My First NSV's!!!!

For those of you that don't know...NSV is a weight loss term...I believe coined from Weight Watcher members which means "Non-Scale Victory". A NSV is something that happens during weight loss that you notice different and/or above & beyond what you notice on the scale.

I had mentioned before that I had a few things good happen to me...such as the breathing better, feeling better, etc. The first week I was on the diet my friend's daughter told her mom, "Mrs. Tiffany looks like she lost some weight." My daughter has said the same and I just chalked it up to they knew I was dieting so didn't say much about it.

This week I had a pair of jeans that was so loose I could take off without even buttoning; however, those jeans have always fit me loose because of the material of them so thought okay well maybe I am just "making" it seem greater than it really is.

Last night I had to change out of my clinical clothes to regular clothes to go to bunco. I decided to put on a pair of my jeans I haven't worn too recently. They have a "inner button" and then the regular button. Last time I wore them I had to lay on the bed to button the inner button, they were tight, miserable and I could only wear certain shirts with them that wouldn't show my fat rolls so bad!

Weeelllll...I went over to my closet, pulled them out and THEN...pulled them right up easy breezy without any of the twisting & turning...DRUMROLL.........I then was able to button BOTH buttons without a struggle AT ALL! Once I got them on they were just lose enough to pull up and hide my top fat roll. Don't get me wrong they weren't what you would consider "loose" by any means but the most important thing is they FIT!!!! Second, my friends mom was at bunco who had not seen me in awhile & had no idea I was dieting and she said I looked like I lost weight!!! I was so excited I had to get up and hug her.

This week my husband, out of nowhere, driving down the road puts his hand on my should and says he is proud of me for working so hard and sticking to it, etc.

It is these kinds of things and just the little results that help me keep going even though I sometimes want to quit! Just last night I had a dream I cheated and I was devastated so I WILL NOT be doing that anytime soon!!!!!

**UPDATE** So after I typed this I was kind of being lazy around the house waiting on my husband to come home from work. When I heard the door open I jumped up to go say hello...I just had on a t-shirt (no pants) since I was about to shower and he says...the person that never notices anything...your legs look like they have gotten smaller. Yay!

TG's Daily Total: 1/26/12

5 Shakes
5 Glasses of Water

TG's Daily Total: 1/25/12

5 Shakes

4 Glasses of Water

Working Through It

Today I haven't been as "upbeat" about my diet. I haven't cheated or wanted to cheap but still not very "excited" about it. I think some of it is that I am stressed about money, I am tired, my back hurts from sitting in class and it is cloudy today! It HIT me on the way home when I mentally thought about something I would like to snack on when I get home that all these things (stress, tired, mood) immediately made me just to "thinking" I needed to eat. Pre-life change I would have come home and eaten all kinds of things but I didn't. I was so proud that I was able to "notice" why I was wanting that food.

Last night, I cooked my family a whole meal and didn't even "try" it. I am able to "smell" and notice things more when it comes to food. 

I have also implemented something I am calling "Netflix" therapy.I have been watching any little documentary I can about weight loss, exercise and healthy eating/fasting, etc.

The Time Is NOW

I was looking at my calendar this morning and I cannot believe that I am in my third week of my last year of nursing school. Really when you look at it I have less than a year because we graduate in December and we don't have class during the summer months! It is amazing how much has changed in my life in 3 weeks! I am back in school, the hubby is back in school and of course my daughter is back in the second part of 8th grade. I have been doing a diet...no not diet...but a "life change". I have made grade progress and my motivation is unbelievable at this point. I have never been this dedicated this far in the game! We are trying to catch up on bills but have some things coming down the pipe that will help that fall into place! Also, my house has been some kind of clean lately and I am working very hard on my organizing projects. All this may seem minor to some but these are huge areas in my life that I always struggle with and the fact that it is all going semi-smooth is Ahhh-Mazing! I only have one person - GOD! - to thank for that because I know through him all things are possible! I look forward to looking back a year from now and thinking...WOW...I REALLY did it this time!

TG's Daily Total: 1/24/12

4 Shakes
4 Glasses of water


First, today was a crazy busy long day at school! I came home & filed our taxes and then fixed Brian/Baylee dinner. I got busy doing other things and by the time I realized it I hadn't drank my water and missed dinner but then it got too late & I wasn't really starving so I was like forget it. Hopefully it won't bite me in the booty!

TG's Daily Total: 1/23/12

6 Shakes
8 Glasses of water


Everything else...nada!


Energy off the charts!!!!

Nursing School Continues!

Long time no post as you see! Well I am still in nursing school. I am in my third semester of my adn program. It is very hard & time consuming but I am still loving it and I know this is exactly what I was meant to do. I am just trying to stay focused and trying to be more organized. I know this isn't a lot of information but I will try my hardest to have something else on this site soon! :-)

Weird Water!!

I make no bones about the fact that I am NOT a water person normally. Being on my new "life change" and hopefully for the rest of my life I am trying really hard to "get addicted" to water. Okay so not in the sense of the people in a mental institution who drink so much they get drunk off it but you get the idea. *grin* I have noticed I am very weird about my water.


When I very first started this diet I had to "gag' down the water. I had to add the Ocean Spray packets (just like the more popular Crystal Lite ones but I prefer Ocean Spray). I would put it in my water bottles and get after it. Then I would get burnt out and drink it just plain in a cup of ice but I can taste the "plastic" hose taste in the ice when I drink it plain (from the ice maker). I tried the drink it fast through the straw fix. All of these things were okay for a bit then I got burnt out. My newest thing is I bought a bottle of smart water & after I finished off I keep refilling it. It has about 4 cups of water per bottle so if I can drink 3 of those today I will be to my goal of 12 cups. 


So maybe this wasn't too informative but I write it to just let everyone know...it doesn't matter HOW you drink your water as long as you keep drinking it! I am sure in a day or so I will get tired of the smart water bottle and move on to something else. Just keep drinking!!!!

TG's Week 1 Recap

I did it! I survived week 1! I even came home from class today and went & weighed (middle of the day, lots of water & my shakes ingested, t-shirt, blue jeans & tennis shoes) and I STILL weighed almost 5 pounds less than I did this same day last week! So here is a food recap (you can see journals below) and a few things I have thought and noticed this week:

• I did perfect on my shakes all week!
• I didn't have any cheats all week! Yay!
• No exercise
• I did my best to drink all my water every day but some days I just couldn't get close.
• I noticed when I was sleeping that I could actually breathe and was sleeping with my mouth shut. (In the past 8-10 years I pretty much have to sleep with my mouth somewhat open to be able to breathe!)
• At school I missed the elevator and went up two sets of stairs to meet up with friends and not until I got to the top did I notice I wasn't even winded! (I haven't even exercised so not sure what that is about?)
• My tail-bone and knees have been bothering me lately and I just thought as I was typing this how my hip usually hurts and after one week on this diet no pain! I don't know if maybe it is having more water in my system or if it is because of the milk.
• I have SOOO much energy! You wouldn't think so with the fact that I haven't had solid food in over 7 days now but really I feel GREAT!

:-) Oh Happy Day!

TG's Week 1 Weigh-In

Drummmmm rollll...............

Yay! Lost a total of 9.6 pounds in week 1! I know the other weeks won't be as impressive but it was definitely a good start! Off to school...more later!!!

TG's Daily Total: 1/22/12

Meals: 6 shakes (1200 - Used skim milk.)

1 Ocean Spray water packs (5 Calories)

Water: 7 

Exercise: Nada! :/

TG'S Daily Total: 1/21/12

Meals: 6 shakes (1200 - Used skim milk.)

1 Ocean Spray water packs (5 Calories)

Water: 5 (Uh oh!)

Exercise: Nada! :/

Weekends & Weight Loss

It is funny that any other time I would enjoy the fact that it is the weekend. When you are dieting that is a whole other story! This weekend hasn't been particularly bad but usually that is the time where we "cook" or have dinner with friends. For instance, we are going to a friends house tomorrow night to have dinner...chili (one of my favorites)...but while everyone is eating I will be sipping on my shake. No fun...no fun...eating all alooonnneee! I will admit that I have been very impressed with my husband who has pretty much been "shaking" with me during the day and only eating dinner at night! That has been a huge help. I have not had a lot of time today to "think" about food because of doing homework and cleaning house. The bad thing is at this point I should have had at least half my water and four shakes. I have had ZERO water today and THREE shakes. I gotta get with it! In the meantime...I am going to share some tips I found in order to stay motivated! (Credit given to http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/5-weight-loss-motivation-tips-that-work/ for the information below!)

Staying On Track!

Tip 1: Think Slim

This tip is about that all-important moment: What do you experience just before you eat something? Do you tussle with yourself? “I really shouldn’t… but I want to!” Do you imagine how the food will taste, even feel in the mouth? Or do you focus on the real consequences, rather than the temporary satisfactions of eating?

People who are overweight tend to imagine how food is going to taste and feel as they eat. In contrast, people who naturally ‘eat slim’ tend to imagine how that pie or cake will feel heavy in their stomachs for so long after they’ve eaten it. Jumping from a great height might feel fun whilst it lasts, but the consequences that come after we hit the ground are what we consider when deciding not to do it.

So when you’re tempted to eat something you don’t need, practice imagining how your stomach is going to feel ten minutes or an hour after you’ve consumed that weight-increasing food. Keep it up until this becomes a natural habit for you.

Tip 2: Surround yourself with slim people

No, I’m not suggesting you dump all your less-than-slender friends. But research has shown that the average body type of the people with whom you hang out affects yourweight and size (1). Start hanging around with slimmer, fitter types (perhaps at the gym) and your subconscious mind will pick up a new template for what is ‘normal’. Karen started hanging out and socializing with slim types at a jogging club.

Tip 3: Be fair to yourself

Imagine someone walks up a hundred steps but feels a bit tired, so they stop and step back down one step. They tell you bitterly: “Now I may as well forget this whole idea of reaching the top! I’ve totally blown it!”

What?! You’d think that was crazy, right? Acting as if all that progress, the 99 steps they didclimb, never happened – because they had one slip! But people do this all the time when it comes to weight loss.

You lose weight, maybe four or five pounds, maybe much more. But you slip, have a bad day or a ‘weak moment’, and eat something you shouldn’t have. And what do you tell yourself? “I’ve completely blown it! Now I might as well really binge!”

Beware the perfectionism trap. Aim to eat sensibly and healthily most of the time, not all the time. We all consume more than we should of the wrong kind of food or drink now and then.

Everyone’s weight fluctuates a bit and you should prepare for this (once you’ve reached a healthy weight). Have a ‘sliding scale’ in your mind of a couple of pounds on either side of your target weight. No one can live for long under a self-imposed, too harsh dictatorship.

Tip 4: Weight loss is not a cure-all

Sure, being healthier, fitter, and so on will have positive and maybe unexpected ripple effects. However, even as a slimmer person you’ll still have a bad day in the office, moments of self-doubt, or times when you feel undervalued.

Many people feel let down when they become slimmer and then find that being slim doesn’t solve all their problems in one go. They then revert to eating poorly again. Don’t fall into this trap.

You have lots of different needs which need to be fulfilled in life. Being slimmer, healthier, and fitter is just one of them.

Tip 5: Eat when you’re hungry

I know this sounds obvious, but eating sugary foods causes a subsequent crash in energy, leaving you wanting more sweetness. On the other hand, eating for slow energy release is a sustainable way to keep your weight loss motivation firing on all cylinders without you having to consciously think about it. For slow-release energy, eat protein with every meal alongside ‘good carbs’ such as whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans. This avoids the ‘crash and burn’ of sugar overdosing.

I found this part (below) very interesting...kinda makes me think about how our choices REALLY DO affect others!:

(1) Having an obese friend dramatically increases the risk of becoming similarly fat, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Obesity is ‘socially contagious’, spreading from person to person in a social network, researchers said. The study found that if one person becomes obese, those closely connected to them have a greater chance of becoming obese themselves. Surprisingly, the greatest effect was seen not among people sharing the same genes or household, but among friends.

TG's Daily Journal: 1/20/12

Meals: 6 shakes (1200 - Used skim milk.)

1 Ocean Spray water packs (5 Calories)

Water: 7 1/2

Exercise: Nada! :/

Other: I just really wasn't feeling it today. Did the best I cold tho! At least I didn't cheat! Going to bed now and tummy is growling a bit!

TG's Daily Total: 1/19/12

Meals: 6 shakes (1200 - Used skim milk.)

2 Ocean Spray water packs (10 Calories)

Water: 9 1/2 glasses

Exercise: Nada! :/

Other: Nothing!

Standing Strong!

So far so good! I am coming to the end of my fourth day and so far it has been good! I have really wanted to cave in a few times but I have held strong! I keep telling myself it is worth it...I AM WORTH it!!! So not great inspiration here or awesome words but just I know I can do this...I can, I can, I can...I WILL! Thought I would add an old photo of myself the last time I was "small" as added inspiration!

This photo was taken on "Senior Day" in my last year of high school! I used this photo because I specifically remember this day and remember how embarrassed I was because I felt so "fat" in this dress!!!! Do I look fat? Ummm...if I were to only be "that fat". :-) 

TG's Daily Total: 1/18/12

Meals: 6 shakes (1200 - Used skim milk.)

2 Ocean Spray water packs (10 Calories)

Water: 9 glasses

Exercise: Nada! :/

Other: Nothing!

Same thing two days in a row!

Redoing My Game Plan!

So far I am actually feeling good! Yesterday I didn't seem to feel as well but today I just feel like I have a lot of energy. I am really not "hungry" at all but lots of things sound good. For instance, I am not even a dorritos fan but Baylee was eating some and I can almost envision how good they would taste. We also have some powdered donuts here but fortunately they haven't sounded good. I dreamed yesterday about eating a pickle and a burger from Krystal. It really is mind over matter I think. I thought I could get something and no one would not the difference but for once I thought...I WOULD. Not to mention one little chip would completely ruin what I am working towards. I keep telling myself I have had over 32 years to eat what I want & like I read on another person's website...the food isn't going anywhere. I can always eat later on when I am healthier and can eat just a small serving of something bad occasionally. I came across a gem of a website about a lady who has been doing OptiFAST (the program I am basing my fast off of). She has said so many informative things. Between reading her website (optifastblog.wordpress.com) and watching the show Traci suggested (Fat, Sick & Nearly Dying) I feel really good about my decision to make this change in my life. I am glad that day three has gone so well and I am in hopes that the rest of the week continues to go just as well!

So my plan redo is this (based on the things I have read):

Month 1: Continue with my shakes/water only for the remainder of my four weeks.

Month 2: Morning slim fast bar/1 cup milk; lunch shake; afternoon snack chicken broth; dinner shake

Month 3: Morning slim fast bar/1 cup milk; lunch shake; afternoon snack chicken broth; dinner 4 oz chicken and 1/2 cup of veggies

Month 4: Morning slim fast bar/1 cup milk; salad; afternoon snack chicken broth; dinner 4 oz chicken and 1/2 cup of veggies

TG's Daily Total: 1/17/12

Meals: 6 shakes (1200 - Used skim milk.)

2 Ocean Spray water packs (10 Calories)

Water: 9 glasses

Exercise: Nada! :/

Other: Nothing other than benadryl & ibuprofen!

I have decided this week & maybe even next week I am not going to stress too much on the exercise. If it happens it happens!