Day 7

March 16th - Day 7

Today officially marks my 7th day on TSFL.

I want to reflect on my thoughts for a moment. I have to agree that the food that is planned out for us keeps our energy up. I think that is one big pitfall in most diets.

I think eating every 2.5 hours / 6 meals a day lets your stick to the plan well. However when it comes to meals like lunch and dinner, I can't help but feel like I want a bit more food during those meals.

The temptation is definitely there. Thus far I've been able to avoid pizza / soup / fries.

I haven't been shedding as many pounds as I would like but I also attribute that to some pitfalls.

1. I've been snacking on carrots which apparently is a nono. Carrots are high in carbs so my carbohydrate intake is too high.

2. I don't eat on time. I think I should follow suit to other TSFL members in Jinah's group and set reminders for myself.

3. I am not eating any "healthy fats" I think I am going to order a spray bottle to transfer some of my dressing so I can get some healthy fats into me.

4. Lack of exercise. I will hook up my TV this weekend so I should be getting some Wii dance action. Hopefully I can talk my friend to coming over and doing it with me.

Today I have to go to Jenn's house with a bunch of girlfriends for a celebratory potluck. My friend recently passed the bar and I am super happy for her!!

I was planning to make squid ink rice or look up a recipe for pad Thai. I decided since I'm on this plan, I would make chicken salad instead. It is easier for me to stick to if I can concentrate eating what I bring.

Bay made some egg and spinach Knishes. I had about 4-5 too many. Luckily they were mini size but they were so goodddd. I miss eating eggs. I think I am going try this recipe with egg whites. I am hoping they will be just as good....

Jenn made some eggplant lasagna. I couldn't help myself cuz cut a teeny piece. (About 1/3 of the serving) I skipped almost everything else. It was not easy but I made it through!

Morning weight: 174

Night weight: 175

Day 6 - Pay Day

So today is payday. I am not really phased by this but my coworkers have this tradition of splurging on lunch for payday. I was feeling excessively hungry and I decided to see if I could get anything for my lean and green for lunch.... VERY BIG FAIL!!!

So my coworker Eric and I went to check out this other place and we found out they sell KOREAN FOOD!!! I was super excited because literally less than 15 minutes before I had said I wanted some Korean clear noodles (the kind made of veges)

Of course I didn't see that because it was takeaway Korean/Japanese food. I COULDN'T walk away without getting something so I decided to get Chicken Soba noodle soup....

About halfway through I was feeling content but I decided it would be a waste not to finish it... so I polished it off... 

I could definitely taste the MSG in the soup. The noodles were good and it had fried tofu, mushrooms, bell peppers,carrots, onions and seaweed. It tasted pretty good, I wish the soba was a little more firm. However it made me feel so uncomfortable the rest of the day. Even now I still feel uncomfortable and constantly thirsty. It has been almost 10 hours now..... 

I had some carrots with some hummus (not sure of its okay to eat this but I love this particular hummus and I am going to say its okay) 

I also tried to make the brownies again. I wanted to see how they would taste if I cooked it in the oven. (I used a toaster oven)

Total fail... The stupid container got burnt... The brownie part was fine... it still tasted too wet and I had it in there for a good 18 minutes before I started smelling burnt paper. 

I also stopped by Trader Joe's because I was in the area. I was hoping to find some type of low calorie stock mixture. I saw something on amazon that sparked my interest but I didn't want to pay for shipping. I ended up getting these two products. 

The dressing description sounded so yummy I decided to pick this up to spice up my salads. I haven't tried it it though I did give it a taste test. The chicken broth was kind of disappointing. So it was 12 indivual packets, (I am okay with that part) but what I thought was powder was really packets of liquid. (like the oil packets in instant noodles)

Not overly thrilled but I will see how I like it. It says one packet per cup, I think I might see how much water I can get away with... hehe

Day 5 - Work overload

So I usually take lunch at 1ish but today I had to wait for a call that started at 1:30pm. It was important enough that I was willing to skip lunch. 

Luckily with Medifast your "meals" are small anyways I decided to use my new blender bottle and make myself a banana shake! It was actually really yummy. A little on the sweet side so I just added a little more water. It asked for 6-8oz I think I added about an extra 2oz. It still wasn't watered down by any means. I really wanted to drink the strawberry shake but I realized I didn't bring any of the strawberry to work.... sigh so fail.... 

Breakfast: Dutch Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake

1st Snack: Usana Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar (last of my Usana reset food)

Lunch: Banana Shake

Lean and Green: 2 pieces of chicken with mixed greens

2nd Snack: Strawberry Shake

3rd Snack: Lemon Meringue Crunch Bar

So for my second snack I had a Strawberry Shake. Jinah warned me when I was placing my order that a lot of the girls didn't like this but I always loved strawberry so I said I usually LOVE strawberry shakes but this strawberry shake is unbearably disgusting.... WHY WHY didn't I listen to her x.x 

I think I might need to send this back. I want to try the chocolate shake that isn't ready to go just to make sure I don't have to send back anymore items. 

Also I am very proud to announce that I bought a food scale! Why? Because one of the girls who is doing TSFL commented I might not be eating enough lean for my lean and green on day 3. So I decided to buy one off amazon. It was only $10 and it does the job!

And here is a picture of my lean and green for today.

I also needed some retail therapy so I went to TJ Maxx near my workplace. I ended up getting two dresses. I was not super happy trying on these dresses. But it gave me more motivation to continue to lose weight and feel better about myself. 

Day 4: March 13th 2013

So I realized I can't eat carbs for the rest of the month, as long as I am on the Medifast plan... Kinda depressed now....

Breakfast: Dutch Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake

1st Snack: Chili Nacho Cheese Puffs
Lunch: Chicken Noodle Soup
2nd Snack: Cinnamon Roll Crunch Bar
Lean and Green: Chicken with mixed greens
3rd Snack: Lemon Meringue Crunch Bar

Morning Weight: 175.6

Night Weight: 175.8

So when I went to make my lean and green I was feeling really hungry so I made myself 3 pieces of chicken instead of 2 with my salad... and of course I was full and couldn't finish it so I ended up giving the last piece to my brother. I am so proud of myself I am listening to my body and not stuffing myself.

I did do something constructive today. I finally emptied out the big box with my Medifast meals and placed it out for display. I wanted it to look appealing. Not really sure how appealing this looks exactly but it makes me proud and gives me motivation!

Day 3 - I think I can do this

March 12th 2013 - Day Three

I rushed out the door this morning. I was about to walk out the door when I saw on my desktop the weather gadget. It was raining.... I decided to change my whole outfit and put on a dress I hadn't worn in months. The dress meant it was easier to wear rain boots. It is hard to get my thick calves into the boots if I am wearing dress pants. With minimal makeup and my thick glasses I was still happy with the look. 

After this little stall with my already late schedule, I grabbed a Dutch Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake. Jinah stressed the importance of these and I can see why.

Morning: Dutch Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake

1st Snack: Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks

Lunch: Macaroni & Cheese

2nd Snack: Lemon Meringue Crunch Bar

Lean and Green: Chicken with Spring Greens, Grape Tomatoes and Cucumbers 

3rd Snack: Brownies

The Macaroni & Cheese lunch was so disgusting... I think I would be happier if they called it Macaroni and Cheese SOUP instead of macaroni and cheese. My coworkers kept making comments about it which wasn't helping make it anymore appetizing.

I passed out again after work today. Slept for almost 2 hours. I let myself sleep because if I was awake, it would be the time where I eat a lot so sleeping might be a better option... lol

I woke up and I am determined to make my salad today! I put some of the frozen chicken in a zip lock bag and placed it in the fridge so I don't have to thaw it. 

I didn't know what to do so I just threw the chicken on the skillet and let it sizzle away. I put some pepper and a little salt and remembered I had garlic salt and I threw some on there for more seasoning. I had no idea what I was doing so I ended up breaking up the cutlet into little pieces. I am really scared I might under cook it. I kept telling myself this is not beef, you cant eat it raw!!!

The salad turned out great! I even posted a picture on Jinah's TSFL FB page for the other girls to see because I was so proud! Turns out I was suppose to weigh my chicken... I ordered a scale today off amazon... But it looks like I could eat more so that is good to know! 

I made the brownie as my last snack of the day and as my dessert. I used the microwave instructions, it turned out a little more wet than I would have liked. I think next time I will try the toaster oven.

Morning Weight: 175.6
Night Weight 176.0

Day 2 - First Day at Work

Day 2 of this Journey. It is a Monday, which means I have to go to work today. Since I can keep myself busy most of the day I should be okay. It is dinner I am worried about. 

Morning weigh in 176.5
Night Weigh in 175.6

Breakfast: Usana Reset French Vanilla Shake (I hate vanilla but this is my last one)

Snack 1: Chili Nacho Cheese Puffs

Lunch: Beef Vegetable Stew

Snack 2: Cinnamon Roll Crunch Bar

Dinner: Hearty Vegetarian Sloppy Joe

I skipped my Lean and Green for today. 

I was so tired when I came home that I fell asleep. I woke up at 7:55am (roughly 1.5 hours nap) and I went to the kitchen to make my lean and green. Opened the fridge and it was so cold that I closed it right away and decided I really didn't want something cold... haha So I made the sloppy joe and had it with a few carrots. 

I loved the Chili Nacho Cheese Puffs. It actually tastes like something I would buy!! haha

The Hearty Vegetarian Sloppy Joe was surprisingly not liquidy. I LOVED it. It warmed me right up!

Vegetarian Sloppy Joe with some baby carrots.

Day 1 - Part time Job

I work a part time job on Sundays at Tax Firm during tax season and they provide us with lunch. This is my biggest worry because the food from restaurants aren't going to be as good for you. Hopefully I will have decent options. I need to tell myself this is a lifestyle change. This is not something that I just do for a month and then go back to my old eating habits and everything will be okay.... MUST PERSEVERE.

Today I had...

Morning:Strawberry shake (Leftover from Usana Reset)

1st Snack: Honey Mustard Pretzel Sticks

Lunch: Take out celery with fish (My lean and green meal)

2nd Snack: Lemon Meringue Crunch Bar

3rd Snack: Dutch Chocolate Ready-to-Drink Shake

Dinner: Maryland Style Crab Soup

This is what I had as my lean and green meal.

Probably A little heavier than I should be eating but it was the best option off a take out menu....

Morning Weight is 177.6

This is what my brother and his friends decide to eat.... Needless to say I hid in my room. 

He also saved me half a wrap. It is chicken with spinach, I probably shouldn't be eating this but it was such a small portion, I let myself have it...

This is the Maryland Style Crab Soup, it is more appetizing than it tastes...