Surprise, Surprise!

It was something like a miracle...it was a shock; an enigma not to be believed- but it did happen. And I have witnesses to prove it.

I stepped on the scale with trepidation, the sins of the past week permeating my mind like a red hat tossed in with the white laundry; but what I was expecting didn't happen, in fact, I could hardly believe what that little counter-balance was telling me.

The soft clunk sound as the counterweight said that I needed to move the larger counter-weight down to the next level. And then shift the smaller weight down another notch.

Yes folks, it's true! The scale revealed my new weight- and it was no longer in the three-hundreds! I am now a slender two-ninety-nine!

That is a total loss of twenty-one pounds- YAY!

And I think I worked off another pound just jumping up and down in celebration after I got off the scale! This is the first time in over seven years that I have been under three hundred pounds. Call Guinness! (the world record people, not the beer people, please!)

First goal reached. Next goal: 275 lbs.!

I took the kids to the pool the other day. We walked a mile to the pool, and I spent three hours turning into a pink raisin (and eventually a red one), doing laps and playing with the kids. I slept really well that night and had some lovely muscle aches in the morning, so I know I worked out- even without the gym!

I'm also having more greens at mealtime, to make up for all that pasta last week. Not that we can really 'make-up' for our past discrepancies,but you get the idea. I just wanted to get back on track. We had a lovely chicken Cobb salad! Here's the recipe:

Beth Brubaker's Chicken Cobb Salad

Two chicken breasts, fat trimmed
Montreal chicken seasoning (I used GrillMates from Sam's Club)
Olive oil
1/3 cup Real bacon bits or 6 slices of bacon, crumbled
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 boiled eggs, diced (use and egg slicer and after first cut, turn 1/4 turn and cut again- instantly diced!) It's best to boil eggs the day before and chill before dicing.
Four handfuls romaine lettuce
Four handfuls fresh spinach
1/4 cup Italian dressing
Large bowl with lid to toss salad

Season chicken breasts and set aside. Cook bacon and set aside (if needed). In a medium skillet, add about 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and set onto medium high heat. When hot add chicken breasts, and if possible cover with a large pot lid that covers the pan (this helps it cook a little faster and keeps it juicy). Do not press chicken! After five minutes, turn chicken over and cover for another five minutes.

While chicken is cooking, dice and crumble bacon and eggs into a small bowl. Set aside and shred cheese, if needed. When chicken is done (test with a fork in the thickest part of the breast- any serious resistance or pink juices means it's not done yet- juices should be clear), let cool for about ten minutes in pan juices.

Add lettuce and spinach into a large bowl, then add cheese, bacon and egg. Slice chicken breasts across the grain as thin as possible (not chunks), and add to the large bowl. Add Italian dressing to the mix and cover the bowl tightly, shaking vigorously to coat and blend. Open bowl and serve immediately.

This should serve four large salads, or six smaller ones.

This must be made fresh! Leftovers or making the day before will make the greens wilt and lose their crunchiness and the cheese will lose firmness and turn gooey!

I'm going to have this for lunch today as well- it's SO good! I hope you'll try it and let me know what you think.

I'm keeping my chins up for a thinner future! I hope this post has inspired you. God Bless, and have a great day!