Rambling and a recipe

I'm halfway through with week 3, and 4.3 pounds down. I really should stop counting by weeks, because as far as I'm concerned, there's no end date to this.

People keep calling it a diet, and it annoys me. This isn't some quick fix where I'll drop the weight then eat whatever I want. I refuse to see this as a diet, I see it as a life long change.

I've come to know my body. I know that I don't have the best metabolism. I gain weight fast. I become addicted to sugars (ahem..Dr. Pepper), and so I shouldn't have them. At least not so regularly that it becomes a habit instead of a treat.

Every day I have to remind myself that it is ok if it takes me a year, even two years to reach my goal weight. I tell myself constantly that once I get to that point, going to the gym daily will just be a part of my routine. Eating fruit and vegetables will become second nature. (I've eaten more in the last two weeks than I have in the last year.)

As hard as it is to take this day by day, and not see immediate results, I know I'm changing my life and health for good, and for the better. And that's all that matters.

Anyway, onto the goods. As I said in the first post, I eat homemade protein bars every day.

Let me tell you, they are delicious. Ok, maybe "delicious" is being a little too generous. But they taste somewhat along the lines of a no-bake cookie, with at least half the fat, and lots of protein. I highly recommend them. So, here is the recipe. You're welcome.

Ingredients 3 TB natural peanut butter (crunchy or creamy. I prefer crunchy.) 1/2 cup oats 1/2 cup oat flour (if you don’t have oat flour, use another 1/2 cup of oats) 3 scoops chocolate or  vanilla  1 tsp vanilla 1 cup non fat dry milk 1/2 cup water (you may need more water depending on protein) (I may or may not, but definitely do, add 1/2 T of Nutella.)  Directions Have a plate ready to put cookies on.  Mix together dry ingredients in a bowl.  Add everything else and mix together with your hands… it will be very sticky.  Roll about a 1 1/2” diameter of dough between your hands into a ball, smash it between your hands into a cookie and put onto a plate. One batch makes about 8-10 cookies.  Place them in the freezer…. And then enjoy. Nutrition Content (per square): 97 Calories, 7g fat, 14g carbohydrates, 21g protein Seriously, they're my go-to snack.

I've started eating fruit about twice a week, and I allow myself one treat a week also. I've been thinking about this a lot recently, and reading a lot of weight loss blogs, and I've come to this conclusion:

I firmly believe that life is to be enjoyed, not just endured. And I believe that that applies to every aspect of our lives-even dieting. When it comes down to it, if you hate everything you eat, you'll quit. You won't be happy. You'll resent your diet, resent your choices, and through that resentment, lose motivation. And that is when the weight creeps right back. (I'm speaking from experience, people.)

Complete and total restriction almost always leads to binging. Words of wisdom coming from Queen Binge herself. So my philosophy is to live a little. Give in to that craving once in a while (no, not every day). Then hit the gym for an extra 10 minutes the next day. Don't regret that bite of cheesecake. Or beat yourself up because you think a mini Snickers will make you gain 10 pounds. Enjoy it, savor it, and move on with your life.

Slow and steady wins the race.