Week 49 - Met Dr. Anderson! New pant size!

Brent and I had a wonderful Weekend at a “Take Shape For Life” event where Dr. Anderson himself came out here to Portland!!  How cool is that?  He is the co-founder of this program and the author of “Habits of Health”.  And WOW is he so intelligent, informative and amazing.  I was taking notes like crazy and got 13 pages filled.  I feel so excited and motivated and inspired!

I have been devouring his book “Habits of Health”.  I KNOW this is what is going to help us not only lose all our weight but maintain the weight loss and increase our health to where we have premium health.  Because it’s not just about losing weight and not being sick, it’s about reaching optimal health and living a life to it’s potential!  I am so ON that!

Afterwards, I was able to have him sign my book.  I told him about how much weight the hubs and I have lost and I even gave him a little picture of us.  He was so happy for us and shook both our hands.  Brent snapped this picture for me.

I also got our pics taken with two people that have been a huge inspiration to me in this weight loss journey.  This is Lisa and Jaime Castro who between themselves and their family have lost 330 lbs and maintained that.  They have gone on to help hundreds of others lose weight and get healthier and they are the most positive and motivating people to be around!  Lisa is a real example to me and I feel motivated to be more like her.  I love how lean and healthy she is and what an active and fun lifestyle she has now.  Not that long ago, I would have thought that was impossible for me!

Brent, Margene, Lisa & Jaime Castro

So it is week 49.  We have been on this program almost a year now.  And what an amazing journey so far!  This last week I lost 3 pounds!  I am now 149 lbs.... I am in the 140’s!  Can you believe it?  It’s amazing to me.  Not only that... but I fit into this size 10 pants!!  I think I would have fainted a year ago at the thought that I would fit into size 10!  I was size 28/30 just a year ago!  Woo Hoo!  Do you know how liberating that feels?

Me in size 10 pants!

But on the not-so-exciting note, Brent gained 3 pounds this week.  :(  He has been dancing around the 198 to 203 now for a few months.  Bummer!  He has been struggling with stress, lack of sleep and anxiety and it is affecting his weight loss.  We are putting a lot of prayer and effort into figuring out a solution to ease his struggles.  This is another reason why the changes that will be happening this year will be for the better, hopefully.  His weight loss is still so amazing and I still LOVE to stare at him and think he’s the hottest thing ever!  I just want him to FEEL better and to get relief from his stress somehow.

Last week, I made this awesome new Lean and Green meal:  Spinach Frittatta.  I found this recipe here on “New Beautiful Me” blog of Cody Jo’s who is also doing the Take Shape For Life program.  She has some wonderful recipes on her blog that I will be trying.  So glad I found her blog!!  :)

This is so much food and it all counts as your lean and green!  I changed it just a little bit from Cody Jo’s recipe by not using the olives, but cut up some light laughing cow cheese wedges instead (counts as the healthy fat).  I baked mine for about 18 minutes at the 425 degrees.  It was delish!  I couldn’t even eat all of it... so I ate the rest of it a little later.

Here is a lean and green I made Brent last week with just his 3 Morning Star sausages, and some cut up tomatoes, red and yellow peppers on a bed of spinach with some Walden Farms ranch dressing to dip in.  He loved it.  I also made Rachel Ray's recipe of sauteed red cabbage again because I love it.  I had it with some Costco salmon.  Another delicious lean and green!  We eat so good!  It just kicks butt on our old gross fast-food and high-calorie-restaurant eating days!

Well, my friends... thank you for reading my blog and for all the wonderful comments and support you give us both.  I truly wish I could meet and hug every one of you who reads this!  I hope you have a fabulous week!  Be gentle with yourself, keep it one good choice at a time, and remember that LIFE IS GOOD!  xoxOXO ~Margene