Update from last blog entry.

In my last blog entry I mentioned one small goal, and girl's camp. So today since I am off from work and have time to reflect, I thought I would update: Girl's camp was great!! As far as my goal for walking everyday and increasing the time. I didn't make it as far as I wanted, nor everyday as I planned. But I did go and now I have little cheerleaders to accompany me. My daughter Michelle and my son Michael now come with me to the gym. They are great to help get me there because they love going. So on the mornings that I think..... eh no gym today, they are there saying come on Mom, let's go!

Camp was all uphill and downhill and up and down down down, then up.... I was not prepared for the walking like I thought I would be. Going to roll call was down hill, then back uphill to our camp for breakfast, then downhill for activities, then uphill to the bathrooms. Then uphill more to our camp, and downhill to bathrooms. And so on and I think you get the picture. One thing I did notice was that by the end of the four days, I wasn't heaving and gasping for air as much as I was on day 1 and day 2!!!! I survived camp, but came home with the determination to keep going. So now once a week my cheerleaders and I head up the canyon for hikes. It has been great. Our goal is to get to the top of 3' Oclock mountain by the end of this summer. When I get a working camera, I will post some pictures of our hikes and our goal mountain. By the time I get a camera I may even have pictures from the top to post!!! :)

So, my little small goal of walking is still on. I plan to keep walking everyday. Increasing our time. I like the sound of that........ our! Now we are saving up money to invest in raquetball raquets, which is helping my son with his scout project, which will help me in my weightloss, which will help us stay close together and build great relationships ..... isn't life great!

Tuesday.... Time to reflect!

Well, I went to the gym this morning......... and I feel great!!! Two things that make me feel good; 1) it felt great just to sweat! Really sweat. I haven't been in so long, but it felt good. And I wonder why I have taken so long to go! and 2) I got on the scale when I got there b/c it has been so long and I was so happy. Don't ask me how, although I really need to learn how, but I have lost 7 pounds, since I first started. So let me just hop off of cloud nine now. I know I have said this before, but I can't beleive how fast this year is going. Here it is June already. And I have been in such a slump. On the 22 I am heading up the mountains with the YW for girls camp. And so I told myself this week I was going to go to the gym and walk everyday so that I wont be so out of breath for camp.

I think looking back, maybe I had set unrealistic goals at first. Even though they are not unreal. Maybe for me at the time they were a little too advanced. So I am going to make this months goal to just walk everyday. I am starting out at 1 mile this week and on Sat, increasing it to two miles for the next week and increase it again for the following week to three miles. That is it. That is my goal. So, wish me luck.

Wednessday: What is happening?

WOW!! It is Wednessday and I haven't posted for (let's not look back) too long! It is absolutely amazing how fast being sick can change everything.... and then start this chain of events that gets you off of your routine. SO, I haven't been to the gym since I last posted. I have been caught up in this whirlwind of depression I think I can say. No..... frustration is by far a better word. There is no one place or person to blame my frustration, it just loops continually around from one thing to another. Where does it stop? RIGHT HERE!!!!!! and RIGHT NOW!!!!

I haven't realized the importance of this blog, and the ability to record my life through it, until today! I am tired of being this way.... feeling this way..... living this way. I created this blog to help me with my weight loss, that has not changed. What I can change is me; my attitude, my personal life, my finances, my choices (with dieting and outside of that), and my family life! They say the mother creates the atmosphere in the home, and that is what I want to be able to do. I read this weekend one wonderful book, that is about courage and bravery! The book is entitled "As I Have Loved You" by Kity de-Ryter Bons! Spelling may be off a little bit. The book is filled with this amazing women who to me is the definition of motherhood!

I have put a lot of importance on things that really are not! And I have neglected this objective, and this blog. I look forward to putting things back into priority... so I will weigh in on Friday and let you know! I am sure it will be like starting over, but I can do it!!!

Mouth Watering Monday.... on a Tuesday!!! lol

Meringue Shells

Filled with Fresh fruit!!

MMMmmmm.... I have been craving these. They are so good. The shell reminds me of marshmellows!! They are low fat and low cholesterol. With only 141 calories and 2 mg of cholesterol. The recipe calls for low-fat yougurt to be put in the bottoms before you serve, but if you take that out these beauties have only 114 cal and no cholesterol.............

2 egg whites (at room temp.)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 cup sugar

1 8 oz. carton fruit flavored low-fat yogurt (i usually use lemon)

2 cups sliced strawberries (or any other fruit)

1 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

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  Line a large baking sheet with plain brown paper, or parchment paper. Draw six 3-4 inch circles on the paper, set aside.


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  For merignue, in a small mixer bowl beat egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar with electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed till very stif peaks form and sugar is almost dissolved (about 7 min.).

• Spread or pipe merignue over circles on paper, building up the sides to form shells. Bake in a 300 deg. oven for 35 minutes.

* Turn off oven; let merignue dry in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Do not open oven. Lift merignues off paper.

*To serve, spoon yogurt into shells. Arrange fruit atop yogurt. Makes 6 servings.

This is really easy, it does take just a little bit of time. But very good. Let me know if you try it and how you like it.

So, as you can tell, I did not post on Friday!! Well.... I realized it Sat around noon at my son's basketball game. So I did not weigh in. My husband had Friday off and so we slept in and then got going with the days activities so I did not go to the gym like my usual schedule. I did however go to the doctor's of Monday and was glad to see that my weight had stayed the same. So I still have a 3 pound loss.... yipee!! I really want to make sure that I stick to my posts when I said.... I just need to get it into my head. See ya back here tomorrow!!

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Mouth Watering Monday: Stuffed Cabbage mmmm

This is a great recipe!!! My kids even love it! Prep time is about 30 min. Cooking time is 20-25 min. and this recipe is low in cholesterol. Here is what you need.....

1 large head cabbage

1 pound lean ground beef (i use half beef and half turkey)

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 raisins

2 TB's fine dry bread crumbs

1 cup spaghetti sauce

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

This recipe makes 6 servings.

• Remove 12 outer leaves from cabbage. Remove any tough center veins from the 12 leaves. Cook half of the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 3 min. to soften. Drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining leaves.
• Finely chop enough of the remaining cabbage to make 1/2 cup. Reserve for later.
• In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and the 1/2 cup chopped cabbage till meat is no longer pink and onion is tender. Drain well. Stir in raisins, bread crumbs, and 1/4 cup of spaghetti sauce.
• Spoon a scant 1/4 cup of the meat mixture onto each cabbage leaf; fold in sides. Roll up leaf, forming a bundle. Arrange rolls in a 12x71/2x2-inch baking dish.
• For sauce, in a small bowl stir together the remaining spaghetti sauce and cinnamon. Spoon over cabbage rolls.
• Bake, covered, in a 350 deg. oven for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Here is some more information. I got this recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Dieters Cookbook. Per serving there are 221 calories, 18 g protein, 19 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 52 mg cholesterol, 271 mg sodium and 643 mg potassium. Hope that you enjoy it like we do.!!!

Face the Facts Friday #1

Yeah!!!! Ok.... I didn't post all week. I know. This is going to be harder than I thought! However; I weighed myself today for Face the Facts Friday...... AND I LOST 3 LBS.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so exctied. So, this being week one I really didnt' do a very good job of keeping in touch with this blog. But, I am going to do better next week!!! I have a really good recipe that I want to share on Monday, it's my kids fav. (except Mike). Now, to make sure that I am following through with my goals... I want to report on three things every Friday....

They are.....

1 ) Did I count my calories?
2 ) Did I excercise at least 5 days a week?
3 ) Did I give myself "me time"?

So for this week my report is 1, did I count my calories? No... I started out really good. I found a free website that helps you and has over 300,000 foods listed or you can create your own and it will calculate your calories.... but I need to improve on getting online and typing them in. I did keep track better in my head, and was more aware of things going into my mouth more this week, but I didn't write them down and that is what I want to do to start. This may change as time goes on, but for now, No is my reply.

2, Did I excercise? And I am very happy to report ..... YES!! I did every day. I really enjoy my time at the gym. I have met quite a few new people. And so it really isn't hard for me to not go...

3, Did I get "me time"? Now, I don't want to sound selfish or come across in that way. But I want to reward myself with some me fun time. Which I think I need more of. Again, I enjoy the gym and consider it my time, but I want to do something else I enjoy..... like, a car ride, or sewing, or scrapbooking, etc. So for this weeks report the answer is YES. I did enjoy a little sewing project that came up this week. So yay.... 2 out of 3.

I am really happy to see the pounds come off the scale. I see where I need to improve for this coming week...

Week 1

Ok.... I have been inspired by my good friend's blog of her weight loss journey with it's up's and down's. And so - I have created this blog for me. I turned 40 and need to make changes, and commitments. It is hard to imagine how long I have gone on with being unhappy when it comes to my weight. I know that I can do this.... So!! I have copied her outline of the week. Only I don't believe that I will be able to post 5 days a week at first, so I am going to post 3 days a week. They will be as follows...

Monday = Mouth Watering Mondays/ Healthy recipes that I have tried and liked.

Wednesday = Midweek Hump day/ Here I will post anything from uplifting quotes to things

I have tried to suceed.

Friday = Face the Facts Friday/ This will be the weigh-in day along with my thoughts and

feelings of the previous week.

I am really excited to get going, and a little nervous too. Nervous because now this is written down, I feel it is a little more set in stone. But I think that that will be a help.... to stick to it.

I am way too embarassed to write down my starting weight, but I have included a ticker counter so that all who view my blog can see how it is going and how I am doing.

I have over the years concidered myself pretty active. I have never seen any results on the scale though. And this is where I become very discouraged. This is where I want to see results the most. I am going to try this week to be better at two things..... A: Calorie Counting and B: Starting my day off earlier in the morning.

A: I really have never counted calories except when I was pregnant with my second child, and now reflecting back, that is the pregnancy that I didn't gain very much weight and also where I lost the most afterward... So I hope that this little sub=resolution will be a great tool....

B: I have never really been a morning person (you can ask my sister and family). But I really feel like this could be THE change that will make the most difference. I have been reflecting the month of January and determined that the one thing I have not ever changed is this fact. And since my weight hasn't changed these long years maybe getting up earlier in the morning is the one variable that I need to change to help the whole goal of loosing weight!!

So, here we go!!!