Week 5 of Wednesday to Wednesday Weightloss and Wellness

Week 5

Goal #1: My goal for this week is to try not eating after 5pm. No snacking or late dinners for the week. This is not just a goal, it's a bad habit to break. I love eating late at night and it's definitely something that needs to change.

Goal #2: This week I think it's important to maintain my goals from previous weeks. Since my ultimate goal is a complete lifestyle change, it's crucial that I keep up with drinking enough water, exercising throughout the week, and making overall healthy choices.


Wednesday

Starting Weight: 187.7`

Breakfast: Red Grapefruit (0.5 cup)
                 Everything Bagel Thins
                 Cream Cheese (2Tbsp)
                 Coffee with Cream

Lunch: Teriyaki Chicken with Broccoli and White Rice

Dinner (4:45pm): Portobello Mushroom and Shrimp Alfredo (1cup) and side salad.

Water: 9 Cups 
 
 Steps: 6,315

Total Calories Consumed: 995
Total Calories Burned: 222

Thursday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Protein Shake

Lunch: Chipotle Carnitas Burrito
*My burrito ended up being over 1200 calories! I didn't realize this until I went home and counted it all out. Be careful when choosing your ingredients. 

Dinner (4pm): Baby Spinach Salad

Water: 8 Cups 

Steps:13,546

Exercise: Zumba Fitness

Total Calories Consumed: 1,946
Total Calories Burned: 1,062

Friday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream
               Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Protein Shake

Lunch: BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

Dinner(5:15pm): Roasted Chicken with rosemary potatoes and baked green beans

Snacks: Ice Tea and Lemonade 

Water:10 Cups

Steps: 13,087

Total Calories Consumed: 1,667
Total Calories Burned: 850


Saturday

****Girls Night Out****

This movie was HILARIOUS! I would definitely recommend it. I didn't count calories but lets just say there were lots of drinks and yummy bad food (and I don't even feel guilty).


Sunday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                 2 Fried Eggs

                 Whole Wheat Toast with Butter

Lunch: I tried Pho for the first time this week! It was so delicious! The calories from what I could gather are around 350-450 depending on what you add. Not bad if you ask me. We also had shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce (around 120 calories per roll with sauce).

Dinner: Grilled Steak and Salad 

Drink: 2 Blueberry Mint Mojitos

Water: 10 cups

*The day was spent with friends and I don't have an exact calorie count for the day. Roughly around 1,700

Monday

Breakfast:  Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                 Chocolate Peanut Butter and Banana Protein Shake

Lunch: Kale and Cabbage Salad with Steak

Dinner: Clam Chowder

Snacks: Raw Blueberries (1cup)

Exercise: Elliptical, Weight-Lifting, Treadmill, and Stretching  

Steps: 11,457

Water: 11 Cups

Tuesday

*Family Issues Took Priority

Wednesday Weigh-In and Week Overview 

Ending Weight: 185.5

Total Weight loss for the week: 2.2lbs

I lost over 2lbs this week! I honestly can't believe it. I definitely indulged over the weekend and didn't stick to my goals as much as I would've liked, so I wasn't expecting that number on the scale. I also have had some family issues that ended up taking over Monday evening and Tuesday, so I apologize for leaving stuff out. 

Starting this online journal I had no idea how many bumps in the road there would be. I definitely  thought it would go a bit more smoothly. But this is life. It's messy and imperfect and it's so easy to get frustrated and feel like giving up at times. I think the biggest lesson for me is going to be staying positive and focused even if I don't don't see immediate results or even if I have setbacks. This week is a perfect example of that. Despite setbacks and not eating as well as I would've liked, I still lost weight because I am making positive changes and healthier choices overall.  

Week 4 of Wednesday to Wednesday Weightloss and Wellness

Week 4

Goal #1: Last week my goal was to make sure I was getting  a daily walk in. I did quite well with that. There were a couple of days that I missed but overall I averaged a walk of 2-4 miles, 5 out of the 7 days that week. I find that my overall day goes a lot better on days that I walk. I have more energy, feel less stressed and irritable, and aren't in as much pain as I am on days when I'm not moving as much. So if that's not motivation to get moving, I don't know what is! This coming up week I want to really focus on reducing the amount of sugar in my diet. As I mentioned in my intro, this has been something that I have struggled with for as long as I can remember. I am the epitome of a "sugar addict!" Those chocolate bars in the checkout line at the grocery store are just as hard to resist now as they were as a child. Only now I don't have my mom saying "no!"  This week I will work on my self control (something that I'm not that great at) and will not be indulging in desserts (I love desserts and treats such as ice cream and chocolate so this will be difficult), will be conscientious of the added sugar in the items that I cook, and will be steadily reducing the amount of sugar in my morning coffee. I'm currently at about 2-3 teaspoons per 12oz cup. Trying to get down to 1 teaspoon and then hopefully none! 

Goal #2: Last week my 2nd goal was to increase my water intake. I did consistently well with this until I came down with the flu. Which obviously isn't great since staying well hydrated during illness is extremely important. But I felt so bad that the thought of so much water made me nauseous. For this coming up week my goal will be to start going to bed earlier. This has been a bit of a challenge for me since the evenings are my only time of the day that I get to do things for myself. My 2 children occupy the rest of my day. So I find myself staying up until midnight most nights to get in some me time. But this isn't working well for me since my 5 month old son wakes up a few of times a night to nurse then wakes up for the day between 6:00am-7:00am. Therefore I have been averaging about 4-5 hours of broken up sleep a night, if I'm lucky.  Sleep is very important for my overall mental health. I am not one that does well with less than 7-8 hours of sleep a night. I am cranky, more stressed, and extremely irritable the whole next day which obviously isn't pleasant for my family to have to deal with.

Wednesday

Starting Weight: 159.8

Breakfast: 1 slice of multigrain toast with 1 tbsp of peanut butter

                 12oz Coffee (with 2 tbsp of cream and 2 tsp of sugar)

Lunch: Ham sandwich on multigrain bread w/ lite miracle whip, spinach, cheese, and tomato

Dinner: 4 oz hamburger  on wheat bun with sauteed mini peppers, mushrooms, and onions

Snacks: Almonds (1 oz )

Water: 10 Cups 

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 2 miles

 Steps: 8,157

Total Calories Consumed: 1,896

Total Calories Burned: 294

Thursday

Breakfast: 12 oz Coffee  (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp of sugar)

                  1 cup Great Grains crunchy pecan cereal

                  0.8 cups 1% milk

                 

Lunch: 2 slices multigrain bread

             1 tbsp peanut butter

             1 tbsp strawberry jam

Dinner: Whole wheat spaghetti noodles with meat sauce

Snacks: Strawberries (1 cup)

             Cherries (1 cup)

Water: 9 Cups

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 2 miles 

Steps: 6,180

Total Calories Consumed: 1,985

Total Calories Burned: 287

Friday

Breakfast: 12oz coffee (2tbsp cream & 2 tsp sugar)

                  2 slices multigrain toast

                  1 tbsp peanut butter

                  1 tbsp strawberry jam

                

Lunch: 3oz chicken breast

        5 oz russet potato

        1 oz cheddar cheese

        2 tbsp barbeque sauce

Dinner: Homemade grilled chicken tacos

              Black beans

              Rice

              Salsa

Snacks: 1 oz almonds

             1 small banana

             Chips and mango salsa

Water: 10 Cups

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 45 min

Steps: 5,432

Total Calories Consumed: 2,446

Total Calories Burned: 114

Saturday

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp of sugar)

                  4 pieces of turkey bacon

Lunch: 2 veggie tacos

             Multigrain tortilla chips with mango salsa

Dinner: 1.5 cups of pesto penne pasta

             1 slice of garlic bread

             1 small side salad with ranch dressing

Snacks: 1 medium apple

Water: 12 cups

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 4 mile

Steps:  15,516

Total Calories Consumed: 1,771

Total Calories Burned: 872

Sunday

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee  (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp sugar)

                 4 pieces of bacon

                 2 biscuits with strawberry jam

                 1 cup of hashbrowns

Lunch: Ham sandwich on multigrain bread w/ lite miracle whip, spinach, cheese, and tomato

Dinner: 4 oz chicken breast

             1 cup steamed brocolli

             1 cup steamed carrots

Snacks: Quinoa chips

Water: 11 cups

Exercise: None

Steps: 4,466

Total Calories Consumed: 1,781

Total Calories Burned: 0

Monday

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee (3tbsp of cream & 2tsp sugar)

                  1 slice of multigrain toast with 1 tbsp of peanut butter

Lunch: : Ham sandwich on multigrain bread w/ lite miracle whip, spinach, cheese, and tomatos

Dinner: 1.5 cups homemade Goulash 

Snacks: 1 med orange

                           

Water: 9 Cups

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 2 miles

Steps: 10,685

Total Calories Consumed: 1,895

Total Calories Burned: 368

Tuesday

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee  (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp sugar)

                  Multi grain toast with 1tbsp of peanut butter               

Lunch: 4 oz homemade cheeseburger with sautéed sweet peppers and mushrooms on a whole wheat bun and brocolli, asparagus, carrots, kale, greenbeans

Dinner: 4 oz chicken

             1 cup brocolli

             1 cup carrots

             1 side salad with italian dressing

Snack: 1 medium orange

            Hummus with sweet peppers

           

Water: 11 Cups 

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 3 mile

Steps: 10,885

Total Calories Consumed:2,120

Total Calories Burned: 465

Wednesday Weigh-In and Week Overview 

Ending Weight: 156.8

Total Weight Loss for the week: 2lbs

Part of this week was spent in the mountains in Georgia on a much needed mini family vacation. Because of this I didn't eat as well as I would have liked. I tried to cook as much as I could at the cabin but still ended up going out to eat some too. I struggle with knowing what to order at restaurants. I use to go for salads but after doing some research I've learned that salads at most restaurants normally have more calories than some of the entrees! So I'm still working on finding better options. We hardly go out to eat anymore these days anyways in an attempt to save money so it's not that big of an issue. But I would like to feel more confident that what I order doesn't end up being my entire days calories in one meal!

Week 3 of Wednesday to Wednesday Weightloss and Wellness

Week 3

Goal #1: Water! My first goal will be to drink at LEAST 8 glasses of water a day or more. For whatever reason, I really struggle with drinking enough water everyday. The only time in my life that I drank a healthy amount of water, was during pregnancies and breast feeding.

Drinking water throughout the day is so important for weight-loss and wellness. It replenishes the body, flushes out toxins, improves digestive health, increases the rate at which the body burns fat, and promotes the breakdown and elimination of fat cells. There is now scientific research that has found drinking two glasses of water before each meal suppresses your appetite and overall food intake. There are so many reasons why drinking plenty of water is beneficial and essential in good health and losing weight.


 



Goal #2: Meal Prep. I've never done a meal prep before but I always see my friends doing them on social media and they're usually related to weight-loss. This week my friend Katy showed me one of her favorite recipes for a meal prep for the week. She made this meal divided by 6 (picture on the left) , while I took notes and taste tested (a very important job in case that's unclear).







This meal prep includes: 2 Turkey Meatloaf Muffins
                                           Baked Sweet Potato Mash
                                           Sauteed Squash anZucchini
                                           Steamed Broccoli
                                                                                                 
                                          Total Calories=350

This was so good and filling for only 350 calories! I was very impressed to say the least.


Summer with the kids has been so incredibly busy with all of their activities, classes, play dates, etc. We're constantly on the go each day.  I've been eating fast food more than I'd like to admit. And while I still attempt to make healthy choices when ordering at a fast food restaurant, it's still processed and ultimately unhealthy. It's a bad habit that I need to break and having a meal ready to go that's healthy and filling is essential staying on track. 



 Wednesday 

Starting Weight: 189.5`

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream and
                 Greek Yogurt (Almond Coco Loco Flip) 

Lunch: Asian Sesame Chopped Salad

Dinner: Quinoa Enchilada Bake

Dessert: Apple Crisp Oatmeal Bake

Snacks: Mozzarella Cheese Snack (Costco)

Water: 8 Cups 

Exercise: Walking 30 Minutes (mod. pace) and Calisthenics 15 Minutes
 
 Steps: 9,061

Total Calories Consumed:1,270
Total Calories Burned: 645


Thursday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream
                 Greek Yogurt (Almond Coco Loco Flip) 

Lunch: Santa Fe Chicken Salad (Trader Joe's)

Dinner: 2 Slices of Pepperoni Pizza

Snacks: Grapefruit

Dessert: Gelato Affigato (gelato with espresso poured on top)

This dessert is fabulous! It's definitely a sweet splurge, but for 203 Calories, I'd say it's worth it!


Water: 10 Cups 

Steps:13,194

Exercise: Walking Brisk Pace 35 Minutes 

Total Calories Consumed:1,373
Total Calories Burned: 632

Friday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream
                 1/2 Grapefruit with a tsp of sugar 
                

Lunch: 2 Fresco Steak Tacos

Dinner: Medium Baked Sweet Potato
             Garlic Bread
             Shrimp (sauteed in butter)
             Spinach Salad

Snacks: Chocolate Delight Protein Shake w/PB Powder and Almond Milk
             2 Oreos
    
Water: 8 Cups

Steps: 12,137

Total Calories Consumed: 1,830
Total Calories Burned: 845


Saturday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                
Lunch: Meal Prep Lunch

Dinner: BBQ with friends  

Water: Roughly 10 cups 

Fitbit was charging this day 

Total Calories Consumed:More than normal
Total Calories Burned: Less than normal


Sunday

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                  1 Fried Egg and Tortilla with Green Chili
                  Cup of Blueberries 

Lunch: Veggie Sandwich

Dinner: Blue Cheese Spinach Salad with Chicken

Snacks: Carrots and Ranch

Water: 10 cups

Steps: 7, 189

Total Calories Consumed: 1,362
Total Calories Burned: 554


Monday

Troy and Brendan's Birthday!

- I didn't spend a single minute counting calories or food logging and I'm okay with that.

Tuesday

Breakfast:Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                  1 Fried Egg and Tortilla with Green Chili
                  Cup of Blueberries 
Lunch: Meal Prep Lunch

Dinner: 3 Fresco Steak Tacos

Water: 11 Cups 

Exercise: 35 Minutes of Walking at a Brisk Pace

Steps: 21,883!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay me!!!!

Total Calories Consumed:1,028

Total Calories Burned:1,192

Wednesday Weigh-In and Week Overview 

Ending Weight: 187.7

Total Weight Loss for the week: 1.7 lbs.

I will start with the positive and say that I'm happy the scale is moving in the right direction. I'm also very proud of  myself for meeting my water goal and even going above some days. However, I  promised I would be honest in this process, so I must also say that I feel frustrated with the work to results ratio. In other words, I'm not losing as much as I would like to each week. Against good advice and better judgement, I've weighed myself multiple times throughout the last few weeks. It has been discouraging watching my weight go up and down over the last couple of weeks. I'm so lucky to have friends on this journey with me, supporting and encouraging me every step of the way. This week I've needed many pep talks!

In the weeks to come, I plan on reevaluating my diet and exercise routine. I want to try some new approaches to improve my weekly weight loss outcome.    

Week 2 of Wednesday to Wednesday Weight Loss and Wellness

My childbearing years have finally come to an end and it is now time to really focus on feeling and looking great again! It's been a long journey which includes multiple pregnancies, an intense sugar addiction, hypothyroidism, and chronic pain issues. Just five short months ago I weighed myself before heading to the hospital the morning of my scheduled c-section. The scale landed on 198lbs. Granted I was 9 months pregnant but I knew at that moment that I had a lot of work ahead of me to get back down to a healthy weight. I am 32 years old and am 5 feet 5 inches tall. I was always a slender kid growing up and didn't really start putting on any real weight until I had an allergic reaction to the Depo-Provera shot in my early twenties. I was on the birth control for a little less than a year but managed to gain 15lbs every 3 months! I didn't even realize the extent of the damage until the nurse taking my weight informed me of the extensive weight gain. After that ordeal my metabolism has never been the same. I worked hard during the rest of my twenties to stay fit but realized this would be a life long struggle.

I currently have a 2 year old daughter and a 5 month old son so I've spent a good portion of the last 3 years pregnant. During both pregnancies I had quite intense sugar cravings which unfortunately I gave into a little too often. Let's just say that ice cream was a staple in my diet. Not so great for managing my weight gain! I managed to gain 40lbs with my 1st pregnancy, only lost 20lbs of it before getting pregnant again, and then gained another 40lbs with my son. However, over the last couple of months my best friend Amy and I have decided to ban together and support each other during this life style change. Having an accountability partner is huge for me. If I don't have one I tend to rationalize my unhealthy choices in my head. It's always nice to have someone who cares to talk you off  the edge!

So far by educating myself on nutrition, diligently keeping a food journal, and adding brisk walks into my daily routine I have been able to shed 40lbs over the last 5 months. My biggest obstacle thus far has been combating my sugar addiction and getting my portion sizes under control. I still have moments of weakness but overall I have greatly improved exercising my willpower when it comes to sweets. In my twenties my main concern was looking good but now as I get older the more my focus has turned to overall health. Of course looking good is always a bonus! But unfortunately I have a lot of illness and disease in my gene pool. Therefore I know I cannot get complacent and assume that I am immune to disease.

Along with Amy I will be keeping a food and exercise journal on the My Fitness Pal app and Fitbit. And experimenting with different techniques that incorporate healthy living into our busy lives. It's easy with children to get so busy that you forget to take care of yourself but I also know how important it is for us to be healthy. Not only for us but for these kiddos too! It's time to make a permanent lifestyle change and not continue on the road of yo-yo dieting.

Week 1

Goal #1: This week I will be focusing on getting a daily walk in. I prefer to go in the mornings since it gives me energy for the rest of the day but if my schedule doesn't permit I will do my best to do it in the evenings.

Goal #2: Making sure that I drink enough water. Since I am currently breastfeeding I need more than normal so my goal is 96oz per day as recommended by my physician.

Wednesday, July 6th

Starting Weight: 162lbs

Breakfast: Raisen Bran Cereal (1 cup)

                 Milk (0.8cup 1%)

                 Chia Seeds (1 tbsp)

                 12oz Coffee (with 2 tbsp of cream and 2 tsp of sugar)

Lunch: Ham sandwich on multigrain bread w/ lite miracle whip, spinach, cheese, and tomato

Dinner: Chicken Tikka Marsala

              Wheat couscous

              Garlic nan

Snacks: Hummus (2 oz)

             4 whole mini sweet peppers

             Almonds (1 oz )

             Banana nut granola

Water: 10 Cups 

Exercise: Walked at a brisk pace for 2 miles

 Steps: 6,469

Total Calories Consumed: 2,056

Total Calories Burned: 384

Thursday, July 7th

Breakfast: 12 oz Coffee  (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp of sugar)

                 

Lunch: Shredded BBQ chicken sandwich on whole wheat bun

             Salad with lite italian dressing (2 tbsp)

             Steamed carrots (1 cup)

Dinner: Cheese Burger (no fries)

              Broccoli (1 cup)

Snacks:

             Strawberries (1 cup)

Water: 11 Cups 

Exercise: 3 mile brisk walk

Steps: 11,045

Total Calories Consumed: 2,064

Total Calories Burned:635

Friday, July 8th 

Breakfast: 12oz coffee (2tbsp cream & 2 tsp sugar)

                  Homemade breakfast skillet (potatoes, sausage, egg, and cheese)

                

Lunch: Shredded BBQ chicken sandwich on whole wheat bun

             Salad with lite italian dressing (2 tbsp)

Dinner: Homemade beef tacos with lean meat

              Black beans

              Rice

              Salsa

Snacks: Multi grain toast with 1tbsp of peanut butter

Water: 9 Cups

Exercise: 2 mile brisk walk

Steps: 5,904

Total Calories Consumed: 1,973

Total Calories Burned: 384

Saturday, July 9th

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp of sugar)

                  Pink Grapefruit (with 1tsp of sugar sprinkled on top)

                  Multi grain toast with 1tbsp of peanut butter               

Lunch: 2 Soft tacos

Dinner: 1.5 cups of homemade Goulash

Snacks: Whole grain flat bread & hummus

Water: 12 cups

Exercise: 4 mile brisk walk

Steps:  15,173

Total Calories Consumed: 1,545

Total Calories Burned: 578

Sunday, July 10th

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee  (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp sugar)

                 Pink Grapefruit (with 1tsp of sugar sprinkled on top)

                 Multi grain toast with 1tbsp of peanut butter               

Lunch: Ham sandwich on multigrain bread w/ lite miracle whip, spinach, cheese, and tomato

Dinner: Veggie Quesadilla w/ salsa

Snacks: Quinoa chips

Water: 10 cups

Exercise: None

Steps: 2,357

Total Calories Consumed: 1,852

Total Calories Burned: 0

Monday, July 11th

Breakfast:  12oz Coffee (3tbsp of cream & 2tsp sugar)

                   1 cup Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal

                   0.8 cup 1% milk

Lunch: 1.5 cups homemade Goulash 

Dinner: Homemade breakfast skillet (potatoes, sausage, egg, and cheese)

Snacks: 1 med orange

              Quinoa chips (2oz)

              Multi grain toast

              1tbsp peanut butter

                

Water: 11 Cups

Exercise: 3 mile brisk walk

Steps: 9,642

Total Calories Consumed: 1,978

Total Calories Burned: 523

Tuesday, July 11th

Breakfast: 12oz Coffee  (3tbsp of cream & 2 tsp sugar)

                 Pink Grapefruit (with 1tsp of sugar sprinkled on top)

                 Multi grain toast with 1tbsp of peanut butter               

Lunch: 1 cup Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal

             0.8 cup 1% milk

Dinner: Homemade cheeseburger with sautéed sweet peppers and mushrooms on a whole wheat bun and brocolli, asparagus, carrots, kale, greenbeans

Snack: Edamame (1cup)

            Orange

            Hummus with sweet peppers

            Quinoa chips

Water: 12 Cups 

Exercise: 3 mile brisk walk

Steps: 9,351

Total Calories Consumed:2,041

Total Calories Burned:241

Wednesday Weigh-In and Week Overview 

Ending Weight: 159.8

Total Weight Loss for the week: 2.2lbs

There is definitely room for improvement especially in the food department but overall I am happy with this weeks weight loss!

Wednesday to Wednesday Weight Loss and Wellness

                                                                                                                       

                                                                                                     

The time has come to make some changes! I've been overweight since giving birth to my Son (my second child) and I haven't been able to lose the extra weight over the last 5 years since. Unfortunately, I've actually gained an extra 20lbs on top of what I weighed after my pregnancy. As I have come to find out, this is not uncommon for many mothers. I currently weigh 191lbs. I am only 5'3, so that is quite a lot of weight for my height and frame. My goal is to weigh around 125lbs. This may seem like an overly ambitious goal, but it was my weight on my wedding day and a time in my life when I felt the healthiest. I am open to the possibility that I may still feel just as healthy at a slightly higher weight, so if that turns out to be the case I will adjust my goal weight. Ultimately, the purpose of my weight loss and wellness journey is to lead a healthy and active life and to feel good inside and out (regardless of the number on the scale).


My best friend, Chrissy, is also a mother who has struggled with her weight and wellness after having children and she will be joining me on this journey. She's a tremendous inspiration to me and is always cheering me on and I'm overjoyed to have her by my side through this experience. Together, I know we can do anything!

Chrissy and I are going to hold ourselves publicly accountable in our efforts to lead a healthier lifestyle. Hopefully others can benefit from our experiences, and information we gain along the way.  We will be keeping a food and exercise journal with the help of the My Fitness Pal app and Fitbit. We will have different goals for each week that we'll pay extra attention to, comparing notes, and sharing our success and struggles throughout this journey. We'll be experimenting with recipes, workouts, classes, scheduling, etc, to find out what works best for us along the way.

I've tried many fad diets, supplements, shakes, wraps, and programs without a ton of success, wasting time and money.  And every time I've tried eliminating all of the foods that I enjoy from my diet, I never end up sticking with it. My hope is to keep many of the foods that I love and still lose weight  by focusing \on portion size, healthy alternatives, calorie counting and exercise. I recognize that I need to start making some healthier choices and breaking bad habits, but I still want to enjoy my food with family and friends.  

What Chrissy and I are attempting, is a lifestyle makeover! Taking a holistic approach by focusing on all aspects of the body and what it means to lead a healthy and active life. Body, mind and spirit.


Chrissy and I will be keeping this online journal until we reach our weight loss goals. We will alternate each week and focus on different goals specific to that week. We will be experimenting with different foods, recipes, and mind and body exercises. Our ultimate goal is to lead a balanced and healthy life.

We're starting on a Wednesday at the end of June (half way through the week and year) because if we're always waiting to start on a Monday at the first of the month or trying really hard only to get a new body by Summer by a certain date, we know we'll be setting ourselves up for failure. We're not going to let setbacks or bad days take over or use that as an excuse for giving up. It is time to make a change starting with unrealistic expectations! 

Week 1

Goal #1: This week I will be focusing on writing down everything that I eat and drink (and I mean EVERYTHING). I have never kept a food journal for more than two days because I find it tedious and boring. However, if I don't have a clear picture of what I'm eating and how many calories I'm consuming, I'll never be able to make the necessary changes to lose weight and eat healthier.

Goal #2: I am going to try and eat breakfast everyday. I currently don't eat breakfast. I drink coffee and cream but that's pretty much it. By the time I eat lunch I'm starving and eat way too much. I realize that the research on the importance of eating breakfast isn't necessarily definitive, but I'm hoping it will be an overall healthy change in my diet and it will help me eat less throughout the day.

Wednesday, June 29th

Starting Weight: 191`

Breakfast: Granola Bar

Lunch: Cantina Power Burrito

Dinner: Enchilada Casserole with homemade Cilantro Dressing/Dip

Water: 7 Cups 

Exercise: Elliptical and Treadmill 40 min (20 on each) and Trampoline with Troy for about 1 hour
 
 Steps: 7, 546

Total Calories Consumed: 1,756
Total Calories Burned: 675


Thursday, June 30th


Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                  Pink Grapefruit (with 1tsp of sugar sprinkled on top)
                  1Slice of Whole Grain Toast (with 2tsp of butter)

Lunch: Baked Salmon (6oz)
            1 Cup of Quinoa (Steamed)
            1 Cup of Arugula 
            Lemon Dill Dressing (mayo, fresh squeezed lemon, dried dill weed)

Dinner: Cheese Burger (no fries)

Drinks: Strawberry Lemonade

Water: 8 Cups 

Steps: 10,138

Total Calories Consumed: 1,488
Total Calories Burned: 516

Friday, July 1st 

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream
                 Strawberry Short Cake with whipped cream and Strawberries

Lunch: BLT Sandwich with Avocado

Dinner: Hotdog with Mustard
             Greek Salad

Snacks: 1 Pickle, Sml Popcorn, Icee Slushy, Ice Cream

Water: 8 Cups

Exercise: 45 min on the Elliptical

Steps: 6,978

Total Calories Consumed: 1,966
Total Calories Burned: 690


Saturday, July 2nd

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                  Pink Grapefruit (with 1tsp of sugar sprinkled on top)

Lunch: Breakfast Burrito with Veggies and Egg-whites

Dinner: Turkey Burger with Blue Cheese
              Spicy Italian Sausage
              Red Cabbage Salad

Drinks: 3 Mojitos 

Snacks: Maui Onion Rings (1 bag)

Water: 6 cups

Exercise: Walking and Swimming

Steps:  17,052

Total Calories Consumed: 2,292
Total Calories Burned: 1,497


Sunday, July 3rd

Breakfast: Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                  2 Fried eggs on  PC Thins with Avocado. Onion and Onion (with 1tbsp of Mayo)

Lunch: Seared Ahi Tuna Salad
            Fried Calamari (15 Pieces)
            Caprese Salad
            Fries (Poutine)

Dinner: No Dinner (because of the large lunch)


Dessert: Chocolate fondue with Fruit
              1 Slice of Homemade Banana Bread

Water: 6 cups

Exercise: 3 mile walk (up and down hills) and Swimming for 1 hour

Steps: Battery Died

Total Calories Consumed: 1,962
Total Calories Burned: 1,107


Monday, July 4th


Breakfast:  Coffee with Cream (4tbsp of cream)
                  2 Fried eggs on  PC Thins with Avocado. Onion and Onion (with 1tbsp of Mayo)

Lunch: Sushi Rolls (about 10 pieces), Miso Soup, and Veggie Tempura 

Dinner: 2 Pieces of Grilled Chicken, Bacon Wrapped Sausage, Grilled Portabello Mushroom, Cucumber and Tomato Salad.

Drinks: 2 Rum and Coke Zero

Water: 8 Cups

Steps: 8,720

Total Calories Consumed: 2,266
Total Calories Burned: 362

Tuesday, July 5th

Breakfast: Granola Breakfast Bar

Lunch: 1 Chicken Soft Taco and 1 Steak Soft Taco

Dinner: Pasta with Vodka Sauce and Meatballs, Grilled Artichoke with Lemon Dill Dip.

Snack: 1 Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Water: 5 Cups 

Exercise: 45 min on the Elliptical

Steps: 10,832

Total Calories Consumed:1,911

Total Calories Burned:1,308
Wednesday Weigh-In and Week Overview 

Ending Weight: 189.5

Total Weight Loss for the week: 1.5lbs

Overall I lost weight so I will call that a success! I still have such a long way to go and with the amount of weight I have to loose, I most likely could've lost more. Food journaling is definitely hard for me, but I am realizing that I have to start making healthier choices and drinking more water if I want to see bigger changes. This was a rough week to lose weight. I traveled to Canada with my family to visit my sister (so lots of eating out and treats) and celebrating Independence Day with friends at a potluck party. I'm very proud of myself for eating breakfast everyday, journaling, exercising more and loosing 1.5lbs! This is only the beginning!