It’s all up to me

Current weight: 226 (+1.5)

I’m definitely PMS-ing b/c in the last 2 days I have “gained” 2.5 pounds and have eaten perfectly and worked out. This is the first time I have weighed myself on a daily basis to truly see the way my weight cycles based on my cycle and it’s obvious that sometimes women gain weight just b/c they’re women. I wonder if this has been factored in to The Biggest Loser? If it’s a PMS week for a woman she may gain or not lose as much and as we all know, an extra pound can make the difference. Just a thought.

Once my weight was up for the 2nd straight day w/o a reasonable explanation I checked the calendar to confirm that TOM is just around the corner. It also made my insatiable craving for potato chips make a bit more sense. I have been able to let it go, mostly b/c we don’t have chips in the house, but today I was in the store, hungry, and bought a bag of chips. Sunday is my cheat day so I figured it was best to get the craving out of my system while it’s somewhat safe to do so. I know the salty food won’t do anything for my water retention problem but sometimes a girl’s just gotta have some chips. Whatever is left in the bag before bedtime tonight is going in the garbage b/c I don’t trust myself tomorrow.

Did my CE workout and went for a bike ride w/my little guy. I’m worried that I’m pushing him too hard and maybe have unrealistic expectations on what a six year-old can do. We rode for a little over a half-hour and there were some hills, is it normal for a kid to be tired after that? I would have thought that the adults would tire out before the kids but I could have ridden for another hour at least. He is slightly overweight, although I can tell that he has slimmed over the summer b/c he has grown taller (either that or his jeans are shrinking), and I guess I’m just hyper-focused on making sure that he doesn’t become an obese teenager. He does complain that his legs hurt since he’s been in this growth spurt and I have heard that it’s common for kids to literally have growing pains. Gee, what would moms do if we didn’t worry about our kids

Progress toward workout goal: 68/300

Current weight: 224.5 (+1)

I’m up a pound but I’m not worried about it b/c I think it’s due to the saltiness of my food last night. I stuck w/my plan of ordering what I had previewed on the menu (grilled balsamic chicken) and it was excellent. I got thrown a bit on the side dishes b/c it came w/garlic mashed potatoes and veggies. I had planned to eat just a few bites of the potatoes and all of the veggies but it turned out they were grilled veggies instead of steamed like I was expecting. The only veggies I liked were the red peppers so I ate those and ate about 1/2 of the potatoes. I literally divided the lump of mashed potatoes in half and vowed not to cross the line. Turns out that I didn’t even eat all of my half b/c they weren’t that good. Granted, it took me about 10 (small) bites to convince myself that they were pretty bland (thus, the high sodium from all the added salt) but I’m very proud of the fact that I stopped instead of mindlessly eating everything on my plate.

Got up this morning and did my yoga/pilates DVD so my workout is completed. If I have the desire and/or time to do anything more I will but I’m going to let my mood dictate my activities for the day. It’s officially supposed to be a rest day on the CHalean Extreme program so I’m not going to worry about not doing any cardio. I know I will be busy doing work around the house; we’re setting a goal to have the house ready to sell by the end of next week even though we probably won’t list it for another 2-3 weeks. Our builder said not to list it until the foundation is poured but the sooner we get it done the sooner we get to start picking things out for the new house which is waaaaaaay more fun than painting downspouts and garage doors (my chore for this morning).

Food choices for the day are going to be strict b/c I really want to see 223 tomorrow, my previous low weight. Lots of watermelon and green tea to flush out the water I’m retaining. Plus, I think TOM is just around the corner so I’m starting to retain for that, too.

Progress toward workout goal: 67/300

Current weight: 223.5 (-1)

It’s freakin’ cold here. I think the official temperature is somewhere around 68 but it’s cloudy and cool. It honestly feels like it’s late October. We were outside working today and I was in pants and a long sleeved shirt and I was still cold. Crazy.

I hope this continuous weight loss lasts, although I know that I will hit a plateau at some point. For now I’m enjoying the ride. So much so that I’m forcing myself to go out to dinner tonight w/my hubby. We have a nurse scheduled to come tonight but I’m scared to leave the comfort and control of my kitchen for the big-bad-world of restaurant eating. I have previewed the menu and selected a grilled chicken entree and that is what I’ll order. I know it will have more calories than what I would have eaten at home but I need to be able to live a healthy life while I’m actually living my life. To help w/the motivation I went to the gym for a kick-ass hour on the elliptical (intervals make it go so much faster) and I’m going to dig out a pair of pants that were always too small and see if they fit. Nothing like smaller clothes to serve as a reminder of all of the hard work I have put in…definitely don’t want to sabotage myself w/an order of mozzarella sticks in new pants!

Progress toward workout goal: 66/300

Current weight: 224.5 (-1)

Lots of good stuff happened today. First of all, my wake-up call was our nurse knocking on the door. That may not seem like a big deal but that means I was still sleeping (and so was Kyle) at 6:45! Granted, he was up at 3:30 but I love being able to sleep in.

The next great thing was the scale. I was so hoping to be below 225 and it was 224.5! I’m officially closer to 200 than 250. Later, (TMI alert) I took care of my daily bathroom business and saw 223 That was my previous low-weight as an adult before I got pregnant w/Kyle. I’m not taking it as my weigh-in for today and won’t even dare to hope that I’ll see it tomorrow but by my official weigh-in on Sunday it can happen. After that it’s unchartered territory and I can’t wait to explore.

Later, though, was the big kahuna. One of my closest friends called and told me that a HS Spanish position has opened up in our district. The department chair called her to see if she thought I would be interested. I wasn’t sure at first b/c change is a big deal to me and I have an overdeveloped sense of loyalty, but I finally realized that it would be a good change for me. I called the department chair and it sounds like the job is mine for the taking. I have to submit a letter requesting a transfer and the job is open until the end of the day on Wednesday but after that I might have a different job!

Workout-wise I had a great experience, too. Did the CE workout for today and then decided to re-try the Recharge workout. It’s a combination of stretching and yoga and the first time I tried it I hated it. I think doing it after I was all sweaty from the weights was what did it b/c my muscles were so warm that I could really feel the stretch. Later, I went to the gym and put in an hour on the treadclimber. If I’m starting a new job I want to be as skinny as possible

Hope you all had as great a day as I did and I hope I have as good a day tomorrow!

Progress toward workout goal: 65/300

Current weight: 225.5 (-1)

As a teacher it’s a no-brainer that I love summer but in particular after today I love it. The morning started out kind of bumpy b/c we had a thunderstorm and my older son was afraid of the thunder. It didn’t take too long to get him back to bed but by the the thunder was really loud so I couldn’t go back to sleep, all in all I was up for about 2 hours last night. Anyway, our nurse came and I was going to try to catch a nap before everyone else got up but of course couldn’t fall asleep so I started one of many loads of laundry for the day. An hour or two later I decided to go to the gym then came back, got cleaned up and took my son to t-ball. After lunch I got groceries and then my son and I went for a bike ride. We went twice as far as we went on Monday and even though his legs got tired and he had to walk up one hill I was pleased to see how much further he could ride his bike. The reason I love summer so much is the freedom to do things like this. The weather has been fabulous lately and on Friday the high is only going to be 68! I want my son to have fun memories of summer like this w/a mom who is active and healthy. I’m hoping that once my hubby is done w/the house that he’ll get involved by playing catch, helping Justin improve his batting, etc. My hubby was an excellent baseball player when he was younger and I know that this is something they can do together for many years.
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I was reminded again this morning of the importance of eating the right breakfast before a workout. Yesterday I didn’t eat anything and really had trouble getting through the 20 minute TJ that I did after my weightlifting. This morning I ate my usual bowl of cereal and strawberries that I have before a workout but it was almost 2 1/2 hours before I actually started working out so it was like I was eating on an empty stomach. I did an hour on the treadclimber and the last 10 minutes were so hard, I almost slowed down the speed and incline but knew that I could hang in there so I sucked it up and finished the hour. I am now firmly convinced, though, that I need to stick w/my morning routine to avoid falling over.
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I can’t remember which blog mentioned it but someone recommended the marshmallows covered in chocolate so I picked them up at the store today. A 1/2 bag is only 130 calories and can you say OMG! I ate about 4-5 on the way home from the store and the taste was fabulous. Normally I don’t like marshmallows all that much but the chocolate (I think it’s real chocolate) covering is divine. Just right for when a chocolate craving hits.

Time to check out what all of you ladies are up to.

Progress toward workout goal: 64/300

Current weight: 226.5 (-.5)

First of all, the hospital went very well. Of course they were an hour behind for our first appointment which only left 30 minutes until the next appointment so the cooler stayed in the van. But the 2nd appt. ended up running almost an hour late (somehow they didn’t know we were there) so we would have had time to get the food. But it was good news all around. Kyle is doing well, maybe a bit too skinny (could you imagine??) and I only ate the food we brought along. Felt kind of weird basically having a picnic in the parking garage of the hospital, but a girl’s got to eat, right??

So here’s my favorite new snack. It’s a protein bar called “Twisted”. It’s an “all natural energy bar w/protein”. Basically, it’s like a Take 5 candy bar but healthy. It has pretzels, caramel, peanuts, nougat and it’s covered in either chocolate, vanilla or peanut butter. Each bar has only 190 calories and 15 grams of protein which is what I have been needing to add. It is higher in carbs for those of you doing low-carb (20 carbs) and does have 6 grams of fat but most of that is from the nuts which is fairly healthy. It’s not something I’ll eat every day but I’ll probably add it on days that I lift for some extra protein.

Got up early and did CE and the 20 minute TJ. Hope to check in w/you all later.

Progress toward workout goal: 63/300

Current weight: 227 (+1.5)

I didn’t stick to my plan 100% but I’m fairly happy with the food choices that I made. The thing that threw me offline was banana bread. Normally I don’t like it and my sister wanted me to try her new recipe. She fairly competitive w/her baking and gets upset when people don’t try her stuff so I figured I’d eat a bite, tell her it’s good and then never eat another bite. Except it was freakin’ awesome! Honestly the best banana bread I have ever eaten. I honestly ate between 1/3 and 1/2 the loaf. The rest of the food choices were quite healthy so based on what my Sundays are usually like I’m pleased. Next Sunday will be even better.

Today has been busy yet again. I cut the grass for an hour of exercise and then my son and I rode bikes this afternoon for another 30 minutes. I was also happy to find out that the service plan we have w/the gas company covered our washer so it was fixed for free! We still bought the other washer but we’ll put it in the new house so we picked it up from Sears and took it directly to our storage garage.

Tomorrow is going to be a challenge food-wise so tonight I’m going to come up w/a plan. My son has appts. at the hospital every 6 months and it’s just under 2 hours away so we’ll be away from home from about 9 am until 4 or 5. We’re going to pack a cooler w/food instead of having to rely on the cafeteria, saving calories and money.

Progress toward workout goal: 62/300

Current weight: 225.5 (-1)

I have been weighing myself daily for several weeks now and I have finally realized the damage that my Sunday eating does to me every week. The original plan was to have 1 meal of whatever I wanted and if I truly stuck w/that then there wouldn’t be so much harm. But one meal turned into one meal and a snack (and of course the meal has to include dessert and since I only get it one day dessert has to be 2-3 servings) and then it turned into a full day of crazy eating. I would easily see a “gain” of 4 pounds on Monday morning. Although I would lose that weight again I can now see that this is why I have only lost 5 pounds in 12 weeks while working out like a mad woman.

So today that all changes. As is usually the case in my life, as soon as I decide to make a change like this some difficulty pops up but I’m not going to let it set me back. I’m going to head to my parents’ today to take a bunch of frozen casseroles and clean their house since my mom is unable to w/the broken ankle. In addition to the food I have frozen for them I told them I’d bring supper which is going to be chicken breasts, cottage cheese, tomatoes and a horribly unhealthy cauliflower casserole that my mom specifically requested. Actually, for any of you who do low carb stuff it’s a great recipe, that’s how I discovered it. I’ll include the recipe at the end so as not to bore and/or tempt those who do not do low-carb. Anyway, I’m only going to have a small amount of the casserole and 1 brownie that I baked last night. That was a battle in itself b/c my favorite part of cakes and brownies is the batter; generally I eat 2-3 spoonfulls while I’m mixing it up…last night I didn’t eat any!
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I restarted Chalean Extreme w/the Burn series and am very glad that I’m taking this approach. I loved this series of workouts and the equipment that is required takes up very little space. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to do it b/c I hurt my lower back as I was hauling the rock yesterday but I figured I’d try it and the second I felt any discomfort I would stop so that I didn’t permanently injure my back. Fortunately, since Chalean emphasizes good form, I didn’t have any problems except for a hip-lift on the last exercise which is a chest fly, so I just did the chest fly and dropped the hip portion. I also did the 20 minute TJ afterward and had to dial it down a notch on the hip lifts but otherwise made it through w/o pain. If this pain continues I might go to the chiropractor tomorrow but I’m guessing just being careful and some good stretching is what I need.

Got to go, lots to do before we leave. I probably won’t have time today to check in w/all of you but please know that I’m thinking of you. For those of you who want the cauliflower casserole recipe, keep reading.

Progress toward workout goal: 61/300

Ingredients:
16 oz bag of frozen cauliflower
1/2 lb. spicy pork sausage
4 oz. cream cheese
2 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil the cauliflower until mushy. I like to add garlic salt to the water so it is absorbed by the cauliflower. Drain the cauliflower and smash it w/a potato masher. Once the cauliflower is relatively mushed up, add the cream cheese and 1 c of the mozz. cheese, continue smashing until melted and mixed. Add the previously cooked pork sausage and mix all ingredients. Spray a casserole dish w/Pam and pour the mixture into the pan, top w/the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is slightly browned. You can also cook this is a crock pot, the only difference is that the top won’t brown.

When I did low-carb I would make a large batch of this and then freeze single-serving portions. It’s supposed to be a side dish but I would add a bit more sausage and make it my main mean. Even non-cauliflower loving people LOVE this recipe, it’s always requested for family gatherings.

Current weight: 226.5 (+.5)

My weight is up 1/2 pound but I’m not worried b/c I know it’s from part of my “supper” last night. With my mom being immobile b/c of her broken ankle I decided to make a bunch of casseroles and freeze them so she stays off her feet and my dad doesn’t starve. Knowing I would be sampling what I was cooking I only ate a bowl of cereal for supper and then probably had about 10 bites of the 3 different casseroles I made. The calories were ok but I’m not used to eating pasta and that much salt. It will be gone tomorrow, plus more.

My “bummer” title is b/c I have realized that I’m not going to be able to start the New WeightLifting Rules for Woman workout plan for a while. I would need to purchase a few things (workout bench, barbell/plate weights) and until we sell this house we’re really counting our pennies. Plus, adding more equipment to my basement is not what we’re trying to do. I think steam would come from my hubby’s ears if I came home from the store bringing things INTO our house. When we get to the new place I will start the plan and then I can ask for the new equipment for Christmas or something like that. Until then, I’ll just restart the Chalean Extreme program w/heavier weights. I loved the program the first time around; this time I’m going to focus on being more consistent w/my diet to see more dramatic results.

My hubby finished putting up the last of the baseboards and window trim and our house looks fabulous! It’s still a disaster b/c of all of the crap that’s laying around but I can finally envision what it’s going to look like. People are going to be blown away when then walk in the door.

Did pilates this morning in a quiet house and it was fabulous. It’s amazing how relaxing working out in peace and quiet can be. Usually there are trucks crashing in the background or video games blaring, silence is golden.

Well, Kyle is ready to go down for a nap and then I get to go outside and haul river rock around our landscaping areas. Fun, fun, fun.

Progress toward workout goal: 60/300

Current weight:  226 (-1.5)

My roomates from college are all really skinny, even after 2 and 3 kids each.  My one friend, 9 months pregnant w/twins, only weighed 160 pounds.  And of course she’s the one who eats anything and everything, is the coolest mom and best friend you could ask for.  Truly, you don’t resent her for being thin and wealthy and beautiful.  Oh, and did I mention that her husband is GORGEOUS and one of the funniest guys you’ll ever meet?  Anyway, the fattest of the group is probably porking it up at a size 6 and we’re going to have a girls weekend of shopping, spas, etc.  We have been trying to coordinate our weekends and comically it’s looking like it will be at least February before we can all get together.  Can you imagine the kind of progress I’ll be able to make by then?  My realistic goal is to be below 200 by the end of the year and even though I know I won’t be their size at 190 pounds or so I will be able to shop in the same stores and not feel like a whale when we’re in the hot tub.  Fortunately I have always been a confident person and didn’t let my size stop me from doing things like this even when I was a 24/26 but it’s going to be so much more fun when I’m a 10/12 or something like that.

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This morning we closed on our construction loan so it’s full steam ahead!  Of course we had major storms overnight and it’s raining off and on today so they won’t be doing any digging but I think Monday things will start.  Our builder said that it will be no problem to pick out all of the major things before school resumes which will make the end of the summer a ton of fun and very productive!  I’m finally getting excited.

I’m off to the gym, I’ll update after my workout.

Did an hour on the elliptical doing intervals, it really made the time go quickly. After a 5 minute warm-up I would do 2 minutes at about 4.5-5 mph at level 5 and then take it up to level 12-15 for a minute and work to take it to at least 7 mph.

Progress toward workout goal: 59/300