What Will Keep Me Going...

In March 2010 I posted about "What Will Keep Me Going".  Obviously the list didn't keep me going... but I liked the list and still want to accomplish things on that list.  I decided to make an updated list.  I liked what I blogged before and decided to keep it and just add and update where needed.

I orginally did my first list back in 2005. My life has done a complete 360 since that list 4-5 years ago. I still have a lot on that list that will be put on to this list, however some things will change... like make mens heads turn, and to have men notice me and to be able to pick who I want to date, not just accept who wants to date me. I am married now and of course those things aren't inportant to me. Making this list also makes me realize that "morbidly obese" people have to go through so much in life that they shouldn't have too. I want to live a normal life and not worry about if I'm going to fit somewhere. I stopped living because of my size. I don't go to concerts or sporting games anymore becuase the seats are just too small. I make myself sick worrying if I will fit in the chairs at work and if they will hold me without breaking.   I've gained 100 pounds since that old list, and now my new list is twice as long. So let's get started.

1. To be healthy
2. To watch Olivia grow up
3. To live a long happy life with my husband
4. To be able to tie my shoes like a fit person does
5. To not have to use a seat belt extender in my Jeep
6. To fit in an airline seat
7. To fit comfortably in a stadium seats (Royals, Chiefs, Sprint Center, Concerts)
8. To own a pair of "Skinny Jeans" .. no not the tight skinny jeans.. just jeans beause i am feeling skinny!
9. To own a "Little Black Dress"
10. To run a mile with out feeling like I've died
11. To be able to walk a flight or two of stairs without stopping
12. To not have to shop in a "Plus Size" specialty store
13. To be able to cross my legs
14. To be able to wear high heels
15. To be able to sit in a Restaurant Booth and not ask for a table
16. To be able to go somewhere and not be stared at and made fun of
17. To influence others my size and help them on their weight loss
18. To play sports and have fun with Olivia
19. To have a neck and chin
20. To be able to say "I Did It!"

There's just a few on my list. I'll add more when they pop into my head. Hope everyone has a good day!

7 Simple Changes That Will Help With Weight Loss

*article from Weight Watchers*

7 Simple Changes That Will Help With Weight Loss
Try these tips for small changes that can lead to very big weight-loss results.

Beginning a weight-loss plan doesn't have to mean drastic changes. You don't need to live at the gym or subsist on crackers alone to get your eating and exercising on track.

Instead, think of more realistic, sustainable changes you can make to your lifestyle. Sometimes small, simple adjustments can produce the biggest results. Consider these suggestions, and think about what other small changes might work for you.

•Trim back your eating a bit here and there, not altogether. For example, sauté your broccoli with one teaspoon of oil instead of two.
•Make some wise food substitutions, like opting for low-fat cream cheese instead of regular.
•Kick it up a notch in the activity department by taking the stairs instead of the escalator.
All or Nothing
"People put too much pressure on themselves to change everything in their diets, which sets them up for failure," believes New York-based registered dietitian Shari Mermelstein. Her advice? Set your sights on making several small dietary and lifestyle changes, and you'll lose weight without really missing out.

Need some incentive? Try this on for size: Cut back 100 calories on a daily basis and you could lose about 10 1/2 pounds in a year. One hundred calories equals:
•1 cup of regular soda
•1 tablespoon of butter
•1 ounce of cheese

Skimming Off the Top
Here are seven simple slim-down ideas:
1. A spoonful of sugar can add up over the course of a year. Add one less teaspoon of sugar (15 calories) to your cup of morning and afternoon coffee each day and you'll save about 10,000 calories—the equivalent of about 3 pounds per year.
2. Slim down that bowl of cereal: Switch from 1 cup regular whole milk to 1% milk (about 50 calories less per cup) every day. Once your taste buds adjust, you'll be thrilled! That's a tad more than 5 pounds lost by this time next year.
3. Take the scenic route. Park your car as far as possible from the entrance to your office, the shopping mall or a restaurant and get those legs pumping. Ten minutes of daily moderate paced walking (five minutes each way burns about 20 calories) can take off over 4 pounds a year.*
4. Get your vitamin C boost with a whole orange (60 calories) instead of a cup of juice (110 calories) each day. Your 12-month weight loss: 5 1/4 pounds.
5. Go calorie-free by switching from regular to diet soda (150 versus 0 calories per can). If you drink one can per day, that's nearly 16 pounds lost in a year.
6. Flavor your sandwiches with very low-cal condiments like mustard or vinegar instead of calorie-packed mayo. Leave off 1 tablespoon (100 calories) every day and you're looking at close to 10 1/2 pounds a year.
7. Downsize, don't super-size, fast food meals. Opt for a small McDonald's French fries (250 calories) instead of a large order (570 calories) at your weekly fast-food meal. You'll enjoy the same great taste all year long but with an added bonus: almost 5 pounds lost.

*For a 155-pound person at 3 miles per hour. Based on calculations from Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, the official journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

Low-Fat Vegetable Lasagna

Yum Yum Yum!

*use whole-wheat pasta to make this healthy recipe even healthier, if you're like my husband and have to have meat, use low fat ground turkey*
Low-Fat Vegetable Lasagna

Ingredients

• 9 lasagna noodles, uncooked
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced thin (optional)
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tablespoon salt
• 1 (10 oz.) package frozen spinach, thawed, drained thoroughly
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 2 cups meatless tomato sauce
• 15 ounces low-fat ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain and cover with cool water until ready to use.
While pasta is cooking, combine onions and oil in a skillet over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute. Spoon out half the onions and reserve for later. Add the mushrooms (if using) to the onions in the skillet. Cook, stirring over medium heat, until the mushrooms are tender and slightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add the parsley and a pinch of salt; transfer to a bowl.
Add the reserved cooked onion and the spinach to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat until the spinach is wilted, about 3 minutes. Uncover and cook over medium heat to evaporate any excess moisture, about 1 minute. Season with a pinch of salt.
Heat oven to 350° F. Drain the lasagna and pat dry with paper towels. Mix the oregano and basil with the tomato sauce. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce in the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 3-inch pan. Arrange 3 lasagna pieces, slightly overlapping, in the pan. Spoon the spinach mixture on top in an even layer. Spread with half of the ricotta. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella cheese.
Arrange a layer of 3 more lasagna pieces. Spread with the mushrooms, the remaining ricotta mixture, and 1/4 cup of the mozzarella. Top with the remaining 3 pieces of lasagna, 1 cup of tomato sauce and 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until brown and bubbly, about 45 minutes.
Makes 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr
Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Nutrition Facts
Number of Servings: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 243
Total Fat: 7.7 g
Cholesterol: 23.7 mg
Sodium: 228 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 29.9 g
Protein: 15.1 g

*recipe from Jillian Michales"

BMI

A number we should all know. Your BMI.

My BMI is over 60. Lets work on getting this down!

BMI (Body Mass Index) is a measurement of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 years.


BMI can be used to indicate if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal. A healthy BMI score is between 20 and 25. A score below 20 indicates that you may be underweight; a value above 25 indicates that you may be overweight.

Click HERE to enter in your information and find out what your BMI is.

18.5 or less Underweight
18.5 to 24.99 Normal Weight
25 to 29.99 Overweight
30 to 34.99 Obesity (Class 1)
35 to 39.99 Obesity (Class 2)
40 or greater Morbid Obesity

Please remember, however, that this is only one of many possible ways to assess your weight. If you have any concerns about your weight, please discuss them with your physician, who is in a position, unlike this BMI calculator, to address your specific individual situation.

This information and many other helpful tools can be found at http://www.bmi-calculator.net/

2011 Recap

I thought I'd take a moment and  recap the best of my 2011.   2011 was an amazing journey for me.  Many ups and downs, highs and lows.  Although there were many great things that had happened (especially with Olivia) I only have a couple of months that really stick out for last year.

February - after 75 long stressful days, Olivia got to come home from the hospital.
May - Daniel and I were able to purchase our first home.  It feels so good to be able to provide for my family.  Olivia has her own room and a play room.  Danny has a "mancave" and the dogs have a HUGE fenced in yard.  I never knew what pleasure could be brought from watching those to silly dogs run and play. 
November - We received the news that Olivia would not need a shunt.  Tears of happiness filled our eyes has we felt a huge relief being lifted off our shoulders.  We still have to have follow ups with the neurologist and MRI's, but right now everything is going great.
December - Olivia turned 1. What an emotional and wonderful day.  It's amazing to see how far she's come in just 1 year.  She is taking this world by storm.  December was also amazing because Olivia was home with us this year to celebrate Christmas.

I can't wait for 2012.  I look forward to every day it brings me.  I can't wait to watch Olivia grow and learn.  She is such an amazing girl.  I also can't wait to conquer the changes that I want to make with myself.  Personal, Professional and Economical.  I want to be the best mother, wife, daughter, and friend  I can be. I want to finally get rid of all this excess weight, all the sadness it brings with it and be free of the shame it causes.  I want to be the best worker I can be for the State of KS.  They are amazing to work for and helped me out a great deal in 2011 when I needed time off for Olivia.   And I want to learn to manage my money, pay off debt and provide for my family.  I've never been able to manage money or lose weight, so this year, I dream to do both... May my dreams come true~

Emerald 100 Calorie Pack Nuts

Another new snack, another review.   Emerals Nuts has a 100 calorie pack of nuts.  Excellent!  Nuts are good for you and they come in a variety of types and flavors. 

At first, I was shocked by the amount of nuts that equal a 100 calories.  You get a small handfull and thats it!  There's not very many nuts per bag, but that's why I like it.  Nuts are something so good and healthy that it's easy to go over board.  I never paid much attention to how over my calories I was going on Nuts.  This small bag is perfect for an over eater like me.  I know I will pay more in the long run buying nuts in the little small bags, but I don't have to be accountable for eating a handful every time I measure out a serving to put in a ziplock!  I love the Walnut and Almond Mix. And the Cinnamon Almonds.  My only downfall is that I want to eat more then one bag!

FIber One Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie - Review

I've been seeing these advertised on TV for the past few months and thought they would be great to satisfy my chocolate/sweet cravings.

YUCK!  They look good.  They are small in size. They are DRY! They are not very sweet nor do I really taste any peanut butter.   They almost seem chalky to me.  I wish I would have only bought one of these instead of a box.  Some may like these, but not me.  I needed a couple glasses of milk to get this brownie down. 

I give this brownie 2 thumbs down! 

A Dynamic Duo: Exercise & Weight Loss

A Dynamic Duo: Exercise & Weight Loss
For long-term weight control, physical activity may be even more important than diet. Here's why.
by Susan Moores, M.S., R.D

Why is exercise so important in a weight loss program? Here are 5 good reasons.

• Exercise burns calories. Weight loss comes down to a very simple equation: Burn more calories than you take in. Every time you move, you help tip the scale in your favor.
  
• Exercise preserves and builds muscle. Muscle burns calories. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn all day long – even at rest. The right exercises help you maintain the muscle you have, and build even more.
  
• Exercise can change your shape. Women (particularly as they approach menopause) and men alike often find that excess fat tends to settle or accumulate in the midsection – where it poses a greater risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes than fat on the hips and thighs. The good news: Research suggests that abdominal fat may be more responsive to hormones released during exercise that cause fat to break down.
  
• Exercise supports long-term success. Dieting can help you lose weight, but exercise strongly influences whether or not it stays off. Studies show that dieting plus physical activity is the most effective recipe for losing weight, but for keeping it off, physical activity matters most.
  
• Testimonials count. The National Weight Control Registry tracks thousands of dieters who have lost, on average, 60 pounds and kept it off for five years. More than 80% of registry members say exercise was and is integral to maintaining their healthy weight. Other studies agree that regular exercise is a good predictor of long-term weight loss success.

Beyond Weight Loss

Apart from its role in weight loss, there's more good news about exercise and its role in maintaining health.

• Exercise keeps you physically sharp. Physical activity bolsters your endurance and energy levels, and helps improve flexibility. At any age, exercise can rebuild lost muscle, and improve strength and stamina.
  
• Exercise boosts attitude. Studies show physical activity improves self-esteem, offers a mental lift, reduces depression and eases anxiety.
  
• It's integral to good health. Even without weight loss, exercise can:
  
• Cut the risk for heart disease by improving cholesterol levels.
  
• Protect against diabetes by increasing the body's sensitivity to insulin.
  
  Strengthen bones.
  
• Improve sleep.
  
• Possibly lower the risk of some cancers, including those of the breast and colon.

Happy 1st Birthday Olivia!

I'm a month late on this post, but I am home sick and can't rest.. so here it is!

My beautiful 27 week baby is a year old.  What an emotional day.  We celebrated with those closest to us. Presents, balloons and cake!  Here are a couple of pictures from her party.

Olivia overall is doing very well.  She weighs 21 pounds and is almost 30 inches long.  Thats a long way from 2.12 and 14 inches!  She has 8 teeth, loves saying dada and bub bub.  She has a bunch of words, but those are the favorite.  She loves bouncing in her exersaucer and her favorite food is sweet potatoes and gerber  puffs!  She is crawling all over the place and is pulling herself up.  Im so proud of my little boogie!

It's all built up, time to let it out.

Well after days of debating and crying ounces of tears, I've decided to join my works Biggest Loser competition.  I already have the best co-workers in the world, I know they will be super supportive of me. 

I'm at the heaviest I've ever been. EVER.  And if I don't change things, I may not be able to watch my little girl grow up and grow old with my husband.  My body aches, my feet hurt and I can't walk a block with out being winded, we wont even mention how hard it is for me to do the stairs at my house.

I've spent my whole life fat.  FAT, I'm not even going to cushion it, I'm far from chunky, chubby, obese and even morbidly obese.  I'm a couple of my co-workers in one.  I'm a few super models in one.  I've been teased. I've been humiliated. I've been embarrassed. I've been harassed.  I've been ashamed.  I'm tired of being all these things.  Growing up, I got made fun of.  DAILY.  Classmates, friends and my Brother teased and made fun of me daily.  I got called every name in the book, fatty, two ton tonya, big bertha, elephant, hippo, pig, Roseann (I'd be happy to be her size now) and many many more. 

My grandpa tried to buy my weight.  I couldn't even be motivated by money to lose.  I remember the first time I had to get off a roller coaster because I didn't fit.  The joker ride.  Humiliated.  I've squeezed into seats at stadiums and listened to the people next to me make fun and make rude comments because I was "squishing" them.  I got called up in front of an airport full of people to be told I was too big to fly and needed to purchase a second ticket.  Tears. 

Dating. Horrible. That's all I'm saying on this subject.  I am so lucky that I met my husband who loves me no matter what.  Who doesn't look at me like a fat person.  Just his beautiful wife.

My whole life I've been fighting my weight.  Every time I get my hopes crushed, or I get depressed or lonely, I eat.  It doesn't make sense, something that makes me so sad, I turn too.  It's an addiction.  It's comfort.  It's my friend. 

My uncle said it best "food was my friend & my friend is killing me".  I don't want to die this way.  I am too young to be thinking about dieing. 

2012 - bring it!