A Second Home

Ahhhhhhhhh....

I made it to Hawaai! And for those of you wondering the results of the 21 day challenge yesterday.... (drum roll please...) I made it by .1! 10.1 pounds lost in 21 days! I was a little worried because I indulged in a double chocolate truffle in Newport.

So it is our first of 6 full days in Kona Hawaii. it is so beautiful here. there really is no other place on earth quite like Hawaii. Maui is my favorite but the big Island is nice too. I feel at home here. it is like my 'tropical life'

I think on thursday we are going to go on an Eco-Zip line adventure in the Kohala Mountain Rainforest. right now I am sitting on my balcony enjoying a cup of Kona coffee and blogging to all of my faithful bloggees. I hear it is cold back home. Not here. 80 degrees. life is certainly good.

tomorrow it will be back to the gym. I have given my body some rest the past few days with the exception of some yoga. Planning to start some light mileage on the treadmill in prep for the beginning of our half marathon training when I return. very excited about that and so many other things. however, I am going to try my best to stay in the moment for the next several days. This won't last forever.

Have a great week my friends! Look for all our fabulous pics on Facebook. Hoping to catch our zip lining adventure and post those pics!

This 'IS' Easy, and I am Worth it!!!

Trace

newport coast

today I am headed to Newport on the Oregon coast. Picking up my brother, his wife, 3 kids and my sister Megan.

yesterday was a busy day. Went to the Y in the am and I put Will, Le Ann, and Meg through an hour circuit workout. then we hit subway for lunch, a few stores including a grocery store to stock up on good food and then back to the Y for the kids' Disney workout. Very cute and awesome to get kids moving. the Y has a lot going on! I think it is a great thing for my bro and his family.

This morning I am 1/2 pound from my goal of ten pounds in 21 days. tomorrow is day 21. I am certain that I will hit it.

More exciting is that my brother lost 3 pounds and Le Ann lost 2.8. in ONE day!! great job to them. I am hoeing that this trip gives them the motivation and inspiration they need to keep going on their journey.

Traci

Visiting my bro and sis

Good evening!

It is late and it has been a long day. Made it to Oregon without a hitch. This morning (at 2:30am) when my travel day began I am happy to say that I am 2 pounds from goal with 3 days to go and today being one of those days was an effortless clean eating day. All meals out and nothing bad for me. I even took my brother, his family and my sister to Applebees where each of us adults made great choices.

For those of you who do not know part of the reason I am here is to be my brother's 'Jillian Michaels' for a few days. He is still doing great and I think he is ready to refocus. He has a great attitude and realizes that his road to better health is a long and learning journey.

From my brother's journey I am reminded of a few things:
1. We are not always going to be perfect nor should we expect ourselves to be.
2. As all roads have twists, turns, bumps, detours and U-turns... So do our weight loss journeys.
3. remember for every uphill there is a downhill; the hard work of the climb helps us appreciate the easy breezy effortless downhills in life.
4. Raising a family, supporting a family and trying to be healthy yourself is very hard. but, remember 'always to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others'
And
5. ... When you almost need a whole hand of fingers to count the years that have gone by since you have seen your sibling, it is entirely too long :(

so good to be here. Makes all this eating right and taking care of myself seem second nature and not so difficult in the grand scheme of things.

tomorrow I am headed to the Y with Will to do a little bit a training, Inspire Fitness style!
Then it's grocery shopping and a little cooking at their house. Then another trip to the Y w the whole family for a Disney themed workout!!

Exciting stuff :)

over and out...
trace

Detention... Days 14 & 15

Good Afternoon my fellow bloggees!

Here I am, it is the 15th of 21 day challenge, I am up a pound from the weekend (still down 5.5) and very surprised it wasn't more.

I am still positive that by 1/23 I will reach my goal of 10 pounds, partly because I know I will be down more than that pound in the morning.

Remember in High School when you got caught doing something you weren't supposed to be doing in class and the teacher made you stay after school for detention?  It never happened to me very often, but when I did get detention I got a whole lot accomplished because I realized the value of that time.  I focused on my homework in detention while most others watched the clock and moaned and groaned.

Well, today I am serving detention for the weekend.  It's not that I overindulged in food.  Actually I was quite proud of the fact that I had a grilled shrimp appetizer and a seared ahi tuna salad at Moxie's for dinner Saturday night!  However, I was a little abusive to the great vino before dinner, during dinner and after dinner.  I won't blame the stressful week or the great company so I will just own up to the fact that I messed up because I had too much alcohol during my 21 day challenge.  Over and done with and now I pay!  Today I am in detention using the opportunity to eat a squeaky clean diet today and refocus on the task at hand.  Yes, I am human too.  I very well could have said, 'why bother, I wasn't perfect so I'll give up now', but I didn't.  Instead I am working on my homework (clean eating) instead of watching the clock on the wall waiting for detention to be over.  Tune in for more tomorrow, and here is my plan for the day:

Breakfast was a protein shake with 1 scoop protein powder, 10 oz water, 1 cup strawberries, 1/2 banana and 5 ice cubes (blended)

Snack was an apple

Lunch is a salad w 5 oz grilled chicken breast with lettuce, onion, slivered almonds, balsamic vinegar and 1 tsp olive oil.

Dinner will be Steel Cut Oats with 1 tbs each of wheat germ and flaxseed finished with 1 cup of blueberries!

Trace

Day #12 & Day #13

Hello!

It's the weekend again!  Yay!  I love weekends.

I apologize for ditching y'all yesterday.  It was intentional.  After a very long week I decided that yesterday was pamper me day.  I stayed away from the computer for the most part and I got my hair done and got a pedicure!

No change on the scale yesterday or today so after almost 2 weeks I am still right on target for 10 pounds by the 23rd.  I have about 3.5 to go!  Weekend plan is to eat just like during the week with the exception of tonight, a little splurge at Moxie's... thinking of a small filet!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Got to go Boot now!!

Trace

Day #11 - Any ideas??

Hello.

Thinking about meals today.  I am kind of bored.  I was wondering if anyone had any great ideas for a clean eating dinner?  I am going to Wegman's this morning and would like to make something for the hubby tonight.  My friend told me about a turkey breast, bone-in with onion soup mix.  Maybe I will crock pot today.  Guess that means I have to get my butt on the treadmill so I can get to store, get crock started all before my day begins.

I am down 1/2 pound today, which makes me very happy.  The small losses daily add up to nice weekly numbers.

Been really busy with Inspire Fitness's website and newsletter (coming out tomorrow...let me know if you want to be on the list! you may already be).  So, I apologize if these have been short.  Lots going on.  I believe we have a closing date for the building so fingers crossed looks like Inspire Fitness will have a new home come March.  

So how about some of your ideas today, my friends???

Traci

Short One... Day#10

Hello!  Short one today.  Not a moment to spare.  Having a GREAT day, despite the 1 up on the scale this am.  This was one weigh in that didn't really have an explanation, however, so didn't yesterday's when I was down 4 in a 24 hour period.  I will chalk it to the body making an adjustment to a ridiculous loss the day before.  Still down 6 of 10 with 11 days to go!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic day!

Breakfast was a protein shake with carrot juice and orange cream whey protein
Snack was a banana
Lunch was veggie ground and tofu stir fry with lots of veggies
Snack before evening training will be 1/2 of a larabar
Dinner will be light, I work late tonight and am working on newsletter/website w/Carrie after training, so maybe a small bowl of kashi heart to heart with almond milk.

Trace 

What is it that you WANT?

This is Day 9 of my 21 day challenge.

We are not quite halfway yet, but just about.  If you were someone who decided to play along and take this challenge, how is it going?  Are you where you hoped to be?  Or, are you where you expected to be?

Is this just another goal you have set in your life that you decide halfway through (or not quite) that you will give up because it is not working for you?

If you are where you hoped to be at this point, then kudos to you and keep up the work.  It is definitely worth it and by now you KNOW it.

If you are where you expected to be and this is just one of those 'diet attempts' that did not work for you, then I ask... why not?  Why is it not working for you?

Do you know the answer to that question?  If you are not sure or you know for sure that you don't, the answer lies in the simple question of What IS IT that YOU WANT?

For instance, if you answer that question by saying, "My goal is to lose 20 pounds and feel better", however, 9 days in you are struggling with this whole new concept of clean eating and you haven't lost much if anything; then something is NOT working for you.  And, I can guarantee that it has NOTHING to do with the diet plan.  IT works.  IT works with the simple mathematical equation of did I burn more calories than I consumed in any given day.  There are VERY FEW instances where that biology doesn't work in that exact way.

So where is the discrepancy?  I believe, based on personal and professional experience, that the discrepancy lies in the answer to this question... 'what do you want MORE?'  Do you want to keep the status quo daily diet (which has gotten you to where you are now), MORE than the GOAL?  It truly is that simple.  If you don't truly seek change, you won't get it.  I am not saying that to be negative, I am saying it because it is the cold, hard truth.

In order to achieve the goal of better health and fitness through weight loss, changes must be made to our diets.  We can exercise until we are blue in the face and it's not gonna make a damn difference unless we change the way we eat.  80% of the healthy life equation is our daily diet, 10% is exercise and 10% is what mother nature stuck you with (genetics).  

What has changed for you over the past 9 days?  Is it working for you toward achieving your goal?  This is possible, you just have to decide if it is WHAT YOU WANT.

Well, I guess that's that huh?  Haha. 

The skinny on the scale this morning:

DOWN 4 POUNDS!  Yippee!  I told you it was all that sodium over the weekend.  So, not only did I blast away the sodium trap from Sat/Sun, because I got myself right back on track I dropped some more.  So, total to date in 9 days of challenge... down 6.9 pounds.  Better yet?... my jeans fit! 

This is very obviously something that I WANT.

Share your stories my friends.  This is how we all learn and get inspired from each other.  You are not alone.

Until tomorrow,

EXPECT MORE.... ESPECIALLY FROM YOURSELF.

Trace 

 

 

Day #7 & Day #8..... The Sodium Trap!

Good Morning!  

I sacrificed my perfect weekend to prove a point to you.  Well, it really wasn't a sacrifice, and I wasn't anywhere near, 'Out of Control', like I have been and could be.   


I had a few 'frozen' foods over the weekend, like one of my favorites, Smart Ones Three Cheese Mac'n'Cheese!  and I also had pasta with low sodium pasta sauce among a few other items I normally do not indulge in if I am eating clean.  But it is football season and I have to have my pizza on football Sunday.  Usually it would be a Dominos feast!  However, this Sunday I bought myself a Kashi Margherita Pizza.  It  was yummy!


Lo and behold after the Saturday/Sunday I am up 2 pounds.  Am I worried, Hell NO!  Why?


Well, I will tell you why.  I have this neat little program app on my iphone called LoseIt!  My bestie, Trish, told me about it after Utah.  I looked at my sodium intake for those two days.  You won't even believe it!  over 8000 mg!!!  Isn't that crazy??


most of you are thinking 'she must have put a ton of salt on something!', right?  Nope.  Frozen foods, sauces, Pizza, anything 'prepared' is LOADED with sodium.  Sodium in our food supply is the 21st century evil that is equivalent to white sugar as far as what is ADDED into the foods we buy.


Don't believe me?  Look at the labels on your foods.  The recommended intake of sodium per day is like 2400 mg and I believe the gov is trying to lower that number too.   If you have access to LoseIt!  or any other program online or on your phone that shows you everyday foods and their sodium content, you will be SHOCKED!  Wanna be more shocked? Check out your favorite restaurant foods that you think are 'healthy'.  Salads can be the worst with the amount of dressing that is loaded with fat and sodium.


My point is that unless you educate yourself on what you are putting in your body, you will never know how to make the healthy weight equation work for you.


In order to be in control, you have to take control back from the food companies that taunt you with 'healthy this and healthy that'.  If a food label boasts any sort of 'health food' claim on its packaging or advertising, chances are that it is loaded with something that our insides really don't need.


Mean you can't ever have it?  Of course not! I do!!  But, every time I do it, I know what I am putting into my body and I have full control over it.  Don't be a foodie victim!  It is not a fun way to go through life.


Build your ARSENAL of FOOD knowledge my friends... it's the only way to survive the evil being dealt to us by Food, Inc.


Well, okay, I kind of went off on a tangent.  haha!!!  


Anyway, looking forward to ridding my bod of that sodium trap I put it in this weekend and talk to you 2 pounds lighter tomorrow!!


Take Care!
Traci
Oh yeah....


Breakfast - banana and tbl of natural pb
snack - granny smith apple
lunch - helen's veggie ground stir fry with 1/2 onion and mushrooms chopped and grilled in 1 tsp of olive; salt and pepper to taste
dinner will be kashi heart to heart with kamut puffs and a banana and 1 cup almond milk

Day #6 - Sometimes what you Expect is not what you GET...

So, it is interesting to me, weighing yourself everyday.  I fully expected that I would be up a bit after dinner out yesterday and a few glasses of vino.  However, I was actually down (.3).  So I am officially down 5 1/2 pounds in less than a week.

I know for a fact that I will be up tomorrow.  Today was a more 'lenient' day.  Had some pasta!  Yum!

Not a whole lot to say today, just been chillin' and relaxing, my evil step son would call that 'chillaxin'

More tomorrow my friends.  I would love to hear about your progress after 6 days!!  Please share!


Trace

Weekend Ahead....

Day 5....

What I had fully expected on Day 3 happened today, after a phenomenal loss of 5.3 lbs after just 3 short days, today was a wash... same as yesterday.  I also took the day off from exercise yesterday which could be the difference, however, even if I don't lose anything over the next few days, I am still well ahead of the 10 pound goal over the 21 day challenge.

Enter..... Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekend!  Ugh.  The key to getting through the weekends on the clean eating plan is to pick ONE (1) Uno... day... one meal... to splurge.  If you are just starting this stuff I suggest NOT, but if you have some control and can do ONE and jump right back on the 'I'm-not-so-fatty wagon', then go ahead and allow yourself that ONE.  I usually like it to be a dinner out.  But, here is the deal... you HAVE to weigh yourself the next morning.  Remember, whatever it says is probably just sodium and junka lunka retention that will go away quickly, but in the 21 day challenge we have to OWN UP!  Is it a deal??

Breakfast today was steel cut oats
Lunch was a chicken breast with grilled onions and red bell peppers with 2 tbl of salsa
Dinner will be at Outback Steakhouse - small ahi tuna appetizer, filet wedge salad hold the blue cheese dressing (I use  just the balsamic drizzle stuff on the side) but I do get the crumbly blue on the side.  Calories before holding that nasty dressing is 562 so I figure about 500 after I add the balsamic and that may be high end.  I will also have a couple glasses of cabernet!


Not expecting to lose today even though I worked out due to the 'dinner out', but my goal for the weekend will be to maintain my 5 pound loss!


Have a great weekend everyone!
Trace

 

And the Beat Goes On...

Well, folks, I anticipated having to give you a day where I said, 'great effort on day 3 but no significant loss'.

Well, I did say 'anticipated'... Hah!  (0.4) pounds yippee!  So one more day goes by of clean eating and exercise, I continue to feel more and more fabulous AND I lose almost a half a pound.  The best part.... NOT hungry at all!  That is one of the most amazing things about clean eating, you get to eat very often and you also eat volume in vegetables and fruits that make you feel full.  On my busy days, which lets face it....every day is a busy day, right?, I find myself looking at the clock saying 'ooops it is time to eat AGAIN!'  

So, if you have just been 'following along' and really have NO idea what this clean eating is all about, don't you want to know??  It is not a fad diet, it is not a liquid diet, it is a sound diet full of whole, healthy, natural foods.  What more??  Email me!  Ask for it!  Buy the book.  I think there is a link right here on this blog!!

Today for breakfast: (and it was VERY yummy)
6 Egg White Stir Fry w/
4 oz grilled chicken (chopped)
1/4 cup Muir Glen Garlic Cilantro Salsa 
1 oz Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alt (it is soy!)

I will have an apple for morning snack

Lunch plan is a Thai Tofu Wrap:
Thai style tofu (1 serving)
1/4 onion (chopped and grilled)
1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms
1 cup shredded lettuce
1/2 tbl peanut butter (all natural of course)
1/2 whole wheat tortilla (if it is the big ones)
(spread peanut butter on tortilla and then combine all other ingredients and wrap 'em!)

Dinner will actually be a dinner tonight!  I am done early enough to prepare a nice dinner for myself.  Here is my plan:

1/2 of a Spaghetti Squash* see below for prep
1/2 cup of Seeds of Change Marinara Sauce
4 oz of shrimp (grilled in garlic and 1/2 tsp olive oil)
2 tbl fresh parmesan cheese

Okay, seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!!.... tell me that that menu doesn't sound damn palpitating! (is that actually a word??) Hehe.

* To cook a spaghetti squash: 
1. cut it in half lengthwise so it resembles a boat not half a coconut
1.5 remove the seedy and stringy stuff, leaving the flesh
2. securely wrap the half you are cooking in saran wrap
3. microwave open side up for 8 minutes (7 if it is a smaller squash)
4. let it cool
5. remove saran wrap
6. take a fork and scrape the flesh from one end of the 'boat' to the other, it will come off like spaghetti strands!
7. Eat it like you would spaghetti noodles!


Until later my friends...
Get moving and put clean fuel in your engine!
Traci

Oh My God Becky....

.... Look... her Butt lost another POUND!  

Yeah, I know you are thinking WHAT????  But yes, my friends, this morning's weigh in, delightfully, was a full pound less than yesterday! So in 48 little hours I got rid of almost 5 pounds of junka lunka...

I tell ya this clean eating is program is onto something.  Like maybe this is how we should eat anyways!  

What can I say today?  Well, I feel great!  I believe if everyone would give clean eating a try for just a week, they would be amazed at how much better they feel as a whole.

Today's breakfast, steel cut oats with 1 tbl wheat germ and 1 tbl flaxseed (ground version of both) with a tsp of agave syrup and 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond breeze vanilla almond milk (weggies natures marketplace).

Snack was a banana

Lunch will be a chicken breast salad with feta cheese today, and again this is a late night for me, so probably a heartier snack around 3 and maybe a greek yogurt with peanut butter for dinner.  

One of my favorite snacks that pack a bigger punch are the larabars.  They have around 200-230 calories and are made from absolutely all natural ingredients!  guess where I get them...yep WNM (from now on know as Wegman's Nature's Mktplace).  They are great for on the go meal or snack replacements.

Remember you don't have to go as hard core as the book suggests and on a scale of 'Hard Core to Barely Clean' ... I am pretty much on the Hard Core end.  But, remember that I have been doing this stuff a long time.  My body responds very well and very quickly to clean eats and I have an intuitive relationship with my body.  If your progress is not quite as quick as you would like remember that it is recommended to lose 1-2 pounds a week for lasting weight loss.  However, doesn't mean that a few weeks of 'rapid blissful pounds droppin' off the post-holiday bod infused with foodlike substance' won't do the body good!  Not to mention it is not bad for the mind or ego too!

So, until tomorrow my friends... have an AMAZING day and eat clean!!

Trace

Now That's What I'm Talkin' About!

I love Day 2!

Why do I love thee, Day 2?

Because after a few weeks of crappy food and ONE day of clean eating, your body sheds a buncha gunk!  I lost 3.9 pounds in ONE DAY!  Yippee!  It is a fantastic jump start to the 21 day challenge.  

Now don't get too excited.  Tomorrow it will probably be something like (.03) or something, but I'll take it, take it, take it!

Today for breakfast I had 6 egg whites with grilled shrimp and onions and 1/4 cup of feta cheese.

A.M. Snack is an apple (not as active today and yesterday so I just grab for the piece of fruit w/o peanut butter.

Lunch is going to be a red bell pepper, mushroom and jalapeno stir fry using 1 tsp olive oil, some spices and 1/4 pound of Helen's Veggie Ground (found at Weggie's in Nature's Marketplace).

Not sure about dinner yet, missed my bowl of steel cuts this morning so maybe it will be breakfast for dinner.

How is your day going?  Any big overnight weight loss??

Trace

DAY ONE.... BRING IT!!

Good Afternoon!

Well I am heavily into day one of the 21 day challenge.  

I began my day with a 40 minute run on the treadmill.  Before my 7:00 am start I had a bowl of steel cut oats with a tablespoon of natural peanut butter!

I had a banana around 10 am for a snack.

My morning appts are now finished and I am enjoying my lunch of the following:

4 oz grilled chicken breast
2 cups of spring mix lettuce
1/2 cup grilled onions
1 cup grilled mushroom buttons
1 tsp olive oil
fresh ground pepper

I put the grilled onions and mushrooms (which I grilled in the tsp of olive oil) right on top of the salad, it sort of acts as a dressing!

More training to do and then dinner will be light tonight.  I might do an egg white omelet with bell peppers.  I don't get done until 7 so I will probably have a 150-200 calorie snack around 3:30 to tide me over.

Oh, by the way, I usually eat about 1200-1600 calories a day to lose weight at a rate of about 2 pounds a week.  This first week will probably be more just because our bodies hold on to alot of the sodium and crappy food we eat around the holidays.  Some people refer to this as 'water weight' I refer to it as 'food-like substances' weight.


Already feeling great!  Can't wait to see if I lose any weight between today and tomorrow!


How is everyone else doing??


Trace

21 Day Challenge!

Good Sunday Afternoon, My Friends!

Here is the scoop, beginning tomorrow I am starting a 21 day, Clean-Eating Lifestyle.  This is 'normally' what my daily diet consists of, however, I usually have the weekend 'cheat days'.

I have a trip to visit my bro in Oregon (the one who has lost 73 pounds since August) and then Hawaii towards the end of this month.  I WANT TO DROP THAT 12 POUUNDS OF CHRISTMAS that I talked about in my last post.  

So HERE IS MY DEAL.... I promise that each and every single day for the next 21 days, beginning tomorrow 1/3 and ending on Sunday 1/23 I will blog the following:

1. My weight loss progress in pounds (may not be available on travel days between 20 & 23, but other than that I plan on weighing myself EVERY DAY.  Sometimes this is a good idea when you want to be very strict with what you are doing, otherwise once a week is ideal.

2.  I will post at least 1 of my clean eating meals every day with the hopes of having entire days of my clean eats right here on this blog to give you all ideas!

SO....  my question.... WHO IS WITH ME?  You can post your comments and questions right here on the blog and even share your own progress.

Come on, let's do it!!  No, there isn't some big monetary prize at the end of it all, but I figure that fitting into my damn jeans again in time for bathing suits in Hawaii will be worth way more than any monetary prize. :)

Again, WHO'S WITH ME!

Make the commitment!

You can buy the book "The Eat-Clean Diet: Recharged" by Tosca Reno for best results on the plan but I will attach a summary of what you have to do on my website as soon as it goes live...

We can definately lose 5-10 pounds in these 21 days!

It's NOT EASY... But YOU'RE WORTH IT!

Can't wait to hear from you all.

Traci