Starting Again with a GOAL!

Its been a very long time since I have done anything... (lose weight, blog, etc)

Since my last blog post I have been diagnosed with both Pre-Diabetes and Rheumatoid Disease.
I feel like its been a constant battle with fatigue and pain.  I finally feel like I am in a better place as far as pain management is  concerned.  The Rheumatoid medication I am on is doing a very good job and I do not need any pain medications! YAY!

Its been a crazy year!  Last year I was blessed with the perfect job... I really even dislike calling it a job. I still can't believe they pay me to show up and work with kids all day.  I am a instructional assistant at a local elementary school.  This is one of the best groups of people I have ever worked with.
This past year we also helped my mom with her health struggles. She is still getting better everyday!

Now down to business...

 Sunday, July 3rd 

I was home alone and miserable...  I ate all day long, and nothing good either.

Monday, July 4th

 I felt bloated, fat, and miserable in my own skin.  I knew something had to be done...  I spent the morning googling food trackers and diet plans... Not finding exactly what I was looking for I decided to give Weight Watchers another shot.  I was totally put off by the cost of attending meetings and decided to try the Online Only plan.
My wonderful sister passed her old Fitbit on to me... and I am now on my way to tracking food and exercising.

I wish I could say I was excited... or that I'm "all in"   Mostly, I just feel fed up with how I feel and look.  Fed up with medications and diseases.  Tired of feeling tired.

I don't want to be skinny, and I know I will never have a bikini body.  I am okay with that.
I just want to feel better, and be able to do things.  I want to be able to tell my son "yes" when he asks to go to the park instead of "not today, Mommy doesn't feel good"

So, here I go... I am 3 days in and my first official weigh in will be tomorrow.  I will be weighing in every Friday from here on out.

Goal:

To increase my overall health and well being by losing weight.  To lose weight I will follow the Weight Watchers Online plan, exercise, drink more water everyday.

Plan of Action:

1. I will track all of my meals and snacks daily
2. I will walk at least 1 mile, 5 times a week
3. I will track my steps and activity with my Fitbit
4. I will drink 64oz of water daily
5. I will weigh in and report my results every Friday.

Accountability:

1. I will become active online with other Online Weight Watchers members
2. I will report back to my blog once a week.
3. I will find a accountability partner to report to weekly.

Still Going!

I am still continuing a plant based diet! I do allow myself one off plan meal a week. After that meal is over I am back on my plan. I am still losing weight. I am at 22.4 pounds lost and feeling great! 

My doctor urged me to add a plant based protein shake and I have been making smoothies with it. 

I am really enjoying these smoothies! 

It is available at Walmart for around $10, and yes, it is plant based! ;) 

I have been adding 1/2 of a frozen banana, 1 cup of frozen berry mix, 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, and 1/4 cup water. 

Occasionally, I add a Tbs of honey. 

I have been working hard at painting our apartment, and having check ups at the doctor. Today I had my yearly thyroid ultrasound. Fingers crossed for a clean test! 

Hopefully, on Friday my doctor will re-order the bloodwork I had before my lifestyle change! 

Challenge Complete!

Yesterday wrapped up the last day of the Engine 2 28 day challenge.
It has been a fantastic month! Just because the challenge is over doesn't mean I am finished. I plan to continue with the program for the foreseeable future. Don't let the fact that the national challenge has ended keep you from starting today!

At the beginning of this challenge I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. In 2011 I was diagnosed with Papillary thyroid cancer.  I have been in remission for 2 and a half years. However, my health had been on a downward spiral since. I struggled to find my new normal. Thyroid replacement pills are an imperfect replacement for such a elegant and complex organ. Every year they take me off my thyroid replacements to undergo testing that requires a small dose of radiation and when they do my weight and health get worse.

I never want to get back to where I was.  I may have no control over some of the things that go on with my body, but finally for the first time in my life I have control over what goes into it.

Over the past 28 days I have lost 20.4 pounds, totally eliminated my acid reflux, reduced the frequency and severity of my migraine headaches, and lost one full pant size! I am sleeping better and have more energy.

Starting weight: 308.4
End weight: 288.0

Starting BMI: 48.3
End BMI: 45.11

I will be getting my follow up blood work in about 2 weeks. I can't wait to see the changes.

I would like to thank you all for your support and words of encouragement over this last month.  I appreciate each and every one of you!

Engine 2 Challenge Day 21

We are in the last week of the Engine 2 28 Day Challenge!
I am feeling great. I have eliminated my sleeping medications, and acid reflux, reduced the frequency and severity of my migraine headaches,  gained energy and am sleeping better! I have lost 18.2 pounds in 21 days!

Questions I have had:

Q. What do you eat? What is your meal plan?
A. I keep it simple since I am cooking for one. My breakfast varies but I usually choose from the following, Old fashioned Oatmeal with apples, raisins, and Agave, Or my choice of fruits.  I keep Grapefruit, Bananas, and Pears at all times as well as some frozen fruit mixes (Triple Berry, or Melon mixes)
Lunch is a baked potato with Nutritional Yeast, and I make a soup on Mondays to eat on all week with my lunch and Dinner. Vegan Chili, and Vegetable Soup have been my favorites.
Dinner is either Long Grain Brown Rice, or Couscous, with a veggie (Steamed, or roasted).
Snacks are either fruit, Manzanilla Olives, Pistachios, peanuts, Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas.

Q. Do you have to count calories?
A. Absolutely not! You do not have to count calories. However, I was curious about how many calories I was eating and I tracked my meals with My Fitness Pal. What I have learned by tracking my meals is that I can eat when I am hungry and I never have gone over my calorie goal.

Q. Are you hungry all the time?
A. No way! If I'm hungry I eat something. I do try to keep my daytime snacks a fruit or veggie, My evening snack is olives or peanuts.

Q. Is it hard?
A. The first week can be challenging when you are detoxing from the processed foods, sugars, and oils... but after that I found my groove and have been sailing along pretty nicely.

Q. Isn't it expensive to eat healthy?
A. No Way! Its all in what you make it! I keep my foods cheap, easy and healthy! Frozen Veggies are very affordable as is the oatmeal, brown rice, beans, and potatoes! You can spend as much or as little as you want.

Q. What made you decide to take this challenge?
A. I was fed up.  I was tired of the doctors giving me pills, and cutting me open. One night after another trip to the ER (caused by a recent surgery) I was laying in bed watching Netflix. I watched Forks Over Knives and was blown away! If you haven't watched this documentary go and do it now!

Q. Where do I find more information?
A.  Engine 2, has a free ebook with information on how to start, along with videos for each week of the challenge. Another great site to visit is one by Dr.McDougall... He also has a free program online that you can follow with a lot of great information!

I really hope I can continue to help and inspire others to switch to a more healthy lifestyle.  Thank you all for your support and words of encouragement!
I never realized when I embarked on this journey just how much I would benefit and love it!

If any of you have any more questions for me please let me know! I would love to answer any question you have!

If this chubby, food loving gal can do this, you can too!

Black Bean Tacos

Today for dinner I made tacos. It was an easy meal to make for both the carnivores and the herbivore in the family. 

For my carnivourous boys, I made a typical taco meat and for me I made a black bean filling.

I seasoned the black beans as I would the taco meat, added some homemade salsa, and I baked some whole corn tortillas in the oven, topped with lettuce and tomato and it was great! I don't miss the meat at all.

Next time I would like to add some corn and maybe some avocado. 

Check In and Check it Out!

Just wanted to give you all a quick check in and the results of my base line bloodwork. I will also give you a quick run down of what my cardiologist had to say. 

Bloodwork done on 2-1-2014

Total Cholesterol.         178  (< 200) 

Triglycerides.                224  (<150) 

LDL (bad cholesterol)     85  (<100)

HDL (good cholesterol)   48  (>50)

Blood Sugar                   85  (<100)

So, all of the blood work was okay except for the triglycerides and HDL. 

My cardiologist believes it's from my unstable thyroid levels and will be improved once my TSH levels out and they drop my thyroid levels. That will be at my 5 year mark and cure date for my cancer. 

My weight... Check out the myfitness pal tracker to the right... It is an accurate current tracking of my weight. ;) 

Yes, in 10 days on this challenge I have list 10 pounds!  ;) 

What am I eating? My staples at this point seem to be red grapefruit, baked potatoes, rice, and a soup. I have made both a vegan chili and a veggie soup, bananas, frozen mixed fruit. 

I am so glad I chose to participate in this challenge! 

Engine 2 Challenge Day 10

Today is Wednesday and day 10 of the Engine 2 28 day challenge.

I am proud to say I have resisted all temptations thus far! ;) 

The weekend was full of opportunities to make bad choices but I won!  I did not give in!  Friday night we took our son to see The Lego Movie.  While my husband and son ate soft pretzels with cheese dip I had a nut mix with almonds, pistachios, and cashews. I also made the Buffalo Ranch Roasted Chickpeas. 

We all had a great time! 

Saturday my sister invited all the kids over to play and ordered pizza for everyone... It smelled fantastic... But I went prepared with my sweet potato. 

When I got home my husband had made cinnamon rolls... So I retreated to my bedroom with my grapefruit.  

By Monday I was feeling great with the choices I had made... It was so nice to not have to deal with the regret and feeling of failure from cheating. 

This week is going well, I'm falling into more of a routine, knowing what I can or can't have. I'm sleeping better and sleeping less. I wake up at a normal time and don't nap during the day. 

I am keeping track if my food in a journal and have counted calories out if curiosity... And to my surprise I have been eating fewer calories and have been keeping full. 

I see my cardiologist today, I am hoping he will agree to let me remove the ACT heart monitor I am on.  

I also got the results from my blood work. I will share those with you later... 

Now I have to go to the doctors office and then I am volunteering at the school book fair. 

Bye for now! 

Cha