I'm not done!

I'm not done.

Becoming healthy isn't some goal you reach and then you're done.  And it really doesn't matter how you define "becoming healthy", whether it's a number on the scale, a size in pants, an amount you can lift or eating your vegetables.  My point is, it's not a goal.  It's a process. It's life.   Looking at it as a goal leads us to believe that once we've achieved that goal, we're done.  WRONG!!  In fact, that's where it gets tougher.  At least for me it does. 

This goal-mentality is probably why so many people lose weight only to gain it all back.  We've all been there.  I've lost and gained 20 lbs. or so more times than I care to mention.  But I've also successfully kept a significant amount of weight off for quite a few years now.  At my highest, I weighed 340 lbs. 

I need to repeatedly remind myself of this.  Remind myself that I can do this.  That I AM doing this.  I can keep the weight off.  I can be healthy.  I didn't reach a goal.  It's a choice every day to be healthy.  And its not easy.  But I have made that choice for 4 specific reasons...

My oldest son said to me "Mom, I can't believe how skinny you got!"  And aside from the fact that it was a beautiful compliment, it also shows me how skewed his view of "skinny" has become.  I am by no means skinny!!  HA!  But maybe he just meant in comparison.  He then followed up that comment with "Are you sad that you can't eat junk food anymore?  Or are you done losing weight?"  And that's what made me think.  Really think.  Think about the fact that I'm not done.  I'll never be done.  Because if I choose to be "done", I go back to 340 lbs.  Quickly.  And that wasn't healthy.  I remember being that size.  I remember not being able to keep up with my kids. 

At that point I chose to become healthy, not to lose weight.  Read that again...that was KEY for me.  Still is.  The weight loss was an obvious consequence, and a rewarding one at that, but the choice was simply to be healthy.  And that's why it worked.  That's why day in and day out I was able to stick with it.  That's why when I had "bad" days, slip ups, pizza and beer binges, I simply made a better choice the next day.  Because even though one night of unhealthy eating can look disastrous on the scale the next day...trust me, I can gain 10 lbs. from a night of poor choices...weight loss was never and never can be the goal.  Healthiness is the goal.  It's less concrete.  And for me that means the slip-ups are less concrete too.  It's all just part of life. 

For me, the NEPA Biggest Loser Contest was about losing weight.  I went hard-core.  I had to, because I had let myself slide a bit too much over the holidays.  I lost 36 pounds in a short amount of time.  But the entire time I kept in mind 1 thing...you are not done!  So while I lost that weight...and celebrated a bit last week gaining a few pounds back...I recognize that it's all part of life.

So how did I manage to lose 36 lbs. in 9 weeks?  It wasn't easy.  I hit a few plateaus and got frustrated.  And when I did, I switched things up. 

• I completed a 24 Day Challenge through Advocare, eating minimally processed foods, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and lean proteins.  It's always a great jump start for me!  I believe in their products and nutritional info.  I've written about it before...that's why I became a distributor.  Shameless Plug...message me if you would like more info about the challenge or cleanse or any other Advocare products!

• I joined Cross Fit 570.  I LOVED this!  It was amazingly motivating.  I watched my strength increase and body transform.  It was nothing short of AWESOME! 

• I used My Fitness Pal (www.myfitnesspal.com) to track my calories/exercise and tried to keep them around 1350-1450 a day. 

 I lost the first 20 pounds during this "phase".  WOOHOOOOO!!!!

 

 

• I stalled...so I began limiting my carbs...focusing on lean protein and dairy along with vegetables.  I loosely followed a plan outlined by the Dukan Diet book.  It's a good way to shed some quick weight but I could never follow it for too long.  No sugar...not even from fruit!!  At least not during the weight loss phases.

 

• I increased my at home cardio, waking up at 5 in the morning to hit the elliptical.  Thank God for Netflix and 64 episodes of Breaking Bad!  I exercised a minimum of 30 minutes (cardio) 6 days a week plus 3-4 days of Cross Fit, which combines cardio with strength training.  Many days I did an hour of cardio plus Cross Fit.

I lost another 10 pounds!

 

 

• LAST WEEK!!!  THE PRESSURE WAS ON!!!  No breaks from cardio.  I woke up at 4:30...minimum of 60 minutes in the morning, some days I added more in the afternoon...by the final few days I was putting in 3 separate hour-long sessions.  I basically ate chicken, fish, egg whites, water and lettuce!  I limited sodium.  I knew the entire time that this was not sustainable.  I knew there was no freaking way I could keep that up for too long!  But is was  CRUNCH TIME and I wanted to win!!! I was cranky and moody and HUNGRY, no I was HANGRY...That's a great word!  But it worked!!

6 more pounds gone!!!

 

 

 

Now I'm back to real life.  I gained that 6 pounds that I had lost in the last week almost immediately.  I think I looked at a cupcake or something.  Anyway, I knew that it wouldn't all stay off.  That last week's loss was largely water weight from limiting my glycogen stores (through low carb eating) and from almost eliminating sodium.  Plus there were some wings, pizza and possible a few cookies had in celebration.  But I'll stick with 6 pounds of water, lol!

 

 

Ok, so I'm here in "real life".  I am back to tracking on www.myfitnesspal.com.  Feel free to "friend" me.  I'm Plaid1977.  My diary is open, you can even see what I eat and how I work out.

 

 

That exercise thing...I had taken a few days off, mostly because I got the flu last week and was sicker than I had been in years!  I'm pretty sure this was directly related to my last week "CRUNCH TIME" behaviors!  I was in bed by 5:00 one night and 7:00 another.  I tried to milk it longer but my husband and kids were catching on, lol!

Exercise needs to be a part of my daily routine.  Especially this close to my own goal weight.  I need to fit it in, no excuses.

I hate mornings.  I REALLY hate mornings.  I love my bed.  And it is always especially cozy right around the time my alarm goes off, regardless of what time that is.  But in reality, the morning is my best time to get a good workout in.  My afternoons and evenings are often filled with the kids' activities.  And if I get it done in the morning, I get it over with in the morning.  So I drag my butt out of bed around 4:30 and head to the basement for about an hour of cardio and strength training...typically using the elliptical, doing push-ups, sit-ups, squats and kettle bell swings. 

Every excuse runs through my head every single morning that darn alarm goes off.  I don't feel well.  I have a headache.  Sleep is important too.  I'll do it this afternoon.  Heck, on Tuesday morning I awoke to find my sneaker filled with what was most likely toilet water!  Ha!!!  I dumped it out, grabbed my old sneaks and headed to the basement.  I still haven't solved that mystery.  I do suspect one child in particular...

But I am not done and so I must continue!!

The best thing about the contest was that it held me accountable.  I am pretty self-motivated to stay healthy.  But accountability helps.  So last night I went back to what I know.  Weight Watchers.  Hopping on that scale every Thursday keeps me on track.  Sharing my story with others keeps me on track.  Shelling out $50 each month keeps me on track ;-)  Writing this blog keeps me on track! 

I'll continue to use some of Advocare's supplements that I firmly believe are superior to others on the market.  Spark, Omegaplex, Catalyst and occasionally Leptilean...they rock!  I'll continue to choose healthy, wholesome, minimally processed foods as Advocare teaches and Weight Watchers encourages (contrary to popular belief, they do not encourage you to eat their boxed dinners and 100 calorie packs of junk).  These 2 programs can truly work hand in hand and with great success.  I am proof of that.  Size 28 to size 12/14 proof of that!

But this is life.  For my life I chose health.  I'll never be "done."


This was a LOOOOOOOOOOOOONG post.  Are you still reading?  Actually I am amazed when I hear anyone reads this!  I'm thrilled that you do!

I made the Cauliflower Fritters that I posted about last time.  The recipe was from www.skinnytaste.com.  I needed to add more water to the batter and forgot to buy parsley but other than that I used the same ingredients.  I did not need oil in my non-stick pan...bonus!  I loved them.  Matt (my husband and cauliflower-hater) said they were good...he even ate some the next night by choice.  Only 1 of the 4 kids liked them enough for seconds.  They said "Pop makes better potato pancakes :-)  At least they still thought they were potato pancakes!  Oh well...partial success!  Here they are:

 

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside.  Not exactly Church-Picnic quality but delicious all the same!

 

Here's the original recipe again...

 

 

Cauliflower FrittersSkinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 • Size: 2 fritters • Old Points: 2 • Weight Watcher Points+: 3 pt
Calories: 139 • Fat: 6 g • Carb: 14 g • Fiber: 4 g • Protein: 7 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 269 mg  • Cholest: 61 mg

Ingredients:

• 6 cups roughly chopped raw cauliflower (from 2 small heads)  *** I used 1 bag of frozen cauliflower, steamed and squeezed though a cloth.
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2 extra large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup hot water  ***  I used about 1 cup.
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper
• 4 teaspoons olive oil ***I didn't need this at all.

Directions:

Steam the cauliflower in 2 1/2 cups water over medium heat until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and quickly rinse under cold water to stop it from cooking. Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces with a knife once steamed and measure to make 5 cups. Set aside the rest for another use.

In a large bowl, combine the steamed cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Add water so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 teaspoon of oil coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form fritters. You can fit 4 fritters at a time, flattening them slightly with the back of the measuring cup. Cook until golden brown, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter 3 more times.


Thanks for keeping me on track!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 



 

 

 



Haunted By Less than One Ounce!!!

This past Sunday I weighed in for the final time in our local Biggest Loser contest.  After 9 weeks of literally working my butt off the scale would be my judge and jury.  How well did I do?  Did I give it my all?  Was it enough?

I weighed out 36.1 pounds lighter than I weighed in.  I lost 15.58% of my weight.  That's AWESOME!!!  It truly is!  I worked incredibly hard and was incredibly strict the last 2 weeks of the contest.  I did well the other 7 weeks too, but the last 2...that was crunch time! 

I was working out like a mad woman.  Getting up at 4:00am to do an hour on the elliptical.  Doing another hour of cardio when I came home from work.  Going to Cross Fit at night or putting in a 3rd hour plus weights at home.  I lived on egg whites and chicken breasts.  Even on parade day!  Who schedules weigh out for the day after the St. Patrick's Day parade?!?!  The last 2 weeks were TOUGH!

Could I have done more?

I could have and should have "Gone Commando"!  That's right.  I shouldn't have worn underwear. Or at least I should have weighed my various undergarments to find the lightest pair as another contestant and friend did herself!  Why you ask?

Because it came down to less than one ounce.

I took 3rd place.  Which is phenomenal.  I'm thrilled.  But had I weighed 1/2 an ounce less, I would've taken 2nd place!   I ran the calculations.  I played with the numbers.  This is truly what it all came down to.  1/2 an ounce.  And it's haunting me. 

Don't get me wrong.  3rd place is great.  3rd place out of 70 contestants!  36.1 pounds is great.  15.51% is great.  But to be soooooooooo close!  GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!

I'm trying to get over it.  Really, I am.  And I will.  Eventually.

My weight loss brought me to a new low.  All holiday weight gone.  All vacation weight gone.  Lower than I have been since about 7th grade.  I'm very proud of that. 

I celebrated a bit and indulged in some foods (pizza! chocolate!) I had been avoiding during the contest.  I know I am very sensitive to carbs.  But I love them.  Eliminating them or even limiting them forever isn't realistic.  But during the last  2 weeks of the contest it was necessary to produce the results I expected.  The celebration has ended.  Life is back to normal.   My weight is leveling back out.  I expected to gain a few pounds back.  My caloric intake hasn't increased that much.  What I have gained is likely water, just as much of what I lost the last few days of the contest was likely water weight lost by drastically reducing the amount of sodium I was ingesting. 

So where am I now?  I'm about 20 pounds from my ultimate goal.  That's it.  I can do that.  Little by little it will come off.  Season 2 of the NEPA Biggest Loser Contest begins in a few weeks.  I can lose weight like a champ.  I'm very competitive by nature.  But these last 20 lbs. need to be about lifestyle change, not "dropping weight" for the sake of a prize.  My prize will be hitting my goal.  It will be being the weight I believe I should be. 

I have been asked if I will participate in Season 2.  I think I will.  But my focus will be different.  I'll use it as an additional means of keeping myself on track.  I'll use it as a mode to help anyone who wants to hear what I did during Season 1.  But I won't go as crazy.  I need to be more realistic.



Something I will not be doing differently...eating these babies---Quest Bars!

 

I have never been much of a protein bar or protein shake kind of girl.  I think eating "real food" is just better and tastier!  So many of the bars I've looked at are filled with junk.  Not Quest bars!  Other than sucralose (Splenda) which is a sugar derivative, they are all natural.  And they taste pretty good too!  I really like the Peanut Butter and Jelly and Chocolate Peanut Butter ones.  I've heard the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ones are amazing but I have yet to get my hands on them.  They are all around 200 calories or less, loaded with protein and fiber.  Perfect for a pre or post workout snack or when I'm craving something sweet but want more nutrition than a piece of actual candy would provide.  They're worth every penny.

 

 

One of my favorite websites for healthy recipes is www.skinnytaste.com

 

I've made quite a few of her recipes and they never disappoint!  I planned to make these last night but I was still feeling sick (a touch of the flu) so I had Subway instead.  But I WILL make these soon and I'll let you know how they taste!  I'll probably tweak the recipe a bit more.  But here is the original:

 

Cauliflower FrittersSkinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 • Size: 2 fritters • Old Points: 2 • Weight Watcher Points+: 3 pt
Calories: 139 • Fat: 6 g • Carb: 14 g • Fiber: 4 g • Protein: 7 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 269 mg  • Cholest: 61 mg

Ingredients:

• 6 cups roughly chopped raw cauliflower (from 2 small heads)
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 2 extra large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup hot water
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper
• 4 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

Steam the cauliflower in 2 1/2 cups water over medium heat until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and quickly rinse under cold water to stop it from cooking. Chop the cauliflower into smaller pieces with a knife once steamed and measure to make 5 cups. Set aside the rest for another use.

In a large bowl, combine the steamed cauliflower, flour, garlic, eggs, grated cheese, parsley, 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and pepper. Add water so that batter becomes slightly more dense than pancake batter.

Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat, add 1 teaspoon of oil coating bottom of the pan. Use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to form fritters. You can fit 4 fritters at a time, flattening them slightly with the back of the measuring cup. Cook until golden brown, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter 3 more times.

 

Recipes and pictures (of the recipe) from www.skinnytaste.com

 

Looking for a "lightened up" version of one of your favorite recipes?  Send or message me your requests!  

Stay tuned for before and after contest pics (caution...flabby arm shots have not been censored) and the results from the making of Cauliflower Fritters!!   

I'm back!! Update and a recipe included :-)

I haven't posted since the summer.  That's just wrong.  I haven't fallen of the wagon, just the radar :-)

I've had some ups and downs with weight since my last post in June.  But that's life.  From mid November through the Christmas holiday I managed to gain 20 pounds!  That's RIDICULOUS!  It's not like I lived on cookies and crap for 6 weeks straight.  I highly doubt I consumed 70,000 calories ABOVE what my body needed (3500 calories is the accepted amount of calories said to gain or lose a pound)!  If there was a Biggest Gainer Contest, I could win that hands down!  

Fortunately, I immediately got back on track.  I entered a local Biggest Loser contest that I found on Facebook.  On January 12th 70 contestants signed up, weighed in, had measurements taken.  We each contributed $30 to the "pot".  Other donations were made to the cause and all told, $4,000 in prizes are on the line!!  

Final weigh in is this Sunday, March 16th (the day AFTER parade day...grrr)!  I am down 25 pounds.  I'm hoping, praying, crossing all fingers and toes, while working my butt off, to lose a few more by Sunday.  Will I win?  I already have!  

I got back on track.  I lost what I gained.  I worked out harder than I ever have before.  I even began crossfit, which I LOVE!  It would be fantastic to walk away with some cash or the excitement/bragging rights of being a winner.  But ultimately for me, this is about me.  Not prizes.  Me.

Stay tuned to see what happens at weigh in on Sunday!

Sorry if the profanity offends anyone.  But this spoke to me!

Dinner last night of broiled Haddock filets with paprika and lemon and a side of steamed, fresh asparagus.

Healthy, Yummy, Banana Pancakes

(Gluten free, low carb, low fat, guilt-free...yet seriously delicious!)

Recipe---

-2 medium bananas, the riper the better

-2 large eggs

-1/3 cup egg whites

-1 T Splenda (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a food processor till smooth.  Scoop 1/4 cup portions of batter onto a nonstick skillet over medium heat (no oil necessary).  Flip after approximately 1 minute.

This recipe made 12, 3 inch pancakes.

Top with fresh fruit, sliced bananas and walnuts, peanut butter, honey, maple syrup or just eat as is (that's what I did!).  These are so delicious that my kids preferred them over their regular Aunt Jemima pancakes!

High in protein, low in junk!  AWESOME!