tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89643183140118616472024-03-05T19:40:19.969-07:00gabby's personal journeyRene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-44926720138122044152022-08-30T07:01:00.003-06:002022-08-30T07:01:35.082-06:00Thoughts on Comparison<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vf4Jr-TcKFrDwaSBrUjjGr0X7YrQNGmwcnM2bAojJMa-RVnUEIT6dhvRXEY0YLDh-P14x2dGiTHFGBHnBNM18FKw8E__41b-PkLkd9lhJddAxp_L-X5MlLQUt4-Brn9BbMUQcU400C2pwlAbHyjh9s2mM61twOkQovH0C6kaqszfh_qk6yxYIjJI/s933/971480116-celebration-of-life-quotes-happiness.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="933" data-original-width="620" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vf4Jr-TcKFrDwaSBrUjjGr0X7YrQNGmwcnM2bAojJMa-RVnUEIT6dhvRXEY0YLDh-P14x2dGiTHFGBHnBNM18FKw8E__41b-PkLkd9lhJddAxp_L-X5MlLQUt4-Brn9BbMUQcU400C2pwlAbHyjh9s2mM61twOkQovH0C6kaqszfh_qk6yxYIjJI/s320/971480116-celebration-of-life-quotes-happiness.webp" width="213" /></a></div><br />One of the 5 things that Pahla B. emphasizes in her Five-Oh! method is mindset. She encourages us to think about our thoughts and label them as helpful or not helpful. Many times my inner mean girl leads me down the path of comparison with other people. That path does not end well for me and 99.99% of the time is not helpful at all! <p></p><p>Recently I've been working really hard not comparing my fitness with my husband's. He is at his goal weight (mostly) and walks anywhere from 3-6+ hours a day. He tries to get in about 100 miles a week! I have to continually tell myself that to walk that much is his choice and I don't have to make the same choice. For one thing I don't think my body would be too happy with me and for a second I would not enjoy it. I'm a true believer that you don't know what tomorrow may bring so make sure you are enjoying each day you have. I am also having to continually remind myself that someone else's journey is not my journey. I have my own journey and all I can do is walk my own road. I can certainly be inspired by other journeys but beating myself up because I'm not as good, thin, fit, successful, creative, (enter any other destructive word here), as someone else does not get me closer to where I want to be. Instead I need to look at what my goals are (not someone else's goals for me) and determine what I am willing to do to achieve them. To that end here are some of the goals that are floating around in my head - some are health related and others are just bucket list type items but either way they contribute to my overall well-being.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Reach a healthy weight that makes me feel good about myself and allows me to do all the things I want to do</li><ul><li>20 minutes of moderate exercise each day</li><li>Eat healthy 80% of the time - allow the treats and don't be ashamed of them!</li><li>7-8 hours of sleep each night</li></ul></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Create a daily routine in retirement that allows me time to be creative while still maintaining my home and relationships</li><ul><li>Bible journaling/study</li><li>Home maintenance/blessing</li><li>Exercise</li><li>Spending time with people who matter</li><ul><li>Fun outings with my husband - biking, hiking, museum crawling, etc.</li></ul><li>Reading for pleasure</li><li>Creative endeavors</li></ul></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Work through my worries in a healthy way</li><ul><li>Reality check the situation</li><li>Plan for worst case scenario</li><li>Prayer - let go and let God!</li></ul></ul><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>YouTube</li><ul><li>Film what I enjoy - encourage others</li><li>Don't let channel become yet another comparison vehicle</li><li>Stop worrying about the numbers</li></ul></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Find ways to bless others through my time and talents</li><ul><li>Project Linus</li><li>Dress-a-Girl</li><li>Operation Christmas Child</li><li>DAR projects</li><li>CTMH</li><li>Cards for Soldiers</li><li>Sponsored kids</li><li>Handmade gifts for friends and family</li></ul></ul><div>I'm sure I will add to this list and at times take things away but I think this was a good exercise in looking at what I really want and not comparing myself to others and trying to achieve their dreams instead of my own.</div>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-63419111724957613902022-08-23T14:00:00.014-06:002022-08-23T14:00:00.140-06:00Catching Up!<p>I just looked back and it's been a while since I last posted!! Wow!! I've been on Profile all this time and I've been very successful but am losing steam with the intense difficulty that is involved with this program. As of last Friday's weigh-in I have lost 45# and have 39.2# to go - over half way there!! Woohoo!!! The problem that is now happening is that we have been loosening up our weekends for some treats and that has led to small losses and several maintenance weeks. That's great for my hubby who reached his goal last week (over 100# lost!!) but I still have some road to walk. I know that Profile is amazing and works when nothing else really has but I also know it's just not sustainable for much longer for me. Profile cuts calories quite dramatically and involves the use of their shakes and bars. We paid for a year of coaching (and it was not cheap!!) and the bars and shakes end up costing about $110 a week each. I am retiring at the end of September so our income will be going down a bit so we are looking at ways to cut some costs. I know my health is important but I also know my mental health needs a break from the intensity of Profile. My mental health will also benefit from being able to cut our food costs a bit so we can take more vacations!!</p><p>So...in comes Trim Healthy Mama. I've been hearing about this lifestyle (not a diet) for quite a while and have been slowly learning the plan. I picked up the book for my Kindle (reading it again for the 2nd time now) and then found the first cookbook at our used book store. I've joined several THM FB groups and am reading and just soaking it all in. I've started incorporating THM concepts into our Profile journey (trimmy coffee and Wasa crackers for the win!!) and plan to transition completely to THM mid-October when our coaching runs out. It will be really hard to let our coach know we are not going to be meeting with her anymore but it's just not financially nor mentally sustainable any longer. Do I recommend Profile? Absolutely, 100% YES! It is a program that will really get you working toward learning about nutrition and give you the kickstart you need to get healthier. It's helped me get to a weight I have not seen in over 9 years. Getting to that weight has reduced the pressure on my joints and allowed me to engage in more activity. I've been going on 5 mile walks 1-2 times a week, doing yoga nearly every day, riding our exercise bike consistently for the last year, and now I'm incorporating weights along with some cardio exercise through Pahla B's YouTube channel. Overall I feel amazing and I've had to downsize my clothing as well. I know I have more to lose but I'm ok losing it a bit slower and being kind to myself as I walk down this health path.</p><p>While THM doesn't push you to have a calorie limit I know myself and know that I will very easily overdo even healthy food. Pahla B has a program designed for women over 50 so I'm using that to guide myself on healthy limits. She recommended some calorie calculators and said to calculate using these five and then get the average. I did that today and my calorie goal is 1,870 calories a day. I think on Profile I'm set around 1,100. I'm going to start using a food tracker to see what sort of calorie intake I have going on now (TBH I've been adding in a few things non-Profile so I know I'm over the 1,100 but don't think I'm that close to the 1,870 (on regular days) but we shall see the truth when I start actually tracking each bite). </p><p>I'd really like to find a way of eating that is intuitive and doesn't ban certain foods. I want to move toward seeing food primarily as a fuel source for what I want to do but then also allowing some meals/treats to be special. I can't deny that food is one of the joys in my life and I truly believe God put food on this earth for enjoyment as well as sustenance. I just need to work on that balance!</p>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-85721201177331466222021-10-16T18:44:00.003-06:002021-10-16T18:44:45.285-06:00Week One on Profile<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxFMQfzIkztTUrLfPOaKbSUIVzpDoMEQ6n-v6zxXm8153NIzN6S3Mh6kNuTc706oIfeYnVK5mrHVAxQi3mNwNBHzS9krGUn7BmsWSY55kthu6px8BfexsE2GGbASl_q87xOoadWZXZrk/s646/Screen+Shot+2021-10-16+at+8.43.51+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="646" data-original-width="604" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxFMQfzIkztTUrLfPOaKbSUIVzpDoMEQ6n-v6zxXm8153NIzN6S3Mh6kNuTc706oIfeYnVK5mrHVAxQi3mNwNBHzS9krGUn7BmsWSY55kthu6px8BfexsE2GGbASl_q87xOoadWZXZrk/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-10-16+at+8.43.51+PM.png" width="299" /></a></div><br />Well...week one is in the books! We had our 2nd coaching session on Thursday so we did our official weigh-in on that morning. I am down 6.4#!! However, over the last two days I have gained 1.5# and I'm not sure why that happened. I have been following our plan of four shakes, one bar, 3-5 oz of protein, 3 fats, and 4-12 veggies each day. I haven't gone over my allotted flex foods either. If I have another gain tomorrow, I am going to message my coach to see what she recommends. <p></p><p>For the most part I've been doing ok with the plan. The first few days were rough and I've really been missing my morning coffee. I normally drink decaf so it wasn't a caffeine thing but I've come to realize it's the ritual and mouthfeel of the coffee sweetened with stevia and the richness of the cream mixed in that I am missing. I also felt sort of icky while the gluten and other crap I ate the week before starting Profile was working it's way out of my body. I felt sort of lightheaded and off mostly in the evenings. I did find that a shot of pickle juice helped and the last four days or so have been void of those feelings. I've also been feeling a little deprived but maybe if I would have felt that more often in the past I wouldn't be sitting here looking at needing to lose 80+ pounds!!</p><p>Oh...before I forget! The body scan!! Holy cow!!! Seeing that scan was pretty eye-opening and truthfully a little bit disturbing. I'm glad I had it done and I'm looking forward to being able to compare them as I go. We will have another one at the six week mark. That is also when they will do the DNA test. </p><p>We met with Erin this week and she was really nice. When we first got on the zoom call I was a little worried because she was way too cheery. But...she calmed down and we had a good conversation. We meet with her again next week so I'll be curious to see if she starts out the same way or if it was just the nervousness of meeting someone new. </p><p>We will do the same plan this week and then starting in week three we will move to three shakes and two bars. I'll be glad for that because I like the bars much more than the shakes. I think it's because I can chew them and they seem to satisfy that urge I seem to have to eat things rather than drink them. Speaking of drinking...wine is not on this diet!! I am missing my glass of wine at night that I used to have several times a week but I just need to remember that it's not forever. I might even splurge and have a few ounces on Thanksgiving and Christmas.</p><p><br /></p>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-472431814535615082021-09-30T03:57:00.000-06:002021-09-30T03:57:04.415-06:00Updates and New Directions<p>Wow! I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. First - yoga - I was doing so well until we went to CO in April. After that I never really got back into it but I have to admit I do miss parts of it and I'm feeling a pull to get back into it. I found the January Yoga with Adrienne so inspiring and didn't feel that magic with the other plans she puts out. I think maybe it will be a good idea to just go back and do January again - it's all on her YT channel so there's no reason I couldn't do it again. I was also doing really well with riding the exercise bike in the morning until work got extremely overwhelming over the last couple months. I needed that time in the morning to be able to concentrate on getting things done before everyone else got started and blew up my email and the meetings started. I need to take that time back and hopefully there's a light at the end of that tunnel. Another supervisor is starting in a couple weeks and I need to put my foot down that I cannot continue to do all this work covering for vacancies. The other branches have brought in acting supervisors when they've had vacancies - we need to do the same.</p><p>But...the real reason I wanted (needed) to come write is because we are getting ready to start on something I've never done before. We are joining Profile by Sanford. I've never done a diet plan that included one-on-one coaching and meal plans that were customized to me. I've done lots of diets but they were all ones that were geared toward the masses and you followed the plan based on your height and weight. Profile appears to start like that but then you meet with your coach weekly and if you aren't getting the results, they change things up. There are also a lot of technology based pieces as well. While I expect we will do the majority of our coaching sessions through zoom, I would like to go into the center to have the full body scan done. I like the idea of getting my measurements taken by a machine that will take them accurately. I've always had a difficult time with making sure the measuring tape was in the same place each time I took my own measurements and I'm sure I wasn't always using the same tension so the results weren't very trustworthy. They also have this DNA test they do that will look at how you process carbohydrates to customize your food levels to how your body naturally works. There are also two apps and a private FB group. </p><p>We met with one of the coaches last night, Alyx, and she was really nice. She did some calculations and estimates that I would be able to get to my goal of 165 by July. I really thought it would take longer. I was surprised to see that over the last five years my weight has swung 55#!! I'm ready to stop that swing and get to a healthy weight. I want to be able to do things without getting worn out and hating every minute of it. </p><p>I do have to admit the cost is weighing a bit heavily but I need to see it as an investment in me. I retire exactly one year from today. It would be so awesome to enter into retirement healthier than I've been in decades. We are also expecting our first grandchild in April and I want to live to see them grow and possibly start a family of their own too. Isn't the $1,224 for a year of coaching worth all of that?!? Adding my husband on to the plan is an additional $699 so really if you do the math, it comes out to under $1,000 each. We used to spend almost that much on Starbucks each year. We will also need to purchase special shakes, bars, and other food items in the beginning stages but will eventually move to all grocery store food. That cost is estimated at about $110 each per week. But...that really isn't too much more than we have been spending so I don't see that cost as really that outrageous. </p><p>I'm pretty excited that my husband is joining with me. The stress of trying to figure out what he should be eating so he can meet his goals has been way too much for me. I know it's not my fault but when he would not have a successful week eating exactly what I put in front of him, I would feel absolutely awful. I don't like feeling that way. I don't always like being the person who is in charge of our food and not feeling like I was successful at it made it an even worse chore than I already feel like it is. Sometimes I just wish someone would take care of all this stuff and just call me when it was time to eat. Eh...let's be truthful, there's no sometimes about it - I always wish this!! LOL! </p><p>Anyway...my aunt will be here visiting for a couple days next week so we plan to start the program after she leaves. That will give us time to get our food and other supplies picked up from the center and I hope to be able to go over there to get the body scan done before we start. I'd really like a strong starting point. I really want this to work so I want to do it properly right out of the gate. I am also taking leave the following week so that will give me a chance to get started on everything without the added stress of work. We did a trial of this program last month so I know a little bit of what it entails so I know that being able to concentrate on the program for that first week will be a huge stress reliever!</p><p>So...off we go!!!</p>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-30337682060459306712021-01-22T14:24:00.000-07:002021-01-22T14:24:09.322-07:00Progress<p>I just completed day 21 of the 30 day yoga challenge and it's going great! I still hate downward facing dog and can't lift my legs or pretzel up like Adriene can but I'm getting so much stronger. I actually surprised myself today when I was able to get up from a crouch using just my legs. I cannot remember the last time I was able to do that!! In some ways it seems silly and sad that something like that would excite me but I'm choosing to let that go and embrace how proud of myself I am. I am praying that once this 30 day challenge is over I don't let laziness take over. I want to continue to do a daily practice. It's hard while I'm doing it but I feel so good after. I'm noticing that even the shorter practices (15-20) minutes leave me feeling energized and strong.</p><p>We also got an exercise bike and some VR games that link up with it. I've tried a few and they are fun and challenging. I'm having a problem with the seat though. The hubby ordered another seat to try from Amazon and it should be here on Sunday. I've tried pushing through the pain but I just can't. He's also had some saddle sores so maybe this new seat will fix both our problems. He found some neat apps on the iPad that allow you to bike through different areas of the world. Some of them even link up with the bike and you control the speed with your pedaling. Technology is amazing!!</p><p>I'm feeling better every day although I still have quite a bit of hip and back pain especially in the morning. I've started taking some Tylenol at night when I go to bed and that seems to help me get a better nights sleep. My hips will tend to wake me up and the Tylenol is curbing that pain. I don't really like taking it but if it gets me past this point to where I am strong and fit enough that the pain subsides on it's own, I'm willing to do that.</p><p>I'm also doing very well on eating within my macros and while this week wasn't as successful on the scale as I'd hoped, I'm still down 6# since January 1st and almost 12# since I started counting macros in November. But more than that I just feel better and stronger. I know that everything else will follow. I just need to be consistent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJsFADG94Us9k7ugHUoyCSV8I5Y2PDJg3IrtZPitFHqpH-CKeXE8WSKMtKh-1Cvd0UkFGFvEYMvuGd56niGy5MQny0Tk1nyQuluN3XxIl8qboJW6O_wDO6r1wl8rB3G6MkHKLl_XX12A/s1202/Screen+Shot+2021-01-22+at+4.20.43+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1202" data-original-width="876" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJsFADG94Us9k7ugHUoyCSV8I5Y2PDJg3IrtZPitFHqpH-CKeXE8WSKMtKh-1Cvd0UkFGFvEYMvuGd56niGy5MQny0Tk1nyQuluN3XxIl8qboJW6O_wDO6r1wl8rB3G6MkHKLl_XX12A/s320/Screen+Shot+2021-01-22+at+4.20.43+PM.png" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-57087197826219081682021-01-02T19:19:00.000-07:002021-01-02T19:19:45.128-07:00YWA - Day 1<p>I have a love-hate relationship with yoga - I hate the actual doing of it but I love the flexibility and strength I gain. For several years I've heard about the Yoga with Adriene 30 Day Journey that she does every January on her YouTube channel. I decided that this year will be the year I will take part. In the intro yesterday she said the hardest part will be showing up and that is so true! It's 9pm and I just finished the first day's practice!! I thought about it this morning and then forgot all about it until an hour ago - sheesh!! But...A for the day for me because I got up and did it!</p><p>In the beginning it actually hurt my hips (especially my left one) to sit cross legged on my mat. I have to admit that got me worried a little bit that I'd be able to make it through. As usual I had trouble with my hands and wrists while trying to hold the poses like tabletop and downward dog - that part is nothing new at all and I'm hopeful that as I keep with it over this next 30 days things will get better. I had to drop down to child's pose several times to rest but I'm pleased with what I was able to do tonight. When we were sitting crossed legged at the end to take our final breaths I noticed that my hip didn't hurt quite as much - yay progress!!!</p><p>One thing I really liked about the practice today is that I was able to just do what I could do and not feel pressured because I felt like someone was watching me. That was always an issue at the gym even though my logical brain knows that everyone else is busy paying attention to their own stuff and not my stuff. That old self-conscious monster lurks ever present in my head regardless of my beating it with the logical stick. LOL! Overall I'm very happy with my practice today and look forward to what tomorrow brings.</p>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-19094416862052208102019-09-19T06:19:00.002-06:002019-09-19T06:19:28.604-06:00Back on a DietBet!Well, who do we have here?!?! Long time no see!!! Well...last month I hit within 5# of my highest ever weight and we just can't have that. So...I am back in a DietBet and working hard. I am still following a Keto way of life and love how it makes me feel. I have been going overboard on the calories though so I am dialing that back. I have moved to doing One Meal A Day (OMAD) and have been doing that for several weeks now. I'm really liking it! I have been spending my lunch break walking my neighborhood instead of sitting here wishing I could eat. I am usually eating my dinner around 4-5pm and then not snacking at all. I've been doing better about my water - I have my decaf coffee first thing in the morning and then before I allow myself a 2nd cup I have to drink my Tervis full of water. Then after my 2nd cup it is usually time for my walk. After my walk I drink another Tervis and then I can have an iced coffee. With dinner I try to drink another Tervis but sometimes I treat myself with a Fresca. I also just picked up some decaf cold brew tea bags so I plan to start incorporating that during my day as well. I've lost 10.2# during the first month of the DB but most of that occurred during the first two weeks and it was a combination of reining in my eating, drinking water, and weighing-in in the morning rather than late afternoon like I did when I first signed up for the DB. This next month will be a little trickier and I will have to be diligent with my day to day discipline. I know I can do this!!!Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-2129505220077468532019-01-26T17:14:00.002-07:002019-01-26T17:14:45.128-07:00Keto Catch UpWow...I can't believe it's been so long since I've written here! The hubby and I have been doing Keto for several months since last summer and we are really finding it fits our lifestyle perfectly. We stopped paying attention over the holidays and then took a cruise so we backtracked a little bit from where we were prior to Thanksgiving. So we decided to start back up just before the beginning of the year. Since then I have lost 5.2# and the hubby has lost 10#!! And that is without tracking any macros and really not exercising very much.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tonight I made chili and faux cornbread for dinner - it was all great!! Here’s the chili - I also made her chili seasoning that’s linked in the recipe and it really wasn’t spicy at all even with the jalapeños: https://ketocookingchristian.com/instant-pot-no-bean-chili-keto-and-low-carb/ </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Here’s the cornbread recipe I used: https://thatlowcarblife.com/low-carb-cornbread/ We were shocked at how good the cornbread was and thought the base might make a good starter for making other types of breads and coffee cakes. I used Monk Fruit as my sweetener. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm going to try to keep this blog a little more updated if for no other reason than have a place to direct friends and family when they ask for recipes.</span>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-24185326616894582242018-05-06T11:48:00.000-06:002018-05-06T11:48:16.482-06:00Teriyaki Turkey Meatball Bowls Meal Prep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBmWZwlxFINCLZ59-h5CXqCpVm5AFU5M78u73giSnL9jKr_nqrRn34z86bzlbYGxbMPxkT4YnLY9U7ex-Ub_MewT_NMxFZcqS042XzlOVvvNCgxz23q953rZ5UoENMd6ZRo3nfe4PfbM/s1600/IMG_6489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFBmWZwlxFINCLZ59-h5CXqCpVm5AFU5M78u73giSnL9jKr_nqrRn34z86bzlbYGxbMPxkT4YnLY9U7ex-Ub_MewT_NMxFZcqS042XzlOVvvNCgxz23q953rZ5UoENMd6ZRo3nfe4PfbM/s320/IMG_6489.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Today I spent some time meal prepping. I made Teriyaki Turkey Meatball Bowls. I had one for lunch and it was pretty good!<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients per serving:</b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Kroger Reduced Fat Frozen Turkey Meatballs - 85g (6 meatballs per serving)</li>
<li>Green Giant Frozen Cauliflower Rice - 85g (the package says you get four one cup servings but I really only ended up with four 1/2 cup servings out of the package so I used my old food scale to weight the grams just to be sure - I bought this thing over 20 years ago at Weight Watchers and it still works like a champ!)</li>
<li>Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos Teriyaki Sauce - 1 tablespoon per serving (I actually found this at my local Kroger and I do NOT live in a large area so I was quite surprised to see it!)</li>
<li>Member's Mark Steamable Broccoli Florets - 85g</li>
<li>Kroger Canned Pineapple Chunks - 141g (drained)</li>
</ul>
<br />
I precooked everything in the microwave except the pineapple. I like the Green Giant cauliflower rice that comes in a steamable bag so I cooked that on high for 6 minutes. The broccoli I bought comes in a steamable bag as well so I cooked that on high for 8 minutes. For the meatballs I put 24 meatballs in a glass bowl and poured 1/4 cup of the teriyaki sauce over it. I cooked it on high for 3 minutes. After it came out I tossed in the canned pineapple and stirred it around to coat the pineapple. <br />
<br />
I'm using some two compartment reusable meal prep containers that I found on Amazon - they seem to be ok but I think I might invest in some better containers at some point. I'm not sure I trust these not to leak in my lunchbag. In the large section I put 85g of the cauliflower rice and then topped it with 6 meatballs and 141g (approx 5 ounces) of the pineapple - I divvied up the remaining sauce among the four containers. In the smaller section I put 85g of the broccoli. Feel free to add salt, pepper, or other seasonings that you like. I found that the teriyaki sauce tasted really good so I only put a little bit of salt and pepper on the broccoli. I'm guessing that it will be best to heat this up for about 3-5 minutes on 50% power. If it turns out different, I will come back and edit this post. The one I had for lunch today I popped in for a minute on high since most everything was still fairly warm from the initial cooking.<br />
<br />
This was really easy and I was done before I knew it! The most time was spent waiting for the microwave to finish cooking. Four healthy lunches ready to go!!<br />
<br />
<b>Nutrition:</b><br />
Calories: 390<br />
Fat: 9g<br />
Carbs; 62.5g<br />
Protein: 19g<br />
<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-84506525606519443282018-05-04T18:25:00.002-06:002018-05-04T18:25:38.748-06:00Time is Flying!Can you believe it's already May?!?! I can't!! I finished out my juice fast at about day 11 but my hubby is still going strong! I've lost track of how many days he's been juicing now. He took a meal off here and there when we had something going on but for the most part it's been pure juicing for him. He has lost 20.6 just since he started juicing and is down 27.6 from his highest in October. I'm so proud of him!!<br />
<br />
I lost 11.9 in April through a combination of juicing at the beginning of the month and ending the month with calorie counting (WW Freestyle just doesn't work for me!) - most of the loss was through juicing though. Unfortunately, I had a gain of 1.3 this week even though I was right on target with my calories. When I decided to stop juicing I cancelled my WW app subscription and started using iTrackBites to track my calories. It works really well for calorie counting and I highly recommend it. However after my gain this week I started doing more research into how I could have gained when I knew I had a calorie deficit. I read up on macros and how different body types react differently to certain combinations of carbs, fat, and protein. Long story short - not all calories are made equal! I know, so simple but for some reason my brain just clicked on that reality that probably everyone already knows. It really made a lot of sense to me so I have decided to give macro counting a try.<br />
<br />
I looked and looked through iTrackBites trying to find a way to easily track my macros and while I could see the macro counts for each individual food, I didn't find any area of the app that would add them up for me. I am way too lazy/busy/opposed/whatever to using math to that extent!! I knew there had to be a better way since so many people are on the macros bandwagon.<br />
<br />
One of the blogs I researched for info on macros was Roni Noone's blog. She shared that she uses My Fitness Pal. I used MFP years ago and I still had it on my phone so during my lunch break I opened it up and started looking through the options. I put in what I had eaten today so far and then put in what I planned for dinner. I quickly realized that I was way too low on protein and way too high on carbs - hmmm...could that have been my problem all along. I made some adjustments to my dinner plan and ended up getting pretty close to perfect at the end of it all. I will definitely make some different decisions tomorrow!!<br />
<br />
I really like MFP so far. I put in my weight and goals and it figured my macros and my calorie goals for me. I'll be completely transparent here - I'm 5'7" and I weight 234.7 (ugh!). The goals the app set for me in order to be able to lose 1.5# a week are:<br />
<br />
Calories: 1,390<br />
Carbs: 174g<br />
Fat: 46g<br />
Protein: 70g<br />
(and a bunch of other ones too but these are the ones I plan to watch the closest)<br />
<br />
I love how the app tells you what you have left to use rather than showing you what you have used - again more math that I do not want to take part in!! Here are how my numbers turned out today:<br />
<br />
Calories: 31 left<br />
Carbs: 9g left<br />
Fat: 3g left<br />
Protein: I went 5g over on this one<br />
<br />
I feel really good that I did well on these numbers today. I did have a little more sugar than I should have but I'll work on that tomorrow. I think the granola bar I had for a snack is probably what put me over in that category.<br />
<br />
I sure hope this new way of eating is the key to getting to a healthy weight range!!<br />
<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-75867045764508281992018-04-14T08:29:00.001-06:002018-04-14T08:29:46.572-06:00Dieting and Kindness<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ahTu6Sqsk3RwUOd-s14VGMgve4mNh7d9YabY9dNW_6cZd5pVXNnuJMoVslnElxBPOSXZ9Cu98ZyWa5POGQLsp5Wce1F25FjiI3teVOpgE93cWiDhb_InI9kLzjoP6jy63idzwvdaz8U/s1600/You-Will-Never-Regret-Being-Kind.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ahTu6Sqsk3RwUOd-s14VGMgve4mNh7d9YabY9dNW_6cZd5pVXNnuJMoVslnElxBPOSXZ9Cu98ZyWa5POGQLsp5Wce1F25FjiI3teVOpgE93cWiDhb_InI9kLzjoP6jy63idzwvdaz8U/s320/You-Will-Never-Regret-Being-Kind.png" width="320" /></a></div>
Today on a WW group I belong to on FB someone asked a simple question about water and/or juice fasting. I was dismayed by all the negative comments and just downright meanness that came out of these people. I commented recommending a couple documentaries (Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead (FSND) and The Science of Fasting) and shared a little bit of my experience with fasting. Those of us who fight our weight should know how hard this is and that not everything works for everyone. I'm sure we all know someone who lost weight on any of the major diets out there and you might have tried some of those diets yourself and not had the same experience. Our bodies react to food combinations differently and being hurtful to each other is not the sort of diet community I am looking for. I told my hubby when I hit post that I wondered how many flames would be shot at me. I've had issues with this group several times over the last few months so it might be time to hit that leave group button. This mama don't need more drama!!<br />
<br />
That post is also very timely for me. Hubby and I started a 15 day juice fast with FSND this week. Today will be our first juice only day. We spent the week having green smoothies for breakfast, salads for lunch, and vegetable soups for dinner. I lost 4.1# over the five days and my hubby lost 7#. I feel so much lighter and less bloated. My digestive system is singing and my sleep has been better. It's not an easy thing to do but I'm finding that I'm actually not that hungry but more so it's my mind that I am fighting. I feel like I'm winning that war by keeping my mind on what matters most. I remind myself that what I want in the moment is not what I want the most. <br />
<br />
I'm trying to refocus my thoughts on non-food related things. I've been spending more time reading for fun (reading Outlander #8 right now), watching movies with my hubby (we are on a Marvel Universe adventure to watch everything in chronological order - yep we are such geeks!), and crafting (making cards, scrapbooking, and crocheting is on the agenda). I've also been doing some yoga each morning (check out Yoga with Adriene on YT!), getting to the gym twice a week to work on cardio, and finding small ways to incorporate more movement into each day. I've also started getting the yard ready for summer and have plans to do a big clean in our crawl space. We are hoping to move this summer back to my husband's hometown so getting that crawl space cleared out now will definitely make that activity much easier when the time comes.<br />
<br />
Well...gotta get going and get those jars filled with wonderful juice!<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-86696425338271484582018-01-28T09:38:00.000-07:002018-01-28T09:38:28.910-07:00Freestyle Check-inWell...Freestyle seems to be going ok with regard to staying within my points each day but my total loss for January so far is only .8 and I was hoping for more like 4. Looking back in my tracker I think I might be overdoing some of the free stuff so this week I will be pulling back a little and measuring more closely. I'm also going to leave the granola off my morning yogurt and stop eating eggs like they are going out of style. I need to remind myself that just because so many things are zero points that doesn't mean they are zero calories. It still comes down to calories in and calories out. Another change I am going to make is that I am going to serve fish and veggies more often. It seems like when I eat fish and veggies I do so much better in the weight loss area.<br />
<br />
I'm still fighting my twisted ankle from back in December so I haven't done much movement either but I realize that I need to quit using that as an excuse to keep other parts of my body from getting movement. True I can't do things that create much weight bearing or twisting actions (that means dance class is a no-no) but I can do other things like riding the stationary bike and using the weight machines on my other parts. I also realize that I really need to strengthen my muscles. I've been noticing that I'm having a hard time getting up off the floor (even before the twisted ankle) and when I just crouch down I can't get back up without something to pull on. This led to a very embarrassing tip-over at a museum in Ft. Lauderdale back in October. I crouched down to get a picture of an otter swimming in a cool display and when I went to get back up I fell backwards onto my butt instead. It was like my thigh muscles stopped working. I've also noticed it's hard to clean my house. This is not going to work!! I'm only 51 so I should be able to do all these things with ease. Enough is enough!!!<br />
<br />
While I've been thinking on these things in the back of my mind, an amazing video came across my subscription feed on YouTube. The video is by Brianna from Diva and the Divine and it really spoke to me - almost like she was in my head! She talked about how you just need to get out there no matter how much you don't want to - "suck it up anyway!" She said you need to get into the habit of getting there before the desire will come naturally - believe me, I HATE exercise in all its forms!! I think I'd rather scrub toilets than go to the gym. But...I know that scrubbing toilets is not going to get me where I need to go. I'm so glad that Brianna shares like she does!! She inspires me so much because she's so real. She shows that she struggles with the same things we all do but that she gets up and dusts herself off and gets right back into it. Here's the link to the video - I highly recommend it! <a href="https://youtu.be/39vrZRnBveE">https://youtu.be/39vrZRnBveE</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-72210831405256748962018-01-17T21:00:00.001-07:002018-01-17T21:00:32.365-07:00Weight Watchers Freestyle | Chicken Taco Soup | Power Pressure Cooker XLWow! It's really been a while since I posted. I'm still plugging along with Weight Watchers but the new change to Freestyle has really infused me with renewed excitement so we shall see if that excitement finds its way on to the blog as well. I'm having fun finding recipes and meal ideas that are zero (or close to it) points. It's amazing the fun treats you can enjoy when the rest of your meals are zero points!!<br />
<br />
I recently Frankensteined a taco soup recipe and I'm really enjoying it. I read so many other recipes just to get an idea of what they do and then I pulled this and that into a pot to create my own version. If you want to see an original version, just google "Zero Point Weight Watchers Taco Soup" and you can figure that I probably read the first six or so recipes to get the ideas flowing in my head. <br />
<br />
My version comes out to zero points and the first time I ate it I added 4 points worth of shredded cheddar cheese (1/4 cup of the real stuff - life's too short to only eat fat free cheese!) but to tell you the truth the soup is so tasty that I really couldn't tell the cheese was in there. I left it out when I had left overs and it was fantastic! I also tried something new and topped it with plain fat free Greek yogurt and I did NOT miss the sour cream at all and I certainly didn't miss the points I would have had to count. <br />
<br />
Here's my version:<br />
<br />
No precooking, sautéing, blanking, or any of those other hoity-toity cooking methods needed - just dump all this stuff in your electric pressure cooker (I have the Power Pressure Cooker XL) and push the soup button (I'm pretty sure the Instant Pot also has a soup button that should work very similarly). If you don't have an electric pressure cooker, I won't shame you (much) but I'm sure you could put this on the stove and cook it on medium until the chicken was fully cooked and tender.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 chicken breasts - I used these monsters from Sams that I didn't trim but don't be like me - trim those girls of all visible fat (trust me you will be glad you did!)</li>
<li>1 sweet onion - diced</li>
<li>1 can tomato sauce</li>
<li>1 can whole kernel corn - do not drain the juice just dump it all in the pot</li>
<li>2 cans diced tomatoes - again, no draining</li>
<li>1 can chopped green chilies - yep, broken record - do not drain these guys</li>
<li>1 can each black beans and kidney beans - these you want to drain and then rinse them really well</li>
<li>3 tablespoons taco seasoning (I love the Penzey's brand but any type will work or you can just dump in one of those packets of pre-made taco seasoning mix)</li>
<li>1 teaspoon chili powder</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cumin (does anyone else think this smells like BO? My hubby mentioned it one day and now its all I can smell but oh, it tastes so good!)</li>
</ul>
<br />
After your pressure cooker has finished cooking just let it do a natural release for about 15 minutes. Pull your fully cooked chicken breasts out and shred them with two forks. Put the chicken back in and give it a few stirs. I ended up with six good size servings and the leftovers are even better than the first meal! I put a couple dollops of the Greek yogurt on top and it was fabulous! So filling and it's zero points!!!<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-7068133077571872262017-08-23T07:31:00.000-06:002017-08-23T07:31:42.889-06:00Pizza, Wine, and Cake (oh, my!)Well...I finally made it back to the gym and it was HARD!! I was only able to stay on the elliptical for 10 minutes and every minute was a struggle. I also did the leg and ab machines. I did a weight that was a challenge and did as many reps as I could before becoming very tired. Most machines I ended up with about 20 reps. I'd really like to get to the gym five days a week but I know that in reality it will be great if I could make it at least twice in addition to my regular Wednesday night dance class. Speaking of dance class - I really need to push myself more in class and stop phoning it in. While it's a great social outlet for me I need to also dial in more to the physical aspect of the class. <br />
<br />
I also started counting WW points again and yesterday was a perfect 30 day! I tried a few new things and for the most part they were pretty good. Brianna from Diva and the Divine raves about the Trader Joe's Guiltless Mac & Cheese so I tried one for lunch and I have to admit I wasn't too blown away with it - sorry Brianna :-(. However, she doctors hers up with extra cheese, crab, and bacon bits. Unfortunately all I had to use was the crab. I might try it again with her additions before I make a final determination. Mac & cheese is one of my all time favorite comfort foods (yep...the blue box stuff!!) so I think my psyche messes with my ability to enjoy other mac & cheese's when they don't taste like the blue box.<br />
<br />
Last night we had pizzas made on Flat Out flatbread. I liked it much more than my husband did but he was a really good sport about it. I just brushed the flatbread with EVOO and then topped it with mostly zero point toppings (artichokes, basil, jalapeños, capers, and mushrooms) but also included black olives (1SP), jalapeño pepperoni (2SP), and shredded pizza cheese (2SP). All in all the pizza cost me 8SP and it was very filling. <br />
<br />
I also had 4SP worth of red wine (totally worth it!!) and ended the evening trying out the 3-2-1 Mug Cake. I was quite impressed how good it was! You take 3 tablespoons of any cake mix, add 2 tablespoons of water, and cook it on high in the microwave for 1 minute. I used spice cake mix and drizzled 1SP worth of sugar free chocolate syrup on top. It doesn't make a huge amount but the flavor is quite intensified due to only adding water. I'm looking forward to trying some other flavors!<br />
<br />
Tonight I am trying a new recipe from the WW site - Grilled Chicken with a Corn/Tomato Salsa. I'll let you know how it is. I also have dance class tonight so I don't have to wait long to push myself to be present in the dancing moment!!Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-38002512654931655082017-08-10T08:00:00.000-06:002017-08-10T08:00:17.892-06:00Back At It!Well...it's been so long since I've written here. I see that my last post was at the end of February. Shortly after that post we began a very hard journey with my mother-in-law. It would require leaving home and traveling a two days drive away to Tennessee to care for her during her final months on this earth. It was hard, exhausting, and frustrating but at the same time incredibly fulfilling and we both know we were where we were supposed to be. It was a huge comfort to know that no matter how much we wanted to just lay down and give up that God had everything under control. <br />
<br />
What wasn't under control was food!! I ended up gaining about 24# over those nearly five months. There were lots of desserts and comfort food over those months and it showed!! So...when we got home we got together our plan to do a reboot. We started with a week of vegetarian eating and then my husband had to quickly go back to TN to get some emergency repairs done to the house there so things got a little wonky on the food front. When he got back we ate a few special dinners out and then got back on the reboot wagon full steam. We've been at it for 11 days now and I've lost 8.6#! It hasn't been easy and the last five or so days have been incredibly frustrating for me. I know I shouldn't let the scale take as central a part in my life as I do but when you are juicing like this (for weight loss) the scale is really the best barometer of daily progress (and dare I say motivation). I lost really good for the first five days but then I started leveling off and had several days where I lost nothing or just a few tenths. I know in my head that these things will happen and that if I just push through, I will be successful. But (you knew there'd be a "but" in there) it can really sap your willpower and motivation. However, I am so blessed that when I am weak on this journey my husband steps up and can push us both through. If it would have been just me, I would have thrown in the towel days ago. But...here we are on day 11 and I woke up today to a .8 loss!!<br />
<br />
Another piece of this pie is that I know I need to get back to the gym to at least do some walking on the elliptical if nothing else. We have a vacation coming up in about seven weeks and I know we will be doing a LOT of walking. I really need to get my stamina back up - keeping up with my very physical and very TALL husband is a challenge on a good day!! I've been feeling so tired and exhausted but I think I just need to push myself to do these things anyway (and come back here to stay accountable!). I WILL call the gym today and get my account taken out of a frozen status and WILL get my hiney to the gym no later than tomorrow!! I WILL be kind to myself and even if all I can squeeze out is 10 minutes on the elliptical, I will be proud of myself for getting out the door and showing up. Yep...this will definitely be a participation trophy sort of event!<br />
<br />
Wooo....watch me go!! ;-)Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-29604150952277235182017-02-27T22:14:00.001-07:002017-02-27T22:14:37.872-07:00Could My Mindset Be ChangingI read an amazing blog post by Roni Noone and it really reinforced something that has been flitting into my head off and on over the last few years. Specifically should I really be so focused on what the scale says? I'm still unpacking what that means for me but in the meantime here is the post I'm referring to: <a href="http://roninoone.com/oneblog/ask-roni-you-gained-weight-doesnt-that-bother-you/">http://roninoone.com/oneblog/ask-roni-you-gained-weight-doesnt-that-bother-you/</a><br />
<br />
I'll keep thinking on this issue and will probably post more on my thoughts. However, I really need to get back to the gym!!Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-51045803281431409252017-01-02T12:40:00.001-07:002017-01-02T12:40:04.281-07:00Commitments!Well...the hubby and I have realized it's time to get back on the wagon after all the festivities of the holidays - which we indulged in fully!! As a part of that we are going to juice fast again so this week is the veggie ease in week. We actually really like the recipes from Joe Cross' plan so it's really not too much of a sacrifice. I went grocery shopping today and I have to admit it was sort of nice to stay in the produce section to get everything we needed. We will do the ease in this week, juice for 10 days (maybe longer depending on how we feel) and then do the ease in again for a week before adding back in some SmartPoints recipes. I really feel like we need to jumpstart ourselves and we feel so much better when we are juicing. It's just that darn urge to chew something that kicks in!!<br />
<br />
I also joined three DietBet Kickstarters. I figure as long as I was juicing I might as well give myself some extra motivation. I've never done three at a time but DietBet makes it really easy to do so I went ahead and invested in myself. Hubby said that the winnings would make for some good clothing money. He's so right since we have a really fun vacation coming up this spring and my goal is to be down a couple sizes before we leave so I'm sure I'll need some new capris. My skirts are mostly all elastic waist so those should be fine but pants just aren't quite so adaptable. If you are interested in joining any of the DietBets with me here are links to each one:<br />
<br />
Get Lean in 2017 With Heidi and Chris Powell: <a href="http://dbet.me/nHNMLE">http://dbet.me/nHNMLE</a><br />
<br />
Happy New "Rear" With Jamie Eason: <a href="http://dbet.me/D8gVdo">http://dbet.me/D8gVdo</a><br />
<br />
Time To Get Lean in 2017 with GraciesJourney: <a href="http://dbet.me/MYS20i">http://dbet.me/MYS20i</a><br />
<br />
I picked the first two because they have huge pots of money and I picked the last one because I love Gracie and she is so incredibly motivating. I would recommend you check her out on Youtube and Instagram. She has lost over 100# through diet and exercise and she takes you along to show you how she does it.<br />
<br />
I also saw this really cool meme on FB to help you drink your water so I picked up a gallon of water at the store and I'm going to mark it like this one I found at: <a href="http://www.coachmmorris.com/2013/04/water-bomb-are-you-getting-enough-water.html">http://www.coachmmorris.com/2013/04/water-bomb-are-you-getting-enough-water.html</a> Although I think I better have it end before 9pm or I'll be up in the middle of the night. Gotta love 50 year old bladders!!!<br />
<br />
<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgPYXvKovj11TVoo33uooBhkDW9NduLb-l8sc5Xu2Wo0zpUdFYMjAslrDRzZzFLjveVMDQotiHpW83rtVDoB3eQnEwwMpiKlQCICByrNyp4BTYoyIIr1rMHQ6O2wZ2qqqTP1ZiDd_AiHQ/s1600/water+bomb+drink+water.JPG" width="480" /><br />
<br />
I'm still going to Planet Fitness and really liking it. I'm following the pyramid training schedule that the trainer there worked up for me and I'm also increasing my time on the elliptical each week by one minute. I'm up to 12 minutes now and will increase it tomorrow to 13. I'm finding that I really prefer the elliptical to the treadmill and don't find my plantar fasciitis giving me problems on it. I had hubby and the son move the treadmill out to the garage so we would have more room in the family room since I really don't think I'll be using it. I'm continually doing StepBets but have been able to get in my steps without using the treadmill. It really opened up the room by moving that out and if worse came to worse I could always go out in the garage to use it but I really don't think that's going to happen.<br />
<br />
What is everyone else doing to make sure that 2017 is their healthiest yet?!?<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-62111986951695362112016-11-28T09:14:00.000-07:002016-11-28T09:14:00.449-07:00My WhyI'm still continuing to follow WW but I'm not losing much. However, that could be due to the fact that we are still going through our renovation so I'm not eating as well as I could. We also had Thanksgiving (from Sprouts) and a couple really nice dinners out. Over the last two weeks I'm only down .2 but I guess it's better than being up. I also didn't make it to PF last week at all but I'm rectifying that today! I'm hoping to meet with the personal trainer today to get a good plan in place. I'm sure he's going to ask me what my goals are and that got me thinking. I've heard so many times you have to have your "why" before you can even think about setting goals. So...here's my why:<br />
<br />
1. Feel and look better in my clothes<br />
2. Keep up with my husband when we go hiking<br />
3. Ride my bike without it being so hard<br />
4. Have more energy<br />
5. Feel stronger<br />
6. Live a longer and more active life<br />
7. Not be limited by my physical abilities<br />
<br />
In order to fulfill my "why" I need to lose weight and build up my endurance, stamina, and strength. This means I need to follow a healthy eating lifestyle and exercise on a regular basis. I've been getting my steps in but I haven't really been exerting a lot effort in doing that. I need to push myself in order to improve. I need to apply some dedication to reach these goals. Also...having my kitchen back will make it easier as well - they are supposed to finish up either tomorrow or Wednesday. I'm missing my morning green smoothie and I really want to add in more fish and vegetables. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyfAPrZMbsByXvKKLC_ha0tRVddvNeIkK23lD2jCnXTurG_vsdiNOVemBdmuRNx5yjdUsTCxa5CvOa8LMyZZKaZkDAQZdAK57VR4TiB_GUID2T6h7hLbkbkCFqtFsb76MeQaAUQZozk0/s1600/IMG_4328.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJyfAPrZMbsByXvKKLC_ha0tRVddvNeIkK23lD2jCnXTurG_vsdiNOVemBdmuRNx5yjdUsTCxa5CvOa8LMyZZKaZkDAQZdAK57VR4TiB_GUID2T6h7hLbkbkCFqtFsb76MeQaAUQZozk0/s640/IMG_4328.PNG" width="359" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Found this on Instagram the other day and this is the mindset I want!!!</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-17462607769164138432016-11-20T09:11:00.000-07:002016-11-20T09:11:08.322-07:00A Couple Weeks InWell...I'm doing pretty well with WW all things considered. It took me about a week to figure stuff out what with the kitchen being out of commission. I actually gained about 3# that first week but I've taken that off along with 1.3# more. I'm down to 214.3 now so I'm pretty happy about that. I'm figuring out some low point meals and snacks so that's helping quite a bit. I really need to be careful about the sodium and I need to drink my water!!! I'm shocked that the WW app doesn't give you a place to track your water. Ideally I'd like to drink at least 100 oz a day. I'd like to get myself a container that holds that much and I can use that to refill the water bottle I keep on my desk. I think seeing the water visually will keep me on track.<br />
<br />
I also joined Planet Fitness last week and I've worked out a couple times now. I really want to meet with their personal trainer so I can get a good plan to follow and learn how to use some of the equipment that is foreign to me. I also need to figure out a workout schedule. I'd love for my husband to come along with me but that's really not his thing. I hate being away from him but I really think I need to do some weight training to firm everything up as I lose the weight. I've also been enjoying the red light therapy and the hydromassage. I'm glad I went ahead and got the higher level membership so I can use the spa area of the club.<br />
<br />
Another thing I need to work out is setting up a reward for myself when I finally make it to One-derland!! I'm thinking a nice piece of jewelry since that is something I will be able to enjoy even when I get down to goal. I've also wanted a nice pair of boots so maybe that might be a good reward. While I would love to have a nice leather blazer/jacket I really don't want to invest in a piece like that and then not be able to wear it for the long term. I am really motivated to get this weight off and get to a healthy place so that is the sort of thing that is in my head.Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-74838546244082571262016-11-02T15:13:00.003-06:002016-11-02T15:13:56.824-06:00Bit the Weight Watchers BulletWell...I finally just went ahead and shelled out the money to join Weight Watchers officially. I really want to get this weight off and see if I have less problems with my joints and if this plantar issue I have going on will clear up. I signed up for the Online Plus program since I really don't want to add another evening away into my schedule. I poked around the website and watched some of their videos but haven't really explored much further than that. I was an online member years ago when they had the option to add the online option to your regular meeting membership. One big thing I notice since that time is that the discussion boards are gone and have been replaced with their Connect part of the app. I'm sort of missing the discussion board but I'll give it a few more days of trying to figure things out with the app before I put forth a final opinion. I can always become more active on the WW boards on 3FatChicks.<br />
<br />
I do like the way you log your food and since I have an AppleWatch I am able to link my steps directly with the app to get my FitPoints. I have also linked my Withings scale so that will feed right in to the app as well. I'm still exploring the website so I can't say 100% how it stacks up against iTrackBites (which is what I've been using to track my food) but I'm hoping that since it costs considerably more I will find some value for that money. So far the items I've tracked have come up nearly identical on the WW app but it is much easier to use and search for items. I also like that I can put information on either my computer or the iPhone app and it will sync to both places. I did figure out that to get my steps to sync I have to do that on the app. <br />
<br />
One thing I wasn't able to find was the weight chart. I think I know what I want to weigh but I was curious how it lined up with their official chart. I did a google search and found one on a third party site that stated it was the WW chart. Looks like my range is 123-160. My ultimate goal is to get into the 150's so I guess I'm shooting about right.<br />
<br />
Now...to get some easy to grab snacks ready. Our kitchen reno starts next week so between eating out and not having ready access to proper food I'm going to have to be careful! I'll have access to the fridge and we are going to pick up a small microwave this weekend so we can heat up things. I'm going to do some searching over the next few days for foods that will help during this difficult time. Leave it to me to start something like this during a time like this!!<br />
<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-68693851089651855922016-10-28T06:58:00.000-06:002016-10-28T06:58:36.345-06:00Why?!?I can't believe I'm back here again! I'm back up nearly 18# from my lowest this year. It seems like as soon as I let down my guard the pounds sneak back up on me. Ugh...so frustrating! I'm still fighting the plantar facia issue so that's bumming me out. My husband has been gone for the last week and I struggle with emotional eating from missing him. Lots of excuses, I know. I think I might be having a pity party but this is a party I'm not having any fun attending!!<br />
<br />
So...what's the plan? I really don't want to juice fast again. I lose weight but I seem to put it back on again and have nothing really to show for the suffering. I need something sustainable for the long haul. I think maybe I need to get back to counting SmartPoints. My eating is definitely out of control. I can't seem to satisfy the hunger and my willpower has completely left the country.<br />
<br />
I think I also need to figure out a way to get some good exercise in. I've been getting my steps every day but I'm thinking it's not enough. I'd love to start running again but this foot thing is really getting in the way. I have a sinking suspicion those expensive running shoes I bought have caused this injury and that just makes me sick. I watched a video last night on some exercises to do for it and also that taking a magnesium supplement could help. I'll run out this weekend and pick that up to see if I notice a difference.<br />
<br />
I also have too much other stuff on my plate. My husband is feeing neglected and I'm feeling stressed out. Unfortunately I have several commitments I have to follow through on over the next month but after Thanksgiving things will open back up again.<br />
<br />
I'm also having menopause issues. I called my doctor to talk about possible interventions but I'm really nervous about hormone therapy which is what I think she's going to recommend. I talked to a friend at church and she's on a patch and says it's the best thing ever. Her family has even said please don't go off the patch! Besides the hot flashes (the night sweats part is the worst) I am experiencing mood swings, massive bouts of irritability, and I can't seem to concentrate on anything! I don't feel like myself and I can't stand it. My doctor wants me to come in for a consult so I need to make that appointment.<br />
<br />
Why can't this stuff be a little easier? Ok...I think I'll party for about 30 more minutes and then I'll need to grab my coat and be out the door. I think I've overstayed my welcome.Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-40354482893678059592016-07-09T08:46:00.001-06:002016-07-09T08:46:51.611-06:00Losing DietBets and Trying New Things<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">This morning is a little sad because I've lost another round in my current Dietbet. I'm at 201.1 and I needed to be at 192.8 so it's not something I can hop on the treadmill and meet. This is my second 6 month diet bet and the first one I won every single round. This one I've really been struggling and it's caused me to obsess over the scale. I'm trying to move to a more healthy place with weight loss and just health in general. Not 100% sure how that will look but I'll work my way through it.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I'm still fighting the foot thing and that has me down a little bit as well. I have been able to get in 30-40 minute walks each evening so I'm glad for that. It seems that my running shoes are really causing me problems but that when I put on my hiking boots I'm able to do more. I think I'm going to contact my doctor when we get back from vacation and see what can be done. I'm still doing the calf stretches on the stairs and the frozen golf ball massages but I can't tell if they are helping. No quick fix for this issue is what I've come to understand - ugh!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">On the eating front we are transitioning out of juicing and I'm going to try using Weight Watchers SmartPoints program (on my own because they are wicked expensive). I know that I feel better when I eat a South Beach type of diet but SB is way too free flowing for me and I overdo it on portions. However, my research on the WW SP program looks like they are moving more toward a SB stance on sugars and their resulting carbs. They are still really low on the good fat side of the house but I can always use the extra points I earn for fitness (30 minutes of walking is 5 points) to incorporate more fat. I bought an inexpensive tracker app for my iPhone and I like it so far. It's called iTrackBites and it was $3.99. I haven't purchased any of the extra guides yet but I'm thinking about it. Last night I just went through my kitchen and scanned the barcodes of some of the items in my salad and it worked for all of them except the code on the avocado. It was 4 points for the half an avocado I put on my salad - yikes!! See what I mean about the good fats? I was surprised to see that my juices run about 10-12 points each. The fruit is free on the program but I guess when you juice out the pulp it increases the points value. It sort of makes sense that if you are throwing out all the insoluble fiber your body will use the energy quicker but it's still disheartening. I have a days worth of juice still in the fridge and a days worth of juicing produce on the counter. My original thought was to finish off the juices that are already made and then I will peel all the oranges we have left and freeze them - I love eating frozen orange slices on a hot day. However, when I shared that plan with my hubby he really wanted me to juice what's left and continue with juices for another day or so for breakfast and lunch. He really loves the juices and does really well with them. We will still eat a healthy dinner of solid food. Compromise is the name of the game! :-)</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #1d2129; font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I would love to get to a place where I am eating a healthy diet, exercising by doing things I love, and maintaining a healthy weight. I know I will get there but the journey is really hard!</span></span></span>Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-7216676976911014932016-07-05T17:44:00.000-06:002016-07-05T17:44:20.906-06:00Back Again!Well...I've really been derelict in writing here. I've been holding on by the skin of my teeth but have lost the last two DietBets - grrr! We had a death in the family in early May and it sort of threw me for a loop but I think more so it just gave me an excuse not to do what I know I should be doing. So...here I sit at 202.5 and I need to be at 192.8 on Saturday to win my next DietBet. It's not going to happen because that is just not healthy. However, we are doing another juice fast to rid ourselves of all the craziness we have been eating over the last couple months - we are on day 9 and I'm feeling so much better. All my bloating is gone and my skin is starting to clear back up. I'm actually really surprised that given all we have been eating that I haven't gained a significant amount of weight. I was down to 201.2 on May 5th and then right after midnight that day we got the call no one wants and had to drop everything and head out of town to make some really hard decisions at a hospital. When we got back I was up to 207.7 so really not that bad considering everything. Isn't it amazing how you can put it on so much faster than you can take it off?!?<br />
<br />
We also are going out of town for a back to back business trip and vacation so my goal over the next month is to get under 200 and then maintain that until we get back. The absolute final DietBet for this 6 month go around is on September 9th. I need to be down to 190.7 to win the large pot so I am setting my sights on that goal.<br />
<br />
I've also been fighting some plantar fasciitis. I've never had this issue before and I have to tell you it is really a pain - literally and figuratively. I went to a local "chiropractor" to have him check things out since I really like to stay away from drugs and I read that your foot has like 26 bones and they can get out of alignment and chiropractic can help. Well...I've been to chiropractors before and they have done wonders for my sciatic. This particular place is like no other chiropractor I've been to before - hence the quotation marks!! I sort of had a weird feeling when I first walked in - it's way too slick (for lack of a better word coming to mind). You check in and they make you sit in this one chair that is sort of away from all the other chairs in the waiting room - sort of like they are giving you a throne. Then they take you back to this really large office and sit you in front of a TV and you watch a video telling you what is going to happen next and that if you are willing to put in the work, they can help you achieve your goals. Then the main chiro comes in and tells you again what is going to happen and if you are willing to put in the work, they can help you achieve your goals. He asks me what is going on and we talk a little bit about a past back surgery I had in 1994. Then he sends me off to this other guy who does this scanny thing on my back to measure heat and then does some x-rays. All through the X-rays he is having me stand in weird positions which I am sure will make my spine look all wonky. Then after the X-rays this guy gets down on one knee like he's going to ask me to marry him and gives me the same line - if you are willing to put in the work, he will help me achieve my goals. I was horribly weirded out!! Anyway...they charged me $132 and tell me to come back the next day to discuss the results and the treatment plan. Oh...and they are encouraging me to bring my husband with me. That's definitely not happening!!<br />
<br />
So...I go back the next day to meet with the first guy and he shows me some things on my X-ray that I partially expected but some others that seem pretty bogus and I think they were caused by the funky way the other guy had me standing when he took the X-rays. Things like my neck didn't have the correct curve and one hip is higher than the other. Then he gives me this really polished folder of materials which includes the treatment plan. The treatment plan is what finally convinced me to follow my gut and walk right out the door. They wanted to give me daily care for 5 days and then three visits per week for 5 months for the bargain price of $3,995!! And...to top it off this treatment plan was one of those form documents that they just filled out the 5 days and 5 months - everything else was standard. So that tells me that every person who walks in the door gets daily care and then has to come back three times a week for some specified period of time. My husband is calling it the Church of Chiropractology now. I did want something for my money though so I did ask for some exercises for my foot - he gave me some stretches for the morning and told me to use frozen golf balls (holy cow those are cold) in the evening and roll them under the arch of my foot. I've done them for a couple days now and haven't noticed any change but I'll continue them for a few weeks and see what happens. If this isn't cleared up by the time we get back from vacation, I'll go see our regular doctor.<br />
<br />
I also really need to get back on the exercise so I printed off the training plan from Katie at Runsforcookies.com. I'm doing the pre-work now which consists of at least four days per week of 30 minutes of walking in order to build a habit. My husband and I walked to the post office this afternoon and my foot wasn't hurting too much so I think I'll keep going with this from now until we get back from vacation and then try incorporating the running pieces to see how I do. I also joined an accountability group on Facebook that Tamara of tamarashazam.com is running which I'm really enjoying so far. My husband and I also had a really good talk last night about how he can help me so I'm feeling really positive about things. I think the hard part is going to be continuing the exercise while on vacation since some of the places we are going are extremely hot and humid. I'm going to make it a priority to get my walks in first thing in the morning. I've got to get off this roller coaster of excuses and motivation. Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-79936872832384708982016-04-09T09:00:00.000-06:002016-04-09T09:00:07.168-06:00OMG!!!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_YPM1_yzX6MoD3L96fnh4u89Tf3GCItotkQ5RQsja1uny9ja9Z3HkP9VixvTuWhvS4zTVz1B_EM2-QAjYslz9-KZwdPZ9dT8R-VNlSv9VUnY_K6e-ynQ_LdxPMNbn7Ee1FGsm02mzmI/s1600/Fair+Birthday+Box+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD_YPM1_yzX6MoD3L96fnh4u89Tf3GCItotkQ5RQsja1uny9ja9Z3HkP9VixvTuWhvS4zTVz1B_EM2-QAjYslz9-KZwdPZ9dT8R-VNlSv9VUnY_K6e-ynQ_LdxPMNbn7Ee1FGsm02mzmI/s320/Fair+Birthday+Box+Card.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A card I made a while ago but it represents how I feel inside!! <br />It's a party with ferris wheels and balloons and everything in my head! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I did it!! I made my DietBet weigh in! I'm now at 205.1 - holy cow! It wasn't easy but it was worth it! Yesterday evening my husband and I went on a walk (the last half felt like a death march) around a lake in our town. I ended up with 16,016 steps for a total of 6.79 miles for the day. Then when I got up this morning I weighed in and I was at 206.3. My husband had mentioned yesterday that if I was close that we would go for another walk in the morning. However, I developed some hot spots on the balls of my feet so I could not fathom another death march so I put on my regular running shoes and got on the treadmill. I did 30 minutes of walking at 3.0 MPH and then weighed in again. I was pleasantly surprised that just that little bit of exercise moved the scale that much. <br />
<br />
I'm now sitting here happy as a clam and enjoying my first cup of coffee since Monday. Boy does it taste good in all it's fat-free, sugar-free yumminess! I'll tell you that if someone would have told me just a few years ago that I would celebrate a weight loss with this cup of coffee I would have told them to go get their head examined! I would have celebrated with a DQ Blizzard not a boring cup of fat-free sugar-free coffee (and did I mention it's even decaf?!?) - I a much better party animal than that!<br />
<br />
My next DB goal is getting to One-derland! I'm super excited and so incredibly motivated! Now...back to this amazing warm celebratory mug! Hugs to all!!Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8964318314011861647.post-33419969529423139432016-04-08T16:00:00.000-06:002016-04-08T16:00:15.496-06:00Changes and Disclosures!Well...I am on day 19 of a juice fast (the last 8 without any coffee at all!!) and I've lost a little over 10# which is great. However, I have been pretty miserable the whole time. Not really all that physically miserable but emotionally worn out. While juicing has done incredible things for me I have come to realize that I need to do something more sustainable and easier on my psyche. I've done South Beach in the past and have really liked it. The losses are definitely going to be slower this way but that's ok with me. I miss so much about eating real food and it's been a huge struggle to either be going without real food while I'm juicing or having another juicing fast looming over my head. I am finishing off the last of my juices today and tomorrow starts some new eating patterns. I am definitely going to try to make the majority of my food fall into the vegetable category but it's time for some real food again - you know, the stuff that tastes really good and you have to chew?!?<br />
<br />
So that's the changes part of my title and now comes the hard part - the disclosures!! I've been very hesitant to share my weight on this blog but I've recently realized how much I get from the blogs of people who share where they started, where they are, and how they got there. Hopefully by putting myself out there I can maybe inspire someone else like I've been inspired by others. So...here goes...<br />
<br />
My history prior to January 2015 when I started this blog is written about in this post: <a href="http://gabbyspersonaljourney.blogspot.com/2015/01/first-post.html">http://gabbyspersonaljourney.blogspot.com/2015/01/first-post.html</a>. The highest weight I referred to there was 262 pounds (yikes!). I got down to 206 on my wedding day and that has been the lowest I've been since 1999 when I got down under 200 for my sister's wedding. I've already written about how I started to gain some of the weight back after I got married in 2013 and what I've been doing since then. And that brings us to today...when I weighed in this morning I was at 207.6. I'm getting really close to One-derland again and my next DietBet goal is 205.5 but unfortunately I have to meet that tomorrow. I've been struggling the last week on the juice fast by staying right around the 208 mark. I'm planning on a long walk with my husband tonight and crossing my fingers that some of this latest plateau is some water weight that will come off between now and tomorrow. However, I'm not completely living in fantasy land - I definitely understand that tomorrow might be my first ever unmet weigh in on my DietBet journey. If that's the case, I can't promise I won't shed a tear or be sad but what I can promise is that I will not give up. I have goals and I plan to reach them!!<br />
<br />
Here's my plan over the next month to reach my DietBet goal of 199.2 by May 9th:<br />
<br />
Follow South Beach phase 1 for the next two weeks and then slowly introduce phase 2 foods<br />
Do not go to bed until I have at least 7,000 steps on my Garmin<br />
Drink at least 84 ounces of water a day (3 fills of my water bottle)<br />
<br />
<br />Rene Price aka gabbysewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03245026496911304147noreply@blogger.com0