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.

Show up and make it count!

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