The Last New Path « Craving Chocolate and Lazy Days

I have decided to start a new Craving Chocolate and Lazy Days tradition. It is going to be called, “Fat Free and Fit Friday.” As you may know I struggle to lose weight. If you don’t know that read Another New Journey. This journey was going well…until the holidays came. Then all my past issues came up—I can’t say no to food. Especially ones that involve sugar or the word “chocolate.”

So now after being off my path that I was doing so well traveling, I start again. Good news is I am not starting from the mouth of the trail. I am just about at the same spot as I was when I started losing my footing. (Not too shabby for three months of pigging out…literally.)

One part of Fat Free and Fit Friday will include a weekly update on my “lifestyle change.” I will include a picture and weight update. This is a big step because I am not always comfortable with my body. I am going to suck it up though and post my bikini body. Note: I don’t have a bikini body…read here.

Another part of Fat Free and Fit Friday will include my recent workout music mix. This will be a fun time to find songs you might not have heard of or suggest songs others and I might enjoy working out to. Try out the playlist for yourself and let me know what you think!

Lastly, Fat Free and Fit Friday will include a fat free recipe! I love discovering new recipes and learning what I like and don’t like. This will be a great opportunity for you to share fat free recipes too!

OOO! This is going to be great! So let’s kick off the first ever FAT FREE AND FIT FRIDAY!

Fat Free and Fit

Today was my first day back to being good. No cheating! I AM going to be good. Here is what I looked like when I started down my new path at the end of August 2009.

Weight: 186.6

I bought this bikini before I got married (which was March 2009). Let’s pray that I did not look like this when I wore it for the first and only time before this picture. It is also important to note that this has only been worn once outside of the house…in Cancun where I didn’t have to worry about people recognizing me.

I am smiling? Honestly? Nah! Must be a trained thing.

Here are pictures just before I fell off the “eat healthy” wagon. (Taken just before Thanksgiving 2009)

Weight: 161 lbs

Total weight lost: 25 lbs

You know, until just barely while I was writing this, I have had a hard time seeing the difference 25 lbs. made. Putting the pictures side by side like this just boosted my self esteem a little. Hey! Fat Free and Fit Friday is beginning to work!

OK! So here I am today…picking up just about where I left off at.

Weight: 166.6

Total weight lost: 20 lbs

See…only up 5 lbs. You can tell a little in my tummy…that is usually my first place to gain. I can also see a little gain in my thighs…the dreaded knee fat.

Sorry the pictures aren’t in the same positions. It has been just long enough that I forgot what I did before, apparently.

Tonight I went for a run…51 minutes without stopping! Hey that is good! Last time I ran on a treadmill I went 6 minutes and then had to walk. Tonight I ran outside. I do so much better outside than on a stupid treadmill. This morning I was really excited to post a playlist, but then I forgot to plug the old ipod in. With zero ipod battery, I had to use my Palm Pre Pandora app. I just put it on “quick mix” and went with what I got. Here was today’s line up:

1. L.O.V.E—Ashley Simpson (appropriate for February)

2. Just a Dream—Carrie Underwood (wouldn’t recommend this for running)

3. Dirrty—Christina Aguilera

4. Breakdown—Daughtry (love his raspy voice!)

5. Sweet Lovin Sounds—Brother Noland (what the heck kind of song is this! ICK! Check it out for yourself here)

6. Sexy Love—Ne-Yo

7. Where is Your Heart—Kelly Clarkson (again not a good running song)

8. Suga Suga—Frankie J (this is a good song for the beginning…not end when you are dying and need energy)

9. 3—Britney Spears (LOVE IT! Needed this tune too)

10. American Boy—Estelle (Another good energy pumpin’ song)

11. Switch—Will Smith (I did a dance to this song so sometimes it is hard to just listen and run to it )

12. Upside Down—Jack Johnson

*Not the best workout mix but what Pandora gives you is what you get!*

Ok…here is the good part…the food part!

Here is a recipe for FAT FREE CARAMEL CORN

Ingredients:

2 cups light brown sugar {I prefer Splenda}

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp. vinegar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. baking soda

Popcorn…I prefer using an air popper and salt and butter free kernels…if you like very caramel-ly corn use less popcorn…if you want just a little caramel taste use more

–Combine the sugar, water, and vinegar in a 2-qt. saucepan, bring to boil (stirring to dissolve sugar completely).

–Continue boiling and stirring until syrup thickens and reaches the "hard-crack" stage — consult the candy-making section of any comprehensive cookbook for description and candy-thermometer temperature. (One way of determining readiness is when the syrup "makes threads" when dropped off the tip of a spoon OR when a drop allowed to fall into a cup of cool tap water forms a ball instantly. It takes practice) — cook too long and the coating will be granular; cook not long enough and it’ll be sticky.

–When the syrup reaches the desired stage, take it off the burner, IMMEDIATELY stir in vanilla and baking soda (the soda interacts with the vinegar’s acidity and makes the syrup light and sort of foamy).

–Pour gradually over popped corn while stirring with a long-handled spoon to distribute the coating (or have someone else do the stirring or pouring). This stuff is VERY HOT and will stick to you and inflict deep burns so be careful!

**Variations—use flavored extracts for different flavored coated corn!**

Now it is your turn to participate. Shoot me pictures (before and now if you have them….or start today) Send me music (either your favorite workout playlist or a few workout music must-haves). Send me your Fat Free recipes or let me know how your caramel corn turns out!

Now the trick…don’t screw up the weekend and undo everything you just did!

Crissa February 6, 2010 Fat Free and Fit Friday, Life, Recipes, The Last New Path No Comments

I am getting a jump start on my bikini bod. Sounds early right? Not really though….considering I have NEVER had a bikini body. I have been on my “new path” for 11 weeks. I have lost 23 lbs!

This week my calories were cut and my goal is 4-6 lbs….in the words of Dan, my miracle man. I am shooting for 6.8 lbs though. If I can lose 6.8 lbs this week I will hit my 30 lb mark! Can you imagine the happy dance that will happen if I hit that!? It will be amazing! Wish me luck!

I am not going to show you a complete body picture just yet (that will come at the 50 lb. mark) but here is a little teaser.

BEFORE

Standing with my feet just far enough apart that my thighs just barley touch

TODAY

Standing with my feet just far enough apart that my thighs just barely touch

This week I had a break down. Friday I didn’t get to the gym because I was in Bluebell at a Halloween party..if I went before work I would have had to get up at 3:30 am…NO CAN DO. Then Saturday I didn’t get to the gym because we were in Bluebell and then with Adam’s family. (Do Dol Le Do…SNAP! SNAP!) Sunday…well no working out on Sunday. Monday, I was sick. Nope not swine flu…I ate so much crap all weekend that my body hated me. I am taking stomach craps sick! Tuesday, we had the Heritage boutique. I stood all day in pointed toe high heels and my feet and legs were ACHY!

After work I was laying on the couch with my feet up flipping through the channels. OOO! I will watch The Biggest Loser. I watched them work out and thought I should go to the gym too…but my feet and legs hurt so bad! Then I watched them step on the scale and saw how excited they were. I completely BAWLED! I mean worse than Extreme Home Makeover. BAWLING! I felt what they felt. I understood how they were feeling. I want to loose weight SO BADLY that I would cut off my arm just so the numbers were lower. I felt their excitement of stepping on the scale and seeing the new number. Thank you Biggest Loser for helping me talk myself into getting my tired, achy legs up off the couch and to the gym!

This new path is great. It has its inclines, its ditches, and its flats. Some days I give in to my desires and eat sugar…like this last weekend. However it has had its really great moments too…like when I stepped on the scale and saw that I hit my 20 lbs. mark. That was such a glorious day. This path is tough but there is going to be a beautiful view at the top of this mountain and I am going to be able to say I accomplished my goal.

Crissa November 5, 2009 Life, The Last New Path No Comments

After letting out all of my air, I stepped on the scale. WHAT!!! I stepped off and then took a big deep breath. I let it all out and stepped on the scale again. I could not believe my eyes…I have lost 20 lbs…TWENTY POUNDS!!! I was over joyed to say the very least. I wanted to jump up and down on the bed and yell, “I hit my 20 lbs. mark!” Then jump off and do the happy dance. But, I couldn’t. It was 5:45 am and Adam was still asleep in the bed I wanted to be jumping on.

After breakfast and a shower I went to the closet to pick out what I was going to wear. I couldn’t decide. Then a pair of pants caught my eye. This pair had been hidden in the back for forever. These are not just skinny jeans…these are “one day jeans.” The pants I hoped I would fit into again one day. I slowly took them off the hanger and pulled them on…AND BUTTONED THEM UP! I could even breath in them! The last time I had taken these bad boys off the hanger I couldn’t fit them over my thighs. Again I wanted to rejoice and do the happy dance but couldn’t. I did do a few circles in the closet though thinking to myself, “I can’t believe I can fit into these. I can’t believe I can button them up.” I kept them on and wore them the whole day. I even got a compliment on my cute pants!

What a great way to start the day!

Crissa October 7, 2009 Life, Random Mumblings, The Last New Path No Comments

So far so good! This path is a nice, gradual climb up the skinny mountian. I am quickly learning how to eat healthy, exercise efficiently, and curb cravings for chocolate, ice cream, cake, candy, etc. Today is day 25 and my total weight loss is 14 lbs! That is a good healthy weight loss. I am eating more than I ever have…being on a diet or not….okay there were days when I wasn’t dieting that I ate WAY more, hence the new journey.

I am going to the gym 6 days a week. I know this may seem like a lot but I am not kicking my butt everyday like I did before. In the past I would go for at least an hour, sometime two, and do straight cardio. Now I am doing a good mix of cardio and weights and rarely am I in the gym for more than 60 min. Every once in a while I get the craving to do a spin class and then a turbo kickbox class…I crave sweat!

I have lost 3.9% body fat. That is straight fat loss!! How could I ask for more? The climb will continue….

Crissa September 21, 2009 Life, The Last New Path No Comments

In the past “new paths” haven’t gone so well for me. It was like I was walking down a trail on my way to a happy, healthy, and fit body and I kept taking side trails that I hoped would be a short cut or perhaps just an easier climb up the mountain. Each time the side trail would lead me right back to where I started…or in most cases a little further away from the end goal. If you are lost on what I am talking about read more here then go here.

Well, I am venturing off on yet another side trail…except this time it should be different. It shouldn’t lead me back to this same old dirt spot that is quickly becoming quite deep from me always being there. This trail isn’t the easy paved walk up the mountain either. This one is a slow, steady hike. There may be rocks, twigs, or bad weather that could try to keep me from turning back to my hole in the ground. Despite the hazards that may stand in the way, there will be people cheering me on and encouraging me to reach the summit. There may even be hikers that join me.

What is the new journey? It is called Total, Health, and Fitness. I found out about this after venting to my sister about these rollarcosters that I getting sick of riding. She told me about Total, Health, and Fitness and how her neighbor told her about it. She explained that they work with you through an exercise AND nutrition plan tailored to you. A lot of the past paths were one or the other, which may have been why I struggled. After learning more about the program, I decided to go in for the consultation.

When I went in I met with an energetic and funny guy named Dan. He further explained the program to me and forewarned me that this would not be a quick and easy ‘magic pill’ fix. It was going to take time and could potentially be difficult. Through his training we would both learn about my body and what works for me. The plan should work for me, not me for the plan. He pinched my chub and told me what percentage of body fat I had on my bones. HOLY COW I HAVE A LOT OF FAT! That piece of information was just enough motivation alone to get me going.

After keeping track of what I ate for two days, Dan set me up with a meal plan. I am going to be eating 7 meals a day…great idea Dan! I left his office this morning with a meal plan, exercise regimen, and hot coals under my feet! This new path is going to be GREAT and will be the last path I take! I will make it to the summit! Skinny clothes and boots that fit over my calves, HERE I COME!

Crissa August 27, 2009 Life, The Last New Path No Comments