Mini Weight Loss Goals

I've heard of people losing all kinds of weight, 50 pounds, 100 pounds, 10 pounds, 25 pounds, etc. My current goal is to lose about 30 pounds but I've broken that number down into mini goals: 5% loss, 10% loss, 15% loss, 20% loss. I took my original weight which was 174.8 and multiplied it by 5. This equaled 874. Then I divided that by 100 and got 8.74. My first mini goal is to lose 8.7 pounds or to reach 166.1. Then I work on my 10%, 15%, then 20%. So my weight loss looks something like this

5% Loss = 166.1
10% Loss = 157.4
15% Loss = 148.6
20% Loss = 139.9

My goal is to reach 144 but may feel differently once I get there. I believe when I look at these goals, the numbers don't seem so big and I feel like I can manage this along with everything else. I'm trying to look at this whole situation with realistic expectations and allow myself some grace. Bryan is doing everything he can to find a job and I am praying like crazy. I wanted to lose all my weight by Christmas but that may not be something I can do. Giving some wiggle room to my plan is best for stressful times. I do not want to stop losing but there are other pressing issues that deserve my attention. My post yesterday was full of emotion and I'm glad I wrote it. Each day I feel something a little differently. Today my mind is a bit more focused and ready for the task. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

The verse in my mind today : James 1:2-4 Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Life Just Threw Me For A Loop

My husband lost his job. Yes, you read correctly. My new husband of six weeks has no employment. HOLY MOLY. If there was ever a time to gorge on food now would be it for me. This is the "perfect storm" as some say. I'm not in control of the situation, I don't know what's going to happen, our world may be turned completely upside down, and survival mode has kicked into high gear inside me once again. Bryan said to me last night that he will probably lose twenty pounds because he works out when he's worried. I countered with the notion that I'll probably gain twenty pounds because I eat when I'm worried. Obviously I'm hoping this doesn't happen and I can be in control of the one thing I physically can do something about. But how??? I must remember my goal: I want to live healthier and feel better. I can't achieve those two things if I'm stuffing my face. I'm going back into "take each minute as it comes" mode right now and just trying to stay calm, breathe and be so very grateful I'm not dealing with this on my own. Bryan is here and is being very pro-active in his job search. He seems happier, as if a weight has been lifted off him. He hated the job he had so maybe this is God's way of moving things around for us. I've been asking Him to help us know what's right for our family. If we have to move, we move. If we need to downsize, I've done it before. All this has happened in my past and I'm not scared of it. But it is overwhelming to process and realize the changes that are occurring all around me. I've been reading some scripture lately and these verses keep coming to mind:

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Philippians 4:6 "Do not be anxious about in anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

These help me feel not so insignificant and show me what I believe in is real. I have been through hell and back and know in my heart that if I was not a believer, I wouldn't have come through as I did. If you feel lead, please pray for my family. We're gonna need it!!!

Weigh-In Day

Does this day tend to stress anyone else out besides me?! I chose Monday because that's when I decided to begin this lifestyle change. But as I've gotten further into this process (and lost 7.2 pounds) I've decided to change my day. Our weekends are unpredictable and I tend to be a lot less structured with my kids, my sleep, my eating and it's okay!! I am doing this weight loss thing my way and decided Fridays are better for me to judge how I'm doing. This change is not to give myself a free pass to eat whatever I want on Saturday and Sunday, but to allow me to enjoy my lounge time and not think so much about food. Bryan and I have gone out the past few Friday nights and haven't eaten the healthiest meals. Splurging every once in a while is good but it doesn't have to be close to my "day." While the scale is not the ultimate redeemer of my weight, I can't really tell there is a change when I put my clothes on. So I step on the digital box.

What day do you weigh-in? Do you have any other ways you can tell if you lose or gain a few pounds?

So Very Thankful

My two younger kiddos wanted to play in the sprinkler so badly this evening. It's been extremely hot here and unfortunately we don't have easy access to any pools. After dinner Shelby and Jonah quickly changed and stood by the back door patiently waiting for me. As soon as I pulled the door open they were running to the yard, laughing and jumping around with excitement. I turned the sprinkler on and the kids acted like it was Christmas!! They were running around, skipping through the water, having a blast. While I sat on the back porch watching them I felt so happy and peaceful. Our lives have not been very easy and when I look back at the past few summers I am amazed at how life can change. My children are still young enough to not understand all of the hardships we've been through and also don't fully comprehend the love and commitment Bryan and I have for them. It's still difficult for me to fully grasp the fact that I'm married to an amazing, loving, devoted man! After my first marriage fell apart I truly believed I wouldn't find anyone else but here I am and my cup truly runneth over.

Favorite Cooking Tools

I used to be very creative in the kitchen before I had children. I would take joy in making new dishes, cooking for my friends, and attempting difficult recipes. Now my goal is to spend as little time in the kitchen as possible, prepare meals everyone will love ( this almost never happens), and get us moving in a healthier direction. I recently purchased two items that I use 95% of the time now to cook. They keep our kitchen much cooler and help me minimize mess and time.

 I LOVE my crock-pot. I used to have one but it broke during one of my many moves. This baby is so user friendly and my favorite part about it is that I can throw the food in during the a.m., go about my day, and dinner is ready in the evening. There are plenty of slow cooker recipes on the web but I found this Crock Pot Blog and have used several recipes. This woman has over 365 recipes to choose from and is extremely creative. And the great thing about making a meal to fill the crock-pot is that you will more than likely have leftovers which means one less night of cooking for you!!

This is my griddle/grill!!!

I love this appliance because it's a two-in-one deal. I make eggs and pancakes on the griddle and then flip it over to make bacon. There is a tray underneath to catch all the mess and this thing heats up fast! Mine is the Food Network brand from Kohl's (got it one sale) but I've seen higher end and lower end griddle/grill sets. I use this every morning to make my breakfast and I've also made grilled cheese, chicken, and grilled veggies.

I use my white toaster oven (in the background) to bake chicken, pork, and fish. This little appliance also puts off minimum heat and requires little clean up.

What are your favorite kitchen tools and appliances?

Don't Beat Yourself Up

Last night my husband and I had our first date since being married. I ordered pizza for the kids and their favorite baby sitter came over to play. While Bryan was getting ready my stomach was growling fiercely and I was smelling that delicious pizza and WHAM! Just like that I ate one piece, then another, then another....can you say overstuffed??? As we drove away I told Bryan what I had done. He shrugged it off and said "Well, just move on from it." Really? That's it? Sometimes I'm amazed at the way men think. During every one of my previous attempts to lose weight I would have an eating episode like this and beaten myself up for at least a day, having a nice pity part with me as the star. But I'm tired of doing that. This is going to be the time when I make different choices, more mature decisions, this is the time when I pull my big girl panties up and say, MOVE ON. So that's what I did. I drank water for the rest of the evening and ate light today. The pizza incident probably set me back a few ounces and helped me see how easy it is to slide into old habits. But by changing the way I react to the incident makes it easier for me to feel better about myself and not dwell on the mistake. No more beating myself up!!!

Changes to My Eating

So I began this journey on June 18th and have lost 6.2 pounds so far. I decided to combine a few different "diet" plans to work for me and it's really made a difference! I love pasta and fried foods but knew they needed to be almost non-existent in the beginning, so I've taken most of these foods off my list for now. I've also removed fruit until next week-June 19th, the reason is to rid my body of sugar and cleanse my system. I do have a few carbs in my day but portion control is key and I only have them at one meal. Below is a small list of lifestyle changes I've implemented, not too much but enough to get me losing weight and feeling good.

DRINK YOUR WATER

Water is extremely important for your skin, body balance and overall health. I drink one bottle of water (16.9 oz) as soon as I wake up, before I eat breakfast or have my coffee. I drink another bottle between breakfast and lunch and then at least one more in the afternoon. I know this may seem like a lot at first but I promise it helps you feel full and eat less.

LEAN PROTEIN


One plan I am taking advice from is South Beach. The basic concept is broken down into three phases. Phase 1 is no carbs or sugar for two weeks. You eat only lean proteins, beans, green veggies and dairy. You are allowed two caffeinated drinks a day but decaf is recommended. This is a great way to watch the numbers on the scale drop quickly!

SMALLER PORTIONS


I thought this aspect was going to be difficult for me. As a society we have grown way too comfortable with big plates, big spoons, and big portions. I decided to eat all of my food on a small salad plate, use the smallest spoons we have, and use measuring cups to scoop my food out of pots and pans. I bought spoon shaped measuring cups from Target and they work really well.  I no longer go back for seconds and eating leftovers from my kids' plates is totally off-limits. When I was younger the Clean Your Plate  motto was heavily enforced. Even though I've tried to end this way of thinking, when I see food on my kids' plates I'm quick to eat it. I caught myself doing this a few months ago when I went to my in-law's.  Grandma made breakfast and the kiddos were not eating very much. I cleaned my plate and then proceeded to eat off of their plates so my MIL would not feel insulted. When I told Bryan about it he said I was being ridiculous and to not worry so much. But there was a need in me for her to feel the kids liked her cooking and that they were good eaters. I've spoken with other Moms who eat off of their kids' plates so I know I'm not alone. Stopping this behavior is a big step for me...now we give the leftovers to the dogs! And when I feel the urge at the dinner table I ask Bryan to take the plates away or instruct the kids to clear the table.

GO TO BED HUNGRY


The last food I ingest for the day is approximately 4 hours before bedtime. The first week I had a headache every night but now it's not so bad. Your body isn't working on extra food to digest and can get ready for the following day. But be warned, you will wake up hungry the next morning!!

WORK OUT

I'm doing 20 minute High Interval Training workouts every other day to two days. These work you hard in a short amount of time and your burn plenty of calories. A lot of the workouts you can do at home, I am currently working on The Firm and love the videos. Working out with weights is great for your body. Pinterest also has plenty of workout tips. Just get moving!!!!

LIMIT FAST FOOD


Eat more at home...duh!! You don't have to be a gourmet cook but try to eat at least 9 meals a week at home. I do plenty of recipe searching on the internet and you can find very simple recipes. Plan your meals ahead and it saves you even more time. I will post more about meal planning soon.

Transitions Through Childhood

We as humans go through some amazing transitions throughout our lives. Not only do we mature at a speedy rate when we are young but as we grow into adults physically and psychologically we experience multiple transitions. I began thinking of this the other day while at our local YMCA pool. Our neighbors had invited us to go and as we entered the pool I was flooded with memories of the recent summers the kids and I spent there.  In the summer of 2009 my ex-husband disappeared and I had no clue as to what to do. We joined the Y and I took the kids to the pool almost every day. Jonah was only three months old so I never brought him outside. The following summer he began walking and he toddled around the pool in swim trunks that were so long on him they looked like pants. Then last summer he quickly became acquainted with the frog slide and jumping off the side into the water, laughing the whole time. As these images ran through my mind I realized how fast time flies and also how easily we parents get caught up in the daily bustle of life and forget we are witnessing these little lives change daily.

How many of you are parents to teenagers? Can you remember being their age and feeling like your friends were your reason for living? Teenagers naturally want to separate from Mom and Dad and begin to make lives of their own. The hormonal changes for boys and girls during this time are on hyper drive and can cause major disturbances in any household. I’m sure some of you Moms and Dads (if any Dads actually read this!) are wondering where in the world your sweet baby girl went to and how was she replaced with this overly sensitive, dramatic young woman.  I know boys go through many hormonal transitions as well and can become very moody and distant from his parental units. I remember being a teenager and feeling so disconnected from my parents at times. My sister and I never got into much trouble but the temptations to “push the envelope” were certainly there. And for many families today divorce, economic stress, addiction, and many other trials can have detrimental effects on children’s natural transitions through life.  And even if you are providing your teens with a solid foundation, great support and lots of love, they still can seem to become different people in your eyes!

Parents who have young children like mine probably remember all to well those sleepless weeks with babies and also the joys of watching them roll over, crawl, climb on the couch, eat normal food, begin to walk, and then begin to talk. So many changes come about in such short periods of time but while we’re in the midst of them we feel like the days are dragging by so slowly.  My children are transitioning with their new Dad and I will admit, these beginning weeks have not been super easy. Because none of them remember their biological Father being around they relate way more to me than Bryan. I had told him when we first met how tired I was of being both the fun parent and the disciplinarian. Being a completely single parent is extremely difficult. Tonight at the dinner table he told the kids, “I’m the bad cop and Mommy’s the good cop”. I laughed because it’s true. My kiddos have to transition from one parent to two and it will take time. But I believe that parents can make the transitions a bit easier if we really listen to our children, try to remember how it was to be their age, and to keep in mind that they do not fully understand what is changing inside them either.

Give your kids love, personal space, healthy boundaries, and stick with your rules. I know that’s not always easy and I’ve given in many times. But keep trying and pray every day that each transition can be seen as a new adventure - even when you want to pull out your hair and theirs!

Introductions

This blog does not have one main idea. My mind works in circles being a mother, wife, job seeker, wannabe writer, and organizer of my home. I've always wanted to write and I have found this may be the easiest way for me right now. I hope to post about my current weight loss journey, stories and advice about raising children, yummy recipes I find, and the challenges I have overcome in the past. You can use the tabs at the top of the page to find specific posts. I'm not really sure how all of this will work but I hope to take you on a journey of hope, laughter, love, life, and survival. So when life gives you challenges, rise to the occasion and kick some butt!!