W.A.I.T.

I spent the day yesterday at a sand tournament with Carly Jo.  We were there about 6 hours total.  It was a great day with Carly Jo and her partner Keri fighting it out with some 18's teams in pool play and then coming away with a 3rd place finish in the 16's division.  They had a great day and are really growing in the sport.

As I sat at the tournament yesterday I kept thinking of one thing.  It is the word W.A.I.T.  I know it seems weird, but stay with me. 

As anyone who has a volleyball player in the north Texas region knows it is a really, really, really competitive region.  These girls can play volleyball.  It doesn't matter if it is sand or indoor these girls come to play.  They are there to kick butt and take names.  Another observation I always find interesting is the parents.  I have found that they are just as competitive as the girls.  Maybe a little bit more so.  This is where the letters W.A.I.T. come in to play.  They stand for Why Am I Talking.  I think as parents we need to think of this phrase often.

I noticed yesterday that as the girls would come off the sand there always seems to be a parent there ready to give them some unsolicited advice about their game.  It seems to go both ways, too.  It doesn't seem to matter if they won or lost, the UNSOLICITED ADVICE is there and ready.  I heard it all day.  Please understand that I am not bashing or hatin', just an observation.  I know that some of the parents just wanted to be supportive and helpful with no ill will intended.  Other parents just need their asses kicked and really need to shut the hell up.  It's true.  There is no reason to make your kid feel like crap.  If your kid wants to talk about the game, W.A.I.T. and let them begin.  If they don't, then zip it.  Again, I kept thinking W.A.I.T. just W.A.I.T.  Ask yourself, Why Am I Talking?

Let's remember these girls and boys are from about 12 to 17 years of age.  They are still young to me.  They are learning and growing in the sport AND they are on freaking SAND.  I would like for some of these parents to get out on that sand and get to the ball and do some of the things these girls are doing on the SAND.  I hate to break it to you parents, but it ain't easy.  Have you ever tried to just WALK in sand?  Jump in sand?  Try it then we will talk.  Enough said.

Carly Jo put it to me so well one day.  She told me this.  "When I shank a ball or miss a pass or serve into the net or serve out or miss a pass AGAIN or make a bad pass AGAIN or hit it out or just am overall sucking, believe me, I KNOW!  I know when I suck.  I am the first to know that I am SUCKING!"  (She is such her mother's daughter).  I think it was her way of kindly telling me to W.A.I.T. and ask myself Why Am I Talking?

Please know that I am trying very, very, very hard to practice what I preach.  I sometimes have TONS of advice for Carly Jo.  Sometimes it spills out of my mouth and other times I W.A.I.T. and I just rub her on the back and don't say a word.  I am getting better at the back rubbing and it feels good.

Finally, yesterday Carly Jo was getting POUNDED by an 18 year old with a fierce jump serve.  It was brutal, but Carly Jo hung and just kept answering with some awesome serve receive passing.  As a parent of a 5 foot 4 inch defense player it is very, very, very hard to watch.  Instead of talking to Carly Jo I leaned over to my preacher friend Jeff and asked, "Do you think it would be OK with God if I just went over and broke that girl's serving arm?"  Jeff just smiled.

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Three Weeks In

I am now three weeks in on the new eating journey.  It has been interesting.  I do feel like I am kinda over the hump of missing simple carbs.  Simple carbs like chips, bread, snack bars and such.  We went to Wendy's on Saturday night and I purchased a small Frosty ice cream thingy.  I literally ate 3 bites and put the rest in the freezer.  It was nice to not crave stuff like that any more.  I also feel better overall.  I feel happier.  I was telling my beloved Joe that I feel like laughing a lot more because I think my body isn't battling some of the bad food choices I was making.  I feel like now that it is kind of cleaned out it feels happier and it comes out in laughter.  Weird, but true.  I am also losing these last few pounds that have been hanging on for dear life.  I lost more weight in the last 3 weeks than I did since starting this last December.  That is a win.  Also, it is easier to eat well than to try to work out to make up for the bad eating.  Go figure!

So I would say if you are struggling with weight issues or just feeling like crap you might give this eating clean gig a try.  Do it for say 21 days.  Eat whole foods.  Try not to eat out at restaurants.  Get some exercise most days.  See what happens.  It might just be worth it.

Show up and make it count!
Cindy

Green Tacos Changed My Life

I love, love, love mexican food.  I could eat it three meals a day and never get tired of it.  Unfortunately, my ass would be as big as a barn.  I just can't have that many simple carbs and all of those calories.  Poor little chubby girl me.  Anyway, I have an alternative for you.  It is green tacos.  All you really do is in place of the taco shells just add your taco meat into butter lettuce leaves.  Wrap those taco meat filled bad boys up and you never really miss the taco shells.  Ok, you will miss them a little, but it is tolerable.  Love it.  My turbo vintage Corel plates are awesome as well.

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

2 eggs scrambled

1 piece double fiber whole wheat bread

1 tsp peanut butter spread on bread

Lunch:

Green tacos

3 butter lettuce leaves

4 oz ground seasoned beef

¼ avocado

made little tacos

½ cup blueberries

½ cup blackberries

Snack:

½ scoop vanilla protein

¼ cup frozen peaches

¼ cup strawberries

¼ cup raspberries

made into a shake

Dinner:

½ cup cooked old fashioned oat meal

drizzle of honey

4 walnuts

½ banana

Snack #2:
½ chocolate cupcake

15 nuts

Again, I am one to eat a breakfasty supper and think nothing of it.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

Chocolate Cupcakes Revamped

Every girl needs a treat so I searched through my recipe ideas and made a wonderful chocolate cupcakey thingy.  They are dreamy.  I put the rest in the freezer for later.

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

1 scrambled egg

1 whole wheat tortilla 8 inch

¼ avocado

salsa

made a burrito

Snack #1:

Banana

Lunch:

4 oz grilled chicken breast cubed

½ cup brown rice

¼ cup broccoli and ¼ carrots chopped and cooked in a little water in microwave for 2 minutes

mixed as a bowl

Snack #2:

Chocolate cupcake

Here is a copy of the recipe.  If you can't see this very well, let me know and I will send it to you.  They are dreamy.

Dinner:

4 oz grilled salmon

7 small brussell sprouts with olive oil and garlic salt cooked in oven

¼ cup brown rice

1 cup mixed berries

I was also pleasantly surprised with the brussell sprouts.  I cup them in half and sprinkled with garlic salt and olive oil and baked them in the oven at 350 or so for 15-20 minutes.  Really good, but make sure and take your BEANO.  

Show up and make it count!

Cindy

Cheat Meal With Alex

I went to Denton today to see my sweet Alex.  We decided to go and have lunch and of course my choice was mexican food.  I had chicken fajitas and basically ate one and brought the rest home to Carly Jo.  I did indulge in the chips and salsa as well.  I think it is good to have a cheat meal here and there.  A cheat meal is way better than a cheat day.  I tried to tighten up my eating when I got home and really wasn't hungry for a big snack that afternoon.  Being really mindful seems to be the key.

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

2 eggs scambled

1 slice double fiber whole wheat bread

1 tsp peanut butter on bread

Snack #1:

½ banana

Lunch:

Mexican food cheat meal

1 chicken fajita

chips

salsa

Dinner:

4 oz grilled Talapia fish

10 asparagus

1 small sweet potato baked

3 oz slice of cantaloupe

Snack #2:

banana

Show up and make it count!

Cindy

133.4 = Goal

Today was the day that I met my chubby girl weight goal.  I have done this once before back in June of 2006.  It was really cool both times, but today I appreciate it a little bit more.  I am hopeful that I never ever have to do this again.  I hope that I can make this stick for reals.  

I thought a lot about my why lately.  My why of why did you want to get back down to this goal.  I think it has changed over the years.  I think back in 2006 I was just sick of being a fat chick.  It was a vanity thing.  I wanted to fit in smaller clothes.  I wanted to matter.  You see fat chicks are invisible or at least that was my experience.  I felt like people kinda discounted me since I was a chub.  Don’t know if this was a fact, but it sure was the way the world made me feel.  

My why of whys now is simply for better health.  As I watch some of my friends and loved ones struggle with health issues I think “Man, I don’t want that to be me”.  I am at the point in my life where my parents are aging and having health issues.  I am losing relatives to disease and watching friends that are younger than me struggle with health issues or pass away.  Smaller jeans are nice, but living to play with my future grandson (yes, still holding out for that boy) trumps smaller jeans any day.  Today I will just be happy that I no longer look like this.

And enjoy the fact that I stood in my chair the whole time at the Van Halen concert with these punks.

Show up and make it count!

Cindy

Rice Bowls Rule

Awe the beauty of a rice bowl.  It is filling and oh so delicious.  Love, love this so much.

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

2 eggs scrambled

1 piece double fiber whole wheat bread

1 tsp peanut butter spread on bread

Snack #1:
1 small apple

1 tbsp peanut butter

Lunch:

4 oz grilled chicken breast cubed

¼ cup broccoli and ¼ cup carrots cooked in water for 2 minutes in microwave

½ cup cooked brown rice

mixed in a bowl

1 cup spinach added on top

Photo above!  Yum!!!

Snack #2:

Advocare Spark

½ scoop vanilla protein powder

¼ frozen peaches

½ extra small banana

¼ cup pineapple

4 ice cubes

4 oz water

made into a shake

Dinner:

1 scrambled egg

1 8 in whole wheat tortilla (80 calories)

¼ avocado

salsa

made a burrito

2 oz cantaloupe

Show up and make it count!

Cindy

In Season Fruits

I have really been trying to use what fruits are in season for my shakes and my desserts. Still seeing lots of strawberries, raspberries and cantaloupe at the stores.  You can't beat fruit as a nice little treat.  I have noticed that it is starting to taste sweeter as I have ditched more and more of the sugary stuff.  Winning!

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

½ cup dry old fashioned oatmeal cooked with water

drizzle of honey

4 walnuts

½ extra small banana

Snack #1:
½ scoop vanilla protein powder

¼ cup raspberries

½ extra small banana

¼ pineapple

4 ice cubes

4 oz water

made into a shake

Lunch:

3 oz grilled chicken breast cubed

1 cup spinach

¼ avocado chopped

made into a salad

3 oz cantaloupe

Snack #2:

Advocare Spark

½ cup cottage cheese

¼ cup pineapple diced

Dinner:

4 oz lean ground beef patty

butter lettuce

3 oz cantaloupe

Show up and make it count!

Cindy

The Spice Of Life

I have never been a big fish eater and have decided that a little bit goes a long way with me.  I added it to my eggs and will admit I gaged it down.  It was ok in flavor its just not for me.  You might give it a try and see what you think.  You will also notice that I eat a lot of grilled chicken breast.  I usually cook this in my great pan with a little olive oil as the base.  I also totally revamped my spices and threw out the old and added fresh ones.  Spices seem to be saving me somewhat right now.  It keeps things from getting so damned boring.

I made a list of what I have and I pick different combos to trick it up a bit.

Breakfast:

2 eggs scrambled

2 oz salmon cubed and added to eggs

Advocare Spark

Coffee with creamer

Snack #1:

½ scoop vanilla protein

¼ cup frozen peaches

¼ cup strawberries

4 ice cubes

4 oz water

Blended into a shake

Lunch:

2 pieces double fiber whole wheat bread

4 oz grilled chicken breast

butter lettuce

tomatoes

made into a sandwich

Snack #2:

12 almonds

15 grapes

Advocare Spark

Dinner:

4 oz. Cubed Grilled chicken breast

½ cup broccoli

½ cup carrots cooked

butter lettuce

10 cucumber slices

all veggies were made into a tossed salad

Snack#3:

Chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bar

Gotta love the journey.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

Big Pants

Sometimes it is good to remember your past to help you deal with the present.  I am remembering a time when I was 172 pounds.  I felt miserable.  I am remembering a time when I wore these size 16 pants.  I still have them in my drawer as a reminder of how far I have come in this journey.  It's all good.

So when I am having a moment where I am about to scream my guts out or feel like I am starving to death, I will remember these pants and how they made me feel.

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

2 eggs scrambled

1 slice whole wheat high fiber bread

1 tsp peanut butter on the bread

Snack #1:

½ cup cottage cheese

½ cup pineapple

Lunch:

Ground beef patty

Small sweet potato

Advocare Spark

Snack #2:

Advocare Spark

Small orange

Dinner:

4 oz grilled chicken breast

Tossed Salad

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

Spark Saves The Day

My goal is not to try and push Advocare on you peeps, but I must admit that Spark is really saving my butt lately.  I know that with the cleaner eating I am taking in fewer calories overall.  I am feeling a little drained which is to be expected.  The Spark is really helping with that side of things.  It gives me a little extra perk during the day.  Again, if you want to give it a try go to my microsite at www.advocare.com/0705371 and they will ship it right to you.

Breakfast:

Oatmeal ½ cup dry then cooked in microwave for 2 minutes with water

½ banana

4 walnuts

drizzle of honey

put all of this in oatmeal

coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

Snack #1:

6 walnuts

Advocare Spark

6 oz cantaloupe

Lunch:

4 oz grilled chicken breast

2 slices extra fiber whole wheat bread

lettuce

tomato

Made this into a sandwich

Snack #2:

Vanilla Protein powder ½ scoop

Peaches

Strawberries

4 oz of water

4 ice cubes

Mixed together to make a shake

Snack #3:

Another Spark (been a long day)

10 almonds

Dinner:

4 oz grilled chicken breast

10 sweet potato fries

½ cup broccoli steamed

Snack #4:

Extra small banana

Again, pretty basic eating.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

.04 Short

I had my chubby girl meeting this morning and I was .04 over goal.  Wow, just wow.  I feel really, really, really happy about this and will continue on this journey.

I thought I would post today about some items that have really saved me on the past 2 weeks.  The first item is olive oil.

I have been using it to saute most of my veggies and to cook most of my fish and chicken.  Love, love it.

The next item is my pan.

This pan is awesome for cooking all of your meats.  The extra fat drains away from your meat for a healthier version of the dish.

Finally, my scale.

This really does keep you on track as far as measuring weight.  You will get better at eyeballing things, but keep this bad boy on your kitchen counter just to double check things.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

Running, Jumping and Lifting Oh My

Thought I might give you an idea of my training each week.  Right now I am doing a combination of core, conditioning and lifting on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  I usually do this along with my clients at 5:30 AM on those days.  I am also doing a thing called 5K101 training.  It is a run/walk combo based on time each work-out.  You warm-up and then walk for a certain number of minutes and run a certain number of minutes and then cool-down.  I am in week 7 right now.  Below is a snap shot of what to do.  It is an easy peezy way to run a 5K in a few short weeks.  I run on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.

Show up and make it count,
Cindy

Ground Turkey…Not So Much

Really, really, really trying to embrace these new food choices.  I have decided a little turkey goes a long way with me.  Gotta love the journey.

Breakfast:

Advocare Spark

Coffee with creamer

8 inch whole wheat tortilla

1 scrambled egg

1/8 of an avocado

salsa

made a burrito 

Snack #1

extra small banana

1/2 cup pineapple

1/2 cup cottage cheese

Lunch:

4 oz lean ground beef patty seasoned well

tossed salad

A-1 sauce on burger

Snack #2

Extra small apple

2 tbsp peanut butter

Dinner:

4 oz ground turkey cooked with seasonings

1/2 cup brown rice

1/4 avocado

made into a burrito type bowl

Snack #3:

Chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bar

OK I will be honest here.  I am not a ground turkey fan at all. I spiced it up and it was really very good, but just something about it creeps me out.  It is kind of like the thought of fish tacos.  I just can't do it.  Not sure I will do ground turkey again.  We will see.  

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

Snacks Galore

I couldn’t seem to get full today.  I have learned to just embrace what you can and eat something healthy if you just feel incredibly hungry.  I think this was how my day went today.  UGH!

   

Breakfast:

Advocare Spark

Coffee with creamer

2 scrambled eggs

Snack #1:

1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder

1 cup spinach

¼ cup raspberries

¼ cup strawberries

ice cubes

4 oz of water

blended all together for a smoothy

Lunch:

4 oz grilled chicken

2 cups lettuce

4 walnuts/chopped

10 cucumber slices

¼ cup broccoli

Made a salad type thingy

Snack #2:

Advocare Spark

¼ cup strawberries

¼ cup cantaloupe

Snack #3

Extra small apple

15 grapes

Dinner:

4 oz grilled chicken breast

10 stalks of asparagus sautéed in olive oil

5 cherry tomatoes

Snack #4

Chocolate covered vanilla ice cream bar (120 calories)

½ homemade banana muffin (75 calories)

See peeps the struggle is real.  Somedays you are just hungry.  It’s all good.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

Supplements That Keep Me From Throat Punching People

I take 25 pills a day to supplement my diet.  Yep, you read that right, 25.  Carly Jo teases me that I take my supplements to keep me “balanced”.  I think there is a lot of truth to that observation.  I take them for a few different reasons.   They keep me moving so that I can run, jump and lift.  Others help me to have more energy.  Others help me to not kill people.  Finally, some of them help me to not catch on fire due to hot flashes and these crazy cray hormone surges.  I take some in the morning and the rest at lunch.  Maybe you could look over the list and see if any of them might help you out.  If some of them seem weird I would encourage you to google them and read about them.  Also, be mindful that natural supplements take time to work.  If you decide to start using them you must give them a chance to kick in and work.  Some take about 3 months to get to a level in your system that will help with whatever you’re needing.  Talk to your doctor, too.

Supplements for energy, to reduce inflammation and just make me feel like a Rock Star most days.

Advocare Thermoplus-fat burner and for energy 1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

Osteo Bi Flex-helps reduce inflammation so that I can run like the wind and lift like I am strong like helm. 1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

Omega 3’s (fish oil)-helps to reduce inflammation so that I can actually get out of bed and move, which is a good thing.  Also, heart health.  I take 3 at breakfast and 3 at lunch.

B12-energy 1 at breakfast.

Triple Strength Gluocosamine Sulfate-reduces inflammation so my old knees will actually move.  1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

Supplements that help me to actually be a nice person and not thunder punch people in the throat.  They also have helped me to not catch on fire due to these hot flashes from hell that I have been experiencing.  Getting old ain’t for sissies peeps.

Theanine Serene-mood stabilizer 1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

DHEA-aids my adrenal gland and hormone balance 15mg at breakfast.

Black Cohosh-helps reduce hot flashes 1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

Vitamin E-helps reduce hot flashes 1 at breakfast.

DIM-helps body with Estrogen absorption and helps me not catch on fire 1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

Emerita Progesterone cream-hormone balance 1 tsp rubbed into the skin a day.

Women’s 50 Plus-multi vitamin-1 at breakfast and 1 at lunch.

Again, if you need advocare just click on the link above and they will ship it to you.

Boom, you are now balanced.

Show up and make it count!

Cindy

Another Day Another Meal

As I said before, I will try and post as much as possible on my meals.  I am one of those people that if you are very specific and the food is half way decent then I am in.  Enjoy these ideas.

Breakfast:

Coffee with creamer

Advocare Spark

2 scrambled eggs

1 piece high fiber whole wheat toast with a teaspoon of peanut butter on it.

Snack #1:

Extra small apple

1 tbsp of peanut butter

Lunch:

3 oz grilled chicken breast diced

½ cup brown rice

¼ cup broccoli and ¼ cup carrots cooked in a small amount of water for 2 minutes in the microwave

1 cup spinach

I made a little salad bowl out of this with the spinach on top.  Sort of like Chipotle.

Snack #2:

Advocare Spark

½ scoop vanilla protein powder

4 oz water

½ cup frozen peaches

¼ banana

¼ cup pineapple

4 ice cubes

Added to the blender and make a smoothy.

Dinner:

1 8 inch whole wheat tortilla

1 scrambled egg

1/8 of an avocado

salsa

I made a burrito out of these foods.

2 oz cantaloupe

I totally enjoy a breakfasty type dinner sometimes. If you need any of the Advocare Spark just click on the link above and they will ship it right to you.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy

The Chub Struggle Is Real

I have been on this journey of better health for over 9 years now.  Wow!  I can hardly believe it.  Lots of ups and downs, but all in all, it’s been good.  I started back to Chubby Girl (Weight Watcher) meetings back in December of 2014.  My weight had started to creep back up and I thought I needed the support of the wonderful community of Weight Watchers aka Chubby Girl once again.  I have weighed in pretty consistently once a week since last December.  This is an overview of how it is going.  My starting weight was 141.  This is 9 pounds over my goal weight at Chubby Girl of 132.  This has been the roller coaster ride on the scale 141, 138.4, 138, 138.6, 137.6, 137.6, 137.6, 137.4, 137, 136.2, 135.6, 137.8, 136.8, 136.4, 136.4, 137.8, 138.8, 138.4, 138, 138, 137.4, 138.6, 137.6, 137.6, 138, 137, 136, 137.2,136.4, 138 and 138.2.  Yes, peeps, the struggle is real.  

I am completely fed up with this process.  I really want to get back down to my goal weight for many reasons.  Those reasons are that I get to go to the Chubby Girl meetings for free since I am a lifetime member of WW, my clothes fit better, my knee feels better when I run or lift and I know that from a health standpoint it is good to be at this weight.

So about a week ago I was going through some of my fitness magazines that I haven’t been able to read and I stumbled on to a pretty simple eating plan.  I started following it on that Monday.  Below is a sample of that first day.

Breakfast:

2 scrambled eggs

1 oz venison sausage

Coffee with creamer

Spark

Snack #1:

12 raw almonds

1 orange

Lunch:

Fill two butter lettuce leaves with 4 oz. of cooked taco seasoned lean ground beef, two slices of avocado and salsa and ½ cup fruit of choice.

Snack #2:

1 banana

1 tbsp nut butter

Dinner:

4 oz. seasoned grilled salmon; ½ cup cooked brown rice, 1-cup spinach.

That’s it pretty simple eating.  I have also continued to run 3 days a week and do a combo of cardio and lifting the other 3 days a week.  I continued eating this way for the rest of the week and I only ate out one evening and that was at Cotton Patch and I had no bread, water and the grilled chicken salad.

The beautiful thing is this.  When I weighed in at Chubby Girl on Saturday morning I was 135.6.  Yes, you read that right, 135.6.  Me, the girl who can’t seem to lose weight. 

This inspired me to start sharing my eating habits.  It is hard sometimes to follow a plan.  I know that I need specifics.  I will try and post what I am eating on a daily basis.  Join me if you would like.

Show up and make it count,

Cindy