What Motivates YOU?!?!

90-Day Challenge

"In everything the ends well defined 

are the secret to durable success"

 - Victor Cousins

So, I have signed up for a 90-day challenge.  Oh the joys of social media.  A guy that I went to high school with posted a challenge on facebook.  There is a $25 buy in, the winner will get $275.  Is this enough motivation?  I guess we are about to find out.

I also had to actually tell someone my weight.  I don't tell people what I weigh.  He is the only person on the planet (other than myself) that now knows.  It makes me incredibly uncomfortable, but, I did it.  I am really hoping this is the kick in the butt that I need.

So what is it about this that I think is going to motivate me?  Money?  Competitiveness? Wanting to save face?  Not wanting someone to know how big I really am?  For me the big motivator is both money and competitiveness.  I don't like to loose (except the weight of course...HA) and I reeeaaaally hate letting my money go into someone else's hands.

Some people are more simply motivated by encouraging words. I am usually pretty good at motivating myself.  I give myself pep talks, leave myself notes around the house...when it comes to weight loss, my problem is the start.  I seem to have problems getting myself started and going.  Jillian Michaels couldn't even get me moving, her screaming in my face would just cause me to sit my big stubborn butt down, cross my arms and say "hows that working for you Jillian".  Now, once I get started and have been doing it consistently for about a month, I can keep myself motivated to keep doing it.  Of course, it also becomes a habit for me which makes it easier.

So what motivates you?  Seriously, please tell me.  It may help someone else get motivated...or me.

"Winning isn't everything, but wanting to is" 

- Vince Lombardi

I have not been diligent in my healthy yummy recipe search.  I am back on that now...especially if I want to win my money!  I will also work at being more diligent in my blogging.

I have been thinking about what it is that I do or don't do that keeps me from loosing the weight.  I know the do's and don'ts. What is it that I'm doing, or not doing?  I have figured out that my biggest problem is not eating all day.  I will go all day without eating anything, then around 6:00 I am starving and I eat my entire days caloric intake in one sitting, right before bed...NOT GOOD!!!!

"Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a

 floor, upon which one walks as 

a matter of course and prescriptive right"

-Aldous Huxley

It's important to figure why we do or don't succeed.  It can show where we may need to change to find our success.  Not succeeding does not mean you failed.  It just means you found another way that something doesn't work.  Keep going.  Failure comes when you stop trying.  You are fabulous and worth the fight!

"Don't bunt, aim out of the ballpark"

-David Olgilvy

Eat Cardboard No More!

"How can a nation be great if it's bread taste like Kleenex."

- Julia Child

Ok, so my first search was directed at breakfast foods...pancakes.  I found several to choose from and tried two different kinds; carrot cake pancakes and peanut butter pancakes.  The winner was the peanut butter pancakes.  YUMMMMM! 

My focus was on trying to find healthier food that I would actually want to eat on a regular basis!  Now this is not healthy in the "extreme" form.  Some people might disagree with me putting this in a healthy category.  What I'm looking at is; calories, fat, protein, carbs, fiber and sodium.  In this instance I compared these items with an "original" pancake, with butter and syrup. My goal is to find healthier versions of foods that I already like. 

I made a few slight variations when I made mine that would change the nutritional value slightly.  I will give you the original recipe with the nutritional value based on the original recipe.  My variations will be listed in parenthasis within the original recipe.

Peanut Butter Pancakes

I found this recipe on myrecipes.com

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

6 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups fat-free milk (almond milk)

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter (Creamy peanut butter)

1 tablespoon roasted peanut oil or vegetable oil (canola oil)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs, slightly beaten

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Combine milk and remaining ingredients; add to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

2. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter onto a hot nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet.  Turn pancakes when tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked.

Cooks Note:  all natural peanut butter doesn't work well, it is difficult to stir into a liquid batter.  You can serve with Strawberry-Lemon syrup or Raspberry Honey Coulis.

This also make GREAT waffles...which I prefer to pancakes.  They have a natural sweetness so no syrup is needed.  I made a little honey butter and put a very small (approx 1/2 tsp) amount on my pancake and that was enough!  These are great to make ahead of time and put in freezer bags to freeze.  Then you can pull them out and put them in micro-wave or if your having waffles - the toaster.

NUTRITIONAL VALUE (comparison) for 2 pancakes or waffles

                                     PB Pancakces               VS                 Original
Calories                         349                                                     520
Fat                                11.7 g (a bit higher than I like)             14 g
Protein                          12.2 g                                                  8.3 g
Carbohydrate                49 g                                                    90.9 g
Fiber                             1.2g                                                    ?
Sodium                          432 mg                                               1104 mg

If you happen to try this recipe, please let me know what you think.  I really like the pancakes! 

I will keep searching!

"The only real stumbling block is fear of failure.  In cooking you have to have a what-the-hell attitude"

- Julia Child

Healthy & Tasty...Does it Really Exist?

"I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage"

- Erma Bombeck    

So I've (Renae) began a new "healthy" eating regime.  It sucks!  Ok, not all the time, but geeze, ugh!  Why does most of the stuff that is considered healthy, like eating dirt.  It's put me on a new endeavor.  I am going to start looking for recipes that taste delicious, not just ok, but really good tasting healthy food.  The truth is if I have to keep eating like this, I'm going to stay fat!  It's like they (the health nuts of the world) have decided that if it's healthy it has to taste like cardboard.  If you are a health food nut, you will not convince me that you actually think the food tastes good.

The Chinese & Japanese believe that food is like a medicine.  When the people in these cultures get sick they don't seek out the doctors first, they first seek out a nutritionist.  They believe in balance in every area of your life.  Now I know eating right can make a huge difference in how you feel.  But come one, at least the Chinese & Japanese have good tasting food.  They also believe that hot foods & beverages help with digestion.  This is one reason they drink hot tea at the end of their meals.

What spurred this endeavor, on this day?  Oatmeal!  Yep, I had oatmeal this morning.  I realize a lot of people actually like oatmeal.  I don't, I try and I just don't like the texture (mushy) or the flavor.  I even tried the "flavored" oatmeal. 

...So begins my new endeavor...

GREAT tasting food that is lower in calories but also healthy.  

My first goal is to look for breakfast foods that don't make me want to gag.  These seem to be the most difficult, at least for me.  I do LOVE smoothies, but sometimes you want something to eat, not drink.  I mean, I'm a chef, I like food.   I don't want to drink all of my calories. 

As I find or create new recipes I will share with everyone.  I am hoping that some of you will also try them and tell me what you think.  I do want honest opinions.  Because I would also like to create a cookbook with all of this information in it.  I am looking to create recipes that don't call for the highly expensive "health foods" that you often find.  I want to be able to create delicious, savory meals with regular items, not a bunch of specialty items.  I want to loose weight, but I don't want to have to sell my arm to do it.  This may require some serious creativity...we will see how I do.

So check back, you never know when the first recipe may appear.

"You better cut the pizza in four pieces because 

I'm not hungry enough to eat six"

- Yogi Berra                  

Failure or Success?

"Success is most often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable"

- Coco Chanel

Wow...have I really stepped away since the middle of October?!?!  YES, yes I have.  For that I am sorry.  I knew when Tiffiny and I started this journey it wouldn't be easy breezy lemon squeezy, but man, I was hoping for some divine inspiration...by inspiration I mean a divine move that would push past my procrastinating tendencies and excuse making abilities.  I realize, that means stomping all over my...will!   

I have to make a choice.  I am apparently going to have to make this choice on a daily basis...no, probably a minute by minute basis.  At least until it becomes habit, then a lifestyle.

"I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won't work"

 - Thomas A. Edison

What can you learn from my public failure to complete my goals in my allotted time?  YOU ARE NOT ALONE!  Don't give up! I'm not giving up.  Anytime I slack or completely stop working toward my intended goal.  I have to re-direct myself.  This may happen a lot before it clicks and sticks.  I have to give myself a pep talk.  Make sure it's a positive pep talk.  Don't get down on yourself, you'll only feel worse.  Just tell  yourself what's done is done, you can't go back and change it.  Just start fresh right now, today, this very moment, and move on.  You may have to tell yourself this everyday for awhile...it will sink in.

“You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It wont happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” 

- Joel Osteen

So how have I picked myself up this time.  I have started a new diet. Let me clarify, I'm not saying diet as in loosing weight diet, although I'm hoping it does that.  I say diet as in the way I eat, a lifestyle.  This lifestyle has me eating 5 small meals a day. Now, this takes planning on my part.  I am planning my meals for the week and by each day.  Then I have to actually prepare them so they are ready to go when I need them.  I have calculated the number of calories I could consume to maintain my current weight.  Seriously? why would I change anything if that was my purpose...but I digress.  From that I can calculate what I need to consume to loose weight, along with working out.  Tonight starts a new workout for me...INSANITY.  Yes, I dare!  I am a little bit afraid and a lot excited.  I need something that is going to jump start my weight loss.  That is what will motivate me.

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."

-Winston Churchill

Just one last thing to remind you of before I go....

YOU ARE ALREADY FABULOUS!!!!!

Impossible or I'm Possible

I wasn't sure what I wanted to post today.  I haven't really made any new goals, I'm just trying to successfully work out the goals I've already set for myself, while being consistent.

I've thought about my goals and how well or not so well I've managed to do with them.  Sometimes I feel like I've done great, other days...not so much.  When Tiffiny and I started this blog my purpose was to, hopefully, help encourage someone, but to also hold myself accountable.  It's easy to say, I'm going to do (fill in the blank), to yourself....then when it doesn't happen, it's no big deal.  But, when you vocalize that goal to another person then you have accountability.   Whether they ever ask you a question about it or not...there is always the chance they will. NO ONE wants to tell someone else...No I did not succeed at that.  However, what I have come to realize for myself was that although I've started this blog, I haven't stated any goals in regards to my actual weight loss.

"In everything the ends well defined are the secret of durable success." 

Victor Cousins

I'm not going to tell you what I weight, so get that thought out of your head.  Maybe once I've lost the weight I'll tell you what I started at...but, not yet.  I will set some goals and deadlines for myself, here, today!  I will tell  you, that I don't want to set these goals and deadlines.  Why?  uhh...because then I actually have to work toward attaining them.  Now, you are going to know what they are and if I have succeeded.  <<Ohhh, the pressure>>  It's really just because I've been too lazy to make myself work any harder at it.  I could say it's too hard, it's genetics, I'm too old, or my personal favorite...I'm too busy.  those are all just excuses and I believe those who read this are smarter than that and would probably just roll their eyes at me anyway.  This is not to say that those things don't have some effect.  Yes, it can be hard.  Hard is not impossible.  Yes, genetics can play a factor into weight gain and/or loss.  Genetics does not equal impossible.  And, yes, age can have an effect on how quickly we are able to lose weight.  But, again, age does not equal impossible. I'm not even going to touch the, "I'm busy", because we all know that's a load of crappola.

The following is my self motivation speech for today...


IMPOSSIBLE  = I'M POSSIBLE  This means, the you, that you want to be and see is possible! (yes, I just made that up myself).  Stop holding yourself back.  Get that body that you want.  Geeze, you're not afraid to go after other things you want. So why are you holding yourself back with the weight!?!?  STOP IT!  You are more than able to do what you set your mind to...so SET YOUR MIND TO IT AND DO IT!!!  My word girl, if you can stay up until 2am working on a cake or catering and then get up at 5:30 and go to work. Then, I'm pretty sure you can move your butt to do a piddly 20 minute workout...or gasp...a 45 minute workout.

Don't give up!!!!  Don't Slack off!!! 

YOU ARE FABULOUS!

Be Great...because you are GREAT!

RENAE'S GOALS (big SIGH)

     Goal Date:                    Goal:                                  Reward:

December 30 (30 Days)              Loose 10 lbs (10lb total)                Purchase a Kindle Book

January 30     (60 Days)              Loose 10 lbs  (20lb Total)              Purchase Curtains for my Living Room

February 28 (90 Days)                Loose  10 lbs (30 lb Total)             Purchase Moon Photo for Bedroom

March 30    (120 Days)              Loose 10 lbs  (40 lb Total)             Vegas trip

April 30 (150 Days)                   Loose 10 lbs (50 lb Total)               New Clothes (mini shopping spree)

May 30  (180 Days)                   Loose 10 lbs (60 lb Total)               Keyboard (piano)

June 30 (210 Days)                    Loose 10 lbs (70 lb Total)               Kitchen Remodel/Spa Weekend

I will weigh myself once a month. I've also measured and can tell you inches lost.  I usually go by how my clothes fit.  My goal is a size 8.  I'm not sure how many pounds it will take to get there but if I get there before May 17, 2013...I will just have to combine rewards.  I will not allow myself to purchase any of the rewards until I have met my goal.  I realize that some of them are "small" rewards but if I wait to purchase them until I've reached the goal then they will feel BIG!

Feb 17 will be a mile stone goal.  I will have reached a weight that I haven't seen in about 12 years.  Everything after that will be...gravy (which I won't eat...LOL)!

"In absence of clearly defined goals, we become strangely loyal to performing daily acts of trivia."

Unknown

             

No More Excuses...I hope!

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."

 Aristotle

 So, I (Renae) didn't do so well last week.  That's not to say that I blew it big time.  I did NOT, however, exercise, at all!  While reflecting on my week, I thought...I had a lot going on.  I work two jobs, clean a house, run my own catering and cakes business and go to school.  Besides working my two jobs, cleaning job, and school, I had a catering event and a cake to do.  My week started off a day short.  I went to my sisters in Indiana for a few days.  I got home Monday evening.  On my way home I received a call to cater a wedding rehearsal dinner for Friday night.  Then I had to bake and decorate a cake for Saturday, before work.

On a typical day I get up by 7:00 (at the latest), I get ready, then go.  I usually get home anywhere between 7:00 and 8:00, then I have to take care of the homework, and housework.  When I have caterings I usually don't finish until 11:00 or 12:00.  

Now those may seem like excuses to you...well they are.  I realized that I stay fairly busy all time. I try to have at least one day a week where I don't have to do a lot.  It's important to me that I have at least one day a week to just chill out and decompress.  That doesn't mean I haven't done anything but I usually try to get to bed a little earlier that night and I allow myself to chill out and not do much for a couple of hours.  This day usually happens on Sunday.

EXCUSES!  that's what I had for myself all week.  Last week really wasn't any different that any other week.  I have got to stop making excuses when things start piling up and I start going non-stop.  I have a business that I want to be busy.  Right now I'm only doing a 20 minute work out...seriously?!?!?!  Can I not manage to fit that into my busy schedule?  Sure I can.  It's about making it a priority.  I haven't really made it a priority or I would have done it.   I also found that my water drinking went by the way side when I got super busy...coffee and tea were my sustenance.  I did succeed on not eating the entire candy bowl at work.  I stayed within my four fun size bar limit.  WOOHOO SUCCESS...hey I'll take the joy in success wherever I can!

NO MORE EXCUSES!  It is so easy to fall into those old habit's (there is that word again) when things start getting busy, stress starts picking up or when my well laid plans get foiled by a surprise, distraction, or someone else not being able to fall in line with my plans (I mean really, everyone should know that I have a plan and you should just do it my way and make my life easier...pssst...that's a joke).  But let's face it, something always comes ups or happens that could easily derail my plans.  I have to roll with it and re-arrange the program, NOT KICK IT TO THE WAYSIDE.  Just for those of you who don't know me...I'm a planner... I'm also a little OCD (this is a self diagnosis) and when I have a plan of how things should go...I don't like for that plan to change!

I WILL PREVAIL!  

These are new HABITS, that I am working on.  I knew it wouldn't be easy but I didn't really think about how frustrating it can be!

My challenge to you...as well as myself 

(ok...especially  myself)

STOP MAKING EXCUSES, YOU CAN DO IT!  

"Mens best successes come 

after their dissapointments"

Henry Ward Beecher

To Goal or Not To Goal (Renae)

Reflections

I have to recognize that I did not fully meet my goals this week.  That will not keep me from continuing to pursue them.  Habits are formed in 21 days.  I have some bad ones for over 20 years. This is why I take baby steps.  It's doesn't feel like a huge failure.  It's just a misstep.  We just get right back on the path and keep going.

"Whatever you do give 100%...unless your giving blood"

                                                                     Anonymous

 Goals

Goal 1: To eat breakfast everyday...I have done that although not the healthiest breakfast.  I have been having a junior breakfast burrito from Sonic.  I don't think a breakfast burrito would be bad, so long as I make it myself.  So that is my goal...make my own breakfast.

"I really don't have time for people who don't find me hilarious"

                                                                       Anonymous



Goal 2:  Drink 5 glasses of water a day...  I have good days and bad days.  I do much better when I am working from home.  When I have to go to the office, I don't do nearly as well.  I'm not sure why.  So I am still working on goal 2, this one may take me a while to get down....habits and all that.

Goal 3:  Work out on a regular basis.  I have actually done pretty well with this, however, my goal is to work out even on the days Tiffiny and I don't meet.  I want to workout 6 days a week.

The first part of this week (I know it's only been two days) has been rough. I did workout last night and we are working out tonight.  It's these kinds of days that I would normally say screw it, I'm to tired from the work stress, I just need to decompress.  AKA...planting my butt on the couch and watching TV.

If I can encourage  you with one thing this week, it would be to keep on going.  This is another good reason to start with baby steps.  If you get off track you won't feel as bad. 

As you succeed in your goals please share them with us.  We want to rejoice with you in your success.  We want to see you succeed!  Just remember...YOU ARE FABULOUS



"Keep your thoughts positive because they become
                                                                                     Your Words
Keep your words positive because they become 
                                                                                     Your Behavior
Keep your behavior positive because they become 
                                                                                     Your Habits
Keep your Habits positive because they become 
                                                                                     Your Values
Keep your values positive because they become 
                                                                                     Your Destiny"

Mahatma Ghandi