Fall Challenge



I am challenging myself to begin an exercise program since I haven't committed to anything exercise since beginning my weight loss journey in June.  This could be  why I've only loss 12 lbs so far!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Fiber One w/skim milk
OJ

Lunch:
1/2 chicken spinach strawberry pecan wrap
diet coke

Dinner:
2 slices pepperoni pizza
diet coke

Snack:
handful of peanut nuts
1 vanilla cupcake

Exercise:  Fall challenge met/ Day 1 down, 30 to go!
10 minutes on gazelle (remember Tony Little?!)

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Vanilla granola
OJ

Lunch:
Egg, spinach, provolone sandwich on whole wheat
WW yogurt with apple slices and cinnamon
2 T red roasted pepper humus
7 triscuits
water

Dinner:
1 c of spagetti
1/4 beets
peach ice tea

Snack:
handful of peanuts
1 peanut butter cookie
cherry tootsie pop

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1/2 c WW vanilla yogurt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 chopped apple
OJ
vitamin

Lunch:
Chopped italian salad with chicken
1 hard boil egg
8 ched rice cakes
water

Dinner:
1 broiled chicken breast
2 jojos
1 C coleslaw
diet coke

Snack:
1 peanut butter cookie

Exercise:
No :(

Baking Blessings

Just want to say thank you to all you bloggers that inspire me to continue my weight loss journey!  Thanks for sharing your stories and daily trials and triumpts!

Today was cookie baking day.  Amazingly the desire to eat what I've baked has eluted me.  I actually gave more away to family and friends than what I kept for my family.  It made me feel good to give something so simple to others and to have them enjoy it.

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Multi grain cheerios
OJ

Lunch:
Ritz vegetable crackers
2 cheese sticks
pasta salad
diet sprite

Dinner:
CiCi's pizza (1 pepperoni, 1 bbq chicken)
Salad
diet coke

Snack:
1 peanut butter cookie

All I know is that my life is changing and the weight loss is just a part of it.  I'm not sure what I'm in for but all I can do is trust God.  I read this bible verse the other night and it spoke to me.  I was praying for God's will in my life . . . for my diet, for my career, for the path I need to take for Him; and I read Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."
I am planning for a healthier body and I am planning on being in a better place for myself and my family.  It just hit me . . .I wanted God to do the planning for me.  Well, I have to plan my course of action and He will direct my path.

12 years ago I became very ency about life. I remember telling a co-worker, "Do you ever feel like there is something more to your life that your supposed to do, but don't know what?" So I decided to start selling Party Lite, but a month later discovered my husband and I were pregnant! Oh, that's what God was putting in my heart and brain . . . motherhood, not selling candles! Well I've been feeling like that again these past few weeks - NO I'M NOT PREGNANT, but again the winds of change are starting again and I don't know why. I did take a test today for a new job and will find out next week if it leads to an interview. If I left my current job . . . it would be a major change. Maybe this is what this feeling has been about or am I missing the mark completely again? Wouldn't it be great to have hindsight before anything took place! My human challenge is to go with the flow and trust God will direct any path in any area of my life that needs to change.

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Down 2 more lbs!
Breakfast:
1 egg
1 piece of butter toast
OJ

Lunch:
Chicken tenders
Fries
Diet Coke

Dinner:
House salad
Sliced turkey
Mash Potatoes and Gravy
Water

Snack:
2 Dibs

Todays Menu

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:MultiGrain Cheerios/skim milk
oj
vitamin

Lunch:turkey/spinach sandwich w/lowfat garden cream cheese
1 hard boil egg
beets
sun chips
diet coke

Dinner: Bob Evans chicken/pecan/cranberry salad
2T dressing
2 Rolls
Diet Coke

Snack: Natures Own Vanilla Granola 1/2 C

A Month Later . . .

Good News . . . I've at least maintained the weight I've lost so far.  I don't know how though.  I still haven't started an exercise program and I'm ashamed to post what I've been eating.  Bad news . . . if I had been trying as hard this past month I may have been down another 10lbs.  I have to keep reminding myself this is going to take time.  My biggest obstacle has been achieved . . . realization of what I truly need to do the rest of my life-awareness now of losing weight and keeping it off.  I've gone back to some bad habits and I've got to end them.  It's like I'm an addict to eating poorly!

Breakfast:
1 pc of toast w/butter and homemade strawberry jam
1 pc of toast w/butter and peanut butter
1 glass OJ

Lunch:
2 hot dogs
mac n cheese
corn
crystal light

Dinner:
a bowl of beets
2 bites of potato salad
sprite zero

Snack:
sugar free jello pudding

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

New Kindle

My husband bought me a kindle last night!  It seems like a pretty simple set up and I've downloaded 2 books and one sample.  The books I chose to download are:  Surprises Around the Bend by Richard Hasler and Craving God- a book recommended by skinniehollie@blogspot.com.  It was a luxury gift.  Definitely not necessary, but one I will definitely use.  I wish my library had the ability to download books for extended period of time.  I wonder if other libraries have this capability?

I'm feeling very tired today.  My vacation last week is catching up with me I think.  Glands a bit swollen.  I'm looking forward to getting to bed early!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1/4 C Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax seed granola
OJ

Lunch:
2 turkey deli meat slider sandwiches with red peppers
1/4 C cottage cheese
cantaloupe
cheddar rice cakes
water

Dinner:
3 broasted potatoes
3T low fat sour cream
7 low fat triscuits
1 WW string cheese
diet cherry coke

Snack:
1 cherry tootsie pop
2 snack size peanut butter snickers

Over on my daily points by 4

I'm back from vacation and ready to get back to Weight Watchers.  We went to Washington DC - it was soooo hot.  Did a lot of walking!  Also went to Gettysburg.  Made really good time driving.  Didn't stop much, so snacks were pretty healthy,  just what I packed.  Did splurge on Twizzlers!  I did gain  back 3 lbs.  In just a weeks time . . . it doesn't take long!

Hang in there everyone!  Keep the faith and keep in check.

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Thin bagel
Weight Watcher cream cheese
apple

Lunch:
2 deli turkey sliders with red peppers
1 piece cantaloupe
cheddar rice cakes
1 WW string cheese
water

Dinner:
Chinese chicken and broccoli/no rice
Sprite zero

Snack:
pumpkin flax seed granola
1 WW string cheese
3 Hershey kisses
1 WW raspberry ice cream bar

Vacation Diet Woes

Good news! Since starting Weight Watchers 6 wks ago I've lost 10 lbs!  Tomorrow I am going to my 6 month doctors check up.  I can't wait to get my medical stats.  My doctor will be happy for me.  She's never been pushy about my weight, but she's always encouraging me lose.

Hang in there everyone!  If you're making this time your time . . . there will be good food days and not so good food days.  I've had both over the course of the last 6 months and I've still lost 10 lbs.  I haven't felt deprived either.  That's what Weight Watchers has done for me.  I've been able to balance my food to be able to have more good food days than bad.  It might be for you and it might not.  I'm still in my, what they call "honeymoon" period with it.  We'll see how it works out.

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another! God Bless- Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1/2 C strawberry Greek yogurt
blueberries
Tropicana 50 OJ
vitamin

Lunch:
A few sips of a peanut butter milkshake
Panera Bread 1/2 summer fruit and chicken salad
Panera Bread Lemon Chicken Orzo soup
1/4 baguette
water

Dinner:
Homemade chicken spinach salad
1/4 C cottage cheese
1/2 C cantaloupe
7 low fat triscuits
diet cherry coke

Snack:
Weight Watcher Raspberry ice cream bar

Not Ready For Exercise Committment

Like a lot of the country, my lil' area here in Ohio reached a heat index over 100 degrees today!  I even turned a fan on me while at work today - and I work in an air conditioned office!  This heat has stopped our walks around the neighborhood in the evenings.  I know, I'm a wimp!  But right now I'm focusing on what I eat, not really exercise.  Not yet anyway.  I find I'm a sporadic exerciser.  I engage in it for a while and then I get bored and stop for a while.  I'm really not worried about it right now.  Like I said, I need to focus on my weight watcher program.  One good choice at a time!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another!
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Cinnamon chex w/skim milk
OJ

Lunch:
2 slices Pizza Hut thin crust veggie pizza
1/2 C Fit and Light vanilla yogurt w/cinnamon
1/4 blueberries
1 WW string cheese stick
Water

Dinner:
1 slice Pizza Hut thin crust veggie pizza
1 WW string cheese stick
diet cherry coke

Snack:
Cheddar Cheese rice snack cakes
1 Hershey Kiss
1 WW rasberry ice cream bar

If I Just Would Have Stuck With It

I was sitting at my desk today at work wondering how much weight I would have lost and what I would currently look like if I had just stuck to the weight loss plan I started back in Sept. of 2010.  What had happened that caused me to give up after losing 16 lbs?  This is terrible, but I don't remember!  I think it may have been something with exercise.  What's different now from back then?   My mind set is different.  It's like the weight loss light bulb has finally turned on verses flickering on and off.  I want to thank all my new blogger friends for helping me do this.  All you're experiences and stories are helping me.  THANK YOU!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another!
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1 WW string cheese
1/4 Nature's Path Pumpkin Flaxseed granola
Sorry, hectic morning!

Lunch:
Salad with fat free italian dressing
1/4 C carrots
1/4 C fit & active vanilla yogurt with cinnamon & blueberries
7 Low fat triscuits
Water

Dinner:
2 slices thin crust veggie pizza from pizza hut
1 bread stick
1/2 C pizza hut chicken alfredo parm pasta
diet cherry coke
(too hot to cook!)

Snack:
1 hershey kiss
1 WW rasberry ice cream bar

Points 35

Is This 2nd Nature to Thin People?

So here is my question?  People who have been think their whole life, do they think about what they eat, if it's high in calories, all the time?  Or do they naturally have some kind of subconscious awareness?  What do they have or know that I don't?  Just wondering!

I ate dinner tonight at Panera's.  Wow!  If you haven't eaten at a Panera's, they include the calorie content of all their items on their cafe menu board.  There is one sandwich that is 920 calories!  Wow!  I did really good though.  I had the 1/2 serving of the Strawberry Poppyseed and Chicken Salad, along with a new soup; 1/2 serving lemon chicken orzo.  All very delicious!  And along with 1/2 baguette - total calories 460.  I couldn't figure the weight watchers points, but I had 20 points left for today.  So I'm thinking dinner is at least those 20 points.  I also shopped our outside strip mall for over an hour so that's a good walk!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another!
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1 piece whole wheat bread
2T peanut butter
OJ

Lunch:
Grilled chicken spinach salad
strawberries
1 string cheese
Water

Dinner:
Panera's Strawberry Poppy Seed Chicken salad
Lemon Chicken Orzo soup
baguette

Snack:
7 cheddar cheese rice snacks

A Day At the Pool

I just spend 6 hours with 4 very energetic tweens!  My daughter celebrated her birthday with some friends at our community pool.  I'm glad I packed a good lunch for and lots of fruit!  They snacked ALL day long!  I had a few of their snacks too, but I stayed under my points collectively today! Yeh:)

Breakfast:
Greek vanilla yogurt
Blueberries
Cinnamon Chex

Lunch:
Turkey sandwich on slider bun
cheese stick
carrots
watermelon
2 mini york peppermint patties(I couldn't resist!)
cheetos
water

Dinner:
5 pieces of bacon
1 serving of sweet potato fries
fuze

Snack:
WW Raspberry ice creamcicle

Activity:
Swimming

Make one good choice, it can lead to another!
God Bless-
Kara Lea

More exercise?

I've been a little disappointed this week on the scale, so I decided to do some walking around the block.  I'm not complaining, but working outside the house . . . the last thing I want to do is exercise when I get home.  After dinner and clean up, I just want to sit my caboose down!  So I'm trying to fool myself into thinking this is a time to socialize-you know, stop and talk to the neighbors!  Also my daughter and I are walking together and it's nice to have that one on one talk time without interruptions, except when we run into the neighbors!  I made the mistake tonight though and walked in a pair of sandals that really aren't that comfortable just standing in them let alone walking around the block.  I walked reallllly slowwww!  Lesson learned.  I'm hoping at my official weigh in tomorrow that I'm down again.

Breakfast:
Fiber One cereal
Skim Milk
OJ
Vitamin

Lunch:
Fresh spinach with a veggie burger chopped up in it
watermelon
cheese stick
7 triscuits-reduced fat

Dinner:
Salad with light ranch dressing
1 slice supreme pizza
apple
diet cherry coke

Snacks:
6 almonds
1/2 c cherries
and water, water, water

Activity:
Walked around block

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another!
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Weight Watchers Newbie

I visited with a friend last night that I haven't seen for a while.  I knew she did weight watchers, and had for some time, although we never really talked about it.  I told her that I had joined for summer and she shared with me her story and thoughts about weight watchers.  Let's just say after our visit I am going to encourage her to become a leader.  God has given her a special matter of fact, easy going, but direct way of speaking that's non threatening.  Our visit encouraged me to stick with it and realize, unfortunately, food will have this power-or try to have this power over me.  That's really strange to say!  But it's so a part of my lifestyle.  From going out to eat socially, to getting the family together every night at the dinner table.  Food brings me together, most of the time, with the people that are near and dear to me.  Most of those times you don't want to have worry about what you're eating.  I just want to eat whatever and have a nice time.  Anyway . . . again, my realization: Now that I've definitely made a decision that this time is "The Time", it's going to be a life long dedication.

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another.
God Bless-
Kara

I'm Tired

I'm sure no one wants to here me complain, but . . . I'm tired.  I really want a quik pitty party and then I'll be fine!  So much going on at home, work . . .  Nothing a good long night of sleep can't fix!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another!
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1/2 banana
1 small apple
6 almonds

Lunch:
Water
Veggie Burger
Spinach
cherries
1/2 banana
Sugar free choc pudding

Snack:
1 cheese stick
7 low-fat triscuits

Dinner:
2 cheese sticks
1 c baked beans
8 turkey deli slices
1 piece choc. peanut butter pie
7 baked black bean and salsa chips
diet coke

Tired of Starting at Square One

The weekend wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I attended the reunion Friday and Saturday and I held to my weight watcher points all weekend!  Yeh!  Down 2 lbs again.  But this is HARD!  I like WW though because I can eat what I want and it fits my normal eating habits, just have to pay a lot more attention and follow everyday.  I can't have too many bad days, otherwise I'll constantly be back to square one and I'm tired at starting at square one!

Make one good choice today, it can lead to another.
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Breakfast:
1/2 C Fit and Active Vanilla yogurt
1/4 C Pumpkin Flaxseed Granola
1 Med. Apple
Water

Lunch:
Spinach salad with Veggie Turkey burger
1/2 C cherries
1/2 C sugar free choc pudding
Water

Snack:
1 light string cheese
7 Fit and Active Ched rice cakes
Water

Dinner:
Pecan crusted chicken w/romano cheese
1/2 C red peppers
2T peanuts
1 piece choc/peanut butter pie(homemade)
diet coke

The Weekend Is Here, Where Did My Will Power Go?

Weekends are my hardest days of the week to stay on track with Weight Watchers.  I've done great this week, with exception of Monday being the holiday, but now . . .??  And this is my family reunion weekend.  Big catered dinner tonight, chicken BBQ tomorrow!  WW help me now!!

Make one good choice today, it will lead to another.
God Bless-
Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Nothing - I know, but it was a hectic morning. I did pack my lunch.

Lunch:
Turkey lunchable
1 C watermelon
2T Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
4 Multi Grain Tostito Scoops
Bottle of water

Dinner:
Small pork chop
Carrots and Peas
Mash Potatos and Gravy
Salad
Bread with butter
Water
(skipped the dessert, but had 3 Hershey Kisses when I got home)

I Eat What They Eat and I Don't Lose Weight!

My friend and I every year buy the People Magazine special edition, "Half My Size".  It shows before and after pictures of individuals who have lost half their body weight and tells their stories of how they've accomplished it and kept it off.  Every year we expect their stories to inspire us to do the same. 
I'm always looking for inspiration to help me in my weight loss journey and I now follow a number of blogs that do just that.  In fact, you've all inspired me to start a blog of my own - thank you!

Make one good choice today - it can lead to another.
-Kara Lea

Breakfast:
Fiber One cereal with skim milk
OJ
Vitamin

Lunch:
1/2 c bing cherries
1/4 c carrots, raw
3 slices turkey deli
4 triscuit, low fat
1 string cheese
Bottle water

Snack:
1 creme stick (it was someone's birthday at work)

Dinner:
1/4 applesauce
1 small beef tenderloin
1 c butter noodles
glass of crystal light

Back Into The Swing of Things

Realization #2:  Watching what I eat is easier during the week than on the weekends.

The 5 pounds I was down has gone up by 3 thanks to the holiday weekend and my lack of structure and will power.  It all began Friday night when hubby was out for the evening and my daughter was at a friend's house spending the night.  I called my girlfriends up for a ladies night out!  After a great dinner, and a trip to the liquor store, we ended up back at my house and enjoyed a nice evening talking and laughing on the deck.  Saturday, family cookout and pool party at my uncle's.  Sunday celebrated my brother-in-law's birthday with a great dinner and cake.  Monday celebrated 4th of July and my daughter's birthday with a great picnic and cake!  Needless to say I did not track any points with Weight Watchers!

Back on track today though.  It's soooo much easier during the week. 

Make one good choice today - it will lead to another.
-Kara Lea

One Good Choice Leads To Another

"One good choice is all it takes to kick open the door to endless, incredible possibilities."
- Michelle Mckinney Hammond, The Real Skinny on Losing It

Somehow turning 40 has made a lot of issues I have become crystal clear realizations about my self.  Weight is just one of them.  I have many more!  But after much soul searching and self analysis, my weight has been and will be a never ending journey to become and stay healthy.

Realization #1: Since I've been 10 years old, my weight has been on my mind.  I am trying to come to terms that it will be that way for the rest of my life.  I can try to ignore it (and keep gaining weight every year) or I can embrace it and hopefully lose weight and then maintain my goal weight of 150 lbs.

Thank you to every blogger out there that has decided to share their journeys in the weight loss and healthy living arena.  You inspire me.  And you have helped me to come to my realization that I should embrace this and that I am NOT alone.

Make one good choice today . . . it can lead to another.
-Kara Lea