Does anyone live here anymore?

Apparently...
No one is home...
So I guess that they will not mind
if I use their radio
to shake off a few more

inches....

Lauras snapshot of Mom's progress... March!

Laura took this photo of me this morning in the bathroom. It is as good as any to update you on my progress so far. I began as you recall, in mid-January to improve my out of control ways. I have found much joy and rejoicing so far, gaining control of myself once again. I began this year around 170 lbs. (not my heaviest, but not good nonetheless) and at my age of 33 and height of 5'5" I was a dangerous 30-40 lbs. overweight even then. My cholesterol was high and my appetite was out of control and I felt in every way out of control along with it. I have seen a huge difference in my energy level and I have felt as a welcomed side effect more spiritually in-tune with my Faith. It is good to feel peace, the real kind. I have made progress and recently bought a size 10 jeans (in the photo) I first could fit into a ten last month and now actually fit into it. I have not been truly that size for a long while, it feels good to have made some more progress. I now weigh 148 and my goal is 130-135. My healthy weight range is 120-140 and I feel that my goal is realistic. Anyways, thank you all for this blog for your help and for your inspiration! I love you all dearly!
You go girls!

Above all, BE YOUR own beautiful!

Journaling! Get a cool purse sized one, and do it!

I have now read three health scources that suggested that the people who are consistantly healthy by keeping their weight down and eating a balanced diet are those who write down everything they consume every day and chart their calories. Even a stick of gum. Journaling is a good habit to get into, it does not take much time at all and can be kept very simple, but it is one of the most successful ways to maintain your health over a long period of time. After awhile it can become automatic. It also allows you to be in control because you know what you are doing and what you are not.
It will give you balance, an item often forgotten with any other course of a healthy diet.

Welcome!!!

A big YOU GO GIRL welcome, to all of our visitors here at the Y.G.G! It has been amazing the response that we have had from many of you wanting to know more about this blog and what it is! We are a group of sisters who are here to share our real life insights and experiences into the world of health. Sometimes funny, sometimes hilarious, and sometimes just plain good, we are here to motivate the fabulous in our everyday lives! So if you are new to the Y.G.G....WELCOME! Feel free to add your own insights as a comment on one of the posts! You Go Girl!

Two more photos really quick...

I found some size 10's in my closet so I tried to take a couple more photos with my mirror. It helps to wear a smaller size to really see the difference...anyways, I still have a ways to go, but Yippee! Progress!

Look closely...a little less jiggle with my wiggle!

Ok, do not get too excited, it has only been one month! It is really hard to see much of a difference in the photos, mostly in my arms, legs and face, but soon the middle! Yippee! I have lost ten pounds!
I am extremely happy with my energy and I would just like to take this moment to say a big THANKS! to my Y.G.G. fan club for sponsoring me on this happy voyage of downsizing ME! (Hopefully the next ten pounds will be more noticable! HA!)
I Love You Guys!
(Hey! Same pants...not as tight! Thank goodness!)

Brooke's Program for life... Yippee!

Here is the Brooke Program:

I used the "healthy weight calculator" link. (I have added to the website.)
I determined my daily Calorie amount based on my current; age, realistic activity level, height, and weight...then after I saw my healthy weight range, I selected what I felt was a realistic weight in that range for me!
I then entered that weight and they gave me the amount of calories that I need to eat each day to get there! (My Budget!) AND they told me how long it will take! (To get out of debt!)
(I am willing to eat only a moderate amount of extras and to maintain it for life! If I was not ready to make this kind of commitment, then I would have waited until I was! HA! I did!)
(Also, If I was already at a healthy weight then I would enter my current weight as my goal weight and use those calories to maintain my health. This plan would still give me better health and more energy to eat right...this would still work for me!)

Ok, when I figured out my own Calorie amount and approximate date at which my healthy weight would be achieved...I wrote that date on my calendar and began planning for success!!!

Because I am currently OVER my healthy weight range, my calorie intake until August for example: is 1480 calories of healthy food and 150 calories of "extras".
(Once my healthy weight is achieved then I will re-calculate, using my new healthy weight, age, and realistic activity level, and find the calories I will add to my eating for the next year, to maintain that weight. I will then recalculate it annualy based on age etc. and do it FOR LIFE!!!)


I divided, my own calorie number, into the 6 food group categories like so:

Grains: 490 calories per day
Veggies: 170 calories per day
Fruit: 150 calories per day
Dairy: 270 calories per day
Meat, Beans, Nuts: 400 calories per day
Total: 1480 calories
plus+
Extras: 150 calories per day
(I personally am also very picky about what kinds of foods (Ingredients) I will and will not eat in each category, but I have already mentioned this "personal preference" before, and will not repeat it here!)

So Anyways...if in August, my new calorie intake is suppose to be 1800 per day, for example... then I will subtract 1480 from 1800 and get 320 more calories! I would divide this number by the 5 food groups and get 64! So I would add 64 to each category and my new chart would look like this:

Grains: 554 calories per day
Veggies: 234 calories per day
Fruit: 214 calories per day
Dairy: 334 calories per day
Meat, Beans, Nuts: 464 calories per day
Total: 1800 calories
plus+
Extras: 250 calories per day

This is not a "short term fad diet" this is my healthy eating for my own body maintainance. This is for life.
At first all of these changes were hard and felt a bit overwhelming. (I think that I was addicted to over-eating!) This new way of eating for my happiness is becoming a habit and is actually fun! I actually enjoy journaling my progress on paper, it makes me feel like I am accomplishing a goal...I am! (My college roomate Aileen was very good at this because her mom had taught it to her and I have not forgotten her joy of eating similar to this.)
Anyways, if anyone else wants to know how many calories are in whatever you are eating, I have added the calorie calculator to this site for my convienience! (By the way, Thank you for letting me use this site it is been so very helpful!!)
I was amazed at how much food I have to eat in order to be healthy and maintain my health! Start eating Brookie!
(Side Note: PLEASE do NOT start to panic when you discover that I would have to eat 33.5 cups of spinach to get my vegetable calories for the day...do not forget girls, that there are potatoes and other vegetables out there!!! ;)
Yippee!!
There ARE birthdays and holidays and there SHOULD be!
This plan is simply for my every NORMAL (fabulous) day, to take control of myself and my habits, good for me lifestyle. Everyday should NOT be my feasting holiday! Everyday SHOULD be my wholesome holiday! I know that I have wanted to eat like this for a long time, but timing is everything!!! I already feel amazinger(word!?)and I will no longer feel like a sloth! I will enjoy eating and not feel like a slave to it! I am the master now! Yippee!

P.S. I will post my "this months progress" photos soon!!!! Yippee!

Don't forget to Dance today!!!

You can turn on this blog and get moving and grooving! Try it while you fold the laundry, try it when your cooking dinner, try it when your on the phone, try it when your all alone, try it when your with your friend Hey! fun like this will make you bend...try it, try it you will see! Just how happy, dancing, makes you be!? HA!!! Everybody dance NOW!!!!

Health!?

So, I just wanted to say hi to everone... I haven't really posted anything on here, so I thought some words of encouragement would do...


Just kidding! I want you all to know that I'm super grateful for our family, but mostly for my sisters (and mom) all 7 of you are great examples to me!

Eating healthy is something that I'm usually okay at... minus the excess of sugar, of course. But, exercising is the area that I really need to work on, so let me know your favorite things to do when you work out!

E's - Before! (The "thank heavens its G rated" version!)

Because I can already see a small difference... :) and I want to document the progress, I have taken the liberty to be a poster child for our website. Here are my "before" pictures. As you can see, the figure in this demonstation-although quite fabulous-could use a bit of T.L.C. via the Y.G.G! So please keep posting your many good advices and may the force be with us all!
You go girls!

Do you need some buns with that? HA! HA! Pa-leeese! (OK, back to work!)

Your Diet should be Healthy and so...

This is a very good resource for learning about how what you eat effects you! It is like Biology 101 for how your body works to maintain itself and how appetite works etc. Here are the parts and chapters:

Part 1: What a waist!

3 Introduction: YOU: On a diet
Work smarter, not harder

chapter1
25 The Ideal Body
What your body is suppose to look like

Part 2: The Biology of Fat

chapter2
35 Can't Get No Satisfaction
The science of appetite

chapter3
51 Eater's Digest
How food travels through your body

Chapter4
71 Gut Check
The Dangerous Battles of Inflammation in Your Belly

Chapter 5
99 Taking a Fat Chance
How Fat Ruins Your Health

Chapter 6
127 Metabolic Motors
Your Body's Hormonal Fat Burners

Chapter7
137 Make the Move
How You Can Burn Fat Faster

Part 3: The Science of the Mind

chapter8
155 The Chemistry of Emotions
The connection between Feelings and Food

chapter9
163 Shame on Who?
The Psychology of the Failed Diet

Part 4: The YOU Diet and Activity Plan

chapter 10
193 Make a YOU -turn
How to change what you thought You Knew about Dieting - and Change Your Life For Good

chapter 11
205 The YOU Activity Plan
Physical strategies for Waist Management

chapter12
231 The YOU Diet
The Waist Management Eating Plan

And then there are the Appendices of Medical Options for those who are seriously over weight.

Anyways, it is all very good. The sample ideas in the eating and excersize are very simple and fabulous! And they tell you what kinds of products you should not eat because they are so bad for you...very interesting and eye-opening! Very Good!

Anyways, Thought that I would share too!
E

Another Healthy Recipe

I must say that this is my favorite recipe book. All the recipes in it are good for you and taste REALLY good. (All the ones we've tried that is! :)

Here is one of the recipes. . .

Chicken Minestrone

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Slices Canadian bacon, chopped (we decided a whole box of the pizza sliced bacon is better!)

1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 bay leaf
1 can (15 oz) cammellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (15 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
6 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups water
6 portions chicken breast, cut into 1/2 inch chunks (about 1 1/2 lbs)
3/4 cup Ditalini pasta
1 box (10 oz) frozen green beans
1 bag (5 oz) baby spinach
3 Tbsp fresh basil, sliced (we used dried basil)
2 Tbsp fresh Parmesan, grated (we used the spaghetti shaker kind!)

1. Place a large pot over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat for 1 minuts. Add Canadian bacon and saute for 4 minutes. Add onions, celery, garlic, zucchini and bay leaf, saute for anouther 5 minutes.

2. Add cannellini beans, red kidney beans, chicken broth and water to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Then add chicken and cook for 10 more mintues.

3. Reduce heat to medium high; add pasta and grean beans. Cook until pasta is tender, about 8 minutes.

4. Remove bay leaf from soup with tongs or a spoon. Stir in spinach and cook until slightly wilted, about 1 minute.

5. Ladle a portion (about 2 cups) of minestrone into eacvh bowl. Top with fresh basil and Parmesan. Serve and enjoy!

Once Upon A Thigh. . .

Mom was telling me about her doctor's little website that gives weight loss advice and different ideas to be more healthy. Here is a link. . .

http://www.madisonwomensclinic.com/onceUpon.php


Go enjoy Once Upon A Thigh!

Friday is my day!

I have decided that Friday is going to be the day I splurge and have a delicious dessert of some sort or another. What's not to love about Friday night? No school or work on Saturday morning...then add an ice cream sundae to the mix; one might call it a perfect evening :) Also with it being date night (even if our date is just downstairs watching a movie) I want to be able to revel in the "date" experience and thoroughly enjoy the evening! Not to mention, if I plan my dessert ahead of time then I have a whole week to look forward to the sweet confection of Friday night! Thank goodness for Fridays! -Tiffany

Here We Go!

Ok sisters. We are at the starting line. The time has come. Time to win this race. . .

YOU GO GIRL!!!