Still going to the gym 4-5 times a week with hubby. I did miss two whole weeks due to some sickness in early March. Rough to get back in after that. But we are back in the normal routine.

Last week I met with a personal trainer. I can't afford to have a personal trainer on a regular basis, but I took good notes from what he shared and have been working that plan since last Tuesday. I am wearing my muscles out! Upper body 2x/week. Lower body 2x/week. If I go a fifth time in the week, I am doing a full body workout. We do cardio and abs every time we go.

Vince, the personal trainer I met with, shared with me that the paramid to accomplish my health goals goes like this: 10% cardio, 40% strength training, 50% nutrition. We had been going in and focusing on doing an hour of cardio and just sometimes doing weights.

Now we go in and warm up, then do strength training. Then we go back and do some cardio, but for less time. I am seeing some changes in how my clothes fit and I am losing some weight, but it is slow. My muscles ache, but then feel much better when I go back and workout again.

While talking to Wade last week, he told me about Forks Over Knives. So I watched it last week. I was so surprised that Wade was considering a vegan diet! He is a meat and potatoes guy! We are still doing research, but we are trying to make sure half of what is on our plate is fruit/veggies in their most natural state, little meat, whole grain rice (only 2 times a week), lots of water, no sugar.

Let me say that Wade is way more disciplined than I am. We've done well over the past week. This past weekend I was on a youth retreat and because of what was served found myself eating salad three times in a row, but that was okay. I was pleased that I could deny myself. It is the very first youth retreat that I didn't have any junk food - especially chocolate. YEAH! I can't believe it, but I even took chocolate for others and ate NONE!

Tonight we ate at my MIL's house. She makes THE best garlic butter yeast rolls. I would have caved and eaten some except that Wade was beside me and said he wasn't having even a little. He told me the main dish had enough "junk" in it and that we didn't need to eat the bread. So I didn't. I followed his lead. We took only a small bit of the main dish, a large portion of spinach, tomatoes, avocados for salad; and then a veggie salsa made of black beans, onions, corn, peppers, garlic, cilantro. Even though I don't care to ever have corn, it was really yummy! I plan on making this again and again for us. Wade loved it and could take it to work with him.

So the journey continues and I am pleased with what we are doing. I am getting stronger with every new week.

There are so many benefits to what we are doing together - greater health, weight loss, body strength, discipline, etc.

But the greatest benefit of all is building my friendship even more with Wade. He has always been my best friend, but going through the financial struggles and now the health journey has taken us to the next level.

And I am learning that when I get disciplined in one area, it helps me be disciplined in another.

I love that!

Hubby and I joined a gym a week ago. I lost 4.6 pounds this week alone. My muscles have been so very sore, but it's been a great kind of sore. My seized-up calf muscles made me walk like an old woman for 4 days! Today my chest and tricips are sore.

But I love it!

Little man has been sick this week, so I have not been to the gym since Monday. I hate that, but I am so on a roll, I have worked out everyday here at home. I am loving how I feel, sleeping great, and eating better.

And I love working out with my own personal trainer -- hubby.

My favorite workout partner!

This week has been great getting through "detox" (used loosely) from the holidays. No sugar. No white - bread, pasta, rice, etc. No junk. No beef. Raw slightly cooked veggies. Salmon. Venison. Fruit (a little). Lots and lots of water.

And exercise.

And I already feel so much better! I am totally amazed at how quickly eating great works for me.

One more thing: today my big "why" was solidified for me. I have been thinking a lot lately about NOT putting my kids through caring for me or having to make decisions about my health for me that I can't make. I want to enjoy them and them enjoy me (Lord willing!). So I need to be healthy.

Today I sat in the hospital as my dad had 2 stints put into the front artery of his heart. He has not felt well for a year, but began to be "out of breath" while lying in bed reading. Not good.

So this week he finally went to the doctor. He had cut two loads of wood and could't do very much. He felt it was time to get help.

We were so very thankful that the blockages were in the front where they could stint them. He still has 40% blockage in the artery behind his heart, but they don't do anything until it is 60% blocked.

My mom had 2 stints put in for 3 blockages this past year, as well.

My "family history" doesn't look good, does it?

But I know there is a way to change the direction of my health. I have the knowledge, now I just need to put it into action and be committed to health.

It began this week. It went well. I feel great! Lord, give me strength to continue to make differences in our family lifestyle so that we continue to get healthy. We have made slow changes, but after today, I am strongly encouraged to move a little faster toward the best health possible for me and mine.

Wow. Four months away from this blog. It shows in more ways than one. :)

New Year. Time for detox around here. I've informed the kiddos to eat up! All sugar is either trashed or frozen Tuesday morning. We all need a total detox.

So back to raw fruits and veggies, occasional lean meats, lots of greens.

Colorful days.

Not white days.

So today I worked on my menus for this next week.

5 breakfasts
~ Egg sandwich
~ Omelettes
~ Egg/ww toast
~ Tropical Smoothie (from CE)
~ Blueberry Scones (Vacation breakfast)

This is a menu for the kids. I eat eggs and veggies every morning.

5 lunches
~ chicken noodle soup with apples
~ tuna on spinach
~ veggie chili (from CE) with spinach salad
~ stuff peppers (use deer meat) with carrots
~ big veggie salad (spinach)


5 dinners
~ skillet spanish chicken & rice (from CE) with salad
~ Mahi Mahi with roasted veggies/brown rice
~ Southwest meatballs (using deer meat) (from CE)
~ Braised Beef (from CE)
~ Jamaican Jerk Chicken (from CE)

I can't wait to get back to clean eating. I have gained weight, gone off the deep end on sweets and carbs and haven't exercised. I am feeling it physically and not just in weight. Headaches, fatigue, and a 5-week cold!

It is time.

I am ready.

"If you keep doing what you've been doing, you will keep getting what you've been getting." ~ Dave Ramsey

Wade and I are listening to Ramsey's cds on money management (financial peace, I think) and many of the things he is saying SOOOOO apply to more areas of my life, like food.

Bottom line, I just need to get disciplined in many areas.

One of my other favorite things he says:

"YOU JUST NEED TO GET MAD!!"

Yes, I need to get mad and motivated!

Lord, help me.

There are have been so many wise choices and "successes" this week. It has been an emotional week for me, but I never -- let me say that again, I NEVER -- went to food for comfort. That has to be a first for me.

I spent more time in the Word and in prayer, but I never went to sugar.....not even chocolate. Thank You, Lord.

Huge victory for me. And it was not a battle. I just never thought about going to food. I just kept busy.

Today I was running errands and started to turn into the new Chick Fil A for lunch because I was so very hungry, but no! I didn't go. I changed the direction of my car and went home. I knew I had to go to the grocery store (and didn't want to go hungry), but I just went knowing that I could eat what I wanted (which was avocados at the moment) when I got home.

Another HUGE victory for me!

I am loving this clean eating. These foods make me feel satisfied without getting full. My cravings have changed. I no longer want chocolate or chips. I think if I started eating them, I would love them again, but I am completely satisfied with what I am eating. It is real food and it has tons of taste.

I am losing weight consistently, but slowly. Everyday I am down about a half a pound. That makes me smile.

We are trying new recipes right and left. I just went to the store and bought mostly meat (mostly seafood) because I will get my fruits and veggies from the farmer's market in the morning.

Love Clean Eating.

Love.

I could do this for a lifetime.

Guacamole Elk Burgers.....Minus the Bun

Last week we tried bison burgers.

Tonight it was elk burgers.

I seasoned them the very same way: egg, worchestershire sauce, chopped onion, minced garlic, sea salt, ground black pepper and while it was cooking, I sprinkled them with our favorite steak seasoning. It has salt in it so I went easy on the sea salt.

We usually would cook these on the grill, but it was just Wade and I and he was working on his truck, so I just cooked them on the stove.



These burgers were much leaner than the bison. I know that Wade asked for 10% fat to be added to the elk when it was processed, but it was so lean, I had to add a bit more oil to the pan while cooking. Bison wasn't that way.

We enjoy guacamole burgers, but since we are taking it easy on the bread, we just had guacamole and elk burgers. I am no food stylist and my camera is not working well, so this isn't a good picture, but we both wound up putting that guac on our burger and eating it that way.



It tasted good. Texture was a bit different, but we both enjoyed it a lot. We have a freezer full of elk so this will not cost us any money! Guess what? We'll be having elk burgers regularly.