Mmm, protein.

Doing better? Yeah maybe a little better. I lost three pounds in the last few days and I haven't felt the least bit hungry. I've been eating lots of fiber and drinking only water, tea (a mix of green tea and black tea), and milk. Tanner and I had a conversation about weight loss (this time it was productive, not him trying to get me to lose weight by guilting me into it, but he's always just trying to be helpful), we talked about milk and it's role in weight loss.

We drink only skim cow's milk and unsweetened almond milk. Both are great options for an after workout drink. It's been show that drinking something high in protein, like milk, after a workout helps to increase muscle building. Which in turn increases weight loss because muscle burns calories. It all makes sense right? I mean why not, milk is indeed high in protein and protein is indeed needed to build muscle, plus it just tastes so darn good. Couple the milk with a high fiber fiber bar, and it's a great after workout snack.

I love the taste of cow's milk, but I must admit, it makes me a bit poopy and gassy. Enter almond milk. Almond milk (even the unsweetened) is pretty sweet, and is nicely smooth. Way better than soy milk. The greatest thing about almond milk is the nutritional facts. An 8 oz. glass has 40 calories, with 3g fat (no saturated or trans fat), 2g carbs (no sugar), 1g dietary fiber, and 1g protein. It's pretty much a perfect "snack," as it has a great combo of fat, protein, and carbs. Skim cow's milk is pretty good too, an 8 oz. glass has 90 calories, with 0g fat, 13g carbs (12g sugar), and 9g protein. So, for a great after workout drink either go with a glass of skim milk or a glass of almond milk with protein powder.

Anyway though, Tanner has discovered that milk really is the key to his success. As a kid and a teenager (he's 21 now as well), he drank milk all the time, never soda. He was always fairly active as well. And he was always skinny. That is until he moved in with my family after we started dating. He stopped being so active and he started drinking soda. When he decided to start losing weight (3 months ago) he was 190 pounds. He is now 157 pounds. He exercises everyday, at least 10 minutes everyday in his morning workout, and then he adds a second 30 minute workout every other day. These workouts are a combo of muscle work and cardio. And after every workout he refuels with milk. Natural, protein rich skim cow's milk.

Oh milk milk the magical drink, you need it more that you ever would think!

Did That Really Happen?

So two days in to my "great realization," and I blew it already. Why? Why can't I actually do something and stick to it? What is going on in my life that is so important, that I can't stick to a simple diet and exercise plan? NOTHING! Nothing is more important than health and happiness.

I find myself wishing that I could just lose the weight magically, but I know that can't happen. I know I need to eat fewer calories, more fruits and veggies, and make the most of my carbs by eating whole grains with lots of fiber. I know that I should cut my fat intake, but still include healthy unsaturated fats like EVOO -suck it Rachael Ray, you may have copyrighted that, but I'm using it, please and thank you. I also know that I need to exercise at least 30 minutes a day three to four times a week. For all the things I know, I should be a freaking toothpick!

But I also know that I have no willpower, and I make excuses, and I'm just plain lazy. This is what I did yesterday: I woke up around 9 am, went to work until 3:30 (where I was on the computer and sitting pretty much the entire day), then I went to the Dollar General to get some pasta, pasta sauce and cheese, then I went home and made Baked Ziti (well Baked Rotini actually). I spent at least two hours cooking, baking chicken, cooking pasta, slicing chicken, putting it all together and baking it. It was delicious and 450 calories per serving. I may have had one and a half servings, in fact, I did.

After we (my friend Heather and I) ate, we went swimming. We played volleyball (in the pool) and swam for an hour. I made sure that I was moving the whole time, whether it be doing squats in the pool or just jogging in place, I was always moving. But Tanner (the aforementioned boyfriend) said that it wasn't good enough, because I wasn't "out of breath the whole time." Not good enough?!? I thought it still counted as exercise. I guess I was wrong, and I do not know everything.

Finally after we were done swimming, Heather and I went back inside and watched TV, well Heather watched TV while I played a game on the computer and tried to fix a cell phone, but that's a different story entirely. An hour or two later, I ate another serving and a half of Baked Rotini. So in all, the only food I had had during the day was three servings of Baked Rotini equaling 1350 calories, yet I still did it all wrong.

Ah, here's to today and learning something new, so that someday maybe I can truthfully say that I know it all.

Holy Cow!

Introductions, oh introductions. I'm new to the ever growing world of blogs, other than the blogs found on our Faceyspaces. Hi, My name is Elaina, and I eat too much and don't exercise enough... oh wait, this isn't Eater's Anonymous? I recently realized something that should have been realized a long time ago, way earlier in my 21 years, I am overweight and I have a problem. Now, I am on my journey to fix my problem.

I've always been overweight for my age and height (even being born six weeks prematurely, I weighed in at 5 lbs. 9 oz.), but now that I'm looking forward to college graduation, getting a big girl job, and embarking on a lifetime with my boyfriend Tanner, I want to slim down and be healthier.

I currently weigh in at 362 lbs, and at 5 ft. 10 in. tall, that's Morbidly Obese. Hell, for that matter, even if I was 10 ft. tall, I'd still be overweight. I've lived a life of eating out of boredom and worshipping the television and the couch I sit on. Today, I'm going to start moving, and stop eating the fat-filled, sugar-packed foods that were once staples of my diet. Out with the fast food in with the home cooked meals done right.

Here, my friends, is to a new life, wherein I'm full, of healthiness.