Jean - March 18, 2010

A pretty good day today. Started with oatmeal with raisins, strawberries and banana. Lunch was tuna with hard boiled egg, celery and mayo and celery with peanutbutter. Dinner was a grilled chicken breast, broccoli and carrots, whole wheat noodles with browned butter and asparagus. After dinner I took a walk and when I got back I was craving something sweet. I probably should have had a diet coke, but I opted for an ice cream sandwich. Don't seem to have the drive that I had for the first 28 days. But tomorrow is a new day and the first day of the rest of my healthy life.

Jean - March 17, 2010

Wednesday, Happy St. Patrick's Day! I got to work at about 7:00 and forgot to even put on any green. Left work about 10:00 and flew to Chatanooga, TN. Drove over to Robbinsville, NC to spend a long weekend in the mountains. Breakfast was cereal with banana, strawberries and blueberries. I had a apple for a snack. For lunch I had pinto beans, a biscuit and dirty rice at Bojangles fried chicken. For dinner I made a pot of chili, with hamburger. 96% lean. Snacked on rice chips this afternoon. Not being as strict as I was during the initial 28 days. Think I need to write my menu at the beginning of the week. Have definately changed my habits from before the challenge, but need to be a little more disciplined. Today is the first day of the rest of my healthy life.

Jean March 16, 2010

Another week gone by and this one not as successful as previous, but back on track starting today. I realized that I quit telling myself that today is the first day of the rest of my healthy life. I haven't lost any weight in the last week either. Must be something to that. I plan to continue the blogging every day. It helps to be accountable. Today I had a smoothie and grapefruit for breakfast. Lunch was a vege plate with corn, asparagus and spinach.
Dinner was 3 bean chili and a piece of bread. Snacks were almonds and a cup of yogurt. So although today was good, the weekend was a challenge. I had been sick all week and Thursday and Friday it rained all day. (Enough excuses?) You're right, what it boils down to is that I did not plan ahead. Pizza for lunch on Friday, not one piece, but 5 throughout the day. Saturday and Sunday were okay. I had a hamburger on Sunday night, out of town company and the family was over, the first in 8 weeks. That in itself was not that bad, except that I had a piece of chocolate cake and then felt bloated and stuffed after eating. Last night the family was together again to pick teams for March Madness. I knew that my sister was serving pizza and wings and I should have been responsible and planned ahead. I did not and had two pieces of pizza. I am very proud of Mary, she showed up with her salad. Going out of town for a few days, so I don't have the kitchen stocked as I should. I am recommitted and today is the first day of the rest of my healthy life!

Jean - I don't know what day it is!!!

Well it has been over a week since I last posted anything. The week has been going very well, but I have been very busy. I have been bragging for a while that I have not been sick in over a year. Taking vitamin B and other supplements. Since last Friday, I have had the worse sore throat and congestion. Not sure if it is a cold or alergies. The pollen is very thick.... Really has me down. I do notice that everytime I go outside, my eyes start to water and the sneezing begins. Will be happy when I feel better again.

By the way, I just figured out that today is Day 38!

Will get on the scale probably on Friday. Feel that I am still losing. Have had red meat a twice, but other than that, pretty much staying with the beans and vegetables. Noticing that I don't need as much to get full. Lunches and some dinners are a salad or a bowl of soup. Getting our bikes tuned up this weekend and looking forward to the time change. Will be lighter later and I plan to start riding my bike in the evenings. Last year at this time, we were riding 10 - 12 miles a day and felt great. Overall I am very happy, haven't felt like giving in or pigging out. Keep reminding myself that today is the first day of the rest of my healthy life!

Days 37-38-Mary

Hello All, Good news! I went to Curves last night and had my weigh-in and measuring. I've lost 8 lbs. and 12 inches since starting a month ago. Yeah! I'm real excited. We went to Yen Yen's (Chinese) afterward to celebrate. Had a delicious meal. Sheila has lost 6 lbs. and a few inches, but she didn't have very many areas to lose in... which she doesn't understand... or like. I told her when every area of my body is fat, I should be losing inches everywhere. She has gotten a little tummy since her 3 surgeries this past year as a result of her sedentary lifestyle. So... where I feel I should lose about 70 lbs to feel decent, she only has to lose about 20. .... so when we measure our bicep and thigh, I had fat there and she didn't so there is nothing to lose. But we're both excited for the results. I think the 28 day challenge is still having an affect on my weight loss, 'cause my working out hasn't been real extensive. My elbow is feeling better. I'll probably start the arm machines again soon, in a gradual manner, to see if I can figure out which one is causing the pain. Back to Yen Yen's. Sheila had the lemon chicken.....mmmmmmmmmmmm! very delicious. I had the spicy beef...mmmmmmmm also very delicious. They both came with white rice... so I only had about a few teaspoons. I've been sticking to the fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch, fruit and nuts for snacks, and then a meal with portion control for dinner. Hopefully, this will do it and I'll continue on a good pace. If I find it's not working for me I might consider a few weeks w/ just the fruit and veggies again. Anyway, feeling good and that's good considering it is FCAT season, and I do all the prep work for it. Until next time, this is Mary, signing off.

Days 33-36 Mary

Well obviously, the weekend didn't go great... considering I haven't blogged since Thurs. night. We got our hair done on Friday. It's a big ordeal, where 5 gals get together at some one's house and her niece comes into to town and does our hair. We usually do it on Saturday but she had to go visit venues for her upcoming wedding...so we went on Friday... well it started out as a little happy hour and I was drinking by Crown and diet.... needless to say waiting for everyone to get done (color, highlights, cut, dry, etc.) it was a long night and I had lots of drinks... fortunately I didn't have to drive. .. but it did affect my Saturday. My eating was fine on Friday, even at happy hour, but on Saturday, I woke up famished and queasy... so I started with whole wheat toast. Then had a breakfast burrito from McDonald's. Then I had a bag of steamed veggies... not too bad... but then I had a frozen lasagna (Smart Choice). I then had a Planter's trail mix (threw out the M & Ms, and ate a few other things I couldn't remember. I also took 2 naps... so Saturday was pretty much a wash... On Sunday, I had wheat toast, a Smart Choice black bean and corn Quesadilla and for dinner we had a frozen pizza (we were working out in the yard all day and things got late so we had to eat fast. Today I was back on the good food wagon. I had fruit for breakfast and a salad for lunch. I had the trail mix w/o M & Ms for a snack and a baked chicken strip with whole grain rice and corn for dinner. Very little exercise except for working in the yard on Sunday. We had a fence put in today and it looks beautiful. It is a board on board cypress fence that they build slat by slat as they put it up. Very good, reasonable, professional company and a great sturdy product. The company is Mossy Oak Fence out of Sorrento. Hoping for a great week, with FCAT starting tomorrow. Until next time, this is Mary, signing off.

Day 32 - I think, Mary

Today was good. I finally had my cheese burger and it was great;)....first bite of red meat since Feb. 1. For breakfast I had fruit, lunch was asparagus, brussel sprouts, and a few bites of left-over chicken. Dinner was a burger from 5 Guys. I didn't realize it was a double burger... if we go back I be sure to get the kids burger, because it was very filling. Sheila got fries and I tried a few, but didn't find them too appealing. For snack I had some nuts and raisins. Went to Curves today, which went well. Still not using arm machines due to my elbow. It is getting better, but each day I lift boxes or stacks of FCAT books and it strains it some more... still trying to avoid the doc. but not sure if that is going to be attainable. Anyway, until next time, this is Mary, signing off.

28 Day Challenge Continued

The last few days have gone very well. Not having any problem staying the same as week 3. The past few days have been crazy. Tuesday I had a smoothie for breakfast and I can't remember what I had for lunch. I went out with my girl friends for Debbie's Birthday on Tuesday night and had fish, baked potato and a salad. No dessert was no problem! Yesterday I had oatmeal for breakfast with strawberries, blueberries and bananas. Just got an e-mail from Real Age saying that blueberries are better for you on oatmeal than in cold cereal. Can't remember lunch (and it is not because I ate something I shouldn't have - think it was salad both days). Dinner last night was at PF Changs. It was the first anniversary of my father-in-laws death, so we met Mildred (Dean's mom) and some friends from Canada for dinner. Shrimp, scallops and brown rice. This morning for breakfast I had fiber one cereal with red, white and blue. Lunch was a benefit luncheon for PACE for Girls. Asked for a vegetarian meal, but did not receive it until half way through the lunch. I had eaten chicken and rice soup and a small amount of potato salad. Then they brought the salad. For dinner tonight I am making 3 bean chili. Still feeling good, think I might have lost one more pound, and I am noticing that I am missing a good part of my muffin top! Excited about that! Today is the first day of the rest of my healthy life.

Mary - Day 30 & 31

Well, I had a busy day yesterday and thought I would get to the blog this morning but the day started like a whirlwind....Yesterday, I had fruit for breakfast, leftover rice and cauliflower w/ a few bites of chicken for lunch and a chicken burrito and Brussel sprouts for dinner. I went straight from work, to Curves, came home ate and changed clothes and ran to the School Related Employee of the Year celebration. Our nominee is a great person and the principal was sick. That meant I had to be there early, so I could get on stage and be available to escort her when the school and her name was called. It was great for her and her family, but a long day for me.

Today I had the fruit for breakfast, salad for lunch and chicken strips on the grill, asparagus and an orange. Busy, busy day and busy time of the year. FCAT is next week and I am charged with preparing about 900 test booklets for the testing. I trained the teachers yesterday, took 3 hours, met with all the kids today (3 more hours) and then handled many, many parental, student and staff issues.... I'll be glad when this moon is over.:) Until next time, this is Mary, signing off.

Day 29 - Mary

Today went pretty well. Just that sense of freedom was amazing. Everything was pretty much the same, except for dinner. Had fruit for lunch. Almonds and protein bar for snack. A salad and orange for lunch. For dinner we had 2 chicken breast strips on the grill, with cauliflower and whole grain rice. Had 1/2 apple and 1/2 an orange for dessert. I was initially disappointed about only losing 6 lbs. as I would have liked to have lost 8 lbs. (2 per week). Then I came to the realization that I didn't really diet the first week, just eliminated red meat... so, I fell a little better. Heading to Curves tomorrow after work because I have to go to the School-Related Employee of the Year celebration tomorrow evening. No burger yet, but hopefully this week. I would have liked to have gone last night but Sheila was working around the house later than we expected so I had steamed veggies. Hopefully, some time this week. Until next time, this is Mary signing off.

Jean - 28 Day Challenge Continued

First day with a bit of a feeling of freedom. Still stayed on the healthy path. My husband has been looking for meat, so we did have chicken for dinner. It was OK, but nothing great. Now, if it was Bojangles fried chicken, I may have been more impressed, but I won't be anxious for meat anytime soon. Had a bowl of Fiber One Cereal with bananas, strawberries and blueberries. Had almonds for a snack. Salad with cranberries and pecans for lunch. For dinner, I had a grilled chicken breast, grilled asparagus and a hard boiled egg. A cup of fresh fruit for dessert. Today is the first day of the rest of my healthy life.

Mary, did you get that burger yet?