Exercise - 90 mins treadmill, 15 mins weights

Water - 20 cups

Food - 2032 calories (26% fat, 49% carbs, 21% protein)

Breakfast - 12-grain toast, jam, fruit salad (389)

Lunch - onion soup with whole wheat baguette and cheese, smoked back bacon, apple, 3 clementines (602)

Dinner - chicken curry, rice, broccoli, salad, salad dressing (513)

Snacks - protein shake, apple, Häagen-Dazs ice cream bar, pita chips (589)

It’s been a day of changed plans. It started with being out of clementines at breakfast time. That was okay, I took some fruit salad. Of course that was the end of the fruit salad, and I was lazy and didn’t make any more. So tonight I had to eat more pita chips than I usually do to make up for it. Oh, and in the afternoon I switched my nice 90 cal protein shake for a 200 cal ice cream bar. So, planning is good, but sometimes you need to switch up the plan a little. I could have probably taken butter with my dinner, and had a different evening snack… but my fat percentage was going to be higher than it usually is, so I move things around. No big deal, although it will all change next week.

I think I have my plan for the next couple of weeks. The lifting program is longer than that, but I’m talking about my other exercising and the new program. So far this is what I’m thinking.

• Mon / Wed / Fri - 60 mins treadmill (am), 30 mins treadmill and lifting (pm)
• Tues / Thurs - 90 mins treadmill (am), nothing (pm)
• Sat - 60 mins treadmill (am), 30 mins DVD (pm) - I’m thinking WATP or the sculpting DVD

On the food plan, I’m leaning towards setting minimum protein (grams) with the usual calorie goals. This will force me to raise my protein levels, which last month averaged 24% (126 grams). I basically trying to raise the protein levels to 30%. I also will add 250 calories on the Mon / Wed / Fri lift days. So that works out to:

• Mon / Wed / Fri - 2250 - 2350 calories (min 170 grams protein)
• Other days - 2000 - 2100 calories (min 150 grams protein)

I’ve already kind of planned Sunday’s dinner (which will technically be the first day, even though it’s a rest day) and shopped for a few items I can use to boost my protein intake a little (peanut and almond butters, roasted soy nuts, egg whites, egg substitute, etc.). I don’t think the diet part will be that tough. The lifting will be a change so I’m not quite sure what it will affect, so for at least a few weeks I’ll stick out this specific plan. Since I’m just about a week out from the end of my TOM I know I should probably not change anything from the above for about 4 weeks. However, I will try and listen to my body a little about rest and food intake. I say that, knowing that in the past I’ve been bad about doing this. For those who don’t understand what I’m talking about - read through the ‘Who Am I?’ post.

Well, that’s enough rambling for tonight. I’m trying to start doing the treadmill in the mornings now (as I did today). It gives me a little more free time in the afternoon. Of course, to do that I need to get up at a reasonable hour… so early to bed for a bit as well!

I ended up buying the Häagen-Dazs. I admit it. I went to the grocery store for a few things, and I don’t know why, but I was in the mood for ice cream. So much so that I went to the Häagen-Dazs website to remind myself how high calorie it was. I like their sorbet, but I didn’t think I could stick to eating a quarter of the pint. I looked at the ice cream bars, but at 300 calories plus I just didn’t think I could justify it. I decided I would go down that aisle and look at the lower calorie treats.

Then I saw it… smaller Häagen-Dazs ice cream bars. About one third smaller than the regular ones. Total of 200 calories for the vanilla and almonds bar. I briefly looked at one above it (a brand I didn’t recognize) but it was 250 calories. Although on another day who knows. They had a chocolate raspberry one that looked interesting. I did glance, albeit briefly, at the Skinny Cow Light ice cream sandwiches. However, no matter what they were calorie-wise, they just wouldn’t be Häagen-Dazs. They were also the same price (expensive), although there might have been more in the package. The Häagen-Dazs had just four bars, but at 200 calories, worth it completely.

Yes, I only ate one. The other three are outside in the garage freezer. I won’t leave them too long, but definitely no more today!

I actually feel better having visited the Skinny Cow website. Their sandwiches are 140 - 150 calories and contain a whole lot of products I try to stay away from (ie. high fructose corn syrup). I almost feel downright virtuous buying the Häagen-Dazs.

Update - so I had to go look for something in the freezer… and I did NOT take another one.  Yay me!  In a couple of days I’ll likely forget they are even there (which would be bad, since they were expensive and should be eaten).