Tough day today. It's the second Mother's Day since we lost my mom. Last year, I think I was rather numb. This year it hurts. Hopefully by next year, I will be able to enjoy the memories. I keep on trying though, and you can't fail if you don't give up!

First of all....Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers and mothers to be out there! Being a mom is the greatest reward in life! To those who have lost their mom's.....use today to remember the good things about them. I know it is so hard to lose a parent....I am SO lucky to still have both my parents still here with me and I will not take one day for granted!


Week 7 Sunday


Exercise challenge- no
Water-12 cups
Under calorie goal-yes
Walking challenge-1.69

I hope this next week proves to be a better week for me....I have gained 1 lb from last week....so frustrating!!!!

Here is a low cal meal for anyone who would like to try it! I haven't figured out the excact cal/fat/carb count, but I know that it is low!


Make up your favorite chicken or tuna salad. I use canned chicken or tuna ( about 2 oz per serving) add 1 tbsp of miracle whip (I dislike mayo!), add in a little relish, finely shredded cheese, or just about anything veggie and some seasoning. Peel 1 cucumber and slice it length wise and scoop out the seeds. Add your chicken/tuna salad to the middle and enjoy a nice and light lunch! You can pair this up with some fresh, raw veggies or fruit on the side or a cup of low cal soup.

I have already made this for my lunch tomorrow and with the salad, 1/2 cucumber, 1 cup baby carrots, 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese and 1 cup of tomato soup, it came out to be about 475 calories. I think this might be alot of food for lunch, so I think I can use the baby carrots and cottage cheese as my mid afternoon snack!

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Here's a question for all of you challengers:
How do you count your exercises? I've been calling them moderate calisthenics...

Week 7 Day 1 Monday

Exercise challenge-yes
Water-12 cups
Under calorie goal-yes
Walking challenge-2.51 and counting!

Week 7 Monday

Exercise challenge- yes
Water 14 cups
Under calories- yes
Evening walk- no- if only it would stop raining

Tuesday: Day 2, Week 7

Challenge Exercises: YES
Under Calories: YES
Water: 12 glasses
Walking challenge: 1.5 miles (AND 30 day shred DVD, level 3...whew!!!!!!)

Healthy Recipe I am liking these days: Turkey Taco Salad or Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

1 pound ground lean turkey
1 onion, chopped
1 package low sodium Taco seasoning
1-2 t olive oil

Saute onion in a bit of olive oil until soft. Add ground turkey (I use organic) and brown. Then add Taco seasoning package and maybe 1/4 c water. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes. I serve it over a bed of mixed lettuces, some salsa, chopped tomato, avacado, shredded mixed low fat mexican cheeses, a tiny bit of low fat sour cream...and it is a yummy meal. I love having the left-over seasoned turkey meat to eat in bibb lettuce leaves as a "wrap" which is a great low calorie and filling snack.

I notice I am not the only one whose weight fluctuates up and down. It makes me feel more "normal"! But I know our exercises and especially the addition of some new ones I don't normally do, are helping my body look better and feel better, even if the scale isn't moving down the way I would like:ohwell: Soooooo...I'll keep plugging away Kackie

Sorry to not post for so long. My husband's mom was put in the hospital on Mother's Day and it's been kinda crazy and sad. She has Alzheimer's and is so scared and isn't able to tell us where she hurts and what she really feels like. Just like a little kid who doesn't know that the doctors and nurses are trying to help you feel better. She has moments of clarity and knows that she knows her kids and calm down, then she'll get scared and not know anyone. Alzheimer's is a very sad disease.

I'll try to post as much a I can, but I'm not at my computer much. I've been using my MFP app on my smart phone to keep up on my food intake. I did write out all of my exercises so I can do those and not have to look them up or fall behind.

So for the past two days.

Week 7 Day 1 & 2 Monday & Tuesday

Exercises - yes
Under calories - yes
Water - yes
Evening Walk - no

Week 7, day 3

Exercise challenge: YES
Under Calories: YES
Water: 13 glasses
Walking challenge: 2 miles

gklangton: So sorry about your MIL. Take care!

Kackie

Week 7 Tuesday Day 3
Exercised: no
Under Calories: yes
Water: 12
Miles Walked: 3
Calories Burned: 226
Minutes Exercised: 75
Cals under maintenance: 329

Week 7 Wednesday 4
Exercised: yes, Mondy/Tuesday challenges done
Under Calories: Yes
Water: 14
Miles Walked: 0
Calories Burned: 121
Minutes Exercised: 15
Cals under maintenance: 261

gklangdon, I am very sorry about your mother-in-law. Alzheimers is a horrid disease. I have several clients who have it, and while I enjoy working with them, it is sometimes quite heartbreaking. Bless you for spending time with her. She needs the comfort.

Week 7 Wednesday

Exercise challenge- no- hopefully will make up tonight
Water- 12 cups
Under calories- yes
Evening walk- none

Hopefully today will be better.

Week 7 Day 3 Wednesday

Exercise challenge-no
Water-12 cups
Under calorie goal- no
Walking challenge- 4.0 miles


Better day today! Lots of yard work....like 4 hours worth! Feeling good. Looking forward to a weekend of shopping with my kids and some sunshine soaking by the pool!!

Hi guys! Happy to be back from vacation and back on track with the Challenge! I actually behaved myself pretty well food wise, there were plenty of fresh, delicious fish meals offered at the resort I was on, so while I didn't manage to lose any weight, I didn't really gain, either!

How has the Olympian team been doing?

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-242-303-504-14327-0,00.html?cm_mmc=NL-Nutrition-_-915792-_-05172012-_-Minestrone-with-Spring-Vegetables

Week 7 Thursday Day 5
Exercise challenge: Weds and Thurs
Under Calories: Yes
Water: 14
Miles Walked: 2 but for the Thurs challenge
Calories Burned: 314
Minutes Exercised: 75
Cals under maintenance: 32

I'm getting the hang of zigzagging. I did lower my calories from maintenance (1600) to 1500 this week, after gaining a pound last week. I figure I'll give this three weeks and see if I want to continue longer after that. I DO feel more energetic, and other than the night before and the night after the visitation for my friend, I'm sleeping better, so ultimately I have hope that increasing my calories will help me get back on the losing track.

Kelly, I like the winners and losers thing - and I'm relating to more and more of those! Thanks for sharing!

Tessa, welcome back!