Weeks 5 & 6: New Orleans and 2nd Measurements!!

Well....in case you missed me last week (and I know that you did!!) we had a trip to Louisiana to see family and for business, so I skipped the blog last week.  Trying to stay on a healthy eating plan in the south is TOUGH!!!  If you have ever traveled to New Orleans then you know exactly what I am talking about!!  So the measurement/weigh in this week was a scary ordeal!

If I could have used this guy to weigh in then I would have had it made!

Truth is....I did gain back two of the pounds I had already lost, however, I also LOST almost two inches!!  I could tell that my jeans fit a little better even though we ate things like Po Boys, Gumbo, King Cake, Jambalaya, Bread Pudding, Boudin balls, Crawfish, Italian Cookies, Muffuletta, and the wonderfully amazing Beignets!!! Pictures to follow.....

Blackened fish po boy with sweet potato fries....mmmmm!!

Cafe Du Monde is famous for Beignets and coffee au lait....OH MY!!!

Bread Pudding is served warm and so yummy!!!

Do you ever get to a point where you just start asking yourself questions about your body??  Seriously....maybe my body has become adjusted to and attached to the extra love handles and muffin top and is refusing to let them go??  Or maybe my thighs like having an extra layer of protection on my femur bone!  It could happen!!  Or perhaps my chin gets lonely and likes having a buddy? Something to consider for sure.....

The baby from the Kings Cake during Mardi Gras parade....those cakes are yummy!!

One of the many floats at the Shreveport, LA Mardi Gras parade.....we did not go to the BIG one in NOLA.

What I am trying to suggest here is this:  maybe you do need to listen to your body more and if you have been dieting and exercising and working your butt off (just figuratively) and you still haven't gotten back to the size that your head THINKS you should be wearing...then maybe it is time to readjust your mind.  Get that idea of being back to your "pre-kids" size, or your "college days" size, or your "best shape of my life" size, or your "model" size, or whatever size your head is telling you to be and listen to your body!!  And then go shopping!!  Get clothes that enhance the size that you are NOW.  And as the over-played Frozen song says.....LET IT GO!!

Raw Oysters

Crawfish!

Grilled Oysters

So in the theory of the song....I had raw oysters (just one) and grilled oysters (enjoyed them more) and crawfish (thanks to my brother-in-law giving me lessons on how to peel them and making a yummy dipping sauce).  Also, we had to try and make some Italian cookies that my husband remembers eating as a child....

Nice little cookies that paired well with coffee.  Kind of like biscotti, but very tasty.  There are lots of Italian family recipes in my husband's background! Another reason that trying to stick to an eating program is difficult down there!!

The famous Muffuletta from Central Grocery in NOLA.
I have to admit that this was one of my favorites from NOLA....it is a Muffuletta....a meat, cheese and olive relish combo on soft, wonderful Italian bread with olive oil drizzled on that is AMAZING!  (Are you seeing why I gained a couple of pounds back??)

My only saving grace to the trip....the amount of walking that we did for sight-seeing, because it is easier than trying to drive in the French Quarter.  One day I walked over ten miles!  So despite the calories that I consumed, I felt that we did enough exercise to counteract SOME of it!!

We walked around the Garden District and Uptown after riding the streetcars for a while.  There is just SO MUCH to see there!! What also made me laugh was the idea that you could wander around with cocktails.  A big change from any state I have ever lived in!

Getting in my veggies for the day....the tasty way!! What?  I'm on vacation!!

Monroe and Halo out for a walk in Bossier City....beads even on the fire hydrant!
I also walked my two dogs several times a day while we were in Bossier City.  That part of my lifestyle plan kept going....I did TONS of walking.  According to my FITBIT, last week I had 127,293 steps!!  That's an average of 17,000 a day, which equals over seven miles.  I did take a break from my 30 Day challenges that week, and I could tell the difference.  

I was tempted to get one of these dolls for myself.  I thought maybe I could like cut out the belly part and trim down the thighs...maybe put some tape over my mouth so I wouldn't be hungry.  Isn't that how these are supposed to work??  Just kidding....I didn't bring one back. (Maybe I can order one online?) Well...that's it for this week (and last week).  I am back on track and still determined to get healthy!!!  Let's do it!!

SIDE NOTE: I did end up going to the doctor yesterday.  I have a high threshold for pain, therefore, my sinus crud got out of control.  By the time I went in, it had taken hold of my head, eyes, ears, nose, throat, lymph nodes, etc.   When she offered to give me a steroid shot along with antibiotics....I jumped at it!!  I have had one before and you start to feel better in a few hours.  I am not advocating taking lots of medicines or putting steroids in your system, but this was a drastic situation!  You all need to remind me that when my eyes start getting puffy and my nose starts to resemble a pig snout....I need to get to the doctor PRONTO!!  Feeling MUCH better in 12 hours!!!