Pictures of some foods I eat

Mostly pictures of diners I make at home.

Usually I have chicken or fish – lots of veggies and sometimes small starch serving (depends on how much starch I have or plan to eat later (ie late night skinny pop/trail mixture)

snacks –

this is a picture of what I take to work just about everyday

mixed trail mix (1/8-1/4 cup 140 cal (per 1/4) trail mix I get at fresh market. Add in some Kind Health granola. Pretzels and sometimes skinny pop – when I was losing I kept this snack at 250 cal per Baggie but now maintaining and exercising more so I increased to around 400 cal)

And then for afternoon or lunch ( sometimes I shake or bar for lunch – sometimes for snack – so the next snack or lunch is the offset 😄

Now instead of the stick cheese seen above I actually now go with a slice of velveta cheese (35 cal 😄)

snack/after diner

this next picture – when I was loosing was always my evening snack (now since I am eating more calories I tend to more trail mix blend 😁😱)

Oh oh and I have mentioned Skinny Pop (unfortunately my new addiction but hey I am still maintaining so no judging. Lol)

Other snacks not pictured I eat:

Teriyaki Jerky ; apple ; half a banana ; CHEWING GUM (ok not a snack but good for no calorie chewing needs – lol)

Diners:

the one below is pan seared salmon (that fish was large – I usually give at least a 3rd to my son who gladly accepts in addition to his own much larger piece (oh to burn the calories he does at football) – I also have broccoli and onion and a few sweet potato chips pictured below

Fish again (looks like salmon again) with broccoli and carrots (looks like I am saving my carbs for later 😁😁)

Looks like seared trout and some shrimp below with my go to broccoli and onions and a side of mashed sweet potato

Chicken time (this is really what I eat probably 6x a week – usually fish is Sunday nights) below is a grilled chicken with broccoli,onion looks like some brussel sprouts in there too 😄, a small serving of rice (usually do uncle bens long grain and wild – but below is Minute rice (will add pic as it is a lower calorie rice😄) and I also cut up a few tommy toe tomatoes (for color 😄)

Similar to above (this is the minute rice and I added some soy sauce 😁)

Taco night

for my son I make him tacos (3 hard shell and 2 soft) or lately he wants 2 chicken/cheese quesadillas and – cheese quesadilla (for Lindsey M. –  yep I take a bite and count it too lol)

for me I put mine in a large salad

lettuce; tomatoes ; (hot: grilled chicken (seasoned with dry taco seasoning then cut and and in taco seasoning with water for juicy yumminess) ; onions/mushroom/ peppers(I like red-yellow-orange) these are sautéed (Pam) then I add the taco seasoning I mix with water). Put chicken and veggies on salad then add a little shredded velveta cheese (lower cal 😄) – salsa (for a dressing) and either have 1-2 Corn hard shells (less calorie again) or some salad tortilla strips – then after it is Pretty I make it ugly and stir all together – lol.

So that about does it – I have some variation of what is above for diner just about every night

Eating Out?

yep I sure do but never fast food for me – I always have a to go snack packed just in case or my boost for those emergency times lol – did I mention I LOVE Ideal Boost!

as far as eating diner out

this is getting easier and easier as a lot of restaurants have calories listed – then I stay in my 500-700 zone. If not I go with a petite sirloin (tell then no butter on it or cooked in / around it lol) and side is salad and broccoli (of course for me no dressing – I use sometimes just salt and pepper or a splash of balsamic vinegar if no oil in it or if Olive Garden I ask for no dressing and extra pepercornes and use them as the liquid dressing (the juice inside) or May ask for salsa

well i hope this was helpful. Have a blessed day

don’t forget to check out Ideal Shape and if interested click Here for a 10% discount code 😄

Maintain or continue on my Weight loss Journey

(I know I have not done the Forgiveness blog yet – I guess I am not ready to do that one yet…)

Today’s topic – Maintain or continue on my Weight loss Journey ….

Okay so I am in a sort of Rut to say.  Let me explain.  When I started my weight loss Journey in May 27th, 2013; my 1st goal was to loose 100 pounds by end of the year – this goal was accomplished on Dec 7th, 2013.  Next Goal was 50 more pounds by  June 2014 – accomplished April 24th 2014. (this put me at 205 total) then I planned on going 25 pounds at a time until….well I told myself at the time a size 10 (or 175 lbs). 

Considering in May 2013 I was in a size 38 and in December 2013 I purchased size 22 – a size 10 seemed a reasonable ultimate goal for me….

Well I have been in a size 10 jean for about 3 months now – Yippee. And the scale shows 167 lbs.  So what is the dilemma you ask?

I look in the mirror and think I should loose more — but I have been stuck in a maintenance mode for about 2 months now.  So what is the deal…

I keep trying to figure that out.  Many people have said that I have lost enough.  Maybe that is true, but here is my question….If you never knew I had lost 188 pounds and I came to you today, would you say that I Do or Do Not need to lose any weight? 

 

Not a great picture – But last Picture taken – 10.26.14

 See I think most would say YES I could stand to loose weight, but everyone around me says I have lost enough.  Why is that? Is it because I have lost so much that I should be content?  Are they just trying to be nice? Is it true, have I lost enough? I still have very big thighs and a big stomach and my arms have wings — how much is this skin that I can only try to deal with by toning versus Fat that can be lost – I am not sure.  So my confusion begins…and continues. 

For the past 2 months I have been on a maintenance eating/exercise plan and only looking at the scale twice a month instead of once a week (and I have not been losing but more importantly not gaining).  I stopped tracking every meal and counting every calorie.  I wanted to see if I could maintain my weight while being normal and not so obsessed.  Mission accomplished. I also knew I wanted to hit the gym more and work with weights to try to help with some of my skin issue (wings are large and another blog topic for sure – so I can stay on point with this post).  Also many have said I was doing too much cardio (but I attribute cardio to my weight loss) so more weights less cardio = maintenance for me and no clothes size change. hmmm. – But I am noticing muscles definitions in my arms and legs – 🙂

I mentioned my size 10 goal at the start of this blog.  The reason I mentioned that goal is that I think it has also kinda gone to my head.  I am there.  I thought 175 pounds for me would be good and I am now sitting at 167.  I started this journey wanting to be able to participate in life. AND I AM – para-sailing, zip lining, alpine coaster, alpine sled, weekly hiking trips, etc…. I have more stuff on my list that were only dreams before due to my size (go on a cruise, ride a roller coaster, ski (water and snow), go tubing, etc) and to be honest at my size now none of these are restricted due to my weight.  So thus my stall….I want to lose more (and think I need to and should), but my motivations are kinda gone, if that makes sense, coupled with so many saying “I have lost enough” (what does that really mean).  If ANYONE actually reads this blog – I would REALLY appreciate some comments to give me feedback – HONEST feedback – PLEASE.

Thank you for taking the time to read and hopefully some of you will post feedback for me — I NEED IT!

 

Video – My Favorite Breakfast Shake :)

Hello – welcome back — Here is a video on

how I make my Breakfast Shake.  There are lots of

recipes – this is just my favorite.

 

 

Be sure to check out the Ideal Shape Page for coupon code if interested in ordering.  Also please visit and like my FB Page.  Have a glorious day.

 

 

Video – How I make My Favorite Lunch Shake

Hello – and welcome….I am posting a short video on how I make my favorite Lunch Shake – super easy and quick!

 

 

Be sure to check out the Ideal Shape Page for coupon code if interested in ordering.  Also please visit and like my FB Page.  Have a glorious day.

 

Video of My Journey

Here is a Video I put together of my Journey.  Hope you enjoy!!

Still so excited from this past week — I went on a real Zip Line in Highlands NC.

– so amazing!

 

 Be sure to check out the Ideal Shape Page for coupon code if interested in ordering.  Also please visit and like my FB Page.  Have a glorious day.

 

Hiking …. So Awesome … Another example of LIVING LIFE

I used to always be a couch potato.  Now I constantly want to go and do something.  On Saturday, after watching Vol Football, it was time to get out and exercise, but I wanted to do something different.  So Hiking sounded fun and different.

My husband went with me, he is trying.  To be honest he was a trouper.  This was real hard on him.  It was only a 1.3 mile hike to the Laurel Falls, but he is heavy, like I was.  But he wants to participate in my life and since I always want to go do something he went with me.  So proud of him.  Before my weight loss I would not have attempted this Hike.  He was breathing real heavy and I was worried he would have a heart attack.  But he made it to the Falls – good job.

I had NO ISSUES.  In fact when we got to the top, I climbed up to the top of the Falls and then all the way to the bottom.  Mike was waiting on me to finish exploring. 🙂 It was so much fun finding footing and reaching for branches or rocks to climb.  What a beautiful countryside.  Love East Tennessee.

                           

I wanted to do the 5.1 mile round trip to Abrahm Falls, but it was a late start (due to football game) and we sorta got lost – lol — actually worked out cause I think the longer hike might have been too much on Mike. Next time will be the Abrahm Falls….so excited! –

Be sure to check out the Ideal Shape Page for coupon code if interested in ordering.  Also please visit and like my FB Page.  Have a glorious day.

 

Trip to Park City Utah was Amazing – Compliments of Ideal Shape

Okay so the trip was amazing.  I met so many amazing people.  First off the contestants – there were 12 and they were all awesome.  Great Stories about their personal weight loss journey.  So inspiring.  There were tears – to be expected as we have all had life altering changes in our weight since finding Ideal Shape. One person was in a Wheel Chair due to back issues and found the Ideal Shape Up (Free Videos – find on Yahoo – created by Ideal Shape) and I saw her doing cartwheels in Park City.  Another lady, has a dysfunctional ticker (heart) – she was told by her doctor she had to loose weight.  She was on other programs and was able to loose a great deal of weight but the last 40 + pounds she needed Ideal Shape and she just finished a 60 mile walk (in like 3 days) for Cancer.  Talk about inspiration.  We also had a married couple, a Professor, a local (David P), Kelli -super sweet lady who has lost over 100 pounds, several East Coasters and more.  All with their own stories and unique perspective.  To see all their stories now you can go to http://www.idealshape.com and lookthem up.  I think in January, the video and photo shots will be available and you can learn more about these amazing folks at that time.The other cool aspect of this trip was that Ideal Shape also invited back 3 past winners of their Ship Shape Contest.  And well that was just awesome.  Julie, Bri, Kate and Ken – were so helpful.  They also shared their stories and wow – just wow.  Kleenex anyone….

Now to Ideal Shape Folks — OMG — I had contact with them via FB and phone, but to meet them in person — wow.  They all SINCERELY care about helping people achieve their Ideal Shape. 

One of the Co Owners – Skyler – he was in tears when he talked about why and where the vision of this company came from.  See, he had grown up a big kid and suffered ridicule as well.  But more importantly was that he said, as crying, that his goal was to reach 1 million people in hopes that they would find the way to start their own Journey and change their lives.  That touch me so — I have made it my goal to get the word out as well. 

The other Co-Owner, Skyler’s Father, David.  What an amazingly smart man.  I have such respect for him.  He also is extremely passionate at helping others achieve their weight loss goals.  He is the Mind Guy – where he advocated using brain training in helping one loose weight.  I had heard of his book “Think – Use Your Mind to Shrink your waistline” but after reading it the other day – wow – wish I had gotten the book earlier (but I will have a whole blog on this book – it is that good).  His foster dad, struggled with weight, being over 400 pounds. David and his Wife, Carla (another amazing strong woman) wanted to find a way to help him, so  that was their reasoning for starting this amazing company – helping others to achieve their Ideal Shape.

I am SOOOO grateful for as I have said before this company, the products and the advise have literally given me a life I have never had before.  I am living life in full view and participation instead of hiding in the shadows.  Make no mistake this is not a miracle pill….there is work, but if willing to change your lifestyle to a healthier you, then the shakes and other items will help you!

Then we have the rest of the Meine family  – most, if not all, seem to work for Ideal Shape in one way or another.  One of the daughters recently lost a lot of weight also using this product – I just thought when I heard her speak in front of everyone – including her Mom and Dad who started this company – to admit to her weaknesses and do something about them….wow — inspiring – had to be hard to …. well I just can’t put my thoughts into words at the moment – But Natasha is simply amazing and strong.

Now I met all sorts of people and I am sure I may miss a few — (kinda harder to write this blog than I thought – ) But Marylin – she is basically the event coordinator – did an amazing job and has a BIG heart; Tyler – the Video dude – is funny and kind; Lindsey – she is the fitness chick and is so full of knowledge I could sit with her for a week or more with a sponge – and she even responds quickly to my messages on what other exercise I should be doing; Meg – is shorter than I would have thought (sorry Meg), she has such a BIG Bubbly personality it is simply contagious.  Lizzy – the writer and took lots of action photo shots as well – super sweet.  I was meet at the airport by, Shelby – again another Rock Star — oh so many — I also got to meet so many other Ideal Shape employees and they were all super nice and helpful. 

All in all my take away from the weekend in regards to Ideal Shape – is they are a family — they truly care about their customers and want to see people achieve their Ideal Shape.  Oh and they like to have fun too – which is very nice to see.