I’m Ready!

Hello everyone!  I am going to really try to begin posting regularly again.  It will keep me honest.  :)

The last few weeks have not been great eating wise.  I really wanted to do Weight Watchers again, but there are two things that I think are keeping me from committing:

1. I would really like to be going to meetings during the week - specifically Wednesday nights.  But lately I have been working until 7, and can not get back in time for the meetings. I know I could go on Saturday or Sunday - I just don’t want my meeting days to be on the weekends - Saturdays are usually very crowded (and I am not crazy about the leader) and Sunday is at 2 in the afternoon.  And I don’t know about your Sundays - but mine are lazy and I don’t want to commit to anything.  It is my one day of rest - and for now I want to keep it that way.

2. Motivation.  Aghhh - I want to eat well and lose weight - I just don’t want to count points.  It can be such a hassle to have to determine what the points are. (I could just be lazy.)

So what is the solution.  I signed up for Spark People and have been tracking my calories.  As many may already know they ask for your height, weight, and your goal - and then provide a calorie range which you should be eating within.  AND it is free.  And that is fabulous.  Free is always good.

I did finally buy a scale and weighed and had lost 5.7 pounds over the last 2 months.  Not bad with how crazy everything has been and how little exercise I have been able to get in.  Right now my plan is to get up and walk one of the dogs each morning and do weights in the evening 3 times a week.  I am starting with a 2 -3 mile walk and may increase that as it gets warmer and I am more in the habit of getting up early (I have to exercise in the morning - I have no time in the evening).  I need to be back from my walk by a certain to begin getting ready for work - so the earlier I get up to work out the more time I have.  I would like to get back to Couch to 5K - I just am going to take my exercise a week at a time right now.  I have a tendency to get overwhelmed by what I think I should be doing and then don’t want to do anything.  I started walking last week with the boys and got off track and have now ended up with a horrendous cold - but am hopeful tomorrow Duke and I can head back out for another walk.  He needs it and I need it - and although it is a little chilly here - I can bundle up and have a great walk.  

The biggest news this week is that my husband I found out that we had been approved for all of the necessary financing.  That means that we are in business!  We are opening a meat market in Norman, OK - and are very excited.  I visited the location for the first time last night and the walls are yellow! - we have so much work to do!  But it will be fun to see the transformation.  We had a small celebration with friends on Thursday night - and that was when food just went downhill.  I didn’t do awful but how can you do well with breaded chicken strips, tortilla chips, bbq chips, and soda?  BAH!  (My hubby was the one who purchased and planned the party and at 6′2″ and 145 pounds - he has little to no concern about calories.  :)

But back on track…kind of back on track today.  Honestly - I just feel stuffed up and uncomfortable with this cold.  My throat, my nose, everything feels heavy and sore.  I so rarely get sick that I had forgotten how awful it could feel.  I am hopeful that tomorrow will be better - I am planning on doing a little cooking in anticipation of the upcoming week.  I thought I would make some lentil soup, grill some chicken, make some couscous salad and perhaps some bread. I need to have things to pack for lunch that are healthy, easy, and taste great!! (and balanced - my goal is to have all of the food groups represented.)

So here is today’s food:

Breakfast: 1/2 cup grape nuts and 1/2 cup skim

Snack: (Not so good) - a couple of bbq chips, a few swigs of Coca Cola, and a couple of cashews

Lunch: 1/2 a piece of naan bread and 1/4 cup of marinara for dipping, one half cup of Edy’s light ice cream

Dinner: 1 cup Raisin Bran Crunch and 1 cup of skim milk and another 1/2 cup of Edy’s light ice cream (I am sick! - though that is not a good excuse)

Snack - a glass of Coca Cola and a couple more bbq chips, and a Edy’s Grape Fruit Bar (so good)

Per Spark People - I am still within my calorie range - but seriously my choices have not been very balanced.  So that is not great.  

Found a great cooking website today - www.101cookbooks.com - the author focuses on low fat vegetarian cooking - but the recipes appear to be pretty straightforward and I believe can be adjusted for meat as needed. I like recipes that don’t have a lot of ingredients, don’t have hard to find ingredients, and are simple.  Works for me.  The site even has a recipe for baked donuts - which would be fun for holidays or family gatherings.

Well - I am going to do some sewing and watch a movie.  I am hoping that I am feeling better tomorrow.

Hope you are all well - Happy Saturday!

Okay - I have to post this.  I have now passed 3 of the 4 sections of the CPA exam.

Yes - I am nearly done.  NEARLY. 

I took the final section on Saturday - which I do think I failed - but even so - once it is retaken I should be done!!!  I hope. I hope. I hope. I hope.

Not a weight victory or anything but a victory none the less.

More later….I am writing from work. 

Good grief!  I can’t believe that I haven’t posted for so long.  I guess things have just gotten a bit crazy here and I needed a brief vacation.  So let’s see…what has been going on?

Well - I am working a lot lately - we are entering busy season and there is just a push to stay on schedule so that things don’t pile up.  I have been staying later at work so that I can stay on track and that has caused some havoc in our dinner menu.  In our little home - I am responsible for dinner - my dear husband can barely boil water - so meal preparation falls to me.  This last week I barely ate lunch - in most cases I did not - and by the time I got home there was no way that I wanted to cook.  We ended up having pizza twice and taco bell once.  I can’t say that I feel totally bad about the meals as I ate within moderation and the pizza is of the garden vegetable variety - but I would definitely prefer to have had dinners that were home-cooked.  

That being said - sometimes you just gotta go with the flow.

I am planning on going to a new Weight Watchers meeting tomorrow - my original meeting on Wednesday is not going to work - mainly because I can not for the life of me get to it on time.  My neighbor down the street goes on Sunday with her sister and I am going to see if I can tag along with them.  I don’t think that I have been doing as well as I should have been (the tracking just wasn’t happening) but positive changes have been made (I am measuring everything and am aware of what I am eating) - and I do really think that I have lost some weight.  Especially in my face. 

We will see tomorrow.  I think that the meeting will renew my determination and it will be nice to have a friend to go with for support.

Well - today is all about studying.  I have another exam next Saturday so I MUST put my head down and get through some information.  I have already made a run to Sam’s and taken the boys to the vets for baths and nail trimmings.  They were in desperate need.  :)  I am now going to start folding and putting away laundry and working on getting more loads in.  The linens need to be changed and I am going to order some things from The Container Store - so the cupboards are more organized. 

As today is Valentine’s Day - I am making my husband fresh lemonade - his favorite.  It will be a complete surprise.  I also bought a baguette, some cheese, mushrooms,and marinara.   I thought I would make some small pizzas for our meal tonight - or maybe I will just have a plate of bread, cheese, and marinara or some avocado/guacamole for dipping.  I don’t know.  I know I just want it to be easy and good.  

We are still in the process of trying to get our business started - which has been a roller coaster of sorts.  I believe that we are getting closer, but are still waiting for all the pieces to come together.  We will know more in probably a little more than a week.  :) 

Once I pick up the boys this afternoon I am planning on taking them for a long walk.  I am recommitting to the Couch to 5K plan and walking the boys on the days I am not trying to run.  It is a little chilly here, but should be a good day.  

Hope everyone else has had a good start of the weekend - a very Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone - hope that it is a good one.