Me and Jorge: Belly Fat Cure Diet

10 Steps to Success on Any Diet

2013-05-04T14:19:00.002-07:00

It doesn't really matter what diet you choose, clearly people have been successful on all of them. Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Atkins, Paleo or whatever new diet has just popped up. For me, Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure was the right choice, but it just clicked for me at the right time and place. What matter is that you are consistent and stick with it.

Here are 10 steps to be successful on any diet:

10. Don't Wait to Start Dieting - Start right now... right this very minute. Yes, NOW! Oh, you don't have all those weird foods recommended on the diet, that come from Whole Foods and cost a bundle? Who cares, you don't need them. Zucchini, cauliflower, spinach, plain oatmeal, eggs, chicken and some cheese will feed you for a week. The store down the street has that, right? Make the very next meal you have, be the first meal on the diet. Waiting makes room for excuses.

9. Don't Cheat - Obviously, right? But really, don't cheat. If you are truly hungry and have used up your Points, calories, carbs or sugar for the day (whatever unit of measure your diet dictates) then have some of the Freebies. For me, on the Belly Fat Cure that means instead of having a candy bar, have a few squares of the allowed dark chocolate. Instead of ice cream, make a protein shake with lots of ice cubes tossed in. You get my drift --> substitute the cheat food for an allowed food. You will thank me in the morning.

8. If You Do Cheat, Forgive Yourself and Forget About It - If you cheat or slip up, start the very next meal 100% on the plan. Don't say "oh I ruined today already, I'll make it a cheat day and start fresh tomorrow". Nope! Do it NOW. Recommit right this minute. Because your carb starved mind will think of a dozen excuses between now and morning as to why you should just quit. Don't give it another thought and make sure you are stocked up on good choices so it doesn't happen again.

Me!

7. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize - Everyone's "prize" is different, so what is yours'? Mine was to fit into single digit sized clothing again - Hello Size 8! Maybe your prize is a special event, a wedding, reunion, summer in a bikini or just any bathing suit. Maybe it's to just see your toes again. I bet they are beautiful toes worth seeing, and painting bright pink soon. Keep looking down, because soon you're going to see them.

6. Take it One Meal at a Time - It is easy to get overwhelmed when starting a new diet, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose or have failed before. Just take it one meal at a time, and baby steps will get you there. Don't over think it and start thinking "I can't do this forever" or "You mean I can NEVER eat pasta again?" Instead just determine "I stick to my diet for this meal" and remember that at each meal. The choices will become more natural and your cravings to certain foods will lessen with time.

5. Don't Rely on Others - You have to do this for yourself. It's okay to ask a friend or family member to join you in your weight loss plan, but maybe they aren't ready for big changes. So let them be, and remember - this is about you, not them. Maybe you will lead them by example, maybe not though. This is about you and your health, and others need to find their own way.

4. Keep it Simple, Stupid - KISS basically means to not over think or make it more difficult than it already is. If you are allowed X number of calories or carbohydrates, then have them! Don't arbitrarily pick a lower number, thinking you will lose the weight faster if you have even less. By restricting yourself even further, you are more likely to binge or cheat. Keep it simple and just follow the rules of your diet plan. Once you've had some success and learned more about what your own body really needs, then you can play around with your diet's formula a little. But not in the beginning, it just complicates things.

3. Every Pound Counts - Don't ever let me hear you say "I only lost 1 lb this week", because every single pound counts and every single, little bitty pound will get you closer to your goal. Congratulate yourself and commit to losing at least as much next week. Instead say "Wahoo! I lost a pound this week!' Celebrate every pound lost.

2. Get to Know Yourself - What is the hardest time of day with food for you? What food can you not, no matter what, control yourself with? For me that is evenings, after dinner and before bed. And just like the back of the Lay's Potato chip bag says, I cannot have just one. Only a bag will do :( So I avoid chips completely, I know for me they are trigger food. For the first few months of dieting I made a very low sugar shake right after dinner, to help with the old "full feeling" my body still craved.

1. Don't Let The Scales Dictate Your Success - Those scales can be so, so cruel! I remember standing on the scales Monday mornings, bladder empty and naked, with all my breath pushed out (cuz that air has to weigh something, right?) only to see the same old number. I'd curse at that scale, and sometimes even cry. That happens. But stop and take inventory: Don't you feel better? Is your clothing feeling looser? Keep up the good work, and next's week weigh-in will make it all pay off. Don't let one bad weigh in spoil your success.

If you have a tip to diet success, please share it in the comments!
More diet success advice HERE

Glioblastoma Multiforme

2013-04-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

The following is a post from Misha, my oldest sister, who frequently writes on my blog about her quest to lose 100 lbs. The irony is that, we calculated today that she probably lost 95 lbs since she started. However, about 30 lbs of that has been in the last few weeks. Obviously, she isn't dieting anymore, but she still loves reporting her weight loss to me :) She is extremely thankful to have those extra pounds gone now, so she can face this battle with a healthier body. We read her the comments left here, and they always raise her spirits.

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My dear friends, I have decided to post my story today. I am sorry that I was not able to speak to each of you individually first.

On 3/30 I had a seizure. After some surgeries and a lot of tests, I have been diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer called a glioblastoma multiforme.

But this is what I want to tell you. This thing did not take me. I could have been driving and it could have been over right then or I could have hurt someone else.

I cannot explain to you the overwhelming sense of peace and happiness that I am experiencing everyday! It's no secret that I have already had the most amazing life and everyday is sweeter than the day before.

I fall asleep every night in the arms of a man that I fell in love with in 1977 and he is my rock. My children are my pride and joy and my parents and brother and sisters just pour love on me everyday.

My hope is that you realize that everyday is a gift, to take, to find joy, passion, another chance just to smile and be touched or touch someone.

I feel that I have a lot more tomorrows and do not want you to be sad for me. We tend to have this odd little ego trip of immortality, but the truth is we really don't know how much time we have. My secret to you is, we have today! Find your joy today!

I love you all!

Misha after brain surgery with her beloved Sugar Free popsicle

You can read all of Misha's posts HERE.

Asking a Favor

2013-04-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

UPDATE 4/27/2013: I wish I had good news to report here, but I don't. My family is going through something very unexpected, confusing and frightening. It is just to painful to share, and frankly saying or typing the words is surreal. Misha tells me to remember that the only thing that matters is those you love, and to remember to tell them that everyday. I love you Misha.

*****
Tuesday morning Misha, my oldest sister who frequently writes here on my blog, will be undergoing brain surgery. A lot has happened over the last two weeks, all of which she is recovering from really well. But in the process they found masses in her brain that need removed and biopsied. She wants to tell you all herself, but currently she can't do that.

So I'd like to ask for your positive thoughts and prayers, and encouragement for her and her family. She always reads the comments here, even from the hospital bed. My gut says she is going to do great, no matter what they find. But still she has many daunting days ahead and your support would will mean a lot to us both. Thanks, Amber

Update

2013-04-01T12:01:00.002-07:00

My sister is currently in the hospital for health issues, so she won't be writing her update this month on her goal to reach 100 lbs of weight loss. Despite some scary stuff, she is going to be okay and hopefully will write all about it when she can. Her birthday is Tuesday, so if you have a moment leave a quick comment for her. I know it will cheer her up when she is able to read this and feeling better!

Book Review: The Aging Cure by Jorge Cruise

2013-03-18T18:21:00.001-07:00

Jorge Cruise has a new book out that is all about how his Belly Fat Cure and Fast Track plans can help you fight aging. The book has several 7 day planning menus which account for 3 meals and 2 snacks. It all sticks to his BFC 15/6 Sugar/Carb counting method. For the first time he has even included a Vegetarian and Vegan menu and a one with several fast food and frozen meal options. He includes a nice list of low sugar and low carbohydrate foods that are high in antioxidants.

By my count the book has over 40 recipes, along with the weekly menus. Jorge's website also has a lot of information on the Aging Cure, including a sampling of of recipes, found HERE.

My own experience with aging and Jorge's plans? Well, I feel better and think I look much better than I did before the diet. In fact, my sister told me that I look better now than I did in my 20s! I'm 43 BTW. I feel good, but not that quite good.

"Your Waistline Predicts Your Life Span"

But, there is a lot to be said for a fatty face, in that it plumps up wrinkles. In fact there is a whole specialty of plastic surgery where fat can be removed from the stomach, thighs or other fatty areas and transferred by injection to the face. I do feel like I have many more fine lines around my eyes than I did before. In fact, I would have said I was wrinkle free before I started this diet. But that could just be on age too. In truth I'd rather by 54 lbs lighter with some eye wrinkles than overweight and wrinkle free, if those were my choices.

The book is $12.95 for the spiral bound copy and $9.99 for the Kindle version at Amazon. If you are a big fan of the Belly Fat Cure diet plan and are looking for reinforcement or new menus and a few recipes, this could be a good choice. But my strong recommendation is start with the Original little blue Belly Fat Cure Book. It is all you need in my opinion!

100lbs: 14 Month Weigh In

2013-03-01T10:28:00.001-08:00

Risky Business
March? Wow. Now THAT was fast. Are you ready for Spring? I’m down 1.6 pounds for the month of February. Yup – I wish the number was bigger, but I’m still heading in the right direction. I believe that’s 57 pounds down. I had a lot going on for a short little month. The snow didn’t affect us too much in NE Oklahoma, but my son’s ride to his monthly Drum Corps camp up north was snowed in at Wichita and we decided to make a “quick” trip up to Wisconsin and hang out for the weekend. In the old days, a road trip would have meant total abandonment of any food program I was attempting to follow, but I did great. I’m sure being cooped in a car for 24 hours didn’t do my body a lot of good, but I stayed true to my Wheat Belly Diet. Eating on the road brings its own set of complications to the “table.” It takes some planning, and that’s what I wanted to highlight this month.

I’ve been strictly following my diet plan for 14 months now. It’s allowed me to have some insight to some of my weaknesses. One of the worst ones is PROCRASTINATION. I work best under pressure, or so I thought. That adrenal rush that I got from waiting until the last minute were just a substitute for the feeling of calm and accomplishment when I plan for things.

When you don’t plan, you are flirting with disaster, flying too close to the sun, and taking risks that can lead you down a slippery slope. Ok – enough euphemisms. What is boils down to is, I’ve made changes in my life to keep “life” from just happening to me. Sure, things still pop up, but I keep a PLAN B close at hand. For example, I keep protein shakes in my desk at work. I keep protein bars and a ziplock of raw nuts in my purse. I keep bottles of water and aspirin in my car. I keep veggies and frozen chicken breasts in my freezer. When last minute things happen, I’m ready for it. I know longer want to have excuses, I want to have a plan. Granted, it takes some creative thinking, lots of willpower, but mostly, just desire. You set your goals, visualize them and understand what it takes to get there. And every step you take, you examine if this decision will get you closer or farther away from your goals. Once you look at your life like this, it empowers YOU to decide which goals are important to you, and which aren’t.

Some friends and family find that they simple cannot resist certain foods – like tortilla chips at a Mexican restaurant. “I can’t be good if we go out for Mexican!” Oh baloney! Tex-mex fare is one of my favs! When it’s just me and my hubby – we tell them “no tortillas or chips, but bring the salsa.” If I got out with carb eaters and chips come to the table, it’s really no problem anymore. I have goals and eating those chips move me farther away from them. Simply not much of a risk for me anymore. But – If I’ve skipped my breakfast, head out for lunch late, have a headache – well, then it does become Risky Business. And I don’t mean Tom Cruise-dancing around in his underwear- business. I mean, Katie- bar the door and eat until I bust- business. I don’t set myself up for failure any more. I’m worth the forethought and the planning. I’m worthy of my goals – And so are you!

So – to review me and my plan – I’m following the Wheat Belly Diet – a low sugar, grain free approach that fits my lifestyle. I’m recovering from some feet/ankle issues, so not fully embracing exercise. Although, I’m starting to train for a 5K in April. (YIKES! That’s the first time I’ve said that out loud!) I’m 52. I’m short. I have two kids and been married for 32 years. I came close to gastric bypass surgery in the fall of 2011 when my sister Amber helped me get my arms around visualizing losing this weight (over 100 lbs) one month at a time. We came up with a plan to lose 100 pounds in a year. While I did fall short of that number, it was simply a way to get me on board with making the changes I needed. I only weigh once a month to keep me focused on the plan, not the number. I get easily discouraged when the scales don’t react the way I think they should. I think this REALLY helps me. This year, I’ve decided to add a “free” meal once a month. Truthfully, I’m not really craving anything this month. So I was thinking I might just have some popcorn at the movies this weekend. I do have an actual Chicago pizza in the freezer that’s been waiting for me. We’ll see.

On a personal note, we had to make the hard decision to put down our beautiful 14 year-old Australian Shepherd last week. I cried until my stomach cramped. It was one of the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I’m getting better every day and I’m thankful for the time we had with Toby. It’s a good reminder of all the good we have in our lives and realize there is so much to be thankful for in a busy world.

I hope this note finds you in good spirits and ready to take on March with a plan in hand! How bad do you want it?

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I'm so thrilled Misha shared a full body photo with us! I think she looks GREAT! My sister Misha (read her full story HERE) writes a monthly post for my blog. She is following the Wheat Belly Diet, which is very close to Jorge Cruise's Fast Track.

100lbs: 13 Month Weigh In

2013-02-04T10:54:00.002-08:00

Happy Groundhog Day! It's February and I'm losing weight again; down 3.8 pounds for the month. That does include those pounds I gained last month, but I'm not going track it that way. I also haven't decided that I'm going to include the fifty-some pounds I lost last year in my count. I think I will keep my 2012 and 2013 losses separate for now; let last year stand on its own and shoot for losing more this year. I know I can.

So,where do I start? Lots to talk about. Ok. My favorite purse was stolen between Christmas and New Years. But something kind of neat happened. I had to get a new drivers license. Wait, it gets better. So I go in, fill out the paperwork, give them my fingerprints and sit down for my new picture. The civil servant submits the picture and the fingerprints...and they don't match! The facial recognition software didn't recognize me! She looked at the old picture on file and said, "I can tell that it's you, but you've lost a lot of weight! I'll have to call OKC to get an override." I couldn't hear the conversation on the other end, except for the other gal saying, "Wow! She has lost weight!" So, that was nice. Not only a couple of strangers could see the difference, but software said I wasn't the same person! And I'm not.

I had a previous old license so you can see the difference for yourself. And on the heals of my first gain last month, I've gotten more compliments than ever before. Just what I needed! But oddly, I read something this month that said,"what others say or think about you, is none of your business." Hmmmn. Very interesting. I kind of like that. I'm doing this for me. I don't do it for the compliments. BUT, when it is positive words, I like that too. At my size, it's hard to actually see the difference. So I love it when someone reminds me that I am changing. But all those negative things people say, yah, HATE that. So maybe I can change the saying to, "surround yourself with positive people; ignore the others.

Any so, my new twist for this year... I've added a multi-vitamin AND I've actually started walking extra steps this year. My feet issues seem to be in check, so I'm good to go...And the biggest chage is....drumroll please... One free meal a month. So of the 1100 meals in a year, 12 of them are going to be whatever I want, whatever I've been craving for 30 days. A couple of rules: I eat it out, not at home so it's over and done with, no lingering leftovers and I'm not going to talk about what I ate so I don't glorify it here or in my head. No sexy retelling of each bite. Why a free meal? Well, a year has now turned into two, and will turn 3, 4, and infinity. So I've basically got to do this for the rest of my life. There is no "diet until you lose the weight, and then back to your old habits." And that, my dear sister is the best lesson you've taught us! Taking it off... Yay! Keeping on top of it and keeping it off is the amazing part! So, we've got to find a sustainable lifestyle.

With the one free meal a month, I can get rid of those crazy cravings. Last year, I went almost 12 months without cheating. Those last few weeks got the best of me. With this plan, if I have a craving during the month, I don't fret and squirm, I just make a note...hmm man... If I really want that, I can have it after my next weigh in. I'd like to have that free meal on the 1st or 2nd, but if there is a special occasion, I'll save the meal for then. I think it will work for me.

That being said, I did it. It felt really weird. I felt yucky and guilty and queezy. I was very conflicted. I explained it to the lunch work crowd I was with, and they basically laughed at me and didn't get it. So, didn't like that. (Not my business, right?) and I kept flirting with thoughts like, hey, I wanted potato chips, I'll just have them as a snack dessert, (I didn't) and I wanted ice cream, (I did). But next time I'm going to plan it better. In fact, I had almost decided I didn't need a free meal because I hadn't really been craving anything. But at the last minute, the work crew decided to go to one of my favorite restaurants (where I hadn't been in over a year). I decided to our off plan as we walked in. That was stupid and not satisfying at all. Planning is the key.

So, we'll see how that works out next month. Let's recap what I'm doing:
* The Wheat Belly Diet - a grain free, sugar free, low carb approach.
* Weighing only once a month - taking the emphasis off the scales and back on the behavior. I also hate those little ups and downs that daily and weekly weigh-ins bring.
* Eating one free meal a month.
* Walking.
* Being a better version of me!

I'm really excited about my plans for this year. Are you set for 2013? Let's do this together and make it happen!

Total Pounds Lost: 55.8

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My sister Misha (read her full story HERE) writes a monthly post for my blog. She is following the Wheat Belly Diet, which is very close to Jorge Cruise's Fat Track. I told her I would support her no matter what diet she chose! I thought my readers could really relate to her weight loss struggles, which are different than my own, and at the same time help get her the support she needs. I'm really excited she has decided she wants to keep it up in the new year! I'm trying to convince her to write more regular posts too...

Jorge Cruise on Anderson Cooper Live

2013-01-07T11:10:00.000-08:00

Jorge Cruise was on Anderson Cooper Live last week. He was actually on two separate days, one for a few weird exercises with Carmen Electra and another day with Melissa Joan Hart and food comparison. I thought the food segment was great and pointed out a few really common food mistakes that are made when trying to avoid hidden sugars.

video platform video management video solutions video player

Jorge also has a new version of his Sugar and Carb Counter book out. I've seen bad reviews for the Kindle of the book, that it isn't easy to search which would be the whole point of having a mobile version of a reference book. I haven't seen in personally yet, so I couldn't say. Here is on review of the original Sugar and Carb Counter book. However if you are planning on buying just one of Jorge's books I recommend the original blue Belly Fat Cure Book.

1 Year, 100 lbs: End of Year Weigh In

2013-01-01T16:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Wheat Belly Birthday to ME!

Happy New Year everyone! What an amazing year I've had. When I decided last December that this would be the year that I took control of my weight, I wondered how I would ever make it through an entire year! I've learned so very much while following the Wheat Belly diet. I knew that bread, pasta and other grains were something that were interferring with my ability to lose weight and being satiated. This last month, I think I learned even more.

I hung on to my good habits through the first part of the month, but lost my will and my focus the second half of December. I kept focusing on bad things, foods and emotions mostly. I think I found myself with the holiday blues. I had two hamburgers with half a bun, so that was the only wheat in the year; but I kept allowing a little sugar here and there, until I actually ate a whole candy dipped carmeled apple. The next morning, I woke up RAVENOUS, with loud rumblings and pangs. Wow, it had been a long time since I was ACTUALLY "hungry." I had forgotten how much damage that eating carbs does to that little signal. I went from being satisfied and rarely hungry to STARVING. Now it's been a daily struggle to do without. Carbs were put here on earth to make us come back for more, and more and more! This is especially true when it comes to sugar.

So..for the month of December, I actually gained 2 1/2 pounds. So, I'm trying not to beat myself up too much. I feel that I've let down myself, my family, and you. I was weak. BUT - let's look at the positive. I lost over 50 pounds in a very focused and disciplined year. I understand how my body works. I feel much better physically AND mentally than I did last January. If I didn't tell you, Amber had a hard time getting me to commit. She was very stubborn and relentless. I was not ready to do it, but I just started. I decided to fake it until I could make it. Sometimes, you just have to wade in and get used to the water. Before you know it, you're kicking and swimming with the sharks!

I've been trying to think of what I need to re-motivate me in 2013. I have a lot of good in my life and have a lot of life left to live! I still want this. Have you made your resolutions? I'm doing some soul searching for mine. I'm going to take the rest of this week to come up with a new game plan. I've got some ideas, but I want to develop them a bit more. Things that worked that I will continue? No wheat, monthly weighing, writing about it on this blog (thanks Amber!), and surrounding myself with people that love me and support. And while I want to be honest, I really want to keep this positive and not make this a pity party every month. Oooh... I can throw a good pity party, but I've learned, pity and carbs have a lot in common. They both leave you wanting more, they don't look pretty on your face, and you regret everything you said/ate the next morning! So, onward and upward.

I hope this new year find you all happy and healthy and full of resolve. I am ready, are you?
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1 Year, 100 Hundred Pounds is a series written by my sister Misha (read her full story HERE). I am SO SO SO proud of her for sticking with the Wheat Belly Diet plan for a whole year! She lost 52 lbs total, so not the 100 lbs we had hoped for. But that is 52 lbs lost forever and nothing to sneeze at. I am looking forward to what she has in store for 2013 and how she is going to tackle the next phase of her weight loss! Congrats Misha!

Love you, Amber

And the winner is

2012-12-19T13:29:00.000-08:00

The lovely Lori is the winner of my repurposed Altoid tin! Lori shoot me a message and let me know what initials you would printed on it. I will fill it with Stevia in the Raw packets, which my current sweetener, so it will be ready to go!

Stay in touch over on my Facebook group The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise. There is lots of good, positive interaction and advice going there daily.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all! My heart and thoughts are with the families of Newtown, CT these days. Hugs and Kisses, Amber

Giveaway!

2012-12-18T10:00:00.002-08:00

Don't forget to enter my giveaway! Just leave a comment HERE to enter. I won't be blogging much in the new year, so this is a little parting gift from me :)

She's Crafty and Giveaway

2012-12-14T12:19:00.003-08:00

I have been all about the crafts this holiday season! My goal was decorate the house with supplies I already had, but in new and different ways. I also wanted to recycle/repurpose some of the items I've collected. That includes old Altoid, coffee and cookie tins and glass bottles, from pickles to kumbucha, I could use to package gifts and also place around the house. (Altoid and kumbucha are great low sugar snacks, and are the only diet mention in this post!) At the bottom I have a cute giveaway I wanted to share with my readers! I perfect little purse tin to carry your stevia packets (or bandaides, safety pins, hairbands, etc) in.

I am fascinated with chalkboard paint and script right now. I decorated these little tins for the kid's teachers and will fill them with fun candies lined with the red and white chevron paper. I'm no artist, but I really wanted these to look pretty. I put the teacher's initial on one side and holly and berries on the other. I decorated a coffee tin for myself. You can always erase it and write something new. I used spray chalkpaint for this project and followed the directions.

This was my favorite project, making icicle branches. I used glue, small branches, and clear vase filler (the "icicles", purchased from Michaels). I had the hubby cut off small branches from an over grown tree in the side yard. They were sticking over the deck, so this was a two for one! I trimmed them up on the bottom, snipping off everything on the bottom 10 inches or so. I laid one branch at a time over a big tote lid (to catch the extra "icicles") and painted the everything except the bottom 10 inches with a thick layer of glue. Then I poured the clear vase filler slowly over the glued areas until it was well covered. They turned out great! I mixed them with artificial flowers that I already had in a big vase and put it on my mantel. These are really pricey to buy, especially if you want to use a lot of them in your arrangement.

These are my glitter pine cones and I LOVE them! The funny story is that I was determined to use "found pine cones", not store bought. So I bugged my friends to see if they had any in their yards. Everyone said no, but the store was selling the cinnamon kind... Then a friend mentioned on a certain side street she had seen some. It is a along a new running route I had been using for my Half Marathon training, but I'd never seen pine cones, but sure enough when I drove by, there they were! My mind is apparently occupied with just breathing while I run, because I must have stepped right over them. On the down side they had a few tiny spiders and other weird things in them. Ha! A little glue on the tips and a sprinkle of glitter and they look great in my big Apothecary jar I got on sale for $15.

I also made two of these mini garland trees. I bought two poster boards and folded and taped them into a big cone. Then I took some unused garland and hot glued it around the big cone. I placed them on either side of my fireplace. Kind of boring, but a little project I wanted to try, since I'd seen these at the stores for about $25 each. It cost me about .50 since I just needed the poster board.

And I LOVE my glitter vases! I painted an old kumbucha bottle with glue and sprinkled a really pretty iridescent glitter all over it. When it was dry I painted on good layer of modge podge over it all, so the glitter wouldn't flake off and leave a glitter trail everywhere. I display this pretty vase on a shelf and put flowers in it. I also made a few with friends from old pickle jars that are perfect for candles.

And the giveaway! Leave a comment or tweet about this post to win the red and white chevron tin. I will add the winners initials or name to the top! Or you can choose the glitter top box (the glitter doesn't fall off since it has a clear modge podge layer on top). Winners choice, both handmade by me!

These are repurposed Altoid tins and are perfect for carrying little things in your bag or keeping your car. I use mine to keep stevia packets in my purse. I'm thinking of a way to man these up, to use as small storage in the boys backpacks too. I love these little things!

To enter: Leave a comment, tell me what you would put in it! You can also tweet about this post with a link back to my blog, just leave a 2nd comment that lets me know and @meandjorge in the tweet. I will choose winners on Wednesday Dec. 19th at noon, so make sure to check back or leave a way to contact me.

LCHF - Low Carb High Fat Eating

2012-12-10T09:34:00.003-08:00

I just added the ability to get my blog posts via EMAIL, if you are interested.

Jimmy Moore is the king of Low Carb blogging, IMHO, and I finally caught up on his posts on the Livin La Vida Low Carb blog. He recently started testing his blood ketones and upped the fat content in his low carb meals. Sounds nuts right, MORE fat? I've always thought of myself as a low fat/low carb dieter, even though I use coconut oil and real butter daily. But I was looking at ways of shaking up the Belly Fat Cure (making minute changes to the plan, but still sticking with it since it obviously works for me) and what could be keeping my sister from losing more weight each month. I downloaded the book Jimmy recommended (Low Carbohydrate Performance, just $6 from Amazon on Kindle) and ordered my own blood ketone tester! w00t! That's right, I'm going to start testing my blood sugar and ketones to find out exactly what foods are affecting ME. Not what a book says I can eat, or another blogger, or Dr. Oz. I'm going to test and find out for MYSELF. I am actually really excited by this and patiently waiting for the tester to arrive. Sorry, little fingers, but your gonna get pricked.

This has been my big meal each day for the last week... it centers on eggs (which I don't love). But the high fat content has kept me feeling full for so long each day, that I'd say this is my only "real meal". The rest are really mini-meals or a light snack. Just to clarify, I'm not a Doctor, Nutritionist or "weight loss expert". I'm just gal trying to figure out how to maintain my weight loss for life. These meals are right in line with Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure and Fast Track plans, so it wasn't that different.

Two eggs, sour cream, sausage patties, raw kale

Two eggs, diced turkey, sour cream, hot sauce, avocado

Two eggs, sour cream, ground sausage, avocado

Two eggs, ground sausage, hot sauce, sour cream, avocado

Two eggs, hot sauce, sour cream, avocado

Jimmy was also the recent target of online bullying, where photos of his weight loss progress were turned into a cruel video and posted on YouTube. Beware, weight loss bloggers, bullies abound! Anyone who tries to lift themselves up by pulling others down is a loser in my book. Weight loss, especially if you are obese, can be a life long struggle with health issues most of us cannot understand. I applaud Jimmy for his success and being honest in his success and failures, and for sharing it all with us. None of us are perfect.

1 Year, 100 Pounds: Month 11 Weigh In

2012-12-03T18:00:00.002-08:00

Yay December! And it’s gorgeous in Oklahoma – a sunny 73 here today. December 1^st snuck up on me! It’s been a great month for me. I’m really enjoying the new me. Starting to try new things with my new body – here’s me taking my sister-in-law’s convertible for a test drive. I was really nervous about fitting in it!

So this month, I’m down 1.2 pounds, still making progress! Amber and I are talking about making some changes and I’ll let her talk about that. It’s funny, I’ve been asked a lot lately – about what I’m going to do after the first of the year. The big answer is – keep losing weight! I will stay wheat-free as it really has seemed to make a huge difference to me in things that aren’t just weight related. I’ve had osteoarthritis for several years, and you should be well acquainted with my feet problems. And while I still have issues, they have been alleviated on my Wheat Belly diet.

I’m SOOOO glad I’m well on my way and well “planted” on my plan during the holidays. Thanksgiving was quite easy. Just no stuffing and I’m not a pie-eater. I made a great “riced” cauliflower dish that I made a nice cheese sauce for and baked. It was yummy. I did grab a pecan that fell off a piece of pie and enjoy that. I think about all that Christmas candy and cookies and the miserable feelings I would have after partaking in all that. I respect myself and simply know it’s not something I do any more.

Thanks again for everyone for your support and encouraging words. I encourage YOU to renew your dedication to YOUR health and remember what’s really important to you during the holiday season. Have a GREAT month!

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1 Year, 100 Hundred Pounds is a series written by my sister Misha (read her full story HERE). Her battles and journey are different than my own, but I thought my readers could relate to her story. We came up with the idea that should could break up her weight loss into monthly measurements and concentrate on the long term, instead of instant gratification. My role is to just support her, where she needs it. Not to nag, correct or scold. Just to be here for her. I that puts her at a total of 54.5 pounds lost so far, that is awesome!

Crockpot Cinnamon Chocolate Almonds

2012-11-28T09:17:00.001-08:00

Last winter I made Spicy Cocoa Roasted Pecans and I thought it would be fun to try a new recipe. I've also been firing up the crockpot a lot lately and decided it would be a great way to roast nuts! I love making anything in the slow cooker and how it makes the house smell.

I looked around and found a few recipes that I could adjust enough to work on a low sugar plan like the Belly Fat Cure or Paleo. Basically that means removing all sugars! I was SHOCKED at the amount of sugar the recipes all had. Cups of sugar, brown sugar and powders sugar! I skipped it all, but I'm pretty much over sweeteners at this point. *You could add a few packets stevia sweeteners or xylitol if you needed it sweeter. Paleo eaters could add a little Maple Syrup if wanted.

Crockpot Cinnamon Chocolate Almonds

3 Cups Raw Almonds or other nuts (not roasted or salted)
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp Raw Cacao (regular cocoa will work too, but this is better)
Sweetener*
Big Pinch each of: Pumpkin Pie Spice, ground nutmeg (any other favorite spices)
1 Tbsp Cinnamon
Sea Salt (regular salt will work too, but this is better)

Heat your crockpot on high for about 15 minutes, with only the butter. Once the butter has melted add the nuts, stirring until they are coated with butter. Add all other ingredients, stir well, and cook for another 15 minutes on high. Turn the crockpot to low and cook 2 more hours. I gave them a good stir every half hour or so.

Once it is all done and removed from the slow cooker, I sprinkled with sea salt to taste.These will make a great hostess gift or small friend gift for the holidays! One of the craft projects I've been obsessed with lately is reusing old tins. These old coffee tins, painted, glittered or stencil, will be great filled with Cinnamon Chocolate Almonds! Cute, right?

Birthdays and Racing

2012-11-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

This have been a really busy week! My oldest son is turning 11 (seriously, WHERE did the time go?) and I ran my 4th Half Marathon (w00t!). But stupidly I did them all the same weekend, and I'm tired and sore.

Nice race shirt and finishers medal

My 4th Half Marathon was the Big Sur Half in Monterey Bay, just about 90 minutes from where I live. Luckily my good friend has family with a home there and we were able to stake out there for the for the night. I've been diligently training for this race, putting in the hard work each week, so that I can enjoy the race and not struggle through it. But my girlfriend was having a fabulous running day and we started out too fast for me. I was unable to keep up with her pace and we separated around mile 4.5. I was actually worried something was wrong with me, my heart was racing so fast. But once I was on my own, I found my pace and did fine. In the end I finished in 2:18:06, best time yet by just a few seconds. It is SO strange to me that I have finished all my Half Marathons within a 5 minute rage. No matter how bad or great the race was, I seem to do the same time. Weird.

My recovery afterward was the easiest so far. Just sore thighs and back. Ibuprofen solves everything! With this race done, I am going to concentrate on those dastardly 8-10lbs I've been carrying around for the last few months.

Instead of a specific theme for my son's the birthday party, I did "Archer's Favorite Things". So we had a little dance party, went the Myth Busters Exhibit at the San Jose Tech Museum, played a little Minecraft and a few other of his favorite games and tucked in with a movie for a sleepover. Ugh! 10-11 year old boys are a handful. I had baby photos out of him and his baby photo album. I had several of his favorite treats too.

The Family

I also have the crafting bug. I have been obsessed with repurposing metal tins. Here are a couple of the Altoid tins I've redone. I'm obsessed! You use them as a little first aids kits, or earbud storage, whatever, in your purse or the kids backpacks. They are the perfect size for gift cards too. Obsessed.

I won Becky's giveaway, which is so sweet! At first I was going to ask her to draw again and pick another reader, but then I thought I'd LOVE to try this cool butters! I'm allergic to peanut butter so I'm really looking forward to it. If you don't already read her Becky's Belly Fat Cure Blog, please click on over and say howdy.

If you need some Thanksgiving ideas for staying true to the BFC, click HERE. You can do it! I will counting my S/C Values along with you.

Pumpkins and Bras

2012-11-13T14:08:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't blogged much lately, I don't have much to say diet-wise that I haven't already said. But I thought I'd do a little catching up. An old habit when I see a photo of myself is to instantly critique my appearance. In this photo I go right to my hips. I'm curvy and I'm never going to be stick skinny. But I went and checked the tag on those pants and was unreasonably happy they were a (snug) size 6. Much better than the curvy size 14 I was wearing a few years ago. My weight is still up a little, I am not at my low weight. I am not thrilled with that, but I realize my weight is going to fluctuate.

My oldest son is only an inch away from being the same height as me! We have a lot of fun deciding on a theme and putting together Halloween costumes. We really like Halloween in my household. My boys are still obsessed with Minecraft and dressed up as a Creeper and Honeydew this year. We have a (another) Minecraft themed birthday party next week. It feels great not to be tempted by cake and party treats - in fact it feels very freeing. (This is what I do with the kids' excess Halloween candy)

Backyard chickens are all the rage here in Northern California. As long as they aren't roosters, which crow, they are allowed and provide fresh eggs each day. The same friend even dressed up her hen in a Halloween costume! How cute is that? My grandparents raised chickens, but they were mean and pecked you when you gathered the eggs. These backyard chickens are total pets and let the kids hold and pet them - along with providing breakfast. I'd love some backyard chickens, but the Husband has nixed that idea.

I also went bra shopping recently. I noticed with my yoga classes and girl's weekends that other women have pretty bras. But my own are more Large Marge Workin' Hard type bras. I need a minimizer and everyone else seems to wear these padded, cute and colorful bras. The bras I buy come in three colors: beige, white and black. Period. Macy's had their buy 2, get 2 free sale on several different brands so I spent a sweaty hour trying on scratchy bras until I found four I liked, that also fit. I settled on the Bali Passion for Comfort Underwire Minimizer and bought it all three colors it comes in, plus a strapless. Then I came home and threw away my old bras. Did you know that your cup size changes when change the band size changes? So if you are a 36C, but the band is too loose, you should try a 34D not the 34C like you'd think. HERE is a great site for figuring out your proper bra size.

On another note, I am turning off anonymous comments since Im getting spammed to death with them. Please use the Name/URL option if you don't have an account!

1 Year, 100 Pounds: Month 10 Weigh In

2012-11-01T11:43:00.003-07:00

Hey! It’s November! Such a very busy time of the year for everyone. A FULL-ON PRESS of holiday-after-holiday; so many ready-made excuses to eat out of control. So – it’s cooled off a bit in Oklahoma..a couple of days have dipped into the 30’s (it will reach 80 today!). This did mean COAT weather. So…COATS.. I hate coats. They don’t fit me; they make me too hot; they’re too bulky; I usually can only button the neck button...it’s just a big reminder of how being overweight SUCKS. Last week, the cold came and I mindlessly got out last winter’s coat and it was very odd. My upper arms didn’t get stuck as I slipped it on. It zipped; it snapped; it buttoned; it fit. In fact, it was too big! Oh yeah – I forgot to mention – I lost 3.2 pounds this month, for a total of 53 pounds since January 1^st. YAY! <insert celebration dance here!>

I’ve mentioned before that my son is the top high school marching band in the nation, and we leave to defend our title in Indiana at the Bands of America Grand Nationals Championship on Wednesday. This is his senior year – and they won state again last weekend (11^th consecutive year!) Can you tell I’m proud? Anyway, the contest is three FULL days at the NFL COLTS stadium, so NOTHING but concession food is available. What a carbfest that is! But with some planning, I think I’m good to go. I’ll have protein bars, string cheese, jerky and shakes stuck in my bag. I’ll refill my water bottle over and over again and eat smart at every turn.

Our 72 year old dad had a heart attack a few weeks ago. He’s doing great now; in fact going on the Indy trip with us. This event was life altering for him and really drove home the importance of making yourself a priority. Amber and I were talking this morning about this, about how we both are seeing the need to just treat ourselves perhaps like a diabetic would. Diabetics have to put their nutrition ahead of everything else. They have to be prepared and make sound decisions regarding their health and eating – it’s a matter of life and death. Why did it take me so long to see that I am virtually in the same predicament? I have a condition, that if it goes unchecked – I’ll be checking “out” too soon. And I don’t want to. I am loving my life; enjoying it so much more now.

And while I do have a much more to lose, I no longer see this as my weight loss plan. This is simply - how I eat now. January 1^st is coming soon for the end of my “big year” weigh in. But I think it will just mark the beginning of the rest of my years, and mark my re-dedication to my life and my family. This is the body I’ve been given and the nurturing and caring of it is my first priority. After that, everything else …is a snap! ~ Misha

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Three Years on the Belly Fat Cure

2012-10-17T21:08:00.002-07:00

This is my three year anniversary on the Belly Fat Cure! That is a long time to be on a diet, right? You might think that if it was so successful, then I wouldn't need to "be on a diet" anymore. But I am determined to keep my 53 lbs off, and that means I'm still on a diet. Forever probably, but I'm just concentrating on getting through today.

I started this blog on the very first day that I started Jorge Cruise's Belly Fat Cure and can't believe I am still doing it! I was just going to give it a go for 12 week class I had signed up for. I have said it before, and still believe it to be true - it was easier to lose my weight than it has been to keep it off. While losing weight you get that weekly reward at weigh in, and people complimenting you and new clothing. You know at some point it's going to end. But with maintenance it is different. I see now my "skinny friends" who made it all look so easy, are really working at it all the time. They are working out and watch what they eat at every meal. Of course a few of them are just naturally thin, but mostly they are working at it and that was news to me!

Here is my best piece of advice: Don't cheat.

If you really are hungry, have more of a food that is allowed and go over your S/C Values of 15/6 with those foods. When you cheat with high sugar or high carb foods, you bring those tastes and cravings back into your life and it takes will power to fight them back off again. Cheating even a little bit, makes staying on the plan really hard. So do yourself a favor and don't cheat. Who are are you cheating? Yourself.

I love this old song by Alanis Morissette and I think it really speaks to where I am in life right now. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good. I'm broke but I'm happy, I'm poor but I'm kind, I'm short but I'm, healthy, yeah. I'm high but I'm grounded, I'm sane but I'm overwhelmed, I'm lost but I'm hopeful baby. What it all comes down to Is that everything's gonna be fine fine fine.

I organized the 39 weeks it took me to lose my weight here. You can click on each link to see my post from that week too.

Week 1: 3

Week 2: 3.5

Week 3: 1

Week 4: 3.5

Week 5: 3

Week 6: 2

Week 7: 1.5

Week 8: 1.5

Week 9: 1.5

Week 10: N/A

Week 11: 2.5

Week 12: 1

Week 13: 0

Week 14: 3

Week 15: .5

Week 16: 2.5

Week 17: 1.5

Week 18: 2

Week 19: .5

Week 20: 0

Week 21: 2

Week 22: 1.5

Week 23: 2

Week 24: +3

Week 25: N/A

Week 26: 1

Week 27: 3

Week 28: 3.5

Week 30: 1.5

Week 34: +.5

Week 37: 2

Week 39: 3

1 Year, 100 Pounds: Month 9 Weigh In

2012-10-03T09:59:00.003-07:00

Octoberfest

Hey – Happy Fall Weather everyone! A big sigh of relief from this part of the country. We’ve enjoyed a few days in the 70’s and 80’s and a bit of rain, so Oklahoma may escape another dustbowl era! Time for walks, soups, hot tea and new resolve.

So today I start my TENTH month without a whiff of wheat, while I follow the Wheat Belly diet – and 49.8 pounds down since 1/1/12! I really wanted that 50 pounds, but it will come. And so will 60, and 75, and 100 and more. For the month of September, that’s 1.8 pounds.

What am I eating? I’m eating lots of protein and veggies. I eat raw pecans and almonds for a quick snack. I love a good sharp cheddar cheese…cold or melted on protein. I include a salad every day and usually a protein shake for breakfast. Omelets with mushrooms and any leftover veggie on hands are usually the star on a weekends. I love grilled, baked and sautéed chicken. I even fried “naked” chicken breast and shake on some kind of seasoning (like Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning or Hidden Valley Ranch mix ) and dip them in blue cheese dressing.

How many calories do I eat? I don’t know. When I do track, it’s under 1000 calories, with most of it coming from fat. My carbs are generally between 20-40. But again, you’ve heard me say it before, that’s what I like about Wheat Belly. I have a list of foods that I can eat – I eat just them. And for the most part, I am satisfied with smaller portions and simply do not get hungry. In fact, while I was typing that… I don’t really feel like they are smaller portions any more.

Do I exercise? I don’t. Not really. I want to, but my body just isn’t there yet. I bought some resistance straps that I use with my feet and Achilles and try to work that in every night and morning…just for survival’s sake. So I can walk from the parking lot to my car. I want to walk. I want to ride a bike – stationary and …regular. I do want to make that a priority. I’m just afraid of hurting my feet and ankles…and…I hate to say something negative about me…but I am lazy when it comes to exercise.

How much longer can I go wheat/grain free? Definitely through the end of the year. Bread is almost off my radar. I have this weird craving from time to time for of all things… a kraut dog with mustard… Hasn’t haunted me much this month, and yes, I have sauerkraut and wieners from time to time, and even squirt some mustard. But dangit… sometimes, you just want to eat a hot dog! I ate a bunless burger with a salad today with my husband. I order mine without, he does not, but takes off the bun. He’s afraid of being judged or doesn’t want to say..i’ll have the same. Soooo he always has a stack of bread or buns on the side of his plate. Today, we were in Fuddruckers which REEKS of fresh-made bread, but I’m over it. But I have to admit, it was overwhelming. After I was done with my patty and salad, I picked up a bun and sniffed it. It didn’t have the same intoxicating smell that the baking bread had. I thought it was funny. It was like, you know, you could come in here and just sip and water and smell all the bread you want to. Because the bread itself, doesn’t smell anymore like the baking bread than a glass of water does. Does that make sense at all?

Am I going to have a bread gala on 1/1/13? Absolutely not. I have treated this diet like flour/bread is a drug or alcohol. I’m afraid that the first bite will send me spiraling down a binge I wouldn’t recover from. Actually – if I really stop and examine it all now, I don’t think that I would. But for now, it’s a somewhat healthy scare that does its job. In fact…I ventured out a bit this month.

Now I don’t really want to say I conducted an experiment, but let’s just say I turned it into one. I’ve talked about my chip addiction and how chips are my kryptonite. Did I mention that it’s fall and fall means football, and football means marching band, and that means concession stand, and I am a band parent that runs the fast concession window in the state. Sooo.. wow..so many temptations and really, just no Wheat Belly friendly foods. We start popping the popcorn about 5 and shutdown the windows around 10. The first game was absolute torture. By the second game, I ate a really nice chicken salad and iced tea and took a frozen protein shake in with me. Fully satisfied, but I kept thinking about that chip rack stationed in front of me and was simply obsessing about it…I’m taking 3 days after the game. Without disclosing all the chip fantasies to you, I decided that I would simply buy a snack sized bag of chips and eat them. I did.

So what happened? Nothing. I ate them, they were uber salty; actually made the corners of my mouth burn and they didn’t last very long. My stomach seemed a little …wonky… bloated or something for a day or so and I really didn’t like the experience. And that was it.

So what did I learn?

I am in control.
Potato chips are not as good as a parmesan crusted chicken breast.
They are definitely not worth losing my plan and confidence over.

So here I am, teetering on the edge of 50 pounds gone. Planning my meal before this Friday’s game (and oh by the way, Saturday is an all day event at the stadium, so I will be packing a lunch and a dinner.) Feeling just really good about my sense of well being. Nothing really sexy, but confident. I have a sense of calm as I start October. November and the holidays are just around the corner and I’m totally ready.

I will be attending the Parade of Roses on New Year’s Day. My son’s marching band (The Pride of Broken Arrow) won the National Championship last year and was invited to march at the parade and in Disneyland. So I will be celebrating this year in style. I think back to this last New Year’s – where I committed this year to a total makeover, and it’s happening. Not as fast I was wanted, but it is happening. Amber found a neat sign on Pinterest that I printed out and have displayed in in my office. It says, “IN A YEAR, YOU MAY WISH YOU HAD STARTED NOW.” I like to look at the sign and say, “not me…I did start!” If you haven’t already committed, don’t wait until next Monday, or next month or next year. Commit to plan now that will make your life better.

Have a GREAT October!

Misha

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1 Year, 100 Hundred Pounds is a series written by my sister Misha (read her full story HERE). Her battles and journey are different than my own, but I thought my readers could relate to her story. We came up with the idea that should could break up her weight loss into monthly measurements and concentrate on the long term, instead of instant gratification. My role is to just support her, where she needs it. Not to nag, correct or scold. Just to be here for her.

I am so proud of her for sticking with it, even when she doesn't meet the arbitrary goals we made up. If she ends the year at 5lbs, 20lbs, 50lbs or 100lbs lost then it was a success. I know she feels so much better, and that is what really matters most.

Fifty Shades of Sweat

2012-09-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

My boys are back in the school groove, but for some reason I'd swear I have less time for myself than I did this summer. But being busy is good. Being busy means less time to think about food. I had a an incredibly stressful month, but I think I am managing better now. My weight is up, but I bet it is just the toll of so much stress. I'm doing all the right things, so it should even out.

I got a great Groupon for Bikram Yoga and signed for 20 classes with a few girlfriends. I have wanted to do this for ages, but I nearly didn't survive the first class. They keep the room 110 degrees and the classes are 90 minutes long. I have never, in my entire life, sweated as much as I did during the first class. A river of sweat ran off my body and plopped onto the mat! I remember laying on the mat, soaked and wondering, WHY is my heart pounding? It's just yoga! The second class was much better, I was dressed more appropriately and I knew what to expect.

In Bikram Yoga you do the exact same 27 moves in every class. You do each of them twice, in a short series. The worst part is that it can be a little smelly in the yoga room with all those people sweating and in close quarters. Today I could totally tell the older man behind me had eaten loads of garlic at lunch. Barf. (The first time the place smelled like feet. Turns out I prefer feet smell over garlic breathe.) While my mom was in town I decided yoga would be a really good stress reliever, so I'm going to give it a good honest try.

I also went a on Girl's Weekend down to Santa Cruz and just had a beautiful time. I'm new to this Girl's Weekend thing, but it was so nice to spend a relaxed day with lovely ladies on the beach. I discovered that everyone and their church going sister is reading Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James. I had read the first chapter free on Amazon months ago and wasn't drawn in. But I decided to download the Kindle version of this silly book and really enjoyed the author's interview on Katie Couric's new show this week. Have you all read this?!

The family and I are jumping in the Prius on Thursday and heading down to LA for a long weekend of Disneyland and Universal Studios. This will be my third trip to Disneyland on the Belly Fat Cure, and I think I have it figured out. First the first time ever I made reservations there, for the Blue Bayou and Wine Country Trattoria's World of Color package. We usually end up leaving property for dinner, to seek out a cheaper option. But that always just wastes lots of time and doesn't seem to save any money either.

BFC Week with Mom

2012-09-06T19:38:00.001-07:00

I just had a great week with my mom visiting us. The first day of her trip she decided to switch from WW to BFC with me. I was totally doing the Belly Fat Cure before mom came to visit, but this made me super aware of everything I was eating. Tracking in such detail and explaining each meal to her really helped. For example, I found I cannot have a full serving of oatmeal (3/4 Cup) if I am having it with my morning coffee. The fiber supplement and cream I add to my coffee put my carb count over 2 servings. Did I already know this? Had I forgotten it? I know that might sound like a really minor detail, and what does a few measly carbs here or there matter. But I think I am very sensitive to carbs and that it does matter for me. So I cut back to 1/2 Cup of my oatmeal if I'm having my nice coffee with it.

Here is a little of what we ate this week:

Steak Taco - La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious

Introduced my to my favorite BFC Tacos - a staple of my diet. She has a hard time find the the La Tortillas Factory Smart and Delicious tortillas. I showed her different packages and explained why these are the best. Other brands, like Mission, have artificial sweeteners or no fiber at all even if their carb count is okay.

Grilled chicken and zucchini fauxcini alfredo

Our favorite dish all week was Chicken from the The Food Lovers Make it Paleo, cookbook which we grilled up! I made her my fake Fettuccine Alfredo and she loved it too. She couldn't believe it wasn't noodles!

Refine Mojitos on Labor Day

A fun little Stevia sweetened cocktail on Labor Day in the sun. We also took my 72 year old mom to play her first game of Laser Time, to mini golf and the water slide.

Evening Snack - Whipped Cream & 2 pieces of dark chocolate

I think mom and I both licked the bottom of our bowls when we had a few squares of dark chocolate and a little whipped cream. We all piled into our bed with the kids to watch Pirates Band of Misfts, because strangely our best TV is in our bedroom. Which makes it a little weird when we have guests....

Afternoon snack - sliced cucumbers, tzatziki and hot tea

I introduced mom to a fun snack of thinly sliced cucumbers that you use like chips. I like it with all sorts of dips, but had tzatziki that day. We sat out in the sun and both read novels and had a cup of chamomile tea.

Chicken Enchildas with La Tortillas Factory Smart and Delicious tortillas

This was my mom's Sassy Enchilada recipe that I BFC'd for us. I left out most of the stewed tomatoes and used the right tortillas to get the S/C Value down for us. We served it with a spinach salad and it was really filling.

1 Year 100 Pounds: Month 8 Weigh In

2012-09-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone! I can't believe how this year is flying by. I am SO glad I decided to make a life altering change 245 days ago. That means there are 110 days left in this year, but it will not be the end of my journey. What I've finally come to understand is, this is really not a temporary change I've implemented to lose weight. This is my life. I am changed. Will I ever go back to eating flour, grains, sugar? I really don't think so, or definitely not a normal part of my lifestyle. Before I go into my new philosophy, let's get to the weigh-in!

This month, I've lost 2 pounds. That's 48 pounds down since 1/1/12. I sure was hoping to get past the 50 pound mark, but I'm pleased that my new lifestyle still yields a loss. I can't tell you how much personal pride I've gained in knowing that I have the strength to carry out a plan I put in place 8 months ago. I have such resolve and confidence; I control what goes in my mouth; food doesn't "happen" to me any more. What an odd little victory this is!

I actually allowed myself to think about planning a binge this weekend. I really entertained the idea. I tried to justify it by thinking, I deserved it, or it may be what I need to shake things up, or who would know... While all this started and ended within about a 3 minute timeframe, it scared me. That used to be my pattern. Do great on a diet, lose weight, hit plateau, binge, start over. Then I received a newsletter from Geneen Roth, author of Women Food and God, and this month's topic was called, "The Secret to Change." It really spoke to me about my relationship with food:

"Take the next step: Remember that the more time you spend ignoring the food-and-weight problem, wishing and hoping for it to just go away, the less time you spend developing new attitudes, behaviors, and habits that will change it. Decide whether you'd rather keep lamenting your relationship with food or create a new way of eating. And then decide what you're going to do about it. Because wishing and hoping won't change a thing.

Finally, I decided instead to invest my time and energy in acting on a positive vision of myself — the sane, powerful me I sensed was waiting in the wings. Every day I would wake up and feel the pull to go back to what I had been doing before: dieting, bingeing, agonizing. And every day, I would tell myself that change was possible and that I was following a new plan; I was eating when I was hungry, stopping when I'd had enough, and keeping a written track of my food intake, hunger levels, and feelings before and after I ate. After a few months of paying attention in this way, my relationship with food permanently changed. Not only did I lose weight, but I began to believe — because I experienced it directly — that I was worthy of self respect, and that left to my own devices, I would not chomp my way clear across the United States. In brain language, I'd been consistent and focused with my attention and I'd repeated the same new behaviors over and over; I'd given my brain a chance to develop new pathways, new habits. And I've never gone back."

You can read more or sign up for her newsletter here: http://www.geneenroth.com/?s=news001

Well, I didn't mean for this to turn into a commercial, so thanks for indulging me. This just really spoke to me.

I made a lot of the improvements that I set out for August. I made little grated zucchini, ham and cheese "muffins" for breakfast for about 10 days. They were a great idea. I ate breakfast all but about 2 days. I've been using resistance bands for some stretching exercises. I did track a couple of days, but I think I'd like to do this the first week of each month, just to validate. I really don't stray much from my food list and I really don't like thinking about food/calories/points. I like feeling hungry, eating, stopping, still feeling a little hungry and moving on. My only non-approved diet pop was actually last night at the high school football game when they ran out of water; I had a diet Pepsi. I did have a few of crystal lite drinks this month, but have cut back on them. Mostly drinking water or tea. Overall, it was a great month for me.

September is here and I'm ready to take it on. These days are mine for the taking, the changing, and the reaping. Take charge this month before the holidays roll around and take charge of you!

Thanks for listening....... Misha

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1 Year 100 Pounds is written by my sister Misha who is on a journey to lose 100 lbs this year. She started Jan. 1 with a goal to lose about 8 lbs a month. Her issues with weight are very different than mine and she is 10 years older than me, but I thought my readers could really relate to her and she can definitely use the support. You can follow her weigh-ins and full story HERE.

Oh Mother

2012-08-31T11:41:00.001-07:00

My mother is visiting us from Tulsa for a week, and is enjoying our much cooler weather here in Northern California. She does Weight Watchers, but like I've mentioned before, she has done a dozen different diets in her lifetime. She is doing Points Plus with Simply Filling, which sounds totally confusing to me.

Introducing my mother to the wonders of Paleo

But for the week she is with me, she is going to the the Belly Fat Cure! Wahoo! She hasn't lost anything since April and she goes weekly for the weigh-ins and has really been following the plan. But we were sitting here talking over breakfast. Her with with her Cheerios and milk with coffee, me with my my Pumpkin Oatmeal, thumbing through Make it Paleo. So I just asked "wanna do my diet while your here?" and she immediately said yes!

So we are entering our food into My Fitness Pal right now, comparing our breakfasts. This is Mom's WW Breakfast. She had coffee too, but forgot to enter it.

(* Just added the screen shots from My Fitness Pal. Both of us had forgotten or misentered foods)

We are making Pg. 118 of Make it Paleo for dinner tonight, Buffalo Wings with drumsticks instead of wings. This is a beautiful book with great recipes. Many have to adjusted for sugar content if you are trying to lose weight on a few of the recipes though.

Terschelling

2012-08-22T10:18:00.001-07:00

View of West Terschelling village, harbor and lighthouse

My sister-in-law lives on the Dutch island of Terschelling, in the North Sea and we were able to spend a few days with her this summer. It is such a cool island, long and thin, with a wide beach that covers it's entire Northern coast. Terschelling is part of an island chain off the part city of Harlingen.

We spent one day riding bikes around the island, racing a huge thunderstorm home just before dark. It was actually a lot of fun to spend a hours with my son on a tandem bike. He talked the entire time, telling me stories about school and his favorite computer game (Minecraft!). I'm not the most skilled bike rider, so I was a little nervous on the big bike. The Dutch are practically born on a bike, but I has really gripping those handle bars.

Many of the homes and buildings on the island were built from lumber washed ashore from shipwrecks. There are hundreds of shipwrecks surrounding the island. There is a great museum filled with items washed ashore or salvaged around the island. The island is a few miles wide and 15 miles long, and I really wish I had brought my running shoes. But it was perfect to explore by bike. During certain times of year at low tide you can even go Mudflat Hiking, or Wadlopen, and actually walk from the mainland to the island via the tidal flat. The Husband did this a few years ago, and I didn't go because I didn't think I was in shape to do it. It was before I lost my weight.

The entire Northwest coast of the island is one long wide beach. It was pretty empty when we were there in mid-July, since August is really vacation month in Europe. Terschelling is considered a low-key vacation spot, mostly for campers. No big fancy hotels here. Lots of Dutch and German high school students arrive by the boat full as part of school trips. Did I mention the drinking age is 16 in my last post? Steer clear of any cafe marketed "Disco" at night - that is key word for drunk children as far as I'm concerned. That was the only negative thing I encountered our whole trip. Maybe it is just my age, where that sort of thing really annoys me.

I had seen these boats used as houseboats in the canals in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities, but I had no idea they could sail on the ocean! They were beautiful and we passed many on the two hour ferry ride to the island. Terschelling also has several bomb shelters from WW1 and WW2 that the boys loved to explore. There is also a very large square light house that is supposed to be the oldest lighthouse in the Netherlands, built in 1594. But it looked awfully modern to me, and I'd guess it has been rebuilt. But it was just outside my sister-in-laws top floor windows and made for a beautiful view at night.

It was along trip to get to Terschelling and who knows if we will make it back there again. But the kids loved all of it and it was wonderful to spend time with family. As far as food goes on this part of the trip, I cannot even remember eating! We were so busy and active, seems like we had lots of coffee and beer! Eggs for breakfast and sausage and cheeses midday. But I don't remember being hungry or thinking of food at all, which is a change for me.

Thanks for your sweet comments on my last post! I am working through each of the things on the list instead of wallowing in frustration and indecision. I am happy to report that my pool nolonger has algae (or at least it doesn't today), we decided to rent our home in Denver again, instead of selling it (thanks to recent neighborhood foreclosures) and I have booked Skyler's 8th bday party at a local waterslide. Check, check, check. School started this week for the kids and trying to start new habits for the kids and myself right off the bat!