Week 59 - or should I say Week 1?

It's been 59 weeks since we started our journey to better health and it's also week 1 since meeting my own goal.  I am happy to report that I have maintained my goal for a week now!  Woo Hoo!  Brent has also maintained where he is at as well.

My younger son took this picture yesterday - I actually like this it!  Imagine that!

BUT... yesterday I did go off plan quite a bit for the first time in over a year!  It was sort of planned.  It started out with having a taste of my daughters nacho's.  I had two round corn chips with melted cheese all over them.  Wow, taste explosion for me.... making me want more.  But I was in control.  Next it was the tasting tables at Costco...  I did NOT taste the chocolate cake as that is a huge weakness of mine.  But I did taste several other things that I'm sure racked up 200 or more calories.  But it was fun to be able to do that!

A few hours later, I was at a Young Women church broadcast with my daughters where a dinner was served.  I decided before hand that I would eat whatever was served as my "lean and green".  This is the FIRST time I didn't just prepare before hand.  They served a pasta chicken salad and white dinner rolls.  I haven't had pasta in a LOOOONG time.  There were bits of pineapple in it as well.  It all tasted so good... me not having carbs to that degree in a long time.  They had these little cups of cashew nuts and I was mesmerized by how yummy they were.... AND, they had little Hershey "treasures" chocolate and I had all 3 of mine.  I enjoyed every bit of everything while trying NOT to feel guilty.  It's really hard in some ways to not feel like I am sabotaging myself even though I was in complete control.  I did NOT have the cupcakes that were passed around as dessert, tho.  Yay for me on that.

When I came home, I nibbled on some beef jerky (another fav of mine) for a while until I asked my daughter to hide those Costco size beef jerky bags from me.  I ended my day with some knox blox.  I'm guessing I had somewhere between 1600 to 2000 calories yesterday... hopefully not more.  I wanted to go work out at the gym but didn't get my son to go with me and so I didn't go.  I consider this a little adventure and I'm going back on plan strictly on Monday.  Why Monday?  Because today I am fasting.  I haven't fasted since I started this journey and I really miss my monthly fasts... it's fast sunday and I want to fast with my children and it's a fast and prayer with a purpose.  I really have missed that... so that's another treat for me.

Brent and I are really missing each other... it is way hard to be apart.  I think we miss each others hugs the most!  When he hugs me... it just fills my buckets right up... feels so good when I'm in his arms and he can wrap them around me so easily now.  And I know he is struggling being away from us and from the back rubs I give him to help relieve his stress.  I wish I was there with him right now!  But the Lord is surely blessing us.

Thought I'd post these pics of me and Brent when he was here.  Sure miss my man!  Miss those hugs!

The other day, the tie rod of our suburban "Max" broke off and made Max undriveable.  That is my only means of transportation for me and the kids.  And money is more than tight.  Yet somehow I found an inexpensive tow and was able to get it fixed in just one day with a total cost less than $150 (including the tow).  I KNOW the Lord's hand was at work for us.  He has not abandoned us.  I feel so grateful for that.  So we try to focus on our tasks at hand and serving where we can.  Serving always helps when you feel down!

I haven't posted pics of my food lately so here is a catch up.

Applebee's steak w/ broccoli.   Garlic seasoned baked chicken with salad (I found some frozen pre-seasoned chicken breasts at Win-co - so it was easy to just bake and serve)

Our Cheesecake Factory lunches:

Chicken wraps you make yourself!  So good.  Chicken salad (chicken is underneath you can't see) with a light vinaigrette dressing... this was amazingly so tasty, I ate every last bite!

This is a baked flounder Recipe I got from here... and adjusted is for my lean and green.  I baked it atop of red peppers and mushrooms with light mexican blend cheese.  It was good.

On the left I had a Morningstar garden burger w/ sauteed veggies and 3/4 cup low fat cottage cheese.  On the right is a pre-marinated & seasoned salmon baked (from Costco) and salad.

Take care, my friends!  Life is good!!  XOXO ~Margene

I keep checking...

...The scale wondering if its tricking me and if this time it will be above that 200 pound mark... and so far... it's always still in Onederland. I can't tell you how victorious that makes me feel!!!

We have been having these YUMMY things: These are from the Medifast Pancake packet.

We take 2 Medifast chocolate chip Pancake packets, add 1/4 cup egg beaters, 1/2 cup water and 1 t. Baking powder... and we get 4 waffles from that (2 each meal). Then we put some heated up Walden Farms SF syrup and it tastes sinful!! What a yummy treat!

Below on the left shows a salad and shrimp Lean and Green I had the other day with fat free tarter sauce. I just sauteed the shrimp to warm it up. Nice.

For the first time yesterday, I had my Lean and Green for LUNCH! I went out with my dear friend, who is moving out of state saturday (little sniffles), and we had our last Gals Lunch together at Applebees. I had the "Peppercorn Steak" above right. I had them hold the potatoes and just give me veggies. I didn't eat the carrots (they are off plan for me right now), but enjoyed the broccoli and zucchini without butter and savored every bite of that steak!!

I quite enjoyed having my L&G for lunch. I ate the rest of my medifast meals throughout the afternoon and my last meal were two waffles my man made. I may do my L&G for lunch more often now. :)

Can you say THIRTY?

So we weighed in yesterday and I lost 5 pounds

and my babe lost 4 pounds!!!

That brings my total weight loss to 30 pounds!!

Saweet!

Then, last night, our friends took us out to eat at Applebees. This is the FIRST time we have eaten food from any kind of restaurant since we started this change. I asked for their nutrition information which showed all the calories, carbs, fat & sodium of all their entrees. I ordered the "Weight Watchers Steak and Portobellos" dish. (330 calories, 3 fat, 38 carbs) It was perfect for my L&G with a 4 oz. steak and veggies. Oh... and it was SO good. I was expecting white mushrooms but they were darker and cut lengthwise so they almost looked like slugs! I quickly got that thought out of my head, though and truly enjoyed every bite! I had them not include the potatoes and just put on more broccoli.

My hubby ordered the "Asian Crunch Salad" (490 calories, 1 fat, 57 carbs) and ate only 2/3 of it. He enjoyed it and brought the rest home in a box.

It was so fun to get out and wonderful to be with friends.

I honestly don't feel like I look any thinner!! It kind of bugs me. Although... I got a new Cricut Expressions machine before my Utah trip and finally opened it and tried it out tonight. I had my daughter take my picture. When I looked at the pictures - for the first time I actually didn't cringe.

Maybe it's the angle, but I think my face does look a tad bit thinner. :)