Ready To Get Re-Motivated....Again

Life became a crazy whirlwind of hospitals, doctors appointments, days spent driving and every day stresses made more stressful since my husband's semi truck was hit head on by another truck back in October 2013...for anyone counting that was 7 months ago. Before all this started I was on a huge health kick working out as much as I could, eating nothing but healthy foods, weighed the least I had weighed since my junior year of high school and I was only about 10 pounds from my total weight loss goal but everything came to a screeching halt when my husband got home from the hospital. I was now spending my days caring for my husband, my son, trying to keep up our house and take care of our 4 dogs. We were constantly in my car driving all around Colorado going from one doctors appointment to another trying to find out and fix what was going on inside of my husbands body, this was an all day almost every day thing. Most of our meals became fast and easy which was not the healthiest thing for us. Needless to say I pretty much put my health and my fitness on the back burner so I could help out my husband as much as I possibly could and be there for all his health needs. Unfortunately I've gained back about 15 pounds and have lost almost all my stamina which makes me so very sad. But now that things have slowed down and are almost back to normal I am so ready to get back at it! Here is how I am getting myself re-motivated this time around.

 The first thing I did was come up with a friendly challenge between myself and one of my best friends who is also looking to get re-motivated. 

We have 3 weeks to lose 5+ pounds, obviously who ever loses the most wins and the loser has to put $20 into the winners Starbucks account.

 I have to win! 

I have sworn off eating out. 

Like I said we were never home because of all my husbands appointments so almost all our meals were either from a drive through or at a restaurant which is just bad.

I downloaded a new food/fitness tracker app.

I used to use My Fitness Pal but I wanted something new so I downloaded an app called Lose It! and I really like it, I find it a lot easier to use then My Fitness Pal.

I wrote up a healthy dinner menu for the first week and will keep doing this for a very long time.

It is so much easier for me to stay on track when I have already planned and am fully prepared to make a healthy dinner instead of rummaging through our fridge and pantry trying to figure out a meal to make which can get frustrating.

 Since I've lost most of my stamina from not keeping up my fitness routine I thought it would be a great idea to start out slow and work back into my regular workouts so I've started with One Song Workouts.

I downloaded the songs from iTunes and I do one workout each day to help try to regain my stamina that I miss oh so much!

My husband and I went to The Vitamin Shoppe one day to get him some protein powder and I ended up buying a bottle of Ab Cuts and a bottle of Hoodia for myself.

I have wanted to give Ab Cuts a try since I saw that Kendra Wilkinson used them to help her lose the baby tummy that she had after having her first child, I'll let you know if they actually work. I bought the Hooida because I wanted a good appetite suppressant since I have become such a muncher between lunch and dinner. I've used  Hoodia before, when I worked at GNC, so I know that it works for me.

 I took a look at a couple pictures of me at my heaviest and my lightest. 

This really helps to motivate me because seeing myself at 208 pounds (left) and at 155 pounds (right) shows me where I was and where I made it to, its also shows me that I did this once before so I can do it again. 

And last but not least...
One of my favorite things to do is read motivational quotes.

Reading them out load to myself gets me totally pumped and ready to get back at it!

What are some things you do to re-motivate yourself? Let me know in the comments!

Jason's Weight Loss Journey (March Update)

The end of February and beginning of March was pretty good for my hubby. He did a good job on his diet and his ability to exercise got a little bit better. He is still dealing with the repercussions from his work truck being hit, his head aches are a lot better but he is still really dizzy and is still having some neck pain, so if he does feel able to exercise he will but its only for a little bit...he is trying. In my last update Jason still weighed 224 pounds so to get his metabolism going and his weight loss started we did my 4 Day Plateau Breaker Diet. When we started the diet he weighed 224 pounds and by the end of the diet he weighed 221 pounds, he lost 3 pounds which is a great start!

For this update I wanted to share what Jason ate on his 4 Day Diet.

 Day One:

Breakfast - a few eggs scrambled and a couple slices of an orange. 

(I wanted him to eat grapefruit on this diet but he wasn't able to due to one of his medicines.)

Lunch - a small salad which consisted of lettuce, celery, green onion, cucumber and Lite Caesar dressing. He also had a whole orange.

Dinner - a turkey burger topped with a couple slices of avocado and green peas on the side.

Day Two:

Breakfast - a few scrambled eggs with chopped turkey bacon and green onions mixed in. He also had a couple slices of an orange once again. 

Lunch - a large salad with lettuce, celery, a hard boiled egg, a small can of chicken and some Lite Caesar dressing.

Dinner - two slices of Tilapia and some asparagus on the side.

Day Three:

Breakfast - we were on the go so he had two hard boiled eggs and an orange.

Lunch - two small cans of shredded chicken mixed with regular yellow mustard and two stalks of sliced celery.

Dinner - we went out to dinner with his parents and he ordered the Caesar salad with no croutons.

Day Four:

Breakfast - a few scrambled eggs with chopped turkey lunch meat mixed in and of course a couple slices of an orange. 

Lunch - homemade shredded chicken drizzled with some buffalo sauce and wrapped in some roman lettuce.

Dinner - two turkey burgers and a broccoli snap pea mix as a side.

Jason's Weight Loss Journey (February Update)

The end of January and beginning of February was a bit hard on my husbands weigh loss journey since I was in Oregon visiting my family, so he had to fend for himself. He did pretty well though and didn't eat anything that unhealthy, but he didn't lose any weight either so he still weighs 224 pounds. He has started eating a lot less and is now finding himself less hungry throughout the day and gets fuller quicker when eating breakfast, lunch and dinner which is great....he is definitely on the right path!

For this update I wanted to share my husbands new favorite healthy dessert. Every night after dinner he is searching the cabinets for something sweet to eat. So to keep him happy and on track I scrolled through Pinterest and found this dessert which is super easy, sweet and not overly unhealthy.

Cup Cake

You will need a box of Angel Food cake mix and a box of your favorite flavor cake mix, my husband chose Germen Chocolate. 

You will also need an air tight container, I used an old pickle jar that I had painted the top of. 

Pour both cake mixes in the container and shake them together super well. 

Store the container until you get a craving for something sweet. 

When that craving does hit just scoop 3 tablespoons of the cake mixture out of the container and pour them into a mug. 

Add 2 tablespoons of water and stir well. 

Place the mug into the microwave for 1 minute and that's that.

A sweet single serving cake for my sweet tooth fella!

Tips To Start Running Today

I wrote in my "If I Can Do It YOU Can Too" post that I was never a runner, I was the person that would try so hard to run but would always end up walking most of the way and feeling super sick once I was done. But now after following the tips that my brother (a great runner) gave me and learning more about my body and my stamina running/jogging is one of my favorite things to do. If you are not a runner it can be very stressful and hard getting started, I know this from experience, so I wanted to share the tips that helped me.
First things first...

Stretch

Side Toe Touches: loosens your back and stretches your hamstrings (5 times each side)

Squat: stretches your lower back, Achilles tendons, ankles and hips (hold for 30 seconds)

Toes On Wall: stretches calves (hold for 20 seconds each leg)

Toe Touches: stretches your hamstrings (hold 20-30 seconds)

Side Lunge: opens your hips (hold for 30 seconds on each side)

After you are lose and your muscles and joints are ready to go follow these tips to start running:

• Do not run in new shoes...wearing new shoes that are not broken in will end up hurting you more then helping.
• Run on a track or a dirt path...there is more cushion on these and it will be easier on your knees.
• Start out slow....its not a race so keep a slow pace.
• No heavy feet...you should run heal to toe not flat footed.
• Keep your breathing regular....no deep breaths no shallow breaths. 
• You will find your stride...and once you find it you will feel like you could run forever.
• Music helps a lot...listening to your favorite upbeat playlist can keep you entertained, keep you motivated and may make your run feel easier. 
• Remember there is always tomorrow...you will not be able to run a marathon on your first day so don't feel like you have failed if you don't make it that far. You will get better and it will become easier!  

The Twelve Week Plan I Followed

I never ever thought that I would call myself a runner but now it is my go to activity. Not just because of the health benefits but for stress relief also. There is just something so calming about being outside in the fresh air, all my problems seem to disappear with every stride I take.

Jason's Weight Loss Journey

My husband Jason used to be super athletic...he used to play basketball, soccer, flag football and he loved to run...but almost five years ago Jason broke a bone in the bottom of his foot completely in half and had to get the bone surgically removed so he spent about four months sitting around the house trying to recover. Then about four years ago he slipped two disc's in his back and spent another three months sitting around the house. Most recently, three months ago, his semi truck was hit by another truck while he was in the sleeper and his head and neck slammed into the wall of the bunk causing a severe concussion and a strained neck so he has been sitting around the house, once again, trying to recover since the accident happened at the beginning of October. Long story short Jason is now one big mess and can't play the sports he loves due to all of his injuries.

Since he is no longer as active as he used to be and has had to spend a lot of time sitting or laying down, he has been putting on the pounds and he now weighs the most he has ever weighed. He has been experiencing all the stuff that comes with being heavier like snoring, breathlessness, low energy and being uncomfortable when he bends over to tie his shoes and both of us are getting annoyed by it all. I have tried to get him to lose weight in the past but of course I couldn't force him to, but he is finally ready. So his new years resolution for 2014 is to lose 39 pounds.

I talked to Jason and we both thought it would be a good idea to share his weight loss journey here on my blog. We want to share his struggles and triumphs with you so if any of you are going through the same thing you will see that you are not alone and hopefully we will be able to help a bit by sharing what is working for him.  So once a month I will either be posting one of my husbands favorite healthy meals, one of his favorite exercises, an update on his weight or an obstacle he has had to over come...we all know that there will be some! So please stay tuned and come along with us on Jason's Weight Loss Journey.

I figured that we should start Jason's Weight Loss Journey by sharing his weight information.

 The Facts

Pounds: 224

Height: 6'

Waist: 45 inches

Chest: 43 1/2 inches

Snow Day Stair Workout

Winter here in Colorado is cold and snowy which I absolutely love but as soon as I see the snow flakes falling I become the biggest home body which means no jogging and no gym for me, so I work out here at the house. I posted a previous blog where I shared a few of my favorite at home workouts, you can see that post here, but my stair workout routine is becoming my favorite!

First things first I jog up and down the stairs for about 10 minutes to start my cardio and get my heart rate up.

Jumping Jacks, Run, Jumping Jacks, Run

I do 5 jumping jacks at the bottom of the stairs then run up the stairs to the landing where I do 5 more jumping jacks then I run back down. I do this 5 times which equals out to 50 jumping jacks. 

The 10 minutes of jogging with the 50 jumping jacks and the running up and down in between is my cardio and I now move onto toning.

Calf Raises 

I start my toning with 10-12 calf raises...

Dips

...then I move onto 10-12 dips...

Knee Ups

...then 10-12 knee lifts...

Incline Push Ups

...10-12 push ups...

Reverse Leg Kick

...10-12 reverse leg kicks...

Leg Lifts

...10-12 leg lifts...

Jump Ups

...and 10-12 jump ups to finish my first toning set! 

I now start all over again with the calf raises, I do the whole toning routine a total of 3 times.

I love doing this whole routine and I love that I don't need to leave the house to get a full body workout!

Thanksgiving Day Food Tips

Thanksgiving day is probably one of the hardest days to get through if you are on a diet, its almost impossible to not gorge yourself on all the deliciously unhealthy foods unless you have extreme self control which I totally lack! So just like last month with the Halloween candy, I did a lot of research and found the best tips on how to not totally over do it during Thanksgiving day. This is what I found:

Thanksgiving Day Food Tips

*Skipping breakfast and lunch will lead to overeating when you sit down to eat your Thanksgiving dinner.

*Your body isn't meant to handle 2,000 to 3,000 calories all at once and will store the excess calories as fat so try and keep track of the calories you eat for your Thanksgiving dinner.

*Control your portion size. 

 (keep this picture in mind while plating your food)

*When plating your food start with veggies and/or salad then serve yourself some lean protein. The last thing you should put on your plate is the mashed potatoes, stuffing, candied sweet potatoes ect. There shouldn't be that much room left on your plate for these after the vegetables and protein which will help keep the portion size small.

*Ask your family members to go on a walk with you after you all are done with your Thanksgiving dinner. Also plan a workout with a friend for the morning after. Of course being physical and working out will help burn off some of the extra calories you ate during your Thanksgiving day.

*Remember that the pre Thanksgiving dinner finger foods are not calorie free so make smart decisions and try to avoid the ones that are deep fried and the ones made with a lot of mayo or creamy sauces. If your worried their wont be anything healthy to munch on bring a vegetable platter for everyone to enjoy. These are the finger foods I will be making...click here!

(some serving sizes to remember)

This Over That

*White Meat over Dark Meat 

(Dark meat is about twice as fatty as white meat.)

*Homemade Cranberry Sauce over Jellied Cranberry Sauce 

(Homemade has less sugar then canned.)

*Green Bean Casserole over Stuffing 

(Stuffing is just croutons drenched in fat and loaded with sodium and is even worse if its cooked in the turkey.)

*1/2 Cup Mashed Potatoes With 1/4 Cup Turkey Gravy over Candied Sweet Potatoes With Marshmallow Topping

(Sweet potatoes lose their good nutritional facts once they are covered with marshmallows.)

*Dinner Roll With Butter over Cornbread With Butter

(Cornbread is sweeter, saltier and fatter then regular dinner rolls.)

*Pumpkin Pie With Low Fat Whip over Medium Slice Pecan Pie

(The corn syrup in a pecan pie is what makes it so unhealthy. If your looking for a healthier pumpkin pie recipe click here!)




I know that the holidays can be stressful if you are on a diet but don't let the stress ruin your day! Just remember that Thanksgiving is a day to....

 ....so enjoy yourself and your loved ones!

Non Filling Football Finger Foods

If the guys in your family are anything like they are in mine they are parked on the couch watching football and munching on finger foods like tortilla chips with salsa and cream cheese, french bread chunks dipped in spinach dip and pinwheels before our Thanksgiving dinner. So when we all sit down to eat our massive meal the munch mouths are already pretty full. So this year I have decided to put out some lighter, healthier, smaller portion, somewhat homemade finger foods for everyone to chow down on before dinner.

Fruit

Nuts

Vegetables With Hummus Dip

Black And Green Olives

Mozzarella Cheese With Reduced Fat Wheat Crackers

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Chips

Sweet Potato Chips

This Not That...Halloween Candy

Its that time of year again...candy candy everywhere! Its so much fun taking my son trick-or-treating but when we get home and he dumps that huge bag of candy on the counter my mouth starts to water, my tummy starts to growl but my brain starts to yell at me "No No and NO!" Of course my mouth and tummy always over power what my brain is telling me and I end up eating some (a lot) of the candy. To prepare myself this year I decided to do some research, I ventured out to our local grocery store and checked out a bit of their Halloween candy! So for this Weight Loss Wednesday I wanted to share what I found out....here is my This not That list!

Original M&M's over Peanut M&M's

Original M&M Minis: Serving - 3 bags, 220 calories, 28 grams of sugar

 Peanut M&M Minis: Serving - 2 bags, 180 calories, 18 grams of sugar

Reeses Cups over Snickers Peanut Butter

Resses Cups: Serving - 5 cups, 220 calories, 23 grams of sugar

Snickers Peanut Butter Mini Bar: Serving - 1 bar, 130 calories, 12 grams of sugar

Smarties over Sweet Tarts

Smarties: Serving - 1 roll, 25 calories, 6 grams of sugar
Sweet Tarts: Serving - 8 pieces, 60 calories, 12 grams of sugar

Pearson's Mint Patties over York Peppermint Patty

Pearson's Mint Patties: Serving - 5 pieces, 150 calories, 27 grams of sugar, gluten free

York Peppermint Pattie Mini: Serving - 3 pieces, 150 calories 27 grams of sugar, gluten free 

3 Musketeers over Milky Way

3 Musketeers Mini: Serving - 7 bars, 170 calories, 27 grams of sugar

Milky Way Mini: Serving - 5 bars, 90 calories, 25 grams of sugar 

Tootsie Pop over Blow Pop

Tootsie Pop: Serving - 1 sucker, 45 calories, 8 grams of sugar

Blow Pop: Serving - 1 sucker, 70 calories, 13 grams of sugar 

Tootsie Roll over Caramel Square

Tootsie Roll: Serving - 6 pieces, 140 calories, 19 grams of sugar
Caramel Square: Serving - 5 pieces, 160 calories, 28 grams of sugar  

  Dots over Starburst

Dots: Serving - 6 Dots, 70 calories, 11 grams of sugar
Starburst: Serving - 8 pieces, 160 calories, 23 grams of sugar 

  Sour Skittles over Original Skittles

Sour Skittles Fun Pack: Serving - 1 pack, 61 calories, 11 grams of sugar
Original Skittles Fun Pack: Serving - 1 pack, 81 calories, 15 grams of sugar  

Skinny Cow Creamy Clusters over Snickers

Skinny Cow Creamy Clusters: Serving - 1 one ounce pouch, 120 calories, 10 grams of sugar

Snickers Fun Size Bar: Serving - 2 bars, 160 calories, 17 grams of sugar  

I'm sure my son wont get any Skinny Cow pouches in his trick-or-treat bag but Snickers is my all time favorite candy bar and it just so happens that it is the worst candy bar for you so to keep myself from eating all the Snicker Fun Size bars my son gets I bought myself some Skinny Cow Creamy Clusters....like I said prepared!

Always keep in mind that...

3 Musketeers is the best candy bar and Snickers is the worst!