55 By 55….Week 6

  FOOD FOR THE SOUL

I am thinking at this point that I set the bar too high by shooting for 55 by 55….perhaps 10 by 55?  This has been far been the most exasperating thing I have done in my life, and believe me when I tell you that I have done some extremely exasperating things in the past 54 years.  In 1 week I managed to gain back all that I had lost, PLUS 2.  Then I decided on Monday that I was a failure and kicked my own arse…..causing me to once again take this adventure seriously.  This morning at weigh in I lost 1 whole pound from last weeks weigh in.  The weather has been lousy this week (my only excuse for not walking) with high freezing winds for 3 days in a row.  I want spring to get here so badly…..so I guess it’s Mother Natures fault that I have only lost one pound this week!

On a positive note….I am keeping steady with my water consumption.  Still no caffine for this girlie! I will say that without my caffine I feel like someone took the “giddy” out of my giddy up!  I enjoyed a diet A & W root beer at the mall the other day.  I had it without ice and it reminded me of going to A&W as a kid when the root beer was served in frosty mugs.  (I will say that instead of a chili cheese dog and fries to go along with the root beer, I had orange chicken and white rice. )  Last night I had strawberries to use up, so I made a Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler for dessert.  I would like to point out that I took most of it to work to share and did not enjoy a piece myself.  I guess that was an accomplishment for me.  It’s hard when you love to cook and bake….but my co-workers enjoy the benefits and I get to bake.  A win-win situation for all!  On to a new week…because I will not give up!  Thats all folks ♥

FOOD FOR THE  BODY

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

1 stick of butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 quarts strawberries, cut up into small bite size pieces

4 oz cream cheese

Preheat oven in 350 degrees

Melt butter and pour in bottom of 13 x 9 pan.

Mix up the egg, flour, sugar, milk, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.

Pour onto the melted butter, but do not mix.

Sprinkle the strawberries on top of the mixture.

Cut off small chunks of the cream cheese and place throughout the mixture *on top

Bake for 45 minutes, although in my oven it took about 35 minutes.

The cake rises over the fruit, while some of it is still visible.

PS……it was decided that it would be great served warm with a scoop of ice cream.

55 by 55 Week 5

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

This is how I feel today…..this is how I felt yesterday….but I swear I will NOT feel this way tomorrow!  I was a bad bad girl this week, actually the last 3 days to be exact.  Therefore I graciously accepted the gain of 2 pounds this morning when I weighed in.  I can’t blame anyone but me…..and I realize that I am like an alcoholic when it comes to food.  Once I let my guard down and start eating “no no” foods, it as if something changes in my brain and I crave these foods.  I am way past the point that I would have called it quits in the past.  I would have just said “F*** it! I’m done!” and would have gorged myself with anything within an arms reach and crammed it into mouth.  Ohhhhhhh I get sooooo frustrated with my lack of self-control!  How in the world can some people decide to lose weight and POOF…the weight seems to melt off?  I am envious, that’s for sure 🙂

The way I look at it is that tomorrow is a new day, and a great day to begin again…..baby steps….baby steps…..baby steps….♥

55 by 55……Week 3

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

Hmmmm……what can I say about the last week?  It continues to be an hour by hour struggle, but I have come to the realization that this will be a long, drawn out process.  I may have bit off more than I can chew with my goal of 55 by 55.  Still I am not going to give up like I have in the past.  I have been unable to get out and walk due to the snow and freezing rain we have had this week….yep, that’s the best excuse I can come up with.  I realize that this is going to be a lifestyle change, not a “diet’…..and it is true that old habits are hard to break.  I am becoming more aware of the foods that I choose, and am trying to eat when I am hungry, not when the clock says it’s time to eat.  I have been continuing to drink water (which is really new to me,) and have had a few Diet Sierra Mists this past week.  One thing I have noticed is that I no longer have the beginnings of “cankles”….all of the ankle bones are now clearly visible.  🙂 Apparently I stored fluid in my feet and ankles….but no more.  I strongly feel this is due to the fact that I am avoiding so much extra sodium from the diet colas….Who knew?  Our “snack counter,” as the kids used to refer to, is no longer filled with chips, crackers, fruit rollups, and all of the other high calorie snacks, and has been slowly replaced with pretzels, apples, oranges, bananas, and fiber bars.  Again….who knew?  I readily admit that I cheat….but I eat healthier and healthier every day.  I have spied something called a portion control plate, but since I am too much of tight wad, I will take the idea and draw invisible lines on my plate to fill it accordingly. Again….baby steps.

My daughter Katelyn, my coworker Diane, and I have loosely formed  a “Biggest Loser” competition at work.  We will weigh in on Thursdays, and use the formula to measure our losses.  There will now be a little money on the line, so the competition will be fierce.  You know you are good friends when each of you knows the others weights.  Of course, we all agree that anyone who reveals another’s weight in public will be severely dealt with…and hell hath no fury like a woman on a diet.  Today was weigh in day….and I lost 3 pounds from last week.  This amazes me because I really don’t feel like I have lost any weight at this point…..but I will take it.  I guess that just leaves 49.5 pounds by 55.  So here’s to another week of life long changes, and another week of fighting off the urges to eat when I am not hungry, and hopefully next Thursday I will have another loss to report.  Nobody said that life was easy, and I have faced challenges much worse than this I guess.  Wish me (us) luck ♥

55 by 55….week 2

FOOD FOR THE SOUL 

Well, week two has come to a close.  I knew it would be a fight, but didn’t realize that the fight would be from hour to hour.  To make things worse, I decided to give up Diet Coke for Lent.  Which is weird because I am not even Catholic.  I have never had a cup of coffee in my life, so I get my caffeine from Diet Coke, and lots of it.  I was raised with a Sweet Shop in my hometown, so I was introduced to the liquid heaven at an early age.  After I got married and moved 15 miles away I would find myself returning “home” and getting quarts of it to bring back and enjoy throughout the day.  In 1996 a chap from my hometown opened a Sweet Shop here, so there was no longer a need to trek north for a “fix.”  My family purchase the business in 2002, and for 7 years I was literally like a kid in the candy store.  I had access to all of the fountain diet coke I could drink.  Plus, when a Diet Coke is combined with crushed ice, and topped with marshmallow cream it is like…..whats the word…..heaven!  I have been hooked, and hooked bad for many many years.  So at this point since I am not only attempting to lose 55 pounds by September, I figured I would just throw my body in a super-duper tizzy by depriving it of caffeine.

Here is how my week has gone so far….I woke up 2 times in the middle of the night with a raging headache, but once I went back sleep the headaches went away.  I was ready for bed at 7pm the first 4 nights….and now can manage to make it to 10:30 now.  I have never put so much water in my body as I have this week.  My kidneys are as happy as they have ever been.  I used to joke that water gave me gas :-), but actually the Activia that I have begun eating seems to be the culprit…. I have walked out into the country 3 times this week, and am able to go farther each time.  The first time I walked I could hardly stumble up the front steps, and even my back fat hurt.  No pain to mention now, but still some shortness of breath at the beginning of the activity.  I carry my dads walking stick when I walk and his spirit seems to channel through me as a sign of encouragement.  I have noticed that since I have begun drinking water I don’t snack as much.  I think I associated snack foods with my cola, and when I do snack I seem to crave fruit.  Who in the world is this person?

I am now ready to take on week 3, and for the most part I am starting to think like a healthy person, even though there isn’t a soul on this earth who realizes that I lost……….yes lost………… 2.5 pounds this week!!!!!!!  WHOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!! or as the brave Marines say “OORAH!!!!!! ♥

FOOD FOR THE BODY

Baked Fried Chicken

(kinda tastes like KFC)

Heat oven to 400 degrees

Place thawed chicken tenderloins in a bowl, cover with milk, and let soak for 20- 30 minutes

Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a 9 x 13 pan (in the preheating oven)

Be sure the butter is spread over the entire bottom of the pan.  Spray if necessary to avoid sticking.

In a gallon bag or a large bowl mix together:

1 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1 Tablespoon Season All

3/4 tsp. pepper

2 tsp. paprika

Remove chicken from the milk, and dredge in the flour coating.

When the butter is melted, place tenderloins side by side in the 9 x 13 pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, turn chicken over and bake 2o minutes more.

Note:  you have to use the exact seasonings or it looks bland and doesn’t taste as good.

55 by 55: Week One

 FOOD FOR THE SOUL

Week one is done!  Since I am going to hold my self accountable in every way along this journey, I will report that I lost ZERO pounds the past 7 days.  NADA…ZILCH….NONE…. Let me be honest here, as a red-blooded human being I considered 2 things this morning…#1. pretend today wasn’t Wednesday, and forget all about Word Press and #2. just to lie and say I lost 1 or 2 pounds.  Then it hit me that I would only be cheating myself by avoiding the fact that this is going to truly be a work in progress.  I can not believe how addicted I am to food, and this didn’t happen overnight, as I well know.  I look at food as a way to comfort myself if I’m sad, or treat myself it I did something good.  Kind of like a dog gets a treat when he’s done some amazing stunt.  When I was younger there was a lot of emphasis placed on my weight.  People who loved me meant well. They knew that as an overweight human being I would have more trouble fitting in, wouldn’t get the “boys” as easily as my thin friends, and the wanted me to begin the race on the same playing level as everyone else.  They were absolutely correct, but as a young teenager I saw eating as a way to have some control over at least one choice in my life.  What a skewed view that was….no body was going to tell me what to eat, for I was in control.  I remember someone in my family telling me what long beautiful legs I had, and what an asset they would be if I could just lose a little around the waist and belly.  OUCH!  Growing up, I associated love with food.  My mom was a wonderful cook, and she always said I was happiest when I sat down to the supper table.  I know she meant no harm because it was true.  I woke up every morning wondering what was for lunch at school and what was going to be for supper.

I remember about 5 years ago I sat in a meeting with a counselor who worked with me and her stomach was growling.  It was 2 in the afternoon, and I asked her it she had eaten lunch yet, and she said “No, I forgot to eat.”  I was in awe that someone had actually forgotten to eat….how was that possible?  Of course I had to ask her how it was that she could forget to eat, which turned into a lengthy conversation about the difference between eating for comfort and eating for survival.  She eats because she needs to survive, not because it’s noon and time for lunch.  To this day I have never forgotten that conversation.  She eats when her body tells her to eat, not when the clock tells her to eat.  Fascinating!  So as week 1 ends, and week 2 begins, I will document some of the positive things I have done this week, not dwell on the negative “loser” weaknesses 🙂  I walked 2 times this week, once with my 13 years old, who complained how the cold hurt her cheeks.  That was a great walk because the more she complained, the more frustrated I became, and the faster I walked.  I was almost in a full trot by the time I arrived home.  I am drinking at least 24 ounces of water daily.  This is BIG for me, as I have always joked that water “gave me gas!”  I have been having McDonalds Fruit and Maple oatmeal  (which is yummy since I didn’t know I liked oatmeal), for breakfast on the days I work instead of a doughnut (s), and I am trying to pare down my evening snacking.

So here’s to week 2, to more challenges and more little successes.  I thought I would take it day by day, but quickly found out that I need to take it hour by hour, or minute by minute if need be.  I am taking little baby steps…over and over…and hoping that each week my blogs will make a slow 100 degree turn to learning to live a healthier lifestyle.  I watched a documentary the other day, and they suggested to post this motivational saying on your bathroom mirror,and look yourself in the eye 2 times a day and repeat: I ACCEPT MYSELF UNCONDITIONALLY RIGHT NOW!!!!  What good advice to anyone going through any type of personal turmoil…not just trying to lose weight.

♥ baby steps baby steps baby steps♥

FOOD FOR THE BODY

ICED OATMEAL APPLESAUCE COOKIES

4 Tablespoon unsalted butter (melted)

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup chunky applesauce

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup golden raisins

Mix on low speed the butter and sugar until combined.

Add egg and applesauce, mix well until blended (2-3 min)

Mix in dry rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden and just set (about 13-15 min)

ICING

1 3/4 cups powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 Tablespoons water

Whick together and drizzle over cooled cookies

55 by 55

FOOD FOR THE SOUL

A year ago my daughter became engaged to a wonderful young man.  She called me to share the news, and after I hung up I was surprised at my first thought.  My first thought wasn’t “I hope I can save enough money to help them pay for the wedding,” or “I hope she is making the right choice,” or “Thats three out of four now married,”…..no, my first thought was “Crap, I need to lose some weight!”  For my whole entire life I have been overweight.  The other day there was a conversation in our office about what the ladies weighed when they got married.  One was 125 pounds, one weighed in at  135, and the other tipped the scales at 115.  They then looked at me, and I just laughed heartily and said “I beat you all…I weighed all of those numbers by the time I graduated from eighth grade!”  We all laughed because they thought I was kidding….HA!  Actually, when I got married I weighed 195 pounds, and am 5 foot 9.  My mom thought I was overweight at that time, and always encouraged me to lose a little “for my health.”  We were raised eating meat and potatoes for supper 4-5 nights a week and snacked on buttery popcorn in the evening. I didn’t stand a chance…I just loved food!

In grade school I was the one picked last for teams in PE (I just want to go on record and send up a plea to the teachers…please just count off the kids to avoid humiliating kids everywhere)  On the playground I would be on one end of the teeter totter, with 2 friends on the other end.  They loved me, so they would face each other and share the handle, even though the one without the seat had to be a little more careful, if you know what I mean.  My clothes were purchased in the “husky” section, now they call that section of the store the Pretty Plus section, so bless the kind human who thought up that name change.  If I situated myself on the outside of the Tilt-A-Whirl car, my friends could almost get whiplash from the spinning.

In high school the  boys wouldn’t give me a second look when I stood next to my slim friends,but were seldom cruel to me.  We had a small high school, and these were kids I had known for my entire life, and fat was the only way they knew me.  My mom would give me a hug, wipe away my tears and tell me that they didn’t matter anyway!  She assured me that once I got into college the men would be different, and would love my personality instead.  I admit that it did happen as she predicted, and while I was still overweight, I could hold my own against the skinny-minnies.  I will admit that sometimes it is easy to hide behind the plumpness….I can flirt with the best of them, and have a lot of guy friends of all ages.  There is comfort in begin overweight because you know they wouldn’t be interested in you in a romantic nature, so you can be yourself and relax.  Of course there are drawbacks….the other night we were watching a trailer for “Pitch Perfect” and my daughter and I roared when we saw Fat Amy wearing a swimsuit just like mine.  “OMG…Fat Amy has my swimsuit on!!!!”  It was hilarious I will admit, and if a person can’t laugh at herself she will be a stick in the mud for sure.

There are the many misguided thoughts throughout the world when it comes to plump women.  Number one: No, we aren’t dirty.  Believe it or not, we take baths just like skinny people, and even put on deodorant AND perfume.  Number two:  We have no self-control or we wouldn’t be fat.  Well that one is partly true, but we must have some self-control or else we would have punched out a lot of skinny snobs who have looked down on us.  Number three:  We must not mind being fat, or else we would change that.  Again, that one for the most part is true, but I think that many overweight people have tried so many times to lose weight and failed, that it’s easier to just give up and live in shame.

The other day I went through the personal care section of Walmart and I passed the Dr. Scholls display for shoe inserts, stopping to look them over.  As a nurse I am on my feet during the day, so maybe they would be a great addition to my tennis shoes.  It instructed you to take off your shoes (right away…not a great idea to me), step on the footprints on the kiosk and push start.  Now, again, the first thing that came to mind was that a booming voice was going to yell at me from the kiosk, telling me to put down the small child in my arms….even though I was the only one around for 10 feet.  I actually laughed out loud, and thought that maybe I would pass on the inserts for now.

This summer, I had to get off of a ride at a theme park, in front of my family, because they couldn’t bring down the bar far enough to securely hold me in.  Now, you would think with that humiliation I would do something to change my life?  I did, I went to the food stand while they enjoyed the ride, and ate a corn dog.  As I write this I am shaking my head in amazement…….I do want to go on the record as saying that even though I am overweight, I am healthy.  My blood pressure is good, cholesterol a smidge high, and blood sugars where they need to be….but when the day comes to a close,  I can say that I am unhappy with my body shape and size.

That brings me to this blog….January 1st decided that I was going to lose 55 pounds by the time I am 55 years old, which is September 24th.  So far I have gained 4 pounds 🙂 Perhaps it’s time to get serious about this! My beautiful daughter is getting married on September 21st, which is my moms birthday.  I am now going public with my top bucket list item…..and since I have readers throughout 28 countries, I will tell myself that the whole world is pulling for me.  I won’t share my weight, as I am not that nutso at this point, but I will faithfully give updates every Wednesday…good or bad.  I want to honor my daughter at her wedding, and also honor the memory of my mom on her birthday, hopefully 55 pounds lighter!  Then once I accomplish what will be the biggest hurdle of my life, I will start checking off more items on that bucket list.  Wish me luck ♥