tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15656481964319052152024-03-13T01:31:56.724-07:00A Weight Loss Experiment!Another one of my hair brained schemes!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-26165022147159397842011-08-15T06:24:00.000-07:002011-08-15T06:24:11.910-07:00Added Inspiration!HA! You thought I was done already, didn't you?!?! I fooled you, was just on vacation and amazingly lost 3 lbs while on it! HURRAY!! Of course, a lot of stair climbing was involved, so I'm sure that helped a bunch! But regardless, that is 5 lbs down now! I plan to definitely keep this ball rolling, just haven't decided what exercise I'm going to go with today... maybe all of them! lol I've also been thinking about looking into a membership at the local rec center. They offer child care while I workout and right now, that's sounding like a pretty good idea!<br />
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As for inspiration, I know I have many things around me to inspire me, my family, more energy, feeling better about the reflection in the mirror, but I got some added inspiration recently. Everyone likes to have an extra boost now and again and I think this opportunity will do the trick for me. An anonymous donor has offered money for each pound lost within a years time. Of course to go towards a new wardrobe, because hopefully by that point I'll be needing one! lol A little more inspiration for me is a picture taken of me almost 2 years ago.. down to the lowest I've been in hmmmm... well... A REALLY long time! lol I was on my oldest daughter's field trip with her, and I just love this picture of us. Not only because its of us, but I also feel I look pretty good in this picture. Granted, I am not stick thin or anything like that, but it's much better than where I am now. Now to remind myself to check this post when I'm feeling a little glum! <br />
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Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-3307178128233270962011-08-05T08:47:00.000-07:002011-08-05T08:52:11.136-07:00Getting the Hang of It!So, I woke up this morning, wanting to dance! I know, how weird, but great for the motivating factor! Got all the kids breakfast and decided I'd try to tackle refining my steps while I didn't have little feet under me! lol I had to take a few seconds in each song to get reacquainted with the steps, but picked it all back up very fast. I found a different video for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_Iz-ez6luI">Crank That</a> where the guy explains out the steps a little better and in higher volume! It's actually pretty easy steps, but it's a matter of putting them all together to the faster music. <br />
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Had a weigh in this morning. Not very pleased with the results. Up 5 lbs from the last time I stepped on the scale... however long ago that was. I don't know that I want to put my weight here for everyone, but I will say that it's almost as high as my highest point. And no, that's not bragging.. that's shame. I've almost gained 40 lbs back from my lowest point (after kids). I really did want/need a break from being so weight loss, weight loss, weight loss, but I went a tad over board. Didn't reign in when I probably should have, and overall just enjoyed all the spices of life! lol To get back on board, I'm taking this one step at a time. For now, I'll continue my experiment and see if that garners enough weight loss to keep me satisfied. At least so that I feel better and look better in my clothes!<br />
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<div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Dance it OFF! Experiment</b></span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Day 2 (8/5/11)</b></span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Experiment:</span></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: right;">Learn the dance moves to 7 particular dance songs. Dancing the songs in a certain, consistent order over time to produce weight loss results. Songs all involve moves to get the cardio working, as well as working various muscles in the body. The song order is as follows:</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: right;"></div><ol style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAwpTva9ERk" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Electric Boogie </a>-- Marcia Griffiths</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bysA0qR1dk0" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Cha Cha Slide</a> -- DJ Casper</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZzCTVnPDls" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Cupid Shuffle</a> -- Cupid</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWi5KZp3LOE" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Cotton Eye Joe </a>-- Rednecks</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLGLum5SyKQ" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Crank That </a>-- Soulja Boy</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN62PAKoBfE" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Macarena</a> -- Los Del Rio</li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.25em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAqrbYfuBv0&feature=related" style="color: #2198a6; text-decoration: none;">Thriller</a> -- Michael Jackson</li>
</ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">The links with the song show either the original video with the dance moves or a dance instruction video. Trying to make it easy for you to find some sources if you want to play along with me!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><b><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 18px;">The Results:</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Got through the Electric Boogie no prob. About half way through the song, I started mixing in rolls and tummy flexing moves to try and get a little more work out there. </span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Got funky all the way through the Cha Cha slide. Again I didn't have any children around me when I did this dance, so I was able to work myself more. Worked up a good sweat, but then had to take a break after the song for children related duties! lol</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Can I just say, I was proud to find when I started Cupid Shuffle, I actually ended up with the right moves at the chorus! Go me! I grooved to this one, really working up a sweat. I think that was because the children thought it was more entertaining to watch mom do this and not try it themselves! Luckily it didn't catch their attention for long, so they were on to something else. Took a small break after this, since I know how Cotton Eye Joe can be.</span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I remembered the steps to this dance, except for the chicken part, so had to reference the video when something felt out of place. Did all of Cotton Eye Joe, really feeling the burn and sweat after that! Sometimes, it feels longer than a 4 minute song. lol Definitely took a break after this song and looked up new tutorials for Crank That.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The new video for Crank That really helped to break down the steps for me. It's actually pretty easy step wise, just gets more difficult when you put it to the faster beat of the song. Abby, Emma, and Jake wanted to try this one again, so we stepped it out a few times before adding music. The first 2 times I nailed it! I was like "Yeah!" Kind of flubbed up the beginning and in my rush to catch up to the song, I Supermanned my foot right into Catey's belly. Luckily I didn't get her hard at all, but she was like "HEY!" lol So after we giggled that off for a minute, we started the music back up and tried again. The kids kept with me, doing what they could to keep up, and we made it about 2:30 through the song, before mommy was really work out. I think the Crank That part is what kills the most. lol Had to sit for a break after this one. I'm telling you, if you want a work out, try Crank That! lol</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The girls were ready for another song to dance to and I needed some kind of cool down, so I taught them the Macarena. They loved this one because it's so easy!! The big 3 (kids) and I did the whole Macarena without a hitch! Then it was time for mommy to relax. We all were sweating doing the dances, plus the kids were pretty wore out too! I would call that a good success. It took half the morning for them to decide they wanted to get back up and play! lol My face was still red an hour later.. meaning I worked out good too! Guess we'll find out in a week if it's paying off!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">I'm happy to report that I do have someone playing along with me! She did some Electric Sliding to Shania Twain, while holding a preschooler! Now I could see where that would be a workout! I might have to do the Electric Slide while holding Catey tomorrow, just to give it a shot! I think that would definitely add an arm boost to the dance!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></div>Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-41361847129774627172011-08-04T18:38:00.000-07:002011-08-04T18:38:37.902-07:00Dance It OFF!If you noticed, I haven't done a weight loss post in over a year. I do have a very good reason for that, I wasn't losing weight. No, not a single pound shed, but several gained as I enjoyed a little time "off of weight loss." Here lately, it's become very apparent to me, that I need to get back on some kind of routine workout or something. I think the sudden rash of pictures of me lately really made me see the ballooning effect (as if I didn't know it was already there). I'll share this with you, just because I think this is the best way to help keep me motivated. Showing off how chunky I am will make me want to work back into some of my cuter outfits!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8ceRtbYnq4QsjfnkcBQj0HRPDM2oi9VPIT88N0jxdqsFYTvVv9CmlGK1YpndCoiMD6GAN_oj5h4mYv6mRq0IJIN0x_Nw_KbBzD70jXjL7ynmv-gobpr2IDaiutt00FvNMUXD730lceI/s1600/Magic+House+086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu8ceRtbYnq4QsjfnkcBQj0HRPDM2oi9VPIT88N0jxdqsFYTvVv9CmlGK1YpndCoiMD6GAN_oj5h4mYv6mRq0IJIN0x_Nw_KbBzD70jXjL7ynmv-gobpr2IDaiutt00FvNMUXD730lceI/s320/Magic+House+086.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>This is me, with my youngest at <a href="http://www.magichouse.org/">The Magic House</a>. I'm not even going to comment on my looks other than "Bleh."<br />
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After having hubby get my treadmill all moved around at our new house, I still haven't been able to bring myself on to it. I don't know why, but I just keep avoiding it like the plague. lol I needed some other kind of motivating work out routine. Something different from the former things I had grown "used" to and "bored" with before. The fresh idea came from listening to music with my 2 big girls. They have recently grown fond of the "dance" songs, like Casper Slide and the Cupid Shuffle. I did one of these dances with the girls this afternoon and afterwards realized I was sweating way too much for one song. Then I realized, I was sweating way too much for one song!!! That would be a great work out, it works legs for sure, some arms, some tummy, cardio, etc. And, I think it's fun.<br />
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After doing a little research on the net, I found 7 fun songs to dance to! So below is a my experiment pattern I plan to try and follow to display my results with the workouts!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Dance it OFF! Experiment</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Day 1 (8/4/11)</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Experiment:</span></div><div style="text-align: right;">Learn the dance moves to 7 particular dance songs. Dancing the songs in a certain, consistent order over time to produce weight loss results. Songs all involve moves to get the cardio working, as well as working various muscles in the body. The song order is as follows:</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><ol><li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAwpTva9ERk">Electric Boogie </a>-- Marcia Griffiths</li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bysA0qR1dk0">Cha Cha Slide</a> -- DJ Casper</li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZzCTVnPDls">Cupid Shuffle</a> -- Cupid</li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWi5KZp3LOE">Cotton Eye Joe </a>-- Rednecks</li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLGLum5SyKQ">Crank That </a>-- Soulja Boy</li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN62PAKoBfE">Macarena</a> -- Los Del Rio</li>
<li style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAqrbYfuBv0&feature=related">Thriller</a> -- Michael Jackson</li>
</ol>The links with the song show either the original video with the dance moves or a dance instruction video. Trying to make it easy for you to find some sources if you want to play along with me!<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The Results:</span></div><div style="text-align: right;">I'm happy to say you could probably call the first go around a success. I wasn't expecting dance hall fame and didn't get it! lol It was more a learning of the steps. Jake, Emma, and Catey all enthusiastically joined me to start out. </div><div style="text-align: right;">The Electric Slide was something I learned in 7th grade, so as I started watching the video, it all started coming back to me. Shortly afterwards, I was walking the kids through the steps and the counting, 1.. 2.. 3.. 4.., etc. They really seemed to like the Electric Slide because its pretty simple. I like it because I feel it's a very good warm up song/exercise, for the rest to come. After finishing this song, I was pumped for the next!</div><div style="text-align: right;">Cha Cha Slide is a fairly popular tune that everyone and their mother can dance to. They give you the dance moves in the song, so basically it's a dance in place until he tells you to go Left, and Back and Hop, and Stomp. Pretty simple, no explanation needed for this song, the kids got right into doing it. I danced my booty off to this song, while trying to teach the kids that you move in a square. lol </div><div style="text-align: right;">On to the Cupid Shuffle. This is another song where he give the instructions in the song, but unfortunately these don't come until the chorus... the line dancing starts when the music starts. For reference it's "To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right, to the left, to the left, to the left, to the left. Now kick, now kick, now kick, now kick, Now walk it by yourself" Basically start those dance moves when the music starts and the walk is when you turn in place to the next direction. By this point, Catey had long lost interest, Jacob was wore out, and Emma enjoyed the "Kick" part. By the time I finished this song, I was feeling really winded. We all "Took 5" and had a drink to regroup.</div><div style="text-align: right;">Cotton Eye Joe was a little more involved. Emma declared it was too hard for her, but I was determined to get as far through my list as I possible could. I watched the video and got going along with the frat boys before turning it on. This was one dance I didn't even remotely kind of learn until a few years ago, so it's not mastered at all. I played the song to fruition, with a lot of mistakes, but got an amazing work out by the end. I had to take another break at this point (told you I'm out of shape).</div><div style="text-align: right;">Next was a new dance for me. Jake came back to join in trying Crank That by Soulja Boy. I had heard the song out, saw people doing the dance, but never really realized it was a "line dance" until I looked up line dancing earlier. Soulja was nice enough to provide a very low volume video showing his moves to the dance. This is another good cardio. After Jake and I hopped around for a few minutes practicing, we got to the song. We made it 1:33 into the song before I called it quits. I was exhausted. Again, bad shape on my half, but also, have you tried this dance?!?! Yeah, I called it a night at this point. I had to sit. lol And when I stood up, my legs were Jell-O. I'd say it worked!</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;">Unfortunately I didn't get to a kind of cool down with Macarena and I definitely didn't get to Thriller. Thriller is kind of like my reward song. It's the fun one we all want to learn how to do, so I'll work my way to it. The goal is to get through the whole play list to get a good work, even better would be to actually look good doing the dance moves! lol </div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: right;">I plan to not only update this with the dance experiment, but also other weight loss things. I need to stay motivated. It's time to finally start losing some of this... finally at the end of Summer....lol And please, let me know if you want to play along with us! I'd love to hear the progress and results of others!!</div><div style="text-align: right;"><br />
</div>Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-91446982714299672182010-04-27T05:58:00.000-07:002010-04-27T07:01:41.385-07:00How To Keep From SnackingAlright, you caught me. I've been avoiding you. You could probably guess why... I've been naughty. My weigh in on Friday reflected my week, no weight lost, none gained. I guess that's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ok</span>, but that's not what I want to happen. I want and need those numbers to go <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">D</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">O</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">W<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">N</span></span>!!! My problem, and yes, I can finally admit it, I snack way too much. I did great Monday. I was out of the shoot like a rocket. Tuesday, I did <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ok</span>.. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Ok</span>. Wednesday, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">hahahahaha</span>, I was too embarrassed to journal all the food I shoved in my mouth. Then I have the buyers remorse... afterwards. I think to myself, "Why did I just do that?!" "Was I really hungry?" <div><br /></div><div>Most of the time, I would say, "Yes, I am hungry!" </div><div><br /></div><div>And I was Wednesday. It was the whole, <i>Day 3 back on plan</i>, hungry. But if I answered those questions honestly, the answer for hungry is usually "probably not." The why, to that I would have to say, <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">boredom</span>. I had nothing in my hands or mouth, I found myself in the kitchen again, I grabbed a piece of candy while cleaning, things like that. Sadly, the things I'd pop in my mouth were not the healthy options either.</div><div><br /></div><div>So all in all, I need more will power. I've been so lax on myself this time around, for some reason. I haven't found the why on that, but I'm guessing the busy schedule. I finished my Creative Writing class last night, which takes a load off. The one thing it did give me is my awesome story I can work on and get finished. Maybe I'll get published... better start looking good for my back cover shot. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">lol</span> </div><div><br /></div><div>I've got to work harder on the eating and exercise. I haven't worked out since last week (unless you count the walking around campus yesterday) so I made a promise to myself that I would today. As far as food goes, I need more discipline. I did good yesterday morning and afternoon, but splurged a bit that evening. I'll be home today, so I can watch that. And I did myself a favor. I bought 100 cal pack snacks, fruits, veggies, and other things that a more calorie friendly to me. Thought about cleaning the table off today, but if I dig out the candy bowl I'll be more likely to pick, so maybe I'll just leave that hidden a little longer. </div><div><br /></div><div>Enough with my rambling, lesson learned, need to apply. On to the ways to stop from snacking. I really need to follow these.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>How To Keep From Snacking</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Drink Water </b>- I think we've all heard this one. I know we all have heard over and over again like a broken record, "drink more water, drink more water, drink more water." So not only will you be hitting the snack cravings with water, you'll also be drinking more water! What a way to kill two birds with one stone. Even better, I found that adding a packet of <i><a href="http://www.kraftbrands.com/crystallight/varieties/Pages/default.aspx">Crystal Lite</a></i> to the water will get any sweet craving you have. My <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">fav</span> is the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Pomegranate</span> Lemonade, it's <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">nummy</span>! And who can complain about 10 calories a pack!!!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Chew Gum </b>- The other day, I was getting ready to go shopping. I could feel the afternoon hunger coming on, but I needed to get my shopping done right then. After I popped in a piece of gum, I forgot mostly about my hunger and it kept my mouth busy so I wasn't trying to find things to shove in it. If you don't have gum, then brush your teeth. What food tastes good after you brush your teeth!?</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Stay Out of the Kitchen </b>- This would be my #1 problem. A lot of the times, I can't stay out of the kitchen with cleaning, having to stay in there while children eat, walking through there to get laundry and other various things for the children. I am constantly finding myself in the kitchen. It's the times that I realize I'm in the kitchen that I start snacking. If I'm passing through with a full basket of clothes, give myself a list of things to do, or if I'm carrying things in my hands (such as phone), then I'm less likely to pick. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Stock Up on <i>Good</i> Foods </b>- This step involves a little investment, but it will pay off. Go to the store and stock up on fruit, veggies, 100 calorie packs, healthy snacks, water, etc. When you do want to pick and snack, pick and snack on these things. But please make sure not to eat more than one 100 calorie pack in one sitting! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Stay Busy/Exercise </b>- If your always moving, then you're less likely to eat. Like I mentioned above, when I walk through the kitchen with my hands full, I don't snack. Don't just sit idle (especially in the kitchen), move! Go exercise, that's even better! Then, not only are you curing the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">boredom</span>/hunger, but you're burning calories! WIN/WIN!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Think About It </b>- As your <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">scavenging</span> through the cabinets and candy dishes, stop for one minute and think. Ask yourself a few questions, "Am I <i>really</i> hungry?" "Do I really need to eat this?" "Are there better options for what I'm about to eat?" "How am I going to feel when I'm done eating this?" "Why am I eating this?" I can guarantee in most instances, if you stop and think about the snacking, then you'll walk away. Need more motivation? Try on your favorite pants. Are they snug? If so, then work to make those comfy. If not, then go buy a smaller pair of pants to work to!<b> </b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><b>Plan Your Meals</b> - I've been guilty of just going off the fly here lately. Especially with all the homework I've had, I usually don't think about dinner until dinner time. It seemed like there was an Italian theme in my kitchen last week, because it was all pasta or pizza. Not that they all are horrible for me, but they aren't the best choices. If you can't plan your meals out for a week, at least try to plan the day. </span></div>Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-47362466960965663812010-04-21T06:39:00.000-07:002010-04-21T07:10:19.332-07:00I Need To Be Harder On Myself!First off, let me start this out by thanking everyone that read this blog! And all the wonderful comments! You guys are awesome! I was teary-eyed as I read through them. I'm glad I'm the only one that sees me as disgusting. lol At least I don't secretly look like a gross blob and no one tell me! lol <div><br /></div><div>And here's an update on me. I was going to sit down and type one out yesterday, but it ended up being a tad busier than expected, plus I spent most the night setting up my new computer.</div><div><br /></div><div>Monday - Went great! I stayed exactly on points. Unfortunately I didn't get in any exercise (unless you count walking around SIUE campus?!), but all in all I felt great about this day. I wasn't that hungry that day. I got the afternoon munchies but was able to fight them off by being extremely busy. (It was one of those days where if it could go wrong, it did.) Also, I was very excited to find that my Eris has a Weight Watchers Diary app, so I'm trying that out instead of computer diarying. (is that a word?!) I was really really really slacking on the computer food journals, which was a big part of my prob. Lets see if I do better with my phone!</div><div><br /></div><div>Tuesday - This is the day that my title is in reference to. The day started out well, balanced breakfast, 30 min workout on the Wii Fit, and even a decent lunch (I suppose there could have been a better choice than fries with my Jimmy John's leftovers, but they were made at home, not fast food fries!). Afternoon snacking rolled around and I was pretty hungry. I paced the kitchen for a good 30 mins (and cleaning it too... that's what you have to do when you have 4 kids.. lol) before I decided to be a good girl and eat an Oreo Cakester 100 cal pack. They were ok, but dry, leaving me not that satisfied. Later on in the afternoon, I went back into the kitchen to get chicken out for dinner, next thing I realize, I'm fist deep in a bag of chocolate animal crackers. They were good, don't get me wrong, but I let myself slide on that slip up... I didn't add it in my food diary (maybe putting it here will make me feel more guilty!). Dinner was good, but it put me above my daily points. I'm not eating my exercise points intensionally.... so all my overage goes off my weekly points. Then, I had a moment of weakness.... I caved... I ate a Milky Way. I couldn't help it. I needed chocolate and that seemed to be the perfect source for the taste I craved. Which it was... but that tacked on 6 extra points for the day. Then (gulp, I can't believe I'm going to admit this because I'm ashamed of it too) I went back in the kitchen and ate another piece of quesidilla from dinner. All told my little evening antics put me over 15 points. I have 20 left to last through Sunday, so I better watch myself closer. I need to crack down and not bend to the will of food... especially sweets.</div><div><br /></div><div>Another thing I need to crack down on is exercise. I did good yesterday, but Monday I found it easier to say I'd do it later than actually just get down and do it. Today, in my wee hours of waking and not wanting to do anything today, I contemplated just behaving on food and skipping exercise. Even as I sit, I occasionally try to make up the excuse that my back is hurting, so I can't work out. When in reality, I know that some yoga would probably be awesome for my sore back right now. I'll probably get on the Wii Fit after this post, because I need to. Then as I get into it, I won't want to stop. Funny how that works. Maybe we should take a family walk tonight too. Then I can boost my exercise today!</div><div><br /></div><div>All in all, I really shouldn't complain about myself too much. Weak moments happen to all of us. When you fall off the horse, you just gotta climb back on, right?! I just need to keep trying and trying hard... and work on my will power.</div>Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-17576227068163397362010-04-16T08:53:00.000-07:002010-04-16T09:43:57.846-07:00I Am Disgusting!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWB2T3li62i04UsjVdKxcYebGJr_i2mj6ftpraUwJSpUMW3JZgbaH4Pczpszl0Od1ur2j9aZdC-vBc1wlEx-0UTYvlLM6l_8B15OZZQv0DUqvYSGP9OTDyYcarCGMtAMVLJOjVlFRtl3c/s1600/fat+me+4-16-10.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 306px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWB2T3li62i04UsjVdKxcYebGJr_i2mj6ftpraUwJSpUMW3JZgbaH4Pczpszl0Od1ur2j9aZdC-vBc1wlEx-0UTYvlLM6l_8B15OZZQv0DUqvYSGP9OTDyYcarCGMtAMVLJOjVlFRtl3c/s320/fat+me+4-16-10.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5460774442860904610" /></a><br />That's right, I really do think I am at the moment. Here I am, typing on a blog that was meant to offer weight loss advice and tips to anyone who wants them, and I can't even maintain my loss. I mean just look at that pic above! That muffin top is enough to shame anyone, let alone how miserable and bloated I look. I've let myself get to a disgusting point again and it's time to crack down. <div><br /></div><div>I think it all started around September. My daughter's birthday was fast approaching, as was the entire holiday season ranging from Halloween through New Years, and 3 more birthdays for our family. I was also looking to getting back in school. I was wore out and just wanted a break, so I took one. I did excellent maintaining until Thanksgiving. From there, I gained 10 lbs (in a day?! lol) and was never able to shed it. By that time I was 190. I fluctuated from the high and lower 190's through Christmas and the New Year. The last time my Wii Fit had a weigh in on it was February 5th, at 190 lbs. From then on, things went way down hill.</div><div><br /></div><div>I think I quit caring. I think I just thought I could eat what I want. I wanted to eat what I wanted. I was tired of being a good girl, making good choices. The scale quickly reflected this new change. I kept hoping more and more that maybe it was a fluke, it'd go down, I'd exercise and it'd go down. The problem was, I never exercised. It never went down. Now I'm to the point I said I'd never see again. I left Onderland and am back in the 200. I'm disgusting.</div><div><br /></div><div>CURRENT STATS</div><div>Bust - 46"</div><div>Chest - 42"</div><div>Waist - 39"</div><div>Hips - 46"</div><div><br /></div><div>Weight - 206</div><div><br /></div><div>OUCH! That hurts to see, but it's the facts. And it's the reason that I am going to get this weight off. If nothing else, just to be happy with myself again. I constantly complain about how clothes look on me, to the point that my husband has gotten sick of hearing it. I'm up over 12 lbs from my last time I weighed on my scale. I feel fat and disgusting. I feel ashamed to go out looking like I do sometimes. I realize people don't judge you on your size all the time... especially the people you see regularly, but I still feel gross. I even feel so disgusting, I don't to take my clothes off for my husband. He doesn't care... but I do. Never mind how I always feel wore down and tired, which I didn't when I exercised regularly. </div><div><br /></div><div><div>Instead of offering just advice, I'm going to start taking my own. I want to take this blog in a new direction and make it more personal of my struggles. I may throw in educational tidbits from now on, but really, I'm warning you, this is going to get personal. I'm going to go as far as offer up everything except me nude. (Trust me, you don't want to see that!) And that takes a lot of courage, so please try to keep the bad remarks to a minimum. I beat myself up enough as it is (according to my husband). But I will take any and all encouragement, good thoughts, and in general cheering on! I want to try to post as often as I can, so I can get all my thoughts and feelings out. Maybe, just maybe if I vent my mind, I'll vent my body! Either way, I'm going to kick my butt and I want to see results!!</div></div>Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-77987660164179572682010-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:002010-02-02T13:43:00.128-08:00I'm Back.... and I'll Try To Be More RegularIf you didn't notice, I fell off there a few months. The whole b-day parties, holiday rush, more b-day parties, more craziness, threw me off. I wasn't actively losing weight or trying from around the time this last post was put up here until now. Er, the beginning of the year. Now I'm back at it and I'm wanting to lose the last 30 to be completely happy and comfortable with myself. <br /><br />I restarted January 4th and have lost 7 lbs so far. I've actually had a hard time staying in the swing of things. This week is so far a good week. I've worked out in the gym at school and so far staying on points with WW. I really need to press myself to lose the weight by June for a wedding Nate is in. I can do it (about 1.5 lbs a week). I just need to apply myself.<br /><br />Because of this, my blog here may change a bit. Not only will I provide information on how you can lose weight without "dieting" but I'll also even share some of my triumphs and struggles. I guess make this more personal than text book. I hope that through it all, I can inspire others to do what I have done!<br /><br />Just think, 2 years ago, I weighed in at 221 lbs. I've seen contestants on The Biggest Loser weigh this much at start. Since then I've lost 32 lbs. It's not taken the full 2 years to lose that amount, I've had different situations arise to thwart my efforts (the birth of our 4th child). When I really apply myself, I can do it. I really need to apply myself now so I can hit that 160 mark! I can do it!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-20452647188404567182009-08-04T13:22:00.000-07:002009-08-04T15:55:57.586-07:00Let's Go Out To Eat!To most dieters, that phrase is almost like a death sentence. Your head start whirling as you go into an internal battle of "Do I eat what I want?" or "Do I do what's right?" But, what if you did both! I think that would cause a head explosion as the two battles collided.<br /><br />In an earlier entry, I touched on <a href="http://soyouthinkyouhavetoeatlikethat.blogspot.com/2009/07/break-out-measuring-cups.html">restaurant portions</a> and how crazy big they are. If you remember, I told you, you can eat what you want, but cut it all in half! I still stand by that. My husband will get that whim where he'll want to go out to eat steak. I'll have that steak with him, and I'll enjoy every bite. But I order an 8 oz steak and cut it in half. And you can enjoy that potato with your steak, but don't ask for extra butter or sour cream. Even better, don't even ask for it loaded. I eat mine with the tablespoonish of butter and sour cream they give you with it and call it good. Add salt and pepper if what they serve you isn't taste enough.<br /><br />Another thing to remember when eating out, veggies are still your friend! You can eat as much salad, as many green beans, corn, squash, whatever tickles your fancy, and you won't have to worry about dipping into your daily points. Of course, if you order these things <span style="font-weight: bold;">fried, battered, scalloped, blackened, buttered, or breaded</span>, they will more than likely be higher points for you. Also, watch the salads, because some of the dressings served with salads can eat up your points quicker than everything else in it! <br /><br />Buffets are a tricky one. You don't realize how fast the points add up until you sit down and total them up! A good start is to have a plan. First thing I do is take the first plate and load up with a big salad. I usually skip the croutons and just put a little cheese, since those do add up quick. Use the lightest dressing you can find! When it comes to the main dish, load that plate with veggies. Make sure they don't include the above bolded words. Then go for a meat, but make it a small portion. I definitely don't recommend going for seconds, unless you for sure want to go over your daily quota. Dessert is a tricky one, so that I'll leave to your discretion. They usually offer frozen yogurt, sugar free treats, and things like that. I usually splurge on a bit of ice cream, about 1/2 cup worth, with a little hot fudge.<br /><br />One of your biggest allies is planning ahead! If you know you'll be going out to eat and even better, if you know where your going, do a little research on what to have ahead of time. Most chain restaurants have their nutrition information on their website. Just plug it into your calculator and you can estimate how much your eating. Make sure you look up the nutrition info for everything you plan to eat, including any bread on the table. Another decent source is <a href="http://www.dwlz.com/restaurants.html">Dotti's Weight Loss Zone</a>. But I warn you that some of the point information is a little out of date. If you can go to the restaurant site to check, I recommend that!<br /><br />Those are the best solutions I can offer for eating out. They have all worked well for me! As with anything else weight loss, will power and self control are key!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-24739480455650939532009-08-03T12:39:00.000-07:002009-08-03T12:44:30.899-07:00I Hit A SlumpI'll admit it, last week, I hit a HUGE slump. I totally wasn't into the weight loss thing the way I should be. It wouldn't be right for me to give weight loss advice when I'm not even following it myself. There were a few personal reasons why I just couldn't pull it together. Things are much better now, so I can get back to giving you tidbits of info. Today is a bit busy for me, I need to get some major house cleaning done after our long weekend. Tomorrow I'll post the bit on buffets that I promised you! I have it all pretty well thought out in my head, just need to get a moment to sit down and type it out. I will make that moment tomorrow! Thank you for bearing with me in my down time! <br /><br />Next up, heading to my goal of 170 by my birthday!!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-45568493805816262092009-07-29T14:42:00.000-07:002009-07-29T15:00:11.652-07:00A Little Rant, Please Don't Mind MeI know it's been a few days since I've gotten on and wrote a nugget of info up for you all. Sorry about that, my life has been pretty busy the last few days. I'm forcing myself to get something out today, then back to work, so I can take the time to write up something good for you tomorrow.<br /><br />Today, it's a rant. I've had a few thoughts brewing in my head that just drives me insane about people. I'll share them with you, and I'll hope your not anyone I'm talking about here!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Annoying Thing #1</span> - People that say their fat, complain about it and all that, but do nothing about it. Do you really think the weight is going to fall off you just because you want it too. No, it takes just a wee bit of effort. Not a ton, I promise. I'm a pretty lazy person at times and even I can do this! I think what's worse than being the fat person complaining about it is the fat person complaining about it then shooting daggers at you when you tell them you've lost so many pounds. I usually don't tell people how much I've lost unless they ask. Unless it's my close family, then I like to tell them because I'm proud of myself. I can almost feel the steam coming off a member of my family when I tell this person about my progress. All I want is for that person just to be happy for me, and if they'd like to lose weight too, let me help them! /rant<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Annoying Thing #2</span> - People that are "trying" to lose weight without the education they need for it, go to a buffet, order a water, but then load up their plate with the fattiest foods. Really now, you think not ordering a soda or even ordering a diet soda is going to counter act all that food on your plate. If it makes you feel better about eating so much, then you need to not complain about being fat. Your doing it to yourself!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Annoying Thing #3</span> - There is no miracle cure for weight loss. Diet pills, exercise drugs, surgeries, and everything that falls in that category is CHEATING! Weight loss is not easy, nor should it be. You did the effort of eating the way you did to put the weight on, you do the effort to get it off! I understand, you may be big, but I've seen women 300-400 lbs go on the website <a href="http://www.sparkpeople.com/">SparkPeople</a> and lose weight just with their effort and not take the easy way out. That is an accomplishment. And when your done with said miracle cure (unless it's permanent), your eating habits don't change, then your surprised why it all comes back on tenfold. Part of the key to weight loss is changing your habits a bit. You don't have to make a radical change, but to make progress you do need to make a few!<br /><br />Ok, that feels better! I think I'm done! Speaking of buffets, tomorrow I'll help you tackle a trip to the buffet or any in general eating out situation where you can't totally plan your meal!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-55535341755000468722009-07-24T15:26:00.000-07:002009-07-24T19:23:54.428-07:00To Eat Or Not To EatWorkout points or calories that is. There is a lot of debate on this subject. Do you eat the calories you burn when you workout? I've tried both ways and have formed my own opinion on the subject. Granted, I'm sure there are more scientific or professional opinions and facts behind it all, but this is what I feel.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To Eat</span> - When I first started out, last year, and even for a couple months this time, I ate my activity points. By the way, activity points are what Weight Watchers gives you for your working out. They have a calculator for that as well, going off of your weight, how long you worked out, and your intensity. For example, if I work out for 30 minutes at a moderate pace, that is breaking a sweat, but still able to talk, I can eat 2 more points for that day. I did have a loss, but nothing outrageous. I think most of the loss came from just following my plan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Not To Eat</span> - Shortly after I restarted this year, I had an epiphany. If I go workout and burn say 200 calories or 2 points worth of food, then go and eat an extra 2 points, what exactly did I just workout for. Nothing?! I mean, I go work the calories off, just to eat them again, so basically I worked out for nothing! That definitely isn't something I like to do! I quit eating the activity point and lost 4 pounds that first week. With my weight now, I can watch and kind of control my loss with how much I work out. One week I really dig in and do 3-4 days working out, I'll lose 2 pounds easily. The weeks where I slack and not workout or maybe do it once, I usually stay the same, or worse, gain.<br /><br />As you can see, I favor the "Not To Eat" workout calories. Ultimately, the choice is up to you. I just know whats proven to work for me!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-11716029850157101312009-07-21T14:10:00.000-07:002009-07-21T15:59:23.473-07:00Break Out The Measuring Cups!Portion control is one of the biggest things when controlling weight loss. I know I wouldn't have gotten anywhere with my loss without it. And just like the title, I recommend getting out the measuring cups and spoons. <br /><br />A lot of items try to deceive you with their packaging. Something that you may think is one serving usually gets broken into 2 or 3 or more! One of the most important things to remember is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Check your Nutrition Label!</span> I think the sneakiest thing manufactures do is tell you something is 100 calories a serving. You have a decent sized bag, but small enough you think it's only one serving. After downing the content, to your horror you find you just ate 3 servings worth of food, or 300 calories! My favorite thing to combat this is buy the 100 Calorie packs right off the bat. Make sure to check the label but things from Keebler, Nabisco, Pringles, etc, packaged in special 100 Calorie boxes with individual packs inside, are 100 calories a serving. Of course, if you eat more than 1 pack, then that's more calories. <br /><br />You pick up the container of ice cream and look at the nutrition label. A half cup of ice cream is 130 calories. Instead of just guessing that a bowl full is half a cup, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Get out that Measuring Cup and Measure!</span> Sometimes the size of the serving you get may surprise you! I know for me, I find I get more than I think the size should be! After a while, when you are used to the sizes or when your not near a measuring cup and spoon, you can eye ball the size. It's good practice to still pull out the measuring cup every once in a while to doubt check your thinking! I know, your not always going to be around measuring cups at every meal. A few little tidbits to help remember sizes are:<br /><ul><li>1 Fist or 1 tennis ball = 1 cup or 1 medium fruit</li><li>1 Thumb from tip to 1st joint = 1 Tbsp</li><li>1 Finger from tip to 1st joint = 1 tsp</li><li>1 pack of cards = 3 oz of meat</li></ul>And make sure with chips and cookies, you count them out. The bag says you get 11 chips a serving, then count out 11 chips! <br /><br />When you go out to eat, the portions are completely out of whack. It's usually recommended that you eat 3-4 oz of meat a serving, but I defy you to find a steak on a menu smaller than 8 oz! Potatoes are bigger than what you would eat at home. Don't even get me started on desserts and appetizers. The sad truth is, you can end up eating your whole daily caloric intake in one sitting! That's why I recommend you <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cut Restaurant Meals in Half!</span> Go a step further and ask for the to go box right away and put half of your meal in that to take home for tomorrow! I even go as far and will cut foot long subs in half for lower points. Oh, and one quick tip, when out at restaurants, don't even touch the bread basket. One roll is easily 3-4 points, plus butter! <br /><br />One last thing that I think is a great idea is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Measure Out your Servings Ahead of Time!</span> Say you make a big pot of soup. The point and calorie value on it are so perfect that you'd like to have it again in the near future. Why not, since you already have your measuring cup out for tonight, measure out individual servings for later. Even better, put them in freezer containers and freeze them for a later time! Doing this will save you a step later and insure you get the right amount then too! <br /><br />These tips will definitely help keep your portions under control. The biggest thing that thwarts weight loss is over sized portions. It's important to not only watch what you eat, but how much of it you eat!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-4475589974633440042009-07-20T15:00:00.000-07:002009-07-20T15:42:22.706-07:00What's For Breakfast?Most diet plans I see give you a bowl of cereal with skim milk and some kind of juice or toast with an egg and coffee. That's all fine and dandy, but doesn't it get old eating the same old thing for breakfast. Never mind, what happens when you do want a bowl of the sugary sweet cereal. Do you feel guilty when you splurge on it?<br /><br />For me, breakfast is really something I don't give a second thought. I don't eat a bunch, but I do usually make a big one on Sundays. Typically I have a bowl of cereal with 2% milk. I can't stand skim, it tastes like watered down milk. What kind of cereal do I eat, you may be wondering. Today it was <span style="font-style: italic;">Corn Pops</span>, sometimes I have<span style="font-style: italic;"> Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Pebbles, Lucky Charms, Frosted Flakes, Rice Chex</span>, basically whatever strikes my fancy. Milk and any of the above cereals give me 3 points for my breakfast. Just make sure that whatever cereal you eat, you check the label! Some of the above give me 2 points for 1 cup, while others offer 2 points for 3/4 cup. I tend to pick the cereals that give me more, but occasionally I can't resist the call of the really sweet. <br /><br />What if you don't want cereal? What if you want a real breakfast? Most breakfast foods are fairly low in calories and fat. However there are a few sneaky things you need to watch out for. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pop Tarts</span> - One of the first sneaky breakfast foods is Pop Tarts, any and all flavors. I used to eat Pop Tarts all the time before I got on my plan. I thought it was a quick and easy breakfast, and with that didn't think it was that bad for me. Did you know, one pastry is 4 points?! Yes, one pastry, in a pack of two, just one is that many. If you had both, then it'd be 8 points! I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but I don't want to have to give up my other meals just for this one!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pancakes</span> - This is one of the foods that surprised me. I figured if Pop Tarts were 4 points, then a pancake has got to be pretty high too. Actually, one pancake is 1 point! If you have two, then it's 3 points total. The thing with this is, usually most people put butter and syrup on their pancakes, so you have to add those in too. I can butter and syrup my pancake for 3 points total. Two pancakes with butter and syrup is 6 points. Not bad, but that's usually why I splurge on these with my Sunday breakfast.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Toaster Strudel</span> - Another one that surprised me at first. I thought Pop Tarts would be low, so I thought this would be low too. Boy was I wrong! Just like a Pop Tart, these are 4 points each. Given the choice, I'd choose a Toaster Strudel over a Pop Tart. Sure there is less food with a Toaster Strudel, but it tastes so much better.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Waffles</span> - Similar to pancakes, except costing you 1 more point for one. Again, you have to remember to add in the syrup and butter. One waffle is 5 points with syrup and butter. Another good one to put off until a high points day. But that's not to say that you couldn't work 5 points into your daily total!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Eggs</span> - Some people like them, some don't. I'm one of those that don't really care for eggs. I don't typically figure out the points for these, but I will throw it in for anyone that does like them. One fried egg is only 2 points, but if you add milk, cheese, or anything really, to it, then the points go up. Half a cup of scrambled eggs is 5 points compared to 2 points from a fried one. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Toast</span> - Sometimes, I like to have an English Muffin for breakfast. The good part is it's only 2 points for a muffin, but you have to add in the butter. Bread is typically 2 points, but I've been buying the 45 calorie and 35 calorie breads for only 1 point for two slices. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sara Lee</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Earth Grains</span> makes some good low calorie breads in many flavors. French Toast is a different entity though. Two slices of French Toast is 7 points, plus the butter and syrup. This would be a good one to avoid unless you work it in! Along the grains line, I don't recommend bagels because they are higher in calories right off the bat. Then add in some cream cheese and you've got a pretty high calorie breakfast.<br /><br />Remember, when choosing the most important meal of the day, you add in all the little parts you eat. They add up fast! If you do plan to have a bigger breakfast, try to plan the rest of your day around it. Just don't get bored with the typical, bland, "diet" breakfasts.Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-60003159148576156022009-07-19T18:27:00.000-07:002009-07-19T19:42:39.232-07:00Even Mom's Can Do It!Exercise that is! I won't go into the millions and billions of statistics, details, techniques, etc. We all know that exercise is good for your body. We know that it helps out your body in many ways. And if you don't know that it helps you lose weight, then you should! <br /><br />There are a number of things you can do for exercising. You can get a video and work out to that. Get a video game that works you out. I have the Wii Fit and love it! Go for a walk, like we did at the zoo all day today. Anything that gets your heart pumping and your limbs moving. If you want the best burn for your workout, I've read mixing strength exercises in with walking or cardio will get rid of the most fat. <br /><br />Now for the mom part. As a mom of four kids, I find making a special time to work out very difficult! For a while, I actually gave up on trying and guess what happened to the weight loss. I got a little smarter and with the suggestion of a friend, worked to my advantage the four little weights I have sitting around this house! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Wagon Pull</span> - The first thing I did, and the thing that probably works me out the most, is piling as many kids as I can in their <a href="http://www.radioflyer.com/">wagon</a> and pulling them up and down our driveway for a mile. Please note that you will burn more and get more worked out the rougher the terrain is. My driveway, for example, is a rocky, bumpy, pothole filled lane road that provides a nice challenge! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Flying Leg Press</span> - My kids love this one. One of their favorites I do with them. I like it because it works my legs, especially my thighs. What you do is lay on your back on the floor. Lift your legs off the ground and bend them. Have your child put their abdomen up to your feet. Grab their hands and lift them up with your feet so they are in "flying" position. Bend and straighten your legs, causing your child to go up and down. Do 10-20 of these, then rest, and do more until your feeling the burn! Please use caution when doing this one! I don't want any little ones getting injured!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Baby Chest Press</span> - I call it baby because I use my 18 pound baby, but you can use any size child your able to. Pick up said child and simply lift them, up and down, over your head. Straight up, straight down, 10-20 repetitions, until you feel it. Babies love this one, mine giggles the entire time! Again, use caution on this! I don't want any dropped babies!<br /><br />Those are all the kid involved workouts, but I hope to come up with more. When I do get a few more, I'll be sure to share! Just remember, working out isn't as effective if you aren't feeling the burn, sweating, and generally getting into it! If you want to lose more, you need to burn more!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-19701392110474674362009-07-18T13:06:00.001-07:002009-07-18T13:51:01.212-07:00Enjoy Your FoodOne afternoon, I stumbled across a very good <a href="http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/health/emotional/end-emotional-eating">article in Good Housekeeping</a>. The article talked about how your more likely to over eat if you don't enjoy your food. On thinking more about that, it is exactly right! How many times have you actually sat down to a meal and ate it slowly, savoring every bite, taste, sensation. In the fast pace, rush-rush world we live in now, almost everything is being made for convenience and ease. The more convenient and easier it is to make, the faster you can consume it and move on to the next thing. Sound about right. Never mind the fact that portions are so out of whack, a lot of times you end up consuming double what your supposed to. (More on this topic later!) Most of the time, even if you have a sit down dinner, it's spent wolfing it down due to hunger, boredom, or trying to move on to something else you have planned. A lot of times after a binge like this, you feel miserable, but you end up doing it again and again to yourself. <br /><br />After I read that article, I started paying attention to how I ate. And yes, even now, a lot of times I'm trying to hurry through a meal to do something with my kids. But I do try to make a conscious effort to enjoy what I eat too. I took this concept one step farther. On a day I really needed some chocolate, but didn't have a lot of points, I decided to eat some of my Hershey's Chocolate Bar (3 squares for 1 point). But instead of eating as quick as I could, wanting the next bite before it was even in my mouth, I decided to take it slow. I decided to use as many of my senses as possible. I smelled the rich chocolaty aroma, the way it made me excited just to smell the richness of it. I enjoyed the dark brown color, with a little bit of shine, just enough to catch your eye. I traced the letters stamped on it with my eyes. I could feel the coolness of the chocolate in my fingers. As well, I could feel the chocolate melting a little on my fingers. Then came the part I was waiting for. All the examining of the chocolate, made me anxious to eat it. I took a bite, not a big one, just a nibble. I swished it around in my mouth. Let it melt on my tongue. Tasted the chocolaty sweetness as it coated my tongue and filled my mouth. With all the bites after that, I focused on the bite in my mouth, not thinking of anything besides that. To my amazement, I made those 3 squares of chocolate more than filled my chocolate craving and even filled me enough until dinner time.<br /><br />Just because you are on a "diet" plan, especially starting out and feeling like you've cut back a lot on the food your used to, doesn't mean you can't enjoy it. If your body takes the time to make the hungry feeling hit you, you should take the time to enjoy the food you are putting in your body. Why eat it if your not enjoying!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-62614014534694075942009-07-17T07:12:00.000-07:002009-07-17T09:13:14.369-07:00Snack TimeI hit a milestone today on my weigh in! I lost 1 more pound to make it 30 pounds lost since January! To celebrate, today I will share my favorite snacks with you and maybe throw in a few comparisons! And yes, you will notice chocolate in most of them. I'm a chocoholic!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Surprising Snack</span> - When I started out last year, I thought I'd go all out and buy everything healthy, low cal, low fat, multi-grain, etc and so forth. I slowly found that a lot of that stuff went to waste, wasn't near as good, or better yet, the original just as good for you! One of the low cal things I picked up was the <span style="font-style: italic;">100 calorie pack Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes</span>. I have to admit that these are very tasty and very close in taste to the original. A serving is 100 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber. For all the points counting people, you plug that into your calculators and you get 1 point per pack! You get 3 little cakes, which I think is a perfect size to satisfy that chocolate craving. And honestly, the cakes aren't too little, so you don't feel like your getting jipped! There really is no comparison to the similar snack, Weight Watcher Chocolate Cake, for the same amount of points. They are very small, dry, funky tasting, and expensive!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Salty Snack</span> - I'm not always in the mood for chocolate or sweets. If I want a low calorie/point snack, I usually look to popcorn. There are the 100 calorie bags of popcorn, <span style="font-style: italic;">Pop Secret 100 calorie packs</span>. And yes, the whole bag is 100 calories or 2 points. The only flaw I have found with them, at least at my house, is they burn way too easy in the microwave. I have yet to have a bag that not even a little was burned. It wasn't cooking error on myself, because I'd watch that stuff like a hawk, but no matter when I took it out, it seemed a bit was burnt, even if the whole bag wasn't popped! Instead, I found <span style="font-style: italic;">Act II Butter Popcorn</span> to be a better alternative. You can eat the entire bag of that for 2 points (90 calories, 6 fat, and 1.5 fiber), and that bag is much bigger than the 100 calorie bag! And if you do want a bit of sweet with your popcorn, <span style="font-style: italic;">Act II Kettle Corn</span> gives you that hint of sweet and salt for just 2 points as well (75 calories, 3.75 fat, and 0 fiber).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Candy</span> - In yesterday's entry, I told you that a Snickers bar is 7 points. Just about all candy bars are the same. Kit Kat bar is 5 points, Twix bar is 7 points, even one Reese's Peanut Butter Egg from Easter is 4 points. Fun size and Mini size aren't much better, 2 points for most, occasionally 1. But is that little mini enough to satisfy the candy craving. For me no, I find I just want to go back for more, then the calories and points add up fast. One day, I was in dire need of some chocolate, scrounging around my kitchen for something of substantial chocolate. In the fridge I had found some <span style="font-style: italic;">Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy Bars</span> leftover from a recent bonfire we had had (S'mores). I looked at the nutrition facts and 1 whole bar was 210 calories, 13 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fiber, 5 points, not too bad. On that particular day, I couldn't afford 5 points on a whole bar, but I did need something. I did a little math and found out if you break the bar into quarters, 3 squares of chocolate is only 1 point, 53 calories, 3 grams of fat and 0 grams of fiber. This is where the will power and self control come in. For me, the 3 squares is enough for me to savor, enjoy, and get my chocolate fix. You just have to remember to take small bites and enjoy the flavor of it, don't just wolf it down. (More on this topic at a later time!)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Grand Dessert</span> - On days that I try to have higher calories, if I have a lot of points left over, or if I just need to indulge in something good, I found something that really does the trick. <span style="font-style: italic;">Bet</span><span style="font-style: italic;">ty Crockers Warm Delight Mini Bowls</span> are an amazing snack for only 150 calories each. My favorite is the <span style="font-style: italic;">Molten Chocolate</span>, only 3 points for 1 bowl, but they also have <span style="font-style: italic;">Molten Caramel</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">Chocolate Raspberry Decadence</span>. It does require just a tiny bit of work to make, adding water, mixing, squeezing on the chocolate, caramel, or raspberry, and microwaving for 30 seconds. To me, that is worth the warm, gooey, goodness. And if you really want a treat, a quarter cup of <span style="font-style: italic;">Vanilla Ice Cream</span> on top help make it seem like a fancy dessert and not a lower calorie snack. I use <span style="font-style: italic;">Prairie Farm Vanilla Ice Cream</span>, my favorite and shameless advertising of the place we haul our milk to, for only 2 points a quarter cup. If you want the full half cup, it's only 3 points, 130 calories, 7 grams of fat, and 0 grams of fiber. I find for the mini bowl, a quarter cup is plenty. Most vanilla ice creams have similar nutrition info. Of course, if you use <span style="font-style: italic;">Low Fat Vanilla Ice Cream</span>, you'll find you can have more or use less points with the lower fat and calorie content!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The New Find</span> - At my recent trip to the grocery story, they finally had <span style="font-style: italic;">100 calorie pack Oreo Cakesters</span>. I've been waiting to try these just to see if their as good as they look. I had one pack last night and I wasn't disappointed. They are about the same size as the <span style="font-style: italic;">100 calorie Hostess Cupcakes</span>, and like them, there are 3 in a pack. Granted, I want to try a few more packs before I determine if this is a permanent fixture on my list, but it is very promising. Especially at only 2 points a pack, 100 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, and 1 gram of fiber.<br /><br />I hope these gave you some food for thought. I recommend you pick any or all of these up on your next grocery trip, you won't be disappointed. Happy snacking to everyone!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-8127930520508457812009-07-16T10:23:00.000-07:002009-07-16T11:16:32.972-07:00About My PlanI know I only touched on the plan I follow yesterday. Today I'll go more in depth, since well, that's the whole point of this blog! <br /><br />As I mentioned yesterday, I follow Weight Watchers Flex Points plan. I won't go too in depth on the plan since I have no clue where the copyright infringement line is. Basically, based on your weight you get a set number of points you can eat a day. (Yes, I know the current plan goes off weight, height, activity level, etc.) If you convert points to calories, one point equals 50 calories. I get 24 points in a day or 1200 calories. In addition to that, I get an extra 35 points or 1750 a week to use as I want. To get points out of your food, you have to take the calories, fat, and fiber and plug it into a special formula. (I won't divulge it here, again, fearing copyright stuff, but if I have a big enough following and request, I'll go further into the plan at a later date!) For example, a medium apple is 1 point. A Snickers candy bar is 7. See where I'm going with this?!<br /><br />You may be thinking, "That's not a lot of calories to eat." I plan to show you just how you can stretch that amount of calories/points out and still feel satisfied. Whats more, I want to show you how to do it with your current lifestyle. I don't want you to think you have to change your life completely around. Granted, you will have to make a few changes and maybe buy a few new to you products. But you won't have to switch to a diet of 1 egg for breakfast, a <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">tofurkey</span> dog for lunch, soy nuts for a snack, and a small bean burrito for dinner. (Note: This is not a real diet menu. I just threw these off the top of my head because this is what a diet looks like to me.)<br /><br />A big key to having success with the new plan is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't beat yourself up if you screw up.</span> I once heard it compared to a GPS in your car. What does it do when you make a wrong turn? It doesn't beat you up, belittle you, make you feel bad. If it does, you need a new GPS. It simply says "Turn around at your next available convenience." The same holds true with trying to lose weight. Say you have an off day and decide to eat that piece of cake with ice cream on top. Don't gorge it down then feel ashamed. Enjoy it! Savor it! Try again tomorrow at getting it right! Granted you don't want to slip up every day or you won't get anywhere. Like in a car, if you make a wrong left turn and then keep making left turns, you'll just go in a circle (or square if you want to be technical). <br /><br />Another thing, I've recently found to help keep success up is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Purposely cheat!</span> Now I don't mean every day or all the time, but some cheating is <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">ok</span>. I find when I've been following my plan for a while, I start to get bored. Then I slip and screw up, next thing I know I've gained a pound or two. Every couple of months, my husband and I plan a get away together. On this get away, I get away from everything, literally! Kids, work, chores, and yes, "diet" plan. I enjoy the weekend, eat what I want, and just let go. Granted I know the following weigh in will probably not show a loss. But mentally I feel like I've lost some baggage and can start anew!<br /><br />I mentioned about the extra 1750 calories a week I get. I find I end up using them on the weekends. But that's just our lifestyle. You can use them how you want. During the week I try to stay on the strict 24 points/1200 calories, maybe going over by 100 calories (2 points) at the most. The thing I do make sure to do is <span style="font-weight: bold;">Always have a high calorie day.</span> Every week! Take one day and make sure you eat more calories than normal. And I'm talking like 1700 to 2000 calories, enjoy your splurges on this day. Doing this ensure you get enough calories within the week so your body does think it's being deprived and go into starvation mode. Starvation mode is a very bad thing. Your body will basically hold on to any and everything you eat, the result being no weight lost. Then you look back at your week and can't figure out how you didn't lose anything when you followed plan to T. It's because you followed it too well. But make sure, the extra calories you consume on your high calorie day come out of your extra 1750, that's part of the plan.<br /><br />I think I've give enough information for you to digest for one day. I don't want to overwhelm and fry your brain! I plan to try to post more tidbits and info daily, but I don't intend every post to be this long. Today's just happened to be so long so I could get a lot of the basics in! Hope that was enough food for thought for one day! Good luck to everyone trying to lose weight along with me!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1565648196431905215.post-73155154388024077772009-07-15T15:10:00.000-07:002009-07-15T16:24:10.218-07:00The Beginning - About This BlogAfter losing weight and "dieting" for the past 6 months, I've come across many surprising things that I feel I should pass on. I had a friend recommend I write a book, but I think blogging would be so much easier. My intentions with this blog is to show the readers that you can lose weight without "dieting" the traditional way. <br /><br />If you notice, one of the main things I've done so far is put the word dieting in quotes. I feel if you want to lose weight, no "diet" will do it. You have to want to change your lifestyle and your thinking. If you don't even consider doing this, you will fail. Plain and simple. Granted, I will use the word "diet" sometimes, for lack of a better term.<br /><br />Now for a little about myself. I'm a stay at home mom of 4. My kids keep me very busy all the time and that occasionally gets in the way of my exercise routine and blogging. I try to work with it. I also have another <a href="http://jillwith4.blogspot.com/">blog</a> about them if your curious. <br /><br />In the past, I have tried fad diets (notice this one isn't in quotes because I do mean diet). None of them worked in the long term. Sure I lost a few pounds here and there, but nothing stuck. Last year, after the birth of my son, I was ready to shed the pounds for good. I thought we were done having children, so I dug in and did my research. Weight Watchers seemed like a good plan to try. I lost 20 lbs in 11 weeks. Then I got the biggest surprise, I was pregnant again. All weight loss plans had to be put on hold. I recently restarted Weight Watchers in January and to date have lost 29 lbs. The thing is, I've never joined Weight Watcher. I've never been to a meeting. I've not even been on their site other than to find out about my local meetings, that I've never attended. I do follow a modified version of their Flex Points plan and through that have found out all the little secrets I'll share with you!<br /><br />I hope to show everyone that it's really easy to follow a "diet" plan and lose weight, all while you hardly have to change your current eating habits. I'll show you how to work a healthier and weight loss plan into your daily routine. The daily topics may vary, but I hope to provide valuable information with all of it!Jillwith4http://www.blogger.com/profile/04998247853561424953noreply@blogger.com1