tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29844234266882436222024-03-14T00:06:45.066-07:00Busy Mom of NineHomeschooling. Large family living. Diet and weight loss.Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-68944411173901594972013-02-27T19:43:00.002-08:002013-02-27T19:43:44.858-08:00Up and Down<br />
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Well February has been quite a rollercoaster month. I lost, I gained, I lost again, and then
gained again. Not surprised at all by
this, since my eating was a bit off this month (which is a nice way of saying
I totally blew it on a somewhat regular basis).
So thankful for my accountability group, who reminds and encourages me
to stay on track (or, in my case, to get back on track).<o:p></o:p></div>
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I was
given the opportunity to talk about my weight loss journey recently on the
radio. A friend of mine hosts a weekly
program on Sport City Chefs, an internet blogtalk radio station. She and her husband are both former world champions
in arm wrestling for multiple years. It
was a great experience and helped excite me again for this journey I am on. You can find the interview online at: </div>
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<a href="http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportcitychefs/2013/02/26/arming-champions-radio" target="_blank">http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sportcitychefs/2013/02/26/arming-champions-radio </a><o:p></o:p></div>
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At the
end of the program, Carolyn summarized the show by listing the below 11 points
that were discussed in the interview. I
thought that would be an easy way to work in my blog post this month! So here they are:<o:p></o:p></div>
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1. We don’t need a
program. We need a paradigm shift for the rest of our life<o:p></o:p></div>
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2. Learn to own your
decision to lose weight<o:p></o:p></div>
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3. Eat less, move more<o:p></o:p></div>
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4. Feelings follow form<o:p></o:p></div>
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5. Still do what you’re
called to do, whether you feel like it or not<o:p></o:p></div>
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6. Give people you trust
permission to meddle in your life- for your sake.<o:p></o:p></div>
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7. Create a different way
of looking at food<o:p></o:p></div>
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8. Walk ¼ mile, jog a ¼
mile.<o:p></o:p></div>
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9. Get a buddy to hold
you accountable.<o:p></o:p></div>
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10. Join my online weight loss
accountability group by emailing me at <a href="mailto:vicki.stormoen@gmail.com">vicki.stormoen@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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11. Don’t let the scale dictate your mood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Okay, let’s talk food!<o:p></o:p></div>
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My newest favorite for breakfast: Blueberry Protein Pancake<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 scoop protein powder (I use the Cookies and Cream flavor from Iso Pure)<br />
2 egg whites<br />
2 tble. Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk<br />
1 medium ripe banana (mashed)<br />
½ frozen blueberries (thawed)<br />
¼ c. dry oatmeal<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mix the above together with a wire whisk. Generously spray a dark coated pan with Olive
Oil Pam spray. Pour the whole thing
in. Not going to lie: this thing is
really hard to flip. Be sure you sprayed
generously and don’t worry if it doesn’t look pretty. It’s well worth it in terms of taste! Top with Walden Farms calorie free (as in
ZERO) Blueberry syrup. </div>
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Calories: 370. SO GOOD!<br />
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The below is a before/after shot of my husband and I at our
daughter’s high school formal. Such a
fun night!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-74900727168799675112013-01-10T21:08:00.001-08:002013-01-10T21:09:07.961-08:00New Year, New Beginnings<br />
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Well I was waiting to lose what I gained through the holiday
season before posting another entry, but then I thought that was probably
cheating and I should be real and just admit that I gained 5 pounds . I’ve lost two of them and am hoping the other
three disappear shortly so I can at least be where I was back in November. I’m still 28 pounds away from goal and
working hard to hit my goal weight in 2013.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I knew I was going to need to do something different and
motivating to get back on track and, on a whim, threw out the idea on Facebook of
starting an online support/encouragement group for weightloss and/or exercise
goals. I now feel like I’m starting a
new chapter in my weightloss journey, only this time with a great group of
friends who are there to encourage and challenge me along the way. It was exactly what I needed and I feel like
I’m back on the right track with more motivation than ever. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After a year of counting calories and tracking macros
(protein/fats/carbs), I think I’m
finally getting the hang of it. =p I can
pretty much gauge my meals calorie and macro-wise (as long as I’m cooking it),
which makes the meal planning much easier.
I know that if I have a certain breakfast, I will need to cut the potato
at lunch, or if I’m craving a peanut butter protein shake (which is pretty much
always), I am going to have to pass on the morning snack. Knowing these things off the top of my head
is exciting to me because it means that I have truly learned some things this
past year about diet and nutrition. If
you knew me well before all this, you would understand why that excites
me. It’s never too late to learn!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Below is one of my favorite lunches. Easy to make (all in the electric skillet),
and doesn’t take too much time. You
could substitute the brussel sprouts for any green vegetable, and add
mushrooms, onions, or anything else that falls into the “practically
calorie-free” category (of which I have a list, as everyone should!).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Use a 5 oz red potato.
Cut into strips. Spray Pam on one
side of the electric skillet. The
potatoes take the longest to cook, so put them in first thing. Sprinkle with a dash of Lawry’s Seasoning
Salt (or other “better for you” seasoning salt.
Lawry’s is a bit of a weakness of mine), and some parsley. After the potatoes have about a 5 minute
head start, spray the other end of the electric skillet with Pam and put the
vegetables in. Sprinkle with no more
than 1 tbl. Balsamic Vinegar. After
another 5 or 10 minutes of both of those cooking, add 22 pieces of the Kirkland
brand Tail-off Shrimp. Take the potatoes
out, stir the shrimp and vegetables together, just to heat the shrimp up and
give it the flavor of everything else in the pan. <br />
Calories: 296. (You could easily add a
salad to this for just a handful of calories more)<o:p></o:p></div>
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I currently have “runners knee” and am unable to run, which
kills me. And the fact that it “kills me”
is hilarious, considering last January I was working on trying to get a
consistent walking schedule down, with absolutely no thought of ever in this
life being a runner. After much Googling
and talking to runners, I decided to take all of January off and, Lord willing,
will start up again in February. In the
meantime, I’m at the gym six days a week doing various cardio machines and strength
training. Anxious to see how
that first run on February 1<sup>st</sup> goes!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Below is a “then and now” picture of me with my first
grandson, Elliott, two years later. Love
that kid to pieces!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Wishing you all a happy new year, and hoping you too will hit your weight and exercise goals in 2013! </o:p></div>
Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-58610057324812877122012-11-08T09:39:00.001-08:002012-11-08T09:39:43.663-08:00One Year Anniversary<br />
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It has been one year this week that my daughter Rachel
kicked off my weight loss journey by striking a deal with me that she would
cook for me and I could only eat what she put in front of me (see <a href="http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-weight-loss-journey.html">http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/03/my-weight-loss-journey.html</a>). One year later and I have lost 60 pounds, 43.5
inches, and am down 8 pant sizes. I went
from not working out at all to now running 20 miles a week, and hitting the gym
three days a week. For the first time in
many years, I can walk into a room and not have the passing thought that I am
the largest person in the room. I feel
“normal” and am so thankful God has brought about this change in my life. </div>
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I’m on the home stretch, with still 25 pounds to go. The weight comes off much more slowly these
days, but until I hit the magic number, I will continue counting those
calories, tracking the macros (protein, carbs, fats - see <a href="http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/04/about-percentages.html">http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/04/about-percentages.html</a>), keeping up with all the
working out, and holding back on certain foods I one day look forward to eating
again. I can’t wait to get there!</div>
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While doing the above is how I am losing weight, that is
only the physical part of it. So much of
dieting is mental. You have to really be
at a place in your life where you really, truly, honestly <b><i>want</i></b> to lose the
weight. You have to be at a place where
you are willing to give up things to get there.
You have to want it badly enough to do things you may even hate (like
working out). And you have to be ready
to persevere through the plateaus and the temptations along the way.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You also have to learn to view food differently. Food is fuel, not comfort. Your body needs fuel, good fuel, to run
properly. But it doesn’t need to run on
a full tank. The recent gas hike we
experienced in San Diego caused me to change my approach to fueling up our 15
passenger van (an incredible gas-hog).
We knew the situation was temporary, so rather than fill up, I would just put enough gas in to get us to the next event. Once the crisis was over, I went back to
filling up as usual. Dieting is like that
in some ways. Each meal isn’t about
“filling up”. It’s about getting enough
fuel in your body to get to the next meal.
You will leave each meal with plenty more room for additional fuel. But you will have enough to get through the
next three or four hours. “Filling up”
is for another time in my life, when I can "afford" it. Until
those last 25 pounds are gone, I’m still in “crisis” mode, putting enough fuel
in my body to make it to the next meal.
No more; no less. It takes awhile
to get used to leaving the table still wanting more. It takes even longer to stop trying to convince
yourself you “need” more. That’s a huge
part of the mental challenges dieting brings. It took many months before my
attitude towards food began to change.
But as you stay the course and weight starts coming off, it gets easier
to truly <i>want </i>to lose more.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It’s been a long time since I’ve posted any recipes, so here
is my newest favorite snack: cinnamon crisps.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Heat oven to 400.<br />
Cut up two corn tortillas into eight triangular pieces in a small bowl.<br />
Mix with 1–1.5 tsp. olive oil<br />
Add two packets of Stevia and sprinkle with cinnamon. Toss to mix well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Lay pieces out on a cookie sheet and bake on the first or
second shelf in oven, roughly 5 minutes.
Flip and bake another couple minutes, or until baked to your
“crispiness” preference.<br />
Smells and tastes great! Yum!<o:p></o:p></div>
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I think I'll go make myself some as an Anniversary Snack. What a difference a year can make! (Picture on right is a visual of the 43.5 inches lost.)</div>
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Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-63246839753853873222012-10-05T15:52:00.000-07:002012-10-05T15:52:02.568-07:00Still Going<br />
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After no weight loss for way too long, the scale is slowly
starting to move again. I’ve lost three
more pounds since the “plateau”.
Probably the most difficult part of being on a plateau (besides the
emotional aspect of it), is staying on track eating-wise when you see no
result. I can’t say I did very well with
that. More cheats happened in the last
two months, than in the whole seven months before that! But now that the scale is moving again,
however slowly, it is definitely motivating me to be more diligent (again) with
my food choices. On the upside of being
on plateau, it gives you a whole new perspective on “only” losing one pound a
week. I was never so excited to see a
minus 1 result on the scale as I was that day.
I was simply ecstatic. And now I’m
just grateful for anything,<i> anything</i>, less than it was the week before. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Running continues to be the main part of my workout
plan. I run 4 days a week and go to the
gym 2 days. I went back and reread my
posts about running at the beginning of the year. I really, truly, honestly hated it. It was strictly to help the weight come
off. My plan was that I’d stop when I
hit my weight goal. But that has
changed. Radically. I. Love. Running. Somewhere between the first 5K (in March) and
now, I truly began to enjoy running. I
look forward to my run days. I even occasionally
sneak in a 5<sup>th</sup> run on my “rest day” under the guise of “it’ll just
be a relaxing, slow, recreational run.”
If you would have told me seven months ago I would ever use the word “recreational”
and “run” in the same sentence, I would have never believed you. It is amazing to me how much my attitude
toward this single activity has completely changed. And I am convinced it is what is helping me
lose the weight.<o:p></o:p></div>
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You may be like the way I was when I started this whole
journey, i.e. hating working out. I didn’t
do anything for the first six weeks I started the diet. When I did start, it was with much grumbling
and complaining and lack of a whole lot of effort at first. The encouragement is that your attitude may
end up changing. I know you don’t
believe me, even as you read this. I
wouldn’t have either. But I can testify
that by sticking to a workout plan (whether it’s running, swimming, biking,
cross-fit, lifting…whatever), and slowly seeing results from that plan, and
pushing through the times when you absolutely hate what you’re doing but know
you need to do it anyway, your attitude
toward that very hated activity may begin to change. Not overnight, and not anytime soon. But if it happens for you , as it did for me,
one day you’ll look behind and be totally shocked by the change.<o:p></o:p></div>
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While it’s clear to me that I won’t make my goal of hitting
my desired weight in a year, I am still committed and encouraged, and despite not
blogging much, still very much see myself on a journey. Like everything else in life, it has ups and
downs and long stretches of nothing exciting.
And through it all, I just keep going. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGdOAvZcbZZ-rGC7gXlb-9th3_GqjpdA0fghv442IZLY7smO7Ml1O73RP8uaUETyE4hrhyphenhyphenmWYH6xTuRCPoHfEVR79xk1-ArYrMRqBb3wvvi-Ijc_htKW8MLmmM_MNtH2GeagpJdRx2bSF/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtGdOAvZcbZZ-rGC7gXlb-9th3_GqjpdA0fghv442IZLY7smO7Ml1O73RP8uaUETyE4hrhyphenhyphenmWYH6xTuRCPoHfEVR79xk1-ArYrMRqBb3wvvi-Ijc_htKW8MLmmM_MNtH2GeagpJdRx2bSF/s320/photo.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-19718459001403212162012-08-20T07:16:00.000-07:002012-08-20T18:41:26.394-07:00Back on Track<br />
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It’s been over a month now with no weight loss. However, August wasn’t exactly a model
month. With a couple family birthdays
(including my own) and various outings with friends, there was more than an
isolated few “off track” days. In
retrospect, I should be grateful there was no gain and I’m still where I was a
month ago!<o:p></o:p></div>
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So today, with parties behind me and the beginning of our
school year and normal routines, I am back on track and focused yet again on
losing the rest. After asking a lot of
people who have gone through the plateau stage, it seems shaking up the workout
routine is the common thread in getting the scale moving again. In light of that, I’m increasing my workout
times and doing varied workouts, getting out of my ruts, and pushing to burn
more calories in each workout than previously burned. Another thing everyone says, that I know I
haven’t been consistent with, is keeping up the water intake. So I’m back to my huge blue water bottle and
trying to get 1-2 of those down a day. We’ll
see how that goes!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thank you for all the encouraging notes, emails and comments
during my plateau. I not only have the blessing
of losing weight through this, but the blessing of a great support network,
which keeps me going and motivates me to finish what I started. You help me more than you know!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Another before/in progress picture below. The first one is with my oldest daughter a
few years ago. The second was this
weekend, on a birthday shopping trip with my second daughter. My children are nine of the reasons I want to
continue losing weight!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiI-3a_ZfDWX0Pr_0SEAqCbM5802kF_a47nd9yteI5SwAMLqItTIUA7YKZLVO7nxoSVqh8lZjvLbuAX3a7j7qBvkJWwXDjwMeRnbbcDzsWNunPbK7oq2rVDqshCxMZAKZqb1ZF35-FLGXf/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiI-3a_ZfDWX0Pr_0SEAqCbM5802kF_a47nd9yteI5SwAMLqItTIUA7YKZLVO7nxoSVqh8lZjvLbuAX3a7j7qBvkJWwXDjwMeRnbbcDzsWNunPbK7oq2rVDqshCxMZAKZqb1ZF35-FLGXf/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-4958064119740084032012-07-26T11:08:00.000-07:002012-07-26T11:08:18.589-07:00The Plateau<br />
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Three weeks now with no weight loss. The dreaded plateau. It would have been more convenient to have
the plateau come when I was in a definite size.
But I’m between sizes right now, belting one and squeezing in the
other. Of course it would have been even
more convenient to plateau at maintenance! But since these things never seem to
care much about convenience, I’m just continuing to do what I do and wait it
out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In the absence of any exciting weight loss to report, other
than the 54 pounds to date (not that that's not exciting in and of itself), I’ve decided to focus on inches lost in this post. I measured at the beginning of all this, last
November, but only once or twice since then.
I must admit, I’m more focused on the number on the scale, even though
everything I read tells me not to be.
But the inches lost are adding up and I was quite surprised by how much
less of me there is.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are seven areas I measure (chest, waist, hips, thigh,
stomach, buttocks, and arm). In total
from those seven areas, I’ve lost 38 inches!
That’s over a YARD of me GONE! And
if you count the size I can squeeze into (which, of course, I am), I’m down 8
jean sizes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So if you are on a weight loss journey, here is my tip for
the day: measure yourself at the
beginning and then don’t do it again until you hit your plateau (and you <b><i>will</i></b> hit a plateau). It gives you something
to get excited and motivated about, even though the scale refuses to budge. Because right now, I gotta admit, I'm pretty motivated and excited! <o:p></o:p></div>
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My other random tip for those taking up running or
cardio that you otherwise don’t care for: audiobooks. I started downloading books on my itunes and
only listen to them when I run. I cannot
believe what a difference it has made. I
get so lost in the story, it takes my mind off the run (or cardio machine) and
makes the time fly by. Sometimes when I
should be done with the workout, but the chapter isn’t finished, I keep going
to get to a good stopping point. And
because I won’t let myself listen to it unless I’m working out, there are some
days I can’t wait to get to the gym, or start the run, so I can find out what
happens next! <span style="background-color: white;">Books that leave you hanging at the end of chapters are especially effective in this regard.</span></div>
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And speaking of running, I ran my second 5K on the 4<sup>th</sup>
of July. I beat my time goal, which was
to finish in 33 minutes, by two minutes, finishing in 31 minutes. That’s five minutes faster than the first 5K
in March. VERY happy about that! =D
Below is my wonderful husband, Ron, who also ran the race, but finished
considerably before me. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheokwWkCX7p9UMLl-ORIbwF8Jzxh76ar25nnoW0zP0MrRrorbLB_E-0JbWXjryNolROrI913911h55XnTvrPeW7Ti4TvP0R9nqI9Hs-pyHzY5wSXVoQGxVrYWCvcEs3mVtIX-CAVmPMdlY/s1600/5K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheokwWkCX7p9UMLl-ORIbwF8Jzxh76ar25nnoW0zP0MrRrorbLB_E-0JbWXjryNolROrI913911h55XnTvrPeW7Ti4TvP0R9nqI9Hs-pyHzY5wSXVoQGxVrYWCvcEs3mVtIX-CAVmPMdlY/s320/5K.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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Bottom line, plateau notwithstanding, I’m still committed
and on track. Other than a couple day
splurge with some girlfriends on a recent getaway, I’ve been keeping to my
calorie and percentage goals. I’m
obviously looking forward to the scale moving again, but the way I eat is
pretty much the way I plan to eat long term anyway, so I don’t feel like I’m
spinning my wheels for nothing. I may
not make my final goal in the one year time frame I was hoping for, but, Lord
willing, I’ll hit it eventually. And in
the meantime, I feel better than I’ve felt in years! <o:p></o:p></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-58499191897255043032012-07-02T15:34:00.001-07:002012-07-02T15:34:43.856-07:00Nobody Said It'd Be Easy<br />
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I love those weeks where I’ve lost a couple more pounds,
tried a new recipe that is just to die for in a completely healthy-okay-to-eat
kind of way, or had some really cool new gadget or insight that helps propel me
into the next week of my weight loss journey.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This last week was not one of those weeks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Last week, hands down, has been one of the toughest weeks
for me so far. I have a sweet tooth
craving that cannot be satisfied, jars of peanut butter that audibly call to me
at odd hours in the day, and the munchies almost around the clock. Not just today, which I could probably handle,
but the entire last week. While to some
degree I’ve succumbed to these temptations, for the most part, I’ve just suffered
through it. But the longer it lasts, the
weaker I get. And the weaker I get, the
crankier I get. And the crankier I get,
the more I think about peanut butter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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This next paragraph is supposed to contain the epiphany that
saves the day. It’s supposed to be the
nugget that you walk away with that encourages and inspires you to stay the
course, or start the course, or get back on the course. But
today, I sort of hate the course, and have nothing short of this to say: this is hard.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Losing weight is never easy.
And losing a lot of weight throws the element of a lot of time into the
mix, making it not only not easy, but seemingly unending. It’s
at this point that we separate the people who are <i>committed</i> to losing weight
from the people who merely <i>want </i>to lose weight.
It’s that commitment that compels me to not give in, to not take a step
backwards in my journey, only to have to make up for it next week. Not because I’m obsessed. Not because losing weight has become an idol
in my life. But because I have a goal to
be in the “healthy weight” category. I
have a goal to be healthy and keep up with my nine kids and grandkids. I can’t meet that goal by giving in whenever
it gets hard. Yet I can already hear the voices of some well-meaning friends
who would say to do just that. “Take a
couple days off”. “Life is short, eat dessert first” kind of advice. When I get to maintenance, there will be
times I do just that. But for another 32
pounds, I’m still on a journey. And I
can’t get to where I’m going if I start walking backwards. Please don’t tell me to just go for it and
get back on track next week. What I need
is….<o:p></o:p></div>
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I can’t even finish that thought because I don’t even know
what I need. Sometimes things are just
hard and you have to pick yourself up and just keep going. I suppose if you’re really looking for it,
you could find a life analogy in there somewhere, though if you find one, it
would be completely unintentional. This
is just me, struggling to stay on track with the goals before me. Even when it’s hard, even when I don’t want
to, even when others would tell me to take a break. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Not the most encouraging post, I know. I’d apologize, but it’s real. If you think losing weight will be easy, you
might as well know the truth. It’s
not. Sometimes it’s just really hard and
not a lot of fun. But the more you distance
yourself from your ultimate goal by giving in or taking breaks, the longer it
will take to get to your destination. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Just. Keep. Going.<o:p></o:p></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-68438287595840515812012-06-18T10:12:00.000-07:002012-06-18T16:58:41.782-07:00Two New Items<br />
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I recently purchased two things that are helping in the
continuing weight loss journey. </div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 9px;"><br /></span><u><b>The Polar
FT4 Heart Rate Monitor</b></u></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Absolutely LOVE this! It has motivated me to increase my workout
efforts, as I now have an accurate, in-your-face number of what I am burning
and how hard I am working, staring me in the face during my workouts. This HRM is a combination of the wrist watch
and chest strap. The chest strap is
comfortable and you forget it’s even there once you start working out. Once you enter all your personal information
in the watch (height, weight, age, etc.), you get an accurate accounting, via
your heart rate, how many calories you are burning during a workout. I usually have the watch set to calories
burned while I’m working out and have a number in my head before I start of how
many calories I hope to burn. I either
keep going, or step up the intensity to make sure I get there. At the moment, I only allow myself to eat
back anything I burn OVER 200 calories.
So if I burn 250, I only get to eat 50 of those. Therefore, my goals for most workouts are
closer to the 350-400 range. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I got mine online for $65.00. There are tons to choose from. This one doesn’t have as many bells and
whistles as others out there, but it does exactly what I want it to do: give me
an accurate count of how many calories I’m burning, rather than estimating,
thus pushing me to workout harder than I was doing before.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWW2mCSVuDt5OHeRhEe9-yUblfQNoUljFOAVqGkjwV7rBrEYZPOLRBTLfIUyVd5QJqAPkog8hS5P2xAb3JUbe9u6rhT-vr4BbMr3BJ-sURNNHpJ1vqfRSMg2qcKBDt018f122QW3wzhAt7/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWW2mCSVuDt5OHeRhEe9-yUblfQNoUljFOAVqGkjwV7rBrEYZPOLRBTLfIUyVd5QJqAPkog8hS5P2xAb3JUbe9u6rhT-vr4BbMr3BJ-sURNNHpJ1vqfRSMg2qcKBDt018f122QW3wzhAt7/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u>A
ridiculously over-sized water bottle</u></b></span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Okay, this one was much cheaper. $7.00.
It’s a half gallon water bottle, with the built in straw and the
optional frozen mechanism in the middle.
Buying this has most definitely increased my water intake, which hasn’t
been too great. I’m addicted to iced-tea
and drink about a gallon of that a day.
I’ve been telling myself it’s AS-IF I’m drinking water, since of course
iced-tea is made with water. Ahem. Yeah, not the same thing at all. Calorie-wise, the iced-tea doesn’t “hurt” me
at all, since I don’t add sugar, but because caffeine is a diuretic, it is not
the same thing as <span style="background-color: white;">drinking water.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">On run days, my goal is to drink two of
these, one before noon, and the other before dinner.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">Otherwise, I shoot for one and a half.</span><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">I’m not giving up my tea yet, but I have
definitely noticed I’m not as “snacky” in the afternoon when I’m sipping on
this all day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsWgNOdnp6rTCIhQLkOIdJ5IPxL6NwcsAI3iiTMIudaOnRqD7_oINREvgZOxRBS0ShPi7pZcKwYDSOmLcIc7GSmLE8rYhQJ1WmYY400wtzJNDDl2WlbYPh81-mRJ2G5goI4hcvX79xeI9/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAsWgNOdnp6rTCIhQLkOIdJ5IPxL6NwcsAI3iiTMIudaOnRqD7_oINREvgZOxRBS0ShPi7pZcKwYDSOmLcIc7GSmLE8rYhQJ1WmYY400wtzJNDDl2WlbYPh81-mRJ2G5goI4hcvX79xeI9/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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I’m down another pound, but also down another jean
size! I kept one pair of jeans from back
in November when this all started. I
just can’t believe how much more of me there used to be!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5KCOMEAbYrE1DG0xWpVSov3x_4M6MPXHNftqF_vTBuYIPoCeB4cXyJXRtVpg-E3DlvXMLwyuYa5Fj8WjuKdLwSGgvlCmI9XDkENYwmIC7KGnoD4HS4vdmN2YvtzWli7n9X_fLwRtH5Ji/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5KCOMEAbYrE1DG0xWpVSov3x_4M6MPXHNftqF_vTBuYIPoCeB4cXyJXRtVpg-E3DlvXMLwyuYa5Fj8WjuKdLwSGgvlCmI9XDkENYwmIC7KGnoD4HS4vdmN2YvtzWli7n9X_fLwRtH5Ji/s320/photo.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-6335295704066898302012-06-06T05:45:00.001-07:002012-06-06T05:45:32.598-07:00Another Milestone<br />
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After no weight loss last week, I was thrilled to get on the
scale this morning and see a 2 pound loss.
This put me at minus 50. <b><u><span style="font-size: large;">50!</span></u></b> That just sounds so…well…50! <o:p></o:p></div>
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I received a message from another large family mom asking me
about how I handle eating so differently from the rest of the family. It seems so “normal” now the question took me
by surprise. But in the beginning, it was a little weird that I was eating
often completely different meals from what the rest of the family was eating,
even though we were all sitting down at the dinner table at the same time. Because I have changed the way I cook,
relying more on seasonings than sauces, I can often eat the main dish and salad
or vegetable that everyone else eats, and just skip the side dish. But there are still plenty of nights I throw together
a tilapia filet or a chicken breast instead of whatever they eat. The secret to getting the kids' food together,
especially at lunch, is gum. Often I have
to chew gum while making their lunch or I find myself picking at whatever I’m
making them. =O<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve really simplified my lunches of late, since after
making their lunch, I don’t feel like making a whole separate elaborate lunch
for me. Often I have what I’ve nicknamed
my BOWIN lunch: Bowl Of What I
Need. When I plan my food journal for
the day, I always start with breakfast and dinner. Then, after I know how many carbs, fats, and
proteins I have left over, I throw together a lunch that fits the need. Often it’s a chicken breast, turkey sausage,
lean ground beef or fish, with black beans, a heated-until-crispy corn
tortilla, brown rice, wheat pasta or yam cubes, with an avocado or nuts, mixed
with a sugar-free BBQ sauce or Balsamic vinegar, tossed in a bowl. It’s quick (especially if some of it is
already made ahead of time, see post <a href="http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-in-life.html">http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/03/day-in-life.html</a> ), it’s easy and it’s what I need. Here is a picture of a typical BOWIN lunch.<br />
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglpNV6Qf_6D7QInzAmkYEIL_GW3Q9UBrkscz6Tyv2DKad1kSTd4ZP2-J3srKbFXSiMvDRyiOLMCECkTOsQfTYF3Boi0KGy3c8c7-3xu8Bf5lFxW8waWdVAD0-pzHDNA_B3Iy4zdmGUW9F/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgglpNV6Qf_6D7QInzAmkYEIL_GW3Q9UBrkscz6Tyv2DKad1kSTd4ZP2-J3srKbFXSiMvDRyiOLMCECkTOsQfTYF3Boi0KGy3c8c7-3xu8Bf5lFxW8waWdVAD0-pzHDNA_B3Iy4zdmGUW9F/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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My new absolutely favorite breakfast is Peanut Butter
Protein Steel Cut Oats. The biggest
differences between steel cut oats and rolled oats are in the cooking time and
texture. Steel cut oats are more hearty
and chewy, which makes it seem more filling (to me). I add a scoop of my chocolate protein powder, along with 1 tble. Kirkland Organic Peanut Butter, and it makes a <i>great
tasting</i>, well balanced breakfast.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiukf9BZCuOoUt3jb94RsMRIYPHFjYIhF1LJbiO9Wc7pPceFBep-tUg5uwxkD0gWUE-rjkXd7K38oPL5D_ESKr4bk6z6x-EJZwEUMJYJS4kSTUGyn5bVr2l5ujku-MjbhljurrwUxSrTtD/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiukf9BZCuOoUt3jb94RsMRIYPHFjYIhF1LJbiO9Wc7pPceFBep-tUg5uwxkD0gWUE-rjkXd7K38oPL5D_ESKr4bk6z6x-EJZwEUMJYJS4kSTUGyn5bVr2l5ujku-MjbhljurrwUxSrTtD/s320/photo.JPG" width="258" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And my latest find for a late afternoon, heavy protein snack
is shrimp. Shrimp is straight protein,
no carbs, no fat. It’s also very low in
calorie. I get a back of the Kirkland
Cooked, Tail-Off Shrimp just to have on hand for snacks. You get 11 pieces for 70 calories, so I
usually have 22 pieces for a typical snack. It
gets my protein where it needs to be (which is generally hard for me to hit)
and fits well with my calories. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
35 pounds left, which seems so doable. I’m shooting for the second week in November,
which would make the whole journey one year.
I bought my first pair of shorts in over 18 years last week. I’ve stuck with capris and sundresses in the
summer for the past 18 years. I haven’t actually
worn them yet, but the fact that I own a pair of shorts is a pretty big
deal. Amazing what a difference seven
months can bring!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8txzzK5dIb4lq2CEmiorJ_TVSbAlV5KNz9K2iveO3SazH3tFU6HsA4BdDEpvGtT1iGRIanHsv4L8J8RZ7hxf00TnS5ufWAlL-hGuk0znKh29ngNbTrDqqnvllK2G3jEu5NfJh9A9bsSQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP8txzzK5dIb4lq2CEmiorJ_TVSbAlV5KNz9K2iveO3SazH3tFU6HsA4BdDEpvGtT1iGRIanHsv4L8J8RZ7hxf00TnS5ufWAlL-hGuk0znKh29ngNbTrDqqnvllK2G3jEu5NfJh9A9bsSQ/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-660811415129040512012-05-16T11:56:00.000-07:002012-05-16T11:56:30.951-07:00Is Your Program Better?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A question recently asked of me:<br />
<br />
“Would you say the program you are on is better than any of the other diet
programs out there?”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve spent the past 18 years overweight. I’ve gone up and down on the scale during
that time (mostly due to pregnancies), but always overweight. I’d get inspired to start a new program, or
join a new diet group, or take a new product, but after some initial weight
loss I would always gain it back. The
bottom line was, I just wasn’t committed to stick with it or see it as a
lifestyle change. I wanted to shed the
weight, and then go back to eating the foods I wanted, when I wanted, and how
much I wanted.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Seven months ago, that changed. With the jumpstart of Rachel cooking for me and
those first 35 pounds gone (the most I had lost on any program), I slowly came
to embrace that this was not a “diet”. <i>It was a complete change in the way I
approach food that would last forever.</i>
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I remember being inspired at different times through those
18 years when I would see my friends losing weight and would think, “Oh, if <i>she</i>
can do it, so can I.” But I didn’t have
the discipline or commitment to work past the initial weight loss. I got tired of “their” food, that really didn’t
taste that good anyway. I was sick of
being hungry all the time. I was discouraged
to be spending all that money on something that would probably not work long-term
anyway. And, importantly, I couldn’t see
how what I was doing could ever be something I could do for the rest of my
life. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not bashing or discrediting any particular diet program
or product. You will find people who
thrive on this particular program or that one.
And that’s great….for them. But
that’s the key. It wasn’t for <i>me</i>. You have to find something that works for <i>you</i>;
that works with your lifestyle, that works with your budget, that you could see
yourself doing forever. At some point,
the “diet” is over and you have to go on eating for the rest of your life. If what you are doing isn’t something you can
do forever, odds are you will gain it all back once you end your “diet”. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I needed the “jumpstart” of Rachel cooking. Maybe this or that diet program is your
jumpstart. But until you come to terms
with the fact that losing and keeping weight off involves a <i>change in the way you eat forever,</i> you
will probably continue to go up and down on the scale.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So back to the original question: Do I think the program I am on is better than
others out there?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
No. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But only because I don’t see myself on a “program”.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have changed the
way I eat. And this change will stay
with me the rest of my life. I see
myself always counting calories. I see
myself always eating within certain protein/carb/fat percentages. I see myself staying away from certain foods
(namely processed foods and refined flour and sugar products) forever. These changes work with my lifestyle. They work with my budget. And they are changes, many of which are now
habits, that will stay with me forever.
And <i>that</i> is how I am losing weight.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
47 pounds gone. Everyone
says I need to do something special when I hit the 50 pound mark. I'm open to suggestions!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs-ZLV664xiV6_O_Dtxr5KRU2OK0CYewVzZzcyGWOShUwYh4PmxUutu-bnhYT9-UIoQQ0AoFjXut1Apj5iroBIDIyMIhIrGk89xQlSv7B9FlWbIS9n_nZJ0ubv1La2-BIYcluStJcJnKb/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGs-ZLV664xiV6_O_Dtxr5KRU2OK0CYewVzZzcyGWOShUwYh4PmxUutu-bnhYT9-UIoQQ0AoFjXut1Apj5iroBIDIyMIhIrGk89xQlSv7B9FlWbIS9n_nZJ0ubv1La2-BIYcluStJcJnKb/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-9602801482335426602012-05-03T15:35:00.000-07:002012-05-03T18:24:08.380-07:00A Change in Attitude<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
A strange phenomenon is taking place. I’ve been hesitant to say it out loud because
I don’t want to jinx it, but, truth be told, I am starting to enjoy working
out. (I’m never going to hear the end of
this from my family members). I’m not
sure when the change in attitude started, but I definitely no longer have the
dread of the next workout that I formerly
had. In fact, I kinda, sort of, just a
little bit, even look forward to it. =O<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’ve been on a pretty regular six days per week workout
schedule for the past couple of months.
I run every other day, and go to the gym on the other days. I rest on Sundays. The runs are going great. I run 3 miles for two of the days and work on
time goals. The third run is untimed and
I’m slowly adding quarters to it. I’m at
3.5 now. The timed runs are going ahead of my
goals. I ran the first 5K at 12 minute
miles. I wanted to be at 11 minute miles
by the 4<sup>th</sup> of July 5K (which I just signed up for last week). But my runs are pretty consistently under 11
minute miles now, so I may push for 10 between now and then. (Notice the completely non-committal “may”,
thus leaving me an out if I don’t make it). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t know how long this non-aversion to exercise will
last, but I am enjoying it for now. This
is a definite first for me. And it feels
great!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;">Recipes</span></u></b><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsOEsAdc0flvBket2I64S5NTYT6FDDda6HEclgtG9XuSWiEY6WekirV681bjQJYWT694NeAd-pKXtXo8pkBNxDjCLkoymkZpicsso_2zPgr5hdPZ3WV7a9Q4dhqjMqVPUaWekjh-aNUq_/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWsOEsAdc0flvBket2I64S5NTYT6FDDda6HEclgtG9XuSWiEY6WekirV681bjQJYWT694NeAd-pKXtXo8pkBNxDjCLkoymkZpicsso_2zPgr5hdPZ3WV7a9Q4dhqjMqVPUaWekjh-aNUq_/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rachel made these pancakes last weekend and they were so
good! I just had to post the
recipe. They are now our Saturday
post-run breakfast. I have three, with ¼
cup Pure Maple Syrup, and add two scrambled eggs to it, since the pancakes are
so low in calorie.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Gluten-free Apple
Cinnamon Pancakes<o:p></o:p></u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 ¼ - 1 ½ oat flour<br />
1 tsp baking powder<br />
½ tsp baking soda<br />
1 c. apple juice<br />
1/3 c. apple sauce<br />
1 egg<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
2 tbl of melted coconut oil<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix dry ingredients in one bowl, wet in the other. Then mix together. Spray bottom of skillet with a cooking spray
(I use Olive Oil), and spoon out in ¼ cup servings. Each pancake is about 70 calories. Makes roughly 14 pancakes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZz9qX8DA2gpmKKGoFa0usJpx05olXv5d6Kfpj-wCJb3fe4ijaABx5sXW96cPi6Yl_ziPZEYrheIfj8JLrgin5Rq2-4WXMdoliJp9mSaz1bIum9rs9dzeUFeitWN0pKC2LmsaD_nHpyzhQ/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZz9qX8DA2gpmKKGoFa0usJpx05olXv5d6Kfpj-wCJb3fe4ijaABx5sXW96cPi6Yl_ziPZEYrheIfj8JLrgin5Rq2-4WXMdoliJp9mSaz1bIum9rs9dzeUFeitWN0pKC2LmsaD_nHpyzhQ/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I have found my new “candy”. <b><u>Peanut
Butter Protein Balls</u></b>. Where have
these been all my life?!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use Isoflex)<br />
¾ cup Kirkland Organic Creamy Peanut Butter<br />
¼ cup honey<br />
½ cup dry rolled oats<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix into balls and freeze on a plate of wax paper. Once frozen, move to a ziplock bag. Remove from bag a few minutes to unthaw
before eating. Makes 14 balls. 1 ball = 122 calories</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(If you are using Myfitnesspal, it is on the database as Stormoen Protein
Balls)<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Peanut butter and chocolate!
It’s like heaven in a ball!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
45 pounds gone. I
finally cleaned out my closet and seriously have very few clothes left in there! But since I don’t want to stay in this size
very long, I’m just making do and waiting for a whole new wardrobe when I get
to where I want to be. Now <i>that’s </i>motivating!<o:p></o:p></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-54004033120156271492012-04-28T12:09:00.000-07:002012-04-28T12:23:22.413-07:00Fast Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMHrTNUQdqxqp3KhbwhyphenhyphenNZSNd1pXOtTrFfq9FYzcvVyLSxBfiTD4FCxXZ9Moixo4iobQBzVugVJ9A9J6-EfQp9wb74SLkguOq1gSkuWAz5sQ0LDZZAjW8-d7SOGdd9f7lTqvPxuP3e5iP/s1600/fast+food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMHrTNUQdqxqp3KhbwhyphenhyphenNZSNd1pXOtTrFfq9FYzcvVyLSxBfiTD4FCxXZ9Moixo4iobQBzVugVJ9A9J6-EfQp9wb74SLkguOq1gSkuWAz5sQ0LDZZAjW8-d7SOGdd9f7lTqvPxuP3e5iP/s320/fast+food.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
This picture has been spreading around Facebook and for most
of you, it probably isn’t new. Both the
picture itself, and the fact that fast food isn’t good for you, are pretty
well-known. And yet, most of us, at least
periodically, still go. It’s quick, easy
and relatively cheap. That’s why
pictures like this are so good to keep in front of us. For those of you who have never seen the above before, it is a picture of various fast food products<i> two years after they were purchased</i>. There has been no spoilage or mold in that time. We need to keep reminding ourselves that that
quick, easy, cheap food, is questionably really even “food”! The amount of preservatives and additives you
would need to keep the “food” pictured above from spoiling after two years is
nauseating. What are we putting in our
bodies? And what are the long-term
effects? No one denies the negative long-term
health consequences to eating fast food.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But…<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can already hear half my friends starting in with the “buts”. There is a convenience to fast-food that
cannot be denied. And for all those
soccer moms (or baseball moms, or volleyball moms, or ballet moms, or
whatever), there are some days when you leave in the morning and don’t get back
home until well past dinner. Fast food
is a necessary evil to get through those days.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Really?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am the first to acknowledge that the various tasks we moms
are called to perform in a given day can be somewhat daunting. In one day, we’re supposed to keep up with
laundry needs, keep the house picked up and clean (or at least sanitary!), cook
three meals a day, be the taxi driver, keep up with our personal quiet times
and exercise, and for those of us homeschooling, add a day’s worth of school
for multi-grades into the mix. The
question isn’t, “How on earth am I supposed to find time today to do all that?” The question is, “How am I going to
prioritize what I need to do today to get as much of it done as possible?” Okay, but how does this relate to fast food? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think one of the problems is the priority we give the “cook
three meals a day” task, to other tasks.
“We have to have fast food on volleyball nights because there is just
isn’t time to make and eat dinner.” (I’m
cringing because I’m totally guilty of this one.) The priority that statement implies is very
clear: volleyball before
food/health. Are we really going to put
a sport/activity that our kids are going to participate in through high school,
maybe even college, before the very thing that is going to impact the rest of
their lives? And the solution is so
simple: PLAN AHEAD.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All it would take is looking at your schedule every night to
see what the food plan needs to be for the following day. If you are going to be out a lot, plan to get
up a half hour earlier than usual and make something to keep in the
cooler. 30 minutes. That’s it. If you have younger kids that look forward to
getting their usual Happy Meal, you are likely to get some complaints. After all, everyone knows Happy Meals aren’t
about the food, but about the toy. The
cheap, plastic toy that will break in a week or so or be left in the car, or
stepped on when they leave it out in the middle of the living room, or tossed
in the already way too full toy box never to be played with again. (Yeah, I have no experience with this
whatsoever.) Here’s an idea: go to the Dollar Store and buy $20 worth of
cheap, plastic toys (or maybe even throw in some actually useful items like
crayons, pencils, notepads, etc.) and keep them hidden. Every time you pack an “on-the-go” meal, put
theirs in a lunch bag (could even get colored so it’s different) and add one of
the toys to their meal. It might help in
getting rid of the complaints. You could
call it an Ecstatic Meal, because it’s that much better than a Happy Meal. Okay, maybe not….<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The point is, with a little prep and perhaps getting up a
tad earlier than usual on some days, eating healthy on the go IS doable. Look at the above picture again. Now look at
your kids. Back at the picture, back at
your kids. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Make the Ecstatic Meal.<o:p></o:p></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-26685278970792610972012-04-19T15:08:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:08:16.890-07:00Recipes<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are two recipes , the first of which I just tried this
morning and will definitely be repeating!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u>Peanut Butter
Protein Pancake</u></b><br />
1 scoop Whey Peanut Butter protein powder<br />
2 egg whites<br />
2 tble unsweetened almond milk<br />
½ cup mashed banana<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix the first three ingredients together with a wire
whisk. Add the mashed banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter the
pancake. Spray pan very well a cooking
spray (I use Pam Olive Oil). It will be
hard to turn if you didn’t spray well.
It’s a good size pancake so plan accordingly! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaWvzokMvrYhL709NxaMZ0CIX0O6lpR4lf2k-ch1LO5o0mH8s9pwOMcZzLA8L6TqLTB_FbZQbxkn0Kik74GdgmB2rMMm0T-OYntppI7RS0inSFdzeFv05cr3UnbNuLnvnlYxfheNmHK26/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLaWvzokMvrYhL709NxaMZ0CIX0O6lpR4lf2k-ch1LO5o0mH8s9pwOMcZzLA8L6TqLTB_FbZQbxkn0Kik74GdgmB2rMMm0T-OYntppI7RS0inSFdzeFv05cr3UnbNuLnvnlYxfheNmHK26/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Top with 1 tble peanut butter (which just slides right on
since the pancake is warm) and then drizzle 1 tble Pure Maple Syrup. YUM!
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Total calories is 457.
That’s a bit higher than I usually go, but I will only have this on “run”
days. It’s worth it!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>Chicken with
Sprouts</u></b><br />
Actually, this is chicken with just about anything. This is my “fast food” or “food on the go”
meal. Today I was out most the day, so I
made it in the morning, put in Tupperware and had it for lunch. It doesn’t take long to throw together and is
filling.<o:p></o:p></div>
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1 chicken breast, cut into strips<br />
frozen brussel sprouts (or broccoli, or whatever)<br />
mushrooms<br />
seasonings (I used garlic powder, sea salt, parsley)</div>
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Stir fry the above together until done. Spices, for the most part are free, so spice
it up however you want. I had this with ½
(cooked) of Quinoa (pictured below).
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wa) is sometimes called a whole grain, but is
actually the seed of green plant in South America. It is gluten-free, high in fiber and
manganese, and is a complete protein, containing all nine essential amino
acids. You cook it like rice (I cooked
mine in the rice cooker), doubling the liquid with the dry amount used. I made mine with Organic Chicken stock
instead of water. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I went back through all my prior posts and added a “recipes”
label to every post that included a recipe.
So you should be able to just click “recipes” now on the left and get to
just those posts.<o:p></o:p></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-79874743811150396962012-04-16T17:43:00.000-07:002012-05-25T11:41:53.014-07:00Mental Obstacles<br />
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While the bulk of most diets can be summarized as “eat less,
move more”, there is another aspect to dieting that is often overlooked; the
mind. I’ve had to overcome several
mental obstacles so far in this journey, and am still trying to get my head around
others. It’s amazing how many
pre-conceived ideas I had about what’s “normal” or “right” as it relates to
food, and how those ideas have contributed to my inability to lose weight in the past. So the below are my top 5 Mental Obstacles to
Overcome. Maybe you can relate to some
of these.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>1. If I eat less, I'll lose more</u></b></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Not necessarily true.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Once you find your
healthy calorie goal (if using Myfitnesspal, this is calculated for you), it is
important to eat all those calories.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Going under your calories on a regular basis will cause your metabolism to
slow way down, conserving the energy it gets from the reduced calories you are
giving it.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">While there is much
controversy in nutritional circles about the validity of Starvation Mode (and
about every other topic that has to do with diet and nutrition), it is agreed
on both sides that by eating too few calories, your body will start to store
the fat because it doesn't think you are going to give it anything.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">In short, it’s counterproductive.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u>2. As long as I don't exceed my calories, it doesn't matter what I eat</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Definitely not true.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">I’ve talked about
this under the post “About Percentages” (</span><a href="http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/04/about-percentages.html">http://busymomofnine.blogspot.com/2012/04/about-percentages.html</a>)<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">In summary, no 1200 calories are alike.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If you aren’t watching the protein/carb/fat numbers as well, you will
likely not lose much weight.</span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u>3. Certain foods are only consumed for certain meals or at certain times</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Okay, this one is tough for me.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Especially when it comes to snacks.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">To me, a snack is a small, relatively tasty treat.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">“Tasty” being defined as sweet or salty.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">However in order to get the amount of protein
I need, and not exceed my carbs, my snacks have taken on a radical
transformation.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">On some days, a
stir-fried chicken breast, cut into strips, is my “snack”.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">At first it seemed as though I were violating
some sort of written code on the integrity of snack foods.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A chicken breast was a “meal”, not a “snack”.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Here is where I’ve had to re-look at the
purpose of the food I eat.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s fuel,
not comfort.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">So the question changes
from, “What sounds good?” to, “What does my body need?”</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Depending on how my food diary looks for that
day, my body may need a big boost of protein, with no carbs.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">A chicken breast is a quick and easy
solution.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">For me, replacing the word “snack”
with “mid-morning food” and “afternoon food” helps in the mental game.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
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However, this also extends to other
meals. Eggs, for example, to me, are a
breakfast food. And you eat them with
things like sausage, or bacon, or toast, or in a scramble with some veggies
thrown in. So on one day when I was low
on carbs, partially because I didn’t have any with breakfast, Rachel suggested
I have oatmeal with them. I thought she
was nuts. “I can’t have oatmeal with
eggs. That’s like two completely
different meals. You have oatmeal on
oatmeal days, and eggs on egg days.
Having them together is just weird.”
Sigh. Another mental obstacle. Go back to the relevant question: What does my body need? Pick a food that fills that need. There’s no “right” food for the time of day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><u>4. If I cheat, I might as well blow off that day and start fresh tomorrow</u></b></div>
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<b><u><br /></u></b><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Cheats happen.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Move on.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Right then, move on.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">You ate it, you shouldn’t have.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Cut something from lunch or dinner to
compensate a bit, but keep going.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">One
cheat is bad enough.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t add multiple
cheats to it and make it even worse.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u>5. I can never cheat, or I'll never get back on track</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">The reality is there will be some times in life when you will eat things you
normally would not eat.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Many factors are
at play here.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Some of them are just
plain courtesy.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">If you are invited to
somebody’s house for dinner, don’t panic and bring your own food.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Just eat what they have graciously prepared
for you, in moderation of course.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">When
you are out and about and aren’t able to get home as planned to make whatever
you are scheduled to eat, just do your best.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">You can fix it later.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">It’s not the
end of the world.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">While you are on a
diet, life is still moving forward.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Everything and everyone doesn’t cater to you and your diet.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Don’t think of these times as “cheats” as
much as times you are being “flexible”.</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Conversely, don’t look at them as times to
just go for it and blow it big!</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</span><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Flexibility and moderation are the key.</span></div>
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Two more pounds gone. After a week of no loss, that was very
exciting! Another before/in progress
picture below. I’m trying to remember to
take pictures of food to post some recipes.
Hopefully I’ll get those up later this week.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG1rRK8JVVQ5hDNele4ZYoiPNtf0Bm6KjyiCCr0HcHaLXp2nJv7Z4NSgx3S8uSTqIZU5sMv8KBApNSRvtdUCayn8gAW2g0mobGFVVq7ybRR9or6uigt218VnaOkVFkLBCFpwVf6mDw1j0/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYG1rRK8JVVQ5hDNele4ZYoiPNtf0Bm6KjyiCCr0HcHaLXp2nJv7Z4NSgx3S8uSTqIZU5sMv8KBApNSRvtdUCayn8gAW2g0mobGFVVq7ybRR9or6uigt218VnaOkVFkLBCFpwVf6mDw1j0/s320/photo.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-80355435267518122122012-04-09T05:10:00.000-07:002012-04-09T05:10:08.323-07:00No Loss<br />
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I got on the scale yesterday morning and didn’t lose
anything. I admit I completely
overreacted. I hardly ate the rest of
the day to somehow “compensate”, which of course is counter-productive and not
the right way to lose weight. It’s amazing
how a number on a scale can completely change your mood and outlook for the
rest of the day. I know some people who weigh
every day and I don’t know how they live with that kind of rollercoaster
ride. The reality is there are so many
different factors that go into that moment on the scale that even at once a
week, it’s not completely reliable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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And so I’ll continue doing exactly what I’ve been
doing. Perhaps too much sodium and not
enough water the day before or some other factor caused me to hold on to some
water weight, or maybe I just really didn’t lose anything last week. Either way, what I’ve been doing has taken
away 41 pounds. One week of no weight
loss is hardly enough to scare me off!<o:p></o:p></div>
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After realizing I hadn’t lost any weight yesterday, when my
husband, Ron, asked if I wanted to go for a run at the lake with him, I readily
agreed (even though it wasn’t one of my “run” days). We took two of the girls, Jessica and Emily,
who rode their bikes as we ran. Ron, who
is a runner and runs considerably faster than me, stayed with me for the first
mile and for the first time I can say, “Ron and I ran together yesterday!” That was really cool. After a mile, though, I was glad to see him
go! He was great about slowing way down
to stay with me, but still pushed me a bit faster than I usually run. I slowed down after that first mile and
finished my 3-mile run at my new 11.20-something pace. The girls had a blast biking between us and
it was a beautiful way to start the day.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_9-4wtfMa2zaj1ffNuiPWBNLU_aGSzH7bPVSW5E0JF3VjXPZvHLKoBb4k469KTqB_BBXz0VwZV_vVQRbQJKFQFj2GS8kA94lVW_0aUuDproMXj5gXaicLy9fupEGq0EPziqIL6lH_n4I/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU_9-4wtfMa2zaj1ffNuiPWBNLU_aGSzH7bPVSW5E0JF3VjXPZvHLKoBb4k469KTqB_BBXz0VwZV_vVQRbQJKFQFj2GS8kA94lVW_0aUuDproMXj5gXaicLy9fupEGq0EPziqIL6lH_n4I/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Below is an absolutely fantastic salmon recipe I tried out
this weekend. So easy.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4w4UFEKC71j0RUXLXox19nlqwOVqo49Uep3QEbJNU2p4FbfDZfY1drusz1RoyQenZ63RF6I0gVKWxjnkUWP_9rJ_nU4X59GynZPpCQhZhqGXzgQ5j9YctPOrpweLelFhbfhc0sBkyCze/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP4w4UFEKC71j0RUXLXox19nlqwOVqo49Uep3QEbJNU2p4FbfDZfY1drusz1RoyQenZ63RF6I0gVKWxjnkUWP_9rJ_nU4X59GynZPpCQhZhqGXzgQ5j9YctPOrpweLelFhbfhc0sBkyCze/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Drizzle olive oil on the filets. Add some fresh lemon juice, sea salt, pepper,
garlic powder, and parsley. Place in
COLD oven and set temperature to 400.
Cook for 25-30 minutes, no longer.
Moist and flavorful! Though not
pictured, I also tried Rosemary Red Potatoes over the weekend, which was really
good as well. Cut red potatoes into bite
sized chunks. Mix in a bowl with olive
oil, sea salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary. Place on an aluminum foil-lined pan and bake
at 425 for about 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally until softened and
browned.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Finally, another
before/in progress picture. This one is
of Ron and I. The first one was taken in
November, the second was this past Sunday.
I’m having a hard time finding material for before/in progress pictures,
because I was very careful to not get pictures that weren’t “from the chest up”. I’ve cropped just about every picture of me
that had my full body, so I’m going to have to keep re-using old “before” pics
soon. I had Jessica (11) take this new
picture and I said, “Be sure it’s a full body shot.” Her mouth flew open in shock and she said, “Wow,
mom. I’ve never heard you say that
before. I don’t think I’ve ever been
allowed to take a picture like that!” Too
funny (in a weird-sad way). <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-79785742115629036682012-04-03T18:04:00.001-07:002012-04-03T18:04:31.528-07:00About Percentages<br />
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If you’ve ever been on a diet, you already know all about
calorie counting. It’s probably the
oldest “diet program” in the book. And,
I’ve discovered, it doesn’t have a lot of fans.
Counting calories is a lot of work.
You have to remember to log everything that you put in your mouth, and
then look up the calories (although that really should be in the reverse
order), and then hope by the time dinner rolls around, you still have a calorie
or two to spare to eat something. Now while it’s true I “calorie count”, the
program I am on is only half about calorie counting. The other half is about percentages.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There are many ways to eat 1200 calories. Not all, however, will result in healthy
weight loss. Some of those ways won’t
even result in <i>any</i> weight loss. That’s
where paying attention to your percentage goals comes into play. When I talk about percentages, I am referring
the protein/carb/fat percentages that make up the 1200 calories.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When we started, I was high in carbs, because I just couldn’t
give them up. We started with 45% of my
calories in the carb category. Last week
I changed it to the more traditional 40/30/30 plan (protein/carb/fat), but had
a hard time eating all that protein.
This week we changed it to 35/30/35 and we’ll see how it goes. I'll probably experiment with the percentages
from time to time to see what happens.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is where, yet again, Myfitnesspal is so handy. It tracks not only the calories but the
percentages. However you decide to set
up the percentage goals, it’s important to make your food plan work with the
percentages, not just the calories. If
you aren’t seeing weight loss and you are still within your calorie goal, you
may want to consider playing around with the percentages (assuming you were
faithful to them in the first place). If
you cut the carbs, even by just 5%, you will probably start losing again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lost two pounds last week, which was a pleasant
surprise. Here is another before/in
progress picture. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32YKqKvS7Iyu02P6zpRGZEP_C6LLvyGeqOrxqidtU2ucXIHpv4CWpUPBlsU11IZRAV2hlAT5QaAqDF3s1o6r7gnRVEW755DjR0DxNrbcZjbQXXCwwJkmRRlD-mFOZlOeZQrcXJNByphsX/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh32YKqKvS7Iyu02P6zpRGZEP_C6LLvyGeqOrxqidtU2ucXIHpv4CWpUPBlsU11IZRAV2hlAT5QaAqDF3s1o6r7gnRVEW755DjR0DxNrbcZjbQXXCwwJkmRRlD-mFOZlOeZQrcXJNByphsX/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-9645513099775718972012-03-29T12:53:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:09:07.780-07:00What Have You Learned?<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Rachel and I went to do the monthly grocery shopping at
Costco today and on the way there, we had the following conversation:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Rachel</b>: You know, you
should blog about stuff you’ve learned through this whole thing.<br />
<b>
Me</b>: Learned?<br />
<b>
Rachel</b>: Yeah, you know, like a post
about why use coconut oil instead of other oils, that kind of stuff.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<i>
Awkward pause</i>.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<b>
Me</b>: Um…If someone were to ask me why I
use coconut oil instead of other oils, I’d just say, “Because Rachel said it’s
better.”<br />
<b>
Rachel</b>: (sigh) Mom, don’t you want to know <b><i>why</i></b> you’re eating
the way you do?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
A good question. In
the beginning, the answer was “no”. I
honestly didn’t care why I was eating what I was eating. Rachel was doing all the cooking and I was
losing weight. Everything was
perfect. In fact it wasn’t until I
started this blog and asked her for a one sentence summary statement of what I
eat that I discovered I don’t eat dairy!
How did that get past me?! But
now that I’m doing my own cooking and am realizing I’m in this for life, I
really do need to spend time learning why I eat the way I eat and why it
results in weight loss. Yet another
journey. And I’m looking forward to it.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But for now….use coconut oil. (Happy, Rachel?)</div>
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<br /></div>
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Oh, and for all you busy moms out there that are asking for quick and easy lunch ideas, here was today's lunch. 10 minutes to make, but it'd be faster if the turkey sausage was made ahead of time.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLd2b6_F8bCJdoFsWdmd4GE7mUFl6ldjWYcmwRSCCWipxuWzbc0fig3ZE1CiB1eA3N9594SBE1JYUAnggR-UJGDo4o1Rn-m4Co_TZZBHVqRg6vKlrCAiqsu9enJgDyRmEOl6eNintPyg7K/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLd2b6_F8bCJdoFsWdmd4GE7mUFl6ldjWYcmwRSCCWipxuWzbc0fig3ZE1CiB1eA3N9594SBE1JYUAnggR-UJGDo4o1Rn-m4Co_TZZBHVqRg6vKlrCAiqsu9enJgDyRmEOl6eNintPyg7K/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
1 cup black beans<br />
1 oz avocado (which is about 1/4 of a regular sized avocado)<br />
1/8 cup almonds, chopped (makes it seem like there's more)<br />
2 turkey sausage links, chopped<br />
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mix together. Chill if desired. </div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-37746127498614963772012-03-27T10:07:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:09:20.146-07:00One is the New Two<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another week, another pound gone. I think the days of losing two pounds a week
have come to a close and the era of a pound a week has begun. But I’m still losing and still committed to
seeing the next 46 pounds gone. Even if
it’s one pound at a time!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I ran into someone I hadn’t seen for awhile and her first
comment was that my face looked thinner.
That kinda surprised me, because of everywhere I’ve lost, that isn’t the
place I would have pointed to first. So
I went back through some pictures just before I started all this and sure enough,
my face does look thinner! So here’s a before/in progress shot of my face
(notice it’s not a “before/after” shot, because I still have a long ways to
go).</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdD1DziiCS2EYg5y9EvdKAQT7SpZ17rGJ-qkfbwuyW2M0ST7zkpW4VWWuVcYh9N_i1ftYEoa-VfFSGHeAcch3jN6Rb39GHgST0CNdxnWooUOAVdwICi01u3sH8InkPm06qf5rGFWJtEOW/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbdD1DziiCS2EYg5y9EvdKAQT7SpZ17rGJ-qkfbwuyW2M0ST7zkpW4VWWuVcYh9N_i1ftYEoa-VfFSGHeAcch3jN6Rb39GHgST0CNdxnWooUOAVdwICi01u3sH8InkPm06qf5rGFWJtEOW/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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Speaking of food (yeah, there was no transition there
whatsoever), below is my absolute most favorite lunch. BBQ Chicken Tacos. I’m only “allowed” to have this once a week,
because of the tortillas, but I seriously look forward to this lunch each week!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZo7odtNQCb3TvBl6NPG6zes5HYR7mhCn65fjpYoj4w85-Fs5dOBtakj1X51KSMA2oZnT8wcTrw9yFYGk-3FhBelerwlDevM2XUydyiECiW9fcYu32Sb32Gf9edYr2M1OibeH8NGkC-vG/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPZo7odtNQCb3TvBl6NPG6zes5HYR7mhCn65fjpYoj4w85-Fs5dOBtakj1X51KSMA2oZnT8wcTrw9yFYGk-3FhBelerwlDevM2XUydyiECiW9fcYu32Sb32Gf9edYr2M1OibeH8NGkC-vG/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stir fry the chicken in Mrs. Dash Chicken and Pam Olive Oil
cooking spray. Add some sea salt to
taste. Heat the corn tortillas in the
same skillet as the chicken (but re-spray the pan first) over low heat. Mash up 2 oz. avocado (which is half of an
average sized avocado), add a squirt of lemon juice and diced tomatoes, and a
dash of Mrs. Dash Original. Divide
between the two tortillas. Add 1 tble
BBQ sauce to each tortilla. The barbeque
sauce I use is from Organic Ville, Original BBQ sauce (no sugar added). The only place I’ve seen it is Sprouts, but I
would guess you could also get it at Trader Joes or similar store. Incredibly delicious!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD72uryjj2OYnc92sbK9CDcpP0V44NJGkxK2UpuUX2Zs4QX8A1jfHG_8V4sh41NqmPP-KlT_Zl7-TU6FIRbvHXX7Opo94y1QOlibtXtkkCmkdMMIIWwF9-xgxl36sg9m9NJp3poUMURlfY/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD72uryjj2OYnc92sbK9CDcpP0V44NJGkxK2UpuUX2Zs4QX8A1jfHG_8V4sh41NqmPP-KlT_Zl7-TU6FIRbvHXX7Opo94y1QOlibtXtkkCmkdMMIIWwF9-xgxl36sg9m9NJp3poUMURlfY/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Another staple dinner for me is tilapia. There are so many good recipes for tilapia
and I’m anxious to try them all. This
one is a quick, easy to prepare recipe when I don’t have a lot of time. Use the Pam Olive Oil spray, season with
garlic powder, sea salt, a squirt of lemon juice, and parsley. Flip and do the same thing on the other
side. The brown rice is made with
Organic Chicken Stock instead of water.
It’s a filling meal and, if the rice is made ahead of time and bagged,
only takes about 15 minutes to make.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We finally changed my percentages to where they should be,
and not so high in carbs. I’m on the “traditional”
40/30/30 (protein, carbs, fat) percentages.
It’s not as hard as I thought it would be to cut the carbs back a
bit. What’s been hard is eating all the
protein I’m supposed to eat. I’m not
crazy about protein shakes, but these Quest Protein Bars are pretty much my
daily afternoon snack. They are so good
and have very few active carbs, but a lot of protein. Highly recommend them!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcytMExbGjD-Fr7E3D8V6awZV1oB5NwdB80AKBd95_S_TWgZlcprM85WjoCOQN49KJRlvPLuBVohv9xqI5KtWuAGMAzmZzyX1vzP2fuyQYgVpDY3s7VmKmo_GiSN8htIc03taw_NbRIZw/s1600/quest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="84" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghcytMExbGjD-Fr7E3D8V6awZV1oB5NwdB80AKBd95_S_TWgZlcprM85WjoCOQN49KJRlvPLuBVohv9xqI5KtWuAGMAzmZzyX1vzP2fuyQYgVpDY3s7VmKmo_GiSN8htIc03taw_NbRIZw/s320/quest.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-82672465693348297792012-03-24T13:48:00.002-07:002012-03-24T14:42:58.204-07:005K...DONE!<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel like a poster child for a “Couch to 5K”
commercial! In January I ran my first
quarter mile and today I finished a 5K.
Wow…just wow. Such a great
feeling. I have to admit, I’m already
excited for the next race! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After I ran
my first 3-mile run at the lake a couple weeks ago, Rachel started pushing to
run the Race for Autism 5K. I was
hesitant at first, but after I ran the second 3-mile run, I decided to go for
it. I never looked at it as a “race”. I just wanted to run the whole thing. Mentally, I kept telling myself this was no
different than going to the lake, as I usually do. It was different though. You could feel the energy from the
crowds. It kept me going and made it,
dare I say it, fun. It was a bit of a
stressful run however, as shortly after I started, I looked down at my iphone
arm band, which also holds my car key, and the car key was gone! I was too far to go back and with the crowds
behind me, there would have been no way to retrace my exact steps. I just prayed that the key would be in the
grass area where we started, or that someone turned it in to a lost and
found. With that on my mind, I was a bit
distracted, and kept running through different scenarios if I couldn’t find the
key. In hindsight, it might have been a
good thing, in a really weird way. I was
doubly motivated to cross that finish line, as I really wanted to start looking
for the stupid key! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Crossing the 3-mile checkpoint
was a definite highlight. The Finish
Line was in sight and I wasn’t as exhausted as I thought I’d be. I picked up speed, as everyone does once the
Finish Line is in sight, and as I glanced ahead, I saw Rachel waiting for me on
the sidelines. That was pretty
cool. =)
The second I crossed the Finish Line, I went back to where we started,
and in God’s good providence, found the key in the grass. It was a bit matted down, clearly being
stepped on a few times, but it was there!
I don’t think it was until after I picked up the key, that I truly was
able to take in the thrill of the moment.
I went from “couch to 5K” in two months time. While I really don’t have a desire to
increase my distance, I am now setting goals related to time. It would be nice to get to a respectable
enough time to be able to run <b><i>with</i></b> people.
I came in at exactly 12 minute miles.
I’m anxious to see how the next race goes!</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EYaVqvzo-MMir6ZWmv0Rhd4scbnQ1blM04fDjLNEvJ8ph6UjI1z1xpINXECpEtiVu2AKtHUe5KaQVS-6UPP4rAy5pqpr5DnjNH_FBQE6YCjXWdH4sZegFsPkoRz5WCMBsCpa19KgkQzg/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0EYaVqvzo-MMir6ZWmv0Rhd4scbnQ1blM04fDjLNEvJ8ph6UjI1z1xpINXECpEtiVu2AKtHUe5KaQVS-6UPP4rAy5pqpr5DnjNH_FBQE6YCjXWdH4sZegFsPkoRz5WCMBsCpa19KgkQzg/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(<i>Mommy of 9</i> t-shirt, compliments of my father-in-law. Side note: he bought it for me about three years ago, but I was never able to wear it because "it was too small". Not "I was too big", but the shirt "was too small". Now that I can finally wear the shirt, I can say, "I couldn't wear it before, because I WAS TOO BIG!")</div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-27751366829527111642012-03-19T08:40:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:09:37.899-07:00Slow and Steady This week brought both exciting and not-so-exciting steps in
my weight loss journey. On the upside, I
hit my 3-mile running goal! I’m very
happy about that. I’m incredibly slow,
but run the whole thing. I was at the
lake with Rachel when I ran it. She was
already done with her run and was waiting for me. When I finished, she asked how far I went. I was barely able to get out the word “three”,
because I was breathing so hard. She was
very congratulatory and happy for me, but once I regained my breath, the first
thing I said to her was, “So does this get easier and more enjoyable at some
point?” In other words, I still am not an
exercise-fan, and I honestly don’t care that much for running. But of all my cardio choices, this is the
lesser of all the possible evils, in my opinion. And I have to admit, the “post-run” feeling
is pretty incredible. And the fact that
my husband and Rachel are also runners makes it fun as we all go to the lake
together.<br />
<div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
On the not-so-exciting part, I
only lost a pound last week. I realize
that isn’t supposed to be “not exciting”, but the reality is, after a week of
planning, cooking, measuring, and exercising, I really would prefer to see my
normal two-pound weight loss. Now I know
all the sayings I’m supposed to say to myself (and I have many of them pinned
on Pinterest), but the brute reality is that sometimes the slow, healthy, safe
weight loss route can be a bit…well, long.
But at least the scale is going in the right direction and in total that
puts me at minus 38 pounds, which still amazes me. Onward and upward, er, downward…you know what
I mean.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here are a
couple samples lunches from last week, since I keep getting requests for what I
eat. Why these two? Because they are the only two I remembered to
take a picture of! But I have both
incorporated in every week, so it’s a good sampling.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiOsqnegF4CTcbgpG-XoXWWEeLvtjbNdBgOywJNaOBGks0-N6q_SCL9JEeyNNS0Y8rDAOx_mJdVwxNzbnXo4eb3Sg7vw4I59sCEO67JvTfx8A7D75KKVDdhK6Lkw3vFJe9Yd5QajApzX2/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiOsqnegF4CTcbgpG-XoXWWEeLvtjbNdBgOywJNaOBGks0-N6q_SCL9JEeyNNS0Y8rDAOx_mJdVwxNzbnXo4eb3Sg7vw4I59sCEO67JvTfx8A7D75KKVDdhK6Lkw3vFJe9Yd5QajApzX2/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><u>1. Turkey breast and broccoli/cauliflower stir fry</u></b><br />
I get the turkey breast at Costco and then cut it into 3 ounce slabs and bag
individually. Then I just heat it up on
the day I want to use it, by heating up both sides in a skillet over medium
heat. I then take either 1/8 or ¼ cup of
raw almonds (depending on how many calories and fat I can spare that day) and
chop them up. I heat 1 tablespoon of
Kirkland Signature Organic Strawberry Spread with the chopped almonds and serve
on top of the turkey breast. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I do most of my veggie stir fries in Pam Olive Oil spray,
seasoned with Mrs. Dash. Sometimes it
gets too dry and starts to burn, in which case I'll add a tablespoon or so of
Organic Chicken Stock to give it some moisture. I always keep a carton of it in
the refrigerator to use as needed. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XQSGfkCUiDWTBrk4oB2jJV2jFUTb2lUhgylGieA35dTcMvt9wM_12pBnfFMmjWsFT05xYbW05v2XbidKOz1ocWD5mxn9GvGvAQAJLZ7qJouIJf0vcVY2cM5MTfpKxCOEHbcWse8JblX2/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3XQSGfkCUiDWTBrk4oB2jJV2jFUTb2lUhgylGieA35dTcMvt9wM_12pBnfFMmjWsFT05xYbW05v2XbidKOz1ocWD5mxn9GvGvAQAJLZ7qJouIJf0vcVY2cM5MTfpKxCOEHbcWse8JblX2/s320/photo.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<u><b>2. Stir fried
chicken, yam cubes, stir fried brussel sprouts and mushrooms</b></u><br />
Since I already stir fried a bunch of chicken for the week (again in Pam
Olive Oil cooking spray and Mrs. Dash Chicken flavor), all I had to do was re-heat the chicken (in some
of the chicken stock for moisture) and sauté the already sliced brussel sprouts
and mushrooms. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The yam cubes are a favorite and I have them several times during the week. Peel and cut the dark orange yams into cubes and put in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, sea salt and pepper. Optional: sprinkle a pinch of coconut sugar on top. Place on an aluminum baking sheet and bake at 450 for about ten minutes. Turn. Bake another 10 or so minutes. </div>
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I'll post a couple of dinner recipes next week. I'm anxious to see what this week brings!</div>
</div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-81059841469278658242012-03-13T13:58:00.000-07:002012-04-19T15:09:51.075-07:00A Day in the Life<div class="MsoNormal">
This week marks the first week I am cooking for myself. I started cooking my own breakfast and lunch last week. This is day three of cooking everything. I log several days worth of meals into Myfitnesspal and then Rachel goes on to make suggestions, changes, additions, deletions (grrrr), or, approves it as is. So far it’s going okay, but the hard part is the part I never was good at….planning ahead so I “have time” to make a healthy meal.</div>
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I tend to get so busy with whatever it is I’m doing (mostly upstairs in the schoolroom) that by the time I’m hungry, I’m famished, and just want something quick and easy to make. Unfortunately, most healthy options do not fall into the quick and easy category. So planning ahead has become a necessity. Since I already have several days worth of my meals logged, I know exactly what I'll need to have on hand, and what can be prepared, cut, shred, cooked, or prepped ahead of time. For example, I have several lunches this week that include ½ cup serving of brown rice. So this morning, I made 5 cups of brown rice in the rice cooker (made with Organic Chicken Broth instead of water) and bagged it in ½ cup servings. I also have a few meals with brussel sprouts (my new favorite green vegetable), so I have a bag already washed and cut into halves. Since I knew I’d be having stir-fried chicken a couple times this week, I went ahead a stir-fried 4 servings worth Sunday night. </div>
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Just doing those few things above, makes putting together a healthy lunch very doable. Today I had what is pictured below: tilapia, brown rice, and broiled balsamic brussel sprouts. Since the rice was already done, and the sprouts already cut, the whole thing took about 20 minutes start to finish and most of that was just the cooking time (during which I unloaded the dishwasher, did some dishes, and put in a load of laundry). By the way, the balsamic brussel sprouts were from a recipe off Pinterest and were very yummy! Plus I reheated the rice in the same pan I used for the tilapia and so it added just a hint of a lemony-garlic taste to it. Lunch was 370 calories, breakfast was 375 (two scrambled eggs, plus one egg white, 1 piece of Cinnamon Raisin Ezekiel 4:9 toast with organic whipped butter and honey, and an apple). </div>
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Today started with another 2.5 mile run at the lake. I’d really like to get that to 3 miles by the end of the week, but my body isn’t cooperating. I’m just dead at 2.5. We’ll see how that goes. I was asked why I don’t log my exercise into Myfitnesspal. The reason is that if I enter it, it automatically increases the calories I get for the day. While that’s great when I get to the maintenance phase of my weight loss, it makes the weight come off faster if I don’t eat my exercise calories. And since I am mentally unable to see those extra calories sitting there and not use them, I just don’t log it.</div>
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<br /></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-74893388331221844552012-03-09T11:54:00.005-08:002012-03-09T12:53:02.696-08:00My Love/Hate Relationship with Exercise<div class="MsoNormal">Actually the title of this post is a lie. I don’t have a love/hate relationship with exercise. It’s just pure hatred. I simply do not enjoy any form of exercise. Never have. So I knew this part of the program would be very difficult for me. I didn't do anything for about the first six weeks Rachel started cooking for me. But I knew that to lose weight, diet and exercise go hand-in-hand, so I started walking.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Walking</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">I spent about a month just walking. I started at 30 minutes, then slowly increased it to an hour. We have a lot of annoying hills around our house, so the walks included a lot of hills, which made it feel like much more of a workout. After about a month of that, though, I knew it just wasn’t enough and I was getting bored. I thought maybe a change of scenery would help, so I started going to a local lake that has the quarter miles all marked out and makes it easy to track how far you are walking. After doing that for a few weeks, I decided to add an ever-so-slight jog into the mix. I’d walk a quarter mile, then jog a quarter mile, then walk a quarter, then jog a quarter. At first, I couldn’t do more than the two quarters total of jogging (and even then, they were split up with a quarter mile of walking), but I kept at it. I can’t say I really had a goal in mind at the time. It just seemed like a good way to ramp up the workout a bit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Running</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Then one day, out of nowhere, I ran a half mile straight. I have to admit, I was shocked. I didn’t tell anyone at first because I didn’t want to ever have to repeat it. But it made me curious. I wondered if I could really work up to running, say, a mile. A week later, I did. I stayed at a mile for a couple weeks, then slowly started adding quarters to it. Then I was at two miles straight. As of this week, I’m at 2.5 miles. With this last run, I experienced what I’ve often heard my husband, who is a runner, talk about: the runner’s high. After the first 1.25 miles, I suddenly got this burst of energy. I wasn’t breathing heavy anymore and it felt like I was on a fresh pair of legs. I just kept going. And now I do have a goal: I want to run a 5K. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><u>Strength Training</u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal">Living in a house with a bunch of workout nuts (my husband has been faithfully working out for as long as I’ve known him, and I’ve known him for 32 years), I knew that running alone wasn’t enough. I was going to have to add strength conditioning to it. I knew I would have to join the gym…yet again. I think this is my fourth or fifth time of joining the gym. Like I said, I just don’t enjoy working out and always end up cancelling my membership. Part of the problem was not really knowing what to do there. I know how all the machines work (after all, I am an experienced gym-quitter), but after awhile it just gets so repetitive and boring. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Enter Daughter #2.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It just so happens that my second child, Erika, was recently hired at the gym our family attends (and the one I’ve quit on several occasions) as a Personal Trainer. Working out is a bit of an obsession with her. Well, she wouldn’t say it’s an obsession, but in my mind, anyone who willingly goes to the gym two times a day is clearly obsessed. So not only did I re-join (or is that re-re-re-re-join) the gym, but I hired Erika as my Personal Trainer. We do a lot of weird exercises that I would have never thought to do and my legs pretty much hate her when we’re done, but it has given me a new take on the gym and I am excited to see how long I stick around this time!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So now you have the backstory, the What I Eat story, and the Exercise story. As I am fond of saying lately: “How does Mom lose weight? It takes a Village!”</div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-56196558216355229322012-03-07T15:15:00.001-08:002012-03-08T10:30:56.292-08:00"So What Do You Eat?"I sure hear that question a lot lately! The obvious question whenever someone loses weight is, "How did you do it? What diet are you on?" The short answer is that I'm not on a particular "diet" program. I have, however, completely changed the way I eat.<br />
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Here is a one sentence summary of my "diet plan": I am on a calorie controlled, non dairy, moderate complex carb eating plan. Probably the biggest help in staying on this program (well, in addition to Rachel) has been MyFitnessPal (<a href="http://www.myfitnesspal.com/">www.myfitnesspal.com</a>). MyFitnessPal is a free online calorie tracker. It contains thousands of foods, including a lot from many popular restaurants. In addition to tracking calories, it also calculates and keeps track of your protein, carbs, and fats. This is another important aspect of my eating plan. Rachel has preset my allotted calories at 45% carbs, 30% fats, 25% protein. Those percentages will change periodically, but I am a die-hard carb lover and needed those percentages to get going. Once I hit a plateau, we'll adjust them. <br />
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Once you enter all your stats on Myfitnesspal, you are given your daily calorie allotment. For me, that's about 1400 calories a day. It changes as the weight comes off. I started higher than that. For now though, that's what I have to work with. I eat something roughly every three hours. I have breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunch, an afternoon snack, and then dinner. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are somewhere between 350-400 calories and no snack exceeds 200 calories. I have been entering my entire food plan a few days in advance, as it takes a bit to plan it out and make sure I am not going over both my calories and my percentages on any particular day. This is a bit time consuming at first, until you get the hang of it. Now I can bang out several days at a time in minutes. I have made my food diaries public to those I am "friends" with on Myfitnesspal. If you want to see exactly what I eat, join the site and look me up. My username is vicki81868. Once we are "friends", you will have access to what I eat on any particular day. <br />
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There are other little "rules" involved in the "diet". These include:<br />
1. No carbs after 4:00.<br />
2. Eight glasses of water<br />
3. No food that contains any ingredients I can't pronounce.<br />
4. No refined sugars or white flour.<br />
5. Oh! And one "cheat day" each week (I kinda like that one). The "cheat" though still has to work with your calories, but may put you over on your percentages. <br />
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Of course there is an exercise portion to all this, though I didn't start an exercise program for the first 6 weeks I was on the program. I'll save that for another blog post though.<br />
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It's snack time and a Peanut Butter Quest Bar is calling my name!Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2984423426688243622.post-79015936915643583062012-03-06T20:20:00.001-08:002012-03-07T18:29:32.559-08:00My Weight Loss JourneyI have been told repeatedly that I should be blogging my weight loss journey (among other topics) and so I finally decided to give it a try. I still don't completely understand how all this blogging stuff works, but I suppose I'll figure it out as I go along. Bear with me!<br />
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As of today, I have lost 35 lbs in 17 weeks. I'm down 6 jean sizes and feel better than I have felt in years! So how did I get here? Well, it's an interesting story.<br />
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My 13 year old daughter, Rachel, and I were driving in the car one day talking about the TV show <u>The Biggest Loser</u>. Rachel's passion is cooking, fitness, diet and nutrition, so she loves watching that show and getting inspiration and ideas. As she was telling me about how much weight a particular contestant had lost, I made the defensive remark that those people are losing weight the easy way because they have someone telling them what to eat, cooking for them, etc. She shot back, "So are you saying you could lose weight if you had someone cooking for you?" Figuring there was absolutely no risk in answering yes, since a personal chef wasn't exactly in our budget, I emphatically stated I could. Then it happened. She said it.<br />
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"Fine, I'll cook for you."<br />
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Now that, I was not expecting. So I did what anyone would have done; I called her bluff, er, what I thought was her bluff. We made a deal in the car that day. She would cook for me and I could only eat what she either put in front of me, or what she approved of ahead of time if I were going out. Since I didn't really think this would last more than a week or two, if that long, I readily agreed. Once the rest of the family heard about the deal, they started watching me like a hawk and found great pleasure in reporting any deviations on my part to Rachel. With the threat of "I'm going to stop cooking for you if you don't stick with the deal" hanging over my head, I quickly took the whole thing as seriously as she was, and we were on our way.<br />
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While people are quick to congratulate me on my weight loss, it's hard to take the credit. Rachel has been faithfully cooking for me, three meals a day, for the past 17 weeks. I have learned more about nutrition and healthy eating from my 13 year old during this time, than in any other time in my life. So now, while the weight loss journey is continuing, the cooking torch is being passed, and I am slowly taking over my own cooking.<br />
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There is much more to story, including the details of the diet I am on, and the exercise portion of the journey. But, for now, that's the backstory to the unfolding story. I still have a long ways to go, but am so encouraged by how far I've come. And I can honestly say, I couldn't have done this without my 13 year old daughter. So, way to go, Rachel! XXOO<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gLFr9g7tUmzdJn23qWdzCD3aIRDdM1y3gRo4AgQa9Wqo8BWhXtc6KwMy6S1E7ryWgfq2KPWALCgkY3ondt-XUjBEMixbheFlkTa_yHWuGnR2O9cMjbCv5giD7aekfbTCR3KSeodVmu10/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gLFr9g7tUmzdJn23qWdzCD3aIRDdM1y3gRo4AgQa9Wqo8BWhXtc6KwMy6S1E7ryWgfq2KPWALCgkY3ondt-XUjBEMixbheFlkTa_yHWuGnR2O9cMjbCv5giD7aekfbTCR3KSeodVmu10/s320/photo.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Vickihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06542584251480273140noreply@blogger.com3