Mission Get Skinnier

    Now that the holiday madness is over is time to start dieting and working off those pounds that I inevitably gained.  I've decided to go back to food blogging and getting back on track with counting calories.  I wrote all about my plan on my food blog, but I'll post here for you.

"    Holy Shenanigans!  Can you spell S-L-A-C-K-E-R!?  Cuz that's exactly what I am right now.  Honestly, I can't remember what caused the lack of motivation, but it was definitely gone.  Then, the holiday hit.  UGH!  My weaknesses and lovely vices came into play.  My thought was that I would get back to it right after New Year's.  That, I decided, was setting myself up for failure, because I didn't have a plan or any focus.  I, also, hadn't gone shopping yet and was in serious need of some food after being gone for about a week.  So, I came to the conclusion that I would give myself a week to get into gear and get a plan put together and prepare for it by buying groceries and whatever other materials I would need to be fully dedicated to it. 

    You may ask, "What's the plan, Stan?"  Well, it's pretty simple. 

-Counting calories again using TheDailyPlate.com every day. 
Recently, I purchased an iPhone and added their app, which will help when I can't get to a computer. 

-Post everything I eat on my food blog with the calories.
This is pretty self explanatory.  Though, I will also try and post workouts, weekly weigh-ins, and maybe even measurements.


-Begin w/ doing the 30-day diet again and then continue with a scheduled meal plan.
This 30-day diet may haunt my life forever, but you can't fight with success.  The scheduled meal plan is basically the 30-day diet, but I'm leaving the weekends for meals that deviate from it so I have a little more wiggle room.  Exceptions will also be made for when we are out of town or having dinner at someone else's home and can't control what's placed in front of me.

-Visual of progress close to bed with encouraging statements. surrounding it.
Here's what it looks like now:

I wanted this to be close to my bed so I would be able to see it every day.  This will help to let me see how well I'm doing and to appreciate the work I've done.  As I continue along, I'd like to add more encouraging statements.  It's important that the statements have zero negative words such as no, can't, don't, never.  This way I'm not eliminating possibilities, I'm adding to them.  I'll also have positive association with dieting, working out, and overall weight loss.


-Have a reward system.
This will not only give me fun prizes with each goal I meet, but it will give me something to work towards.  You may have noticed that I also put that on my chart, under each 5lbs. increment. 

5 lbs. - Red Lipstick

Always wanted it, but haven't been brave enough.

10lbs. - Inexpensive Jewelry (probably from Burlington Coat Factory)

I've bought several pieces there and love them.  I'd love to get more and this will give me a good opportunity to earn it.

15lbs. - Pair of Shoes

Been craving to get more flats.

20lbs. - Pouch for iPhone from Etsy

Haven't decided on one yet, but I'm loving this store, but this Golden Ticket one is tempting too!

25lbs. - Music on iTunes

I'm extremely behind on the times and still don't have ANY music on my iTunes yet.  I may have to cheat a little bit on this and buy this Running Trax album and use this reward for fun music.  What do you think?

30lbs. - Mani/Pedi

Did this for my birthday last year and I'm dying for another!

35lbs. - DDR for the Wii

I might have to do a little more research for this and compare the different dance games that are available, but this one has been around for awhile and seems like a lot of fun.

40lbs. - GO CLOTHES SHOPPING!!!

By this time, I'm betting that quite a few of my clothes won't be fitting and I'll be needing some new ones.  Well, okay, if I have to.  :)

-Follow the C25K program.

I stumbled upon this program online a few weeks ago and was going to try it, but it was the holidays.  Lately, its seems, a lot of people have been talking and raving about it and the iPhone app.  Now would be the time to give it a try.

- Calisthenics and weight lifting with Ty.

Back in the day, I was using ediets.com and they had a great list of work outs so I compiled the ones I liked best and that worked for me, then made a little routine. Ty and I have done this together a couple of times and I want to continue doing this three times a week or more.

   Eventually, I'd like to start taking dance classes again.  There is a studio across the street and they offer Adult Jazz, Hip-Hip and Zumba.  It would be great to finally get back to doing something I love.  I really miss dance so much my heart aches for it.  I may have to add 30 minutes a week of silly dancing just for good measure.  The basic idea is that only set small goals so that I don't loose hope if I haven't gone down to my ideal weight by a certain time.  That's also a big part of this.  Zero time goals.  I can loose weight, when and how my body is able.  I want to be happy with what I have and not have those disappointing Biggest Loser scale moments.

   All positive encouragement is welcomed.  If you have a great positive statement or quote you'd like to share with me, post it and maybe I'll put on my wall.

   Okay people, Mission Get Skinnier initiates today."

    
    What do you think of my plan?  What weight loss plans have you made?

Raw Food Brownie Recipe

This is the recipe as it was given to me by my chiropractor.

11/2 C raw walnuts, unsoaked
dash of salt
10 medjool dates(pitted) (you can get these at winco in their bulk food section)
1/3 C cocoa or karob powder
1t vanilla extract
2 t water (for moister brownie)
1/4 cup dried cherries (optional)

chop 1/4 walnuts and set aside. place remaining walnuts and salt in food processor and grind til finely ground. add dates and process til mixture sticks together. add cocoa pwder and vanilla and process until evenly ditibuted. add water if neeeded and process briefly.  Tranfer to bowl and add walnut and cherries(optional) and mix with hands. pack mixture into a pan and chill for a couple of hours.  

I did not add cheriies and extra walnut. Also to make it a bit sweeter I added pure maple syrup, or you can use agave nectar. ENJOY!

End of Goal Week 4 of 2010

Goal:  Chose one item of food or drink and delete from our lives for ONE week.  I, personally, am taking it a step further and doing a pretty intense diet for 30 days.

 

Let's just run through a quick synopsis of the week, shall we?

Day 1:  I want bread...and chocolate...and white rice...and jam...and pizza.  The list continues, but starts to become a little redundant so I won't put you through the misery.

Day 2: Let's just say that Day 1 and 2 sort of ran together with my desire for non-diety sorts of food.

Day 3:  Made Raw Food Brownies.  Recipe given to me by my chiropractor.  (Yes the very same who put me on this diet.)  I realized that I may possibly live through this month and indulge on healthy sweetness.  Even my hubby likes them.  That's HUGE!

Day 4:  Went to my local Health Food store.  I immediately thought of my mother and how she has always been into the healthier lifestyle and meals.  Note to self: Bring mom to this store and take a picture of her face when she sees how much bigger it is than the little itty-bitty one in my hometown.  I really don't know what it is about this place, but it made me happy inside.  That's important for dieters.  We need to find a happy place.

Bought a Raw Food Desserts Recipe Book from aforementioned Health Food Store.  As well as Ezekiel cereal of the Cinnamon Raisin flavor and Sprouted Grain bread.

Day 5:  Tried the Cereal and Bread for the first time this day.  They weren't Outta-the-Ball-Park-Awesome, but I could eat it and be okay with that....for a month.

Day 6:  This day I realized that I'm going to have an easier time with this go around of the diet than last time.  The first time I went on the diet, I cried after almost two weeks straight of just SALAD.  Why it took me that long to figure out that I could actually look for recipes that coincided with the diet, I'll never know.  I'm really surprised that I went THAT long on just salads.  I have a strong dislike for leafy greens.  Just not my personal choice of a meal.  Now, I'm fully equipped with recipes and healthy snacks that I will manage without ever really needing to eat a salad if I choose not to.  I still might, but I make no guarantees.

Day 7:  Wow!  That week went by so fast.  One week down and three more to go.  At the end of every day, I put a little slash mark on my menu calendar.  Bringing me just a little bit closer to the end.

This isn't something new that I've realized or had an epiphany about, but I am a slave to food.  I love it and all (okay well, most of them at least) it's many forms.  I don't want to be a slave to anything.  Making sure I keep some of these habits and recipes when all is said and done will be very important.  It's not bad to want yummy tasting food, but it's not good to surrender our entire food making decisions to them.

Though, I can't lie.  I'm looking forward to being able to have a quick easy meal again.  It may be the weather or just the time of year, but I (and I know I'm not the only one) have been in a funk.  A lazy, tired, don't-wanna-clean-my-house-or-do-my-laundry funk.  A nice already made (homemade of course) pizza crust would make me really happy. 

But I digress.  This week has been very good and I've already lost some weight.  Hooray me!

Week 4 Goal: Moderation

Goal for Week 4 of 2010: Moderation

(As written in the book)
"Goal: Choose one item of food or drink that you feel like you are a slave to and give it up for the week. This will be harder for some and easier for others. But just remember that it is only for a week."

Needless to say, I knew this day was coming. I won' t lie to you....I'm not too excited.
However, I know it's a need-to-do in my life. I knew what I wanted to do, but wasn't really sure what Ty would choose. He doesn't find the same satisfaction in yummy delectables as I do. Despite that, we came up with Potato Chips for him. It was quite funny because I came up with this one on the way home from church and he said, "Oh man. That's what I was going to have when we got home." Perfect no?
Like the goal says, "easier for others".

Me. Well, I'm going a slightly more drastic route. I was instructed by my Chiropractor (Who is Uh-MAZ-Ziiing!)when I saw him last to go back on the 30 day diet again. However, when he wanted me to do this was during the holiday season.....yeah, I don't think so.
I told him, innocently, that I knew that I just wouldn't keep up with it and would start at the beginning of the year, after the temptation dissolved in my tummy. The month is almost over and I still hadn't even really tried. I was on it a few months before and lost 10 pounds without doing any exercise. Then life happened and I ate up all my feelings, consequently gaining me back those unmissed 10 pounds.
This will be hard. This will be tough. But is must be done.
I made up this little calendar to show what meals I know I can make with the restrictions guidelines of the diet.

As you can tell, I don't have many options. The lasagna and Chicken Quesedillas are there because I'm looking forward to having those when I'm done with the diet.
Here is the outline of the diet. You should be able to click on it to make it bigger.

If you didn't want to go through all the small-written jibber-jabber, let me explain. "No, there is too much. Let me sum up." (Name that movie.)
I can't have pork, which is fine because I'm not really much of a fan.
I need to be snacking throughout the day, basically like a cow. Graze. Mooooo! Almonds (or any harder nuts), string cheese and fruits are awesome for this.
I can have natural sugars through fruit, but nothing artifical. Other sweet substances I can have are Tupelo, honey, stevia, and Grade B or C organic maple syrup, but can't go crazy.
LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER!!!!!!!!!!!
Heavy it up on the veggies.
No bread except either Sprouted Grain bread or Ezekiel bread. No white flour or rice.
Cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Butter (not margarine). It's actually pretty easy to replace any canola or vegetable oil in a recipe with olive.

I'll mostly be cooking with chicken, as it is cheaper and healthier. When I do the roast I will have to omit any use of flour. Also, no potatoes or corn since they are high in starch.

So really people, any recipes you can share that follow the rules would be super helpful. Ty and I are both picky, however, I'm willing to overlook it since I don't want to starve. : )

In clarification, Ty will be exempt from eating Potato Chips for 7 days. While I will be exempt from eating anything yummy for 30. Just so we're clear on that.
Help! What have I gotten myself into?