It’s not the pounds-IT’S THE INCHES!

Hey everyone!

It is the last day, or next to the last day, of the Advocare 24-Day Challenge!  I weighed in, got measured and had the stats calculated!  Starting weight was 136, today’s weight was 135.5.  BUT!  Here are the measurement calculations!

“Dun ta don! (so made up that sound!)

ok so your After photos are attached! and you officially lost: 1 pound, 2.5 inches, for a total of 3.75 pounds of body fat (found by multiplying 1.5 times # of inches lost)

Congrats again and WAY TO GO!

You did so awesome! Keep it up!”

This is from Amber, the Anytime Fitness-Fredericksburg who did the before and after measurements of the challenge!  Thank you Amber!

The before side pic:

Side view. Before Picture.

The after pic-side view:

Side view-after.

 

Front view before:

Front view.Before.

 

Front view after:

Front view-final.

Not much visual change from these pics, but my pants DO show me a change!  I DID see my weight at 132 last Thursday, after being gone from home and the gym!  I was in Huntsville helping my daughter get settled in her new apartment. They relocated because Michael is going to grad school at Sam Houston; she got a job and had to get moved before school started for Michael.  Yes, YaYa got to spoil that grand-baby!  No gym available to work out in kinda had me worried about gaining but I was careful to make sure I took the MNS packs as I should and careful as to what I ate while there!

Yes, I DID binge out this weekend, but IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY!!  OK!!!!! (did you hear me yelling at myself…?) 🙂

Again, it is not about the pounds, it is about the inches lost and I am very satisfied as to what I have lost and I will continue to stay on the plan!  I was taking the MNS E packs, but now I will be taking the packs of MNS C for another 14 days.  Those are suppose to really help me with my appetite control. That has been my issue…eating too much!  The foods I eat are not BAD foods, it is just I eat TOO DARN MUCH OF THEM!!!!!  I have a hard time stopping if it is especially good!  I live to eat, can you tell!  I love good food!

I am happy with my body right now but I am looking forward to having more results, so I will continue working out and doing the MNS packs for another 14 days and then take a break from the packs.  You cannot go back to way you were before, so we keep on doing what is right! Or else, the weight and inches will see you again!!!!

The garden is starting to take off, fresh cucumbers, squash, green beans, okra, peppers of all kinds, sound like gumbo to me??!!!  You bet!  But a low fat one!!!  Or maybe even a cold gazpacho using the cucumbers and peppers and squash!  Yum Yum!  Watch out for garden pics and recipes!!!!

Thank you all for your support!  Hugs!  Vicky D

 

 

 

 

Week 2 Update

Hey all!

Just checking in to say that I went to Anytime Fitness Center-Fredericksburg this past Wednesday and checked my weight on their scale!  It may not seem much, but I LOST 1 POUND!!!!!!!  May should have been more but these last pounds I want to lose will be the hardest to lose for me! (5.5 pounds to go in 14 days)  Another good thing is that I did 30 minutes on the elliptical (big shoe pedal machine and Larry calls it!)  That is the longest I have ever done on that thing!  It is getting to where I can’t do the tread mill because of my hips.(need to go to chiropractor for adjustment)…….

This week’s quinoa lunch salads have been Greek flavored!  Cooked quinoa in chicken broth, add 1/2 tsp of fresh chopped rosemary, parsley, and oregano, one pressed garlic clove, a little lemon juice and EVOO!  Toss, chill, add one chopped cucumber, black calamata olives, portion out, and put in fridge to take in my lunch to be topped on lettuce and veggies with vinegar dressing!  Yum! Yum!  Good combination!  It does not need Feta cheese, either!

These next few days are gonna really be hard to be true/faithful to the plan….I will be in Huntsville helping my daughter move/unpack into their new apartment.  Being away from home and out of your element makes being true/faithful to your diet plan hard when you don’t have your normal things with you!  But!  I will  try and do my best!  I will be cooking things for my daughter to take for lunch and for their supper while I am there and I will be cooking things that are good for us too!  I found a crock pot soup recipe that sounded good and was good for you too that I want to make!  It is an Oriental soup that uses chicken broth, stir-fry frozen veggies, fresh grated ginger and soy sauce!  It would make a good egg drop veggie soup too!  Sounded good and good for you!(too many “good”‘s used her….LOL)

Anyway, pray for strength and faithfulness!

Hugs!  Vicky D

:0 🙂

Pics As Promised(few days late) :(

Hey All!

It is day three of the Advocare 24-Day Challenge!  I have some pics and recipes to share with you that I have fixed!

I went to the Center Wednesday am and walked treadmill and elliptical for 30 minutes, and then weighed myself(one week from measuring/weighing for the program) and I weighed the same……good news is that I did not GAIN anything from my weekend in Austin with my sister! (must have done something right!) 🙂

I made my Quinoa Caprise for my salads and it turned out great!  Here is a short recipe for you to try!

Quinoa cooked in Swanson’s 99% Fat Free/no MSG chicken broth, sea salt to taste with one minced clove of garlic.  When done, squeeze 1/2 lemon on it and chop about 1/4 cup fresh Basil and add to the quinoa.  Stir to combine; pack in portable containers, 1 cup or less per container.  Let cool completely, put lids on and store in fridge!  Use as topping on your green salad that you will be eating for lunch!

Quinoa is a plant protein that has really become popular and it is good!  My salad consisted of spinach, mixed baby greens, and home-grown greens from a friend I work with, cherry tomatoes, 1/2 diced avocado,  red pepper, garden fresh broccoli, garden fresh radishes, and a few black olives.  Dressing was Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar, a touch of EVOO, about 1 tsp Dijon Mustard, and 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash Garlic & Herb Seasoning!(mix dressing ingredients in a small bowl with small whisk and pour on top of all salad stuffs!  I REALLY like salads  and I have grown to really like this dressing mixture!  It is good and good for you too!  This has been my lunch that I take to work with me too!

Monday nite, Larry grilled some chicken breasts that I marinated in EVOO, fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and fresh garlic(mince herbs and combine with EVOO, put chicken breasts in a bag, pour herbs and oil on top, seal bag, mush around and let sit for at least an hour. Season with a small amount of salt and grill outside on charcoal grill or your electric grill!!). He also grilled some pork chops too that we had with other stuff!  Tuesday, I peeled, diced and baked a butternut squash in the oven that  I drizzled lightly with EVOO and a touch of salt(bake covered at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes until tender!). We had this with fresh radishes and steamed broccoli and the chicken breasts cooked Monday nite!  That was supper Tuesday nite(I ate a pork chop Monday when he grilled!)and will be supper again tonite with fresh squash! (I nearly ate it all up before I remembered to take a picture! It was that good or I was that hungry one!) :)-

This is the Chicken Enchilada Stew I made from a recipe that was given to me from one of the girls at Anytime Fitness Center.  It turned out REALLY good!  It is purty much a chicken tortilla soup without the corn tortillas!  I was good and only had one bowl for supper!

Chicken Enchilada Stew

 

Cooked chicken breast meat in chicken broth, 1/2 green and red pepper, diced, 1-4 oz can Hatch green chilis, 3 garlic cloves minced, 1/2 white onion, chopped, 1 TBSP Cumin and Chili Powder, 2 tsp. Mexican Oregano, S&P to taste, minced fresh cilantro at the end!  Can top in your bowl with diced fresh avocado, but I did not because I had my avocado at lunch in my salad!  I did not even miss the corn tortillas in this, which was VERY surprising!  Hubby Larry crushed some up in his soup, though.  I believe this recipe came from a Paeleo cookbook or site.

My bowl of stew!

Weird picture angle….sorry….:/

I am proud of myself that I have been keeping on track with the Challenge Plan and have not veered off from it at all, but the hardest thing for me is sitting on the back porch with Larry….I have a glass of lemon water or decaf tea and he is drinking beer….that sucks……..BUT I AM STRONG AND I CAN DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope everyone has a good rest of the week and weekend!  I will be strong!  Hugs!  Vicky