tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9979055043642746882024-02-06T18:58:01.510-08:00Charlotte's WebCharlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-30137762099801253512017-06-26T07:20:00.000-07:002017-06-26T07:20:00.462-07:00Today is day 84My goal date of July 5th is approaching quickly. <br />
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To be honest with you, the last month or so hasn't been as productive as the first two. Whether I just got too comfortable or lazy or my willpower has waned....whatever the case, fat loss has definitely stalled.<br />
<br />
I've hit the dreaded plateau!<br />
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And it could be that I have "cheated" a lot more than I did in the beginning. It could be that I've gone above my 1500 calorie limit or that 1500 is too high for fat loss now that I've lost. Or it could be that what was once working, workout wise, is not cutting it anymore. I haven't really gone back to analyze my book. But I'm going to go with my gut instinct and just chalk it up to getting too comfortable and slacking a bit more than I should. After all, in the beginning, she did tell me that I had VERY LITTLE wiggle room. I've been too wiggly :)<br />
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I am trying not to beat myself up over it because the 10lb fat loss goal was just a number. I have said before that I am going for a "look" that I have in my own mind for what I want to achieve and also it would be nice to fit into this pair of jeans that I love in my closet :) I assumed a loss of 10 pounds of pure fat might get me there.<br />
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And I was making such stellar progress in the first 6 weeks or so that I was certain I would get there early and maybe even make the 15lb mark. <br />
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I have to keep reminding myself that the number on the scale is not a reflection of anything except our relation to gravity. That even if I lost 10lbs or even 15lbs of fat, I might not even be at the "look" that I am really after. What then?? Keep going?? I can't imagine losing more than 15lbs of fat. But I don't know what it will take.<br />
<br />
Really I had two main goals with this process:<br />
1) to lose the fat I had gained so I could feel good about myself again<br />
2) to work hard before summer to get to #1 so that I could relax and enjoy the summer. Maintaining is the easy part!<br />
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Well, July is soon here and I plan on easing up a bit. I'm not going to be writing everything I eat in my book anymore. I'm going to eat what I want (within reason, of course) and have wine on my patio in the evening without having to calculate whether or not I still have room for it in my macros. I want to ENJOY life!<br />
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And it will always (probably) cycle like this. I will work hard for a few months so I can play hard. And I guess I'm ok with that! The cycles may be different lengths and come at different times, but that is what makes it interesting and unexpected.<br />
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I've made GREAT progress doing what I'm doing and I am super PROUD of myself for actually doing what I've been wanting to do for years. I have gained muscle and notice definition again! I was so unhappy when I couldn't see that definition in my arms - I'm very glad to have it back! So I have to ease up and not be so hard on myself all the time. I want to look good and I want to be vibrant and energetic and healthy and confident. Most of all, I want to be happy. I think that's all any of us really want. So I am taking steps to create happiness for myself. This is a journey. There is no finish line. Fitness/wellness/nutrition/etc will always be a part of my life so I should not stress about a number on a scale or on a tag on a pair of jeans in my closet. I want to focus on being the best person I can be INSIDE AND OUT and inspire others to do the same.<br />
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Look, I'm human. I like to share about my achievements, but I'm also not afraid to show my failures. I typed about them for literally YEARS on my previous fitness blog, FitMe. LOL<br />
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I don't want anyone to feel bad about anything I post. The purpose is not to brag about accomplishments, or seek pity for my failures - it's a diary. It's purpose is to document the journey. And if I hit on something that works for me, maybe it will work for someone else!! <br />
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I am still planning on posting my very first assessment alongside my very last at my last weigh in next Tuesday. I don't plan on weighing tomorrow because unfortunately I know that based on my diet last week and the way my "goal jeans" fit, there will be no improvement. But I have 9 whole days left to be on my best behavior and really kill it for my last weigh in. (and the 4th of July is in there right before - oh joy! lol) But life happens and we gotta push through the difficult times and stay strong. I'm going to fight to get every little ounce of fat I can off these thighs before my goal date. And when it's over, I hope to feel a sense of relief and accomplishment and pride for all the dedication, hard work, and the challenge I went through to better myself.<br />
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See you next week!!<br />
xoCharlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-61987740350122580492017-06-13T09:02:00.001-07:002017-06-13T09:02:34.337-07:0071 days in<div data-contents="true">
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<span data-offset-key="93jdl-0-0"><span data-text="true">71 days into my journey. Weigh in #.....? I don't even know, lol. But it just keeps getting better!</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="9ade4-0-0"><span data-text="true">At my first weigh in, my fat mass measured 38.5 and today it measured 31. It showed another 1 pound drop in fat today. I am very pleased with my progress.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3879s-0-0"><span data-text="true">In the beginning, I had wanted to lose 10lbs. It was just a number to go by, I had no idea how much fat I needed to lose to fit into my clothes better. But I am 1.5 pounds away from that goal that I had set for myself. And I am 22 days away from my deadline. I can see the finish line, it is within my grasp!!</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3879s-0-0"><span data-text="true">But it won't end there. It will never end. Because staying fit and healthy is ongoing. You can't just hit a goal and go back to the same old bad habits. It's maintaining and continuing to improve every day. When you are trying to maintain good health and a stable weight, there is no finish line. I'm sure you have heard the quote, "It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle." and it's totally true.</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3879s-0-0"><span data-text="true">Although I will probably relax a little in regards to having cake on special occasions and a meal that I've been craving all week, just to stay sane and balanced. While eating healthy can be and is delicious, I don't want to give up cake and pizza for the rest of my life!! What fun would that be? </span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3879s-0-0"><span data-text="true">So there you have it. Just wanted to update you on the latest progress. I know I have really lazy posting (shock) but sometimes life requires you to get out from behind the computer screen and enjoy what's going on around you ;)</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3879s-0-0"><span data-text="true">Have a wonderful week!</span></span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="3879s-0-0"><span data-text="true">xo</span></span></div>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-26343115087511873342017-05-26T05:53:00.000-07:002017-05-26T05:53:06.940-07:00week 7I've been terrible!! Not enough hours in the day to do everything I want. I know you all feel me. Blogging is one of my favorite things, because I can pretend to write things people are interested in reading. But unfortunately a lot of the time, it gets pushed back behind other more important things.<br />
<br />
Anyhooo.....I wanted to update you on my progress. I went for my 7th weigh in (I can't believe 7 weeks have gone by already!) on Tuesday and I dropped another pound of fat mass! So today that makes 8lbs lost! And my lean mass actually went up too, which is kind of the holy grail of fitness. Not sure how that is even possible, if I'm honest, but that is what the numbers reflect.<br />
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I was nervous for weight in, like every week. But I feel like even though I'm still tracking food and trying to eat healthy, I'm not quite as meticulous as I was in the beginning. Whatever I'm doing though, it's still working. I half expect it to come to a halt soon though, and have to drop my calorie intake a bit. That hasn't happened yet, thank goodness. <br />
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My niece got married over the weekend and my diet was good all day until dance time....which I knew and allowed myself. I was not about to feel guilty about having fun and celebrating with family. I had quite a bit of wine, but I danced all night too. Felt a little under the weather the next morning but once I got myself moving, drank some pickle juice, took some aspirin and ate, I was feeling pretty much back to normal. No harm done. And still a pound gone!<br />
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So, I will keep you updated as the weeks fly by. My clothes are fitting SO MUCH better and it is exciting to keep trying on old clothes that I haven't worn in years, and can actually wear! I am starting to feel like myself again and I don't see chub when I look in the mirror anymore!! I am getting my confidence back and I am loving the way I look! My arms are looking super strong and defined and I am excited to hit my goal by July 5th. 7 more pounds to go!! <br />
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Although I don't have an exact weight that I want to be, I figured if I lost 15 pounds I would probably look close to the way I want. The main thing now is to shave some more from my belly and hips and hoping to shape up my booty a bit. So far, I'm very proud of what I've been able to accomplish in 7 weeks!<br />
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Have a fabulous weekend!!<br />
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xoxoCharlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-87707314978224041752017-05-09T06:21:00.002-07:002017-05-09T06:21:45.254-07:00Update - weigh in #5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg6yvzeKTf8YKgq3VBv7CgYMMag0RWCa6-GknfoDF_HuCQbAXeo8x1Cj1wH5l0EqfzFATjaFTUvV3ifswUajV4WznoxFl3np90aqnyl8_20pf4KqLoSCxzfdqBMeDLK4Hgzy8-ozuOL8/s1600/Foods-to-Burn-Fat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzg6yvzeKTf8YKgq3VBv7CgYMMag0RWCa6-GknfoDF_HuCQbAXeo8x1Cj1wH5l0EqfzFATjaFTUvV3ifswUajV4WznoxFl3np90aqnyl8_20pf4KqLoSCxzfdqBMeDLK4Hgzy8-ozuOL8/s400/Foods-to-Burn-Fat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Today is day #36. That leaves 57 days until my goal date (July 5th).<br />
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Today is also weigh in #5. <br />
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Another 2lbs of PURE FAT gone! And another decrease in body fat by 1%<br />
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I am absolutely blown away. I just can't wrap my head around it. I have lost a total of 7lbs of fat in 5 weeks. At this rate, I will hit my goal of 15lbs sooner than July 5th!<br />
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Now I believe her when she told me she thought I would hit the 10lb mark by end of May with this new plan of keeping my calories at 1500. I honestly didn't believe that I could do it when I was sitting in her office. Thinking about losing 10lbs in 2 months when I hadn't been able to lose an ounce in 4 years seemed almost impossible.<br />
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It's not. I am doing it!!<br />
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When I felt like I had exhausted all the options. When I felt like I had done everything I possibly could. In the back of my mind I knew. I knew the ONLY WAY it was ever going to happen was to get serious in the kitchen. I was serious in the gym, but that was obviously not going to cut it. After training very hard for a year with no weight loss results (***mind you, I DID see results in the form of muscle gain, and that was also a goal***), it was apparent that everything you read about abs being "made in the kitchen" or not being able to "out-train a bad diet" is absolutely the truth. <br />
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But I also think that it depends on where you are in your journey. If you are overweight and usually sedentary, just starting an exercise routine will help you make changes in your body. Or just changing the quantity and quality of your food. At my stage of the game, I'm used to pushing myself in the gym. But I could never work harder and harder and harder to see fat loss. Nope, it had to start coming from diet. I am so close! And the closer you are, the more difficult the struggle. The tighter you need to get with nutrition. <br />
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Now, by no means have I been perfect. I have given in to temptation several times. I have not cut out wine entirely, although I have seriously cut way back. I have eaten no-no foods (in small amounts), I have gone over calorie budget a few times, and I have skipped several days of workouts in a row due to injury & illness. And yet I continue to make progress! See!! YOU DON'T NEED TO BE PERFECT TO SEE RESULTS!! If you did, no one would. <br />
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And after 5 weeks, it seems almost effortless. I hate to use that word, because it certainly isn't without effort. But it has been surprisingly easier than I expected. Because the longer I go, the more comfortable I am getting with this routine. New habits are forming and I don't feel like I am being deprived of anything (except feeling like crap). And when the motivation starts to wane, and it has (hello, 3rd week, big time dive), all I have to do is put on a pair of pants that used to be snug and bask in the glow of fat loss success. I am doing it! And that is the spark I need to reignite my motivation. <br />
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There is NO BETTER FEELING when you have been struggling for so long, than the feeling of your clothes fitting you better. It's pure bliss :)<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-91938651273983391942017-05-05T18:04:00.000-07:002017-05-05T18:04:25.154-07:00Family InterviewsI thought it would be fun to interview my children with some random questions to see what they would come up with.<br />
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We'll start with the baby of the family....<br />
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Emma Christina, age 10, 5th grade<br />
Favorite animal & why: snow leopard because it's a big and fast predetor with a cute fluffy tail<br />
Favorite hobby: drawing<br />
If you had a whole day to do whatever you wanted (no chores, no parents, no school) what would you do: invite everyone in the 505 over for pizza (the 505 is what they call their class)<br />
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Bahamas<br />
Where do you want to live: Paris<br />
How many kids do you want and names: 4 girls, Jessica, McKenzie, Claire, Courtney<br />
What would I say about you: I'm hilarious<br />
Say something about me: Really hard working<br />
Show of the moment: Miraculous<br />
Favorite sayings or words: Nub and Jank<br />
Must haves: Lizzy, family, the word squash<br />
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Moving on to the middle child.....<br />
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Eden Elise, age 14, 8th grade<br />
Favorite animal & why: sloth because they are cute and unique<br />
Favorite hobby: cooking<br />
If you had a whole day to do whatever you wanted (no chores, no parents, no school) what would you do: go swimming with grandma<br />
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Bahamas<br />
Where do you want to live: with mom somewhere<br />
How many kids do you want and names: 2 girls, Hollis and Skylar<br />
What would I say about you: I'm a fabulous nub and I don't need no man<br />
Say something about me: Best mom in the whole world, super pretty, super loving<br />
Show of the moment: Miraculous Lady Bug<br />
Favorite sayings or words: Janky nub, Jank hole, Merm (mom), Nurtz<br />
Must haves: Blankets, Lizzy, Mom<br />
<br />
And lastly, the oldest child......<br />
<br />
Hanna Rae, age 19, senior<br />
Favorite animal & why: wolves because they're pretty and misunderstood<br />
Favorite hobby: drawing and art stuff<br />
If you had a whole day to do whatever you wanted (no chores, no parents, no school) what would you do: watch movies<br />
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Denmark again<br />
Where do you want to live: Northern Minnesota<br />
How many kids do you want and names: 0<br />
What would I say about you: Nice & caring<br />
Say something about me: Great sense of humor, very nice<br />
Show of the moment: superhero shows (supergirl, fantastic 4, etc)<br />
Favorite sayings or words: Wha cha, Oh my heavens<br />
Must haves: Sketch book & drawing pencils, phone/internet, sweatshirt<br />
<br />
There you have it. I suggest you try this with your kids sometime. I think I should do it again with more difficult questions. I love to experience their creative minds.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-61201149077919646202017-05-03T19:32:00.001-07:002017-05-03T19:37:33.272-07:00Chocolate Oatmeal Bars - NO BAKE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I am really into things that make my life easier. Who isn't though, right? We all want quick, easy and DELICIOUS.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Also healthier. That's a big one for me these days. When I'm craving something sweet, I try to grab something I can feel good about putting in my body. These bars fit the bill.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Super fast. Super easy. Not terrible for you. I like that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">These have great flavor that will leave you satisfied without the guilt. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><u>Recipe:</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Stir together 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">1/4 cup + 3 TBSP *maple syrup</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">1/4 cup + 3 TBSP natural peanut butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Whisk in 1/2 tsp vanilla & 1/4 tsp salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">1/4 cup cocoa powder</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Freeze until firm enough to cut.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">*I used sugar free syrup. It is 15 calories per half cup versus the 210 calories in regular. Although there is nothing wrong with 100% pure maple syrup, I just wanted to save on some calories.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Makes 16 squares</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><u>Nutrition Facts: (per square)</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">calories: 113.7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">fat: 7.7</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">carbs: 9.4</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">fiber: 1.8</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Original recipe taken from </span><a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/09/26/no-bake-bars-chocolate-oatmeal/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">chocolatecoveredkatie.com</span></a><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-55280061726128207082017-05-03T09:41:00.002-07:002017-05-03T10:06:15.903-07:005 pound fat loss - how I did it in 4 weeks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yep. It's official. I have lost 5lbs of FAT!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I can't even tell you how proud and excited I am. If you only knew how long I have wanted to get the fat loss ball rolling.....well, maybe you already do know. I certainly have talked about it for a while. But I FINALLY decided to get serious and commit to it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I wore a pair of jeans that I haven't worn in probably 5 years. And that's only after 5lbs of fat loss! I'm sorry, I don't mean to say "only". It's a big deal. Especially coming from someone who was already on the smaller side to begin with. It took me 4 weeks to do it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember thinking in the beginning that I would be happy with even 1/2 a pound loss per week. And I was ecstatic to see the numbers drop steadily each week. The second week I lost 2lbs! I don't know what I did differently to make that happen. But each week (with that one week being an exception), I have lost 1 pound. I am beyond thrilled.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****HOW I FINALLY DID IT****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, people have been asking me how I finally did it. Well, one huge first step was, like I said before, finally deciding I was ready to commit to doing it. I knew it would take me out of my comfort zone, and before, I just wasn't ready to be uncomfortable. Uncomfortable (for me) being - not getting to drink wine daily, not getting to eat desserts daily, not getting to eat pizza, lavosh, French fries, etc at will. It meant that I would have to carefully watch what I was eating and how much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is not easy.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Fat loss never is.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So how did I end up feeling ready and finally deciding to commit? I had a metabolism test.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But that doesn't mean I hadn't tried to change other things first. I am no stranger to the gym and I workout 5 times a week. The decision to get tested came after two months of grueling circuit work that was designed to get your metabolism kicking and help the fat come off. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It didn't.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****#1****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I went to get tested. And as I assumed, my metabolism is great. Always has been.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what was the deal? How did that change anything?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well, based on the read outs from my test, I was able to see how many calories my body burns every day and know exactly what I needed to stay under in order for fat loss to occur. To put it simply, I had just been eating way too much.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Online calculators and tools where you enter in your data (age, weight, sex, activity level) are great to get an idea, but it's just an estimate, and as I've found out, usually wrong. Every single *free* calculator I tried out was telling me I could easily eat way more calories and still lose weight. It was very eye opening to find out that wasn't the case.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, the woman who tested me also told me how many of each macro nutrient to eat as well. So instead of (for example) eating all of my allowed calories in bread and peanut butter (I know, bad example), I have to make sure I'm getting a certain amount of those allowed calories from Fats, a certain amount from Carbs, and a certain amount from Proteins.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****#2****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The second thing that has helped, besides finally having a correct number to go by, is keeping track of my food. And I don't mean just writing down what I eat. I mean, going a step beyond that. I have a log book that I write down not only the type of food I eat, but how many calories, fat grams, carbs, proteins, etc. are in the food, how much I ate, and then I calculate what I have left for the rest of the day. So at each meal, I am aware of what I have left in the daily allowance, so there is absolutely NO GUESSING. I believe that has been KEY in my success.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes it's a pain at first.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yes it's a bit time consuming at first. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But you get into a groove and it gets easier and easier. Because you find that you are eating a lot of the same foods. You can look back to past days to get the info instead of reading labels and calculating. Sure there is a lot of that in the very beginning, but I don't vary a whole lot. I usually have the same thing for breakfast, my smoothies are always the same, I cycle through maybe 4-5 different things for lunch and I eat a lot of the same veggies (no more buying a ton of stuff that spoils in the fridge because I don't eat it). You have to buy the stuff you like so that you know you will eat it. The only thing that changes more often is dinner, since that is the meal I will eat with the rest of my family, and I don't want them to get bored.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's an example of how I break things down for a meal:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Breakfast:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Egg - 1 whole.... 70 cal, 5 fat, 0 carb, 6 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Egg whites - 3.... 51 cal, 0 fat, 0 carb, 10.8 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ezekiel Sprouted Grain toast - 1 slice.... 80 cal, .5 fat, 15 carb, 4 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Natural (no sugar or oil added) Peanut Butter - 1 tsp... 32 cal, 2.6 fat, 1.2 carb, 1.3 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Spinach - 1/3 bag.... 10 cal, 0 fat, 1.5 carb, 1 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Totals: 243 cal, 8.1 fat, 17.7 carb, 23.1 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Allowed budget for the day: 1500 cal, 50g fat, 100g carb, 112g protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Left for the day: 1257 cal, 41.9 fat, 82.3 carb, 88.9 protein</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is true, there is a certain amount of willpower to be used. HOWEVER, if I am really craving something, say I want a glass of wine, I will make sure I allow room for it in my daily calories and carbs. A 4oz pour is only 100 calories and about 3 carbs so it's not going to set me back all that much. I might skip a piece of toast for breakfast that day and just have spinach with my eggs, for instance. Or if I want a piece of cake (and try to go for the healthier dessert options if you need a splurge), and I know the cake is 300 calories and 25 carbs, I have to make sure I have room for it in my budget.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It's as simple as that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And one thing about splurging, just make sure you aren't doing it every day. Obviously the quality of the food you are eating has it's place. Which is why we can't say a calorie is a calories. You can't eat 1500 calories worth of cake every day and expect to see a positive change. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have even had a couple of "cheats". One of them being 2 days after starting, because there was a dinner party I had been planning on going to for over a month and I wasn't going to skip it. I also had Easter in there, where I didn't eat what I normally would. Although to make up for it, I skipped the wine that I would normally have during a holiday with family. And neither of those things set me back at all.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, I can honestly say that there were a few other days that I was less than perfect. I went over budget a few hundred calories or ate something I hadn't planned on. Or just felt extra hungry one day. It hasn't impacted my efforts at all so far. Because overall, I am eating WAY BETTER than I was before. I am mindful of the amount of food I intake. And it has worked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****#3****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The third and last thing that I can attribute to my success is I have added an hour long brisk walk to my daily routine. I usually walk 15 minutes prior to my strength training routine (which is anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and 15 minutes)and then I finish with a 45 minute walk. I walk at least 6 days per week and leave 1 day a week as a total rest day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, the strength workouts are less grueling. They are shorter and not so intense and taxing on the body. Because before, I thought killing myself in the gym was better, when really all it was doing was putting more stress on my body and leaving me tired and hungry all the time. While the new routine I have is still challenging and working my muscles hard (in a good way), I don't dread doing them. They are enjoyable. And the walk is also a feel good form of exercise that is very good on the body and the mind.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">****AND THERE YOU HAVE IT****</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been the key to my success. I have wanted to lose the extra little bit of fat that I've gained for 5 years. And I've finally done it. YOU CAN TOO!</span></div>
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-75660301444951359952017-05-01T16:27:00.002-07:002017-05-01T16:38:08.225-07:00The Flat Lay<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">You know, if you want to.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I don't mean to sound bossy and tell you what to do.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Courier New;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Courier New;">But if you want to, click <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/charmingnd/" target="_blank">HERE</a> to see my boards. Lots of fun stuff, promise.</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I was busy trying out the "flat lay" photo (like the one I did in the above picture - which I think turned out ok). I saw a link called "How to master the flat lay photo like a boss". Well, I HAD to click on it!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I'm not sure if I did it LIKE A BOSS but I'm learning. And it's a lot of fun. I think I chose this particular composition because it represents me in a cozy, enjoyable part of my day. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">coffee</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">computer</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">journals</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">readers</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">I get a calm, comfortable feeling when I look at this picture.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new";">So, instead of baking and taking pictures of food this week, my new challenge is the flat lay photo. (My hips will thank me) I'm going to pick a different theme each day, something that represents something to me. Or, maybe just random stuff. You never know where this mind of mine will wander off to.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">If you have any requests, feel free to share!</span></div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-20579609692188791052017-04-30T10:23:00.001-07:002017-05-03T10:06:22.184-07:00Easy No-Knead, No fail, Skillet Bread<div class="h-4 strong" id="mpprecipe-ingredients" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I have been on a bread baking kick lately. Which is pretty much the same thing as torturing myself because I'm also on a "diet" and bread is not really allowed. But, I'm trying to flex my baking and photography muscles and fresh baked beautiful food is one way to do both. My love for these things out weighs my love for eating. Sort of. Ok, not really. Well I HAD to sample it! Come ON!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4O03OaGH4uMApKC20Fx5f91I4kM5sdyT1hMsfap6KX7Cx_v-MF33P5LPcgBZ2png86q1EgKezFTNWs-dQbQlBQp4kYOEwgzQrBzjMg_EQmhTrH1i7vXwu90CS7aag2O2Y05yHnX3iTM/s1600/PCND5533editWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu4O03OaGH4uMApKC20Fx5f91I4kM5sdyT1hMsfap6KX7Cx_v-MF33P5LPcgBZ2png86q1EgKezFTNWs-dQbQlBQp4kYOEwgzQrBzjMg_EQmhTrH1i7vXwu90CS7aag2O2Y05yHnX3iTM/s400/PCND5533editWM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I mean seriously, look at this bread. How can you NOT have a nice warm chunk straight from the oven. Warm, fragrant, dunked in beautiful olive oil.....it's my idea of heaven.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfUFN833gRDgHgzCOTCMcOGx8PWgM327rnxZv1QUQ3rqPngtn1SHcRkzeS0mWyxvmIlvxiltOeglIDlPD9AaFELkTzIWjibkjJkhn6Dy7nOeqIAPzBUo9pnGyouVf_Jsl5HqHhgsc818/s1600/PCND5423editWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRfUFN833gRDgHgzCOTCMcOGx8PWgM327rnxZv1QUQ3rqPngtn1SHcRkzeS0mWyxvmIlvxiltOeglIDlPD9AaFELkTzIWjibkjJkhn6Dy7nOeqIAPzBUo9pnGyouVf_Jsl5HqHhgsc818/s400/PCND5423editWM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Actually THIS might be my idea of heaven. Any idea why? I'll give you a minute to think about it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">......</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">......</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">......</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">If you noticed the wine in that photo, you and I could be friends.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl9B1NsBIDY793gq661AlCXkoFJxLftHAwnTuodPRz92kd9Zj16JK1piwy5_CUsqFqhVSrN5wztGQVKLTIMrDu4steN-1sVBYsLaixEkOmhEtfk4HD1iQ6-QrV0HVahJH4NO49q6_i70/s1600/PCND5461editWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEl9B1NsBIDY793gq661AlCXkoFJxLftHAwnTuodPRz92kd9Zj16JK1piwy5_CUsqFqhVSrN5wztGQVKLTIMrDu4steN-1sVBYsLaixEkOmhEtfk4HD1iQ6-QrV0HVahJH4NO49q6_i70/s400/PCND5461editWM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">But it doesn't matter, with or without the wine, this bread is gorgeous.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUyR15LXZ7DfglGOK3nL2NK_qm93pm_ccZgU3ksFyjYO2rqMv5rENmy4p1YOccwEYD8fL3dPoHCu99HIWrRtfVvymxyQ5-RzoF2kgmEaX7RqKWqOpnWoHFftEwG7zj2KMbjk1iMxBjYM/s1600/PCND5494editWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUyR15LXZ7DfglGOK3nL2NK_qm93pm_ccZgU3ksFyjYO2rqMv5rENmy4p1YOccwEYD8fL3dPoHCu99HIWrRtfVvymxyQ5-RzoF2kgmEaX7RqKWqOpnWoHFftEwG7zj2KMbjk1iMxBjYM/s400/PCND5494editWM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Whatever the angle, it's a thing of beauty.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3vSGbfP0l2Q6f0TBAiKKkbNjp0LWjCYkb0c9LEhXsTDEIDYQL2qn72x5z5Ka-er1CZgGZHYIxtlJP8eBk2KVgRDY2YkxujBKxI7nQbjGkqhCxzEWSSRFPp8UGZG1QqWZAzRssm7YxOU/s1600/PCND5515editWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3vSGbfP0l2Q6f0TBAiKKkbNjp0LWjCYkb0c9LEhXsTDEIDYQL2qn72x5z5Ka-er1CZgGZHYIxtlJP8eBk2KVgRDY2YkxujBKxI7nQbjGkqhCxzEWSSRFPp8UGZG1QqWZAzRssm7YxOU/s400/PCND5515editWM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">And the best part? Not the fragrant rosemary. Not the delicate crust or the warm soft center. Not the decadent fresh olive oil.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">It's EASY. And THAT, my friends, is the best part.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">You see, bread baking and I are not exactly sympatico. I don't know what it is but I've never been good at it. Whether I kill the yeast and it doesn't rise, or it rises and it ends up overbaked, underbaked or sinks post bake....there is always something to screw up. This bread....no fail. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new";">Seriously. You can do this bread. All you need is a cast iron skillet and a couple hours.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><u>Recipe for Easy No Knead Skillet Bread</u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Ingredients:</span></div>
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<span id="mpprecipe-ingredients-list"></span><br />
<div class="ingredient" id="mpprecipe-ingredient-0" itemprop="ingredients">
<span id="mpprecipe-ingredients-list"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 package active dry yeast (2 & 1/4 tsp if measuring from bulk yeast)</span></span></div>
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</span>
<br />
<div class="ingredient" id="mpprecipe-ingredient-1" itemprop="ingredients">
<span id="mpprecipe-ingredients-list"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2 cups lukewarm water</span></span></div>
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</span>
<div class="ingredient" id="mpprecipe-ingredient-2" itemprop="ingredients">
<span id="mpprecipe-ingredients-list"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1/2 TBSP kosher salt</span></span></div>
<span id="mpprecipe-ingredients-list">
<div class="ingredient" id="mpprecipe-ingredient-3" itemprop="ingredients">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">4 & 1/3 cups all-purpose flour</span></div>
<div class="ingredient" id="mpprecipe-ingredient-4" itemprop="ingredients">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">rosemary</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Instructions</span></div>
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<ol class="instructions" id="mpprecipe-instructions-list">
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-0" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Combine yeast and warm water in a large bowl or pitcher.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-1" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Using a wooden spoon add in 1 cup of the flour and then the salt and mix until combined. Stir in the rest of the flour, one cup at a time, until completely incorporated.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-2" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Cover with plastic wrap or a lid that is not shut completely. Allow to rise for 1 hour.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-3" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Do not punch down the dough. Lightly oil the bottom of a cast iron skillet (a 10" or 12" skillet works well). Sprinkle a good amount of flour on top of the dough and then cover hands with flour. Take all of the dough and shape into a disk. (it will be sticky)</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-4" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Place in the skillet, cover loosely with a towel, and allow to rise for another 30 minutes.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-5" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Preheat the oven to 400ºF.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-6" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Drizzle a little more oil over the top of the bread, and slash the dough with a knife creating an X. Sprinkle with coarse salt and rosemary leaves.</span></li>
<li class="instruction" id="mpprecipe-instruction-7" itemprop="recipeInstructions"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top is a deep brown color.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">That's it, friends. Even I can do it!! Thanks to Pinterest and <a href="http://bakerbettie.com/easy-no-knead-skillet-bread/">Bakerbettie.com</a> for this winner.</span></div>
</span>Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-32539445229596917992017-04-27T19:54:00.000-07:002017-05-03T10:06:27.032-07:00Buffalo Chicken Meatballs<div class="nut_facts">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87P0YetC6Jf-pMjUCFXNnWyi9Fk6VuI7iw9PVrFelcQOj0Q_Tk5Uhhh8TYtl3Y1zN1_fnFom1P9qkpzdxZc7dMc2EBv3RkjzkAdlRncGl238-AguhuvUAHmBmTiGTbA0MckSFGQY_00A/s1600/Buffalo-Chicken-Meatballs-2-600x800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg87P0YetC6Jf-pMjUCFXNnWyi9Fk6VuI7iw9PVrFelcQOj0Q_Tk5Uhhh8TYtl3Y1zN1_fnFom1P9qkpzdxZc7dMc2EBv3RkjzkAdlRncGl238-AguhuvUAHmBmTiGTbA0MckSFGQY_00A/s320/Buffalo-Chicken-Meatballs-2-600x800.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Another stellar Pinterest find...Buffalo Chicken Meatballs</div>
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I like to make them along side cauliflower mash or zucchini noodles for a wonderfully filling low carb meal.</div>
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Winner winner chicken dinner :)</div>
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<div class="nut_facts">
Nutrition Facts</div>
<div class="amt_per">
Amount Per Meatball</div>
<ul id="facts_ul">
<li class="row1">Calories 44</li>
<li class="row1">Total Fat <span class="num1">2.8</span></li>
<li class="row1">Total Carbohydrate 1<span class="num1">.6 g</span></li>
<li class="row2">Dietary Fiber <span class="num1">1.1 g</span></li>
<li class="row1">Protein 4.8<span class="num1"> g</span></li>
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I ate 6 meatballs so my macros broke down like this:</div>
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calories: 264</div>
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fat: 16.8 g</div>
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carb: 9.6 g</div>
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fiber: 6.6 g</div>
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protein: 28.8 g</div>
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The recipe was super simple and absolutely delicious!! I will be making this again! <a href="http://howtothisandthat.com/low-carb-meatballs-chicken-beef/" target="_blank">Here's</a> the website where you will find the recipe.<br />
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*I've made these several times now and I've even varied the sauce for my not-so-spice-loving family. Honey BBQ sauce is a favorite and I think a regular tomato based pasta sauce would be a hit as well. Love the soft texture of these meatballs. Even my daughter who is NOT a lover of meat (especially ground) says these are the tastiest things she's ever eaten. I'd say that's pretty impressive - a meatball that can make a non meat eater fall in love!</div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-91364927503719821072017-04-27T07:19:00.000-07:002017-04-27T14:03:52.009-07:00Screw your diet, I want donuts!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv9ZGLhXDvJ331nTQSFzhvdVWmlOeqA9Q7Qh6avNsjLjAj9d70YxJSG3mtdC5WmqG-DDDKUvZicKUYCIrRvhJibHj2iJqnYph3YWW_t5fFAPtCgRofj3-Tpukdwwl2O2n1ZeJwEv3I6w/s1600/PCND5377editWM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivv9ZGLhXDvJ331nTQSFzhvdVWmlOeqA9Q7Qh6avNsjLjAj9d70YxJSG3mtdC5WmqG-DDDKUvZicKUYCIrRvhJibHj2iJqnYph3YWW_t5fFAPtCgRofj3-Tpukdwwl2O2n1ZeJwEv3I6w/s400/PCND5377editWM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I attempted a healthy "donut" yesterday. There are soooo many recipes out there to try and a lot are very similar to each other, only small variances in the ingredients. So I took a little from this and a little from that and ended up with my own concoction. Here's how they turned out! Not bad ;)<br />
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I liked the taste of the white donuts better. Here's the recipe...<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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1/3 cup coconut flour<br />
1/2 tsp baking powder<br />
3 TBSP coconut sugar<br />
pinch salt<br />
4 eggs<br />
1 tsp almond extract (or vanilla)<br />
2 TBSP coconut oil, heated to liquid form<br />
1/4 cup almond milk<br />
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Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. In another small bowl, mix wet ingredients. Combine. Grease a donut pan (I got mine at Target, Aisle B33) and pour in the batter. <br />
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Bake at 350 for 14 minutes. Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then take the donuts out and let them cool completely on wire rack before dunking in frosting of your choice.<br />
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*This will make six but if you fill them a little less full, you could probably get 7, and have nice holes in the middle. I had to cut away some of the access in the hole after they were baked but not by much and I liked the size, so I would stick with 6.<br />
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Frosting - I was going to make a healthy version of frosting too, but this was towards the end of the day and I was tired and cranky and just wanted to get it done so my family could try them out. ;) The donuts were super quick and easy. The frosting is just as quick.<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
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1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips<br />
2 TBSP butter<br />
2 tsp water<br />
2 tsp light corn syrup<br />
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Put in microwave safe bowl and microwave in 20 second increments, stirring between each, until smooth. Dunk or drizzle donuts and add sprinkles for a fun touch.<br />
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So good! And probably a bit healthier than a fried donut :)<br />
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Nutrition Facts: (just the donut)<br />
Per donut - pan makes 6<br />
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Calories: 125<br />
Fat: 12<br />
Carb: 9.3<br />
Fiber: 2.4<br />
Sugar: 7<br />
Protein: 5<br />
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Nutrition Facts with the glaze:<br />
(per donut)<br />
<br />
Calories:180<br />
Fat: 15.8<br />
Carb: 16.5<br />
Fiber: 2.5<br />
Sugar: 12<br />
Protein: 5<br />
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(not counting sprinkles)<br />
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There you have it!!<br />
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p.s. I wanted to let you know that I painstakingly calculate all of the nutritional information in my recipes myself. I add up the entire batch and then divide it by how many servings I get, so it should be very accurate. I don't trust the online calculators because sometimes they are way off. <br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-15452381902689634552017-04-25T11:13:00.001-07:002017-04-25T11:16:17.780-07:00Pain in the neckI have had a sore neck for a while now, going on about 2-3 months. I am no stranger to soreness. It seems as though I am perpetually sore because I left weights 4 days a week. But whether it's muscle soreness or a strain or a pull, it will eventually subside. This neck issue just keeps hanging around. Not only is it incredibly sore after I teach my cardio class, it makes a clicking noise when I turn my head, which was my main source of concern.<br />
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So I decided it was time to go in and get it looked at. I went to a physical therapist who also does "dry needling", as recommended by my friend and lifting partner who has been seeing her for a number of weeks because of a shoulder injury. Apparently these are small needles similar to the ones they use for acupuncture. And what happens is that when they are inserted, the body reacts as though there is injury there and then more blood flow to the area results in faster healing.<br />
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I was a tad nervous at first, mainly because I really just didn't want anything to be seriously wrong. Although I figured that it was probably just something muscle related. <br />
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So yesterday I went and she put this funky head gear on me and had me tilt my head in various directions to see what my range of motion was like. (I have a slightly limited ability to tilt to the right and down to my chest) With the results of that test and also through feeling different pressure points in my neck and upper back, she was able to establish with almost 100% certainty that I had a lot of tightness in my trap muscle, particularly on the left side. Bingo. That's the side that is the most sore and also the side of my neck that clicks.<br />
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She did a treatment on me, releasing what she called "frozen peas" all over the area. She told me I was "pulsing like crazy" in certain areas. And I'm guess she is able to feel that where I need pressure released. It felt amazing. Then came the needling.<br />
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I honestly wasn't apprehensive at all about it, despite the fact that she was about to stick 12-14 needles in my neck and back. I told her to just go for it, I was ready. And to my surprise, most of them I barely felt at all. There were a couple zingers, especially around the shoulder blades, but overall I felt very good after. Today I am a bit sore (she told me that was to be expected). But I was able to get through my lifting session today, which just so happened to be back. Of course...<br />
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I go again for another dry needling treatment and some physical therapy exercises on Friday. And again in two weeks. I'm hoping for some improvement. Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-48812780565277150472017-04-23T11:30:00.001-07:002017-04-23T11:30:21.216-07:005 Minute Paleo Zucchini Bread<div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="8oj8-0-0">
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So my daughter has a passion for cooking and baking. A while back she had a food blog called "Sorry, I'm baking". It was kind of cute, especially considering she was only, like, 8. She recently decided that she wanted to continuing blogging about her cooking. Of course I was eager to help her with 3 things that I really enjoy: baking, blogging and taking photos.</div>
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I set up her blog. I helped her come up with a name and a "logo". I even have helped do 90% of the baking for it, and of course, all of the photos. She has sort of lost interest in it since the beginning. Well, maybe it's more of a time issue. Or maybe she would just rather be on Instagram or playing computer games. But my interest still remains. And I love the layout of the blog so I sort of want to keep it going for her. Maybe I'll just take it over one day ;) Because the three blogs and Facebook pages I manage currently aren't enough. :( oy vay.</div>
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Anyway, I like to try healthy recipes and post about them when I have good results. Here is the recipe for 5 Minute Paleo Zucchini Bread</div>
<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1 cup grated zucchini<br />1 1/2 cups almond flour<br />1/4 cup maple syrup (we were out so I used organic brown rice syrup instead)<br />*and because the brown rice syrup lacked the sweetness of the maple syrup, I added a nice long squirt of liquid stevia to sweeten it up<br />3 whole eggs<br />1 TBSP coconut oil<br />1 1/2 tsp cinnamon<br />1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract<br />1 tsp baking powder<br />1/4 tsp sea salt<br /><br />Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper. Do this, because we were out of parchment so I just sprayed my pan. The bottom stuck. Bad news.<br /><br />Combine all ingredients (except zucchini) into a mixing bowl and mix. Then grate and add zucchini to the bowl and mix into batter with a rubber spatula.<br /><br />Pour into the parchment lined loaf pan. Bake 1 hour and 5 minutes until golden on top.<br />*the <a href="http://paleoglutenfree.com/recipes/5-minute-paleo-zucchini-bread/" target="_blank">original recipe</a> called for a 4x5 loaf pan and all I had were regular bread loaf pans, which are more like 9 1/2 x 5 1/2 so I baked it for only 50 minutes. Although I don't think an extra 5 minutes would have hurt.<br /><br />Nutrition Facts per slice (loaf gets 8 slices total)<br />calories: 192<br />fat: 14<br />carbs: 11.9<br />fiber: 2.5<br />sugar: 7.1<br />protein: 7<br /><br />Since I modified with brown rice syrup, the nutrients data will be slightly different. Tiny bit more calories, more carbs and less sugar.<br />
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And if you are interested in checking out Eden's blog (that's my 14 year old daughter), you can find her <a href="http://edensfrostedfantasies.weebly.com/" target="_blank">HERE</a>.Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-3648062190803598352017-04-20T11:19:00.001-07:002017-04-20T11:27:09.570-07:00No carb cheesecake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESnpfVOTnhwJmXKPtcmz1yu60zYs-vuLNfHtH6CmC_hrywrUoIhDYAvEEZLzCDCjAHI2bIdl95oy30rv1Rn9ZsQVa1ITU4FNf7bo48jt1wVTO3X12xPRaRGt-ixlRKDPwpPbhegMsrmU/s1600/WP_20170420_12_25_39_Rich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESnpfVOTnhwJmXKPtcmz1yu60zYs-vuLNfHtH6CmC_hrywrUoIhDYAvEEZLzCDCjAHI2bIdl95oy30rv1Rn9ZsQVa1ITU4FNf7bo48jt1wVTO3X12xPRaRGt-ixlRKDPwpPbhegMsrmU/s400/WP_20170420_12_25_39_Rich.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>
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Nutrition Facts</div>
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12 Servings</div>
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Amount Per Serving</div>
<ul id="vitamins_ul">
<li class="row1">Calories <span class="num1">253.7</span></li>
<li class="row1">Total Fat <span class="num1">20.1 g</span></li>
<li class="row2">Saturated Fat <span class="num1">13.2 g</span></li>
<li class="row2">Polyunsaturated Fat <span class="num1">0.3 g</span></li>
<li class="row2">Monounsaturated Fat <span class="num1">0.6 g</span></li>
<li class="row1">Cholesterol <span class="num1">125.3 mg</span></li>
<li class="row1">Sodium <span class="num1">368.7 mg</span></li>
<li class="row1">Potassium <span class="num1">23.0 mg</span></li>
<li class="row1">Total Carbohydrate <span class="num1">2.4 g</span></li>
<li class="row2">Dietary Fiber <span class="num1">0.0 g</span></li>
<li class="row2">Sugars <span class="num1">2.3 g</span></li>
<li class="row1">Protein <span class="num1">9.4 g</span></li>
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So I was perusing Pinterest in search of some fresh ideas when I came along this little gem. A no carb cheesecake. Only 4 ingredients. Now THAT I have to try!<br />
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I don't know why I do this to myself, but I've been baking for my family and I'm on a healthy diet to try to shed some fat before July so I'm not eating it. I've baked cake and pie, had chocolate GALORE in the house from Easter and I've been staying away from it, but it's making me want to have a little something. And I deserve a little treat because I've done so well over the past 2 weeks. So yeah, when I saw this I thought why not give it a try!<br />
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The ingredients are: 4- 8oz packages of cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat kind), 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups sour cream (I used Daisy light), and 1 TBSP vanilla....and that's IT!<br />
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The recipe said zero carb but when I entered those ingredients into the SparkPeople.com recipe analyzer, it did show minimal carbs. I haven't eaten any yet so I can't tell you how it tastes. It took an hour to bake, 3 hours to cool in the oven and overnight in the fridge. I plan on taking a piece after dinner tonight :) If you are interested in the instructions for the baking process, let me know!<br />
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Be well <3<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-25766901837350458472017-04-15T14:19:00.000-07:002017-04-15T03:55:30.831-07:00how many posts about diet fails does it take..........to get to your goal.<br />
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A LOT, apparently. haha<br />
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I just went back and read some of my previous posts (and actually deleted a few). I am SUCH a nerd! Oh my gosh!<br />
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I go through the SAME stuff, over and over and over and over and over and over....<br />
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What's the definition of insanity again? Yeah...<br />
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I could spend an eternity trying to figure out what the deal is with my fitness/diet obsession but I'll probably never really understand why I am the way I am. I can speculate. I can place blame. But really, I'm just going to call it a passion. I have a passion for the fit life.<br />
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Everyone sort of has their niche. Most people have something that they enjoy, that gets them fired up, that they are passionate about. I don't know - mine just seems to be centered around being fit and healthy. I really missed my calling I think. I should have been a dietician, a trainer, a wellness coach, or something along those lines. I love motivating people. Its fun to share what I've learned throughout this journey. I am passionate when I talk about weight lifting and healthy eating, etc. I know what you are going to say, it's never too late. Maybe some day....<br />
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As you know, if you are reading my silly little posts, I am currently challenging myself to dig deep. There are a few things I'd like to accomplish and I've been sort of spinning my wheels for a while so it was time to up my game. I am at a healthy weight, I am fit, I certainly don't NEED to be on a diet. I am not promoting being "skinny" (in fact, quite the opposite) or trying to get to an unattainable standard of the "perfect" body. There are just a few body goals that I have had for a very long time that I really feel like I'm ready to try to achieve.<br />
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I'm no stranger to this. I start. I fail. I try again. I fail. And again. Fail. That's my story. But the moral that I've learned over all the struggles and fails......I am NOT a quitter.<br />
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My goal is not a number on a scale. It's maybe not even a percentage. They say you have to have a clear goal in mind to achieve it. I know in my heart where I want to be. It's not something that any specific number can tell me. But I will know when I get there. And I will share that with you when I arrive.<br />
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Be well <3<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-46634242596437054362017-04-14T05:34:00.001-07:002017-04-14T05:34:22.919-07:00Honey BadgersSo Tuesday nights I play on a co-ed volleyball league. It is SO MUCH FUN! I always loved volleyball, even though I never played in high school. I was a cheerleader. But I have this fun group of friends who like to play so we got together a team and tried it out.<br />
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The first time we actually won 1st place in our lower level league! So we decided to give it another go. So far, we are winning more than we are losing. And we actually took down the best team in our division. This team is pretty good and they were undefeated until they met the honey badgers :) We beat them 1 out of 3 games the first time, and a week later, 2 out of 3! We almost had that third game too. It was really close.<br />
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It's just fun to get out and do something with friends (that doesn't involve wine) that gets you moving and it's just plain fun. We don't really take ourselves too seriously, gotta keep it fun.<br />
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Go Honey Badgers!<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-68452177005756203622017-04-11T09:57:00.001-07:002017-04-11T09:57:44.729-07:00First Week - TOTAL SUCCESS!!It has been 1 week since I started my "new diet". I hate to call it a diet. But I guess that is essentially what it is. I am cutting out unhealthy foods and I am staying within calories boundries - so technically, it is a diet in my mind. And yes, it is temporary. Because when I reach my goal, I will just need to maintain, so healthy eating for the most part, but still get to splurge now and then. With this "diet" that I'm on right now, I am trying to do very little, if any, cheating until I get to goal. And to be honest, I'm not sure what I want for a goal (number-wise), I just want to consistently lose a pound of fat a week and fit into my old jeans.<br />
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I went in for my weigh in this morning. Drum roll please.............<br />
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DOWN 4lbs!! 1 whole pound of that was FAT!<br />
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When people are on a diet, the initial fat loss can be deceiving. I am kind of "seasoned", if you will, at this so I know that during the first week, when you see a large jump in the numbers (generally over 2 pounds) that most of that will be water. Because you know how it goes, we're really motivated in the beginning, eating less, a lot of us are trying to cut carbs for whatever reason, blah blah blah. And for every gram of carbs we eat, we hold onto 3 grams of water. So when we cut back on carbs, that will be reflected in the scale as water weight. I didn't care so much that the scale went down 4lbs. I DID, however, care that it went down and all, and that the read out showed a fat mass loss of 1 pound! THAT is a HUGE success!! If I can keep this up, I will lose 12lbs of pure fat by July 4th. YESSSSSS!<br />
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And I don't have to worry about losing muscle because I have tracked my diet consistently for 7 days and I am getting plenty of protein every day. In fact, yesterday, I was able to get 132g!! I'm hanging on to every ounce of precious muscle I've worked so hard for!<br />
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So yeah, it's a GREAT day!!!! :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDHn3R0NQPgmPLCsAGTTfPMePKTKNxnPfBiwySDc59a3Q8ZWbSXJUj1eKQr4Sn3rlH0M1Beux-ryQ_2WWTkF2gqDlJXcQO639z_iURcWKo0uJIIJBptkyGzLuM6Yx0nAtbcUDQ3iJaKE/s1600/I-feel-good-meme.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDHn3R0NQPgmPLCsAGTTfPMePKTKNxnPfBiwySDc59a3Q8ZWbSXJUj1eKQr4Sn3rlH0M1Beux-ryQ_2WWTkF2gqDlJXcQO639z_iURcWKo0uJIIJBptkyGzLuM6Yx0nAtbcUDQ3iJaKE/s400/I-feel-good-meme.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-61613389775085396512017-04-09T20:12:00.001-07:002017-04-09T20:12:31.094-07:00Diet - first week<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This was my breakfast this morning. 1 whole egg, 4 egg whites, 3 cups spinach (wilted in a pan), 1 slice Ezekiel sprouted grain bread, 1 tsp Natural peanut butter. Total calories = 270</div>
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Yep. ALL THAT FOOD for just 270 calories. In fact, here are the macros:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDC9Cco50cNeY2udPqFsf0SSzmsPOhWUgck9HvzTo7H4cGhPmYCE72PUqqpJq8UBbLM5eoiW9MeDSLIRm3KESsw-5iz_LO4d_DQWjKo300s-jWdt-uADrQf2xaez7aQoiqcE6ydHrAxA/s1600/WP_20170409_08_43_43_Rich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikDC9Cco50cNeY2udPqFsf0SSzmsPOhWUgck9HvzTo7H4cGhPmYCE72PUqqpJq8UBbLM5eoiW9MeDSLIRm3KESsw-5iz_LO4d_DQWjKo300s-jWdt-uADrQf2xaez7aQoiqcE6ydHrAxA/s400/WP_20170409_08_43_43_Rich.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I write all of my meals in this handy dandy little food journal</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm78JgDXQdn7RIa74zrThBt-sDAbJ0wFOoyrZxyQPABWNL8rsYtzYPNLK2YyenmjaC1tvOwrwY3lOK0VC5ETAmPgy04DOVmwvcmSTr-W7l0WnDRyIOLSnDFQosjCkOIMvssm7M2nYnvK4/s1600/WP_20170409_08_43_20_Rich.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm78JgDXQdn7RIa74zrThBt-sDAbJ0wFOoyrZxyQPABWNL8rsYtzYPNLK2YyenmjaC1tvOwrwY3lOK0VC5ETAmPgy04DOVmwvcmSTr-W7l0WnDRyIOLSnDFQosjCkOIMvssm7M2nYnvK4/s400/WP_20170409_08_43_20_Rich.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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This helps me track not only calories, but carbs, fat, fiber, and protein. Even water consumption, exercise and current weight. Everything I need to track my progress. I have kept many journals throughout my fitness and nutrition obsession. But a lot of the time, I track very sporadically, or I am really good for a day or two, then tire of it. Probably because I was not truly ready to change.</div>
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I'm ready.</div>
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It's day #6 and I have tracked every crumb that has passed my lips very meticulously. In fact, I only eat foods that are easily trackable. In other words, making a one pot wonder with tons of ingredients, very difficult to calculate. So I stay away from that kind of thing. Although, using on of the many recipe analyzers online is very useful. </div>
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When I went in to have my metabolism tested, the woman who tested me also went over the results with me. I got a cool little print out of how many calories I burn in a day and what my calorie intake should be each day if I am looking to lose weight, based on my activity level.</div>
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I am to keep my calories around 1500, and my macros at 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 - meaning, 500 calories from carbs, 500 calories from protein, and 500 calories from fat. Which translated to 112g protein, 50g fat, and 100-150g carbs (and we agreed that to speed things up, I keep carbs at 100 and try to get them mostly from veggies). And so far I have been very successful at keeping my carbs at or even below that number. This was surprising to me, as I didn't really have high confidence that I would be able to handle it. Also, I was afraid 112g of protein would be difficult to get but it turns out, I am usually over in that area (which is ok!). If I want to be over in any category it's that one.</div>
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So in the second notebook that I use for tracking, I do the columns but in reverse order so that I can see how many I have left to eat. So after every meal, for instance, I subtract from 1500 calories. Usually I have between 500-800 calories left by dinner time, and in some cases, I have been pleasantly surprised to have enough calories left to have a bed time snack, and even be under budget by 200 calories! I am really surprising myself!</div>
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I am learning a lot too. I am learning that it's ok to be a little hungry. I am learning that water definitely helps. I am learning that I CAN do this. I am learning that I have a ton of energy and feel great even though I'm eating less calories. I am learning that this way of life is not torture simply because anything that helps you feel good cannot be considered torture. I am learning that I still crave a little something sweet now and then, and while I don't usually give in to those urges, keeping a tiny little Dove dark chocolate around for intense cravings isn't a bad idea. It's better to just give in and have one little chocolate (because that is not going to set me back at all) then to eat through the entire fridge trying to satisfy a craving I'll never be able to quench with a celery stick.</div>
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So, that is all for now. Progress is being made! One more day and it will have been a full week already!! I can't wait to go back and weigh in on their scale to see if I've gone down. Even though this first week has gone well, I know that it won't always go this smoothly or be this easy. I know that I am probably going to crave a wine and it's going to get intense now and then. I know that 3 months is a long time. But I also know that it's worth it. Simply because it's something that I've wanted for a very long time and I never go a day without my mind wandering to it.</div>
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Cheers to a successful week!</div>
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-17543138767598989652017-04-05T08:21:00.003-07:002017-04-05T08:21:47.494-07:00Here we go...Holy Crap!! It's been ages! I miss blogging :( I don't know what happened to my life but it's just crazy busy. All. The. Time. Who knew that the life of a stay at home mom was going to be this busy. You know what it is? People know you don't have a "job" (LOL) and they think you are free to do whatever at any moment. Uhhh.....no.<br />
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Sometimes I miss my quiet little life. I kept to myself at home. Didn't have many friends to hang out with. Never went out. Then I joined a gym....life has taken a drastic turn since that one little decision all those years ago. I joined. I got a job there. I discovered a dance fitness class there. I decided to teach the dance fitness class. I made tons of wonderful friends. And BOOM! I suddenly have a life!! It's the greatest thing!! <br />
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But my kids are growing (TOO FAST) and we are increasingly busier and busier every year. I have one graduating high school this year (OMG!!!) Sometimes I just want to crumble into a pile and bawl my eyes out. My babies are getting older. Wow. It's just going too fast. I have taken on little jobs so the term "stay at home" mom doesn't really apply. Plus there have been other turns that life has taken, (we had a scare with my mom and moved her into an assisted living facility), parties to plan, etc.<br />
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Of course I face the same old struggles. I went to have my metabolism tested yesterday. As I figured, my metabolism is high, REALLY high. And despite that AND the fact that I workout as hard as I do every week, I still can't seem to shake this extra fat that I have gained. And what's even more frustrating is that I seem to have even GAINED MORE since I last had my body fat tested. What. The. Hell!!!! And it's only going to get worse as I age. Gone are the days that I can eat like a 300 pound truck driver, I guess.<br />
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Uber frustrated and wanting to quit, I had a nice talk with the lady who tested me. She was very real. She looked me in the eyes and said, "Charlotte, if you want to change your body, you have to change how you eat." And ultimately, I always knew this. It doesn't matter how hard you work in the gym. If you are "cheating" too often on your diet (guilty), if you are eating too much (guilty), and if you drink too much wine (guilty), you will never see the progress you are working your ass off to achieve. What kind of crazy person pushes themselves to near death at the gym and then goes home and eats like the world is going to end tomorrow?? Me, apparently.<br />
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Done. I'm SO DONE with it. I am absolutely NOT giving up on my goals. It's just not in me. So, the only other option, besides continuing on this insanity trip I've been on, is to change what I've always known deep down needed to change. I just needed someone to look me in the eyes and tell me that is the ONLY way. She said I have very little wiggle room and I will need to be very strict and very careful for about 2 months. But it will happen. And I am going to do what I need to do. No more hamster wheel.<br />
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I started a meticulous food diary yesterday and my calorie goal for each day is 1500 - with a third coming from carbs, a third from fat and a third from protein. I know this will be a challenge but I'm up for it. Motivation is high right now and I feel ready to dig deep. I've done the 30 days of no alcohol before, I know I can do it again. Wish me luck!<br />
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It's a journey. I'll stay accountable. I will. I have you kind friends to make sure I stick to it. I probably won't get to blog about my progress as often as I'd like, but I will TRY, honestly I will, to post some updates more often.<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-1402846984787972272016-09-16T11:18:00.003-07:002016-09-16T11:18:51.527-07:00volleyball<br />
This is Eden's first year playing volleyball. She didn't really want to do it, and I'm not the type of mom that forces their kids to play sports, but this time I really had a part in persuading her to join. I love to watch the games and I figure if I didn't get her to try it now (she's in 8th grade already) she would miss the opportunity forever. In 6th-8th grade anyone can be on a team, but once you hit high school, it's try outs - you either make it or you don't.<br />
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Knowing that most of the other girls have been playing since 6th grade or longer, I had figured she would be a bit behind. But she has learned a LOT in the past few weeks and I think she does pretty darn good, considering. One of the things she has trouble with is serving over hand. If you notice, she is quite small (skinny) and probably doesn't have a whole lot of strength. There are some girls who have such a powerful serve and it looks like they don't even really have to try. But for Eden, she needs to put a lot of power behind it, just to make it over the net.<br />
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This video was her third game. Up until this point, she has not served over the net. But, I had a feeling about this time. I took out my phone and recorded this....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="320" scrolling="no" src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=0F8D136E63B59E31&resid=F8D136E63B59E31%21291962&authkey=ALuY4OHxA2zJFj4" width="180"></iframe><br />
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I was one PROUD mama!! That's my girl! She's not the best on her team, but she tries damn hard and I wouldn't care if she never did make it over the net. But I'm so happy for her :)Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-27608819331451869742016-07-19T14:19:00.004-07:002016-07-19T14:38:16.601-07:00I want to eat healthy - but I also want pizza!My internal fight with myself EVERY.....DAY.<br />
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I really really want a healthy tight body. But I also really really want pizza.<br />
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It's a war that I go through almost daily. How bad do I really want a fit body? How bad do I really want pizza?<br />
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Who usually wins? It depends on the day. My mood. The weather. My energy. My kids. My schedule. My friends. It's NEVER set in stone one day or the other. And I guess that's what keeps me sane.<br />
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In reality, if I really sit down to think about it, the joy of eating pizza will literally only last about 15-30 minutes, or however long it takes me to shove it in my face hole. But the guilt and shame and nasty feeling I get after eating will last a hell of a lot longer. I wish there was no guilt or shame in it. And sometimes there isn't. But if I'm feeling soft, or have been not eating very clean recently and I indulge, those guilty feelings creep up. And you have to admit, you do feel a lot better eating healthy versus eating crappy. I know I do! What you fuel your body with DEFINITELY affects how you feel. <br />
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So, really if I can talk myself out of eating pizza simply because I know I will feel better if I don't, the craving does eventually go away. But there are times when I am craving (and it doesn't have to be pizza, it can be anything) and no matter how I try to avoid eating what I crave, or put it off, in the end, nothing will make that craving go away but just going ahead and eating it.<br />
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Sometimes you just have to give in.<br />
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If I can walk away, start doing something else to keep busy, drink water, eat something else, etc. and the craving disappears, GREAT! But if nothing helps and I'm just craving like the dickens, I give in. If you aren't doing it every day, every meal, is it really THAT detrimental? I mean, unless you are a model, and literally get paid to have a nice body, does it really matter??? <br />
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You have to live a life of happiness. And to me, that means balance. You HAVE to accept that you cannot be perfect all the time. No one is. And if you know someone who says they NEVER cheat on their diet or their clean eating lifestyle, they lie. Everyone has human moments now and then. NO ONE IS PERFECT ALL THE TIME. And if you think you have to be perfect to be successful, then you never will be. Cut yourself some slack. If I had to live a life without everything I love to do or eat and drink, then that is NO LIFE at all! I always chuckled at the line, "Eat right, exercise, die anyway". Because it's true. <br />
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I go on little diet restrictions now and then as a way to sort of hit the "reset" button. If I know I'm drinking a lot more wine lately than I should, I might take a 7-14 day break - just to break the habit. Same way with eating. Sometimes, I get a little too comfortable and slide back into negative habits and I need to give myself a break before it goes to far. But I would never tell myself I could never indulge again. That is just not realistic, or fun. <br />
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Don't get me wrong, I am a very BIG advocate of healthy, clean eating MOST of the time. You can help prevent a host of ailments and problems down the road if you keep your weight in check and feed your body nutritious food. All I'm saying is, if you fall off the wagon now and then, it's ok. In fact, it's more than ok! Did you know that if you've been eating low calorie/low carb/uber clean food for a long time and throw in a "cheat", it can help you lose fat faster?? Read up on carb cycling if you don't believe me!<br />
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Btw - if you are really craving pizza and really don't want the heavy feeling, or the calories, there are ways around it!! <br />
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This is cauliflower crust pizza. And YES, it's just as good as REAL pizza. Ok, maybe not exactly as good, but 95% as good, especially if you are trying to cut back. I failed my first few attempts at the cauliflower crust. My tip for making a crust you can actually pick up like a slice of pizza, is to make sure you drain ALL the water out of the cauliflower after cooking and chopping it. If you don't and it's too wet, it won't firm up.</div>
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So, I steam my cauliflower in the microwave, then I throw it in the vitamix to chop it up real fine, like rice. Next, I put it in a flour sack dish towel and squeeze all the water out of it. Twist and squeeze over and over until nothing drips through the towel. It does take a few minutes. *and let it cool off a bit first or you will burn your fingers! </div>
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There are plenty of recipes for a great cauliflower crust on Pinterest.</div>
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<a href="http://www.eatagreatdeal.com/2015/01/the-best-cauliflower-crust-pizza.html" target="_blank">Here's a good one</a> </div>
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YUM!</div>
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Be well, friends! <3<br />
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<br />Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-64444892144005930642016-07-15T22:03:00.001-07:002016-07-15T22:03:27.128-07:00We ALL fall downOne of the things I wish I had more time for was THIS BLOG! I don't understand why it is so impossible for me to sit down and kill 30 minutes typing a post. I guess when you have 3 children and a husband all demanding attention, it's hard to find quiet time to write. Which is why it's almost midnight and I should be sleeping, but the house is quiet and I actually have time to myself. Aren't you the lucky ones ;)<br />
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So, this is my vulnerable post. Today, I messed up. In fact, this whole week has been bad. I've gotten off track with my carb cycling. Yeah, I was killin' it, and then......SCREEEEEEECH! It came to a halt. I'm talking, brick wall. And my all or nothing mentality comes creeping back. Well, I had ONE cookie, now my whole day is ruined so I might as well have 3 more. And then when I'm done with that, I'll have that sourdough English muffin I've been drooling over for 3 weeks. Oh, and as long as I'm on a roll, Dairy Queen cheeseburger sounds pretty good too. I hate that! <br />
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Really? What....the HELL....is wrong with me?<br />
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Answer: I'm human<br />
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To be honest, I barely went over my allowed calories for the day but I filled it with crappy food choices. <br />
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So now what. It's Friday, and that means I might as well allow myself to mess up the rest of the weekend and start fresh on Monday. Yep, that is what the OLD me would have said. But I am working too damn hard in the gym to mess it up by continuing to eat like I might never see food again. I'll get up and hit reset on my nutrition plan and try again. <br />
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Before I went to bed, I did a few minutes of squats just to make sure I ended the day on a positive note. And because everything is cumulative. So there!<br />
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I was born to make mistakes, not fake perfection.<br />
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Happy weekend y'all!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-89442620876204103032016-06-30T10:53:00.004-07:002017-04-14T05:22:54.818-07:00I couldn't find the old me.....so I found a better versionIf you struggle with motivation, if you struggle with weight, if you struggle with diet, if you struggle with exercise.....I HEAR YOU!! I struggled for longer than I wanted. Years. But you need to give yourself a break. If you aren't ready yet, just give yourself a break. Wait for that spark. One day, something will kick in. Something will light inside of you and you will be SICK AND TIRED of feeling bad about yourself. You will feel sick of feeling like crap because you eat like crap. You will get sick of having no energy because you don't get exercise. And you will get up and go after what you desire: a healthy, fit body. YOU. CAN. GET. THERE. I know you already know that it's a rough road. It's not easy. If it was, everyone would be there! But taking the first small step, and continuing with those steps daily, finding PATIENCE (which is the worst part for me), eventually you will start to see that hard work and discipline pay off and from there, it only propels you farther ahead and becomes easier to keep at it. It becomes habit and you start scheduling workouts like you would any other important appointments in your life. Grabbing for healthier foods <i>most</i> of the time will be automatic. You will look for people and environments that will help your goal, not hinder it. Let's face it, to be successful in a goal like this, you have to surround yourself with like-minded people and places that suit your needs. It's simply too hard until you do so.<br />
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Be Well. <3<br />
xoxo CharlotteCharlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-10605827736055040022016-05-13T07:16:00.001-07:002016-05-13T07:25:42.462-07:00DOMS got me like....Gosh, it's been a rough couple of weeks! I got sick, then my daughter (who has a tree climbing obsession) fell out of a tree and had to get stitches in her leg. Then she got an infection. Then my oldest had her wisdom teeth out. I feel like all I've been doing is running to doctors and playing nurse. All while barely being able to move. And I'm seriously not kidding or exaggerating this one!<br />
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DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness. Weight lifters know this term well.<br />
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Last week, I decided to pick up weight lifting again. It was once a passion of mine and I had great results with it. I feel like I am finally in a stable place in my marriage where it can be handled and my motivation is high, so I'm going for it.<br />
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When you lift after having not done so for a while, you get sore. Really, REALLY sore! And more often than not, it's worse the second day after. Just when you don't think it can't get any worse.....<br />
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I did a split this week that looked like this:<br />
M: Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps<br />
T: Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves, Abs<br />
W: Chest, Back (and taught an hour long cardio class)<br />
Th: supposed to be Quads and Calves but I had kids to tend to at home and don't think my legs could have done anything anyway!!<br />
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So I am intending on making up Quad day either Saturday or Sunday. Today I am still unbelievably sore, and it's not just one body part....it's ALL of them! AND, I am supposed to teach again tonight. Lord help me!!<br />
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I've been through this before. I know the drill. It's bad, really bad in the beginning. But you body gets used to it and soreness is less and less. You will still be sore but it won't be quite as debilitating. I can understand why people try weightlifting and don't stick with it. Who wants to be in this kind of pain (self inflicted) all the time?! Honestly, I don't know HOW I ever did this before without giving up. But I didn't. And I'm not about to now!!<br />
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I already feel better about myself. Even though I hurt. I feel smaller, I feel like I can SEE difference. And I know that is probably just in my head, but I don't care. It's about how you feel, and if I'm feeling good, it's working!<br />
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Because taking care of your body is NOT just about vanity! It's about a feeling of overall well being. Sure, I want to have a tight lean body, but what gets me through the day is health.<br />
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So, soreness. What can we do about it?<br />
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Well, there is ice. But I would have to be in a tub, my entire body under ice. And THAT is NOT going to happen. Next!<br />
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There is massage. Uh, when the dog's tail brushing up against my thigh sends me through the roof, pretty sure a massage will kill me. Next!<br />
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Aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. Tried it. Doesn't really help. Next!<br />
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Active rest is a good one. Mainly it consists of low impact aerobics. So a nice relaxing walk to keep the muscles loose. Even yoga/stretching can feel good on sore muscles. Even though it hurts to move and all you want to do is sit, that can actually cause it to be worse. So keep moving.<br />
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And finally, rest. It is going to take between 3-7 days to fully recover, depending on how badly you tore up your muscles. In my case....BAD. And although the soreness does tend to decrease over the weeks as you get stronger and your body acclimates itself to the new stress you are putting it through, if you want to continue to make progress and hit new personal lifting goals, you will need to pass that limit and you will be sore. Again and again. But it's a good pain. It reminds you that you did something good for your body. And even though you shredded your muscles in the gym, while you rest, they are rebuilding themselves even stronger than they were before. Which is how you are able to continue to increase your weights! It's a good thing.<br />
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Stay strong. Keep moving. You can do this!Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-997905504364274688.post-7968324378162734272016-05-05T06:01:00.001-07:002016-05-05T06:05:17.345-07:00Sick<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So I've been sick. Really, REALLY sick. </div>
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Today is Thursday and it's the first time since Sunday that I've felt human. It all started late Sunday afternoon, I was feeling really bloated with a bit of stomach pain. Like, if I could pass a lot of gas I would feel better. By evening and overnight, the stomach pains were worse and my heart rate was elevated and my breathing was labored, and I was nauseas. All of those things combined was scary to me so I went into the ER to rule out anything serious. I usually have a resting heart rate of around 62, that morning it was 98! Not only that, but my usually stellar bp was at 174 over 108!</div>
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They drew blood, tested urine and took X-rays and all looked good. Thank God. But it still didn't explain why I was feeling so yucky. They hooked me up to an IV, I got some fluids, and pain meds as well as anti-nausea meds. I was feeling better after a few hours so I went home and went to bed. After the meds wore off, I was feeling yucky again :(</div>
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Over the course of the next 3 days, I was nauseas, vomiting, and had horrible stomach and back pain.</div>
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Eventually on the morning of the third day, the vomiting stopped, but then the diarrhea kicked in. (I know, tmi) And it was HORRID. I couldn't even take a sip of water without running into the bathroom 30 seconds later to get rid of it. Eventually I became so scared to intake anything for fear I would be in the bathroom again! And that is wrong because you have to be so careful about dehydration. And I could tell I was getting there. My mouth was SO dry, my skin was dry, the insides of my nostrils and throat were dry.</div>
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To explain the collage above, the fit bit (blurry of course) was to show you how little I moved during the days of my sickness. Yep, that's a whopping 345 steps. I'm not sure what time it was, maybe around 3:00 or 4:00pm. The only steps I got were to go to the bathroom and back to bed. The cracker was one of two I was able to eat on day two.....before they came back up. I also tried Ramen noodles. I think I got two spoonfulls. And they also came up. The lovely 90s brass ceiling fan represents the view I had for nearly 4 days. </div>
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Like I said, it's Thursday and I am actually up and at my desk at 7:00am. I am feeling better. Still weak, but finally feeling hungry. Yay, I have an appetite! I never thought I'd say that. I did make another cup of Ramen and I was eating it without cramps or running to the toilet. Although, I must have been a little too excited and eating too much too fast....too much of a good thing sent me flying to the bathroom again. Dang! But it's a start. Improvement. I'll take it! :)</div>
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In the end, I believe I was infected with the Norovirus. My husband has had it twice and knows what it's like. My symptoms were spot on with Noro symptoms. And I tell you what, I wouldn't wish that on anyone! I have read that it is HIGHLY contagious so I have been staying in my bedroom and away from the main areas of the house, making sure the kids are nowhere near me or my bathroom. Apparently the virus can live on surfaces up to 2 weeks! Yuck! So as soon as I feel a little more pep in my step, I'll be disinfecting everything. I would feel TERRIBLE if my kids were to get this!</div>
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Of course I couldn't get sick during one of the many cold and horrible April weeks we had. Nope, it's sunny and warm now and I've been in bed instead of out enjoying it. Oh well. So it goes.</div>
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Charlottehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03215179500068016932noreply@blogger.com0