Sunny... Let your LIGHT SHINE...

I had to post this for you Sunny. I didn't want our larger audience to miss this, just because it was in a comment and not in a 1st level blog spot. What you wrote is so heartfelt and true:

YOU WROTE as a comment to my previous 'This is our Chance...' blog:

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I've always felt that I couldn't shine. I was hidden behind this fat person I'd become. I always felt Trapped.

You are so right, Don. Our chance to shine our own light....to do things the way we've always wanted to, to be bolder and pleased with ourselves, proud and strong...this was a great blog.

I'll have a Dr. Pepper with my slice of pizza with everything on it, please, ;) but just one...because we're going to fit into that new wardrobe and we're gonna feel sooooooo good!

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

RIGHT ON

Our commitment is our strength.

 I think it is important for both of us to remember we can draw strength from what we are doing, here, together. If we are concerned, worried, pensive, down, or whatever emotion is at work which my want to derail us... we need to DRAW STRENGTH from our commitment, to the process, to our friends and families, and to each other. Sunny Girl, I commit to be here with you, through thick-n-thin... especially THIN!   ~Cuz

A Carry-Over

Don's blog echoed much of what I feel tonight. The feeling of empowerment and strength, a will so strong that we feel nothing can stop us. And nothing will!

Just a few motivations...

Wearing my rings again.
Buying anything right off the rack and knowing that the medium will fit!
Smaller shoes.
Never needing a seat belt extension again.
Sitting comfortably in a booth.
To be able to walk without having an asthma attack.
Touching my toes.
Seeing them.
To Garden.
To stop looking for weight limits on exercise machines.
And last but not least, I never want to hear, "It's a shame, because you have such a pretty face!" ever again!

What EVER YOU DO......

 ... DO NOT WATCH Paula Deen on QVC.. it's just senseless! Apple cheese cake, carrot cake, almond cheese cake, peanut brittle, brown sugar bacon, chocolate brittle.. deep fried this and deep fried that... all the recipes that are in the Deen Family cookbook! OMG.....  I repeat.. IT's JUST SENSELESS.

And that David Venerabal.. have you ever seen someone enjoy QVC food shows as much?

Survival technique... Ear Plugs and a bag of BBQ Pork Rinds...

 

This is our Chance....

This is our chance to shine... this is our chance to really do it... this is our chance to prove to ourselves we have it in us... this is our chance to finally leave all the baggage behind... this is our chance to become healthy, and stay healthy... this is our chance to say, 'this is about me, I need to do this, and I need you to help...', this is our chance to let all the excuses go, this is chance to feel proud, this is our chance TO DO IT.

And when we are at the end of this journey, I want a beer, a slice of pizza and a new wardrobe!

A new day.. a new way..

Hi all;

If you haven't already, I think you would enjoy visiting the 'Our Recipes' page. Sunny Girl is doing a wonderful job posting many of her accumulated and developed low-carb recipes there.

I'm so thrilled that there is a place right here in our blog now, where I can go when I need a new and different low-carb choice. It can be easy to just eat the same-ole-thing, day after day...

Thank you so much, Sunny Girl, for all your hard work.

DON

Inspirational Thought For Today...

My inspirational thought for today was inspired by a quote by - Henry David Thoreau...

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined."

I am beginning to dream again, and there are no boundaries in my dreams, I will make my own future without the dictation of another. I am strengthened, enlightened and empowered!

Thank You for Your...

How does anyone ever get along without the support of others? We can't. The expression, "No man is an island" has never rang so true. For years we've done without it simply because we never believed anyone really cared. The truth is, they do! Now we see why we've always had a hard time trudging through our trials and tribulations. We were always going it alone....or nearly alone. It takes a village? Yes, It does.

You always expect your family to get you through...but to see friends come forward and not only lending an ear, but giving their full support and standing close by our side to catch us when we're slipping, or even feel like slipping. Never again will we have to slip into the abyss, that dark, hollow place of loneliness and Fatdom! No More. Why?....because all we had to do was ask for the support we so desperately needed.

I sent out one little email last night to those I felt would want to help us and I wasn't wrong. Four of my most cherished friends have joined Geri and GalPal, Jeanne & Lara and Ed in our much needed support system. How great is that...how telling of the kindness and caring of a true friend's heart.

*slaps self on forehead* All we had to do was ask!

Back off Emotion.. you don't RULE me!

Today I had a great day. I should have planned my meals better, but I am going to do better tomorrow. I already made my lunch for tomorrow (after I ate dinner tonight). I feel much more energy and ability to move around. I actually parked my car away from the office and away from the front door of a meeting I went to today, to force myself to walk a little farther than normal. It's a small step, but one in the right direction. Those that know me, know that I'm the guy who will drive around the parking lot for an hour to try to get the closest spot to the door... :)

So, today on the way home I called Sunny Girl. I was worried about her from the blog she left. She had a bad morning but I was able to cheer her up a bit. I'm proud of her for sticking to plan regardless of how she was feeling emotionally. That's difficult for both of us, because one of our triggers to eat is emotion. Way to SHINE Sunny Girl. Never stop feeling your feelings, good or bad... but don't let them rule your appetite. 

It's Just Not a Day for Blogging...

I'm feeling great physically today, I'm not in as much pain as I've been as far as my foot goes, and I am on target with my plan and food choices, but I am not having a good day overall......I will be back later perhaps.

Week 4 Begins...

And we are off... We are both doing so well. Lunch with Sunny Girl yesterday is going to be a regular thing (at least every 2 to 3 weeks) so we can touch base and talk face-to-face. It was great.

I feel good this morning. I should have prepared something for lunch today, but you know how Monday mornings (at 4:45 am) can be. I woke up with lots of energy this morning. I think I'm finally getting past the 'Induction Flu'..., the headaches are gone. I read on the web yesterday that LOTS OF WATER is important to wash those toxins out of the system. I think I have broken the adictive bonds with carbohydrates too. I had no inclination to even touch the bread or have a sweet desert, even though we ate out twice yesterday.

Inspirational thought for the day: I get stronger and stronger with each passing day. I am proud of myself.

Great day.. moving in a new direction

Hi all. Today was a great day. I got the opportunity to spend the afternoon with Sunny Girl. We talked, went out to lunch and had an excellent low-carb meal, then spent some time discussing the blog and plans for the future.

We have created 2 'sub-blogs' which are now accessible via the left side bar. One is to log our daily meals (down and dirty, just what we ate, drank and snacked on.. and in the future exercise. The second blog 'Our recipes' is for us to track our recipe ideas, ones we stumbled across on the web, and the great ideas we are getting from everyones comments. When you navigate away from this blog using these buttons, the blogs you go to have a big green 'back to blog' arrow so you can find your way back home.

Sunny Girl.. thank you for the great afternoon. Everyone, thank you all for the ongoing support. We are beginning week 3 tomorrow!

A Day With Don...

I was both surprised and happy when Don asked me to lunch today, it was spontaneous and very generous of him to treat me to a wonderful lunch at a restaurant close-by. We always have great conversations, but today we focused on our future here at our blog and of course, our future weight loss and what it means to us. This endeavor has been nothing short of amazing, much like my cousin, Don.

Earlier today, we talked about how we would probably not be blogging together for a while because my computer needed to be sent out for repairs. And then for a second time today, he more than surprised me at lunch, when he told me that my old computer wouldn't be a problem for me anymore since he had a new one in his vehicle for me. I was stunned to say the least. This wasn't just any computer, it's a beauty!! A huge touch screen, the whole nine yards! I love it, I can't stop playing with it...lol

My cousin...his heart is so big, his warmth, his empathy, and generosity are unmatched. He and Ed are two of the most selfless people I've ever known. The fact that he did this for me says so much about how commited he is to seeing this through together and I am truly appreciative...That's my cous!! :-D

Springing Through...

My Easter flowers are blooming and I am hopeful.
It's amazing what a glimpse of a flower in bloom can do for the spirit, the soul. I feel new and precious today.

Hey, Don's on the phone, be right back...*giggle*

Well, I just got a lunch invitation from my blogger buddy!! How sweet is that!

Ok, let me get to blogging so I can shower....I resisted the temptation to munch some bread yesterday, I did it!
I had some chicken wings instead. *huge smile*
Last night about 9:00, I was so hungry, I decided to pan fry a few pieces of roast beef from the deli and it was delicious! I'm having my coffee and I will have a shake before my shower.

I really need to get some more berries in and sugar free jello as snacks....for some reason, after I eat a meal, I need something sweet. Sometimes a cup of coffee with splenda will do the trick, I don't know why, but it seems something hot satiates my hunger more than a cold beverage. But I must get some caffeine free coffee for night time. I miss having tea (which I love) because my doctor says it helps produce kidney stones. *major eye roll* Doesn't it just figure? Be back later, my lunch date will be here in 2 hours .....YAAAAY!

A must see...

Sunny Girl.. (and anyone else who wants to...), I was cruising YouTube and ran across the most inspirational video from a video blogger named antishay (search for her on YouTube for more). I added a video by her to the iPod player. 

I'll leave it on the player for a couple of days. Right now, the player starts with a 'Brother Bear' selection, just press the 'forward' button to the next 'song' and you will see her video. It's about 7 minutes long, but...boy does she have a lot of wisdom and insight which we could benefit from. Please take the time to watch.

Inspirational thought for today...

What is my inspiration for today?... hum... 

Today I want to keep in mind that in the future I won't have to worry about 'Fitting in'. I mean this literally, not figuratively. 

I always have to worry now...WILL I FIT. I'm getting ready to go to France and I am worried about fitting on the plane, fitting in the cab, fitting in the chairs in the conference rooms.. just plain fitting in. It sucks, but it's currently a fact of my life. BUT.. not in the future, because, in my future, this will no longer be an issue!

So... My inspiration for today is.. no more trying to FIT IN!

Dinner Delight...

All I have to say about this one is WOW. I had a brainstorm tonight. I wanted to have a shrimp salad for dinner. When I took the stuff out of the refrigerator I saw I had a head of cabbage. I decided to wing it and try to create a cold shrimp and tomato slaw. It turned out great. Here is what I did:

Special thanks to my hubby for helping develop this recipe.

Slice up a pound of cabbage, very thin and then chop.

Dice 10 cherry tomatoes. Thaw and chop a 1 pound bag of medium sized shrimp (in 3 or 4 pieces each) then salt and pepper the tomatoes and shrimp to taste.

For the slaw sauce mix 1/3 cup of mayonnaise with 1/4 cup of ranch dressing. Mix in 1 tsp of cider vinegar, a dash of onion and garlic power, a dash of paprika, 1/2 packet sweet-n-low, and mix it all together.

Throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with dressing.

In a perfect world you would let it set for a few hours, but, we ate it right away, and it was most excellent. Best part is I have left-overs for lunch tomorrow. That was a small success for me in itself, in the past I would have just eaten all, after Ed got what he wanted. Woooo-hooo.. I feel great!  

Chips-ahoy

GalPal.. your comment idea about pepperoni chips was DA-BOM. I made some this afternoon. I placed some paper towels on a plate, put slices of pepperoni down, then covered with another paper towel. Nuke them for 1 minute, flip them and remove the top paper towel and nuke for another 30 seconds, or until they are as crispy as  you want. DELICIOUS snack. 

I saw online several 'ways' to make them. One guy said they are they are excellent dipped in plain sour cream. I'll have to try that.

Thanks for he great tip!

Congratulations and Inspirational Quote;

First, the congratulations. We have had this Blog for only one week and there are already 38 posts and great comments. Thank you everyone for the commitment. Next, an inspirational quote for today:

The first and most important step toward success is the feeling that we can succeed.  ~Nelson Boswell

Rainy out but Sunny in...

It may be raining outside this morning, but I'm all warm and sunny inside. All the great support from Sunny Girl and the rest of the village, it warms my soul to know that you are all there for both of us.

I was up early again this morning, as you can see from the time on my previous post! Seems that I'm requiring less sleep, another side effect of this plan and the new-found energy fountain. I had a shake for breakfast but was still craving more, so I sliced up a few pieces of portobello mushroom and made a quick omelet. It was delicious and I feel fully satisfied.

Today lunch will be steak burgers with cheese on Romaine with mustard. I got this new spicy mustard that is 1 carb per tbs, and I only use maybe 1/2 tsp at most. Because of the heavy lunch, dinner will be something light, maybe a shrimp salad. 

I'll write more later.. everyone enjoy the day, and what do you all think of the choices on the music player? I tried to pick ones that were inspirational. If anyone has favorites, put them in the blog or comments and I'll add them. The 'Covergirl' by RuPaul was specifically for my loving husband..it's his favorite tune of the moment.

Thought for the day: I will not let my body define who I am.

A Morning in the Wrestling Arena...

First, let me say, thank you for downloading the carb counter, you're my hero. I could really use it! You rock! You've brought up some really relevant points in your blog today, Don and since I know what I weighed before the fantastical cruise we took, (310 lbs.) I realized something this morning just as I was about to weigh; what if I only lost the weight that I gained while on the cruise? Although it doesn't seem likely, and I'm wearing some things that I couldn't wear during the cruise, I could have lost inches and not pounds. I know, I sound like I'm obsessing, but I do not want to be devastated if I don't see a significant weight loss.
Bottom line?...I couldn't get on that scale! And I'm glad I didn't. I too will wait until I am mentally ready for the truth.

On the upside, hubman mentioned today that I must have lost about 15 lbs. since the cruise. I, being ever greedy wanted more, so I asked, what do you mean?....how can you tell? *giggle* He said, "well, that night shirt is swimming on you"...*Huge grin*. Yes! It's beginning to show!

Today I am going to have a shake after my coffee, which I am enjoying right now. And for lunch, I really want more of the eggs with salsa. It's the one thing I cannot live without on this plan. I do miss the dreaded BREAD!! so I've been thinking of having some tuna on a low carb (7 grams) whole wheat pita for dinner, somebody stop me!!! I know that in the past, when I've had one taste of it, I wanted more. *sigh* Yeah, I'm facing a dilemma here and I know it. Do I test myself and try my best not to go overboard or do I use my will power and resist altogether? Some mind wrestling will be going on today, I can feel it.
Well, that's my day so far...be back later.

And thanks for the comments from my last post, you are a help, more than you know!! I love coming back to read them all. And you have a great weekend too, Galpal ;)

To weigh or not to weigh...

For me... that is the question.

Hi, my name is Don, and I am over 450 pounds (oh my God.. I said it.. my big secret.. ). 

I absolutely know I am loosing weight. My big concern is this... in the past when I have weighed while dieting, I got so focused on weighing and needing to see a reduction every day (I know, you should only weigh once a week at most), that I became obsessed. This led to an emotional roller coster, high when I saw a loss, devastated when I didn't. 

There were two problems with this cycle. First, I shouldn't expect to see a loss every day and second, I shouldn't have been weighing every day. BUT, I couldn't help myself.. the scale was the driving force that was keeping me committed to the plan (that was my worst mistake).

I have thought a lot about this issue, and decided, at least for a while, not to weigh, but rather, look for changes in the way I feel and the way I physically interact with the world. At first they will be small changes, but each sign will be an encouragement to me, and I won't need a seat belt or a barf bag.

For now, not having to 'worry' about weighing has allowed me to just concentrate on being focused and committed, without that 'self imposed' pressure and stress. I will get to the point where I have control over this, and want to start weighing once a week. 

I will, however, within the next few weeks, weigh and post my exact weight, because I do want to know where I started.

It Was a Berry Good Evening...

I settled for a shake for dinner after all because I didn't feel like standing long enough to cook. It's terrible when you finally have energy but have too much pain to keep on your feet, but I'm making the best of it.


I got really hungry a while ago though and I made myself 2 eggs with salsa ... thank goodness for eggs. It was delicious. Then guess what i had...lol...you guessed it! Strawberries!!!
I tried them with the vanilla and splenda and whipped cream...and wow! what a fantastic dessert or snack! I will be making that on a regular basis, for sure. I probably had too many of them, but I don't think I can gain weight by eating too many berries. ;)

I actually can't wait for tomorrow, I will sleep a little later and I plan to weigh myself and I never thought I'd say I couldn't wait for that, but I am really looking forward to it. No matter what the scale says, I know I am succeeding...Together, we will do this successfully!

A Little bit of this...

... and a little bit of that... Sometimes we need to be creative because our choices of food are limited. 

I went shopping today and got some great stuff. Some nice, thick sliced roast beef and turkey, steak burgers, porterhouse steaks, (no good looking tuna.. dang...), steam in the bag broccoli and cauliflower (both relatively low in carbs).., some salad stuff and of course.. strawberries. I tell you what, when you start getting tired of eating protein, a strawberry really helps out. I had 2 berries when I got home.. another success, normally I would have eaten the whole basket without even thinking about it.

Tonight, for dinner i took a few slices of the roast beef, heated a fry pan and put in a little butter. I cooked the roast beef slices a bit, then sliced a few small cherry tomatoes, put them on top of the roast beef, then a little provolone on them, popped them under the broiler, took em out and put on some spicy mustard. YUMMY... something different to eat! It was a good meal.

I'll have a few of the strawberries later with a little whipped cream (made myself with sweet-n-low and a little vanilla).

I feel good, I feel good, I feel ... GREAT

Everyone, thanks for all the support and comments. I read every one.

Our bodies will thank us!

Just think of all the good we are doing for the load on our hearts. Our little pumps will be grateful for the reduced strain.  GalPal brings up a good point in her comment.. our knees will be the most happy of all our body parts!

Lunch was peppered turkey and provolone on Romaine lettuce with a little mayonnaise and mustard. It was delicious!

I'm off to grocery shopping!

Oh what a beautiful morning, oh what a beautiful day!

Spring has sprung and the cold is left behind, just as we are headed for success and our days of stuffing ourselves senseless are behind us. A new beginning, a bright and productive future, a season of triumph ahead of us. Getting here was half the battle, being here is a success in itself, revel in it, and know that NOTHING can stop us.

I could be having a VERY stressful morning, I am not alone today, the hubman has off, but I am singing through it. Nothing is going to impede my progress!

This morning, I had my daily morning cup of coffee in silence as I read through your blogs, Don....I have to tell you, you have been nothing short of amazing inspiration to me.

I'm not sure what lunch will be today, I too have some shopping to do, so I'll be back later.

p.s. glad you all like the flowers. :)

For you.. Sunny Girl

Knowing how much you love flowers, I found this and thought you might enjoy it.

DON

Thoughts this morning...

I AM.....

.... excited about the future

.... encouraged by OUR progress

.... determined to see this to the end

.... empowered by my choices

I AM NOT.....

.... going to make excuses

.... living in the past

.... living with blinders on

.... a couch potato (anymore...)

On the move...

Good morning everyone.. Yesterday was another successful day. Today I'm off work and have lots of plans. In 1 week I'll be headed for Monpellier France for a week (Business Trip). I found out that I have Wi-Fi in the room at the hotel where I'll be staying so I promise I will be a faithful blogger.. maybe not long ones (because I'll be typing them in on my iPhone)... but I'll post every day. I fly out next Saturday and come back the following Friday. I'm actually excited about the challenge of remaining on 'the road' and know I can do it.

Today I'll go grocery shopping. I think I'll get some Tuna steaks and try the recipe GalPal detailed in her comment post.. Thanks GP. 

My hubby is also off this morning so I'll cook us both omelets and bacon for breakfast, lunch will most likely be a shake and we'll probably go out and get a steak for dinner.

Observation for today... I have so much more ENERGY since I've increased protein and decreased the carbs. I feel great!

Love to all...

 

Inspirational Quote of the Day...

"What we think or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence. The only thing of consequence is what we do." 

~ John Ruskin

I'll scramble anything...

Sunny Girl.. First off... thanks for posting so faithfully... and I LOVE all the flowers you have posted. The road is going to be long and I'm happy to know I'm sharing it with you. To all our supporters.. THANKS!

I had some pepperoni and cheese when I got home from work.. I ended up with a shake for lunch so I was pretty hungry by 5:00p. A little while ago I made some scrambled eggs with roast beef and chunks of portobello mushrooms, with some cheese sprinkled in.. It was very good and really satisfied me.

I only have nuts in the house for snacks tonight, I really need to go shopping tomorrow.

We're having a bit of a family crisis.. I'm controlling myself and not stress eating. I'll email off blog about what's up.

Top o' the Mornin' to ya...

Oh what a day....I got up this morning and felt sooooo good. My ankle is beginning to hurt less and my pants are baggy....I'm wearing a top that I usually can't get past my shoulders, you know, the top, the one you throw across the room when you become so frustrated because it's tooo damn tight? Yeah, that top! hahahaha...yes!

I had a shake this morning after my cup o' coffee and then had 2 scrambled eggs with some grated cheese and spicy salsa on top...yummm!

Dinner is going to be a delicious tuna salad, come hell or high water, I'm gonna have my tuna ;)
and of course a beautiful green salad with a few nuts, a hard boiled egg and real bacon crumbles...Mmmmmm!! I will most likely have the strawberries that are left-mental note to get more in-with whipped cream.

This is amazing, I feel like I am becoming the me I was meant to be. Be Back Later!

A little lighter in my Loafers...

OMG... someone here at work actually stopped me in the hall and said 'Don... are you loosing weight'.... (HUGE GRIN)... feeling great at 9:30am!

And.. we're off.. (again)...

Good morning all. This morning was quick. I woke up too early (at 3:30am) and couldn't go back to sleep. I got out of the house at 5:00am. I had a shake for breakfast here at work.. and was off to a hectic day. I am hoping that I can convince my hubby to go to lunch at Ruby Tuesday's so I can get a good salad and a bun-less hamburger.

Positive thought for this morning.... how great it will be to not have to worry if my ASS will fit in a seat!

Everyone have a nice day..I'll blog more later... Love and Support to you Sunny Girl

Support Means a Lot...

My dinner didn't turn out as planned.
Frank (my husband) came home and immediately began to nag about a bed not being made and then went on about some other i$$ues. (major eye roll) I have not been on top of things around the house much because I have my leg in a supportive "air boot" all day because of a torn achilles tendon and it is difficult at best to do the things I normally do.

However, this doesn't seem to be a factor for him. My doctor would surely freak if he even knew that I went into the kitchen at that point and put the ravioli's in the pot and plated up the meatballs, sausage and made a salad. (the sauce was already made and warming) My doctor and I agreed that I would keep off of my ankle until it healed....I forgot to factor in the fact that I have very little support here. It seems that if you're not bleeding excessively or have tubes attached to your nose and mouth, you're pretty much ok.

I immediately went to lay down, as my ankle was absolutely throbbing, and I fell asleep.
It is now 8:13 and I am starving, but I just don't feel like preparing anything and will probably have a shake and some berries.

This was probably more information that I should have posted, but it's my journal and I am treating it as such.

My point is, support is everything! It means a lot to have my gusband ask how my day was... or maybe tell me I look like I'm losing or "wow, look at your toe ring!!" *wink* or making life just a little bit happy for the short time he's here before going to the next job...I see the man for 10 minutes to a half hour everyday and it's the most miserable part of my day.

Sorry, this is turning into a novel. But I needed to vent.

*Sunny*

Time to OWN IT...

Well, some therapy here.. and reflection. I am writing this to myself and Sunny Girl.

For years we have been carrying around this weight. We've tried to loose it, lost some, gained more, lost some, gained even more.. and all the time, we carry around the weight, the consequence of our actions. 

We have excused ourselves by saying... 'Well, I eat because I am bored' or 'I eat when I'm stressed'... or 'I eat to compensate for a crappy childhood'... but in the end.. it's obvious that we KNOW WHY we eat, we just haven't taken the steps to deal with the issues, own the responsibility, and LOOSE IT. 

What we are doing, here and now, is really owning it, probably for the first time in our lives. We are making positive choices, making long term commitments, to each other, in front of our families and our friends... 

In addition to modifying our eating, we really should concentrate on dealing with why we allowed this to happen to us, and what we are going to do to make sure that we are never going to let it happen again.... Again, i say.. it's TIME TO OWN IT.

I am Proud of us.. and that.. I must say.. .is a very good feeling

Inspirational Quote of the day

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. ~Aristotle

Hello.... Chick-a-dee.....

MMMMMMMmmmmmmm..... is that chicken I smell...

It's a good thing that I'm on a protein diet.. because I LOVE CHICKEN!! I did well today. I had the shake for breakfast and lunch, with a protein bar in between. 

Tonight when I got home, I immediately put the chicken from Pathmark under the broiler to crisp the skin (hold on.. need to wipe the drool off my keyboard...   there.. ok.. ), put some steam-in-a-bag broccoli into the microwave, then took the dogs out. What a yummy dinner.

I stayed COMPLETELY away from the cheese today.. Mongoose, be gone.. .(please, please.. please). I am taking more of my fiber supplement, and will probably have a salad in an hour or so. I've been eating lots more salad, although I don't really like the lettuce that much. GalPal.. I LOVE your legendary salads, though.. because there are more things than just cucumbers and tomatoes in them!

I'm out of strawberries, so no berries tonight. I'll get some more on Friday.

All my friends who have posted.. Thank you so much.... your words and comments, and of course, the everlasting support of Sunny Girl, give me so much strength and support. I can feel that I am being lifted up.. I know that may sound weird, or dramatic, but I really mean it.. I can feel the love...

Toe Tapper

I hope the flower thing isn't too distracting, looking at them just makes me happy and I'm doing everything that makes me happy these days!...

I am having a great morning, I started off with 2 scrambled eggs and 3 slices of bacon with a glass of lemon water which i love, and I feel satisfied as can be. For lunch today, I'm going to have a boneless breast of chicken with some grated parm sprinked over the top and steamed green beans with cracked black pepper and maybe a few slices of red onion. I will probably have a shake in between lunch and dinner today....I find that I get hungry around the 3 0'clock hour...Dinner is going to be Tuna salad wrapped in romaine leaves, what did you call them, Don?...I like your name for them, but I am temporarily having a senior moment. I also have a green salad every single night for the fiber....made with evoo, white wine vinegar and some spices...I'll call it "Sunny dressing" from now on! ;)

I drink plenty of water in between my meals and I also snack on some berries when feel the need for something sweet, also the crystal lite lemonade is good for the sweet craving, so I have that now and then too.

I've never felt better and may I say, I was sitting here writing this and I felt something pinching my toe, I tapped the floor with my foot thinking something was on it...I looked down and realized, my toe ring is FALLING OFF...LOL
My toes are losing weight!!! I love it!!

I will be back later to read and probably write some more...Happy Wednesday!

Say Cheese...

Morning all.. I think I've been eating too much cheese and not enough fiber. This became very evident this morning... all I can say is 'SCREAMING MONGOOSE'.. nuf said!

When I get home from work I have been snacking on some cheese cubes before I eat dinner. I think I'll stop that, considering I typically have cheese on the 'romaine-wiches' during the day.

I've been taking fiber supplements every morning, but I will now take them twice a day.

I am ready for another day. I'm at work (fortunately I can blog through the firewall using a Google applet... at least for now!)... I am going to do a Shake-Shake.. morning and lunch, and maybe a protien bar mid-afternoon. Tonight I am going to have a shrimp salad for dinner..

Good thought for today.. I'm alive, I'm happy, I have people who love and care for me.... and I'm successful!!

Oh... MY... GOD.... CAKE..... Sigh

Ok, just had to spurt the urge out.. I am such a sweet's junky... I can't eat it.. but I sure can vent about it..... 

I had 5 strawberries and a few nuts (no jokes.. please) as desert tonight and feel full and satisfied. I am so pleased and excited that Sunny Girl is now happily blogging and commenting away.. she really is a fountain of wisdom and strength.. we will draw from each other.. babycakes!

Formal Welcome to the Blog ...

Sunny Girl is my cousin and is sharing this journey with me. This blog is for the two of us to document this experience. Welcome to the blog... Sunny Girl!

Another Week Down....

...And I do mean down! My pants are bigger, and my shoes are falling off!!
How exciting is this, first of all to be hunger free and happy with myself, no, make that joyous, and then I get the chance to blog with one of my favorite people on the planet. I tell ya, I recomemnd being me right now ;)

I had a great day, I went from a breakfast shake to some roast beast wrapped in swiss cheese (a favorite of mine) for lunch...then I had almost all the dark meat of a small roasted chicken and an amazingly good, green salad with extra virgin olive oil and white wine vinegar....bellisima! (I think I spelled that wrong) Oh well, anyway...it's been a great day! I'm enjoying my after-dinner coffee now and I will most certainly have some strawberries and whipped cream later as a snack.....Low carb and Lovin' it!

A day in the life...

Today was a good day. I like to start by saying that.

I had a protein shake for breakfast (at work). For lunch, I packed a sandwich made from roast beef, swiss cheese and a little mayonnaise, all between a few leaves of romaine lettuce (no bread, thank you ... sigh). 

I, of course, drink a lot of crystal light during the day (I keep the single serving powdered mix in my cubicle. For dinner tonight I am going to cook a couple of burgers and again, have them with tomato on romaine lettuce. (I guess I will soon be ejected from the 'Bakers Union').... Later will be possibly a snack of a few strawberries, a few pecans and a few walnut halves. 

The interesting thing about this high protein, low carbohydrate process is that I'm never really very hungry anymore. 

 

It takes a village....

I am as pleased as punch to have the support of my extended family and friends on this journey. It means the world to me that you have 'logged-in and signed-on' to help in this, well, shall I say it... EPIC journey that my cousin and I are taking. 

Your role in this is more important than you all may realize... it will help keep me focused, committed, responsible.. and IN IT. I know the drive has to come from within, but.. step aside Ms. Daisy.. I am ready to roar down the road. I have never in my life been more energized.

Putting this down in writing has really allowed me to think just what it will take to get to the point of good health.. .I was going to say .. to the end.... but I realize this change has to remain with me the rest of my life, or I'll end up right back where I started. So.. here is to US and the journey together will be interesting, educational, and remarkably memorable. What we are sharing here will impact us all. Thanks for being part of my village.

I smell fish...

Dinner tonight was tuna in water, drained, with 3 grape tomatoes sliced, some salt/pepper and a little mayonnaise. I scooped it up with some pork rinds, the crunch was nice, but the combination was a little unexpected. I don't think I like tuna with an undertone of pork... :)

I'm making sure I am drinking plenty of fluids, at least 80 ounces a day.

What am I grateful for?  Today, it's my loving supportive husband.

Out.... of the Diet Closet...

Well, I've taken a pretty huge step for me. I emailed a good friend and told her about this blog, and asked her to pass the information on to all of our close friends. I've asked everyone I know cares about me to view the blog regularly and comment on my progress, give notes of support and encouragement. I think it is important to share this with everyone and hope for many new comments and followers.

Shake it up baby...

I had a shake for breakfast this morning. I left for work at 5:00am (typical for me). A shake is easy during the week because it's fast.. and at 4:30am, fast is everything.

I drink crystal light 'Sunrise' mix (orange juice simulation) and fool myself into thinking it's real OJ... it's a stretch, but.. hey.. it gets me through.

I'll have another shake for lunch today. I need to make myself some roll-ups for tomorrow lunch.. because, honestly... shake followed by shake leaves me a little shaky (LOL).... more later

Spring is in the air...

Yawn... Late night

I'm up late. I need to be in bed because I have to be up at 4:45 a.m. I shouldn't have taken that nap this afternoon.

I was watching TV and saw a commercial for Dunkin Donuts. The first thing that crossed my mind was... 'I sure would like one of those...', then I thought.. do I really? This thing that my cousin and I are doing is all about choices, thinking about them and making the right ones. We may not always make the right choices, after all, no one ever does all the time... but.. choices should be made with consideration of the consequences... (flashback, isn't that something I was taught when I was young.. and why have I let myself forget that when it comes to food?)...

End of thought for tonight.. I'll blog more tomorrow. Night-ALL

God bless invention....

Dinner tonight was great. I picked up some roasted chicken legs from Acme and heated them up and steamed some brocolli. For desert I used the bullet blender (god bless invention) to whip up some heavy cream, sweet-n-low and a dash of vanilla, then mixed it with some sliced strawberries. Put it all in a special desert glass and I didn't even know I was eating 'low-carb'.

It's the little things that keep me going. I feel great because I have had another successful day. I'll have some walnut or pecan halves later if I feel like it, or maybe some of my precious 'pork rinds'.. .

Here piggy... piggy...

So... the hunt was successful. I can't believe how hard it is to find pork rinds in this area. I went to almost every regular supermarket and couldn't find them. Finally, at Pathmark I found them in the area where they typically put stock they're phasing out, and I did find them as well at a 7/11 of all places.

Readers may not realize how important it is to us low-carb eaters to have something that resembles a snack which is crunchy.. and I'm not talking vegetable crunch.. I'm talking potato chip crunch.. cracker crunch... That 'crunch' is one of the things I miss most about 'hi-carb' eating.

So, here piggy, piggy.. pork rinds... come to daddy!

As a wise friend shared with me.... Nothing is as good as thin feels.

Lunch was a good thing...

Lunch.. yummy.. I had a sandwich of peppered turkey and provolone cheese with a little mayonnaise between two pieces of romaine lettuce. Celebrate each step!

In the beginning

Ok, I've spent the last 3 hours setting up this blog. That's enough for now.. I still need to figure out how to add a music player.. help ?? with comment please.

Relaxing Sunday Morning

Another new day, I'm ready for more success. I got up and made coffee, Sumatra, freshly ground. The cobwebs are now gone. I made an egg, sliced tomato and cheese omelet for myself and my partner.

I'm ready for my day!

On another note, I know many of the other blogs I have looked at have a lot of 'modules' and glitz... this blog will get there as soon as I learn how to use the blog layout better. Thanks for your patience, keep in mind.. both myself and this blog are constantly 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION'

Last Night.. at the Wedding

Success... When you are changing the way you eat it is always stressful to go to a 'public event'. I wanted to stay the course and stay on track, but didn't want the attention of other guests who may be concerned about 'how I was eating'. Because I'm doing low carbohydrates, I didn't want anything fried or breaded. Wouldn't you know, all the appetizers except the little meat balls were fried!

So, trying to be unnoticed, I had 3 meat balls on a stick, had diet coke instead of cocktails, and at dinner had a Caesar salad. The main course was either stuffed fish or Cordon Bleu. Both had breading or stuffing. The world is full of carbs. I got the Cordon Blue. The plate also came with green beans and carrots and a twice baked potato.

I scraped the breading off the Cordon Bleu, ate the green beans, gave the carrots to my partner (they have too much sugar content for me right now), and mashed around the twice-baked potato a little on the plate to make people think I was 'eating it'. I didn't have any cake or desert.

It worked, no one noticed I was not eating 'like everyone else' and I stayed 100% on track. I am so proud of myself for this. It is a personal success!

And we are off... already 2 weeks down the road

So, this it. This is where we begin. 

Actually, we began 2 weeks ago, just after returning from a cruise which our families shared. We had a great time, ate like crazy. Several times during the trip we said to each other 'we have to start dieting after this trip'. We had gone down this road before, as a matter of fact, we did this together about 3 years ago, were doing very well and loosing, but then fell-off the boat and never swam back. 

This time is different. The last day of the trip we talked, while we were spending unbelievably boring hours waiting for our flight home, and decided this was it. We were tired of feeling 80, tired of being out of breath, swollen and sore. basically, we ARE tired of being FAT. We decided to do it to the end. 

This blog is a place for us to post our daily journey to our new lives.