Day 25

So today is Day 25 and I was cheated a little and had one of Lenny's taquitos. NOT GOOD, but tomorrow is a new day and there will be no taquitos in my future He He.

I am currently listening to Dr. Oz's YOU ON A DIET on CD in my car. It is amazing the knowledge you learn from Dr. Oz. Knowing what you body does with food is so interesting. I have learned so much already! I would recommend it to anyone making this change. Knowledge is step one. Knowing what you eat and how much of it.

I also recommend Fatsecret.com to anyone trying to watch what they eat and track weight loss. It is totally free and gives you the knowledge you need to know to control your eating.

I am up to 11 followers and very proud to have you.

Until later.
Nancy

Weigh In!

So yesterday I decided I really needed to start tracking my calories exactly, I had been estimating and rounding, and decided I wanted to be more exact. So I hit the Blackberry App Store to look for Calorie Counters for my phone, since I always have my phone I thought it would be the easiest way. I found one by Fat Secret that was FREE (magic words!) I read the reviews and decided to go for it. IT IS WONDERFUL! So simple to use, it has a thorough database of foods and restaurants, has an exercise and weight tracker, basically I would recommend it to anyone! My goal weight is 150 pounds and I read somewhere that you should do your goal weight x 10 for your calories. Yesterday I ate 1538 calories and burned 4387 calories between normal daily activity, sleeping, and 1 hour of cardio.

Yesterday we had lunch catered in at work and I am starting to learn that work is my biggest obstacle, there is always food in there. They brought the most delicious looking pasta and garlic bread, but I battled my brain and ate my Lean Cuisine and an apple while sitting with my co-workers and their yummy looking food. I make it through it, and was so proud of myself when it was over. So it was hard, but rewarding in the long run. I assume the more I have those rewarding feelings the easier resisting will get. The funny thing is, when lunch was over I heard some of my co-workers complaining that the food was not that good! All those calories I avoided for food that didn't even taste good! Amazing.

So as you read from the title, today I did a weigh in, in case I never reported this ( I don't think I did because of the humiliation of it all) my starting weight on 2/1/10 was 311 pounds. (Tear) I am happy to report today that my current weight is 300 pounds. That is 11 pounds in 3 weeks! I have been reading a lot about weight loss and I read that a weight loss of up to 2.5 pounds is very healthy, and I want to do this right, so I am a little over that by losing an estimated 3.66 pounds so far. I am sure that will slow down eventually, and I had been feeling sad about the slow weight loss process, but I do feel happy today that I have lost the 11 pounds. I cannot wait to report when I am below 300. I keep dreaming I will get on that scale and see the number 2 again. LOL.

Thank you all for taking the time to support me. I cannot do this alone as I have told you, and just know that they few of you out there that care are taking the time to read my journey means a lot.

My Aunt and Uncle have been my biggest supporters, and they deserve all the credit in the world. I am so grateful for them. Love you!

So, I am hoping that this blog is enjoyable to read, and hopefully motivational to some. Feel free to forward this blog around and maybe just maybe there is another person in my shoes that I could support on their journey. Spread the Word!
Love you all,
Nancy

The Battle

So I keep telling myself that everyday that goes by this will get easier. I will stop having a debate in my brain about every little piece of food that crosses my past. As I have told most of you I compare my eating habits to being on drugs....it is an addiction, one that is to easy not to face. You see I eat because it tastes good. An extra helping of mashed potatoes because I love them so much and they taste so good, except I was already full beyond my means. As I watch the cookies, candies, and various items come in and out of our office day by day, as I walk by the kitchen and think, what is one cookie going to hurt. But to me, one cookie sends me spiraling back into where I started. It has been 22 days, 22 days of starting each day trying to do all the right things. I keep battling in my brain what I know is right and what the addiction wants me to do. Sometimes it feels like 2 people living in my brain...one that knows what to do and one that wants to defy everything and eat the food because it will taste good.

My family talked to me about what it could be underlying inside me that made me eat this way since I was 17 (that is when I started to put on weight) and I don't really know. All I can say is that I like the way food tastes, and becoming lazy about eating is SO EASY! Drive thru, eating out, frozen pizzas, what could be easier. Here I am 17 years later determined to turn it around. As far back as I can remember I have eaten wrong. I grew up on TV Dinners and 2 liters of soda because my mom worked all the time, then when I was old enough to take care of myself I became a drive thru queen. I can remember before high school having a Western Bacon Cheeseburger with friends for breakfast and Big Macs as soon as we got out. I just trained myself to be a failure in this department, and now it is time for change.

These past 22 days have been the hardest days I can remember as of yet in my life. Keeping my brain on track. The Battle in my brain. The constant debate of good vs. evil, He He. I am sure to some of you reading this must be thinking, suck it up, it is just food. You are so right, and my brain tells me that to. I am right there with you. I keep hoping everyday I wake up that the debate of wanting to eat something that has made me the way I am today will stop. They day of no more battle, but will that ever happen? Am I destined to have to debate myself everyday when it comes to food.

Tonight I hit the elliptical for a 35 minute weight loss program and then 15 minutes on the treadmill. A big accomplishment for me. The challenge I have given myself this week is to work out every night no matter what.

I just wanted to say thanks to those of you who may be reading this. It helps to know that people are behind me, and I have been so lucky to have been given the best motivational gift ever.

Love you,
Nancy

Slacker

So this weekend I have been a slacker. Not so much with the food, but I haven't worked out at all. Went out Friday night for Dave's birthday (didn't get home till 3:30am) then Saturday slept all day of course until Lenny got home from work then we went to play poker at Jim & Deanna's, so needless to say, no work out. But, the philosophy I am trying to follow with this is a life change, not just a diet. So with that said, today is a new day, and today will be working out and planning for the week.

Until later!
Nancy

Tick tock tick tock

So nothing much new has happened of course. Things have been steady, eating going well, exercise going well. Plan still on track! I feel like the turtle in the race...but I just keep telling myself that this is not going to happen overnight.

Thanks Natalie for the tips! That is so great to know to check out the restaurant before I go!

Home Alone Day

So being at home alone has always been troublesome for me...BOREDOM EATING....but today I stuck to my guns. Cereal for breakfast, rice and chicken for lunch, and a Subway Combo for dinner (Turkey Sand with Apples and a Water). MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

So I started looking on Craig's List for a used Elliptical, and today my dreams came true. There was one posted at noon that I saw at 1pm that was a NordicTrack Gym Quality Elliptical. The family had it in storage and needed to get rid of it. I went and looked at it and it was great. It is a few model years old, but it is in GREAT condition and at $200 it was a steal! They sell for about $1000 new, so I am lucky. They just wanted to get rid of it.

I had a meeting tonight so I got home from work about 9 and Lenny helped me bring it in the house. That was fun, and Lenny has been sick so he was really excited as you can imagine. (But he did it without a gripe at all). We got it into the spare bedroom, and well, setting it up on the carpet wasn't the best idea, no support. So Lenny will have to make me come kind of floor for it with wood. Well I got on at about 10 and went for 30 minutes, it was great. I may have done a little to much because I feel a little nauseous, but that will pass.

For now I am exhausted, but here's to another successful day.
Thanks for following, I need you.

Love Nancy

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day. The weekend has been great. Stuck to the meal plan and learned some great new exercise and food tips from my Aunt and Uncle (thanks for the help!)

So with all my new cookbooks I hope to share with you all the triumphs and losses of these healthy meals. That is my next goal, so tomorrow off to the grocery and farmers market I go.

Well off to hit the treadmill...

Bad Girl

Well today I was not as good. Alaina took me out for dinner for my birthday (Thanks Girl!). I had a martini, what I think was a sensible dinner and we shared a dessert mini sampler. It was really good.

I have learned that Yardhouse is not a place to go eat. They don't have a Nutritional Value menu (which I thought was required now) so I just had to wing it.

I bought a couple cookbooks at Borders, Cook Yourself Thin and Cook Yourself Thin Faster. They had some great recipes and I am excited to get started. Stay Tuned....

Thanks Aunt Sandy for the Dr. Oz tips, I have started to Tivo it. 
Thanks for the tip Natalie, greatly appreciated.

Just wanted to say thanks to all of you that have taken the time to care about my journey. One thing I have learned in all of this is that I cannot do it alone.

Love Ya - Nanc

Weigh In Today

So today I did a weigh in. I have lost 5 pounds in a week. Not as good as I would like it to be...but it is a loss and Lenny says I should be happy.

Had whole wheat tortillas for the first time tonight for dinner and you know what I think they were better then flour! Who knew.

I need to get some diet cookbooks so if you can recommend any let me know. My Uncle and Aunt recommended the Dr. Phil one so I am going to get that one. Also if you have any recipes to share or tips please pass them on!

Nothing exciting today, just the weigh in!

Until tomorrow! Nancy

Today I'm Pooped

So right now I am feeling on the disappointed side. I got home from work at 10pm and all the way home I was debating whether or not to work out. I view it as the angel and devil having a spat on my shoulders like in the cartoons LOL. Well when I actually got here I decided not to sit down and just get right on the treadmill. I told myself I have to at least do that. So I did. About 5 minutes in I got a HORRIBLE cramp in my right calf (which is my post op leg). Well I talked myself through it for 10 additional minutes, but after 15 minutes I had to give up....which was the extent of my exercise today. Not enough. BUT there is always tomorrow.

I did eat 100% correct today which is the #1 Goal of course. Without that the work outs would be for nothing. My arms are awful sore today from all those darn P90X push ups. Even though I couldn't keep up even the few I was able to get through worked! Feel the Burn!

Biggest Problem of the Day: You would not believe the quantity of food brought into the office today! Cupcakes, cookies, muffins....Didn't eat a one! ACCOMPLISHED (I did have one small bite of Jen's sugar cookie though, but it was just a bite.)

Thanks for following me....until tomorrow night...Nancy

Tip of the Day: Stick With It

Wow 3 followers, I am so excited - and in just one day. Thanks you all for your support!

So today was a great day. Ate all my meals correctly even in the case of lunch brought into work (Pizza, Yum) but I passed and had my salad with a chicken breast and watermelon. I am noticing that I am not feeling very full (which is good) but I am hungry most of the time (well at least my stomach is). I am hoping that will go away. My stomach should shrink I assume?

Talked with Alaina last night about this blogging thing...she encouraged it also. She asked me what my first short term goal is and you know, I didn't have an answer. I hadn't even thought about it. So we talked and I guess the first goal is to fit back in some of my shirts and jeans that are snug. (And for those of you who really know me know that those are the only clothes hanging in my closet LOL).

Now to the real issue - I CANNOT LIFT MY ARMS! Even typing this is making me sore. Got home from work at about 8:30pm and hit the treadmill for 1 mile (20minutes) then on to my first day of P90X Workout. HOLY COW I could just die (and thought I might). Lucky for me I didn't have the pull up bar thingy that you need so I couldn't do any of the pull up exercises (and yes, you get to use a chair cause we all know I am not going to pull myself up just yet). Thank goodness I didn't because I have never attempted so many different types of push ups in my life. It was so hard I couldn't help but laugh, which is better then cry. He He. Needless to say I am sure I will be worse in the morning.

Lenny blew up the Nordic Ball I got on sale at Sears for $5 and it came with an entire sheet of exercises which is really cool. I did a few but after and hour and half of working out I was tired, plus tonight is Hollywood Week for American Idol and I have to watch it before sleeping.

Biggest Problem of the Day: Avoiding the Red Velvet Cake that was served for Birthday Celebrations at work. ACCOMPLISHED!

See you tomorrow night!
Love Nanc

Blogging - Day One

So I sat with Jen tonight at dinner before our meeting, and I told her that I was thinking about blogging about this most difficult journey for me. I was telling her that I thought maybe others (if there are any that read this LOL) helping me along, maybe a little support group for me, might help. She agreed fully. You see, those of you that know me know that my weight is a problem. My biggest problem. My hardest problem. My fear. My downfall. And now, at hitting the 300 lb. mark I can do this no longer. I can not allow this to go on any longer, and it will be very hard, but maybe with your support I can do this.

I am on day EIGHT of this journey. As I started on 2/1/10, and so far, things have been going great. I have controlled my eating (3 meals and 2 snacks a day) to small portions and only healthy foods. I have tried all the fads and ups and downs and it never works forever. I do ok for a while but then wind up back where I started (PLUS SOME). This time it is going to be different! I am taking one day at a time and facing each new day as it comes. I am going to change this time, not just be "on a diet". I need to live the diet, not be on the diet. I have been exercising to, which to me is the main ingredient in weight loss, as long as I stay doing it. Lenny's sister gave me a treadmill, Jen got me an exercise Wii game, and Veronica gave me a copy of the P90X weight loss discs. I also have Jim and Deanna loaning me their home gym whenever I want. I am so lucky to have such great support behind me.

Tomorrow will be the big start to the 90 day P90X Work Out Discs. I am preparing to be really sore. LOL.

Biggest problems so far: Temptation of Course: I have been surrounded by it (as I always will in real life) and so far have been able to resist, even when eating out.

Hopefully you will find this interesting (and I will do my best to keep it interesting) and follow this journey with me. I need help, as I hate to ask for, but I need help. Sometimes I feel like eating is a drug to me, it just tasted so good and I couldn't stop. Here I am 300 lbs. later. I have tried other ways and now I am going to stop trying and do it. I CAN DO IT.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my blog. Hope you come back.
Love Nanc...