Feeling Hungry

Well, I got back on the weight loss wagon yesterday and things are going well. Even with a week of not working out, I managed to lose weight. I'm pretty stoked about that considering that I wasn't working out or really watching what I was eating.

It's now almost 5 pm and I'm hungry. It's really close to dinner so I don't want to eat anything now. But, I'm a little worried because dinner may be late tonight. I'm not sure what to do. Maybe I'll workout before dinner to take my mind off of feeling hungry. Maybe I'll go swimming instead. I'm not really sure but I'm sure I'll figure out something.

Does anyone have any suggestions for feeling full longer?

Whole Wheat Fettuccine with Shrimp & Peas

This recipe can be found in its original form at http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipe/pasta/whole-wheat-fettuccine-with-shrimp-peas/

clipped from www.fitnessmagazine.com Ingredients Whole wheat pasta 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/3 cup small shrimp 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed 3 tablespoons frozen peas, rinsed and drained Grated Parmesan cheese Make It Prepare pasta according to package directions. Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan. Add shrimp, tomatoes, garlic, and rosemary; saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add peas; cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes more. Toss shrimp mixture with cooked drained pasta. Top with grated Parmesan cheese. clipped from www.fitnessmagazine.com Nutrition Facts Nutrition facts per serving: Calories 341 Total Fat (g) 10 Saturated Fat (g) 2 Carbohydrate (g) 47 Fiber (g) 6 Protein (g) 17 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Italian Sausage and Veggie Pasta

This recipe can be found in its original form at http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/easy-healthy-pasta-recipes/?page=2.

clipped from www.fitnessmagazine.com Ingredients 2 ounces uncooked whole wheat pasta 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce 1 precooked Italian-style chicken sausage, sliced into rounds 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms 1/2 cup chopped onions 1/2 cup chopped zucchini 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese Make It Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat spaghetti sauce, sausage, garlic, and vegetables for about 12 minutes, until veggies are tender. Top pasta with sauce mixture and sprinkle with cheese. clipped from www.fitnessmagazine.com Nutrition Facts Nutrition facts per serving: Servings Per Recipe 1 serving Calories 494 Total Fat (g) 13 Saturated Fat (g) 5 Carbohydrate (g) 71 Fiber (g) 6 Protein (g) 31 *Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Farfalle with Watercress, Cherry Tomatoes, and Feta

This post can be found in it's original form at http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/dinner/easy-healthy-pasta-recipes/?page=1

clipped from www.fitnessmagazine.com Farfalle with Watercress, Cherry Tomatoes, and Feta Ingredients 8 ounces farfalle pasta 1 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved 3 cups watercress leaves (from 2 small bunches) 1/4 teaspoon black pepper Make It Cook pasta according to package directions. Place the cheese in a large bowl; top with the watercress. Before draining the pasta, take 1/4 cup of the cooking water from the pot and pour it over the watercress. (Watercress will wilt slightly and cheese will get soft.) Place the tomatoes in a colander. Drain the pasta over the tomatoes for a super-quick blanch. Toss with the watercress and cheese; sprinkle with pepper and serve.

Slacking Off...

Well, I've been slacking off again this week. I did well up until Sunday when I started feeling sick. I've taken it easy this week and I haven't done anything. I know that being sick isn't an excuse for not working out. Things have just been very rough around here for the past few days.

I spoke with my sister earlier today and we've set a workout date. We're going to get together tomorrow and really kick it into high gear. I've been so disgusted with myself this week so I'm hoping I'll feel better tomorrow morning.

I don't feel like I've gained any weight but I won't know for sure until I weigh in tomorrow morning. I certainly hope I haven't gained any of the weight back because that's going to put me behind schedule. BUT, if I am behind, I'll catch up. I'm going to make sure that I don't have set backs like this again in the future.

Some things really need to change around here so that I feel like I have the time required to workout and get healthy. Most of the things that have to change start with me. I have to not work as much as I do, which is pretty much all the time. And, I have to start getting up earlier in the morning so I can workout before going to the office.

If I were to get up earlier, I would have more time for me without the boys, which means I can focus solely on me until they get up. The weekend is rapidly approaching and I have so many things to do. Okay, enough talking. It's time for me to get ready for a workout before dinner.

Snacks Under 100 Calories | Best Recipes for Healthy Snacks

Snacks Under 100 Calories | Best Recipes for Healthy Snacks

What a Great Monday!

I can't believe what a fabulous day I've had! Work was amazing, the boys were fairly well behaved, and I got in a great workout. I'm making so many changes that are only going to benefit me and everyone around me. I'm so proud of me!

I didn't workout until this evening because today was so busy. I was watching television after dinner and I started to feel guilty because I hadn't worked out. Isn't that something? I was feeling guilty. Things are really starting to fall into place and I couldn't be happier.

I've also noticed that my stress isn't as bad as it used to be. I'm in much better moods, which is always good. The only problem I'm having at this point is sleeping. As soon as I lay down, I'm wide awake. I feel like I can't turn my brain off. I end up staying up half the night and oversleeping in the morning. Anyone have any suggestions?

Okay, it's time for me to turn in for the night. I've got another busy day tomorrow and I want to spend some quality time with my husband. Have a great night!

Great Weekend!

I haven't posted here since Thursday but I've been very busy. Friday was a hectic day at the office and I was so happy when 5:00 came. My day was full of meetings, manuals, and other paperwork. For a virtual assistant, I certainly have more paperwork than I would have thought.

Once I "left" the office, my wonderful husband took me out to dinner. Our dinner was absolutely amazing! We went to a local diner and I splurged a little. I was in the mood for seafood and their crab stuffed flounder is to die for. They were running a special, crab stuffed flounder and crab stuffed shrimp. That's what I ordered. I also got a salad, macaroni and cheese, and french fries. However, I never even touched the fries. I did eat the mac and cheese, which I shouldn't have eaten but it was delicious.

I felt full after I ate the shrimp (it was only one) but I couldn't take the flounder home. It was unbearably hot here Friday and we had some other things to do before going home. So...I ate it. I was so full when we left that I was almost miserable. There was no way I was going to throw the flounder in the trash, which would have happened if I tried to take it home or left it on my plate.

We got a half a bushel of Maryland blue crabs on Saturday and went to my mom's to share them with her and my sister. I was a great day! It rained here all day yesterday and I would've been bored to tears at home. I got in some Wii Fit and even jogged for a while. My sister and I played Mario Cart on Wii after we ate. I had about 10 crabs and 1 crab had about 1 ounce of meat.

Today has been sort of blah. I haven't felt like doing much because the heat has returned. I worked on some laundry today and helped out in the garden picking potatoes. I love our garden! My husband has a marvelous green thumb and we all reap what he sows. We got a wheel barrow full of potatoes, which will probably last us a few months. That's pretty much all I've done today. I wanted to get in some swimming this afternoon but, after all the rain we got yesterday, the water looks a little yucky. It'll be cleaned tomorrow so we can all get in tomorrow afternoon.

I weighed in yesterday and lost 1.1 pounds since the last time I checked my weight. I only have 0.2 pounds to go to reach my goal on Wii Fit Plus. I'm going to jump on for a bit tomorrow and see how I'm doing. I have my goal set to lose 2 pounds every 2 weeks and I've been working hard to meet it.

Well, that's all for me tonight. I've got a busy day ahead of me tomorrow and I need to start planning. I'm going to start my watching a movie with my favorite man. :-)

Gaining Insight and Losing Weight

I've had a pretty busy week this week and it's not over just yet. I still have to make it through tomorrow and Saturday before I get a day "off". I have to say, however, that I've never felt so good in all my life! I've learned so much already and I want to keep going. I'm finding so many ways to be active, including getting my mom and sister involved with Wii Fit Plus. It's so amazing to be able to bond over health, exercise, and wellness.

My mom is a breast cancer survivor, which is why I chose this template, so we're very lucky to have her. She's been through a tremendous amount of pain in her life, not just with the cancer, and it's so great to see her living again. She's in a new relationship now and I can't remember the last time she's smiled as much as she's been lately.

Her first diagnosis came in April 2001 and she fell apart, naturally. As a woman, I think I would have been devastated to hear I had breast cancer. Her latest diagnosis came in late 2009. This time, she underwent new surgery that included a double mastectomy and a tummy tuck. The surgeon used the extra fat from her abdomen to create new breasts. It was a grueling 24 hour surgery but she pulled through. Unfortunately, not all of the tissue survived, which led her to another surgery for an implant.

After all of this, she never gave up. She's truly my hero because she never let anything get her down to the point where she wanted to just give up. After her diagnosis in 2009, I really started thinking about breast cancer. I had my first mammogram in January of this year and it put the fear of God into me. I was petrified! It was then that I started really thinking in earnest about my health.

However, it wasn't until I hit 30 that I really got into being healthier. Maybe that's because I was in denial; I don't know. I honestly don't have any answer for why it took me so long. My entire outlook has changed! I've been grabbing the bull by the horns, so to speak, and taking back my life. It's certainly not going to hurt me to eat better, exercise, and live a healthier lifestyle.

Out of all of this, my mom, sister, and I are closer now than we've ever been! There's nothing better than family and I'm the wealthiest person I know because I have a wonderful family. I've been reflecting on all of this lately and it's really made me sad to see how much time I've wasted being unhealthy.

I weighed in this morning and I'm down another 0.4 pounds, which brings me to a grand total of 13 pounds lost since July 1. I can't really explain my weight loss; I'm not starving myself or working out too much. I think a lot of it had to do with me shedding some of my insecurities. Once I was able to finally let go of the past, things just started falling into place.

I'm finally on the right track and I feel fabulous!

Water Fitness: Part VI

Exercise: Crunch

Once out of the pool, spread out a mat or even your towel on a straight bench. Your knees should be bent and feet flat on the floor. Rest four fingers lightly on the side of your head, around your ears. Lift your shoulders and head so that you can see your knees for a moment. Return to the starting position gradually. Repeat 10 times.

Exercise: Floating on Water

Relaxation is an essential aspect of completing an exercise routine. Let your body loose and let it float on water. You will be amazed, besides proving as an essential sport, swimming also lets you relax.

*Content and images are property of Women Fitness.net and can be found in their original form at http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm.

Water Fitness: Part V

Exercise: Standing Kickbacks

Stand an arms-length away from the pool wall. Keep your shoulders relaxed, your feet together and arms hanging by your sides. Breathe normally. Rest both of your hands against the pool side and shoulder height. Keep your arms straight. Bend your knees a little, tucking in your bottom as you do do. Using your buttock and thigh muscles, raise your left leg and swing it gently back. Keep the supporting leg bent a little and don't raise your leg too high. Repeat 5 times with each leg.

Exercise: Leg Adduction and Abduction

Stand with your back pressed to the pool side, hold on to the rod (against the wall of the pool) for support. Keeping your back straight raise your legs (similarly as in Waist Trimmer). Try spreading out your legs with minimum strain on the back. Move your legs only from the hip joint. Now draw your legs simultaneously and smoothly together into the middle.

*Content and images are property of Women Fitness.net and can be found in their original form at http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm.

Water Fitness: Part IV

Exercise: Waist Trimmer

With your back against the poolside, arm along the edge for support, draw the knees to your chest. Extend your legs straight ahead. Inhaling, swing legs to your left and to your right and back to center. As you exhale move legs to front and withdraw to chest. Repeat this 10 times. All through the motion keep your back pressed against the wall.

Images:

 

Exercise: Total Body Stretch

Facing the side of the pool, grip on to the edge with your hands. Bend your knees and press your feet against the poolside as you inhale. While exhaling, move hips back. Take care not to lock your knees or elbows or strain your back. Repeat 10 times.

Images:

 

*Content and images are property of Women Fitness.net and can be found in their original form at http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm.

Water Fitness: Part III

Exercise: Jumping Jacks

This exercise will be greatly affected by your fitness level, so if you are a beginner, do not get disappointed by the result. With practice, however, you will be able to perform this exercise. Start with your feet flat on the bottom of the pool and your arms relaxed by your sides. Bend your knees and spring up off the bottom of the pool as high as you can. As you jump, kick your legs out to the sides pointing your toes down and swinging your arms out to the side and above your head so that your limbs form a start shape. Land with knees bent and feet apart. Once again jump as high as you can and bring your feet back and together with arms by your sides. Repeat this procedure 10 times.

Images:

 

Exercise: Side Stretch

Stand sideways to the pool wall holding onto the edge with arm fully extended, and feet flat on the pool floor. Inhale as you extend the outside arm overhead as in Posterior Shoulder Stretch. Exhale as you lean hips away from poolside. Do 10 times on each side.

Image:

*Content and images are property of Women Fitness.net and can be found in their original form at http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm.

Water Fitness: Part II

Exercise: Water Marching

To begin, stand up straight breathing evening and make continuous strides as if marching on the spot, extending arms and legs as far as you can. The resistance created by the water will keep the march in slow motion. Stretch your limbs to the full, pointing your toes and pulling your arms vigorously back and forth. Start with 2 minutes or so or as long as it makes you slightly breathless. Simply aim for a good rhythmic walking movement.

Below are some images to help you visualize:

*Content and images are property of Women Fitness.net and can be found in their original form at http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm.

Water Fitness: Part I

Because I've been spending so much time in the pool lately, I wanted to make sure I was getting in all the exercise I could. I asked my wonderful husband to Google some water exercises so I would know what to do in the pool other than swimming. He found some great stuff for me, which I'd love to share with you.

I just installed Clipmarks but the formatting is all wrong for posting here. So, I'll be posting each exercise in a separate blog post to make sure nothing gets left out and the author gets credited properly.

Without further adieu, here's part one:

Toning Arms: Stand with your feet apart, arms extended straight in front of you holding a ball. Breathing rhythmically, push the ball under the water and swing it into a figure-eight pattern through the water. Feel the varying resistances on the arms and upper body. Move in as smooth a rhythm as you can making sure not to strain your shoulders or back. Try maintaining a sturdy balance and repeat 10 times.

Here's some images to help you visualize the written instructions.

*Content and images are property of Women Fitness.net and can be found in their original form at http://www.womenfitness.net/fitinwater.htm.

Awesome Day!

Although today was hot as Hades, it wasn't that bad. I got in a lot of swimming today because of the heat. I didn't get in any walking, Wii Fit, or strength training because of the heat but something is better than nothing. I've honestly never felt better. I'm already further along than I've ever been and I'm so proud of myself.

There was one downside to today, however. I skipped lunch. I know, I know, that's a big no-no but I was so hot that I couldn't eat. We lost power here for just about all afternoon. No power means no AC. I wasn't about to sit in the house without power and sweat. So, the boys and I went out to the pool to cool off. We played volleyball (as well as one can play with a 5 year old) and just had fun.

We had an early dinner as a result of skipping lunch. I had 2 servings of homemade chicken Caesar salad and it was so good. I wasn't about to cook anything! The boys had sandwiches with chips and they loved it. We went swimming again after dinner and just came in a little while ago. It's not that hot once the sun goes down so I didn't want to go inside.

I've made plans to take the Wii over to my mom's later this week and get some exercising in with some of my favorite ladies. I got on the Wii this morning to check my weight and I'm down another 0.9 pounds!! I won't check my weight again until later this week. I don't want to become obsessed with it but I do want to keep it going in the right direction.

Okay, that's it for me today. It's time to relax with my wonderful husband and catch up on the shows I missed today.

Dieting Gripes

Okay, I'm not in a bad mood but there are some things that really irritate me when it comes to dieting and losing weight.

I've heard so many different answers to the question, "How often should I weigh myself?" Some say to weigh in every day, others say to weigh in once a week, and others still say to weigh in once per month. I'm scared to weigh in every day because I don't want to become obsessed with my weight. Besides, if I don't see positive results who's to say I'll stick with it?

I think all restaurants should provide you with calorie information in their menu or upon request. There's nothing worse than going out to dinner and not knowing exactly what you're eating. Take grilled chicken for example, some is x amount of calories while others are 3x those calories. How are we supposed to keep up with all of this without carrying around every diet and calorie counting book known to man?

I wish there was just one set of rules to follow when losing weight. Trying to keep up with all the different rules is almost a workout in itself. Many restaurants are starting to add a healthy section to their menus but I don't think it's good enough.

Okay, I'm done griping for the day. It's time for me to get moving if I want to make my goals for this week.

Week 2

Today's the start of week 2 and I'm super psyched! I want to be active and do so many things outside. I feeling like a new person!

Today has been a great day. I got some much needed housework done, ran a few errands, and played volleyball in the pool. We're under a code red this week, which means air temperatures are going to exceed 100 degrees and the humidity is going to be very high. As a result, I may not be outside as much as I'd like to be this week but I'm definitely going to make good use of the pool. I'm trying to get my husband to get our bikes out and ready but he's been pretty busy. I've asked him everyday since Friday. I won't go back to get them myself because of the snakes.

I did manage to get him to bring in my bench so that I can start the Jackie Warner workout this week. I'm going to work on that tomorrow. I had to take some time to day to make a space for it. You see, I'm very particular about everything having a place and everything being in its place. I don't like clutter so I had to re-work some things to make it fit. I was successful in that task today so I'll definitely be using it tomorrow morning.

My goal for this week is to do Jackie Warner's workout 3 days, Wii Fit Plus for 5 days, swimming for 5 days, and walking for 3 days. Is that too much? The swimming I have to do because it's something I enjoy and it's going to be so hot this week. I'm going to make a schedule of my goals to keep me motivated. I'm going to associate a small weight loss goal for each week as well. At the end of each week, I'll weigh in to see if I achieved all of my goals. What do you think?

Okay, it's time for me to call it a day. I'm going to head off to watch some television. Have a great night!

Happy 4th!

I want to wish you all a happy and safe 4th of July!

Our festivities have yet to begin but I'm more than prepared for them. I've got my water packed and ready to go and I've got some snacks handy in my purse. I'm minimizing my chances of overindulging in foods I know I should be eating. I also made sure that I have some sugarless gum handy just in case.

I got in 35 minutes of aerobics this morning before breakfast and I went swimming this afternoon for about an hour. I'm not logging that activity because I really didn't do much of anything. It's pretty hot here today so I just lounged around in the cool water working on my tan.

It's about time for me to get dinner started before heading out for the night. Be safe!

Jackie Warner Workout : Shape.com: Diet, Fitness, Recipes, Healthy Eating Expertise

I just came across this while catching up on some Shape news. Be sure to take a look at the 20 minute routines and power circuit. I'm going to try to work this routine into mine to maximize results. We'll see how it goes!

Jackie Warner Workout : Shape.com: Diet, Fitness, Recipes, Healthy Eating Expertise

Starting Over...Again

Well, I got off the weight loss wagon again but I'm back and feeling better than ever. I went through a lot of changes when I hit 30 a couple of months ago. I was in a mild depression for a few weeks before my birthday but it was one of the best things that could have happened. I was forced to re-evaluate my life in relation to where I thought I would be at this point. I was so very disappointed in myself.

However, that disappointment has led to determination. Since my birthday, I've been highly conscious of what I eat and I've been working out on a regular basis. I've started out slowly in an effort to take on track this time. So far, I've lost about 7 pounds. To some, 7 pounds may not seem like a lot but it is in my book.

I'm even shopping much differently than before. I'm  visiting the Farmer's Market every week and I'm buying fresh meats instead of frozen. Our garden is starting to bear fruit so I've been out there reaping the rewards. My children are beginning to eat better as well. Now if I could only get my husband to eat better, we'll all be headed in the right direction.

Since starting over with weight loss, I've found some really great and useful tools. I had been a huge fan of SparkPeople but I can't seem to stick with it. I found FitClick in the beginning of June and it's been working well. The only thing I don't like about it is that there isn't a mobile site or smartphone app. The only way to track your food on the go is to tweet it.

Because I use Twitter for business purposes, I didn't feel that tweeting my foods was appropriate. I took some time a couple of nights ago and searched for more online weight loss tools. That's when I came across Live Strong. It's an amazing site and a smartphone app is available for purchase. I wasn't too keen on paying for an app to help track my calories but it's only $2.99. The app is absolutely amazing! Not only can you track your food, you can also track your fitness activities and update your weight. It all syncs with your online account so there's no need to hop on the computer each time.

The one thing about Live Strong that I don't care for is that you have to pay $45/year to access many of the features. I currently have the free plan and it's working well but I would like to see what the other features do to enhance weight loss. But, I'm not going to pay $45/year to find out. I don't have the extra money at this point.

Okay, that's all for me today. I'm going to keep posting here often in order to help hold me accountable. Have a safe and happy 4th!