I am finally fully recovered from my "test run" Saturday morning. I went approximately 7.5 - 8 miles on a very hilly trail in Briones park, which boasted 1,000 ft. elevation as part of one of the climbs. While I did not run much of the uphills, particularly the steep parts, I was able to make up the lost time on the downhills, to complete the run in 1.5 hours. I also managed to save myself some money by running with my Camelback back pack, full of water, rather than buying myself a new hip-belt for the upcoming race. I can do a 7 miler with a Camelback, though anything longer or more speed-intensive and I may want to invest in a hip-belt, to avoid chafing or general discomfort from carrying that much on my shoulders.
I was exhilerated when I finished the run, not exhausted at all. I didn't get sore until the next morning, and the soreness was primarily in my left hip area, and my shins. Also had some gnarly blisters on the arch areas of my feet, which is to be expected I guess, my feet are COMPLETELY flat (we're talking flipper-flat here, I was clearly meant to be an aquatic creature) and tend towards over-pronation when I run. This creates friction along the inner-lining-meeting-sole-of-shoe area in my more active moments, and blisters inevitably follow.
The good news is, I can power through it for the 7 miles, and deal with those annoying after-affects AFTER.
I'm REALLY looking forward to the race. Not sure how happy I'll be sans music/motivation, as they refuse to let us use audio equipment, but maybe I'll see it as meditative time in my own head. I must remember to bring and wear lots of chapstick, though, my lips are dry and crackly today after a combo of outdoor conditions and mild dehydration.
Body/perception note: I worry less about how much I weigh now, and I find I FOCUS less on how my body looks. It could be because things are just fitting easier/better now, or it could be that my focus is not on my appearance as much as what my body is able to DO actively now. It feels healthier, mentally, in any event.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Commence TRAINING!
I bit the bullet and did it, I signed up for a REAL RACE. I actually registered, despite being dubious about PAYING to run my butt up a huge hill with other people, and being restricted from using any audio device to motivate me to keep moving.
On April 11th, I'll be hauling myself from Stinson Beach to Muir Woods and back. Check out the course here: http://www.envirosports.com/exec/enviro/maps/mwprintmap.pdf
Yes, I'm running the 7 miler. Quite a hop from my original idea of doing 5k races. We'll see how I do, I'm now routinely running a relatively flat 5k a few times a week, and I anticipate doing at least one 6ish mile run on a trail this weekend to see how it goes. Worst case scenario, I walk part of the 1800 ft. incline, and make up my time zooming downhill. I'm really nervous, but really excited for this. If I'm not dead tired afterwards and the weather isn't too bad, I'll hop on my surfboard and cruise the sharky Stinson waves, too!
In other news, my scale saw me at 155 when last I weighed. This, dear friends, is a mere ten pounds above my high school/college norm to low weight. I am pleased, and hoping to continue the downward trend. Clothing has become fun again.
On April 11th, I'll be hauling myself from Stinson Beach to Muir Woods and back. Check out the course here: http://www.envirosports.com/exec/enviro/maps/mwprintmap.pdf
Yes, I'm running the 7 miler. Quite a hop from my original idea of doing 5k races. We'll see how I do, I'm now routinely running a relatively flat 5k a few times a week, and I anticipate doing at least one 6ish mile run on a trail this weekend to see how it goes. Worst case scenario, I walk part of the 1800 ft. incline, and make up my time zooming downhill. I'm really nervous, but really excited for this. If I'm not dead tired afterwards and the weather isn't too bad, I'll hop on my surfboard and cruise the sharky Stinson waves, too!
In other news, my scale saw me at 155 when last I weighed. This, dear friends, is a mere ten pounds above my high school/college norm to low weight. I am pleased, and hoping to continue the downward trend. Clothing has become fun again.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Spring is on the Way
This weekend was the first time we've seen consistent sun for what feels like EVER. I celebrated by spending lots of time with my horse on Saturday, then going for a hike for an hour and a half with my boyfriend on Sunday.
Because we catered to his comfortable pace (drastically slower than I would have needed/preferred) I felt like I didn't get AS good of a workout as I would ideally have wanted, however doing things together is important, as is getting him on the Workout Wagon, as a means of mutual support in our fitness goals.
Yesterday, though my hips were a little sore from the hiking, I ran the lake at lunch (again, between 3.1 and 3.4 miles, no one's sure.) It took me a little longer than it has in the past, between 35 and 45 minutes, but I didn't take traffic/in/out of building into account either.
The good news:
The transition period on my face with the Clarisonic seems to be tailing off, and my skin looks better by the day. YAY for Clarisonic.
I was trying to wear an accustomed outfit to work today, was all ready to go, when I looked in the mirror and saw my skirt was sitting too low to wear, about an inch of tummy was showing between my LONGISH fitted office blouse and my skirt. I usually like wearing skirts low (on the hips, I'm a surfer-style chick and I'm most comfortable in low-rise) but this was bordering on indecent, particularly for the office. To wear it at a normal height, I'd have to get it taken in at LEAST two inches.
Needless to say, I'm thrilled. My other pants/bottoms are fitting looser/better as well, and if I stay at this pace, I anticipate being able to wear my size 8/6 work pants within the month. TERRIBLY excited.
Because we catered to his comfortable pace (drastically slower than I would have needed/preferred) I felt like I didn't get AS good of a workout as I would ideally have wanted, however doing things together is important, as is getting him on the Workout Wagon, as a means of mutual support in our fitness goals.
Yesterday, though my hips were a little sore from the hiking, I ran the lake at lunch (again, between 3.1 and 3.4 miles, no one's sure.) It took me a little longer than it has in the past, between 35 and 45 minutes, but I didn't take traffic/in/out of building into account either.
The good news:
The transition period on my face with the Clarisonic seems to be tailing off, and my skin looks better by the day. YAY for Clarisonic.
I was trying to wear an accustomed outfit to work today, was all ready to go, when I looked in the mirror and saw my skirt was sitting too low to wear, about an inch of tummy was showing between my LONGISH fitted office blouse and my skirt. I usually like wearing skirts low (on the hips, I'm a surfer-style chick and I'm most comfortable in low-rise) but this was bordering on indecent, particularly for the office. To wear it at a normal height, I'd have to get it taken in at LEAST two inches.
Needless to say, I'm thrilled. My other pants/bottoms are fitting looser/better as well, and if I stay at this pace, I anticipate being able to wear my size 8/6 work pants within the month. TERRIBLY excited.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Building an arc
It's been raining off and on but mostly on for the last 2-3 weeks. I'm a self-admitted sun-addict, and this is KILLING me. The irony of purchasing new trail running shoes, taking them for one dang trial trail train, and having the mud return with the stranght of Atlas is extremely antagonizing to me.
So I got up at 5am (yes, that's A.M.) to go to our little gym at my apartment, and did 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer after 2 minutes of a sprint on the treadmill to get the heartrate going. Went about 3 miles on the elliptical while reading a Fitness magazine. Did a few cardio intervals, squatting lower on the machine while increasing my pace and resistance, definitely felt the burn. I'm figuring that since my boyfriend is off the exercise wagon (damn men for being able to lose weight by doing next to nothing to change their habits, I swear it's utterly unfair) and his influence makes it harder to exercise when he's awake, I'll get up ass-early to work out before going in to work. Workouts at lunch are great options too, but sometimes I need to work through lunch, or don't feel motivated to haul my butt down to the gym at work.
In order to ensure I get at least 30 minutes of cardio in, I'm doing the morning thing this week to see how it goes.
To further motivate me, I've also printed out a blank calander of the month, so I can visually SEE at my desk every day that I do or do not go to work out, and let that be a cue to see how much I'm REALLY putting into the fitness effort.
The good news is we're really keeping to the healthy eating plan. My 1 "cheat meal" this week has been SUSHI, and mostly vegetarian sushi at that, so I'm actually quite proud on that front. We also indulged by going to Whole Foods to pick up some of our groceries this week, so that will be tasty and fresh and different.
CLARISONIC progress: Love it. Use two cycles twice a day to wash my face and just under my jaw, and have seen drastic improvements in my skin. Areas that started out clear, have remained clear and look luminious, areas that were clogged (nose, chin in particular) are opening up and clearing out, and things are NOT coming back. The larger hormonal-related areas that are currently located just above my jawline on my left cheek are studiously fighting back against my attempts at control, but I estimate that once my hormones die down, so will those stubborn buggers. It's been just one week of use, and I'd thoroughly advise anyone with problem skin to consider this product as an option. No chemicals, just thorough cleansing.
So I got up at 5am (yes, that's A.M.) to go to our little gym at my apartment, and did 30 minutes on the elliptical trainer after 2 minutes of a sprint on the treadmill to get the heartrate going. Went about 3 miles on the elliptical while reading a Fitness magazine. Did a few cardio intervals, squatting lower on the machine while increasing my pace and resistance, definitely felt the burn. I'm figuring that since my boyfriend is off the exercise wagon (damn men for being able to lose weight by doing next to nothing to change their habits, I swear it's utterly unfair) and his influence makes it harder to exercise when he's awake, I'll get up ass-early to work out before going in to work. Workouts at lunch are great options too, but sometimes I need to work through lunch, or don't feel motivated to haul my butt down to the gym at work.
In order to ensure I get at least 30 minutes of cardio in, I'm doing the morning thing this week to see how it goes.
To further motivate me, I've also printed out a blank calander of the month, so I can visually SEE at my desk every day that I do or do not go to work out, and let that be a cue to see how much I'm REALLY putting into the fitness effort.
The good news is we're really keeping to the healthy eating plan. My 1 "cheat meal" this week has been SUSHI, and mostly vegetarian sushi at that, so I'm actually quite proud on that front. We also indulged by going to Whole Foods to pick up some of our groceries this week, so that will be tasty and fresh and different.
CLARISONIC progress: Love it. Use two cycles twice a day to wash my face and just under my jaw, and have seen drastic improvements in my skin. Areas that started out clear, have remained clear and look luminious, areas that were clogged (nose, chin in particular) are opening up and clearing out, and things are NOT coming back. The larger hormonal-related areas that are currently located just above my jawline on my left cheek are studiously fighting back against my attempts at control, but I estimate that once my hormones die down, so will those stubborn buggers. It's been just one week of use, and I'd thoroughly advise anyone with problem skin to consider this product as an option. No chemicals, just thorough cleansing.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Health Progress
Well, I have reached a bit of a fitness plateau, exacerbated by the fact that making money and getting more hours at work overshadows, at this time, my workout priority. I can still comfortably run 3 miles in under 35 minutes, either on treadmill or a bit faster if going around the lake or being outdoors, weather permitting.
It's been raining quite a lot.
My size continues to shift, and while I haven't seen a lot of actual pound loss, my clothes continue to fit better/looser, and I occasionally LIKE photos I see of myself, which is pretty awesome.
Here's a recent example:
It's been raining quite a lot.
My size continues to shift, and while I haven't seen a lot of actual pound loss, my clothes continue to fit better/looser, and I occasionally LIKE photos I see of myself, which is pretty awesome.
Here's a recent example:
Taken over the weekend. Please note the calf definition, and while I know I'm by no means TINY, I'm a lot LEANER than I was, say, just under a year ago when THIS was taken:
Tummy bulge is MUCH less, legs are better and smaller, and thighs/ass/arms are much smaller and more defined. I was/am tired of the layer of insulation around my functioning, strong body.
I've been a bit indulgent lately, hopefully I'll behave through my hormonal time this month, and start in hardcore again with the cardio and continue on the healthy eating habit as March begins. Progres, progress, but it's slow, and I want to kick it up a bit.
In other news: I bought a Clarisonic. I've had face issues all my life, I plan on keeping tabs on the progress/changes with the Clarisonic. I've heard great reviews, so I hope my face will cooperate. Used it for the first time this morning, went through two cycles of use on face, and just under jawline which is also a problem area for me. Face looked and felt MUCH cleaner, no residue from my face wash (which is the same neutragena rapid clear matifying foam I've been using, didn't want to change EVERYTHING up at once), and though my spots are very visible (thanks, hormonal time of month!) the color and texture of my skin looked like I'd walked out of a spa. Will update with pictures, maybe.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Fully behind, but still on "wagon".
So I've recorded my food intake/exercise the past week, but forgotten to input it and lost my little pink post-its on which I keep the records, so I'm going to have to "start fresh" from Sunday onwards.
Sunday:
Breakfast: 1/2 whole wheat english muffin with 1 poached egg
Snack: Skipped, was exercising/out with horse.
Lunch: 1 shitake roll, 2 pcs white tuna nigiri, 1 rock n' roll >I swear, I can't live w/out sushi.
Snack: 10-15 guacamole flavored tortilla chips with 1/2 cup guacamole. 2 beers.
Dinner: 2 more beers, (It was the superbowl, no excuse, but doesn't happen often) Abs Diet recipe quesedilla as described previously, probably had some chocolate for dessert.
Snack: All the BEER took the place of this.
Exercise: :-D I did GREAT! I went on a hike/run for 55 minutes, not sure of the exact milage, but I usually do this trail on horseback. I hiked most of the steep uphills, ran the flats/mild inclines, and ran the downhills. I was really worried that I'd be exhausted/sore when done, but I was actually okay, and followed it up with about half an hour of horseback riding (gentle).
MONDAY:
Was really, really anticipating being sore as hell on Monday. I wasn't, though, which is awesome, b/c the last time I REALLY ran downhill, I couldn't move my legs for a week, my quads were split by rending pain. So glad that wasn't the case this time!
Breakfast: 1 protein water, 1 cup Special K Red Berries cereal.
Snack: 1 tomato soup-at-hand, 1 lowfat string cheese.
Lunch: 1 apple, 1 protein water, 1/2 serving filling for Abs diet quesedilla w/cheese.
Snack: I may have had another protein water, and a lot of diet cola.
Dinner: 1/3 cup naughty "garlic noodles" from PF Chang's (was STARVING and gave in), 2/3 cup healthy abs chili w/sprinkling of reduced fat cheese and 1 tablespoon fat free sr. cream, 1 veggie sausage (140 calories).
Snack: 1/2 bottle red wine. Naughty. But delicous. Small amount of chocolate.
Exercise: 55 minutes of interval training in spin class. I was in the front row, and really pushed it. Felt GREAT!
Sunday:
Breakfast: 1/2 whole wheat english muffin with 1 poached egg
Snack: Skipped, was exercising/out with horse.
Lunch: 1 shitake roll, 2 pcs white tuna nigiri, 1 rock n' roll >I swear, I can't live w/out sushi.
Snack: 10-15 guacamole flavored tortilla chips with 1/2 cup guacamole. 2 beers.
Dinner: 2 more beers, (It was the superbowl, no excuse, but doesn't happen often) Abs Diet recipe quesedilla as described previously, probably had some chocolate for dessert.
Snack: All the BEER took the place of this.
Exercise: :-D I did GREAT! I went on a hike/run for 55 minutes, not sure of the exact milage, but I usually do this trail on horseback. I hiked most of the steep uphills, ran the flats/mild inclines, and ran the downhills. I was really worried that I'd be exhausted/sore when done, but I was actually okay, and followed it up with about half an hour of horseback riding (gentle).
MONDAY:
Was really, really anticipating being sore as hell on Monday. I wasn't, though, which is awesome, b/c the last time I REALLY ran downhill, I couldn't move my legs for a week, my quads were split by rending pain. So glad that wasn't the case this time!
Breakfast: 1 protein water, 1 cup Special K Red Berries cereal.
Snack: 1 tomato soup-at-hand, 1 lowfat string cheese.
Lunch: 1 apple, 1 protein water, 1/2 serving filling for Abs diet quesedilla w/cheese.
Snack: I may have had another protein water, and a lot of diet cola.
Dinner: 1/3 cup naughty "garlic noodles" from PF Chang's (was STARVING and gave in), 2/3 cup healthy abs chili w/sprinkling of reduced fat cheese and 1 tablespoon fat free sr. cream, 1 veggie sausage (140 calories).
Snack: 1/2 bottle red wine. Naughty. But delicous. Small amount of chocolate.
Exercise: 55 minutes of interval training in spin class. I was in the front row, and really pushed it. Felt GREAT!
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Progress!
I hopped on the scale this morning, as is my habit, and I saw that little needle sit at 2lbs lighter than my previous weigh in! I know, bodies tend to fluxuate weight depending on hydration, on what we ate last night, on if we've pooped, on time of the month, etc. but seeing the needle under 160 for the first time in almost 3 years was a HUGE deal to me. I know I'm making slow progress, and I know there are setbacks, but every little piece of visual encouragement helps.
I am very lucky, also, to have a hugely supportive working environment. I can take my lunch breaks and do a cardio class or a workout at a 24 hour fitness gym downstairs. There is a lake to run around. Many of my coworkers are in my general age range, and are encouraging me to exercise with them, to exercise at all, and support me in my healthy habits and goals.
The boyfriend has been supportive as well, but he has hit a backtrack bump because of his hand surgery. Hopefully, as his splint comes off today, he'll be able to start up with light cardio again, because it'll be better for him and helps keep me motivated as well.
WEDNESDAY:
Breakfast: 1 egg 2 white omelet with spinach, tomato, onion, and cheese.
Snack: Skipped cuz was full from breakfast
Lunch: Leftover extra quesedilla from last night (smaller than dinner sized, and added 1/3 lb. seared albacore tuna for extra protein. Felt FULL.
Snack: Still full from lunch.
Dinner: 1 veggie sausage (about 140 calories), 1/2 avacado, 1 tablespoon lite mayo with lemon juice as sauce for both items. 2 shots pineapple juice, 1 shot coco real, 1.5 shots vodka to make a pina colada type beverage. It was naughty and delicious.
Snack: No excuse, had a peppermint chewie candy (v. small) and finished that pina colada thingie.
Exercise: 30 minutes HARD spin class, 10 minute walk to retrieve contact lenses a few blocks away. Entire body is extremely sore, and didn't feel capable of doing more exercise. Seriously, sore from those stupid weights. I anticipate taking Thursday as a day of rest, except for caring for my horse.
I am very lucky, also, to have a hugely supportive working environment. I can take my lunch breaks and do a cardio class or a workout at a 24 hour fitness gym downstairs. There is a lake to run around. Many of my coworkers are in my general age range, and are encouraging me to exercise with them, to exercise at all, and support me in my healthy habits and goals.
The boyfriend has been supportive as well, but he has hit a backtrack bump because of his hand surgery. Hopefully, as his splint comes off today, he'll be able to start up with light cardio again, because it'll be better for him and helps keep me motivated as well.
WEDNESDAY:
Breakfast: 1 egg 2 white omelet with spinach, tomato, onion, and cheese.
Snack: Skipped cuz was full from breakfast
Lunch: Leftover extra quesedilla from last night (smaller than dinner sized, and added 1/3 lb. seared albacore tuna for extra protein. Felt FULL.
Snack: Still full from lunch.
Dinner: 1 veggie sausage (about 140 calories), 1/2 avacado, 1 tablespoon lite mayo with lemon juice as sauce for both items. 2 shots pineapple juice, 1 shot coco real, 1.5 shots vodka to make a pina colada type beverage. It was naughty and delicious.
Snack: No excuse, had a peppermint chewie candy (v. small) and finished that pina colada thingie.
Exercise: 30 minutes HARD spin class, 10 minute walk to retrieve contact lenses a few blocks away. Entire body is extremely sore, and didn't feel capable of doing more exercise. Seriously, sore from those stupid weights. I anticipate taking Thursday as a day of rest, except for caring for my horse.
Boppin' Along
MONDAY
Breakfast: 1 cup Special K red berries cereal
Snack: Kellogg's protein water and 1/2 omelet (as previously described)
Lunch: String cheese and a berry, yogurt, and whey protein smoothie.
Snack: 1 string cheese, 1 apple, 1 protein water
Dinner: 3 slices Zachary's Chicken Pizza on whole wheat crust (naughty, addictive, comforting and delicious.)
Snack: Diet lemonade.
Exercise: 45 minutes intense spin class
TUESDAY
Breakfast: 1 cup Red Berries Cereal, no milk.
Snack: 1 protein water, 1 cup Red Berries Cereal. (Hey, it's tasty and it's easy.)
Lunch: 1 slice Zachary's Chicken Pizza on whole wheat crust. (HAD to use the LEFTOVERS!)
Snack: 1 String Cheese, 1 miso soup.
Dinner: Super Abs Diet quesedilla (sp?!) (low cal large tortilla 100 cals; chopped tomato; 1/4lb 97% fat free ground beef; onions; 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream; 1 chili pepper; 1/4 cup mashed kidney beans; 1/8 cup lowfat sargento cheese; shredded lettuce.) 1 glass high fiber v8 with 1.5 shots vodka.
Snack: 1 cup high fiber v8 with 1/2 shot vodka. (Don't know why, but it tasted REALLY good.)
EXERCISE: 20 minutes on treadmill, total of 1.75 miles, no walking. 5-7.5mph.
80 crunches, 30 per side side leg lifts, 30 on back leg lifts, 2 30 second plank poses, 30 unweighted squats, 2 sets 21s for biceps, 15 lunges per leg (have weak knees), 30 chest presses, 50 standing rows. All weight exercises executed with 8lb hand weights.
I know my weights are low, I'm starting slow back into weights with the goal of not building muscle, but toning what I already have. I am naturally very muscular, and it is easy for my body to build more. To maintain a lower weight and more feminine figure, I want to keep the cardio high to burn the fat, and tone rather than build. This means high reps, low weights, and I have a tendency to do too much, too fast, hence the really easing back into it.
Breakfast: 1 cup Special K red berries cereal
Snack: Kellogg's protein water and 1/2 omelet (as previously described)
Lunch: String cheese and a berry, yogurt, and whey protein smoothie.
Snack: 1 string cheese, 1 apple, 1 protein water
Dinner: 3 slices Zachary's Chicken Pizza on whole wheat crust (naughty, addictive, comforting and delicious.)
Snack: Diet lemonade.
Exercise: 45 minutes intense spin class
TUESDAY
Breakfast: 1 cup Red Berries Cereal, no milk.
Snack: 1 protein water, 1 cup Red Berries Cereal. (Hey, it's tasty and it's easy.)
Lunch: 1 slice Zachary's Chicken Pizza on whole wheat crust. (HAD to use the LEFTOVERS!)
Snack: 1 String Cheese, 1 miso soup.
Dinner: Super Abs Diet quesedilla (sp?!) (low cal large tortilla 100 cals; chopped tomato; 1/4lb 97% fat free ground beef; onions; 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream; 1 chili pepper; 1/4 cup mashed kidney beans; 1/8 cup lowfat sargento cheese; shredded lettuce.) 1 glass high fiber v8 with 1.5 shots vodka.
Snack: 1 cup high fiber v8 with 1/2 shot vodka. (Don't know why, but it tasted REALLY good.)
EXERCISE: 20 minutes on treadmill, total of 1.75 miles, no walking. 5-7.5mph.
80 crunches, 30 per side side leg lifts, 30 on back leg lifts, 2 30 second plank poses, 30 unweighted squats, 2 sets 21s for biceps, 15 lunges per leg (have weak knees), 30 chest presses, 50 standing rows. All weight exercises executed with 8lb hand weights.
I know my weights are low, I'm starting slow back into weights with the goal of not building muscle, but toning what I already have. I am naturally very muscular, and it is easy for my body to build more. To maintain a lower weight and more feminine figure, I want to keep the cardio high to burn the fat, and tone rather than build. This means high reps, low weights, and I have a tendency to do too much, too fast, hence the really easing back into it.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Catching up!!!
I was right, Wednesday sucked.
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: 1/8 cup lowfat cheese on 100 calories sliced turkey meat.
Snack: Kellogg's protein water (30 calories)
Lunch: Skipped. (Too busy/upset)
Snack: 300 calories of dried cherries.
Dinner: 2 large sushi rolls, sake.
Snack: Substituted sake. (BAD DAY!!!)
No exercise except walking about and crying a lot.
THURSDAY
Breakfast: Healthy omelet (my omelets generally include 1 cup spinach, 1/8 cup lowfat shredded cheese from Sargento, 1/2 a tomato, a couple slices of onion, and chopped mushrooms.)
Snack: 2" square of pumpkin mochi.
Lunch: 10 pieces nigiri sushi, 1cup miso soup.
Snack: SKIPPED
Dinner 1/4lb turkey burger, 2 tbspoons ketchup.
No snack, no exercise. (Still caring for the boyfriend.)
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Omelet
Snack: 1 piece pumpkin mochi
Lunch: Lunch out with a partner at work, had chicken liver pate (naughty), and 1/2 VERY small apple tartlet, and a (healthy) seafood tomato broth dish.
Snack: SKIPPED cuz lunch was huge.
Dinner: Something very healthy, if I remember right. Chili, I think. (Again, our chili is homemade and VERY healthy.)
SATURDAY:
Breakfast: 1 egg, one white, scrambled w/2teaspoons milk
Snack: Skipped
Lunch: Skipped, because was on 4+ hour horse ride.
Snack: Skipped
Dinner: 5 course "cheat" meal out with friends including:
1 amuse bouche, cripy polenta
1 glass sparkling wine (not champagne, as the boyfriend continually reminds me)
1 soup "shot" of brocolli soup
a large salad with balsamic dressing and dried fruits
an entree of gnocci and chanterelle mushrooms and truffle oil
ate half dessert, buttered popcorn ice cream and a salted caramel cookie sandwich thing.
Delicous, but evil.
SUNDAY
Breakfast: fruit smoothie
Snack: X
Lunch: 1 egg, 1 45 calorie hot dog, 1/3 cup canned tomatoes, 1/8 cup cheese, 1 whole wheat breakfast muffin.
Snack: X
Dinner: 2 big rolls of sushi, 1 white tuna nigiri, 1 spicy scallop hand roll. I indulged, I don't care.
Snack: 2 cups diet lemonade, and 2 chewy peppermint candies, 1 cup Special K cereal.
Snack:
Snack:
WEDNESDAY
Breakfast: 1/8 cup lowfat cheese on 100 calories sliced turkey meat.
Snack: Kellogg's protein water (30 calories)
Lunch: Skipped. (Too busy/upset)
Snack: 300 calories of dried cherries.
Dinner: 2 large sushi rolls, sake.
Snack: Substituted sake. (BAD DAY!!!)
No exercise except walking about and crying a lot.
THURSDAY
Breakfast: Healthy omelet (my omelets generally include 1 cup spinach, 1/8 cup lowfat shredded cheese from Sargento, 1/2 a tomato, a couple slices of onion, and chopped mushrooms.)
Snack: 2" square of pumpkin mochi.
Lunch: 10 pieces nigiri sushi, 1cup miso soup.
Snack: SKIPPED
Dinner 1/4lb turkey burger, 2 tbspoons ketchup.
No snack, no exercise. (Still caring for the boyfriend.)
FRIDAY
Breakfast: Omelet
Snack: 1 piece pumpkin mochi
Lunch: Lunch out with a partner at work, had chicken liver pate (naughty), and 1/2 VERY small apple tartlet, and a (healthy) seafood tomato broth dish.
Snack: SKIPPED cuz lunch was huge.
Dinner: Something very healthy, if I remember right. Chili, I think. (Again, our chili is homemade and VERY healthy.)
SATURDAY:
Breakfast: 1 egg, one white, scrambled w/2teaspoons milk
Snack: Skipped
Lunch: Skipped, because was on 4+ hour horse ride.
Snack: Skipped
Dinner: 5 course "cheat" meal out with friends including:
1 amuse bouche, cripy polenta
1 glass sparkling wine (not champagne, as the boyfriend continually reminds me)
1 soup "shot" of brocolli soup
a large salad with balsamic dressing and dried fruits
an entree of gnocci and chanterelle mushrooms and truffle oil
ate half dessert, buttered popcorn ice cream and a salted caramel cookie sandwich thing.
Delicous, but evil.
SUNDAY
Breakfast: fruit smoothie
Snack: X
Lunch: 1 egg, 1 45 calorie hot dog, 1/3 cup canned tomatoes, 1/8 cup cheese, 1 whole wheat breakfast muffin.
Snack: X
Dinner: 2 big rolls of sushi, 1 white tuna nigiri, 1 spicy scallop hand roll. I indulged, I don't care.
Snack: 2 cups diet lemonade, and 2 chewy peppermint candies, 1 cup Special K cereal.
Snack:
Snack:
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Today will be a very hard day.
Yesterday was rough. I did pretty well on the fitness scale, overall though.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Kellogg's Protein Water (30 cals) 8:30am.
Snack: 11:15 (making up for lack of breakfast) packaged chicken salad (140 cals, 70 from fat, 8g protein), Tomato soup at hand from Campbell's (120 calories, no fat).
Lunch:2/3 sandwich on whole wheat flax bread, with turkey and 2 tablespoons fat free cream cheese with mustard. (Utterly AWFUL, couldn't finish it as shown, it was bland and dry and ugh. Maybe that's the secret to weight loss, just give yourself food so bland and dull, it's not WORTH it to eat it. I know this is how the Nutrisystem fad diet works, for SURE, I've tried it. It was horrid.)
Snack: 4:20pm string cheese.
Dinner: 2/3 cup healthy turkey chili (I should post the recipe sometime, as I eat it all the damn time), 1/8 cup shredded reduced fat Sargento cheese, 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream; more than 2 cups sake.
Snack: Substituted sake.
Yes, I know, alcohol in no way helps anything to do with weightloss, but hear me out, while I don't feel I'm missing ANYTHING by avoiding it, things are seriously emotionally rocky and stressful right now, and staring blindly at the tv whilst drinking sake is somehow comforting and mind-numbing, all at the same time.
Oh, to make this all look better, let me brag about my exercise yesterday.
There's a lake nearby my office, around which the runners in the office often circle and exercise when the weather is good. I googled the streets surrounding said lake, which estimated the distance at ABOUT 1.5 miles. I though, sure, that's a good distance to begin running outside again.
30-40 (hard to estimate as I didn't have a watch or anything) minutes later, I was thinking I am the WORST runner in history, because it took me that long to run that distance outside. When back in office, I talked to the runners, and they told me no no no, the path along the lake itself is more like 3.2-3.4 miles! Hurray and Hurrah, I am not a failure of an outdoor runner.
This morning, however, while my thighs feel strong, they are also a bit sore.
Also did about 1/2 hour of bareback riding last night in the arena, so that could be part of it.
In prep for today, though, an emotional heads-up. I will be very busy.
11am performance review at work, by a woman I'm pretty sure hates me, and I've got some serious work insecurity issues given our economy and my recent experiences being laid off the past year.
12:10 eye appointment, not emotional, but hectic nonetheless.
1pm My beloved family dog is set to be put down. He's old, his body is failing, it is past due time for him to be released and let to join his brother waiting for him on the "other side" of whatever separates us from the unknown, but it is VERY hard to lose this last piece of what my brother rightly called "The Lhasa Era" for our family. Animal passing is probably harder emotionally for me personally than human passing, at this point in my life, so this is REALLY going to be hard.
2-3pm I need to be home to take care of my boyfriend, who will be getting out of surgery for a ganglian (sp?) cyst on his hand.
There's just a lot going on. I'm already craving sushi, but I know that's an emotional response rather than a need-hunger based one. We'll see how it goes today. Some encouragement on my fitness goals, however, came this morning.
As is my ritual, I took my shower, thoroughly towel-dried my hair, used the restroom, and stood on the scale. I'm a solid 5lbs under my estimated starting weight (or rather, what my weight showed the last time I did this ritual, just over a week ago when I began the journey). Progress!
If I were doing this soley by weigh-ins, I would now have 10 pounds to lose to get to where I am physically comfortable, 15 to lose before I'm at my college weight (!!) and 20 to lose if I'm REALLY striving to get the leanest I have been since high school or before. As I have not yet started actual weight training, and my strenght training has been working with my horse, or in my cardio workouts, I'll have to see when I plateau to try to continue the downwards weight trend.
Tuesday
Breakfast: Kellogg's Protein Water (30 cals) 8:30am.
Snack: 11:15 (making up for lack of breakfast) packaged chicken salad (140 cals, 70 from fat, 8g protein), Tomato soup at hand from Campbell's (120 calories, no fat).
Lunch:2/3 sandwich on whole wheat flax bread, with turkey and 2 tablespoons fat free cream cheese with mustard. (Utterly AWFUL, couldn't finish it as shown, it was bland and dry and ugh. Maybe that's the secret to weight loss, just give yourself food so bland and dull, it's not WORTH it to eat it. I know this is how the Nutrisystem fad diet works, for SURE, I've tried it. It was horrid.)
Snack: 4:20pm string cheese.
Dinner: 2/3 cup healthy turkey chili (I should post the recipe sometime, as I eat it all the damn time), 1/8 cup shredded reduced fat Sargento cheese, 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream; more than 2 cups sake.
Snack: Substituted sake.
Yes, I know, alcohol in no way helps anything to do with weightloss, but hear me out, while I don't feel I'm missing ANYTHING by avoiding it, things are seriously emotionally rocky and stressful right now, and staring blindly at the tv whilst drinking sake is somehow comforting and mind-numbing, all at the same time.
Oh, to make this all look better, let me brag about my exercise yesterday.
There's a lake nearby my office, around which the runners in the office often circle and exercise when the weather is good. I googled the streets surrounding said lake, which estimated the distance at ABOUT 1.5 miles. I though, sure, that's a good distance to begin running outside again.
30-40 (hard to estimate as I didn't have a watch or anything) minutes later, I was thinking I am the WORST runner in history, because it took me that long to run that distance outside. When back in office, I talked to the runners, and they told me no no no, the path along the lake itself is more like 3.2-3.4 miles! Hurray and Hurrah, I am not a failure of an outdoor runner.
This morning, however, while my thighs feel strong, they are also a bit sore.
Also did about 1/2 hour of bareback riding last night in the arena, so that could be part of it.
In prep for today, though, an emotional heads-up. I will be very busy.
11am performance review at work, by a woman I'm pretty sure hates me, and I've got some serious work insecurity issues given our economy and my recent experiences being laid off the past year.
12:10 eye appointment, not emotional, but hectic nonetheless.
1pm My beloved family dog is set to be put down. He's old, his body is failing, it is past due time for him to be released and let to join his brother waiting for him on the "other side" of whatever separates us from the unknown, but it is VERY hard to lose this last piece of what my brother rightly called "The Lhasa Era" for our family. Animal passing is probably harder emotionally for me personally than human passing, at this point in my life, so this is REALLY going to be hard.
2-3pm I need to be home to take care of my boyfriend, who will be getting out of surgery for a ganglian (sp?) cyst on his hand.
There's just a lot going on. I'm already craving sushi, but I know that's an emotional response rather than a need-hunger based one. We'll see how it goes today. Some encouragement on my fitness goals, however, came this morning.
As is my ritual, I took my shower, thoroughly towel-dried my hair, used the restroom, and stood on the scale. I'm a solid 5lbs under my estimated starting weight (or rather, what my weight showed the last time I did this ritual, just over a week ago when I began the journey). Progress!
If I were doing this soley by weigh-ins, I would now have 10 pounds to lose to get to where I am physically comfortable, 15 to lose before I'm at my college weight (!!) and 20 to lose if I'm REALLY striving to get the leanest I have been since high school or before. As I have not yet started actual weight training, and my strenght training has been working with my horse, or in my cardio workouts, I'll have to see when I plateau to try to continue the downwards weight trend.
Monday, January 12, 2009
New Week, New Challenges
Monday
Am undeniably sick. Despite taking 1/2 dose Nyquil last night, and going to bed at 8pm and sleeping through till 6:15am, I am not feeling better. Throat still sore, body still sore and tired, brain a little foggy (though that might be due to stupid Nyquil) and needing vitamins and wanting to go home and cuddle in nice clean bed. Hoping to weather it out. Even drove to work rather than take public transport, to the tune of $15 dollars to park. I do plan on working late to make some overtime to make up for the expense, because sometimes comfort is more important than money.
Also, was informed by mother this morning that our family dog is overdue to be put down. He's eating less and less, getting feebler and feebler, and less "happy", so now I am also going to have to prepare for grief. Which I'm not sure is something I'm capable of really steeling myself against, the last time I lost a beloved pet, it was a complete surprise and happened so fast, I'm still feeling the loss, even almost 3 years later. Knowing that I have to avoid emotional eating while this occurs will be hard. Awareness helps, I guess, but I'm not looking forward to it.
Breakfast: 8:30am- 1 egg, 1 egg white omelet, 1 cup spinach, 1/8 cup low fat cheese, 1/4 tomato, 1/8 cup mushrooms, 1 slice white onion, fresh basil.
Snack: 10:45 1 cup Special K Red Berries
Lunch: 1:45 protein smoothie, string cheese.
Snack: 4:00 Kelloggs protein water
Dinner: 1/2 bottle wine (shut up, my dog is dying), small cut filet mignon cooked with red wine, blackberries, garlic,
Snack: I don't know. Maybe wine is part of this snack. Maybe just milk.
EXERCISE: 50 minutes spinning class.
So I wound up going by the parents' house to go see the dying dog before his time is up. I am a bit of an emotional wreck, I generally get more torn up for the loss of pets than I do over people, don't judge, it's just who I am. This dog is more than a family pet, he's also the last living connection I have to my deceased dog, his brother, who I had for 12 years and with whom I shared my teen years and young adulthood, and who was entirely MY DOG without question or compromise. . .and losing this last tangible connection to him is as painful as losing the wonderful family pet in and of itself.
The continual visitation, though, the worry that each time I see him will be the last time I see him alive, is very hard on me, and seeing him growing older and more uncomfortable also hurts. It's just a hard situation all around, and so I'm having WINE.
EXERCISE:
Am undeniably sick. Despite taking 1/2 dose Nyquil last night, and going to bed at 8pm and sleeping through till 6:15am, I am not feeling better. Throat still sore, body still sore and tired, brain a little foggy (though that might be due to stupid Nyquil) and needing vitamins and wanting to go home and cuddle in nice clean bed. Hoping to weather it out. Even drove to work rather than take public transport, to the tune of $15 dollars to park. I do plan on working late to make some overtime to make up for the expense, because sometimes comfort is more important than money.
Also, was informed by mother this morning that our family dog is overdue to be put down. He's eating less and less, getting feebler and feebler, and less "happy", so now I am also going to have to prepare for grief. Which I'm not sure is something I'm capable of really steeling myself against, the last time I lost a beloved pet, it was a complete surprise and happened so fast, I'm still feeling the loss, even almost 3 years later. Knowing that I have to avoid emotional eating while this occurs will be hard. Awareness helps, I guess, but I'm not looking forward to it.
Breakfast: 8:30am- 1 egg, 1 egg white omelet, 1 cup spinach, 1/8 cup low fat cheese, 1/4 tomato, 1/8 cup mushrooms, 1 slice white onion, fresh basil.
Snack: 10:45 1 cup Special K Red Berries
Lunch: 1:45 protein smoothie, string cheese.
Snack: 4:00 Kelloggs protein water
Dinner: 1/2 bottle wine (shut up, my dog is dying), small cut filet mignon cooked with red wine, blackberries, garlic,
Snack: I don't know. Maybe wine is part of this snack. Maybe just milk.
EXERCISE: 50 minutes spinning class.
So I wound up going by the parents' house to go see the dying dog before his time is up. I am a bit of an emotional wreck, I generally get more torn up for the loss of pets than I do over people, don't judge, it's just who I am. This dog is more than a family pet, he's also the last living connection I have to my deceased dog, his brother, who I had for 12 years and with whom I shared my teen years and young adulthood, and who was entirely MY DOG without question or compromise. . .and losing this last tangible connection to him is as painful as losing the wonderful family pet in and of itself.
The continual visitation, though, the worry that each time I see him will be the last time I see him alive, is very hard on me, and seeing him growing older and more uncomfortable also hurts. It's just a hard situation all around, and so I'm having WINE.
EXERCISE:
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Weekends will clearly be setbacks.
Friday
Wasn't feeling 100%, thusly didn't work out. By 2pm my body, particularly the thighs and backs of legs were very achy and sore, and entire body had that gonna-get-sick feeling. Bike-seat area was VERY sore and sensitive. I blame the inconsistent workouts and spin class.
Breakfast: 7:45 glass V8 fiber juice, 8:50 omelet (1 egg, 1 egg white, spinach, sundried tomatoes, basil, low fat cheese), and a tangerine.
Snack: 11:15 8 almonds, 1 string cheese, 1 Kellogg's Protein Water.
Lunch: 1:30pm smoothie w/ whey protein, 1 45 calorie hot dog.
Snack: more smoothie, 1 apple, 8 almonds
Dinner: 1/3 serving Chili, 1 fat free hot dog w/1/2 whole wheat bun, 1 martini, 2 glasses red wine
Snack: cup of Special K red berries cereal.
Saturday
Saturday was a dead bust. The BF and I had agreed that we were allowed 1 day with 2 cheat meals each week. We will in all likelihood shorten this to 1 cheat meal at some point, but since we currently have VERY different tastes in food/cheating, we decided to do it this way, for now, until we want to go "hard core" healthy.
Breakfast: 1 cup Special K red berries cereal (I told you, I love this stuff. Seriously. I love it as much as I loved Golden Grahams or Cocoa Puffs as a kid.)
Snack: SKIPPED in favor of activity, or in other words, totally forgot to eat.
EXERCISE: Horse time. Grooming, dramatic (scary) ride alone, about 2-3 hours total.
Lunch: Sushi. (I eat a LOT of sushi, since I get it rarely, and that was BEFORE modified eating plan.) 1 Rock & Roll, 1 caterpillar roll, 1 uni nigiri, 1 ikura nigiri, 1 albacore nigiri, 1/2 tuna roll. ABSURD. But ever so delicious.
Snack: Uhh, still full from absurd lunch.
Dinner: BF's choice of going to brewery, where I had 10 skinny french fries dipped in chipotle mayo, 2 pints of beer, 1 bulb of roasted garlic, 5 apple slices, 5 slices of baguette, and 4 slices brie cheese. Ate about half of garlic/accessories.
Snack: Finished garlic/accessories.
I did notice that I ate and DRANK a lot less than I normally could/would at the Brewery, for sure. Whether due to lack of interest, fullness from lunch, or general preference for the healthier food I've been eating, I don't know, but the combination of all those resulted in me feeling completely full with much less food than I am used to. Which is great.
Sunday:
Back on the eating plan! No alcohol! YAY ME!
Breakfast: 2/3 protein smoothie w/dannon lite & fit yogurt, berries, and diet cran juice.
Snack: Skipped?
Lunch: turkey, cheese, veggie omelet.
Snack: More cereal?
Dinner: 1 cup chili with 2 tbspoons fat free sour cream, green onions, and 1/8 cup light cheese.
Snack: Cup Special K with Berries Cereal (It even counts as a dessert to my taste buds. Seriously, go buy this.)
Though it is now Monday, please note that while I know I kept very well to the eating plan yesterday, I cannot for the life of me REMEMBER what I consumed. I did have time to go up to the barn and rinse/ exercise/ pay attention to my horse, but I was exhausted. I also ascertained at the REI bike store that the bike I recently bought off Craigslist is all wrong for me, and completely un-ride-able, especially for training/competition purposes. Which sucks. Hugely. I was frustrated by that.
Also, lack of memory might be caused by my being SICK. I woke Sunday morning with a throat too painful to swallow, and a body feeling hit by a mac truck. SO frustrated, because I hadn't worked out all weekend. So that's my setback/weekend update. Hopefully this coming week will be significantly better. Being sick is not fair.
Wasn't feeling 100%, thusly didn't work out. By 2pm my body, particularly the thighs and backs of legs were very achy and sore, and entire body had that gonna-get-sick feeling. Bike-seat area was VERY sore and sensitive. I blame the inconsistent workouts and spin class.
Breakfast: 7:45 glass V8 fiber juice, 8:50 omelet (1 egg, 1 egg white, spinach, sundried tomatoes, basil, low fat cheese), and a tangerine.
Snack: 11:15 8 almonds, 1 string cheese, 1 Kellogg's Protein Water.
Lunch: 1:30pm smoothie w/ whey protein, 1 45 calorie hot dog.
Snack: more smoothie, 1 apple, 8 almonds
Dinner: 1/3 serving Chili, 1 fat free hot dog w/1/2 whole wheat bun, 1 martini, 2 glasses red wine
Snack: cup of Special K red berries cereal.
Saturday
Saturday was a dead bust. The BF and I had agreed that we were allowed 1 day with 2 cheat meals each week. We will in all likelihood shorten this to 1 cheat meal at some point, but since we currently have VERY different tastes in food/cheating, we decided to do it this way, for now, until we want to go "hard core" healthy.
Breakfast: 1 cup Special K red berries cereal (I told you, I love this stuff. Seriously. I love it as much as I loved Golden Grahams or Cocoa Puffs as a kid.)
Snack: SKIPPED in favor of activity, or in other words, totally forgot to eat.
EXERCISE: Horse time. Grooming, dramatic (scary) ride alone, about 2-3 hours total.
Lunch: Sushi. (I eat a LOT of sushi, since I get it rarely, and that was BEFORE modified eating plan.) 1 Rock & Roll, 1 caterpillar roll, 1 uni nigiri, 1 ikura nigiri, 1 albacore nigiri, 1/2 tuna roll. ABSURD. But ever so delicious.
Snack: Uhh, still full from absurd lunch.
Dinner: BF's choice of going to brewery, where I had 10 skinny french fries dipped in chipotle mayo, 2 pints of beer, 1 bulb of roasted garlic, 5 apple slices, 5 slices of baguette, and 4 slices brie cheese. Ate about half of garlic/accessories.
Snack: Finished garlic/accessories.
I did notice that I ate and DRANK a lot less than I normally could/would at the Brewery, for sure. Whether due to lack of interest, fullness from lunch, or general preference for the healthier food I've been eating, I don't know, but the combination of all those resulted in me feeling completely full with much less food than I am used to. Which is great.
Sunday:
Back on the eating plan! No alcohol! YAY ME!
Breakfast: 2/3 protein smoothie w/dannon lite & fit yogurt, berries, and diet cran juice.
Snack: Skipped?
Lunch: turkey, cheese, veggie omelet.
Snack: More cereal?
Dinner: 1 cup chili with 2 tbspoons fat free sour cream, green onions, and 1/8 cup light cheese.
Snack: Cup Special K with Berries Cereal (It even counts as a dessert to my taste buds. Seriously, go buy this.)
Though it is now Monday, please note that while I know I kept very well to the eating plan yesterday, I cannot for the life of me REMEMBER what I consumed. I did have time to go up to the barn and rinse/ exercise/ pay attention to my horse, but I was exhausted. I also ascertained at the REI bike store that the bike I recently bought off Craigslist is all wrong for me, and completely un-ride-able, especially for training/competition purposes. Which sucks. Hugely. I was frustrated by that.
Also, lack of memory might be caused by my being SICK. I woke Sunday morning with a throat too painful to swallow, and a body feeling hit by a mac truck. SO frustrated, because I hadn't worked out all weekend. So that's my setback/weekend update. Hopefully this coming week will be significantly better. Being sick is not fair.
Friday, January 9, 2009
I'm behind, I'm behind! Who knew posting on a blog was such a hard thing to remember to do?
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Omelet
Snack: tangerine and string cheese and almonds
Lunch: protein smoothie (1/2 scoop whey protein, frozen berries, 60cal fat free yogurt, diet cran juice)
Snack: apple and almonds
Dinner: Delicious healthy burgers from the Abs Diet recipe with spinach, light cheese, 97% fat free beef, and oatmeal, on a whole wheat bun (of which I ate 2/3).
Snack: Milk, handful of Special K Red Berries cereal.
EXERCIZE: 25 minutes (about 2.25 miles) on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the ellipse machine, 1/2 hour bareback horse riding in arena.
Thursday:
Breakfast: 1 cup Special K Red Berries cereal
Snack: another cup of same cereal (holy crap, this stuff is DELICIOUS)
Lunch: Semi Naughty (?) Togo's turkey cranberry sandwich with no mayo in wrap form in a tomato tortilla. Not sure of the calorie content on this one, but after eating it I felt STUFFED.
Snack: A few almonds.
Dinner: 1 serving whole grain pasta and 1 cup sauce (sauce had lots of added spinach, and lots of leftover lowfat beef, browned and drained of excess juices/fat).
NAUGHTY SNACK: 5 slices dried mango and a 1 shot dirty martini.
No exercise this day.
I don't know what came over me, it could have been that I was exhausted and didn't sleep well due to a tension with my boyfriend, it could have been I felt like I got home late, or it could very well have been my body craving JUNK after starting the day with something sweeter than usual. It's good to note, anyway, but I felt like I was off the proverbial wagon yesterday. Not good. Then again, "cheating" on this day wound up being a relatively healthy (if huge) wrap for lunch, and dried fruit, and ONE drink, so that is at least not as bad as a real fall off the healthy wagon could have been. The diet didn't get road rash, but it may have gotten a tiny scrape.
I slept much better last night, so today's entry ought to be better. Let's hope!
Wednesday:
Breakfast: Omelet
Snack: tangerine and string cheese and almonds
Lunch: protein smoothie (1/2 scoop whey protein, frozen berries, 60cal fat free yogurt, diet cran juice)
Snack: apple and almonds
Dinner: Delicious healthy burgers from the Abs Diet recipe with spinach, light cheese, 97% fat free beef, and oatmeal, on a whole wheat bun (of which I ate 2/3).
Snack: Milk, handful of Special K Red Berries cereal.
EXERCIZE: 25 minutes (about 2.25 miles) on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the ellipse machine, 1/2 hour bareback horse riding in arena.
Thursday:
Breakfast: 1 cup Special K Red Berries cereal
Snack: another cup of same cereal (holy crap, this stuff is DELICIOUS)
Lunch: Semi Naughty (?) Togo's turkey cranberry sandwich with no mayo in wrap form in a tomato tortilla. Not sure of the calorie content on this one, but after eating it I felt STUFFED.
Snack: A few almonds.
Dinner: 1 serving whole grain pasta and 1 cup sauce (sauce had lots of added spinach, and lots of leftover lowfat beef, browned and drained of excess juices/fat).
NAUGHTY SNACK: 5 slices dried mango and a 1 shot dirty martini.
No exercise this day.
I don't know what came over me, it could have been that I was exhausted and didn't sleep well due to a tension with my boyfriend, it could have been I felt like I got home late, or it could very well have been my body craving JUNK after starting the day with something sweeter than usual. It's good to note, anyway, but I felt like I was off the proverbial wagon yesterday. Not good. Then again, "cheating" on this day wound up being a relatively healthy (if huge) wrap for lunch, and dried fruit, and ONE drink, so that is at least not as bad as a real fall off the healthy wagon could have been. The diet didn't get road rash, but it may have gotten a tiny scrape.
I slept much better last night, so today's entry ought to be better. Let's hope!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Fitness Challenge Day 2
Got a great night's sleep last night, but I'm not surprised after 2 decent workouts! Had some pretty funky dreams, but no nightmares, which is a good thing for me, I tend to dream vividly and when they're bad, even Wes Craven would be freaked out by them. This is not conducive to good sleeping patterns.
Marching onwards. Today I have not worked out yet, but plan to this evening.
BREAKFAST: Same omelet as Monday at 9am (1 egg, 1 eggwhite, 1+cup spinach, 4 1/2s roasted plum tomatoes, fresh basil, sprinkling of lowfat cheese), 1 chug lowfat chocolate milk.
SNACK: 11am- 10 almonds and a calorie free vitamin water.
LUNCH: 1pm- 1.25 cups leftover healthy turkey chili with sprinkle of lowfat cheese, calorie free energy tablet thingie in water.
SNACK: 4:30pm- Apple, 10 almonds, 1 naughty andes-mint sized caramel.
DINNER: 8:30pm- 2 lowfat hot dogs (45 calories each), 1 whole wheat hotdog bun, 4 tbs ketchup, 1 glass fiber V8, 4 slices dried mango.
SNACK: 9:30 pm- glass of milk
I did not exercise officially today, though this is not because I was in any way sore from yesterday. I had to work through lunch in order to get more hours (finances are tight), and I was informed that my family dog is on his last legs, so rather than work out in the evening, I had to go visit the family's house and the darling dog before I run out of chances to do so. On my way to my home, I also had to stop by the barn where I board my horse to take care of him and set him up in his paddock while the weather is dry.
Today's events and resulting lack of workout remind me that it is essential that I get up in the mornings and get to the gym. This sets the tone for the rest of my day, and provides me with at LEAST a minimal cardio workout in case something DOES pop up during the rest of the day that prevents me from getting sufficient exercise.
Marching onwards. Today I have not worked out yet, but plan to this evening.
BREAKFAST: Same omelet as Monday at 9am (1 egg, 1 eggwhite, 1+cup spinach, 4 1/2s roasted plum tomatoes, fresh basil, sprinkling of lowfat cheese), 1 chug lowfat chocolate milk.
SNACK: 11am- 10 almonds and a calorie free vitamin water.
LUNCH: 1pm- 1.25 cups leftover healthy turkey chili with sprinkle of lowfat cheese, calorie free energy tablet thingie in water.
SNACK: 4:30pm- Apple, 10 almonds, 1 naughty andes-mint sized caramel.
DINNER: 8:30pm- 2 lowfat hot dogs (45 calories each), 1 whole wheat hotdog bun, 4 tbs ketchup, 1 glass fiber V8, 4 slices dried mango.
SNACK: 9:30 pm- glass of milk
I did not exercise officially today, though this is not because I was in any way sore from yesterday. I had to work through lunch in order to get more hours (finances are tight), and I was informed that my family dog is on his last legs, so rather than work out in the evening, I had to go visit the family's house and the darling dog before I run out of chances to do so. On my way to my home, I also had to stop by the barn where I board my horse to take care of him and set him up in his paddock while the weather is dry.
Today's events and resulting lack of workout remind me that it is essential that I get up in the mornings and get to the gym. This sets the tone for the rest of my day, and provides me with at LEAST a minimal cardio workout in case something DOES pop up during the rest of the day that prevents me from getting sufficient exercise.
Day 1: Begin Fitness Challenge
1/5/2008
This is my first official blog post. I have, for some time, been thinking about/attempting to lose the weight I have gained over the past couple years.
I'm interested in getting healthier, regaining my physical confidence and comfort in how my body looks and feels, and attaining a higher level of fitness than I have ever achieved.
I face many hurdles: my own inertia, my lack of willpower, my slowing metabolism and genetics, etc., but at this time I have no health issues that prevent me from being active and enthusiastic about this new page in my life.I gained weight over the course of 2 years due to poor/indulgent eating habits, semi-sedentary lifestyle, and generally trying to keep up with my live-in boyfriend of 4+ years in his appetites for food and alcohol. I certainly don't blame him for my fitness's deterioration, but I'm well aware of how attractive cuddling on the couch in front of the tv looks over going outside for a run in the cold.
After an extremely naughty weekend of eating and boozing, my boyfriend and I have officially embarked upon a health turn around in our lives and diets. I am excited to attempt to start training for a triathlon, as well as to overhaul my habits and diet. My boyfriend, in turn, is attempting to lose 30+lbs by April, motivated by our upcoming trip to Europe that month.
I have tried for 2 years to diet/lose weight, and have failed miserably, in part, I believe, because cohabitation with a man who is NOT attempting in any way to be active or healthy really undermined my own resolve. I do not generally have a lot of self-discipline, but I'm going to make a concentrated effort not to fall off the proverbial wagon this time.
I'm loathe to call my new eating habits a "diet", as "dieting" automatically makes my brain crave whatever it is I'm trying to eliminate from my diet, be it alcohol, pizza, sushi, fried foods, or dessert. I'm not banning ANYTHING from my eating habits this time, I'm just taking each day as it comes, trying to make healthier choices, and being excited to adhere to my boyfriend's modified eating plan in the evenings.In general, I'm going to eat 5-6 times a day.
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Small Snack
And I'm going to seriously up my exercise, in part to burn extra fat, and in part to start seriously training for summer triathlons. (One thing I REALLY need is a bike, which I do not have. This will be a hurdle.)
So for my first day, the following has been my routine:
Exercise: 6:00am; 25 minutes on treadmill, 2 miles @ 5mph - 7.5mph; 3 sets lat pulls @ 50lbs, 3 sets seated rows @ 50lbs.
Breakfast: 7:00am 1 gulp lowfat chocolate milk, 8oz High Fiber V8; 8:30am: 1 egg + 1 eggwhite omelet with 1 cup spinach, 4 1/2s roasted tomatoes, basil, 1/8 cup lowfat shredded cheese.
Snack: 10:30 am: tangerine, string cheese, and 0calorie energy fizzy drink
Exercize: 45 minutes high intensity spin class.
LUNCH: 1:30 pm: apple, 8 almonds;Snack: 3:20pm :1 miso soup package, 1 protein water (30 cals, 5g fiber, 5g protein); 4:45pm:10 almonds, 1 apple, 1 tangerine.
Dinner: 7:30pm bowl of healthy turkey chili (made by Don), 3 slices dried mango.
Small Snack: Cup chocolate milk (10pm)
Not too shabby for my first day. I'll soon list specific weights/fitness goals I want to achieve.
This is my first official blog post. I have, for some time, been thinking about/attempting to lose the weight I have gained over the past couple years.
I'm interested in getting healthier, regaining my physical confidence and comfort in how my body looks and feels, and attaining a higher level of fitness than I have ever achieved.
I face many hurdles: my own inertia, my lack of willpower, my slowing metabolism and genetics, etc., but at this time I have no health issues that prevent me from being active and enthusiastic about this new page in my life.I gained weight over the course of 2 years due to poor/indulgent eating habits, semi-sedentary lifestyle, and generally trying to keep up with my live-in boyfriend of 4+ years in his appetites for food and alcohol. I certainly don't blame him for my fitness's deterioration, but I'm well aware of how attractive cuddling on the couch in front of the tv looks over going outside for a run in the cold.
After an extremely naughty weekend of eating and boozing, my boyfriend and I have officially embarked upon a health turn around in our lives and diets. I am excited to attempt to start training for a triathlon, as well as to overhaul my habits and diet. My boyfriend, in turn, is attempting to lose 30+lbs by April, motivated by our upcoming trip to Europe that month.
I have tried for 2 years to diet/lose weight, and have failed miserably, in part, I believe, because cohabitation with a man who is NOT attempting in any way to be active or healthy really undermined my own resolve. I do not generally have a lot of self-discipline, but I'm going to make a concentrated effort not to fall off the proverbial wagon this time.
I'm loathe to call my new eating habits a "diet", as "dieting" automatically makes my brain crave whatever it is I'm trying to eliminate from my diet, be it alcohol, pizza, sushi, fried foods, or dessert. I'm not banning ANYTHING from my eating habits this time, I'm just taking each day as it comes, trying to make healthier choices, and being excited to adhere to my boyfriend's modified eating plan in the evenings.In general, I'm going to eat 5-6 times a day.
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Small Snack
And I'm going to seriously up my exercise, in part to burn extra fat, and in part to start seriously training for summer triathlons. (One thing I REALLY need is a bike, which I do not have. This will be a hurdle.)
So for my first day, the following has been my routine:
Exercise: 6:00am; 25 minutes on treadmill, 2 miles @ 5mph - 7.5mph; 3 sets lat pulls @ 50lbs, 3 sets seated rows @ 50lbs.
Breakfast: 7:00am 1 gulp lowfat chocolate milk, 8oz High Fiber V8; 8:30am: 1 egg + 1 eggwhite omelet with 1 cup spinach, 4 1/2s roasted tomatoes, basil, 1/8 cup lowfat shredded cheese.
Snack: 10:30 am: tangerine, string cheese, and 0calorie energy fizzy drink
Exercize: 45 minutes high intensity spin class.
LUNCH: 1:30 pm: apple, 8 almonds;Snack: 3:20pm :1 miso soup package, 1 protein water (30 cals, 5g fiber, 5g protein); 4:45pm:10 almonds, 1 apple, 1 tangerine.
Dinner: 7:30pm bowl of healthy turkey chili (made by Don), 3 slices dried mango.
Small Snack: Cup chocolate milk (10pm)
Not too shabby for my first day. I'll soon list specific weights/fitness goals I want to achieve.
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