Day 315- Good Focus

I have been doing really good on my cardio and food plan this week. yesterdays avoiding the pitfalls of emotional eating like i have done too many time in the past worked to my advantage. woke up this morning and weighed myself ..... down 5 lbs since Monday!!! only 2 lbs away for my lowest since starting in may of 2011 and and 10 lbs away from my lowest EVER (in my adult life). amazing!

 i am focused now. my huny being an the same track helps a lot too. i now don't have to dread smelling what he is eating and possibly tempting me and so therefore i disappear till he is done. But my step son is coming over this weekend so my huny was trying to plan things that he would like that he would eat.... not an easy task. possibly going to make pizza, although mine will be my way and the guys will be healthier then they have been in the past with their choices. still not easy.... plus i have a 4 day weekend, which means less of a routine than i have during the week.

Kelly

Day 314- It Should Be Against the Law!

Playing Daniel Powders "Bad Day" song should be against the law to play in the morning. it is like a bad omen for the day. i didn't take it as such, but when i was denied taking 2 days off because someone else had even though i had asked for them in advance before i purchased tickets to an event, but never got a response back (like usual) i assumed that the coast was clear. well..... i got an e-mail this morning saying that i could not have those days off. i was very upset for most of the day. i had been looking forward to this event since i heard about it a few weeks ago. I was more looking forward to spending time with my adopted family (Pasties & Paddles) since i haven't gotten to spend quality time with most of them. I think i was more upset over that than anything. it is like- your family is going for a weekend trip to a fabulous city and you have to stay home and watch the animals. gee thanx.

oh well.

i wanted to emotional eat but instead i read. trying to get thru "hunger games" before we see the movie this weekend. so that helped keep my mind off of what i wanted to eat vs what i should eat. I drank more than a gallon of water yesterday, had the same plan for today, but only got 1/2 way.

Kelly

Days 306-313: Sad Face :(

another busy week that i was not expecting that went to crap in the end. what do i mean by that .....well i will tell you.

 I started my period last week, was in much pain, but went on with my usually weekly activities (work, work out, etc) I had a few purses that i needed to get done, a show to prep for and lack of sleep because of husbands snoring didn't help much. I am now planning food for 2 people- my husband and i, so that means twice the cooking and prepping for eating at work for the both of us. the whole week felt like one long very busy day. So Friday came and everything was going somewhat according to plan. stopped a couple purses off at Glamarita for Saturday's Cash Mob sale, and headed home to get my music ready to drop off for Saturday nights Variety show..... but the editing program decided that i was not intelligent enough to use it and therefore it didn't work. I was stressing big time and i was very very tired! i gave up and went to bed. woke up at 6 am the next morning to try again and ended up "sliding down the stairs after one of our kitties (Bruce lee) decided to plant himself under my feet on my way down the stairs. needless to say that messed up ALL my plans for the day! NO Cash Mob, No Variety Show, and no mingling with my fans and friends.... and no making extra money for my Vegas savings account. Ugh. at least i was not badly hurt, but i did twist my knee and bruised my tailbone. spent the day in bed or on the couch alternating heat and ice because i really need to work out and i have places to go and things to do.

 by Sunday i was feeling a bit better, swelling is almost totally gone, but tailbone and knee still a lil tender. that darn cat!!! but there are very few people who can say that they were tripped by Bruce lee. lol

 But it is a new week..... and i have started of good so far. 1/2 way thru a gallon of water and i did cardio for 10 mins this morning. better than nothing!

 Kelly

Week 43 results

I haven't felt the need to post results pics because i have been struggling. I talked with my trainer about how i feel about how i look via my results (aka- fluffy) and she said that this was going to happen eventually. my muscles are building, i am trimming and my fluff has not caught up yet. she felt my belly and arms and said they do feel marblely, which means the fat is breaking away. it is only a matter of time before the fat catches up.

5/16/11                                                 1/3/12                                                       3/16/12

Days 304-305: Teaching Healthy

This weekend my youngest stepson was over and we did our usual go out to dinner thang. he originally want to go to a greasy burger drive in. i had my huny talk him into a buffet. He chose Golden Corral..... not my fave. i feel like cattle being herded to greasy, fatening  gluttony there. and even sadder is that i have to stick to their tiny salad bar. my huny made some good choices- steak, rice, broccoli & cauliflower, salad and then..... he got some not so good choice, but i would say that he was 85% successful.AND he did not do like he normally does, which is eat soooo much that by the time we get out to the parking lot he ends up getting sick. ugh!


Cade learned a lot today when we went shopping for dinner. we talked about nutrition, how to read a nutrition label, what it means, hard cheese vs soft cheese, protein and what it does for you ,price per lb & price per oz..... and anti-holiday. because of the anti-holiday discussion we made soft tacos instead of hamburger stew fr St. Pats day. we made our own taco seasoning (chili powder, cumin, mrs dash Caribbean seasoning,garlic powder & onion powder), our own un-refried beans (mashed up cooked kidney beans)and grilled veges (onion, red pepper & corn). he refused to eat whole wheat tortillas, but i cant blame him too much. we also had a pinch of shredded cheese and a teaspoon of sour cream. he liked every bit of dinner and even cut down on his portions! :)

 Kelly

Day 303- Recipe Friday: Hamburger Stew

With St Patrick's day coming up tomorrow, i tend to stay away from the traditional foods of the holiday- Corned beef and cabbage. Corned beef is too salty and cabbage and i do not get along anymore. so here is something that i use to make my grandpa when i would make him dinner when i took care of him and my grandma in high school. he loved stew.... but beef stew was just too tough for his teeth. i made this once or twice a week for him :)

HAMBURGER STEW

1 lb. hamburger
6 c. water
1 tsp. salt-free seasoning of choice
1 tsp. pepper
1 onion, diced
4 med. potatoes, diced
5 carrots, diced
1 can salt-free stewed tomatoes
   or 2 tomatoes, chopped

Brown meat with diced onion. Simmer carrots, and potatoes until done. Add tomatoes when there is 10 mins left to cook. If you want to thicken it, use 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup water. Shake in a jar until mixed. Add to stew, stirring until desired thickness.

 Kelly

Day 302- Perception

When i look at myself i still see a chunky/chubby girl. granted, i know i am smaller but i still look at myself compared to others who are the same size and i see them as smaller and that i can't possibly wear the same size as them. it is a mind f**k! I dealt with this last time i lost a lot of weight 3 yrs ago and after i was done with "the plan" i gained back because i didn't believe it was me. what i saw in the mirror didn't look any different day to day when i was gaining the weight back. The only way i knew i was gaining was that my "smaller" clothes were getting tight.

I really don't have that worry this time in losing my weight. last time it was a race to the finish and then what? This time it is a- i am doing this for me to be healthy and i like what i am doing. sure there are cravings, temptations and days when i give in a lil. but those days are rare and i stay focused. so what if my weight has bounced in and out of the same 5 lbs for the last 3 months..... my inches are still coming down which means i am gaining more muscle..... and muscle weighs more than fat. i seriously have to tell myself that some days because "weight loss" can really mess with your mind. everyone is focused on the scale number. i am, to a degree, but at the beginning of the month when i get my weigh and measure i see the difference in the body fat % and inches lost.

Kelly

Day 301- Successful Priorities

The Prioritizing has been successful!!! i got the majority of my craft room organized.... to bad i don't have more time this week to put to doing this fabulous plan of mine. tonight i have the dentist, tomorrow i have filing @ my chiropractors office (i use to intern for him) in exchange for being adjusted every now and then and Friday i have training then out to dinner with my huny & youngest step son, where i will teach my huny how to eat at a buffet, what key words to look for and what to avoid.

I am planing on finally getting dome purses and bows made for my Etsy site which i have been wanting to do forever... but haven't.

Kelly

Day 300- Carb Cut Day 1 Down....

 Wow! 300 days!!! where has the time gone. seems like just a handful of months ago i was starting this journey.

I have started the carb cut yesterday and have already lost 3 lbs..... too bad it is the 3 lbs i gained over the weekend. My huny is doing great on his new food plan too. we forgot to weigh him the first day, but we did this morning so that we have something to go off of. Angela (my trainer) has said that she thinks my huny would do great with some resistance training, but for right now we are focusing on food/nutrition with him. one thing at a time. the REAL challenge is going to be this weekend when my stepson is over. he and my huny usually eat junk all weekend. so i will be interested to see what happens.

 Kelly

Day 299- Prioritizing Plan

I really do not like mondays. I feel that just as i am starting to enjoy the weekend, even if i feel out of it or lazy, then it is back to another week of back to work- rush and waiting for the weekend, counting down the days. It makes me think of all the millions of things i need to do, but never seem to have enough time, so therefore i have to make time and end up feeling rushed which does not make for a restful nights sleep. it is a vicious cycle.

 I don't know what i did, but in 2 days i gained lbs. i feel extra puffy, even my eyes are puffy. Good thing i am starting a carb cut today. i am also working on drinking more water as my goal today. I feel like i need to prioritize and i have been struggling with this for a few months now. I feel like i do not get anything done when i get home after work because i am so tired after running full speed starting at 4:30 am. i need to plan out things to do that will take a 1/2 hr to and hour so that i do not feel so overwhellmed. things on my list- laundry , dishes , vacuuming, cleaning my "dressing/crafting" room (that needs to be broken down in to smaller segments), sewing, purses, aprons, hats, flowers, badges,organizing, clean bathroom, cook, cosume for the show on the weekend,etc.

 i think if i set the timer on the stove and give myself an alotted time that maybe i will stress less that thinking about all the things i have to get done and just being overwhelmed and not getting anything done. we will see how it works.

 

Kelly

Days 297-298: Progression and New Starts

During my month long hiatus from doing this blog daily and just posting weekly-ish, i forgot to mention that i am featured on 2  websites.... and here it is the1st- the testimonial from my trainer on her website http://www.getfit360.net/Testimonials.html

and here is the 2nd from the boudoir photo shoot i did this past June with Celebrate your sexy when i was 30 lbs and 1 dress size down.Check out the main page and the gallery.   http://www.celebrateyoursexy.com/index.html

This weekend so far has been fun. did some shopping with my huny, we went out to lunch (a buffet, probably for the last time hopefully for a while.... because we are trying to get him healthy and buffets are to tempting fr him) and i went to a friends zombie themed b-day bash. I had not been out in over a month. i need to get back to dancing every weekend. i was asked by a couple of my drag queen friends if i was performing that nite and i said not to night because i had already promised to be at my friends b-day party, but that i was looking forward to doing it next weekend.

so far sunday has been dull. i am tired, but i have so much to do. my huny and i went shopping early this morning for what we will both need for this next week. lots of meat- lean pork-7 lbs, lean burger -4 lbs(for meat loaf which i have been craving) and lots of chicken-6 lbs. all but the chicken was reduced/on sale. we also bought lots of fruits and veges. 95% our cart was filled with fresh foods. he was a bit shocked when i said he will need to pass on the milk, but i said that he could have yogurt for his intestinal issues. we also had a discussion about protein vs fiber and what it does for you. i still don't think he totally gets it.

it is a work in progress, but for the better.

his challenge this week is starting a food plan, which he has never had before in his life. my challenge is cutting carbs (1/2 of my normal amount daily) and more water. no crutches for me this week- diet soda and "i cant believe its not butter"

I also did some retail therapy this weekend and i am starting on a new venture (as if i don't have enough) soon having to do with re-purposing clothing.

Kelly

Day 297- Recipe Friday: Juice Recipes

I want a juicer... but the one that has come highly recommended is unavailable till possibly May (back ordered) so until then (or i can find something on ebay) here are some juicing basics.

Got all this great info from this site-http://www.juicingforweightloss.com/

Key ingredients that you can use as a guide when creating your slimming juices:

Carrot: This delicious juice will help add sweetness but still let you benefit from the incredible benefits of this amazing vegetable such as digestion stimulant, liver cleanser, and high levels of beta-carotene.
Cucumber: a base of choice for most recipes since they are water dense and relatively low calorie.
Celery: Is often recommended in weight-loss programs as it is low calorie and water dense. Juice the entire celery stick including the chlorophyll rich green leaves.
Lettuce: dark-green lettuce types are nutrient dense and darker the lettuce the more alkalizing and mineral rich.
Cabbage: Powerful body-cleansing vegetable recommend often for weight loss.  I'm sure you've heard of the "cabbage diet"
Beetroot: This is great vegetable that will add sweetness to your juice.  Use sparingly.
Spinach: Rich in chlorophyll and minerals such as calcium, spinach is alkalizing and has numerous weight loss benefits.
Tomato: Helps reduce acid in body, and is beneficial for stimulating blood circulation, liver cleansing and blood purifying.
Watercress: Considered a powerful intestinal cleanser and toxin neutralizer and is good  for the kidneys, bladder, blood circulation, cleansing the skin and said to stimulate fat burning.
Apple: This low glycemic fruit is known for a wide range of health benefits including supporting healthy blood-sugar levels.
Citrus Fruits: Grapefruits and Lemons in particular have gotten a lot of attention for it's role in weight loss support.

The first tip is to try to focus on fruits and vegetable that have a longer shelf life so you do not have to prepare too far ahead of time so if you get the juicing urge. It’s best to be prepared to act without thinking about having to go out to the store and get the necessary ingredients. Otherwise your motivation will quickly diminish.
The second tip is to try to focus on fruits or vegetables that have high juice yields.  If you have every tried juicing spinach or raspberries I think you know exactly what I mean. Fruits like apple are relatively easy to juice and have a high yield.  Veggies like carrots, cucumber and celery likewise have high yields.

So the key is combining these high yield fruits and veggies in a manner that are easy to prepare, efficient in juicing, and off course taste great!
I like to use cucumber as the base of most of my recipes since it’s not too strong of a flavor and easy to prepare.  I just quickly chop it according the opening of my juicer, and include skin and all.  The skin adds a bit more flavor that you may or may not enjoy, but for nutrition purposes and ease of use, I go for it skin and all.
Carrots and apples can be used separately or in combination to add sweetness to your recipe and does a great job of masking unpleasant flavors you might feel the skin of the cucumber might add.  I don’t even bother peeling the carrot for sake of being efficient.  Just do a good scrub down of the carrot being using it.  Same with apple, skin and all is the way to go.
Celery is another great high yield vegetable that is super easy to implement into your juicing recipes. Like the other fruits and vegetables mentioned above, celery also has a relatively long life in your refrigerator if stored correctly. Needless to say if you are not using a juicer there is more work involved in peeling and de-seeding for fruits and vegetables to get a good consistency.

Here are a few examples of easy juicing recipes you can follow:

3 medium carrots
1 medium apple
**
2 medium carrots
1 medium apple
½ medium cucumber
**
4 medium carrots
4 celery stalks
**
3 medium carrots
½ cucumber
1 celery stalk

 Kelly

Day 296: Health Concerns

Recently my husband found out that he has Sleep Apnea. He is to get a C-Pap machine soon (not soon enough) but he an i had to have a discussion once again that we have been having since i started on this journey.... weight, namely his weight. a lot of the health problems he has can be helped just by him losing weight. how much weight... i don't know, but not doing anything about it may make things worse. doctor said he is on the road to a heart attack.... when i heard that when he was in his appt with the Dr i cried.

My huny will be 40 this year.... another reason for him to start now. so this weekend we will be coming up with a plan for him to slim down for his health.

Kelly

Day 295: Getting Back to Basics

Now that things are getting back to normal, so is working out..... and boy am i sore. i think i trained a total of 5x the entire month of February and just did cardio 1/2 of what i usually do in a given month. But i am back to being on schedule.

It blows my mind that people who i have not seen for a while think i look great, although they do not see what i see. i too think i look great but not as great as i could be or have been. it is all part of the struggle for me. i will just keep moving forward and someday i will get there.

Kelly

Day 294: Sleep Issues

Lately i have been sleeping in a separate room from my husband because of his loud snoring. He is getting a C-Pap soon, but until then his snoring keeps me up. actually it was his snoring that caused me to sleep on the couch almost a month ago which started my hip issues all over again. Anyway.....i have been sleeping ok in the separate room despite the hip issues. Yesterday after being at work for a couple hours i realized that i felt a bit off and it hurt to walk normally... meaning my hip was out of whack yet again. so i made an appt for the chiropractor and i was indeed short on my right side. so he adjusted my hip, my back and neck and did some accu-pressures on my right hip to try to keep the muscles from trying to move my hip back to out of place. then i went and did a training session, and i let Angel know that my hip was just adjusted, so we avoided leg/hip exercises. i even took a hot bath with Epsom salts to help the healing.

 i think i need to look into massage therapy. not to bad of a day, just have to be more conscious of how i sleep for the next few weeks till everything get back to normal with my hip. ice & heat, ice & heat.....

 Kelly

Day 293:Cure to the "FUNK"

So i think i have figured out what was causing my "funk" the the last couple months... especially the last couple weeks. ANTIBIOTICS!!!! in past post i have mentioned all the antibiotics i have been on for numerous colds & root canals these last couple months and i did a lil research, after i finally admitted that i was depressed, and found out that antibiotics can cause depression. one of the antibiotics i was given i had never taken before and i believe that was the one that kicked the depression into play. I was so depressed, i compared it to the depression i felt after i found out my 1st husband had cheated on me, i moved out of our house and in with my mom, and 1 week later my grandmother passed away. all of that happened in a 2 week span. i did not want to get out of bed, i was crying all the time, even at work and i wanted to sleep all the time. it took me months... if not a couple years to get over some of those events. I was thrilled that on today i  feel much, much and just seem to have snaped out of it.

 I am looking forward to getting back on track, because the last month or so i have not been in the gym much because of depression, car issues, and hip issues. depression is gone, car is finally fixed, hip is slowly getting better and i am losing the 7 lbs gained over the last month. (4 more to go). just living from day to day.... just trying to get thru the day so i could go home and veg-out was getting old.

 Kelly

Days 286-292: Life Issues and Road Blocks

i am truely having some issues. i have been either sick or having a root canal the last 2 months which to my doctors mean antibiotics and they have done something to me. What i mean by that is i don't have any feeling or want to do anything, it has messed with something inside of me to where i feel extremely depressed. i am unsure of what to do. so i am going to do some research because 1. i don't want to be on more meds (been there, done that) and 2. i should be happy right now. granted i have not lost any weight in the last month, mostly back to the gain and lose the same 5 lbs like i did during the holidays, but that is better than giving up all together and gaining 20 lbs back witch would be very easy but then i would be even more depressed.

Many friends have said i need to take a break from everything. i do not have the luxury to do that. i have a full time job, i have obligations that i would love to just up and step away from (and i have taken a break from a lot) but i am not a celebrity who can check themselves into a spa for a week and forget about everything and focus on themselves.

I have not gone out and danced in a long time and i was given the option to do drag this past week for a few very big events including one where 2 of RuPaul drag race contestant/winner were at and i turned it down.

i am doing what i can with what i have for now..... hoping to be myself sooner than later

Kelly