day sixty...a day at a theme park

Today I went to Knott's Berry Farm...my first time going to a theme park since starting the Take Shape For Life program. And...it went really well! My friends are the best and really supportive with all my special food requests and eating. It's really important to have people who support you.

Breakfast
Beofre even going to the theme park, I had to make about 75 chocolate covered strawberries for a church event. So I woke up early and drank a vanilla shake while dipping the berries and sprinkling them with sliced almonds and coconut.

Morning Snack
After the strawberries were done, I made a chai latte to bring with me to meet my friends and head on over to Knotts.

Lunch
At this point in the day, we were all at the park and going on rides like no one's business. The park was empty so we went on a ton of rides. While walking about from ride to ride, I pulled out some vanilla snickerdoodle cookies (using the vanilla pudding mix) I made yesterday to munch on. I know they don't look all that appetizing, but trust me...they were good and satisfying. I will also be posting the recipe for these soon.

Afternoon Snack
We went out of the park to grab some food around 2pm. After looking around a bit, we decided on TGI Fridays. I ended up eating my lean and green meal at this time and ordered the Balsamic-Glazed Chicken Caesar Salad minus the balsamic glaze drizzle, the Caesar Vinaigrette, and focaccia croutons. I ate pretty much everything except the tomatoes and some of the lettuce. Oh, and I didn't have the dressing either...left it on the side.

Dinner
I wasn't able to snap a photo of my dinner because it was dark and we were walking around. But anyways, I did have some honey mustard pretzel bites. It was really easy to just pop them in my mouth as we walked about.

Dessert
I was back home by the time dessert came around and I ended up eating a smores crunch bar and boy did it hit the spot. It was really good tonight...perfect treat to end a fun, wonderful, and successful day.

Here are a few photos of me and my friends throughout the day...

The Girls...Liz, Kiera, and me

Me and my friend, Caleb just about to go on the ride, xcelerator

Such a fun day! And I am living proof that  it is possible to stay on track (despite all the funnel cakes, ice cream, and hamburgers) while going to a theme park. My only suggestion...come prepared. I don't think I would have stuck to the plan if I was not prepared in all my meals. Look up the restaurants beforehand in and around the park before you go so you know what you can and cannot eat.

Hope this helps and encourages you to stay on track during your next outing. Have a blessed night!

xoxo,
Toni

day fifty-three...somehow I made it through the day

Today was hard. Today seemed impossible to get through. I don't know why, but it was really hard to fight off the cravings. I mean, I was able to, but it wasn't easy.

I will admit that at lunchtime when I was making my lean and green meal, I ate a few extra pinches of shredded Parmesan cheese. Other than that, I surprisingly made it through the day. I found this quote and thought it appropriate to share, especially in memory of Nelson Mandela. This quote is a perfect description to my day. While I was going about today, it seemed impossible to stay on plan...it was only until I started writing this post that I realized I made it. The day is done.

The Lord is to thank for this victory because I will tell you right now, I would have easily fallen prey to that warm, freshly baked banana bread in the kitchen at work this morning or that frozen pizza in the freezer just begging to be baked. Hopefully this encourages you to stay strong. The time will pass whether you give in to temptation or not...better to not rather than have regret. You can do it!

Breakfast
My morning started off pretty good. I went to bed kind of late last night, so I was a tad tired, but other than that, it was good. I made a strawberry shake and headed into work.

Morning Snack
This is the time when my cravings began. I have no idea what triggered it, but I was struggling. I had a cup of coffee and made an apple cinnamon oatmeal muffin hoping my cravings would suppress...but they didn't. Right after I finished eating my snack, I wanted more. Something "bad" and off plan. Of course, my flesh desired that, but my spirit was saying, no screaming, don't do it! I thankfully listened to my spirit and started to chew a piece of gum and drink some water.

Lunch
The gum helped temporarily, but the craving for food was still there. I went home for lunch and looked around the freezer to see what I could round up. I wasn't able to go shopping yesterday, so I had to make something with what I already had. So broccoli and a pizza burger it was! While the veggies were cooking, I ate a little more cheese than I should have. It was low calorie, but still...I was overeating. As soon as I realized what was happening, I put the cheese away and began cooking my burger and ate as soon as it was done. I also drizzled some light chipotle ranch dressing on top of the broccoli to give it a little extra flavor (I didn't use any seasonings while cooking them).

Because I was still struggling with my cravings, I made a coffee to sip on hoping it would help. And itt did! Before I knew it, it was time to eat my afternoon snack...and I hadn't even finished drinking the coffee!

Afternoon Snack

So thankful I get to eat every two hours. I really needed to munch on something by this time in the afternoon. I had some honey mustard pretzel bites and prayed it would hold me over until after my run tonight...which it did.

Workout

Despite wanting to eat everything in sight, I went for a run. And you know what? It actually helped! By the time I was done, I was back to normal...my cravings had suppressed dramatically! Funny how working out can do that.

Dinner

For dinner, I ate a lemon meringue crunch bar. It was the perfect snack to eat as I went grocery shopping for the week.

Dessert

It's Monday night, so my parents and I gathered around and we watched last week's episode of the Biggest Loser. While watching, I sipped on a coffee milkshake. Perfect ending to my day.

Well, that's it! I made it though this seemingly impossible day! I pray and hope tomorrow is a better one. :)

xoxo,

Toni

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-four...take my life, take all that I am

Today I want to keep it short and sweet. I went to church tonight and the worship leader sang a song that really spoke to me. Here is the youtube video which subtitles the lyrics...it is called "Like an Avalanche" by Hillsong United.

Powerful words, right? I encourage you to make that your prayer today..."Take my life, take all that I am, with all that I am, I will love you. Take my heart, take all that I have, Jesus how I adore you."

Breakfast
My lovely cats decided to wake me up around 5am this morning, but I was able to get back to bed and sleep in until 10. Sleep is a wonderful thing. Once I woke up, I made myself a dark chocolate shake.

Morning Snack
After I drank breakfast and read my Bible, I started to clean the kitchen and the kitchen floor. In the middle of my cleaning, it was time to eat my morning snack...or really an afternoon snack. Instead of having my lean and green meal (since it was lunchtime) I decided to have the honey mustard pretzel bites so I could easily stick one in my mouth while continuing to clean.

Lunch
After I finished cleaning, I headed over to Trader Joe's and did a little food shopping for the week. I bought some lettuce, shredded Parmesan cheese, and chicken burgers, as well as some probiotic pills. Once I got back home, I made a salad with romaine lettuce, a pizza burger, shredded Parmesan cheese, and light chipotle ranch dressing. Delish!

Afternoon Snack
A few hours later, I made myself a calorie-burn cappuccino. Instead of mixing it with water, I tried mixing it with black coffee. I have no idea why I haven't been doing this the whole time. The cappuccino was so good! I will be probably be doing this all the time now. Maybe I will try it with the chai latte...or add some espresso shots to it.

Dinner
A little while later, I went to church and wasn't able to eat until after. I was a tad past three hours, but by only about 15 minutes. Saturday nights at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa are so amazing. If you ever have time on a Saturday night, I highly encourage you to come. I wasn't going to come tonight actually, but the Lord put it on my heart to go and I am so happy I listened to Him. Click here to listen or watch past messages. After the study I drove home and while waiting for a parking spot, I snacked on a s'mores crunch bar (thankfully I packed it in my purse).

Dessert
I was up for a while, so when it was time to eat dessert, I was kind of hungry and thankful I had one more meal to eat. I sipped on a coffee milkshake and then called it a night. I just love these milkshakes and can't get enough of them. Really feels like you are "being bad".

Oh and a little side note...you may have noticed that I didn't post a weight update yesterday, and well, that is because I didn't bring my scale with me on the road trip. So...I will just wait until next Friday to weigh myself and update you all.

My kitties also say hello and goodnight!

xoxo,
Toni

day forty...forty days and forty nights

[source]

It has already been forty days since I began the Take Shape For Life program. Forty days! I will be honest...there are not a lot of things I have stuck to for forty days. I am beyond thrilled and cannot wait to continue on this journey toward losing weight and getting healthy.

And it is only by the grace of God that I have even made it this far. I could never have done this by my own will...I would have eaten a dozen cupcakes by the second day. But with Christ, I am strong. He gives me the strength to say no to those temptations and keep fighting each day.

If any of you are interested in starting this program, click here. :)

Breakfast
I am off work for the rest of the week, so I slept in a bit this morning. When I did wake up, I made myself a dark chocolate shake. I love having the shakes first thing in the morning...they get me going.

Morning Snack
After breakfast, I cleaned, cleaned, cleaned...my room, not the house. My sister was here as well, so we cleaned up our room and then went to the store together. Once we returned, I ate a chocolate crunch bar while reading the latest Rachel Ray Magazine.

Lunch
I made something different for lunch. Since it is Thanksgiving week, I wanted to stray a bit from my mundane salads and try out some new recipes...especially since I have the time. So today, I made some turnip fries and paired it with a protein chicken burger topped with a little bit of light cheese. Delish! I have actually never had turnips before today, but they were pretty good and really close to potatoes in texture. Keep a lookout...I will post the recipe soon.

Afternoon Snack
Lunch kept me quite full, so I wasn't all too hungry for an afternoon snack. But, I still had one. I ate the honey mustard pretzels along with some water. There aren't that many pretzel bites in a bag, so it was a perfect amount that kept me satisfied for the next couple hours.

Dinner
I had to bring dinner with me to church, so I just a made a coffee milkshake. It was easy to take and drink...plus it was delicious. It was actually sitting around for over an hour and it was still icy cold when I drank it! Love this stainless steel cup. You can buy it here. It is actually 30% off right now too!

Dessert
After we got home from church, I ate a blueberry soft bake. I followed the new instructions that came with the new box and it came out so much better! No overflowing...only because I cooked it in a cup. :P

Well, that is all I have for today. If you can, please keep my dad in prayer. He injured his knee and is in constant pain. Just pray for the Lord's will to be done and that the Lord would give the doctors wisdom on what to do next. Thank you!

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