Medi-Fast

I started a new diet today.  It is called Medi-Fast.  A friend of mine did it, she had some left overs and gave them to me.  I have about a months worth.  It involves four prepared Medi-Fast meals per day (soup, shakes, oatmeal) just add water, shake and stir.  Then one regular meal (I prepare), lean meat and lots of veggies.  Each prepared/packet meal is about 150-200 calories.  I already tried the oatmeal one for breakfast, it tasted like paste with chunks of dehydrated apples, gag.  Since I only have a months worth I figure I am going to give it all I got, if it works well maybe I will purchase my next month (it is about $250, $10 per day).  I am hoping this will give me the jump start I need to get back on track.  I have had a awful month of cheating and binging and not enough working out.  If I have to choke down these disgusting packet meals four times a day, there is no way I am going to cheat. (Well, until my next cheat day Christmas Eve.)

So, here I go again.  GO, FIGHT, WIN!!!

This is what they call yo-yo dieting... and I am a Pro at it.

Enjoying my Mexican fiesta at Cholo's, on my Halloween cheat day!

So, the whole diet thing has not been going well.  Stress, vog (the nasty volcano fog that makes it hard for me to breath, and see, and sleep and gives me pounding headaches), allergies, church parties, kids, and just plain holiday fever...it feels like everyday it is something else, something that is making it harder and harder to make  the right food decisions.  

Last week was great, except I couldn't stay on my diet.  

My cheat day was not as fun as I thought it would be, my food was yummy and it was fun going out with the family...but I felt like a cheater (cause I had already cheated all week) and I shouldn't get such a tasty reward for that.  

I wish I could say that I have started over fresh, psyched and ready for this new week.  BUT, I haven't... I had cold pizza for breakfast (courtesy of my husband) and I am planning on having a cook out with my sister later this week.  On a positive note, I have hardly eaten any of the left over Halloween candy, and I have been doing well on exercising (not super good, but good enough).

I didn't even weigh myself yesterday, and I am too afraid to get on the scale today.  This is going to be a hard holiday season...

I wish I could get that focus back that I had a couple weeks ago, when I was doing so well.  

This is not the end.  I will get back on that horse (or treadmill) and start over, yet again, and probably not for that last time.  It is just going to take me longer (a lot longer) than I thought.

Shame Shame...

I cheated tonight...not too bad, but I still cheated.  We went to our church Halloween party, and I ate some candy and CHILI!!  I feel horribly guilty, and to make it worse, I am probably gonna cheat again tomorrow when we take the boys to the pumpkin patch.  

Dieting during the holiday season is going to be really hard.  But I am just going to try to not over-do it when I do cheat, and make sure I don't cheat too much.  I am still so far from my goal, I don't want to have to start all the way over.

Can I just say...that the chili tasted heavenly (although it could have used some CHEESE) and the candy, well the candy I could have done without.  It didn't taste as yummy as I remember it, which I guess is a good thing and a bad thing (probably more good).  I also just want to mention that there was a table full of cupcakes, cookies, and other delicious what-nots...and I did NOT take a single one.  Yay me!

Quiet Time

This is the hardest time, this quiet time.  When the boys are gone and my house still and quiet.  When the house is dark, except for the flickering light of my tv shows.  My time, my favorite time.  This is when I would normally get a snack...a big bowl of ice cream, some cookies and milk, or some crispy salty potato chips.  It is so weird to be sitting here, eating nothing.  Sure, I could munch on some carrots, or have an orange, they would probably be satisfying and my craving would leave.  But I really really miss junk food, the comfort of it, the familiarity of it.  I always like doing two things....watching tv and snacking, reading my books and snacking, surfing the web and SNACKING.  It feels unnatural to not be eating.  I miss it.  But I am doing the better thing...   Right?  I know I am, but it is hard to change all of myself so fast.  

My poor little chubby self is sad...she wants some cheese.

On a more positive note, having fruit back in my diet is such a treat.  I hardly feel like I am dieting anymore.  I don't want to over do it, because I can already tell that having the sugar back in my body (even though it is good sugar) is making me hungrier faster, and making want to eat more than I have been the last couple weeks.  I need to be careful...

Oranges!!

After two weeks of no sugar, and strict dieting...eating an orange is practically an orgasmic experience.  Enough said.

FRUIT!!!!

Tomorrow will mark 14 days on the detox diet.  I did really really well, if I must say so ;)

I cheated a little the first day, and I did cheat a little yesterday (it was sample day at Costco), but both times I cheated it was a very small amounts and not things that were out of control unhealthy.  I think the thing I am most happy about is, I finally have been able to get my portion sizes under control (one of the things I really used to struggle with).  It has been the one thing that has made the most difference.  I eat most of my meals on the kids little plates, and fill it up with veggies first, before I add anything else to my plate.  I get full so much faster than I used to...which I know will come in handy on my cheat days.

The next two weeks of the detox diet, are the same as the first two...lean meats, and lots of veggies.  Except now we get to add FRUIT!!!!!  I can not wait to eat an orange...and tomatoes!

Weeks 3 & 4

Add all fruits. Lots of grapefruits and berries. Tomatoes are ok.

No bananas, watermelon, or grapes. 

Pretty simple.  And only 13 days until Halloween, and my next cheat day!!

I did not do very well on my working out, at all.  I did not even try.  It is the thing I hate the most, especially when I am not feeling well.  In between trying to figure out if this diet was tyring to kill me, or just a horrible sinus infection...I could hardly muster the energy to do my household chores, let alone 30 minutes on the tread mill.  I am hoping to try a little harder this week, I am hoping, hoping, hoping.  I KNOW I am not going to keep on losing weight if I don't get up off my butt!  

So, here is to the next two weeks, FRUIT, exercise and Halloween! Go, Fight, Win!

Eight Days of Cheating

I am loving this diet, I mean lifestyle change, and I am planning on sticking to it for the long haul.  BUT, I am still a chubby girl at heart, and I love love love food.  Really good food!  Steamy carne asade with guacamole and corn tortillas, crispy bacon, homemade mac and cheese, steak and fries, and Dairy Queen.  I miss food so much.  I miss that warm feeling when you're stuffed to the brim with food, sugary, salty, tasty food.  So, in an honest effort to stay true to my chubby inner self, I am planning eight days of cheating over the next seven months.  

Here are my allowed cheat days:

October 31st Halloween - Mexican Food!!!  I am dying for some beans and guacamole.

November 26th Thanksgiving - We are getting TWO pies, and making homemade mac and cheese...and ROLLS.

December 24th and 25th Christmas and Christmas Eve - French toast and bacon, ham and mashed potatoes...and MORE pie.

December 31st New Year's Eve - Out to dinner at Zia's, our yearly tradition.

February 15th Clark's Birthday - BBQ and CHIPS!

March 11th Jason's Birthday - Hmmm... it will be Jay's choice, but I know it will be so tasty.

April 28th Our Anniversary - Steak, fries, ice cream...and what ever else I can get my hands on.

Those are the days I am living for.  These planned days make it so much easier for me not to cheat now.  Every time I want to eat something I am not supposed to, I just think....18 more days until Halloween, I can do it.  (Jason and I spent an hour planning our Halloween dinner the other night, I CAN'T wait!)  I am going to try not to go too overboard on these days, but I am going to make it fun.  I am hoping by next May I will have lost enough weight that I can add a few more cheat days for the rest of the year....but we will see.

Detox Diet Day 2

Tuna Salad without mayo, really SUCKS!

Detox Day 1

I stayed on the diet all day, and did not cheat (Ok, I lied.  I cheated a very little...but I could've cheated worse-Jay went to Wendy's- and once I cheated, I got right back on track instead of ruining the rest of the day).  I was hungry a lot, and it did take a lot of convincing  not to snack or drink things not on the list.  And eating broccoli with out salt, SUCKS!  But overall, not a bad day.  

I didn't get up early to work out, Clark was up all night sick, but I did jog on the treadmill tonight (and having my shows on the dvr to jog along to really helped me stay focused, and run for longer).

I have a feeling the next few days are really going to suck, as my body starts to have sugar withdrawls and I tire of eating veggies and chicken (with NO salt!).  But I am staying strong.

Let's do this thing!

After weeks of cheating my little heart out, I am ready to start over.  I feel extra focused this time, and even excited.  I am tired of wallowing in my own self pity, and blubber.  I am tired of always trying to think of more excuses not to do something, when the real reason is I am just LAZY.  So here I go, AGAIN, tomorrow is the day.

Here is the plan;

Monday- Friday

6:30am Wake-up for stretching, workout, and healthy breakfast. I have recorded a lot of different workouts from the Fit-tv channel...a lot of variety.  My Dad also taught me how to make a delicious and healthy veggie omelet.  As a reward for getting up WAY too early, plenty of reading and quiet tv time before the boys wake up (hopefully).

Monday, Wednesday, Friday 

Jogging on the treadmill for 20-60 minutes after Jason gets home.  I have been saving up tons of tv shows on my dvr to keep me going.  Running is the thing I want to work on the most, so I can run the 10k in February.

Saturday or Sunday

Hiking with the family, or long run by myself.  

My diet for the next two to three weeks will be a detox diet (that my Dad recommend, and he has even tried it, with great success).  It is not over the top crazy like some of the other detox diets I have tried (like my lemonade, maple syrup, all juice diet).  Mostly it is a lot of lean meats, and fresh fruit and veggies.  The goal is to rid your body of all the toxins and SUGARS that build up in your body, and make you crave more sugary and fatty food.  (Totally something I need.)  I am actually really looking forward to doing this, and my Dad, little sister and Mom are even starting with me!  Strength in numbers right :)

The First 2 weeks (or 3 weeks, depending on how much I cheat):

Meats: Chicken, Turkey, and Fish. Eggs are OK.  No red meat or pork.

Vegetables: You can eat as many green vegetables as you want, but no peas or beans. Red potatoes and avocados are ok.  (Red potatoes!!!  Sounds like a treat to me!)

Nuts: All nuts but no peanuts.

Do not use bottled salad dressing. Make your own with lemon, garlic, olive oil, tarragon, vinegar, and pepper.

No salt. No dairy. No grains.  (OUCH! I love salt, especially when I am eating a lot of veggies, this will be one of the hardest parts for me.)

Drinks: Drink lots of water. You can add a lemon or lime to your water. V8 juice, carrot, celery or any other vegetable juice is fine. Almond milk and unsweetened tea are ok too. No soda of any kind.  (Already 4 weeks soda and caffeine free, yay me!)

Snacks: Carrots, sardines, or Quaker Rice Cakes (Unsalted or Butter Popcorn flavored only.) 

And there you go, not too hard.  For a detox diet it still has a lot of options.  It is only a couple weeks, and then I can add on other foods and fruits!  The hardest part for me will be no salt, making my own salad dressings, and no cheese. 

Also, starting today I am starting weekly weigh-ins again (I am never good at this part, I loathe the scale).  Every Sunday I will weigh in, and report on the previous week's workouts.  

I am really excited about this, and I hope I can find some of this enthusiasm tomorrow morning when my alarm goes off at 6:30am telling me it is time to START. 

Off The Wagon

I fell off the wagon...so far off.  I have been cheating like crazy.  I actually don't think you can call it cheating since I haven't been following any diet at all.  I have been eating all sorts of junk, shaved ice (like 3 snow cones), pizza, hot dogs, french fries, candy candy candy, cookies, and cupcakes (way too many cupcakes).  Overboard.  In fact, the only goal I have managed to keep the past couple weeks is NO soda...none. (Yay me!)  I am so proud of myself on that part, I wasn't even tempted a little.  

Usually I am racked with guilt when I cheat, but this time not so much.  I don't even want to eat healthy, I am tired of trying.  Tired of thinking of healthily and filling meals to make.  Tired of fighting with the boys and Jason to eat the food I want (and need) to eat.

I think part of me is just rebelling.  I am planning on starting a detox diet in 3 days, and just knowing the start date is coming up is causing me to crave all sorts of tasty junk.  I am getting more serious.  I know the BIG change is coming, and even though it is a good change and I want it, my body is fighting it.  3 more days!!!

On a more positive note, I have been doing better on exercising.  I am not doing all that I wanted or planned on...but I am doing something (which is more than nothing).

5 Days

It's been 5 days so far NO caffeine or soda!  I even managed to survive and hold fast to my goals while eating out twice, and during a grocery store trip from hell (all three of the boys were whiny and complaining).

I have also been working on cutting down my portion sizes, eating smaller more frequent meals.  I am not making the most healthiest choices right now (baby steps, remember) but I am doing surprising well.  Slowly, but surely.  It is just a small start, but 5 days is the longest I have been able to last (consecutively) since I started this whole transformation.

Starting tomorrow, I am going to be getting up when Jason leaves for work 6:30AM!!!  I am NOT and have NEVER been a morning person.  Ever.  I just can't do it.  I hated getting up early for school, and would only work afternoon swing shifts at my jobs to make sure I could sleep in.  In fact, I have only ever held one job in my life that made me get up early, and only cause watching little B was more than worth it.  I have trained my children to sleep until 8:30 or later, so that I don't have to get up too early with them...and for the most part they keep a good schedule.  So, to say this will be difficult is a gross understatement!  However, I am going to get up anyway, 6:30am, work out on our treadmill, read my scriptures, and make a healthy breakfast (one thing I never seem to have enough time to do once the boys are up).  I know the first couple days (or weeks) are gonna be rough, until I adjust...and I hope I am not too grouchy of a Mom.  I think accomplishing these things at the beginning of the day, instead of putting it off all day (and then not doing it at all) will set me up for greater success with ALL my goals.  Wish me luck!

Left over birthday cake....

Need I say more???

It is gonna be a long day.

Breakfast of Champions

I am not a big breakfast eater, in fact I don't even like breakfast foods....unless it is a giant sticky bun loaded with nuts, or a chilly can of diet coke (and my last goal says I can't have that anymore) I am just not interested.  I know how important eating a good meal at the start of the day is, it jumps starts your metabolism, and sets you up for success or failure for the rest of the day.  So I have been searching for something healthy that I could eat every morning.  I tried yogurt, but I really just hate it.  I don't like the texture or the smell and I would gag every time I would try to eat it, and besides it wasn't filling enough to get me through the morning.  I tried healthy cereals, but unless they are coated in sugar I just have no interest.  I was going crazy and hungry...

Then I found these little whole wheat tortillas at the store, high in fiber, low in carbs and only 50 calories.  Delicious!  So, for the past few mornings I have been making me this very tasty and healthy breakfast burrito.  It goes like this;

1 scrambled egg with pepper and salt

1 small handful of black beans

1 even smaller handful of left over veggies (onions, peppers, tomatoes...anything left over from the night before)

1 sprinkle of fat free cheddar cheese

1 tbsp of salsa

All piled on top my little whole wheat tortilla, yum-o!

You know what they say about having a healthy well rounded breakfast...that it will keep you full longer through out the morning, that it will help you reduce you snacking through out the day, and give you more energy...well guess what, IT'S TRUE.  I have been converted, this breakfast skipper is now a full blown breakfast eater.  Now, I just have to get off my bum and work out!

Day 1

No caffeine or soda.

I have done this before, many times, and last time I even made it like 6 months...but Jason loves to buy soda and always gets me hooked again.  It is going to be a particularly hard weekend to start, with birthday my festivities coming up.  But today is always a better day to start than tomorrow.