Gathering Momentum

I picked up running again, to go with my efforts at putting more veggies and less sweets in my mouth. So far, it's going really well. Today was Day 3 of that Runner's World training program. I haven't had to repeat a day to get it yet: first try all the way! I'm feeling pretty good about that, let me tell you! I think that the furthest I've been into that program is Day 8 or so, so I'm going to start out with a modest goal: Make it to day 10. Someday, I want to run a 5k, but I'm not worrying about that right now. Right now I'm working through the issues that keep me sabotaging myself. Like fear of miscarriage and gluttony. Things that happen in my head that keep the food going in the mouth or the feet off the treadmill.

I'm coming to the conclusion that weight loss isn't really so much about calories (though those ARE important) as it is about psychology or something like that. How many times have I started to loose, been making good progress, then let it all slip away and ended up heavier than when I started?? That's not a problem with my ability to loose weight: the weight loss was working. That's a problem with the things that happen between my ears. So I'm trying spending more time on my knees, asking for clarity and help. It worked yesterday. I managed not to eat more than I should.

I'm setting smaller goals: just this week. I want to loose 2 pounds this week. I'm doing that by drinking water and running. Next week will take care of itself when it gets here. I have to Pay Attention or I find myself with a fistful of M&Ms or something and then another and another... But yesterday I made it. I resisted the temptation to sabotage. And I'm not doing too badly today, though I really need to find my water.

Digging Out of My Hole

The one that I dug for myself when we went on our trip. It was not pretty. I came back with much more of me to love than there was when we left and this does not make me a happy Mama! However. I've been getting back on track since then. I've got some smoothie stuff to post (more on that in a minute) because I've been working on re-learning how to eat so that I loose weight. Re-discovering how tasty veggies and fruit are. Plain. All by themselves. With maybe some other healthy things. That and some water is working nicely. Which is good because getting the exercise to happen has really been a struggle. But I feel pretty good: I've lost 8 of the pounds I'd gained while we were out. Still have 4 to go, but it's progress. And it's loss. So I get a button.



Speaking of smoothies, they make a yummy breakfast. This one had apples in it, which my blender didn't quite manage to smooth out, so I had chunks. But the blender is known to be dieing, so it's OK. One of these days I'll replace it. But it's not all dead yet, just partly dead. Partly dead is still slightly alive... Ahem. In addition to the apple (chunky) there was strawberry. That got smoothed out. I think this one also had the end of my pineapple rings and some pineapple juice. And a little vanilla yogurt. YUM. So tasty! Sometimes, when I don't have any juice around I throw in a slosh of soy milk. For whatever reason I never seem to slosh around the regular milk like that, though you probably could. But soy milk is very easy on the calories. I've got some frozen fruit that I sometimes put in: peaches or blueberries. Both quite yummy as well. There will be bananas in the next bunch of smoothies that I make cuz I got a whole slew of bananas today. Just whatever's around. It's a tasty fruity way to start the day for not many calories! If you're feeling REALLY adventurous, a friend of mine makes a green smoothie... with spinach in her fruit. Looks like toxic waste. Tastes good. But it's a bit... oddd.... drinking that green stuff. But it'd add more veggies to the day.

Another Day

Today the gym was super packed. Bleck. (I had to use a bike, my least favorite of the options) However, I still worked up a sweat and I feel like I got a good cardio workout. And I spent some time working my core muscles with leg lifts and side-ways crunches.

Last Friday, instead of going to the gym, I had to stand in line at the DMV to (unsuccessfully) take care of some business with my car. However, I had also missed Wednesday ('cuz I forgot the necessary pieces) so I was feeling like I'd slacked off and didn't want to miss my Friday. So I determined (and posted it as my status on Facebook to hold myself more accountable) that I would go home and jump rope. And I did! I jumped rope for 20 mins and then worked on the elliptical machine for another 15, followed by those same tummy exercises as above. Now, if I could just stop eating sweet things I think I might notice some positive effects! :)

How are things going with you ladies? It's been kind of quiet around here...

Yummy Food!!

Strawberries! They're starting to come into season in the grocery stores, and I'm so excited! Not long after you can get good strawberries at the store (which these are) you can get them from the you-pick places. I love the spring and summer fruits. They're delicious and healthy and very low-calorie. Eat up, it's a gift from a Loving Father!

I tried Kate's pita salad, and it's yummy. I added mushrooms to mine, and because I like my veggies juicy, I added a bit of greek dressing. It was delicious.




Kate and I have been discussing in comments some very yummy looking food. One of the ideas she found was peanut butter sushi. It's fun. A little fiddly to make, but lots of fun. I ran it through my recipe program, which tells me that four pieces of "sushi" - the amount made from one piece of whole grain bread - comes to about 280 calories.

Sharing Ideas

So, I work an office job and for some time now I've been bring-your-own-lunch kind of girl. Good for a lot of things, and saving money is just one of them. Sometimes I would bring a sandwich, or leftovers from dinner yesterday, but then I got tired of eating the same thing twice in a row. (having the same stuff for lunch and dinner takes all the fun out of even the best dinner dishes)

So, for the last several months I've taken to bringing different kinds of Lean Cuisines (or knock-off brands of the same sort). However, either the meals have changed or my tummy has just gotten tired of them because, for the last few weeks, each time I would heat one up for lunch (and tried pretty much ever flavor and it was all about the same) after I would finish eating it, I'd feel nauseous and gross (and it wasn't just my body's dislike of milk kicking in). After exhausting the supply of new flavors -and my patience with feeling nasty every day- I went online to find something new and portable that I could bring for lunch; something that would still be within the 250-300 calorie range and be (ideally) on the healthy side.

Then I found this:
It's made up of these ingredients (i don't actually measure them out, but here's a general idea):
1 half pita (6 1/2" diameter) whole wheat
2 Tbs hummus (original flavor)
1/4 cup of green (bell) peppers
2 medium slices of ripe tomato
7-10 black olives, halved

I spread the hummus inside the pita and put it in a baggie. Then, in another bag, I put the chopped peppers, tomatoes and olives.

While the hummus works wonders to make the pita bread more moist, it also makes it super difficult to peel it apart when it's time for lunch. So, when it's time to eat, I just pour the toppings over the pita on a plate and eat it with a fork and knife.

I looked up this concoction on http://sparkpeople.com 's calorie counter and it came out to roughly 270. Well within my ideal lunch calorie limit and there's next to no preservatives, all sorts of veggies AND it's soooo yummy.

I've brought it every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, for the last couple weeks and, so far, I don't see myself getting tired of this any time soon. And I cannot wait until the farmers markets open and I can upgrade to vine-ripened tomatoes and garden fresh peppers.. oh baby oh baby!!

In Praise of Water

I went to Mom & Dad's house this weekend, and we had dinner. It was yummy: spaghetti and salad. There was also chocolate milk on the table which I enjoyed very much. That is, I did until I looked at the label and realized that for the brief pleasure of a glass of milk I had spent 170 calories or so. And I'd had more than 1. I usually know it when I'm sabotaging myself, but I'd been completely blindsided by this one. Nothing to do about it but enjoy the fact that I'd been to the ice rink earlier in the day and skated for an hour and a half. At least I did a good job on the exercise!

Just one more reason to love water: it's crazy easy to drink your calories, which leaves you still hungry enough to eat them too. Milk's not even all that bad: check the label on soda some time. That stuff is liquid candy. Juice makers want you to think their apple juice is the same as eating an apple, but you don't get any of the filling qualities: no fiber, no pulpy bulk filling the belly.

Makes me want to make sure to drink water at my meals: it's an easy way to keep the calorie count lower.