12 week transformation...day twenty-four

Yesterday was so much fun! My dad surprised me tickets to go see the LA Lakers take on the Indiana Pacers. Fun fact about me...I love to watch sports...especially basketball and baseball.

My dad and I left work early and grabbed some coffee before dinner. It is currently, DineLA week right now, so we were going to go to a restaurant participating in the event, but ended up just going to Wolfgang Puck. And confession...I went off my plan for dinner. I won't lie though...it was pretty much the best burger I have ever had in my life. Seriously. But you know...usually I go all crazy and eat everything in sight since I already "broke my plan" but this time I didn't. I ate only half my dinner and was done. This is huge for me. I am changing. :)

Breakfast
So this morning I am back on plan and ready to attack the day! I made a dark chocolate shake and made my way to work. Don't you just love cloudy and gloomy mornings? I do!

Morning Snack
I was busy creating this morning, so time flew by! I made a chai latte for my morning snack while still working away. I learning that I love designing.

Lunch
I made a turkey burger wrapped in lettuce for lunch today with broccoli on the side. Simple yet oh-so-delicious.

Afternoon Snack
For my snack this afternoon I had a bag of mixed berry cereal. I love this cereal...so good!

Dinner
I ate a quick strawberry crunch bar before dinner. I wasn't too hungry, so this was perfect.

Dessert
After church I came home and made a peanut butter milkshake. I can have one of these every night and never get tired of them.

So there is my day in a nutshell! Friday is almost here!!!

Oh, and PS...the Lakers lost...but it was still a super fun game! :D

xoxo,
Toni

12-week transformation...day sixteen

This quote explains my day to a T. I had some growing to do the moment I woke up.

I am still house-sitting, and as a result I have to drive on the freeway and past about 4 schools to get to work. Well, I was running late this morning and as a result I hit a ton more traffic than usual. The way people are so inconsiderate and cutting me off multiple times just really got to me. I arrived at work pretty upset and grumpy. But, I asked for prayer during our devotional time at work and I immediately started feeling better.  Praise the Lord because I hate being grumpy around people.

Breakfast
I ran out of ice, so I had to make my shake the old fashioned way with only water. It was cold water, so it wasn't all that bad. I made a dark chocolate shake and threw in some instant coffee...delicious!

Morning Snack
It was a pretty low key morning, so when my morning snack came around, I was pretty happy. I made a chai latte and sipped with pleasure. It was pretty chilly out this morning, so this warm drink hit the spot.

Lunch
I had to stay at work during lunch because I am leaving early today, so I had a bag of nacho chili cheese puffs. There are so many in a bag! But I love them, so it's okay.

Afternoon Snack
I was out and about when my afternoon snack came around. I was actually trying on some bridesmaid dresses for my sisters wedding. So fun! But when I did get a chance, I snacked on a lemon meringue crunch bar.

Dinner
After I was done trying on dresses, I stopped by Rubios and got a chopped salad with steak. I have a gift card so I figured, why not just get a salad while I am out? Plus, these are really good and are a perfect solution for when you are out and about and need to eat.

Dessert
I finished off the day with a peanut butter milkshake. Same thing as yesterday, just used a peanut butter soft serve rather than a coffee one.

I am working on my new site and cannot wait to launch it! The new title is going to be "pretty in pink peonies". I will still be documenting my journey on the Take Shape for Life program but will also include some of my other interests, such as: cooking, baking, DIY projects, style, design, fitness, beauty, etc. It is going to be full of all kinds of things. I am excited and can't wait for you to join me on this journey! I am sure you will love it. But I will talk about it more soon.

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-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 forty-one...thanksgiving road trip day one

Thanksgiving is tomorrow. Can you believe it? This year has flown by. It seems like the older I get, the more quickly time moves. Weird, isn't it? I also posted a Thanksgiving recipe for a green bean casserole today...you can check it out here.

Anyways, my parents and I left on a road trip this afternoon to Bishop, CA. So I got up this morning and started my food preparations for the next couple of days. I started making my Thanksgiving dinner so I would have something "special" to eat tomorrow. As far as my other lean and green meals go, I figured I would find something along the way...even if it means I only get lettuce and a lean meat.

There were many temptations on the way to Bishop...I had to say no to chips, sandwiches, popcorn, fries, burgers, and worst of all, a cinnabon cinnamon roll. I won't lie, the smell of it was brutal. I actually had to chew a piece of gum just to keep my mouth moving and my mind occupied. It actually worked too...I made it through the day and stuck to my health plan. And as a bonus, the hotel we are staying at has a mini fridge and a microwave! So now I am able to cook and eat all my meals! The Lord is good!

Breakfast
I woke up this morning and made myself a strawberry shake while I planned out what I would need to pack for the next few days. I didn't sleep in too late today, so I got a somewhat early start on my eating for the day.

Morning Snack
As I was packing my clothes and food, I decided to take a break and bake a special Thanksgiving bread. I used an apple cinnamon oatmeal packet, added some baking powder and capella pumpkin drops, and baked it for about 20 minutes. It was delicious! How can you go wrong with mini pumpkin apple bread? I will post the recipe soon. :)

Lunch
I started making my Thanksgiving lean and green meal when I realized it was time to eat lunch. So I threw together a romaine salad and topped it with a pizza burger and light chipotle ranch dressing. PS...this dressing is divine!

Afternoon Snack
We were on the road by the time my afternoon snack came around. I brought some cups, so I just poured out my cheese pizza bites into the cup and attempted as best as I could to get a picture of it. I never realized how challenging it was to get a focused picture while in a moving car...it's challenging!

Dinner
My next meal was near the middle of our road trip and little after the cinnabon temptation. We were stuck in traffic, so it was a little bit easier to snap a focused picture. It was dark though, so it still came out all weird. Oh well...I guess you can kind of tell it is a lemon meringue crunch bar... ;)

Dessert
Still on the road, I ate my dessert. It was a good thing I pre-made my brownie in a cup because I wouldn't have been able to eat it otherwise. I remember this afternoon thinking, just cook it now, what can it hurt. I realize now that it was the Lord speaking to me. Thank you, Lord! By the way...I think because my brownie was at room temp rather than piping hot, it had a similar texture and taste to a piece of chocolate cake. It was really good actually! I will definitely be doing this more often! Excuse my poor excuse for a picture...this was the worst of them all.

Well, I am currently writing this in my hotel room—praise the Lord they have excellent wifi—and can't wait to tell you all about my adventures tomorrow! I pray you have a blessed night!

xoxo,
Toni

day thirty-eight...not enough time in the day

So in case you were wondering, Hunger Games: Catching Fire was really good. My friends, Kiera and Caleb and I went to see it last night. Caleb took this picture of us...we were trying to do the district 12 salute with a straight face, but just couldn't stop smiling and laughing. I almost did it, but failed. Oh well. We all had a fun night.

As a result of getting in late last night, I slept in this morning. By doing so I got a late start on my eating for the day. I didn't want to stay up really late just to get my 5 meals and 1 lean and green meal in, so I called my health coach and thankfully, she gave me a solution. She told me to eat my last two meals of the night together. Genius!

This is why I love the Take Shape for Life program. Without my health coach, I would have stayed up super late just to eat and go to bed or would have skipped my last meal of the day. So thankful for you, Charlotte! Thank you!

Breakfast
Like I mentioned earlier, I slept in this morning, so I had my first meal of the day around 10:30am. I spent the night at a friend's house so I just had a lemon meringue crunch bar, making it easy.

Afternoon Snack
I ate again after church, which was around 2pm. My eating times were all off today. I had the mixed berry crunch cereal.

Dinner
For my dinner, I made myself a veggie burger with mozzarella cheese and green bean "fries". This was actually really good and a nice change-up from my normal salad.

Dessert #1
Right before leaving for Sunday night church, I heated up a blueberry muffin and ate it in the car. It kind of overflowed in the microwave...still edible though.

Dessert #2
So I still had two more meals to eat before the end of the day and I didn't want to stay up until midnight just to eat. This is when I called my health coach and she told me to just eat the last two meals at the same time. So I made a coffee milkshake and a chocolate chip soft bake. I accidentally added warm water to the chocolate chip soft bake mix rather than cold, so the chocolate chips melted, making the cookie look dark brown. :P This was actually a really yummy pairing!

Well, that is all I have for today! Talk to you tomorrow!

xoxo,
Toni