Tami's Diet Challenge Diary

Today was our big reveal on CTV, what an experience it all was. First off I would like to thank CTV and Canada AM for running this contest and for choosing me as one of the winners. Jim and I really appreciate the opportunity you gave us to become healthier more fit people. Seamus, Marcy and Jennifer you really helped today to put us all at ease with being in front of a camera and being so gracious and funny, it really helped calm us down. I am a little sad that Beverly and Jeff were not there but hope to meet them next time (in a few months maybe?)

Dr. Mike and Jennifer, you two are awesome and it was truly an honor meeting both of you and working with you on this lifestyle makeover. It is obvious by your interactions with everyone that you honestly care about people and genuinely want to help people achieve a healthier lifestyle.

Thank you for the book, pedometer, your advice and thank you for throwing away foods we though were helping me to loose weight and for teaching us to be smarter about eating and exercise.

Caroline, Paul and Suzanne; thank you for all your support and encouragement the first couple of weeks are the hardest but you made it easier to bear just by going through it with us. I got a lot of tips out of your blogs and enjoyed reading about your lives and families. I also would like to thank the fans who wrote in on the blog it helped us so much to have your encouragement and ideas.

Last but not least to my family, Jim, Jacob and Samantha thank you for helping me through this, for never complaining about the food and for being my strength. Vicki and Dennis I am very proud of you. Jim I have truly fallen even more in love with you throughout this whole process, your help and determination really made a difference and has meant the world to me.

A big heartfelt thank you to the Running Room Fairway Road, Kitchener and Christine the manager for the clothes and shoes they gave me for taking part in the YOU plan, I love the new Canada line and will proudly wear them (and brag about the Running Room) it was a wonderful surprise and an awesome reward!

March 24-25

This was a busy weekend; I took the afternoon off on Friday and had an awesome day buying clothes. I am now wearing a size 12 which is bordering on a bit big right now so I just bought some key pieces that I can alter as I loose more weight, the spring colors and styles are great. We had a healthy dinner out on Friday evening of chicken slouvaki with rice and Greek salad. Saturday we did our usual grocery shopping in the morning and some other errands, and then we had company come for the rest of the weekend. The nice thing about our company is that they are very healthy and eat just the same as we do now so it makes it easy to cook for them. They also have a two year old baby and he is so cute and fun to have around. We have just a few days to go before the big reveal and while I am getting a little nervous I am looking forward to talking to Dr. Mike about our program and maintenance once we are at our goal weights.

March 23

It has been a great week, we are settled in to our new eating lifestyle and loving every minute of it. Here is this week's skinny: Tami waist 35.5 (no change), weight 164 (down 2 lbs) that is down 16 lbs in total so far, and Jim his waist was 36.5 so he is down another inch in the waist and his weight is 219 so down 1lb.

I think our progress and steady weight loss is a great testament to hard work and support of each other, it is also proof positive (to me anyway) that the YOU on a DIET plan really works and it works exactly the way Dr. Mike said it would!

Thank you CTV for running this contest and picking me as a winner! Have an awesome weekend!

March 21

This is week 9 and we are still going strong. Jim and I went out for a long walk last evening and we were talking about his whole process and experience it has been wonderful and now that eating and cooking isn't the only thing we think about we are finding we have more time and energy to put into exercise and hobbies. It is wonderful.

I am looking forward to the summer and a slimmer body to buy new bathing suits for I can't wait for that either. This Friday afternoon a couple of my friends and I are going shopping for the afternoon I have a couple of events to go to next week and really need to buy something new to wear! That will be fun!

March 20th

Another beautiful bright sunny day, it is cold but seeing the sun is the important thing to me at this time of the year. I took left over spaghetti squash stir fry for lunch today it was all veggies and tasted great. Again I found myself talking about the plan again today, we should be getting royalties on the sale of the book. They say that if you do something for 8 weeks it becomes a habit, I will have to agree with that the YOU plan has certainly become our habit and it is a great one!

Well, gotta go the dog is whining cause she knows it walk time! Time to put on another 4500 steps to add to my 8600 for the day so far so that will put me over 13,000 for today!

March 19th

Today I am very tired (came home too late last evening), I'm also not thrilled with the weather as it sure doesn't inspire me to hit the road for a walk. (more like climb into a hot bath). I have nearly 8400 steps logged already and will still walk tonight to get over the 10 000 mark.

Caroline I certainly can relate to your stress eating but take comfort in knowing that you have found one of your triggers and can come up with creative ideas on how to deal with them. I have always thought that what a naturally thin person has that I don't have is the ability to regulate their intake and balance their food automatically and without even realizing that they are doing so. For example they may overeat one meal or have a day that is higher in intake than normal for them, then what they naturally do is for the next few days cut back on something or increase their exercise for a couple of days so that it all balances out. This automated eating is what the YOU plan is teaching us to do and you are proof of that because the next day when you went out to eat you made a healthier choice - maybe not completely automated yet but it will get there.

Suzanne keep up the good work, I agree with what you are saying about eating a higher fat food and not liking it! Hope you all have a nice evening!

March 17th & 18th

We had a great weekend, Saturday was the regular chore day after a long day of cleaning house, running errands I made a large stir fry with tomatoes and spaghetti squash it was very tasty and since it was straight veggies we didn't feel guilty about having seconds. Sunday we went visiting some friends that we hadn't seen since Christmas. Lucky for us they are really healthy eaters too so it wasn't a struggle to stick to the plan. I took a treat of pita chips and hummus which we all enjoyed then we all took a long walk. Jim managed to get a lot of kiting in this weekend which equals lots of exercise.

We are really setting in to this new healthier lifestyle and I can see that this change will be lifelong.

March 16th

Well another successful week on the You on a Diet plan, Jim was down another 4lbs (220 now) and his waist stayed the same. Tami did not lose weight or inches this week but that is on track with the plan so it is ok! We are still doing well and are not having any issues following the eating and exercise plan.

I want to tell Ang how proud I am of her for following us along and getting into those old clothes, I too feel like I have a new wardrobe as things are fitting nicely these days (not too tight). We are getting close to the big reveal and I am excited to see everyone in person on the show!

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

March 15

This is a question for Dr. Mike and/or Jen. When I get home from my evening walks I find that I am extremely thirsty and by that I mean that I will drink a large glass on grapefruit juice and three to four large glasses of water. I have noticed that I am waking up in the night very thirsty as well, so I keep water on my bedside table. Of course all this drinking in the evening you would think I would have to wake up to use the bathroom but that is not the case I don't get up to use the bathroom until morning. Is this something that I need to be concerned about?

I find that drinking grapefruit juice in the evening makes me less likely to need an evening snack as well, which is a good thing. I have also noticed this week that I am not experiencing times of feeling hungry. I would be ecstatic if I knew that this would last and is the result of the new healthier lifestyle we are living.

Good luck on the weigh in day tomorrow everyone!

March 14

Today was a wonderful day, I had several people coming up to me and telling me I look amazing, even the lady that lets me in to the parking lot told me "Tami you are really slimming down I can see it in your face" and I was sitting in my car at that point. So needless to say I am totally excited about that.

Needless to say I have been talking about the You on a Diet plan a lot lately, it seems that being on the plan and doing it in a public forum like we are has been really inspiring to people. I don't know how many times I have heard people say that they are through with diets, so I just tell them that this isn't a diet, it is a lifestyle and it is easy!

Thank you everyone who paid me such nice compliments today you have made my day!

March 13

Today was an absolutely beautiful day and a very busy one for me, which is just the way I like it! I have discovered that everything is truly becoming automatic. I get up in the morning, do the workout video, after getting showered dressed and ready for work I make my lunch, this week I bought a container of premixed salad greens and grab that for lunch to which I add dried cranberries and pecans. A little salad spritzer and you have an awesome lunch! Morning snack consists of raw green beans and carrots, afternoon snack is a piece of fruit, a few almonds just before the drive home from work and by the time I get here I am not feeling starving and can simply make dinner. Which tonight was the peanut shrimp in a stir fry. Very tasty!

I think my kids are even losing a couple of pounds (not that they needed to) but I hope they are learning all about balance and nutrition even though I know they are eating junk when they are not with me, at least I know they are eating healthier at home.

Well time to relax for the evening with a good book!

Keep up the good work Caroline, Paul and Suzanne!

March 12

Well another weekend goes by and we did great eating wise. I have taken another look at the You on a Diet book. Meal plan and exercise plan just to refresh my memory. The kids have been great about this whole thing, they have not complained at all about the lack of the foods they had been used to, I think they have even lost a little weight which I guess didn't hurt them either even though they are both fairly thin.

Saturday I forgot to put on my pedometer all day! Unusual for me but as I didn't sit down for even a moment all day I know that I was close to the 10 000 steps. Sunday we went to Jim's Mom's for a visit and went for a long walk which was nice but because it is a to hour drive to the farm I am still sitting at 5276 it is 730 in the evening and we still have an hour drive before getting home.

Next week looks fairly quiet for me with just one evening meeting so we should have no problems getting out steps in. And I will continue to do the workout in the morning. I am still doing the beginner workout as there are a couple of the exercises that I cannot sustain for the whole time, once I am able to complete all exercises without too much burning I don't think it would be beneficial to move on to the intermediate. . Dr. Mike if I feel that I can do it is there a downside to doing the video everyday?

I can't wait to see Caroline, Paul and Suzanne in person! Have an awesome week!

March 10-11

It is 4:25 and my steps are at 7,000 so good there and I still have to walk to my car which I parked even farther away today.

Yesterday we visited my husband's mother and I notice that I was very hungry all day, but we stuck to almonds, and did the best we could as far as meals go and stayed away from the high fat cheeses etc.. The chocolate came out too but we resisted for the most part until the 70% coco came out then we each had a square before driving home.

More tomorrow!

March 9

More happy dances in the Everding household today, Jim and I were both down 2 more pounds! He is now at 224 and I am now at 166! We maintained our waist size this week! This is awesome, I feel like we have really gotten into a groove and are just waisting (get it!) away! We have been getting the steps in and I have been doing the exercise video life is good. Now that it is getting warmer out we will be even more active outside!

I'd like to hear how everyone else is doing, it would be great to get an update on Ang Morden, and the gang on the viewer's blog. Let us know how things are going and if you have any questions.

Have an awesome weekend everyone!

March 8

Happy International Women's day everyone, I hope you all had a great day. Friday tomorrow comes with another weigh in and I am looking forward to it again, though my steps did not pile on this week as I had two events I think we did fine. I attended an International Women's day celebration on campus and it was great fun. It is nice to gather with women and share stories, chat and share a few laughs over a healthy meal.

My neck is feeling much better which give me more energy, its funny how that works for me. It is a good lesson to learn about myself though and how pain affects me both mentally and physically. I have a treatment that is extremely helpful on March 22nd and hopefully I will be pain free again for another three months. My life is about changes right now and I am enjoying it. I cut out some pictures from various magazines and put them on the wall in my office at home there are pictures of beaches, and lots of pictures of clothes that I will fit into when I reach my goal weight. It really helps me to stay on track and stay focused.

Thank you for your support everyone!

March 7

Another Wednesday that flew by the weeks are going so fast and it is soon going to be spring. We are looking forward to warmer outside walks. I have been walking at lunch with my walking buddy and it makes all the difference in the world racking up the steps everyday. Right now I am at 7100 steps at 5:30 p.m. and will be sure to hit 10 000 by the time I go to bed. I will do the video tomorrow morning which is great and makes my day!

A big WAY TO GO to Barb Kelly for your weight loss, and thank you for the suggestion about the Probiotic yogurt Jim and I will certainly give it a try. We have settled into a routine here and really have changed the way we look at food, eating and grocery shopping. I tell my kids that when they find a spouse they want to create an interest or hobby together that does not centre on eating. For Jim and I that was what we enjoyed to do together, cook a big meal for friends or just ourselves, go out for dinner on a Friday night once the kids were no longer around much. Changing our lifestyle together is a wonderful way to reconnect and to give ourselves something positive and healthy to do together.

Yes, Dr. Mike we are doing well and we couldn't be happier!

March 6

Well today while Southwestern Ontario is thrown into a deep freeze my whole body wants to curl up on the couch and hibernate, having a taste of better weather really makes the cold that much colder. It is 6:30 p.m. and my pedometer is at 10 125. I haven't taken a walk or done the exercise video yet which are both on the agenda, it feels like things are getting easier though I really relate to Caroline as I found some old habits coming back last evening.

I have discovered that pain for me is an eating trigger, I came home from work with a bad headache and sore neck (a 6 year old injury caused by a car accident) I had treatments in December for my neck and the pain and headaches have literally been gone for the past 3 months. Unfortunately they are coming back now and while they are not as severe as they were I found last night that I was trying to make myself feel better with food. It didn't work and only managed to make me feel guilty instead. So back to the plan today and feeling better, I have some neck pain and a low grade headache but nothing I can't manage.

We are eating a lot of chicken and turkey these days, I have even found some turkey sausages which with sauerkraut tasted pretty good. Tonight it was chicken thighs painted with olive oil and sprinkled with bread crumbs then baked in the oven and our favorite roasted veggies. Yummy! Hope everyone is staying warm!

March 3-5

Well the weekend was relatively quiet with an extra day thrown in for me because of the snow day on Friday, I spent most of the day on Saturday rearranging furniture and cleaning. I forgot to wear my pedometer so don't really know how many steps I took shy of 10 000 would be my guess. Sunday was not a very good day as I wasn't feeling well, I have a bad neck and it has been acting up lately and causing headaches so I stayed pretty close to home all day just puttering and resting.

We are so excited about our progress and can't wait to be on the show in a few weeks. The exercise and eating are becoming more and more automatic every day!

Have an awesome week everyone!

March 2

Well it was waist/weigh in day again, the Everding's were giving each other high fives, here are the stats:

Jim waist = 37.5" (down ½ inch)

Weight = 226 (down 4 lbs)

Good job Jim, he attributes this to our evening walks!

Tami waist = 32.5" (down ½ inch)

Weight = 168 (down 2 lbs)

Good job Tami, I am reaching around and giving myself a pat on the back! Weigh to Go Everding's. I too attribute this week's success to our walks and additional steps that I have been taking throughout the day at work.

This has been an incredible journey and being able to share it with Jim has been amazing for our marriage. After 21 years we did have a solid relationship before and now it is even better! Caroline I agree with Dr. Mike about buying Paul some pants, I will have to do the same for Jim as he is swimming in his clothes. As for me like most women I had a variety of sizes in my closet but it is still nice to resurrect old favorites that didn't fit before.

I am looking forward to meeting everyone face to face in a few weeks I feel like I have know you all my whole life! Have an awesome weekend and stay safe on the roads for those traveling!

February 28

Today was a great day it was bright, warm and sunny. I walked again at lunch and had logged 9000 steps before getting home for dinner, which consisted of a veggie burger on a whole wheat English muffin. I felt particularly hungry today but satisfied that with lots of fruits and veggies. I got up early again today but did not do the workout video as Dr. Mike said to do it every other day giving your muscles a day between to recover so I just did some chores instead. We went out for a long walk last night so by the time I got home I had logged over 13000 steps! It feels great to get out at lunch, tomorrow I am going out with friends but we are having pitas so I can order one off the light menu I'm looking forward to catching up with them.

Everything is going very well this week and I feel great about the increased steps taken all week so far, I will continue to walk at lunch even in cold weather! I find myself actually looking forward to weighing in this week! Am I weird?

February 27

Well I did it, I got up at 6 this morning and completed the workout before showering and starting my day, it felt great to get the day off to a good start with exercise. I have 8500 steps logged so far and we are getting ready for our walk. It is really handy having The Your on a Diet book in audio format on my I-Pod and computer this way whenever I am working on my blog or even walking alone I can take the book with me and listen to it to reaffirm what I had already read in the book.

Jim says he can really see my weight loss today, it must be the baggy butt pants and a top that I haven't worn in a long time because after I washed it the first time it shrunk so I couldn't wear it again. I am looking forward to some shopping as clothes are getting big which feels awesome! Some of the clothes that I had saved in my closet I haven't been able to wear in a long time so it almost feels like having a new wardrobe already.

Last night Jim and I walked to the mall and got our dog some boots because the salt on the sidewalks really bothers her paws she looks pretty cute with them on and I'm sure she is much more comfortable walking in the cold weather.

Until tomorrow!

February 24 and 25

First of all I would like to thank Edith Sinclair for all her kind words and comments; this has certainly been an amazing journey for many people so far!

I am very proud of Vicki and am not surprised that she has inspired other to join in, just think in a few months Square Deal Neil's will look like it has a whole new slimmer and healthier staff working there! Maybe you could challenge the other businesses in town and see which one loses the most waist and weight.

Our weekend was fairly quiet, Saturday I had several errands to run, so I did just that, I ran them. Instead of taking the car to the local mall, I walked there did my shopping and walked home carrying my purchases it was a great day and a good way to get in my steps too! They sure do add up when you are busy. Sunday has been quieter just doing some chores and relaxing it is storming here right now so I will hit the elliptical for an hour or so to get some exercise in. I was proud of myself this weekend, because the weekend is one of the most challenging times for me. If I get bored or pre-occupied I will either forget to eat or eat too much, not having the junk food in the house is a really good thing no temptations around to call your name from the cupboard.

I have rediscovered an old favorite of mine Earl Grey tea no sugar or milk needed it has a natural sweetness that I really enjoy.

Well, another work week and the beginning of March, it is hard to believe that winter is almost over I am looking forward to the nicer weather and would like to take up jogging come spring. Have a great week!

February 22

Well another weigh-in at the Everding's this morning. Here is the skinny (lol) Tami = waist 33 (no loss) weight 169 (1lb down), Jim waist 38 (no loss) weight 230 (1 lb down). Things are moving along quite nicely, eating is becoming automatic, we are trying new foods and trying to come up with new recipes on our own, some of which are great while others are, well not so great! We just put those on our "don't make them again" list. I am going to do a web search and spend some time on Dr. Mike's Real Age website for some more recipe ideas and keep plugging away. As I have said before "Slow and steady wins the race!"

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

February 21

I've had quite a few people tell me today that they can really see my weight loss in my face. I can feel it in my stomach area and really see it too in Jim, he is positively swimming in his clothes (it's kinda cute though). I am extremely busy at work but managed to get 9500 steps in by parking at the farthest place possible and walking the "Ring Road" at lunch with some friends. It sure is easier to walk and be motivated when there are two or three of you doing it. I will finish my day by spending a half an hour on the elliptical. Before going on this plan I had terrible shin splints when I tried to walk at a fast pace, but now I don't notice them, I was walking fairly quickly today and had no pain. I bought a good pair of shoes, ones that fit my orthotics well and I think losing weight really helped as well.

Here's our favorite vegetable recipe:

Green Beans, Sweet Potato, Anise, Carrots, Green Pepper, Red Pepper and Red Onion. Cut all into good sized chunks
Put in glass baking pan, spray with Pam or Olive Oil
Sprinkle with Oregano, Parsley, Sea Salt (and any other spice that you like)
Bake in Oven at 350 until tender

These veggies go well with any meal, we have them with the Apricot Chicken, Mediterranean Chicken and even Salmon! If you know where to buy President's Choice products try their Mango, Lime Salsa over chicken or fish for an really delicious easy meal. This weekend I am going to stuff some Turkey Breast with it and roast in the oven! Please share your favorite recipes with me I love to cook and try new things!

February 20

Today I am tired, Sami and I spent a few hours at our local emergency room due to some severe pain she had in her leg. It was a bit scary but she is completely better now and it turns out to be nothing to worry about. Because we got home so late I decided to work from home and let her sleep in so I managed to see Canada AM and our update with Dr. Mike. It was good to hear his halfway mark assessment of us all!

Caroline and Paul, congratulations on your amazing results so far. Suzanne you seem to be doing so much right already and now that your family is on board you will succeed together to make a lifestyle change!

Tonight I complete the workout and go for a long walk which will be nice now that there is a break in the cold, we need to take these little glimpses of warmth when we can! Jim and I are really enjoying the new foods we are eating and sharing recipes with family and friends is a great way to keep meals interesting. I have a new walking partner at lunch time so that is awesome and parking at the back of the parking lot adds almost a thousand steps! Hope everyone is having a great week!

February 19

Well today turned out to be a beautiful day and my walk at lunch piled on the steps, not to mention the walk from the parking lot this morning which was repeated at the end of the day as well! We are both doing well and still excited about the eating plan, I am so happy for Caroline and her size 10 skirt, I almost want to go out shopping myself...but I will wait a few more weeks. I have some events coming up at the end of March that I will need to purchase some items for and I can hardly wait! I've even asked my friends Kelly and Marta to book a Friday afternoon off for shopping!

Tonight I will work out with the video and then go for another walk to hit my 10 000 steps. We are finding that our eating is becoming more and more automatic and effortless which is really important and tells me that this is a lifestyle change not a diet. My sisters kept telling me how good I looked and how they can really see in my face and stomach area that I have slimmed down! I like the sound of that! Keep up the good work Caroline and Suzanne!

February 18

Our weekend was wonderful, Friday evening Jim and I went out for dinner we had chicken Slovaki with rice and Greek salad it was tasty and I ended up bringing at least half of the food home with me. Jim had been kite skiing for a couple of hours in the afternoon so he was pretty hungry so he finished his meal but then didn't snack in the evening, so I think he did ok.

Saturday we went to Southampton, ON to visit family, it's a two hour drive so the steps don't pile up but we went for a walk to see my sister and her husband then we all walked back to Mom's for dinner. We had roast beef, potatoes, salad etc.. Delicious and quite a treat as we haven't been eating beef lately.

Sunday was our usual long walk with the dog while we are in Southampton, which is located right on Lake Huron so we walked in the morning for 5300 steps! WOW that was a good walk, then after a brief family meeting about of all things next Christmas plans! My sisters Dianne, Mary, Vicki, Tisha and I went snowshoeing on Dianne's property! The snow was about knee deep and very powdery it was so beautiful out there and we went around the property twice, it was a beautiful day with the sun shining and a light snow fall!

I have to say that I am so proud of my sister Vicki and her husband Dennis they have been doing phenomenal on the program and it is cool to share recipes with you guys! The rest of the family are in various stages of lifestyle changes and are all doing an awesome job! I love you guys very much and am excited about our plans for a more activity based Christmas next year (replacing the food based one we normally had).

So, we begin another week the Country Harvest Soup is simmering on the stove, tomorrow's lunch and the steps today have been piled on! Tomorrow begins anew I will be parking in the farthest corner of the parking lot, walking at lunch and fidgeting a little more while on the phone and at my desk! We are at about the halfway mark now and already I can see a big difference in my stomach fat! This is very cool! Have an awesome week!

February 16

Jim and I were very excited today! Though I did not lose pounds, I did lose a quarter of an inch off my waist which now measures 33" and Jim, another 3 pounds lost (down to 231) and his waist 39.3/4 and it is now at 38" an inch and three-quarters WOW! Way to go Jim! We like it! I am so proud of us. We are talking like never before, planning, exercising together and now we are "Losers" together!

Every new week brings us closer to our goals and closer as a couple, it is awesome!

Let us know how you are doing by sending a message to the Viewers Blog!

February 15

So far today I have 7329 steps in and I haven't gone for my evening walk yet. Instead of taking the tunnels to avoid the cold I walked my regular route and it added almost 800 steps, so I will do that from now on. Lunch out was a healthy vegetable soup and a turkey/vegetable wrap with no dressing very filling and good tasting. I will hit the elliptical tonight for an hour and that should take me over the 10 000 steps for today.

Dr. Mike I love your idea of a dark chocolate heart and inexpensive pedometer and will bring it to the attention of the organizers of our Treat-a-gram program. Maybe we could even get pedometers with UW's logo on them. What a great way to show your friends you truly care about them! Would you come on delivery day and help us deliver them? Maybe Canada AM can come too!

Thank you again for all the words of encouragement and support from the fans of Canada AM. The Canada AM team have been awesome too, you guys ROCK! We will look forward to meeting everyone when the time comes for our big reveal. Tomorrow is another measure/weight day! It's very exciting!

A question for Jennifer; We are finding that we are not really fish lovers, though I love to order Salmon at a restaurant I find that I don't like the fish when I cook it myself is there another alternative to fish on the diet? I have added tuna to salads or just had tuna on its own on crackers and that is ok but not a dinner. Thank you Jennifer.

February 14

Happy Valentines Day everyone and I hope you are all going to enjoy a nice piece of 70% coco chocolate. We have a program at the University where you can send a "treat" to friends around campus for $3.00 each, the money raised goes toward scholarships and bursaries and it is a great way to say thank you to co-workers! The trouble with them is they are double chocolate brownie cupcakes (2 per package) and I got 5 packages today! Thank you to everyone who sent me a treat-a-gram I appreciate your friendship and messages, but I hope you don't mind that I brought them home for the kids they loved them, Jim and I shared one this evening as a treat!

Tonight I am busy cleaning the house which didn't get done on the weekend and I will jump on the elliptical for an hour or so to get my steps in and complete the workout video. At work I have a wireless headset so I can pace while on the phone and I have been doing a lot of that lately to get in my steps. Hope everyone's Valentines Day was great!

February 13

Today was a crazy busy day but a great eating day; I love not being hungry all the time. I am so satisfied that this is becoming easier. What is not so easy is getting the steps in, especially in this weather and I have a desk job so even with getting up and moving around as much as I can the steps just don't pile up for me. I'll hit the elliptical tonight and do the video as well. That should burn a few calories! Hopefully once this storm passes we will be getting some better weather which will make taking a walk a lot easier.

Jim and I have planned pasta with chicken breast for Valentine's Day dinner. A lot of people are asking me what a day of food looks like for me, well it's pretty simple Breakfast: Cheerios with frozen blueberries, Morning snack: carrots and green beans, lunch is usually a small portion of leftovers from the night before, Afternoon snack more veggies or a piece of fruit and dinner is one of the YOU recipes but is always accompanied by veggies.

Our evening snack consists of frozen yogurt and fruit or popcorn. So that is the food that keeps me satisfied and prevents me from obsessing about eating. Although a crazy thing happened to me last evening while I was watching TV, a McDonalds commercial came on and I got the worst craving for a Big Mac, so instead of running out and buying one I though back to the last time I ate a Big Mac I remembered how it felt to eat what it tasted like and how I felt afterwards (which wasn't great!).

The craving went away when I remembered the way eating that made me feel, how my stomach was upset and I became sluggish and couldn't concentrate on work that afternoon. I have to say that this simple visualization stopped me from even wanting that kind of food anymore! I think that is awesome!

February 12

Where did the weekend go! I've been stuck at my desk all day but did manage a walk over the lunch hour now that the weather is a bit better! I will walk again this evening and get the workout video in today as well! Tomorrow is a busy day with an end-of-day event which will mean lots of time on my feet.

Dr. Mike, I want to thank you for your blog yesterday it is nice to know that around now (3 weeks in) the waist/weight loss should slow down, it will keep me focused and on track knowing that sticking to the plan will lead to a very healthy sustainable weight loss. Thank you for all your words of encouragement and for taking the time to blog and keep track of us, it is much appreciated!

February 11

Our weekend plans were changed at the last minute due to bad weather in Southampton area which is where my family lives, so we stayed home instead. After a little retail therapy on Saturday with Sami her and I relaxed and watched a movie in the afternoon, then I made the Peanut/Coconut shrimp and a stir fry for myself for dinner Jim was out kiting and didn't get home until later...he had the leftovers. The recipe was very easy to make and tasty, after dinner I spent an hour on the elliptical it is much easier to exercise these days after losing 10 pounds I don't feel as out of breath and definitely have more energy than I did before.

Sunday after grocery shopping with Jim we went to Woodstock so that he could go kiting, I took my snowshoes and went for a long walk around the lake that we were at, it was a beautiful day as long as you had enough layers on. Dinner was steak, stir fry veggies and sweet potato done up the way Dr. Mike suggested on February 3. They were delicious and I am already planning more recipes with them.

We are looking forward to another week of trying new recipes and continuing to learn about out new healthy lifestyle! Keep up the good work everyone who is following along with us!

February 9

This morning Jim's measurements were 39 1/4 (down an 1 1/4") and his weight was 234 so he has lost another 5 lbs! Way to Go Jim! Tami's measurements were 33.25 (1/4" down) and weight 170 lbs down 1 lb from last week! I am so proud of us! Slow and steady wins the race, last week was stressful what with Sami's operation etc.. the steps were not piling up but I made a YOU turn and lost 1 lb and I am very proud of myself for that. Jim is doing awesome and I am so proud of him for sticking with me on this plan, I can't stress enough how important his support is to me.

More milestones met and excitement to begin another week! The plan gets easier to follow and more automatic, I will be shopping for supplements that fit Dr. Mike's criteria tonight! Next weeks goal for me is to solidly hit the 10 000 steps per day! Keep up the good work Caroline and Suzanne and all the viewers that have been losing along with us! Let us know how you are doing so we can happy dance with you!

February 8

I am feeling awesome, my clothes are fitting so much better (no sticking-out pockets or too-tight waist) and my energy level has definitely changed for the better. Jim and I are still talking and planning and the kids are just looking at us like we are crazy but being really good sports when it comes to eating. I am not making special meals for them (they can cook too if they want) and it sure does make it easier when you don't have to cook special meals for other members of the family.

The eating plan and exercise program are so easy to do and you really don't feel hungry all the time I'm finding that I am not obsessing about food anymore. Today I had lunch out with my friends Kelly and Sean, we went to our usual place but I didn't order my usual thing, instead I got cut up veggies and a grilled sandwich on whole wheat bread which is way better than the chicken fingers and fries I would normally have ordered. Kelly even corrected herself when she teased that I was being good today...you see I don't consider it being good I just say that I have chosen a healthier alternative, by saying I'm "being good" or I'm "cheating" puts a negative spin on it for me. If you keep things positive and upbeat then it is a lot easier to focus on your goals instead of thinking about how you cheated on your diet! We are keeping it real and keeping it positive!

Thank you again for all of your support and encouragement!

February 7

A working lunch today and guess what! Pizza, oh well time for a YOU-turn so for dinner it was leftover's from last night's Mediterranean Chicken. I have to say that we are staying very satisfied eating this way which is making things a lot easier, I find myself no longer obsessing about food but simply planning and eating when I am hungry.

Getting my steps in this week has been challenging so I have supplemented walking for 30 minutes on the elliptical and have done the exercise video twice this week.

I have a question for Jenn and Dr. Mike regarding calcium supplements, since I am lactose intolerant (the pizza I had a lunch is killing me right now) should I be supplementing calcium? I have found that even yogurt bothers me though I do buy Lactose free milk for coffee etc.. I'm afraid that I am not getting enough.

Coming up to Thursday already and another weekend, we are going away this weekend so I will have to plan and take food with me so that we are not getting off track.

February 6

Congratulations to the viewers on the blog that are joining in on this journey to a healthier lifestyle. Ang Morden who has lost 13 lbs and 3.5 inches WAY TO GO ANG! Prie and Mano it is awesome to join forces as a couple and keep each other on track and focused. I am doing Caroline's happy dance for you right now! And to all the other viewers who have taken the time to cheer us on, THANK YOU! You have no idea how good it makes us feel to know that there are so many people cheering us on, it sure does make things easier knowing we have so much support (not to mention people there to kick our butt!). :o)

We are getting used to eating in a healthier way, we're not hungry and we are eating different and delicious food all the time. The routine that we have created is becoming more automatic and I can see that once into the groove there will come a time when eating healthier will become as automatic as breathing! This weather invites me to curl up on the couch and become a potato! So going out for a walk requires tons of motivation, the numbers we achieved last week is just the motivation we need!

Keep up the good work Viewers, Family, Caroline and Suzanne!!!

February 5

Hey Everyone!

While we are in a deep freeze here we will be going for a long walk as soon as I'm done my blog. I have purchased the "You on a Diet" Audiobook which makes it even easier to listen and learn (awesome for Jim), it is available at ITunes for anyone who is interested in this format.

Dr. Mike, kite skiing is an extreme sport whereby you use a large kite to propel you across a frozen lake with skis on, if you want you could also use a snowboard or buggy with skates on it. This sport is also done on water and is called kite surfing (I have attached a picture of Jim kite surfing in Cuba performing a big jump), it is a great way for

him to get exercise and he loves the sport and would do it every day if he could (but alas he has to work). I want to thank everyone who has

sent comments on the viewers blog it is really great to have all of theencouragement from so many people. Maxiene I am proud of you honey and glad that you, Darren, Tim and Emily are going to work together towards healthier living, I love you too!

I'm glad to hear Dr. Mike's comments about Chinese food, by looking at the food you would think that it is healthy but it is one of those hidden things that sneak up on you when you least expect it, not unlike some of the foods I threw away while Dr. Mike was here!

I have a question about the workout video, I did it yesterday and can really feel the muscles that I worked out especially the abs, my question Dr. Mike is should I do the video everyday or every other day, I have been told in the past that muscles need a day to recover when working them out. I will workout with the video again tonight but just want to clarify that I will not be doing any damage if I do!

Until tomorrow, have a great night!

February 4

Well, this weekend was a bit hectic looking after Sami, she had a bit of a rough day yesterday but got up this morning a new person.

I found it a challenge yesterday and today to get my steps in so I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and the exercise video Dr. Mike left for me. Jim was kite skiing for a couple of hours both on Saturday and Sunday so he got a ton of exercise in! I have our meals planned out for the week and cooked ahead lunches etc. so we are in great shape for another week, I can't wait to measure on Friday to see how we are doing. I know that if we keep on track we will steadily get to our goal! Being organized is the key for us.

Caroline, Paul and Suzanne keep up the good work and have an awesome week!

Febraury 2

Tami

Weight: 171 lbs

Waist: 33.5"

Jim

Weight: 239 lbs

Waist: 41"

TEAM Everding down a total of 10 lbs and 3 inches. Today was waist/weight measurement day: Tami's measurements are: waist 33.5 (down a 1" from last week) and weight 171 lbs (down 5 lbs from last week), Jim's measurements are: waist 41" (down 2" from last week) and 239 (down 5 lbs from last week). There was a lot of happy dancing in the Everding household this morning. (Except for Sami who just cheered us from the couch!).

This week has been wonderful and we are really excited to continue on. Today between looking after Sami and cleaning house, I am planning our menu for next week, making some homemade pita chips for a nice snack and trying out the whole wheat pizza recipe for dinner. I'll hit the grocery store tomorrow to pick up the ingredients needed for soup making which will give us our lunches for next week and more ingredients to try out some of the awesome recipes in the You on a Diet book!

Congratulations to my sister Vicki and her husband Dennis, together they are teaming up and have lost weight and inches as well! I am so proud of all of my family who is following along on the lifestyle makeover! Our wedding in June will be more than a few pounds lighter! You guys rock and I love you so much!

Have a great weekend Caroline and Suzanne, can't wait to see your results!

February 1st

Well dinner out tonight the focus is on eating healthier, my daughter is having surgery on her knee tomorrow so it will be a whole day at the hospital and worrying about her. That will be the challenge to see if I can be under some emotional stress and manage not to go for the junk food (my comfort food) I will take food with me so that the cafeteria doesn't call me in for French fries and keep my mind on my goals! Piece of cake!

The rest of the today went well I'm only at 4200 steps so will go for a long walk after I get back from dinner. Thank you to all the viewers who have submitted comments it means a lot to hear your best wishes!

January 30

Today went well but I felt really tied to my desk even though I tried to move around as much as possible, as of 6:20 this evening I have logged 5007 steps and still have to get the walk in and exercise CD in.

I also swam today at lunch time doing 28 lengths which translates into 600 metres. I love to swim and hope to continue to do so three days per week at lunch, I may have to eat more before going swimming though because today when I got back from swimming I was very hungry...so I ate a small serving of the leftover stir-fry from last evenings dinner and an apple which held me over until I ate my almonds at 4:30 before heading home to make dinner. Tonight I made the Royal Pasta Primavera Provencale and it was delicious!

I have to go out for dinner tomorrow night and am a little concerned but I have been able to check the menu online so already know that I will order the vegetable stir-fry. It is handy when restaurants have their menu online and is a great way to plan when you have to go out for an evening.

January 29th

My weight and measurements:
34.5" 176 lbs, same as last week.

Going back to work after a week's vacation is never fun, doing it while in the midst of a lifestyle change is a little crazy. I managed the day with a plan of action, lunch packed, snacks packed and walking shoes on.

I have logged 87,930 steps so far today and still have my walk to get in. Things are going well though I'm looking forward to the day when this becomes automatic for us and we don't have to "think" so much about eating etc.

My husband Jim is on board for the duration his waist is 43" and his weight is 244, the cupboards are spick and span Dr. Mike you would be proud of us! It took us awhile at the grocery store and I'm sure people were looking at us a little funny as we scoured through the spaghetti sauce to find one suitable!

While away our food choices were always start with the veggies, if we had an alcoholic beverage we followed it by a glass of water. I even took almonds with us so we could have them 20-30 minutes before mealtime.

January 27

Well, after a 12-hour delayed flight we finally arrived home, brrrr it is cold here! We spent the rest of the weekend cleaning out our cupboards, fridge and freezers and buying the groceries listed in the "You on a Diet" book along with a lot of other good foods. We arrive home in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday so I measured/weighed myself on Saturday. The good news is! I didn't gain inches or weight on vacation, which for me was the goal so my stats are still at 34.5 and 176 lbs which is .5" off my waist and 4 lbs lost! We have planned our menu for the week and have been walking today I logged 8600 steps not bad for a Sunday!

I visited this awesome website called My Virtual Model where you can create a model of yourself and simulate your weight loss. So I put in my stats and the goal weight that Dr. Mike gave me and created a great little visualization tool which I printed off and hung right above my computer in my home office. This is a really great way to see where I am going and has helped me to keep my focus!

I realized today that though I can cook I have never cooked with a lot of herbs and spices before which made us rely on things like salad dressings, cheese and other high fat items that would make the food taste better. By following the recipes in the book and cooking with more herbs and spices means we don't need to add anything to the meal to make it taste better, and the food tastes great!

I want to thank Bev and Seamus for keeping everyone interested with a weekly update though it is a little odd to hear your name on Canada AM! Have an awesome week Caroline and Suzanne!

January 24

Yesterday we spent the day at the beach and snorkeling. So the pedometer did not reflect the amount of walking I did in the water, by the end of the day I had logged just over 6 000 steps. Dr. Mike I have a question for you. We have both noticed that our appetites are larger since being here, outside all day in the water and we have been eating until we are satisfied but some days it seems to take more to satisfy us, since we are doing so much activity I was wondering if this is a problem. Our big test will be Friday when we get home and measure and weigh ourselves.

January 23

Today's Blog from Cuba;

The pedometer read over 21,000 last evening, but I know that at least 10,000 of those were the horse that I went riding on. Still, averaging 11,000 - 12,000 per day isn't bad. Along with the snorkeling, swimming and walking we are doing great. Sticking to Dr. Mike's tips of loading up on veggies first, I think we are doing a good job of eating here even with the amount of temptation we have.

Our strategy is to eat when we are hungry but only eat enough to satisfy the hunger not to stuff it in until we can't move. Jim is an excellent partner on this as he is there to remind me to stick to our plan.

January 19

Well it is very early in the morning on Friday January 19th, Jim and I are packed and ready to head off to the airport. Before I go I weighed and measured myself and the results are amazing. This morning I weighed 176 lbs and my waist size sucked in was 34.5" WOW and only after a few days on the plan! I have walked 23 340 steps to date and expect to put on the steps in Cuba! Have a good weekend Caroline and Suzanne I can't wait to read your blogs on Monday!

January 18

Today has been a very busy day at work getting ready for vacation. I had lunch today out with some friends and found it really easy to choose the vegetables and veggie burger instead of the poutine and chicken fingers.

What Dr. Mike said to me was really a turning point for me when he used the word "control" as a self confessed control freak this really made sense to me! I CAN control eating too! WOW who would have thought. Tonight I am going to a reunion at an all you can eat restaurant and already have a strategy planned for that too! It's all about the steamed veggies for me!

Having my husband as a partner in this lifestyle change is amazing we are talking and planning our future like never before! Cuba here we come! Our plan when we get back is to finish cleaning the cupboards, fridge and freezer out of all the foods we don't want to have anymore and plan our first grocery shopping with our new healthier lifestyle. It is very exciting!

January 17

Today went well, I have worn my pedometer all day and so far have 6600 steps and I haven't taken my 30 minute walk yet. My dog doesn't know what is going on she is all of a sudden being walked not something we have done a lot of in the past! My husband and I have been planning our strategy for the trip to Cuba on Friday and we think we have a good strategy for not overeating at the all inclusive buffet!

January 16

I was really pleased with the results of my consultation with Dr. Mike, he went through my fridge and cupboards and gave me some excellent tips and strategies for going on vacation next week. He also opened my eyes about the foods that I did have in my cupboard that I thought were good food choices...no wonder I wasn't losing weight relying on them as part of my diet. I was a little alarmed when Dr. Mike told me that my triglycerides were elevated but at the same time relieved that my weight gain was partially due to a medical issue. I have the tools now that I need to reduce these levels and live healthier.Caroline and Suzanne I wish you luck and want you to know that I am here for you if you need support! We are in this together!

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