Saturday post weigh in....

Weekends are usually my worst time for food.  I EAT all the time.  So, with #belviq , my weekends are not being consumed by food, so now what?  Well, I will get in an exercise routine and start doing the things I love.

Today, I ate my granola bar which satisfies me completely.  For lunch, I a salad with thinly sliced walnuts (45 calories per 1tbls.  They are really good, seasoned and if you have a Kroger, you may find them by the bagged lettuce.  Anyway, I had all kind of vegetables and about 1/8 a cup of cheese.  I was FULL.

I'm in Houston, it was 105 today so I wanted something cool.  I found these cool real fruit small Popsicle and it was perfect.

Tonight, as a reward to my hard work this week, while enjoying time at a friends house, I had a piece of large pizza.  Now, you have to understand, normally, I could finish at least 1/2 of the large pizza.  My thought was, have left over salad and pizza.  So, I ate the one piece of pizza and I could only eat 3 bites of salad.  That's it.  FULL.  It was really good.

I calculated my calories to be about 1000 calories.  The pizza was the majority!!

So, do I feel like I am missing out?  Absolutely not.  I am learning about doing proportions!

I must let everyone know, Belviq is not a magic pill.  Well, it is in the fact that it tells your brain your not hungry.  I 100% believe that the success will come with diet and exercise.  I have many asking about it, etc.  If you do not intend to change your eating habits, you will fail.  (notice I did not say Belviq will fail).  You can't take the pill and eat pizza 3 times a day even if the proportions are cut down dramatically.  When you come off Belviq, you probably will resort to your old ways.  That's why I believe you MUST train yourself by eating healthy!!

follow me on twitter @ewenker

Am I being paid to blog? Setting the record straight

I have been bothered all evening about a comment to my earlier post of my first weigh in video.  It pretty much said that someone on twitter was making suggestions that my blog is fake and I was being paid by the pharmaceutical company.  And it also suggested my first week was purely water weight.

Let me be clear.  I am not being paid by ANYONE to do my blog.  I never heard of Belvic until I went to the doctor for an unrelated reason a week and a half ago.  In fact, my doctor had never heard of it until the RX sales rep stopped by with a brochure just moments before I got there.  It was all timing.

In fact, I was skeptical just like many are and I appreciate that.  I didn't even get the RX filled for 3 days because I thought it was just another drug failure and I wasn't about to waste my money on the unknown.  It was when a precious friend posted a picture that was taken one day on facebook when I broke down in tears and I just realized, I MUST do something.  So, the next day, I got the RX filled since it was a free trial.  I was amazed by the immediate results.  So much so, I got excited about the possibilities for the first time in years.

I will say one thing, I did some research on Belviq over those few days and I realized it was a really new drug.  So, realizing that to continue this course, it is going to cost me roughly $300 a month for Belvic and online nutritionist.  I have heard of cases where people can get sponsors and paid to blog.  I would be completely open to that idea.  I need to figure out how I will be able to do this financially!  Its going to be really really hard, but I am committed to it.  So, if Belviq ever approached me to sponsor my blog, I will totally take it up.  I will also let everyone know.  Mostly because I will be excited! HA.

I am also looking at changing my blog site to go through a paid go-daddy site.  The reason for this is I can do a few things, most importantly, I can set up ads on the side bar to help generate a little monthly income based off of incoming views.  I can't stress enough that if my insurance would cover the RX, I would just keep the blog here and do as is.  But I have to figure out how to bridge this financial divide.   Also, I am sure you realize, but the cost of eating healthy is so much more expensive to the cost of eating poor.  I'm so used to my bad eating habits, that my budget is based off of that. 

I hope this clears this up once and for all.  I want to thank the person that brought this to my attention.  I do not EVER want to appear deceptive for any reason.  I want to thank him personally for believing in me.

I hope you all believe in me as well!!!  I am counting on each of my followers to encourage me.  Seeing my large audience every day encourages me.  So you don't even have to say anything, you just have to read my blog and I will know you were here!  Well, not know exactly who was here but know that SOMEONE was here ha!

Have a great evening!

The Weigh-In......Are you Ready?

This will be a short entry - I will give a full normal Blog tonight.  Here is the video of my weigh in today on youtube!  Pay close attention as it reveals my STARTING weight and how much weight I have lost since starting belviq one week ago today.





I want to thank Karen Mann from the office of Dr. Michael Mann and Dr. Vanbiber, as well as the wonderful staff for being there as I weigh in for the first time!!!!!!

I will post more tonight!!  But many are asking what the results where.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Breaking a sweat - sort of......???

Last night I texted Karen to tell them they need to be on standby today because, get this, I was going to WORK OUT!!  I wanted to make sure that I had the doc on standby for the anticipated breaks, sprains, swelling!!   My friend Britton has a guest pass for her gym so I went with her today.  Now, this may surprise you, but I actually have a lifetime membership at 24 Hour Fitness - I pay $45 dollars per year.  BUT I HATE GOING ALONE!!!!  I'll get more into my work out later.

Today for lunch Britton brought this yummy chicken, pasta (whole wheat), broccoli cooked in a tomatos.  It was REALLY good.  I cut my portion size to what I would normally call "barely" which was about 2 cups total, maybe not even that much.  I chopped fresh vegetables for a salad and ate plenty of fresh raw veggies.  It was good!!

Tonight, I am going to figure out diner, probably a chicken breast and some vegetables.  I'm not that hungry so I have to tell myself EAT!

Ok, so, the gym.  Where do I start?  So, we get to the gym and I feel like the fat kid.  Wait, I AM the fat kid!  Britton was so great to get on the treadmill next to me to encourage me.  She usually does those step glider thingies.  I knew not to even TRY one of those.  That's like committing orthopedic suicide!  Anyway, she jogged while I walked.  I did a good 30 minutes at the speed of "2.5" whatever that was ha!!  It was a pretty good pace for a start.

As you can tell, I am not exactly Miss Peppy workout queen

 I started off at 1.5 and ended at the 2.5   My legs started bothering me.  Well, I mean, if you had to carry this weight, I guess you'd be bothered too!!! 
So, I said, "I'll sit on the stationary bike". 

I originally wasn't going to even do it in fear of my knees going on a permanent strike.  Well, the machine fascinated me so I decided to give it a go.  I broke the first machine!  NO JOKE haha!  I slid the seat too far back and we couldn't get it to move forward.  So, I jumped on the one next to me.  I was able to ride for about 10 minutes maybe at the most.  My knees were SCREAMING, so I decided to not push it. 

This is an absolutely HIDEOUS picture.  But, I am all about exposing the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Ok, so the ugly is now exposed, I'm ready to promote to the bad!!  But, I am working out!!!!!



This is why I am the photographer.  I do NOT like to be in front of the lens.  Thanks to Britton for capturing this ugly moment, per my request.  Who does that?  Hey, I am ugly, sweaty, and I am making noises I didn't know I could make, can you capture that for me for my blog?  I want to give my viewers the TOTAL experience!!!  (You should be thankful you cant scratch n' sniff the photo).

The good news, other then a little wind, nothing else broke!  I limped out a little and I am TOTALLY feeling it in my legs, but that's what a pain pill is for!  Yes, I will be taking 1/2 of one tonight.  I think we will be trying this again tomorrow.  I wonder if I can conveniently forget my workout clothes - if Britton will notice that it was intentional?

Tomorrow is the big day!!  I am going to weigh in for the FIRST TIME since I started taking Belviq one week ago!  I am NERVOUS.  I hope I lost at least 2 lbs!!  I would be happy with even just 1 pound!  I will be recording the weigh in tomorrow.  I will also officially tell you all tomorrow what my starting weight is!!  So, everyone, start taking bets.  1.  What was my starting weight (YOU WILL NOT OFFEND ME: 200, 300, 400, 500 LOL - just take a guess). and 2.  How much do you THINK I lost based of what you read on my blog this week.

Feel free to post it in a comment like 500/2 - 500 is the starting and 2 is what I lost.  I want to see how in tuned you are.  Just a little background information, I am 5'7. 

Ready, set, guess................................................

Tune in tomorrow!!!

I am blessed!!

INCREDIBLE - I have had 1742 views of my page since I started this blog just 5 days ago.  THANK YOU!!!!  This actually motivates me even more because I have so many who are obviously following  my progress.  I WILL DO THIS!!!

I got my first email today about the FREE 3 day trial with kickstart60 - the virtual dietary professionals there to help "Kick start" my weight loss using the healthy DASH diet.  So far, I'm impressed with how I am made to feel like an individual vs a computer.  Mindy will be my registered dietician and I can't wait to see when she will have for me.  I hope she knows I'm a bit challenging ha!  Well, I'm PICKY, but I will make do with whatever we come up with.  They will provide COMPLETE shopping lists for easy meal planning - EXCITED about that alone!!!!  I mean, there are those who plan so well - like those who get PAID to shop by taking advantage of those coupons.  I admire them.  But, I look at papers all day at work, I do NOT want to see any when I get home!!  I must admit, I am a "go to the store and just grab stuff" kind of person.  Hmmm, might be why I am also overweight?  think? Nah.......I blame that on my addiction to SWEETS!!!!

Again, go check out this wonderful program:  http://kickstarter60.com/  They have other options such as individual phone dietary counseling.  You can also GIFT this program to someone....like ME!!!!!  Any takers????  sigh, ok, no begging!  I can do this right??? I WILL do this!!

Last night I had a great TEXT conversation with Karen Mann - she's the wife of Dr. Michael Mann.  We crack each other up.   She's so much fun, she encourages me all of the time.  We officially set the day for me to go weigh in for Friday!!!  I will "think" about being brave to video the FIRST weigh in.  But, when I do that, I will be exposing my weight, so that will take courage.  But I think by exposing it, it's confronting it head on.  Just like any other emotional baggage, if you hide it away, it's going to keep creeping  back in your life one way or another.  So, I think by exposing it will be acknowledging that I have an issue.  Kind of that AA approach.

Today was the same repeat of yesterday in my diet (LEFT OVERS ROCK).  Once I get going on Kickstarter60, I will post some pictures of my great recipes I make.  I may not share those direct recipes on my blog because I will want others to subscribe to that service and give them that respect.  But I will also make some of my own, that I will share. 

I chose a bad time to start this diet, tonight is BIG BROTHER premier.   Three nights a week where I have to keep my hand out of the chip bowl while watching drama, will be torture.  For those of you who love big brother and you don't have time to spend 3 nights a week, please visit my friend Jamie Merlo's blog:  http://big-brother-15-blog.blogspot.com/ .  She blogs FULL TIME during big brother season.  She has access to the live feeds that she watches probably 20 hours a day lol.  (You are also invited to get the live feeds through her website).  I am a chat moderator in her blog chat room (yes, I am THAT hard core).  If you have a few pennies, donate (not required) because she does do this literally full time during the entire season!!! 

HAPPY HUMP DAY!!!!! 

YUMMY Chicken Tacos - Plus Virtual Dietitian!

So, my cousin Kris Cole had sent me an easy crockpot recipe for low fat chicken tacos.  I did not have the ingredients to start that before I left for work, so I thought, "I wonder if I can make the quick version on the stove?"  To the store I go!  I'm not good at this at all, looking at calories, fat, etc. and playing it all together in my head.  I know I need a few basic ingredients:  Chicken, CHEESE, tortillas, and the fillers like tomatoes, etc.

I find a package of 4oz each frozen chicken tenderloins made from chicken breast.  They are only 100 calories for each 4 oz breast.  I then got a package of taco seasoning.  I was shocked to see that it have very little calories!  EXCITED - about 25 per serving.  I got some taco blend cheese that was made with 2% milk.  1/4 cup was 80 calories.  I only needed half of that for my 1 taco.  I knew I needed a filler.  What should I get?  Ahh, corn!  I found these cool frozen corn in these trays - totally easy for portion control.  I then get a jar of restaurant style salsa (only 10 calories per serving) and some tomatoes.  Oh, wait!  Don't for get the tortillas (100 calories per tortilla).

I came home and put 4 pieces of Chicken in the pan.  I used a little "salsa" vs. oil to keep them moist.  Once cooked, I added one container of corn (80 calories) and the packet of taco seasoning with water.  This was perfect for 4 servings!!

I warmed up a tortilla, added diced tomatoes and the cheese.  This is ONE serving Taco.  The entire taco is less than 250 calories AND it was very much filling.  It takes even great without the tortilla.  So this was my dinner tonight!!  VERY YUMMY and I have enough for lunches for the next 2 days and dinner tomorrow night!!!!

This morning I ate some grapes for breakfast - It was intended for my mid morning snack but I forgot the stupid granola bar.  I had the last serving of my leafless salad for lunch and a 100 calorie snack mix this afternoon and a green apple.  Tonight, my taco and I will have a snack later.

Now on to something cool.

VIRTUAL DIETITIAN???  Well, I mean, we do everything else online, so why not have a dietitian online!  I  posted my blog in the Belviq support group page and a lady replied to my posting with a link.  It's called Kickstart60.  Basically, you get 60 days of nutritional support online for about $1 a day.  You get 60 days support to help you initialize the DASH Diet.  This includes:  60 days of email/text messaging, 60 days of DASH Diet Meal Plans for weight loss, 8 weeks of grocery lists, access to Kickstart60Chat Facebook Group facilitated by a professional dietitian.  THIS IS exactly what I was looking for!!!  AFFORDABLE!!  I am getting a free 3 day trial, but I for sure will be signing up (I may have to hit the pops up since the 1st of the month is RENT haha).

Anyway, Thanks Mindy!!   Go online to http://kickstarter60.com/store/ to subscribe!!

Hey, at least this blog had useful information right??  Not so boring today!  I will go in either Thursday or Friday to weigh.  I want to do my first weigh in at my doctors office where my wonderful friend Karen Mann works (Her husband is Dr. Michael Mann - my orthopedic surgeon - the BEST AROUND).  My primary dr. and my ortho dr. share the same office.  Anyway, since Karen  was the one responsible for me getting on Belviq, I want her to be there to see the results!  I can either kick her butt (if I don't lose anything) or hug her  neck (if I do).

Stay tuned...........

Day 4 #Belviq - my meals today and I NEED EASY recipes!

Today started out a little rough.  I FORGOT to take my #Belviq before leaving for work.  So, I noticed for sure an increased appetite but praise GOD I managed just fine until I could get home to take my evening dose. 

Todays meals consisted of (Not exactly ideal I am sure, but back off, I am trying - this is new):

Breakfast:
I know I said I don't like granola bars, and I don't but I had to eat something.  So, I had a 90 calorie granola bar.  Um, that thing was smaller than my finger!!!!

Lunch:
My "leafless" salad which basically comprised of tomatoes, celery, radishes, bell pepper, boiled egg (for protein), grated cheese (small portion for my cheese craving) and vinaigrette dressing.  I didn't feel full like I had been feeling, but that's because I forgot my morning dose.  I did snack on a snack wells 100 calorie pretzel mix this afternoon because I was starting to get grumpy!   My thought was, I need to get home and take that pill!!!

Dinner:  I just got home in time to make some chicken breast - plain no frills, and some fresh new potatoes dug out of the ground by my brother.  I boiled them - they were new potatoes.  Added just a little seasoning.  I had a little side salad.

Tonight I will snack on some fruit.  I bought green apples because I LOVE green apples and some green grapes.

So, was this exciting?  NO!  Was it the best meal plan?  Probably not BUT not there was nothing sweet and it wasn't loaded with carbs other than my potatoes.  So, I say, another successful day on Belviq!!

I still haven't had any side effects HOWEVER, I did notice two nights in a row I woke up with a headache.  The first night I took advil and it went away.  Last night it went away on it's own.  I'm hoping it's just my allergies or sinus and not a side effect.

If you have any recipes, please please please share them!!  I NEED EASY quick and YUMMY recipes!!

Day 3 so far so good

I've done pretty good today.   I could not believe last night I forgot to eat dinner so I had a healthy snack  

Today I went grocery shopping and got a lot of veggies which I love. I also need to think about protein and breakfast.   This will be tough.   I don't like yogurt nor granola bars so I need quick grab and go ideas. Suggestions welcome!!

Tonight I am having a leafless salad. That means all chipped veggies and no lettuce. 

I will be adding a little boiled egg for protein and maybe a little cheese just because I love it.

Ill be curious how this works after a week. I will not weigh myself for one week. Stay tuned .....

Day two, a repeat?

So far, so good!  I am amazed how fast this as worked on curving my appetite.  My biggest struggle now is going to be changing WHAT I eat vs. how MUCH I eat.  The only side effect I am experiencing is just a little tired.  But so far, I don't have any other side effects.

For lunch I ate a ymmy salad and it wasn't even a big salad.  I probably got about 1/3 of the way through and I was feeling really full.  Normally when I eat a salad or  small portion, within an hour or so I am starting to fill up with snacks.  It's been about 3 hours since I ate lunch (late lunch - hey, I like to sleep in ha!) and I can honestly say, I haven't though about food until I started writing this blog.  I will eat dinner shortly but pretty darn excited so far.

Tomorrow I plan to get in the pool and try to swim a little - start increasing exercise.  Of course, that will have to be after I clean!  I'm also going to plan my menus for the week and go grocery shopping.  My problem is, I don't like fish - at all.  Nasty, gross, won't even try it.  I'm actually not a big meat eater - I could leave like a vegetarian.  I've considered going vegan, but I love eggs, love cheese, love milk - I think it would be the epic fail. 

I need EASY affordable recipe ideas.  If anyone has anything they want to share, please feel free to post it for everyone. 

I'm going to try to post recipes and my daily meal diary for all to read.  What I hope to do is keep myself accountable by exposing what I eat - the good, the bad, the ugly!!  So, if I post something that I ate that was maybe not so good for my goal of weight loss, if you know of an alternative to what I ate, then please share!!!!!  I am open to anything!! 

YOUR FEEDBACK IS WELCOME!!

Cheers!

A New Day

I have battled weight all of my life.  I have tried multiple diet methods, programs, and have always ended with the same conclusion - FAIL!  My biggest issue:  feeling hungry all of the time!!  I wake up hungry, I go to be hungry.  Unfortunately, my thought to end hunger is....well, simply, EAT!  My weight gain has been progressive over the last few years.  Several events lead to the weight gain.  One being the passing of my mom to cancer.  Another is the loss of a job I loved and I was good at.  The third is falling and breaking my foot requiring 2 surgeries about 2 years ago.

This week, a few things happened that will hopefully change my life for good.  A friend posted a picture of me and her on facebook.  I was horrified when I saw the picture.  I couldn't believe what I was looking at. 

I knew I needed to make a change.  I am considering lap band surgery, but my insurance doesn't cover it.  So, I will have to save to cover the procedure.  It will cost minimally $10,000 to have the lap band, with that cost to be higher depending on the physician I chose.

This week, I had a small medical issue where I needed to see my primary physician.  My physician shares an office with  my orthopedic surgeon that I have been using for about 5 years for various orthopedic issues.  When I walked in the door, the girls at the front desk were reading a brochure that a pharmaceutical rep left behind.  As I was approaching the counter, one looks up and said, "Hey, let's get Ellie to try it."  Now understand, this person is someone I have become friends with over the year and just so happens to be the wife of my orthopedic surgeon!  They all get excited as if I was about to encounter something great!  The brochure:  Belviq and a free 15 day trial certificate.

Belviq is a new prescription medication recently approved by the FDA to treat obesity.  BELVIQ is believed to decrease food consumption and promote satiety by selectively activating serotonin 2C receptors in the brain.

So, my physician wrote out the 15 day RX (taking 2 a day).  This morning, I got the RX filled by my pharmacy and I took my first dose at about 10:00 am.  For lunch, although probably not ideal for weight loss, my coworkers treated me to an already pre-planned lunch.  Mexican food is one of my weaknesses.  I CRAVE salsa and can usually go through 2 bowls before my meal even comes out.  I always, for the most part, finish my plate.  Today, I ordered the taco dinner.  It comes with the standard beans, rice, and had 3 tacos.   I didn't realize that I only had 1/2 small bowl of salsa before my food came out.  By the time I got my food, I was already feeling "full".  I ate 1 taco and that was it!  I was full.

So, is this a sign that this will really work?  So far, my mind isn't consumed on eating - which is not normal for me.  In fact, eating has become a habit.  So, I have to remind myself to keep busy so I don't conform to my habit.  That's where this blog will come in! 

Stay tuned as I blog about my change!!!

Also, remember, no pill will lose your weight entirely.  Like every other weight loss pill, Belviq is to be used along with proper diet and exercise.  Those two elements will be the biggest part of the change!  But, I can do it!