Quote

I love this quote. It reminds me what is important. It may not all pertain to today but it's encouraging..

Current weight loss 58 pounds...can't wait to reach 75 pounds. Next goal on sight!!

Merry Christmas

Wow holidays are tough when you cant eat what you want. It made it tough but glad I stuck to it..holding at 56 pounds lost so far.

I am so thankful for this past year especially the last few months. I never enjoyed Christmas clothes gifts as much as today because most of the time they wouldn't fit. Then they just hung in my closet. This year was different I really enjoyed the things I got because I could actually wear them and enjoy them. What a difference a few months has made.

My next goal is a small 19 pounds away...trying to hit 75 pounds lost before March. I will still have a ways to go after that but will be able to really be over the halfway mark of my overall goal. I have a big reward scheduled if I meet it...can't tell u until then!!

Here is a picture that I used a program to make the pictures side by side.

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and upcoming new year. I know it will be one I want to celebrate.

No Turning Back

No turning back....I titled this blog this way for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that my divorce was final today. And although it is what is best for me and him it still is not easy. I hate breaking my kids' hearts this way. At times they seem to accept it and others still hurt by the whole thing. Today was hard. I had reactions I didn't expect afterwards and immediately wanted to just go eat something not on my plan because I was entitled...it was a bad moment. Easily I could have went to the first hamburger place and eaten a greasy mess then I thought Mexican food with chips and queso and all that stuff. It took me about ten minutes to get that state of mind gone. To tell myself if I could not eat those things today it would be proving to myself more that I could continue to do this. Sometimes temptation is hard to resist but proud to be able to say that I have and can.

The second reason for the title is that I finally cleaned out my closet. I decided to get rid of anything to big. Why keep it there "just in case". I don't want to turn back and need them one day. I want to continue to lose weight. So after several hours I gathered everything up. I can actually see the clothes in my closet, although I don't have too many choices really. I took a picture of what I got rid of. I don't think the picture does it justice bc it is a whole bunch of clothes. I just didn't want it there because I never want to wear them again to honest.

Current weight loss is now at 53 pounds.

Health Coach..... CHECK!!!

 So today I passed my official Health Coach test. Made a 96%- damn trick questions... just kidden. I thought I would show you a before and after picture. The first picture wasn't even at my highest weight but hopefully you can tell a difference. I still have a long journey ahead of me but I am ready for the challenge.

Remember to check my website. I am trying to update it even more

http://www.onejourney.tsfl.com/

The importance of compliments....

There are a lot of things that make me feel good such as my girls, friends, and family. It feels great for people to notice my weight but even better when its your kids getting excited because you got jeans in the next size down. Or they say "mommy you look pretty" .... it means alot coming from  ones who see you every day. Don't forget to tell those you see everyday how they look great.

8 week challenge

So Im starting a  8 week challenge on weight loss...kinda of like the biggest loser. Weigh ins on Fridays for eight weeks. Hopefully this will help me stay encouraged especially through the holidays. I plan to post weekly during the challenge...and work out..

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving. I know it has been awhile since I blogged about my journey. Things have been very crazy in my life right now with trying to finalize my divorce, starting a new adventure with Scentsy (for extra income), and trying to work around all my obligations. With all that being said, I am very thankful for this past year in many ways.

First of all I am thankful for Anna and Lili. I am proud of how strong they have been doing the separation and in knowing about the upcoming divorce. I couldn't ask for better kids in that aspect. I know sometimes they get sad about the circumstances and don't really understand "why them" but overall they have learned to adjust.

Secondly, I am thankful for my family and friends. They have been a great support system for me. I would not have been able to survive this past year without them being there for me. I have the best family (parents, aunts, and uncles) and friends (you know who you are) in the world.

Third, I am really thankful for my adventure with Medifast. I have lost a total of 48 pounds to date. It has probably been the best things that I have ever done FOR ME in my entire life.  There are not many times in my life I can think of putting myself first..except for now. Medifast is helping me gain confidence in myself. I have started the process in becoming a health coach for medifast. If you want to check out my website you can at
www.onejourney.tsfl.com  If you know someone you think might benefit from Medifast, feel free to forward them the information. Basically, I am learning everything about the program and how to support people (like my coach does) who are on Medifast. One people get discouraged or have questions, the coach helps them figure it out. I hope that I will be able to be successful at this so that I can help other people they way I have been inspired.

My journey is a little slower than I anticipated but it is mostly because I choose to still enjoy my life. Meaning, having a drink when out with friends.... things that you aren't really supposed to do. For the most part, I stick to the plan... even though sometimes my busy life requires that to mean eating alot of salad (kind of getting sick of it).

Just wanted to give you all an update.... and to say how thankful I am that you follow my blog. I am hoping that I will start more blogging again.

Happy Thanksgiving.

6 weeks goal ...... CHECK!!

So today marked the end of my six weeks on Medifast. I am happy with the results.
 I have lost a total of 31 pounds, one clothing size, and four belt nothces (3 inches).  Probably the best thing out of the last six weeks is my confidence in knowing that I can do something on my own for my own reasons. I cleaned out my closet this week... found 34 pairs of pants that I can fit into again... who has 34 pairs but I do... glad I saved them now so I have "new"clothes to wear during transition... I will be in trouble after the next 20-30 pounds though and be accepting donations... just kidden.

The hardest part is when people want to go to lunch or invite you over. It makes it difficult to stick to your plan. Glad I have some great friends that take what I can eat into consideration. But if I decline an invite it may be that it sometimes is too hard with the foods other people are eating. So lunch is out.... I can't eat lunch out and dinner and I prefer to eat dinner. I have to carry food with me wherever I go. I go to church... I carry a bar to eat after.

Some of the battles that I have won inlcude going to a Mexican restaurant and eating no chips, no beans, no rice, and NO CHEESE DIP; going to fast food and not ordering or not snagging a french fry; resisting Chick-fil-A for breakfast when I pass it daily; and wanting a regular coke on a daily basis.Its a constant battle each day. Another side note is that my feet swelling problem has diminished. I am enjoying buying some regular dress shoes and even a new bra... Who would have thought that was enjoyment.

My next 4 week goal is to lose 15 pounds. I want to start to exercise since I haven't really incorporated exercise into my plan. I know that I wont achieve my goal without exercise, but too much on this diet will also make me gain weight or not lose. I am not sure what I will do yet but goal is at least 30 minutes three days a week. Daily encouragement is needed. Not meeting the goal is not an option.

For me?

I havent blogged lately just because life is so busy. I am so looking forward to my  fall break.  I need some time to get my house back together.

A good friend asked me last night about my progress and a question came up " who are you doing this for?"  It is a very good question for anyone on this journey especially if you have failed before or several times at weight loss. 

First of all I am not doing it for anyone buy myself but I do take my kids into consideration with wanting to be healthier for them. An example would be when I don't do things with them because of my weight- that rollercoaster ride or zip line they want to do. Again it involves them but comes back to me as well because I want to do those things with them before they are adults.

Self- confidence is another reason that I am to improve. I mean who doesn't want to look better? But for me it goes deeper than physical appearance- I want to feel better.

My last reason (there may be more coming) is to physically be healthier. I am sick of feeling tired when doing things.  I want to be in better shape.

Well those are my "me" reasons. My current weight loss is 25 pounds and one clothing size in 4 weeks. I havent cheated even when I want a Jet's pizza.

80 sticks of butter

This morning was my official weigh in for week 3..... I lost a total of 20.6 pounds...that's 80 sticks of butter!!! I excited and my next big goal seems like it's attainable.

Bad day... No sleep

Attorneys, arguments, and no sleep.

Our dog has been sick so I am writing this on having 1 hour of sleep in the past two days. If I don't make sense now you understand. I spent last night taking the dog in and outside all night long- getting eaten by mosquitos, and not sleeping. My eyes did not want to open today.

My day didn't seem to get better when I was unable to get my evaluation results bc the principal was in a meeting; my classes didn't go as planned, or my progress with the divorce either. I spent my day running from Lebanon to Donelson back to Mt Juliet back to Donelson then to Lebanon then back to Mt Juliet in a matter of time. I had skipped my third MF meal so by the time o was done at 5pm I was starving and ready for a meal. Stress and tiredness wanted to go through the drive in- made me want to eat something for that moment but instead chose just to go eat a meal (petite sirloin with broccoli and a side salad). I was glad I was able to think clearly with no sleep, with the stressful day, and running around.

There have been times today I have wanted to give up, not go on, crawl under a rock and hide but I can't do that being the primary caregiver. Instead we ate dinner and did homework and now it's bed time. I found this quote that helped me through today. It is also used as the benediction at our new church.


May the love of God be above you to over-shadow you
Beneath you to uphold you
Before you to guide you
Behind you to protect you
Close beside you and within you to make
you able for all things:

Skinny Margaritas??

So last night I went to a neighbors house and tried to stay OP (on plan) it wasn't a complete fail though. Let me back up to dinner...I decided to eat here before going so I cooked a tenderloin and some zucchini and summer squash. Yummo!! It was awesome but half way through I started to feel super nauseous to the point I really thought I would get sick. I would try a bite and the food tasted great but then I would feel sick so after eating half I just threw it away.At the party I did really good I had made 2 oz of pulled pork( yes I know it's not on my list) and that was it...I was there 6 hours!!

Another thing not OP was the margaritas but I stuck to the no calorie only 1 carb mix... I don't feel too bad about it because I want to enjoy my life...it was a good alternative for me.

A bunch of the neighbors were there and the girls had a blast.....I think the skinny margarita was not as good but if u are dieting a great alternative if you want to drink!!

New favorite quote:


“Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”
~ Anthony Robbins

Distraction is Good.

Distractions?

So my medical insurance plan at work is having tons of changes. Everyone is having to get blood work and have assessments to see if you fit any of the categories associated with an increased health risk. There are five categories: BMI, Blood glucose level, Blood pressure, Cholesterol and Triglycerides ( I think I might be forgetting one- dang). Each employee had to have blood work done, a follow-up visit, and if you did not meet each indicator for each group you were put into a health rish group and had to follow a plan. Basically they give you 90 days to complete your tasks they assign- for example if your blood sugar was high you would have to attend a diabetes class. Your insurance premiums would increase if you did not follow the plan or are unsuccessful. Well the good news is that I passed all the health risks except of course BMI. So I am also enrolled in their weight management and exercise courses. It is stuff you do online. I just started to look at it, luckily there is an iphone app to help. You have to log your weight and complete several tasks each week. Hopefully this is just another incentive to stay on my plan and continue to lose. My tasks for this week were to report my week, complete a questionaire and fax it back, report a cardiocvascular workout daily, track aerobic activity for each day, and take two quizes. This is gonna be a lot of work.

When I had my blood work done, my thyroid was high. I am having to take a different dose of medication to try to get it adjusted. My Vitamin D level is also low, which the doctor said can also make it harder to lose weight. So now I am taking a Vitamin D/Calcium supplement. I think getting my thyroid back in line will do nothing but help me. I can use all the help I can get.


Needless to say I am a little overwhelmed. I have had two very stressful weeks (well its been a stressful 10 months) with another coming up. I need to overcome the stress so that I can move forward with my life and finalize plans for the future. It's not easy ending a marriage but I am trying to stay distracted. I can say that the girls and I have found a church that we love and enjoy. Both girls are active in extra curricular activities. I am busy working at the dance studio two nights a week working the front desk. I have had two teacher evaluations on our new system and find out the results on Monday of my last one. We started our School restaurant this week and it went great. I am getting along with my co-workers better than ever this year. I think they are just empathetic to my situation or maybe I am easier to get along with also. I have one class I love and one class that I hate this year, which is making my job very difficult. Distraction is good when it comes to this exact moment in my life and I am actually thankful to have them to keep my mind preoccupied.

All of these things, the stress, kids, finances, ending a marriage.... the list can go on -could be something that makes me breakdown. In fact not very long ago I was talking to a friend daily on the verge of depression- ok I was depressed- not understanding why things happen the way they do but I can't explain the moment that it clicked for me that I was in control of what happens to ME. I know I can't control what others do and yet I know that I am incapable of doing things alone and so thankful for the people who hold me up right now. I know that I can not do things without these special people in my life. But for me, I feel like I am finally doing something for me. I can't explain how Medifast is doing that for me but it is. Do I miss certain foods ? YES Is it hard to be around others that don't have restrictions? YES Do I hate some of the foods I have ordered but eat it anyway because I paid $16.50 a box for it? YEP

But is it worth it to me at this very moment? ABSOLUTELY.

Week 2: Remember to Eat!

This week I have not been as hungry- I keep having to remember to eat! It might sound stupid but I know I need to get my 5 Medifast meals in each day for the nutrition I need- but I haven't been hungry.

I did try mashed cauliflower and spaghetti squash. It was pretty good almost like potatoes. My new favorite is zucchini chips- as good as chips to me! My next month supplies should be here today or Tuesday- trying some new products.

The hard things seem to be getting easier- I love the MF fb page which I visit constantly for support and ideas.

Sunday
My morning ritual while still in bed is to read all the posts on the fb page- it keeps me motivated to see what people are experiencing with their weight loss and their struggles as everyone has them. It's the best support tool.

Sorry been super busy. Week 2 2 pounds total 17.5 pounds.

Reflections on Week 1

I must say Week 1 has had its ups and downs. First of all, it has been an emotional week, making it even harder to stay motivated, but also a necessary week to move on with my life. Medifast is part of it now. One of the biggest changes is how fast I eat. You know a MF bar is only about 4 inches long. I have one every day for breakfast- caramel crunch or oatmeal raisin this week. I have discovered eating them really slow makes me think I have eaten more.I also eat them in tiny bites, this makes it take longer also. I probably take the whole 15 minutes I go to work (driving) to eat one.  I enjoy it more. I do this with the shakes as well, maybe taking 20-30 minutes to drink one. This has carried over into my L&G meal at night, I noticed it at O'Charley's last night (NO I DIDN'T EAT A ROLL). This has been a positive thing for me.

Medifast is so easy for me because the packets are convenient. There are some foods I don't like so far but hell I paid for them I am using them. I SOOOOO enjoy my L&G meal because its the one meal that I cook and get to eat. It has been hard being a culinary teacher and the students want me to taste this or that and tell them how to fix it. I just told them I can't and they need to play with the food and figure it out. It's worked so far. I resisted the chocolate mousse tower earlier this week.

I have pretty much eliminated caffeine. Every once in a while I have a diet coke but not even daily. I was drinking 2-3 diet and regular cokes a day before. I am trying to drink as much water as possible but at least 64 oz a day. Some days its harder than others. I think and hope I am over the caffeine/sugar withdrawals now.

Week 2 started today. I am not going to be posting a daily update under the weeks probably now. Just random posts but will post results under week headings (week 2,week 3, etc). Thanks for reading my blog. It really makes me more accountable for people to join as a follower so that I know who is reading and if you want to leave me a comment that is even better.

OH I almost forgot week 1 total weight loss was 15.5 pounds.

Week 1

So my food came on Tuesday. I opened all the boxes up in a kind of order I thought I would eat them during the day- Bars for breakfast, shakes mid morning, soup for lunch, etc. Then I got quart size ziplock bags and gathered a days worth in each so it makes it easy each morning to just grab a bag. I geared up for the next morning- I decided to use my Chris Powell stax cooler because it's big. I placed my portable shake blender (love it bc it's a cup to drink out of too), a container of crushed ice, my ziplock of meals, two pickle spears, and water all in the cooler. I have never weighed as much as I do now. I don't want to be this weight any longer- I'm hoping I can do it!!!

Day 1:The first day wasn't so bad. I ate every 2.5 hours on the dot and ne'er felt hungry. That night I had to work also so I grabbed a subway salad( not so great but choices were limited) for my Lean and Green (L&G) meal. That night I messed up my last MF meal which was the brownie. I was hungry when I went to bed but decided not to eat.

Day 2: I woke up hungry but my routine is to get ready for work and eat when I get there or on the way. I felt weak, nauseous, hot and cold. I ate a bar and some sugar free jello for breakfast and felt a little better. But throughout the day I felt bad off and on....I had read alot about MF so I knew this was normal to go through a day or two of being tired or not feeling well. I pretty much just relaxed when I came home. I made cauliflower breadsticks for my L&G.

Day 3:
I woke up and decided to weigh myself(7 pounds lost) and think "this might actually work!" I felt better and had more energy. My focus was drinking more water. It did make me feel better. I think I like MF for the convenience. It's easy with my busy life. The food is ok...I am sure I will have cravings I will have to fit. I am looking for meal ideas and ways to make the MF food taste better ( it's not that bad if it's worth it to you). I made lettuce wraps for my L&G with chicken, broccoli, and Laughing Cow Chipotle queso. It was ok but I didn't even eat it all. I went to my friends house and carried my cooler in case I needed my shake before I got back home. Preparedness is the key to not going off the program.

Day4: 11 pounds down.
I have read about the larger people who lose 15-25 pounds their first week. I hope this is my case too as I really feel like it may be bc of my size. I'm hoping today that I have energy and feel good. So far so good!! The night was kinda hard. Went to a friends house where the kids had pizza, chips, and cookies and COKE... I haven't had one since I started. I see now why they call the drug cocaine "coke" and coca-cola "coke" they are both addicting. I didn't have any but chose water (about 100 oz ). Trying to get to the gallon a day mark. I had a veggie egg beater omelet and side salad for dinner.

Day 5: 13 pounds
Weekends are hard. I need extra encouragement. Trying to stay focused. Today I used the MF oatmeal and made it into pancakes with SF syrup. It was pretty good, better than the plain oatmeal which I don't love. BTW I haven't been this weight in forever, maybe a year ago when I hit my max- good to see the weight number going down. It's my motivation. I could use a margarita though... Ugh! Tonight friends house again- gotta pack my dinner and food to be prepared! She always has my favorite snacks- which I will have to decline today!l

Day 6: 14 pounds
Today was a struggle- I was going through personal issues today and it was hard. I wanted a regular coke but I settled for a diet. I have only had two this week since I started. I was nervous over my problems which made it difficult to eat or enjoy. Dinner was good though- a taco salad with lettuce, cheese, meat, walden farm SF Ranch (no calorie no carb) and salsa. It was one of my better low carb meals. I didn't want to eat but I ate my brownie and went to bed (Medifast brownie that is). By the way, ketosis makes me Want a mint in my mouth. I hope I didn't screw up too bad w SF gum but that's all I could find.

I would like to share a quote from a friend that was sent to me on my bad day:

"Sometimes prayer is the only way to get through the hard times. So when you can no longer stand- kneel."

Day 7:

Today was a great day. I had my first dining experience at a restaurant. Lili and I went O'Charley's and I chose the 5 oz sirloin (no season) and it came with grilled roma tomatoes and steamed broccoli (all plain). I ordered a side salad no croutons, and lite ranch on the side. I just dipped my fork in the ranch but I bet I didn't even use a teaspoon. I TOTALLY enjoyed my salad without the dressing, even the lettuce. Left the restaurant totally satisfied, the first time I have left one in forever without over eating. FELT GREAT.

More determined than ever

I am not really sure what got me to this point- maybe it was the foot dr who told me my problems wouldn't go away. Or was it the feeling of being unhappy and scared to eventually go into the dating scene? Or for my kids' sake so they aren't left alone without their main caregiver? It could have been one or all...they are all good reasons right?

Last week two people mentioned Medifast. I started researching it and found their Facebook page. I was amazed at some of the results real people were posting. I decided I would try it and ordered two weeks worth of food. This blog is for ME or anyone else who wants to read it about my journey with Medifast.