Day 6: Accelerate

Honesty is the best policy, right? I can't tell you how badly I wanted to lie and tell you that everything I did and ate yesterday was perfect. It wasn't. Confession: I had a slice of zucchini bread. Don't ask my why I can't JUST SAY NO to the baked goods. Social gatherings are killing me. I am seriously reevaluating my schedule and going to try and do less. I can't worry about other people, I have to stay focused and keep my eye on the prize. Right, Jordan?

While I was disappointed that I did not stay right on plan and that I went over my weight watcher points by 5 I am still proud of my accomplishments. Compared to what I would of ate at a social gathering in the past, I did great! I also earned 40 activity points this week and have not used any of my flex points. This does not get me off the hook though. I didn't not drink enough water yesterday and I didn't fit in any exercise. Today I am vowing to 45 minutes on the treadmill to burn off my zucchini bread. I am not going to get too upset. I am just going to go eat my egg and smoothie and do good today. Tomorrow I have a weigh in and I want to see 4-5 pounds lost! I am officially 100% on plan with the 17 day plan...NOW!

Also..last night I tried to recreate an image, too bad I didn't have someone snap a picture. About 5 years ago I got down to 182 pounds and thought I was looking pretty good. I have a picture of me in a tank top and weight pants and I had it posted on my fridge as a goal photo. I thought I looked great at that time. Well, last night I put the exact same outfit on, put my make up on and tried to even do my hair similar to that photo (it is shorter now though). The shirt fit great and my pants were super baggy. I showed the pic to a few people and they all agreed that I looked skinnier now. I remember thinking that if I ever just got to that goal, I would be looking pretty good. Guess it's time to find a new picture :)

Breakfast

Egg with Salsa

Snack

1 slice zucchini bread

Lunch

Meatloaf

Dinner

Low carb pinwheels

Raw vegetables w/hummus

Whole grain chips & black bean/corn salsa

Total WW Points for today was 34

RECIPES

Low Carb Pinwheels

6 WW Points per tortilla which is about 6-8 pinwheels

Mission Carb balance soft taco tortillas

8 oz 1/3 fat cream cheese

4 TBSP light sour cream

1 packet of hidden valley ranch dry

Spinach leaves

Healthy Choice low sodium turkey lunch meat

Mix cream cheese, sour cream and ranch packet. Spread on tortillas and layer spinach on half of the cream cheese. Lay 2-3 thin turkey slices on top of the spinach. Roll and refrigerate for at least one hour. Slice tortillas into 6-8 pinwheel sandwiches.

Day 5: Accelerate

I am not sure if today was a success or failure? It was definitely a success compared to my typical dinner party but kind of a failure when it comes to the 17 day plan. I was super busy this morning that I didn't eat enough and then tonight I had a few things I shouldn't have. Here is the break down. For my dinner party I served scalloped potatoes and homemade french bread and I totally abstained, this is a plus! My meatloaf does have some oatmeal in it so that had a few carbs and the tomato sauce. My neighbor brought broccoli cauliflower salad but I know the dressing had some sugar in it. My biggest boof of the day was eating a cookie. I had one when they were right out of the oven; I just couldn't resist trying one. However, tonight when I served them to my guests, I did not have any. I just enjoyed my cup of coffee.

Not a perfect day but not bad either. I am just going to be good tomorrow and forget about it!

Breakfast

Apple

Lunch

Taco Salad left overs

Snack

Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie (homemade)

Dinner

Meatloaf

Green beans

Broccoli/Cauliflower Salad

After dinner snack

Coffee with FF half & half

Game Plan

Since we have family and friends in town we are hosting dinner tomorrow night and while I am enjoying my way of eating I am not so sure that everyone else would. Also several of the recipes I have never tried before and I hate making a new meal for guests. I prefer making something that I know I am good at. Usually for big groups I make pasta, mexican or a casserole just because it is so easy. As you all know, these are loaded with carbs and not an option. I had originally planned on making sesame fish but not everyone like fish and I am having a pretty big group (9 people). This means I needed a new game plan.

I have been racking my brain about what I could make that I could still enjoy some food but my guests would be happy too. I am also hosting a jewelry party on Friday night and need to supply some appetizers. I am trying to at least make one appetizer I can eat. :)

Plan for tomorrow...Meat, vegetable, potato, salad and homemade french bread. I can't eat the potato or bread but I can fill up on meat, veggies and salad. I am thinking about making meatloaf with extra lean ground beef. My recipe is tasty and low in carbohydrates. I think this will be good with everyone. I'll post recipes and more details tomorrow. Not sure about dessert either. Maybe I'll just do coffee and pull something out of my freezer. I know if I go to the effort to make it, I will want to sample it. Then again, my Kitchen Aid mixer just got here today and I am dying to give it a try.

Any ideas for appetizers? Maybe a veggie tray? So boring. Suggestions please!

Day 4: Accelerate

I am tired today! I don't know if it's due to the diet or just lack of sleep. Our dog coughed all night long last night. I took him to vet this morning and he has bronchitis. Taking him to the vet was not part of my planned day and it resulted in me having a small cheat. I had my smoothie this morning but then took Jack to the vet which took much longer than expected. Then I had to pick up the kids from my friends house and come home. I had my smoothie around 9AM and didn't get home till 1:30 for lunch. On my way to pick up the kids I had 8 animal crackers. Probably won't kill me but it wasn't on plan but seriously I was going to pass out if I didn't eat something.

I came home and the only quick thing I had to eat was my zucchini/broccoli salad, so I had that for my lunch. It wasn't much so even though it is 3:50 I have already planned my dinner and started making it. I am going to eat early tonight; around 4:30. I am going to workout at 5:30 and tonight is cardio/weight lifting circuits and I will need the energy. My friend Maggie from Nashville is meeting me tonight, so I am excited. A lot of times when I get home from working out, I don't feel like I eating so tonight I am going to try eating prior to workout instead of after.

My trainer really likes me to drink liquid protein (shake or glass of milk) post workout. It is not on the plan but as of right now I have only had 14WW points, including dinner and I know that is not enough. I am going to probably have my chocolate milk after my workout because I know that my muscles need to be replenished after a hard workout. Also since I am logging WW points I know that I haven't had much food today and I don't want to go into starvation mode.

Breakfast

Strawberry Smoothie

Snack

8 animal crackers

(this was not on plan but I was so hungry)

Lunch

Zucchini Ribbon/Broccoli Salad

Dinner

Taco Salad

Post Workout snack

1 C chocolate milk

Total WW Points today: 20

RECIPES

Taco Salad

6 WW Points

Lean Ground Turkey

Taco Seasoning

Lettuce

Tomatoes

Onion

Salsa

Fat Free Sour Creamy

Go Greek

The rage right now is Greek yogurt, it is every where! To be honest I am not sure what all the rage is about. Even though I am eating it because it is part of the 17 day plan, I don't really like it. If you have never tried it, it is very tart and a little sour. Kind of tastes like they mixed yogurt and sour cream together. I have tried all the flavors and just couldn't acquire the taste. Yet I don't mind the nonfat, plain greek in my morning smoothies. It still tastes a little tart but I use Truvia (stevia) to sweeten, along with my berries and it is delicious. It would probably be really great with a little pineapple (not on plan). Out of all the brands that I have tried, I prefer the Chobani...but this is just my opinion.

I have been wondering about the health benefits to greek yogurt and so I started reading. What I found is that both American yogurt and Greek yogurt have a lot of the same nutritional benefits. The only big difference is that the greek yogurt packs a little more protein and a few less carbs. It is thicker in consistency because the way that the whey is strained out during the process. Greek yogurty is more expensive; if you are on a budget you can just pick which you like the best!

One thing to be aware of though is sugar. For example, Yoplait yogurt has 27g of sugar in it (more than 5 teaspoons)...you can almost have a soda for that amount. Don't be fooled into thinking that those yummy yoplaits are good for you...they taste like dessert for a reason. Whether you eat american or greek yogurt, try to find a variety that is higher in protein and less in sugar. You can always do the plain and add a little vanilla and truvia to sweeten it up. Yogurt can be a great light treat and give you all those added healthy probiotics. I try to eat it at least once a day for good digestive health.

I also read something very interesting regarding Greek yogurt and the environment; thought I would share for my green friends.

Greek yogurt is not better for the environment than American-style yogurt, for one simple reason: It requires much more milk to make. For American-style yogurt, the ratio of milk to final yogurt product is about 1:1 (sometimes more like 1.3:1, since many manufacturers add in a little bit of condensed skim milk to improve the texture and protein content), while for Greek yogurt it's often as high as 4:1. Considering that dairy farms take quite a toll on the environment and produce a large amount of greenhouse gases (a recent United Nations study found that 3 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions come from milk production, including shipping) the environmental difference between Greek and American yogurt is fairly significant.

There's another problem, too: What to do with the whey that's left over from the Greek yogurt straining process? Rolf Carlson, vice president of sourcing and development at the yogurt manufacturer Stonyfield Farm explained that there are two kinds of whey: Sweet whey can be used as a food additive, but acid whey isn't as useful. Many major yogurt manufacturers give their acid whey to farmers to be used as animal feed or fertilizer, but according to Carlson, farmers must be careful when applying it to cropland, since whey runoff can pollute waterways (PDF). "It can affect the microbiology of the water," says Carlson. Some good news: Both Stonyfield Farm and the Greek yogurt company Chobani told me they are in the process building pricey anaerobic digesters to convert their waste whey into energy to power the factories.

Day 3: Accelerate

I am still feeling good today! I thought my energy would be depleted by now but so far, so good. I guess I have enough fat stores to keep me going. :) I have been really good and have not cheated at all. I am logging everything.

It is 3:15PM and for the first time since I started this diet I am feeling hungry. Not quite sure what to do about it. I am going to workout at 5:30 and hate to go there feeling sluggish. This also means though that we won't be eating until I get home which will be around 7:30. That is the next 4 hours without food. I'm going to try and drink some water but I think I may need a little snack. Hmm. I think I am going to have an apple. You're not supposed to have fruit after 2:30 on this plan but since I am going to workout I think I need the carbs.

Breakfast

Strawberry Smoothie

1 C Coffee

2 TBSP Fat Free 1/2 & 1/2

Snack

String Cheese Stick

Orange

Lunch

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

Left Over Salmon Dijon

Pre-workout Snack

Apple

Dinner

Eggplant Parmesan

7 WW Points

Steamed Ribbon Zucchini w/marinara sauce

Total WW Points was: 25

RECIPES

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

3 WW Points

1 Lg Zucchini sliced thin with vegetable peeler

(steamed or sauteed with garlic, italian seasoning and olive oil spray)

1-2 stalks raw broccoli

1/4 C feta cheese crumbled

1/2-1 C cherry tomatoes

1/8 C Zesty Italian Dressing

Eggplant Parmesan

6 WW Points

1 Lg Eggplant

4 Egg whites

1/2 C shredded parmesan

1 bottle marinara sauce <10gr carbs

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut into ¼ inch slices. In a shallow dish, beat egg whites and 4 tablespoons of water until foamy. Dip eggplant slices into egg whites, then into fat-free Parmesan cheese, pressing cheese into eggplant. Place eggplant on prepared baking sheet that has been sprayed with vegetable spray and sprinkle with garlic powder. Spray vegetable cooking spray over eggplant slices. Back 30 minutes at 400 degrees, turning eggplant over after 20 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through. Cover with 1 cup of low-carb marinara sauce. Bake for 20 minutes, or until eggplant is piping hot and sauce is bubbly. Makes 2 very large servings.

Did he say high school?

I have some very close family friends, Peggy & Roy, that are here visiting TN this week. They are some of my grandparents dearest friends and were our neighbors for years when we lived in California. I grew up with their daughters and one of them, Tracy Sise, was a blog award winner. I have literally known these people since I was born and think of them like a second set of parents. While growing up if my grandparents were ever out of town, I stayed with them. I knew where their hide-a-key was and their house was like my second home.

Today my grandparents and them were headed to the lake and it was so hot that I quickly found a babysitter for the baby, then got Hudson and I packed for a day of swimming. Even after all of my weight loss I still hate wearing a swim suit in front of people so I was kind of dreading it. I had seen them in March right after I had Reese and I had seen them last October when Tracy was visiting but it had been about 9 months. As you all know that past 9 months have been pretty slow when it comes to weight loss but I have continued to lose.

Well, today was a good day. As soon as I saw Peggy & Roy they both just kept saying "Wow!" and commenting on how great I looked and how much weight I had lost. This was just what I needed. At one time, Roy even said that he thought I looked like I did when I was in high school and how he couldn't believe how much weight I had lost in my face. Did he say high school? He obviously doesn't remember exactly what I looked like in high school...but hey...I'll TAKE it!

It felt really really good today and it is keeping me going! They are all coming over for dinner on Thursday so I am excited to put on a cute outfit and get fixed up. I guess that even though I don't notice all the small changes, other people can. It just got me that more excited to lose the 20 pounds by labor day. I am really excited to show every one the product of all my hard work. I know that I am no super model but 100 pounds is a lot and I love that every day I am feeling better about my body and more confident.

Can't wait to say hello to 150! Here I come! :)

Day 2: Accelerate

Today was a little bit challenging because around 10AM my grandparents invited us to go out on the boat. It was too early to eat lunch and it is really hard to pack a hot meal on the boat. I just filled up my Nalgene bottle with water and packed a couple pieces of string cheese and an apple. My grandpa had some salami and I had two small slices. This was not on the plan but I know that it wasn't many calories and it was no carbohydrate. I also spent a lot of time in the water, playing with Hudson and treading water. Not a huge workout but I at least feel like I got a little exercise. I am still feeling good and have energy. I haven't drank enough water yet but I will get some in tonight. I am hoping to make it to my 6PM workout; we will see how the day turns out.

Breakfast

Blackberry Smoothie

1 C coffee

2 TBSP fat free 1/2 & 1/2

Snack

Apple

2 String Cheese stick

2 pieces of salami

Lunch

Left-over Oven Roasted Chicken

Greenbeans

Dinner

Salmon Dijon

Steamed Brocoli

Total WW Points was: 27

RECIPES

Salmon Dijon

5 WW Points

4-4oz salmon pieces

1 C fat free sour cream

2 tsp dried dill

2 TBSP lemon juice

2 TBSP diced green onion

1.5 TBSP dijon mustard

Coat salmon pieces with sauce and bake until opaque or about 20 minutes.

Day 1: Accelerate

Well I feel pretty good so far. It is 5PM and I am getting ready to prep for dinner. I have not felt hungry at all but I have felt deprived. Since it is so restrictive; while I haven't been hungry my brain knows that something is wrong. I have had plenty of energy but we will see how that goes. Last night before we left the restaurant our waiter brought us a special gift from the chef to bring home. Every time I open the fridge it is staring at me but I am being strong. Travis said that he would eat it or take it to work. It is huge! I bet it is 4inches square.

Below is my menu for the day and then I posted the recipes to any foods that weren't obvious. We have continued to the stain some projects in our backyard so I definitely had my 64oz of water intake...it is hot outside. Hopefully I sweat some pounds off. Starting weight today is 170. I am very excited to weigh in next week. While I know that some of it will be water, I think having a good loss should keep me nice and motivated.

Breakfast

1 C coffee w/FF half & half

1/2 Strawberry Smoothie

1 egg scrambled

1 TBSP salsa

Snack

Apple

Lunch

Greek Salad

Snack

1oz String Cheese

Dinner

Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken

(this was really quite tasty)

Green beans w/season salt, onion & 1 TBSP butter

Total WW Points was: 24

RECIPES

Strawberry Smoothie

4 WW Points for full recipe

1 C sliced strawberries

1/2 C non fat plain greek yogurt

1 tsp truvia (stevia)

1/3 C milk

1/2 C ice cubes

Greek Salad

5 WW Points

1 C Spring Mix

3-4 brocolli florets chopped

1/4 cucumber

1-2 TBSP feta cheese crumbled

2 oz turkey

2 TBSP Kraft zesty italian dressing

Oven Roasted BBQ Chicken

9 WW Points

2 chicken breasts

1/2 C Ketchup (no high fructose corn syrup)

1 tsp chili powder

1 TBSP worcestershire sauce

1 TBSP agave nectar