Day 1 - Officially on the new plan

Well it is the end of day one - and I am spent!

I stayed up late last night preparing food for this weeks breakfasts and lunches - I had to wait for the kids to be in bed so that I could concentrate on what needed to be done. I took some time in the afternoon to review/print some information from the my diet plans website (www.kimkins.com) and then headed over the supermarket. I shopped both for me and the family - while I will try to only prepare one dinner in the evening (we will all eat the protein portion and they will enjoy the side dishes too) the shopping cart was mighty full.
I cleaned and pounded 6 chicken breasts - I cut each in half (making 12 - 4 to 5 oz servings), I baked off 4 servings and individually wrapped and froze the remaining 8.
I measured out 1 cup servings of lettuce, 1/4 cup servings of sliced cucumbers and stored them in the zip lock bags in the fridge. I cut up 2 campari tomatoes for today as well.
Then I prepared some mini quiche for quick breakfasts - 6 eggs, 1 cup 1/2 & 1/2, 1 cup reduced fat shredded cheese and 1/2 cup crumbled bacon - mixed all together and poured into muffin tin and baked it for 40 min at 350 degrees. Notes for next time - I the recipe said it would make 12 muffins/quiches... I only got 10. I think I must have over-filled the cups - I will try to be less generous next time. The recipe said to grease the muffin pan - I have a non-stick pan and I did spray it with Pam, but they still stuck. I have to grease it up better next time.

I packed the following food for the day (in my new Vera Bradley lunch tote (thanks Big Sis!)):
1 Mini Quiche
1 serving of Ham (Oscar Mayer Deli - shaved)and 2 slices of RF Swiss
1 chicken breast, 3 Tbs of Salsa, 1/4 cup RF Cheese
2 Tbs sour cream
1 bag/cup of lettuce, cucumbers and tomato
1 Sugar Fee Jell-O - Lemon/Lime

I added:
1 cup of decaf tea
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
Bottled Water

I took my daughter to her gym class tonight - therefore we ate dinner at one of her favorite places on earth... KFC. I ate a Grilled Chicken Breast (I tried to not eat the skin - I did not eat all of it) and I had a diet soda.

All and all I think the day went well - I was feeling a little nauseous in the late morning (but I think it was motion sickness from riding on the "vomit-comet" otherwise known as my company's van service). I was a little discouraged when another co-work said she was going to get a burger and a chocolate milkshake for lunch... but when she saw my lunch and how I had carefully measured each item she changed her order and got a salad (no milkshake). So I guess you could say I am helping others be healthy - I am like a superhero really.... ok maybe that is a little much for the first day, but by June 2010 you will be referring to me as Captain Cares About Others Health! I will have to work on a better name, but you get my drift.

I am going to pack up my lunch for tomorrow and go to bed... and dream about eating pasta and ice cream and chocolate candy!

Attention, Attention, I have an Announcement...

Ok so I ready to announce my goal and diet plan....

As of today, Thursday, January 28, 2010, my goal is to lose 40 pounds by June 1st. That would be approximately 2 to 2.5 pounds per week (18 weeks). I will be following a diet plan that I have used in the past and had success with. You can find all the information online at www.kimkins.com - it is a low carb, low fat plan. I brought the exercise DVDs up from the basement and read all of the booklets that came with them... I also assembled the resistance band thingy that I am suppose to use. I plan to watch the DVD tonight - I do not know how or when I will fit the exercising into my daily schedule but it has to be done! I will figure it out.

I can not believe I just committed to that goal... in writing no less! Please accept my apology now for any bitchy, snotty, out-of-her-mind remarks I may make in the next 18 weeks. Lack sugar and fat mixed with required exercising can do funny things to a gal. But remember I love you and I love myself and therefore we must all endure and stay strong during this difficult time.

Godspeed to me...

I am so full...

I am so full.... of baloney! Not really because I do not eat baloney or bologna - I think it is gross and not sure exactly what it consists of. Therefore I do not eat it, but that is not the point! The point is I made some strong statements and claims last year regarding my attempts to lose weight and never followed through! That is right I just blew it off - the holiday's came and went and now I am worse off than before. I gotta get my head in the game and take care of business.

I entered a weight loss challenge (of sorts) at work today... we tried this last year and nothing came of it. But I am hoping this time will be different. You are probably wondering why start something like that on a Wednesday - well we had to start sometime so today was the day. I have to say stepping on that scale was nerve racking and the number that came up was more than I thought it would be... not my highest weight ever, but too close for comfort. I am going to set a goal... not sure what it will be yet... I will post that later this week. I have found that setting a goal and announcing it is helpful!

As a side note about setting/announcing a goal...earlier this month I was selling Girl Scout cookies on behalf of my 7 year old niece - once I told people I wanted to sell 20 boxes for her the orders started pouring in! I upped my goal to 50 boxes, let people know and WHAM! I sold 52 boxes! Yes that's right 52 BOXES - I kicked some serious Girl Scout Cookie ass! (the cookies not an actual Girl Scout) I have not placed an order yet for my own personal consumption and based on this blog I probably should refrain from ordering at all. But it's for the Girl Scouts - Troop 1140 - I can't let them down, right? We will see what happens.

So I think I will head down to the basement tonight and dig through the remains of the Christmas wrapping and other stuff that has been sent down there to never be seen again and find the DVDs I never opened. I gotta do something! Plus I have a lot of laundry that needs to be done so I will be in general vicinity of the box the DVDs are in. (It is astounding how much laundry 2 children can create on a weekly basis... between the washer and dryer and the dishwasher something is always running at my house.)

Check back soon for my goal announcement and what my plan will be to try and lose some weight.

Baby Steps by Dr. Leo Marvin

I have not kept my word/promise... I have not watched the DVDs yet (I have not even unwrapped them from the plastic coating). I am trying to build up some momentum again... it has been chilly this week and I love snuggling on the couch with a blanket and watching TV (and falling asleep)... but I did have 3 good days (diet wise) so far this week and today has been going good, too. I have been trying to eat healthy at meal times and trying to resist eating junk* in between the meals.

*The main problem with that is while I work in an office you would think I work in a bakery/candy store. Everywhere I turn there is candy or sweets in my line of vision... right now I am staring at 1 bowl of candy corn, 1 bowl of mixed Halloween candy and a box of Dunkin Donut muffins! I want to poke my eyes out with a stick (or a muffin - because maybe some of it will fall in my mouth).

I have healthy snacks on hand - FiberOne Yogurt (only 1 pt on WW), delicious empire apples (also 1 pt - because it is relatively small), and single serving bags of Jolly Time Healthy Pop popcorn - as you can see I am all set for the day. But yet I cannot resist the temptation of the candy bowl - it is ridiculous. It does not matter where the candy sits I will always seem to come in close proximity to it at some point during the day.

So now I am taking "Baby Steps" to get my momentum/motivation back on track... I love the movie "What About Bob"! At Dr. Marvin's suggestion I will repeat to myself - I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful... I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful... I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful... whenever I am tempted now.

Slow Down does not mean Stop!

I have say I have somewhat lost my drive for dieting and (the thought of) exercising! Since I have been home from vacation I can't seem to get myself back on track.... I can't even see the track, I am not sitting on the bleachers, or even in the locker room... you can find me standing next to the vending machines eating a Twix! (Did I ever mention I love any candy bar that comes in 2 pieces - Twix, Almond Joy, Mounds, 100 Grand to name a few.) Uuuggghhh! I have to stop this madness!
I can't commit to starting tomorrow, but this weekend I will watch and try to do at least 1 of the 10 minute training sessions. I might have my 3 year old doing it along side me, but I will do it! I have about 10 hours worth of television shows backed up on my TiVo from last week that I want to watch - but I think I can take a break during that time to try the exercise DVDs. It is amazing how much TV I try to watch in a one week period - that 10 hours does not include the 5 episodes of Oprah I deleted without watching. If only I had the same zest for exercising that I had for watching Dancing with the Stars.... I would be super fit by now.

That is all I have for now... I have to go wash the chocolate off my face now.

Does Sweating count as Excerise?

I have completed my first trip to Disney... 2 days - yes it was a very short visit by Disney standards, but just enough for me! I have already decided that are next visit will be 1. when my son is out of diapers and off formula and 2. in a winter month! I can not understand how on earth families can stand to be in the parks in the summer months - IT WAS SO UNBELIEVABLY HOT - it was like Africa hot (although I have never been to Africa I am fairly certain the temperature is the same)! I am pretty sure that anything I ate - and I ate a lot - was worked off with all the walking (more like trudging) and sweating. I was literally sweating from the minute we walked out of the hotel room to the minute we returned - sure we were in the air conditioning on and off throughout the day - but I do not think I ever actually stopped sweating. I was sure to drink lots of water to keep from getting dehydrated, I think I drank close to a gallon a day - plus I had a margarita each evening (that may have contributed to the sweating a little). Anyway we saw everything we came to see - which again is not much by most peoples standards, but enough for a 3.5 year old).

Day 1 - we went to Hollywood Studios and saw the Little Mermaid show, the Playhouse Disney show, the Muppet's 3D movie and had lunch with Jojo, Goliath, June and Leo (from Little Einsteins). After that we went back to the hotel and took a swim in the pool - that was very refreshing! Then we showered, got changed ad headed over the Magic Kingdom for the "Not So Scary Halloween Party" - trick-or-treating and riding a couple of rides (like the Dumbo (twice)) - it was lots of fun! And we got to see the Hallo-Wishes fireworks display. Day 2 - We spent the day at the Magic Kingdom - went on all the rides in Toon Town and Fantasy Land - we made a few purchases ($$$$) and headed out of the park around 4pm.
We are now relaxing in luxury at my families home in Port St. Lucie - I am enjoying the good food, good wine and good family time! I will check back in once I am back in New Jersey....

Not a bad start...

Yesterday's start to my families one week vacation got off to without too much drama - my diet was not quite out of my mind at that point and I have to say I had a pretty good day overall. The day began with one of my new favorites - oatmeal from Jamba Juice (Newark Airport gets another star in my book for having a Jamba Juice on site.) Oh - this was unusual... we enter the airport after checking are bags at the curbside check-in, we take the elevator (using double stroller for the kiddies) up to level to go through security. As we are approaching the security area my 3 and 1/2 year says "It smells like bacon - I need a piece of bacon!" - so after locating the Jamba Juice we stopped by "Steak Escape" for a side of bacon - she enjoyed the bacon! We boarded the plane and had a relatively drama free flight - the kids were great considering the confined space. We were offered turkey sandwiches on the flight - I have to say it was one of the best "meals" I have ever eaten on a plane (while flying Coach - nothing compares to First Class baby). The meal consisted of a Jennie-O 99% fat free turkey sandwich on a small roll (I removed the wilted lettuce and skipped the lite mayo), a small bag of baby carrots, and a mini Kit Kat... practically perfect in every way! Once we landed and use the restroom we dropped by the airport Burger King for some chicken tenders for my daughter - she ate 2, I ate the rest (like 8)! After a wait in the rental car line, another trip to the restroom for each child (yes that means we used the restroom 3 times within a 20 minute period), a somewhat trying wait and ride to the rental car off site pick up place I began to sweat like never before! It was raining and the air was so thick with heat - the rain drops were warm - GROSS! I stood under a canopy for what seemed like an hour (the intense sweating was blurring my sense of time) until we finally had the bags loaded, infant car seat installed (that took 2 attempts) and the booster seat strapped into the Nissan Xterra we rented. Off to Babies R Us for baby supplies and then on to my aunts for the first destination of the week.
Today I realized the Xterra is too SMALL! We hung out in the pool after breakfast (pancakes (not too many)) and then got ready to leave the house for a visit to the Turtle Museum and then the beach. We took one car (that is 3 adults and 2 kids in car seats) - I road in the back with the infant seat, the booster seat and my larger than I would like body - I thought I was going to pass out - and I started sweating again... at leat it was 100 degrees out - I can use that as an excuse! We went to a Turtle Museum - they rescue turtles and nurse them back to health... it was cool. Plus at the gift shop I bought an awesome hat for the beach! After the Museum we headed to the beach in Jupiter - it was a nice day!
Right now I am totally exhausted and will be heading to bed shortly... I have to be up early in the morning - we are heading to Disney tomorrow! But the real reason to get up early is that my husband is taking the Xterra back to the car rental place and changing it for a mini-van! I do not think he is happy about this and he is not doing it because he agrees the car is too small for us.... the reason is he refuses to listen to me complain for the rest of the vacation about the car. Whatever the reason (which I have decided will be "he agrees that I am right about the car being too small") I am happy! Stupid Xterra!

Sweet dreams from Palm Beach Gardens... catch up with you from Orlando!