Marathon Mom

Weigh-in: 165.2 (down almost a pound, how awesome is THAT?!)

So, it seems that eating a ginormous omelet is the key to weightloss! Ok, so there’s a bit more to it than that! Like the fact that I divided up that omelet and ate it thoughout the day. So the fact that there were a days worth of calories in that breakfast, then divided up and spread out throughout the day, were still a days worth of calories. And I hit the gym. And did my 60 on the elliptical when I got home last night.

I’m feeling pretty strong these days. As I’m getting back into it, my candy cravings are nearly gone. No, that doesn’t mean that I’m a recovered Junior Mints addict. But I can now turn down candy at the movies, whereas before I just could not. And my mom’s office with her stashes of snack no longer calls to me. It took those Slump Buster Challenges (and really DOING them this time, not just committing and then checking out) to sort of jar me back into my routine. Now that I’m back in it, it’s not so hard.

The kids start back to school next Thursday and much as I love having them home, I desperately miss the school year routine. I get up earlier, I get more done. I feel more in control of my day. Having kids home all day, I can’t even describe the chaos of the house. It’s surprisingly clean, but its still cluttered. And I’m not going to be a nag about it. Not for the last week of summer vacay. We’ll spend a couple of days next week putting it back in order, but for now I’m ok with just letting it go.

Confession-time: I only ended up having 1 and a half Coke Zeros yesterday. And I was FINE with it. Didn’t even realize it til the end of the day!! Can you imagine? ME? Just like, oh yeah, I guess I didn’t ever finish that second one! I KNOW, I’m totally shocked too!! I am trying to drink other things during the day: water, tea, water with Crystal Light in it, stuff like that. It’s good to mix it up.

On the knee front: elliptical is definitely helping. I’m still getting the occasional twinge, but no actual pain anymore. I’m keeping up on the knee PT exercises. I’m thinking I’ll be ready to start running again next week. I’m trying to take it slow and gradually build it back up again. If I do this right, I’m going to have knees of steel! STEEL, baby!!

I’ve also decided to do my own Booty Camp. I’m going to start it the Monday of the kids first full week of school, so that’s August 24. I’ve wanted to do this in the past, but I haven’t been in a good place and I’ve let it slide. Well, I’m ready now. That gives me almost two weeks to develop the plan.

My grandparents anniversary party went well. I overdid on salted nuts and ate three Hershey’s kisses. I only had one bite of cake because it wasn’t very good and so I wasn’t going to eat it just because it was cake. Not too bad. I passed on all the pasta and stuck with the salad, grilled chicken breast and green beans. I did have a small glass of red wine, cause it was a family event and I didn’t have any valium.

Exercise has been my downfall. I just haven’t been doing it. I still don’t know why. I just did an hour on the elliptical tonite and I feel fantastic. I love doing it WHILE I’m doing it. So I don’t know what this mental block is I have. I have to figure that one out. Once I figure that out, I think everything else will fall into place.

Unfortunately, I weighed in at 160 this morning. UGH. I went out to lunch with my mom and sister yesterday. Mexi-cali which is my fave. We went thru 4 baskets of chips and salsa as well as our entrees. And then I took the kids to see Bolt. I ate a TON of Skittles and a whole package of Red Vines. I don’t even LIKE Red Vines!! Plus, there were many handfuls of Wheat Thins at work. My mom has boxes of them all over the store and office. They are everywhere and I find myself eating a handful without even realizing what I’m doing. I need to get a handle on that.

My water intake has been lacking just like the exercise. I drink Coke Zero all day long. I’m sure this, the lack of exercise and all the extra sodium are what has contributed to the extra two pounds. My goal is to have those gone along with two more by Friday, weighing in at 156. I can DO this. I figured that if I lose 2 pounds a week over the next 5 months, I’ll be to my goal weight of 115 ON my birthday. I CAN do this!

Despite the horrid chest cold I’ve been battling for weeks, I did the seemingly impossible last night and EXERCISED!!! Yep, 60 minutes on the elliptical. I’ll wait for the applause to die down…

I did have to stop periodically when hit by a coughing fit. Stop, clamp down, cough away, resume ellipticalling. For the young ones, those who haven’t have 5 good-sized babies wreck havoc with your plumbing, you’re wondering what the clamp down thing is about. It’s called incontinence and it’s no laughing matter. No, it’s not. Stop laughing. Now. Really, enough already. Peeing your pants is not… no, stop. It’s NOT funny! Fine, I can wait… There, feel better. ANYWAY, it’s a fact of my life. Coughing, sneezing, Dane Cook - all factors in my secret supply of Poise pads. I hear there is surgery that can help correct this problem, but they recommend Kegels. I’ve never been very good at that particular… uh… exercise. Probably this is a result of that. Damn, one more thing to add to my repertoire. But, back to my SUCCESSES…

So I did the hour on the elliptical. And then I got up this morning and did 30 minutes!! I know, I know - I’m totally awesome. I had fallen asleep during the last half hour of Biggest Loser last night out of sheer exhaustion (and a shot of Niquil.) So I got up this morning, hopped on the elliptical and watched that OMG last 30 mintues! Can you beLIEVE it?? AMY, you have a pair of brass ones! Good for you! I can’t believe you actually did it! I can not WAIT for next week - oh, there is going to be hell to pay but I am now your biggest fan!! Way to go, girl! Just when I thought things couldn’t get more interesting!! This is better than Neil’s 17 pound weight gain! Hell, this is better than Preston’s secret affair with his best friend’s mom who just found out she’s pregnant (yes, I’m a Desperate Housewives junkie too.)

Food-wise, I’m committed to following Atkins. I had an Egg in a Ham Cup this morning for breakfast. I’ll post that recipe later. It’s quick and easy to make and tasty, my two requirements for breakkie in the a.m. I also adhere to the 3-hour diet principal of eating at least every three hours. So I have my meals divided up into three “meals” and two snacks. But I really try to spread the calories out a bit more evenly between them all, so it’s more like 5 mini meals. And I’m going to work very hard on getting my water in. Ok Ok, getting ANY water in. I drink Coke Zero by the gallons. Most days, that is my ONLY beverage. And by most days, I mean that I have gone for years without drinking anything but Diet Coke. Seriously. Totally. Not even exaggerating there. And while I will never completely give up my beloved Coke Zero, I know that I need to start seeing other people. Sorry CZ. I just can’t be exclusive anymore. But I promise that I will never love another as much as I love you. My first love. My soulmate. Oops, sorry, got a little personal there…

Water, good ol’ H2O - I’m going to drink at least 64 oz a day. There. I said it. Crap. Guess I aught to go fill up my water bottle. I got a cute green one. With a straw. Cause straws make everything more fun! I’ll check back in later!!

Tonite’s Update: I did another 45 minutes on the elliptical when I got home from work tonite despite the family’s best efforts. 5 kids = constant interruptions!! My left knee is bothering me just a bit, though I think it’s ligament problems and hopefully not the torn cartiledge that I have kicking around in there.

And I got my 64 oz of water in! Woot Woot!