I got behind. No really... I have a lot of behind.

Ok... so I got a little behind.  Life... Apathy... etc.   I still tracked all my food and stayed within my "bites" (points) but I just didn't sit down and journal.  So let's play a little catch up shall we?

Friday-  It was Independance Day!  Ahh... Independence from the tyrannical brits and independence from the tyrannical hold that food has on us.  I had planned on telling you how strong I was at the picnic and how to make good choices and all that baloney but one of my clients called me out to deliver a baby so I got to skip this holiday! I was a little bit sad because I love hanging out with friends and fireworks but I also love seeing a woman power through labor and bring a wee little one into the world.  So... it's all good.  No picnic food for me!
The Healthy Strategies that come out of this is to really come to a place where food is secondary to the celebration.  This is HARD for me. I LOVE pot-luck.   Come on... sampling 30+/- different delicious dishes?  It's like tapas! But I like hanging out with friends too.  I may also have a spoon of 'tater salad.

Monday - Complete Food Journal.  

Tuesday July 1, 2014

Breakfast - Yogurt and a protein bar  9pts

Lunch-  Turkey Wraps 4pts

Dinner- Cabbage and noodles - 3pts

Snack- Skinny Cow ice cream bar 2pts

After workout smoothie - 9pts

UNDER- 8pts

Wednesday July 2, 2014

Breakfast - eggs, toast 6pts

Lunch - chili and baked potato 10pts

Dinner- Steak, mashed cauliflower and carrots  6pts

Snacks - apple, PB2, tic-tacs, watermelon 7pts

UNDER 2 pts

Thursday July 3, 2014

Breakfast -  Yogurt and Cereal 4pts

Lunch - Low Fat Pasta Salad  and watermelon- 5pts

Dinner- Pasta salad, mashed cauliflower, green salad and fish - 12pts

Snacks - Popcorn, skinny cow and watermelon 8pts

UNDER 6pts

Friday July 4, 2014

Breakfast- Egg, yogurt, toast and an orange 6pts

Lunch- Grilled Nuggets, lentil chips, laughing cow cheese 4pts

Dinner- (Working... missed dinner)
Snacks (SNACK ATTACK when I got home) Lean Cuisine Spring rolls, Pretzels, popcorn, skinny cow dreamy clusters 23pts

UNDER 3pts

Saturday July 5, 2014

Breakfast- Salad, avocado, turkey  3pts

Lunch- Chili and baked potato 9pts

Dinner- Turkey burgers, olives, Corn on the cob, salad  12pts

Snacks - SC ice cream sandwich, blueberry protein bar 5pts

UNDER 6pts

Sunday July 6, 2014

Breakfast- Waffles, strawberries, egg 7pts

Lunch- veggie roll 4pts

Dinner- pork chop, green beans, cucumber 3pts

Snacks- almonds, SC ice cream sandwich, fruit leather, lentil chips and cheese, 1 piece of pizza 20pts

UNDER 1pt

Monday July 7, 2014

Breakfast- yogurt and cereal 4pts

Lunch- Chipotle BBQ snack wrap grilled 6pts

Dinner- Taco Salad 11pts

Snacks- pretzels, V8 fusion, laughing cow and lentil chips, SC ice cream 12pts

UNDER 1pt

Tuesday - Weigh in Day! 

So I weighed in this morning and I'm only down .2 for the week.  You can see by my log above that I stayed in my points but I also started walking pretty hard!  I read a great thing about why you're not losing weight in Fitness Magazine : 

You Work Out Regularly

I know, I know. How can an exercise routine make you gain? For starters, people tend to eat more when they work out, either because they feel they've earned it or because they're overestimating how much they've burned -- or both. "This is especially true in the early stages of a fitness program, when your body is getting used to the decrease in calories consumed and the increase in calories burned," Finger says. (Read: You're freaking hungry.)

But here's the real shocker: Working out can make you retain water. "To ensure that you don't get dehydrated, the plasma in your bloodstream will store an extra two to four pounds of water," explains Michele S. Olson, PhD, a FITNESS advisory board member and professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. "You'll always carry that extra water unless you become inactive; it's not fat or muscle, but simply superhydration. It's a good thing." It's also a good thing to keep chugging H2O, which can, counterintuitively, help minimize additional water retention. So I'll take Olson's advice and stay active, well-hydrated...and off the scale.

So, it's all good.  Instead of pouting about my .2 weight loss, I'm going to rejoice that my body is working the way it should and I'm sure I'll get a crazy woosh! of weight loss sometime in the next few weeks that will make me glad I kept at it.
I thought of something else this morning "I know what quitting looks like... let's see what NOT quitting looks like"
So I'm not gonna quit.  You have to treat your bad days like your good days!

Thursday - NSV- 7-3-14

Hmmm,, non-scale victories this week?   I wore a dress that I couldn't get past my waist last month!  I wore it all day even tho my appointments were canceled.  I felt pretty. That's a huge victory!  I went out and bought a little white sweater to throw on my shoulders (it's a sleeveless dress) and I bought a 2x.  It's a bit small but I'm  super confident that it's going to be a fine fit very soon!
I don't look very different but I feel different for sure! I did catch a glance of my face in the mirror and thought it looked a little thinner.  Hubs also said "there's less of you!"  I'm not sure if that's true but it felt good!!!

Ooops... my bad... Exercise Wednesday on Thursday

I got all busy and involved and just didn't make it to the computer.  I also had a hungry day yesterday.  Just wasn't satisfied with anything I ate.  BUT... I persevered! Made it through under my points. WOOT!

I've decided to join Skinny Hollie's July Challenge.  100 miles in July!

I have to add... this is harder than I thought but I'm going to push as hard as I can.  July 1 and July 2 brings my total to 6.5 miles under my belt.  I'm gonna shoot for another 3.25 miles again today.  I've got to get ahead of the game because I know I'm gonna slack a few days!

Weigh in!

Bet you thought I forgot huh??  Talk about the 11th hour!

Down 4.8lbs this week.  Oh yeah baby!!

Complete Food Journal June 30

Complete food journal for the week of June 24-29th  I wrote down every single bite that crossed my lips!  I was under all days except one and that day is really iffy.  It says "0" left but seriously... probably went over.
Tuesday June 24, 2014
Breakfast-
greek yogurt with my custom cereal topping  -4pts

Lunch-
A bowl of cut up veggies  - 0pts
A large bowl of cottage cheese - 6pts

Snack-
Kashi Chocolate Almond and Sea Salt bar - 2pts
Sabra Hummus and pretzels 2pts

Dinner-
Large Wendy's chili - 7pts
Plain baked potato - 5pts

Late night snacking -
Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich 1 3pts
(8pts under!)

Wednesday June 25, 2014
Breakfast
Greek yogurt with custom cereal topping 4pts

Snack-
Pirates Booty Rice and Corn puffs 3pts

Lunch-
Lean Cuisine Three Cheese & Spinach pretzel bites 4pts
Lean Cuisine Thai Style Chicken Spring Rolls 4pts

Dinner-
Kale/Quinoa salad  9pts
Cantaloupe (a ton of it) 3pts

Late Night snack-
Waybetter Pita Chips (x2) 4pts
Hummus 1pt

1 half of one cheesy bread stick from Marcos  2pts
(2pts under!)

Thursday June 26, 2014
Breakfast-
Greek yogurt and cereal -4pts

Snack-
Emerald Vanilla almonds - 2pts

Lunch-
Leftover quinoa and kale salad  3pts
black bean patty from Morning Star Farms - 3pts

Dinner-
2 slices of Health Nut Bread -4pts
1 thin porkchop 3pts
1 serving of green beans 0pts
1 mini wheel of reduced fat babybel cheese
1 tbsp reduced fat mayo -1pt

Late night snack-
Skinny cow ice cream sandwich (snickerdoodle) 2pts
hot Chili lime puffs 2pts
(11pts under!)

Friday June 27,2014
Breakfast-
Yogurt and Cereal- 3pts

Snack-
Grapes 1pt

Lunch-
2 whole wheat tortilla  3pts
turkey breast  1pt
Avocado 2pts
tomato/lettuce 0pts

Snack -
Outshine apple and greens bar - 1pt
Lowfat cottage cheese 4pts
Hot Chili Lime Puffs 2pts

Dinner-
2 pieces of Long John Silvers fish (HUGE MISTAKE) 14pts
Corn Cobbette - 3pts
Salad -0pts
dressing - 1pt
(0 points left... probably went over)

Saturday June 28, 2014
Lunch-
Fruit Cup Medium from Chickfila- 1pt
Diet lemonade 0pts
Apple  1pt
Small chili from Wendy's 4pts
baked potato with low fat sour cream 6pts
Dinner-
Grilled veggies with oil 1pt
Grilled pineapple with honey 3pts
black bean burger 2pts
Snack-
cottage cheese x2 4pts
Skinny cow candy dreamy clusters 2pts
(12 points under)

Sunday June 29, 2014
Breakfast-
Greek yogurt and cereal 4pts
Lunch-
x2 tortillas lo carb  2pts
1/2 an avocado 2pts
1/8 cup hummus 1pt
veggies 0pts
chicken lunch meat 2pts
Dinner-
kroger Crispy chicken strips 6pts
big salad 0pts
Lite Ranch Dressing 2pts
2% shredded cheddar cheese 2pts
Late night snack-
Skinny Cow dreamy caramels 4pts
skinny Cow ice cream sandwich 2pts
Pirates booty rice and corn puffs 3pts
(3pts under! even after that snack attack!)

Healthy Strategies June 27 edition

Stay thirsty my friend....

And hungry.  
WHAT?   Stay hungry?  Yep... you heard me.

So one of the many hats I wear is that of a Midwife's apprentice.  Being a homebirth helper I do all matter of things.  We act as wiper... scooper... holder... wrapper... hander... pumper... deflater... comforter... cheerleader and rarely but sometimes... catcher.   In this modern age, most mama's first concern when discussing labor is pain control.   Our mamas though... they're doing this au natural.  Pain is part of the game.  When we talk to them about how to handle the pain we tell them to welcome the pain.  Seems insane doesn't it?  I know, I know but hear me out.
In labor... Pain is not dangerous.  Pain is not unexpected.  Pain will not kill you.  Labor pain is the result of your body doing the work that it's supposed to do and every pain brings you that much closer to the end result.  When a contraction comes, your uterus is literally pulling upwards to pull itself over the baby's head. Each time you feel this, imagine your cervix being pulled over the baby's head.   It's a kind of creative visualization that actually works for some moms.
Other moms?  Not so much but hey... we're keeping it real here right?

Hunger is the same way.   Normal hunger is not dangerous.  It is not unexpected.  It will not kill you.  You may kill someone else but that's a personal issue.  ha ha.  So embrace what hungry feels like.  Study it.  Realize that your stomach doesn't have to be full all the time.  Give it time to rest.
We all hear and we've all said "but will it keep me full" when we're talking about meal plans but let me propose that maybe, just maybe.... we're looking at this all wrong.   Was the food I ate an hour ago easily digestible?   Did it nourish me?  Am I hungry because my body is recognizing that I'm more active?   These are all great things!!  So welcome the hunger! Embrace it!  You can also ask yourself "why am I so afraid of being hungry?"  Someone told me once "every negative emotion is based in fear".  Think about it... it's so true.

And while we're at it, here's a little tip that helps me a bunch!  

Keep a stapler in your pantry.  When you open a bag of chips?  Take out what you're gonna eat and staple it closed.  You're gonna think twice before you open it again! 

Non-Scale Victory June 26 edition

Non-Scale Victories.  

I'm going to have to dig deep this week.   I haven't seen a lot of difference in how my clothes feel, I haven't gained a notch on my belt, I haven't received any compliments lately but you know what I have done?

*kept this blog up every day.

*logged every bite I've taken... for real.

*had only ONE HALF of ONE PIECE of cheezy bread.

*stayed within my points range for 23 days in a row

*made an effort to get more steps in whenever I can

*noticed that my hair feels softer.  YES!  I'm counting that!  I think I'm actually getting enough vitamins to affect how my hair feels! 

None of those things has an affect on how I look but they're all so important.  This is about a mindset and a lifestyle, not only about losing weight!