Come on by!

I know, it has been too long since I wrote to you. Life happens, and I got busy. This time of month is so busy for me! I celebrated my 4th wedding anniversary on the 12th, as well as my birthday on the 24th. You probably wonder if I fell off the bus. I am happy to announce that I have not! I did cheat a little on our anniversary... mainly said hello to my old friend Vodka. A piece of advice if you have a few drinks and it's been a while- The amount you used to handle, will not be the same! See, I didn't realize this, and lets just say I felt it the next day! I was scared to step on the scale, but surprised to see that I had only gained . 6 pounds. Not bad, huh?

In other news, I have created a 17 Day Diet Support page. While I did promote another, I no longer do. While I don't claim to be an expert... because I am not even at goal... I hope you come by for support from everyone. Some days you WILL have a bad day, and need to vent. You need to tell the world about being constipated, or complain about plateaus... That is 100% OKAY in my group! No one is bound to this diet. If you don't want to finish, that is your choice! But before you make your decision, come by and vent! I can guarantee you will feel MUCH better, and probably will have the strength to go on! If you would like to come by, you are MORE than welcome! http://www.facebook.com/17daydietsupport We have teamed up with a 17 day diet recipe page, which will be a HUGE help to you! All free recipes! The moral to this story is, we all need to support one another. With out that, you won't get nearly as far! Do you have a blog you would like to share? Come post a link! Everyone of us needs all the help we can get, and I refuse to keep that from you. You all deserve to be healthy, happy, and HOT!

Since we talked last, I have lost a total of 17.6 pounds! In a little more than 3 weeks! This diet is amazing! I am loving cycle 2, except for the plateau I experienced up until this morning. On C2D2 I stopped losing. It drove me NUTS! Well, I did a bunch of research yesterday and threw caution to the wind! What I read (and please don't try this at home) is that eating something crazy will break it. After the 70+ comment of folks saying it worked, I plunged in! While I am not the sharpest knife in a gun fight, I do have enough common sense not to run out to McDonalds. Instead, I chose a happy medium and ate soybutter on wheat toast. Exciting huh? I didn't think so either... Regardless, I woke up to a 1.6 lb loss! Coincidence? Perhaps... Either way, I was happy!

I am loving cycle 2 and my steaks, scallops, and shrimp! I seriously could live on that stuff. I just threw some shrimp on the stove as I type! That and a little cocktail sauce... Mmmmm! Okay, I am getting side tracked!

Seriously, come on by for a look see! I'd be honored to have you!

Do you know the muffin man?

Do you know the muffin man? The muffin man? The muffin man? Do you know the muffin man, who use to live in my jeans? It's not that I care that he has gone missing... You won't see him pictured on any milk cartons, or post offices. I am pleased the he left me! Because these boots were made for walkin'! I realized he was gone the other day when I put on my jeans. You see, I have an odd shaped body. If you were to only see my legs and butt, you would think I was one skinny chick! However, my waist really throws things off for me in the dressing room. If I want nice fitting pants, I have to wrangle in the flab, tucking and tugging, until I can conceal it. Then I must wear a baggy shirt to complete the look. But no more! He is gone!

I wanted to also add a little side note to my saggy boob post. Something very important for us as women (and men)! I read recently that a fellow 17 day dieter found a lump in her breast after loosing a lot of fat from that area. Thankfully it turned out being nothing, but it could have turned disastrous. It doesn't matter your age either. My best friend was diagnosed with Stage 3c, triple negative breast cancer at 37. She also has a few friends that were diagnosed in their 30's. So you know the saying "Flaunt it if you got it!"? My new saying is "Feel it, since you lost it!"

As I type, I have a steak in the oven! And Shrimp on ice! I am SO VERY excited! Oh, and even better, I am down another pound this morning! That makes over 16 lbs in 20 days! I can't remember my menu yesterday, so please excuse the lack of one today.

Teach an old dog new tricks.

Yesterday I began cycle 2! While I am uber excited about the red meat, shellfish, and potatoes... I am so afraid the my loss will slow. I have heard that you need to bring your exercise up a notch, so that is exactly what I did! I bought "Best of Biggest Loser" on iTunes (the album is awesome), and loaded it to my iPhone. Popped in my head phones... or is it earphones?... and laced up my jogging shoes. I filled my water and began to jog. How do you do that with a 2 y/o old, and an umbrella stroller with handles that only come up to your knees, you ask? I didn't! I ran laps around my front room, through the kitchen, and back out! Each lap I met my cat, who had a mixture of looks on his face. I couldn't decide if he was calling me an idiot in kitty language, thought an invisible dog was chasing me, of I was chasing a really fast bird!

To make matters worse, since early morning my 9 y/o yellow lab had been acting super strange. She had been following me from room to room, and wouldn't leave my side. It was so unusual, I contemplated having my BFF text me every hour or so, to see if I was okay. With that said, you should have seen the look on her face! I jogged for 30 minutes, in circles. Round and round I went, with both the dog and cat in utter shock. It got even worse when I went and laid down to do sit-ups. Jada came over and started pawing at me, trying to get me off of the ground! Let's just say that maybe I should make exercise more common around this house.

In other news, I went to the grocery store to buy my cycle 2 foods. I also bought the ingredients for Dr. Mikes Power Cookie. I really hope those are as good as I spent! I am sure future batches won't be as pricey, but still. I walked around with the book in my cart, looking like a complete weirdo. To add insult to injury, I decided to stand in the meat isle, and take a picture of said book. I didn't realize how weird that looked until others stared! LOL This story reminds me of one of the FUNNIEST pranks I have ever seen. My 78 y/o father has reproduced the prank at a local grocery store! Enjoy- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64aTVG5PF38

Oh, and today is my Biggest Loser weekly weigh in. Tune back tomorrow for those results!

Menu for C2D1 and down .6 lbs this morning! -

• Lemon Water
• Breakfast- Grits, egg beaters, 2 pcs. turkey sausage, FF cheese
• Snack- Yogurt/keifer smoothie; 1 c. strawberries
• Lunch- canned tuna, olive oil mayo, mustard, lettuce, tomato
  
• Dinner- Salmon, salad
  

Pancakes

Yesterday I noticed a huge transformation. Something I didn't think could get any worse. Something that doesn't make me happy to see. What is it you ask? I am the new owner of pancakes. My ol' rocks in socks have turned into a breakfast food. A constant reminder of morning goodness. Apparently the weight has dissipated from my chest, deflating these old party balloons! But I am an optimistic. There is always a bright side to everything! Just think of all the money I'll save! With the extra space I have created in my waist band, I can now just tuck those puppies right in, like a shirt! Let's be honest. Bra's are expensive! I'm always up for a 2-for-1 deal!

Today is the first day of cycle 2! You think I would have had my meal all planned out... but I don't. I didn't go shopping for this new phase, because I woke up with pink eye yesterday. I doubt my fellow shoppers would like to take that home! "Good morning shoppers! On isle 12, next to the potatoes, we have free samples of pink eye!". So, I may just make some grits for breakfast.

Let's try to remember my menu yesterday.

• Lemon water
• Breakfast- Smoothie
• Lunch- Salad with salmon, and 2 tbls of FF ranch
• Snack- carbmaster yogurt
• Dinner- Jennio turkey Italian spicy sausage, roasted carrots and onions
  

Ode to 17 Days

It seems I started yesterday
17 days have gone so quick!
I've eaten enough chicken,
...to make a hungry fox get sick!

Lemon water in the morning,
then smoothie's that are so grand!
Got creative with the spices,
so the food wasn't so bland.

No more ugly muffin tops,
that hang over my pants!
15 pounds down the drain,
time for a happy dance!

PotAto or PoTOTo,
you can give me either one!
Baked, hash brown, or french fries,
potato goodness here I come!

I hope the scale likes this cycle,
like it sure did with the last!
I'll be a sexy mom in no time,
and fat will be the past!

You heard it right!!!! Today is lucky number 17!!! It seriously doesn't feel like it! I cannot believe that it has been 17 days without bread, processed foods, or a drink! I love beer like a 5th child. And with this many children, the love of beer is a requirement to keep you from drowning yourself in a toilet. But I have done it! Don't know how, but I have! Not once did I cheat. The closest I came to cheating was having a itty bitty bite off of a banana to get my 2 y/o to eat it.

So what have I learned during the last 17 days?

• Get a diet buddy! I found one on the 17 DD fan page. We were both starting the same day, and our lives paralleled in many areas, including being managers to our own short person basketball team. Since she is 3 hours ahead, she writes every morning about the good, bad, and ugly (Hi Jennifer!!). It's a neat thing to have for a few reasons. 1) I am sure your friends and family get sick of hearing about your diet. Who wouldn't? 2)They are handy when you want to cheat, and hopefully they can talk you off of the ledge. 3)You get to swap ideas back and forth, and get someone else's input. 4) The utmost best thing about a diet buddy is you make a wonderful new friend! :o) So I want to thank you Jennifer! You have kept me interested, motivated, and out of trouble! This journey wouldn't have been nearly as fun without you walking with me! Love ya, girl! And congrats on your milestone as well! You did an AWESOME job! I am so proud of us both!!

• All yogurts are NOT created equal! Originally I thought I was making a smooth move buying a "light yogurt". I couldn't have been more wrong! It had crazy sugar and carbs! I then switched to Fiber One yogurt which was the 2nd best choice. I finally found "Carbmasters" yogurt, made by Kroger. While some people don't like it, I do... but like I have said, it doesn't take much to impress this lady! My favorite flavors are strawberry, cherry vanilla, and carrot cake is pretty good too! But, if you do buy carrot cake, buy just one to try. LOTS of people hate it!!!

• I don't like green tea. Well, I don't like the ones I "can" have. They only one I can stand is "dieters green tea". I add a little truvia, and lemon. However, this tea has natural laxative properties. While it didn't effect me, I am a horse of a different color.

• With that said, be prepared to get BACKED UP! Seriously. I was to the point of taking 2 laxatives a day, on top of the "tea". I couldn't figure out how this was possible with all the fiber I was getting! Well, I think I have it figured out! Green tea will stop you up, like rush hour on a L.A. freeway! Therefore, I bought green tea capsules at Wallgreens pharmacy.
  

• Eggplant Parmesan is to die for! If you are sick of chicken and fish, try it! Don't wait like I did! Also, I added a bit of FF mozzarella and cheddar. It reminded me of a pizza!!

• I can do anything I put my mind to! If I can do this, so can you! I have about as much willpower as a drunk locked in a beer cooler. But I did it! Anytime I wanted to cheat, I reminded myself that it is was ONLY 17 days! 17 days is a little more than 2 weeks. TWO WEEKS! I also wanted to end the 17th day with a clear conscious. I didn't want any "what if's". With that said, I have cheated more than my fair share on other plans. If you do, it's not the end of the world! You won't be labeled as a cheater with red ink on your forehead! Just jump back on the bus! The destination is worth it!

• Last but not least, I want to thank my readers. Without you, I may have been prone to cheat. There was no way I wanted to log in with the title "Diana's trip to the all-u-can-eat buffet!!" I dunno if I have told you, but I live in Nevada. Where casinos are as thick as grass in a cemetery. Casinos and buffets are best friends. Casino owners add these delicious venues to get people there, especially locals like me. They know if they have an all you can eat crab, lobster, prime rib buffet for $20.00... locals will come. Then they will put a dollar or two into a machine on the way out.

And since we are done with all the mushy, Oscar like tidbits... here is my menu from C1D16. I found an AWESOME app for my iPhone 4. It is called "Fatsecret", and I hear it is also available for the Droid. It allows you to scan the barcode of foods, and comes back with all of the nutritional info, as well as the capability to add to your daily food journal. While it looks like I had plenty to eat yesterday, the calories tell me a different story. 726 calories is not nearly enough, nor is it healthy. When you live on that amount of calories, your body begins to think you have moved to a starving village in Africa, holding onto every ounce of fat, because it knows you will be chased by a cheetah at any moment. This probably explains why I gained 6 tenths of a pound this morning! Obviously it wasn't enough to actually gain anything, and I had PLENTY of water!

• Lemon water
• smoothie with 1c. strawberry yogurt, 1c. Keifer, 1 c. blueberries
• snack- 1 c. of yogurt
• Lunch- 3 turkey sausage links, salad w/ 2 tbls. of FF ranch
• Snack- Red apple
• Dinner- salmon marinated w/ lemon and orange juice, orange zest, basil, and spray butter. Steamed green beans.
  

Recruited the pizza man!

Last night I ordered the kiddos pizza. When the pizza guy came, the one who always comments on how old my dog is, and his that died about this age (WHO DOES THAT?!), I told him I wouldn't be eating any. I told him I was on a diet, but it was o.k. because I had lost 15 pounds in 15 days! He then asked how, and I went off on my pitch. Dr. Mike should start paying me a commission for as much as I sell it. ;o)

Today I am on C1D16. I cannot believe it! Seems like yesterday I started. I am so excited for a steak and potato, yet terrified the loss will slow. I have heard some encouraging things from people about cycle 2. I am hoping since I have yet to cheat, I will be successful too! I only have 10-12 lbs to lose before goal, and if it goes quickly I want to try another 5. That would put me at the weight I was at 18! Also, I realized the other day the I begin Cycle 3 on my birthday! How cool is that?! I will be able to have a drink, and not feel bad! Even have a Skinny Cow ice cream and a candle!

Here is my menu from yesterday-

• Lemon Water
• Breakfast- Keifer/yogurt smoothie w/ blueberries
• Orange
  
• Lunch- Left over taco salad
• snack 2- yogurt
• Dinner- TexMex chicken bake w/ mock rice (pretty darn good!)
  

Down 15!!!!!

I am down 15 pounds in 15 days! Today is C1D15, and that AMAZES me! Although I am so excited to get to cycle 2 so I can have some red meat, and a starch... I hate to leave this cycle.

I have not updated this is 2 days for a few reasons... 1) My mom came back, and visited. 2) Yesterday I felt crappy (and still do). I think I have a cold. Don't ask me why that makes my fingers not work. Maybe it's an actual case of just desperately needing some quiet time, and didn't feel like talking. The moms out there will know what I mean. Mom burnout.

In the last 2 days I have made a few different recipes. I finally made a keifer smoothie, and boy are those good! I use 1 carbmaster yogurt, an equal amount of keifer (measure it in the yogurt cup, because I need more dirty dishes like I need a hole in the head), and a cup of blueberries. I blend that up, and TADA! I could live on those suckers! I also made eggplant Parmesan. I topped it with a little mozzarella and cheddar cheese (fat free of course). It reminded me of pizza! Super good! Finally, I made taco salad with ground turkey. Um, why haven't I tried that before?! YUM!

Here is yesterdays menu-

• Lemon water
• Breakfast- Keifer smoothie
• Snack- 1 c. of grapes
• Lunch- 3 turkey sausage links
• Snack- cherry vanilla carbmaster yogurt (another YUM)
• Dinner- Taco Salad