At the beginning of this past week, I declared it to be "my week".  What can I say, I know my body was ready and I knew I was ready to do the work.  I tried to post my diet everyday, and did most days this week in case you missed it (photos included).
In addition to my dietary success, my workouts are going well also.  I was able to keep up with my alternating days schedule of walk one day, run the next.  I am in no real pain so far for at least two maybe three weeks in a row.  I am hopeful and gaining confidence that my hip and lower back may be finally recovering.  This thrills me to no end.  I love being active!  Being able to get up and greet the morning light and crisp air with some cardio gives me sheer joy.  I am completely thankful the the gift of ability!
I lost three pounds this week.  I started out at 144 and went down to 141 as of today.  That makes a 25 pound weight loss.  It is really exciting to have progress after much effort, so I am going to jump the gun on one aspect of my plans.  I planned on not posting anymore pics of my success until I was to my goal.  That way I have a beginning middle and end to this journey.  However, I just could not wait.  I'm too excited.  So here are my "almost there" pics:

This is me with only seven pounds more to lose.  Seven pounds away from a healthy BMI!  YAY!

 This was my "before" pic at the beginning of this journey.  In this pic, I am 166 pounds, and in the "obese" category.  Twenty-five pounds ago!!!

For the first time in months...I am on new ground!  I'm down to 143 now and less than ten pounds away from my goal of a healthy BMI.  It feels pretty good to just move forward one pound since I have been stagnant for so long.
Today I went out of town for an appointment and some shopping.  Since it was my child's appointment, we let my child choose where we ate lunch.  In short, I ate at Red Robin today.  Here was my day dietarily speaking.  I totalled 857 for the day which is right where I wanted to be.
Breakfast was a full piece of toast topped with peanut butter and a half banana (293 calories):

A snack was needed today, so we hit my favorite options ever to be derived from a vending machine, wasabi soy edamame with a Lemonata San Pellegrino- yum (about 280 calories):

The grand finale of my Red Robin boca burger with toms, pickles, ketchup, in a lettuce wrap with a side of broccoli (about 284 calories- not so bad for RR):

 My only complaint is that today's travel schedule kept me from running on a "run" day.  That is what tomorrow is for though.  In life and health, a person has to be flexible.  I wouldn't dream of guilting myself over a missed run.  That would take away from the re-kindled love I have with running at the moment!  I am working on my third week in a row of light running with no pain in my hip.  This progress is awesome!

So this was the decision I made...

 Sorry I had one bite of the pizza before I remembered to take a pic.  Who can wait for that first bite?! Not me I guess!

And I had a second piece of pizza and some more veggies, which culminated into about 1,370 calories for the day. This pizza of course has no cheese, just sauce and veggies.  It was very good.  I ended up getting invited to a pizza party, so I went over on the calorie count today.  That is just fine.  It certainly beats sitting with an empty plate at a celebration.  Besides, I did not eat anything unhealthy.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Today is weigh in Wednesday, and after having about 650 calories yesterday, I was thinking I would wake up a pound lighter and break 144 once and for all.  Nope-144.2!  This body is built to last!  I am sure that the reason I have some Irish decent is because my ancestors had what it took to survive the potato famine!
Please do not get me wrong...I love this body of mine.  I thank God for it and its good health status.  I intend on spending the rest of my days honoring it, so that when my "time" comes, my obituary will not read "Death by Cheeseburger!"
So, today I have a bit of decision making for my calorie count.  It turns out that I already at 850 calories today, and it has all been fairly healthy foods.  Granola is always a calorie punch in disguise (too much oil and sugar). I have to decide what to have for dinner if much at all.
However, here is what 850 calories bought me today:

 One peach and half a banana...

 I added a half cup granola and half cup soy milk...double yum. Was it worth 408 calories though?! Probobly not!

 An absolutely perfect lunch with my Aunt who taught me everything I know about eating healthy fresh foods regularly.  Here is my salad, fruit, and a heel of my homemade bread.  So much good stuff here!  450 calories

It is Tuesday, of what I have described as “my week”!  Today I wanted to make sure I made an attempt to get protein, yet go low on caloric intake.  After all, I am trying to break a new barrier.  I have not weighed less than 144 since April or May.  I have to be more determined than my metabolism, yet still take good care of myself.  So this is what I did... 

Breakfast: 

 I snagged a slice of my child's peanut butter toast.  The bread is Dave's Killer Bread "The Good Seed", which is a good source of protein when it comes to bread.

 I dusted off my protein powder from the cabinet and had a protein shake of commercial design for a change (and also for an impacting 20 grams of protein).

Lunch: 1 ½ apples (not pictured)

Dinner: 

 This was my dinner.  A half cup of rice with teriyaki stir fry veggies, mixed with pineapple, chick peas, and topped with sunflower seeds.  Yumm!

The total count for today’s calories are low…about 650.  That seems extreme in a snapshot, but when I think about all the food I had today and the fact that I was only hungry before dinner time, and after dinner I was full and satisfied, then I think this was fine.  I know that I did not jeopardize my health or compromise any kind of self-respect code.  I would not do that in order to obtain a healthy BMI.  I am however ready to do the work, finally!

Today, I had an apple for breakfast, salad and veggies for lunch, and a half cup rice with roasted brussel sprouts and steamed carrots over it.  Also, I used Sriracha and soy sauce...a magical combination! Today's total calorie count was about 851.  As reflected in the chart below, the only real complaint I have is the lack of protein for today so I may focus on that tomorrow.  

Delicious, healthy and most importantly a moderate portion.

Happy Monday!  I know it’s only Monday, but this I am really excited about this week.  One thing that has me feeling so optimistic, is my hip and lower back.  They are doing pretty well, and I have been going every other day walk, and run for a couple weeks now with minimal pain or discomfort.  That is a huge improvement! 

I am seeing a chiropractor and it seems to be helping!   Once a week the chiropractor is taking a device which resembles a power tool, and going over the tight muscles.  I am feeling so good and I am hopeful the hip saga is nearing an end.  I do not like to be held back from being active and I cannot wait to participate in 5 mile Friday again.  Good stuff!

Today after my run, I enjoyed an apple for breakfast and a couple peach slices.  For lunch, I enjoyed a plate full of veggies, salad, and hummus (pictured below).  Yumm!  And no buyers regret afterwards!   

 My lunch: a delightful blend of celery, carrots, and cucumber with hummus and a salad with hummus, Goddess dressing, topped with sunflower seeds, and a side of pickles just because!

It has been a long week!  In the dietary world, I have gone and come back in a full cycle with my weight this week.  Usually, it takes a while for my weight to be impacted, and it really has not done much since early spring.  Yet this week proved wrong everything I thought I understood about my body mass and metabolism system.

At the beginning of it all, I was still working on a come-back from “Vacation diet blunder”.  I had gained three pounds (up from 144)  from a vacation which did not mirror my desire for dietary and body mass health.  I had lost one of those pounds already…a good start.  Then last Monday for no apparent reason I gained two pounds (148)…I couldn’t  believe it!  So I ate what I considered sensible and exercised and weighed myself Wednesday all to receive another complete shock of 149.  I have not weighed 149 for a long time (since before spring break). 

It was completely frustrating!  I thought to myself…I have to do something fast or I am going to say goodbye to my goals and the 140’s.  Afterall I went from being 10 pounds from my goal to 15 all in a half week. 

So, the next day (Thursday) I ate as usual, except I just skipped dinner.  I figured, it would not kill me and I am a well-nourished person.  Friday, I ate a delightful fruit salad after my morning run, then enjoyed an early dinner of veggie fajitas at my favorite local Mexican Dining.  Delish! Saturday I was already back down to 145 and today I sealed the goodbye letter to “vacation diet blunder” and am finally at my 144 weight that I was Pre-vacation.   

What a whirlwind of weights this week!  I did not think my body was capable of such quick changes, but I have to tell you I am seriously renewed in my inspiration.  To be able to say again that I only have ten more pounds to lose in order to be/have:

 a) a healthy BMI

 b) reach my goal of a thirty pound weight drop

 c) successful at achieving a better health… (with added cuteness)

So friends, I am going to try very hard to duplicate my success this coming week by only having two meals daily and making sure not to eat after 4 pm.  If I am starved in the evening to the point of complete discomfort in the evening I will eat fruit.  Other than that, I think that is what my body needs in order to obtain healthy weight loss.  I will try my best to post my meals this week so you all can see I am not starving myself… but not over-eating either.  This is my week- I can feel it!

August 8, 2016

Yesterday I went to my family reunion picnic.  It was great to see family, catch up and spend the afternoon together as always!  Give me a day with good food and good people, and I am one happy lady! 

One surprise I received was the amount of positive feedback I received about how I look.  Most everybody told me how great I look when they greeted me.  What a nice surprise that was! 

Over the last (almost decade) I have been with my husband, and I have worked on my BMI at different times.  Usually, I work really hard, my husband works a little, and he gets all the praise.  It has been years of people seeing us and people saying “wow- you look great- what are you doing?” as he looks at me with knowing smile about his positive effect being a side effect of my planning and execution in the dietary department.  It is just another example of my “life is not fair” understanding ESPECIALLY in the BMI department. 

Well yesterday was just the opposite.  All of my healthy choices and battle with running must be reflected because the people who have known me my whole life seem to have thought that I am really “looking good”.  I will say it again- it felt great to have that recognition and praise.

However, that is not my objective at all.  This mission has nothing to do with my vanity.  Like I was telling one of my dear Aunty’s…my perspective has changed.  I no longer attach guilt, shame or grief to my weight.  I finally view my weight for what it really is…a number which represents one aspect of my health status.  That is why I am so open to take all of you with me and broadcast this journey to anyone who is interested in what it means to be obese and lose thirty pounds in order to have a healthy BMI. 

My last couple posts have reported my battle with un-doing vacation diet blunder.  I have lost two out of three pounds gained on vacation and I feel confident I’m close to shedding the third.  I am back down to 145.  I am back into the ten pounds to go zone and I am excited. 

I have been plateaued for quite a while.  I have survived vacation and staying home with children over the summer, while maintaining my twenty pound weight loss.  This is actually pretty exciting and although, I had originally planned on being done with this journey by August…I have to say that was presumptuous of me.  I had a plan to jump down two categories (obese-to overweight- to normal).  If I can achieve that this year, I will be happy, proud, and thankful!      

Running...I would describe it as the new found love of my thirties.  It has been a great ride, which culminated in the half marathon race last fall.  It was a life goal that took so much hard work and I am proud of that.
However, it was not the best plan for me.  I trained hard just after having my fourth child because the race was six months after I gave birth.  This resulted in my hip issue.  I've been struggling with it since the training last summer.  I pushed through the pain to get the race done and figured my resting period over the winter would erase all the damage done.
Sadly, that was not what happened.  Instead, I have been going in cycles of running and feeling great, and then end up needing a break again because my hip is hurting.  So, currently I took a few weeks off until last week.  I got out there once.  No expectations...no phone tracking my distance and pace...just me and some music with a splash of the magical combination of fresh air and exercise.  It is going well this way.  I walk some...I run some.  I got out there this morning and did a walk/run and I am feeling great.
One factor may be that I saw a physical therapist and found out that my hip pain my be caused by my shorter leg effecting my stride.  I purchased a lift and some new inserts for my running shoes and found out that I need new running shoes.  Hopefully, this will be the key to helping my hip feel better. So far...so good!
In a way I am starting all over again with running.  I have to fall in love again.  I have to be proud of small distances and slow paces and let running be fun- not disappointing and painful.  Scott Jurek said (in his book Eat & Run- which is my all time favorite book about diet and exercise) that running should be carefree, like child's play (or something like that).  That is where I am at.  I just need to get out there and enjoy myself and do what I can do without expectations or old standards get in the way.  I hope running can continue to be an enjoyable and somewhat pain-free activity in my life for many years to come! Here's hoping!

August 3, 2016

Well this marks week one of getting back to my plan…I lost one pound this week.  I hope to repeat this next week!  So I am back down to 146 and that is still two pounds heavier than my pre-vacation weight.  Today I learned about watermelon.  I already knew it was delicious and when I went to the grocery store earlier this week and had a random stranger verbally attack me for taking too long in the check stand and allegedly   “making her late” it seemed like the perfect summertime comfort food.  Now I know it also has a price tag.  I shall be seeking comfort in smaller portions next time!

However, today’s diet looked like this:

Breakfast	Lunch	Dinner	Snack
1 whole wheat waffle (dry) 2 cups coffee w/ soy 285 calories	1 hummus & veggie wrap 1 slice (round) watermelon 531 calories (170 from watermelon)	1 burrito 250 calories	Home made salsa w/ 3 stalks celery 26 calories

Grand total: 1092