AmyM's Quest for a Better Bikini Body!

Congrats on the weightloss already! You're right back into your healthy lifestyle - way to go! I'd love to go to St. Thomas sometime. Glad you had such a great time.

Sweet potato and banana casserole? Sounds AMAZING!! Would you mind sharing the recipe? It's not low-fat by chance is it? ;)
 
Hi Amy, that is so great that your dh took care of those things for you. Its that kind of stuff that make a huge difference. Mine was at the Hockey game tonight and I missed having him around to pick up the kids from church. It sounds like you are really in control with your food, good job! I am thinking the scale will have some good news for you when you weigh in next time. So your mom kept Buckley and the kids? You got a kidless trip in??? Lucky girl! Keep up the good work and good luck with your Thanksgiving plans and prep. I am right there with you!
 
I forgot to mention one thing about my cruise - I never stepped foot in an elevator! :cheer2: Believe me, there were times when I was cursing myself (going from Deck 4 to Deck 13) and several times where DH took the elevator and met me at the top (he'd always go DOWN, but not always UP :rotfl: ). But I'm glad I did it! DS was being a little punk last night. He had an attitude problem. The ortho told him he will be getting an early Christmas present - his braces come off!!! But he has to get 2 baby teeth pulled on the bottom. Then he has to have a retainer until all his other permanent teeth come in, then he will most likely have to get braces again, but only for a short time (1 year compared to 2). After all his talking back last night I told him that he wouldn't have to go back to the ortho next month because I was about to smack his braces out of his mouth. Then we both started cracking up, so that made things better. He was in a foul mood because someone at the after school program told him his drawing sucked, and he interprets that as HE sucks and he is such a perfectionist it had him in tears. I felt bad for him, but he really overreacted. He seemed fine today, so no harm done. Yesterday I drank 80oz water, 16oz green tea, 16.9oz diet green tea:

6:20am: Chocolate Oatmeal
8:30am: LF Cottage Cheese; NSA Applesauce
11:30am: Spinach Salad (w/chicken, cheese, LF dressing); Soy Crisps
3:00pm: Low Carb Yogurt; Apple, Almonds (1.2oz)
5:30pm: PB (1tbsp); Soy Crisps (10); 2 Pringles; 6 Cheez-Its; 2 Pretzel Sticks :confused3
7:00pm: Shrimp; Cauliflower; SF Jello w/Soy Whip
WORKOUT: Still none...
RESISTED: Chocolate (we still have a couple pieces in a basket on the table); Trail Mix
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Anna, pumpkin cheesecake combines 2 of my fave things. If DH had brought one back, it would have been GAME OVER. I tried it when we were at Costco and that little old lady is lucky I didn't push her down and run off with the rest of the samples... :blush:

CJK, yes I can share the recipe and it IS low fat. That is why I tried it a couple years ago and it's pretty good. I will try to remember to bring the recipe tomorrow so I can post it. It's not hard to make (I have little to no patience for recipes with more than 6 ingredients!).

Amy, I really don't have a choice but to behave. My clothes won't fit if I gain any more weight. I know it will be tough to lose during the holidays, but I would like to get deeper into the 130's so I have some cushion! I have to take DD shopping for all new winter clothes this weekend. I had her try on all her long pants from last year (it is finally cold enough to wear long pants here!) and they are all a couple inches too short! Same with her shirts, they are all too short. I can't believe how much she has grown! She is no longer in 6X, she has moved on to 7/8... Yes, the kids-free trip was great, but I missed them. I know they would have really loved it.
 
Hey Amy!

I can't keep track of all your traveling!!

Sounds like you had a fab time!

Have a good weekend, and nice Thanksgiving. :sunny:
 

I did not get to the gym yesterday, I've just given up on this week. I had to get poor DD7 some winter clothes since she has outgrown all but 1 pair of pants (and those were a pair I had bought over a year ago that were always too big). And it's only been this week where it's actually been cold enough (I know, many of you will be jealous :sunny: ) to wear long pants, which is why I didn't discover this problem earlier. Unfortunately, DD7 is already infatuated with shopping. :sad2: This will most likely cause financial heartache for me when she is a teenager. Doesn't matter, I will already be going broke at that time keeping my DS fed! We did get some very cute and fashionable clothes for the "bargain" price of $172 :eek: And then I get back and DS informs me that all his long sleeved shirts are too short (the kids has some freakishly long arms!) so looks like I'll be taking him shopping this weekend... So while we were all out and about (DH took DS to get his hair cut) we stopped at Chili's for dinner. Not the best choice, but it got worse when I decided to stop at Baskin Robbins afterwards... :confused3 Weigh in this morning was 141 . The morning I left for the cruise I was 140, so I am pretty pleased that I only have 1 vacation lb left. Then I need to work on the rest... Yesterday I drank ~80oz water, 16oz green tea, 16.9oz diet green tea:

6:15am: Chocolate Oatmeal (breakfast of choice this week!)
8:45am: LL Cottage Cheese; NSA Applesauce
11:30am: Spinach Salad (w/chicken, cheese, LF dressing); Soy Crisps
2:45pm: Low Carb Yogurt; Apple; 10 Peanuts
6:00pm (@Chili's): Buffalo Chicken Salad (no dressing); 2 Fries
7:00pm: Pumpkin Ice Cream on Sugar Cone
WORKOUT: None
RESISTED: Margarita
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Kate, I know my personal traveling is done for a while (no more vacation days!) and so far there are no plans to travel for the rest of the year (the Greece trip looks like it is getting pushed further and further out). I'm glad, it's too hectic to travel during the holidays!

CJK, here is the recipe I promised:

Sweet potatoes and roasted bananas

Dietitian's tip: To save time, poke several holes in the sweet potatoes and microwave on high power for about 3 minutes. Turn and cook another 3 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool and use as directed.

SERVES 6
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, washed
2 medium bananas, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Red pepper flakes, to taste
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Dried parsley, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Lightly coat a baking dish with cooking spray.
Using a fork, poke several holes in the sweet potatoes. Bake until the potatoes are soft, about 1 hour. Remove from the oven and set aside. Peel when cool to the touch.

Place the banana halves in the prepared baking dish. Bake uncovered until the fruit is soft and juicy, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour the orange juice over the bananas. Stir to scrape the drippings and mash the bananas well.

In a large mixing bowl, add the bananas, sweet potatoes, spices and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, blend until smooth.

Transfer to an ovenproof serving bowl and return to the oven. Bake until warmed through. Garnish with parsley and serve.

NUTRIENT ANALYSIS (PER SERVING)
Calories 142 Cholesterol 0 mg
Protein 2 g Sodium 17 mg
Carbohydrate 34 g Fiber 5 g
Total fat trace Potassium 551 mg
Saturated fat trace Calcium 43 mg
Monounsaturated fat trace
 
Amy, that is great news on the one pound! I would take that as a gift and be quite happy with it! And I know what you are going through with the kids' clothes, it really adds up. My daughter has loved shopping and clothes since she was a toddler, I fear the teen years! I think you did pretty well at Chili's it could have been much, much worse. Have a great weekend! The gym will be waiting for you next week, fear not!
 
Hi Amy
Well done on getting down to 141 :)
Made me smile reading about your DS moment :)
Arnt kids great fun.....most of the time
have a great weekend
Tracey
 
/
DD's team won their game this weekend! They are now 3-2-3. There are only 2 games left. It'll be nice to have our Saturdays back! I went grocery shopping to get all the goodies for Thanksgiving. I am going to make a sweet potato and apple stuffing this year. I know you are not supposed to try a new recipe for the first time when you have guests, but I am going to be daring! I love everything with sweet potatoes or pumpkin. I am also making some pumpkin fluff, a nice low-fat alternative to pumpkin pie. My kids will not be with us this year, which always bums me out. But that means we get them for Christmas, which is way more fun anyway! I think we've decided on what to get the kids for Christmas, but I have NO idea what to get DH. On our cruise, he got me some very expensive ammolite jewelry and that is for my anniversary (12/2), b-day (12/18) and Christmas gift. He could probably get by with Valentines Day too! :goodvibes

I have decided I am no longer going to post my food. It even bores me to read it. I pretty much eat the same stuff every weekday anyway. If I eat something that is out of the ordinary, I might post that. I'm really just frustrated with the whole weight loss thing. I work my butt off and maintain. This past week I didn't work out at all and maintained (even after eating a stupid amount of almonds on Sat!). I am still going to work out and watch what I eat, but I've pretty much given up trying to lose weight. Obviously my body has a different idea of a goal weight! And a Size 8 isn't anything to be ashamed of. Sure, I wish I was back in my Size 6's, but OH WELL, I can deal with it.

My goal is to work out at least 3x a week, get in at least 80oz water per day and eat only 2 servings of complex carbs per day (non-veggie). I'll weigh myself on Friday mornings, and whatever happens, happens! Don't worry, I'll still be posting, I am just not going to be as diligent with my food tracking anymore.
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Amy, I have my gym bag with me today and I WILL go to the gym after work! And I will be sore tomorrow... I am going to go today, Wed, Thu (cardio only) and Fri and try to make it to my classes on Sat and Sun. I am one step closer to posting some Buckley pix - I actually downloaded them from the camera to the computer! :teeth: I took DS10 out to buy a bunch of long sleeve shirts. He has to be in a kids large (14/16) since his arms and torso are so long! And he still wears Size 10 pants...

Tracey, I was glad I didn't do more damage on the cruise. I think that extra lb will be gone after this week (well, if I can behave on Thanksgiving that is!). Once I start working out again, I should be fine.
 
Thanks for the recipe!! I printed it out and am looking forward to trying it. I have found that in my attempt to eat healthy food, I get stuck in a rut. Thanks for the inspiration!!

Congrats to dd on the win!! :cheer2:

I hear you on the frustrations of losing weight. My ultimate goal is to be a size 8 yet my body seems to enjoy size 10. I have some size 8's that are gathering dust in my closet. :teeth: Hang in there. If you decide to stay where you are, or lose a little more weight, your body will follow suit. Just think how good you've been to your body with the exercise and healthy eating. That's what I try to tell myself when I didn't have a successful week (like this one..... :rolleyes: ).

Have a great week!
 
Boy did I blow it yesterday! :sad2: My first day of not writing down every bite and I really went off the deep end. I can honestly blame it on our secretary (and my lack of willpower :rolleyes1 ). Apparently there was a lot of money left in the snack fund and she had to spend it before the end of the year, so she ordered a bunch of muffins, cinnamon rolls and cookies. I ate a cinnamon roll the size of a small vehicle (and skipped my healthy snack of cottage cheese and applesauce). And after lunch I had an oatmeal raisin cookie the size of a frisbie (and skipped my healthy snack of yogurt and an apple). And I had to work late so I didn't get to the gym. I did, however, go home and eat 2 large handfuls of almonds. :guilty: And I topped the night off with a frozen ball of cookie dough (1 cookie). But I am glad I got it all out of my system before Thanksgiving! My pants are very snug (not officially tight, but getting there!) and I can get 2 good days in before now and Thursday. I am going to behave for the most part on Thanksgiving, but definitely have some pumpkin fluff! Usually I don't do too awfully bad, I hope I can continue with that streak.

Edited to add: My boss just e-mailed me (from home, he's supposed to be on vacation) to let me know I might have to travel to Germany next week! :eek:
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CJK, I hope you enjoy the recipe. I really like it and this will be the third year I've made it. I am with you, I have some Size 6's in my closet that are going to disintegrate soon...
 
:rotfl2: :rotfl2: I loved your size descriptions of the various yummies! :rotfl2: , but only 1 cookie dough ball? Consider that a victory!

Your recipe looks great. I'm going to give it a try. I'm sure you will do fine at Thanksgiving and get some exercise in too since the kids are at their dads.

Just consider every international trip is that many more FF miles for your WDW trip! Germany should be cold but beautiful in December!

Happy Thanksgiving!
 
I did decent with food yesterday. The only things I could have done without were soy chips before taking DD to tap (only 1 serving) and a frozen cookie dough ball (1 cookie). I could really smack DS10 for reminding me the cookie dough was in the freezer! He needs to be smacked anyway, he is getting into that pre-teen "have to have the last word" phase. They apparently had a puberty discussion at school (I thought they'd send home a warning notice or something, but nope!). I asked DS what they talked about and if he had any questions. He said no. I told DH that he needs to have "the talk" with him soon and he is going to do it by the end of the year. Last night it was shower time and I overheard DS telling DD that he filled up a squirt bottle to wash his body with soap, shampoo and conditioner because he was going to need it for his pubic hair. :rotfl: :lmao: :rotfl: :lmao:

I WILL get to the gym today, it is insanely slow at work and since I worked an hour over on Monday I am leaving an hour early today. NO EXCUSES! Then I get to clean, clean, clean since my house is a total disaster. I plan to get to the gym for the next 5 days in a row. Here is my goal:

Today: Weights (30min); Elliptical (35min)
Thu: Treadmill (35min)
Fri: Weights (30min); Elliptical (35min)
Sat: Treadmill (35min); Bike (35min)
Sun: TBK (60min); ABT (30min) - this will really kill me since I haven't been in a month!
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Anna, I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I do. Even picky DS loves it. The Germany trip will not be next week, most likely the first week in Dec. Not looking forward to traveling so close to the holidays (especially leaving the perfect AZ weather) but I can probably get some unique Christmas gifts!
 
Amy~
5 days in a row....you go girl!!!

I was laughing about your ds. Mine is 11 and I just told DH the other night that they need to have a sit down. I'm afraid I might have to have a sit down w/ DH first though to find out what he's gonna tell him!! :eek:

Have a great Thanksgiving!!

marie
 
I'm glad I wasn't drinking when I read what your ds said! :rotfl2: Good luck with "the talk" to your dh!

With all that exercise, Thanksgiving eatin' won't even make a dent! Way to go! Happy Thanksgiving!
 
I managed to behave! The scale said 141 this morning. No change from last Friday, but I had a couple bad eating days this week, so I'll take it! Now that Thanksgiving is over I really need to hit it hard to get back into my comfort zone (around 135). Yesterday for breakfast I had Egg Beaters w/Red Pepper & Cheddar. Then for lunch I had Low Carb Yogurt w/Kashi Crunch. For the big dinner I had 5 chocolate covered pretzels, veggies-n-Ranch, turkey, sweet potato-n-apple stuffing (not so great, I won't make that again), sweet potato-n-banana bake (yum), corn (SIL drowned it in butter :sad2: ). For dessert I had 2 cookies, pumpkin fluff (1c = 2 servings), a tiny sliver of pumpkin pie w/whipped cream, a tiny sliver of blueberry cheesecake. And I had about 3-4 glasses of wine throughout the day. Not great, but not too bad! I avoided the mashed potatoes and rolls! :cheer2: And I did get to the gym! :cool1: So far I have met my exercise goals for Wed and Thu. Only 3 days left to meet my mini-goal!
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Marie, I don't even want to be involved in DS's "talk" because that kid comes up with some extremely bizarre questions and I don't think I could handle them with a straight face...

CJK, did you make the sweet potato-n-banana bake? I love that stuff! The kids just crack us up sometimes with the stuff they come up with! :teeth:
 
Great job behaving yesterday and getting your exercise in! :cheer2: :cheer2: Way to go with just 5 chocolate pretzels :woohoo: .I noticed you had a light lunch. That was a smart thing to do. We ate breakfast late so I didn't have lunch. Mistake - I ate too many appetizers becuase I was hungry. Have a great rest of the weekend! :sunny:
 
What is it with boys and and their "manly" hair? My ds told my dd he was getting hair in all the right places, I almost died! Your son sounds like a riot. I keep telling my dh to have the talk, no dice yet. I think he's hoping the school will take care of that. Men :rolleyes: .

Your Thanksgiving day food sounded great. I'd say your survived that day quite well. Your weigh in was also good. Maintaining right now this time of year is a good thing. Is Germany for sure? And I didn't know you were a Christmas baby too! Your birthday is exactly one week before mine. Hope your weekend is going well! Can't wait to see the Buckley pics by the way. I'd post some of Benjamin but then you'd weep for Buckley's old man future. The dog has more grey hair than my 82 year old stepdad does. But he's still sort of cute!
 
I really blew it this weekend! I did great on Thanksgiving, then we just went out to eat too many times. My pants are officially TIGHT! What am I doing to myself?!?!?!?!?? I am going to have to get a grip. I have been doing great so far today, resisted cookies and gingerbread graham crackers (I don't even want to try them because I know I'll love them!). I did get to the gym on Wed, Thu & Fri, but not yesterday or today. I will get there M, W, F this week. Baby steps getting back into a routine, but I have to do it.
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Anna, I knew if I didn't eat a little something I would have really gone overboard at dinner. So I'm glad I had the yogurt. And for some reason, these chocolate covered pretzels are resistable (is that a word?) because they are really rich.

Amy, I have no idea what is going on with the Germany trip, I just got that e-mail from my boss last week. Hopefully I will find out more this week. If I go, it will be next week. Great, just when I finally get my eating and working out back under control... :confused3 Here is the moment you've been waiting for, my Buckley:

buckleysmall.jpg
adamwalkingbuckleysmall.jpg
buckleybydoorsmall.jpg
 
Amy, eating out this weekend killed me too! This time of year I don't have time to cook, shop, wrap, decorate, bake, school projects and everything else. We just need to do the best we can! Great job getting to the gym. That would drive me nuts not knowing if I was travelling all the way to Germany or not! Don't stress about the food, you survived England, you can survive Germany too! And I don't even want to think about gingerbread graham crackers, that would be a eat-the-box-at-one-sitting kind of deal I am certain! Great job not even sampling them, sometimes that is the smartest thing to do.

Now to Buckley! OMG what a cute dog! He is way bigger than Benjamin and just adorable. I can already tell I will be getting a Beagle puppy again one of these days heaven help me. Is that your son? He's a cutie too!
 
Buckley is adorable!!! (son is a cutie too!)

As far as the pants being tight, I can totally relate.
I'm back on track....baby steps is the right idea!!

marie
 





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