DAY 39

With a little planning and strategic portioning, your favorite snacks can help you nip cravings in the bud, stave off hunger, and fight feelings of deprivation. All of the snacks listed here are 150 calories or less, so you can give in to your sweet tooth or satisfy your mid-afternoon stomach growl and still fit into your skinny jeans. And with so many choices—from sweet and chocolaty to salty and savory—there’s a nibble to match every mood.

Satisfy a Sweet Tooth

• 1 cup berries or fruit salad topped with a dollop of reduced-fat whipped topping
• 6 ounces plain, non-fat yogurt drizzled with 1-2 teaspoons honey
• 1 frozen fruit pop or Italian ice
• 2 Tootsie Pops
• 100-calorie snack packs (such as Lorna Doones, Chips Ahoy!, and Honey Maid cinnamon rolls)
• 2 small cookies
• Half sweet potato sprinkled with cinnamon and 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 8 vanilla wafers
• Microwaved sliced apple sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg
• 2 graham cracker sheets (two squares per sheet)
• 35 Jelly Belly jellybeans

Get Your Chocolate Fix

• 1 oz. dark chocolate (preferably at least 70% cacao/cocoa)
• Two fun size chocolate bars (Snickers, Milky Way, Three Musketeers, etc.)
• 1 regular pack Pretzel M&Ms
• 1/2 cup low-fat chocolate pudding
• Chocolate-flavored 100-calorie snack packs (such as Oreos, Grasshoppers, and Fudge Grahams) 
• One low-fat hot cocoa packet mixed with 6 oz. plain nonfat yogurt
• 4 Dove Promises mini chocolates
• 5 Hershey Kisses
• 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips mixed with ½ cup whole grain cereal
• Chocolate-covered strawberries: 1 oz. dark chocolate melted over 5 whole strawberries
• ¾ cup Chocolate Cheerios
• 1 serving (50 pieces) Chocolate Goldfish Grahams
• 16 mini chocolate rice cakes

Salty Satisfaction

• 1 ounce baked chips (potato, tortilla, vegetable, lentil)
• 1 ounce soy crisps
• 1 ounce pretzels
• 4 cups air popped popcorn (optional seasonings: cumin, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, cinnamon, etc.)
• 100-calorie bag microwave popcorn
• Salty/savory 100-calorie snack packs (such as Cheez-Its, Sun Chips, and Ritz Snack Mix)
• ¼ cup plain or flavored almonds
• ½ cup pistachio nuts (in the shell)
• 2 Laughing Cow Light cheese wedges spread on 2 Light crackers or 4 Triscuits
• Half a baked potato topped with salsa and/or nonfat sour cream
• Half a medium avocado, drizzled with fresh lime juice and lightly sprinkled with kosher salt
• ¼ cup hummus and 10 baby carrots (or celery sticks)
• Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons light cream cheese

Thanks to By Joy Bauer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N. @ joybauer.com

DAY 38

After talking with my husband last night, I think the best thing is to extend my work outs 2 days a week to start out. I can do an hour of exercise on my days off from work. Once I do that we can see where things go. Here is my new workout schedule.

Monday- 30 minute cardio

Tuesday- 1 hour cardio w/ weights

Wednesday- 30 minute cardio

Thursday-1 hour cardio w/ weights

Friday- Rest or 30 minute cardio

Saturday- 30 minute cardio

Sunday- Rest day

Once I start the new running schedule I am sure it will change again. I have 5 BIG events this year. I will succeed at this!!! Hope you all are on board :)

P.S. WATER, WATER AND MORE WATER!!!!

DAY 37

I have a fire under my butt to get this weight off. I am considering getting up early to get a longer work out in. This hasn’t worked very well in the past for me but it is the only time I have to step things up. (Usually, I get dizzy or faint if I don’t eat before exercising first thing in the morning, but I don’t like to eat first thing. I’m not a morning person.)  I can’t help feeling that I should be working out for longer periods of time. 30 min is good but it could be better. I will have to brainstorm to make this work.

I looked up how to prepare for a 5K run last night. It seems that in order to run a 5K you have to be able to run at least 2 miles with out stopping before you can attempt a 5K. Well… guess what? I can’t run for 5 minutes let alone 2 miles. It recommends training for 8 weeks prior to the race. I think I should start now. The race is in September and as you all know my father said he didn’t think I would do it. I need to prove that I can, not only to myself, but to my family & friends, too. I am tired of being fat!!!!

Wish me luck!!!