So close to a milestone weight loss! I took the opportunity though to have a date night with my HB (for those that don't know, HB = Honey Bunny) and my son to celebrate mine and HB's 10 year anniversary last night. I could have ordered more sensibly and not had part of a dessert, however, this journey is all about give and take for me. I don't want to give up the food I enjoy; I just want to be smarter and healthier about it. So I had a few bites of dessert and half a cheddar bay biscuit. I'm up .4 lbs from yesterday but I'm ok with that. I had a nice dinner with two of my favorite boys in the world. Today I'm back at it and back on track. I'm still down 2.3 lbs. since last weeks weigh-in on Thursday. I'm hoping to pass that 40 lb. mark tomorrow but if I don't, maybe the next day. I don't want to beat myself up and cause myself to get down and make bad food choices. I am learning to accept what's on the scale, pick myself up each morning and go back at it again.
A lot of people are starting to notice my weight loss. I'm getting called "skinny" by someone at work which cracks me up. People who I don't know that well are congratulating me on my weight loss and making comments about looking good. That is HUGE for me. I have also realized because it's huge for me, I try to be more positive with people as well. I tend to be a negative nelly at times but am trying really hard to share this positive feeling with others because I know it works for me. My hope is that it works for them to and they pass it on or pay it forward.
I also have been asked alot lately about what I'm doing to lose the weight. For me, sharing my tips and tricks is exciting. This experience of sharing with others what works for me and having the opportunity to encourage them has sparked interest in doing it professionally. I did not have a goal weight before, I just wanted to lose weight to the point that I felt good about myself. However, now my goal is to get to the weight that I need to so I can possibly become a Weight Watchers leader. I have a ways to go before I get there, however, now I have a goal. People who are driven say that you must set a goal so you have something to go towards. So I have a goal weight folks! I'm making it public now so that I can be held accountable. Drum roll please........130! This means that I will have lost 100 lbs when I get to that goal. I'm almost at 40 lbs. down so you do the math. :)
The weight loss piece of my journey......
The main idea behind the suggestion of doing this blog was to share with others what I personally am doing to "shed the pounds" if you will. I have come up with many directions I'd like to take this blog, however, my weight loss journey is definitely one of the directions this blog will be taking.
At the end of July I began my journey with Weight Watchers a bit nervous but ready to make a change. I really had no idea what I was doing and have picked up many things as I have come along. When I first began, I was following their program they called Points Plus. The jest of it is that everything that you put into your mouth to eat and drink has a point value. You have a certain amount of points per day to use and then extra points to be used throughout your week. I did well on this program. However tracking points was tedious and I was concerned that because of it's labor intensity, I wouldn't stick with it. I had been reading alot of posts on Facebook about their other program, Simply Filling and thought I could give it a shot. So I made the change and am still going strong on the Simply Filling plan. How the Simply Filling program works is you can eat what you want off of their Power Foods list until you are satisfied. If you deviate from the Power Foods list, then you have to count points which, you get 49 points per week to use for such occasions.
I tend to be a creature of habit mostly for ease purposes. When I find something that is easy, tastes good and seems to be working for shedding the weight, I tend to stick with it. I am open to trying new things especially things that other members have come up with that have worked for them. My meals/snacks are a combination of their ideas along with ideas I have come up with on my own. My intent is to share with all of you my thoughts, ideas, what I eat and other things that help me on this journey.
So, let's begin......breakfast. I used to not eat breakfast on a regular basis, end up REALLY hungry by 11:00 am and then the eating went downhill from there. Now, I am cooking breakfast almost every morning (which benefits myself and my nugget - another blog topic for another day) and yes, most every morning is the same thing but that works for us. Below is a picture of what Nathan and I eat; my version of the McMuffin - Healthy Life english muffin, scrambled egg, canadian bacon on mine and sausage on Nathan's, and a slice of Borden fat free cheese. I put some chives, maybe a little celery salt, or cilantro on mine. They really are delicious and all Simply Filling so no need to count points.
Snack you say? Didn't I just eat breakfast? My mid-morning snack is usually fruit (banana or a Golden Delicious apple) or a yogurt. I'm not a yogurt fan, however, I have finally found some yogurt that I do like. Yoplait 100 calorie Greek yogurt and Dannon Light & Fit 80 calorie Greek yogurt. This past week, I came up with a delicious combination that satisfies my sweet tooth and crazy addiction to caramel - I cut up my apple and mixed it with the Dannon Fit & Light 80 calorie Greek Salted Caramel yogurt. It was scrumptious! In fact, I just had it for a late evening snack tonight as well.
My afternoon snack is usually microwave popcorn - 94% fat free Jolly Time has been my go to until I just figured out this week how to make my own microwave popcorn - 1/3 cup popcorn kernels in a paper bag and microwave for 3 minutes or until there are a few seconds between pops. I haven't perfected this yet but definitely a work in progress. Depending on what I'm craving at the time, I'll either shake some cheese flavoring on it or a bit of salt and a bit of Splenda which creates kettle corn that is delish!
Dinner is a whole other story. The other two people in my family are not following Weight Watchers however, I am cooking dinner so that I can eat almost the same things that they are. My approach is to take what they want to eat and then make the changes necessary so that it fits in with my way of eating as well. There are also nights that I do my own thing while the others have things that are more work to make Weight Watcher friendly. The picture below is from one of those nights. I sauteed some zucchini, squash and onions in olive oil with some seasonings. I also cooked a batch of Minute Rice's multi-grain blend which is a blend of brown rice, red rice and quinoa. I mixed that all together and that was my supper. Really tasty!
Late evenings are challenging for me. I like to snack like most people. Sometimes I'll have a serving of Special K chips or crackers, or another serving of microwave popcorn. The night ends almost every night with a Weight Watchers ice cream bar. My favorites are the Salted Caramel and Chocolate bars.
Phew, that was a lot of information. Hopefully it sparks some inspiration to those of you that are looking for menu suggestions. For those that want to take that first step, maybe this will inspire you to try it and see what happens. Whatever spot you are in, I hope this visit with me on my porch was helpful. See you next time......
Stay Sparkly
As I walked to my car Tuesday evening from my office, there seemed to be a fresh coating of light, fluffy snow in the grassy area between the building and the parking lot. The sun was setting but still up enough to reflect off the fresh snow. You know the kind, the sparkly kind.
There is a local jewelry store (that I love I might add) that has been running a campaign playing off the Dos Equis "Stay thirsty my friends" ad advising us all to "Stay sparkly my friends". I do get a kick out of seeing those billboards around town however, that sparkly snow on Tuesday made me think of another reason to sparkle.
I had lost my sparkle. I pretended to sparkle, but when I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn't sparkle. So that's when I decided to make the change and do what I could to lose weight and get healthy. I've only lost chased away 38 lbs. however, that's 38 lbs. that has helped me to revive my sparkle. I don't mind looking in the mirror as much now. I don't mind shopping for clothes as much anymore I don't mind parking a little further from the door to get those extra steps in. The sparkle is coming back!
Now that my sparkle is returning, I want to help others find their sparkle again (just another reason to do this blog). Find what has diminished your sparkle, face it and do what you can to chase it away. Take that first step whatever it may be. Maybe it is your weight. Instead of shoving food in your mouth that you shouldn't, do something productive like play a game with your child or call a friend you haven't spoken to in a long time. Maybe it is a relationship you are in that you are not happy with. Talk to that person and try to start the healing process. Maybe it is housework that seems to be overwhelming. Take 10 minutes and clean up one pile in your house. Maybe you are lonely beyond comprehension and don't know where to turn. If you don't want to reach out to a friend or family member, drop to your knees and ask God to show you the way.
We are all meant to sparkle in our own way. Just like those snowflakes on the ground. If you just look at them out your window or as you're shoveling them off of your driveway (like I have to), they look just like a pile of white snow and cold that causes grief and coldness to so many. Yet, in the right light, at the right time, in the right moment, they sparkle and shine and turn into this beautiful piece of art that God has given us. They haven't changed. They are the same snowflakes that we think are menacing and a hassle. With the right perspective, they shine and become the beautiful scene that God wants us to see.
We are all beautiful people in our own ways. Some lives and people are more difficult to see the beauty in then others. However, God didn't make mistakes. He put us all here for a reason. The crosses we bear a lot of times are put in place by our own doing. Sometimes we think the life we have been dealt isn't fair. Yet, if we step back and view it from a different perspective, we too can see the beauty that God has given us in our lives.
It's all about perspective and how we view our lives.
Stay sparkly my friends......
The inspiration for this blog
I won't lie, when my friend encouraged me to write a blog, I really couldn't understand why. After I gave it some thought, I realized that I gain encouragement from others that are doing this so maybe I can be encouragement to others.
My whole life I've been "fluffy". When I was a kid, I was the chunky one in the class. I thinned out a bit later in high school just to put on the "freshman 50" when I finally went away to school. However, I always seemed to carry my weight well. Most people were shocked when I told them how much I really weighed. Due to some health issues (PCOS) in my early twenties, my physician put me on low carb and on that lifestyle, I was able to shed 60 lbs. in 4 months. That was amazing to say the least. My life changed a bit when I found out I was pregnant with my nugget. Due to gestational diabetes, I was put back on low carb and lost even more weight. Motherhood was rough for me, I won't deny it. My nugget was a baby challenge. I ate to cope with exhaustion and depression. Since then, I had given up caring about what I put in my face. Eating is an enjoyment exercise for me. Unfortunately, as I have gotten older and hit that 40 year mark, my metabolism has not been so kind to my choice of what I consume, yet, I still wasn't concerned at all about my overall health.
This summer, my nugget stayed for a large portion of the summer with his big sister who is a teacher. She sent me a picture of him at the swimming pool and I cried. What have I let happen to my nugget who just a couple of years ago, was skin and bones? That was it. I had to do something to get myself in better shape and hopefully him and whoever came along for the ride in my family.
I started this journey at the end of July. To day I have lost 38 lbs. and am feeling good about my accomplishment. I wish it could be more at this point, however, I'm learning to be proud of the work so far and focus on the work ahead. Many people ask me how I'm doing it. That is what the inspiration of this blog is however, I see it blooming into more but we'll get to that down the road.
At the end of July, I made two commitments - I purchased a Fitbit and I joined Weight Watchers. I am not a jock by any means and I will admit, since it's been cold, I've not been as committed to walking. But my commitment to Weight Watchers is still going strong and I want to be committed to my FitBit. That will come back in time. I actually want to start running (shocking I know) but again, that will come in time.
My future blog entries will be around what I eat, what I do to get my steps in and my overall mental well-being. There are many parts of me mentally that have improved since I have been successful at taking some weight off. There are other parts that are rearing their ugly head that I need to deal with as time goes on. But today's entry is about explaining to you where this is coming from and sharing with you on my front porch where I hope to be headed.
My ultimate goal on this weight loss journey is to lose 100 lbs. total. That would be amazing. I have 62 lbs. to go. I want to do this, I'm committed to doing this, I CAN DO THIS! I hope that if you are reading this and need encouragement, I hope that this blog will help encourage you. If you are looking for inspiration to make some changes in your life, whatever those changes are, I hope you find inspiration here. If you are looking for someone to journey with, I hope I can be that person for you. Together, we can all come together and accomplish what we set out to do, whatever that is. I truly believe that. It happens one step at a time but that first step is the scariest. Today, think about what that first step is for you and make plans to take it. Maybe even step off the porch today and take it. You CAN do it!!!
My whole life I've been "fluffy". When I was a kid, I was the chunky one in the class. I thinned out a bit later in high school just to put on the "freshman 50" when I finally went away to school. However, I always seemed to carry my weight well. Most people were shocked when I told them how much I really weighed. Due to some health issues (PCOS) in my early twenties, my physician put me on low carb and on that lifestyle, I was able to shed 60 lbs. in 4 months. That was amazing to say the least. My life changed a bit when I found out I was pregnant with my nugget. Due to gestational diabetes, I was put back on low carb and lost even more weight. Motherhood was rough for me, I won't deny it. My nugget was a baby challenge. I ate to cope with exhaustion and depression. Since then, I had given up caring about what I put in my face. Eating is an enjoyment exercise for me. Unfortunately, as I have gotten older and hit that 40 year mark, my metabolism has not been so kind to my choice of what I consume, yet, I still wasn't concerned at all about my overall health.
This summer, my nugget stayed for a large portion of the summer with his big sister who is a teacher. She sent me a picture of him at the swimming pool and I cried. What have I let happen to my nugget who just a couple of years ago, was skin and bones? That was it. I had to do something to get myself in better shape and hopefully him and whoever came along for the ride in my family.
I started this journey at the end of July. To day I have lost 38 lbs. and am feeling good about my accomplishment. I wish it could be more at this point, however, I'm learning to be proud of the work so far and focus on the work ahead. Many people ask me how I'm doing it. That is what the inspiration of this blog is however, I see it blooming into more but we'll get to that down the road.
At the end of July, I made two commitments - I purchased a Fitbit and I joined Weight Watchers. I am not a jock by any means and I will admit, since it's been cold, I've not been as committed to walking. But my commitment to Weight Watchers is still going strong and I want to be committed to my FitBit. That will come back in time. I actually want to start running (shocking I know) but again, that will come in time.
My future blog entries will be around what I eat, what I do to get my steps in and my overall mental well-being. There are many parts of me mentally that have improved since I have been successful at taking some weight off. There are other parts that are rearing their ugly head that I need to deal with as time goes on. But today's entry is about explaining to you where this is coming from and sharing with you on my front porch where I hope to be headed.
My ultimate goal on this weight loss journey is to lose 100 lbs. total. That would be amazing. I have 62 lbs. to go. I want to do this, I'm committed to doing this, I CAN DO THIS! I hope that if you are reading this and need encouragement, I hope that this blog will help encourage you. If you are looking for inspiration to make some changes in your life, whatever those changes are, I hope you find inspiration here. If you are looking for someone to journey with, I hope I can be that person for you. Together, we can all come together and accomplish what we set out to do, whatever that is. I truly believe that. It happens one step at a time but that first step is the scariest. Today, think about what that first step is for you and make plans to take it. Maybe even step off the porch today and take it. You CAN do it!!!
Why the quilt.....
You may or may not have noticed, but I have changed up the background of my blog already. I am one that has a hard time making decisions even about simple things like blog backgrounds. The idea came to me as time has gone on since this blog was born last night. I wanted to use a quilt in the background and here's why......
Growing up, one visual stands out in my mind; my dad wrapped up in quilts. Whenever my dad was watching tv, he was almost always wrapped up in a quilt (I personally enjoy this as well). Those quilts I remember from my childhood were handmade by my grandmother and her sisters. Time took it's toll on those quilts. They were definitely put to good use. Those quilts sparked a love of quilts in myself as well. I do not sew so I do not make my own. I do not have a large collection of quilts either. I own one quilt, a quilt that my grandmother made for me and all of my cousins as well. A piece of her to keep with us as we continue down life's journey. Today, that quilt is only used as my Christmas tree skirt then carefully put in a drawer to be hopefully displayed someday to have a part of my grandma as part of my home.
Quilts are beautiful pieces of art. I am fascinated how people who do quilt can look at piles of fabric, that look like a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns yet nothing special. Then they take that pile and put together a work of art that to me, is amazing. I wish I had that kind of creative eye.
I like to think of my life as a quilt. There have been times in my life that I have felt like a pile various colors and patterns, not knowing which color to be today or which pattern I wanted my life to be. There are still days like that, however, as I have grown older and learned from life's experiences, those piles have more order to them than in the past. So many experiences and decisions I have made through the years, I scratch my head and think how on earth did I survive that or what the heck was I thinking! However, each one of those is like a piece of a quilt. Every piece that is carefully picked and placed is a part of the big picture or pattern if you will, that makes that quilt a beautiful piece of art. Every piece of my life has made me who I am and for the most part I'm happy with that. Some of these experiences though not so great at the time, have enabled me to help others. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I went through those trials and challenges so that I could help others go through similar situations. Each experience is part of the beautiful quilt pattern I truly think my life is.
Even though I just started this yesterday, I already have many ideas about topics I want to share with you my friends on my front porch. As I make entries, I hope that somehow the stories and thoughts I share will come together as the beautiful quilt I think my life is and you will get to hopefully be helped and inspired by the pieces of my journey.
Growing up, one visual stands out in my mind; my dad wrapped up in quilts. Whenever my dad was watching tv, he was almost always wrapped up in a quilt (I personally enjoy this as well). Those quilts I remember from my childhood were handmade by my grandmother and her sisters. Time took it's toll on those quilts. They were definitely put to good use. Those quilts sparked a love of quilts in myself as well. I do not sew so I do not make my own. I do not have a large collection of quilts either. I own one quilt, a quilt that my grandmother made for me and all of my cousins as well. A piece of her to keep with us as we continue down life's journey. Today, that quilt is only used as my Christmas tree skirt then carefully put in a drawer to be hopefully displayed someday to have a part of my grandma as part of my home.
Quilts are beautiful pieces of art. I am fascinated how people who do quilt can look at piles of fabric, that look like a kaleidoscope of colors and patterns yet nothing special. Then they take that pile and put together a work of art that to me, is amazing. I wish I had that kind of creative eye.
I like to think of my life as a quilt. There have been times in my life that I have felt like a pile various colors and patterns, not knowing which color to be today or which pattern I wanted my life to be. There are still days like that, however, as I have grown older and learned from life's experiences, those piles have more order to them than in the past. So many experiences and decisions I have made through the years, I scratch my head and think how on earth did I survive that or what the heck was I thinking! However, each one of those is like a piece of a quilt. Every piece that is carefully picked and placed is a part of the big picture or pattern if you will, that makes that quilt a beautiful piece of art. Every piece of my life has made me who I am and for the most part I'm happy with that. Some of these experiences though not so great at the time, have enabled me to help others. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason. I went through those trials and challenges so that I could help others go through similar situations. Each experience is part of the beautiful quilt pattern I truly think my life is.
Even though I just started this yesterday, I already have many ideas about topics I want to share with you my friends on my front porch. As I make entries, I hope that somehow the stories and thoughts I share will come together as the beautiful quilt I think my life is and you will get to hopefully be helped and inspired by the pieces of my journey.
Post #1
I'm not really sure what I'm doing or how to do this. However, that has not stopped me in the past so why let it stop me now right?
I guess the first step is to introduce myself. Hi, my name is Nicole. Some people think that I should share the pages that make up the story of my life. I am still not convinced that this is going to work, however, I am willing to try just about anything.
My life has been a series of not so great decisions followed by various transformations that led to better decisions. One of the reasons I'm writing this blog is to hopefully be a help to others that may be on similar journeys as I. The other reasons, well, I'm not sure of them at this point, however, I'm confident that the reasons will make themselves known as time marches on.
To set the scene, I am a 41 year old female who has a significant other of almost 10 years. I also have a 12 year old nugget and bonus nuggets that I'll tell you more about as time goes on. Oh, I'm also mom to a 5 year old beagle. My days are filled with kids, honey bunny's, work, school, working on my metamorphosis. Again, more about that later.
My promise to you is that I will be honest. I will attempt to make you laugh, sometimes I might make you cry (after all, sometimes, you just need a good cry). Overall, I will share my life story with you in hopes to make a connection and/or help you face and overcome a challenge or ten.
You can thank my friend and colleague, Sandy, for encouraging me to try this out. I think my stories entertain her and sometimes shock and bewilder her. She thought it was a good idea to see what happens with a blog, and she comes up with good ideas quite often so let's see what happens.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit to my "front porch" on the world wide web. Next visit, let's pull up a nice rocking chair, pour a tasty beverage (whatever that means for you) and let's start talking about the pieces of my journey.
I guess the first step is to introduce myself. Hi, my name is Nicole. Some people think that I should share the pages that make up the story of my life. I am still not convinced that this is going to work, however, I am willing to try just about anything.
My life has been a series of not so great decisions followed by various transformations that led to better decisions. One of the reasons I'm writing this blog is to hopefully be a help to others that may be on similar journeys as I. The other reasons, well, I'm not sure of them at this point, however, I'm confident that the reasons will make themselves known as time marches on.
To set the scene, I am a 41 year old female who has a significant other of almost 10 years. I also have a 12 year old nugget and bonus nuggets that I'll tell you more about as time goes on. Oh, I'm also mom to a 5 year old beagle. My days are filled with kids, honey bunny's, work, school, working on my metamorphosis. Again, more about that later.
My promise to you is that I will be honest. I will attempt to make you laugh, sometimes I might make you cry (after all, sometimes, you just need a good cry). Overall, I will share my life story with you in hopes to make a connection and/or help you face and overcome a challenge or ten.
You can thank my friend and colleague, Sandy, for encouraging me to try this out. I think my stories entertain her and sometimes shock and bewilder her. She thought it was a good idea to see what happens with a blog, and she comes up with good ideas quite often so let's see what happens.
Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed your visit to my "front porch" on the world wide web. Next visit, let's pull up a nice rocking chair, pour a tasty beverage (whatever that means for you) and let's start talking about the pieces of my journey.
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