Snacks!

As my husband and I are waiting for our flight home I thought I'd post about snacks. Pre-diet days, my snacks consisted of potato chips, peanut butter filled pretzels, cheese and more cheese, hot fudge, reese's, ben, jerry, and jose. Now I'm eating more vegetables then ever and I'm actually liking them. I'm pleased that I have survived a weekend away without indulging in decadent foods on every corner. The scent was enough to kill me, but I did it. The other very cool thing I thought I'd mention is my ass IS in fact much smaller. How can I tell? The airport toilet flushed automatically like it's supposed to. It actually registered my ass leaving the toilet seat and flushed. Pre-diet days it would NOT flush because my ass or the shadow of my ass evidently covered the flush sensor. I remember having to lean into the stall door to get my ass away from the sensor as far as possible. Of course, just recently I noticed there is a manual flush button I could have used.

I thought I'd share some of my favorite snacks now that I'm on the veggie plan with my HMR diet. I've discovered that slicing baby carrots length wise creates a flat surface on the carrot. This is perfect for scooping salsa. LOVE THIS! It's crunchy and spicy and hardly any calories.

OR...how 'bout some fake fried baby tomatoes?

My other go-to snack is red, yellow and orange bell peppers sliced and seasoned with salt-free Mrs. Dash and then broiled. Yummo times a gazillion.

This is what happens to peppers when you go bloggin' and forget the peppers are in the toaster oven. I still ate 'em. All of 'em. Mmm...mmm...peppers!

I've taken Monday off of work to catch up with laundry, play with the doggies, and get to the circuit training class from hell. Hope everyone is having as great a weekend as I am!!!!

Face comparison pictures

This picture was taken eight months ago in November 2008. I had just returned from the salon with a new cut and color. I asked my husband to take a picture, but directed him to stand above me and point the camera down to hide the triple chin action. The angle helps remove at least one chin ripple but my face is still big. I actually liked this picture when it was taken. It's completely obvious to me that I have lipstick on my teeth, but do you think my husband noticed it? Nah...he just stood in front of me, angled the camera down, and took the picture. That's what he was asked to do.

This picture was taken today when I got home from work. I had the sides of my hair pulled back a little, but still have my "Kate-plus-eight" hair flop over my left eye. Despite the angle in the top picture and my chins being less visible, I can really see the weight loss in my face. The picture above was not even at my heaviest. I gained 20 pounds after the November picture was taken. (See below for the progress picture). The picture to the left was taken with the camera held out in front of me - no photo trickery used at all. :)

You know fat people know how to work a camera--or at least we like to think we do. I posted early on about how I would use children or objects or anything I could find to stand behind thinking it would make me look smaller. It didn't.

I'm so very sore today from my kettle bell workout during lunch yesterday and my circuit training (that included boxing)class last night. It's painful to sit and stand. I feel muscle aches all over my body. Someone at work suggested I do more cardio tonight to rid my body of lactic acid. Huh? Is that true? I don't know if I could move enough to get rid of lactic acid? It sounds painful just typing it. I am up early for a 6:00 a.m. boot camp class. I'll let my body rest tonight, but it's back to the gym in the morning.

Pounds Down!

Last night was the first night of the Pounds Down Challenge at a local gym. They had us weigh-in and complete a fitness test. This is similar to the test EvilErin gave me last fall, but this one included a timed mile walk/run. Prior to arriving I anticipated being the fattest one there and then when hearing of the timed mile/run figured I'd be the last one finishing. Well...I wasn't the last one, second to last, but not last. My timed mile came in at 13:38. I was really pushing HARD. When I wasn't wogging, I was pumping my arms and movin' my chubbo legs as fast as they could go. EvilErin is cheering me on. Her skinny legs tapping the ground as if she's standing still next to my snail's pace. There's a gorgeous full moon helping light the path we're "running" and I ask her if, coincidentally, they meant to start the challenge on a full moon. She was like a wolf circling around its pudgey prey waiting for it (me) to fall.

Four coaches are assigned to eight contestants. They are all amazing personal trainers. Of course, the trainer announced that after four weeks they want us to do a 12 minute mile, which by the way, he added, "IS AT A SLUG'S PACE." Gee..thanks. Most of the class had already completed the mile in less than 12 minutes. I realize it's just a starting point, but still. :/

This challenge cost $300 to enter and the winner wins $800 after four weeks of fitness. The entry fee includes unlimited use of their gym and free admission to all classes. Tomorrow I'm taking a kettlebell class AND if I don't drop a bell on my head or foot and end up in the ER, I will try to take the 6:00 p.m. circuit training class from hell. It's the same class I bitched about last fall that was taught by EvilErin. It is one intense hour of whoop ass. Trust me on this one, people.

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Weigh-in tonight: Down 4.0 lbs for a 14 week total of 62.
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YAY!!! I am now incorporating veggies, protein bars, entrees, and shakes that are all part of my plan and available through the clinic. My calorie intake is usually between 850-1100. Tonight when I returned from weigh-in I broiled red and orange bell peppers (80 calories) with Mrs. Dash original blend, heated a BBQ chicken entree (270 calories) and had a chocolate-peanut butter protein bar (160 calories). DELISH.

I'm looking forward to this one month fitness challenge.

July 4 pics

We drove up the coast for a BBQ and fireworks. The house had a huge balcony with stunning views. It felt like the fireworks show over the ocean was just for us.

Gum whore.

*~*~*~ Happy July 4th everyone! ~*~*~*
Thank you for the emails and Facebook messages to check on my Dad. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and kind words. Thank you. Last week my Dad's surgery was canceled. He arrived at the hospital at 5:30 a.m. and was lying in bed with IVs in and antibiotics flowing into his system when the anesthesiologist arrived. After a few questions the anesthesiologist canceled the surgery based on information my Dad provided about intermittent chest pains. Out came the IVs and on came the trip to nuclear med for dye injections for a cardiac stress test. Four hours later my parents and sister were headed home. He received clearance from the cardiologist and yesterday he had a double mastectomy and lymph node removal. The good news is he stayed the night in the hospital without pitching a Puerto Rican fit. The great news is the lymph nodes are negative. YAY!!! We will learn more about the recovery and prognosis after his post op visit next week . My husband and I are going to plan a trip to visit them within a month.

My 13th weigh-in on June 30 showed a 2.0 lb loss for a 58lb total. I am now on the veggie plan. For the past two weeks I've incorporated veggies that are 40 calories or less per cup. My usual is baby carrots sliced length-wise and dipped in salsa. I'm allowed to have salsa, spray butter, lemon juice, and spray salad dressings with my veggies. Part of this program also allows entrees purchased at the clinic and benefit bars. The bars are soooo flippin' good. I ate 19 of them last week. Yes, 19! I couldn't believe it. They are 160 calories a piece. My instructor suggested I try to have only one per day. I'm trying, but if I want to stay "in the box" and on plan 100% it's better to have a bar then go off the diet. I'm sure work and personal stressors didn't help and I fell back on old eating patterns of stuffing my face.

I've been struggling. Boredom is setting in a little with this diet. The veggie plan is helping me stay on plan. It's something different. Another thing I've discovered is that I'm a gum whore. I love chewing gum. I'll have one stick after another after another. Just to CHEW something. Has anyone tried the apple flavored Extra gum? It tastes like a jolly rancher.

New challenge: Next week I've been selected to participate in a weight loss challenge that focuses on physical activity. It's through a local gym and the grand prize is $200 after four weeks. 5 men against 5 women. I can do this. :) Here's something else noteworthy...I went to the gym on Thursday and actually jogged on the treadmill for the first time ever. I started at 3.9 mph and jogged about two minutes, then walked, then jogged at 4.0, walked some more and then jogged 4.2. It wasn't anything lengthy, but I felt good doing it. My quads are feelin' it today.

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I hope you're all enjoying July 4th with family, friends and delicious BBQ!

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Quick update

Just wanted to post my weigh-in result from Tuesday night. -1.0 pound. Considering that is the lowest weigh-in I've had in twelve weeks I thought I'd be really upset by it. I'm not. I've continued to stick to the plan 100%. I exercised more last week and overall I feel SO MUCH better that I'm glad to be on this plan. 12 week total: 56 lbs.
I'll post more later, but wanted to again ask for prayers and good thoughts as my Dad heads into surgery tomorrow for a double mastectomy and lymph node removal. He's never been under anesthesia before and despite his doctor's suggestion to stay at least one night in the hospital, he may insist on going home. He says, "people die in hospitals". My parents are so stubborn.

A Progress Picture

Left: Picture taken 3/25/09 - one week before I started (April 1) and one pound LESS than my starting weight. Right: Taken 6/9/09 at my 10th week weigh-in and 51 pounds lost. I've lost four more pounds for an 11 week total of 55 pounds. This is the actual page from my medical chart that the clinic let me borrow to copy and post. I see the biggest change in my face!