I was pretty sad when I weighed in at 186 this morning. That's exactly where I started on Day 1. So basically last week entirely undid my first week. What a bummer. I'm basically starting all over. But now that I'm focusing on healthier goals, hopefully I will be able to stay emotionally strong and see some lasting changes.
As hard as it was, I got up and went to the exercise class this morning. (I woke up at 2am and couldn't fall back asleep for 45 minutes, then my daughter woke up from a nightmare around 5:30 and didn't go back to sleep for a half hour or so.) And I just continued to make good choices throughout the day. For breakfast I had a play on an egg salad sandwich -- a slice of toast with 1 teaspoon of mayo, topped with a sliced hard-boiled egg. For lunch I had a wrap with chicken and avocado, and for my afternoon snack I had a bag of popcorn. For dinner I made squash spaghetti with bean "meatballs." It actually turned out really, really good. I finished up my night with an absolutely delicious and mostly healthy dessert of cinnamon honey apples and quick candied pecans. Really, most of the calories came from the apple and the pecans, so to me it doesn't count against my one sweet treat per week. I'm not 100% sure how to define what I mean by sweet treats, but I guess it would be things whose calories are mostly derived from non-nutritious sources (e.g. sugar, fat, flour).
Well, today was a success and it feels good to be back on track.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Recipe: Cinnamon Honey Apples and Quick Candied Pecans
Oh my goodness was this delicious! First I melted 1 tablespoon of butter over low heat. Then I added in 1/2 cup of pecans and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and heated and stirred until it caramelized. Then I set it aside to cool. Next I took an apple and sliced it thinly, about 1/8th inch slices. I laid the slices out on a plate and drizzled 1/2 tablespoon of honey over the slices and sprinkled them with cinnamon. Then I microwaved the apple slices for one minute so that they were soft and tender. I made a pretty stack of the slices, then topped with 1/8 cup of candied pecans (1/4th of what I made). It tasted like autumn and holidays. It had 250 calories, but 185 of that came from apples and pecans, which by themselves would just be a healthy snack. So really only 65 of those calories should count as dessert, which is a pretty good deal if you ask me, especially considering how filling and satisfying it was!
Recipe: Squash Spaghetti and Bean "Meatballs"
Now, I'm not allergic to anything, and I'm not morally opposed to meat. In fact, I love eating meat and have out-eaten my husband at an all-you-can-eat Brazilian churrascaria. Several times. But I find something strangely satisfying about making a gluten-free vegetarian version of a classic dish. Not to mention the fact that it had way fewer calories than the typical preparation. No, it doesn't taste exactly like spaghetti noodles and meatballs. Yes, you can tell it's healthier. But it's still a dang good dish, and I will definitely be making it again.
1. Prep your squash noodles. You want to "sweat" out the extra moisture, or you'll end up with something really soupy. Slice the squash and lay flat on a plate. Sprinkle with salt and let sit about ten minutes. Use a paper towel to soak up all the moisture. Now cut the slices into long, thin strips. Then microwave the squash until it is tender (stirring every minute so it cooks evenly). Once again remove excess moisture from squash.
2. Make your bean "meatballs." (Recipe here) (I really don't know what to call these, because "beanballs" sounds kind of dumb.)
3. Assemble your dish. Put your "noodles" in a bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of pasta sauce and some "meatballs," then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
While the beans definitely did not have the texture of meatballs (they were much, much softer -- not surprisingly), they had a delicious flavor. The crushed red pepper and fennel seed were a really good addition to the spice mixture, and made it reminiscent of Italian sausage.
1. Prep your squash noodles. You want to "sweat" out the extra moisture, or you'll end up with something really soupy. Slice the squash and lay flat on a plate. Sprinkle with salt and let sit about ten minutes. Use a paper towel to soak up all the moisture. Now cut the slices into long, thin strips. Then microwave the squash until it is tender (stirring every minute so it cooks evenly). Once again remove excess moisture from squash.
2. Make your bean "meatballs." (Recipe here) (I really don't know what to call these, because "beanballs" sounds kind of dumb.)
3. Assemble your dish. Put your "noodles" in a bowl. Top with 1/2 cup of pasta sauce and some "meatballs," then sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
While the beans definitely did not have the texture of meatballs (they were much, much softer -- not surprisingly), they had a delicious flavor. The crushed red pepper and fennel seed were a really good addition to the spice mixture, and made it reminiscent of Italian sausage.
Recipe: Chicken Avocado Wrap
Another lunch, another wrap! Pretty simple, but I love taking pictures of all the healthy food I'm eating. So I had a flatbread wrap, chicken breast lunch meat, sliced olives, red leaf lettuce, and avocado, all topped with some sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. I love avocado. And this wrap didn't need any extra condiments because the avocado was so rich and creamy. I only wish I had had something red to put in there, then this would have looked even more amazing. But as it was, it was super delicious.
Recipe: Spicy Bean "Meatballs"
I used a food processor to mash up one rinsed and drained can of black beans with oregano, thyme, garlic salt, dried minced onion, sea salt, fresh pepper, crushed red pepper, and fennel seeds. I pulsed until everything was combined well, but it still had some bean intact to give it more texture. Form the mixture into balls (about the size of a ping pong ball) -- I got 9 out of this. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Cook bean meatballs, browning on all sides.
The texture is definitely a lot softer than a traditional meatball, but you can still pack some great flavor in these and (BONUS!) it was made entirely from things that you can have in your food storage!
The texture is definitely a lot softer than a traditional meatball, but you can still pack some great flavor in these and (BONUS!) it was made entirely from things that you can have in your food storage!
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| Squash Spaghetti and Bean Meatballs |
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| "Meatball" Sandwich |
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| "Meatballs" and Gravy |
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Day 14: Refocused Goals
So at the end of this emotional week, I have decided that I need to adjust my goals. I have been too focused on weight and clothing size, when those are really just side effects of my true goal to be healthier. While I will continue to weigh myself as a method of measuring my progress, I will not be so concerned with the number on the scale (well, I'm going to try at least). So what are my newly focused goals?
1. Exercise at least 3 times a week.
2. Eat vegetables every day.
3. Run a 5k in 30 minutes or less.
4. Only one sweet treat per week until Thanksgiving.
First of all, I want to truly become an active, healthy person. So I need to adopt a lifestyle in which I exercise on a regular and consistent basis. So I have a weekly goal of exercising at least three times (if I can get six, then I'll give myself a gold star, but as long as I do at least three consistently, I will be making a good change). Second, I need to eat better. Another lifestyle goal I have is to eat vegetables every day. I was definitely one of those kids that took advantage of my adulthood by deciding that I didn't need to eat vegetables if I didn't want to. Which means we didn't eat them very much the first couple years we were married. Now that I'm trying to be more mindful of my health, my goal is to include vegetables in at least one, but hopefully two meals every day.
My third goal is a milestone goal, something I can work toward and measure and definitively achieve. Running the 5k yesterday was a "short run" for me. I wasn't tired at all when I was done. Which means there is definitely room for me to push myself and improve. My best time ever was about 33 minutes. So I've set a goal for myself to run it in 30 minutes or less. I will be using the C25K (couch to 5k) program that I used to get running in the first place. But instead of jogging and walking, I will be running and jogging (or at least trying to). I want to sign up for a 5k on Thanksgiving day. My very first race was on December 1, 2012 -- so this race will be almost exactly one year later. I already can't believe the progress I have made since then, but improving my 5k time would really be neat.
My fourth goal is a short-term goal, in that I've set an end date for it. From now until Thanksgiving, I will only have one sweet treat per week. I know that sugar is my weakness, which makes things hard when baking is one of my favorite things to do. But as I've said before, I'm trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle I can maintain, so I don't want to entirely deprive myself. What I'm hoping this will do is train me to satisfy my sweet tooth with a piece of fruit, instead of a cookie or ice cream or candy bar. But once a week I can enjoy a single serving of dessert as a special treat. As I get closer to Thanksgiving, I'll think about what I'm going to do around the holidays.
I hope that with my refocused goals I will be more concerned with health than the number on the scale. Which means (I hope) I will make only good decisions, and not fall back on bad habits I am trying to break for good. I know I'm going to be disappointed at my weigh-in tomorrow, since I ate so terribly this week (read: 2000-2500 calories each day). I can't get this week back, but I can make tomorrow a good day. And day by day, make this next week a good one. And week by week, make this next month a great one!
1. Exercise at least 3 times a week.
2. Eat vegetables every day.
3. Run a 5k in 30 minutes or less.
4. Only one sweet treat per week until Thanksgiving.
First of all, I want to truly become an active, healthy person. So I need to adopt a lifestyle in which I exercise on a regular and consistent basis. So I have a weekly goal of exercising at least three times (if I can get six, then I'll give myself a gold star, but as long as I do at least three consistently, I will be making a good change). Second, I need to eat better. Another lifestyle goal I have is to eat vegetables every day. I was definitely one of those kids that took advantage of my adulthood by deciding that I didn't need to eat vegetables if I didn't want to. Which means we didn't eat them very much the first couple years we were married. Now that I'm trying to be more mindful of my health, my goal is to include vegetables in at least one, but hopefully two meals every day.
My third goal is a milestone goal, something I can work toward and measure and definitively achieve. Running the 5k yesterday was a "short run" for me. I wasn't tired at all when I was done. Which means there is definitely room for me to push myself and improve. My best time ever was about 33 minutes. So I've set a goal for myself to run it in 30 minutes or less. I will be using the C25K (couch to 5k) program that I used to get running in the first place. But instead of jogging and walking, I will be running and jogging (or at least trying to). I want to sign up for a 5k on Thanksgiving day. My very first race was on December 1, 2012 -- so this race will be almost exactly one year later. I already can't believe the progress I have made since then, but improving my 5k time would really be neat.
My fourth goal is a short-term goal, in that I've set an end date for it. From now until Thanksgiving, I will only have one sweet treat per week. I know that sugar is my weakness, which makes things hard when baking is one of my favorite things to do. But as I've said before, I'm trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle I can maintain, so I don't want to entirely deprive myself. What I'm hoping this will do is train me to satisfy my sweet tooth with a piece of fruit, instead of a cookie or ice cream or candy bar. But once a week I can enjoy a single serving of dessert as a special treat. As I get closer to Thanksgiving, I'll think about what I'm going to do around the holidays.
I hope that with my refocused goals I will be more concerned with health than the number on the scale. Which means (I hope) I will make only good decisions, and not fall back on bad habits I am trying to break for good. I know I'm going to be disappointed at my weigh-in tomorrow, since I ate so terribly this week (read: 2000-2500 calories each day). I can't get this week back, but I can make tomorrow a good day. And day by day, make this next week a good one. And week by week, make this next month a great one!
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Day 13: Race #4
This morning I ran my 4th race ever! It was another Color Me Rad 5k (I did my first one this summer, and it was my third race ever). I convinced one of hubby's cousins to run it with me, and it was her first race. I'm so glad I can encourage and inspire other people to get fit with me! We completed the race in 38 minutes, which I think was a new best for her. We had fun because the race has such an energetic atmosphere.
I really didn't keep track of what I ate today (again). Maybe I just need to be so active that I don't have to worry about how many calories I eat. But I should probably get back in the habit of keeping track. Oh, by the way, 4 weeks until my half-marathon!!
And for kicks and giggles, here's a picture from the first time I ran in a Color Me Rad race (June 22, 2013):
I really didn't keep track of what I ate today (again). Maybe I just need to be so active that I don't have to worry about how many calories I eat. But I should probably get back in the habit of keeping track. Oh, by the way, 4 weeks until my half-marathon!!
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| Before -- our clothes are still white |
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| During -- nice action shot |
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| After -- all colored up now |
And for kicks and giggles, here's a picture from the first time I ran in a Color Me Rad race (June 22, 2013):
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| Really not a flattering picture of me... |
Friday, September 27, 2013
Day 12: A Busy Day
Today was BUSY! I felt like I didn't get to stop moving all day. Workout, my daughter's pre-k computer class, shower and lunch, picking up my race packet, getting new running shorts because my old ones tore, grocery shopping, cleaning, helping at a youth activity where they decorated cupcakes. I didn't eat the best. I'm not sure how many calories I had, but most of it came from sugary foods. Oops.... But at least I started my day with a Zumba class! I haven't been as diligent about counting my calories this week, but I really should get back to it because I know it helps me make good food decisions. Well, tomorrow is going to be a better day. And I'll be running my 4th race ever -- another Color Me Rad 5k!
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Day 11: A Much Better Day
Today was much, much better. I had Greek yogurt for breakfast, stir fry for lunch, light popcorn for an afternoon snack, more stir fry for dinner, chocolate peanut butter banana "sandwiches" for dessert, an ounce of mozzarella cheese as a post-dinner snack, and iced chocolate soy milk as a late-night treat. I even took the girls on a 30 minute walk in the double stroller (1.5 miles). I'll admit, I still feel like eating, but it always takes my body a couple days to readjust after I go on an eating rampage. Good thing I have crafts to work on tonight, so my hands will be too busy to put food in my mouth!
Recipe: Iced Chocolate Soy Milk
I love icy drinks. Summertime, wintertime, anytime. I also love chocolate. This was super easy, totally yummy, and guilt free! I used my smoothie blender (each cup is about 12oz and the blade screws like a lid onto the top) to combine 1 cup of light vanilla soy milk, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 packet of 0-calorie sweetener, and a lot of ice. What I got was a tall glass of icy chocolate goodness for under 100 calories. Definite winner!
Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Bananas
Ever have something absolutely delicious that doesn't photograph as well as you wished it would. That was totally this treat. I sliced up a banana and made tiny sandwiches using the bananas as the "bread" and putting a dab of that Skippy chocolate peanut butter I got. I used a small banana and 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter. The picture looks a little... slimy because I had to keep my kids from destroying the house before I could take a picture. When I first put it together, it looked really nice though. And even after it looked like this, every single bite was delicious. I bet this would be so good frozen. Just imagine it with me. Oh yes, I think I'm going to have to try that soon.
Recipe: Stir Fry
Well, I wanted to see if I could make my own stir fry, so I don't have to buy the prepackaged stuff. I'd say I was pretty successful. I threw 2 cups of broccoli florets, 2 cups of chopped carrots, 2 cups of sliced mushroom, 1/3 a green bell pepper all chopped up, and 1 drained can of yellow corn into a big pot. I added 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water. I cooked it on medium-high for about 5 minutes, covered, but stirring every minute or so. Then I added 2 tablespoons of teriyaki sauce and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Cooked it for about 3 minutes then took it off the heat. It was good, though my sauce wasn't quite as tasty as the one from the package. And I'm not sure it was less expensive enough to be worth all the effort. Especially since my favorite part of stir fry is the water chestnut, which I don't even know where to buy, or how much more that would make it cost. Also, I'd probably nix the corn next time. My little girl loved picking out the corn and carrots, but for me it was hard to eat and was the highest calorie item I put in. Cauliflower, snap peas, and red bell peppers would have made this really nice. And maybe the baby corn. Where do you even get baby corn? I'll try to do it a little different next time, because I'm definitely not ready to give up!
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Day 10: New Healthy Goals
I had no idea this journey would be so emotional. Last night was hard. I used my post to tell my husband what I've been wanting to tell him for months. I feel so blessed to have the most compassionate, understanding, supportive man by my side. Last night was definitely a low point, but I'm glad I didn't have to go through it alone.
Today was a strange day. I went to the workout class, but it was yoga, and I just don't like yoga, so I decided to cut out early after changing a messy diaper. I won't even count what I did as a workout. I came home, and I tried to eat well, but I'm still so emotional from last night, and the kids were driving me absolutely crazy (I really do love them, but sometimes I just wish I could have a break). I didn't keep track of what I was eating, but I know for a fact I ate more than I should have. But you know what? That's okay. I don't need to be perfect. I don't need to lose 2 pounds a week, as much as I wish I could. I don't need to change overnight.
Sometimes I forget, it's not about being skinny. It's not about looking better at 25 than I did when I was 20. It's not even about the number on the scale or what size my clothes are. It's about learning to eat healthy, to be healthy. It's about adopting a new lifestyle that I can maintain for the rest of my life. I don't intend to never have another slice of birthday cake. I don't intend to feel deprived forever. I want a lifestyle where I exercise regularly and eat healthily on most days but can still celebrate and enjoy life on appropriate occasions. I want to inspire my daughters, not lead them down the road to insecurity. I want to have energy to keep up with them. That's what is important, and what I need to remember.
Today I began to heal emotionally. I began to let go of unrealistic expectations and unhealthy ways of thinking. Today I let go of the number goals. Yes, weight and clothing is a good way to measure my progress, but it will no longer drive my journey. My goal is to achieve a lifestyle where I exercise 3 times a week and eat vegetables every day and find a new method to cope with my emotions. My goal is to learn to accept and love myself, and see the beauty in myself every step of the way. I'm a big believer in faking it until you make it. As I make decisions to act as if this already were my lifestyle, I will one day realize that is has actually become my lifestyle.
Thank you all for your love and support. It will help carry me through the hard times and it reminds me that I am already so very loved.
Today was a strange day. I went to the workout class, but it was yoga, and I just don't like yoga, so I decided to cut out early after changing a messy diaper. I won't even count what I did as a workout. I came home, and I tried to eat well, but I'm still so emotional from last night, and the kids were driving me absolutely crazy (I really do love them, but sometimes I just wish I could have a break). I didn't keep track of what I was eating, but I know for a fact I ate more than I should have. But you know what? That's okay. I don't need to be perfect. I don't need to lose 2 pounds a week, as much as I wish I could. I don't need to change overnight.
Sometimes I forget, it's not about being skinny. It's not about looking better at 25 than I did when I was 20. It's not even about the number on the scale or what size my clothes are. It's about learning to eat healthy, to be healthy. It's about adopting a new lifestyle that I can maintain for the rest of my life. I don't intend to never have another slice of birthday cake. I don't intend to feel deprived forever. I want a lifestyle where I exercise regularly and eat healthily on most days but can still celebrate and enjoy life on appropriate occasions. I want to inspire my daughters, not lead them down the road to insecurity. I want to have energy to keep up with them. That's what is important, and what I need to remember.
Today I began to heal emotionally. I began to let go of unrealistic expectations and unhealthy ways of thinking. Today I let go of the number goals. Yes, weight and clothing is a good way to measure my progress, but it will no longer drive my journey. My goal is to achieve a lifestyle where I exercise 3 times a week and eat vegetables every day and find a new method to cope with my emotions. My goal is to learn to accept and love myself, and see the beauty in myself every step of the way. I'm a big believer in faking it until you make it. As I make decisions to act as if this already were my lifestyle, I will one day realize that is has actually become my lifestyle.
Thank you all for your love and support. It will help carry me through the hard times and it reminds me that I am already so very loved.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Day 9: Dirty Little Secret
Tonight I did something terrible. It's something I'm so ashamed of. It's something I've struggled with off and on since I was a teenager. It's something I've only told a couple people about. Until now. Tonight, I threw up after dinner. After eating half a pizza. I couldn't stand the thought of all those calories inside of me, undoing all the hard work I've accomplished lately. I knew in my mind that it was a terrible thing to do, but I didn't care. The part that kills me is that I was so good the rest of the day. I ate a good breakfast, a good lunch, good snacks, and drank plenty of water. Then hubby came home because I needed to go to the store to get something to complete an Etsy order. He has been putting in a lot of hours lately. In fact, he told me today, that he will have to put in a lot of hours over the next two weeks (staying until 11pm kind of hours). Well, we went to the store and he got a pizza for us to bake for dinner. I got lots of fruits and vegetables and was feeling really good. I told myself I could be good about the pizza. But I mindlessly overate. Then when I counted the calories and realized how much I had eaten, I felt terrible. Then hubby had to head back to campus to try and get 4 more hours of work done. The kids were fighting. The kids weren't listening. I couldn't handle it. I put them to bed a bit early and ate the rest of the pizza. I felt so sick and disappointed with myself. And some terrible little voice inside me told me to just get rid of the extra calories. So I did. And now I feel awful. I don't want people to think less of me. I don't want people to tell me how bad it is; trust me, I already know. I'm not even sure if I want people to acknowledge that they read my confession and know my dirty little secret. But I needed to write it down. I needed to share it. For myself. So that I could finally admit that I have a problem, and that it needs to stop. For good. It was incredibly hard for me to write this, and I can only hope that people are kind and do not judge me for my struggle.
Recipe: Open Faced Breakfast Sandwich
This morning I decided to see how my chicken bacon would do being cooked in strips. I was really pleased that it picked up some caramelization and golden color, but it wasn't as crispy as I'd hoped it would be. Maybe I took it off the heat prematurely. It tasted pretty good, it just wasn't the texture I was hoping for (especially for my sandwich).
Speaking of the sandwich, it was pretty simple to put together. I made the chicken bacon and cooked 3 egg whites (which were seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and a pinch of ground red pepper). Then I toasted a slice of sourdough and topped it with the chicken bacon and eggs.
I decided to do it open faced because I find it easier to eat, plus I feel like I'm getting more. I think next time I will add just a little mayo to the toast so it isn't quite so dry (or avocado, if I have one on hand). And I'll try to get the chicken bacon crispier. The way I cooked it, it was a bit hard to bite through it with everything else, and sometimes it came out of the sandwich instead of breaking off.
Speaking of the sandwich, it was pretty simple to put together. I made the chicken bacon and cooked 3 egg whites (which were seasoned with rosemary, thyme, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, and a pinch of ground red pepper). Then I toasted a slice of sourdough and topped it with the chicken bacon and eggs.
I decided to do it open faced because I find it easier to eat, plus I feel like I'm getting more. I think next time I will add just a little mayo to the toast so it isn't quite so dry (or avocado, if I have one on hand). And I'll try to get the chicken bacon crispier. The way I cooked it, it was a bit hard to bite through it with everything else, and sometimes it came out of the sandwich instead of breaking off.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Day 8: A Great Start to Week 2 (weigh-in)
Well, I wasn't as good as I intended to be last night. We stayed up playing games until 1am (and boy did I feel it this morning) and I ate about 7 cinnamon rolls and homemade doughnuts (total, not each!) So, I actually hit about 2100 calories yesterday. Mostly from junk. I guess it's pretty obvious what my food kryptonite is... sweets.
But at least I wasn't disappointed when I weighed myself this morning. My official week 2 weight is 182.4! That means I'm down 3.6 lbs, even with all those diet fumbles. I know part of that (if not most of that) is water weight, but it's still a great start in the right direction. Here's to hoping I can be better this week and continue to lose weight!
Well, even though I stayed up way too late last night, I was determined to get up and moving this morning. So I had some Greek yogurt, then made it to the workout, which was about 20 minutes of kickboxing and 30 minutes of aerobics. I really like kickboxing. It makes me feel so tired, but it's also so energizing. I've been looking into joining a gym when the weather gets a bit colder, and I'm hoping to find one with kickboxing and zumba classes. Anyway, I had 8oz of water with breakfast, and 8oz of water while working out (I probably should have had more). For lunch I had a CLT sandwich (a BLT with chicken instead of bacon) and 16oz of water. Throughout the afternoon I snacked on some more knock off goldfish crackers (one carefully measured out serving) and a bag of popcorn. I had another 16oz of water too. I hit a rough patch when my three-year-old was driving me absolutely nuts (I'm trying to potty train her and some days are better than others), and I just needed something sweet to cope with it all. I ended up having half a bibingka (at least I cut it in half and didn't eat the other part!) and 16oz of water. I ended up making a vegetarian dinner (since hubby had to stay late on campus anyway), which I had with 16oz of water. That brought my daily total to about 1450 calories.
Exercise: check! Calorie limit: check! Water intake: check!
Hurray for starting off the week with a happy weigh-in and a successful day!
But at least I wasn't disappointed when I weighed myself this morning. My official week 2 weight is 182.4! That means I'm down 3.6 lbs, even with all those diet fumbles. I know part of that (if not most of that) is water weight, but it's still a great start in the right direction. Here's to hoping I can be better this week and continue to lose weight!
Well, even though I stayed up way too late last night, I was determined to get up and moving this morning. So I had some Greek yogurt, then made it to the workout, which was about 20 minutes of kickboxing and 30 minutes of aerobics. I really like kickboxing. It makes me feel so tired, but it's also so energizing. I've been looking into joining a gym when the weather gets a bit colder, and I'm hoping to find one with kickboxing and zumba classes. Anyway, I had 8oz of water with breakfast, and 8oz of water while working out (I probably should have had more). For lunch I had a CLT sandwich (a BLT with chicken instead of bacon) and 16oz of water. Throughout the afternoon I snacked on some more knock off goldfish crackers (one carefully measured out serving) and a bag of popcorn. I had another 16oz of water too. I hit a rough patch when my three-year-old was driving me absolutely nuts (I'm trying to potty train her and some days are better than others), and I just needed something sweet to cope with it all. I ended up having half a bibingka (at least I cut it in half and didn't eat the other part!) and 16oz of water. I ended up making a vegetarian dinner (since hubby had to stay late on campus anyway), which I had with 16oz of water. That brought my daily total to about 1450 calories.
Exercise: check! Calorie limit: check! Water intake: check!
Hurray for starting off the week with a happy weigh-in and a successful day!
Recipe: Canned Garden Trio
I'm running low on vegetables, but wanted to have them for dinner, so I decided to see if I could use some of the hundreds of canned foods we have in our pantry. I pulled out green beans, sweet yellow corn, and black eyed peas -- all things you could potentially grow in a garden if you had a green thumb. Which I don't. So I have to settle with a canned garden instead. Anyway, I don't usually experiment with seasonings (I'm more of a follow-the-recipe-baker kinda gal), but I decided to give it a go. I guess this is technically three mini recipes that I prepared for the same dish.
Savory Green Beans
I seasoned the green beans with rosemary, garlic salt, and dried chopped onion. I wish I hadn't cooked them for quite so long, since they lost their natural, vibrant color (which would have made this dish look really pretty).
Sweet and Sour Corn
I seasoned the sweet corn with lemon pepper.
Spicy Black Eyed Peas
I seasoned the black eyed peas with cumin, garlic salt, garlic powder, paprika, ground red pepper, thyme, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, ground white pepper, and a dash of tabasco sauce. I served it with a dollop of sour cream.
I was actually really pleased with the result. They were each really delicious and balanced each other out very nicely. The plates I used in the picture were entirely impractical, but so much prettier than the compartmentalized plastic plate I ended up eating off of. I ended up having 1 cup of each which made the meal about 400 calories (not including sour cream, but I didn't add too much of it).
Savory Green Beans
I seasoned the green beans with rosemary, garlic salt, and dried chopped onion. I wish I hadn't cooked them for quite so long, since they lost their natural, vibrant color (which would have made this dish look really pretty).
Sweet and Sour Corn
I seasoned the sweet corn with lemon pepper.
Spicy Black Eyed Peas
I seasoned the black eyed peas with cumin, garlic salt, garlic powder, paprika, ground red pepper, thyme, sea salt, fresh cracked pepper, ground white pepper, and a dash of tabasco sauce. I served it with a dollop of sour cream.
I was actually really pleased with the result. They were each really delicious and balanced each other out very nicely. The plates I used in the picture were entirely impractical, but so much prettier than the compartmentalized plastic plate I ended up eating off of. I ended up having 1 cup of each which made the meal about 400 calories (not including sour cream, but I didn't add too much of it).
Recipe: C(hicken)L(ettuce)T(omato) Sandwich
I've already hinted a little bit at how much I love bacon, so it shouldn't be a surprise that BLT's are probably my favorite sandwich in the world. But sadly, bacon has been demoted to "dietary acquaintance" and won't be making many appearances over the next year. So I had to settle for a CLT sandwich using that same chicken lunch meat I've been eating lately (I got a really big package of it).
Anyway, I toasted a slice of sourdough and cut it in half. Then I spread 1tsp of mayo on each half. A slice of chicken, two leaves of green leaf lettuce, three tomato slices, and another slice of chicken. This three-inch tall beauty was actually really satisfying, even without the bacon. Maybe next time I'll crisp up the chicken and make chicken bacon, just to add a bit more texture to sandwich and richness to the flavor. All in all, this is a 300-calorie lunch I highly recommend!
Anyway, I toasted a slice of sourdough and cut it in half. Then I spread 1tsp of mayo on each half. A slice of chicken, two leaves of green leaf lettuce, three tomato slices, and another slice of chicken. This three-inch tall beauty was actually really satisfying, even without the bacon. Maybe next time I'll crisp up the chicken and make chicken bacon, just to add a bit more texture to sandwich and richness to the flavor. All in all, this is a 300-calorie lunch I highly recommend!
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Day 7: For the Love of Veggies!
Today has been a pretty good day. I think I appreciate Sundays now more that I am trying to be healthy, because I do get a day of rest from exercise and feeling pressured to exercise. It's nice to just relax and enjoy the day, going to church and spending time with family and friends.
Breakfast was Greek yogurt, and lunch was an open faced sandwich made with Jiffy Natural Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate. I got it for the girls since they can be pretty picky, but neither of them wanted the sandwich today. So good thing I only used half a tablespoon, since I ended up eating it. I'm glad I found it -- it has a lot less sugar than Nutella, only 10 calories more per 2 Tbsp (than regular peanut butter), and tastes like Reese's in a jar. I snacked on some goldfish crackers since they were sitting out. We couldn't decide what to have for dinner, and nothing sounded good (mostly because hubby kept suggesting carb-heavy things and I told him that while they sounded good, I wanted to get the most for the calories). So I ended up making some of the stir fry veggies I got. Remember how I've been craving those? Well, it comes with two sauce packets, so you're supposed to make half the veggies and use one of the packets. I did, and thought there was a lot of sauce. And then when I looked at the calories, half the bag (with the sauce) is about 400 calories. That's perfect for dinner, but I knew there was plenty of sauce for me to add in some extra veggies. So I added in a cup of mushrooms. I tried to find other stir fry-ish veggies, but we didn't really have any. I was kind of bummed, because I know there was still plenty of sauce for more. And it was just as delicious as I thought it would be when I was craving it. And I wished there was more of it! Next time I'll definitely just buy the veggies raw and cook them with my own sauce (that way I can use a smaller amount and make it with fewer calories). I never thought I'd see the day where I actually love eating vegetables! Being healthy feels so great.
I'm only around 800 calories so far, but we're going to have games and dessert with friends tonight, so I'm leaving lots of wiggle room. I'm going to try to show restraint. I weighed myself this morning, and was very happy with the number I saw. So I don't want to go crazy tonight and be sad when I do my official weigh-in tomorrow. So here's to self-control, change, and the love of veggies!
Breakfast was Greek yogurt, and lunch was an open faced sandwich made with Jiffy Natural Peanut Butter with Dark Chocolate. I got it for the girls since they can be pretty picky, but neither of them wanted the sandwich today. So good thing I only used half a tablespoon, since I ended up eating it. I'm glad I found it -- it has a lot less sugar than Nutella, only 10 calories more per 2 Tbsp (than regular peanut butter), and tastes like Reese's in a jar. I snacked on some goldfish crackers since they were sitting out. We couldn't decide what to have for dinner, and nothing sounded good (mostly because hubby kept suggesting carb-heavy things and I told him that while they sounded good, I wanted to get the most for the calories). So I ended up making some of the stir fry veggies I got. Remember how I've been craving those? Well, it comes with two sauce packets, so you're supposed to make half the veggies and use one of the packets. I did, and thought there was a lot of sauce. And then when I looked at the calories, half the bag (with the sauce) is about 400 calories. That's perfect for dinner, but I knew there was plenty of sauce for me to add in some extra veggies. So I added in a cup of mushrooms. I tried to find other stir fry-ish veggies, but we didn't really have any. I was kind of bummed, because I know there was still plenty of sauce for more. And it was just as delicious as I thought it would be when I was craving it. And I wished there was more of it! Next time I'll definitely just buy the veggies raw and cook them with my own sauce (that way I can use a smaller amount and make it with fewer calories). I never thought I'd see the day where I actually love eating vegetables! Being healthy feels so great.
I'm only around 800 calories so far, but we're going to have games and dessert with friends tonight, so I'm leaving lots of wiggle room. I'm going to try to show restraint. I weighed myself this morning, and was very happy with the number I saw. So I don't want to go crazy tonight and be sad when I do my official weigh-in tomorrow. So here's to self-control, change, and the love of veggies!
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Day 6: The Big 1-0!
Guess who accidentally ran 10 miles today. This girl! I know what you're thinking. How do you "accidentally" run 10 miles? Well, I was supposed to run 9 miles so I can stay on track with my half-marathon training. But I ran at the track and wasn't in the inside lane. So after I did all the math, I realized I had actually gone 10 miles. Almost exactly. It took me about 2 hours and 7 minutes, which isn't the fastest, but gosh -- I ran 10 miles! Okay, I jogged 10 miles. And I took some walking breaks in between. Over the course of my run, I had three Gu energy gel packets, and 16oz of Nuun electrolyte water (and another 16oz of plain water as I was walking to Jeffrey's office afterwards). I really can't believe I ran that far! I'll definitely be able to finish the half-marathon. I just wish I could pick up my speed. But hey, I'll be able to work on that once I'm done training to run 13.1 miles!
Well, before I went running, I had a breakfast of buttered sourdough toast and some Greek yogurt. For lunch (after my run) I told Jeffrey I was really craving a burger. So we went out -- but I was good! I got a turkey burger, and had it wrapped in lettuce instead of put on a bun. I did have some fries, but I tried to keep that under control. And of course, I gave in and got a Coke Zero. One of these days I should probably break that habit, but I enjoy drinking something other than water without having to count the calories for it. Well, this evening, hubby's cousin had her wedding reception, so we went to that. I only drank water and ate fruit, but I did have cheesecake and a small slice of wedding cake. My calorie intake today was 2100, but I burned 1300. So my net was only 700. Normally, I would have tried to eat back more of what I burned. But I figure that the calories I ate yesterday balance it out, and between the two days, I'm right on track.
Well, I exercised today -- a lot! And I definitely stayed within my calorie limits. And I know I drank at least 8 glasses of water (not counting what I drank during my workout). I would say today was a HUGE success! I'm feeling so proud of myself for all the progress I made. And here's a cute conversation I had with hubby tonight:
Me: Why does everyone think I'm a runner?
DH: You are training for a half-marathon.
Me: But I don't actually like running.
DH: Like it or not, you've accidentally become a runner.
Me: Like how I accidentally ran 10 miles today?
DH: You know that makes you sound like a runner, right?
Oh, and I'm getting ready to run a 5k with my cousin next Saturday, and when she told me she was nervous, I assured her it would be fun. Fun. I mean, I called running "fun." Who am I? I just spent so much of my life not making health a priority, that it's taking me a long time to get used to the "new" me. I like the new me though. I'm proud of the new me. And I'm becoming the kind of person that my kids can be proud of too. And that means the world to me.
Well, before I went running, I had a breakfast of buttered sourdough toast and some Greek yogurt. For lunch (after my run) I told Jeffrey I was really craving a burger. So we went out -- but I was good! I got a turkey burger, and had it wrapped in lettuce instead of put on a bun. I did have some fries, but I tried to keep that under control. And of course, I gave in and got a Coke Zero. One of these days I should probably break that habit, but I enjoy drinking something other than water without having to count the calories for it. Well, this evening, hubby's cousin had her wedding reception, so we went to that. I only drank water and ate fruit, but I did have cheesecake and a small slice of wedding cake. My calorie intake today was 2100, but I burned 1300. So my net was only 700. Normally, I would have tried to eat back more of what I burned. But I figure that the calories I ate yesterday balance it out, and between the two days, I'm right on track.
Well, I exercised today -- a lot! And I definitely stayed within my calorie limits. And I know I drank at least 8 glasses of water (not counting what I drank during my workout). I would say today was a HUGE success! I'm feeling so proud of myself for all the progress I made. And here's a cute conversation I had with hubby tonight:
Me: Why does everyone think I'm a runner?
DH: You are training for a half-marathon.
Me: But I don't actually like running.
DH: Like it or not, you've accidentally become a runner.
Me: Like how I accidentally ran 10 miles today?
DH: You know that makes you sound like a runner, right?
Oh, and I'm getting ready to run a 5k with my cousin next Saturday, and when she told me she was nervous, I assured her it would be fun. Fun. I mean, I called running "fun." Who am I? I just spent so much of my life not making health a priority, that it's taking me a long time to get used to the "new" me. I like the new me though. I'm proud of the new me. And I'm becoming the kind of person that my kids can be proud of too. And that means the world to me.
Day 5: Another Oops
Started my day off with some delicious Filipino eggs and rice. Oh, and a couple screaming kids. I don't know what was going on with them, but both were seriously grating my nerves all morning. Like, throwing tantrums within 5 minutes of waking up. It's a miracle I didn't wash breakfast down with a candy bar. Or a pint of ice cream. I've done both in the past. It's a good thing I felt so successful yesterday, because it was probably the only thing that kept me from going carb/sugar crazy this morning. Anyway, I did wash my breakfast down with 16oz of water.
The girls and I ran errands for a couple hours. I needed to get some yarn for a hat order, so I figured I'd go to Walmart, and swing by DI (a thrift shop) on the way there. So we went in to DI to get Bekka some shoes, since she has been complaining that hers are too small. I got her a great pair of sneakers with velcro for $3. Score. And then I saw the Halloween costumes. I need one for the half-marathon next month, and I actually bought one last week but was feeling buyer's remorse for spending $20 on a costume when I already spent $65 on the race. That's when I realized I forgot to grab the costume to return to Walmart. But anyway, I looked through all the stuff and pulled out 6 or so to try on. I narrowed it down to 3 that fit reasonably well and were cute (two were $10 and one was $6). I couldn't decide, so I got all three... Oops. But that just means I won't need to worry about costumes for the next three years! Anyway, we got that, and I decided to swing home to pick up the other costume since I really should return it if I already got a replacement (and then some). I wanted to get the kids a treat for being so cooperative, so I got them each a small shake from McDonald's. I wanted to order a chocolate chip frappe so badly. Those are my weakness. In several ways. They're probably the #1 reason I put on weight this summer. But I decided to just get a large diet coke instead. (Do I get to count that toward my fluid intake? -- I was actually curious and found this article. That was about 30oz I think, but let's just count it as 16oz of fluid in case the caffeine and carbonation had some sort of negative effect.) I know that's not as good as drinking something like water or milk, but hey, it was better than what I wanted to get. Baby steps. And I felt proud of myself for not drinking 600 calories in one sitting...
Well, on the way to the store, my three-year-old decided she was done with her shake, and I hated the thought of it going to waste. That's when I realized something. I always finish my kids' food. I mean, if we order something for them and they don't eat it all, I feel bad throwing it out because of how much it cost, so I eat it. So today, I made a decision not to do that anymore. I would rather waste $2 than waste all the effort I have put into getting healthy. And in the long run, being healthy is going to save me so much more than $2. So I didn't finish their shakes.
Anyway, we went to Walmart, returned the costume, got our groceries, and of course they didn't even have the yarn I need. And the kids were getting tired and cranky, and so was I. Do you know what i wanted? Chocolate. Lots of it. But did I get any? No! I threw a bag of frozen stir fry veggies in the cart instead, since I've been craving those and I figure if I was going to splurge on something, it might as well be healthy. I also got some nonfat Greek yogurt. I love that stuff. Anyway, I got home and made some dinner rolls for a church dinner tonight. I had the bread machine mix and knead the dough for me while I was out shopping. Best $6 impulse buy ever (thank you, DI!) I tried one of the rolls to make sure I wasn't bringing anything gross for other people to eat. I'm not a big bread maker. I wish I were, and maybe one day I will be. But they cooked way faster than the recipe said they would, and the outside was very golden, and kind of hard, so I wanted to test to make sure they cooked right. They were fine, really yummy actually, despite the very hard exterior. I think I was supposed to let them rise after rolling them into balls. Oops... Next time! Anyway, I also ate a 6oz container of yogurt and had 16oz of water with it.
So we went to the church activity, which was a dinner. I tried to keep track of what I was eating, but didn't get a chance to look up calories until I got home. Guess who went over. By a lot. I mean, I just had to estimate things, and it's possible I was off. But there was barbecue pulled pork and some cheesy potato casserole, and dinner rolls. And then there was homemade cobbler with vanilla ice cream. With my estimates, my daily calories came to about 2200. I'm feeling pretty bummed about that, but it just made me realize how much I need to work on recognizing portions. Also how helpful it is to plan food out in advance.
So once again, I didn't exercise, I went way over my calories, but at least I drank a lot of water. Today may not have been my best day, but I can make tomorrow better.
The girls and I ran errands for a couple hours. I needed to get some yarn for a hat order, so I figured I'd go to Walmart, and swing by DI (a thrift shop) on the way there. So we went in to DI to get Bekka some shoes, since she has been complaining that hers are too small. I got her a great pair of sneakers with velcro for $3. Score. And then I saw the Halloween costumes. I need one for the half-marathon next month, and I actually bought one last week but was feeling buyer's remorse for spending $20 on a costume when I already spent $65 on the race. That's when I realized I forgot to grab the costume to return to Walmart. But anyway, I looked through all the stuff and pulled out 6 or so to try on. I narrowed it down to 3 that fit reasonably well and were cute (two were $10 and one was $6). I couldn't decide, so I got all three... Oops. But that just means I won't need to worry about costumes for the next three years! Anyway, we got that, and I decided to swing home to pick up the other costume since I really should return it if I already got a replacement (and then some). I wanted to get the kids a treat for being so cooperative, so I got them each a small shake from McDonald's. I wanted to order a chocolate chip frappe so badly. Those are my weakness. In several ways. They're probably the #1 reason I put on weight this summer. But I decided to just get a large diet coke instead. (Do I get to count that toward my fluid intake? -- I was actually curious and found this article. That was about 30oz I think, but let's just count it as 16oz of fluid in case the caffeine and carbonation had some sort of negative effect.) I know that's not as good as drinking something like water or milk, but hey, it was better than what I wanted to get. Baby steps. And I felt proud of myself for not drinking 600 calories in one sitting...
Well, on the way to the store, my three-year-old decided she was done with her shake, and I hated the thought of it going to waste. That's when I realized something. I always finish my kids' food. I mean, if we order something for them and they don't eat it all, I feel bad throwing it out because of how much it cost, so I eat it. So today, I made a decision not to do that anymore. I would rather waste $2 than waste all the effort I have put into getting healthy. And in the long run, being healthy is going to save me so much more than $2. So I didn't finish their shakes.
Anyway, we went to Walmart, returned the costume, got our groceries, and of course they didn't even have the yarn I need. And the kids were getting tired and cranky, and so was I. Do you know what i wanted? Chocolate. Lots of it. But did I get any? No! I threw a bag of frozen stir fry veggies in the cart instead, since I've been craving those and I figure if I was going to splurge on something, it might as well be healthy. I also got some nonfat Greek yogurt. I love that stuff. Anyway, I got home and made some dinner rolls for a church dinner tonight. I had the bread machine mix and knead the dough for me while I was out shopping. Best $6 impulse buy ever (thank you, DI!) I tried one of the rolls to make sure I wasn't bringing anything gross for other people to eat. I'm not a big bread maker. I wish I were, and maybe one day I will be. But they cooked way faster than the recipe said they would, and the outside was very golden, and kind of hard, so I wanted to test to make sure they cooked right. They were fine, really yummy actually, despite the very hard exterior. I think I was supposed to let them rise after rolling them into balls. Oops... Next time! Anyway, I also ate a 6oz container of yogurt and had 16oz of water with it.
So we went to the church activity, which was a dinner. I tried to keep track of what I was eating, but didn't get a chance to look up calories until I got home. Guess who went over. By a lot. I mean, I just had to estimate things, and it's possible I was off. But there was barbecue pulled pork and some cheesy potato casserole, and dinner rolls. And then there was homemade cobbler with vanilla ice cream. With my estimates, my daily calories came to about 2200. I'm feeling pretty bummed about that, but it just made me realize how much I need to work on recognizing portions. Also how helpful it is to plan food out in advance.
So once again, I didn't exercise, I went way over my calories, but at least I drank a lot of water. Today may not have been my best day, but I can make tomorrow better.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Recipe: Filipino Eggs and Rice
So this is something a grew up eating, and never realized that it wasn't a common thing until I got married and my husband asked me what the heck I was making. He now loves it, which is good news for me. Anyway, it's just rice, with fried eggs and ketchup. Pretty basic. I always have hubby make the eggs, because he's so much better than me. But I've been having a lot of luck lately and managed to make some perfect fried eggs. I made two, but decided to only have one, because of all the calories in the rice. So I just cooked the other one longer and gave it to the kids. Anyway, I love the contrast of colors here. So pretty :)
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Day 4: Feeling Empowered
So after I blogged last night, hubby called to let me know we were invited for ice cream at our friends' house. He was there with the youth from church (that's his calling right now) and the other adviser is my friend's husband. Anyway, she made ice cream for everyone and invited the girls and me to come join them for the treat. I really struggled with whether or not to go. It would be much easier to stay home and not face the temptation. But I wanted to visit with my friend, and they live almost exactly half a mile away, so I figured I could walk and get in at least a mile of exercise. So I put the girls in the stroller and decided that I just wouldn't eat any ice cream. We got there (and let me tell you, pushing a double stroller with two kids uphill is a lot harder than going jogging by myself) and of course my friend offered us all ice cream. Homemade ice cream. But I was already at 1500 calories, or close enough anyway. So I just didn't have any. At first I thought, maybe I could just have a couple bites. But I'm learning to know myself a lot more, and once I start, it's a lot harder for me to stop. I was so proud of myself for not giving in! I made a good decision, and I stuck with it! When we got home, I was kind of hungry, since I pretty much only ate carbs yesterday, which just doesn't fill you up as much for the calories. But I felt empowered by my most recent good (and difficult) decision, so I just had a big glass of ice water (probably another 16oz) and worked on crocheting a hat order (you can't eat when you're crocheting!)
Coming off of my big successes last night, I woke up this morning feeling empowered to make more good decisions. I made a delicious egg white omelet and had 16oz of water with it. For lunch I made a wrap -- with no cheese! I love cheese, so saying no to it is a BIG accomplishment. I had another 16oz of water -- hurray for staying hydrated! I did so well for breakfast and lunch, I decided to treat myself with a bibingka. I have no idea how many calories are in one of these. I've looked up a bunch of them and they all had such different information, so I decided to pick one on the high end of the middle range. That's about 400 calories. Apparently, I'm the only one at home that is going to eat these, and my grandparents sent us back with a half dozen of them. So I need to eat them when I'm doing well and feeling in control, or I'll end up eating all of them at once! They're a wonderfully delightful Filipino dessert, kind of like a buttery pound cake made with rice flour and shredded coconut. It's topped with some kind of cheese, kind of like a cheese danish. And they're made in a banana leaf. How could you turn down something made in nature's cupcake wrapper? Anyway, I had the last 4 oz of my almond-coconut milk and 16oz of water with my treat. For dinner I had fruits and vegetables (with ranch dip) at a women's activity I had at the church. Then came home and had a bag of popcorn while hubby and I browsed the interweb. I had about 24oz of water with that, and my calorie total was about 1200.
Since the last two days were spent recovering (read: using the excuse of feeling a bit under the weather to be extra lazy), the house was a total disaster this morning. I didn't get an official workout in today (besides a short walk to and from the church tonight), but I cleaned lots. That counts as something right? I logged two complete hours, for about 200 calories burned (I think), so I feel a little justified calling it exercise :)
Calories: check. Water: check. Exercise: check-ish. I'd say today was a success!
(P.S. Here is a picture of a bibingka. They're about the size of a big muffin. They're not as tall, but they're a lot denser. Anyway, they are absolutely delicious warmed up because then you can appreciate the buttery goodness. It's really easy to eat lots of this, that's why I can only have them when I'm really feeling in control. I still have four tempting me in the fridge)
Coming off of my big successes last night, I woke up this morning feeling empowered to make more good decisions. I made a delicious egg white omelet and had 16oz of water with it. For lunch I made a wrap -- with no cheese! I love cheese, so saying no to it is a BIG accomplishment. I had another 16oz of water -- hurray for staying hydrated! I did so well for breakfast and lunch, I decided to treat myself with a bibingka. I have no idea how many calories are in one of these. I've looked up a bunch of them and they all had such different information, so I decided to pick one on the high end of the middle range. That's about 400 calories. Apparently, I'm the only one at home that is going to eat these, and my grandparents sent us back with a half dozen of them. So I need to eat them when I'm doing well and feeling in control, or I'll end up eating all of them at once! They're a wonderfully delightful Filipino dessert, kind of like a buttery pound cake made with rice flour and shredded coconut. It's topped with some kind of cheese, kind of like a cheese danish. And they're made in a banana leaf. How could you turn down something made in nature's cupcake wrapper? Anyway, I had the last 4 oz of my almond-coconut milk and 16oz of water with my treat. For dinner I had fruits and vegetables (with ranch dip) at a women's activity I had at the church. Then came home and had a bag of popcorn while hubby and I browsed the interweb. I had about 24oz of water with that, and my calorie total was about 1200.
Since the last two days were spent recovering (read: using the excuse of feeling a bit under the weather to be extra lazy), the house was a total disaster this morning. I didn't get an official workout in today (besides a short walk to and from the church tonight), but I cleaned lots. That counts as something right? I logged two complete hours, for about 200 calories burned (I think), so I feel a little justified calling it exercise :)
Calories: check. Water: check. Exercise: check-ish. I'd say today was a success!
(P.S. Here is a picture of a bibingka. They're about the size of a big muffin. They're not as tall, but they're a lot denser. Anyway, they are absolutely delicious warmed up because then you can appreciate the buttery goodness. It's really easy to eat lots of this, that's why I can only have them when I'm really feeling in control. I still have four tempting me in the fridge)
Recipe: Chicken and Mushroom Wrap
I love using Flat Out flatbread for wraps. I either get them at Costco (but I've only seen the original flavor there) or at Smith's when I find them on the bakery sale rack (and then I stock up on the other flavors like tomato, Italian, multigrain). I just keep out one package at a time and throw all the rest in the freezer, and they keep super well that way. Anyway, today I used a tomato one, put on a slice of chicken and two sliced mushrooms and put it in the microwave for 20 seconds. I always do this, so it's a little bit warm and so the flatbread rolls up nicely without breaking. I also pulled out a new package from the freezer, so this helped make sure there weren't any icy spots. And when I use cheese (maybe I should get some veggie cheese, which I actually like) I'll put it over the mushrooms and then when I heat it up it gets all melty and wonderful. But I think next time I'll use two slices of chicken if I'm leaving of the cheese. Anyway, after that, I put on a teaspoon of mayo and a teaspoon of mustard. I should get the light mayo made with olive oil to cut some extra calories. Well, then I just put on two leaves of green leaf lettuce and rolled it up, and voila! Lunch is served!
Recipe: Egg White Omelet with Chacon
After feeling incredibly unsatisfied with my carb-a-licious menu yesterday, I decided to start today off right: with protein! So I got out my good ol' carton of eggs and looked through the fridge for some mix-ins. I didn't want it to be the same thing I had on Tuesday, even though I didn't really have anything else to put in. So I pulled out the sliced chicken, mushrooms, and spinach. I cut up a slice of chicken and used some olive oil baking spray to crisp it up. I honestly wasn't sure what it would turn into, and it first all it did was get warm. Then I started seeing this beautiful caramelization, and the pieces actually began popping out of the pan. Once they looked nice and crispy, and tested a piece. While it could never fool anyone into thinking it was real bacon, it was about as good of a substitute as I've ever had. It reminded me a lot of the turkey bacon I've spent lots of money on (I don't know why this surprised me), but cost way, way less. And I think if you cut it up even smaller and got a nice, even caramelization all over, you could definitely use it as bacon crumbles. Anyway, I decided to call my invention "chacon." You know, "chicken bacon" minus "icken b." I'm only half serious about that. It sounds ridiculous. But it's not like I'm actually trying to market it to anyone under that name. Here is a picture of my beautiful, crispy chacon.
Well, I set that aside, then used half a teaspoon of unsalted butter to saute 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms, sprinkled with some ground red pepper. As the mushrooms were starting to look good and cooked, I tossed in about a cup of fresh spinach and kept stirring things around until the spinach was wilty, then I set it all aside. Then I used some more olive oil cooking spray in my perfect little pan, and made an egg white omelet from three eggs. I've never had much success making a pretty omelet -- it always falls apart on me. But I did it today! I couldn't fit all my chacon pieces into the omelet (no such thing as too much bacon -- or chacon if you're trying to be healthy -- but definitely such a thing as an omelet too small to hold all the glory). So I sprinkled the leftover chacon on top, then added some salsa and a dollop of sour cream. I made a very, very conscious decision not to use the Tillamook cheddar tempting me in the fridge (I was so excited to see it on sale, since we usually just buy the store brand, which just isn't quite as good). Anyway, the sour cream was my consolation, to add a little more richness to the dish. I wish my blue plates hadn't been dirty. I love using them for pictures because they contrast the food so much more. The salsa and chacon kind of blend in with this one. Anyway, at 155 calories, this breakfast was delicious, filling, AND totally in line with my health goals.
Well, I set that aside, then used half a teaspoon of unsalted butter to saute 1/2 cup of chopped mushrooms, sprinkled with some ground red pepper. As the mushrooms were starting to look good and cooked, I tossed in about a cup of fresh spinach and kept stirring things around until the spinach was wilty, then I set it all aside. Then I used some more olive oil cooking spray in my perfect little pan, and made an egg white omelet from three eggs. I've never had much success making a pretty omelet -- it always falls apart on me. But I did it today! I couldn't fit all my chacon pieces into the omelet (no such thing as too much bacon -- or chacon if you're trying to be healthy -- but definitely such a thing as an omelet too small to hold all the glory). So I sprinkled the leftover chacon on top, then added some salsa and a dollop of sour cream. I made a very, very conscious decision not to use the Tillamook cheddar tempting me in the fridge (I was so excited to see it on sale, since we usually just buy the store brand, which just isn't quite as good). Anyway, the sour cream was my consolation, to add a little more richness to the dish. I wish my blue plates hadn't been dirty. I love using them for pictures because they contrast the food so much more. The salsa and chacon kind of blend in with this one. Anyway, at 155 calories, this breakfast was delicious, filling, AND totally in line with my health goals.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Day 3: Back on Track(ish)
I'm bummed I already messed up on my whole "I'm going to be super awesome and healthy from now on" deal. But I can't let past mistakes poorly effect me. I just need to make good decisions today. I woke up feeling kind of sick -- just a cold, but enough to make me not want to go out to a workout class. As much as I'd love to lose 2 pounds every week, I don't think I should overly push myself and risk getting sicker, or injuring myself, or getting so overwhelmed that I give up. So I'm taking it easy today, but still being good.
For breakfast I had a slice of sourdough bread with unsalted butter, and 8oz of water. For lunch I had a light yogurt and the other half of that bibingka, with another 16oz of water. Second lunch was a cup of pancit noodles, with a cup of water. Snack was half a bag of light popcorn, with another 16oz of water. Dinner was two slices of buttered sourdough toast, and 16oz of water. And dessert/coping-with-screaming-kids was two squares of Ghiradelli chocolate. All that brought my total to about 1475 calories, and 8 glasses of water. So technically on track, but not great. Especially since I didn't exercise. All those carbs really make me want to snack more, but I'm going to be strong tonight. In fact, I think I'll go brush my teeth now and just keep a bottle of water next to me. By the way, carbs are super calorie dense. I mean, I hit my calorie limit without even eating very much, just because I chose poor foods. I have salad veggies, but I haven't been in the mood for that. I really want stir fry, but I don't have the right kind of vegetables for that. Guess I either need to go stock up on healthy options or change my cravings! Anyway, today was a 2/3 success, so I guess I get a silver star for that.
For breakfast I had a slice of sourdough bread with unsalted butter, and 8oz of water. For lunch I had a light yogurt and the other half of that bibingka, with another 16oz of water. Second lunch was a cup of pancit noodles, with a cup of water. Snack was half a bag of light popcorn, with another 16oz of water. Dinner was two slices of buttered sourdough toast, and 16oz of water. And dessert/coping-with-screaming-kids was two squares of Ghiradelli chocolate. All that brought my total to about 1475 calories, and 8 glasses of water. So technically on track, but not great. Especially since I didn't exercise. All those carbs really make me want to snack more, but I'm going to be strong tonight. In fact, I think I'll go brush my teeth now and just keep a bottle of water next to me. By the way, carbs are super calorie dense. I mean, I hit my calorie limit without even eating very much, just because I chose poor foods. I have salad veggies, but I haven't been in the mood for that. I really want stir fry, but I don't have the right kind of vegetables for that. Guess I either need to go stock up on healthy options or change my cravings! Anyway, today was a 2/3 success, so I guess I get a silver star for that.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Day 2: Not Giving Up
Well, it was a little easier to get up this morning, even though I feel like I'm constantly running on empty. In addition to this concerted effort to be healthier, I am also trying to keep up with the messes my two daughters make, catch up on cleaning the house, and going through all the boxes in the shed to organize and consolidate (and get rid of all the excess). Oh, and I've got my Etsy business to keep up with. So I'm a busy, busy woman. It'll get easier, right? Well, it will once I'm caught up on cleaning, and only have to maintain the house. And once I get through the shed (though I suspect that will take a couple months even if I work on it every day). Anyway, despite getting up on time, I still felt tired and sluggish all day. I didn't exercise, and feeling sore from yesterday didn't help.
Well, I started out the day really well. I got up and made omelets for the girls and me. Mine had one egg and two egg whites, theirs had one egg and two yolks. Mine had half a slice of chicken breast lunch meat, two sliced mushrooms, a handful of spinach, and a small sliced garden tomato (thank you neighbors!). It was seasoned with rosemary, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper. The girls' had the other half of the chicken and an ounce of cheddar. All that ooey, gooey, melty cheese looked so good -- but I chose to be strong and say no to cheese. Cheese is my weakness, but it's the only way I have a chance of convincing my kids to eat anything, so we're pretty well stocked up on it. Can I go a year without cheese? I doubt it. In fact, I think it's a great snack if you make sure to portion it out right. But maybe I don't need to put it in other foods (unless it's something like lasagna, you just can't have that without cheese). I can't swear off cheesy eggs for a year. But I could decide that for today, and I'm only thinking about the choices I have to make today, I could leave the cheese off and still enjoy my breakfast. In fact, it made it easier to taste the vegetables. And like I said, I'm starting to crave vegetables, which is new and strange, and a comforting sign that I'm on the right track.
For lunch I had a light yogurt, then a bag of light popcorn (one of these days I'll get an air popper). I added 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 tsp of sugar to the popcorn to make a slightly sweet treat. While I think it was pretty good choice to satisfy my sweet tooth, I think it was what led me downhill the rest of the day. Well, maybe. I had half a bibingka (a Filipino cake made with rice flour, coconut, butter, stuff like that) as an afternoon snack. I told myself I would call that my dessert for the day, and even managed to avoid the chocolate hiding in my cupboard.
But then I went shopping. I got all our groceries and things that we needed, and by the time I got to the lines, the kids were antsy and noisy. I finally got up to the cash register and as the cashier gave me my total, I couldn't find my credit card. I was flustered and frustrated as I asked her if she could put my transaction on hold. I was just hoping and praying it fell out in the car, otherwise I'd have to drive all the way home and grab my check book. Thankfully, it was in the car, but by this point I felt so tired and overwhelmed that I decided to grab food from the deli for dinner. I told myself I would be good. I measured out portions and was on track to have a 500-calorie dinner of chicken and end the day at 1200 calories. But then it was just sitting there, and I wasn't full, and we didn't have anything quick and healthy, so I ended up eating more. A lot more. I ended up having about 2100 calories today instead.
I feel really disappointed with myself. I was doing so well and it's only my second day. How embarrassing. I didn't exercise, and I went way over my calories. I did have about 10 cups of water, so at least I got one thing right. I'm feeling overwhelmed, and I know something has to give, but I think that my health deserves to be a top priority right now. I've always put it on the back burner, only giving it any attention if I had leftover time. To be honest, I want to give this whole thing up. I haven't shared this blog with anyone yet. It would be so easy to just go back to what I'm comfortable with. But something needs to change, and I need to take control of my own health. I'm embarrassed that I couldn't even go two straight days being good. But I'm proud of myself for not giving up. I won't. I'll keep trying, I'll keep fighting. I knew I wouldn't be perfect (although I was hoping my initial vigor would carry me a bit further). I can't change today. All I can do is focus on tomorrow, and strive to make good decisions.
Well, I started out the day really well. I got up and made omelets for the girls and me. Mine had one egg and two egg whites, theirs had one egg and two yolks. Mine had half a slice of chicken breast lunch meat, two sliced mushrooms, a handful of spinach, and a small sliced garden tomato (thank you neighbors!). It was seasoned with rosemary, sea salt, and fresh cracked pepper. The girls' had the other half of the chicken and an ounce of cheddar. All that ooey, gooey, melty cheese looked so good -- but I chose to be strong and say no to cheese. Cheese is my weakness, but it's the only way I have a chance of convincing my kids to eat anything, so we're pretty well stocked up on it. Can I go a year without cheese? I doubt it. In fact, I think it's a great snack if you make sure to portion it out right. But maybe I don't need to put it in other foods (unless it's something like lasagna, you just can't have that without cheese). I can't swear off cheesy eggs for a year. But I could decide that for today, and I'm only thinking about the choices I have to make today, I could leave the cheese off and still enjoy my breakfast. In fact, it made it easier to taste the vegetables. And like I said, I'm starting to crave vegetables, which is new and strange, and a comforting sign that I'm on the right track.
For lunch I had a light yogurt, then a bag of light popcorn (one of these days I'll get an air popper). I added 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 tsp of sugar to the popcorn to make a slightly sweet treat. While I think it was pretty good choice to satisfy my sweet tooth, I think it was what led me downhill the rest of the day. Well, maybe. I had half a bibingka (a Filipino cake made with rice flour, coconut, butter, stuff like that) as an afternoon snack. I told myself I would call that my dessert for the day, and even managed to avoid the chocolate hiding in my cupboard.
But then I went shopping. I got all our groceries and things that we needed, and by the time I got to the lines, the kids were antsy and noisy. I finally got up to the cash register and as the cashier gave me my total, I couldn't find my credit card. I was flustered and frustrated as I asked her if she could put my transaction on hold. I was just hoping and praying it fell out in the car, otherwise I'd have to drive all the way home and grab my check book. Thankfully, it was in the car, but by this point I felt so tired and overwhelmed that I decided to grab food from the deli for dinner. I told myself I would be good. I measured out portions and was on track to have a 500-calorie dinner of chicken and end the day at 1200 calories. But then it was just sitting there, and I wasn't full, and we didn't have anything quick and healthy, so I ended up eating more. A lot more. I ended up having about 2100 calories today instead.
I feel really disappointed with myself. I was doing so well and it's only my second day. How embarrassing. I didn't exercise, and I went way over my calories. I did have about 10 cups of water, so at least I got one thing right. I'm feeling overwhelmed, and I know something has to give, but I think that my health deserves to be a top priority right now. I've always put it on the back burner, only giving it any attention if I had leftover time. To be honest, I want to give this whole thing up. I haven't shared this blog with anyone yet. It would be so easy to just go back to what I'm comfortable with. But something needs to change, and I need to take control of my own health. I'm embarrassed that I couldn't even go two straight days being good. But I'm proud of myself for not giving up. I won't. I'll keep trying, I'll keep fighting. I knew I wouldn't be perfect (although I was hoping my initial vigor would carry me a bit further). I can't change today. All I can do is focus on tomorrow, and strive to make good decisions.
Recipe: Garden Omelet
I love eating eggs. They're so versatile, and so protein-y. Plus, they're cheap, which is very important when you're living on a student budget. So I decided to make eggs for breakfast today, since I didn't have to hurry off to a workout class this morning. I have a nifty microwave omelet dish that I like to use because although cooking eggs in the microwave seems super ghetto to me, you don't need any butter or oil when you use it. Anyway, it's shaped like a circle, but divided in two compartments with a hinge, so once it's cooked you can fold it and have a pretty omelet. Instead of doing that, I made my healthy omelet on one side, and the girls' calorie-packed omelet on the other side (somehow they are both underweight).
So here is what I put in my open-faced garden omelet:
1 whole egg
2 egg whites
2 egg whites
1/2 slice chicken breast lunch meat (cut up in 1/2" squares)
2 sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1 sliced small tomato
Rosemary
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper
2 sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1 sliced small tomato
Rosemary
Sea salt
Fresh cracked pepper
Monday, September 16, 2013
Recipe: Teriyaki Salmon and Chop Suey
My grandparents sent us home with lots of leftovers, which I want to use up before they go bad. But I get tired of eating the same thing over and over, so I wanted to use the leftovers to make something else. So what I came up with was a bed of white rice (1/2 cup), surrounded by 1 cup of vegetable chop suey, topped with 2oz canned pink salmon, and drizzled with teriyaki sauce. Fresh salmon would have been amazing, but in addition to losing weight, I'm trying to be better about budgeting and saving money. So canned salmon it was. I've had a few cans of this sitting in the pantry, and have never really known what to do with it. Like I said, fresh salmon would have been wonderful, but this was pretty dang good too. It wasn't as visually stunning as it could have been with a nice grilled salmon fillet on top, but the taste was all there. It came out to about 250 calories (I thought it would be more) so I decided to make myself a second plate. It was delicious, satisfying, and filling. Since I don't actually know how to make chop suey, I'll just make stir fry veggies next time. And there will definitely be a next time. And next time I'd love to make it with brown rice (the white rice was leftovers, as was the chop suey). And have more vegetables. After eating this tonight, I've been craving vegetables. Do you know how wonderful it feels to actually crave vegetables? This is definitely something new to me, and I'm totally stoked because it means my body is growing accustomed to being healthy!
Day 1: Let's Get It Started (Weigh-In/Photo)
Well, this morning I stepped on the scale and saw a number I hoped to never see again: 186 -- really anything over 175 is bad news and means I've managed to undo a lot of work. But that's where I'm starting, and I hope to make consistent and gradual progress down toward a healthier weight. This is what I look like today. Even though I'm not happy with the way my body looks, I chose tight clothing so I could wear it for every photo and make it easier to see how I'm changing. Hopefully I'll start seeing changes over the next few months, so I won't have to feel so embarrassed about posting a picture like this.
It was so hard to get up this morning. After a whirlwind weekend full of Filipino food, cake, and soda -- as well as 12 hours in the car, eating fast food and snacks -- my body just wanted to stay in bed. But I knew it was the first of many seemingly small decisions I will make over the next year, so I dragged myself out from under the covers and put on my workout clothes. My church stake (made up of about 8 local wards, or congregations) hosts free workout classes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning. This is an incredible resource I've only taken advantage of on a few occasions. But I got myself (and my daughters) down there on time. Today's hour-long class was a mix of aerobics, kick boxing, and strength training. I don't know if it has an official name, but that's what we did. Boy did it tire me out, and I'm sure my arms are going to be feeling it tomorrow (for all that I'm able to jog 7 miles now, I haven't done a thing with my arms in a long time).
Since I had such a hard time getting up this morning (and took 30 minutes longer than I planned), I just grabbed a granola bar to give me something as I was headed out to the workout class. I really don't think it was enough, so I'll have to plan better next time. I got home and had a cup of almond-coconut milk (only 60 calories, and I love the taste). I try not to drink any of my calories, unless I measure it and consciously consider it a treat or snack. I also replenished fluids with 16oz of water (in addition to the 8oz or so I had during the workout). And I had a low-carb yogurt (Kroger's Carbmaster "cultured dairy blend") to tie me over until lunch. I don't actually feel super hungry in the morning, and if I eat a large breakfast, it makes me overeat throughout the rest of the day.
For lunch I made a wrap using a multigrain wrap, deli sliced chicken breast, sliced mushrooms, an ounce of cheddar, green leaf lettuce, and a bit of mayo and mustard. I had 8oz of water with that, and another 8oz throughout the afternoon as I cleaned around the house. I had two Ghiradelli dark chocolate and sea salt caramel squares when the kids were acting up (I'm an emotional eater, but I'm learning to tone it down). I had a late afternoon snack of pancit (Filipino noodles) and vegetable chop suey (both leftovers from this weekend), along with another 16oz of water. Then for dinner I had teriyaki salmon with white rice and vegetable chop suey. Another 16oz of water, and I made a conscious (and very difficult) decision to forego any dessert, since I already had chocolate in the afternoon. All of that brought my total calorie consumption to 1520. I'm not sure how many calories I burned exercising, since it wasn't intense the whole hour, and some parts actually seemed easy. So I estimated about 300 calories, which would put my net calories at 1200 -- right where I wanted to be after everything I ate this weekend. And I got in 8 cups of water (plus another cup during my workout and a cup of almond-coconut milk).
Mood wise, I was really grumpy today. Probably because I was tired. And my body was going through junk food withdrawals. I also had a headache all evening -- not the debilitating kind, just the uncomfortable and annoying kind.
Exercise, check. Calorie limit, check. Water intake, check. I'd say today was a success! One day down, 364 to go. But all I need to focus on is making tomorrow a success too. I can do this!
Since I had such a hard time getting up this morning (and took 30 minutes longer than I planned), I just grabbed a granola bar to give me something as I was headed out to the workout class. I really don't think it was enough, so I'll have to plan better next time. I got home and had a cup of almond-coconut milk (only 60 calories, and I love the taste). I try not to drink any of my calories, unless I measure it and consciously consider it a treat or snack. I also replenished fluids with 16oz of water (in addition to the 8oz or so I had during the workout). And I had a low-carb yogurt (Kroger's Carbmaster "cultured dairy blend") to tie me over until lunch. I don't actually feel super hungry in the morning, and if I eat a large breakfast, it makes me overeat throughout the rest of the day.
For lunch I made a wrap using a multigrain wrap, deli sliced chicken breast, sliced mushrooms, an ounce of cheddar, green leaf lettuce, and a bit of mayo and mustard. I had 8oz of water with that, and another 8oz throughout the afternoon as I cleaned around the house. I had two Ghiradelli dark chocolate and sea salt caramel squares when the kids were acting up (I'm an emotional eater, but I'm learning to tone it down). I had a late afternoon snack of pancit (Filipino noodles) and vegetable chop suey (both leftovers from this weekend), along with another 16oz of water. Then for dinner I had teriyaki salmon with white rice and vegetable chop suey. Another 16oz of water, and I made a conscious (and very difficult) decision to forego any dessert, since I already had chocolate in the afternoon. All of that brought my total calorie consumption to 1520. I'm not sure how many calories I burned exercising, since it wasn't intense the whole hour, and some parts actually seemed easy. So I estimated about 300 calories, which would put my net calories at 1200 -- right where I wanted to be after everything I ate this weekend. And I got in 8 cups of water (plus another cup during my workout and a cup of almond-coconut milk).
Mood wise, I was really grumpy today. Probably because I was tired. And my body was going through junk food withdrawals. I also had a headache all evening -- not the debilitating kind, just the uncomfortable and annoying kind.
Exercise, check. Calorie limit, check. Water intake, check. I'd say today was a success! One day down, 364 to go. But all I need to focus on is making tomorrow a success too. I can do this!
Sunday, September 15, 2013
By Small Means
This time last year, my youngest daughter was 3 months old and I was in the middle of the Couch to 5k running program, which I started to lose some pregnancy weight. I remember feeling elated at being able to jog for more than a minute, then at being able to jog a full mile (something I rarely even did when I pole vaulted in high school). I ran my first race, a Santa Run 5k, in December 2012. My husband ran it with me and managed to encourage me to complete it in just under 35 minutes, definitely my fastest time ever.
Since then, I've jogged off and on, but never with the same consistency and diligence as I did when I was working toward a race I had already paid for and committed to running. I joined some friends for a Freedom Run 5k this past April, then did a Color Me Rad 5k with some other friends in June. I enjoyed the Color Me Rad a lot, because it was just a fun atmosphere, and it actually helped me forget that I don't like running. Or rather, it helped me realize that maybe I could learn to enjoy it. I had so much fun, I signed up to do another Color Me Rad 5k this month (it's now in 13 days).
About 7 weeks ago, I saw that one of my friends was going to run a half-marathon. At the beginning of the year, I set a goal to run a 10k by June (my daughter's birthday). It didn't happen, and I kind of felt disappointed, even though I had run the other two 5k's. I have also thought about how I would love to work up to longer races. So I started a 14-week training program just to see if I could actually do it. At the end of the third week, I ran my first 4-mile run. I didn't die, so I decided to go ahead and sign up for the race. I've now done my longest run of 7 miles (well, jogging with some walking thrown in there), which took me about 1 hour and 35 minutes. I'm far from fast, but I think it's more important for me to focus on actually going the distance before I worry too much about speed. I'm excited, and nervous, a little bit frightened, and incredibly proud of myself.
It's hard to believe how far I've come in just a year. On the other hand, I regret how many opportunities I have wasted to improve and strengthen myself. I have managed to lose some weight -- about 20 pounds, but I gained 10 back over the summer. I have not made nearly as much progress in the last 8 months as I should have though, and mostly because I'll be good for a day or two, then fall back on my terribly unhealthy eating habits and do more harm than I did good. Fortunately I can still squeeze into my "skinny" pants (size 14, down from size 18 that I was wearing when my daughter was born last year), so I think some of the weight gain might actually be from building muscle.
I know I need to combine healthy eating with exercising if I truly want to earn a healthy body. It's not just about losing weight any more -- I realize that I am in better shape now than I was in high school, even though I weigh significantly more. I may have been skinny as a teenager, but I wasn't strong. And now I may be a little heavier than I'd like to be, but I am growing stronger.
It is a long process. It is a slow process. It is a gradual process. I cannot undo years of bad habits overnight. And I admit, I get overwhelmed and discouraged when I don't see results right away. So I have decided to track my progress, and record my transformation from a sort-of-getting-fit-but-still-far-from-my-goals woman into the woman I want to be -- a woman who sets a good example to her children and to others about how to live a healthy life.
So what do I want? I want to be able to run a half-marathon (well, complete a half-marathon, even if I have to walk quite a bit of it). I want to fit into the clothes I wore when I met my husband five and a half years ago (I was a little bit overweight even then, so I'm sure I can fit in them even though I've had three kids). I want to be in my optimum weight range of 120-130 pounds. I want to feel comfortable in my own skin. I want to feel strong and healthy. I want to have energy. I want to crave healthy food. I want to inspire others to take the journey to health with me.
On September 15th, 2014, I want to take a look at the past year and be proud of the progress I have made and the changes I have implemented. The year will pass no matter what I do. I can become overwhelmed and give up, or I can take life one day at a time. I can take each day one decision at a time -- and choose to be healthy. I know I will mess up. I know I will have days where I feel like giving up. I know I will feel discouraged at times. But if I forgive myself and make the right decision the next time, I will still be able to make incredible changes.
I am so excited to record the transformation I will be making over the next year. I won't see a change tomorrow. I won't see a change next week. But I hope by next month I will start to notice a difference in my body. And surely after an entire year, the difference will be easy to see. I can do it, I can make it. Great feats are accomplished by small means. One day at a time, one choice at a time.
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