It's not about the bunny...

I am just getting my thoughts in type this evening from yesterday since I found myself still working on my annual evaluation for work at midnight last night. 

Procrastination should be my middle name!

        

Nevertheless, here is a recap of my Good Friday as it rolled into this evening.

Yesterday started off a bit "late" since I slept in until 9am. Yes, you read it right...9am. I honestly don't remember even getting up to go pee at the usual 4am urge.

I tossed a whole turkey breast in the crock pot for dinner since dinner needed to be easy. Have I mentioned how much I love crock pot cooking? If not, I have now :) Not only does it save tons of time...it adds moisture to even the average meat dishes. Turkey breast seems to always be too dry unless it is deep fried...and there is no chance for a deep fried turkey around here any time soon. I sprinkled a few seasonings on it and inside the cavity, slapped the lid on, and set it to HIGH for 6 hours.

The day seemed to fly by as I spent some morning time just catching up around the house with chores and then off to the mall we went since the rain wasn't letting up. I mean who doesn't want to surround themselves with lines of traffic and sopping wet people in a crowded space :)?!

However, I really enjoyed hanging with my oldest and my sweetheart at The Mills for lunch. I experienced the Greek side of life with a tasty chicken and lamb salad. This dish was a first but definitely not the last if I can help it. The only downside was...that lamb reminded me of how much flavor it had ALL day long. :(

Well, we made it back home about 630pm. That turkey in the crock pot made the house smell like Thanksgiving dinner. I cooked up some fresh string green beans in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a spoonful of garlic. Our family loves garlic so it just comes natural to add it in when and where I can. Plus, I sliced up some sweet potatoes,  brushed them with olive oil, and sprinkled with salt/pepper. The potatoes cooked for about 20 minutes in the 375 degree oven. Then, somehow they found themselves being brushed with a little honey butter and slid back in the oven for about 5 more minutes. Oh my goodness, it just doesn't get much better than that!
We topped dinner off with a little homemade banana "ice cream". I know...we shouldn't have but we did. :)

I skipped exercise yesterday since simply squatting down seemed to be quite a challenge after Thursday's mileage on the Greenway. My thighs are still burning. Recovery mode in progress!

I have to brag on my men at home this evening. They rocked it in the kitchen again. I arrived home to a FANTABULOUS  dinner of chile verde, Spanish rice, and baked zucchini. Wow! I could have eaten a mountain of this but I managed to restrain myself and enjoy an average plate full. On the other hand, this is my "growing teenage boy's" plate full...

Hope you peeps have a fantastic Easter! So thankful for the cross. Here is your little taste of goodness:

Springing on the Green

Today, Tennessee has provided me some amazing weather to be outside with my girls on Spring Break! Started the morning being productive inside at the computer paying bills and catching up on emails since this chick doesn't do exercise in COLD weather (45 degrees). By the time we made it to the greenway, the sun was shining and the wind was mellow which made for an amazing tennis "match" and run/walk on the greenway. I have to giggle about "match" because we simply batted the tennis ball back and forth and chatted...making memories rather than burning calories...that's the best "match" I can imagine. For the most part, I managed to keep up with those girls that are less than half my age. Then... off to the greenway we went. We were nice and warmed up after the tennis "match" so we started out in a jog almost immediately. That is usually not my style since I usually try to brisk walk the first half mile. But..what the heck...you only live once :)

Greenway totals today

My 5K time for today

On another good note, I didn't fall down with exhaustion or have to be dragged back to the car after we completed just over 4 1/2 miles on the run/walk. As you can see, I am not a fast paced gazelle ...more along the lines of a wanna-be runner. But...I did it! Before we started out, I had planned to do about 6 miles but knowing that we needed to get back home for a night out on the town with teenagers...I wanted to have a little energy in reserve..hehehe.

Still smiling after 90 minutes in the great outdoors.

After stopping to buy Dannah some new running shoes, we finally found our way back home around 4pm and raided the fridge! Because I am a foodie, I have to share that I threw together a whole wheat tortilla with about 3 or 4 tbsp of that yummy Lite Spinach Dip made with LowFat Greek Yogurt spread on top along with about 2 oz of chicken deli meat. I rolled it up all together and inhaled it like a starved lunatic. That was about the best 250 calories that I have eaten in a few days :) Don't even crack a smile or make fun when I tell you that I had to recreate this concoction since I ate it on the fly before I could snap a pic. I figured someone (anyone) would want to see just what 250 calories of wonderful looks like :)

Oh, I almost forgot to share another taste of yummy with you from last night....White chicken chili with crushed Tostitos Multigrain Scoops. I made my WCC on the skinny side since we are trying to watch our waistline around the house.

White Chicken Chili:  4 cups of chicken broth, 1/2 Rotisserie Chicken shredded, 3 cans of white (Northern) beans drained, 1 can Rotel Original Rotel tomatoes (juice and all), 3 rounded Tbsp of Cumin, salt/pepper to taste. Throw all of those ingredients in the crockpot (or in a pot on the stove) and cook on low for about 2 hours. If you cook it on the stove, be sure to only cook it about 45min to an hour...don't want your beans to turn to mush. Then, serve it up in a bowl with about 6 tostitos crushed up on top. Amazing use of about 325 calories per bowl!

Well, I am pretty sure I have talked enough about food this afternoon. Can you tell that I was starved to death after our trip to the Greenway? Better go jump in the shower now...Dinner at Hooters for a tasty cheat with my sweetheart and kiddos.

Finally, A little taste of goodness for your evening:

Is an Ounce of Prevention worth a Pound of Cure?

Over the years (since I was 15 years old), I have tried Weight Watchers (many $$ and multiple attempts with ribbons to prove it..hehehe), LA Weight Loss (6 pound loss for $1200), Doctors Diet Program (15 pounds for $300), local diet doc (20 1/2 pound loss for $180 in office visit and prescription co-pays), The Grapefruit Diet, Atkins, Sugar Busters, The Cabbage Soup Diet...need I go on?
In addition to all of the other "diets", I also researched getting Lap Band surgery. I was about 235 pounds (5'4") and miserable. I made it through the physical assessment that confirmed the need, the nutritional counseling, the psychiatric evaluation, 2 mandatory support group meetings, and the liquid diet for 1 month. I lost that 23.5 pounds that was supposedly the only remaining requirement for making it to the surgical table for the banding. What stopped me, you ask?! Blue Cross Blue Shield can take credit for that road block. According to their medical pre-determination department, I wasn't "sick enough" to put the spoken words of my bariatric MD to print.

 NO diabetes, NO high blood pressure, NO chronic illness = NO coverage

Never mind that my health history detailed:

1. reflux/heartburn
2. borderline HTN (BP 124/90)
3. joint pain
4. low back pain
5. foot pain
6. depression (intermittent)
7. Excessive snoring

In hindsight, I probably need to sit down and write them a thank you note for that 2008 decision that someone smarter and wiser than me made on my behalf.

Now, fast forward to October 2010. One of my co-workers, Cathy, called me and said, "I made you (us) an appointment to see a nurse practitioner for weight loss." Some might wonder what business does a "so-called" friend have in recommending a "diet doctor" for me. The truth is...that was exactly what this gal needed... A true friend that invested herself into my overall happiness. She knew that I had struggled for years without any real results; thankfully, she was willing to take that step with me. Long story short, that is where I met Taylor NP (nurse practitioner) and made a commitment to myself to NEVER give up. Taylor NP helped me see that eating better and moving my feet were the only real answers to my life-long struggle with obesity. She had already walked in those "fat girl" shoes, found her own answers, and was simply passing on her "lessons learned" to me (and Cathy). I spent approximately 18 months building a relationship with Taylor NP and turning my life in a different direction than ever before. I used Phentermine and LipoB protein injections per her recommendation for months to help melt off the pounds. But then...last Fall, I slipped off of that wagon. I just became tired and worn thin with "dieting" and decided to "take a break". Within 2-3 months, I found myself in a culvert that was filling with swift moving waters into a sea of chaotic eating and sitting all over again. The truth is...I wasn't trying to eat better...I was wanting that "magic pill" to make my hunger go away and add energy to my body and brain. Miracles happen everyday but I was being more irrational than ever before in asking for a "quick fix" with little to no effort involved on my part. Trust me...I was exercising like crazy but I was eating like crazy as well. In the big picture, my brain was still pretty jacked up. I planned to refocus my time trying to figure a way to spend less money but get the same results as I had gotten from using LipoB Protein injections and Phentermine which didn't seem to work anymore. Bottom line...I was just tired and lacked enough energy to push forward. Despite wanting to cry out loud, I kept smiling on the outside while searching for the right direction on the inside.

The scale told the story:

October 25, 2004 = 185
October 25, 2010 = 249
October 25, 2011 = 198.2
August 10, 2012 = 186.6 (all time low since getting married October 25, 2004)
October 25, 2012 = 191.6
February 15, 2013 = 200.4

Do you see the trend here? Down, down, down then on the way back up again. In just 6 months, I found right at 15 pounds. What happened? Well, I quit moving and started eating. I added LOTS of FroYo and more Mexican food (including Ritas) than you could imagine back in place of that exercising that I so casually left off of my daily routine.

Shew, glad to finally get that off of my chest...now, on to today we go!

February 15, 2013 was the true turning point for me this time. An old friend from high school introduced me to a nutrition system thru Advocare along with an eating plan that was do-able. Yes, I am sure I have used those same words before but I can definitely say that I have a new appreciation for "better" foods. I am sure that the BBQ chicken pizza, FroYo, Mexican tamales and steak quesadillas, and giant margaritas will be back on the tracker on rare occasion at some point. However, I can be certain that I have never felt better eating nutrient dense foods so why would I settle for anything less than feeling this good. Surely, the occasional splurge would not be a problem. In fact, I feel sure that I could love them "like a fat kid loves cake" again with no trouble. What I am trying to say is that ...TODAY...I am making the choice to eat cleaner and move more freely in my clothes. The really cool part of this whole journey is the extra energy that I have found in my brain and in my body. Eating a balanced diet blended with daily mineral supplements are key to my overall wellness. And..with the help of this blog and my multiple accountability partners in my home and work life, I am destined to keep up the good work. My goal is to just continue feeling healthier while melting that fat thru daily exercise and cleaning up my eating habits.

I was going to wait until May 15, 2013 (3 months after starting Advocare products and eating cleaner) to share this history/story with you but like almost everything in my life...I couldn't be patient. I couldn't decide on just the right time to share these skeletons but felt that there would be no better time than the present...Weigh Day Wednesday! This is almost 6 weeks (minus a couple of days) into this journey and I feel stinkin' amazing! I ask you to ask yourself..."What are you doing today to make tomorrow better?" Are you tired of being tired? Are you afraid of gaining more weight? Are you ready for change?

Today's scale results:

Yes! More fluff left behind. Total since 2/25/2013 = - 12.6 pounds

Total since 10/25/2010 = - 61.2 pounds


Now you have heard the down and dirty!

Along with celebrating my own personal happiness (and smiling at the scale this morning), I wanted to share the success of my HS friend that I spoke of earlier. She led me to Advocare as I observed her beat the challenges in her daily life and glow with inner strength at the same time. Not only is she being successful, she is so very encouraging for others to do the same. I am so thankful for Joy and for Advocare as I shed my pounds and gain energy as well. Check out this transformation!

Snack Attack

SNACK ATTACK!

I was trying to decide what to share on the blog today and decided to contribute to your day with an array of snack ideas and yummies since we all seem to have those moments when "just a little something" would satisfy our mental cravings.

Homemade Banana Ice Cream on the Lite Side

First things first...Freeze your peeled bananas then..
Blend together 1 frozen banana, 3/4-1 cup unsweetened vanilla Almond Milk, 2 Stevia packets, 1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract.You have a delectable homemade banana ice cream for about 125 calories!

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"Ants on the Mound"

My daughter coined this creation in the kitchen. It is a lightly salted rice cake with a little PB2 (plus water to reconstitute) spread on top and then California Raisins sprinkled on top. She claims it is yummy! We order the PB2 from Amazon :)

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One of my all time favorite mid-afternoon snack choices is the Oikos Fruit on the Bottom Blueberry Greek Yogurt. It has 0% Fat  and high protein with a high content of scrumptious.

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This combination is quite appetizing but a little bit has to do ya' since it is a bit addicting and could create a habit. The light Spinach Dip is made with Greek yogurt so it is lower in fat and calories with the same great taste. The vegetables are packed in there with all that creamy goodness :)

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Now, this pic doesn't do this combination justice. I happened across this by complete accident as I was snacking on my way home while driving in the dark. Before I left for work that morning, I had tossed a few roasted/salted almonds in a snack bag with a few Dark Chocolate Covered Expresso Beans. I grabbed one of each of these and popped them in my mouth and then the earth started to shake. Well, maybe that is a little overly exaggerated :) I think I experienced something close to phenomenal though! I am not convinced these items were not intended to go together but got separated at birth. I had my kids to taste test it just in case I was willing to accept just the average taste of something sweet. They are in agreement...this combo should forever be paired in the baggie!
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These Advo Bars pretty much speak for themselves. My favorite is the Fruit and Nuts Raw Bar on the bottom for that sweet but fruity craving. The Double Chocolate Snack Bar on top is a nice after lunch/dinner sweet that tastes "brownie-like". Last but not least, the Apple Cinnamon AM bar is a great breakfast with a cup of hot tea which is exactly what I had this morning. If you have any interest in trying these, contact me: fluffyandfiguringoutfit@gmail.com or comment on this blog post, and I will hook you up.

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Old Faithful! A good bowl of fresh fruit. My favorite is fresh strawberries and mango topped with Oikos Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt and about 1/4 cup of Chia Plus Coconut Chia Granola (or one of your favorites).

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Well, I guess that is enough snacking for the afternoon. Eat till your heart is content! Tomorrow...Weigh Day Wednesday. Big surprises to share...be sure to catch it!

A little taste of goodness for your day:





Mondays...Ready or Not Here They Come

Gotta love how those Mondays come once a week whether we need/enjoy them or not. 

I am totally ready for this week though. One more "wake up" and I am gonna stay-cation myself into an organizing frenzy. To be perfectly honest, I am one of those weirdos that loves to clean. It relaxes me and helps me de-stress. So...I feel certain that I should be sleeping well and feeling refreshed by the time I go back to work at Vandy next Thursday. Yes, I said "Thursday". Now, I am still set to work on Saturday and Sunday (this weekend) but I am vacationing from Vandy for a few days to get caught up on the household chores that I have been neglecting.

Status Update: MNS C for "appetite control"
I started the new vitamin packs today, and so far so good. I have noticed that my belly is in a much better place and not "jittery" this morning as it had been with the "E" formula. 14 days will be the true test...but I am a believer in the MNS supplements one way or another.

Got my grove on this morning...me, the elliptical, and Netflix documentaries.

I do have to admit that watching these documentaries on juicing have made me consider the vegetarian/fruitlifestyle for a nice challenge. Maybe thinking a week long challenge would be

doable but not really considering a complete upheaval of my love for meat (especially my sweetheart's grilled pork chops)...hehehe :) I will have to think on when to try this challenge though since it would take plenty of preparation and timing on my part.

In my Pinterest searches yesterday, I ran across this recipe that I wanted to share with you all. It caught my interest because it is potato but supposedly the good kind of sweetness and carbs that we can all love and not feel as guilty.

Here ya' go: One serving is only 81 calories; cut up a large sweet potato, toss the wedges with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Planning on trying these this week so am hopeful mine look this yummy when they land in my plate.

Had to share this funny with you since we have all felt this way at some time or another. Our kitty, Gracie, had decided to just camp out by the food bowl in anticipation for dinner time. Of course, she is so lazy...she decided to just plop down and wait rather than having to return to the kitchen at dinner time (2 hours away). Anticipating...the next meal. The best part is that she is sitting in front of the dog bowl rather than her own.

The second pic is one that I snapped on the fly and thought it fit here appropriately since she looks like she is waiting to "weigh in" on the scale in front of her. Gotta love those picture perfect moments :) Btw, it's nearly Weigh Day Wednesday. I am excited and nervous all the same. That will be 41 days since I dug my way out of that gutter. No matter that number on the scale, I must remember that ...

This is your little taste of goodness for the day :)

 

Saturday Struggle builds Sunday Success

Thanks to my buddy, Tommy, for the fresh chicken eggs.

Last night's dinner would have blown your mind much like it did mine had you seen the spread that my sweetheart had for me when I arrived home after work. He always texts me about 4ish on Saturday and Sunday afternoons to ask what I would like for dinner. Tonight...I was craving "breakfast for dinner" so he accommodated my request and then some. Turkey sausage, whole wheat bread, eggs, and a few fried potatoes on the side. Nothing less than amazing!

If you haven't tried the Honeysuckle White Breakfast Sausage....YOU MUST! It is juicy and tasty all the same as the "real stuff"...as my hubby puts it. The Nature's Own Whole Wheat bread is quite tasty as well plus (2 slices for 110 calories) is a deal. Tonight was a nice treat and I proudly logged my eats in My Fitness Pal even though I exceeded my calorie limit a little today.
Gotta live a little!

Yesterday seemed to be a struggle for me. I seemed more hungry than usual. I think it was partly due to not drinking enough water consistently throughout the day and finding myself sitting more which left lots more time to think about food. 

But...it's behind me now :) 

Today is my final (Day 14) on the MNS E strips (vitamins). The "E" stands for "energy". Tomorrow will start my first day on the MNS C strips which is the appetite "control" formula. I have committed to trying each of the Advocare Formulas (3, E, and C) before I settle on any one formula. Trying each of them will give me a good idea of how they make me feel so perhaps I can share first-hand experience with my friends/acquaintances that have an interest in adding them to their daily routine. So far, the "E" formulation has given me a little more "jittery belly" if I wait more than about 15 minutes after taking my morning regimen before I eat/drink breakfast. Otherwise, I feel about the same as I did with the "3" formulation that I began as part of my 24 Day Challenge on Day 11 (Feb 25th). STINKIN' AMAZING energy and controlled appetite about sums them up!

Remembering this is key!

Well, today is another workday so nothing really all that amazing to share about the upcoming day's events. However, I am pretty excited that I have 2 more "wake ups" after today and then I am off for a few days with my girls on Spring Break. Wednesday through Friday of this week will be spent getting organized in our bonus room. That room needs some real attention! One corner is my "home office" space while another corner has a hodge podge of crafts stacked (including my scrap booking supplies). Then..some how we have a sectional sofa and various other furniture plus some workout equipment (including an elliptical, exercise balls, hand weights, etc.) tucked in every empty square inch of the remaining floor space. Oh...almost forgot to mention...another corner houses my hubby's guitars and amps. You just thought I was kidding about "needing some real attention" and "getting organized". HeHe!

Well, guess I should go for now...hope each and every one of you have an amazing Sunday.

Just a little taste of goodness for your day:

Bringing home the bacon

I find myself so frustrated on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I can't start the morning out with some exercise! Reporting to work at 0700 with a 45 minute drive to get there...I would need to get up at 4am to get in a decent workout. Well, that would be just fine except I love to stay up later and enjoy some family time with my sweetie and kids on Friday night since being away from home on Saturday and Sunday for 14 hours doesn't allow very much socializing for me and them otherwise. Perhaps I should find a way to simply crawl out of bed and into my workout clothes rather than spending 20-30 minutes waking up as I stumble around the house half asleep in search of some Spark. Speaking of Spark...I just didn't realize how good it made me feel until I left it off for a couple of days (just as a test). Coffee and hot tea just don't fill that void!

These are just a few of the flavors that I enjoy first thing in the morning.

So, today is a workday and there won't be very much to share other than...I am pooped by the end of it. I just keep seeing that carrot dangling ahead of me...buying my baby girl (now 15 years) a car by her 16th B-Day in December. Working weekends are not too bad when it consists of just Sundays. Adding these Saturdays are a great test of my determination. On the bright side, I love the work I do in nursing so the hardest part is just being away from my family more. Due to my professional limitations and obligations to maintain my patient's privacy, I can't share pics or stories about my weekend adventures in my blog but I can tell you that I didn't know loving on people could make my heart so full until I met the little fella that I care for now. :)

I do want to share a couple of links that have really caught my attention recently.
1. Forks over Knives...documentary on Netflix...worth your time to watch. He has a Facebook page and a website as well.
2. Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead...checkout the documentary on Netflix and "Like" it on Facebook so his posts will show up in your news feed. Crazy awesome results from juicing!
3. Juicing Vegetables..."Like" it on Facebook. Great motivational pics and ideas for juicing and eating healthier
4. www.beyonddiet.com...great recipes on Facebook as well as a good website to check out

If you have any interest in juicing after you check out those documentaries, then I encourage you to think about the $34 Black and Decker Juicer at Walmart. We have used it tons in the last 2-3 weeks and love it thus far. Easy to clean and spits out good juice every time :)


http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FBlack-Decker-Fruit-and-Vegetable-Juice-Extractor%2F15034494&h=PAQELcWW5

Just a little taste of goodness for you today:

Veggie Tales

Yesterday's lunch (Jerk Chicken Leftovers) ended up being postponed until today thanks to a dear co-worker's tasty treats. Her mother-in-law cooks a mean Korean meal, and I was oh-so thankful for their leftovers. Japchae (glass noodles), kimchi (fermented cabbage and radish with green onions and red pepper paste), Yaki Mondu eggrolls, and beef and chicken bulgogi. Of course, I had to get Denetra to spell all of these items since I can't even pronounce them much less spell them correctly. I can attest that this lunch was one of finest I have had in quite some time! Of course, one of my other co-workers wanted to bait a hook with the glass noodles...describing them as good bait to catch a large-mouth bass :)

Well, my sweetheart is back to his favorite "vegetating" again. He threw some carrots and kale together last night for a nice veggie base. After tossing in a few kiwi, about half a lime, and a couple of Granny Smith apples in the mix, we enjoyed our before dinner cocktail. Thinking I may look online for good juicing recipe book. I am sure Pinterest has a long list of pretty good ones, too. Any suggestions?

Just another recommendation for the veggie lover or even someone trying new ways to enjoy the same old choices...

We slice up zucchini or yellow squash and place on a foil lined pan. Cutting them into about 1 inch slices allows for them to cook evenly but not get mushy on the inside before the outside is soft enough to enjoy. Brush the tops with a light coating of butter or spray butter if you prefer. We use the real stuff in small proportions. Then, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and bake at 350* for about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy!

I went ahead and registered me, the hubby, and the girls for a 5K on May 11, 2013. The Strawberry Stride is going to be our first 5K this year. Back in January 2013, I committed to completing 13 in 13..Meaning, 13 races in 2013. Considering the late start due to my weekend work schedule, I have my work cut out for me if I am going to manage 13 races in 7 months. 

The next race on our radar will be the Andrews Cadillac Firecracker 5K on July 4th. This race will commemorate 3 years of completing 5Ks together for me and my sweetheart. We started this journey of 5Ks back on July 4, 2011. I will be sure to post the pictures from 2011, 2012 and then 2013 since I enjoy seeing how we have tried to get better with age...like fine wine or aged cheese...or perhaps more like compost. :) hehehe. Either way, we are working hard to improve the future. With warmer weather just around the corner, we are ready to get this year's memory making opportunities on the calendar.

Meanwhile, I will continue to work up a sweat on the elliptical on the cool mornings until I can get back out on the pavement. Unfortunately, didn't make it to the elliptical this morning prior to jumping into the workday from home. Guessing I better get there sometime this afternoon...

Just a little goodness for your day: