You're Never Too Old To Learn

I'm killing two birds with one stone.  No, not literally, but I am doing TWO things that I NEED to do, at the same time.

I want to learn more about nutrition and write for my blog, so, I thought that in order to hold myself accountable for both, I would do some blog posts about what I learn.

I was always a skinny kid with high metabolism who never really worried about eating right.  Eating vegetables was not my priority or my desire.  In fact, I would sit at the table, like most kids who do not want to eat their food, and waste time until my family would get tired of seeing me there and take my plate.  I also used to throw my peas under the table in hopes that my little white dog would eat them.  Well, apparently, my aim was not so good, because she would give me up by trotting around with peas on top of her head.

As a 40ish-old woman who now weighs considerably more, who has type 2 diabetes and who still doesn't like vegetables, I find myself teetering on obesity and a life of hospital stays.  Due to a recent bacterial infection, I lost 24 pounds in 3 months and now that I am getting healthy again, I don't want to gain the weight back.  Now couldn't be a better time to make some changes!

I'm going to be learning out of two awesome books: The Complete Idiot's Guide To Total Nutrition written by Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D. and Nutrition For Dummies written by Carol Ann Rinzler.

Stay tuned to learn with me!

Procrastination - Should I do that now?

Procrastinate? Who me? Never!!!!

I found this cute chart and had to share it.  It's too funny.

I know we all do it.  I don't think there is anyone around who doesn't.  I seem to do more of it lately, now that I am only working part-time.  When I am not at work, there are a multitude of projects around the house that I should be getting done, but I would much rather do it later.

Things I do to procrastinate:

1. Jump on the computer and visit: Facebook, 2 different email accounts, play Farmville, browse through Pintrest, check out my blog, or download music.

2. Grab my Ipad and play any number of games that are awaiting my turn.  

3. Watch one of the many shows I have DVR'd.

4. Nap.

5. See what the kids are doing.

You get the point.....

How about you?  What do you do to procrastinate?

Great Video - 23 and 1/2 Hours: What is the Single Best Thing We Can Do For Our Health?

I came across a video by Dr. Mike Evans.  This is a really great video that is informative and entertaining.  The illustrations are awesome to watch (done by Liisa Sorsa).  The video talks about how important it is to "be active".  Take 10 minutes to watch this - it could change your life!!

The Dukan Diet - Day Four

The Dukan Diet  - Day Four - Phase One - Attack


I woke up this morning eager to see how much weight I lost because I really felt that yesterday was a day of weight shedding.  To my disappointment, I had not lost any weight :(  Maybe it skips a day?


I was really depressed because my kids left to go to their dad's and I did not have plans.  Usually, I would plan my day around eating out and enjoying myself.  However, since I felt like I could not eat anything, I figured I would just go back to bed and sleep the day away.  A few hours later, I realized this was a waste of a perfectly good day off of work.


I got up and opened the refrigerator.  Seeing all that food from yesterday's shopping trip was irritating me.  By now, I usually would have sampled at least one of everything in the fridge.  Instead, I decided to consolidate some of the food into smaller containers and I began cooking sauces, dressings and other yummy looking recipes from my Duakan Diet book.  This made me happy as I discovered some tasty stuff that would help me get through my diet.  I am excited to try them with different meals and they were really easy to make.

The rest of the day pretty much went down hill :(  I was hungry all day.  While I lounged around I ate a lot of food.  I believe my two worst decisions was eating Sherbert and having more lemon juice with salt.  I felt that because the Sherbert was fat free that it would be okay, but the problem was the sugar that was in it.  Also, I guess because I knew I could not have salt, I wanted it even more.

So, today, being the fifth day of the diet will be my last for now.  I actually gained a few pounds back and throughout all of this, I have only lost one pound.  The first three days I was gun-hoe but found by day four, it was tough, especially being home for the weekend.  


Do I feel like a failure?  Yeah, kind of!  But, I did good for 3 days at least and I saw where I made my mistakes, and they are easy to fix.  Perhaps next time I try this, I will start on a Monday and I will also make sure to plan it around my female cycle.  Until next time.....

The Dukan Diet - Day Three

The Dukan Diet - Day Three - Phase One - Attack

I lost three pounds since yesterday, now I am at 168.  Now that's the kind of results that I want to see!  I was not hungry this am but knew that I needed to eat before I went about my errands for the day.  I had some cooked ground turkey and put some spices in it along with my day's requirement of oat bran.  I immediately felt rumbling in my stomach.  I guess that's what the fiber is supposed to do!


Later, my stomach hurt but also felt full.  I took the kids to Culver's and boy, did everything look good, especially their ice creams.  I was good and although I was not hungry, I ordered a bowl of roast beef.  Normally, it comes on a bun and the cashier asked if I would rather have it in some lettuce (when I said I could not have the bun).  I excitedly said, "Yes".  Then I realized that I am not allowed to have lettuce until Tuesday.  So, I sadly changed my mind and just ordered a bowl of meat :(  It really was not tasty and I only ate a few bites.  So much for going out to eat.

I went into a yogurt shop next to the grocery store in hopes that I could find something nonfat since I was dreading eating any more dry meat.  To my surprise, the lady in the yogurt shop told me that all of the yogurts were nonfat!!!! I enjoyed my small bowl as I shopped.


Shopping was difficult because I was trying not to only concentrate on what I needed, but also on all of the yummy stuff my family eats.  Two hours later, I was on my way home.


Dinner time came and I chose to have a turkey drumstick and some nonfat cottage cheese.  The cottage cheese was so good, I had thirds!  The turkey was not as satisfying, but I appreciate that my hunny took the time to grill it for me :)


While watching tv, I began to crave something that I actually really enjoy and have a hard time fighting.  I know you will think it's completely weird, but I like to have a small glass of lemon juice with lemon.  Although I need to stay away from both of those, the temptation was too strong. :(  Oh, well, I am not Superwoman!!!

The Dukan Diet - Day Two

The Dukan Diet -Day Two - Phase One - Attack 

I woke up this morning feeling pretty good.  I did not feel tired or hungry.  I checked my blood sugar and was surprised that it was in the healthy range (usually my morning blood sugar is elevated).  I also checked my blood pressure - all good!

My weigh in was 171 (only lost a pound).  With only eating lean proteins and non-fat dairy yesterday (and walking for 24 minutes), I felt that maybe it would be more.  But, I am keeping a positive attitude and expecting a bigger loss within the next few days.

I pre-packed/cooked my food last night so that I had a smorgasbord of food available to me today.  I really was not hungry and ate minimal but felt fine with plenty of energy.  The challenge was at dinner time when my family decided to have McDonald's.  The smell of the fries and the look of the food was tempting, but I did well.  I also re-read some portions of my diet book and found out that I can have non-fat cream cheese and lean lunch meat.  I am excited to expand the realm of what I can eat.  I am especially excited that in a few days, I can introduce some vegetables that I like.

The Dukan Diet - Day One

The Dukan Diet - Day One - Phase One - Attack

Payday is not until tomorrow, so I had to make due with the lean proteins that I currently have in the house.  I will need to go get some oat bran before the day is over, since I am supposed to eat that every day.

I rushed to get ready this morning for work, not allowing any extra time to get my day's food prepared.  Thankfully, I was able to juggle my morning routine and grill some chicken, boil some eggs and fry some egg whites.  And surprisingly, I was not late to work.


I stuffed myself the night before at Olive Garden, so my weigh in was a little high this morning.  I am starting the diet at 172 pounds.  My goal with this diet is to get to 141 pounds by September.  This is my healthy weight.  By the way, I am 5'4 and 39 years old and I have pre-type 2 diabetes and am on some medications for high blood pressure and depression.

I have been feeling a little under the weather the last few days, so perhaps this is not the best time to start this diet.  However, I am determined and full of will, so I am going through with it.  


I started the day off with a headache and kept it all day.  I was not hungry but made myself some egg whites, Canadian bacon and drank 20 ounces of water.  At lunchtime, I still was not hungry but I had a hard-boiled egg and some non-fat yogurt.  I am allowed to have sugar-free soda, so I had a sugar-free Red Bull.  I am not sure if it's the same, but I gotta have my RB :)  Later, I had some non-dairy yogurt and 3/4 of a chicken breast.  I was feeling full so I stopped myself from eating the whole thing.  I also drank 16 oz. of sugar free tea.


I continued to have my headache into the night but applied some peppermint oil to my temple and it went away (thank goodness).  Once I got home and was in the kitchen thinking about dinner, I had another yogurt with 1 1/2 tbspn. of oat bran. I ate some rotisserie chicken and about 8 pieces of shrimp.  My family had tacos and boy, did they look good!

The funny thing about diets is that EVERYTHING you can't eat looks good.  Every commercial that came on had some appealing item and as my husband pointed out, some of them I never even eat when I can!  I am missing my lemons though.  There was a commercial with a talking lemon (for McDonald's) and my mouth began to water.  How funny.

Here We Go Again!

(IF YOU ARE READING MY BLOG THROUGH FACEBOOK, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK TO GO DIRECTLY TO MY BLOG (view original source), THERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE PICTURES, FORMATTING, ETC.)

Here we go again!  Yes, I am starting to diet and I know that I have made attempts in the past.  But I am going to move past that thought and focus on the diet at hand.

The Dukan Diet involves four phases.

• Phase One: Attack (A 2 to 7 day period during which dramatic weight loss is achieved.)
• Phase Two: Cruise (Eat as much as you want of 100 foods.  Alternating days of pure protein with days of protein plus healthful vegetables allows you to reach your weight loss goal.)
• Phase Three: Consolidation (Stay on this phase for 5 days for every pound lost, adding fruits, bread, cheese, and other vegetables.)
• Phase Four: Permanent Stabilization (Eat whatever you like without regaining weight, provided that you follow three unbreakable rules, including eating only unlimited lean protein one set day per week.)

So, I have begun day one of the Attack Phase and will be "attacking" for the next five days.  I will be recording my thoughts, feelings and results on a daily basis, so please stay tuned.

Diabetes and Icky Fish Oil

So.....I have Diabetes, Type II.

I was diagnosed back in March after having blood work done through my Nurse Practitioner. If you recall, I have been complaining about my weight for awhile now and am carrying about 30 extra pounds than I should. One of the obvious reasons for the diabetes is the weight. But hearing that I have a medical issue that can become quite serious, even life threatening if not taken seriously, really kicked me into gear! Since that call, I have visited a Cardiologist (because of some other potential factors) and I have sat down with my NP and talked about all my options. I began following Weight Watchers online more diligently, trying to exercise a few times a week (although it should be more) and taking medication and vitamins (including yucky fish oil - which I have to take 10, huge, gel caps a day). I am limiting my alcohol intake to one drink a week as well. I also have to prick my finger and use a blood glucose monitor three times a day to start. I must say that when I sat down with my meter and the very long instructions, I was pretty overwhelmed and scared. But now, the process is quite simple and my fingers are getting used to the poke. I am not following the numbers, but my NP wants me to submit my results after two weeks. Then, I should be down to doing it three times a week instead.

I am proud to say that in the last five weeks, I have lost 8.5 pounds!!!!! This is a big deal to me and I am very proud of myself! I see eating differently now, although every now and then I am tested and I do not always do well. But, what is life without temptation - right?

Plyometrics Workout

I was browsing through a Yahoo Health article called Terrific Toners In Less Time, written by Lucy Danziger and found a great video that gives examples of Plyometric exercises. The video is from Self.com, here is the link: Plyometrics Workout

This workout looks fun and is a great way to melt fat and burn calories through jumping and hopping. They are good because they torch a lot of calories and are considered cardio, so you can do them in place of other cardio activities.

I am not a workout type of a person because I get bored pretty easily and lose motivation. However, these exercises look fun and seem to get your heart rate up pretty easy. I will try them tonight and hope that I look as cute as the perky girl in the video - lol.

Movie Review: The House Bunny

I admit it, I rented this movie over the holidays. I really didn't expect a lot from this movie and this was a good thing, since there was not much to it.

Story: It's the story of a beautiful Playboy Bunny (Shelly), who lives at the Playboy Mansion, but has never been a centerfold. She becomes homeless and stubbles upon a sorority house and talks the girls into allowing her to be their house mom. The house is filled with misfits and losers who are about to lose their charter and their house. With Shelly's help, the girls throw a killer party, get make-overs and become popular. Shelly tries to win the heart of Oliver, played by Tom Hank's son, but has problems getting him to fall for her airhead persona (which is really just the way she is).

Characters: The character, Shelly, is bubbly, sweet as pie and dumb as a box of rocks. She uses her sex appeal to her advantage, with her skimpy clothes and a raspy voice. Guys will love this movie, especially the scene were she drops her towel and you get to see her back-side.

The misfits at the sorority house are as annoying as nails on a chalk board. There is the lead girl who looks somewhat mentally challenged and acts the part too. There is a girl with piercings all over her face with horrible hair and dresses like a guy. There are a variety of other characters in the movie that fit the stereo types the movie tries to portray. The MOST annoying character that drove me crazy was the "Lumber Jack" girl who really made you wonder if she was even a female. It was hard for me to watch this person, with her deep-throated voice, her hunch-back walk/run and the actual words that came out of her mouth. The second most annoying would be Rumor Willis' character, who lived in a full body brace because she was afraid to take it off years ago when it was medically possible. She mimicks the Forest Gump scene where she begins running and her brace magically falls off and underneath she has beautiful long hair, a hot body and skimpy clothes. UGH!!!!

On a good note, if you like The Girls Next Door, you will enjoy seeing cameos of the Girls and Hef throughout the movie.

Over-all, this movie was lame. I did find myself envious of Anna Faris' body and it is giving me motivation (this week) to try to start working out and eating better. LOL

Baby Bump? Are You Kidding Me?

Photo by Don Arnold

A recent picture of Nicole Kidman surfaced showing her in a form-fitting dress (see above). This woman is 41-years old and had a baby 4 months ago. She looks incredible!!!! Sadly, Hollywood sees her as having a "baby bump" and asked if she was expecting. Are you kidding me?

I am opening the floor for venting. Feel free to answer any of the questions below or give us your opinion:

1. Do you think she looks pregnant?

2. How do you feel about Hollywood & the media reporting about people's weight?

3. Do you think society puts too much pressure on women to maintain their figures?

4. Do you find yourself comparing your weight to other people?

5. Do you weigh yourself often? If so, how much?

6. Are you happy with your weight?

Jennifer Love-Hewitt

I admit, I read the gossip rags and I find the pictures entertaining and the gossip interesting. I know that I contribute to them continuing to sell some falsehoods. But in my own fantasy world, I like to think I am in-touch with the celebs and their lives. In fact, theirs is the only news that I ever read or watch - the REAL news is way too depressing and stressful.

So, I would just like to say that I think Jennifer Love-Hewitt is beautiful and I think the media is just as crazy as they have always been. Have they ever actually watched an episode of "Ghost Whisperer"? She is so breathtaking in that show; the fashions that she wears are very flattering. To put criteria on women's weight and to say what is fat and what is not and what is beautiful and what is horrible is ridiculous. Who do they think they are? One week, they are chastising someone for looking a little pudgy (when all it is a few extra ounces of water gain). That person reads the media's insults, goes on a crash diet, loses the weight to impress the tabloids and to feel better about herself. Then, the media snaps a picture and they publish that she is "skin and bones" and that she has "an eating disorder". Wow, imagine that? I wonder why?

I realize an opinion is just that! Everyone has one and everyone has his or her own idea of "beautiful". My definition of beauty is a woman who is comfortable in her own skin, who is healthy and happy and who has a friendly personality. Oh, look, I think I just described Jennifer Love-Hewitt.