Tag Archives: Sugar-free

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Sunday Fun-day Again

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Day 170 in my quest to reach Mickey at the Magic Kingdom.

Today’s plan kind of came together on the fly.

  1. First, I would go to church this morning to worship the Lord of lord and the King of kings.  While there I was sent a message loud and clear,  “I love you.  I’m with you.  Relax and don’t be so hard on yourself.  Enjoy this journey.”  I physically felt myself exhale, and the stress release was evident.  It was a blessed morning.
  2. Next, choose wisely at breakfast.  I had a ranchero omelette with lots of veggies and only a little cheese.  I ate half and will finish it for tomorrow’s breakfast.
  3. Third, shop for ingredients for the week, so I can come home from work every night and put healthy meals together quickly.
  4. Eat a treat of a dinner without racking up too many calories.  We had a piece of baguette with sauteed vegetables, olives and a bit of brie cheese, bunged under the grill.  (translation: put under the broiler)  It was scrumptious, indulgent and thoroughly satisfying.

So quite a day.  Now I can kick back and watch Downton Abbey. Meet you at the Kingdom!

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A Date with a Mermaid

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Day 168 in my quest to meet up with Mickey

Today my plan is to spend some quality time with The Little Mermaid.  This is my chosen Disney movie for the week.  It has been an extremely stressful week, so I am taking a little down time when I get home from work today and kicking back with one of my favorite Disney films.  The seaweed is always greener in somebody else’s lake…

Nothing too major today.  But I will stay sugar-free and will prepare a warm, healthy meal for us tonight.  I think maybe Surprise Package Casserole.  I hope you get to chill after work today, too.  TGIF!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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It’s a Matter of Portions

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Day 166 in my run toward meeting my favorite mouse, Mickey (8 months and 22 days to go!)

Today’s plan is to be more aware of portion control.  Too much of a good thing…well, is not such a good thing.  🙂  I think my portions have been inching up again.  So today I am going to pay particular attention to the portion sizes in all my meals and snacks.

My mom was an English war bride from WWII.  Her sister Phyllis visited us often and was a delight to spend time with.  Every time she was in the U.S., she would mention the massive portion sizes.  “No wonder everyone is so full blown here.  You people eat too much.”  I love her!  And she is basically right.  According to FRAC (Food Research and Action Center) 68.5% of American adults are overweight or obese.  34.9% of American adults are obese.  Something is just not right here, folks.  Between portions sizes and caloric make up of the foods we eat and lack of physical exercise , many of us have the balance wrong.

So today I will think on these things and determine to become more aware of them everyday in my life.  No one is going to do this for me.  I have to take control on my body.  I have to move it through space.  I have to feed it the right fuel in the right amount.  I know, I know, it sounds like me…me…me.  But really I need to love myself enough to stay on this.  I need to love myself, so that I can love others in the same manner, a healthier manner.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Craving

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Day 165 in my journey to meet Mickey

Today I am craving sugar something fierce!  I want sweets in the worst way: cake pops from Starbucks or Dunkin’s doughnuts or  even a tasty cupcake from Walgreen’s.  I want sugar!

So…my plan for today is to just say, “NO!”  I won’t give in to sugar.  Not today.  I can fight it for today.  I am hoping against all hope that this craving passes soon.

I am a bit down today.  Having just lost a treasured friend, and having to prepare her funeral bulletin in my role as church secretary, has me a bit blue.  Even the weather is gray and unforgiving today.  My usual M.O. is to eat my feelings away.  It’s what made me the big girl that I am today.  If I eat enough sugar, then I just don’t care about things enough to hurt.

This is a new way of life.  This experiencing and walking through my feelings without medicating (in my case with sugar) is still very new to me.  But I know it is a healthier way to live.  I want this way of life.  I want to quit avoiding, and learn to face life as it comes.  It’s tough, but I really believe it is doable with the help of God.

Peace to you all, dear readers.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Capital “L” for Loser

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Day 164 in my rambling on as I wait to meet Mickey

I took a Disney quiz on Facebook today.  There were 10 questions on Disney movies.  For every question there were three true statements and one false statement.  I thought it would be a piece of cake.  (mmmmm…cake…)  Anyway, I took the quiz and bombed every question.  I did not get a single right answer.  Unbelievable!  The law of averages says I could have guessed at least one correct answer, right?  Nope.  Bomb-ola, ma-dola!

So today’s plan is to study up!  I have to find out more about this thing called Disney.  I am going to commit to watching at least one Disney movie a week until our trip to Walt Disney World in October.  I’m going to watch with purpose and determination to get myself juiced up and excited about all that I will experience on our trip.  I’ll consider it research and I’ll enjoy every minute.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW:  Still staying sugar-free.  What a trip!

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Saying Yes

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Day 162 in my inner ponderings as I make my way to Mickey

Today’s plan is to say, “YES.”  Tonight Mike and I will go to visit with some very dear friends of ours.  I love my “home time,” so I tend to say no to invitations.  But not today.  Today I say, “YES!”  I think that I have refused invitations in the past because of fears.  Fear of what the invitation will require: will I be up for this physically?  Fear of spending time away from home; my controlled environment.  Fear of having to “perform” or be the bubbly, happy, extroverted Donna: when in reality I am the controlling, reserved, shy, introverted Donna.  (Even I can hardly stand how narcissistic this sounds!)

But today, I say, “YES!”  Yes to visiting, Yes to life!  And most of all, Yes to Jesus and what he would have this day be for me.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Same Ol’, Same Ol’

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Day 160 in my rambling on as I wait to meet Mickey

True confession time: it’s one of those days when I am seriously UNinspired.  I’m not blue or struggling or giving up.  I just can’t seem to give a rip today.  So my plan is to stay sugar-free, eat healthy, balanced meals and move around as much as possible.

See, I told you, nothing new and exciting today.  Just the same ol’, same ol’.

So I’ll share a memory with you.  It’s one that comes back to me often, so it had a profound impact on me at the time.  Our family was visiting some family friends at their camp.  I was about 10 years old at the time.  I was swimming with their daughters and having a wonderful time in the river.  When we came up to eat lunch, I overheard someone say to my mom, “Donna has quite a little figure developing.  You’re going to have to keep a close eye on her.  She’ll be getting all sorts of the wrong type of attention.”  Now at 10 years old I had no idea what “the wrong type of attention” was, but it didn’t sound good, so I made sure to wrap a towel around myself to cover up.  Was I doomed?  Was there no way to avoid this “wrong type of attention”?

Well, I don’t know, but I do know that I sabotaged that figure before the “wrong type of attention” could kick in.  🙂  It’s so strange to think about how powerful words can be, hey?

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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…Early to Rise

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Day 159 in my meal planning to get ready to meet Mickey at the Magic Kingdom

Today’s plan was to get up early and prepare a crock pot meal before I left for work.  I put together a pot roast: potatoes, carrots and water in the bottom, the browned, seasoned roast next, onions on top.  I can hardly wait to get home and open my front door.  I know it will smell delicious!  I’ll serve the meal with a salad and whole grain bread.

I like the challenge of balancing what is on my plate: half vegetables, one quarter meat (about 4 ounces), and one quarter grain/potato/rice, etc…

The tonight I want to do some more Disney research.  It pumps me up and makes me want to stay the course.  🙂

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I lost a dear friend yesterday.  She valiantly fought a voracious cancer.  She is in glory, and I am thrilled that she is beyond pain and suffering.  But, Betty, you will be missed!

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Planning for Success

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Day 158 in my tasty travels to meet Mickey at Walt Disney World

Today’s plan is to get back to some serious menu planning.  I need to get back to lean proteins, whole grains,  lower glycemic index choices, fruit and many, many vegetables.  So tonight I will plan out the next week, looking through my (low sugar) recipes.  Then I’ll put together a shopping list for this weekend.

On the menu for tonight: Weight Watcher’s Chili.  This is an old recipe that I picked up back in the 70’s.  🙂

Ingredients:

  1. 1 pound of ground turkey (or chicken or beef or soy mince)
  2. 1 small to medium chopped onion (depending on how oniony you like it)
  3. 2 to 3 cloves of chopped garlic
  4. 1 large can/bottle of tomato juice (I always pick low sodium or no salt added for juices and veg)
  5.  spices to taste (I use chili powder, red pepper, black pepper, oregano, basil, marjoram)
  6. 1 can dark red kidney beans
  7. 1 can black beans
  8. 1 can wax beans
  9. 1 can French cut green beans
  10. 1 can bean sprouts
  11. 1 can diced tomatoes
  12. 1 small can mushrooms
  • Brown the onion and garlic in a little oil
  • Add the meat and brown.  (If you use soy mince, add it after the tomato juice)
  • Add the tomato juice
  • Season with your spices of choice
  • Drain all canned veg (except diced tomatoes) and add to soup
  • Bring to a boil.
  • Then simmer for 20 minutes to an hour.

It’s so tasty!  And even better the next day.  It freezes well, so it makes several meals for Mike and I.  Yum!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Energized at Last

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Day 153 in my efforts to get healthier to meet Mickey

My plan for today was to do the big grocery shopping on my own, after work, in subzero temps.  And I did it.  It took me over an hour to get all the things on the list.  And the good news is I had energy to spare.  I felt great.  My knees didn’t ache.  My hip wasn’t screaming.  By back was fine.  I have to tell you 37 pounds ago, that would not have been the case.  Thanks to this journey I’m getting my life back, and I like it!

Once I got the groceries put away, I prepared lemon-pepper shrimp with brown rice and steamed broccoli for dinner.  People, it was delicious!

Meet you at the Kingdom!