Fresh Start

Well, I've been kind of bad this last week with my eating.  I guess it wasn't really that bad, but it wasn't as good as what you would think someone on weight watchers would do.  Obviously what I am doing has seemed to help, but I'm afraid it isn't going to work for long as my body gets use to my current eating habits.  I haven't really over eaten this past week, well one day, but it was a 6 inch sub from subway and I only had 2 bites left.  My thought at the time was that it wasn't enough to take home so I should just finish it, and man did I regret it later.  My other issue is, I was doing really well about eating breakfast, but in the past week or two I haven't had any breakfast except for my coffee and I don't really think that counts as breakfast.

So what's the plan?  First of all, my change starts first thing in the morning.  I will eat breakfast, and I will go to the gym.  I guess my only obstacle at this point is, eat after the gym or before?  I'm thinking after because I'm pretty sure it would not be good to eat before.  Plan for the next week?  Go to the gym on Monday and Wednesday mornings before work.  I'm going to take my breakfast with me to work and eat as soon as I get there (that way I don't forget).  Lastly, I'm going to take my lunch everyday, and I will not stray from my brought lunch...no matter who tries to persuade me otherwise!!!  I went to the store and bought everything I need for good healthy dinners and my leftovers will be lunch, no questions asked!!! 

Well, I guess that's all for today.  I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow and keep you updated with my weekly plan!

Have a wonderful weekend!
Emily

Silver Lining

Its been a rough couple of days in my world.  No surprise since I'm trying to get into nursing school.  I don't know if any of you have ever tried to get into nursing school or have been through it, but it is highly stressful.  Don't get me wrong I'm loving every minute of it, but it is a lot of work!!!  So, after oh about two months, of being super stressed and oh so tired I've decided it's not worth it.  I'm not saying school isn't worth it, and I'm definitely not quiting or taking time off.  What I'm trying to say is that I've decided to start looking at the silver lining in those oh so stressful situations.

So, here are my daily silver linings.  Micro super sucks, took my final today, and I'm going to have to take the class again.  Silver lining, I actually passed the class, just didn't make the grade I need, at least I'll know what to expect next time.  I left work a little early today (which isn't a bad thing), just means less money. Silver lining- only hit one red light instead of like a million.  My gas light came on today, and typically it isn't that big of a deal however, if you are in Texas you know it is hotter then hades outside and you can't be outside for longer then 5 seconds without sweating.  Silver lining- I made it to the gas station before I ran out of gas. Last but not least, I didn't lose any weight at my WI yesterday, which kind of brings you down when you are working so hard to lose weight.  Silver lining- may not have lost weight but lost inches and my clothes are looser and sliding off my bottom when I walk around!

I'm sure you are probably thinking that this girl is crazy!!!  However, I guess I've just decided to look at the glass as half full instead of half empty.  You know it's only been today since I've decided to look at life this way, but it really does make you feel better.  It's just not worth it to get upset over stuff like having to retake a class, or make less money, or almost running out of gas. 

It all may seem silly, but take a look at your silver linings and see how it makes you feel.

Em

Realization

Lookie lookie...3 days in a row...

Anyways,  I've really been struggling with this eating better, losing weight thing.  I've weighted in at the same for a month straight and that has to change. I know I sound so confident in my previous posts, but I've really had a hard time.  My life has recently been so busy, which I'm hoping will slow down after this week, at least a little.  I'm sure everyone knows that it is so much harder to eat better when you live your life on the go.

So, here's my plan for the coming week.  Get on track with the eating better, yet again.  I'm telling you it is so easy to heat up those pizza rolls in the freezer versus cooking something healthy or even cutting up stuff for a salad.  This week I'm also going to get together a weeks worth of recipes, weight watcher friendly recipes.  (There is this super awesome website emilybites.com, great for WW people.)  If I have to cook up all that food on Saturday and Sunday I'll do it so it is ready and I can eat it when I get home.  No more excuses.

Next step, get my butt back in the gym.  The plan is to turn my early class mornings, that I won't have anymore, into early gym mornings.  I won't lie, those early mornings about kill me, but I'm hoping that working out will give me that extra little boost that I need to power through.  If it doesn't then I'll go in the evenings like I did before this stupid, stupid summer class started.  I'm hoping to find a gym buddy, maybe I can talk my sister into a membership. 

Well that's about all for today, I don't have any fun food facts (no room left after studying all weekend).  All I ask is that you send all your good thoughts my way on Wednesday because I have 2 finals that have been stressing me out beyond belief.

Hope you have a good night,
Emily

Greek vs Regular that is question???

VS

Look at me, I made it back for the second day in a row!!!  So here is the burning question for the day....Is Greek yogurt better then plain yogurt? And I'm not talking about taste here, I'm talking about nutrition.  You are probably wondering where this question is coming from...and probably thinking does it really matter, yogurt is yogurt.  Believe me I know I've been saying that for a while now, while watching my family enjoy Greek yogurt and wondering what makes it different.

Over the past couple of weeks I have decided to give it a try, and try the different brands.  I've never been a big yogurt fan in the past, so I was slightly apprehensive about spending money on something that is just going to sit in my fridge and go bad.  Here's the shocker of this story...I LOVE GREEK YOGURT!!!  It is thick and creamy, it's kind of like eating a pie filling, just a tad bit healthier.  

Anyways, back to point of this post, which is better for you Greek or regular?  I have scoured the internet in a great search for the answer to this question.  Here is the breakdown.......
Greek yogurt is higher in protein, and according to healthmad.com, it can sometimes have twice as much the protein as regular yogurt.  Greek yogurt is also lower in carbs...so all you out there that are trying to cut carbs, this is the choice for you.  Like I've mentioned before it is thicker and creamier, which is because of the way it is processed.  Apparently regular yogurt is only strained 2 times, which makes it thinner and slightly runnier, than it's Greek counter part which is strained at least 3 times.  Last but not least Greek yogurt is lower in sodium, which is a big plus for all my heart healthy friends out there.

OK, so I guess you are wondering what the down fall is to all this, since I just gave it a big build up (and hopefully made you want to go out and try it.)  Greek yogurt is also lower in calcium, about 2-3 times lower then regular yogurt.  So, if you are in need of your daily calcium, Greek yogurt probably isn't the choice for you.

Well, I have plead my case, and ultimately the choice is yours.  Personally for me it is about the texture, because they both taste very similar, however the health benefits do help as well.  Oh and if you get the plain, it is creamy enough you can substitute sour cream for yogurt if you are trying to be a little healthier.

I hope you have a wonderful day, and I promise I'll try to make these shorter in the future.

All my information was found at healthmad.com

Emily 

It's been awhile

Well, here I am almost a year later from my original posts.  Ok, ok, I know it was only like two, apparently I wasn't to good at the posting last time around.  I can't really promise that I'll be any better at this time around however, I'm ready to try again. 

So, lets update.  I've had a couple of major life changes since my last posts.
I have completed almost two semesters of prereqs for nursing school.  I can't really remember if that is something that I posted about before, but I've had this feeling for awhile that my life calling is in the medical field.  I've always wanted to help people, and I went through the usual ideas, and found the most logical one for me.  I already have a bachelor's degree in the furthest thing from nursing, HISTORY, so I have a little catching up to do!!!  Anyways, I enrolled at TWU and here I am, learning everything I can, as fast as I can so I can apply for the nursing program.  I'm super excited and looking forward to the challenges of the world of nursing.

Everything is the same on the boyfriend front.  Still love spending time together, whether it is hanging out watching tv or going to fun places like the Dallas World Aquarium.  I'm guessing that's good new since there has been talk, and future plans are being made.  Sorry guys, no ring yet, and I'm not going to lie I'm like almost every girl my age in a serious relationship, I'm hearing that clock ticking in the background....lol  All you ladies can admit that you know what I'm talking about.  Ok, moving on, work is still the same, I'm still busting my butt to make a few $$$'s to get me by.

Second major life change for me is that I'm currently on a weight loss journey.  I've been working on it for almost 2 months and I've managed to get off 6.5 lbs.  It's not a lot however it is a start.  I've been trying to convince myself that it is time to do this for awhile now.  I've started diets and workout plans that I get a couple of weeks into and then find reasons, actually excuses to stop.  I've watched people around me try multiple things, like the HCG diet, the 17 day diet, and I've recently learned about a juice diet.  all of which I don't understand why people would ever do.  They seem to be the most unhealthy diets on the face of the Earth.  Multiple of them send your body into starvation mode and anything you ever lose as soon as you start eating you will just gain it all back.  So, what I have decided to do is Weight Watchers,and not deprive myself from the occasional bad things I want.  Apparently, it isn't a diet, it is a life style change lol.  It really is, I'm teaching myself to eat healthier, (I don't really think i was eating that unhealthy before), it also has been teaching me that I don't have to eat every single bit on my plate, that it's ok to take home leftovers, or put up uneaten food.  Just so you know people...YOU DON'T HAVE TO LICK YOUR PLATE CLEAN!!!  I'm also learning how not to stress eat...which honestly is the hardest part of all this.  I have calculated the "healthy range" that I should weigh based on my height, which puts me oh about 90lbs over where I should be!!!  The funny part is that I never really saw myself as being this big.  Once I did though, I decided it needed to change and it needed to change NOW!

So, if I have any readers, and if you don't mind, I'm going to take you on this journey with me.  I'm doing it the healthy way, I've started the "diet" which honestly isn't really a diet, it is just eating better.  I plan on starting the workout phase in the next week, school has been crazy and has kind of kept me from being able to work out like I would like to.  Here's the plan, I'm currently tracking what I eat, which is a lifesaver because it makes me pay more attention to what goes in my mouth, and I'm going to turn those early morning, that I've been getting up for school on (which my schedule is about to change...no more 8 am school days) into my early morning workouts.  and on school days, I'll just get up about an hour earlier then I need to for school and run over to the gym.  I'm serious about this weight coming off.  I know I will feel so much better, physically and emotionally after all this.  If I find good recipes then I'll be happy to share, all I ask from my readers it to keep me in check if I haven't posted in a few weeks, please feel free to let me know.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and I'll be back soon..hopefully!!!

Chicken Tetrazzini....Maybe?!?!

Ok let's see where to start with tonight's entertainment???  I believe I will start with deciding what to make for dinner....I had my little heart set on a big bowl of potato soup, because I have had a mild upset stomach for the last 3 or 4 days, but when I looked into the fridge to make sure I had everything, (IE: potatoes and milk) my milk was sadly expired.  So, I decide on chicken tetrazzini, which I had planned on making at some point this week I just wasn't really sure when I was going to do it, but tonight got to be the lucky night.  So I get all my ingredients out, and measured properly since it's my first time making it I wanted to make sure I had everything ready.  After getting everything ready I realize that I have to cook the chicken, which isn't a step in the recipe (like I have cooked chicken just laying around), and I make sure, again that I have everything.  I precede to cook my chicken and about the time it is done I start to cook the rest of the ingredients.  I read over the recipe a couple of times wondering where I exactly was the step to cook the pasta, but I just figured it was like when I cooked lasagna and I could mix in the pasta uncooked, and it would cook at it baked.  Well, while mixing in this  uncooked pasta I hear it crunching, and I'm just kind of like I wonder if it is suppose to sound like that, and geez...this is kind of hard to mix up, oh, and how does the pasta get separated so that it gets cooked properly.  So, I decide to look over at my recipe one last time to make sure I'm doing everything properly, and then I see it in the list of ingredients what does it say???  That's right cooked pasta then directly under it in ( ) it tells you how much it is in uncooked.  So apparently I just looked over the fact that I was suppose to have cooked pasta laying around my house as well as cooked chicken.  So, what do I do next?  I try my best to get this cheesy sticky sauce off my uncooked pasta to boil it, but look over at the huge mess I'm making and decide it is probably better to just give it a try and see if it cooks while baking or if we are having sandwiches for dinner.  My wonderful boyfriend arrives shortly after I get my huge mess cleaned, and asks what it for dinner?  I proceed to tell him my unfortunate story, and as he is doubled over laughing at me (b/c I can be quite animated), I realized that it was like the time I didn't cook the rice before putting it in the chicken and rice, so it was crunchy...or like last night when I bought the wrong size pie crust for my chicken pot pie, and fought with it, because I refused to go back and buy another.  Apparently, I just can not follow directions no matter how many times I read them.  Well, my chicken something is almost done, so we shall see how it turns out.  I'll comment later and let you know.

Welcome

Hi everyone, welcome to my blog.  I guess this first blog should be an opportunity to tell you a little about myself.  This is my first blog, so if you don't mind bearing with me, I promise it will get better with time.  First of all I'm a 26 year old DME Technician.  What is a DME technician you may ask?  DME stands for durable medical equipment, so basically I set people up with this equipment.  However, the equipment I set people up with is slightly specialized because I work for a Sleep Specialist, so I'm showing people how to use their CPAP equipment, to help them sleep.  Anyways, that's enough about that.  I'm planning on taking a few courses in the spring so I can work my way towards my nursing degree...which lets face it is far from what my degrees are already in, but I'm looking to be done in 3 years.  I know it seems like a long time but it will pay off in the end and I'm looking forward to the new experience.  I have a fabulous boyfriend, and his beautiful daughter, they have become my world over the past year, and have really shaped who I have become.  I have a feeling the majority of my blogs will be about cooking experiences because that has become a recent passion of mine.  I don't have much experience however I'm learning as I go.  There aren't any specific things I like to cook, I'm willing to try it all, and suggestions are welcome.  Well I guess that is all for this evening I'm looking forward to sharing my everyday adventures with you.