Friday, July 30, 2010

A GREAT MOTIVATOR WHICH HELPS TO KEEP ME LIVING MY PERMANENT HEALTHY LIFESTYLE!!

A great motivator for me to keep living my new healthy lifestyle is simply an old picture of myself that I have on the refrigerator and the same picture at work.  This is a great reminder to myself of how far I've come since may of 2006 when I was at my heaviest weight ever 442 pounds.  When I go to the refrigerator to get something to eat that may not be very healthy I look at the picture and know that I sure don't want to fall back into old unhealthy habits and usually eat something that is healthy instead.  The job that I now have I've been at for 15 months where I do security bike patrols which is great exercise and I get paid to do it as well which is great.  I have the picture in a little nylon bag that is on the back of the bike and if I'm feeling lazy or unmotivated I'll take it out for a moment and that encourages me to keep on going.  It's also a great conversation piece to have when I mention to co-workers that I used to weigh over 400 pounds and they never believe me because ever since I have worked there I have been thin.  I often show them the picture and they can't believe that it's really a picture of me and they have to look real hard to see any similarities of the old me and the new me.  This gives me a great feeling of how far I've come over the past 4 years and keeps me motivated to keep up my permanent healthy lifestyle.  If you are lacking in any motivation then I would suggest that you try this out and see how it works for you by having an old picture of you on the refrigerator or somewhere in the house and also bring an old picture of yourself to work to show your co-workers and prove that with hard work and perseverance anything is possible!!   Have an awesome weekend everyone :)  

Saturday, July 24, 2010

HOW I HAVE MAINTAINED MY 230 POUND WEIGHT LOSS FOR OVER A YEAR NOW.

For 3 years I was on my 230 pound weight loss journey from 442 pounds to 210 pounds.  During this time I  adopted a permanent healthy lifestyle which has helped me in keeping the weight off.  In the past I have lost large amounts of weight but didn't have any clue on how to keep it off permanently.  In the past I pretty much starved myself and exercised for very long periods of time which I could not keep up and eventually gained the weight back plus more which was very discouraging.  This time as I dropped the weight off I developed healthy eating habits and did exercise that I could continue doing permanently which has been a huge reason why I have maintained the weight loss for over a year now.  So it may have taken me a lot longer to lose the weight this time but it's permanent and I now have a healthy lifestyle which feels great!!  I would highly suggest for anyone that is trying to lose weight permanently to take it slow, develop healthy eating habits, and exercise at a rate that can be maintained for the rest of your life. This has really helped me out and I'm sure it will help you as well on your weight loss journey and adopting a permanent healthy lifestyle.  Have a great and very healthy weekend everyone!!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

HERE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW I GOT BACK ON THE WAGON TODAY!!!

So I fell off the wagon for a few days which I do every now and then but this has been a good learning experience.  I was feeling pretty tired an unmotivated from not eating or exercising like I know that I should.  This morning as I woke up I knew that I wanted and needed to get back on track so instead of hanging around the house before work this is what I did which really helped me out.  I had a healthy breakfast of 2 Jimmy Dean turkey sausage patties and toasted a whole grain sandwich thin for a tasty breakfast sandwich.  I also had a protein shake which I have on days that I go to the gym.  I then left the house and went bowling for 3 games which is fun and a little bit of exercise.  Then I went to the gym and did my wednesday full body workout which took me about 90 minutes and I really started to feel much better.  After that I went to the beach which is a 20 minute drive from the gym and walked around for 1 hour.  After doing this I really felt great and didn't have any urges to eat anything unhealthy.  I then went home and got ready for work, had some taco soup and another protein shake, and packed my dinner and snacks for work with healthy food.  This evening at work I have not had any bad unhealthy food urges like I've had for the past several days and got back on track which feels really good. I ate a healthy dinner at work with some fruit for snacks and also hasd quite a bit of water.  I believe that the reason that I fell off the wagon was because I had my schedule changed for the week and the stress of doing the supervisor duties lead me to make unhealthy food choices. So if you have fallen off the wagon recently or if you do in the future then here is what I have done today which has helped to get myself back on the wagon.

Monday, July 19, 2010

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!! TRY THESE DELICIOUS RECIPES!!

Today I thought that I would post some great tasting and very healthy recipes that I really enjoy and I'm sure that you will as well.


Taco Soup

Brown 1 LB Ground Turkey and a large onion.
Drain and place in a large soup pot.

Add the following ingredients.

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch Mix
1 package Taco Mix
1 can Pinto Beans un-drained
1 can Caribbean Spice Black Beans un-drained
1 can Whole Corn un-drained
1 can Mexican Tomatoes un-drained
1 can Stewed Tomatoes un-drained

Simmer for 1 hour
2 WW Points Per Cup

"ENJOY"



PUMPKIN MUFFINS

1 Box of Spice Cake mix
1 can of Pumpkin
1/2 Cup of Egg Beaters

Mix together and place in muffin tin sprayed with PAM spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 17 minutes
Makes about 18 muffins

"These are awesome right out of the oven"
"For an extra special treat top with Fat Free Whipped Cream"

1 WW Points Per Muffin

COWBOY STEW

2 bags Morning Star Crumbles
1 TB Minced Garlic
1 Large Can and 1 Small Can of Low Sodium Kidney Beans
1 Large Can and 1 Small can of Diced Mexican Tomatoes
3 bags of Mixed frozen Vegetables (your choice)
1 TB Ground Cumin
1 TB Chili Powder

In a Large Stockpot on medium heat cook Garlic and Crumbles until heated.
Stir in 1/2 TB of Cumin and 1/2 TB of Chili Powder
Stir in Kidney Beans with liquid
Stir in Diced Tomatoes
Add remaining 1/2 TB of Cumin and 1/2 TB of Chili Powder
Stir in one bag at a time of Frozen Vegetables.
Cover and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

*You can substitute 1 1/2 LB Ground Turkey instead of Morning Star Crumbles*
*Use more or less Cumin and Chili Powder depending on how spicy you like it*
*Mix and match your vegetables*

*Serve in 2 cup servings*
*Makes about 10 servings*

2 WW Points Per Cup

PUMPKIN PUDDING

1 Small Package Sugar Free Vanilla or Butterscotch Instant Pudding
1 Cup Canned Pumpkin (not mix)
2 Cup Skim or 1% Milk
1/4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix together and refrigerate

Serving Size 1 Cup

*Tastes just like Pumpkin Pie*



PUMPKIN MOUSSE

1 Cup Pumpkin
1 Cup of Cool Whip
1 Package of Fat Free Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate

*Makes 4 servings*

HAVE A GREAT AND VERY HEALTHY WEEK!!!

Friday, July 16, 2010

WHO HAS INSPIRED YOU THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE?

When I was younger their were several people that I considered to be huge inspirations in my life.  As I now look back after losing 230 pounds and keeping it off for over one year, I have realized who my one and only true inspiration really is.  One day many many years ago I received a phone call from my favorite musician in the world Mike Muir.  As soon as I answered the phone and he started talking to me I told him that he was my inspiration and that was when I heard the greatest advice that I had ever received.  He simply told me that we inspire ourselves and then we continued on with our conversation.  I never really understood what he meant until years later and many failed diet attempts where I had lost and gained massive amounts of weight.  In May of 2006 I weighed 442 pounds and was starting to have serious medical problems due to being as the Dr's called it severe morbidly obese.  That was when I remembered what Mike Muir said to me that we inspire ourselves.  I looked in the mirror one day completely devastated by what I looked and felt like and knew that no one but me was going to inspire myself to adopt a permanent healthy lifestyle.  That was when I began my incredible weight loss journey and knew that I was going to be successful and change my life for the better.  I began by making small goals of losing 5 pounds at a time and over three years I eventually lost all the weight because I believed in myself and was my own inspiration and still am to this day.  So for those of you out there that are struggling then I would tell you that you have to believe in yourself and be your own inspiration and absolutely anything is possible!!!       

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

HOW MUCH WATER SHOULD WE DRINK ON A DAILY BASIS?

Lately I have had quite a few people asking myself how much water that I drink on a daily basis.  During the winter, spring, and fall seasons I work very hard at getting 60 to 80 ounces of water in each day.  It's tough in these months because the weather is not very warm outside and what I do is drink at least 3 bottles of water each day even if I don't feel really thirsty.  This has many health benefits as well, one of which is detoxing our bodies.  I exercise every day so it may be a bit easier for me but I would highly suggest to get in the 60 to 80 ounces of water during these seasons.  In the summer months it seems much easier at least to me because I work outside and always have water with me because I get thirsty quite often during the day.  In the summer I get in at least a gallon of water each day.  When I workout all year long I drink an extra bottle of water and a 32 ounce low calorie gatoraid which helps to keep me hydrated throughout my workout.  So I would suggest for you all to get in between 60 to 80 ounces of water in the winter, fall, and spring seasons.  In the summer I would for highly suggest that you get in a gallon of water a day to keep you hydrated and feeling great all day long.  Also if you go to the gym then I would suggest that on those days for you to drink about 50 more ounces of fluids to keep you hydrated.  I hope this helps you out on how much water that you should drink on a daily basis which has helped me on my 230 pound weight loss journey.  It also would be a great idea for everyone to see your Dr. to see what he or she says about how much fluids you should have on a daily basis.

Monday, July 12, 2010

BE PREPARED FOR THE UPCOMING DAY!!!

Hello everyone I hope you all had a very healthy and enjoyable weekend!!   I have been planning my daily meals for several years now which makes it much easier to make healthy choices for everything that I eat while I'm not at home.  I always make sure that I have a dinner planned as well so I don't have any temptation to grab something on the way home which is more than likely unhealthy.  Before I go to bed at night I get out all of my food and beverages for breakfast, lunch, and snacks that keep me going throughout the day.  I put this food, snacks and beverages in a plastic grocery bag and place it in the refrigerator before going to bed.  When I wake up the next morning and am ready for work I get the bag out of the refrigerator and have my breakfast that I have all ready to eat.  After I have breakfast I then get out my lunch bag and put the rest of my food inside of it from the refrigerator along with an icepack which keeps everything cool for the entire day.  By doing this it makes it very simple for me to make healthy choices while I'm at work since I bring all of my food and snacks with.  This also saves a lot of time and money since I don't go out to eat on any of my  breaks.  Here is an example of what I did just a little while ago to prepare for what I'll be eating tomorrow.  I grabbed a plastic grocery bag which I always keep in my pantry and put the following items in for tomorrow.  For breakfast I put one sandwich thin and one turkey sausage patty inside the bag which I will warm up and eat at home before leaving for the day.  I also put a 2 cup container of cowboy stew, 1 cup of blackberries in a small ziplock bag, 2 fat free yoplait yogurts, 1 sugar free applesauce cup, 1 fat free pudding cup, 1 oats and chocolate fiber one bar, one small bag of baby carrots, and 2 bottles of water and a low calorie gatoraid  to keep me hydrated throughout the day.  I hope this easy tip can help you out on your weight loss journey  which has been a huge part of my success in dropping 230 pounds and keeping it off.

Friday, July 9, 2010

ARE YOU OBSESSED WITH HOW MUCH YOU WEIGH ON A DAILY BASIS?

When I started on my weight loss journey 4 years ago I was constantly weighing myself on the scale to see if I had lost any weight during the day.  I was becoming obsessed with how much I weighed every day and knew that I had to do something about this.  What I finally did after several months was throw away my scale and only weighed in once a week at my weekly meetings.  This helped me out tremendously because I was no longer obsessed with how much I weighed on a daily basis.  I also looked forward to weighing in once a week to see how much weight I had lost for the week instead of already knowing because I weighed myself constantly. What I also learned from this during my weight loss journey was that if I ate healthy, exercised, drank plenty of water, and most importantly stayed positive on a daily basis then the weight would come off even if I only weighed in once a week.  So if you are constantly weighing yourself on a daily basis like I had been doing at the start of my weight loss journey then I would highly suggest that you ditch the scale and concentrate more on adopting a healthy lifestyle!!

Monday, July 5, 2010

A FEW DINNER SUGGESTIONS TO TRY OUT WHICH HAVE HELPED ME ON MY WEIGHT LOSS JOURNEY!!

I have always enjoyed mexican food and A meal that I really enjoy having are tacos.  I use ground turkey because it's much healthier than eating ground beef and I really enjoy the taste of turkey with some seasonings to spice it up. When I do eat ground beef now it just tastes really greasy and I do not enjoy the taste like I did for most of my life. For the turkey tacos I cook about one pound of ground turkey in a skillet on the stove and spray pam on the bottom instead of using oil to cook the meat in.  I also warm up fat free refried beans in the microwave and cut up tomatoes, lettuce, and onions for the tacos.  I use fat free shredded cheese, fat free sour cream, and hot sauce fot the tacos which makes for a great dinner. I warm up corn tortillas or whole wheat tortillas in the microwave when all the food is on the table and ready to eat which are much healthier than eating flour tortillas. I usually have about three tacos which satifies me for the evening.

Another meal that I really enjoy for dinner are turkey burger sliders.  I use the mini whole wheat buns with mustard, ketchup, onions, and tomatoes.  I usually have three of them because they are small, one serving of tator tots and a glass of fat free milk. One serving of tator tats can be found on the nutritional information on the back of the bag and so I just warm up however many are one serving in the oven.  I cook the turkey burgers on the barbecue, my george foreman grill, or in a skillet using Pam spray instead of oil so it's much healthier.  This is an excellent meal that fills me up and is a great change of pace.  I have learned along my journey to try my best not to have the same meals all the time.  By doing this I don't get bored from eating the same food and meals all the time.


Turkey burgers, french fries, chicken flavored rice, and a vegetable like green beans or corn is a dinner that I enjoy and is very filling which keeps me satisfied until the next day.  I cook the turkey burgers on the barbecue, my george foreman grill, or in a skillet using Pam spray instead of oil so it's much healthier. The french fries are warmed up in the oven on a cooking tray instead of in a skillet.  I cook the rice in the microwave which takes about 20 minutes in a glass container. The vegetables are also warmed up in the microwave which usually only takes a few minutes. I will usually have one turkey burger on a whole wheat bun, one serving of french fries, one serving of chicken flavored rice, and one serving of green beans or corn with a small glass of fat free milk.  I do have french fries or tator tots on occasion but what I do is look on the back of the bag where the nutritional information is to see how many french fries or tator tots are in one serving and I have that many for dinner. The reason that I have french fries or tator tots is because this is a lifestyle change and not just another diet which we all know don't always work. What has really helped me out a lot is that I don't feel deprived from not being able to eat food that I enjoy.