Eating Right

When thinking about what you eat on a daily basis, do you consider the foods "healthy".  If you don't eat right then now is the time.  If you are too busy to go to the  grocery store or produce stand because of work and kids, well those are just bad excuses because you can have your produce delivered to your house.  I prefer organic fruits and veggies and although they are a tad more expensive not enough to show any damage on my pocket book.  I would recommend you try a local company that delivers to your home.  I use Terra Organics http://terra-organics.com/, they are reasonably priced and you get to choose your selection or you can have them provide you with the box of the week which allows you to try new fruits and veggies that you may not have tried by looking at them at the store.

Even if you don't have produce delivered make sure you are eating enough fruits and veggies.  I try to fill my plate with lots of veggies or fruits and then a small portion of meat.  If your not a meat eat fill your meat portion with tofu or whatever else you want.  I understand that eating healthy can cost more money then a frozen dinner, but when thinking about isn't your body worth it?

I changed my goal....a little bit

So I decided to change my goal by 2 pounds. lol  I know this might sound crazy, but I want to weight what I weighed when I joined the military back in 2003. In order to meet that goal I need to lose 2 more pounds.  I hope in the next two months to lose my final 10 pounds.... I am so excited to start maintaining, but need to lose my final pounds first. 

Tiger Mountain Hike

Our hike started at the South Tiger Mountain entrance off of highway 18.  We expected it to be crowded since the weather was so nice, but we only saw a few people, which made it nice and peaceful.  Hiking around a lot of people isn't as fun in my opinion.  We took pictures along the way and had a blast, below are a few pictures from our hike. 

Hiking

We finally have nice weather which means it's time to get out the hiking shoes.  I've planned a hike tomorrow with my fiancee and I am very excited.  It's been a month since our last hike and that's way too long.  We are hiking the Tiger Mountain South Trail which is 4 miles round trip; hopefully during those 4 miles I can take some great photos.  I find hiking and photography go great together, I forgot to take my camera on one hike and regretted it.

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/tiger-mountain-trail-south

Status

I've been dieting for 217 days and have lost 39 pounds.  I am 8 pounds away from reaching my goal weight and hope to achieve it by 9/30/2011. I haven't noticed a huge difference in my weight until I look back at picture, the below pictures show a 30 pound difference.  When I reach my goal I will post final result pictures.  I wish I would have take an actual before picture to see the difference.  If you are just starting your journey take pictures, although you probably won't like them right know they will help motivate you.

Now

Before

The Worst Drinks For Your Body

Did you know that flavored water is actually bad for you?  I am sure there are some out there that are healthier than others, but think about all of the sugar you are drinking.  Instead maybe you should add some fresh lemon to your water to give it flavor. I found the below information on shape.com and it really opened my eyes.  I know so many people that drink flavored water or diet soda and think that it's okay, but your body doesn't need those artificial flavors or sugar.  I would like for you to eliminate all of the below drinks from your diet for a month and see how your body feels without them. 

1. Juice Drinks,
Labels like "juice drink" and "juice cocktail" are almost always a euphemism for brightly-colored sugar water. For a truly healthy drink, look for 100 percent juice. Nothing else.

2. Whipped Coffee Drinks
When made with 2-percent milk, a large icy cup of Joe can contain up to 800 calories and a third of the maximum recommended intake for artery-clogging saturated fat. And there's a reason why it tastes so sweet: At 170 grams of sugar in a typical drink, you get more of a sugar shock than a caffeine buzz.

3. Flavored Water
Flavored and infused waters may deliver a few extra vitamins, but they're also often packed with added sugars. Next time you buy a bottle of water, check the label: If you see anything more than water and natural flavors, leave it on the shelf.

4. Diet Soda
Diet soda may be calorie free, but it's also 100 percent nutrition free. Plus, if you're guzzling diet coke all day, there's a good chance you're not drinking the healthy beverages your body needs, particularly water and tea. One diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, you may be doing damage to your body.

5. Frozen Mixed Drinks

When it comes to cocktails, the mixers are the real calorie culprits. Case in point: According to the USDA, a 16-ounce pina colada can clock in at a whopping 880 calories, that's more than 8 times the amount in a shot of rum.

6. "Healthy" Fruit Smoothies
Yes, fruit is good for you, but a 32-ounce smoothie can pack as many as 700 calories with fewer than 2 grams of protein, thanks to the high sugar content. That's like eating a whole pineapple, entire mango and 1 cup each of blueberries and strawberries in a single sitting. Why that's bad: Calories from any food get socked away in your fat cells if you eat more than you can burn.

7. Sports Drinks
Ending your workout by guzzling a typical sport drink may set your weight-loss goals back. Many sports drinks on the market contain a mixture of natural and artificial sweeteners, plus a laundry list unpronounceable additives. If replenishing electrolytes is your goal, switch to zero-calorie SmartWater or Metroelectro.

8. Hard Liquor
Alcohol in moderation—one or two drinks a day—has been shown to raise HDL (good) cholesterol, boost bloodflow, and improve sugar metabolism. But when you ask for that third drink, your risk for obesity and slew of other health problems starts to climb. A March 2011 study from the American Cancer Society found that the risk of cancer death was 36 percent higher among people who drank liquor heavily (3 or more drinks each day) than those who drank in moderation or not at all.

9. Lemonade

Most store-bought versions are made from the same sweeteners used in soda, combined with preservatives and artificial color. At 100 calories per cup, and with the equivalent of 6 teaspoons of sugar and zero nutrients, you're essentially drinking liquid candy. Definitely not refreshing.

10. Soft Drinks

It's tough to find a single redeeming quality about soft drinks: They're overloaded with sugar and provide empty calories without satisfying your hunger. In fact, soft drinks are the only food that has been directly linked to causing obesity. If you're not willing to eliminate them from your diet entirely, consider one can of full-sugar soda as an occasional treat—the same way you would a candy bar.

11. Energy Drinks

When people think about "energy" drinks, they're usually referring to products that contain caffeine. The problem is that most "energy drinks" are loaded with too much caffeine and sugar, so while they may give you a short-term burst of energy, you'll ultimately crash and just want to zonk out. When you need a brain boost, you're better off sipping green tea or snacking on a handful of walnuts.

http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/drink-up-to-slim-down/the-worst-drinks-for-your-body

Biggest Loser Competition

Today was another weigh-in and I lost 2 pounds, I am pretty excited about this because I am currently tied in 1st place.  Only a few people have weighed in so far, so it's possible someone could pass me by the end of the day.  I am only 8 pounds away from my 3rd goal, I hope to reach it by the end of the month....this will be a tough goal to reach but I am up for it!