Weigh-In Wednesday

Today's Weight:

285.2

Well, world, my prediction came true. I gained this week due to this past weekend's festivities. Oh, well. I'll just get back on track! I only gained 1 pound, so it shouldn't be too hard to get it back off. I guess you have to let yourself have fun every now and then. And, I did have fun, so that's something. Anyway, back to the diet! Happy Weigh-In Wednesday!

Total Weight Loss: 36.8 pounds

Only 105.2 to go!

Artistic Antics

Well, everyone, today was the last official day of pottery class! This was, surprisingly, the most enjoyable one to date. Everyone was nice and talkative, even the teacher. We finished putting on the final coats of glazes today, and by next week, they'll be shiny and vibrant! I can't wait to see what mine look like once they're done. They're all sort of gray and dull right now. Next week, we pick up our projects and have a potluck with everyone. I'm making spaghetti with my (delicious) homemade sauce! Happy Craft Tuesday!!!

Tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday!

Phenomenal Foods

Today's Phenomenal Food is:

Green tea!

Green tea is delicious, not to mention a superfood when it comes to weight loss. My friend Sosha just reached 100 pounds lost using Slim 4 Life, and one of the supplements they have her take is a green tea extract. According to an article called Keeping-It-Off Superfoods from WebMD, "In a recent study, volunteers who drank a bottle of tea (fortified with green tea extract) every day for three months lost more body fat than another group who drank a bottle of regular oolong tea. Except for the different teas, their overall diets were similar. Researchers suspect that the catechins (helpful phytochemicals) in green tea may trigger weight loss by stimulating the body to burn calories and mildly decrease body fat." I used to buy green tea all the time, but for some reason, I stopped. Looks like it's back on the shopping list!

2 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Weekend Warrior

Unfortunately, the Weekend Warrior was slightly defeated this weekend. As I said in my previous post, I had a sorority get-together yesterday, and I decided to let myself have a cheat day and have some fun with my sisters. We went to a winery, dinner, and then downtown to the bars. After the bars, per tradition, we went to Country Kitchen to eat greasy food. I ordered onion rings and chocolate cake with ice cream. So, yeah...I went WAY over my points value for the day. Alcohol takes up a lot of points, turns out...not to mention all the bad food I got. Oh, well. I had a lot of fun! Hopefully Weigh-In Wednesday won't be too cruel. Tomorrow is a new day, so I'll just get right back on track and keep going!

3 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Shopping Shenanigans

Well, friends, I failed at posting yesterday. It was a busy, busy day! I had a sorority get-together yesterday in Warrensburg, but more about that later.
The only thing I really have to report on for my Shopping Shenanigans post is a new snack I found at Costco. They're called Crunchy Rice Rollers and they look like round Rice Krispies Treats, but they taste more like Kix cereal. They're only 1 point per roll, and are very satisfying. I hope they continue to carry them! I stick a package of them in my desk drawer at work for when I really need a little snack. You should definitely try them!

Exercise Escapades

Yay, I did it! I worked out every weekday this week. I'm starting to get really bored with my Focus T25 videos, so I decided to start walking outside and on the treadmill again. Austin came down Wednesday, so we took a walk around my neighborhood. It was pretty fun. I love the treadmill because I can read my Kindle as I walk. It makes the time fly by!
On another note, today is my second grade class field trip to Legoland in KC. I'm pretty excited for it. I don't have to teach all day, so I'm sure it'll go by quickly. The bus ride is going to be long, but it'll still be fun. We're eating lunch at a park, playing with Legos, and then heading back to school. Hopefully it all goes well! Anyway, here's this week's workout schedule:

Monday: Focus T25 Lower Focus (Alpha)

Tuesday: Treadmill - 30 min.

Wednesday: Concordia Walk with Austin - 30 min.

Thursday: Treadmill - 30 min.
Friday: Treadmill - 30 min.

5 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Recipe Report

For today's Recipe Report, I decided to share one I made this past weekend: Quinoa, Grilled Corn, Tomato, and Feta Salad. It. Was. Delicious. Oh, my god, guys. Seriously... Heaven in my mouth. I love every ingredient in this thing. I also threw in a touch of balsamic vinegar to add some zing to it. It equaled out to be around 7 points plus a serving (4 servings total). I didn't have time (or maybe it's just that I'm lazy) to grill the corn, so I opted for a can of sweet corn instead. You should definitely try it!!

6 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Weigh-In Wednesday

Today's Weight:

284.2

Happy Weigh-In Wednesday, internet people!! I lost 4.8 pounds this week! Woo hoo!!! I'm so, so close to having less than 100 pounds to go. When I started, it seemed so daunting to have to lose 142 pounds, but now that I'm almost down to 100 left, it doesn't seem as impossible. Weight Watchers lowered my points value to 48 a day this morning after weigh-in, so that's pretty exciting. I used a points calculator to figure out how many daily points I'd be allowed once I hit my goal weight of 180 pounds: 33 points. That doesn't seem too bad, since some of my shorter friends get only 26 a day. I know I can do this if I just stick with it and take it day by day! Wish me luck!
Side note: Happy birthday, Dad! I love you! Thank you for supporting me with everything I do!

Total Weight Loss: 37.8 pounds

Only 104.2 to go!

Artistic Antics

Oops! I forgot to post this last night. I was busy grading papers and whatnot. Anyway, here's an update on our pottery class: the teacher and the other class members were particularly nice to us yesterday, so I'm not sure if they're being sarcastic or have just come to terms with our sass. Either way, it was a much more enjoyable class than the previous ones, so it didn't seem to drag on minute after minute. Next week is our last class to glaze things, then she'll fire everything, and then we'll come pick everything up and grind off any sharp spots from the glaze. I'm super excited to see what mine turn out like. The glaze looks nothing like what the outcome will be right now, so it's hard to imagine what the finished products will be like. I put a transparent glaze over my owl spoon holder, but now it just looks gray. I hope it turns out colorful!

Phenomenal Foods

Today's Phenomenal Food is:

Raspberries!

I love, love, love raspberries! They're so small, yet so flavorful. I just wish they weren't so expensive. I love the texture of the seeds in them and the extra little kick of flavor and texture they give to my breakfast shakes. According to an article called 7 Fat Loss Superfoods That Live Up to Their Hype from www.huffingtonpost.com, "Blueberries hog the spotlight, but raspberries are actually higher in fiber: One cup provides a whopping 8 grams. One study found you probably get about half the fiber you should, and on a lower-carb diet even less. Fiber's benefits include balanced glucose (blood sugar) levels and satiation to reduce hunger and cravings. Raspberries are a nutrient-dense, low-fructose fruit that make a healthy dessert and give a pleasant zing to protein shakes." I'll definitely have to buy some more fresh or frozen ones to throw into my morning protein shakes!

2 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Weekend Warrior

Happy Easter, everyone! Today was a very eventful day at the Francis house. We went to a car show all morning at a church, got sunburned, my dad took my brother and me to the parking lot of my old high school to practice on his motorcycle (we're just learning), and then we had a family dinner with the grandparents. (And tonight, Austin and I are going to see Divergent...again. Yes, it was that good. I'm currently on Chapter 11, but I can't wait to see it again!) Anyway, today was a very good day, and I even got to enjoy some goodies for Easter all while staying within my points for the day! Yay, Easter weekend! I get tomorrow off, so I'll have to be just as productive.

Yeah, I'm probably going to hell, but I couldn't resist.

(From left to right)
1933 Willys (Dad), 1961 Corvette (Dad restored for his friend, Phillip),
1956 Chevy (mine), 1983 Jaguar (Grandpa)
(Austin's 1954 Ford Station wagon is currently torn apart and in the shop)

My beautiful car!

First lesson on a motorcycle!

3 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Shopping Shenanigans

Today was a busy, busy day! I woke up, went to Costco with my mom and grandparents, went to Panera Bread with two of my favorite people (Amanda and Sosha) along with my favorite godson Jaxon, got a manicure and pedicure with Sosha, went to Intimate Designs (a bra store) with Caitlyn and spent way too much on two bras and a swim top, ate dinner with the family, and finally went to Wal-Mart for the remainder of the groceries. Whoo, I'm tired!
Also, at Costco, my mom bought me a FitBit Flex! I'm super excited to start tracking everything! I'm not going to use the calorie counter since I'm very happy with Weight Watchers, but it'll be interesting to try and walk 10,000 steps every day and see what my sleep patterns are like. Yay, technology!!
On a totally random note, I went to see Divergent with my brother and his friends yesterday and absolutely loved it!!! I'm currently reading the book, but I decided to watch the movie without finishing the book first as to not be as disappointed. I'm still going to finish the book because it's already 100 times better than the movie, but I thoroughly enjoyed it last night. If you haven't seen it yet, go now!!

4 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Exercise Escapades

Well, I kind of failed this week. I was so sore Monday from CrossFit that I couldn't bring myself to work out. I haven't skipped a workout day since I started. I did, however, workout the rest of the week. I really didn't want to today, but I forced myself to do it. I hope I get my motivation back next week. I think it was just all the traveling and CrossFit that kind of bummed me out. I was exhausted after our trip, so hopefully I'll get back to my normal routine next week. Anyway, here's this week's workout schedule:

Monday: CrossFit Recuperation Day - No Workout :(

Tuesday: Focus T25 Speed (Alpha)

Wednesday: Focus T25 Cardio (Alpha)

Thursday: Focus T25 Speed (Alpha)
Friday: Focus T25 Speed (Alpha)

5 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Recipe Report

For today's Recipe Report, I decided to share a recipe I found for Tomato-Bastil Spaghetti Squash Bake. Oh, my gosh! This was delicious!!! It kind of tasted like pizza, but with more flavor and texture. I made it right before my trip to Alabama, so I didn't get a chance to try it until I came back. But it was oh, so worth it when I did! It kept really well in the fridge because it's mostly just cooked vegetables. The cheese stayed crispy on the edge and gooey in the middle. I took it to work for lunch and ate it at dinner. I couldn't get enough! And, it only cost me 4 Points Plus for a serving (1/6 of the dish). I added 3 extra ounces of cheese because I love it so much; I used Shredded Weight Watchers Mexican Style. I'm definitely going to have to buy another spaghetti squash this weekend!
On another note, I'm going out to the bars in Warrensburg tonight with my good friend (and former roommate), Caitlyn. she graduates really soon, and I've been promising to go out with her before that happens. I'm not sure yet whether I'll drink tonight, but we'll see what happens. We're going to dinner, so I guess it all depends on how many points I have left. Wish me luck!

Layer 1: Spaghetti squash, tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic powder, onion powder

Cheese layer

Layer 2 plus more cheese

Top layer - right out of the oven!

6 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Weigh-In Wednesday

Today's Weight:

289.0

Happy Weigh-In Wednesday, everyone!! I lost 2.8 pounds this week! I am so excited for two reasons: (1) I exceeded my 10% goal of 289.8, putting me out of the 290s once and for all and (2) I didn't gain any (and actually lost) weight after our trip to Alabama! I'm pretty sure CrossFit had a lot to do with it, but I also showed a lot of restraint at the rehearsal dinner and wedding when it came to all the delicious food! I'm going to go ahead and pat myself on the back. I'm so happy right now!

I was extra worried because I was so sore Monday still from the intense CrossFit workout that I couldn't bring myself to exercise. I did, however, do a T25 video yesterday, and I felt a lot better this morning (without the soreness and stiffness I had for a couple of days).

Weight Watchers had me set my own new goal weight, so I decided that 272 would be a good goal to reach for. That'll make a total of 50 pounds lost once I hit it. (I originally set it for 250, but I decided to take smaller steps as to not get discouraged.) It's going to take much longer to get there, but I want something challenging to work towards. I know I can do it, and it's just a matter of time until I've met my overall goal of weighing 180 pounds (142 pounds lost since day 1)!

Total Weight Loss: 33 pounds

Only 109 to go!

Artistic Antics

Well, everyone, today was the first day of glazing! I was super excited to start painting all of my projects. There are so many different types of glazes, though, it's so hard to choose! There are transparent ones, semi-transparent ones, opaque ones, and under colors. Plus, there are these awesome ones with crystals in them that explode/melt and make little spots of different colors when they're fired. I'm so excited and want to use all of them, but I only have 4 projects to paint. Oh, well. I'll just pick out some of my favorites. We have 2 more weeks to paint/glaze and then it's firing time!
Even though she took half the class unloading the kiln, our teacher was in a surprisingly good mood today and actually complemented people (including us)! She also informed us that she would be able to do 2 glaze firings, so she got off Caitlyn's back about how big and wide her pieces were. Thank goodness! Anyway, here's what I got done today: I painted my owl spoon-holder with the under colors (black, orange, pink, yellow, blue, and green). They look super pastel, but once they're fired they become more vibrant and will be shinier after the clear coat. I can't wait to see the finished products!

Tomorrow is Weigh-In Wednesday!

Phenomenal Foods

Today's Phenomenal Food is:

Garlic!

I have an obsession with garlic. I seriously put it in everything. . .and a lot of it! I've always loved the flavor, and now I can love it even more because of its wonderful health and weight-loss benefits!

According to the article Garlic for Weight Loss from Health.am, "Garlic has been, for long, known for its health benefits such as prevention of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes etc. Now, researchers say that garlic may help in weight loss. Garlic contains the compound allicin which is supposed to suppress the appetite and aid in weight loss." The article goes on to talk about all the other health benefits garlic has such as regulating the body’s blood pressure, strengthening your body’s defenses against allergies, helping to loosen plaque from the artery walls, helping to regulate your blood sugar levels, and even killing and expelling parasites such as pin worms from the human body. It also says, "In addition to all these health benefits, garlic is packed with vitamins and nutrients. Some of these include protein, potassium, Vitamins A, B, B2 and C, Calcium, Zinc and many others."
Now I can indulge guilt-free in my love of garlic! May the weight loss continue!

2 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!

Weekend Warrior

Well, folks, it was a tough weekend to diet, but I did it!! I stayed within my points values each day and even worked out yesterday at a CrossFit gym!!! Hopefully the scale will prove that come Wednesday. I even said no to the whole piece of delicious cake at the rehearsal dinner and only took a couple of bites!

Roof at the rehearsal dinner!

Me and Momma Karlynn in the elevator!

Temptation...

On another note, my cousin Kyle got married yesterday and it was beautiful! They were married on his fiancé's (Maribeth) family farm outside Montgomery, Alabama. It was picture perfect! They seem so in love and I wish them all the best!

Today, we drove home (13.5 hours), and I am EXHAUSTED. Also, I can barely move from being so sore after CrossFit. Seriously, I have never been this sore in my whole life (no exaggeration). I couldn't even lift my arms above my head this morning and made my dad scratch my ear for me because it hurt to move. Hopefully I'm no so stiff in the morning. I won't be able to tie my shoes if I'm like this tomorrow. Hahaha. I guess that means I worked out super hard, so I'll accept the soreness gladly! Another week to check off the list!

3 days until Weigh-In Wednesday!