I am happy to report that my sister is home from the hospital tonight!  She is feeling a tiny bit better so that is really good news.  Her very loving husband got her an iPhone today and we were able to have some FaceTime tonight before she went to bed.

Well, I am taking a deep breath and looking back on the last couple of weeks.  I think I handled things pretty well considering the circumstances.  Very well in fact.  Some people may think that food and weight loss and diet, etc, may not the most important thing in the world.  But over the last few days I have been reminded more than once of how absolutely vital it is that we take care of ourselves and our health!  Sometimes it feels selfish and trivial to be going to the gym, blogging about weight loss and diet, and thinking about my shrinking waistline.  There are people who will make you think that being careful about your eating means that you are obsessed.  But why shouldn’t we be absolutely picky, fussy and adamant that we will only put the absolute best fuel into our bodies?!  Why shouldn’t our health be the number one priority when we wake up every morning?

By eating healthy and exercising through stressful times I am teaching myself that I am strong and that I can handle things with grace and determination.  I do not fold under pressure, and I do not need junk food to help get me through the day.  Not anymore.

We all need to find what works for us.  Since the scientists can’t make up their minds about what’s good for us, it is up to us to find out what is.  I’ve finally figured out what works for me!

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful weekend!

In other news my weight was down another 1.4 lbs today!!! I don’t know how but I like it. Well actually I do know how. Healthy eating and exercise! What a novel idea.

Today’s weight: 142.8 lbs
Start weight Jan 1/12: 159.8 lbs
Total lost: 17 lbs!!!

Cameron was feeling much better today so I did get to the gym tonight for a 50 minute workout.  I did 20 minutes on the stairmaster, 20 minutes of running intervals on the treadmill, and then 10 minutes on the bike (while playing Words With Friends!) to finish off.  My workout felt so easy tonight.  I guess it’s not surprising that it is getting easier since I am carrying around 15 pounds less than before!

Well, I’m off to catch up with my favorite blogs!  Have a great evening and thanks for reading.

No exercise of course but ate food that would keep me strong and healthy to get through this bumpy patch.

I’m hoping tomorrow looks brighter!!!

One thing that derails many people when they are trying to lose weight is stress.  It has happened to me more times than I can count!  There have been many occasions in the past where I am going along wonderfully, eating healthy, working out and then, Bam!  something happens to make me fall off the wagon.  This past week was such a week!  But no falling off the wagon for this gal, no siree.

My younger sister (and best friend in the whole wide world!) is very ill and was in and out of the hospital three times in the past week!!!  After many tests (and even being sent home at one point with a somewhat rude diagnosis of “fatigue”), it has been discovered that she is suffering from pericarditis, which is an inflamation of the lining around the heart, usually caused by a viral infection.  She is going to have a long recovery over the next few months, but she is in good hands and being taken care of by our Mom.

I also had some work stress this week.  I am learning so many new things, plus doing this tax course, and sometimes it feels quite overwhelming.  I was also recovering from that cold, which wasn’t the worst cold ever, but it is still lingering.

Normally these types of stressors would have sent me straight to the depanneur for Cadbury Creme Eggs, but this time my healthy eating and exercise habits were like a well oiled machine running quietly and efficiently in the background, allowing me to get through the week without sacrificing my own health.  I ate splendidly all week, and even got to the gym three times, and it felt so good.  My weight was even down a bit more this weekend.  I’m getting so close to the 15 lbs lost mark.

Start weight:  159.8 lbs
Today’s weight:  145.2 lbs
Total lost:  14.6 lbs

I am finally learning how to handle stress the right way!

Thanks for reading and have a great Sunday!

I am happy to report that I am down a pound today!  I know the scale isn’t the only measure of progress, but it is definitely the most fun lol!

Start weight 1/1/12:  159.8 lbs
Today’s weight:  145.6 lbs
Total lost:  14.2 lbs

Woohoo!  My poor husband is going to freak out when I start buying new smaller clothes this spring.  I can’t wait!!!  New colorful tops, pants, skirts, dresses and  sandals here I come!

I fear that my posts are getting a bit boring since I am doing so well! LOL!  (The post title is just a bit sarcastic)  There is not much to talk about as I am just doing it right and enjoying it more and more every day.  Eating super healthy and exercising when I can.  My clothes keep getting looser – even the pants I bought less than two weeks ago are already loose on the waist.  I am running out of pants to wear to work.  Even though I didn’t lose much on the scale this week, obviously positive changes are still going on under the surface, and that’s what I remind myself of on a daily basis.  We can’t see all the healthy improvements on the cellular level, but I think my cells are getting very happy!

I do like to post every day though, as it keeps me accountable, and I really enjoy the feedback and encouragement from my dear readers! ♥

Have a great day!

Well, not this time!  I wasn’t even tempted on Saturday night by the chips and other treats.  We didn’t even get to eat our meal until around 8 p.m., but that is not a problem for me anymore.  Since I have been eating this way, it has not been as difficult to wait until later to eat.  I spent the entire night dancing and it was so much fun!

I was also successful at the baby shower on Sunday.  I only ate what fit into my eating plan and I only served myself one plate.  No seconds.  Or thirds, or fourths like in the past.  I was actually quite shocked when the desserts came out as there were at least eight different treats on offer.  There was more dessert than there was regular food!  I didn’t even go up to look at them.  One (quite overweight) woman walked by with her dessert plate piled high and said, “This is the part I look forward to the most!”  It saddened me to realize that that was how I felt not too long ago.  The only thing I used to look forward to at a party was the food.

One really great thing I noticed was that I didn’t even have to use willpower.  It was just so automatic.  I didn’t have that exhausted feeling like I had to resist something all day.  I did have a momentary feeling of, “I wish I could eat that”, but other than that, it was a breeze.  I am happy with how I feel and the way I look, and I know that this contentment comes from fueling my body with the proper foods, so the choice was easy.

No exercise again today as I am fighting a cold.  I stayed home from work and rested all day and I am feeling much better.  I actually can’t wait to go to the gym tomorrow and work up a good sweat!

Thanks for reading!

I think that most people do not know what it feels like to be full of energy until they are actually experiencing it.  I know this is true for me.  Day in and day out I would go along with a limited supply of energy, and the only things that could replenish it were naps and sugar.  Most days were spent just trying to get through until nap time, and most evenings were spent trying to make it to bedtime.  I was still a very busy person, but everything felt like such a chore.  I thought this was normal for a part-time working mom of three boys.  Now I know it isn’t.

I have been living my new healthy lifestyle for six weeks now and I feel AMAZING.  I have not had a slice of bread or a noodle of pasta or a dessert for six weeks and I have never felt better in my LIFE.  My energy level is steady and continuous throughout the day right up until bed time.  My asthma is better and I am no longer taking the Singulair.  (I am still taking a puff of my inhaler before a workout and often before bed, more as a precautionary measure).  I am NEVER bloated.  I used to be in a permanent state of bloat and would have to unbutton the top button of my pants after a meal (even at work LOL!).

I have lost 13 pounds and a whole pants size, and my husband says that I look perfect and he thinks I do not have to lose any more if I don’t want to (but I do want to).  I think he is so happy to see me finally feeling better.

Oh, and my sugar cravings have pretty much disappeared.  I have Dr. J to thank for that, I think.  He recommended that I take chromium picolinate to help with cravings and I don’t know if it’s only in my head, but it’s definitely working!!!

I know myself too well to let my guard down though.  Although I have never eaten this well for this long I still do not trust myself.  This weekend I have two parties to go to.  I feel utterly confident that I will be successful in avoiding the junk food traps, but you never know.  Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading!

Damiano woke up in the middle of the night last night with a sore throat and a fever and I feel like I might be coming down with something as well so I am going to go to bed early!  I haven’t been sick yet this winter *knock on wood* which is very unusual for me.  Last year I was sick almost every month!

Once again my eating was superb today, but I haven’t been able to get in any exercise yet this week.  I will definitely jump on the treadmill at my mil’s home gym tomorrow when we go for dinner!

A couple of weeks ago I had mentioned that I was going to stop recording everything in the Loseit app.  Well, I only stopped for two or three days and I missed it so I have been recording my food and exercise this whole time really!  I am getting very good at eating according to hunger and not according to what the app says.  But I do like to see the breakdown of fats and carbs and proteins at the end of the day.  I noticed that when my carbs were too low I was short on energy, so I added a serving of fruit later in the day and I felt amazing!  So in that way it’s been really helpful.

My clothes are really getting loose so I’m hoping to be down another pound any day now!

Have a nice evening and thanks for reading!