the weight loss papers

It seems like it’s only been a week or so since the kids got out of school, but it’s well into over a month now and the summer is just cruisin’ by! Hard to believe it’s July already. With the rate things are going, I think next week will be September.

So . . . let’s see - what’s newsworthy for weight loss here?

Oh yes! I tried almond milk and found that it’s VERY tasty. I really like the flavor and texture much better than soy or rice milk. Also tried a hemp shake mix that is delicious! It’s by Nutiva and comes in a couple of different flavors. I like the Berry Pomegranate but am not so crazy about the chocolate.

I’ll be back soon with updates and what-not and some recipes I’ve tried recently that even the kids enjoyed.

Have a great day!

~ Annie

Last week I wrote a post on an article I’d read about candida issues and what one can eat to help alleviate the problem. The article suggested eliminating certain foods from your diet as well as eating more greens and other healthy foods. In the week since, I’ve been fairly diligent in keeping up with recommended greens and elimination of those problem foods.

I do feel like it’s helping - my nasal congestion seems to be doing better and I hope will be totally gone soon. As a result of that, I can smell a lot better which is something I’ve been having trouble with for quite some time. I also seem to be losing some inches. That’s always a bonus! My pants are a bit more loose. My skin seems clearer as well.

I plan to continue this for another week or so at this point. And I am looking for a good way to get probiotics into my diet without eating yogurt and without  adding more supplements to my daily regimen. So, if you know of something, please do share!

I’ve added ground flax seed to my diet as well. It doesn’t seem to bother me as much as the flax seed oil so I like that a lot. I’m being very careful of the breads and grains I’m eating too, making sure to include whole grains and fiber rich foods.

You know, I think that many of the issues I’ve been dealing with are due mostly to my allergies. I’ve known since I was about 8-9 years old that I have food allergies but they never bothered me much so I continued to eat those foods. But I’m learning that those foods DO bother me, just not in the typical allergic reaction of hives and rashes etc ways.

In addition to ensuring I eat more greens, vegetables and other foods that help support a healthy body, I am eliminating those allergens. Even if they are things that don’t seem to “bother” me - like peanut butter. I really like peanut butter and although I don’t eat it all the time, I’m thinking it’s likely one of the culprits of the whole health and weight dilemma. I  will strive to be much more conscientious of the allergy-causing foods and to stop eating them, even in small amounts.

Thus, I have purchased some almond butter. I tried this years ago and didn’t like the taste but I found some organic almond butter when I went grocery shopping this weekend. It doesn’t contain any of the things I’m allergic to nor any junk like high fructose corn syrup and the like.

I put some in my “blended salad” that I’ve been drinking the past few days and it’s very good. It adds a light nutty flavor to it that doesn’t overwhelm the greens. I also sprinkled in a little ground flax seed. I think I may experiment a bit more by adding other vegetables, fruits and perhaps some spices like garlic or cayenne.

If you drink smoothies or other liquid “meals,” what do you put in them? Feel free to post in the comments or write a post on your blog and link back here if you’d like.

Until next time,

~ Annie

I recently found a very cool website that I couldn’t wait to share with you. It’s run by Rob Cooper of Canada - the Former Fat Guy - http://www.formerfatguyblog.com and there is so much good stuff. Incredible website.

One of the most incredible things is Rob’s story. He used to weigh 475 pounds! Today he’s fit and muscular and is at 240. I really can’t enough good things about his site. It’s *that* great.

Go check it out for yourself, read his story, peruse the recipes and have fun.

~ Annie

I apologize for being silent here this past week. My husband has been home on vacation, helping to paint the interior of the house and re-organize things. I spent a lot of time working on some of my other projects and totally neglected you! I am sorry!

But the good news is that I’ve decided to implement a new blogging schedule to help me stay on track and keep things organized over here. This is what I plan:

Monday - What I’m Doing - exercise, meals, and everything I’m doing to get in shape and stay healthy.

Tuesday - Tips. I’ll discuss healthy shopping ideas and other tips that I’ve found helpful and that I hope will be beneficial to you as well.

Wednesday - Fitness. This will be stuff I’ve learned over the years related to fitness and exercise, from how long one should exercise to general fits tips.

Thursday - Another shot of what I’m doing as well as what I plan to try.

Friday - Recipes and Cooking. I will post my favorite recipes, cooking tips, and thoughts on food, meal planning and all that good stuff.

Saturday/Sunday - General Stuff. I plan to change it up on weekends, maybe talk about some off-topic stuff.

So, that’s the plan for the blog. If there is something you would really like to see or have suggestions on what I should include, please feel free to post a comment. Like I said on my main blog, this isn’t just a site for me - it’s for you too and I care about what you think.

Get ready for tomorrow!

Speak soon!

I don’t talk stats and such very often but I do want to just quickly post that in recent weeks, I’ve lost about 7 inches, most notably in my thighs (something which has always been a trouble spot for me). I’m at about the same weight, though, and I’m sure it’s likely due to working out - converting to muscle! That’s a good thing!

It is a bit disappointing when the scale doesn’t move, though. Now that I’m well, I’ll be amping up the workout routine again. My plan is to hit that hard come Monday. The fact that the weather is getting nicer is a huge motivator for me. I love this time of year - the transition between winter and spring - when the days are getting longer, sun is coming out, birds begin chirping and the flowers are beginning to pop up in the garden. It’s that sense of renewal and that is so inspiring!

My goal is to lose 10 pounds in March and another 7 inches. I have no idea if it’ll happen or not but I’m sure willing to try. The only problem, is that my husband and I’s anniversary is this weekend and his birthday is next weekend which I’m sure is going to mean . . . CAKE! And I *love* cake, as any good girl should.

Anyway, I hope you’ve had a good, productive week and I’ll write again soon! I’ve got some interesting posts planned for next week -

• A couple of recipes
• Some of my favorite foods
• The importance of food labels

And several more.

Stay healthy!

~ Annie