Full steam ahead!

We are just under 2 weeks into our healthy habits, and there has been no shortage of chances to screw up. Just yesterday I was sitting less than ten feet from a man devouring a plate of buffalo wings and onion rings. I'm sure I stared for a minute, but than I was over it. Today I went to a BBQ place and chose a salad bar while plates of brisket and ribs surrounded me. So here I am on a Saturday night thinking of all the delicious food I passed on this week and couldn't feel prouder for myself (BTW, Chloe has did equally well too...but I will let her put her own words on here later, so this post will be reflecting my thoughts only, lol).

This last two weeks have been the easiest I have ever had when trying to implement new healthy lifestyle techniques. I can attribute that to my wife joining Chloe and I, and two great friends talking to me daily and us helping motivate and encourage each other. This is not a one day at a time thing, this is a one hour at a time mission. All it takes is giving into a pack of candy or a slice of cake that could send me back to the mentality of "I already screwed up, might as well eat this too", and sabotage this whole journey...again. I would like to think I am strong, but when it comes to food I am far from it. I am not depriving myself of foods, but I am avoiding the ones that I know lead me astray. The loaf of Italian bread, pizza, ice cream, Doritos and even sugar free candy have all been blacklisted from my food list. I can't stop at one piece of sugar free chocolate, I eat the whole back of 7 pieces in a day. A serving of Doritos just ticks me off and makes me want more. And the whole "just eat one or two slices of pizza" that everyone (skinny) tells me to do just doesn't work for me. So instead of moderation for these items, I stay far away.

But enough of what I don't eat and let me share what I have been eating. I have found ground turkey breast to be perfect for oven baked burgers and dinner size Italian meatballs. Weight Watcher's has frozen chicken breast already in 5oz serving sizes that are trimmed and easy to throw in the oven for 140 calories each. Broccoli, cauliflower, romaine lettuce and any other veggie is on my plate with each meal. Instead of bread, I am eating these heart healthy pitas from Joseph that are made with oatmeal, flax seed and whole wheat that are only 60 calories and only 4 net carbs. One night we put them on a cookie sheet, spread salsa on them, topped with a little shredded cheese and canned chicken breast for a quick low calorie Mexican pizza. Flatouts flat bread is another good low calorie/low carb bread substitute. Finally, my most common food has been oatmeal and a banana for breakfast. I just use 1/2 cup quick oats and add 3 packs of Stevia/Splenda and a little cinnamon and I am good to go. Now that I have a bag of flax seed, I will add that to it for some added health benefits.

My area of opportunity remains exercise. I still am pretty sedentary, except for being on the go on the weekend. I hope to either start walking at Walmart around the edge of the store, or have the weather break to get some neighborhood walks in just to get some moving around in. I also need to quit the diet pop and just drink water...but that will have to wait until I know for sure I am good with my eating. You may not believe it, but a Diet Mt. Dew really helps when I want something sweet. And yes I realize the artificial sweetener is tricking my body into thinking it is sugar which causes a release of insulin that in turn causes my body to crave food/sugar...but in my head I swear the pop helps so let me live in denial, lol.

I will end with some results. I weighed in on 1/3/13 at 395 lbs. Initially I ate well 1/2-1/4 (yes, not too long) and didn't really get back on track until 1/7/13. As of last Tuesday the 15th I was 383 lbs. In the past I would have been ticked it wasn't a huge 20 pound loss in two weeks, but I am ecstatic about 12 pounds! I really didn't suffer or starve to get there. I also have found my appetite shrinking and my clothes getting looser. Thank God that I got my senses back to see where I was heading if I kept doing what I always did. It is full steam ahead, probably for the rest of my life, on eating/living healthy. More to come later friends.

Mike