No judging allowed...

First, and foremost, I am alive. Sorry for the hiatus. I had three finals (one of which counted as a qualifying exam) and about 60+ pages of abstracts and a lit review that, like always, I put off until the last minute. I really don't know if I work better under pressure or if I just realize that I can no longer procrastinate. Either way, I am back to blogging.

Yesterday when I was working out at the rec center at lunch, something hit me. And no, it wasn't a weight (luckily). I was doing strength training and watching another girl do some innovative exercises. She also happened to be in phenomenal shape, so I was paying attention to see what I could incorporate into my routines. Watching her got me to thinking.

I know myself and others have fallen into the trap of not going to the gym or exercising because we were afraid of what people might think... As in, they would laugh because we were doing something wrong, or  they might think that we shouldn't be there because we were overweight. When I was pregnant, I was self-conscious that the students would be grossed out or offended that I was there.

Well yesterday it hit me. Even when I was in the greatest shape I have ever been, I NEVER judged or mocked people who were working out. If they were overweight, my thought was "Kudos to them for changing their future and becoming healthier." If they were really in shape, I watched them to see what they were doing or asked them questions about their regimen. (Nothing is more flattering at a gym than when you are asked for advice on getting fit. It lets you know that someone is noticing your results.)

Not too long ago, another lady at the rec center was working out while she was pregnant. I never thought, "Oh gross." Instead, my thought was "That's what I want to be like during my next pregnancy."

I guess in all my rambling, my point is this: People do not judge you at a gym. They don't. We are all there for the same reason...to become healthier.

So instead of using weight as an excuse NOT to go to a gym, recognize it for what it is. Excess weight is holding you back from a happier, healthier, and fuller life. And when you see those people in incredible shape, don't resent them for it. They've worked hard to achieve it. Instead, watch them to see what they are doing to achieve those results. Or better yet, strike up a conversation about it. You'll learn something and be glad you asked for their advice.

The bottom line is this: measure yourself by your own yardstick and not others. Compare yourself to where YOU are and where YOU want to be. Comparing yourself to others will always leave you falling short because it's like comparing apples to oranges. If you have to be an apple, be the one at the top that is the sweetest and crispest instead of the rotten one on the ground.

My Chocolate Obsession

I am female. And like most females, I have a HUGE obsession with chocolate. When I was growing up, I could literally sniff out where my mom had hidden it away in the cupboards. It was like it was calling my name. I couldn't help but answer...

But over the years, my chocolate obsession has transformed. I have never liked white chocolate and still don't. It's too sweet and I don't think it tastes like chocolate. You can argue that it does. That's OK, but for me, NOPE. There is no way that white variety is a version of the decadent flavor I love the most.

When I was younger, my favorite type of chocolate was milk chocolate. Didn't matter who made it. My tastebuds were not skilled enough to tell the difference between Hershey's or Godiva. To me, both were just little drops of heaven....and the more, the better. Quantity over quality was what I wanted.

As I have gotten older though, my obsession has become more sophisticated. I prefer dark chocolate more often than milk chocolate (if it's the good kind). And as I have progressed on my journey to living healthier, my obsession has transformed into something else.....

This year was the first Easter that we dyed eggs, had an Easter egg hunt, etc. with my son. Since we live in Texas and it's already warm, we didn't hide the eggs we colored. Instead, I used plastic eggs and stuffed them with chocolate, bouncy balls, or money. For that reason, we now have an abundance of Hershey's chocolate eggs that are sitting on my counter. I swear they were calling my name this weekend, and I couldn't help but give in.... So, I selected a pink-wrapped egg (since boys don't seem to like pink), unwrapped it, and popped it into my mouth expecting a triumphant burst of satisfaction..

Holy crap! I couldn't spit that sucker out fast enough. It tasted waxy and gross! I couldn't believe it. Never before in my life have I spit out chocolate. The HORROR of it all. This stinkin' journey has made me picky when it comes to chocolate. Now because I have changed my tastes, the chocolate I eat better be so rich and decadent or else it will risk meeting the trash can.

Now, keep in mind that this event happened Saturday night. Well last night I was still craving chocolate, so I whipped up the following recipe. OMG!! They are good and as far as cookies go...they are healthy. The recipe comes from the March 2012 issue of Clean Eating. (Can I just say again how much I love this magazine? It's what we eat out of on a daily basis.)

Anyhow, here is the recipe:

Dark Chocolate & Chewy Cherry Drops
Makes 16 cookies

3/4 cup light spelt flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Pinch sea salt
4 oz. dark chocolate (80% cocoa - any higher and they aren't very sweet)
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup organic evaporated cane juice
1 large egg
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup unsalted almonds, roughly chopped (I used pecans last night--YUMMY)
1/4 cup dried unsweetened cherries, roughly chopped

Instructions:

ONE - Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, combine flour,cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate on low for 1 minute. Stir and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until fully melted.

TWO - In a separate medium bowl, cream butter and cane juice on medium speed until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beat well until well combined (about 30 seconds). Add chocolate and beat on low until just combined. Add flour mixture in 3 sections, beating on low and scraping down sides, until just combined. With spatula, fold in cherries and almonds.

THREE - With hands, form 1 Tbsp dough into a ball and place on baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, leaving 2 in. of space between each ball. With fingers, lightly press down on each to flatten slightly. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until top of cookies begin to crack. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.

My 2 1/2 year old LOVED these too -- except for the cherries and nuts. :-)

Only one workout away...

One of the "pins" I have seen lately on Pinterest really hits home for me. Ironically enough, I haven't personally pinned it. But this one is so true that it really ticks me off most days. It says, "You're only one workout away from a good mood." Argghhh?!?!? Really???

There are not many days that I CRAVE working out. In fact, most days I would rather be curled up in our Love Sac with a good book. But since I'm a mom, we all know that's not going to happen any time soon. Even worse, my workouts tend to be on my lunch hour. So convincing myself to jaunt my grouchy butt over to the rec center so I can sweat it out is almost an impossible task. Add in the girls I refer to as gazelles, and my motivation plummets even further.

And we ALL know who the gazelles are. They are the ones jogging effortlessly on the track. Or they are trucking away at 7+ mph hour on the treadmill. They lift weights with ease and contort themselves into human pretzels when stretching. They are toned and tan and look like human barbie dolls. You know who I am talking about....the ones who make exercise look easy.

I have NEVER been that gazelle. I can keep a pace of 5.2 mph and go for quite aways. But if I were to run at 7 mph, you can bet that I would trip, slam my face on the treadmill, and be thrown off like a rock skipping across water. Yup, that's me.

However as much as I hate that saying, it is true. I have never regretted a workout, but always regret skipping out on one. That is when I have remind myself that this journey isn't a quick trip, it's about changing our mindsets to change our lives. To change our lives, we have to change our lifestyles. So no matter how many excuses we can come up with to not work out, the benefits are so much sweeter than the excuses. Because we all know what excuses are like.... and everybody has one. 

In a world without Photoshop, we'd all have better self-esteem

I love social media for various reasons. One of which, is that some people will include links to what they have recently read. The following link is one that several of my FB friends read recently. The headline was definitely an attention grabber and the slideshow did NOT disappoint.

This link just adds to the warped sense of reality and our society's pursuit toward a perfection that only exists with the help of computers and a program known as Photoshop. So if you want to feel better about who you are, you really need to check this out:

15 Photoshopped Transformations of Celebs and Models

http://mashable.com/2011/12/01/before-and-after-photos/

After seeing this, it makes me want to digitally alter all my photos. But since I have an extreme lack of time lately, I'll just continue to eat right and exercise. I may not be perfect, but then again, who is?

Skinny fat...

Awhile ago I mentioned that it was possible to be "skinny fat." Several people scoffed at this notion. While browsing the addictive site of Pinterest, I came across a blog that explained the concept better than I did and included pictures illustrating two women with approximately 12-15% body fat. Both of them are in the healthy fat range, but this also explains why weighing less isn't always better.

The first picture is someone who would look really good with clothes on. Enter the supermodel:

Can we all say "EWWWWW." That is NOT attractive. Sure, she's thin. But that is all she is. There is no muscle tone, she is bony, and that does not look healthy.

Now enter a woman who probably weighs at least 30 pounds more and has the same percentage of body fat:

Who would you rather look like? Thin and look good in clothes or Fit and look good naked. I, personally, would rather be the latter.

For a better explanation of this concept and more pictures, visit http://www.crossfitsouthbay.com/2011/05/skinny-fat/.

Must-have mags....

Because I am a full-time mom, employee, student, etc., I subscribe to very few magazines. The main reason is because I am so short on time, but the other reason is that the magazine has to be worth my time and money. With that said, there are two magazines I subscribe to that I have set up for automatic renewal. I do that so I don't miss an issue.

The first one is Women's Health. It has recipes, helpful information, exercises, etc. I enjoy reading this one and it's a great all-around resource.

The second one is Clean Eating magazine. I LOVE this one. It is chockfull of recipes and tips for healthier living. All the hard work of revising recipes so that they are jam-packed with nutrition is done for me. I love this one so much that I hole punch each issue and place in a binder so that I have my own healthy recipe "book." So far this week, I have made two recipes from this magazine that I also tested on my in-laws.

The first was Pork & Sweet Potato Mole, with Lime & Cabbage Slaw. OMG!!!! Other than getting a little heavy handed with the Chipotle Chile Powder (my own fault), this stuff is out of this world. What's even crazier, my hubby and his parents were in love with it too (and they never prepare "clean" meals). Even funnier, my hubby is not a sweet potato fan and he had no clue that they were in it. All of the flavors blend together that well.

The second recipe was Mulligatawny Soup. This one looked really good, but I was a little skeptical of the ingredients. I was mainly skeptical because the soup called for coconut milk and Granny Smith apples. However, I wasn't going to let that stop me and decided to try it anyway. It, too, was YUMMY!!!! Even hubby enjoyed it, although he asked if those were apples or potatoes in it. :-)

So if you're looking to cut back on magazines, I totally recommend it. Just make sure you keep the ones you actually read or use. And if you're looking to add to your stash, I would highly recommend both of those.

I'd post the recipes, but I am not sure what the Clean Eating magazine's stance is on that. I'll just wait till they come out on their website. But if you want to check out some of their recipes for free, visit www.cleaneatingmag.com.

I have a confession...

That's right. I have a confession to make. And here it is: I am not naturally skinny. Yup, that's right. I am the size I am because I have to work hard to be skinny. And unfortunately, my working at it went on hiatus when I got pregnant and for a long time after having my son. (He'll be 3 in August for a reference for you.)

What makes this super frustrating for me is that one half of my family is what I would like to refer to as the "Land of Little People." Not that they are all really short. Although, my mom does claim to be 5' and I think she really is probably 4' 11". (Don't tell her I said that.)

Truth be told, I am the heifer in my immediate family. My mom barely weighs over 100 pounds. And on a BAD day, my sister MIGHT weigh 100 pounds. They both shop regularly in the Juniors section. This is truly frustrating for me, because when we go shopping, I wander aimlessly while they browse and just wait patiently till we can go to the grown-up section.

Now, I don't hold this against either of them. I could because it would be very easy to resent them for their genetic jackpot. But, I don't. Why? Because upon closer inspection, we are built differently. My mom and sister both have a small skeletal structure, whereas, mine is more average. Add in that I tower over my mom and have several inches on my sister just adds to my ogre-ish feeling when I am clothes shopping with them.

However, since my journey to becoming a healthier me began, I have noticed something and that is this:

No matter how skinny someone is, NEVER think they don't work at it.

That's right. My mom walks every day, golfs when she can, and eats only till she's no longer hungry. (We won't discuss her obsession with Diet Pepsi.) My sister works out probably six days a week. Her routine includes Insanity, running, weights, tennis, P90X, or whatever she can fit in. She also eats really healthy and has always practiced portion control.

So while the rest of us want to cuss the "naturally skinny" girls, more often than not, we can learn from them. Even the rest of the family on my mom's side do the things my sister and mom do.

Now my build will never let me be as small as my sister. Because if I were, I would look emaciated and gaunt. But I can still work at becoming healthier, leaner, and more energized than even now.

I know I still have a lot of work to do before I reach my "ideal" me. And that ideal may not be reflected in the number on my scale. That is why I think it is so important to measure our progress using other methods than just Trusty Rusty. This weekend, I plan on taking pictures in hopes of "seeing" a difference since I started. I took measurements over the weekend and found that I had lost more than an inch off my waist. (I know that's not a great deal...BUT, it's progress.) I had also lost from other areas, as well.

Knowing that I was improving really helped get my butt out of bed this morning to go running when I really just wanted to curl up under the covers. So if you're like me and are not naturally skinny, please raise your hand. Now, pat yourself on the back. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Having to work at it just makes the reward that much sweeter. And in this case, you will be so much stronger.

What are you worth?

We are intended to be unique, to be individuals, and not to all be made from the same mold. But all too often, we measure our worth or uniqueness using a quantitative method.

What is this crazy method that can determine our value, which ironically, is also an inverse relationship? All too often we measure our worth based on the size of our pants or the number on the scale. Now I don't know about you, but I am the only one who sees what Trusty Rusty displays for my weight. Likewise, I am probably the only one who knows the size of pants I wear. My husband might, but if it doesn't go by length or waist, I doubt the number would mean much to him.

Unfortunately, if the number on the scale goes up by a pound or my favorite pair of pants get too tight, my self-worth plummets. I see myself as less of a person and more of a blob oozing its way through life.

Why do we do this? Why do we allow a number to determine our worth? In "Pretty Woman," Julia Roberts admits to the sales lady she is a size 6. (Keep in mind now when that movie came out.) A size 6 is more on the smaller end, but if we were to use Hollywood's standards, a size 6 today is considered borderline obese when most of the actresses are probably a size 4 or smaller.

So we have Hollywood telling us that our worth is determined by a number, and to have value, that number better be small. Add in magazines that photoshop and airbrush 20 pounds off women on a regular basis and it becomes even more impossible to measure up to this unrealistic ideal.

Well, I say "No More!" (I can't say it for you, but I hope you are saying it for yourself.) I am no longer going to use Rusty or my pants as a way to measure my individuality or my worth. (I'd rather use God's measuring sticks.)

But what I will do is use Rusty and my pants to measure my progress. I'd rather be fit than a toothpick. I am female and curves are what make me sexy and attractive; therefore, I'd rather be strong than super skinny.

My value as a human being has nothing to do with the number on my pants or what my scale reads... and NEITHER DOES YOURS! Why should our weight or pants size determine anything when we are the only ones who see them? Our value is measured in who we are as a person, the characteristics that make us unique, and our thoughts, words, and actions. At the end of the day, we should all try to be a better person.... which cannot be reflected by a smaller number.

Have a great weekend.

My love affair...

I have a love affair that's sad to admit. A love affair with the perfect fit. The perfect fit resides in the perfect shoe. And my perfect shoes take me wherever I choose.

This is my affair and affliction that I am no longer willing to fight. Try as hard as I might, resistance is futile. I lie and I cheat. I'll beg and I'll borrow. For me, my goal is to run in a different pair with each passing morrow.

There is a long-held belief in our culture that women have too many women shoes. The myth also holds that this obsession is with fashionable, cute (a.k.a. painful) high-heeled shoes. While I may have my fair share of high-heeled shoes, my obsession/love affair has ventured down another path.

My love affair and shoe obsession is with running shoes.... More specifically, my obsession is with Nike shoes. Mainly because I have Flinstone feet. That's right. They are short, fat, and square. All my toes are the same length. Even better, this seems to be a family trait with a high degree of heritability. (I'd post a picture, but feet are never attractive.) My obsession remains true to this brand because they always fit my feet and don't vary from model to model. (In other words, I can order online and not worry about returning them, which the same cannot be said for women's clothing.)

However, this obsession is probably up to around 10 pairs in my closet (at least). My belief is that each pair needs to "breathe" at least a day in between use to maintain optimum performance. While there are studies to back up rotating exercise shoes, the studies have yet to recommend the need to own that many pairs.

But that doesn't stop me. I justify each pair as "motivation" and carry on. The only one who really has a hard time with my justifications is my husband. He has yet to understand why I need so many, because after all, you can only wear one pair at a time.

Fortunately, I found the perfect example to show why my justification is necessary. You see, the other day, he cleaned all of his boots. Yes, he uses them for work, to ride, and also to rope. But as he's told me, "You can only wear one pair at a time." Well, I kid you not, he had at least 30 pairs drying outside the back door the other day. We could've opened our own western wear store as long as all of our customers wore his size of shoe.

But after seeing his boots lined up neatly--each waiting their turn to go back in the house--I could only chuckle to myself. For you see, there in full glory was a brilliant example of how shoe obsessions are not limited to women and high-heeled shoes. I now believe his point on my shoe obsession is moot and my love affair is free to continue. Maybe one day he will agree. Until then, I will remain a firm believer of "the one who dies with the most shoes runs the fastest through Heaven's gates."

We are what we eat....

We've all heard the saying "You are what you eat." Well.... there are some days I want to be a chocolate souffle with a huge dollop of whipped cream and slivers of curled chocolate.... (Thank me later if you are now drooling too.)

I was somewhat conscious of what I ate before my stroke. Now, I am overboard on how I am eating. (Not saying this is the way to go.) Before I tried to adhere as closely as possible to eating clean. This is a concept that you basically eliminate all refined sugars and flours from your diet and eat more lean meats and WAY more fruits and veggies. (Lots of 'ands' in that last sentence. Sorry.) Now, I may be going overboard in avoiding things I previously enjoyed, but I am trying to eat as healthy as possible in the hopes of helping to prevent another stroke. (I realize there are numerous factors that influence it, but eating is one I can control.)

I was beginning to think that I might be leaning toward OCD in regard to things I am avoiding, and then Coke and Pepsi announced they were both changing their recipes to eliminate a potential carcinogen from their products. Don't believe me? Check it out: http://gma.yahoo.com/video/health-26594251/coke-pepsi-change-recipe-to-remove-carcinogen-28561131.html

Seriously??? They know it is a potential carcinogen and left it in their product for how long? Then in the last few days, I see that "pink slime" is added to hamburger meat that is served in some schools and fast food restaurants. Geez... What else can they do to what nature provides us... http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/03/is-pink-slime-in-the-beef-at-your-grocery-store/

Dang, as a farm girl, I am ready to get back to my roots and start raising a steer each year. Hubby is opposed to chickens, who thinks I could sneak a steer past him? I think I am going to try.

No matter what changes you are choosing to make in your pursuit of becoming a healthier you, it's always important to keep in mind that eating basics are better than eating man-made products. While basics may seem more expensive, refined products are typically empty calories your body stores as fat instead of receiving nutrition from them. So the more refined products tend to lead to weight gain, more doctor visits, and more prescriptions. For me, the benefits of eating basic outweigh the alternative of consuming refined products.

Also, I know the bandwagon fell apart when I was in the hospital, but I hope you stuck to it and continued to step on the scale to check your weight on Fridays. Plus, it has been long enough that taking pictures and measurements is a good idea.

Finally, I am looking forward to going for a run in the morning. (Yes, I really am that crazy.) It's been too wet or cold or lack of time has prevented me from doing so this week, but tomorrow morning I have no excuses. I hope you don't either.....

Trusty Rusty and Accuracy

For those of you who are still on the bandwagon, (If you've fallen off, GET BACK ON!!!), today's post will discuss scales.

Since my stroke, I have seen multiple doctors, stepped on multiple scales, and noticed something pretty comical (in my warped humor)--NONE of the scales weigh the same. Why is this comical? They are all at the doctors' offices, so shouldn't they be accurate? What I am seeing, is NO!!!

The scale I refer to as Ol' Trusty Rusty is the one I use at home. It is a scale endorsed (or made) by Weight Watchers. I don't know who makes it, but Weight Watchers is written across it, so I am guessing they have some affiliation with Rusty. According to him, I have lost 11 pounds since starting this blog. I am going to go with that for consistency purposes.

Last week I went to the doctor (OBGYN). If I had to guess, I would bet that this scale is the most accurate. Because there are a LOT of hormones that cross that scale each day, and I don't think you want to set one of those women off. Before that appointment, I stepped on Rusty so that I could compare readings. Ironically, I had to ask to get on the scale at the doctor's office. Crazy but true. I guess because this was more of a consultation visit about the medications I can no longer have.

What I saw was that Rusty and the doctor's scale were pretty close. I would say that they are the same, especially when you consider that Rusty sees me naked and pre-breakfast and the doctor's scale sees me with clothing and after breakfast.

Then, yesterday I had another doctor's visit to establish a primary care physician. I again did the same thing. Stepped on Rusty in the a.m., so that I could compare with this other doctor's scale. Same breakfast, similar clothing.

What I saw when I stepped on that doctor's scale was frustrating. I understand a pound or two of difference. But this sucker was more than FIVE pounds different that Rusty. I about freaked. But then, I got to thinking. (Scary, I know.)

As women, we ALL struggle with weight loss and self-esteem. It doesn't matter who you are, what you look like, or how much you weigh. We all think we can be smarter, thinner, prettier, etc. So in addition to those struggles, we need to make sure that we use a consistent measuring tool. This means that we need to use the same scale as a tool to track our weight loss. Different scales will manipulate our weight and either make us really happy or leave us truly depressed.

We also need to only measure ourselves BY ourselves. There will always be someone who is thinner, prettier, smarter, etc. But that is our OWN perception and is NOT reality. That person who you feel is better in an area may be envious of you in another. It all comes down to how we see ourselves.

So, if your goal is to lose weight, use the same scale to measure yourself each time. If your goal is something else, figure out a way to chart your progress against yourself--whether that is through pictures or another method.

The bottom line is this: Be the best YOU that YOU can be. There is no one else like YOU, so don't measure yourself by someone else!

The Great Outdoors

There is a lot to be said for just getting outside. Our lives today are much different than those of our ancestors who lived 100 years ago. While I would like to go back to when things were simpler, I don't think that I could give up many of the innovations that have occurred within the last century.

However, one of my greatest joys in being outside is being around horses. I could be cleaning stalls, picking hooves, or just breathing in their scent, and I still feel that all is right with the world. Like my mother's side of the family--I LOVE horses. Growing up, I would eat, sleep, and breathe horses. If there was a way to be around horses, you can bet your last dollar that I would do it. I often like to think that my Grandpa Keith would be proud of the horsewoman I have become.

Now, I may not be the handiest with a rope... In fact, my enthusiasm for roping diminished rapidly after catching my thumb in the dally the only time I ever got to the horn. Which is a huge reason I'd rather learn to run barrels than to become proficient with a rope.

First time roping live cattle (My form is awful.)

I am not sure who said it, but there is an old saying that goes something like this, "There's something about the outside of a horse that's good for the inside of a man."

Now you may be wondering how my rambling applies to the blog. My point is that we need to get up from our desks and get outside more. Whether that involves a horse or talking a walk, it is so refreshing and relaxing to get outside and feel the soft breeze or be nuzzled by the warm sun. I don't care if you do it because you are trying to get your Vitamin D or just need to escape the workplace politics. The point is to do it. Recharge your batteries--it's essential for the soul.

The best place I have ever found to recharge is on the back of a horse. All my troubles and worries seem to melt away as the saddle rocks me to peace and the creak of leather sings to my soul.

Most relaxing place in the world for me

So whether it's going for a run, taking the dog for a walk, or hiking a mountain, get out and enjoy the beauty which God created.

A bump in my journey...

On February 14, 2012, life as I knew it changed in dramatic fashion. The day began like most. I hurried to get out the door and to work as close to 8 a.m. as possible. (I have a 2 1/2 year old. Cut me some slack. If I make it by 8:30, I'm on time.)

That morning I exchanged emails with my advisor, mentor, and friend who had suffered a stroke recently. At about 10:15, I called the USDA's help desk with a clearance issue that resulted in both parties being frustrated with the other. I believe mine was more valid since they had issued me a user ID that was already taken and then argued with me about it. Fortunately, the issue was resolved, but it also generated a pounding in my head located just above my forehead.

Headaches are nothing new for me. Truth be told, I have chronic headaches and chalked this one up as just another annoyance that medication could fix. That day's choice was BC Powder, which is aspirin in a powder form. If you've never taken it, there is some skill involved. You have to dump the packet onto your tongue and have a beverage waiting. You can't breathe through you're nose because then you'll taste it (and it's horrendous) and you can't breathe in through your mouth because the particles will be inhaled causing you to cough, sputter, gag, choke... You get the picture. It's not pretty and it's not ladylike. It can also lead to you spewing it all over your desk and having your drink come out your nose. (Not that something like that has EVER happened to me.)

By noon my headache was still pounding, but I was determined to work out at lunch. (Hubby and I had decided not to fight the crowds at lunch and just have a nice dinner at home.) So I grabbed my bag and V8 Fusion and made the trek across campus to the rec center. I drank the juice along the way and returned a call to my mother-in-law.

By about 12:15, I was checked in, dressed in workout gear, and headed to the top floor for some cardio. I started on the rowing machine. Started being the key word. That lasted about 2 minutes when I thought that running on a treadmill was more important. (One of my goals had been to do the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k in Fort Worth.) So, I got off the rowing machine and headed to the treadmill, which is when the details start to get fuzzy....

My headache had not budged, but I wasn't too worried. I didn't feel quite right, but it wasn't different enough for me to be concerned. I got on the treadmill, pushed in the information so that I could log distance and calories, and the next thing I remember is waking up in the locker room...

I came to as if it were all a really bad dream. I remembered dreaming about trying to find the women's locker room and having trouble locating it. In the dream, I also didn't feel well. When I woke up, I was sitting on the bench, with my head in my heads, and had no clue how I got there.

I looked at the clock. HOLY COW!!!! That couldn't be right. It read 1:45. I thought the clock was wrong, so I checked my phone. My phone said the same time as the clock on the wall. What had I been doing in the last hour and a half??? I had no idea. I was still in my workout clothes. I didn't feel like I had sweated. I was panicking due to the length of time I had been gone and that I had a meeting that afternoon.

So, I scrambled to get dressed. My hair was a mess. It looked like I had tried to pull it out. I looked horrible, but that didn't really register. After I dressed, I "hurried" out of the rec center and headed back to my office. Truth be told, I was having troubles walking but thought I was doing things as normal.

I passed in front of the police station. An officer was pulling out and waved at me. I had NO clue who it was. I gave him the "I don't know you" look and walked past his car. He rolled down the window and asked me if I was just going to be rude. At that point, it registered somewhere that I knew this person but I could not tell you his name. I pulled my sunglasses down and said, "I don't feel well." He told me that I didn't look good and that he was going to take me to my husband and to call him. During the car ride to my hubby's work, it finally dawned on me that the "cop" was the Police Chief on campus and a good friend of mine.

My husband will tell you that my conversation made no sense. Although, I thought I was totally coherent. In actuality, I was having trouble talking, as well. Upon arriving, the chief told my husband that I needed to be taken to the ER immediately. But in my addled state, I first made hubby go back to my office so I could get my purse and insurance card. (Cause I know how the hospital seems to work--no one is seen until you can show that you will pay something for any treatments received.)

My appearance also created concern with my officemate, which further confirms that I was the only one who thought I was looking and acting normal. From there, we hurried to the ER. At this point, I started praying. It was a simple prayer. I just asked God to "Please, let me be OK." I was thankful that the doctor was a fellow Aggie, so I knew I was in good hands. But from there, everything seemed to go to hell in a handbasket.

After filling out paperwork, having blood drawn, etc., they did a CT Scan on my brain. It revealed several locations where bleeding had occurred, one of which was very recent. At that point, the decision was made to send me to Fort Worth on the helicopter for further testing and to determine whether I had had a stroke or a seizure. Before loading me on the helicopter, they drew more blood and placed IVs in both arms. The guys on the helicopter were wonderful. Whatever they gave me oozed through my body and immediately took away the pain because, lucky me, the headache was still in full force.

Upon arriving at FW, it was more questions, more tests, more everything.

To make a long story a little shorter, I'd had a stroke caused by cavernous angioma. This is a genetic condition that affects 0.4% of the population (predicted to be higher, but not all are symptomatic). It is a malformation of the arteries and capillaries in my brain that allows polyps to form at the ends. Periodically, these will burst and result in bleeding on the brain. Typically, those diagnosed with this condition will suffer a stroke between 30 and 40 years of age.

Isn't that fantastic? I won a genetic lottery....for CRAP! If I were actually winning a genetic lottery, I would look like a supermodel or be as brilliant as Einstein. Dang it. No such luck for me.

But you know what? That's OK. Yes, I will always be at risk for another stroke. I can't ever ride a roller coaster again. I can't ever take aspirin, ibuprofen, or anything else that may thin my blood. But...other than that, I can lead a normal life.

More than anything, this event has enhanced my sense of gratitude and given me a new perspective on life. I am so very thankful for my friends and family who expressed concern and extended offerings of help. I am truly blessed with wonderful people in my life. But I also have been given the gift of a new perspective: My time was not up. My work here is not yet finished. God has something greater for me in store and I intend to do it.

He also answers prayers beyond what we ask. I just wanted to be OK, He did way more than that. I have no lingering effects other than being tired, which will improve over time, and I will have to take a headache preventative for the rest of my life. But that is it! God is great and loves beyond measure!

The time for me is now. I need to live each day to its fullest. No more excuses. No more putting off until tomorrow. The best is yet to come and I intend to achieve it. I encourage each of you to do the same.

I am so grateful for each one of you. I am so thankful for my greatest gift who calls me "Mom" and who comes up to hug me and say, "I love you Momma."

We all have bumps in our journeys, but we can't let them alter our course. The bumps just change the scenery and provide more stories for us to share.

I am choosing "Behind Me" and encourage all of us to do the same. Don't let the little things bog you down and prevent you from doing great things and becoming a better you. Enjoy the journey because only one person knows when each of our journeys will end.

Happy Friday

Today I will end with some helpful information, a little comedy, and a gentle reminder that today is check-in day. So get on Trusty Rusty and write down his output. (I call him that because he resides under my sink.) Remember, this is about being on a journey and changing our previous course so that we are headed in a better direction.

I have been craving something today and I'm not sure what. I don't know how accurate this table is, but you never know. It's all about deciphering cravings, which is really our body's way of telling us what it needs. Check it out:

There was a recent article I read that discussed reasons to not drink soda. Last night on the news, they mentioned that Pepsico was cutting jobs because soda sales were down. Maybe it's because people are figuring out the most prominent science experiment being conducted on humans--drinking soda. The article I read mentioned that high fructose corn syrup is a fairly recent development...although the United Corn Refiners or whatever they are try to tell us otherwise. Personally, I try to avoid HFCS. The article continued by saying that soda contained ingredients found in flame retardant. SCARY! But even worse than that, aside from the excess calories having a party on your butt, drinking soda coats the outsides of our organs with a layer of fat. SAY WHAT?!?!?

And diet soda isn't any better for you. Aside from no calories, the ingredients list includes mainly chemicals with the same scary side effects as regular soda. Add in that most diet soda is made with aspartame, which has a laundry list of side effects. I can't have anything (including gum) with aspartame because it will give me a migraine within 10 minutes that lasts for THREE days. Nothing I take for it will make it go away. All of this adds up to me no longer drinking soda. If I crave carbonation, I reach for Perrier.

Finally, I'll step off my soapbox and leave you with a visual of why I try to avoid eating out....

Hearty Beef and Veggies Bowls

Here's a recipe that's way yummy in the tummy and SO good for you. I made these the other night out of the March 2012 Clean Eating magazine. I love that magazine. All the recipes I have made have been wonderful and have more than a 90 percent approval rating from my hubby. This is another one that was hubby tested and he approves. In his words, "This is my kind of meal."

Here's what you do:

I started by browning 1 pound of lean ground beef in my skillet. (The recipe calls for safflower oil, but I omitted and just sprayed my skillet with olive oil cooking spray.)

(Next time I'll use my camera instead of my phone.)

Once all the meat was browned, I added the bell peppers, corn, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce.

Bring all of it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until the bell peppers are tender.

Remove from heat and stir in cumin, vinegar, salt, and black pepper.

Spoon into bowls and top with sour cream and cilantro (I forgot the cilantro). It was really yummy!

(The picture in the magazine is much prettier. I'll try to work on my presentation as well.)

It makes 4 servings. Here's the stats:
Calories: 274
Fat: 9 grams
Carbs: 22
Protein: 28 grams
Fiber: 6 grams
Sugar: 10 grams

Recipe:

1 tsp. safflower oil
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
2 cups diced green bell peppers
14.5 oz. boxed or jarred, unsalted diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed (I forgot to that it first and it turned out fine.)
1 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 tsp. each of sea salt and ground black pepper
Low-fat sour cream
Cilantro

Rewards

A couple posts ago, I mentioned rewards. For many of us (myself included), we have a skewed opinion of a reward. In the past when I did really well eating healthy all day and exercising that day, I would reward myself. More often than not, it was in the form of food. And because I was rewarding myself for being good, it was always in the form of something really bad for me.

By using sweets (cause that's my weakness) for a reward, I was eliminating all the healthy eating and exercising I had done for the day. Now, I am not advocating that you should never not eat things that you really enjoy, in my case that is chocolate in same shape or form. But what I am saying is that make it worth it. Don't settle for okay, go for totally AWESOME!!!! And don't do it everyday. Maybe cut it down to once a week. Really look at the dessert or treat for what it is and then decide if it is worth it.

Ever since I started this blog, I've adjusted how I see food. At times, it's almost sad when I look at things I used to indulge in. I have a goal and indulging in just okay sweets is going to prevent me from achieving that goal. Why let something that is just okay get in the way of a better, healthier me? Now when I indulge, it has to be something that is worth the calories.

Which brings me back to the concept of rewards. If you are going to use food, maybe have it be ONE Hershey's kiss versus the whole serving or 10 M&M's instead of a handful. For me, I have decided that food no longer needs to be my reward. Mine may be a pedicure. It may be 30 minutes of quiet time. It could be a new lotion. Rewards don't need to be eaten (although humans are really in to instantaneous satisfaction), nor do they need to cost money. It could be a bubble bath. Whatever you choose to be your reward, do it so that it feels like a reward and not something you feel entitled to because you had a good day. Because in my case, my previous rewards were counteracting my achievements to the point that the scale was going up instead of down.

Meal planning

I am a huge believer in the need to plan out my meals a week at a time. Not only does it make it easier (and healthier) to decide what we are having, but it also cuts down on my grocery bill.

Plus, if you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Why? Because grabbing something from the drive-thru is so much easier than going grocery shopping, thawing stuff, preparing it, etc. But it is definitely NOT healthier.

I am not a fan of eating out. Mainly because I tend to stray from eating healthy when I go to a restaurant. It's a treat and I always overindulge. Plus, it's almost impossible to guesstimate the calories in a dish. Cases in point: Last week I ate out in Austin, had dinner in Denton with my sister, and prepared stuff for my hubby and his friends for the Super Bowl. When I weighed myself for the week, I had gained 0.2 pounds. Ok, now that may not seem huge. But those three meals negated all the REALLY healthy eating I had done all week. Talk about a let down. All that hard work in lean meat, LOTS of fruits and veggies, and whole grains all went down the drain.

For those reasons, I prefer to cook my own meals. This brings me back to the purpose of today's blog....meal planning.

I try to only go shopping once a week. If I have to go again, it is usually for milk for my son. So, depending on what day I can go grocery shopping, I sit down the night before and plan out my meals. I also use a handy-dandy checklist that hangs on my fridge and I can jot down things we need throughout the week.

Don't judge my handwriting, but that is what we are having for the week. Grocery shopping typically takes place for me on Saturdays. Wednesday is usually leftover day because I have class that night and hubby will need to fend for himself. I also prepare enough to have for lunches the next day. (Eliminates the need/desire to eat out.) The page numbers are out of this month's Clean Eating magazine, which is AWESOME. It is the one subscription I get. Loaded with healthy recipes and tips for cutting out refined products and sugar from your diet. (And the hamburgers....they're turkey burgers.)

Get to stepping

Part of being healthy is being active. Have you ever wondered if you moved enough during the day? Ideally, the average human should log about 10,000 steps each day. In the United States, people average less than 5,000.

To keep track of the amount of steps you take each day, I would highly recommend getting a pedometer. They are about $5 for a cheapo-deapo one. Attach it to your hip and get to stepping. Even if you don't hit 10,000, strive to get more steps in than you did the previous day. The point is: if you're moving, you are burning more calories than sitting on the couch.

Stop being a couch potato. Today is also the day to step on Trusty Rusty (your scale) and track your progress.

Now is the Time. This is the Year.

Post by Jamie Wood

I am not healthy. I am not what I want to be. I am unhappy with my appearance and it makes me less of who I should be. Nobody wants to admit this.

Now is the time. This is the year.

I am a wife, mom of two crazy little boys, an entrepreneur, a friend, a sister, a daughter and I work a 40 hour/week job. Busy is a word you could use to describe me. Fat is also a word you could use. Sure, there are people who are bigger than me, unhealthier than me. Truth is, I used to use that as an excuse. I am not the fattest, I am not the biggest size in the store, I am still able to walk and jog and play with my kids. But now, that is not enough. I deserve better. I deserve my best.

Now is the time. This is the year.

I had my first son 6 years ago. I gained 50 pounds when I was pregnant with him. I lost 20 of that before getting pregnant with my second son 2 ½ years later. Add those 20 plus 10 more and I am 60 pounds heavier than I was before having kids. That was another excuse. This body carried and gave birth to two strapping boys. Sure, it did. That is a fact. But it didn’t need the extra tonnage to do so. In fact, I developed gestational diabetes while pregnant with my second son. I was told to lose weight and stay healthy after having him to lessen my chances of developing diabetes later in life. Have I done that? No.

Now is the time. This is the year.

I have made some big changes since beginning this journey. It is week three for me. Three weeks without my daily Dr. Pepper. Three weeks of counting calories. Three weeks of snacking on grapes and carrots and healthy stuff instead of chocolate, chips and other bad things. I have been good. But you know what? Good is not good enough. I can do better. In order to be where I want to be, I need to do great. I replaced Dr. Pepper with sweet tea. Is it a better choice? Yes. Is it the best choice? No.

Now is the time. This is the year.

My wish is that each and every one of us who reads this blog and makes this commitment can look back one year from now and know that they have done their very best. Not just good...their very best. Anything less than the best is sabotage. It is called self-sabotage. And I am good at that.

But this is the year I get good at becoming the me I know I can be.

Baby steps

As I've stated before, this is a journey. It's not about making all the changes at once. That's a recipe for failure because it seems impossible. The journey is about baby steps. Make changes a little bit at a time. Gradually, these baby steps will add up to HUGE steps.

For little ways to add in exercise, here is a website that gives 65 ways to incorporate exercise without making drastic changes: http://allwomenstalk.com/7-fastest-ways-to-lose-weight/23/

Another thing to adjust is how we see a serving size. I think an overflowing bowl of cereal is one serving. Oh, how I wish that were true. Unfortunately when I measure out ONE serving of cereal, I am slapped upside the head that my "bowl" is about four or five servings. Talk about utter disappointment. So while eating certain cereals are healthy breakfast choices, eating five servings and counting it as one is going to make a mockery of my calorie counting.

For things that are not easily measured, here is a handy reference for serving sizes:

No excuses

How many times have you said "I can't" versus "I can?" How often have you put the hard stuff off until the next day or said "I'll do it tomorrow?"

There comes a point in each of our lives when we have to say "No more excuses!" Why? Because excuses are a way of accepting, justifying, and embracing bad behavior. Until you are truly committed to becoming healthier, you are going to fail. It is only when we stop justifying our bad behavior and truly start working toward our goals that we will begin to see results.

Now before you say, "Oh it's easy for her," I will beg to differ. It's not easy for me. It's taken me more than 10 years to say "No more excuses." That's right. I'm done making excuses. (That was one of my New Year's resolutions.) No more justifying my bad behavior. No more putting it off until tomorrow. If I don't start now, then I probably wouldn't start tomorrow or the next day. Finally, I am committed (and so far, this is NOT to an institution).

If you really want to see results, you have to make the choice. Yes, I may have been eating fairly healthy before but I had TONS of room for improvement. I LOVE to bake. But I have not allowed myself to do so since starting this journey. Why???? Because what I love to bake is cookies, cakes, desserts, chocolate, anything loaded with sugar and butter. I would then eat about half the dough in the process. Eat another half of the baked item and then send the rest to work with my husband. What did I have to show for it? A glutton of excess calories that headed straight to my keister and a sugar high followed by an incredible crash that made me sluggish and CRANKY.

Since I started my journey, I have been told I have it easy and didn't have to do much. I would argue that. Here are things that I have given up:

- Starbuck's - no more sugary, chocolately, whip-cream topped treats for my weekly (if not daily consumption)
- Candy - no mas
- Chocolate - no mas. Dark chocolate is healthy in small doses, but mine weren't small, nor were they dark. Give me milk chocolate combined with peanut butter or caramel and I am one happy camper.
- No more baking
- No more cookies, cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, etc.
- No more refined bread (And I LOVE bread)
- No more chips
- No fried food
- Forcing myself to exercise each day, even when I'm tired and don't want to.

These are just a few changes I have made. I know that I can make excuses forever. But wishing for something will NEVER allow me to achieve my dream.

I have finally accepted the reality that not only do I need to lose weight, but I need to get in shape. It's a daily struggle for all of us...even my itty-bitty sister. Fortunately, it's simple as long as we are committed to our goal.

Lead me not into temptation

Eating sensibly and healthy is not always feasible. It’s also not bad to indulge in “off-limit” items every now and then.

Case in point – On Monday, I attended a dinner thrown in honor of our doctoral cohort. I started the day with my usual protein shake, had a salad with grilled chicken for lunch, and a banana for a snack. Then we got to Austin and the steakhouse where the reception was held. From there, healthy eating went out the door. But for all the temptation before me, I refrained from going hog wild.

I sampled many of the appetizers, but none to excess. I chose to skip the wine/alcohol…mainly because I don’t drink. Dinner included was a four-course meal. I started with the Caesar salad, but didn’t eat all of it nor any of the croutons. I took small helpings of the butter-drenched green beans and cheese-topped, butter-soaked potatoes. I had the filet mignon, which is a SMALL steak.

Then…I had turtle pie for dessert. It was a chocolate pie, topped with walnuts (think pecan pie), and drizzled with homemade caramel syrup. I couldn’t wait. I haven’t had dessert or chocolate (yes, it is its own food category) the whole month of January. I was drooling in anticipation.

Finally, the pie arrived and looked scrumptious on the plate. I took my first bite and the overriding thought was, “That’s a LOT of sugar.” I was so bummed, not enough to prevent myself from eating quite a bit of it. But honestly, I could have stopped with several bites and been fine. In my past life, I would have scarfed down the entire slice and seriously considered licking the plate. Now, it was more of a disappointment than an indulgence.

But all of this brings me to my point: If you eat healthy 90% of the time, the other 10% won’t hurt you. I knew I would be having a big, calorie-loaded meal that night so I tried to counter it with a healthy breakfast and lunch. Then, during the meal, I carefully selected what I would have. I had appetizers, but not many. I took small portions of the unhealthy sides at dinner. I chose the smallest cut of steak and I didn’t finish my dessert. I also passed on the alcohol and bread.

Temptation isn’t a bad thing and we’ll all face it at some point. But look at it from this angle when faced with a similar situation: What do I want the most and what can I pass on? (90-10) I don’t drink, so that one was a no-brainer. And I didn’t need the bread with the meal since I had appetizers. I wasn’t going to skip dessert and I thought it was a win because I didn’t inhale the entire slice.

Personally, I considered the meal delicious and a form of reward (I’ll discuss rewards in another post) for eating well all month. Even better, I lost weight for the week.

As long as we don’t eat like this on a regular basis, giving in to temptation every now and again is NOT a bad thing. To me, it helps prevent me from binging when I do indulge in not-so-healthy food choices.

Now….back on the healthy eating bandwagon.

A calorie is not always a calorie...

Say what?!?!? A calorie isn't always a calorie? What you talkin' 'bout Willis?

One of the things that I struggle with is that all calories are not created equal. If you are counting calories or using an app to lose weight, you know that we are given a certain amount of calories we can eat each day and should still lose weight. But sometimes our weight stagnates or we are ravenous by 2 p.m. and have no more calories left that we can eat. This brings us back to today's blog post: All calories are NOT created equal.

If we break down fat, protein, and carbohydrates, we find that for each gram of protein or carbohydrate that we consume, they will stack up to 4 calories. For a gram of fat, the total is 9 calories. However, the way in which our bodies digest the three is different. If we exceed our caloric requirements each day, fat is readily and easily stored as fat. Carbs are also easily broken down into sugars in our bodies; whereas, protein takes the longest for our bodies to digest as it is more complex and not as easily turned into sugar.

For more information, visit: http://www.dailyspark.com/blog.asp?post=are_all_calories_created_equal

All of this begs the question, how much of each should we be eating. Ideally, our diets will include 10-35% protein, 45-60% carbs, and 20-35% fat. For more in-depth info: http://www.livestrong.com/article/413441-percentage-of-protein-in-diet/. What this means is that we need a good balance of each to have enough energy, meet our bodies' needs, and not become ravenous at any point during the day.

Contrary to previous diets and marketing campaigns, our bodies need fat to survive and function. The first link will also drive home the reasoning why low fat diets and low fat foods can lead to weight gain and more inches on our bodies. Fats, protein, and fiber also help us feel full longer. Reading the dailyspark article will explain a study that better illustrates how all calories are not created equal.

So if you are hungry, try to incorporate carbs, protein, and fat into a healthy and calorie conscious snack that won't leave you starving in an hour.

Also for a list of items that take more calories to digest than those you consume (AKA - FREE foods), please see the following:

Finally, today is the day to step on the ol' scale and chart your progress. How is everyone doing?

Motivation by the pound

I'm having a lazy day, as in, I'd like to curl up and take a nap. But I know I will need to work out when I get home since I failed to do so at lunch and there was no way my happy butt was getting out of bed at 5 this morning.

Working out is often easy to procrastinate and justify that it's not important. After all, if you are eating right, exercise shouldn't be needed. Right??? WRONG. Exercising does more than just burn calories. It improves circulation, tone, stamina, endurance, and a myriad of other things. PLUS....working out (combo of strength training and cardio) will totally transform your body. WHY???? See below:

While a pound of fat and a pound of muscle may weigh the same, their volume is different. Muscle is more dense and takes up less space, which is another reason why it is so important for women to work out. Working out is not just doing cardio, although that is important. Strength training builds muscle, strengthens bones, tones, and helps prevent osteoporosis. Contrary to popular belief, strength training will NOT cause women to bulk up. So that can no longer be your excuse.

This doesn't discount cardio. Any exercise that elevates your heart rate is beneficial to your overall health as well as helping us to lose weight. 

For those who may be self-conscious about running or doing cardio, just remember that you will be doing laps around those sitting on the couch. To illustrate my point and to visualize me as a runner, please see the following:

So with that in mind, be like Nike and "Just Do It." None of us will make progress sitting on the couch. And it's better to be sore today than sorry tomorrow.

Double dipping...

No, not that kind. Although double-dipping is not allowed in my house as it's a great way to spread germs. I missed posting yesterday due to a sick child, so I will double up today. As far as my kiddo, he just has a cold. But since our multiple hospitalizations, I'm pretty paranoid.

Now, back to the double dip.

Goal Setting....

I hope by now we have all set goals as far as what we want to achieve this year. For me, I have also done a slight re-evaluation... I do want to lose weight, but more than anything, I want to be fit. I want to be able to look in the mirror and like what I see. Liking what I see doesn't have to do with the number on the scale or back of my pants. It has everything to do with my perception of myself. Perceptions are often fickle, but the one I have of myself at present time isn't pretty.

So what are your goals? What do you want to accomplish?

Recipe Makeover

I'll take pictures of my next recipe, but I didn't get around it for this one.

On Monday night I made spaghetti...kind of.

I found a new spaghetti sauce at Wal-Mart that was made with basil and all-natural ingredients (i.e. nothing refined) that I had to try.

Soooo..... I warmed it up. Browned some turkey sausage, put it in the sauce, and let it simmer.

But before I started doing that, I did something totally sneaky (in my mind anyway). I took two spaghetti squash, sliced them in half, and scooped out the seeds.

Next, I sprayed a cookie sheet with no-fat cooking spray and placed the squash halves face down. I baked them at 375 for 40 minutes.

Once done, I took them out and scraped out the meat of the squash with a fork. (Be sure to do this side to side instead of lengthwise.) The meat comes out in strings like spaghetti noodles. I put all of the squash in a big bowl and then poured the sauce on top. I mixed it all together and dished up a plate. Topped it with a little mozzarella and....OMG!!! YUMMY!!! I liked it way better than using actual noodles.

Now remember what I said in a previous post about all recipes being hubby tested. He liked it. Not only did he like it, but he had seconds. After that, he snuck in the kitchen to eat more before I put the rest away.

The squash is so mild that it doesn't change the way spaghetti should taste with noodles, that is. But the swap saves a TON of calories. A serving of whole wheat noodles is about 200 calories. But really, who eats just ONE serving of noodles. But you can eat two cups of the squash for 63 calories, which IS two servings of it.

I promise to take pictures of the next recipe I post, but this one you really have to try!

Keep Going...

So how did everyone's weigh-in/checkpoint go on Friday? I will admit that I was bummed. I ate really healthy all week and exercised more than I have in the past. Want to know how much my scale moved???? Not one iota. I weighed exactly what I didthe week before.

At first the fact that I had just maintained was pretty disheartening, and then I realized something-- I hadn't GAINED weight. That's right! I hadn't gained anything. How many weeks have you been gaining weight and didn't realize it? I don't even want to speculate that number because I am above my ideal weight, so I have had to be gaining each week prior to this. (My clothes can attest to this.) So it was actually a good thing that I had at least maintained my current weight.

I've been eating so much better that I also feel better. My daily intake of 5-Hour Energy has been eliminated. This is huge for me. So while the scale didn't move in either direction, feeling better is definitely a step in the right direction.

How did everyone else do? Were you happy with your check-in? If not, I've found something that will help put things in perspective and remind us that this is a journey, not a destination:

It's Friday, Friday....

You know what that means...time to step on the ol' scale and see if anything has changed. If it hasn't, DON'T get discouraged. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither will the new you. This is so easy for me to say because I won't get on the scale until the morning. Because after all, we are the lightest we will be all day first thing in the morning... And I'm female. If I could get on the scale buck-naked at the doctor's office, you can bet your sweet cheeks that I would. So anything I can do to make myself weigh less, I can promise you it's going to happen.

If you don't notice any changes on the scale, go back and look at your food diary. Evaluate what you have been eating. I will include a post next week about calories and not all being created equal. If your diet isn't the issue, how much exercise did you get? The most important thing though - DON'T QUIT. Remember that this is about being on a journey. It's not a destination. It's not like going on vacation and we can pinpoint to the hour when we will "arrive."

Another week also means another quick, simple recipe. Today, I am going to share my lettuce wraps. They're so easy and yummy that it feels like cheating.

LETTUCE WRAPS

Start with the big leaf lettuce. I prefer Romaine, but pick what you like. (A large lettuce leaf has about 2 calories, which is WAY better than the 100+ found in a tortilla.)

Next I cut up a roast chicken. If I have time, I'll roast my own. If I don't, your local grocery store sells them already cooked for about the same price as it costs to do it yourself.

I will also chop up an avocado, tomato, and some cilantro.

Then I pile it together: chicken, avocado, tomato, and cilantro. On mine, I also add a little shredded cheese (also known to some as sprinkle cheese) and hot sauce. I don't add a ton of cheese, but dairy is important in a diet for calcium and protein.

Then I sit back and enjoy. Yumm-o!!!

Have a great weekend and enjoy the beautiful Texas weather.

Reality Check...for all of us.

Just to shed some light on how our perceptions of beauty have changed, I am sharing the following picture that a friend posted on Facebook. I would like to thank the media and Hollywood for telling women who were once beautiful that they are now overweight and unattractive. Ugh...

It's no wonder women feel inadequate. The only way most of us could look like Hollywood stars today is if we worked out 4 hours a day, had a personal chef and nutritionist, a maid, a nanny, an assistant, etc. That's not reality for 99% of us.

So for those of us living in the real world, here's a reality check: