Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 35

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 35

by | Oct 26, 2017 | Trust Your Gut

 

Trust Your Gut is a series of stories about real people with weight issues, and complications arising from those issues.  It will explain what the person is facing, what their options are, what they have decided to do to take action, and why they chose the path they are on.  Each person’s story will be based on truth, so it won’t all be happy, but it will be real.  The goal of this series is to get people talking about options that are available for people who have weight issues, on either end of the scale.  If you would like to contribute to this series, there is a contact form linked on my Homepage for this blog.  I know there are people out there that want to help people like them; as I do.

 

The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name.  If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story.  The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors.  I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.

This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.

Here is  Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 35

Another week, another story.  Here I sit, planning a million and one things in my life all at once.  I have chicken breasts cooking with greek dressing as a marinade.  I have 3lb of ground beef to cook.  2lb for spaghetti sauce, and 1lb for Big Mac Salad.  I will use my spaghetti squash and zucchini when I eat my spaghetti.  Roy will have pasta.  He isn’t following the plan with me, but I must get myself back on track.  So I am planning meals again.

I am not making it to Zumba as much as I would like to be able to.  Transportation is my biggest issue causing me to miss it.  And a stomach bug this week did NOT help.  I am feeling better tonight and starting to look forward.  The weekend is busy, and having food prepped will help me be ready.

Big Mac Salad is something I love to make and eat.

It is really an easy recipe and can be found all over Pinterest.  I cook the ground beef, then add onion soup mix.  I use iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar, thousand island dressing, dill pickle relish, and to give it the BigMac without the bun garnish, I sprinkle sesame seeds on top.  When you want a BigMac, and you are trying to eat healthier, this is a great way to do it.

The idea is not mine, and like I said, there are many versions online, including the THM Trim Mac Salad which is found in the THM cookbook.  There are recipes that are completely from scratch for the dressing, but I prefer to just use the Kraft Thousand Island dressing.  It does the job.  They even have BigMac sauce for sale now in grocery stores now, if you are a hardcore BigMac fan.

The other thing I like to have made for the burger cravings is Cheeseburger pie.  That is a THM recipe that I make frequently.

You can find a recipe for Cheeseburger Pie at this link: Cheeseburger Pie Recipe

I am not the creator of either recipe, but I can recommend them both as delicious. I like to add tomatoes and dill pickles after it is cooked.  The recipe link shows it being served over lettuce.  I have yet to try it like that. ( I usually eat it straight up.) I also add ketchup and mustard. One time I made my own THM ketchup.  I would like to make it again sometime.  I am working on finding time to cook again, as I am not happy with the way things are now.

I will make cheeseburger pie another night, as I am going to do what I have to do and compromise.  So I am making spaghetti sauce and going to have it on my vegetables.  I am going to keep moving forward on my plan because I need to get going in the right direction again.

If you try the recipes, let me know what you think!

#TrustYourGut

Weekend Warrior # 34

Weekend Warrior # 34

by | Oct 16, 2017 | Weekend Warrior

As another weekend comes to a close, I am going to spend a few moments with a quick summary for you.  I had the Lobster and Gouda Grilled Cheese with the crock of Lobster Poutine in good company at Claudine’s Eatery Friday evening.  We had family visiting this past weekend, and it was very nice to spend time together.

Saturday started slowly with a visit to Sweet Belgian Desire for a late brunch.  I had the Omelet Florentine with a side Greek salad and coffee.  It was delicious and on plan.  We then ran a few errands, and I bought a stability ball.  I will let you know how I make out with that purchase once it is assembled and I get a chance to try it out.

We then had a BBQ Saturday evening.  My guests were quite happily entertained with 2 back to back live stream concerts from home.  I also enjoyed watching them.  The Celtic Colours International Festival is well known for the music and concerts held yearly in Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.  If you love traditional Cape Breton music and want to experience it firsthand, I highly recommend planning a trip to see some of the shows live.  If you can’t be there in person, like us, they pick one concert per night of the Festival and live stream it online.  They don’t reveal which one until the day of the broadcast.  It is available for 24 hours after the live stream is ended.  I started the Friday show and the Grand Finale was able to be watched also last night.  I am glad we found it, it was a pleasant way to spend time together.  I am able to use the tv and stereo for my computer, so it was a full-sized concert with surround sound that we watched from my living room.  It is nice to be able to watch events like that on my TV with excellent sound quality.

This morning started with coffee and tea at my kitchen table.  My family left for the next visit after that.  It wasn’t a rushed morning.  Roy and I watched a couple of TV shows together, and then we went to get a few groceries.  After this, I took a nap.  Sometimes, Sunday afternoon is meant for taking a nap.  Today was one of those days.  When I woke up, a friend had delivered some coffee K-cups for my Keurig.  I will gladly add them to my stash, and enjoy them.  We then went out to supper. I was craving Chinese food.  Since we were planning to go to Oromocto for Kingsman: The Golden Circle to see it in the early show, we chose to eat supper at Diamond House Chinese Restaurant, also in Oromocto.  We had combos and enjoyed the meal.  We had to hurry for the movie, it had just started when we got there.  We met up with our friends, chatted a bit in the parking lot after, and came home.

We ate out more than usual this weekend.  However, it was not an ordinary weekend.  I am going to be cooking tomorrow as I am not going to make it to Zumba, and I have things that need to be made.  I have leftover tossed salad saved in 2 mason jars to help start the week’s lunches off in the right direction.  I still have my picnic lunch ingredients too.  All was not lost in the planning this weekend.  I can also say that the cleaning is progressing nicely.  The dishes are being kept up and I still have a lot of organizing to do.  I made progress throughout the week like I needed to do.  The trick will be to start back at it right away this week.  Today, I needed to rest for the upcoming week.  And that is a wrap for this week.  I think I won again. 🙂

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 35

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 31

by | Sep 29, 2017 | Trust Your Gut

 

Trust Your Gut is a series of stories about real people with weight issues, and complications arising from those issues.  It will explain what the person is facing, what their options are, what they have decided to do to take action, and why they chose the path they are on.  Each person’s story will be based on truth, so it won’t all be happy, but it will be real.  The goal of this series is to get people talking about options that are available for people who have weight issues, on either end of the scale.  If you would like to contribute to this series, there is a contact form linked on my Homepage for this blog.  I know there are people out there that want to help people like them; as I do.

 

The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name.  If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story.  The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors.  I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.

This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.

Here is  Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 31

Another week has come and gone.  Thursday was yesterday.  I am a little sorry that I am writing late this week, but my heart wasn’t in it yesterday, and I want to keep it real and honest with you all. I have suffered a loss nine days ago that has affected me more than I expected in some ways, and just as much as I thought it would in others.  This loss was neither on a scale nor of inches.

There are two certainties in life.  You are born, and you die.  A dear friend of mine lost her battle with cancer nine days ago.  I plan to speak at her Celebration of Life Ceremony tomorrow.  While I was writing what I wanted to say and organizing my thoughts for that, I realized that it was more important for me to focus my attention on it when I decided to do it.  I got a friend to give it a read through in an editorial sense, but because I drafted and edited it myself, she thought that it was a great piece of writing.  So I am sorry if I let anyone down that is following my journey in this category, but all is not lost.  I am here today, and I feel like writing.  If the family is OK with me sharing my story after I read it tomorrow, you can expect to read a different kind of Weekend Warrior story later on this weekend.

So what brought me around, other than the guilt of missing my self-imposed deadline for the weekly story?  I was watching another video along the lines of Branding, and learning more about how to be effective at it.  Wait, what?  How does this relate to a struggle with weight issues?

The guest speaker was talking about taking what makes you mad, and writing about it.  Not an infuriating anger filled frustrated rant, but to use common sense thought processes and provide a solution.  This is the basis of what I want to do here.  I am mad that I am the way I am, physically, and health-wise.  I write about what I need to do, and I learn new recipes and ways to improve my health and change what I am using for fuel in my body to have a positive outcome.  I can write about it, I can think about it, I can talk about it, but the bottom line is, only I can care enough about myself to actually DO something about it.

I seem to be at opposing sides with my food choices.  I will eat a really healthy meal, and then go WAY off track and have junk food or fast food.  Willpower is certainly lacking in my life these days.  I am struggling with some old monsters.  They are ganging up on my inner light and causing me strife.

The feeling that I am never going to be good enough is a main contributing factor in why I weigh over 300 lbs.  I get it from many sources in my life.  My childhood was not bad, not at all, but sometimes the messages were not presented in a way to make me flourish.  I don’t believe people when they compliment me right away.  I need to hear things that are positive about a million times before I believe them, and then I get upset.  I just don’t know how to accept compliments.  I am working on this and getting better about thanking people when they say nice things.  For me, this is a real struggle.

Work is another area where this arises.  Workplace Bullying is wrong, no matter how subtle it is, or who the bully is.  I am not singling out my current employers, let’s be clear about that.  But when I see or experience it, it makes me feel like I am not good enough.  I struggle with that internally, and it is not always somebody else’s fault.  Sometimes I can be too sensitive.  I am learning to stand up for myself, and this is not easy for me to do, either.  As I learn, I have to make mistakes.  Picking battles is a trickier thing than you think it is.  If I was to cry out about every little thing that happened in my life, people would stop listening, stop reading, and stop caring.  Then I would be alone and back to doubting myself.

Sometimes the monsters are on the outside.   That is something that makes me angry.  People that abuse power are the worst kind of bullies, and I come from a long history of being a victim.  I struggle every day to be a good person.  It tears me up inside when that is perceived to be not good enough.  At this point, I can react in two different ways.  I can hide, and cry until I have no more tears.  Or I can speak out.  I am doing more talking, and it does not always go as well as I plan it in my head.  Some things are not OK, and some things need to be confronted.  When things backfire, I do hide for a bit, until I deal with my feelings of being hurt.  Sometimes I can be overzealous in my attempts to stand up for myself.  In these cases, I do get upset, but these days I stand to face the music, instead of turning tail and running.

Still not sure how I am planning to tie this all together?  Well, the ugly monsters inside are the worst ones of all.  The inner bully that kicks you when you are down and sucker punches you when you weren’t looking is pure evil.  We all have the negative self-talk, the hard feelings about one thing or another that we let win.  I have been doing a little too much of that this month.  I am letting the monster win, and that is not going to end well.  I have two choices.  I can do nothing, or I can do something about it.  I think it is time to take action and kick some monster butts.  I feel the inner glow getting a little brighter as I wrote that.  I needed to get it out.  So I am going to take my common sense and use it to change what makes me angry.  For this category, that means I am going to start making better choices and be the change I want to see in myself.  One thing at a time, one choice at a time, one story at a time.

Trust Your Gut.

 

 

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 35

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 30

by | Sep 21, 2017 | Trust Your Gut

 

Trust Your Gut is a series of stories about real people with weight issues, and complications arising from those issues.  It will explain what the person is facing, what their options are, what they have decided to do to take action, and why they chose the path they are on.  Each person’s story will be based on truth, so it won’t all be happy, but it will be real.  The goal of this series is to get people talking about options that are available for people who have weight issues, on either end of the scale.  If you would like to contribute to this series, there is a contact form linked on my Homepage for this blog.  I know there are people out there that want to help people like them; as I do.

 

The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name.  If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story.  The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors.  I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.

This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.

Here is  Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 30

I am happy to say that I am doing better.  Not 100% organized or on the plan, but better.  I did get in 2 Zumba classes last week.  Due to things happening in my life that I have to deal with and work through, I was not at Zumba this week.  The good news is that I will be going back.  No worries there, I have to keep going.  I need the outlet, and it is good to get the workouts fit into my week.

It is hard to climb and claw my way back out of a slump.  Sometimes life has other plans.  The good news is that I am cooking again.  Cooking means less junk food.  That is a great thing.  The easy way out is not always better, in fact, it is usually the wrong way.  I attack a lot of my own problems from the wrong side, not the easy way first.  I just use my stubbornness to my advantage and push my way through whatever is going on.

I have said prep cooking and planning are key points for my success.  I have said that I need to stop making excuses.  I have actually made progress with both of those tasks.  However, I am still not ready to commit to being on THM 100%.  Why?  There are two reasons.  One is that it is a lot of work.  I have to plan and cook.  It would be great if my husband was following the plan with me, but he is not.  There are just some things he refuses to eat.  So that is one of my lingering excuses. The other is a fear of success.  The success itself would be wonderful.  But then

The other is fear.  Fear of success.  The success itself would be wonderful.  But then what?  After I find my way to being healthier, and the need for the push is over, then I would have other, new issues.  I may need plastic surgery for excess skin.  I may give in a little more until I find that I am putting the weight back on.  I may lose my gumption halfway and fall off the wagon and revert to my old ways.

Let’s face it, I didn’t become morbidly obese overnight.  I didn’t choose this path for myself.  I choose what to eat and drink.  I choose to not exercise and do things that I find more fun.  I choose to listen to the monster that wants junk food instead of the beautiful inner spark that longs for freedom, and the power to defeat that monster.  So what is it going to take?

I already know.  I have to want it bad enough to do the work.  I have to want it bad enough to plan it out.  I have to want it enough to have to go shopping for a new wardrobe. Hmm…I may be on to something with that last one.

The biggest reason for anyone facing weight issues is themselves.  You have to pick a path, follow it, and commit to seeing it through.  Here is the kicker.  At least for me, it is.  You have to believe in yourself.  You have to believe that you are worth the effort, and that you are going to stick to it, and that you are going to come out OK on the other side of changing your entire life.  You simply have to do it, succeed at it, and change your life for the better.  Shut that monster up with salad.  Don’t forget to drown it with water, and feed the inner beauty healthy morsels of amazing food choices.  Take her out for a walk.  She needs to get fresh air and exercise to thrive.  A little sunshine is always a nice treat.

She is worth the effort, and so are you.

Trust Your Gut.

 

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 35

Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 29

by | Sep 7, 2017 | Trust Your Gut

 

Trust Your Gut is a series of stories about real people with weight issues, and complications arising from those issues.  It will explain what the person is facing, what their options are, what they have decided to do to take action, and why they chose the path they are on.  Each person’s story will be based on truth, so it won’t all be happy, but it will be real.  The goal of this series is to get people talking about options that are available for people who have weight issues, on either end of the scale.  If you would like to contribute to this series, there is a contact form linked on my Home page for this blog.  I know there are people out there that want to help people like them; as I do.

 

The names here may or may not reflect the person’s real name.  If someone wants to remain unknown, we will choose a different name for that person’s story.  The goal is to help people, and anonymity is a valid personal choice for contributors.  I will use a person’s name only if they give permission to do so.

This week I am pleased to share another of my own stories.

Here is  Trust Your Gut: Tish’s Story; Part 29

I have not done what I set out to do in September.  I have not followed the plan, I have not kept detailed records, and I have not put any effort into what I needed to do this week at all.

The Monster is winning this week.  It is crushing the soul of my inner beauty. What am I going to do about it?

I have to refocus.  I have to make the efforts I need to make to have results.  I am not perfect, and although I was going to try my best, I fell short.  Like not even falling off the wagon, because I never climbed on it in the first place.

What am I NOT going to do about it?  Make excuses.

I am better than that.  I am better than the monster inside that convinced me it was a great idea to eat chips and Fudgsicles this week.  I am better than the monster that is telling me it is OK to eat whatever I want to because I am really hungry and don’t have time to wait for a healthier option to be ready to eat.  I am worth the effort of drowning out the monster with my inner beauty.  I need to let it shine, and help me find the way to becoming a healthier version of myself.

I need to have a plan, not just the THM plan, although that is a part of what I need to do, it needs to be a complete plan that encompasses everything I am working on and makes me want to work at this.  On me.  It is bigger than me just writing about it.  I need to DO it.  So this weekend, I am going to set aside a few hours to get this set up.

Part of the reason is that I am very skilled at making excuses.  I need to stop it.  Right now.  I am on such a roll with my writing that I do not want to stop.  I want to keep moving forward in all aspects of my life and live it to the fullest.  I will also avoid things and just do what I want to do instead of what I need to do if it is easier.  This is not a good way to do what I want to do, which is to lead by example.  I am not feeling the leader vibe this week.  I need to change things and make this happen.

Now. OK, on the weekend, as I am a tad bit busy with the writing and the entrepreneurial dreams and projects I am working on to change my whole life for the better.  The problem with letting the monster win is that I am leaving out a very important aspect of this dream, and that is me.  I need to rank myself higher on the list of things to be taken care of, so the inner beauty has the chance to glow and outshine the monster forever.

I am making a commitment here to have this ready to go for Monday.  I am going to hold myself accountable for taking the steps to make things happen.  Only I can make the necessary plans and changes to have this work.  It is time to take action and stop listening to the monster that keeps me from being the healthiest version of myself.  It is time to open the cage that traps my inner beauty so far inside me that I cannot find it anymore.  I need to let it out and nurture it until it is as bright as the sun.  I need to keep telling myself that I am worth it until I believe it.  Louder than the monster.  Brighter than the stars in the sky.  Over and over again, until I really get it.  And then you will see that I am doing this in front of all who witness it, and I will be accomplishing the dream of leading by example, by working hard to achieve my personal and professional goals.  Other things are starting to fall into place.  This is just the next thing I am on the verge of succeeding at.  Time to shine.

If you are following this series, and like what you read, thank you.  If you have your own story to share, please contact me.  I have accepted other people’s stories in this category and would love to have more stories than my own to share here.  I don’t want to bore everyone with my stories EVERY week, so if this is something YOU want to do, reach out to me.  There is a contact page for that very reason.  I am also willing to work with people to write a story based on an informal interview or having some discussions about their issues, to help other people deal with their own issues, and helping people understand what it is really like to have issues on EITHER END of the scale.  I would be happy to share your experiences, issues, successes, and tips here in the future.  Stop thinking about it.  Stop making excuses.  Let’s work together to change ourselves and the lives we live.  Our inner beauties deserve to be free and thriving.  We are worth every bit of the effort.  Let’s drop-kick those monsters to the curb. Together.  If I can do this, so can you.

#TrustYourGut.