The Queen Size Commentary

Miracle Noodle - No Calories, Carbs, or Sugar

2011-05-18T07:59:00.001-04:00

I bought a variety of noodles from Miracle Noodle recently. At first I loved it but after eating it, I just couldn't get past the strange texture. It's not a real noodle. It's made from a plant and is extremely chewy. It has no flavor of it's own but it takes on the flavor of whatever you add to it - kind of like tofu. But it has no calories, no carbs, and no sugar which is great if you like it.

It's packed in a liquid and it smells fishy so you have to rinse it first and then boil for one minute to remove the fishy smell. The smell comes from the plant. I personally am not crazy about this but if you don't mind a chewy texture, then you should try it. You can buy a single bag from Netrition for $2.79 also.

1 Net Carb Bread

2011-05-18T07:46:00.000-04:00

Ok! It finally came in. 1 Net Carb Bread from Julian Bakery. It's a smaller loaf than your usual loaf. It tastes good but if you toast it, watch out because it is HARD!! So when you chew, chew gingerly otherwise it will tear your mouth up! haha It's not that bad but still, be careful.

I think I'm going to keep looking for bread - a softer one if I can find it. And if you know of any low carb bread that's soft, please leave a comment.

Below is nutritional information.

Low Carb Pasta and Sauce!

2011-05-11T15:54:00.000-04:00

I thought I would never be able to eat spaghetti again until I found Netrition. That site is huge so be sure to check out everything they have. The link takes you to the low carb food section but they also have tons of vitamins and other things.

I tried the Tomato Basil sauce and it was absolutely delicious! It's packed full of robust Italian flavors so there's no need to "doctor" it up.

Don't let the carbs scare you on the nutrition label. It only has 5g of digestible carbs per serving and twice the fiber of regular pasta. And, it's absolutely delicious! It tastes the same as other pastas but it's much healthier for you! I tried the angel hair and the label reflects those nutrition facts.

Both of these items can be purchased at Netrition. I bought lots of other things too but I haven't tried them yet. I'll post after I try them. And if you buy anything from Netrition, let me know how you like it. (or dislike it) :)

I'm Back in the Game!

2011-05-03T14:42:00.000-04:00

I'm back in the game after a long hiatus! Only this time I've got a new attitude and a new plan. With all of my previous attempts, I'd lose a little, hit the plateau and could never break free. So I'd get discouraged, quit, and gain even more weight than when I started. And this is what happened to me. But I found a program where the results so far have been staggering...

I'm on a rapid weight loss program overseen by my doctor. I take metabolic injections to speed my metabolism, I take various prescriptions for appetite control, vitamins etc. and I'm on a ketonic diet. There's so much more to say but I'll let the website tell you. But I will say that I've lost 21 lbs in 2 weeks. Normally it would take me about 4 months to lose that much. So if you live in the South Carolina area, I hope you would consider trying this program because you are no longer doing this diet by yourself. You now have science backing you. You WILL get to your goal weight in record time!!!

Rapid Weight Loss & Esthetic Centers

If you are thinking about trying it or if you have any questions, leave a comment. Thank you - it's good to be back!

Thinking Out Loud....

2009-11-21T13:15:00.000-05:00

I was listening to the radio last week and a lady was on talking bout how she lost a bunch of weight. She was over 300 lbs and lost it all. She said that she didn't give up the food she likes to eat and that she hates vegetables and 'diet-y' types of foods. (woman after my own heart!) She wrote a book about it and of course I can't remember the title or the woman's name.

Another time, I was listening to the radio to two guys who were nutritionalists. They said that cutting down your calories to lose weight was a myth. Huh? Really? What's that about? The idea is to burn more than you take it, so what's the deal? I went to their site and found nothing on this subject. (go figure)

As you can probably tell, I'm slowly starting to think about trying this again but I already feel defeated. I simply cannot choke down food I hate for a long period of time without snapping and raiding my favorite aisle at the grocery. But then I watch those shows on Discover Health channel of those really obese people who are bed-ridden and I think to myself that I could be on my way and it scares me!

You might say "controlled portions" but the portion size has never been a problem. I actually cannot eat that much - I get full quickly. So maybe I just have to move more. But the last time I did this, and every time before that, I hit that plateau and cannot seem to break it no matter what I tried. And that's why I feel defeated before I start. All I know is that something's got to change.

Don't mind me, I'm just sulking right now and getting this off of my chest. Blogging this helps me to face it and I've been avoiding this for a long time now. Just look at the amount of time between my posts.

I'm Still Here

2009-01-02T13:10:00.003-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted. Wanna know why? Because I got a job making it virtually impossible to get into an exercise routine in order to lose fat. Sound like an excuse? Maybe. All I know is that at the end of the day, I'm exhausted and I don't feel like doing anything.

I was doing so well before but since then I have gained back what I lost. I wasn't working before and I had a lot of time to focus on meals and exercise but I don't have that anymore. But many other people lose weight and they have bigger obstacles than me so I should be able to do it. I just don't know how. How do you ladies, and gents, find the energy to exercise when your plate is full during the day???? I would really like to know. Do you just muddle through it?

No matter what, I have to get this weight off because the problems I had before are coming back: mobility issues and trouble standing for long periods of time.

First things first - got to get a new scale. The one I have is so hi-tech, that I can't figure out how to change the metric setting on it and it's driving me crazy. I need to get a regular digital scale.

Also, got to get over this cold so hopefully I can start next week some time.

Any advice you can give about exercising while being tired would be appreciated. Please tell me how you do it. Thanks.

Vlog #2

2008-06-27T20:30:00.000-04:00

My First Video

2008-06-27T01:38:00.004-04:00

Info on Heat Exhaustion

2008-06-08T00:30:00.003-04:00

I was walking the other day and it was 92 degrees. After about 25 minutes, suddenly, I felt awful. I felt like I was going to pass out and I had no strength. I made it home, looked in the mirror and I was beet red. My hubby said I was heat exhausted and had me rest and drink lots of water. I drank about 4 large glasses of water before I left but apparently that had no bearing on it.

Anyway, he found an article about heat exhaustion/heat stroke and I think it would behoove us all if we read it and take caution. The Summer months are here and this could be dangerous if we aren't careful.

Beat the Heat: Recognize the Symptoms of Heat Illness
(from the American Osteopathic Association)

As the sun shines brightly and outdoor activities dominate weekend plans, people become even more vulnerable to heat-related injury. The most common heat disorder is heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is the inability to continue to exercise or do activities in the heat. If not recognized and treated promptly, heat exhaustion can develop into heat stroke. While heat stroke can be fatal, recognizing the symptoms and responding quickly can easily eliminate potential hospital visits.

“Heat stroke is an avoidable outcome that too many people suffer from each year,” explains Michael J. Sampson, D.O., an osteopathic family physician specializing in sports medicine. “Everyone should be aware of the subtle signs of heat exhaustion.”

According to the most recent Gatorade Sports Science Institute report, there are several causes for heat stroke: dehydration, heat and humidity, fitness and overmotivation.

“While the easiest symptom to detect is dehydration, many people don’t recognize how quickly dehydration can occur,” cautions Dr. Sampson.

In high temperatures, a person can sweat between one and two liters an hour. But in general, individuals drink far less than they sweat. After losing only two percent of a person’s body weight, physical performance is impaired.

“This means that a 150-pound person can become dehydrated in less than two hours, at which point they would experience a decrease in mental sharpness, willpower, muscle power and endurance,” explains Dr. Sampson.

Dr. Sampson also cautions against what he believes to be the most common misconception about this heat disorder—that hydration alone prevents heat stroke.

Click here to read the rest.

A Six Word Memoir - My Passions

2008-05-24T23:39:00.006-04:00

I've been tagged by Lisa N at Iowa Avenue to write a Six Word Memoir. A memoir's supposed to be a little phrase that describes a bit about the way you live your life.

My memoir is entitled My Passions. That is, subjects that I'm most passionate about. Most of my passions fit under the heading of Christianity, so here goes....

Holding to God's Truths - that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, and glory, and being of God.

I want to know, fully understand, interpret correctly, and apply God's truths from His Word. I hate all manner of error and falsity and it is my deepest desire to be doctrinally correct. I test everything with Scripture to make sure it is sound. I use my Bibles, concordance, books, sometimes commentaries, and the leading of the Holy Spirit in my search for truth.

Wisdom and Discernment

These are the two things I want the most. I don't want to be wise as the views 'wise' but a biblical, Godly type of wisdom. I try to weigh everything out with a biblical world view instead of a secular one. I seek discernment or understanding in all biblical matters so that I am not lead astray.

Exposing False Teachers/Teachings/Prophets

My favorite verse in the Bible is Matt 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."

This is not a message of comfort but of warning. This message stood back then, and it stands today. It's a message to beware of lies, deception, and false doctrine against people who are out to devour the Saints. I think this verse is of the utmost importance because if you don't heed this warning (along with many others like testing the spirits) then it may lead you to a false sense of salvation and ultimately, death! Your eternity is at stake here and these false prophets & teachers are partly responsible for that. It's one thing to be a Satanist and flat-out reject Jesus, but it's quite another thing to THINK you're following Jesus only to say "Lord, Lord..." on the Day of Judgment, thus being tricked. Another reason is if you have a skewed view of doctrine and truth, then how can you REALLY know God? Your actions are a result of what you BELIEVE and if you believe falsely, then it will show in your actions. You might be heaping sins upon other sins, never to repent because you've been taken in by lies hence there's no need to repent. And again it leads to death! If Satan cannot 'get' to a believer directly (because he/she is in the Word daily) then Satan uses other agents, people who would be controlled by him which includes spiritual leaders. So we are to be on guard constantly, testing everything with Scripture, and heeding the warning in Matthew. I feel so strongly about this subject that I have a blog on this called Abomination Nation.

New World Order

The NWO is a reality that is taking shape now just like the Bible predicts. It's a world wide conspiracy consisting of very wealthy people, political leaders, and corporate elites who's goal is to create a one world (fascist) government, stripped of nationalistic and regional boundaries, that is obedient to their agenda. Their intent is to have complete and total control over every human being on the planet and dramatically reduce the population. This is a most vile, a wicked thing they are planning.

Eschatology

That is the study of end times and prophecy as outlined in the Bible. There are different theological views on every single subject and I spend a lot of time in debate with others. There is much we won't understand until it happens but I try to understand as much as I can so that I'm not caught off guard.

Living My Life in Obedience to God's Will

That means trusting Him in all things, rejoicing in all things especially trials, holding captive everything thought, confessing and repenting of my sins, forgiving others, and loving others. There are lots of other things I could put here but you get the gist.

So that about sums me up. I try to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord, and I fail miserably at times, but I repent and trust that He has forgiven me. I try to witness to others as the opportunity arises.

I'd like to pass this on to:

Ben Goldarb

Mike Foster

Michelle

Bulut

Melanie

Changing my Cravings

2008-05-01T20:15:00.003-04:00

This is something I stumbled upon by accident.....You know how you get a craving for something yummy and nothing will satisfy you until you have that particular thing? Well I get that all the time. Lately it's been a craving for mac n' cheese. This is what I did....

I immediately took my mind off the mac n' cheese and thought about fruit. I found that when I thought about the fruit, that I WANTED that fruit! Amazing! I didn't think much of it the first time but I tried it again. The first time I replaced the mac n' cheese with an orange, and then it was grapes. A couple of days went by and I was craving fried chicken but instead I ate pears. I did this quite a few times and what astounded me was that when I thought of the healthy fruit, I actually WANTED the healthy fruit! Did I talk myself into this? I don't know. All I know is that I've been able to change my cravings about 8 times now. I've NEVER been able to do that before. I always binged.

Anyway, it's working so I'm gonna keep it up!

I'll be checking in with you ladies soon.

Updated Pic as of 4-8-08

2008-04-09T00:05:00.005-04:00

Below is my wedding pic (obviously). I use my wedding jacket as a gauge to measure how much I lost because I remembered how it felt when I put it on. It was tight and it didn't cover my stomach up completely. When I first bought it (months before the wedding and while I was working out at the gym) I had room in it but on the wedding day, to my horror I could barely get it on!

And here's me, 19 lbs lighter. But really I lost more because I didn't get weighed the first six weeks of my "diet." So I probably lost about 25 lbs roughly.

It's not a HUGE change but I'm losing all over. (that's because I'm big all over and not just in one area) :)

So I'm going to keep on keepin' on!

Spring is in the Air - So is Bar-B-Que!

2008-03-31T01:04:00.005-04:00

Next week is the annual Spring festival here in Cheraw, SC and I'm ready to go evil! They're going to have various events such as singing, Civil War re-enactments, canoeing, trolley and wagon rides, and activities for the kids, blah blah blah - gimme the food! Get my troff ready and get out of my way! hahaha

How can I resist bar-b-que, ham, and the chili cook-off? And biscuits grow on trees around here - C'mon really! I'm not superwoman! haha

And get his...I hear the reason why they're having this event is to raise money for the "Taste of Cheraw" day where you, you guess it, taste different home cooked delights from the locals. Ohhhh how can I resist????

Not to mention all the neighboring towns have their own food festivals.

This is not the place to be if you want to lose weight.

So don't expect any success stories from me for awhile - and try not to look at my calendar for I will be ashamed. :) (ashamed but happy)

Just thinking...I'm not tempted by money, lust, stealing, or material possessions etc., but I AM tempted by bar-b-que and down-home comfort food! I guess looking at the bigger picture, it's not so bad. (trying to rationalize it now)

I know I'll be crying about this sooner or later when the scale slaps me back into reality but I'll just pick back up again and continue. But until then, this little piggy is going to have some fun! :)

My Comments on Paul McKenna's, I Can Make You Thin

2008-03-26T17:50:00.003-04:00

Paul McKenna - I Can Make You Thin

I finally caught his show - two of them. I'm not an emotional eater so I won't comment on that show. But the other one - he lists four golden rules:

When you get hungry - eat.
Eat what you want.
Eat consciously.
When you're full, stop.

1) Obviously we all know what this means. He says to make sure we are actually physically hungry and that we're not eating because it's there. If you ignore your hunger pains and don't eat, then your body goes into "starvation mode" and retain everything you eat afterwards. Plus your chances of binging are greater.

2) Eat what you want. He says to eat your favorites - pizza, pasta, cookies etc. but again, eat until you're full. He reasons that skinny people eat what they want and maintain their weight. He also says that you won't have that feeling of deprivation.

3) Eat consciously - don't do other activities while you eat because you tend to eat more. That means no eating while watching tv, talking on the phone, or at a move. Eat slowly, chew food around 20 times, put your fork and knife down between each bite and savor your food. The key is to eat slowly. He says you will eat less because you'll be able to feel the signal of being full when you're paying attention. He conducted some experiments proving this to be true.

4) When you're full - stop. Self explanatory.

He gives a hunger list and we should try to live our lives in the middle....

Physically faint
Ravenous
Fairly Hungry
Slightly Hungry
Neutral
Satisfied
Full
Stuffed
Bloated
Nauseous

So the blue areas are the boundaries in which we should live our lives and avoid going into the red areas. I think this is excellent advice because I know myself, I only eat when I'm starving. So when I eat, it's usually because I've reached #1 which for me is Nausea (I get sick if I DON'T eat) and #2 Ravenous. And I've eaten many times to where I've reached #9 - Bloated. So I'm going to make a conscious effort to avoid the red areas.

About being full because you eat slowly - I read somewhere that it takes about 20 minutes before your body recognizes that it's full. I wonder if that's why eating slowly makes you eat less?

Anyway, he said something about his upcoming show that he will teach us a technique that will make us want to exercise. I'm definitely going to stay tuned for that.

The "Skinny" on What I'm Doing...

2008-03-26T17:49:00.000-04:00

If you check my calendar, you will see that I have not kept track of my progress or exercising - that's because I haven't exercised. I said I was on a 'bender' but I wasn't really. I didn't overeat (hardly ever do) but I didn't eat as healthy as I could have. (plus I drank Pepsi)

I'm in the process of reworking my workout routine. I've found that if I do Taebo every day, by the end of the week I can't walk or function. I've found that if I walk over a mile each day, I also can't walk or function plus my ankles swell. If I concentrate on my upper body with resistance, I injure my shoulders and cannot raise my arms AT ALL! No problems with the elliptical except I can't last very long and so I don't burn up nearly as many calories as I should - but at least I can function and walk afterwards. So this is what I'm going to do:

Day 1: Walk over a mile.
Day 2: Elliptical
Day 3: Taebo

Then go through the cycle again. The elliptical will give me a break from walking from the day before and I will have a two day break after I do Taebo. I'm also staying away from the videos that target certain areas because for me, they do more damage than good. So I'm going to concentrate on the overall body workout when I do Taebo.

Sometimes if I just do the elliptical, I still have energy and so I walk over a mile (after walking a mile the day before). But then I can't walk the next day so I'm going to try to stop at the elliptical and force myself to rest. I know this probably goes against a lot of what we've been taught but for me, it's just too much for me to handle and I want to be able to exercise the next day without being in excruciating pain. (or run the risk of not being able to exercise at all as this has happened many times before)

So I'm starting this today, Wednedsay March 26th. And I've got to stick to this now because I said it publicly, plus my calendar is public so someone could 'get' me on that if I don't do it. haha

I'll be checking to see how everyone's doing on their blogs. Hang in there ladies!

Savory Chicken

2008-03-26T17:37:00.004-04:00

This is just one of a million ways to cook boneless, skinless, chicken breast. I personally don't like to bake boneless chicken breasts because they tend to get dry, so I cook in a little olive oil and sometimes add cooking wine. As I stated before, I don't really measure but I'll estimate the best I can. I also, personally, like my meat burnt a little but you don't have to cook it as long as I do of course.

Ingredients:

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (as many that will fit in your pan - in this case I just felt like cooking three)

A pinch of savory.
A sprinkle of Paprika.
Salt and Pepper to Taste.
About 1/2 cup white cooking wine.
Olive oil - enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

Season both sides of chicken with the above mentioned ingredients. Heat oil and wine in a pan. To get an idea of how much liquid should be in the pan, look at the pic below.

Notice it doesn't cover the chicken. Let this cook down (reduce) so that it's able to brown and the wine flavor concentrates. Turn over, and cook other side. Like I said, I like mine kind of burnt so your chicken doesn't have to look like this....

This chicken is so flavorful due to the savory and wine. I think you'll really enjoy this!

Billy Blank's Fat Blasting Cardio

2008-03-17T02:49:00.003-04:00

This is the culprit!!! This is the DVD that leaves me crippled for two days afterwards. I can't even tell you exactly which exercise is doing it. All I know is that I cannot walk easily the next day and my hamstrings kill me! When I'm doing the exercises, there's nothing in particular that I find THAT hard so I can't pinpoint what the evil exercise is. And I always stretch beforehand but that doesn't help.

So, time for a change. I've got about 7 other dvd's that I can work with but I think I'm going to put this one on the shelf because it knocks me out of commission for about two days. Not good!

So update on the fat-front...I lost 5 lbs two weeks ago but nothing this past week but my clothes are getting bigger. So I'm not going to sweat it. So that makes a total of 13 lbs lost but I know I lost more because I didn't get weighed the first 6 weeks. So really, estimating conservatively, I probably lost around 20 lbs.

So this past weekend I didn't do too well but not that bad either. I'm starting fresh again today, Monday. My next planned weigh in is April.

Hang in there ladies. I'm rootin' for ya! :)

SSBBW's Worshipping Their Fat

2008-03-05T12:42:00.009-05:00

I was on Youtube yesterday looking up exercises and what I found was surprising and disturbing. First let me say that I have nothing against big women because I'm one myself, and I have nothing against accepting your body and liking who you are but some of these women take it to a new level.

I saw BBW's (big beautiful women) and SSBBW (super sized bbw's) wearing lingerie while eating massive amounts of food. Some of these women were moaning and groaning as if it were a sexual experience. They were TRYING to gain weight and were urged on by their admirers. They were playing with their bellies and jiggling them around trying to entice their viewers. Again, let me state I have nothing against those who are accepting of their bodies but this goes beyond acceptance. They love and even worship their fat. I don't understand this. I've never heard of this. Maybe I'm naive but this just boggles my mind.

One girl boasts:

I wanted to try stuffing, as i haven't done it before, even though i've always been fat. i ate 1 large cinnamon roll, a double cheeseburger 5 donuts, 2 bottles of soda, a large 6-scoop sundae from Friendlys (with 4 toppings), several chocolate bars, more ice cream, some ice coffee, lots of water, and some cookies.

I don't understand why these women are doing this to themselves. If I have mobility issues at 271 and these women are bigger than me, then how can they NOT have the same issues and why are they making it harder on themselves? And when did stuffing yourself turn into something to strive for? I just don't get it.

Here's a video of a girl eating a turkey - she certainly seems to be enjoying herself. I'm not throwing stones here but I just don't understand. I feel a sadness for her and others trying to achieve this trophy of a belly.

Being that big is not healthy and not something to be admired. Continuing this will put you in an early grave.After seeing these videos, it makes me want to get out the Billy Blanks even more! It also gives me more incentive to stick to my weight loss plan.

p.s. To satisfy my own curiosity, I requested an 'interview' with one lady to understand why she strives to get bigger. Waiting to hear back.

Fast Food Items Highest in Trans Fat - The 88 Least Healthy Foods

2008-03-04T08:51:00.002-05:00

The absolute worst ingredient your food could possibly contain is trans fat. Maybe you've heard of it? If not, here's a quick run down of some of the horrible things that studies have shown may be caused by a diet high in trans fat:

Coronary Heart Disease (Raise bad cholesterol AND lower good cholesterol)
Stroke
Diabetes

There then exists some (albeit less) evidence that trans fat may also cause:

Cancer
Obesity
Liver Dysfunction
Infertility

Like I said, it's the worst ingredient your food could contain. And, guess what? Fast food is pretty much the most common place you'll find this evil type of fat. Fast food is also the place you'll find the highest amounts of it.

Knowing this, I looked over the nutrition facts of literally every single item from the menus of McDonald's, Burger King, KFC, A&W, Arby's, Hardee's, In-N-Out Burger, Jack in the Box, Little Caesars, Papa John's, Pizza Hut, Domino's, Sonic, Subway, Taco Bell, Wendy's, White Castle, Popeyes, Del Taco, Carl's Jr., and Dairy Queen to put together a list of the 88 fast food items highest in trans fat.

Keeping in mind just how terrible trans fat is and all of the terrible things it can cause, I have given this the very catchy nickname of "The 88 Fast Food Items Most Likely To Kill You." When you look over this list with the understanding that you should be eating 0 grams of trans fat per day, you'll realize that my little nickname really isn't that much of an overstatement. So, without further ado...

The 88 Fast Food Items Most Likely To Kill You:

White Castle Homestyle Onion Rings - Sack
Trans Fat: 30 grams
White Castle Fish Nibblers - Sack
Trans Fat: 16 grams
KFC Chicken Pot Pie
Trans Fat: 14 grams
Burger King Hash Browns - Large
Trans Fat: 13 grams
White Castle Chicken Rings - 20 rings
Trans Fat: 13 grams
Jack in the Box Fish & Chips - Large
Trans Fat: 12 grams
Jack in the Box Bacon Cheddar Potato Wedges
Trans Fat: 12 grams
White Castle Clam Strips - Sack
Trans Fat: 12 grams
Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket 6-piece
Trans Fat: 12 grams
White Castle French Fries - Sack
Trans Fat: 11 grams
Jack in the Box Fish & Chips - Medium
Trans Fat: 10 grams
Jack in the Box Natural Cut Fries - Large
Trans Fat: 10 grams
Jack in the Box Onion Rings (8)
Trans Fat: 10 grams
Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries - Large
Trans Fat: 10 grams
White Castle Onion Chips - Sack
Trans Fat: 10 grams
Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket 4-piece
Trans Fat: 10 grams
Burger King Hash Browns - Medium
Trans Fat: 9 grams
Jack in the Box Fish & Chips - Small
Trans Fat: 9 grams
Dairy Queen Large Onion Rings
Trans Fat: 9 grams
McDonald's Large French Fries
Trans Fat: 8 grams
Burger King French Fries King Size
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Domino's Garlic Dipping Sauce
Trans Fat: 7 grams
White Castle Onion Rings - Sack
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Jack in the Box Natural Cut Fries - Medium
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Jack in the Box Sampler Trio
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Jack in the Box Spicy Chicken Bites (16)
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries - Medium
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Jack in the Box Spicy Chicken Biscuit
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Dairy Queen Regular Onion Rings
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Boston Market Pastry Top Chicken Pot Pie
Trans Fat: 7 grams
Arby's Apple Turnover
Trans Fat: 6.5 grams
Burger King BK Chicken Fries 12pc
Trans Fat: 6 grams
Burger King French Fries Large
Trans Fat: 6 grams
Burger King Sausage, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit
Trans Fat: 6 grams
Arby's Cherry Turnover
Trans Fat: 6 grams
White Castle Chicken Rings - 9 rings
Trans Fat: 6 grams
White Castle Clam Strips - Regular
Trans Fat: 6 grams
White Castle Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (10 sticks)
Trans Fat: 6 grams
Jack in the Box Chicken Biscuit
Trans Fat: 6 grams
Jack in the Box Sausage, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Trans Fat: 6 grams
Dairy Queen Large Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard
Trans Fat: 6 grams
A&W Large Fries
Trans Fat: 5.5 grams
McDonald's Baked Apple Pie
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Burger King Sausage Biscuit
Trans Fat: 5 grams
McDonald's Medium French Fries
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Burger King Ham, Egg, & Cheese Biscuit
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Burger King Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Burger King Hash Browns - Small
Trans Fat: 5 grams
White Castle Onion Chips - Regular
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Jack in the Box Natural Cut Fries - Small
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries - Small
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Jack in the Box Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Jack in the Box Original French Toast Sticks (4)
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Jack in the Box Sausage Biscuit
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Dairy Queen Large French Fries
Trans Fat: 5 grams
Burger King BK Chicken Fries 9pc
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
McDonald's Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips (5 pc)
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Boston Market Chocolate Cake
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
KFC Chicken and Biscuit Bowl
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Burger King Onion Rings King Size
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Burger King French Fries Medium
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Sonic French Toast Sticks (4)
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Jack in the Box Sourdough Ultimate Cheeseburger
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Jack in the Box Stuffed Jalapenos (7)
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Jack in the Box Blueberry French Toast Sticks (4)
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
White Castle Fish Nibblers - Regular
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Dairy Queen Med. Choc. Chip Cookie Dough Blizzard
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
A&W Onion Rings
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
A&W Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Trans Fat: 4.5 grams
Burger King Tendercrisp Chicken Sandwich
Trans Fat: 4 grams
McDonald's Hotcakes (2 pats margarine & syrup)
Trans Fat: 4 grams
Burger King Onion Rings Large
Trans Fat: 4 grams
Burger King Cini-minis
Trans Fat: 4 grams
White Castle French Fries - Regular
Trans Fat: 4 grams
White Castle Homestyle Onion Rings - Regular
Trans Fat: 4 grams
White Castle Chicken Rings - 6 rings
Trans Fat: 4 grams
White Castle Hot Chocolate Large
Trans Fat: 4 grams
Arby's Cinnamon Twist
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Papa Burger
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Original Bacon Double Cheeseburger
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Original Double Cheeseburger
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Chili Cheese Fries
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Cheese Fries
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Chili Fries
Trans Fat: 4 grams
A&W Kids Fries
Trans Fat: 4 grams
Dairy Queen 1/2 lb. FlameThrower GrilllBurger
Trans Fat: 4 grams
Jack in the Box Mozzarella Cheese Sticks (6)
Trans Fat: 4 grams
Jack in the Box Sausage Croissant
Trans Fat: 4 grams

*NOTE* The above list shows every fast food item that contained 4 or more grams of trans fat per serving. There were TONS of items that contained less than 4 grams (anywhere from 0.5 to 3.5) but I decided on 4 grams as the cut off point for the WORST 88 foods. 3.5 grams of trans fat is still terrible, but the above 88 are the worst of the worst.

Fast Food Restaurant Appearances On This List

For added fun, I figured I'd add up how many times each fast food restaurant appeared on the above list. Here are the results:

Jack in the Box: 24
Burger King: 16
White Castle: 16
A&W: 10
Dairy Queen: 8
McDonald's: 5
Arby's: 3
KFC: 2
Domino's: 1
Sonic: 1
In-N-Out Burger: 0
Subway: 0
Taco Bell: 0
Wendy's: 0
Pizza Hut: 0
Popeyes: 0
Little Caesars: 0
Papa John's: 0

Of the fast food restaurants that appeared 0 times on this list...

Wendy's did have items that contained up to 3.5 grams of trans fat.
Taco Bell did have items that contained up to 3 grams of trans fat.
Popeyes did have items that contained up to 3 grams of trans fat.
Pizza Hut did have items that contained up to 2 grams of trans fat.
Subway did have items that contained up to 2 grams of trans fat.
Little Caesars did have items that contained up to 1.5 grams of trans fat.
In-N-Out Burger did have items that contained up to 1 gram of trans fat.
Papa John's did not have any items that contained any trans fat. Every item had 0 grams.

The following fast food restaurants did not include trans fat content in the nutrition information provided on their web site. Every other nutrient was listed except trans fat. These restaurants were therefore not included in the above list.

Hardee's
Del Taco
Carl's Jr.

In addition, as far as I was able to tell, some fast food restaurants didn't provide any nutrition information on their web sites whatsoever. These restaurants were also obviously not included in the above list.

Nathans
Roy Rogers
Blimpie
Kenny Rogers Roasters
Quiznos

Trans Fat FAQ

How much trans fat are we supposed to eat per day?

The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of no more than 2 grams of trans fat per day. Not per meal or per food, but per day total. And, get this. They also say that there is enough naturally occurring trans fats in some meat and dairy products that most people already reach this maximum 2 grams without the additional consumption of the industrially manufactured trans fats contained in the foods on the above list. So, to sum up, if you care at all about your health and enjoy being alive, you should be eating 0 grams of trans fat per day.

So does this mean we should never eat fast food ever?

In a perfect world, pretty much. I mean, you know it's junk. Besides trans fat, there's the always fun stuff like saturated fat, calories, and sodium to also think about. It really is the type of food that should never be eaten... ever. Sure, there are some better choices you can be making at these types of restaurants. And, if you're going to eat this stuff, you should definitely be making those choices. For starters, avoiding the 88 foods on this list would be a fantastic idea.

Is this information all current? When was it put together and when was it last updated?

This list was originally created in October 2007, and last updated in November 2007. I'm thinking of updating the list once or twice a year to keep it all up to date. When I do update it, it will be mentioned right here.

I found this list useful. Do you have any other similar fast food content on this site?

You bet I do. This list is actually part of a series of really big fast food articles I have put together. Feel free to check them out: Fast Food Items Highest In Calories and Fast Food Restaurants And Nutrition Facts Compared.

Where did you get all of this nutrition information from?

All of the nutritional content (trans fat) used in creating the above list was taken directly from the official web site of each fast food restaurant.

Source: A Calorie Counter

Why Are Some People Active and others..Not so Much?

2008-03-02T20:16:00.002-05:00

(Note: This was originally posted by Ask the Dietitian but I had trouble responding so I put it here.)

Answer these questions...

Were your parents active?

My mother wasn't. My dad played basketball, football, softball and coached a few little league teams. (boys only)

Did your parents encourage physical activity either through play or school sports?

No but they didn't discourage me either. They sorta let me do whatever I wanted. (which I'm thankful for)

Were your brothers and sisters active?

My brother, Dominic, was active. My sister, Crystal, is 15 years younger than me so I really don't know because I was moved out of the house by time she was 3.

Were your friends active?

Grade school friends - yes, very active. We did the normal kid things: climb trees, jump rope, hopscotch, monkey bars, swimming, dancing, riding bikes, rollerskating.

High school friends - yes. We swam, rollerskated/danced at a rink, went dancing/clubbing for years.

Was going to gym class a positive or negative experience?

It was awful for me. I hated it! I wasn't good at any sports - could not do anything with a ball, puck, stick, birdie, paddle, or anything. I was the last kid picked in gym. Strange, but I was good at canoeing - was the fastest in my class going through the water obstacle course.

Did you go to camp?

Were you involved in a team sport or athletic competition?

Not really. I was in a mock volleyball league for "rejects" called the "PJ&B's" (Preppies, Jocks, & Burnouts) All the kids in these 'fake' leagues weren't very good nor was it expected of us. We were just having fun.

I was a band geek. Was in marching, concert, and symphony. I was also in a couple of tutoring clubs so not very active.

I always walked or ran to raise money for various organizations liked Special Olympics. My brother is handicapped and participated in Special Olympics so that was always a soft spot for me.

Any other activities when you were younger?

My dad used to make me play tackle football all the time complete with Redskin uniforms. (I was the only girl) We played in rain, snow, ice - nothing stopped us. I was kind of a tomboy when I was younger. But then I started getting a little 'girly' as I grew up and didn't want to play football anymore so my dad made me halftime. I paraded around the yard in full band uniform and played marches. (I was also the camera crew - yes, everything was video taped. We even had beer commercials and interviews)

Do you think your past experiences influenced your current attitude about activity?

My attitude about activity is a good one. I like being active but the weight limits me. If I were thin, I believe I would be doing a lot more. I still wouldn't play sports because I'm not good, plus I find sports boring but I'd love to run some day. (like in a marathon, or lift weights again)

Tag, you’re it.

I Eat Right and Exercise - Why Can't I Lose Weight?

2008-03-01T03:18:00.003-05:00

I Eat Right and Exercise - Why Can't I Lose Weight?
Lori Bicek - Dietitian - Personal Trainer - Exercise Physiologist

The other day during my boot camp class Mary complains, "I've been in this class 3 days a week for 3 weeks now and I have only lost one pound". Ann replies, "Well, I haven't lost any weight".

In our battle to lose weight and get fit many people claim that they are eating right, exercising and even lifting weights to drop those unwanted pounds, but ti's not working. Food and exercise records that I evaluate reveal that most people are not eating as well as they think or exercising "enough" to make a difference.

Whether you gain or lose weight depends on your energy balance - how much you eat (calories) vs. how much you burn (exercise/weights). Week to week if you eat more food than what your body needs you will gain weight. To lose body fat you must create a calorie deficit. One pound of body fat is equal to 3,500 calories. you must reduce food intake by about 500 calories a day below what's needed to maintain your current weight to shed those pounds. That should lead to weight loss of about a pound a week for people who are overweight or moderately obese (BMI-Body mass index of 25 to 35). If you are more severely obese (BMI above 35) you may need to create a calorie deficit of 750 to 1,000 calories to lose 2 pounds a week. So, you may be choosing healthful foods, but in portions too large and too many calories to allow for weight loss.

"I can't seem to lose weight, but I really don't eat that much".
Eating too few calories can also be a problem. It takes calories to burn calories. When a person cuts calories too drastically (800-1000/day) your basal metabolic rate (metabolic rate is the rate at which your body burns calories for energy) drops as a way to protect the body from starvation. As a result the body learns to function at a lower calorie level. This is not what we want for weight loss. We want to train our body to use more calories, not less.

You may be exercising, lifting weights, and eating healthy, but if you spend 60 minutes jogging on the treadmill (12 min/mile) and burn off 500 calories only to consume 2 slices of cheese pizza (500 calories) you cancel out your exercise efforts. A year ago I was training for my first marathon. because I was exercising and training a lot more than my normal workouts, I thought I would drop five or ten pounds easily. I realized I stayed the same weight and some weeks weighed more. I also found myself hungrier than usual, ate more and as a result lost no weight. The more you exercise, the hungrier you get and the more you eat o think you should because of the hours spent working out. For weight loss, it's still a must to monitor calories and portions of food eaten. Also, if you are exercising regularly, you may have added muscle weight while decreasing body fat - thus your weight is the same, but you're healthier because you have lowered your percent body fat along with your risk of developing diseases.

We often think if we exercise regularly that weight loss should be easy. The relationship of exercise to weight loss is complex and often confusing. I encourage one to exercise to improve cardiovascular health, maintain bone mass, improve strength and of course for fun. for weight loss, focus on calories and portions consumed. Keep in mind that weight loss is slow and you may be looking for results too early. It takes 30 days to develop new eating habits and eating less food before you will start to see results in weight loss. So, be patient.

The everyday "Life Living Plan" is to balance our eating (healthy) with exercise (enough) to achieve a weight to feel good, help us fit in the size clothes comfortably that we long for and ward off any diseases such as diabetes, heart, cancer, osteoporosis that can creep into our life as we age.

What can I do to get this weight off?

1) Jot it down. Tracking helps you stay on track. Identify how much you eat (portions), when you eat (eat more in the day and less at night), and why you eat (check your hunger level, eat to fuel your body, not because of stress, boredom or because food is at hands reach).

2) Start thinking of food as fuel for the body - eat a balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat.

3) This is a must - eat 3 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruit every day. Mix it up; variety is the key for a nutrient boost.

4) This is a must - eat 4 servings of whole grains each day - oatmeal, whole wheat noodles and rice, sweet potatoes and multi-grain breads.

5) Eat at least 3-4 servings of beans - soy beans are a great choice, lentils or peas each week.

6) Eat a minimum of 3 meals a day. Eat every 4 hours. Eating 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks is best.

7) Drink plenty of water.

8) Watch your calorie and portion intake; it's the key to weight loss.

For a metabolism boost try:

1) Vary the intensity of your workouts. Alternating segments of high-intensity efforts with easier efforts improves your aerobic capacity.

2) Change it up. Trying another machine will work your muscles in different ways, avoids boredom, improves your overall fitness and avoids repetitive-use-injuries. Try one workout a week on a different piece of equipment.

3) Try a class. Take a break from the gym and try a workout class. Check out a boot camp, kickboxing or yoga class for a muscle boost.

4) Beat the weight. For improved strength try changing your weight-lifting routine. Try a mix of high weight/low repetitions and low weight/high repetitions.

5) Try incorporating stability balls, medic weighted balls and weighted bars into your exercise routine for added balance and core strength.

6) Wear a pedometer and track your steps. Walk 10,000 steps a day for maximum fat-burning and a "high" level of fitness.

Think practical in your challenge to manage your weight. Healthful eating, adequate calories/portions to promote weight loss and daily exercise need to become everyday habits. Take it slow; remember it takes 30 days to develop a new habit and see results in weight loss. Sensible changes rather than quick fixes will get you further in the long run.

I Can't Believe I'm Eating My Veggies

2008-02-29T05:15:00.004-05:00

If it weren't for this stuff, (I Can't Believe it's not Butter spray) I wouldn't eat ANY veggies. I used to eat veggies swimming in cheese sauce or deep fried but with this stuff, I can actually choke it down! Amazing! That doesn't mean I like it, it means I can keep it down. :) You can't really cook with it, but you can spray it on cooked food.

My sister turned me onto this and she is the Queen of low fat condiments! (she's a tiny little pip-squeak so I don't know why she bothers. haha)

Also...big discoery for me. I found another use for Laughing Cow (low cal) swiss cheese. I use it in place of low fat mayonnaise! It's DELICIOUS! I bought wheat pita's, roast beef (extremely lean) and extremely lean ham and spread one triangle of cheese into the pita. It's so moist, and tastes a LOT better than mayo! In fact I can't tell that it's low fat at all! This one's a keeper!

Paul McKenna's "I Can Make You Thin"

2008-02-26T16:05:00.004-05:00

Has anyone seen the commercials? It sounds interesting. Here's a brief description:

Watch this show and you will lose weight - the world’s most extraordinary interactive TV show. Through the TV set, British self-help expert Paul McKenna, PhD will help viewers program their minds to lose weight. It’s not a diet, there is no will power required, no belief necessary - as you watch you will transform your relationship with food and see others do the same. This show has already been a smash hit the UK and McKenna’s system has changed the way millions of people lose weight in Europe. Now he’s coming to America!

It starts March 7th on TLC. (not sure of the time - I think 9pm EST) Since it's not a fad diet, I'm going to check this out.

Update:

Click HERE to read my comments on his show.

Tuesday Check-In 2-26-08

2008-02-26T11:40:00.000-05:00

This has been quite a week for me. It seems I spoke too soon about that one day of not feeling much pain after I walked. Shortly after, the pain came back only this time, accompanied with a swollen ankle. I had joined a walking club and my steps are logged daily and of course I'm at the bottom of the list (but I also joined later) and now my steps will be even fewer... I've made a change - I'm back to the elliptical and I think I'm going to alternate walking and elliptical.

Mood: Frustrated that I can't walk the distance I WANT to walk. Otherwise upbeat.

Changes:

Exercise: Alternating walking and elliptical. Still doing everything else with the regular exercising/stretching/dancing.

Body: No changes that I can SEE. Like I said before, it's going to take awhile for there to be significant changes - especially in someone as big as me. So I'm alright with that.
I have not had one body/leg cramp at all. I used to get them, especially in my hamstrings about every two weeks, but I haven't gotten any and it's been two months. I'm eating 1 to 2 bananas a day so I'm sure that's helping.

I'm 'glowing' more when I exercise and I'm not sure why. If anyone has a theory, I'm all ears.

Confession: I went to Golden Corral the other day. I ate 1 piece fried chicken, 1 tiny steak, about half cup mashed potatoes with a little gravy, 2 pieces deep fried shrimp (really small), 1 bun with their butter/honey spread, couple bites of chocolate cake. I wasn't trying to watch what I was eating - I was just having fun and fun to me is eating whatever the heck I want. Muhahaha! I don't feel bad because even though I listed a lot of things I ate, it really wasn't that bad. All I had prior was oatmeal and a banana, plus I exercised and walked.

Goals:

Not to go to any more restaurants again until AFTER I get weighed in March some time.

Get new turkey recipes for turkey breasts.

Burn 300+ calories on elliptical - the same amount I would have burned if I had walked. Can only make it to 100 calories with .8 miles. (that thing's a killer!) p.s. it will take me longer than a week to reach this I'm sure.

A message to all you ladies. (and gents but I haven't really seen any :) There are a few of you that are getting frustrated for whatever reason and believe me, we've ALL been there. Just remember that this will take time. Nothing of any lasting value is accomplished quickly.

Back on the Wagon Again, Or off - I Forget Which

2008-02-23T03:10:00.003-05:00

Well my tummy feels better now and so I'm back to the grind. But not before having a little 'fun' and fun to me is eating whatever the heckies I want!! :)

I went to my favorite Mexican restaurant two days ago and got chorizo dip (which is loaded with cheese) and a dish called Pollo Con Crema. It's chicken strips with jalepeno peppers and onions in a cream sauce served with flour tortillas. It also came with refried beans and rice. Yummy!!!! I couldn't eat all of it so I took it home and finished it later that evening. Then yesterday morning, I had a couple bites of the chorizo dip & tortillas chips. But I exercised and watched what I ate the rest of the day.

I got my hair cut also and my husband said I looked like a cast member from Hairspray! hahaha The hairdresser REALLY blew my hair up poofy on top. haha

I will be stricter tomorrow I promise. I'll be getting weighed some time in March and I'd BETTER be lower than 273 - that's all I've got to say! :)

Found Another Calendar

2008-02-20T23:07:00.003-05:00

Look to the upper left corner of my blog and check out my calendar. If you click on a colored blocks, you'll see what I typed. It's a good alternative to the other huge calendar. This one is also free and you can create as many calendars as you like, and rename the months. I stole the "chubuary" idea from the calendars I've seen here.

A Little Under the Weather

2008-02-20T20:19:00.003-05:00

I haven't done squat today because I'm sick. I think I got food poisoning from my turkey burgers. I tried to unthaw them yesterday but then I fell asleep and woke up 6 hrs later and that's probably when the bacteria beasties got into it. I'm nauseous, lack of appetite, but then I'll get hungry for a couple minutes, that back to being nauseous. I have severe abdominal pains too and my stomach is making a bunch of noise. I have no energy either.

This is killing me because I don't want to miss a day of working out. And I just joined this Walker Tracker group over at Iowa Avenue and I had to enter "0" today. Incidentally there are several really neato groups to join and it's sort of a contest. You all should check them out. It's really interactive.

I managed to eat some Chinese food today and that's about it. I really hope this goes away soon because I miss working out and getting ugly.

Tuesday Check-In 2-19-08

2008-02-19T01:40:00.000-05:00

There haven't been many changes this week. Nothing visual anyway. It will take awhile for anything to really show up on me - it's always been like that.

Mood: High spirits, motivated.

Changes:

Mobility: I found this out by accident. I was in the shower and I went to put my leg on the side of the tub to shave but there was no room. (too many different shampoo's, shower gels etc.) so I bent down to shave. Not only could I bend all the way down to shave, but I didn't have to hold my breath. Do you guys know what I'm talking about? Anything you do that is strenuous, you have to hold your breath? So I was breathing easily - no problems. So that was a happy moment for me.

Weight: Yes I got on the scale again which I said I wouldn't. I lost 2 lbs. So now it's a total of 6 lbs. I know I lost more because I started this Jan 1 and did not get weighed. So it's 6 lbs. lost starting Feb 6. My husband finally put the scale in the attic so I'll have to wait until March to get weighed again.

I realized something...when I work out before I fully wake up, I don't enjoy exercising at all! I dread it. But when I wake up fully, (about 2 to 3 hours) then I have lots of energy and I have a better, longer, more enjoyable workout. So I think I'll do that from now on.

I've read a lot of your blogs this past week and I have to say that you ladies really motivate me! I hear all these wonderful stories and it really keeps me going. I admire you all for your strength and perseverance, and especially those that are winning this battle in spite of your ailments. All of you ladies deserve an award!

Also, I try to visit everyone on the list on Diana's site and everyone that comments on my blog but if I've missed someone, please leave a comment and tell me to get my fat arse over there to read something. :) I get sidetracked easily and I'm usually on a couple different sites at the same time and I forget where I left off. So don't be afraid to give me a kick! :)

Have a successful week ladies! :)

That "Aha" Moment

2008-02-17T11:30:00.002-05:00

What motivates us to want to lose weight? It's different for everyone. For some people, it's money (someone offers you money for every pound you've lost), some for love, health issues, children and family, reunion or wedding, and the list goes on.

In the past, for me, it was strictly vanity and guys. I've never had a problem getting guys but I wanted more. I wanted heads to turn and traffic to stop. I had lost weight before but I did it the wrong way - starvation. I looked great but felt terrible. No energy, tired all the time, and dizzy. That's what happens when you eat half an orange a day and nothing else.

But then...I grew up. (years later) My motives have changed. It is no longer a vanity issue plus I'm happily married.

On to that horrifying moment....

One day I walked from the living room, through the doorway, and into the hallway of my old apartment. My arms brushed up against the door frame. I didn't think anything of it. (I realized this in hindsight - didn't take notice when this was happening) So I kept brushing the door frame every time I walked past but I thought that I was misjudging my steps. After awhile my upper arms started getting sore and I didn't know why. I kept blowing it off thinking that it was because I was tired, or I wasn't looking or anything else I could come up with and then I would forget about it. Then, while I was sitting, pondering this, I got up to walk through the doorway again and 'scrape.' I realized what was happening while I was thinking of it and while I was walking through the doorway. I stopped dead in my tracks and just stood there. I was in horror and disbelief at the same time. It took a long time for this to register and I just could not believe that this was happening so I went through the doorway several more times. Each time my upper arms were scraping. I can't describe the feeling - it was like shock; I couldn't react or speak. I just had a millions thoughts going through my head. I remembered seeing tv shows of people who were stuck in their houses and even bed-ridden and I remember thinking that I was next.

That moment changed me forever! After awhile when I was able to think straight and speak, I immediately prayed and asked the Lord for His help. I confessed that I had not been taking care of my body the way I should and that I didn't know where to turn. I didn't know anything about good nutrition, metabolisms, cardio. (just lifting weights because that's all I've ever done) I didn't have a computer back then so I had to wait until the next day at work to go on the internet to do a search...and that's when I found Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. I learned so much but more than that, it changed my thinking and attitude on everything weight loss related! I no longer give up - ever! And I've lost and gained weight since but that's not the same as giving up. I knew that I would get back on it again and was looking forward to it. The 'changing' part is that I got back up and did it again and was not dissuaded by my gain. (incidentally I gained due to changing circumstances and was just too busy to stick to anything - a lot of traveling out of state so it was not due to that program, it was my choice) Before I would have chucked the whole idea, declared myself a failure, and tried again in a couple of years. But not this time. It was about 5 months until we got everything settled with the moving and wedding and so I wanted to start fresh for the new year and so here I am.

So for me, that was my rock bottom moment. It's different for everyone. For some people it doesn't take much and for others, they never have that moment. I thank the Lord for opening up my eyes as to what was happening to me and for pointing me in the right direction. (incidentally I'm not trying to push this book on anyone, I'm just sharing a program that works for me)

So I'd be interested in hearing your 'aha' moments. If you've already posted them on your blog, could you give me the link so I can read it? Thank you.

The End.

Don't Quit

2008-02-17T09:07:00.002-05:00

When you've eaten too much and you can't write it down,
And you feel like the biggest failure in town.

When you want to give up just because you gave in,
and forget all about being healthy and thin.

So What! You went over your points a bit,
It's your next move that counts...So don't you quit!

It's a moment of truth, it's an attitude change.
It's learning the skills to get back in your range.

It's telling yourself, "You've done great up till now.
You can take on this challenge and beat it somehow."

It's part of your journey toward reaching your goal.
You're still gonna make it, just stay in control.

To stumble and fall is not a disgrace,
If you summon the will to get back in the race.

But, often the struggler's, when loosing their grip,
Just throw in the towel and continue to slip.

And learn too late when the damage is done,
that the race wasn't over...they still could have won.

Lifestyle change can be awkward and slow,
but facing each challenge will help you grow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
the silver tint in a cloud of doubt.

When you're pushing to the brink, just refuse to submit,
If you bite it, you write it....But don't you quit!

- Author Unknown

UGLI

2008-02-14T16:50:00.006-05:00

I tried an ugly fruit the other day called UGLI. It's from Jamaica. Has anyone ever heard of this?
I don't know what the actual name for it is - all I know is that it costs $1.98 at Wal Mart. :)

It has a thick skin but it's real easy to peel. It looks like a grapefruit and kind of tastes like one. It's extremely juicy and the wedges are huge! Eating this was like drinking a glass of grapfruit juice.

Taking a Break

2008-02-12T20:37:00.001-05:00

I'm taking a break from my exercise routine tomorrow. My last break was Feb 4 when I was sick so it should be alright. But...I don't feel right about it. (I'm afraid I'll like it too much and take another day off, then another) But I think my body needs it because I've been pushing myself hard this past week and although I feel better overall, I also feel a little beat up so I think a day of rest will do the trick. Hey, even God took one day off! :) I will stick to my healthy eating plan though.

Since I won't be exercising tomorrow, I have strategically planned on doing housework so I'm letting everything go today. If I don't do something, I might be on the couch all day watching the Food channel and that's not good!

So I have declared tomorrow Slacker Day! Yippee!

Tuesday Check-In 2-12-08

2008-02-12T13:14:00.000-05:00

This has been quite a week for me. Some of it I mentioned as a part of my regular posting so I will only mention them briefly here.

Mood:

Optimistic, strong willed, goal oriented.

Changes:

Body: I finished my first full week of walking. At first my feet and ankles hurt but now they're ok. (a little pain from walking but that's to be expected at my weight, but it goes away)

My knees don't hurt as much.

Maintained the same level of flexibility.

Weight: Lost 4 lbs. - I already post this.

Clothing: I tried on my big, bad, red bathrobe and I look less like huge tomato.

I look in the mirror and I can't see any changes but I look thinner in my clothes. Clothes hide things, I know this, but I know I'm not hallucinating. So my body hasn't changed substantially yet - still have a way to go.

Exercise:

Walking over a mile each day.

Longer dancing/exercising before walking.

Starting using my 3 lb. hand weights for my bi's and tri's.

Bought a couple of dance cd's for my exercising.

Monitoring:

Pedometer: Got a pedometer and I'm walking the same distance with less steps. Also burning a little less calories but I'm not going to increase my steps until I'm sure I can handle 1+ miles easily with no pain.

Online calendar. I track my exercise and overall eating habits with a color code so I can see how I'm doing at a glance. This has really helped me because sometimes I can't remember if I ate that fattening thing yesterday or last week. This calendar keeps track. Also, I found that I have a goal with my calendar. Since my "On Track" food days are color coded gold, I found that I strive for having a completely gold calendar. My version of a gold star. I want rewarded. I also want bragging rights to a perfect week or month and so I'm creating little badges for my site for when I do this. (just haven't decided if it's going to be weekly or monthly) I haven't done either yet but when I do, I'm gonna tell the world! haha

Goals:

Still trying to stay away from the Food Network - doing really well. I only watch it if I'm full or they're making something yucky.

Try a new piece of fruit. (goal met) I bought an ugly fruit that says UGLI on it. (it's from Jamaica) I took pictures and will put it up on a regular post.

Doing really well in the ~~cheating~~ bad choice department. (thanks Diana) :)

Stay away from Mexican food. (that's my favorite!)

Keep up with the walking and don't get lazy or discouraged.

So that's it. Overall it's been a really good week. I've lost 4 lbs, walked each day without missing, ate healthy all week, and my body is getting stronger.

Note: I'm still waking up - haven't exercised yet but when I'm done, I'll be back to read all of your stories. Looking forward to it! :) I hope you all had a good week and if you didn't for whatever reason, it's okay. Don't even think of it as a 'setback' - think of it as a new beginning. :)

God bless.

I Took a Peek

2008-02-11T12:45:00.000-05:00

My husband did not put the scale away when he was home yesterday and I forgot to remind him. So I was curious about how much I lost, if anything, in the last four days since I got weighed on the 6th and started walking. (obsession is starting to creep in again but I can't put the scale in the attic myself because I'm afraid to go up there) So here's the results after 4 days...

Was 279
Now 275

That a 4 lb loss in 4 days!!! This is not water weight we all lose at the beginning of our diets because I started dieting Jan. 1. This is because I'm really working my arse off - a total of 70+ minutes per day continuously and eating balanced meals. (protein, starchy carb, fiberous carb which breaks down to meat, potato or rice, and something green or root vegetable) I "taper" off in the evening - no starchy carb - just protein and vegetable. So I'm doing this in a very healthy way.

I was rereading the BFFM book and he talks about increasing your fat burning percentage by doing more cardio. You can double or triple it and it all depends on the amount of cardio you're willing to do. So I've doubled mine because normally I'd lose 2 lbs per week (doing 30 minutes of cardio) but this time it was 4 lbs. (doing 70 minutes).

I hope this lasts. I know I'll keep doing what I'm doing but I hope my body responds in the same way. I have to keep telling myself that it's alright if I don't lose as much in a given week but I know me - I'll be highly upset if I don't lose.

I've GOT to put that scale away! I got good news now but I may not always and when I don't, I'll be miserable. (even though I know I shouldn't)

I should have saved this for the Tuesday Check-In tomorrow. That's ok - I'll enjoy typing it again but unfortunately, you'll have to read it again. haha

Noticing Some Changes

2008-02-09T19:14:00.001-05:00

I started my walking regiment (1+ miles) 5 days ago and already I've noticed some changes. But let me tell you the bad stuff first...

After day 1, when I was finished walking almost 1 1/4 miles, I could barely walk. I plopped on the couch and could not get up. My left ankle was throbbing! Had to get hubby to rub my feet and ankles for me. I had no energy. I didn't cook dinner that first time - we ate leftovers because I couldn't move. But I forced myself to continue.

Day 2: Walked slowly and took many breaks. There was nowhere to sit so I just stood and moved my left foot and rubbed my ankle. Again, came home, could not move, no energy, hubby rubbed my feet and ankles again. I wore an ace bandage on my ankle. I continued...

Day 3: Walked my usual amount, ankle still hurting but was able to get through it. But still no energy to do anything at home plus I was still in pain. Hubby back to work so no foot/ankle rub for me.

Day 4: I didn't feel so bad before I walked. I had a little pain but nothing major. I walked, came home, rested a little while and was able to cook something and move around. Had a little energy.

Day 5 - Today: No pain in my feet or ankles before I walked. After my walk, I was a little worn out as usual but no pain! But the real kicker is I had so much energy today. I cooked, did dishes, swept and mopped floor, cleaned the kitty station and swept that floor, cleaned out fridge and took out trash. And I danced the entire time! I couldn't believe it! Keep in mind, all this walking is in addition to my stretching/exercise/dancing routine in the morning. Also I shaved off 8 minutes in my walk today and I'm not sure how I did that. (maybe longer strides)

I can't believe how good I feel! I don't remember ever having this much energy when I was done lifting weights. My knees are getting a little stronger too. I don't have to use the furniture to help me get out of the chair as much. I think I've found what works for me - walking. I think I'm going to walk off 140 lbs. I'm looking forward to it!

Chocolate - the Evil Temptress!

2008-02-09T15:01:00.000-05:00

I overcame a HUGE hurdle yesterday. It's my TOM and I was DIEING for some chocolate. I mean gooey, warm, rich fudge on top of anything. So what did I do? I put on the Food Network of course so I could live vicariously through them. Paula Deen's a killer! Then I remembered that I had leftover Holloween candy in the freezer and thought 'I could take a piece because they're 'fun sized' anyway.' Then I thought about my calendar and how I'de have to make the color khaki (for a semi-good food day) and I wanted my calendar to filled with gold squares (signifying good eating habits). So onward I go....all the way to Wal Mart.

I started thinking about molten brownies and wondering if there was a low fat version I could scarf down. So down the aisle I went - looking at all the different varieties of brownies, cookies, and cakes etc. I picked up a box of brownies and checked the fat content and I can't remember how many grams of fat there was but I remember thinking that it was kinda low and that there MUST be a catch....so I put the box down. I kept thinking that this will mess me up somehow and again thought about the gold.

So I went home an ate an orange. Of course nothing will satisfy this craving except chocolate but it was enough to get me by. It was so hard but I did it! I didn't give in yesterday and I get to keep my gold status for that day! Yippee!!!!!!

I'm ok today so far - no cravings. I just hope I can continue this for the next couple of days. Like I stated previously (in another post) I really don't like sweets - it's just when it's that TOM, I'd kill for chocolate!!!

Interactive Calendar - You Must See This!!!

2008-02-07T13:15:00.000-05:00

I found an interactive calendar which is fully customizable and it's free. You can track anything you want: your exercise routine, your weight, your food intake - anything. You can even color code them, and add a background image.

I started mine in February. I put what type of exercise I did and I color coded my food behavior for each day. Gold is for being "On Track", Khaki is "Semi OnTrack", and Slate Gray is "Sabotage". But that's just me - you can set this up any way you like.

You can let people see it also. But if you get it, remember to set passwords for everything except viewing. (that is if you want people to see it)

Talk about being accountable - now everyone can see how you're doing and the color coding makes it easy to track how you're doing at a glance.

To view my calendar, look to the upper right hand corner of this page where it says "My Queen Size Calendar" and see how I did.

Here is where to set up your own...

http://freecal.brownbearsw.com/

The Truth Comes Out

2008-02-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

A part of me is scared to lose weight but not for the reasons you might think. I never told anyone this because frankly, I'm not sure if anyone else can understand.

When I was younger, and much thinner, I looked good. Very good! I had guys falling all over themselves. I admit the attention was nice at first but then it got crazy. For instance, I was walking down the street and a guy in a pickup parked on the bridge, grabbed me and threw me into his truck. I don't know how but I got away.

There were two other instances where men have overpowered me (not getting into detail but use your imagination) and I was unable to do anything about it. I was helpless, angry, and full of hatred towards men. I've also been the victim of physical violence from ex-boyfriends here and there.

So in my twisted way, I tried to repel guys by gaining weight. I also lifted weights so that I could fight back if I were ever attacked. Fast forward a couple years and a lot of pounds later... I had a boyfriend who came home drunk and started a fight with me while I was sleeping. He tried to throw me over the banister and down the steps but he could not lift me because I was too heavy. So I threw him across the room and beat the heck out of him. That was proof that my weight had worked FOR me and possibly saved my life. Although I was heavier, I was also stronger which gave me a sense of security. And with my weight gain, I did not attract as much attention which lessened my chances of being attacked.

I have carried this with me ever since - afraid of being at my goal weight because in the back of my mind, I think it will happen again and I wont' be able to fight the guy off. I know this probably sounds strange but maybe somebody can relate. So now, I want go get to my goal but I also want to have muscles. But even if I have muscles and even if I take Karate or something, that does not mean that it couldn't happen again. Guys are stronger naturally - that's how God made them. So there's no guarantee. So my answer is to get bigger muscles. I don't want to have a sleek, shapely body. I want muscles that will intimidate and scare guys away from me. I don't see any other way.

So I have mixed feelings about losing weight because I DON'T want the attention (which could lead to an attack) yet I must lose weight because I'm having mobility issues. So that's my story.

"You're Not Fat"

2008-02-07T10:26:00.000-05:00

This is a picture of me and my best friend, Lynn, at an amusement park this past July. We've been friends for about 17 years. You see how skinny she is right? But she considers herself fat but she always says to me "you're not fat." I don't understand people like this. Does anyone have a clue? Is she blind? She can't be saying it to make me feel better because she knows I've never let my weight bother me so why in heckies would she say that?

I've already asked her and she'll say something like, 'you could lose some weight but you're still not fat.' Yet she is withering away to nothing but SHE is fat!!??!!! Does she have some kind of disease that distorts her perception? haha

Have you guys run into people like this?

Here she is again - is she fat? I DON'T THINK SO!!!

Addition to the Tuesday Check-In

2008-02-06T09:39:00.000-05:00

I didn't mention this before because I was embarrassed and I wasn't sure how to word it without sounding tasteless but I'm going to try.

There is another change in my body that I noticed...

My chest is smaller but not my actual (fill in the blank). When I look down I can see my stomach(s) now and I'm not blocked by my chest. So I'm not sure where I lost - I'm really kind of clueless! I don't need to buy new undergarments but it fits better. Maybe I lost in the area above my chest but under my neck? I don't know. I'm really perplexed but I'm glad I'm a little smaller.

Sorry to sound so cryptic - I hope you ladies know what I'm talking about. (I'm so embarrassed!) But I'm so happy, I just had to tell someone!

UPDATE:

I couldn't resist - I got weighed and I'm 279. So I must have been heavier if I'm noticing weight loss. I had to have been in the 280's. Anyway, my husband is going to put the scale in the attic because he knows I won't go up there. I'm off to work out. Be back later.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

2008-02-06T08:45:00.000-05:00

This isn't about a childhood memory, or running through a field of lillies, or remembering past friendships fondly. This is about missing my old gym. (sniff sniff)

I just moved to SC recently and having been looking for a gym but was not successful. I went to the YMCA yesterday and toured their facility but found it was a renovated school that was very small and cramped. There weren't many machines, limited hours of operation, no pool, no track, no trainers, no classes except aerobics and the price was too high. They wanted top dollar for a puny facility. Their prices were higher than my old club.

Here's pictures of my old club, Club Julian. I'm reminiscing..... (sorry about the spacing - it got all jimmied up somehow)

You see the ellipticals? I was usually on the third from the left. That was MY machine. :) I've spent countless hours watching tv and riding like the wind. I also walked on that track in between reps.

See the pool? I've spent loads of time doing water aerobics and even was the head 'bunny' (complete with ears) during our Easter water bunny hop. That was so much fun!

I loved that club - especially lifting weights!! But no more!!!

I hear they are supposed to be building a YMCA here in my neighborhood so I'm hoping it will be better than the one I saw yesterday.

I know I'm being whiny. I should just suck it up and deal with it. The most important thing are the weights and cardio equipment which the other place had but I also like the bells & whistles. Those bells and whistles made it a joy to go there.

I'll snap out of this in a minute - just wallowing briefly.

Tuesday Check-In 2-5-08

2008-02-05T13:22:00.000-05:00

This is my first check in since joining the Healthy You Challenge, so here goes....

I started my weight loss endeavor Jan. 1, 2008 so it hasn't been that long. Also I am not weighing myself because I get WAY too crazy and discouraged so my scale is in my trunk.

Mood:

Optimistic, excited, very strong willed today.

Changes:

Clothing: I tried on my wedding suit (got married this past August) and there is a little more room now. I can't put my finger on where exactly but it's not as tight on me as it was in August. So really this is the result of 3 weeks if I subtract the days I pigged out.

Body: I have more flexibility and endurance. (and this was just after the first 3 days believe it or not!) Definition in leg muscles from my handy dandy elliptical.

So there's not much of a visible change but I can feel it in my clothes. I can't even tell you where exactly I lost but my clothes seem to hang differently on me.

Exercise:

I did my usual warm up dancing and stretching, crunching, and sandblasting for about 3o minutes. (elevated heart rate - not glowing too much)

I took my first real walk today since I got my pedometer. I walked a little over 1 mile and for me, that's good! I burned about 364 calories in that walk which was about 4000+ steps. Afterwards I went to the YMCA to check them out and then to Sub Station (to get a low fat sub. - only 7 gr of fat) and then to Wal Mart for a minute. And after adding that walk, I burned a total of 483 calories with 6012 steps. The goal is 10,000 steps a day which would equal about 3 miles for me.

I realized something - even though the elliptical burns 5 x's more calories than walking, I'm finding that I can walk MUCH longer than doing the elliptical and so really, I'm burning more by walking. A lot more! I can go about 1/2 mile on the elliptical before I DIE!!! (I mean completely out of breath and trouble speaking) and I only burn about 60 calories. But with walking, I'm not dieing, can do it much longer and I burn 364 calories! Now if I could cycle as long as I walked, then that would be tremendous but I cannot. So I think I'm going to start a walking regiment a few times a week. Maybe more depending on how I feel tomorrow.

Goals:

My #1 goal is NOT to cheat! Since I have this attitude of "if I cheat, it's not the end of the world", I tend to be too laid back. So I've got to stop this.

Come up with more tasty, low fat recipes. I tend to cook in bulk (old habit), then I eat it once, then I'm sick of it so I've also got to work on the quantity too.

Not to obsess over the pedometer. I tend to obsess over any aspect of losing weight be it a scale, tape measurer, my spreadsheets (which I also stopped), or just staring at myself in the mirror looking for the smallest hint of weight loss. I've got to just forget that I'm trying to lose weight and live my life and not obsess.

Not watch the Food Network when I'm hungry. Yes, this is my favorite channel because I like to know what everyone's eating. (and cooking)

These goals are ongoing, not just weekly so I might not name each of these at every check in. But I'll let you know if I fail in any of these in my regular posting. But if I feel like typing that day, I might just mention them all again, who knows. :)

I wish you all the greatest success in your weight loss goals. I think losing weight is one of the hardest, if not THE hardest thing a person can do. It takes will, determination, endurance, self-discipline, energy, and the right frame of mind to do this. So kudos to all you ladies and gents for all your hard work!

Blessings,
Carol

A Little Added Incentive

2008-02-04T11:05:00.000-05:00

Whenever I feel 'down' about my weight loss or think I'm not losing fast enough, my husband reminds me of how far I've come and it really hits home with me and hopefully it will with you too...

Instead of just using words and saying "remember you've lost 5 lbs.", he provides tangible evidence. Whenever we're at the grocery store, he'll pick something up that weighs as much as I lost and he'll hand it to me and say, "this is how much you've lost" and he'll make me carry it around with me. When it was 5 lbs., it was a 5 lb bag of sugar. When I lost 10 lbs, it was a bag of cat food. When I lost 25 lbs., he handed me a huge kitty litter bag and when I carry these things around, it was killing my feet, my back, and I thought to myself "how in the world was I able to carry this on my body?" I am reminded of how far I had come which gives me GREAT incentive for continuing!!!

I think carrying these items (simulating weight gain) will really put your weight loss in perspective. Give it a try.

Feeling Under the Weather

2008-02-04T10:50:00.000-05:00

I've been running a low-grade fever for about a day 1/2, and I've been nauseous with a loss of appetite. So I've been bed-ridden during this time. So my fever broke yesterday and I didn't want my low fat soups I made - I wanted something yummy so I bought pizza and Pepsi. Oh yeah, also a hot fudge sundae (which is extremely rare - can't remember the last time I had something sweet because I really don't like them)

Now if I had done this in the past, I would have chucked my "diet" and declared myself a failure. I would have gone back to my old ways of just giving in and thinking 'what's the use'. But I no longer am in that mindset. I see it as a speed bump, I see it as a happy memory because when I indulge, it's LOADS of fun! haha I don't let this stop me. So today, I'm rarin' to go again. I've got my workout clothes on with my nifty new walking shoes and I'm ready to "shake, shuga-shake, shake."

Exercising with the Hubby

2008-02-02T22:13:00.000-05:00

This is the first time in a long time that Mark and I exercised together. The last time was at my gym which consisted of weight lifting, elliptical (for me), and he ran around the track. This time, since we're not a member of a gym yet, we stretched, did a series of floor exercises and the elliptical.

Incidentally, Mark is not overweight - he's got a little bit of pudge in his stomach but you can't tell through clothes. (I think it's cute but he doesn't) :) He could use a little toning and definition.

It turns out that I'm more flexible than he is and am able to do crunches and leg lifts easier than him. But, he has greater stamina than me. He flies on that elliptical and doesn't break a sweat but me? I'm 'glowing' after 2 minutes!

Well now he's officially seen me at my worst. Hot, sweaty, and all-around ugly and he still loves me. :)

Rutabaga Vegetable "What the Heck" Soup

2008-02-02T21:55:00.000-05:00

Comment:

This is a surprising vegetarian success! I like this better than the other vegetable soup recipe. I think this one is a keeper! It's flavorful, filling, and low fat!

As with the other vegetable soup recipe, there are no real measurements here. It depends on the amount of vegetables you use and how big your pot is so I'll just list the ingredients for this particular soup.

Ingredients:

1 Eggplant, cubed
1 Rutabage, peeled and cubed
3 big handfulls of Turnip Greens
Half large onion chopped
1 Can stewed tomatoes (I used Italian style)
2 Cans 15.8 oz Great Norther Beans (not rinsed)
Two cartons of chicken broth. (it should cover everything)
1 tspn Cumin
1 tspn Thyme

Throw everything into a pot, cover with lid and boil the 'heck' out of it for about two hours, stirring occasionally. The soup will thicken slightly. I think you will love this soup! Enjoy!

Nike Air Shoo-In

2008-02-02T21:27:00.000-05:00

I found a great pair of walking shoes at Dick's Sporting Goods - the Nike Air Shoo-In. It's $49.99 at Dick's and $55.00 at JC Penney. (price may vary from store to store) Here is the description:

Women's lace-up walking shoe provides cushioned, light-weight and flexible performance at every step. Lightweight and breathable synthetic mesh upper with weld overlays for additional support. Full-length phylon midsole and an encapsulated Air-Sole unit for improved flexibility. Cushioned insole and heed pads. Padded collar for added ankle support. Rolling Rail sole for smooth, stable heel-to-toe transition. Imported.

I love these shoes! My feet don't hurt anymore so I can walk longer distances. I highly recommend this shoe, or a similar one as long as it's a walking shoe. Believe me, when you weight 200+ lbs. you need all the help you can get!

ExRx.net

2008-02-02T05:09:00.000-05:00

I found this site that seems to have it all. Exercise instructions (with videos), weight training, fitness calculators, weight management, and a bunch more. Here is the description copied from the site:

ExRx.net (Exercise Prescription on the Net) is a free resource for the exercise professional, coach, or fitness enthusiast." ExRx.net consists of over 2000 pages, most of which are found in the Exercise and Muscle Directory. The content of this web site is available on CD-ROM.

ExRx.net is a recommended resource in the ACSM's Resource Manual for Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription (pgs 224, 349). ExRx.net is also a NSCA authorized CEU provider. See our NSCA CEU approved study modules.

Trying Something New...

2008-02-01T12:22:00.000-05:00

I bought a Pedometer yesterday which measures the number of steps you take, calories burned, and the distance you travel. According to the instructions, it's good to take 10,000 steps per day but I have no concept as to how much walking that actually is. Anyway, the thing doesn't work. I mean there's no power whatsoever so I'm taking it back to Wal Mart. I was skeptical because it only cost $7 but that was the only one they had.

So now...hubby is taking me to Dick's Sporting Goods so I can get one that really works. Plus I want to pick up another pair of tennis shoes. I have a nice pair of tennis shoes that are for gym use only. I never wear them outside and so when we find a gym here, I've already got my shoes.

Has anyone ever tried a pedometer?

I've Been a Bad Girl

2008-01-31T12:30:00.000-05:00

I had Mexican yesterday and Pepsi and I didn't exercise. In fact I haven't exercised for a couple of days now due to sleep deprivation and other things. I just read an article about a woman who lost 110 lbs in 12 mos. from the Healthy You Challenge site. This woman looks amazing and so do the other "losers."

I think I'm going to starting hanging out at the Healthy You Challenge site because there are lots of other like-minded bloggers. It's a good place to give and receive support for weight loss issues. I encourage you all to check it out.

"That Design Chick"

2008-01-31T10:39:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to give a quick thank you to "That Design Chick" for creating my beautiful header. Nice isn't it?!? She does such beautiful work that I had to share it with everyone. She's done work for Dell, Verizon, United Way, and The Department of Criminal Justice, to name a few. Her rates are also very reasonable. Click on her banner below and check this chicky out.

My Experience in a Belly Dancing Class

2008-01-30T06:36:00.001-05:00

I wish I had a picture to show you because I was quite a sight! Picture this...you walk into the room which is encased in glass doors so everyone can see you that walks into the gym. (this sets me on edge right away) It's my first belly dancing class and everyone looks great. They are relatively thin, wearing form fitting, one piece outfits with beautiful, colorful scarves draped around their waists flowing gently down to their knees. They reminded me of beautiful ballerina's high atop a mountain at sunrise with the wind gently blowing through their hair. Some had belts for added flair and some had candle type thingies fastened to their fingers and wrists for even more flair. They even had cute little Middle Eastern type slippers with gems on them. And here I come....

Wearing baggy, battleship gray sweatpants, white t-shirt with orange sleeves, tennis shoes and ankle socks. I didn't have a scarf so I had to borrow one from the teacher which was a burnt orange color with a paisley pattern. So I tried to fit in and wrap this thing around my waist (which I was able to do) but it just didn't look right with the sweat pants and t-shirt. It was clear that I was the "odd man out." Surprisingly, no one laughed me out of the class. :)

So the class began - all the complicated arm, hand, and scarf movements and I caught on quickly. Then came the "crazy hips" movements with the figure 8's and again, I caught on quickly. Then all the moves were put together and I found that I was having a blast! The teacher asked if I had taken classes before (because I caught on so quickly) but I told her 'no', I had just been street dancing... hip hop to be exact. But one thing I noticed throughout the entire class... these women were stumbling all over themselves. They had no coordination whatsoever and I even helped some of them. These women looked the part but when it came down to it, it was all a facade. A window covering with nothing inside.

So what does this tell you about outward appearances? It's the same message that effects everyone in virtually all situations...it doesn't matter how you dress it up, it's the inside that counts.

Vegetable "What the Heck" Soup

2008-01-30T06:16:00.000-05:00

Comment:

This is one of those recipes where anything goes, thus "what the heck." You can add any vegetables that you like so there's no real recipe for this. So I'm just going to name the ingredients I personally used this time but every time I make this, the recipe changes. There's no use in giving measurements because it depends on how many types of vegetables you use. It's super easy and super good for you.

Ingredients:

Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Cauliflower
Onions
Chicken and Beef broth (lots)
Mexican cucumber (but I thought it was zucchini - stupid me!) :)
Cabbage
Fresh green beans
1 Can Great Northern beans
1 Can stewed tomatoes
1 Tbls Thyme

Throw everything into a pot and boil the "heck" out of it. I keep the lid on at first until the veggies are done and then I take the lid off to reduce a little to concentrate the flavors. That's it!

I'll be making another type of vegetable soup in the next couple of days with rutabaga. I've never tried rutabaga before but I like saying it so I thought I'd try it.

Fiery Turkey Chili

2008-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Comment:

This really isn't all that fiery - you won't need a water chaser but it's just enough to make you go 'wow!' There are many ways to make this and of course you can substitute many ingredients.

Ingredients:

2 tsps Olive Oil
1 lb Ground turkey
1 Cup chopped onion
2 Celery stalks, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, minced
2 Jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 Tbls chili powder
1 Tbls Ground Cumin
1 tspn Oregano
1/2 tspn Cayenne Pepper
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 Cups chicken broth
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans (I don't rinse mine because I like it a little thick)
1 (15 oz) can black beans (same as above)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat oil and vegetables in a large soup pot until meat is done and vegetables are tender. (cover with lid and stir occasionally) Then add spices and broth, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes up to 2 hours. (I take the lid off at this stage to evaporate some of the liquid thus making it a little thicker) Voila! Enjoy!

Exercising is Noisy Business!

2008-01-29T03:23:00.000-05:00

I can't keep quiet while exercising - between the blasting music, the shaking windows and walls, and the crying out in pain, it gets kinda loud. I have to make sure that everything in the living room is secure before I exercise. I had to take everything off the bookshelf (candles, pictures, nick nacks) or else they will come crashing down. The lamps have to be moved back away from edge or else they'll crash and break.

My hubby has been home the last couple of days so I tried to exercise quietly in another room which didn't work out so well. Not enough room and I almost broke my computer because it was teetering on the edge of the desk. The pictures didn't fall down surprisingly! Hey, maybe that could be another way in which to gauge my weight loss? If I don't wreck the house, then maybe I'm losing!?!? I think I'm on to something!!!

Fun Fact

2008-01-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

I was told that what I'm about to tell you is a "quirk." I don't know how this came about but I've been doing this ever since I could remember. Here goes...

I have to finished the things on my plate EVENLY. That means at the end of my meal, there must be 1 piece of meat and 1 little bit of each side dish for my last bite. If I go to a restaurant and say they overload me with fries, I give away the extra fries to ensure I will finish the fries at the exact same time as the burger. And if during the course of my meal I find that there is an unbalance, then I play catch up with the larger item.

Of course I don't eat burgers and fries now but you get the gist.

And if it's a one pot meal, then I don't have this worry.

This may be a little strange but I had a girlfriend who ate everything alphabetically. I'm not kidding! She would take a cheeseburger apart and eat the Bun, Cheese, Meat,Onion, and then the Pickle. She didn't count the condiments. Now THAT'S weird but funny!

Do you have any food quirks? I'd love to hear them!

Culinary Failure

2008-01-27T21:31:00.000-05:00

I'm new to low fat cooking so I'm really hurting for recipes but I'm putting up things that actually turn out half way decent or better.

I tried a pasta recipe from Rachel Ray and it didn't quite turn out right. It's probably something I did, not due to Rachel. I had to roast cherry tomatoes and garlic in their skin and the garlic was supposed to be like a paste when I mashed it up. Well it was hard and unpasty. (is that a word?) It tasted good but that's because I LOVE garlic.

Anyway, this is what it looked like (so far) and it looked good. I mashed everything up, added basil and parsley with pasta and viola, a chunky tomato mess! My husband liked it but he eats anything as long as there' so "white slime" (mayonnaise) or tuna. I'm not submitting this as a recipe here - just wanted to share my culinary failure with you. :)

Kicked Up Aglio E Olio

2008-01-26T22:58:00.000-05:00

Comment:

This dish is so delicious, you'll forget that it's low fat. It's also quick and easy to make. While there is olive oil, it is the good kind of fat with many health benefits. (keep in mind, I don't really measure too often but I'll do my best)

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless breast halves - cut into strips
1/4 Cup olive oil (or more if it gets too dry - it has to lightly coat the pasta)
Emeril's Essence - as much as you want - I use lots
Mushrooms - (optional) as much as you want
1 lb Angel Hair pasta (or your favorite pasta)
2 Tbls. garlic powder or chopped garlic
2 Tbls. Capers - (optional)
Parmesan cheese to taste)

Boil pasta according to directions. Meanwhile, saute the remaining ingredients in the olive oil. (if you use chopped garlic, add that towards the end otherwise it will burn and turn bitter) Cover and stir occasionally. It should look like this....

Note: I only have a camera phone so the picture does not do it justice.

When the chicken and mushrooms are completely cooked, turn heat to low until pasta is done. When pasta is done, drain and add to pan and mix together. You can mix in parmesan cheese and/or sprinkle on top. That's it! Enjoy!

A Horrific Discovery!!!

2008-01-25T11:14:00.000-05:00

First, I'm a coffee nut - been drinking it for years with half n' half and sugar (Splenda) and so that's my one vice. So after working out yesterday, I decided to make my usual coffee treat and for some reason, don't know why, I decided to look at the fat grams which was 3 gr per 2 Tbls. I thought to myself that that's such an itty bitty number that it wouldn't affect me. But then I realized that I use a LOT of cream. My husband always jokes with me and says I drink "coffee milkshakes." So I decided to find out exactly how many grams of fat I drink a day.

So I got a glass of water and poured the usual amount I use into another cup and got a measuring spoon. After counting and calculating, I found that I drink 60 grams of fat per day!!! Wha wha WHAT???? I couldn't believe it! All this time I've been watching my fat intake, eating vegetables that I don't like, "glowing" my fat butt off with exercises only to find out that something as insignificant as COFFEE is slowing me down. I try not to go over 30 gr of fat per day with my meals and coffee is the thing that bit me??? It's a wonder I lost any weight at all in the past!!!

So I needed a few minutes to get over the shock, horror and phone calls....

So I bought some half n' half with 0 gr of fat and it's nasty but I'm eliminating 60 gr of fat per day. So hopefully the lbs. will come off a little quicker. I always wondered why it was so hard for me to lose and why it took so darn long because I do everything right and now I know. What a whopper of a mistake!!!!! Sometimes I'm such a spacklehead!

Soy Milk, the Other White Drink

2008-01-24T15:54:00.001-05:00

Anyone ever try this stuff? It's actually pretty good but I wouldn't recommend cooking with it because it's kind of sweet. So the only use I've found for it is in cereal. They sell different flavors but I've only tried the plain.

Anyway, I'm back to being a good girl today. The past three days I've been cheating...bought Pepsi and pizza but today, I'm back to turkey burgers and vegetable soup. (I'd put the recipe up but I didn't take a picture of it - I'll have to wait until next time)

So I had my cereal with wheat germ, soy milk and a banana. Getting ready to exercise.

UPDATE:

Ok, done with my exercises. Danced to Pitbull to get the blood flowing. (about 15 minutes) And 15 minutes is all I need to get my heart pumping. The bigger you are, the less it effort it takes to get your heart rate up.

Then did my leg stretches. (got several exercises for those). Two sets of 10 crunches, two sets of ten reverse crunches. Then regular crunches while holding the position. Leg crosses in the air. (for abdominals) Some people say spot training doesn't do anything but I've always noticed significant improvement when I target areas. Side stretches (25) and side bends (10). Standing up push ups (10). Elliptical for about 10 min. Gotta work my way up again since it's been months since I've been on this thing. And in between, I drank lots of water. I welcome any exercise suggestions but keep in mind, I'm a big girl and am severely limited as to what I can do. :)

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle

2008-01-24T04:58:00.000-05:00

Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is the one book that changed my life! It's a book by body builder Tom Venuto and he goes into great detail about how to lose fat and addresses common questions and much, MUCH more. I finally know what to do if/when I hit a plateau (and there are many things), I know that if I stumble one day that it's not the end of my diet, I know how to speed up my metabolism, how to avoid going into 'starvation mode', and a whole bunch of other things.

I've corresponded with Tom via email and his forum and he is always willing to help and give advice. His book costs $39.95 and it's well worth it.

My testimony is on his site if you want to read it. It's the first one.

Psyching Myself Out

2008-01-24T04:39:00.000-05:00

Did you ever put pictures of really obese women on your fridge to discourage your midnight fridge raids? I did and blew right by them. They never fazed me in the least. I used to put notes up too that said "Quitters never win", "Turn around now you fat cow", and "You'll be dead by 30" but all these notes did was make me laugh and then I proceeded to my snacky of choice. I was unstoppable!

I was never one to snack but I'd hardly eat anything during the day and then I'd want to eat at night which is not good to do. So I force myself to eat more during the day so I don't have this problem.

So what tricks do you do to psych yourself out?

Believe it or Not

2008-01-24T04:24:00.000-05:00

I hate sweets! I hate all pies, cakes, cookies, donuts, candy, ice cream, you name it! I get cravings during my 'happy time' (you ladies know what I'm talking about) but other than that, I am not tempted. I'm very fortunate because sweets are the downfall for most people.

I used to love sweets as a child (with the exception of ice cream) so I don't know what happened. My mother told me that when she was pregnant with me that all she ate was ice cream so I wonder if that has anything to do with it? :)

I'd say my biggest downfalls are fried chicken and mashed potatoes. I used to carry fried chicken in my purse! Don't laugh - some people carry gum and some people carry fried chicken. I'm sure I'm not the only one. :)

But those days are over. The only thing I carry that goes near my mouth is my lipstick.

Why I Boycotted My Scale

2008-01-24T04:01:00.000-05:00

I don't use a scale or a tape measurer and I don't do my BMI because I get WAY too anxious and crazy! I'll start off weighing myself every two weeks, then every week, then every day and if I see a weight gain of just one pound, I freak! Then I go hi-tech...I start with my spreadsheets documenting everything and then estimate weight loss projections weekly. And if I didn't meet that projection, then I'd freak again! Each time I freaked, I decreased my food intake and pretty soon I was down to nothing. This would go on for awhile until I finally become discouraged and then I'd quit.

But not this time. I'm done with fat tracking devices and schemes. I put my scale in my trunk and I don't know where my tape measurer is and I'm not going to look. I'm just going to go by my clothes and how they fit. It's only been a couple of weeks (since Jan.1) and I haven't noticed any major difference yet (too soon to tell) but my face has thinned a little bit. (probably because I stopped drinking Pepsi) I'm using a particular pair of jeans to gauge my weight loss. These jeans are so tight, I cannot bend. I'm really putting the stress test on them! So when these jeans are loose and falling off of me, THEN I'll get weighed. It will probably be awhile since my abdomen (which I call Stomach #2) is always the last to go.

So I wonder how long I can keep this up. My husband wants to put the scale in the attic because he knows I won't go up there because I'm afraid of crashing through. :) So we'll see.

What Body Type are You?

2008-01-24T01:51:00.000-05:00

Ruler:

Your upper and lower bodies are proportionate to each other, balancing your shoulders and hips.

Measurement of chest, waist and hips are fairly equal, creating a straight torso with little curves.

You have a smaller bust.

Rulers tend to have less hamstring flexibility than Hourglasses and Spoons.

Rulers have a tendency toward low back pain.

Rulers do not bulk easily.

Weight gain is more prevalent in the midsection/waist area.

Hourglass:

Your bust and hips are about the same size, with the waist being around 10 inches smaller.

You may be full-figured.

Your uper arms are average in size, but fleshy.

You have a medium to larger sized bust.

Your upper and lower bodies are proportionate and curvy.

Hourglasses tend to gain mass in the thighs and the back of the arms.

Funnel or Cone:

Your shoulders are typically two or more inches wider than your hips. (most men fit into this category)

You have a strong upper body.

You have a fuller bust.

Your legs are thin and you have narrow hips.

Tops never seem to fit you just right.

When you gain weight, you gain it above the waist.

Tend to experience some back pain.

Tend to have weak abdominal muscles.

Pear shaped:

You have longer legs and lower body than upper.

You have a smaller bust.

Your hips are slightly wider than your shoulders.

Your upper body is weaker than your lower body.

You experience lower back pain and less flexibility in your legs.

You tend to put on weight in your thighs and legs.

I am a ruler with not much shape. When I was thinner, I looked lanky - like a stick figure. I've got long arms, legs, and fingers. I read somewhere that the Ruler type is most common in models and dancers. (as long as they're thin) :)

Billy Blanks Wants to Kick Your ___!

2008-01-24T01:14:00.000-05:00

Have any of you tried this? He's got a new series out called Amped but I just got the Boot Camp Elite and let me tell you, it's a killer! I'm sure I'll like it more when I stop coughing up blood. (kidding)

Seriously though, it's excellent for a good cardio workout. I've got all of the dvd's along with the weighted bands, cook book, and dog tags, and I've tried most of them but I still cannot do dvd #1 all the way through. I just can't do the kick-boxing right - my legs don't want to go that high.

So after doing Taebo for a few months and glowing buckets (women don't sweat), I was thinking that I'll know I can move on to dvd #2 when it gets easier and I stop glowing. But then one day it dawned on me that THEY were ALSO glowing! They even glowed on their stomachs and that NEVER happened to me! So I had to rethink my theory - if they glow, then I'm also going to glow so I cannot go by that. So I'll just go by my endurance and how my muscles feel. I'm not there yet because I feel like a cripple when I'm done so I'll just take my time. I just started doing Taebo again after that long break so it will take some time.

Past Diet Failures

2008-01-24T00:27:00.000-05:00

When I was a teenager, I went on a diet consisting of 1/2 an orange a day. I would eat other things here and there but mainly the oranges. I didn't realize that it was so unhealthy for me. All I knew is that the weight was coming off. I lost 60 lbs. but I was sick, tired, I had no energy and I was dizzy. I was such a fanatic that I wouldn't even lick a stamp because I thought stamps had calories! How crazy is that????

I also went on the Ayds diet. They were little chocolate squares you put into a hot cup of tea. Results? Nothing!

I've tried some type of pill that was supposed to make the fat slide out of your system. (sounds gross) Results? Nothing!

I also tried some type of pill that makes you lose weight while you sleep. Of course that didn't work either.

I've tried a bunch of other ones, too many to remember right now, and all I can say is that they're all garbage! Anyone can lose weight if you decrease the amount of food you eat but all you lose is water and muscle. The only truly healthy way to lose weight/fat is the old fashioned way of diet and exercise.

What types of diets have you tried? And what were the results?

Brussel Sprouts Scare Me!

2008-01-24T00:20:00.000-05:00

To this day I won't eat them! I think it's because I was traumatized as a child. I remember being told, in grade school, that there were little bugs inside them. The teachers would make us eat them and I used to freak out! I'd eat them and then get sick.

If there were really bugs inside them, I'm sure I would have heard about this from the Food Network but they never mentioned it. Strange!

Does Name Calling Bother You?

2008-01-23T23:41:00.000-05:00

It used to bother me but now I find it amusing. I've been called every 'fat' name under the sun growing up. For instance:

Bertha Butt Boogie
Good Year Hindenberg
Carol Fatalino (a variation of my last name)
and the standard "Fatso" and "Fatty".

And if that wasn't bad enough, I've also got really frizzy, course hair and buck teeth!

And so the names continued:

Bugs Bunny (or just Bugs)
Buck Tooth Beaver
Mop Head
Horsehead
Repunzel let down your hair of ROPE.
Brillo Pad
Witchypooh &
Madusa

But mainly it was the 'fat' names because that was the most obvious. Kids can be so cruel huh?

It doesn't bother me to talk about this because I know there's much more to me, and you, than an exterior. What good is being thin and beautiful if you're dumber than a box of hair? Or if you have the personality of drywall? Or if you're meaner than the Taliban?

Unfortunately not all kids grow out of insulting others as they grow older. (notice I didn't say "grow up") There will always be those who will rip on your weight thus showing how unimaginative they are since they always go for the obvious. Don't let them bother you. We are all complex beings which consist of much more than the physical. We're ALL going to get ugly some day and so what's left? The only thing that REALLY matters - who you are on the INSIDE.

My Exercise Equipment

2008-01-23T23:25:00.000-05:00

I have an elliptical machine/exercise bike almost exactly like this one except the decal is different. I got it from Golf Outlets USA and it was the smartest thing I've purchased yet. It burns 5x's more calories than walking and is easier on the knees. I highly recommend it. Most places will charge you hundreds, even thousands but this one is only $109.99. It says the maximum weight is 250 lbs. but I was 278 when I started using it and it held up - no problems at all.

This also burns up more calories than ellipticals you find in gyms because you get a deeper, fuller rotation on the foot pedals so you get a harder workout. It doesn't monitor your heart rate but it monitors calories burned and miles. (other things too but I just concentrated on those two) Click on the link above for more info.

When I first started, I couldn't last a full minute! But over time, and quickly too I might add, my endurance built up and I was able to go 20 minutes nonstop. Then, when I joined the gym and tried their elliptical, I could go 40 minutes so I was getting a better workout faster with this machine than the ones at the gym. I use this about 6 days a week.

Mushroom Soup

2008-01-23T22:19:00.000-05:00

Comment:

This isn't a thick, creamy soup but it's packed full of flavor and is sure to satisfy the mushroom afficianato. Also, you'll find that chicken broth is used in a lot of soup recipes so be sure to stock up on it.

Ingredients

2 lbs mushrooms sliced (any type, button, portabello etc) (mushrooms should fill a regular soup pot a little over half way before cooking)
3 cans 14 oz chicken broth
half medium onion diced or chopped
1/2 cup or so of milk or half n' half (or fat free half n' half) (optional)
2 Tbls. low fat butter
1 tspn. Thyme
4 Tbls. flour (or wheat flour)
1/2 cup white wine (or white cooking wine)
pinch of parsley for garnish (optional)
salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in your soup pot, add onions and cover. (medium heat) Cook until onions are translucent. (about 10 min.) Add mushrooms, cover and continue cooking until mushrooms are softened. It should look like this.

Add flour and stir. Then add chicken broth, Thyme, wine, and salt & pepper, cover and continue cooking until mushrooms are completely done. (about half hour) Take lid off and continue cooking, letting it reduce a little.

This next part is optional:
Then put about half the soup in a food processor and pulverize it - add it back to soup.

Add half n' half and you're done. Enjoy!

To Die For Turkey Burgers

2008-01-23T22:02:00.000-05:00

Note: I sometimes don't measure things - just eyeball it but I will do my best.

Comments:

I wanted a low fat approach to burgers and so I tried turkey. In the past I've made turkey burgers like I did regular hamburger but to me, it was awful! So this time I tried something new...chipotle sauce!!! You would not believe what a difference this makes! It's got a wonderful smokey flavor with just a hint of heat. So now I'm hooked! You can find chipotle sauce in the Mexican salsa section in your grocery store. Incidentally, I don't eat these burgers with buns, just as is and usually with some type of vegetable on the side.

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
1 package Lipton mushroom onion soup mix
4 Tbls chipotle sauce
2 Tbls low fat butter
1 egg
1/2 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

Mix all ingredients into a bowl (except the butter). Melt butter in large pan under medium heat. Form turkey mixture into patties and place in pan - cover with lid. After browning, turn the patties. That's it! Enjoy!

If you make this, please let me know what you think.

My Naughty List

2008-01-23T21:36:00.000-05:00

These foods used to be my friends, but now they're my foes.

Pizza
Bacon cheeseburgers
Mushroom swiss cheesburgers
Fettuccini alfredo
Onion rings
Pepsi
Mac n' cheese
Mashed potatoes
Fried chicken
Chicken & dumplings
Biscuits w/honey and butter

I've modified some of these foods so that they're lower in fat and I've been able to get by. But every once in awhile I like to indulge.

What are some of your "naughty" foods?

Introduction

2008-01-23T20:55:00.000-05:00

Hi, my name is Carol and I'm a fat chick. But I'm not down on myself nor do I suffer from low self-esteem. I learned a valuable lesson long ago of which I'll share with you later. So I'm quite comfortable with myself.

This blog is about a number of things: my weight loss journey, recipes, commentaries on anything weight-loss related or food-related and other things as I go along. It's also a way in which I can document my daily activities and progress.

I'm choosing to lose weight not for vanity reasons, but because I'm busting out of all my clothes and pretty soon I'll have to order all my clothes online and I don't want to do that. I also have mobility issues which is scary! I'm open and honest and will be blogging about experiences, observations, and uncomfortable topics.

But this blog is not just about me...I encourage you all to participate as I will be asking questions to get your input, advice, tips, and recipes and believe me, I WILL try the recipes!

So....January 1, 2008 is when my weight/fat loss journey began.

The picture below was taken a couple of years ago but it accurately reflects my starting weight which was 278 lbs. (I'm 5'7" btw)

I went on a massive weight loss endeavor and lost about 35 lbs., joined a gym and kept at it for about 7 mos. then stopped. Below is what I looked like after that weight loss....

So I haven't dieted or lifted weights in about 5 months and have most likely gained all of it back. I don't know because I refuse to weigh myself because I get crazy with the fluctuating pounds. So I'm somewhere in between right now - leaning more towards picture #1. (don't have any recent full body pics of me right now)

So....onward I go.