Preach What You Practice!

I've found myself stepping into the limelight more and more as I share my story and my methods of weight loss and living a better, healthier life. I guess having lost almost 100 pounds gives me some credibility in their eyes. I wasn't really searching out this kind of attention, but I am enjoying it! I love, love, love, helping out anyone I can! I also love having this happen because it really helps keep my motivation up and running...along with my butt! hahaha

With all this notoriety, comes a lot of responsibility. First off I have to keep on top of my choices to stay true to what I say. I am so glad I have documented my story! There are many out there that have succeeded like me. Many are out there helping others. I am in my little niche of my little world and am helping those around me. It motivates me and keeps me rejuvenated!

I have to be sure of where I get my information from and I have to believe in what I say...that it is working and will keep working. I am not at the end of my journey yet. I am still working on eating enough calories and believing that I can eat these amounts and still lose weight. It goes way against how I was brought up to lose weight. It just is not about cutting calories to starvation levels and exercising six hours a day. It has not worked in the past, so why would it magically work now? A person can't stay on a starvation diet forever. Eventually they would die.

Just think, if you were locked away with bread and water only, what happens? You lose weight, right? Let's say you were locked away for a year. What happens first? Some weight comes off. What happens next? You grow weaker. As you lose weight, the body panics and hangs on to the fat, then the body takes more muscle, you grow weaker still, then the body takes the rest of the fat as you lay on the floor with no energy...and you die. It is similar with restricted calorie diets. We have to eat to keep strong and we have to build strength/muscle at the same time. Otherwise our bodies will hang on to the fat and make us weaker and weaker until we give up...or die!

At our weight loss support group I am going to make a magic wand out of a stick and tinsel. I plan to wave it over each member, during one of our meetings, and I will promise that everyone will magically lose 20 pounds overnight! It has as much of a chance of working as so many of the newest, latest, greatest, quick loss diets out there these days...doesn't it?

I not only practice what I preach, I preach what I practice!
A week or so ago, I challenged my group to park in the far parking lot, before coming in to the center for their exercise classes and such. I didn't see anyone parking there in the week that followed. However, it HAS kept ME parking in the far parking lot, fearing someone would see me if I parked closer! I think this is funny. I also like how it really proves the point that a support group really does help keep you motivated!

Remember that you have to fuel your body, but in a smarter, healthier way. Remember that having support throughout these changes in your lifestyle are critical to making this work for the rest of your life...not till next week, or next month, but forever. Your body is the only one you have. Treat it like a precious thing...because it IS one!

TIP OF THE DAY: Can't slow down your eating habits? Here is a silly little thing I would suggest for you to try...eat chicken with a fork. Never touch it with your fingers. Don't worry if you can't get that last little morsel off the bone. Peel away the skin (if you have it) with the fork too. Need more of a challenge? Use chopsticks!
If you can't imagine life without KFC, use these tips. It is a great step in learning how to slow down your eating, lower your calories by leaving the skin behind, and not sucking off every morel of meat from each bone. THEN we can work on weaning you off the KFC and on to better choices.

RECIPE: CHEESECAKE
From the book "Not Just Cheesecake!" by Shelley Melvin
Now you know this has to be pretty good, or I wouldn't share it! Even our group at the center liked it. There are a few variations to it, but I will share what I tried and liked best.
Ingredients:
2 cups non-fat yogurt *cheese (quality Greek yogurt such as Fage works)
1/4 cup + 3 tbsp sugar (or sweetener of choice)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
4 egg whites (I buy the cartons of 100% real egg whites)

Preheat oven to 325°. Lightly grease a 7 inch spring-form pan or 8 inch pie pan.
In a medium bowl, combine yogurt, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla, mixing gently with a fork or whisk until well blended. Stir in beaten eggs.

Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula if need be. Bake until the center is set. (20-25) minutes for a pie pan or 45-55 minutes for a spring-form pan. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Refrigerate until firm.

Notes: I use a pie pan. I usually overcook it. I like a good quality jam or fresh fruit with my cheesecake. *I make yogurt cheese by taking Greek yogurt and putting it in a coffee filter in a strainer and setting that over a bowl or large measuring cup. I put a piece of wax paper over the top and set this in the fridge for at least overnight, sometimes longer. The whey drips out of it and you are left with super thick yogurt cheese.

Serves 8
Each serving has 80 calories, 8g protein, 12g carbs, 0g fat, 0g cholesterol, 49g sodium, 11g sugar (unless you use a sugar substitute)

PARTING THOUGHT:
Just a little tidbit from a recent walk...I found this treasure along the curb. It was a clock. Most of the insides are missing. I hauled that about a half mile home with me. I plan to clean it up and put shelves in it for a wall hung curio cabinet. I like 'repurposing' things.

Note the apple and water ready for me to consume after my walk too. :)

Last Sunday my 11 yr old son took this photo of Ziva and me on the trail:
Until next time, go for a walk!

QUOTE FOR TODAY: "Today I will see something positive in all situations."

Traveling Around With the New Me

I love the trail I found last fall near my house. After a rain I can see and hear this little creek that runs along a good part of the trail:

This is in the middle of the city of North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Of course my faithful partner, Ziva, enjoys our outings too!

She protects me from the vicious deer we often see:

Since I am firmly now entrenched in One-derland, my husband said I needed new photos for this blog.

"Wait a minute, let me fix my hair first!"

This is me, wearing my One-derland hat:

The 'newest' me, at 195 pounds:

I like the new me, a lot! I still see myself as obese though. I can hardly believe that woman I see in the mirror. Who the heck is she? That surly cannot be me? I liken this a little bit to anorexics. From what I understand, they look in the mirror and don't see their skeletal selves, but rather they see a very fat person. When I sit down, I see the bulge of my tummy and it looks the same to me as when I was at my heaviest. The photos don't lie though. I really AM changing and AM skinnier!

Perhaps this self image issue plays a deeper role in who we think we are. We might not see ourselves as being as obese as we were, when we were obese! Then, having lived a long time as obese, we know we are weighing less, but still feel obese. I wonder if that feeling will go away? I wonder...would we want it to go away? Would we let our guard down if we forgot where we came from and how we got there?

I realize this might be more of an issue for those who have lost their weight and not so much for those just starting out. I also want to point out that we should always remember just how much we have accomplished during each of our personal journeys into these new lifestyles. Instead of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" we are living "Lifestyles of the Thinner Person We Want to Be!" I don't think we should ever forget that.

Be proud of each pound lost. Be proud of each lifestyle change you make towards the new healthier human being you are becoming. Be proud of each accomplishment, both big and small. You ARE getting there! You WILL make it! You CAN do this!

TIP OF THE DAY:
Actually this is both a tip and a recipe, rolled into one! I had read about all kinds of methods to make overnight, crockpot oatmeal. I tried all kinds of recipes with several different crockpots and had little success. It always coagulated around the bottom edges, sticking like old fashioned wallpaper paste! It didn't taste good either.
Finally I combined making oatmeal in a crockpot with making my version of instant oatmeal for breakfast!

First off, there is very little difference in oatmeal, as far as nutrition is concerned. Steel cut vs. old fashioned rolled oats vs. quick oats, they all have almost the same nutritional values. Just be sure that the ingredients say oats or rolled oats on the box or can. There is no reason for anything else to be in there! Instant oatmeal is the worst offender as it has a lot of additives for flavors and such. Just stick with the basics.
I personally love steel cut oats and I like the Quaker brand more than the McCanns. Even though it is cheaper, it tasted nuttier. I haven't tried other brands yet, so I can only compare those two. So you can do this with whatever your favorite oatmeal is, both regular and steel cut.
Figure out how much water and oatmeal will fit into your crockpot. I can make ten servings in my crockpot. For my steel cut oats this means eight cups of water and two cups of steel cut oats. I did make 12 servings in my crockpot once but really had to be careful that it didn't boil over. This is what it looked like when it was done:
That could have turned into one sticky mess if I hadn't been watching it. I put all the water and oats in the crockpot on a day when I know I am going to be home for most of the day. I turn the crockpot on high and just keep checking it every hour or so. I stir it every time I check it too. This keeps it from sticking around the bottom. I've never kept track of how long this has taken in the past. It doesn't take long in my crockpot but it runs hot. I would guess it takes about four hours, give or take a few.

Once it is almost done to the consistency I like, I turn it off and let it cool for 30-60 minutes. It will thicken up, so if it is soupy, don't let that discourage you! I then take a one cup measuring cup and measure out one cup into each of the containers I have. (In this case I ended up with 12 servings) I let them cool a bit and then froze half of them and put the other half in the fridge.
In the morning I pop the corner of the lid and microwave the refrigerated oatmeal for a minute or two on high, or longer for frozen, stirring it about halfway through the cycle. (I had run out of containers and put three servings in baggies that I will warm up in a bowl)
Once warmed up, I dash on some cinnamon, a small container of Fage fat free yogurt (because that is my personal favorite), and cut up a banana on top. This makes a huge and filling breakfast that I eat right out of the containers. It is almost as easy as fixing instant oatmeal and has far more nutritional value and a lot of flavor that I put in there, not factory added chemicals. Total calories come in at just under 300 with 3 grams of fat.
You can personalize this to your heart's content with chopped dates, raisins, chopped apple, flavored yogurts or whatever you like best! Experiement with sweeteners too. You can try honey, agave, brown sugar, Splenda, maple syrup, jams, and more if you want to add a little sweetness.
It sure is a time saver and makes for a quick breakfast or you can even have it for lunch if you need something in a hurry.

QUOTE FOR TODAY:

Jim Rohn: "Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."

I hope you've enjoyed today's blog posting! The photo below is from my trail, a few weeks ago. The morning mist was billowing onto the pathway in front of me. Come on, follow me into the mists! Let's go for a walk!

Smile! It's Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day to all my readers! The sun is shining here and boy did I need to get some sunshine in my life today! Yes, even I have dark days that have nothing to do with the weather.
I've been in a bit of a mood lately. I am not sure if it is a touch of the mid-winter blues or stress or what. I made it a point to work on my moodiness today though, and guess what? I feel better this afternoon!
I got my Valentine gift a day early. My dear husband got me a box of chocolates! He IS listening to me though and got a little one with three pieces in it. I ate them all last night! I even had three more little Hershey chocolates AFTER 8PM!!! I've been good about not eating after 8pm but broke my streak last night. I felt a little guilty about it but...this morning was another day and I got up and went out for a very long walk in the sunshine.
Then I went shopping. It was mostly window shopping but it was done on purpose to get me out of the house and on my feet. This afternoon I am tired, but feeling a LOT better! I have been eating like the thinner person I want to be and am looking forward to Yoga class tomorrow.
Many of us have used such events in our past, as excuses to quit living our new-to-us, healthier lifestyles. It is so easy to be tempted to go backwards. I MADE myself remember just how far I've come. I also reminded myself that there are lots of folks counting on ME to keep on going! They feed off of my success as much as I feed of the feelings I get when helping out my fellow fluffiers.Don't give up. You only fail when you quit trying! YES you have to sometimes work harder at staying on track and staying motivated. You know, it isn't easy to eat all that crappy food and get fat either! You have to motivate yourself more than you know, to make bad choices as well as good ones. If you truly care about yourself, you will want to take care of yourself and keep the healthier lifestyle going. If you don't care about yourself or your health enough to make the effort, then perhaps you should figure out WHY!
Sometimes this means counseling, sometimes this may mean anti-depressantss, sometimes this means really doing some soul searching. But really...if you can't love yourself enough to live the healthy life, then there is something wrong! You CAN fix it! I did...and I am not any different than any of you!
Now go for a walk! And give yourself a hug while you're at it!

Ending One Cycle and Starting a New One!

Now that I am more firmly entrenched in ONE-derland, I feel it is time to make a few changes here on my blog. Don't panic! I won't be leaving the topic of weight loss, exercise, lifestyle changes, and all that I've done this past year and three months, I will just be changing the posts a little, as I ease into my personal maintenance lifestyle. I want to try to be a little more structured, while I still share my journey with you. I want to reach out and help others if they want my help too.


There are a few thoughts I would like to share:

• I am open to helping out anyone who asks, but I am not a trained professional. I also don't charge a fee.
• I am just a 'normal' person who has lost a lot of weight without gimmicks. 
• I will not chastise you for not doing what I suggest. It is YOUR life, not mine and YOU have to want to change in YOUR own way. 
• I would caution you to see your doctor before doing anything I suggest.
• I don't believe I have ALL the answers. What I do is really easy and is based on common sense, not miraculous quick-fix cures.
• I am not perfect. I still struggle with temptations, eating the wrong foods, skimping on exercising, and even, sometimes, recording what I've eaten so that it looks like I did better than I really did!
• Even though I am not perfect, I DO eat better and exercise more, than I did a year ago.
• I often say to "Live like the thinner person you want to be." I first heard this over at the Fat 2 Fit Radio guys' podcast. I believe in this!!!
• I believe in exercising like the thin person I want to be too.
• I believe I AM living the lifestyle of a thinner person right now!
• I still fear that I won't have enough calories left at the end of the day... and will feel hungry ... and will stuff myself with bad foods and gain at least 20 pounds overnight!
• I still wonder if I will stay at this weight or will gain it all back.
• I still feel fat. Really!

• I digress here but I just have to tell you this story before I forget it. A a few days ago I was walking down the hallway after yoga class at the center. I was carrying my yoga mat, gym bag, and purse. After I passed by someone coming in the opposite direction, I realized I had turned so as to allow for a lot more space for the person to get by me. I then realized, in that same instant, that there was no need for me to do that! I hope that person didn't think I was treating them like they had the plague or something! I was so used to having to turn to make way for my (formerly) wide berth that I was still doing that move, subconsciously.

On the other hand, I also:

• am thrilled that I HAVE lost all this weight!
• am astonished when I see my reflection in the mirror...is that really ME?
• love shopping for clothes now!
• want others to figure this out for themselves and to be as  happy as I am!
• still have more to learn.
• hate lose-weight-quick schemes because of the money they steal from folks and because they DON'T WORK!!!

I am sure I have more to say. (Don't I always?) I hope to update this blog, once a week. What would you like me to write about more? In each posting I would like to include a discussion topic, a tip or hint, a recipe or food, and a quote. What do you think, gentle readers?

QUOTE FOR TODAY: "You can have it all; you just can’t have it all, all at once."
(Taken from the Daily Spark)

Still Trippin' Over My Changes

From July 2011 to February 2012 I lost 33 pounds.