Sunday, August 4, 2013

Cottage Berry Whip

Made this recipe yesterday and thought I would share it. I forgot the sweetener and still thought it was YummY!

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Ramblings - No Sugar Challenge Ups and Downs

I maintained the no sugar challenge for a good long time!  But alas and alack fell off the challenge for about 10 days : (  I am back on.  I really wanted to do a shakeology cleanse to help me get back on track.  I was lamenting the expense and asking the Lord for mercy to get back on track without it when He provided me with a free bag of the shake mix!  I am so so thankful. I know I need to be able to get back on track without it, but am thankful that doesn't have to be now. During my 10 days of sugar intake I felt sluggish, irritable, bloated, woke with a head ache, and by the end the old hot flashes started up.

On the exercise end - I have a partner to run with and that is supper motivating for me. We don't always run the whole way together but having someone show up at the back door with their running shoes on gets us both going in the right direction.  So even through the sugar overloading I maintained some exercise, or I may have gained all my weigh back that I have worked so hard to keep off  : )

Today I ran 2.94 miles in 29 minutes.  I did a pretty hilly route which I always enjoy - when it's done!!

I am very interested in The Trim Healthy Mama book and hope to get that again from the library.  Several friends are reading and implementing the principles and I am sure I can learn and glean from it.

Happy Saturday.  I am hitting it hard here to gear up for the fall semester of home schooling. I will have children in Kindergarten, Second, Fourth, Sixth, Ninth and Tenth grades this year!  Pretty exciting (and with lots of prayer, not too overwhelming : ) )!

Sunday, May 26, 2013

No Sugar Mess Up & the Big, Bad Ugly Effects

confession time.  I was going to write this last night but the increased sugar intake of late has left me way too tired! After a stressful Tuesday morning with every day life I took the kids out for a burger (since I had zero lunch plans). That would have been fine if I hadn't eaten the bun, & mayo. It left me craving. So I ate a protein bar (which had sugar in it), then a bit later a teaspoon of raw honey - ugh- and to top it off a handful of sugar cereal. Eating those things made me sluggish, lazy and just left me craving more. Naturally I had a hot flash that night. Wed. Some honey was consumed.  The effect was bad. Thursday went well. Friday, not so well. I lost track of Saturday but based on my hot flashes last night it could not have been good. I woke up with a head ache this AM and felt like I might throw up. I had cabbage salad and a cucumber for breakfast. Beef, spinach, carrots & cucumber for lunch. And a slab of chicken for supper. Attended a wedding with a dessert reception and opted for a cup of coffee with cream, determined to eat clean, rid myself of the sluggish feeling I have been carrying around, as well as the horrific dreaded hot flashes :-) . Renee, don't beat yourself up four little candies, just renew your commitment to glorify God in your eating habits, and learn from my downward spiral, it is not worth it!

Friday, May 10, 2013

No sugar Challenge Day 21

Wednesday Day 19
Lack of Sugar: Great, no real troubles
Work Out: HIIT 15 Core Challenge
Tracking: Great, met goal
Sleep: 7.5

Thursday Day 20

Lack of Sugar: Great, no real troubles
Work Out: Today was supposed to be a rest day for me, but I felt like getting a little run in.  Abram and I went running together for about 15 minutes. I also did the Core challenge.  I feel torn, as I would like to follow the recommended schedule in the Turbo Fire plan, but don't want to let my running slide.  Praying about this one.
Tracking: great, met goal
Sleep: 7


Friday Day 21

Lack of Sugar: I purchased yogurt sweetened with honey, knowing full well what I was doing.  I felt the effects within an hour as my nasal passages got stuffy.  Very interesting.  I am going for a 28 day challenge starting Sat. May 11th
Work Out: Fire 30, Stretch 10
Tracking: did not track today
Sleep: 6  UGH!!  Ooops, but my house sure looks nice, cleaned dining, living, and kitchen more thoroughly, and they needed it.  This is supposed to be our Thursday morning family together cleaning time, but that time failed to be as productive as it sometimes is : )  So I stayed up until quarter past midnight last night and woke up at quarter past 6.  I am feeling the effects for sure.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Days 16, 17 and 18

Sunday, Monday and Tuesday

Sun.
Work out:lovely 2.3 mile run with Abram riding ahead on his bike. Slightly foggy, wonderfully cool! Hit the cote challenge hard.
Tracking: not so hot : (

Mon.

Work out:I had a great prayer run this AM. Praying for family, friends. Thanking God that I can run! Had a nice stretch session before doing the core challenge.
Tracking: great! Tracked every bite, and stayed in the calorie range I want to be in.

Tue.

I have a new challenge for myself, get 8 hours of sleep a night! Sugar has been under control, by God's grace .  I am still concerned that when I do have sugar I will binge, but I keep giving those thoughts to the Lord. I am thankful to be memorizing Philippians 4:6-8 with a neighbor. It is helping my thoughts stay grounded.

Work out: I ordered some DVD's that I started today. A friend loaned me a workout series called Turbo fire. They are amazingly challenging. I liked the results from doing just a couple of the different workouts that I ordered my own! The pack came with ten DVD's, a book explaining the workouts, another book with nutrition information, recipes and a weight loss plan, a couple workout bands a workout schedule, another pamphlet with a 5 day intense weight loss plan, and 5 bonus DVDs. I am really excited to be on the workout track again!!
Tracking: excellent today.
Sleep: 7.5 :( so close I can taste 8 hours if I'd just stop blogging :-)

Philippians 4:6-8Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure whatever is lovely,  whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence or anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Days 14 and 15

I guess this means I am continuing the no sugar trend!  I am excited to continue.  I am also a little nervous that when I do decide to take a bite of something with sugar I will not be able to control myself.  When that time comes I hope and will be in prayer and do much calling out to the Lord should I be tempted.

Day 14 - I realized I have not cut sugar out of my diet!!  I thought I was eating pure almonds in my almond butter.  Reading the label found there is cane sugar in it, so disappointing!  At day 5 Drew pointed out cranberries have sugar, which up until Wed. I ate. Here I read the raisins, they didn't have sugar so I thought cranberries were a ditto.  I am sure there are others.  I have been eating homemade bread which has 1 T. sugar per loaf, but I haven't been eating the entire loaf in one sitting.  I have determined to eat 1/4 a slice a day.
workout - 30 min run
core challenge
tracking - good until mid afternoon

Day 15 - I am ready to embrace another two weeks!
workout - core challenge
tracking - day off

Renee encouraged me to continue for another 14 day stint.  I will be more careful to read ingredients this time through.  She said she really noticed the benefits after week 3, so here I go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, May 2, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Days 11, 12, & 13

Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday

I cannot believe tomorrow is day 14!!!!
I am praising the Lord to have made it through the challenge. I am so thankful Renee carried on after her 14 days were done. I am so encouraged to have a partner. Even more encouragement - my sister Terry started the challenge! Thanks Terry & Nee Nee!

Tuesday workout: Enjoyed a great 30 min. run and did core challenge.
Food tracking: slacked a bit, didn't record evening eats.

Wednesday
Workout:  150 jumping jacks and core challenge.
Food tracking: didn't track today and ate two salads at a fellowship meal in which I tasted sugar in the dressing. One had sugar laden cranberries in it. Otherwise I did very well. Even got Chloe dessert without getting any for myself.

Thursday
Workout: rest day.  I intended to do the core challenge but didn't do it right away in the morning and never did get it in.
Food tracking: didn't track again today. Drew and I took a date and I ordered Greek salad and black bean soup. I didn't cave when Drew bought a cookie!

Monday, April 29, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 8, 9 and 10

Saturday, Sunday and Monday

Wow, I am finishing day 10 already.  I have felt really good with higher afternoon energy through this!  I am so thankful I took the challenge.

My core challenge has been renewed as of Sunday.  I cannot hold the plank pose for the full minute yet, but am doing 30 seconds strong now.  I will just keep challenging my body!!

Saturday work out: only did 3/4 of the core challenge.  Did 100 jumping jacks.  I have been doing these on busy days.  I do ten full body jumping jacks at a moderate pace then push myself hard for 5, then do 5 moderate, push myself hard for 5 more.  That's 25!  I take a lap around the dining room, then repeat this 3 more times!
Saturday food tracking: good

Sunday work out: ran 2.5 in 30 minutes!!  I was so excited to do this.  This is what I worked all summer 2011 to do for the turkey trot.  Then trained again last summer, basically starting over from scratch at the beginning of the summer.  I was pumped to not have to start over from scratch this year.  Working out on and off since Jan. 1, 2013 has paid off!!  Started the core challenge again today.  Plan to do it every day for 7 days, then reevaluate.
Sunday food tracking: non existent : (

Monday work out:  45 minutes fast walking, stretched, did core challenge, stretched again
Monday food tracking: good

weighed myself this AM and was disappointed to have gone up 1#.  All muscle, right??  I am encouraged by how my clothes are fitting so will just keep plugging away : )

Thank you Lord for new mercies!  Thank you for creating my body to need exercise! Thank you for sustaining my through 10 days of no sugar!

Saturday, April 27, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 7

Yesterday, Friday was day 7.  I confess it was my hardest day so far.  By God's grace I did not cave.  No Sugar!!  I just never felt satisfied yesterday.  Looking back I think I was longing for spiritual food. The day whizzed by without a lot of spiritual focus.  I am thankful my neighbor came over and we spent time looking at some memory verses or the day would have been completely lacking. 

I did 3/4 of the core challenge.
tracked all my food.

Hoping today goes better!!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Core Challenge

Monday I decided to take up a new challenge.  The Core Challenge.

50 crunches 15 push ups 1 min plank 30 secs side plank each side 1 min
bridge 15 push ups 1 min plank 30 secs side plank each side 50 crunches 1 min
raised plank 2 mins. bridge 50 crunches

found at:  http://tribesports.com/challenges/core-workout-everyday-for-7-days

Here are some explanations for the various steps:


Thursday, April 25, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Days 5 and 6

Wednesday and Thursday

I thank the Lord these days went well.  I decided a month ago that work outs on Thursdays DO NOT work out for me (pun intended).  That makes a guilt free rest day for me on a morning I am often worn out from the late nights Wednesdays often turn into. 

I tracked food intake well both days!  Again I thank the Lord for this. 

I cannot believe tomorrow will be day 7!  I am so thankful things have gone so well so far.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 4

I weighed myself today and  have dropped a few pounds!  The challenge went well.  It Really helps to know Renee isn't eating sugar too. I have been experiencing a bit of as throat tickle so had a cough drop. An hour later I had this sinking feeling - the cough drop has sugar in it! Sure enough it does. I am not counting that since it wasn't premeditated. Also, sugar was the last ingredient :-)

Monday, April 22, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 3

Today was rough. I felt off, physically. My children (and husband) endured through the sour mood my being "off" caused. I wish I had called out to the Lord more and endured the day with gracious responses instead of snappy, harsh answers. I am thankful His mercies are new every morning!

Could my physical "offness" been a result of succeeding through two days of no sugar? I think so. Hoping tomorrow will go better.

Tracked every bite!
Worked out!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 2

Not a bad day.  Drew took us out to eat for supper to an all you can eat salad bar.  I refrained from any sugar. 

Father God, Thank you for a successful day on the "refrain from sugar" front! All glory to You!  Amen.

Side Note:  I found this note on my dresser and now that the entire family is well again I am taking this challenge also:  Today (written Saturday April 13, 2013) I am setting a new goal to

1) track (write down) every bite I eat AND
2) to work out a minimum of 5 days a week.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 1 Again :)

Saturday April 20th - day one

I remembered!!  I made it through the whole day without much difficulty.  I wasn't even really tempted at the bridal shower I attended.  I thanked the Lord for fruit, nuts and had those instead.

Lord, Please help me to see this through. Thank you for a day with little temptation.  Thank you for a sister to challenge me, and to walk with me through this. Amen.

Friday, April 19, 2013

No Sugar Challenge Day 1

Let's just say, well today ended up not really being day one because I completely forgot and totally indulged in 1/3 of a scone topped of with a Chai Latte!  No, I really did forgot.  I have been sick since Tuesday. This morning the girls and I ran out to look for a formal for Mary to wear to an up coming event.  On the way home I remembered I had a free birthday treat on my Panera card.  We stopped, and the rest is history.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

No Sugar Challenge

A year ago I took the no sugar challenge, lost weigh and gained energy.  I think it is time to take up the challenge again.  Thanks Renee for challenging me in the area!  I am looking forward to gaining energy and calling out to the Lord alongside you!

Friday, January 11, 2013

The Drinking Jar


A friend of mine started a support group for keeping in shape. Yesterday she encouraged water intake.  My chiropractor tells me I should drink 1 quart for every 50 pounds of body weight. For me that means 3 quarts minimum :-) here is my drinking jar to help me accomplish that goal :-) !