hAPPi hOLIDAYs 2011

The time has come for a Christmas update.

Gracious, I have to do better with this blog!

So, my MIL only wanted desserts brought to the family dinner this year, since she and her sister's were preparing everything else. I searched online for a gourmet treat, but to little avail, I did not find something I loved, so I put a few ideas together and wah lah--

Godiva Double Take Individual Trifles

Ingredients

Chocolate Pound Cake drenched in Godiva Chocolate Liqueur

Butter Pound Cake drenched in Godiva White Chocolate Liqueur

Cream Filling

126 g Mascarpone Cheese

1 small jar Nutella

2 Tbs Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur

Crushed Hazelnuts

Whipped Cream

Fresh Raspberries

Layer ingredients as shown in photo with the crushed hazelnuts on top of the cream filling. Refrigerate for at least 4 hrs prior to serving or overnight.

New Perspective

A couple weeks ago, I decided to change my perspective from losing weight on the scale to concentrating on my core--since I am not losing weight anyway. I bought a medicine ball and a fitness bench to help me achieve the goal of getting my core in a state of visualization! I ordered the 8lb ball from WalMart.com for about $30 USD. The fitness bench I bought is made by Reebok and similar to this one from Amazon.com, but I found mine using Oodle.com for $40 USD.

J and I have been playing abdominal ball with and without the bench almost every night for 2 weeks. My abs stay tight now, which is a great feeling.

Another new thing I am incorporating is a "new to me" website called BodyRock.Tv I cannot say enough good things about this website! I have done 2 of the workouts from the site and already know, I'm going to LOVE using these workouts to strengthen my core.

Zuzana is a fabulous trainer. She goes through each workout in a normal routine, and then gives beginner alternatives to decrease the intensity for the newbies--like myself! At first, I thought 12-15 minutes didn't really seem like that long to do a workout, since I am a runner and have become accustomed to endurance training and hours of cardio. However, once I started doing the reps, I QUICKLY discovered these 12-15 minutes seem like a lifetime!

Much of the SAME!

I have tried to post several times on my blog over the past couple of months, but when there is no change on the scale, it kind of makes posting here somewhat silly to me.

I have been at this plateau for so long {since July} that I feel as though I may never be able to go any further down on the scale.

I did increase my cals by a couple hundred, and I thought that was why I wasn't losing, because i wasn't eating enough--but NOTHING!

I sit in bed this Monday morning STILL bouncing back and forth between the SAME 148-152lbs! {{sigh}}

Holiday @ Perdido Key, FL

I am posting this late for July, since it's been rather hectic, and I've really slacked off at journaling lately. These are my most up-to-date photos, taken in Perdido Key, FL. I spent a little over a week there and actually managed to maintain my weight the entire holiday, despite eating out and not really logging every morsel of food!
It felt great being on the beach! I ran a few times and even played a little tennis.
It was nice not having to think about every calorie and maintaining at the same time.
However, that is not sustainable for me atm!

Running Motivation

It’s been another month, and I still have little to report. I am at the same weight at the end of August as I was at the beginning: 149.2!

I’ve been yo-yoing, bouncing around for the past 4 weeks between 154-149. It is totally my own fault with weekend splurges and poor choices.

Last week, I decided to make running my #1 priority. I added the Harbor Town Bay Bridge 2x/week for interval hill training and increased the mileage to 5.4! Surely, 16 miles/week will show some advantage to me on the scale!

Sunsets over The Mississippi River @ Harbor Town
create an inviting atmosphere for running!

Harbor Town Bay Bridge

Summer Update

Ok, it’s time to do a mid-summer post to update this blog.

I have been really busy with fresh produce this summer and it only just started. I’ve picked and prepared wild Himalayan Blackberries, field and sweet corn, cabbage, and green beans. My family still has acres of corn, purple-hull peas, green beans, watermelons, and okra left to do toward the end of July.

I am still pretty much sticking with lower carbs when I’m on my “on plan” days and still going a bit overboard on weekends when I am de-railed. Hence, I am losing at a very slow pace, which sucks—BIG TIME!

Weigh-Ins

13 mAY 2011 [154.4]

20 mAY 2011 [154.2]

27 mAY 2011 [153.4]

03 jUNE 2011 [155]

10 jUNE 2011 [152.6]

17 jUNE 2011 [151.8]

24 jUNE 2011 [149.8]

01 jULY 2011 [150.6]

08 jULY 2011 [150.4]

Highly Processed Carbs

There has been a ton of info out on what contributes to obesity among cultures. So, I decided to look into my own diet profile and really find out, in particular, "What makes me fat"? My conclusion: Highly Processed Carbs!

I used to live on crackers, Strawberry Newtons, and cereal (almost any kind). I looked at the nutritional content and paid most attention to cals and fat--which were low, so I could eat a bunch of it--and boy, did I!!

The problem for me--and lots of other people--was that while they may have been low in calories and fat, they turned into straight sugar in my bloodstream very quickly once I consumed it, which is bad. My body didn't have to do any work to digest it and there was really no nutrients in it to use. Furthermore, I could eat several servings to fill myself up and in 30 minutes-1hour later, I was hungry again, thereby reaching for a similar highly processed carb to satisfy my hunger.

Another thing I noticed--even now--while eating highly processed carbs, I have HUGE cravings for more of it, as well as HUGE cravings for sugar. The very last thing I need is to satisfy this monster of a body I have with sugar .

I have completed 3 weeks during the week of being off highly processed carbs, via the South Beach Diet plan. And while I have been weak some days, it has really helped me stop craving food. Also, I have been able to lose weight somewhat effortlessly by cutting them out of my diet. South Beach Diet is awesome for those who can tolerate trying to give the highly processed carb addiction up as long as you are open to discovering new food that you may have never tried before. This is PERFECT for me; because I love food, and I love trying and discovering new food to love!

I am creating a list of foods (as you can probably tell, I love lists) that contribute to highly processed carbs. This way, I can revert back to it and remind myself why I no longer buy and consume this junk when I'm at the market! I am also going to add some high glycemic index foods in this list, because these foods contribute to the problem I have as well. I'll asterick the high GI ones :)

Highly Processed Carb Foods to Limit or Avoid
Cereal
Crackers (Wheat Thins, CheezeIts, Toasty)
Cookies (Newtons, NutraGrain Bars)
Sandwich Bread
Cake/Pie
Donuts
Chips
Lean Cuisine/Smart Ones Entrees with rice or noodles
Spaghetti Noodles
Tacos/Burritos/Nachos
Fried Rice/Eggrolls/Spring Rolls
Breaded Chicken Strips
Bananas*
Pineapple*
Muffins
Cornbread
Waffles/Pancakes
Fruit Juice
Ice Cream Cones (sugar/waffle)
Candy Bars

Binging or Cheating

I was having difficulty with the terms “binging” versus “cheating” on my plan, so I decided to ask a few of my fellow 3FC forum posters what their definition was and this was their responses:

1^st Responder

Cheat: Eating a food that I might usually avoid because of my lifestyle change or eating a certain food that I usually limit because it is high in fat/calories...

Binge-uncontrolled eating usually triggers by intense feelings of guilt, stress, past issues.....I usually consume large quantities of food in a short period of time, done in secret, kinda the eat mindlessly actually more like the gorge on food without appreciating or tasting....

2^nd Responder

For me, cheating is going off my plan, it would usually be a snack that wasn't planned for or adding another wedge of cheese. Something in moderation that would not impact my weight loss or derail my progress. It's also usually a one-time event during a day/week.

For me binging is not only going off my plan, but losing control to the point where I eat anything and everything that I wanted. It could last a few hours. I used to go on for multiple days until I felt sick, though that hasn't happened in a long time, which in itself is a minor miracle.

3^rd Responder

Cheat = Eating 1-3 servings of off plan food (not allowable food). This can be bread, candies, desserts.

Overeating = Eating 3 servings of on plan food (allowable food).

Binge = Eating 4 or more servings of off plan or on plan food (allowable or not allowable foods).

This is a good thing for me. I cheat far more than I binge, which is a great thing!! I am planning to use these definitions and the 3^rd Responder’s measurable guide as a format of when I actually do binge.

This past weekend wrapped up 3 of the 3 birthday’s I had to attend this month (my mom’s). I took her ½ of an Italian Cream Cake I had purchased (one of my faves). I could have seriously eaten the entire cake in 2 sittings, but instead of binging, I decided to share!! Yaaa

Pecan "Crepes"--It's What's for Breakfast!

I love pecan pancakes, especially those from Cracker Barrel. However, I don't like all of the calories and carbs associated with them--and ultimately that "starving" feeling that carbs give you a couple hours later.

Well, I am pleased to announce--Thanks to a kind, innovative South Beach Dieter
and a little creativity of my own ,
I have made an extremely yummi alternative.

Ingredients
1. 1/4 cup Egg Whites
2. 1/4 cup Regular Egg Beaters
3. 1/8 cup (31 grams) Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
4. 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
5. Dash of Pumpkin Pie Spice
6. 1/2 packet Splenda
7. 15 grams chopped pecans
8. 15 mL Sugar Free Syrup
9. I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray

Directions
Place ingredients 1-6 in a small food processor/chopper.
(I have a Black N Decker Mini Pro)
Spin a couple times.
Pour batter into a 1 cup liquid measuring cup (easier to pour).
Heat a 6" skillet and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
(I use butter flavor)
Place about 10 or so pecans in the pan. Cover with a small amount of batter. Swirl the pan around to make the crepe really thin. It should look similar to this:

Flip over when the first side is golden brown on the bottom. Makes 6 crepes.
Don't try to get by with 4 or 5 using a 6" skillet.
These are BEST served very thin!
Serve with 8 & 9.

Nutrition Information
via My Fitness Pal
Calories: 210
Fat: 13 g
Protein: 16 g
Fiber: 2 g
Sodium: 283 mg
Carbs: 10 g

Sleep:Rest:Siesta

Whatever your coin term is for lying still with your eyes closed in complete REM (rapid eye movement), YEP! that's describes me to a tee on Monday! As if the pizza binge last Friday wasn't bad enough, I topped it off with a high selection of poorly processed carbs on Saturday & Sunday while I was at work! (buhu)
By Monday, I felt horrible! No exercise, poor choices in non-nutritive food coupled with two 13 hr back-to-back shifts was enough to leave me feeling, well, pretty BLAH!!

Monday morning, when I finally did have the opportunity to rest, I took a Natrol Melatonin Fast Dissolve 5mg and boy, was I ever in for a sleep that has only been recorded in the history books beside the name "RIP Van Winkle". OMG!! I seriously slept for 19 hrs--one nine, nineteen, diecinueve, the number before 20 and after 18. I woke up at midnight Monday and was awake for 2 hrs--reading--and then decided to take 1/2 of another Mel tab to go back to sleep as to return to my day schedule--yeah, that thing I call my real life!

I slept an additional 5 hrs, got up at 0700 and wondered what day it was. I had missed an entire day!!! I was determined not to miss Tuesday, so I took my K9s to the park for a pathetic excuse for a walk, only to yawn the entire time I was there! The drive home proved to be a challenge, as I nodded over the steering wheel. Luckily, I don't live that far from the local park.

I made it home in time for a 3 hr nap before dinner! WoW!! Talk about

I'm skipping tonight's dose. After looking at the website, I see it comes in different strengths. I can't imagine taking 10mg of this supplement!

I can say this about it--"It definitely works!"

Binging

This past Thursday, I had a ridiculous day for caloric intake at 945 total for the day. On Friday, I was completely hungry, but not just for anything, for my favorite food on the planet--PIZZA!

After coupling 945 calories with an intense HIIT workout and a pathetic excuse for an attempt at Ab Ripper X, I felt HORRID on Friday. I had already decided Friday morning I was having pizza for lunch, and since I had been so low in cals on Thursday, I reasoned with myself and said, “I have extra cals, so this will not be a problem.”
One would think I would have gotten the clue last time I decided to eat pizza that it is just not a great choice for me, b/c I have zero control over myself when I eat it—but NO! Not me! I’ll spare the details of the chain restaurant and selection, so as to not tempt anyone or myself, but let me just say, it was the yummiest, fattening thing I’ve eaten since the last time I ate pizza! I didn’t stop there! I was feeling so overly-enthusiastic, I decided to have dessert too! Why not go for the COMPLETE gusto!!
4 pieces later, I was completely FULL. Not in the usual..”I’m full and don’t want anything else healthy to eat”, like I normally am. Nope! It was more like..”OMGosh, I am so stuffed if I even look at another slice of pizza I will hurl right here!” disgusting type feeling!

Needless to say, after an hour, I felt HORRIBLE! My abdominals were sore from P90X, as were my upper thighs from doing “bicycle and reverse bicycle”. I had taken a Zantac, but I still felt like pizza was middle ways in my esophagus (gross). I felt like I couldn’t swallow it (even more gross). On top of this… I had ZERO motivation and even less than ZERO energy. I was completely DRAINED!

I drank some water, but it clearly wasn’t helping.

I didn't really consider myself a binge eater, a binge drinker--yes!
But not really a binge eater, until I did a little investigative
work on the signs of this eating disorder.

Symptoms

• Eating large amounts of food
• Eating even when you're full
• Eating rapidly during binge episodes
• Feeling that your eating behavior is out of control
• Eating a lot even though you're not hungry
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Frequent dieting, possibly without weight loss
• Frequently eating alone
• Feeling depressed, disgusted or upset about your eating

Some of these characterize me to a tee at times, which include:

• Eating when I'm full
• Eating alone
• Feeling upset afterwards about what I just ate
• Eating correctly and exercising without a budge on the scale
• Eating more food than I would typically eat

According to the Mayo Clinic website, this is an actual "disorder", and they suggest you seek medical treatment immediately! I am certainly not going to just drop everything and rush right over to my local psyche MD and demand a pill for treatment--I am too "anti-Western medication treatment" for that, but it has opened my eyes to make me more aware that this is a real medical diagnosis and since I do find myself doing this sometimes, I should pay close attention to when the opportunity can weasel its way to my mouth!

Times I have noticed great opportunity for a successful binge:

• Eating too few calories the day before
• Choosing beforehand that I have "deserved" to eat what I want, because I have done so well all week
• Being exposed to My Sinful Food list
• Planning to eat out in a restaurant--alone

My Sinful Food List

• Birthday Cake (vanilla with the sugar, cholesterol, calorie laden icing)
• Real Ice Cream
• Frozen Yogurt
• Crackers (almost any kind)
  
• SnackWells Vanilla Cookies
• Fruity Candy (Skittles, Smarties, Starburst, Lemon Heads)
• Fresh Fruit (Strawberries, Grapes, Melons)
• Tortilla Chips (esp from a Mexican Restaurant)
• Chinese Buffets
• Pizza (chain joint or boxed and frozen)
• Merlot
• Pina Coladas
• Coconut Cake--really just any cake except chocolate
• M&Ms peanut
• Happy Heart Trail Mix
  

Green Monster

My 1st attempt at a Green Monster was a HUGE success. I will have to admit that while I love all the ingredients, somehow combining them was a conflict in my mind. However, I quickly got over that with the first taste!
Yumminess all the way around!
Here's the recipe I used and the Green Monster website for other yummi flavors!

Ingredients
2 cups Organic spinach (uncooked)
1 TBS Hodgson Mill Flax Seed
1 small banana (80g)
1/4 c frozen raspberries
1 cup Almond Milk
ice

Place the ingredients into the blender in the following order: 1) Flax, 2) spinach, 3) banana, 4) raspberries, 5) milk. The reason for this order is so the heavier ingredients weigh down the flax and spinach and keep it from flying up around the blender and sticking to the side. Blend everything on the highest setting for 1 minute or so. Finally, add ice and blend on the ice setting. Pour into a large, fancy glass. Sit back, gulp it down, and be prepared to have endless energy!

Calories: 198
Fat: 7
Protein: 7
Fiber: 9
Sodium: 246
Carbs 30

Nutritional info acquired from My Fitness Pal

NOW Protein Bars

I found a great recipe online for homemade protein bars and decided to make a batch using NOW Whey Protein. Here's the recipe for those interested. The nutritional data was collected using MFP and is in reference to each 53 g bar.
I intend to make more and use Hodgson Mill Flax Seed to increase the fiber!

Ingredients

• Now Foods - Whey Protein Isolate - Natural Vanilla, 372 g (6 scoops)
  
• Cereal: Quaker - Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, 1 cup dry
• Sunbutter - Sunflower Seed Spread, 6 tbsp
• 1 tsp Vanilla Flavoring
• 1/2 cup water (more depending on protein powder)
• Whole Foods 365 Organic - Wildflower Amber Honey, 1 Tbsp (21g)

Spray an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium size bowl and mix well. Add sunbutter and mix - the mixture will be crumbly and dry. Add water & vanilla.

Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix everything until a dough forms. The dough will be sticky. Spread dough into pan using a clean wooden spoon or spatula that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Refrigerate a few hours (or freeze for an hour). Drizzle honey on top. Cut into 9 squares. Wrap bars individually (use sandwich bags or plastic wrap) or store in covered container between sheets of wax paper. Keep refrigerated.

Calories: 260
Fat: 6g
Protein: 37 g
Sodium: 100 mg
Fiber: 2 g
Carbs: 15 g

Grilled Chicken Summer Salad

Now that summer is rapidly approaching, I thought I'd share one of my favorite summer foods--Grilled Chicken Summer Salad. I created this one, but please feel free to use it. You can substitute mandarin oranges for strawberries if you like. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• Fully Cooked Grilled Chicken Breasts Strips, 3 ounces (85g)
• Organic Baby Spinach Raw 2 cups(85g)
• Spring Mix Organic Salad, 2 1/4 cups raw
• English Cucumber - Raw, With Peel, 8 slices (28 g)
• Raw Fresh Strawberries, 82.5 g
• David - Sunflower Kernels, Roasted & Salted, 1/8 cup
• Chopped Oven-Roasted Pecans, 1/8 Cup
• Ken's Steak House-Lite Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing, 2 Tbsp

Calories 439
Carbs 19g
Fat 28g
Protein 32g
Fiber 10g
Sodium: 932g

data collected on My Fitness Pal

May I Please Have My Legs Back?

Previous photo as a C25K coach in 2007, approx 145 lbs. I have participated in this annual women's event since 2004 as a beginner runner. The graduation 5K was my best time at 28 minutes before back injury a couple yrs later. I started coaching other women in the event in 2006.
Running still remains my FAVORITE sport of choice!

Before Photos

aPR 2011
weight 157.6 lbs

J & Myself

dEC 2010

weight aprox 163 lbs

aUG 2010

weight approx 167.4 lbs

These are my babs--Jaxon (lying) age 13

River (sitting) age 1.5

dEC 2009 weight approx 155-160 lbs

Recap of April 2011

Just to bring this blog up to speed, I'll recap the highlights of April.

I have been on Phentermine intermittently for as long as I can remember. The last time I began to use this last time was August 2010. I went to the doc, got the Rx, and my weight was 167.4 (ouch)!
I took it until March 2011. I became immune to it once again and really had stopped losing weight on it, so I took myself off of it. In Feb 2011, I was 159.4 (this was my last Rx refill). I knew I had gained approx 3-4 lbs b/c my old rotary scale has always been about 3 lbs less than the doc's.

On April 7, I decided I was sick of these extra 20+ lbs, joined 3FC, and started over. My rotary scale weighed in at 160.

Right off the bat, I knew I needed new equipment. So, I purchased a new digital scale on April 14 and weighed in at 159.4. The rotary weighed me at 156. Then, the same day, I went to my doc's for an amino acid injection--not the phen Rx--and to weigh, to see if his scale was in sync with the new scale. It was! I think if I had weighed on the digital scale on April 7, it would have weighed me around 163 lbs.

Anyway, I decided to make Fridays my official weigh-in day. I usually weigh every morning--nude, of course, before anything to eat or drink. It is the best in terms of consistency, imo.

I am a calorie counter for now and use My Fitness Pal to keep track of my calories and exercise--it works fabulous with iPhone.

I also bought a digital food scale and measure all of my food in grams for accuracy.

To keep a more precise track of my exercise calories burned, I bought a Polar FT40 Heart Rate Monitor. I love it!

My realistic goal is to lose 1lb/wk.

Weigh-Ins
22 aPR 2011 [157.6]
29 aPR 2011 [156.6]
06 mAY 2011 [157]

Who Am I?

I am really not much of a blogger. But, since it is a fabulous way to keep track of success, why not!

First of all, I named this blog "Third Times a Ch*A*rm! b/c this is the 3rd time for me to be at my starting weight--which began on April 7, 2011--160.2 lbs! I have lost 20 lbs successfully by running and eating healthy 2 times previously; once in 1995--kept it off until 2004, then went to school--sat and ate and studied--gained it back, lost it again in 2006--kept it off, but over the last yr and a half have regained it back.

I am a Cardiac RN, specializing in Heart Failure and special interest in myocardial infarct (MI/Heart Attack).

I am the proud owner of 2 beloved k9s--Jaxon 13 and River 1.5 yrs! They are my "children" and most days--they are MY LIFE

I am an ex C25K running coach to a women's group in my area, but b/c of back injury about 4 yrs ago, I am not an active participant. I do still enjoy running very much, but am very slow and that is OKAY! Distance is really an unrealistic goal at this point--I have subluxation in my lower lumbar, my left leg is shorter than my right, and I have back injury from work and gardening!--but I would love to train again for a half marathon! I trained 2 yrs ago but further increased the stress on my lower back and had to quit (boo)

I am an avid Zumba participant and go 3-4x/week!

I love sarcasm and can usually find something in even the most unfavorable circumstances to laugh about. I am not easily offended and if you speak to me long enough, I am more than likely going to say something to get under your skin. I am highly opinionated. I have found most other people are too; they just have a way of keeping it to themselves! If you ask for my opinion, be prepared for what's on the other side! I am honest and do not make apologies for it!

I've been married to a supportive "sit on the bench and watch you" man for 8 yrs. As far as human children are concerned--we are no longer pursuing the issue of conception and are OKAY with this decision!

So, let's get this party started..uhm, yeah now that it's been a month and 1 day

4.7.11 Beginning Weight 160.2

5.8.11 Current Weight 157

Goal: 140 lbs