Gym Week: Day 1

Day 1 at the gym was a good experience, but my workout was cut very short because the kids' schedules were off today, and our modified schedule just didn't allow for much of a workout.  However, I wanted to stick to my goal and make it the gym every day this week.  I decided it was better to show up and do a quick cardio exercise than to do nothing at all.  Here's what I did today:

All I had time for was 20 minutes on the elliptical machine.   I know the elliptical isn't the BEST cardio workout, but it was a good starting place for me today.  I put the resistance on 4, the cross-ramp on 4, and worked to keep my "strides per minute" greater than 140 at all times.  Like I said, it was a good starting point. 

This is exactly what I looked like today. 

I will keep you updated on Day 2, and hopefully I will be able to get to the gym much earlier tomorrow and get in a longer workout.  I'll keep you posted! 

Weekly Weigh In

 Just a quick post to report my weigh-in results...

I'm still 201 lbs., same as last week.  The only thing I am losing right now is motivation and momentum, and I need to stop it and get back on the horse, so to speak.  I have to do something different and big in order to jump start next week.  I NEED to lose some weight in order to keep my momentum going, and a serious jump start to kick my butt back into gear...  So I hereby declare next week GYM WEEK!

I vow to make it to the gym once a day for the next 6 straight days (Monday through Saturday) and I will report every day how my gym trip goes - what I did to work out, how I liked it, etc.  I know that working out can be a major obstacle for people like me who have a lot of weight to lose.  I have always lacked motivation to get my body in motion and get to the gym.  Its even harder now that I have two kids to get out of the door with me and into child care.  However, I need to do it, and I think with this blog to hold me accountable I can do it.  So here goes...

GYM WEEK!

Stonyfield Farms Organic Fat Free Yogurt

If you want a yogurt that is organic, devoid of artificial sweeteners like aspartame, AND delicious, then Stonyfield Farms organic fat free yogurts are the way to go!  More specifically, the "chocolate underground" flavor, pictured above, is a personal favorite.  I really like this chocolate yogurt because, first and foremost, it is tasty, cool, and refreshing.  However, it is also low in calories but still chemical free.  How can you go wrong, really?  

Not necessarily keen on the idea of chocolate yogurt?  No problem.  Stonyfeild farms makes a plethora of delectable yogurts in both fat free and low fat versions.  I would also like to mentions that they make a whole milk yogurt for babies and toddler that my son just loves.  

I guess its just nice for me to be able to enjoy a cool cup of sweet yogurt and not worry about the all the artificial sweeteners or colors, not mention all the calories of regular yogurt or ice cream that I might other wise indulge in. I encourage you to pick up a cup and try it out for yourself!

Flat Out Light

My husband and I have loved Flat Out Light flat bread wraps for quite a long time.  They are nearly the perfect wrap - extremely high fiber, low calories and fat, and quite delicious.  Normal wraps can be as much as 200 calories just for ONE wrap.  SO even if you stuff it with lettuce and veggies, you are already at 200 calories from the word "go."

I like to do all kind of things with these wraps.  Spread cheese and sauce and make a flat bread pizza, melt cheese and black olives and fold in half for a quick quesadilla, or just fill it with lettuce and veggies and salad dressing for a veggie wrap.  You will find these wraps in most grocery stores in the bread isle, or occasionally I have seen then displayed with other wraps and pita.  Inexpensive, delicious, high fiber, low calories, what more could you ask for?

Product Week: Re-blog about Powdered PB

I wrote about this wonderful product about a month ago, and this evening, as part of my "product week" I would like to re-post the wonders of powdered peanut butter...

I will admit it: I am a major peanut butter addict.  If I was banished to a desert island and had to choose only one food to nourish me for the rest of my living days I would chose peanut butter.  Now, natural, organic, non-hydrogenated peanut butter isn’t necessarily a bad thing.  However, it does have a ton of calories for a such small amount of food and LOTS of fat.  Again, not necessarily a horrible thing, unless A, you are eating an obscene amount of it in a day, and B, you are trying to lose weight. (Two things that apply to me).  I have tried “low fat” and natural peanut butters, but even those varieties still pack an enormous amount of calories and fat.  HOWEVER, thanks to a great friend, I have discovered the ULTIMATE peanut butter that is truly low in calories and fat, and tastes pretty darn great…

POWDERED PEANUT BUTTER!   

Now, before you slam your lap top shut and stop reading, hear me out.  Organic, natural, powdered peanut butter has just 3 ingredients – peanuts, coconut sugar, and sea salt.  2 tablespoons of this stuff is only 45 calories and 1.5 grams of fat!!!  Hallelujah!  Just add 1 part water to 2 parts powder, and you have a truly healthy peanut butter.  I will say that the taste, although delicious, is slightly more bitter than traditional peanut butter.  I easily remedy this by drizzling in just a small bit of honey to the mix, adding only about 15 calories per serving.  

I am so excited to make this peanut butter a part of my diet.  Last night I ate it on a rice cake, and I plan to eat it on some toast tomorrow morning.  YUM.  I would recommend this product to any peanut butter addict.

Product Plug Week, Product Number One!

Welcome to "Product Plug Week."  Every day this week I will talk about a different product that I have found very helpful and encouraging to me and my weight loss goals.  Most (ok, all) of them will be food products, because for me, the biggest struggle in losing weight is finding ways to stop myself from over eating.  Certain products, I have found, really help me cut back on calories or fat while still having a great eating experience.  So as I've said, welcome to product week!!!

Product # 1: No Pudge Brownie Mix

 

Perhaps some of you will remember about a month ago I posted a recipe on Facebook for a "brownie in a mug" recipe that uses hot chocolate mix.  It is delicious and easy... and it'll cost you about 550 calories!  Major let down for me, since I was really starting to enjoy a nice hot single-serve brownie at night.  However, I was recently reacquainted with a wonderful alternative:  No Pudge Brownie Mix.  For a chocoholic who loves to snack at night, that is truly a miracle product.  Simply mix 2 parts mix with 1 part nonfat vanilla yogurt, microwave for a minute or two and you have an instant brownie in a mug!  It is completely delicious, and get this - only 110 calories!  (For one serving. I usually make a double serving in a mug, but that's still only 220 calories, WAY less than 550.) 

 

And on top of those two great facts, I am also impressed that there are so few ingredients in the mix, and NO PRESERVATIVES.  Clearly this single serve brownie in a mug is truly superior.  Make one tonight!

Weekly Weigh In

Weighed myself today after a long week of over eating.  I did gain one pound, bringing my weight to 201 lbs.  My weight loss, it seems, will be up and down, up and down, but so far with an overall trend of downwards. 

I have been struggling lately to find the motivation to eat right.  I have not been able to say "no" as I once was, and the result is a lot of guilt and a lot of over eating to cover up the feelings of guilt... back to square one, it would seem. 

I was talking to my husband about this the other night, and I realized that there is a BIG disconnect in losing weight for me.  I have TWO very strong and overwhelming urges that in in constant conflict with each other:

1. The desire to be thin.  I want nothing more.
2. The desire to eat.  I am truly addicted to food. 

Finding a way top reconcile these two conflicting desires is when weight loss will really happen for me.  Stay tuned for a blog post about this topic, coming soon to lap top near you.

I apologize for being somewhat absent this past week.  As I said, my weight loss journey has been less than ideal, and the lack of motivation has made it difficult for me to find things to write about.  As I always say, though, tomorrow is a new day, and next week is a new week.  Here's to finding a way to do better, and NOT GIVING UP!!!!