Day 209 - 6 months and 25 days.

Okay, so it has been about a month since my last post.  I have avoided going to the Dr. to get weighed in because I have not been as diligent with my eating as I should be.  Its not that I have started eating carbs or anything of that sort, but of the small things that I am allowed to have, I have been perhaps eating more of them then I should (cheese... lol, I just couldnt help myself).  This being said, I know that I could have potentially lost a lot more weight, but haven't because of my poor choices.  I need to change this, I feel 100% better than I did 6 months ago but I still have quite the journey ahead of me.  My Dr. would like to see me lose another 60 pounds!  hmmmmm... I don't even think my body can get that small, but its definitely worth a shot. 
During my weigh in today, I managed to lose 4.5 pounds, which puts my total loss at 61.5.... pretty amazing!  As Christmas rolls in, it is going to be hard not to give into temptation, but I am back to being determined.  Plus, I have to see Dr. Bailey again in 2 weeks and he expects a food diary from me..... I want to prove to him that I can do this (and myself and all of you supporters)!!   Next year is just around the corner and if I plan on going to Europe in the summer the more weight off the better...  On to day 210 with a new vision and refocused attention!  :)


There are a lot of pictures of my food over the past month, I will post a few...

Pork chops, broccoli and mashed cauliflower

Pork, broccoli mashed cauliflower...

Me recent... :)

Greek chicken, broccoli and mashed cauliflower.

176 Days - Weigh In #11

So its not that easy anymore!  My last weigh in was on Thursday and to my dismay, I have gained 3 pounds :( This did not come as a shock to me considering I had attended 2 weddings and drank enough to shame a 50 year old man... but it did serve as a reality check.  I cannot eat and or drink whatever I like, it does effect my body whether I like it or not!  In speaking to the doctor at he clinic, he informed my that I had lost 5 pounds of fat but was retaining water like crazy.  This is good news because it is easier to control your water retention then to lose fat weight.  It is hard to explain, but basically I need to cut the salt out completely and drink a tonne of water... hopefully for my next weigh in I will be in a better predicament.  also, I still struggle with the fitness portion!  I cannot seem to motivate myself to move :(  But I know that this is really important so I need to find a way to get it done.  So although this week was not as great as it could have been, I want to make sure that I continue this fight to wellness, I still have quite a few pounds to lose before I reach my goal.. so full speed ahead to my next weigh in, lets make it a good one!

Pictures, enjoy!

 Chicken, beef, grilled green peppers and zucchini, steamed broccoli

Scrambled egg with egg whites, turkey bacon, Dr. Poon Bread with low fat cream cheese.

Asparagus, zucchini latchky (?) and salad taco

Home made Greek chicken salad... it was actually really good!!

Day 167 -

Today was supposed to be my 11th weigh in, but circumstances (work and not losing any weight) have left me with no choice but to move the weigh in to next week.  Although my Dr. has informed me that I may now come every three weeks, I really wanted to stick to the 2 week weigh in as I fell it will keep me motivated the most.  In weight myself at home, it does not appear that I have lost any additional weight or gained any weight.  I have not been drinking as much water, therefore concluding how essential it is to my weight loss.  Good ol' H2O.... I purchased a 1 liter plastic bottle to use therefore ensuring that I drink plenty of water, which was working, until I left it at a friends house and haven't used it therefore drinking much less water!!!  Note to self, purchase another bottle just in case!!  I look forward to my weigh in next week and will post via FB as soon as I find out the results, 

Some pictures if you are interested in checking them out.....

Chicken Wings, broccoli and salad.

Mashed cauliflower with cheese and chicken shish-kebob.

Zucchini, asparagus and zucchini egg fried thingy... soo yummy,!

 

5 months - Weigh In # 10

Today is a bittersweet day for me.  My weigh in today was quite successful... I lost 5 pounds.  Pretty amazing considering my diet hasn't been the greatest.  I think what may have helped a lot for this weigh in was my water consumption.  I made sure to drink a lot of water each day, this I believe is what saved me for this weigh in.  So, my total loss is 60 pounds!! I can't believe I am writing that: 60 pounds gone!!  Now the trick is to keep going and not falter.  Even though this has been the longest that I have stuck to something, weight loss related, I know myself and know that I have potential to get off track.  However, with this blog and the family and friends that continually understand my struggles, it will be hard to fall off track. 

Today, we also lost a dear family member.  He was a father, grandfather, husband and uncle and loved by many.  Tio Victor, you will be missed.  May you rest in peace and be free of suffering.  <3

Some Pictures.

Chicken shish-kabob with salad and steamed broccoli.

Chicken wings, steamed veggies and mashed cauliflower.

Lettuce Tacos? lol ground-beef with some cheese on lettuce.

Day 146 - October 6th

This month has shown little in terms of weight loss for me.... I know that I only have myself to blame for not making the best choices when it comes to eating.  In being forced to write down everything that I ate this past week, I have a pretty good idea where I am in need of adjustment.  Not enough greens and way to much cheese!  For those that know me well, they know that I could live off cheese.  I love it, and when I first started this journey I stayed completely away from it.  Over the past month, I have introduced it liberally back into my diet and although my love for cheese is intense, my goal and my journey outranks it, so cheese will become obsolete in my diet again :( Well, perhaps not obsolete, but definitely there will be less of it!  Almost reaching day 150 feels amazing and with Thanksgiving coming up I am excited to spend time with family and friends who care!

Pictures of my meals...

Lean Pork Burgers with turkey bacon on lettuce

Breaded chicken fingers oven baked, roasted veggies

Mashed cauliflower, BBQ chicken wings BBQ veggies

Steak, mashed cauliflower and steamed broccoli

Day 139 - weigh in #10

... Did not lose or gain anything this week....   I hope that I have not reached the all dreadful - plateau - that everyone talks about!!  I am keeping a food journal for the next two weeks so that the doctor can review what I eat to ensure that I am on the right track.  I know that I have not been the strictest with my diet this past month, so I am really happy that I am now being forced to re-evaluate what I am putting into my body.  The next weigh in should reveal a lot, I am looking forward to it...

Day 140 here I come.... with journal in hand.
Pictures as usual...

Wings, zucchini, mashed cauliflower.

Feta chicken breast, steamed asparagus.

The Keg... steak, asparagus and roasted veggies.

Day 132 - just an update!

Why hello everyone.  I am proud to announce that I am another pant/dress size smaller.  I went shopping today and for the first time it wasn't a huge disappointing mess...  I used to dread shopping mainly because I could never enjoy the experience; what, with all the mirrors constantly telling you how huge you are, how could I possibly  enjoy it?  Now however, I actually liked trying on clothes and being able to shop in a regular store!  I cannot remember ever being able to try things on in a regular store, but today was just another confirmation that this journey is well worth the sacrifice.  :)  Thanks again to Dr. Poon and all the staff at the Brampton clinic who are there for their patients.  On that note, I will end this entry with an invitation to look at the last few meals I have made... enjoy!

Greek inspired chicken shish-kebobs, mashed cauliflower and roasted veggies!  DELISH

Chicken fingers breaded with Dr. Poon approved bread and roasted zucchini...

Chicken burgers on cabbage leaves.... had to toss the cabbage leaves

 though, way better with salad!

 

Day 126 - WEIGH IN #9

It has been 4 and a half months since I began this journey, and although I am losing less weight weekly, I am still proud of my results and the lifestyle changes that accompany them.  Today I went for my weigh in and lost another 3.8 pounds.  Which puts me at 55 pounds lost...  In discussion with the Dr.  he informed me that I really lost 6 pounds of fat but am retaining water which makes my loss seem lower.... Hmmmmm this can only mean one thing, SALT INTAKE!  I know I have not been as strict as I should be over the last couple of visits which would explain my results.  Fact is, they are not as good as they can be.  Alright, time to go back to day one and along with the exercise remember that what I put into my mouth is vital to my success.

So much has changed since I began this road to a better self; my mood is better, I look and feel 100% better and now in addition to the family and friends who have been with me since day one,  I have someone special in my life who supports and aids me in this journey as well!  Couldn't ask for anything more!  On to day 127......... hip hip hooray!


Of course, some pictures for your viewing pleasure!!!

Chicken wings and roasted veggies.

Spinach and feta omelet and turkey bacon.  Yummy breakfast.

Steak, roasted veggies and mashed cauliflower....

Greek inspired chicken, grilled zucchini and mashed cauliflower....

Steak, mashed cauliflower roasted veggies.

Recent Picture of me and my nephew... Sept. 3rd, 2011

Sept 7th - day 117

Hello everyone....

I continue to follow this journey and am really trying to stay strict this week so that I may have better results for my next weigh in.  I find that my quality of life has improved so much since I began this journey almost 4 months ago.  I am happier than I have ever been.  I am most definitely healthier than ever and it is just getting better!  September marks the beginning of new things to come, my supply teaching kicks in again and I can't wait to be teaching in school again!  A new season begins as fall starts to creep in.  My challenge now is to keep going strong on this journey and try not to fall off the path..  With the amount of love and support that I have, I doubt that I will falter. On to day 118....... :)

Here are some pictures of meals that I have had recently...  I also threw in a picture of my first tattoo that I got on September 5th, just reminding me to love myself unconditionally.

Pork and Chicken shish kabob with turkey burger, bean  salad

and olives! It was really yummy!

Greek salad, oven roasted chicken wings and zucchini.

My new tattoo.... just a reminder to love myself always!

Day 111 - Sept. 1st

Today was my 8th weigh in,  It went probably as well as I expected.  I lost 2.8 pounds over the past 2 weeks and I can attribute that to less exercise and eating not as well as I should have been.  I only have myself to blame, but on the plus side, I have lost a total of 52 pounds!  This is an amazing fact and I am so thankful that I have found something that finally works!  I encourage anyone who is trying to make a healthy change in their life to make a stand and finally do something for themselves, its the best feeling ever.  I want to lose another 5 by my next weigh in and that will take focused eating and more physical activity.  I can do it though!!
As always, here are some pictures of some meals that I have had...

 Jerk Chicken and broccoli

 Chicken Souvlaki and veggies.  Yum Yum.

 Home made ground Pork Lettuce burgers.  :)

Steak, broccoli and mashed cauliflower!! Yum Yum.

Day 98 - August 19th Weigh In Number 7

49 pounds!!! I cannot believe that 49 pounds is where I am at right now.... I am so happy with my weigh in this week, especially considering that I was in NYC for a whole week and couldn't really control everything that I ate.  I stuck with the plan as much as possible and did a lot more exercise than regular these last two weeks, perhaps that is a big factor as to why the weight has decided to vamoooooosh!  Still have a long way to go, and I hear that it only gets harder to lose the weight the smaller you get sooooooo, its time to seriously start working out and beginning to build muscle... its the only way to ensure that I continue to burn the fat.  The support and encouragement of my friends and family continues to push me to continue... honestly without them, I could not do this!  xoxo.  Almost day 100, hip hip hooray!!

Pictures:

 Steak, broccoli and grilled veggies!! Delish.

Me on Sunday August 14... about 13 weeks after beginning this journey.  I don't really have any before pics, so the chronicling begins now!

Day 93 - August 14th

I cannot believe it has been already 3 months since I started this journey.  I was able to survive on my road trip to the USA and stick as close to my regimen as I possibly could.  During my trip, I brought a duffel bag full of goodies that I could eat so that part was easy.  But, dining out was more of a challenge, however I was able to find meals that I could eat and not feel too guilty.  It is easy to find meals in restaurants that are the healthier option, but controlling the sodium is the hardest part....  I have weighed myself at home and the scale shows no change.  So I didn't gain any weight on the trip which is what I was scared of!! This week I will be super strict to hopefully lose something before my weigh in on Friday, I know I can do it!
Here are some pictures of some of the meals that I had during my travels!!



Broccoli and chicken... it was on the low carb menu.... delish.

Steak Salad with asparagus.... sooooo good!!

Steak, zucchini and mashed cauliflower!  Yes, Ruby Tuesdays actually had mashed cauliflower as an option for a side.... it was soooooo good, that we went again the next night!

This time I had chicken, zucchini and mashed cauliflower....... yum.

Day 84 - Weigh In number 6

Time to switch gears.  Today's weigh in was just ok.  I lost 3 pounds (meh).  However, if we look at the big picture, I've lost 42 pounds... so that makes me feel much better!  I think I know why perhaps I didn't lose as much over these past two weeks: a) I didn't move my body enough and b) I wasn't as strict as I should be when it came to eating and drinking (way to many Coors lights)!   I now am seeing more and more the importance of including daily exercise into this lifestyle change.  As for the eating portion, I will be taking a road trip so the next week is going to be extremely difficult to stay on a focused diet, however when I get back, strict phase 1 just like the first week all over again, it must be done.  I don't think I could handle going to a weigh in and not losing any weight or putting weight on, that would be a tremendous blow.  Mentally though, I still feel amazing and nothing is better than that!  On to day 85 I go and off to NYC for a well deserved break!
Of course, here are some meal pics as usual.

<---- Sardines, Chicken and veggies.  I didn't eat the Sardines, I didn't like them BBQ'd/

Steak, broccoli and mashed cauliflower.  Yum Yum.

Day 76 - July 28

Hello everybody.... it is now day 76 and I cannot believe that I am still going strong.  I have come to the conclusion that the reason why this "diet" is finally working for me is because firstly I see the results.  That has got to be the biggest motivator by far.  The second reason is my friends and family that continue to walk this journey with me and only want to see me happiest... it truly is amazing.  Thirdly, all the extra things that has accompanied this life change is really helping me to stay on track; like writing this blog and going to my weigh ins every 2 weeks.  All of these elements combined is keeping me going!!  However, my will power is dwindling...... I love beer, always have, always will, this weekend that just passed, I did not do well at resisting the temptation to drink a cold one!  Granted I chose Coors light, which is probably one of the better choices, but I definitely drank too much of it... guess I'll have to work extra hard for the next weigh in!  Its the summer time BBQ's, patio night season and gathering of friends that makes it really hard to say no to a delicious beverage!  Feeling good is my motivator and I definitely feel GOOD!!  On to day 77...... with no beer! ;)
Of course, here are some recent meals....

<---------------------------------------------------------
Extra Lean beef burgers on lettuce.  With the right seasonings, this is a really delicious meal!  

               

                             ---------------------------------------->
Chicken Thighs broiled in the oven with steamed broccoli. I found a new spice, Jamaican  Curry, excellent on chicken.

<------------------------------------------------
"breaded" chicken breast with broiled veggies.  I used the Dr.Poon approved bread to make bread crumbs, added some herbs and spices and voila, breaded chicken!  Really tasty.




Many people have asked my for recipes, however I have not taken the time to write down what I use in my foods, a lot of them comes from throwing a bunch of things together that I think will taste good and be flavorful.  I will make an effort to write down what I use and I will begin to post recipes for those that want to try them out! 

Day 70 - July 22 - 5th Weigh In!

Who knew that I would be saying that I have been on this program for 10 weeks and have lost a total of 39 pounds!  I have never felt happier or better about what I am doing... it feels right!!  Today was my 5th weigh in at the Dr. Poon Clinic and I lost another 6 pounds in 2 weeks.  It simply gets easier and easier every day; with the support of family and friends, reaching my target weight is now in sight!!
However, a great challenge is coming my way and I still have to think about how I am going to confront it head on.  I am going on a road trip with a couple of friends and really need to think about my meals and snacks while on the trip.   It wont be difficult as long as I stay focused and plan in advanced.  Besides, my friends understand what I can and can't eat so I know they will back me up 100%.  So far, exercise continues to be a struggle, especially with this ridiculous heat wave... but I am swimming more which I guess is as good as its going to get in the outdoor exercise department!  Thinking about possibly joining a gym again............ I hate gyms, but this time might be different. (fingers crossed).  Well, I am going to end this blog with a quote: "Decide what you want, decide what you are willing to exchange for it. Establish your priorities and go to work." H. L. Hungt


Of course, here are some pictures of some meals that I have made recently.

 <====== Chicken Breast and steamed broccoli

                       Pork, zucchini and asparagus. ==========>

<======== Zucchini "lasagna"  basically zucchini, mashed cauliflower, lean ground chicken and cheese... yum!