day forty-nine...I am His, and He is mine

I never doubt that I am a child of God, but reading quotes like these just seem to encourage me. Now, I may not doubt this, but maybe you are. Perhaps you think God doesn't care about you...that He has forgotten about you. Let me tell you that He hasn't. Sometimes we have to go through a hard patch in our lives, but He is always there...walking right beside you. God is there in the good and bad times.

Don't fear, my friend. God is there. He will sustain you. He will help you. All you have to do is trust in Him and know He will come through. The night may be tough, but joy will come in the morning.

Remember that today.

Breakfast
I made a strawberry shake this morning. And judging by the picture, you can probably figure out that I added a tad too much ice. It was still fairly good though.

Morning Snack
I made the most delicious apple cinnamon oatmeal muffin today! Just microwaved it in the microwave but cut the time by 20 seconds and it came out so moist! Pairing this with a cup of coffee would be the perfect Christmas treat.

Lunch
I wanted to keep it light for lunch because I wasn't feeling all that well. So I made a salad using the rest of the romaine I had in the fridge and topped it with a vegetable burger and some light Italian dressing. Simple and light.

Afternoon Snack
Still feeling a tad stomach sick, so I picked a small snack. I had some honey mustard pretzel bites because there are fewer in the bag than all the other snacks. :) Worked like a charm.

Workout
Ran again today. Same as Monday...but shortened my time by 2 minutes! It's weird how much I actually enjoy running now.

Dinner
After I got home from running, I jumped in the shower and then made myself a java chip frappuccino (I mixed together a chocolate chip soft bake packet with a packet of via and some ice and water). I had a dear friend and neighbor come over and pretty much give me the best facial of my life while I drank this delicious new favorite drink. Plus, my skin is so soft! I love it!!! Check out the products I used...they are all from the dead sea!

Dessert
After my mini facial, I cleaned up my room and just had a peaceful and relaxing evening. Around 9pm I ate a lemon meringue crunch bar and then called it a night. I was tired for some reason, so when I had the opportunity to go to bed early, I took it. Tomorrow is a weigh-in day...I need the sleep.

Good night friends! PS...I have a huge surprise for you all tomorrow, so don't miss it! :D

xoxo,
Toni

day forty-six...possibilities

[source]

The smell of popcorn hit me like a ton of bricks as soon as I walked into the kitchen. I stood there and deeply inhaled and slowly exhaled. It was a delightful smell. One that seems to linger hours after being popped. I quickly filled up my water bottle and made my way out of the kitchen...there was no reason for me to be in there...especially with the popcorn smell lingering and my mind beginning to think about food.

It's funny how just the smells of food can stumble you. Sure, I didn't feel like I had to eat popcorn like I used to, but I am still tempted. Food is not going anywhere. And everyday that I deny my flesh, my spirit gets stronger. It is not impossible to say no. Trust me, it's not. It may be difficult, but you can do it! The Lord always provides a way out. And most of the time it's as simple as walking out of the room.

Breakfast
Well, I'm back to my normal routine today. Woke up around 7am and started getting ready for work. Right before I left, I made a strawberry shake. Lovely start to my Monday. Did you notice the Christmas decorations in my office? :D

Morning Snack
For my snack, I made a oatmeal muffin using the apple cinnamon oatmeal. For some reason, it was really good today! It's usually a hit or miss with the oatmeal muffins, and today it was a hit!

Lunch
I decided to eat a simple lunch today. I cooked a chicken burger and paired it with raw broccoli. I also used chipotle ranch dressing as a dipping sauce for the broccoli. Delish!

Pre-Afternoon Snack
Before my afternoon snack, I had a little bit of coffee with 2 tablespoons of sugar free creamer. I needed a little pick-me-up...

Afternoon Snack
For my afternoon snack I had the cheese pizza bites. I was feeling rather snacky, so these were perfect!

Workout
Upon getting home from work, I changed into my workout clothes and went for an evening jog. Except tonight, I didn't do it alone! My dear friend, Kiera came with me! She is the best...just sayin'. We did 2.18 miles in about 28 minutes. It was a ton of fun having her join me. I had my sister take a picture of us...but somehow it got deleted...I think that was my fault. Bummer. Oh well.

Dinner
After our workout, I made some mac and cheese and brought it with me to go because Kiera and I went dress shopping for a formal Christmas party we are attending on Saturday night. I also added a little bit of shredded Parmesan cheese to it and it turned out really good! It thickened up the sauce a bit as well. Loved it! I promise it tastes so much better than it looks. I can never get an appetizing photo of the mac and cheese.

Dessert
I just got home when it was time to eat dessert. I am so happy I saved the lemon meringue crunch bar. It was easy to eat as I watched last weeks episode of the Biggest Loser. Doesn't the lights on the Christmas tree look pretty? I love it.

I pray you have a blessed night and even better day!

xoxo,
Toni

day thirty-five...washed away

I woke up this morning to this beautiful sight. The rain was falling...washing away all the old dirt that covered the cars, trees, and streets. It was such a refreshing smell too. The Lord will do the same thing in our lives...He washes away all of our old dirt and sins and makes us clean...whiter than snow. We don't smell like the old sin but rather we have a sweet aroma about us.

Even being on Medifast, I feel like my old binging habits have been washed away and I now feel new and refreshed. When I was eating all the time, I felt gross, fat, and was just unhappy. Now, I feel more confident and I actually look forward to what the day will bring. The rain washed away my habitual sin and now I am living a clean life full of joy.

Breakfast
In case you haven't figured it out, I love the rain. It is a rare treat here in Southern California, so I take advantage of it when I can. :) For breakfast, I had a dark chocolate shake. And of course I had to take a picture of it outside on the wet grass.

Morning Snack
I made an apple cinnamon oatmeal muffin for my snack and it was so perfectly warm! It was pouring rain as I was eating this steamy muffin at my desk, and I was just looking out the window watching the rain fall. It was a wonderful moment.

Right after I finished my snack, I couldn't resist...I just had to make myself a hot cup of tea. Rainy day perfection.

Lunch
Today for lunch I had yet another chili lime chicken burger on a bed of romaine topped with some light Italian dressing. These burgers are so delicious and really low in calories. If you have a Trader Joe's by you, I would highly recommend you try these out. You will not be disappointed. PS...doesn't this picture just scream fall? This was taken in my backyard on one of our wooden pallet benches. Love it! Also...there is no filter on this photo...this is how it really looked!

Afternoon Snack
I tried a new snack today! Last Medifast order I got the cinnamon pretzel bits, but this time around I got the honey mustard pretzel bites. The verdict? Loved them! I have a sweet tooth so I wasn't sure if I would like these better than cinnamon. I have to admit that I prefer the cinnamon ones, but these are a close second.

I was debating on whether or not to go for a quick jog after work because my neck has been hurting all day...I think I slept on it wrong. But just when I was about to call it quits, I found myself changing into my workout clothes. What's 30 minutes of my life, right? I can relax after. Plus, tomorrow is a weigh-in day so I need to give it all I got. :)

With that said, I went on a 2.18 mile jog (I didn't walk at all!)...in the rain I might add. Running in the rain just gives you that extra push you need. It is a good feeling. And a little side note...I actually enjoyed this jog. I was pretty happy the whole time...except when I was nearing the end...at that point I just wanted to get home.

Dinner
After working out, I came back home and ate a oatmeal raisin crunch (these are delish!). It was exactly what I needed after a fun rain run. I literally just got back when I ripped open this bar...I was hungry!

Dessert
To end the night, I whipped up a brownie. This dessert is the best! If you are looking for a great alternative to a "real" brownie, this is the one for you. Seriously, I feel like I am cheating! ;) I slowly snacked on this while watching The Hunger Games...can't wait for the second one! I am going to see it on Saturday...I'm a nerd, I know. :P

Well, I pray you enjoy your day and I will update you all tomorrow on my weight!

xoxo,
Toni

day twenty-five...a girl walks into a bakery

Oh the things you find on Pinterest...this one is a keeper and perfect for my post today...

So today I walked into a bakery. Not just any bakery...French's Bakery. A family owned and established bakery loaded with delicious baked goods. The moment I walked in, the smell just overwhelmed me. It was the first time in a few weeks that I truly felt weak.

Let me rewind...the reason I was even there in the first was because I had to purchase a cookie tray for work—this was all work-related and had nothing to do with pleasure or torturing myself.

Okay, so I walk in, smell all the goodness and purchase the cookie tray. While the girl is helping me checkout, I am standing there just looking at all the cookies, cupcakes, eclairs, croissants, and cakes...I feel like they are talking to me...just buy me, it won't hurt...you deserve it. I should have turned away but I couldn't stop looking at all the different kinds of pastries they had. Thankfully, the girl finished the transaction and I was on my merry way out the door. No other purchases were made.

I will be honest...it was hard. I know I have been strong resisting temptation and it has been fairly easy, but today was not easy. Sweet treats are my all-time weakness. I am so thankful the Lord provided that exit door...that was my way out. I had to stop and think, is it really worth it? Nope, I am already sweet enough...I don't need that cupcake. ;)

Breakfast
I woke up around 6:45 this morning and got going on my day. Got ready, made my breakfast and headed out the door to get to work on time. I had some extra time on my hands, but I decided to make a quick mocha shake and just get on the road.

Morning Snack
My stomach was grumbling by the time my morning snack came around. I chugged some water and made an oatmeal muffin. For some reason, I have a bunch of the oatmeal packets left so I am trying to finish them off before I open my new boxes of food.

It was a good thing I ate my snack when I did because it was right after I finished eating that I was asked to go to the bakery. I am sure not having a growling stomach helped me resist that bakery temptation.

Lunch
I had originally planned to have a salad for lunch, but as I was getting out the lettuce, I noticed there was cabbage as well. So I nixed the salad and went for a cabbage and pizza burger hash. Glad I did because it was delicious!

Afternoon Snack
I made it! The time quickly passed between lunch and my afternoon snack. I tell you, it is the hardest time waiting after lunch...I don't know why. But anyways, as soon as 3:15 rolled around I broke open a bag of bbq bites and started snacking.

Dinner
After debating for a while on what to have for dinner I decided to just have a s'mores crunch bar. I was going to have mac and cheese, but I will save that for tomorrow.

Dessert
Like the oatmeal, I have a few more soft serve packets left, so I decided to whip up a peanut butter milkshake using the peanut butter soft serve. This is such a perfect treat to have when lying in bed reading or watching a movie or something. Totally feels like you are sipping on a calorie-laden milkshake...when you in fact, are not.

So, another end to a great day. The Lord is good and I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!

xoxo,
Toni

day twenty-four...you are not a dog!

I saw this and could not resist posting it. I am watching two dogs at the moment and they do get food treats for being good. But I am not a dog...I don't get food rewards.

So anyways, I cannot believe I just typed "day twenty-four" in the post title. Can you believe it has already been twenty-four days since I began the Medifast Program? I am loving it and have never felt better.

As you know I am housesitting alone for the next week. This situation can easily cause me to slip and fall back into my old patterns of eating or it can strenghten me. It is when you are alone that the waters are truly tested. Last night for example, I was making a cauliflower pizza for dinner and found myself popping in a few pieces of light mozzarella in my mouth while waiting for the crust to cook. Now, I could have punished myself for eating more than I should and go off on a binge, or move past it and adjust the rest of the meal so it still fits within the required lean and green guide. Thankfully, I chose the latter. It was an easy fix...I simply adjusted the cheese measurement for the top of the pizza. Easy peasy.

Next time you are alone, stop and pray, and trust in the Lord no matter the situation. He can and will get you through it.

Breakfast
It was a leisure morning for me. I cooked my friend, Kiera, some breakfast while I made and ate an oatmeal muffin.

Morning Snack

A couple hours after we ate breakfast, it was time for my morning snack. I totally spaced and didn't get a picture of it because I was eating it on my drive to church...probably better that I didn't snap photos while driving. I had a peanut butter crunch bar in case you were wondering.

Lunch

I was planning on making a cauliflower pizza today, but I didn't have enough time to make it for lunch...I had to eat my next meal immediately. So instead I opted for the brown sugar cinnamon crunch cereal and decided to have the pizza for my afternoon snack.

Afternoon Snack

Okay, here it is...the cauliflower crust pizza! I used the recipe found here but made a few adjustments. I will post the recipe hopefully by the end of the week. It was so delicious...couldn't even taste the cauliflower. But I do have to say that this is a rare once in a while treat. I feel like there is a lot of cheese and eating that much once a week or something cannot be good for you. So let this be a once a month treat instead. It is definitely a great alternative to pizza though...so keep that in mind the next time you want to order that extra-large 8 topping pizza. ;D

Dinner

I was actually still quite full from the pizza, so I had a chocolate chip soft bake and drank a bunch of water with it.

Dessert

To round out the day, I ended with a coffee milkshake. Love love love this drink! It is by far the best dessert you can make. I highly recommend it.

Well, that is all I have for today. Just remember that in those times when you are alone, you are going to be tested, so just be prepared, stay strong, and know that God is in control and there will always be a way out.

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

xoxo,

Toni

day twenty-two...week three weigh in

Isn't this little girl just the cutest! I will talk more about her in a sec...but first, today was a weigh in day!

My ultimate goal this week was to not only stay on the Medifast Program, but I wanted to lose 2 pounds. From here on out, my desire is to lose about 2 pounds a week. And since it doesn't even really feel like I am on a health program, losing 2 pounds a week would be amazing!

Well, this week I met my goal! In fact, I lost 2 pounds on the dot, bringing my new weight to 152.6 pounds...bringing my total weight loss to 13.6 pounds in only three weeks! I have to admit, I was so nervous stepping on the scale this morning. I had so much doubt going through my mind. But that can obviously be blamed on satan...he is crafty like that. But my doubt was washed away as soon as I saw that number on the scale. I immediately smiled and thanked the Lord. God is up in Heaven all like, You got this, Toni, just trust in Me. Duh! Why shouldn't I be trusting in the Lord alone...He is the only one who is going to get me through this week after week.

Breakfast
I usually like to treat myself (treat as in, eat my favorite Medifast foods) on Friday because of my victorious weigh-in, but I decided to just eat what I had the most of since my new shipment of Medifast arrives today. So I had the pineapple mango smoothie, which, as you know, is not my favorite. But it didn't taste all that bad today.

Morning Snack
I was ready for my morning snack around 10am. My stomach was growling! So I made myself an oatmeal muffin and also had a vanilla rooibos tea from Starbucks (no milk or sugar, just plain). This was one of the best snacks I have ever had! So good! And how can those red cups not put a smile on your face? It's a reminder that Thanksgiving is right around the corner and then Christmas!!! So excited!!!

Lunch
Lunch was a normal one, nothing too special. I had to make it quick because I had to go shopping during my lunch hour to buy a bunch of food for a "girl's night in" party I am having tomorrow night. More about that tomorrow though. :) So in my hurried attempt at lunch, I heated up a pizza burger and thew it on top of a bed of romaine lettuce and topped it all off with some light Italian dressing.

Afternoon Snack
I feel like the period between lunch and my afternoon snack is the worst. I don't know why, but I just get so hungry! But I just drink a bunch of water and chew on a stick of gum until the time to eat again rolls around. Today, I had the parmesan cheese puffs. Once again, not my favorite, but they are growing on me each time I eat them.

Dinner
For some reason the time between my afternoon snack and my dinner goes by so fast! I guess its the last hour of work and I am so busy, so time just flies. It's great! Before I knew it, it was time to eat again, so I had a cinnamon roll crunch bar.

Dessert
I was planning on making a waffle using the pancake mix, but I decided to save that for Saturday and just whipped up a peanut butter milkshake instead. Glad I did, because it was divine! Totally ended my night on a sweet note.

Okay, so back to that adorable dog from the beginning of the post. Well, I am housesitting for the next 10 days or so and I also get to watch this cutie along with another little dog (I will snap a pic of her soon). These dogs are the best! However, as I am watching a house alone, accountability is a little scarce. In the past I would usually take this "alone" time and eat all my favorite foods and probably gain 5-10 pounds! But not this time! I have all my Medifast meals with me and am determined to stay on track and lose weight, not gain. I will still be blogging, so you guys can all be my accountability :) Until tomorrow!

xoxo,
Toni

day twenty-one...habits

So they say it takes three weeks to form a habit. And today marks my third week on the Medifast Program. Can you believe it has already been three weeks! Time has seriously flown by. Can I say I have formed a habit? Well, "yes, I have." What I eat now has become the norm for me. I don't really feel left out when everyone goes out to eat. I am content...and I think that is important. I am not even bored with the food. That is huge because in the past I would get bored with what I was eating and then end up breaking my diet.

All in all, I have formed a habit and can't wait to continue it. :)

Breakfast
It is getting chilly over here in the mornings! But that didn't stop me from having a dark chocolate shake. No it's not a Starbucks Venti Mocha Frappuccino...just a Medifast shake. ;)

Morning Snack
I attempted to make the oatmeal muffin in a bowl...and it worked! Turned out more like a thick pancake though...which is just as delicious!

Lunch
Lunch was a simple one. Just cooked a pizza burger and topped it on top of lettuce and Italian dressing. So delicious!

Afternoon Snack
I ate my snack a bit late, but I think it was only about 15 minutes past my 3 hour mark. Not sure if it affects me that much, but still, I like to eat within the 2-3 hour time frame. There goes my striving for perfection again.

Dinner
Dinner could not have come soon enough. The smores crunch bar hit the spot. I just love this bar and think it is a huge part of helping me keep on this program.

Dessert
Last but certainly not least is dessert. I made a chocolate chip soft bake. I added a tad more water than the 2 tablespoons it called for and it turned about perfect! I am finally getting all these cooking times and preparations down.

Keeping it short and sweet today, but I pray your Friday is blessed!

xoxo,
Toni