•  I plan on starting Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred soon. I have it waiting on my Netflix cue :)
• I'm working on modifying some of my favorite recipes so that they are healthier. So far, I'm doing pretty good.
• I bought a few "goal" tops and bottoms. When I hit my goal, I'll be able to fit them. No fat clothes for me!
• I am developing a new sort of eating plan, that will incorporate elements from different dietary suggestions to create a plan that really helps me improve my health.
• I also started a container garden. I'm growing cherry tomatoes, basil, garlic, green beans and mixed salad greens. It's looking good, growing fast and strong. I can't wait to eat a salad made from my own garden!

*Alternate sweeterners:
-Honey: It doesn't dissolve well in cold water, but if you have the patience it's a good alternative to sugar, as it has a lower glycemic index.
-Agave Nectar: A recent discovery for me, this sweetener mimics sugar well in beverages, has a thinner consistency than honey (meaning it dissolves better in cold liquids, and has the lowest glycemic index of the natural sweeteners.

This morning is starting out ok. I had a serving of frosted shredded wheat cereal with 2% milk for breakfast. Then had a mug of black tea sweetened with about 1 TBS of sugar and 1 TBS of honey. So far, not so bad. I have a ton of fresh fruit in the refrigerator to snack on, so let's hope I actually have a TASTE for it when I get the munchies later on.

Menu Plans:

Lunch:
Leftover steak (about 2oz), spaghetti (about 1/2 cup, whole-wheat) with tomato basil sauce (about 3 TBS, stuff from a jar) and a salad (about 1 cup of spring mix greens with 1-2 TBS of Caesar dressing). Some miked melon cocktail (the kind chopped from fresh melons and put in those clear plastic containers at the grocery store). Water to drink.

Dinner:
Barbecued beef roast (in a thin and spicy bbq sauce, which is store-bought), collard greens, water to drink.

What I resolve to do next:

Well, I did in fact cook a ton of food, considering I was only feeding two adults and a picky 3 year old. We have lots of leftovers, that I will gladly help dispose of :) BUT, this is my farewell tour. I'm going healthy after this. And will have 11 months to really get disciplined before the next huge food-related holiday rolls around. By then I hope to be accustomed to eating healthy and exercising, and my weight and health will not be destroyed in that one day.

As far as exercise goes, I know someone who does personal training with kettle bells. He's offered to train me, and think I'm gonna go for it. Looks like something I can handle and it's convenient and affordable so I think it'll fit me perfectly.

I also plan to increase my water intake, take a multi-vitamin daily and drink less coffee (even tough it's usually decaf)

Current Mood:

content

I had a big move recently. To a new state (well, BACK to the state I used to live in). As a result I was away from my computer for 3 weeks (I had to ship it). So, that's the primary explanation for the HUGE gap in posts. That and after having gotten my comp back, I need a week to "catch up" on things.

So, and update is in order:
I have resumed my activity on Sparkpeople.com (as of this morning). My new goal is to loose 20 pounds by March 1st. Which means I have a ton of work to do. I have to become ultra strict with my diet (AFTER December 26th, that is. Gotta have Xmas dinner...and leftovers).I also need to work in exercise. Modest at first. Maybe 30 min twice a week. I have to get into enough shape so that I can get into REAL shape. I think I'll look into one of those morning exercise shows on TV. Something with yoga would be nice.

So, that's all for now. Nothing too exciting. I have, however, managed to MAINTAIN my current weight, which is a sort of good thing. At least I'm not growing lol

Current Mood:

busy

So, I haven't really been doing all that great on this magnificent plan I set for myself. I've eaten pie every day, cookies, skipping breakfast, no exercise...BUT, I have also been eating more veggies and a smaller dinner. Drinking slightly more water and I do have to climb three flights of stairs twice a day (picking up my daughter from daycare), so it hasn't ALL been bad.

My Plan of Attack for Tomorrow

Tomorrow is THE day of the year for me. I LOVE to cook, and usually do lots of it for Thanksgiving. However, this year family politics and other circumstances are preventing me from offering my usually spread. Which, for weight loss purposes, is a very good thing. Only ONE pie this year (usually do three: sweet potato, peach cobbler and pecan pie that my husband makes. No potato salad and only *maybe*(ok, probably) some mac 'n' cheese.

Tomorrow's Menu

This is the current state of my health:

I'm hoping to remedy some it not all of these issues with a better diet and exercise plan.

Today my cold is mostly gone, with only a slightly lingering cough left behind. My normal appetite returned, meaning it was all I could do not to eat everything insight. Mostly out of boredom, which I attempted to quickly remedy several times by doing work on my many websites. That seemed to help stave off most of the munchies through out the day. Feeling the relief of not having to go to "work" and having my daughter out of the house at the same time (she was in daycare), I watched a lot of TV and did almost as much computer work. It was, unfortunately, a very lazy day. I did, however, mop the kitchen floor.

I'm currently looking for a free one-week pass to Curves to take advantage of. I'm moving in two weeks, so I can't invest in a full membership right now, but I don't want to waste a portion of the nest two weeks if I don't have to.

Current Mood:

blah

I woke up feeling more sick today than I did yesterday. Hopefully that's a sign that I'm about to get better. I still didn't have much of an appetite. In fact, I skipped breakfast altogether and almost missed lunch. I actually made myself eat something, for fear of getting so hungry I became nauseous. Now I'm at the computer trying to get some work done, hoping this cold is over by the morning so I can get on with my routine.

To Do:

-Still need a scale. I need to have a 'before' weight ASAP, so I can compare it to my weight at the end of this year-long journey.
-Still need to look into fitness options. Maybe not Curves, but something. Possibly and effective at-home, equipment-free workout.
-Eat more veggies. This is ongoing. It's my first dietary goal. Baby steps...

Current Mood:

blah