Snow days: Good for the mind, bad for the body

Being a teacher, we get these glorious days once or twice a year.  These days are called SnowDays.

Elusive as snow days may be, when you get the opportunity to miss work WITHOUT having to be sick, it is a real treat.  You wake up, eat, and sit...a lot.  And I don't know about you, but when I am sitting I watch t.v. or read a book.  When doing these things usually I like to have a snack.  Luckily for me, I don't usually have all day long to sit and read or watch tv so I don't snack through the day.

...unless I have a snow day.  Then I sit and I eat.
and eat.
and eat.

No matter how hard I try to eat a salad and drink some water, the C's win it every time. What are the "C's" you may ask? 
The C's are:
*Cookies
*Cake
*Chips
*Crackers
*Carbonated Beverages

Sure there are some healthy "C's" like carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers BUT see...we kind of don't have any of those in our house at the moment.  It's WINTER.  Those things aren't "in season," right?

I mean, who really wants to watch the newest episode of Pretty Little Liars and munch on  a stack of celery sticks?  That is not prime entertainment to me.

It should be.
But it's not.

So I guess what I am saying is, as happy as I am to get a snow day for my mental health, my physical health is screaming for SPRING and SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Snow Day to my fellow teachers!
(*Only 111 days til Summer Break! Not that I'm counting.)

Goal for the Week

Believe it or not, my goal for the week is not to accomplish any real "weight loss"

My goal this week is to cook at home all week.
yes.  it's just that simple.

I have been giving into the easy fix of fast food and restaurants way to easily for the last several weeks.

maybe it was the addiction of greasy deliciousness kept me going back?
maybe it was the convenience of not having to do any dishes?
maybe it was because I just didn't feel like cooking?



they say "you are what you eat"
Well then that would make me fried meats with a side of potato products.


I have three simple steps to getting this task done.
Step One.
Decide what to make. 
Step Two.
Cook vegetables that aren't deep fried.
Step Three.
Don't whine. 
Just get off your rump roast, and cook.

confession #718

yeah...i admit it. I ate that cookie at breakfast.

yeah...i admit it. I ate fried foods from restaraunts alllll week/month long.

yeah...i admit it.  I have not so much as gone for a walk in months.

yeah...i admit it.

at the time all these bad habits were transpiring did I even once own my choices? Absolutely not.

Now that i am ten pounds heavier, my confessions come a bit late.
better late than never?

i knowbetter.iknowbetter.iknowbetter.

now, what am i going to do about it?

a compliment

Since starting back to work last month, I have been touched and overwhelmed by the wonderful words of encouragement and compliments about my weight loss up to this point.  Since Christmas 2011, I have lost 20 pounds.  Now that's not like Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition style weight loss success, but it is a good success for me. 

however, EVERYONE NEEDS VALIDATION to continue a journey.

The way my friends and coworkers have taken notice to my change in body has also helped me continue to change my lifestyle. 

--I have been able to get my style mo-jo back; wearing clothes I wouldn't have dared to wear in the last two years---mainly because my pants don't create a FULL muffin top and scarves don't accentuate my triple chins. 


--I have felt more confident in my self over all.  Smiling more and just generally more pleased with myself and others around me.

I have felt the positive energy in my body and heart.  If I quit now, I not only quit myself, but I am quitting the belief from others that what I am doing is healthy and awesome.

So, THANK YOU to all who have read my blog with me, given me a compliment on ANYTHING lately.

YOU MATTER.  YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
...now go continue on your journey too (whatever that may be)

Dipped Cone

So from my very personal opinion (which is typically spot on when it comes to food) the Chocolate Dipped Cone from McDonalds is NOT worth the extra calories.

it is NOT worthy for the following reasons:
#1: the chocolate tastes just so-so.
#2: The ice cream MELTS inside the chocolate coating causing a sticky flow of "ice cream" to run down your hand and ALL OVER EVERYTHING around you.
#3:  you actually get LESS ice cream due to the dipping of the chocolate--RIP OFF!
#4:  you increase your calorie intake without increasing the deliciousness factor.

So to sum this bad boy up, DON'T BOTHER.

you have been warned.

Attention Ladies and Gentlemen

Come one come all!  The Dieting Drama Queen has an official announcement.

The Queen would like to announce that she can in fact, button AND zip a size 12.

***This is the part where the crowd cheers and waves flags in signs of approval***

It may not be pretty.  It may not feel awesome.

BUT I didn't have to lay down on a bed, suck in to the point of passing out, or use any type of power tool or baking oil to assist in the buttoning of these clothes.

It has been 2 years since I could get a size 12 past my giant Honey Baked Hams (aka--my thighs).

SO today, you may all celebrate and spread the news---The QUEEN can button a 12!!!!!



(***Those of you who think a 12 is still too big, you may sit on a tack and don't rain on my parade!)

Take THAT, Extra Fat

The random extra weight I acquired last week has officially been worked off.

It has taken some work to get accomplished. 
-->A hike this weekend, 4 outdoor photoshoots, chores, biking with weights AND most importantly better choices in the kitchen. 

I have been following the "dairy diet" more closely and it really does have an affect on my body style. (Good thing Yoplait makes so many flavors because doing this on any other yogurt would be an extremely short lived diet plan! It has also been on sale this week to get rid of the old design containers for the new ones!) 

I have big plans for this week/weekend/next week as well to stay on track. 

My BFF is coming to stay a couple of days and we have plans to hike around a couple of state park trails close by.  She has been a big follower of Weight Watchers so with her nearby I will have a support buddy to say, "PUT DOWN THE CUPCAKE" even if we both REALLY want another.  If my husband said such a thing to me, I would instantaneously burst out into tears because he is supposed to love me no matter what--big or small.  If a fellow dieter says it, I know it's for my own good--because they have been there before.

Next week school starts back up and I am super excited to get back into a routine and get things arranged and organized in my room.  There will be no time for boredom snacking when I will be knee deep in alphabet games and glitter! 

...LOTS and LOTS of glitter.

So for now I will leave you with a recipe
_________________________________________________
Personal Pan Tortilla Pizzas
**You can make this for lunch or make one for each person you have at home for dinner!

1 Tortilla
1-2 TBSP Spaghetti sauce (I don't like Pizza sauce its tooooo tangy)
up to 22 slices of PIZZA STYLE Canadian Bacon (80 calories/3.5g fat)
2 TBSP Any style Cheese OR  1/4 cup Fat Free Cheese
Vegetables to your liking! (I like LOTS of onions, peppers, mushrooms, green onions)
OR Pineapple (with the bacon it makes a Hawaiian style pizza)

Trust me, this pizza is super delicious and is WAY less calories and points than a standard slice of pizza!
ENJOY!