Day 367

This is going to be short because I need to go to bed!

Today was great, dinner with the girls was also quite nice.

Tomorrow is my weigh in and my fear is that I am going to gain some or maintain. Its my fear because I ate that burrito this week, and because I lost so much weight last week. I was good last week but I was also really sick and dehydrated. I'm hopeful, and I'm going, but I'm nervous. I don't want to let myself become discouraged. I wont let myself become discouraged. I can do this no matter what tomorrow holds I am back. Heck, as long as I have been here at this (a year) I am still learning and growing (In a good way!).

Today:
1/2 subway sub w cheese and mayo: 7
1 serving dark chocolate: 4
1 slice of pickle: 0
1 serving rice crisps: 3
chocolate chips (I had a moment): 4
2 serving spinach: 0
1 serving broccoli: 0
1 serving carrots: 0
1 serving pickles: 0
2 slices cucumber: 0
1 sliced jalapeno: 0
1/2 serving beets: 1
2oz (less) lean steak: 3
2 servings light ranch: 4
1 serving gluten free mac and cheese: 8
1 serving low fat rice crispy treat (I avoided the absolutely decadent gluten free chocolate cake I made for a friend by making these!): 3
bites licks and tastes: ?
37/38

All in all it was a good food day. On days when I am cooking a lot of new things I am inevitably tasting. This isn't an issue so much with low fat or fat free recipes, but for other things it can be. I didn't go overboard or anything. I wasn't taking bites when people weren't looking but I was tasting as I went. I think the system I am going to keep from now on is for every 3 blt's (bites, licks, tastes) I am going to count a point. Lesson learned.

Day 364

This morning my husband moved some of the last of our stuff from the old house over here to where we are now. Essentially he filled our living space with boxes and bags of unsorted "stuff". So that is how I spent my day. Sorting things we want from junk and trash. My mom went to the gym without me (not entirely her fault, I was very unready by the time she got there). I did not fret too much though. I did some exercise videos, some crunches and some leg lifts. I also did some jumping jacks which hurt my already sore arms (from weight lifting yesterday). I am actually shocked that I am currently capable of jumping jacks. In any case by the time I was done exercising I was tired and my arms and legs were tired, so I guess it was good? I need a more focused work out for days when I don't get to the gym so that I have some measure of what I've done. Know what I mean?

My food was pretty good today. I ended up eating out for dinner tonight, and didn't make a great choice. I don't want to kick myself too hard though, I have the extra points and if I start to get too down I'll turn it into a cycle. I'm done with cycles!

Today:
1/2 cup rice: 2
1/2 cup peas: 2
1 serving chinese pineapple chicken: 5
1 serving rice crisps: 3
1 arnold sand thin: 1
1/2 serving chicken salad: 2
1 serving broccoli slaw: 0
1 serving honey mustard: 1
3/4 cup rice: 3
1 serving broccoli slaw: 0
1 serving sauce: 3
1/2 cup peas: 2
1 burrito: 19
38/38 + 5/35

I have weight training tomorrow at my gym and I have been invited to work out with a friend at her gym (late night). I think I am going to do both. Not to punish myself, but because I can, and so I should. Our car situation is becoming dire and so I need to take every advantage I get right?

Day 361

Alrighty, so the bright side of being barely able to eat all week? I now get full easier and I had a really good weigh in. I lost 9.6lbs this week (and I am sure that some of it is water being that I was/am probably a bit dehydrated) bringing my total loss to 98lbs and my current weight to 319.8.

I go back to the gym tomorrow (and at least Wednesday and Friday) to hopefully lose just two more by next Sunday.

So my throat is mostly healed. It gets a little sore right after I eat and in the morning it was not great, but for what its worth the only symptom I have left is tiredness. I think getting moving (but taking it a little easy at first) is probably the cure.

Today:
1 baked potato w/cheese: 7
1/2 small chili: 2
1 hot dog w bun: 6
3 oz chicken breast: 3
2 oz (or less) lean steak: 3
1/2 cup grapes: 0
1 cup broccoli: 0
2 slices pineapple: 0
1 cup baby carrots: 0
1/2 cup fruit salad: 2
2 tbsp dip: 2
1/2 bag popcorn: 3
1 tbsp spicy olive oil: 3
2 servings broccoli slaw: 1
1 serving enchilada filling: 4
1 wedge laughing cow cheese: 1
37/38

I bought some champagne grapes today at the produce stand. I think for dinner I am going to make some quick chicken salad and add the grapes in. Hmm... I think I did well at the cook out though. I sampled some of the meat, and I did eat a whole hot dog, but I didn't eat any dessert and my second plate was entirely fruit. You know what? I didn't miss anything. I feel so much better for having stuck to it.

On the road again...

edit: Scratch that. Chicken salad is a great idea for lunch tomorrow. Tonight I had some broccoli slaw sauted in some spicy olive oil with a serving of the leftover enchilada filling and a wedge of laughing cow cheese. Yes.

Day 304

I recently sent a picture into Jack Sh*t last night and he posted it! I took several including this one before I found one I was okay with. I would have sent this one but it was so blurry! She wouldn't hold still!

Today was a really good day. I think the slasher is ending and I will definitely be able to go to the gym tomorrow. It's still here but its so light now it should not get in the way.

Also, my food is definitely getting better now, I am getting a lot more veggies in throughout the day and my tracking for the last 4 days has been pretty on point. I did not get a lot of exercise today but my husband and I are going out tonight to walk (and try jogging again) before we settle in to watch a movie (The Crazies. I just joined Netflix and I love it.). I know you all think it is way too late (past 2am here in Baltimore) but Chad and I keep a different schedule because of his job. We are still a few hours from bed at this point.

Instead of karaoke tonight we went to dinner at Pho, a Vietnamese restaurant not too far from here.

Today:
2 ww lf waffles: 2
1 serving reduced fat syrup: 2
1/2 cup strawberries: 0
1 yogurt: 2
1 bag (4 servings) broccoli slaw: 1
2 tbsp teriyake sauce: 2
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1/2 serving lunch meat: 1
1 serving light mayo: 1
2 tsp olive oil: 2
1/2 order thai egg rolls: 5
2 cups rice: 8
1 order lemongrass chicken: 12
1 thai tea: 2
1/2 serving hoisin sauce: 1
1 medium coffee w/ skim milk and splenda: 1
1/2 serving chicken and mixed veggies: 2
38/38 + 7/30

I did not eat all of the above at once from the egg rolls down. I took about half of it home and finished it there a few hours later...which is why I didn't add the extra points for extra servings. I also managed around 7 servings of veggies today!

Edit: We did take that walk/jog and we figured out that around my block 8 times is a mile. Now, that includes differing terrain and inclines and I jogged a good bit of what we walked (2 laps). I know that isn't a lot but I'm excited! I can jog! I jogged for what was probably another 8th of a mile tonight.

Also, growing up I used to do sit ups, is anyone else familiar with them? Do they actually help?

Day 299

Today was a long day in which I ate a little too much, got a little exercise (swimming and walking), and ended up chapped on my upper thighs.

The food...it wasn't the volume of food consumed so much as the fact that there are never ever any healthy options at my family get-togethers. Even the fruit salad has sugar in it!

Not to mention as a side note pertaining to self discovery-I realized today that I eat to avoid conversation sometimes when I am overwhelmed. I am the youngest granddaughter of the youngest sister (we are very matriarchal) in my whole family. Everyone knows me and has always known me. Not to mention I was named after the original matriarch of our family. You would think that that should make me more comfortable, but it doesn't. I feel like sometimes people expect something of me...particularly when I get asked repeatedly throughout the day when I'm going to have kids and how Chad and I should start practicing now. Its all meant in good fun and I take it as such, but I didn't realize how much stress I was getting from it until today when I was scarfing down a regular hot dog. These are not excuses, just a minor epiphany at the cook out today that was strong enough to make me give up my dessert. I am learning new things about myself all of the time these days.

I have a rather large family reunion coming up in August and I have decided to bring a healthy option myself. Usually I get requests for things I personally shouldn't eat, but that everyone else loves. I might still do one of those as I don't have much of an issue eating things that I have cooked a million times, but I am most certainly also doing a healthy dish. My aunt tried though, I just didn't know about it until after I ate it. She cooked some burgers with pineapple (which I love love love on burgers) that were all made from ground turkey. That was a nice surprise.



I am joining Deb's Freedom Challenge on Monday. I need to figure out some manageable goals to go into this challenge with. It is a much shorter challenge but I want to be successful. I need to work on my consistency and my readiness.

I got home late so the post is a little short tonight you guys. I will be back tomorrow with positive reports!

Today:
1 serving taco soup: 7
w corn bread: 3
w 1 serving cheese: 2
1 pudding cup: 1
1 burger no bun: 4
w 1/2 serving cheese: 1
1 slice pineapple: 0
1 serving buffalo chicken dip: 4
1 serving chips: 4
1 regular hot dog: 5
w regular roll: 3
3 oz lean steak: 5
a few bits from a dessert plate: 10
38/38+ 11/22

Day 280

Something that makes me smile? I have more energy and it doesn't hurt as much to use it. My poor husband is sick, but went to work anyway and now he feels rather horrid. So I'm taking care of him, and doing the things he normally does at night. A year ago I would not have been capable of the tedious back and forth, up and down type stuff. I'd have helped him as much as I could, but he would still have had to do things for me...and he would have because he loves me (and he in fact keeps asking me if I need help). Tonight though, I can totally take care of him. That makes me smile.

I think I'm off to a pretty nice march here so far. I can see Diet Parade just around the corner up ahead. I'm having trouble planning my points out so that I don't have a ton left over at the end of the evening...but so far that seems to be it. My veggies could be better, but I got 7 servings of fruits and veggies in today...

I went to the gym and I did 55 minutes of cardio and my full circuit. Yes, I am so counting that 55 minutes as an hour! I was getting a pretty bad headache. I have been fighting a headache since last Thursday, but I have meds from last time to try and make sure it doesn't turn into a migraine again.

So I fell off for a month here, and the Monday Spring Challenge Check in's haven't been coming. I'm sorry for that, but I am going to post one tonight because I'm back and even though I've neglected...well...everything, I want to get it all straight.

My goals are:
1. Exercise 1 hour a day 5 days a week for 13 weeks.
2. Eat the WW recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
3. Go to as many WW meetings as I possibly can.
4. Check in on Mondays.
5. Get a bike. Finally.

1. I am getting back to it! I know its late, but I am determined!
2. I again am getting better but I'm still a work in progress.
3. I went to my meeting!
4. Totally checking in right now!
5. Soon! I almost went bike riding at the beach with Chad, but Uncle Freddy came a knockin' almost as soon as we realized the condo came with bikes!

Now something I like about myself. I like that I am without a doubt, resilient. Despite being down and out, or falling back I will never give up. I will be fighting this battle for the rest of my life. Nothing ends at 165lbs, life begins anew! I still have to be careful though because I know the risks of food and lifestyle choices. I will never be 400+ again, but I'll have to be mindful. And who knows? Being down and out recently could be a cyclic thing, I might have to fight this and "fake it until I make" it several times before I hit 165. Does that make it less worth it? No way. I will be riding roller coasters, wearing smaller clothes, taking care of sick husbands and having babies by the time I am done. Living life is always worth bouncing back.

Today:
2 low fat whole grain waffles: 2
w 1 serving reduced cal syrup: 2
1 banana: 2
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1 veggie burger: 2
1 serving cheddar rice crisps: 2
1 banana: 2
1 serving chicken tomato and potato stew: 9
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1/2 serving cheese: 1
1/2 serving turkey breast lunch meat: 1
1 serving mustard: 0
2 slices tomato: 0
1 slice roasted red pepper: 0
1 serving dinner (later): 9
1 slice diet cherry pepsi cake: 4
38/38

Diet Cherry Pepsi cake

1 box any reduced sugar (or not) chocolate cake
12 oz diet cherry pepsi
1 pack ff, sf, instant chocolate pudding (4 serving box)
2 egg whites
1 20 oz can cherry pie filling

Mix dry cake mix, pudding mix, egg whites, and pepsi until well blended.

Spoon mixture into bottom of prepared bundt pan.

Spoon half the can of cherries in on top.

Spoon the rest of the cake mixture on top of the cherries.

Bake as package directs (check though, mine took the lower amount of time).

After the cake cools, remove it from the bundt pan and pour the remaining pie filling over the top.

Enjoy!

Day 219

Today was another slowish sort of day. The monthly slasher flick is still here in all its glory. I wasn't sedentary today though. I did a lot of chores around the house that I had been neglecting. I then spent 3 hours trying to get my cats to take a pill. Yeah, let me tell you, even the fattest of the spoiled rotten fluff balls will turn into a classically trained ninja on the occasion that they might need to take a pill. I have some new scars, and less than half of the little beasts are done! I tried tuna, I tried cream, I gave up for the night. We will resume this battle tomorrow night...so if anyone has any ideas...?

My food was good today, but a little strange there at the end which you will see. I made dinner and I was doing the dishes as it was finishing up. I then dried my hands and made my brother's plate-which I then accidentally flung to the floor. Ah yes, the ups and downs of only making enough food. If I make more than the 4 servings that should be eaten I'll have leftovers right? If I manage to not pick at them until they are gone, or just have a second serving. It's generally easier for me (minus the accidents) to make just enough, then there is no choice to make. I instead choose to make a habit of making only enough. So after salvaging what I could of my brothers serving, I opted to have half and give him the rest.

I'm sorry I'm so boring right now! I did do a bad thing though. I got on the scale this morning...I know I shouldn't have. I really should only weigh myself once a week on Sunday. It always throws me off, but I did it anyway. My scale shows me at 4lbs down since Sunday...which could mean nothing come Sunday, but it was a boost for sure!

Today:
1 serving brown pasta: 3
1 serving chicken: 4
1 serving cereal: 2
1/2 cup skim milk: 1
1 banana: 2
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1 veggie burger: 2
1 serving spinach: 0
1 serving pickles: 0
1 tbsp ranch: 1
1 serving bean soup: 4
1/2 serving gnocchi florentine: 4
1/2 serving ww cheese: 1
25
1 serving chicken and sauce over wheat pasta: 7
1 100 cal pack: 1
most of a bag of popcorn: 4
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1 serving nutella: 2
1 serving jam: 1
41/41

I'm a little short on fruits and vegetables today, I barely made it to 7 servings. I meant to have some grapes but the cat thing stressed (not to mention I'm just going to be stressed out all week over not being able to really exercise...and yes I am working on letting it go!) me out and I went right for the nutella! Eek!

Day 213

Alright, so after today I have made a decision. I am not longer going to even try getting to the gym on Thursdays. If, by chance it happens, awesome! If not, oh well. I always end up super stressed on Thursdays with everything I need to do, and end up in a bad mood and late to karaoke...which I am not quitting. When you spend most of your days in the house something like karaoke night with the girls becomes quite important to you. I still want 5 days of exercise in though so I think what I am going to do is get some out of gym/at home exercise going on Thursdays and if I can get to the gym on a Saturday I will. The theme of the game here for me is: "Don't become so stressed and/or overwhelmed that you stumble again!" I got dressed for the gym today, left for the gym today with my mom (my only ride really as my car is very seriously not up to any extra driving beyond taking my husband to and from work) who then took us to Kohls. Yes, shopping. Can I call that being active? Right, I didn't think so. In any case she offered to buy me new gym shoes (which I now need so very desperately), but there was nothing on shelf in my size (11 wide - extra wide depending on the shoe, I have big feet.). She then spent an hour and a half shopping. I got home with less than an hour before karaoke started, and with dinner still needing to be made, and no gym having been had. Now, most weeks are not in fact her fault, but I'm done! I'm just going to adapt to the situation now.

Also Thursdays are notoriously hard on my food intake, as in I never eat enough on this day. The reason being: we are a late shift family. We usually have dinner between 10:30 and 11PM. Karaoke runs between 9pm and 2am. I stop eating at 2am, thus a pretty large chunk of my day is gone, and I can not eat bar food, and they do not allow in outside food. Also consider I usually go to the gym for 1-2 hours before karaoke, and I need about an hour to get ready to go to karaoke. Phew! Sometimes that's pretty stressful. This way I can use the bulk of my evening to fix and eat my dinner and get ready without too much stress.

Today:
1 serving cereal: 2
1/2 cup milk: 1
1 sub from subway: 12
1 serving Sunchips: 4
1 chicken and veg enchilada (home made, 2 servings of veg in each one): 6
1 serving corn: 1
2nd enchilada: 7
1 triple berry smoothie (three 1/2 cups of fruit in every serving): 4
1/2 bag popcorn: 2
39/41

So I had 10 servings of fruits and veggies today! And yes, I am counting the mega amounts of veg I make subway put on my sandwich, without I am still at 8 servings though, which is right about target! Actually I really think that today was one of the best Thursdays I have had in a while food wise.

Day 207

This is going to be short!

Today was hectic. I ended up going grocery shopping at the last minute today because I realized that everything would be closed on Sunday! I would have taken the car Monday but its hard for me to take the car on week days and I already had it today because of some other circumstances. I couldn't do it tomorrow because I have a bachelorette party to attend tomorrow night.

So it has been a long day. I think my food was okay today. I made it to 6 servings of veggies today despite being out of the house for 9 hours and then having a dinner date at a friends house.

Wish me luck for tomorrow, this bachelorette thing is at a bull roast for charity, Every celebration in our lives is centered around food!

Today:
1 baked potato with cheese: 7
1 small chili: 4
1/2 sub from subway: 5
1 serving sun chips: 4
1 serving rice: 4
1 cup sugar snap peas: 1
1 tbsp spicy sauce: 1
1 buffalo chicken baked potato (home made dinner at friends house WW friendly): 5
1 serving broccoli w/cheese: 2
1 serving baked lays: 5
38/41

Day 203

Today was great! I ate well, went to the gym and I am finding time to blog before 4am!

At the gym all of the elliptical were taken for the first half of my cardio so I jumped back on the trusty treadmill. Then for my weight circuit I totally stepped it up (it kicked my butt). I did 3 and 4 sets on each machine (not the pull down lat, that one is evil.). I took my time and I didn't rush. Then I found an open elliptical and did 15 minutes. I'm not really sure what standard is, or even if I can be held to what is normal in any case. I upped my resistance to 30 today, and I try to keep my strides per minute at 70 or more. Every few minutes I get my steps up a lot higher (I always forget to look at the display on the machine when I am working that hard) and then bring it back down to 70 again. 70 is actually quite challenging and I find that sometimes because I am so heavy I will start to go faster than I really want to which wipes me out...which is why I upped the resistance. I almost can not tell that I upped it at all, so maybe tomorrow I will up it a little more.

I have 6 servings of fruits and veggies today so far, and I am going to eat some more fruit to get those last 3 in for the day.

Spring Challenge Check in!

My goals are:
1. Exercise 1 hour a day 5 days a week for 13 weeks.
2. Eat the WW recommended servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
3. Go to as many WW meetings as I possibly can.
4. Check in on Mondays.
5. Get a bike. Finally.

1. I was great Monday - Thursday and then on Sunday I was quite active. Friday and Saturday I fell down on the challenge!
2. Again, same as above. Actually I have to say that it is really hard to get 9 servings of fruits and veggies every day. Or rather to remember to. Its a little easier when you realize that a serving is generally 1/2 a cup.
3. I went to the meeting, even though I was afraid!
4. Totally checking in right now!
5. 12 weeks from now...

So, iffy week, but another great start! All of the comments were right on, it isn't about the fall, its totally about the rebound.

Today:
1 serving cheerios: 2
1/2 cup milk: 1
1 banana: 2
1 can soup: 5
1 serving cheese: 2
1 100 cal pack: 1
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1 serving mayo: 1
1 serving spinach: 0
1 serving pickles: 0
1 serving cheese: 2
1 serving dorito off brands: 5
1 serving buffalo chicken mac and cheese (before you gasp at the points it includes chicken, veggies and mac and cheese, so a well rounded meal in a casserole! I love it): 13
35/41

Day 194

So being that tomorrow is grocery day as well as weigh in day, I had a question for you all: What does your weekly meal plan look like? This assumes you plan at all! I have people relying on me to cook every night so I have to in order to keep us from take out or blowing our diets! Grocery day is Sunday, and I usually plan out my dinners and then I buy general things for breakfast and lunch, eggs, turkey bacon, lunch meat, cereal, soup etc. This week my menu looks like:

1. tuna mac and cheese (has veg in it)
2. meatloaf pizza pie with steamed broccoli
3. shepherds pie w green beans
4. orange chicken with rice and sugar snap peas
5. chinese pineapple chicken w rice and asparagus
6. beef stew

These are all home made and all WW recipes or recipes that I have made low point value. My issue is that I am completely lost on veggies here. I add veggies to almost everything, but some things need them on the side. Does anyone else get tired of steamed vegetables? I don't know. Its just my go to side dish these days. I also sometimes stock frozen veggies for quick light lunches, I'm easy when I'm just cooking for myself. I love vegetables as they are, I love them steamed and I love them roasted I'm just worried that they dont get the fan fare that they deserve at my unappreciative hand.

Tomorrow is weigh in and this past week has been terrible. I've made a few bad choices and of course it was also my time of the month, which keeps me from doing...well anything. Even my back up plan for that failed miserably! My eating wasn't too bad though, I stuck to my points veering into my weekly points a little, which is what they are for. I'm babysitting tonight but I am going to bed as soon as the little ones are taken home as I (again) do not want to miss my weigh in! Wish me luck!

Today:
2 servings pasta with sauce: 11
1 grilled chicken sandwich: 6
w honey mustard: 1
1 large cup of fruit: 3
last of (less than 1 serving) pasta: 3
1 cup pasta sauce (1 point for extra serving, can you tell tomorrow is grocery day?): 3
1 serving spinach: 0
1 serving broccoli: 0
1 serving cauliflower: 0
1 serving ww cheese: 2
1 serving light ranch: 2
31

That's all for the evening. I know I'm off, but I'm trying to follow my own rules! Also, I'm not off by much that often.

Day 193

One line of TMI: I just took an active pill! The week of bad will in fact end!

Today was a little busy and a little sad. It was busy because I had so many errands to run, and it was sad because I decided to back out of a regular social appointment that I had been looking forward to. It isn't karaoke! No, but it was on Sundays at 4pm which is just bad timing for me. Sundays are weigh in days, and grocery shopping days for me. In fact most of the time I'm not even finished with grocery shopping until well after 4pm, and I am always overtired that day because I get up so much earlier than usual. We would be playing an ongoing game, which people needing to miss sessions for would be rather irritating and I don't want to be that person! I'm trying to lower my stress levels right? So I'm giving up this outing for quiet evenings home with my husband which I don't get enough of anyway. I was seriously giving myself another case of hives over disappointing people on this one, which was when I knew I needed to make this choice. So maybe not sad, bittersweet perhaps? I don't see my friends enough.

On the plus side though now that the week of bad is actually ending I feel really excited about getting back to exercising. Now that the weather is breaking some I could even go back to the track instead of doing all of my cardio on the treadmill! Being outside is much more interesting, but the workout is harder. I really need to get back to the grind! When I think about it I get this feeling like my body craves it. How nuts is that? A year ago I'd have said my body feared exercise!

Today:
1 cup cereal: 2
1/2 milk: 1
1/6 bubble up pizza casserole: 10
1 can soup: 7
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
1 serving cheese: 2
1 pudding cup: 1
1 serving spaghetti: 3
1 serving sauce: 1
1 100 calorie pretzel pack: 2
2nd serving pasta with sauce: 5
1/2 serving cheese: 1
1 arnolds sand thin: 1
37

I made an amazing (tasty and low point) pasta sauce (Cheat not exactly from scratch!! Semi homemade?) using:

1lb 93/7 ground turkey
2 cans Hunts (or other 1 point per 1/2 cup sauce)
1lb frozen pepper strips
1 cup canned drained mushrooms
30 oz canned diced tomatoes
1 large onion sliced thinly
Minced garlic
Any spices you love, I used salt, pepper, and red pepper as the pasta sauce already has seasoning in it.

Brown the turkey and onions together, add everything else and let it simmer for an hour or more.

My batch made 19 servings at 1/2 cup and 1 point a piece. Nice. Now I have a low point chunky tomato sauce for anything else I make next week!