Just plugging along.

So today has been kind of frustrating, I have been struggling with the common fatigue that people talk about with Atkins, I have been trying to stay energized but without the carbs it is difficult. I went grocery shopping though determined to stay on track, hopefully I will be able to snap out of this exhausting fatigue soon. On a better note I have been gradually losing, I know it is going to take time and be a battle once I reach the plateaus but for now it is a nice gradual loss. If anyone has some nice and yummy low carb dishes I would love to hear your recipes :) I am always willing to try something new and my husband is also quite adventurous. Things are going well it's just been a busy week. I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy this 3 day weekend if you have it :) Happy Friday All!

Day 4- On the right track

So yesterday was a good day, I worked out in the morning with Jordan my husband and we had a great time, we are so fortunate to be members of a brand new gym in our town where everything is state of the art and every day we can mix up our workouts to do things that are new fun and exciting, we played a fun game of racquetball and then I went swimming which I love! I have had a bad hip since I was born and the thing that always makes me feel better is swimming, we went on a date that evening and I wasn't even tempted with unhealthy choices, thank goodness this is a diet that is very satisfying! I would also like to thank all of those serious low carb dieters that came before me pioneering restaurants and places to carry good choices for those of us that are just starting out, it is very helpful! Today I did the scariest thing of all, I weighed myself, and thankfully I have lost 9 pounds! YEA! It was so encouraging to see that and to reward myself I went to the gym solo and worked hard for an hour, it feels so good to be on the right track! No big issues or temptations yet except this working out is giving my muscles aches I haven't had in a long time, I am just pushing through it but it is kind of annoying around the house trying to do just normal around the house duties, just waiting for my system to adjust can be a challenge but I know it will happen. I also found a perfect replacement for noodles, tonight I tried spaghetti squash for the first time and my husband and I both enjoyed a delicious substitute which we believe will become a new staple in our home, if you've never tries it please do! I promise it tastes a lot like noodles and mixes perfectly with your favorite sauce, I know because I tested it! Fatigue has set in around afternoon early evening but I am taking care of that by drinking a cup of green tea, my favorite quick pick-me-up, so far so good and the weigh in this morning definitely proves to me I am on the right track! Thank you so much for your likes and comments and encouragements I definitely appreciate it! Well, until next time, good night all!

Jules

Day Two, getting down to business!

So today I buckled down and started this dieting thing, last night my husband and I went to the gym and worked out, I did the elliptical machine for 30 minutes and boy did that hurt!! It felt good and tiring all at the same time, then we had a healthy subway dinner and went shopping for groceries so I would be well stocked. Once we got home I realized I had to clear out the kitchen of all of the junk so that I would be sure to stay on track, I did the dreaded weigh-in and sure enough I have 140 pounds to lose, it seems like a lot but I know step by step I will be able to make it! This morning I woke up and made scrambled eggs with mushrooms and spinach, very good! Then I had a lot of energy so I did the laundry, cleared the kitchen out of all of the unhealthy food, cleaned the bathroom and still had a lot of energy! A healthy salad was for lunch and so far I am not suffering at all! One very helpful part of this diet is going to be the invention of apps, I love my iphone and ipad and having the ability to download the Atkins App has made things a lot easier and makes my commitment that much stronger. So far so good here and I hope to have an awesome evening working out with my hubby! Happy Thursday to you all!

Jules

Day 1- Determined to make a change.

So today is the day, today is the day where I am going to make a change in my life. I have decided to seriously get busy with this weight loss thing, I want to stop being the big girl, the chubby one, the one that always goes directly into the big girls section when shopping with friends and the one who always stands behind someone shorter so that I don't look so fat in pictures. You may ask how and why did I come to this decision and it's simple, clothes and looking good for my husband, both of these reasons are very important but one is more for me and one for me and my significant other. We are both big but I know that it's my example that probably causes him to fail more than mine alone, this morning we went out for another quick fast food breakfast before he went to work and it all tasted, well, the same. Fattening, gross and unfulfilling. I have stopped really tasting my food for awhile and it has just been something I do, when Im bored or upset or tired or anything really. Don't get me wrong I LOVE food but at the moment I am just kind of tired of the same, old, thing. That is a major reason why today is the day and there is going to be serious change. I want to write a blog about my journey as well for a few reasons, one, I love keeping journals and diaries, two, its kind of nice to share your experiences with others and three, maybe it can inspire somebody else, but who knows??? All I know is that now, right now there is going to be change. Let me share a little bit about myself so you will know about this crazy girl getting so personal with her life in this very personal struggle so many of us fight with every single day yet we don't want to really admit or deal with it. I am 26 years old and living in Livermore California, that is the Bay Area folks and I LOVE living here! I have always loved the Bay Area and even though my dream is to own a ranch with horses I will always call here home, I am a caregiver by profession but at the moment a stay at home wife waiting for the right patient to come along and enjoying that while my husband earns the paycheck. I am a Christian and am very committed to my church. I go to a wonderful Bible Baptist Church in San Leandro with the worlds best Pastor. Besides caregiving and writing I love to sing and cook, read when something really intrigues me and hang out with friends. God has blessed my life so much I want to use my life to point others towards Christ and be a beacon of Hope and Light pointing others to Christ the way that others pointed me to Him. That's a bit about me now let me share my goals, my goal is to be down to 150 pounds at this time next year, it is going to be a challenge since I have probably 140 pounds to lose but I know I can do it. I have great support through my husband and church and I am ready now. I was also inspired by a good friend of mine this week and when I told my husband what I wanted to do today he happily agreed and helped me be signing us both up for gym memberships at 24 hour fitness and allowed me to go shopping for workout clothes, and let me tell you I scored!! JcPenny had a major sale and theres nothing better than getting cute clothes to work out in :) I am going to be dieting as well and I am going to be strictly following the Atkins diet, I tried this diet a few years ago and had great success and I know the strict restrictions will actually make it easier for me to stay on track, when there's leeway I tend to float over in that direction and just quit and I don't want to do that anymore!! I hope to blog at least once a day but if not then once a week will be sufficient, you don't have to read this but if you do THANK YOU! I hope to build a lot of friendships through this journey as well and who knows what this will start? I better go and get ready, as soon as hubby is here it's off to the gym we go! I will be detailing my weight and diet instructions tomorrow, so if you have nothing else to read you can check in with me! I hope you all have awesome evenings! Till tomorrow!

Jules.