Daily Log and Stuff!

Good morning, friends. I hope all is well in your worlds. Getting back in from visiting daughter Jillian waaaaaay up north - we ate too much and talked together as a family even more, no computers, t.v.s, gaming, cell phones, iPods, just the four of us talking and laughing together in the dark of our hotel room until we fell asleep.  It doesn't get much better than that... and on this day I can't help but share a quote from Lincoln, which seems to be quite appropriate for our beloved Board:  "I shall do less whenever I shall believe what I am doing hurts the cause and I shall do more whenever I shall believe doing more will help the cause. I shall try to correct errors when shown to be errors and I shall adopt new views so fast as they shall appear to be true views."  Have a great day everyone. Peace, Maureen

Breakfast:  1/2 C. 1% cottage cheese, 1/2C. cubed cantelope
Snack:  1 stalk celery w/ 1T. peanut butter
Lunch:  Lean Cuisine frozen entree (360 calories)
Snack:  1 L/F cheese stick, 10 almonds
Dinner:  protein shake with handful blueberries and lite & fit yogurt
Before bed:  1 C. green tea

158.5/157.5/140

What a fitting quote, today of all days.  Beautifully chosen.  As I type, I'm listening to Itzak Pearlman and YoYo Ma play at the Inauguration and the piece written by  by John Williams is leaving me breathless.  I love YoYo Ma and was brought to tears when he played Appalatchia Waltz here a couple of years ago. 

Anyway...
What a wonderful weekend with your family and what memories you've created.

Do you have any issues with only having a protein shake for dinner?  I've had a battle royale with snacking between dinner and bedtime for as long as I can remember.  Does the tea help you stave off the snack monster?  I'm convinced that if I can just get past the night time snacking, I'd lose every last ounce of my excess weight.  Any tips you can share?

Hugs,
Connie

Hi Connie, yes, that piece was incredible - can't imagine what that must have sounded like live! I leaned over to my colleague and said, "I can't breathe!" The campus gathered together in our largest auditorium to watch - there certainly is a new meaning to the word Hope! To answer your question: I find that my evening hours are less problematic for me because I am usually too dog-gone tired to eat! This is especially true on the nights I get home from the barn after a hard ride on Laela. For me, if I end my day with the protein shake (which is really so thick I have to eat it with a spoon, so it's very filling), I feel more 'empty' the next morning, which feels good. If I have the shake in the a.m. instead, I am famished by mid-morning and I start snacking on typically really bad food choices. YES, the green tea right before bed really helps me! And it's suppose to be very good for you. I've spit-started a program off and on for almost a year to try to stave of regain - and this a.m. I'm back up to 157.5 - but I will not give up until I find what works for me. Exercise is soooooooo important. Hope this helps and I would love to hear from others about their tips. Anyone up for sharing "best practices"?? Peace, Maureen

Maureen,

How do you make your protein shake... I mean I know you have the blueberries... Yum by the way and the light and fit yogurt... but what do you make your shake with? Water or Milk? You said it was so thick you can eat it with a spoon... thats how I want mine to be.   how much yogurt etc... i'll be using the carb control yogurt which is a little thicker. Has anyone ever tried alba??? oh my gosh I had this sugar free alba and it was chocolate and it was sooo thick it was like pudding and so yummy. its not a protein shake though. lol... but you can add protein of course. I'm starting to get addicted to the sugar free chocolate jello,.... but my husband gobbles it all up! lol! i have to get a whole bunch. maybe mixing some of that in as well... oh that would be yummy!!!!    and i get snacky at night time. and i can't do any green tea or any caffeinated beverages. it sucks because when ever i use to drink anything with caffein i didnt want to eat that much. Maybe if you had some green tea when you get home Connie around that snack time it would help curb the snack cravings??  its my hardest time.

Hi 'lizbet! Ok, here's exactly how I make the shake, in the order that I mix the stuff up - but I think what really makes the shake thick is the Magic Bullet - it's fantastic!:
1. start with about 5-6 full ice cubes in a Magic Bullet plastic glass
2. next add the yogurt of your choice (I've even used plain yogurt and its yummy with the fruit)
3. next add the berries of your choice (I've used blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries - doesn't matter, it comes out great whatever you use) - if strawberries, I add 3-4 large ones; if the smaller berries, I add a small handful
4. next add the protein power - I use the stuff from Walmart - inexpensive, very tasty, chockfull of protein and very low on carbs and sugar - I use the chocolate (would you expect me to use anything else???)
5. next add 1 tsp. of off-brand SF Metamucil (keeps the engine moving!) Again, I get this at Walmart
6. final step - fill the rest of the cup up with ice cold water (not all the way to the top but almost)

Screw the mixer cap (with blades) on and throw it on the Magic Bullet - in about 30 seconds, I have a very thick (like freshly melting ice cream) protein shake! Very, very filling and satisfying.

About 210 calories, all total. By the way, I use the decaffinated Green Tea! But I think what helps me most with night snacking is that I'm at the barn at least 3 nights a week working Laela hard and by the time I get home (usually around 8pm) I don't want to eat - first, my body feels good from workin' those muscles and somewhere in my head I must be thinking, "I want THIS (feeling fit and strong) not THAT (feeling gross from eating crap food).

Sorry to be son longwinded. Love you! Maureen

I'm mad at myself for not getting that magic bullet. I picked it up. Put it down. Picked it up. Put it down. Because I was broke and couldn't really afford to get it. But guess what>... I'm still broke! lol so it wouldn't have mattered. lol.. i'm gonna have to pick one up. Thats all there is to it. I can't find that dag on protein at wall mart where is it in the store? whats the brand called again?? i looked for the protein shakes but couldn't find them anywhere.

Is yours a Super Walmart? Ok, go to the vitamins section, should be right by the Pharmacy. My Walmart has a small section of high protein related products, this is where the powder is - it's Whey Protein Powder, in a big jug - mine last well over a month and I do a shake almost every day. On the bottom shelf - should be directly across the isle from regular vitamins. Let me know if you find it! Re: the Magic Bullet - when my motor gives out on this one, I'm heading right out for another one - we use it for everything, all that you see them do on the infomercial - but it's primarily for my shakes. Try looking on eBay or Amazon.com - I bet you can find it cheaper that way! Love ya, Maureen

Actually, Marilyn was the one that posted about the Walmart brand of protein powder and I found it and have been using it ever since (over a year ago). If you're reading, Marilyn, thank you! Where's Marilyn, I'm very worried about her - does anyone have her phone number or a way to reach her?

Peace,
Maureen

Check JC Penney's for their Cook's version of the Magic Bullet.  I got mine for much less and it works fine as far as I'm concerned.  It's on sale right now for 29.99.