Stephanie here...

I have been battling the binge and I am winning.  I have some handy tools which I use every second of the day and I am so far doing okay.  I eat at certain times of the day and I only eat what I bring.  Now when the lady from the office brings in her super incredible best fudge in the world in, I hope I have strength to make it through...

I weighed in at 185.  So got through the holidays without a gain...so I am a winner there!!  I watched portions and drank a ton of water.  And coffee! :)  And tea... :)

My kids have been keeping me plenty busy and we are making crafts and getting gifts sent off for our craft swaps.  My daughter is finishing that up this week.  I am finishing up a stocking swap! :) 

So my goals for this week are very similar to Trisha's....water, water, water.  15 minutes of movement a day.  and of course, no binging.

Response to Trisha...

Stephanie here, and I wanted to give my two bits on your subject:
Here we are at a milestone, indeed! Now I am curious where we are going to go with our blog from here, as certainly our challenge has changed quite a bit. We both face our own personal battles with the scale, with an entirely different focus for each of us. Do we keep blogging here? Do we keep blogging about the same topics? Is this blog growing and changing and morphing into something new? Or, fading?


What are your feelings, Stephanie?

You know, I have been thinking and I think we have learned a lot about ourselves through this challenge/blog.  I almost feel like it is fading.  I think we are at different places, good places, but different.  We really aren't "challenging" each other anymore, in fact the real challenge is within ourselves and I think we are both winners there! :) So I will let you decide if you want to still keep this going.  I kinda don't want to let go yet, but I feel that we have grown to something different now...

Checking in!

Well I took a hiatus from dieting. Or at least the word dieting.  I am dealing with my issues and life.  I didn't have time to let "dieting" consume me. I had a husband who I basically didn't see and my kids.  When my husband is working crazy ranch hours, it makes "dieting" hard.  I basically don't sit with my family during the week unless they sit at the kitchen table, which my daughter does, until the weekend.  I am busy picking up and cooking, doing homework, folding clothes, talking baby talk to my boy, having girl talks with my girl, packing lunches, making coffee, making breakfast, reminding others of their tasks, changing diapers, making sure my boy isn't eating something he shouldn't or pulling the dogs hair! :) I wake at 4:30 and I go to bed by 8.  I leave the house at 7 and get home at 6.  When my husband is home, the house runs more smoothly because he keeps me calm and takes some chores so I don't have to do everything and I get to sit or at least breathe.  Last week, I was exhausted.  I run on auto pilot and when a moment of quiet passes, I see that I need to sit and breathe.  I know that making time for myself is the key to this journey and making myself a priority, but seriously folks, unless you have the support and a nanny, exercise is hard to fit in!!! Yes, I know you can incorporate moves in when playing, but I am talking about jogging on the treadmill or doing a DVD.  After making sure everyone was on track and had eaten and had clean clothes and homework done, I just wanted to spend any moment I could with my family, not with the treadmill.  So I didn't have a loss, but I did have a gain...a gain of not feeling guilty over spending time with my family over exercising my butt off.  I did do my walks and such during the day, but nothing extra.  And you know what...I'M OK WITH THAT!

BED update

Stephanie here...I updated my personal blog about my journey through Binge Eating Disorder (BED).  You can check it out and see what I am doing on my quest to conquer this addiction of mine. 

PHewwww! I made it through!

Last week wasn't my best week in all aspects of my life.  It was very emotional and just tough.  But today I have renewed spirit.  I have a different outlook on life!!!  It is once again a new day, a clean slate. 

I weighed in at a 195 this morning.  That is a gain I can totally handle.  I did lots of exercise and I didn't eat like a champ.  I didn't eat horribly either.  I was totally aware of what I was eating with my journal, the good and the bad. The one thing that I did do differently this last week was beat myself up over every little thing.  That could be why my weekend was so super fun packed and why today I feel so good!!!

I have been doing Zumba like crazy! Then this weekend, I did yard work and played with the kids.  Today is a whirlwind day...got a Halloween party to go to at the school and a lunch party at work.  But I will make good choices and watch my portions!! 

To a new day.....

A journey, for sure!

Stephanie,
Thank you for having the courage to share your condition. I just wanted to say a few things about this challenge. I truly believe it's grown to mean so much more than just a challenge to each of us. I feel like it has pushed your struggle to the surface, and now you are able to focus on healing. And, holy smokes, you have been exercising for 3 1/2 months now!! So many benefits there, as well as where would you be physically right now without it?

I believe that this challenge, which has really turned more into a motivational blog between two unlikely people, has definitely made things better between us! Our entire readership does not know of our recent stress between our two households, but I believe that it healed much more quickly than it would have back in the day.

The bottom line is that neither one of us wanted to give up on all the progress we have made, in large part due to this blog!!! Is everything perfect? Of course not, but I feel like we can see things differently now, and that through this blog, we haven't just viewed one another based on our roles in a little one's life! Rather we see each other as women, as real people!

I look forward to seeing where our journey continues to take us :)

Please read....

I know I haven't weighed in yet.  But I did a post on my personal blog and I am going to link it for you all to read.  I have done something I am not proud of and it was harder than H E double hockey sticks to talk about. there...it's done and said.

Weigh in

Last week: 183.3
This week: 184

Sooo tired of the roller coaster!!!!  I need to shake this!!!  I have been journaling food, and exercising.  But I think I need to amp it up a bit.  I need to double check my portion sizes.  And I need to move even more. 

I will do this.  I have to do this.  I can do this.

YES, YOU CAN! I am so proud of your exercise!! Remember that you are making changes on the inside, both healhty heart-wise and healthy head-wise :))) YAHOO!

OMG TRISHA!!!!

YOU ARE THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING WOMAN!!!  I am so proud of you! I know how hard this is!!!  You have made such a HUGE change!!!  You are an inspiration!  I love reading what you write every week and I look forward to the next post from you. 

Good job Trisha!!! 

Gimme some knuckles!!!  KNUCKLES :)))

CRAZY busy week this week!! SIGH. SO, just wanted to thank you for your positive comments and generous feedback :) It's very much appreciated. I also wanted to tell you how you are an inspiration to me, as well! I am so proud of you for all of your exercise!!! I have had several people mention to me that they saw you walking up Kermel grade :)) I always get so excited!!! YOU GO GIRL!!!

And...

I have a magazine that I am working on to share with Trisha!!! ;)

I LOVE THE HEALTH magazine :)) That was the first time I ever read it!! I will be giving it back next week :))) And, I have one that I just finished reading and need to get sticky notes in it, too!! It's been such a crazy week...

I broke down...

and I bought a set of Zumba DVD's! :)  I can't get to a class and I soooo badly want to try this and do this!!!  I sure hope I like them!!! I get them next week!

Crusted Tilapia

Fish is a favorite at our house.  I try to come up with interesting ways to cook it and this crusted way seems to be a favorite. 

4 oz. fillets of tilapia (prepackaged cut already :) )
3 sheets of phyllo dough
fresh dill (or dry)
diced garlic
lemon pepper (or sometimes I just squeeze some lemon on)

you take your 3 sheets of dough and light spray some olive oil cooking spray on each sheet as you layer them.  Cut the sheets in half and place one fillet on each half.  Sprinkle your seasoning on and fold the fish with the sheets and lay seam side down on a sprayed cookie sheet.  Spray a little more spray on top, it helps make the crunch!  Just light sprays, though!  And feel free to put more dill on top!

Bake in the oven at 375 until golden brown! 

These little crispy pockets of goodness are heaven!!!  And they taste great the next day cold for lunch! 

I don't know if there is an actual recipe for this, because I just did this on my own one day. :)

Total calories per 4 oz fillet: 200

Stephanie's weigh in and highlights

Stephanie here...

last week: 184
This week: 183.3 :) 

This was a crazy week for me.  My baby wasn't feeling good.  He was up every hour to hour and a half for two days. So I had total lack of sleep.  And sleep is a very important task for me.  I get sick and grumpy and just not a happy camper when I lack sleep.  My focus gets all messed up!  Speaking of focus, I am in the process of writing a blog post about mental hurdles and the little light bulb that I had light up this weekend!

This whole process has been such a learning experience for me.  More than I could have EVER imagined...

Oh me oh my!

Where have I been?  Is it seriously already Wednesday???  I have had a ton of fun this week and have been busy with my kids and hubby! 

First, weight in:
last week: 185
this week: 184
loss of 1lb.  :)  I will take it! 

So the 5K came and went and I am excited to keep at this jogging business and get form and breathing figured out better and next year conquer the course jogging the whole thing!  I did my run alone and I finished in 41 minutes.  I could see Trisha the whole way! :)  I could have done better I think, because I don't think I pushed myself hard enough.  I got a side ache after the second water station, so I didn't drink anymore after that! It was fun to pass by people I knew that knew this was a challenge for me and they would knuckle bump as we passed by each other! I really enjoyed myself! But for the next three days, I was SORE!!! My shins felt like the bone was bruised and my ankles hurt.  I kind of felt crappy afterwards too, but I think my allergies are to blame there.  And just like Trisha, I wheezed into the night and part of the next day!  I use to use an inhaler for anything exercise related but haven't had to for years.  Well I could have used a puff after the race!!!  So I think I will see about a refill!!!  Maybe that is part of my problem with breathing while I jog, I am just not getting enough oxygen.  Trisha, if you get diagnosed with EIA, you will totally see a difference after a puff of the inhaler! The only thing I didn't like about it was it gave me the shakes. But I would rather have the shakes than not being able to breath!

Yesterday I exercised at lunch.  I did the bleachers at the school and a long walk afterwards.  It felt good to use different muscles.  But again, I got lightheaded and felt icky, so again, I wonder if it is EIA???  We will find out after I get my inhaler!

I gave back the magazine that Trisha shared with me and I have to say it was a good magazine!  It has some good workouts in it and interesting articles.  But like Trisha put on a sticky...too many ads!  So now it is my turn! 

A reply for Trisha.. :)

Trisha,
Thank you for your kind and inspiring words.  I have huge expectations of myself and when I don't deliver, it bugs me.  But this is all new to me and I need to find my stride.

I went and walked a 5K yesterday at lunch and I can do it in 40 minutes.  :)  So maybe I timed myself wrong on Sunday??  I don't know but I do know that I am excited, nervous and proud that we are doing this!  This uncharted territory!

Thanks for taking this journey with me Trisha!!!

--from Trisha
I have a theory: Sometimes when I jog and walk, I feel like it takes me longer than when I just power walk. I think it's because I am working so much harder when I am jogging, and then I am recuperating when I am walking, so my walking time is much slower than normal. Don't know for sure if this is what happens, but I have had some times when I have power walked a route faster or right at what I have jogged/walked it. I also can have all different times for the exact same route for jogging/walking! I think there are lots of factors that account for that.

A post for Stephanie--from Trisha :)

Stephanie,
Don't feel down and blue! You said it, YOU are in different size pants!!!!You have to remember that you are in this for the long haul, so just IMAGINE where you will be THIS time next year! Look how much we have accomplished just since we started this. We haven't even been at it for as long as a pregnancy!!

I am so proud of you! You are hustling it :) You go for those awesome walks at lunch time!! That inspires me, and I know it inspires others!

Just remember that the 5K is just about finishing it. It's our first 5K race!! It's about starting our personal record. You will probably think this is CRAZY...when I was jogging yesterday, I would pick a point (I wasn't doing time, but distance instead), and I would seriously say in my head, "If you don't get there by jogging the whole way, you won't ever make your weight loss goals." I know that's probably negative self-talk, but it really motivated me!! In all reality, I think our bodies can do lots more than we think they can. I believe this after having a son in the Marines, and watching the people on the Biggest Loser. I think it's just as much a mental challenge.

And, remember...CELEBRATE all the good!! I am so glad we are doing this together :)

The challenge results/weigh in for Stephanie

Oh the mock 5K, how you tried my every muscle, my every minute of the run.  I look forward to redoing this!!!  The weather sucked but I did it!  My muscles got tense and rock hard but I finished!  I have to say it was really hard for me.  I didn't have the positive feeling that I sense Trisha had! :) I blogged about it on my other blog.  And I can't sugar coat it, I am a hurting unit!  My knee cap hurts on my right leg, the tops of my feet are sore, like the bones are sore.  It doesn't seem like I have been doing the C25K program, I feel like I just ran for the very first time.  And while I ran I felt so tense which made it hard to jog! I did it in 45 minutes...yes, I boned it.

But I have a plan...I now know what NOT to do before the race!  I am pretty sure the winds won't be so bad.  (I got stuck in a dirt storm yesterday!) I know that I won't be eating a breakfast before, but just some toast and a banana.  I know that I will stretch a heck of a lot more!!! 

I did an endurance workout at lunchtime today...I wrote about it (with a pic!)  It felt good!  And I did this 3 mile walk in 45 minutes!!  HELLO, can anyway say "kick in gear Stephanie"?  This walk is 2 huge hills!!!! 

I am not feeling good about myself the last few days.  I think it is time to do measurements and see where I am with those.  Cause the scale...well the scale just isn't helping me!  It said I was up .4 lb.  But it is TOM but I just don't want to use that as an excuse.  I am going to buckle down this week and see what happens.  I feel like a broken record...saying I am going to do this two pound loss thing but it never happens. 

BUT...I am wearing a pair of jeans I couldn't wear a month ago! :) 

Last week: 184.6
This week: 185
Gain of: .4 

Weekend challenge!

Stephanie here...and I just mapped my route on Google Maps. I am so excited!!!  The road is close to home and has some hills and straight stretches, just like the 5k course next Saturday.  I blogged about my husbands thoughts on this on my other blog, he wants to do this with me now!  But he said maybe next year. 

and for the record I am on Week 4 day 2 of C25K now. 

I am loving the idea of our magazine exchange!  I LOVE magazines!!  So this weekend I will be going through and checking out the one that Trisha gave me yesterday and responding on different colored sticky notes!!!!  LOL!!  how fun!!! 

So I can't wait for weigh in on Monday...I have kept off the scale all week, no peeking for me! :)

Stephanie's Monday weigh in!

Finally, finally, finally!!!  I am at a number that I haven't seen before!! 

Last week: 185.6
This week: 184.6
Loss of: 1 lb!!!! 

I am seeing a pretty steady pace now.  A healthy pace.  I am still "in training" for the 5K in October.  I am finding that running on the track is much much harder than on my treadmill, but I am able to go faster on my treadmill, I think. :)

I need something that tracks my pace, but then I think "do I really want to know how slow I am going?!"

Off to get more water!!

Stephanie's weigh in

So I got up this morning and hopped on the scale.  We all know that I have had a challenge lately of losing even with all my changes and stuff. 

last week: 186.8
This week: 185.6
Loss of: 1.2 

I was hoping for more cause I was really careful at fair and to not have the bad foods.  Although I did have a 7-up and that was the first soda I have had in so long!!  I must say it was YUMMY and refreshing in the heat of the day.  :) 

So I have signed up for the 5K Autumn Leaf Run on October 1st.  I have a challenge with myself and blogged about it here.

Also I have suggestion on a challenge this week for a challenge.  Trisha, I had read a posty in my gift bag that you wanted to get back to working out in the mornings?  That is what I want to do too so that anything else is extra!!!  And to help me train for this 5K.  So how about this week we try to workout 3 mornings? It can be for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, hour, whatever just as long as we are up and getting our health on!!!  It can be stretching, yoga, cardio, whatever gets us going.  Just to start the habit. 

I did 30 minutes this morning of week 2 day 3 of the C25K program.  Baby boy was playing and talking to me!!!  It was cute! I am proud of myself for getting it done considering lunchtime temps are to be high 90's and I know I won't get as much done after work cause it just doesn't fit my schedule. 

So now a new week, yep Trisha, a clean slate!!! :)  That is what Monday's are for, a fresh start!!! :)  Good job at fair!!!