*Portion Size & Veggies*

I am learning a lot about portion sizes. When I made dinners for the family, such as spaghetti or whatever. Once we were finished eating there was really only one leftover for lunch for one person to have. I have been weighing/measuring all of our portions for some time now. Steve has been wanting a measured portion for dinner and lunch, too. Leftovers for spaghetti end up being three usually! Three!! Tonight I made tuna hotdish and the serving size is one cup. Steve and I each had our serving and I have THREE left over! That is crazy. You know what's even crazier...when I wasn't measuring things that dish would again really only have one serving left over. That amounts to we were eating enough for two people any time we sat down to eat that. It's such a great thing to be learning and really understanding.

And don't even get me started on vegetables. I am not proud to admit that I didn't always serve a veggie with our meals, like, rarely! Ugh! So embarrassing. Now, I do with every meal. Going back to that tuna hotdish. In times past we would eat it with a slice of bread with butter. Lots of starch and no veggies. Tonight I made broccoli with it. Steve was not a fan but he ate it. He said some things you don't need a veggie with (I'm working on that man!). It was yummy together though. It also filled me up in a way I wouldn't have been with just bread and butter. So good, I have broccoli to take with my tuna for lunch tomorrow.

Three cheers for knowledge!

Work-out Clothes

What is is about workout clothes that can make you feel so good about yourself? I bought two new tops on clearance this week from WalMart. Working out int this yellow tank made me feel so awesome and strong. Everything about weight loss is such a mind game, too. And when you are feeling good about yourself and the way you look, it will make you feel even stronger and better.

I didn't have a stellar weight loss week (.2) this week which puts my weight at 197.2. The difference with this weigh in is that I know EXACTLY why I didn't lose weight this week, so to speak. It had everything to do with the chocolates I found myself snacking on and the extra cheese cravings here and there. So I fully embrace the reason why there wasn't a weight loss this week.

I am happy today is Sunday and it's the beginning of a new weeks. A fresh set of points to start with and a healthy eating plan. I am home alone this afternoon and have wanted chocolate since every one left but I am staying away. I am not hungry, just want it! Certainly don't need it!! Haha!

My goals this week:

1. I would really like to lose 2 pounds as that would put me at 20 pounds lost on my birthday (awesome!).

2. Continue to work out hard as I have been, getting stronger and healthier every moment.

3. I have some great new meals planned for this week and looking forward to the healthy choices we have.

This comparison collage is a little early. I wanted to take pics in my new tank top and decided to put this together.

**A Weight Loss**

I finally got rid of that stubborn pound that I found during the holidays! Ha! Counting points and journaling is going great. I have been keeping track of everything: food, water, exercise, it's all written down. My goals for the week:

1. Proper eating (all week -- stick with grow foods!)

2. Proper tracking (even if it's not that grow food!)

3. Push through the workouts, even when (or especially because) they are challenging.

Workout Schedule:

Mon -- Kettlebell (Jillian)

Tues -- cardio (Jillian)

Wed -- Totally Ripped Core (Bob)

Thur -- cardio (Jillian)

Fri -- Last Chance Workout

Sat -- Kettlebell (Jillian)

I lost 1.6 pounds this week. I weighed in at 198.8. This makes a total weight loss of 16.2 pounds gone...never to be found again! Ever!!

Turkish Get-Ups

Happy Saturday morning. Today was a rewarding day, but it is a non-scale rewarding day. My weight stayed the same this week. I am okay with that, which is a step in and of itself. I have started my period today, so I know all my working out and eating properly during this week will show up in a later weigh-in and that is just fine.

My body is getting so much stronger and I am enjoying watching and feeling these changes. Today I did my kettlebell workout with Jillian. I tried to do it right after I had my injection and it was just too hard and uncomfortable. Today it made it back into the workout rotation and I am so glad it did. It will be on the list of things to do a couple of times next week, that is guaranteed.

The biggest joy from it is that I was able to do the entire workout. Even better than that was doing her Turkish Get-Ups. I have to use a 5-pound handweight rather than the 10-pound kettlebell, but that is only temporary. I was able to do the complete movement fluidly and correctly which is MAJOR! I was so very excited to be able to get up out of that lunge position and off the floor using the strength and power of just one leg. Oh, man! It gives me chills just typing about it.

I am looking forward to another good workout/eating week. I am going to keep on working hard every single day. I am worthy of all of this and having a healthy body. I will stay focused and not let things set me back as I have in the past.

I posted pictures and numbers on Jan 2 and my goal is to do that on the second day of each month so I can watch my progress and have comparison pictures to look at. Happy Saturday and looking forward to an amazing week.

*The Numbers*

Today I measured my body to see where I am at with inches.

Prior Numbers: (4.20.11)

chest: 40"

arm: 14"

stomach: 46.5"

waist: 38"

butt/hips: 50

Today: (1.2.12)

chest: 39

arm: 14

stomach: 37

waist: 36.5

butt/hips: 47.5

Total inches lost is 14.5" since I measured last.