missions day

Today was missions day at my church (Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa). It was so neat to see and hear from different missionaries around the world.

Right after church I had to get packed and head up to Murrieta, Ca to work the missions conference that is taking place this entire week (well until Friday). I am going to stay on plan and have packed all my Medifast meals as well as prepped some salad fixings (lettuce, chicken, light dressing, parmesan cheese) for my lean and green meals. I will keep you updated on the week as it goes on.

Today was technically day one and I did well...until about 7pm when I had just the worst cravings! It's funny though because I was talking with a dear friend who is going to be starting Take Shape For Life very soon, so we were discussing all the different meals, what I liked and didn't like, and how happy I was being on the program...then came those cravings. Thankfully, I stuck to my diet and did not cave into the evil food thoughts that were lurking about in my mind.

Breakfast
Woke up fairly early for a weekend and made a dark chocolate shake to sip on while I packed and prepped for the upcoming week.

Morning Snack
Before I left for church, I made one super fluffy chocolate pancake using a large biscuit cutter. By doing this, I can create a delicious cake like pancake. Love it!

Lunch
I didn't have my lean and green meal until dinnertime, so for lunch I made an iced chai latte. Yes, iced! It was the first time I made it, and I was not disappointed. I loved it and will be making it more often for sure. I also drank it on the way up to Murrita and totally forgot to take a picture of it. Oh well, next time!

Afternoon Snack
While setting up the resource room (we are working the book tables) I snacked on some honey mustard pretzel bites. I would eat one, set up some books, drink some water, and do it all over again until the bites were gone.

Dinner
Here is where my lean and green meal came into play. After we were done setting up, my mom and I went to Chipotle. I ended up getting a salad topped with steak, sauteed fajita vegetables, and some pico de gallo. This has to be one of my absolute favorite lean and green meals. Not only does it taste divine, but it is also filling.

Dessert
This is when my cravings started to rise and take over, but I chewed on a piece of gum and waited to eat my last meal of the day...a strawberry crunch bar. By the grace of the Lord, I made it through the night and am ready to see what tomorrow brings.

Blessings to you all! I will let you know how tomorrow goes!

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 thirty-two...what's in the red cup?

I love the eggnog latte from Starbucks. It is my all time favorite drink...and I can only get it once a year...this time of year. I walked into Starbucks last night after doing a little shopping at Trader Joe's and saw that the holiday drinks were here and available. I will fully admit that it is going to be a challenge this season not to buy any of these drinks...especially the eggnog latte which is probably the worst one out of the bunch. So I am going to resist and not give myself any liberties to buy one. I can make my own at home, Medifast style. ;)

But please pray for me in this season when food and drinks are the center of attention...it is hard for me because my mind thinks, "You only get this once a year...just get back on track after Christmas..." But you know what? I don't want to stop doing the Medifast program! I love what I am doing and really love the results...why mess that up with a drink I will consume in less than an hour? It is just not worth it, right? Right.

Breakfast
It's nice to be back home and back on my normal routine. I made myself a dark chocolate shake and put a little less ice in it to make it more creamy...and it did. It was a delicious shake. Oh, and say hello to the family cat, Bristol...he likes to photo bomb pictures.

Before I had my morning snack, I sipped on some vanilla cinnamon tea I got from Trader Joe's last night. It was so good! I loved the taste of it...plus, it smells just like Christmas.

Morning Snack
After my tea, I made myself a chocolate chip pancake in a mug. I added way too much water, so instead of it becoming a muffin, it became a soft, crumbled mess. Either way it was fairly good. Tasted a tad too eggy for me, but the chocolate chips helped balance everything out.

While shopping last night, I also bought myself some flowers for my desk at work. It is going to be a long and busy week, so I thought these might brighten my day if things get too crazy and stressed. Aren't they pretty. :)

Lunch
I am just trying all these Trader Joe's products left and right today. For lunch I made myself a chili lime chicken burger chopped up and put on top of a bed of lettuce with a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese and Italian dressing. This burger is to die for. It is packed with flavor and tasts amazing. Loved it! This time the other family cat, Peggy, wanted to be in the shot.

Afternoon Snack
For my afternoon snack I had some cheese pizza bites. I was craving something crunchy ever since I finished lunch, so this snack was a perfect fit.

Workout
I didn't wake up early this morning...BUT...I did go for a run/walk after work. Yay! It was 2.11 miles...not a bad start.

After my run/walk, I came back home and did a 10-minute arm toning workout.

Dinner
After completing my workout, I ate my dinner for the day. I tried out a new bar...a chocolate crunch bar. My goodness...this is full of chocolate. If you are craving chocolate this is the thing for you. Just have some water handy because you are going to need it. Overall it was fairly good...not my favorite, (I don't think any bar can beat out the s'mores crunch bar) but still good.

Dessert
To end the night, I had a peanut butter milkshake while watching last week's episode of The Biggest Loser. Perfect combo. :)

Today was a good day...I stuck to the Medifast program and I even worked out!

Just remember to keep it clean when it comes to filling that red holiday cup. No eggnog, folks...stick to the skinny drinks or just keep the coffee or tea black. You can do it!

xoxo,
Toni

day twenty-seven...medifast referral

Hey Guys!

You may or may not know that I started a weight loss & Optimal Health program a little over 3 weeks ago with this easy to follow program and the support of a free Certified Health Coach! Between these two things I am happy to report I have lost about 14 lbs in the last 3 weeks and feel amazing and have so much energy. If you would like to know more info or about the support of my health coach, Charlotte Jurekovic feel free to contact her directly by clicking here. She says she has room to support a few more clients right now.

I cannot tell you enough how much this program has already changed my life and I cannot wait to see what the next few months are going to bring. I highly encourage you to check out this program and maybe even start the program for yourself...I promise you, you will not regret it.

Breakfast
It was a chilly morning, but that didn't stop me from making a dark chocolate shake for breakfast. I drank it on the way to work and am pretty sure I was an ice cube by the time I was done, but boy was it good.

Morning Snack
My original plan was to eat a blueberry soft bake, but I didn't want the whole kitchen smelling like blueberries for the rest of the day, so I decided to just eat a caramel crunch bar. I will have the soft bake tonight at home.

Lunch
I am boring when it comes to lunch...well at least during the week. Today I had the same exact thing as yesterday—a simple salad with lemon pepper chicken and light honey mustard dressing. I also added 2 meatless meatballs because the piece of chicken wasn't that big. What can I say...I like the simple, yet delicious things in life.

Afternoon Snack
Lunch didn't really hold me over very well...most likely because of the lack of meat and protein. So in order to make it to my afternoon snack without binging on all the pastries just sitting in the kitchen, I decided to make a cup of hot tea. Worked like a charm. I was good all the way up to my snack.



For my snack I had the Parmesan cheese puffs. This is my last bag! I didn't order any more...but I just may in the future.

Dinner
I was stuck in traffic for about 30 minutes last night, so by the time I got home, I was hungry. So I made myself a warm blueberry soft bake. For some reason, it overflowed...but that's okay...still tasted delicious!

Dessert
I love dessert...it is the best part of the day. And despite it being cold outside, I still made myself a coffee milkshake. I know I am weird and it only makes me cold, but it is so good! And really filling too. Can't go wrong with a milkshake! Well, at least I can't.

So there you have it! And don't forget to contact Charlotte if you are interested in starting the Medifast program yourself... I promise you will not regret it! And don't wait until after the holidays, start now! I did, and it has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

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

day sixteen...running the race

taken after the race

 Today I ran a race...both physically and spiritually. Let's start with the physical race.

Well, I woke up this morning, got ready, and headed out with my parents to run a 5k color run. Now, before I began Medifast, I would run about 3-4 miles three times a week with no problem. Yes, I would get tired, but I would always push through it. Today however was a different situation...totally different. My health coach told me to take it easy with my running for the first two weeks of the program—which I did.

I am in week three now, so I thought I could just breeze through the run like I have in the past. But I was wrong...like way wrong. I pretty much struggled the entire time. The first mile went pretty good, not too much pain, but soon after I was hurting. I definitely had to listen to my body—it was screaming for me to stop and walk. It was humbling, but I did. My mom was also with me the entire time and did not leave me in the (color) dust...she's a keeper. ;) After walking for a few minutes, we would pick the pace up again and begin running...only for me to call a break and start walking once again. We did this for the rest of the run, but it worked. We ran the majority of the run, so that is an accomplishment. But I can honestly say that I did the best I could.

taken before the race

Moral of the story...listen to your body and know that you will not be able to do all you could do before the Medifast program. I am going to begin a workout plan beginning Monday, but it will mainly consist of toning exercises. I will probably add some cardio as well, but just try to shoot for 1 mile of running rather than 3. Some things will have to be adjusted because I am not feeding my body all the calories and energy I used to. My body is still adjusting to the low calorie diet. I'm just taking it little by little.

Okay, so here is the spiritual side of the story...after the run and me realizing just how weak I was, the Lord gave me a verse that spoke wonders to me. Now, I have heard this verse more times than I can count, but in this particular moment, it was just what I needed to hear. Taken from Hebrews 12:1, it says,

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." 

How great is that! I may not have broken any records running today, but I did endure and finish the race! Even with my new health program. It is helping me lay aside the sin of overeating and turning my focus to the Lord rather than my flesh. Keep running your race. You may have just begun (like me), but the finish line is there, we just need to keep enduring and we will eventually see it.

my mom and me right after we crossed the finish line

Anyways, I hope that this encourages some of you today who may be struggling with endurance. Keep going! It may hurt physically, but you will win greatly spiritually.


Breakfast
I had to make a quick breakfast to eat on the go to the race. So I made a pancake muffin in a mug. I then cut it in half and stuck it in a toaster. Delish!

Morning Snack
I had my morning snack a little after I finished the race. I wasn't too hungry after that difficult run, but I ate it anyways. I chose something small and easy to eat (because I was in the car). Also, I came prepared and pack multiple snacks. You just never know what will happen and you don't want to be without your meals! And yes, those are my running pants...covered in color!

Lunch
Lunch was a little late for me today, so I ate a simple meatball salad. It is quick and easy to make and tastes delicious too!

Afternoon Snack
At this point, I was just relaxing, so it was nice to eat a crunchy snack while doing my nails. It was easy to eat too so I didn't mess up my freshly painted fingers.

Dinner
After my fingers dried, I decided to try out a little recipe. I took the brown sugar oatmeal and made granola out of it. But I will get to that next. For dinner I made a dark chocolate shake. I was going to a friend's house and this was a perfect meal to make and take with me to drink on the drive over.

Dessert
I made granola, and it wasn't half bad. I baked it in advance because I had to take it with me to eat at my friend's house—didn't want to be unprepared and tempted. While they were eating pizza, dr. pepper, and brownies, I munched on my oatmeal granola. And you know what? I didn't feel left out! No one even mentioned or asked why I wasn't eating pizza too. They all understood! Love my friends! Just make sure that you have supportive friends who won't drag you down.

So that's it! Quite a busy day, but it was a good one. I hope your Sunday is a fun one!

xoxo,
Toni

day thirteen...when cravings attack

The day I dreaded finally came...the day I crave food all day long. Even after I finished a Medifast meal or a lean and green meal, I felt like I needed to chew on something else. Thankfully, I had some sugar-free gum. I was able to quench those cravings with a prayer to the Lord while chewing on a stick of gum.

At one point I thought to myself, why am I really doing this program? I can eat a juicy burger right now. Why don't I? It took me a while to truthfully answer my own thought, but then I realized that this is a lifestyle change. Eating well and frequently is not just a 6 month plan, but it is my life from now on. I am sure in the future I can splurge every once in a while, but right now, I just can't. There is no need for a mental debate. I simply cannot have that food because I am changing my life for the better and this will only take me back three steps.

Before I put something in my mouth, I need to ask myself: Will this benefit me? Will this help me further my healthy lifestyle or pull me back into the depths of my past sin? It is either going to be one or the other, and I hope—with the Lord's help—that I choose to further benefit my health.

Oh, and I made it through the whole day without caving into my temptations and stuck to my Medifast plan...in case you were wondering. It makes me so happy to know I stood my ground and said no to those harmful foods—gives me hope for the future. :)


Breakfast

This mornings breakfast is one of my all-time favorites: a dark chocolate shake. You know what it reminds me of? A Starbucks Frappuccino. And I would be lying if I said I didn't miss those. But this is a great substitute. Maybe I will add a shot of espresso to it one day and make it a mocha "frappuccino".

Morning Snack

Two words: oatmeal cookies. These are so good! I am not a fan of the oatmeal by itself, but when you mix it with a little bit of baking soda and cinnamon and bake for about 15 minutes, they are delicious. Click here for the recipe.

Lunch

I had my go-to lunch today. A simple salad with meatballs and light Italian dressing. Can't go wrong with this combo. Delish!

Afternoon Snack

This is when the trouble started. Well, it really began after I ate my salad for lunch. It wasn't that I was hungry, but I felt that I needed to chew on something. I was going a little crazy by the time my snack time came around. This is another reason why I love this plan so much...I get to eat every 2-3 hours. It's perfect! I usually do not like the Parmesan puffs, but they weren't all that bad. I think they were the ideal crunchy snack I needed at the moment, and satisfied my craving to chew something.

Dinner

Dinner was my favorite meal of the day by far. I am pretty sure the s'mores bar is my favorite Medifast food option. I savor each bite. Love it! I will be so bummed if they ever discontinue it.

Dessert

After dinner I went to church and was satisfied for the 2 hours I was there. However, I was definitly ready for something sweet when I got home. So I whipped up a mocha milkshake. It totally hit the spot. Perfect ending to a rough day.

Well there you have it, another day complete! I have almost completed 2 weeks already! Time has flown by...I feel like I just began this plan. And the best part is, is that I am not tired of the food whatsoever. I actually find myself looking forward to my next Medifast meal. I definitely prefer them over my lean and green meal. Go figure. :)

But before I leave you, let me tell you a funny story that happened tonight. After church, when I was making my milkshake, my parents and I caught our cat trying to sneak outside. We do let him outside at times, but he is mainly an indoor cat. But he sees what door my dad opens for him to get out and how he opens the door (via the handle). So we turn around and he is standing on his back legs trying to open the door with his paws! It was the cutest thing! Sadly he was unsuccessful (shocker), but it made for a good laugh. Here is a picture...

I hope you all have a blessed day!

xoxo,
Toni