Mamavation Monday--Progress

So this week was a bit of a roller coaster. I've been doing my best to complete the two week challenge. One night, I fell asleep on the couch before I could bust it out though....in short grad school is kicking my butt. I have a group project this week (during spring break-bleh) that is due the day we get back, and I have been crowned QUEEN. Wah, wah. wah......can you feel my enthusiasm (This is due largely in part to the fact that I am always crowned leader of every single group I've ever been in)? Group work in school, doesn't prepare you for real life group work. Really, it doesn't. 

Anywhoo, given my stressful state, my eating this week hasn't been the most stellar. I'm craving carbs like no other, and have been stricken by some marvelous GI virus/discomfort yadda ya. So in that regard I'm struggling.

On a positive note, I lost weight these past 2 weeks--I didn't weight last week, of 5.2 lbs. That brings a smile to my face. :) My husband even put his arms around me and asked if I was down a few. Score.

My goals for this coming week:

1. Make morning exercise part of my routine. Getting up earlier and getting it done so the likelihood that I'll pass out on the couch before I get it done is NONE.
2. I'm going to continue to stay on top of my water intake. I really can tell that I eat less the days that I am really tippin' it back.
3. Get back to eating healthy. These hormones aren't going to fix themselves, apparently!

Challenges:

1. Completing this group project. It's due Monday, so after that I'll have a few days to veg.
2. My son's 3rd birthday party is this weekend. Cake. Pizza. And Emotions.
3. Making sure I get the rest of the #2weekchallenge done!

I hope all of you ladies have a fabulous week! <3>

Mamavation Monday--Shout Out!

Happy Mamavation Monday All! Now that Easter has passed, how'd you do? We're you able to stay on track? I half stayed on track. Saturday was the first of two Easter dinners, AND my birthday. I did extremely well. My portions were all under control, and I had ONE cupcake. Which, has been next to an impossibility in the past.

Then, dun dun dun, Sunday I had Easter at my mother in law's. And I just could not stop eating. I probably ate enough for the whole week. However, she knew that I was watching what I was eating and made mostly healthy options. So even though I overate, it was healthy. I had 2x the portion of prime rib that I should have, and took a second helping of cheesy potatos (both were of a restricted portion size), and ate 2 pieces of angel food cake instead of one. But--I am back on track today. And that's the most important thing, I fell of the wagon, and hopped right back on. That's becoming the most valuble lesson I am learning on my weight loss journey, that just because I screwed up once, doesn't mean I'm screwed forever. Just get back to it.

That said, this week I lost 3.1 lbs! I wasn't expecting to lose that much after such a huge loss last week, but nevertheless, it was a pleasent suprise! Looks like all my working out is starting to pay off!

But I have to admit, I couldn't do this without my husband. He is my biggest supporter. He helps me make smarter choices, and doesn't complain about my huge grocery bills with tons of fruits and veggies. He understands that I need "special" treats hidden from me, so the cookies on the countertop don't sit there mocking me until I have to devour the whole package. No to mention, he takes care of our son so that I can get a workout in--or we'll workout as a family and go for a nice long walk to wind down for the day. He gives me high fives and hugs when I've had a good week, and asks me questions when I've had a bad one--to help me evaluate where I went wrong and how I can get back on track. He's the greatest.

Wishing you all a wonderful week, with lots of calorie burning to get those Easter dinners off our bums!

**Note: I wrote this blog post while participating in the Mamavation Blogging Carnival for a chance to win My Trainer Fitness 100 Calorie+ Workout featuring MizFitOnline from Mamavation.” at the end of your post if you enter the blogging carnival.**

It really is a HAPPY MAMAVATION MONDAY!

Okay, so I have some GREAT news to share! After more than a month of struggling to get back on track. I got back on the WeightLoss Wagon this past week. I LOST 5.2 lbs! Ow Ow! Yeah, I'm more than a little proud of myself. :)

Getting back to it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be, I just took it one day at a time. And that's what I've got to do. Stop focusing on the huge 40 lbs or so I have left to lose, and just count each day as a success.

It also helped that I revived my Yoga Booty Ballet routine. I got a little bored with TurboFire--I do it for too long without switching it up--and needed something new. And apparently my metabolism did as well. I've also been training for my first 5k.

However, I can't let myself slide back into bad habits this week. Saturday is my birthday, and cake is my trigger food. Once I start, I can't stop. Little Cake Crack Monkey, that's what I am. For Reals.

Then, the next day is Easter. And if I don't watch my portions I'm going to be in big trouble, so that's going to be a big goal of mine, particularly since I can't control the menu--we're going to family's, where inevitably there will be more cake in honor of Easter and my birthday.

And Monday, all of the Easter candy will be marked down. So I've got to barricade myself in the house. No Target runs for me on Monday. No Siree.

Wish me luck! I hope you have a wonderful week!

HAPPY MAMAVATION (Wait, what day of the week is it...)

Holy cow, I just realized that today is Wednesday! Where did Monday go? I'm pretty sure it didn't stop by my house this week!

For those of you that follow me on Twitter and on Facebook, you know that since about last Thursday, I've had one sick little boy. I took him to the doctor on Monday, (hey, looks like there was a Monday this week) to find out that he has the stomach flu. Dr. said that he should be on the up-swing, and although he isn't having liquid poo explosions any more, he's still oozing foulness from the bum.

I'm beginning to wonder if what he has really is the stomach flu, or if it's something else, like an allergy. Only time will tell I suppose.

Needless to say, I haven't had a very productive week. I've eaten like crap, since everything had to be fast, so I could continue taking care of my sickiepoo. But I got in a workout this morning, while the lil one is napping! A whole 40 mins of Yoga Booty Ballet (not to mention a shower!)  

Victory!

I hope I have better news for you next week!

Cleaning My Way Skinny

Whew! I'm dripping sweat! And you know what that means! Burning calories!

When maintaining a household we all have to clean. Love it or hate it, we've just got to do it. And with my weekends being jam packed, cleaning is how I get my workout in.

You may not realize it, but cleaning burns a TON of calories! If you're like me, you have a "cleaning day". One designated day of the week where all most of the cleaning gets gets done. For me, this can take anywhere from a 30 mins to 3 hours.

But the longer I'm at it, the more calories I burn! Which means I can eat more food! Whoo hooo!

Some of the most common household chores also have the biggest burn. For example:

Scrubbing the bathroom, 30 mins = 200 calories burned
Cleaning glass, windows, mirrors 30 mins = 125 calories burned
Vacuuming 30 mins = 90 calories burned
Dusting 30 mins = 50 calories burned

If you're curious, all those chores over the course of 2 hours, burns about 465 calories! That's equivalent to a Taco Bell Burrito Supreme with Steak!

You can also ramp up your chore's burn. Try incorporating exercises into your chores, like doing lunges while vacuuming. Or squats while doing laundry. You'll tone up, burn calories, and improve your balance!

With all of this talk about cleaning, I'm curious. What is your favorite chore? What is your least favorite chore?

It's Party Time!

Since I found out about The Ultimate Blog Party I've been on pins and needles waiting for it to begin! This is my first year participating and I'm super excited!

Let me welcome you to Mommy Vs. Fitness!

This blog is kind of new. And I'm still working to get it where I want it to be! I know you can all relate! So make sure to follow me, and watch me grow!

Mommy Vs. Fitness is a kind of hybrid site. I blog about all things fitness. But my definition of fitness is more than just talking about how to get rid of your muffin top. My take on fitness is that it's a whole body, whole life experience. Being "fit" is a general state of well-being. That's why I cover a whole range of topics, all relevant to mommyhood and womanhood; sanity savers, butt busters, money savers, and the occasional freebie!

I also do the occasional giveaway (I'm working on one for this week as we speak--it's up now, here!), but rest assured. As I grow, I'll be giving more and more away!

I also donated a prize to the prize pool! The Yoga Booty Ballet Classics collection! So make sure you check it out and add it to your list if you want it!

I love making new bloggie friends! So leave me a lil comment love and be sure to include a link to your blog, and I'll be sure to visit you!

Let's Party!!!

I'm a Cinch! Failure

It's time for me to come clean. I failed the Cinch! Five day fast forward the first night. I ate breakfast and lunch and I felt good! I was satisfied, wasn't hungry, felt "lighter" and had more energy. But by 4pm on Day 1, I was ravenous. I was so hungry that I was getting physically ill.

As instructed in the book, I ate another serving of yogurt, to try and make my hungry subside. But I think the psychological damage of being that hungry was already done. And I went on a MASSIVE binge. I couldn't get enough food!

So I'm a fast forward failure.

However, I am not giving up! Cinch! is not just the "cleanse" portion, and even in the book Cynthia explains that the 5 day 5 food fast forward plan is not for everyone. But you can still do the Cinch! primary program. And that's what I intend to do.

The Cinch! (Main) plan is based on 5 "puzzle pieces", that come together to create your meals. In the book, Cynthia provides the foods that fall into the 5 different categories and the proper serving sizes for the plan.

It seems like I'll need a lot less "willpower" to make it through the main portion of the plan.

As always, I'll keep you updated!

Mamavation Monday--When to work out.

To workout, or not to workout? That is the question. I think every mom on the planet has some part of their body that they are unhappy with and would like to change. The only problem, we know that in order to change it, we must get active and workout. Ugh! And who has time for that?!?

YOU DO! Schedule your time! That's what I have to do. It's the only way I'm able to guarentee that I get my workout in. My workout time is when my son is napping. I get an hour and a half to myself to get my sweat on.

When my son is napping is the best time for me. It may not be the best time for you. I like to workout in the mid-morning (that's his nap time). I've eaten breakfast. My food has had time to settle. The sun is out, well, most of the time. And usually, there's nothing on TV anyway, so my distractions are weeded out.

You know yourself better than anyone else, and you are the only one that knows what's best for you! I know that if I don't workout in the mid-morning during my son's naptime, that working out is just not going to happen that day. Sure, I might be able to take my son for a walk in the stroller, but my workout is not going to be anywhere near as intense as it would have been had I worked out by myself in the morning.

And who doesn't want to get maximum calorie incineration in minimum time!

What's funny, is I know these things. I know that I have to schedule my workout during my optimum time. But I haven't been as good as I could have been this past week. I didn't work as intensely as I should have and I ate some things that I know I shouldn't have. And I've maintained my weight this week. Which, is better than gaining but still unacceptible in my eyes.

And I can't preach finding your optimum workout time and scheduling it if I'm not doing it myself. So that is my goal for the coming week. Schedule my workouts, and when I'm doing them, DO THEM!

***This post was in response to the question:
What time of day works best for you to be active? How do you make sure you stick to those planned workouts?***

Will You Be My #DinnerDate?

On my twitter feed, I try very hard to tweet out a new or different dinner recipe for everyone to try on a daily basis. It so important when you are trying to lose weight to keep your meals fresh. If you don't, chances are you are going to fall off the wagon for one simple reason; YOU'RE BORED! So I thought I would share some of the different ways I keep my meals exciting.

Meat- Let's face it. Chicken every night is boring. Fish every night is boring too, as well as beef, pork, or whatever other protien source you are using. To switch it up, I focus on the marinade. I use Lawry's 30 Minute Marinades a lot. They have a HUGE variety of flavors, and they aren't too bad for you either. I can now eat chicken 7 days a week (if I want to) and not get bored. One night I'll have Lemon Pepper, the next Hawaiian, the night after that Szechuan BBQ, the list goes on!

Produce- Spice it up. I keep fruits and veggies tasting new by changing the way I prepare them. I steam, grill, boil, and bake most of the time. But I also season the fruits and veggies, I prefer to get spices freshly ground whenever I can (I have a local place that I like to buy from). Fruit I mainly use cinnamon or nutmeg, but for veggies, anything goes pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, cumin, they are all good! But I do try to go light on the salt.

Whole Grains- I buy a couple different kinds of high fiber cereal and cycle through those. And for bread, to switch it up, I top it with different things. Low sugar or sugar free jam and PB2 peanut butter are two of my favs. But I also have been known to use spray butter on my toast.

Water- Water is one of the things I get most bored with. So I change it up by adding a lemon, lime, or orange slice or two for a citrus kick, A slice or two of cucumber to give a fresh cool taste, Green tea for some added antioxidants, or if I'm really craving some juice, I'll use some Crystal Light.

I hope these ideas help prevent you from becoming bored with eating healthy. Also if you would like to join in the dinner conversation, just use the hashtag #dinnerdate on Twitter to share what you are having for dinner! The hope is that it will encourage healthy eating and help us avoid dinner sabotage! Because for most people, dinner is often the largest meal of the day, let's make it healthy!

Workin' it Out--Michigan Motherhood

I'm a Michigan Mom. What's a Michigan Mom, and why should I care you ask? A Michigan Mom is from the Great Ol' Mitten State, where it's freezing from October to April, rains from May to July, and is mild for August and September. Which leaves approximately 100 days out of 365 for me to get outside. Which is approximately 27.39726% of the year. That's just not conducive to weight loss. Life is hectic, with work, kids, husbands, and maintaining a household, you can always find something else to do instead of workout. Which sadly leaves me looking like this:

As you can see, it's not pretty.

I wish there was a way for me to lose weight in Michigan, because let's face it, moving costs a lot of money. Money that I don't have.

But why not join a gym?
I'm a excercisethatmakesmybuttjiggleonatreadmillinfrontofmajorhottiephobic. Well, not really, but I never have liked the gym. I bought a membership in the past, and went 3 times. And of course I got fatter. I think every woman can agree that you have to find a type of exercise that you can enjoy, or you won't stick to it.

My favorite exercise is actually free. I love to walk and run outside. Love it. But Michigan weather just isn't predictable enough to get a good workout in regularly, well, at least to get in a workout that I actually enjoy. Not to mention I live in an apartment. There aren't any stairs for me to do, and it's too small to really walk around to get exercise in. It's about 5 steps wall to wall. Talk about claustrophobic!

Enter my knight in beautiful brushed metal frame, pulse monitor hand grips, and AeroSoft cushioning system:

The Horizon Fitness T100 Treadmill from Hayneedle.com!

I could do so many things with this bad boy! There's six workout modes, so that takes up six out of seven days a week! I already have my apartment mapped out as to where I would put it. Right in front of the doorwall, the baby's playpen is going to have to take a back seat to this stellar piece of machinery. I'll feel like I'm running outside, with the climate control of the indoors. The only rain would be my sweat raining down! Not to mention, I won't worry about anyone staring at me and won't need to hire a baby sitter just to get a work out in, that means being able to workout at a moments notice! Who knew a treadmill could do so many things!

This treadmill, would change my life. Here's an interpretation of what I could look like after using the The Horizon Fitness T100 Treadmill from Hayneedle.com.

What an extreme transformation! But that's the transformation I intend to have. I firmly believe that with the right tools, and hard work, anything is possible. I've got the drive, I just need the right tool! And I know that the right tool for me is a treadmill from Hayneedle!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Bookieboo and Hayneedle Treadmill blogging program, making me eligible to win a treadmill. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

PB2 Peanut Butter--a Multitasking Miracle Worker

Last night I recived my first ever jars of PB2 Dried Peanut Butter. I've been wanting to try it forever, and I'm elated that I finally get to try it!

What it is:
PB2 is peanut butter powder. It's made by Bell Plantation. Basically, it's peanut butter with the oil wrung out of it, so it has 85% less fat than normal peanut butter, and only 45 calories in a 2 tablespoon serving! That equates to 1 Weight Watchers Points Plus value for all of my weight watchers friends! Awesome!

However, if you prefer "classic" peanut butter flavor and texture, Bell Plantation also sells oil to reconsitute the powder with as well. Then you can have "classic" peanut butter, but also be able to use the powder in different ways! 2 ways to use one product, is 2 thumbs up from me!

What to do with it:
On the package, it says to reconsistute 2T of the powder with 1T of water to turn it into a low fat peanut butter. And you do get peanut butter. It's not greasy like normal peanut butter, and tastes pretty good for 45 calories.
However, I've used it in several different ways already. I've put it in my oatmeal with some apple slices, making peanut butter apple oatmeal.
You can also put it in smoothies, I put it in my chocolate Weight Watchers smoothie to make it chocolate peanut butter flavored. You could also put it in your daily Shakeology (I recommened Chocolate), to make a Chocolate Peanut Butter flavor, it's a favorite of Coaches and Beachbody customers alike.
I also think it would be excellent to use as part of a breading for chicken, making a lower fat, lower cal, version of peanut chicken.
There are so many ways to use this product, I can't even count. So I must say, this product is definately worth the money.

Sigh of Relief!

This week was a tough one. I was really bad, as shown by my last post. However, I burried my "bad week" last night. I had some healthy Jimmy John's for dinner--didn't get my favorite -- The Vito. But my NEW favorite, Tom Turkey. And I made a decision that tomorrow was the day that I was getting out of this rut.

For those of you that don't already know this. Sundays are my weigh in day at Weight Watchers. I weighed in this morning and didn't gain! I'm counting that as a success after last week! But it's definitely NOT an excuse to quit getting closer to my weight loss goals!

This Weight Watchers meeting also couldn't have come at a better time. I figured out that one of my main problems is that I'm bored with eating healthy. And that was the theme of this week. My leader gave us all kinds of ideas for new and different foods to change it up a bit. I remembered that I LOVE these veggie burgers that I get as Costco, so after my meeting I went and picked some up.

This past week and the coming weeks, I'm going to heed Leah's advice. She posted a Facebook post about lifting weights and how much easier it was to lose weight after she did. So I'm restarting ChaLEAN Extreme. AND I'm excited about it! Some of you might already know that she's my FAVORITE trainer EVER! And lifting weights is giving me an outlet for my stress, instead of eating my stress. (If you want to see what ChaLEAN Extreme is all about here's a video: http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/TurboGirl23?bctid=25219364001)

That said. I am officially back on the wagon. I'm taking the time tonight to go through my cookbooks and find some new healthy recipes. And update on the family: Aunt-doing okay, for as sick as she is. My cousin is in remission. My grandpa is home from the hospital. My grandma's shoulder is much "better" than originally thought, she'll heal just fine, and will just need physical therapy. And my good friend just had a traumatic brain injury, which is quite possibly the best case scenario for him and he's recovering well.

I look forward to seeing what the future holds for all of us! Thanks for all of the support Sistas!

Mamavation Monday- I win! I win!

This week has be riddled with setbacks and victories. The week started with the Superbowl. And I ate. I deserved a treat. So I had some Motzarella sticks and some pizza and some chicken wings. They were really good. However, my tummy didn't feel too good after eating them. So that was the end of that. I was mortified that I had consumed a derailing amount of calories though.

Monday, my son was sick. Hence not posting last week until Tuesday. And then this week, he successfully passed the torch to me! I had one horrific cold for the past 4 days, but I'm finally on the mend! Thank god too, because these little illnesses are feeling more and more severe as I get older!

All that said, as you can imagine. I didn't workout much this week. A little here, a little there. Breathing was quite taxing. But I lost 1.4 lbs this week taking me up to being down 11.6! AND I got my first weight watchers ribbon for a 10 lbs loss!

Next step, losing 10% and then 20 lbs! I can't wait!

Mamavation Monday-Busted My Kinda Sorta Plateau

This week I was BAD. I mean REALLY bad. At least according to myself. But I could have been way worse I suppose.

Because of my teeny tiny loss of 0.4 last week. I was discouraged this week--yet I was also determined to figure out what the heck was going on with my body. So I changed things up a bit.

This past week started with a piece of cake. As previously written about, that wiped out more than 1/2 of my weekly overflow points. Then I did well most of the week with a serious break in the chain on Friday. On Friday we had a staff in-service, which typically means lots of junky food.

The day started with good intentions. The night before, I packed my lunch for the next day. I ate my typical breakfast of oatmeal, diced apple, and cinnamon. All was going good, or so I thought.

Upon walking into the meeting room, I am smacked in the face with a wonderfull smell. A smell, I have not smelt in a VERY long time. DONUTS. Knowing that I was not going to be able to be satisfied with my Fiber Plus bar while staring down the barrel of the donut gun, I gave in. I ate 4 Munchkin donuts. 1 of each flavor. Down went a glazed, then a chocolate, then a powdered sugar, and finally the spiced. Portion control, I thought to myself. 4 little donuts are better than one big donut right? However, I was satisfied, and did not go back up to the table.

Then lunch time came. The Cookie Lady catered (if you can't tell trouble is coming just based on her name). I took my lunch that I had packed out of the fridge and started to get strange looks from my co-workers. To avoid looking like a freak, I decided that I would eat what they were having. We had a choice of meat or veg lasagna. I chose the veg and it was in tomato not cream sauce, so I felt like I scored a little. Ceasar Salad, tossed in dressing--I only ate about 1 cup. And then came the cookie. I only took one. A small one. And that was my lunch--and I felt like less of a freak.

But then the Pièce de résistance of my diet failure came in the afternoon. One of our board members owns Vicki's ice cream. So it was only natural that we have a make your own sundae bar. And who can resist homemade ice cream? Well, I couldn't at that moment. I took a pre-apportioned vanilla cup (had about 1c or 2 scoops in it) and topped it with Reese's peanut butter cups. I'm not going to lie. It was really good. Despite all of the guilt I was feeling.

And that was that. I left work, went home, and got back on track and stayed on track for the rest of the week. To my suprise when I weighed in yesterday, I had LOST 1.4 lbs! How the heck did that happen? I don't know, I just hope that it doesn't catch back up to me at the coming weeks weigh in!

As for excercise this week. I decided that I wouldn't do anything too intense this week, because I didn't think I was eating enough on WW for TurboFire, hence my crappy loss last week. So I only worked out 2 days this week. I took my son to the mall and mall walked with him in the stroller for an hour on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Until next week! Best of Loss to the Sistahood!

1 Week Down and Still Going Strong!

Yay!!! I can finally share a victory with you guys! This week I lost 2.2lbs! Yahoo! Sorry, I'm really excited!

Anyway, I stayed on target all week this week. I even declined going to a party this past weekend, because I knew there would be heavy drinking going on there, and you know you can't be around sloshed people without being a little sloshed yourself! Hehe!

But the important part is that I did it. This week I'm working on scheduling my excersize. I bought a Groupon, DM me on twitter @LisaVFitness if you want to know what that is, for Jazzercise. 2 Months unlimited classes for $39! A steal! And I have a friend who is going to go with me! Support and Accountability!

So it looks like things are on the up and up on the weight loss front with me. Wishing everyone health, motivation and happiness in the next week!

'Twas the Week After Christmas--Mamavation Monday

'Twas the Week After Christmas, and all through my house every creature was stirring to burn off those holiday pounds.

Christmas was filled with pitfalls for me. I did well with the alcohol, which is what usually causes me to overeat. However, my major downfall this week was the food that was everywhere and my proximity to it.

My "game plan" usually involves serving myself, then putting the food away. I NEVER put food out on the table to let people serve themselves. I always leave the food in the kitchen, and then go out to the table to eat. When I don't have the food sitting in front of me, I'm less likely to keep helping myself to more.

But guess what--everywhere I went this weekend there were tables full of food. My in-laws, my dad's house, my mother's extended family. I felt like I just couldn't escape! I tried to utilize many of my other tactics like shrimp cocktail and drinking lots of water. But it just wasn't working.

All and all, I had a rough weekend. But I'm getting back on track today. I'm starting my "New Year's" workout plan early--today. I see no reason why I should wait another week to do something good for myself. And I'm making a better effort to eat healthfully. You won't find any food waiting for me on my dining room table!

Staying well, while being sick.

Being sick sucks. But inevitably, it happens. I managed to contract some sort of bug over the weekend. I had to work and go out in the massive snow we got here in Michigan--I blame that! LOL!

So I want to talk about how to stay well--or at least stay on track--while being sick. If you are anything like me, when you're sick (except when you're nauseous or throwing up) I will curl up on the couch and eat and eat in front of the tv. And comfort food is my favorite. I love a piping hot bowl of something ooey-gooey like mac and cheese. Because chicken soup is only appetizing for so long.

Some of my tips to distract myself from all of the ooey-gooeys that I love are:

Green Tea: It's hot, broth like, without being broth. And it's zero calories when sweetened with stevia. And you can get it in a ton of different flavors to liven up your taste buds.

Drink lots of water. Water fills you up and will prevent you from getting dehydrated. Particularly important if you are running a fever or having other "lovlies" like diarreha or vomiting.

Watch your portions and how you prepare things. You can still have your comfort food, just make sure you are using fiber filled noodles, and low fat styles of preparation. Instead of a block of velveeta, see if you can make mac and cheese with low fat cheese.

All told, I'm starting to feel better. I've been trying to evade creamy milk products like yogurt, milk and sour cream because they thicken mucus (I really hate that word by the way). But I don't have a problem with cheese.

But getting sick has made me learn my lesson: I should have worked out more these past couple weeks. Because exercise helps your immune system, and I don't get sick when I've been working out. Nothing like a little reminder from the almighty to get back on track!

Mamvation Monday-Chaining myself back on the wagon.

Pie. Brownies. Cookies. Chips. Dip. Crackers. Mashed Potatos. Rolls. The list goes on and on. This is my confession of the things I have put in my mouth in large unhealthy amounts this week.

I now know why people have such a hard time losing weight, or at least not putting any weight on over the holiday season. There is food EVERYWHERE! And for a food addict like myself, this is a really bad situation.

I thought I had everything all planned out. I planned how I was going to excute Thanksgiving. I planned what I would and wouldn't eat for Hanukkah. I'm planning for Christmas (yes, I do celebrate both). But, the problem that I'm finding is that I can't plan just for the holidays. The holiday food, lasts the entire holiday season. Which of course leads to all of those extra calories adding up. I know I don't have to eat this stuff, but it's just so hard not to. It's been tradition for years. And it makes me happy. And then I am sad because I ate it all. And then I eat to cheer myself up again. It's a vicious cycle.

So I'm trying something different this week. Instead of just counting calories, I busted out my old points slider and am going to try doing weight watchers again. Everytime, I have done it, I have lost a good 30lbs plus. I know if I can just stick to the plan for a week and see a decent loss, I will continue in my efforts.

I am also going to get back on the workout wagon this week. Now that my husband has taken up doing odd jobs and is hardly ever home, and my son has gone from 2 naps a day to 1. I'm having difficulty finding the time to workout. So my goal this week is to be more active. It's getting colder and snowier here in Michigan, so my Sketchers toning shoes have hit the closet, but now that I know that Earth Footwear makes boots for toning, I really need to figure out how to get my hands on a pair (If you would like to gift me a pair, here's the website: http://www.earthfootwear.com/ I really like the "Invent"-size 10 please :)). Earth's boots would make bundling up the baby and trudging through the snow a whole lot more comfy!

This weeks goal synopsis:
1. Loose at least 2 lbs with Weight Watchers.
2. Recommit to at least 30 mins of excercise a day.
3. Get some hot new Earth Footwear boots to make walking in the snow super cozy.

Booze -1, Lisa-0

I had such a wonderful plan for Thanksgiving. And I stuck to it. Up until the point when I started drinking! I didn't even think about the empty calories in the glasses of wine I was drinking until I put away almost 2 bottles! Oy!

On top of all of the empty calories in the wine. Getting a little buzz on threw my inhibitions (and diet) to the wind. Which caused an avalanche of mindless munching! But I am determined to get back on the wagon. I will not let the holiday season beat me up this year!

The biggest issue that I am having right now is carbs. I love them, and they are my biggest downfall. I can't seem to lose weight if I eat too many. And let's face it, they are addicting.

Since I broke from the plan on Thanksgiving, I've been hitting the carbs hard. It might be the addicting factor of them, it might be the chilly overcast weather that is making me crave comfort food. But I made the CHOICE to eat them. So I am making the CHOICE not to eat them (or that much of them).

So here is my plan for the week. I'm going on a low carb "fast" if you will. For the next two days, I am going to be cutting my carb intake until I have the willpower to resist carb-filled sugary treats. Then I will readjust from there. Slowly adding back in whole grains etc. This technique has worked for me in the past, and I'm confident that it will work again. It's nice to see that I CAN do it, and it propels me to more forward once again.

Wish me luck!

Mamavation Moday- Cutting Thanksgiving Calories

I'm getting back into the swing of things this week, after my stress fracture debackle. My foot feels better, so I'm going to start off light to make sure it really does feel as good as I think it does. :\

But my main concern this week is Thanksgiving. In years past, I have gorged myself on cake, pie, cream puffs (you can tell I love dessert), biscuits, green bean cassarole, you name it, I ate it. And, it was good. Really good. It's what lended to me being so large all of these years. But this year is going to be different. So I thought I'd share my game plan for the holiday eating season with you! With a little planning, I think we can all make this Thanksgiving a little skinnier! Enjoy!

1. Eat your veggies.
Load your plate with salad and a non creamy dressing. If you can, skip the cheese and the crutons.

2. What bread basket?
Pretend that the bread basket, or rolls, just don't exsist. EVEN if they are whole wheat. Just because they are whole wheat doesn't mean they aren't packing extra calories.

3. Lean Meat
When you are eating turkey, eat turkey breast. It contains fewer "bad fats" than the dark meat. And we all want to keep those arteries clean for a long healthy life!

4. Don't get stuffed on stuffing.
Stuffing is bread. Often times with lots of butter and fat to make it nice and squishy and fluffy. So if Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without stuffing, be very careful about how much you indulge in.

5. Eat your veggies, AGAIN!
You don't NEED to have green bean cassarole. Try steaming veggies like green beans or broccoli as a low cal alternative.

6. You say potato, I say califlower.
Try steaming califlower, pureeing it, and preparing it like mashed potatos instead of serving them. I just tryed this for the first time the other day, and I could barely tell a difference! You'll save a bunch of calories and carbs!

7. Delicious Dessert
Thanksgiving desserts are yummy. I myself love some pumpkin pie. But if you can't prepare a light version of your dessert, your dessert indulgence is all about portion control. Try having just a "sliver" of pie or cake. You'll satisfy your sweet tooth, without killing all of your hard work!

I hope you can use these tips! This is what I intend to do, I let you know how it works out for me.

However, if you end up indulging, make sure you make up for it. Get in a good workout with some Turbo or some TaeBo. And resume eating healthy asap, maybe with a lil' subway! Yum Yum!

Have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving Everyone!