All, nothing, or somewhere in between? You be the judge.
I am on a Body For Life e-group. This morning there was a re-posting from a member who was a finalist in a BFL challenge. She was discussing how she worked the program to get the results she did. The moderator also linked to an article discussing the mindset behind the champions, and a joking (but true) description of how to guarantee you won’t be a champion (set no goals, skip workouts, eat cake at the office). But the whole thing got me thinking.
I am following BFL, but in a fairly lackadaisical fashion. I do not weigh my food or obsessively check the nutrient ratios, I could certainly eat cleaner than I do, I include faux beer and chocolate in my diet on a regular basis. These behaviors aren’t going to peel 2 pounds of fat of my body per week, at least not week over week. On the other hand, I don’t go into my free day, slavering at the bit because I’m going to die if I can’t get my pizza fix. I have “less than optimal” foods built into my diet, so that I enjoy them as I go along. This doesn’t feel like a diet to me, it’s just my lifestyle.
On the other hand, we all know how long I stayed stalled. Yes, the weight is (slowly) coming off now, but for how long? If you think of your program (whatever it is) as a sort of sliding scale, where are you? Where am I? The folks that win the BFL challenges are at an 11 on a scale of 0 to 10 – 0 being no effort and 10 being total effort. I don’t want to be at 0, and I can’t sustain a 10 or even a 9 without driving myself nuts and crashing and burning after only a few days. So where is the best place to be?
I’ve spent the last year somewhere around a 2 or 3 if I’m honest with myself. Right now I feel like I’m operating at a 6. I’d like to hover somewhere between 7 and 8 – IMO, that’s a pretty good effort, without making yourself obsessive or nuts.
I like BFL because it’s a program that doesn’t require excessive weighing or measuring. For most people, a certain amount of measuring is needed until you get your eyeballs adjusted and can make accurate estimates of portions. On the other hand, I can’t help but feeling like I would see better, more, faster results if I did a bit better on my food. Exercise-wise, I feel like I’m right on. For example, choosing more veggies in place of some of the whole grains. Having either a piece of dark chocolate OR a faux beer, just not both. I’m wondering if a few little tweaks wouldn’t pay off. But I don’t want to turn into one of those obsessive people who slice up a cuke to put their tuna salad (FF mayo only!) on so they can eliminate the 5 whole wheat Ritz crackers from their snack. I guess I’m wondering where I need to draw my line. What are good choices, and what is “over the line”? And how sad is it that I don’t know the answer to that question?
Maybe I’m just feeling bad that yesterday didn’t turn out as I had hoped. Yep, I got up and walked. But I was running late and feeling fatigued, so I skipped cooking breakfast and took the boy & me to Sonic. I had a diet limeade and a ham & egg sandwich (no cheese). A little over what I normally eat, a bit high on the fat, and there’s that white bread, but not too bad.
There was breakfast at the meeting which I knew ahead of time to avoid (no protein), but I did indulge in a fourth of a pecan sweet thingie. No biggie, right? I had my snack, so when we went to lunch I wouldn’t be famished. I limited myself to 3 nacho chips with some topping and one cracker with crab dip from the load of appetizers ordered. I had French onion soup for lunch (left about a third of the cheese) and a grilled chicken Caesar salad (no parm, dressing on the side). We didn’t get dessert, so when we got back I did have another third of that pecan thing because I wanted something sweet. Afternoon snack was skipped because we got out of the meeting late.
Because I got out of the meeting late and had to get the boy, I missed my chance to hit the gym. Hub was working late, so I figured we’d go out. We went out for Chinese with another family. Actually that was no problem – I ordered steam veggies with tofu & chicken, steamed rice and sauce on the side. I didn’t eat much of the rice at all, but I did use all of the general tso’s sauce on my meal and then ate a fortune cookie. Have you ever seen a fortune cookie with a nutrition label? I read this one after I’d eaten the cookie – 210 calories and 10 grams of fat! Good lord! How do they squeeze all that into that tiny, crisp cookie???
After we got home we took a walk, and I had a faux beer. All day long I made a series of “pretty good’ choices. But are they “good enough” to get me the results I want? I know it was just one day. But it’s our response to a series of decisions every single day that determines the outcomes we create for ourselves.
I’ve made a lot of positive changes lately – I’ve majorly curtailed my consumption of both beer & diet soda. I’ve cleaned up my evening snacking in a bit way. Am I just being impatient, or am I expecting more payoff than I’ve earned? I don’t know the answer to any of this, but I definitely want these thoughts at the front of my brain – as long as they don’t keep me up at night!
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Let's meet!
Just a quick note - I've got an all day meeting today.
Food was fine yesterday. After work, I hit the gym for a fun little workout I call "Drop Set Mania". Start with the largest muscle (I did upper, so I started with back) - start with the heaviest weight you can move, then drop to the next lowest when you can't do it any more. Do that down the weight rack. Don't take any breaks. Then go to the second largest muscle group & repeat.
It looked kind alike this:
db row: 40/18 35/8 30/8 25/6 20/6
chest press: 30/10 25/6 20/6
shoulder press: 25/10 20/6 15/2
tricep overhead press: 30/5 25/8 20/6
bicep curl: 20/10 15/8 12/6
As you can see, I only did 3 iterations after the first exercise b/c those muscles were laready getting pretty fatigued. My arms feel like lead today, which is a good thing.
I got up and walked this morning. I had Sonic breakfast sandwich (no cheese) for breakfast - I was in a hurry and I wanted to avoid the bagels & juice at this meeting.
Have a great day!
Just a quick note - I've got an all day meeting today.
Food was fine yesterday. After work, I hit the gym for a fun little workout I call "Drop Set Mania". Start with the largest muscle (I did upper, so I started with back) - start with the heaviest weight you can move, then drop to the next lowest when you can't do it any more. Do that down the weight rack. Don't take any breaks. Then go to the second largest muscle group & repeat.
It looked kind alike this:
db row: 40/18 35/8 30/8 25/6 20/6
chest press: 30/10 25/6 20/6
shoulder press: 25/10 20/6 15/2
tricep overhead press: 30/5 25/8 20/6
bicep curl: 20/10 15/8 12/6
As you can see, I only did 3 iterations after the first exercise b/c those muscles were laready getting pretty fatigued. My arms feel like lead today, which is a good thing.
I got up and walked this morning. I had Sonic breakfast sandwich (no cheese) for breakfast - I was in a hurry and I wanted to avoid the bagels & juice at this meeting.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
I feel like bustin’ loose (right outta my pants)!
Why did I wear my “they just fit” jeans today???? I am suffering from either carb or PMS bloat – or both, and I feel like a sausage. I generally avoid carbs with my dinner so I can have a faux beer & square of dark chocolate after dinner. Last night I had a square of dark chocolate, 2 faux beers, and a serving of lowfat ice cream! Hopefully today is the last day of feeling like a sausage.
The funny thing is that other than that, my eating was very clean and on plan yesterday. I managed 1 hour 45 minutes of exercise – including a super intense HIIT session on the elliptical. It was definitely a step up in intensity from the treadmill. I figure 2 weeks of HIIT on the treadmill alternating with 2 weeks on the elliptical will keep my body guessing.
Changing my medicine helped a little, but I still had a bit of trouble sleeping last night. Sigh. Not sure what to do. They have to be 12 hours apart – I wake up at 5 and go to bed at 9, and any time between 6 and 9 pm doesn’t seem to work, but earlier would mean waking myself up to take a pill. Ugh.
Despite the sleep woes, I did get up and walk this morning. Hurray!
Why did I wear my “they just fit” jeans today???? I am suffering from either carb or PMS bloat – or both, and I feel like a sausage. I generally avoid carbs with my dinner so I can have a faux beer & square of dark chocolate after dinner. Last night I had a square of dark chocolate, 2 faux beers, and a serving of lowfat ice cream! Hopefully today is the last day of feeling like a sausage.
The funny thing is that other than that, my eating was very clean and on plan yesterday. I managed 1 hour 45 minutes of exercise – including a super intense HIIT session on the elliptical. It was definitely a step up in intensity from the treadmill. I figure 2 weeks of HIIT on the treadmill alternating with 2 weeks on the elliptical will keep my body guessing.
Changing my medicine helped a little, but I still had a bit of trouble sleeping last night. Sigh. Not sure what to do. They have to be 12 hours apart – I wake up at 5 and go to bed at 9, and any time between 6 and 9 pm doesn’t seem to work, but earlier would mean waking myself up to take a pill. Ugh.
Despite the sleep woes, I did get up and walk this morning. Hurray!
Monday, March 27, 2006
Scuppers the Sailor Dog
When my son was a little boy, the Little Golden Book “The Sailor Dog” was one of his favorites. Maybe it was the sailor dog crib bedding – maybe it was that grandpa was a pro waterskiier at Cypress Gardens a billion years ago. In any case – he has always loved the water and has been skiing since he was 1 year old.
When my mom & stepdad divorced, my mom really missed being out on the water and missed watching the boy ski. She always wanted a pontoon boat, but they always had ski boats. This weekend her 20 year dream became a reality: we boat a pontoon boat. Yep, a new 20 foot Starcraft! I ordered a grill so my hub would have something to do *smirk*.
Oh – Friday my MP3 player broke at the gym! Luckily the hub bought the insurance, so we went to Best Buy Friday night and picked out a new one. Then we spent time over the weekend loading music onto the computer and then onto the new player.
Saturday was a lot of shopping – for the boat, the hub for pants, for groceries. Sunday was cleaning the house & the cooking.
Food was kinda crazy on Saturday – more eating out than I would have liked, but hey, that’s what a free day is for. I am trying to get sick with something, so I spent the rest of the time trying to get some quality rest.
Speaking of which, I think I figured out why I am having insomnia, and figured out the cure. I take a 12 hour time release Welbutrin, and the evening one was causing the insomnia. By taking it right before bedtime, I bypass the insomnia. Yay!
Have a good day.
Friday, March 24, 2006
Insomnia
Okay, I had insomnia last night for the third time this week. Argh! Not sure if it’s the new job, new medicine, or what. I’m going to try to faithfully use my guided meditation CDs next week to hopefully quiet my mind. If that doesn’t help, I’ll call the doctor to ask if it could be the medicine & what I can do about that. Maybe I’ll do both.
In other news, my weight remained the same this week. Given that this is “the week” when I am typically up a pound or 2, I think that’s pretty good. Hopefully I’ll see some scale movement next week.
Exercise this week: M 1.5, T 1, W 1.5, H 1, F will be 1 hour. Good lower body workout at the gym last night, and a good walk at lunch.
Driving to work one morning, I noticed a sigh that read “We buy & sell used boats” – there is apparently a boat store right next to where I had my trailer hitch put on, across the road from the farmers’ market I go to nearly every weekend and I never noticed it!
So I called yesterday afternoon and spoke with a very nice fella named Randy who told me that they would be getting in a used pontoon boat next week, and that he felt confident that he could get us into a new boat in our price range. What made me so excited talking to Randy was the fact that he talked to me like I had a clue. He actually seemed to think I knew what he was saying when talking about engines, and he seemed to understand that 2 women might actually have the money to purchase a boat.
Shopping last weekend for boats, mom and I kept checking each other to see if our “cloak of invisibility” had inadvertently been slipped on, as we seemed to go unnoticed until we rudely asked for service. Those places needed a sign on the front door “No penis, no service.” Hrumph!
I told hub mom & I were going to look at boats Saturday morning, and he asked if he could come with us. The guy who was totally against us getting a boat! Seems he has seen some country music video for a song “Red Neck Yacht Club” and has decided that a pontoon boat looks fun. I told him he would come around, and of course he disagreed vehemently. Ha! I know my husband.
Must plan my food & activity for the weekend, but I am setting myself up for scale success come next Friday. Have a great weekend!
Okay, I had insomnia last night for the third time this week. Argh! Not sure if it’s the new job, new medicine, or what. I’m going to try to faithfully use my guided meditation CDs next week to hopefully quiet my mind. If that doesn’t help, I’ll call the doctor to ask if it could be the medicine & what I can do about that. Maybe I’ll do both.
In other news, my weight remained the same this week. Given that this is “the week” when I am typically up a pound or 2, I think that’s pretty good. Hopefully I’ll see some scale movement next week.
Exercise this week: M 1.5, T 1, W 1.5, H 1, F will be 1 hour. Good lower body workout at the gym last night, and a good walk at lunch.
Driving to work one morning, I noticed a sigh that read “We buy & sell used boats” – there is apparently a boat store right next to where I had my trailer hitch put on, across the road from the farmers’ market I go to nearly every weekend and I never noticed it!
So I called yesterday afternoon and spoke with a very nice fella named Randy who told me that they would be getting in a used pontoon boat next week, and that he felt confident that he could get us into a new boat in our price range. What made me so excited talking to Randy was the fact that he talked to me like I had a clue. He actually seemed to think I knew what he was saying when talking about engines, and he seemed to understand that 2 women might actually have the money to purchase a boat.
Shopping last weekend for boats, mom and I kept checking each other to see if our “cloak of invisibility” had inadvertently been slipped on, as we seemed to go unnoticed until we rudely asked for service. Those places needed a sign on the front door “No penis, no service.” Hrumph!
I told hub mom & I were going to look at boats Saturday morning, and he asked if he could come with us. The guy who was totally against us getting a boat! Seems he has seen some country music video for a song “Red Neck Yacht Club” and has decided that a pontoon boat looks fun. I told him he would come around, and of course he disagreed vehemently. Ha! I know my husband.
Must plan my food & activity for the weekend, but I am setting myself up for scale success come next Friday. Have a great weekend!
Thursday, March 23, 2006
A quote, a question, and the hunger thing
"The world is full of flat squirrels who couldn't make up their mind."
In big corporation buildings the bathrooms frequently have multiple stalls, lined up in one or more rows. If you walk in & sit down, and then a second person comes in, why do they always sit in the stall next to you??????
My girlfriend suggested a glass of milk before bed, since I am awake 3 hours after dinner. I gnawed on a cold piece of leftover fish from last night's dinner before we walked at lunchtime because I was starving. I mean, on a scale of 1 to 10 I was at 11. Also, for the third day I've eaten about 100 calories of vegetable soup in addition to my lunchtime salad to fill the pit. I think the problem is my morning source of protein this week is mostly protein powder with just a little egg (I made french toast) - also its pretty low in fat. So its probably not lasting as long as the egg with a bit of cheese and small serving of oatmeal I've been eating. But I had gotten bored. Back on the egg band wagon for me next week! If that doesn't work, then I'll add half a glass of milk before bed.
"The world is full of flat squirrels who couldn't make up their mind."
In big corporation buildings the bathrooms frequently have multiple stalls, lined up in one or more rows. If you walk in & sit down, and then a second person comes in, why do they always sit in the stall next to you??????
My girlfriend suggested a glass of milk before bed, since I am awake 3 hours after dinner. I gnawed on a cold piece of leftover fish from last night's dinner before we walked at lunchtime because I was starving. I mean, on a scale of 1 to 10 I was at 11. Also, for the third day I've eaten about 100 calories of vegetable soup in addition to my lunchtime salad to fill the pit. I think the problem is my morning source of protein this week is mostly protein powder with just a little egg (I made french toast) - also its pretty low in fat. So its probably not lasting as long as the egg with a bit of cheese and small serving of oatmeal I've been eating. But I had gotten bored. Back on the egg band wagon for me next week! If that doesn't work, then I'll add half a glass of milk before bed.
Ravenous
Sounds like the name of a bad zombie movie, doesn’t it? Come to think of it, I feel a little like one of those zombies in the sense that I AM STARVING!!!!!
I have upped my exercise, and apparently ye olde body is trying to tell me that it isn’t caring for the current caloric deficit. Monday was 1 hr walking, 30 minutes HIIT, Tuesday was 30 minutes walking and 30 minutes lifting, yesterday was 1 hr walking and 30 minutes HIIT, today is 30 minutes walking and 30 minutes weight lifting.
Food was most excellent yesterday – last night was baked fish, sautéed carrots, and a salad. Followed by 1 square of Dove dark chocolate and a “Faux Milwaukee beer”. The weird thing is I am now used to non-alcohol beer. I haven’t had a soda since Sunday. Who is this woman????
I am concerned about vacation and the lack of weight lifting. I think I’m going to investigate the possibility of buying some resistance bands or something I can take with me so I don’t go all flabulous. Does anyone have any experience with these things, or other suggestions???
MIL went in this morning for an ultrasound on some sort of cyst, tumor, something. Mom went with her.
In other news, there is thankfully no other news!
Sounds like the name of a bad zombie movie, doesn’t it? Come to think of it, I feel a little like one of those zombies in the sense that I AM STARVING!!!!!
I have upped my exercise, and apparently ye olde body is trying to tell me that it isn’t caring for the current caloric deficit. Monday was 1 hr walking, 30 minutes HIIT, Tuesday was 30 minutes walking and 30 minutes lifting, yesterday was 1 hr walking and 30 minutes HIIT, today is 30 minutes walking and 30 minutes weight lifting.
Food was most excellent yesterday – last night was baked fish, sautéed carrots, and a salad. Followed by 1 square of Dove dark chocolate and a “Faux Milwaukee beer”. The weird thing is I am now used to non-alcohol beer. I haven’t had a soda since Sunday. Who is this woman????
I am concerned about vacation and the lack of weight lifting. I think I’m going to investigate the possibility of buying some resistance bands or something I can take with me so I don’t go all flabulous. Does anyone have any experience with these things, or other suggestions???
MIL went in this morning for an ultrasound on some sort of cyst, tumor, something. Mom went with her.
In other news, there is thankfully no other news!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Feeling Groovy
I generally loathe music from the Simon & Garfunkel era (I think my subconscious relates it to my parents’ miserable marriage), but that song captures how I’m feeling today. Optimistic.
That in spite of a few things: In the past 3 days, my MIL’s dog has taken a dump in my bedroom three times! When I told hub about last evening’s little present (complete with some urine for him to stream clean up), he went postal. Over the cell phone, I heard him stop for a chocolate shake & fries and then he let me know he wanted to go out because he wanted buffalo wings and beer for dinner. Eeks! I tried to talk him out of it, to no avail. He had 12 wings and a beer for dinner. I had half a breadstick, 1 wing, and a child’s order of spaghetti with meat sauce. Not the best meal perhaps, but not terrible.
In the ongoing drama that is my MIL’s life, she got pulled by a state trooper yesterday – her car inspection, registration, AND license were all expired. He must’ve been a big softie, he wrote her a warning with the promise that she would fix it all that day (which she did).
Oh, and we’re back to winter mode here, with temps below average!
But ya know what? I ate pretty well yesterday in the face of stress. I did a killer upper body workout at the gym. I got up and walked this morning. My navy pants don’t fit yet, but my second pair of jeans do. I’m getting back to where I was – and then I’m gonna blow by it!
Yesterday’s workout was another “circuit of pain”. I did this first circuit twice through: cable row, cable lat pulldown, cable bicep curl, cable tricep pressdown, cybex machine shoulder press. Then I did once through this dumbbell circuit: db row, db incline press, bicep curl, did dips between benches, with 50 pounds on my lap, and then front and side raises for the shoulders. The thing I love about circuits is you can move from exercise to exercise quickly, maximizing your workout time. Felt great!
I generally loathe music from the Simon & Garfunkel era (I think my subconscious relates it to my parents’ miserable marriage), but that song captures how I’m feeling today. Optimistic.
That in spite of a few things: In the past 3 days, my MIL’s dog has taken a dump in my bedroom three times! When I told hub about last evening’s little present (complete with some urine for him to stream clean up), he went postal. Over the cell phone, I heard him stop for a chocolate shake & fries and then he let me know he wanted to go out because he wanted buffalo wings and beer for dinner. Eeks! I tried to talk him out of it, to no avail. He had 12 wings and a beer for dinner. I had half a breadstick, 1 wing, and a child’s order of spaghetti with meat sauce. Not the best meal perhaps, but not terrible.
In the ongoing drama that is my MIL’s life, she got pulled by a state trooper yesterday – her car inspection, registration, AND license were all expired. He must’ve been a big softie, he wrote her a warning with the promise that she would fix it all that day (which she did).
Oh, and we’re back to winter mode here, with temps below average!
But ya know what? I ate pretty well yesterday in the face of stress. I did a killer upper body workout at the gym. I got up and walked this morning. My navy pants don’t fit yet, but my second pair of jeans do. I’m getting back to where I was – and then I’m gonna blow by it!
Yesterday’s workout was another “circuit of pain”. I did this first circuit twice through: cable row, cable lat pulldown, cable bicep curl, cable tricep pressdown, cybex machine shoulder press. Then I did once through this dumbbell circuit: db row, db incline press, bicep curl, did dips between benches, with 50 pounds on my lap, and then front and side raises for the shoulders. The thing I love about circuits is you can move from exercise to exercise quickly, maximizing your workout time. Felt great!
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Blech
I will start off on a positive note: exercise was excellent yesterday! 1 hour of walking, plus 30 minutes of HIIT at the gym. I am a goddess! Also, food was very good. I had 2 NA “beers” after dinner, plus a square of dark chocolate, but it was planned for and fit into the food for the day.
So many stressors are coming at me from so many different directions right now. I can’t believe I didn’t turn to food last night, although I certainly considered it!
The boy is having a tough time right now, on several fronts. He thinks his best friend stole 20 dollars from him. His grandpa’s wife’s mom just died, and her dad is in the hospital. MIL is getting on his nerves too – she at our house during the week and over at grandma’s when he goes over there on the weekend. He feels like he doesn’t get much of a break except up at grandpa’s – which is true. MIL is driving my husband insane and he is taking his ill humor out on the boy and is totally acting like a jerk! On the plus side, he does at least recognize the fact, and he apologized this morning, but his behavior has been pretty aggravating.
Me? I’ve just been hiding in the tub with the latest Stephen King book (which I finished last night BTW – excellent!). I spent 45 minutes last night holding my son while he just sobbed his little heart out. I gave him a Tylenol and a cool rag for the headache, and held him until he passed out, exhausted. Hub took him out for breakfast at their favorite breakfast spot this morning, so I hope he is feeling better today. He just had a lot bottled up that he needed to release. Poor guy.
It’s been two months – her unemployment lasts for six. She has yet to produce a single quilt, or to advertise the “sample” patterns she has made up so that people can select a style & color to place an order. A good idea, but no follow through, as is the norm with her.
The more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t want the headache of managing a rental property that she is “renting” from us. But god knows hub’s brother won’t help her in any long term kind of way – his patience with her is much shorter than hub’s! And quite frankly I don’t think the woman is capable enough to manage on her own. She’s just too messed up. Sigh. I don’t have an answer.
I am walking at lunch, and going to the gym to do an upper body workout this afternoon. Legs are still sore from Sunday. Now let’s work the upper body until it matches!
Here’s a recipe I modified from a cookbook I checked out of the library by Kathleen Daelemans.
Plum Butter:
4 plums, 1 apple, ¼ c sugar (if needed)
Quarter plums, chop apple, use sugar if plums are tart. Microwave 20 minutes. If you want it smoother, you can put it in the food processor. This is great on toast, French toast, pancakes, and I bet it would be yummy on a pork tenderloin.
Unfortunately, I only have the book until the 31st, and I can’t renew it. That and Bill Phillip’s “Eating for Life” are on my must purchase list. I’ve renewed Bill’s book like 3 times! I guess people think a “bodybuilder” can’t write a cookbook. Fools! Yeah, some of the recipes are a bit bland for my palate, but I use Rachel Ray’s seasonings & Bill’s ingredients. That way, I know the meal is balanced for my needs, yet conforms to my family’s palate. And most of the recipes are great as is. I made his sloppy joes last night and everybody loved them – especially my MIL.
Here’s another freebie recipe to zest up your food:
Salsa Verde
1/2 lb tomatillos (remove husks)
1 slice onion (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 garlic clove
1 canned chipotle chili (preserved jalapeno) OR 1 serrano
bunch of cilantro plus stems
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 cup low-fat, low-salt chicken broth
1 TB vegetable oil (optional--also can use Pam)
Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor. Don't worry about coring the omatillos or trimming the stems off the cilantro. Just toss it all in.
Use raw for: chips, veggies
Cook for ten minutes in sauce pan with vegetable oil until dark green. Use cooked for eggs, enchiladas, tamales, etc.
It is rainy & miserable & cold here – I just slept in this morning. Maybe that is affecting my mood also. Hopefully, I won’t be such a downer tomorrow. Until then, grouch, grumble, moan. :-[
I will start off on a positive note: exercise was excellent yesterday! 1 hour of walking, plus 30 minutes of HIIT at the gym. I am a goddess! Also, food was very good. I had 2 NA “beers” after dinner, plus a square of dark chocolate, but it was planned for and fit into the food for the day.
So many stressors are coming at me from so many different directions right now. I can’t believe I didn’t turn to food last night, although I certainly considered it!
The boy is having a tough time right now, on several fronts. He thinks his best friend stole 20 dollars from him. His grandpa’s wife’s mom just died, and her dad is in the hospital. MIL is getting on his nerves too – she at our house during the week and over at grandma’s when he goes over there on the weekend. He feels like he doesn’t get much of a break except up at grandpa’s – which is true. MIL is driving my husband insane and he is taking his ill humor out on the boy and is totally acting like a jerk! On the plus side, he does at least recognize the fact, and he apologized this morning, but his behavior has been pretty aggravating.
Me? I’ve just been hiding in the tub with the latest Stephen King book (which I finished last night BTW – excellent!). I spent 45 minutes last night holding my son while he just sobbed his little heart out. I gave him a Tylenol and a cool rag for the headache, and held him until he passed out, exhausted. Hub took him out for breakfast at their favorite breakfast spot this morning, so I hope he is feeling better today. He just had a lot bottled up that he needed to release. Poor guy.
It’s been two months – her unemployment lasts for six. She has yet to produce a single quilt, or to advertise the “sample” patterns she has made up so that people can select a style & color to place an order. A good idea, but no follow through, as is the norm with her.
The more I think about it, the more I realize I don’t want the headache of managing a rental property that she is “renting” from us. But god knows hub’s brother won’t help her in any long term kind of way – his patience with her is much shorter than hub’s! And quite frankly I don’t think the woman is capable enough to manage on her own. She’s just too messed up. Sigh. I don’t have an answer.
I am walking at lunch, and going to the gym to do an upper body workout this afternoon. Legs are still sore from Sunday. Now let’s work the upper body until it matches!
Here’s a recipe I modified from a cookbook I checked out of the library by Kathleen Daelemans.
Plum Butter:
4 plums, 1 apple, ¼ c sugar (if needed)
Quarter plums, chop apple, use sugar if plums are tart. Microwave 20 minutes. If you want it smoother, you can put it in the food processor. This is great on toast, French toast, pancakes, and I bet it would be yummy on a pork tenderloin.
Unfortunately, I only have the book until the 31st, and I can’t renew it. That and Bill Phillip’s “Eating for Life” are on my must purchase list. I’ve renewed Bill’s book like 3 times! I guess people think a “bodybuilder” can’t write a cookbook. Fools! Yeah, some of the recipes are a bit bland for my palate, but I use Rachel Ray’s seasonings & Bill’s ingredients. That way, I know the meal is balanced for my needs, yet conforms to my family’s palate. And most of the recipes are great as is. I made his sloppy joes last night and everybody loved them – especially my MIL.
Here’s another freebie recipe to zest up your food:
Salsa Verde
1/2 lb tomatillos (remove husks)
1 slice onion (about 1/4 inch thick)
1 garlic clove
1 canned chipotle chili (preserved jalapeno) OR 1 serrano
bunch of cilantro plus stems
salt to taste
1/2 to 1 cup low-fat, low-salt chicken broth
1 TB vegetable oil (optional--also can use Pam)
Blend all ingredients except oil in food processor. Don't worry about coring the omatillos or trimming the stems off the cilantro. Just toss it all in.
Use raw for: chips, veggies
Cook for ten minutes in sauce pan with vegetable oil until dark green. Use cooked for eggs, enchiladas, tamales, etc.
It is rainy & miserable & cold here – I just slept in this morning. Maybe that is affecting my mood also. Hopefully, I won’t be such a downer tomorrow. Until then, grouch, grumble, moan. :-[
Monday, March 20, 2006
Fire up the barbie, we're having green beans for dinner!
The weekend went way too fast! As usual *smirk*.
I got in two very good weight routines last week - my legs are cursing me even as I sit here. "It hurts so good!" So, even thought I did 45 minutes less exercise than the week before, I think it worked out to be better overall since I have managed a return to the gym. Before we left for the gym yesterday, the hub and I were doing that old "Hans and Franz" schtick from SNL - we're such goobs. :-)
For the curious, here is the "circuit of doom" I created to pummel my legs into submission. I did each exercise and then moved on to the next one, doing the whole cicuit twice. Next week I'll try for three!
Squats, step ups (step from the floor onto a flat weight bench while holding dumbbells), leg press, abductor, adductor, calf raises, crunches, low back hyper extension, decline sit-ups, donkey kicks.
Food gets a B+ for the weekend. I had post dinner snacks Friday and Saturday, but my meals were very good all weekend. Saturday nigth the snacking got a bit out of control, and both times my snacks included beer. Not good!
I made an amazing ratatoille on the grill last night - my MIL probably ate more veggies at dinner last night than she generally eats in a week! That stuff was good! Tonight I am making the sloppy joes from the "Eating for Life" cookbook, and getting the hub to grill some fresh green beans. I know - kinda a weird combination.
Mom & I went and looked at boats Saturday. 1) Men that work in boat shops seem to think that 2 women aren't worth waiting on unless everyone else in the store has been helped. Hello, this ain't Korea people! 2) We will definitely be buying a used boat. Whoa!
Looked at a house Friday. Uh, no!
Hub walked for 45 minutes with me Saturday morning. And went to the gym yesterday with me. And walked this morning! (We didn't walk together - I left the house before he had even managed to sit up. He's not a quick riser!). I'm not saying anything, but yay! He went to a christening Saturday and went to put on a pair of jeans and they were too tight! I suspect that was a rude awakening.
Have a great day!
The weekend went way too fast! As usual *smirk*.
I got in two very good weight routines last week - my legs are cursing me even as I sit here. "It hurts so good!" So, even thought I did 45 minutes less exercise than the week before, I think it worked out to be better overall since I have managed a return to the gym. Before we left for the gym yesterday, the hub and I were doing that old "Hans and Franz" schtick from SNL - we're such goobs. :-)
For the curious, here is the "circuit of doom" I created to pummel my legs into submission. I did each exercise and then moved on to the next one, doing the whole cicuit twice. Next week I'll try for three!
Squats, step ups (step from the floor onto a flat weight bench while holding dumbbells), leg press, abductor, adductor, calf raises, crunches, low back hyper extension, decline sit-ups, donkey kicks.
Food gets a B+ for the weekend. I had post dinner snacks Friday and Saturday, but my meals were very good all weekend. Saturday nigth the snacking got a bit out of control, and both times my snacks included beer. Not good!
I made an amazing ratatoille on the grill last night - my MIL probably ate more veggies at dinner last night than she generally eats in a week! That stuff was good! Tonight I am making the sloppy joes from the "Eating for Life" cookbook, and getting the hub to grill some fresh green beans. I know - kinda a weird combination.
Mom & I went and looked at boats Saturday. 1) Men that work in boat shops seem to think that 2 women aren't worth waiting on unless everyone else in the store has been helped. Hello, this ain't Korea people! 2) We will definitely be buying a used boat. Whoa!
Looked at a house Friday. Uh, no!
Hub walked for 45 minutes with me Saturday morning. And went to the gym yesterday with me. And walked this morning! (We didn't walk together - I left the house before he had even managed to sit up. He's not a quick riser!). I'm not saying anything, but yay! He went to a christening Saturday and went to put on a pair of jeans and they were too tight! I suspect that was a rude awakening.
Have a great day!
Friday, March 17, 2006
Faux Milwaukee
The good:
1 hour of exercise per day has been achieved this week. I even made it to the gym and lifted weights. Proof that miracles happen in the modern age.
Weight popped up briefly last Friday, but today I was back to the 153.5 I saw in the doctor’s office. I had crept up to 157.5 – ouch! So, I do seem to be on a solid downward trend – huzzah!
I am down to 1 soda, not every day. So maybe 5 per week. This is a significant improvement over where I was. For my next trick, I plan to switch to decaf tea at home, since I drink it with supper.
Mom and I are looking at going in together on a pontoon boat. Woo hoo!
The bad:
After a wonderful night of sleep Wednesday, insomnia returned last night. I slept in this morning, again. :-( I have been making up the exercise time in the evenings, but I really enjoy exercising in the morning. And this insomnia thing stinks! I’m not sure what the deal is. I plan to add a half hour of meditation into my evening routine. Perhaps this will settle my mind.
My former boss’ boss decided that since I got a promotion I didn’t need a merit increase for last year, even though my end of year review was excellent. My boss tried to fight for me, to no avail. Angry and bitter, your table is now available.
The sad:
Beer and I have had to pretty much part ways in order for me to get this weight off. I, Neca, brewer since the age of 14, connoisseur of fine German beer, am reduced to drinking Old Milwaukee NA from a can. And the really pitiful thing is its starting to taste pretty good. Pity me!
The annoying:
My MIL. Maybe my insomnia is due to being dragged way farther into the train wreck that is her life than I would like. This is difficult to avoid when she is living with my mom, and staying on my sofa 3 nights a week to be at our house to work on her quilting.
The only reason I am letting her do that is that she is barely getting by on unemployment, and she needs to start saving so she can move out. Quilting is something she does extremely well, and she could earn some good money on the side. Hub and I are exploring the possibility of helping her purchase a small house – her credit is way too bad for her to possibly do it on her own. We are looking at a place this afternoon. The source of my insomnia perhaps????
In other MIL news, she got some lab results from the doc yesterday. Among other things, her cholesterol is 400. That is NOT a typo. If you saw the crap she eats you wouldn’t be surprised. That did at least prompt her to ask for help, so mom & I staged an intervention on her eating. We’ll see how long that lasts.
The unrelated:
While I like Riis and the CSC cyclists as individuals, I get a sense on arrogance. Perhaps it is merely confidence and I am misreading it through my T-mobile pink colored glasses. Americans seem to be kicking butt & taking names. “European” cycling my red, white, & blue butt! Looks to be a lot more exciting now that Lance is out of it. Yeah, I know, sacreligious.
Have a great weekend
The good:
1 hour of exercise per day has been achieved this week. I even made it to the gym and lifted weights. Proof that miracles happen in the modern age.
Weight popped up briefly last Friday, but today I was back to the 153.5 I saw in the doctor’s office. I had crept up to 157.5 – ouch! So, I do seem to be on a solid downward trend – huzzah!
I am down to 1 soda, not every day. So maybe 5 per week. This is a significant improvement over where I was. For my next trick, I plan to switch to decaf tea at home, since I drink it with supper.
Mom and I are looking at going in together on a pontoon boat. Woo hoo!
The bad:
After a wonderful night of sleep Wednesday, insomnia returned last night. I slept in this morning, again. :-( I have been making up the exercise time in the evenings, but I really enjoy exercising in the morning. And this insomnia thing stinks! I’m not sure what the deal is. I plan to add a half hour of meditation into my evening routine. Perhaps this will settle my mind.
My former boss’ boss decided that since I got a promotion I didn’t need a merit increase for last year, even though my end of year review was excellent. My boss tried to fight for me, to no avail. Angry and bitter, your table is now available.
The sad:
Beer and I have had to pretty much part ways in order for me to get this weight off. I, Neca, brewer since the age of 14, connoisseur of fine German beer, am reduced to drinking Old Milwaukee NA from a can. And the really pitiful thing is its starting to taste pretty good. Pity me!
The annoying:
My MIL. Maybe my insomnia is due to being dragged way farther into the train wreck that is her life than I would like. This is difficult to avoid when she is living with my mom, and staying on my sofa 3 nights a week to be at our house to work on her quilting.
The only reason I am letting her do that is that she is barely getting by on unemployment, and she needs to start saving so she can move out. Quilting is something she does extremely well, and she could earn some good money on the side. Hub and I are exploring the possibility of helping her purchase a small house – her credit is way too bad for her to possibly do it on her own. We are looking at a place this afternoon. The source of my insomnia perhaps????
In other MIL news, she got some lab results from the doc yesterday. Among other things, her cholesterol is 400. That is NOT a typo. If you saw the crap she eats you wouldn’t be surprised. That did at least prompt her to ask for help, so mom & I staged an intervention on her eating. We’ll see how long that lasts.
The unrelated:
While I like Riis and the CSC cyclists as individuals, I get a sense on arrogance. Perhaps it is merely confidence and I am misreading it through my T-mobile pink colored glasses. Americans seem to be kicking butt & taking names. “European” cycling my red, white, & blue butt! Looks to be a lot more exciting now that Lance is out of it. Yeah, I know, sacreligious.
Have a great weekend
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Insomnia: Part 3
Last night marked the third night in a row of insomnia. You know, the kind where you wake up at 2 am and then lay there for an hour or two mulling over everything and anything? So that then you reset the alarm in your sleep when it goes off because you are so freaking exhausted. Only to collapse into bed at 9 pm the next day, only to repeat the whole heinous process yet again. Gah.
MIL is staying with us for a couple of nights, to give my mom a break, and so she can work on her quilts. She is finishing some to sell so she can put a little money into savings. I am helping her clean up the financial portion of the disaster that is her life. That’s something I’m actually good at.
Due to the PTA dinner and the middle school play at the boy’s school last night, I only got 30 minutes of exercise yesterday. I’m not too happy with that. Coupled with the fact that while I watched my portions at the dinner, I was limited to what they were offering (spaghetti, salad with full fat dressing), that’s not such a great day. But I did the best I could from the choices I had. I ate part of my spaghetti, large salad with just a teaspoon of dressing, and tea. Which was sweet. Sigh.
Despite being down due to lack of quality sleep, I am not beating myself up over this – I’ve been eating dead on plan during the day and tonight and tomorrow are very healthy dinners at home, so I’ll be okay.
This is for VJ, who always writes about the weirdest dreams: Last night I had the most bizarre dream! I was at a coliseum and I had tickets to see the show. The tickets were very much in demand, and I was graciously giving my tickets to an older couple. Why was I being so nice? Because the show was a cover for some bizarre brain washing on the selected people who had been given tickets. Some people were given tickets, and others bought theirs, but the ones given tickets were particularly targeted for the brain washing. There were a few of us that knew what was going on, and were trying to avoid going in. After giving away the tickets, a group of us attempted to escape the coliseum. I was caught in the parking lot and killed. Then I went to the afterlife where these brain washers went – I went there because somehow when they killed me I got misidentified as one of them. So then I started an underground rebellion there in the afterlife, to overthrow these people and free my people. I was disguised as one of them because I had molted the turtle shell I was supposed to have in the afterlife to identify me as a part of my group. By molting, I could infiltrate these other people and work against them.
Top that on the weird-o-meter. I need more sleep!
Last night marked the third night in a row of insomnia. You know, the kind where you wake up at 2 am and then lay there for an hour or two mulling over everything and anything? So that then you reset the alarm in your sleep when it goes off because you are so freaking exhausted. Only to collapse into bed at 9 pm the next day, only to repeat the whole heinous process yet again. Gah.
MIL is staying with us for a couple of nights, to give my mom a break, and so she can work on her quilts. She is finishing some to sell so she can put a little money into savings. I am helping her clean up the financial portion of the disaster that is her life. That’s something I’m actually good at.
Due to the PTA dinner and the middle school play at the boy’s school last night, I only got 30 minutes of exercise yesterday. I’m not too happy with that. Coupled with the fact that while I watched my portions at the dinner, I was limited to what they were offering (spaghetti, salad with full fat dressing), that’s not such a great day. But I did the best I could from the choices I had. I ate part of my spaghetti, large salad with just a teaspoon of dressing, and tea. Which was sweet. Sigh.
Despite being down due to lack of quality sleep, I am not beating myself up over this – I’ve been eating dead on plan during the day and tonight and tomorrow are very healthy dinners at home, so I’ll be okay.
This is for VJ, who always writes about the weirdest dreams: Last night I had the most bizarre dream! I was at a coliseum and I had tickets to see the show. The tickets were very much in demand, and I was graciously giving my tickets to an older couple. Why was I being so nice? Because the show was a cover for some bizarre brain washing on the selected people who had been given tickets. Some people were given tickets, and others bought theirs, but the ones given tickets were particularly targeted for the brain washing. There were a few of us that knew what was going on, and were trying to avoid going in. After giving away the tickets, a group of us attempted to escape the coliseum. I was caught in the parking lot and killed. Then I went to the afterlife where these brain washers went – I went there because somehow when they killed me I got misidentified as one of them. So then I started an underground rebellion there in the afterlife, to overthrow these people and free my people. I was disguised as one of them because I had molted the turtle shell I was supposed to have in the afterlife to identify me as a part of my group. By molting, I could infiltrate these other people and work against them.
Top that on the weird-o-meter. I need more sleep!
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Monday, March 13, 2006
Sunny and 82
The weather here is just bizarre. Its was in the 80s this weekend and today. Gorgeous! Getting up and walking an hour on Saturday was a pleasure. So, exercise was totally covered this weekend. My goal for last week was 7 hours of exercise and I did 6.5. The bad part is that none of that was weight lifting, but still – that’s a lot!
Food was a bit excessive this weekend, but not out of control. So, sustained improvement in that area.
We did a lot this weekend – it was easy to be productive with the windows open and all the fresh air pouring in. I brushed the dog, we cleaned & rearranged our guest room – it looks so much better. I wouldn’t mind staying in there now.
Right now it just feels good to be in my skin.
The weather here is just bizarre. Its was in the 80s this weekend and today. Gorgeous! Getting up and walking an hour on Saturday was a pleasure. So, exercise was totally covered this weekend. My goal for last week was 7 hours of exercise and I did 6.5. The bad part is that none of that was weight lifting, but still – that’s a lot!
Food was a bit excessive this weekend, but not out of control. So, sustained improvement in that area.
We did a lot this weekend – it was easy to be productive with the windows open and all the fresh air pouring in. I brushed the dog, we cleaned & rearranged our guest room – it looks so much better. I wouldn’t mind staying in there now.
Right now it just feels good to be in my skin.
Friday, March 10, 2006
Fall down, get up. Lather, rinse, repeat.
The doctor’s scale showed me 2.5 pounds down from last Friday. Then I had a total binge last night. Not really sure why/how I let myself get so stressed out, but I did. It is humbling to be reminded that while I am doing so much better with the stress eating, that I am not impervious. I can go over that edge if I don't remain vigilant.
But, no beating myself up. It happened, but that's no excuse to slack on my exercise or continue to overeat. If you drop an egg on the kitchen floor, you don't toss the rest of the carton down too! I need to plan my menu for the weekend so I am not searching around for something to eat, as that generally ends badly. :-)
I have managed 1 hour of exercise per day since Sunday – the weather right now makes it a pleasure to be outside. We are going to rearrange & clean up our guest room this weekend. I am glad I’m getting us moving on some of the household projects that need to be worked on.
I know I rarely mention TV here – it’s because I watch so little. However, there are 3 shows that I follow faithfully and they all are airing their season finales tonight: Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica. That’s almost too much excitement for one evening! Yes, I am a total geek.
Other than TV and room cleaning, there will be the usual suspects of housework, grocery shopping, and food prep. Other than that, my plan is to be outside. Have a good one!
The doctor’s scale showed me 2.5 pounds down from last Friday. Then I had a total binge last night. Not really sure why/how I let myself get so stressed out, but I did. It is humbling to be reminded that while I am doing so much better with the stress eating, that I am not impervious. I can go over that edge if I don't remain vigilant.
But, no beating myself up. It happened, but that's no excuse to slack on my exercise or continue to overeat. If you drop an egg on the kitchen floor, you don't toss the rest of the carton down too! I need to plan my menu for the weekend so I am not searching around for something to eat, as that generally ends badly. :-)
I have managed 1 hour of exercise per day since Sunday – the weather right now makes it a pleasure to be outside. We are going to rearrange & clean up our guest room this weekend. I am glad I’m getting us moving on some of the household projects that need to be worked on.
I know I rarely mention TV here – it’s because I watch so little. However, there are 3 shows that I follow faithfully and they all are airing their season finales tonight: Stargate SG1, Stargate Atlantis, and Battlestar Galactica. That’s almost too much excitement for one evening! Yes, I am a total geek.
Other than TV and room cleaning, there will be the usual suspects of housework, grocery shopping, and food prep. Other than that, my plan is to be outside. Have a good one!
Thursday, March 09, 2006
I'm not dead yet!
No new illness or injury to report. I was away at a 2 day Microsoft Access class, and at the end of the day the last thing I felt like doing was logging on to the computer, you know?
Food: check. Exercise: yes! 1 hr/day of brisk walking, plus some weights too. Goal: 7 hours of exercise per week. Yeah that is a lot, but with the weather being so nice it is no hardship whatsoever!
I'll post more tomorrow.
No new illness or injury to report. I was away at a 2 day Microsoft Access class, and at the end of the day the last thing I felt like doing was logging on to the computer, you know?
Food: check. Exercise: yes! 1 hr/day of brisk walking, plus some weights too. Goal: 7 hours of exercise per week. Yeah that is a lot, but with the weather being so nice it is no hardship whatsoever!
I'll post more tomorrow.
Monday, March 06, 2006
Excellent!
I couldn’t think of a nifty title, but that perfectly describes my weekend.
Friday for date night hub & I went out to dinner. Because he got home late and then took an hour to get ready (he takes twice as long to get ready as I do!), it was 6:30 before we were leaving the house. Since they roll up the sidewalks at 9 around here, the good restaurants were already packed. So the seafood place I hoped to go to was out. I was hungry, and I wanted to be at place ‘B’ by 7:30, so we’d have plenty of time. We wound up eating at the little Japanese place next to my son’s dojo – it’s decent food and quick, just no atmosphere.
That was okay though because we had plenty of time to get to ‘Ceramics Unleashed’ to paint pottery. I thought that would be a fun date thing to do, and hub really enjoyed it. We both painted plates for us to use at Pennsic this year. I’ll post photos – I think we both did a good job, and we had a lot of fun.
Saturday we got up and hub cleaned while I went grocery shopping. He took off to D&D, leaving me with a tidy home and a smile on my face. And I got to the nail shop early enough that I didn’t have to wait! A miracle. My nails are pretty and T-Mobile pink. :-)
My mom came over and we went to work painting the celtic knotwork I had drawn on the kitchen walls. We only got half painted, but what we did looks terrific. Then we went out for Mexican food – I tried to not eat too many chips!
Sunday I got up early, fed me & the animals, got dressed, and went for a walk. It felt so great – sunny and pleasant. Got home and did the cooking for the week, then watched our tivo-ed Sci-fi shows from Friday night. THEN mom & MIL came over. I made tequenos (a Venezuelan thing – a white goat cheese wrapped in dough & fried) and a yummy fish soup which was a hit with no one but me. Oh well. Win some, lose some. And the capper of the weekend? Watching the opening prologue of the Paris-Nice road race. Ah, cycling season – if only more of it were on tv.
Exercise was good – I walked for an hour yesterday. Food was also decent, my dinners were all a bit indulgent, but I kept my breakfasts & lunches really healthy, and there was no gratuitous snacking! Woo hoo! This morning I got up and walked 40 minutes – food is all planned out for the week. I really feel like its all coming together. And that’s a great feeling.
I couldn’t think of a nifty title, but that perfectly describes my weekend.
Friday for date night hub & I went out to dinner. Because he got home late and then took an hour to get ready (he takes twice as long to get ready as I do!), it was 6:30 before we were leaving the house. Since they roll up the sidewalks at 9 around here, the good restaurants were already packed. So the seafood place I hoped to go to was out. I was hungry, and I wanted to be at place ‘B’ by 7:30, so we’d have plenty of time. We wound up eating at the little Japanese place next to my son’s dojo – it’s decent food and quick, just no atmosphere.
That was okay though because we had plenty of time to get to ‘Ceramics Unleashed’ to paint pottery. I thought that would be a fun date thing to do, and hub really enjoyed it. We both painted plates for us to use at Pennsic this year. I’ll post photos – I think we both did a good job, and we had a lot of fun.
Saturday we got up and hub cleaned while I went grocery shopping. He took off to D&D, leaving me with a tidy home and a smile on my face. And I got to the nail shop early enough that I didn’t have to wait! A miracle. My nails are pretty and T-Mobile pink. :-)
My mom came over and we went to work painting the celtic knotwork I had drawn on the kitchen walls. We only got half painted, but what we did looks terrific. Then we went out for Mexican food – I tried to not eat too many chips!
Sunday I got up early, fed me & the animals, got dressed, and went for a walk. It felt so great – sunny and pleasant. Got home and did the cooking for the week, then watched our tivo-ed Sci-fi shows from Friday night. THEN mom & MIL came over. I made tequenos (a Venezuelan thing – a white goat cheese wrapped in dough & fried) and a yummy fish soup which was a hit with no one but me. Oh well. Win some, lose some. And the capper of the weekend? Watching the opening prologue of the Paris-Nice road race. Ah, cycling season – if only more of it were on tv.
Exercise was good – I walked for an hour yesterday. Food was also decent, my dinners were all a bit indulgent, but I kept my breakfasts & lunches really healthy, and there was no gratuitous snacking! Woo hoo! This morning I got up and walked 40 minutes – food is all planned out for the week. I really feel like its all coming together. And that’s a great feeling.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Shiny and Pink!
Alas, its been 2 weeks since my last polish change. So this afternoon (after the boy's 11 year old well boy check-up), I plan to hit the nail shop to have a new shiny pink nail job to replace the old no-longer-shiny- pink nail job. And I bought 2 new pinks to choose from! All it takes to make me happy is a $1 bottle of pink nail polish. Luckily, the variations of pink are many. :-)
The scale? 155.5 - argh! Will I ever see anything below that number? I've been trapped here for 3 months people - and I've given up beer! Why isn't the weight falling off?????
Admittedly, between 2 illnesses and a sprained ankle, there hasn't been much exercise lately. I walked outside for an hour yesterday, which was fabulous. I plan to walk an hour again today. Tomorrow is the gym. Exercise has resumed - maybe that will give the pesky old scale a nudge!
Hub is headed out of town for his D&D game. Mom and I plan to start painting the celtic knotwork I drew on my kitchen walls. reDesign last night (on hgtv) featured a medieval kitchen. I loved it. Now I want to re-do my kitchen. I may not be a clothes horse, but I would be a re-decorating horse if I could afford it! I'll take pictues and try to post them before the turn of the decade. :-O
For our date night tonight, I thought the hub and I might go to one of those paint your own pottery places and each do a dish we can take with us to Pennsic. I'd like to make one for our friend JuJu as well. Hub is surprisingly creative at times.
I did a no-so-good thing last night. I fussed at hub. When we first signed the annual contract for this gym, he said he wanted me to sign him up as well and swore he'd go. It's 24 hour access, so he can go at his convenience, no matter what his work schedule. I bought him his own alarm clock so he can go whenever. We had a bunch of work done on his road bike. He uses both infrequently at best. He is overweight and is on medication for high blood pressure. I would think that would be incentive to take care of himself, but its not. He told me he was "working on it." I looked him in the eye and replied "I see no evidence of that."
Its not that I want him to lose weight for asthetic reasons, I want him to get healthier for his health. And I know I can't do it for him or motivate him. I just wish it would click for him, and its so frustrating that it hasn't. When we're older, I don't want him to not be able to do the things we like to do because he hasn't preserved his health. I'm afraid he's going to realize that lesson too late. He's 37 - he has time to turn it around, but so far, no real movement. Sigh.
Hope you all have a fub weekend filled with fun & activity!
Alas, its been 2 weeks since my last polish change. So this afternoon (after the boy's 11 year old well boy check-up), I plan to hit the nail shop to have a new shiny pink nail job to replace the old no-longer-shiny- pink nail job. And I bought 2 new pinks to choose from! All it takes to make me happy is a $1 bottle of pink nail polish. Luckily, the variations of pink are many. :-)
The scale? 155.5 - argh! Will I ever see anything below that number? I've been trapped here for 3 months people - and I've given up beer! Why isn't the weight falling off?????
Admittedly, between 2 illnesses and a sprained ankle, there hasn't been much exercise lately. I walked outside for an hour yesterday, which was fabulous. I plan to walk an hour again today. Tomorrow is the gym. Exercise has resumed - maybe that will give the pesky old scale a nudge!
Hub is headed out of town for his D&D game. Mom and I plan to start painting the celtic knotwork I drew on my kitchen walls. reDesign last night (on hgtv) featured a medieval kitchen. I loved it. Now I want to re-do my kitchen. I may not be a clothes horse, but I would be a re-decorating horse if I could afford it! I'll take pictues and try to post them before the turn of the decade. :-O
For our date night tonight, I thought the hub and I might go to one of those paint your own pottery places and each do a dish we can take with us to Pennsic. I'd like to make one for our friend JuJu as well. Hub is surprisingly creative at times.
I did a no-so-good thing last night. I fussed at hub. When we first signed the annual contract for this gym, he said he wanted me to sign him up as well and swore he'd go. It's 24 hour access, so he can go at his convenience, no matter what his work schedule. I bought him his own alarm clock so he can go whenever. We had a bunch of work done on his road bike. He uses both infrequently at best. He is overweight and is on medication for high blood pressure. I would think that would be incentive to take care of himself, but its not. He told me he was "working on it." I looked him in the eye and replied "I see no evidence of that."
Its not that I want him to lose weight for asthetic reasons, I want him to get healthier for his health. And I know I can't do it for him or motivate him. I just wish it would click for him, and its so frustrating that it hasn't. When we're older, I don't want him to not be able to do the things we like to do because he hasn't preserved his health. I'm afraid he's going to realize that lesson too late. He's 37 - he has time to turn it around, but so far, no real movement. Sigh.
Hope you all have a fub weekend filled with fun & activity!
Thursday, March 02, 2006
The Avon Walk and TGI March!
Even though this past Tuesday was the boy’s birthday (11!), I gotta say February sucked and I’m glad its over. Five sick days out of the office and a sprained ankle to boot. I wasn’t sick 5 days last year! This crazy weather is really affecting people’s health around here – the amount of sickness going around is crazy. Today and tomorrow are in or near the 70s, so I am looking forward to a couple of nice walks outside today.
I ate real food for dinner last night, and a normal breakfast this morning. I’m feeling okay and will start back exercising today. I did a slow 30 minute walk outside yesterday, but that was it.
I have decided to work as a “volunteer” at the Avon walk in October. I still pay the $55 entrance fee, but don’t have to raise money. It’s not the walking that’s holding me back – it’s the fund-raising. Anyway, I figure by volunteering I can get an idea of what its like. Thoughts?
Have a great day!
Even though this past Tuesday was the boy’s birthday (11!), I gotta say February sucked and I’m glad its over. Five sick days out of the office and a sprained ankle to boot. I wasn’t sick 5 days last year! This crazy weather is really affecting people’s health around here – the amount of sickness going around is crazy. Today and tomorrow are in or near the 70s, so I am looking forward to a couple of nice walks outside today.
I ate real food for dinner last night, and a normal breakfast this morning. I’m feeling okay and will start back exercising today. I did a slow 30 minute walk outside yesterday, but that was it.
I have decided to work as a “volunteer” at the Avon walk in October. I still pay the $55 entrance fee, but don’t have to raise money. It’s not the walking that’s holding me back – it’s the fund-raising. Anyway, I figure by volunteering I can get an idea of what its like. Thoughts?
Have a great day!
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