Goodbye 2012

Today is a day of reflection and preparation.

Reflect on the past year.  Good and bad.

I have been so blessed!  God continues to surprise and delight me! 
He's graciously provided many miracles. 

The first and most precious is my new granddaughter-Brianna.
2nd I've found a church home that I love.
3rd Donnie is going with me to church!
4th God spared my Dad when he had a minor stroke in October. He's fully recovered.
5th God showed me the diet plan that is changing my life.  One day. One meal. at a time.

Those are just the biggest! LOL  There are so many I simply couldn't list them all here.

But I do have a plan for 2013.  I'm going to spend a year documenting my thankfulness to God with scripture.
A Christian website I'm a member of is starting it.

http://inspiredstamps.blogspot.com/



I can't wait to start!!  I'll post on this website what I create and what the weekly verse is.
I think it will make a ton of difference in my life.

****************************************************************************** 

This week's weigh in was very humbling.  I have wanted to lose weight for so long. Even now, I keep thinking this is too good to be true and one day I'm going to wake up and be 262 pounds again. 
God is so good!  This morning the scale happily said 228.6. 

I am in awe of the doctor that did the Take Shape for Life program.  The medifast foods are tasty and so easy to use for my life.

AND I'm happy to report my husband (who needs to lose weight as much as I do) ate my lean and green meal last night!  cube steak, cauliflower mashed potatoes and cabbage.  We had the new medifast gravy.  It was delicious!

RECIPE ALERT*****

Cauliflower Mashed "potatoes"
steam whole head of cauliflower with a chicken bouiliion cube, drain well.
Add to it: 2T cream cheese, 2T smart balance butter, Mrs Dash table seasoning (my favorite), pinch of onion powder and garlic powder, pepper.

Important part:  use a hand emersion blender to mix it up. 

Enjoy!

*****************************************************************************

Tomorrow I have a special post about a pencil.  I don't want to forget it.  Has very good encouragement.

Until then......Thank you Lord for all your blessings in 2012!

You never can tell when you do an act
just what the result will be;
But with every deed you are sowing a seed,
though its harvest you may never see.
Etta Wheeler Wilcox

Mark Twain said...

I saw this quote on the Spellbinders blog & thought it speaks well to my life long journey of trying to lose weight.

 “20 years from now you will be disappointed by the things you didn’t do, more than by the one’s you did. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

I want to encourage anyone that is needing to make a life change to do it now.  Enjoy every day to the max. We don't know what tomorrow will bring.

I hope everyone has a marvelous Christmas!

Jesus is the reason for the season!

TSFL 8 week update

I've stayed on program for 8 whole weeks!  Today is weigh in day-down 29 pds!!  233 and coming on down-LOL

They have some new items to choose from on the medifast menu.  Macaroni and Cheese and GRAVY! Not together silly! LOL 

I've already tried the Mac and Cheese and it taste EXACTLY like store bought kraft.  It is truly amazing how good they get this food to taste.  That's the only way I'm able to continue daily. 

I haven't totaled up my inches lost-but it's a lot!  I've already had to start a TOO BIG clothes box! Now that's a first.  I have had plenty of too little boxes -but never a too big.  LOL

I had a huge NSV (nonscale victory) today. Every year our office has "snack" day.  I've already been thinking about it.  Trying to think of what I could have.

Our menu:

BBQ Meatballs with turkey/beef
Ham Rollups
Dill pickles
cauliflower, broccili with ranch dressing
deviled eggs

Didn't eat: fudge & mini boston cream pies!!

I'll post the recipes for the meatballs & ham rollups later this week.

Here is pictures from today:

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a great week preparing for Christmas!

Mock Mashed Potatoes-Yumm!

Mock Mashed Potatoes
1 medium head cauliflower
1 T LF cream cheese, softened
1/4 c grated Parmesan
1/2 tea minced garlic
1/8 tea chicken base or buillion
1/8 tea pepper
3 T butter

Makes 3 servings

Take Shape For Life counts this:
LF cream cheese: 1/3 condiment
Parmesan cheese 1/3 condiment
Butter: 1 healthy fat

Directions:
Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat. Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 min or until well done. Drain well, do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry between several layers of paper towels. In a bowl with an immersion blender, puree the hot cauliflower with the other ingredients.
Hint: Try roasting the garlic and adding a little fresh rosemary for a whole new taste.

Happy Dance!!! Still losing weight!

I'm starting to really look forward to Monday's -which is weigh in day.  I lost another 1.8 pds. My total Monday was 235.8.  total lost 26 pds.

I think secretly I keep thinking-I'm going to wake up and it's a dream and I still weigh 262.  Crazy sounding? I've just never had success at losing weight.  I've never stuck to any program longer than 1-2 weeks.  I've never had a program that was so EASY to do!

I'm getting to pull out clothes I haven't worn in awhile.  It's very exciting!  My husband even asked me where all my new clothes from!! LOL  I told him-out of my closet! LOL

I continue to try new recipes for my lean & green meals.

*******************************************************************************

Spaghetti LEAN & GREEN

-cut spaghetti squash in half & microwave for 10 minutes on a dish with 1/4 cup water.

-Using a fork flake out the "spaghetti" strands.  1/2 squash yields 1 1/2 cups.

One whole squash makes 3 meals.  Stores well in the refrigerator.  Only use 1 cup in your meal.

Sauce:

Mix 1/2 cup skim ricottia cheese, 1/2 cup approved salsa or sugar free spaghetti sauce (found Ragu @ Krogers)
2 T shredded parmesan cheese, 4 ounces cooked ground beef or turkey.  If you like spices like I do, you can add a sprinkle of garlic powder, basil & oregano.

Mix together & put 1T of the parmesan cheese on top. Bake @ 350 till bubbly. apprx 20 minutes.

Losing...Losing....Losing!

I'm so excited to report that I lost another 6 pounds this week!
I feel like I'm on the Biggest Loser show! LOL

My total loss now is 25 pounds. Almost 10%  (Thats what weight watchers always focused on)

I've lost about 9 inches too!  Really awesome!

I can really tell in my clothes.  I've started a "GET RID OF IT" box!  That's definitely a first for me. (I'm grinning ear to ear!! LOL)

My coach is still so supportive and helpful. I love making new friends.

The lesson this week was focused on making choices.  We have 3-this applies to all areas of our life.

Primary
Seconary
Fundamental

Usually the choices conflict with each other.  Wanting to eat something just for the sake of eating it is NOT the right reason to eat. The question is-how will this affect my body? My day? Will it help me achieve my goal to lose weight and be healthy?   

I want to be healthy!  (I'm shouting now)
I'm 51 and I've got to put my health first. Not my feelings. 
I want to move better, play in the floor with my granddaughter, stop taking depression meds and high blood pressure pills.  I want to feel comfortable in my clothes.  I want to be able to paint my toe nails and put my socks on with losing my breathe!  I want to wear my mother's ring that I've had 24 yrs and only wore a couple of times.  I want to be a healthy example to young girls who struggle with their self esteem.  I want to serve the Lord in whatever compacity it takes.  I want to die because the Lord says it's time-not because I'm sick.

I thank God every day for Take Shape For Life.  In 6 weeks -it has changed my life. Changed how I think about food. Made me feel better about myself. I'm looking forward to living again!  

Mother Teresa:
Do not allow yourselves to be disheartened by any failure
as long as you have done your best.

Matthew 5:8
God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.

Amen!

Pancakes-yumm!

Have had a good week. Haven't backslid! I cannot believe it!

God is so good!

He continues to bless my family & I.

I added my picture as of one month to the top of my blog. I can tell such a big difference in my clothes & my energy level.

I've cut back on my depression med. The doctor changed my amount from 225mg to 150mg.

I've started walking some days during my lunch time with a coworker.  When I let the dogs out I'm trying to get on my stationery bicycle which is sitting on my back porch.  Really convenient.

My new favorite medifast thing is the pancakes.  They cook up just like a real pancake. Have a vanilla flavor.

All in all-I'm still really satisfied with the plan. Am getting 90+ ounces of water per day.

Hugs!
Karen