Kick in the Ass, Please?

I've noticed over the past week to 2 weeks, my gym routine has really, well.. gone to shit.  I haven't been going consistently and when I do, I'm not following any real guided workout regime.  It's really starting to bother me.  For some reason, I'm just having a really hard time convincing myself to actually get OUT OF BED at 4:30 when my alarm goes off.  I did go to the gym today - but I didn't get there until around 6.  I did complete my full trainin session (listed below), but didn't do any additional weight training as planned.  I also didn't get to take a walk yesterday.  I had ever intention to do so; I got home, changed clothes, grabbed the stroller and went to my mom's to get miss Nora.. and she was sleeping.  So, I cooked dinner instead.  It's been so stinkin hot lately that it makes her really tired and she's been sleeping quite a few times when I get home.  Personally, I love the heat and love the idea of getting out there and sweating my butt off.. but I want to spend as much time with Nora as possible so if she's in it, I'm not either. 
So, I'm sending out my prayers to the fitness/motivation Gods (and appreciate yours as well!) to re-gain my motivation and discipline to get back to the gym on a regular basis and continue my progress!!
Okay, so today I sped up my Jogging pace a bit and did the following:

WEEK 1
TIME	ACTIVITY	SPEED
START	WALK	3.40
5:00	JOG	5.30
6:00	WALK	3.00
7:30	JOG	5.30
8:30	WALK	3.00
10:00	JOG	5.30
11:00	WALK	3.00
12:30	JOG	5.30
13:30	WALK	3.00
15:00	JOG	5.30
16:00	WALK	3.00
17:30	JOG	5.30
18:30	WALK	3.00
20:00	JOG	5.30
21:00	WALK	3.00
22:30	JOG	5.30
23:30	WALK	3.00
25:00:00	END

I finished-up with a 1 minute sprint.  I planned to go 2 minutes but I had to pee really bad lol.. (TMI - I know)

Dinner last night was good, I made Whole Wheat Spaghetti w/ Turkey Meatballs and Salad.  Nothing exciting, but quick and simple.  I ate 4 meatballs w/ salad (spinach, mushrooms, onion, shredded parmesan and Light Cesar)  I've been bad the past 2 days and eaten chips and salsa before dinner.. I just love it so! 

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb Yogurt (Raspberry Yumberry - my favorite flavor!)

Lunch:
1can Tuna, Light Miracle Whip, Mustard, Sugar Free Relish and Squeeze Lemon
Protein Mousse

Snack:
Weight Watchers String Cheese
Banana w/ natural pnut butter

Dinner:
TBD

Well, I suppose that's all I have for today!  I'm not going to promise any additional exercise for tonight, we'll just see how it goes!

Have a good one :)

Tuesday 6/7/11

Hello!  Today is Tuesday and the sun is shining :)  It's wonderfully hot outside and I'm really itching to take a good power walk!  We didn't go last night because Nora was really tired and in no mood for an hour in the stroller.  Hopefully tonight!  Unfortunately, I overslept this morning and didn't make it to the gym.  I did, however, do a small Ab workout at home:
6" Killers - 10 reps - 3 sets
Single Leg Bicycles - 15 reps - 3 sets

Honestly, I was feeling the burn on the 3rd set of 6" Killers!  I wanted to do more but I had to run to the store to get bread and diapers. 

Tomorrow is Day 2 of my Week 1 Couch to 5k training!  I'm really excited to try it out going at a faster pace! 

Dinner last night was absolutely delicious!!  I'll be honest, it contained a bit more oil than I would have liked to use, but it was really tasty.  The recipe is pretty rough - I was kind of just throwing things in as I went!
Here's the basics:
Asian Chicken Stir-Fry
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts/Tenders, thawed and chopped into bite-size pieces
EVOO
Light Soy Sauce
White Wine Vinegar
Sesame Oil
Mushrooms, chopped
Onions, sliced thin
Broccoli Florets
Garlic, minced
Granulated Garlic
Red Pepper Flake
S&P
Baby Carrots, sliced lengthwise in half and in thin slivers
Sesame Seeds
Brown Rice (I use instant 'Boil in a Bag' rice b/c I burn the regular stuff)
Peas
Dried Oregano

-Chop chicken and add to saute pan with about 1-2tbs of EVOO. Season with Granulated Garlic, a pinch of Red Pepper flake and S&P.
- Cook for 4-5 minutes then add onion and broccoli.  Cook for additional 5 minutes then add mushrooms
-Add a few dashes of Soy Sauce and Vinegar
-Continue to cook until veggies wilt a bit. 
-Cook Brown Rice
-If ever the pan starts to look a bit dry, add a few more dashes of Soy Sauce and Vinegar
-Add about 1tbs minced garlic to pan
-Add carrots, oregano and sesame oil to chicken/veggies, cook for 3-4 minutes then cover pan with a lid and remove from heat.
-Drain rice, add about 1tbs sesame oil to pan then put rice back in pan over heat.  Add peas, more garlic, S&P and oregano and cook about 2-3 minutes.
-Serve Chicken/veggies over rice and enjoy!  (I only ate the chicken/veggies and skipped the rice) 
It was really yummy and I hope I remembered it well enough to convey to you!

On another food related note, a few days ago I posted a link to the list of "10 Healthiest Foods on the Planet" and the lovely miss Heidi Bragg challenged me to create a meal using all 10 ingredients.  I think I have the meal figured out, so I will definitely keep you posted on the outcome and share my recipes :)

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb Yogurt

Lunch:
1can Tuna w/ Light Miracle Whip, Mustard, Sugar Free Relish and squeeze of lemon
Raspberries w/ sugar free cool whip

Snack:
Banana w/ natural pnut butter

Dinner:
Spaghetti and Meatballs w/ salad

So I definitely hope to fit a walk in tonight or at least some sort of workout!  We'll see how the evening progresses :)

Until tomorrow!

Training Day!

Hello all!
Wow, what a freaking weekend.  Honestly, I'm kind of glad it's over.  This weekend wasn't my best, with nutrition or exercise.  I was really stressed out with some personal stuff and lost focus a bit.. here's a brief recap:
Friday:
Good day!  Went to the gym and jogged 1 mile on the treadmill at my lunch break, then did 3 1/2 miles with Nora when I got home from work. 
Dinner: 1 Brat(no bun), sauteed mushrooms/onions/bell peppers and a few reduced fat kettle chips
Saturday:
Morning walk (3 1/2 miles) with Nora, grocery, gardening and Coney Island (yay!).
Food:
Breakfast/lunch: Protein shake around noon
Snack: About 5 each raspberries and grapes at the pool
Dinner: 2 (smal, about 2") pieces of thin crust pizza (chicken, roasted red peppers, spinach and tomato)
Sunday:
Summerfair at Coney Island followed by a movie at mom's then power washed my sidewalk/part of my patio (until I ran out of gas)
Food:
Breakfast: 2 cups of coffee and 1/2 piece of WW toast
Lunch: shared a veggie crepe (spinach, roasted red peppers, goat cheese) and a belgium waffle with my mom, Kristen and Nora
Snack: WAY too much Kettle Corn
Dinner: Mediterranean Chicken Pitas (recipe below)

Soo as you can see, not the best choices or correct portions.  I have a tendency to let me emotions get the best of me and don't focus on myself when I'm depressed/stressed.  BUT this is a NEW WEEK and it will be much better!!

I started a new training program today, called Couch to 5K.  Basically, it claims that it will have you running a 5k (about 3 miles) in 30 minutes within 9 weeks.  It's interval training with walking and jogging.  I'm doing it on the treadmill as it's pretty hilly around my house and I'm not quite ready for that lol.  Basically, you do 3 workouts per week and then it increases in jogging time every week.  I did the first session this morning and it went really well! 
Here's what I did today: (and will also be doing on Wed and Fri)

WEEK 1
TIME	ACTIVITY	SPEED
START	WALK	3.40
5:00	JOG	5.00
6:00	WALK	3.00
7:30	JOG	5.00
8:30	WALK	3.00
10:00	JOG	5.00
11:00	WALK	3.00
12:30	JOG	5.00
13:30	WALK	3.00
15:00	JOG	5.00
16:00	WALK	3.00
17:30	JOG	5.00
18:30	WALK	3.00
20:00	JOG	5.20
21:00	WALK	3.00
22:30	JOG	5.50
23:30	WALK	3.00
25:00:00	END

Towards the end I started to test out faster speeds to see how I held up, and I did well!  So, I think I'm going to try to do 5.5 jogging speed for all of the jogging intervals on Wednesday and Friday (and from here, out) :)
I also was feeling SO good that I added a 2 minute sprint after my final walk! 
Looks like my goal of running a 5k may come sooner than I thought :)

With this program, I'm going to re-incorporate weight training on Tuesday and Thursday (whether at the gym or my house, we have a decent amount of weights at home) and, of course, continue with my Nora walks :)
I'm really excited about this!  Have I mentioned that I'm really enjoying running?  Because I am :)

Recipe:
Mediterranean Chicken Wraps
Whole Wheat Pitas
4 boneless/skinless Chicken Tenders
Baby Spinach Leaves
Tzatziki Sauce *recipe below*
Cherry Tomatoes, chopped
Banana Peppers, chopped
Red Onions, chopped
1tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1/2c Fat Free Feta Cheese
1tbs Garlic, minced
Granulated Garlic

-Grill Chicken (I used George Forman), seasoned with granulated garlic
-Heat pitas in a dry skillet over medium heat (1-2 minutes both sides), set aside on a plate
-Chop Tomatoes, Banan Peppers, Red Onions and mix in bowl.
-After chicken cooks and rests (about 5min), chop and add to veggie mix.
-Add balsamic vinegar, minced garlic to veggie mix and mix it all together
-Roughly chop the spinach
-If you have pitas with pockets, open the pocket, smear in some Tzatziki then spinach and veggie/chicken mix and eat!  If no pockets, just smear the Tzatziki on one side then layer spinach and veggie/chicken mix, fold in half and eat!
*Tzatziki Recipe:
1sm container FF Greek Yogurt
1 Cucumber, grated and drained
Salt
1/2tbs minced fresh Dill
A few grates of Lemon Zest
1tbs EVOO
1tsp Granulated Garlic

-Peel and grate the cucumber into a sieve and rest over a bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and let it sit drain for about an hour
-After cucumber is drained, combine all ingredients in bowl and mix.  Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking
*This may not be a totally authentic recipe but I was making it from memory.. and I still thought it was good :)

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb Yogurt

Lunch:
1can Tuna w/ 1tbs Light Miracle Whip, 1tsp Mustard, 1tbs Sugar-Free Relish and squeeze of lemon juice
Protein Mousse

Snack:
approx 12 fresh raspberries
Weight Watchers string cheese

Dinner:
Chicken/veggies

So I did my weigh-in on Sunday morning and I lost 2.5lbs this week!  Not quite the 5 that I've lost the past couple of weeks, but I was expecting a smaller result due to my holiday food choices and lack of exercising last week.  Regardless, it's a step in the right direction and I'll take it! :)

Date: June 6, 2011

Weight: 263.5lbs

By the way - my birthday is officially less than 1 week away(on Saturday!).. what should I do to celebrate? 

That's all for today, have a happy Monday! :)

Yay for Friday and a Jogging Stroller!

Top o' the mornin to ya!  Obviously, I'm in much better spirits today!  After work yesterday, I scurried off to the gym for a quick 10 minute (3/4 mile) run then came home, scooped up little miss Nora and went on a very BRISK 3 1/2ish mile (mostly uphill) walk.  I was a sweaty mess when I got home but I felt SO much better!  THEN right after I got home, Nora and I were getting ready to water the flowers when my dad showed up in my front yard pushing a Jogging Stroller that he had bought for me(and Nora)! 

Color me EXCITED!!  It is fully equipped with shocks, a hand brake, and air-filled tires that are sure to make it quite a bit lighter than my regular stroller!  He said that he's seen how hard I'm working and thought that it would help so he wanted to get it for me :)  Have I mentioned how much I love my family?

I'll be taking this little gem on it's maiden voyage today after work!

I didn't make it to them gym this morning, another sleepless night with Miss Nora.  However, I did bring my gym clothes to work with me today and I'm going to try to head over to the Newport Fitworks to get in a quick run at lunch time.  I've discovered that I really enjoy running!  I don't necessarily love the death that I feel while running, but I feel so great afterward and I can already tell that it's improving my endurance quite a bit!  I've always wished that I could run for long periods of time, it just seems like it would be a very relaxing thing.  So, officially added to my list of goals: Running a 5k :)  Long-term goal, of course.. but I have full confidence in myself that I will one day accomplish this! 

Today I'm wearing a dress that I believe I've only worn maybe once before?  At the time when I bought it, it was quite a bit too small.  Today, it fits quite well!  It's a size 20, I'm pleased to report.  This may sound like a big size to quite a few but when I have shirts size 26 hanging in my old closet at my mom's house, a 20 feels great :)

When people ask how much weight I've lost, I've been telling them that I've lost about 30 pounds (295 at the start of this blog) - but that's not entirely true.  About 3 years ago, my heaviest recorded weight was 343lbs.  That was recorded at the doctor's office the day that I went in to talk about weight loss surgery.  My doctor said that she wanted me to lose some weight before doing the surgery to prevent complications so she prescribed me Adipex and said to check back in 6 months.  At that point, it dawned on me.. if I can lose 40lbs in 6 months, why wouldn't I just continue to lose the weight on my own, as opposed to going forward with an invasive surgery?  So, I never took the Adipex, but I did lose the weight.  The first 40lbs weren't lost in the most healthy way.. I was really depressed so I was drinking a LOT and eating almost nothing.  I also started belly dancing, which was the most healthy part about it.  SO technically, I've actually lost about 70lbs.. but I just choose to leave that part out.  Whenever I tell someone that I lost that much weight, they always say things like "Wow!  Aren't you proud?!"  But really, I'm not.  I was so angry with myself for allowing my body to balloon to such an enormous size, I wasn't necessarily proud to have lost the weight, but more relieved. 

However, NOW I'm very proud of the work that I've done and the weight that I've lost!  I'm doing it naturally, healthily and relatively steadily - and I couldn't ask for much more. :)

Moving on.. dinner last night was an "Anything Goes" dinner night, mostly because I didn't really feel like cooking lol.  Nora wanted a waffle, so she got one.  She had 3/4 of a Whole Wheat Waffle w/ an egg white and part skim mozzarella cheese.  Branden had something called 'Anytizers', they're like boneless chicken wings and I had leftover taco salad from the night before. 

Food Today

Breakfast:

Choc Protein shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:

Low Carb Yogurt

Lunch:

Leftover taco meat, black bean salsa and greek yogurt (8oz portion cup)

Protein Mousse

Snack:

Weight Watchers String Cheese

12 raw organic almonds

Dinner:

Chicken and veggies

Well kids, I know this has been a longer post - thanks for reading! 

I hope to post tomorrow!  Have a great Friday :)

Hump Day Cometh Early

It just doesn't feel like Wednesdy!  This week has me all out of whack, after having Monday off for Memorial Day!  I swear all day yesterday I was having an self-debate about whether or not I was going to go to Rabbit Hash to bellydance... only to get home and realize that it was Tuesday and that wasn't an option!  Silly me :)

For dinner last night, I made a YUMMY salad (recipe below).  Have I mentioned that I love summer foods?  Only like 100 times, I'm sure :)

I went to the gym this morning and it felt great!  I woke up a bit late so it was a shorter workout but I still left with a good sweat! 
Workout went as follows:

TIME	EXERCISE	REPS	LBS	SETS
1 MIN	TREADMILL	WALK	N/A	1
4 MIN	TREADMILL	JOG	N/A	1
	RAPID FIRE TWIST BICEP CURLS	30 SEC	7.5	2
	RAPID FIRE CROSS BICEP CURLS	30 SEC	7.5	2
	RAPID FIRE TRICEP EXTENSION	30 SEC	7.5	2
	UP/OUT/IN/DOWN	12	7.5	2
	BARBELL HIGH PULL	12	30	2
	WOBBLY PUSHUPS	10	N/A	2
1 MIN	TREADMILL	WALK	N/A	1
10 MIN	TREADMILL	JOG	N/A	1

I'm liking this 10 minute jogging thing we've got happening here :)

I knew I needed to do some arm work so I wanted to make sure I packed as much into my workout as time would allow this morning.  Everything listed was done at a fast pace to try to keep up my heartrate in place of some extra cardio, for which I didn't have time.  I hope to take a walk with Nora this evening :)

I'm seriously re-considering the Boot Camp that I've mentioned in the past.  There's a camp starting this coming Monday, June 6th in Florence and Branden said he would pay for me to go as my Birthday present.  By the way, my birthday is next Saturday (June 11th)... so go ahead and put that on the calendar. Lol, jk.
I just keep going back and forth about the camp.. mostly because of the cost.  I remember talking about the 'cost of health' in an earlier post.. it's something that still bothers me quite a bit; the fact that it is so expensive to be healthy!  So I can't help but wonder, am I buying into a commercial workout that, although effective, is incredibly over-priced simply because it can be?  Unfortunately, with specialized things such as this (you see it FAR too often in wedding-planning), people/companies over-charge the consumer simply because they can.  I find it really frustrating.  So, by paying to go to this boot camp (rather than sticking with my gym/walk routine), am I buying into the over-priced 'health' industry?  Or is this really a worth-while expense that will drastically improve my health and boost my physical well-being?  I guess I better figure this out soon..

Recipe Time!
Blackberry Salad:
Baby Spinach Leaves
Boneless/Skinless Chicken Tenders (or breasts, tenders just cook faster)
1/2 - 3/4cup Blackberries, cut in 1/2
Granulated Garlic
1/2c Banana Peppers, rough chop
1/2 Red Onion, chopped
Shredded Parmesan Cheese (or FF Feta would be good too!)
Sprinkling of Sesame Seeds (optional)
1/4c Raisins
Light Parmesan Asiago Balsamic Vinaigrette (Kraft brand - or any light/FFBalsamic Vinaigrette)

-Liberally season chicken with Granulated Garlic and grill (I used George Forman)
-In large bowl, put Spinach, Blackberries, Banana Peppers, Red Onion, Raisins, Cheese and Sesame Seeds
-After chicken grills, let cool to room temp then chop and add to salad.
-Add dressing and toss, serve immediately.  (If you're serving later, wait for dressing)

That's it!  Super simple and really yummy! 

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb Yogurt (Raspberry)

Lunch:
1can Tuna w/ 1tbs Light Miracle Whip, 1tsp Mustard, 1tbs Sugar-free relish and squeez lemon juice
Protein Mousse (I made more!)

Snack:
Weight Watchers String Cheese
12 raw organic almonds

Dinner:
TBD - I have ground turkey thawing in my sink so it will be something with that!  Maybe tacos?  I'll update tomorrow :)

Well, that's all she wrote for today.  Opinions on the Bootcamp are more than welcome!!

Adios!

Another 5lbs Down!

That's right - another 5lbs out the door!  I weighed myself Monday morning this time, just for accuracy's sake, and I was quite impressed!  I'll be honest, I haven't made the best nutritional choices this weekend (WAY too much sugar!) but am happy that I still had such a loss!  It was a long weekend and I'm not going to list every hairy detail but let's just say that it was filled with cookouts, get-togethers, parties, gardening, long walks, and a LOT of fun!  One highlight was on Sunday morning when Nora and I took a 5+mile walk/uphill climb!  I was definitely at the point of muscle failure by the end! 

It really was a great weekend, spent with a lot of family and awesome neighbors.  I just love summer holidays :)

I didn't make it to the gym this morning, I'm not so happy to report.  Nora has had a cold/allergy issue on top of teething troubles over the last few days, which means little to no sleep for mommy.  I woke up to my alarm this morning and was far too exhausted to get out of bed at 4:30.  Today, I'm a little zombie-like.. and very grumpy.  Oh well, still very happy about my success last week :)

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb Yogurt (raspberry)

Lunch:
1can Tuna, 1tbs Light Miracle Whip, 1tsp Mustard, 1tbs Sugar-free relish and a squeeze of lemon juice
Banana

Snack:
Weight Watchers String Cheese
12 Raw Organic Almonds

Dinner:
TBD

VERY happy to type the following:
Date: May 31, 2011
Weight: 266lbs.
I'm getting pretty excited for my monthly picture on the 15th :)

Well, have a great day!

Saturday :)

Hey!  Today is a beautiful Saturday, I'm happy to say!  Yesterday went really well, here's a quick recap:
Food:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk
Snack:
Banana w/ natural pnut butt
Lunch:
Leftover Taco Salad w/ a dollup of FF Greek Yogurt
Dinner:
Turkey Chilli
Recipe:
1lb Ground turkey, thawed
1tbs EVOO
1/2 Red Onion, Chopped
1tbs Garlic, mincedmi
1tsp Cumin
1tsp Chili Powder
1can Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1can Canellini Beans, drained and rinsed
1can Diced Tomatoes w/ Jalapenos, drained and rinsed
1 Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped
3tbs Cilantro, chopped
Tiny bit of grated dark Chocolate
FF Greek Yogurt for Serving

-Brown turkey in skillet w/ EVOO, when 3/4 cooked, add onion and garlic.
-Continue to cook until turkey is cooked through and onions are softened
-Add tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, and chicken broth.  Simmer for 15 min
-Add beans and bell pepper, simmer for additional 15 minutes
-Remove from heat, stir in cilantro and grated chocolate
-Ladel into bowls and serve w/ a scoop of FF Greek Yogurt

Yesterday was pretty active, too!  I went to the gym, Nora and I had breakfast and then went to the grocery store and gas station.  After that, we came home and took a vigorous 3 1/2 mile walk/uphill climb.  When we got home, we worked in the garden for a bit then took a shower.  Nora went down for a nap so I finished up some laundry and did a little more gardening.  After Nora woke up, we went to Best Buy to buy 'A Bug's Life', or as Nora refers to it, 'Bees'.  We came home, cooked dinner then went to Pier 1 with my mom.  Came home again, then relaxed and went to bed! 

Today, I woke up around 7ish (yay for sleeping in!), made a big dish of layered Protein Mousse(layers of mousee, strawberries and sugar free Cool Whip) to take to a cookout today, did some gardening before anyone woke up, then after Nora woke up we visited with my parents for a bit and then did some more gardening.  Right now, we're relaxing in the house trying to get Nora to take a nap.. although it's not looking very hopeful lol.  Oh well, we have a long drive today!  We'll work in the yard a bit more then get ready to head to a Crowdus cookout in Campbellsville, KY.  I'm going to do my very best to make healthy food choices at the cookout (at least I know there's a healthy dessert :) ).  I may try to sneak in a walk before we have to leave, but we'll see. 
Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Banan w/ Natural Pnut Butter

Lunch:
TBD - maybe some low-carb yogurt and.... something else? lol

Dinner:
Cookout vittles

I'm pretty excited for my weigh-in tomorrrow :)  I've taken a lot of walks this week and have been doing pretty well with my nutrition.  (aside from the 2 cookies I had at the work cookout Thursday. FAIL, I know - still kicking myself!) 
Well, we'll see when I report on Monday!!

Have a great weekend everyone - get outside and do something!! :)

TGIThursday!

Yay!  Today is my Friday and I'm not only excited about that, but I have a 4-day weekend ahead of me.. so I'm in a great mood :)
I didn't make it to the gym this morning, I was so exhausted last night I didn't even wake up to the giant thunderstorm or storm sirens!  (probably not a good thing : / ) But, I'm not too concerned b/c I know that I can take a walk with Nora when I get home (weather permitting) or, if I get out of work early enough, hit the gym for a quick cardio killer after work.  We'll see :)
I didn't really eat dinner last night, I just wasn't hungry and I wasn't about to force-feed myself!  Lunch yesterday was SUPER filling so I ended up cooking dinner for Branen and Nora (baked Tilapia, WW pasta salad and sauteed bell peppers and onions) and I just ate a banana with a little peanut butter for "dinner" at around 7:30.  Then, I went to the grocery and came home, put everything away and headed to bed.  When I went to bed, I felt that relief in my legs that tells me I burned a few calories throughout the day.  Probably walking around in 4" platform heels all day, gardening when I get home, cooking, cleaning, and going to the grocery had something to do with it :)
Today we're having a Memorial Day cookout fully equipped with some fun BBQ games for us all to play :)  I'm excited and hoping that there is food that I can eat!  I haven't been as carb-conscious this week as I should have been and with 2 more cookouts sill awaiting my presence this weekend.. I'm slightly concerned for the weigh-in Sunday lol.  Surprisingly, though, I'm not stressing about it!  I know that in my path I will have 'ups and downs' and it is very important that I am still enjoying this life I'm granted with my family and friends while I'm bettering myself.  So, I'm just taking everything in stride. :)

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Protein Mousse

Lunch:
Work Cookout

Snack:
? I'll be headed home by then so we'll see!

Dinner:
Perhaps a taco salad? TBD...

Well, that's all I have for today.  I'm home with Nora tomorrow so we'll see if I have time to post, we may be too busy playing outside all day :)

Tootles!

Much Better Today :)

Hola!  Thankfully, I'm in a much better mood today.  I got home yesterday and grabbed sweet Nora and we went on a feisty 3 1/2mile walk/uphill hike.  It felt great and I'm glad I did it!  I didn't make it to the gym this morning, when my alarm went off at 4:30 Nora woke up and start crying for mama.. so obviously I cuddled with her for a while.  Then my stupid phone died and the rest of my alarms didn't go off :(.  I set 4 alarms for the morning lol.. I'm not really a morning person, so it's totally necessary.  I set my alarms for 4:30, 5, 6:30 and 7:30.  4:30 and 5 are to wake me up to go to the gym, 6:30 is my warning that I need to be leaving the gym if I haven't already and the 7:30 lets me know it's time to get lunches/breakfasts together.. I have to stay on track or my whole day gets thrown off. 
Honestly, I don't feel terrible about missing the gym this morning.  After doing the walk last night, I still feel okay.  If it's nice out tonight (which, according to the weather service, it's not supposed to be) we'll go on another walk after work.  I'm really loving this weather!  Well.. I'm really loving the nice part of this weather! :)

For dinner last night, I made spicy black beans (recipe below) with grilled chicken and fresh guacamole.  I skipped the chicken and ate the following:
1 corn tortilla, laying flat and topped with:
Spicy Black Beans
Fat Free Cheddar Cheese
Fat Free Plain Greek Yogurt
Fresh Guacamole
Cilantro
Squirt of Lime

Spicy Black Beans:
1/4 lg Red Onion, diced
1tsp Cumin
1tbs EVOO
1can Black Beans
1can Diced Tomatoes with Jalapenos
1tbs Garlic
1tbs Cilantro, diced
Juice of 1/2 lime
-Saute onion and garlic in EVOO and cumin 3-4 minutes
-Add Black Beans and Tomatoes, cover and simmer on medium heat 10-15 minutes
-Stir-in cilantro and lime juice and serve!

It was yummy! 

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low Carb Yogurt, strawberry pomegranate (Kroger brand)

Lunch:
Eating out today.. Lime Taqueria in Main Strausse.. first time eating there, they cook with fresh ingredients and it looks totally yummy and pretty healthy!

Snack:
Protein Mousse

Dinner:
TBD - I have to go to the grocery!

Oh yeah - a little tip I've been meaning to share... I don't know about everyone else, but after I work out, it takes me quite a while to cool down and stop sweating.. (I guess it's all of my extra insulation!)  so what I usually do is when I'm taking my post-workout shower, at the end when you switch from the shower head to the regular spout right before turning the water off, turn the water to completely cold and stick both feet in the cold water for just a second.  That jolt of cold water helps a ton to cool down the rest of my body! 

Well, I think that's all I have today.. until tomorrow!

Pissy Tuesday

Well, hello.  I'm in a mood today.  Yesterday, the hard drive on my computer at work crashed.. so I lost QUITE a bit of work.  Plus, the new cell phone that I just got won't hold a charge (charged all night and dead by 2pm yesterday), and that's also pissing me off.  Then I woke up this morning and my iPod was mysteriously drained of battery life so I had to wait an extra 10 or so minutes to charge it before going to the gym (and it still died before my elliptical time).. and  I'm tired and I hate this rainy weather.  So who wants to hang out with me today?  Ha!
Anywho, after work last night, I ran home and changed clothes and took Nora on a fiesty 3.5 mile walk/uphill hike before the storm hit.  I have decided that I am going to try my hardest to take a good calorie-killing walk every day that it is nice outside.  I'm a bit bummed because I saw the weather report and it's supposed to rain Saturday.. so it looks like I'm most likely not doing the Kicks for Kids 5k.  I just hate to register and pay my entry fee then have it be storming as I am most definitely not trekking Nora through a down-pour for 3.1 miles lol.
I made Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs for dinner last night.  Not much change to the recipe, I ate 3 meatballs with a touch of sauce and a banana.  It was kind of funny becuase in the middle of cooking, the tornado sirens started going off so I shut the stove/oven off and we went to the basement.  Turns out, the food continued to cook (in a warm oven and pasta still in hot water) and it was perfectly cooked by the time we came back upstairs! 
I did cardio and a little bit of abs this morning at the gym.  The workout went as follows;

TIME	EXERCISE	REPS	WEIGHT	SETS
5M	TREADMILL	1 WALK / 4 JOG	N/A	1
	BALL CRUNCHES	20	N/A	4
	SWITCH STEPS	30 SEC	N/A	4
5M	STAIR GLIDER	N/A	N/A	1
25M	ELLIPTICAL	N/A	N/A	1

I was surprised/disappointed to find how hard the 4minute jog was this morning.  I pushed through without stopping, but found it to be incredibly challenging.  Oh well, building endurance takes time so I'll just continue to do 4 minutes for the remainder of the week. 

Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low-Carb Yogurt

Lunch:
5 small meatballs with a bit of spaghetti sauce
Protein Mousse

Snack:
12 Raw organic almonds
Weight Watchers string cheese

Dinner:
TBD

Well, that's about all I have for today.  For the sake of my husband and the rest of the people that have to be around me, I hope I'm in a better mood tomorrow.  But, I guess that's up to me, right?

Tootles.

5LBS Down!

That's right, I lost 5 POUNDS last week!  Color me super excited!  I was really concerned due to the fact that I hadn't been to the gym much but I guess my extra dancing and walks helped tremendously!  Friday night after work Nora and I went on a 2+ mile walk and Saturday afternoon we went on another 3+ mile walk, and the Saturday one was a LOT of hills so I'm sure I burned a ton of calories :)
I love when the weather is nice enough to take walks outside.. it gives me a chance to spend some extra time with Nora, plus she absolutely loves the outdoors so she enjoys herself.  She was obviously quite relaxed Saturday as she took her sandals off an had her feet propped up on her little tray while she was leaning back and drinking her bottle lol. 
Yesterday, I weighed myself in the morning and then we gardened pretty much all day, which burned quite a few more calories :)  Gardening sounds like an easy thing but when you're pulling deep-rooted weeds for hours, hauling mulch/dirt/tools around and digging all day, it definitely works up a sweat!  I ate really well this weekend too, which I'm happy to report. 
Saturday:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein shake w/ skim milk
Snack:
Banana w/ natural pnut butter
Lunch:
Salad (lettuce, spinach, mushroom, bell pepper, grilled chicken, shredded Parmesan, red onion, croutons, light Cesar dressing)
Dinner:
1 Grilled chicken sausage
Grilled potatoes and onions
Steamed Corn  
*I did indulge a bit and had a couple of small fresh strawberry daiquiris with my mom and my sister's girlfriend.  (fresh organic strawberries that my mom froze, a little bit of lemonade concentrate, rum and a splash of water)
Sunday:
Cup of coffee
Snack:
banana w/ natural pnut butter
Lunch:
Salad (lettuce, chicken, grapes, apple, craisins and walnuts w/ fat free vinaigrette)
Dinner:
grilled chicken
potato salad
baked beans

Yummy weekend :)

I didn't make it to the gym this morning :(  I've found that Mondays are the hardest day to get out of bed extra early.  It's like my body just needs that day to re-group and get back into the routine of the working week.(not to mention a lack of sleep last night)  I did work on new workouts for this week but I am going to tweak them again today before starting tomorrow.  I may re-write them as Tuesday-Friday and use Monday as a bonus day... ? We'll see. 
Food Today:
Breakfast:
Choc Protein Shake w/ Skim Milk

Snack:
Low-carb Yogurt (raspberry)
*By the way, I am LOVING the low-carb yogurt!  I find it to be much creamier than the regular!

Lunch:
1can tuna w/ 1tbs light Miracle Whip, 1tsp mustard and 1tbs sugar free relish
Protein Mousse (made more this weekend, I am in love!)

Snack:
Tiny salad w/ light Cesar dressing
Weight Watchers String Cheese

Dinner:
TBD... something with ground turkey :)

Oh!  I'm planning to do the Kicks for Kids 5k River Run next Saturday!  Click Here to register and do it with me!  It's only $15 and it goes to a great cause :)  Nora and I will be walking, of course :)

Very happy to post the following:
May 23, 2011
Weight: 271lbs [officially 2lbs lighter than when I graduated high school.. and it's only DOWN hill from here :) ]

Well, until tomorrow!!