I don't know how she does it.

Not sure if you saw Biggest Loser last night. If you didn't, get out from underneath that rock and watch it next week. :)

I already have a favorite. Abby is such inspiration to me. Not in the weight loss realm, but in life. I don't know how that lady gets out of bed every day and puts one foot in front of the other. I am in such awe. Sometimes (ok, a lot of the time) I complain about how hard my life is, but she makes me pause and see that my life isn't so bad after all. If you didn't see the show, here is the background on Abby. Two years ago she had a loving husband, a beautiful 5 1/2 yr old daughter, and a precious 2 week old son. In one instant they were all gone. They were killed by a speeding driver. How in the world does Abby keep going? How does she smile? I don't know, but I am amazed at her will to heal and live. I can't wait to see the changes that she is able to make to her life through The Biggest Loser.

I sometimes don't see the blessings in life. Because of Abby's story last night, I see the blessings in my life more clearly today. Stop and take the time to see the blessings in your life.

It's here, it's here, it's here! & GAG Weigh-in 2

This morning was weigh in 2 for the GAG challenge. I was 180.6 lbs! That is a loss of 1.6 lbs! So far I have lost 7 lbs in this challenge. That rocks! I really haven't done this well all year long. It is crazy what a challenge can do for me. I really feel like I can do this. I hope that everyone in the challenge did well this week. Good luck to everyone.

Gotta say just how excited I am about what is coming on TV tonight. I don't really watch TV. I get distracted easily and don't have much time to waste on it. BUT, I LOVE The Biggest Loser and it is BACK tonight. I have been waiting and waiting for it to come back on. I always get so much motivation from that show. I know that it isn't healthy to lose that much that fast and it isn't something that real people in a real life situation could do but it still inspires me. I will have to record it and watch it late because my son has a cub scout meeting, but I know where I will be late tonight. I will be the one on the couch with my nose in the TV!

You lost 101.4 lbs in one week?!?!

I am amazed at the week one results for the GAG challenge. Everyone in the challenge rocks! In fact, in the first week of GAG we as a group have shed an amazing 101.4 pounds! That rocks my socks! I have my fingers crossed that this week will be as great and rewarding for all of us!

Go Team Comet and everyone else in the challenge! Keep it going. We can all reach our challenge goals as long as we stick with it like we did last week!

Team Comet ~ As a team lost 16.10 pounds!
Manda~~ Lost 5.4 pounds and 2.88%
Melisa~~ Lost 5.2 pounds and 2.30%
Laurie~~ Lost 4.2 pounds and 2.19%
Jon~~ Lost 3.6 pounds and 1.53 %
Kim~~ Lost 1.5 pounds and 0.66%
Jones~~ Gained 3.4 pounds and 1.32%
Lanel~~ Gained 0.4 pounds and 0.19%

A little ribbing for Jon. Where ya at? I thought you were going to give me a run for my money. :) I still love you though. :P

Jones and Lanel-Just think, that means you will have a great big loss next week. I know that you ladies can do this. Just hang in there! I am pulling for you.

Good luck, everyone!

One week of GAG in the books. -5.4!

One week of GAG is behind us. Seems like it is going to fast, really. It means that we only have 15 weeks left. I sure hope that a new challenge starts as soon as this one ends. I haven't been this motivated in months. I love it. So, at weigh in this morning I was nicely rewarded. I weighed in at 182.2 lbs this morning. I lost 5.4 lbs this week! Look out 170's, here I come. I can't wait to see the 160's again too. I hope that everyone had as great a week as I did. :)

GAG: Recipe challenge: Pecan Pie

This is a recipe that I make to take to family get togethers, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is a treat without the guilt.

Pecan Pie

For Crust:
2 cups Fiber One- 240 cal, 4 fat, 56 fiber
1/2 cup light butter-400 cal, 48 fat, 0 fiber
Total for whole crust- 640 cal, 52 fat, 56 fiber

For Filling:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup granular splenda-74 cal, 0 fat, 0 fiber
1/2 cup splenda brown sugar-480 cal, 0 fat, 0 fiber
pinch salt-0 cal, 0 fat, 0 fiber
1/4 c. cornstarch mixed with 4 T. cold water- 120 cal, 0 fat, 0 fiber
2 T. light butter- 100 cal, 12 fat, 0 fiber
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract- 10 cal, 0 fat,0 fiber
3/4 cup pecan halves- 630 cal, 63 fat, 6 fiber
Total for whole filling-1414 cal, 75 fat, 6 fiber

Total for whole pie- 2054 cal, 127 fat, 62 fiber or 37 points
Serving size is 1/10th of pie which= 206 cals, 13 fat, 6 fiber or 4 points

Directions:
Buy or shell 3/4 cup pecans.
In a blender grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency.
Melt butter.
Combine crumbs with melted butter. Stir until mixed well. In an oven-safe 9-inch pie dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, evenly distribute mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the dish. Set aside.
Mix the splenda and splenda brown sugar in a bowl. In a medium saucepan combine the water and sugar mixture.
Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the salt and the dissolved cornstarch, whisking vigorously. Stir and cook over high heat just until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla—stir until the butter is melted.
The mixture will still be fairly liquid.Pour this into the pie shell. Arrange the pecan halves on top, pressing them down into the mixture with the back of a spoon. Just press them down far enough that they get wet on top. Place the pie in the middle of the oven and set the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake 30 minutes. The pie will still be jiggly, but it will set as it cools.
Cool on a rack for about 1 and 1/2 hours, then refrigerate until completely cooled and set.
Enjoy! 4WW points per slice if 10 slices

I played with this recipe for weeks before I got it the right consistency. I am a Southern Girl and love pecan pie. I decided that I couldn't have the real thing, but I sure could change it up so it wasn't as bad for me and then have it. This turns out almost as good as "the way mama used to do it". Give it a try and let me know what you think.

GAG: The "oh crap,it is a cook-out" game plan.

There are lots of occasions to get together with family and friends and eat bad. Cooking out is one of those times that unless you go into it with a plan, you are going to come out of it a few pounds heavier. Thanks to GAG, I had a game plan this year! I decided that I could go light on breakfast and dinner today so that I could indulge during the lunch cook-out. I have seen skinny people eat. My SIL is a prime example. If she wants a candy bar, she eats it and then eats less at one of her meals that day. No, I am not advocating eating candy bars instead of real food, but I am saying that I finally understand how it all works. If I want to indulge at times then I am going to have to cut back at other times. Ok, on with the plan.

1) Eat light for breakfast.

2) Have the cook-out at my house, so I am responsible for most of the food and know exactly how it is cooked. Cook a variety of meat so everyone is happy. I cooked steak, chicken, and hot dogs. I had 2 oz of steak and 4 oz of chicken. I didn't over do it with the steak but I didn't feel deprived while everyone else was eating it either.

3) Make lots of veggies. I made corn on the cob, salad, and green beans. I loaded up on those things so that I got full faster and didn't eat crap.

4) Serve fruit for dessert. I had watermelon. Sweet and delicious.

5) Eat a light dinner to make up for all the food I had at lunch time. Tonight I had a Fat Free wiener and Lite Wheat hot dog bun with green beans that were left over from lunch and 10 Sun chips.

All in all my game plan worked out really well. I am hoping that the scale will reward me for my efforts in the morning. This week has been amazing thanks to GAG!

See what being gone all day does for you?!?

It seems that teams were assigned for GAG today while I was out and about. I am gonna have to email Sheila and let her know that she has to hold the presses until I am home and on the computer. :) j/k Really though, I hope that her little one is recovering from the flu. It is awful when your babies are sick. Ok, I will stop yapping and go check out the teams now. BRB.

Drum roll, please...
TEAM COMET
Jones
Lanel
Manda
Jon
Laurie
Melisa
Kim

Well, there it is! The reason I couldn't sleep last night. heehee. I am stoked that my hubby is on my team. I am also excited to get to know the other members of Team Comet. I am so loving all the support that has already been going around. I was worried about joining a challenge on a blog, but I am so glad that I did. Funny how something so simple can completely turn things around for you. I had a fantastic food day. I ate right on track. I was tempted by pizza at my parents house and I politely said no thanks. I felt so powerful in that moment. I felt the power to control what I put in my mouth and the power to control my size. I haven't felt that power in several months. It felt good. That feeling is how I lost so much weight to begin with. It was then that I started thinking about how great I have done. Not to sweep the last couple of months while I have been struggling under the rug, but I really have done so much better then I ever would have believed that I could.

Two years ago TODAY is when my husband and I started losing weight. I weighed 304.5 lbs. This morning I was 186.5 lbs. That is a 118 lb loss. Wow, it doesn't even seem real still. My dh was 307.5 lbs and is now 235 lbs. He rocks! Crazy.

Ok, a big shout out to all the COMETS! We can ALL do this! I am hitting the sack but will talk to you all tomorrow. Can't wait!

But I'm too excited to sleep!

I just got home from A&P II. We did hematocrits tonight. I loved it. I am so tired and need to head to bed, but I wanted to stop by the GAG challenge and see what was going on. Just reading up on the challengers made me think about how excited I am to see the teams. I can't wait. I am going to bed, but I already know that I am too excited to sleep. Today was a better day food wise then yesterday. Tomorrow will be even better!

The best of intentions on Day 1

Day 1 is in the books. Can't go back now, only forward. Yesterday I did ok with my eating. I say ok and not great because lunch kinda got me. I was away from home in an area that I am not real familiar with. I was starving so I decided to find something for lunch. After passing 15 fast food restaurants I found a small locally owned cafe. I thought that it would be great. I could get some veggies and get out of lunch without going way over board. Have you ever been to a small cafe like this? When I went in I was surprised to find that they only have a lunch special. It is different every day apparently. Yesterday, the lunch being served was pork loin w/2 sides. I didn't think that would be to bad. Except the sides were cheese potatoes, candied yams, or mashed potatoes. Yeah, lots of healthy vegetable choices. :P I ended up getting cheese potatoes and candied yams. It was really yummy but not so great for me. Now I know not to stop there again. Wish I could have found a Subway. Sometimes the best of intentions turn out bad. Now to look forward. I WILL have a great day today. I WILL exercise today. I WILL reach my goals this year! I am so excited over the GAG challenge. Thank you Sheila! You have no idea how motivated this challenge has made me!

GAG-Sept 1st-Beginning Pics

It is not pretty. I have been all over the place with the scale lately. Last week I was 181.6, this week I am 187.6. How in the world do you gain 6 lbs in one week? I think it had something to do with the overload of carbs and meatloaf this week. But, today is a new start! GAG here I come.