Butler5’s Weblog

I have been inspired by many ladies on the blogosphere who cook once a month and that is it. I can’t even begin to fathom how they do it, I like to cook but a months worth is overwhelming.

I am trying in baby steps, last week I made my husband some breakfast burritos. I scrambled a dozen eggs, and cooked some sausage.  I then set out the burritos and made an assembly line. I put some eggs, sausage and half a slice of cheese on each burrito.  I then wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and stored them inside a plastic container in the fridge.  I thought I would make only 12 but I squeezed 17 out.

Today I tried my hand at potatoes.  I bought 2 5lb bags of potatoes for $1.99 each yesterday. I washed and prepped the potatoes, picked the big ones and baked those for 1 hour at 400 degrees.  I sliced the medium ones into potato wedges, and made some into fries(I used the oinion chopper for this until it broke).  After the baked potatoes were done I sliced them into halves and scooped them out and made twice baked potatoes.

I ended up with 14 twice baked potatoes, 3 bags of potato wedges, and 1 bag of fries all for $4.00. That should be about 7 side dishes for our family.

I think next I may try waffles or pancakes.

I am not sure if I can totally put into words my feelings right now.  I was shown GRACE last night, Gods grace.  As a mom, every now and then I allow my kids to be pardoned of punishment and try to explain to them grace that comes from God. Tonight I was the recipient of such a gift.

I was pardoned of a chain, that I had been carrying too long.  I had decided long ago that I no longer desired the “chain” but was having my own issues with it.  I had something I felt I didn’t deserve, yet couldn’t get rid of and was sick to my stomach over it but couldn’t change the circumstance. 

With one phone call, my life has changed. I can see the light at the end of a tunnel I never dreamed of going thru. I am encouraged, relieved, and feel as if it is all surreal.  I just pray that through this pardon, this act of God’s grace I can do the right thing and make a difference for the rest of my family.

Last January I was on a team that participated in a Biggest Loser challenge. We were doing great for half of the challenge and then one of our team mates got pregnant, WHICH WAS AWESOME for her so we all threw in the towel.  With the start of the new Biggest Loser season it motivates me to begin again.

So I am issuing a challenge to anyone who wishes to participate,  we are gonna do our own at home version.  Basically you weigh yourself next Monday, September 21 and write it down then weigh yourself weekly.  If you have facebook you can post the weight you lose as your status , just post it to my wall or leave it as a comment on the blog.  I don’t think I am gonna track everyones losses just thought it would be cool to help each other stay motivated. 

So you have a week if you choose to participate, set some goals for yourself now, figure out a meal plan, and schedule in some major exercise time.

Well sometimes I wonder if I have anything left to add to blog land. I love reading others blogs, I have too many bookmarked.  I have ones on saving money, cutting coupons,  creating all things crafty, homeschooling, being a good mom and on and on.

I enjoy reading every last  blog I find on the internet.  I begin one too many sentences with “I was looking at a blog the other day and I learned…” I learn too many things from you guys out there in BLOG land. I sit and look until my head is spinning with ideas, sometimes reality snaps at me and I go do something productive.

So, as I began with there are so many great blogs that I am not sure if there is room for mine. I float around to so many different things in life, that I have’nt found out what I should even blog about.

I have begun to get better organized with life. I remade chore charts for the boys. I created daily lists for them too, it helps my brain to not remember every detail and be able to say “Did you do your lists?” I even created a mini notebook for myself. I got the idea from http://prettyorganizedpalace.blogspot.com/2008/11/making-your-lists.html. My page dividers are made out of construction paper that I enforced with mailing tape, use what you have right? Probably the page that helps me the most is my “Meal lists” page. Basically I made a master lists of all the dinner meals my family enjoys (and I know how to cook!). That way when I sit down to create my groccery list I can choose 14 meals from that page instead of racking my already overworked brain. I went a step farther and made sure I had all the recipes in one place. Frank got me this awesome BLANK recipe book for Christmas and that is where I list everything we enjoy.

So check back and see what I find blog worthy.

I truley believe you, are your biggest FAN,  You can make or break yourself.  Last night while watching the Biggest Loser this point was proven.  The contestants were on an all night challenge with teams riding bikes. The one team decided to call a truce with 9 hours left, they were tired and hungry and wanted to stop. They had, justified this in their minds and made it ok if everyone did it then it was not really quitting. They approached the other team and presented the idea, the other team looked like they were pondering this idea when one brave member spoke up.  He said, I can’t if I stop now then I will keep stopping and this will eat at me, like I quit.  I don’t care what the rest of you do, but I have to at least do my last 3 thirty minute sessions on that bike.  You see he had broke it down and he knew exactly what needed to be done and he was set to do it.  The other team was looking at the BIG picture and thinking it was impossible, because of his motivation they ALL finished the challenge.

Monday night, I went to the gym by myself, I forgot my MP3 player- which is a BIG motivator for me. I didn’t have anyone working out with me, it was only on my shoulders what I got out of that time.  I decided to try a new program on the treadmill called Fat burner, that was what I needed. I set up the machine and started walking, I think I climbed Mt Everest.  Even though I did something new I still did not feel like I had worked my hardest and desired to get more out of that workout.  Kristi has been challenging me to try this other machine at the gym called the Precor 100i.  I felt like it was starring at me, saying come on if you dare.  I got on that machine and it was crazy HARD.  I was only at 3 minutes and I wanted OFF.  I told myself I had to do at least 5 minutes.  So I kept counting down seconds, 30 seconds, ok another minute and so on.  When 5 minutes approached I was starting to get the rhythm of the machine, it was hurting but I was feeling more confident. No one was around me so I began talking out loud to myself, “come on, you can do 1 more minute.”  I just kept challenging myself saying 1 more minute, at about 6 or 7 minutes I announced, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  I just kept on like this, I got to 10 minutes and then looked at the calories I had burned, I couldn’t stop with 94 so I went until it said 100.  Then I challenged myself to go to 15 minutes, trust me it HURT, I wanted to stop but I thought I could keep going so I did. I was motivating myself the whole time, “You can do this!” “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength!” “Come on, LAST chance work-out.” “God, I’ll give you the glory, help me keep going.” I felt my leg start to give out and that was when I knew I was done at 15 minutes, however I couldn’t quit at 145 calories so I went until I bunred 150.  You may be laughing at me, but for once I was able to believe in myself, believe enough to keep going.

I can remember on a Winter Retreat trip when frank and I chaperoned the teens to Georgia, we went to a ropes course.  I do not like heights and was not interested in the zip line or trying to jump from the top of a telephone pole. I was the biggest motivator for everyone ALL day. “ You can do it. ” “Just believe in yourself.” Finally we got to one event where you climbed a ladder, then a pole like tree and walk across the log.  I began to  think I could do this, yes it was high, but not too scary.  I got harnested up, Frank looked at me like are you sure?  I began to doubt myself,  I said you don’t think I can??  I climbed the ladder, no problem but when I got to the top rung, I was nervous, I heard everyone yelling, you can do it.  In my heaad I heard, you can’t do this. Climb down, turn back while you can. I did, I climbed down the ladder defeated and very emotional. I blamed Frank, I said you didn’t believe in me enough.  In reality, I didn’t believe in myself. 

Monday night at the gym shows how far I have come.  I now am able to believe that I can accompish great things by motivating myself.  I know some of this comes from watcing the Biggest loser, you think well if that really over weight person can do all those things then so can I. 

Well……I got on the scale this morning and it smiled at me. I was very happy to see it moving in the right direction again.  I did well yesterday with my eating and was finally able to get back into the gym to workout.  I did my all time best on the Elliptical 30 minutes at 200 caloires. I was able to do this because my best friend Kristi was next to me and we were talking away and because I had taken Hydroxycut before leaving for the gym.

Kristi and I took the kids to Mc Donalds yesterday I have been able to modify my meal there and enjoy being there without feeling guilty.  I ate the grilled snack wrap honey mustard and shared a fruit and walnut salad with Faith, washed down with a small diet coke.  I used to consume a double cheese burger meal with large coke and at least one refill.  Lets compare the calories….Double cheeseburger 440 calories, large fries 500 calories, large coke plus a refill 620 calories total of 1560 I have been consuming less calories than that for a whole day.  Honey Mustard snack wrap 260 calories, fruit and walnut salad 210 calories Diet Coke 0 calories for a total of 470 calories.  HUGE difference! See how many calories you consume at Mc Donald’s http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutrition_facts.html

Something else I found that I like is Heart Smart Bisquick, I needed it for the Low calorie cheeseburger pie that I made I found it right next to the regular Bisquick at the store.  I am not too sure the exact differences the box is endorced by Biggest Loser and says it has 25% less sodiumn than the regular one.  The recipes ask you to use egg whites and skim milk instead of regular so you cut calores and fat content.  We made pancakes out of it last night and they were really yummy. I know some may be thinking how is that on my diet, well I used sugar free syrup, low fat butter and heart smart mix the best part the kids eat this too and have no idea the sugar is missing from their syrup.

Today is Monday, the scale day and it still says 161 I am ok with that considering the items I chose to put in my mouth on Saturday and Sunday.  I am ready to get back in the “game”.  I even agreed to try Franks Hydroxycut, we bought a big bottle on Saturday night after we consumed movie theater popcorn with butter.  I know, it was really yummy! I just stopped nursing Paige and the popcorn upset her so it wasn’t about cheating on the diet, rather it was about tasting somehing I had been missing.  Now, the M&Ms I ate were a different story; I wasn’t going to eat them but how do you break them in half without eating the half in your mouth????

Anyways, so I woke up ready…and it was raining, which to me says go back to bed.  I got up and took a Hydroxycut which was an accomplishment because I have issues swallowing pills.  I waited awhile to eat breakfast like it says and then had a granola bar which is only 100 calories.  I am not sure that only one pill affected me much, the dishes are still in the sink calling my name and the laundry is NOT done either.  The propper dose is one before each meal for the first 3 days. I have NEVER tried anything like this so I was not going to load up on energy pills and be going crazy while I was alone with kids.  Maybe tomorrow I’ll try one before breakfast and one before lunch.

Well besides the rainy day Faith had a runny green nose that needed the Dr so we did not have a “normal” day at our house.  Logan had a spell at basketball Friday night and we were concerned about him having Asthma symptons too so we spent the afternoon in the Dr’s office.  Then we were told that Faith had an ear infection and also after her nap her eyes looked a mess and she has double pink eye.  So no working out for our family tonight, unless I can count the wandering I did at Walmart.

While at Walmart I tried on jeans and I am excited to say that I need to buy 2 sizes smaller than I currently own.  I did not find any that felt right so I still am walking around in the baggy ones that are now TOO big! I did find yet another exercise outfit, my new theory is if you get up and put on exercise clothes then you move more than you would beacuse of the way you are dressed.  Plus then I don’t have to change later when it is time to run to the gym.

Tomorrow I plan to workout at home, we do have another Dr visit for Logan to check his breathing hopefully I will accomplish this.  I bought a big ball tonight, so after I blow it up maybe I’ll use that to workout.  I am not sure yet where I am going to put it after I blow it up.  Yes, the gym has them but I am too shy to do the exercises with it at the gym for everyone to see.  Trust me, it is embarrassing and funny when someone else is brave enough to put their dairy air in the air for all to see. 

I did not yet get a number from Frank. I know he had a rough day at school and he arrested someone so I am not sure if he weighed himself or not.  I also saw what he consumed at last nights Super Bowl party, he could not get those chicken wings to stop from jumping into his mouth. He did not make it to the gym this morning or evening.

Well, I know I haven’t blogged in awhile.  I am still pluging away at the gym only not seeing as many pounds drop. Actually I have been the same weight for 2 weeks and I am not loving that. I need to try something different, probably MORE exercise.  I read something I don’t completely understand about buring 3500 calories before you lose 1 pound and how you need to have a rough defict of 500 calories a day, I have only been burning off around 300 calories at the gym and not every day.  So I guess it is time to step up my game. 

I am really loving the website sparkpeople.com it is easy to use and helps me watch what I am eating.  I haven’t been as great at drinking water only getting in 2 cups a day.  I haven’t been drinking lots of calories either but I need to go back to only water and see if that helps any. I have not been going crazy with calories either I have been eating around 1200 each day.  I found some new recipes that I might try in the next couple of weeks.

I joined another website called youcanmakeitfit.com it has online workout classes.  We were offered a special through the Biggest Loser challenge so I decided to go for it.  I tried the Dance Fusion class today, I was hoping none of the neighbors were looking out their windows.  I learned how to belly dance and do body rolls and all kinds of things good Nazarenes don’t do.  It is a good thing the computer can’t video tape you while doing those videos. HA! Faith was even trying to do the moves, that was really cute.

Frank is still a workout maniac and goes twice a day when he can.  He is down to 235 pounds so I guess the Hydroxicut is working.

It is the middle of a new week, I do not feel 100% yet but I am trying to find my groove again.  Frank has become a workout fool, it doesn’t take much for him he would live at the gym if I let him.  He used to workout insane amounts and looked quite buff before we had kids. I never shared his interest in this so he quit going and now here we both are trying to get healthy. He has been waking up early and hitting the gym first thing and then again in the evening.

Well before I got sick I was working out more than ever, I was almost feeling addicted to that energy feeling  you get from working out.  I “needed” to feel it.  Now I am trying to not over do it because I don’t want a week set back again. 

In the last blog I was desiring somewhere else to turn for guidance and one of my friends suggested spark people.  It is a really cool website that is completely FREE! You can track your food intake, workouts and read articles.  I am really enjoying it.  We even tried a new recipe from it last night and it was WONDERFUL!  Crispy Ranch Chicken it was immiatation fried chicken and only had 284 calories per piece of chicken breast.  My hubbie is still talking about how good it was.

I was able to keep my weight about the same through the sickness so I am happy about that. I am ready to see it drop some more though. Last night I was not at all excited about being in the gym, I forced myself to do the treadmill even ran some and then did the eliptical for another 30 minutes so I was able to burn 288 calories.