Packing my bags...

Because I am going on a guilt trip. That's right, I have enormous guilt. This blog was designed for two women and their journey to healthy living. If you are paying attention, only one woman has commited herself to this journey, and it isn't me.

For three weeks, I have not worked out...I have not eaten healthy...and I have not blogged about why I am absent or where I stand so far. Nothing. My mom, bless her heart, is very supporting. She understands that working and school are keeping busy from the minute I wake up until the minute I go to sleep. Excuses, Excuses, I know. But it's true. I took too many classes this semester. I would hold off on work...designing blogs...except I am using this employment as internship. I am behind and stressed. My mom she doesn't make me feel guilty...she understands. But everytime she mentions a comment someone left her or a entry she just did, I start counting my frequent flier miles to guiltville. Especially how I lost a half pound more than her this week on the Jessica Simpson-Dippin Dot-Pizza Hut diet this week.

So everyweek I say to myself, I am going to start again this week...swear off the nasties that make my unhealthy. Every week I don't. I can't bear to hear her disappointment and at this point it seems I would be doing it for her and not myself. How do I get back on track? I am too busy to cook, too busy to even shower before midnight. How does one eat well on a schedule like this? I feel like right now it is too much of a chore to have to think about than something I want to enjoy and feel good about.

I am commiting diet suicide. Upon my death, I leave my fat to Jessica Simpson.

Like Father like Daughter!

Lost another 3 pounds, even though I have been sick and craving comfort foods! (and eating some of them too!) Afterall, I am sick!

Ok, my daughter im'd me and I made her go and weigh...she wasn't going to cuz she has been soooo not dieting this week, but I told her she had to keep track, good or bad! Dumb move Tari! She lost three and a half pounds! Go figure! I am very happy for her, don't get me wrong...but she has been drinking pepsi, eating pizza, and who knows what else? What's up with that? I have tried to eat healthy, had no pepsi and exercised every single day, sick or not, and I only lost three pounds.

She is just too much like her Dad! I hope he doesn't know about this blog cuz he will die laughing! When I was a junior in high school he was a senior and had flunked junior english and was re-taking the class. He sat right behind me! I would study hard, do all the homework, etc. etc. etc. Of course, he never even opened his book! When we would get our test papers back, he would get a half grade higher than me! It never failed! He still thinks this is very funny! So what do I do, give my daughter a chance to do the same thing...Geeeez!

Lost and Found

Wow, I found something this morning that I had not found in almost 30 years! I was just laying there trying to wake up, and stretched and my arm came to rest on my side and low and behold there it was...MY HIP BONE! I almost screamed from the shock!

Happy Dance!

WooHoo! Another 3 pounds bites the dust! Happy Dance! Happy Dance! I think I like this "Wonderful Wednesday"
Thank you my daughter , my friend for your unfailing support! And my google group too! I was having some serious doubts this week for some reason!
I was almost ready to give up and just look into the surgery. I really don't want to do that! There is something about it that just doesn't feel right to me! I know it is a life saver for some, and that is great! It does look like a miracle! But they work hard to do keep healthy and get all the protein and vitamins that your body needs. I just feel it would be better for me to lose it by eating healthy and exercising, if I can. I am not against the surgery for others. I have seen some wonderful success stories. Just don't feel it is right for me!

Love Handles Challenge!

Boy I must be a glutton for punishment! Two goals in one week! What's up with that?

I belong to a google group called low carbers in Christ (come check us out) Great group, very active! We are having a challenge that starts today! It is called the Love Handles Challenge! The whole Valentines Day thing!

My goal was to lose 10 pounds by our ending date....March 19th! Five weeks, it is reasonable! Trouble is my body is so shocked that I am walking on the treadmill that it is busy building up all these long dead muscles and I am gaining instead of losing. How long does that last? I really want to make this goal. It will help me to be well on my way to my bigger goal for August 18th.

Gonna pour my heart out here, so if you are squimish...stop reading now! I do not remember being under 200 pounds since my youngest son was two or three years old! He is now twenty eight! This is a huge thing, if I can do it! I have gotton close many times. Usually within 4 or 5 pounds and everything comes to a screeching halt! I need all the help I can get! I do have to say, I was not doing any activity then, as I am now, so I feel I have a better shot at it this time! That's if I quit adding muscle weight...lol!

My attitude is different this time also, thanks to the Lord, and the support of my daughter and friends! Stay tuned for weekly updates! Happy Valentines Day All!

No Chickening Out!

Ok, I am gonna stick myself out here a bit today! We just signed up for family camp with our church. It is August 18th-20th! I want to lose 40 pounds which would put me under 200, by the time we go to faamily camp. I have 6 months and 6 days to do this! That seems reasonable to me. That's over 25 weeks! That is a healthy goal, don't you think so? I haven't really made any actual goals for pounds lost until now! Just eating healthy, no DEW and keeping active. So I guess it is time to put myself on the spot!
Once I get under 200 then it seems much more doable to me! Please help me guys! I need your support to get there! If any of you have any good low carb recipes, or super simple exercise programs,(remember I am a long time slug!)please pass them my way.
I started on my treadmill 3 weeks ago with just 5 minutes a day and am now doing 7 minutes a day. I am building up a little at a time.
Gotta run, I just had to get this in black and white so I couldn't chicken out! :)

That fat feeling Again!

I knew I was having a fat day! Did I just talk myself into it? I weighed this morning cuz it is "Wonderful Wednesday" again, and I didn't lose an ounce! I am a little dissapointed but, I know I have been doing pretty well with my meals even though I got a little off track with my portions a couple times, but all in all I was eating healthy. And the couple times that I feel I ate too much, it was chicken both times, better than mashed potatoes or pasta! I still have not added pasta back into my diet. I have all sorts of whole wheat pasta in the cupboard, in case a craving hits, but so far, I am ok! I usually have problems with eating too much protein! I tend to crave it! Anybody know why this is?

The only other thing I really have to be careful with, and it is only cuz I like it so much, is whole wheat english muffins. I eat one and I really want more. I do keep those on hand. So far I have been able to control myself. I wonder why I insist on buying them. Thay feel like comfort food to me!

I have been doing 5 minutes on the treadmill every day and then after a week I added another minute each day. Saturday I added two additional 5 minute sessions and Sunday I added one more 5 minute session. I have enjoyed walking on it and am changing it up some too as one time I will walk at a higher speed and then the next time I make it more caual and work my arms along with it. My muscles are probably in a state of shock that they are having to actually do something. They have been allowed to be idle for far too long. They are probably hurriedly building more mass, while they have the chance ( before I decide to give up and let the "flabby me" take control again! Anybody in "blogtown" have any ideas at how to not die of boredom while walking on the treadmill? I know you're out there... Help! 6 minutes takes f-o-r-e-v-e-r! And it is not that I am tired and need for it to be over, I just get so bored! I know some people read while they walk, but my eyes would pack up and run away if I tried to get them to focus while I was moving! They have a hard enough time when I am still! So if we really do have readers out there, drop me a quick comment and give me your ideas for my walking time pleasure! If you leave me to my own devices, I would have to teach fat cat(Harry, or Hairball, to you!)) to walk with me! And he is not gonna like that. He is almost 30 pounds of pure lazyness!

Gotta escape from cyber world now and get to bed! It is almost 11:00 pm and I reallly need my beauty sleep! Good Nite everyone, sleep tite!

I'm having a "fat day"

Have you ever had one of those days? One where you just feel fat? Not an ordinary day when you feel fat, but a day when you feel like you must have dreamed that you had lost weight and it really didn't happen cuz you just feel extremely fat today! Well today is that day for me! I feel like I could eat everything in the house cuz I don't feel like I have lost anything anyway! It's all I can do not to go raid the frig! I need intervention! NOW! I would just go to bed, but my mind is not sleepy yet and if I go to bed now, I'll just lay there and daydream about cheeseburgers, and chocolate, and popcorn, and mashed potatoes and gravy, and ohhhhhhhh, Mountain Dew! All frosty and bubbly, I can almost feel the bubbles tingling my nose, and that burn in the back of my ears with that first wonderful gulp!
My name is Tari, and I am an addict! Yes, I have been addicted to mountain dew for over 3 years! It has been 34 days since my last drink!

It's a chili kinda day!

Hi all, thought I would give you a good healthy chili recipe! I won a chili cook off with this recipe which originally came from the Prism cookbook, but I added turkey burger to it and I also use yellow, orange , red and green bell peppers instead of just green. Very Yummy!

Easy Chili

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon water

2 (16 oz.) cans unsalted tomatoes, cut up

2 (16 oz.) cans kidney beans, drained

1-3 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

Directions:

Lightly saute fresh vegetables in oil and water until onions are tender. Add tomatoes, beans, and chili powder. Cook covered, for 1 hour or longer on low heat.

Makes 6 servings at 217 calories and 3.0 grams fat each.

I also add 8 oz. ground Turkey or Sirloin. 280 calories with Turkey.

The Measuring Tape--Friend or Foe?

Today is the day, I really find out how I have been doing! It's the one month mark on eating healthy, and time to face the measuring tape.

Now, I want you to understand that I take a massive amount of measurements to see how all of me is doing. 16 measurements in all. I am not going to go into all of them...BUT, (insert drum roll here please) I am proud to announce, I am no longer the proud owner of 23" of fat overall!

I lost 1 " in my bust,
3 1/4" in my waist,
2 1/4" in my hips,
2 3/4" in my tummy!

I'm a Happy Girl!

My Treat

My hubby gives me a bad time cuz I never buy clothes for myself. And I guess I don't. Who wants to try things on a size 22-24 body, let alone buy them? I am only 5' 1". That size clothes on a short body can not be a good thing.
So yesterday I left my volunteer job at 4:00 and decided to stop at Walmart and grab some food on the way home. Got everything I needed, and very tired, I was dragging myself to the front of the store to go through the checkouts, when I remembered something I had to pick up for Hubby, so I detoured to get his stuff and then found myself in the women's clothes. Well, I'll just look on my way to the check out! Well, this cute little sporty looking top just reached out and grabbed me and said "Take me home, you'll love me! You deserve me!" so I did. They didn't have a 22 so I grabbed an 18. Too tired to try it on! Figured it would be good incentive even if it didn't fit yet. So I treeated myself for eating healthy for one month and walking on the treadmill everyday this week!
This is not something I would have done before. I would have treated myself with a "guilt-free" meal, of my choice! How dumb is that thinking? You have been good so, now you can be bad!
When I got home and lugged all the food in, put it away, and trudged upstairs in search of my jammie pants, I decided to try on my new top. Guess what? It fit perfectly! And it is only an 18! Woo-hoo! That was a wonderful suprise! Look out my sweet daughter, your closet is looking very inviting about now...
I think this may work...she was a size smaller in tops so, now she will need a smaller size and I will be able to get her hand-me -downs! Hey cool plan!

My bad

It was not been the best week. I weighed in yesterday and I gained a pound and a half since the wednesday before. This did not surprise me considering I blew off my newfound lifestyle in favor of McDonald's french fries, among other things. I took the week off, in other words. I am back in the game today and feel so much better about myself because of it.

I have not done any exercising, and have set that as my goal starting next monday. I know I can just start right now, but I am feeling tired, have way to much homework due, five sick kids and well my motivation is lacking right now. Baby steps.

I need to find some good recipes to make for the family. Low fat, and low cost would be awesome. I can not believe how much it costs to buy things that are healthy compared to non-healthy. Its like the food industry WANTS us to be overweight. Maybe the are in cohoots with the fitness and health industries. One has to fatten us up in order for the other to sell their products to skinny us back down. It's a consiracy I tell ya. So if there is anyone actually reading this blog that can you steer my to any recipe sites??

Wonderful Wednesday

It's Wonderful Wednesday again! That special day of the week when I know I don't wanna get out of bed cuz, I gotta drag my big fanny downstairs and face the enemy! Yep, you guessed it, THE DREADED BATHROOM SCALE!

What a sobering experience that is! It's enough to give a person nightmares! When I finally have the nerve to jump on the silly thing, I'd swear everyone could hear it gasping and groaning under my weight. I almost feel like it has a mind of it's own! Kinda like Christine! But unlike Christine it has no car doors to lock, but it sure seems like it can lock the pounds in place. It just never says what I want it to! Why can't I lose it as fast as I can gain it? What's up with that anyway?
One measely pound in a whole seven days! Why I can gain 5 pounds easily in just two short days! I would be happy if it took twice as long to lose it as it does to gain it. It ain't fair, I tell ya!