Why Would You Say That?!?

I need to toughen up, I know. If I am going to be so open about my weight loss goals and what not, I need to expect people are going to think I care about their opinion. But seriously...I shouldn't be shocked at this point, but SO MANY people a) think they are the expert at weight loss, and their way is the ONLY right way, and b) think they are entitled to say the most ridiculous shit!

I cannot tell you the amount of times I have heard "Can you eat that?" or "You're gonna eat all of that?" How about unless I ask, don't concern yourself two bits about what I am going to eat! You have a log in your eye you might want to check out before worrying about my splinter. Another one I really like... "I thought you were on a diet." WTF?!? I thought you weren't tacky too...I guess we were both totally mislead.

Today, I was sharing my food log with someone in conversation, and as a side note...I have done AWESOME with my clean eating the last week. Had like 5 tortilla chips off plan, and a sip of soda, I think I could say that I nailed this week. Anyways...their feedback..."You didn't have an egg for breakfast this morning, why not?" in a totally shaming way. I thought "Are you kidding me? I have lost 6 lbs in 6 days, eating so good, feeling great and excited for my future and you wanna shame me that I didn't eat an egg one out of 6 mornings?" I understand that protein is best for me right away in the morning, yup totally on board with that. However...sometimes despite your best laid plans, it just doesn't work out. I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say the apple and Greek yogurt that I had instead wasn't a devastating choice.

Anyways...I'm clearly feeling defensive and bitchy today. Point still remains...I'm sick of people's non considerate comments and as a forewarning...if you say stupid crap to me from now on...I'm gonna call you out on it. Just saying.

Vόστιμος!!

It means "Nostimos," which is Greek for delicious!  ;)  Which is not exactly how I feel about greek yogurt.  I KNOW, I KNOW... everyone LOVES it, it's the best thing since sliced bread, it's WAY better for you, blah blah blah.  I get that!  Everyone's made the switch and I know I'm way behind in the hipster trend of consuming greek yogurt.  ;)  


However... it's just...weird to me.  It's so dang thick!!  I KNOW... that's the great part about it... believe me, I've heard all your arguments for the pro's of greek yogurt.  It just feels weird in my mouth.  :P  (Get your mind out of the gutter now)!  But, whatevs... I'll get over that part.  The part that I struggle with is the taste!  I know my palate is used to the ridiculous sweetness of regular yogurt (I was a die hard fat free WW yogurt consumer), which isn't good for me.  So... I'm saying ok...I'll take the plunge and switch to greek.  I actually bought some and made the mistake of buying the "fruit on the bottom," crap.  REALLY?!  That's not fruit!  That's some gelatinous sucrose crap I am sure.  So... I don't want that.  I'll go back to my artificially sweetened regular yogurt if that's my best option (I know it's not). I want your suggestions!!  How do I make greek yogurt more palatable?  I already have crunch that I like and add that, so that's taken care of.  It's no "granola" per say, but more a puffed rice mixture, as granola is the furthest thing from healthy you can get.  I know I can add berries, ect.  Now, my only issue is the yogurt itself.  What's your favorite brand and why?  Any options to sweeten it up and not add artificial sweeteners, ect?  Anyone add Stevia?  Thoughts?  It's important that I find some form of dairy I like soon, before my bones start crumbling away.  ;)  I do not like milk and my previous dairy option was M & M's.  ;)  Sometimes I add almond milk to my Shakeology, but I would like variety options.  


So yeah... share your ideas... how did you make the switch to greek?  What's you fave way it's prepared?  Remind me why this is such a better option then the amazingly delicious dessert of yogurt I was consuming before?  ;)  

Why Do You Eat?

So...sitting here just now and had an epiphany of sorts. Background, to sort of cleanse my body of the junk I've been putting in it and get it ready for new healthy choices, I have been allowing myself only my Shakeology, green veggies and lean proteins for the last 3 days. I have done this before and just always feel dang good after. On track, with a clean slate. However, I don't know if I did this in the past with the correct mindset. I think in the past I have secretly thought that day 4 = celebrate with Chipotle, chips, cookies and other crap. So, right now, knowing tomorrow holds day 1 of new really conscious eating, I'm partly excited and partly mourning that tomorrow doesn't hold a throw caution to the wind day for me. Being totally honest here.

Anyways...that wasn't the epiphany though. The ah ha moment was this...I am sitting here thinking "I'm hungry." Next thought..."Chips and salsa sound so yummy right now!" Now unfortunately for me, chips and salsa do not fall under lean protein and/or green veggies as much as I would like, so...that's not an option. So back to feeling hungry...I have a serious PLETHORA of options that do fall into both those categories. And within a split second I think..."None of that sounds that great..." WAIT! Then I thought..."If you're not that hungry for salad, cucumbers, celery, green peppers, delicious grilled chicken, ect., then you must not be THAT hungry to begin with!" That got my mind rolling...how many times in my life have I sat there mindlessly eating crap because I was "hungry?" Reality check time...if you're not hungry enough to eat what's right...then my guess is that you're not truly hungry.

I think that these last three days have been really good for me to really just kind of be super conscious of what I am putting in my body and realize all the times I've treated my body like a freaking garbage can, tossing in crap without giving it any thought. Before those of you who are not super nutrition conscious think I'm getting judgy, know that's the last place I'm coming from. Hell if the shit didn't make me fat, we'd probably be reading about my deep love for chips and queso versus this health crap I'm wasting your time with now. ;)

Anyways...that was my only point. I need to get to a point where I'm not excited for various things because of the food opportunities that are there. I want to get to a place where food is just something I need to continue to live, versus something I live for. That might be a little drastic, but I know I have very distorted thoughts in that area (and many other areas of my life, let's be real) ;) and I am hoping that this new journey will help me with that.

With that being said...who's excited for a little variety starting tomorrow! Don't know if I've ever been so excited for apples, yogurt, green beans and asparagus so much before!! ;) I feel like I'm starting down a really good path of taking care of me again and it feels nice. :)

New Plan, New Goals, New Me!

I have been struggling so hardcore to get on track both nutritionally and exercise wise this past year.  I am clearly a stress eater and stress is not lacking in my life the past year.  All of 2011, I would lose 5-10 lbs and then gain 10-15...in the end, putting me 45.5 lbs above my goal weight.  I am FREAKING ASHAMED of that number, ridiculously (hence the no more hiding aspect of this).  How does a person lose 130 lbs EASILY and then in one year, gain 45.5?  Augh... I really didn't for see this, when I was on my journey, so wasn't ready for it at all.  Every poud that I put on, I used to beat myself up with, making it extra easy to put on another pound and another pound and another one, until I said "WTF AM I DOING?"  What gets me is that I have not been just sitting around eating, being a fat lazy pig for the last year.  I did Zumba regularly, started bootcamp at the end of the year, and ran (and trained for) a 10 mile race.  I have come to realize that working out is easier for me to be consistent with then my nutrition.  To distract myself from crap in my life I can work out, which I do, and I can eat, which I do.  It's time that I change that!!  Why would I continue to not get the benefits of my hard workouts if I am going to stuff my face with Chipotle, pizza, chips and cookies for the rest of the week?  I know what to do; I just haven't had the energy and motivation to do so. 

Well... this week I just kind of came to a point where I said "THIS HAS GOT TO FUCKING CHANGE!"  Excuse my language, but that's really what I thought...and this is MY blog, so I guess I will say whatever I want.  :P  I need to get back on track with eating right!!  So... after a lot of thought, I am abandoning Weight Watchers.  Now, before you think I think one bad thing about Weight Watchers, listen up.  I don't!  It helped me get my life back.  I owe 99.9% of my success to Weight Watchers (WW).  It was exactly what I need for a very long time and AM NOT ruling it out to help me in the future.  However, RIGHT NOW, it is not working for me.  The problem that I am having with WW is that you don't HAVE to eat right on it.  You just have to eat under your points.  This is bad for me right now because I will splurge within my points, lose control and continue splurging.  I do not have enough self-control right now for that.  I need something that is like "Brooke... giddy the fuck up and eat right you idiot!"  Yeah... I really do need to be talked to like that because I KNOW BETTER THAN WHAT I AM DOING!!  Why the hell would I expect anything different?  I am WAY smarter than that!  So... I am going to a new, more restrictive eating regiment.  Nothing special, just healthy.  My plan:  3 proteins, 3 veggies, 3 fruits, 3 starches, 1 fat, 80oz. of water and 1 dairy per day.  Going to add some Omega supplements, along with my FAVE Shakeology (chocolate and hopefully strawberry once that comes).  I am going to track diligently with my handy iPhone and I am going to be down 45.5 lbs by the middle of June.  I am going to couple this with P90x and running and work closely with the most amazing personal trainer there ever was (Ms. Lois Tiedeman) and I am going to be successful. 

I HAVE to because I am sick of this slow decline into less and less confidence.  It's not helping the stress.  Also... I HAVE a super sweet wedding to look UBER sexy in come October!!!  No Maid of Honor should look anything less than HOT HOT HOT in her little black dress!!  So... there you have it.  A real, solid plan that I have not a doubt that will work for me.  My insurance plan is putting it out there for the world to hold me accountable to.  I hate failing, especially when other people know my goals.  So it's not going to happen.  I'm doing really well work out wise for the last couple of months, it's time that I give myself credit for that on the scale. 

Anyways... that's it for now.  Check back later for a big - sign in front of my new weight!!  :)  PS - I could use some buddies, so if you have similar goals, speak up, stop hiding and we can support each other!!  I have an amazing support team (Stacy, mom, ect.) and we can all accomplish our goals together!!!  <3