Day 4: Who needs it anyway...

Well, today has raised my blood pressure so I am sure that will help with burning calories, right?  Just like the rest of the country we are making ends meet and getting through this recession.  We get creative and appreciate what we have, unlike when the pot was overflowing with funds, like yesteryear.  So, we have done things like try to eat on $50 a week!  We did it too, it wasn't too bad, but not too much variety.  We also recently compared cable vs. satellite for TV, and after much research and the cable company not budging to give us a good deal, we decided to go with satellite, so I called to cancel cable and guess who came around and dropped the price by fifty bucks!  So, we stayed with cable, and get $600 savings this year on TV.  Love that.

So, who needs the over-abundance of money any way?  We can do it with less.  Don't get me wrong, I'd never turn away lottery winnings, but in the real world of recession and living on less; it is nice to think we have a rich life compared to the richest of the rich one hundred years back.  We have internal plumbing, phones, computers, heat!, need I go on.  So who needs it anyway...

Now on to health and fitness.  My sister told me today about Agave Nectar as a natural sweetener in place of sugar, for those of us who need our fixes!  I haven't tried it yet but look forward to doing so.

I have been thinking over the past few days about motivation, and staying motivated and why I think I will this time.  I have found what I think is my answer to that question.  I have put a realistic timeframe on this diet.  I remember all my attempts before I was like I need to lose 60 pounds, if I lose 10 pounds a month, in 6 months I am there!  Not real. Jillian doesn't live here.  I have to work, and be a mom, wife and everything else.  So after week 2 of my failed half-hearted attempts and no big weight loss...I gave up.  Now, I am giving myself 52 weeks to lose 60 pounds.  I am not trying to kill myself to do it either.  The other thing that will keep me moving is YOU.  I have put it ALL out there, so if I don't do it, you will all know.  Most importantly though, I am committed to being healthy and realizing that my food will never taste as good, as skinny feels.

I have also noticed that being healthier and taking an active approach to this has made me happier.  In just four days I have energy, excitement and motivation.  Motivation to be fit, but also for my home, our finances, becoming more organized, and even getting the things on my list DONE.  I have a silly little short term goal to have my house clean, laundry washed and put away, cabinets organized all by Jan 1, 2010.  It has been a process I have been working on for a few weeks, but it is actually going to happen!  :o)  I always have one ball in the air, whether it be laundry or cabinets or floors to be cleaned, it is always something, I am never fully caught up, which if you know my mom, you know what that looks like.  So, I want to walk into the new year with maintaining my household, just like mom.  No slacking and relaxing when there is housework looming, no six loads of laundry...(I hope) but just to stay on top and maintain, and oh my, I think that sounds lovely!  It will also give me a better schedule to work with, to fit my health and fitness into, and it will take my silly stress away!  Stress causes us to keep more fat.  I don't want stress or fat, so I will maintain!  So super excited about that.

I have been reading lately about metabolism and why it is so important to eat throughout the day, no skipping meals and I need to eat a healthy snack before I am are hungry.  The reason, is because if you continue to eat, your body continues to metabolize the food, when you don't eat, your body goes into starvation and stores up the food that comes next so you won't starve again, and then you don't lose the weight.  I have read that first thing in the morning, eat an apple or carrot or banana, if you can't get to breakfast for an hour or so, your body will break your fast and begin metabolizing the food, then eat breakfast and snack and meals in regular intervals!  Sounds good.  I can do that.  Another good piece of info I read, is to eat foods that contain one ingredient.  Like fruit or veggies.  When you prepare your meals, prepare them with one ingredient items, not processed foods.  These one ingredient items are the foods you find on the outer perimeter of your grocery store.  You will eat more whole foods and less of the toxins and junk you don't need.

Stepping of "soap box" and onto "cloud 9"!

Weight: 209 YES!!!!!!
Breakfast: Grapefruit, whole wheat toast with brummel and brown spread, coffee (193 cals)
Snack: Green tea and Fiber one bar (147 cals)
Lunch: Mashed Veggies* (hold the bacon), Diet Pepsi
Snack: Green tea, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 oz cheese (cougar gold, it is simply the best!) (103 cals)
Dinner: I just twice baked my Mashed Veggies (it was a busy day today, no time to get original) (275 cals)
Snack: Fiber one bar and Green tea (147 cals)
Total Cals: 1000
Exercise: Danced with the kids and 5 lb weights for 30 minutes burning 276 cals.

See you all tomorrow!
*recipe on Day 3