Healthy Snacks!

Hello my name is Betty and I'm a grazer. I can only imagine how hard it is to give up alcohol, or drugs, food has its hold on me. I wonder sometimes if I will ever overcome this. I don't enjoy grazing on just anything though. I tend to go for the salty or sweet, or on some days I need something salty first, then I chase it with something sweet and of course and on a really bad day I go back and for until I am full.....or sick. In an attempt to sabotage myself I have to make myself a snack tray each day and leave it on my desk or on my table at home, somewhere I can see it and when I want a snack it will have to come first from my tray. This little muffin tin works perfect. Six 1/2 cup snacks. Most of the snacks are either 1 point, 2 points or zero points. I usually try really hard to put at least 3 zero points snacks in my tin, never more than one 2 point snack.

Here is a list of snacks I like:
Cheese sticks
Apples ( I put the whole apple in one round)
Apricots, dried
Berries (any kind)
Cherries
Cantaloupe
Crackers
Laughing Cow cheese
Pop Corn
Muffin tops (Vitalicious)
orange
Pretzel sticks
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Pop Corn Clusters
WW Cookies
There are tons more, my goal...... to find healthy snacks, until I overcome my grazing addiction.

No more excuses, so what if it's hot outside!

I am not really very good at adapting to change, but sometimes you just have to do it and find something good in the changes. I work in an office and sit most of the day, so my two breaks and lunch hour have always been a high priority for me to get outside and walk. It is close to an hour of movement, and I love walking on our campus. I have always said, "why do I need a gym, I have high incline walking, stair stepping, and beautiful walkways at my fingertips." My ipod has become my most cherished piece of exercise equipment, but there are times when its just not possible to get out there and walk. When it is raining, or freezing cold, or if it is 100 degrees out side. I was still walking when it was 85 degrees, but when the humidity was bad, I about died. So since I would have to walk to the gym on campus to exercise indoors, that was a big NO, and I can't just sit here at my desk all day long, I decided to buy Leslie Sansone's Walk Slim DVD. Let me tell you, it about kicked my butt. I found a little hiding spot in the back of our very cold equipment room and I just pop the DVD in to my player and "instant gym". I am always freezing when I start out, but about 5 minutes into it I am nice and warm and when I am finished I am sweating up a storm. It's a good thing I share a cubicle with just me :-). I like this change, but I will be happy for the trade off of walking outside again when the weather is nice. I think I get a better workout with the DVD, but I miss my music, and the fresh air.
So whoo hoo for me No More Excuses!

Time to get serious, REALLY!

I have been doing this for 3 months now, and I have only lost 18 pounds, thats not counting the 2 pounds I gained this week either. I know I will lose it this week, but I am frusterated because I really haven't gave it 100%.

Today I walked and jogged 4 miles and when I finished I sang "I feel good, like I knew that I would". It did feel good, and I am so sore at the moment I can hardly move, but I realized, that was 100%. That is what I must do every day. I may not exercise that much every day, but I will try harder to eat right, move more and take one more step toward my goal.

Whoa! Did I eat that?

I have had a stressful week, and I don't do stress very well. I really thought I had a better handle on my eating habits but not so. I planned for eating healthy, I took food with me to my family's home. What I didn't count on was the fact that I would slide right back into the grazing habit that pretty much has always been my Achilles' heel. I am glad I lost 3 pounds last week, because I am not feeling good about this week at all. I tried to get back on track today but I was starving all day, and since I used all my extra points for the next 3 weeks in the last 3 days, I had a hard time today. I drank a green monster for my snack tonight even though I was out of points, I consoled myself with the thought that it was healthy and only 3 points.

On the positive side I did exercise today for 35 minutes. I am hoping that tomorrow I will find my resolve. This weekend I will plan, plan, plan and I will get back my 3 pound weight loss, that I have not officially gained back since my weigh-in is on Saturday. Just being honest. (insert big smile here)

What a blast this is!

Living healthy goes against every thing I have ever experienced. The world I live in, the people I surround myself with, their lifestyle is just like mine has always been, so I want to join in and consume the candy, the cake and the fried foods. I want to but, I don't want to so I am torn should I give in once in a while, or should I constantly be in a battle with myself over this. I have decided that for me, I will join in once in while. I won't turn my nose up and insult the people that love the foods I have always loved as well, but I will put my butt back in the healthy car as soon as I leave the party. It's not about every single meal, its about the 22 other meals that week. I had a great fourth of July, I ate well, and I also ate a few things I shouldn't but I had a blast, and oh yeah I Lost 3 Pounds last week! Yea!!!

In loving memory of my Aunt.

I will be away for the week at the funeral of my Dear Aunt. I hope I will continue to live in a healthy way in spite of the sad days ahead.
God be with you.

Seven days makes one weak!

Good Choices!

I haven't posted for five days, summer is kicking my butt. The heat, the long days, everything has changed and while I am loving these changes, they are constantly requiring me to make quick decisions about my healthy lifestyle. Weekends have always been hard, because of the spontaneity. I was reading this blog the other day at Prior Fat Girl She said something that really stuck with me. She said you DO NO GET THE WEEKEND OFF from being healthy.... This is not a job. For some reason I have been striving to be healthy for five days and the next two days, I have been struggling. I am not getting stronger when I am fighting the same battles every weekend. In fact summer is alot like weekends. I can't wish it away, I wouldn't want to. So I am going to take the rest of the summer as a great learning tool. So on Saturday, another Fourth of July party. I will have to be creative, but I can make this work. I just need to think of foods that make me drool, foods that won't make me sorry that I am the only one in the room trying to swim against the stream. I have had a lot of food that is healthy and fabulous. So here is to each day, Seven of them, when I skip two days I am weaker, when I succeed for seven days it makes a great WEEK.