June is coming to an end

   It has been a while since I posted! I am still working hard at this. I've gone walking with friends by the river. Did you know that I can walk 4 miles, and not even know it?!?
   We went camping last week, and I had been really looking forward to it since this weight loss. I felt lighter, and it felt easier to do things. I did make healthy meals ahead of time, but didn't eat much of them. I ended up eating with everyone else. What I did do, was limit my servings, or cut things out. With S'mores, I just had the roasted marshmallows. With the Cowboy Chili, I had one spoonful instead of several. And I snacked on peanuts instead of cookies. Well...I actually did sneak some cookies. They were SO good! I did eat way less than usual though.
   Also with camping came the constant hiking to the bathroom, as well as heading over to the beach. I really looked forward to taking the trail down to the parking lot, then getting over the sand dune.

This is looking down the trail, and at the sand dune I then went over. Look at the tiny cars! And here is the route:

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Getting over the beach, and playing in the sand, that was pretty easy. Now, getting back to camp, that wasn't. I went back up the trail, and those sandy stairs are steep! Back at camp, I just collapsed. The next morning, I did it again with my husband and son. This time we walked along the road to the parking lot though. That was a little easier.
   I had figured that, with the extra food I had eaten while camping, then trying to get back on track the rest of the week (we went to Sunset Beach in the Monterey Bay peninsula for 3 days, 2 nights), that I'd be lucky to loose anything. So, I was rather surprised when, on Sunday, I saw that I had lost 3.8 pounds! This puts me at 31.8 pounds lost, in 2 and a half months!

"Potato" Soup

   I have started making this Mock-Potato soup, and I am telling you, it is one of my favorite things right now! If I had eaten it, THEN someone told me it was made with cauliflower instead of potatoes, I would not believe them.
   When I first started cooking this, I was very wary of it. I really don't like the smell of cauliflower. And cooking it on the stove made me smell it all the more. I also couldn't see how this was going to look like potato soup, much less taste like it. Now, this is really easy to make, and you can get the recipe here. It uses one fourth of a head of cauliflower per serving. And for the bacon bits, I microwaved some turkey bacon up really crispy like. I'm pretty sure the Laughing Cow cheese is what helped it taste so good too. I cooked up two servings, and stored one, about 1 and 1/3 cup worth, in the fridge for later.

   Here is what it looked like:

   So, I sat down at the table, and was afraid of that first bite. I asked my husband to wish me luck. I closed my eyes tight, and took that first bite. Then, I proceeded to gobble the rest down, having to remind myself that I am supposed to eat slowly. It was amazingly good, and I have had it 4 times now. I would say, whether you like cauliflower or not, you will like this! And so will your family!

Pumpkin Muffins!

   I just spent some more time in the kitchen. I have really been enjoying making more healthy foods. And tasty. Don't forget tasty! My newest creation is Peanut Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.

The recipe is for bread, but I made muffins instead. That way, I could enter in the portions into MyFitnessPal when I entered in the recipe, and know how many calories per muffin. It's easier for a grab-and-go too, and to limit my portions.

Now, I also did substitutions, to help make it a little more healthy. Things like, changing the type of flour, eggs, oil. Using lower fat/sodium peanut butter and such. And I gotta tell ya, this was awesome! They are so good! And I was able to make 32 muffins. That should last me for a while! And I may even try to share. If anything, so that others can see how good these are!

Here is how they turned out:

Also, If you wanted to cut your calories even more, or don't like chocolate, you don't need to add the chocolate chips, or you can even substitute something else. It is delicious either way!

You can find the original recipe here. It can also be found on my Pinterest page.

2 Months! End Week 8

   I was again, so shocked when I stepped on the scale. For some reason, my MyFittnessPal tracker isn't showing it, but I lost 3.8 pounds last week, making it 27.6 pounds lost! I am now at 266.0. This just amazes and humbles me. I had thought that I couldn't do this. And, I had feared breaking through the 20 pound wall just a couple of weeks ago. I now have in my sight a 30 pound weight loss, possible by next week!
   For the past couple of weeks, I haven't had any Medifast. I've just made my own tasty meals. I think that I am one of those rare people that, Medifast just doesn't agree with my body. I did have a soup yesterday, and less than an hour later, it made me sick. And I look back at my journey so far, and see that I have lost more weight without the Medifast food, then with it. I think this is because my body was just rejecting it for some reason.
   Meanwhile, I will continue to learn how to eat healthy meals, that are also tasty. The internet is a wonderful place for this! I have SO many recipes I want to try!!

End Week Seven

   Yes, I skipped week 6. I think part of it was that I was a little disappointed with myself. I got to that 20 pound weight loss, but when I weighed myself last Sunday, I had GAINED 2 pounds! I mean, of course. I bounced off of the wall.
   So, this past week, I worked extra hard. When there was a box of doughnuts sitting on the table, I said to myself "510 calories" every time I walked past them. Throughout the week, it was not easy, but I kept going. I got to see the result of the this morning.
   When I stepped on my scale this morning, my jaw dropped. I had to step again to prove it was correct. I was now at 269.8. I am in the 260's. Some how, I had lost more than 5 pounds this past week. Now, I need to keep going, and stay down. Next step is to get into the 250's.
   Oh yeah, and I took that sledgehammer, and demolished that wall.

New pics! This time the picture from today is the first one, me in turquoise. I can see a little difference. I feel the change more than anything though!

End Week Five, my Brick Wall

   A month has gone by, and I feel so good! No, it still isn't easy, but I think I am learning to accept that, this is my life now. I have lost another 3 pounds, so I am down to 273.4. I now need to get new pictures! I can feel the difference sooooo much. I can feel it in how I walk, and how my arms swing at my side. I can feel it in my self esteem too. I feel lighter, knowing that, I can do this!
   You know how people say "If I can do this, so can you!" I have scoffed at that. Bfft. You know nothing about me! How do you know I can do it, just because you could. Well, get ready. Here I go. If I can do this, so can you. Uhg. Can you believe I just said that? I can't. And, it's only been a month, so I don't have too much proof. Give me another month to see.
   See, I have this curse, that I have had for years. See, I am very strong willed. I jump in feet first. If I am going to do something, I will do it NOW. Dieting is like that. I quickly learn what I need to do. I'm strong at the beginning. Then, the ADHD kicks in, and  I get distracted. And some how, this always happens when I loose 20 pounds. I don't know why! But it does! Then, I gain it all back, plus some.
   Yesterday when I weighed myself, I hit that 20 pound mark. (gasp!) And yes, I got scared. Can I keep going? After all, I'm learning that I can have the occasional cookie, or cupcake. Yet, I am still having fun. I'm still enjoying cooking healthier foods, learning new recipes, entering things into my Myfittnesspal app. I had Swedish pancakes for dinner last night. But, I calculated them, and learned that I could have 6 of them. And, instead of putting syrup on them, I used low-fat whip cream and strawberries. I tell you what, it was one hundred times better! And way more healthy too! In the future, I want to learn how to make them more healthy too. (My Father-in-law made them for mother's day). Like, can I use almond flour? Almond milk? Egg beaters? I will let you know when I try.
   So, today I am  holding my sledgehammer, and I am breaking down that wall! Next week, I plan to be dancing all over, when I see that I can do it. And you know what? So can you. Just ask me how!

End Week Four

   I made it! One month! And in that month, I am down 17.4 pounds! That really amazes me, truly. When I weigh in, I find I can look back on my week, and appreciate my will power more. I passed up chocolate chip cookies candy bars, as well as more. It is so very hard, but, every time I weigh myself, that strengthens me.
   So, this week, I went down another 2.4 pounds. This puts me at 276.2. I look forward to thinking about how, when we go camping next month, I could be in the 260's.