Shaking off the glut and getting back to action

It's been a long weekend.  The damage has been recorded.  This morning I weighed in at 220.8.  This year I am trying a new approach to getting back where I started.  I am using a 3 day Metabolism boosting diet plan. It was in the Woman's World Nov. 14 issue

This is a 3 day diet in which you can drop 5,6, even 7 lbs.

It's based on 9 amazing metabolism boosting foods.

1. eggs 2. salsa 3. coffee 4. steel cut oats  5. coconut oil  6. cinnamon 7. Apple cider vinegar 8. Salmon and tuna  9. nuts

 

For three days you eat the following meals

upon rising: 8 ounces water mixed with 2 tsp. lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Breakfast: 1 egg plus 3 egg whites cooked in 1/2 tsp. extra virgin coconut oil

2 Tbsp. spicy salsa

3/4 cup steel-cut oats, 1/2 tsp maple syrup, dash cinnamon

Coffee break: 8 ounces skim latte or warm fat-free milk, dash cinnamon

1 small apple

Lunch: 3 cups mixed salad (greens, bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, parsley)

3 ounces chicken breast or tuna

1/2 tsp olive oil, apple cider vinegar and seasoning to taste

Snack: 8 ounces Spicy V8 juice or low-sodium tomato juice with 3 shakes Tabasco

1 stalk celery

pre dinner: 8 ounces water mixed with 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Dinner: 4 ounces salmon or tuna, 1 tbs. spice rub

2 cups broccoli or green beans, 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1/2 cup brown rice or small sweet potato

Snack: 6 almonds or walnut halves

 

After the third day, you can move on to your regular diet or continue this diet, but you need to add at least another 200 calories a day AND a multivitamin.

 

Kim and Kendra are back to school today.  I had to use a bit of "tough love" on Kendra to get her out of bed and out the door.  Her boyfriend that she left behind in Germany officially broke her heart this weekend in his blog on myspace.  Kind of a "chicken shit" way to deal with it if you ask me.  Even a private e-mail first would have been better than to have to read about his infidelity on his blog.  She cried most of last night and tried to use the lack of sleep as an excuse to stay home.  But she's already missed 10 days of school, so I just don't feel I can allow her that luxury.  I'm sure I'll be branded an "uncaring" mother later. Such is life.  I hate having to be the adult. LOL

 

3 Week Countdown

Paul leaves today to go back to the Fort.  He still has three weeks before he returns home for the Christmas holidays.  Which means I have three weeks to really focus on my program and make some progress.  I am still caught up with the "same ol', same ol'"

Gaining and losing the same 7-10 lbs from week to week.  UGH.. I can't believe I spent the whole of Autumn doing this same 7-10 lbs.

Oreo Turkeys

We have a tradition at our house of making Oreo Turkeys for an appetizer.  This is what the final product should look like.

The items you need to make these are: Chocolate frosting, candy corn, malted balls, oreos, red hot candies.

To put them together you split the oreo, trying to keep the frosting on one side. Then "glue" the malt ball to the plain oreo side with frosting. Add Candy Corn to the frosted side to creat the feathers. Glue that cookie to the maltball with frosting.  Finally, put a bit of frosting on top of the malt ball and add the red hot candy.

Dinner was good yesterday. Too good.   The turkey ended up a little dry, but otherwise good food.

 

The Day before Thanksgiving

Twas the morning before Thanksgiving, And all through the house

Moving boxes were opened,And items scattered about!

The uniforms were hung in the closets with care

In hopes that Daddy soon would be there.

The teens were still sleeping, all snug in their beds,

While visions of the feast danced in their heads;

And mommy was frustrated,  wanting to nap,

But the boxes were open, the house looked like crap!,

When suddenly Mommy got inspiration so clever,

She sprang from her chair to take up the endeavor.

Around her bedroom she flew like a flash,

Tucked stuff under the bed, found places to stash.

The house started looking like it was ready to show

Gave Mommy the hope she could finally slow,

When, what to her wondering eyes should appear,

But her three errant children, ready to steer,

Mommy back to the bedroom for a nap so quick,

She thought it must be something they saw on Nick.

But she's learned to not look a gift horse in the mouth,

And grateful for help, she rested while they worked the house;

"Now, Kimmy! now, Mac! lets get fixin'!

this house up and do it so quickly!"

Kendra pointed to the kitchen, the dining room, the hall!

"Now get going and finish it all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So through the house the teens flew,

With buckets, brooms, dustpan, and elbow grease, too.

And then, Mommy  heard in the house

The arrival and greetings of her much loved spouse.

As she jumped from her bed and ran down the hall ,

Into the living room, and the arms of her Paul .

He was dressed all in camoflauge, from his head to his boots,

And his uniform was covered with grass and roots;

A rucksack of clothes  he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a traveler, who'd finally come back.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his children so merry!

His kisses, they tasted sweeter than cherries!

The teens were happy, they pranced up and down

Til Daddy looked at the room and started to frown.

He couldn't believe how unkempt the place looked

Turning his head, he gave them a look;

He had the dad face and the children were quelling,

all shook up that their dad was bellowing.

He was happy to be home, but mad at the mess,

And he suggested we all get down to the test;

But wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave us to know we had nothing to dread;

He laughed at his joke, but went straight to work,

And with all our help, soon put the house to perk,

And laying his broom finally aside ,

Looked at the spotless house and sighed;

He sat on the couch and gathered us round

Happy to be with the family again.

And we say to our friends, as we settle for Thanksgiving,

"Be thankful for all the blessings you've been given"

My Final Word on GNU FIBER BARS

A few weeks back, I purchased the GNU bars that have been reviewed by HungryGirl.  There are four flavors available : Banana Walnut, Chocolate Brownie, Cinnamon Raisin, and Orange Cranberry.

Previously I mentioned that I found the Orange Cranberry to be very good texture-wise, but that it was a bit overpowering on the Orange. I have since tasted the other bars and I think for texture, I still prefer the Orange-Cranberry bar.  None of these bars stand out for flavor.  In fact, the only flavor that truly stands out at all is the Orange, in the Orange-cranberry, and that was not necessarily a good thing.

If you need a super punch of fiber in your day, these bars are a great way to get 12 grams of fiber all at once and they are edible.  I suppose if I played around with them (like heating them up, adding whip cream) I might have found them more to "die for".   But in general, since I can not pick them up at a local store, I have to say I didn't think they were worth the trouble and expense of having them sent. 

I can eat them, and to me the taste is okay.  It's not WOW!  It does not have the potential to have me overeating them.. which considering the fiber count is probably a good thing.  I most likely will NOT purchase them again because I find that I'm not eating them, or even thinking  "Hey! I can have a GNU bar for snack!"  No, not everything I eat has to be a "party" in my mouth, as I so often tell the kids, but I find that I can get enough fiber in my diet through other better tasting sources (like Kashi cookies, bars, whole wheat tortillas, Slim Fast shakes, etc) that I just don't need this big whammy of a fiber bar.

Getting things ready

Yesterday Mac and I finished up the bookcases we had in the car from a month ago.  These things went together so nicely.  Good instructions and extra hardware.  Clean lines.   I'm pretty thrilled.  So, since Kendra had her new bookcase, she managed to get more boxs emptied out and things put away.  I was also able to get a few more boxes emptied yesterday.

I'm hoping to finish Mac's shelves for above his dresser today.  I have the supports done (I needed to paint all the parts black), so today I'll be painting the underside of the shelves.  Then we can put them up tomorrow. And his room really will be complete after that.

Paul is coming home for the Thanksgiving weekend.  He arrives Wednesday night.  I'm getting pretty excited about seeing him.  Even though we talk at least once a day, truth is .. it's just not the same as "in person." He has to go back to Rucker after the weekend for two more weeks of TDY, but he should be home for good the 17 of December.

So of course I'm in "let's get as much done as possible" mode.  But I'm trying to tackle projects that I can truly finish, rather than start things (like emptying boxes) that may not do anything more than add clutter to the house.  Its tough to know which boxes have items that are "put-away-able" versus "clutter".   

And of course on top of this, I have my usual housecleaning to do and prepping forThanksgiving dinner.  Really since it's just the four of us, it isn't too bad.  We make a limited menu, just the things that we like. This year I am hoping to add something new for Paul and I.  I have discovered the taste pleasure of Sweet Potatoes.  I never cared for them growing up, but yummy now.  I am trying to find a healthy, low cal version for our dinner.

Back at Diet Central... I've had a good start to today.  I've already completed my exercise and I'm heading to the kitchen now to make my breakfast.  

Weekly weigh-in

Well...  today I weighed in at 217.5, so that's a .4 loss since last week.   I am seriously tired of losing and gaining the same 4-6 lbs over and over again.  This year has just been one repetitious bounce of weight and I'm tired of it.  I've been racking my brain trying to think of what I could do differently.  Why has this year been such a bust?  Why can't I stay focused for longer than a week?  Why wasn't I born with the genetics to be 6 ft tall?   LOL 

Anyway.. I know that there has been a lot of stress in my life this year.  I have always thought that I handled stress pretty well... yes I tend to eat a bit more.. but overall I didn't think I handled it poorly.. now I wonder.  Maybe half the reason I gain it in my belly is the stress.  So, yesterday I picked up a bottle of the Relacore.  I'm going to start taking it tomorrow.  I have a reasonably easy week ahead of me as long as nothing goes out of whack.  And by easy, I mean.. I have no place to be, like WRAMC or anything.

This should be a week that I can devote completely to the pursuit of a healthier, less stressed out me.  A good time to try this product.  Although, the package comes with only enough for two weeks, but the pamphlet that comes with it says it could be as much as 4 weeks before you see a difference in weight. Even though, you should be able to notice a difference in stress/attitude in just a couple of days.  Well... it's at least worth trying... especially at the Walmart price.   I'll keep you posted.