Or am I not times friend?  It always seems to get away from me.  I know I don’t do enough with the time I have, but at the same time, one minute it is here, the next it is gone! Imagine that!

I re-re-re-several-times-over-re-joined Weight Watchers.  Again. The last time I joined, my favorite leader asked, “are you going to stick with it this time?”.  Well, I haven’t tracked or gone back to a meeting so I guess that answer is no.  As far as meetings go, I’ve had something going on every single Thursday night since I joined.  Tracking?  No excuse.  I did start back tracking this past Thursday though.  See, I’m flying to Dallas in August.  For the first time EVER! And I want my behind to fit in the seat with no problem.  That should be motivation enough to eat correctly, right?

If I start being strict RIGHTNOW I have just under 3 months.  That could make a good 30 lbs down.  That’s a big difference in the size of someone’s bootie! So… let’s make it happen, yes?

Some of my eats of late:

Peanut butter and banana, coffee, water; Salad w/tuna salad, cottage cheese and fruit.

Salad from Jason’s Deli… I LOVE this place! Boiled egg, cottage cheese, banana, coffee and water.

Chipotle turkey meatloaf, cabbage, brussels sprouts, wheat roll and water; pistachios for snackity snack!

Grapes and a chocolate shake brought to me at work by a dear friend!

Fried fish, broccoli and squash, water. This was a delicious meal but I was quite disappointed that the most nutritious choice at work was fried fish!

And lately, I can’t get enough of this:

Source

Hot bad guys on bikes? YES PLEASE!! (you have to look past the bad guy to see their good hearts and that is what makes some of the hot!)

Back to the beginning of this post.  Or the middle.  I’m not saying I’m going to be perfect.  That would be an obvious lie because number 1, I’m human and number 2, that is not a possible way to live.  What I am saying is that I WILL succeed, one day at a time.  If I eat something I deem “unsuitable” I will pick it back up the very next second. 

Do you feel the need to “forgive” yourself after eating something you feel like you shouldn’t have?

Have you flown before? Do I have reason to be concerned?

Well, everyone knows when a blogger who blogs about their weight loss journey is not blogging, it is because they’ve taken an exit and are sitting at a rest area.  Hopefully, they’ve not done a u-turn and are going in the other direction.

I don’t think weight wise I’ve gone backwards except for maybe 5 lbs.  However, my pants feel like I’ve gained 50! Not a good feeling!  I have absolutely no excuse except time management has not been my friend.

Between being what I need to be at home, at my day job and trying to get my Mary Kay business up and running, I’ve been slacking in the ME department. I am REALLY not proud of that.  When my taking care of myself suffers, my family suffers as well.  I don’t do well with cooking and meal planning or anything else like that.  I’ve been floundering. 

I’m floundering no more! I HAVE to get a plan and I HAVE to stick to it!

I did cook tonight.  It was a grand meal and probably took 20 minutes start to finish but it was good.  I diced some chicken tenderloins and sautéed them in olive oil, sprinkled with garlic salt, cumin and chili powder.  Once they were done, I divided it between tortillas that had been sprinkled with a bit of Mexican cheese blend, folded them over and melted heated them in a pan to melt the cheese.  Tortilla chips and salsa on the side.  Cinco de Mayo on el septimo!

That quesadilla looks a little charred but I promise! It was delish!

OK.  I have my feedbag partially packed for the morrow! Dear Lord, please block my mouth from accepting anything that is not healthy! Amen!!

What do you do to stay on track when your schedule is getting the better of you?

If you’ve ever made homemade quesadillas, what did you put in them besides protein and cheese?

I REALLY did not want to cook tonight.  No reason for it, I was just being lazy.  I’m trying to teach myself new habits.  Guess what??? It’s working!!

I have been 12 days with nothing to drink but water or coffee (coffee in the morning and water the rest of the day, save for a cup of coffee in the evening occasionally).   I have tracked everything that has went into my mouth for 12 days.  I have been 12 days eating in relation to my allowed points plus values with an emphasis on whole foods.  This is progress!

Tonight, that progress is making itself known.  As I said in the beginning, I really did not want to cook.  And I wanted anyone in the house, man, boy or animal, to tell me I didn’t have too.  I asked Kevin if we went out to eat, what would he like.  He immediately said he had been craving La Nopalera.  He was speaking my language.  As I was arguing with myself, I remembered earlier today when I convinced my colleague to not get a soda because she has been without one all week.  She listened and got water.  I knew I couldn’t got to La Nop and NOT get soda.  I also knew I’d have to tell her tomorrow that after she passed on the soda, I didn’t.  I couldn’t do that.  So, what I REALLY wanted for dinner was this:

  source

What I actually had was this:

 Skinny Taste Cheeseburger Casserole

And a glass of water.

Progress? I think so!

And that is one of the greatest feelings ever!

Well, this is going to be a little more than Wednesday’s eats.  I’m going to show you some of my favorite eats over the last few days.  They haven’t been the healthiest but they have been portion controlled, counted, tracked and not regretted.  LOVE this new relationship I’m forming with the fuel for my body! It is quite enlightening!

This was Sundays steak, sweet potato and salad.  The salad had way too much dressing on it.  This is a BIG accomplishment for me! I normally like a little salad and a bottle of dressing.  This nearly was inedible.

This has been this weeks lunches so far.  I’ve not been good at all at packing my meals because I’ve not done well cooking this week.  I haven’t let it derail me though! I had a cobb salad on Monday, a tilapia sandwich with a side salad on Tuesday and today was green beans, squash and pulled pork. There was also a wheat roll on the side.  Yum!

A couple of this weeks dinners: Five Guys!!! It was delish.  I own it.  I tracked it and I savored every bite! Dear heavens this was good!  Tonight we had a lame version of a burrito bowl. It was still tasty!  I made Spanish rice, which is 1 1/2 c rice, 3/4 c tomato sauce, 3/4 t cumin and 3 cloves of garlic, all cooked in the rice cooker.  I added chicken from a bird I cooked in the crockpot over the weekend, added some bell pepper and cucumber, topped it with some shredded cheese and it was filling. Next time I’d add some roasted onions and peppers, fresh tomatoes, romaine and maybe some salsa. 

This is what my food looks like lately.  How are you fueling your body???

If you’d like to link up, head over to Peas and Crayons and join the party!

P.S. This is not all of my eats, I also have fruit and veggies as snacks, eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast and almonds and Kind bars when I am absolutely starving and there is no fresh produce available.

I’m noticing a theme with these blog titles. Things that make you go hmmmm…

Today was a fairly good Tuesday.  There was only a TAD bit of craziness at work so let’s call it a win, K?

I had the same breaky as yesterday, boiled eggs and cottage cheese…

There are no words for how bad this looks on film, but remember as it tastes as good as if it were photographed by a prize winning photographer in a 5-star restaurant.  Possibly better!

I did sleep later than I should have today therefore, did not have the time to pack a lunch. I’m actually kind of glad.  I discovered the Bistro at the hospital has a new menu! Holy deliciousness, Batman!

I enjoyed an Asian Chicken Salad.  Not real sure what was Asian about it except for the sesame dressing.  It had mushrooms, mandarin oranges, cukes, slivered almond, and feta on a bed of spinach.  No matter the name! I’m just grateful the choices are getting healthier!

Afternoon snacks were a Weight Watchers Chocolate smoothie and an apple.  After arriving home, I had an Amazon package on my doorstep.  In it were a variety of mini Kind bars.  One of those quickly found it’s way in mah belly! I was STARVING! This held me until dinner was done…

Gumbo!! I made a healthier version of one of our Cajun favorites.  My father in law would probably dis-own me! I used boneless skinless chicken thigh and breasts and veggie broth.  I did use regular sausage.  I couldn’t go TOO healthy, now could I? I also had a piece of WHITE bread and 1/2 teaspoon of butter.  ohmygoodnesssoworthit! I did measure the gumbo and rice, 1/2 c rice and 1 c gumbo.

This is what my day ended like:

All in all a very good, successful day!

Until we meet again!

Not many Monday’s can be given this title.  I’m thrilled this one was great for me! Eats were on target, I turned down what I felt I needed to, treated myself where I thought I needed (wanted!!) to, so all in all, today was magnificent!

My day started in the car at 6 AM when I instagrammed this:

I notated that this TJ Maxx bag made me way happier than it should on a Monday morning.  I didn’t @ them or anything.  I was thrilled to get a tweet from them wishing me a happy Monday.  That made my day.  It’s the little things, I tell ya!

Breakfast was 2 boiled eggs, 4 oz cottage cheese and a banana.When the boiled eggs are fresh and still warm, this is an insane combo when mixed.  I chop the eggs, mix with the cottage cheese and eat like egg salad.  OMGSOOOGOOD!

Afternoon snack was eaten in the morning because for some reason I was insanely hungry.  Lunch was leftovers from last night, sausage with peppers and onions (lots!) and I added some baked lays for crunch.  Afternoon snack was fruit.

This is where I am SO proud of myself.  I had a Mary Kay meeting.  I had about an hour and a half to kill so I stopped at Wendy’s for dinner.  I resisted the pull of the diet coke! Today is day 2 of nothing but coffee in the morning/water the rest of the day.  SQUEE!! I did plan to treat myself to Starbucks.  I used weekly pp+ for it.  This will be a Monday treat.  Unless I see it getting out of hand.  This was also an unusual Mary Kay meeting in that there were snacks involved.  I had (very few) veggies, a piece of cheese, a homemade date nut bar and a raspberry thumbprint cookie.  I’ve not tracked this yet but it was also come out of my weeklies.

This is what today looked like:

Like I said: Magnificent!!

Until we meet again!

What did you do to make yourself so proud today??

Would you consider your Monday Magnificent?

I can’t believe it is Sunday night already.  I am POSITIVE time accelerates at 5PM on Friday and goes turtle slow come Monday at 8AM!

While Friday wasn’t the best day, I made the best of it.  One of my cousins lost her (VERY young) husband very unexpectedly last Thursday.  Friday evening was his wake and I wanted to spend some time with her so I invited her to lunch on Friday.  We had an enjoyable time for what it was.  Kevin and I them met up with my mom, aunt and grandma to go to the wake and then dinner afterwards.  Again, for what it was, it was and good time spent with family.  I’m grateful for the time we had at lunch, and then with my family for dinner.  Memories were made, that’s for sure! Below is Kevin and My Aunt Laura and the crazy pictures I send my family when I take a potty break.

Kevin and Aunt Laura

Dee’s Funny Face

I have definitely decided to not move forward with the VSG.  The risk is just too great for me.  I’m not willing to take a chance that something will not go wrong given all of my current gastric issues.  So… Saturday morning, Kevin and I got up to run some errands and this was our first!!

Weight Watchers (obvs!!)

I went to join Weight Watchers.  Hopefully for the final time.  I did ask and they do not keep track of how many times a person joins/rejoins.  Good thing! Unless they give a prize for the most because I’d definitely win!

This morning I woke up with healthy food and a great attitude.  I think.  You’ll have to ask Kevin about the attitude part.  He did say at one time he was signing me up for a Weight Watchers Tune-Up so my energy would increase! He thinks he’s so funny!!

Anywho… Breakfast was a Honey-wheat Flat Out Wrap with 2 T crunchy peanut butter, a banana, 1 T honey, 12 grams Back to Nature granola. I also had a 3 pp+ cup of coffee. The total for breakfast was 14 pp+.

Fancy Banana Dog

Breakfast was kind of late so while out running a couple of errands, I picked up a Kind bar for 6 pp+.  Also while out, I picked up these vitamins.  Kevin claims he can already tell a difference.  I think it is more in my attitude than in the vitamins actually working already.

Vitamins

Dinner was some Italian sausage on a hotdog bun with mustard, peppers and onions.  I also had a small piece of boudin.  Dinner rang in at 14 pp+.

Sausage and Peppers

 

After dinner I had an apple and orange.  We all know these now are 0 pp+, right??? We are VERY grateful it is better to have a piece of fruit than a processed 100 calorie snack pack!

I do plan to have a WW Smoothie and 1/2 of a sugar free lemon pie I bought yesterday at the grocery store.  This will be 8 pp+ and will put me at -1 for the day.  This I can live with.  I’ve also downed 80 oz of water so far.  I am reaching for 100 oz daily.

I am tracking my goals as you see below on my phone… I’m tracking blogging because when I blog, I do well.  I may (will definitely!) not blog every day, but I’m going to aim for 5 times per week.  That should keep me on track.  I’m doing all of this as well as tracking all of my eats in e-tools.

Blogging Streak Tracker

Bringing lunch to work streak tracker

Exercise Streak tracker

No Soda streak tracker

Water Streak Tracker

Water Log

I can’t wait to see what the scale says next Saturday!!

Until we meet again!

I had a doctors appointment today.  I have (had) made up my mind to have a vertical sleeve gastrectomy.  So many people have been having it at my place of employment and have been looking fierce! And healthy! That’s a big one for me!  I’d rather be healthy looking and fat than skinny and look like death.

Anywho. I went to the seminar.  Had a visit with the patient advocate. Scheduled all of my appointments/classes/etc.  Today was my 1st visit with the surgeon I’d chosen.  I picked him because 1- he is the director of bariatrics, 2- I have heard some WONDERFUL things about him.  Let me start by saying I absolutely fell in LOVE with him almost immediately.  He didn’t beat around the bush or pull any punches.  Moral of the story, this may not be an option for me.  I have a severe hiatal hernia. Repairing that would be the first step.  He then said he would decide (while his hands are inside my abdomen!!) if the sleeve would be too risky or not. Moral of the story is, I could pay all of this $$ and then not even have the VSG, he could decide it would be too risky, repair the hernia and I could have complications, or worst case scenario, he could decide the VSG would work, do it, and I could have a bajillion complications. Of course, he could do the repair, the VSG and I could live a long healthy life with no complications whatsoever as a supermodel. I am not normally a glass half empty type person.  I’m trying to be realistic and look at ALL angles of this situation.  This is irreversible.  I do NOT want to be the 0.5% who have insane complications.  Right now I’m leaning toward not having any surgery at all.  I have until April 1 to decide for sure as that is the day all of the money is to be paid.  I’m just not sure it is worth it!

I think what I need to do is track my food, eat HEALTHY food, drink water and get off of my sorry behind! Why is it so much easier to type than to do??

Ah! Decisions decisions!

This was my view while waiting for the charming Dr Uchal!

Now what I don’t understand is this little gem? My favorite thing to do in the evening when I get home from work is watch The Young and the Restless. Now the question would be, why does my sorry behind not watch this on the iPad while walking on the tready???

This is my new favorite treat in the evening.  Hot tea! Whodathunkit? I’m a coffee girl through and through.  I got a new spiffy tea kettle and wish to add some dainty tea cups to my cupboard.  Tonight’s cup is Masala Chai with a bit of honey.  Soothes my soul.

Alright.  Imma bout ready to turn in for the night.  I’ve used enough brain power today to light up the entire state of Florida for 6 weeks straight!

Until we meet again!