Wednesday: cooking!

I'm at home cooking up a storm: Michigan white bean soup (from the Weight Watchers cookbook), green beans, bacon, and sauce for tomorrow night's scallops, winter spiced molten cakes (also for tomorrow night), acorn squash (for whenever, freezer, etc). YUM!

cereal, milk, coffee: 4

licks of batter (bad...): 2

six egg-white omelet with feta, onions, peppers, tomatoes, little light cream-- cooked in a little olive oil: 6

apricots: 1

JW upper and lower body

I am amazed... 4:15 and still not hungry after my whopper of a lunch. All that protein has really held me through!!!

1 slice turkey, apple: 1

1/2 piece feta chicken, rice+ curried veggies, 1/2 c baked/smashed acorn squash w/butter and maple syrup: 8

Bites of Michael's leftovers...

I didn't count the bites, though I should probably. But without those bites I ate 22 today!! My new target. I could have had less at dinner, but I made so much food today, and we had leftovers. I was overwhelmed with options!! Still, very happy to have eaten pretty much at my new target.

Tuesday, feeling more in control

Staying within my points yesterday really helped me to feel more in control. I have a renewed sense of optimism about my ability to reach my next goal: 155.

I need to drop a point since I'm in the 150s now... I also have decided that this is it, I'm weaning Michael. So, I'll lose my nursing points too. Sucks. I have to go calculate what I'm allowed to eat now. Probably 21 points... maybe 20?? UGH!!!!

cereal, milk, coffee: 4

2 mini pretzels dipped in choc+ 1 mini chocolate: 3

lunch out with a friend @ La Madeline--my new favorite place to eat now that I've figured out the menu
French onion soup with one pinch cheese and two small pieces pieces (3), spinach salad w/few pecans and little dressing (2): 5

small apple: 1
chocolate crinkle cookie (brought in from someone--home made. Still, not REALLY worth it): 2

1 slice turkey: .5

3/4 c white rice, 1 c veggie Indian thingy: 6
salad w/OO/Balsamic vinegar

1/2 c. low-fat ice cream: 2

23.5 eaten

Monday

cereal, milk, coffee: 4

left over yule log someone brought in from home... yum. 4

oatmeal: 4

turkey sandwich: 5

1/2 c wheatberry salad: 2

apple: 1


29 min cardio (elliptical machine)

pork chop, Indian veggies, 1/3 c jasmine rice, 1/3 c wheat berry salad, green salad w/balsamic vinegar: 6

went over by a point... but not terrible considering I was eating somewhat indiscriminately earlier in the day. Yule log... was it worth it???

Still, I managed to get in some exercise. Feel good about that. But now I'm EXHAUSTED. Going to bed. Pronto. Yes, at 8:15.

Back from vacation

We're home from nearly a week in Marquette. I exercised at the Y three days, and went sledding and shoveled snow on a fourth day. This morning I was 159 on the scale (after breakfast). This is encouraging. I did okay today. I went over by 1 point. Those dried apricots... I love them, but I need to stop eating them.

1/2 toddler muffin: 1
1.5 pieces French Toast with syrup: 5
coffee

dried apricots: 1

cottage cheese: 2

turkey sandwich, pita chips, apple: 7

40 min walk on hilly course pushing M in the BOB

bites of Michael's apple

apple cake (small piece--it was home made and very delicious): 4

egg+egg white, toast, BB, 1 chicken sausage: 6

Wednesday

Cereal, milk, coffee: 4

Turkey sandwich w avocado no mayo: 5

Carrots and pretzels: 2

Cottage cheese w/wheat germ: 2

Roasted eggplant: 1

40 min cardio, JW lower body routine, from memory. Some core.

Nuts: 2
Shared orange with kiddos

Feta chicken, salad w/ceasar dressing, roasted potatoes, roasted eggplant: 10

Fudge, wafer cookies (2), bite of cheese cake: 6

I ate 32 points. I have a feeling that's been my average this week. I
could have avoided the nuts. Dumb. I was hungry. Should have snacked
on veggies.

I guess this will be a maintenance week. Or maybe a small gain.

I did the JW routine in the studio at the Y in front of the big
mirror. I liked how my upper body looked. Lower body I didn't like as
much. So, that means keep working.

--
Sent from my mobile device

Tuesday, doing better

Cereal, milk, 1/2 pear, coffee: 5

Cottage cheese: 2

42 min elliptical machine, JW upper body, no cardio, from memory. :)

Bowl lentil, spinach soup, 1.5 small pieces bread, coffee, 1/4 apple
crumb muffin: 6

Few pretzels: 1
One v small espresso hazelnut biscotti 1
Apple, 3/4 orange: 2

Carrots

17 eaten so far. Dinner is 'beef stew': beef cubes, mushrooms, cream
of mushroom soup, onion soup mix. Noodles. Salad, made by me. What's a
girl to do???? It is the midwest after all.

--
Sent from my mobile device

1st Day: Struggle

egg, toast, BB, 1/2 grapefruit: 4

coffee

apple: 1

bites of various things packed for M: 2

Ran from terminal A gate 50 to terminal C gate 16, carrying bags or toddler

turkey sandwich, veggies: 5

5 rolo-pretzel thingys and 1 hershey's kiss: 3

coffee, diet coke.

Despite the rolo incident, I have actually only eaten 15 point so far! Amazing.

Dinner is salad and baked ziti. My plan is a huge plate of salad with 1 c baked ziti (for 6 points?). Then a SMALL piece of home made cheese cake. Like, a bite.

Sound okay, guys?

Perfect day

egg+egg white, toast w/BB: 4

coffee

cottage cheese: 2

Sledding for 45 minutes, carrying toddler up hill, walking up myself.

Veggies w/hummos: 1

feta chicken, salad w/home made Asian dressing: 7

1 piece chocolate (worth it!): 2

crispy curls, very few: 1

beef chili w/1/2 c brown rice, salad w/OO: 8

25 eaten

Snowbound Saturday

I am so proud of myself! I didn't overeat. Was active, productive. I had a great day!

cereal, milk, berries, coffee: 4.5

ham sandwich: 5

1/2 banana: 1

few licks of cookie batter: 1

yogurt, wheat germ, 1 tsp maple syrup: 3

25 minutes walking on treadmill, on an incline

small steak, sweet potato w/BB, salad with OO: 8

pieces of broken biscotti: 2

popcorn: 1?

Friday before the snowstorm

I'm a little afraid of the storm. Not because of the snow we'll get, but because I'm afraid I will use the home-boundedness as an excuse to eat. I was planning to cook while we're in the house--chili and feta chicken to freeze. I was also thinking of baking some cookies... that would be bad, right? That makes me sad. I love baking.

I will absolutely exercise tomorrow... not sure what yet. But something. At the very least tromping in the snow with the boys (see note below about shopping for a sled today).

cereal, milk, coffee: 4

apple: 1

running around like a mad woman looking for sleds--this counts as exercise!!

Lunch at La Madeline with a work colleague: 1 c. french onion soup (with little cheese, 3 toast thingys), spinach and mixed green salad w/strawberries, mushrooms and few pecans (1 tbsp), dressing on the side; one small piece bread: 6

veggies & 1 clementine

small piece salmon, steamed zucchini, 1/2 c (or less) beets, 3 slices roasted eggplant: 6

18 eaten so far. Will eat something else tonight, not sure what. 

Off to a bad start on Thursday

Okay, so not a great start to the day. I will do better.

I updated my ticker with my new goal weight: 155. That felt good.

cereal, blueberries, milk, coffee, 2 cookies, 1 piece of chocolate: 9

roasted veggies, green beans, roasted beats, roasted eggplant, 4 thin slices turkey, 5

3 clementines: 1

30 min elliptical machine -- woo hoo!

yogurt, apple: 3

someone gave me a holiday card with a mini box of Godiva chocolate taped to it!

18 so far

At party I did well. Two pieces of cheese, three small crackers, bite of pumpkin muffin, 1/2 c cut fruit, veggies, seltzer/diet coke. I count this all as 3 points.

Dinner was small portion salmon, beets, roasted veggies: 6 (maybe an over-estimation).

Then caved and ate 1 piece of Godiva, left the 2nd for Doug. Ate another bite of leftover muffin: 3

So, I've gone way over... for seemingly no reason.

Tomorrow is another day. I'm going to bed! or at least to read.

Intake for Wednesday

I have been quite busy today... drop-off at day care, grocery shopping, baking for tomorrow's party, roasting veggies....and working!

Have not yet exercised...

cereal, blueberries, milk, coffee: 5
(ate more cereal than usual so counting it as more)

1 c melon: 1

1.5 cups roasted beets, winter veggies: 2

1 mini pumpkin muffin: 1

1/2 large chicken breast, dried apricots & walnuts: 5

1/2 c yogurt, 1/2 c blueberries, 1/2 c fiber one: 3

Party for kids in our building: 2 small cookies, 1 butternut squash muffin, 1/2 banana, carrots, bites of mixed nuts, 1 bite-sized sweet bready thing of unknown name, edemame: 8

beets, green beans, 1/2 c winter veggies: 1
decaf tea

went over by 1... poor planning for the party. Also, no exercise today.

Goal

Well, it took me 3 months longer than planned, but this morning I reached my goal of 158. I have to admit, I'm a little shocked. I haven't been as careful lately. It's been harder to find time to exercise. Yet, I must be doing enough right! I'm happy. And, I'm making a new goal of 155. I'm not sure what time frame I want to set for myself.  For now, I want to get back to exercising 3 or more times/week. Once I manage to do that consistently, I'll see where I am on the scale and then set a goal.

Meanwhile, here are the latest measurements:


waist 31.5
hips 41
bust 36
upper thigh 22.5
upper arm 10.5

Feeling Down on Tuesday

I have been stagnating for weeks. Since we switched the day care routine I have not been able to find time to exercise regularly. My body doesn't feel as good and my brain is definitely suffering. I need to snap out of it. I have come a long way. Yesterday, I got the nicest compliment from a friend I haven't seen in a while. She was commenting on some pictures on Facebook, but it still made me feel just as good as if she had seen me in person. I know that I'm fine. I know it's fine to stay where I am for a while. But I can't help but compare myself to Jenna and Indya. Will I ever be a size 4 or 6? I really don't think so. Am I okay with that? I'm still on the fence. I can't help but think... I'll probably be pregnant again in a year and then my body will go to hell all over again. Not that it isn't worth working on right now!

I'm going to look at my calendar to see when I can work in some exercise this week. I know that will help me to feel better. Next week we will be at my in-law's house. I will plan to go to the Y every day and to do at least 30 minutes of exercise each and every day. That's the only way I'll make it through the week.

I have a good day of food planned out, so at least that's one challenge under control.

egg+egg white (cooked in my new non-stick pan with NO fat), bread, brummel and brown: 4
coffee

oatmeal, milk, splenda: 4
small apple: .5

37 minutes on elliptical machine, random mode, level 9. Felt GREAT!

sliced turkey, 2 wasa, wax beans, veggies: 4

cottage cheese, 2 clementines, coffee w/one pump syrup+milk: 4

banana: 2
chicken, green beans, rice, brummel and brown: 6

24.5 eaten

I should NOT eat anything else today. I'm done. But man, my sweet tooth. This is hard. Must focus.

Rough Monday

today was screwy... meetings out of the office. No food in the fridge, scavenged lunch and snack and did not make great choices. As a result, I'm feeling crabby and rushed. Also, M won't eat his dinner, which is making me stressed.

cereal, milk, blueberries, coffee: 4.5

graham crackers: 2

2 clementines, 1/2 c white beans, 1.5 c salad, fage 0% yogurt: 5
1/4 c party mix, few home made caramels, 1 bite of cake: 5

goldfish: 1

salmon, wax beans, peas: 5

22.5 eaten Will eat something later... apple, or 1/2 c lite ice cream I bought at the store while shopping for staples to get us through tomorrow.

Hanukkah Party

Today was my family"s annual Hanukkah party. I knew the fare would be
heavy so I tried to keep the morning light. Breakfast was an apple and
a peach yogurt, and 3 coffees with whole milk (one too many!).

Then for lunch I shared a scramble of lox and 3 eggs and 2 egg whites
with my brother, he ate most of it. I avoided the boxes of cookies and
rugela from Costco.

In the car on the way to the party I ate a 2nd apple and drank a diet
sprite. So far so good. No exercise, though. It was pouring out. And
too hard to do anything in the house.

I tried my best at the party. But, appetizer was flat-bread pizza and
garlic bread. I had 1.5 pieces of pizza. Skipped garlic bread but then
while waiting for the next course I ate 1.5 pieces of regular bread.
Then the salad, which of course was drenched in dressing--yuck. I prob
had 3/4 c. Main course I had chicken. It didn't have a lot of sauce,
but I'm sure it wasn't low cal. I had 1 rather large ravioli and 1/2 c
of the other pasta which was penne with pesto and broccoli. I fished
out as much broccoli as possible.

For dessert I had 4 bites of gelato--chocolate and pistachio. Drank
water and diet soda.

I'm not even going to bother to count this all up. I'm just starting
over tomorrow and will do my best to find time to exercise. I have a
mtg at the Department (of Health and Human Services) in the morning.
Not sure what the afternoon will hold or what time I'll get back to my
office.

--
Sent from my mobile device

Busy day

cereal, milk, kiwi, coffee: 5

turkey sandwich, veggies: 5

apple, yogurt: 3

2 veggie burgers, salad w/OO and balsamic vinegar, butternut squash soup, 1/2 c lentils: 7
leftover granola from M, leftover butternut squash muffin from M: 4

holding steady @ 159.5

I was even-steven this morning on the scale.

egg+egg white, toast, Brummel, 1/2 banana: 5

Zbar: 2 (was starving and it was in my purse)

carrots and drop of hummos

1 cup lentils: 4
apple: 1

yogurt w/mango and 1/2 c fiber one: 3

1 TJ chocolate & peppermint cookie (my neighbor gave it to me... ): 2
3 clementines: 1

JW upper and lower body

lemon pan grilled chicken breast, 1 c lentils: 7

dried apricots: 2

Ended the day perfectly at 25 points. I thought I had 3 points to spare but once I published the post I realized that I forgot to write down the yogurt in the afternoon. Still, a GREAT day. I'm so proud of myself!!!

Making my way

Last night I had 1 piece of pizza, plus a big salad with balsamic vinegar. Then I was still a little hungry so ate some Greek yogurt with splenda and 1/2 c of fiber one cereal and 4 strawberries. I think I stayed within my points, or went over by 1, despite chocolate mini-binge. Today I'm doing much better so far...

cereal, milk, strawberries, coffee: 5
1/2 banana: 1

turkey sandwich, 1 c. home made lentils: 9

The plan is to exercise at lunch... and... I DID IT! Thanks, Indya: 40 minutes on the elliptical machine, level 9 random hills. It felt great!!

apple: 1

3:45 and I'm hungry... or, at least my mouth is hungry. I think I'll get a caffeine-free coke. Take the edge off.

2 pieces of veggie pizza: 7, steamed veggies, 1/4 apple, skinny cow: 2: 9

25 eaten... must be done now... fearful that I will eat more.

Trying to get back on track...

cereal, milk, kiwi, coffee: 5

oatmeal, milk, splenda: 4

turkey sandwich, carrot sticks, 4 pieces of chocolate: 8

apple, 3 clementines: 2

19 eaten so far. The plan had been pizza for dinner. No way I can do that now. Or, I could have 1 piece of pizza for 4 points and then a lot of salad, and a veggie burger if I still feel hungry. That's an okay compromise for me.

Not so good on the weekend

I barely tracked Saturday and Sunday. I made my splurge Sunday since we had friends over. I failed to get in any meaningful exercise... I did a 1.5 hour walk, pushing Michael. But I went with a friend who wanted to do more talking than speed walking and so it wasn't that vigorous.

I had too many extra things yesterday for the splurge. Everything was delicious: desserts from the French bakery at the Dupont Farmers' Market, 2 pieces of Home Made pizza, 2 home made cookies, some cheese, also from Dupont Market; french toast for breakfast (1.5 pieces with syrup).

I balanced this with lentils for lunch, a huge salad to accompany the pizza. I avoided the crakers and just ate the cheese. No alcohol.

I didn't count these things up... I won't now either.

I was 160 or 159.5 on the scale this weekend... but I know that I need to remotivate if I want to meet my goal of being 160 or lower on the WW scale before the end of the year. I don't know why I'm having such trouble...

Tonight for dinner is leftover pizza and salad. Probably I should skip my morning snack in order to save points for the pizza. I'm feeling a little hungry. I did have breakfast at 6:30 (cereal, milk, kiwi, coffee). I need to start making an egg for breakfast again...

Friday...

This has not been my best week. I don't quite know what's wrong with me. Maybe emotional shock/recovery from Thanksgiving? Maybe the weather? I haven't gone crazy overboard but I'm not doing that well either. Today is better, but only slightly. Am I sabotaging myself?? Am I just bored? I am nearly solidly in the 150s... so why can't I motivate to stay focused?

cereal, milk, mango, coffee: 5

sliced turkey: 2

salad w/raisins: 1
sweet potato: 3
crispy curl lentil thingys: 2
1 Godiva chocolate: 2
Part of a tootsie Roll lollipop:1

Returning to this point on Monday... I can't remember what we ate for dinner on Friday. I *think* I stayed within my points for the day, but I can't be sure. We got home late since I stayed to play a little at day care pickup.

Hungry, again...

I know I don't have a tapeworm but honestly, I can't figure out why I've been feeling so hungry lately!!

cereal, milk, blueberries, coffee, 1/3 leftover banana, bites of M's oatmeal: 6

butternut squash soup: 2

celery, carrots, turkey sandwich: 5

2 chocolate covered almonds: 1

1 whole grapefruit: 2

I stopped at TJ on the way home to pick up milk, and a few other things. I bought 2 bags of the lentil crispy curls. I ate more than 1/2 of one of the bags. Shameful. Probably 4 servings (8 points) worth... needless to say, I wasn't hungry for dinner. I had some canellini beans and some edemame... probably 2 points...

So, ultimately I didn't do that badly today--over by 1 point as I write this... but it's disappointing to me that I couldn't control my snacking... eating from the bag on the drive home.

Working from home, sick with a cold, raining out

What a miserable day... I just want to eat carbs, or at least I did this morning... thus the graham crackers and pumpkin bread. But, then I got some exercise and had some lunch and now I no longer feel like eating. But I still don't feel well.

cereal, milk, blueberries, coffee: 4

pumpkin bread: 2
1 clementine

graham crackers: 1

1/2 turkey sandwich, apple and PB: 5

brisk 40 min walk

Lots of tea with milk: 1

butternut squash muffin: 3

small sweet potato: 3

salmon, salad w/OO, green beans... then, bites of M's untouched mac&cheese, 1/2 of his leftover muffin...probably 8 points, which means I went over by 3. I was hungry today... and I still feel like I want to eat more... :(

Tuesday

cereal, milk, blueberries: 5
coffee w/milk + 1 pump cin-dolce syrup: 1

turkey sandwich, cut up veggies: 5
1/2 clementine

yogurt, 2 clementines: 3

hummos and cracker: 2
small piece salmon, steamed green beans, 1/3 c black beans, 2 tbsp white rice: 7

pumpkin bread: 3

Gloomy Monday

The weather here is just horrible... rainy and dark. Makes me want to eat bready things. But, instead I had all the packed-from-home stuff. Worked out just fine. I'm even a little under in points this afternoon so I can have a cup of cocoa or something once I'm home.

cereal, milk, blueberries, coffee: 5

coffee

butternut squash soup, chicken: 5
small apple. .5

yogurt, 2 clemtines: 3

3/4 c white rice, 1 c chicken stirfry: 8
skinny cow: 2