Guilt Free Thanksgiving Gluttony

Yes I indulged! I still tried to log my calories just for kicks, but I don't need an app to tell me I ATE TOO MUCH! I'm up 4 glorious pounds and don't even care. I enjoyed my family and friends and I'm finally comfortable with knowing a few bad days won't make me gain back the 49lbs I've lost. I may gain back a few, but who cares. Now that my lifestyle is a healthy one, I can lose them just as easily as I put them on. I was back to my regularly scheduled program today and took the dog out for a mile walk (chihuahuas don't have much stamina!) and visited my old friend Jillian for Level 3 of 30 DS. I totally loved my diet vacation!

#Unprocessed (& Delicious!) Peanut Butter

I pledged to do October less processed, and one of my favorite food items that needed a make over was definitely me beloved Low Fat Jif. So, yes I realize it's the end of November and I'm just getting around to posting about this but I was reminded of it as I made my grocery list because this was a change that ended up sticking!

Ok, so let's start with my beloved Jif that I've eaten for years. I thought it was peanut butter. But no! It's a peanut "spread". I assumed the ingredients couldn't be that bad because really how much do you need to alter peanuts to make peanut butter? And I was wrong again with that one too. Here's the ingredient list:

Reduced Fat Jif Ingredients:

PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SUGAR, SOY PROTEIN, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (RAPESEED AND SOYBEAN), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, MOLASSES, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, NIACINAMIDE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, ZINC OXIDE, COPPER SULFATE, FOLIC ACID, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE.

Here's how you make peanut butter:

1. Put peanuts in food processor

Boom. Peanut butter. So why all the extra stuff Jif?! 

I knew I wouldn't be making my own peanut butter (even though it's so darn easy), so I decided to find a yummy natural one without all the extra stuff in it. I ended up trying MaraNatha's No Stir Organic Peanut Butter and it was a home-freaking-run. I love it and will never eat anything else!

Thus, Unprocessed October was a huge success in my book!

Wisdom According to Pinterest

Strollin' w/ My Peeps

Out for a beautiful afternoon stroll yesterday with both of my babies. We only ran over the dog twice this time!

The Final Countdown!

I did it! I met my first goal date and weight of 175 lbs on November 2 (my baby's 1st birthday). This is the countdown that I kept on my fridge and I absolutely loved crossing off the days....all 148 of them. I have set another 60 day goal (Phase 2) that ends on New Year's and I'm already off to a great start! Oh, I also collect refrigerator magnets. Don't judge.

The Hardest 5K Ever!

Running is a funny thing. Some days are amazing, and the road just flies beneath my feet. Other days not so much. Well, I signed up for the October 21st Waterworks 5K at White Rock Lake and that week had been jogging 3 miles easy peasy in Nashville while on vacation. Then the race happened and I learned that I need to run more hills! OMG it nearly killed me but I finished (not last!) in 42 minutes. Here is me forcing a smile just before the finish line. I'm positive I had blacked out at this point!