Applebee's ~ Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp

I just have to share with you that Applebee's Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp is so delicious!  This meal fits so well with my diet plan.  I ordered it with a side salad and no seasoning or butter sauce.  I was really surprised how good it was without all the yummy melty butter and I loved the sautéed mushrooms and onions.  But, the best part has to be that it is on the 2 for $20 menu (regular menu price $11.69)!  How Awesome.  Good Job Applebee's! 

"Cajun-seasoned chicken breast grilled and served on a sizzling skillet with blackened seasoned shrimp, garlic and thyme. Served with fried red potatoes and sautéed onions & mushrooms."

EZ Freeze Stayfit Salad Bowl

Yesterday I finally used my new EZ Freeze Stayfit Salad Bowl that I posted about here.  It actually worked pretty good for my lunch.  I didn't have a need to freeze the top part because I have a fridge at work that I put my lunch in.

I put my lettuce and cheese in the bottom and my meat and broccoli in the top.  It worked out pretty good.  The bad part is that you can not microwave any part of this bowl.  I tried putting in the top part (divider/freezer part) and I heard a massive crackling so that is what makes me think it's not microwaveable.  Ooopps!   The bottom part makes a great salad bowl to use whenever you need a bowl.  The only problem is the lid doesn't fit without the top part, but I use it anyway and just make sure to hold the lid on the top so I can shake my salad up. 

First Day

My official first day on this diet was Friday November 9, 2012.  It wasn't too hard to adjust to the eating, I just found it hard to take all my pills.  As mentioned before, I feel like I am eating more pills than I am food.  I also feel like the Phentermine is really helping me cope and make better food choices.  It is really hard to explain how it is helping me see food differently.  It is very weird.  As before it was almost to the point where I had to have food.  Junk food, snack food, candy, fast food.....just anything. (like a druggie)  But, now I do not feel that real hunger as I did before.  It takes the edge off that craving.  As an example, Friday I was thinking about food and how I love pizza and it was almost like my brain erased the taste of it immediately.  I felt like I could kick the thought aside and move on, instead of dwelling on it and then just give in and eat pizza.  So, I don't really have that craving nor does my mouth water for food like it has before.  It is just so strange.  Is this how a normal person feels?  As before, my life would revolve around food, now it is almost like I could take or leave the food.

I also think knowing that I am going to be held accountable for my weight loss each week and that I am paying for this makes me just a little bit more motivated than before.  It is sort of a game now.  I need to prove to Dr. Sparks and Lisa that I am losing weight and I am serious about this.  I just hope this is going to stick and the newness doesn't wear off.

What I ate:

Friday November 9, 2012

Weight and Inches Shake blended with 1/2 banana & a strawberry flavor packet.
Tuna salad w/ carrots and cooked cabbage
Hamburger patty, roll w/ honey butter, cooked cabbage, and ketchup
8 oz. apple juice

Saturday November 10, 2012

Weight and Inches Shake - Vanilla
1 banana
Salad w/ 2 oz turkey lunch-meat, pinch of shredded cheese, few croutons, and salad dressing.
Chili w/ crackers and a hunk of cheese.
Metamucil & O.J. (ewwww......but my friend Devin chugged it down with me....That is true friendship!)
* I had to have cheese.  I couldn't stay away!

Sunday November 11, 2012

1 banana
Salad w/ 2 oz. turkey lunch-meat, pinch of shredded cheese, few croutons, and salad dressing.
Wendy's grilled chicken sandwich (dry - only lettuce) and green beans.
8 oz. O.J.
* But, the night isn't over ...... so I still am able to have 2 shakes yet. 

Last Day for Sale at Meijers **Plus** 10/13 One Day Sale

I just wanted to remind all of you that today is the last day to get in on this awesome sale posted here.   Make sure to head out to your local Meijer ,if you haven't already, to pick up those essential items to make these recipes, Broccoli Slaw Meatloaf, and to portion control like this....................All on a budget!

Also, saw this deal that ends up to be pretty cheap when paired with printable coupon from coupons.com. 

Buy 2 Boxes of Betty Crocker Potatoes $1.80
Use the $0.50/2 Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes found here
Final Cost $0.40 each wyb 2
(Meijer will double 2 like coupons, per transaction, up to $0.50)

AND, this deal.........

Buy 10 WW Smart Ones Frozen Dinners $18
Get $4 off instantly
Use the $4/10 any WW Smart Ones found here 
You Pay $10
Final Cost $1 each

PLUS, the Meijer One Day Sale going on 10/13/12.  Here are a couple things that stood out to me.

$0.39/lb. Bananas
Buy One Get TWO Free Thomas English Muffins 6 ct.
Buy Two 6-pack Pepsi or Mountain Dew (All Varieties) Get TWO Free

Old School WW: First Day

Today I have official started old school Weight Watchers.  It seems like it took forever to get started on a regimen, but I feel like I had to work myself up to get going. So this is some of the food I had:

• belVita Breakfast Biscuit (Chocolate) - 4 points
• Broccoli Slaw Meatloaf - 3 points
• 1/2 c. Mushroom Bisque Soup - 3 points
• Taco Bell Beef Soft Taco - 5 points
• Taco Bell Pintos and Cheese - 3 points

Revised: List of Long-Term Goals

 As mentioned in the post before, I have revised the old list.  Out with the "old" and in with the "new"!

Official Start Date : Thursday October 11, 2012
(5 pounds per month to hit goal)

November ~ Get hair extentions for the holidays - How Fun! :)

December ~ Never reward yourself with food .... Oh Boy, this is going to be hard! - Get my nails done for Christams.

January ~ Buy a Tredmill - good sales b/c of the new year

February ~ Get a Massage

March ~ New Outfit

April ~  TBD

May ~  TBD

Weight Watchers ~ Old School

So, I have decided to try going back to the very first time I tried Weight Watchers, which was back in 2006! For me this plan worked very well.  I actually lost weight and I felt good.  But, with all my diets, I quit.  I don't know why....but I did/do.  After that I tried three different times to get back on the program and I could not follow the new changes.  I just couldn't lose weight ! 

I usually just count my calories and I do o.k., but this time I feel like I need something to look forward to ...... something new to mess with and figure out.  In a couple weeks I will probably go back to counting calories or figure out this isn't working and I will be back to square one.  Let's hope not.   :)

Old Specification On Points:

Pounds = Points

    > 150  = 20 Pts.
150-174  = 22 Pts.
175-199  = 24 Pts.
200-224  = 26 Pts.
225-249  = 28 Pts.
250-274  = 30 Pts.
275-299  = 31 Pts.
300-324  = 32 Pts.
325-349  = 33 Pts.
350-?      = 34 Pts.

Diet

Today I didn't intentionally start eating healthy, but it just sort of fell into place. I had to work today which is going to be the best thing for me. YAY! So, today for lunch I had a 100 cal. pack almonds and then for supper I had grilled chicken, broccoli, and a salad. But, with a reg. Mountain Dew.

Addiction or Survival

So I was googling around with "food addiction" and I came across some really interesting topics and articles. Go Here to read the first post that I wrote about this. I will be making two post because the article from WebMd is so long and I wanted to really dissect it. So, I am going to make the article another post. Well, these are just some food for thought. Hope you enjoy and look at them in "AWWW" like I did. So much of it makes a lot of sense.

Food addicts in recovery anonymous website - very interesting. I was thinking about calling and seeing what one would be all about.

Food Addictions & Food Obsessions - This article is great! I will probably be posting it soon and going through it like the WebMD article.

Break Your Food Addiction - This article I found really interesting. I liked the Q & A format of it. I like how they gave an example and went from there.

Meal Plan - Day 5,6,7

Wow, I am a little behind the times. The last couple of days I have been extremely busy! AAAHHH! It seems like even w/o a job I'm busier than if I had one. Well, here are the meal plan posts that I want to catch up on.

Meal Plan - Day #5

• Breakfast
• Shredded Wheat Cereal w/ skim milk
• Mixed Berries
• A cup of coffee

• Lunch
• Left over turkey loaf sandwich on wheat bread
• A couple handfuls of baby carrots
• A glass of water

• Dinner
• Salmon fillet over wild rice

Tip: Cook the salmon in the oven w/ a dash of lemon. Salmon has omega 3 fatty acids that break down body fat and help you lose the love handles.

Meal Plan - Day #6

• Breakfast
• Breakfast sandwich w/ egg, lean ham and low-fat cheese on a toasted English muffin
• A cup of coffee

• Lunch
• Slice of pizza, dab off the grease
• Side Salad

• Dinner
• Filet Mignon and mixed veggies

Tip: you should try to have as many protein sources as you can. If you don't like one of the suggested dinners, repeat on you do like.

Meal Plan - Day #7

• Breakfast
• 1 medium pancake or two small w/ light syrup w/ sliced bananas

• Lunch
• Hummus in a pita w/ vegetables with a small bowl of chicken soup

• Dinner
• Pork and pears w/ a side of applesauce

Tip: Get yourself lean pork, cook in the oven with pears on top or buy a whole pork loin and have lean pork for days. Good protein source. Sauerkraut is also tasty with this dish.

meal plans are from The Belly Burner Meal Planner Nutrition Log

Meal Plan - Day 4

Day #4

• Breakfast
• Irish Oatmeal w/ sliced banana
• Cup of coffee

• Lunch
• Roast beef sandwich on wheat bread w/ vegetables
• Diet Soda
• Handful of pretzels

• Dinner
• Turkey meatloaf w/ vegetables
• Side salad

Tip:
Get yourself ground turkey breast, an egg & chop up some celery and onions. Mush it all together in a big mixing bowl. Shape it into a ball and throw it into the oven for about 30 minutes and it's ready to go. You can eat the left over in a sandwich the next day.

From Bobby Waldron The Belly Burner Meal Planner Nutritional Log

*~HAHA! Can you guess what is on the lunch menu for Day #5? I have no clue. ~*

Meal Plan - Day 3

• Breakfast
• Half of a grapefruit w/ non-sugar sweetner sprinkled on top
• cup of coffee
• scoop of cottage cheese

• Lunch
• Grilled chicken salad
• Mixed fruit plate
• Diet Soda

• Dinner
• Shrimp and mixed vegetable kabobs

Tip:
Buy pre-cooked shrimp in the frozen food section. Some fresh vegetables. Thaw the shrimp. Put them on a wooden skewer w/ vegetables of your choice and lightly grill w/ some low-sodium Cajun seasonings and your eating in style.

From Bobby Waldron The Belly Burner Meal Planner Nutritional Log

HUNGER & FOOD: Survival or Addiction

This week I have really made myself aware of my eating habits. I knew that I was addicted to food but I realized I am in denial about it. I don't want to come to terms how much I really eat. Why is it ok for me to eat McDonalds everyday, and then get depressed about my weight? I almost feel like I lose control of myself when I get a craving. Just like an addict has to get a high. I don't think rationally about my food choices before I binge. Then afterwards, I feel guilty, depressed, sick, annoyed, sad, and every possible negative emotion that is in my being. What the h*ll is wrong with me? Why isn't my brain working. I know what is wrong and right, I know how to lose weight and what to do, I know, I know. But, why in the world can't I just "DO IT"!

There has only been one time this past week that I have eaten due to survival. I can honestly say that I was truly hungry b/c I was shaking and my stomach was growling. My ultimate excuse for over-eating or binging is, "Oh I'm stressed, I'm stressed. That is the reason I keep eating" Well, hello! The reason you are stressed is b/c you are fat. Every negative aspect in my life seems to boil down to me being fat. For example, can't find a job, b/c I'm fat, can't afford anything, b/c I can't find a job due to my weight. The list goes on and on. Ugh! How do I get out of this rut. So frustrating.

So, my goal this week is to really evaluate weather or not I am hungry. Keep a journal of why I want to eat. Boredom, sad, stress, etc. What time and what I am craving. This should be interesting. Due to the fact that I am the biggest junk a-holic ever. I'll keep you posted.

Meal Plan - Day 2

• Breakfast
• wheat toast w/ peanut butter
• 4 oz. glass or orange juice and coffee

• Lunch
• Tuna Fish sandwich low-calorie mayo on wheat or whole grain bread
• Side salad w/ light dressing

• Dinner
• Turkey Burger on wheat bun
• Mixed veggies
• Diet soda/water

Tip:
Get one of the grilling machines and you can prepare a lot these healthy, quick meals in a snap! Men can get way w/ having a double turkey burger, just one bun. You can also get a low cal non fat cheddar cheese on there if you like.


from The Belly Burner Meal Planner Nutritional Log: Wrap up Slim down!

Meal Plan - Day 1

My friend, Devin, bought what is called The Belly Burner. I am not completely sure what it is or how you really use it, but inside the kit came a couple of informational booklets. One was called a Meal planner and it has many meal ideas. There is 14 meals in the book so I will be posting these each day for 14 days. Here is the welcome letter from Bobby Waldron, I'm assuming the Creator and founder of the company. But, it has a couple great pointers and tips.

Choose lean cuts of meat with little fat. Fat is white. If you see white on your meat CUT IT OFF. Your body needs to be stimulated, which means don't always eat the same foods. Try different stuff.

Choose good seasonings (low sodium). Broil or brake your food. Avoid frying. Skim off excess fat. Limit mayonnaise and oil dressing. Choose meal replacement shakes when you are not hungry. Don't skip meals. Meal replacement meals will stimulate your metabolism.

Avoid croissants, sweet rolls, danish, pastry and donuts. Any fat-soaked carbs are bad and will go right to your love handles. Have plain food for a while. Sounds lame, but if you want to lose fat, don't eat fat.

Stay the heck away from fried potatoes, hash browns. Word to the wise: white is bad! If it's white or started out white, spit it out! Stop eating cookies and candy. I know they are good. You don't have to quit them forever, just for a while. Nuts and seeds aren't all that. They are high in fat and low in value.

Mix it up. Use the your judgement most of you know what is right and wrong, so stop eating what is wrong and start eating clean.

Day #1 Meal

• Breakfast
• 3 scrambled eggs
• 1 piece of wheat toast
• 4 oz. glass skim milk/ or cup of coffee

• Lunch
• Turkey Sandwich on wheat or whole grain bread w/ mustard and any veggies you want. (the more the merrier)
• 1 piece of fruit
• diet soda or iced tea

• Dinner
• Grilled chicken breast stir fry w/ mixed vegetables over steamed brown rice.
• diet soda or water

Tip: Use canola spray oil in the pan or an olive oil. Cube a couple of chicken breasts and cut off any fat you can see. Steam the vegetables in a separate bowl. Steam rice or get instant rice and put it all together w/ a sprinkle of salt and pepper for a yummy treat.

Time ~ Sure does fly away!

Wow! I really can not believe that this up coming week will be week #4. I have never lasted this long on a diet in a really long time. Can not believe that this Wednesday it will be 1 month that I have been watching what I have been eating. Right now it is really hitting me that this is it. It has finally clicked and something is working. Just realizing that I am coming upon week #4 has given me even more motivation to lose.

This Month (February)

~ Have a fear that I will not meet my goal of 5 pounds, but excited to take on the challenge!

~ Will get into a pair of sweatpants that I wanted to wear but they are too tight. Isn't that horrible. A pair of sweatpants that are too tight! (I'll post them tomorrow)

~ Will exercise 30 minutes 5 days a week, at least.

~ Fear that I will not be able to fit into my jeans by April.

~ Keep better food journals.

Struggling

I have really been struggling with eating and being very hungry the past couple days. All I can think about is McDonalds and fast food and just wanting to feel really full. Does anyone have any suggestions to what I can do to take the edge off??? I have been drinking a ton of water and trying to keep my mind off of it but I can not kick it.

Weigh In Day

Starting tomorrow morning I will only have 3 more days till I weigh in for week #2. AAAAHHH! Just because I think I did well, I'm nervous the scale will not show my hard work. My eating habits have gotten easier and I'm getting better @ managing my calories. I started to add a lot of exercise and my body is pretty sore from it. (Did Not realize how out of shape I was .......... WOAH!!) Yesterday, I exercised pretty much all day. When I play the Wii I totally lose track of time. I also broke out the Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds. I love these exercises. I like how they are so easy to do and you don't need a lesson before you start.



I really need to kick my butt hard b/c Sunday we are watching the Vikings vs. Saints football game and it is so easy to acquire too many empty calories. I like Corona a little bit! I am really debating if I should drink or not. I think I have worked hard but I'm not completely sure. I don't want to weigh in on Monday morning and not shed anything. But, I don't want to go Sunday and not drink. Don't know what to do.

April Motivation

At one point in time these were my fat jeans!! Now, they are my skinny jeans and I'm trying to work to get at the point where they are my fat jeans again. By April I will be in these, and hopefully by May they will be too big!!!

I love these Jeans!!

So Excited - "Face the Scale Day"

YAY!!!! I have hit goal for the month!!! This week I lost a total of 6 pounds!! Which I have set a 5 pound goal each month. I was so excited to see that number on the scale. Now comes week #2, the hard week. I know I need to keep focused and work hard.