Building a Body for Life

Not Moving

2010-02-25T08:46:00.002-05:00

I maintained this week. I won't lie, it was a little disappointing. However, last weekend we had friends over for a cross country ski weekend. While we burned a lot of calories skiing, we consumed a lot of wine and yummy treats. I felt pretty down about the half pound gain last week and that definitely affected my motivation to watch calories and eat healthy.

In the end, considering last weekend, maintaining is not such a bad thing. I also struggled with working out last week. Most mornings I didn't get up in time to get to the gym and skipped out in the evening more than once. This week I am finding my rhythm again. It is also important to remember that I'm doing this for more than just weight loss. Exercise, especially, has such a positive impact on my mood and energy level. Here's to a better week and hopefully I'll see the scale moving in the right direction!

Disappointment

2010-02-18T08:25:00.003-05:00

I gained a half pound this week. The most frustrating thing is that I maintained the right calorie deficit all week. Of course, it is possible that my counts could be off, but I don't think that is likely. Last night I ate most of my calories in the evening and ate a lot of salty stuff, so it could simply be water retention. I have done this weight loss thing before and saw that my weight does not always fall in this perfectly straight downward line. I have told lots of people that weight loss isn't always linear and there are so many factors that can affect the scale. Knowing all of this doesn't change the fact that I'm not happy to still be in the 130's.

I need to just pick myself up and remember that I'm doing the right things and one small gain will not break me. I'm feeling much stronger overall and healthier, too.

It Still Works

2010-02-12T08:24:00.003-05:00

This has been an interesting week. It has been filled with a lot of work stress and not a lot of motivation to work out. Perhaps there is a correlation there? I didn't make any of my morning workouts, but did go in the evenings for the most part. I skipped last night and it is highly possible that tonight will get skipped as well. Friday evenings are usually very chill for me and I often like to have a glass or three of wine to ring in the weekend. I might try to do a yoga DVD just to get some sort of exercise in for the day.

Over the weekend I plan to do two workouts per day. Tomorrow will be NROL4W Stage 5, Workout 2B and a 20 minute swim. Sunday will be a 3.5 mile jog followed by a short swim.

I am still on track with calorie counting and tracking. The best news of the week was losing another two pounds! I am currently 131 lbs, 34% body fat according to my scale. This means 4 lbs down, 16 to go before the end of April.

The Right Direction

2010-02-04T09:18:00.004-05:00

I weighed in this morning. I'm down 2 lbs from last Thursday--currently 133 lbs and 34% body fat according to my scale. Yay! The cool thing is realizing that the math does work. Based on counting my calories all week, I believed I would be down about two pounds and sure enough, I was.

For the most part, staying within a calorie budget and tracking it all is still not too bad. I don't get frustrated as easily. It is true that knowledge is power. It is odd that counting in some ways is more liberating.

Tuesday and yesterday were tough days. On Tuesday, I felt a bit hungry all day, but fought through it and stuck to my plan. I didn't get to sleep easily on Tuesday night. Yesterday I woke up feeling very worn out and was on the hungry side all day. It was my half day at work and I ate about 300 calories more than I wanted to after I got home. Knowing I had a date with the scale this morning and the prospect of counting it all kept the overage from being much worse. In the end, I feel okay about the extra and still managed to create a calorie deficit for the day.

Today is my husband's birthday and we're going out to dinner. I will likely be a bit high in calories today as well, but that's okay. It won't be an all-out binge by any means and his birthday only comes along once a year.

It's just math, right?

2010-02-01T13:33:00.003-05:00

Again, I've been very MIA from blogging, but have maintained a decent workout schedule. Eating on the other hand, has been another story. After a weekend getaway to New Orleans on the 23rd that was filled with loads of fun and food, I decided to start counting calories again. I use Fitday.com and find it very helpful. The site shows a breakdown of macronutrients as well as lots of other neat graphs and charts. What I'm finding most valuable right now is the goal feature that tells me where I need to be calorie-wise based on my basal metabolic rate, any additional calories burned through exercise, and when I want to reach my goal.

I have counted since Thursday and so far, so good. It doesn't feel too tedious and I am finding it empowering to be able to work in a few "treats" here and there without feeling guilty because I am still achieving the appropriate deficit.

We have a trip to Miami coming up in a few months and I am determined to be bikini-ready. The timing is just enough to get back under 120 lbs and a trip to my favorite beach is a great motivator.

Finding Rhythm

2010-01-15T08:29:00.002-05:00

While I haven't been very good about regular blogging, I have been pretty good about regular gym attendance. It is amazing how transformative exercise is for me. My attitude and general level of happiness is so much higher when I move my body. I don't know if the exercise endorphins or the simple fact that I'm doing something good for myself.

My eating is (as usual) a work in progress. This week has been much better than last. I'm trying to decide if I should post my eating and workouts daily. The struggle is whether that "accountability" will encourage me to better or if posting everything I eat is slightly disordered and would become a crutch.

Resolutioner, again

2010-01-04T21:30:00.000-05:00

New year's is such a good time to commit to being healthier. It feels like a fresh start and most of probably feel a little icky from all of the holiday overindulgence. When I decided to take on the BFL challenge two years ago, I didn't really know where it would lead. In many ways, I didn't think I would be as successful as I was. As the weeks progressed, I didn't think I would ever quit. But by the end of 2008, I had slipped back into old bad habits.

So here I am again, at the start of a new year, resolving to get my body back. I'm still working on the New Rules lifting program and plan to continue until it is complete. As I've said before, I like the BFL style of eating and felt it worked well for me. I want to use that, but without crazy free days on Sundays. Instead of free days, I'll probably eat out twice per week. This time I want to keep going, always, through this year and beyond.

I want to make the good choices for their own sake, not so much to see a number on the scale. Of course I want to see that number go down, but if I get up and go to the gym and eat better, it will.

Today's Meals:
B: Whole wheat English muffin with veggie sausage patty and 1/2 oatmeal cookie
S1: 2 light string cheese
L: Turkey sandwich on 2 slices whole wheat bread with lettuce, mustard, and 1 slice cheese; carrot and celery sticks
S2: Homemade tuna salad with 2 slices mulit grain Wasa crisp bread
D: Cup of corn chowder, 1 garlic parmesan roll with butter, salad with 1T balsamic vinaigrette, 4 oz sirloin with A1

No workout

Mid-week

2009-10-07T21:25:00.000-04:00

Today got off to a great start. I went to the gym to lift and made it to work only a few minutes late. I really need to get out of bed about 10 minutes earlier. Usually after lifting, I drink a protein shake that consists of milk and protein powder. Today I added a banana and it made a big difference in my energy level in the morning.

This is crazy, but after just a week and a half of working out, I already feel slimmer. I don't think that my body has made any big changes, but I just feel less bloated somehow. I also think that I have more energy, so my step has a bit more bounce. It is very hard to place, but I like it.

Sleepy

2009-10-06T21:17:00.002-04:00

Another sleepy morning today. My husband kept me up watching 30 Days of Night last night and I wanted to get to work a bit early to make up some minutes from yesterday. I went to the gym after dinner for 20 minutes of intervals. It isn't as hard for me to drag myself to the gym on cardio days as it is on lifting days.

My workday was insane. I didn't have time to eat lunch or my afternoon snack. Since I was non-stop busy at work, we decided to go out to dinner. My soup and sandwich combo was probably too high in calories, but since I barely ate anything else all day, I can live with that.

Another Week Begins

2009-10-05T21:53:00.000-04:00

I did not want to get out of bed this morning. I knew that I would want to go to the gym even less this evening, though. I had also taken the time to prepare the night before and didn't want that to go to waste. This blog came to mind, too. I didn't want to have to write that I skipped again. Friday didn't bother me much; there was a lot that factored into the decision to sleep in, but doing it again today would not have been cool. So of course I feel much better.

My mid-day snacking was a bit out of control today. A vendor left me a pack of mini m&ms, which on its own is not a big deal. Then, a coworker offered a homemade chocolate chip cookie that I couldn't resist. Since I had already slipped up a bit, I raided the vending machine for a bag of chili cheese Fritos. I know the slippery slope is not the way to go; every decision matters and just because the last decision wasn't the best does not mean the next one should be.

Taking a Break

2009-10-04T20:58:00.000-04:00

Today I thought about going to the gym to run intervals, but that didn't happen. For the most part I was pretty lazy and indulged in some Chinese take-out. It's interesting how that one meal can pretty much sustain me all day now. A few months ago that would have just been lunch.

I'm not looking forward to the early alarm tomorrow, but everything is prepped and ready. Wouldn't it be nice if weekends were five days and the workweek was two?

Busy Day

2009-10-03T22:48:00.001-04:00

I made it to the gym this morning and lifted to make up for skipping yesterday. I met a friend for her wedding shower and spent the rest of the evening out. Most of my calories today came from wine. I feel like I did a good job of moderating my consumption, not stuffing myself, not mindlessly eating.

The worst part of the day was hopping on the scale this morning. 132.5, 35% body fat. Blech. But they are just numbers and the only way to see numbers I like better is to continue going to the gym and watching what I eat.

Finally Friday

2009-10-02T22:28:00.000-04:00

I slept in this morning. I was tired from my night out last night for one thing. Also, I forgot to look up my weight lifting program last night. Today was also supposed to be a new workout, so I wasn't sure what my lifts would be like. It is a partial excuse, I will admit, but the extra few minutes of sleep were nice. I can make it up tomorrow morning, or else I'll just have an extra rest day for the week. In any case, I still view this week as a great success. I feel awesome and have done a great job sticking to the plan.

Splurge on Thrusday

2009-10-01T21:42:00.000-04:00

As I near the end of the week, it feels like discipline is the only thing getting me through. Waking up this morning was hard. It was the coldest morning of the season--there was even a layer of frost on the ground. The house was cold, the bed was warm, you know the story. But I dragged myself up and out the door. I ran 20 minutes of intevervals. My hamstrings are sore from yesterday's lifting and I didn't know if I would be able to make it through my 20 minutes. However, I think running was great for those muscles because it stretched them a bit and after a few minutes I found a good rhythm.

I went out for Indian food with a friend for dinner. Yum! While I'm sure it was a definite calorie splurge, I didn't stuff myself to the point of discomfort. I consider this a huge victory when it comes to Indian food.

Three for Three

2009-09-30T21:18:00.000-04:00

I started Stage 3 of NROL4W this morning. I always dread changing up my lifting routine. I know it is good for me, but I always feel a little anxious going into the gym not quite sure how long the routine is going to take or how challenging the lifts will be. In the past, I've sometimes lost momentum because of skipping a morning where I have to try something new.

The New Rules program is a nice balance of change vs. doing the same workout. I'm learning to appreciate that. I think it would be possible for me to repeat the program multiple times without feeling like I'm doing the same workout over and over. One of the factors leading to my tumble from the BFL wagon was that I felt really stuck after doing the 12 week cycle twice.

Overcoming Temptation

2009-09-29T21:45:00.003-04:00

I am a little sore and tired today. This morning I hit the gym for 20 minutes of interval training. Having my workouts done in the mornings creates so much time after work. It isn't a matter of the time saved by not having to go to the gym in the evenings as much as it is a reliever of stress. With exercise long completed by the time I arrive home from work, I feel free to enjoy the evening. Cooking dinner is fun rather than a chore. Shopping in my closet for a cute outfit for the next day is an adventure rather than an unpleasant task.

While I don't love getting up earlier, the extra 30-45 minutes of sleep isn't going to make getting up any easier so I might as well just suck it up and do something good for myself. It is crazy how rewarding it is though.

A few days ago I mentioned how one bad decision can lead to many. The same is true for good decisions. A coworker brought in some fast food fried chicken and mashed potatoes for the staff yesterday. I managed to resist the temptation of free lunch. It didn't occur to me right then, but I think part of the reason I was able to say no was because of the good decisions I've been making this week. They stack on top of each other and make me stronger (both physically and mentally). It's just one more reason to get up and go to the gym again tomorrow.

Great Beginnings

2009-09-28T21:45:00.001-04:00

I am off to an excellent start this week. This morning I hit the gym and completed Stage 2 of NROL4W. Yay! Finally. The old morning crew at the gym noted my absence and welcomed me back. Working out is the perfect way to start my day. It sets a positive tone and makes me feel accomplished before I even arrive at work.

The key is preparation. My outfit for work needs to be picked out and packed in the gym bag. My lunch and snacks need to be ready to grab on my way out the door. Everything needs to be planned. I think this advance planning also helps the next day go better. I can begin the day with a clear focus, without stressing out in the morning about what to wear or what to pack for lunch.

Out on the Weekend

2009-09-27T22:11:00.001-04:00

The weekend went okay. I didn't exactly eat on plan, but I also didn't go completely crazy, either.

The highlight of the weekend was running the Race for the Cure 5k on Saturday. I was hesitant to sign up for the race. It seemed like it had snuck up on me this year and I didn't feel in shape to run a race. However, I have participated in this race since 2001, and thought I might regret skipping this year. I beat last year's time by a couple of seconds and felt really good during the race. Needless to say, participating was a great idea.

I haven't hopped on the scale yet, but plan to soon. It's more a matter of wanting to weigh myself first thing in the morning and forgetting to do so rather than avoiding.

I'm planning to go to the gym tomorrow morning. The bag is packed, my lunch is ready. Getting up early probably won't be fun, but having my workout logged before 7 a.m. will be awesome.

Catching Up

2009-09-25T09:46:00.002-04:00

Since this was kind of a starter week, I didn't worry about posting every day. I plan to do that next week, though. Exercise was kind of a bust this week, although I had a great 20 minute interval session on Sunday, jogged 3 miles last night, and will run a 5k race tomorrow morning.

Eating was a day by day thing. I logged all of my food, which was good. For the most part, I planned meals and ate what was on the plan. There were a couple of exceptions, though. On Monday I was in bottomless pit mode. I ate the planned healthy dinner and was not satisfied at all, so I made some hot cocoa. It was dark and gloomy outside, so it felt right. But that wasn't enough, so I made the last few pizza rolls. That still wasn't enough, so I made a l plate of nachos and then I was good. I didn't feel gross or guilty after, so I let it go, determined to do better on Tuesday. Tuesday was perfectly on plan. Yay! Wednesday was not as successful. I really felt like going out to eat, so we did. My husband and I split a bottle of wine, and I ate my entire pasta dish that had bacon and cream sauce. I'll admit, that was a bit excessive. I didn't plan well on Wednesday night, so that made Thursday a challenge since I didn't have a lunch packed and woke up too late on Thursday morning to take care of it then. It is interesting how one poor decision can spiral into many. On Thursday, I had an apple for breakfast, got a bag of Dorito's from the vending machine for a mid-morning snack, and had a foot long sub from Subway for lunch. The sub was one of the healthier ones and I didn't feel bad aobut eating an entire foot long since I skipped an afternoon snack. While the source of the calories wasn't perfect, the overall number was about where I like to be so in the end I consider it a decent recovery.

Last night I packed my lunch for today and prepared a crockpot meal for dinner tonight. It is going to be so nice to come home to a healthy dinner that's ready to eat. When I stick to the plan, I feel so much happier, more confident and in control. I need to hop on the scale this weekend so that I can start tracking my weight.

Back to Basics

2009-09-22T09:46:00.003-04:00

Okay, so I want to get back on a program. It feels better all around when I am eating well and exercising regularly. I truly want to have healthier habits. It obviously has not been a priority for awhile now and I would like to change that. I always struggle with the balance of either being too hard on myself or not hard enough.

I really do want to finish the New Rules of Lifting program. I would also like to get my body back to where it was when I stopped BFL last summer.

Last week I started thinking about it all again, meal planning and exercising. I have all of the tools that I need to do this. I've done it before. I can do it again. This time I want to keep up the program. I want to maintain a body that makes me proud. I want to feel strong and healthy every day.

I want to make this blog a diary of progress, much as it was in the beginning. I want to post everyday, just like I did before. I think this daily accountability was part of what helped before.

Coming Back Around

2009-07-15T09:04:00.002-04:00

After stopping and starting a few times over the last several weeks, I decided that the only way I could get back on the wagon and stay there was to revisit where it all began. That means Body for Life. I think the New Rules lifting plan and half marathon training for cardio will be better workouts than the BFL program, but the BFL food list and eating method always worked well for me. I just need to commit to making this the way that I eat permanently. It is so easy for one splurge to turn into another and before I know it, all of those pounds lost are back.

Another tactic that has worked in the past is making fewer changes at once. This week, which started Monday, I have been focusing only on food. I'll resume exercise next week.

It's funny how I do feel better even after just a few days of eating more nutritious food and somewhat smaller portions. I want to go back to posting my menu and workout every day. I think that served as a bit of accountability.

Monday's Menu:

Tuesday's Menu:

Trying To Stay Positive

2009-06-19T08:18:00.004-04:00

Let's start with the good news. I lifted twice this week, as planned. I ran three times this week, as planned. Everyday I packed lunch and snacks for work.

I stepped on the scale this morning to discover a number 2 lbs heavier than last Friday. Fantastic. This is why I have such a love/hate relationship with the scale. I know it only tells part of the story. I also know that my gain was most likely caused by water retention from the workouts. My eating was nowhere near perfect this week, but it wasn't all that different from the previous week (and I didn't exercise at all last week). There is no way I ate an additional 7000 calories to cause a real gain of 2 lbs. But that only goes so far in making me feel better.

Today I'm trying to breathe deeply and feel proud of all that I accomplished this week. I'm trying to let go of the fact that I only ran 1.75 miles last night instead of the 3 I was striving for. Instead, I want to focus on how strong I felt while lifting, how awesome it was to run 2 miles on Wednesday when I almost lazed around instead.

How is your relationship with the scale? Do you have a number that you just hate to see?

Re-Start

2009-06-15T08:07:00.004-04:00

After a three week break, I'm getting back on track. I have joined a group that combines two of my interests: Reading and being healthy. It is exciting to be part of a community with similar interests and goals.

I stepped on the scale Friday morning and it wasn't as bad as I feared. It seems my "set point" weight is right around 130 lbs; my weight on Friday was 129 lbs. Almost two years ago, when I decided to lose some weight I weighed around 137 lbs and who knows how much more I might have gained. It feels good to have lost 7-8 lbs for good. Last year while doing BFL, my weight got down to 120 lbs. This was just about one year ago exactly. Right after reaching that goal my strict routine started to fall apart and over about a year I gained back the weight lost during BFL. What I was doing last year was not too challenging, it just took a bit of focus and commitment.

So much with weight loss and body image has to do with readiness. I have learned so much along this journey, even when things don't seem to be going perfectly. The most important lesson has been to stick with it, no matter how many days in a row I eat junk food or skip the gym. Every day is a new chance to make the right choices. I have also been learning to let go of what happened (or didn't happen) the previous day. There is nothing to be done about yesterday's choices and dwelling on the past will not help me move forward.

I feel ready to lose these last ten pounds forever. This week I am starting a half marathon training program, with the intention of running a 13.1 mile race this October. I will be using Hal Higdon's 12 week novice program, which allows two days of lifting per week. This will let me continue with NROL4W. I'm excited to combine the programs which will help me cross two items off of my 101 list.

Mixed Messages

2009-05-15T09:03:00.004-04:00

I braved the scale this morning. It was time to confront the fear and face whatever the number might be. The number was 130. That wasn't the number that I wanted to see. However, after letting loose a string of expletives, I thought about it and it's not so bad. First of all, I have been doing less cardio in recent weeks. Second of all, my food intake has been far from ideal from a weight loss perspective. So it is what it is and when (or if) I'm ready for that number to get smaller more quickly I'll take the necessary steps to make it happen. Also, seeing that number on the scale does not diminish what I have accomplished in the last few weeks--particularly feeling stronger, healthier, and happier.

Stage 1=Complete

2009-05-08T10:02:00.003-04:00

This morning I completed Stage 1 of New Rules. What a great feeling! Unfortunately lifiting on Monday, Wednesday, and today was the only working out I did all week, but the main goal was to complete the first stage. At this point, I still feel good about the program. Exercising without constantly tracking weight loss progress seems to be successful so far.

For the first time in recent memory, I am beginning to feel comfortable in my body, just the way it is at this moment. I don't think the body is changing; it is the mind. It is finally starting to sink in that I am at a healthy weight and don't need to have the abs of a Shape cover model. I am approaching some level of peace with the fact that food will never be only fuel. If a few glasses of wine per week or less-than-perfect dinners are going to stand between me and 115 lbs, then so be it. Finally, I am starting to feel okay with that.

Last weekend I spent some time with my sister-in-law and her sister. All three of us have different body types and all three of us started complaining about those bodies. My sister-in-law, who I think has a fabulous body and wish I could trade with, wishes she could lose a few pounds. Her sister, who I also think looks great, wishes she could gain a few pounds. It occurred to me that so many ladies struggle with finding body happines (or even peace). The conversations we shared over the weekend led to the realization that I absolutely need to stop complaining about my body.

Working out just for the sake of my health (which includes mental health!) is starting to have the purpose I hoped it would. Day by day I'm worrying less about what size my pants are or what the scale says. I'm focusing more on what makes me truly happy. The bread bowl pasta pizza carb bomb that I ate for dinner on Wednesday did not make me happy. On the other hand, the hibachi steak and sushi that my husband and I ate last night was much more enjoyable. It isn't even about the calorie count. For all I know, the hibachi steak meal could have been less healthy and higher in calories. One of these nights involved inhaling too much food in front of the TV and the other involved a night out sharing the company of someone I love.

Over the coming weeks, I want to focus on eating in way that is free from regrets. I wish I had passed on the pasta bread bowl, or at least eaten less of it. It felt like a waste and my gut felt like crap afterwards. But I have no regrets about the burritos and Corona enjoyed on my deck in honor of Cinco de Mayo. It's not about the calories, it really is about the experience.

Empowered

2009-04-30T09:00:00.002-04:00

This week feels fantastic and there are a few reasons why. First of all, I'm nearing the end of Stage 1 of NROL4W. There is just over one week to go before starting Stage 2. I am proud for having stuck with the program for the last month and feel like I am making progress in terms of strength. I am even considering hopping on the scale tomorrow. There is still room for improvement in my eating habits, but this week has been a little bit better.

Last Sunday I cleaned out my closet. Lately I felt in need of a serious wardrobe overhaul. Everything just felt tired and boring. There were also some things that didn't fit very well or at all for that matter. A few helpful blogs suggested by some message board friends and a particularly relevant episode of What Not To Wear led to the realization that I was bored with my wardrobe because it is, well, boring; mostly neutrals and solids. So this week I challenged myself to pair new combinations of the clothes in my closet. I made a list of things that will spice up my wardrobe and will purchase those pieces over time. It feels good to go shopping in my closet and find new things, put together new outfits, and not spending a dime. It also feels good to know that every piece in the closet fits and looks good. It is very empowering to know that I am dressing better and taking better care of myself all around.

Week Three

2009-04-15T08:23:00.002-04:00

This week marks the third week since restarting NROL4W and a general effort to take better care of myself. Last week was was a bit disappointing--I only worked out twice. This week I feel much better and have already been to the gym three times. I need to start getting up about 10-15 minutes earlier, but getting up is getting just a little easier.

There is a big increase in my confidence and positive attitude. I am very focused on positive self-talk right now. Any time a negative thought about my body comes to mind, I turn it around to something positive. "That belly flab looks gross" becomes "You're getting thinner every day." I've also starting making more of an effort with my appearance, spending a few extra minutes with makeup application and choosing cute outfits.

Now, halfway through the third week, it seems like I'm hitting a stride. I'm still staying off the scale. I feel good and don't want a disappointing number to derail me. My eating could certainly be a little cleaner, especially on the weekends and at dinner time. Although it does seem like my portions are staying more in check lately. I've also been using the self talk on food, telling myself that I'm satisfied.

Do you struggle with negative self-talk? How do you fight the negative "voice"?

The Program

2009-04-08T07:59:00.007-04:00

New Rules of Lifting for Women (NROL4W) is the program I'm following this time around. Completing this program is one of the items from the "health and fitness" section on my 101 list. I finished the third workout "B" of the first stage this morning. I have started and stopped the program at least twice in the past six months, but this time I will finish. While filling out the workout sheets for the first stage, I realized that I had filled the sheets out incorrectly on all previous attempts. D'oh! It is no wonder that boredom quickly led to quitting.

So what else is going right this time around? I prioritize my workouts. The most important exercises during the week are the structured routines prescribed in NROL4W. During the first stage, there are three days of these. I consider these workouts mandatory under pretty much any circumstance. I try to jog and/or practice yoga on my off days, but if I'm feeling tired or rundown, these extra workouts are the ones to skip. The philosophy of resting when it feels necessary seems consistent with ideas Lou Schuler presents in the book.

In the interest of staying fit for life, I'm not beating myself up over food anymore. For the most part, I make an effort to choose healthy foods and bring lunch to work. If I eat something outside the plan that isn't so healthy that's okay, at least for now. I'm not tracking food or counting calories. During the week, my eating is quite structured. I pack snacks and lunches that have been planned from meals in the NROL4W book. Most dinners follow either the NROL4W book or Body For Life.

Weekends are another story. We usually eat out at least twice over the weekend and I don't always choose something light. With weekends, I am trying to pay attention to hunger levels and eat only when hungry. I'm also trying to choose the food that I most want, whatever sounds the most delicious. Sometimes it is salad and sometimes it is pasta with cream sauce.

I have stepped away from the scale, too. While I think regular weight checking is important, it leads me to chase results. If the number isn't "right," I'll feel frustrated and start getting militant about food (which inevitably leads to bingeing). That seems to suck all of the joy out of my life. The scale will probably make an appearance in the future, maybe after stage one. I'm just not making it a regular part of my life for now.

So many factors figure into happiness. Regular exercise is certainly one of those factors for me, but so is eating great food and drinking wine. Fitting into a smaller pant size or seeing 119 on the scale doesn't bring true and lasting satisfaction for me. On the other hand, not fitting into the pants I currently own and seeing 135 on the scale can definitely cause unhappiness. So right now I'm searching for balance.

What works for you? How do you find the right balance?

How do I get up early enough for a.m. workouts?

2009-04-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

Keri asked some great questions about waking up for morning workouts. Switching to an a.m. routine was a huge breakthrough for me last year, and I thought this topic warranted its own post. I would not consider myself a morning person by nature and willingly getting out of bed even a few moments earlier than necessary seemed impossible at one time. I hate leaving the warm coziness of bed, especially when it is still completely dark and when it seems that the rest of the world is still sleeping.

First of all, I discovered that morning workouts took a lot less time out of my day than evening workouts. By getting up about 15-30 minutes earlier, I would save myself an hour or more from my evening. This works because I get showered and ready for work much faster at the gym than at home. Also, after work, I always go home first, spend forever getting changed into the right gym outfit, and wander aimlessly trying to convince myself to get out the door after a long workday. My workouts usually last 25-35 minutes and I try to be at the gym by 5:45 a.m., 6:00 at the very latest.

The other big secret, and this one is really key, is to have everything ready to go the night before. My lunch and gym bag need to be packed, this includes picking out an outfit for work the night before. My breakfast is usually something portable (like a breakfast shake or oatmeal that I can microwave at work). Having done this prep often serves to guilt me into getting out of bed and also allows me a few extra minutes of sleep.

Once I started morning workouts, I found that there was a very regular, small group of morning people. The gym was also much less crowded. There is little that annoys me more than having to adjust my workout plans because the weights I need aren't available or every treadmill is being used. This morning group didn't acknowledge my presence until after about 4 weeks of regular attendance. I liked hearing them banter to each other and hassle anyone who missed a day. I felt like they would notice if I stopped going. When I fell off the wagon, they did notice and mentioned it when I came back. Morning workouts also leave my evenings free to allow a yoga class in case I happen to be extra motivated.

Lastly, as I'm lying in bed after hitting the snooze for the second time, knowing that I'll be late for work or have to skip the gym if I hit it again, I talk myself into getting up. It probably takes two or three weeks of consistentcy before the new wake up time feels natural. Truthfully, those first few weeks can be hard, but stick with it, it really is worth it. Here are some things I say in my head:

"It will be so great to cross "go to the gym" off your to-do list before you even get to work."
"When you get home tonight, you can spend the whole evening reading if you want."
"You can do this! You can get up right now!"

Even with all of this, sometimes I still don't make it. The alarm won't go off or I just won't be able to pull myself out of bed. On those days, going to the gym after work serves as a potent reminder for how much better it is to go in the mornings.

Trying To Let Go

2009-04-02T10:27:00.003-04:00

After an unsuccessful January, February, and March I'm ready for a change. This time I really want to live an active and healthy lifestyle for the sake of being active and healthy. Okay, I also want to be slimmer. I've realized that my expectations for my body can be a little crazy at times. The thing is that I feel better all around when I'm getting up and hitting the gym every morning, lifting heavy, running races, and eating more healthfully. This time I want to focus on how good it feels to take the best care of me. I don't want to focus so much on how my tummy looks in a bikini. I want to thoroughly enjoy this lifestyle even if I don't lose a single inch or pound.

I actually started on Monday, but wasn't sure if I wanted to come back to blogging about it. I decided that I want a diary, an account of what's happening, and how I feel. If anyone reads it and feels some encouragement, that would be truly fantastic.

The past few mornings at the gym I've thought about how morning workouts make me feel. When I hit the gym (especially first thing in the morning), I feel accomplished, strong, and healthy. The pants I'm wearing today are a wee bit snug and make a slight muffin top (my shirt drapes so it doesn't show) and I was feeling bad about this while dressing in the gym locker room. I stopped all the negative self talk, instead telling myself that I'm healthy, beautiful and what's more just ran over two miles before 7 a.m. It is so much nicer to focus on the good things than the bad things. From now on I'm working on trying to let go of negative thoughts, the not-so-healthy foods I ate yesterday; and comparing my body to the girl at the next mirror in the gym, the Shape cover-model or anyone else.

Anyone with me?

Weekend Recap

2009-01-26T12:38:00.000-05:00

I stepped on the scale Saturday morning. 129 pounds, still 32% body fat. Boo! I think the half pound weight gain is probably due to water retention from starting a lifting routine. At least that is what I'm telling myself...

Saturday was not a healthy day for eating or working out for that matter. I accidently scheduled an appointment at the same time as yoga class, but the appointment worked best at that time, so I decided to keep it. I took advantage of a somewhat rare chance to get Indian food and had popcorn at a movie. In keeping with the "free day" concept from BFL, I'm okay with taking Saturday off.

Sunday was a bit better. I made it to the gym, but wasn't very happy with my cardio workout. The important thing is that I put forth a solid effort. It also seems like it's time to buy new running shoes. The soles of my feet were hurting and that is usually the sign for me. I didn't follow my regular eating schedule on Sunday, but a day with less food is probably okay after pigging out on Saturday.

The photo below is the spinach, mushroom, and cheese omelette I ate for lunch on Sunday. Topped with Frank's hot sauce and paired with half of a grapefruit=delicious! Omelettes (and other tasty creations involving eggs) are my favorite part of the weekend.

Pushing Through

2009-01-23T07:54:00.004-05:00

Yesterday was a tough day. I slept in and didn't go to the gym in the morning. That may or may not have caused the crumminess of the rest of the day. I was very sore from Wednesday's workout. During the first week or two, deadlifts never fail to produce DOMS. I was sore in the right places and could tell the soreness was the result of a good workout, but it still hurt. Also, I wore pants that were a bit snug so I was a bit uncomfortable. By 8 a.m., I really wanted to leave work, head home, and dive into a carton of Ben & Jerry's. A coworker offered a piece of pizza at lunch, which I accepted. This didn't help my feeling lousy. By the time I got home from work, I was considering ordering wings for dinner and skipping the gym altogether. Fortunately, there was a package of instant soup and freshly cooked brown rice at home which was faster than ordering wings. My dinner of instant soup, 1-2 C brown rice, and 1/2 bag of Movie Theater butter popcorn was not terribly low-cal and definitely not balanced. However, it was at least lower calorie than wings and fries, and certainly carries more nutritional value. In the end, I did go to the gym and ran 25 minutes of intervals. After that, it was pretty much impossible to feel too bad about the day. Running over 2 miles just makes everything a little better.

The best thing is that today is a new day. I made it to the gym this morning and am off to a good start. Plus, it's Friday and that is never a bad thing. And the DOMS? That's much today, too.

Welcomed "Home"

2009-01-21T08:08:00.003-05:00

Today was the first morning back in the weight room since November. Of course the old crew was still there and a few said welcome back. It was nice to see that I wasn't forgotten. Morning trips to the gym really work best for me. It sets the tone for a much better day. Mornings are also the time of day that I am least likely to skip my workout. Even if I happen to sleep in and miss the morning time, I usually make it up after work, which never fails to remind me how much better the gym is in the morning.

Tonight I want to go back to the gym for yoga. I still have that goal from my 101 list to practice once per week. I am a little behind, so right now I'm trying to practice at least twice per week to "catch up." With yoga, it has become clear that I do prefer practicing in a class as opposed to at home with a DVD. There is something to be said for the darkened, mirrored room and being surrounded by a group of others doing the same thing. My practice is definitely more effective in class. At home I am more likely to cheat and don't try as hard.

Reader Question: Do you prefer it when I post my eating log spreadsheet? Leave a comment and let me know.

Back on the Wagon

2009-01-20T10:06:00.003-05:00

It is sort of hard to believe that it has been two months since the last post! The holidays definitely derailed me, along with some other personal stuff. With the new year, I was planning a new start and have been running alongside the wagon for the last couple of weeks, trying to jump back on again and again.

I have a plan and some determination. NROL4W is the workout plan that I am following. My meals are kind of a hybrid between NROL4W and BFL, with a slight emphasis on NROL4W. I am planning to incorporate the Free Day concept into my program, but not necessarily in an all-out binge day. I'm going to try to keep everything pretty clean and on-plan other than maybe 3 or 4 meals per week.

My last weigh-in was January 10 (or sometime within a day or two of that date) and I was 128.5 lbs with 32% body fat according to my scale.

Here are some of the mini-goals I have in mind right now:
February 21: Weigh less than 125 lbs for Orlando trip with body fat under 30%
March 22: Weigh less than 122 lbs with body fat under 28% for friend's wedding
May 23: Weigh around 120 (or a little less) with body fat around 25% for anniversary trip
July 31: Have recently completed NROL4W

If anyone is still out there reading, it would be great to have your support and encouragement.

Food Photos and Recipe Reviews

2008-11-18T19:19:00.005-05:00

This is the Turkey Meatloaf from EFL. I don't serve it with the mashed potatoes as shown in the recipe because they seem like a lot of work to make, and I feel like there are enough calories in the meatloaf and green beans. This recipe is pretty tasty. Every now and then I get a craving for meatloaf, and this works. My favorite part is meatloaf sandwiches from the leftovers! I don't think this tastes like a typical meatloaf. The turkey is pretty different from beef, and the salsa and veggie soup mix add different flavors.

This is the Sesame Beef. Since this recipe calls for cooked rice, I like to use leftover rice from a previous meal. With the rice pre-cooked, this meal can be thrown together in about 20 minutes. It is also a different way to use ground beef, which I usually have on hand from buying in bulk during a sale.

EFL Beef Stew. I make this in the Crockpot and can smell it in the garage when I get home. I usually use a little extra liquid when using the Crockpot. This time I used 3 C of beef broth and 1/3 C of red wine and it wasn't too much. Also, since I work 10 hour days, I set it to cook on low for 7 hours and keep warm until I get home. It was perfect last Friday. This meal is definitely a fall and winter favorite. It takes about 15 minutes of prep the night before and then you are good to go for a hearty, comforting meal the minute you step in the door.

Turned the corner?

2008-11-18T12:04:00.005-05:00

I lifted last night since I skipped the gym in the morning. Barely made it out of bed in time to get some cardio done today. Eating on plan has been getting easier. I even washed dishes last night after cooking! It seems like the slips have been smaller these last couple of weeks and it's easier to get back up again. The weekends have stopped throwing me into an indulgent tailspin. Everything seems kind of together right now. The best part is that it feels like my life, not like a diet or a program. This is my life. I work out most mornings and if I can't get out of bed I'll probably go later in the day. I eat healthy most of the time. That feels amazing. It might even feel better than my brief stint at 120 lbs back in June.

That quote from the New Rules book about asking yourself if you want to work out really sticks with me. It seems like once I gave the inner 3 year old permission to skip a workout if that felt necessary, I discovered that most days I really do want to hit the gym.

If you're struggling with weight loss or getting healthier, I just want to stress that it might take a very long time to find something you can really live with for the long haul. It has taken me over a year to get here. And I'm sure it's not over yet. I doubt it will be all puppies and rainbows from here on, but for now, in this moment, life is good. It just feels great to have balance. It feels great to be in control.

Back in the game...sort of

2008-11-17T10:45:00.002-05:00

I behaved pretty well over the weekend. I didn't eat much this weekend. My lunch on Saturday was fairly high calorie and I ate two bowls of ice cream on Sunday, but that's about it. I lifted weights as promised on Saturday; on Sunday I jogged 4 miles; and practiced yoga both days.

The best news of the week is that I lost .5 pound. Considering that I ate pretty poorly until Thursday, that's pretty great. Losing just a little bit was motivation to keep on keepin' on. I will be in a friend's wedding in March and am determined to look great in that dress.

This morning I didn't make it to the gym. It was just a sleepy morning and there is snow on the ground here! Yuck! And it's still coming down. I'm seriously considering hitting the gym after studying tonight.

Better

2008-11-14T08:25:00.003-05:00

This week has been salvaged. I did make it to the gym last night. I cooked dinner, too! And studied.

In fact, here is what my day looked like:

6:00 a.m. Wake up

7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. At work

5:15 p.m.-6:15 p.m. Cooked dinner and prepped beef stew for the crockpot for dinner tonight.

6:15 p.m.-7:45 p.m. Ate dinner, watched some TV, and surfed the web for awhile

7:45 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Studied

9:30 p.m.-10:00 p.m. Lifted at the gym

10:00 p.m.-10:45 p.m. Read and then went to sleep.

Normally my lift days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Since I didn't go to the gym Tuesday or Wednesday, I adjusted my schedule this week to lift on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday to still lift three days. This will maintain my progress in the New Rules program.

This morning I forced myself out of bed and ran intervals. Perhaps the only reason was that I packed my gym bag and lunch last night. Dinner will be waiting in the crockpot. Despite a rocky start, this week is going to finish a-ok.

Taking My Lumps

2008-11-13T10:50:00.005-05:00

This week has been very "meh." My eating has not been stellar, and I didn't make it to the gym Tuesday, Wednesday or this morning. Work has been stressful. Studying for the LSAT is stressful. My house is a disaster. So that's the bad stuff.

I had a bit of a wake up call at work yesterday afternoon that made me remember that my days will be only as good as I make them. Without going into too much detail, I feel very frustrated by my work situation and that doesn't always lead to the best attitude. Obviously being frustrated, having a bad attitude and not doing my best is not going to help my case for changing my situation.

Today is a new day. Every day is a new day. I woke up this morning and decided to have a good day at work and that I would only eat the packed meals. I'll cook dinner tonight (for the first time this week). I need to keep in my mind to just take everything one day at a time, even one moment at a time. There is still time to hit the gym after work, so that is what I will do. This week is not over yet and I won't give in so easily!

It's not pretty, but in the spirit of full disclosure I'll still post yesterday's food log.

Weekend Recap

2008-11-09T22:30:00.000-05:00

Phew, this weekend was crazy busy! First of all, I am so proud that I made it to the gym every morning last week! It feels great to be back in the rhythm of working out. The scale was not kind on Saturaday morning-128 lbs. Ick! After that I spent 4 miles on the treadmill, the longest distance I have run since September. That jogging left me sore and tired. I'm trying hard not to focus on the scale number because things went well last week and I don't feel 128. Maybe it's water retention caused by resuming a lifting program? Over the weekend my eating was pretty good. Eating better on the weekends is currently one of my big goals. As of two weekends, that is going well. The big secret has been planning my weekend meals in advance, just like I do during the week. For now, I'll continue to make small improvements and reduce the indulgences. I did eat a little more than "planned" last week, so as usual there is room for improvement.

Feeling In Control

2008-11-05T20:53:00.001-05:00

Although it might not be evident from recent posts, I've been feeling more in control lately. I feel like I have the power to get up in the morning and work out. I have the power to choose what goes into my mouth. I don't always make the healthiest choices, but it is still a choice. Perhaps most importantly, I feel like I have the power to eat only half of my entree when we go out to eat. It's about listening to and trusting myself. This newfound empowerment has led to less guilt feelings and more satisfaction in general.

Anyone who has battled emotional eating can probably relate to the desire to feel over-full in the stomach to compensate for feeling less than full emotionally. There are a million reasons that might lead to a binge ranging from boredom to loneliness to disappointment to fear. When this weight loss journey began over a year ago, I didn't really suspect it would lead to so much self analysis. The reality is that taking control of my diet also requires the more difficult task of taking control of my life and emotions. I work towards exploring why I want to overeat. Tonight I was tempted to eat the other half of mac 'n cheese from dinner after getting home from studying. I just felt sort of "empty" inside and wanted the pleasure of putting food in my mouth. Instead, I chose to get into bed and put a book in my hands instead of a fork. I'm learning that a little discipline is not deprivation.

Speaking of taking control of my life, during this process I have learned how important, imperative even, it is to work out on a regular basis. For most of my life I have struggled with stress and anxiety. When I exercise regularly, these issues fade significantly. I can't really say why exercise helps so much; I just know that a little time spent at the gym better equips me to handle whatever life has to throw at me.

We are not victims of our circumstances, bodies, cravings, or relationships.

A Mixed Bag

2008-11-04T22:39:00.000-05:00

Today started out great. By 8 a.m. I had run almost two miles, voted and arrived at work. I still felt like I was doing pretty well throughout the day, although my coworker shared some of her sushi with me.

At dinner we busted open a bottle of wine to watch the election results and hopefully celebrate. Immediately after eating my dinner I was still hungry, really wanting some greasy bar food. Because of the quickly deteriorating level of sobriety bar food wasn't going to happen so I whipped up a second dinner of a tuna salad sandwich and spinach salad. That equalled about 350 extra calories, but at least it was healthy. I consoled myself by mentally counting how many more calories would have been consumed if I had eaten bar food. Of course I probably drank about 600 calories worth of wine. It was a special night and I'm not going to apologize or make excuses. I like wine. A lot. It is just a fact. If that fact is going to prevent me from dropping under 120 lbs, well then I guess I'll have to live with that. But all things considered, it was a great night.

What causes your struggle?

2008-10-29T21:20:00.000-04:00

Since I began this journey toward better health and let's be honest, a better body, a lot of progress has been made. I've lost and kept off about 10 pounds by making significant changes to my diet and activity level, that is between 5-10 pounds short of my "ultimate goal." However, upon reaching this milestone I've been struggling to find the motivation to continue, to keep pushing, to finally get rid of the final few pounds. Why? For one, I can live with the body I have now. Most of my pants fit again which is a definite plus and most of the time I feel pretty okay about how I look. Although I still really hate the way I look in a bikini and pay attention to whether or not a certain shirt/pant combo makes me look roly-poly. But how often do I need to wear a bikini anyway? There is some sense of complacency in this place. But if I look deeper, another (and perhaps the true) reason is that I've been scared. What happens if I see a number on the scale that is less than 120? What happens then? Achieving one's goals can be pretty darn scary. You wouldn't think it, but once a goal is reached there is nothing to hide behind.

So tell me, what's holding you back?

Inconsistency

2008-10-28T20:56:00.001-04:00

I worked out this morning again, sort of. I was sleepy and barely able to pull myself out of bed, so yoga at home was the chosen workout. It's true that running intervals would burn more calories. However, I do want to practice yoga more often as mentioned here. This morning seemed like a good time since I'm quite sore from yesterday's lifting. At this point just getting out of bed and moving the body is a step in the right direction. This new leaf is being taken one day at a time.

Last night I was flipping through the New Rules book and found a quote that stuck with me, enough to help with getting up this morning. Lou Schuler says to ask yourself if you really want to do your workout that day. Interestingly enough, his point was to give yourself permission to take the day off if the answer is an honest no. But I think the question works both ways. This morning, after hitting the snooze for the third time, I decided I really did want to get up and do yoga, and that's what happened.

We ordered pizza for dinner. Pizza is my food nemesis. I love it--could probably eat it 7 days a week. In fact, I've wondered what the consequences would be if someone were to go on an all pizza diet for a period of time. Think Supersize Me. The effects would probably be pretty similar. Your standard pizza is not very healthy, being loaded with refined carbs and lots of high fat cheese, but if you can limit yourself to a piece or two it's not a complete diet disaster. Here lies my problem--I have no sense of portion control when it comes to pizza. So while I managed to work out a little this morning, my dinner was probably in the neighborhood of 800 calories and way out of line on macronutrients. Like I said, we're taking this new leaf one baby step at a time.

Gone Soft

2008-10-27T21:37:00.000-04:00

I made it to the gym this morning to lift. The workout kicked my butt! It's true that in the last month I have skipped more workouts than I've completed, but sheesh. This week is my sixth week of lifting, but since there have been so many weeks skipped, I think New Rules will be restarted next week. I'm ready to commit to regular morning workouts again. Tomorrow will likely be painful, but I can handle that.

The pie is gone

2008-10-22T22:24:00.000-04:00

Last night we finished off the last of the apple pie. That's one dessert that won't be tempting me anymore. I'm still struggling with getting back into a morning workout routine. I just need to start prepping the night before and get my booty out of bed. It was a habit once and can be, needs to be, again. Every morning I have a million excuses why not to get out of bed. This morning, my cat was all snuggled up against me, purring like crazy. My bed was warm and I was sandwiched between the kitty and my husband. It was just too cozy to leave. I need to remind myself how much we pay a month in gym membership and how it's all wasted when I don't go.

On to more encouraging news... I have once again kicked the daily Doritos habit at work. My eating (with the exception of those lingering desserts) has actually been pretty good this week. It still amazes me how much my eating has changed from last year. The ability to moderate has increased exponentially. Of course there are setbacks, but these seem to be the exception rather than the rule lately. When setbacks happen, they serve to remind me that I would have been satisfied with less, if only I had trusted myself.

Leftover Trouble

2008-10-20T22:12:00.008-04:00

It turns out that having half of an apple pie and half of a cheesecake leftover is not good for watching calories. I need to buy some disposable tupperware so I can leave these treats for friends rather than carting them home and consuming them. It's really yummy stuff and expensive to bake, so I don't want to toss it. It will be gone by the weekend, but I'm afraid there will be a gain this week. I'll enjoy it and try to stay on track with my other choices. If it's any consolation, I use one package of Neufchatel cheese in the cheesecake to reduce the fat just the tiniest bit. Plus the pie has apples! I'll leave you all with a little slice of temptation.

Lovely Weekend Away

2008-10-19T16:31:00.005-04:00

My long weekend away was wonderful. It was a really nice break and great to see friends. We even hiked one of the ski slopes at Boyne Mountain and burned of some of the calories consumed. A brand new week starts tomorrow and I know it's going to be a good one!

Scary

2008-10-15T09:36:00.003-04:00

Last night I spend most of the evening in the emergency room. I had a headache since Sunday and on Sunday had a few other weird symptoms as well. Because the headache hadn't gone away and both of my parents, who are medical professionals, suggested I get checked out, I went in for an evaluation. Fortunately, it doesn't look like my headache was caused by anything serious, but I will be following up with a neurologist to try to find out the cause. They gave me some strong drugs that finally knocked out the headache. It feels so good to be pain free for the first time in three days!

I didn't make my workout this morning or yesterday. I'd like to use the excuse that I wasn't feeling well, but the time for excuses needs to end. I may still do my strength training this evening, but there is still quite a bit of packing and baking left before our trip tomorrow. On the other hand, I'm pretty happy with my eating. Despite not cooking at all this week, I've still managed to stay pretty healthy. I know the working out is going to fall back into place sooner rather than later. It's just a matter of getting back in the habit.

Do you ever get the feeling...

2008-10-13T10:43:00.003-04:00

That you're running alongside the health and fitness wagon and you just can't get back on? That has been me all summer!

This morning was my first time back at the gym in two weeks. It felt good and I keep feeling like this morning was a new start, a corner turned, a good jump back onto the wagon. My weight is still holding steady around 125, thanks in large part to keeping my eating mostly in check. I've decided to resume use of the BFL tracking spreadsheets for meals. I've been looking for a good way to keep track without entering everything into FitDay. Since my eating still follows BFL, those spreadsheets will work; I'll just have to start a new one every three months.

This week will be pretty busy since we're leaving for a long weekend up north on Thursday. We're meeting some friends at a condo up there for lots of wine, food, and fun. The weekend will definitely be somewhat indulgent, especially on the wine front, but that's okay. I do plan to use the workout facility at the condo on Friday and maybe go for a short hike on Saturday to offset some of the wine, cheesecake, pie, and cookies that I'll be enjoying.

Weekend Recap

2008-09-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

Towards the end of last week, I kind of fizzled at productivity. Friday I overslept, so missed my workout, although my husband and I did clean the house Friday night. We also went out to dinner where I drank a glass of wine. For dinner I ordered a chicken burrito, but only ate half of it.

Saturday morning I ran a 5k. My time was 32:05, which I felt okay about. It was over one minute faster than my time in the same race last year and I didn't feel as sore afterwards. My cousin and her boyfriend joined me in the race and it was a lot of fun hanging out with those two.

Sunday I intended to practice yoga, but was lazy. All day I lounged around, reading, and ate some KFC for lunch. The thing about eating junk food these days is that I just don't eat nearly as much as I used to. I ended up eating some mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, and just one small piece of chicken.

Let that be a lesson

2008-09-24T21:24:00.001-04:00

I had a great workout this morning, and to think I almost skipped it! The workout itself was challenging, made me sweat and felt rewarding. The best part was when one of the guys from the regular morning crew told me that I was starting to get really good and that I was tightening up. I am so glad that I got up and didn't miss out on that compliment. I am feeling stronger and leaner, even if the scale isn't reflecting that. I don't know that my clothes are exactly looser, I just feel leaner somehow.

Today's Workout:
NROLW Stage 1 Workout B

Today's Menu:
Post workout shake: 3/4 C skim milk and 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
M2: 4 oz cold coffee, 4 oz skim milk, and 1 scoop vanilla protein powder with 1/2 WW bagel and 1 T light cream cheese
M3: Leftover beef and barley soup
M4: 3/4 C fat free cottage cheese, 1 apple, and 1 T natural PB
M5: 1/3 of Macho Nachos from Kirby

Time for Some New Rules

2008-09-23T21:13:00.002-04:00

I started The New Rules of Lifting for Women in mid August, shortly before going on vacation. The trip derailed me a little bit; when we got home I was fighting a virus and had to take a week off to recover. I'm feeling better and back on track. I'm following the weight training in this program, but still sticking to the Body for Life guidelines for diet. My cardio has been really unstructured and I plan to start incorporating the New Rules plan soon.

So far, I'm really happy with the lifting component and wished I had listened to my reader poll back in June or July and started this program then.

Last night for dinner I made the Beef and Barley soup from Eating for Life. Yum! My nutrition facts are a little skewed since I doubled the barley, but it made the soup much thicker. I still think it would have been pretty good with the recommend amount, but it was a little heartier and I can handle the carbs being a bit high. I'm still so amazed that everything in that cookbook turns out so well. That cookbook was one of the best uses of $30!

Today's Workout:
20 minutes of jogging

Today's Menu:
M1: 1/2 WW bagel with 1 T light cream cheese, shake made with 4 oz cold coffee, 4 oz skim milk, and 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
M2: 1 hardboiled egg, 1 C Kashi GoLean with 1/2 C skim milk
M3: Leftover Beef and Barley soup from Eating for Life
M4: 3/4 C fat free cottage cheese, 1 apple, and 1 T natural PB
M5: Chicken Parmesan from Eating for Life

Where have I been?

2008-09-23T08:22:00.004-04:00

As you could probably tell, I hit a major roadblock over the summer. After six months I was bored with BFL yet struggled to find the next thing that would inspire me like those first 12 weeks of BFL did. I tried Making the Cut for about a week. It just didn't suit me. I didn't like the workouts at all. I didn't really like only eating 1300 calories per day. I felt like the program didn't allow for any treats or mistakes for 30 days. Sure, it's only 30 days, but any time I put such strict rules on myself, inevitably I will rebel. After quitting Making the Cut, I quit on health and fitness for a little while.

The break was good for my mind, but not as good for my body. Right now my weight is back up to 126, which seems like my maintenance number these days. The important thing is that I never truly gave up. I still forced myself to get on the scale every two weeks. I tried not to overeat. I tried not to be too hard on myself, knowing that I now had the tools to get back in better shape whenever I was ready. Overall, I'm much stronger mentally and physically than I was back in January when I started BFL. I'm ready to re-commit to being more fit. I'm back to blogging because I think the accountability was good for me.

On September 1st, I started a 101 Tasks in 1001 Days project and of course my list has a health and fitness category.

By May 30th, 2011 I hope to have accomplished the following:
-Complete The New Rules of Weightlifting for Women program
-Get body fat under 25%
-Maintain body fat under 25%
-Get weight less than or equal to 120 lbs
-Maintain weight at or below 120 lbs
-Complete a 10K race
-Complete a half marathon
-Complete a 5K race in less than 30 minutes
-Read 7 health or fitness related books (0/7)
-Do something active with L most weeks (0/110)
-Practice yoga once a week (2/143)
-Get professionally fitted for running shoes
-Climb the adult rock wall at the gym
-Get a tetanus shot
-Bike to a beach from our condo

You can expect to hear more about these goals and I'll probably ramble on about some of my other, non-health related goals, too.

2 Days Down, 28 To Go

2008-07-29T09:13:00.002-04:00

Well, technically I haven't finished out today yet, but I'm confident that there will be no eating slip-ups! My entire body is sore from those killer circuits, but tomorrow I get a break. Doing cardio after my circuits hasn't worked for me yet, so tonight I'm going to do some cardio after work, maybe 30 minutes of DDR. I'm feeling quite good, though. It's crazy how eating less always leaves me feeling better and more energetic.

The Details:
Exercise: Day 2 Making the Cut

Meals:
B: 1 C Kashi GoLean, 1/2 C skim milk, 1 T natural peanut butter
L: Leftover Morroccan chicken with wild rice and a salad with 2 T lite Balsamic Vinaigrette
S: Apple and 1 C fat free cottage cheese
D: 4 oz grilled sirloin, 1/2 C brown rice, and steamed mixed veggies

For Real This Time!

2008-07-28T09:01:00.004-04:00

Today I started Making the Cut. It's 30 days and I'm determined to do it. There are only 2 hiccups that I can see. First, I'm trying to get my cousin to visit in two weeks. If she comes, I probably won't eat perfectly and will definitely drink some alcohol. Second, we're going to a wedding the weekend of August 16, which will also involve off-plan eating and alcohol. Other than those two exceptions, I'm going to complete the program with no cheating. I really want to see what's possible in 30 days of hardcore commitment. The timing is good because we're leaving for St. Vincent on August 30. I want to spend my Caribbean vacation lookin' hot in a bikini!

The workout is very different from BFL. The weights aren't too heavy, but the circuits are just exhausting. My whole body feels a little tired right now. I'm excited about only having 4 days of scheduled workouts, though! I'll probably add a fifth day of just cardio and try to do some light activity on the weekend, like cleaning house or walking on the beach.

The Details:
Exercise: Day 1 Making the Cut

Meals:
B: 1 C Kashi Go Lean, 1/2 C skim milk, and 2 hardboiled eggs
L: Grilled chicken salad with 1 hardboiled egg white and 2 T fat free Italian dressing, and an orange
S: Apple and 1 C fat free cottage cheese
D: Morrocan chicken with wild rice, 1/2 Cucumber and 1 tomato with salt and pepper
S: 1 multigrain Wasa cracker with 1 T natural peanut butter

Does one day make a difference?

2008-07-17T20:44:00.000-04:00

I caved tonight and went out for Mexican for dinner. While entering my food into Fit Day, it blew me away how many calories were in that one meal. As planned, I was going to eat around 1350 calories, and it turned out that I ate 2163. All of my other meals yesterday were perfectly on plan. As long as this type of day is not typical it shouldn't have a devastating impact on the big picture, but it does slow things down. It's just crazy how we justify treats saying that it doesn't make that big of a difference, when in reality it kind of does. I know it's important to have balance and to live life and I'm okay with the fact that last night will slow down my progress, if even just a little. The important thing to keep in mind is that every single good choice, every single cookie, or off-plan meal, or Ben & Jerry's that I say no to is a very big step in the right direction.

Today's Menu:
Breakfast: 2 hardboiled eggs, 1 C Kashi GoLean, and 1/2 C skim milk
Lunch: Leftover chicken kabobs with brown rice
Snack: 2 Wasa multigrain crackers and 1 T natural peanut butter
Dinner: Chips & Salsa, 1 chicken enchilada, 1 beef burrito, and 1 chicken taco
Calories=2163; Fat=41%; Carbs=35%; Protein=24%

Fighting Cravings

2008-07-16T20:42:00.006-04:00

A note about photos: I'm not sure if I mentioned it, but we bought a DSLR last month and have been taking loads of pictures. Usually I blog from work, where I don't have access to our photo library, but I'm going to make a concerted effort to post more photos! And one of these days, you'll see progress photos--that is, if I ever make enough progress to show!

It always seems like Wednesdays are the toughest day of the week for me. I had a really hard time waking up this morning--but I made it to the gym! I also managed to eat on plan as well, despite wanting something sweet. Not having treats in the house really helps.

By my husband's request I made Baked Chicken Parmesan again for dinner. It turned out perfectly; the chicken was cooked just right.

Today's Menu:
B: 2 hardboiled eggs, 1 C Kashi GoLean, and 1/2 C skim milk
L: Leftover American Turkey Goulash
S: 1/2 C low fat cottage cheese and an apple
D: Baked Chicken Parmesan and a salad with celery, green and red peppers, a tomato, and 2 T fat free Italian dressing
Calories=1356; Fat=17%; Carbs=45%; Protein=38%

Two Days Down

2008-07-15T20:31:00.001-04:00

I survived my second day back on the wagon. It feels like a victory to just complete a workout right now. I rode the bike today to ease back into cardio a little.

For dinner, I tried another new EFL recipe--Chicken Kabobs. This recipe was more time consuming than I would ordinarily like, but I was home early due to a doctor's appointment so I didn't mind. Cutting the veggies and threading the kabobs took longer than anticipated. There was also a failed attempt at using the charcoal grill. The kabobs ended up cooking in the broiler in our trusty toaster oven. The quantity of ingredients seemed a little off, too. I ended up with a lot of green and red pepper left over--which is okay because I'll use it for salads later in the week. I ended up with about five and a half kabobs, rather than the four the recipe suggests you'll have. Maybe my skewers were shorter. I also highly recommend using baby portabella mushrooms instead of white mushrooms. I love those baby portabellas--which is a lot coming from a mushroom hater! Adding a salad with reduced calorie dressing to one of my daily meals is helping to get my calorie counts up where they should be. Jillian's meal plans seem to add up to around 1200 calories. A salad is nice because it increases my servings of veggies and adds a lot of nutrition.

Today's Menu:

Breakfast: 2 hardboiled eggs, 1 C Kashi GoLean, and 1/2 C skim milk

Lunch: leftover American Turkey Goulash

Snack: 20 raw almonds and an apple

Dinner: Chicken Kabobs with brown rice and a salad

Calories=1388; Fat=26%; Carbs=42%; Protein=32%

Back on the Wagon

2008-07-14T20:30:00.000-04:00

I made it to the gym this morning! Last night I packed my lunch and gym bag, which made it so much easier to get out the door. With that kind of preparation there was no way I was backing out! It is worth saying one more time that planning is very key to fitness success.

Over the weekend I read Making the Cut. I'm going to mostly follow Jillian's diet plan, but I'm not sure about the workouts. Trying a new weight routine just makes me nervous. I'm so comfortable with the BFL lifting. Jillian's nutrition plan has me eating at my BMR, which is about 1380 calories per day. According to the quiz, I'm a balanced oxidizer, which means my calories should be almost evenly split between proteins, fats, and carbs. This ratio is quite similar to BFL, which makes me happy because I'll still be using the EFL cookbook. This plan has me eating less frequently, which I'm also kind of happy about. Eating every 2-3 hours was getting a little tedius.
Here is today's menu:
Breakfast: 2 hardboiled eggs, 1 C Kashi GoLean, and 1/2 C skim milk
Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with 2 T lite Balsamic Vinaigrette, 3/4 C corn
Snack: 4 oz low fat cottage cheese, 1 apple
Dinner: American Turkey Goulash from Eating for Life
1225 calories; 43% Carbs; 38% Protein; 18% Fat

My calories are a little low today because of the salad for lunch, but they will probably go up later in the week when I start eating dinner leftovers for lunches.

American Turkey Goulash Review

2008-07-14T20:25:00.000-04:00

For dinner Monday, I cooked American Turkey Goulash from Eating for Life. It was pretty good, but my husband didn't like it. His complaint was that it was too "tomato-y." It's true, it is tomato-y. Although we won't be eating this again, I would recommend it, but maybe add two cloves of crushed garlic for a little more flavor.

Time for a Change

2008-07-08T10:27:00.002-04:00

It's probably pretty obvious by now that I have fallen into the biggest rut ever lately. I'm now on day 10 of skipping workouts (or something like that). Over last weekend I drank like crazy and ate whatever I wanted (which wasn't terrible, but of course all that wine balanced out any good eating). It was fun, but I'm feeling really derailed right about now. So tonight I'm vowing to play 30 minutes of DDR at least. The morning weight room crew might be fearing that some horrible fate has befallen me. Yesterday I took my first step forward by ordering both Jillian Michaels' Making the Cut and The New Rules of Lifting for Women. Jillian's book might go back after I've taken a better look at it, but right now I really need a swift kick in the rear. Isn't that what Jillian does best? I like that the program is just 30 days and I'm kind of inspired to see just how far I can go with a firm commitment to fitness insanity. I'm not promising success, but I am willing to let you all of you watch what happens, be it good, bad, or ugly.

Learning from the past

2008-07-01T12:20:00.003-04:00

Huge breakthrough moment! For lunch today I had a little taco salad; romaine lettuce topped with homemade taco meat and fresh salsa. It's actually a pretty good meal, but for some reason I don't like the thought of it. Anyhow, I thought some nacho Doritos might spice it up today, so I grabbed the bag and checked the nutrition facts. The 140 calories didn't bother me as much as the 8 grams of fat in one tiny bag. I had the bag sitting on my desk, about to rip it open, when I thought to myself "This stuff usually doesn't taste as good in my mouth as it does in my mind." So I decided to eat a couple of bites, and if I still wanted the Doritos, I could have them. I think my meal tasted better without them. It's just awesome when I can use past failures to make better choices.

This week I'm struggling with working out. Yesterday I totally skipped the gym, although my husband and I went for a leisurely walk on the beach to take some photos with our new camera. This morning, I couldn't bring myself to run intervals on the treadmill, so I did a 20 minute Pilates DVD. Weak, I know, but it was still something. I might also play some Dance Dance Revolution tonight, too.

Thoughts about the weekend

2008-06-30T09:25:00.002-04:00

I'm feeling bad about the weekend. Yesterday I just ate too much. It was like I was constantly eating, but in terms of calories, I don't think it was really that much. Saturday I did end up ordering Indian food and had a couple of platefuls throughout the day. I also had ice cream. My grocery store had the single serving size cups of Ben & Jerry's and Haagen Dazs on sale. My husband and I split two yesterday. I love those little things! It even comes with a spoon!

So today it's back to clean eating. I might take some photos Tuesday or Wednesday and post my progress.

Good Progress

2008-06-28T13:03:00.002-04:00

So my good behavior this week was rewarded! Down to 120 pounds today. This is officially the lowest weight I've seen in over a year. That's pretty exciting. What's disappointing is that my scale is still showing 30% body fat. I don't really know what else to do to drop that number. It might be time to head to the gym for a caliper test again. It's very cool that I could drop below 120 before the 4th of July.

I'm a little fearful of temptation this weekend. We're going to see a movie tonight, and I had planned to have some popcorn. The trouble is, I'm kind of wanting Indian and some ice cream. In the end, it will probably be okay if I indulge a little and get right back on track tomorrow. As is always said, it's what you do most of the time.

Giving Thanks

2008-06-25T10:11:00.002-04:00

It's crazy the things we take for granted in this life. I am blessed to have good health, even when I didn't eat as well or take very good care of myself. When something interrupts my general state of health, like my sunburn, it's so shocking to me when my body won't just do what I tell it to do. While I was suffering from my stupidity, I repeated many times that I'm grateful to have legs that hurt so bad. It seems a little silly, but now that I've more or less mended, I'm really struck by how lucky I am to be healthy. It really inspires me to take the best care of this body that I possibly can (which of course, includes being more diligent about sunscreen in the future).

So far my super-strict diet is going better than expected. Last night I grilled chicken and served it with mixed corn and black beans, along with tomato and cucumber slices. It was so fresh and tasted just like summer. The tomatoes and cucumbers were so good, I had more later along with a light string cheese and 5 kalamata olives. I thought it would be really hard to limit bread and pasta, but so far it's been going very well and I feel leaner after just two days. I'm kicking myself for not taking a photo before I started!

I'm Back!

2008-06-23T08:36:00.002-04:00

This morning was my first day back in the gym in over a week. I feel like a new woman! Maybe that's because I'm literally shedding my old skin...yeah, it's gross. Working out is just essential to my overall wellness. I need it for stress relief. I've finished my second 12 weeks of Body for Life, although I didn't put forth a full-on effort the second time around. I realized this when I went to enter my food from the weekend and found I had reached the end of my spreadsheet.

I'm ready to make some adjustments and start something new. In 2 weeks we're going to Ohio for some 4th of July celebrations with some friends. This seems like a good time frame to see what can be achieved being very strict with food. I haven't purchased my next program yet, so over the next two weeks, I'm going to follow the BFL workout plan, but really tighten up my eating and keep my calories low. My calorie target will be 1350 per day, which is my BMR and I'll shoot for somewhere around 40/40/20 to 40/30/30 for carbs/proteins/fats. I'm also going to keep my carbs limited to the least processed options like fruit, corn, beans, brown rice, and potatoes (sweet and white). At the end of the two weeks, I'll start either Red Carpet Ready or New Rules of Lifting for Women. New Rules won the poll by a landslide, but I did get a vote for RCR and since it's just a 6 week program, I might try that and then start New Rules at the end of summer. Is that fair? Also, since I'm out of tracking spreadsheets and don't want to start another for just 2 weeks, I'm going to use FitDay for the next couple of weeks. Let me know if you want to see what I'm eating every day.

Let's put it to a vote!

2008-06-17T22:13:00.000-04:00

While I'm sitting here nursing sun-related injuries, I can't stop thinking about what to try next. I know I said I was going to buy Strength for Life next, but I just can't decide. So, there is a poll at the top right and you can vote on what program I dive into next. I can't wait to see what you choose!

In no particular order, here are the nominees:

Red Carpet Ready

Making the Cut

Strength for Life

Warp Speed Fat Loss

New Rules of Lifting for Women

Recuperation Continues

2008-06-16T21:44:00.000-04:00

My stupid sunburn is probably going to keep me out of the gym all week. Today my legs became very swollen from sitting all day at work. I need to really focus on eating for the rest of the week since I won't be able to work out.

The pain continues...

2008-06-15T21:24:00.001-04:00

Today I can barely walk. The entire back of my body, from neck to legs, is fried crispy! I was planning to jog this afternoon when we got home, but considering that walking is excruciating, that won't be happening. In fact, I think it will be lucky if I can make it to work tomorrow. I've been slathering myself with aloe. The only plus is that I don't have much of an appetite right now.

Love the beach, hate the burn!

2008-06-14T23:17:00.000-04:00

It turns out that I'm sunscreen challenged this year! My sister-in-law and I laid out on the beach for way too long this morning and are both now paying the consequences. I don't think I've ever had sunburn this bad. Although, the beach house is perfect and we've had great weather. If I could do things over, I would have come in earlier, but the weather was perfect and it wasn't too hot because there was a great breeze coming off the lake.

I also enjoyed some carnival food and a few drinks. Overall, it's been a pleasant day. I just wish I wasn't in constant pain!

Losing again

2008-06-13T23:02:00.000-04:00

I lost another .5 pound again this week--back down to 122 lbs. Body fat is still at 30% which is so disappointing. This week's small loss convinced me that the weight gained after Montreal was unfortunately not water retention, but real weight. I'm blaming it on all of the wine I drank that weekend. On a positive note, I'm feeling thin today and recognizing the big improvements in my body since last summer.

Speaking of being positive, please share in the comments section any of your recent achievements--following BFL or any other program. Hearing the success stories of others really makes me happy.

After reading Skwigg's review of Strength for Life, I've decided to order it and use that program for my next "thing." I'll keep you posted after I get it!

Making Peace

2008-06-12T09:34:00.000-04:00

Tonight we went out to dinner at the place with amazing soups. I had a small cup of corn chowder, but added a grilled chicken salad without dressing. The meal was delicious and I didn't feel stuffed afterward. I'm okay with that. Right now I'm really struggling to find my own balance. Losing weight and reshaping one's body is a slow road, filled with all sorts of complications. I know I'll get there.

Self Sabotage?

2008-06-11T20:57:00.001-04:00

Another imperfect day here. Maybe I don't do well with pressure and deadlines. I feel like I'm cheating myself. I know how to work this plan. I know how to eat clean and work hard, so why does it seem like I just can't make myself this week. It just seems that it's been falling apart this week. Two days left before I go to the beach. I'm sure that eating clean for those two days will certainly help. I haven't felt very well since Tuesday and today I stayed home from work. I slept the whole day, so hopefully I'll have more energy for the next few days.

It seems like I'm having issues with being thinner. I thought I had moved past all of the emotional baggage that comes along with weight gain and loss, but now that I seem to be sabotaging myself just when I most want to be thin, I'm not so sure.

More Steps Back

2008-06-10T21:53:00.001-04:00

So much for having a perfect week before spending the weekend at the beach. Tonight we ordered Indian and picked up some ice cream and cones. I totally overate, now I feel gross and guilty. Tomorrow is another day and I'll try again.

Why does this happen?

2008-06-09T21:17:00.001-04:00

I was doing very well tonight, until I ate some leftover Chinese. It didn't sound or taste particularly good. It was there, so I decided to have some. It really is like it's some weird control thing. At least I didn't eat all of what was left. It seems like whenever I have a breakthrough--like feeling that eating on plan is really a habit now--I trip and fall the very next day. Can anyone else relate to this? Please share in the comments section your tips and tricks for avoiding slips like this! I still want to try out a new program, whether that is something totally different or something like Strength for Life. I will probably get something soon because this second cycle of BFL ends in 2 weeks! Hard to believe that I've been following BFL for nearly 24 weeks.

This weekend we are renting a beach house with my brother-in-law and his wife. It just might be the first time I sport a midriff baring bikini in years! That's pretty exciting. Of course I might chicken out and bring my tankini instead... I'll keep you posted!

Something clicked

2008-06-08T10:13:00.000-04:00

I feel like this week I crossed some kind of healthy eating threshold. Even though today was Free Day I ate mostly clean. My husband wanted to get Chinese for lunch, but I listened to my hunger and didn't overeat. For dinner I wanted pizza, but I stopped at 2 pieces and tossed the remaining pizza right then and there. I just didn't feel a lot of temptation today and really focused on keeping the protein content appropriate for my meals.

This weekend was really good. I feel renewed, rested, and healthy. I feel like I accomplished a lot and got my life a little more under control. Lately there has been a lot of work craziness that I think has been taking a toll on my personal life. I'm going to work harder to stay a little more in control than I have been.

Busy Bee

2008-06-07T22:04:00.000-04:00

I accomplished so much today! Cleaned the house, did laundry, did some shopping. And ate clean and had an awesome run! I think I just kept myself too busy to think about eating junk. In any case, it worked and I'm feeling great.

Feeling Strong

2008-06-06T22:00:00.000-04:00

After my upper body workout this morning and my on-plan eating all day, I'm feeling very strong. This confidence is a good way to go into the weekend, especially with my husband away until tomorrow night.

Avoided an eating disaster

2008-06-05T21:20:00.000-04:00

My husband left for Atlanta early this morning. I had a really stressful day at work. I jogged after work and made an amazing salad for dinner. I was still hungry though and wanted to dive headfirst into the remaining cheesecake. I pulled it out of the fridge, but the edges were getting a little dry and it just didn't look that appealing. So I tossed it! My kimchi soup wasn't the best choice for a late snack and I had it a little early, but considering that I almost ate three pieces of cheesecake, I am declaring victory.

On a related note, I was feeling very skinny tonight. I'm getting there. Slowly but surely.

Somehow made it through

2008-06-04T21:21:00.002-04:00

This afternoon got very hectic at work and I missed my afternoon snack. We ended up going out to dinner which was probably safer than going home and facing cheesecake and tortilla chips. Other than the missed snack today was on-plan. Yay! Another day down for this week.

Stumbling a little

2008-06-03T21:29:00.002-04:00

I didn't even make two days clean. Our gas isn't working tonight, so what I planned to make for dinner wasn't an option. I certainly could have eaten clean, but had a raging headache and was really frustrated about the gas situation. My homemade nachos were not too unhealthy and in retrospect I wish I had skipped the chips and cheese and eaten it as a taco salad. I also ate a small slice of the frozen pizza my husband cooked in the toaster oven. Tomorrow will be a better day and if this is the only cheating I do all week, I'll be proud of that.

Operation Clean It Up--One Day Down

2008-06-02T21:15:00.000-04:00

Today went very well. There were many times I passed up cookies, saying I would rather eat clean than eat cookies. It worked. I also chugged a serious amount of water, over 100 oz. On my charts, I always stop counting at 10 glasses, but usually drink a little more than that.

For dinner I made Rosemary Chicken from Eating for Life. OMG--so delicious, and so quick and easy. I would definitely make this for company. My husband raved about it as well, which was lucky because I think we will be eating this a lot in the weeks to come. Seriously, if you don't own this cookbook, you should buy it. When I bought the cookbook, Bill Philips was offering double money back to anyone who wasn't happy with the book. At this point, I'm almost ready to send him another check for writing this book. Even if you don't follow the Body for Life program, this is an awesome cookbook jam-packed with yummy, easy, healthy, balanced meals and snacks. I've just barely scratched the surface with the recipes and I usually try at least one new recipe each week. I know I'm starting to sound like I'm on the payroll, but I can't rave enough about this cookbook. The one downfall is the lack of vegetarian recipes for dinners and lunches. I wish there were more recipes for tofu and tempeh, but I can find those elsewhere.

Sweet Freedom

2008-06-01T22:16:00.001-04:00

Today was wonderful. Some friends of ours invited us to spend the afternoon on their boat. We almost backed out due to little more than laziness, but I am so glad we took them up on their offer. The sun was shining in a bright blue sky and it was nice to just relax and enjoy summer in Michigan at it's best.

Seriously Slacking

2008-05-31T22:12:00.000-04:00

I slept in this morning, skipped my cardio workout, and ate Indian food all day long. It was a nice relaxing lazy day, but I do need to get back on track soon.

A Mixed Bag

2008-05-30T22:40:00.000-04:00

First the good news, my body fat is down to 29%! It's a milestone for me to get under 30%. The not-so-good news is that I'm up to 123 pounds. I'm reasonably sure that this is mostly water weight. For the last week, I've done a lot of eating out and have drank a lot of wine. It's very likely that I'm retaining more water than usual. I'm committing to having a super-clean week starting Monday to see if I can shed those three pounds by next weekend.

Today is a special day and warranted some celebration, thus the bottle of wine at dinner and the cheesecake. Four years ago today, my husband and I were married. At the same time, it feels so long ago and so recent. This 4th year has been particularly wonderful. It has been a peaceful and prosperous year for Lawson and I. It's nice how each year seems to get a little better than the one before.

Battling Boredom

2008-05-29T21:27:00.002-04:00

Lately my program has been feeling stale. Pretty much everything about it feels so regimented and, well, boring. Every day I get up, go through the same motions, do mostly the same workout, and eat mostly the same things. I'm beginning the search for a change. I know at some point I want to use The New Rules of Lifting for Women, but that is a 6 month program and right now I want a swift, sharp kick in the rear to ramp up my commitment and motivation. Also, at the end of the summer I have a couple of big events--we are travelling to St. Vincent for a week in September and my 10 year high school reunion (ack!) is in October. A shorter term program, like 6-12 weeks fits in nicely with those events. I like the idea of finishing a program right around the time when I want to look smokin' hot. I could start New Rules in the fall to carry me through the fall and winter months. I'm considering Red Carpet Ready and Warp Speed Fat Loss.

What is kind of nice about where I am right now is that despite feeling bored with my program I don't want to quit. It's great to have gotten to this point, where I feel good about my body. I've probably said it a hundred times by now, but I have really changed my life. The one thing I want to share with everyone who'll listen is that change is possible. Anyone can do it. All you need to do is decide you want to change, that's really what got me moving.

Back to work

2008-05-28T21:44:00.000-04:00

Today I'm trying to get back to work--both at my job and with my fitness program. It's tough after such a fun time not following any rules or schedule! I caved and ordered pizza from Papa John's for dinner. The only redemptive qualities were the veggies and the whole wheat crust. I also had some chips and part of a cookie at work. Oh well, getting back on plan is somewhat of a process, right?

J'adore Montreal!

2008-05-27T22:24:00.000-04:00

When I woke up early Saturday morning to leave my parents' place for Montreal, I didn't know if I would make it. I was totally congested and felt like ass. I mentioned not going to my husband, and he said if I wasn't up to it we could stay home or maybe just go to Toronto (6 hours closer than Montreal). The realization hit me that we are just coming up on four years of marriage and I'm considering changing our anniversary trip for a little cold. Who knows what we might face in the future and how looking back I might regret not going on this trip.

Just for a little background, every year to celebrate our anniversary, my husband and I travel to a place we have never been together before. We've been to Toronto, so it would have "broken the rules."

I am so glad we ended up going! Montreal was amazing and is now a new favorite destination. The city far exceeded my expectations, which were admittedly a bit low. Montreal is European, but still friendly and North American. The drive was very long to get there, but worth every kilometer. Montrealers really do speak French all the time, but can speak English as well, and it's surprising how few words are necessary for effective communication. We ate a lot of delicious food, enjoyed a little bit of live jazz, marveled at a couple cathedrals, and tasted our first French wines. I can't wait for a chance to go back!

I'm not posting food and exercise details for the trip for two reasons. First, I didn't exercise, other than a lot of walking all around the city. Secondly, I didn't track my eating. It wouldn't really be a vacation for me if I have to log everything I eat, so in the interest of enjoying myself, I didn't keep up my food log. I can say that I enjoyed every bite of food and every glass of wine (there was a lot of wine).

Worn down

2008-05-23T23:18:00.000-04:00

It's sad that I'm not even looking forward to Montreal. The thought of skipping the trip has crossed my mind today. I didn't make it to the gym this morning. I felt achy and tired when I got up and knew that an upper body workout was not what needed to happen. I went back to bed for another hour and dragged myself to work. If I weren't leaving for vacation, I would not have been at work.

We stopped at PF Chang's on the way to my parents and had dinner with my cousin and her boyfriend. It was great to see them both and we got in a little early celebration since our anniversary is on her birthday. PF Chang's was yummy and I definitely ate too much, but I'm excusing it on account of being on vacation.

Sick!

2008-05-22T21:25:00.001-04:00

So I am officially sick. This sucks because we are leaving tomorrow for our anniversary vacation to Montreal. I've determined that I will be feeling better by Saturday morning. I can't call in sick tomorrow because of my imminent vacation day on Tuesday.

I still made it to the gym and stayed mostly on plan. My kimchi soup is a little questionable, but it was really all that sounded good.

Surviving the danger zone

2008-05-21T21:44:00.002-04:00

My husband had to fly out of town today and wanted to take me out to lunch before he left. We went to the restaurant with amazing soups and I was contemplating ordering a soup and sandwich combo. The restaurant has changed their menu and the soup/sandwich combo is no longer available. So I ordered the Greek salad that I love so much and was very glad to have stuck to the plan! I also survived being home alone last night. But I think allergies may have started. My husband has been very congested and had a sore throat all week and I was convinced I had escaped unscathed. Tonight, my throat feels dry and itchy, which I'm sure is affecting my appetite. I'm just hoping to get over this quickly.

Makin' it through

2008-05-20T21:47:00.001-04:00

The problem with having days like yesterday is that it is harder to resist temptation the following day. Despite telling myself that the best way to feel better is to stick to the plan, it is still hard to say no to those stinkin' cookies. But I did it! I used two of my favorite tricks to beat the cheat. First, I had a full water bottle that I said needed to be finished before eating a cookie. By the time my water was gone, it was time for my afternoon mid-meal. After eating that, I didn't really want to add the calories of the cookie. The second trick I used was to remind myself that it wasn't going to taste as good in my mouth as it did in my head. After all of this internal debate and dialogue, my appointment arrived and by the time they left it was time to go home. Whatever works, I guess.

For dinner I made sloppy joes from Eating for Life. Super easy and very yummy. This dish takes less than 30 minutes to make and only dirties one pan and a couple measuring cups. It's awesome for days when you really don't feel like cooking. I omitted the red onion and my barbeque sauce and ketchup measurements weren't terribly precise and it ended up tasting very barbeque-y which was fine because that is my husband's preference. Speaking of my husband, he was pleasantly surprised by how tasty the meal was. He liked it even better when he was washing the one pan I used!

After much experimenting, I think I've perfected the breakfast smoothie. The consistency and taste is great. I've been using this a little more often instead of my slim fast/protein powder combo in an effort to use more whole foods. I could try using egg beaters instead of skim milk to up the protein content and skip the protein powder. I don't know how that would taste though.

Breakfast Smoothie
3-4 oz lite silken tofu (I use Nasoya brand)
4 oz skim milk or nonfat vanilla soymilk
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
Handful of fruit (I've used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and combinations of these)
Packet of splenda (optional)

Blend for about 30-60 seconds until smooth. You can also add a handful of ice cubes during the last 15-30 seconds of blending. It works out to just over 200 calories and is pretty balanced.

A little out of control

2008-05-19T21:26:00.000-04:00

Today, my inner 2 year old woke up instead of me. She really didn't want to go to the gym, and even after completing the workout persisted in whining about anything and everything. My day continued to go downhill. I was just generally grouchy all day. I only ate half of my chicken wrap because I started freaking out that the chicken was undercooked. Never mind the fact that this is from the same batch of chicken that I cooked a few days ago. Anyhow, after that I ate a peanut butter cookie and ended up deciding to go out to dinner and did not stay totally on plan. Later, I ate a bag of microwave popcorn and had a little Ben & Jerry's. I realize that this eating was totally emotional and I do this sometimes on bad days. The reason is somewhere between wanting to enjoy something during the day and wanting to "take revenge" on what's going wrong. In any case, what's eaten is eaten and tomorrow is another day.

It feels good to do nothing

2008-05-18T21:57:00.000-04:00

I really enjoyed another lazy day today. I got to eat lots of yummy food. The thing that always amazes me is how much less I can eat these days. We went to a Chinese buffet for lunch and I had a normal sized plate of food. When it was gone, I was definitely full, I knew going back for more would make me feel sick, so I didn't. We ordered pizza for a late dinner and after two pieces I was full. I was tempted to go back for more, but knew once again that I would feel wretched if I did. Learning to listen to my body is great.

I'm going to share my turkey burrito filling. It's probably a little high in carbs for most people if eaten with a tortilla, but the amount of beans can be reduced to help that. This is so versatile--you can use it as a nacho topping on free day, or as part of a taco salad (my favorite way to eat it), or as a burrito filling.

Turkey Burrito Filling

1 lb ground turkey breast

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 can diced tomatoes, drained (I like no salt added)

1/2 package taco seasoning (use lower sodium versions if you can)

Cayenne pepper to taste

3 T taco sauce

Brown ground turkey over medium heat. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, stirring occasionally until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

An Act of Will

2008-05-17T21:47:00.001-04:00

For some reason it was very hard to get myself to the gym this morning for cardio. Usually my Saturday morning jogs feel like a treat. This morning, I just wanted to laze around in my pajamas all day, which is pretty much what I did after forcing myself to get to the gym. I ended up walking my extra 10 minutes on an incline. Kept my heartrate up, but didn't burn as many calories as jogging. I consider it almost a miracle that I made it at all.

I was also really hungry today. Maybe skipping a couple of meals yesterday had an effect. Oh, and for the record, I weighed myself again this morning out of curiousity. I wanted to know if the pepperoni cheese bread would have an impact on my weight. Still 121.5 lbs. It didn't hurt me, but it didn't help either.

Cheater Cheater, pepperoni cheese bread eater!

2008-05-16T22:23:00.000-04:00

Okay, I don't know if it's technically cheating since it was sort of planned. Yesterday my coworker asked if I would take my Free Day today and split pepperoni cheese bread with her. We used to do this every now and then when we worked together before, but haven't done it in probably a year since I've been off visiting other locations. I didn't really want to take a whole free day today, because I need the mental break from all things BFL that Sunday gives me, so I decided a little cheating was in order.

I weighed myself this morning and gained .5 lb this week. I was a little bummed, since my eating was really good this week. My workouts have been a little shabby, though. Energy levels have been low and getting myself to the gym in the morning has certainly been a struggle this week. I've made it to every single workout though! Anyhow, I seemed to remember having some issues with weight gain during my first twelve weeks. Looking back at all of my "stats" posts, I discovered that weeks 6 and 7 were each .5 lb gains, and I was getting very discouraged at that point. Week 8 was when I suddenly dropped 3 lbs. Right now, I'm wrapping up week 7 of the second twelve weeks. Who knows if the next week or two will bring a significant drop, and I'm not holding my breath, but it seems strange that I've had the same gain around the same time.

This morning my huband asked how the gym went. I said "Meh." He asked if I was upset about the scale. It is disappointing; I was so sure my eating had been really good this week. One thing I've realized, though, is that sometimes my body will just do what it wants. Obviously a pattern of behavior will have consequences, but every now and then, no matter what I do, my body will just gain or lose. I'm sure there are some valid reasons for this--maybe I drank less water this week than usual, or maybe I ate foods a little higher in sodium, or maybe eating out twice had an effect even though I made good choices. There are so many variables and it's just impossible to control them all and still have a semblance of a life. So, we'll take a gain this week. It happens. But overall, it's the trend that matters. Even at 121.5 lbs, I weigh less than I did three weeks ago. Progress is progress after all.

How to get started?

2008-05-15T21:49:00.000-04:00

One question that gets asked a lot is how to get started on a healthier lifestyle. The answer is that getting healthier and more fit is a process that takes several steps. The first step is deciding to make a change. Once you have made a decision, it's important to take some time to plan out how your new lifestyle will look. Take a week to start collecting recipes, work on meal plans, figure out workouts. It's a good idea to try some of the recipes and experiment with workouts, but not hold yourself to perfection. The next week, start in on your plan. Even starting small, choosing just a couple of simple changes, then making another couple of changes when those become habits, and so on until your life and body look the way you've always hoped. In fact, that's how I started to make true and lasting progress.

I talked a little about this when I first started the blog. In July of last year, I was just fed up with tight pants and feeling chubby. I knew I wasn't overweight, but was on a path to get there. Something had to be done. I decided to start drinking more water and to go to the gym four or five times each week. After doing that for awhile, I decided to start eating beatter. I was getting decent results, but still felt like something was missing; something was holding me back. My husband had tried BFL years ago and I dug up the book. The eating program was really quite similar to what I was doing during the week. Weekends were pretty much free days. I thought it wouldn't be too hard to start following the program. I was really nervous about the weight lifting, but that turned out to be not so scary after a couple of weeks. Looking back over my long history of weight yo-yoing, the best shape I was in before now was while doing the Buff Brides workout, which centered around weight lifting. So if anyone is wondering if weight lifting really works, the answer is yes! It is integral to a more fit body.

Even the best laid plans...

2008-05-14T22:25:00.001-04:00

Today, we had lunch brought in from Qdoba because it is my co-worker's last day before maternity leave. Qdoba is one of my go-to fast food options. Usually I order a naked chicken burrito with black beans, lettuce, pico de gallo, hot salsa, and no rice. This works out to about 350 calories and a decent carb/protein balance. Its only downfall is the sodium, which is always the case when eating in a restaurant. They messed up my order today and included rice. Bummer! It added about 100 calories and lots of carbs. Our local Qdoba was having issues since all six of our orders were in some way incorrect. I just ate my eggs from meal 4 and skipped the orange to keep my carbs down for the day. I was a little nervous that I would be hungry or feel deprived without my orange, but it really wasn't too bad.

My upper body feels like Jell-O after this morning's workout. I'm not sore, just weak feeling. I increased the weight a little bit and that is probably why. It feels so good to work out hard.

Overslept

2008-05-13T21:43:00.001-04:00

This morning I overslept and missed my early workout. I would rather do that on a cardio day, so it wasn't a huge problem. I didn't really know how to get myself ready without going to the gym first. I did make myself a rather large and pretty fantastic breakfast. Since meal 1 is usually something liquid, it was a nice treat to have oatmeal, egg beaters, and some Greek yogurt. Missing my early workout reminds me how much better it is to get it done early.

Today was the first day of increasing my jogging speed. The first 10 minutes weren't too much trouble. I was thinking, Yeah, I can handle this. I powered through the third interval and maintained my faster speed through the last minute of that interval. About halfway through the last one, I just couldn't handle it anymore and had to slow down. During my 10 minutes of steady state, I increased my speed to try to make it three miles, but during the last minute I had to slow to a brisk walk. The treadmill showed my heartrate at 190 bpm when I first slowed to a walk, so I definitely think the workout was good. I was drenched in sweat--it was running down my face and stinging my eyes.