Saturday, January 28, 2012

What a great feeling.

I was out and about doing some things this morning. Had the kids' pictures taken for Valentine's Day. Went and visited Chris's mom to pick up a couple things she had been working on, and then the kids decided they would like pizza for dinner. So, I had to stop in the Papa Murphy's to get a couple of pizza's for the kiddos.

I order my pizza's and wait for them to get made and in walks an old friend I haven't seen in almost 2 years. I greeted her and went in to give her a hug and she just stared at me! So, I stopped and didn't hug her all the way, because I saw this bewilderment look on her face. It took her about 30 seconds, but she looked at me and said "Sheryl"? I said yes :) .....

She was in shock! She couldn't believe it was me. All she kept saying was Oh my god, you look amazing. Oh my god, you look awesome. If was such a wonderful feeling! The last time she had seen me, I wasn't taking care of myself. I was at my biggest point in weight, I didn't like to dress up, didn't like to have make up on. But today, I was all made up. :) I was in a brand new skirt (size 14) that I just finally fit into! Had my hair done, make up on, wearing my new faux fur knee high boots I just got. I was feeling good!!

Today, I'm down 75 pounds!! 49 left to go! I am feeling great and still going strong! It's not hard to pass on something that I shouldn't eat, except for chocolate, but I'm able to do that in moderation! I have learned to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and not just because it's a 'meal' time! I have learned when Chris takes me out to eat at a nice restaurant, I can  ask for other things! I don't have to have that rice, or cheesy mashed potatoes. I can ask for seasonal steamed veggies or sliced tomatoes. It's ok! Most places allow those types of substitutions!

What a wonderful day it's been!

Till next time...

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Another Milestone marker

Today is another Milestone benchmark! Today, this morning, I stepped on the scale and I am currently sitting at 225!!! I have lost 74 pounds!! And I have just 50 left to go!! I'm on that extreme downside of the hill!!!

Another thing I have started doing in the last 2 months is I have started taking measurements. And boy have I noticed a difference!! I may have only lost 19 pounds in the last 2 months, but I have lost quite a bit in inches! It's crazy, so, I am going to start sharing my measurements to show you just how important they are too. They work hand in hand with the weight!

Here you go: 2 months ago
weight: 244 lbs - now 225 lbs
hips: 51.5" - now 48.5"
waist: 46.5" - now 44.5"
bust: 48" - now 44"

That's 19 lbs and a total of 13 inches gone!!! That's just in 2 months!!!

If you remember a few months back, Charissa had a challenge and I lots some weight and saw a huge different in my pictures I took (Accountability Challenge).. Charissa wanted a new picture of me in my 'Damsels' T-shirt, so I took a new one, since it's been 3 months :)
It has gotten quite baggy on me as you can see. :) I'm fitting into more and more of my size 14 clothes, XL shirts and even some L shirts!!! It feels so good to go into a store and try stuff on and realize it's to big and have to go to the next size down. I just had to do that with a new jacket I bought. XL was a little to big and L fit perfect!!! I don't even remember the last time I wore a L!

Till next time...

Monday, January 23, 2012

I've been published!!!

That's some pretty exciting news!!! Granted it was just a quote from my email I send to People magazine, but still they published a quote out of it! For those that are interested, this was the FULL email that I sent to them!

It is not only inspiring, but motivational to read these stories and see these pictures of the men and women that have lost half their weight! It helps people like me to stay on track of my own weight loss journey! It gives me that inspiration to know that I can still keep it off 2, 5 or even 10 years later! I started out obese (299 lbs) and just like the others realized I needed to change something. I also used No surgery or gimmicks (I've gone Paleo) and I've had real success in losing 70 lbs so far. I hope within a year, I to will be half my size! Thank you for the inspiring and motivational article.

This is what was printed:


It is so exciting to know that they actually took the time to read my email, and then actually decided that it was 'good' enough to take a quote from it to publish in their magazine. I keep thinking about just how many letters does 'People' magazine get? Thousands upon thousands!! And they pick mine!! Awesome way to start my week out!!!

Till next time...

Friday, January 20, 2012

Sausage stuffed Acorn Squash

I got this recipe off of Fast Paleo and had to modify it just a tad, because I didn't have the celery in the fridge. It was so awesome, that I have decided to make again tonight!

  • 2 acorn squash
  • 1 lb sausage
  • 3 Tbsp coconut oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 tsp sage
  • 1 celery rib, 1/2 red onion, 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 apples, chopped
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 2 sprigs rosemary

  • For my recipe with the modification. I didn't use celery, I had a sweet yellow onion that I needed to use up, I used breakfast sausage and I used 1 tbsp of dry rosemary, because I didn't have fresh. Other then that, I had everything in the house. :)

    1. Pre heat oven to 400. Cut squash in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sage to taste.
    2. Use 1 Tbsp. of coconut oil. Brush or spoon coconut oil into each half of squash. Roast for 60 minutes.
    3. While squash is roasting, melt remaining 2 Tbsp. coconut oil in a pan over medium heat and brown the sausage. Remove sausage from pan and let cool in a mixing bowl. Leave the fat in the pan.
    4. Finely dice the onion, celery and garlic and saute over medium heat for a few minutes– until they are softened. Add some salt and pepper. Then add the chopped apples and saute for a couple more minutes.
    5. Remove from heat and add to the mixing bowl with the sausage. Allow to cool.
    6. When sausage and vegetable mixture are cool enough to handle, add egg and almond or flax meal. Chop rosemary finely and add as well. Mix with your hands (I’m sure I don’t need to tell you to wash them first, right?) until well combined.
    7. After an hour, remove squash from the oven. Divide the stuffing among the 4 halves– the stuffing should be mounded– and bake for another 20 minutes.
    8. To avoid scorching the roof of your mouth… like I did… you should be patient and let it cool for a bit before you stuff it into your mouth eat it! Enjoy.

    My family loved this! The kids weren't to keen on the squash, but the stuffing part of it they loved. I had a little bit of the stuffing left over after filling the acorn squash and that's what I fed to the kids along with some pork chops. :) It was awesome!!

    Hope you enjoy, Till next time...

    Thursday, January 19, 2012

    Another Ah ha moment in my life

    With the advice of my good friend Charissa, I started listening to a podcast called Balanced Bites. This podcast has given me a whole new look out on the way I was eating. It has helped me understand some of the things that have been going on with my body. It has helped me learn what to look for when it come to food and eating. It's been amazing!!

    I started out listening to the podcast Paleo 101, part 1 and part 2. They where so informational and so right on point. They made so much sense and made me understand this Paleo lifestyle that I am doing! They talked about the 'rules' of Paleo and how to 'navigate' through all the rules. Once I finished with those 2 podcast, I had to download the rest of them and listen to them all. I started at #1.... the best place to start, at the beginning! I listened and I listened and I was having 1 ah ha moment after another with what to eat, how certain foods affect you. Why these foods make you 'regular', why these don't, etc.
    (this flow chart said it all!!!)

    Then the big ah ha moment came just today. I was listening to the podcast while doing some grocery shopping (I always listen to my iPod in the store, keeps the screaming kids out of my head). Diane and Liz where talking about stress levels and how stress and huge life changes can affect what happens with your body. This immediately made me start thinking about when I started gaining weight, and I'd be damned!!! It was true in my case as well.

    It was when I turned 19. I was a size 14, about 200+ lbs. I was just done with my first year of college, in a serious relationship, to a man that I was certain I was going to marry. Then my life turned upside down.... I found out I was pregnant and I had no idea what I was going to do, was I really in love, was I going to marry this man (NO!). I was 19, I was still in college and wanting to finish, I was wanting to travel. I wanted to do all those things. With some fast and vast decision making, I terminated the pregnancy and immediately was moved from Colorado to Washington to make a new life  (boy did I do that). My head was spinning.

    I moved in with my bachelor uncle and fended for myself. I got a swing shift job (that I kept for a whole 3 months)!! I didn't know how to cook, so I just would grab something quick and easy, fast food, or junk food. I didn't care. I was into a size 16 before I knew it. By the time I was 20 I was getting into a corporate job and buying 'work clothes' and they were all 16 and 18. By the time I was 23 I was into a size 20, getting married, still really not knowing how to cook and doing a lot of take out and 'boxed' food for my new husband. By the time I was 25, I was into a size 22/24 and who knows how much I weighed? In 2001 my grandfather had a stroke and I moved from Seattle to a small little town of Moses Lake to help take care of him. Within 5 months I was pregnant with my son. Of course this is when the weight came in. I started my pregnancy weighing 274. I was in shock but I was having a baby, so all was good in my eyes.

    I never got over a size 24 but as you all know (if you have read my past blogs) that I did get up to 299 pounds. I will get back to my point..... the podcast made me think about when this all started to happen... I wasn't overweight before that, I really wasn't overweight in High School. I had a mom who cooked home made meals, never out of a box and we always had our fruit and veggies. We very rarely ate out and when we did, it was the fancy nice restaurants, that had decent food at it.

    I was in shock that I could trace it back to that point.... Almost 18 years ago!

    Today, of course, is a totally different time! 7 months ago I took on the Paleo lifestyle and I'm not looking back!!! 72 pounds gone... 5 WHOLE pant sizes gone.... A whole new outlook on life... I feel 100% better then I ever had. Why? Because I'm eating right, I'm eating the way I'm supposed to be eating. I'm not sluggish, I have energy, I can keep up with my kids and not have to sit back and watch them. I feel amazing!


    For me, the journey will continue for the rest of my life, but for the short of it, I still want to lose 52 more pounds. Once that is gone, I want to get my body fit and lean! I KNOW I can do this. I know this can be done. I have done many things in my life and when I put my mind to it, it will get done!!!

    Till next time...

    Monday, January 16, 2012

    Dinner on a Monday night.

    Things are going great! Still strong on Paleo and doing fantastic. I'm down to 227!! I'm well into my 20's now! Down 72 pounds! I love to cook (if you haven't noticed as of yet) and the one thing that I am trying to do is come up with new and inventive ways to make things within my Paleo world. Now, I know there are plenty of recipes out there, but there are times that I don't like to go searching for a new recipe and just want to improvise. So, that is what I did tonight!

    I wanted some good down fried chicken. :) Of course, with being on Paleo, I haven't been able to have that. So, tonight I decided to put some coconut oil in my pan, crusted it up with some almond flour and bam!!! There you go! Some great almond fried chicken. :)

    Then along with that I had to put some greens. My daughter LOVES asparagus. That is what she asked for, so that was one of the side dishes we had. I do make a hallondaise to go along with that for everyone else in the house that likes it.
    Of course the we have to have something else. So, I had to ask one of the other kids what they wanted. Well, my oldest stepson, Aaron LOVES peppers & sweet onions. So, I cute up some red and green bell peppers, red onion and mushrooms (my husbands favorite) and sauteed those up in some coconut oil and garlic! They were wonderful!
     Of course, we always have a great veggie salad to go along with dinner and that didn't change tonight. I made my great veggie salad, that all 4 of the kids eat up without any problem what-so-ever!

    Down 72 pounds! I can't get over that. And I'm eating foods that are awesome and good and flavorful! I've been able to slip into 2 of my size 14 pants! It's been fabulous! I have 52 pounds left to get to my goal!! It's been great so far and I know it will continue to be!

    Till next time...

    Wednesday, January 11, 2012

    Say hello to my 20's ;)

    When you're a mother with growing kids in your 30's, you tend to be okay not going back to your 20's. All because they were more of your free spirited days before kids and marriage. :) Well, in my case, I'm so beyond excited to welcome my 20's back into my life again. (Even if it might be for only a month). I am so excited to report that as of yesterday I'm back in my 20's! That is 229 to be exact! It has been way to long since I have stared this number in the face. I don't remember the last time I was at this weight. That's the happy but sad part about this. Being down this much weight, I don't know when the last time I weighed this much or was in this size of clothes....

    Size of clothes..... that brings to the other exciting point. When I saw the number on the scale I decided to try on a new pair of jeans I had just bought.. In a size 14... and you know what happened??? They went on, zipped and buttoned!! I couldn't believe it!
    Size 14 pants, XL tshirt and sweater. Down 70 pounds and 3 shirt sizes and 5 whole pant sizes!!! :) Woo hoo!! To exciting! I have 54 pounds to go to reach my goal weight... I don't have a pants goal, it will all depend on what my body does when I get down to my goal weight. Once I'm there, I will start doing some more fine tune toning and what not!

    I'm super excited and so happy I can share this with you! I never thought that weight loss could be this exciting and this much fun to share. I now have several friends that have started the Paleo journey. Not only to lose weight, but to get healthy. It's amazing what eating right can do for you. Not only can you lose weight when you are eating right, but you become healthy.

    I've had blood work done back in late Nov after Thanksgiving. I was 244 at that time. All that blood work came back with every single test within normal ranged... Blood sugar levels, glucose, Cholesterol, Triglycerides, etc. Everything was in normal range. And with someone has obese as I once was. That is so pretty exciting news! I'm still overweight, and still have 54 pounds to lose, but I know I'm healthy and I'm doing this in a healthy way! That's what matters. I now know that I am going to be around for my kids and not have to worry about obesity taking over my body! It's a wonderful feeling.

    Now it's time to go and raid my mother-in-laws closet for all the size 14's that she has. And put some new things into my wardrobe. I do have a couple of size 14 pants, but not much. I have 2 pairs of jeans, a pair of slacks, a pair of khaki's and a long denim skirt that are 14's.... I have been selling off lots of my old clothes that I can't fit into anymore and using that money to update my wardrobe some more. :) It's been awesome!!!

    Till next time...

    Monday, January 9, 2012

    Spaghetti Sauce

    Here it is! My Paleo friendly spaghetti sauce! I love it! I'm sure that it can get even more Paleo then this, but I'm just starting out. :)

    In my crock pot I put 3 cans of diced tomatoes. I recently discovered fire roasted tomatoes. :) So I do 2 cans of fire roasted and 1 regular. Then 3 cans of tomato sauce. Stir those all together. Then I add the seasons. Garlic powder, salt & pepper, Italian season, and my new favorite is a southwestern seasoning that I have discovered. Gives it a nice little kick!

    I get all this stirred together and start simmering. While this is cooking, I will chop up a whole white onion, 1 package of mushrooms, and if I have a green pepper in the house (which I always do these days) 1/2 of a green bell pepper. Then I will cook up 1 lb of ground beef. Throw that all in the crock pot and stir together and let the flavors just marry together.

    That's it. That's all there is to it. I will play around with this and depending on my taste buds that day, I'll add a little this or that. :) It's all up to you!

    Now of course with this I cook a spaghetti squash. :) It is so yummy this way!

    Hope you enjoy,
    Till next time...

    Staring 20's right in the face

    As of this morning, I'm sitting at 230... I'm staring the 20's right in the face! I can't believe that I'm at this point. It feels absolutely wonderful! I have lost 69 pounds! Which means that I have 55 pounds left to go! Unbelievable!!!

    I'm still full on Paleo. Eating and trying new things. Lots of protein, veggies, a little fruits, nuts and seeds. My good friend Charissa has started her own blog about Paleo as well called Rescue by Paleo. It has some wonderful information about the particulars about Paleo.

    I've been working on some new creations here at the home front. One of them is my homemade spaghetti sauce with spaghetti squash as the 'noodle'. I have been wanting my spaghetti sauce. Something I have been eating and making for years. But when I went Paleo, I cut out my pasta. Well, why would I make spaghetti sauce when I can't have noodle to put it on? Well, that's when I started investigating and searching for something to use with my spaghetti sauce that is still Paleo appropriate. That is when I discovered spaghetti squash! I learned looked up how to cook it and started the process. I started my spaghetti sauce in my crock pot (I'll post that recipe next) and let that just simmer! Then onto the squash. Season with olive oil and salt and pepper. You cook it upside down for at least 45 minutes at 350*. Let it cool and then you can use a fork to 'scrape' it out! Oh so yummy!
    Now that I'm familiar with Paleo style cooking, I can play around with my flavor. I actually use fire roasted tomatoes now. It gives the sauce such a great flavor!

    On to bigger goals coming up. I know its going to get a little harder from here with 55 pounds to lose. But I'm totally going for it and can't wait to see where it is going to take me!!

    Till next time...

    Wednesday, January 4, 2012

    Me??? Inspiring???

    I have had so many of you tell me that you love my blog. You read every post that I put out there. You have tried my recipes, etc. I want to thank you!!! I never expected any of this to happen.

    When I started my blog and my Paleo journey, I wanted to write stuff down to be able to go back on and see what I have accomplished. I have been able to do that! I can go back and say "Wow! In the first month I lost 15.4 pounds!" That's pretty cool considering back then I had 124 pounds to lose! People started asking me about Paleo and about my blogs, recipes, eating, etc. So, I started linking them up to my facebook page.

    Let me tell you, not in a million years would I have ever imagined so many of you reading and looking at my blog and actually trying my recipes. Not in a million years would I have ever though I would hear so many people tell me what an inspiration I am to them. How I am inspiring them to try different, healthier things to eat. I have encouraged them to look into Paleo and lose weight! I am truly amazed and completely blessed by each and everyone one of you that have done this for me!

    Not only has your kindness and your inspiration help me feel great about myself, but it has inspired me to continue to blog and get the word out there. It has inspired me to help continue to share my recipes and my journey in Paleo living. It has inspired me to look for new ways of cooking and to create amazing dishes that I hope each and everyone of you try at home!

    My Paleo journey is far from over! Paleo is a way of day to day life and not something that I am just going to quit when I hit my weight loss goal. It will be something that I will be doing for the rest of my life. So, of course I am going to have to figure out new and exciting things to cook up! But also make a spin on those items I already do cook on a regular basis!

    Again, thank you!!! You have helped me make my journey so much better and so much fun!

    Till next time...