Now I become myself. It’s taken
Time, many years and places;
I have been dissolved and shaken,
Worn other people’s faces…
- from a poem by May Sarton

You hear “you’ve let yourself go…” and 99% of the time think of the visual aspect of that, no? Someone who doesn’t care about their physical appearance. I think it’s so much more than this, though.

It hit me on Saturday, when after fixing my husband lunch, I asked him if he needed anything else. It probably goes back to my waitressing days, but I just can’t help it. I was kind of taken aback when he snapped at me: “You don’t have to ask me that! If I needed anything else, I would get up and get it myself! Now come sit down and eat!” Ouch. I do this every day. I’ve gotten lost in the shuffle of pleasing others.

• I put everyone else’s needs before my own.
• I push my feelings aside so as not to upset anyone.
• I let other people’s burdens weigh me down.
• I’ve let myself go.

Wife and mother… those may be my two main roles, but I know that I am more than that. This journey isn’t just about weight loss; it’s giving me an understanding of who I was, who I am, and who I can become.

Isn’t that a lovely commercial?
___________________________________________________

 THE PLAN

I’ve been on the Medifast 5&1 plan for 4 weeks now. I’m still going strong and find that pretty amazing. I’ve never been on ANY diet for more than 4 weeks. (Read about weeks 1, 2, and 3 if you haven’t already!)

I just placed my second order. This time I chose some of the ready-to-eat ‘bites’ and pretzels because of the convenience factor. I’m going to NYC for a few days and want to be sure I’m stocked with effortless Medifast foods so I’m not tempted to buy something off the street or order from room service. I might make a few batches of Medifast oatmeal granola to take with me, too, after finding this recipe that sounds really good.

I had my first chat with my dietitian last week. She’s so nice, and the fact that I can contact her practically anytime is reassuring. We talked about my goals and she answered a couple of my questions. My main concern was whether I should take a supplement since I’m on such a low calorie diet. I’ve been hearing so much about Vitamin D3, for instance. She told me that all Medifast meals are fortified with 24 vitamins and minerals, which is basically equivalent to taking a multi-vitamin. So… as long as I’m eating my 5 Medifast meals and 1 L&G meal a day, a supplement isn’t necessary.

She also recommended that I take my measurements so that I can see my progress off the scale when my weight loss starts to slow down (which it has). I hadn’t measured since November and feel so dumb for not writing the numbers down on paper. I put them into SparkPeople instead, and when I reset my goals at the beginning of January, all my data disappeared. Poof! But of course I didn’t realize this until last week. I did take my measurements at that point, though, so I’ll give you an update on that next month.

While I may not have inches to compare, I’ve noticed other little things.

• My wedding ring is loose.
• I don’t feel the need to tear my bra off at the end of the day because it’s too tight.
• My favorite jeans are falling off me. Literally.
• The elliptical is getting easier (and I’m actually starting to enjoy it!)

MY WEIGHT

YES! I’m finally in the 100′s… but I only lost a pound, I thought to myself when I weighed myself on Sunday. I let myself feel disappointed for about one second before appreciating that I still lost weight. Maybe not the 2-3 lbs I was hoping for, but something. The scale is moving in the right direction and I’ll never let myself go back to where I was. I’ve lost almost 25% of my goal of 52 lbs, and with every milestone I conquer, I feel empowered.

• Starting weight: 211.6 lbs
• Weight lost week one: 7 lbs
• Weight lost week two: 2.8 lbs
• Weight lost week three: 1.8 lbs
• Weight lost week four: 1 lb
• Current weight: 199 lbs
• Still to go: 39 lbs

Source: keepcalmgallery.com via Andrea on Pinterest

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE ABOUT MEDIFAST?

Medifast recently introduced a new customer savings program. If you use my coupon code, BUZZ56, and sign up for Medifast Advantage, when you order $250+, you’ll receive 56 free Medifast Meals and free shipping! Medifast Advantage has a lot of perks, including free customizable meals and a free BlenderBottle with minimum purchase.

The details: For your first order of $250+, use my code, and enroll in Medifast Advantage to receive 28 free meals. Do the same on your next order and you’ll receive ANOTHER 28 free meals! This offer is only valid if you enroll in Medifast Advantage, and it’s limited to one per customer. It’s not valid with prior purchases, any other promotions or discounts, or for Medifast Ready-to-Drink Shakes. Check out Medifast’s website for complete details on the program and discounts.

Also blogging about their Medifast journeys:

Kelly at The Turnip Farmer
Jenni at Jenni From the Blog
Stephanie at Goober Monkey
Alison at O My Family
Jessica at The Unemployed Mom
Stephanie at A Grande Life

Disclosure: I receive free product in order to evaluate and comment on my experiences on the Medifast Program. Medifast products and the Medifast Program are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Any medical improvements noted while on the program are related to weight loss in general, and not to Medifast products or programs.

Join us this afternoon for a Twitter Party to talk all about your love for avocados! Come slice, dip, spread, eat and tweet with us at #iloveavocados! Playful, fun and all about your love for avocados, hearts will be aflutter during the celebration of this delicious fruit. We’ll talk avocados, football, food, parties & more! Plus, learn about Avocados from Mexico’s unique Facebook page featuring special widgets to share the avocado love with all your friends and family.

• What: Avocados from Mexico #iloveavocados Twitter Party
• When: Tuesday, January 31, 2012 from 3:00-4:00PM EST
• Hashtag: #iloveavocados
• Moderators: @MomCentral, @DadCentral, @MomCentralChat & @StacyDeBroff
• Special Guest: @guacgrl
• Prizes: Six people will win a $50 Amazon gift code & an Avocados from Mexico prize pack during the hour-long party. We’ll also be giving away two $50 Amazon gift codes & a prize pack for tweeting before the party.
• TweetGrid: http://bit.ly/xRDJSq

Pre-tweet to Win!

Anyone who tweets this from now until the Avocados from Mexico #iloveavocados Twitter Party will be eligible to win one of two $50 Amazon gift codes and an Avocados from Mexico prize pack before the party starts.

For more information about the party, please click here.

Disclosure: I’ll receive compensation for co-hosting the Twitter party.

About Lady and the Tramp:
When Aunt Sarah moves in with her devious felines Si and Am to baby-sit, the very protective Lady soon finds herself being fitted for the unthinkable — a muzzle! In her bid for freedom, she meets and is charmed by Tramp, dog-about-town. Together with friends Jock, Trusty, and Peg, they share thrilling adventures on an enchanting evening as Lady learns what it means to be footloose and leash-free. 

I just read that there’s a special song on the DVD that was cut from the original film. I love it when they include little surprises like that! Listen to “I’m Free as the Breeze” here:

• Create a Valentine card with Lady and the Tramp.
• Buy it! Available for pre-order on Amazon – $24.99.

Have you joined Disney Movie Rewards? Earn points when you buy Disney Blu-rays and DVDs plus select CDs, and when you see Disney movies in theaters. Membership is free, plus it’s fun and easy to participate. Redeem points for rewards including Blu-rays, DVDs, Disney experiences, toys, and more. You can also get savings coupons for Disney movies, and enter sweepstakes for great prizes.

If you’d like to join now, just sign-up at DisneyMovieRewards.com then type code: RIDE in the “Enter Magic Code” box. You’ll automatically get 500 points plus a free Mickey Mouse pin (99-cent S&H). This only works for new members.

Disclosure: I was provided with 500 Disney Movie Rewards points for sharing this information with you.

Back in December I entered Chiquito in an Angry Birds photo contest on the Hartz Facebook page. I asked for votes a couple of times here and on Facebook, but forgot about it for the most part when Christmas came around.

This morning, as I was trying to kill time playing with Facebook on my phone while on the treadmill, I saw a message from Hartz in my “Other” folder. Have you ever checked that folder? So much good stuff in there that I missed. Apparently if you’re not my “friend” and message me, it automatically goes there instead of my inbox. Annoying. I digress.

Chiquito won the contest! Well, he didn’t win win. With 76 votes, he was the last runner up out of 14 winners, while the grand prize pet reached over 1000. Wow. All the winning dogs and cats are here. My Chiquito is the cutest. Just saying’.

I know the prize is Angry Birds themed, so Chiquito will be thrilled! It’ll be nice to see what surprise they send out.

YOUR TURN: Do you enter photo and/or voting contests? How often do you win?

Genuine Maseca Corn Flour by Andy Castro, on Flickr

In the past I’ve written about tortillas, tamales, and corn cakes, but did you know Maseca is also great as a thickener in soups and stews? Move over cornstarch, you may thicken a dish, but add no flavor. Maseca makes soups thick and rich, adding a lovely, subtle corn flavor and a little texture, too. The key is to add just a little at a time, whisking the soup constantly until it’s reached your desired consistency. The most convenient way to do it is to mix the Maseca with a little warm water (or milk, if making a creamy soup) first until it’s dissolved, and then add it to the pot. Usually 2-3 tablespoons will do, but I don’t really measure. If that doesn’t end up being enough, to make it easy, I keep some in a big shaker next to the stove so I can sprinkle in a little more!

Game Day Chili

The Super Bowl is coming up, and while I’m not a big fan of football, I do like to treat my husband, his dad, and whomever else happens to show up to some good food. A big pot of chili with all the “fixins” really hits the spot on a cold February evening. Plus, I can easily make it ahead of time so I don’t spend the afternoon cooking. I might just make an extra batch and freeze it for next month’s Oscar party!

Chili by Jeff Clark, on Flickr

As far as a recipe goes, well, anything goes! My chili changes every time, depending on what I happen to have on hand. It’s a great way to use up leftover meat and veggies, and I always add a little Maseca to thicken it up. My basic ingredients include:

• Meat: ground beef, ground turkey, chopped steak
• Onion, chopped
• Garlic, minced
• Bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• Tomatoes, diced
• Tomato sauce
• Spices: chili powder, cumin, oregano, cayenne (if you like it extra spicy)
• Kidney and/or pinto beans
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Maseca, for thickening
• For toppings: cilantro, shredded cheese, diced onions, sour cream, sliced jalapeños, tostada chips

Directions:

• Heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onions and bell peppers until soft.
• Add garlic and meat, and cook until browned. Drain off excess grease.
• Add diced or canned tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, and all the spices. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Now you add the beans, if you’d like, bring to a boil, and let simmer for a while.
• I add the Maseca mixture when the chili is almost ready, and bring it to a simmer for another 10-15 minutes.
• Put together a toppings bar so everyone can help themselves!

For more yummy game day recipe ideas, including things like nachos, taquitos, empanadas, and sopes, visit the My Chef section of the Maseca website. There’s also a great new club that you can sign up for – Club Mi Maseca. For even more recipes, follow the Maseca Amigas board on Pinterest and on Twitter at #clubmimaseca. Be sure to read our articles on mimaseca.com, too (in both English and Spanish!)

Here are some more yummy recipes using Maseca, from a few of my friends:

YOUR TURN: Do you have a good chili recipe you’d like to share? I might just make it and feature it in a future post. Do you use Maseca or anything else to thicken it up?

Disclosure: I’m participating in a sponsored campaign with Maseca and Latina Bloggers Connect, but all opinions are my own.

Maura is more of a My Little Pony fan than Maya. It all started with the adorable My Little Pony: So Soft Sleep & Twinkle Starsong which she still has, by the way, more than 2 years later! She loves to line them up along her windowsill and comb their long, colorful manes. Rainbow Dash is her favorite!

We added our first My Little Pony play set to our collection recently -
Rarity’s Carousel Boutique!

Maura has pretty much claimed it as her own. Like a merry-go-round for My Little Ponies, it’s a beautiful way for her to display her collection in her bedroom. We went to an amusement park not too long ago, so the excitement of that easily translated into how Maura played with this play set. When you slide the lever, the carousel starts to turn and the music starts to play…

Maura had one pony selling carousel tickets from one window, the other operating the concessions – selling popcorn, a drink, fries, candy, and ice cream…

While the little mouse went ’round and ’round on the carousel!

BUY IT

I’m very happy with this toy, as are both my daughters! Best for kids 3 years and up (because of the small parts), My Little Pony: Rarity’s Carousel Boutique sells for $29.99. It includes 2 “AA” batteries so it can be played with right out of the box. Let me tell you – this past Christmas was the first I year I had ever purchased anything directly from Hasbro, and I was so incredibly happy with their prices and fast shipping. The Hasbro Toy Shop kicked Toys ‘R’ Us to the curb!

Disclosure: Hasbro provided me with the product sample pictured above to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.

That’s a bit of an exaggeration. I mean, I didn’t consume 3000 calories or anything. I just ate a lot of something I shouldn’t have eaten. The first was on Sunday. My youngest daughter asked for some animal crackers. As I was serving her some in a bowl, I popped one in my mouth. Mind you, I had bought these specifically because it’s not something I eat. I can’t remember the last time I had animal crackers, but, mmm… they were better than I remembered them being. So I had another one. And another. I finally stopped at 30, in the span of maybe a couple of minutes. Yes, I counted each one. Just over 200 calories and 40-or-so carbs.

The next binge was on Monday (the very next day – gah!). I decided I’d make the girls a hot lunch rather than the usual cold sandwich… spaghetti with a little butter, shredded chicken, and some Parmesan cheese, and a side of broccoli leftover from the previous night’s dinner. I served them and went back to the stove to clean up a bit. There was a little pasta left on the serving fork, so I took a bite. Um, yum! Buttery, cheesy… so I had another bite. And another. Until I had finished more than half of what was left in the pot. There wasn’t much, as I had only planned on making lunch for two little girls, but it was at least a cup of pasta, plus the extra calories from the butter and cheese. A total of 300-ish calories, I’m guessing?

The thing is, both times I went right back to Medifast for my next meal, two to three hours later. I didn’t exercise like crazy, or skip a meal in an attempt to reduce my calorie intake for the day. I just took it as a little bump in the road. This is a big step forward for me, not to feel like I failed just because I ate a handful of animal crackers! In the past, I would’ve just blown it for the rest of the day. For the rest of the week even. Or just dropped the diet completely.

So I’m adding animal crackers to my long list of trigger foods: Nutella, Goldfish, cookies, crunchy cereal, chocolate, ice cream… I’ve realized that I just have to eliminate these foods from my kitchen. It sucks for my daughters – who do have these snacks in moderation – but hopefully it’s only temporary.

That said, I’m feeling great energy-wise, and am so inspired.

Last weekend I met two contestants from The Biggest Loser at a health & fitness expo in DC – Jessica Limpert and Ramón Medeiros – and they couldn’t have been nicer. They look great, radiate happiness, and they’re so in love, which was beautiful to see.

I also stopped by the Medifast booth and met some of the staff, including Brian, the director of social media for the company. So cool. The team members that I’ve met (or talked to on the phone) so far have been really awesome. And they’re so close! Medifast HQ is in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore.

I’m thankful that my kids are finally starting to get used to the fact that 5 out of 6 of my meals or snacks come out of little pouches LOL. No more offering me their leftover PB&J sandwiches! Maya was so cute today; she told me that next Sunday morning I have to sleep late. I have to. And I can’t get out of bed until she tells me to. Why? I asked. “I can’t tell you, it’s a surprise!” And then she grabbed a Medifast Chocolate Chip Pancake packet and asked me how to prepare it, you know, just out of curiosity. How sweet is that! And it’s not even my birthday or anything. I’ll just have to clue my husband in on this so he can offer to help her.

LEAN & GREEN

My new veggie for this week was bok choy! To accompany a 5-oz filet, I sauteed half an onion, half a red bell pepper, and a few garlic cloves in a little bit of oil until softened. Then I added the bok choy,a handful of sliced mushrooms, a dash of ground ginger and black pepper, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a squirt of soy sauce, and let it simmer for a few minutes on low heat. I basically added whatever I could find in my fridge that needed to be eaten. Bok choy has a really mild taste, a little like cabbage. I really loved it and so did my husband. Something like this is hard to measure as far as Medifast goes, so I just went for a cup, hoping that I didn’t go too crazy. Definitely making this again!

EXERCISE

I’m taking it nice and slow!

• Up to 7 minutes on the elliptical, (I hope that doesn’t sound as sad as I think it does!) doing it three times a week and adding another minute every week.
• I just finished my 2nd week of the “5K Your Way” running program, where I alternated between walking for 3 minutes and running for 2, for a total of 25 minutes, also three (different) days a week.
• Sunday is my day off. From formal exercise, that is – because you’ll find me running up and down the stairs with baskets of laundry all day!

MY WEIGHT

At the beginning of this journey – on December 31st – I had just about 52 lbs to lose. If my goal is to get there by the end of 2012, that works out to a loss of one pound a week. Perfectly manageable, right? I figure if I set myself up to surpass expectations – as I have up until now – I’m much more likely to succeed.

Starting weight: 211.6 lbs  /  Current weight: 200 lbs

• Weight lost week one: 7 lbs
• Weight lost week two: 2.8 lbs
• Weight lost week three: 1.8 lbs
• Still to go: 40 lbs

REWARDS

To celebrate my 10 lb loss I got myself EARBUDi clips. I actually bought these back in November, but I never opened the package after stopping Medifast. I guess I felt like I didn’t deserve a reward. I’ve been wearing them a couple of days, and I am loving ‘em! If you have those white Apple earbuds, you’ll want to check EARBUDi out.

Regular earbuds hurt my ears, and if I go for a run or am active in pretty much any way, they fall out. Annoying. That’s where EARBUDi comes in. They clip on and off your Apple earbuds, turning them into running headphones. The over-the-ear part is soft and flexible, keeping the earbuds in place, but not in your ear.

Customer service is awesome, by the way. Judging by the tracking on Amazon, my original order got lost in the mail, so I messaged the company and a new set was sent out the same day, which I received a couple of days later. Oh, and did I mention these are only $9.99?!

Past rewards:

• -5lbs: Silver earrings DONE!

MEDIFAST DISCOUNT!

If you use my coupon code, BUZZ56, and sign up for Medifast Advantage, when you order $250+, you’ll receive 56 free Medifast Meals and free shipping! Medifast Advantage has a lot of perks, including free customizable meals and a free BlenderBottle with minimum purchase. Check out Medifast’s website for complete details on the program and discounts.

Also blogging about their Medifast journeys:

Kelly at The Turnip Farmer
Jenni at Jenni From the Blog
Stephanie at Goober Monkey
Alison at O My Family
Jessica at The Unemployed Mom
Stephanie at A Grande Life

Disclosure: I receive free product in order to evaluate and comment on my experiences on the Medifast Program. Medifast products and the Medifast Program are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Any medical improvements noted while on the program are related to weight loss in general, and not to Medifast products or programs.

YOUR TURN: Have you seen any good videos online lately?

Available in two delicious varieties, Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks are:

• Made with real fruit juice* and natural colors** and flavors.
• 80 calories, gluten free and contain 100% of the Daily Value of Vitamin C.

These were a big hit with my kids and their friends the moment I pulled a pack out of the box! I like that each serving is small – only 8 or so gummy snacks per pack – yet satisfying enough for kids to not ask for another snack. I personally couldn’t distinguish between some of the flavors, but the snacks were definitely good. Not too chewy, and they sort of start to dissolve in your mouth while you chew. Seeing that each box comes with a bonus Box Top was a nice surprise, as Maya and I collect these for her school. Even better? The Double Box Top’s available year round.

For more information on this new product, please visit Ocean Spray’s Website or ‘like’ Ocean Spray’s Facebook page. Download a printable coupon for $1.10 off of purchase of (2) Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored snacks before heading to the store!

*These Fruit Flavored Snacks are made with apple, pear, and cranberry juice concentrate. See package for a list of complete ingredients. They are not intended to replace fruit in the diet.
**Colors from natural sources.

________________________

WIN IT!

4 readers of The Domestic Buzz will win the new Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks!

PRIZE
(4) winners will each receive a prize pack containing:

• 6 boxes (3 of each variety) of Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks

To enter to win, please leave a comment below telling me which of your favorite fruit flavors you would like to see Ocean Spray® Fruit Snacks come out with next.

For extra entries:

• Subscribe to my feed by reader or email (or let me know if you already do). 1 entry
• Tweet about this giveaway one time using the Tweet button below, or copy this: #Giveaway! Enter to win the new Ocean Spray fruit flavored snacks from The Domestic Buzz! http://thedomesticbuzz.com/?p=15544 #TDB - 1 entry
• Like The Domestic Buzz on Facebook. 1 entry

Entry period ends Wednesday, January 25th, 2012. US entries only, one person per household. Leave a separate comment per entry and a valid email address. Winner, chosen at random, has 3 days to claim their prize.

Disclosure: Ocean Spray® Fruit Flavored Snacks, information, and giveaway have been provided by Ocean Spray® through MyBlogSpark.

I won’t go into detail about it, but if you haven’t already heard about these bills, watch the video below, created by BlogWorld. For further reading, Mashable has an informative post about Why SOPA is dangerous, and Copyblogger does a good job of explaining The Problem with SOPA (And How to Stop It). Please take a moment to sign this petition and write to Congress, asking them to stop this bill now!