Bare Knuckle Fighting the Devil

This is my THIRD attempt to post menus, recipes, nutritional info and pictures, but I have decided that el diablo (i.e. the devil, i.e. blogspot) does not want it to be.  I have battled this demon for the majority of the morning.  I have finally been beaten into submission and acknowledge that I shall only post the photos.  If you are interested in the full menu plan, complete with recipes and nutritional info I would be happy to send it to you.  Just drop me an email at davis_high@hotmail.com -  and we shall just leave the devil out of it.

I have been on SEVERAL diet plans in my life and I HATE them all!  This time around, I have decided to learn from my sisters' example.  They all eat normal and delicious food.  The food is homemade, well-prepared, nutritionally-balanced, and eaten in moderation with their families.  They do not prepare themselves something strange in the name of a diet - they eat what their families eat.  Real Food for Real People. I have really been loving it.  I do not feel deprived in any way.

FYI - Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner = approx. 400 cal per meal, Snacks = approx. 150 cal per snack

Chicken Parmesan Ziti - Dinner (week 1/28)

Steak Fajitas - Dinner (week 2/5)

Steak Fajitas - Dinner (week 2/5)

Steak Fajitas - Dinner (week 2/5)

Homemade Yogurt (with Apricot Jam, Craisins, and Grapenuts) and English Muffin with Honey - Breakfast (week 2/5)

Strawberries dipped in Chocolate Pudding - Snack (week 2/12)

Vegetable Beef Soup with Crackers - Lunch (week 2/12)

Scrambled Eggs with Hashbrowns Smothered in Green Chili and Cheese with 1/2 a Grapefruit - Breakfast (week 2/12)

Fat Tuesday Jambalaya - Lunch (week 2/19)

White Chili with Pico and Baci Roll - Lunch (week 2/26)

French Toast with Ebelskiver (caramel) Syrup and Fresh Berries - Breakfast (week 2/26)

Cremini Mushroom and Swiss Stuffed Chicken with Rice Pilaf and Asparagus - Dinner (week 2/26)

TAKE THAT DEVIL!  I SPIT IN YOUR EYE!

I hate rude behavior in a man - I won't tolerate it

Like Haley, I woke up this morning feeling renewed in purpose! 

I got to the gym before 5 a.m. and had planned on doing the "incline trainer".  There are a total of 4 of these machines at the Spanish Fork Gold's....they were already taken.  I figured, no big thing - all 4 people have been on over 30 mins, I'll jump on the elliptical right behind them and as soon as someone leaves I will incline climb my way to success!  Unfortunately, all 4 people went for well over an hour.  I watched them every second of the way slowly steaming about why all 4 people have decided to walk/jog at a 0 incline on the Incline Climber.  I wanted to scream "If you're not going to use the incline use a BLEEPING regular treadmill!" But I didn't, I patiently bit my tongue and waited for my turn. Women started to line up behind people on these machines.  I wanted to yell "ME FIRST!  I have been waiting 45 mins!"  Two of the ladies on the incline climbers seemed like they had finished their workout and proceeded to stretch on the machine as people were waiting.  So I politely asked.  "Are you almost done?  People are anxious to use the INCLINE climber" - It's true I did emphasize the INCLINE and perhaps.... that was not so polite.  They said, "you bet, just a minute".  So me and 3 other hungry-for-incline ladies patiently waited.  15 MINS they spent stretching ON the machine and chatting with each other.

The following clip demonstrates my feelings towards rude behavior.  - As my dad says, "Every situation in life can be referred to a quote/clip from Lonesome Dove" - too true, daddy-o! (its a long clip, but starting at 2 mins. in gives you exactly what I felt like!)

Luckily, I plan on kick-boxing tomorrow morning - perhaps those two ladies will be in that class and ACCIDENTLY, I may kick them in the rear.

On a brighter note, I am renewed in purpose and got 1200 calories burned before breakfast!

Rededication....

I would like all of you to know that I am rededicating myself as of 4:30 this morning to fighting harder, exercising more, and kicking the fat A of these last 30lbs before this contest ends.  I will NOT get off the treadmill or bike until I have waterfalls of sweat coming off all parts of my body, and my entire workout attire is wet.  It felt AWESOME today as I finished a KILLER workout and I stripped out of my tank and shorts as if they were a wet swimming suit!  After showering, I pulled on AND buttoned a pair of slacks that I have not fit in for who know how long.  AND.. I really don't have much muffin top (above or below) the waistline, nor do I have camel toe!  It is a good day!  I pledge to do my best!  Happy Monday!  May the force be with everyone in our weightloss endeavours!

Zumba

I'd like to bear my testimony of Zumba. I said in my interview a few weeks ago that I was planning on making several Wii games my workout plan, and I've been super impressed with one of them. Zumba for the Wii is amazing. You place the remote in a special belt, then fasten that belt around your hips and rock out for 45 minutes and sweat right to death. It's gets you movin' and a groovin', and I can feel a whole lot of good coming from it; more than just weight loss, but I'm loosening up my back, so I'm not having as much back pain.

Like most games, you start out with the basics and work your way up, unlocking level after level of more intense Zumba workouts until you finally unlock the crowning jewel: the Zumbathon. It is a 60 minute workout of death, featuring all the hardcore dances from the previous workouts. I unlocked the Zumbathon just last night, and Hoover and I are gonna do it on Friday, and hopefully we will survive. And we feel pretty proud and intense about it. We feel that most things are a big deal if they end with -athon, so the Zumbathon had better not disappoint.

Zen Your Way Thin

I have also recently had a disturbing weight loss trend.  Each day I am up 2-3 lbs from the previous day, but my pants are fitting MUCH better - almost not gut-wrenchingly tight!  So this morning after being at the gym at the wee small hour of 5 bells and after climbing the equivalent of 150 flights (or over 3 miles worth) of stairs I went home and snuck in a weigh in to see if all had been corrected in my world.  UP ANOTHER 2 BLEEPING-BLEEP LBS! 

I was so angry that when my darling Penny-Lane greeted me out of her kennel I sternly put her directly outside with her kibble.  No happy words, no throwing of the ball/rope, no walk around the neighborhood.  She sat there with her head-bowed and her shoulders schlumped over looking at me through my sliding door as I ate my breakfast.  Now that I am work I am SOOOO sad!  I am almost crying... The only thing keeping me from rushing home to give her great big hug is the knowledge that as I was leaving for work I saw her digging up rocks in the garden and throwing them to herself happily.  My poor puppy was the brunt of my weight gain frustration. 

As I was driving to work, I remembered the previous 3 weeks bliss.  I was happy, feeling healthy, not frustrated, satisfied by my portions and the weight was melting off.  I have decided that the anger/frustration/stress block that I have put on myself is the cause of my recent woes.  So I am sitting at my desk doing my yoga breathing trying to bring the peaceful feeling of health and happiness back to my body and soul. I have decided to Zen my way thin.  Doing battle with myself does not make me happy and only makes me resentful to my efforts towards health. 

Happy Fat Tuesday!

I LOVE a good holiday! (especially one highlighting swingin music and delicious food!)  So, dawn your beads, play some zydeco (cajun music), and eat some jambalaya! 

In honor of one of my favorite holidays see the recipe posted below. 
It serves 7 with the following nutritional info per serving:  418 cal, 10.8g fat, 49.7g carb, 2.9g fiber, 24.2g protein

JAMBALAYA (serves 7)
24 med Shrimp
8 oz Andouille Sausage (cajun/lousiana style sausage)
8 oz Chicken
1 TBS Creole/Louisiana Seasoning
1 TBS Oil
1 sm Onion
1 sm Green Pepper
3 Stalks Celery
3 Cloves Garlic
2 Med Tomatoes
5 Bay Leaves
2 tsp Worcestershire
1-2 tsp Hot Sauce
2 C Med Grain Rice
3 C Chicken Stock
2 tsp Salt

Mix Chicken with 2 tsp Cajun Seasoning, mix shrimp with 1 tsp Cajun Seasoning, set aside.  Preheat oven to 400.  In a large pot/dutch oven saute onion, pepper, celery for 3 mins.  Add Garlic and tomatoes and cook for 2 mins.  Add rice and chicken and saute slightly.  Add the remaining ingredients (except for the shrimp) and bring to a boil.  Cover pot and put in oven for 20 mins.  Stir and add shrimp, turn oven off and let sit 10 mins.  Remove bay leaves before serving.

Haley and the "Health o Meter"

Let me introduce you all to my best friend, Health o Meter.  He is my scale.  He is the only thing right now that consistently sees me in the nude, and monitors my weight.  We have been through many ups and downs together.  He has NEVER let me down.... until this last week. 

I have to admit, this last week was an all time LOW in my weightloss.  First of all, if any of you know me well, strange things happen to me and this precious body of mine.  Things that people would NEVER really believe could or actually would happen to anyone, ALWAYS happen to me.  The first few weeks of this weightloss compeition started out AMAZING.  I was working out, eating right and losing weight.  Everything equaled out.  Less calories + more exercise = weightloss.  Perfect.  Until Monday happened.  I greeted my best friend, the scale,  aka the "health o meter"at an early morning hour.  + 6 WHAT THE HELL?? Had my Health o Meter betryaed me?  Did he need new batteries? Was it time to get a new best friend?   How can anyone gain 6lbs OVERNIGHT, well friends, I CAN!  I cussed the scale, kicked it, and went on with my day.  I thought that surely I was carrying water weight and that by morning it would be off no problem.  However, my Fat Five Friends, I am here to tell you that it DIDN'T go away the next day.  I gained a total of 16 FAT POUNDS before my body FINALLY let them go. I weighed myself on two other scales, and they all weighed me the very same.  The Health o Meter was not lying. :(  Last week was a waste of my life.  I spent most of the week gaining weight and being a hypocondric convincing myself that I HAD to have some sort of disease because, lets be honest, who else can gain and lose 16lbs in a week?    However, today I am here to tell you that I am back in the saddle!   I do NOT have any strange disease.... and hopefully this week will be a week of LOSING and NOT GAINING!  Go fat five!!!  I hope you have all had a far more successful week than I did!

food

A thought courtesy of my sister.  This was a poster used by the US Food Administration from 1914-1918.

ONE F-ING POUND!!!!!

Alas, good buddies, I report to you this week from my downtrodden state.  To put things in perspective, I did a TRX class on Monday, yoga AND body combat Tuesday, body pump (weight lifting class) Wednesday, was so sore by Thursday I took the day to simply walk and stretch; stayed up with my baby all night into Friday, and the grand weight loss this week.....ONE MEASLY POUND!  I don't think I can describe my outrage.  I literally could not straighten my arms  most of the week because I'd worked so hard.  That's not to mention the screaming muscles in my legs and butt, as well.  I am super upset, because I haven't eaten any refined sugar and ate only a limited amount of whole grain carbs.  WTF?

It is in this ticked-off state that I am re-committing myself to this whole damn thing.  I think my overall calorie count needs to be lower, so that's where I'm going to start.  I feel like I'm behind because the first few weeks should be my greatest weight loss.  But don't worry, team; I'm not gonna let you down.  No way, no how!

Shout out to Coco, who informed me she's reading the blog.  You are a f-ing beautiful child, coco, and don't you forget it.

Upcoming Mini Challenges

I thought the team would be interested in the upcoming mini-challenges.  I truly believe we need to participate in these as much as possible to break the "tie" at the end.  I am willing to bet there are going to be a handful of teams that all over-shoot the 16.6% weight cap and tie for 1st place.  Fortunately, we have a list of upcoming challenges to think about.  Unfortunately, it looks like the way to win the challenge is through dumb-facebook voting. 

 Here is a brief overview of the weekly tips and mini challenges that we'll be focusing on over the next 12 weeks:

• Weeks 1 & 2 ~ Focus on Team Synergy. Mini Challenge: Team Page & Photo 
• Weeks 3 & 4 ~ Focus on Nutrition. Mini Challenge: Best Recipe(s) 
• Weeks 5 & 6 ~ Focus on Nutrition cont'd. Mini Challenge: Healthy Meal Photo 
• Weeks 7 & 8 ~ Focus on Fitness. Mini Challenge: Team Exercise Video/Photo 
• Weeks 9 & 10 ~ Focus on Emotions and Motivation. Mini Challenge: Best Photo of Alternative Ways to Soothe
• Weeks 11 & 12 ~ Focus on Long Term Success; Best Before and After Photos Mini Challenge

I have started taking pictures of my delicious looking food and have 1 million recipes to choose from. 

Live Long and Prosper!

Losing weight is EXHAUSTING.....

Lets be honest, before I joined the FFF I was an untamed mustang (or whatever the girl version of that horse is).  I ate fast food daily; I watched entirely too much television, and drank soda like it was my lifeline. I could not go a day without cookies, cakes, chocolate, or pie.  I’ll admit there were some days that I ate ALL of those delicious treats in ONE day.  Yes, I know the reason for my fatness.  Now that I have turned over a new leaf, seen the light, and have become more “tame” in my eating and exercising practices, I am EXHAUSTED.  I am pretty sure that my body is still in shock from the good food I consume and still going through withdrawals from the absence of chocolate and Diet Pepsi in my system, not to mention the great amount of exercise that I have now adapted into my everyday routine.  However, as I see my pants fitting more loosely, (decreasing the camel toe daily)  my face thinning out and my overall spirit being brightened IT IS ALL WORTH IT!  I currently have 36lbs left!  I’m gonna kick their A!!!!!Go FAT FIVE!!!

Plus One Little Screamer

Hey all!

Last week was quite the thing for all of us. Firstly, everyone knows that with my work, I have the 7 days on, 7 days off schedule, meaning that if it's my on-week, and you want me to do you a favor, odds are I simply won't have the time.

Last Tuesday, the first day of my on-week, Steph got into a fender bender just outside my complex. No one was injured, but Steph was definitely shaken up, to the point that one hour later she went right into transition labor. Yeah, we called our birth class instructor Amy Jones, who also would be at the birth, and explained the situation and she said, "I really don't think this is labor. Tell her to soak in a nice hot bath and drink some tea and listen to some music, and the odds are that this will pass because it's just a response to her car crash."

Stephanie did all those things, and the contractions only got harder, longer, and came more frequently. We call the midwives, and they said to come into the Birth Center, that Steph is probably having a baby. I called Amy back, and she said, "Well, that's fine to go to the Center, but don't be surprised when they check her and she's only at a 3 and then send you home, 'cause I'm pretty sure this is just her body reacting to the wreck."

We got to the center, and Steph was at an 8. "Okay, I'll be right over!" Amy said as she ran out the door. Steph labored in the tub for less than two hours, and our perfect baby boy Dalton was born at 9:25 pm, making his labor just under four hours!

Then he wasn't breathing perfectly well, so he got rushed to the NICU to spend the next three days. So between labor and the NICU, and my work week, life was rough for me, and especially for Steph. On the diet end of things, I had to live off hospital cafeteria food and whatever people brought us, so the diet was not ideal.

Once we got Dalton home, and we took a few days to recuperate and let my work week end, I weighed myself to assess the damage, and things are JUST FINE! I am right where I was last time I reported, so the universe is being nice to me this go around.

Thank you, universe.

New Additions...

There have been new additions to our team-family this week!  I will not spoil another team-member's news, but I also experienced an addition to my home this week.  The Concept 2 model D.  OOOoooooooo!  My new fancy rowing machine is what I will be doing in front of the TV at night.  I need something to help my back, because sitting at a desk ALL day is NO BUENO!

Flabby Road

Due to the overwhelming number of teams who have signed up to claim our $10,000 the sponsoring company has announced that any ties for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place will be determined by the number of mini-challenges that  are won by the tying teams.  The first mini-challenge was to post our "before" picture on their facebook page and have people vote.  (secretly, - actually, openly, I HATE this method of voting on things.  Hate with a passion of 800 fires (not quite the 1,000 fires that Celine Dion demands).  You can help us by voting on the Four Fat Friends "before" picture at

http://www.facebook.com/HealthyWage?v=app_134935649942416&app_data=%26wlbb%3D1