Whew!

So I went to see the personal trainer today and I am sure I will feel it tomorrow. So tonight after work I went and got a pedicure and it was lovely. I read my book and didn't think about anything else.

Eating wise, I had a big breakfast and I hit Chik fil A for dinner. No lunch. Still I did about 2000 calories with the 576 calorie milkshake and a grilled chicken sandwich. Worth every single slurp. It was yum a licious.

the PT said I should be lifting weights 3 times a week. Does bench pressing a 2 year old count? Schlepping her in and out of the car? Running after her? The trainer works me out with weights and then tells me to do 30 minutes of cardio, but it was my lunch hour and I had to shower. I did a mile.... but I was moving.

I was very proud that I did a 16.5 minute mile. I am trying really hard to learn how to run and I would like to be able to get that time down. Perhaps as my lungs expand and I keep on practicing. I was pushing it... but I only had to slow down for part of it. That was exciting to me. I will get there eventually. But my legs were not the happy campers today... where is that tylenol bottle?

is it really Tuesday?

So I took a hiatus because I was away and busy making things happen for a project that was very important to me. It involved sampling walnut cookies, and they were tasty. Now that the project is behind me I can focus on my goal of trying not to die tomorrow at the gym with my lovely trainer.

Food wise, it has been up and down, with not much for will power, though I have tried not to be foolish. Of course, I did just have a nice serving of Ben and Jerry's ice cream. Country Peach Cobbler is fantastic. YUM. Notice I said serving. Not a freaking pint. a half a cup. yes... i do not deny the wonderful pleasures in life that make it worth living. What is the use? I will find some way to make it happen... today I chose to rock in the hammock with my girl, eat parsley and asparagus straight from the garden and sigh contentedly.

Tomorrow is another day... Oh and the reason we didn't hit the gym tonight? Mommy forgot to pack her gym shoes... what a shame, right? Well, there is always tomorrow!

Miss me?

I was away in NOVA (that's Northern Virgina for the rest of y'all). It is difficult to eat well but I tried. I managed not to overeat, which is good, but I did not get to exercise, which is bad. Not to say that I didn't sweat, cause it was HOT, hot up there, just as it is here in Richmond. I was very warm, wore few clothes and still was ahem, sweating like a pig with swine flu. I was WARM.

I managed to have some fun and MM had an interesting time with her dad at the Thomas event. I did not go, and I should have, and next time, well, let's say, I will do it differently. I went shopping instead and found a couple of things for work, which is great. Not that i can't go shopping in my closet, but I still have a couple of dress sizes to drop before that becomes a reality.

I notice that everything I bought would work well as a maternity dress too. No, nothing to report on that front. I will have to curtail running if that happens, unless I can get my base and get my body happy prior to that blessed event coming along.

But I did do some gardening today and planted flowers, so that is a good thing. I made pasta primavera with shrimp and managed to eat well, but not overeat. it was a lot of veggies and a little shrimp, some spaghetti and a olive oil/ butter sauce. Oh, don't freak out. 1 T of butter per serving, relax. I would say 2 T tops of fat per serving with the EVOO and butter... between 20- 24 grams of fat (4g per t of fat) but who actually measures the EVOO they put in the pan? Not me, but I can guesstimate. I will definitely say that my primavera was more veggie than pasta. Tomatoes, squash, zucchini, onions, garlic, and carrots. YUM.

Perhaps tomorrow I can get to the gym for a workout. I would like to at least do some cardio. I bet MM would like some play place time.... I will just make sure she gets a bath in hand sanitizer when she is done.... (just kidding!)

It's FRIDAY

wooooo! Yesterday I was doing really well and then I ate 3 mini bags of MnMs right in a row. Ack. But I managed to contain myself and munched on baby cucumbers and carrots in the morning and then has a lovely quesadilla for lunch scarfing up the salsa and leaving most of the sour cream. The afternoon was more carrots and and cukes and trying like hell to avoid the candy bowl, which I avoided it for the most part then had the episode I mentioned. At this point I am just trying to avoid it. But how does one avoid the team lunch at Mexico? i ate breakfast already (bowl of good cereal) and I look forward to chippies and salsa, tacos and tamales. YUM

I should really be exercising now, but the upper body is still recovering and I am tired, despite a cup of coffee and cereal.... all I want is to go back to bed... yes... that is what I will do.

Sweet Jesus, help me

Day 2 after the workout and OMG, the lactic acid build up is incredible and so is my facial expression everytime I move. Ack... I need to find a way to get myself dressed today and get to work... ouchy ouchy ouchy...

Things to remember:

• I brought this on myself.
• I wanted a stronger body.
• Where is the freaking Tylenol?
• If I don't eat it will go faster, right? (awww, who am I kidding?)

Soreness

(picture from http://www.rosstoons.com/)

I had a meeting with the personal trainer on Tuesday and wow, today I am feeling it. Arms and abs are sore, backside and legs not as much. I would love to go back again and do it. It was great, and the feeling I have is a good sore. I also did cardio and today I am resting my body, though I may do some stretches to alleviate some of the soreness.

Eating today has been interesting. I brought fudge for people and managed to not eat any myself. I took some pain relief today at work to help me along and it did help, but I still was eating a lot. Luckily it was halfway decent things. Like multigrain minis and kashi go lean bar. I tried to avoid the bad stuff today and instead went for the chili, which had sat. fat in it... and then I totally blew it and put an oz. of cheese and an oz. of sour cream. Then I finished off the package of cheese popcorn and the bag of multigrain minis. Oh and what did I eat for dinner? CHEEEEEEEESE pizza. with at least 4 oz of cheese. holy crap. My stomach is freaking out and the cheese and dough ball are just sitting there. All I should have had was a smoothie, but then I would have had to share with my daughter and I would have crashed raging in 30 minutes due to lack of protein. I can't win for losing. I swear I am not going to eat for a month. (That is such a lie.)

That's the problem when you eat at the costco food court. Limited entrees. But the good news it I bought baby carrots and cucumbers and I got a gallon of milk for work, so I can take my protein shakes in. I love being able to drink shakes. I also got some crackers and some pears so I will have some options in the morning.

Now I have to figure out what to make for dinner tomorrow. Here's hoping I can find something good. I am going to start eating breakfast at home in the morning so as to not spend money and see if I can make lunch too. But tomorrow is chicken quesadilla on whole wheat tortilla... a fabulous concoction they make in the cafe, so I will have to think about dinner and breakfast. WHY AM I ALWAYS THINKING ABOUT FOOD?

Yeah, you'll have that

This is how I feel today.

Slug-like.

Why am I barely able to move and my head is now busting out of my skull. Oh, what did I have for dinner? A monster plate of spaghetti and 5 meatballs. Homemade garlic bread, & 3 glasses of red wine. What? Exercise?

When I was much younger I actually did fall off a hay wagon (not a turnip truck); it knocked the breath out of me. This falling off the food wagon can be blamed on two things... hormones and a severe lack of will power.

Meh. I will pack my bag for the gym tomorrow. I'm tired and I am going to bed.

Gardening as cardio

Okay, I am not talking about trowel wielding shuffle along on your knees to plant annuals, though I did do some of that. I am talking hard labor. I turned over an area 4 .5 feet by about 20 feet with a shovel and then used the roto tiller on it. I added 40 lb bags of manure and some of my own compost to the area, then raked it all smooth. Then I added a bit of limestone to the area. that was yesterday. Today I did another 4 square feet of overturning and break clumps with a shovel and then I planted many many many seeds. Tomatoes, peas, peppers, carrots, squash, zucchini, lettuce and basil. Tomorrow I will plant parsley and thyme (from seed).

yesterday, as I was finishing up in the garden, I was sweating profusely and out of breath. My face was red from exertion. I wasn't in fat burning mode, but my heart rate was up.

My goal is to exercise 5 days a weeks and chasing a 2 year old doesn't count. I am trying to figure out how to make it all work and I am figuring out that it is not. Tonight I should put in an exercise video and just do it, but I know I won't. Truth is, my exertions today tired me out... so no sustained cardio for me. And alas, my calorie levels were not so great. Today, 3 egg whites and grilled bread (read that as in butter, YUM) lunch was cold lamb and sweet potato couscous. Dinner was an Arby's Roast beef sandwich, curly fries, green beans and half a muffin. (tiny) I just ate an apple and glorious piece of mint chocolate. Oh and I should add I had two other pieces of Godiva chocolate... Nirvana.

so I have an issue with chocolate and I wish for a smaller body. These things don't mix.... unless you can keep it to one piece of chocolate. I'll work on that. In the meantime, in the South, there is a thing called pollen season. It is yellow everywhere. After taking some benadryl, I am now down for the count.

Amish strikes again

The person for whom I made the bread for was appreciative... my teammates loved it but it was lost in a blizzard of Friday morning food. I brought in bread, my boss's boss brought in bagels, someone brought in a load of cookies, cupcakes, and a chocolate eclair cake (yum). i ate the multigrain bagel and had 3 spoonfuls of chocolate eclair cake, and a serving of monkey bread. I figured that was enough. I went to lunch with my hubby and we ate at a Pho noodle house. I went to my brother's house and he offered me potato pancakes. We grilled kielbasa on the grill and I sauted zucchini and squash. So i probably ended up the day with about 3000 calories. I had eaten 800+ by noon.

So I will have to be careful today. I am finishing the last of the monkey bread at home with my daughter consuming at least 7 pieces (if you do not know, they are roughly less than the size of a ping pong ball) and with me a serving size. Coffee and a piece of fruit and I will be a happy camper.

Then exercise today will consist of gardening.... a lot.

Friday morning

I am up early creating evil food that has no business going in my mouth. Amish monkey bread. It is my grandmothers recipe and I did one change. Well, two. I forgot to add salt. I also used some whole wheat flour as well. So, right now it is rising, well, hopefully it is rising. Now it will be up to me to get it moving. I was supposed to shower while it was rising but I didn't want to wake everyone. It is just getting light and the sun is about to rise in a half an hour. I awoke at about 5 wel, 4:54 and I slept much better than the night before, thank you exercise. My ankle still hurts this morning, but not overtly. Just a shin splint of sorts leading to that ankle. That's what I get for trying to jog 243 pounds. Yep that's right, folks, 243. I hit the 250 number when I was prego with MM but I am on a mission to get to 220 so another pregnancy won't kill my knees. That is why I started this little blog, to help me and motivate me.

My mother has always said to eat less and exercise more, so I will eat less whenever possible. I did have a piece of chocolate because well... yeah, it's chocolate. I gave up fast food and try to eat well whenever possible. Everyone has their pleasures. Mine is baking.... and eating.

so to combat the eating I need to exercise well. I joined a gym that has a yellow hue like it is made of coins. I have a Wii fit. I want to use it more, but it is diffucult when there is a two year old who wants to do it too. *sigh*

Time to check on the bread, get it rolling, literally. I am so pleased to be able to use my grandmother's recipe and I do hope it turn out ok.I will report back, and maybe even post a picture.

Much better today

This is how I felt today.

But I managed to get to the gym and do a 5 K and burn 500+ calories. It was nice to get there and make something happen. They have a play place for kids so MM was able to go and have fun. I would love to be able to run consistently and get the miles in but I am just starting out and I am SLOW like a box turtle. Eventually.

Today's food was okay. I logged the calories but I had a big cookie at lunch that was the size of my hand. Chocolate with chocolate chips, caramel and pecans. They call it the turtle cookies. Perhaps that is why I am so slow. I had curried chicken and lentils, some ham and potato casserole for dinner and a triangle of quesadilla. I went to work out. Then an apple and I am having some decaf tea this evening to rehydrate. My calories ranged today somewhere in the neighborhood of 1500 to 1600 caloies. that's enough for now... I may make some popcorn. I need more fiber.

I need to stretch and do some ab work.. it's all puffed out, looks like I am prego.... NOT.

well, blah

that is how I feel. Blah, no energy. Tired.

Tomorro will be better.

today's calories

well I was doing good up until 5 oclock, having counted only 1100 calories. I am sure I blew it out of the water with dinner. A few bites of my daughter's mac and cheese, a ham slice, and orange glazed beets. Then I finished off a pint of Ben and Jerry's ( 1/4 to a 1/2 cup) and a cup of froot loops. Then I took my vitamins and washed it down with a girl scout cookie and a glass of wine (4 oz).

I am such a mess.

I will keep trying by counting the calories. That is the only way to really make it happen. Oh yes, and the exercise thing. My mom always told me (since puberty) to eat less and exercise more. Well I will try to make that happen.

Oh, and I didn't go to Hardee's. Just a look at their calories makes me realize that it is not the way to go. I will only eat an egg mcmuffin. It is truly the best bet for breakfast calorie and fat wise... but couple it with a hash brown... I think they sprinkle them with crack.

What can happen today?

What can I do better? How can I make a difference? What will I choose to eat today? Can I make a choice to climb the stairs, to walk further, longer and strive to make the most of this job which I have barely begun to scratch the surface??

So many questions. I will step out the door and keep walking, keep working, keep going. The alternative is not where I want to go.

Where do I really want to go? Hardee's! I hear their biscuits calling my name! I must try to resist... but I probably won't. No will power and I refuse to think about it all day.

CHOCOLATE

Have I mentioned how much I love chocolate? it is a beautiful thing and I do dearly love it. I had four pieces. My personal trainer wants me down to 1 piece a day, but I had to go a little over. We'll see how that one piece minimum goes. wait, did I say four? It was five pieces of chocolate, 2 glasses of wine and a tofu noodle bowl.

I really am tired. The weekend wore me out. it is time for bed. Yes it is only 9:30.

I was going to exercise when I got home but that didn't happen. I think I might be able to brush my teeth before falling into bed. Yes, I am that tired.

Food and gluttony

I love food. I live to eat. Today I made some fantastic food. I made a ham and a leg of lamb. I could have done just one, but I did both. ahh, the excess of America! We were fortunate to get both. And they were good. I made sides: Asparagus, beets, homemade rolls and macraoni and cheese. Yum. For dessert, a small piece of pecan pice mini muffin, a scoop of ice cream, fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream. dusted with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg. Coffee, too. I would hate to think about how much it would cost in a restaurant. Both my brother and sister-in- law fell asleep after dinner. They ate well and were very full.

I think about the excess of food at the table and how much was thrown away. Don't get me wrong, I save a lot of leftovers. There will be many, many meals out of both the ham and lamb. I even saved the drippings of the roasted lamb for my scotch broth I will make later this week.

I often wonder what gluttony is. Is gluttony eating too much? Or is it the wasteful use of food? Are they one in the same? By eating too much, the food is not used and turned into fat. I think about the food that I buy and use. I hate to waste food. it bothers me. I like to buy food. I like to consime it, but there is nothing more stressful than finding something that wasn't used and now it is bad. too much going on.

I tis something to think about.

No exercise today... unless you count cleaning

I have been bouncing between church and home today and right now I am making bread for services tomorrow. It was a tough day food wise. I had a bagel this morning and there were other snackies. Then a sammie, followed by another. and cake and cookies. Dinner was a beef stirfry, with onion, mushrooms, squash and zucchini. Yeah, it had a butter olive oil sauce to finish it, what of it? With a piece of whole wheat pita. Now I am having a glass of Jacob's Creek shiraz cab mix. The kitchen needs to be cleaned and I have to start prep work on the other foods for tomorrow.

I love to cook and bake, so I am doing what I love, but the day was trying mentally. So I will have to work on the other things for tomorrow and work out all the prep work. Busy weekend, that means I am burning calories, right? right?

Yay for fat burning!

I hit the gym and set up my personal trainer... then I went and walked 3.2 miles and worked up a nice sweat, then I showered at the gym. I forgot to bring along clothing so i had to abort the shopping I was planning and went home and sat down.... I should have been cleaning.... oh well. Tomorrow is another day. Then I can have help!

I watched two movies and C came home and then I went to get my girl and she had a blast running around the McD's play place. We went to target and then home, so I had some walking and shopping done. Had the mcdouble which is 440 calories and shared MM's fries. not so great... WTF gets me 1150mg of sodium? I should have had the hamburger. straight up. next time. it looked like salads were off the menu otherwise I would have gotten one of those with grilled chicken.

I am getting tired of chicken. I feel like I eat it every day and there are not many alternatives.

I spoke with this lady while our kids were in the play place and she had a 1.5 year old. The toddler started pulling on her shirt... I knew what that meant, and she very discreetly nursed her while we talked. I have no problem at all with this. But it was interesting. She was originally from Russia, and I think the taboo that gets people all worked up (boobies! OMG!) is not seen in other countries that it is here in the US. People are so weird here. Like me. I will talk about that but I will not publish the results of a purity test I took on my blog.... why? 'cause I thought it was interesting, but I had my reasons... (Hi, Mom!)

Eating Machine

There are just some days that are better than others. This was not a good day. A friend loaded a candy dish with myriad choices of tempting chocolate... Someone brought in bagels and donuts. I resisted temptation for a while and then gave in, and by my last count, 17 pieces of chocolate. A krispy kreme donut, and a unexciting lunch of grilled chicken, squash and broccoli. Dinner was a spinach florentine (Bertoli) so I am so over the limit for calories. WAYYYYYY over.

*Shrug*

Some days are better than others.

Plan aborted

I was planning on going to the gym, but the thought of no milk in the house drove me right past the gym to the store, where a hemmorhage of cash took place for the two pieces of meat I purchased for Easter, along with fixings for sandwiches for a funeral reception I will be attending on Saturday.

I love to cook and preparing meat, while not my personal favorite, is still a luxury I can afford, even if I cannot partake in much of it. I find my body is not responding well to fat, though the influx of ben and jerry tonight was a welcome release. I find my taste buds eschew fat and instead look for flavor. Fat doesn't taste very good anymore. The richness of the ice cream was fantastic, and the portion was small. Probably 1/2 cup, a regular serving. I haven't eaten an entire pint in one sitting since I don't know when. It is not my style. especially now that I am trying to lose weight. I would rather enjoy a small taste and not feel overwhelmed, or guilty because I had eaten it.

What bothers me is the lack of exercise. I lose time and I do not make it up. there is no way to make up time, so I need to figure out a way to fit this part of my life in. Exercise has to be part of this equation. I will keep searching for answers which I think lie in the stairwells of my workplace.

Burning question: What the heck is poutine?

From Wikipedia:

"Poutine (Quebec French pronunciation ˈputsɪn (help·info)) is a dish consisting of French fries topped with fresh cheese curds, covered with brown gravy and sometimes additional ingredients. [1] It is a quintessential Canadian comfort food, especially in Quebec.
Poutine is a fast food staple in many parts of Canada; it is sold by many fast food chains (such as New York Fries, Harvey's, Ed's Subs[2]) in most provinces, in small "greasy spoon" type diners ( commonly known as "casse-croûtes" in Quebec) and pubs, as well as by roadside chip wagons. International chains like McDonald's,[3] A&W,[4] KFC and Burger King[5] also sell mass-produced poutine across Canada. Popular Quebec restaurants that serve poutine include Chez Ashton (Quebec City), La Banquise (Montreal), Lafleur Restaurants, Franx Supreme [6], La Belle Province, Le Petit Québec and Dic Ann's Hamburgers. Along with fries and pizza, poutine is a very common dish sold and eaten in high school cafeterias in various parts of Canada."

I did not try poutine. But I saw signs for it all over Montreal. I wondered and now I know. I would've wiki'd it there on the street but verizon is not welcome in the french province. Sigh.

I wonder what the equivilent American comfort food would be. Any thoughts?

Does walking count?

So my lack of writing lately was because I was in Montreal attending a 3 concert event. Marillion was the group. We saw them in England in '05 and we couldn't spring for the change to fly to the Netherlands for this Marillion Weekend, but next time for sure. We brought my daughter who is 2 and a half and my 13 year old niece to Montreal and we schlept all up and down Rue St. Catherine. So we definitely got our walking in. We were 2 blocks from the Metro and the venue was 3 blocks (L' Olympia). we did all the touristy things and got to see the butterfly exhibit at the botanical gardens and the biodome. I would like to go back eventually, but not right away.

So I tried really hard to not go crazy with food and drink. It was a nice time.

No exercise

I don't think what I was doing counts as exercise. But goals have been accomplished and I feel somewhat ready to embark on a journey. the good news is I was low on the calorie count, thinking that tomorrow and the next few days will be rife with temptation. But I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I cannot say whether or not I will. I will try to make good choices. I think I am doing well so far. For now.

April Fools!

I think I am coming close to the end of my rope in terms of clutter. I was thinking of having a free sale. Not a yard sale. a free sale. I would put it all out on the curb, advertise and have people take the things away. I have too many things and I don't want them anymore. I also don't want the hassle of a tag sale, pricing, monitoring. Maybe I will have people make their best offer. So I don't know. I would like to earn money for it, but at this point I am ready to say get rid of it all. Take it all. Leave me with the things I hold dear. They are all that matters, the rest is just stuff.