Goals

So I always like a challenge, especially one that pushes me!!! I started running mid April. It had been awhile since I did something that really made me sweat and my muscles ached. I quickly realized how much I missed it!! Crazy I know, usually sweat and muscle ache together would equal someone in misery. Not me, it actually pushes me!!! So I have continued running and have loaded p my ipod with some great music and off I go. I decided to up the anty and signed up for my first 5K. I know it is only 3.1 miles, but when I cross that finish line I will have accomplished a great feat for myself. A year ago I couldn't even run a 1/4 mile and now I am running 3-4 times weekly and really enjoying it!!! I surely won't be the silver streak in the race, but crossing the finish line is all that matters. I asked Reid if him and the kids would be at the finish line cheering me on and he said yes for sure!!!! I realized how important shoes are for a runner!! After major leg pain, shin splints, and blisters I went to a local shop in downtown Holland and had my feet analyzed. I found out things about socks and shoe I never imagined. I am super geeked to run in my new shoes tomorrow and am excited to "feel" the difference.

I also chopped my hair end of last week. Needed a change, hair was in bad shape too!!! It was rather short and I have not had short hair in 15 + years. I am getting use to it and do like it. I have gotten mixed opinions, but in the end only my own matters.

The weather has been extremely hot in MI this week. We already spent one day at the beach, one afternoon at a neighbor's pool, and tomorrow it is back to the beach. I loath the humidity, but summer is always good!!! I made a great summery fruit salad, thanks again to Shelly!!! She is the best ever. It is simple and the whole family liked it:

Shelly's Strawberry Fluff Stuff

1 cup Boiling Water
1 box (4-serving size - the small one) Sugar free mixed fruit jello
3 1/2 oz. (half a small container) Fage Greek Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Sugar Free Torani Syrup (I used SF Vanilla - on sale now)
1 1/2 cups Fresh Strawberries, sliced

Pour boiling water slowly over jello mix. Stir till dissolved. Mix yogurt & syrup together till well combined. Add to Jello mixture. Beat with an electric mixer till well combined. I use this gadget.Place in fridge for 1 hour. Remove from fridge and beat again for 5 minutes till fluffy. Fold in berries.Put back in fridge and allow to set fully (about 2 hours)

You can use any fruit (fresh, frozen defrosted or canned drained), any Jello flavor, any Torani Syrup flavor.

Enjoy your Holiday weekend!!! We have lots of fun stuff planned!!!

Official blog slacker

Well it has been over 2 months since my last post. I have no excuse for not posting, well maybe except busy, crazy life. Anyway lots of stuff has been going on. All 3 kids are in soccer, and with Reid's work schedule I am busy running almost every night of the week to some practice or game at 1 of 3 soccer fields. They all enjoy it, and that is what matters, right. Some time I have to repeat that phrase a number of times to myself :0). I also have completed my first semester at MCC towards my RN. I took 3 classes and ended up with a 3.87 GPA. I was livid with this, I thought I had a 4.0 in the bag, but one prof decided to throw that glory out my window. I have realized I can't always be perfect. I am taking the summer off, and praying I get approved for student loans so I can return in the fall. On the weight loss front I am down about 5lbs since the last post. I have taken up running, and do that about 3 times a weeks. Today I was able to run 2.8 miles without any walking. A huge accomplishment for myself. I have signed up for a 5K the first weekend in June. I am pumped for this, and will be excited to meet my family at the finish line. Still sticking to the same ole' diet. Limiting carbs and keeping the protein high. My hair is so thin now, I am contemplating cutting it short so it can be thick throughout as it grows back. I hesitate calling and scheduling an appointment, as I fear short hair. It will be a good change, now I just have to convince myself 100% and dial the number. I have tried several new protein shake. They have all been very yummy, but I find myself always going back to my favorite:

• 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
• 1 banana
• 1 cup milk (I use almond, but you can use any kind)
• 5 ice cubes
• 1 packet of instant coffee (I use taster's choice, but you can use any kind)

Blend it well and enjoy.

So there is my short update.

Sunshine

We have been blessed with lots and lots of sunshine this past week. It has helped boost my energy and work on some of those "projects" that so easily get pushed off. My weight loss has not budged at all recently. I fluctuate between the same 3-5lbs. all the time. I am so excited for all the weight I have lost, but also very frustrated as of lately. I mean I keep thinking my stall is over, I'll lose a few pounds and then stop. I keep the carbs down and really watch all my intakes. I will remain positive and hope for the best.
Yesterday I made a triple batch of chocolate peanut butter ice cream, very yummy!!! I also made a pot of chili and some sugar free pudding with protein powder. I am set for snacks and lunches for a while. I also made the kids some buttermilk pancakes, but those I did not touch, way too carby. I keep telling myself to get out and walk, but I have not made it out there yet. I figure when I am really ready I will do it.

Attention Please: enter to win a free ice crem maker!!!

My favorite blogger Shelly has done it once again!!! I made her donuts and oh......my.....gosh!!! So yummy. The whole family enjoyed them so much!! I even have my mom searching for a donut pan. Maybe she'll cave and buy one at amazon.com like I did (thanks Shelly).

I always encourage everyone to check out her blog and this week more then ever you should do it!!! She is doing some weekly giveaways every Sunday in February, and you could be the lucky winner of an ice cream maker this week. So check her blog out and I promise you will not be sorry!!!!! Her ice cream recipes are my saving grace almost every night!!!!


www.theworldaccordingtoeggface.com

Cooking with Kooper

This week Kooper has become very interested in helping me, especially with cooking. Yesterday he helped me make lasagna, today he helped me make tropical muffins. He also helped daddy fix a chair yesterday! Now him and I are sharing a Titan bar. These bars are so delicious and packed full of protein, 26 grams. Did I also mention they are very low in sugar, only 5 grams. The whole family loves them, I buy them by the box full!!!

I think I may have broken my stall, I am finally down another 5lbs. So grand total weight loss is 70lbs. In a perfect world I would love to lose another 30lbs or so, but we'll see. I also decided to take my measurements. I last took them the day before surgery. Wow, now seeing those new numbers made my day, heck week, maybe even month :0)!!! My waist was down 10" and hips down 11". I lost inches everywhere, even in my neck. Total inches lost was 41", now that is taller then Kooper. I was happy dancin!!!

I am in the midst of trying to motivate myself into exercising. I want that sweat so bad, but seem to continue to make excuses to not make it a part of my day. I have started checking out gyms, and looked up equipment prices. I would love to sign up to a gym until summer, just need to find one convenient and without a one year commitment. I may check one out this afternoon.....

I started baking with spelt flour, today we have some of Shelly's tropical sunrise protein muffins cooking. They smell very yummy!! I also made some yummy brownies, the whole family loves them. Check them out, I dare you to make them!!! You will not be sorry!

Garbanzo Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ c. carob semisweet chips* or Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips (for Gluten-free)
• 2 c. garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 c. brown rice syrup
  
• ½ tsp baking powder (use gluten-free baking powder)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl melt carob chips in microwave for 2 minutes.
3. In blender or food processor, combine beans and eggs.
4. Add sugar, baking powder, and chocolate, process until smooth.
5. Pour batter into a 9” or 8X8” non-stick pan.
6. Bake for 45 minutes.

*You can use regular chips instead of carob if you don’t like the flavor of carob chips.

Have a fabulous week!!!

STALL

So I am in the midst of a weight loss stall. I am super psyched about the 65lbs I have lost, but it has been since the beginning of December since I have lost anything. Normally I could blame the Holidays on a weight gain, but not this time. I did not gain anything, which is awesome, but haven't lost anything either. It boggles my mind, based on the daily intake of food I consume, I should be losing, not maintaining. Ultimately I want to lose about 40 more lbs......... So I am thinking I need to add some more physical activity to the mix. I use to work out all the time, but my gym closed down and then I really never maintained the discipline I had to keeping working out. The craziest thing is that I dearly mess it. I LOVE to workout. I figure the more I sweat, the better the workout!!! I have been researching gyms in my area and have not found anything that fits my needs. Of course my needs include child care, and only 2 local gyms offer it. One is quite a distant and the other is just not for me. So Reid and I have decided to purchase an elliptical machine. I am hoping to be disciplined enough to get my butt on it 5 days a week. I would love to incorporate jogging in with it, but not until the weather is nicer. We'll see what happens. I need to kick this stall's butt!!!!!!

Been having a good week, the inner kid in me came out yesterday and the kids and I played in the snow. we sledded and built snow cakes, with decorations and all. It was lots of fun, I could've kept playing, but after awhile they were ready for Grandma's fireplace and hot cocoa. Reid has been working like a dog, and we are excited to have him home for a few nights. Just hoping his days off do not turn into him working like they often do. We are hoping to do some sledding and ice skating this coming weekend. Well I am off to my protein ice cream.....

Hello there, has it been 8 years?

So today I went shopping. A friend (thanks Tiffany) told me about some great deals at the GAP Outlet, so I headed there. Of course I am not wanting to spend too much money on clothes, so I only buy shirts around $3-$6 each. Mostly I stick to $3, but if I REALLY like it then I'll splurge to about $6, I know big spender! So I found some great stuff. Drumroll please......I am wearing a size Large. Now it has been at least 8 years since Large was part of my vocabulary. It is great!! Now of course XL is still there, but certain styles a Large is where it is at. Of course the pants are still bigger, I have lots of loose skin :(. I have noticed now that I am in different sizes, there is not as much of a selection for me on the clearance rack, but hey I'll take the bad with the good!!! I also went to Old Navy and got some nice camisoles and sleeveless shirts for summer.

Later we all headed to my mom's for dinner. My mom recently quit smoking. She has been a smoker for 30+ years. I am so proud of her, I know it has to be so hard for her at times!!! The kids played outside with their new sleds from Christmas, with dad. My mom and I made a yummy breakfast dinner! Mom made some yummy homemade waffles, and I made some fantastic bacon cheeseburger bites, another recipe from Shelly. She is amazing, and a huge inspiration to me. I think she needs her own cooking show/magazine. Check her out: http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/

Shelly's Bacon Cheeseburger Bites
1/2 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Green Onions, diced
1/2 lb Ground Beef
5 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Bacon Bits (Plumrose, Hormel, near salad dressings)
1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese, shredded
dash of Seasoned Salt
a few twists of Black Pepper

Saute onions till golden. Add ground beef. Cook till no pink is seen. Set aside to cool. Mix all ingredients together. Be sure meat & onions have cooled slightly before adding eggs. Spoon into lightly greased mini muffin tins. Bake for 30 minutes at 350. Makes 24.

so back to dinner....... we also had potaoes O'Brien, and pig-in-the-blankets. The kids gobbles up there dinner!!! I caught up on my tabloid gossip and the kids took bubble baths. It was a great time. We came home, put the kids to bed and Reid went to work.