Like A Boss

Good Gravycakes!  It's been too long since I posted...sorry!  LTRH and I have been sanding and staining floors like it's going out of style and I have neglected my blog.  :(  On the plus side, my feet now look like the victims of a terrible spray tan.

I have seen the Promised Land!  My wonderful mother introduced me to Blissful and Domestic  and I am looking at life in a totally different way.  This amazing woman feeds her family of four on $14,000 per year. $14,000 PER YEAR!!!!!!  Can you even fathom that???  I know what you're thinking - these people have got to be in debt up to their eyeballs.  They're not.  They're so not.  They paid CASH for their house.  Blows my mind.

After doing a bit of blogstalking, I learned that Miss $14,000 was not always Thrifty Lady Extraordinaire.  Her husband was stationed in Iraq in the military and she would cope with his absence by shopping.  Her transformation started with a book.  It always starts with a book!  Her husband recommended that she read America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On the Money.  She read it and it revolutionized the way she ran her house. 

So, of course I bought it and am in the process of reading it.  Oh my cookies!!!!  I have seen the light now!

LTRH and I are so excited to start weekly (eventually monthly) meal plans so that we utilize everything in our pantry and refrigerator.  No more wasting food!  Also, budgeting is not scary anymore - it's doable!  I am so excited about all the money that we have the potential to save and I can't wait to update you on our progress. 

In other news, I am not losing weight yet.  I like ice cream too much for that to happen.  But I have gotten over fast food!  Fast food used to be the seductive temptress that would crook her little finger and I would hopelessly run after her.  Not so anymore.  It's just not satisfying. 

So, what am I doing?  I'm eating regularly.  I guess that's what you call it.  Eating balanced meals (I had 3 bowls of salad last night!) and not depriving myself.  I might be going a little too far out of my way to make sure that I'm not deprived, but I'll work on that.

Back in the day when I was in shape (other than round), I ran.  A lot.  I loved it so much!  It kept me feeling good and powerful.  Why did I stop?  Love makes you do crazy things, people.

Anyway, I've decided to get gently back into running by using the Couch to 5K program.  I've heard great things about it.  The Color Run is coming to Augusta this fall and I want to join in!

Have any of you used Couch to 5K or any other exercise programs?  What did you think?

The Great Divorce

Hi People!  Life is good on this side of the Mississippi - how is it where you're sittin'?  I hope it's just...peachy!

Good friends are invaluable!  One of my dearest friends is the illustrious Stacy Emmet.  She is like unto a brassiere - very supportive!  :) Special friends are capable of reading minds, I think.  She wrote this blog post and I swear, she took it right out of my brain.

Like Stacy, I too have gained and lost the same weight...and gained more to boot.  It's frustrating as can be, and I didn't feel the support at Weight Watchers that I expected and needed.  It felt more like a competition and I hated showing my face when I gained weight.  The pressure was intense - more than it should have been.  So I got out.  Now I'm saving money and one hour per week that I would have spent on something that I wasn't really invested in.

I'm doing my own thing now, and I feel so much better!  I'm forcing myself to make recipes (healthy ones!) out of whatever I've got in my cupboards.  The other day I made what I call The Fast Food Antidote.  I would post pictures, but the meal was inhaled just as fast as it was created.

Here's the breakdown:

Pasta of your choice (I used rigatoni)
3 ounces of cream cheese
Frozen or fresh vegetables of your choice
4 ounces grilled chicken
2 ounces shredded cheddar

Cook everything and throw it in a bowl.  Stir, add salt and pepper and there you go!  You've got protein, dairy, carbohydrates and vegetables all in one dish!  And, it didn't taste too bad either, according to LTRH.

Since moving into the apartment and fixing up the old house, I have had not a single opportunity for exercise, which has been hard for me.  I miss exercising - not so much because of how I expect to look as a result, but because I feel so productive. 

So maybe Weight Watchers didn't work for me because I didn't follow the program perfectly.  That's probably true, actually.  But what's important is this:  now I have a plan that I feel good about.  A plan that I am more likely to follow through with.  Success (like perfection) is a journey, not a destination. 

LTRH wants me to be sure and tell you that his Weight Loss Nazi duties did not end simply because Weight Watchers is no longer in the picture.  He is still very much involved in being my adorable slave driver.  :)

And I'll continue to chronicle my weight loss journey - don't you worry about that!

Not So Random Ramblings

Just keep tracking, just keep tracking, just keep tracking, tracking, tracking - what do we do?  We TRACK!

Aaaahhhh.  Life is good.  I love being refocused!  :)  It just feels so good and so empowering!  The past few days have been a bit helter-skelter as far as eating right; mostly because I have not been tracking as I should.  Today, however, is a new day and I have committed to track everything.  If I bite it, I write it.

The simple act of taking ownership of what I put in my body is absolutely transforming.  I am happier, I'm more motivated to do everything!  Also, today will be the first day of the Fast Food Free Reboot.  Today will be Day 1 of no fast food!  Well, actually...sort of.  I plan to go to Chick-fil-A to get one of their Grilled Market Salads for lunch.  Those things are outrageously yummy!  And the salad itself is only 4 PP and Fat Free Honey mustard dressing is only 2 PP.  Win! 

I will even post a picture of the receipt so that you all know that I didn't fudge...by eating fudge. 

My goal is to lose weight and keep losing it.  None of this willy nilly back and forth garbage.  I can't take it anymore!  This flub has got to come off! 

I am so grateful to the readers and encouragers of this blog and its writer.  You guys are awesome and you help me keep it real.  Thank you for your comments and likes! 

So, I've realized that I am addicted to blog buttons.  If I stumble upon a blog - even if I don't love the blog - I immediately look for buttons to put on my own blog!  It's insane!  But, rest assured that all the blog buttons currently on my blog are for blogs that I love.  All except for the Keep Calm and Eat Veggies button.  I just really liked it and wanted to display it.  :) 

Yesterday at work it was All Rude Customers Call Roly Day.  I didn't enjoy it.  It seemed like all the grouchy customers in the CSRA had it in for me!  But I ate my Wheaties this morning, so watch out!  Actually, I ate a banana and low sugar oatmeal, but my figurative wheaties have been eaten; trust me.

Have a great day!  Make it so!  :D

Yup. 'Nuff Said.

This is my new mantra!  I am going to kick this fat in the teeth!  I will!!!  You haven't seen committed until you've seen me, people.

Oh Crud! >:(

It's official!  You can all start calling me Ms. Cleo.  Yes, yes...I predicted the future!  I KNEW I would not do well on my weigh in and I was right.

I gained 1.8 pounds.  Ick.  That means that I have escalated past my start weight!!  Embarrassed?  Uh, yeah!! 

At times like this, I think of dear Anne Shirley (Anne of Green Gables) who said, "Tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes."  I also think of President Thomas S. Monson (President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) who said, "Sometimes courage is that little voice that says, 'I'll try again tomorrow.'"

This weight loss journey is just that - a journey.  I won't get there today or tomorrow or next week.  But I will get there if I keep going. 

To celebrate my refocused mindset, I'm going to the grocery store to buy lots and lots of veggies. :)

Toodles!

Good Gravycakes!!

This post is not about gravycakes...contrary to what the post title may lead you to believe.  This is merely an update on the life of Roly (me) and LTRH (long, tall, redhead - formerly the Hunk). 

Goodness!  Life has been topsy turvy lately.  LTRH and I have moved from a big empty house to a cozy apartment that we absolutely love!  It has carpet!!  :)  When it's all decorated and not a catastrophe, I'll post pictures.

This week's weigh-in will not be glorious, I can tell you that.  The stress of moving has driven me, well, through the drive thru more times than I would like to admit!  But I have to be accountable to the masses - I can't lie to you!!!  It's difficult to stay on plan when half of my household is one one residence, the other half is in another residence, and there are pieces in transit on highway 25.  This next week, though will be better.  I'll be settled in and can reacquaint myself with Jillian Michaels.  I promise.  You readers out there, hold me to it!

I have received a request for the Greenberry Muffins recipe. It is coming soon.  When I can find my way around my kitchen again, it will be the first thing I make!

Since creating this blog, I have just launched myself into blog world and it's so fascinating!  My favorite blogs are foodie blogs and those that are DIY sewing project related. I can't wait to sew maxi skirts and all kinds of stuff!  

Life is so great!  Heavenly Father has truly blessed me, despite my many, many shortcomings.  I'm eternally grateful to Him for His tender mercies and for his enduring love.

I hope y'all are having a great day!  :)  

The Shooting Academy and Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Hello!  I am convinced that thin crust pizza is of the devil...it's so good and it just disappears whenever I'm around it!  Oh well, another food addiction to overcome.  :) 

So I haven't talked a whole lot about my sweet Hunk.  Consider this the beginning!  My sweetie is a tall redheaded thing with blueberry eyes.  He was in the US Marine Corps for four years and served in Iraq for seven months in Public Affairs.  He's an awesome guy and I'm so blessed to spend eternity with him (starting in November!).  The other day, we were riding around running errands and such.  He put his hand on my leg and very seriously said, "Thank you for doing this with me."

"Doing what?" I cluelessly asked.

"Life," he responded with a smile.

Isn't he the best????  I can't wait to see little tiny versions of him running around!

Anyway, Hunk's father teaches South Carolina CWP (Concealed Weapons Permit) and Utah CFP (Concealed Firearms Permit) classes.  Yep.  This lady can handle some heat.  His classes are held on Saturday morning and I have the distinct privilege of making and serving breakfast for those classes.

I've been doing this for about two months now and have had interesting success.  For the first few weeks, I made homemade, completely from scratch blueberry muffins.  They are insanely good.  Like, totally.  Only thing is...they come out green.  I think it's the blue of the berry with the yellow of the egg yolks...Greenberry Muffins.

Because of the natural person's aversion to green baked goods, I decided to try my hand at from scratch lemon poppyseed muffins.  I had always enjoyed the stuff that comes out of the boxes and packets, but I wanted to be authentic and make it all from scratch. 

Do you want the receipe?  Well, too bad!  You're getting it anyway!

Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/3 cup lemon juice (I used bottled)
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup poppyseeds
1 tsp lemon zest

This recipe yields anywhere from 24 to 30 muffins, depending on how big ya make 'em.

Sift your dry ingredients and set them aside. 

In a large bowl (I used a wannabe KitchenAid Stand Mixer), cream together the softened butter and sugar.

 

 

Add the eggs one at at time and beat well after each addition.  I sound like a serious recipe writer, don't I??  :)  Add the dry mixture and the sour cream alternately. 

 

 

 

 

Add in the lemon juice and vanilla and beat at a low speed until blended.  Fold in the poppy seeds and lemon zest.

 

 

 

Scrumptious, no?

 

 

Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full and bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes.  My oven cooked them perfectly at about 15 minutes, so adjust for your own oven.

 

 

They should come out looking like this:

 

 

Up close and personal muffins!!!

 

 

I use foil muffin cups because they are so easy to peel.  No paper mess is left clinging to the muffins.

 







So overall, this recipe was the bee's knees.  The only glitch is that they were not NEARLY as lemony as I remember the ones from my childhood.  I used more lemon zest and lemon juice than were actually called for, but the increase of lemonness was not significant.  :(  Maybe lemon extract, next time?  What are your thoughts on the situation?