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.