Friday Focus – Reflections, Goals and Successes

It is a glorious morning today!  The air is crisp and our Lord has graced us with another beautiful day!  I need to remind myself that each day is a blessing.  No matter how hard the struggle.  No matter what the struggle.  Though my struggle with my body and self confidence may seem petty to others, please know, it is real with me.  I also note that there are so many others that have greater struggles and larger consequences than I do.  For these people, I pray.

Well, I have hit another minor goal:  I broke 220 pounds.  I am, as of this morning, 219.8.  I know I haven’t broke the goal by much, but the fact that I broke it, is a HUGE accomplishment for me.  Have to love the Keto way of life.  Now to tackle my next BIG GOAL – break 200.  I hope to accomplish this by the new year.  I also would like to keep my promise to myself of loosing an average of 10 pounds a month, which if I do that, I will have met it by December, but as my fellow blogger, Grabbety,likes to remind me – take things slow, don’t rush them.

Looking forward to another busy weekend.  Hubby and I are having a date night at the Washington Nationals baseball game tonight.  Looking forward to a night for us.  Saturday is his birthday, but not oddly, we will be celebrating int on the softball field watching our princess.  It is going to be a long day with 3 games and a cookout.  Sunday, I am hoping I can relax.

My goals for next week are simple:

1. Hold myself accountable with my individual goals
2. Blog everyday
3. Prepare for my trip to North Carolina
4. Remember to smile everyday
5. Love my family
6. Smile and greet all strangers

Till tomorrow, have a great day, remember to smile and say something nice to a stranger.

Friday Focus – 9/8

This has been a challenging week for me emotionally.  I have been struggling with some feelings that I am not sure how to handle.  I know that they aren’t ones I can share with you, my readers, because they affect others that I love.  Just know, I am struggling and would love for you to send some prayer and/or thoughts my way.

Now for my journey this week:

This week’s weight loss has not been as successful as last week’s.  I am not sure what I am doing differently or if it is just that like I suspect it is becoming a healthier weight loss.  Measure Monday will put all that in perspective.

Yesterday I know I waited too long to eat and that affected how I felt.  I ate way to late, but could not eat earlier.  I know that when I am hungry, I now crave steak fat instead of potato chips, so that may be a good thing.

My favorite meal this week (besides that rib eye I devoured last night) was tonight’s meal.  It was simple to cook and “hit the spot”.  It also filled me up.  I found this recipe on the Diet Doctor site. Sausage and Creamed Green Cabbage   Every recipe I have tried from this site has been easy to make and deliscious.  Such a variety of menus and great suggestions for sides.  Please check the out and try some of these tasty recipes.

Still walking every day.  I have missed my friend, Pam, who was joining me.  I hope she will be back next week.  I am walking 5 miles each day.

Immediate Goals for my Journey:

1. Lose 26 pounds (that will put me at 200), not my final goal, but immediate. (no deadline)
2. Blog every day
3. Maintain less than 1200 calories
4. Maintain less than 20g of carbohydrates
5. Walk 5 miles each day
6. Work on photo project each day.
7. SMILE

Reminding myself that all goals need to be set and are attainable.  I believe these are.

Life is a Journey – Come Join Me

I am very excited about the Low Carb High Fat diet that I am venturing on.  It is a diet that I can enjoy and not feel left out at dinner as my whole family seems to joining in and loving the food as much as I do.

Not only am I enjoying eating the food, but I truly am loving cooking again.  I feel that I can cook without worrying about tasting while I cook.  It really is almost a relief to cook again.

I will admit last night at the baseball game, I felt a little silly, eating the hot dog with mustard and onions but no bun.  Silly yes, but I did it!  Instead of popcorn I snuck in some pork cracklings for that crunch in the 7th inning.  All in all – things are going well and I have even dropped some weight!  WoooHoooo!!!!!  New weight is 237.8!  Back down below 240.  Glad I did not get discouraged and give up like I have in the past!

As promised here are the links to my dinners this week.  I have collected them from various sites.  I do recommend that if you are going to start the LCHF diet, to check out Diet Doctor.  They have several recipes and awesome tips.

SUNDAY – SAUSAGE AND SHRIMP

MONDAY – Chicken Casserole with Feta Cheese

TUESDAY –  I have a date with my daughter at the Washington National ballgame, so it will be another bunless hot dog for me 🙂

WEDNESDAY – Pork Chops and Cabbage Casserole

THURSDAY – Cheesburger Casserole

FRIDAY – Creamy Tuscan Chicken

That’s as far as I made it.  Hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I plan on enjoying!  Let’s get back to eating not starving!

 

 

 

 

 

Date Night was Werth It?

Today started with the hubby proclaiming it was his day!   Ok, what does that mean for me?

First off, trip to the commissary. I truly have an adversion  to grocery shopping. I actually have been known to exhibit panic attacks!   But he proclaimed his day, so I agreed to go with him. I had made a list based on our menu (I have to share with you my menu)!  We drove on the military post only to discover the commissary was hosting a case lot sale.  That resulted in great buys, but no parking. It also made our 1 hour trip into 2 hours.  It would s hard to put in words the polar opposite my husband and I are about how we shop.  He is filled with excitement and I am overtaken with doom.  Needless to say, I was very happy to escape $300 later. 

On the way home, I asked what was next…”surprise” was what I heard.  We had to leave in an hour was what I made out.  

Groceries unloaded and put away, just enough time to grab a zero carb lunch. Way to go Tunafish!

Once in the car he disclosed that we were going to see the Potomac Nationals, a minor league baseball team. The treat was it’s a Jayson Werth bobblehead night!   Love me some Jayson Werth!  Oooohhhhhh he is also rehabilitating with the PNats, which means he will be at the game.   Trouble we have to wait in line to get in and get the prized bobblehead – 3 hours. 

We did wait. We did get the bobblehead. We did get to see Jayson Werth and Tre Turner. I’m a happy girl.  

So sometimes it is Werth doing what your husband wants even when you don’t at first. 

I managed maintaining less than 20 grams of carbs today.  Desperately wanting to get under 240 again.  I think I will.  To hit 235 by the 31st would be awesome.  But if I don’t I will be ok. 

Because it will be Werth being patient. 

Friday Future Formula

Well this week has flown by, like most of the summer.  School starts back for the grandson on Monday.  Time to sit and reflect on what I plan to achieve in the next week.  This week I have struggled and not dropped any weight, in fact I have gained it.  Normally that would have me throwing my hands up in despair, this time around, I looked at what I was doing wrong, and what I could do to make it right.

Well, I think I was being too hard on myself when it came to my diet.  I was trying to maintain a low calorie intake and honestly, I love food way too much to walk away.  So I searched to how I could eat what I love, but still work on my weight and border line diabetes.  The answer is a Low Carbohydrate and High Fat (LCHF) meal plan.  Basically maintain a low carbohydrate diet…stay away from breads and potatoes.  Yes I can do it…but I will struggle.

So this week’s goals….(deep breath)

• Pray everyday
• Maintain low carb diet
• Love my family
• Work on school work
• Take more photos
• Exercise Daily

Today’s Tip:

PLAN A DINNER MENU FOR THE WEEK

(I will post the menu and links to recipes tomorrow)

Laughing Because I Left My Brain in Menopause

Well, lately, I have been struggling with staying on task.  I figured that like many things it is one of the struggles that I have to deal with as I go through menopause.  I remember that my mom was suffering from CRS (can’t remember shit) during her menopause time, so why not me, right?

Well today was the final straw.

This morning I woke up tossing and turning with anticipation of going to class tonight.  I was excited to start classes again, but as usual anytime I have to take a class that does not involve a camera, I have strong anxiety attacks.  I had read the syllabus last night and felt comfortable with the assignment.  We were scheduled to make a paper frame and hang it on something in our 2D classroom.

I left for the class quickly after my hubby came home from work, trekked down Rt 1 going south in rush hour traffic (not a pretty sight).  Made it early and had the opportunity to meet with my other professor regarding my photo project for this semester.  We chatted about the Photography Club and the upcoming Art Show.  We said our goodbyes and off I went to class…at least I thought I was.

Yes, that is what we were scheduled to do tonight … WRONG!  The Design Fundamental class that I am registered for is not on WEDNESDAY’s!!!!!!  It is scheduled for TUESDAYS!  I knew that the class was for Wednesdays, I made plans to take my grandson to Karate on Tuesdays – not sit through a 5 hour class on Design Fundamentals.  Well apparently, I am wrong – now I need to reshuffle my life on Tuesdays so that I can sit through the class.

I showed up for class on the WRONG day…

where oh where is my brain?!

 

Give Me Strength

Not sure what is going on the past couple of days, but the weight seems to be coming back.  It is oozing back and I do not like it.  The creeping of the weight makes me wonder what I am doing wrong.

Should I be doing something else?

Should I increase the distance I walk? (5 miles)

Should I add aerobics to the daily routine?

I can’t reduce my 1200 calories, can I?

I know that these added pounds must be dealt with and I know that I am the only one that can do it.  I can not let the feelings of inadequacy ooze into my life.  If they do, depression will soon come over me. Then the cycle will begin…eating to bring me comfort, more weight gain, more tears, more food… You follow?  Not going to happen!

Deep breath!  Give it to our Lord!  Through HIM I can do all things!

 

Through the smoke, the reflection is within

I find my mind wandering to spin the tales of my life to share.  The pain that I have had, the love that I have shared and the loss I have known.  All these things have made me who I am, often I have been beaten down only to be picked back up by my own movements, but now I face who I am and I must find that I am worth loving and knowing.  You see the reflection that is seen in the mirror holds all the life I lived before and not the life I seek.

You need to understand that I had been an avid smoker for too many years.  Years that I don’t wish to count, but when all is said an done, let us just say that 40+ years I enjoyed smoking.  Yes, I said ENJOY.  I loved the relaxation that it offered me.  I loved that it occupied my days. I loved the essence of smoking.  I guess these are some of the reasons that I continued to smoke.

I have to admit in retrospect, there are so many things that I did not take into account on how smoking affected me and those around me.  I am not talking about the obvious, but the things that smokers do not think about.  The smell, the residue, the drying of the skin and the aging.  All things I now see/smell in others.  For those I offended, I am sorry.

So you may wonder how smoking is related to the reflection that I see…well it is simple.  Smoking aged me greater than the days I have lived.  My skin became dry, and lines appeared from the drawing in of the smoke.  There are more ways, but these are the apparent ones, the ones I see each day dwindling away as more days pass since last I relaxed with a cigarette.  Yes, stopping smoking has made me younger.

Now to get the energy back that I smoked away for years…let me see the reflection of my youth…Let me be a dragonfly!