Reporting on Week 10 & 11.

"When you're under stress, you may find it harder to eat healthy. Also, during times of particularly high stress, you may eat in an attempt to fulfill emotional needs — sometimes called stress eating or emotional eating. And you may be especially likely to eat high-calorie foods during times of stress, even when you're not hungry."  Mayo Clinic Article Stress and Weight management.

This has been my life the past 2 weeks!  The stress has been so high and I have struggled!  Struggled with the lack of desire to exercise, to eat healthy, to do anything I am suppose to do to create balance in my life and home.   Issues with Camden at school and with his ADHD and anxiety I have spent alot of time venting, crying and just feeling lost.   Then I went to work researching what is best for him.   The decision has finally been made and arrangements are in the works to make Camden's 2014-15 school year successful.   And we finally know for sure Brenley will have surgery and her awesome teachers and advisers at school made it possible for Brenley to have rest until her surgery.  She is done with school for the year.    Having these two issues resolved (or at least the answer is known) I am hoping I can start to feel myself again.  I thought I would feel and instant relief but I still feel keyed up and have had headaches for 3 days now.   

I am sharing all of this not to bore you but hoping you won't think I am totally loser when I share with you that the past two weeks my weight has been fluctuating all over the place.  Up and down and I have no idea how much I really weigh right now.   I am still making progress in my journey as I am learning how to overcome challenges.  I just have to remember this is a life long journey and not something I can accomplish in 3 or 4 months.   Thank you for sticking with me.  I am trying to stay positive but it has been hard.   But I am here and I am working.. every day I am working whether it shows or not.

Reporting Week #9: Counting Points gets a Thumbs up!

So I started counting Weight Watcher points (using their old system).  It is small but I am seeing results this week.   I lost 1.6 pounds bringing me to 225.0.   And I did it without feeling like I had to say NO to everything.   It as a nice change.   I think this is how the weight loss will be from this point on...slow but hopefully steady.

I am still seeing changes in my body.   I went shopping for some shirts and I was able to buy  in the large size rather than XL or XXL. It seems to depend upon the style so I am unsure what shirt size I really am but I know I am smaller than before.    I try to remember this when I see pictures of myself.   I can see changes in my face but I struggle looking at a full body shot.  I feel ugly.   I am  battling negative self talk....I feel good and see improvements but then I look at myself in a recent picture and I wonder how long it is going to take until the real Brenda is found among the fat.   I don't like to think this way and I like who I am inside...I just have to continue to carry on by having faith and moving my feet.  Having Faith and Moving Forward seems to be a common theme throughout my life.   

I am thankful to feel the progress in my body even if the pictures aren't showing it.   I can run faster.   I trimmed 4 minutes off of my mile which is HUGE for me!   I am still a slow runner but Rome wasn't build in a day and I didn't put all of this weight on in a day.   I have to remind myself to be patient with my body.    I look forward to being able to hike this summer and bike and be active with my children.  This is something I used to be, active, but then one day I wasn't.  At least that is how it felt.   I have goals and a secret desire of my heart that I hope will come sometime in the next couple of years and I want to be physically ready for the call if it comes.   Even it that call doesn't come the Lord will have other plans and I want to be able to meet he challenges with energy and vigor!   Good health is an incredible blessing and everyday is a gift!   

Another milestone this past week is wearing a belt.   My pants are getting too baggy so I tried an old belt on. I could only do it up on the first hole but at least I could do it up!!!!!   That was kind of fun!!!   

My favorite grocery item is Greek Yogurt (non-fat).   

Baked Nacho Casserole by Ro*Tel.

I made this recipe and replaced the mayo with the Greek yogurt.  Saves LOTS of calories and fat.  I think the mayo probably adds some flavor so I added some taco seasoning and garlic powder to give it a little more spice.  I also replaced the burger with turkey burger.  It turned out yummy.    Next time I will use rice on the bottom and less tortilla chips on top.   This would bring it to a lower point value.  

So this was my week in a nutshell.
Onward and Upward!

Reporting Week #8 - Better late than never.

Ok so I am a few days behind in reporting.

Week #8 ended with me stepping on the scale and wanting to scream as it showed me about 4 pounds heavier.   Made me so stinking mad!   But then I stepped on the the scale the next day and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I realized it was all water weight.   I guess it was just a weird day.  But I did stay the same...no loss.   So I started using Weight Watchers plan. I am so happy I did.   So far this is so much easier to deal with and I can make a meal for my whole family and still be able to eat it myself.

I decided to take my measurements again to see if there is any progress there....and to my surprise I have dropped about 2 inches from my chest and abdomen.   I am happy with that!!!!  Hope it continues to come off!  

I have been working hard, working out and being true to my goals!  I hope when I weight in this week all the hard work shows!!!

Report Week #7 - The Same Old Song.

I made some awesome strides this week.   Been back to running and pushing myself.  I had to kind of step back and walk for a while but this week I was running almost 2 miles without stopping.   Has felt AWESOME!!!!    I am getting stronger.   The frustrating part is my body isn't showing it on the scale once again.   I am fluctuating between 226.4 and 227 ish.   So again no loss to report.  *UGH!*

This Easter weekend I decided to just eat whatever and not exercise.  Maybe it will wake up my body or something.  Who knows.   If I go another week without loss I am heading to weight watchers because it means what I am doing isn't working.  But I won't stop trying.  There have been alot of "mommy" type worries the past few weeks with my oldest son being diagnoses with ADHD w/Anxiety and one of my daughters not feeling well and having some things we need to help her change.  She is under a doctors care and she is trying to take good care of herself but it is hard when you are young.  These sweet kids should be able to just be kids and not have adult type worries.   But I believe they have been blessed with just the right gifts from a loving Heavenly Father to help them through these hard places.   And if I believe that then I need to remember it for myself as well.   I have not been left alone to face my own hard places...I know that.  I have witnessed it so many times in my life.  I am so thankful for that knowledge.  Sometimes I just need a reminder.  

If you get a free moment this week could you say a little prayer for my kids and myself...that we can overcome these "hard places".   Thank YOU!!!

Stress + Stress = Bad Report for weight loss. Week #6 Report.

I am not a super emotional eater ( at least most of the time) but I am an "anxious" eater.

When I am feeling my anxious self I can't focus as well on tasks and goals and I find myself wandering in the kitchen.  Sometimes this leads to eating....sometimes it leads to organizing.  (I prefer the second).   So I am sad to report I haven't lost anything.  :(  

Tomorrow is a the day my worries and anxiety over my oldest son's school issues will finally get some help.   We see the pediatrician tomorrow and I am hoping we leave with some answers and some help.   I worry a little bit that some of that "help" will be in the form of her telling me I need to change Camden's diet.   I am scared I won't be able to take on another new way of eating on top of the goals I have set for myself and my family already.  But if I need to do it then I will and will just pray my heart out for help!   But honestly the whole idea makes me so tired.
 *Deep Breath!*

So I am moving forward this week and going to work as hard as I can and I will expect to see a difference on Friday. 

  I need to Keep Calm, Get Healthy and if I need to "wander" because I am anxious my goal is to wander out the door in my jogging shoes.    

Week #5 Report

It has been a cold yucky raining kind of week.

My mood pretty much matched the weather.

I have been worried about my 7 year old (you can read more about that here), had a great case of pms and pretty much just felt like staying in my jammies all week.

So you will notice I didn't keep my tracking log this week and I didn't exercise every day.   I am amazed I even get to report a loss at all.

It isn't a whole pound but it is a loss.  0.4.

My eating wasn't super bad....pretty good considering but I hope to do much better in the new week.   I am still fighting the blues but hoping they go away with the stormy weather.

I found this saying and loved it!!!!
Been there done that and here I am again....NOT giving up this time even if I do have a bad week!

Week #4 Report

I love this picture!
I felt success this week in a few ways.

I lost 2.4 pounds!
I worked HARD for those 2.4 pounds.
I am now down to 227.0.
I also reached my goal to run over 3 miles.
I made it to 3.3 miles running 3/4 of the way.
I am feeling ready to run a few 5 K's which is my next goal.
I tried new foods/recipes.

To help "protect myself" from binge eating I have set two goals for my week this past week and will continue on in the coming weeks.
1.  Never allow myself to get too hungry....don't forget to eat a snack.  When I get to hungry it is easier for me to eat too much etc.   When I eat well all day I have zero problems with cravings and temptations.

2.  Include 1 day in the week where I can eat a meal or treat (or both)  and not worry about it.  I realized after working my "program" for over 17 days that the longer I said no to everything the harder it became to say no.  A friend of mine suggested I have a built in "cheat" ...or whatever you want to call it.   So when you see "cheat day" on my Daily Tracking page you will know what I mean. :)

I tried mashed cauliflower this week.
It was ok...not great.  I think I know how to make it taste better so I will try it again in coming weeks.
I am hoping to try out this new veggie this coming week.

It is called Jicama -pronounced (HEE-kah-ma).
I am told it is great on salads.
I'll let you know.
If you have a great recipe for Jicama let me know.

I am not losing 9 pounds each week (wouldn't that be nice lol).
But I am losing and I am changing my habits with food and my body is changing.
People are starting to notice now.
It has been 1 month and 3 days since I started this journey and lost a total of 14.2 pounds.
I think that is pretty Awesome!  :)
Happy Me!!