Just trying to see if my computer challenged mind can introduce a new topic correctly. Thanks for all of your patience.
Eva
Eva
Some days I just don't have anything to blog about. I think this is a healthy sign, as I'm not focusing all my energies on "dieting." It's one of the things I love about this program - my life continues to move forward and I get to lose weight along the way. It doesn't get much better than this.
I'm experiencing another period of time where for few weeks I've been feeling like I'm not losing weight, wondering why these pants still fit - they should be too big on me by now, but I continue to let go of those thoughts. I know I'm doing everything I can to be successful in this journey, so I let those thoughts go, continue to eat meat, meat, meat, and let my negative thoughts go once again. I feel changes in my body, even if my jeans don't show the change yet. I know one of these days, those jeans are going to no longer hold up, they'll be too big, and I look forward to that day. Time doesn't matter here; I know if I keep following this course, I will arrive!
Last Week's workout was shy one day of running, my goal is to run 3-4 times a week, but this happens from time to time. I'll pick up another day this week and I'll also begin to push myself to go the distance; the race is a tad over 3 miles. What's important is that I keep looking ahead to the finish line, which is the hot chocolate run in Dec. Having a goal like this keeps me running. I feel great when I run and for hours after the run!
Mon., Oct. 15 - 5 pm on the treadmill
I couldn't make it during lunch to the gym, but I went at the end of the day and I felt really proud of myself for getting there! My reward was a beautiful fall scene when I stepped outside the gym. I followed my c25k app for a 32 min. walkout:
Tue., Oct. 16 - noon walk
Today's plan was to walk with a co-worker. It was a gorgeous day out there. We walked fast for a solid half hour, not including my time to meet up with her and then walk back to my office.
Wed., Oct. 17 - noon on the treadmill
Today's workout was with my running pal Aime on the treadmill.
Sun., Oct. 21 - time unknown walk
I took Friday off from work, as I had a friend was visiting for the weekend. We walked on a beautiful trail that was a mile long. No running, just enjoying another beautiful fall day.
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| On the treadmill; photo by Theresa. |
Last Week's workout was shy one day of running, my goal is to run 3-4 times a week, but this happens from time to time. I'll pick up another day this week and I'll also begin to push myself to go the distance; the race is a tad over 3 miles. What's important is that I keep looking ahead to the finish line, which is the hot chocolate run in Dec. Having a goal like this keeps me running. I feel great when I run and for hours after the run!
Mon., Oct. 15 - 5 pm on the treadmill
I couldn't make it during lunch to the gym, but I went at the end of the day and I felt really proud of myself for getting there! My reward was a beautiful fall scene when I stepped outside the gym. I followed my c25k app for a 32 min. walkout:
- warm up/walk: 5 min (3.0 pace)
- jog 8 min. (4.0 pace)
- walk 2 min. (3.0 pace)
- jog 10 min. (4.0 pace)
- walk 2 min. (3.0 pace)
- run 5 min (4.0 pace)
- average speed 3.45 MPH
- average pace15:51 /mile
- distance 1.79 miles
Today's plan was to walk with a co-worker. It was a gorgeous day out there. We walked fast for a solid half hour, not including my time to meet up with her and then walk back to my office.
Wed., Oct. 17 - noon on the treadmill
Today's workout was with my running pal Aime on the treadmill.
Sun., Oct. 21 - time unknown walk
I took Friday off from work, as I had a friend was visiting for the weekend. We walked on a beautiful trail that was a mile long. No running, just enjoying another beautiful fall day.
I've heard so much about this recipe, I had to add this to the blog. I haven't tried it yet, but those who have swear by it. Be mindful of the amount of cheese you use and since you can't load it with heavy items, plan to eat meat with this pizza. This recipe is from Stuff I Make My Husband (I edited the text).
Use a bag of Birds Eye Steam fresh cauliflower or use fresh cauliflower and add your own seasonings, but this is easy and it steams in its own bag.
1. Microwave cauliflower according to package directions, then place onto a cheesecloth (or use a clean dishcloth that has been lined with lots and lots of paper towels).
2. Lay more paper towels on top, fold the dish towel over itself, and press hard to squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the florets.
3. Feed the cauliflower through the shredding disk of your food processor.
4. Repeat the squeezing step with fresh paper towels.
5. Get lots of moisture out until you have something resembling dough.
6. Combine shreds with 4 oz grated mozzarella (do
not use fat-free) and 1/4 cup egg whites; not using yolk seems to give a crispier crust.
7. Line a baking sheet or broiler pan with parchment paper -- you MUST use parchment paper, do NOT use foil or it will stick!!
8.Mound the cauliflower mixture in the center.
9. Using damp hands (shake off the excess water), work radially around the cauliflower, pressing from the center outward to create a thin crust.
10. Be careful that holes don't form, but don't worry if it seems loose, as when the cheese melts it will help everything hold together.
11. Gently blot excess moisture off the top with a paper towel.
12. Spread it as thin as you possibly can.
13. It should resemble the thinnest of the thin-crust pizzas.
14. If it is too thick it will be very soggy and you'll be stuck eating it with a fork.
15. Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
16. The crust should be browned and perhaps slightly burnt in some spots around the edges.
17. Do NOT under bake.
18. Spread pizza sauce and whatever toppings you like; don't use anything too wet or too heavy.
19. Toppings should all be chopped fine or sliced thin: sliced olives and sauteed garlic spinach (squeezed dry) or whatever veggies you have around.
20. Dust with Parmesan.
21. Pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes or so.
Voila! There you have it, cauliflower pizza!
Crispy, slice able, and you eat eat it with your hands -- no fork required.
Source: Stuff I Make My Husband
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| Cauliflower Pizza; photo by Amylinn |
1. Microwave cauliflower according to package directions, then place onto a cheesecloth (or use a clean dishcloth that has been lined with lots and lots of paper towels).
2. Lay more paper towels on top, fold the dish towel over itself, and press hard to squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the florets.
3. Feed the cauliflower through the shredding disk of your food processor.
4. Repeat the squeezing step with fresh paper towels.
5. Get lots of moisture out until you have something resembling dough.
6. Combine shreds with 4 oz grated mozzarella (do
not use fat-free) and 1/4 cup egg whites; not using yolk seems to give a crispier crust.7. Line a baking sheet or broiler pan with parchment paper -- you MUST use parchment paper, do NOT use foil or it will stick!!
8.Mound the cauliflower mixture in the center.
9. Using damp hands (shake off the excess water), work radially around the cauliflower, pressing from the center outward to create a thin crust.
10. Be careful that holes don't form, but don't worry if it seems loose, as when the cheese melts it will help everything hold together.
11. Gently blot excess moisture off the top with a paper towel.
12. Spread it as thin as you possibly can.
13. It should resemble the thinnest of the thin-crust pizzas.
14. If it is too thick it will be very soggy and you'll be stuck eating it with a fork.
15. Bake at 450 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
16. The crust should be browned and perhaps slightly burnt in some spots around the edges.
17. Do NOT under bake.
18. Spread pizza sauce and whatever toppings you like; don't use anything too wet or too heavy.
19. Toppings should all be chopped fine or sliced thin: sliced olives and sauteed garlic spinach (squeezed dry) or whatever veggies you have around.
20. Dust with Parmesan.
21. Pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes or so.
Voila! There you have it, cauliflower pizza!
Crispy, slice able, and you eat eat it with your hands -- no fork required.
Source: Stuff I Make My Husband
Anonymous asked on How to Post to this Blog
I have been to 2 sessions. My third is next week. I am really struggling. I am staying on program to the best of my knowledge. I feel guilty using ketchup and BBQ sauce has condiments. They are sweet and I feel guilty for enjoying their sweetness. Also, I am sad, angry. I want to be like others and enjoy a piece of cake or chocolate. I went out with a bunch of friends and we ended up at a bakery. Everyone enjoyed a treat except me. Am I never ever going to enjoy a slice of apple crisp, birthday cake?Anonymous asked on Mirror, Mirror
Just a quick question - does anyone know if Julie is on vacation or something? I've tried calling last 2 weeks to schedule a refresher, but only get recording and all the voice mail boxes are full. I've tried several times. Thanks for any info --(tried all times of day and night).Anonymous asked on How to Post to this Blog
Can I use Lipton soup onion mix(not dry) but mixed in a crock pot with beef and tomato sauce?
I've been doing some internal exploring the past few weeks, to try to understand how it is that I never really saw how big I was when I was at my largest and how it is that when I see a new photo of myself I'm shocked that I'm still this big.
How is it that until seeing a photo of myself last week, I was happy with how much weight I've lost and how I looked, but then I saw the photo (below with my grandniece), and boom, I get all disappointed in myself.
I'm exploring these concepts in a gentle way, without judgement, and with lots of kindness towards myself. I'm not beating myself up, but pausing to understand why the denial in the first place. Why didn't I see myself as obese as I was at my top weight? Why is it that 8 sizes (smaller) later, I only see an obese woman in the photo? I think this denial comes as a protection from pain. It was too painful to see myself as large as I was. It's painful to see how big I still am. It's painful to look at myself and see how much more weight I have to lose.
Just the same, I must look. I must see myself today, so that I can continue my journey, so I can reach my goal size. I've been visualizing being a size 8, so of course when I see my photo in size 20 pants I freak out because in my mind I'm a size 8. Well, I'm not a size 8, but I'm not a size 20 either, those pants are way too big. I'm a size 18 and I'm doing all the right things to obtain my goal size.
BTW, I just checked the size of those jeans and they're size 26! No! No! No! No wonder I felt so fat when I saw this photo! Julie encouraged us to get rid of clothes that are too big so we don't "grow" into them. Last night I started selling clothes on eBay again, not a moment too soon. I am NOT going to grow into any of those clothes again, so out they go!
One thing I've done right in this weight loss journey is to learn the most I can along the way. This denial of my size issue is an important one. I want stay out of denial and judgement. I have come too far to crush myself because I'm still not a size 8.
I choose to feel the pain of my reality today (size 18) and my past (size 30/32). I choose to continue to look in the mirror and at my photos and see myself as I am and to embrace where I'm at in this journey. I choose to continue to feel proud of my success along the way. I choose to reach my goal size, which at my refresh with Julie last week I changed to size 6.
There's more to all these thoughts, but this is the gist of it. Plus, I'm out of time this morning and I've been wanting to share these thoughts since last week. Can any of you relate?
Here's a summary of my first week of training for the Hot Chocolate Run. This week I kick it up with more time on the treadmill.
Monday - 10/08/12 walked Whiting Reservoir
My grandniece and I walked at different paces, as I wanted to get a workout and she wanted to "take it all in". Sometimes we have to follow advice from those younger than we are; we're not always right!
- Elapsed time: 60:00
- Distance: 2.0 miles
Tuesday - 10/09/12 recumbent bike at work
I was multi-tasking while on the bike, organizing notes on my iPhone, and the next thing I knew it - 38 minutes has passed. My intention was to bike for 20 minutes.
Great workout!
- Elapsed time: 38:00
10/10/12 treadmill at work
This was my first time on the treadmill in a while. I want to start training for the Hot Chocolate Run in Dec., so I used the c25k app to kick-start my training. I've been running and walking outside, so I started with week 5 of the app. When the app says walk, my pace on the treadmill is 3.0 and when it says run, I kick it up to 4.0. No hills yet, but I will add them in a few weeks. The race begins on a very steep hill and there are more hills to follow; I want to be ready for them. It was fabulous to being running at this pace again!
- Elapsed time: 36:07
- Distance: 2.14 miles
- Average speed: 3.56 MPH
- Average pace: 16:51 mile
10/11/12 walked outside at work
I couldn't resist being outside on such a gorgeous day, especially with all the fall leaves. I walked with Aime and we kept a fast walking pace. As we walked, we had incredible talks about the program and after the first mile, I wished we had recorded our conversation, as we both had great "ah ha" moments that would be great to add to the blog.
- Elapsed time: about 30 min.
- Distance: 2.0 miles
How is it that until seeing a photo of myself last week, I was happy with how much weight I've lost and how I looked, but then I saw the photo (below with my grandniece), and boom, I get all disappointed in myself.
I'm exploring these concepts in a gentle way, without judgement, and with lots of kindness towards myself. I'm not beating myself up, but pausing to understand why the denial in the first place. Why didn't I see myself as obese as I was at my top weight? Why is it that 8 sizes (smaller) later, I only see an obese woman in the photo? I think this denial comes as a protection from pain. It was too painful to see myself as large as I was. It's painful to see how big I still am. It's painful to look at myself and see how much more weight I have to lose.
Just the same, I must look. I must see myself today, so that I can continue my journey, so I can reach my goal size. I've been visualizing being a size 8, so of course when I see my photo in size 20 pants I freak out because in my mind I'm a size 8. Well, I'm not a size 8, but I'm not a size 20 either, those pants are way too big. I'm a size 18 and I'm doing all the right things to obtain my goal size.
BTW, I just checked the size of those jeans and they're size 26! No! No! No! No wonder I felt so fat when I saw this photo! Julie encouraged us to get rid of clothes that are too big so we don't "grow" into them. Last night I started selling clothes on eBay again, not a moment too soon. I am NOT going to grow into any of those clothes again, so out they go!
One thing I've done right in this weight loss journey is to learn the most I can along the way. This denial of my size issue is an important one. I want stay out of denial and judgement. I have come too far to crush myself because I'm still not a size 8.
I choose to feel the pain of my reality today (size 18) and my past (size 30/32). I choose to continue to look in the mirror and at my photos and see myself as I am and to embrace where I'm at in this journey. I choose to continue to feel proud of my success along the way. I choose to reach my goal size, which at my refresh with Julie last week I changed to size 6.
There's more to all these thoughts, but this is the gist of it. Plus, I'm out of time this morning and I've been wanting to share these thoughts since last week. Can any of you relate?
Here's a summary of my first week of training for the Hot Chocolate Run. This week I kick it up with more time on the treadmill.
Monday - 10/08/12 walked Whiting Reservoir
My grandniece and I walked at different paces, as I wanted to get a workout and she wanted to "take it all in". Sometimes we have to follow advice from those younger than we are; we're not always right!
- Elapsed time: 60:00
- Distance: 2.0 miles
I was multi-tasking while on the bike, organizing notes on my iPhone, and the next thing I knew it - 38 minutes has passed. My intention was to bike for 20 minutes.
Great workout!
- Elapsed time: 38:00
- Elapsed time: 36:07
- Distance: 2.14 miles
- Average speed: 3.56 MPH
- Average pace: 16:51 mile
- Elapsed time: about 30 min.
- Distance: 2.0 miles
Anonymous is asking for advice to her situation (I Panicked!!):
You are right - it was NOT your free will, and I had learned do not obsess over it and things will be ok.MaryJane is also asking for advice (Roots of Obesity Documentary):
I personally have had a different issue all together, and it plagues me a bit. I finished my sessions with Julie around the end of August. I have the most horrible cravings around PMS time (does anyone else?) I have been able to make it through ... until this past weekend. I ate some Keebler grasshopper cookies. I am attempting to put it behind me and move on. Doing just as awesome as before - meat, veggie etc.
I think I am needing a place to admit that I did it and also ask if anyone thinks I should call and make an appt. again with Julie ... I don't want to go back to what I used to do. I have lost almost 2 sizes in just these two months and I have been doing so good ...
I'm also so grateful to have found Julie. I've been on her plan for 8 months and have never strayed (which is quite a miracle after years of trying ever diet known to man and never having lasting success). I do have quite a problem which I'm now facing. Since losing so much weight (and being in my sixties) my skin is really sagging.
Now, I've seen this discussed previously, but I'm not in a position for any surgery and just can't wear any of those compression garments. But the main problem is that I really am developing a bad sef image due do this excess skin and massive wrinkles.
At least when I was fatter, I had prefectly taught skin ( of course it was packed full of fat which I know is not healthy). I only mention this because recently I'm beginning to think that perhaps I should not continue with this program as I do not want to end up just a skeleton with skin hanging everywhere.
Don't get me wrong, I still have a ways to go (most people would consider me overweight I'm sure), however, I don't know if this skin problem should be a deal breaker. There is only so much exercise one can do when your skin becomes this far gone (must be why all the candidates on extreme weight loss opt to have the surgery). Since that is not an option for me, I just wanted a little reinforcement that even tho my skin is far less than optimal now, that having lost all that weight is still the healthier alternative.
Does anyone else ever have such feelings; and, how to you push those thoughts out of your mind. I know we can't turn back the hands of time, but I am so envious of anyone that discovers this at a earlier age when their skin is able to "snap" back. HELP!!!
I subscribe to a newsletter about natural health and an article in today's newsletter caught my attention "BBC documentary by investigative reporter Jacques Peretti, the foundational reasons behind the obesity epidemic are revealed." This documentary provides supporting data for much of what Julie teaches us about food.
You can view the full article The Modern Food System and the Roots of Obesity, but you have to subscribe first; it's free. The article pretty much follows all of what the videos show.
You can view the full article The Modern Food System and the Roots of Obesity, but you have to subscribe first; it's free. The article pretty much follows all of what the videos show.
I just registered for the Hot Chocolate Run, which is on December 2 in Northampton, MA, and I want to challenge those of you following this blog to join my "Friends of the Keys" team and run this 5K!
To prepare for this run, I'm starting my c25k today (couch to 5k running app). BTW, 5k is just a tad over 3 miles. Last year I did this race in just under 45 minutes and I want to beat that this year. I would love to have a bunch of you join me! Post your questions if you're unsure and want some support! These kind of races are especially fun when done in a team - both the training for the race and the race itself. Let's do it!
If you want like to join me, simply register for the Hot Chocolate Run and when you register, select my "Friends of the Keys" team.
If you aren't up for the run, I hope you'll consider making a donation of any amount to help me reach my $200 fundraising goal! You may make a donation to Safe Passages on my behalf to help fund their programming--including an emergency shelter program, individual counseling and support groups, legal services, a 24-hour hotline and more. All contributions are tax-deductible, and you’ll receive an emailed receipt immediately after you donate.
If you want like to join me, simply register for the Hot Chocolate Run and when you register, select my "Friends of the Keys" team.
If you aren't up for the run, I hope you'll consider making a donation of any amount to help me reach my $200 fundraising goal! You may make a donation to Safe Passages on my behalf to help fund their programming--including an emergency shelter program, individual counseling and support groups, legal services, a 24-hour hotline and more. All contributions are tax-deductible, and you’ll receive an emailed receipt immediately after you donate.
