Talkin' About Vomit

How'd you like that catchy title? Wonder how many people will turn and RUN CLICK the other way! I promise it's not that bad. I don't really even mention it except for the fact that I won't be eating Tuna again for a while...BLEH! 

Ashlee....hmmmm I just don't know about that girl! I still L.O.V.E. Des...such a sweetheart. I'm thinking she should be the next Bachelorette?? What do ya'll think?? DEF A DES FAN!! As long as the crazy brother of hers stays home. He was a piece of work to say the least. 

ALSO can any of you decipher this?? My BFF & I tried and tried and tried and tried last night without much luck<Insert sad face>  

OK Now onto the good stuff

Day 2 on JE12WP (that's my new code name since its just way too long to type out) is here and man is my chest hurting from Day 1. Stopping at the GYM on my way home today though to bust it out! WOWZAAA 

I'm thinking that I might have done just a little much on the weight side but I worked out at home last night so I didn't have much options for the weights. 

One thing I realized though is how badly I SUCK at push ups! Seriously on 5 and 7 on the Narrow ones!! 

YUCK

I didn't do a lot of Paleo cooking this weekend. 

We had the Stomach bug infect the house on Wednesday night then the bedroom redo on Thursday then a heartbreaking situation with a close friend of mine on Thursday as well. What a week, talk about an emotional roller coaster! I barely had time to remember to eat much less try new Paleo recipes however I did keep up my paleo journey everyday except Sat...my one "FREE DAY"...I ate like cray cray!!

I hate it when they're sick but love all the snuggles I got! 

The hubs started feeling sick this morning so I have a feeling we are not over the stomach bug hump just yet...praying for quick relief!! 

Our bedroom redo is almost complete just waiting on our bed to arrive then I will put up the post! I am loving the new colors and Crown molding though! I don't know what it is about crown molding but it just makes me happy...I could lay in bed and just look at it...seriously, I've done it!

He loves to help his momma and I love the tighty whities and socks! HAHA

Along with the Bedroom Make-over post will be coming a 

GIVEAWAY!! 

WHAT?? YAY!!

It has been a little while but I have been searching for this one "specific" item for a little while now and as soon as I get it in I will be posting my review and then giving one away to one of you all so be sure to check back!! 

Hope your Tuesday is FANTABULOUS!! 

~Mel

THE BEGINNING- 12 Weeks Workout

Well today marks the beginning of Jamie Easons 12 week workout. Considering I was attacked by the vicious stomach bug yesterday my start might be a little slower than most.

I'm currently doing the Paleo dieting plan so I will keep my eating the same but if you are not you should look at all of her suggestions for eating. She gives you a day by day guide for what to eat!

Also some of the exercises she shows you on a weight machine. If you do not have a gym membership or cannot find the time to stop at the gym she gives you alternative exercises that you can do.

I will post my measurements tonight for the beginning and update with my weight on Wednesday.

I have been running and would like to continue to run and work my way up to 13.1 but if you follow her plan precisely you will not do cardio for the first 4 weeks.

Be sure and visit her website because there is all kinds of fantastic information and some great videos to watch!!

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Click on the exercise to learn more ways to complete it the Click on FULL DETAILS and this next picture will come up with the Alternative Exercises

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Beginning

 

BLEHH Beginning..





Don't forget to follow me over at Instagram - sweetsouthernmel for pic updates of my food, workouts and soon to come GIVEAWAY!! 

HAPPY MONDAY YA'LL

~MEL

Weigh-In Wednesday

So it seems like the past 8 weeks in this contest have flown by. Most of the time my weight was up one week, down the next, then back up again. Well I am proud to say that for the second week in a row I am down...2.5lbs!!! 

Don't know why it's crooked....hmmmm

YAY! 

6.5lbs in 2 weeks

Thank You Paleo!!! 

I am still not 100% Paleo and honestly don't know that I will ever be but I am happy with 80/20 right now. There are times where I think it would be easier and take less brain power-I don't have much of this anways- to just go back to eating what the whole family eats but I know that if I do I will never reach my goal.

Speaking of goals...I really haven't set one.

This is a big NO NO because you should always set a goal and reach for it! Maybe that's why it has taken me 8 weeks to get things right. 

GOAL

To be 130lb by May

13lbs To Lose

9 weeks To Do It

I CAN DO THIS!!! 

I am working on the 12 week workout plan. As I was looking through it there are some weight workouts that use gym equipment so I am trying to find different workouts to substitute that still workout the same muscles and can be done at home. 

If you are interested in starting this with me email me at sweetsouthernmel@gmail.com

I would love to have before pics of you but you do not have to include your face and your before measurements. I also will not use your name if you would prefer not. I think having a place where our "Before" is will give some motivation to get you but in gear! 

Start date is March 4th

So walk RUN to your room, take those pics and measurements and get them to me by Sunday!! 

I would love to have you all take this journey with me!! 

(Here is the Jamie Easons 12 week workout journey, keep in mind I'm trying to see if I can get this to where you can do it at home)

I think this is a great reminder for us all!! 

HAPPY HUMP DAY!! Now get your hump on...and click here to read my post on how many calories you can burn in the process! 

~MEL

I'm Shrinking

Well my first week of Paleo is over.

Thus far I'm happy with the results although last Thursday I about had a break down.

When I do something, normally I do it 100% so when trying to make the switch to Paleo in my diet I cut everything out, cold turkey and Thursday, it caught up with me.

The biggest problem I have had is figuring out what I can eat. I was starving on Thursday but it just seemed like everything I though of I couldn't have! I was highly frustrated. So this is what I decided.

One day a week is going to be my "Non-Paleo" day. This meaning I will eat what I want...within reason. This way I'm not so deprived that I become frustrated to the point of throwing in the towel.

I guess my frustration also came from the fact that I had been at work for 4 days. On the weekends it is easy, alittle easier to spend more time in the kitchen preparing my yummy Paleo meals. Monday-Thursday I just don't have that type of time. At least not if I wanna have extra time with my babies. On Sunday I had prepared food for the week but was out by Wednesday and with Wednesdays being my MOST busy day of the week I didn't even think about food for Thursday. This wasn't smart and I paid for it on Thursday.

Time to make some cookies while the pizza is cooking! I think they ate more dough though!

Friday was my N-P day. I had one of my BFF's two children at the house all night so we had a "Family Fun Movie Night" which always involves Pizza, Cookies and Popcorn. You see why I chose to have one night of freedom??



I only got to try one of the recipes I wanted to but my weekend of was a whirlwind of babysitting, donation drop offs, taking a bed apart, taking some fun pictures that I will post as soon as they are released ;), snotty noses, loading and moving my granny(well helping as much as possible), company every night and the hubs being gone for most of it. Not by exact choice but everything seemed to fall on the same dern weekend.

Whew but it was here and gone.

I need a nap.

The one I did try both the hubs and I liked. It was these crab cakes. They were good but would have been great if I had of done two things different.
1- Buy fresh shrimp, not frozen, the frozen makes it too liquefied
2- I really need to learn how to fry stuff without burning it...I'm a burner :/

The end result was very good though and I will be making these in the future!

I took my measurements this morning and was beyond thrilled with what I seen!!

Here they are:
Arms 11 1/2
Thighs 23 3/4
Belly 31...that's a 3in LOSS!!!!
Hips 40 1/2

I LOST EVERYWHERE....I AM SHRINKING!! YAY!!

This is what motivates me. Not only a lb loss but inches lost too!

WEEKEND REVIEW:

Movie Time on Friday Night!

The things that I love, a picture make for me that says "I Love You Mel, Yes I Do" 

Coloring a picture for our sponsor brother in Africa, David!! 

ARE WE READY??? She insisted on sitting on the potty TWICE!! Nothing happened but
this is a start! 

Happy Monday Ya'll

~MEL~

Weigh-In Wednesday

I can say that I am happy to be reporting a weight LOSS this week!!

Yay! If you read Monday or even Tuesdays post then you will see that I started the Paleo diet. I am not 100% Paleo but I would say around 80% but I am happy with that for right now.

If you are new to this blog, welcome. Also this is a weekly post I do tracking my journey. Also I am in an "Office Biggest Loser" contest so this tracks my journey through that as well.

Last week I weighed in at 150. Having gained everything back plus 1lb on my cruise that I had lost I was very upset with myself but still I was lacking motivation. Well thanks to my BFF&E she has gotten me back on track and I have my eyes set on the prize. Bikini season with no self criticism.

I CAN DO IT!!!

I think I might even be the weekly winner...just waiting to finish tallying up the weight loss percentages!

Along this journey of life my goal is to have a heart like Christ. God has used me in many ways to bring him so much glory and I am so grateful that He will entrust in me what he does. Even when I fail, he picks me up and tells me to keep going for his glory. Well if I'm going to have a heart like Christ then my body is His temple. He is entrusting in me this body and longs for me to take care of it...something I have not been doing. So not only do I long for no self criticism but I also long for my body to be a healthy temple where God lives in my heart.

Thank you Melissa for that reminder. ;)

I hope you have started following me on Instagram- @sweetsouthernmel  I am posting some (hoping to remember more often than not) of my Paleo meals so that I will be held a little more accountable to you all!

For the upcoming weekend the plans are to try a few new paleo recipes, hang out with my other BFF who will be visiting from WV, keep all the kiddos overnight so her and her hubs can get some "alone" time...don't we all need that? I am also working on some stuff for Zawadi! This ministry has just took hold of my heart and I plan on doing a post on how so many others have been helping and letting their love reach all the way around the world!!

Two things I am considering:

1) Gotta buy new running shoes...any recommendations??

2) Thinking about doing the 10day Advocare Cleanse. Not really wanting to do the whole Advocare thing but just the cleanse...what do you think, any advice or opinions??

Thanks Ya'll!!

~Mel

NOM NOM Paleo

Well the toughest thing for me during this transition is remembering what I can and can't eat...and then following it.

I've said it many times before, I L.O.V.E. food. It is instant gratification for me yet like most things that are instant it leaves me feeling bloated, yucky and just plain blah.

I am a meat, taters and bread girl. Seriously, if I could live off of steak and rolls I would.  The good news is I can have all the lean meat I want. Taters and bread ummmm not so much. The hubs and I buy a half a cow every year. I am spoiled to the deliciousness of fresh meat and when we went through a period of about 3 months waiting on the price of the cow to drop I felt so deprived. All it took was 3 months for us to realize that we would pay the higher price because the meat was 1000x better then that crap you buy in a store.

I do NOT like to cook. Baking I love, cooking not so much. So these fancy roasted duck with blah blah blah blah blah sauce does not appeal to me at all. After about 6 ingredients you've lost me, I've moved on.

SHE GONE

Oh how I can't wait for that show to come back on...9 days!

This weekend I found two recipes that sounded appealing and I had most of the ingredients already at home. For me they were both winners. The hubs was okay with both of them and he would eat them if I make them. Laniebug will eat anything...I mean anything, Kinley won't eat anything...nothing so this did not surprise me much.

The first was this delicious Salmon recipe. I made the homemade salad dressing and it was very yummy ad provided about half a mason jars worth so I will be able to use that for lunch this week. The Candied pecans would have been even more delicious had I not burnt them...the recipe says to be careful they burn easy...she wasn't kidding!!

The hubs like our original marinade for salmon better than this but the original recipe includes brown sugar and soy sauce...not on my list of things I can eat. The great thing is, in the future I can make both without too much extra effort.


After dinner that night I doubled this recipe for Meatballs and put about 8 in the crockpot for dinner on Sunday. I baked 8 more for my lunch for the week and the rest went into the freezer for when I need a quick meal.

I did not make my own sauce because as a couponer I have about 60 (not exaggerating) jars of Ragu. As much as I wanna do this diet I will not extend our grocery budget to make way for stuff that I already have an abundance of at home.

This is where I won't become 100% Paleo. I work full time, have two precious kiddos and have some mission work I am involved with...I just don't always have the time either to make my own stuff.

Hoping to try a couple more recipes this weekend. I'm most looking forward to the crab cakes so I'll let you know how those go next week!

~Mel

PALE-Oh Here I Go

Well she finally did it. She has been slowly chizling away at me for a few months now...even when she didn't realize she was.

This weekend I broke, I am tired of feeling tired.

I'm tired of feeling fat.

I went on vacation and took with me my summer clothes from last year...they didn't fit.

Yep I got on the ship and the only pants I could wear were the jean capris(that were big last yeat but now fit a little too snug) and my cotton gouchos. Every single pair of shorts I took I couldn't even get buttoned.

I was mad, furious that I had let myself do this yet again. I complain about gaining weight to my husband and he was so sweet but let's face it. I couldn't get the dang shorts buttoned, I had gained, I'm right back to where I was before. There is no denying that.

Counting calories doesn't work for me.

Counting fat or carbs doesn't work.

Eating what I want but cutting portions doesn't work.

Am I ever going to find something that works? I hope so.

So on friday I broke and I let her bring me lunch...with total intent of hating it but wth, I'll give it a try!

My lunch consisted of Dark Chocolate Almond Milk. Sweet Potato, Spaghetti Squash, ground Venison, garlic salt, avacodo and tomatoes.

It was delectible!

I was still unsure about this whole Paleo thing though...cutting out all dairy? I'm a huge milk and yogurt LOVER How was I going to do this?

I sat down started going through recipes picked out a few that sounded good an that I had most of the ingredients already and this weekend I Paleo'd it up at my house.

Now I am not no where near 100% seeing as how I ate two small yeast rolls sat and sunday but I am slowly getting there. As of now I have cut out all dairy...I even had fresh local honey and almond milk in my coffee this morning...This crap is getting real up in here when I change up my coffee!

Now onto the scary part. I want to share with you all myself. I'm not perfect nor have I ever claimed to be. I am an extremely critical person of myself. Not so much with others but oh horrible with myself but I also love my bikinis and so in saying that I even wore a whole piece almost the entire vacation because of my insecurities.

This blog has been a great place for me to really just be myself and grow as a christian while sharing my struggles and praises with you all. I have received some judgement from it but I guess when you put yourself out there you should expect it at some point.

This next part though is very difficult for me. It is opening myself up to a whole new line of judgement.

Honestly it scares the life out of me just thinking about it but I need to do it. For myself and for you. To hold myself accountable and to show you that I struggle just the same as some of you.

I do ask though that you would keep all negative comments to yourself and if you are going to come to this sight to be judgmental please do not return. This is me being vunerable...don't make me regret it please.


My measurements for the beginning of my Paleo Journey is: (these might get altered bc I forgot my paper)
Arms- 18 3/4
Belly- 35
Hips- 42
Thigh- 24


BEFORE

So there you have it. It is me...def not at my best but hoping to overcome and make my body into a temple to be used to serve God's purpose. He gave me this gift of life so who am I to trash it with terrible food and lack of exercise?

I will start posting some of the recipes I am trying out as well and let you know what I think about them! You can also follow me on Instagram @sweetsouthernmel where I will be picturing most of my food!

Happy Monday!

~Mel