Who's your valentine?

Here is a tough question for you......who is your valentine? For those of us who are married or are in a relationship, that wonderful man may be the immediate answer. However, I would like all of us to take a minute and think really hard about what we are putting first in our lives. What are we "loving" the most?

I think it would be a pretty accurate guess that we all too often make food our "love". We put it above lots of other things in our lives, hoping that it will satisfy something that is missing. We might eat when we are stressed, bored, angry, sad or when we are actually hungry. I am here to testify that food is a VERY bad valentine!!!! When I have run to it seeking comfort, all it has given me is more pounds on the scale!!!! Or if I have lovingly approached it during times of celebration.....I was left deflated!!

I think you all know me well enough by now to know that I am NOT saying that you should not ever do a special meal that is less friendly on the points side ;) What I AM saying is beware of making food your first love. When we do this we end up disappointed every time. It is a temporary fill that then leaves us fat.

Interestingly enough, when I think about what my first love should really be, it is not even my husband in the #1 slot. For me, as a Christian woman, God wants my love to go first to Him. He fills me up more than and food or any man could ever fill me up!!! He then helps me to be able to love those in my life in a much more free and selfless way. When I am putting my husband before God and look to him to fill all my needs, guess what? Like food....I am left wanting. Not that my husband is not SUPER TOTALLY AWESOME!!!! He is that for sure!! It is just that he is human, which means he is not perfect. What I would like to focus on today is loving God more than myself, my husband, my kids or my food!

Switching gears here......

As I am sure you have noticed, I have not posted since last Thursday. I did so good at at least writing everything down from the day I left for NY until last Thurs. Then, this past weekend, I just did not do it. I would say I was teetering on a fine line this weekend. I ate some really wise food choices and then I ate some things that were not so wise. My life has just been spinning like crazy and I kind of lost it for a bit.

Between getting back from NY, training for WW three days last week, my oldest child being sick, going to Chicago not once but twice this weekend......I have been skating on thin ice!!!! Yesterday I actually had a breakdown at church. We were running a little late so I felt very rushed and out of sorts. I had a HUGE headache and really just wanted to be at home. I could tell I was gonna lose it. I tried to fight it but, you know as well as I do that pregnant ladies (heck, women in general) just need to cry sometimes!! I felt better once I got it out but DANG it is so not fun!!!!

This morning I had an OB appointment and I knew they were going to listen for the heartbeat as well. I think I was anxious about that yesterday which also added to the reasons for the meltdown. The appointment went great :) Strong heartbeat in the 140s. I will be 16 weeks tomorrow. I have put on 13lbs so far. Not sure how to think rightly about that. Basically I know that I need to just keep on blogging my food and try to make the best choices that I can and not beat myself up too much!!!!

My requests today are simple....examine your life and tell food that it is a lousy valentine and you are breaking off your long term relationship. Yes, you will still see each other but food no longer holds the #1 love in your life!!!! My second request is KEEP READING THE BLOG ;) I know that my intentions to put up a food log every day is a good one, but I think that stumbling a bit is also ok because it reminds you (and me) that I am not perfect. Not even close ;) I can, however, move forward and grow each day in this challenge to stay healthy!!! Let's continue on this journey together!!!! Shoot me an e-mail and let me know how this blog has been encouraging to you!!!!

NY and back again!!!

This post is going to a LONG list of what I have eaten from LAST Friday morning until yesterday. Once I left for NY and came back I had to start my training for WW. I was so tired this week that this is the first time I have sat down to try to catch up with everything. As you will see I do not have points values for everything. At this point I am not even gonna try to go back and figure all that out for a whole week.
The basic idea is that I will pick up and move forward from here. The biggest thing is that I at least wrote EVERYTHING down. There were a few splurges in NY (on purpose!!!) and then this week I have only been trying halfheartedly to keep myself in line ;) Now that I am home and getting back into the normal routine things should even out quite a bit ;) I need to get my booty to the grocery store and stock up on all the "good" stuff ;) Ok....well....ENJOY the crazy list!!!

Friday- Feb. 4th
Breakfast- 2 pieces of toast- 2pts +, 2tbs PB- 5pts +, strawberries- 0pts +

Lunch- McDs southwest salad with dressing-11pts +, bottle of water

Treat- 1 square of PB Snickers bar

Dinner- Irish pub- 1/2 grilled chicken sandwich, 1 1/2 cups (estimating) of chicken shepherd's pie

Treat- 12oz chocolate milk, 1/2 of a big sugar cookie with reese's pieces

Saturday- Feb. 5th
Breakfast- clementine- 0pts +, egg whites with a little hot sauce wrapped in Flat Out bread

Lunch- 1 bowl of chicken mushroom soup, 2pieces of bread- 6pts +, 1 16oz coke, 1 small asian lettuce wrap

Treat- Small strawberry/orange smoothie

Dinner- 1 big slice of healthy whole wheat pizza with olive oil, mushrooms, zuchinni and roasted red peppers, topped with a little fresh mozzarella, 4 breadsticks with sauce, 1 mini canoli

Snack- 1 20oz coke and popcorn

Sunday- Feb. 6th
Breakfast- 2 clementines- 0pts +, 1 wedge vanilla creme brulle french toast, 1 slice turkey sausage, 1 egg- 2pts +, 1 hot chocolate with a homemade marshmallow (yum-o!!!)

Treat- Grande java chip frappacinno

Dinner- 1/2 chicken wrap w/avocado (first time eating avocado!!!), 1/2 order of fries, glass of coke

MOVIES!!! 1 small popcorn, small cherry coke, box of snow caps (I would call this my big splurge)

Monday- Feb. 7th
Breakfast- apple- 0pts +, bowl of cereal with skim milk

Lunch- salad-YAY, 4 potato skins (not so yay ;) he he he)

Dinner- Little Cesar's Pizza- 2 pieces pizza, 3 bread sticks, cup of orange soda

Crazy 10pm "snack" or second dinner- Taco Bell- 3 soft tacos

Tuesday- Feb. 8th
Breakfast- 3/4 cup honey bunches of oats- 3pts +, yogurt- 4pts +

Snack- 2 pieces of banana bread- 6pts +

Lunch- smart ones- Broccoli fettuccine alfredo- 6pts +

Treat- java chip frap- I cannot remember which size I got

Dinner- Burger King- chicken sandwich, small fry, small coke

Wednesday- Feb. 9th
Breakfast- clementine- 0pts +, omlette (1 egg, 2 egg whites, red pepper, 1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese) 4pts +, 1 cup O.J. 3pts +

Snack- 1 package WW multigrain crips- 2pts +

Dinner- McDs mighty kids meal- 6 chicken nuggets, small fry, small coke

Snack- popcorn, vernors- 4pts +

Treat- 1 cup ice cream

Thursday- Feb. 10th
Breakfast- 2 pieces toast- 2pts +, 2tbs PB-5pts +

20oz cherry coke- 8pts +

Snack- banana-0pts +

Lunch/dinner- Subway- Foot long spicy italian on 9 grain wheat with lots of veggies- 28pts +

Treat- tall java chip frappacino- 6pts +

Vernors- 4pts +

Night out with mom- Applebee's- side salad, side order of steamed veggies, virgin strawberry daquiri

I have NOT forgotten!!!

Ok kiddos, I have NOT forgotten to come back to the blogging world after my NY trip this past weekend!!!! You will be glad to know that I DID write down everything I ate all weekend!!! I do not know points values for some of the stuff but that is ok. I was proud of myself for at least being aware of what and how much I was eating!!!! That is really important while on vacation. The funny thing is that I ate worse the day I was leaving NY and then today than I think I did while I was there. Go figure :)

I will try to get you all caught up very soon! This week is just crazy!!! I flew in from NY yesterday afternoon. Was home long enough to have dinner (Little Cesar's pizza) with my family before leaving for a MOPS leadership meeting. This morning I had to get all three kiddos up and ready to take the big guy to school. Then it was off to Bible study. Then home long enough to eat a VERY quick lunch and head to my first day of training for my new job at Weight Watchers!!!

I KNOW I am gonna LOVE working for this company!!! I was so excited and encouraged while at the training session!!!! YAY :) I will keep you guys updated on all of that as well !!!

For now, this girl (who is now 15 weeks pregnant!!!!!! YAY!!!), had GOT to get her booty to bed!!!! Also due to everything going on this week I probably will not get to Jazzercise. I WILL get there next week!!!!

So excited to be back "with" all of you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On the New York track.....

Alright folks....so like I mentioned, I leave for NY tomorrow!!! After much debate in my brain I have decided to track what I eat while I am gone!!! Someone reminded me that this is real life and there is no pause button. So, if I am gonna blog this journey then I need to blog ALL of it, not just the parts that are "normal" life. Oh snap!!! So true!!!! I will try make wise choices like having a salad or some fruit before I have my main meal. I will also be sure to treat myself while there!!! This will be an adventure!!!!! Come on along for the ride!!!!

I have been trying to pack for the last couple of hours now. Funny thing is, I have not really been trying. I have been sitting here thinking....what do I need to do? I am just packing for me so it is not like I really have to put much effort into it ;) No diapers, wipes, little people clothes, toys and enough clothing for two adults. Nope, JUST me :) It is GREAT!!!! I printed off my tickets to the Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet, which we will be in the 5th row for!! Then I checked in for my flight online ;) Ah....technology ;) Now I am just waiting for some clothes to dry and then I will be in bed by 11pm!!

Speaking of adventures....today was it's own little adventure......an IHOP adventure. That little IHOP visit cost me 32pts + for one meal. I was not surprised in the least. I did split it up and ate half of it at home later. Even after having IHOP I am only over by 7pts today. Not a total disaster. I am really curious to see what the weekend holds.......

For now, here is my Thursday list:

Breakfast- IHOP- 2 pancakes, 2 triangles of french toast, 1 piece ham, 2 eggs, a few bites of hubby's hash browns- 32pts +, water- 0pts +

Snack- Nectarine and strawberries- 0pts +

Lunch- finishing the IHOP meal

Dinner- 1 cup spaghetti- 5pts +, sauce- 2pts +, garlic bread- 5pts +, salad- 0pts +

Snack- Nectarine- 0pts +, frozen fruit bar- 2pts +

NYC - baby!!

With all the snow we got I was not sure how my weekend plans were gonna turn out. I am supposed to fly out of Chicago to NY on Friday. As of yesterday flights were still canceled. I was getting mixed opinions from friends and family. Some thought that all the cancellations would affect my flight and others said it would have nothing to do with my flight. Looks like the side I was voting for won!!!! So, tomorrow at lunch time I will be on a plane heading to see my best friend from college :) YAY :) We get to see TWO Broadway shows!!!!

How will this affect my point counting and food intake you ask? I have NO idea ;) I am trying to decided if I want to "be really good" or just do the whole "go and enjoy yourself" thing. Now, I understand, that I CAN do both. You CAN "be good" while enjoying yourself. I KNOW that is totally doable. I guess what I am really trying to figure out is if I actually WANT to keep track of everything. Again, I do not intend to go TOTALLY over board but I DO intend to eat some NY pizza and go out to dinner somewhere in the city. What is your advice on this, friends?

I would like to revisit what I said about adding points to my daily intake. After looking at my tracker and thinking a bit more I am gonna try to keep it at 39pts + (plus the 49 extra weekly). If I am actually eating well, I can hit that goal no problem. Last week was just kind of crazy so I went way over and used my weekly too quickly. So, I am gonna stick with it for a while and see if I think it is actually doable for me. This will also be another exercise in giving myself grace if I do happen to go over my points. I will also talk to my Dr. when I go in on the 14th. The only thing is, doctors do not speak in point language ;)

There will be one more post this evening to recap the day. Then, I plan on falling off the face of the earth until Tues!!!!!! The suspense is going to be killing you, isn't it? Just waiting to see if I am actually going to track this weekend or not ;) He he he ;)

Well, without putting it off any longer, here is the run down for Wednesday!!!!

Breakfast- 1/2 banana- 0pts +, cinnamon roll- 8pts +

Snack- nectarine- 0pts +, Eddy's frozen fruit bar- 2pts +

Treat- chocolate- 2 hershey kisses and one bite size baby ruth- 4pts +

Lunch - leftover chicken divan- 8pts +

Snack- yogurt- 4pts +

Dinner- leftover split pea soup- 4pts +, salad with FF dressing- 0pts +, strawberries & nectarines- 0pts +, half grilled cheese sandwich- 2pts +

Treat- 1cup bunny tracks ice cream- 10pts +

Snack- popcorn- 3pts +

Starving before bedtime snack- two servings of honey bunches of oats- 6pts +, 1 cup skim milk- 2pts +

14 weeks :)

Yesterday marked the 14 week point in my pregnancy :) I have to say that overall, I feel GREAT!!! I still have issues with my sinuses and headaches and I am still pretty tired but the queasiness has almost completely disappeared!!!! YAY :) That is a HUGE relief in my book!!!! Second trimester...BRING IT ON!! I am SO looking forward to feeling this little one moving around!!!! There is nothing else quite like it.
I have decided to adjust my daily points target. After talking with a few people I realized that I probably had my target set too low. I added enough for what I figured would be the extra 300 calories I would need each day however, I think just adding that to my 29pts would still be like a losing target. So I am bumping my target up from 39 to 49. I think that will help with the hunger that I have been experiencing the last few days. It will also allow for some of those little cravings I have been having as well ;)
Tuesday turned out to be a pretty good day :) We had a snow storm hit starting yesterday afternoon so hubby got the night off of work :) I made a VERY delicious meal :) Chicken Divan, lightened up. You can find that recipe here: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/11/chicken-divan-lightened-up.html#more It seemed kind of fancy for some reason. Maybe it was the name ;) I also made some asparagus to go with it. I blanched them, then sauteed them in olive oil, salt & pepper, garlic and a little bit of parmesan. Everyone in the family ate it :) Score!!!!
The day was a mixed day with some really good choices as well as some treats thrown in. Trying not to beat myself up for having a doughnut or chocolate, ya know? I am not totally pigging out on those things. So, I have to give myself some credit for not going completely overboard!!!! Being pregnant is both wonderful and difficult at the same time ;)

Tuesdays food list:

Breakfast: 1 cup grapes- 0pts +, glazed doughnut- 6pts +

Snack- yogurt- 4pts +, nectarine- 0pts +

Lunch- Smart One- sweet & sour chicken- 5pts +, salad w/little fat free dressing- 0pts +

Treat- cookie- 4pts +

Snack- Carrots w/1tbs light ranch- 1pts +, off brand Honey Comb 1 1/3 cup- 3pts+

Dinner- Chicken Divan (lightened up) 1/6 of a 13x9 dish- 8pts +, asparagus- sauteed in olive oil, garlic and parmesan- 2pts +

Treat- Hershey's chocolate w/almonds- three sections of a giant bar- 6pts +, Big cup hot chocolate- 5pts + (guessing)

Snack- lots of popcorn (homemade)- 6pts +, orange juice- 2pts +

Only 3 points over my new target- not too bad ;)

1,000 HITS!!! YAY :)

WOW!! I feel special :) Pregnant, NOT Fat has reached 1,000 hits!!! Now, I realize that in the blogging world this may not seem like a big deal but it is a huge deal to me!!!! I am SO glad that people are reading this!! My life may not be super exciting and I may not have crazy awesome health tips, but my goal is to be real with all of you and for some reason....you like me, you really like me!!! In celebration of this momentous occasion I would like to give something away!

Whoever is the first person to leave a comment on this post will receive a copy of the book Made to Crave by Lisa TerKurst. I have yet to read this book myself, but I am planning on picking up a copy this week!!! What is it about? Well I think the subtitle says it all "Satisfying your deepest desire with God, not food". For those of us who totally idolize food, doesn't that just get ya right in the heart? UGH!!!! I am eager to hear what she has to say on this topic!!!! You can read more about it if you google the title.

My training for Weight Watchers is coming up next week and I am getting REALLY excited....AND nervous. For some reason I continue to doubt that I could help anyone in this weight loss journey. I look at all the times I "fail" or "slip up" and get discouraged. Then I remember that all those little bumps in the road prove that I am like everyone else which makes me MORE likely to be able to help people because I HAVE BEEN THERE TOO!!!! Also, they will be providing training, so it is not like they just dump me in there and watch what happens ;)

How are all of you doing lately? Do you find the winter months getting you down and making it hard for you to stay on track with your healthy goals? Being busy can also put a kink in your "planning" mode. So, I would like each of you to take a moment. Stop reading the blog (for just a second). Make one goal for yourself that goes from right this minute until Friday when you go to bed.

This may be food related (i.e. getting in more veggies) or this can be a goal to get moving (i.e. even though the weather is bad, I WILL do something active two times between now and Friday). This goal may even be related to planning. Maybe you need to set the goal that on Friday night, you are going to sit down with some good cook books and plan dinners for next week. Of course, make sure you look at your schedule and consider what kind of meals you can handle each evening. You do not need to "make" something EVERY night. It could simply be planning that on one of your crazy nights, your family will have frozen pizza. This will help you plan out the rest of that day so that the pizza does not crush all of your healthy efforts ;)

This blog is about me, yes, but even MORE importantly.....it is about YOU, too!!!! This is meant to give you the chance to see how one woman (mother of three with one on the way) tries to maintain a healthy lifestyle so then you will be encouraged to look at YOUR life and figure out what will work best to keep you moving toward the goal of living healthy as well!!!! You CAN do it!!!!

Let's talk about Monday, shall we? The week started off better than the weekend went. That is a good thing. However, I am finding that heading into this week after such a hard weekend is very difficult. Husband got some doughnuts yesterday. They sounded so good. So, I told him I would like either a custard filled doughnut or one with sprinkles on top. He is such a doll, he brought one with custard AND sprinkles ;) He he he ;) I also finished off some of the Chuck E. Cheese pizza from Sunday. Still got in some fruits and veggies. At the end of the night I was STARVING!!! I got in some extra fiber and dairy by having a bean burrito with cheese on top :) YUM!!! I was over in my points by 11. And so....the journey continues!!! I am currently eating some carrots ;) He he he ;) I will post again later about how today went when all is said and done ;)

Mondays Munchies-

Breakfast- 1cup strawberries- 0pts +, 1piece of toast with 1tbs PB- 4pts +

Treat- Custard filled doughnut (with sprinkles)- 11pts +, 1/2 glaze doughnut- 3pts +

Lunch- 1 1/2 pieces of Chuck E. Cheese pizza- 8pts +, strawberries and a nectarine- 0pts +

Snack- apple- 0pts +, yogurt- 4pts +

Dinner- 1 1/2 cups split pea soup- 6pts +, salad- 0pts +

Treat- Hot chocolate at local coffee shop- 5pts +

Night time snack (or second dinner!!!)- hot beef and bean burrito w/one slice American cheese on top- 9pts +

If anyone has some suggestions on how to get more veggies in please let me know!