ETL....NOT...LTE!!

I think I am finally starting to understand this! I've prayed for years for the Lord to help me get to a place in my life where me and food have a healthy understanding.

I have never really had much control in that area. Food has always been my go to thing for comfort, fun, activity, reward....etc....you get what I'm saying.

I also realize just how addictive processed foods and refined sugar are....they make you crave and want MORE...so it's all you think about at times.

So now that I am eating clean...no refined sugars, no processed foods, no diet soft drinks, gluten free, dairy free, aspartame free...I very rarely crave the foods that kept me "living to eat".
I'll be honest, there is still a moment here and there where I cave...but those moments are getting fewer and further between.
And when I do have an "off-plan" meal or day...it's just that, a meal or a day. Not EVERY meal or EVERY day!
I believe it's important to have foods I enjoy...and the odd "treat"....just not to make them my focal point....life's too short to NEVER have a piece of pie! :)

I used to feel like this

Now it's more about this!

Here is one final saying I thought was so true:

So...."ONWARD HO" and here is to all the wonderful things in our lives that deserve our focus and our attention...like our amazing family and friends, those moments that make memories and the love we have in our lives.

8 Week Results!

WHOOOOHOOOOO!!!!

my 8 week results picture!

Back in to clothes I couldn't wear for the last 6-8 months or so!!

I'm so glad I had a good understanding going in to this program that the results on the scale may not truly reflect the results in my body!

Otherwise I may have been shocked that in this 8 weeks I only lost 12 pounds!

 I look like I lost so much more than that! It's all the fat burning/body sculpting/muscle building/toning that is happening!

Because I FEEL like I lost 20+ !!!

I've lost a total of 15 inches!!!

This is why I've decided to have a goal SIZE and not a goal WEIGHT. It's pretty hard to be focused on the number on the scale when I am losing the inches and feeling SO AMAZING!

I LOVE THIS PROGRAM! I'm so grateful to the Lord for leading me to it and anointing me for it!

I'm excited to see what the NEXT 8 weeks will bring!

Starting week 8

SO here it is...the start of week 8....the final week of my 8 week run! Next Monday will be my next weigh in and measurements. At that point I will decide to do one of three things. 1. Go on to the thrive stage 2. Continue on with what I'm doing or 3. Re-start the whole process with another detox/cleanse.

I am so fascinated (and thrilled and grateful and happy...etc) at the results I have had in such a short amount of time! I am back into clothes I haven't been able to wear for almost a year! I have amped up my work out routine, am off of Ibuprofen (for the first time in MANY years), off of dairy & gluten (except for the odd bit on my off plan meals) I am off aspartame, I am down to 1 cup of coffee in the am (sleeping WAY better w/o all the caffeine in my system).

I have definitely had the odd time where I've struggled a bit...old habits seem to die hard...but I've pushed through most of them and haven't "caved" in to the old habits and temptations. And the one or two times I did....I just got right back on track immediately. I think that is one of the things I like most about this way of living and eating...it is so easy to "get back on track" after a little "oops".

I have a whole new way of looking at food:

Hahaha....love this!!!

Soooo...I haven't had a chance to try the slow cooker recipe yet...this week for sure!

Love the chai tea in the protein shake idea. I've done it a couple of times...wow!! So good! I use the Spice Dragon Red Chai by Stash. It`s an herbal tea and is caffeine free.

The gluten free wraps I got from our local Gluten Free Bakery were absolutely WONDERFU!! I made them all up that day and ate them for lunches or dinner through the week. Here`s what I put in them: I browned some extra lean ground turkey. Added chopped up onion, peppers and mushrooms. Garlic, pepper and a yummy seasoning salt to flavour. I put one serving of avocado on the wrap and added some siracha (not sure on spelling) sauce added turkey mixture once it was cool. I put each wrap in parchment paper then put them all in a ziplock bag. They stayed wonderfully fresh all week. So easy to heat up and eat!

We are having some beautiful, sunny amazing weather here...so I have started my trampolining early and will be out there whenever the weather permits right now. I have learned from going to hard to quickly in the past, so I started out with 3 minutes and have worked up to 5...today I will do 6. I want to be able to do 20-30 minutes by this summer.

Have a wonderful day!!

A Couple of Recipes

Here's one I want to try this week:

This looks soooo good! I don't have the fiesta salsa mix...but I have a seasoning I think will work as a substitute.

One of my staple go to yummy snack/meals right now is an egg white/banana "pancake" Here is a great idea that is pretty much the same thing. I'm going to give a try tonight...it just has a bit more "oomph".

Do it more like a crepe.
3 Oz of egg white
cinnamon
nutmeg
1/8 cup pineapple.
Blend in Bullet (or blender)
Cook in fry pan w/ coconut oil/spray on med/low. Top w/ fresh berries and nuts.

(Great balance of protein/carb/fat) YUMMMMMMMMMY!!!

Another idea I'm going to try is instead of using just plain water with my vanilla flavored protein powder...I'm going to use chilled caffeine free chai tea for my next protein shake....sounds so good...I'll let you all know how that turns out.

We have a new Gluten free bakery in town. I love that they use only the Dolphin water (talked about in a previous post) in all their baking.
I went in there today to ask about gluten free wraps...I am not having any luck finding a good store bought one. First of all....they taste horrible! But more than that, they just crumble and fall apart when you try and roll them...SO...what's the point right? Anyway...the owner is doing up a special order for me of wraps she makes for her own family. I'm going to pick them up in a few minutes...so excited to try these...I'll let you know how it goes once I give them a try!!!

Benefits of Bouncing!

I knew an amazing woman. Her name was Muriel and she passed away last year just before her 92nd birthday. For as long as I can remember, she bounced on her rebounder (a small personal trampoline) 2 or 3 times a day...until maybe a week or so before she passed. She liked to bounce outside in the fresh air all year long. Now you need to know, she was pretty much blind and deaf for the last 10 or so years of her life....and she never let that stop her! I believe she lived a better quality of life then she may have otherwise because of a few things....a daughter who cared for her beyond what can be imagined, a healthy way of eating, natural supplements and regular exercise, both walking and rebounding.

I started doing some trampolining last year and I plan to up my "trampoline routine" this summer and really incorporate it into my regular routine of activities.

Here are some amazing benefits to putting some "bounce" into your life:

The Benefits of Trampolining

There are so many benefits to trampolining; it’s a wonder not everybody is involved in bouncing back to health. Jesting aside it really is a great and fun way to get fit and it has lots of other benefits too.
One of the lesser known but more popular facts is that studies have shown that the activity of trampolining is one of the most beneficial methods to genuinely reduce cellulite.

 Using the trampoline takes up to 80% off the stress of your weight-bearing joints. Using a trampoline is a wonderful option for seniors, physically-challenged, those recuperating from accidents or injuries. It’s also excellent exercise for those who have been sedentary and are starting an exercise programme.

 With trampolining, the springs take away all the impact of the road, and as a result, the activity has been shown in test to be three times more beneficial to you than running (2). So a ten minute bounce is the same as a half hour run!
See for yourself by looking up the wealth of information available at numerous websites dedicated to the benefits of trampolining and rebound.
Rebounder or trampoline exercise has many important health benefits as follows:
Stimulates your metabolism.
Increases oxygen capacity.
Improves your sense of balance.
Increases oxygen circulation to tissues.
Improves the circulation of the lymph through the lymph glands
Strengthens the heart (Cardiovascular health)
Increases energy and sense of vitality
Firms and tones the muscles

Personally...I enjoy a large, full size trampoline...but many people I know use the smaller "Rebounder" right in the privacy and comfort of their own living rooms.

When my friend Muriel would bounce...her feet wouldn't even come off the rebounder...she JUST did a gentle bounce...and that was perfect for her even as she became more frail. SO really...ANYONE can do it!!

Just remember one VERY IMPORTANT THING....always go to the bathroom before you bounce!! I learned this the HARD WAY!!! LOL!

I love bouncing with my grandchildren...it is a family fun time in our back yard every summer...exercise and being active CAN be fun and fantastic!!

Google benefits of trampolining for yourself...there is a wealth of information on the net...maybe this can be a fun new activity for you too!

Patience is the Key!

I have always had to work on patience. My personality falls more into the "instant gratification" category.
One thing I have learned is that, for me, the biggest key to weight loss and achieving overall good health is :

Whenever I have wanted quick, easy instant results...I have always failed miserably!
Right now, I am enjoying each day and the journey the Lord has me on as I learn what is working best for my 50+ year old body. I NEED to be patient with this process so that it becomes a part of me, something that will stick so I don't have to be a weight "yo-yo-er" forever.

I find that truly taking one day at a time is the best way for me to exercise patience with weight loss. If I think too far in to the future...it just feels like it takes longer to get there. If I focus on how much weight I have to lose, or how long it will take....it can just feel big and overwhelming. Small goals work for me and are easier to attain. I am more focused on getting to the next size down rather than the numbers on the scale...I am just enjoying feeling better every day and not dreading getting dressed because all my clothes were too tight again.

My son told me the other day that he is proud of me for catching this and doing something about it before I got back to 250 lbs again. That just blessed me tremendously!

I found this picture today: 

that's me on the right...about 3 1/2 years ago....

and this is me on the right about two years later:

I'm about 10 lbs heavier than that right now...so my next short term goal is to be back in this dress again this summer. It's taken a lot of patience, trials, successes and determination. I've fallen down, but the Lord helped me get back up and forward I will go!

The older I get...the more patient I need to be! :)

Special Occasions!

Charlie and her cupcake!!!

My youngest Grand-daughter just had her 2nd Birthday party. She has been such a light in our lives. She is so full of personality and a huge blessing to our family. Isn't she a little doll??

And for the first time in a very long time (actually...maybe the first time ever!!!) I did not have any of the party food. No cupcakes, no chips & salsa, not even any vegies & dip. I had a big cup of tea and at my 3 hour mark I had my protein shake I had brought along with me. AND HERE'S THE KICKER....I did NOT feel sorry for myself. I did not even want it....ANY of it.

I just enjoyed my amazing family, I "basked" in the love I felt for them all and from them all. THAT's what I chose to fill up on. So grateful to be there and so honored to be a part of this amazing group of people. I didn't feel the need to indulge in the cupcakes (which, by the way, happen to be a favorite of mine...any baking really) I just enjoyed watching my little sweetheart eat hers and that was enough for me.

Spring and summer tend to be seasons filled with special occasions. Weddings, bridal showers, birthdays, baby showers, graduations...etc.

A couple of weeks ago I attended a bridal shower and I brought my own food. I brought my protein shake to the birthday party...I know I'll have to pick and choose when I will have an off plan meal or day, so I am trying to choose wisely and have some good common sense about it. We have a LOT of birthday parties in our family...I find them easy to bring my own food to. We have a wedding to attend in about a month...I may choose at that time to have an off plan day...or I may not, I'll see how I feel at the time.


 I do know the people who love me understand why I bring my own food right now. I am not embarrassed to do it. There will be times where "real life" does happen...but being healthy is my "real life"and I can work with these special occasions and still make good choices for me.

Life is full of special occasions...but we CAN choose to focus on the reason for the event, the people we are celebrating, the love in our lives instead of all the food and drink....and we can have a fantastic time!!