Return to Normalcy

Things are getting more back to normal around here. Yesterday food was on plan except 2 fig newtons (180 calories) and 1 Miller Lite. I went to the gym and lifted weights (chest & back), 20 minutes on the elliptical, and sat in the sauna for a few minutes.I was a little joyless in the beginning, but felt good after. This morning I got up at 5:18 and walked 2 miles. So the day is off to a good start!

One Holiday Down....

T-day was very nice. My sister & her boyfriend came over, along with my mom & MIL. It was a very relaxed day as I had cleaned the house & done a lot of prep work the day before. I had plenty of time to visit, which was fun.

Went to the doctor today. Weight is the same (still up 2 pounds), other than that, I have one new supplement to try.

Hubby is still out of town. This is the way it is for a while, so its time to stop using it as an excuse to stress eat, and instead work on relieving some of the stress. I planned simpler meals for myself & the boy this week, and included a meal out. I am going to the gym tonight.

I realized that this time last year I was tri training, and this year I have nothing. I think I need to re-commit to my running. Let's face it - it's not so cold here I have to invest in a bunch of fancy gear or anything. But I need to commit to more exercise.

I will get up at 5 and work out for the rest of the week!

And Silence Descends upon Blogdom

The blogs are quiet. I guess a lot of people are travelling, busy, etc. I am at work for a half day, then a haircut (much needed), and then home to cook! I took the pumpkin out of the freezer, and some extra chicken broth. My son is going to polish the silver and we are setting the table with my great grandmother's china. I am so excited. This is one of my favorite holidays :-)

I am thankful for my family, and for my home, and for my job. My son and I went shopping for the foster kids yesterday, and he helped me pick out toys. I was very proud of him.

Holidays and Gratitude

A woeful lack of gratitude has been running rampant in our family lately. I am guilty certainly, but I’m not the only one.

You know, I was all stressed because hubby was home last week, waiting to get paid. Then I’m all stressed because he left to go work out of town, and I was left with a bunch of stuff to do to get ready for the holiday.

My son was griping about Christmas the other day – what he was (and wasn’t) getting, about not being able to do what he wanted all the time (who can do that, really?).

Our whole lack of gratitude it pissing me off. I wish we had more money. Well we don’t. But we have enough to pay our bills, have our family over for the holidays, and give each other a little something. I am taking action. Here at work they make a big deal over the local Fox network’s “Gifts for Kids” program. They collect gifts for kids in the local foster care system. Kids can request specific gifts. So, I went to the board and pulled off 3 gifts: Michael is 9 (same age as my son) and he wants a “Thomas the Train”, Justin is 12 and he wants pants (size 14/16), and Christopher Ryan is 4 and would like Hot Wheels. I figure my son can help me pick out the gifts. I have also signed us up to work at the warehouse on Saturday the 11th, sorting the toys and matching undesignated gifts to wish lists. Maybe that will improve both of our attitudes.

Maybe I will stop obsessing about my weight and food if I focus on the big picture instead of the scale.

Nope, Nothing Profound Here

This weekend, I fell into the "I'm overwhelmed" trap. Hubby went out of town for work early Sunday am, leaving me a messy house, cooking, and holiday prep. Ugh. More work than 1 human could do. So, I had taco chips and beer (no cheese dip at least). On the plus side, I walked 2 miles each day and I am going to the gym tonight. I feel so far off-track that I can't even find the track.

Consuming More Calories Causes Weight Gain!!!!

In shocking news, I have discovered the following: Bad eating habits plus drinking beer like Budweiser is about to go bankrupt minus regular exercise equals weight gain! Who would have guessed????

So, I’m up 2.5 pounds. Not a lot, but enough to snap me out of it. This will be a short post as I have to go and plan my meals for the entire weekend, as opposed to eating whatever crap sounds good.

Walked one mile (in addition to my 30 at work) last night, plus lifted weights. Legs and shoulders. Did the same leg workout as the time before, but this time my legs aren’t nearly as sore – so that’s a good thing.

Legs:
Squats: 90/12 100/10 120/8
Leg press: 160/12 180/10 200/8
Adductor: 70/12 80/10 90/8
Leg extension: 65/12 70/11 75/8
Abductor: 70/12 80/10 90/8
Leg curl: 50/10

Shoulders:
Shoulder press: 15/12 20/12 25/8
Rotator cuff: 7.5/15 x 2
Lat raises: 12.5/12 12.5/12 15/8

A Series of Unfortunate Events

Imagine if you will, watching a train. It's about to wreck - you see its about to wreck, but you are helpless to change it. Now change your perspective and see the same events, but you are on the train. Now change perspectives again and imagine yourself the conductor. A part of your brain knows you have the power to change the events in motion, yet a part of you is frozen and watches without taking action. There is my current food plan in a nutshell.

Yesterday's series of unfortunate events: 1) I exploded my oatmeal in the microwave. I brought in my lean turkey ham, thinking I would eat the Balance bar in my desk drawer with it. Instead I bought a biscuit to put it on. 2) An evil chubby girl possessed my body, took it upstairs, and bought a sugar cookie to go with my otherwise benign afternoon snack. At 95 cents, you know that cookie was the size of a dessert plate! 3) My family rose up in rebellion and declared they wanted to go out for dinner (okay, its been over a month since the family went out to eat dinner). Pizza was consumed - I did have the decency to order light cheese.

Why why why am I doing this to myself?

Two steps forward, three steps back

Went to the gym last night, but skipped my walk and had cheese dip & beer while watching "Shrek 2". I have to say that movie is hysterical. I also have to say I think sometimes I teach my son bad eating habits.

I made sloppy joe's and potato salad for dinner last night - both homemade, and very yum. Tonight is a little healthier :-)

Trying not to beat myself up. My goal is to maintain for the next few weeks. If I can stay at 151, I will be in a happy place. We'll see- this Friday will probably find me up a pound or 2 already :-(

I have mapped out my to do list for the next few days, putting exercise at the top. I feel so much better when I take better care of myself. But stress keeps forcing me to go to the fridge for comfort. Old habits die hard. Damn caveman survival instincts! Yeah, that's what I'll blame... Just kidding - mostly.

I'd Rather be Cross Stitching

Outdoor girl had disappeared. She has been replaced by Cross stitching girl (aka "June Cleaver Clone"), who is happy to sit in her comfy chair and cross stitch Christmas ornaments after dinner. Walk? Outside? It's cold and dark out there!

Having said that, I did walk 2 miles last night. Food was not perfect yesterday. I did not bring sufficient lunch, causing an unplanned trip to the cafeteria, which resulted in a piece of pizza. I planned great lunches for the week, but forgot to cook them.

I am going to the gym tonight. What I want to do is crawl into a tub of hot water and soak. What I will do is biceps, triceps, and low back. I brought my workout book to the office. My workout is written out, complete with starting weight for each exercise. I am being kind and only doing 2 bicep exercises - but 1 is 21s, so that seems fair. I also plan to use the elliptical. Sometimes I just have to be firm with myself.

Just a Nice Weekend

Nothing magical here. Just the Monday morning after a really nice weekend. Lots of good stuff done - house cleaned, food cooked, ornaments cross-stitched. No binges, no food regrets. While I am feeling puffy, I know why - and it's actually not about what I ate this weekend. :-)

I Feel like Bustin' Loose

That's me, in my smallest jeams (that fit). Okay, maybe not really. They feel okay, but they were a tad loose last week. Must stop the insanity.

In addition to the car drama, there was this huge shooting incident right down the street from us last night. It was a property dispute, which ended with 3 people dead (including one reserve deputy), another deputy (his SIL) shot, and the shooter in the hospital. What a huge mess. The deputy that was killed owns the place we take our cars to get worked on. One lady was killed, and her husband was at the beach so they sent a family member down to tell him about her murder. The boy & I went to the gas station around the corner from our house to get a cream soda last night, and the police had their command post set up in the parking lot. He thinks someone died in a car accident. I don't know why he thinks it was a wreck (I guess that's what he associates a butt-load of emergency vehicles with), but needless to say I haven't told him what really happened. There were over 100 police & emergency personnel at the scene at one point.

I am just waiting for 4:45, so I can put this miserable week behind me. This is one of those weeks I wish you could by anti-depressants over the counter, ya know?

Thought for the day: Life is not a box of chocolates. More like a jar of jalapeno peppers. It comes back the next day and bites you in the A$$.

The Perfect Country & Western Song

So, my car breaks down the day my husband goes out of town. Battery? Maybe. Can't get it out of garage, can't get battery out of car. Driving loaner (I can't afford) which has to be turned in promptly at 9 am Saturday - the same time as the bench press competition.

I am so not caring right now it is scary.

P-M-S Spells Hunger

I just ate half my afternoon snack. I was beginning to get a headache from hunger. I'm not talking cravings, I'm talking genuine hunger. PMS stinks.

Me Hunter Gatherer

I realized this morning how much time I spend planning, preparing, and consumig food. It's sad. Sunday afternoon is generally dedicated to prepping veggies, cooking a couple of meals, making the bread etc.

A typical morning would be this: Get up, brush teeth, go to kitchen. Feed dogs. Throw ingredients into the bread machine if we need more bread. Throw dinner into the crockpot if its not already prepared from Sunday (I use my crockpot at least once a week), pack lunches for everyone, pack my breakfast, dish up son's breakfast so he can heat it up when its time to eat. If its like today, I then throw on some jeans, comb my hair, & maybe dab on a little powder & eyeliner b/c I am running late!

When we get home it's prep dinner & unload dishwasher while son is doing homework. After dinner (if hubby is home) he will usually load the dishwasher while I walk. Unfortunately, he is going out of town again this week. But it's money, so I will stop my whining.

Yesterday was good on the health front:

Exercise: 3 mile walk, plus 30 minute walk at work, chest & back at the gym.

Food:
B: Kashi cereal with skim milk
S: 1 lowfat string cheese & baby carrots
L: leftover steak, 1/2 baked sweet potato, green beans, a fun size milky way (stolen from the boy's Halloween candy).
S: 1 lowfat string cheese and an apple
D: chicken casserole and sauteed zucchini
S: 2 yeast rolls (homemade, I had to make sure they tasted good. they did.)

Takin’ Out the Trash!

I am more change averse than the average bear. I am very much a creature of habit, and I love consistency as much as any 3 year old. These past couple of weeks (including this weekend) really haven’t been all that hot. Yes, part of it has been the changes (hubby out of town, losing my workout partner, time change, weather getting colder). And I tend to get kinda down this time of year. I love fall, but despise winter, so I tend to get a little depressed when I have to turn on the heat.

It’s okay to get down, it’s okay to let your program slide for a bit, but then it’s time to “take out the trash.” Get the crap back out of your diet before it can claim permanent resident status. Get back on the treadmill before you forget how to find the gym. Don’t wanna? That’s okay. Validate your feelings, give yourself a hug, and then go do it anyway. I always feel good taking that first step back into the wagon.

Looking around blogdom, I don’t seem to be the only person who has had trouble with their fitness regime and/or their food habits lately. Guess I’m a card carrying member of the human race. Weigh in is this Friday – hopefully I won’t have slipped more than a pound or two.

Going to Plan B (What's my Plan B)?

So, S called me yesterday to let me know she couldn't meet me at the gym since she got fired!!!! Ugh! In a nutshell, they are getting rid of all personal training at the Y. I think it sucks. I really think it sucks b/c she had a membership there since she worked there, and now she doesn't, and now we don't belong to the same gym any more. We've been working out together nearly 2 years people. That's like a long term relationship. And I won't see her outside of the gym much. This sucks.

It really sucks b/c we were going to decide on my weights for the bench press competition. I am feeling really unconfortable now - like my security blanky has been stolen or something. Hubby will have to spot while I do upper body. This does not work well. I am not happy. Yes, I sound like a brat.

No weigh in this week. I will report back next week. I confess I'm kinda relieved - hasn't been a great week calorie-wise. Stop the insanity!!!!!

Weird Week

This is one of those weeks where all I want to do is be a couch potato (and eat). After 2 weeks of being "in the groove", this is not feeling good at all. Part of it is I am getting a cold. Madly flushing my sinuses with salt water and hoping to feel better soon.

Recovering from the carbohydrate hangover

So, yesterday was a blur of tiredness, hunger, and bloat. Carb hangover anyone? Ugh. I managed not to overeat, got a good night's sleep, and drank plenty of water. Unfortunately, I had a bunch of stuff I had to do when I got home, so exercise was minimal.

I just hope this week doesn't set me too far back. Sometimes I embarrass myself.

Luckily, Halloween only come once a year

Because in my world, Halloween weekend consists of sitting around watching horror movies while consuming pizza and beer. Or spagetti and beer. Or popcorn and diet pepsi, for variety.

After carefully going through the tv guide and highlighting all the movies I wanted to either watch or tape (I taped 9), I did manage to watch most of them. I missed the end of Howling II (I fell asleep), which is a shame because in my book it's a classic.

Hubby was out of town, so I had the house all to myself. It was fun, but I really don't want to do it again for a while. My stomach still hurts from eating & drinking way too much crap. How much weight can you gain in one weekend???

My friend Robin assures me that it is a sign of my utter weirdness that I spent Sunday afternoon cross stitching a nativity scene Christmas ornament while watching Texas Chainsaw Massacre.