Day 29!

I cheated today. I went out with Nora and her mom, and we had Starbucks (I haven't had Starbucks, since the end of last year). We went to dinner too, and I ate like 5 little tortillas and a margarita. The fajitas I had were amazing! I will definitely be eating there again. I thought it was a little high, but the taste was worth it. We were at Fashion Island today. I have officially decided that I will never be small enough to ever wear what some of these stores call large. They look like a kid's large! I think that is ridiculous!

I have to be at work at 4 o clock in the morning! I hope I can wake up! I hope the dogs don't keep me up tonight! They will most definitely be in their cages. I am making breakfast cheesecake. I am pretending like the tortillas I had today were my alloted grain for the day. I know it wasn't a whole grain, but since I am supposed to start incorporating grains and fruit back in that is what it shall be considered!

I did step on the scale this morning and it tells me that I am down a grand total of 27 lbs! I haven't exercised today, but I don't want to right now because I am afraid that I won't be able to sleep tonight. Hopefully I will be awake enough to go get on the elliptical when I get off of work tomorrow, or maybe I will have enough energy to just go hop on one and come back to the apartment, shower, and crash!

Technically Day 29!

It is almost one in the morning here! I am about to try this sleep thing. It is a little difficult without the hubby here! I just wanted to share some exciting news! I got out of the shower a little bit ago, and I wrapped a towel around myself!!!! Now you say what is so exciting about this!? The towel wrapped around me, and there was not a gaping area. It actually covered me up! OMG! The other thing I noticed today was that my little double chin I had started is almost gone! YAY!

I would like to add that after I posted my previous post, I threw my shoes on and headed to the gym! I was going to hop on an exercise bike, but I guess the ones that are here do not work. I hoped on an elliptical for 35 minutes instead! Go me! This ultimate boredom of my husband not being here is really great for my hip line! :)

Dinner was a chicken salad tonight. I am thinking about making soup tomorrow and breakfast cheesecake. I will be able to eat off of both of those for a couple of days!

Day 28!

I am soooooooooo bored! I wish my husband were at home! All I want to do is eat! I just keep thinking about what is in the kitchen to eat. I am refraining from eating myself out of house and home currently. I am trying to think of something that I can do. I mean there are lots of things, but I just have no motivation to leave the apartment. I am thinking that I will just throw a movie on here in a minute. Maybe I should have a Lord of the Rings Marathon. I was planning on cleaning my apartment today, but it can wait. There is a load of laundry that could be done. No motivation! I could go down to the apartment gym. Ehhhh. I will go later, so that I won't be able to sleep. Ok so I am just ranting. I am probably not making much sense, and I apologize.

My husband said that he wants to go back to Vegas with me as soon as possible. He loves it! He said that everyone went out last night and got way drunk. He was good though! He stayed at the casino and played 5 dollars on roulette and won 200! He also said that he got to drink all of the O'Douls that he wanted! I am so proud of him! I am sure that it is not easy to stay alcohol free in the land of free alcohol. He told me that all he wants is the taste, so that is why it is awesome that they have alcohol free beer...for free! I will post again later.

Day 27!

I completely skipped lunch and pretty much breakfast today too. I can tell too! I feel like I could go into the kitchen and just munch on any easy thing to get. I will definitely remember this for future endeavors. Jack was getting ready to leave this morning, and all I had was a piece of cheese for breakfast. He left around 9:30. :( I am already missing him. I hate being away from him! That is probably part of the reason why I want to eat!

I did eat a good dinner though. I had black-eyed peas and chicken. YUMMY! I am trying to wait as long as possible to eat a dessert, but I don't think I will make it much longer. I blame that on the cake I ate last night. Yes, cake! The real thing! It was my birthday! It was only fair! I don't eat it everyday! Ok I am finished trying to make myself feel better about that cake. At least this week, I know that it is only me here, and I won't have anyone tempting me to cheat. That reminds me! My husband had to get measured yesterday. He informed me that he has to start watching what he eats once he gets back. It must have been bad. He said that they measured his waist not where he wears his pants, but his actual waist. I didn't ask the number. It almost seemed like it would have been like asking a girl her weight.


Lost starts on Tuesday! AHHHH! It is the end!

Update! I did 35 minutes on the elliptical today! Whoot!

Day 26!

It's my birthday and I'll it cake if I want to, cake if I want to, cake if I want. You would eat cake too if it were your birthday too!

Ok so I have eaten cake yet today, but that does not mean that it isn't going to happen, and I am just going to go ahead and fess up now.

I have had a pretty good food day so far today. I didn't eat enough for breakfast. I really need to make some more breakfast cheesecake. I think I may do that tomorrow after I get off of work. I mean, I have nothing else to do because my husband leaves in the morning to go out of town. Hopefully he will make it home sometime soon. I really didn't want to make my birthday dinner myself, but at the rate it is going, I will be.

I am completely overwhelmed by all of the people who sent me a message on Facebook today wishing me a happy birthday. I mean, I know that Facebook tells you when people's birthdays are, but the fact that they thought to click and tell me happy birthday still meant the world to me!

Day 25!

I was bad for dinner tonight, but it was my official birthday outing. We ate at a mexican place that is near the movie theater. Nachos, 1/2 taco, and 1/2 quesadilla. We just ordered off of there happy hour menu. Everything was small portions. We went to see the movie afterwards! I can't remember if I told you in my previous post, but we got a pass to see a free screening of a new movie called "Get Him to the Greek." I cannot believe it! Judd Apatow sat RIGHT in front of me! So cool! I signed a waiver saying I wouldn't talk about the movie, but I will say that when it comes out you should definitely see it. It is very funny!

Tomorrow is my birthday! I hope I step on the scale tomorrow, and it tells me that I have lost some weight. I will just be happy if it tells me I haven't gained any after cheating big time twice in 4 days. I promise I will do better!

Jack found out today that he does in fact have to go out of town. He is leaving on Friday and not coming back until the next Friday. I wish he didn't have to go! I don't know what the crap I am going to do this weekend. I hope Nora is free because she is the only person I know around here. I know people that I work with, but I have no desire to hang out with people I work with outside of work. I like to keep my work and private lives separate as much as I can.

Day 24!

I thought I was going to cheat today, but I DIDN'T! Whoot! Jack wanted to go to Caliente for dinner, so we went. I was thinking that I was going to get nachos, but I scoured the menu and found something I could have! YAY! It was an excellent food day today! Breakfast Cheesecake, cheese, leftovers, cheese, and the carnitas plate at Caliente minus the tortillas and rice.

I don't know what on earth I am going to eat for breakfast in the morning! I totally forgot to make more Breakfast Cheesecake! I have to get to work early in the morning, so I can leave at a descent time. Jack and I are going to see a preview of Get Him to the Greek. I can't wait! He found out today that he is probably going to have to leave to go out of town on Friday. Booo! but YAY! at the same time! I will have the whole apartment to myself! I may get bored, but at least I can fall asleep on the couch watching TV at night. Boo because Jack is probably going to be gone for at least 4 days. :(

A Little Taste of Newport Beach, CA

Please ignore the date stamps! It took me forever to figure out how to turn the date stamp off!

Day 23!

Good day on the South Beach Diet. Breakfast Cheesecake, Cheese, Subway Salad, Cashews, and a little something I threw together for dinner for myself, since my husband ate without me! Whoot! I love good days! No cheating! Oh and that Italian did not agree with my stomach today. Definitely too much fat. I would like to apologize for the TMI, but if you have ever heard of Alli and what it can do to you...that is how I felt today. Eek! I am not even taking Alli this go around, and I still had to deal with the effects! To answer the question gnawing in your mind, I am not sure if the Alli helped me lose weight the first time which is why I am not taking it (yet). I would give it another try if I think that it will help me.

I work out in Laguna Woods tomorrow. Yes, it is right down the road from Laguna Hills. There is a portion of the trip out there that I get to drive beside the ocean. I often forget that I live right by the ocean now that the days are shorter. When the days were longer, I would try to take a dog to the beach a day (the dogs are allowed after 6 pm). It is beautiful out here. I will post a couple pictures of the Newport Pier area here in a minute, so that you can enjoy the view! Also, so you can understand part of the reason why I am losing weight. I want to be able to go out onto the beach without being incredibly self conscious.

I really do not want to go throw the dishes in the dishwasher. I want a maid!

Day 22 part 2

My husband made me do it!


I cheated today because my wonderful husband wanted to eat Buca di Beppo. Yes...Italian. I am down 25 lbs, and we went and ate Italian. Lots of bread and baked rigatoni. I imagine the scale will go up a little, or it won't move at all the next couple of days. I take the blame for making a bad choice for dinner. If you have never eaten at Buca di Beppo, it is a family style restaurant meaning that anything you order is meant to be shared. We shared and there was still food leftover. I do not intend to eat the leftovers.

We also went and saw Legion. That movie is not one I recommend seeing in the theater. I was not impressed. We then tried to movie hop over to the Tooth Fairy. The previews before the movie were pretty cute, but we didn't make it 5 minutes into the movie until we decided that the movie wasn't so great. No popcorn though! I kept trying to convince myself that I wanted some, but I was just so full from dinner!

Day 22!

It is day 22! I hit my first mini goal of 25 lbs today! WHOO HOO! The next goal is 10 lbs!

I am watching this crazy movie on Lifetime The Pregnancy Pact. These girls are nuts.

I cheated this morning for breakfast. It was not worth it. I made breakfast for the hubby, and I had 2 sausage and biscuits. They were too heavy. I should have just made the turkey bacon. I am so ready to be finished with that Jennie-O Turkey Bacon. He is working again today! The place where he worked yesterday wouldn't let them stay after midnight which adds another day to his week. I really want to go see a movie today, so I hope he gets home in time to do that!

I will post again later. :)

Day 21 part 2

I have been home all day long! I have had a very successful day! My apartment is totally clean, all of my laundry is finished, I ate healthy today, and get ready for this! I took my butt to the gym at my apartment complex! Got on the elliptical and thirty minutes later, my legs felt like complete jello. It has definitely been too long! I will definitely either be purchasing headphones for tomorrow, or I will be forcing my husband to go with me because I need either communication or music to keep me going. There are TVs, but someone had it on the history channel. I need a good movie or something not learning about how to make the killshot. It is now around 9 o' clock, and I imagine I will be waiting on my husband for a while. I am ready for him to be home! I am also ready for my keys to magically appear back in my hands.

Day 21!

It is day 21! I am 23 lbs down! My pants I just bought do not fit well anymore! YAY! I am thinking that in a couple of weeks I will most definitely have to buy a new pair!

I woke up sooo late today! I got up around 1 in this afternoon. I have no idea where my keys are, so I can't go anywhere. It looks like a television day for me! The roommate borrowed my keys last night to get the jumper cables out of my car (How on earth do I live with two guys and neither of them have jumper cables in their cars?). He never gave my keys back. I really wanted to go see The Blind Side today while my husband is working. He doesn't care to see it. I think he is afraid he will cry at the theater. Hehehehe!

Day 20!

I have made it to day 20! That seems like a pretty big milestone! I stepped on the scale today, and when I wiggled a little the weight did not move. According to the scale today, I am down 21 lbs! That was this afternoon, so hopefully in the morning it will be like 25 lbs! That is what my first mini goal is, and it would make me feel wonderful! If not, being down 25 lbs would be a nice birthday present on Thursday!

I had an OK food day! Breakfast Cheesecake, Cheese, OMG a Sub in a Tub from Jersey Mike's (I have never had one until today, and it will definitely not be the last!), Cashews, and I had the filling of a Fresco Ranchero Chicken Taco and a whole Fresco Chicken Burrito Supreme (whole as in I did eat the tortilla. I am guilty. I cheated, but as always honest about it.) Milk too! Oh and I don't think I ever tell you, but I have dessert every night! It might be a fudgcicle or two or maybe even the Fake Peanut Butter Fudge Shake creation.

It took me forever to decide what to eat for dinner. If I would have had chicken or something here to make here, I would have just eaten at home. I get tired of searching for things on the menu to eat or what I can eat and remove something from. It is nice knowing I can go anywhere to eat, but much easier to eat at home! :)

Day 19!

Here are a couple of pluses to losing weight...losing that dreadful back fat and being able to cross your legs comfortably. YAY!

I had a very good food day! Breakfast Cheesecake, Skipped snack, Boston Market for lunch (White Chicken, green beans, and mixed veggies minus the carrots), cashews, Salad and Tomato, onion, garlic, feta stuffed chicken! YUM!

One of my friends has a ticker on her blog, and I am totally stealing the idea! Thanks for the idea Cheyenne!

It is so windy here! It rained really hard earlier, and I am so ready for this rain to pass! When it rains all I want to do is lie in bed and sleep all day especially when it is this dreaded time of the month.

Tomorrow is FRIDAY! WHOO HOO! I am planning on (whether or not this actually happens..I will let you know) getting up REALLY early in the morning and being at this store at 6 in the morning, so I can get off of work at 2:30. Hopefully it will rain one more time after I get home, and at that point I hope to be lying in bed taking a nap. Ahhhhhh that sounds wonderful!

Day 18!

Hello day 18! It is still raining! YUCK! Rain, rain go away!

Breakfast cheesecake gets better everyday! For some reason, it seems sweeter everyday! Cheese for snack, Quiznos cobb salad for lunch. Revlon make up until I was blue in the face. Chicken Saute for dinner! If I haven't already given you this recipe, I will today! Oh my gosh it is delicious!

Savory Chicken Saute

2 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 boneless chicken breasts (I just use however many I want)
1 large onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T. fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
Pinch of salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the chicken breasts in the oil for 4 minutes, then turn them over and add the onion. Cover and cook for 3 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, rosemary, and broth. Cover and cook until the onion is tender-crisp, about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

It is sooooo good and sooo easy to make! The onions are great!

So another day I stepped on the scale...I am convinced that it is getting stuck. Here is the deal. I step on the scale, and it will go to one weight. I will wiggle a little, and it will move up. ??!! Which weight am I supposed to trust? I mean I know if I bounce up and down on a scale the weight will fluctuate even beyond what you weigh because of the acceleration of your body. Whoa....I really did get something out of my high school physics class..SCARY! If you are out there, please give me your opinion!

I am officially being visited by Aunt Flo. She is being very intrusive, but when is she not. I apologize for the TMI, but it is just part of me being honest with this diet blog. I am totally craving chocolate. Lucky for me I have fudgcicles because I would have totally grabbed those M&Ms at Blockbuster tonight. Oh which reminds me I have a cheat to admit to! At lunch, I ate 1/3 of the pita that came with my salad. I am telling you it is the craving that AF brings.

Day 17!

I bought a drink today at lunch thinking that the place I was at would have a better sugar free option. The only option was Diet Coke! YUCK! I totally would not have bought a drink had I known that. I would have just gotten water at the store I was at! The salad I got was pretty good! I was full half way through it. It had a lot of chicken in it! Dinner was Turkey and Black Bean Chili! Breakfast was the Breakfast Cheesecake! It is awesome cold!

I stepped on the scale this morning, and I can't decide what is up with it! I think the floor in my bathroom is uneven. That is all I can figure. I moved my scale and weighed again and it tells me a 5 lb difference! Rrrrrr! I will be buying a new scale sometime in the future. The scale this morning tells me that I am down about 22 lbs. I HOPE THAT IS CORRECT! When I moved it though, it said I had only lost 17. I hope the first is correct!

It is raining like crazy here! It even stormed earlier today. Jack said that there was thundering and lightning! There were even some tornadoes. This is the most it has rained, since I got here! Good ol El Nino. I am sure that the rest of the country will be feeling the effects of it soon enough.

Ooooooo I forgot to tell you! We went out on Sunday night. Jack was telling everyone how he had gone to this bar with one of our neighbors, and so he looked it up online and it was karaoke night. We went to the bar. Ok first of all it is called Detroit. Second we walk in and there is no one there, so we just all hang out until karaoke starts. Third it is all decked out in 70s decor. We should have taken the hint and left, but we stayed. The karaoke starts, and the people who were singing were amazing. Then we started looking around. This place is a gay bar! I mean a guy got up and sang Lady GaGa's "I wanna take a ride on your disco stick." We had no idea!!! It really didn't matter, but it would have been nice to know before we went. We would have at least been prepared. Anyway fun times and a good story to tell!

Day 16!

I walked into Subway for lunch today, and I didn't even smell the bread baking. I just realized that. Usually I walk in, and all I think about is the bread smell. I, of course, never buy a sandwich. I always get the salad. Well at least for the last 16 days.

I ate the breakfast cheesecake today! It really was good. It wasn't cold, but still good. It is much better cold. Subway for lunch, and the hubby cooked dinner. He went to Promelis, and he asked if there was any chicken with no or low sugar marinade. He grabbed some green beans and two slices of bacon (we apparently are known for our only two slices of bacon....it is sooooooo good and just for the record I had half of a piece. My min pin stole the other half.)

We are supposed to be home alone tonight. The roommate is supposed to be staying elsewhere. I am hoping that he leaves soon because it is already 8. I wanted like the entire evening to ourselves not just being asleep.

I have decided that the first week of phase 1 my scale was lying to me (or it could just be all that PMS). I have not lost any weight if I take into consideration what it did tell me. I am down 17 lbs according to what the scale said today. :) That sounds good to me!

Day 15!

The best part of gettin' lean is losin' your back fat! **To the tune of the Folgers jingle**


I thought that up last night.

I have WAY TOO MANY people in my apartment currently. I am ready for my apartment to be more like a quiet place than a train station. I just keep thinking about tomorrow. When I come home, no one will be here! Thank goodness. I may even come home a little early if I can just to enjoy it a little longer. Ahhhhh...

Well my food today has been healthy! I started with bacon and eggs. I am almost finished with that Jennie-O turkey bacon. Thank goodness! I am ready for the Butterball! It is much better. Snack I had cheese. Lunch fajitas from Caliente (Yeah, the ones that I don't like, but my husband had already bought it.) Another snack I had cheese again. Dinner. I have no idea, but I am totally ready to eat dinner.

Ok soooo dinner was Chicken tacos from Del Taco scraped off into a bowl no tortilla. I have to tell you we just got back from the bar. WOW All I can say is that we thought it was a straight bar, and it definitely was not. I will also say that the karaoke was the best I have ever heard.

I made Breakfast Cheesecake today! I will let you know how it is tomorrow! I will also give you a weight loss update tomorrow! I have been retaining water thanks to the aunt who likes to visit once a month, so I am not really sure how much I had lost last week because it actually looked like I had gained some. Hopefully this will be over soon!

Day 14!

It is day 14! I have been and am about to be bad today. :( We went to the theater today! I had to have popcorn. I bought something to drink too, but I only had like 3 sips of it and gave the rest to my husband. I drank a diet Dr. Pepper (I haven't had caffeine, since I started phase 1) instead. Tonight for dinner we are having legal steaks and illegal mashed potatoes. I have tried those fake mashed potatoes that he recommends in the SBD book, but I thought they were horrible. On the plus side, I am continuing on with phase 1 two more weeks. I am planning on making Breakfast Cheesecake tomorrow! I will put the recipe at the bottom! This recipe will ensure that Jack and I have breakfast for the next week without having to think about it. He likes the vegetable quiche cups even if they are cold, I do not. We don't have a microwave to nuke them either nor do I want one. :)

Sorry I cut that short earlier! I had to finish making dinner.

I was supposed to meet up with one of my friends today, but she wound up not being able to make it down here. :( Oh well maybe next time. We went and saw 2 movies instead. The Book of Eli which was wonderful, and The Lovely Bones which I thought lacked. I think I need to read it because I have had a few people tell me wonderful things about the book. I made my grocery list for the week tonight, and it is incredibly short. I already have several of the items I need, and I hope and pray that I don't spend a hundred dollars at the grocery store tomorrow. If I do, at least I know it is good for my health. Saving money in the long run! My husband has to work tomorrow, so I am going to see what one of my friends is up to because I don't think I will be able to stand being here for very long tomorrow. I woke up this morning to find 3 other girls in my apartment. I was expecting 2 not 3! One of them is not staying here for the weekend officially, since she lives nearby.

Breakfast Cheesecake

24 oz Neufchatel (LF) Cream Cheese
8 oz Fat Free Cream Cheese
1 1/2 Cup Splenda
24 oz FF Cottage Cheese
6 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla Extract

------
In a mixing bowl beat the 4 packages of cream cheese and Splenda until smooth and fluffy. In a blender combine cottage cheese and eggs and blend until smooth. Add gradually to the cream cheese mixture. Finally fold in the vanilla. Pour into spring form pan (I use a regular pie pan and it works just fine). Put into an oven preheated to 400* for 10 minutes. Turn the oven down to 200* and cook for 40 more minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to stay in the oven until cooled off. Don't overcook this or you ruin the texture. It should be smooth and creamy.


Total Fat: 11.3g
Carbohydrates: 5.5g
Protein: 12.6g

16 Servings

Day 13!

I feel like crap. YUCK! I was doing pretty well all day, and then I got home and now I am sooo stuffed up. I think I am about to take a benedryl and go to sleep. To make matters worse, my roommate has people in town this weekend. Oh did I mention I didn't know this until today when I was leaving for work. My husband and I are pretty private people, so we don't particularly care for people being over all of the time. My roommate has had someone here at least once a week for the past month. When I say here, I mean staying overnight. Someone just coming over to hang out is almost ok because at least I know they aren't taking over the living room for the weekend. Ok that is enough of me griping. On to the "were you good today or not"!

I am not entirely sure if I was good today. I had breakfast, I skipped my snack on accident I totally lost track of time, for lunch I went to Carl's Jr. (Hardee's to all of my Southern people!) I got a charbroiled chicken sandwich. I did not eat the bread, I repeat, I did not eat the bread. Here was my problem with the sandwich, it had some kind of sauce on it. I should have asked if there was a sauce on it, but I didn't because the person taking orders had a very thick latin accent. I am not entirely sure what the sauce was. It could have been teriyaki! EEKS! I am sure it was loaded with sugar. I did not have the bread though even though it looked wheat. Ok, ok you got me I had a intsy wintsy tiny piece because I wanted to see if it was 100% whole grain wheat. It was not, so I stopped eating it immediately. I should have just turned the bun over because I would have seen the *gasp* flour on the bottom of it. I ate a few nuts for a snack. Then for dinner I made a chicken saute that was to die for too bad I can't really taste, but what I did taste I loved!

I can't wait to go see a movie tomorrow! Hopefully I will get to go see one! My husband is off of work and one of my friends will be driving down the Pacific Coast Highway or as we people who live in California call it, the PCH. I cannot wait to see her and hear a southern accent in person! OMG I am going to be in heaven! Then Jack and I can go see a movie or two! :) YAY!

Day 12!

I am so lightheaded. I think it is the stuff I used on the carpet today. Bleech! I feel like crap. I am about to eat something small just to make sure it isn't food.

I had the best lunch at Boston Market today! 1/4 White Chicken, green beans, and mixed veggies minus the carrots. It was awesome! I ate really well today. I had a SBD drink packet for my second snack today. I had forgotten how good those are! I even remembered to make vegetable quiche cups today! I am planning on continuing this phase 1 for a couple more weeks. Which is why I am happy about the Vegetable quiche cups! I don't have to think about breakfast for the next few days! Ahhhhh! No "eat peanut butter and cheese and run" days!

Day 11!

There are still sweets left from my husband's excursion to the bakery yesterday. That is where that wonderful baklava came from. He just went in for 1 thing, but had to spend 10 dollars to use his card. I can't wait for the rest of the sweets to be out of my apartment! I should probably just eat a fudgcicle, but the consistency isn't the same. All of this torture because I ate a piece of freakin' baklava. I should have just not eaten it! Jeez! It is all my husband's fault.

I have had a good day eating! I ate the rest of my beef stew that I made the other night for lunch. I am still debating on dinner. Turkey meatloaf? I don't know what I want my sides to be though. Hmmmm. I will have to think about it!

Update

Turkey meatloaf and pinto beans for dinner! The sweets are gone!!!! My husband ate them all tonight! YAY! No more temptations! He crashed after dinner, and I can't help but wonder if it was a sugar crash. I am getting ready to crash myself, but it is around 10 at night. I think it is about time for the favorite fudgcicle!

Day 10!

I am sharing a picture of the beach with you to justify to you that I cheated.

Yep that is right! I cheated. My husband wanted Mexican food. I was going to get fajitas, but I really don't like the fajitas from the restaurant we get our food from....soooooo...I got nachos instead (The only illegal thing was the chips). My thoughts are that if you are going to cheat you better make it worth it. To my surprise, I ate maybe half of my nachos. I just didn't want the rest. I was done. I have decided that the "I'm so stuffed" feeling is something that I just don't want to have. Ok ok I have one more indulgence to admit. I had a piece of baklava, but like I said, "If you are going to cheat you better make it worth it." Honestly I could have eaten SBD friendly today and been perfectly fine. I really didn't want the sweet stuff, and I was totally prepared to make dinner. I made the decision to cheat. I had control of it. The rest of my day was South Beach friendly as will my day be tomorrow. I would also like to add that I did walk today! :) I had to make up eating those chips and baklava a little bit. I really should have just gotten on the elliptical.

Oh have I mentioned that my husband is attempting stand up. He is hilarious, so why not?

Day 9!

Already Day 9? It doesn't seem like it has been that long! I had a half way decent food day. My day did not start off as intended with breakfast. My day started off with a phone call asking me to come pick up my husband from work. He was having a bad day with his anxiety. Instead of grabbing breakfast and heading to work, I shot out the door to go get him. I didn't eat until after I was able to get him in to see a doctor. That was around 10:30, and even then I didn't eat until I got home. I will admit though, I stopped by Farmer John's and grabbed him a burger, and I took two bites out of it (One bite with a little bun, second without-I thought the second bite was better). I had never had one before, so I had to try it. They are pretty good. I actually had an AMAZING salad for lunch! WOW! I love this Salad 2000 place (I think that is the name of it). You can either choose a salad off of the wall or make your own.

I made peanut crusted chicken for dinner. I was trying to think of a good substitute for breaded chicken. It turned out pretty good. My husband really liked it. I think it was missing something, but I am still not quite sure what. I also thought the chicken breast were a bit large, and that was probably my real problem with it.

I can't wait to step on the scale in the morning to see if I have lost some more weight! I stepped on it tonight, and I am hoping that overnight I will lose some water weight and be down a couple more lbs! I will most definitely let you know!

I love fudgcicles! They are amazing and only 40 calories, so you can have 2!

My friend arrived in LA last night! I am so excited that I actually get to see someone from Tennessee this week! Ahh! If only it were a family member, that would make it even better!

Phase 1 Food List

I have recently discovered that a lot of people do not have the most updated list of foods for the South Beach Diet. The book I have is copyrighted 2007.

Foods to Enjoy

Beef

Lean* cuts such as:

Bottom Round

Eye of Round

Flank Steak

Ground Beef:

Extra lean (96/4)

Lean (92/8)

Sirloin (90/10)

London Broil

Pastrami, lean

Sirloin Steak

T-bone

Tenderloin

Top Loin

Top Round

*Lean meat has 10 g or less of total fat and 4.5 g or less of saturated fat per 100 g portion.

Poultry (Skinless)

Cornish Hen

Low-fat turkey sausage (3-6 g of fat per 60 g serving) can be eaten as an occasional treat (approximately once a week)

Turkey Bacon

Turkey or Chicken breast

Seafood

All types of fish and shellfish (Limit those high in mercury, such as swordfish, tilefish, albacore tuna-use light tuna instead-and shark)

Salmon roe

Sashimi

Pork

Boiled ham

Canadian Bacon

Loin

Tenderloin

Veal

Chop

Cutlet, leg

Top round

Lamb (Remove all visible fat)

Center cut

Chop

Loin

Lunchmeat (Fat-free or Low-fat only)

Boiled Ham

Deli-sliced turkey breast

Steamship round roast beef

Smoked ham

Soy-Based Substitutes

Unless otherwise stated, look for products that have 6 g or less of fat per 2-3 oz. serving.

Bacon

Burger

Chicken, unbreaded

Hot dogs

Sausage patties and links

Seitan

soy crumbles-1/4 cup (2 oz.) suggested serving size

Tempeh-1/4 cup suggested serving size

Tofu (all varieties)-1/2 cup suggested serving size

Yuba (bean curd on sheet)

Cheese (Fat-free or Reduced Fat)

For hard cheese, look for varieties that have 6 g or less of fat per ounce.

American

Cheddar

Cottage Cheese, 1%, 2%, or fat-free

Feta

Mozzarella

Parmesan

Provolone

Part-Skim ricotta

Part-Skim string

Swiss

Eggs

The use of whole eggs is not limited unless otherwise directed by your doctor. Egg whites and egg substitutes are okay.

Dairy

2 cups allowed daily, including plain, nonfat or low-fat yogurt.

Buttermilk, 1% or fat-free

Half-and-half, fat-free (less that 2 Tbs.)

Milk, 1% or fat-free

Soy milk, low-fat plain, vanilla, or sucralose-containing (4 g or less of fat per 8 oz. serving) Be sure that the product does not contain high-fructose corn syrup.

Yogurt, low-fat or nonfat plain

Legumes

Start with a 1/3 to 1/2 cup serving size

Adzuki beans

Black beans

Black-eyed peas

Broad beans

Butter beans

Cannellini beans

Chickpeas (garbanzos)

Edamame

Great Northern Beans

Italian beans

Kidney beans

Lentils

Lima beans

Mung beans

Navy beans

Pigeon beans

Pinto beans

Soy beans

Split peas

White beans

Vegetables

May use fresh, frozen, or canned without added sugar. Eat a minimum of 2 cups with lunch and dinner.

Artichokes

Arugula

Asparagus

Avocados

Bok choy

Broccoli

Broccoli rabe

Brussels sprouts

Cabbage

Capers

Cauliflower

Celery

Chayote

Collard greens

Cucumbers

Eggplant

Endive

Fennel

Garlic

Green beans

Hearts of palm

Jicama

Kale

Leeks

Lettuce (all varieties)

Mushrooms (all varieties)

Mustard greens

Okra

Onions

Parsley

Peppers (all varieties)

Pickles (dill or artificially sweetened)

Radicchio

Radishes

Rhubarb

Sauerkraut

Scallions

Sea vegetables

Snap peas

Snow peas

Spinach

Sprouts, alfalfa

Squash, spaghetti

Squash, summer yellow zucchini

Swiss chard

Tomatoes

Tomato juice

Turnip greens

Vegetable juice cocktail

Water chestnuts

Watercress

Wax beans

Nuts and Seeds

Limit to one serving per day as specified. Dry roasted is recommended.

Almonds-15

Brazil nuts-4

Cashews-15

Filberts-25

Flaxseed-3 Tbs. (1 oz.)

Hazelnuts-25

Macadamias-8

Peanut butter, natural, and other nut butters-2 Tbs.

Peanuts-20 small (dry roasted or boiled)

Pecans-15

Pine nuts (pignoli)-1 oz.

Pistachios-30

Pumpkin seeds-3Tbs. (1 oz.)

Sesame seeds-3 Tbs. (1 oz.)

Soy nuts-1/4 cup

Sunflower seeds-3 Tbs. (1 oz.)

Walnuts-15

Fat and Oils

Up to 2 tablespoons of the following fats or oils are allowed daily. Monounsaturated oils are particularly recommended.

Monounsaturated Oils

Canola oil

Olive oil (particularly extra-virgin)

Polyunsaturated Oils or a Blend of Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated

Corn

Flaxseed

Grapeseed

Peanut

Safflower

Sesame

Soy bean

Sunflower

Other Fat Choices

Avocado-1/2 whole=1 Tbs. oil

Guacamole-1/2 cup=1 Tbs. oil

Margarine-those that do not contain trans fatty acids

Mayonnaise, regular-1 Tbs.

Mayonnaise, low-fat-2 Tbs. (avoid varieties made with high-fructose corn syrup)

Olives (green or ripe)-15=1/2 Tbs. oil

Salad dressing-2 Tbs. Use those that contain 3 g of sugar or less per 2 Tbs. Best choices contain canola or olive oil. Dressings labeled "low-carb" may only be used if they meet these guidelines.

Trans fat-free spreads

Seasonings and Condiments

All spices that contain no added sugar

Broth

Espresso powder

Extracts (almond, vanilla, or others)

Horseradish sauce

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter! spray

Lemon juice

Lime juice

Pepper (black, cayenne, red, white)

Salsa (check label for added sugar)

Use the following toppings and sauces sparingly; check label for added sugar or monosodium glutamate (MSG):

Cream cheese, fat-free or light 2 Tbs.

Hot sauce

"Low-carb" condiments may only be used if they are trans-fat free and contain no added sugar.

Miso-1/2 Tbs.

Shoyu-1/2 Tbs.

Sour Cream, light or reduced-fat 2 Tbs.

Soy sauce-1/2 Tbs.

Steak sauce-1/2 Tbs.

Tamari-1 Tbs.

Worcestershire sauce-1 Tbs.

Whipped topping, light or fat-free-2 Tbs.

Sweet Treats

Limit to 75-100 calories per day.

Candies, hard, sugar-free

Chocolate powder, no sugar added

Cocoa powder, baking type

Fudgsicles, no sugar added

Gelatin, sugar-free

Gum, sugar-free

Jams and jellies, sugar-free

Popsicles, sugar-free

Syrups, sugar-free

Some sugar-free products may be made with sugar alcohols (isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or xylitol) and are permitted on the South Beach Diet. They may have associated side effects of gastrointestinal distress if consumed in excessive amounts.

Sugar Substitutes

Acesulfame K

Fructose (count as Sweet Treats, 75-100 calorie limit

Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal)

Saccharin (Sweet'N Low)

Sucralose (Splenda)

Some sugar substitutes may be made with sugar alcohols (isomalt, lactitol, mannitol, sorbitol, or xylitol) and are permitted on the South Beach Diet. They may have associated side effects of gastrointestinal distress if consumed in excessive amounts.

Beverages

Decaffeinated coffee and tea

Diet, decaffeinated, sugar-free sodas and drinks

Herbal teas (peppermint, chamomile, etc.)

Milk, 1% or fat-free

Soy milk, low fat plain, vanilla, or sucralose-containing (4 g or less of fat per 8 oz. serving). Be sure that the product does not contain high-fructose corn syrup.

Sugar-free powdered drink mixes

Vegetable juice

Note: Caffeinated coffee, regular tea, and diet soda with caffeine added are allowed, but limited to one or two servings per day.

Phase 1 Foods to Avoid List

Beef

Brisket

Jerky, unless homemade without sugar

Liver

Prime rib

Rib Steaks

Poultry

Chicken, wings, and legs

Duck

Goose

Poultry products, processed

Turkey, dark meat (including wings and thighs)

Pork

Bacon

Honey-baked ham

Pork rinds

Veal

Breasts

Dairy

Ice Cream

Milk, 2% or whole

Soy milk, whole

Yogurt, cup-style and frozen

Cheese

Full-fat

Fruits

Avoid all fruits on Phase 1

Vegetables

Beets

Carrots

Corn

Green peas

Potatoes, sweet

Potatoes, white

Pumpkin

Squash, winter

Turnips (root)

Yams

Starches

Avoid all starchy food on Phase 1 including:

Bread, all types

Cereal

Croutons, all types

Matzo

Oatmeal

Pasta, all types

Pastries and baked goods, all types

Rice, all types

Miscellaneous

Cocktail sauce

Ketchup

Beverages

No alcohol of any kind, including beer and wine

Agatston M.D., Arthur. The South Beach Heart Health Revolution. Martin's, 2007.

Day 8!

Good Morning! I just thought I would hop on here because I am so excited to tell!!!! I am down 15 lbs! That is right a whole bag of dog food! My husband sounds like he is finally on board! Yay for that! I am about to make my weekly trip to the grocery store.

I have lost 2 BMI points! Yes! How awesome! I'll put the site at the bottom, so you can check yours.

Fajitas for lunch today. No tortillas no rice. I am about to go get it! I am sure it will be soooo yummy!

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Day 7!

It is Day 7, and it is a beautiful sunny day in Newport Beach! I have been doing laundry for the past couple of hours. I got up really late today, took the dogs out, and made breakfast (bacon and eggs). My hubby is working, and I am just having a lounge around day until he gets home.

Tomorrow I will let you know my official weight and inches lost. As of today, I haven't lost anymore weight, but it can always change tomorrow! Yay for that!

Day 6! TGIF!

It is FRIDAY! Whoo hoo gotta love the weekend!

Well I had an uneventful day at work. I was only there for 2 hours. They apparently have 2 other girls that do the same thing as I do. Oh well! It didn't hurt my feelings to have a short day on Friday!

I ate well today! I had a different salad from Subway today. I am just trying to keep with the variety! We ate Chinese food for dinner. I didn't think I would ever find something on the menu, but I finally did. Moo Shu Chicken. As long as the hoisin does not have molasses in it, you are good to go. I ate about half of the container and gave the rest to my hubby. I was terrified that I wasn't staying true to phase 1. It is that whole eating out thing. It just doesn't seem like you should be able to eat out and eat well. The Chinese place in Huntington Beach is HEALTHY chinese! Gotta love that. It is a bit expensive, but it is worth it.

Oh since I mentioned Huntington Beach I have to tell you that Huntington Beach is on one side of Newport Beach and Laguna Hills is on the other! Oh and yes this would be the area where the Housewives of OC live just incase you were curious. My husband and I actually saw one about a month ago at our local Blockbuster. How weird is that?

I also must mention that I stepped on the scale this morning, and unless it was really wrong, I have lost.....drum roll please.......12 lbs! Can you believe it? It is only day 6! At first, I thought it was a little too quick, but when I think back on my first go around, I did lose quite a lot in the first 2 weeks and that is why I stuck with it for 2 more!

Day 5!

Have you seen Twilight? You know that scene at the end where Alice smells Bella's blood? That OMG I have to have it right now sensation. Well that is what happened to me tonight as I was driving home from Del Taco. Thursday night is the cheap chicken tacos night, and I made the decision that I was going to eat chicken soft tacos tonight minus the tortilla (It is the Championship game tonight after all! Roll Tide!). Well usually when I drive home, I have to have that first one. I got that sensation tonight. I wanted to eat one so bad, BUT I didn't! I got home grabbed a bowl and begrudgingly scraped everything off the tortillas and put them to the side. It was actually really good minus the tortillas! I didn't totally miss the tortilla, but it just isn't the same eating it in nontaco form. As for the rest of my day, I did really well! No cheating! I ate leftovers for lunch and remembered my snacks!

I didn't get home at a decent time ok ok I did get home at a decent time tonight to walk with Roscoe, but the game was about to start, and my husband thinks it is bad juju for us to miss kickoff. Soooooo, I still haven't made it to walk. There I admitted it! I am the lazy South Beacher who isn't exercising like she should. Sheesh ya got me!

Day 4

Ahhhhhhhh!!!!! The other morning when I stepped on the scale the number ended with a 7!! Today it ended with a 0!!!!! I have lost 7 lbs, and it is only day 4! Yay!

I feel wonderful today! I have so much energy! I had to make myself go back to bed this morning! I don't know why I didn't just go ahead and get up! Today will probably be the day that I get my lazy butt up and go walking!

I have been really good food wise today. I ate breakfast, snack, lunch, another snack, and at some point dinner is going to happen! I pretty much just eat the same thing for breakfast and snacks. I change up lunch and dinner. I have actually eaten leftovers for lunch a couple of times this week. I am thinking that Turkey and Black Bean Chili is dinner tonight! I just have to wait for my husband to call and tell me he is on his way home!

Turkey and Black Bean Chili

What you need:

1 lb of ground turkey

2 12oz. cans black beans drained and rinsed

1 28oz can of diced tomatoes

1 Jar of a Thick and Chunky type salsa (Taco Bell makes a really good one, if you can find it!)

1 T. Chili Powder (I never remember to add this-I think it tastes just as good without it!)

Directions

Cook Turkey stirring frequently until brown. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes!

**You can add lowfat cheese or sour cream if you like!

Well work was work today. I actually left a couple of hours early from the store I was at because I was finished already. I am a cosmetic supervisor for about 5 (Rite Aid)stores out here in SoCal. Cosmetic Supervisor is a fancy name for someone who goes in and makes the cosmetic department look pretty and answers people's questions. I was an assistant manager back in Tennessee. I am sad to say that I actually have a degree, but I haven't begun to use it yet. I have an English degree from MTSU with a minor in Psychology (I would like to ask that if I have made any grammatical mistakes within writing this blog PLEASE ignore them. I am ashamed to say that I am not proofreading as I go.). I was going to teach, but at the last minute changed my mind. Now that I live in California, I am kind of glad that I didn't go through with the Secondary Ed minor because there is NO WAY I would teach out here! I just need to find something new to do. I kind of wonder if this isn't another good reason to lose some weight. Lose weight for some interviews. I would love some advice on what you guys think I should try for! I am hoping for a human resources position to become available out here for Rite Aid, but it has yet to happen. I would love to be a Talent HR Manager. It is the person who goes out to colleges and recruits people to work for the company. I actually had a Talent Manager in Nashville tell me I would be perfect for the job. I like to think of myself as ridiculously optimistic. I can always find a bright side to things, and I am always smiling, and I can talk to almost anybody!

Second night in a row!

This is the second night in a row that I am up late! I think it is the energy this diet is giving me. The only problem is that I don't want to get up in the morning! I can also tell my metabolism is up. I am always hungry right about now. I even had a snack after dinner and dessert! I am beginning to think that those people who eat every 2 hours aren't so crazy after all. I think I get it now.

Oh and I know I am not supposed to step on the scale unless it is the same time of day. Blah blah blah! I totally stepped on the scale tonight, and I have lost get ready for this........2 pounds! I wonder if it is even more than that, since I weighed myself at the wrong time of day. I will let you know tomorrow! Eeek!

Day 3

I had a pretty good day! I had an almost decent breakfast. I remembered both of my snacks. I ate a Subway Club salad for lunch and for dinner my husband grilled chicken!

Then....

My roommate made freakin' White chocolate Macadamia nut cookies. They are my favorite cookie! I could have killed him. What happened? Did I give into that wonderful smelling cookie? Did I eat it and savor every bite? He says to me, "Do you want a cookie Jenn?" I said (without even a thought about it), "No thanks!" I then proceeded to run out the front door, so I wouldn't have to smell it anymore!

So Day 3, I don't really have any cravings! Well except for that moment when I walked in the Subway to get my salad, and I smelled all of that bread baking. I told myself maybe in a few weeks I will treat myself to that, but honestly, probably not. I will be so gung ho about losing weight that I will be deathly afraid to eat bread, and I am A-ok with that. Only this time when my husband tries to tell me that "one piece of bread won't kill you" I will just say, "Yes, yes it will."

The last time I did the South Beach Diet, I made the decision to not tell anyone I work with. My reasoning behind that was that people have a tendency to throw you trying to lose weight in your face. Someone will make something, and they will make a "Oh that is right you can't have any" comment. I don't understand why people want to be rude about it and not supportive. I hate to say it, but I truly think that they are just jealous because you actually have the will power to try and do something about your weight. Anyway, I did not tell anyone except for my husband until they noticed. That is how I could tell the diet was working! That is what really feels good. When people notice! This time I don't really have that problem. I just moved out here, and I don't work at the same store every day. If these people notice, I will be amazed. Although if they do notice, even better!

Dinner!

I made my absolute favorite soup for dinner! It is phase 1 friendly, and it is amazing!

Jennifer Heikle's Famous Creamy Chicken Florentine Soup

What you need:

1T. EVO

1 Small onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts; cut into 1-inch cubes

1 10oz package frozen chopped spinach; thawed, well drained

3 oz. reduced fat cream cheese cubed

4 cups lower sodium chicken broth

1/2 T Creole Seasoning

1/8t. celery salt

1/8t. salt

1/8t. ground black pepper

1/8t. All purpose seasoning Salt free

Direction:

Heat Oil. Add onion, garlic, salt, pepper, celery salt, and Creole seasoning. When onion has softened add the chicken and spinach. Cook the chicken until it is almost cooked through. Add the cream cheese. When the cream cheese is melted, add the chicken broth and All purpose seasoning bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

I watched Julie & Julia tonight luckily it did not make me want to eat. Well...except for this one scene where there was this amazing looking chocolate cake! One thing you should know about me is that I am always watching a movie at home or at the ridiculously priced theater! The cost is like three dollars more out here in California than it was in Tennessee. Oh have I mentioned that yet? My husband and I just moved to California in August! He was injured at work and wasn't able to go back to work for the company, so after the settlement he was without a job. As everyone knows, it is really hard to find a job right now. He had a friend out here in California offer him a job. I told him he was freakin' crazy if he thought I was going to move to California, but we had just finished watching Yes Man with Jim Carrey. I went for a drive (because I LOVE to drive) and during that time I thought to myself, "Why not?" We don't have kids. I am finished with school, and he will get to do what he loves to do and not have to travel around and I can transfer. That began the short process of moving. He moved out here less than a month after getting the job, and I followed with our 3 dogs 2 months later. Oh and I drove all the way across the US by myself with 3 dogs. I am very proud of myself for that. I would also like to add that when you move across the country it is best to just sell pretty much everything and start anew. I sold almost everything and UPSed the rest. I still have stuff in Tennessee that I would love to get out here. There you go a little piece of my life. I still have to remind myself that I am living in CA every now and then.

It is currently 10:55pm and I am starving. I am trying to decide whether I should give in and go grab something, or just go to sleep. I know they say to eat if you are hungry, but I am just being lazy and don't want to get out of the bed. :) Oh and by the way I did not walk my dogs around the block today. My husband came home, and I totally lost track of what I wanted to do. Tomorrow! I have to walk tomorrow!

Middle of day 2!

I was totally unprepared for breakfast this morning. I wound up eating a spoonful of natural peanut butter. At least I ate something! If you aren't prepared and you have to go to work, it is never a good thing. I forgot my cheese that I wanted for my first snack and then I ate the second snack (peanuts I always have a little baggie in my purse) around the time I should have been eating lunch. I am about to heat up the black bean soup that I made last night, so I will finally have something real on my stomach! Peanuts and peanut butter keep me full, but it is definitely not enough food.

I am not tired today which is very strange. I thought on day 2 I would want to fall out, but I am doing pretty well so far. Hopefully I won't wind up tired and taking a nap. I have found that sleep is really important with this diet. If I can get in a decent amount of sleep the night before, I can always tell the difference on the scale in the morning. Oh by the way, I did in fact step on the scale this morning. I know, I know you aren't supposed to, but it is really fun watching the lbs fall off the first couple of weeks. It really motivates you to not cheat. Anyway the scale hasn't moved but maybe the normal weight fluctuation which is to be expected only 2 days in. Maybe tomorrow! After I eat my extra late lunch, I just need to get motivated to walk at least one of the dogs around the block. I will let ya know how that goes!

Day 1!

I have had a successful day! No cheating! I think it is a little quick to cheat, but some people probably do. I skipped one snack, but I was asleep. The first couple of days of Phase 1 makes me sooo tired. I made black bean soup for dinner tonight. It was yummy! I like to make it for dinner one night and have it for lunch the next day.

Black Bean Soup

1T EVO

4 chopped scallions

1thinly sliced celery stalk or celery salt

4 minced garlic cloves

2t ground cumin

1/8t. cayenne

pinch of salt and pepper

2 12 oz. cans Black Beans with liquid

1 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes (with chiles if you can find it)

1 1/2 cups lower sodium chicken broth

Directions

Heat 1 T. EVO over medium heat. Add scallions, celery, garlic, cumin, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften. Add Black beans, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

Optional directions:

After you add the black bean, diced tomatoes, and chicken broth, simmer for 10 minutes. Transfer 2 cups of the soup into a blender and process until smooth. Return the soup to the pan and stir to combine. Simmer for 10 more minutes.

I stepped on the scale this morning. YUCK! I hate doing that! I have decided that 80 lbs would be desired (more preferably, but I will worry about that when I get closer). However, I don't like to think of the larger goal. I like to look at a mini goal, so 10 lbs is my first mini goal!

I had a very lazy day today. I was going to go search out a pair of flip flops and that new pair of jeans, but I was so tired that I fell asleep on the couch at 2 this afternoon. I wish I would have been more productive. I do plan on going and getting some fudgesicles (sugar free of course!). I really want to try this fudgesicle, natural peanut butter, cool whip concoction I read about on the SBD group page. I will let ya know how it is! My uneventful day makes for a short blog post! :)

Updated around 10! Oh my gosh! The fudgesicle concoction is the most delicious thing! WOW! I say that it rivals a peanut butter fudge shake from Sonic! It is just enough to give you that sweet that you want! It is a definite try me!

Grocery Shopping!

I went grocery shopping today! I have officially decided to restart tomorrow! I made my list last night, and this morning we went to Ralph's (Kroger to people who go Krogering!) I am so happy that I already have my spices! I remember that being the most expensive thing my first go around. When I moved, I really thought about getting rid of them. I am sooo glad I found a spot in the car for them because I never want to re-buy them. Anyway, I have a list made out of everything that I want to eat this coming week. I am even going to eat Subway Salads a couple of days, since the book I have says that I can eat a few of them! Soup is my other favorite thing to eat on South Beach! I have a couple of really good recipes! My favorite is Creamy Chicken Florentine. I had to tweak it from the one that is in the book because the book recipe really lacked on flavor!

My husband is working tomorrow, so it looks like I will be on my own in the morning. I already have breakfast all planned out. Eggs and turkey bacon. This will sound crazy, but I am totally looking forward to the taste of that turkey bacon! After my first go at SBD, I discovered that I would rather have turkey bacon over pork. Don't get me wrong the pork is awesome, but all of the grease grosses me out. My dogs will be super excited to discover that they are actually going to go for walks! My Boston Terrier is super hyper! I am trying to think of something that I think is fun that can use exercise too. My first go around I didn't exercise that much. That sounds nuts, since I lost 40 lbs but SBD was created so that even if you weren't able to exercise that you would still lose. I am hoping that exercising will help me kick it up a notch!

I am going to buy a new pair of jeans tomorrow because my husband gave me money for Christmas, and he specifically said, "This is so you will actually buy yourself something specifically jeans." Buying a new pair of jeans when you are trying to lose weight sounds kind of dumb, but for some reason I always lose weight when I buy a pair. Hopefully this will happen again! I like to say, "Well I just bought that pair of jeans a couple of weeks ago, but I lost xx lbs and now they are too big for me!" :)

My plan for the morning is to wake up, weigh myself, eat breakfast, and measure myself. I didn't keep up with the inches that I lost the last time, and I would really like to know this time. I could obviously tell that I had lost inches in my waist, and I want to see how many I lose in the hip and thigh area. I will let you know how it goes tomorrow!

January 1, 2010!

It is officially 2010, and I have decided that I have got to restart my South Beach Diet! I did, after all, lose 40 lbs on it the first time! I have gained some weight since moving out here to California, and my goal is going to be for the next time I fly home. I want to go home and have people say, "Wow! California is treating you well! You look great!" Another reason for wanting to lose weight is to lessen the possibility of getting diabetes. If I continue on my current path, I am confident that I will get diabetes, and I REFUSE for that to happen. Yet another reason for wanting to lose is that I want to look and feel better in my clothes. I have lots of reasons, but my most recent one is thinking about the fact that I do want to have children someday, and I don't want to have to worry about my weight hindering my chances when we do make that decision.

My husband is going to do this with me. He is really excited because he loves all of the foods we eat when we SBD! As long as he will mostly stick with it for about a week, I know that I can get back on track and stay on track. I want to start either tomorrow or Sunday. If I start tomorrow, I will have to run to the grocery store after I eat breakfast to insure that I have food for the rest of the week. I will let you know when I am starting tomorrow!

Moved from my old weight loss blog! Thought I would start anew!