Week-end Wrap Up

This week was my first week back on my "eating plan" I stuck to it...and I was surprised. Really, I have like zero will power it seems.

I have found myself eating foods that I actually enjoy (whole wheat toast and almond butter is one of my favorites.) And I discovered today that I can have dessert. We made Almond Chocolate Blondie Bars. (With whole wheat flour, almond butter, coconut milk, flax seed) I was really hesitant that it would turn out to be actually edible....but I was pleasantly surprised. The kids even liked them.

I had to miss the run today. My ankle is still shot, I knew that if I tried to run it, I would just risk hurting it more. So I passed. I am sad. But still determined to run that marathon in 2011.

I have been working on some new things for this blog, i am really hoping to get it up and going with more followers this week. :-)

It is NOT a diet!

I was talking to a friend today who asked me how my "diet" was going. I cringed. I think she thought it was because I wasn't doing all to well. Well, I have fallen off the wagon. But that is not why I cringed.

I hate the word diet. So many negative perceptions are associated with the word. When you hear the word diet, you think of plates full of nothing more than limp lettuce, boiled chicken, and water.

So, I am not on a diet. Instead, I am following a new eating plan.

My eating plan has me consuming roughly 1200 to 14oo hundred calories a day. Most of it is fresh fruits and veggies and organic. It is not a diet because I am not restricting myself in anyways. In fact, I have two recipes I will be trying out this weekend: One for almond chocolate blondies and one for...fudge brownies. I am eating foods that I love, just prepared a little differently.

I am a huge peanut butter and toast girl. So, I am eating 100% whole grain toast and almond butter. I have a weakness for crunch chips and dip. So I make my own pita chips and black bean dip, hummus, and guacamole. I have substitued my morning coffee for wonderful tea instead.

See? No restrictions. In fact, this way of eating is keeping me fuller longer since I am eating better foods.

I don't see it as a diet. I see it as a healthier, and actually pretty tasty, way of eating.

For the love of Pete!

Yesterday was grocery day. I stocked my fridge with all sorts of yummy healthy things. Fruits and veggies. Organic milk and yogurt. Snacks that are actually GOOD for me.

One of my goals for myself is to start eating organic as much as possible. I am following the Master Your Metabolisim plan from Jillian Michales and part of the plan is to remove as much of the toxic food items from your diet as possible.

While perusing the aisles of Wal-mart, I realized that two of things on my list were no where to be found. Almond butter and Quinoa. After asking a sales associate, who never heard of the things, I realized that I was going to have to go to a "real" grocery store...Read: more expensive.

After depositing the kids at home with my husband I trekked to the local grocery store. I seriously felt like a kid in a candy store when I hit the organic/health/gluten free section. 7 different kinds of hummus dip, Pita chips in 3 flavors, Steel cut oats (which I needed) and there! Sitting right next to it was Quinoa (which I now know is a type of oatmeal/oat/cereal).

I was happy. I was going to bake it into a "crunch" and top my greek yogurt with it in the morning. Then I saw the price. $14.00! For a small bag of what is essentially an oatmeal...no wonder people opt for Mcdonalds.

I did find my almond butter...for $10.00. But I bought it anyways. Let me tell you. That is the best peanut butter I have ever eaten. So worth the $10.00.

Maybe more people would eat healthier if it was affordable. :/

Anyways, day one of my new eating plan is going great. I have stuck to it for the most part, and haven't had any hunger issues.

Maybe this will work after all!

Weigh In Wednesday

It's Weds. And that means weigh in day. I knew the scale wouldn't like me this week. Last week, I ate Mcdonalds once, and Burrito Loco Nachos (with extra sour cream) twice. I also had a few candy bars, and some nutty buddys as well.

What can I say? Last week was rough.

The last time I weighed myself I was sitting around 226. Today...229.

3 pounds.

Which puts me back to my starting weight.

But, I am recommited to losing this weight. My fridge is stocked full of healthy choices. and there is not a candy bar in sight.

Wanna join in?

Hop on over to FatGirl To Thin and join in.

Accountability is a good thing...trust me!

Giving myself permission

I realized today that I have gotten kind of off course when it comes to my weight-loss journey. When things got tough, it was so easy to just resort back to my old ways. Eating fried, fat-laden foods and not giving it a second thought. Downing soda like the world depended on it.

I noticed that as my eating habits nose dived, so did my moods. This past week I have found myself in probably one of the lowest moods that I have ever been in. Sure it is a culmination of a variety of different things, but I have noticed, the crappier I eat, the crappier I feel...direct correlation?

So, this weekend, I have given myself permission to let go of my failures and embrace them as learning experiences. I have accepted that I am not perfect, and that anyone who is even remotely human has days like I have had.

I also have given myself permission to start over.

I am back to square one...and that is ok. I have identified my issues and am working on developing habits to improve them.

i am working on new blog things, working on a Facebook page, and many other exciting things this week.

I am looking forward to starting again...

and succeeding this time.

All Love,
Melissa

Humilation Diet?

I was watching Good Morning America and they had a story on a website called "Tweet What You Eat". Then of course, their expert weighed in on whether a "humiliation diet" was really effective. The general verdict- it depends.

I am currently participating in a weight loss/diet/weigh-in thing over on Fat Girl To Thin. Each week we send in our weights, did we gain or loose? And some of us send in pictures.

Do I view this as a "humiliation" diet? No. And nor did I view "TWYE" as a humilation diet.

As most people battling weight issues now, support is the KEY to being successfull. Accountability goes a LONG way when it comes to shedding those unwanted pounds. Sometimes, we cannot find that accountability factor in real- life. I know that I really don't have a "in the flesh" support group, so the online support has been what has kept me going. Sure, it is kind of embarrassing when it is time to post my weight for the week and it has either stayed the same or gone back up. But, I get support from others who are in the same boat as me. And that is what I am looking for.

The dangers with a site such as TWYE are that sometimes people are not truthful about the calorie count or are engaging in diet habits that may not be healthy. It is REALLY important that when it comes to eating, you consult a nutritionist or dietician FIRST.

But as for the humiliation factor? If it helps me get healthier and feel better- then I am all for it!

New Month-New Perspective

Life is not always easy. Nor is it always fair. Sometimes we have to deal with things that we would rather not deal with. That is where I am. Right now.

But I am learning that I am stronger than I give myself credit for. I am learning that I can't change what has happened, but I can change how I think, and what I do, going forward.

I am ready to meet this new month with a positive outlook. I have taken the option for failure off of the table. The only option is success.

I will succeed.

In 20 days (or is it 18?) I will be running my very first 10k. I am excited. But more nervous. I am not expecting to place very well in this race, but it will be rewarding to atleast finish it.

I am down 5 pounds since starting my "diet" and am pretty dang proud of myself. Especially considering I am an emotional eater, and some of the things that I have had to deal with, would normally cause me to overeat, but I am learning to deal with those triggers.