MTV's I Used To Be Fat

If you've never watched this show, I highly recommend watching it, especially if you are trying to lose weight. This show is super inspirational to me! It mainly focuses on girls and guys who have had weight problems all their life, and they have made the decision to get fit and healthy the summer before college, and they get the chance to say "I Used To Be Fat". The trainers are awesome and not only help with the physical aspect of getting thin, but the emotional part as well. They dig deeper into why exactly that person gained so much weight in the first place, and they address the situation along the way. Watch it, you'll love it!

On The Menu Today

Tuna Wrap! Today I bought FLATOUT WRAPS, made some tuna and threw some lettuce on top and wrapped it up! I'm excited to try it out, hopefully I've found my "perfect wrap". I've tried 3 different brands/kinds of wraps, and some of them aren't as tasty as they look, and several of them tear easily. The flatout wraps are super soft and they didnt tear at all while making the tuna wrap so hopefully I've got what I've been looking for.

Jillian Michaels says..

" We are all a work in progress, there is no finish line..."

Isn't that an awesome quote? We take before/after photos, we have a "goal" to reach, however, there is always room to improve and maintain a healthy lifestyle!

I recommend....ceramic tumblers!

I currently have two ceramic tumblers, which I purchased from TJ Maxx a couple months ago. I'm now far enough into the weight loss process to notice the little things that make dieting alot easier--go buy a couple tumblers for yourself, and have fun with it! I've seen some super cute tumblers at TJ Maxx and Barnes&Noble! The one I'm using today is a tall ceramic tumbler, and reads "What you dream, you will become".. aw. Before dieting, I was one of those people who "ran by the gas station to get a sweet tea or fountain soda" several times a week---bad news, right? So now, I enjoy fresh hot tea wherever I go, and I get to drink it out of a stylish container, so it makes being healthy... fun! And I recommend the ceramic tumblers only because it actually DOES keep your hot liquids hot, and cold liquids cold. My only concern is that the tea stains the inside....I'm thinkin it has something to do with me putting it into the dishwasher....hmmm...a mystery. Anyways, go buy one! You wont regret it!       

What's YOUR motivation?

My number one key to losing weight and staying on track is, yep, you guessed it---MOTIVATION. Motivation is everywhere, you just gotta look in the right places. My number one fan is my boyfriend, Aaron. When I told him I wanted to start this journey of weight loss, I expected a "good luck" and a pat on the back. To my surprise, he responded with "I'll do it with you, we will lose weight together". So, together we have lost approx. 40 lbs since the beginning of February. Another motivator is my Belly Fat Cure book. Any time I'm not sure about a product or need to reassure myself I'm on the right track, I grab my book! It also contains before/after photos of people who have succeeded with the diet--very motivating. I'm sure you're well aware of how motivating blogging is, that's why I started. I can always look back and remember where I started from, and how far I've come. Here's another one: YOUTUBE! Type in "how i lost weight" or "my weight loss journey"--- you can find tons of people willing to give all details of their weight loss journey! It's nice knowing there are people out there who know EXACTLY what you are going through, more specifically the mental anguish that goes hand-in-hand with weight loss. So, get a weight loss buddy, choose a good weight loss book, check out before/after photos, and... BLOG! Oh, and have girlfriends who tell you you look thinner :) Ha!

I miss chocolate

Grocery time!

I get super excited each pay day, not only because I have money in my pocket (duh!) but also because I get to buy myself groceries! When I started the Belly Fat Cure lifestyle, I knew that in order to keep me on track, and in order for me to skip the "weight loss plateaus", I needed to buy different health foods with each shopping trip. For example, on my first trip (beginning of February) I bought chicken breast, lots of lettuce, onions, lean ground beef, and all items needed for tacos ---(super easy to make healthy tacos! i love it!). The second trip (two weeks ago) consisted of avocados, more onions, potatoes, more lettuce, chicken and best of all... FLAVORED TEA. So, this time I'm thinking of buying more of a variety of items. My new item I've been considering is.....snap peas! Does anyone follow MakeupGeekTV on YouTube? Well she has lost 90 lbs (can you say hellll yeah!?!) and she highly recommends snap peas in your diet, as a snack or something to nibble on while watchin' tv, reading, etc. This caught my attention mainly because I love to sit in front of the tv while I enjoy my snacks/meals. Many people frown upon the concept of eating while watching television, but I have no dining room so, guess what? I'll be in front of my tv every time I eat! Take that!

               

Got the Wednesday woes? Sweat it out!

After 20 mins of arguing with myself, I mustered up enough energy to head to the gym this morning, bright and early. I realized as I walked into the fitness center that I should be visiting the gym more often than I currently do. Dont get me wrong, I work out to DVD's at home all the time, but in order to get a great cardio workout, the gym is where I need to be. This time, I decided not to base my workout on "miles walked" or "calories burned"... I just hopped on and worked up a nice sweat! Many things have been bothering me lately, none of which I will bore you with, but all the stress has put quite a damper on my spirit, and I've been super exhausted for the past week now--- and I let out all my frustration on the treadmill and elliptical machine! It felt amazing to take time to myself and clear my head, and also a great way to start my work week as well. Oh-- and I worked out while watching SCHOOL OF ROCK---way fun! (I strongly believe that we get a much better workout based on the music we listen to while exercising.....I'll talk more about it in another blog...I just had an idea...stay tuned for more! HaHa)

2 lbs!

Happy Sunday! I've lost 2 more pounds! Hooray! Hard work pays off, people! 
January 3rd : 243 lbs
February 20th : 221lbs ---- Yay!

One GREAT benefit of eating healthy!

My nails are growing super fast and are no longer chipping and breaking! How wonderful is that? My nails havent been this strong since I was a teenager. I love it <3 All thanks to eating healthier and adding lots of proteing to my diet.

Happy Saturday!

I've been draggin' ass for a few days, not sure what my body is tryin to tell me but I'm constantly exhausted. However, last night after work, I did pop in a FIRM Workout DVD and completed about 20 mins, plus some ab workouts from my Belly Fat Cure book----and also did a mini-dance workout this morning. I can't wait until payday, I have a better idea now of what I need "diet" wise so I can shop a little smarter now. I'll list a few things that the Belly Fat Cure diet allows, particularly foods I stock up on in order to stay on track. They aren't "miraculous weight loss foods", but they are foods that are low in carb (if any) and low in sugar, but are also very tasty :D

1. Chicken, Chicken, Chicken.

         Boneless, skinless chicken breast is by far my favorite meat to cook with. I'm not much of a cooker (yet), so chicken breast is perfect and can be paired with veggies, put in wraps, salads, or just eaten alone. Recently, my boyfriend introduced me to the George Foreman Grill---wow! The chicken turns out super juicy and it cooks quickly! I'm still amazed! It's a healthy eaters best friend!

2. Lettuce-- and lots of it!

      I typically buy a few heads of lettuce per shopping trip. I use iceburg and Romaine leaf lettuce, the greener the better of course. I choose iceburg simply because it is cheap and full of "crunch". My boyfriend (who is on the same eating plan) prefers the green leaf lettuce like Romaine to put on sandwiches, wraps and burritos. Any time a I have a major craving for a "bad" food, I make a salad and chow down! Adding chicken, cheese, salt and pepper makes it super-satisfying!

3. Tea

I've always been a sweet tea drinker, easily drinking close to a gallon per day. On a diet of 15g of sugar or less per day, I knew I'd have to give up my beloved sweet tea--but this is far from the truth. In my Belly Fat Cure book, it suggests flavored teas (I personally love Lipton All Natural Green Tea Collection--I buy the variety pack, yum!). One of my dear friends introduced me to Bigelow Vanilla Caramel Tea--the smell alone will have your mouth watering! Add a few packets of sweetner and BAM, you've got yourself a great tasting treat.

4. Olive Oil

Yes! Olive oil is constantly used in my home. I've put it on top of salads, I sautee meats with it, I use it in homemade marinades, etc. It tastes great and it's a much healthier choice than vegetable oil, and in my opinion, tastes much better. I've read several articles on the benefits of olive oil, so I purchased the product and I only have one minor complaint-- the price. I buy a small bottle (not sure of the size...) and it's close to $5.00 and last about two weeks. This is a little pricey in my opinion, but when I think about the hundreds of dollars I've spent at fast food restaurants, ice cream, and sugary high-calorie foods, paying five bucks for healthy olive oil doesnt seem so bad. I also replaced my regular mayo with Kraft Mayo w/ Olive Oil--tastes a bit tart but I use less and it tastes pretty good mixed with tuna!

5. Eggs.

My boyfriend and I eat about a dozen eggs per week! We make veggie-filled omelettes, cheese omelettes, hard boiled eggs for salads and tuna, etc. Eggs have virtually no carbohydrate content, so they fit perfectly into any low carb eating plan. I must note, although I love eggs and am usually open to "natural foods", I don't really have a taste for the natural eggs--I'm not sure if it's the smell or taste or a combination of both, but I personally will not be buying those eggs anymore. My boyfriend, on the other hand, loves them. So, you be the judge. (My boyfriend is hounding me about making deviled eggs, so I'm sure I'll be making them soon!)

I wanna SWEAT!

I love the feeling of working out so hard that muscles I didnt knew existed begin to throb! I've been on an eating program that doesnt call for much exercise, so I thought "Great! I'll eat right and sit on my ass all day!". But it turns out I WANT to work out, I WANT to get all sweaty and tired and exhausted, and I WANT to be sore. It's a feeling you can't get anywhere else, a feeling that only YOU can give yourself by getting off your booty and working out! I'm going to start TONIGHT! I'm going to workout at home every single day and night, even if it's only for 20 mins at a time! I have several workout DVD's that havent been used in..well...quite awhile! I'm super excited!!

Did you know...

So apparently, when you are on a diet/exercise program and you DONT EAT ENOUGH, your body goes into starvation mode and holds onto the fat---perhaps why my scale wont budge. And as a person who has tried to lose weight umpteen times, you'd think I would know that, but I didnt. I just read it on fitwatch.com and had an "ah-ha!" moment.

I know, right!?!

"Wow, how much have you lost!?!"

Ah, the compliments. Yesterday I was waiting on my boyfriend to pick me up from work and as I was walking to the car, he rolls down his window and yells "Damn, baby! You look so skinny I didn't even know it was YOU!" My face lit up.... thats exactly what I needed to hear :) It's the little things. Coming into work today I had soooo many comments about the weight I've lost. So, it's true--- although the scale may not budge for a few days, you may still be losing weight! Don't get discouraged!

Note: My boyfriend is losing weight as fast as I am-- what!?!? HaHa. I'm super proud, but at the same time I wanna whisper "you ass!!" I'm joking, it truly is a blessing to have a weight loss partner. He holds me accountable for the things I eat and encourages me on the way--- love him <3

Just one of those days.

I believe one of the hardest parts of any serious weight loss journey is the mental aspect. My day can range from "Good morning, WORLD! I'm ready to work out, eat healthy and be the best I can be!"  to  "I'm tired of putting so much effort into this, I think I'll skip the gym today, woe-is-me". It's exhausting! I personally need constant motivation. I constantly read about success stories, I watch "I Used To Be Fat" on MTV.com, I look back at my "before" photos....but sometimes it turns itself into an obsession. I AM losing weight the healthy way, yes, but I feel as if I need to be thinking about it constantly in order to see any results. I'm sure if you are reading this, you've felt the exact same way. Today has been a "scale wont budge and I'm tired of eating lettuce and just want these next ten pounds to come off as fast as the first 20" type of day. Do you ever have those days?

What does YOUR belly say today?

Normally, I can go all day without feeling hungry or hearing a single "growl" rumble in my abdomen. This diet consists of appetite-satisfying foods, so whats the problem, you ask? I am eating significantly less today because the scale is teetering between 223-227, which adds up to about an 18 - 21 pound loss, which is awesome, BUT, it will not STAY at 223 and that bothers me. So, my lunch today consists of lettuce with ranch! Borrriiinnnggg. It will be worth it, I'm sure, but for now, it's  all I can focus on! Whyyyyy! Sincerely, Hungry Chick.

Whoah! That's a buncha sugar!

Since I follow a diet of 15g of sugar or less per day, I naturally wanted to know just how much sugar is in the items I was once in love with...the "treats" that made me as fat as I am! Grrr! Here goes!

#1 McDonalds Frappe- (Large)

Alrighty, my amigos. This is SHOCKING to me. The sugar content of a Large Frappe from Micky D's is an astounding 88 grams of sugar! Ay caramba! That's 5 days of sugar all fr-apped up into one! Oh, no no. I dont want that hanging outta MY jeans, no thanks.

#2 Milk.
Oh, how I miss milk. But one serving of this delicious beverage (1% MILK) is 13g of sugar. I love milk, but apparently it doesnt always "do the body good". I understand it's healthy for bones and teeth, but just because we need calcium doesnt mean we have to get it from milk. Veggies have calcium, cheese has calcium, and if all else fails, vitamins have a good source of calcium as well.

#3 Cheesecake.

I'm not the biggest cheesecake fan in the world, but lemme tell ya, I've had my fair share of this delicious treat. (Mouth is watering as we speak...). I don't believe I know anyone who actually eats cheesecake on a daily basis, of course, but I listed this because although it's a favorite dessert, it's fair to know just how much sugar we consume in one serving. One slice of Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake is 37g of sugar per slice. Ouch!

#4 Fruit.

Fruit is loaded with nutrients, yes, but also loaded with sugar. The BellyFatCure recomends that you limit your consumption of sugar to reduce belly fat, so you must limit your fruit intake. Here's a few. Bananas are only 3g of sugar per serving, which is great! I like that! 1 cup of cantaloupe is 14g of sugar, yikes! I remember eating an entire cantaloupe just because it was fruit! Ya gotta watch it, people! Apples are the same, 16g per medium apple. I know, it's fruit and fruit is supposed to be great for your body, but with MY diet and MY research of the Belly Fat Cure Diet, an apple a day WONT keep the doctor away, but it WILL keep you from buttoning your jeans. :)

#5 Peanut Butter.

Although 2 tbsp of JIF Peanut Butter is only 3g of sugar, pair it with 1 tbsp of Smuckers Strawberry Jam at 12g of sugar, you've got more than 15 grams of sugar in one sandwich. Wow.

#6 Candy. Duh.

Duh, candy is packed full of sugar, I know this, but a candy bar every now and then is okay, right? WRONG. Since we just celebrated Valentines Day, there is candy everywhere screaming EAT ME! But, take a second to check the nutrition facts. 4 pieces of Snickers Minis are 18g of sugar! 18!! A regular full-sized snickers is 29g----whoah. No bueno.

Fill your plate with lean meats and veggies! Snack on cheese instead of snickers! Pass up the cheesecake! You wont regret it, I promise.

Ah, the scale.

The scale doesnt lie. And I am happy to say the honesty of my scale has now paid off. I stepped on the scale one week ago and to my suprise, BAM-- 227lbs!! You may say to yourself, "wow, 227...thats kinda heavy". Yes, it IS heavy, but listen here, my fellow bloggers! I havent been under 230lbs since I was 20 years old! Thats 5 years of seeing my numbers slowly creep upward. The answer? The Belly Fat Cure diet....no, not diet, its a lifestyle change. My boyfriend and I started this diet approx. 3 weeks ago and have each lost 20 pounds. We cook most of our foods and live off of 15g of sugar or less per day, as well as 6 servings of carbohydrates. This WORKS, and I'm super happy about it <3