Exercise and Eating Plans?

I'll post the recipe when I get home tonight. How is the new job going?

Thanks Wanda, New job is going great...... I am loving it. However, I am only 4 days into it but I think it is going to work out fine....... We are loving our new house and the city. I miss my Mom and Dad terribly. Hugs, Christy

Ok, Christy, we are long past due an update on your situation! It's so GREAT to see your sweet (VERY YOUNG LOOKING!) face on this board again! What's up? CeCe

CeCe, Thank so much for the compliment (I do need to update my pics, they are pretty old now). Anyway, we got moved into our new house in Louisville on January 5th. We were delayed due to weather. I started my new job last Thursday (January 11th), so far so good..... I am enjoying the new job and we are all enjoying our new house and the city. Obviously, we are not completely unpacked but the worst is over and we are getting more and more organized everyday. Brian has been accepted into the local Christian School as he starts Kindergarten in the Fall. I have always wanted him in Christian School, so that makes me very very happy. Most of the adoption process does not have to be repeated in this state, just updated. So we are not starting completely over in this process. We are however, holding off a month or two until we start the updates, it has been a while since life has been calm and peaceful. I am just trying to take a little time to catch my breath..... Hopefully, since I am feeling like my old self again, I will start posting more often. I have always read but havent had the motivation within myself to post. HUGS, Christy

OK, here's the tilapia recipe that I love so much: 4 Tilapia filets 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese 1/8 c. butter, softened 1.5 T. Mayo 1 T. Lemon Juice 1/8 t. Basil 1/8 t. pepper 1/16 t. onion powder 1/16 t. celery salt Raise oven rack to highest position. Mix topping and keep refrigerated until used. Line baking sheet w/foil and spray w/cooking spray. Broil 3 minutes, turn fish over and broil another 3 minutes. Spread topping evenly over fish. Broil for 2 minutes until browned. If the topping slides off just scoop it up and put it back on! Watch it closely so the topping doesn't burn. Enjoy! 230 calories, 23g protein, 1g carb

Wanda, I want that talapia recipe too! I love talapia! Not eating carbs after 3 pm is a great plan! That would be VERY tough for me but I think setting a cut off time is a brilliant idea! Mine might just have to be a little later!!!! Not snacking on crackers or other carbs is also a great goal and a good habit to get into! It's so easy to grab something like that when a small yogurt mixed with protein powder or any protein snack would be better for us! I mentioned that I made chicken salad on Sunday. I'm stuffing it into celery so I won't be using starchy carbs! We just have to think up alternatives and plan to keep us from falling back into old ways! You are a very determined woman, Wanda! I remember you relating something Randy had said about you and it is true! He said when you make up your mind about something, you are going to make it happen - and soon! That's what you are doing right now turning around your feeling of being out of control during/after the holidays! I'm very proud of you! I hope you're giving yourself some pats on the back! Look what you are doing for yourself - staying at the gym until you've burned your planned number of calories, getting those crackers and carbs out of reach, kicking all carbs to the curb after 3 pm (WOW! What determination!!!!) and planning/precooking meals! You're my inspiration! CeCe

Thanks for asking about me CeCe - I had already decided I would respond to this post then when you asked about me - how could I resist! I am back at work. My incision is completely sealed up. I notice I get tired faster and am still a little sore but other than that... I'm doing great. Yes I have to admit to shopping. I have a little bit of an excuse. I had no pants that fit me. NONE. I went into surgery wearing a 16/18 and now am a pretty consistant 12. Oh my gosh I never thought I'd be able to say that. Let me say it again. I wear a 12. Ok - well I kinda have big boobs so I couldn't wear a 12 top but hey - when I have on a good bra my boobs are beautiful! I get up and weigh every morning. The difference between weighing with my slippers and housecoat on is three pounds. I was so shocked. So without them I'm at 171.5 which is right where the doc wants me to stay. I started at 358 so I'm tickled pink. It almost seems like a fairy tail - until I look down and see the scars. I am 5'5" and have a large frame - I wear a size 11 shoe and that didn't go down with my weight loss. My hands are huge - like I have a half an inch to an inch on most women I know. I'd still kinda like to go down a little more and I think that it would be pretty easy. I need to move from kinda like to I am going to. I have not been exercising regularly since my surgery. - Very Bad. I also am having a little bit of a grazing problem. Heck if I'd fix those I'd loose. So... I am going to work on this week getting into the mind set the Good enough isn't good enough. I am going to convince myself to get down to 155. Ok - I'm almost there so it shouldn't take much. This year has shown me I can do anything. I have had super short hair all my adult life. I let it get a little length (like almost to the bottom of my ears) and it drives me crazy and I whack it off. Well since I can do anything... I am growing my hair out into a chin length bob!!!!!!!!!! Then we will go from there to see if I want it longer. Wish me luck because I get very impatient when my hair does not look good. So... this is my current situation. You all continue to inspire and support me. Thanks.

Trudy, it's so good to hear from you! I know it must be tiring going back to work but within a week or two, your energy will be back! It seems like it just occurred overnight to me! I was afraid my trip would exhaust me but the more I ran around, the better I felt! Exercise will help too - just don't start out too fast or hard! Walk some! When you are shopping for those smaller clothes, park further from the store! It's COLD here today! How's the weather there? So, you are letting your hair grow and I'm cutting mine shorter than I've ever had it!! Strange what this journey does to us! I wouldn't mind doing what you are doing! I like seeing people that can pull their hair back into a pony tail during exercise but I get to a point where it just drives me crazy! Right now I'm liking my "pixie" look. It's SO easy too since I wash my hair everyday - sometimes twice a day! I just put a tiny bit of Nick Chavez flocker on it and dry it a couple of minutes, running my fingers through it. Congrats on wearing a 12! If you plan on losing a few more pounds, don't buy too many 12s though! The closer we get to goal weight, the quicker those sizes drop! It's strange that 5 to 8 pounds can mean a size dropping when I could lose 15 or 20 in elastic pants and never notice much!!!! I wish I had some of your height!!! My shoe size has dropped and I have a closet full of new boxed sneakers too big for me! I have a bad habit of buying up tons of sneakers when I find some that I like! I know what you mean about the LBL and new body feeling like a fairy tale! Do you find yourself looking in the mirror way too often?!!!! The mirror was my enemy for so long! I could stand there and get more depressed! When I would be washing my hands in public bathrooms and other women would be primping in the mirror, I wouldn't even look at myself AT ALL! I was too ashamed of how I looked compared to them. I know it was my imagination but I felt like they would laugh inwardly if I looked at myself in the mirror!! I don't think I've totally realized that this is my new body so I keep looking at myself to convince myself! I'm LOVING it though! I'm glad you are doing so well! How's the husband liking the new you? I see pride in my husband's face now and he's always rubbing his hands up and down my sides because I actually have a SHAPE now AND I'm not knocking his hands away because I'm not so self-conscious now! Good to hear from you Trudy! Get back to exercise!!! CeCe

You are right I do find my husband wanting to be a little more cozy and I see pride in his eyes. I am so bad about finding something I like then finding it for a good price and buying the hound out of it. Sorry about the shoes. That would break my heart. Can you e-by them? I think you are so right about the exercise. I haven't totally stopped. I walked last week one day and rode my bike one day. I just haven't got into my routine of structured exercies. I was exercising when my daughter was at gymnastics but my hubby has been taking her some. I just need to establish that pattern again. I think you are right about my energy going up when I get back into it solid. I am not a morning person but one time in my life I would get up and exercise and I felt great all day. Perhaps that needs to be a goal... Getting up earlier to exercise. For that I need to get in bed earlier for sure. One thing I have discovered ... 8 hours of sleep is better than drugs. (OK I've never been a recreational drug user but man I feel a million times better when I get to sleep for 8 hours.) That is why I love short hair so much. It is so easy and quick. I've done spikey and just tousled and even curled with a round bru**** is all good. I have a friend who said... I've heard that before when I told her. I wonder how much hair weighs...? I just got a sparkpeople account and I am going to begin tracking my progress on their - perhaps that will help me stay on track to loosing some more. I just love getting to know you. Oh I almost forgot it isn't very cold here today. A little cool 60 degrees at noon. Great weather for a walk. Trudy

Trudy, I'm jealous of you getting 8 hours of sleep! I have the hardest time sleeping this past couple of years. I go to sleep, I just can't stay asleep. I have terrible dry eyes too and lack of sleep (along with wearing contacts) doesn't help. I even have a prescription for Ambien and it does knock me out but after about 4 hours I'm WIDE awake! You are blessed to be able to sleep so keep on getting those 8 hours so you can feel well! Yes, Ebay is a good answer to my shoe dilemma. I just need to get organized enough to do that!! And, I'm really jealous of your weather today. We had some blizzard conditions for a while today but it was just a tad too warm for it to stick. We are too near the warm bay waters for our area to get much snow. We haven't had a good snowfall in a few years. Everything just shuts down here when it snows!!! The wind was bad this afternoon which made it feel that much colder! I went into Express this evening and tried on a super pair of black jeans - very low rise and straight leg - that looked really good but I didn't buy them! They were $60 and while that isn't bad, I've already spent so much money so clothes this winter! I need a bigger closet! I swear it's getting harder and harder just to decide what to wear! I still have a few things I've never even worn and plenty that I've only worn once! It hasn't been that long ago that I would seem to wear one stupid outfit just about everywhere because it was the only thing that looked half decent on me (in my mind!). This way is SO much better!!! Early morning exercise is great for those who work but get those eight hours of sleep in!!! CeCe