It Pays to Follow the 'Rules' When Playing the "Lose Weight" game

Oh my goodness! Who would have thought that following a few simple rules for eating could speed my weight loss progress! Thank you Bob Greene from "My Best Life Ever"!


Here are the rules for losing weight that he suggests we abide by.  I dropped another pound in two days following these rules. (Total weight loss of 13.5 since Sept. 5).

•  Rule 1: Don't eat after 7:30pm.
•  Rule 2: Exercise 30 min. a day. 
•  Rule 3: Drink lots of water. 
•  Rule 4: Switch to Low-fat Dairy, 
•  Rule 5: No EMOTIONAL EATING. 
•  Rule 6: Ask Am I REALLY HUNGRY? 
•  Rule 7: No Soda,
•  Rule 8: No Alcohol. 
•  Rule 9: No fried foods. 
•  Rule 10. No trans fats. 

And I thought I was 'stuck'. These rules are great!  Visit him at The Best Life Blog.

What I love best is that he addresses the heart of why we are overweight--over eating and emotional eating and challenges us to really focus on this. Why do we eat more than we should? My solution is simple...take all of that stress, discouragement, or even the desire to 'reward' myself with food..to the Lord. Eating is a bad way to comfort myself! What do you think?


xo
Donna

Fasting for a Re-boot to Clean Eating

Hey friends, Long time no chat! I've been busy teaching school and getting our bathroom re-done, plus tons of paperwork, but I wanted to send out a quick update.

I am coming off of a 'controlled' fast..basically it's a 'colon cleanse'. I have to say I feel like a million dollars--lots of energy and the whole family says that even my skin looks better. I lost a few pounds but that is probably mostly water.

Still, the best part is it has gotten rid of a lot of cravings and given me the self-discipline to start eating well again.   Funny how junk food makes you crave...junk food! Have you noticed?

Chicken and barley stew

 Chicken and barley stew - from clean eating magazine site

INGREDIENTS:

• 32 oz low-fat, low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp garlic sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp thyme
• 1/2 tbsp basil
• 1/2 tbsp cilantro
• 1/4 tbsp dill
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tbsp fresh ground black pepper
• 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast, cubed (uncooked)
• 1/2 cup uncooked black-eyed peas, rinsed and picked through
• 1/2 cup barley
• 1 medium sweet onion, cubed
• 20 oz potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 10 oz carrots (3 large), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
• 8 tbsp low-fat sour cream (optional)

Is it true that French women don't get fat?

I'm sure you are wondering, why in the world I would bring up this topic. Is it true? I don't know that for certain, but I've always thought so. No doubt I'm not the only one who has had this impression.


One of the few French women I've ever gotten to know on a very 'small' scale, Diamond Berger, was a quilter from France. I met her at a talk at the Houston Quilt guild on French quilting or 'boutis'. She certainly was NOT fat. Neither were any of the young women with her who showed off their pieces of fabric art. She was in her 50's and looked lovely...just as lovely as her younger students.


Funny how a post is born.

More than just a pace

For the past few days I've been getting in touch with fellow runners trying to find a way to improve my performance with the stroller. I've searched endlessly for some magic stride, tip..anything to help me. And then it dawned on me..it doesn't matter. Okay, it matters a little but not in the way I first thought.

I'd like to say that come my first 5K I'll run my goal of a 10 minute mile pushing my son who's 35lbs. Yeah, in a perfect world and with endless hours of training I could likely pull it off. I've realized over the last few days that although I'm still striving for my goal, I've already accomplished something much more valuable.  You see, every morning the littlest love of my life bounces out of bed ready to get himself dressed and strap into the stroller. Not because we're going someplace great but because he loves to sit in the stroller with his juice and a snack as he cheers me on to run faster and go farther. He absolutely loves to run with me!
photo credit

Flip the switch and forget the wall

If you've ever truly pushed yourself to your limits then you know what "the wall" is. It's that point in your workout where your body is just shy of giving in..your muscles get tired, your breathing becomes out of rhythm and you start to talk yourself into giving up..yes, that is "the wall". If you push just a little further past that point then you've flipped the switch (as I like to call it). Suddenly you've forgotten the pain you were in, your whole body becomes warm and you have now become a machine on a mission. Your feet are in step with your breathing and even the music in your ears has become background noise that you're out running. All you see is the finish line and before you know it you've overcome every obstacle you thought you had and are victorious!

Today was one of those nights for me. I was not a mom and wife running to erase a long day, I was a machine striving to become more refined in my skill. I was a runner. I'll be sore in morning and at the moment I smell ripe with sweat but it was worth it..I flipped the switch and ran through "the wall".

Six pounds lost from my Juicing Fast...and Feeling Great!

Hey friends.  I'm working on my Tuesday Tea post for Comin' Home on Setting Boundaries but wanted to share a quick update on my juice fast. I've got great news! I've lost six pounds in the last week and a half and most of it was due to juicing. Finally...some progress!

I feel so energetic too..not like the first few days. LoL! The decaffeinating process is not fun.  The first few days were (especially the first two) were pretty bad. I started on a Friday thank goodness! That gave me time to lay on the couch ad 'detox'. If you aren't addicted to caffeine it won't be so bad.

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead!

Bet that scared you..Huh?  Tee-hee!   Don't worry, I don't feel THAT desperate...but maybe getting closer... Desperate enough to drink THIS....  Actually, it tastes better than it looks. :o)

I know it's been a little while since I posted but I've been on bloggy vacation and am surrounded at this very moment by tax papers. Sigh.. Not the most fun..but it sure will be great when I'm done! :o) I didn't do very well on my eating over the last week or so. It sure doesn't pay to not pay attention! I'm vacillating back and forth in a three pound range.

Time to give in..just a little Update!

I've had to give up running for the last week. I didn't think it would be this hard but the truth is, I miss it. I miss the peace, the space..the time dedicated to just me. I feel like I've been robbed of that. I had to give up running,walking, and exercise in general thanks to some very sore ankles. So here it is a week later and last night I geared up and tried to run. A five minute walk,a little sore. A 90 second run,not bad but tender. A three minute walk, went well...then came the three minute run..Nope! Here comes the pain..my heart sank. It was time to give in and accept the fact it was time to see the doctor and hope for the blessing to continue with my training..continue working out in general.

Long time....no talk!!!

I went back and checked the last time I posted anything here at "Gettin' Thin....Together", and would you believe that it's been almost exactly a year....to the day.  

It was June 23, 2010!!! Thank you, Ms. Donna, for starting it back up so that we can all be here to support one another and offer advice and tips.

  I wanted to post this today....because tomorrow....is "THE DAY"!!!  

I know we shouldn't put off until tomorrow what we can do today....but since tomorrow is the 21st....and my birthday falls on the 21st (of January)....I thought it would be quite fitting to let June 21st be when I begin this journey once again. 

As I've shared in the past....I've had a weight problem my entire life.  Even at a "normal" weight....it's still a problem in that it always seemed to consume me....physically, emotionally....and even spiritually.  Since my highest weight, I've lost about 60 lbs....loosing 40 of it last year.  I've gained about 7 lbs of that back and want to get back on track before it gets too out of hand.  So...if y'all get a chance....offer up a little prayer for me in the morning.  Loosing weight is hard....and I don't really want it just for me....I truly want it and everything that I do to be for HIS glory.  

And...the way I sometimes eat....certainly brings no glory to HIM at all!!!

:*(

HOPE each of you has a great week....you're in my prayers, too!!!

Blessings to you.....Deb

Challenging myself to the next step

In order to make the most of my running I need to get in some strength training too. Right now I'm running for half and hour three times a week and it's maintaining my weight but that's not my goal. In order to lose the weight I have to get in at least 5-6 days a week of workouts. So I'm giving myself the challenge of doing strength training through my P90X on the days that I don't run. I tried doing them the same days I ran..nope. Tried doing my 30 Day Shred on my non-run days but all the jumping jacks and such was too much the day after a run. So..this time I'm trying a third option: Mon/Wed/Fri- run  Tues,Thurs./Sat.-strength training Sun: pass out from the weeks' workouts!

It's a lot and I may fail a few times but eventually my body will give in and give me my goal!

From dream to reality

 (I wasn't going to post this til after my 5K but I changed my mind)

This is likely the most emotional post I’ll  ever write. It’s sole purpose is inspiration.

Born at 1 lb. 14 oz. , three and a half months early the doctors didn’t give me much hope of living. I finally came home in an incubator at three months old to my young mother with the mission of helping me thrive. She was given the news that walking wasn’t something I was likely to do. At the time they gave her a diagnosis they thought she could handle but in later years I dug through my records and discovered it wasn’t at all what that told her, it was actually a very mild form of Cerebal Palsy .She did an amazing job with what she had available. 

Fast forward a handful of years and I found myself at the Shriner’s Hospital for Crippled Children in Springfield Mass. These people are truly angels!! And so began twelve years of braces (just like Forest Gump only mine were hard plastic), cast that ran from my hips to the balls of my feet, more braces with metal bars and even a wheelchair. For all intents and purposes my childhood was spent immobile. Sports were not an option; in fact walking took years to get right…yes, 12 yrs to learn how to walk like the rest of you. My childhood was spent longing to play sports just like other kids instead of sitting on the sidelines or spending hours in therapy.

By the time I hit Jr. high School I could walk but I was noticeably uncoordinated when it came to simple things like stairs and I was still banned from gym class. No matter how well I did, I was still labeled “handi-capped” to the world. So when I changed schools and towns for high school I decided to make a complete change. I was going to start school “normal”! I threw out my braces and never said one word to anyone about my inability…in my mind, it didn’t exist!  

For the first time I went to gym class! I was horrible at sports, I was horrible at everything but I gave it all I could. I had never played a single sport in my life and here I was fumbling through soccer, basketball, football and volleyball! My legs hurt, my knees throbbed and my lower back screamed daily but I was determined to be normal. No matter how hard it was I wanted to walk the halls like everyone else, I was going to erase my handi-capped label for good! It wasn’t until my senior year that my knees going numb to the point where I couldn’t stand led me to tell the truth to my gym teacher. He wasn’t sure what to say; after all he’d badgered me all this time about my poor gym performance. From that day on he stopped getting on my case and just smiled at me. 

So here I am at thirty years old and to look at me you’d never know I went through all this. I still have days when my knees go numb and I’ve been known to be less than graceful. I trip over my own feet some days, I’m still horrible at sports and I’ve even been known to fall over standing still..yes, that’s possible. The difference is that because of endless support and sheer determination I’ve gone from fighting to walk to training for a 5K with the goal of one day finishing the Boston Marathon. I run to honor the Shriner’s and their commitment to those just like me!!

So why did I tell you all this? Because I want you to remember that you truly can overcome anything that stands between you and your goal. You’re going to have to dig deep and the pain may even be unbearable some days but push further and don’t give up!

Crank the music and press on!

When I started running last week I instantly enjoyed it but this last run something within me changed. Suddenly everything came together. In the middle of my run it was as if something magical happened, I had been transformed. My breathing was calm, my pace was steady and my body was limber.

The world was gone, it was just me, my music and the rhythm of my feet...there were no toddler needs, no bills, no worldly worries..just peace.

From that moment on I knew this was for me. I have never been a jock, I never understood the jocks until now. Now I understand their addiction now for better, faster, more. I finally found a sport that suites me. The competition is merely between me and the clock. I decide how hard to push, how far to go, not someone who has taken one look at me and has the wrong impression. There's no team drama, just a million fellow addicts to running and earning the props that go with it. 

When I run my life becomes simple..I crank the music and push on through the sweat and the muscle burn. At the end of my half hour run (per my training program) I'm soaked in sweat and I feel amazing! Even if I didn't make the time or mile marker I hoped for my body is telling me I gave all I had..and that's all that matters. Even in my exhausted state I'm so fired up that I often toss in some push-ups and sit-ups just for the pleasure of knowing I can. Yes, I'm addicted!

My Fitness Pal and Other Helpful WeightLoss Tools

 

Twenty Two years ago..after a year long weight loss journey of 66 pounds.

Well ladies...How's it going? I had one of those busy weeks where you have company and can't pay as close of attention to the eating as you would like. It was non-stop! Dropping people off at the airport..kids coming and going..Mom visiting for several days..and now today I'm picking up two family members-one from the airport and another from friends about 30 minutes away.

I went to write in my food journal and it was dated EXACTLY one week ago. Wow--a whole week and I hardly noticed.  I kept trying to keep track of my calories and food 'in my head'. Result? Gained a pound. Sigh.. But I suppose it could have been worse. :o)

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Weight Loss Tools

I really love this website, My Fitness Pal, because it has so many helpful tools, one of which is this weight tracker which I plan to put on the sidebar. If you would like to add yours, just set it up, get the code, and email it to me and I'll copy and paste it in. It will keep track automatically, if you are signed up with them.

Mom and I were having a chat this week about the time I lost 57 pounds and kept it off for many years..through three pregnancies. I weighed exactly what I weigh now. How did I lose all that weight?

 

Before my diet 22 years ago.  (Took eight months to lose the weight.)

It was simple..I counted calories...and I wrote down and added in all my 'mistakes'. Seeing it on paper made me careful..every day. I usually ate between 1200 and 1500 calories. I didn't eat healthy food either. I didn't want to have to 'cook twice' so I just ate less of what the family ate.  Eventually, I learned to just stay hungry and I'd stay thin.

Not very exciting, I know..but it did work.  The accountability worked wonders. I also had devotions every day and wrote down what the Lord was showing me on the other side of the notebook. The Lord taught me so much about discipline through that weightloss journey.

 

Now, here I am again...twenty two  years later. It hit me just how 'fail safe' this process was. I still have the chart of my weight loss in my scrapbook. I decided to scan it in and share it with you. You can see that I had plenty of ups and downs over the eight months of my diet.


Mom emailed me this article and it's very   The Truth About Calories. It's something I plan to keep in mind while I track my calories this time around. Guess it's time to make a new chart!  How are you all doing? I hope very much that you didn't gain like me..but the important thing is to keep working at it and keep praying.

  Donna from Comin' Home

June Healthy Eating Challenge at Josie's Finding It

Just wanted to post a cheery update! Thanks everyone for the great posts this last week and the encouraging comments. I do hope we can all keep up a little better this time. It certainly helps to have buddies when you are trying to lose weight.


Your ideas have been so great!  Thanks Jaime, Bee, and Deb for weighing in..and thanks so much Keelie and Josie for dropping by.  Your ideas and example have been a great encouragement to all of us.


One especially helpful thing I learned about was Josie at Finding It's Healthy Eating Challenge for June. Keelie posted all about it on her weightloss blog REAL FAT.  I decided to join in by keeping a food diary and it sure seems to be helping.

At first, it seemed that nothing I did was helping as I mentioned last week, but it did work! I've lost 2 pounds this week and lost 2 pounds in the two weeks prior to that. I got off to such a slow start that I almost lost hope. I don't feel 'on top' of this...or on a roll or anything...

BUT--somehow..the myriad of choices to eat something good versus junky...the choices to not eat when I'm not really that hungry...or to pass up a dessert...all those many many choices of whether to take that next bite or not, seem to have added up.

So I am feeling  very encouraged.  I'm literally living from bite to bite. Each time choosing whether or not to eat well..or give in to temptation. If I blow it though, I don't fret. I just get up and face the next bite..with more prayer...and more conscious attention to what is going in my mouth.

Recent successes...driving home at 8:00pm after buying groceries, I put a bag of chips in the front seat to eat on the way home because I was hungry. I started to get in the car...looked at the bag of chips..and thought, "No way.!"  I dug around in the back, pulled out the cherries and replaced the chip bag with them....and smiled! Thank you Lord!

 Oops!!

I had a brownie with whipped cream last night with our visitors while playing Canasta with the kids...but ONLY one!  I also left half my cream of broccoli soup in the bowl because I was full. I even went to bed hungry. My daughter was so proud of me and mentioned it the next morning.

So even though I've eaten some things that weren't healthy...and yes I had some chips this week...I didn't let my 'oops!' derail me. And this morning, the weight loss totally surprised me. The scales haven't moved all week.  I love fast results..but I'm happy to get slow ones. At least it's progress!

 Trudy....46..pregnant with No. 6..and hooping! You Go Girl!

Today I'm working on making hula hoops just as my friend, Trudy from Sewing with Trudy, instructed me. What a woman! She so inspires me!! This summer..the heat is NOT going to keep me from exercising!

Jaime, you are such an inspiration to get moving and get serious about losing weight. Thanks! And Bee..thanks for being real and sharing your ups and downs. Together..I'm sure we can do this!  And Deb is such an inspiration too!
                                               Healthy Eating Tracker from the US Food Pyramid Site

Food Tracker from First Place 4 Health

(Suggested by Keelie)

Prayerfully..we will all get thin...together! :o)

How's your week going?

xo

Donna @ Comin' Home

Give yourself a greater cause

When it comes to weight loss there isn't much worse then being stuck in a rut. You wake up every day knowing that you have a diet to stick to and an exercise routine to adhere to. All your days start to feel like the movie Groundhog Day, the same thing every day. Well if your brain is bored, imagine how your body feels! There's no doubt it's time for a change and if you aren't careful you'll talk yourself right out of success. You start thinking "nothing's changing so why bother, I just can't do it." And that dear friend is where you are wrong! You can do it! You just need to spice things up, put the fun back into it all.

It's easy to let yourself down, so the trick is to find a cause greater than yourself to work towards. While you're on your weight loss journey why not do some good! My advice, find a local walk/run event and train. Why? Well even if you can't run the 3.1 miles in a 5K that doesn't mean you can't walk it. You'll likely meet some great people and do something good for others, a perfect combination for motivation! Now you can get up every morning with a date on your calendar marked and a cause to work towards. Your workouts aren't just for you anymore, someone else is counting on you to get off your butt! Add some new tunes to your workout and you're halfway there!

I've recently found myself in this very same rut. Then I had an "ah ha" moment! Why not pick a cause dear to my heart and use it to re-inspire my workout? So off I went to find a cause. I've always wanted to do the 3 Day Walk for the Cure for breast cancer but knew I wasn't there just yet. So I found a 5K for the same cause..perfect! So the date was set, Sept. 17th! Having no ideal how to train I went hunting and found support groups and training podcast to help me. So last night I got my ipod ready and marked the calendar! I was asked by a friend what motivated me. My answer "Honestly there wasn't a reason not to do it. I'm already working towards being healthier so why not train with a cause greater than myself in mind? Surely running in this event is more fun then running on a treadmill like a hamster." I find myself thinking how great it'll be to run in the 5K with my husband and son cheering me on, knowing I worked hard for this moment and because of it, there just might be a cure someday. How could I not be inspired by that every morning!?

It's been awhile....

A special thank you this morning to Ms. Donna for putting things back into perspective on our weight loss journey. With summer coming up, it's the perfect time and the worst time to lose weight. It's finally nice enough (if you ignore the heatwave we've been having) to get outside and do yard work, take walks, swim, lots and lots of opportunities to get exercise. On the flip side, with the busy summer schedule we tend to have a lot of "grab as you go" meals that are not necessarily conducive to weight loss.

In my Woman's World this week (June 6 Issue) there is a great article on Wash Away Fat. I have a hard time drinking one 8 oz glass of water a day, much less 8 of them. A new study at Vanderbilt shows that if you drink 4.5 oz of water 20 minutes before meals, it will shrink your appetite, which will aid in weight loss. I'm going to try this and see. That is just a juice glass full of water. Not as intimidating as a full glass.

They also talk about a tea that has 12 times more age-fighting antioxidants than orange juice. If you like tea, they suggest you try Celestial Seasonings Perfectly Pear White Tea.

I have also found that one of my weaknesses is second helpings or a snack after supper (a few cookies, a Little Debbie cake.). I'm starting a new policy. Once I sit down to eat, if I get out of my chair, that's it. I'm done. No seconds; no snacks. It's not because I'm still hungry. It's habit.

I'll keep you posted on how these two things go.

Unslumping One's Self...

As Dr. Seuss puts it so very well, "Unslumping One's self is not easily done."  

Of all the books that describe life's ups and downs best, "Oh the Places You'll Go" has got to be the best! ($1.33 used at Amazon.) Tim and I used to sit and ponder and even feel hopeful after reading this book, when we were in one of those 'terrible' times in our lives as a young couple. Those times when everything seems to go wrong. :o) (Like cancer, only car broken down, job going down the tubes) You don't feel so alone when you realize everyone has ups and downs.

For me, this last week has been a process of 'Unslumping' myself from my weightloss journey. Are you in a slump? Then you know just how I feel! It's nice to have company. LoL!

Really, the only solution I know that I haven't tried yet..is to just keep going through the motions even when I'm NOT inspired. It's how you get through life..and that interminable 'To Do List' so why wouldn't it work for weightloss?  

Really, it's just simple faith and obedience. Doing what you know is right..regardless of the results. (Thanks Elisabeth Elliott!) 

What are those 'things' that we have to keep doing regardless of the results?

It's pursuing whatever weightloss methods you feel you should pursue--especially things that have worked in the past i.e....

• waiting on hunger, stopping when full
• food journals or diaries
• counting calories
• exercise--especially fun kinds like walking, hooping, swimming, square dancing or aerobics..
• avoiding junkfood, eating healthy
• bible study (great spiritual food!!)
• Prayer (we need all the help we can get!)
• weighing in daily, weekly..etc.
• posting on this or some other weightloss website..like spark people (accountability!)
• drinking more water
• gyms
• smaller plates..smaller portions
• healthier recipes

I don't know about you, but I don't think HOW to lose weight  is our problem. I think it's the DOING part that escapes us! :o)

I think that at least for my part, when I don't see quick results...or any results..or I get busy and can't focus on what's going in my mouth, I get discouraged or distracted and stop.  If I fail, even for one day....it makes me feel hopeless.

One thing I've learned from Keelie of Real Fat...is that you just have to keep going. If you look at her sidebar, you see her weight posting. One month..losing 2.5 pounds...another gaining .5...That's monthly progress, mind you,  not daily or even weekly. That's called perseverance.  

Perseverance and commitment is the heart of the problem. We have to quit quitting. Period. So what if you don't see much result? 

I'm convinced that if we keep doing the right things long enough..we'll see permanent weightloss. 

So even though I'm not in the mood...I'm gonna do all the 'right things' anyway.   I kept a food journal this week..though I must admit I didn't always take the time to write things down until noon sometimes!! Or I left off the evening..(subliminal excuse for avoiding the stuff that doesn't look so good on a food journal.)

Three of the days look pretty good..here they are!  Guess what I ate on Thursday...

• 3 cups of popcorn
• a bowl of macaroni and cheese
• three pieces of toast
• 2 tacos
• and finally 6 strawberries

Gee..wonder why I didn't want to write in my food journal on Thursday??Take a BIG guess....

But am I going to give up..NO way!! I got out my Thin Within devotional this morning...wrote down my food for today...watermelon, milk w/ coffee, 2 eggs....weighed myself (groan!) and I'm going to just DO IT! 

I may not feel like dieting..but I can write down what I eat, weigh, read my bible and pray, exercise..etc. I can do SOMETHING. 

  So what if I'm in  a slump...and don't feel motivated. Like Keelie..I'm just going to keep going anyway.   What have we got to lose?...maybe a few pounds!! :o)

I have this feeling that if I just keep moving in the right direction..at some point along the way..I'll get out of the slump.  It works for housework and life in general, and I have a feeling it will work for weightloss too.

Let's just all make a pact that we will not give up..no matter what! What do you think?

BTW, I'm linking to Deb's Fantastic Friday linky party! It's a lot of fun. Do drop by!

xo
Donna

What did you eat for Memorial Day?

 

Aren't special occasions so tough?!!  I got my plate out determined not to 'crater' at the picnic. Of course, I brought my family's favorite potato salad...not at all healthy but a favorite of some of my friends' too. 

Since I made it, I felt obligated to eat some of it. How silly is that? But it was a VERY small dollup...teeny-weeny!   I must say, in my defense, that I have made many a cake for baby showers and wedding showers and had nary a bite..not even of the icing! So I'm not that hopeless of a case LoL!

Let's see...I skipped the hot dog..those things are just nothing but chemicals...but I did have a scoop of someone's homemade chili with beans. This was very good! And I had watermelon..always a safe choice. And I scooped up a big helping of coleslaw. Before you croak..just know that it was FANTASTIC! It had a basalmic vinagrette dressing and olives in it for some extra 'pizzazz'.    (I tried a piece of sausage but it was too spicy--so I skipped it thank goodness!)  That was it! Another picnic safely navigated. :o)

  I didn't have the desserts at all because I'd rather talk than eat..thank goodness!  I kept seeing it go by on people's plates and forgetting to go get some. (Thanks for the distraction Lord!)

But when we got home..late at night..sigh..I had a leftover hamburger patty..but I did eat it on a tortilla rather than on a bun. I was so hungry!  Thank goodness the fridge was stocked with sliced cantaloupe which was a great snack for our movie night. 

What are your strategies for avoiding excess calories on the holidays?  I do know that I went armed with a 'mindset' of not feeling obligated to 'eat' just because it was there. (all except for that potato salad--yipes!!) 

Happy Picnic-ing!

xo

Donna

Zesty Chicken and Rice

 

Every week I troll the internet for food that's not only healthy but that I'd actually want to eat. I found one tonight and thought I'd share, one less recipe you have to hunt down when you make a healthy menu. If you like this one and want more, look here. For those who don't like spicy food, don't worry..it's not.



Ingredients
2 cups brown rice
4 cups water
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch strips
1 can low-sodium diced tomatoes
1 cup low-sodium chili sauce
1 -1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1-1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/4 cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1 tsp. dried)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley ( or 1 tsp. dried)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions

Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add rice and stir until it starts to crackle (about 2 minutes). Add water and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Cover pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to cook for about 30 minutes, until rice is soft. In a deep skillet, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil and preheat over high heat. Cook chicken in skillet until no longer pink (about 4 minutes). Reduce heat and add all other ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for 10 minutes. Serve over the cooked brown rice. Makes 4 servings.

Nutritional Information
Zesty Chicken & Brown Rice

Servings Per Recipe: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 310
Total Fat: 6g
Cholesterol: mg
Sodium: mg
Total Carbs: 43g
Dietary Fiber: g
Protein: 31g

If you're looking for inspiration...

Tomorrow a new show starts that just may be the inspiration you need. "Extreme Makeover Weight Loss" showcases one person per episode and shows and entire years worth of their struggle. No " thin in 30 seconds" here! You'll watch these people struggle with the same things you do, maybe more and see how they dug deep within themselves and stopped making excuses. Yes, they get a trainer and someone their to hold them accountable but that doesn't mean they have an advantage over you at all. Why? Well all that fancy stuff that they have doesn't mean anything, at the end of the day it's all about the person putting in the work! If you're looking for support and advice, you're already in the right place..that's why we're here. If our little blog doesn't do it for you, find something that does..that's the beauty of the internet. You're never alone!

Personally, I'll be watching this show and keeping it in the back of my mind as I strive for my goal. If at 500 lbs the lady on the first episode can get off her rear and into action..so can I! Remember, no matter what obstacles you think you have in your way..the only real one is YOU! (Get out of your own way already!)

Livin la vida low carb!

Okay readers, it's been a full week now off carbs..well down to one serving a day. Let me first start by re-stating how much I was so hopelessly and madly in love carbs of all kinds. I honestly didn't think I'd make it through the first night..I actually caught myself dreaming of Wheat thins! Yeah, it was that bad! Literally just about every thought I had involved a carb..that was a serious wake-up call.

So let's fast forward to today. I've been noticing that I don't get the afternoon sleepiness, I sleep better at night and my sweet tooth isn't near what it used to be. Oh, and I lost two inches all around in a week! Low carb dieting isn't the answer to everything but it's clearly made enough of a difference to warrant a lifestyle change.

A great example was my shopping trip today. I walked past isles and isles of sweets and honestly all I saw was sugar, chemicals and high processed muck in pretty package with tricky labels. My eyes saw the yummy foods but my brain realized what it really was..nasty! That 3 second rush of "yum!" is so not worth diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol (and a million other health risks) not to mention  crazy mood swings, low self-esteem and looking at cute clothes wishing they came in the size I could be if I'd just get my butt in gear! Nope. Not a sweet in the world worth all that! Don't get me wrong, I'm not swearing off chocolate (let's be serious here!) but I am going to think before I eat. (The back of the package stays a serving is one piece, not one bar..and no, you can't eat two pieces and then promise yourself you won't have any tomorrow...show some control.)

Trying Again... With Thin Within

Soooo...guess what? Yep, you guessed it... I gained my weight back....after a year of traveling and managing my father's estate. I'd rather say so here than anywhere else! Who else would understand? 

But the great thing is that I'm still counting my blessings and I've learned to eat WAY healthier than I used to. And I'm exercising using a hula hoop..and doing yardwork. (Talk about exhausting!) And I lost four pounds already since I 'got back on track'. 

I've started losing weight again and this book, Thin Within, has been the biggest help. It's just waiting on hunger and stopping when you are full. Simple? Not really, because obedience is never easy.

The fact is that I know in my heart that overeating which the bible talks about in many places is just another sin. Not 'just'..but IS.  As the Lord has been renewing my mind with his word, I've been much more careful about what goes in my mouth.

It's a little harder this week to eat right..and temptations abound when you are eating out..cooking special meals for family...and not paying attention... but I know the Lord will get me through.

I'm starting my food journal again so I can pay better attention to WHEN I eat and WHAT I eat.

How about you? Are you guys still doing well? I know Deb is for sure. :o) She's a real inspiration.

And my dear friend Jaime of Life and Love in the Country is doing great! She posts recipes and her exercise routine regularly! If you want to get inspired..be sure to check out her weight loss journey. :o)

And so is Kylie of REAL FAT! She's so inspiring that my daughter-in-law is following her weight loss program which is similar in that it is based on devotions and scripture too.

What all are you doing to get thin..or stay thin..?  I'd love to hear what you are up to.

Blessings,
Donna @ Comin' Home