Mmeeehhhhhhh!

This week started off a little more entertaining than it has become...so we had to try to liven it up a bit.

Monday was our 2 week weigh in for our family competition...and while I knew I wasn't going to win because my husband beat me by 0.27% lost...I was disappointed (excited for her, though) that our cousin, Courtney, beat us.  (BTW - I rescind my "suck it"...I know you did a lot of walking this last week and it looks like it paid off).

But what it comes down to is that we each lost about 5 lbs in the last 2 weeks...which is GREAT but it was also a little disappointing - because my instant gratification turned on.  I just want it gone!!  I know its not going to happen quickly, but I do have a hard time accepting that sometimes because it came on SO easily.

Anyway, Monday night I decided it was about time to "create" my own recipe.  We made burritos with ground beef, black and kidney beans, whole wheat tortillas, lettuce, a little cheese and some cauliflower "rice".  It was pretty good, but I have to tweak it a bit before I put it up in the recipe section.  I'm excited that many are enjoying/looking forward to the baked banana oatmeal...you are, if you have not yet experience it, in for a real treat.

Tuesday, we decided that we were a little curious about how many calories and grams of fat are in some of our meals.  We started putting in some recipes...and were actually a little disappointed.   Its not that the food was bad...it was that we're probably now eating anywhere between 1800-2100 calories a day and yet we are losing weight just through eating better.  I was disappointed with how awful we were treating our bodies before.  I know I should be happy about how much better we are doing...but it's hard not to be upset about the damage we were doing for so long.

Food-wise...we got a little bored with our roasted tomato and basil leftovers this week...so leftovers I think are going to have to be frozen for a different week...which kinda made our week of meals a little bland.  BBQ Chicken Pizza Pockets were good...you should check them out!!

With all of the mmeeehhhh this week, we decided to step it up a little bit.  We've been trying to get out on walks everyday...but between going out to shoot and editing photos...we get a little lost for time.  By the time we think about getting out to walk, it's starts to get dark.  And between that and the back and forth weather, we decided to get The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout the Xbox 360 kinect.

We started it last night and I liked it a lot...I was sweating up a storm...and while I'm not feeling too beaten up today, I was feeling it during - tried to push through the pain, but it was getting the better of me.  Kurt is having a little more trouble with it, because they give you a very quick here's how to do it, but he has a little more trouble following along, but I think if he does it more...it should get better. 

So I'm trying to get out of my funk, so it doesn't start to get the better of me.

On a more positive note, our seeds are growing like gangbusters in their little greenhouse...and of course we aren't ready to plant them outside yet...but I'm hoping so soon because I really am excited for them to grow.  We've planted thyme, cucumbers, carrots, jack-o-lanterns, cilantro, snow peas, basil and sugar pumpkins.  I am SO excited!!

We Need A Little Magic

We need a little magic spell that give us the will power not to long for certain food items we have given up on.  We had a few temptations this week, and I'd like to say we didn't give it, but we did a little yesterday.

Thursday we stopped by a 7-Eleven and although I was really wanting a Slurpee (not the intention for the stop - we can drive past one without longing to stop), we just grabbed some mozzarella cheese sticks instead.  However, yesterday, Kurt had to pull off the street to make a phone call and of course we ended up in the Jimmy Johns parking lot.  I have an obsession with Jimmy Johns that has been lessened since moving from Las Vegas by the fact that they are all on the other side of town.  It had been a long time since we had eating had a sandwich from there, so we gave in to the desire.  We also gave in to a little non-authorized chocolate for dessert. :)

They are still as awesome as I remember...but still I can live without them regularly (considering we have been anyway).

The reason we need a little magic to keep up my will-power is really because we feel like crap after eating that way.  For the rest of the evening, I couldn't get comfortable - it was as if all my limbs were restless...which Kurt pointed out that he hasn't felt that way since we've been eating better, and I can say the same thing.  And it's too aggravating of a feeling to suffer from just so I can have something I really shouldn't be eating.

Another reason to be good!!

We haven't posted very much this week.  Not a lot has been really going on.  I've been trying to find new meals to make so we don't get tired of the same stuff.  Most are good (Taco Salad and Frittata)...some just don't make it (Pumpkin Oatmeal Pancakes - the texture is just off).  I'll try to get a few more recipes up this weekend.

Today we're going to spend some time working on the house and going for a walk...or a bike ride.  I've got to look through some of the stuff I have so we can also start working on building muscle until we decide that its time for us to get a gym membership (I don't trust myself with gym memberships anymore, because at some point I always stop going and then it's just a waste of money...so I have to build up to going to the gym).

I did say that I would keep an update of budgeting for the grocery store.  This week was AWESOME - partly because I found a lot of meals for this week that serve 8...so we have 2 dinners and 2 lunches from one meal.  This week we spent about $135 and it included stocking up on a few things that we didn't need immediately (coconut oil - we still have half a container, but it was on sale this week; toilet paper; whole wheat flour - I was getting low but I need to make more bread and tortillas) and a couple of more pricy things that were needed but will last a while, like vanilla (which I really just need to order some beans to make my own).

This week was definitely easy on the budget. If I was to factor in our dinner last night, it would take it up to $150 which is another reason why we don't want to do that anymore - considering that is 1.3 days worth of what we bought in groceries!!

Great would be good...but amazing would be great!!

Easter...a time of new life and re-life.  I'd like to say that we timed this whole change in our life to run with the theme, but really, it timed itself.  :)

Week one (although not a full week, but I like to start my weeks on either a Sunday or a Monday) went off pretty darn well if you ask me.  It was a struggle, but we made it through.  No candy binges, no matter how much I begged Kurt, no fast food.  All meals since Tuesday have been prepared from scratch in our kitchen...and I have to say, once you start getting the hang of it, the whole process really isn't that tedious.  I won't call it easy, because it's still far from easy...it takes time, but also gets me/us away from the computer when a break is needed...or away from the TV and then, really - I think I had the time if I was just watching TV.

The goal for week to is to start incorporating a little more movement into our daily routine.  Our goal is at least one - 30 minute walk per day.  It's going to become more challenging as the week progresses, with the predicted weather later in the week, but that's what jackets are for.

Since we should have a little non-work time later this week, I'm going to play around with some new recipes and change up a few from the past week.  I've never been the biggest fan of whole-wheat and although I find it to be a livable substitute to my old bread, I'm going to play around with going "crustless" - change the quiche to a frittata, maybe experiment with some almond meal.

One thing I do have to complain about -

After talking about how great it was to have leftovers for lunch, of course, we forgot our food today.  So, we figure, maybe a lettuce roll-up with some mustard, cheese and deli meat.  DELI MEAT IS SO FULL OF CRAP IT IS RIDICULOUS!!  Nitrates and sugar and CARAMEL COLOR!!  Why on Earth does roast beef need to have caramel color as an ingredient.  We tried to pick the best we could (sliced smoked ham seemed to have the least amount of ingredients...you know...because ham needs to have more ingredients than just ham) but we are on the lookout for good lunch ideas in case of forgetfulness again.  We did receive a few suggestions, but we always welcome more.

Anyway, tonight's dinner is asparagus stuffed chicken breasts (a couple of you might know it as chicken stuffed asparagus :P ) with a side of cauliflower.  One of us will post about their success or failure...and if they're good, we'll put them up on the recipes.

I hope all had a good Easter, and we'll see you again,

Day 1 ... starts tomorrow

How many times have you said that?  Us? We've lost count.  But today Kurt and I went clothes shopping for my trip to Florida...and it wasn't a great experience.  Everything that is cute won't...seemingly will never...fit me.  Size 26...has nothing cute...or maybe just not cute on me...or as Kurt says "unless you think a circus tent is cute." :P  Kurt really isn't a pig...he's just joking - but some might say he isn't that funny.  [Love you Bubba]

The weekend before last we went to visit our parents...and my mom was guessing how much I weighed.  Let's say this much...the scale was yelling at me to get off.  275 lbs...25 more than I weighed a year ago when I made the attempt to go to the gym and see a trainer twice a week.  Kurt too has gained weight since we've been together...from 230 lbs to 258 lbs.  We were ... well at least I was ... desperate to look anything but fat in my wedding dress...but my problems are, and always have been, procrastination and instant gratification.  I don't want to do the work, and when I do it, I want results now.

So as we sit here writing today's post and eating our ice cream (hahahaha) we know we need to do something in order to take our 2 months of marriage into many years to come.  When my friend was losing weight, she took pictures in a bathing suit to show the progress she was making as well as her change muscle tone...but really you don't want to see us in bathing suit attire.  You might not continue reading if you do.  But to motivate ourselves, below is what we look like to the random person walking by:

Kurt says "No fat jokes please!!"

So this blog will be a chance for us to document our progress while you see if it really works.  In the coming weeks, we hope to share with you recipes that we've found that create edible but healthy food [no cabbage soup diet here], exercise tips that we've found beneficial [I'd like to be able to feel my arms and legs at the end of the day], and any other fun stuff we think you'd find inspirational.  

So day 1 really starts today...I wish I knew that yesterday.