FIVE WEEKS

Last week was so slow!! I hope this week is better. I think part of it was that the workout program that I am doing had last week as a "rest week" while I still worked out for at least 40 minutes. I usually only did one work out every day. I am looking forward to being able to double up again this week on my workouts. It was hard this weekend too. We went up to my in-laws for part of the weekend. That house is always full of goodies and this weekend was no exception. There were chocolate Easter candy eggs, jelly beans, fresh chocolate chip cookies, soft and gooey, hot tamales, Twizzlers, soda and cheese cake and that is just part of the stuff that was in every nook and cranny of the kitchen and pantry. I am happy to say that I was strong. I didn't break, NOT EVEN ONCE!! Though I did think I was going to have a nervous break down part of the time that we were there. I usually hate leaving but I was glad to go when we did. Though there are still candy bars and other goodies here at the house, most of those are from birthday party treat bags and Valentines Day, it isn't so hard to resist the few things here at home. I still struggle with the habit of just tossing something in my mouth because it is there. Anyway, here is one more blasted week down and 5 more to go. Good luck, I know I need it too.

this week

While I said in a previous post that 6 weeks passes by fairly fast, this week has been tortuously slow. I felt as if it were Friday on Monday. It still keeps dragging on and on. I keep feeling like I am forgetting something this week and I have no idea what it is. I hope this isn't how March goes by, because if it is I will be very disappointed.

Sweet alternative

Remember me-- the confesses sugarholic. Well despite having baked 6 cakes, a batch of cookies, a pan of brownies, and rice crispy treats over the past 6.5 weeks I'd like to report I still have 100% of my sweets points. From the chat it seems like most people are doing really well with this. Way to go! I've found it way easier to just cut sugar out completely than to cheat every now and then. How about everyone else?

A friend of mine happen to go off sugar about the same time. On Saturday she came over for dinner and brought a delicious completely sugar free pie (only a little stevia to sweeten the whipped cream -- I didn't say it was low fat). The pie got me thinking about other things I could make with a sugar substitute. The thing is I'm a little unclear on what is an approved sweetener and what is a no no. I think back to the intense banter at the beginning of this thing and recall something about no sweets with processed sugar. What is processed sugar? Can we have raw sugar? What are sweeteners that don't fall in this category?

Let's just get this out in the open, is Splenda/sucralose okay? I was under the impression that anything ending in ose is a sugar but lots of things that are "sugar free" or have "no sugar added" have Splenda. I haven't been eating it but would have no problem diving back in if it is actually on the approved list. There are some sugar free popsicles sweetened with Splenda calling my name in my freezer.

I'm assuming Stevia/Truvia/other brand names of sweeteners derived from the stevia leaf are okay. There's also be a lot of talk about sugar free jello so I've assumed aspartame is approved.

What about honey, agave, or maple syrup?

Sorry for requesting a more detailed list. I hope I don't make anyone upset breaking the sort of don't as don't tell thing we've had going on. I just really have to know.

Six Weeks

I grew up in the south and we would get our report cards every six weeks. While I have a child in kindergarten I can honestly say that I'm not sure how often she gets report cards. I have received only one so far and I know another one is coming up. Anyway, as a kid I remember those six weeks going on and on and on. It was painful waiting in between each as we would look forward to the next one only in that it was one more down before school was out for summer. As an adult six weeks isn't very long. In a blink of an eye six weeks have passed now days. Anything can happen in six weeks, or not happen in a way as well. Six weeks is all we have left.

1/2 WAY THERE!!!!

That is right half way to the finish line. Ahh the finish line I can see it. It gets closer and closer every day. So the big question is are you half way there with your goal weight? Now I wasn't at my mark when I hit the 1/3 point; HOWEVER; I can proudly say I am half way now. I know others are there too and beyond, so I have to say good for you!!!! We can do it!! Don't give into the temptation of half off Valentine's candy or the rows and rows of Easter junk that is out. I really do have to avoid those areas all together. I can hear them call to me clear across the store.

Tasty recipes....

So this morning I started making a list of tasty HEALTHY recipes I can make now (or even better when my better half gets home) and a list of tasty recipes I will make AFTER April 4th. Most of theses recipes came from one of my favorite food blogs (Two Peas and Their Pod). For those Utah peeps out their, the author may look familiar since she has made some recent appearances on Good Things Utah. My only recommendation is to try to stay away from her cookie recipes, they are way too tempting!

So top on my list of recipes:
1. Oven Berry Pancakes...looks like an individual twist on the Christensen favorite, German Pancakes. I figured the 1 TSP of sugar could be replaced with orange juice (I made an berry sauce with orange juice sans the sugar this morning) or one of the many sugar substitutes. I personally am not a fan of those.
2. Vegetable Spring Roll with Peanut Sauce...I do love some good peanut sauce.
3. Black Bean, Avocado, and Mango Salad. This definitely looks AMAZING. And, I am a sucker for Mango.
4. Strawberry Cheesecake....Yes, that's right, Strawberry Cheesecake. This is in the running for a dish to celebrate the hubby's birthday. While, technically, his birthday is after April 4th, he's not so sure how much sugar-rich treats he wants to gorge on when this competition ends (which is better for my waistline, so I am not complaining). If we try this, I figured for the graham cracker crust I will attempt a sugarfree substitute. All I can say, I discovered Kosy Shack's Sugarfree Tapioca just last week and it's a little bite of heaven, so I definitely want to try this out.

After April 4th recipe list:
1. Homemade Marshmallows/S'mores. I have our very own Becky to thank/blame for this one. After seeing this blog post, I haven't stopped talking to Keaton about this lil' treat. It is definitely on the menu for our first camping trip in the Spring.
2. Baked Oatmeal. Yeah, this looks like a heavenly breakfast item. And, I just don't have the heart to substitute the little bit of brown sugar with any thing else.
Any recipe suggestions I should add on the "Eat Now" or "Save for Later" list?

I'm addicted

Okay. My name is Laureli and I'm a Wii Fit Plus addict.
Wow! I don't work for the Wii Fit company, and I'm not going to gain anything by telling y'all this, but I can hardly wait to get up every morning and hop on my balance board.
There is a certain new game called "Island Bicycling" I believe. It allows you and your little mii guy to bicycle all over a fantasy island.
In real life, you are walking in place on your balance board, and using the remote control to steer.
However, I get so absorbed into the game, I don't even notice that I'm exercising until my legs start to hurt because I've been walking steadily for an hour-- sometimes two.
It would be more cool if I had to bike away from poisonous snakes, rabid dogs, or ferocious grizzly bears occasionally.
But just the challenge of finding all the flags on the island is enough to keep me wanting to try again every morning, and keep walking until I succeed.
And, by the way, I am succeeding. I am at the 50% mark-- half way to my weightloss goal. Also, the Wii asks me to take my waist measurement occasionally. As of today I have lost 3 inches off my waist since Jan 4th. Not bad. Oops. Time for bed!

Some days are better than others

Today has been ones of those days...that has totally ROCKED!! I hope it continues.

another one down

One more week has passed now only 8 more to go. Whew!! This last week was a great week!! Really it was the best one so far, my other weeks have been really rough so it wasn't too hard to beat them. I hope that you all are doing well too, but not as well as Jenny and me. Cheers! ;D

NO WONDER

It isn't really a mystery as to why people fall short of their new year's resolutions to lose weight after the first month. I went shopping last night and I was bombarded with candy everywhere! My e-mail box is full of chocolate parties and other yummy decadent options. Stay strong everyone we can do it!!!!

Don't get discouraged!

A few years ago, when I used to spend thousands of dollars on diet doctors, Jenny Craig, Weight Watchers, etc., etc., I got to know the routine pretty well.
At first, I would always lose a few extra pounds because I was losing water.
Then, two or three weeks into the diet, I would stall. Nothing-- short of amputation-- would break that stall.
That's when the nurse/counselor/support buddy (depending on which diet I was following at the time) would always pull out the tape measure.
"When you stop losing weight, you are losing inches,"
they would always say.
I'll bet that is what a lot of you are experiencing now.
I'll bet, that although the scales may not be moving as much as you would like them to, you may have started to notice that your clothes are more loose, it is easier to get around, easier to reach things, easier to pick up things, and easier to concentrate.
I'll bet you are sleeping better.
I'll also bet your complexion is glowing, and when people ask how you are doing, you automatically answer, "Great!"
If you are staying on track, you are probably looking and feeling great, no matter what the scale says.
Really, if you think about it, which is more important-- How you are looking and feeling about yourself, or the number on a scale?