Congratulations Becky!

Becky got married on Friday July 27th and she looked fabulous for her big day, don't you think? Not only did Becky lose weight working with me as a lifestyle coach, but she also instilled some new healthy lifestyle habits. The big one for Becky was starting to eat breakfast. Becky started as somebody who told me that would never happen to a person that couldn't go without breakfast. This small change made a big difference in Becky's weight. Becky also found that through the lifestyle coaching making healthy choices became more of an automatic decision rather than agony. Things like flakies and french fries began to lose their hold on her. Ordering healthier choices at restaurants became a preference rather than a duty. Becky also started to do meal planning and regular grocery shopping so there were healthy food choices right in her house. Not only did Becky lose weight but she gained a lot of skills to keep it off and stay healthy. Congratulations Becky!!!!

Only 4 sleeps left

Today is my final dress fitting, then I get to take it home! Three walks last week with my Mom - but the weekend was waaay to busy to get to the gym. But we did walk to the restaurant for dinner on Saturday night, instead of taking the car!

One struggle this week will be proper meal planning, with all the running around. I literally have no idea where my meals are going to be coming from, as I don't know where I'll be. With the wedding dress in the closet, I'll be sure to watching what goes in my mouth!

Only 11 sleeps left

I was definitely "emotional" eating this weekend - food went well, balanced meals, but the snacking....there were chips & pepsi everywhere!!! I got it all out of my system and we're down to the final count. Now all I have to do is maintain the weight....no more emotional eating.

If one more person asks if I'm stressed, I'm going to hit them over the head with a block of cheese. I don't physically feel stressed, but obviously this weekend with the snacking....there's a little bit there.....BUT, I don't need to be reminded!

I got up walking this morning for 35 minutes with my Mom. Planning on doing this all week and next. I'm e-mailing my coach once per day with my food intake, and have given her full permission to call me and yell at me if there is something she doesn't like!

One week till the dress fitting, I am so excited to see it without beadwork and hemlines all over the place!! The outfit will finally come together....I just have to fit into it (not that I'm worried)!!!

I am travelling again this week, and will have to watch the eating out - make the healthy decision at meals while at restaurants. I do believe after all the "coaching" this week, and with the wedding deadline coming up in just 18 days - I'll be able to control the urge to eat junk!

I packed my swim suit in hopes of having a pool at my hotel - I'll find out in about an hour when I leave the office. If not, then I'll be going for a walk, as it's finally stopped raining here in Montreal......

Flash Forward almost two months....

It is now just 23 days before my wedding and I sit at 158 pounds. I have had my second dress fitting, and they once again had to take the dress in around the hips/under my arms. With all the bead work in the bodice of the dress - the seamstress was not very happy! But, I had told them in May that I was actively trying to lose weight.

I am three pounds from my goal of 155, but I have been instructed by the dress shop to not try and actively lose weight. My goal for the next three weeks is going to be to maintain the 158 - as when I am stressed, I will eat. Unlike most brides, I will not lose weight because of stress, I'll have to be watching that it doesn't come back on!

I have continued eating breakfast every morning - but it is hard now with the rest of my meals, as I'm staying at different friends houses now before the wedding, as I gave up my apartment at the end of May. That doesn't make for very balanced meals, and something I have to actively watch and plan for. For example, today Sean (my fiance) brought all the items to make a wrap for both of us for lunch - but instead of making it himself this morning, I'll be preparing them at lunch. But....hey, it's better then heading down the street to Wendy's for lunch!

If the last three pounds does come off, then I will be very happy. But I have to admit that all the compliments that I have been receiving from friends, family and coworkers makes me pretty happy with 158!

Putting things into writing....

...makes you realize how bad you're actually eating!

This was a bad weekend for nibbling, but I did actually make it to the gym on Saturday and will be going for a run tonight, as I have to work late.

Baseball season begins....

...I just got the call, and the baseball season has begun. Tuesday night begins a double-header every week of baseball - yipee! More exercise to add to the regime. This week during my call, we discussed accountability - and I'm going to be e-mailing my food log (as we seem to talk about accountability on my part all the time, but now we're doing something about it) to my coach every day. As well, she is going to e-mail me regarding the days I've promised to go to the gym. All in the name of...... 155!!!

It doesn't pay to binge....

So last week was a right off, so much for a Tuesday morning return to the regime! More like a week Tuesday, but now that I'm back on track I'm feeling really good. Exercise hasn't been that great this week, I've been to the gym once and would like to start walking in the morning, now that the weather has finally turned nice.

My binge caused me to go up over 160 pounds again, which irritates me every time I get on the scale. 160 is a big hurdle for me to get over and will be my focus in the next week.

Weekend Binge

So I went away this past weekend for four days to Halifax for our shareholder's weekend - and I ate alot. I have to admit I knew it was going to happen and I really enjoyed myself. But....I was also planning how I was going to return to the new "norm" on Tuesday morning and thought about how much I was going to enjoy it. After having fish and chips for the second time this weekend on Monday, I was already beginning to crave my raw veggies and salad lunches! I started off this morning with my bowl of cereal and then had a balanced lunch - I've been drinking water all day and I actually had a cup of Jasmine Green Tea this moning. Something new I'm incorporating into my diet!! I checked this morning and I gained two pounds while I was away (not bad considering what I ate, but we did a LOT of walking) and this week begins the drive to 155!!

Green Tea & Protein Bars

So I was at Wal-mart last night and finally remembered to buy green tea and protein bars. I'll let you know how I like both in another week after I've tried both!

158.2

This morning I got on the scale and I was 158.2 - let me tell you I'm getting that pedicure and manicure by this weekend. With the beautiful weather this weekend, my toes didn't look that great in sandals!

Tonight is my next spinning class and Wednesday I'm trying a body sculpting class. I'm also getting groceries tonight, with my meal plan in place so I'll know what to cook for the next two weeks.

In addition, I will be adding some working out, at home in the mornings - some push-ups and other exercises to start trimming the "overall" look!

My First Dress Fitting

So I put my wedding dress on for the first time......and it was too big! They had to take it in about 1.5" on either side of my chest and ribs! The ladies in the dress shop were asking what I'd done to lose the weight - and my response was......eat breakfast and exercise!

My dress is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!!! I told the seamstress that I had five more pounds to loose to my goal. She said I could do that before my June dressing fitting - then none after that!!

I am sooooooo happy!

Another great article:

Chicken Nuggets? by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

Admittedly, it doesn’t take much to get my nutritional feathers ruffled.
I’ve seen a lot of things that have made me crazy over the years and
you’ve heard me harp on them—from “healthy” whole wheat donuts to
artificial sweeteners, Olestra and acrylimide. I’ve sang the siren’s song
about good nutrition and what I believe too, to be common sense nutrition.
Why would we drink something, in the name of quenching our thirst, that
looks like toilet bowl cleaner or antifreeze?

Anyway, today I stop singing and start sounding the alarm. We absolutely
must stop the madness that is fast food. We absolutely must stop the
stupidity and the obesity and the rise in degenerative diseases. We are
raising an unhealthy generation because we feed this crap to our kids!
PLEASE STOP!

I know there are attempts at some fast food places to do better. As Oprah
says, “When you know better, you do better.” Well, today you are going to
know better about chicken nuggets, because today, I am going to tell you
all I know about them.

First, McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets contain 38 ingredients. Yes, THIRTY
EIGHT ingredients! Some of those ingredients are things you wouldn’t give
to your DOG. Some of those things, you could use to start a fire. Tertiary
butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) is a derivative of petroleum that is spray on the
nugget or in the box that holds the nugget to keep it fresh. It is a form
of butane, also known as lighter fluid. It is also a suspected
carcinogen—cancer causing agent.

The batter is set in shortening (hydrogenated oils) and in turn, it is
cooked in partially hydrogenated oils at the restaurant. Some of the
additives in there are antifoaming agents, emulsifiers, leavening agents,
preservatives, fillers and binders. Sounds yummy, doesn’t it? Something
you’d want to feed your kids?

The nuggets themselves contain 53% chicken. You wanna know what that 53%
chicken is? I promise you it isn’t nice white chicken breasts! If you find
those nuggets spongy and watery it’s because the chicken meat and skin is
ground into a slurry, binders and fillers are added, plus lots of water,
then formed into neat little nuggets.

I don’t know about you, but I’m ILL. Why do we manufacture stuff like this
and then call it food? Where’s the value in it?

Please, for the children’s sake and for your own health’s sake, let’s stop
this craziness with the food. It’s time to get back to basics and only eat
food that is 100% identifiable. If you don’t know exactly what went into
what you’re eating, you’re making a mistake. Our bodies do not need to
contend with more pollution than what is already in our environment.

For the upcoming week....

So I have discovered spinning classes - I am not a sweat"er" (i.e., a person who sweats profusely), but let me tell you it is dripping of me once I'm done one of these one hour classes! I am still struggling to get below 160 - currently at 161 and decided to change up the fitness abit, to see if that will be get me to my next goal!

I have a few goals for this week, and they are as follows:
- try to make it to two spinning classes and once weight training
- buy some jasmine green tea - to try and cut out the pop intake, great idea to make the jasmine green tea, cool it down and then add some honey/lemon to make iced tea
- I'm going to do some more meal planning this weekend - Sean was sick this week and I was travelling, so there is still a lot of groceries to eat up this week
- in anticipation of spring arriving some time soon, I'm going to look into local dog parks this weekend, that we can take Tonka to and let him run around with us off the leash

Only three days until my first dress fitting - let's see if I can drop that last pound before then!

Meal Planning

One of the things that my lifestyle coaching clients quickly discover is that without meal planning their weight loss goals are close to impossible to achieve. Here is an interesting article I received in a newsletter today that covers off why meal planning is so important.

Know What’s for Dinner! by Leanne Ely, C.N.C.

If you don’t know what’s for dinner today, welcome to the club—it’s a big
one! 90% of America will not know at 4:00 PM today what they will be
serving in just a few hours. Out of that 90%, some will opt for heating up
a frozen pizza or calling the pizza guy for delivery, some will battle the
crowds and snag a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store, others will
choose the drive thru or go out and the last few will try in vain to put
something together with the odds and ends ingredients in their pantries
and fridges. All of these options have STRESS written all over them.

I’m not saying you can’t do any of these things occasionally; it’s just
that when this becomes the way you do dinner, it’s more haphazard, less
nutritious and way more stressful than it needs to be.

The easy button is your pantry and fridge being properly stocked, your
grocery list being filled out and used when you go to the grocery store so
you can keep your pantry and fridge stocked and of course, having a menu
that reflects your week, so you know what days you can cook and what days
you need help (the days you’re schlepping kids to sports, dance, music
lessons, etc.)

Let me define “help”. Help to me comes in the form of my crockpot, a
frozen dinner that I’ve made thawing in the fridge for that night,
leftovers, sandwiches, breakfast for dinner and a last resort, take out or
the pizza guy. The rest of the time, I make dinner and although it rarely
takes me over 30 minutes to make a meal, the other options I just listed
take half that time and really save me on the busiest nights.

It is just as simple as I’ve outlined it. The very first place to start is
with a menu that reflects your needs, a grocery list to reflect the menu
and a trip to the grocery store!

Today is the day you turn from the world of fast food and repent! Become a
convert…a crock pot convert that is. Use this wonderful apparatus
regularly and watch what happens to that face of yours when your kids ask,
“What’s for dinner?” You will smile because you have an answer! Here is a
great crock pot dinner you will love, and so will the rest of your family!

Crock Moroccan Chicken and Veggies
Serves 6

4 skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 (16 ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) diced tomatoes
1 small red bell pepper, de-ribbed, seeded, cut into 1 inch squares
1 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons water
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 teaspoons instant chicken bouillon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons peanut butter
Hot cooked couscous or brown rice

Place garbanzo beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, raisins, tomato paste,
water, garlic, chicken bouillon and cumin in 5 quart slow cooker. Mix
until well combined.

Place chicken pieces on top of bean mixture. Cover and cook on low heat
setting 6-7 hours, or until chicken is tender.

Before serving, stir in peanut butter. Serve over couscous or brown rice.

Per Serving: 385 Calories; 10g Fat; 27g Protein; 48g Carbohydrate; 9g
Dietary Fiber; 49mg Cholesterol; 670mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain
(Starch); 2 1/2
Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fruit; 1 Fat.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Add a green salad and some whole grain pita bread.

VEGETARIANS: Skip the chicken and add an extra can of garbanzos.

My Wedding Dress is in....

....and I am going for my first fitting on April 16th - that leaves about 2 and a half weeks to reach my goal. Only seven pounds to go! After my talk this morning with my coach, I realized how much the goals are mine and I will be the only one not to make them if I don't make a concentrated effort - thanks for the push off the cliff Doctor! That push, coupled with a date for my first dress fitting has spurred me on - BREAKFAST EVERY DAY THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!

Free Telecourse: Why diets don't work!

I thought I would let some of my friends in blogger land know about a free telecourse that I am holding next week.

Why Diets Don't Work
We don't fail diets, they fail us!


Are you frustrated, discouraged and depressed over trying to lose weight? Do you think why bother? Are the emotional and physical deprivations of diets getting you down? Then you need to join us for a lively and informative phone call where we will discuss why diets are an ineffective means of achieving long term health and weight loss. The problem is not personal will power. Diets are unnatural and unrealistic and present health- threatening restrictions that you should know about.
Date: Tuesday April 3rd, 2007
Time: 8:30 p.m. EST

To take charge of your health and your weight e-mail info@melissawest.com to register for this free phone call.

What's a telecourse?
Instead of having to book a flight, hire a babysitter, find a hotel and schlep through airport security to attend a seminar, you simply dial-in to the teleseminar phone number at the scheduled time. You’ll join your fellow participants and the seminar leader on the phone call. Teleseminars consist of lecture, Q&A, and discussion, all over the phone.

I ate eggs for breakfast

I actually cooked a couple of eggs yesterday for breakfast.....and ate them in an english muffin as a sandwich. Yeahhhhhh....protein for me in the morning, one of my goals achieved! This morning I am enjoying my rye bread and peanut butter..........more protein for me (a trend is starting.....).

As well, on Saturday afternoon/night, we were going out for St. Patrick's Day and I wasn't sure what kind of food I'd be eating at the pubs - so my goal was to make lunch my biggest meal of the day. I actually baked two pieces of chicken around lunch on Saturday and ate one of them with a very large salad, including some chunks of cheese (notice the protein theme again....). The second piece of chicken is in the fridge at work today and will be put on another big salad, along with a of variety nuts (protein again......)!

Tonight I'm heading out to the bulk store to find hemp seed nuts and then I'm going to pick up some chickpeas - all additional sources of protein. On my next grocery order I'll be adding brown rice to the mix.

Only 5 weeks till my first wedding dress fitting!!!!!!!!!

Breakfast!!!!!

If there is one thing I have difficulty with it is motivating my lifestyle coaching clients to eat a BIG breakfast. Breakfast should be like any other meal of the day and include whole grains, fruits or veggies, and protein. It is intended to break the fast! Eat up! Get that metabolism going!

Pictured here is an idea for breakfast. It is meusli that you could make the night before and grab on the go in the morning.

Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup organic oats
2 apples
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp. pure maple syrup
1 cup plain yogurt (replace yogurt with soy milk or yogurt of rice milk for a great vegan option)
2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp. sunflower seeds
2 tbsp. sliced almonds
1 cup fresh or frozen berries

1. cook up 1 cup of oatmeal according to directions on the package (avoid using the microwave it at all possible!)

2. Toast the nuts and seeds. Cut the apples into bite sized pieces and cover with lemon juice. Mix all ingredients together and cover and place in the fridge to enjoy for breakfast in the morning.

For extra protein, you could have it with a hard boiled egg, boiled the night before as well!

Winter veggies - ugghhhh!!

So the bean sprouts were a bust - they were already bad by the time I went to use them last night for my chicken stir-fry. The snow peas were really yummy though, and I have the rest to eat raw today with my lunch! I added green/red peppers, carrots and onion to the stir-fry, along with chicken and rice - it all combined to make another tasty meal!