LIVE it!

I got this off Facebook. It is what my goal is....



Live so that those who know you, but don't know him, will want to know him because they know you!

Low Carb eating

So now that I have transitioned more to low carb eating, I have to say it isn't as hard as I thought! The first few weeks were HARD HARD HARD!!! Getting all that junk out of my system. Now I know that people will say "You need carbs for energy" which is true. I am not doing low carb just for weight loss....It is the diet I was always supposed to have as a post gastric bypass patient....

You are allowed to have some carbs a few times per week just to help things move if you catch my drift. In which case I stick to non trigger foods like oatmeal, oat bran, high fiber cereal etc. I add it to my protein shake or eat only about 1/4-1/2 cup per serving. I do also eat some fruit. About 1 serving total a day. Having bread or pasta for me is a trigger, meaning I want to eat a lot of it!!! Crackers, chips, popcorn, etc. are all trigger foods for me:(

Anyhow here is how I cook for my family and myself without having to make separate meals.

Mexican Food
Sub out the tortilla for lettuce wraps, salad bed, or just plain. I made enchiladas, and just left out some filling for me. I topped the chicken with Sauce, cheese, green onions and a few black olives. I felt happy with that because I got all the same flavors. Served with a side of oven baked broccoli (so good) and it was great! I may add low carb tortillas when I reach maintenance


Pasta
Use spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or Shirataki noodles or again just plain.
For Pizza you can pound out a chicken breast and top it like you would a pizza. You can also use a Portabello mushroom cap or a Half a Pepper too!

Rice-
I make cauliflower rice. Grate a head of cauliflower and put in a pan with pam or a little oil. Cook until not crunchy...Best in stir-fry, or ethnic food.


Chips, Crackers, etc.
I use carrot chips (carrots that are sliced round I find them at Walmart), Zucchini chips, cucumber chips or celery to Dip with. You can flavor Greek yogurt with Ranch, green onion, or onion soup mix. Good fast lunch. I also mix cottage cheese or deli meat with salsa to dip with Veggies.

Salty Cravings
Nuts, Beef Jerky, and String cheese! Love these to fix my salty cravings!

Sugary Cravings
Yogurt (I love carbmaster found at Smiths, Ralphs, Kroger), Fruit, Sweet Nuts, Trail Mix, Protein Shake, Protein bar (I like Luna Protein bars in Chocolate flavor) and GUM (I like extra dessert flavors)

Breakfast
It can get old to eat eggs or a protein shake every day. I find lots of recipes and rotate them so I don't get bored.
Eggs-egg muffins, scrambled, egg in the hole made with green peppers instead of bread, frittata, omelets, etc. Just mix up the ingredients and you will be fine. I also serve it with turkey sausage, low sodium ham, or center cut bacon. yummmm
Shakes-Raspberry Cheesecake, German Chocolate, Cake Batter, Frozen Hot Chocolate, Chocolate peanut butter banana, Butterfinger, and Caribbean Cooler are some favorites of mine. Mix it up keep it fresh and rotate!

Liquids
People are always suprized that I haven't drank soda in almost ten years. (one of the rules I did stick to post surgery:)) It is true I went from drinking probably about 90 ounces of Diet Coke a day to NADA! So WHAT do I drink?
WATER!!! Silly but true. I flavor it with crystal lite packets sometimes, lemon, lime, oranges, cucumber, etc. I also drink decaf and herbal tea at night. For a treat I drink sobe life water or propel.
I use lactaid, or almond milk in smoothies and cereal.

It can be done. It is HARD at first and you may yell at people and be onrey for a few weeks. It gets easier I swear!!!

Tasty Tuesday

Here are a few favorite recipes as of late!

Mexican Chicken

from fit2fat2fit.com


Ingredients:

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 teaspoon taco seasoning (it's a seasoning powder)
• 1/2 cup red enchilada sauce
• 1 small can chopped black olives
• 1 small can chopped green chilies
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2-4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Directions: Sprinkle the chicken on both sides with taco seasoning; grill or saute. Cut the cooked chicken into cubes and place in a greased 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Add the enchilada sauce and toss the chicken to coat it with the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese (optional) and olives over the chicken and bake at 350 °F for 10 to 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Scatter the green chilies and green onions over the top.

frozen hot chocolate
from pojofitness.com
1 packet diet hot chocolate*
1 cup skim milk (I use lactaid)
ice
optional: a few chocolate chips

add all ingredients in a blender. blend till desired consistency.
without the chocolate chips, this drink has 105 calories and about 10 grams of protein. not bad right!?!?

the chocolate chips blended do make it delicious.. i add maybe about 5 or 6. and, a little dollup of cool whip always makes everything better too!

*diet hot chocolate should have 25 calories.

German Chocolate Cake Protein Shake (This REALLY tastes like German Chocolate Cake!!)

fit2fat2fit.com

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/4 teaspoon caramel extract
• 2 tablespoons sugar-free, fat-free Chocolate Pudding mix
• 1 packet truvia or xylitol
• 1 handful of spinach
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthum gum (optional- used to thicken the shake)
• 1 scoop  (vanilla whey protein isolate)
• 2 cups ice (varies based on the consistency you want, about 3-4 handfuls)

Directions: Put all ingredients in a blender. Blend and enjoy!
Tips: You can freeze your bag of spinach so it doesn't wilt and go bad and use that instead. You will use less ice that way as well.

Serving Others

So I have a friend who's baby is in the hospital and I know from experience how hard that is. I also know how hard it is to be a patient in the hospital either for having a baby or a long term stay. I was trying to think of what I could do for her while she is at the hospital for awhile. Here are a few Ideas I had based on my own experience of being there. You could definitely do this also for someone who just came home from a hospital stay or is sick.

1. Chapstick!! You don't remember to bring these essentials seriously! This is my favorite Bath and Body mint lip gloss. Not sticky, tastes great, Lots of flavors!


2.Plain old lotion! You seriously get so dry!! I like the thick stuff.


3. Hand sanitizer- hospitals are DIRTY!!! Germs, they don't mop often, Bodily stuff YUCK!


4.Books, movies, magazines, word searches and coloring books- yes I colored when I was in the hospital!! It gets BORING!!!


5. Notecards- I always wished I had something to write a note for exceptional nurses. You often only see them one shift and want to thank them.


6. Fuzzy Socks and Slippers to wear walking around.- BELIEVE me hospital socks are gross. Also you don't want the socks you wore walking around IN YOUR BED!


 

7.Pen and Notebook- Again it is BORING and you can NEVER find a pen!



8. Shower kit-Sometimes you forget to take care of yourself while in the hospital. Make a little kit with Shampoo, Conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, body pouf etc. deodorant and a razor!!!


9. Lunch- Hospital food is gross. Bring them a Café Rio Salad, Sandwich, even make something from home....Anything is better!!



10. Snacks- You get food three times a day in the hospital. You need snacks!!!


Things you can do for them
1. Paint their nails
2. Listen to them
3. Do their hair or makeup
4. Ask if they need anything
5. Offer to help at home- kids, laundry, meals etc.
6. Just brush their hair or rub their feet
7. Offer words of encouragement
8. Bring them a kind caring note
9. Just go visit. Lots of people stay away, but VISITORS are Vital!!!
10. Make them laugh. Laughter is the best medicine!!

Reboot

This post could have been avoided had I read this post I wrote in January.....Sometimes I need to reread what I have already written to remind myself things I already know.... Anyway, Read on.....


So, yesterday was awful! I had seen some pictures of someone who lost weight recently, and that made me wonder how much weight I had lost. So I got on the scale.....I bet you can see where this is going....

It was a downward spiral of emotions, beating myself up, eating things I wouldn't normally eat.

It wasn't pretty....

Then I realized I am again obsessing about the food I am eating.....

Then my sweet friend Lynette called. (I told you she always calls when I need her!!)

She really is an angel I SWEAR IT!

Anyway, She told me change is from the inside out, NOT the outside in. I am focusing on the results and not the change of heart.

It is like pulling weeds from a garden. You have to pull the weeds and the roots for the change to stick. I have pulled the weeds but the roots are still there.

She told me, can you still be a good person if you are overweight? Can you be committed to the gospel where you are now? Can you love yourself right now?

This thought scared me because I felt that meant I was giving up. I felt like accepting and loving myself as is meant that I would be saying it was ok to stay fat.

She told me, you can't make this change to be thin. Again my motivation was on the results NOT the change of heart.

God is not going to ask me, ok what size were you, and how much did you weigh, and did you eat low-carb or high-carb, and did you count your calories.

He cares if I am kind, loving, serve others, keep the commandments, pray, submit to his will, etc.

Those are the things I need to count as successes and the rest will come.

It is easier for me to trust something if I have evidence it is true. My testimony has been built by experiences in my life where I have felt the spirit.

So, I was thinking back to when I was the happiest in my life.

It was the years between 22 and 25.  I retraced my steps and broke down what the habits were that made me so happy. I had gone back to church and I started small and I remember it took a long time, but one thing built on another. Good habits replaced bad ones. I started reading my scriptures, praying, going to church, studying the gospel.

I didn't watch much TV, I didn't have worldly distractions (facebook, pinterest, youtube), I listened to good uplifting music.

And you know what?

I didn't obsess over food, I didn't overeat, I didn't even THINK about food. I ate what I wanted in proper portions and stopped when I was full. I wasn't on a diet at all.

You know why? I was feeding my SOUL.....

In fact I remember when I went in to get my gastric bypass, that morning I was shocked to see that I weighed 314.6 instead of 326 which was the number I had seen for YEARS!!! I wasn't even aware of my weight......

I was focused on my relationship with Christ. I was focused on serving those around me, being kind, loving others, being a good person.

After my surgery my relationship with Christ grew A LOT! I had to surrender to food. I had no where else to focus. It was a great time in my life. I was active, always on the go, rarely if ever sat and did nothing. I was reading, out with friends, I had a tidy house, kept up on laundry and dishes (my two arch enemies), I went to the temple, I was totally reliant on the lord.

I was SO happy during this time in my life. Sure, I longed to find someone to marry, but for the most part, I was truly content.

The lowest weight I got was 219. I felt amazing and confident. I never worried about what others thought of me. I never felt not good enough. I was content and elated that I had changed my life.

Its not to say I didn't struggle. I had struggles. Dating was hard for me. I moved to Orem and felt totally out of place. I broke up with someone I loved very much and truly thought I would marry.

I Didn't medicate with food however. I was strong in my faith and leaned on the lord for support.

My Happiness was a sum total of all the habits I had and the choices I was making.

I had forgotten all that. I had been in such a dark out of control place for so long, that I forgot what makes me happiest is being a disciple of Christ. Doing those seminary answers. Little by little by little. Every good decision leads to more good decisions.

So, I am getting back to that place. I am rebooting and refocusing on what REALLY matters.

I may never be a size 7 until heaven, and that is ok. That isn't what matters.

I am putting away the scale and the food plans.

I am turning off my worldly distractions (Real Housewives I'll miss you).

I am focusing my energy on the Lord and my little piece of heaven here on earth.

What I ate Tuesday?

I personally LOVE seeing what other people eat. Weird I know! I may do these more often because they keep me accountable. Here's what I ate today!

 

 

Breakfast 320 calories 25 grams protein

Snack 140 cal 20 protein

 

 

Lunch 320 cal 15 protein

 

Snack 230 cal 19 protein

Dinner 340 calories 19 protein

Bedtime snack

Not a bad day! Gotta be better about getting in my water!!! Oops....

Happy New Month!! It's April!!

So I have been working and reworking my meal plan (it's not a diet).  The low carb thing wasn't cutting it...AT ALL!

Sure I lost weight, but the obsessions were outta control, I was grumpy, tired, and well there were bodily problems....

ANYWAY, I have been simplifying and going back to basics. I am still doing lower carb, and high protein. Just not NO carb....

Calories in VS. Calories out.

Make smarter choices

No Carbs past 5 pm

LOTS OF WATER!!!

It is WORKING! I don't obsess about food. I choose my food for the week and let it be.

I try to be grateful for whatever I am eating and the fact that I have choices in food.

Here are some favorites I have found lately


Luna Protein Bars
These are tasty!!! A lot of Protein bars are GROSS! I have tried them all. These are really good 12 grams of protein and around 170 calories. I eat these for a quick lunch alongside some cottage cheese, veggies and hummus. YUM!


Peter Pan WHIPPED peanut butter.

I LOVE peanut butter! LOVE IT! This peanut butter is WHIPPED so it has less calories and sugar!! WHOOT! 2 TBSP is 150 calories. That is a savings of 50 calories VS regular peanut butter. It may not seem much of a savings, but those 50 calories ADD UP!!! If you saved just 150 calories a day, you would lose a pound and a quarter in one month!!! That is 15 lbs IN A YEAR!!!! Just by saving a few calories a day!!!



Carbmaster Yogurt (found only at Smiths and Kroger and Ralphs)
Low sugar 3grams, High Protein 12 grams, and 60 calories PER CONTAINER!!!
I was doing Greek Yogurt, but honestly it always still tasted like sour cream to me. Plus it is PRICEY!!! And even Plain greek yogurt has 7 grams of sugar in it. The lowest also was still 100 calories per container and at $1.00 per yogurt (even on sale) It wasn't that wonderful! These little babies are 40 cents each!!! Saving calories and money! Holla!!


Special K Flat bread sandwiches.

I have tried all these flavors. I will be honest, I only like the cheese and Egg one. The others the meat gets hard and isn't all that tasty. Yes I could make this sandwich on my own, but it is so easy to just pop it in the microwave. These are tasty and Quick. You could add your own deli meat, Turkey sausage or veggies if you REALLY wanted. Sometimes I add some tomato or guacamole. I pair this with a yogurt, and half a banana or a clementine for a yummy breakfast. 180 calories, 9 grams of protein, and 16 net carbs.


Muscle Milk LIGHT 100 calorie shakes
I love these protein shakes for on the go snacks! I only drink liquid between meals, and sometimes Water just isn't cutting it! I need something MORE! These are 100 calories, 15 grams of Protein, and 0 grams of sugar. I feel full after this and they are pretty tasty. Kind pricey $1.25 or so per shake. I like the chocolate and the vanilla.  I love these after a workout too to rebuild those muscles!!



  Weight Watchers String cheese.
I love these. They come in regular, jalepeno, smoked, and Colby. They are 50 calories and 6 grams of protein. I use these to bulk up the protein in a meal but save calories. YUM!

What are your favorite new finds???