Defending a new way to live

I spent the last 3 days with 2 very dear friends...one of which I have been very, very close friends for almost 20 years...love each other like the relatives we want to have.  So sometimes we share and say things that strike a cord...and strike a cord because we really DO care for each other.

I can tell she's worried because I won't say diet, because I won't track every bite and won't track every piece of exercise.  She says she knows me and that she knows how and when I succeed.  Other things may have been said, but it was finished with me feeling defensive and her just ending the conversation.

One of the things I did say was that I am working on me.  It may sound like an excuse or b.s., but for me, it is where I gotta go right now.  There are many reasons that I eat--and I do believe that the emotional side is the main reason...not just because I really like to eat.  I am going to continue to work on how I think and self care.  And not worry about how others think about what I am doing.

Meditation, intuitive eating, paying attention to what I am doing for me and for my family.  The weight  will come off and it will come off for good.  All the diets I have been on have been successful for a time...but the weight comes back.  I am ready.  Feel ready, am ready.  Life changing.

Perhaps a Diet is NOT the answer

I started working with a nutritionist and in turn seem to be attracting all that I need right now to face challenges with my health in a, well, healthy way.   I have always surrounded myself with like minded health driven friends...not always friends that have all the answers (who does) but friends who are striving to feel better so that they are healthy.

Heather Jones is my personal nutritionist.  She is a caring, warm, super knowledgeable person.  She has been where I have been and changed her mindset to change her life.  And that is what I am trying to do.  I don't want to me a member of the "Diet of the Month" club anymore.  I want to feel good about me, at all my various sizes. 

Hobbies take on many forms.  Mine has been dieting most of my life.  Well, dieting is NOT a very good hobby.  It is not fun, does not take you to places you have never been or pleasurable.  Cooking has always been a hobby, but it seemed to always be in conjunction of the "Diet of the Month."  Time to change that.

My husband is a vegetarian.  My sons and I are not.  I imagine that in today's world, this is not uncommon.  Tonight's dinner/dinners were inspired by various bloggers, Food Network stars, and friends.  That's what I do.  I see a recipe and then re-imagine the recipe to a way my family likes it.  I encourage you to do the same.



Today's recipes:

Buffalo Coconut Cauliflower for my Vegetarian Husband
1 cauliflower, slightly frozen does work (that was NOT on purpose)
1 egg
1/2 cup So Delicious Coconut Milk
1 cup shredded flaked non sweetened coconut
1 cup gluten free brown rice flour
Oil spray.
Red pepper sauce to taste
2-4 TBS butter

Cut cauliflower to bite sized pieces.  Dip into egg mixed with coconut milk.  Dip into flour mixed with coconut.  Lay on sprayed cookie sheet.  Spray the cauliflower with additional oil spray.
Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
Brush with Red Pepper Sauce mixed with butter.  Let sit for at least 20 mins.  Serve with blue cheese dressing and celery or on top of a salad.

Chicken and Waffles for my Kids (I will have chicken too, but likely on a salad)
3 chicken breasts, slightly frozen works here too (can you tell I was not quite ready to cook dinner when dinner needed to be cooked?)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup shredded flaked non sweetened coconut
1 cup gluten free brown rice flour
1 TBS coconut oil
1 TBS olive oil
Pure maple syrup
Red pepper sauce
Frozen waffles (well, you can make homemade, but I didn't have time)

Cut chicken breasts into "nuggets."  Dip into eggs mixed with milk.  Dip into coconut/flour mixture.  Heat coconut oil and olive oil.  Cook nuggets on one side.  Cook for 5-7 mins and flip.  Sprinkle a little olive oil on top and place lid on skillet and put in oven for 20 mins at 350 (same time as cauliflower if you are multitasking the way I do).
Remove from oven and brush pure maple syrup mixed with a few shakes of red pepper sauce.  Place in oven for 5 more minutes.  Serve with a salad, strawberries, blueberries and toasted waffles.

Yum!  45 mins from beginning to end.


In food and health,
Barb

WEIGHT NOT! HA!

I called an advertisement that I saw on FB today.  Weight Not.  I think one of my old friends used this program and lost a lot of weight quickly.  My dream goal is to work as a health/diet coach for people and find the right program for them.  Unfortunately, no one would take my advice at this point because I am FAT again....or I think anyway.

I called Weight Not today.  I had a long conversation on what you get for your $148 a month.  Guidance, nutritional info, supplements, shake mix, detox directions, coaching....hmmmm.  The woman I spoke to said it was an investment in myself.  I asked a few more questions...for goodness sake, I am the queen of reading the how-to's, looking for the perfect solution....getting frustrated...Game On really has worked the best for me, but it doesn't feel like it is working for me right now...so as I CONTINUE to play, there is a debate in my head.

Weight Not, apparently, is about a 2 day detox, a one month very careful eating plan with shake once a day and three more meals with lean protein, veggies and a fruit.  Then something about putting the body into contosis or something like that??  Glycemic index, metabolism, my eyes were glazing over as this coach with a slightly southern Virginia accent tried to sell the program to me...

And then I asked her the magic question?  "So, I am assuming that you have used the program and lost weight?  How much weight did you lose?"  Without skipping a beat she let's me know that, no, she is not and has not used the program.  She found "clean eating" on her own 15 years ago and she is a certified health coach, blah, blah, blah...hmmmmmm.....

I called one of my best friends and told her the story.  I can pay this company $148 monthly as long as I want the above said perks and supplies, or do it myself?  Well, grocery shopping done....I will keep that $148 and clean living myself into a success...cuz I can do that too...

Planning and re-planning

For me, life is all about having a plan.  Not necessarily the only plan that will work, but a map or framework on what to do next.  But life doesn't always work that way, now does it?

This week started with a huge social event hosted by us...unusual, although do-able, but definitely took over our world...food and alcohol, no exercise, then the aftermath or leftovers, more alcohol.

I am lucky to be playing with a "Let's play 5 weeks, but only count 4" group this time around.  So today feels like a totally fresh start.  I am on meal #3, my 60th ounce of water and great intentions to walk in this beautiful weather later today.  If you looked at what didn't work, well, these meals have been Game On; however, have NOT been delicious (sometimes an item from each food group just has to work instead of being delicious and wanting more), I should be done with all my water at this point and working towards 100 plus, and my personal world is not as peachy-keen as I would hope....but plans can always be adjusted.

I also decided to make things interesting for me by adding something to my Game plan in that I am going to try and cut out sugars...Not fruit sugars...that's ridiculous, but added sugars (candy, stevia, sugar in my extra 100 calories, days off or meals off).  Sugary foods make me want more sugary foods.  I had coffee today minus my stevia.  It was not as wonderful as my coffee with stevia...but I still had my coffee.  It will be a challenge, but I think it may be good for me...(and my sister, a Paleo-centric/Cross-fit freak---said affectionately and with some jealousy-- is giving up sugar for 33 days--I join her on the sugar abstinence for the next 30)....

I pledge this game to be my most effective yet....Play to lose, play to win by losing and play for me....because in the end, the plan has to be for you to feel better...play for you and play for me...If your plan doesn't include helping you, it won't work long term for you....Here's to a GREAT week. GAME ON!

Back...with a vengenance!

Oh, it has been too long.  Life changes: work, family, all having major effects on my weight.  I know there are people who lose weight because they start a full time job or have stress in their lives...not me.  Struggling with adding another 15 hours to my work week and dealing with three teenage kids, well, I found myself as NOT the priority..and the weight has easily found its way back...not all of it, but 20 pounds of the 35 I lost...and THAT makes me mad!

So what to do now?  In the past 1 1/2 years, I have played Game On, without a lot of gumption, tried a cleanse, Paleo and numerous other "tries" to easily  (HA, no such thing) lose again including a number of magazine articles (LOSE 10 POUNDS in 7 days, easily!)

So here I am, back on Game On...playing as a team of one with another group of 23 or so friends.  Blogging makes me feel accountable and that I might help someone else with their struggle...  So, I am baaaaaaack.  Yay me.

I am going to have guest bloggers/co-bloggers who are on this journey too...Here we go!  Time to win by losing, and maybe, just maybe, I could win the game too!!

I am ready to be a loser again

As my husband readies himself for a trip of a lifetime, I am filled w anxiety.  I can get through the day to day w my boys--but the lack of reason to make "good" dinner for those who appreciate scared me.  Day by day I will try to game it alone.  Wishing for a big group to lean on...

Day 3 :)

Oh yay...off the pounds go.  Is this easy?  Nope.  Will see what happens tomorrow as today I subbed for a shake, a meal.  Like a chew your food, yummy, swallow kind of meal.  I had asked the dude in charge of answering questions what to do if the shake protein mix hadn't shown up yet....since mine hasn't and he said I could follow their formula for a meal like for dinner.  So 4 ounces protein, half a cup of a healthy carb (fruit would count), lots of veggies.  Which is what I did.  Still felt a bit funky this afternoon, but think I didn't get enough sleep last night and that is why.  Took a nap, had a small banana with cashew butter and planning for dinner.  Feel VERY in control.  And like it that way.