The Windy City is the Walking City for me!

So this past week was hectic. I was on vacation in Chicago and can't say eating well was my top priority, but I did manage to do alright most the time. I tried a Falafel for the first time and lentil soup too! Thanks to Lauren for her awesome recommendation!
Although I didn't eat perfect I managed to exercise enough to off set it! I walked over 10 miles, most being on Friday. I also ice skated for the first time in probably 20 years. It was amazing! I skated on Solider Field where the Bears play. I truly love Chicago, if I had to move to a happening City, it would be there.

Anyway, I'm down a pound and half so I'm still reaching goals. I went grocery shopping today to get stuff for healthy lunches this week and I am sure missing my gym, so they will be getting a visit from me tomorrow. Zumba/saratone-in starts back up soon! I cannot wait! With spring coming I am looking forward to trying new exercises and not just spend time being a gym rat. I am looking into ballroom dancing, belly dancing, and maybe tennis as some alternatives to traditional "work outs". I think it is important to mix it up so I adopt this lifestyle and not just focus on working out and losing weight. It's about development right? So it is time to develop my life and skills!

Small steps, big rewards!

This time last year I bought a dress from Lane Bryant to wear to a Jaycee All-State Year End Award Ceremony. I got it on sale and it was a little snug but it fit with some help from my besties helping in it. Well, since I've been working out now for 3 weeks solid and eating right... Thanks to WW, I thought I would try that same dress back on. It fits! I mean it fits WELL. In fact, it may be a little loose in areas! I'm so happy! I am not going to the award ceremony this weekend because I have other plans, but knowing that dress didn't fit a few weeks ago and now it does feels fantastic! I haven't been deprive of things I like and I certainly and starting to enjoy working out. I know the number on the scale is going down, but my body wants "looking" much different yet. However, putting on clothes without Effort that once took 3 of us... Feels like a small step toward my big reward of being healthy!

Monday Weigh In

Today I weighed in! I'm down 15.8 lbs. I am so excited. I'd like to say it is easy, but it isn't. I struggle daily to make good choices. At any rate I am enjoying this small feat! WW does things in 5% losses so I've met step one! I am hoping to lose another 5% by March, but the app yells at me and says I'm losing too much too fast. So I shall be careful. I am eating my daily allowance plus some occasionally and I am working out almost every day. So I am not sure what I am doing wrong, but I am not complaining so I wish the app would stop too! Lol!!! I know there will be times that I only lose .5 percent or something so I feel like this is my time to enjoy the bigger losses!

Happy Monday folks!

The Scale

So this morning I weighed myself just to see how things were looking this week. It really hasn't been a perfect week, but when is really? My official weigh in day isn't until Monday, that's when I log and try only to really weigh myself on that day. Anyway, according to the scale I'm down 12.4 lbs since starting almost 4 weeks ago. This makes me feel so good! However, I know that eventually my successes will be smaller because really it isn't good to lose too much, too fast. As far as I'm concerned a .01 fluctuation in weight is a success! Lol

I did go out to eat last night with my mom. It was a struggle finding something relatively healthy and it reminded me why I have been cooking on my own. We were at Tumbleweed. I should have known it was a bad choice web before we left to go I couldn't find nutritional information on their website. I am learning if they (chain restaurants) don't want you I know, it is because nothing on their menu is probably healthy. I got the half taco salad... I am scared to see the full order. This thing was huge! It had a fried huge chip on the bottom and then more chips in the salad mixed with tons of cheese, retried beans, and seasoned beef. So I asked for another plate and dissected the "salad" and avoided the big fried chips that it was laying upon. I did my best to eat only the good stuff and I did eat the meat and beans for the most part, but only because I have a habit of not eating enough meat and/or protein. I am just not a big meat eater so I find it elsewhere usually.

Anyway, these restaurants aren't bad, but it is beneficial to share your meal that's for sure!

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend!

Healthy Strides and Alternative Choices

Today has been a great day! The weather is beautiful for January in Ohio!!!

Anyway, I made it to the gym today with my bestie at lunch. Although, afterwards we realized we should have walked outside, since it was so nice. At any rate, we worked out and hit it hard for the 25 minutes we could.

For dinner I was really craving some of Jets BBQ Chicken Pizza, but for someone trying to lose weight, it isn't the best craving to indulge on. So I made my own BBQ chicken pizza. I used Flatout Italian Herb Flat Bread and put 2 tablespoons of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce on top, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, Tyson Grill & Ready chicken, red onion, and pineapple (not normally on Jets, but I was without bacon and wanted another topping). I baked it and it was darn good!

Right now I am not able to eat Jets and use portion control properly, so until I'm "retrained" I will stick with my tasty, healthier take on their recipe.

Weight Watchers, back again...

Three weeks ago was January 13. It was also the day I decided (again and hopefully finally) that I cannot be fat anymore. I am officially in the 6 month countdown to my 30th birthday. I have spent ALL of my 20s being overweight, in fact, I have spent most my adolescences overweight too. I am now embarking on my 30s and I want to change things. My dad died when he was 51 and my mom has been ill for many years. Had they lead healthier lives, maybe they would be healthier (and he would be alive). I need to stop the trend before I have children and teach them the same bad habits that were taught to me. I have waited to start talking about my journey because I usually fail within the first week and then I feel shame. But since I have told minimum people in my immediate life about what I am doing, I decided it was time to start talking to anyone who wanted to listen and hopefully build even more support. 3 weeks ago yesterday I started this journey and I am down 10lbs already and one inch around my waist. That may not seem like a lot to some, but I am already starting to feel better. They say it takes 21 days to start a habit... I am watching my eating and most importantly I have been working out EVERYDAY! Even if it is just climbing the 13 flights of stairs at work, I am doing SOMETHING!!! This is most important to me because I have never had a love affair with working out. I feel like this time is different... though I have said that before. But this time I am working on both diet and fitness. I have never done both at the same time. Plus, my best friend is doing it with me. We are keeping each other accountable. She is doing it different than I am, but none-the-less we are in it together. She and her husband are doing Advocare and I am doing Weight Watchers. It's tried and true, for me, so I am sticking with it. I am not committing to posting daily, but I will try and keep everyone up to date on my progress and trial and achievements. I am not going for a quick fix. I didn't get fat overnight and I know I won't change my mind set overnight. But I am already 15 days in of my 21 day challenge to myself... and I feel good about this.

Paw Paw, WV

So my Aunt (dad's sister) and I are going to be visiting my Great Aunt (Dad's aunt) in the begining of November. I'm very excited to learn more about my history. She lives in West Virginia in a small town called Paw Paw. I looked it up to do some research and found out in the 2000 census there was a total population of 524. SERIOUSLY? I graduated with about that many! LOL!

Anyway, I don't know much about the history on my father's side and I'm really looking forward to visiting the place where my daddy was born!