Our Quest to change our lives began in Feb. 2010 and we lost 224 lbs. We slowly gained a lot of that weight back and we're now on another journey for weight loss and better health using Bright Line Eating. This is the story of our continuing Journey. .
(For the fullest effect, begin at the beginning in Feb. 2010 using our Blog Archive on sidebar)

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Week 19 Down!

Week 19 is celebrated with a 2 pound loss for me and a 1 pound loss for my man!

School got out last week, and we treated ourselves to a yummy family bbq. But before we could do that, the kids and I had to clear our back yard from from it's jungle theme to presentable.

BEFORE PICTURES:
(Okay, these are not really the before pics but the closest I could find ;)

AFTER PICTURES:
I normally am NOT a good landscaper, gardener, planter kind of person (anything living given to me usually dies) but we spent several HOURS out there and transformed that back yard and totally surprised my hubby when he got home. I was AMAZED that I could bend over and work for so long!!! In the past, I would not have lasted even 10 minutes! I even went out for another hour after lunch. I could actually enjoy this. There was a whole section of weeds half as tall as me, many overgrown bushes, and TONS of sticker weeds that pierced me through my gloves and towels... I have the pokes and scrapes all over my arms as souvenirs. But I got such a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment, along with feeling SO SORE two days later. I was thinking of the song by Garth Brooks called "Friends in Low Places" and these new words to the chorus came to mind just today as I groaned from my upper leg and arm pains:

Cause I got aches in new places

Where I didn’t know

I could even move in such a way,

But I’ll be okay,

Now I may groan & moan & walk real stiff

Think I’ll slather on some ‘ol Ben Gay

Oh I got aches,

In new places!

We bbq'd some turkey sausage dogs, cheese hamberger patties (extra lean beef w/ low fat cheese chunks blended in), and Salmon. I used an AWESOME new recipe for the salmon you can find here.
This was really good salmon!!
We also had a watermelon fruit bowl filled with melon balls, cantaloupe balls & strawberries, fresh tossed salad, and homemade ice cream sandwiches made with choc. chip cookies. We were actually prepared for some guests to join us but alas, no one was available.
This week, I also tried a new Medifast meal: Melted Cheese Sandwich!
I mixed one Medifast soup packed (I used broccoli but you can use cream of chicken or tomato as well), with 1/4 t. baking powder, at little less of 1/4 cup egg beaters. After mixing, I poured onto a sprayed plate and microwaved it for 90 seconds.
I sliced it in half and toasted each half in the toaster.. watching it so that it doesn't burn.

Then I spread a wedge of Light Laughing Cow cheese on it and put the two slices together for my melted cheese sandwich! I made it again the next day with Cream of Chicken and Tomato soup and put 1/2 laughing cow cheese and 1/2 fat free cheddar cheese. My man and I loved them! They are a little dry, but yummy - and my hubby used some Walden Farms ketchup on his. (Note - the protein from this meal would need to be deducted from your lean and green.)

I also tried this Fettuccini Alfredo recipe using Shirataki (tofu) noodles.
I made it with chicken for my man and shrimp for myself.
Here is the Recipe:
7 ounces shrimp or 6 ounces cubed chicken
1 cup of Shirataki fettuccine noodles (rinse very well and boil for 3 minutes & rinse again)
2 T. fat free (or low fat) cream cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. parmesan cheese
1 t. fat free (or low fat) sour cream
Spray skillet w/ cooking spray & add shrimp (or chicken) & cook. Once shrimp turns pink, add garlic, cream cheese, parmesan & sour cream. Once the cream cheese is all melted, add the Shirataki Noodles and toss well. Cook for 5 minutes and serve.
This was good, but needed additional seasoning in my opinion. :)

Sam from Believe in Yourself gave a challenge to set a personal goal to meet by July 21st. I know it might set me up for disappointment but I would really LOVE to get UNDER 200 lbs by then!! (or at least by the end of July). That will be such a milestep for me and I would like to treat myself to something fun when I do reach that goal - maybe a gals night out, spa trip, ... anyone got any cool ideas?

Lastly - it has been a challenging week with opposition really hitting hard, especially with our teens. Could I possibly go in a coma until they grow out of this? My kids are good kids... it's just the contention that creeps in and we're trying to keep our home positive. It puts so much pressure on us as parents when we are tempted to be negative and down ourselves. So it really is a daily relying on the Lord and daily prayer that is sustaining us. And the Lord doesn't take away our trials or change people (drat!)... but He helps us endure longer and see the bigger picture.

Sometimes I really do feel like a wimp... because how I feel inside is so different from what I show on the outside. I feel so much more tender, sensitive, loving, sentimental, and vulnerable that I ever show. I am working on being my true self more... I've just been burned so horribly in the past, but I know that my Savior can heal EVERY heartache and sorrow and THATS how I can do it. Wow, is this ever the journey full of discouraging lows yet sprinkled with the most Amazing highs!

13 comments:

Sarah said...

Thanks for visiting :)

congrats on your losses this week! What a great thing for you both to be getting healthy together. And I'm afraid for my kids to grow up to teens....

divad said...

Way to go on your loss this week. Your eats look great. I am going to look for those noodles in the fettucine shape...I've only tried the Angel Hair Pasta.

Teens...oh my sweet, good daughter is giving us heart failure!

Kristina said...

Thank you so much for commenting on my blog. My husband actually just started the journey with me this morning! Looking forward to coming back and visiting your blog. Im a follower !

Maryd1112, A Medifast/TSFL Work In Progress said...

Congratulations, you both are doing fantastic. Thank you for you wonderful comments on my blog. We are doing this!!! We are getting healthy one day at a time.

Thank you for sharing your journey. You have a beautiful family. Mary

Juli said...

WAY TO GO!!! It is awesome to get out and find that you can do something that you haven't been able to in a while. That is awesome. Food looks nummy too.

Lor said...

Great job! and that food looks awesome! =)

xo Lor

Jennifer said...

Yaay for your loss Margene! Whoopie! And let me tell you how good your food looks. Now I have to go have lunch. I wish I had tried that cheese sandwich. It looks awesome!

I love the new look on your page!

Jennifer
http://wecanlosethepounds.blogspot.com/

Kinder said...

Wow! You and your husband are doing fantastic! Your before and now pictures are amazing! Woot for you both!

Bring Pretty Back said...

Isn't that awesome that you notice a difference in what you can do outside physically! That is GREAT! And a healthy bbq! You are on track!!!
Loved your comment today on my blog! I say KEEP on giving those shoulder and back rubs!
Have a pretty day!
Kristin

Dani @ PFL said...

Congrats on your progress this week!

I'm so happy to have stumbled upon your blog via a comment on my own. I really look forward to getting to know you through your journey!

Keep up the great work. =)

Rhonda said...

First, thanks for visiting and your encouraging words. I appreciate that! I love how hubby is on board. I can't wait to check out the salmon recipe...yum. Oh, and the watermelon bowl...I just made a turtle out of watermelon. You can check it out on my main blog. http://rhondas3boys.blogspot.com

Great post!

ME - 100 = WILL HAPPEN! said...

Wow!!! I was coming over to thank you for visiting my page and your encouragement (I left you a note there on my comments as well) and then saw the amazing journey you and your hubby are on! Way to go and praise the Lord!

I'm simply in awe... and so happy we met through Deb's blog. :0) Thank you for welcoming me... I need to get a ticker on my page like you have up there... that's my next step!
Praying for you and grateful for you!

Vagabonds Mercantile said...

I have to tame the yard every spring and it really is a lot of work but so worth it. Your fruit bowl looks so yummy, wish I had some watermelon about now.