MIA

Hey All...

I know I have been MIA for over 2 months now and I am so sorry. Life has been a zoo and I have neglected a lot of things, including my goals and my blogs. Between parties, recital, and some health issues my focus has been placed elsewhere.  I will be back though starting this week, I promise. I miss blogging too much and I miss that fact that I was feeling great before life became complicated again. I will be back and sorry for the absence!

Results

I have decided not to set certain weigh in days like once every week or two weeks on a specific day. Doing so added pressure and a race with myself that generally became toxic and counterproductive. Now I have decided to weigh in when I feel I should and when I feel confident about everything I have done. As a note, I do weigh myself at the same time of day though for the most accurate results. I was always told to weigh in in the morning just after waking up and using the restroom. So I do just that.

So this morning I woke up and decided to step on the scale. Yes I know... its only been a few days but you never know what might happen and I was feeling confident.  To my surprise I had lost already! How much you ask?... 3.2 Pounds! I have a feeling that since this is a lot for just three days its due to the water retention from drinking soda, which I have stopped doing and the fact that I do not feel bloated and full anymore now that the Gluten and Dairy have been removed from my diet and I am starting to see the results. It may be a fluke and I cant always loose that much in such a short amount of time but its a nice start to it all! It feels good to get results!

Inspiration and Goals

As I get older, I find that inspiration and support can come from many different places. Most likely the best of this comes from family and friends. There was a time when I found myself feeling very alone in the way I felt, battling with weight and dealing with issues that left me feeling sick a lot. My problem was that I kept it all inside and didn't talk a lot about it. After starting work to fix myself and feel good mentally I noticed that doors were opening and there were a lot of people in my life that could relate, be a support system and could provide tough love when needed but an understanding ear as well.

After receiving a message from a dear friend and family member, I have even more inspiration and a lot of new insight. Without even knowing it, i learned that she struggles with some of the same issues I do. She works hard and has found a lot of things that have helped her to be successful in her journey to a happier and healthier person. I took a lot of what she had to say to heart.  One of the things that stood out to me though was about setting goals. Up to this point I was setting large goals, looking at the fact that I needed to loose about 120 pounds. When I look at that number, it overwhelms me, frustrates me and makes me sad. I dwell on all of the negative things that brought me to this point. When that happens, I find myself being the victim, feeling sorry for myself and I revert back to things that helped to get me to this. Trying to meet a goal like that was self destructive and honestly a negative way took look at things. Instead of looking at the large long term picture, I am going to start small giving myself goals that are within reach and not so daunting. Eventually you set a new goal, and then another and another until finally they add up to the original large goal. So starting today, my new goal is 20 pounds. I am not going to even give myself a timeline. I just want to lose 20 pounds, which could translate to a loss of two sizes. (It's said that every 10 to 15 pounds is one size depending on the person). That is something I can be happy with and live with.

Therefore, in the corner of my blog you will see the weight banner change. Instead of the full goal, it will only be 20 pounds. As I set more goals, you will eventually be able to see the overall progress but for now, as once said by Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfus in What About Bob?... BABY STEPS.

Back in Business ... A Whole Day and a Half!

Well ladies and gentleman, I am back in business.  OK, that might sound a little strange and possibly inappropriate.  When I say I am back in business, I mean that I am back on track with all I need to be doing. I have been Gluten Free, Dairy Free AND Soda Free for a day and a half now. I know that doesn't seem like much but I am baby stepping my way back into this. Yesterday was a struggle as I found myself and my body cravings things I shouldn't have. The gluten and soda were easy in all honesty, but it was the dairy that I found myself having to find extra strength with. I wanted so badly to have some cheese or some yogurt, but I backed away and remained strong. This morning was a bit easier and by lunch I was selecting things without hesitation. Its only been a day and a half so I expect more struggles and temptations but for now I feel good. It also helps that I tossed out a bunch of stuff that my hubby and the girls wont miss that could potentially be a downfall for me.

Now that I am getting back into the swing of things and feeling pretty good my next step is to start being more conscious of the calories I eat. I totaled up yesterdays in take, and yes that included drinks and condiments, and I did pretty well. A little high for my set goal but not overkill. I have to take one thing at a time and I knew I couldn't sit and count calories while still trying to learn to eat so that I don't end up sick. Once I can get into for a week, then I can move to the next step. As I have said before, I am one of those people that if I get too overwhelmed it all just falls apart. Being able to admit that fact is an excellent step too. Being healthy isn't just about the physical, its about the mental as well.

Kale... My New Obsession

Kale has become my new obsession. Finally!  Something I can obsess over that is healthy and extremely good for you! Kale is a leafy green that is packed with great vitamins and minerals. For  little more information regarding Kale's health benefits Click Here.

As with all vegetables, what you get from it nutritionally depends on how you cook it. Luckily, you can saute' Kale and lose close to nothing when it comes to all the important stuff. That is how I
 have been cooking it lately and its amazing. All you need is some olive oil, your Kale of course, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and garlic. I chop up the Kale into smaller bite size pieces. As a note Trader Joe's has bagged Kale that has already been washed and cut into perfect size pieces. All of the ingredients are to taste so I do not have specific measurements. I combine everything in a pan and cook the Kale until it is a bright green. Just remember that when it comes to Red Pepper flakes, a little goes a long way.

This is a great for lunch time or dinner as a side or you can add more to it, like chicken or quinoa and make it an entree. I love Kale and hope to find some great recipes using this wonderful source of vitamins and minerals.

Where Did I Go?

Oh I have been terrible at blogging these few weeks. Its been pretty busy but mostly with fun and exciting things. I have cheated one too many times with the GF and DF diet, but I was relentlessly reminded why I cannot eat those things. My strength and will power has been better as of late and I hope to finally post that I have been more then a few days G and D free. Now I move forward!

PS for those who aren't familiar the abbreviations used above are as follows:
GF = Gluten Free
DF = Diary Free

Just A Little More Inspiration...