Well, today will just have to be my day off plan this week, because I just ate out at my favorite Mexican restaurant with Noah, and it was AMAZING, but now I am of course uncomfortably full of queso and remorse.  I’m not going to sweat it, I worked out today and I’ve had a good week.  Noah and I are doing the horror movies\cleaning the office thing tonight and it feels great!  Feeling a little better about the pancake boobs, tonight- thanks for the supportive comments, ladies!  Hope the challenge is going well for everyone!

Breakfast: 1 cup yogurt, 1 banana

Lunch: sandwich with 1 laughing cow cheese wedge, spinach, sliced chicken, horseradish

Dinner: out for Mexican food, 1\2 cup rice, 1\2 steak quesadilla, 20 tortilla chips with salsa

Exercise: 30 Day Shred (8 miles), 30 minutes stationary bike, short walk around the neighborhood with dogs,

1000 miles in 2009: 269

Challenge:

Water: 96 oz

Clean Eating Days: 4\6

Exercise minutes: 335\290

Song of the Day: Multiply, by Jamie Lidell

Daily awesome: Next time I go through a breakup, I’m taking a trip to San Diego!!  This woman thought up the most incredible idea; a fun, safe place to go to smash the shit out of things when you’re feeling upset, frustrated or spurned by some silly man.  

Well, it was beautiful again here, not super hot (it really never is until July or so), but for some crazy reason, my internet and landline service are down- the comcast people couldn’t figure it out over the phone, so they’re sending someone tomorrow.  I would not normally be pissed about it, but we’re a web services company, for godsake, that operates out of my home!  We need the internet to do literally ANYTHING involving online site maintenance; but, bright side, we got the day off.  I am taking advantage of my generous friend Kathy’s washer and drier right now.  She’s at work and I have been hanging around here for a couple of hours, relaxing and battling a little bit of a defeatist attitude.  I’m just having a day where I feel so incredibly fat and unwieldy that I can barely move around.  I’m trying to tell myself that, yes, I am fat, but clearly I am able to exercise and use my body like a functional human being.  I’m just sick of seeing the way my ass looks in jeans.  Since it was so nice today, I decided to do a bizarre out door exercise: running stairs at the high school football arena (yes, inspired by the Biggest Loser, natch).  That shit was hard!!  My mother and sister and I used to do stair climbing all the time in Seattle, to prepare for difficult or multi-day hikes or backpacking trips.  It whipped my ass today.  I had already worked out earlier in the day and I was REALLY tired once the stair-running mayhem started, but I managed to do 45 minutes of it before I had to throw in the towel.  I’m also worrying about my boobs today- this could of course sound crazy to someone who’s never struggled with their weight, but all my compatriots here on this site know what I’m talking about: blind panic, that’s what.  What if they never look good again?  I’m already losing some of my bust line, have downgraded 1 bra size and they seem to be acquiring a bit of a flappier appearance than usual.  I’m trying not to go into Negative Nancy mode; after I lose weight, my body is not going to look the same as I remember it, but it’s still so freaking worth it!  I was feeling so good today, tired and sweating and out in the sun: when I binge on shitty food or stray too far from the diet, I can always feel it, it slows me down, gives me glazed eyes and a buzzing head.  I’ve been feeling good lately, physically, and you forget what it’s like to feel bad all the time.  Again, it’s so similar to drinking; I haven’t had a hangover in years (obviously), but I used to wake up with one every day.  I used to spend mornings vomitting into a toilet, then I’d eat a disgusting sandwich or similar for lunch, then go to work feeling horrible.  By the time my shift was over at 11, I’d be ready to repeat the cycle, and would head to the bar.  With fatty food it’s the same thing: it’s a reward and a punishment at the same time.  I’m trying to keep my head above water on the diet thing and I just need to keep it at the front of my mind how terrible I feel when I don’t treat myself well.  

Things I want to work on for next week: 

-eating breakfast, every day

-starting a vitamin regimen

-continuing quest for low-fat salad dressing

-smaller portions

-longer workouts (maybe)

Breakfast: nope

Lunch: sandwich with spinach, 2 laughing cow wedges, sliced chicken, horseradish

Dinner: nothing yet, and I’m getting super hungry

Exercise: 30 day shred, 30 (8 miles) minutes stationary bike, 45 minutes running stairs, 1 mile with the dogs

1000 miles in 2009: 261

Challenge!

Water: 128 oz so far

Exercise minutes: 275\290

Clean Eating Days: 4\6

1 outdoor activity done!

Song of the Day: Down in the Valley, by Solomon Burke

Daily awesome: My laundry has been piling up for literally three and a half weeks, and I am now, FINALLY, getting it done.  I’m so excited to sleep on clean sheets tonight and to have my favorite jeans back in the rotation and fresh underpants (of which I am wearing my last pair today!).  Yay!

Spent all day doing taxes for my self and our business (yes, I wait until the last minute every year, don’t judge me), am now going to enjoy a few episodes of Sex and The City (not always in the mood, but when I am, I REALLY am), relax and get in bed early.  

Yesterday was a good day but I don’t really have the energy to detail the food or mileage or anything.  The challenge is going well so far. . . hopefully can keep up the momentum for the rest of the week, as well.

Today:

Breakfast: 1 cup yogurt, 1 banana, 1 tomato

Lunch: salad with butter lettuce, raddichio, tomatoes, sprouts, carrots, 1 slice sharp cheddar, 1 slice roast beef, radishes, balsamic vinegar (lots), salt, pepper, 1\2 tablespoon olive oil (this was not a very satisfying salad dressing, but I think I could get used to it)

Dinner: sandwich with 2 slices roast beef, 2 laughing cow light swiss wedges (which are INCREDIBLE, as many of you know), 2 slices cracked wheat sourdough, 1 cup sauteed spinach

Exercise: 40 minutes stationary bike (11 miles) 30 Day Shred, 1 mile with dogs

1000 miles in 2009: 252

Challenge:

Water: 96 oz so far

Exercise minutes: 170\ 290

Clean Eating Days: 3\6

Song of the Day: Calling It Quits, by Aimee Mann

Daily awesome: Taxes done and mailed!!

The typical Northwest Spring weather is in full effect over here- we got a couple solid days of sunshine and now Mother Nature has thrown a wet grey blanket over the entire region for the next two months.  I have my night class tonight and am going out afterwards so probably will not get around to writing, so I thought I would write early today.  I’m EXHAUSTED today, I did an obscenely hard workout when I first woke up and now I’m having that crazy thing where the muscles in my legs are twitching every once in awhile and I feel like I need a long nap.  I want to tackle a lot of exercise minutes during the work week so that I can go light on the weekend.  I’m still feeling kind of mopey and boyfriendy. . . I’m sure I’ll feel better in a few days, not having a partner is always hard in the spring.  Every night I have to go to my class is like pulling teeth these days, I just can’t wait for the goddamn thing to be OVER.  I’m enjoying my class, but I just want to be graduated.  I have worked extremely hard the past two years to make up the staggering amount of credits I needed to finish and now that I’m so close. . . it’s hard not to skip class every night.  I’m trying to formulate a plan of what I want to do when I officially finish school; I’d like to travel or move to Austin or something, but I think what I really want to do is save a bunch of money, find a job and apply to grad schools.  I want to get my Masters degree and even though it took me a ton of time to finish my BA, I have much better habits now, no drinking problem and I’m closer to a settled 30 then a buck wild 20, so I think it will be much easier.  I always assumed I would go to grad school and now it’s getting closer and closer to the time where I should decide if I’m going to do it now or wait five more years.  Eh, I still have some time before I have to decide.  This week needs to be really a good, morale-boosting one for me, diet wise, which is why I made the challenge so fierce; I need to shake my body up a little bit.  

Breakfast: 1 egg on wheat toast

Lunch: sandwich with 2 slices roast beef, mustard, greens, tomatoes, feta, 2 slices wheat bread

Dinner: I’m going to have a salad of the usual variety

Exercise: 30 Day shred- Levels 2 and 3 (60 minutes), 40 minutes stationary bike (11 miles), 3 miles with dogs

I don’t know what possessed me to do levels 2 and 3 on the video, that’s what kicked my ass so hard.  I was still getting used to Level 2 and I think I’m going to stick with that from now on- just needed a great start to the week.

1000 miles in 2009: 240

Challenge!

Water: 80 oz so far

Exercise minutes: 100\290

Clean eating days: 1\6

For the outdoor activity portion of the challenge, I’m going to take a bike ride this week and take the dogs on a harsh hike over the weekend.  Trying to eat nothing but low fat salad dressing and no restaurants, still.  Does anyone have some suggestions on some good lo-cal dressings to try?  I’m into vinaigrettes, but all the lo-fat ones I’ve tried have a gross chemical taste; any ideas, ladies?

Song of the Day: Sorry Again, by Velocity Girl

Daily awesome: General silliness from ebaumsworld.com.

It is so good to hear it!

Was not eaten by me today.  Blissfully did not celebrate the holiday this year- no family madness, or pastel chocolate eggs or anything else non-religious celebrators of Easter generally have going on.  

Had another good food day, but literally no exercise.

I hung tough with the NKOTB CHALLENGE!!  Hurray!

Now, c’mon everyone, I know you can manage 290 minutes of exercise for next weeks challenge; only fifteen more than this weeks and you get a nifty decal for your blog!!  Get to signing up for this thing, pronto, I know we can do it!

Yesterday:

Breakfast: mango, 1 cup yogurt

Lunch: salad with 2 slices roast beef, mixed greens, spinach, tomatoes, feta, radishes, carrots, olives, sprouts, balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: 1 cup wheat pasta with tomato sauce and 1 chicken sausage

Exercise: 30 day shred, 30 minutes stationary bike (8 miles)

1000 miles in 2009: 226

Challenge:

Water: 96 oz

Exercise minutes: 335\275

Clean Eating Days: 5\7

Allright, ladies, I’m hosting the weekly challenge and I’m hoping y’all are ready for a butt kicker!  For this weeks We Can Do It Challenge, you must do the following to earn a lovely prize:

6 Days Clean Eating, per your personal standards.

290 minutes of Exercise

2  strenuous outdoor activities (take a hike or a bike ride).   This part of the challenge is of course contingent on the weather in your area- if you can’t do something outdoorsy because of the weather, then try a new workout 2 times, something that you’ve never done before.  New workouts or outdoor activity both count towards exercise minutes.

80oz of water per day.

Eliminate something this week that is hindering your weight loss process (I’m sticking with no restaurant eating and I’m going to subtract full-fat salad dressing).

   For every day you don’t drink your water or eat on plan (you’ve got one built-in cheat day during the week), add 45 minutes exercise.

  I need a strong week this week and I’m guessing y’all do, too.  Sign up for the challenge below.  

                                                                We Can Do It!!  

If you do, you get this fantastic badge of honor:

A pretty good day.  Noah and I worked all day and had a very productive time of it.  I was feeling a little bit blue today- it’s Spring and I’m starting to feel a little bit lonely for a boyfriend.  Most of my friends are paired off and have been happily (or unhappily, in some cases) hibernating together for the winter and usually, I don’t feel at odds with it at all.  Today, however, I had one of those staring-wistfully-into-space, fantasizing about a nice, tall drink of water keeping the bed warm at night and walking the dogs with me in the morning.  I feel like I’ve grown so much more finicky as I’ve gotten older- when I was drinking a lot, anyone over 6 feet with a sense of humor would do.  But now, I’ve been thinking about what I really want and need in a true partner: lots of brains, motivation, silliness, a pervy streak a mile wide, and a full plate of hobbies and interests that make him fascinating.  I want a guy that can teach me things and learn from me, who is compassionate but kind of a hard-ass.  I’m really starting to think this type of incredible unicorn doesn’t exist.  Olympia is quite a small town and if you’re not into state workers, hippies or townie burnouts, it’s not really a great dating pool.  Ah well, must soldier on.  I will feel a lot more confident to put myself out there when I’m a little bit closer to my goal weight.  I feel like I’ve hit a plateau- for the first month of this, I really was noticing changes in my body.  For this past month, it’s been pretty static.  I’m just going to continue doing what I’m doing and try to be consistently better about food intake.  

Tomorrow, I’m having lunch with Deana and Nancy and les bebes.  Deana and I had a long conversation the night she went into labor (beforehand) about Nancy’s post-partum depression situation and she is concerned, like I am.  Nance is refusing to see a doctor, but I’m hoping when the three of us sit down, we can have a serious talk about it.  Or maybe we’ll just let her take a nap.  I really feel for her; I’m usually an intuitive person when it comes to knowing how best to support my friends, but this is such an unfamiliar situation for me that I’m having trouble figuring out what she needs.  

My sister is still in a bad way, too, but I don’t even have the heart to get into that whole thing right now.

Breakfast: 1 mango, 1 serving rice chips

Lunch: salad with mixed greens, spinach, 2 slices roast, feta, radishes, tomato, olives, sprouts, red cabbage, carrots, balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: sandwich with sliced chicken, tomatoes, lettuce, pickles, olives, dijon, sharp cheddar cheese.

Exercise: 2 miles with the dogs, 30 day shred, 30 minutes stationary bike (8 miles)

1000 miles in 2009: 218

Challenge!

Water: 96 oz

Exercise minutes: 275\305

Clean Eating Days: 4\7

Song of the Day: Pregnant, by the Cold War Kids

Daily Awesome: Kitlers! (I’ve got one)

Today was much better, in terms of exercise and food.  I’m feeling better about my couple of bad days.  I busted my ass working out today, made good headway on a site Noah and I are working on and now plan to get a good solid night’s sleep.  Also, looks like I’m going to be hosting next weeks challenge, so get ready, ladies!!

Breakfast: banana

Lunch: salad with tempeh, feta, tomatoes, radishes, red cabbage, olives, balsamic vinaigrette

Dinner: 1 cup whole wheat pasta with tomato sauce and 1 chicken sausage

Exercise: 30 minutes elliptical machine at school gym, 30 minutes weights, 30 day shred, 45 minutes stationary bike (13 miles), 2 miles with dogs

1000 miles in 2009: 208

Challenge!

Water: 128 oz and counting

Exercise minutes: 215/305

Clean Eating Days: 3\7

Song of the day: Shoplifters of The World Unite, by The Smiths

Daily awesome:  Well, this is not exactly awesome, per se, but it’s definitely an interesting debate.  All the feminist blogs have been lighting up with flaming reviews of a date rape scene masquerading as high comedy in the latest Seth Rogen movie, Observe and Report.  I was gravely disappointed to hear this, as I am a big fan of both feminism and, usually, profane Seth Rogen comedies.  Reading the takes that some of my favorite bloggers have on this whole brouhaha, I can’t help but to fall on the side of date-rape-by-the-comic-hero-is-never-okay.  Check out a sassy feminist analysis at the always-awesome Tigerbeatdown.

Deana had her baby today- Delaney, 7 pound 4 oz girl, who is also Max’s cousin, as Nancy is married to Deana’s brother.  I had a bad couple of days- no exercise and I was way off plan today.  Have to add those 30 exercise minutes, I guess.  Damn.  I’ve been feeling less then motivated when it comes to food regulation lately; I need to get stricter right away or I’m not going to make my summer goals.  I think I’m generally getting enough exercise, but I need to modify my diet more to give it a little more oomph.  Tomorrow, I’m going to do weights and elliptical at the college gym in the morning and then my exercise video\stationary bike\floor exercises thing in the evening, hopefully to take down two or three hours of exercise, cutting my remaining exercise minutes down to size.  Also, I have plenty of healthy food in my fridge, I just didn’t partake of it today, so tomorrow I’m back on track with food also.  I can’t let this turn into a downward spiral; I’ve had a lot of bad food days the past couple of weeks.  

Breakfast: sandwich with mozzerella, pesto, sliced chicken, olives, garlic (grilled)

Lunch: crazy town, 1\2 a box reduced fat cheezits, at least 4 servings potato chips, salad with spinach, feta, radishes, tempeh, olives, sprouts

Dinner: ANOTHER sandwich, same as above, plus more chips (about 1 serving)

I smashed the remainder of the bag of potato chips up and tossed it in the trash.  

Exercise: no, but 2 miles with dogs

1000 miles in 2009: 193

Challenge!

Water: 128 oz (only good thing about today)

Clean Eating days: 2\7

Exercise minutes: 80\305 (added 30 extra for the shite day today- grrr)

Still haven’t eaten out and I’m going to the actual gym tomorrow to add something new to my routine.  

Song of the Day: I Love To Hate You, by Erasure

Daily awesome: 7 Awesome Internet Resources for Audiophiles- thanks, Digg!