I just wanted to quickly check in. I’m still “at it”. Although last week I did a new Leslie Sansone workout that I have had for a while, but hadn’t done. I quickly realized why it was unused! The video features walking then strength (all squats and lunges and arm work with weights) then more walking, then more strength and so on. OH MY! It took me days to be able to walk normal again. Darn squats!

No big weight loss to report. Probably because I need to pay more attention to what I eat!
And drink more water.

Today I put on a pair of jeans. I haven’t wore jeans all summer. In fact, I’ve discovered these marvelous Capri sweat pants and have spent most of the summer in those (letting the fat hang out). Thankfully the jeans still fit. But hopefully they will be much looser soon!

I have 2 tubs of clothing I am holding onto from when I lost weight 2 years ago. I don’t know that I will get back into the size 8s though. My goal is a 10. Like I said before, I’d love to be much thinner on my 40th birthday. I so hope I can do it. I have started replacing one meal a day with a Slim Fast bar or shake. Which meal depends on what I’ve scheduled on the family menu for dinner. Tonight they are having Hamburger Helper and I will have a shake.

I’m a little worried about being able to keep working out. When we moved, I changed doctors. The doctors here would like for me to have surgery and to not take anything for my pain. Without medication, I tend to not have an active life. I hope and pray that they’ll make a good decision regarding my back. I don’t know what that is. Only God does. I trust Him to get me through this. I just hope I don’t gain weight during this time.

I’m going to stamp now.
If you’ve read this far give me some feedback! I don’t know that anyone will read these words. It’s more of a journal for me. But, say hi if you’ve been here!
Blessings~
Angel

Where did it go? It’s been over a month since I checked in here and a LOT has happened in that month, let me tell ya! We left Georgia and headed to South Carolina on August 1st. Not even 24 hours after arriving here I was admitted to the hospital where I spent the next 4 days. Colitus was the culprit and after 4 days of nothing at all to eat the only bright side was weight loss. I was nauseous for over a week after coming home from the hospital and was on a low-fiber/low-residue diet. No salads, raw fruits and veggies, whole grains…. what? I’m still trying to stick to it for the most part. I have found that when I stray my stomach hurts.
I just started my workouts again yesterday. I turn 40 in less than 2 months and I really want to be skinnier by then. My goal is 2 pounds a week which would put me at 152 by my birthday. And that is fine by me if I stay around that weight. A good weight for me is between 145 and 150.
How am I going to go about it? Here are my goals:
1. Work out every day… even if it’s only 1 mile…EVERY DAY!
2. Drink lots of water…. 7 bottles a day.
3. Journal on my blog more…remind myself of my goals. Stay motivated.
4. Pray about it…. remember this verse 2 Timothy 1.7- “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power love and self-control.”
5. Eat less. Don’t snack after dinner. Try to eat 1/2 of what I normally would at dinner time.
6. Get up, park farther away, take the stairs. Do more.

All of these are SO doable for me.
I am going to do this. I want to be a healthy 40!
Stay tuned~
Angel

I’ve been working so hard with NO results. It’s so depressing.
I don’t have a scale to check my weight. I stepped on a friend’s scale on the 16th and was so upset to find a weight gain and no loss. I’ve really been working hard. Working out every day that I possibly can and sweating my rear off. I’ve not been eating terribly either. I definitely deny myself more than not.
My hubby recently discovered that stress can cause weight gain. There you go. That HAS to be it!
My weight is up to where it was when I started losing weight drastically back in the fall of 2004. I lost 40 pounds and have now officially gained it ALL back. BUT, I have noticed that my face isn’t as plump as it was back then and I’ve definitely gained it back in different places.
What am I doing now?
I’ve upped my workouts, am skipping a meal a day for a SlimFast bar or shake, am drinking tons of water, and have started taking Lipozene which I read somewhere is just fibre so it can’t hurt I guess.
I’m hooked on Skinny Cow Ice Cream sandwiches which probably isn’t a good idea, but a better choice than regular ice cream.

Hopefully next time I check in I will have better results to share!
This is more a journal entry than anything, but if you’ve taken the time to read this, I would love to hear from you.

Blessings~
Angel

Today is June 17. It’s a busy week, but I hope to work out every single day. I am still trying to drink a lot of water. I am also parking further away from wherever I go and making my own trips to get whatever I need instead of calling on family members for help.
Looking back at my weight record is discouraging as I am 20 pounds heavier than I was last year at this time. I have decided that I would like to be 10 pounds lighter before we move. So I have set that smaller goal for now and will just keep my eyes on that. I have one month to meet that goal.
I am trying to eat healthy and keep my meals to healthy portions as well. It stinks that fruit is so expensive! I bought a bunch of grapes and they cost nearly $4.00. Watermelon sounds good. I think I will pick up a 1/2 of one while I am out today.
Sorry I’ve rambled. If you’ve been here and read this, leave me some love! 

Today is May 16. I’ve been working out consistently. I only missed working out 2 days this month. The rest of the days I’ve sweated my butt off! I’m averaging 2.875 miles per day.
My eating habits leave a little to be desired. I am NOT pigging out by any means, just eating average amounts of food. Sometimes I will have a shake for dinner.
I’ve started exercising while watching TV in the evenings…. crunches, leg raises, etc.
My weight has pretty much stayed the same. A little discouraging.
My goal this next week while my mom is here is to workout at least every other day and drink LOTS and LOTS of water!
Any other suggestions?

I’m starting over again on that continuous weight loss journey. 
I thought I would share some ideas I’m planning on utilizing!

• I found this cool site called DietTV.com which has a Diet Finder quiz and all types of charts and links.
• Corrie is sharing a cool weight training workout sheet she created.
• WebMD has their top 15 Best Diet Tips ever.
• Jeremy shares some diet tips and a spreadsheet he created.
• There is a site created just for people to share their own diet tips here.
• Of course, I’ve started my Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds tapes again!
• And Free Dieting offers loads of great info.

Aren’t we blessed to live in the computer age?

A professor at CCNY for a physiological psych class told his class about bananas.  
He said the expression ‘going bananas’ is from the effects of bananas on the brain. 
Bananas are amazing! 

After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

But energy isn’t the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression:According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia : High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.  

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the hey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.  

Heartburn:   Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control:   Many other cultures see bananas as a ‘cooling’ fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use:   Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, ‘A banana a day keeps the doctor away!’

Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!
Want a quick shine on our shoes?? Take the INSIDE of the banana skin, and rub directly on the shoe…polish with dry cloth. Amazing fruit !!! 

Never, put your banana in the refrigerator!!!

A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye…and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.

A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.

 

Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.

Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of sperm as well to overcome male sterility.

Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.

Grapefruits, Oranges, and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts.

As my weight has been climbing, the ads for weight loss products are sounding more and more enticing. I recently even ordered one! Doing research on it today, I realized that I ordered fiber. This is NOT something I really need in my already high-fiber diet.

I came across this article from the Consumer Health Digest which I thought was some excellent information and definitely worth passing on! I wish I would have done my homework!

I know it’s been a while! I decided today to come back and update my weight loss blog. You can see the progression of my weight gain on my “Today’s Weight” page. I try to keep track of my weight somewhat on my calendar so it was easy enough for me to go back and write that info in. It was also easy for me to see what happened looking at my “Today’s Workout” page! Duh! I didn’t work out and so I didn’t lose weight.
Medications are also somewhat to blame. The prescription Lyrica along with the Celexa I was taking, I believe really caused me to balloon! My Lyrica has now been cut in half and will stop altogether next week. The Celexa is done! Due to the medications, getting out of bed was and is an issue for me lately.

But in an effort to get motivated, Kevin and I went yesterday and purchased 3 new workout outfits for me! I plan on turning over a new leaf! I have done it once. I guess I can do it again! I started working out again yesterday. And one day at a time! I have worked out every day so far in April! YEAH!