Now I know my A, B, C's

Good Morning all -

No weight-loss to report today. I won't be recording my weight until Friday morning. This morning I just wanted to touch base with you and discuss a few things I've learned so far. I will also leave you with a new AWESOME recipe.

1. Don't drink your calories.

• Philip and I were at the grocery store just yesterday and we saw a fruit drink that we thought looked tasty (grape and something else) and upon further inspection realized it was loaded with calories and sugar. Just wasn't worth the caloric investment, so we left it alone. We find ourselves drinking diet drinks or 0 calorie water based drinks.

2. Record everything.

• I've said this before, but holding myself accountable and not lying to myself has helped. If it doesn't fit my goal for the day - I don't do it. Myfitnesspal people!

3. If the scale pisses you off, try on a pair of jeans that used to be tight.

• During my plateau a couple of weeks ago, the scale just wouldn't budge but I noticed my pants were getting baggier.

4. Don't (completely) rely on others for recognition.

• I love my husband, and I am very lucky to have a very emotionally invested guy for a partner. But he's also very honest and not secretive. The first couple of weeks I lost weight I wanted sooooo badly for him to say something, but he just didn't notice. It drove my crazy, but he wasn't going to tell me that I lost weight just to make me happy. This actually turned out to be a good thing, because when I wear something new and he notices that I've lost weight he's the first to say something. And when he does, I know he's being honest and has really noticed a difference.

5. Still eat your favorite foods- just eat smarter. Which brings me to this story ...

Last night we had stuffed pasta. Buitoni. It's a little under 500 calories for a large portion of 1 1/4 cups. I wanted something to go with it, and asked Philip if he liked the Red Lobster Garlic rolls. I got a "meh." You see - Philip doesn't care much for sharp cheddar, and he can avoid foods all together just because of a taste he doesn't care for. For that reason I suggested adapting them to his tastes by using Mozzarella instead. This was actually helpful, because there are some mozzarellas you can find that are part-skim which cuts 20 calories off each serving. Thanks to google I found a recipe I could adapt to make more low-cal. They turned out great:

The end up being 143 calories a piece. That's using the recipe to make 13.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c. Heart Smart Bisquick

3/4 c. 1 % milk

6 tbls. cold light butter

3/4 tsp. garlic bowder

1 c. part-skim mozzarella (shredded)

Pinch of Salt

1/4 tsp. dried parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. In a bowl combine Bisquick and 4 tbls of cold butter. Combine these with a pastry cutter, large fork, or two knives. You'll end up with pea size pieces of butter throughout the bisquick. Add milk, cheese, and 1/4 tsp of garlic powder.

3. Mix by hand (preferably using your hand, it's much easier.) Drop on an un-greased baking sheet and bake for 15 - 17 mins.

4. In a small bowl (you can use your microwave) melt 2 tbls of butter. Add 1/2 tsp of garlic powder and brush on top of biscuits. Sprinkle with parsley.

Enjoy!

Elephants

So ... I am hoping this last weigh in means the plateu is over for a while. 2.2 lbs in a week in a half. I'll take it. That brings my total to ....

That's just 7 pounds from my halfway point. How cool! Well I've had a hard time deciding what my reward would be for my halfway point, but I finally made a decision. As some of you may know I have a strange love for elephants. This developed for many different reasons:

My step-father who passed a few years ago now was a huge Bama fan. I grew up knowing Auburn was the enemy. What does Auburn stand for? Alabama Usually Beats Us Round November. What are the three rules a man should live by? Never burn the flag, never betray your country, and never wear anything with Auburn on it. Yep - That was my Poppa. (Editor's Note - if anyone is interested in why Bama is referred to as the Crimson Tide - check it out. http://bryantmuseum.ua.edu/direction.cfm?dir=traditions1). When Poppa died my husband and I bought a little ceramic sleeping Bama Elephant that stays with his ashes now. And that my friends is my first real connection to Elephants.

RAMMER JAMMER YELLOW HAMMER, GIVE 'EM HELL ALABAMA!

So next - while I'm not a very religious person, I am very spiritual. Most probably tolerate my constant reference to the "uncarved block" when things get screwy in life. I have a tattoo that constantly connects me to my baptist roots. I really think the Rosicrucians are really neat people and my limited knowledge of them helps strengthen my idea that they've really got it together. This leads me to the Hindu elephant story...

The Blind Men and the Elephant

It was six men of Indostan

To learning much inclined,

Who went to see the Elephant

(Though all of them were blind),

That each by observation

Might satisfy his mind

The First approached the Elephant,

And happening to fall

Against his broad and sturdy side,

At once began to bawl:

God bless me! but the Elephant

Is very like a wall!

The Second, feeling of the tusk,

Cried, Ho! what have we here

So very round and smooth and sharp?

To me tis mighty clear

This wonder of an Elephant

Is very like a spear!

The Third approached the animal,

And happening to take

The squirming trunk within his hands,

Thus boldly up and spake:

I see, quoth he, the Elephant

Is very like a snake!

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,

And felt about the knee.

What most this wondrous beast is like

Is mighty plain, quoth he;

'Tis clear enough the Elephant

Is very like a tree!

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,

Said: Even the blindest man

Can tell what this resembles most;

Deny the fact who can

This marvel of an Elephant

Is very like a fan!?

The Sixth no sooner had begun

About the beast to grope,

Than, seizing on the swinging tail

That fell within his scope,

I see, quoth he, the Elephant

Is very like a rope!

And so these men of Indostan

Disputed loud and long,

Each in his own opinion

Exceeding stiff and strong,

Though each was partly in the right,

And all were in the wrong!

Moral:

So oft in theologic wars,

The disputants, I ween,

Rail on in utter ignorance

Of what each other mean,

And prate about an Elephant

Not one of them has seen!

-- John Godfrey Saxe

The story is often connected to how we all perceive God. However you come to God is your own journey ... however you perceive your elephant is your own.

And lastly (who knew this would be such a long post).. for one of my recent classes I read a book called "Zoo Story." It's a good book about the struggle in developing a firm opinion for or against zoos. The story begins, unexpectedly, with a description of the culls in Africa which are done as a way of maintaining other animal habitats. Apparently on one of the preservation sites for African wildlife - the elephants have overrun the land and started killing off other species. On occasion, some of the elephants are guided by helicopters away from their heard and shot. The description is heartbreaking. I sobbed, and still cry, reading it. But I won't go into the details here.. the point of the story is Elephants are really really smart. They are also very social and love one another. They also mourn their dead in a showing of kindness that I think we could learn from. In the book they talk about how the bodies of the dead elephants are often too heavy and too large to burry immediately. So they often keep the bodies in a constructed shed. One day after a cull a group of elephants had destroyed the shed to get to their deceased and buried them.

So the Elephant for me is connected to a loved one, teaches me patience with others, and reminds me to love. For that reason my halfway reward will be a new dogeared necklace.

Be an elephant today.

Keep on Keepin' On

Hello All

Well it's been a while since my last update, and there is a reason for that. I think to say I'm in a transitional point in my life would be an understatement. My job is changing directions, and I'm trying to keep up with all the changes!

With that being said, the last couple of weeks my weight has fluctuated between 179 and 182. I have maintained my connection to my fitness pal, but I haven't been as diligent as I need to be. So..

Challenges:

- I've felt too busy to watch my diet closely

- I haven't been to the gym in a while and I've instead been walking which is a lower calorie burn

- I can't seem to get the scale to dip below 179

Strengths

- Today I get to go to the gym with my hubby! Elliptical here I come!

- Though I haven't noticed any significant weight loss, I've noticed inches disappearing. I can finally wear my Old Navy size 12 jeans! w00t!

- I've gotten more compliments about my weight loss lately, so it seems as though people are noticing.

Moving forward:

- Get back on track with logging everything I eat

- Fit into those size 12 Madewell jeans comfortably

- Buy a pair of size 10 jeans

- Make it comfortably to 175.

Here we go!