Thursday, April 30, 2009

Tan I am!

Yes, yes, it's true. I'm no longer pasty white with my lovely porcelain (gag) skintone. I caved & took a trip to the spa. I blogged forever ago about Planet Beach & the services they offer.

I've been such a slack about going lately but went last night. I did the hydration station which I forgot how much I love & then did a Mystic Tan. So nice to have some color again.

We ran last night too. Just a 30 minutes for 2.97 miles! It really was that distance. Thank you Gmaps Pedometer! Felt good & I've had NO hip pain in a couple weeks now! I will try another longer-ish run on Saturday when Kevin goes to work. I'm hoping for a 4 miler! Sounds lame to me knowing the distances that I've done in the past (hello, I have 2 FULL marathons under my belt) but when you have an injury you just have to be cautious. I want my body to not hate me! My hope is that I can work back up mileage again & tackle a half in the fall!

The weekend is shaping up to be so so fun! Tomorrow night, we'll be dining with Kevin's family at Red Robin. Oh man, that place is so good but so naughty! My FAVE is the Whiskey River BBQ Burger: Basted with our signature Whiskey River® BBQ Sauce and lasso’d together with Cheddar cheese, crispy onion straws, lettuce, tomatoes & mayo. Come to Mamma! Ha!

It's pointless to even consider nutritional information there & dont be fooled into thinking the chicken burgers are better choices either. They really arent! And you KNOW that I've looked!

Saturday, we hope to hit the boat & Sunday, of course is the baby shower! So excited!

I think that's about it for the moment. I am working on a post about my binging & found myself a little taken back last night as I wrote about it. I became someone that I certainly wasnt proud of but what I did started as a reaction to a tragedy that continued to be my means of coping as I grew up. Anyway, that will come in time. I'm not certain I'm ready to post about it yet but be aware that it's in the works!

I have to ask for prayers for Jenna at Eat Live Run who recently lost her brother in a tragic accident. Her blogs this week have really touched close to my heart through my own experiences. She just continues to reiterate what I've learned in my own loss that life is short & we should never take our lives for granted.

Happy almost the weekend!

Another Mix My Granola giveaway!

This one can be found on Bites + Bowls! This is another fun journal though if you love Peeps you could be wounded by what you see! Ha!

Bites and Bowls Giveaway

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Be worth it!

It's mid-week & I'm feeling good!

Anyone watch Biggest Loser? Last night, I was so touched by Tara. She's been so "on" & working hard, playing the game. She had the shift last night...the blinding lightbulb went off over her head. Did you see it? She FINALLY gets it. When she was pushing through the challenge, you could hear her words & it somewhere along the line shifted to "I must win" to "I'm doing this" and "I'm worth it." She finally realized what it's really all about. It's not about winning a challenge, shopping spree or an extra pound reward. It's about regaining her LIFE! She's got her life back. She gets to live & be healthy. When she tossed that bag over the edge & sat there sobbing. I cried along with her.

I remember getting to that point. You know the point where you realize that you ARE worth it. Do you think YOU are worth it? Sometimes we dont. Sometimes we think we do but our actions speak something differently. For a big part of my life, I didnt think I was worth it.

I would eat healthy "most" of the time yet still have those moments where I would eat so mindlessly (binging) & would eat so much that I was literally stuffed. My stomach was hard to the touch. It was very uncomfortable. When it stopped (for that time), I didnt always remember what I ate or what triggered that moment. But it was always awful.

I remember one night doing a bible study (my first ever at VNC.) It was a Beth Moore study called Breaking Free. I went into the study to just open up more to God & let go of guilt that I carried about my brother's death (he was hit by a car getting the mail & I always felt it should've been me. A story for another time.) But what I found in that short time was me, kneeling beside my bed, asking for forgiveness for the years of self-abuse via food. It was such a healing moment. Now I dont think God completely took away the binging but He helped me be a stronger person that would be able to face those moments & not give into the stress of the moment.

It wasnt until my Mom died in July 2006 that I realized that I really dont binge anymore. It was a primetime for it to happen but it didnt. I found myself in moment where I was eating at my house, alone with all the food that had been brought over but an incredibly caring church family, ready to find something to comfort me. I did & it was a lemon cake that someone brought. I had a couple pieces of it & realized that in the 2 weeks that everything happened, I'd never once turned to food for comfort. It became fuel to keep me going & to keep my strength up to face the days. I tossed the rest of that cake in that moment because I knew I didnt "need" it.

Does that mean that sometimes I dont overindulge? Oh gosh no. With the stuff that went on last week, I found myself eating a few too many goodies one day but realized when I went to bed that my stomach didnt hurt, I didnt feel guilty & I knew why I was eating things I normally wouldnt.

Know why you do things, know why you dont think you are worth it & know that you CAN overcome the negative thinking that keeps you in the past. If you dont let the past go, you can never realize what the future holds.

Are you ready to let it go?

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

I think I'm in love......

With this... Can you figure out what it is? It's a DEEP FRIED CADBURY EGG!!!!!

Why would I torment you with such a thing? Heck, I dunno. I'm eating my uber healthy lunch purusing a website that has lots of tasty concoctions such as this little beauty.

It's called This is Why You're Fat. Yep really. That's the name of it. It's got some tasty but equally has it's share of totally disgusting creations too. Sadly, alot of this food is REAL stuff that folks have seen at restaurants, fairs, etc. But some is just created out of pure entertainment as well.

I look at some of it though & find myself reflecting on what I used to eat vs. what I eat now. Funny how something entertaining could take me to *that* place. In the past, lunches would've been some fast food "super sized" meal that would be completely devoured. Often in the privacy of my own vehicle so no one saw how much I'd eaten. Yep, that was me....closet eater/binger, etc. I dont think I've shared alot of that part of me on the blog but will if anyone is interested.

Anyway...to contrast...here's what I've eaten today (so far):

1: 96/4 ground beef with peppers & egg whites; Trader Joe cheerios, almond milk & banana
2: Apple & raw cashews
3: 1% cottage cheese, romaine & Newman's light honey mustard

Funny how we grow up, eh? But for the record, I'd tear up one of those deep fried cadbury's!

Rain, rain go away!

Will the rain ever end? All this means is that I now have to commence lawn mowing for the year! I've already told Kevin that when we get married, he'll have to tend to the lawn. It's man's work right? hahaha Not really but I am opting out though we'll still own my house so we'll still keep up that one as well.

So last night was good. I did NOT feel like going back to the gym for cardio (did training in the morning) but I put in a WOW Worship CD & sang all the way home. By the time I got back to Valpo, I found myself pulling into the Cardinal Fitness parking lot. I cranked 30 minutes on the death mill (stairmill for those non-gym worker-outers..yes, that's a word.) Literally...turning stairs.

Got home, pulled the chicken of the bones that roasted on Sunday. I nuked some chicken & FRESH GARDEN ASPARAGUS (thank you DADDY!) then put that on a Flatout wrap with a slice of baby swiss. Topped it with some plain greek yogurt. Soooooooooooo good!

I'm trying to be on my BEST food behavior this week because of the baby shower this weekend for Kevin's sister. Friday night we plan to eat out with them once they arrive & Saturday are going out to the boat with his brother & SIL. So yea, naughty eats all over the place! But please know when I say naughty..that also means uber tasty! I will enjoy it guilt free as always!

Tonight's agenda is cardio once again since I slept in this morning then tonight is the BULLS game! Unfortunately, this will have to trump Biggest Loser but the playoffs wont last forever (though I'm always hopeful!)

Have a SUPER FUN day!

Monday, April 27, 2009

10 months to go!

Yep, you read that right. 10 months until I become Mrs. B! I was happily reminded of that with the email I got from The Knot that reminded me of what I should be doing right now.

What is that you wonder? Dress shopping! Since that's already started, I'm right on track. Well, kinda. I probably wont go again for a bit & wont make a final decision until Kevin's sister can come in July (after she has the baby.) I suspect that my MIL-to-be will be flying her & baby Emma in for a shopping trip!

Yesterday turned out quite nice. The roasted chicken & veggies were a huge hit. The chicken was very tender, juicy & had the faintest taste of citrus from the lemon. I didnt notice any garlic flavor at all. Veggies were perfect too!

We decided to head out for a walk after dinner that turned into just under a 3 mile walk. Then we went for ice cream! Coldstone had our name all over it! I had a Like it sized (small) Oreo Overload made with the Sinless Sweet Cream. They did away with the Cake Batter Light which made me sad but the Sinless was a nice stand-in.

We did get up early & knocked out our training. I'll hit cardio after work today then head home to cook up a big pan of veggies for dinner!

House & 24 are on so it's a safe bet that I'll be in front of the TV!

Happy Monday!

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Life

So, it's Sunday. It's turned out to be a day of rest...sorta.

I went to church with Dad, got my cardio in & picked up groceries. I needed veggies along with a few other things...like a chicken for dinner. I have to give credit to Walmart (much as it hurts) for carrying better produce & organic options. I'm not one to buy all organic but I prefer organic meats when I can get them. I found my local Walmart now carries 100% vegetarian fed chickens. To me, fresh meats that are organic or from the wild (like venison) have such a fresher flavor. It's almost "clean" if that makes any sense.

What's for dinner you ask? Roasted chicken with roasted veggies. I was watching Barefoot Contessa yesterday & she stuffed a whole roaster with lemons (chunked) & a head of garlic (cut in half.) She also added to the bottom of the pan some carrots, potatoes & onions. It sounded sooooo good! So that's what we are having! I used to roast whole chickens about once a week. It's a fast & easy way to get some cooking done in a jiffy. I dont think I've ever made one for Kevin so I hope he likes it!

Church was good today & talked about being more prayerful in our lives. It indicates dependence on God rather than trying to live the lives we want vs. the lives that He wants us to have. It's been a bit of a reflective week dealing with the stress of the unmentioned situation & also after reading a daily reflection sent to me by a friend.

That reflection continued when I saw a very sad post by Jenna at Eat Live Run, a blog that I read daily. Her brother died after a tragic accident & it took me back to the tragedy that took my own brother's life when I was 10 years old. Then, of course, to the days that I spent with Mom before she died. The wounds sometimes are so fresh but it's in those moments that we are reminded how precious life is. It's often cut short without much explanation but it certainly reminds us that we should live each day to the fullest, taking care of the bodies that we've been giving & reminding those close to us how much they mean to you because sometimes tomorrow isnt going to come.

I hope that you don't take that as a morbid thought but rather one that you'll take away from the blog with a renewed sense of life. The day is ours for the taking. Make it what you will & enjoy every second.

Have a great week!

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Tastiness

Okay, one more thing! I have got to share a couple of uber yummy meals I've had today.

The first was post run breakfast...

Packet of instant oats (plain ones)
1/2 banana
1/2 scoop of BSN cinnamon roll protein
1 teaspoon of chopped pecans
Pumpkin muffin

My Dad sent home some of the pumpkin muffins yesterday. OMG they are sooooooo good. Well, technically they arent pumpkin though...actually he uses squash but it's a cake mix, squash (probably 1 cup), 1 egg & 1T of oil. So super moist & yummy! It was the perfect crumbled topper to my oats.

Current snack...

Strawberries (sliced)
Kashi Roasted Almond granola bar (crushed)
2T of Nutella (drizzled)

Oh how my mouth is in LOVE at the moment. So sweet & crunchy yet not awful for me either. Okay, okay the nutella isnt at the top of the "good for you" list but it's yummy & made it all taste really good! Plus, it was on sale at Target so I splurged!

And I'm wishing for pizza tonight!!!!!

Rain or Shine!

You pick..it's doing both!

This morning in typical fashion, Kevin & I woke up around 630ish. Did we need to wake early? Nope. We just cannot seem to sleep in any more.

As I sit & update, I'm trying to figure out how this huge fly got in my house. I've been in & out a bit but no door has been left wide open. He's ginormous! It'll be fun when the cat sees him!

Let's recap the day....

Run/walk-done (legs were sore from yesterday so we did more walking than running)
Flower beds (finally) all tended to
Target run for a few things
Dishwasher running
Linens in the wash
Dusted upstairs & main level
Kitchen tidied
Food in belly (check, check, check & check)
Tossed out old magazines

Last night we watched 7 Pounds & it was a HEAVY movie. Really good though! And my Dad actually watched Slumdog Millionaire with his friend & he liked that as well. Though he said it was initially hard to get into it was a good one!

Tonight's agenda is dinner out & we are catching Fast & Furious since it's in the Five Buck Club now.

I've been crazy hungry the last couple days & cannot put my finger on why but I'm eating more when I get that nagging hunger because I dont think it's purposeful to feel that way.

That's it from me. Catching up on things around the house. Should also run the sweeper but it'll be stormy tomorrow so I may save that for then. I also need to get to Trader Joe's so just might do that after church tomorrow!

Have a FANTASTIC weekend!

Friday, April 24, 2009

TGIF!

I feel like I've moved to Florida! It's currently 84 outside & while it's uber windy....I'll take it! So nice to have a taste of summer once again!

I fiind myself today feeling pretty drained as a result of what's gone in the last couple weeks. Prayers were heard & things will be okay. Many thanks for the concerns, comments, emails, texts, etc. I again apologize for being vague about what's gone on but I just cannot blog it. Perhaps in time it'll be okay to share.

Onto wedding stuff....my SIL, MIL & myself were going dress shopping next weekend but that plan has been foiled by the baptism of her BIL's new baby. Soooooooooooooooo, we are all pretty bummed about it but my MIL has planned for us to go after Kelly (SIL's preggo) has the baby in July. They are so beyond thoughtful! BUT Kelly's baby shower is next Sunday & I'm soooo excited. Since I'm the only living child, I have no nieces/nephews so I inherit Kevin's two nieces who will be in the wedding but now I'll have new niece in July! Super super excited! I cannot wait to shop!

I actually made a point to email my MIL yesterday & make sure she knows how much I appreciate her & Kevin's Dad. With what had gone on this week, I realized that they are so good to me & will be there for me should anything ever happen to my Dad.

This weekend threatens rain which also puts a damper on any outdoor activities but that's okay. It will likely be a weekend of vegging around the house & that is a-okay by me!

Oh & before I forget.....check out the giveaway for Mix My Granola at my friend Marcia's blog: http://fitnesscrazedmomma.blogspot.com/

I've read about this stuff on a few different blogs now & am going to order some to see what all the fuss is about! It's a pretty fun way to eat healthy & get what YOU want!

Check them out at http://www.mixmygranola.com/

Enjoy your weekend friends!

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Grateful!

Because I asked for prayers, I thought I'd share that things will seemingly be okay. I really really appreciate the support & prayers.

Randomocity!

1) My Yahoo inbox has spontaneously cleared itself out so if you've emailed, it's gone. If you've emailed in the last day or so & I've not responded then I dont have it in there.

2) A prayer for my Dad this morning would be MUCH appreciated.

3) I had a GREAT LONG cardio session last night. Did the following:

15 min run (slacker pace) & 5 min walk (3.0 @10% incline) - repeat x2
20 min elliptical

Felt good & helped me clear my head. Well, really it was a distraction so I thought about NOTHING! It was fab!

No hip pain after my last 2 running sessions. THAT is a good thing!

4) That's all. But if you want to read #2 again that would be appreciated!

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Overwhelmed.

Do you ever have those moments where you feel like everything is going to be okay then *WHAM* out of left field comes the fast ball that not only knocks you off your feet but it takes your breath away & threatens to somehow disrupt your entire world.

Sounds like alot huh? Well, that's kinda where my life is at the moment. It's a time where I find myself literally begging God to make things okay.

Such a vague post. I get that but it's what has to be. Things have been turned upside down & I'm using the advice of a wise friend to use distractions of wedding planning, mindless tv shows that another suggested & really just trying to make sense of how even healthy people can be afflicted with health conditions. It all makes my head hurt for the record (well the part of trying to figure it out.)

On the fitness front, things are good. I'm seeing slow & steady progress which is what I hoped for. I'm confident that this was indeed the right choice for me.

Being healthy is my primary motivator. When I started on this road to health, I was motivated by fear. I find myself in that place again. I guess it's not a bad thing as long as I'm motivated right?

I'll think about that while I run tonight.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Where'd the warmth go?

It's a cold & dreary day here in NW Indiana. Very different from the really nice temps we had all weekend! But that will return this weekend & be even warmer. I actually did something that seemed to possible. I turned OFF my heat!!!!!!! I get so tired of the stale winter air in the house & it's been great to have the windows open to allow fresh air in!

Anyway, I'm currently flipping between 24 & the Bull's playoff game with the Celtics!

So the wedding dress shopping trip was a success though not in the sense that I've made a purchase but in the sense that I survived. It was a very emotional trip & one that had my nerves a mess on Friday. Now before you go thinking that I'm not ready to get married...it's nothing to do with that. It's more to do with going this without Mom. This is one of those times in your life where you really never fathom going it without the woman that groomed you to be a good wife. So that was the hard part & the whole "you know she's always with you" just wasnt comforting for me in those moments.

As I entered the fitting room to begin trying them on, I took a moment & just quietly said "Okay Mom, you need to let me know what you like." I do believe in guardian angels & such so I believe that if there's a way for Mom to let me know with a gentle nudge, whisper or whatever what she'd love to see me in then she will do it! And I will be grateful for that moment.

I found 2 dresses that I really like & they are very similar in style because they are from the same designer. I regret to inform you that I will not be posting my dress here in the event my groom wanders in! I did post them in my online journal if you've followed me there before. You can get a sneak peak of the first 2 "likes."

There are 4 other shops that I plan to visit with Kevin's Mom to see what they have to offer. Once those trips are done then I'll make a decision & order a dress. I wanted to wait until fall but will order within the next 2-3 months.

Workouts & such have been spot on. I had a decent run on Saturday morning to clear my head before the shopping trip. Felt great & kept up a good clip! On Sunday morning, I realized that my hip didnt hurt & called Kevin right away! I was super jacked!

Oh & we saw "I Love You, Man" this weekend too! HILARIOUS!

I do believe that wraps up things & catches you up on my world!

Have a FAB week!

Friday, April 17, 2009

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.....

.....can you finish the song? Ah, I'm such a product of the 70's/80's. I wonder how many of you wont know where that came from!

Anyway, it's GORGEOUS here in NW Indiana! It's sunny & 67 degrees! We are actually walking to dinner tonight to just enjoy the day! I think we are heading to Noodles & Co. My plan is for the Bangkok Curry with some grilled chicken on top! Never had it but it sounds good! The Pad Thai is suggested as well from my SIL-to-be!

On tap for the weekend is just dinner out tonight & enjoying the weather.

Saturday, I will be taking my first shopping trip for wedding dresses. I'll be going with my best friend (she's my matron of honor,) her Mom & also my future MIL who said "hell yes" when I asked her if she wanted to go! lol I'm a little anxious to go just because it's surreal to do this without my Mom so I suspect a few tears may be shed but it's okay. Just part of the things that will happen along the way.

That night I'll concoct something for dinner & we'll probably veg out watching movies or something.

Sunday, I'll head to church, get my cardio in & then spend time cleaning house. I also need to finish working in the flower beds around the house though it's supposed to rain so that part may not happen.

Things in life just continue to move along as they should be (I assume.) Lots of excitement with friends & their lives. Babies are due starting in July with Kevin's sister & another friend is due in October. Other things also seem to be falling into place in folks lives & I guess that's all we can really ask for!

Have a safe & FUN weekend!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Hi, I'm Heather....

...and I have a grocery shopping problem!

Sometimes as much as I hate to grocery shop, I equally find myself enjoying it sometimes. Maybe it's the lure of the fun foods at Trader Joe's or the tasty sample at Whole Foods. I dunno but sometimes I just LOVE it!

As a result, I often have a pantry full of things that are unusued. A fine assortment of canned items such as beans, pumpkin (self-professed pumpkin addict) then add in the assortment of frozen things like fish (silver brite salmon & orange roughy.) You get the picture.

So lately, I've been trying to use up things from the freezer. My chest freezer in the garage only has a few things remaining which happens to include an assortment of clearance Easter candy for my enjoyment. That will not be used up quickly though!

And the freezer in the house is almost empty too. Oh okay, that also has Girl Scout cookies (Thin Mints.) Oddly enough, that stuff has been "safe." Though one sleeve of the Thin Mints were a casualty when I woke starving from a nap a few weeks ago. Poor little guy never saw it coming!

I digress. I'm really working to not purchase alot of "stock up" items from the store & use up what I've got. With that, I'll be making black bean burgers very soon to use some canned beans. I found the recipe on Kath Eats Real Food (link to the right) & am excited to try.

Any of you find yourselves doing this too? Stocking up is great. Mom always did but when I find things piling up & stock not being used is that bad?

With that, I'm off for the afternoon! Stopping by Vitamin Shoppe to pick up some BSN Lean Dessert protein & then the grocery store for some egg whites. I'm all out!

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Best meal EVER!

So I'm finishing up dinner after a failed attempt to do cardio after work. I couldn't find a parking place & then drove by the window to find every single treadmill (about 12) & every single elliptical (same amount) FULL! That left a chance at a recumbent bike so I passed. We trained this morning but I double up two days each week so that I can have 2 full days off!

That brings me back to the topic at hand. My dinner. It's a new concoction & reminds me of having a "skillet" meal at the local restaurant minus all the artery clogging grease!

I cook up some mushrooms & green peppers with a cut up piece of Trader Joe's Mango Chicken Sausage. After a few minutes, I add some shredded hash brown potatoes. They ar frozen ones that I found at Whole Foods. It's just potatoes, nothing added at all! And you get a ton for low carb count too! Once that's done, I put it on a plate & cook up some egg whites to top it with the top with ketchup! So yummy!

It would be even better with a whole egg on top but I didnt work that into my macros.

Now that my tummy is full, I'll be heading to my best friend's house to watch The Biggest Loser! I do believe that Tim Gunn will be in the house for the makeover show! It'll be fun to see what they do with the crew & for the love of everything..please shave Ron!

Perhaps a recap of the show will be in order tomorrow.

Now my question is....what are some of your favorite meal concoctions? I could use some new ideas!

Monday, April 13, 2009

Monday again?!?

When did that happen? Well, it was a great Easter weekend!

Friday night, we had a good dinner at Texas Corral & went to see 12 Rounds. Never heard of it? Me either until we were looking at listings. It stars John Cena, a WWE wrestler. It wasnt bad honestly. Not DeNiro quality acting but not awful either!

Saturday, hit the gym & headed to Trader Joe's to pick up a few things. Grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at BW-3 & watched a couple movies at home. Yes Man with Jim Carey which was kinda corny but definitely had it's really funny moments. The other movie was Lakeview Terrace & that was really good too.

Sunday was church with family, breakfast & some time to veg a bit before meeting with family again. We had dinner at my uncle's house. Oddly enough, my Gram & I made the same cake. A jello "poke & pour." I made what she kept referring to as the "skinny" version. It was FANTASTIC to have some of Gram's cake & she was of course who taught me to make it anyway! We also met Kevin's parents at the Blue Chip (casino boat) for dinner later. We played a bit while there as well but didnt get as lucky as we did last weekend. Still tons of fun!

That's really about it! We really had a great weekend just with us but also spending time with our family. That's what life is all about!

Have a GREAT week!

Friday, April 10, 2009

Humbled.

It's Good Friday. What more can be said about that? It's a day that I feel ultimately humbled. A day to rejoice in knowing that freedom is at your feet just waiting for you to accept it. As simple as saying I believe, asking for forgiveness & letting go of all the worries that burden you.

It's just a day that I say thank you Lord for going before me so that I can be free.

In other news ;) Things are good. I'm on day #4 of SOS & feeling pretty good. I'm not hungry & actually after yesterday (high day) I was STUFFED! I didnt even finish my last meal that was pretty light (Fage 0%, protein powder, pumpkin & some Kashi cereal.) I just couldn't eat another bite!

The workouts feel good, cardio is spot on! I'm just really feeling good!

That's really it from me! Got an early start to the weekend since it was so quiet in the office. Dad decided we should go home & I never say no to that!

I do want to add a disclaimer to those who follow other beliefs. I hope you are not offended in my sharing. I'm definitely not a preachy person but sometimes things just need to be shared! I do hope you'll keep following along!

Take care all!

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Easter Candy!

That says it all!!! I came across this online & thought I'd share!

Here are the Best-to-Worst choices by calories:
1. Marshmallow Bunny: 1 each
2. Peeps: 2 each
3. Tootsie Pops: 1 each
4. Starburst: 4 each
5. Fruit Snacks: 1 packet
6. Tootsie Roll - Snack Bars: 2 each
7. Jelly Beans: 13 pieces
8. Cadbury Cream Egg: 1 each
9. Milky Way Bunny: 1 each
10. Reese's Peanut Butter Egg (small): 2 each
11. Robin Eggs: 8 each
12. Cadbury Mini Eggs: 12 each
13. Solid Foil-covered Chocolate Eggs: 7 each
14. Mini KitKat (or candy bars): 5 each
15. Hollow Chocolate Bunny: 1 each
16. Solid Chocolate Bunny: ½ each

Here are the Worst Fat Offenders:
1. Solid Chocolate Bunny (1/2 of a 6 oz. bunny)
2. Hollow Chocolate Bunny (1 whole of a 1 ¾ oz. bunny)
3. 5 mini KitKats (or mini candy bars, 5 each)
4. Chocolate eggs (the classic foil covered mini eggs, 7 each)
5. Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (2 small .6 oz egg)

Here are the Worst Sugar Offenders:
1. Solid Chocolate Bunny (1/2 of a 6 oz. bunny)
2. Hollow Chocolate Bunny (1 whole of a 1 ¾ oz. bunny)
3. Robin Eggs (8 each)
4. Cadbury Mini Eggs (12 each)
5. Jelly Beans (13 each)

Here are my 5 BEST Choices for Easter Candy:
1. Marshmallow Bunny (1 each, .5 oz.)
2. Peeps (2 each)
3. Starburst (4 chews)
4. Fruit snacks (1 packet)
5. Cadbury Cream Egg (1 each)

Yay for the Cadbury Cream Egg making the top list! It's only 150 calories actually. Oh & did I mention it's my total fave?????

Eat up for Easter! heheehe

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

For giggles....

Okay, not literal giggles but for fun. Well, maybe not for fun really either but anyway..here's the recap of my day!

Training: Off
Cardio: 30 min of a barf worthy program on the elliptical

Eats: (Medium Day)
-Egg whites, ground turkey & mushrooms; oats with honey & smashed banana
-1% cottage cheese (minus what Dad ate) & BBQ rice cakes (Quaker quakes..yum!)
-Tuna, apple & nuts
-Cookies & Cream PP with almond milk; Kashi Heart to Heart cereal
-Ground turkey, mushrooms, egg whites & shredded potatoes (frozen kind from Whole Foods)
-Fage 0%, pumpkin, Gingerbread PP, SF pudding powder & Kashi Heart to Heart

It's a TON of food. I'm full but not stuffed. We'll see how tomorrow goes (high day!)

Grabbed a few things from Dollar General after cardio (it's in the same plaza.) I forget how much "normal" stuff you can get there for far less. There's tons of junk too but they have a giant box of Cheerios for only $2!!!!!

Off to bed with my sleepy self. I really need to get up for cardio in the morning!

Sleep well!

Stuffed.

Yep, that's me. Stuffed. I'm eating a good amount of food on this plan & it's a little tough to actually get some of it in. The Lifestyle program is alot different than the competitor program. I like it though it'll take time to adjust to the food. We'll see how that goes. Jodi wants me to check in often & will adjust accordingly. It's only day #2 so we'll see how this goes. I do know that Easter may be a challenge with dinner but I'll make the best choices I can.

I'm not going to post arbitrary ramblings just to say I've blogged so that's really about it for the moment. Just wanted to update with how SOS is treating me!

Thanks so much to everyone for the comments. Lurkers, regular & new followers, etc. It's great to know that I can trigger your thoughts & even help you along with things that might be going on in your lives. It's why I do this!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

The meat....

I got my SOS nutrition & it's going to take time to get used to really planning my meals again. Really breakfast is always the same & dinner is whatever I come up with that night BUT I definitely need to better plan my lunch & daytime snacks.

My food is at a very generous level which I suspected would be the case. Jodi said this isnt going to be easy & I'm almost afraid of what that means but it would appear we are dieting me slowly. Just calorie cycling for the meantime. I'm glad to have a very moderate approach.

My cardio is only an additional day to what I'm doing now so that's not bad either.

Maybe for giggles I'll post meals now & then but probably not daily. BUT I'll get back to posting my days.....maybe! lol

Today is cardio only.

Diet started with a low day (which is what I've been eating daily anway.)

Foods included protein & coffee; cottage cheese & BBQ rice cakes; protein shake, apple & nuts; 99% FF ground turkey, brown rice & broccoli; more protein, banana, almond milk & Kashi Heart to Heart cereal. This is DEFINITELY more protein powder that I've been having in a day (I've been using none) but it helps to get the protein amounts in!

I'm very much looking forward to finding out if my body is ready to take off the fluff!!!!!!!!!!!

Waging battle?

This week I've been feeling VERY out of sorts. It's due in part to a headache that's plagued me since Sunday (actually it started late Saturday) & it's caused from knots in my back. Kevin's done his best to work them out & did great but they still linger. The dang foam roller wont quit hit them either but I feel them. Anyway..that's part of the problem.

Not certain what's causing the other exactly but something struck me on the way back from the store today. I already knew it was Holy Week & what better time for satan to attack believers? I mean come on ..the holiest of weeks in the year....the time we remember the salvation of our lives, where HE died so that we could be free? It was like a 2x4 in the forehead. Satan leaves us alone if we aren't close to a breakthrough of sorts.

I was reading a friend's blog about this too. She's been having "demon dreams" & slept with a Bible under her pillow so that she could sleep better. It's amazing to know that he seeks us out in the times we are growing. So I guess my thought is that we should be proud to be sought because we are facing some great growth. That may sound hokey but if a little waged war against evil means I'm getting stronger...then I'll take it.

I heard a song on the radio the other day that I wanted to share. We sing it in church alot & it's just a song that makes me grin from every inch of my body. It's by Hillsong & called "Salvation is Here."

The chorus is this....

'Cause I know my God saved the day
And I know His word never fails
And I know my God made a way for me
Salvation is here

It's a goodie so check it out if you'd like. It sorta makes Him sound like a superhero, doesnt it?

Anyway...I know I have reader's with different beliefs so I will apologize if I've offended. It's totally not my intention but I just wanted to share what's on my mind the last few days......

I'll catch up with other stuff in another post :)

Monday, April 6, 2009

Reflecting.

So, it's Holy Week. The time of the year that some make a bi-annual pilgramage to church. Some spend the week in Passover. For me, I just try to remember WHY I live. WHY I'm forgiven & WHY I'm allowed to just be me. With those same thoughts, I sometimes think WHY did you do all that for us? And then I'm reminded with a gentle nudge...the fact that He'd have done it for JUST me. I'll never go all preachy on you because it's just not my style. But I will say that whether you believe in God or not..you should know that He died for you anyway!

I've spent alot of time in thought this week & vocalizing some things to a friend that I'm certain was put in my path to help me find my faith again. I was soooooo humbled this week with the thoughts of what God has done for me....from His brutal death to just carrying me through my grief to helping me find my health to bringing me the man of my dreams. I mean right down to the wedding date.....it's no coicincidence. I'm fully assured of that.

The week has brought about renewed excitement in my life. Reconnecting with the old Savage team, college friends, booking things for the wedding, etc.

It just reminds me that life indeed is good. It's not about what you have, who you impress or what size pants you wear. It's just about living an abundant life. I'm not saying you cannot have that without God either. But what I am saying is that just makes *my* life sweeter.

The weekend was good. We watched the Final Four games at the Blue Chip, had some good eats at the buffet, played a littled (won a little too!) Caught up with a friend yesterday who's struggling yet acknowledging that she needs help.

Nothing earth-shattering but that's how I like my days to be!

I'm off & running with SOS once again (read down a couple for that scoop) & we did our first workout this morning. Still waiting for the nutrition/cardio prescription but I know that takes a bit to receive.

Have a GREAT Monday!

Thursday, April 2, 2009

Wow!

I just have to say THANK YOU before anything else. The support has been amazing in regards to my decision to become a Savage girl once again.

The bottom line comes down to finding what works for you. I did well on the program so I want to follow it again & having 11 months before the wedding gives me more than enough time to be smart about it!

Nothing much going on here. It's about 65 degrees today & the sun is shining. I perhaps sound suprised because we were forecast for mid-50's & rain. Though I hear the rain is still coming!

Kevin & I have signed up for the 2010 NCAA Final Four lottery. Basically, you sign up, pay the deposit (the cost of however many tickets you want) & wait until late July to find out if you've been selected to receive tickets for the tournament. It's being held in Indianapolis next year so it would be close to home for us! All the wedding stuff will be done by then also so it would work out perfect for our first weekend away. Fingers crossed for that!

Making tacos for dinner tonight, knocked out cardio & abs this morning, probably vegging on the couch after dinner too! My idea of perfect!

So really, not much to report but I really just wanted to extend my thanks for the support!

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Here kitty kitty....

Seems odd, eh? Well, not if you live in the Chicagoland area & happen to listen to The Mix in the mornings! They were playing an April Fool's joke by playing a meowing kitten sound during the traffic report. I was fooled & wondered what the noise was as I pulled out of my garage since I wasnt fully paying attention to them yet. About 2 blocks later, it hit me & I busted out laughing! There were people actually calling in to fess up that they'd actually pulled over to check to see if they had any travelers under their hood! hahaha

And the other thing is that I have a kitty to let out of the bag.....it may seem like an April Fool's but it is indeed fact!

After have gone through so much after my shows, finally maintained my weight for 6 months basically eating intuitively & failing to "diet" on my own. I've enlisted some help. Some very sound, sensible help. Some may disagree & that's fine but I know in my heart it's what is best & worked really well for me.

Out with it already right?!?

I've re-joined the Savage team to get my body back. I did VERY well on their regular program & was able to do some really great work with body recomposition. I did well with the contest prep too & will admit that I was fearful that that program really did a number on my body. I think it was more affected by what the local coach did to me. I can repost that if you'd like but basically it was extreme prep in peak week, drastic water depletion & a prescription diuretic. Think what you will but I did it willingly but really never thought I would experience any problems. I thought I'd be fine.

I have made a couple attempts to diet in the last 6 months but none have been successful. I even hired a well-known nutritionist & followed the program to a "T" but it was FAR too low calorie for me & my body doesnt respond to that.

So I'm going back to what works. I'm doing their Lifestyle program which is meant for non-competitors. I will never compete again. I'm focused on being a wife next year & a mom following that. My family will be my focus & yes while you can do both..it's not in my plans.

I will start slowing by only following a medium day...not cycling calories as the program also allows. I will not weigh or measure veggies, I will have nutbutters on my rice cakes if I want that, etc. You get the drift. It's a lifestyle so I fully intend to make it fit into my life. I'm not competing so I see no need to go all crazy.

BUT I'm ready to drop this extra weight that's been keeping me warm! It's time to do it & do it properly. I function better with structure so it fits.

So that's my scoop. I've taken pics, measurements & am ready to be me again!