Diva On A Diet

The Dreaded New Years FAT Pic

2012-01-02T19:15:00.000-08:00

You've been there. The night when you go out, and you feel very sexy, thin, beautiful, and fly ONLY to look at the pictures and see a fat chic!!! WHO IS THIS FAT TUMMY FAT FACE WOMAN??? I don;t even recognize myself...but it's new years and I am veryyy good at sticking with my new years resolutions. OK so I took pics for new years and this is what I look like for new years night.

Look at my fat face, my tummy, my big cheeks, and I REFUSE to post my full frame. You will have to wait on the confidence booster for that, girlys!

I'm still pretty and I still feel gorgeous, but I am now 220lbs!!! OMGGGG!!!

Well, fret no more ladies. I am here despite the weight, and what better time to lose it than NEW YEARS!!! LETS GET IT!!!

I've went and bought a lot of organic foods ($600 worth), I got my hair braided so that I can work out and wash my braids without worrying about styling my hair every day. I went and bought work out clothes and I even brought my elliptical in the house from the garage. I am ready!!! I need to hear that I look dramatically different again. Heres what my face looked like when I was 179

So I wanna get back here, where I felt beautiful and sexy! I am on my way. YAY!!

My Ideal Size!!!

2010-08-12T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Ladies, this is me in late 2006 ---early 2007 - AKA - post baby making season! Before having 2 kids, this is how I looked (167 lbs). I never worried about my weight back then. Back then, I was carefree, pounds free, and pretty healthy. I weighed 167 on this photo. After I started having kids and getting pregnant at the end of 2007, thats when the full photos came to a halt! I was browsing through my pictures and I noticed that I don't have any pictures of me from head to toe! Subliminally, did I realize that I was fat and avoided taking such shots of myself? It certainly wasn't my intention to have primarily face shots of myself.
Anyhow, this is my goal as of now. I am aiming to get back into this marvelous figure at 165 lbs, and from there, we will see how it goes. Right now, I am 40 lbs away from that goal. WOW!!

Todays Lunch

2010-08-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Now, before you decide to approach a healthy lifestyle, make sure you don't eliminate any food groups since nutrition is the key to a healthy weight loss plan. For example, low carb fads are not realistic as far as long term. It works great but its too restrictive in my opinion. I'm not throwing shade to anyone who chooses to go that route, I'm just simply stating its not for me.

My plan includes every food group out there, except in portion control and moderation. The ever so popular Lean Cuisine Meals have become a staple in my kitchen. They are rather tasty, nutritious, perfectly portioned and reasonably priced. This particular meal includes White meat chicken with bowtie pasta, asparagus,broccoli and carrots in a creamy garlic parmesan sauce. SOOO GOOD! You have to try this. Its filling, eye pleasing, and it does what its supposed to do. IT HELPS ME LOSE WEIGHT! Lean Cuisine has lots of healthy options to choose from on their site. Go and check them out:)

My Weigh in video compillation

2010-08-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

I woke up on the morning of Sunday, August 1st 2010 feeling defeated, fat, bloated, and sluggish. I rolled out of bed and said "I've got to do something about this weight" so I saw the camera on my way to the bathroom and immediately thought "I guess I'll record my weight" and boy was I in for a surprise. I took a guesstimate and to my recollection, I thought I would weigh about 200 but BOY was I wrong. Watch the video to see my initial weight as well as my follow up weight. This video includes a 12 day weight loss journey and although I haven't started to document my journey in terms of writing or showing you what I eat, this is a start and I intend on doing that from this day forth. Weight loss community, here I come!

I'm back!!

2010-05-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

My newborn baby:)
I had the baby, you guys and I also gain upwards of over 60 lbs! I got up to 240 during pregnancy and at delivery. The baby is 6 weeks old and I am stalled at 213 lbs and I have the biggest gut I've ever seen on my frame. I am not very happy with my body right now and I've been craving sweet stuff such as cookies, candy bars, sodas and caramel coffee.
The baby is named Jocelyn and she was 7 lbs 2 oz. She is such a doll baby and eats so much! Now that she is sleeping through the night, I figure that I can finally start my journey on my diet and get this weight off me. I am excited to get started. I hope you guys will embark on this with me and hopefully I won't get pregnant again in the process.

Can I safely maintain/lose weight while pregnant

2009-07-28T17:14:00.000-07:00

I went to the doctor and they gave me some harsh but encouraging information in regards to my weight. As you know, I am clinically overweight. My BMI (body mass index) for a 5 ft 7 and 179 lb woman is considered to be overweight. Thank God I am no longer in the obese rankings. They say I am a 28.

Underweight = <18.5
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

With that said, my doctor told me I can safely continue on my weight loss journey by walking briskly after meals, eating a diet consisting of healthy foods, avoid high fat foods, and I can even go to the gym. He expects me to gain only 14 lbs through out my pregnancy which is fine with me. That would mean I will safely carry a baby and deliver at a weight of 193 lbs which is what I will aim for. I am going to continue to go to the gym, he said I can safely consume 2150 calories daily for my baby and we both will be fine. I am happy to know this because putting on too much "baby weight" for someone whose already overweight is not healthy for myself or the baby. I will keep you guys updated. My due date is March 18th and after I have the baby, I will immediately continue on my weight loss journey:)

OMG! Guess what I just found out!!

2009-07-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

After all of this dieting, eating right, watching calories, drinking protein shakes and being active - I have found out the most happiest but indifferent news of all time! I am not sure if I am happy or sad or what, but I am pregnant! Yes, I took 6 pregnancy tests. I took 5 at home and one at the doctors office and I turned up pregnant. My husband and I have been sooo careful so I dont know how that happened.
Don't fret, everyone. Pregnant women can still pursue healthy lifestyles so I will continue on my weight loss venture. O gosh, not another one... LOL. My baby is only 13 months so another one so close will certainly be a task for me. Wish me luck!
By the way in case you're wondering, the pic is of me with my first baby. My stomach isn't that big yet ha ha!

HIDDEN SUGAR affects weight loss!!

2009-07-11T22:12:00.001-07:00

Have you ever thought of how to convert grams of sugar listed on labels to teaspoons or tablespoons of sugar?

Well I have the answer! One teaspoon of granulated white sugar is equal to about 4.2 grams. If you are buying a bottle of flavored water with 44 grams of sugar, you would divide 44 by 4.2 which is equal to 10 teaspoons of sugar. Disgusting, huh? Did you know that sugar which is not burnt off with daily exercise will just turn into fat as stored energy? Hardly anything we want to happen to our bodies! I advise you to keep your sugar intake as low as possible, read those labels, and don't be fooled by manufacturers who state "low fat" or "low sodium" because when they lower one thing, surely enough, they higher something else.

High Blood Pressure in Black Women

2009-07-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

They call it the silent killer. High blood pressure can cause a host of issues if left untreated. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure a few months ago and since then, I have been on a drug called hydrochlorothiazide, also called HCTZ 25mg (a diuretic). I take 1 pill a day. They say my blood pressure is not high enough to put me on something a little more powerful. The average American woman's blood pressure is 120/80 but prior to taking meds, mine was in the 145/95 range. Not dangerously high, but high enough to cause concern.
My doctor said the HCTZ will rid me of water weight. Thats the drugs primary function. When the water drains out through my kidneys, it will also flush the salt along with it. The results will be a lower blood pressure. Well, I have taken the drug for a month now, and my blood pressure has went down to 130/90 which is awesome.
Now, you are asking yourself, how does this post relate to weight loss. Well, HCTZ has been known to slow down weight loss. The drug does rid you of water weight which is every PMS'ing woman's dream, however, the drug also spikes your blood sugar! High blood sugar means that you are going to be hungry not long after you eat because your body processes the food so fast... which will cause weight gain and possible insulin resistance.
So, what should I do. Should I look to western medicine to rid me of my high blood pressure, or should I do it the natural and safe way. That would be proper diet and excercise. I have been eating proper for the past 7 months, but I was eating salt along with my foods. We will see how this goes with the salt free diet and the diuretic prescribed medication. So far, so good but the fact that my blood sugar is at risk worries me. I am going to get my blood sugar checked next week and tell you guys my numbers.

How to lose belly fat

2009-07-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

Tired of that fat sitting around your waist? Tired of doing crunches to no avail. 1000 crunches will give you the same results as 100 crunches, so just quit it - it is a hopeless venture. I will reveal the secret on how to get rid of belly fat once and for all!
Now, most of us do not know this. Our bodies choose to store fat in our bellies because its lots of space there and its convenient for our bodies to store it there. Our bodies say "Gee, look at all that space, lets put the cheeseburger and fries RIGHT there on his/her tummy after it digests"! VOILA, there goes your belly fat, stored up to live happily ever after (not unless a famine comes along).
Well, when we venture on our weight loss quest, we intend to lose body fat, right. Well, you do - just in the places you wish would go last and not first. For instance, when I started to lose weight, my legs were the first to go. I still had the belly fat, and I looked like a chicken in the mirror LOL! Every pound of fat you lose from the belly, it takes fat from another part of the body and stores it in your tummy (again, prepping for the famine). This means you have excess fat, which is why you are partaking in the weight loss efforts in the first place! Don't you wish you could sit down and have a nice long conversation with your body and make it do what you want it to do?
Unfortunately, we do not have that option, so this is what you have to do:

Eat more often, a minimum of 6 short meals a day.
Have a portion of lean protein in every meal. This could be a protein shake, chicken breast etc...
Eat a high calorie breakfast (but lowfat), and dinner like a toddler.
Always eat your green vegetables, and get lots of fiber in your diet.
Try to have a glass of green tea after every meal. This helps control your hunger.
Drink plenty of water a day, theres no getting around it!
Keep sugar levels low. Don't keep them too low because you need sugar in your system to keep us active.
NEVER STARVE YOURSELF, eat 6x a day no matter what! If you starve yourself, that triggers fasting inside your delicate system, and the body stores more fat instead of burning it (again, prepping for the famine - the body is an amazing vessel)
Here is the part we hate to hear. Burn fat all over your body with excercise. Try some resistance training with weights. If you burn fat all over, fat can not survive in our bellies for too long. At first, you will not see results but when you do, pat yourself on the back and be proud of what you have achieved! Remember to stay at it. It will be worth it in the end!

I know all of this sounds simple, but when you try to commit to following these simple steps, you fall short after the first few days. If you need help and support, feel free to email me at divaonadiet79@gmail.com and I will give you encouragement and guidance for FREE!

Youtube takedown

2009-07-07T12:52:00.000-07:00

I have decided to not vlog anymore on youtube anytime soon. I will continue to blog. Thanks for your support.

Weight Loss PROGRESS!!

2009-07-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

There was a time when I could not fit this shirt. It was back in summer 2007. I distinctly remember one day getting ready to go out to eat brunch with my husband and crying in the closet because I couldn't find anything to wear/fit. I remember trying on this shirt and even though it is stretchable cotton, I had stretched the characters on the shirt so much that you couldn't understand what the shirt said and my fat rolls were showing. It was an overall uncomfortable experience and one I remember very well.
Well, my husband, baby and I went to the beach last weekend for some relaxation, and I had a moment of Deja Vu in the closet after I reached for this shirt. Sometimes we forget how much weight we have truly lost and need to be reminded in our fitting of clothes.
I picked up the shirt, immediately thought 'I can't fit it' and put it back in my drawer. Then, something told me "yes you can" so I put the shirt on and YES!!! I could fit it!
I even had room left over in the shirt and no fat rolls protruded though for the world to see.
My shorts are a size 11/12 from old navy. I ordered them online. When I placed my order a few weeks ago, I subconsciously clicked on size 18/20 and then it hit me - 'chica you lost weight' - so I ordered a 11/12 and after i submitted the order, i smiled to myself. I realized that now, I am on my way to a healthier and happier new me. I love it!

BERRIES!!

2009-07-03T16:52:00.000-07:00

According to raw food extraordinaire David Wolfe, berries are the most natural food for human consumption and a cleanser for the human body. We spend so much time thinking about what we put in our bodies we forget the importance of what comes out! Furthermore, berries are a wonderful source of Vitamins C, E, calcium and folic acid and are rich in phytochemicals.

Berries are also an excellent source of dietary fiber, which has been linked to lowered cholesterol levels and weight loss. Some forms have even shown to have anti-cancer properties in laboratory settings. The goji berry, the #1 food in Chinese medicine, is one of the highest anti-oxidant foods on the planet and well-worth looking into!

For breakfast, (if you are cost concsious) try some frozen blueberries and rasberries along with plain yogurt and granola. You will find yourself feeling rejuvinated after eating this wonder breakfast which has all you need to get through the day. Add in some protein and you will be good to go!

Its on and poppin 100%

2009-06-23T16:54:00.001-07:00

Hey everybody, I managed to smooth out the crinks in my efforts to lose weight. My husband had convinced me that my weight loss efforts were becoming obsessive but I explained to him that whenever I commit myself to something, I give it 100%. He said he already knew that and told me I can do whatever make me happy so um... Its about to be on and popping AGAIN! I will give it my all again. Right now, I sit at 180 which is fine because its basically me starting where I left off + 4lbs but I will get that off the first week of me losing my pounds. Watch me shed the pounds effortlessly... OK I am lying. It won't be effortless but I will try to make it seem that way.
I am going to start by going to the gym. It is a free gym here on the military base. I will also eat right and start taking pictures of what I eat. I am going to approach a cheaper method of losing weight such as using frozen veggies, stuff on sale (diet foods are ALWAYS on sale) and maybe some canned fruits w/no sugar.
The last time I approached weight loss, it was pretty expensive and although we could afford it, I just thought spending that much money on food was outrageous and now, I am going to do it as cheap as possible.
Now, for breakfast today, I had a pepsi but thats because I got only 4 hours of sleep lastnight. My daughter got up lastnight to eat, shes a little greedy one ha ha!
OK, you can follow me on youtube as well to watch me videograph my weight loss efforts. Much love to all of you who support me and I won't let you down - but most importantly, I wont let myself down, either!
Toodles~

Whats a girl to do?

2009-06-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

2007 when I was 220 lbs!!! WHOA ME~~~!!

First of all, let me explain to you guys how much I love my husband and I respect him FULLY!! I also give him my undivided attention whenever the baby isn't my first priority and then.... you guys fit in there somewhere. Well, with all of that being said. I have a dilemma.

My husband actually sat me down and told me that my weight loss goal was starting to become obsessive and I was obsessed with losing weight. I thought I was doing everything right. I was watching my calories, weighing myself ever so frequently, shopping correctly, and working out every chance I got along with documenting it via my blog and youtube. Well, he thought I needed to give it a break and chill out, so I did. I directed my attention to something else to help pass the time. I decided to start playing in my makeup/hair on a daily basis. I play in it all the time and shop online for the best deals. I love it, it takes me away from my daily task of cleaning up, cooking, and all the other stuff us stay at home moms do. Well, my husband said AGAIN that I was becoming obsessed with my makeup and hair! I decided to cut back a little on the hair/makeup thingy and I started watching youtube videos in my spare time...now keep in mind, I do all of these things AFTER I've taken care of home, and everything is squared away
Well, low and behold he told me I was obsessed with youtube so of course, I had to give it a break.
I had to stop and think.... "what the hell am I to do now". Well, I've come up with - nothing - I guess I will start blogging more often since my other hobbies were something my husband thought was obsessive. I would like some feedback on what you ladies think of this.

I mean, I really want to start losing weight again, play in my makeup/hair, and watch videos but my husband always says I am obsessed with something when all I am doing is simply engaging myself with extra curricular activities to pass time when everything else is done around the house.
Granted, I know you guys are going to ask if I spend time with him. Of course I do! We sit and watch TV together, we have dinner together every evening when he gets off work, we lay in bed together at night and reflect on our days adventures, we go out for icecream sometimes after dinner, we watch TV together amongst other things we like to do so I dont know whats the problem. Why do you think he doesn't like me to engage in my hobbies. When I asked him about it, he said I was exaggerating and I need to do my hobbies in moderation. So, all of that said..where do I go from here. I guess I will start blogging more?

My My My!!!

2009-04-27T03:35:00.000-07:00

As some of you know, I took a vacation and gained upwards of 10 lbs within 2 weeks. All of that hard work and dedication came to a screeching halt once I arrived in America ( I live in Japan at the moment). My sis in law, mom, and family cooked the most delightful foods and deserts that a tongue palette could ever taste! I know I ate atleast 4000 calories every single day I was home, and if you do the math... my weight gain calculates to that. I told everyone that I am on a diet but they still cooked foods and insisted I eat them, they still fed me the wonderful calories that my body craved, and they still had their homes smelling of sweet, mouth watering soul foods that I grew up on and haven't tasted since 2005. Sure, I am an adult, I can make my own decisions...and I guess I made the wrong ones......heres the break down!

3500 calories = 1 pound
I was there for 2 weeks
2 weeks = 14 pounds
I gained = 10 lbs in 2 weeks

So, If I were supposed to gain 14 lbs, I guess that means that my metabolism must have burnt off the other 4 lbs of misery I would have gained if it weren't for my metabolism working in my corner. Nevertheless, I will quit the whining and feeling sorry for myself....
On the brighter side, as soon as I got back, I lost all of the weight right away. I lost 10 lbs in about 2 weeks (give or take a few days). I then lost 1 more pound the following week after my successful 10 lb loss, and then another pound this week so give it up for me you guys! A standing ovation for losing a total of 12 lbs since I got back from america, the beautiful!
To those of you who read my blog, I love u guys and keep rooting for me... I need ALLLL of the support that i can get. Much love
Michelle

Bad News!

2009-04-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys,
I went on vacation to America from Japan (my current residence is Japan) and this vacation caused me to fall off track COMPLETELY!! I have done the following:

ate 2 large Pizza Hut Pizzas in 2 days
ate over 3000 calories in a days time
started smoking cigarettes again
stopped drinking 8 bottles of water a day
haven't worked out since I've been back
sleeping schedule is all messed up
late night binge eating

And thats just to name a few. I had got down to 173 on my vacation, but then I started eating good food that my mom and sister in law cooked and now I am up to a whopping 186 lbs. That is a 13 lb gain within 2-3 weeks! I am so devastated with my hard work gone down the drain only because I went on a vacation! I need all the support and motivation I can get during this trying time. I want so bad to be able to get back on track and stop smoking cigs... I haven't smoked cigs in YEARS and now I am back to smoking...gee - I am so mad. Well, thats my update and hopefully you guys can whip me back into shape and get me back on track! SMoocHeS!

Diligence and persistence

2009-03-15T07:20:00.000-07:00

I have been beating myself up in the gym. I work out until I have burned a total of 600 calories or more. I won't leave until I have atleast 600 calories burnt off my waist line. I have gotten to the point where I am comfortable in my skin and i feel confident enough to walk around the gym without a frumpy sweater and huge pants. My transformation is breath taking, its a huge undertaking and I can't believe someone like me - a once lazy, sedentary, fried food and french fry loving woman such as myself has turned to a healthy lifestyle.

Here is a rundown of my diet today:

Breakfast - 1/2 cup scrambled eggs w/green pepper and onion

1 bananna

1 piece of toast

Snack 1/4 cup walnuts

1 smoothie w/ bananna, strawberries, and rasperries/yogurt

Lunch 1 cup butternut squash soup

1/2 grapefruit (ruby red)

Dinner baked beans

cereal bar (fiber one)

TOTAL CALORIES!!! 1445

I had lots and lots of water and I went to the gym twice today for a total of 840 calories burned in ONE DAY!! I have been busy with getting ready for a big trip from Japan to america and I am sorry I havent had the time to update my blog but once I am back home in Japan, i will update more frequently. Thank you for all the support and kindness!! I appreciate it:)

Going Good and Back on Track

2009-03-05T19:52:00.000-08:00

So, lately I know I've been sort of the blogger you don't want to be around. Ha Ha, I was just down in the dumps from the slow weight loss but I am indeed back on track. I just lost 1.8 lbs, you guys and that is HUGE for the slump I've been in lately.

Last Week: 181.6
This Week: 179.8
DOWN!!!!! 1.8 lbs

YES!!! (jumping up and down) I am officially in the 170's and theres no turning back to the 200's, 190's or 180's anymore. I am on a healthy voyage in life and it feels so good to finally see the 170's...this is something I haven't seen since my teenage years (im 29). Um, I can't complain at all. I have been eating a lot of citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruits, and I've been putting a product called TRUE LEMON in my water. Of course you know that lemon detoxifies your body as well as put your PH balance back on track. If your body isn't bagged down with toxins, it can lose weight more efficiently. Lemons also are blood sugar stabilizers that speed the metabolism and keep weight loss moving along so get some lemons in your diet and citrus:)

Sorry I haven't been putting up pics of what I eat lately, however, I have been eating pretty much the same diet. Heres a rundown of what I ate yesterday just to give you an idea as to how my diet is going

Breakfast: 2 egg whites w/greenpeppers and onions scrambles and toast 135 cal
SNACK: grapefruit and hummus w/pita bread - 160 cal
Lunch: Tuna wrapped in Lettuce with boiled egg - 140 cal
SNACK: whole wheat crackers w/laughing cow cheese and grapes- 220 cal
SNACK: handfull of walnuts 200 calorie
Dinner: chicken breast, black beans with salsa, brussel sprouts - 450 cal
I was hungry snack: homemade (non microwave) popcorn - 100 cal
TOTAL: 1405 calories for the day!!!

I hope you guys have been doing good. I am subscribed to so many blogs that I rarely get a chance to read everyones so if you really want me to check out a certain post, put it in the comments section and I will head on over to your blog and check it out. I am sorry if I haven't been by your blogs lately but I am so busy with my 9 month old baby and being a busy wife that sometimes my downtime (browsing online) is nonexistent. Ok, I am back on track and excited for whats to come. Next week my goal is to be atleast 177 so watch out world, here I come!

How to do the Liver Flush

2009-03-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

What is a Liver Flush you ask, well I did a video on this a while ago so check it out, but if you are unable to view the video...here is some useful information on the liver flush:

One of your liver's main tasks is to regulate the metabolism of fat, and to remove excess fat from your body in the bile. Alcohol, chemicals in the home or workplace, medicinal drugs and excess waste products resulting from a poor diet (especially from processed foods) can all damage your liver. They cause excessive fat to build up within your liver, which impairs its ability to function. This means that your liver is no longer able to handle fats properly, allowing fat to start accumulating around your waistline or being deposited under your skin as cellulite SO FLUSH IT!!!!!

In some severe cases of excessively fatty livers and/or slow sluggish livers, it may be necessary to continue on the liver cleanse for several months to see good results. I've heard upto 6 months for optimal results. However some people see results much sooner than that.
Some people also opt to add another supplement to this regime in order to increase the bodys ablility to burn off fat stores such as Omega 3 supplements and Fish oil/flaxseed oil

Fatty degeneration of the liver is not a condition that often makes the headlines. Yet it affects more than 50 per cent of people The most common symptoms of this condition are difficulty in losing weight, a potbelly or 'spare tyre', cellulite and a high blood cholesterol reading (which can be detected through a simple blood test).

It's vital to look after your liver - it's the largest organ in your body and has many important functions. Everything that you eat, breathe or absorb through your skin must be refined and detoxified by your liver.

INGREDIENTS:
2 Lemon Juice (real lemons)
2 Grapefruit Juice(real grapefruits)
2 Oranges (real oranges)
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2 TBSP Epsom Salt
LOTS OF WATER

wisk the first 5 ingredients together to emulsify the ingredients, then add water gradually throughout the day and sip. This will cause you to go to the bathroom so make sure you can stay in all day. When I did this on 1/25/2009 I lost 4.2 lbs at my next weigh in so it works!

PLATEAU CRISIS! Lingering on the scale...

2009-02-23T18:11:00.000-08:00

Guys, you know I am the scale addict of the year. So I get on the scale every single day and the past month I am sitting at 181-183. Early mornings its at 179 but thats rare. I am doing everything right. I am working out diligently, I am eating right, I am getting a substantial work out in every opportunity I can get and Lord knows I am drinking ample amounts of water so whats with the dormant phase of 181-183 on the scale? I am so over it! What can I do to get the scale to continue to go down? I am doing everything right. What the hell is going on? What do you guys suggest, any advice would do me good right now because 20% of me feels like giving up while the other 80% knows that this is only a small bump and I will get over it. Can someone tell me what you did to get over the plateau?
**edit**
as you guys can see, I have lost atleast a pound every week for the past 3 weeks but I want to lose more like 3-4 lbs a week, any suggestions?

Its just me complaining ....

2009-02-19T23:32:00.001-08:00

I've been having severe migraines
They get so bad that I need to stay in a dark room
secluded from the rest of the world
because of the stupid migraines!
I didn't work out this week at all
Well, I worked out once this week
but
It doesnt count because I didnt give it my all.
I've been eating right
I am very disciplined when it comes to my diet.
My husband encouraged me to stop counting calories
He also encouraged me to stop getting on the scale so much.
He said my food obsession was getting creepy LOL!

He said food was starting to take over my life.
Hey, how else am I supposed to have a lifestyle change
If I can't talk about it and live it every second of the day?

I still am eating small meals but um...
I might start counting calories again because
I don't want to consume too many or too little
The fear of gaining weight is so real, It scares me!
My 8 month old baby learned 2 new words.
Her first word was Da-Da
Her 2nd new word was SHUT UP and
She tells me to SHUT UP allll dayyy long!
Its gotten annoying, I cant wait to teach her not to use the word.
Right now, its useless to try and tell her not to say it, she just giggles
OK, I am done complaining. I am down 1 lb (as I stated earlier)
YAY ME!!!!
My next weeks goal is to be 175, wish me luck

Last week 182
This week 181

Lastnights Feast!!

2009-02-17T14:38:00.000-08:00

1 chicken breast........................... 110 calories
2 cups spinach w/ garlic and onions.....60 calories
1 cup of GOYA yellow spanish rice......140 calories

As you can see, I placed the fork across the plate so you could see just how small my plate truly is. I saw the camera sitting on the bar in my kitchen, so i hurriedly and took the pic, sorry I didn't fancy up the plate for presentation purposes but you get the point, right. This whole meal (tasty too) was only 310 calories, and I even had a 60 calorie sugar free cup of chocolate pudding for dessert. YUM!
I haven't been working out as diligently as I used to. I still go to the gym frequently but when I get in there, my energy and drive isn't all there. I think I need a pick me up, or maybe a drastic change on the scale to whip me into shape. I was telling you guys that the scale was at 179 for about a week constantly - well - now its back to being 183 and I am soooo jacked up and mad about that. All of this work, and I can't even crack the 170's for good! I keep tipping the scale in the 170's and then I am right back into the 180's again *sighs and shrugs shoulders*

I won't give up, though. I will keep on keeping on and get this weight off! I know if anyone can commit to something and stick to it, it is ME!

My goal this week is to totally eliminate sugar for the week and only eat foods that naturally have sugar in them such as fruits and whatever else naturally with sugar in it (cant think of anything else). Well, that is all for now. Stay tuned

Update

2009-02-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

July 2008

Well, Sorry I haven't posted as much. It hasn't necessarily been a busy week, more like a semi-lazy one due to being sick. I went to the gym 4 times this week because I had a chest cold. I would have liked to have gone more but my chest was hurting sooo bad, and I also didn't want to spread my nasty chest cold in the gym so I stayed home and ate extra light. As I told you guys, I am finally in the 170's but thats only in the mornings. When I first wake up, I weigh 179.8 but throughout the day, I weigh 181-184....depends on what I ate I guess. I told you guys I am a scale addict and that is putting it nicely LOL. I have since cut back on getting on the scale as much as I used to. I was up to getting on the scale at least 12x a day but I am now down to about 4-5x daily ha ha... I am slowly recovering from my scale addiction and trust me, it isn't easy.
I have some new neighbors who always talk about that program called the P90X . Its supposed to make you lose mega weight in 90 days and promise results that are groundbreaking. They swear by it, and she lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks on it. I thought I would research it and see if it was for me, but its too much work and you need too much equipment so I decided I will stick to the elliptical I was in bed lastnight trying to get some sleep and my husband was up watching that show called MANswers . I usually tune the show out because it is sexist to say the least but lastnight they brought up a topic that sparked my interest. They said you can get fit without lifting a finger or without going to the gym. Sounds good, huh. Well after several commercials and laying there anxiously waiting for the crazy show to get to the point, I finally found out how. They said just think about yourself being in the gym and think of that nice body and eating right and your body will manifest your thoughts - then you will become what you think of. Sounds ridiculous but its worth a try so I will think that I am ultra thin with lean thighs and no cellulite and we will see what happens.

Well I am rambling so I will leave you with this quote that I happen to love. Hey, I made it up myself so feel free to use it anytime you like:)

"Paint the picture of your life, live it, and make it a masterpiece"!

I Cheated

2009-02-12T20:14:00.000-08:00

Guess what everybody. I am so disgusted with my choices
I gave into temptation, the fat girl inside just couldn't say no.
I feel so bad, but it was sooo good!
Actually, it taste like old grease and grade F beef, but ...

I just ate a whopper w/cheese = 670 calories
and I ate a medium sized french fry along with it = 360 calories
Thats a total of 1300 calories of which most was from fat
I'm going to work on the elliptical tonight for a whole hour
That should burn 650-700 calories easily...
Hey, we all cheat sometimes. I blame my husband!
Hes the one who got off work early and said he wants Burger King!
He sent me to the store to get it, it smelled so good that I had to have some
but unfortunately, I am regretting it to the fullest right now.
Don't worry you guys, I am not going to cheat like this forever,
This was just a small episode, and I am too determined to win.
This morning I got on the scale and it said 179 so I have to stay in the 170's
because I've never been in the 170's

Well that is all for now

Before and After

2009-02-11T22:39:00.001-08:00

CLICK PIC FOR LARGENESS:)

The pic on the left is from 7/2008 :::::200 lbs
The pic on the right is from 2/2009:::183 lbs

Hungry, the Weight Watchers Guy - I want one!!!

2009-02-10T23:55:00.000-08:00

Have you guys seen that commercial with the little orange guy named Hungry by Weight Watchers. Its with their momentum program. I just LOVEEE that guy! I want one so bad... they really need to get those out on the shelves. I'd buy one for SURE! It has to be the best commercial and song on TV right now.....why else would I actually google it to hear it and then do a screen shot just to post his lovable pic? I am going to the craft store and buy the parts I need to make one of these little guys. Once I am finished, I will post him on this page. I want to make several of them. I am going to keep the little guys in the following places in my home:

refrigerator
pantry
cabinets
passenger seat of my car
on my keyring
where I keep my plates
the Freezer
put him in the cart when I grocery shop

I should lose weight if I make this little annimated lovable guy a part of my life. He is a constant reminder that I need to stop eating unnecessary things that make me gain weight, but instead...eat sensibly. Well, thats all I have for now on Mr. Hungry. Gosh I love that guy!

VIDEO! I'm getting in these jeans

2009-02-10T18:47:00.001-08:00

Valentines day Blues!

2009-02-10T05:21:00.000-08:00

Well, it is that time of the year when our significant others buys us Godiva Chocolates
and all types of yummy treats to show their love and affection. Unfortunately, I am unable to indulge this year, my waist line and blood pressure is more important that a temporary high on chocolate. I used my husbands car tonight to go and cheat and buy some tempting snacks but when I got to the store, I felt guilty and I immediately thought "I am going to regret this in the morning so why even put myself through this". I bought some pistachos and peanuts with whole grain chips instead. YAY for me... I didn't even engorge myself in the snacks when I got home. I ate a few of each item and then put it away. I am so proud of myself for the amount of self control and restraint I have been practicing since starting this diet. Its amazing what the human mind is capable of once you commit to it. Anywho.. back to my husbands car. I swear I smelled some chocolate in his car. I looked in the back seat and saw a bag on the floor (I think). I didn't peek so maybe I was just hallucinating and hoping for some chocolate on the 14th. What was it? Was it for me? Gosh the thin girl inside me sure hope it isn't valentines day chocolates... maybe it was something related to work because I didn't look too hard but it sure did smell and look pretty nice. I will keep you guys posted on that.

It is unfortunate that when I started my journey, my Body Mass Index (BMI) was considered to be OBESE at a 30.9 reading for my weight of 197. Calculate your Body Mass Index here. I am now at a managable OVERWEIGHT index.

My number is now 29.0 for my weight of 185.

I was 183 at my last weigh in but somehow the scale crept up 2 lbs? (shrugging shoulders). I will not worry about it because I know its water weight due to Ant Flow being in town.... when she leaves, its going to be so fun to get on the scale and see the wonderful treat she leaves me in the form of digital numbers!!!
Well, I am blue because I can't eat chocolate but I can eat those sugar free chocolate pudding cups which are only 60 calories and so kind to my waist line. OK thats all for now, this blog was sooo random but I just wanted to get a few things off my chest in regards to the valentines day blues for not being able to eat chocolates.

EMERGENCY! I fell at the gym:(

2009-02-09T04:04:00.000-08:00

I usually go to the gym at 7pm when all of the healthy military personnel are at home but today my hubby got off work early so I decided to go to the gym a little earlier so I could spend more time with my family and BOY was that a BAD IDEA! OMG I didn't know it was sooo many skinny, healthy, vibrant girls on this base! I felt like one of the contestants on the biggest loser in the cardio room. I stuck out like a sore thumb. They were all fit and small while I was huffing and puffing as I worked out on the elliptical. I went to wipe sweat off my forehead and when I put the towel back on the handle, it fell and got stuck in the pedal and I tripped and fell on one knee but I caught myself. The skinny girls started laughing but I just got back up and kept going. One of the guys came over and asked if I was alright and then all of these people started coming out of nowhere to see what was the commotion all about. I was just 10 minutes into my work out but since I had garnered so much attention, I decided to leave. I went home and I didn't even bother telling my husband about my great fall. Shoo... he reads my blog, he will find out about it when you guys find out. I just didn't want to talk about it. Anyway, I ate a healthy dinner tonight and tried to push it out of my mind.

baked chicken
edemame soybeans (i eat them everyday)
mixed vegetables
2 fork fulls of pasta

I almost don't even want to go to that particular gym again. I will just go to the gym on the other military base instead of the base I live on because I don't think I can face those people again. It was so humiliating.... why me? WHY!!!!!!!

The Scale addict!!

2009-02-07T18:59:00.001-08:00

This is how my scale looks, its a healthometer and it tells me how much I am up and down, and it keeps track of my weight. Pretty nifty, huh. Guess what - I have a confession. I am addicted to weighing myself. I weigh myself atleast 5-10 times a day. Its starting to become an obsession!! At first, I had it under control. I was weighing myself once a week and everything was all good. Then, I went and got a scale for the downstairs bathroom so that I could have a scale on both levels of the house without walking too far to get to it. I weigh myself after I use the bathroom in the morning because I don't want my morning tinkle to add a few oz's to the scale - thats crazy huh?
I weigh myself after breakfast
I weigh myself before I leave the house
I weigh myself when I get home
I weigh myself before the gym
I weigh myself after the gym
I weigh myself at the spur of the moment
I weigh myself right before bed
I weigh myself during the nightly trips to the bathroom
I weigh myself EVERY trip to the bathroom

Well, my husband said hes going to take the scales to work and give them back to me on friday. Theres a scale at the gym, but I doubt I will weigh myself on it because its in the locker room and I don't want the other girls to see me get on it and watch me move the manual thingy-ma-jig to 150+lbs
I hope he follows through and takes it to work. I really need to back away and stop weighing myself. My weight fluctuates between 3-5 lbs lost and gained throughout the day. In the morning is my favorite time to weigh in. It usually has me at 182-185 which is great...well thats all for now...there, I admitted it. I have an addiction. Its not that bad, or is it? Well, I will talk to you later:)

What I usually eat during my diet

2009-02-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

First of all, I usually eat every 3 hours. This is how a typical day goes for me from 7am until 7pm. I get my cardio and gym work out from 530-630pm and then I go home and eat dinner. Here is my day at a glance. This is the diet that has been working wonders for me:)

BREAKFAST 7am
2 boiled eggs
1 piece of toast
1/2 ruby red grapefruit
16.9 oz bottle of water w/powdered fiber

MORNING SNACK 10am
1 granola bar
1/2 cup raisins
1 tbsp peanut butter (spread on granola bar)
16.9 oz bottle of water w/powdered fiber

LUNCH 1pm
2 tbsp Peanut Butter
on cracked wheat bread (1 slice)
1 Banana
1 Chocolate Jello pudding cup (sugar free)
16.9 oz bottle of water w/powdered fiber

MIDDAY SNACK 330pm
Kashi 7 grain crackers (5 of them)
35 calorie lowfat laughing cow cheese
1 slice of turkey
1 cup Steamed corn
16.9 oz bottle of water w/powdered fiber

DINNER 7pm
1 skinless chicken breast (bone in)
1 cup of green beans
1 cup edemame soybeans
16.9 oz bottle of water w/powdered fiber

So, thats what I eat. Tell me if you decide to try this diet and if you think I should twerk it or change anything/add anything. I need all the advice I can get. Thanks

A Diet Divas Delight!!!

2009-02-07T00:32:00.000-08:00

Yummmm, a sugar free chocolate delight! Jello sugar-free pudding is my new obsession! You can't even tell the difference. The texture is smooth, thick, velvety, very chocolaty, and it has only 60 calories, 1 gram of fat, and it has this stuff called sugar alcohol in it to make it sweet! You can't gain weight eating sugar alcohol!!
Whats sugar alcohol, you ask?
Sugar alcohols are like sugar in some ways, but they are not completely absorbed by the body which is awesome for our weight loss goals. Because of this, the blood sugar impact of sugar alcohols is less and they provide fewer calories per gram. Additionally, sugar alcohols don't promote tooth decay as sugars do, so are often used to sweeten chewing gum and of course, pudding. These sugar alcohols actually inhibits bacterial growth in the mouth and it doesn't convert to fat if you don't use it for energy, isn't that the best thing you've heard all day?!
Go out and buy you some sugar freejell-o pudding cups, my friends! My chocolate lovers, get the chocolate flavor! They are only .99 cents for 4 cups and it calms the chocolate cravings and keeps your weight loss journey on a smooth, bump free ride
YUMMMMMMMMM! I LOVE JELL-O!

Benefits of the Sauna (Shower)

2009-02-06T17:00:00.000-08:00

I finally swallowed what little bit of fear I had of my physique and went into the sauna lastnight. I wore a bathing suit which covered my entire tummy area and it came with some booty shorts. You could still see my cellulite, rolls of fat, dimples in my thighs, and my arms resembled tree branches but I didn't mind. What was more important to me was getting in that sauna to sweat out the toxins which we accumulate through out our lives. It was a bunch of giggly, skinny, long blonde haired chics in there talking about skinny girl stuff. I almost got up and left but I knew I had to stay in there to sweat because a session in the sauna (20 mins) burns a total of 400 calories. I was so happy to see another heavier girl walk into the sauna. She looked sort of insecure when she saw the skinnys hurdled up and talking about nail polish and stuff - then she saw me in the corner and she looked so over joyed! She came and sat beside me, and we just exchanged diet secrets. I think I have a new gym/sauna friend YAY! She said shes going to meet me in the sauna every 2 days at 6pm...

Don't have access to a sauna? Well you can recreate this at home and burn almost the same amount of calories if you know how to adjust the heat on your hot water furnace. Just turn it up about 5 degrees. If you don't know how to adjust it, skip that part. Just turn on the shower to the hottest setting, put a towel under the door to avoid a draft, and sit on the toilet (naked) for 30-45 minutes. You should be able to burn about 250 calories! Hey, thats not too shabby for just sitting around, and you're doing something healthy for your skin at the same time.

The skin is also an organ so treat it right. We need to release the metals, toxins, and impurities from the skin by sweating it. Saunas has been around for thousands of years and they still prove to be a great way to take care of your skin. Here are some tips I took from this site

Improved blood circulation: The sauna increases and improves the rate of blood circulation and breathing.
Weight loss: Sauna is similar to mild exercise, it burns about 300 calories per average session. Regular sauna treatments combined with a healthy diet and moderate exercise will help you lose weight and stay fit and healthy.
Skin cleansing: A profuse sauna-induced sweat followed by a shower cleanses your skin far more thoroughly than just taking a shower. It makes it soft and healthy with immediately noticeable effects.
Body relaxation: Stress build-up creates tension in the body manifesting in various aches and pains. The heat and humidity of the sauna diffuses the pain and relaxes tired muscles. A sauna in the evening will leave tense muscles and sore limbs totally relaxed. Sauna also temporarily relieves arthritic pain.
Mind relaxation: The sauna is essentially a place to relax. Regular sauna adepts all agree that it effectively helps relieve physical and mental fatigue and stress.

When I was bigger

2009-02-05T05:59:00.001-08:00

I am sorry I don't have too many body shots of when I was 215 lbs. I was ashamed of my body so therefore, I don't have any full shots and whenever I saw a camera I held in my tummy but on this one above, I didn't hold it in because I am not an alcohol drinker and my friends talked me into having a margarita since I was moving to Japan from America.... "come on Michelle, one wont hurt" - yes I gave into peer pressure and compromised my beliefs. I was tipsy and I was caught slipping/not holding in the tum-gut. Those pants were a size 16/18 and the shirt was a 2x. I am currently in a size 13 pants and my shirts are an XL or large.

And thats all I have, honestly - that is all I have even though I owned at the time 3 digital cameras and a whole drawer full of disposable cameras that my husbands church sent us. There you have it - the perfect example of a persons life non existent on film due to a weight problem. There, I said it!

My meeting with the Fitness Coordinator

2009-02-05T05:35:00.001-08:00

Me 1/2009 @ 188 lbs

Today I met with a fitness coordinator affiliated with the U.S. Military. My husband is in the Navy so I get a whole lot of benefits in regards to a better, healthier me. One of those benefits happen to be the free gym as well as a fitness coordinator. So, you're asking yourself right now 'what does a fitness coordinator do'? Well, shes the one who works in the gym that gives you a detailed rundown on what you should be eating in your diet to lose weight and shes the one who shows me how to use the gym equipment efficiently to lose weight. I learned how to use a few machines and thats IT....
Let me tell ya'll something..... she didn't teach me anything that I didn't already know. The diet she laid out for me was what I am already eating. As a matter of fact, I gave her quite a few pointers. Heres a few of the ideas she took from me, she was so excited to have my tips as her own and asked if she could share them with future clients, I said sure. I told her:

Take an Omega 3 (fish oil) with 1 meal daily
Eat sugar free 70 calorie Jello Pudding cups for chocolate cravings
Use the powdered Fibersure Fiber powder in my water (5grams of fiber per serving)
Eat Kashi 7 grain crackers with Laughing Cow cheese for a snack
Eat edamame beans after my work out
Drink Lemon Water to detoxify and get the digestion system moving(more on this later)
Wear weights on my ankles when doing house work to get maximum calories burned
Use frozen fruit and blend it with yogurt to get my milk and fruit for the day

She told me that I should apply for the open position to be a fitness coordinator. I was like 'yea right' and she told me its a no experience required position. To be honest, I think she was being sarcastic and trying to belittle me but whatever - I wasn't too offended..atleast I didn't show it. For those of you who were looking for some tips from the fitness coordinator, I am sorry to tell you that I left with one tip from her. That tip is:

Always pair up a sugar, fruit, or carb with fiber in order to keep blood sugar levels normal

And thats all I got from her..... I am meeting with the dietitian next week, so I hope its better luck with her. I did learn how to use quite a few machines, but this food thing - I am still a baby in it and I am trying to become a diet food guru! Wish me luck

Black Beans! Our answer to weight loss!

2009-02-05T00:24:00.000-08:00

If you're SICK and TIRED of getting the same old boring weight loss advice... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, jog, and blah blah blah", then...add a Fiber All Star - BLACK BEANS!!
Black beans are your answer to efficient weight loss and maintaining a healthy glow to your skin with its endless amounts of antioxidants as well as getting ample amounts of protein for the day. Black Beans also has soluble fiber. Soluble fiber absorbs water in the stomach that forms a gel that slows down the metabolism of the bean's carbohydrates. Whats that got to do with me, you ask? Well if you slow down the metabolism strictly for the carbs in the beans, the fiber which the beans have will move the carbs right out of your body before you can snap your finger which means NO WEIGHT GAIN!!! We want to speed up our metabolism, so get that fiber in the form of black beans!! Fiber isn't absorbed in the body, so when it exits the body in the feces, it takes the bile acids with it along with lots and lots of fat. Black beans are leans, practically fat free, low on the glycemic index, and they are beneficial to replacing meat which is slower in digesting than beans.
When researchers analyzed different types of beans, they found that, the darker the bean's seed coat, the higher its level of antioxidant activity! If you want to lose weight without doing all of the walking, running, gym memberships, and headaches of counting calories...try eating lean beans, eggs, and lots of broccoli and califlower! I promise you will see results!

p.s if you team up your black beans with a cup of rice, the beans will keep the rice low on the glycemic index and keep your blood sugar normal which will prevent weight gain. If you ABSOLUTELY MUST have a carb, always pair it with a fiber rich food...and that is your tip for the day:)

Burning Fat 101

2009-02-02T19:25:00.000-08:00

Chatan, Japan - SHURI CASTLE 2008

As women, we have hormonal factors working against us which prevents us from building too much muscle. Its called estrogen, and it ensures we have the right amount of muscle to accent our beautiful curves. I love that stuff!! Anyway, when you wear those stiletto heels, go for a brisk walk, run up the steps at home, or even work out, we get something called micro-tears in our muscles in all parts of our bodies. Even swinging your arms gives you micro-tears... Micro tears can be detrimental to losing weight efficiently! After taking that brisk walk in those stiletto heels from the department store to the car, the muscles start to recover when you sit down and take a rest . If you do not have enough protein in your system from your daily diet, the muscles will recover by filling in those micro tears by using its own mass. That can prevent you from building more muscle, and if you are not building more muscle then you are not burning more FAT!!!
Start snacking on peanuts, walnuts, edamame beans, even beef jerky in between meals! You can not afford to lose muscle mass (you wont build too much so don't worry) even if you don't weight train, cardio training is still a priority to get that protein. I can not stress how important it really truly is!!!

A lot of us choose to walk to lose weight which is fine. It gets you cardio, its a full body work out, fat burner, and it is amazing for your circulatory system. When you get home, please recover by eating a small amount of protein. 10 grams is usually the perfect amount. We usually say after an intensive workout
"I am sooo sore"
Well, you are sore because your muscles are asking for PROTEIN! It is the forgotten food so indulge, the only benefits in indulging in protein is fat loss and muscle gain!

Your metabolism is a FURNACE!!!

2009-02-01T03:53:00.000-08:00

Kashi 7 grain garlic and wheat crackers (120 calorie)
Laughing cow 50% less fat swiss cheese (35 calorie)
1 slice of ham (15 calorie)
half of ruby red grapefruit (37 calorie)
bottle of 16.9 oz water and fiber sure powdered fiber (25 calorie)

TOTAL CALORIES - 232 CALORIES

Every meal I eat, I try to have 300 calories per meal. I eat 5x a day and I eat 300 calories (or less) every meal. Think of your body as a smaller furnace. If you don't give the furnace any wood every 3 hours the fire will most likely smother out and stop burning...well if you keep giving the furnace wood (or oil whichever suits your metaphoric brain better) it will continue to burn and need more wood inserted into it so that the fire can stay alive. Well, thats how our bodies work. If you keep eating, your body will not mistake you for going into a famine. The reason why we store fat and our metabolisms slow down is because the body is preparing for a famine. If you give the body food constantly thoroughout the day, the body will say
"gee I sure am glad this famine is over so now we can burn up this food and get it out of here... I got tired of storing this stuff"
Think about that....
(more on this later)

Down on the SCALE!!

2009-02-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

I didn't want to tell you guys my weight until my weigh in day which is on the Wednesday but I am so overjoyed that I can't hold it in... Guess how much weight I lost...Its colossal - its humongous - its amazing... its one of my most proudest achievements this year! Its 3.6 lbs lost since last Thursday! I am at 185 and I haven't been at 185 since I was 16 yrs old in the 11th grade at high school...that was over a decade ago, I am 29 years old! I am so proud of my accomplishment that I had to share earlier than weigh-in day so 2 pats on the back for me. If I can do it, so can YOU:)!!!

The wonders of Edamame!!!

2009-01-28T20:15:00.000-08:00

So I had these with a teaspoon of olive oil, lite salt and pepper. YUMMY!!!! Edamame is a complete protein containing all the eseential Amino Acids our bodies need to efficiently burn fat. They are a great source of protein, fiber, essential fatty acids, and isoflavones (found only in Soy). It is an excellent food for weight loss as well. If you are looking for that miracle food to lose weight, try these soybeans. They retail (frozen) for about 3 bucks and they have more protein than a chicken breast! The fiber content is also high and if you eat a cup of these babies, you will have half of your necessary fiber for the day. Fiber is a superfood which moves fat out of the intestines and prevents it from absorbing into your body and sitting on your waist. Please try these cheap yet credible beans in place of meat every once in a while and you will see results!
Read more on Edamame by clicking here

30 Second Weigh In

2009-01-28T15:30:00.000-08:00

I am officially down 1.4 lbs, so that takes me to 10.2 lb LOSS for the month of January! Praise GOD!!!

After leaving the gym

2009-01-28T05:45:00.000-08:00

I went to the gym at 7:55pm and left that wonderful place at 8:55. I did 30 mins on the elliptical, 10 mins on the treadmill as a cooldown, and then I did some leg presses and called it a night. This is how I looked after getting home. I threw myself across the bed and waited for the cool down to kick in - then I took a nice, hot shower and exfoliated with St. Ives body polisher brighten and glow. Please go and get you some. It retails for about 5 bucks, so its worth it. Your skin glows after using this stuff and I swear it even makes the hair on my legs grow slower. Everytime I use it, my husband says how soft I am and he cant keep his hands off me!!!

My healthy high protein dinner

2009-01-28T05:14:00.000-08:00

I had baked chicken
brussel sprouts
black beans
water w/fiber sure
jello pudding for dessert:) (lowfat fa sho')
Notice the plate is very small, its a salad plate. Also take notice of the portions. When committing yourself to a weight loss plan...sometimes its necessary to say goodbye to the starch filled dishes at dinner time (brown rice, pasta, bread etc). You get carbs from the beans as well as the vegetables. I don't recommend completely cutting carbs but cutting back on the white breads and heavy starches at dinner is a good idea and if you do choose to indulge, always have a 1 cup serving. Black beans are extremely high in protein as well as fiber. Thats always a plus. Black beans could have been the main dish on my plate but since I am looking to build muscle in order to burn this fat, my protein portions has increased dramatically. Always make sure that protein is over 60% of your dinner and I promise results. If you like me posting what I eat, let me know so that I can do this more frequently.

Before and After - Bye Bye fat face!

2009-01-27T18:27:00.001-08:00

That was me, 215 lbs back in april of 2007. I am now 188 lbs and healthier and happier. Wow, I have come quite a long way. Do you see a difference? I had to stop dieting when I got pregnant in September 2007 and had the baby in may of 2008 but now I am back on track... and loving it!

My Ideal breakfast

2009-01-27T15:48:00.000-08:00

I got this idea from a blogger to take pics of my food just to show you guys what I eat. I wont do this everyday but you will get an idea as to whats promoting my weight loss for me. I put the fiber sure in a bottle of water, eggs, banana, and 1 slice of toast with prenatal vitamin and a omega 3 capsule helps me to start my day with energy, fat burning, and happiness that I am not gulfing down trash in my body. The eggs and toast with fruit is surprisingly my new favorite breakfast:)

Body Shots Before and After

2009-01-27T06:55:00.000-08:00

The dates are a little off but you get the idea)))))
Do you see a difference? There are suttle changes such as in my waist - I love the new hourglass figure thats emerging. If you look at my arms in the last photo you can see definition is coming in. My hips have a nicer curve now instead of frumpy fat on them and my face is even cuter! I have more confidence, my belly is still there but has went down dramatically. I couldn't fit those blue jean capri pants when I first started this diet, they wouldn't button up but now I can button them and theres even a little bit of space left YAY!
Well, I hope you can see a difference.... Thanks for viewing my blog and check out my youtube as well at www.youtube.com/divaonadiet

Emotional Eating raises Blood Pressure

2009-01-22T14:54:00.001-08:00

This pic is of me at 200 lbs out eating with friends 8/2007. My face was so fat and round. I ordered a bunch of food this day.

Have you ever had a bad day and went to the refrigerator/pantry to soothe yourself? I did. After I had the baby (in may 2008) my blood pressure went up substantially. It skyrocketed to 140/95. My devastatingly high numbers weren't even enough to whip me into shape. In fact, I continued to buy salty processed foods, big bottles of salt to dump on food, and down a whole bag of crunchy, puffy, yummy cheetos in one sitting (the bigggg bag). One day I asked my husband to go and buy me a bag of cheetos (they were my favorite snack back when I wasn't eating healthy). I ate the WHOLE BAG in 1 hour while watching my favorite show 'Wife Swap'. Something told me to 'take my blood pressure' after I finished licking my cheesy fingers so i whipped out the electronic gadget and took the batteries out the remote to put in the blood pressure monitor. When the numbers popped up the machine started beeping with a red light (something I've never seeen it do). My blood pressure was up to 170/110! I will never forget seeing those numbers. I went into a panic. The first thing we do when we panic as human beings is go for a glass of water.
I went and had a bottle of water and hoped that my blood would stop pumping so hard against my veins as I down the whole 16 oz bottle. I then remembered that banannas are filled with potassium so they naturally lower your blood pressure. I ate one. I looked around the kitchen for more home remedies to lower my pressure. A-hah! I saw a box of oatmeal and I ate almost the whole box. I went and sat down and waited a half hour and took my pressure again. It was down to 150/99 which was better than the previous reading. That was another one of my a-hah moments where I finally decided to eat better and stop downing a whole bag of chips. That moment in my life is what took me to where I am today - on a journey to a better and healthier me. By the way, today my numbers sit at 116/78 and the highest i've seen it go in the past 6 months is 120/85. God is GOOD!!!!!!!

Scared of the Gym

2009-01-21T23:28:00.000-08:00

It was 12/30/2008
I've never been one to go to the gym. I've been inside a few gyms in my lifetime (not to work out) but I never stayed long. I was always scared, ashamed, terrified, and intimidated by the thought of working out at a gym. I have a friend who lives here on base and she asked me one night to go with her. I had dedicated my whole evening to watching TLC (The Learning Channel) because they had a marathon on The
1000 lb dad
1000 lb teen
1000 lb mom
I watched 2 of them and all of a sudden my friend called and asked me if I felt up to going to the gym with her. Since watching the show had me so focused on not becoming the 1000 lb mom, I decided to go. At first I was going to ditch her and stay in and lay on the couch all night but since I'd vowed to go with her so many times before - this time I wouldn't let her down. We went, I surprised myself and did 20 minutes of running nonstop on the treadmill. It was all over from then... Ever since that day I haven't missed one trip to the gym. Although I'm usually in the top 5 of the biggest people in the gym, that doesn't discourage me. I still go because my health is far too important to give into such a silly notion that larger people can't work out at the gym. Since going, my blood pressure has went down, my legs and joints dont hurt anymore, and I have more energy to get more housework done and still spend ample amounts of time with my baby. Don't be afraid of the gym if I can go - YOU can go!

Gym Challenge

2009-01-21T22:47:00.000-08:00

This old pic of me was when I was over 200 lbs in 2007

OK, so my hubby is in the military which means I automatically get a free gym membership to any gym on a military base. The gym I attend has state of the art equipment and everything has a flat screen cable TV attached to it which is cool so I never miss any of my favorite shows because I am indeed a couch potato prior to my working out regimen. Anyway, when I get on the elliptical machine - I try to be the last one standing. When someone walks up to get on after I've been on it for - lets say - 30 minutes... I will still overexert myself in order to stay on longer than them. I never knew I was competitive until I started working out. I usually am the last one on the machines and they always get off before I do in a sweaty, out of breath mess. LOL I know I am wrong for secretly competing with any and everyone who walks up and gets on the machines. Hey, Its still fun and it makes working out so much more rewarding when I win. I doubt I would even join a gym if it wasn't for having the benefits of a gym included in my hubbys career:)

10 pound difference

2009-01-21T22:30:00.001-08:00

Here are 2 images of me.
The top one when I had on grey: 01/02/2009 and I was about 197 lbs
The bottom one in the pink shirt: 01/21/2009 and I was about 188 lbs

I am keeping track of my weight loss through a mirror in the upstairs hallway (ha ha). My cameras flash broke so I need to buy another camera but in the meantime, this will work. Notice my hips went down, my breast has lost a whole cup size and my waist is trimming down lovely. I wish I could show you my back because I lost a lot of fat but you have to stay tuned to see that. My confidence is slowly increasing and I even walk around the house without my frumpy big and pink robe anymore. My husband is very encouraging and he loves me no matter what size I am. I am doing this for myself, my health, and for my baby and hubby. I am unstoppable. Even if this blog doesn't reach too many computer screens I hope I can through the power of blogging inspire someone to go on this journey with me and drop weight, maybe I can be an inspiration to someone whos been battling weight their whole life (such as myself). Please follow my journey and enjoy!

Keep Flavor for less calories!!

2009-01-21T19:27:00.000-08:00

So, here is a great product if you are kickstarting your weight loss goals. YES CHILE' - Bush's Baked Beans are only 140 calories for a 1/2 cup and 1 grams of fat per serving. If you eat a cup, you are consuming a whole lot of fiber (10 grams) and fiber helps to pass fat without it absorbing into your waist line. I love these beans because they are delicious, filling, and although there are carbs in it (I am not doing the low carb diet) the fiber takes away the effect of the carbs - and these happen to be good carbs because they have only 12 grams of sugar and very high in protein . The only drawback I can find is they do have a lot of salt - so drink lots of water and watch your salt intake for the day if you are eating these for dinner or lunch. I can work these off in 15 minutes so its totally worth it. Get yourself these low calorie, high tasting beans if you are gearing up for a new weight loss regimen but be careful to measure properly because they are so good that you may overindulge.

She didn't know who I was!!!

2009-01-21T17:20:00.000-08:00

I did a video on youtube in regards to my neighbor not even knowing who I was one night I went out to see the movie Notorious (it sorta sucked). When I came home, her company was parked in my spot. We engaged in conversation at the door as if we were strangers. When she finally realized it was me - she praised my weight loss and it made me feel soooo good about my accomplishment and it gave me the drive and motivation to keep going. She also touched on how much bigger I was back on halloween (shes a straight forward type of person). She took this pic on halloween night of 2008 and I was 208 lbs on the pic. I am now 188 (20 lbs lighter) and I feel great!

Diet Tricks that work for me!!!!

2009-01-19T02:19:00.000-08:00

Plan to be on a diet the rest of your life. Did you ever notice how some thin people always talk about dieting? You think to yourself 'they don't need to diet' but in order to obtain lifelong results you must think this way. That’s why they are thin, because they work at it constantly. You must plan to be on a diet the rest of your life. Not necessarily a weight reducing diet your whole life... obviously at some point you’ll want to just maintain your weight. But - you need to continue good healthy eating choices from here on out... and not slip back to old ways.
Take it slow. Don’t be in a hurry to lose weight. If you follow tip #1 above, this won’t be a problem. Go for 1 or 2 pounds a week. Slow weight loss is healthier, is more likely to be permanent, and is so much easier to sustain over the long haul. And if you need to lose 100 pounds like me, it’s a long haul!
Don’t Get Discouraged. If you go a week, or two, or even three, without losing a pound - don’t worry! Any week that you do not gain weight is a successful week in my book. And don’t get discouraged by the constant up-down-up-down-up-down-down pattern of your weight. Its usually water weight most of the time and not solid fat which is causing the scale to fluctuate.
Don’t eat after dinner. Make it a rule to not eat after dinner. Evening munchies was one of my biggest weight gain problems. The way I broke this habit: whenever I want to munch at night, I make myself a cup of warm green tea with splenda. I don’t think diet coke would help as much as a warm beverage.
Write it down! Keep a food diary and write down every calorie or point or carb (or whatever it is you are counting!). It’s amazing how quickly the calories add up! Even if you cheat and snitch a spoonful of cookie dough or a bite of someone else’s cake. Write it down.
Get Sweaty! Work up a sweat at least six hours a week. Six days a week you should try and workout to the point where you are sweaty for 1 hour. It doesn’t really matter what you do, as long as you do it regularly. Find something you enjoy and keep doing it until it becomes a habit. Ideas: go for a walk, get a piece of exercise equipment, aerobic workout DVDs, join a gym, go swimming, go for a bike ride, take a spinning class...the sky’s the limit! (Please be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any exercise program.)
Only Eat in the Kitchen. Do not eat in front of the TV or computer. Only eat at the kitchen table.
Drink lots of Water. Drink lots and lots of water...at least 8 full glasses per day. Add a slice of lemon to spruce it up. Often, we think we are hungry when really, we are just thirsty. So, next time you head for the fridge, grab some water first and see if that does it for you.
Veggies and Dip. Keep fresh cut vegetables handy and munch on them when you are cooking dinner to avoid munching on fattening foods. This will benefit the whole family! Choose a low carb ranch dip to dip them in. I like to use Hidden Valley Ranch.
Don’t eat When you are Stressed. Find another way to relieve stress. A warm bath, a hot cup of tea, a nice long walk....anything besides eating!
Cut out the Sugar and Refined Carbs. Sugar and Carbs make you crave more of them. Cutting them out really helps you not be so hungry.
Listen to your body. Don’t eat unless you are truly hungry. If you pig out one day, don’t eat the next meal until you are hungry again.
Stay Busy. If you’re anything like me, you are sitting at your computer avoiding work, housework, yardwork, exercise, etc. Housework burns more calories than sitting on your duff! Just go do it - whatever it is you are avoiding.
Stay clued up
Knowledge is power. By arming yourself with the facts about healthy diet, and ignoring the fads, you are more likely to build confidence in your abilities and achieve your weight loss goals. Don't expect to lose 15 pounds a week like the people on the TV show 'The Biggest Loser' instead set realistic goals of 2-3 lbs a week

****Believe in Yourself****

This final diet tip is just as important as the tips about eating and exercise.

If things go wrong don’t panic. Learning new habits takes time. Think back to when you learned to ride a bike. No-one expected you to do it the first time. You no doubt fell off a lot and needed picking up, with help along the way. Step by step you took control of that bike and learned how to keep it on course.

How you think, affects how you feel, and in turn the actions you take. Believe in yourself every day. Focus on what you want – being fitter, healthier – rather than how unfit you are. Setting realistic goals and having positive expectations will make all the difference.

Hello Divas!

2009-01-18T03:13:00.000-08:00

Its time to shed these pounds for 2009!