Superbowl snackies and my tomato pie

So the Superbowl is this weekend...any tasty treats you guys make or any parties you guys go to.

I will say I miss that we don't drink because that is the day I usually have a few.  I am glad I am not having the calories though.

I am doing a southwestern layered dipped with black beans, salsa, nofat sour cream  low calorie cheese, low fat refried beans, tomatoes, lettuce and dip with baked tortilla chips(chili lime are my favorite)

I am also making some chicken tenders dipping them in panko bread crumbs and baking them...then I will create a couple sauces for dipping (franks red hot and bbq)

Jalapeno poppers with fat free cream cheese and turkey bacon.  These are my favorite.

I made a tomato pie the other night...boy was it yummy

Just take a pie shell.....layer fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and shredded cheese..I use mainly mozzarella but also a bit of cheddar in there. and another layer of tomatoes, basil this time a little bit of bacon and more cheese then you frost with some nonfat mayo...really not a lot and you end up with the yummy treat

Ok, enough food porn
Have a great Thursday

Weigh In Wednesday

Last Week 193.5
This Week 193.0
---------------------
Total loss 0.5

Not much, in fact I didn't think I had lost anything till I pulled up last weeks post.  So I am actually quite thrilled I was down 1/2 lb

I will admit I was hoping for more.  I was point on eating and got in some exercise..oh well better luck next week.

So I took some pics of my saggy skin.....lets just say...Nobody wants or needs to see that hot mess..  I am not sure what I was thinking in taking the pictures and then possibly posting them.  I mean really, you can all guess and imagine that its not pretty why put a visual out there....I will admit I did not delete the  pics...now I kind of want to compare them in about 2-3 months and see if I notice any difference.  Maybe when I turn into a skinny minny I will post these babies, but I highly doubt it.

Not much going on today, making turkey spaghetti tonight(I don't do noodles but plan on dipping a few melba toasts into it)  Hubby informed me to save some sauce for him without the meat...he hates my meaty sauce..he is more of a tomato smooth sauce---that is boring to me..I like chunky spaghetti sauce...so chunky it passes the fork stand up test...I also fill it full of vegetables...guess to each there own.  I will try to take a pic of that and show you all tomorrow..although I am working from home tomorrow so you may not see it until Friday!

Loose Skin, School Choices, Life Choices...and accounting

Exercise...yes I am doing it!
Do I love it...no not really.  When I am up on the elliptical at times I feel empowered..othertimes..I WANT OFF.
Food is pretty darn good...the scale is not moving.ughh thinking there will be no loss this week and it is not due to not trying on the exercise and diet front....body obviously doesn't want to let go this week.
I. Will. Try. Not. To. Let. It. Derail me to a cookie binge!

I was looking at myself last night in the mirror after working out and sucking in my tummy..well the tummy went in but the skin hung like a kangaroo in my pouch..kind of funny.  I may just snap a photo(as lapband gal did) and show you the humor.  I am proud of the skin...because hey..I removed the fluff out of it.  But it does not lend to a pretty swimsuit pin up.
Worst is my legs...they are my moms legs..they are not pretty.  They are short and stalky and cottage cheesy and thick Not even shorts would make them look nice..and I am talking long shorts.  Thank god for spanx and lycra.

This week I make the decision to stay at our Christian School(that is moving to the strip mall this summer) or branch to a new school. Yikes...seems like a big decision.  Talking to the moms last night one mom said she is going to stick with it next year and make her decision next year.  Another mom said she is too she did not want to be outside her community where she runs into everyone and knows everyone at the store and sports and such.  That kind of struck a cord with me.  Community.  I moved to Anthem because I loved the community.  It was like I lived in a small town even though we are a suburb of Phoenix.  I run into people I know all the time at the grocery store and quite a few of them all know Johnny.  In fact I am starting to be known as Johnny's mom more than who I am (I am ok with that too)  Not sure what I will do.  The new school looks really cool..its a huge campus about 30min away with all the features I love (PTA, after school sports, lots of extra curricular things to do, $100 less a month in tuition) but not close.  We have a book author coming to visit our school next week which is pretty neat.  She is signing books and giving them a workshop on writing books and reading to them.  I love this..great opportunity for the kids.

Work is busy.  In fact I need to buckle down to day and scope out accounting general ledger processing so that I can code it.  I hate accounting. I hate t-tables. I hate balancing.  It takes me much concentration to not only understand it, but program it.  That is my week this week...

Hubby and I had a really rough weekend, don't want to go into it but lets just say we are going to start seeing a marriage counselor.  I have a lot of anger and I am having a hard time getting back to being a couple.  I feel a little dead inside and I am not sure how to fix that.  Hoping someone will be able to show me.  I thought with time it would heal..but its not, I just keep piling stuff up on top of it, which further deadens it.

Blah Friday...Blah Weekend

Starting to feel bad here....for the last couple days I have not gotten on the elliptical because of my cold and difficulty breathing...but Johnny has gotten on it for 5 minutes each day and actually asked me when it was "my turn"  lol! I need to learn dedication from him!
Today I am feeling TONS better.  In fact I don't think I need cold medicine today, which is good, I hate that loopy feeling you get.  I find I make more mistakes, misunderstand things and just "space out"
Anyone watching Carrie Diaries?  I so loved Sex and The City and I started watching the WB series..its ok, but hasn't grabbed me yet.
No plans this weekend.  Probably just working...need to plan something good..getting bored!  Seriously, otherwise what will I blog about?  Maybe try a new recipe?  Watch a new movie?  Buy some new fingernail polish?
I bought a pair of goal jeans---well got them at savers...they are JCrew...always wanted to own a pair....I tried them on...can only get them to my knees...I was laughing as I tried to pull them up...not sure I will even get them on after a loss of 40lbs...they say 13/14...I am thinking those are child sizes--lol!

Downtime when your sick....

Why is it when you are sick...its like you are drawn to the Lifetime channel...ok maybe not all of you but I feel I have watched more movies on lifetime than a normal person should...I had tissues that I used just for all the tears I shed watching lifetime.  I can't even list all the movies I have watched(because I don't remember the titles..its a blur) I am feeling a tich better today.  Not quite as sore.  Hoping to be even better tomorrow.  Still congested as hell.
No elliptical
Food is awesome..taking my diet drug mucinex works wonders..seriously now I know why they sell it behind the counter.  Of course it affects my hubby in such a different way.  It hypes me up, it calms him down.  Weird how our body chemistry is obviously different.
Did my nails and about 14 hours worth of coding yesterday(although I am not sure on the quality of the software coding as I found my thought patterns were not concise and I made a bunch of mistakes) But my nails look nice.
What do you do when you are sick?

Weigh In Wednesday...Finally a loss

I am so excited to report a loss...I think it has been about a month.

Last week 196
This week 193.5
----------------
Total Loss 2.5 lbs

I am thrilled that my cookie binge did not derail me.  I am glad I got off my butt and added some cardio into it.
I have a full blown cold today..I am at home working.  I went into the office yesterday and was just miserable.  So today I am coughing and sneezing at home.  Working....
I did not do the elliptical last night but I am OK with it(I got in 5 days last week)..I could barely stand because I was so achy after work I just went to bed.

I do have to bitch....so I am on deaths door last night and came home and crawled into bed.  I texted hub at around 4:30 that I was hungry could he bring me some soup...finally at 6:00 I go downstairs and he is sleeping and Johnny is watching TV.  Really....Really.  When he is sick I wait on him hand and foot..Do you need something to drink dear, what do you feel like eating..can I get you some cold medicine   I refresh his drinks.  Me nothing.  I had to go get myself something to drink.  I had to make my own dinner.  We were out of cold medicine and he saw me making dinner and felt bad so he went to the store..but really!!!!
I won't even go into what the house looks like right now because he has been feeding Johnny and not cleaning up anything.  I can see I am going to have to clean the whole house and do all the dishes once I feel better.

So this next week I hope to remain on point with food and get in at least 5 days of elliptical at 30 or min.  I would love to see me increase my time to 45minutes by next week and up my level 1.

Hi, my name is Fret..how are you today?

So the pathetic girl I am got sick again.  This is my second cold since the first of the year.  Not good.  I am congested and eyes hurt and watery today.  Yes, I am in the office, why you ask?  Because it is frowned upon to take sick days here.  Right now everyone at work is proving there position and that we are hard workers so as not to be replaced by a younger programmer.   I left consulting because of the cut throat mentality and I am sad to see my company going down that path.  I had my review yesterday and it was awesome.  My boss assured me that I am instrumental in the shaping the company this year and to not "fret" so much.  It made me chuckle out loud because my husband always calls me the fretter.  He says I fret about  a lot.  I suppose I do.

It was nice to get on the scale again this morning and to still be down..I was afraid those cookies I ate would have caught up to me...maybe its the lack of appetite from the cold that is keeping them from ringing in the scale.  I am actually looking forward to posting a lower weight tomorrow.  I did elliptical for 40 min yesterday and plan on doing it again today.  I am noticing my butt muscles are terribly sore but thats about all that is sore...maybe I need to increase my resistance?

I watched BL last night and fell asleep during weigh in...dang it..will have to catch up tonight on who got sent packing.  The blue team was weak and I am hoping it is one of them going home but I have a feeling it will be  someone on the white team because they had such stellar losses last week.  If they are like me its hard to pull big numbers two weeks in a row.

Epic cookie failure

I wasn't sure I wanted to post but you know I like to keep it real.
I ate over a dozen chocolate chip cookies yesterday.  I haven't done that in over a year.
So I have been thinking about it and realize I was frustrated.
I started the elliptical Wednesday at 10min and I have been doing it everyday and I built up to 35min on Saturday.  My food was point on and I went to weigh in on Sunday and I was up 2lbs.  I was pissed to say the least.
So I ate the cookies for breakfast.
I didn't work out
I layed around all day.
I moped and was pissy.
Luckily I ate well the rest of the day----my calories were over 2000
Today I got up and worked out for 40min on elliptical.
Today I got on the scale and I was down 3 lbs.
Today I realized that your body swells after you start a new exercise program and you need to give your body time to catch up.
Today I realized I could have been down even more if I had not eaten those cookies.
Today I am back to making better choices and I am hoping I learned from those mistakes.

Exercise good.. Food Good!

I did the elliptical for 30 min yesterday...went 1.5miles  kept my heart rate from 150-165  a little less in the beginning and jumped to 174 right at the end so I averaged around 150-165 which is good for 30min..sad it was only only 30.  I told myself lets go for 10 then when I hit 10 I said I can hit 20, when I hit 20 I said lets go for 30..when I hit 30 I couldn't talk to myself anymore and I was dripping sweat!  You know what..I felt great when I was done.  I also did it in the AM because I worked from home yesterday and it was great knowing all day that my exercise was done for the day.

Johnny is sick.  Picked him up from school yesterday and his voice was almost gone. His eyes were drooping and he was quiet...really...not .... himself.  Poor guy.  I was not looking forward to him staying home sick this weekend.  My mom was going to take him camping this weekend..guess that won't happen.

I made some potatoe soup yesterday...wasn't paying attention and it burned..darn it..had to throw some of it away but I did keep some.

Not much planned this weekend.  Heading to the new school location to check it out.  I have found another Christian School I like about 30min from the house.  Hubby wants to stay in Anthem which I understand but I told him to come tour it with me and he says he will.  I think when he tours the campus he will really like it.  A friend of mine sends her little girl there and has for the last 2 years..she loves it.

Food has been on point at around 1000 calories again yesterday...lets keep this trend this weekend..we all know how weekends get!

Have a fabulous weekend people!

Elliptical anyone.....

Hold the presses.  I got on my elliptical last night...only lasted 10 min...I know that is a sorry excuse.  Guess what?  I am going to do it again here in a few minutes after I am done blogging!  Not kidding you.
I am hoping this will be the start to adding my exercise back in.  I need it, apparently, I am a 70 year in the elliptical area...lol  I was breathing hard and my muscles are sore today... that's sad.  Or maybe I am tired from burying my 10 clip magazine in the backyard...just kidding folks...I don't own one, but I have heard some people were scrambling after it became illegal to own one in New York.

Breakfast
non fat yogurt
coffee/cream

Lunch
1 cup turkey chili
edamame

 Dinner
1 cup Spaghetti sauce
cucumbers
5 Melba toast to dip in sauce

around 1000 calories.  I know some of you don't think that is enough but that is about max I can take in to stay on track.  I am just glad I am not snacking and that my meals are keeping me full till next meal time

Well off to get in some exercise ... pick your jaw up off the floor people!

No Loss...New School...Pup pic

Last Week Weight 196
This Week Weight 196
------------------
total loss 0


What the what?  I thought I was doing great with my diet and I really expected to see a loss.  I am pretty bummed I didn't even see 1lb loss.  Trying not to let it affect me...but it does.

I hear a little voice....do you hear it.......
".......you need to exercise.......you need to move more.......you need to get fully back in the game"

Its true...I am not exercising..I talk about...I talk about how I would like to but I have made no effort.

I went to a school meeting last night.  I send Johnny to a private Christian school and they lost there lease(or actually another school swooped in and took it from them) It totally sucks because I love the school grounds..its a beautiful facility.  Last night they explained we are switching to a new area (a strip mall)  I do not want to send Johnny to school in a strip mall and pay the school tuition I pay.  It just seems like a lot of money to not have an outdoor playground.  So I am going to look at a few other Christian schools for this next year..it would mean a longer drive but I seriously am considering it for what I am paying for.

I will leave you with a pic of my little dog Noodle...just love him to death!

A day in my belly

Its amazing how calm I am when I have my meals and snacks planned out.  Things just go smoother and I don't badger and stress over food.  It takes the guess work out and makes it easier making choices.  So why can't I do it every weekend.  I can I just need to make it a priority.

Food was on point

breakfast
coffee/creamer
nonfat yogurt

lunch
turkey chili--1 cup

dinner
salad splurged with some blue cheese dressing

No snacking was needed.  I was full and satisfied all day

Today
Breakfast
coffee/creamer
nonfat yogurt

lunch
turkey chili 1 cup

dinner
salad

snack 
edamame if I need it

Exercise....still not at gym..but walking.

Work is crazy busy right now.  I work a full day at office and then come home and put in another couple of hours.  I am really trying to get down SQL Server

Got Johnnys report card...must work with him on boundaries(invading others space).  Interrupting and basically just controlling his body and tongue!  Nothing on there was a surprise, just reinforced I need to be more consistent in my parenting.

Watch Biggest Loser last night...fell asleep at 8 so I missed the weigh ins...must watch it tonight.  I was shocked with all the childhood obesity statistics.  One big one, 75% of parents do not know there child is overweight.  Wow!

Golf Cart remodel

Well it was a very productive Weekend...I took Johnny to the park on Friday after work/school...That was a lot of fun even though he had to poo twice at the park...I was a little dumbfounded that it was that many times..probably would have been once if he would have waited till he was done...man I hate public restrooms!

Then on Saturday got my hair trimmed and colored..nothing special..same old same old

On Sunday mom and I recovered the golf cart seats..turned out pretty cool if you ask me.


Let me give you a before and after...we haven't put the top back on it yet but its coming next

I can't wait for it to warm up a bit and take it for a spin!
I made chili on Sunday for lunches this week and got my bountiful basket of yummy fruits and vege's  Hoping to make this week a loss in the weight area!
Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

Coffee and Chili Dogs....yum yum

Oh boy its getting cold here...down to 20 tonight--yikes! (don't roll your eyes you cold girls--)

Not sure about my new present...its a coffee press.  I love coffee but I had weened myself down to 1 cup a day since my surgery...since I got my coffee press..I have been having another cup in the afternoon...probably not a good idea....why oh why do they have to make such yummy blends..right now I have a turtle truffle that is just yummy.

I have not been doing well packing this week so I have a new plan on making some chili to freeze for lunches this week and plan a little better next week.  Plus I have been dying for a chili dog.  A friend of mine recommended the Hoffy brand and I must admit that I like the calories..so I am going to pick some up to satisfy my craving!

Hoffy - Hot Dogs Extra Lean Beef Franks

1. Servings:  1 dog

Calories	90	Sodium	800 mg
Total Fat	4 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	2 g	Total Carbs	6 g
Polyunsaturated	0 g	Dietary Fiber	0 g
Monounsaturated	0 g	Sugars	2 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	12 g
Cholesterol	30 mg
Vitamin A	0%	Calcium	0%
Vitamin C	0%	Iron	0%

I also plan on recovering the golf cart seats on Sunday..and getting a hair trim and color tomorrow.

Hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Valentines day and Photo books

Every year I scramble to get my hubby some gift on Valentines day..I will admit that I usually don't spend much time on it.  When we were first dating I found him some special chocolates from a wonderul place and ordered him a box because he is such a chocolate fan and HE LOVED them.  This year, I want to try to do something special and really show my appreciation for my hubby.  I don't know what though...so I need to get to thinking...  Do the rest of you celebrate Valentines with your sweetie?  Or is it just another holiday?

I just finished making my Christmas photo book at walgreens..I had a 40% off coupon so I made it for under $20.  I have made them every year for the last 3 years.  They are really cool to look at and make great coffee table books.  I wish I could get my act together and make a book every year for the YEAR but they are a lot of work for me and I don't get around to it.  I print out all my pictures but just slide them into an album.  I used to scrapbook but dang is that a butt load of work and money.  It does seem that every year the book gets bigger..I think because I know I am going to make it and I take a ton of photos..this year is the largest yet at 30 pages.  My first book..had only 11 pages.  Side note: My hubbys brother got divorced this year and started dating a new girl a couple weeks ago and brought her to Xmas dinner...I was a little put out as I thought it was too early to bring the girl to meet family and I hate putting her in the pictures if she is not going to be there next year because so far..every year..he seems to have a new girl..ughh.  I never brought home my boyfriends unless it was serious and we had been dating awhile...usually because my mom always got attached to them and made it difficult to break up with them --- lol!

Band Update: Loving the restriction.  This is great and my food has  been in check!  Exercise..still failing!

Weigh in Wednesday

Last Weigh in 196
This Weigh in 196
----------------
No loss BUT NO GAIN!!!

Thrilled
Absolutely thrilled!

I was worried that I would should another gain.  But thank the baby Jesus that did not happen!  I was also worried I was above 200 again---THANK GOD that didn't happen!

So I went in for my fill yesterday.  Doctor said lets put that 1cc back..but was smirking and we only put in .40cc   that made me happy.  I noticed a difference last night..I couldn't sip my whole bowl of soup...only got 1/2 cup down....and 35oz of water for dinner.  Today its more soup for lunch and I am going to try a banana at around 9.

Drazil got me pumped with how great she is doing this 2013..she is rocking the diet and exercise..shoot she even did exercise twice in one day.  I will admit..no exercise again last night.  I did get my 10000 steps in so that is something.  My nutrionist told me to start slow and just add in two days next week for exercise. Good Plan..not sure when I will do that..must check out schedule.

I was totally bummed to read Diznediva can't get her bypass because she had too much scar tissue from her lapband..wow..that was kind of scary to read.  How does the lapband cause that much scar tissue to render another surgery useless?  AZ banders talked about our WLS choice and if we would choose it again briefly at lunch last month.  I will admit that I wish I had done the sleeve..at the time I was so scared to permanently change my body but really that doesn't bother me anymore.  I love my band but it has been a struggle for me trying to get and keep the green zone.  I have a friend who got the sleeve same time I got the band...we eat different things..we work our plans WAY differently..she doesn't seem to struggle as much as I do..and I am envious.  I am going to finish up this weightloss this year.  I would like to hit goal by summertime.  I am way nervous about swimsuit season as I am a deflated wrinkle mess so I am not sure what I will even wear as a suit this year(may be swimtrunks and a bikini top like I used to in High School---thats probably way out of style...as is the story of my closet lol!!!)

Reality Check on Food

So where am I food wise---here is my reality check.  I have started tracking back on MFP..this is key for me to be accountable for what I am eating or honestly...I don't remember how much food I have put in my pie-hole.
Quit eating out...this is a big calorie killer for me.  Eating out may have some good choices but the calories are still way to high, especially if I am trying to keep it around 900.  Right now I am averaging 1500..way to many calories.
Working out..whats that...I know I need to get back to the gym....I am so lazy...I am so not motivated.

I am looking forward to my fill and scared to death I may swell if he gives me too much.  Not sure what my sweet spot for a fill should be today.  He took out 1cc back in December when I stressed out over the holidays and slammed shut.  I am thinking I should only get a .5cc today.  Hope the doctor agrees.

I signed up to make a stained glass lamp..I am pretty excited to make one.  I have always wanted to but was a little intimidated to do so.  For Xmas I got a gift card to the local stained glass shop and used it for this class.  My girlfriend also signed me up to do a pottery class...we haven't decided when, she got it on groupon.  I love doing these types of things...maybe because its so different than what I do for a living(working on computers).

I got a cold on new years eve that I am still trying to completely shake.  I got bronchitis when Johnny was 6 months and ever since then my colds always end up in my chest for a long time.  I am still congested and coughing today.  I hear this makes others bands tight...mine does not seem to be doing that, sure wish it did!!!!

Thanks for all the kind words yesterday.  I forgot how much I enjoy reading the emails from you guys(your guys replies to my blog post come to me in an email)

Glad to be back~!

So as you can see I kind of took a break from blogging and really everything and spent a lot of time with family.  We had a great holiday..maybe a little stress making it to everyones house and making sure everyone was happy but alls well.
Here is Johnny with his new haircut for Christmas

My mom and Jeff got him his first .22 rifle..and showed him the rules of gun ownership and how to use it, how its going to be locked in gun case and only used out in the desert or up north

I wasn't too thrilled that they got him a gun this early but as long as they teach him its not a toy and he only gets to used it supervised at their house I am ok with it.

He also got another nerf gun and him and dad had some shooting wars.

I have not been good.  I haven't been bad but I have not been exercising or really watching what I eat.
I go in tomorrow for a fill so I am looking forward to getting back in the groove now that the holidays are over.  Holidays are such a busy stressful time.  I loved them but I am glad to get back to the grind.
I leave you with my Before photo and where I am today.

Here I am February 2012-267lbs

Here I am in Jauary 2013 196lbs

Hope you all had a great holiday!