What to do when you are not snacking?

Today I was thinking about my relationship with food. If food were a person my friends would have an intervention for me by now. I am so abusive to it, and in turn I feel guilty for partaking. When I think about it my tummy tickles just like it would on a roller coaster. I then feel the itch to eat.
It is because of this itch I have decided to do a hobby when I get it. The hobby is crocheting and in the last two weeks I have crochet a lot! I thought today would be a good day to share what I have made. I haven’t a clue what I am going to do with all the things I have made. Probably save it for a baby shower. I don’t know what would you do?

This is an ear flap hat 2t it is super cute on!

This is a flower beanie that is 5t

This is a newborn hat but it think it looks super small and don't know if it could fit a newborn

This cute little 5t beanie with a scalloped edge I love it on lil monkey!

Here are some baby booties I made!

This was so much fun to do and has help me loss weight gotta love that! What do you do when you get cravings?

TO eat breakfast or not to eat breakfast?

This should not even be a question, unfortunately this is a question that has plague me most of my adult life. This is what I know about breakfast. When doctors and other experts tell you that it is the most important part of your day they were not kidding. It jump starts your metabolism, and feeds you energy throughout the day. Now if you are like me you are probably thinking but I hey I am saving calories! You are this true, but not in a good way. Here is why you body has two different types of moods feast or famine. When you think of feast it is when there is plenty to eat, your body has enough to be nourished, and properly feed. When you think of famine this means your body thinks there is not going to be enough nourishment to fulfill its needs. When this happens your body does two things, first it takes the nourishment it needs from your body, this sounds food right? Well, let me tell you were it starts. Your muscles, so you become weaker not so good. Then it takes your calories that you eat and stores them as fat tissues. Does this make since? I think we cover this topic in every nutrition class I take, {probably because a lot of people skip meals}. Sad but true.
Here is the problem I know a lot about what happens when we skip meals, and yet I find myself doing it. To overcome this I have develop a goal system. It really is simple. I take one day at time and set a week goal. I tell myself if I eat breakfast everyday this week then I will: feel better, lose more weight, and most importantly set a good example for little monkey. I am also going to give you the best diet secret that I have in my bag. This is let others know your goals, and set up a support system. We all have fallbacks but it is nice to have someone to fall back on, to tell you it will be ok.

Quick story so I told my little monkey that mommy has to eat breakfast everyday. This is all I said and since then when I am making her breakfast in the morning she will point blank ask me if I am going to eat breakfast. If I say yes she smiles, if I say I will later. She goes into the speech I gave her about how important breakfast is and I have no choice but to eat too. What a funny girl I have! I am just glad that she is listening to me!

What I ate Wednesday!

I have been wanting to participate in this for along time and yesterday I finally got the guts to take pictures of what I ate. The problem? My camera battery was dead my cell phone was off on an adventure with Guapo, which left me with my computer so I did take 2 pictures with it but I am going to have to use my words and then also use photo’s and make a collage on the internet. All in all I am super excited to participate !

So here goes nothing!

For Breakfast I ate: One large Egg, One cup of sautéed mushrooms {sautéed in a little of olive oil and ½ tea spoon of soy sauce for flavor} followed by a salad cranberry and orange salad { Sounds fancy but alas it is just orange slices with dehydrated cranberry’s on top} I love this breakfast, I have it a couple of times a week it is how ever missing my favorite thing which is spinach but I kinda ate all the spinach in my house on Monday for dinner so this is what I had.

For a snack after my work out I had my favorite yogurt Oikos with fresh picked diced peaches, sprinkled with flax seed. I love this snack it taste like what I think peaches and cream should taste like, then the flax seed actually gives it some texture. Then as an added bonus it feels you up. Seriously I could eat this for every meal.



{here is where I forgot to take picture}
For lunch I took the remaining cup of mushrooms from earlier in the day and had a lettuce wrap. I used an avocado for a creamy texture inside my wrap, then I used a red onion and some sprouts for the filling. Then on the side I had some mixed pears {by mixed I mean red and green}




For a snack I had some baby carrots and snap peas. {I wanted to make some hummus but I forgot to buy chickpeas at the store. I am a hoping that I will have time later today to go do that.}




For dinner we went over to my parents house were we had a yummy from scratch goulash. With whole wheat pasta, a homemade tomato sauce, sautéed onions and ground venison {that my husband so nicely provided us with last year} Then I splurge and had some my dad’s homemade garlic bread. This is my favorite dish it is like a glorified spaghetti and instantly brings me back to my childhood in Idaho. The flavors are so rich and comforting.


This was my day in food it was yummy and very satisfying! I feel bad that I forgot to take pictures of all my food but I am happy that I got the nerve to do something I have wanted to for a long time. I hope you enjoyed!


* All the images were found using google image search expect for the crappy ones that were taken by my computer.

Today, I feel like I accomplished something I cleaned behind the fridge, I even feel as though I got a second workout of the day! Let me set up the scene I live in an apartment so as you can guess my kitchen is small. So in order to get behind the fridge I had to jump the counter and so after I jumped the counter I was trapped. So after 15 min of hard core scrubbing the doorbell rings, oh crap my package! { I have been waiting for a package all day and I didn’t want to have to wait until tomorrow to get it from my apartment office} So I yell “I will be right there!” then for the next what seemed liked forever I tried to re jump over the counter with my soapy feet. It had to look like a comedy scene because every time I would jump up my feet would slide down. Oy! When I finally get up onto the counter my shirt snags on the corner of the cabinet. Once again I am stuck, what a heck of a five minutes, by the time I got to the door I looked like a disheveled cave women. {I know the ups man looked surprised!} In the end my floor under the fridge is clean and I got a mini workout! SO much fun! What a great day!

It was all going good until…..

My sweet SIL came home from Italy with Italian chocolate. How could I refuse the creaminess of this kind of chocolate. I did indulge; I didn’t go overboard but I am kinda in a weird state about it. Why? Because now I crave it, it true! That and rice crispy treats. I don’t what shall I do to get rid of this funk I am in?
Yesterday I also worked out on the treadmill, this kinda bummed me out because I am back to square one. I was on the treadmill’s program 5 and now I am back to 1. Hmm, not much progress. I also have been informed that my BIL marriage has been moved up a month. Ugh, why am I not finding this very motivating?

To work out or not to work out?

This should not even be a question, yet for me not only has been a daily question but one I have answered wrong for the last three weeks. There I confess, I feel so much better! Today however, was much better! I went swimming with my cute little family. Guapo and I played horse swimming style, he won but I got in some good laps in and I got to play with monkey. We played mermaid {Don’t tell Guapo, but he played as well and little Monkey loved it!} Monkey fitting named herself Silly Monkey the mermaid. I love her imagination, she is always so creative.
So next week I have a plan I am going to load my MP3 player with some talks from lds.radio.org, and just get back in the habit. I am super excited to get where I need to be and even more excited that I will look great in no time!

Feeling Heavy

Have you ever woke up and just felt heavy? That is how I have felt since yesterday. I jus can’t explain it. Today is the day I change I have found my motivation in a wedding that is to take place in 4 months. How can one not want to look good when so many camera’s would be there. I also thought of making motivation signs for the kitchen tell me what you think,
You may want it now but do you want the fat later?
&
Exercise may not sound fun but it allow you to be more fun.

I don’t know I have usually allowed others words to motivate me, but this time I am going to try and motivate myself. I am not going to lie I think I might go back to other’s words. I also am going to get my before and after picture printed for my wall and wallet. I think that will help a bunch.
The other day Monkey was climbing on monkey bars {so fitting} she could not quite make it through all the bars but she never gave up. When one way didn’t work she tried another, when that way didn’t work she found a whole new way to try, till finally with my help she was able to get across. I found it a perfect metaphor for my weight loss journey. Here I am on this monkey bar set and it works and works and then I can’t make it to the next step, here I am faced with a choice do I try a new way? Do I quit? Or do I ask for help? I have done each choice and I can tell you that each is a valuable learning experience. {sometimes repeated}

Road Trip!

How come road trips mean junk food? Today we took a unexpected road trip to see Gaupo’s grandpa who is sick and in the hospital. We of course had to buy snacks and I did get apples but everything else was crap. The result? I totally feel like crap now. Tomorrow I go grocery shopping so I have hope, maybe I can turn this around. I need to get back in the grove of things so that I maybe I can salvage this weight loss. I am scared to death that I am going to gain it all back! (Plus 20) Anyway the nice thing about today is that it is almost over and I can start over again tomorrow.
{Sorry for the short post I am just not feeling it today}

What is my motivation?

I wish I could say I was sorry for not blogging but I was spending time with family {which I truly needed! } Oh and did I mention I loved every moment of it? Lately I have been having issues of finding time, I mean motivation to do what I need to do. Here I am a couple of days in and I have already lost my motivation. I have been hit by the motivation stick of a wedding and school and yet I still cannot find myself working out! {or eating right, that’s right I am thinking of the brownie I ate on Tuesday} I think I am going to get my before and after pictures printed so I can remember what I will be returning to.
I am right now currently planning my grocery list for next week, {we do not get paid until the 5th so no grocery shopping until then} I have learned that if I have a plan I do way better then if I say ok I am going to do this and that. Maybe that is what I will work on the remainder of the week. { I am a planner and list taker by nature as it is anyway, so might as well} .
One last note last night Guapo, Monkey and I went night swimming. It was so nice to have the pool to our selves.{ I was also grateful that I had shaved my legs} I swam some laps with monkey on back, did some hand stands and had a water fight. All in all the night was full of fulfillment. It reminded me of one of the reason I wanted to be a skinny mama, so I could enjoy the sweetest family moments that are apart of my life.

R.I.P

Sugar. There is no denying that I have come to love it. I feel that even though I have strong emotions towards it that it is time to let it go and to go sugar free. {I can’t believe I am even doing this ekk!} The time has come to do this. I made this decision as I look at my favorite brownie recipe. So yummy and chocolately. Hopefully one day I can come back without over doing it. {I am also wishing I just didn’t buy a 12 pack of soda. Ahh.} I guess the thing to do in a moment like this is to think about the positives…let see:
Positive #1
Feeling better in the long run.{ I have PCOS and the last time I gave up Sugar my cyst went bye bye. }
Positive#2
Weight loss is more achievable. {considering how many empty calories sugary foods consist of .}
Positive# 3
It will save money on my grocery bill. {Never a bad thing}
Positive#4
I will finish more projects. { Since I won’t constantly be snacking}
Positive#5
I will be able to tone my cooking skills. {This will help me cook healthier when it comes to desserts.}
In the end I think it will be a good thing. I already have Monkey trained from the last time I gave up sugar. { She still yells…” that has sugar in it, and you can’t have it mommy“} I think this is going to be more of a mental challenge, I hope I am ready. I mean I know I am ready. {Wink, Wink}

Really?! Why did I eat that!

I totally just ate three Oreo cookies…{ugh the shame!} The sad thing about this is, I don’t even like Oreo cookies! {Is true the texture grosses me out not to mention the flavor}. This brings me to a conclusion I ate for two reasons:

1) I passed them,

2) I am bored.

So when things like this happen I turn to hobbies, I found in my past success that a good hobby for weight loss is, something you can do with your hands. It can help train a person to start understand hunger signals. {So this is what I have to resort to} when I think I am hungry or bored, I will pick up my crochet hooks and turn on a good movie, if I am still hungry after I crochet for a half an hour! and then I will eat.{Yummy} That sounds so simple! Although we all know it is much harder when you feel buried under junk food. So in honor of Saturday and simply because I can; here is a recipe for a healthier cookie: {I have yet to make this but it looked yummy if you bake it let me know what you think}

Mudslide Cookies from Cooking Light Magazine

Ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon instant coffee granules
1 tablespoon hot water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 large eggs
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.
Place butter, bittersweet chocolate, and unsweetened chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until chocolate is almost melted. Stir until smooth. Combine coffee granules and 1 tablespoon hot water, stirring until granules dissolve. Stir coffee and vanilla into chocolate mixture.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, stirring well with a whisk. Combine sugar, egg substitute, and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 6 minutes or until thick and pale. Gently stir 1/4 of egg mixture into chocolate mixture; stir chocolate mixture into remaining egg mixture. Stir in flour mixture, nuts, and chocolate chips.
Cover baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets; with moist hands, gently press dough into 1/4-inch-thick rounds. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
Note: When the cookies are done, they'll be cracked on top and still moist in the center.
Debbie Calhoun, Cooking Light
JANUARY 2007
Nutritional Information

Amount per serving
Calories: 142
Calories from fat: 29%
Fat: 4.7g
Saturated fat: 2g
Monounsaturated fat: 1g
Polyunsaturated fat: 1.1g
Protein: 2.5g
Carbohydrate: 25.2g
Fiber: 1.3g
Cholesterol: 16mg
Iron: 1.1mg
Sodium: 59mg
Calcium: 29mg

The Now

Here is where I am at:
I am 27 I have lost 55lbs and have gained back 5 due to a recent much needed self indulging vacation. So I need to lose 30lbs well now 35lbs . I am in school to try and get an education in nutrition and physical fitness. So my weight obviously needs to come off; since this year I am not doing school over the internet. This gives me a little under three months, which is roughly about 10lbs a month. This also means I need to put down the cookie which is in my hand. {Insert guilty expression here.} I have a cute little family. A husband I call Guapo because that is what he is…{handsome}. I also have the most adorable little girl in the world! She also just happens to be an aspiring monkey; which is why I call her {Monkey}. So this is what I have come to realize about myself : I am a creature of habit which is why my indulging vacation has caused problems in its aftermath. I ate the best of junk food and now I don’t want to stop! {who would with all the awesome processed tastiness!} So I need to get my head back into the game and find a way to hold myself accountable. {Insert Blog Here} I have the knowledge {Thank you school}, the want and the need. {Which knowing me I will dive into further down the road}.

Skip to here if not interested in reading what is above.

The Goal: 30lbs by August 18 2011
The How: Getting rid of the junk food {I would allow myself a mourning period but that always backfires} eating healthy and exercising.
The How to make the plan STICK: Following the weight loss plan that I have already have { Written by me for a health class project…incase you are wondering it does work I have friends who have lost 20lbs in a couple of months} I will explain more I promise!

In the end I hope to inspire and educate throughout this fun little journey I call my life!