Hopped on the scale this morning...163lbs. Eh, not bad. I dropped down to 153lbs after much fasting and exercising, but I wanted to hang out around 160lbs. That's a nice weight where my stomach is flat, I don't have to starve myself, and my ribs aren't poking through. Since I have been off of the biggest loser campaign, I have been eating poorly (at first) and now eating normally (healthy most of the time w/a few indulgences). I've been back on my yoga 3x a week for the past 3 weeks, and I am planning to get back into the pool this weekend. I know, I know, I have totally been putting it off. However, this weekend there should be no excuses. I have my schedule all planned out to allow for an hour swim first thing Sat and Sun morning. Once I get my cardio back into the mix, then I think I'll drop back down to my happy weight of 160lbs. If I can stay disciplined and maintain my normal/healthy eating, then I think that I can stay at this weight long-term. Yay me!

Ok, so here are some options for my Friday night spa treatments. Let me know what you think. These are the all natural treatments found at SpaIndex.com. I'll be back soon with some store bought recommendations.

An Oatmeal Blueberry Mask for Oily Skin
"This easy mask, used once or twice monthly, will both deep clean and exfoliate your face. It's particularly beneficial for oily skin, as it drying and pulling effect.

1 cup oatmeal

1 cup blueberries

1 tablespoon honey

5-6 almonds, whole

Puree all ingredients in a blender until finely blended. Spread mixture over your face, and allow to set and dry (10-15 minutes). Rinse with warm water, and splash your skin with cool water or toner. This mask be may stored in your refrigerator for up to one week, covered tightly."

Papaya and Pumpkin Facial

" 2/3 cup fresh papaya, mashed
15 oz. can pure pumpkin
1 egg, beaten

1. Prepare the mask. Cut the papaya in half and scoop out the seeds. Scoop out the papaya fruit and mash it well to eliminate lumps in the mask. Beat the egg until it is frothy. Combine that with the papaya. Add the pumpkin to the egg/papaya mixture and whip together. You can also mix the ingredients in the blender or a food processor for an extra smooth mask.

2. Prepare your face. Wash with your daily cleanser and remove all residual makeup on your skin. Rinse with warm water. It's very important to have clean skin to ensure you get maximum benefits from the facial.

3. Apply the Mask. Cover your entire face, being careful to avoid the immediate eye area. If you have sensitive skin, test the mixture on your hand before spreading it on your face. You'll feel some tingling as the enzymes in the pumpkin go to work immediately -- gently exfoliating your top layer of skin. It works like a scrub without being abrasive to your skin. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes.

4. Rinse Off Mask. After you've relaxed for ten minutes it's time to rinse. The mask is fairly thick -- head for the kitchen sink.

5. Apply Toner & Moisturizer."

Avocado Hand and Foot Mask

"Mix together 1/4 to 1/2 mashed fresh avocado, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon rice bran, and 10 drops of oil of evening primrose. Gently massage this treatment onto your hands and feet, and leave in place for 20 minutes. Rinse. This natural treatment will revive your dry, wrinkled and rough hands, feet, elbows and knees. The avocado and egg nourish the skin with proteins and oils; the rice bran exfoliates dead skin cells; the oil of evening primrose contains precious gamma linolenic acids, essential for healthy hair, skin and nails. Consider purchasing a small jar of Oil of Evening Primrose capsules from your health food store. Open one, and voila...you have the ingredient for this recipe."

Strawberry Hand and Foot Exfoliant

"8-10 Strawberries

2 tablespoons Apricot Oil (you may substitute olive oil)
1 teaspoon of coarse salt, such as Kosher Salt, or Sea Salt

Mix together all ingredients into a paste, massage into hands and feet, rinse, and pat dry. "

What do you think? Any of these sound good, or am I a crazy person?

Ok, so my new routine is underway and not too bad.

I've been getting up at 6 on Mon and Wed to read the Bible and pray. I own the NIV Student Bible (found here), which has several different reading tracks (2 weeks, 6 weeks, and 3 years). I decided to start at the beginning and just work my way through the three year track. Since I am planning to make this an on-going practice, then I figured I'd go for the full she-bang. Genesis has been pretty good so far. Of course you know the story, but it is nice to read the intros at the beginning of the chapters, as well as the items to note/consider, which are throughout the chapter. The biggest challenge has been not falling asleep during my quiet prayer. I'm so tired at 6 am, that its tough.

I get up at 5:30 on Tues, Thurs and 6:00 on Fri to do yoga. This has been really nice. Of course, I am tired at 5:30, but I'm usually alright once I am up and moving around. Mostly I feel good about myself for the rest of the day. I think the body is looking right, so I am on track to rock out in my bikini in July.

**Sidenote** That's all well and good, but I wish I could find more time in my day. It is not easy to get up early every morning, but its the best way to ensure that I get my Me things done. I really don't see my schedule opening up anytime in the future, either. Le sigh.

Next update...my Friday night pamper session. I'm off to research my options!

Hi Guys,

Let me hit you with a new segment that I am incorporating into the blog. Recipe of the Week!!!! Well essentially I have been selecting a recipe each week and preparing it for Sunday dinner. I'll post the recipe here and let you know what I thought of it.

Last night I made Rachel Ray's 'Lazy Sister Ria's Chicken'

Essentially I did the following:

Take 1 and 1/2 pounds of chicken breasts and brush them w/balsamic vinegar (I somehow missed this vinegar step, but I don't think it hurt the recipe). Then brown them on each side in a deep skillet containing about a tablespoon of EVOO over med-high heat. Remove the chicken from the pan once each side has browned.

I then added another tablespoon of EVOO to the pan, and laid out a layer of thin sliced and peeled white potatoes (about 2 potatoes) as well as thin sliced white onions (about 1/2 of a large onion). Over this mixture I shook on some McCormick's Steak seasoning, but salt and pepper should work too. I let this mixture brown on both sides being sure to keep the layer thin.

Once the potatoes and onions were brown, I added a layer of thinly sliced zucchini (1 small zucchini). Then I added the chicken breasts back into the pan (on top of the potatoes, onions, and zucchini), as well as about 1/2 cup of chicken broth. I sprinkled on another layer of the steak seasoning, and covered the entire mixture in crushed tomatoes (1 28oz can). Lastly, I topped the sauce w/a sprinkling of chopped basil and oregano.

I covered the entire mixture and let it cook until the chicken and potatoes were thoroughly cooked (about 10 - 15 mins). I finished the dish by topping it with shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese. (The recipe called for the dish to be placed under the broiler for about a minute to brown the cheese, but I don't have a cast iron skillet. I just re-covered the dish until the steam melted the cheese. Next time I will just add the cheese once the chicken has been dished onto the plate.) I served the final dish w/buttered (I can't believe its not butter) whole wheat bread.

It was yummy! It was supposed to be a 30 min meal, but that doesn't include prep time. If you add in the prep, then it will be about 45 mins the 1st time around. It will probably get faster in the future, though. I squeezed about 5 servings out of the dish. I will definitely make this again in the future.

Taking time out for yourself...do you do it? I mean life is just soooo hectic that even when you are running your own errands, you still aren't really taking time just for YOU.

Here's what I mean...on Sunday I went to Church (now I do consider that to be 'Me' time), then I went to Blockbuster, Walgreens, Radio Shack, and Ikea. Of course, these were all of my errands, but only one was really meant to nurture, calm, and strengthen my Self. I find that this is how most of my days go. I work, run errands, complete tasks, etc, but at the end of the day there isn't much that I can say that I did to truly take care of Me. I know that some of you must feel the same way when you think about it (even if you're too tough to really admit it).

So I'm on a mission to really work on and care for Me. Ok, so I've said that, but what does it mean.

1.Well I've been doing yoga in the AM before I head to work. This is kind of a catch 22 b/c it does get my day off to a good start, but it also cuts into my sleep, which I consider to be Very Important Me time. However, I like it, so I think I'll keep it in the routine. What else...?

2. Well I talked about taking more advantage of my weekends. I think this is really a balance. Sometime laying on the couch and flipping through the channels is just what I need to recuperate. However, when I have the energy, then I definitely want to spend time walking, reading, and meditating at the lake front.

3. The thing that I am most looking forward to is the bi-weekly pamper sessions that I am going to begin. As some of you know, I rarely pay to get my nails professionally manicured/pedicured and I never get facial treatments. While my bank account is thanking me for this, my nails and face are punishing me. So I am on a mission to find a few 'at home' routines that will get the job done. According to this month's Shape Magazine you can perform many of the same treatments at home for up to a year for the same price as one treatment at a spa. Sounds good to me. Here are some tricks that you can try at home too.

4. Now what is going to benefit me most (and prob should be at the top of my list). Is increasing the amount of time that I spend praying and reading my Bible. Currently I pray about 3 times a day. However its usually on the run (when I get into the car in the morning and evening), or when I'm not 100% focused (before I fall asleep at night). Where I want to get to is an additional period of quiet Bible reading, reflection and prayer. I'm not going to say that it will be every night b/c my mind is a bit too scattered for that. However, I do want to incorporate it with a focus similar to my exercise habits (meaning not purely at my convenience). I need to come up with a schedule and commit to it. Maybe I will commit to my 5:30 wake ups and do yoga 3 mornings of the week and read the Bible and pray the other 2 mornings of the week. I'll give it a shot this week and let you know how it goes.

Anyway, are you taking time to honor and care for yourself? If not, then you should be. Think about the areas that you have been neglecting yourself. What do you want to focus on and try to incorporate? Try committing to these things for 3 weeks. If they don't work, then try something different. However, make a diligent effort to focusing on you, and I think that you'll find that you like the changes you see/feel.

Soooo...summer is approaching, and although cold weather is still lingering in the North, the sun shines regularly and its beginning to look like spring. I LOVE IT! I am such a fan of warm weather and beautiful sunlight (w/healthy doses of sunscreen, of course). This comes as no big surprise as sun has already been proven to improve one's mood. However, I think that I am even more of a sun child than the average person. Even when I'm sitting in over an hour of traffic at 7 pm, I just want to roll the window down, crank the music up, and rock out in the vehicle.

This year, I think that I am going to do more to get out and enjoy the weather. Throughout the winter I have been increasingly more of a homebody. An ideal weekend has consisted of running errands in the morning...home and on the couch by noon (sometimes 10 am, if I want to catch the FoodNetwork morning line up)...snoozing and watching tv for the remainder of the day. Its sad, but true (and honestly not that uncommon for many folks during the long winter months). However, this summer I think that I'm going to make a point to enjoy the beautiful weather...bike riding (yikes...if I can re-learn how), walking or just reading/relaxing along the lake, heading downtown for lunch or a movie. Of course, we don't want all of this to get too expensive. However I want to soak up the beautiful days ahead and really appreciate this beautiful city for what may be my last summer here.

Do you have any plans to enjoy the great weather ahead?

So I have been thinking lately (rare, I know)...Am I the best 'me' that I can be? Am I even the 'me' that I want to be? I don't know about you, but I have a pretty clear image of who I imagine myself to be in 5 - 10 yrs. However, that person just seems so different from the me of today. Not completely different, but different non-the-less.

I don't know if I am just emotional today or what, but as I headed off to work the following mantra was playing in my mind "You're a mess...an absolute disaster." Now this is definitely not the type of positive thinking that I encourage, and I had to pause, count my blessing, and pray that I keep those things at the forefront of my mind. However, I do still believe in honest reflection and self-improvement. Here are the things that had me down:

- My skin just WON'T stop breaking out no matter what I do.
- Sometimes I dress super fly and look great, but other times I feel as though I just look frumpy and far from high end.
- I am easily annoyed and often moody (though I'm getting better).
- My relationship w/family is not what I want it to be (partially due to their actions, but also partially due to the above bullet).
- I'm a huge procrastinator (w/things that are required like paying bills or tasks at work).
- My cat won't use the litter box.
- I'm not the house keeper nor the cook that I'd like to be.
- I know how to eat right, but I'm still compelled to pig out on non-sense if the right excuse presents itself.
- And others that I just don't feel inclined to put out on the net.


Overall, I see things that I can improve upon and others that are just normal human flaws. Sometimes I get depressed b/c I think on the things that I have been trying to change for years, but haven't been successful. I don't know if I'm just not trying hard enough, not trying the right things, or if they are just a part of my personality that I need to learn to accept.

Meh, I don't want to bring everyone down, but I just wanted to express that things aren't all sunshine and roses. Even on the heels of great success I still have doubts and worries. I am trying my best to focus on the here and now...being thankful for who and what I am today. However, a little part of me feels pulled to work towards being a better me tomorrow.

My name is ThummyB, and I'm a food addict.

No seriously...I am. If it's in the house then I MUST eat it. I cannot express how much food I have eaten over the last 2 weeks. It is really scary. Basically, I cannot have crap in the house, and if I'm going to be around crap, then I need back-up healthy food to eat instead. I snack ALL THE TIME, even when I'm not hungry.

I'll be on vacation next week, so that's pretty much a wrap. My plan is pretty much to clear out my kitchen and re-stock w/good stuff. I need good stuff to snack on at home as well as at work. I may not be able to stop the snacking, but I can at least make sure that it's the right stuff.

So...now that I'm done with all of this diet/weight loss stuff, I want to focus on living well. Certainly I want to be around and thriving for as long as possible, and I want the same for my friends and family. This is part of the reason why I have cut back on meat, dairy, pop, sugar substitutes, etc. I also try to make sure that I'm hitting up the doc regularly and doing the necessary maintenance in between visits. Here are some decent tips from Shape.com to consider for long term health. I can even take some of this advice for myself.

4 Health Decisions That Really Matter

By Rachel Grumman

You've probably already memorized the mantra for maintaining a fit and healthy body: Eat well-balanced meals and stick with a regular exercise regimen. But those aren't the only smart moves you can make to ensure a long, enjoyable life. To help guide you, we've focused on the four most important choices every woman needs to make wisely, plus four smaller decisions that also can have a big effect on your health.

Rest Here

3rd place!!!! Not the top spot, but I get my $100 back. Really it's like I got to lose over 20 lbs for the free :-D

My competitors were awesome coming is at 15% and 16% respectively. They were also larger men with starting weights of about 220lbs, so they had to lose a lot of weight to make those percentages. The top winner lost 37lbs. Oh snap! Our entire team lost 187lbs among the 11 of us. We rock!

Now I just need to maintain...I won't tell you how much food I've already eaten today. Let's just say, that I'm stuffed. Sooo...tomorrow its back on my grind.

I must tell you that I really really don't endorse 'diet' living. This was a hard 12 weeks, and if there wasn't money at stake, then I don't think that I could have done it. Truly a healthy diet w/limited splurges and a regular exercise schedule is absolutely the way to go.

153.6lbs!!!!!!! Damn, I'm good. Hungry, but good. I can't remember what my original weight was, but assuming that it was 178lbs, then that is a 14.8% loss. Whooo hoooo! We aren't releasing the final standings until everyone weighs in later today, so I'll let you know the placement then. However, everyone just take a moment and do a happy dance. Now I'm off to enjoy a delicious breakfast corissant :-D

Revisions! Revisions! Revisions!

Sooo...do to some useful and concerned feedback from my conscience, I have decided that the plan listed below may be a bit too extreme. Here are the problems:

1. 3 days is a long time to go w/o food esp. when you are planning to maintain the same level of physical activity.

2. Avoiding eating at work is going to be challenging.

3. A plan such as the one described below requires a slow re-introduction to food. Clearly I am not going to be reintroducing anything back into my system 'slowly'.

Here' is the new plan.

Friday:
- Eat normally while at work (I'll bring in yogurt and 100 cal packs just in case the breakfast and lunch offered are heavy. Usually there is salad or turkey sandwiches available for lunch).
- Prepare a dinner of steamed veggies.
- Special tea after dinner

Saturday:
- MC lemonade for breakfast and lunch
- Steamed veggie for dinner
- Special tea after breakfast & dinner
- Herbal tea (as needed)

Sunday:
- MC lemonade for breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Special tea mid-day
- Herbal tea (as needed)

More reasonable, yes?

Ok, I've got it!!!! Friday - Sunday...we're Master Cleansing!

Here is the plan (taken from mastercleansesecrets.com)

The Master Cleanse Recipe

"The Master Cleanse works just how it sounds; you consume primarily lemonade for the entire time you're on the diet. So the recipes for the diet itself are fairly simple. You should drink a minimum of 60 oz of lemonade a day, but can drink more if you like. You can also drink as much water as you want. I suggest you consume your body weight in ounces of water.

Below are two different recipes. The first is for a single serving of the master cleanse lemonade. The second will make 6 servings

#1 (single serving):

• 2 Tablespoons of organic lemon Juice (about 1/2 a Lemon)
• 2 Tablespoons of Organic grade B maple syrup (not the commercial maple flavored syrup you use on pancakes)
• 1/10 Teaspoon Cayenne pepper powder
• Ten ounces of filtered water

#2 (60 oz. daily serving):

• 60 ounces of filtered water
• 12 Tablespoons of organic grade B maple syrup
• 12 Tablespoons of organic lemon juice
• 1/2 Teaspoon cayenne pepper powder

There are a couple important things to remember when preparing the lemonade.

For one, the lemon juice used must be fresh squeezed. This cannot be emphasized enough. It is necessary to use fresh produce. Canned juice won't work and will erase most of the benefits of using the master cleanser diet.

Also, the maple syrup must be grade B maple syrup, not the sugar filled syrup that is used at the breakfast table.

The cayenne pepper might seem unnecessary, but it is actually very important. Not only does it help to add a bit of a kick, but the pepper helps to break up mucus and increases healthy blood flow. It also is a good source of B and C vitamins, commonly referred to as Super Vitamins due to their many benefits for the body.

Mixing teas with the recipe is one way to help modify things, just make sure It's decaffeinated tea because caffeine can restrict blood vessels and we want to keep your body passages as open as possible.

Adding a Natural Laxative To Help Flush Out Your System

Taking a laxative will speed up the detoxing process, and help your body eliminate waste.

I prefer ingestible laxatives like, sea salts, and herbal tea. These are ideal methods for cleaning the colonic tract without the harmful effects of colonics and enemas.

Drinking 1 teaspoon of unrefined non-iodized sea salt mixed with 25-35 ounces of water will flush out your system.

It's best to use either of these laxatives (or both of them) 2 times a day. I've found it best to take them in the morning and before I go to bed.

Also, I advise you give yourself at least an hour and a half before you go out when you do this. These laxatives will work fast, and you will discover why you should probably be at home near a bathroom when you use them."

Here are my primary concerns...I have a group training on Friday, which will out my master plan to the other competitors. I mean its going to be pretty obvious that I am not eating. Maybe I can dip away during lunch time...stating that I am going to meet a friend. I can return after lunch and say that I've already eaten. Also, I have to pack a large jug of this stuff to take to work. Booo hiss to that. I am thinking of filling two large water bottles (1 for the morning and one for the afternoon) and discretely pulling them out when no one is looking. Maybe that will work. I'll take some herbal (not laxative...I think we can save that for the weekend) tea bags to have some variety throughout the day.

Most importantly...ya'll pray for me :-( This is going to be the toughest challenge ever as I have NEVER (and probably never will again) gone w/o food for three days. Pure madness, I tell ya! I have a great book that I want to finish on Saturday, and Sunday I believe that I will clean my house...got to stay busy you know!

Last seven days! Whoooo Hooooo!

Lets see. I did a pretty decent job of working out last week. I got in 6 out of 7 workouts. Friday got dropped b/c I simply couldn't force myself to wake at 5:30 am for a 3rd day in a row, and I had after work plans. My evening exercise (a walk) was foiled by several inches of snow. However, I ate well and was really pleased with the week. I was somewhat at a plateau for most of last week...rounding out the week at 159.8lbs. However, yesterday morning I weighed in at 157.8lbs, which was nice to see. There is hope for 155lbs by Monday.

Here is the plan for this week.

Sunday - 1 hr swim
Monday - 1 hr yoga
Tuesday - 1 hr swim
Wednesday - 1 hr swim
Thursday - 1 hr yoga
Friday - 1 hr swim
Saturday - 1 hr swim & sauna
Sunday - 5K walk
Monday - 1 hr swim & sauna

I'm also going to try some sort of last minute fruit/liquid diet on Saturday and Sunday, but I haven't yet figured out what exactly to do. I am looking into this today.

Wish me luck!

To honor my peeps...

I'll keep the chain going w/this deal here:

1. I can’t believe I’ve never…...

gone away for spring break

2. Every time I think about … I still cringe

twisting my knee

3. I wish I’d …when I had the chance....

studied abroad

4. I’ve never felt so out of place as when I…...

tried to hang out w/the 'cool' girls in elementary and high school

5. … is/are my guiltiest pleasure.

Candy!!!!

6. I hope … knows how grateful I am for …...

mom...all of her love and support

7. In my darkest hours, I secretly blame … for my dysfunction.

myself and my up-bringing

8. … changed my life forever.

Meeting Mr. Right

Not diet related, but lifestyle related...and that's also what this blog is about.

So I weighed in this morning at 160.3 lbs. No lbs lost...well that isn't completely true. I weighed in last Friday at 162 lbs. However, since I was about 160 lbs two weeks ago, then there is no major change there. My goals are still the same as they were in the last post. If I can get down 5 more lbs in the next two weeks (tough, but do-able based on my earlier success), then I'll feel good no matter what the competition outcome is.

This is also my last day of exercise freedom. Beginning tomorrow, I will be exercising everyday until the end of the competition. Its only two weeks, which is why I feel like I'll be able to make it through...but with out a doubt it will be tiring. I'll be getting up early to hit the pool about 3 days out of the work week, which makes for wonderfully free nights, but somewhat sleepy afternoons.

The snacking hasn't really turned around yet, and I haven't disciplined myself to get back onto my food diary. Basically I've been dining out (or snacking) more, which are calories that are hard to count. Since those episodes throw off my daily totals, then I have sort of abandoned them all together. However, there is no time like the present to get back into it. I will be away from the goodies that exist at my client today, tomorrow, and Sunday, so that will give me three days to get back into the habit before I get back to work on Monday.

Let's see...what else can I tell you. I think that's all for now, but I will try to find some fun dieting/workout tips to post later on. I know that you're tired of hearing me whine ;-)

I have NOT BEEN GOOD. I haven't been tracking my food/calories, and I have been snacking at work. Honestly, I am just tired, and my resolve has slipped some. I'm struggling to get back on track and get my iron-clad will back into place. I am still working out 5 times a week, and I am pumped for my last two weeks of non-stop exercising. However, I really just want this competition to be OVER. I don't even know why I want it to be over. I mean I don't really want to fall right back into my same old snacking habits, for which I am really at risk. However I do want to be able to stop feeling guilty about eating like a normal person. For instance, we went out for a team lunch yesterday, and I had curry vegetables with brown rice. It was delicious! However, I was feeling guilty about not choosing a salad. That's the type of thing of which I am ready to be rid. Here's my final 2.5 week goal. I'd like to get to 155lbs. That's 5 lbs in 2.5 weeks. Do-able, but it will take some effort. That would be a total of 24lbs and 14.5% of my body weight lost in 12 weeks. Now if I can't win with that, then screw it! I would have given it my best shot, and feel very pleased with myself. I'm going to get focused on skipping the snacks, cutting down on water intake (for the last weekend of the competition), sticking to my workouts, and even hit the steam room (last weekend of the competition). That's all that I can give it...beyond that I'm DONE!

I hit up the gym for an early morning swim today, and it was actually quite enjoyable and relaxing. The water was warm, and the pool was quiet and un-crowded. I also made an interesting discovery. The gym is full of black women first thing in the morning. I normally only see a handful of other African Americans at any given time. The demographic is typically majority white and Asian. However, I've noticed that the early morning crowd is about 80% black (well, at least in the women's locker room). I don't know what to attribute the difference to, but its actually pretty nice. These ladies are far more personable, and have sort of a community feeling about themselves. There is gentle chatting while folks are getting ready for work and a chorus of "Have a good day" when you head out. Me likey!

162.2lbs...so says the work scale. I am really pleased with this number. This is a 4 lb loss since my last official weigh in as well as since my return from vacation. It accounts to a loss of 9.1% of my body fat. This is still not quite enough to win the competition. I am behind two co-workers who are coming in a 10.3% and 9.5%.

However, I am not really concerned. I am going to stick with my routine (3 - 1 hr swims and 2 - 50 min yoga sessions per week) for the next 2 weeks. Then I think that I am going to step my game up for the last two weeks of the competition. My plan is to increase my swim schedule to 5 - 1 hr sessions/week. Basically I will swim Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, and Sun mornings w/my yoga practice on Tues and Thurs. This will be the MOST exercise that I will have ever done in my entire life...however, I only have to last for 2 weeks, which I believe that I can do.

I plan to keep my diet consistent b/c I really think that I will need the energy to keep up my exercise pace. I may switch up my water intake, but I am not sure how. I kinda want to drop some of my water weight for the final weigh in. It might give me the extra edge that I need. I'm not sure if this means decreasing my salt intake so that I do not retain as much water or simply decreasing my water intake. I don't know. I wonder what the folks on the real Biggest Loser show...I heard that's how they get down so low for their final weigh ins.

Anyway, I did another early morning swim today, so I am soooo looking forward to being able to come home and chill tonight. I'm honestly pretty undaunted by all of the morning swims ahead of my simply b/c I'll have my entire evening to myself when I get home. I love it! I'm also going grocery shopping again this weekend. I've missed my fresh fruit and salad, so I can't wait to be able to bring fresh (not pre-packaged goods) to work with me again. Even though I tend to loathe the act of grocery shopping, I sure love the end results!!!

So, as we enter the last month of the competition (this weekend will mark our last 4 weeks), I am beginning to think about a maintenance routine. I want to be able to hold my weight steady w/o killing myself. I have found that I actually enjoy my 5 workout/week. Its not a grueling as one would think, and I can see real improvements in my yoga practice.

I think that I am going to keep swimming on Saturday and Sunday for 1 hr at a time. I enjoy the cardio, and I can do it w/o feeling completely winded and ready to stop the madness. Then I'll swap out my 3rd swim for an add'l yoga session...bringing my yoga practice to 3/week. I'm not sure what days I'll do these on (prob Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, so that I can watch Top Model on Wednesday), but also long as I plan for and commit to getting the 3/week, then I should be all good.

Anyway, I'm really very excited right now. I love the way that my body looks. I feel, tall, lean and strong. Last night when I was practicing my yoga, I felt more flexible and light (on my hands and feet) than ever before. This morning I hopped on the scale pre-maturely and it said 160.3 lbs! That's probably about 162 lbs on the work scale, so I am really pleased with that number. We have our next official weigh in tomorrow, so I'll report back on what the rankings are at that time. I am still banking on winning and collecting MY $750. However, no matter what happens I feel on top of the world right now. I look and feel the best that I have in my entire life. It's like I am transitioning into a whole new phase, and I am feeling so eager and optimistic about what the future holds. YAY me!!!!!!!!

Pics...you would think that I would have made a point to get a bikini pic of myself...but I forgot. So here's a cropped pic of me sitting, enjoying a beer. I think that you can sort of see the weight loss. Next is a similar pic from last year for comparison.

Brief update. I'm kinda bummed today. I went to Jamaica last weekend and had myself a good time. My eating could have been worse, but it wasn't good. When I left I was around 162.5 lbs, and when I came back I was 164.8 lbs :-( I've been back on the grind this week...even getting in a early morning swim b4 work. However, at the end of the week I weighed in at an even 164lbs. On the one hand I'm really proud of my discipline b/c I haven't missed one workout even w/my scheduling changes these past few weeks. However, I hate that I slipped on my game and lost ground. I'm not longer in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place in the competition. Everyone else had surges over the last 2 weeks (losing 2-6 lbs), so I was overtaken. *sigh* I know that there are still 6 more weeks to go, and I have proven myself to have the long term consistency to make it to the end. I'm going to stay focused and end this competition on a high note. I'm just temporarily mad at myself and actually surprised at how quickly I put the weight back on. I believed that I would have an easier time maintaining my weight b/c I'm losing it 'safely/healthily'. I guess not.

**sidenote** I'm not that disappointed. I had some jerk chicken, fried fish/lobster, banana bread an porridge, and something called festival that was AWESOME! No regrets on that...just prob coulda did w/o the cappuccino cake, steak, or many cocktails, which were only average.

Ok - this morning I weighed in at 162.8. That's really no change from last week, so I'm not super pleased about that. All in all, I'm still really happy with where I'm at, but I wanted to be down a pound rolling into this travel weekend. I'm swimming tonight, so all that I can really do is be reasonable about what I eat this weekend, and then get back on it next week.

Sooo, I did not swim yesterday (as planned). My evening ran long, and I would not have gotten home to shower and eat dinner before 9:30 pm, if I had headed straight to the gym. Instead I came straight home and did my Shape 30 min workout video. The calories burned were about 200 less than normal. However, I also ended up eating about 200 calories less than normal, so it all balanced out. Surprisingly the workout was pretty exhausting. I thought that I would have been able to handle a quick 30 mins w/no trouble...esp. since I can see clear muscle definition in my arms and legs. However, those weights were no joke. I was so happy when I finished the workout. I'm not sore today, though, which is awesome. Maybe I am more fit after all. Tonight I have yoga scheduled, and tomorrow I'm going to get in a quick swim. That should put me in a good place going into the weekend. Also, I'll post my weight tomorrow as an FYI.

Let's talk about food.

We'll I guess that we always talk about food, but this time we're talking about cooking. I've realized that it is NOT my fault that I cannot cook. I simply don't have the proper tools to cook. As I watch my normal Saturday morning Food Network line up, I see a bunch of essential tools that I don't have. Mixer, Food Processor, Sifter, Baking Pans, Measuring Cups, Pairing Knife, Grater, Wooden Stirring Tool Thingys, Etc. You see, I am far far from the chef that I should be b/c I simply cannot reproduce the masterpieces that I see on tv or read about online. *thinking to myself* "Yeah...that's it...I just don't have the right tools." Anyway, I haven't ever taken the time to invest in these things b/c they seem like the kind of items that you get when you get married. Total registry fillers. But...er...umm...yeah, I don't have any yet. However, inspite of my handicap, I managed to whip up an awesome breakfast today.

Can you say egg white omelet w/spinach, turkey and veggies? I sauteed diced onions, green peppers, and turkey in a skillet while I cooked frozn spinach in a pot. Once the veggies were cooked, then I separated out my egg whites and poured them into the skillet. I let them solidify a bit before adding most of my ingredients...the veggie/turkey mix, spinach, and low-fat shredded cheese. I finished cooking the egg, and actually managed to slide the omelet onto my plate and fold it over. (ok, it did burst open a little, but not too bad) Then I topped the omelet w/the remainder of my veggie/turkey mix and more cheese. It was delicious, and I calculated it out at about 350 calories & 2 grams of fat. YAY!

Ok, so I'm a total Food Netowrk junkie. I love their cake/baking challenges, Ace of Cakes, Good Eats...and then there is my dream team. Let me introduce you to my Food Network Favorites.

We'll start it off healthy with Ellie Krieger.

Ellie totally kicks butt w/awesomely tasty yet healthy meals. Here's an example of what she can do.

Chocolate and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast (From FoodNetwork.com)

3 eggs 1 1/4 cups nonfat milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese 8 slices of whole-wheat sandwich bread, crusts removed 1 (8-ounce) container strawberries, hulled and sliced 4 teaspoons bittersweet chocolate chips Cooking spray 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and vanilla. Set aside.
Place 1 tablespoon of ricotta in the center of 4 of the pieces of bread and spread around slightly. Top with about 6 slices of strawberries and a teaspoon of chocolate chips. Cover each with another piece of bread to make a "sandwich".

Spray a large nonstick skillet or griddle with cooking spray and preheat. Carefully dip each of the "sandwiches" into the egg mixture until completely moistened. Then place on the skillet and cook over a medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until the outside is golden brown and the center is warm and chocolate is melted.

Transfer to serving places. Top with remaining strawberries and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Per Serving:
Calories 270; Total Fat 8 g; (Sat Fat 3 g, Mono Fat 2 g, Poly Fat 0 g) ; Protein 15 g; Carb 38 g; Fiber 5 g; Cholesterol 170 mg; Sodium 390 mg

Ok, next we've got a bit of international flare w/Giada De Laurentiss

Giada specializes in bringing traditional Italian cooking to the US w/a bit of a twist. See below.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti w/Swiss Chard and Pecorino Cheese (From FoodNetwork.com)

1 tablespoon olive oil 2 onions, thinly sliced 2 bunches Swiss chard, trimmed and chopped (about 14 cups) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juices 1/4 cup dry white wine 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes Salt and pepper 8 ounces whole-wheat spaghetti 1/4 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino cheese 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Heat the oil in a heavy large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the chard and saute until it wilts, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, wine, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer until the tomatoes begin to break down and the chard is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season the chard mixture, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring frequently, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the spaghetti. Add the spaghetti to the chard mixture and toss to combine.

Transfer the pasta to serving bowls. Sprinkle the olives, cheese, and pine nuts and serve.

Ok, on a sometimes healthy, sometimes not kick we've got Ina Garten.

She's got an awesome, laidback personality. Her food seems pretty easy to duplicate, and it always looks delicious. Check her out.

Roasted Shrimp and Orozo (From FoodNetwork.com)

Kosher salt Good olive oil 3/4 pound orzo pasta (rice-shaped pasta) 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons) Freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds (16 to 18 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined 1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts 1 cup chopped fresh dill 1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and medium-diced 1/2 cup small-diced red onion 3/4 pound good feta cheese, large diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Fill a large pot with water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and a splash of oil, and bring the water to a boil. Add the orzo and simmer for 9 to 11 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's cooked al dente. Drain and pour into a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Pour over the hot pasta and stir well.
Meanwhile, place the shrimp on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked through. Don't overcook!

Add the shrimp to the orzo and then add the scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Add the feta and stir carefully. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend, or refrigerate overnight. If refrigerated, taste again for seasonings and bring back to room temperature before serving.

Lastly the Food Network has finally added a bit of color to their lineup w/the Neely's.

This is a super awesome couple that make all of your Southern Favorites. Not really healthy, but sometimes you've just GOT to indulge.

Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread (From FoodNetwork.com)

2 (8.5-ounce) boxes corn muffin mix 1/2 cup whole milk 2 cloves minced garlic 1 (8-ounce) container cottage cheese 4 large eggs 1 tablespoon salt 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Cheddar
1 stick unsalted butter or margarine 1 medium onion, chopped 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed but not drained

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Mix together all ingredients except 2 tablespoons Cheddar to create a batter in a bowl.
In a cast iron skillet melt butter. Saute onions and broccoli until soft. Pour batter over the vegetable mixture and sprinkle top evenly with remaining cheese.

Bake in oven until golden, 30 minutes.

If you're looking for some awesome recepies to try on your own, then check out my dream team either on FoodNetwork.com, or on Saturdays from 10-12:30 (CST).

Bon Appetit!

FYI - today was an 'over-calorie' day. I can't tell by how much b/c I can't come up with accurate nutrition info, but I indulged. My client had a mixer for Black History Month, and I had the following:

- 1/2 a slice of sweet potato pie
- 4 cubes of cheese w/crackers
- 2 slices of pineapple
- 2 slices of cantaloupe

Now here's what I passed on...ribs, meatballs, buffalo wings, mini pizza, mini quiche, mini cheesecake, mini tarte, and several other confections that I cannot recall.

I'll do a full hour in the pool tonight (maybe an extra yoga workout tomorrow), and be on the look out to avoid food lures in the future. However, I don't feel horrible in the big scheme. I went for moderation, and I didn't over do it, so ... I'm ok.

I thought that I was overcoming my ongoing fatigue, but this week has proved me wrong. Now, it could definitely be a factor of the on-going snow and rain that we've been having in the Mid-west. I'm not sure, but Monday and Wednesday I STRUGGLED through yoga (looking at the clock every 5 mins), and Tuesday I came straight home, showered and was in bed by 8. I'm booked for a late evening swim tonight, so hopefully I won't be completely exhausted by the end of the day. This wouldn't be a major problem if it weren't for the fact that I endeavor to workout every night (beginning on Saturday) w/no breaks. Since I am out of town next Saturday, and most likely will not be able to work out, then I intend to work out on Tuesday (my normal off day) instead. Sooooo...I've got six solid days of working out ahead of me. However, I am soooo looking forward to the tiny break that I'll get next weekend. Three days of no working out and no dieting (still healthy eating, but not dieting). Awesomeness! Oh yeah, and I get to catch up with my conscience. That's never a bad thing ;-)

Ok, I don't know if you all know, but I've always been a member of the IBTC (some of you all know what that means). However, when I have a bit of weight on me, then the girls tend to get a bit fuller. Since I am slimming down, then they are as well. I do like my ladies (both big and small), but I decided to investigate some exercises to keep them firm and high.

From www.ivillage.com:

"...let me give you a quick anatomy lesson. Your breasts are actually made up of fatty or adipose tissue, so their size depends upon how much fat you tend to store there, which calls in factors like your genetics, your weight, your health and your age. The muscles that reside directly underneath your breast are called the pectorals. They are partly responsible for the "perkiness" of your breasts.

So to answer your question: No, you can't do anything about the size of your breasts (short of gaining weight or getting surgery.) However, you can make them appear bigger, firmer and more shapely by working your pectoral muscles, a.k.a your chest muscles.

But the good news is that you can tuck that twenty dollar bill back inside your bra -- there is no magical product, cream or device that will help you put your best breasts forward. I'm going to recommend three exercises for you to do at home that won't cost you a dime and will put more boom in your boom-chicka-boom in 6-8 weeks. Simply do 1-3, 8-15 rep sets of each move, 2-3 times a week and I guarantee you'll see results! Have fun.

1. The Modified Push Up

1. Lie on your stomach, bend your knees, and cross your ankles. Bend your elbows and place your palms on the floor a bit to the side and in front of your shoulders. Straighten your arms and lift your body so you're balanced on your palms and knees. Tuck your chin a few inches toward your chest so your forehead faces the floor. Tighten your abdominals.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your entire body at once. Rather than trying to touch your chest to the floor, lower only until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push back up. Don't lock your elbows at the top of the movement and don't do the dreaded "head bob." That's when you dip your head toward the floor without moving any other part of your body.

2. Soup Can Press

1. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and a soup can or dumbbell in each hand. Push the soup cans up so your arms are directly over your shoulders and your palms face away from you. Pull your abdominals in but don't jam your back into the floor; don't let it arch way up, either. Tilt your chin toward your chest.
2. Lower the soup cans down and a little to the side until your elbows lightly touch the floor. Push the weights back up, taking care not to lock your elbows or allow your shoulder blades to rise off the floor. (Note: Use soup cans of equal weight. When those get too light, you can fill two Pinesol bottles with dried beans or pebbles.)

3. Incline Fly

1. Lie on the floor with your head, neck and upper back propped up against several large pillows. Hold a soup can or dumbbell in each hand and press the weights directly above your chest, palms facing each other. Tuck your chin to your chest to align your neck with the rest of your spine, and maintain your natural back posture, neither arched nor flattened.
2. Spreading your arms apart so that your elbows travel down and to the sides, lower the weights until your elbows lightly touch the floor. Maintaining a constant bend in your elbows, lift the weights back up, imagining that you have a barrel lying on your chest and you have to keep your arms wide to reach around it."

We'll see how well this lady's advice works. Lastly - I should have new pics to post soon. I'll be at my Biggest Loser half-way point next weekend, and since I plan to spend some time in a bikini, then I will try to do some more comparison pics.

Ciao!

Re. cooking w/ground turkey...I need to get a thermometer. I cooked my turkey meatloaf for an hour on 350. Now, not only did the recipe say to cook it for an hour, but several turkey meatloaf recipes online said the same thing. Buuuuutttt...it was looking kinda pink and mushy. I don't know...parts over cooked and solidified and turned white. However, other parts stayed very pink and soft. I don't know. The online recipes say to cook the meatloaf until the water runs clear...now the liquid in the pan looked clear, but it was hard to tell. However, the main tip that I wish I could have used was to cook until the internal temperature reached 160 degrees. I will definitely be picking up a thermometer the next time that I am in a home store...if I make it through the night...Lord please don't let me make a liar out of myself by proving wrong my mantra, "I can cook well enough to keep a human being alive."

Let's talk about fun stuff.

Look what I found:


It's called CalorieSmart from www.coheso.com. From the website "CalorieSmart is a Handheld Electronic Calorie Counter and Food Diary.
Now you can carry nutritional information of over 35,000 food items in your pocket with CalorieSmart, our portable calorie counter. With this knowledge you can take charge of your food choices and put yourself a step closer to your weight loss goals. Whether it is counting calories, counting carbs or just plain looking up nutritional information, CalorieSmart is an invaluable tool and the best diet and weight loss aid available." I sooooo want it. Unfortunately it is about $80. For that kind of $$ I'll keep using Fitday.com, which pretty much does the same thing. Plus, Fitday allows me put in my activities and generate reports to show my progress. I don't think that this thing does that. I just liked that it will give you info about food while you're out and about, allowing you to make good food choices on the run. Oh well.

I did a bit of grocery shopping today, and I am super excited...as always. I started out at Whole Foods...expensive, of course. However, I was pleased with my purchases there. I got fresh shrimp, fish, chicken, ground turkey and eggs. All of these items are organic, raised on farms that treat and slaughter the animals humanely, and not fed by-products of their same species. I also got some fresh fruit, which I'm still debating. I'm going to wait until I've eaten all of the fruit. If it is much sweeter/fresher than the fruit at the regular jewel, then I'll stick with it. Otherwise, I'll just get all of my produce at jewel. After I left WF, then I went to Jewel , where I got all of my dry and frozen foods. I decided to give some South Beach Living dishes a try as well as Healthy Choice steamer bowls and paninis. I've gotten mixed reviews about these, but...they were on sale. You know how I feel about stuff on sale, so I'll give them a try.

I also got Soy milk. I was really really nervous about this change. I've never really been a big fan of cow's milk...I'm lactose intolerant, and I don't really understand why humans don't ween off of milk like every other animal. However, I loved (and still do love) ice cream, yogurt, cheese, and cereal. After reading an article about dairy farming, I decided that I can at least cut milk that I use in food prep and cereal out. So I picked up Silk Soy Milk in plain and vanilla. This afternoon I poured myself a big bowl of cereal and filled it up with the plain milk. Annnnd, I LOVED it! It tastes just like regular milk. I was so pleased, and I'm going to keep it in my diet. I'll let you know what I think of the vanilla when I break that open. They also have chocolate and 'very vanilla' flavors as well as versions that are vitamin and calcium enriched. I might give those a spin one of these days as well.

Speaking of dairy and ice cream, I decided to get my ice cream sandwiches again. Klondike has individually wrapped ice cream sandwiches that are 100 calories a piece. They only come in chocolate or vanilla, but they are pretty good. Now what I really crave are Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, which are 140 - 150 calories a piece. More calories, but they are larger and come in awesome flavors like chocolate, vanilla, mint, cookies and cream, and others. Plus, they make low cal ice cream bars and pops as well. Since I'm in the BL competition, then I went with the Klondike bars, but I plan to eventually make Skinny Cow a staple in my diet.

Lastly, I am cooking tonight. I've actually been doing a bit of cooking lately, but I just haven't blogged about it. I try to cook each Sunday and make enough to last me for a couple of days during the week. This week I'm going to use my mom's meatloaf recepie (which I love) to make Turkey Meatloaf. Normally she makes it with ground beef, but I am going to substitute ground turkey to keep it healthy. I am really looking forward to it (hence my cooking on Saturday instead of Sunday). I hope that it turns out tasty!

Apparently today was the official 1 week update. I had no idea, but I was prepared for a weigh in anyway. I weighed myself at home before I got dressed, and my scale said 164.5. Then I weighed in at work and came in at 166. So my official 1st month weigh in is 166lbs (a 12 lb loss and 7% drop). I have to keep in mind that there seems to be a 1.5 pound difference btwn the two scales (plus clothes). I'm happy with it. I look great, and I've been maintaining a healthy lifestyle so I'm pleased with my progress. I think I'm still 'unofficially' in the lead, but its all relative...ppl are weighing in on different scales, and some not at all.

Anywho...In a bit it'll be time to start thinking about new clothes...yay, my fav part of losing weight. My slacks are starting to get baggy again, so I'll need to update the wardrobe. I'm definitely going to wait until this competition is over and I know what my final size is going to be. Hopefully that'll be my permanent size, and I can stay in all my fab clothes.

I'm also excited about bikini season. Of course, I've been seeing myself in a swimsuit a lot over the past month, and I am really pleased with the look. I actually feel really comfortable with my hips and stomach...even after I eat. Last night I looked at myself b4 I went to bed...my heaviest moment of the day...and I thought everything was looking awesome. I had curves, but good curves. I felt that my tiny belly poof and hips/thighs were slamming and sexy...and not in a classical art/nude painting type of way (you know the paintings that i'm talking about...plump, but not quite fat, white chick on a chaise lounge). Its a good place to be, and I can't wait to show it off.

On Monday I weighed in at 165.5. I'm not sure what the scale will say tomorrow morning. I am hoping for a solid 165, but I'm not really confident. I overate yesterday. I'm not sure how far over my calories I was, but I'm pretty sure it was over. The day went as follows:

Breakfast (7 am)
- yogurt
- breakfast bar

Lunch (10 am - the plan was to not eat again until 4)
- Banana
- 2 slices of wheat toast
- yogurt

Snack (1pm - my plan failed)
- 1 cup of fat-free frozen yogurt
- small latte w/skim milk

Pre-Happy Hour Snack (5pm)
- Banana

Happy Hour Snacks (7 pm)
- 1 cup of raw broccoli/carrots/cauliflower
- dip (2 tablespoons)
- 2 tortilla chips

Dinner (9 pm)
- Grilled Tilapia
- Spinach & Asparagus
- Herb rice
- Roll

I think that I might feel good about my day if it were not for the pre-happy hour and happy hour bit. My major downfall is that the majority of my meals (primarily lunch) were pretty much snacks. Anytime that I don't have a real meal to eat, then I end up filling hungry again really quickly. Ugh - if I wasn't on this diet, then I wouldn't really be concerned, but since I'm 'counting calories' then yesterday wasn't a win.

I plan to swim for a full hour tomorrow and Saturday and add in an extra day of yoga (on Friday) to off-set the difference. Man I can't wait for 3/31.

I read an article yesterday called 'Your Happy Weight'. Essentially its a healthy weight that is easy for you to maintain with normal diet and exercise. I feel like I'm at my happy weight right now...about 165lbs. I love the way that I look...I'm enjoying my 5 workouts per week (and I think that I could even maintain my weight on 4/week), and I'd like to eat 'normally' (healthy, w/no more than 2 splurges per month and about 1600 calories/day). The article had me calculate my 'happy weight', which was about 155lbs. That would be an add'l 10lb loss, but I don't know if I really could comfortably maintain that. Plus I don't know if I'd like the way that I'd look...I'm not trying to give up ALL the junk in the trunk. Anyway, I'm going to forge ahead w/the competition, but after it is over, then I'm going to settle into a routine that works for me (working out 4-5 times/week, eating about 1600 cal/day, splurging every now and again once or twice/month). Wherever that takes me to weight wise is going to be my happy weight, and I'm just going to be satisfied to stay there and maintain.

Honestly, I see why nutritionists encourage you to avoid short term (extreme) diets and allow yourself indulgences from time to time. Diets like the one that I am on make you A. want to pig out and binge (I stood for 5 mins yesterday staring at a case of baked goods thinking "If I wasn't on this stupid diet, then I would buy that brownie, and that pumpkin muffin, and the cinnamon roll, and the sticky bun, and I would eat it ALL!"), and B. focus more on the scale and the calorie count than your overall appearance.

Before I was 'dieting' I never wanted to eat EVERYTHING in sight. I saw things here and there that I wanted, and for the most part I could ignore or brush off all of those cravings. Sure I wanted a bacon cheese burger, but I could easily convince myself to eat a turkey burger or chicken sandwich. I might allow myself something more 'risque' on a occasion (like a bar-b-que chicken sandwich), but that was about it. Right now, if this diet ended today, I feel like I would eat 1 of every food that I love, but normally don't eat even when I'm not dieting. I'm like a binge waiting to happen...can you imagine what I would be like if I was trying to do this long term? I would never make it.

Also, I LOVE the way that I look right now. I am so pleased with my body, but b/c I am so focused on wining, then I am actually disappointed when the scale says 166 instead of 165 or when I eat ALL of a healthy meal (like the grilled fish and veggies that I had yesterday). Its a shame. I see how ppl get eating disorders and what not...you focus on the wrong thing for too long, and you'll never be satisfied. Enough is never enough.

Anywhoo...that was a rant, but its some of what has been on my mind these last few days. I'm just going to try to stay strong and persevere. I DO plan to allow myself a good day of eating on the 31st. My plan is to eat what I want on the 31st and then go back to normal healthy eating and living on 4/1. I'm using my desire to stay super sexy for my vacation on 4/13 as my incentive to not let my '1 Day of treats' spill over into 'unlimited days of treats'. After that I'm just going to focus on the lifestyle that works for me and the HAPPY WEIGHT!

Ok...more updates. I weighed myself this morning and came in at 166.5lbs, so I reported a weight of 167lbs again this week. How do I feel about that?...ummm, I don't know. I mean, I didn't really want to continue losing 2 lbs a week b/c at that rate, I would shrink away to nothing. However, I did want to lose about a pound a week to drop about 10 more lbs total over the remainder of the competition. I'm not sure if I put on muscle or if I have been eating the same low-cal/low-fat diet, but higher in carbs. When I weighed myself on Monday I was 165.5, so I expected to be a solid 165 by Friday for another 2lb drop this week. However, 'twas not the case. I'm going to give it another week to see if this remains the same, and I'll let you know what's the result.

Update - I weighed myself at home and came in at 170.5lbs. YAY! Ok, you may not think that's a yay, but I do b/c it means that the readings that I've been getting on my home scale are pretty accurate. I'm not sure if I'm heavier b/c I've packed on muscle, or simply b/c I'm weighing in sooo late in the day. However, I will weigh myself 1st thing tomorrow morning to see if there is a difference. Also next, Thursday I will weigh in at home b4 I go to work as well as at work before I eat or drink. That'll further help me to determine if there is any difference in the scales and then to later account for it.

I'm not happy today guys. I don't know what the problem is, either. I'm just feeling really hungry and tired and stressed and not happy. I'm trying not to think about how many more weeks of this torture I have left...but its really hard to take it one day at a time. Its much harder than normal weight loss b/c there are NO splurges allowed. I'm afraid that if I do splurge, then I'll lose my lead...PLUS I already see a potential splurge/slip up coming in the future. Sigh - I can't describe it. I'm just tired of being hungry and tired all the time.

Also I weighed in at the office today (mind you later in the day, so after I had been eating and drinking), and I came in at 171 lbs. WTF! To see that on top of everything...I wanted to cry. I am going to go home and weigh myself on my home scale to see if there is a difference btwn my home scale and the scale at work. *sigh* I guess I'll plan to start weighing in at work on a weekly basis just to get a baseline for where I really am in the big scheme of things. However, it just makes me so frustrated. I have been sooooo committed, and now I actually want to win (before I didn't care, and now I do). Ugh! The last time that I weighed myself mid-day (on my home scale) I was about 3 lbs heavier than I was the following morning, so applying that same logic here...my 'work weight' could really be 168lbs, which would be a 10 lb lost in 3 weeks (nothing to be ashamed of) and about on par with what I thought I had lost (lower 170s home weight to current lowe 160's home weight). I don't know, I'm just trying to make sense of it all.

Anywho...that's today.

**singing** I know what I'm going to do with my wiiiiinings!!!!!


Can you say spa day? I sure as hell can. I have never had a real (scheduled at a spa, lie down naked on the table) massage. Well, when I win, then I sure plan to get one. My body has been so sore from the increased exercise that I can't think of anything more fitting than a celebratory massage. Also, I plan to get a nice manicure and pedicure. The decent salon/spas near to me charge about $70 for a mani/pedi, so I usually forgo them for either a $30 combo at the local nail shop or something that I can do myself. However, since this competition will be over in April, just b4 I go on vacation, then I will definitely be getting a very nice professional, relaxing, spa manicure/pedicure. I can't wait!!!!!!!

I am so committed to winning that I actually worked out twice today. For those of you who don't know, this is HUGE for me. I swam this morning, and then learned that the catfish that I defrosted for dinner has about 700 calories for a medium fillet and over 100 for a large fillet. WHAT! Who knew that grilled fish could be so fattening? My conscience suggested that I workout again (workout dvd or something) to offset the extra calories. I was really reluctant to do it, but I checked out yogatoday.com, and the episode looked pretty interesting. Sooooo...I did an extra hour of yoga. It felt great! My sore muscles felt soooo stretched, relaxed, and relieved. Also I cut my large piece of fish in half, so that I can cut my calories down to 500 calories. Not bad, huh?

The competition is suuuuuper stiff. I weighed in this morning at 167lbs...YAY! Well actually I weighed in at 166.5lbs, but I allowed myself the extra .5lbs to account for clothes. I am so pleased with my progress. According to our record keeper, I am once again in the lead. However, another competitor is close on my heals. In fact, he was in the lead until I reported this week's weight. If I had not lost any pounds, then he would have taken the lead.

My top competitor is using the South Beach Diet method, which is giving him pretty good results. If you aren't familiar with the diet, then a general understanding of the diet is the following. Dieters are teaching themselves how to eat healthy again. They spend the 1st two weeks on a pretty restrictive diet, no "bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, baked goods, or fruit". After two weeks the dieters re-introduce these foods back into their diet in a healthy way (good carbs and fat rather than bad carbs and fat) and sustain this diet until they reach their goal weight. Ultimately the dieter should be able to maintain their healthy weight b/c they have learned the right way to eat for life.

Here is my thinking on this entire competition, but esp. on this particular competitor. #1 I am really already in the '2nd phase of the South Beach Diet', meaning that I am at a point where I am eating healthy foods in appropriate proportions. I'm not really 'learning' how to eat right b/c that is what I have spent the last year and a half doing. Now I am just practicing what I know. #2 Consistency is the key!!!! My major assumption is that the majority of the other competitors are not going to eat right and exercise consistently throughout the 12 weeks. Mr. South Beach may be on his grind today, but w/a pregnant wife and a diet that eventually allows him to eat sweets and drink alcohol, I am betting that he's gonna start slippin' on his pimpin'. That is where I plan to beat out he and the rest. If I can just motivate myself to stick to my 1400 calories a day and my 3 cardio and 2 strength workouts a week, then I believe that I can win.

I know that it is going to be tough...heck it already is, but I just have to stay focused on the money...ummm I mean my new healthier, sleeker body. Who the heck am I kidding, we're all in it for the cash :-) Anyway, I purchased my scale yesterday. It is pretty cool...it will remember and calculate weight, body fat % and % of water for up to 4 ppl. I plan to weigh myself on Monday and Thursday, so that I can closely monitor and track my progress.

Ok, before I go, I also have to just talk a little about the benefits of journaling what you eat. I used to never do this b/c I always hear ppl say "Well it will help make you aware of your eating patterns and help you to identify where you are falling short of your diet." I would think to myself, I can remember everything that I ate today, so I don't need to write it down to do that. However, the major benefit that it has had for me, is that you can SEE how many calories (grams of fat, cholesterol, sodium, etc) that you are taking in every day. I am waaaay less likely to eat a little Hershey Kiss when I know that I'll have to go back and add in those calories. Also, sometimes we just plain underestimate how many calories are in some of our favorite healthy foods. Plus, if I've had dinner but still would like a snack or something, then I can look at how much I've already eaten, and determine if there is room in my diet. Some nights I'm already at 1400 calories, so no after dinner snack for me. However, if I am actually around 1200, then I feel free to grab an orange or a 100 calorie pack. It really is awesome, and I'm going to keep using this technique in the future.

I just want to say that whomever said that exercising gives you a burst of energy has no idea what they are talking about. Well, they at least do not know me. I am as tired as tired can be right now, and I spend my days craving my bed (and my next meal). I hope that my body adjusts to the new schedule soon.

Well...so far I am leading the pack in the Biggest Loser. I'll post the unofficial results on a weekly basis, so that you can see how I compare to the other competitors (this week's should be coming out sometime this afternoon).

I am feeling sooooooo much pressure. Whew...you have no idea. This is unlike my previous weight loss b/c I really feel pressured to show progress on a weekly basis. The other competitors are really looking at me to see if my loss this week is sustainable, or just a one time fluke. I really really want the loss to be sustainable.

I am doing what I know how to do best...cutting my calories and exercising. I have been diligent about tracking my food intake daily on fitday.com. My goal is to keep my calorie intake around 1400 per day. I heard that your body naturally burns about 1500-2000 calories per day. I am not sure exactly what my body is burning on a daily basis, but 1400 seems to make sense to me. As it is, 1400 calories is usually about 3 very light/healthy meals a day and 1 or 2 100 calorie snacks. Not much food at all, so I have a hard time imagining how to cut it down to less than that. If I do feel that I need to get it lower, then I suppose that I could make meal replacement smoothies on the weekend and eat meal replacement bars during the week, but I am hoping that it doesn't come down to that. I really hope that I can sustain about a 1 pound loss per week. This would get me down to 158lbs in the next 11 weeks. Overall that would be a 21 lb loss, which would be 12% of my total body weight. Although some of my competitors are aiming for 15 and 16% losses, I think that this would be enough to really give them a run for their money.

I have some fears, though. #1 I am worried about cutting my calories too low, and causing my metabolism to slow down. I need for it to stay nice and high, so that it will burn as many calories as possible even when I am not working out. #2 I am worried about hitting a plateau in my workouts. Swimming is new to me, and while its a great workout, it actually isn't as exhausting to me as running or getting on the elliptical. I guess I am fearful that I will find that I'm not doing enough. #3 The final weigh in will be on a different scale than my incremental weigh ins. It is the same scale that we did our initial weigh in on, but I don't want to get up to the end and weigh in a couple of pounds heavier than what I have been showing throughout the past weeks.

I do have a plan to address some of my above fears. I discussed them with my conscience, and he had some great advice. He recommended that I weigh myself twice a week (probably on my Thursday and Sunday trips to the gym). This will allow me to see if the scale is moving and to adjust my diet and exercise right away if I am becoming stagnant. Since I am no dietitian or personal trainer, then I don't have a scientific formula for weight loss. All that I can do is continue to do what I know makes sense (eat right and exercise) and turn up the volume if I find that I am not getting the results that I need.

I want to re-emphasize that this competition is not the best example of a lifestyle change that I want to be giving. By that I mean, I have a very lofty goal and a very limited time range. I am being more extreme than usual and adopting habits that I know I cannot maintain (for instance the meal replacements). I am of course keeping my health foremost, but in the long run this is NOT the way that I want to live. Long term I want to keep exercising 4 (possibly 5, if I get adjusted to it) times a week and eating meals that I know are light and healthy (prob about 1600-1700 calories a day). Simply maintaining a healthy lifestyle is my long term goal, NOT LOSING WEIGHT!

Ok, off soapbox. My last fear is a little tricky. There really isn't much that I can do about the scale for the final weigh in. I can try to take some of my incremental (unofficial) weigh ins on that scale, which is located at my client. However, I think that I am going to bite the bullet and purchase a digital scale. I think that this will give me a more accurate and consistent reading than I am getting on the manual scale at the gym. I really really dislike spending money on something that I am getting for free, but I want to make sure that the readings that I am getting on a weekly basis are as true as possible. Now, if the scale at the client's gym is just off, then there is nothing that I can do about that. I'll have to give this thing my best, and if I'm lucky, then I will exceed my goals and win by a margin!

**singing ** "whoo hooo.....whoo hooo..."

You probably can't hear the song that I am thinking of in my head, but trust me it is appropriate. I got weighed at the doctor today...169lbs!!!!!!!!! So since my starting weight was 179, than that's a 6% loss in weight. Whoo Hooo!!!!

Now there has been some talk on the team about making weight adjustments. Only half of the ppl on the team took advantage of the option to load up on water prior to the weigh in...obviously giving us a heavier weight by several pounds. Some feel that this is an unfair advantage, which I somewhat agree with. Honestly, I didn't think that the water would give me anymore than a pound or two extra weight. However, apparently it had a significant impact. If I would have known that I would weigh in 8+ pounds heavier than my true weight, then I would have thought twice before chugging all the beverages. I'm not sure what we're going to do. Some ppl are saying that we should reduce the water drinkers' initial weight by a pound or two. I'm kind of for this and kind of against it. On the one hand, there were no rules written in to prevent this, so is it my fault that someone else didn't work it to their advantage? On the other hand, this is a friendly competition, which is not intended to be played unfairly. We'll see what the sentiment is after the this week's results are reported.

Anyway, I'm just going to keep 'making it do what it do, baby'. I've been tracking my calories and activities on www.fitday.com. I have also made working out mandatory, and trust me there were some days when I didn't want to do it. The schedule is swimming 3x/week and yoga 2x/week. As long as that keeps yielding results, then I'll stick with it. Otherwise, I'll make some adjustments.

Ciao!

Why on earth would folks feel inclided to have a gang of pizzas ordered to the office today? I am over here eating my noodle soup just mad at the world.

Ok, so I'm on the Biggest Loser 'Get it right, Get it tight' diet and workout plan, and so far it is going well. It's an adjustment b/c you have to once again get used to not really getting full at each meal. I am pretty much eating until I m no longer hungry and stopping there. Its cool though. If I'm not thinking about food, then for the most part I am not hungry. However, when I want to eat (I'm having cravings so food is on my mind), then it is just a torturous countdown to the next mealtime.

I did all of my grocery shopping yesterday, which was exhausting. However, I think I did a pretty good job of picking a sufficient amount of healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner foods. I've got some chicken breast thawing out now, so I'll make dinner, which should last me for tomorrow as well. I kinda feel victim to the savers deals at the store. I'm going through the aisles like "5 packets of frozen spinach for only $6...of course I want that. In fact, I'll take 10." What can I say? I'm a sucker for a deal. Hopefully, I won't end up wasting anything.

I also hit the gym, both yesterday and today. I swam for about 45 mins each time, and I actually forgot to count how many laps I was doing. I think I do about 10-14 laps (down and back) in a 45 minute period, but I'm not sure. I'll have to count next time. Tomorrow and Wednesday are yoga days, and then it is back to swimming on Thursday. Also I am going to the doctor on Friday morning, and I am sure that she is going to want to weigh me. I'll let you know what is the outcome.

Holy Smokes, Batman!!!!!!

The weigh in went down...

Now let me preface my starting weight w/the following:

**Warning TMI**
1. I haven't gone to the bathroom all day as I have been trying to stock up on water/liquid, so we've got (2-24oz bottles of water, 1-16oz cup of tea, and 1-8oz cup of chocolatte)
2. Its 'that time of the month' so I'm doing a bit more w/water than usual
3. I have to go #2.

Now, that being said, the starting weight was 178.8. WTF!!!! It really really really had better be due to the factors noted above b/c I weighed myself right before Christmas, and I was my standard 170-171lbs. PLUS all of my clothes fit the same. There is no tightness anywhere.

Anyway, I'm starting my program on Saturday as planned, and I will weigh myself again in a week. We'll see what we turn up.

**singing** "Meet me in the gym...it's going down!"

The Biggest Loser competition is afoot! I am soooooooo excited. Here's the deal:

- $100 buy in
- 8 competitors
- 12 weeks
- Winner (person who loses the greatest # 0f pounds) takes 75%; other 25% goes to the person who has gained back the least amount of weight 4 wks later

I am in it to win it folks. Here's my plan/schedule:

Yoga: Monday & Wednesday
Swimming: Saturday & Thursday
Weights: Sunday

Now...I might switch up the workout schedule a bit if I find that I am not getting enough cardio in. I might substitute swimming in on Sunday as well, since I am doing strengthening exercises on Monday & Wednesday. We'll see, but as I think about it now...I'm leaning more towards cardio 3 times a week.

Ok the other BIG point is food (of course). I am going to the grocery store this weekend, and it is going to be a serious haul. I cannot afford to eat any junk food due to cravings, so I will need to have ample healthy meals and snacks. Essentially I need to really commit to packing breakfast and lunch each day and cooking dinner each night. Whew this is gonna be a lot of work. I think that I'll be alright if I stick w/my few staples:

Breakfast - oatmeal/fruit/yogurt/applesauce
Lunch - salad/soup/frozen meal w/in appropriate calorie range/healthy dinner left-overs
Dinner - grilled/baked chicken or fish w/steamed veggies or all veggie plate w/good carbs (brown rice/black beans/etc)
Snacks - fruit/100 calorie packs
Beverages - Lots of water

Now I am going to deviate from my standard philosophy a little bit. Normally, I don't believe in cutting any one item from my diet completely. However, in this case I am going to have to let go of alcohol, soda (which was getting cut anyway), sugary sweets and red meat. It really isn't what I prefer to do, but I do think that it is critical to the competition. This will have to be 3 months of zero splurges or cheats.

So what am I really hoping to get out of this? Well I am primarily hoping to get back into the same mindset that I was in 6 months ago. I want to get back to where making healthy choices and working out are the norm, rather than "me on a good day". I am not really expecting to win the pot (not for lack of determination, but rather sheer lack of available pounds to lose). However, I definitely want to provide some stiff competition for the rest of the folks. Plus, if I do win, then I can use the money to furnish my new wardrobe b/c I will definitely need it.

The formal weigh in is this afternoon. I will let you know the results, but I am expecting to come in at my usual 170-172. If the fruits of my labors pay off, then I think that I could lose btwn 15 and 20 lbs. However, no matter what...if I give it a good effort, stay disciplined and truly do my best, then I'll be happy. The competition kicks off this Saturday am w/my 1st trip to the gym in more than a week. Wish me luck!

Couple of updates...

Well. I'm still large and in charge. Nothing new there. I can definitely see areas in my body where I feel that I have lost muscle tone and put on weight. Nothing crazy, but just something to note. Honestly, I am having a difficult time seeing how I can get back on the bandwagon before the new year. I can probably get in two workouts this week (Mon & Wed yoga). However, I have after work commitments Tues, Thurs, and Fri. The only option is that I could give the early morning workout an option, which lots of ppl swear by. However, that still doesn't solve my problem of needing a swim cap since I am going to try to focus my routine around swimming and yoga. After that I am out of town for a week. I am planning to take my workout clothes with me, so hopefully I can get in some walking or something. We shall see, however, it looks like it's gonna be in the 1st week of Jan that I am back on the 'get it right, get it tight' workout plan.

Here is what is exciting, though. The downfall of my weight loss program has been the team that I am on at work. With a plethora of snacks and foods at the ready, I have really been struggling. Weeeeell, the team decided to start a 'Biggest Loser' challenge. Everyone is going to have to buy in (I think a min of $50), and who ever loses the greatest % of their body weight will get the pot. I am ALL ABOUT IT! I'm not sure when its gonna kick off, but I'm going to try to get back on my normal workout/eating program in Jan, regardless. I'll be focusing on getting healthy, but when the competition kicks off, then I will be focusing on shedding pounds. Isn't that fun? I love my co-workers.

Anyway, that is all for now. I'll let you know how I make out over the weekend.

Oh...P.S. I fit into a size 8 dress this weekend and looked good, and I bought 2 dresses in size 10. Now, let me be completely honest in saying NO WAY could I fit a size 8 or 10 pair of pants. However, b/c dresses tend to flare a bit below the waist, then this size fit me wonderfully. Perfect on both the top and bottom. I was super excited. It is also due to the quality of the clothes...for instance in Guess I couldn't even attempt their Med dresses, only Lg. However, there is a day not so long ago, where a Lg wouldn't have even gone down, so that's an accomplishment. Let's hope that btwn the excitement of my existing success, the 'Just Say No' campaign, and the 'Biggest Loser' competition, I will stay focused and make the right decisions.

:-( Currently, I'm way off the wagon. I've been running high on snacks and low on exercise. Gotta do better.