Awe, the trouble with cravings...

I've still been reading the Bible Cure book and it has enlightened me to the simple missteps I've taken that have resulted in my dimpled lard ass. This guide is wonderful because it doesn't have uber strict rules about what I can and can't eat, nor does it condemn me for being over weight. Instead the book talks about why I gained weight and the simple changes I can make to find the beautiful healthy woman I lost. Just to give you an example of how the book breaks it down:

"Men should have about 4 oz of protein with each meal and 1 oz of protein with each snack. A woman should have 3 oz of protein with each meal and 3/4 oz of protein with each snack. Simply choose a 4 oz piece of chicken breast, turkey breast, fish or lean red meat and balance this with all the salad, vegetables and fruits that you want." (Don Colbert, M.D. 36)

It makes perfect sense and it helped me recognize what I've been doing wrong for the last 15 years of my life. My meals used to consist of meat (a big chuck), potatoes or pasta, a vegetable, bread, milk/soda/water, and dessert. It had been like that since I was a child. My mom was a good cook but everything was fried, broiled and topped with a creamy sauce. The vegetable part of the meal was not that healthy either. It could have been a boiled potato, broccoli, or creamy green bean casserole instead of a steamed or fresh serving of greens. So you see, I was programed as a child to rely on unhealthy food and cooking techniques.
Half of my battle is won, I know what I was doing wrong and how to fix it.

Another great part of the book is the explanation of the glycemic index and how to use it to balance blood sugar and insulin levels so that your body does not trap the fat in storage. It also instructs you on how to raise your metabolism in easy to follow steps that are sure to stick with you for the rest of your life. So instead of thinking about this as a diet, I'm going to think about it as a life style change.

Now onto a slightly less optimistic topic... Last night around 9pm I was starving. My body was craving a salty, carby, delicious snack and what should come on TV but the newest creation of Taco Bell, the bacon club chalupa. I literally salivated at the thought (Pavlov at his finest!) Let me include a picture of this beautiful delicacy: So as I'm hinting to James that I'm hungry and we should go get one, he tells me no I don't need it (keep in mind that he is losing weight as well). So instead I go for a string cheese and a nice glass of relax. It was not exactly what I wanted but it worked to stave of hunger. I know the wine was not the best choice but it was better than a taco :)



As of this morning I am down 5.2 lbs from my post vacation weight. Oh, lets not forget the lovely, plump princess Cali. She has lost about 2 lbs and now has a hanging sack of skin and fur I lovingly refer to as her utters. I've cut way back on her and Remy's food and it has made a big difference. As a treat I'm giving them tuna for dinner. All of her hard work deserves a reward... a healthy reward!

Why does it have to be so HOT?

Working out and staying fit becomes much more difficult when it is 100+ degrees outside. I am still working on the brick walk; I have the crushed stone laid and I am leveling it so I can cover it in sand. This process would not be taking so long if I wasn't dyeing of heat stroke! It is 9:30am and 90 gosh darn degrees... it just isn't right... people were not meant to live in the dessert unless they were banished from the beach :(

I'm still eating Subway for lunch and dinner and trying to watch what I'm snacking on. It's hard to eat healthy when I still have junk food laying around from our trip to the beach. My theory was to eat all the junk food and then not buy anymore but I'm now pondering just tossing it (which is what I should have done in the first place). Instead of having chips with my Subway, I should have a side salad or fruit. I know what healthy food choices I should make, so why is it so hard to make them?

I started reading a book called The Bible's Cure for Weight Loss and Muscle Gain and it has given me a lot of insight both spiritually and physically as to why I make the unhealthy choice to eat crap. I think this whole process is going to be less about learning how to eat right (let's face it, I know how to eat right so reading 1 million books about it won't help) and more about doing it. Forget the excuses why I can't get thin... its time for hard work and results!

I'm Back!!!

Okay blog followers, I know it has been WAY too long since my last post and I don't have a really good reason, but here's what I've got:

1. I was really busy with my new job. I am so blessed to find a teaching job as a new teacher and at a wonderful school to boot. Please don't think I'm complaining about my job, it just took time to adjust and now I wake up everyday excited for the new school year and everything I'm going to teach to my students.
2. My masters classes were demanding. I'm usually one of those people that everyone hates because I can pass a class with minimal effort but I don't want to be that way anymore. I really LOVE the classes I'm taking and I find myself putting in a lot of effort and time.
3. I'm LAZY!
4. I procrastinate... I even procrastinate about not procrastinating :(
5. My life is being pulled in 11 different directions; some good, some bad, but all necessary.
6. Last but not least, I'm not dedicated to myself and my goals.

Now that I've presented my argument for weight lose failure I'm going to give you my plan and catch you up on what I've been doing this summer.

I'm going to do something active everyday. Be it working on the house/yard or jogging at the park, I'm going to find the active person I used to be and test my limits. I was just talking to James today and I told him that I missed the old me; the one who played flag football at the park, partook in random tennis matches, surfed all summer, fished every weekend... where is that strong, unique woman? My guess is she is smothered under an ever increasing layer of blubber and I'm bound and determined to rescue her at all costs. I will NOT be the woman who dies from a heart attach and 35 because I'm morbidly obese. I will be the woman who hikes the Pacific Crest Trail before I'm 35.
James and I are also working on a diet. We both love Subway so we are ordering the $35.00 platter at the beginning of the week so we have lunch and dinner at our fingertips; no cheating, no excuses. Also, I've been working on the Biggest Loser diet book and the food is GREAT!!! I plan to mix those recipes into my new eating habits.

As for what I've been up to, I've been out of school for two weeks. The first week was spent cleaning, organizing, and assembling my classroom for next year (It was a lot of work but super fun). We also had the boys (JP and Phoenix) down for that first week and half of the second; they kept me pretty active. We also went to the Discovery Science Center which I recommend for all kids 13 and younger (or adults with a secret inner child dying to get out!) The second week was spend in beautiful Morro Bay. There the boys and I swam in the pool, swam in the ocean, dug up sand crabs (GROSS!), walked on the beach, visited Hearst Castle, tried the skate part, and most excitingly, I taught them how to surf. So as you can see, I stayed very active on our trip which would naturally lead to the assumption that I lost a lot of weight, but that is where you and I would both be wrong. You see, in order to loose weight, you CANNOT eat Mexican everyday and gorge on double desserts... I know it surprised me too!

In my defense, after I ate the second piece of Olallieberrie cake, I did forty sit ups. This was the beginning of my routine of ab improvement. I am going to do sit ups and push up every night. Right now I'm starting with 15 push ups (Man style not Girlie style) and 10 sit ups in each position (one for upper, lower, obliques, and so on) then I'm going to add one more rep a day. I think I should be able to lose 10 lbs by September (if I can control my eating when we go to visit Chris).

Oh, by the way, here is my new bikini pic!!!