Week and 3 days

It's been a week and 3 days without sugar and I gotta say its not easy! I did have 1 cookie twice this week but that's an accomplishment of its own (usually I have 3 or 4) 

I need to get more creative with my cooking! Prepare food I'm excited to eat! 

My latest is watermelon with feta cheese and spearmint- it's so damn weird it's yummy!

Any hoots I'd love tips from my lovely friends!!!

Since I've started this I have gotten out to run/brisk walk 3x as well (in addition to basketball)  I'm starting to feel old cuz my feet hurt so bad! I think it's that time in my life to either visit a pediatrist and get some inserts or go to a running store to get really fitted for sneakers! Any thoughts my friends? 

Have a wonderful Memorial Day!!

Sugar free journey

Day 2 and going strong. Friday was great I stayed away from sugar, had a juice of kale and citrus and went for a jog/run/brisk walk. Today went well as well... Even took a nice walk (to visit with my sis!! Added bonus) I find eating protein helps with cravings but I know time will truly fix it all! All tips are appreciated! 

30 for 30

So I decided to push off my 30th birthday to next year. No its not a vanity thing...ok ok maybe a little...
You see, its just not convenient this year because of my crazy schedule.
An extra year gives me plenty of time to get some things accomplished. 30 things...I am sure I can add to the list...but I will leave it at 30 for now...
I figure I will shoot for the stars and if I miss at least I will be in the sky!
These are not listed in the order of importance or significance...

1. Lose 30lbs...or at least make some good headway with my weight.
2. Work out 3x a week for 10 weeks straight
3. Go 30 days without sugar
4. Run 1k without turning it into a brisk walk or jog
5. Swim laps whenever I can
6. Drink more water then coffee or diet soda
7. Make my own pickles
8. Take a vacation with my hubby
9. Take a vacation with my hubby and kids
10. Visit my parents
11. Visit my siblings
12. Graduate Nursing school
13. Pass my nclex
14 Get a job as a nurse
15 Put up the rest of the pictures around the house
16 paint my bedroom
17 paint rachelle (my daughters) room
18 paint the kitchen
19 organize the basement
20 get rid of the piles in the living room
21 Spend special time with each of my children individually
22 Go on a nice long bike ride
23 Go to hot yoga once a week
24 hang out with friends
25 Visit grandparents in Arizona
26 Visit step grandmother in Manhattan
27 Visit with my closest friends
28 Call people!!
29
30
I have so much to be grateful for! Today is my 29th birthday (hebrew) for the
2nd time and I am peaking into my life and all I can think of is damn I am lucky!! I have an amazing family, supportive, loving, kind, generous, understanding I am married to a superhero, my kids are insanely fabulous, I have so many incredible friends, I have a healthy body a quasi healthy mind I can go on and on I am just so grateful for all I have.
They say on your birthday you have the power to bless so I want to take this opportunity to bless you all with happiness, health, wealth and just the most open and revealed good!

I havnt disappeared

A couple of my loyal readers asked me if I disappeared. School has kept me quite busy and unfortunately I've been neglecting (albite not completely) my fitness and nourishment health. I havnt had sugar since I said goodbye and I'm glad to say I havnt had a migraine since!!! I've been thinking of what I can do to further my health journey without making it impossible for me. I know protein fruits and veggies keep me fuller for longer, I know cooking vegetarian isn't realistic I simply don't have time and I like an occasional steak! I know pasta and rice dont work for me- I eat to much when I start. I'm going to focus eating full meals including protein and veggies, Snacks will be fruits and proteins And I'm not going to shy away from healthy fats. Ill continue my basketball twice a week and hopefully work out in front of my tv at least twice a week. With that I packed my lunch for tomorrow. Broccoli omelet, cut up celery and carrots! Snack almonds and natural applesauce.

A different view

So recently I have been thinking about the 3-4 years of my life that I maintained a healthy weight. How did I get there? How did I stay there? What diet was I on? How much was I exercising? And I realized the most amazing thing...I wasn't! Damn it! The only time in my life that I wasn't on a diet I wasn't obsessing about my self image, my weight, my blub....was that time period.
So....then the question comes how the heck did I do it?!?!! And that my friends is an awesome thing, I was happy. I was so dang content. Life was good! Not to say I am not happy now...thank god I really am...but those years I was relatively stress free. I worked 3 jobs that I loved, lived at home with my loving parents, had lots of friends to drink with to hang out with to shmooze with, nephews and nieces to play with and then return, a workout routine that made me feel good and generally no worries in my foreseeable future.
Now the question is would I trade places no....Hell NO! I am lucky to be married to a terrific guy, I have 3 fabulous children, I finally figured out what I want to be when I grew up, Ive made more friends over the years, and when I want to pull out the grown up card I can, cuz gosh dang it I am almost 30!
I wouldnt mind not having tests in nursing school, my bills being paid without having to worry about it, my husband having his dream job, a nice vacation, my mental sanity etc etc etc...but thats life and there is no way to get to the good stuff if we don't go through the tough stuff. As far as tough stuff goes I'm glad I have my load and not someone elses!
Back to the magic of being my ideal weight...happiness! I need to find peace within myself. I need to believe that I am not better if I'm thinner, I'm just thinner if I'm thinner.
With this bit of schizo talk I will leave you cuz I need to get my hiney to bed.
Good Night World! I look forward to reading everyones comments in the morning.

Sugar free=Migraine free

Self control is an amazing thing. Once I saw the results of not eating sugar...its not hard! It took a few days of headaches during the beginning of my not eating sugar-perhaps withdrawal, but since I stopped I havnt had a migraine...a headache yes but a migraine-no,THANK GOD!!!! I am able to eat fruit and carbs but no processed sugar. I am not taking this to an extreme Ill have some bbq sauce or ketchup...but in general I check ingredients before I eat the food-Great thing to do regardless! Its kept me from eating a lot of things!
The amazing thing about this all is it teaches me...more like reinforces the idea of self control. I eat kosher-I never think to eat something thats not kosher, and now I dont eat sugar and it hasnt been that hard to avoid. Im almost up to a month sugarfree...when I am Id like to work on my snacking. I noticed on days when I dont pack a real lunch its been a bad decline...even if I pick up a yogurt and fruit for lunch I end up snacking the rest of the day.
Onto other news....this friday is my last test for this semester!!!! I could use some prayers to pass! Nursing school is a new set of challenges...unlike most things...if you study really hard in nursing school it doesnt mean you will do well...Im learning that. Honestly Im not used to that....in High School I was a lousy student but that was by choice, when I went to college I did well...because I tried...now....argh! I try sooo damn hard and at least Im passing but I wish my marks/grades showed my effort.
Im off to clinicals...Its been nice chatting...lol
Have a great day!

Allergy? Addiction? Or annoyance?

Maybe it's all three! I'm talking about sugar. It gives me migraines but I seem to still eat it and crave it. Yesterday I had an awful migraine today I feel the aftermath which feels like a hangover... So today I stayed away from sugar with no problems but what will tomorrow bring? I choose to focus on today I plan just for today to stay away from my devil in disguise. Do you have a food that's hard to stay away from but causes havoc? What do you do? I know once I stay away for a while it gets easier but I need to get there.

Today marks the beginning of an exciting week.

This week is an exciting week for me, I'm spending 2 days in the OR...don't worry folks I'm just observing! When I started nursing school I thought that this may be one of the departments I'd like to work in...now I can get a better picture of whats done! 

Anyways....I was reading my instructions for the day and #2 is to eat a real breakfast and it even says how many carbs, fruit and dairy to eat. At first I laughed and even shared it with a friend. But, then I got to thinking,always a problem I know; They are trying to get us to eat right because we could be on our feet from 630am to 3pm without a break. Its so important...breakfast is what sets us up for the whole day. 

Of course this brought me back to the dieting-eating-exercising portion of my life...I need to get back into it. Do I think I need to chronically diet?!?!! Honestly sometimes yes sometimes no. Do I think I need to be healthier?!?! Hoestly HELL YA! 

This brings me to this morning...I woke up at the crack of dawn to study for my exam that begins in 2 hours 39 minutes. Of course I had to check darn facebook before I got started with the studying business...a friend of mine was writing a list of things she wants to accomplish this year. I started to think of the things I'd like to accomplish. 

My bucket list is vast and contains things like bungee jumping, hand gliding, taking a safari on an elephant, climbing Kilimanjaro, and traveling to Italy. Have no fear my list is WAYYYY longer but I wont bother you all with it now.

 I do however like to make a list of things I'd like to do within a year, 5 years and 10 years. I'll start my list and blog it at some point...but I can tell you off hand...

 I'd like to make more time for yoga, I'd like to run a marathon before I am 40, I'd like to visit Israel with my children within 5 years and I would like to lose 30-40lbs. 

Of course I have more short term goals like go on a few more dates with the hubby (long overdue) become a more patient mother, read more to my children, pack lunch every day and go running with Shmulik-my 7 year old son, who would very much love to out run me!!! 

I have to get back to studying...but hold these thoughts...I would like to revisit them!

I would love to hear what you have on your list please share!

Its a marathon not a sprint....either way it implys an ending!

So I try to imagine a time where I wasnt concerned about my weight...hmmmm NEVER! Which puts me in a bad situation...I cant imagine a time where I wont be concerned with my weight. ARGH
A friend once told me losing weight is a marathon not a sprint...well firstly I am WAY better at sprinting and secondly both imply an ending...I dont see one...brrr

Onto actuality...this weekend I got a book in the mail that I have been meaning to read...'The Mayo Clinic Diet' obviously I sat down and read right through it. For all those who have heard me speak about weight loss, health or anything related, I tend to quote the mayo clinic a lot.
The book is quite different then any other diet book I have read. firstly its about breaking bad habits and forming good ones as opposed to focusing on what you should and should not be eating. Of course there is the part about what to eat...and even that is different, its focus is on fruits and veggies, eating whole grain carbs and just a little bit of lean protein. I have mixed feelings about this diet but I feel like I may give it a shot. I need another day or two to think about it but I will keep you guys posted!
If any of you have tried this before let me know!
Hope everyone is safe and snug with this freak storm coming...
Have a fabulous week!

This journey has no end

I have been off sugar for a little more then a week (mostly) but, I'm still scared to hit the scale. The sugar is motivating because it gives me awful headaches so its simply not worth it (mostly.) The rest of my diet has been just eating healthy and juicing instead of snacking when my kids come home from school. Today I made a tangerine, ginger, celery, kale, apple combo and I've been drinking it out of a martini glass which makes it wayyyy more fun!!! I havnt gotten back into my exercise routine all I have been doing is my beloved basketball twice a week and some yoga on my own here and there to keep me calm :( it's time to get cracking at the exercise....I love love love it... So why don't I just do it?!?! Anyhoots hope everyone is doing great and I hope to be back to blogging, exercising and of course dieting !

 

note:I just did 1/2 hour of workout from youtube including pilates, crunches and weights

Already feeling better!

Two days into my better eating and I'm already feeling it! I won't lie and say I've been perfect but I won't lie and say I wasn't! I've juiced both days instead of cleaning my kids plates into my mouth. I have eaten 3 healthy good meals each day and eat way less snacks then what I've been doing. I'm heading in the right direction. Have a great weekend everyone!

My spare tire and more

Some how my friends and I got to joking about our spare tires around our waists last night. I came home chuckling..but it got me thinking...
I have 2 more days of holidays...and then nothing for a about 2 months.
Time to get back into healthy eating. I haven't stepped on a scale on way to long but I know it will NOT be nice. I am sick of my tire, I am sick of feeling heavy and weighted down, I am sick of feeling so damn fat!!! So I need a plan and I think I have it.
Starting October 10 2012 I will cut out flour and sugar-this measure is more to keep off the headaches then anything else but I know its good for me as well.
I will get back to my vinyasa yoga 2x a week, basketball 2x a week and when I can gym 2x a week.
I will juice for breakfast and take one to go. I will bring my salad with protein for lunch and pack healthy snacks.
Starting the end of October ill be in the hospital 645-345 2x a week and I know if I dont pack lunch ill end up eating vending machine food.
One more thing I plan to restart and thats my weight loss support group..I found it so helpful!
Now I need to get back to my cooking...sauteed spinach, onion kische, chicken cutlets wrapped around coldcuts, coffee cake, hummus, babaganush, carrot salad, brocalli salad, fresh salad....and a bunch of other things I am sure I forgot :)

Some honesty...as requested!

       I hear from my readers a lot that what they like most about my blog is the honesty. So here is a super honest day...ready?!?!?!

       I woke up at 5am, ground, brewed and drank a LARGE cup of coffee with skim milk. About half way thru I decided its time to step on that damn scale...so I did...and much to my surprise and delight I was down...so now my weight is 197.4...argh...I have such mixed feelings about that number...yes its below that big 2 number but oooo its still to high for me, to be exact its 32.4lbs to high for me. So I decided I need a goal...but not the 10lb type not even the 5lb type...something teeny tiny, something attainable; my goal is 195 by Rosh Hashana (the Jewish new year-which comes out at the end of September this year.)

     Sunday night I made myself green grapes and blueberries to drink in the morn. It was too sweet so I diluted it with about 40% water 60% juice. It was delicious and refreshing. I went to class, took my quiz, handed in my homework, sat through some lecture and mainly looked at slides. I then went to sit down and study. OOOOOO it was sooo beautiful outside, I was so relaxed with my 2nd coffee of the day...but argh I ate some chocolate. Not terrible if I simply stopped there. For lunch I had a yogurt...not a bad choice...but to little to hold me over. At around 3pm I got home and was so hungry...booo I ate a bunch of cookies...mindlessly :( thats the worse type of eating!

      So while I made meat lasagna for dinner I juiced some carrots, celery, cilantro, parsley, zuchinni and an orange. Okay...were being honest here...it looked like poo, and tasted just a bit better then that. I drank it anyways (it was tolerable over ice.) I did this to avoid eating the lasagna. I planned to have some meat sauce over brown rice but while juicing watermelon for my kids I decided to just juice some more for dinner for myself. I not only juiced watermelon for myself I juiced the red, white and green!!! It is amazing! I love it! Its so refreshing it tastes like a treat!!! A friend of mine once posted that she juiced the whole watermelon with the rind...I couldn't imagine...but heck I never thought cucumbers would make good juice either!

      I am off to study again with my juice. I look forward to hearing form you guys, and I thank you so so much for all your advice and support! Your all great friends!

I love how the juice came out as white, green and  red!

 This pic doesnt do it justice the color was gorgeous!

 My pre-dinner juice...looks way better before it was juiced!

   

What a day and it's only 630

So I slept in till 8 today made a red tip lettuce and honeydew drink (great combo btw) went to the most intense yoga class I have yet to experience and it was 90 minutes long!! After I realized I didn't pack lunch so I ran to the grocery store and bought baby carrots, celery, hummus, 2 peaches and almonds(100 calorie pack) and then went to study 6 hrs!! Just got home and made a carrot apple celery ginger snd cilantro drink! I poured it over ice it taste great!! Anyhoots I still have homework to do, a quiz to study for and basketball! It's going to be a looong week! Hope it's a good one! ( I did cheat with one square of chocolate no not the dark type:()

Success

I really wanted some of the sandwich cookies my kids were eating but instead I had a pineapple romaine lettuce and purple cabbage drink! It's delish and really filling! And really cool colors! The pics don't do it justice :(! I knew today was going to be a long day it's Friday and I have to be in the hospital by 645 and I never get home before 430/5 so I make 2 juices put them in to go bottles I drank one in the morning around 6 drank my coffe and then at 11 had my 2nd drink by that point I was pretty hungry so the drink didn't fill me up but I packed a salad 2 hard boiled eggs and chick pea patties. I felt great till 4ish when I had 10 pistachios and some chocolate (o well) then got home made dinner an just Ann my juice! I also made pure pineapple juice for my kids(they love love love it!) im going to make a carrot, beet, ginger, celery drink for the morning hope to have a good day tom! anyhoots have a great weekend everyone!

Today's menu

Breakfast- juice of cantaloupe, kale, romaine lettuce snack-handful of baby carrots and an orange (not juiced) lunch- juiced beets, carrots,ginger, celery snack- 2 small rice cakes with peanut butter (approx table spoon) dinner- chicken brown rice vegetables my new walking partner:hunter see pic below!!

Drink of the day

Sweet potato carrot zucchini and Brussels sprouts- interesting combo.... Boy do I need to go grocery shopping!! For breakfast I had a green machine combo! I had a norm lunch- 4 corn thins with 2 slices muenster cheese, 3 mini bell peppers, handful of baby carrots, 1/2 corn on cob, and nectarine. A lot of carbs but my house is pretty bare of anything besides noodles and pizza! I made chickpea patties I plan to eat later they are chickpeas and spices and a tiny bit whole wheat flour. My day was really tough and I applaud myself for not eating junk! Not even chocolate! Hope you all had a great day!!!

Gift

I got a gift of a juicer today....carrot apple was my first drink! Then my 5 yr old wanted pineapple juice so I juiced a pineapple gave him some (he loves it) then added carrots and brocalli to mine ooooo soooo good! Taste like a treat! My plan is to substitute one meal a day with juicing I want to feel the effects but I also don't want to feel deprived! My juice will need both fruits and veggies! I'll keep you posted with results! As far as weight loss goes.... A few of my dear friends have asked! To be honest I'm avoiding the scale! Since i did hypnosis I feel I have more control over myself! I feel good because I've been super consistent with exercise! Anyhoots last I checked I was down 2 1/2 but that's still up a but from my lowest on weight watchers but...it's in the right direction! Thank you for all your encouragement it's wonderful to have such a kick ass support system!

I need this back

I should start with I lost 2 1/2lbs!!! I just came across this pic it's 8 yrs ago 33.4lbs ago and I need that back!

Have you ever...

Have you ever meditated? Have you ever spent 30 selfish beautiful wonderful minutes deeply giving yourself courage, power and love? I just went to a session of hypnosis...I feel as if I spent my day in a spa! My toes should be painted, my face should be clear of blackheads, my tummy should be full of mojitos and my back shouldn't have a knot in it! But in truth my face still has pimples and black heads my toes are desperate for some help, my back is crying from my 10lb text books but my soul is smiling! Okay I officially sound like a nut a cracked nut at that! I went to hypnosis to help me reform my eating habits and to reinforce my exercise patterns! I want to be healthy I want to be fit and boy would it be nice to lose 30lbs! What the hypnopsycologist kept saying ( I have the session recorded) is 'you are string you will do this and you will feel good!' I will listen to this recording over and over again giving myself power and strength to do this! My food plan is breakfast : 1 egg +egg whites on a rice cake with tomatoes or a yogurt with coffee of course lunch: salad with a portion (hand size) of protein or cut up veggies with hummus and boiled egg dinner: protein (hand size) with loads of veggies and a small carb ie:small potato or small portion of brown rice snacks: serving of almonds or popcorn or fruit or fudge pop twice a day I will drink loads of water and exercise daily! I'll keep everyone posted on my progress! I'm signing off an empowered women! :)