My 17 day diet Journey

Hello everyone!  As I am getting biologically older ( never mentally!) I am finding that I am having a problem losing life enjoyments weight .  Along with having a new found medical issue I have gained some muchly unwanted weight. 

Never one for fad diets I took to google with my OCD and researched and researched.  Along with watching The Doctors on TV, I came across this easy to follow 4 cycle healthy eating regiment  I don't want to call it a diet because really all it involves is reprogramming your eating.

I have started today, and would like to document my journey....highs and lows.



The 17 Day Diet, is a low-processed food, low-sugar, low-fat diet that gets progressively less restrictive and can be used in cycles.

• 4 stages, progressively less restrictive
• Start with high lean protein, high non-starchy vegetables, probiotics, no starches
• Add unprocessed starch foods and slowly increase the allowed amount of fat in animal protein foods
• Add other whole grain starches and more ingredient choices
• Maintenance diet

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17 Day Diet plan

The diet has 4 cycles.

• Cycle 1: Accelerate. This cycle  promotes rapid weight loss by improving digestive health, helping clear sugar from the blood to boost fat-burning, and discourage fat storage. It’s a low carb, low fat, low processed food, high vegetable, high lean protein stage, with unlimited permitted low-fat proteins and non-starchy vegetables. You follow this cycle for 17 days.
• Cycle 2: Activate. This cycle  resets your metabolism through a strategy that involves increasing and decreasing your caloric consumption to stimulate fat-burning and to help prevent plateaus. It lasts 17 days and consists of alternating between Accelerate days (see above) and Activate days, where you start to add natural starches.
• Cycle 3: Achieve. This cycle  helps you develop good eating habits through the re-introduction of additional foods and move you closer to your weight goal. It lasts 17 days. Some more carbs are allowed, and protein is cut down. At the end of cycle 3, if you have additional weight to lose, you can recycle back to cycle 1 then 2 then 3, or 2 then 3, or continue with 3 until you reach your goal weight.
• Cycle 4: Arrive. This cycle  keeps you at your goal weight through a program of eating that lets you enjoy your favorite foods on weekends, while eating healthfully through the week. Monday breakfast through Friday lunch, eat with restrictions as described in cycles 1, 2, or 3. Friday dinner through Saturday night, eat your favorite foods and meals in moderation

Today I tried for the first time, egg whites.  whether it was a "just in my head thing" or a truly gross,  I gagged and promptly spit those tasteless things out right out. After I got through my self defeatist attitude (30 minutes), I took to the cookbook and realized that I could do egg whites for my omelets and other mixed breakfast dishes.  PROBLEM SOLVED! yeah me 

Now that breakfast was conquered and re-evaluated for tomorrow and going forward, I made a super salad for lunch.  it was down right yummy!  Made of lots of greens and loads of veggies and 2 hard boiled eggs, I topped it with HOMEMADE dressing , I was feeling very accomplished.......and it only took me 20 minutes to open the balsamic vinegar bottle!!!

Dinner was also a yummy success.  Steamed vegetables and oven BBQ chicken breast  Homemade BBQ sauce. 

After a success first day of the new healthy eating regime, I also participated in a family zumba class (spent most the time laughing at my son ) and a 45 min yoga class.

I truly feel in my core that this will help me succeed in my weight loss journey.

Until next time............

 

May Hat Madness 2015

The Hatter (called Hatta in Through the Looking Glass) is a fictional character in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass. He is often referred to as the Mad Hatter, though this term was never used by Carroll. The phrase "mad as a hatter" pre-dates Carroll's works and the characters the Hatter and the March Hare are initially referred to as "both mad" by the Cheshire Cat , with both first appearing in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, in the seventh chapter titled "A Mad Tea-Party".

I have been challenged to present my "mad hat" to start the celebration of warm weather to come ( or in hopes ). 

So on went my thinking "hat" to come up with a wacky and zany design worthy of the fairy tale.  

Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!
Up above the world you fly,
Like a tea tray in the sky.
Twinkle, twinkle, little bat!
How I wonder what you're at!

The hand rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world.

When at first you don't succeed........ Just sit down and eat cake!

Then try again ;)

So here goes.......

My life needs to change for me to be happy........That would be FALSE

In truth my life hasn't changed at all.... I have TRUE

TRUE.......I'm not smiling all the time BUT,  I'm smiling more.

Smiling at little things, smiling at my crazy stressful over the top beautiful life :). 

FALSE..... I am a failure VERY VERY FALSE 

I'm not perfect

 I make plenty of mistakes 

but I am right where god wants me to be and he has given me everything I need to be a mom 

I'm a mess...... But I am a beautiful mess 

I'm his masterpiece ,

And that's enough.

Open Arms

I hope you know how much I love you so. I might embarrass you from time to time By giving lots of love and needless kisses, But you need to know Mommy loves you so.

 

 

 

 Before you were born I didn't know Just how much I would love you so, But when I looked into your eyes for the first time you touched my soul
you were my missing link that made my life whole,
I felt my heart grow and grow.

 

 

Those beautiful blue eyes now hazel,
stare at me in awe.
Gazing at the woman
Who just became your mom.

 A Mother's love is hard to explain, Not everyone will feel the same. Now that you are growing a year older,  I felt the need to tell you Just how much I love you so, Time may pass day after day or year after year, But the love I have for you grows
nearer and dearer to my heart each day and year.

 

If you get lost along your way,
not sure what to do or what to say.
Know that I'm present with open arms
 and a hand for you always to hold

 To My Son, I hope you know just how much I love you so.

happy birthday to my little man  xo

Creative Coupling and Bleeding Hearts Challenge

There is a "special day" coming up in February.  People make such a big deal about it.  you are suppose to show your love and cherish people all the days of the year not just 1.

Over the past couple of years I have adapted the opinion that it is over exaggerated and a money grab for retailers.  gesh let us recoup from the birth of Christ!!!!!


But as a female, I do have a romantic side. And love the classic looks and adore frills and baubles.

I struggled with my decision on my choice for the perfect creative coupling as I will always be a Marilyn fan her choice in men were like my own "sketchy"

My choice for 2015 creative Coupling is Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

She possess the classic look and sophistication of Grace Kelly and the sexiness of my idol Marilyn Monroe.  As a young Hollywood woman, she embraces her fame and life with grace and poise. 

And even as a new mom, while pregnant looked breathtaking, even in 4 inch heels  :)

Blake's idol is Martha Stewart.  and following in her idols footsteps, Blake launched in July 2014 her own creativity website that features food, crafts and décor. 

www.preserve.us

Quote from Blake:Sometimes we walk proudly. Other times we stumble gracelessly. Yet we take each step with a generous measure of never-ending curiosity and wonder. We remain in awe of the folks and folkways existing around us. We want to learn about them, embrace them…preserve them.



Always Unique Totally Interesting Sometimes Mysterious

Ends and Beginings

The skies lullaby sweeps the patio midday, the dreary storm clouds cool the water.  Building the desire for the sun to make its return before the night falls and the tides rise.  Getting the most out of the summer months before the winter takes over and life is confined. No room for sand, Hutch's Fries and ice cream, No Skywheel at the falls, or relaxing by the pool with my new forest friends.  Just anticipation of next years summer months ahead.

But with seasons change ......the chances of relaxing at my art table with all my creativity bursting at the seams come closer with alittle less guilt of staying indoors.

My not so little boys are embarking on new chapters of their growing lives.....grade 3,2, and SK.  new skills and levels of education will be filling their heads,    making them even more inquisitive.


I embrace the new changes and challenges ahead in anticipation of next summer


Always Unique Totally Interesting Sometimes Mysterious

Splish Splash Splatter

What a great birthday party idea!  The 8 kids invited loved being able to get dirty.  The instructor first gave each child a 4 pocket palette letting them pick out their own personal color scheme.......such as blueberry blue, pretty in pink, yelling yellow and oh so orange.  Following the golden rule, " it doesn't matter" off to the party booth they went.

After a big happy birthday chant the paint splatters started.  Shrieks and laughter filled the studio and of  lots of pictures and videos were taken by us mommies.

After the personal painting were finished, on to the birthday canvas to memorialize this milestone.   Colored in totally teal there was a 4 step process to complete this group gift.   Paint brushes to splatter the paint, balloons filled with paint to make a burst of paint and finally a squirt gun to fire off blasts of color.

After a quick group photo of the artists, off to the wash bucket for snacks and gifts.


















If the amount of paint on faces hands clothing and hair were any indication of the level of fun had this party will be remembered for years to come.

Happy Birthday to Spunky 

Always Unique Totally Interesting Sometimes Mysterious