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Showing posts from October, 2012

Count The Small Things

When I started this journey I was stepping on the scale at least 10 times a day..no joke. If I walked by it, I felt a compulsive need to step on it. And everytime the numbers were different. I learned as I worked through this that weight flucuates constantly, and is never the same. You weight can fluctuate 3-7 pounds depending on what you have eaten, water retention, salt intake, full bladder, you name it and it can affect your weight, I am sure of it. It is physically impossible to gain 3-5 pounds a day. You would have to eat a surplus of 10,000+ calories. The average adult female should only eat around 1500-2000 and the male 1600-2500(all dependent of weight). After I stopped freaking out over the numbers jumping around all the time, I started to learn that measurements and NSV or non scale victories (for my MFP friends) are far more important. While your weight may not be changing you body percent may be. When I started in January I had a body fat percentage of 49%! Today my body

Eating More To Weigh Less

Sounds terrifying right?! It really is...but if you read this and think at the end you could do it...then there is no reason to be scared. The first time I read a forum titled "Eat More To Weigh Less" I thought pfffffftt...whatever, everyone knows you have to eat low calorie to lose weight..right??? I looked at it, laughed literally out loud, and went back to my low calories. I lost my first 25 pounds this way and I figured I would lose the last 50 the same.Then one month came the dreaded PLATEAU! *gasps echo through inter-world* I tried everything, I doubled my exercise, stopped eating back my exercise calories, and not a single pound budged. So after doing a little reading I realized that I was under eating  This made me rethink eating more to weigh less. I revisited the forum. And I read a lot of forum posts where they had been in the exact same situation as me, eating low cal with no more weight loss. They then later went on to say after eating more they began to lose a

Rykas Sneakers Review

I went on vacation in June to the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and it was beautiful! I kept busy with my exercise even while there, because it was so nice outside,  I couldn't help but run. My poor old Adidas gave out...and I needed new shoes. My grandma and I took off to check out the local shopping, and the shops there were wonderful. We came across a shoe store that was having a BOGO half off sale, and what is better than a sale...nothing?! This was the first time I ever put thought into my shoes, before I just bought a pair, and they lasted forever because I did not exercise(plus I am a flipflop girl..hello I live in the Sunshine State). This time I went to asking questions and doing a little research. I needed good quality shoes (not WalMart cheapness) , that could endure walking, running, and weight training. It is very hard to get all of these qualities in shoes. Most are either or and not in between. I was eyeballing a pair of Nike's that were reasonably priced

Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Tried this great recipe..and it is only 199 calories a slice. After I made it I took it this morning and made it into french toast..divine! Had to share! Ingredients: 3 bananas(mashed) 1/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar (or sugar alternative) 2 eggs 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1 tspn baking soda 1 tspn nutmeg 1/ cup crushed walnuts Cream the butter and sugar together in a big bowl. In another bowl sift together the flour, nutmeg, and baking soda. Beat the eggs and add to the creamed butter and sugar. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients. Add in the walnuts. Pour into a well greased loaf pan and bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. When the bread is done and cooled slice into 12 even slices. To make the french toast with it you will need 3 beaten eggs. You don't need milk because the bread is moist enough. Dip the bread in the beaten eggs and cook on non stick skillet at medium to high heat until brown on each side. Serve with butter and syrup.

Tropical Strawberry Shakeology Review

Okay my friends, I tried the vegan tropical strawberry shakeology after finding I want the biggest fan of the super food chocolate version, and I liked it even less. I have provided a link to the website again. You can check it out for yourself, and contact a Beachbody agent if you want to sample it. I tried a different way of mixing it. I will share the recipe I used as well as my pros and cons again. I reiterate that this is not a review of their weight loss program, just a sample of the shakes they sell. I am also not trying to start a debate over whether shakeology is good or bad. If it works for you great, if not that is fine too! Vegan Tropical Strawberry Mix: in blender cup 12 ounces water 1 pack of vegan mix 1 cup of blended ice Here is my list of pros: -It did not stick the the side if my cup like the chocolate did -Didn't have to dirty the blender -Convenient breakfast for in the go And my list of cons: -It tasted AWFUL -It was very chalky and gritty

Shakeology Review

So a couple of weeks ago I was the winner of a fabulous giveaway on a fitness page! I was thrilled and anxious to test out everything I won. Inside the package was three packets of shakeology , a meal replacement shake that is supposed to be all natural. I have provided a link to their site. Check them out for yourself. There was 2 chocolate and 1 strawberry. Today I decided to give it a go and have a chocolate shake for breakfast. How I mixed it(in a blender): 1 pack of chocolate shakeology 1 cup of ice 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk half a banana This is not a review of their program and weight loss promises because I have not completed the program, and don't really plan to. I know people that have had success with it but I prefer to eat my calories, and they are over priced for my budget. This is a review of the actual shake I had and what  I thought. I also am not trying to start a debate over the product. If you use it and have had results that is great! If you

Strawberry Pie

This is delectable and only 215 calories a slice (8 slices total)! First I will share my crust recipe then the strawberry filling recipe. Flaky Crust Preheat oven to 400° 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 2 tspns sugar 1 tspn salt 2 tbspn milk 1/2 cup veggie oil Place all ingredients in a 9 inch pie pan and mix with a fork. Pat it to the bottom and around the edges. Poke with holes and bake for 15 minutes or until light brown. Set aside to cool. Strawberry Filling 3 pints fresh or frozen strawberries(cut in halves) 3/4 cup of sugar (can use alternatives) 2 tbspn corn starch 1/2 cup of water In a medium sauce pan heat 1 pint cut strawberries and sugar over medium high heat. Mush the strawberries with the back of a spoon as they cook down to release juice and flavor. Mix the corn starch and water and put into the strawberry mix when it is thick and syrupy. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside and let it cool completely. Once it has cooled put into pie shell and refrigerate for at

My 10 Rules For Gym Time

Everyone that goes to the gym gets annoyed at one point or another by fellow members. Whether they are talking too much, smell too bad, or just starting at you there are things I just can't stand. Here are 10 rules I think everyone should follow while at the gym: 1) Do not judge others or talk about other people.          This is most important to me because everyone is there to get healthier and judging them or criticizing them for that sets them back. I was at the gym one day and a younger (fitter) couple was bad mouthing a heavier girl for running on the treadmill. They were being rude and loud enough i could hear them over my head phones, which meant she could hear them, and so could everyone else. My heart hurt for her because that was me 9 months ago. After asking them politely to stop, and them refusing, myself and another man went to the desk and reported them. They were told to stop and if it persisted their membership would be revoked. She came to us and thanked us, and

Cruelty Among Our Youth

Okay my dears this is not weight loss related, but something you may have experienced because of your weight and something I feel the need to get out there. I read an article today about a young girl, Amanda Todd , that committed suicide after enduring years of cyber and physical bullying. This girl was victimized for making one mistake, flashing her chest to a pedophile, and it lead to torment. I have linked the article so you can see all the details for yourself. What is wrong with youth today?! Since when is it acceptable to bully people to the point that it ruins their lives. I do not understand this mind set of cruelty that children have now. Are they so desensitized by television and video games, that they do not realize how cruel they are? Or is it simply a lack of parenting? What will become of these children when they are adults? I honestly don't see then amounting to more than criminals and thugs. Since when do boys go around sleeping with girls just so their girlfriend

Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bar

To buy a protein bar in the store you are going to pay. I decided to attempt baking my own and what a great idea it was! so yummy that even Scarlett loved it! So here you go... 1/2 cup of instant oats 2 scoops of vanilla whey powder (or your choice of powder) 2 tbspn of unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup stevia or artificial sweetener 2 tspn of cinnamon 1 tbspn of flax meal 2 tbspn creamy peanut butter 1/4 cup shredded coconut(personal choice) 1/4 cup walnuts(personal choice) 1/2 cup of milk of choice (I prefer unsweetened almond) Mix all the dry ingredients in a separate bowl(oats, powder, cocoa, sugar, cinnamon, flax, nuts, and coconut). Mix wet ingredients in another bowl(peanut butter, and milk). Mix the two until thick. Place on non stick pan in rectangle shape about 2 inches by 3 inches. Should make about 8 servings. Bake at 360 for 15 minutes, or until fluffy. Allow to cool and pack in individual bags four an on the go protein filed snack! They are around 240 calories

Who Am I...

I have been blogging for a few weeks now and other than snippets here and there..none of y'all have any idea who I am..or how I got here. I shall change this tonight. I am a country girl, farm raised and taught to eat everything deep fried with batter. It is southern tradition, and so is having a big behind. I come from a very close and loving family of parents that have been marries almost 30 YEARS ..with two older sisters that are my best friends. My Mom and Dad raised us right, and whooped our asses when it was necessary. And we are all productive citizens even though they did so. We woke up at the crack of dawn to tend the animals, get to school, come home, tend more animals, do our homework, hit the hay, and start all over again. This structure has been a defining feature of this journey. I can create a schedule and stick with it as well as having the self discipline to maintain it. I met the love of my life in high school..yes I know cliche right? He is a great man, hardw

Best Workouts zone

When you start this journey you are going to be bombarded with tons of information about which workout is better for your body, which gives you abs, and which is best for fat loss. In reality the best exercise you can do is one you truly enjoy, and causes your heart rate to go up. Do not allow yourself to become overwhelmed. Experts will never agree which is right but the tried and truest weight loss is achieved using cardio. Cardio burns calories while burning fat. For the best FAT burn you should work at 70-90% of your maximum heart rate, but to be within the Fitness Zone or Fat Burn Zone you only need to be at about 60-70% of your maximum heart rate. The difference here is anything above 60% is burning calories and some fat but burning above 70%  guarantees maximum calorie and fat burn. And maximum fat burn is what you want. However if exercise is new to you, do not push for the max. Start slow and build endurance or you risk getting injured or burning out. Another great meth

Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Today a friend posted this on her Facebook... "Ohhh my geese the lady at the jiffy store just bought her already over weight children giant honey buns & Mt. Dew.... Why don't you try giving your kids a nutritional breakfast instead of a pound of sugar!!! & make them play outside every once in awhile!!!" And instantly people began to agree and then disagree. Of course those that disagreed used the 'its genetics' excuse for being overweight themselves as well as the Obesity epidemic that is sweeping across our youth. This is a pet peeve of mine because clearly those children were not overweight due to genetics, it is clear they are that way because of poor parenting as well as poor nutritional habits. I don't blame the children one single bit. They are only doing what they are taught and eating what they are fed. I also have beef with using genetics as an excuse for being overweight! Obesity runs in my family and for a long time I blamed genetics bec

Noticeable Progress

Okay, so before I get into this topic I will start by saying this:   I have fat girl complex! Those of us striving to get healthier as well as shed those dreaded extra pounds, are our worst critics, enemies, judges, and allies. We are the first ones to tear ourselves down and the first to put us back together. It makes no sense why we are so hard on ourselves but it is also the driving factor in this battle. If you can't take all the harsh criticisms you make of yourself, and channel them into something positive you will have a difficult time getting through this. That all said I will share some of my insecurities with you, the demons I battle most when it has come to and is still part of this journey. I have lost 40 pounds but when I look in the mirror I don't notice. I know I have lost it because I see it on the scale, in my measurements, and how loose my clothes are. But I use the most annoyingly critical eye when I look at myself naked. I see a baby belly that refuses to

Spiced Pumpkin Pancakes

Made this for my whole family this morning! My dad despises healthy food but didn't feel like cooking and ate this with us..he really enjoyed it! My one year old had a pig out too. They are 111 calories each with 4g of protein. I love this time of year! Enjoy y'all! 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup wheat flour 6 Tablespoons packed brown sugar 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 and 2/3 cups milk 3/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin 3 large eggs - lightly beaten 1 Tablespoon melted butter Mix all of your dry ingredients (flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt). Mix all of your wet ingredients (milk, pumpkin, eggs, and butter). Slowly mix your dry ingredients into you wet. Measure out a 1/4 cup of mixture into non stick frying pan set at medium heat.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Sounds yummy right..well it is. And amazingly only 180 calories, 28g of protein, and a perfect breakfast with a glass of almond milk! Here it is, just in time for fall... 1.5 cups of packed brown sugar .5 cups of veggie oil 4 eggs 1(15oz) can of pumpkin .5 cups of water 3 cups of all purpose flour 1.5 tsp of baking powder 2 tsp of cinnamon .5 tsp of salt 1 tsp nutmeg 1 cup of semi sweet chocolate morsels 1 tsp vanilla extract Mix together all dry ingredients (brow. sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg). Mix together all wet ingredients (oil, eggs, pumpkin, water, and extract). Combine the two mixing the dry ingredients in slowly. Add in morsels. Fill cupcake papers up two thirds of the way Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

Over Weight News Anchor

I read an article yesterday about an over weight need anchor that called a man a bully for criticizing her size and telling her she isn't a role model for young girls. She decided to call him out on national television and called him a bully. She did not call him by name. she received a ton of love and support for standing up for herself, while he had been torn down and publicly humiliated, which was her goal. In my opinion that makes her just as much of a bully since she publicly humiliated him. It was a conversation that should have stayed between them, she should have confronted him there, not used her power of TV to do so. As to the subject of her weight, I am very torn on this matter. I am overweight myself so I know how it feels to have people comment on such. It hurts but instead of seeking pity, I took that and found motivation to change. To become healthy. She says she has had people tell her things like this for years. I think she should consider readjusting how she perc

Working Out With Children!

The biggest excuse we moms use to validate not working out is we can't find the time with children under our feet. I am here to tell you it is not a valid excuse anymore! When you start looking for a gym, if planning to join one, make sure it has a daycare. For $1 a day there is a daycare at my gym that will watch Scarlett for me for 2 hours. In reality, who needs 2 hours at the gym? No one. I usually do 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of weights when I actually go. There are days when I like to swim or soak in the hot tub after just for a little 'me' time. It is absolutely important and you have no reason to feel guilty for taking a little' me' time! I know from experience if you don't find alone time you will start to resent those around you that aren't tired down with children. Eventually it got exhausting having to pack up baby and drag her to the gym, for me and her. I felt bad asking Dustin to watch her because he works late hours a lot, so we

From Couch Potatoe To Active!

Instead of active I wanted to say athlete, but I do not feel I am quite there yet. When I can run a full 5k without stopping I will upgrade that for sure! When I started all of this back in January I literally had not done any physical activity outside of walking since I was in high school(5 years). The idea of working out intimidated me greatly. After some research, I love Google!,   I decided that I would be better of losing at least 10-15 pounds through diet first, so that there was not so much wear and tear on my joints, and I felt that would put me at a comfortable weight where I would not be embarrassed at the gym. After I lost that weight, Dustin bought me a gym membership and I started the next step in my weight loss journey. The first day I went to the gym I was a little scared, I did not know what half of the equipment did, what was best for a beginner, and dressing in the changing room...what a NIGHTMARE! I figured the best approach would be to ask one of the employees w