12-week transformation...day eleven

I am feeling much better today...like 1000 times better. Yesterday was just...well, one of those days. But now, yesterday has passed and it's time to look forward to today.

I was reading my transformation email I receive daily and I thought I would share with you all this one. It teaches you eight steps to break habits. Wanna hear them? Well, even if you don't, here they are anyways...I hope they help you guys! :)

1. Stop—Challenge—Choose.
Any time you become aware of an unhealthy thought, feeling, or action, use the Stop—Challenge—Choose Method. Let’s say you’re about to eat a whole tray of appetizers at a party because you’re nervous. First, stop and take a deep, slow breath to help bring your emotions under control. Next, challenge yourself by thinking about why you’re feeling or acting the way you are. Finally, choose the behavior that supports what you really want.

2. Make time your ally.
Time can be a powerful ally as you build optimal health. As you’ll see, your daily choices can, over time, lead you from non-sickness to disease. But conversely, time can serve as your ally as you make choices that lead to optimal health.

3. Avoid peer pressure and toxic environments.
Do your friends and family follow the same Habits of Disease that you do? Are you hanging out in an unhealthy environment? You’ll learn more about modeling later in this program, but for now, it’s a good idea to avoid, as much as possible, any activities, friends, and environments that are not conducive to healthy behaviors.

4. Keep a journal.
Every time you engage in an activity or make a choice that doesn’t support health, write it down. Make a note of what triggered the behavior and kept you from controlling the unhealthy choice.

5. Exchange a negative for a positive choice.
Once you’ve mastered Stop—Challenge—Choose, this technique can help lead you to healthy alternatives. For example, say you’re tired at work in the afternoon. You probably habitually grab a cup of coffee, but as you’ll learn about sleep, this choice can actually exacerbate your lack of energy by robbing you of sleep that night. Instead, recharge naturally by taking a brisk 10-minute walk or by resting for five minutes with your eyes closed while listening to relaxing music.

6. Avoid giving the bad habit your energy or focus.
The best way to avoid acting in a certain way is to direct your focus elsewhere. If you keep telling yourself you’re not going to overeat or watch a second movie instead of heading to bed, your mind will stay focused on what you don’t want to do. The key is to avoid thinking of the behavior in the first place—which will become much easier as we load your daily choices with healthy habits that support what you really want.

7. Create barriers to the Habits of Disease.
I am absolutely powerless over the aroma of warm chocolate chip cookies. I go into a feeding frenzy, and 1,000 calories later I’m wondering what hit me. So there are standing orders in my house that my children and my wife, Lori, never make cookies when I’m home. Later in this program, we will delve into improving your environment, like your kitchen, in greater depth.

8. Get support.
If you aren’t sure how to conquer a certain temptation, ask someone who has experienced the same challenge, like your Health Coach. If you don’t personally know someone who has made the journey to optimal health, visit my Facebook, and ask our wonderful community members for help.

Pretty informative, right? It really helped me when I was first starting out on the Take Shape For Life program and is still helping me today.

Breakfast
This morning I had a choice...do I sneak a day old pastry and eat it in secret or do I make a delicious and creamy french vanilla shake? Easy answer to that one...the shake of course! So I made and drank a delicious shake and was set to start my day.

Morning Snack
I could not wait to sip on a piping hot cup of chai. Why? No reason...it just sounded really good. I was pretty happy when the time came around and was satisfied once it was all gone.

Lunch
I wasn't able to go home for lunch (my car is getting fixed), so I had some chili nacho cheese puffs with a ton of water. I just get so thirsty whenever I eat these! But they are so good!

Afternoon Snack
Still not able to go to lunch, I pulled out my next snack...a cinnamon roll crunch bar. It was even extra tasty when I paired it with some coffee. ;)

Dinner
I am house sitting my aunt's house again for the next week, so after work I went straight over there and finally made my lean and green meal. I made a simple salad with some chicken and light dressing and cheese...no picture though...totally spaced.

Dessert
Once I got settled in, I whipped up a java chip frappuccino (chocolate chip soft bake packet blended with instant coffee, water, and ice). My favorite ending to my day.

It was an overall good day...but tomorrow is a weigh-in day...so we shall see what happens!

xoxo,
Toni

12-week transformation...day two

So today's 12-week transformation challenge was all about recording what you eat and how much exercise you are doing throughout the day.

Well, as you know, I already record everything I eat, so that is one check down. However, I am slacking this week on exercise being out of town and my normal day to day routine. But when I do workout, I will always record it and let you know. I am doing quite a bit of walking around here though, so that is definitely burning calories.

Breakfast
Same old today for breakfast...just a dark chocolate shake with some ice in it.

Morning Snack
I was hit with the munchies immediately after drinking my shake, but thankfully there was a session, so my mom and I went in to listen and by the time it was done, it was time to eat again! The Lord is go good! Once I was able, I made a chai latte and drank it quite quickly...I guess I was hungry!

Lunch
I had to pick through the bad lettuce, but was able to put together a decent salad that included romaine lettuce, chicken, Parmesan cheese, and light chipotle dressing. Simple and delicious!

Afternoon Snack
I was lagging a bit by the afternoon so I made a cup of coffee and sipped on it while eating a cinnamon roll crunch bar. Seriously, the best pairing ever! Felt like I was eating a sinful pastry with my coffee. ☺

Dinner
The chili nacho cheese puffs are becoming one of my favorite meals! I love to munch on them while drinking some water...plus, it takes the hunger away...and keeps it away for some time!

Dessert
I did end up bringing my blender, so in my room I was able to blend up a peanut butter milkshake (using the peanut butter soft serve and blending it with water and ice). It was so perfect and hit the spot after a long day.

And what a long day it was! I am exhausted and cannot wait to put my head to my pillow...I hope you have a happy Wednesday!

PS...wasn't the sunset tonight just beautiful! Well...it sure was for me! Here is a picture of it...although it doesn't do it justice.

xoxo,
Toni

just look up

Today was a weigh in day...now, I am still losing the weight I gained over the holidays...but I am still moving forward! I told you I gained 12 pounds and as of this morning I have lost 5 of those pounds bringing my weight to 145.8 pounds.

With that said, I saw this quote and knew it was a perfect fit for today's post. I need to look up...not behind at my mistakes, or the future. Looking up puts me in the proper perspective.

Breakfast
Made a mocha shake with about a teaspoon of instant coffee added to it.

Morning Snack
A couple hours later my stomach started to rumble and I made a chai latte. Totally hit the spot.

Lunch
I am out of my normal salad ingredients, so I made an omelet which included egg beaters, cottage cheese, light cheese, spinach, and kale. It looks ugly, but tasted amazing!

Afternoon Snack
Lunch kept me quite full but I was still feeling a bit munchy and had some brown sugar and cinnamon cereal crunch.

Dinner
For dinner I made a mock java chip frappuccino. Added some instant coffee to a chocolate chip cookie soft bake packet and blended it all together with water and crushed ice.

Dessert
Took dessert with me on the go today. I just cut up a cinnamon roll crunch bar and ate it during church.

So...I kept today's post short and sweet because I didn't want to overshadow the profound quote. Think about it today and just look up!

xoxo,
Toni

day sixty-four...making progress

It has been a good morning...the weigh in...excited news! But...I will get back to that later. First, let's talk about my day and what I ate.

Breakfast
Woke up this morning with a smile on my face ready to face whatever the day had for me. I made myself an eggnog shake and headed into work. Today was our inventory day. Basically we count all the inventory in our warehouse. It was quick though, only took us about 30 minutes...I would say that's a record.

Morning Snack
I was hungry by the time my morning snack came around so I opted to make a chai latte and sipped on that for a good 45 minutes. It's amazing to me how much those drinks fill me up and keep me full!

Lunch
I was out and about doing errands at lunch so I decided to treat myself today and went to chipotle. I got a salad with steak, fajita veggies, and pico de gallo salsa. This has to be my favorite going out meal. So good!

Afternoon Snack
Lunch held me over for sure. But I did end up having some coffee with my afternoon snack. I sipped on some coffee first and then opened up and ate a bag of the mixed berry cereal crunch. Perfect afternoon snack.

Dinner
I had dessert for dinner today. Why not, right? I made a peanut butter milkshake using the peanut butter soft serve. I haven't made myself one of these milkshakes in a while, so it was a nice treat.

Now, I have to tell you...I spoke in front of my college group tonight! I was asked to give a word of encouragement before the study, and so I did! I was really nervous, but the Lord totally worked through me. It was a great feeling to be used by the Lord...despite my heart beating a million times an minute and my palms getting all sweaty. Oh well, God knows what He is doing, and He has a special plan for each and every one of us. Tonight is a night I will never forget.

Dessert
When it was time to eat my dessert, I was in the middle of church. But, I thought ahead and cut up a cinnamon roll crunch bar and brought it with me. I discreetly snacked on it while listening to the message. :)

And now...the moment you have all been waiting for! Okay...so last week I was 141.6 and I kept thinking all week that I just want to be in the 130's for Christmas. And as of this morning I am 138.0! I couldn't believe it! I don't even remember the last time I was in the 130's. God is so good and gracious. I could not have done it without Him.

Remember that this weekend...when you put God first, things just fall into place. I would not be where I am today if it were not for the Lord. Trust me, I tried doing every diet in the book on my own, but it was only when I surrendered my will to the Lord that I have succeeded. No turning back!

xoxo,
Toni

day sixty-one...seven days 'till Christmas

Let the countdown begin!

I am a huge Christmas fan. I love everything about it...everything. I feel as if people are simply more cheerful and happy as they go about their day around this time of year...or at least I am.

So as of now I am as happy as can be and cannot wait for the family to come together and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Breakfast
Back to the daily work routine this morning. I made myself a dark chocolate shake and went on my merry way.

Morning Snack
I can't tell you enough how much I like these calorie burn cappuccinos. They are so perfect on wintery days. Definitely ranking as my favorite Medifast meal as of late.

Lunch
Back to the salad today. I really like the pizza burger and parmesan salad combo. All I do is chop up some lettuce, heat up a pizza burger and sprinkle some shredded parmesan cheese and dressing and I am done! Quick and delicious!

Afternoon Snack
I was fairly full when it was time to eat my next snack, but I still munched on some cheese pizza bites. I mean...who am I to say no to a snack time? I am also almost done with these...I didn't order anymore on this last order.

Dinner
I am house sitting tonight, so I had a cinnamon roll crunch bar when I got to the house after work. I then got started working on some new recipes!

Dessert
One of the recipes I created was a vanilla pudding cake. Let's just say that if you are in need of a treat, you must make this. :) I will post the recipe soon!

Also...in case you didn't see it earlier, I posted a recipe for a pumpkin pie custard. Check it out here.

Hope your day is a blessed one!

xoxo,
Toni

day forty-three...thanksgiving road trip day three

Woke up this morning to this weather report. Ummm...just a little cold. It didn't end up snowing, but it was still bundle-up weather. And bundle-up we did.

Breakfast
Before we headed out for some adventure, I made a chai latte using some hot water provided by the hotel. While drinking my chai, my parents and I read a few chapters of the Bible and prayed. Lovely start to the day.

Morning Snack
After our mini Bible study we headed out. We walked around the shops in Mammoth and then decided to go back to Bishop and attempt to hike up the snowy hills to the mine shafts. I made a egg nog shake (french vanilla shake packet mixed with some egg nog capella drops) before we left the hotel and it stayed cold for two hours easy...it was 30 degrees outside after all. PS...this is the best shake I have had to date. Perfect start to the Christmas season.

On our way back to Bishop, we stopped at Convict Lake. Story behind the lake is that back in the 1800's, a bunch of convicts escaped from prison and the chase ended at this lake with a big shootout. Bummer story, but beautiful lake. This is a picture of my mom and I with the lake and the snowy Sierra Mountains in the background.

We finally made it to Bishop, and we drove back to the hiking spot to attempt the climb. Here is the starting point. The end point is about the middle of the picture where the cluster of trees are.

Let me tell you...walking through fluffy snow is not easy...especially when it is about knee deep. It was quite the challenge and workout. Near the middle of the hike, we had to cross a bridge covered in snow. You couldn't see what you were walking on, so I was just waiting for my foot to go through some hole. Thankfully, that didn't happen and we made it across safely. Do you notice how the snow glistens? So beautiful.

After about 40 minutes, we finally made it to the mines. These mines were used back in 1879 during the gold rush. That little creek in the picture above is a part of where they would sift their pans in search of gold. I love history, so this was pretty neat to see. The wooden structure is connected to the mountain, where you can also see holes where the miners used dynamite to blow up the sides of the mountain.

On the way back from the mines, I took these pictures of the aspen trees...they are just so pretty against all the white snow.

Here is another portion of our path with the aspens on either side of us.

Lunch
After we got back into the truck, we headed back to town to find something to eat. There isn't a lot, so we just went to Carl's Jr. We never eat here, but the options were extremely limited for me. I looked up what I could have, and Take Shape for Life suggested I order the grilled chicken salad. Honestly, this salad wasn't that great...not TSFL's fault, but Carl's Jr's fault. The only thing that was okay, was the chicken. I won't be ordering this again.

After lunch, we made the decision to head back home. We were going to travel to Kern Valley and stay another night, but we just wanted to get home. But before we did get back on the road, we stopped at the famous Erick Schat's Bakery. They make a delicious sheepherders bread. Walking into this bakery was tough (with the sweet smells and free samples), but I made it through without eating any of the free samples. ;)

Afternoon Snack
After our bakery visit, we hoped back in the car and made our way home. On our way back, I ate a cinnamon raisin crunch bar. These bars are delicious...it was a great snack after such a bummer lunch.

Dinner
By the time dinner rolled around, it was dark and I didn't take a picture of my nacho chili puffs. But all the other pictures I posted today can make up for that...hopefully. :)

Dessert
We finally made it back home!!! I got everything unpacked and settled in and then I made myself a brownie and called it a night.

All in all, it was a really fun and exciting road trip and even more exciting staying on plan. I could not have done it without the help of the Lord.

Pray you have a blessed night!

xoxo,
Toni

day twenty-six...guilty feelings

I have a confession...for the past few days, I have been getting down on myself and feeling guilty for the things I am eating. I have given myself a little more freedom and creativity when it comes to my lean and green meals, and I am simply not feeling thinner...if that makes sense—so I feel guilty because it must lead back to those lean and green meals. And maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Either way, I need to start treating myself better and feeling guilty for eating according to plan. I am on the right track...there is nothing wrong with that.

With that said, I have a plan. For now on, I am going to have a "treat" lean and green meal on Friday and Saturday or Sunday and every other day I am just going to keep it simple. Simple meaning, a salad with a protein. A treat meal can mean making pizza boats, zucchini spaghetti, or cauliflower pizza. That way, I am still having a little fun in the kitchen, but not all the time. 

Wow...okay...now, let's talk about what I ate today.

Breakfast

I had spare time this morning, so I decided to make an oatmeal waffle. I just mixed the oatmeal with some water and put it in the waffle maker. It stuck like crazy, but it was still crispy and delicious.

Morning Snack

It was a chilly morning, so I made a lovely hot cup of the calorie-burn cappuccino. I can drink this every morning. Love it!

Lunch

Like I mentioned earlier in the post, I am going simple during the week for my lean and green meals. So today, I had a simple, yet delicious chicken salad. I ended up using a new dressing today as well. It is the light honey mustard one made by Annie's. It was soooo good! Paired perfectly with the chicken. Even my cat, Peggy wanted a bite. ;)

Afternoon Snack

I actually wasn't hungry between lunch and my afternoon snack! Yay! I am finally getting over these cravings to eat...or really just to keep my mouth busy. Anyways, I opened up a bag of the cheese pizza bites and ate those for a good 30 minutes. There are a lot of bites in one bag!

Dinner

As I mentioned yesterday, I saved the mac and cheese for tonight. And that is exactly what I had. It turned out way better than any other mac and cheese I have made! Not a bad alternative to the real stuff! I am still trying to snap a decent photo of the mac and cheese, but it is just not photogenic.

Dessert

I have been having a crunch bar every day since day one and am not going to stop doing that now...so I had a cinnamon roll crunch bar for my dessert and loved every last bite of it. I actually almost forgot to eat it because my parents came over to the house I am watching and we were all sitting together watching Food Network's Chopped. We were all so in to it and in awe of how these chefs make a beautiful dish out of the strangest ingredients. But anyways, I did end up remembering and enjoyed the bar while watching.

And just to put a smile on your face, here is the cutest picture of our neighbor's cat peeking over the fence into our backyard to say hello to our two cats.

'Til tomorrow!

xoxo,

Toni