Saturday Revival

Last night I decided to take a nice hot bath filled with lavendar epsom salts hoping to ease the fire in my shins.  And it certainly worked!  I have no idea what makes epsom salts work, and really I don't need to know, I'm just glad they do!  Plus this lavendar one that, believe it or not I find at Walmart, makes me sleep sooooo sound!  I felt like I was steam rolled into last night I slept so hard! 

Today no pain, but I am going to keep a constant flow of Ibuprofen in my system for about a week to be sure my shins are healed.  
No walk today, but we did garage sale through my parents and Phyllis' neighborhood.  So we did quite a bit of walking!  Found a few cute things for the house and the kids each picked up a few steals.  I'm not much on finding things at garage sales, but lucked out this time.
I was home sitting her working and got woozy and light headed.  Then it dawned on me, DUH!!  I haven't even eatten today.  I was so worried about getting food into my husbands belly before he left for mowing, and food into my son's belly so he'd be good to go for his football game, and feeding my daughter's bottomless stomach, but I totally forgot about me!  And sure enough by this time, I'm looking for anything and something fast.  Opened the fridge raw chicken - healthy, but too long to cook.  Cottage cheese, but that made my belly flip for whatever reason just thinking about it.  So I grabbed the Tupperware container with my mothers' homemade baked mosstacholi that I specifically said I didn't want cuz I knew something like this will happen.  So I made a poor choice because I was unprepared.  Good lesson here.  Always keep your fridge and pantry stocked with quick healthy ready to eat foods!  Apples, stuff for a salad, granola (to tide off hunger while I cooked that healthy chicken).  So while typing this, that mostacholi was cooking in the mircrowave, and when I typed up all these ideas of good things to eat, I left it in the microwave and chopped up a salad.  So ANOTHER good lesson here.  Sometimes a little waiting and thinking, can steer you in the right direction.  I ended up making a good choice after all!
But, the military says, If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.  And I believe, they are right!

Ouch!

Well after what at least 2 months of walking, I finally realized today that the pain I have felt in my lower front legs all week is shin splints!  It started Monday but I thought it was just from not walking since Thursday.  But Tuesday was worse not better, Wednesday was okay, yesterday finally didn't hurt, but today, my shins were on fire!!!!  Phyllis said maybe it's shins splints.  And then the light bulb went on!  Ugh.  I hate it.   So our 4 mile walk today was really not a record breaker cuz I just couldn't walk fast without pain.
Does anyone have any idea on this other than just healing?

And my front

I thought after posting my back end, the least I could do is post my front end.
I had my 5 year old take the photo.  I weighed in at 162.8 this morning. 
I'm getting there!

My butt

Okay, I took my Brownie Scouts on a tour of the local police department this evening. 
One mom tooks lots of photos and sent them to me to post on our Brownie blog.  This photo was included. 
I said, "Dang!  Look at my butt shrinking!"  ha ha ha  Not much side rolls either and I think I see the start of an hourglass shape beginning!  Had to share!

I'm the one in the white tshirt and navy pants in the middle.

Happy Easter!

Today is all about happiness. 
I am so happy for my belief in Jesus and God and my Christianity. I might not always be the perfect Christian, but that is exactly what we already know, Jesus died for our sins.  So for me, Good Friday and Easter are such important holidays. 
I came to the realization the other day that as much as I LOVE Christmas, it is no longer my favorite holiday, Easter is.  Even with Elaine's First Communion this week and Easter Egg Hunts, and school parties etc, the stress was just not there like it is with Christmas.  I can enjoy and focus on this special time of year.  And the 40 days of Lent isn't filled with shopping, parties, baking, wrapping, traveling.  It's spent focusing on the event that is to follow. 
I am so happy for my family and friends.  I love being close to my parents, even though sometimes I want to give them a good flick in the arm.  I am so happy for two beautiful happy healthy well behaved smart kids (no bragging there at all, huh?).  I am so happy for husband, who I also want to flick in the arm, nose and sometimes tooshie, but he is a good man, a good father and a pretty good husband.
I am happy for my church that brings me joy and allows me a place to commune and celebrate every week and on almost all occassions.
I am happy for my health.  This path I'm traveling on has helped me to drop a few pounds so far, but I already feel so much better!
And I thank you, any of you who may read my blog.  Immediately this blog brought me a new friend, Kathi - and that alone is a blessing!!!
I hope you have a blessed Easter!
Love, Prayers, Health and Happiness -
Sheri

I'm back!!!!

Wow it's been a busy week!  I haven't even posted!
But I do have lots of stuff to post!
We'll work backwards to help  my memory this morning at 6:20am!
Yesterday I weighed in at 165.0.  One pound heavier than last week!  But i don't feel too bad.  Although I weighed myself 3 times to validate last week, that 164.0 seemed fake.  First it was 164.6 and when I got back on it was 164.0 and I was exstatic (sp?)!  Later I weighed it was 164.7, but of course as the day goes on you'll fluctuate!  then all week is was 166, 165, 166, 165.  Yesterday when I weighed at 165.0, I really believed it and was happy with it!  Today, of course, 164.4.  Stupid scale!
Food - I've not tried too much new this week.  I resorted back to an oldie from this fall, before I started this blog, though, so it IS new here!  ha ha ha

Lemon Chicken

 I served it with brown rice, cauliflower and broccolli.  Everyone loved it!

2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning blend
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of visible fat
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! spray
1 cup lemon joice
4 slices lemon

Preheat the over to 400 degrees.  Lightly mist an 8"x8" glass or nonstick baking dish with olive oil spray.
In a small bowl combine garlic powder, lemon pepper, and seasoned salt.  Mix to blend.  Place the chicken on a large platte or platter.  Rub the seasoning mixture evenly over the chicken.  Cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 15 minutes for the seasonings to flavor the chicken.
Place a large nonstick skillet(don't Pam it yet) over high heat until it is hot enough for a spritz of water to sizzle on.  Remove the pan from the heat to mist lightly with olive oil spray.  Place the pan back on the heat and place chicken in the pan.  Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned.  Place the chicken, smooth sides up and not overlapping, in the prepared baking dish.  Spray each breast with 2 spritzes of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! spray.  Pour the lemon joice over the chicken.  Top each breast with a lemon slice.
Bake for 21-24 minutes, or until no longer pink and the juices run clear.  Remove from the oven.  Baste with the pan jucies.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.    I served ours with Asian stir fry veggies
147 calories, 27g protein, 7g carbs, 1 g fat, 66mg cholesterol, less than 1 g fiber, 353 mg sodium
I had a good smoothie for dinner the other night, too!  1/2 baggie Walmart mixed berries, several ice cubes, 1 Sweet and Low, 1 cup 1% milk and BLEND TIL SMOOTH.  So simple, but tastes so good and is FULL of antioxidants!!!  I don't have a photo for you of that one.

I've been walking 4-5 miles every day with my friend Phyllis.  We realized although we are both fast walkers our pace could be much faster.  Military fast, as she says.  So we've stepped it up!  And boy can you tell a difference.  but it feels good!  We're walking again this morning!

For my Happiness - my daughter makes her First Communion tonight.  I'm so proud of her.  She's growing and she's smart and she's beautiful inside and out.  My heart is happy to see her growing up and staying the good girl she always has been.  So we're all really excited for tonight.

Wordless Wednesday!

Hump Day

I am so excited!  I feel like I'm on the "right path" right now.  Things are just going really well. First of all, I hopped on the scale yesterday and it 165.0!!!!!  I am creeping further and further away from that dreaded plataue I've been locked in for sure since September, but in the past two years in general.  June of 2009 I was doing the South Beach Diet and got down to 157, I believe.  So my immediate goal is to hit that first.  Then I will be in uncharted territory!  But I'm going to take this day by day and pound by pound!

I downloaded the Eat Clean diet Recharged the other day and am loving it as much as Your Best Body Now!  So much information and I'm just soaking it in like a sponge.   One little tid bit, that I had also read before in yoga journals, blogs etc is that is it excellent to start your day with a cup of hot water and lemon. 

It's "the ultimate tonic."  Tosca says she has found it prevents her from drinking too much coffee while it helps her cleanse her liver.  Okay, sounds good, I'll try it.  So I had this yesterday, after I'd already had a cup of coffee.  Let me tell you, this "ultimate tonic" lived up to that quoted title.  I guess I wasn't really thinking of what a tonic and body detoxifying act really meant.  I was afraid to leave the house.  But I think that was because I drank it after my coffee.  So we'll see, this morning, my hot water and lemon sit next to my coffee - as if to battle it out head on!  HA HA HA  But the tonic is going down easily first this morning.

Oooooooh I made another life changing grocery swap the other day, too.  We hadn't had spaghetti in awhile, so I thought we'd have that for dinner.  I couldn't remember if I still had noodles at home, so I needed to grab some at the store.  Barilla's spaghetti or Barilla's Whole Wheat Spaghetti.  Another head to head battle with my food options.  Try to imagine boxes of spaghetti with mini helmets on!  HA HA HA  My husband was sort of rubbing me the wrong way that day, so I thought, not only will I make spaghetti, which he is not a HUGE fan of, but I'll change it up and use Whole Wheat spaghetti.  Bwah haw haw  Although he never ate dinner that night, the kids and I did, and no one noticed a thing!  Plates were filled and cleaned and filled again with, "That was awesome, mom!" as they left the counter.  So, whole wheat spaghetti, you are now a staple of our home.

My 5 mile walks are going great.  Phyllis, my friend, and I have great conversation while keeping an excellent pace.  That is the problem I've always had with other walkers.  I walk fast and I can walk AND talk without slowing down my pace, no matter which direction the conversation turns.  If nothing else, I'll walk faster due to the conversation than slower. 
Well I'm gonna wait out my tonic, go for my 5 miler and then jump on the scale when I return.  Wednesday is my blogger groups weigh in day, so I'm soooooooo excited to weigh and post!

Whoo Hoo

Wow!  I don't want to start doing the once a week post!  I'd better get on her a little more.  I haven't forgetten this blog, but I wasn't doing anything I felt was Blog worthy!  H3.
I did finally go down to Whole Foods to try to find the ingredients I need for Bob Harper's Green Protein shake.  I was very disappointed as they out of Maca Powder - which I found out was $24.95 for a 1 pound bag!!!  i don't even know if I'm going to like this to have more than once, so I certainly do not want to pay $24.95 for one ingredient - and I only need 2 tsp to make the drink!!!!  I had everything else but panicked in case I couldn't get the Maca Powder elsewhere.  So I put the 2 tbsp of Dulse Flakes back (kicking myself now) figuring when I came back for the Maca Powder I'd get the flakes.  Dumb dumb dumb.  I went home and found sample size bags of  the Maca Powder for $2.50 at Nutsonline.com and the hemp seeds much cheaper.  So now all I need the the miniscule amount of dulse flakes and it's all the way downtown.  Grrrrr.  I'd be spending more money on gas than on the darn flakes.   And I can't find Kale.  Apparently I'll have to raid some restaraunt's kitchen for the infamous green bush they throw on every plate!  HA HA HA
I've been walking, 5.05 miles today.  But it's not every day.  I think every other day is good. 
I have been adding ground flax seeds to a lot of my foods and taking my daily vitamin and Viactin everyday. 
We've been doing a lot of yard work and sweating, too!  It's been great.  I'm sunburned, which is NOT healthy, but for right now it's my tattoo - my proof of being in the great outdoors and enjoying myself and being outside.
All this combined, I'm finally noticing the scale slowly move down.  Since it had been stuck in a certain 2-3 range for the past 2 years, this is a big deal to me.  And I'm acting like I might jinx it if I talk about it, or get excited about it.  But then I'm also afraid if I don't celebrate it I'll offend the great mightly scale and it'll jump back up again.  Such craziness.
My blogger group weighs in on Wednesday - so I am soooooo excited to get to Wednesday and officially weigh myself.
We've been doing a lot of yard work and sweating, too!  It's been great.  I'm sunburned, which is NOT healthy, but for right now it's my tattoo - my proof of being in the great outdoors and enjoying myself and being outside.

Losing

Well I'm not sure what happened at camp, but ever since my weight has slightly started to drop.  I'm down 3 pounds.  And while that is not a huge number, and some people may be able to lose that in water weight, I've been stuck there for MONTHS!!!  So 3 pounds is a huge leap for me!  And one that I hope continues in the downward fashion.
I made a huge pot of minestrone soup and am eating that regularly along with Black Bean Spicy veggie burgers.  I can't put my finger on one specific thing, but I do plan on continuing to be outside and active and watching my intake!
This is a good Happy Healthy Day for me!   Yeay!!!!!!

Wake Up Call

Well I've not been here because of busy week wrapping up and then took off to Girl Scout camp with my daughter. 

You hear talk of school lunches being so horrible, but I never expected Girl Scouts to follow such a trend.  Girl Scouts is supposed to be about shaping young girls and for adults to serve as example to these young ladies.  Unfortunately there is no way to describe a large percentage of the adult women at this camp other than to say over weight to grossly obese.  Here is a photo I took of the leaders relaxing.

Friday night we had a snack at about 8pm of chocolate pudding, Oreo cookies, and gummy worms to make "dirt."  Cute idea, but not for an 8pm snack.  The them of the weekend was Topsy Turvy - girls could wear mix matched clothes etc.

 

So Saturday morning arrived to find us eatting large slices of pepperoni pizza

and peaches in heavy syrup.  I apologize for my washed out photo from the flash!

Keep in mind that is a full sized dinner plate and the pizza lops over the edges!
This "breakfast" alone had to be close to 800 calories!

Tiny boxes of cereal were an option but only as an alternate. 

Lunch was hotdogs, 4 different choices of potato chips, carrots, and pineapple.  

At least they offered some veggies - a healthy side! 
Look how healthy I was except for the handful of potato chips!  I had carrots, pineapple, and peperoncini's on my nitratical!

Saturday dinner was, of course, breakfast consisting of pancakes with thick syrup, 

2 large sausage patties or thick sliced bacon. 

The pineapple upside down cakes were made out of the large sized tuna cans. 

Again you could have the miniscule box of cereal instead. 

No snack Saturday night that I remember.  And then Sunday, again, we had large slices of pepperoni pizza.  I should also mention, 2 of everything was served and once all girls/adults went through, anyone could go back for 2nd's!!!!  And many did.  I kept a close eye on Elaine's intake.  When we got home, I craved salad and veggies!!  So we had huge salads with slices of sirloin on top with more salad and more salad!!!  HA HA HA

I was very disappointed in the choices and quantities of food for these girls and the sad condition of the leaders they are to follow.  Also dinner was from 6:30-8:30pm?  Who eats this late?!?!?!

I was the only mom in our group who did the obsticle course.

Amazingly enough, I lost 2 pounds this weekend!  I couldnt' believe it!

So it was quite a learning experience and I'm thrilled to say I know we, as a family, eat so much healthier than many of these girls and are so much more active!!!