Own It

Sometimes you look back at your life and regret things. And then sometimes you look back and see how far you've come. This mind set totally depends on where you are in life and if you're aware of who you are. In the mornings, I fall in between both of these two places depending on the day, but I fully intend to end each day knowing who I am and that I'm an over-comer.

I am strong, I am bold, I am beautiful, I am a little crazy, I am kind, I am a child of God, I am empowered, I am a winner. I am also slightly crazy...

My managers at my job both work out at this gym in town and were always talking about how hard the workouts were, how sore they were, and how much, despite the hard work, they loved going. I'm very much about trying new things and challenging myself but have been not so great about that in the past year or so. Hence the weight gain. Half of what I lost I was well on my way to putting back on. So the smart person that I am, decided to sign up for a free trial. Cause, why not? I can't be that out of shape right? So so wrong.

The free trial isn't sugar coated, it's not watered down, and it's hard. But if you need someone creating a workout and telling you what to do, like I do, and if you can push yourself and keep going, then this place is awesome. Being true to who I am, I pushed too hard (during the warm up...) and pulled something around my hamstring, but I finished the workout.

I'm not sure if you all have heard of D1 and their bootcamps. If you've done them, you KNOW. If you haven't, you just. don't. know. You don't.

I am on day four if you don't count my trial run. I go to the 6AM bootcamp. I hate waking up to get sweaty. But it's so much better to get this torture out of the way when it's cooler in the morning as the gym does not have air conditioning.

I got really excited my first day because Andrew the trainer asked if everyone knew how to karaoke. I was like, yes! I do! How will that work though if we're running around the field? He gave me a puzzled look, which I returned because it was slowly dawning on me that his karaoke didn't involve singing... what he really said was carioca, otherwise known as the grapevine. So yeah, starting off on the right foot here.

I've been introduced to box jumps, box pushes, medicine balls that I've lugged down the field and back countless times, tires and hammers, SO MUCH RUNNING, and jump ropes. I can't even begin to tell you how much running. I hate running, but if it makes me better, I'll do it, begrudgingly. Also, I've skipped more in the past two days then I have my entire childhood. I had to seriously delve into my memories trying to remember if I actually did skip in my childhood and the conclusion I've come to is there is NO WAY I skipped back then. If I had, I wouldn't suck so bad at it now. Have you ever tried to skip backwards? No? Imagine that, well, we had to. I looked so special. I actually stopped a few times to ask myself what was happening, as it wasn't skipping, I'll tell you that.

I could go on and on about what I've been challenged to do, but I'll save some for later ;) Here's a little nugget to end with:

Own it. Whatever you're doing or want to do. Pick it up and run with it, no one else can do it for you. Pick it up and don't look back, because whatever is behind you doesn't matter. For me, keeping my eyes on who God says I am is the most important thing. He says I'm a winner, that I'm awesome and beautiful. He says I can do this and He's right there with me.

Weigh In Wednesday

What up my small crowd of friends and family?? It's weigh in Wednesday and I won't bore you with my internal monologue other than saying... down one more pound. Slightly disappointed but grateful that it went away.

I took some time off from work to make my long weekend even longer. I went up to the Dirty Dusky for some quality time in vacationland. It was a much better trip than the 4th of July, soo yay! During my stay, I dragged my butt out of bed both of my mornings off and went to the gym with my mom... she's a beast and we were there much longer than I normally stay at the gym haha, oops!

I also ate very well knowing that I weigh in for the work contest tomorrow morning! Below is a slew of delicious things I concocted and devoured. I guess my blog is turning into more of a photo journey than anything else, but a picture speaks a thousand words right?



Keto Pancakes (recipe found at the bottom of the post)



Chicken Salad Salad

Scrambled South Western Egg Whites with Bacon

I also went sailing a ton! So very excited that it was nice wind and allowed for beautiful photos of Cedar Point and sunsets!

View of Cedar Point

Sunset near Marble Head, Lake Erie

Ariel's beautiful sails :)

Baxter, I just got your card and I totally had to blink 50 thousand times to try to read it, that background was CRAZY! Muah! I so miss ya and can't wait for you to be back!!


Keto Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 2 Egg Whites (original recipe called for 2 whole eggs, I chose to keep it low calorie)
• 2 Tbsp of 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese (Kroger brand has the lowest carbs at 1g per serving)
• 1 Packet of Sweetener (Splenda for low carbers)
• Cinnamon (to taste)

Directions:

• Heat cream cheese for 10 seconds in the microwave while measuring out egg whites, sweetener, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Reheat cream cheese for another 10 seconds or so to soften it for easier mixing.
• Whisk ingredients together until as smooth as possible. If you have a blender with a whisk attachment... I envy you.
• Batter will be a watery consistency and more than likely will have some small lumps of cream cheese that refuse to give up the fight.
• Spray skillet with non stick spray and heat batter on low to medium heat. Flip when you start seeing "pancake bubbles" or when you can get your spatula under it without ripping. Use your fancy dancy flipping skills and let the other side cook for a minute and BOOM!
• Enjoy.

Starting the week off right!

I've been frustrated with my stall in weight loss, especially since I know I need to be down 5 more pounds by next Thursday for the weigh in. I was pleasantly surprised when I finally managed to get rid of that one pound that has been coming and going for the past week on top of 1.5 more! Total weight loss since beginning my Keto diet is 19 pounds in 38 days. Not too shabby. The real test will be at weigh in and finding out how much was fat vs. potential muscle loss.

I don't know if I started back on the downward slope because I went to the gym twice this weekend and walked the dog for a while yesterday, or if my body is just going through its cycles. Either way, I feel good. I'm back in ketosis after having a sugar binge last Thursday... oops.

I've been slacking in the creativity area when it comes to making meals. I've leaned heavily on my tuna and chicken salad and chicken and broccoli. I finally made my "gourmet" chicken salad this weekend. I baked my chicken tenderloins coated in a dry Italian dressing packet. I then threw them into the food processor with my EVOO and sugar free pickle relish. Boom, three days of snacks done.

Then it got crazy. Meat crazy. Observe... vegetarians, please avert your eyes.

 

I purchased ground beef and ground turkey and cooked the hell out of it this weekend. I then proceeded to get my carnivore on. I didn't even attempt to make it look pretty, I just wanted it in my belly. I threw some cheddar and ranch and then gorged on my meat bowl. The second photo depicts my need for mac and cheese... an endless gap of mine I'm hopelessly trying to fill. I'm totally down with the results of this attempt. 2 cups chopped zucchini, #howevermuchyouwantof lean ground turkey, 1/4 cup cheddar and a little bit of garlic salt. This will become a regular in the dinner rotation.

 

I'm meeting a new friend from church out for dinner tonight before our last newbie church meeting... the menu looks challenging, so it should be interesting to see what I end up consuming. But going back to church, it's been awesome to be able to get there every Sunday for the last 4 weeks. I'm going to miss it with my next three weekends of being out of town. Very happy to be apart of a modern church that posts it's sermons online to listen to when you can't attend! Yay Life Church!

 

Go make good decisions! Happy Monday!

 

 

Recovery

Last week sucked. Big time. Lots of work drama, lots of stress, no weight loss, lack of sleep, barfing dog... blah blah blah.

But I'm recovering, and trying to bounce back in both attitude, dedication, and of course, posting! It helps that I've been able to go to Church every Sunday and I've been attending some other group sessions to meet the pastors and other new members. Yay Life Church in Gahanna, Ohio!

Last weeks weight loss stalled, very disappointing after seeing the results that I did. I know most of that previous loss was water and adjustment to the low carb intake. but I was hoping to have seen at least a pound. On top of that, I gained a pound back. I have, as of this morning, re-lost that pound, so maybe more movement will happen this week.

This past weekend I went kayaking with my friend as we had yet to do anything "summer-esque" and summer is practically over. We had fun, I got a wicked ugly sunburn via sports bra/tank top... just in time for the upcoming wedding.

 

Alright, so these are my "tuna spoons"... I got sick of just eating my tuna straight from my Tupperware. Romaine leaf + tuna salad = fun snack time. Followed by my new favorite chicken recipe that I got from Ellen. Chicken dipped in my egg whites, rolled in dry ranch dressing, and topped with some parmesan cheese. And wrapping up the newest recipe additions, a revisit to mashed cauliflower. Having a food processor totally makes the difference. Throw in light butter, almond milk, garlic salt, and rosemary!

 

 

 

Now on to the craft hour ;) I've been itching to let my creative juices flow but hadn't had the time or the patience. I made room for the crafts and screw the patience, I never have patience when trying to achieve as close to perfection as I can get... my only character flaw.

 

I found these awesome pillow cases at TJ Maxx the other day and for $7 I couldn't pass them up. Especially because earlier that morning the sermon was on God's Love and what it means to us as Christians.

 

Then I started my throw pillow recovering project last night. I spent about three hours putting together this one aqua chevron cover... it took a while, but I had to match the pattern on all sides and I added a zipper closure. It turned out beautiful, now I just need to finish the second one. I'll be moving on to something flashier for two large accent pillows for my master bedroom.

Weigh In Wednesday

Since starting my Keto diet, I've been weighing myself everyday. I used to think that once a week was plenty and I know (I KNOW) that numbers aren't really want matter. BUT, they do motivate, so you're going to have to deal with it.

Yesterday morning I weighed in and was one lb. away from 10 lbs down since began Keto three weeks ago. I had hoped this morning that I could get to 10, thus rounding out my numbers. Well... I lost four! I'm sure that's due to other contributing factors I'll leave unsaid (if you really want to know send me a message lol) but I'm very, very excited about my progress. Three more pounds and I'm under the big 200 mark. I don't know if that is the first time I've actually stated my weight on this blog. But whatever, it's the truth.

I've been very lax in keeping up with writing the past week, so sorry! I was sick, my boss was out of town, and life was just busy. Getting back on track this week and ramping up on including more strenuous exercise.

I've been incorporating more carbs in the form of grains. I've felt challenged at this point by the monotony of eating chicken, eggs, cheese, eggs, chicken, broccoli, turkey, chicken, steak, cheese and eggs. My mom had these tortillas in the fridge and they're only 60 calories and 4 net carbs. She got them at Kroger, so get out there and give them a whirl.

 

I've had these with chicken salad (shown below), tuna salad, fajitas, and I think I'm gonna make a breakfast egg tortilla wrap tomorrow morning.

 

I've been guarding my Quest Protein Bars so that I don't devour them too quickly, so I have been on the hunt for ice cream that is low carb and doesn't taste awful. Apparently there is one called Carb Solutions (don't get the low carb option from Beyers as it using high fructose corn syrup!)... and is apparently not sold in my normal grocery stores (Kroger, Giant Eagle, or Meijer). Instead, after three different stores and searching efforts, I settled for this stuff called Arctic Zero. It is gluten free and has whey protein, with only 36 calories and 5 net carbs per 1/2 cup serving! It's not an ice cream-y consistency as much as it's a frozen treat. It'll do my friends, it'll do.

 

In addition to my menu choices, I recently came across a pin on Pinterest that I found interesting. It referenced WODs for beginners interested in crossfit. I AM interesting in crossfit minus the heavy lifting, the barfing, and the rumored pooping. I gave it a whirl last night instead of Insanity and found myself pleasantly challenged, winded, sweaty, and sore! I will whirl it again tonight with another workout to see how it goes. This is what I did last night... and my tired, sweaty self after.

 



Happy Wednesday!

TBT - Take a look at what you've accomplished!

I've yet to join the #TBT band wagon, but it seems like a great way to reminisce and relive the good memories. It's also a wonderful time to look back to see how far you've come in your journey; whether that is growing up, moving away, starting life as an adult, finding Jesus and renewing your faith, or taking the leap to become a healthier person.

My road has been rocky, I've struggled at times, and I've also had major victories. I've lost weight, gained it only to lose it again, find it again and then lose it! I've had the most amazing family and friends that have supported me through my travels and I am so very thankful that they are still on board this crazy train to help me as I continue to walk the road I've chosen.

Each day is a new day and a fresh start to hit the ground running. We all fall and there will always be people there to pick us back up, cheer us on, and maybe start a new day in their lives with you. If you have someone in your life that doesn't support the changes you've made, take a step back and start to surround yourself with people that will. True family and friends that love you unconditionally will never abandon you. Eventually that person will see how happy you are, how healthy you've become in spirit and body, and will come around to re-establish themselves in your life.

Below you will see some pictures that I feel I needed to post. Not to brag about myself, but as a reminder to me that I've come a long way and while I still have more to go, I can do it. Look at what I've accomplished so far! So bring it on Throw Back Thursday (TBT because I know my mom will ask what it means)!

Then:

Now:

A visual feast, I know.

Now on to last nights food. I essentially just threw chicken, peppers, and zucchini in a pan with EVOO and gave them a little sauté action, topped it with Colby Jack cheese, and some pepperoni. Delish, nutrish and gone in 60 seconds ;) If you add a little low carb spaghetti sauce you would have an altered version of chicken parm, do give it a whirl!

It's getting serious...

Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that it's getting serious... when it comes to sticking to the diet!

I have 4 weeks left of my work fitness challenge and that means I need to kick it into high gear, dedicate myself to eating a low carb diet and working out no matter what!

This morning I've had my lovely egg muffins shown below. I know they're rough on the eyes, that's what egg substitutes do vs. using real egg whites. They're definitely flatter than other batches I've made.

For the rest of the day I've packed tuna salad made with reduced fat mayo with olive oil and sugar free relish. I also have a turkey burger, grilled chicken and a salad. For dinner I'll probably have more chicken, some zucchini and romaine.

Jealous right? ;) I think the only struggle I'm going to have is sweets and alcohol. I have a lot of celebrations in the pipeline that involve these two things, but I've learned some new tips and tricks to make it easier and to keep myself from getting into trouble.

Good news is, I woke up to do Insanity this morning and it was totally worth it :) Especially since it's raining cats and dogs.

 

Also, one of my coworkers lost his mom this weekend very unexpectedly. If you are someone who prays, please send a prayer his way as their family could really use all the love and support the Lord can lay on them. I can't imagine losing my mom at this point in my life, my hearts aches for his loss.