17 DAY DIET...here I go again...

Look out...here I go again...besides mentally grieving over our baby Steven, I have been physically uncomfortable. It is one thing being overweight and still wearing maternity clothes when you are holding and nursing a newborn...but when you don't have one to show off and you have on maternity clothes and kindhearted people ask you when you baby is due...well, it is time for a change!

I have posted lots about the 17 day diet you can find all the links on my blog as well as Google away!!! There is even a group on Facebook. 

I am starting on Sept 1st...so if you want to join in...I will be posting for the first 17 days on my blog...than you can get an idea and decide if you want to stop or keep going after the first 17 days.

Some general guidelines for the first 17 days called ACCELERATE CYCLE:

1. One 8oz cup of hot lemon water (squeeze half a fresh lemon in cup)
2. 3 cups of green tea a day
3. All the fresh fruits and veggies you want (minus a few) and no fruit after 2pm
4. 2 sugar free pro-biotic foods a day
(like Chobani fruit greek yogurt and Breakstone's Live Active cottage cheese)
5. Eight 8oz cups of water per day
6. At least 17 minutes of exercise a day
7. Right now the only meat I can eat is fish (I eat tuna & tilapia), turkey breast & ground turkey (lots of turkey tacos and turkey burgers), and chicken breasts.
8. The only "fat" I can use is olive oil and cooking spray

If you want to get ready for Sept 1st...here is a Grocery List:
The book
Lots of fresh fruit (no watermelon, pineapple, green grapes, or bananas)
Tons of fresh veggies (no potatoes)
Green tea (decaff or caff)
Lemons
Ground turkey
Turkey burgers
Chicken breasts
Fish
Olive oil
Salad dressing with no sugar (vinaigrette)

If you want to see some old posts Look here:
I have a long way to go to where I was last March ...I wouldn't give up my time being pregnant with Steven, it was so wonderful.

I have actually exercised for four days in a row...When I went to the gym on Monday morning at 5 am the guys who used to welcome me told me that it was 121 days since I had been there...(May 1st) They said you must of had a busy summer...if they only knew!

Now I have to get up the nerve to go to the Ob today for my follow up and not break down in tears...I am sure I will be sitting in a room full of beautiful pregnant mommas! Mourning the loss of Steven has been the hardest thing I have ever experienced, but morning my fertility is even harder.

Last year I decided that God had other plans for us since I hadn't gotten pregnant and I was entering pre menopause. Since then, I have lost two babies. Baby Hope around 8 weeks in November 2011 and Steven at 5 months on Aug 1, 2012.

Being 44, I am not sure what God has in store for me. I would love to have another baby...(Did I say that out loud?) not sure I can mentally go through losing one again...but I am praying THY WILL BE DONE all the time.

Please keep praying for me!!!

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Getting personal:

Since Christmas I haven't really had real personal blogging...

Among the typical everyday crazy stuff I have gone through some exciting and stressful experiences.

On New Year's Eve my oldest daughter got engaged to a wonderful man who we love...May she graduates with her Masters in Social Work and then the Wedding in August. So lots of planning and excitement there.

At the end of January, after the ten year anniversary of my Father's death and the 20Th anniversary of my sister of my sister's death, (she died of cancer at age 39) my mom went into the hospital. At the age of 86 she was mentally and physically ready to go to her beloved maker. Me and my seven siblings spent a three week vigil by her side. Thanks to my wonderful husband and his mom, my kids and house survived the ordeal. I am still catching up on the housework.

Well, Spring brings a new beginning as I try to get through Lent as a holier and better me. I turn 43 in a couple of weeks. I am feeling very frumpy, over weight, and old. This is the longest time I haven't been pregnant in the 23 years of my marriage.

It is so confusing to others that yes, actually, I would love to have another baby. Yeah, I am crazy. The thought of maybe my body is done...is sad. My heart aches for my friends and family who have had a life time of infertility. I have no understanding of that suffering. So my selfish whims of desire are embarrassing.

I am at a constant challenge as I try to loose weight. I am planning my High School 25Th reunion at the end of July and two weeks later my daughter is getting married. I have been exercising ever day but just can't seem to shed the pounds..."I look great for having 12 kids", which is the long standing joke in our house. I kinda want to just look great, or at least feel great.

So for the first time in my life, I got highlights! I had a friend's hairdresser come to my house yesterday, do my hair and six of my kids!!! This was our practice run for the wedding. It was fun and so easy! We all sat around doing school, laughing, and playing with the baby. What a great way to get our hair done. So stress free.


So that was my attempt at looking younger and not fat! So, I will keep working out and try to lose weight before this summer...unless I get pregnant ;)

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

Feeling Fat...

So how are you doing on your New Year’s Resolution?

You remember…that thing you promised to work on last month…that life altering, new you…

I would say that like me, 90 percent of people reevaluated their eating habits. Many diet or start new exercise programs, while others join gyms or other workout groups. I too, joined most Americans, and am trying harder to control my eating and exercise more often.

I struggle with trying to lose weight. My problem is that because I have given birth to twelve children, people expect me to be much larger than I am. Sometimes the nicest comments aren’t so helpful, friends and new acquaintances constantly tell me that I look great for having 12 kids!

I would like to be told I just look great no matter how many kids I have given birth to; I especially would like to feel good. Right now I just feel fat.

read the rest here:

THY WILL BE DONE!!! +JMJ+

WEEKENDS=FAT!!!

I have been trying soooo hard to loose weight...I actually lost 4lbs and one pant size....but, if you saw my Peanut Butter Frosting Recipe yesterday, you know I had a fattening weekend. It started Saturday when my daughter came home from college and made a chocolate cake with our families favorite Peanut Butter Frosting...of course I had to lick the bowl, the spoon, the dish, the beaters, the knife...do I need to say more???

We were having my daughters boyfriend's family over for his birthday...it was a first time visit... It went well...they were very nice...we aren't sure if they came to meet us or see the freak show of a family with 11 kids? His family is from Chile and his mother showed up with Chilean desserts!!! The cake looked like a huge candy bar...tasted like one too, than she made these cookies that were simply amazing...needless to say...Saturday Night = 1 1/2 lbs...Today we all went out to eat with my father in love for Chinese Buffet...that probably totaled at least another pound.

NOT to mention my "mom eating disorder" which entails me eating EVERYONE'S LEFTOVERS...that would be: ten kids (#11 would be my son away in the seminary...you think I would of lost weight with my son away...but, I use my missing him another reason to eat) left over cake, cookies, ice cream, hamburger, french fries, peanut butter chocolate cake, and what ever is within reach!!!

Back to the tread mill in the morning...

THY WILL BE DONE!!!+JMJ+

exercise and trying to lose weight...

I hate to exercise...I hate trying to lose weight...is there anyone besides my husband who enjoys this? Well I spend my month something like this:
1st week: OK so I know I am not pregnant...exercise lots!!!
2ND week: hum...maybe I am pregnant...exercise less!!!
3rd week: I am probably pregnant...eat more...gain weight...exercise even less!!!
4Th week: I am sure I am pregnant...eat more...gain more weight...no more exercise, the baby needs me to rest!!!
THEN IT HAPPENS...oops, darn...I am not pregnant...just FAT!!!
So that is where I am today...20 lbs overweight and not pregnant!!! Back to exercise!!!