Absence---

It's the holidays. I'll try to be good, but I am taking a couple of weeks off of blogging. This week I know I won't be the best and next week I will be on a cruise. It's good incentive to come back strong at the first of the year, however. See you soon!

Tips for staying fit trough the holidays

I've been feeling awfully guilty for eating too much fudge and cookies. They are my favorite Christmas treats, and I blame it all on Grandma Betty! Not really, but I feel the need to confess, so that I can repent and get on with being better the rest of the holidays. Here's some tips I came across today.

10 Ways to Keep Your Fitness Plan on Track During the Holidays

The average American does a little too much celebrating at this time of year. Between Thanksgiving and the New Year, most of us will gain seven pounds as a result of indulging in extra helpings, snacking on holiday treats, and exercising less.

"This is an especially challenging time of year for those who are trying to maintain healthy habits such as working out and eating low-fat, low-calorie foods,” says Jeff Zwiefel, vice president of the nutritional products division at Life Time Fitness. "We're constantly urged to have another helping, enjoy a holiday treat or skip the workout to go shopping instead. No wonder nearly everyone gains weight," he points out.

But complete deprivation is not the answer. "The holidays are meant to be enjoyed," Zwiefel says. "At Life Time Fitness, we think it's possible to balance healthy habits with enjoying special gatherings and traditions. We encourage balance and moderation in all areas of your life," he says.

Here are 10 great tips, courtesy of Zwiefel, for staying fit and eating well over the holidays.

1. Drink lots of water throughout the day. It suppresses the appetite and is something everyone should do year round.
2. Snack on fruits, vegetables and high-fiber foods whenever possible. Dried fruits are healthy and a good alternative to many sweet snacks such as cookies and candy.
3. Limit alcohol consumption. Remember that alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat. Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or club soda while you're at a party.
4. Enjoy the outdoors as much as possible: bundle up and take the dog for a walk, and try skating or sledding; squeeze 10-minute walks into your schedule. Any extra activity helps.
5. Health and fitness centers offer a combination of cardio and resistance-training opportunities, as well as group fitness classes and personal training, that are essential to maintaining a healthy way of life. If you’re thinking about joining a fitness center, fall is a great time to sign up.
6. Acknowledge that you're probably going to miss some workouts during this time and plan now to work around it. Schedule different times or substitute another activity, even if it's at home.
7. Eat a nutritious meal or snack before you attend events or parties where there is a lot of food, or use a small plate to avoid overindulging. Another good tip is to leave at a reasonable hour. In addition to helping you get enough sleep during this hectic time of year, you'll also be removing yourself from the temptation to continue eating unnecessary calories.
8. For the 9 out of 10 adults who do not get the essential daily vitamins and nutrients from the food they eat, nutritional supplements should be considered.
   
9. Enlist the help of a family member or friend to help keep you on track with healthy habits during the holidays. Choose someone who can provide not only encouragement, but a good example as well.
10. Remember that balance, variety and moderation apply to holiday celebrations as well as to most other things in life, so don't be too hard on yourself if you slip up. Keep your good intentions, spend time with family and friends and enjoy the holidays.

I agree with many of these, some more than others, but I especially like the whole idea of moderation. I can still eat my fudge and cookies, just not the whole batch! So, everyone enjoy the holidays--exercise and eat in moderation, and hope we don't end up like the majority of the nation and gain 7 pounds in one month. Ugh!

Week Ten Goals

Week Ten Goals:
1. Exercise 4 times
2. Go on a date with Dan
3. Try to eat a healthy breakfast each day
4. Eat more cooked veggies!

Week Nine Review

This week wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Although I did end up exercising four times, the workouts were not that intense. But, at least I did it. Right?

I thought it would be so easy with all the help around me to get out and exercise, but I hit a road bump when Kate got sick....again. Sleepless nights, all-day crying and I myself had a cold. It sucked. Big time. She still is so grouchy and clingy I just want to scream!!! It was hard enough for me to go to the bathroom alone. I'll stop complaining, though. It's been so nice to be here in Utah and to see family again. I just forgot how cold it is.

I did good on not eating a couple of hours before bedtime, too. I could have done better, but I sincerely tried. There were a couple of nights when I had to eat something (because of my stomach stuff) but I mostly tried to keep it to healthy stuff. I didn't do so well eating healthy during the day. My weakness this week; cookies. Man, there are so many good cookies here---Dick's, Cutlers, my mom's homemade......it was hard to resist. Let's just say I definitely didn't lose weight this week.

It's really hard to stay motivated during the holidays. Any ideas or tips?

Week Eight Update

Yes, I got off track this week.

I ended up deciding to come to Utah 10 days earlier than planned and surprise my family. Thus, this entire last week was a total joke trying to get everything together and taken care of before I left. Really, I was running around all week. I haven't been that busy for awhile.

But, now I am here. (I got here yesterday.) And though I know I will have a few sweets here and there, I really am going to try to be good and watch my portions. I also plan on exercising more. My mom has said she would help me do so. She has a treadmill and said she would watch Kate while I do it. I have no excuses now!!!!

So here are my next weekly goals:
1. Exercise 4 times! I CAN DO IT!!!!
2. Not eat late. At least two hours before I go to bed. This will be a super hard one for me.
3. Shovel the snow for my mom. Didn't expect to have this one...

great post

I loved this post by Marta Writes. She has a great way with words & explaining what we probably all feel. The post is basically about "we make time for what we love". Some times we get a little off track and have to fix our priorities, but we seem to make happen what we really enjoy.

This line is also so true "i think when you stop doing something for awhile, you lose it and you fear it."

nutrition nuggets

We had an enrichment night that gave us these "all about you" tips. I'm sure we have heard it all before but I'm going to post them any way.

{1} Breakfast is the most important meal. It kick starts your metabolism. In a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (eh?), researchers found that those who miss breakfast are more likely to be obese than breakfast eaters.

{2} Stop eating after 9pm (or a few hours before bedtime). This will give you time to digest before your body rests. On a full stomach, the risk of having a fitful night sleep and leg cramps is greater. (I guess that means no more ice cream before bed...?)

{3} Limit your caffeine intake. Caffeine acts as a diuretic, sucking water from your body and dehydrating your skin. This can lead to sallow skin and lost elasticity. If it's the fizz you crave, try a flavored sparkling water.

{4} Think zinc. The trace mineral zinc assists in the maintenance of collagen and elastin fibers that give skin its firmness. It also links amino acids that are needed for the formation of collagen, essential in wound healing. You can find it in seafood, turkey, pork, soybeans, and mushrooms.

{5} Stave off the munchies by crunching on an apple a day. These orbs of goodness have 5 grams of dietary fiber each. That's 20% of the recommended daily intake, all for the low price of 80 calories. The fiber will help you to feel more full, so you will avoid snacking (like I'm doing right now).

{6} High fiber cereal. Check the label for at least 3 grams per serving. These three are safe: oatmeal, Cheerios, or Kashi brand cereal (I eat Puffins brand, I know they're high fiber too). If you add soy milk you get a bonus: studies show that eating 20-50 grams of soy protein a day can reduce harmful cholesterol.

{7} Avoid carbs after lunch. Don't over-consume starchy carbs, sugars, and fats that will bulk you up. Stay way from pasta and potatoes as the day wears on.

{8} Your body needs at least 64 oz. of water/day. Keep a bottle by you and refill it throughout the day.

{9} Eating protein at every meal can speed up your metabolism by as much as 25 percent, helping you burn away extra calories. Have a spoonful of (natural) peanut butter for a snack. It's full of Vitamin E, the guardian skin tissues. It can also be found in wheat germ oil, vegetable and seed oils, seeds, and nuts.

{10} Your body is pre-programmed to defend its weight, so if you suddenly eliminate 1,000 calories your metabolism will slow down. Instead, use a food diary to calculate your intake, then cut 500 calories from that. Never consume fewer than 1,200 calories per day.

Week Seven Review

Wow, I am a total loser. I completely forgot about blogging. I guess that gives you some indication of how last week went, eh?

Actually, I did pretty well. I did not meet all my goals BUT I didn't totally indulge at Thanksgiving. Yes, I ate everything there, but I really tried to watch my portions. I also had two small pieces of pie, but that was quite enough. Once I had my share of the goods, I really felt satisfied and was fairly good for the rest of the day and week. So, yeah for me. I also weighed myself this morning and though I haven't lost more weight, I haven't gained any. Thus, I am feeling pretty good about things for this last week.

My goals for this upcoming week are pretty simple:
1. Exercise 3 times
2. Clean house, well
3. Get out my Christmas cards

I really want to exercise more, and I am trying....so hard! Really. I just find myself lacking the time. Before it was motivation, and now it's time. Dan is on his LAST week of class and will be starting finals next week. Therefore, I have been doing extra trying to make things easier for him. I also am Enrichment Leader in my ward and have been swarmed by the holiday "festivities" and "needs". And, then there's Kate....need I say more? How do people handle more than one kid?

So, I'm really going to push for more exercise. I'm trying to still eat as healthy as I can with my stomach problems. The medicine I am on seems to be helping a little bit, so let's cross our fingers. Also, I think (I emphasize think) that BIO-35 stuff is helping. I do seem to have a little more energy. But, they say to give it a while to kick in----so I'll keep monitoring it.

happy thanksgiving

Week Seven...already.

Week Seven's Goals:
1. Exercise 3 times this week.
2. Enjoy Thanksgiving Dinner, but not eat too much
3. Write down a list of the things I am most grateful for this year in my journal
4. Try to eat more veggies (cooked for my stomach's sake)

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving!!!

Week Six Review

So this week actually was pretty good! I worked out 4 times and I actually felt physically better this week than I have the last couple of weeks. However, my diet wasn't so good according to standards, but I ate food that I know would be easy on my stomach, and thus....I was much happier.

I also found that I can do ball exercises when Kate is awake. She thinks it is hilarious to watch me "play" around with a big 'ole ball and will come over to bounce with me every so often. She is so funny. I also got a smaller basketball size exercise ball that she loves to play with. We work out together! :)

I also started taking BIO 35. It is a vitamin supplement that is supposed to help boost your energy levels and lower the chemicals in your body that produce the effects of stress. I have only been taking it for a couple of days now, and they say it takes a good few weeks for it really to start working. But, I tell you what....I would pay any amount of money (well, almost) if this stuff works. I have heard from a few friends that it does, so I look forward to seeing the final product. I will keep you updated.

All in all, I had a good week. I tried extra hard to push myself in ways that I normally wouldn't. Plus, the Utes won so it was an even better week!

Jen's Week Six

This week's goals:
1. Exercise 4 times
2. Do sit-ups every night
3. Not say one negative thing (out loud, it's hard not to think it) about myself.
4. Watch the BYU vs. Utah game! Go Utes!

***If you already haven't, please read the previous blog.

Week Five Review---An Impasse

Well, the good news is I completed my goals. (Except one night I didn't write in my journal only because I was up until 2:00 and totally spaced it.) My workouts were all really good and I actually got sore from them, but not too sore. Doing my ball exercises are really helping my muscles tone, too. Oh, and I've lost 5 pounds.

The bad news is; I'm at an impasse. I don't know what to do. You see, I have gasteroparesis. Something I have been diagnosed with for a couple of years. It's a chronic disease and comes in cycles for me. In fact, this is the reason I quit teaching two years ago (actually right at this time of year, too). I was so sick that my body wasn't digesting food hardly at all and it was starting to effect the other parts of my body too. For example; sleep, energy, immune system, etc. My doctors encouraged me to refrain from all stress and stay in bed as much as possible in order to get out of the paresis cycle and get better.

Well much to my dismay, it has started to act up again. Especially in the last couple of weeks. I HATE using this as an excuse but it makes it REALLY hard for me to eat healthy. Why? Well, because the foods that are the healthiest for you (such as veggies and high fiber foods) are the worst for me. They don't get digested in my stomach and sit there making me sick. At times, really sick. And, if I don't start doing things that help my gasteroparesis, the cycle will continue to get worse and will eventually get to a point where there is nothing I can do about it. My dear Aunt Jan also has this condition and because of it has been home bound for the last 5-ish years. She is always in pain, never has much energy----needless to say it has taken away her normalcy in life. Thankfully, I have control over mine right now (to some extent) and can't let it get to that point.

So my problem? Eating right. I am going to stop posting the food I eat----because I am embarrassed and because it isn't that "healthy". Plus, I will be going on liquid diets and soft food diets and you don't need to read about that.

BUT----I am going to continue my blog. I SO want to improve my health in the other ways that I have control over. I am going to continue to create goals each week. I am going to strive to exercise 4 times a week. And, once I get my stomach problems under control (which actually might be the entire reason I have had no energy at all for the last three months) I plan on trying to get back on track with eating well.

So PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE continue to check up on me. I will not be blogging every day, but will try to give updates during the week. I will for sure give weekly reviews and let you know how things are going and how I am meeting my goals. I'm so sorry----I hope you understand. This is actually really embarrassing for me and I feel some shame in doing this. But, I'm not going to let it get me down. I am actually at a good place emotionally and want to keep it that way. Thanks for your support!

Jen's Week Five

Weekly Goals:
1. Exercise 3 times this week
2. Write 5 things I like about myself each night in my journal

I'm keeping things simple this week. Simplicity = Success

Sunday, November 9th:
Food---
Breakfast: none
Lunch: hot chocolate and toast
Dinner: a little bit of spaghetti, half of a banana
Snack: warm, homemade tapioca pudding
***My stomach has been acting up (from my gastroparesis). I may have to go on a liquid, then soft, food diet again. No fun.
Exercise---
Nope. But, I did get a nice rest in! I love Sunday naps.

Sunday, November 10th:
Food---
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: granola bar, lunch meat, bread
Dinner: BLT
Dessert: shared a coke and churro with Dan
*** My stomach is still way sick and guess what. Went and got my medicine....$200 bucks. No joke. That made my stomach even worse.
Exercise---Yes, but it was very unconventional. I walked around Costco with Dan for seriously an hour. We went up and down every single isle. I wasn't planning on that being my exercise, but since we didn't get home until 8:00, that ended up being it! Ha!
So today I indulged in some flavor and tomorrow I will be too. It's Dan's birthday and I know I will at least be having cake. But, I am not going to feel bad about it. I'll just try to be more active. This week I want to focus more on my internal health than anything. That way I can find the motivation and such I need and stop being so frustrated.S

Tuesday, November 11th: Happy Birthday, Dan!!!
Food---
Breakfast: multi-grain cheerios
Lunch: string cheese, yogurt, whole wheat ritz crackers
Dinner: Rudy's BBQ. Sooooo good. Plus a little bit of birthday cake.
Exercise---
Just a few stretches, sit-ups, etc. My stomach was sick this morning, but I am actually feeling better tonight.

Wednesday, November 12th:
Food---
Breakfast: um, bad breakfast---just a few crackers
Lunch: string cheese, whole wheat crackers
Dinner: chicken and dumpling soup, asparagus, and peaches
Exercise---
Yup. Kate and I went for an hour walk today. Then I cleaned (scrubbed, scrubbed, scrubbed) our two bathrooms. I am also feeling much better emotionally today. I am in a better place and feel more motivated. I, however, am still having trouble with my stomach (hence the crackers in the morning and afternoon). But my energy is much better than last week as well.

Thursday, November 13th:
Food---
Breakfast: multi-grain cheerios
Lunch: pb/h sammy and half a string cheese
Dinner: pizza and a little bit of Dr. Pepper (Dan "made" dinner from Papa Johns)

Exercise---
Yes, I did ball exercises and weights. I haven't done that for a long time. We'll see if I am sore tomorrow. :)

Week Four Review

Honestly, things have been hard for the last two weeks.

I haven't felt good for the majority of the time. I've been tired---way too tired. And, fundamentally I have been trying to adjust to a new lifestyle here in Texas where I feel like I don't know anyone and don't have a "life". I haven't gotten out much (because of a sick child and being sick myself) and I am sure that all these things just added up to me just----well, hitting a wall.

I still was pretty good at watching what I ate this week, but I didn't get out and exercise like I should have. So, I didn't reach all my goals. This week I DO feel guilty about it because I choose not to do the things that I should have. Last week I had no control, but this week I did. Guilt and frustration are basically what is controlling me right now.

So where do I go from here? Well, I am going to try and to continue to push on. I'm hoping that this upcoming week will be better and that my attitude will change, too. The good news is that I haven't given up yet. I still want these changes....I guess I've just pulled over to the side of the road right now on my journey to this change. I'll get back on soon.

I'm happy to get an advice or help from y'all. If there's anything that I've learned in life, it's that the hardest changes you have to make in life are definitely worth it---but you should never have to try to do it on your own. The more you open up to people and let them help, the easier change becomes.

So why the picture of Kate? Well, she's my best inspiration. Her innocence, love and cute little kisses help me remember why I want this in the first place. My sweet baby....I thank Heavenly Father for her every day.

inspiration : marathon

This past Sunday was the ING Marathon in New York City. It is always held the first weekend in November and people come from all over the world to cross the finish line in Central Park. I have always thought that running a marathon is an amazing feat, but not one I am interested in attempting. I'm not a runner.However, nothing makes me want to run a marathon like watching a marathon.

Every year on marathon day we walk to Central Park after church. It is incredibly inspiring to watch these individuals tackle this huge challenge: young, old, big, small, wheelchairs, prosthetic legs. You see it all! I always end up clapping through my tears as I think about the great personal goal they are accomplishing.

For some runners it is their first marathon and others have run many. I don't know how they do it when they get to the tough spots, or what motivates them to keep going, but some how they push on. Maybe it's the people standing on the sidelines shouting their names, the bands playing every couple of miles, or seeing their name on a poster. Maybe it is thinking about all of the training they have put in to get to that day and knowing they are so close (even if they still have 4 miles to go).

Watching the marathon is so inspiring to me. I don't know if it is something I could do, but I may want to try one day. Seeing that in writing scares me already. But the people out there running convince me that it can be done. I could do it if I really wanted to... I think.

Hitting a wall----hard.

So, I didn't blog yesterday. Probably didn't notice---but I did it on purpose too. I had a really hard day yesterday and still am a little disturbed.

I just do not have energy. (One reason why I started all of this.) I feel like I am always worn down and tired. (Some of you know that I have suffered from depression in the past, but this feels different.) I feel like either I am always sick, or Kate is sick. My old stomach problems have started to surface again, and now I am starting the whole stupid process of "helping" me with new doctors down here. I hate doctors. I feel like they always pass the buck and fill me up with drugs.

There is just a lot of dumb things I feel are going on with me, but basically I just don't feel like myself and feel like I have energy to do the things that I would like to. I feel frustrated at the fact that it is so hard for me to lose weight and have a difficult time accepting the fact that I will never be "skinny". I'm frustrated that I am still suffering from the "flu" and have my stupid cough. I am frustrated that I have dumb stomach problems. I am frustrated that just as soon as I got over with the worst of the flu, I started my period and started up with bad cramps again.

I am rambling. Can you tell I am frustrated? I need help.

Cheapest, Yummiest, Healthiest Dinner Ever!

Anyone who knows me well knows that I always improvise on recipes or make them up completely. Today was actually a success. I LOVED IT! I thought it was blog worthy. You should definitely try this one even if you don't like squash. My lil guy even loved it and he hates squash.

Spaghetti Squash Dinner
1 Spaghetti Squash
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 red bell pepper
1 chopped onion (I used dried onion flakes)
1 clove garlic, minced (I used the stuff that is already minced)
1 Roma tomato
1/2 c. Shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 Tbsp Basil (I used dried basil leaves)

1. Slice squash lengthwise (clean out seeds) and place cut sides down on cookie sheet (lightly greased). Bake at 350 for 30 min.

2. Meanwhile, spray a skillet with cooking spray and saute onion, peppers and garlic. Stir in tomatoes and basil and cook it only until tomatoes are warm.

3. When squash is done use a fork to clean out the insides and throw away the skin. Put in a bowl and add salt and pepper. Then mix everything together including cheese.

This fed us three so you may need to double or triple it according to your family size. I was actually surprised at how good it was. YUM!!!

Jen's Week Four

Weekly Goals:
1. Exercise 4 times---try out new yoga video
2. Do at least a few sit-ups every night
3. Read my patriarticle blessing
4. Make my bed daily

Sunday, November 2nd: Can you believe it's November? Seriously!
Food---
Breakfast: chex cereal
Lunch: pb and honey sandwich
Dinner: teriyaki chicken with rice, beans, carrots and broccoli
Snack: 100 cal. pack of Lorna Doones, pretzels
Exercise---
Nope. But, I think I'll finally feel well enough to do it tomorrow. I also feel more motivated today than I did yesterday.

Monday, Nov. 3rd:
Food---
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Soup, salad and breadsticks from Olive Garden. So yum.
Dinner: Egg sandwich, celery and carrot sticks
Snack: 100 cal. pack of cookies
Exercise---
Walked for 45 min. with Katie.

Tuesday, November 4th: Election Day---I VOTED!Food---Breakfast: Oatmeal; Lunch: pb&h sammy; Dinner: meatball sammy. Not the best eating day, I was on the run for most of it and didn't put a lot of thought into it. Oh, Dan also got a coke today and I thoroughly enjoyed partaking of a few drinks. So yum.Exercise---Yes, but not much. I just did some exercises with my ball weights and exercise ball. Then some stretches, sit-up, push-ups and such. Some is much better than none. However, I felt like I have been running around doing errands today and my body feels exhausted, so I am positive I got some exercise doing my daily routine today.

Thursday, Nov. 6th:Food---Breakfast: banana. Lunch: turkey sammy, string cheese. Dinner: sloppy joes, sweet potato strips, apple and cheese. I will also have some kind of snack before I go to bed, but I will make sure it is a healthy one.Exercise---Went for a walk with Dan, Kate, Mel, Adam and Kale. It wasn't that long, but a walk nonetheless.

Friday, November 7th:

Food---Breakfast: grape nuts, Lunch: banana and yogurt, Dinner: taco soup with the fixings, pumpkin bread, 3 tootsie rolls, lemonade, and one pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. We had dinner at a friends house, and I induldged. It was really good.

Exercise---Nope. Still trying to find motivation. But, at least I am continuing this blog which is a good sign that I haven't given up. Eh?

Week Three Review

The flu virus----GET YOUR SHOTS!!!

Well, this week was a complete sham! I didn't complete ONE of my goals, this week. However, I don't feel that guilty about it because I had no control over getting the flu. I felt miserable, but I am feeling much better now and think that by Monday I will be able to start exercising again---so that's good, right? I'll just use the same goals for next week.

As far as food goes, I really didn't eat much this week but I also didn't eat healthily. I also will start being better again this week. BUT, I didn't eat one piece of Halloween Candy. Not one! And, believe me, I was tempted. But then I decided I just wasn't going to have any and then I wouldn't have to stop myself from eating too much, or from feeling guilty. And, it worked.

Exercising was also a joke. I did good for a couple of days, but I didn't do my yoga like I wanted. However, I did weigh myself this morning and I have lost two more pounds, for a total of four 1/2 pounds. Yea me.

I've hit a wall, kinda. I don't have as much motivation as I did before. Maybe it's because I have been sick and have no energy again, but I am not going to give up. I'm just going to push myself this next week. It's always hard to change your habits----and I really do want to change. I'm just struggling to find all the motivation,and energy. The one thing that is going for me in the weather. It's still in the mid 80's and I have no excuse for coldness and not getting out to exercise (once I am better!!!).

FIRST & LAST INSTRUCTIONS

I often get confused at all the advice given by experts. When this happens, I go to the great rule maker who is the divine expert, who gave "... a principle with promise, adapted to the capacity of the weak and the weakest of all". He has "ordained every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof" to be used "with prudence." Also, "flesh of beasts" (red meat) and "fowls of the air" (poultry), to be used sparingly; ..."all grain... to be the staff of life". Also the "fruit of the vine (vegetables and fruit) ...in and above the ground." If we want to receive health and wisdom and and energy, we need to just follow these directions. D&C 89 (italics added)

Butternut Squash Recipe

So....after all this talking about being more healthy Adam and I went to the store and bought some veggies that were on sale. Right now squash was the item to be had. I usually cook it with lots of butter and brown sugar but I wanted to try something more healthy this time. I found a recipe in the internet and then I made it a little more healthy. We LOVED it....AND is smells good. We even had it for a treat last night. Here you go:

Cut the squash in half lengthwise as shown above. Discard the seeds. Spray with Pam spray across the top (lightly).

Mix in a small bowl:
1/4 t. Salt
1/8 t. pepper
1/8 t. cinnamon
1/8 t. nutmeg

Sprinkle these over the squash. Then take 1 t of brown sugar and sprinkle on top.

Bake at 400 for 35-40 min. (until a fork goes in easily)

Sugar ...

My friend is a palates instructor and HUGE on natural healing for the body therefore her eating habits are incredible. We were at the park the other day and she mentioned she was trying to give up sugar, I laughed and said "tell me about it I feel horrible when I eat a brownie or jolly ranchers." gulp what she meant by that was giving up sugary fruits, ugh ... now I don't suggest giving up fruits One: they are awesome and two: you need something fun in your diet and that is the healthiest fun you can have. Her game plan was this ... to eliminate sugary fruits for two - three weeks so that she can get use to eating veggies more often instead of grabbing fruits. It is true that sugar makes you crave more sweets so it only makes sense. So my challenge to myself and all you bloggers is to eliminate fruits for two weeks, instead of grabbing an apple or strawberries try broccoli, carrots, spinach, cucumbers, cauliflower, bell peppers (yummy), tomatoes the list goes on. See if you can curb you craving and after two or three weeks reintroduce fruits in moderation. Let me know if it helps your cravings.

Things to Eliminate from your diet

The NRC (National Research Council) recommends that you avoid (or consume in moderation) these foods:

• Added fat: Butter, margerine, salad dressing, mayo, oil, lard, skin on meat, whole milk, olives, avocado, bacon.
• High Fat Foods: Sausage, luncheon meats, chips, whole milk, cream, cream cheese, fried foods, most cheeses, cookies, cakes.
• Added sugar: Jam, jelly, honey, syrup, table sugar, sprinkles, glazes.
• Sugary Foods: Pies, cakes, cookies, sweet rolls, sugar-sweetened drinks (Kool-Aid, sports drinks), candy, Sugar-sweetened cereals
• Added Salt: Added table salt, soy sauce, worchestershire sauce, teriyaki sauce, steak sauce, bbq sauce, catsup, chili sauce, boullion, msg.
  
• Salty foods: Luncheon Meats, chips, dill pickles, pickle relish, olives, fast foods, salad dressings, cheeses, sausage, salted nuts, canned soups, bacon, salted crackers.

So...basically anything with flavor! Really though, the more I learn about bad foods to eat: butter/oil can be substituted in so many different ways like: Flax seed, applesauce, yogurt, pam spray. Also, so many people think they are getting their protein with lunch meats....SICK! They are SOOOO bad for you!! And chips are in thier own bad realm. LBH..these are yummy foods but we can find ways of substituting them. I am gonna work on that this week.

Every one of these sugest fresh food and whole grains anyway. Who needs all the fake flavor right?

• NRC
• American Cancer Society
• American Heart Association
• American Acadamy of Pediatrics

I am sure there are many more. Lets try to eat fresh and right....dont forget to forgo the butter.

Jen's Week Three

Weekly Goals:
1. Exercise 4 times---try out new yoga video, never done yoga, always wanted to.
2. Do at least a few sit-ups every night
3. Read my patriarticle blessing


October 26th, Sunday:
Food---
Breakfast: muti-grain cheerios
Lunch: 1/2 chicken salad sammy, string cheese, 100 cal. pack chips ahoy
Dinner: chicken roll-ups, rice, jello, butternut squash
Exercise---
Day of rest

Monday, October 27th:
Food---
Breakfast: multigrain cheerios
Lunch: tortilla, string cheese, half a yogurt
Snack: 100 cal pack of Lorna Doones, granola bar
Dinner: two chicken roll-ups, squash and small bowl of corn chex.
***I was SO hungry today. I don't know what was up with me. I STRUGGLED so much. Especially since I had a half eaten pan of brownies that Dan made for his family yesterday. Man, I wanted one so bad. Then, at about 6:30 this evening, my neighbor brought me a warm plate of chocolate brownies. They smelt deee-vine! But, alas----I stayed strong and didn't even eat one! Yeah for me. But, the craving is still there.
Exercise---
Wam bam, yes ma-am. I went for a four mile walk with Kate. But, it felt like much more. The wind was so strong today and no matter what way I turned it felt like it was going against me. It felt like I was pushing Kate up a mountain.

Tuesday, the 28th
Today has been a difficult day. Kate is sick AGAIN!!!! She started all of the sudden throwing up last night and now is totally stuffed up, has a fever, her nose keeps running, she won't eat, coughing and just miserable. Which, makes me miserable. She hardly slept at all last night and has been so grumpy; just wants to be held. Needless to say, I haven't really had any "meals" today and the food I have eaten has been at random times. But, I have stuck to my "diet" and I am still walking past the plate of brownies. I think I may be coming down with a little something, too. -----Anyway, I didn't exercise either. Some days are better than others, eh?

Wednesday, the 29th
So things got even harder today. I caught whatever Kate has and is is kickin' my butt! I feel like crap and my throat kills. Thus, my food today consisted of toast, hot chocolate, and some ice cream (just a little to try to help my throat, it didn't even really have taste because my nose is clogged). I also didn't exercise. Looks like I won't meet my goal this week with exercising. I don't feel too bad about it, because this was something that was out of my control. You should only feel guilty about the things that you have control over and choose to do something that you shouldn't. Right? Right.

I am frustrated that Kate and I keep getting sick. I swear we catch everything that is going around and being shut in all day can really get to you. Also, getting no sleep and being sick do not make for one happy mother. This is one of those days when you wish you had your mom here to help.

Thursday, October 30th:
And the sickness continues and worsens. Seriously ticked off---but oh well. My fever has spiked and I can barely walk around and pick up Kate rather than exercise. Again, oh well. What can you do?
Food--
Water, pretzels, a small chocolate shake (I wish I could say it was the best, but I actually couldn't really taste it, but it sure felt good on my throat.), chicken noodle soup and a low fat smoothie---thanks to my loving husband. Man, he is a good guy.
Exercise---
Ha! You kiddin' me? Thankfully, my sweetie got home at about 2:30 from school and took over watching Kate for the rest of the night while I sat my butt in bed.

HALLOWEEN! Friday, October 31st:
Today was a little better than yesterday. I actually had strength to walk around the house and such. I'm thinking it will continue to get even better and by the first of next week I will be able to continue on as normal! That's the hope, at least.
Food---
Not so good. Lots of liquids---water, milk, apple juice and some root beer, some pizza (thanks to my loving husband, who provided din din) and some crackers. NO Halloween candy.
Exercise---
None. We'll start over again next week.

Week Two Review

First of all, I have been keeping up on my posts. I just update my weekly blog daily, so if you want to track my progress, just look under the title of what ever week I am on. For example, "Jen's Week Two". Next week it will be under "Jen's Week Three"

Did I meet my goals? YES! All three! I am proud of myself and I believe that I truly do have more energy this week. However, I am not sick or on my period, so I am sure that that helps. I also had a lot of fun working out this week. My favorite thing was rowing on Town Lake, a river that runs right through the city, for about 4 miles. My back was sore the next day, but it was a good sore. Did I mention it was 85 degrees and sunny skies?

The only thing that I really struggled with this week was making sure I ate good foods. You see, my in laws came to visit and we ended up eating out a lot. I tried to stick to eating healthier foods, but you know how it is when you go out. For example, tonight we went to the Cheesecake Factory. BUT---instead of indulging in cheesecake, I only took 3, very slow, delicious bites of my very favorite Dolce De Leche Cheesecake. Also, every night they went out for drinks and treats and I passed every time! So, despite the temptations and eating out, I still am proud of myself for the progress that I have made.

I looked up power food and basically found out the things that my mom had posted. The only other food I read about that wasn't on my mom's list was peanut butter. I read that its a great thing to have a spoon full before you exercise because it can give you energy and doesn't necessarily "fill" you so you don't get side cramps or whatever.

I decided not to weigh myself today. Mainly because I forgot this morning and didn't want to do it in the afternoon after I had eaten. But, I think I will wait until next week anyway. I don't want to get obsessed with the scale. By the way-----Dan has been really supportive of me trying to make some changed. In fact, he has said that we will stop drinking leisurely cokes (and just have one when we go out to dinner or something). For him that is HUGE! I am very proud of him. But, the frustrating thing is that even with his small changes (stop drinking coke and just eating the better food that I am making him) he has already lost about SIX pound! Can you believe that? Good for him, frustrating for me! It wish it was that easy, eh?

My Grandma's Bread Recipe

This isn't a picture of my bread, but I thought my post needed a picture. :)

Grandma Wintle's Bread

6 3/4 c. flour (my grandma uses half wheat/half white, but I use 100% whole wheat and we love it)

3 3/4 c. water (very warm water, but not too hot or you will kill the yeast)

1 1/2 Tbs. yeast

2/3 c. sugar

4 1/2 Tbs. oil

1 1/4 Tbs. salt

Mix 7 minutes. Let rise 30 minutes. Knead a little (my grandma's recipe doesn't say how much flour to add while kneading, but I have to add quite a bit more flour here to make it not so sticky). Form into loaves. Let rise until almost double in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. (My oven tends to cook things faster so it is about 30 minutes for me.) Makes 3 medium loaves.

Not included in the recipe, but important information:

-grease your bread pans really well (metal pans work the best, $3.97 at WalMart)
-when letting dough rise cover with saran wrap that you have sprayed with cooking spray so it won't stick
-my grandma uses half white flour/half wheat but I use 100% whole wheat flour and we love it.

Here is a picture of the wheat that I buy at WalMart. It is the best. I want to say that it was around $6-$7 for the 10 lbs. bag. I'm sure that will vary from state to state. It may not even be available where you are, but I'm sure that there is something similar.

Happy bread making! Let me know how it turns out!

Lose weight instantly!

If only it was this simple in real life. I saw this somewhere, who knows where. Anyway, you submit a photo of yourself and specific how much weight you want to lose then they digitally alter your photo to reflect what you will look like once you have lost the desired weight. Haven't done it, but just thought it was interesting and thought I would share. Weight View

I could use some suggestions!

So, here's my dilemma. I totally agree with what Ann said about how eating healthy is more expensive, and then I read what Jo wrote about all those nasty ingredients that are in about everything. So, how do you feed a family healthy food when most of the things that are on sale are the not-so-healthy stuff (meaning foods with bleached or enriched flour, sugar, corn syrup, etc.)? More importantly, how do you feed them healthy food on a budget? Example: bread--does the good whole wheat (real whole wheat) bread ever go on sale? No! So, what do I do? Yes, I have weekly menus, and go to the store once a week. We eat a lot of produce, but also lots of crackers, etc. . .Any suggestions would be welcome!

Thanks,
Lisa

5 ingredients to avoid!

I heard about this from Dr. Oz probably 2 years ago, but it totally changed the way I eat. I used to have a lot of unhealthy snacks, quick frozen dinners, etc. etc. until I watched Oprah one afternoon and Dr. Oz was on. You should avoid eating anything with these ingredients:

1. Enriched flour
2. Bleached flour
3. Sugar
4. High Fructose Corn Syrup
5. Hyrdrogenated Oils

Now the frustrating thing is that if you go to the grocery store and look at ingredient lists, probably about 9 out of 10 foods have at least one of these things, if not all 5! Even those foods that claim to be "healthy," "good for you," or "whole wheat," often have these ingredients. It's gotten better in the last two years; when I started eating this way it was much more difficult to find healthy things. I remember standing in the bread aisle, looking at I swear 20 different types of bread, most of which said they were "whole wheat," when in reality they weren't! Also a lot of bread contains high fructose corn syrup. Another example is crackers. I was excited when Ritz came out with whole wheat crackers, until of course I checked the ingredients, and sure enough, it's enriched flour. Also things claim to be 100% whole grain on the front, yet when you look on the back it's enriched or bleached. So always, always check the ingredient list!

Now this can seem overwhelming, especially if you are like I was and never really paid attention to ingredients. I didn't think what I was eating was bad, or necessarily unhealthy, until I started paying more attention. Once you get used to checking ingredients and find replacements for the foods you eat often, it's not so bad. My husband lost about 10 pounds after we started eating this way.

Now don't get me wrong, I enjoy the occasional candy bar or treat every now and then, but for the most part the things I eat on a regular basis stick to these rules. I really encourage everyone to give it a try if you haven't already, I think you'll notice a difference! If you need ideas on certain foods, let me know!

Jo

SUPER FOODS!

The problem with eating healthy is that it is more expensive than eating poorly. Also, we have to find other foods to eat than we were originally raised on. Even finding an using a few of the foods on this list will be beneficial. This list of "Super Foods" might give you some ideas!

"These vitamin and nutrient-packed foods have been proven to extend health, energy, and longevity and help prevent diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, certain cancers, obesity, and Alzheimer's. Each Superfood also has a number of sidekicks (or substitutions) that have about the same healthy punch -- a few are listed in parentheses. Get as many of these foods in your family's diet as you can for a longer, healthier life!

BEANS (pinto, lima, lentils, green beans, peas)
BROCCOLI (brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, cauliflower)
BLUEBERRIES (purple grapes, cherries, most other berries
OATS (brown rice, barley, wheat, rye, yellow corn)
ORANGES (lemons, grapefruit, tangerines, limes)
PUMPKIN (carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes)
SALMON (halibut, albaore tuna, trout, clams, sea bass)
SOY (tofu, soy nuts, soymilk edamame, miso)
SPINACH (kale, romaine lettuce, orange bell perppers)
TOMATOES (strawberries, watermelon, grapefruit, guava)
TURKEY (chicken)
WALNUTS (most other nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds)
YOGURT (kefir)

A quick, easy energy drink: blend one cup soymilk, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries and 1 banana for a Super Smoothie!

(For more information, see "SuperFoods" by Steven Pratt, M.D.)
Ann Hymas

Eat Your Veggies!

This was on MSN health and fitness today. I thought it was eye-opening! Check out the amounts of veggies we should eat each week!

Numerous studies link a higher veggie intake to a reduced risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity. That's why the strongest recommendation from the USDA's report is a greater consumption of a wide variety of vegetables—advice that's mirrored by every major health organization, including the American Heart Association, American Institute for Cancer Research, and American Diabetes Association.

The ideal veggie schedule

Your goal: 14 cups a week

That might seem like a lot, but it's easier than it sounds. Researchers have divided the entire vegetable spectrum into five "groups" (yes, beans are a veggie!) and broken down your exact weekly needs.

Dark greens

You need: 2 cups per week

Spinach; broccoli; romaine; mesclun; collard, turnip and mustard greens

Payoff: Better lung health, stronger bones, a stronger immune system, lower blood pressure, reduced inflammation and a healthier brain.

Orange vegetables

You need: 1 ½ cups per week

Carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin

Payoff: Better vision, blood sugar control, and lung health; high in cancer-fighting carotenoids.

Beans

You need: 2½ cups per week

Pinto beans, kidney beans, black beans, lentils, edamame, chickpeas, tofu

Payoff: Lower rates of heart disease, high blood pressure, breast and colon cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

Starchy vegetables

You need: 2½ cups per week

White potatoes, corn, green peas

Payoff: The nutrients in this group range from vitamins A, C, B6, and folate to potassium and magnesium, and each vegetable is rich in unique antioxidants, such as cancer-fighting isoflavones in peas and blood pressure–lowering kukoamines in potatoes.

Wildcard

You need: 5½ cups per week

Artichokes, asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, green beans, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, wax beans, zucchini

Payoff: This eclectic group ensures a broad spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants that protect every system in your body, including beta-carotene in bell peppers and quercetin, a natural anti-inflammatory, in onions.

Easy ways to sneak in veggies

• Swap noodle soup for bean or lentil
• Serve chicken or fish over a bed of corn or wilted greens instead of rice
• Use salsa or marinara sauce for dipping
• Add mashed beans or chopped mushrooms to lean ground beef or turkey
• Trade half your pasta portion for chopped veggies

Lisa Willey

Calculating Fattiness

Well, here I am folks. The obsessed health food hypocrite. I eat all kinds of things that I shouldn't but I am obsessed with trying. Therefore, I will share with you some of the things I have learned and hope it helps us all...including myself.

Here is how you calculate if something is High in fat, moderately high in fat or low fat:

# Calories from fat/total calories X 100 = % Calories from fat

Looks harder than it really is. Here is an example: my brownies say that there is 170 calories and 70 calories from fat. Here we go:

70/170 = .4116 so I times that by 100 and get 41.16

So now what does that mean:

High fat: > 35%
Moderately high fat: 25-35%
Low fat: <25%

That means my brownies are high in fat! I use this at the store EVERY time. It is easy once you try. All you really have to do is divide calories from fat into calories.

I learned this from my nutrition class in college. I didn't just make it up I promise.

Melanie Smoot

Tex-Mex Rice

This is a yummy recipe--I got it from a lady on my mission. It's got some good veggies and protein with little fat (if you use lean meat and low-fat dairy products). You can vary the spiciness by using mild or hot salsa.

Tex-Mex Rice

1 lb. hamburger
1 med. onion
1 green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups picante sauce or salsa
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cube chicken bouillon
1 small can black olives
1 1/2 cups dry rice

Brown and drain meat, add chopped onion, chopped green pepper, salsa, tomato sauce, bouillon, and sliced olives. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until veggies are tender.

Serve over rice (prepare as directed) or mix it all together. Top with cheese, sour cream and spoon up with tortilla chips. Serves 4-6 people.

Jen's Week Two

Weekly Goals:
1. Exercise 4 times this week
2. Research power/energy foods
3. Buy new exercise ball

October 18th, Saturday
Food--
Breakfast: oatmeal
Snack: string cheese, dried apples
Lunch: leftovers from Thursday, leftover beans from last night
Snack: fruit snacks, 100 cal. pack-oreos
Dinner: chicken and rice
Drinks: milk and water
Exercise---
I cleaned the house today. When I say clean, I mean deep clean. So yes, that is quite the workout.

October 19th, Sunday
Food---
Breakfast: Alphabits, yum
Lunch: Missed it due to the bishopric calling and needed us to come early, total chaos
Dinner: Thanks to our good friends, The Smoots, we had a wonderful dinner. Pork Roast, potatoes, carrots, and peaches. It was so good!
Treat: Popcorn Balls. I treated myself and it tasted good. I have to let myself have treats every now and then or there is NO WAY I can stick to this. Oh, and I had 5 candy corns too.
Exercise---
Nope, a day of rest.
Feelings---
Well, I look forward to a new week. I am excited and grateful I am feeling better and I look forward to exercising. I'm also trying to take better care of myself by taking more time to get ready in the morning (actually putting on make-up and doing my hair) so that I feel better about myself throughout the day. That seems to be helping too.

October 20th, Monday:
Food---
Breakfast: wheat chexs
Lunch: Dan and I went out to Pei Wei. I had two lettuce wraps and half a entree of sweet and sour chicken with brown rice, and two fortune cookies
Snack: dry cereal
Dinner: chicken cordon bleu and green salad, apple slices, milk
Exercise---
Yup. Went running/speed walking with Kate. It was warm when I went. Maybe around 84 degrees. It is starting to get cooler, though. That makes it easier for me to exercise outside.

Tuesday, October 21st:
Food---
Brunch: the one and only cheerios
Dinner: bean and bacon soup, tuna sandwhich, small side salad
Snacks: dry cereal, string cheese
Exercise---
Yes. I went for a long walk/run with Kate. We went around Lake Pflugerville
Goal Update---
I bought a new exercise ball today. It came with a couple of other things that I am anxious to use; two two pound balls, a smaller exercise ball, resistance bands, and dvds. I am excited!

Wednesday, October 22nd:
Food---
Breakfast: banana
Lunch: Peanut Butter and honey sandwhich
Dinner: homemade hamburger with fresh fixins, frog-eye-salad, baked beans, celery and carrots with dip
Exercise---
Not today. My inlaws got here today, I got the house ready for them to come.

Thursday, Oct. 23rd:
I hate blogging about this every day. Maybe I should just do a weekly review. Eh?
Food---
Breakfast: cereal and half of a banana
Lunch: chicken burrito and cinnamon rice twists
Dinner: Mel's Tex-Mex over rice, broccoli, frog-eye-salad, milk
Snack: frog-eye-salad (I made a lot and need to eat it)
Exercise---
We went shopping to day and walked around the outlets for a good two hours. Better than sitting on your butt and I am counting it because my feet are sore.

Friday, Oct. 24th--Happy B-day Russ!
Food---
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: left-overs from last night's dinner
Dinner: RUDY'S BBQ, so good! Everything I ate is probably not too bad for you, except for the creamed corn and some chocolate pudding. But, I had to treat myself. I have been so good while family is visiting right now. They are going out for ice cream and drinks, and I have been faithful. It has been hard, so I let myself have a little bit of a reward. I didn't over-indulged, however. That's the key.

Exercise---
Yup, and today's was very different and fun. We went rowing on Town Lake for a couple of hours. I'll tell you, my arms are going to be very sore tomorrow! It was a beautiful day, however. In the mid 80's and clear skies.

Saturday, October 25th:
Food---
Breakfast: dry cereal and water on my way down to San Antonio
Lunch: PB and honey sandwhich, fruit snacks, celery and carrots, 100 cal. pack
Snacks: pretzels, and fruit snacks, dried asian pears
Dinner: Cheesecake Factory. One avacado wrap (they are small), one thai wrap, soup and 1/2 sandwhich. And, three bits of the best cheesecake ever!!!!!

Exercise---
Nothing official, however---I chased little kids around, literally, all day. Great workout. I am exhausted.

Week One Review

Did I meet my goals?
1. Get to bed at a decent time. Yes, I did this. All except last night (Friday night) when I went to bed at 11:30. I have to admit it was nice to get to bed a a good time, I'll try to keep this one up.
2. Exercise 4 times this week. Nope, I didn't. And, I feel really guilty about it but I am not going to let it get me down. I'm just going to set this goal again for next week and press forward. I can do it.
3. Try a new recipe. Yup! And it was good. Healthy Baked Beans, yum.

How do I feel about things?
Well, it's honestly not been the easiest week. Especially with not feeling well, but I do feel like I have intentionally tried to make some positive changes and I don't feel discouraged about things. I want this change in my life and I look forward with going forward! I feel really blessed to have received the support I have, because without it I KNOW I wouldn't want to do this. Thank you everyone, really. Thank you.

Energy Level?
Still about the same. But, getting to bed a decent time did help.

Weight loss?
Hum, well I know this isn't all about "losing pounds" but yes, I lost almost 2 pounds. Go me!

And here we go! Week One!

Weekly Goals:
1. Get to bed at a decent time(For me that means before 11:oo)
2. Exercise 4 times this week
3. Try one new recipe

Saturday, October 11th:
Well, mother-nature threw me a wicked curve ball today, of course. Aunt Flow came to visit with all her baggage, and then some. Let's just say I have been lying on the couch all day pumping myself with 800 mg. of IBProf. and Mydol, wishing I had some leftover Oxycodone (sp?). Too much info? Sorry. Point--no workout. I've done okay with food, however. Except, I drank a Coke. Totally for medicinal purposes though. Promise. I feel guilty with every sip, but felt better afterwards.
Food---
Breakfast: Dry cereal (Quaker Oatmeal Squares), and water
Lunch: Chicken (from Costco, yum!), two rolls, Apple Wedge Crisps (new find, and so good)
Dinner: Coke, dry cereal again (Alphabits)
Snacks: 3 Tootsie Rolls, 100 Cal pack of Chips Ahoy
***See, not a healthy day. Trust me, I don't feel so good about my first day, but I really couldn't help it today. At least I didn't binge or anything. Just had to eat dry carbs all day to settle my stomach. I did drink more water than I usually would have, though. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.
Workout---
None. (Except getting up and down from the couch. Does that count?)
Last Night's Bedtime---
Um, about 1:30 am. Good thing I started my goals today, not last night, eh? (Movie night with my honey!)

Sunday, October 12th:
Today I am still feeling quite sick. I'm calling the doctor tomorrow.
Food---
Breakfast: none
Lunch: two rolls
Snack: dry cereal, again
Dinner: homemade hamburger, Thanks Dan! (However, it didn't stay down too long.)
Lots of water, and some apple juice.
Exercise---
None. Thankfully, a day of rest.
Yesterday's Bedtime---
Proud to say, 10:30.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 13th
Food---
Breakfast: 2 banana breakfast muffins and milk
Lunch: scrambled eggs
Dinner: BBQ chicken salad
Snacks: string cheese, dried apples, dry cereal
Exercise---
Just my normal walking. I was going to go running, but still am not feeling quite up to par. I go to the doctor on Wednesday. I'm beginning to realize this is more than just my period.
Yesterday's bedtime---
9:30! Can you believe it? I took some drugs and was out! Kate even slept in 'til 8:00! It was GREAT!

TUESDAY , October 14th:
Food---
Breakfast: 2 muffins and a glass of milk
Lunch: cheese and apple
Dinner: spaghetti, pears, garlic bread and corn (not the healthiest meal, pretty starchy, but I already had the things to make it and didn't want to waste it--besides, it tasted good!)
Snack: 100 cal. oreo pack
***I feel pretty good about my good today anyway. I have been keeping my portions down on the things I shouldn't be eating a lot of, and trying to eat more of the things that I usually wouldn't.
Exercise---
YES! I went jogging tonight. It was SO hard! I really am still not feeling well, but I wanted to meet my goals for this week so I went. I had to wait until our rain storm passed (it was huge!) and when I went out, it was SOOOOO humid. I had a really hard time running, but I did it. It got dark by the time I was done and I got a little scared as I saw little creatures starting to emerge. I almost stepped on a bullfrog the size of a softball. But, I did it. Sit ups and such too.
Yesterday's Bedtime---
9:30, again. Still not feeling so hot. But, I go to the dr in the morning.


October 15th, Wednesday
Food---
Breakfast: 2 muffins, again
Lunch: tortilla, cheese, black beans, corn and salsa
Dinner: two chicken tacos, small piece of chocolate pie (It was our friend's birthday, we went out to dinner and then had pie at his house afterwards. I took the smallest piece I could, really.)
Exercise---
Nope. Sadly, I don't think I will make my goal for the week. I went to the doctor today and it looks like I have ovarian cysts again. Painful. I shouldn't be exercising until I get them taken care of.
Yesterday's Bedtime---
10:30

Thursday, October 16th:
Food---
Breakfast: cold cereal
Lunch: lean pocket
Dinner: corn tamale crock-pot casserole with rice, pears, milk
Snack: bowl of cold cereal, dried apples
Exercise---
Went for a walk with Dan and Kate. It was in the high 70's here and felt so nice and cool! It was great.
Yesterday's Bedtime---
11:00.
***Today was a hard day. I went to the doctor to get an ultrasound and they couldn't diagnose what I had. They said is was not cysts, but that they didn't know what was going on. More tests-----and now it makes me feel even worse about things because I don't feel like I have gotten off to a good start for this whole thing. I'm frustrated.

Friday, October 17th:
Food---
Breakfast: quaker oatmeal squares
Snack: welch's fruit snacks, string cheese
Lunch: leftovers from last night
Snack: Dried apples, pretzels
Dinner: Elder's Quorum Party. We had brisquet, chicken, potato salad and beans. I even passed up dessert WHICH WAS SUPER HARD FOR ME----it was TEXAS SHEET CAKE! My favorite! I am so proud of myself. I was just going to have a bit of Dan's, but I knew that I would just want more so I just said no. I also tried my new recipe for the week. I made a batch of baked beans, that are actually pretty good for you and they were yummy. I have been reading up on beans lately and they have a lot of good benefits. I have been striving to eat more of them.
Exercise:
Um, not really. I feel really guilty about this, but I am going to sit down and plan out an exercise rountine. I don't know what is wrong with me (physically) but screw the doctors and how crappy I am feeling. I am not in "pain" anymore so I will continue on with this escapade. Thanks for all the feedback and help. I would have given before I had even started if it wasn't for y'all.
Yesterday's Bedtime:
10:30. Man, I am good.
I will do a weekly review tomorrow.

Sending Out An SOS

• Hey everyone, I need your help. Ever since I got pregnant and had Kate I have had trouble losing weight. I am not happy with myself and my pride keeps getting in the way of actually doing something about it. I know that I will never stick with anything unless I have some kind of accountability. SO----I've invented this blog in hopes that you will tune in OFTEN to keep tabs on me. Please! I need your help and advice. I've listed my goals on the side, however, I haven't set up a "diet plan" or "exercise routine" quite yet. I would like your advice on what you think would be good before I do so.
• I will report daily on my progress (more for me, than for you) and will also do a weekly, more detailed report with weight loss and such.
• This may seem really weird for some of you, but I really do need help and cheers to aid me along. Otherwise, I will just do it for a week and then pig-out on chocolate! Any advice, websites, or recipes or whatever would be great! Thanks everyone, I really appreciate you!

****Friday update! Thanks for all the comments, you have NO IDEA how much it means to me to have your support. So, this is what I have decided thus far, thanks to y'all: I plan on doing a weekly blog, and will update it daily with what I have done and eaten that day. My friend Jill gave me a great idea of setting weekly goals in order to achieve my larger goals. I can't put a timeline on my "big goals", so it will be good to have weekly goals to strive for. Oh, and by the way....if anyone wants to join in on the fun.....please do!