Weekly Weigh-in...Week 12

Today was weigh-in day, and while it wasn't quite what I had hoped for the scale still registered a loss. I lost ONE pound, bringing my total loss to 17.2. That's a total of 7.14% of body weight lost. 

I'LL TAKE IT!

I'll take it because I worked hard for it. I worked out Monday and Tuesday as well as worked around the house on Sunday. I'll take it because I ate well (if you don't count the dark chocolate M&M's). I'll take it because I journaled my food intake everyday. I'll take it cause the ungracious visitor is here AGAIN!

I'LL TAKE IT and I'LL RUN WITH IT and next week I WILL GO FOR MORE...BECAUSE I CAN!

Next week is the final weigh in for our competition. One girl dropped out last week after gaining two pounds so now we are down to six people. Combined we have lost 81 pounds. Most of us haven't reached our goals yet so I hope the competition continues for another 12 weeks. Either way my journey will continue. Mt. Everest is still there waiting for me to reach the summit and victory will be mine!

Blessings,
Leslie

P.S. Can anyone else hear "I am woman, hear me ROAR!" playing in their head? Or is it just me?

The Holy Alphabet

Someone posted this on MFP and I wanted to share...

The Holy Alphabet
by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

Although things are not perfect
Because of trial or pain
Continue in thanksgiving
Do not begin to blame
Even when the times are hard
Fierce winds are bound to blow
God is forever able
Hold on to what you know
Imagine life without His love
Joy would cease to be
Keep thanking Him for all the things
Love imparts to thee
Move out of "Camp Complaining"
No weapon that is known
On earth can yield the power
Praise can do alone
Quit looking at the future
Redeem the time at hand
Start every day with worship
To "thank" is a command
Until we see Him coming
Victorious in the sky
We'll run the race with gratitude
Xalting God most high
Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but...
Zion waits in glory....where none are ever sad!

"I AM Too blessed to be stressed!" The shortest distance between a problem and a solution is the distance between your knees and the floor.

The one who kneels to the Lord can stand up to anything. Love and peace be with you forever, Amen.

Weigh-in Week 10 & 11....

Week 10....

Week 10 was not a good week. I was under the weather with a sinus infection and the weather outside was gray and ugly, not to mention cold. I did not journal my food, I did absolutely NO exercise and little if any housework. I ended up gaining 2.4 pounds taking me back up to 227.6.

Sick + SAD/Depression (not to mention LAZY!!) = WEIGHT GAIN!!

Week 11...

Oh the sunshine, beautiful BEAUTIFUL sunshine....This past week was the start of Daylight Savings Time. Usually I am not a fan of losing an hour (of my precious sleep), but it just so happened that the weather turned nice. We went from freezing rain and snow to sunshine and 45 degrees - which feels like a heatwave after 3 months of below freezing temps. I woke up on Monday revived. My attitude did a complete 180. I had so much energy to spare that I came home and started cleaning out my master closet. I started journalling my food again. Tuesday - I went to the gym which gave me more energy for Wednesday. Gym Thursday and again today. 

Weigh in for the biggest loser competition was this morning. I hesitantly stepped on the scale as my scale here at home is mean spirited. It likes to play nasty mind games with me, giving me different numbers every time.

And then the moment of truth came...

224.8

I screamed so loud they heard me down in customer service. "Good number hey Leslie??" Oh yeah!! I am so happy to be back below 225 even if it is just a smidgen under. My total lost since starting our Biggest Loser competition is 16.2 pounds leaving me 8.8 to go to reach my 25 pound goal by April 3rd - our final weigh in. I may not make it to my goal but I should be close. As my Mama says "Good Lord willing and the creeks don't rise!" 

The presence of the Sun this week has an old hymn playing in my head. I love it when we sing it at church because it's a make you feel happy song.

There's Sunshine in My Soul Today
There's sunshine in my soul today, More Glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky, For Jesus is my light,

Chorus:
O there's sunsine, blessed sunshine
When the peaceful happy moments roll:
When Jesus shows His smiling face,
There is sunshine in my soul

There's music in my soul today, A carol to my King
And Jesus listening can hear The songs I can not sing...

There's spring time in my soul today, For when the Lord is near,
The dove of peace sings in my heart, The flowers of grace appear...

There's gladness in my soul today, And hope, and praise, and love,
For blessings which he gives me now, For joys laid up above....

How can you not be happy when singing that?!?!? Love it!

Blessings!
Leslie

Weigh-in...Week 9

Wow! It is hard to believe that we have been doing the biggest loser at work for 9 weeks. This last week I lost 2.4 lbs bringing me back down to 225.4 and a total loss of 6.47% in body fat. YEE HAW! It also means that I am 9.4 pounds away from my 25 pound goal for the program.

Rumor has it that we will be continuing the program as a keep it off program. That sounds good to me...I'm happy to have a support system in place at work. Everyone is looking fabulous in their new skinny(ier) bodies. I still have a ways to go. My clothes are fitting better, some are even getting loose. Someone at work told me that they could see the difference in my face.

Today I made some yummy beef stew for dinner. Very filling, but full of starchy carbs (thats probably why it tasted sooo good! lol). I still don't understand why potatoes and carrots are bad for you on a diet. THEY ARE VEGETABLES!! Vegetables are good....the more I can get in me, the better I say!

Now for the bad part....Easter candy. I <3 jelly beans! Black jelly beans in particular. I knew I shouldn't have bought them at the store the other day...but I did and I have been munching on them ever since. I'm a bad bad girl. No, change that...I'm a good girl with a horrendous sweet tooth and sometimes that sweet tooth trumps my brain when making decisions. It's a behavior I have to work harder to change. Lord, I'm gonna need your help with that one. It's a good thing that NOTHING is impossible for You!

God grant me the serenity

To accept the things I can not change,

Courage to change the things I can,

And the wisdom to know the difference.

Blessings!

Leslie

Weigh-in... Week 8 & My Mulligatawny Soup Recipe

I'm a tad late posting this... I lost 1.2 pounds last week. I have no idea how. The weekend before I had company for the weekend and we ate like wildebeest's! Okay, not really but there was a Mancino's grinder, Mexican lasagna, popcorn and chocolate, AND DR Pepper in there somewhere. Had a great time with my friends and that is what truly matters.

So far this week my scale has been giving me favorable numbers. Weigh-in won't be until Monday so that means I have the whole weekend to work off another pound or two. Here's hoping!

I made the Mulligatawny soup...well, my version of it anyway and it was delicious if I do say so myself. The only thing I would do differently is not use so much Quinoa. Quinoa in it was really good, the stuff just multiplies like rabbits... So next time, I'm using half of the Quinoa and twice the curry - I've all ready modified the recipe...See Below.

MY MULLIGATAWNY SOUP
Water 4 Cups
Vegetarian Vegetable Broth, 1 container (4 cups ea.)
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 12 oz
1 Med Diced Onion
Minced Garlic
2 Carrots
2 Celery stalks
Spinach, Raw, 1 cup
Quinoa (Cooked) 1/2 cup uncooked, make according to package directions.
1 bunch Green Onion
Red Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes
Curry powder, 1 tbsp 
1 Apple, Red Delicious/Gala
1 Lg can Diced Tomatoes No Salt Added
1 Sm can Tomato Sauce - No Salt Added,

Cook until the chicken and veggies (diced small) are fully cooked, about 1 hour. Serve and enjoy!