Fighting Temptation

Waffles, syrup, sausage, bacon, hashbrowns, coffee with cream and sugar.  These are all the smells that have attacked my senses this morning.  While I sit here and eat my 2 vitatop muffins, bannana and hot tea.  No worries, though, I WILL NOT GIVE IN!

Brought another Healthy Choice meal and an orange for lunch today.  It's pay-day, so I'm going to Red Lobster for dinner and having the wood-grilled talapia, baked potato, broccoli and salad with red wine vinaigrette.

I sure wish I would hear something about when Eddie is going back to Woodrow Wilson.  We were told on the 18th that it should be just a couple of weeks, but haven't heard a definite date yet.  That's stressing me out too.  I'm going to give them until Friday, and then call.  I have a hard time being patient sometimes.  We're not the only ones waiting to hear, I'm sure!

Things are Lookin' Up

Hungries are easier to manage today.

Stuck to my breakfast and lunch.  Now on my way to dinner.  Maybe if I blog before I nosh, I'll be more cognizant and stay true to the plan by gosh!

My darling sister-in-law is coming to town September 13th.  I haven't seen her since about 30 pounds ago.  I better get a move on!

Sunday, A Visit With the Scale, and Monday Morning Bliss

Yesterday didn't start out too well.  McDonald's sausage biscuit, 1 hashbrown and 1/2 o.j. for breakfast (630 calories).  A whole Totino's pizza for lunch (720 calories).  Then feeling like crap about that, I did some major cleaning around the house to try to do some damage control.  Sat down and planned out my meals for the week, and went to the store and loaded up on healthy stuff for the week. 

Then Judy called and said "what's goin' on?"  And talked me out of a frozen diet entree for dinner, and told me to instead, treat myself to something healthy like Panera's or some other place.  So I went to Mimi's and had 4 oz. grilled salmon, brown rice, and side salad with low-fat citrus viniagrette.  I ate 1 tiny piece of key lime pie for dessert.  Judy was right.  If I had just had the frozen diet entree, I would have felt deprived, and would have probably eaten much less healthier stuff later when I was starving, and right before bed time.

I'm ready for a new week and better results so I decided to get on the scale this morning and face the bugger.  I was absolutely shocked that I had not gained weight.  Didn't lose.  But still ... I thought for sure I would have gained.
Started my week off right with 2 cups of water, 2 vitatop muffins, yogurt, grapes, and hot green tea (330 calories).  Lunch will be 2 glasses of water, healthy choice entree and an orange (450 calories).  Dinner will be a half of a subway club sandwich with a side salad and a peach.  (about 420 calories).

Leslie Sansone walking video tonight for exercise.

No Scale Today

Not going to weigh myself.  Nope.  Not gonna happen.  Didn't go to Mimi's last night -- went to Cracker Barrell.  Had 1 biscuit with jelly and butter and 3/4 of a corn muffin.  Then chowed down on some chicken and rice, lima beans and corn.  Didn't end there.  Had a skinny latte and 2 mini cookies.  I know the sodium was really high in the food I ate. 
I will work on some damage control though, go to the store, and load up on healthy stuff.  That was part of the problem last week.  I didn't plan things out properly, just kind of went by the seat of my pants. 

Friday & Saturday

Having a real hard time these past couple of days.  Just want to eat everything that is not good for me. 

I know it has alot to do with stress. 

This is a list of what I ate Friday and today, but because I've been dealing with some stress, maybe I should get some kudos for not going whole hog for some pizza, big macs and cinnabons!

I started Friday morning off with a McDonald's egg, bacon and cheese biscuit, 1 hashbrown, and 1/2 o.j. (630 calories)
Went shopping with Judy and did some considerable walking, and had lunch at Paneras that consisted of: 1/2 turkey on multigrain, no mayo; and 1/2 classic cafe salad and fruit cup (390 calories).

Starving around 4:00 pm -- had 1/2 sleeve of Townhouse Crackers (about 300 calories)

Dinner was a pork bbq sandwich, 1/2 a small order of fries and a kiddie sundae with a dinosaur cookie. (No idea how much -- 1,000 calories?)

Not good!

Today was a cup of skim milk, bananna, and an apple bran muffin from Starbucks - about 530 calories.

Lunch was a Stouffer's entree of 360 calories.

Dinner will be at Mimi's -- petite sirloin, asparagus and salad.

A Blip

Last night I got a last minute invitation to dinner at the new Hibachi buffet in Central Park. 

Now the universe was trying to tell me something.  Eddie had an appt at 6:00.  It is always an hour long, and normally he's out right on time.  However, the appointment ran late, and I called telling the others to go ahead without me because I wasn't sure when he was getting out.  But they waited, and we ended up meeting them at about 7:30 pm.  

It was a huge buffet, and I took my time, like the skinny people supposedly do, and looked at everything they had before making my choices.  I settled on grilled or steamed stuff, with the exception of 3 small shrimp tempura looking things.  I was feeling pretty good about myself, but then some little round things with powdered sugar caught my eye.  Little doughnuts. 

Oh God.

3 little doughnuts, and a miniature sized square of a tiramisu later, I got up from the table. 

Feeling the sodium creeping into my veins and my body swelling with immediate water gain, I managed to waddle to the car without orbiting into space like Harry Potter's unfortunate helium-filled aunt.

Doin' the Water

Well I started doing the 2 glasses of water before each meal thing yesterday and I'm continuing to do it today.  It seems to make me a little hungrier actually, but I'll keep doing it and see what happens. 

Had my healthy dinner yesterday, and an apple bran muffin and skinny latte for breakfast. 

I think I'm going to lay off the skinny lattes though, they seem to make me a little jittery.  I'll switch it out with some non-fat milk.

Gonna have a BLT on wheat with mustard and an apple for lunch.

Panera's 1/2 turkey on multigrain with mustard only, 1/2 classic cafe salad and 1 cup of soup for dinner.

Still 271.  Would love to see 269 on Sunday. 

THIS JUST IN ......

Image via Wikipedia

"Drinking 2 cups of water before meals when on a diet leads to 40% more weight loss! After decades of anecdotal evidence that drinking water helps with weight loss, scientific evidence has finally been gathered that proves the rumors to be true. For the first time, a randomized controlled trial was done dealing with water consumption during dieting and the results were startling. Over a 12 week period, those who drank two cups of water before each meal lost 40% more weight than those who did not." 
"The study was headed up by Dr. Brenda Davy of Virginia Tech University. Results of the study were released in Boston at the national meeting of the American Chemical Society. The study was a follow up to another study which found that people tend to consume around 90 fewer calories per meal if they drink two cups of water before meals. Some details of the study were provided by Medical News Today."  By Mark Rubi, Extreme Weight Loss Examiner

Sounds easy.  Will definitely do this!

What I ate Yesterday ... and another pound lost!

13 pounds.  Woo hoo!  Now this is usually my very difficult time in weight loss.  13 is that unlucky number for me.  I usually hit a plateau about now and struggle for a few weeks with no gain, and then a gain, and ultimately give up. 

But I'm going to fight through this and not give up this time.

Here's what I ate yesterday:

Breakfast:  apple bran muffin and green tea

Lunch:  ham and cheese on a pretzel roll with honey mustard and an apple

Dinner:  multigrain cheerios, blueberries, and milk

Snack:  5 Townhouse crackers and 1 tbsp peanut butter

This morning:  apple bran muffin and green tea
Lunch:  egg salad sandwich on wheat and an apple
Dinner:  corn on the cob, roasted vegetables (squash, broccoli, yellow and red peppers) and stuffed tomatoes
Snack:  mixed fruit cut up with splenda

How to Lose 3.2 pounds in 24 hours

Image via Wikipedia

Thanks to Mom H, Judy, and Christina Smith, I was able to get through yesterday.  Mom H said to drink water.  So short of hooking myself up to an I-V, I stayed nice and close to the faucet and almost got carpal tunnel with my hand to mouth hydration routine.  Judy said eat asparagus ... and so I did.  It was so woody and gross, it had to soak up at least two pounds of water.  I added 3 cups of green tea to my arsenal, and lots of fruits and veggies.  I didn't salt anything, and ended with a low carb dinner.  Christina, my fellow blogger, said it would go away, and it did.

So, I'm back to my 12 pounds lost, and am aiming to beat Judy this week.  She lost 6 friggin pounds last week.  Arrgggh!   (Although of course I'm thrilled for her!) 

But competition is a good thing.  So fat cells, get ready.  I'm gonna be hard on your asses this week.

Scales SUCK

I'm glad I weighed myself yesterday and officially logged in my pound loss, because HOLY CRAP, that Mexican dinner from last night made my fat cells sing and dance. 

I just don't get it.  I really don't.  I even ordered the grilled chicken.  GRILLED CHICKEN.  I ate maybe a quarter of a cup of rice and a half cup of beans, some grilled vegetables, and one, small, paper-thin tortilla, and some unsweetened tea.  No dessert even.   

Now tell me, DID THAT DESERVE A THREE -- YES -- THREE -- POUND GAIN!!!!!!

I am just devastated at how this is all working out.  For Crimey Sakes, even with the Mexican dinner, which couldn't have been more than 700 calories for real, I should not have gained THREE FRIGGIN POUNDS.  

I'm seriously MAD.  I swear to God if I were in front of a Hostess display case right now, I would buy a box of Ho-Hos and eat em all.

Made a New Plan, Stan -- and 12 pounds total gone now

You know how I was going to make all those vegetables for dinner?  I was excited about taking pictures of it all and letting you know how the tomatoes turned out.  Well, sometimes your plans change ....

I had a couple of special visitors last night -- Madimoo and her Daddy!  Christina was with her girlfriend picking out dresses for her friend's upcoming wedding.  We missed you Christina! 

After some story-book reading, paper-dolling, bowling and golfing (the kid's plastic sets!), we headed over to Logan's for dinner.  I had the grilled chicken ceasar salad, half a honey buttered roll, and some mini peanut butter/chocolate dessert thingy.  Very scrumptious, but I could have done without the roll and the dessert thingy.

Madimoo sat next to me at dinner, and we colored in a color by number book -- she knows her numbers!  And her colors!

It was nice to have a night out with my oldest and dearest son and talk about things going on in his life.  It is true that our children are raised by a village ... because I know I wasn't any where near completely responsible for the wonderful young man he has turned out to be.  I'm just so proud.  I know it's not nice to boast, but I just can't help it.  God really worked overtime when he made my kids, but I know He realizes how grateful I am because I thank Him every day.

 After dinner, Madimoo showed us her super-duper balance beam techniques on the curb, gave me a big hug and said, "I love you grandma!" and wanted to know when she could come over to spend the whole day -- just us.  How sweet is that?!!  I guess she's growing up -- no more "Gammie."  I'm "Grandma" now.  Oh, she can call me whatever she wants to, but boy "Grandma" makes me feel old.

Well tomorrow is weigh-in day, so I'm going to try to be extra good, only I don't know how that is going to be possible because Kevin and I are going to celebrate our anniversary tonight.  I'll let you know how it goes.  But just in case, I want it on the record that I lost the pound I gained, and lost another one on top of that, so I'm 12 pounds down now!

11th Anniversary

Eleven years ago today, I married the most wonderful man on earth, my sweetie pie, Kevin.  I still get butterflies on Saturdays when I close down my computer at work, knowing we'll have a date and spend some time together.   

Thank you my honeybunch, for filling up my life with love, honesty, and fun.  Thank you for always filling up my gas tank, doing the laundry, making the Starbucks run on Sunday mornings.  For loving the bunch of us, the whole package.  And all the countless other things you do everyday for all of us.  But most importantly, for the snuggles and huggles, the wiggles and giggles.  

With all my love to my Prince Huggle-Bear from his Princess Plumcake!   

What I've Eaten Today

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Today I had two appointments.  So breakfast was a quick 300 calorie egg
McMuffin and a few sips of o.j. 

Lunch was a happy meal.


Dinner will be a vegetable plate that I will cook myself.  I hope I remember how to work a stove.  The menu: corn on the cob, green beans cooked with pearl onions and fat-free chicken broth; broiled stuffed tomatoes, and a salad with red, green, and yellow bell peppers.  For dessert:  cut up fruit with a squirt of fat-free whipped topping.  (I'll get those nine in someway folks!)

Here's the recipe for the stuffed tomatoes at 60 calories a serving:

Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes Healthy Recipe

Ingredients:

Two medium ripe tomatoes (12 to 14 ounces total)
One clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil, or 1-teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup fresh soft bread crumbs, or one slice bread, crumbled
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cut the tomatoes in half crosswise. Gently squeeze out and discard the seeds. Place the tomatoes cut side up on a broiler pan prepared with nonstick spray. Combine the garlic, oil, basil, and pepper in a small bowl. Brush evenly over the cut surfaces of the tomatoes. Broil 6-inches from the heat source until hot, about five minutes. While the tomatoes are broiling, combine the crumbs and cheese in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over the tops of the hot tomatoes. Return to the broiler until the crumbs are browned, about two minutes. Serve immediately. Recipe makes four servings.

BellyBytes.com Good Eats: Tomatoes

Craving Responsibly

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I was good for breakfast and for lunch.  But the spaghetti and meatballs were calling my name.  I mean how could I resist, really, when today's special in the cafeteria was chicken parmesan with a side of spaghetti and garlic bread?  Not to mention that someone brought in a plate into our office and starts chowing down.  Oh the aroma! 
So I decided I would give into my craving, but try to be smart about it.  I remembered I had eaten spaghetti at Olive Garden before, but ate half and filled up on double the salad, no croutons, lite dressing.  So that's what I did tonight, with only one addition -- one meatball.  I know it was extra calories, but it's better than eating two, right??!!!  And I got the craving taken care of. 

Now hopefully I won't have to do damage control tomorrow.  Oh, how I HATE damage control!

CRAVINGS ARE A BEEEEAAAACH!

I'm VERY hungry and I am craving the worst things right now.  Like steak and cheese with fries and a coke; or a burger with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, mayo and pickle relish, some crinkle-cut fries, and a homemade chocolate milkshake;  or a big heaping plate of spaghetti with meatballs, garlic toast, and sweetened iced tea; or my very own 9 inch (oooh, you have a dirty mind) chocolate cream pie with whipped topping.

Thank God I didn't bring any money with me and all I can eat is a Healthy Choice entree and some fruit.

But I gotta be positive.  Right????!!!  Hamburgers and french fires - YUCK!!!  Pies and cakes -- DOUBLE YUCK!!!  Mixed vegetables and chewy chicken tenders -- YUM YUM!!!!

Vitamuffins and 9 equal a noisy behind

WARNING!!!! This is a test of the American Farting Institution: 

Don't mix the Vitamuffins with fruit and vegetables! 

Try Some "Doughnut Peaches"

I just had a snack of a doughnut peach and some more green tea.  The doughnut peaches are cute little things, and they are sweeter and juicier than regular peaches.  (Had to get out some moist towelettes.)  They taste like juicy honey.  Yummy yummy!  Not quite as good as a cream filled chocolate iced doughnut, but pretty darn good for a fruit shaped like one.

I ate the peach now so that I would be sure and get the fruit in, because sometimes I'll eat my lunch and won't be in the mood for fruit after I've eaten my meal. 

I am very happy with how well the two VitaTop muffins held me.  I'll definitely be ready for lunch, but I'm not crazy starving.

Turns out Nine is Kind

Image via Wikipedia

I ate nine servings of fruits and vegetables yesterday, and was up several times during the night to pee.

If you wake up alot to pee, chances are you're going to see good results on the scale, because that is what happened to me.  I lost the 1.2 pounds and then some! 

After dinner yesterday, I went to Wegman's and bought some "VitaTops" muffins.  You'll find them in the freezer breakfast foods section.  They are 100 calories and have 8 grams of fiber, and 15 vitamins.  I tried two of the Banana Nut ones this morning, and they were delicious!  I also had some hot green tea, a bananna, and a cup of cherries. 

Lunch is another Healthy Choice entree (that has one serving of vegetables) and a box of steamed broccoli that contains 3 servings of vegetables, along with a peach.  With the cherries and bannana from breakfast, that's 7 of my 9 so far.

Dinner will be Panera's 1/2 turkey sandwich, 1/2 cafe classic salad, a cup of chicken noodle soup, and an apple, bringing my vegetable/fruit count to 9.

Here's the calorie breakdown:

Breakfast:  approx. 400
Lunch:  approx. 500
Dinner:  approx. 500

Last night and today

Last night I was in traffic for three friggin hours!!!!  I was so hungry I could have eaten the car in front of me and some truck tires for dessert!

At about 7:00 pm, Eddie and I finally pulled into Vinny's, and even though I really wanted a large frosted strawberry margarita (to calm my nerves), bruschetta for an appetizer, lasagna, garlic bread, salad, and tiramisu for dessert, I chose a healthier grilled chicken ceasar salad and a breadstick for dinner.  But that didn't hold me for too long, and at 9:30 I was hungry again, so I had one cup of multigrain cheerios and half a cup of fat-free milk. 

Woke up at 4:30 am to get ready for work, and got on the scale.  Still hasn't budged.  But I'm hoping that's just because it was 4:30 am!  I usually weigh myself around 9:00 am on Sunday's.  The ceasar salad was also salty, so I don't know if I'm retaining some water.

Had my usual Starbucks breakfast this morning (440 calories).

Brought a Healthy Choice entree and some vegetables for lunch, as well as a peach (450 calories).

Heading to Mimi's for dinner for the petite sirloin, asparagus, salad, a cup of vegetable soup, some fruit, and a mini chocolate mousse.  Now, Mimi's menu says the petite sirloin dinner is only 255 calories.  The soup is 60 calories, and the fruit is about 60, and the chocolate mouse is 131.  That's a total of 506 calories, and I will be stuffed. 

So today's calorie total will be 1,396.  That scale better budge tomorrow darnit!

What I Ate Yesterday and Today

Yesterday, Kevin and I spent the day with some friends at Ellie and Dave's house.  It was our first time at their vacation home, an adorable waterfront house in Maryland. 

Passing some corn fields and gently rolling land, a barn or two, and some cute country cape cods, we ventured down a street, whereupon Ellie jauntily greeted us with a big smile and and an even bigger umbrella and led us into her dry, and oh-so-cute-and-cozy home.

It rained, but it did not keep us from oooing and ahhhing over the view from the floor to ceiling windows in their living room.  After visiting for a while, the rain let up to just a barely discernible drizzle, so we ventured outside, past their deck, some cute adirondack chairs, charming wooden swing, and a hammock swaying in the breeze, and took a walk on their very own pier down to their boat.  Were it not for the rain, we would have taken a ride.

Despite the weather, it was still gorgeous, quiet, and serene.  An osprey nest was nearby and seagulls called to one another.  The sound of the water slapping beneath the pier, and gently knocking against the stone enbankment was soothing and calming. The views were incredible from the pier.  To the left, sailboats moored in the near distance; to the right, more gorgeous homes and sailboats braving the weather on the water.  The sky, though grey, was lovely to look at -- clouds were misty, in layers, and moving.  A hint that the sun would appear soon.

Dave grilled some delicious chicken and hamburgers, and we traipsed back inside to enjoy our meal and good conversation.

So here's what I ate yesterday ya'll:

Breakfast:  McDonald's bacon and cheese bagel (no egg, no sauce), 1/2 small o.j.

Lunch:  one grilled chicken leg, 1 hamburger on a wheat bun w/ lettuce and tomato, about 3 tablespoons each of coleslaw, potato salad and bbq beans.  Deeeelish!  I had one piece of angel food cake and some cut up fruit sprinkled with splenda, and a dash of whipped topping.

Dinner:  3 grilled chicken tenderloins; green beans; 1 biscuit with jelly and butter


And here's what I've eaten today so far:

Breakfast:  2 french toast sticks, 2 pieces of bacon, bananna, o.j.

Lunch:  BLT on wheat with mustard, 100 calorie cookies; peach; 1/2 apple

Dinner:  I'll let you know later.  I have to pick up Eddie form his Dad's, and depending on traffic, and what time we get home, depends on where and what we eat.  But I plan on eating salad and/or vegetables as I'm aiming to be kind to my behind and eat 9!

Weigh-In # 7

I gained 1.2 pounds.  BOO HOO!!!! 

 But I know what I did wrong.  I had too many 1800 + calorie days this past week.  Maybe it doesn't make sense, but it seems to me your body gets used to 1600 or less, and even if you still have a pile of weight to lose, as soon as you go over that 1600 it gets all happy again and makes some fat.

Well, I'm not going to let it get me down.  This is a new week, and I will be in CONTROL!!!

LUNCH TIME! WHEEEE!!! I LOVE CARBS!!!!!

I feel sooooooo much better.  Me, my tummy, and my brain are happy now.  Carbs, carbs, carbs!!!  Yay!

Apple bran muffin and skinny latte for breakfast:

I just had the Healthy Choice Country Breaded Chicken entree that has chicken breast strips in country gravy, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, and caramel apple multigrain crisp.  YUMMY!  The dinner has only 340 calories and 560 mg sodium.

Low Carb Sucks!

I positively cannot do low carb.  It makes me physically sick.  Eggs and bacon -- NO TOAST! 

My body completely revolted.  I felt just plain awful all day. 

I stuck with the breakfast and the lunch of grilled chicken ceasar salad.

By 3:00 o'clock I was manic for some carbs.

Dinner was a bbq sandwich and fries.

No surprise that the scale didn't budge.

Granted, I could have done MUCH beter than a bbq sandwich and fries.

Back to sane eating today.

Muffin and skinny latte for breakfast.

Healthy Choice entree and veggies for lunch.

Mimi's Asian chopped salad and fruit for dinner.

Overindulging

Had my usual for breakfast yesterday at 5:30 am.  By 9:30 I was starving, so I went upstairs and got two french toast sticks and two pieces of bacon.  I was crazy busy at work, and at 1:30 was hungry again.  Got an egg salad on wheat and 1/2 apple. 

Then on the way home I encountered a three hour commute with every possible weather situation imaginable -- rain, hail, wind, and even a tornado.  The radio blasted three emergency notifications to get off the road and into somewhere safe, so I stopped by Cracker Barrel in Dumfries and bought and ate a moon pie. 

Later went out to dinner with Christina, Dylan and Madimoo to Firebirds, and had half of an awesome french dip, steak fries (I ate all of them), and a few bites of coleslaw.  But that wasn't it, folks.

Went back to Christina's for some homemade german chocolate cake with ice cream and a game of scrabble.

Dylan won Scrabble, and I lost the battle with food.

Sneaked a peak at the scale, and I gained!  Like I should be surprised, right?!

So today I'm in recovery mode.  Gonna try and eat low carb for the next two days so that I can at least maintain, and if I'm really lucky, maybe lose a pound. 

So this is what I am eating today:

eggs and bacon for breakfast

chicken ceasar salad for lunch

cobb salad for dinner

Gonna do the walking video for some exercise, and some more power cleaning downstairs.

Are you ready? I'm about to reveal ........ drum roll......

how much I weigh. 

A fellow adorable blogger, Christina, had the guts to do it.  So I will too.

Oh God. 

Here it goes. 

I'm sweating here. 

I hope your computers don't self destruct.

273.

Yeah, you read that right. 

HOLY CRAP!!!!!

When I started this blog, I weighed 284. 

HOLY FAT BLOB!!!!

Thunderous Thursday

Image via Wikipedia

Woowee, what a storm at 8:00 in the morning!  Kinda looks like the end of the world out there!

I was pontificating this morning on all the diets I've been on over the years, and all the diet books I've read.  And in every single one of them it really boils down to these things:  eat less, move more, increase your vegetable and fruit intake, substitute the white stuff (potatoes, rice, white bread) with whole grains, thereby increasing your fiber intake, eat lean protein -- preferably fish; stay away from processed foods; eat good fats (olive oil, nuts, avacados); and eat 2 to 3 low-fat dairy products daily.

I've also read about the advantages of calorie switching.  For example, in a seven day week, have two 1,800 calorie days, three 1,600 calorie days, and two 1,200 calorie days.  It also helps to have a couple of low carb days thrown in there to mix it all up and keep the dreaded plateau away.

I have done some of these things.  I have eaten less, and moved a little bit more.  I have switched up my calories from day to day.  But I could definitely work on eating more fruits and vegetables, fish, and dairy.  So that's what I'm going to work on this following week.

And now I'll end with some new slogans I thought up:

Be kind to your behind, and eat nine!  (Nine fruits and vegetables, that is.)

Dairy makes you light as a fairy!

Roses are red, kilts are plaid, no more Ho Hos, boy I'm mad!

Okay, so here's what I ate yesterday and what's on for today

Breakfast:  Two 100-calorie Thomas English Muffins
                 1 Stouffer's Creamed Chipped Beef
TOTAL:   480 calories

Lunch:      Peanut Butter sandwich with bannana and honey
                Peach
                100 calorie cookies
TOTAL:  600 calories

Dinner:     Spaghetti with meat sauce
                salad
                700 calories

TOTAL FOR THE DAY:  1,780 calories

TODAY:

Breakfast:  1 cup of grits w/ butter
                  2 pieces of bacon
                  2 slices wheat toast w/ /butter
TOTAL:  450 calories

Lunch:       BLT
                 peach
                 100 calorie cookies
TOTAL:   550 calories

Dinner:     Applebee's steak dinner with potatoes and vegetables
TOTAL:  500 calories

TOTAL FOR THE DAY:  1,500 calories

An Observation on Females of the Perfect Persuasion

On Monday night, I watched "Bachelor Pad," which features the rejects of 14 seasons of "The Bachelor" and six seasons of "The Bachelorette," all competing for $250,000.  It proves to be an excellent study of human behavior, much like a Discovery Channel feature about piranhas.  

In case you didn't know, there are 20 different species of piranhas, of which only four species are actually blood thirsty and mentally unbalanced, hanging in packs, or shoals, of 20 or more, waiting to rip something to shreds in a bloody frenzy.  I read somewhere that piranhas represent a part of the "checks and balances" part of nature, so to speak.  Something like "survival of the fittest."  The piranhas are nature's way of getting rid of the weak. 

On Bachelor Pad, I watched with utter fascination the backstabbing, emotionally unstable, yet body perfect females, pick their packs, and with military-like precision, and razor-sharp teeth, establish their targets, and attack.

It made me feel just a little okay about myself.  I've always lamented my size.  And even though I am working to change my appearance, I am grateful for the lessons I've learned as a larger person.  The best lessons being compassion, sensitivity, and tolerance.

Free Day

Yesterday was my eat-what-I-want day.  I had my usual Starbucks breakfast, and a happy meal for lunch.  We had dinner with friends, and lucky for me they cooked health-friendly stuff: grilled honeymustard chicken, boiled potatoes, corn, broccoli, and salad.  There were cupcakes and angel food cake with strawberries/lite whipped cream for dessert.  I would like to say I stuck to the angel food cake and strawberries, but I had a cupcake ... or two.  Or was it three?

But I hear laughing burns up some calories, and we sure did a lot of that while playing the game "Buzz Word." 

Today I'm back on track.  Aiming for another two pounds this week. 

In just a few minutes I'm going to the upstairs cafeteria and order two eggs, 1 piece of wheat toast, a 1/2 cup of grits, and some fruit.  That will be about 400 calories, and the protein will help keep away hunger.

Lunch will be a chicken cobb salad and a peach.  Dinner will probably be cereal, milk, bananna, and a toasted English muffin.  Too darn hot to go out, and too darn hot to cook.  It's a code orange day and my lungs already feel it. 

Weigh-in #6

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2 more pounds.  11 pounds total. 

WOOO HOOOO!!!!!!!!

Sodium

Image via Wikipedia

Yesterday was a good day.  Cereal, bananna, and skim milk in the morning.  Burger, coke and a salad for lunch.  Triscuits, cheese, and peach for snack.  Tuna sandwich and cherries for dinner.

This morning:  Skinny vanilla latte and apple bran muffin.

Lunch was Stouffer's frozen green pepper steak entree (240 calories) and Green Giant steamed Immunity Boost brocoli/pepper mix (100 calories) and Snackwell's cookies (210 calories).

I just looked at the Stouffer's box and realized there are 910 mg of sodium.  230 mg sodium in the vegetables.  Looked up Starbucks:  520 mg sodium in the muffin; 170 mg in the latte.  Already had my day's worth.

I really need to start looking at the sodium.  They say it has a real impact on how much weight you can lose.  I will be more diligent from now on.

Tonight Kevin and I are going to Mimi's.  I'm getting the 355 calorie dinner of petite sirloin, greens with fat-free balsamic vinegar, and asaparagus.

Tomorrow is weigh-in day.

Calories Required to Lose Weight Calculator

I found a wonderful website that lets you enter your age, height and weight and your weight loss goal (how many pounds in how many months).  It then gives you a list week-by-week of the calories you need to eat to lose that amount of weight.  Supposedly you don't stall and plateau if you follow the guidelines, as you gradually decrease your calories each week. 

http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/calculators/calories-required/

Hungry Night

I was hungry all afternoon and all night.  I think it was the grilled chicken pita.  I had it plain, with just one small grilled chicken breast chopped up on it with some lettuce and tomato.  I should have added some fruit or a small salad or something, because on the drive home I was really hungry, so much so that I stopped at Taco bell at 3:30 pm and got a fresco taco for 180 calories.

I had to wait for dinner last night because Eddie had plans, and I was starving at about 6:00.  So I had a 100 calorie pack of cookies.  The sugar just made me hungrier, so I thought I would balance it out and have a handful of nuts (protein ya know).  Then I was craving something sweet again, so I had another 100 calorie pack of cookies.  By then I was all messed up ... still hungry, and feeling like I needed something nutritious.  So when Eddie got home we went to Cracker Barrel, and I had a cup of vegetable soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.  Not great.

I think I ended up having close to 2,000 calories.  Lesson learned?  Have a more substantial lunch, and don't buy any more 100 calorie cookies!

I'm back on track today.  To save some money, I had a free capuccino coffee here at work, and a bagel from the upstairs cafeteria for 90 cents, and 450 calories total.  Lunch will be my normal sandwich and apple for $2.50  and 430 calories.  Dinner is going to be Panera's 1/2 turkey on multigrain, 1/2 classic cafe salad, 1 cup of chicken noodle soup, and an apple for about $8.00, and 430 calories. 

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Wilting Wednesday

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Still hanging in there.  Had my usual breakfast.  Just finished a grilled chicken on pita sandwich for 360 calories.  Think I'll do another Wendy's Baja salad for dinner.  It comes with a small chili.  I skip the dressing and the tortilla chips, so it comes in at 550 calories.  But it sure does fill you up ... and clean you out ... if you know what I mean.   It's the beans, you know ... good for your heart and all.

It's hot as hades out there today.  Humidity decided to drop on by and stay for a few days.  I never cared for the fellow myself.  I much prefer Ms. Cold-Front, but she's been mighty scarce this summer.  Tomorrow is supposed to feel like 105 - 110 with the heat index. 

I just might have to climb somebody's fence and take a dip!

Mom H

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I have two jewelry boxes.  One is tangible, and holds all the shiny and colorful things my sweetie pie has bought for me over the years. 

The other jewelry box is invisible, and in my heart.  I know it sounds corny.  But the one in my heart is the one I treasure most, because it contains the lovely things that make up my life.  My sweetie pie, my kids, Madimoo, my friends, and another very special person, Mom H. 

Mom H is Kevin's mother, and he was lucky enough to be born in a Brady Bunch kind of family, with parents that loved him, and his brother, and two sisters -- all of whom are happy, well adjusted, hard-working, honest, caring, family-oriented people. 

When Kevin tells me stories about what it was like growing up, I can't help but get a little misty-eyed sometimes, and of course, I always get a great big grin on my face.  He grew up in sunny Florida, which right there, will make a happy kid.  I mean who couldn't be happy with Micky Mouse nearby, and the ocean just a few minutes away.  But I know what really helped mold him into the wonderful man he is today, is the love and care he received from his mother.

I knew right away that I had a keeper in Kevin when he told me about his Mom.  I could tell how much he respected her, and loved her.  You know what they say ... a guy who loves his mother, will be a wonderful husband, and that has proved very true.

I consider myself a pretty happy person.  And part of what makes me happy, is being thankful for all the blessings in my life.  I can live without new cars, fancy houses, and expensive clothes.  But I can't live without the love that people in my life have so generously given.

So this is my shout out of appreciation to you, Mom H.  Thank you so much for reading my blog, and rooting for me, and picking up the baton of health and fitness and running along side me in this journey.  I can't express how much it means to me, and how very, very, lucky I am to have a mom-in-law like you.

Smooch.  Smooch.

Italian Night

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I've been taking one day a week to eat what I want.  It helps me stay on track, and I find that I have something to look forward to all week.  When I really crave something, I just tell myself that it will be only a few more days and then I can have it.

Last night Eddie and I went to Olive Garden.  I figured it was better to fill up on salad, and ask for a box to immediately put away 1/2 of my spaghetti before it could even tempt me.  It worked!  I had two helpings of salad, minus the croutons, with light Italian dressing (90 calories?); 1/2 order of spaghetti w/ meat sauce (350 calories); one breadstick (150 calories); and one child's size gelato (250 calories).  Yum-yum.   My total for yesterday, including breakfast and lunch, was about 1,820 calories. 

However, it's true what they say about the bad kind of carbs stimulating your hungries. I was starving this morning and wanted to dive into some pancakes and sausage.  But I refrained, and ate my ususal Starbucks breakfast.  Lunch was my usual BLT with mustard on wheat, apple and 100 calorie cookies.  Dinner will be one of Wendy's new salads and a small chili. 

For exercise today I will complete the Leslie Sansone one mile walk video, and do some more work in the laundry room -- trying to get it spic and span and organized.

Unfortunately, I'm getting paid to work, and my lunch hour is over.

 Arrivederci!

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday I did really well.  Eddie is home for a little bit, and we went to Logan's for lunch.  I had the 6 oz sirloin, broccoli, and side salad with fat-free vinaigrette.  We went to the mall, Target, and did some grocery shopping.  For dinner I had 1 slice of wheat bread with natural peanut butter, sliced bannana and a drizzle of honey with 1 cup of milk and a 100 calorie pack of cookies.  Watched "Diary of a Mad Black Woman"  in the evening, and had a snack of 5 triscuits and 3 small pieces of cheese.

Walked alot yesterday, and worked around the house. 

This morning was my usual Starbucks breakfast.  Lunch was pretty usual too -- BLT with mustard on wheat, apple, 100 calorie cookies.  Don't know what I'm doing for dinner yet, but I aim to keep it within 500 calories.

Not giving in

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This morning I almost had a very unhealthy breakfast.  I was thinking to myself that I have lost 9 pounds so far since starting this blog and that I could indulge in a big breakfast and would have the whole week to make up for it. 

But for the very first time in my life, I decided not to ..... not because of the issue of losing weight ... but because I am starting to feel better, and I know if I ate a big breakfast (I'm talkin' eggs, hashbrowns, bacon, toast with butter, o.j., coffe with cream and sugar, and a cinnamon roll, ya'll), that I would feel awful physically -- lethargic, sleepy, and fuzzy-headed. 

So I had my skinny cinnamon dolce latte and Starbuck's Perfect Oatmeal with fruit and brown sugar for a total of 400 calories.  I was satisfied, and I felt good.  Full of energy, and a clear conscious, I cleaned the kitchen and the bathroom.  I'm going to tackle the downstairs today and finish the laundry.  A trip to the mall for a mile walk is in order as well.

And as much as I loved Cinnamon rolls, in particular, Cinnabon rolls, I know they can NEVER pass my lips again.  They are to me what wine is to an alcoholic.  I would not be able to recover ... it would set me up for failure on my healthy eating plan.  Another never-again-food is Krispy Kreme doughnuts.  They truly make me feel awful, and they set me up for the bad kinds of carbs and thus a 5 pound gain in no time flat.

More later ..... going to take advantage of this quirky energy spurt, so unusual for my middle-aged self, and git r dun!

WEIGH-IN #5

1.4 pounds down.  I was hoping for more.  But I'll take it!