thought I was in bed I would sneak into the kitchen and see what I could find. Sneaking food became my high. As I got a little older my friend and I would sneak over to the mall. I was not allowed to go to the mall but as long as my parents did not know I was fine. My friend taught me the art of stealing candy. This was even better because then my mom would not question me as to why food was disappearing.

When I was in fifth grade I learned what dieting was. My mother said I was getting too fat and I looked horrible. She decided I needed to go on a diet and drink Slim Fast Shakes. I remember drinking the shake and going to school starving. I would sit at lunch and drool over the fact that other kids got twinkies and SuzyQ's. After school I would head over to a friend's house and hoped that they would offer me some sort of snacks.

When I hit puberty kids started making fun of me.  My complexion was horrible. Looking back I am sure what I ate was not helping. Not only was I dealing with the emotions of my morphing body, I was dealing with all the weight I was packing on. The older I got the more I turned to food. It became my comforter. When I was bored, depressed, upset or mad I ate. I was happy as long as I was eating. Little did I know that my binge for sugary sweets was adding fuel to my depression. I hated myself. I hated the way I looked, so I tried not to care. I didn't care about myself or if I was hurting others with my bad behavior. All I cared about is when I was going to eat again. Nothing was filling the void of my hurt and pain, so why not medicate myself with food. At this point in my life God was not an option. I was mad at God for not hearing my prayers as I cried out as a young child and I was mad at God for taking my brother. I did not need God because I had to be in control. I had friends who invited me to youth group and church. I would go but nobody was changing me. In my heart, God did not love me because He allowed all the pain in my life.

I don't remember how high rapidly my weight grew. I do remember I started packing on the pounds after about 2nd grade. I went from a skinny little twig to an overweight 5th grader in no time. I do remember when driver's ed rolled around. The teacher asked us for our height and weight for our learner's permit application and of course I lied. I remember telling the teacher I weighed 190 when I really weight 210. I maintained that weight around 210-220 for most of high school.

To Be Continued...

Where did the struggle start? Part 1

As a child most people thought that I was happy. In my year books my teachers and friends would write "Dawn your smile is contagious", "Your smile lights up a room", "Keep smiling". But what they did not know my smile was a cover up. It was my way of hiding what my insides were feeling. I hated myself. I felt that I did not fit in anywhere and I still struggle with this feeling today. My heart had this big hole that ached and I felt that every one who was close to me would hurt me. To avoid being hurt, I tried not to love because if I did not love then I could not be hurt.

By the time I got to high school my life got worse. I hung around the stoners because people did not mess with them. Though at this time I was going to church, I was living a double life. My afternoons were spent driving around with my friends in a back of a funeral hurst while they were getting high. I did not want to get high with them because I needed to be in control. I did not like feeling all dizzy and out of it and if I was aware of what was going on then I was in control. The on Sundays I went to church. It was the right thing to do. Church to me was nothing more than the place people went on Sunday's and I got to sing in the choir.

One of my stoner friends Heather and I took art classes together. We had known each other since grade school. The older she got the stranger she got and people did not mess with her. I liked that. It was Heather who introduced me to cutting. What a wonderful way for me to express the pain and hurt I was feeling. It was my outlet and cry for help. Heather was known to carve Anarchy symbols on her arms and I followed suit. Not only would I bare my scratches and cuts but burns as well. In 1995, when my brother died, I lost but was hurt by another person I loved so much. I remember sitting in class one day and before I knew it I had burned the top of my hand with a pencil erasers. I sat there rubbing it up and down my hand until the skin was gone and I was bleeding and then did the same on the other one. Looking back I thank God that I don't bare the scars of my stupidity.

However, my cries still remained unheard. I had already been seeing the social worker. In fact, I started seeing the school social worker when I was in first grade. They never seem to do anything to help me so I decided only to share what I felt like sharing. I figured they would not believe me anyway. When I reached high school I was put in peer groups with girls who lived in group homes. I felt that I had nothing to bring to the group but my social worker felt that I could get the girls to share more. My mentality was whatever it gets me out of class. It only added to my dysfunction.

To be continued....

Repentance

Repentance is the act of changing one’s mind. It produces a change in the way one lives and thinks. Repentance is brought on by godly sorrow that is brought on when one feels sorry for sinning against God and other people. True repentance is more than just one acknowledging they have done wrong. The desires to do wrong things should become very conflicting. God wants us to “hate evil” (Proverbs 8:13), especially the evil that a person comes to recognize in themselves. A person must want and ask God to change their heart. Just like King David asked God to change his heart believers should also ask God to create a clean heart and spirit within them (Psalm 51:10). It is important for a person to recognize that his or her sin originates in their thoughts and is often motivated by their pride, selfishness, anger, lust and greed. These are the sins that have become a part of everyone’s human nature because of the fallen world.


Repentance itself is the healing power of the soul. It is important to the healing process because one asks God to open their eyes to see him or herself as they really are. This allows them to be able to identify behavior and attitudes that the Scriptures define as sinful. Turning to God in prayer will give one the power to turn away from those sinful ways and replace them with the behavior that God has intended for His people.

Now you might be wondering why I posted this. Well...I had to write this for homework but it was also is a reminder to me and my recent challenge. I am slowly learning that I do not need to hide things and I realize that I tend to do this more than I can say. Last week, I was really struggling with my food addiction. Yes, I have a very lustful food addiction that goes far beyond food cravings. I found myself spinning out of control and as much as I tried to put on the brake I couldn't. I had to turn to a couple of good friends and share with them what was going on because I knew I needed more prayer than I could give myself. I knew that I needed to stop before I undid a year and half of hard work. If anyone has suffer from addiction, I feel your pain. It was so hard to admit my problem. Especially, when I have many people who tell me I am their inspiration. How can I be an inspiration? I struggle each and every day and try to make the right choices. Well we all have our sinful problems whether is it drugs, alcohol, food, lying...the list goes on. But God has the power to free us from them all we have to do is ask. As my friend said to me "those old tapes playing in your head have no bearing on your life now." She is right! Because it was nailed on the cross!!! I am happy to report that I have been back on plan for 5 days.

Reaching my Thinself

November 2008 - 250 lbs

I was looking through photos for a picture collage I am doing for our wedding on Saturday. I came across this one. For the first time I can look at that person and feel nothing but accomplishment. I used to look at old photos and become angry and embarrassed by the fat girl in the photos.

My journey to finding my thinself has been way more than just losing weight to be healthy and improving my quality of life. It has been a journey of finding out who I am and the person that God intended me to be. For years I spent my life angry at God for allowing so much hurt in my life. I masked my pain with food. I did not want to turn my life over to God because He did not stop the pain from happening. However, through the help of a great pastor Dave Corlew and his wife Karen, I slowly learned to trust again. They helped me to replace my scars with hope and love that God has intended for each and every one of us. Karen provided me with encouragement. She helped me to see just how much God loved me and find my inner strength. It was that love that allowed me to start letting go of the pain and burdens that I had been carrying around. Food was not my answer and I knew it.

I can now look into those old photos and no longer feel the hurt or burdens that person carried. Her pain and hurt has been healed by the blood of Christ! Thank you Dave and Karen for all of your prayers and support you have given to me over the last couple of years. I know I have said it before but I will say it again...you are truly a blessing to me!

Foiled again!

Yesterday, I hit an all time low 165.4 lbs. I think I may have weighed that in about 6th grade. It is awesome to think that I am only 10.4 lbs to my goal weight off 155 lbs. I feel like a marathon runner that can see the finish line right ahead with the crowd cheering. But then it hits me. Our Weight Watcher's leader announces that our meeting will be closing due to lack of attendance. I am no longer on my high of celebration. I feel like a winded runner that cannot go any further. What am I going to do?!?!

Then there is the wedding planning. Some things are moving right along as they should be and then other places I have hit a brick wall. I am trying to pull off something fabulous but I feel like I am drowning. People are not returning phone calls and emails, I am waking up with my teeth clinched so hard they hurt, and my IBS has flared to the point it hurts to eat. Oh and don't forget about school. I have an awesome instructor but he has set high requirements for us. Normally, I don't mind a good challenge because it pushes me harder but I am burned out. No summer break for me this year. I finish spring semester on 7/21 with a paper due on 7/28 and back in class for fall on 8/4. Did I mention the wedding is 7/24??? There is no rest in sight.

So if you have ever read any of my blogs you might know where I am going. I, Dawn Anama, am an emotional eater. Shocking I know. I will say it again food has always been my friend. It is has always there for me. It doesn't ignore me and is it is always there when I call. Well today, I did not feel like eating my nice healthy lunch. Oh no, I wanted to take my disappointment and frustrations out by eating myself sick. I decided to go to Dominick's and see what garbage food I could find. Well...I think God had another plan for me. I get out of the car and run into someone I know. She made a point to say how good I look. So how could I emotionally eat now??? My plan had been foiled. God had placed someone in my path right at the right moment. I went into the store and right over to where the Weight Watcher's meals were (which by the way are on sale for $1.69) and bought my comfort food...pizza. My whole little pizza cost me 7 points vs. blowing all of my points for the day and then some. Praise God!

Reframing

My Weight Watcher's leader has been gone for a couple of weeks now. The sub we had last week really got me thinking. He brought up about reframing our thoughts. I have to say I have used this several times in the last week.

On Sunday, I pulled muscles in my legs and stomach. I limped around and walked slowly for a couple of days. When my alarm went off at 5:30 AM on Monday, it sure was hard to get out of bed let alone think about walking my usual 1.75 miles. Instead of telling myself, I can't do it today or I am too sore. I said ok I am going to try to walk as far as I can because anything is better than nothing.

It is a fact, cognitive reframing helps you to identify unhelpful thought patterns and substitute more adaptive thoughts. It are these adaptive thoughts that help us to become more successful in our weight loss journey.

Here are some examples of reframing:

• You had a bad weekend and have a feeling you gained. You conclude, See I gained. I knew I could not do this. I cannot do anything right. Reframed Response: Ok, I have been doing really well. I had a bad week. I can do this and I am going to try a little harder next week.
• You overlook how far you have come by discrediting complements. "I still have 20 lbs left to lose." Reframed Response: "Thank you, I feel so much better than I did before."
• You make excuses. "I don't have time to exercise." Reframe Thoughts: "I will get up 30 minutes earlier, so that I can walk in the morning before work."

Practice reframing, you might be surprise how much better you will start to feel!!

Weeds, Really?

Yesterday, I called Joan the nature center coordinator at Lake Geneva Youth Camp to find out when Domino goes back to camp. First, I want to say I love this lady she is the most knowledgeable person I know. She not only knows a lot about animals but nature in general. I guess that is why she is the nature center coordinator. LOL In our conversation, she remembers me as the girl who was there when she found the missing iguana. Upon our conversation about the lizard she starts telling me about the weeds you can eat. I knew about a few weeds you could eat like dandelion and garlic mustard but Joan mention lamb quarter. Holy Cow! That stuff grows in an abundance in my yard.

So Joan intrigued me to see what else is growing in my yard can I eat. I found the following links that show/name the plants as well as medicinal uses of them:

http://oldfashionedliving.com/weeds.html
http://www.wisebread.com/free-food-in-your-yard-edible-weeds
http://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/discovering-edible-weeds/

So if you are looking for a new green to try. You may not have to travel very far!

Please be aware of the Safety Precautions that I am posting from the Old fashioned Living Website...

When using any type of plant material moderation is key. Ingesting too much of even the most benign substance can cause you to become ill.

Never harvest weeds from the side of the road. These plants may be contaminated from vehicle exhaust fumes.

Never harvest weeds in the wild unless you are absolutely certain of their identification and you have the permission of the land owner and you know that the field hasn't been sprayed with any harmful chemicals.

The safest way to harvest weeds is to look in your own yard. I have purslane growing allover my yard but I had to purchase seeds to establish my patches of chicory and dandelion which I planted in my garden next to my other herbs and vegetables.

Always practice organic gardening techniques in your garden especially when it's food you intend to eat.

Buckwheat

No, I am not talking about the Little Rascal! But I have heard a lot about Buckwheat recently. Then I was at Garden Fresh the other day BAM! There was a large end cap stack of buckwheat for $0.99 a bag. My hand went to grab some just to try but I hesitated and decided not to get it. Why does this little grain scare me so much? I have only had buckwheat soba noodles. So how exactly do I fix it? So I thought it was time to face my fears and do a little research on this little grain.

Did you know?

• Buckwheat has been grown in America since colonial days. In fact it was a common crop on most farms in the northeastern and northcentral United States.
• The leading buckwheat states are New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
• Buckwheat hit its all time high in 1866, when it was in demand for livestock and flour.
• 75% of the grain produced is used for livestock and poultry. 5-6% is used for flour. 5-10% is turned under for green manure. EW!
• Buckwheat can cause skin rashes if consumed in large amounts.

Ok so the big question is How do we cook it??? Well here we go...

Both roasted buckwheat (kasha) and raw hulled buckwheat (buckwheat groats) are easy to cook. For each cup of buckwheat, use two cups of water. Expect the buckwheat to expand to about double its size as it absorbs the water during cooking. After cooking, there are many ways to use buckwheat and kasha in main and side dishes as well as in baking and desserts.

Instructions for Cooking Kasha:

•Place two cups of water in a 2 quart pot and heat on medium high.

•Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring water to a boil.

•Add kasha to water and stir it in well with a fork.

•Turn temperature to low and cover pot.

•Simmer for ten to fifteen minutes until kasha absorbs the water and is softened.

•It is important not to overcook buckwheat or it can become mushy.

Serving Suggestions:

Hot kasha is served as a healthy and filling porridge in Russia and Eastern Europe. Indeed, kasha served hot with cream makes a very nutritious breakfast. It can be sweetened with sugar or honey, and topped with fruit or nuts.

Hot kasha may also be seasoned with salt, pepper and other spices and served as a side dish in place of rice. Roasted kasha will have a deeper more earthy flavor than buckwheat groats.

Instructions for Cooking Buckwheat Groats:

Add two cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon of salt to a two-quart pot. Heat to boiling. Stir in 1 cup of buckwheat groats. Lower heat and simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes, until water is fully absorbed, stirring occasionally.

Serving suggestions:
Add sauteed onions, season with salt and serve hot as a side dish.

Well I guess that does not sound to frightening. I am actually interested in trying the porridge route. If any of you have tried cooking buckwheat and/or have any recipes, I would love to hear from you!



Sources: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/afcm/buckwheat.html
Read more at Suite101: How to Cook Buckwheat: Nutritious and Gluten Free, Make a Place For Buckwheat on the Menu

Does what we eat affect our moods?

This is my million dollar question of the day. I noticed that a fellow facebook friend posted they pigged out on pizza. Then today they mentioned they were crabby. It got me thinking does the foods we eat affect our moods? I know it holds true for me. When I went on my junk food binge last week I was not a happy camper. Those who know me well knows I love a good research project so here is what I found...

• According to Mayo Clinic, Omega-3 fatty acids, magnesium, tryptophan, foliate and other B vitamins, low glycemic foods, and chocolate have all been studied to assess their impact on mood. They warn that there is not a direct link between these foods and improved mood. However, most of these nutrients and foods are part of a healthy diet. When one eats a diet of fruits, starchy vegetables and whole grains throughout the day they are fueling their body and keeping their blood sugar levels stable. They also suggest combining carbohydrates and proteins because they enhance the availability of serotonin in your brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter said to have a calming effect and to play a role in sleep.
• Another article written by Rachel Lerner suggest that foods we eat wither help one to to feel better or worse. She says that one way to boost our moods is through a healthy diet. Lerner says a diet that is rich in vitamin B12 and folic acid can be found in beans, greens, meats, fish, poultry and dairy. These type of foods contain nutrients and antioxidants, which are needed for good health. The added bonus to these types of foods are they are lower in calories. Learner also suggest to eat foods that contain selenium. Consuming foods with selenium have been known to reduce oxidative stress in the brain. Selenium can be found in whole grains such as whole grains such as oatmeal, brown rice, beans, legumes, lean meats, dairy foods, nuts and seeds and seafood.
• I also found some more great information on Good Food, Good Mood. What I like about this article is they break down what foods are good for different scenarios including PMS. Did you know that calcium helps with impulse transmission in the brain?

Well there you have it...you are what you eat. Next time the office is cranky...bring in a veggie and/or fruit tray!

Small Accomplishment

Ok, so I have experienced some major set backs recently. I can even tell you where they have come from. The only thing I can think of, is I set a goal for myself to be at my goal weight by the end of March. Well guess what...I am not there. Is it because I have not been pushing myself hard enough? Maybe. Is it because I have been not watching portions and eating things I shouldn't be? Possibly. Lets face it I am human and I give in to tempations!

However, yesterday was a great reminder of how I used to feel when I ate junk. Maybe that was what I needed to get my head back where it should be. My alarm went off at 5:30 this morning. Remember I said I was going to get up at 5:30 and walk every morning? Well, here in Chicago it is gloomy and rained most of the night. My alarm went off and there was no sun shining in my window. I turned it off and thought that I would go back to sleep for another 30 minutes. Well...as I laid there I heard the birds chirping and then a little voice inside me said "Go Dawn, you can do it". I then thought if the birds were singing it couldn't be raining that hard. I put on my shoes and a sweat shirt. Called to the Shogun and we hit the pavement. There was a misty rain and we came back a little damp but I am left feeling a sense of accomplishment. It is the little things that add up and the same goes for BLT's (bites, licks and taste). ;-)

Feeling Crappy

I am writing this as a reminder to myself how I feel at this moment...

I did not eat a very good breakfast this morning. I am not even sure why I did that to myself but I did. Then I went with my best friend to Superdawg for her birthday. I ate all of my hotdog, fries and some deep fried veggies. At this moment saying a feel like crap is an understatement. I have a headache and I am tired. All signs that my body was not properly fuel today.

I am not sure why I felt the need to go off plan as badly as I have the last few weeks. I guess I have been all caught up in providing encouragement to others that I have forgotten about myself. Or maybe it is because I have been so close to goal I have given up on myself. It really doesn't matter because I need to get my head out of my rear!!!

The following comments are from my fellow Weight Watchers friends. I am posting them so that I can remember them when I start feeling like I do right now.

• You can't accomplish your goals with your feet to the ground. There is no advice to give other than DO IT. You have to take that first step and as you know from your previous losses, the first step is the hardest. Soon enough, it gets easier and easier. Welcome back.

 

• First off, I would give just about anything to have your stats. We all have weeks where we gain. Would you talk to a friend the way you're talking to yourself if she gained weight? Remember that if you continue on this way, you'll end up back where you started.

 

• Don't give up! Look how far you've come, and you're so close to goal! Take out old photos of yourself at your heavtiest/starting weight, and more recent ones. You don't want to go back there ~ take it from someone who has! Remember what it felt like to be that overweight. It's miserable. Just start tracking at your next meal and move forward. Even if you're just maintaining, at least focus on not gaining it all back!

 

• You're super cute in your white pants that I wish I could wear!! Remember how hard you worked to get to this point and don't let it all be for nothing. Too many of us have done that. It feels great to lose weight the first time around, but when you have to do it a second time, it's aggravating.

 

• Please don't be so hard on yourself. Get yourself back to a meeting even if it's not your regular one. Even if you gained back 10 lbs better to nip this is the bud now! I know I gained back every pound & then some because I felt the same way. Stop yourself now before you're too far gone. You can do it! Never again let yourself get so far gone!

 

• Take the first 5 full minutes of the day and clear your mind of everything but one item to ponder. A candle, a sunrise, a golf ball. Whatever. Surprisingly this really puts my mind into focus everyday. Second: start a diary to yourself. Coo at yourself. I write to myself every morning, as if I'm having a conversation with myself. No negative talk; I talk to myself as if I'm soothing my best friend. This whole process is ultimately about how you love yourself, how important it is to take care of yourself.

• That story is familiar to those of us who have been to WW before. Don't let a couple of bad weeks derail all of the good work you have been doing for so long. Face the scale and work from there. Sometimes, the numbers aren't as bad as you imagined. Hope you find some peace!

Biggest Loser Awakening (Spoiler Alert)

WARNING: If you are reading this and you have not seen this weeks Biggest Loser this will contain spoilers so you may want to STOP NOW!

So last night's Biggest Loser was pretty intense. All of the contestants had to run a marathon and they all were able to finish. What an accomplishment for people who were severely morbidly obese. Most of them probably have never been inside of a gym prior to the Biggest Loser.

I think who touched me the most last night was Daris. Why? Well I can relate. Overall, I have done very well in my weight loss but even after a year and a half I still find myself slacking off. Old habits are hard to kill. I think Daris had that eye opening experience last night. He was so focus on his goal of beating Tara Costa's time on the marathon, that he forgot about his weight loss program as a whole. This lack of focus caused him a 2 lb gain on the scale putting him below the yellow line with Koli. I can only imagine he was eating what he wanted because he thought it would be ok because he was running for hours.

What happened to Daris is a prime example of what kind of life we all lead. Let's face it we are all busy and the moment that we let our healthy eating habits or daily exercise slip away, we find our self back in the same situation. The scale is moving the wrong way. We are feeling fatigue because we are not exercising or eating properly. What Jillian said about Daris not controlling his food portions was eye opening to me. Recently, I have been guilty of the same thing. When Daris was not concerned about his gain and said how proud he was about his time on the marathon, I saw myself. Now don't get me wrong it is great to celebrate our accomplishments of our goals. However, when we allow them to over shadow our set backs it can lead us into dangerous territories. But I do think that Daris deserves a second chance. So vote DARIS!!!

Good Advice

Sorry I have been MIA. Life sometimes gets a little on the hectic side and I have very little time for me. I really don't have much to say today. I must confess I did not weigh-in or to my meeting. I am just feeling a little fat this week and did not want to see another positive number on the scale.

Anyway, I am trying to refocus myself again for the one millionth time and Tara Costa posted a new blog today. In case you don't know who Tara is she won Biggest Loser last season. You can view her blog here. I think this is pretty good advice and I am going to give it a go tomorrow morning.

Suffering from Negative Body Images

I am in constant battle with myself and my body. In my head I have always been a size 16. I was close to 250 lbs but in my head I was a size 16 but really I was a size 22. Even today, I have lost a little over 80 lbs, I find myself looking at plus size clothing. Especially, if I am shopping alone. My weight loss to me always has been and probably always will be a number on the scale. I am proud of my accomplishments and how healthy I become but I just don't see myself as other see me. When I look in the mirror I see myself still as an overweight person. The only time I see myself as thin is in picture comparisons. I am not alone in my struggles of negative body image.

Shepphird (2010) highlights three core elements associated with body image which includes the following: the way one sees oneself when looking in the mirror, the mental picture one has of one's body and attitude one has towards one's body such as perceptions, feelings and beliefs.

Usually people who suffer from distorted body image also suffer from eating disorders. I can say I am lucky and do not have an eating disorder. I don't have the will power to not eat. However, when I look in the mirror and see a fat person or I feel fat, I will push myself even harder to be active. If I don't I become very depressed. When I feel myself falling into this pattern I rely on some close friends who have helped me to see myself for me. They remind me of the positive things about myself. There is no such thing as a perfect body and we need to love the fact that God made us perfect in His image.

Reference:
Shepphird, S. (2010) 100 Questions & Answers About Anorexia Nervosa Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett

Eating Out is Nothing to Freak Out About

You are doing so well on your weight loss and now your invited out for dinner. You can feel your pulse rising and your stomach has butterflies. What do you do? You have not eaten out since you started losing weight! It is OK. Changing your eating habits is a life changing experience. In the real world you are going to face the challenges of eating out. Here are some tips to keep you on track:

How to Prepare

• Look Online. Many restaurants have online menus. You can look ahead and know what you are ordering before you even go. This will help you to identify the healthier items on the menu. Some restaurants will even post the nutritional values making it even easier to figure out what you are eating. Can't find the values online, try Calorie King. Tip: If you have acess to the menu ahead of time, don't look at the menu once you get there. Looking at the menu makes it easier to change your mind to something else.
• Mental Rehearse. It is helpful when you visualize in your head what you are going eat and the questions you are going to ask. It is like practicing for a speech or a performance, when you go over it ahead of time, you will feel less nervous and/or awkward when ordering your meal.
• Save your Points. If you are a Weight Watcher member you get an extra 35 points every week. If you know ahead of time you are going out with friends, family, etc. You can use those points when going out.
• Exercise! Calories in = Calories out. If you know you are going out, you may want to increase your exercise that day to burn off some of those extra calories you are going to eat.
• Suggest a Restaurant. When going out with friends or family, make a restaurant suggestion. We all know some ethic foods are better than others. If you suggest the restaurant then you are in control of what you can order off the menu.
• Don't Go Hungry!!! We all know what happens when we go grocery shopping hungry. Well going to a restaurant hungry usually leads to poor food choices. It can also lead to dipping into appetizers and bread baskets.
• No Elastic Waist Bands! If you wear a pair of pants that fit, you will easily know when to stop eating. Enough said!

How and What to Order

• Order on the side. Ordering sauces and salad dressing on the side will allow you to control your intake of them.
• Substitute. It doesn't hurt to ask if they can substitute fries for a salad or fresh veggies. Maybe they offer a salad with fried chicken, you can always ask for grilled. Restaurants are there to serve you and they want your business!
• Order First. If you are in a group ask to order first. This will prevent you from changing your order to something else.
• Ask Questions. Always ask how things are prepared. There is nothing worse than ordering a side of veggies only to have them come swimming in butter and/or oil. I am still working on this one.

Eating out does not have to be a stressful situation. The more prepared you are the easier it will be!

How I earn my Activity Points!

This is not one of my usual blogs but I wanted to show how I earn activity points.
Here are some photos of my hard work...

This is a photo of my house before I started working in the yard

This is what it looks like now!

The newly installed sidewalk.

 

This patch contains: Eatable Plants: Swiss Chard, Rhubarb, Chives, Mint & Spearmint

(Gardening Tip: Plant Mint in an underground pot. It will keep it from taking over everything.!

Uneatable Plants: Roses, Columbines, Day Lillies, Gladiolus and Tickseed

My little Gnome hard at work in my Petunia basket.

Hey little man!

My Clematis is full of huge blooms this year. I planted this mid summer last year.

Notice the bamboo fence? I installed this to hide the neighbor's ugly shed and garbage.

This is my new addition this year. This patch contains Azalea, Forget-me-nots, Longwort, Gladiolus, Pansies and some plant I forgot the name of. LOL

I had to show these little guys. Aren't they cute?!?!?

They hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil!

This little guy loves helping in the garden. He is such a good Gnome.

Now if he only would pull the weeds around him! LOL

If you visit my front walk way you will come across this adorble little terracotta frog. He is there to remind me of dad. When I was a little girl my dad called me "Toad". If you are wondering why a dad would call his little girl toad well...I loved catching toads. When I was outside in the summer there was a high chance you would find a toad in my hand.

This is all I have to report from my garden activity today. I will post more of my vegetable garden later on in the month. Just another reminder...earning activity does not mean you have to go to the dreaded gym (unless you like going to the gym). Find a hobby or something you enjoy that keeps you moving. Make activity fun and get your children involved.

Surviving Weight Loss Setbacks

I am happy to report in another loss this week. I am now 1.6 lbs away from being back where I was. It sure is easier to gain than lose!!! It is a known fact that we all suffer from discouragement and setback on our journey to find our thinner self. When I created this blog it was to help me get through those trials and struggles. So here are some of my suggestions to help survive those setbacks:

• Why I am eating that? You're in the line at the store and the next thing you know there is a Snickers bar in your hand. What is it about that Snickers bar that you want it? Are you hungry? Did you have a stressful day? By identifying the reasons you want that snack or junk food may help you to make better decisions later on. My husband keeps buying Twinkies, ding-dongs and Swiss rolls for the kids lunches. This morning I was starving when I woke up and I just couldn't wait to eat my breakfast. Instead of opening the box of Swiss rolls, I reached into the freezer and pulled out a 1 pt frozen Chocolate bar. I saved myself 5 points and got the chocolaty sweetness I was looking for. It kept me in check until my oatmeal was done. :)
• Take a time out. Sometimes taking a walk or making some busy work will get rid of that food craving. For some reason when I come home from work I want to snack. It didn't matter if I was hungry or not. I have found if I come home change my shoes and go work outside or walk the dog it takes that food craving away.
• Don't Beat yourself up. I have said this many times...One bad meal does not blow a day, one bad day does not blow a week and one bad week does not mean give up. What is in the past is in the past, move on and reframe yourself. Set a small achievable goal to get yourself back on track.
• Dial a friend. If you are having a bad food day, call a friend. We all need friends to help us through the rough spots in life, weight loss is no different. You might be surprise and your friend might offer some advice you have not tried yet.
• Hit the gym and/or pavement. Instead of feeling frustrated with yourself use those feelings to push yourself harder. Remember it is not a punishment but a way to workout negative energy and stress.
• Had a bad week? Look back and see what happened. This is why it is important to track or journal the foods you are eating. If you have a bad week you can see where you might have gone wrong and fix it going forward. If you had a really good week then you can look at it and use it to help you get back on track.
• Review your goals. Be sure to set small achievable goals for yourself. It doesn't have to be "I want to lose 5 lbs by X date". They can be goals such as I am going to track 7 days this week or I am going to plan all my meals ahead of time.

Remember, you're not a failure. Reverting to old behaviors doesn't mean that all hope is lost. It just means that you need to recharge your motivation, recommit to yourself and return back to healthy behaviors.

Suffering from slight exhaustion.

I overworked myself this weekend. Saturday I spent the entire day outside working. I started at 9:30 AM planting until my dad arrived around 10:30. We installed a new paver walkway in front of our house. The old walkway was useless and was not properly installed. We wrapped up the project around 4 PM and I continued working on the final touches until about 7:30 PM. Needless to say it was a VERY LONG day!

Yesterday, my son, daughter and myself spent 3 hours pulling gralic mustard weeds at a local nature center. I still cannot get the smell out of my nose. BLAH! I am happy to report that none of us got posion ivy. I was a little rashy last night and I was worried that I may have gotten into some. But I woke up with nothing this morning. Praise God!!!

After all of that weekend activity, I am left feeling like I have not slept. I added it all up and I raked in about 27 activity points in two days. I don't know if I can say it was worth it. I am so exhausted right now that I totally understand why people get hospitalized for exhaustion. It is a horrible feeling and I feel like I could sleep for days. But if I don't do it, then it will never get done. I was told this morning that it is "my fun." I don't know if I would call it "fun" but I take pride in myself and my house. If I don't put forth the effort and up keep then it will cost more in repairs later on.

I hope you all had a great weekend. Tomorrow is weigh-in day for me. I hope to have a good number to report!

What I want to be when I grow up.

In fall of 2008, I went back to school. I am currently enrolled at Trinity International University's REACH program. I am working towards my BA in Psychology. At the time I went back to school I did not know what I wanted to do with my degree but I knew that I wanted to help others.

Over the last year, I have learned more about myself and my relationship with others. It was more than I expected and then some. These changes in me has helped me to develop a deeper relationship with my spouse, children, family and friends. These changes are what helped me to see that I needed to change my life and lose weight. Without being at healthy weight how could I be there for them. Even more how could I be there to serve others the way that God has called me to.

The last two years in the REACH program has flown by quickly. Next semester, I have to narrow down my focus for the psychology program. I can with confidence say that I have made that decision. I want to use my degree to be a life coach for others. I want to help others transform their lives just like I have transformed my own. You can read more about life coaches here.

What's for Lunch?

Are you tired of the same old frozen meal for lunch? Here is something quick and easy that you can make ahead for your lunch enjoyment. Remember eating healthy does not mean boring!!!

Hot & Sour Slaw
From EatingWell July/August 2008
4 Servings - Total Cooking Time: 20 Minutes


Ingredients


3 tablespoons rice vinegar




1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce


1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil


1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger


1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper


1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste


3 cups shredded napa, or green cabbage


1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper


1/3 cup sliced scallions


1 8-ounce can bamboo shoots, drained and thinly sliced
 
Whisk rice vinegar, reduced-sodium soy sauce, oil, ginger, white pepper and crushed red pepper in a large bowl. Add napa (or green cabbage) bell pepper, scallions and bamboo shoots; toss to coat.
 
Nutritional Facts: 62 calories; 4 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 112 mg sodium; 189 mg potassium.


Pair this slaw up with a grilled chicken breast that your co-workers will be drooling over! I like to buy the frozen chicken breast tenders from Aldi's. I find they are easy to throw in a pain or on my George Foreman grill while I am getting ready in the morning. They are also a perfect 2-3 oz serving of meat.

Weighing out Breakfast

Yesterday, I touched on breakfast being important to start your day. Often we forget that breakfast jumps starts our day by revving up our metabolism and improving our concentration. It is a common misconception by many that if you skip breakfast you will lose weight but end the end this will cause you to eat more later in the day.

If you are a runner or a morning workout person it is especially important to get those calories in. Most experience runners know that you have a greater chance of burning breakfast calories if they are consumed earlier in the day. Also, by eating a proper breakfast you will burn more calories during your workout because your body has been provided the proper fuel. This will make your run or workout more effective!

Here are some quick and easy breakfast ideas to get moving in the right direction:

• 2 tbs of peanut butter on some whole grain bread or low fat English Muffin. Top with banana slices. This is one of my favorites! You can try it with strawberries too. It makes it a healthy PB&J!
• Low Fat Yogurt topped with high fiber cereal or some chopped nuts. My personal favorite is All-Bran Wheat Flakes. Fiber One is also another great choice and it is endorsed by Biggest Loser. :)
• Mini Bagel with non-fat cream cheese with thin apple or pear slices.
• Breakfast Smoothie. Blend 1/2 cup each of plain low-fat yogurt and orange juice. Add in a 1/2 of banana along with some frozen berries. Viola! Enjoy!!!
• Scoop 1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese into a 1/2 of a small cantaloupe or honey dew. YUM!
• 3 Egg Whites on a toasted Arnold's Sandwich Thin with a slice of Canadian Bacon. Another one of my personal favorite.
• If you really want to be creative try Jennifer Hudson's new favorite breakfast item shown here.

Breakfast does not have to be boring bowl of cereal or oatmeal. Think outside of the box. The results will be worth it!

V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!!! Yes it is a scale victory!

Yes, that is right! I lost 1.4 lbs this week the same amount that I gained last week. We are moving back down again. I could not have done it with the support of my friends. When I walked into my meeting today my leader said she was happy to see me. She was told about my set back and that I broke down in my meeting last week. She was going to email me or call me but she was not sure how I would feel about that. I found that very touching to see that I am not another face in the chair at Weight Watchers. The leaders care and so do the other members. They really rallied around me both last week and many asked if I had a better week this week.

So what did I do differently this week? Well I switched my breakfast food. Instead of cereal I am now eating oatmeal. There are a lot of hidden dangers in cereal as I found out. Most cereal lacks protein. Protein is very important to fuel your body and keep you feeling full. Let's face it breakfast does set the tone for your entire day. Don't believe me? Just try it!

The next thing I did was I made sure I ate more on the days I had a lot of activity. I don't recommend this to everyone. But if you are earning more than 5 activity points in a day you may want to eat a little more. Also, eating more does not mean eating more pizza and beer. You are going to want to eat more lean proteinns or incorporate a few more healthy snacks into your day. Just be careful and listen to your own body. Activity does not give you the license to overeat. Calories in is still calories out...no matter what.

I am VERY happy to report a better weigh-in this week. Thank you to all of my loyal readers for your support.

Beware of the coffee!

This week's Weight Watchers tip is watching your calories at the local coffee shop. Oh man, I am guilty as charge on this one!! I love my coffee!!! There is nothing better than a large coffee with a shot of expresso and carmel. YUM! So if you are a coffee addict like me there is hope. Weight Watchers suggests to downsize that coffee to a medium or small. Or request fat-free milk, with one pump of syrup and take a pass on the whipped cream. I started passing on the whipped cream a long time ago when my coffee got cold and there was nothing but fatty wax at the bottom. Gross!

Having a special cup of Joe is fine in moderations. I used my flavored lattes as a special treat. Speaking of special treats here is a coffee treat weighing in at 2 points per serving...

Coffee Granita with Mocha Topping - Serves 4


24 fl oz brewed espresso, (3 cups) regular or decaf
1/3 cup(s) sugar
1/2 cup(s) fat-free whipped topping
1 tsp decaffeinated instant coffee
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp unsweetened cocoa


Pour espresso into medium saucepan. Stir in sugar. Heat over low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Refrigerate mixture until cold, about 2 hours. Pour mixture into 1 1/2-quart freezer-safe bowl. Freeze until slushy, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from freezer; break up with fork. Return to freezer until slushy, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove. Using a fork, break up into small crystals. Spoon into 4 cups. In a bowl fold together whipped topping, coffee powder and cocoa. Yields about 1 cup granita and 2 tablespoons topping per serving.

Friday Fun - Put Play in your Day!

Happy Friday Everyone!  The weekend is almost here and it is the time of the week we forget about our healthy eating and exercise. Let's face it...for those of you who are parent's or even grandparents, we want to spend time with our families after a long week at work. But why not incorporate them into your fitness fun? Did you know that kids need at least 60 minutes of play in their day? Here are some ideas to get your family moving this weekend:

• Go for a walk or hike. Take 30-60 minutes from your day to walk around the neighborhood with your family. If you have a dog take him/her along with you. Many forest preserves have hiking trials. This is a great way to get children interested in nature. For those of you who live in Cook County you can check out hiking trials here.
• Go for a bike ride. Most children love to bike. I know this is a family time that we like to spend together. Babies and toddlers can even ride a long in a child carrier. Just like hiking and walking many forest preserves offer paved and dirt trails for biking. Again, those of you who live in Cook County can check out local bike trials here.
• Go for a swim. Summer will be here before you know it! Swimming is great physical exercise, especially for those with joint or other physical pain! Most park districts offer both indoor and outdoor pools.
• Go play tennis. Tennis is a great sport that not only offers physical activity but also helps improve hand eye coordination.
• Play volleyball. Most kids ages 8 and up enjoy playing volleyball. This sport requires a lot of movement and is something that everyone will enjoy.

No matter what activity you decided to do...Don't forget the water bottles, snacks, bug spray and sunscreen. Oh and don't forget to have fun!!