I May Stumbe, But I Won't Stay Down

Finally this week I have gotten back on track! I lost the last 2.5 lbs of what I had gained and lost some of the inches that had come back. So as of today I have lost 27 lbs, and importantly for me 5 inches each in my waist and hips. The thighs are coming along slower but all in time.

Since 2/1 I have struggled with a gain that kinda knocked me off course. I stopped doing basically everything I know I should. I am still looking at this as a learning experience and not a bad thing. There are setbacks in life and I will plateau or fall again but I will not give up. I have determination and I have Sid and all of you!

I will be doing day 4 out of 40 on pilates and journaling shortly here. I feel so energized again and I noticed yesteday that I was really happy. When I was eating not well and not doing what I was supposed to do I was quite moody. Doesn't really surprise me.

Today in the mail my Zumba kit is coming. It is latin inspired dance exercise. It sounds like loads of fun and it has toning weights which I love! I can't wait to see 6 weeks from now what a difference the pilates has made.

Nothing deep this week, just sharing my joy. I hope you all are feeling happy too!

Friday Recipe

It's food Friday again everyone! I have a few things this week. Some of you may have read already but for those who didn't I tried the Weight Watchers Berries 'n' Cream yogurt for 1 point and it was AMAZING! Sweet, light and tasting like a dessert yet the fiber in it helps make it filling still. Anyone else tried it?

Last night for dinner we tried the Pulled Barbecue Chicken Wrap that I had posted previously. It was a trifecta winner our house. We did not use the onion flakes since no one in our house like onions but that was the only thing we changed. I won't lie, as it was cooking the sauce smelled horrible to me and I was cringing at trying it. But I am committed to being more open and if I hadn't been I would have missed something amazing! It is not sweet or spicy, just the right balance of the two and the crunch of the cold lettuce with it delights your mouth. The only thing I would say is that I tried putting as much chicken in my tortilla as they said and it was way too much. I had two smaller tortilla's instead. With three of us eating I would say in the future that I will only make 2 three ounce chicken breast and not 3 of them. I would love to hear if anyone else tries it what they thought!

The recipe this week is Cashew Chicken. I got this again from www.weightwatchers.com. Can you tell we like chicken in our house?

2tsp peanut oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 pound(s) uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste
1/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste
1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, or more to taste
2 medium stalk(s) celery, chopped
8 oz canned bamboo shoots, drained
8 oz canned water chestnuts, sliced, drained
1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
2 cup(s) cooked white rice, kept hot
1 3/4 oz dry-roasted cashews, chopped (about 6 tbsp)

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add to skillet.
Cook until browned on all sides, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup broth, soy sauce, celery, bamboo shoots and water chestnuts to chicken and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

3. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining 1/2 cup of broth; add to skillet and simmer until sauce thickens, stirring constantly, about a minute.

4. To serve, divide rice among 4 shallowe dishes. Spoon chicken mixture onto rice and sprinkle with cashews. Yields about 1 cup of chicken, 1/2 cup of rice and 1 1/2 tablespoons of cashews per serving.

They also note that you can add 2 cups of chopped fresh baby bok choy in place of the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. The tender greens will cook with the chicken in 5 minutes.

Isn't your mouth watering already?

Fat Tuesday

Today is Fat Tuesday and I am sure that everyone is somewhat aware that Lent is starting tomorrow. In case anyone is not aware, during Lent you give up something that would be hard for 40 days and nights. I am not overtly religious but I am going to use this as a way for me to become healthier.

I need to decide am I going to give something up or add something that is hard. This is where you guys come in. What are some good suggestions to either give up or add? I already don't drink soda so I can't do that easy one. I am counting on you guys!

I Like to Move it, Move it!

So in effort to get past this hump in my journey I am recommitting to exercise in any way I can. I do enjoy exercise but if I stop for more than a day I find I have trouble getting started again. Saturday I posted how I was committing to doing Pilates every day for a week. I am proud to say I am on day three now and remembering why I loved it!

I have had a dvd for 7 years and blew the dust of it on Saturday. It is by Crunch and called "Pick Your Spot Pilates". It is three 10 minute segments for your belly, butt and thighs. How can I NOT find 10 minutes a day? Pilates will really whittle the inches away and tone if you keep at it. The only down side to Pilates is that if you stop doing them then the results go away. I don't know why I am always surprised at this.

My recommendation for people starting Pilates is only do a section at a time. When I first started doing them 7 years ago I made the mistake of doing all three sections for three days in a row. I was practically paralyzed! It shouldn't surprise me as I am not very good at an exercise that will utilize your whole body all at once. I do better when I can focus my attention and work in one area and then rotate areas.

I also want to recommend for those of you who have Wii a new game called "Just Dance". You hold your Wii remote in your right hand and follow the moves on the screen to different songs. It will judge you on your accuracy sensed by the remote. It is loads of fun and after 30 minutes I was drenched in sweat! You can't beat a combo like that.

What is your go to way to get or keep moving?

Sid's Weekend Wind Down- I LOVE THE 80s!

I'm excited to say that I am doing the '80's Dance'!!! I weighed in this morning and have lost 1.5kg (3.3lbs) in total for this week!! That now means that I am 89.9kg (197.8lbs)... so even in pounds it's a great achievement- under 200lbs!!! Woo hoo!!!

It's so funny that I decided last week to change my reward for when I got to 90kg!! Lucky I did, or I'd be out this week organising an appointment with my tattooist!!! lol... But hey, that might only be a month or so away, as that's my next reward for 85kg- and now that's only 4.9kg away... Exciting!!

Weight loss can be so interesting, as I couldn't really pin point anything I did differently this week to lose 1.5kg. Perhaps not losing anything last week meant this week's numbers were bigger.... I have been really giving it my all in my training sessions, and doing everything I can to work up a real sweat (proof that my heart rate is up), and I've also been trying to concentrate on eating only what I want to- I still don't think I've got out of the mind frame of eating everything in front of me, or dinner should be a certain size etc- so for dinner one night I just had two eggs scrambled- nothing else... I'd had salad in my sandwich during the day, and some fruit, and by dinner time I just wasn't that hungry... Perhaps listening to my body more has helped.

This was the last week of our six week challenge at training- we get measured tomorrow night. I haven't been measured since the beginning of January, and wasn't overly happy with the results then, so I'm eager to see how I go this time round... the winner gets a free week of training- I really hope the winner is me- but I've got some tough competition!!!

Speaking of training, Kelly put a link on her website that takes viewers to Two Friends Journey, so I'd just like to publicly thank her for being so supportive, and encourage people to check out her website as well- even if you're not local, she's keeping a blog too, so might be a good motivating read from time to time: http://www.elitephysiqueonline.com/

I tried my luck at making 'veggie chips' last weekend.... like potato chips, but I made them out of carrots and zucchinis. I still need to perfect it, but think when I do, they'll make great snacks, and an even better alternative to rice crackers (that are my weekday morning snack- without fail!!). I basically used a peeler to peel slices of carrot, mixed some lemon pepper in, then baked them in the oven on 150 degrees Celsius (300 Fahrenheit) for an hour. They tasted good, but the pieces were too small. So I need to perfect that. I think eggplant, parsnip, and sweet potato might also be good to try it with!

Oh, and I went sailing yesterday! Wow, so much fun, and loads of adrenalin. Especially when the spinnaker got tangled, ended in the water, and the boat was literally on a 90 degree angle with me hanging on upside down for dear life!!! But I was not disappointed, a really fun day out- and a great muscle work out too!!!

It's taken me about 4 months to lose that first 10kg (22lbs)- I wonder how fast I can burn off the next 10kg.... Did I mention that my weight is now in the 80s?!!! :)

Have a great week all.

-Sid-

Weekend Windown

There were some good things this week and some not so good things. That's what life is made of so I refuse to let anything send me in the dumps emotionally although it is harder to stay positive this week than last.

I lost a pound this week and a small measurement in my hips and thighs. YAY! I had gained 3 lbs last week and no gain is a good thing. I walked every day but one last week due to the cold.

Now the not so good things. As of yesterday morning I had lost all 3 lbs. Then I made a not so bright move. I had a group of people over and they were kind and brought bags of chips including my favorite! Had I asked them they would not have brought them but I need to learn to be around food that I do not eat. If I live in a bubble that will restrict me quite a bit. Needless to say I decided to have just one chip. I am sure you can guess that I didn't stop with just one. I didn't eat the whole bag (Yay!) but I ate enough that my enemy sodium changed the scales.

I had mentioned before that I am struggling with a mental challenge as well. It is like a mental plateau and still hanging in there. I feel like a cranky kid sometimes.

"I don't want to write what I eat, I don't want to exercise, I want to eat chocolate and chips and other things. They get to do it.. I want to also!"

If I was my child I would being given a time out right about now. (My daughter would get a big kick out of that!) I went back again to my journals that I have kept and yes right about this weight I went through the same thing about 7 years ago at the same weight. I kept with it then and was able to go on and be successful losing over 100 lbs so I will keep with it now. It may mean that I plateau a little for awhile but the end result and my health is the important part so time is nothing.

I almost didn't blog this morning as I was embarrassed that I had screwed up again but hiding things is never good. So if you see me being really quiet and hiding...pin me down and ask me what is going on! Thank you for sharing this journey with Sid and I and for allowing me to be "Debbie Downer" today.

Here's my commitment to myself this week: I will do 10 minutes of pilates daily this week.

Is there something you can commit to this week? What is it?

Chocolate Crepes

Found this fabulous recipe on Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes. Check out her site www.weight-watchers-points-recipes.blogspot.com. Perfect for a Valentine's Day breakfast or anytime really!

Chocolate Crepes with Strawberries
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 1 crepe • Calories: 135 • Points: 2.5 pts


1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp unsweetened dutch cocoa powder
1 tbsp powdered sugar

1 1/2 cups 1% milk
2 large egg whites
1 whole egg

1 tsp oil
butter flavored spray
24 strawberries, sliced (2 in each crepe)
fat free cool whip

chocolate syrup to serve

Blend flour, milk, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, eggs and oil until smooth in the blender. Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-low flame. When hot, spray with buttered flavored spray to coat bottom of pan. Pour 1/4 cup crepe mixture into pan, swirling pan slightly to make crepe thin and smooth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until bottom of crepe is light golden brown. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or until light golden brown. Repeat with remaining buttered flavored spray and crepe mixture.

To serve, spoon 2 tbsp whipped cream into center of each crepe. Top with strawberries and fold each edge of crepe over filling. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar and top with 1 tbsp chocolate syrup on each. Serve warm.

Batter can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

Valentine's Day

Is it me or does it seem that every month there is a celebration or two that involves food? We just navigated the Superbowl parties and now here we are with Valentine's Day coming up. Whether you're single or in a relationship, you are being bombarded in stores with celebration options and a lot of them involve food. In my family at all holidays I have for years been saying that family gatherings should be about having a good time and now what and how much we are eating. Never the less, if you go to most stores and look in the Valentine's aisle you will see mass quantities of treats to express your love. To some that is like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow but to people like me that is like walking a minefield if I go down it. There are chocolates in all shapes and flavors, there are candy hearts, there are suckers, marshmallow treats and many other things I am not listing. (Is your mouth watering yet?)

Chocolate was first produced as a gift for Valentine's Day in 1894. Do you think they knew that it would get as popular as it is? I wonder if it got popular due to it's reputation as a mood enhancer for women, Me.. I want to curl up and nap after a chocolate feast. Here is a fact that might make you stop next time you feel the need for a little chocolate. If you eat one M&M you need to walk the equivalent of once around a football field to burn off those calories. Please raise your hand if you eat just one M&M.. anyone? Yeah.. me neither. Realistically we all eat chocolate from time to time and now when I do I try to make sure I eat dark chocolate. It is better for me and so rich I cannot eat as much as I would with regular chocolate.

How can you celebrate Valentine's Day without overindulging? You could take a stroll with your loved one. That could be anyone.. a love, a family member, dog or even yourself. Bundle up and get your heart pumping. Your heart and your butt will thank you for it! I don't think I have to list other cardio activities that you can use to celebrate Valentine's Day if you have a partner...

Cook dinner for your loved one or together. You have control over the portions and content. Of course there is nothing wrong with going to a restaurant too. There are plenty of healther options if you so choose or you can order one appetizer, entree and dessert to share together. The act of feeding each other will make the meal more romantic and cut down on calories as well!

Skip food and exercise and go for what you want. That could be a massage, watching a movie, whatever it is that you enjoy. Me? I'll be walking my dogs with my daughter and probably playing some Wii Fit.

What are your plans?

My week of Contradictions

Firstly I must start with an apology.... I have had every intention of writing my 'Sunday' post, but have had computer issues and lack of time... Finally I have a few minutes before bed, and am finally able to prioritise Two Friend's Journey (just like it should be!).

So, my week... well I did NOT lose anything AT ALL..... However, I also did NOT gain anything AT ALL!!! So for what could be perceived as a negative, I'm choosing to see as a positive- naturally that being I did not gain!!

Why didn't I lose weight?? Like the title of this post suggests, it's been a real week of contradictions... Let me explain!

To answer my own question- I think the reason I didn't lose weight is because I ate too much bread, and had a day when I ate pate and cheese (two things that rarely enter my mouth these days).... it doesn't seem, when I say it out loud, that it's a very good reason, but it's really the only thing that I slipped on this week (although there were two mornings where I didn't walk- but most weeks I slip up a little there- oh, although I didn't do any long walks during the week either.... so maybe that did contribute too)...

Regardless, this week I felt great! I seriously noticed this week that clothes that I wear every day, somehow overnight just simply did not fit anymore- way to big!! And even many of the size 16 clothes I've purchased recently seem to be getting baggy! (*smile*)!! And I've tried on so many clothes from my wardrobe that I haven't even looked at for years, and they fit so beautifully- some too big already... sadly most are winter clothes, so am unlikely to really get the chance to wear what fits me now- since they will be too big by the time I need them!!!!

And over the last week I've discovered that I can jog 2.2km... If you include today, then I have jogged 2.2km non-stop on three separate occasions!!! That to me is such a milestone! And yet I have felt the most unfit I have felt since I started on this journey. Admittedly, my fitness has increased substantially since then, but I really felt unfit! I had a few days of being out of breath on my morning walk before I even finished my warm-up!! (I did take hand weights out this week- 1.4kg each-, and that seemed to make a real difference- much harder!!)

So:

• No weight loss
• Clothes way too big (all of a sudden)
• Can jog 2.2km
• Feel unfit

Explain that!!!

Never the less, a new week, a new opportunity....

My 90kg reward (ie the reward I plan to give myself when I reach 90kg) was going to be a new tattoo that I have wanted for about the last five years (a heart inside the outline of a star with swirls coming off the points of the star- size of a small circle {think tip of index finger meets tip of thumb} on my upper back), but I've decided that a much better reward will be to up my personal training sessions to three a week (instead of two). I really enjoy those sessions, and I figure by increasing my activity in that respect, I'm going to get to 85kg, 80kg, 75kg, 70kg a whole lot faster than if I went out and got a tattoo!!! So the tatt will be my reward at 85kg I think, and that gorgeous swimsuit at 80kg!!

So here's to a successful week- looks like CG and I are in-tune with our bodies habits, even though we're oceans apart!! I think we'll both be very eager to tell you all about our week come next weekend!

-Sid-

(I also entered the Australian Weight Loss Challenge- after three months if you have lost more than 5kg you go in the running to win $10k!! Nothing to lose accept the kilos, right?!!)

Oops I Did It Again...

No I am not channeling my inner Britney Spears this morning. I gained again this week. It was 3 pounds and I knew it was coming. How you ask? Because I didn't do a darn thing I know I needed to do this week. I didn't journal, eat healthy or exercise. What I did do that was right was get on the scale this morning and face it without letting it send me into a junk food eating binge of "I hate myself I can't do this!". The second thing I did right was to blog about it. I have a tendency to hide when I do not have success at weight loss and that starts the slippery slope to quitting. So I summoned up my courage this morning to share with you my gain.

Life is not perfect and neither am I. I have an addictive personality. I don't really drink, I don't smoke or do drugs. But if I enjoy it I have a tendency to want to do it/have it A LOT. I sometimes have to remind myself that is like an addiction and how well would a recovering person do if they had to drink, smoke or drug every day but only in moderation? Don't misunderstand me that I am saying that people cannot overcome this and lose weight to be healthier, but I truly believe that it is just as hard for people with food issues as it is with other vices to overcome.

So I start another week more committed than I was before and if for no other reason than that the gain was a positive thing. But after I lose them again I consider them a guest who has overstayed their welcome and they are NOT welcome back!

What was your challenge this week?

Favorite Fridays

It's the Colts versus the Saints on Superbowl Sunday but a party can make it food versus willpower for many of us. With a little planning you can enjoy this day in a way that won't "Super" size your waistline!

Serve this Layered Mexican Bean Dip

16 ounce can of refried beans
3 medium avocado, mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tablespoons fajita seasoning mix
1/2 cup reduced fat shredded mexican-style cheese
1 small tomato chopped
2 medium scallion(s), sliced
10 medium black olive(s), sliced or chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro, fresh, chopped

1. Spread beans evenly over bottom of a 9- X 13-inch glass baking dish or a medium-size glass bowl.

2. In a small bowl, combine avocado, salt and lemon juice. Spread avocado mixture over beans; top with sour cream.

3. Sprinkle fajita seasoning over sour cream layer. Next, layer remaining ingredients on top in order listed.

4. Serve immediately with jicama slices and other fresh vegetables for dipping, or chill until ready to use. Yields about 1/4 cup of dip per serving.



or these Beef Nachos

32 item(s) baked low-fat tortilla chips
2 spray(s) cooking spray
6 oz uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp table salt, or more to taste
3/4 cup(s) canned diced tomatoes, with adobe (smoky/spicy) or chipolte (hot)
2/3 cup(s) canned refried black beans
1/2 cup(s) low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, or crumbled queso blanco
1/2 cup(s) scallion(s), finely sliced
2 medium jalapeno pepper(s), finely minced (or to taste; do not touch seeds with bare hands)

1. Preheat broiler to high. Arrange tortilla chips on a nonstick baking sheet in a single layer but close together; set aside

2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over a medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat as it cooks, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season with oregano and salt; stir in tomatoes and beans. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Spoon beef mixture over chips; sprinkle with cheese. Broil until cheese melts, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from broiler; sprinkle with scallions and jalapenos. Yields 4 nachos per serving.



There is a recipe for homemade pizza in one of my blog entries last year that is fantastic! The two recipes I gave you are just the beginning of what you can find with a little searching. I recommend the sites www.hungry-girl.com for recipes and www.dwlz.com if you are eating out.

If you are going to a party instead of hosting, feel free to bring a healthy dish that you can enjoy guilt free. I find that most people don't know a dish is healthy unless I actually tell them.

Look to Fridays for favorite recipes, sites and products.

How do you plan to celebrate the Superbowl this Sunday?

Wow Wednesdays

We are making some changes to our blog and trying to make it more interesting. We are going to try "Wow Wednesdays" starting today where people can share their success stories. Your success can be a weight loss, a healthy lifestyle change, maintaining a weight loss or anything else you want to share Hearing of other people's successes is just as motivating as having your own!

We have added a page on facebook to go along with this that will be easier for people to add information they want to share. You can add photos, links, videos, create an event and expand you support group. We hope you will join us over there and pass it on to your friends as well! We are also going to be adding polls to our blogs periodically starting today. Please make sure to take a look after you are done reading today.

What is the biggest success you have had so far?

Stories about jogging, and about honesty!!

The week is well under way, and I have something I'm really excited to share!!! Yesterday morning I started on my morning walk (as usual), and had planned on doing interval training. When I got to the top of the street (I use the stretch from my house to the top of the street as my warm up walk) I started jogging.... and something in me just decided that I wanted to see if I could run from there all the way home.... AND I DID!!!!

Usually when I do interval training, I push myself to get to the next sign post, or the next fence, or the next curb, but yesterday I decided not to do that, and instead just picture home!! I stopped about 200 meters (0.1 miles) from home to wind down... That resulted in a 2.2kb (1.4 miles) jog! It wasn't fast, I'm sure I looked exhausted, but I kept up my rhythm, and I did it!!! So excited- this is a first for me!!!

So then this morning, I thought I would just do a long walk, but I got out there and thought to myself that I should test this jogging out- just to see if it was a fluke!!! But sure enough I made it 2.2km again!!! Yippee!!! Hopefully being able to do this will help me to shed some kilos faster, and get rid of the horrible tummy that I have come to hate so much.... (remember that point, because I'm going to return to that shortly!!)...

My trainer suggested that now that I've started jogging, that I continue just jogging the 2.2km and aim to get the time down. Once I'm able to jog it in a shorter period of time, then I should start to add distance to the run. She seems to think that before I know it I'll be able to run 4 or 5 km (2.5- 3 miles)!!! Can you imagine that?? So exciting!!!

I'm not sure if I mentioned that she has set up a 6 week challenge at training. The person who wins (the most centimetres lost from your body measurements) will win a free training session.... So I don't get to be measured for another week and a half, but Kelly (my trainer) seems to think it's going to come down to me and one of the other girls.... Fingers crossed!!!

Remember when I wrote the entry about 'Who Says Men Don't Notice'? Well the same guy was in chatting to me yesterday, we were talking about our trainers and working out, and mid conversation I got up out of my chair, and he looked me up and down and said "Wow, you've lost heaps, you're looking great"!!! So nice!!! :)

But then we come to HONESTY!!! I've been blessed with lots of compliments along this journey to date (and hope they won't slow down, it's so motivating getting compliments), but sometimes the compliments can be a bit backward- like today.... A girl at work continues to tell me that "you can so tell you've lost weight"... Today she's looking at me and she says "You know, you can see that your bum has really tightened up, and that your face has got thinner, and your legs are looking better, and your arms have slimmed down too. Once you get rid of your flabby belly you'll be perfect"........ That flabby belly....... I hate it... How embarrassing and depressing that it's so noticible that she thought to comment... I'm sure if she's said that, then other people must be thinking the same thing....

So what does this mean for now?? Control top briefs for a while?? You know, if she mentioned my ankles I probably would have felt the same... or my boobs... The three areas of my body I really don't like.. but if she had have said my arms for example, I don't think it would have bothered me so much!!

Anyway- forget the back handed compliment- I can job 2.2km!!! So happy with that!

Wish me luck for a successful week of weight loss...

And watch this space, CG discussed some exciting ideas with me today..... hopefully if we can make them happen, you'll find this blog really exciting (even more than it already is!!!) :)

-Sid-