CrAzY Working Mom: diet

Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

One Week In - My Adventures With Fitbit

Watching the sunrise on a morning walk. Breathtaking!

I posted last week about being discontent in my own skin. I decided to make some changes. One of the major changes included a minor purchase. I began with a Fitbit Charge HR. If you are unfamiliar with the Fitbit and it's benefits, I'll give you a quick run down. This is how Fitbit is described via their website: "When it comes to reaching your fitness goals, steps are just the beginning. Fitbit tracks every part of your day—including activity, exercise, food, weight and sleep—to help you find your fit, stay motivated, and see how small steps make a big impact. Track activity, exercise, food, weight, sleep and more, for real-time information about your day and night. Sync stats wirelessly and automatically from your Fitbit device to your phone or computer" Everything is literally at the touch of your fingers. I can track caloric intake (and it keeps up with how many I'm burning according to my heart rate and steps). I can put in how much water I'm drinking. Oh, and my favorite part is that my Fitbit tells me how well I slept each night. I love that part.

Okay, I realize I'm starting to sound like a commercial and that is clearly NOT why I'm writing this post! I have not been paid a single thing by Fitbit or any affiliates. It's just a product that I have purchased and come to love. I like to share the love. <3

So, today marks a week of my new journey. I have been trying to avoid sugars and carbohydrates. I have averaged 11K steps a day which totals out to 5 miles!!! I am stoked about that. I have been motivated to get up early each day (before sunrise) and get at least half of my 10K goal under my belt. I enjoy the quiet time to listen to music and get my Jesus time in. Since I homeschool my kiddos, time to myself is rare. I do enjoy it. In 7 days, I feel better, I am excited to be moving, and I have shed two pounds. I know that's not much, but if I can do two pounds a week for the next 6 months, I'll be a happy camper.

Sunday, January 09, 2011

Week One Wrapped Up

The first full week of Twenty-Eleven has been great for me. I managed to work out 4 days with EA Sports Active 2. I really do love it, but it is surely a work out. I have found that with this program's warm up and cool downs I am much less sore than I was when I worked out with the first EA Sports Active. I enjoy being able to keep up with my heart rate with the heart rate monitor, although with my very last work out it stopped registering. Hopefully it was just a minor glitch and will work fine next time.

Dieting with Weight Watchers new Points Plus has been a bit easier than I thought it would be. Since fruits and (most) veggies are points free now it's harder for me to get all of my points in during the day, especially with my activity points added in. I tried some new recipes and some old favorites. Next week will be even more of a fun challenge!

Since Friday is my official weigh-in day, I thought I would go ahead and step on the scales to record any progress I might have had since Monday. Boy was I ever glad I did! They say that the scales don't lie, but I stepped back on and off for a couple more times just to be sure. Low and behold I had shed 5 pounds in (less than) my first week! What an awesome feeling that was to accomplish!!!

Needless to say the first week of my New Year, New Me program has been fabulous.

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

New Year, New Me Day 2

Day two of my healthy new lifestyle started off great. I was pouring my first cup of coffee at 5:30 and found myself singing. YES, I said singing at 5:30 in the morning. I felt great. I was refreshed, and ready to tackle the day, no matter what was thrown at me. Boy, did I ever eat those thoughts!!!

Against my better judgment I gave Emily chocolate milk because she threw such a fit wanting it. Let me reiterate that this was against my better judgment. I knew that she should probably not have milk since she was vomiting and had an upset stomach on Monday but she was kicking and screaming. I will spare you the details but suffice it to say that I should not have given her the chocolate milk. It was with a heavy heart that I stayed home with her again.

With that being said, I managed to get a work out in and had a great work-out partner to boot! Day two of the 9 week challenge on EA Sports Active 2 brought back ~~nightmares~~ memories of the original EA Sports Active Personal Trainer and all of those squats that made me almost unable to walk for days. I must say I could definitely feel the burn after today's work out. I am worried that I will feel it for a few days in fact. OUCH!

I tried a new recipe for dinner tonight and had a very skeptical husband. He was wondering what the "back up" was before he even tried them. We had Gina's Spinach Lasagna Rolls from Gina's Skinny Recipes. Of course mine didn't look nearly as beautiful as hers, and I did deviate a bit from her recipe because I didn't have any sauce on hand, but Emeril Lagasse helped me out with some of his original recipe sauce. For a more enticing photo, check out the link to the recipe above. Mine weren't nearly as pretty, but they did taste awesome!! Although it was a little more prep work than I care to do normally, it wasn't too bad. I've come to the realization that cooking healthy will require more work than the norm, but it is worth it to lose weight and know that I am feeding my children healthy food! The lasagna rolls had a great taste and fit into my points perfectly! I added extra since I deviated to the recipe but still ended dinner with a nice side salad as well as a slice of whole wheat toast sprinkled with olive oil and topped with garlic powder. If you're looking for delicious recipes that fit into your Weight Watcher lifestyle, check out Gina's site. I will be trying out a few more later this week and I will let you know what I think!

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

New Year, New Me Day 1

Yesterday I explained how I am working on a new me this year. I am incorporating a lifestyle change including eating healthier and working out. I have really let myself go over the last few months and it is something I really have to work on! I can and WILL lose weight, get healthier, and feel better! I've done it before and I will do it again.

Yesterday was Day One of my new lifestyle. It was a great day in spite of a killer headache. I'm not sure if it was diet related or if it was the PMS fairy visiting. Either way, I managed to keep it under control most of the day. I had to go grocery shopping and I got all of the ingredients I needed for some new dishes as well as some old family favorites that we ate before when we were doing Weight Watchers. The house is fully stocked with LOTS of fresh fruits and veggies. I did find today that I had way too many points left over at the end of the day. As it turns out, fruits and veggies (for the most part) are all points free now so I was trying to find enough things for dinner to make up all of the points I needed. Tomorrow and going forward, I will adjust my menus to compensate for this.

I started the 9 week challenge on EA Sports Active 2. I am excited about this new program as well. I am really digging the new work out format. I love that there is no nun-chuck cord to get tangled up in. The heart monitor totally rocks! I am looking forward to getting back into a work out regimen but not looking forward to the way I will feel the rest of this week. I remember last time I started the EA Sports Active work out, I was so sore from all of the squats, rows, etc that it hurt every time I moved...even squatting on the toilet! Oy!

I did my measurements this afternoon and took some "before" pictures. I have decided not to post them here today because quite frankly I am just not ready. Maybe in the future when I lose some weight I will be able to post them proudly. But, as of now this is the way I look and I'm just not proud so I am not posting them here.

In the mean time, through hard work and lots of dedication I will be working on those "after" pictures!

Happy New Year!!!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Before She Eats

In my previous post, I touched a little bit on healthy eating. It's a daily struggle for myself and my family to stay on the right track and eat healthy because we live such busy lives. It's difficult to buy healthy foods when you're on the go so much but we try. It's just easier to pack up some fruit snacks in the diaper bag than actual fresh fruit.

Weight loss (or lack thereof) is a constant struggle for me. I yo-yo so much on my weight and I know that is not healthy. But, it seems like I'm either dieting real hard or NONE at all. It's something I need to gain control of. I can sit around and talk about it all day, but actually setting goals and sticking to them is my downfall. I have to take the reins and get back to the healthy lifestyle. Not only can I feel it in the waistline but I also feel it emotionally and physically. Being fatigued is no fun and it makes it even worse when you're eating things that aren't good for your body or your energy level!

I came across this video today and it reminded me so much of myself I wanted to post it here for you to see. Anita Renfroe is so funny and if you haven't heard her comedy, you're in for a real treat when you do! Sit back, relax and have a laugh! Then go grab a carrot stick and a glass of water. ;)

Monday, February 15, 2010

Did you Avoid Chocolate This Weekend?!

It's Monday again. I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day weekend. I know I did. It was tough staying on track for the weight loss plan, but I managed to do so, somewhat. I didn't lose weight last week, but I did maintain my current weight. I can attribute some of this to my wonderful husband for not bringing me home any boxed chocolates or chocolate covered strawberries (my favorite!!!) this year for Valentine's Day. I strayed from the plan a bit this week and didn't keep up with my points as I should so, I wasn't planning on a big loss this week.

I had a lovely Valentine's Day. We went to a beautiful church service where a good friend brought a wonderful message. I was actually moved to tears. He was preaching about love. You must have patience, understanding and compassion in order to have love. He preached on each of these virtues and when he spoke of patience, I felt that I needed to listen. This is something that I've always had a hard time with, especially with my family. I have little patience and it's something I have always needed to work on. I try, I really do but sometimes I just let things build up and I just lose it. I realize that this is something that I need to talk with God about and have him to help me work on this. Thanks to Eric for a wonderful message that I took to heart. I do love my husband and my family, so I have promised myself that I will work on these things in order to improve my relationship with all of them.

After church we had lunch at Fuji's Japanese Steakhouse. It is always fun to eat at a Japanese Steakhouse, but with three kids in tow I had my doubts about the entertainment factor. Thankfully my doubts were unfounded. Emily, my 17 month old daughter got a bit fussy before the show started. Once the chef came out she was in awe and once the fire started she declared that the grill was HOT. Our dining neighbors got a kick out of Emily's play by play of the HOT grill and the look of sheer terror on the face of our four year old son, Tyler. The kids enjoyed themselves and surprisingly I was not stressed out to the max that my children were bothering someone. I was being patient (see above) and everyone was at ease. :)

The kids came home and made cards for my in-laws and then called them to come over. The kids were so proud that they had cards for Memaw and Papaw - the feelings were most definitely mutual! They enjoyed some time with the grand kids and got to take home special arts and crafts afterward.

All in all today was a great day. I had a beautiful day with my family and I couldn't be happier with life right now. I hope that you all had a great day as well.

Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Time to Upgrade: Wii Fit Plus or EAS Active More Workouts

Last week was a good week for me. I stayed on the wagon in spite of being "snowed in" with the kids and hubby for three whole days and my wireless router playing out for a few days. Thankfully we did not have any tempting foods here, like chocolate to torment me. Since the first of the year we've traded in our greasy potato chips for baked ones, our candy bars for fiber and protein bars, our sugary sweet snack cakes for fruit, our white bread for whole wheat bread with extra fiber. Well, you get the point. The whole family is going through a transition. The kids have been a bit reluctant with a few things but for the most part, they seem to be adjusting pretty well and hardly notice the difference between 2% milk or low-fat cheese. This is great for me because it means I don't have to buy separate things or cook different meals. It has been fun experimenting with different low-fat recipes.

This week when I stepped on the scales, I was another 2lbs down! This brings my total to 9lbs lost since January 4th when we began our healthy eating lifestyle. I am super excited about the change that my body is going through. I have moved a notch in my belt (a bit tighter) and I have noticed that m pants hang a bit differently on me as well. THAT is the kind of changes I like to see! Numbers on a scale are good because you can see the progress, but to actually feel the progress, that's bliss!

I am still working out using the EAS Active for Wii but I am seriously considering purchasing a new program. I've looked at several message boards for the EAS Active More Workouts ($39.95) as well as the Wii Fit Plus ($19.99). Both seem like great additions to the original work out routine. As for the originals, I always prefer the EAS Active because it has a structured work out. The only downside to it was that I couldn't weigh myself like I did with the Wii Fit. Apparently that has changed with the extension. With the new Wii Fit Plus, you can do customized workout routines, which the previous game lacked. It also has a calorie counter as does the EAS Active. I think that eventually we will probably end up with both games since the kids really do love to play the original Wii Fit. But, for now I am torn between which one to purchase. So, chime in...what are your thoughts on weight loss? What fitness programs do you currently use?

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Diet Recipes - A Great Source

If you're in the market for some great recipes, I would like to suggest a website: Aimee's Adventures. I am doing Weight Watchers and this website is FULL of awesome recipes that also gives you the points to each recipe. Of course it is always a good idea to re-figure points as you cook because they can vary from recipe to recipe depending on the different ingredients you may use. If you do WW online like I do, you can use the recipe builder (which has been a life saver for me) to help you figure up the points on various recipes.

Aimee also has links to other sites full of recipes as well as dieting tips. Did you know that if you get a sweet tooth at night you can drink a glass of water and brush your teeth to subside it? It's true, the water will make you feel full and the sugar will trick your brain into thinking it's getting something sweet! Not only is this a great way to lose weight, but also keep your teeth nice and bright!

So, hop on over and check out this awesome site. It's a great resource for any diet, no matter what kind of diet you are doing. So, now I've helped you out in the dieting department, but if you need help with allergy bedding you may have to look elsewhere. ;)

Monday, January 18, 2010

Monday Morning Diet Update

This is the beginning of Week 3 on the Weight Watchers program for me! I have been very happy with this diet thus far. I am doing the online version as some of you might remember from a previous post since I cannot attend meetings in my area. It is working out well for me since I have a Blackberry I can look up foods there and use the points calculator when I am shopping to make sure I am buying foods that will fit into my daily points! Since there is only cream for easy stretch mark removal and not for easy fat removal I guess I'll stick it out. I got a three month subscription, so hopefully in this three months time I can get the pounds off and learn a new way of eating.

The great thing about this lifestyle change is that not only am I eating healthier but my family is also. My children are opting for more fruit in place of fruit roll ups or snack cakes! We no longer have a "candy bowl" on the bar with easy access, but it is filled with fruits now including apples, oranges, and bananas! We've changed to low-fat everything and 2% milk. The changes have happened slowly, and we're still adjusting. But, so far it's been easy for everyone! I've gotten some great recipes online and some tried and true recipes from my Facebook friends. If you've got a great WW recipe, please leave it in a comment, or use my e-mail in the sidebar and e-mail it to me! I'd love to try it!

After two full weeks of dieting, and after seeing a small rise in the scale last week, I am happy to report that I am 5 pounds lighter! The EAS Active challenge for the Wii is also going very well. I continue to work out daily. Saturday seems to be my "rest" day for the week. But, every other day I am coming home for lunch and having a healthy lunch which is usually either leftovers or a Weight Watchers, Smart Ones microwave dinner and a salad followed by a great work out!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Weight Watchers - Read the Fine Print!

Yesterday I learned a very important lesson: Always read the fine print. Yes, I am 32 years old. You think I would have learned this the hard way long before now. Here's my story:

Last night I was geared up for my very first local Weight Watchers meeting. The kiddos were spending the evening with hubby and I was going to meet my sister there who is also doing WW. I was excited to be there with her and for her. I joined Weight Watchers online last week due to the fact that the local meeting was canceled due to inclement weather. When I arrived at the meeting my sister informed me that I had to pay the joining fee. I was a bit perplexed by this fact, but thought maybe she had misunderstood them. As it turns out, this ordeal would teach me a very valuable lesson. In the state of Arkansas, and a hand full of other places, the online program and the local meetings are not affiliated. In other words, I have to pay two separate fees to be able to do both. To stay at the meeting I would have to pay another joining fee (which was waived when I joined online, for a limited time) as well as the weekly fee for each meeting. In essence, I'm paying twice. It's a rip off, right?! Sure, it was in the fine print. But, who reads fine print, right? Well, from now on you can bet this CrAzY Working Mom will!!

So, in the mean time I will keep on doing the WW online and get support from my sister who has promised me she would share the info she gets at the meetings. I will also keep on doing the EAS Active 30 day challenge for Wii. It's worked just as well as any treadmills you'll find at those gyms where you've got perfectly sculpted bodies all around ya! ;)

Monday, January 11, 2010

"Weighing In" on Some Things

This post is going to be completely random with no specific target 'cause it's Monday and, well I just don't feel like being composed today! Proceed with caution as you've been warned. ;)

* I have been on Weight Watchers for one week today. I have GAINED 1.5lbs.

* I have been doing the EAS Active for Wii 30 day challenge for one week. I am hoping that this is the reason that I have gained weight. I worked out 6 out of the 7 days last week.

* If you haven't entered to win free pizza, courtesy of Pizza Hut and CrAzY Working Mom, click HERE!

* My Best Friend was diagnosed with diabetes 2 years ago and has started a new blog, please go visit Becca and tell her I sent you. Single White Diabetic.

* I found out last week that I am doing the lay-out for my daughter's class in this year's edition of the year book. At first I was worried 'cause I've never done it before. But, then I realized that I am lucky to be able to do something like this for my daughter and her classmates. But, I might need to go snap some more photos. The good thing is that I can do it all from the comforts of my own home. There is a website that I can upload the pictures to! Another mom has already sent me some great shots. One more has promised some. Now, I'm pretty excited about it.

* Emily is doing a bit better with her RSV. She still has a terrible cough, but probably will have for a while. She and Tyler broke out in some sort of rash over the weekend. Tyler's eyes almost swelled shut and his entire body was covered. We thought we were going to have to take him to the ER but, Benadryl did the trick. This morning the rash was gone. My sister has been fighting a similar rash for two weeks. She's been to two hospitals and the doctor twice. They keep telling her there is nothing they can do for her. Supposedly it's viral. I'm not sure if my children are battling the same thing, but it's a high probability, I'm sure.

* Tyler spent the night with his Grandparents on Friday night. He called me and informed me that he wanted to move in with them and just visit us. This was during the day. Saturday night at bed time, he called and said that he wanted to come home!

* I'm not sure how posting your bra colors, hair style, and shoe size on Facebook has to do with Breast Cancer Awareness, but it sure was fun getting comments from people who were out of the loop!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Weight Loss: The slow, hard truth

Since hubby and I are both living a low carbohydrate lifestyle at the moment, we've been eating a TON of beef jerky. I love to keep it around for a snack when I get the urge. I've always had a sweet tooth and it's hard to satisfy that urge on low carb. I do keep around sugar free jello, but it's just not the same as a big ole hunk of chocolate. My kids like beef jerky as well, but there is a new sort of jerky that they love. Pineapple jerky is available online from jerky.com. Yes, you heard me right, a fruit jerky! I did have a few nibbles last night and it is out of this world. If you like pineapple then you've gotta give this stuff a try. Jerky a great snack for traveling. We had a play date Thursday and I threw in a few pieces of this for an afternoon snack and the kids were thrilled when I pulled it out. It's dried pineapple with all it's glorified sweetness with a touch of honey. It's naturally delicious and simply gratifying.

I've lost nine pounds in the last three weeks. I've also logged a fascinating 10 hours on the Wii Fit. I'm super excited about the progress I'm seeing, all be it slower than I am accustomed to. There's something about having three kids and being in your thirties that slows down the weight loss process. Anyhow I'm trudging on with happiness that I am at least seeing some results. Now, I'm off to find some beef jerky to nibble upon. I think I've flung a craving on myself...and since I can't eat chocolate, the jerky will have to do.

Thursday, January 08, 2009

Thursday Randomness

* I love my best friend! As you're reading this I am spending a couple of days with her on a little mini-girlfriend-getaway. I'll be tagging along with she and her mom. I've been looking forward to it for quite some time now. We'll be going to the Spa City, Hot Springs. We will be bathing in the springs followed by a massage. You just can't beat relaxation like this!

* I bought some bath and body products that I really love last weekend at Branson. Lavender and Vanilla sugar scrub as well as the bubble bath! It's amazing. It's a wonderful aromatherapy sleep aid. The sugar scrub not only exfoliates but it is also a moisturizer. I would highly recommend this product if you haven't tried it.

* I am having some serious issues with my eye lids. They are super dry and itchy. I use baby soap to remove my make up and baby lotion to moisturize. Any tips as to what it might be and why it won't go away?!

* Emily ate her first food Tuesday night. She had squash. She seemed to enjoy it and did really well with the spoon, not gagging at all! My baby girl is growing so fast.

* Speaking of growing fast, she weighed in at a whopping 14.5 pounds Monday at her check up. Her pediatrician said she was "perfect" just like her brother and sister. I really love that guy. He knows how to make a momma proud.

* Thank goodness for empty dream catchers!

* It's a new year, have you resolved anything? Are you taking a Spawn supplement, on a cabbage soup diet, or are you working out and eating healthy? Have you resolved to become closer to being debt free in '09? I'd love to do both. We'll see.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

My Motivation

So this is the motivation that I needed to kick myself into high gear on getting back into shape. There are two piles of pants here. One pile is two sizes too small on me (the larger pile) and one pile is one size too small for me. I want to get back into these pants, one pile at a time. Emily is 10.5 weeks old now. Honestly I have not stepped on a scale since her birth with the exception of the doctor's scale when I went in for a check up. I couldn't tell you what my weight is, but I do know this. The number matters not to me. It's the fact that I'm uncomfortable in my own skin. I feel self conscious when I put on a pair of tight fitting, low rise jeans. I want to feel good about myself again. I loved my body when I was working out three times a week. and that wasn't very long ago. I am certain that I can regain this self confidence although I know it will take lots of hard work on my part. It's work that I am willing to do without even the best diet pills. It'll take help, though. I am going to have to talk to my MIL to see if she can keep Emily for an hour a day while the older kids are at school so that I can go back to my work out regimen. Hopefully my sister is going to be able to join with me and we'll work out together. Either way, I am going to change.

Sunday, September 14, 2008

My New Diet

This is a specially formulated diet designed to help women cope with the Stress that builds during the day and since my days are filled with stress and my nights are sleepless, I thought it'd be worth a try. If anyone else wants to join me, let me know! *wink* I think I'll give it a try until I can find some new diet pills that will make the fat just melt away.

Breakfast:
1 grapefruit
1 slice whole wheat toast
1 cup skim milk

Lunch:
1 small portion lean, steamed chicken
1 cup spinach
1 cup herbal tea
1 Hershey's kiss

Afternoon Snack:
The rest of the Hershey kisses in the bag
1 tub of Hagen-Daaz ice cream with chocolate chips

Dinner:
4 glasses of wine (red or white)
2 loaves garlic bread
1 family size supreme pizza
3 Snickers Bars

Late Night Snack:
1 whole Sarah Lee cheesecake (eaten directly from the freezer)

Monday, October 22, 2007

Diet Pills

I know, I've seen the commercials too. They all CLAIM that they are the best pills on the market and you can take them without side effects and you'll be completely satisfied with the results. You know which ones I'm talking about, Miracle burn, Hydroxycut, Metabolife, etc. But, how are we to know? We all know that we can't believe everything we see on television. Please do your research before taking any of these products. They can have side effects. I've tried my fare share of them and some can be a good appetite suppressant. Just keep in mind that there is no such thing as a miracle pill and you'll still have to watch what you eat AND most importantly exercise!

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