R3 LM D16... Oh, Oh, Oh....It's Magic!

Down another pound this morning! That is 4 pounds in 4 days! Yesterday I raised my calories and did not workout since I take 2 days off. Just followed the carb rule and voila! Too cool :) Here is what I ate yesterday. I had a piece of a nut bar that I did not know the calorie count of. So I figure I would add another 50-75 cals for that, bringing it closer to 2000 cals.

Almond Oat Banana Walnut Pecan Choc Chip Muffins!

I tried out a new recipe and they are awesome! They are my new favorite muffin. Here is the recipe. If you try them, let me know what you think :)

1 cup almond flour (Honeyville grain blanched almond flour)

1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce

2 mashed bananas

1 egg

2 Tbsp sugar free maple syrup

2 NuStevia packets

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

*1/4 cup pecans

*1/4 cup walnuts

*1/3 cup 70% cocao dark choc chips (whole foods 365 house label)

* are optional, but too good to leave out :)

Makes 8 muffins. Preheat oven to 350. I find using the paper muffin cups helpful. Mix all dry ingredients together in one bowl, and all the wet ingredients into another. Add dry to the wet and stir. Fold in pecans, walnuts and choc chips. Bake for 30-35 min until golden. Let them sit in the muffin tin for 20-30 minutes to cool.

My calculations for each of the 8 muffins with the optional items is: 214 calories, with 5.85 grams protein, and 12.75 effective carbs. (carbs minus the fiber content).

Without any of the optional items: 163.25 calories, 4.96 grams protein, and 11.2 effective carbs.

R3 LM D15....

Hello all! So I have been trying my new experiment doing the challenge with my friend. I have been doing all of the same stuff regarding type of food and workouts, but I have been very strict with keeping my carbs at 100 or less and keeping the protein at 80-110g. I can't believe how quickly carbs add up! BUT- I have lost 3 pounds in 3 days!! So cool. AND- I am eating a larger volume of food than before. Bulking it up with more veggies and fats. Keeps me full and happy! I am going to do this for awhile and see if I can get back to my original LIW even before I added back the exercise! I don't care about the number on the scale, it is just so cool to be able to control things so precisely by just observing the carb count!

R3 D12 LM...

Just when I am getting used to all of the beautiful weather..... there is snow in the forecast again!!! I have been busy working, and things have definitely been picking up. Everyone wants to lose before summer. I have been trying to think about what my new goals should be. I think I want to focus on nutrition. I am also joining Crossfit Draper to add to my workouts. It scares me a little.... but if I can do that, then I can do anything :) I have been reviewing my eating and am noticing some old patterns. I don't love veggies, I love sugar, and I hate cooking! In the past I went for whatever was easiest. When I come off the VLCD I am so good about cooking most meals and really upping the veggies. I always have some treats, but very limited. I am seeing that more and more I am going for easy protein (cottage cheese, protein shakes) small amounts of veggies and lots more treats. They are mostly all almond flour or sugar free, but still way too much. It scares me that I am reverting to old habits, even though they are much healthier. My friend and I have decided that for the next 2 weeks we are challenging each other to eat p3 style, keep carbs to under 100g per day, workout 5 days a week (3 crossfit), and no sugar/sugar free alcohols. We get one hour per week to have what we want, so make it good :) I am going to focus on preparation and veggies. This ought to be interesting, but fun :)

R3 D10 LM... goals and motivation!

Seems like I am only getting a post in every other day :) So, the no weigh ins is getting easier. There are so many times I am tempted to get on the scale, but I just think why? I feel great and am doing what I should. Not to mention, I have been so sore this week from workouts that I am sure the scale would tick me off :)

One thing I am noticing is that with out the scale I feel a little lost. I am someone is very goal oriented, and now that the "scale" is not my goal, I am not sure what to do with myself :) I realize that I need to set a goal for myself, but the key is that it cannot be weight related. There is a blog I have read for years and she some amazing insight. She talked about how eventually there has to be a bigger motivation than the number on the scale, or else we always end up falling off the wagon. That is so true. Because the number on the scale does not change your life. It is what you do with your new body that changes your life. She started martial arts and fell in love with it. After a while, she realized that she did not want to lose weight to see a number on the scale, but that if she were lighter and fitter she could dodge that kick to her head or take down her opponent faster. Now that is what I am talking about. Our fitness goals should help us be even better in our everyday lives. I also used to find myself thinking things like "I will do that when I am skinny...." We have this picture of how life would be if we are thin. Everything would be different right? Well, once you are "skinny" if you have not made the changes that you see in your "picture" then you are really right where you started. We have to start doing those things and living our lives the way we want NOW.

I had a little "A- HA" moment yesterday. Things had gotten stressful and we were driving past Olive Garden. I had that feeling of "wouldn't it be nice to just go in and eat my troubles away....", and then my mind instantly said "yeah right, that's all I need is to add feeling like crap and bloated and miserable. Then have to undo the damage afterwards....no thank-you!" It took a moment before I realized what had just happened. Even though the old pattern of eating for comfort came, my mind instantly rejected it and looked at it for what it was. It would not solve anything and in fact would make things worse. How cool is that? :)

So my challenge to you all is to set a "fitness" goal for yourself that can't be a number on the scale. One that makes a real difference in your life. Being able to play soccor with your kid without dying, fitting into only one seat on the airplane, running a 5k.... whatever you want. I am going to pick something this weekend and then will let you know!

R3 D8 LM...

Man, who knew having a job would mess up my blogging time :) I have been crazy busy between working and working out! I am so sore today, that getting up and out of a chair makes me want to cry! Yesterday the hubby came home from his road trip. It was really sunny so we went out and played volleyball for about an hour and a half until we were sweating our guts out. Then we sat in the hottub for a while. Next out to lunch and then to see the movie Date Night. It was pretty good, but not nearly as funny as I thought it would be. Our weather is completely nuts! By the time we were going to the movies, it was wind, severe rain, and thunder and lightening! 3 hours earlier and blue skies and sunshine. That's Utah for ya! Today I am going to work. It is supposed to be a weights day today, but I don't think I can do it :) I will have to do the treadmill instead and then try weights tomorrow if I can move :)

Pounds and Inches Away!!!! Info!

As you all know I got a new job with Pounds and Inches Away! It is located in Draper, Ut. We have finally gotten all of our new options available! Here they are:

1. Full 8 week HCG program. Includes starter kit, all literature and videos, and full support. Currently, this is our Spring special for $299!

2. Need to do more than one round? Try our FREE HCG program! $87 per month for 6 months! 2 Bottles of HCG for free within the 6 month period and all the client initiated support you need!

3. Support only! $87 for 4 weeks of support. You decide what help you need and when!

4. DIY HCG!! Already know what you are doing? Then just come on in and pick up your HCG! First time is $97, and then only $75 there after. This is the 2oz bottle and will last 30 days with .5cc's 3 times per day!

I think its pretty cool that we have all these options. That should cover just about any situation :) Feel free to stop in or give me a call!

** I forgot to mention that we also carry: grissini, all the flavors of stevia drops, stevia packets, food scales, bathroom scales, approved salad dressing, safe spice, HCG weight loss cure guide, yerba mate tea, and more!

Pounds and Inches Away
Bangerter Crossing
124 E 138000 South Unit B4
Draper, Ut 84020
877-993-DIET
801-571-3438