Real Food is Yum

Yesterday was a scary day for me in a lot of ways. I went out to eat. It was awesome. I incorporated more food back into my diet. It was awesome. I was terrified I would be up 3 lbs on the scale this morning. Mentally I expected that. I had stuffed mushrooms. I had Parmesan chicken. I had salad with cheese. I had sweet potato tots. I had a lot of food. Over 1200 calories.

I also did my Jillian Michaels DVD for the first time in probably a year. I would say I made it through 93% of it. Why do these things always start with push ups? I am such a weakling.

Anyway, I stepped on the scale this morning. And was down. .2 but I was down. I broke through another barrier. I got my t-shirt I've been wanting. I hit my second goal. On phase 3. I know there will still be a lot of ups and downs on this process, but I am a happy girl this morning.

I also made some great egg/ham/cheese muffins for breakfast this week. I did the math and they are 65 calories each. A serving is 2. So for breakfast I had two of those and 6 ounces of pure cranberry juice. I am a happy Emily today.

Here is the recipe:
6 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup diced ham
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
salt & pepper to taste.

Blend eggs and milk and set aside. Spray a 12 count muffin tin with pam or oil to keep eggs from sticking (this only 1/2 worked for me). Add ham and cheese in even amounts to the bottom of each muffin. Cover with egg mixture until 2/3 full.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick in the middle of each comes out clean. Let sit in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Remove and enjoy!

Next time I will add more veggies and maybe some hot sauce to the top. I have breakfasts now for the next 6 days! YAY!

Day 25! Another Milestone

20 lbs. I've effectively lost a toddler off my body in the last month. That's INSANE.

I'm excited to see what the next 15 days hold. As much as I'm ready to be done with this, I'm also hoping to lost at least 10 more pounds over the next 15 days. As slow as this week has gone, I know that will be a struggle, but I'm hopeful. 30 lbs would be huge. I think I could almost fit in the dress I want to wear for Easter at 30 lbs.

I'm excited and a little nervous about this weekend. The possibility of snow means I'm heading to Cincy tonight see Liz. So, instead of just one or two meals to figure out while gone, I'm up to a full day/day and a half. I've packed some stuff up, though, and I know Liz is also losing weight, so hopefully we can keep each other healthy. I am planning on enjoying some Chipotle either tonight or tomorrow night, though. And I'm okay with that. It's relatively healthy, and I need to learn to live with this weight loss, not hide from life because of it!

So, it's going to be a good weekend. I can tell already!

I probably won't be able to blog as much, but I'll try and stick something up. I also don't know how similar Liz and I's scales are, so that could be interesting...

Love you all!

PS: Here is me, 20 lbs lighter. I did a mud run back last April. I was too heavy to wear this shirt. This is the first time I've been able to wear it. Still a long way to go, but this feels good!

(and this is also the first mirror/camera shot I've ever taken)

 

Things that Weigh 20 Pounds

I did it! 20 pounds gone. Think that's not a lot? Here are some things that weight 20 pounds:

A Propane Tank

A Car Tire

A Kitchenaid Mixer

 

This Crazy Tuna

 

 



I absolutely hate lugging around that kitchenaid mixer, especially. I can't believe I've been carrying that around on my body.

Day 21: Recovery Feels Grand

Day 21.

If I was on the shorter program, I would be just a few days away from moving on to the next Phase and reintroducing some of my favorite foods to the diet. I've been going crazy on Pinterest lately pinning yummy recipes that (I think) will be lifestyle appropriate for the rest of my life. I do miss my carbs, but not like I thought I would. I feel good. I feel healthier than I've felt in years. I do miss the ease and convenience of picking up a sandwich when I'm pooped from cooking and cleaning. Mostly I miss hot foods. I feel like I don't have enough of a choice when it comes to warm, yummy food. I'm sure there are recipes out there that I could find to make Phase 2 more enjoyable. And, since I still have 19 days left of this, it might be time to find some of those recipes. I think I'll risk adding some cauliflower to my diet this week and see what that does. Apparently most people don't have problems adding it at this stage.

I'm now just a couple pounds away from where I was when I got married. Hard to believe. It's taken over 6 years to get back to it. I've gained and lost and gained and lost for a long time. Breaking through my next goal (in just 8.8 lbs) will put me just a few pounds away from where I was when Tim and I started dating. That's crazy.

I don't feel like my body is changing all that much, still. I guess it is because I see myself every day. But, who knows. I'm getting anxious to work out more. I want to do crunches and sit ups and even my silly Wii Fit. I haven't been getting enough exercise these last few weeks (frigid temps don't help), and I'm ready to get active again.

I found some Hansen's fruit punch to flavor water this week. It's sweetened with Stevia, which is the approved sweetener for this phase, so I'm hoping it won't affect weight loss. I also bought a 6 pack of black cherry Zevia, which is a soda-like drink. I'm hoping it will take the edge off wanting a diet coke!

Things that Weigh 10 lbs

10 lbs lighter.

I wish I looked different.
I wish I felt different.
I wish my clothes were a little loose.
I wish someone would notice.

I guess that just shows how far I have to go. But it's still something to celebrate. So, in honor of losing 10 pounds, here are a few things that weigh 10 pounds!

A 10 Pound Bag of Potatoes

A Standard Bowling Ball

700 Gummy Bears (which I would love to eat - YUM!)

40 Sticks of Butter

12-Pack of Soda

That's 10 pounds I pledge to never have to carry around again. Now, just 50 more to go...