One Day at a Time...

And, today was a success!

Today I stayed committed to my eating plan:

• Breakfast:  Chocolate Shakeology with Water and PeanutButter (250 Calories)
• Snack:  Mixed Nuts (220 Calories)
• Lunch:  Lemon Pepper Chicken and Mixed Steamed Veges (188 Calories)
• Snack: Power Crunch Bar (200 Calories)
• Dinner: Roasted Chicken, Sweet Potato Fries, Steamed Broccoli (370 Calories)

So far, that is just over 1200 calories.  I will most likely either have a small amount of fresh squeezed orange juice (112 Calories) or another less than 200 calorie snack as I will be up for several more hours. I am still having a hard time getting to 1800 calories!!  But, in my opinion, I'd rather be under than over!

I always have the same revelation about 24-48 hours into my healthy eating initiative.  What the hell is wrong with me??  I have serious acid reflux issues EXCEPT when I eat the way I listed above.  I have had only ONE dosage of acid reflux medication in the last 48 hours.  When I do not eat this way, I eat antacids like candy! Why do we do things that make us feel so bad?? 

Next Verse, Same as the First...Four Months Later

I know my blog was very quiet until a few days ago when I was inspired to start my writing again.  And, as I wrapped up my vacation today, I also started back where I started in March...at the beginning of a journey to be fit, fabulous and flirty by forty.

Here I am four months later, starting at almost exactly the same point.  Actually, I tend to go by waist measurements, but to keep it real, I am starting 3lbs heavier than I did four months ago at 256 and one inch less in my waist at 44".

Why no progress towards my goals?

It has truly been a rough four months.  I started my progress and as I gained ground and enjoyed my workouts, I was suffering from migraines.  Ultimately, I ended up out on medical leave, once again on prednisone. (I ultimately took 3 rounds of prednisone which adds weight and also tends to make you want to eat.  Thanks to the good eating habits I had already established, I did not gain a lot!) I was unable to workout.  We had a major mold issue and had to move.  We lived in a hotel for 3 weeks.  We finally found a new home.  In addition, I have had a huge increase in work stress.

Although I am still suffering with the migraines, I have decided I am not going to allow them to control me anymore.  I am not going to allow these life challenges to control me.

I started back on my eating plan today.

Breakfast:  Shakeology w/Peanut Butter and Almond Milk 290 calories
Snack:  Power Crunch Bar 200 Calories
Lunch:  Turkey Burger with Dijon 200 calories
Snack:  Skinny Cow 140 Calories
Dinner:  Lemon Pepper Chicken, Sauteed Spinach with Garlic, Sweet Potato Fries 294 calories

I'm sure I'll eat another 200 calorie snack to bring me to a total caloric intake of 1300 for today.  This is a little lower than my goal of 1800 calories per day, but since I didn't workout, I'm okay with that.  30% of these calories are from proteins.

My goal is to add working out to my routine this week.  I will start by going to fit club Tuesday night.  By next week I will be working out no less than five times during the week.

I'm still on my quest.  I'm still determined to be fit, fabulous and flirty by Forty.  And, I will get there.  I'm not going to let life's little challenges get in my way!

Snacking is GOOD!

Yes, I'm putting it out there, snacking is a good thing.

I think many of us have gone through life associating "diet" with "not eating." This is the wrong attitude. We decide we are going to lose weight so we stop eating, deprive ourselves of food and most recently I read about a diet that said we should only eat within a certain window of time.  When we deprive ourselves of food, our bodies will not only eat fat reserves, but it will eat muscles.  In addition, we are more likely to "fall off the wagon" when we feel we are being deprived.

There is no reason to feel deprived!  We can eat!  We can eat AND lose weight!   The suggested intake is 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, 30% fat.  These ratios can be adjusted, and should be adjusted, based on activity level. The key is to make sure you are taking in the RIGHT types of carbohydrates, the right types of proteins and the right types of fats.  This DOES NOT mean grab a piece of cake, a candy bar.  It does not mean go down and get a burger at the closest fast food restaurant.

And, believe it or not, carbohydrates are not the enemy! You need to make sure you are eating high fiber, low sugar carbohydrates (ex sweet potato without the brown sugar and marshmallow).  I usually save carbohydrates for meals such as lunch, dinner and sometimes an occasional fruit snack.  I'll save the subject of carbs for another blog.

You need fats to help in digestion as well, but you need to make sure you are using healthy fats:  EVOO, Coconut oil, etc.  Again...another day, another blog.

Today's subject:  SNACKS, SNACKS SNACKS!  A girls's gotta eat!

I eat 5-6 times a day.  It is the only way I can lose weight.  And, I will be honest, the first couple of days are hard.  The rest of the time...my body will not give me a choice.  And, I have to plan my snacks or I am in trouble.  If I do not plan my snacks, I will grab something that will be a poor choice.  So, never fail to plan.  Below is a list of suggested snacks.

• NUTS
• Almonds, Pecans, Peanuts, Cashews, 
• I recommend Unsalted as salt causes water retention
• Roasted or Raw, depends on my mood
• 1/4 cup serving. Calories posted below are based on 1/2 cup.  1/4 cup will put you under 200 calories per snack.

Nut	Serving	Calories		Carbs (g)	Protein (g)	Fat (g)
Almonds	raw, unblanched, 1/2 cup, 2.5oz	410		14.0	15.1	35.9
Brazil nuts	1/2 cup, shelled (16 kernels), 2.5oz	401		8.7	10.2	47.1
Cashews	1/2 cup dry-roasted, 2.4oz	390		22.2	10.4	31.5
Chestnuts	15-18 nuts, 2.5oz	139		31.4	1.1	0.9
Hazelnuts (filberts)	1/2 cup shelled, 2.5oz	446		11.9	10.6	43.2
Macadamia nuts	1/2 cup, 2.3oz	467		9.0	5.1	49.3
Peanuts	1/2 cup raw, 2.5oz	403		11.4	18.3	34.9
Pecans	1/2 cup, halves, 2.4oz	373		7.5	4.9	38.9
Pistachios	1/2 cup shelled, 2oz	317		16.0	11.7	25.3
Walnuts (english)	42 halves, 2.5oz	464		9.7	10.8	46.3

• Meats
• Turkey, Chicken
• 2-4 oz deli meat
• Roasted, low sodium
• I prefer a minimally processed meat such as Applegate farms as I do not like Nitrates and additives in my meats.  I would suggest doing some research on what your local supermarket offers.  Kroger and Publix both offer excellent whole foods alternatives.

• Cheese
• Low Calorie/Fat string cheese
• Occasionally I will treat myself to a single slice of Swiss or pepper jack as cheese is a weakness of mine.  Notice:   A SINGLE SLICE! And, I will count these calories towards my daily and I just work it into my budget.  
• Fruit
• High fiber fruits are preferred such as Apples, grapefruits, etc.  And, this should be in moderation.
• No more than 1 serving per day (again: measure, weigh, count!)
• I try to eat with a serving of protein.  For example  Apples with Peanut Butter, Grapefruit with cheese, apple with Turkey.  This makes makes it a complex carbohydrate which digests slower and does not spike blood sugar (aka lower glycemic index)

• Snack Bars
• I have several favorites!  You may have to taste test, but READ THE labels!  These can be deceptive in the amount of sugars and additives they have!
• CLIF MOJO bars are my husbands favorite bars.  They are a peanut butter granola-ish bar.
• Power Crunch Bars are my favorite.  We have found these at Kroger and at Whole Foods.  These are a wafer bar that a little like a little Debbie Nutty Bar.  They are a wafer type bar.  They are lower in sugar than anything we have found and only about 200 calories. 
• Think Thin Bars are also good and very low in calories and sugar.  And, they were created by women! 
• P90X bars by Beachbody

• Protein Shakes
• Shakeology is my number 1.  It is so full of nutrition, there is nothing better.  And, I can make it so many different ways.
• Chocolate Shakeology with peanutbutter and almond milk.
• Chocolate Shakeology with via coffee, almond milk, water...tastes like a Starbucks mocha frap.
• Chocolate Shakeology with pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, libby's pumpkin and almond milk.
• Chocolate Shakeology cookies!
• There is a new tropical flavor coming out in the fall which I cannot wait to try with fruits.
•  I'm not a huge fan of the Green Shakeology, but if you like wheat grass, you'd probably like it!  :)

BE CAREFUL WITH YOGURTS as well!  Many of your traditional super market yogurts are very high in sugars and do not have much protein.  If you are going to eat Yogurt, consider the Greek Yogurt.  I am not a huge Yogurt fan myself, so cannot make recommendations in this arena. 

Here's my key to eating...and especially to snacking:  weigh, count, measure! I NEVER, EVER EAT OUT OF THE BAG, CONTAINER OR BOX! If there is something I am absolutely craving, I may eat it, but I always research the calories before I do and I write it down in my food journal.  It will always impact how I eat for the rest of the day.  

Many times, if I research what I want before I eat it...I may not eat it! Knowledge is power, and if you know that the Venti Sugar Free Half&Half with Whip Latte that you want from Starbucks is 700 calories...you just might skip it!

Thank You Ms. Bonner

Yes, I'm talking to you Melissa Bonner.  This entire blog entry is dedicated to you and to your new fabulous Facebook page for the ladies who are getting their act together and who are no longer giving excuses.  The timing is impeccable!

If anyone chooses to, you can read back to the beginning of this blog to see my quest, the derailing of my quest and now...the redirection once again.  I am still having challenges with migraines, work schedules, stress related issues, medicines that effect my appetite (ironically that make me NOT want to eat for a change). And, although I plan to finish my vacation this week and get back on track on Monday, Melissa has helped put a finer point to it by starting a little thread among friends called "No excuses".  In reading this, I see that there are many ladies out there who feel like I do:  frustrated, alienated from others, even from themselves.  But, we have to take control for ourselves.  I am doing this.

Starting Sunday, I will be back on my eating plan.  I am committing to eating no more than 1800 calories a day.  I will track my eating using Lose It and will plan my meals as I have found this to be the most successful for me in the past.  My meals will consist of Shakeology for Breakfast, a protein snack, Lunch of a protein, vege and high fiber carb, protein snack and dinner of protein, vege and high fiber carb.  Notice that I do include carbohydrates, but they are HIGH FIBER AND LOW SUGAR.

Starting Monday, I will be back on my exercise plan using Chalean Extreme. This is a workout program I do at home and it is five days a week.  The great thing about this program is that if I change jobs (I recently applied for a training position that may require travel), Chalean can go on the road with me!

My biggest suggestion to those of you joining us in this quest, is get a support group.  Ms. Bonner did the right thing by getting her friends involved on Facebook.  I have a great husband and daughter who will join my quest with me.  Brian will follow my eating plan with me (with maybe a few additional snacks) and Taylor will as well.  Brian will start Insanity on Monday (he finished P90x a few weeks ago) and Taylor will also start a fitness program.  She is starting ROTC when school starts and has worked very hard this summer to stay in shape as physical fitness is a huge part of her success in this program.

Let's do this together!  But, as Ms. Bonner said:  No more excuses!  And, I would also encourage everyone to stop taking short cuts.  No more fad diets, no more quick weight loss pills, shots, etc.  If you have no intention of changing your habits, you will never have success.

Mold...What Do You Know?

I know I have been quiet for several weeks.  I have been very ill with a Migraine for over three weeks.  That's the bad news, the good news is that I am feeling amazingly better.  I spoke with a Neurologist who stated my Migraine was triggered by sinus issues.  I have been having severe sinus issues including nose bleeds, congestion, wheezing, etc since January.  I attributed all of these symptoms to seasonal allergies...but I was wrong.

Do you know the symptoms of Mold exposure? I have listed them below. And, I have highlighted the ones I was experiencing.  We have been living next to a home that is severely infected with Mold.  We moved into a hotel on Friday and I am already seeing improvement (accompanied with a change in Migraine meds and a round of antibiotic).

And, the best news is that I can go back to work next week!

And, I can start getting back to my routine. I started back on Shakeology today and plan to start ChaLean Extreme AGAIN next Monday.  It will be a relief to get back into some type of routine even if we are living in a hotel! :)

I will keep you posted on the Mold saga.  We are having to hire an attorney to go after the adjacent property owner to have our belongings cleaned and to pay our living expenses.  But, I have to say OUR property owner has been amazing through this process.

Level - I Common Symptoms of Mold Exposure

The most commonly reported symptoms of short term Mold exposure:

• Sneezing
• Itching Skin
• Redness and skin irritation
• Watery Eyes
• Itching Eyes
• Headache

Level - II Advanced Symptoms of Mold ExposureThe following symptoms of Mold exposure have been reported generally as a result from persons being in a Mold contaminate environment on and off for an extended period of time. Symptoms are reported to have become more severe and longer lasting directly in proportion to the length of exposure time. Their reported symptoms are as follows:

• Constant Headaches
• Nose Bleeds
• Feelings of Constant Fatigue
• Breathing Disorders
• Coughing up Blood or Black looking Debris
• Nausea
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Loss of Appetite
• Weight Loss
• Hair loss
• Skin Rashes
• Open Sores on the Skin
• Memory Loss "Short Term"
• Neurological & Nervous Disorders
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Swollen Glands in the Neck Area and under the Armpit
• Sudden Asthma Attacks or Breathing Disorders
• Ear Infections and Pain
• Chronic Sinus Infections
• Chronic Bronchitis
• Pain in the Joints and Muscles

While it seems Mold can cause many symptoms one must remember that there are thousands of species of Mold. Different species of Mold can have a wide variety of reactions within different people.
Level - III Late Stage Symptoms of Mold ExposureThe following Mold exposure symptoms are the most severe and are attributed to high levels of exposure:

• Blindness
• Brain Damage
• Memory Loss "Long term"
• Bleeding Lungs
• Cancer
• Death

Turbo Fired UP!

This evening we went to Roswell Fit Club and had a great time.  I was really happy that L and J joined us.  It's fun to have your friends work out with you.  And, we met some great new people.

The workout was Chalene Johnson's Turbo Fire. We did a 30 minute workout from this series and a 10 minute stretch.  This workout is a LOT of fun.  It is a great cardio-aerobic workout.  And, will definitely appeal to those who enjoy more dance/aerobic based workout. I will need to watch the workout a few times to fully be able to follow all the moves, but it is definitely something that even those who are just starting a workout program can complete.  I especially loved the 10 minute stretch.  It would be a great way to start or end your day to just help increase flexibility and is a great addition to any workout.  I may just pop it in along with other workouts!

I will continue to workout using ChaLEAN Extreme as I prefer the muscle exhaustion workout. And, it is another workout for anyone who can get up and off the couch!  I will be formally starting the series on Monday.

This evening at Fit Club, Brian and I were introduced.  And, I acknowledged that I have had several challenges to my workout program.  First was the calf muscle tear, then I have had migraines off and on since Thursday.  I have fought the aura's and headache today as well.  In the past, this would have completely derailed me and I would have given up and found my solace in the bottom of a bag of M&Ms. Not this time.  I will continue to get up and get moving.  I will continue to do what I can do.  As I stated tonight, I am America. I am the average American who is obese and struggling to get control! And, no matter what, I will be fit and fabulous and fliry, not just for my 40th birthday, but for life.

So, in conclusion tonight, I ask that each of you find a physical activity that you can commit to.  It doesn't matter if it is walking around the block, if it is a workout program like P90X or ChaLEAN Extreme.  Just get moving and make sure you eat healthy too!

What to do...

Do you ever feel like no matter what you do, life just catches up with you? Do you ever feel like the world is a giant conspiracy to get in your way? That's how this last week has been.

I suffer from migraines, and they are a little different than most.  About five years ago, I presented with symptoms that resembled a stroke.  It turns out they are auras from a migraine and the fun part is I don't always get the headache!  Thursday morning I woke up very lithargic and I was having difficulty focusing.  By noon I figured out I was rapidly going into a full migraine and would soon be unable to drive.  I get slurred speach, misplace words in my sentences, heavy eye lids and extreme pressure in my head.  This lasted three days and has finally let up today. 

The bad part of this is that there are very few medications that provide relief.  The normal triptan drugs just make me feel weird, but do not provide relief.  I have tried everything from seizure medications to botox injections.  (And, I have no understanding why anyone would do botox voluntarily...it hurts like a ****.) I did go to the clinic and get injections and I have taken Butabital both with and without narcotics over the last several days. 

When I am sick with this, I have to foce myself to eat, and nothing is appealing.  My usual is a grilled cheese sandwhich and soup.  When we are unwell, it is very easy to get off our plan.  This is okay!  The important thing is to get back on as soon as possible.  I did track my foods even though I was unwell, and if anything, I had a hard time eating enough food each day, although my food choices did not rate at the top up the good for me scale.

Tomorrow is the beginning of a new week.  I will begin my Chalean Extreme workouts again and I am back on plan.  I made a great soba stir fry for dinner tonight: soba noodles, green cabbage, boc choy, baby corn, water chestnuts, edamame and turkey meatballs. It is less than 300 calories per serving.

And, through all of this, I am still losing inches.  I have lost 4" in my waist and 2" in my hip. The interesting part is I am not losing too much on the scale.  But, I'd rather gain muscle and lose inches than just to lose weight.  Healthy and thin are not the same thing!

Tomorrow's menu:  Shakeology for breakfast, Recovery Shake for snack, Soba Stir Fry for lunch, snack bar and/or nuts for snacks, turkey burger and vege for dinner. 

Have a great start to the week!  Get out there and walk if you are not committed to an exercise program!