Eight Pounds Down

I'm glad to report that this week's weigh-in showed a three pound loss. I have now lost a total of eight pounds since beginning Weight Watchers.

My weight loss is slow and steady, which is good, but also a little frustrating. I really want to see results quickly. When I think, "Oh, I've only lost eight pounds!" I remind myself how heavy a five pound bag of sugar is.

I'm eating a lot of fruit and salad which I actually enjoy. My favorite fruit of the moment is pineapple chunks and banana slices for zero points. I make a salad with a few croutons and a packet of tuna fish and I use light Hidden Valley Ranch dressing for four points. Another favorite snack is Dannon Light & Fit Greek yogurt for only two points. My favorite flavors are Strawberry Cheesecake and Blueberry. For my chocolate fix I've been indulging in Hershey Kisses for only one point each. For the most part I can say that I'm staying satisfied.

I really need to step up the exercise. I've been doing a little bit, but not enough. I really want to be able to do yoga but every time I've tried I feel like I'm going to die. I'm going to try and work up to it. Do what I can and try to get stronger. I feel very weak, especially in my legs.

For now, I'm feeling better and more optimistic than I have in a while. What I like most about Weight Watchers is that I can have what I want, I just have to count it. Yesterday I had McDonald's for breakfast and that was okay. Yes, I had a salad for dinner, but it was worth it to me. You have to figure out a way that you can live with it. I'm trying to learn to make a life change and get my mind set off of being on a diet.

Hopefully these little updates are helpful to someone. I want to encourage others that it can be done and no matter how many times you fall down, just keep getting back up. Feel free to comment any tips or encouragement you may have.

I give all the glory to God who is my strength. Hang in there everyone and until next time, God bless! :)

Protein for Weight Loss

Here are 5 reasons that protein can help you with weight loss.

1. Protein Satisfies & Saves Calories: Protein is important at the start of weight loss because it helps you to feel fuller longer. Protein slows down digestion helping you to be more satisfied and less likely to go back for more.
2. It Curbs Carb Highs and Lows: Coming off a sugar high onto a sugar low can make food decisions regretful. Combining protein with carbohydrate-rich foods slows down the absorption of sugar from your stomach into your bloodstream, which may help keep your blood sugar from going up and stave off future cravings.
3. Protein Requires More Energy: The "thermic effect of food" (TEF) is the energy we use to digest food into small, absorbable components. The TEF in protein is higher as compared to carbs and fat so you're actually burning more calories to process protein.
4. It Fuels Fat Burning: It is a scientific fact that your body cannot effectively burn and use fat as energy if it doesn't have help from either carbohydrate or protein. While you are losing weight, your body loses both muscle and fat. It is important that you continue to eat enough protein in your diet during the process. Eating adequate protein fuels fat burning while preserving calorie-burning lean muscle.
5. Protein Promotes Muscle Repair & Growth: Protein needs increase after bouts of intense exercise so increasing your protein intake on days that you exercise is beneficial.  If you strength train consider a high protein snack right after a training session when muscle is sensitive to nutrients that it can use to repair and grow.

Eating more protein alone won't necessarily help you shed excess weight in a healthy way. When consumed in excessive amounts it can still lead to weight gain. Protein should be set to 20% of your total calories, which should be enough for the average person. 

What I've Learned So Far

When I began sharing my journey, I said I would be honest. So far the journey has been slow but steady; but in the past two weeks I have experienced a set-back. I have gained a few pounds and I feel I must share not only my success, but also my miss-steps.

I have no one to blame but myself. I have indulged, I haven't exercised as often; in general, I've been lazy!

What I've learned through this whole process though, is how strong I really am and how far I have come since the beginning.

When I weighed last week and saw a gain, I was truly angry with myself. The rest of my day was a disaster, as far as self control goes; let's just say, I didn't have any. I literally threw in the towel, but only for the day.

By the end of the day I was still angry at myself, angrier because of my loss of control, but more determined than ever to get where I'm headed.

I can't explain it, but I just know, that I know, that I know that I will only fail if I don't get back up, dust myself off and get my head straight again.

I know that with God's help I can do anything I put my mind to.

So, with all that said, I'm scrapping a couple of bad weeks and starting fresh.

I've learned that giving into a craving and having it in the house leads to a binge for me. I just can't handle it. If I'm going to have a treat, it needs to be a serving size and that's it, no left overs, no seconds. If it's here, I will eat it.

I've learned that I need to exercise. Even if it's just for 15 minutes, I need some form of exercise everyday.  It not only helps me with weight loss, it helps with my mood. I'm a much happier, relaxed person when I exercise.

So, I've stumbled, I've taken a step back, and now I'm dusting myself off and I'm back on track. I hope that by sharing my journey, the good, bad and the ugly, that I will encourage someone else who is fighting the same battle.

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to comment and share your struggles, successes or tips!

Till next time, God bless!! :)

Frustrated

The past couple of weeks have been frustrating.  After losing weight very steadily every week for a month; all of a sudden I've hit a plateau.  I really didn't expect to hit one so soon!

Last week's weigh-in showed no loss, no gain.  I wasn't happy, but I didn't get worried.  But when this week's weigh-in showed a slight gain, I just wanted to cry.  

I have been counting my points religiously, I haven't been using all my flex points, and I have even been more active.  I'm mystified as to why I would gain.  

Normally, a disappointment like this would set off a binge, but I am so determined to get healthy this time.  There's so much more on the line now than just losing weight to look better.  I have decided that I'm worth it.  I deserve to be healthy, to feel better, to have more energy; so I'm not giving up!

So, I will keep on keeping on, putting one foot in front of the other.  I will keep researching new, healthy foods/recipes to try.  I will share the good stuff (I promise to do better).  Keep an eye out for a couple of new recipes coming soon to www.whatscookingwithmandigirl.blogspot.com.

Until next week...God bless!!

 

Four Weeks & Counting

I have been doing Weight Watchers Online for four weeks now.  I have lost a total of 12 pounds. Added together with the weight I lost before joining Weight Watchers, I have lost a total of 23 pounds.  I'm elated beyond words.

I'm continuing to find new low-point treats to try.  These are a few of my current favorites:

I found these at Target.  They are 2 points per a 9 crisp serving.

These are 3 points per serving.  You get two nice size crisps in a serving.  They remind me of a pop tart.

I'm so excited that I'm finally making some real progress on this journey.  I'm feeling so much better physically, but the change in my attitude is making the biggest difference.  My resolve is set.  I feel stronger than ever about making the right choices.  For the first time in a long time I feel confident that I can do this!

First Week on Weight Watchers

My first week on Weight Watchers Online went really well.  I lost 4 1/2 pounds.

I don't know why it works so well, but I'm so happy that it does.  I haven't found it difficult to stay within my points and I have not felt hungry all the time either.  I even ate out a few times and was able to stay on track.  I am making healthy choices and that feels good.  Each time I make the healthier choice I feel stronger.

One of my favorite snacks at the moment is a package of Honey Butter Pringles Stix along with a wedge of Laughing Cow cheese.  This combination is so yummy and only has 3 points.

This week I had to go to the doctor for a check up and as usual I was told I need to lose weight.  It was really nice to be able to tell the doctor that I had joined Weight Watchers a week ago and that was working on it.  The best part of that is that I wasn't fibbing when I said it...lol :).

My blood pressure was a little high and I'm very aware that I can't play at this weight lose thing anymore.  I need to do this for my health.

I'm looking forward to my next weigh-in.

Going Low-Carb

I have been concentrating on a low calorie diet for almost three months now.  I have lost 14 pounds and gained two.  I'm very proud of the success I have achieved so far.  With that being said, I have decided to try something different.  I'm going to try a low-carb diet for a while and see how things go.  

I was doing some research about low-carb diets today.  This is just a little bit of what I found at www.authoritynutrition.com:

• Studies show that low-carb diets reduce your appetite and make you eat less calories and lose weight pretty much effortlessly, as long as you manage to keep the carbs down.
• In studies where low-carb and low-fat diets are compared, the researchers need to actively restrict calories in the low-fat groups to make the results comparable, but the low-carb groups still usually win.
• Low-carb diets have health benefits that go beyond just weight loss. They lower blood sugar, blood pressure and triglycerides. They raise HDL (the good) and improve the pattern of LDL (the bad) cholesterol.
• Low-carb diets cause more weight loss and improve health much more than the calorie restricted, low-fat diet still recommended by the mainstream. This is pretty much a scientific fact at this point.

Bottom Line: There are many studies showing that low-carb diets are more effective and healthier than the low-fat diet that is still recommended all around the world.

Hunger has been a difficult issue for me since starting this journey.  It is my hope that the low-carb diet might be more filling and satisfying.  I'm also hoping I will have more energy.  I have fasted bread, pastas, and sugar in the past and I always seem to feel more energetic. 

I know it won't be easy, I love my sweets.  But, I am hopeful that this is a step in the right direction.  

I will also be looking for some tasty low-carb recipes.  When I find something good, I'll be sure to share it either here or on my cooking blog.  If you have any low-carb diet tips or recipes you would like to share, please leave a comment.  I can't wait to let you all know how it goes.  

Till next time, God bless!! :)

Plateau Broken - Finally

I finally broke through my two-week plateau.  This morning's weigh-in revealed a 1 1/2 pound loss.  I can't tell you how happy I am.  I was feeling so frustrated and dangerously close to a full-on binge.

My husband recently joined a weight loss challenge at work and it has helped me tremendously.  In fact, if he hadn't been so supportive over the weekend, when I was feeling my weakest, I probably would have given up.

I am a little annoyed with him though.  In his first week he lost as much weight as it has taken me a month to lose.  All annoyance and kidding aside; I'm so proud of him and myself for making the decision to get healthy.

Tonight we had spaghetti squash with meat sauce for dinner.  I use it in place of regular spaghetti noodles.  It's very good and we don't miss the pasta at all.  I love that you get the added vegetables without really noticing.  This is especially helpful where my son is concerned.

It gets easier to make better/healthier decision with each passing day.  I feel stronger in my resolve than I have in a really long time and
positive about my progress.  And even though I have a really long road ahead of me, I finally feel like I have a little momentum behind me.

Frustration

Monday, October 13, 2014 - 9:00 a.m.

I know I really shouldn't be complaining.  I have lost 7 1/2 pounds since starting over.  But this past week the scale hasn't moved and it is incredibly frustrating.

I have tracked all my food, I have stayed within my calorie range, I have exercised and nothing, not even 1/2 a pound.  It's days like this that I get so discouraged and wonder if it's even worth the fight.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not giving up.  I just need to vent and I promised I would be honest.  I wouldn't be being honest with you or myself if I didn't admit how hard this is sometimes.

Monday, October 13, 2014 - 10:48 p.m.

After the frustration of this morning's weigh-in I was determined not to let my disappointment affect my choices today.  In the past it has been my downfall.  Having a bad weigh-in would almost always lead to a binge.

Not today, today I made solid choices.  I had soup for lunch and a smart, healthy afternoon snack.  I saved the bulk of my calories for this evening.  I had Bunco at a friend's house and I was pretty certain there would be something tempting to eat; and I was right.  My dear friend made Apple Dumplings for dessert and I was able to indulge.

I'm so proud of myself for not losing control.  I can go to sleep tonight with no regrets on my mind.

Weight Loss Update & Tips for Surviving the Holidays

It has been slow going, but I have lost a total of 26 pounds since returning from vacation in June.  I'm feeling so much better.  I have more energy and I am feeling more confident in myself.

I have to admit that I have fell off the wagon a few times, but I haven't given up.  I have been doing my best in the past month.  I wanted to get on track and get my head clear and straight before the holidays.  I feel more confident than ever that I can reach my goal this time.

Well, I just wanted to give a little update on my progress, but I also wanted to share some tips I have come across to stay on track during the holidays.

Choose these snacks/appetizers at parties or holiday functions:

Cheese:  A small serving (1 oz. or 5 small cubes) of full-fat cheese is loaded with protein.  Choose full-flavor cheeses like Parmesan or Gouda, their sharp taste can help satisfy cravings quickly.

Festive Nuts: Toss 1 cups each of almonds, walnuts and pecans, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, 4-5 sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary, a pinch of red pepper flakes, sea salt and pepper.  Roast in the oven at 350 on a baking sheet for 20 to 25 minutes.

Nuts are high in calories.  To avoid overdoing it place a handful of nuts on your plate and snack on that throughout the evening instead of grabbing a handful every time you pass the bowl.

Dark Chocolate:  New research finds that the antioxidants found in dark chocolate can boost your mood and calm your body's response to stress.  Try a serving of one truffle or two squares of dark chocolate containing 70% or higher cocoa per day.

Shrimp:  An appetizer of 9 medium shrimp can fill you up and only contains 50 calories.  Shrimp contains omega-3 fats, which helps you stay fuller longer.

Snack Time Favorites

Snack Time

You don't have to feel guilty about snacking.  Healthy snacking can help you reach your weight loss goals by controlling hunger and preventing a binge.  Looking for a snack?  Here are some of my snack time favorites; all around 100 calories.

• The Laughing Cow Mini Babybel Original - 70 Calories
• Rold Gold Braided Twists Honey Wheat - 8 for 110 Calories
• Mini Caramel Rice Cakes - 7 for 60 Calories
• Clif Crunch Bar White Chocolate Macadamia - 1 bar for 95 Calories
• Hershey Bliss Dark Chocolate Squares - 3 for 105 Calories
• Sundae Shoppe Italian Ice Strawberry or Lemon - 100 Calories

Fluid Retention and Weight Loss

I have been retaining fluid this week.  And, as I shared in my last post, my weigh-in this week was very disappointing with a five pound gain.  So, I did a little research and I found the following tips:

Diet Changes That Can Help Relieve Water Retention

• Reduce your sodium intake.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables. 
• Drink up to eight glasses of water a day.
• Add 15 minutes of aerobic exercise daily, especially on the days you are retaining fluid. (Exercise reduces stress and promotes blood circulation, which creates a positive effect on your metabolism and this in turn assists the body in regulating itself.)

This morning I got up and did a 30 minute workout of walking/jogging in place, leg lifts, stretches and a little bit of dancing.  I hate watching a video to workout.  I prefer to either turn on some peppy music or just watch television and get moving.  

After my workout, I went to take my shower.  The whole time I was in the bathroom the scales were calling out to me.  So, against my better judgement, I decided to weigh again today.  (I usually don't allow myself to weigh more than once a week.)  But, it proved to be a positive experience; I had lost one and half pounds.

It was a relief to see a little bit of that gain was gone and it really gave me a boost of motivation for the week to come.

Till next time....God bless!

More Tips and Facts to Aid Weight Loss

Did You Know?

Getting Enough Sleep can aid in weight loss.  Aim for seven to eight hours per night.  Going to bed and waking up at the same time everyday will help train your body clock - which will make it easier to go to sleep at night.  I personally do not get enough sleep.  I have suffered with insomnia since I was 15 years old.  I just wonder what would change if I did get sufficient sleep.

Stress can make you fat.  Secreting too much of the stress hormone cortisol can increase appetite (the body is trying to attain energy to manage the crisis).  Cortisol causes the extra weight to settle around your stomach, and fat around the belly is linked with heart attacks and strokes.  Exercise is the best cure for stress. Exercise releases endorphins, improves your mood, helps you sleep better and can clear the mind of worries.

Tomato Juice in place of your sports drink can help
post work-out inflammation.

Protein rich meals prevent the secretion of the hunger hormone ghrelin and stimulate the release of the satiety hormone peptide YY.










Social Networking temporarily causes you to feel more connected to friends and family and gives your self-esteem a boost.  Unfortunately, there is a down side.  It decreases self-control.  One study showed that people who browsed for five minutes were more likely to choose an unhealthy snack after, than those who spent the same amount of time scanning a news site.  Don't worry, there's no need to stop surfing altogether - just stay away when your hungry, since that is when our will power is at it's lowest.

Eating With Chopsticks makes a meal an event, slows you down and helps prevent overeating.








Getting Off Your Bottom for about one additional hour a day can decrease stress, heighten your mood, energy, focus and productivity.

Weigh-In Update

This past Friday's weigh-in went well with a two pound loss. That brings my total weight loss to eight pounds since returning from vacation. Although I would love to step on the scale and see a five or six pound loss; I am just so grateful for any progress.

Over the past weekend I faced a little bit of a challenge.  We had a birthday party for a dear friend and there was not only birthday cake, but there was also pecan pie there.  Those are two of my favorite sweet treats.  But, I am thrilled to report that I only had the smallest piece of birthday cake.  Not only was it small, it wasn't a corner piece with a lot of icing, which is my favorite part of a birthday cake.  I was so proud of myself for resisting the temptation to throw my will power out the window for the evening.

I feel like I am starting to make healthier choices without having to really think about it or feeling deprived of something.

This was just a short sweet entry to update my weight loss.  Keep watching; I have some exciting things I've been researching.  And, I will be sharing soon!  God bless!

Challenges

I had a challenging weekend.  There is no doubt, I am very human.  In order for this blog to benefit me and my readers I plan to be transparent with my failures as well as my successes.

It started off with an unhappy weigh-in on Friday morning.  I didn't gain.  For that fact alone I know I should have been happy.  But I really wanted to lose and I didn't.    

On top of being discouraged by my non-progress, I had started getting sick the prior evening.  Having just recovered from a stomach bug the week before; I was very disgusted that I was once again under the weather.  By late Friday evening my symptoms included fever, body aches, sinus congestion/pressure, headache, light headed, dizzy, etc...in general, I felt awful.  I was so weak that I stayed in bed all of Saturday and Sunday.    

Let's go back to early Friday...I started feeling a little sorry for myself, okay, maybe a lot sorry for myself. Not a good "head place" for someone trying to lose weight.  Eating has always been a comfort to me.  Being sick, depressed, happy, any emotion has been an excuse to celebrate or soothe with food.

So when we stopped by Andy's after lunch I ordered the medium Key Lime Pie Concrete knowing two things: 1) I didn't need it; I was full from lunch, and 2) the small had almost a whole day's worth of calories and I certainly did not have that many to spare.  

My internal dialogue went something like this:  "I deserve it, I don't feel good.  I don't get to have Andy's that often.  The Key Lime Pie is a seasonal flavor and if I don't order it today I probably won't get one until next year.  I really should order the small.  I mean it's not like I'm getting the large, that's a positive, right? No, not really.  Oh well, it's only this once!"  I know you know what I'm talking about! You've been there!

I'm betting that most of you also know how I felt after I ate that medium Key Lime Pie Concrete.  Not only did I feel sick because I was so full; I felt defeated for giving into my food demon.  Shame hit me pretty hard also, because I knew I had to blog about this failure.  

I promised myself when I started this journey that I would be painfully honest. Even if I only have one reader, I will tell the truth.  Because this journey isn't just about changing my life.  My hope is to encourage others in this battle.  I don't believe that will happen if I don't show you my human side.

Now that I have that off my chest....

No one said this would be easy.  It's important for me to remember that I can start over.  If I make a poor choice, it's not the end of the world.  I just have to end it, and not allow myself to spiral out of control.  No, I don't have to starve myself for the next two days.  I just have to make healthier choices and keep moving forward.

Till next time....God bless!! :)  

Exercise

We all know that exercise is important if we want to be successful at losing weight and keeping it off.  Regular exercise is also a great source of energy, produces feel good chemicals and relieves stress.

One major issue I have with exercise is that I get bored very quickly, so I need variety to keep me motivated.  The following are a few I plan to give a whirl.

With the exception of the jogging, these are simple, easy to do exercises that don't require a gym or any equipment.

1. Jogging in Place  - Jogging in place is a great high impact aerobic exercise that can raise your heart rate quite high.  A 150 pound person burns 544 calories jogging in place for one hour.  You can jog in one place or around the room, kicking your feet really high and raising your arms to increase your heart rate.  
2. Leg Lifts - Leg lifts are great for building up strength and muscles in your legs.  If you find it hard to do the exercises with your legs straight, try bending them slightly.  I am currently doing these.  I do 60 reps per leg in 10 set intervals.  I vary the position of my leg and I alternate flexing my foot for 10 reps and relaxing my foot for 10 reps.  I also vary lying on my side and on my back.
3. Dancing - Dancing is a wonderful exercise, which is great for your heart.  Not only that, but it can lift your spirits as well.  This is a no-brainer for me.  I love music and I love to dance.  Furthermore, dancing doesn't feel like exercise; it's just fun!
4. Walk in Place - Walking in place requires no special equipment and it won’t put a strain on your body while you do it.  Just march your legs up and down.  I'm gonna try doing this while watching television.  

I look forward to reporting on my progress.  In the meantime, if you have any exercises, tips or advice you would like to share; please feel free to comment.

Finding My Power

Someone shared the following quote on Facebook today and I have made it my new motto:

"You've always had the power my dear, you just had to learn it for yourself."

Glinda in The Wizard of Oz

When I read the above quote today something clicked inside my head.  I have always had the power inside of me to change my health for the better.  I just had to believe it.  And nothing is more empowering than progress.  As of today, I can report that I have lost two more pounds bringing my total loss to six pounds since returning home from vacation.  

This new journey is not easy; but what is that old saying?  "Nothing worth having ever came easy."

Getting a handle on my eating habits has been easier than increasing my activity levels.  My biggest problem is lack of energy.  At the moment I am really battling my insomnia.  No sleep equals one very sluggish woman.  However, I am aware that regular exercise will produce more energy and boost positive emotions; so I'm going to start putting one foot in front of the other and pushing through.  Hopefully my sleeping will improve as well.

Speaking of exercise, I promised that I would keep you all apprised of my Zumba experience.  I was very optimistic and excited about trying it.  But I really should have considered how terribly uncoordinated I am before I ordered the DVD.  I suffered a temporary lapse in judgement; I forgot that I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.  That being said, I'm not giving up.  I'm just going to move and try to have fun at the same time.  Like I've said before, if I don't like it, I won't do it.

Before I go, I want to share a few tips/tricks that I am finding helpful.  Maybe they will work for you too.

• Munch on Crushed Ice:  This keeps me from looking for something to eat between meals.  Added benefit; I'm upping my water intake.
• Brush Your Teeth or Chew Minty Sugar Free Gum:  Brushing my teeth or chewing minty sugar free gum will temporarily cause foods/treats to taste bad.  
• My Fitness Pal:  As I mentioned in my earlier post, at http://www.myfitnesspal.com you can sign-up for a free account and journal your meals, exercise, and progress.  I can't recommend this tool enough.  It is essential for me to keep track of my calories so that I don't get off course.

It is my hope that sharing my journey will encourage others who are struggling.  I am by no means a professional. There are going to be ups and downs and I am going to make mistakes along the way.  But I feel like I have finally found my power.  I encourage you to search within yourself and find yours too.  It's there, you just have to believe it!

Until next time, God bless!!!  :)

This Is Me

This is me.  This picture was taken in late June while I was on vacation with my family.  I was miserable.  I couldn't walk and breathe at the same time.

This vacation was a wake up call for me.  I had to do something to change my health.  I did not want to go on being this way.  There were a couple of moments during this vacation that I cried because of how uncomfortable I was in my own body.

I haven't always been this heavy but  I have always struggled with my weight.  When I was about 14 - 15 years old I had reached 200 pounds. That's way too much weight for someone who is only a hair over five foot tall. I decided then to make a change.  I started counting calories and exercising and I managed to lose 70 pounds over the next year.

I kept the weight off for the most part (it was a constant struggle) until I was married.

When I was pregnant with my son I gained 40 pounds.  When he was born he weighed ten pounds and before I left the hospital I had lost 27 pounds.  I lost the rest of the baby weight before returning to work, but I was still a little heavier than I wanted to be.

My son was about two years old when I started Weight Watchers online.  I started losing at a pretty steady pace and was feeling a lot better about myself.  Then something went wrong.

I was dead on my feet.  I was so tired and sleepy (me the insomniac) all the time; all I wanted to do was sleep.  My hair started falling out, my skin broke out, my fingernails were splitting and chipping, and I started gaining weight quickly.  I gained 30 pounds in a month!  I thought I was dying.

I made an appointment and went to see my doctor.  After running some tests, he discovered  that my thyroid had basically quit working.  I have been taking medication for hypothyroidism since that day.

Losing the weight was much harder after that.  It seemed I had to work much harder and it came off very slowly.  I battled with the scales, up and down, up and down.  I eventually just gave up.  I was tired of fighting.

You know what happened then?  I gained more weight.

That brings me to the present.  Here I am, not the heaviest I've ever been, but way too heavy for my small stature and miserable in my own skin.  I'm being gut-wrenchingly honest here.  I don't normally talk about something this personal to me in this open a manner.  My weight is a very personal and embarrassing issue to me.

I have lost four pounds since I returned from vacation.  I'm eating less and moving more.  I'm trying to make positive healthy changes in my life.  I have a long way to go before I reach my goal but I'm more determined than ever to get there.

I have decided to write about this journey because I know I'm not the only person fighting this battle.  I hope that writing about it will help me stay on track.  Maybe it will help you too.  I welcome your encouragement, tips, or even questions (no haters please).

God Bless...
 

Why Can't I Get This Right?

Frustration - my companion and my constant frame of mind.  I am so frustrated by my lack of will power and motivation to stick to a healthy living plan.  Once again, I have edged up the scale and am in serious need of starting over.  

So, here I go again.  One day at a time.  That's all I can allow myself to think about.  I get overwhelmed if I think further ahead.  

I'm using an app on my iPhone to log food, activity and weight loss.  It has one of those handy little bar code scanners, which makes it somewhat easier to track what I eat.  

Now, I just need a kick in the butt to start exercising.  I hate exercise.  I hate to sweat!  Yes, I said it, I admit it - I absolutely hate exercise and sweating!   I know I'm not alone.  Feel free to comment on this post and share your thoughts on "torture."  

Today is day one.  My journey starts again.  I'll let you know how it goes.