The "P" Word

So as of this month, it is my 3 years sticking to my path of weight loss. I cried, I conquered, and I finally got to throw up victorious fist pump when the scale was finally reading the number I worked so hard to get too. Then, once I got to that number though, it stopped. The scale (give or take a few pounds every now again) stayed pretty much the same for about a year. I'd hit that dreaded 'p' word. (For dramatic effect, picture this being said in the voice of James Earl Jones) -- The PLATEAU.

I wasn't complaining too much about it because, after all, I'd reached my number. Then I made the decision that I could do better.

As I stated in my earlier post, I am an annoying label reader, but I wasn't actually adding up the calories. I consciously would add them up in my head, but lets face it, that doesn't work. So I downloaded an app on my phone called MyFitnessPal. You enter in all of your information and it will give you a calorie limit based on your lifestyle and how many pounds you want to lose in a certain amount of time. Mine was 1200.

So I started following the calorie guidelines, which was a bit of a challenge at first, but once you find a balance in what you are eating, it becomes a routine, then eventually, part of your life without you even having to think about it anymore. The app is handy too because you virtually type in any item from any restaurant, and it will be there. Each night when you log your total calories, it will give you the weight you should be at in a certain amount of time, given that you follow your daily calorie intake.

My husband finally decided to jump on the bandwagon with me. I was ecstatic! I finally have someone to annoy and coach. I didn't have anyone for me when I was starting this process. I learned a lot from watching The Biggest Loser, reading articles, reading other blogs, and eventually putting together my own pieces.

Now, I don't normally fall into the traps of pills and fads, but I recently heard about Dr. Oz's theory on the green coffee bean extract being a good jump start on weight loss. Apparently there was no jitters or anxiousness, which is what I was worried about, naturally being the most nervous person in history. So my husband and I decided to take it together as a "trial" run with it and see what happened.

At this point, (a Tuesday) he'd already been running a mile and half for 4 days and eating better. We started taking them on a Saturday. The following Tuesday (at this point for him, he'd run for 6 days, was eating good and taking 2 pills a day for 4 days), and had already lost 6 pounds. Unfortunately for me, I had to stop taking them on Tuesday because I got a case of winter flu going around and had to take antibiotics instead and didn't want to mix them. However, I followed my calorie intake (and was under) and did take the pills for 4 days. I got on the scale this morning, and much to my disbelief, I'd lost 5 pounds! I finally broke my plateau! Of course, I didn't believe it and had to weight myself 12 more times, but the number checked out and put on some clothes and skipped out of that bathroom like a ribbon dancer from this 1994 commercial.

(Edit: In case you were wondering, Ben and I did not feel any noticeable side effects from the green coffee pills - to clarify, I cannot pinpoint that the coffee pills had anything to do with the weight drop, but I will post an update on this after I complete my 15 days).

So, now that my husband and I had joined forces on the matter, dinner would be so much easier for me. It's hard to prepare somewhat healthy meals, when the other party in the house doesn't like it. But, to ease his man mind a little bit, I have been trying to make healthy meals, disguised as what would normally not be healthy at all.

Two websites I love for this are TasteofHome Healthy Recipes and SkinnyTaste.com. Since I usually share a recipe with you, the one for this entry will be from SkinnyTaste.com.

Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken takes my winning vote today. I left out the bacon (Yes, you CAN eat bacon in moderation while dieting, I just chose to leave it out because quite frankly, I hate making it), but the chicken was amazing and low in calories. I will definitely be making this again!

That is where I leave you this time, friends.

Any comments, suggestions or website recommendations are welcome.