Still Sick!

Well, I went to the hospital to get my packing out of my back and it has not healed, so they had to repack it. The doctor was NOT gentle, and he didn't even numb it before doing it. It was such a horrible experience. And I can not get back to Curves until the packing is out. My first weigh in is coming up on Monday I am not looking forward to it. This first month I was sick for a week and now down for another so I will try to remember that when I get weighed. There's no way I have gained, but my weight loss numbers will probably be low.

Please continue to pray for me in any way you can. Pray for good health, patience, control, and wisdom. Thank you very much!

Cant Wait!

This is the latest book I ordered. It has not come out yet. Comes out Tuesday. I did pre-order it though. I can not WAIT for this to get here. It is very hard to find yummy food for under 300 calories. I have found nothing but good, delicious recipes from Hungry Girl. She has a TV show, blog, and web site. The book is originally $22.99, but I got it for $13.50! I could have got it for another dollar cheaper, but I didn't trust that website. I ordered it from www.walmart.com.

If you are enjoying the recipes that I am leaving, please let me know. And if there is something you want me to try, maybe you want to try it but you don't have the time or ingredients, let me know, Ill try it for you! You can leave a comment, or message me on FB.

Whole Wheat Pizza

Made a yummy whole wheat pizza tonight. You can either buy the dough or make it yourself. It is ALWAYS better if you make it yourself. When I browned the ground turkey, I added green and red bell peppers, and onions to bring out the taste. I usually would not add pizza sauce, but i did this time. Then added the ground turkey and TONS of veggies! For pizza I really like to load up on the bell peppers and onions, but you can add just about any veggie to your pizza. They also have all kinds of different healthy meats. They make almost anything out of turkey, or you can always sub it for veggie meat. Top it with some cheese, bake at 400 for 20 minutes and enjoy!

Cheese Steak Turkey Burger

This is in place of a cheese steak. The average cheese steak has over 1100 calories and 69 carbs! That is almost a whole days calorie intake for me! This burger has only 270 calories and about 36 carbs. If you wanted to cut almost all of the carbs out, you could use a lettuce wrap instead of a bun. Here's how to make it

2 tsp. fat-free sour cream
1 slice fat-free American cheese
1/3 cup sliced onion
1/3 cup sliced bell pepper
1 tsp. olive oil
1/8 tsp. black pepper, or more to taste
1 tturkey burger
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun

Directions:
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine sour cream with cheese, breaking cheese into small pieces as you add it. Mix well and set aside. Bring a large skillet (or grill pan) sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add veggies, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with black pepper. Stirring occasionally, cook until veggies have partially softened, about 3 minutes. Move veggies to one side of the skillet and lay burger flat on the other side. Cook until veggies are soft and burger is cooked through, about 8 minutes, stirring veggies occasionally and flipping burger about halfway through. Remove from heat and set aside. Split open the bun and, if you like, lightly toast. Plate bun halves and place the burger on top of the bottom half. Evenly top with veggies and set aside. Microwave sour cream and cheese for 15 seconds, or until hot; stir thoroughly. Microwave for another 10 seconds, or until cheese has fully melted. Mix well and immediately spoon over the veggies.

This turned out so well! Even David liked it and he hates cheese. My husband likes a lot of plain food and it is hard to get him to eat certain things. The healthier we eat, the more things he seems to eat! A good side to have with this is some homemade sweet potato fries. I am not feeling well today so I went ahead and just baked some store bought fries, but this of course raises the carbs so be careful. Hope you enjoy!

NEW Chicken Enchilada Verde

This looked sooo yummy when I found it, and all I did was substitute a few things. I tried to get a better picture but once i cut it was not so pretty, but tasted awesome! If you are looking for your favorite foods in a healthy way, www.hungrygirl.com is a GREAT reference, especially for fast food and restaurants. So here's what I used...

1 can 98% fat free Cream of Chicken Soup

1/4 cup water

1 can chopped green chilies, drained

1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 cups shredded cooked chicken

1/2 cup low fat shredded Mexican cheese blend (about 2 ounces)

6 whole wheat (6-inch), warmed

Heat the oven to 400°F. Stir the soup, water, chilies, oregano and chili powder in a medium bowl. Stir 1 cup soup mixture, chicken and 1 1/4 cup cheese in a medium bowl.Divide the chicken mixture among the tortillas. Roll up the tortillas and place seam-side down in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Pour the remaining soup mixture over the filled tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover the baking dish.Bake for 30 minutes or until the enchiladas are hot and bubbling.

Serve with some brown rice and enjoy! I know we did! And it is about 241 calories per serving...not including rice. And this dish sounds spicier than it actually is. If you like super spicy, you will want to add more chili powder.

Frustration Sets In

I am having some reoccurring health problems that started today. Woke up in a tremendous amount of pain and very nauseous. I went ahead to curves and tried to work out...it was a waste of time. I couldn't do very much and it only caused MORE pain. Then I went to the doctor and got no good news there. Not only was results bad, but they once again were pushing the weight loss surgery on me. I understand that they are looking in my best interest, but I was trying to tell them about the GREAT things that I am doing on my own and it didn't seem to matter.

What frustrates me so is that I am desperately trying to turn my health around and every time i get on a roll and get a good handle on things, something happens. I am trying to look to the Lord for help in this matter. For understanding and patience. I know that this is going to keep happening for awhile, but I am trying to see the blessing through all of this. Even though I am in a lot of pain today, I haven't been in almost 2 weeks! Before I started working out this would happen every couple of days or so. Things are improving, but I need much prayer and support from all of you. I don't mind begging for prayer...lol. I am not going to the gym tomorrow and will have to see what Friday brings. I also have a tendency to make bad food choices when i am sick so please pray for me in that area as well.

Cutting Back

So these are my pills. The smaller pile is one days worth of pills, and the bigger pile is one week. One year ago I was taking 23 pills a day, and now am down to 16 pills. Yes, that is still a lot, but when you are in my health condition, you have to look at it from a different point of view. You have to look at where you use to be and where you are now. I have been feeling so good since I have started Curves and Zumba. I am down to my last narcotic, vicodin. I take one at bed time. Last time I tried to get off of it I woke up every morning in horrible pain. I am going to try going back off of it Sunday night and see how I feel Monday morning. If I can succeed, I will be NARCOTIC FREE!!!! At one point I was taking a mixture of 4 narcotics at a time and even doubling my doses. But I was still in so much pain! So I slowly cut them out. If I can not go off of it yet, I am sure that I will soon. There are so many more meds I would like to cut back but can not yet. Once I get my insurance in September I will discuss this more with my doctor and hopefully cut out quite a few. Please pray for me as I do this...I will need it

Whole Wheat Pasta

Tried a new version of lasagna tonight. It is one of my favorite foods. No matter how you make it, you are still going to get a pretty high calorie count, so you want to make it in moderations.

1 pack whole wheat lasagna noodles (i used oven ready this time)

1/2 cup low fat parm. cheese

1 egg

2 cup low fat cottage cheese

1 jar of spaghetti sauce

8 oz. of part skim mozerella cheese

2 lb. ground turkey

1 tomato, diced

1 cup bell pepper and onion mix, diced

salt and pepper to taste

Brown turkey with bell pepper and onions. Drain fat and juices. Add in tomato. Set meat mixture aside. In small bowl, mix cottage cheese, egg, and parm cheese. Put a little sauce in bottom of pan. Then start to layer....noodles, sauce, cheese mixture, meat mixture, mozerella cheese, sauce, noodles. Do one more layer in this order. On the top layer of noodles, I like to add a little more sauce and mozerella cheese to the top of it. Cook at 425 for 1 hour sealed with aluminum foil. Let sit WITH FOIL ON for 10 minutes. Add a small side salad and enjoy!

It is about 373 calories and 33 carbs for one piece, so this should be your carb intake for the day. And you will want to use a very light dressing for your salad since the calories are pushing it. But this is compared to a normal lasagna at over 600 calories for one piece!

Baby Blues

It is no secret that the thing I want most is a baby. This time of the year it is very hard for me. Seems that I am surrounded by pregnant women, and Mothers day is coming up. I have my good days and my bad. Lately, a lot more bad than good. The last couple of years we have had so many babies born in our church. Sometimes it is hard for me to watch. I love all of my dear friends and am always happy for them when I hear the news. Envy and jealousy do come into play, but I would never be mad that someone else is pregnant.

Sometimes I do feel that people treat me different. Like if they tell me they are pregnant I will break. The only thing that hurts my feelings is that they feel they cant tell me. I feel I am the last to know.

I know that I am not physically fit to take care of a baby right now, and in Gods timing I will have one. Please pray for me to have patience in the matter. I know this isn't about weight loss, but losing weight, getting healthy, and having a baby all tie in together for me. And if you are reading this and are pregnant, please do not take this the wrong way. I love every one of you very much and am happy for all of you, but this blog is about me being open about EVERYTHING, and I felt that I needed to get this off of my chest.

Zumba- Doubles

I did back to back zumba classes for the first time today. Doing 2 classes, i burn almost 1,000 calories. That is only 200 away from my daily intake! I am going to start doing 2 classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays...regular workout the rest of the days. This is absolutely amazing, and i FEEL amazing! Please continue to pray for me. I really need the prayers and the encouragement from my friends and family.

I am really getting the moves down...today I was able to do a move I have never done before, and Sabria is starting to get a couple of the moves down as well. It is so nice to have someone to go with, to walk and talk with. But even on the days that she can not go, everyone at Curves is so nice and so supportive. I am so blessed to be able to go everyday. First weigh in...April 4th!!!!!

Getting Back to Normal

Well I have my meds in me now, and my breathing is starting to get back to normal. Today I had a pretty rough day, but I think a lot of it actually has to do with the fact that I am sluggish from not working out. I was able to fix supper and fold the laundry today. That's a lot for me since I was on a stretcher just a day and a half ago. Tomorrow I am going to do a few small things around the house while David is not here, and if I am OK afterwards, I will go back to Curves on Friday.

I really appreciate David taking time off to be home with me, but I think that the more he is home the less I am willing to do for myself because I know he will do it for me. Him going back to work will be good for me. Going grocery shopping tomorrow but will use the electric cart. This has been one of the longest weeks of my life! I can not wait until I can get back to my normal routine.

Hit a Snag

So I thought that I was getting better, but after my workout today I started having breathing problems...ended up spending most of the night at the hospital. I have bronchitis and they let me come home on the condition that i would not go to curves until better and do nothing but rest.

I am pretty frustrated right now about this. Staying in bed was the last thing that i wanted to do. I am not going to let this stop me from being healthy. It is quite a set back, but I will KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

First Week Review

My first week has gone very well. I have already seen a HUGE change in my arms, stomach, and a couple other places..;). I have not weighed or measured myself yet, and I am not going to for a while. I will do it once a month and that is it. I know a lot of people do it every week, but I feel that is discouraging to me when I work so hard and see little progress. I have a few other friends trying hard to lose weight and they are all succeeding! I am so proud of them and so proud of myself. It is early on in the game, but WE CAN DO IT!!!!!

I have sort of adopted the saying, "Keep moving forward!" No matter how you feel, which I am sick right now, and no matter how many times you mess up and eat that food that is bad for you, you just have to KEEP MOVING FORWARD!!!!!

Starting the Day off Right!

So yesterday I made some poor eating choices, but today is another day and a fresh start. Started the day off with a yummy turkey and veggie omelet. 234 calories, 17g protein and only 4 carbs! I made one for Bubbers (my husband David) and he actually ate it! Usually he would pick out the veggies, eat the meat, and part of the eggs, so this is progress! For lunch I will be having turkey, pineapple, and cheese....and for supper skinless boneless chicken marinade in fat free italian with red potatoes and veggies....yum yum yum!

To make the omelet, beat 2eggs and 1 egg white, chop as many veggies as you would like, your choice in what you use. I used red and green bell peppers, and onions. You can chop the meat as well but not necessary. Keep the pan an medium heat and let it get hot. Pour in eggs, and then layer meat on one side, and veggies on the other. Wait until egg is almost fully cooked, and then fold omelet in half. Continue to turn and cook until egg is cooked all the way through. season and enjoy!

Zumba- Day 2

Today's class was their old routine so it was much easier than the advanced class on Saturday. I swear though that I was the only one there under the age of 60! Sabria could not go with me today so I was by myself. I did meet a couple of VERY sweet ladies. Their names are Milly and Dorothy. I am liking this class so much, I think I will go to 2 classes a week and then my regular workout all other days except for Sunday. And the instructor, Lisa, is going to burn the music so I can learn the steps at home. Everyone is so nice and supporting!

Curves....Day3

Had a great workout today. Going back to Zumba tomorrow. I got my Curves card today. I scan it everyday to check in and it will keep track of how many times a week I go, etc. I IRONY in this is, when I stuck it on my key chain, I noticed that it was right next to my Wendy's key chain! So now every time we go to Wendy's, I will make good choices, whether I want to or not....it will be hanging there TAUNTING me! LOL

I am proud to say that since I have started this new journey, a lot of my friends have began to be more health conscience. I would like to think I have something to do with that. And it is great that there is something else for us all to talk about, to keep each other on track and such. We can all be healthier, and the best way to do that is together!

Zumba-First Class

Today I started Zumba. It was pretty great. When I walked in, I was scared! The stuff they were doing was nuts! They combined quite a few different dance types; Latin, crunk, tango, salsa, and a little bit of stuff i wouldn't want anyone else seeing...lol

I was a bit frustrated at first, but once I got the hang of it, I had so much fun. I think I will start doing at least once class a week. And of course the normal workout Monday through Friday.

Curves....Day 1

Today was my first day at Curves. It was great! My BFF Sabria joined with me and I am so excited what it is going to bring for us. Pray for both of us that we can stick with it. I was also weighed today and.....I LOST 20 LBS!!!!! I was not expecting that at all!

I felt strange once I changed into my workout pants. I have not worn a pair of pants in 3 years. I know it is just women and only for that, but I will have to get use to it. I kept trying to pull my shirt down to cover myself up...LOL.

Tomorrow I am trying a Zumba class that they have started. I think it will be fun. I know I wont be able to keep up, but I am still exercising and HAVING FUN!!!

Here We Go!!!!

Tomorrow is the day! My appointment is at 11am for Curves. I am super excited, AND I think that my best friend is going to be going with me! That will be so great! Not just because she my BFF, but because it is ALWAYS easier to do something if someone is with you. Accountability, encouragement, company, so many perks to it. I hope this goes well. It may be a little rocky at first, but I am going to stick with it!

Lunch Time

I have been making some very good eating choices lately so I feel like sharing a lot. Here I have half of a cucumber, 1 Tsp. buttermilk ranch (should be fat free but its not) and 2 oz. mozzarella cheese. Total calories...249...thats UNDER my 350 that I am allowed! Yay me!!!!

Supper Tonight Continued...

As requested, here is step-by-step for tonight's supper....2 servings

2 beef steaks

1/2 green pepper, cut into strips

1/2 red pepper, cut into strips

1 (1/2 in thick) onion slice, cut into strips

4 small red potatoes, quartered

1/2 bottle fat-free italian dressing

Use half of dressing to marinade meat, and the other half toss with potatoes and veggies. I usually do this about lunch time. Put everything in a casserole dish and cover with aluminum foil and stick into fridge. This allows you to clean everything up and the only dishes you will have after supper is the plates and casserole dish! Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. For a darker and crispier taste, take the foil off for the last 15 minutes. You can also do all of this in a crock pot. Prepare and clean up the night before and then just turn it on the next day. Cook on high for 4 hours, or low for 6-8. And remember, you can substitute any kind of meat, or veggie. If you want brown rice instead, cook it separate. Enjoy!

For the post below this one.....

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 tub cooking cream

1/4 box wheat spaghetti

cook the chicken in the olive oil while the spaghetti is cooking....then follow the directions on the tub of cooking cream...pretty simple....add the cream to the chicken, then toss with pasta...next time i am going to add some veggies in with it...should be yummy!

Supper Tonight

This was supper tonight. beef steak, red potatoes, green and red bell peppers, and onions, all marinaded in fat free italian dressing. Turned out great as usual. This is the type of meal that we have more than anything. To keep the dairy, sodium, citrus, and carbs low. Obviously the potatoes are carbs, but I add more veggies than potatoes. You can use any kind of meat, just make sure its a lean meat, and any kind of veggies. Also, you can substitute potatoes for brown rice. If you use the potatoes, just throw it all into one casserole dish and cook it according to the meat. Italian is my favorite, but you can also use any number of marinades.