I’m Ready!

Happy Saturday, Everyone!

I have baked a cake, made a pot of coffee and started reading through several of the catalogs and magazines that we receive each week.  I have been looking at recipes and plugging them into the Weight Watchers site to see if the points can be adjusted or are reasonable enough to make.  

I am also watching Law and Order SVU in an endless stream on Netflix - via this computer - and it is glorious.  I love that show! (And I really like Mariska Hargitay - she is beautiful, and strong, and inspiring - at least on the show).

I still need to get cleaned up and make a quick trip to the office, but that can wait until the afternoon.  I am not expecting to be there for very long.  Just long enough to finish up a couple of loose ends on a client.  I also need to put some laundry in….I can do that after I get done posting.  I am also going to roast some butternut squash and make Butternut Squash Rolls - which sound strange but got fabulous reviews on allrecipes.com.  

My husband informed me that he wants a new suit and that we would be going shopping for one this evening.  That should be interesting.  I haven’t mentioned it here, but he and I are currently in the process of trying to start our own business - which he will manage and run.  It has been a bit stressful but very exciting.

As far as eating goes today - so far so good.  I want to make some soup for lunch - so will need start that sometime soon.  Oh all of the cooking today.  :)

Breakfast: 1/2 cup grape nuts (3), 1/2 cup fat free milk (1), 1/3 cup blackberries (0), whole wheat english muffin (2)  Total points: 6

Lunch: we shall see….

Dinner: I believe this will be homemade pizza - if I can pick up some whole wheat flour on my way home from the office.

Hope everyone else is having a good Saturday!

Okay - wanted to make a quick post tonight as I want a record of this journey.  As it begins for the final time - that is right - the final time!

Today was a pretty good day overall.  I am still getting incredibly hungry before each meal.  I woke up this morning at 3:25 with a stomachache I was so hungry.  I was able to go back to sleep without eating anything, but I was amazed at how hungry I was.  I was hungry again like that by 5:00 this evening.  I am not going without or not eating - I am satisfied after each meal - I really don’t even feel like I am eating that much less.  So strange.  

Anyhow - 2nd day down.  I would have liked to see all of the weight gone when I got up this morning - but alas! no.  

So here is a rundown of what I had to eat today:

Breakfast: Banana Bread Weight Control Quaker Oatmeal (3), 1/4 cup milk (1), whole wheat english muffin (2)  Total points: 6

Mid-morning snack: Grapefruit Fizz (100% grapefruit juice - 1 cup, with chipped ice, and selzer water) (3)

Lunch: Homemade black bean burger patty (3), homemade salsa (0), 1 tbsp shredded cheese (1), 1 6″ tortilla (2) Total points: 6

Snack before dinner: Went shopping at Sam’s for food for the babes (3 cats and 2 dogs!), and they had free samples of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake - I greatly enjoyed my sample! (2), 100 calorie Peanut butter and chocolate chip granola bar (2)  Total points: 4

Dinner: 1/2 cup grape nuts cereal (3), 1/2 cup fat free milk (1)

Dessert: 1/2 cup Edy’s light cookies and cream ice cream (3)

Total points: 26 

Now - I need to do some dishes and get a cake made (with applesauce).  My husband is out with friends so it is me and the animals this evening.  All I need to do is get the dishes done and then I really am free to relax completely.  Am planning to get up tomorrow and take the boys for a walk tomorrow morning and then perhaps go for a run (Couch to 5K) later in the day.  I am studying right now for my next exam and will need to go up to the office to do a little bit of work tomorrow. But Sunday is all mine!

Hope everyone is doing well and enjoying your Friday!

Well, last night I went back to Weight Watchers.  

I got a new week 1 booklet, an official weight, and a weekly tracker.  It was a tough thing to do…but overall probably the best thing could be done.  

I am failing this weight loss battle currently and I needed to call in some troops.  

The last time that I consistently and effectively lost weight was with Weight Watchers.  I am not saying that it was easy or fun - is weight loss ever fun?  But I can still remember how I felt as the weight lost added up.  I remember beginning each day with my points and deciding how to spend them and being accountable to that - knowing that I would have to get back on the scale.  I remember the pride I felt when I begin to lose weight and I could see it in the mirror, in my face, on my arms, my stomach, my clothes.  I remember sharing my victories with my mother (who reads this blog and who I love dearly) and I remember feeling powerful and in control.

And I wonder how I got back here.  Heavier than I have ever been.

So here we go again.  

And I am ready and hopeful and for the first time in a long time - I look forward to eating - in a good way. I have rediscovered the joy of trying to figure out again how to get the most vegetables I can stuffed into the day without feeling like all I am eating is vegetables or that food has to be boring and tasteless. 

I have determined that I am not going to give up sweets entirely - I will not go to extremes.  Not this time!  I have decided that a dessert (a light one - currently I am leaning toward brownies or chocolate cake made with applesauce instead of oil and served with fat free whipped topping) at the end of the evening meal is the most effective thing to end any further snacking at night.  The sweet ending is enough to satisfy.

I have to get back to the gym and get back on my Couch to 5K program.  I also need to be walking on any days I don’t run (although I would like 2 rest days a week).  I can bundle up and take the boys with me again like I did over my Christmas vacation.  But this will come happen.

It all will come together.  I have no doubt.  

So here we go again.  I was on plan today - I tracked all my points - and so today was a good day.

Daily Menu:

Breakfast: 1 cup raisin bran (3), 1 whole wheat english muffin (2), 1 cup fat free milk (2), oleo and honey (1) Total points: 8

Lunch: Smart ones Fajita quesadilla (4), leftover portabellos mushrooms, zucchini, and homemade salsa from last nights veggie tacos (0), 1 medium low-cal diet cherry limeade (18 calories = 0 points)             Total poins: 4

Snack: 3 bites of brownie = 3 points

Dinner: Black Bean Veggie Burgers (Allrecipes.com recipe) (3), salsa (0), 1 tablespoon of shredded cheese (1), light sour cream (0), homemade potato fries (one baker potato cut into fries and tossed with salt, pepper and 2 tsps of olive oil - then baked until golden) (2), red pepper sticks (0)  Total points: 6

Dessert: Brownie (light) with 2 tbsp of ff cool whip (3)

Total points: 24 (I am over by 1)

Not a bad day after all. 

….and I am having a couple of twizzlers.  And I am okay with that.  They are a low fat food. ha!

Hello Everyone!

I am so glad that it is Friday.  Overall it wasn’t a bad week - eating wise or work wise.  I was able to stay on top of both pretty well and feel relaxed right now.  I worked with a client that I really enjoyed this week, and I met a girl who I really liked at the client’s office.  She and I clicked easily and I was reminded how friends can be around every corner.  Her honesty and sincerity were refreshing and I feel better having met her.  Does that sound strange? 

That being said - I don’t know that I am much thinner this week.  Eating was so much better this week - being back at work really reminds how much more I snack I at home.  At work I may have a diet soda or coffee in the morning, but generally don’t eat anything until lunch.  And if I pack a lunch (which I did all week) it is very easy to choose sensible things (Lean Cuisine, fruit, or leftovers) and be satisfied. We did end up ordering pizza on Thursday (it just seems wrong not to - it is such a treat to have dinner delivered) but even then it could be worse - we always order a small canadian bacon, tomato, and mushroom pizza from Papa Johns.  We also always get an order of chicken tenders and a 2 liter bottle of coke to go with the pizza - but I have learned what my limits are and can usually eat within those (1-1 and 1/2 pieces of pizza (it is a small!), 2 chicken tenders, and a small glass of coke).  And it was delicious!!

Working out this week was non-existent.  Really.  That was disappointing, but somewhat expected.  Getting back into working has been an adjustment after being off for 17 wonderful days and I could only handle so much.  Maybe that is an excuse…but…such is life.  Tomorrow I plan on finishing Week 2, Day 3 of the Couch to 5K, doing a little bit of shopping, some work, and then studying.  I would also like to plan our meals for the next week and see if I can put together some meals on Sunday to cook during the week.  I have been going through my Cooking Light cookbooks and picking out recipes that don’t sound too gourmet - or require too many exotic ingredients.  :)

I have to remember to be patient with the process I can not lose all the weight that I want to lose in 2 days, overnight, or in 3 hours.  One day at a time, one meal at a time, one bite at a time.

I hope everyone else had a good week and is looking forward to a great weekend!

Goodnight! 

Well, it was back to work for me today - and I must say I am exhausted.  How did I do this before?  I had five hundred emails to read this morning, several fires to put out, and of course new deadlines to worry about it.  Ah…work.

And then I got home and I resisted the urge to just order a pizza since we had no food in the house and lugged myself back to the grocery store.  I did well - no chocolate! no chips! no soda!  I purchased a rotisserie chicken, a multigrain baguette, peppers, onions, fat free milk, cereal, whole wheat english muffins,…etc.  Good stuff.  

I wanted to go to the gym tonight and do Day 2 of Week 3 - I am little bit off of my initial schedule - but I don’t think that I can.  I have some work I need to do and then I need to help my husband on some financial information that he needs to get done.  I feel like writing in this blog tonight about is all the extra I can do. 

I guess it is just going to take a little while to get back into the swing of things.  My hope is to perhaps get up tomorrow and go run at the Y early in the morning.  If I can get into to bed by 10 this may be doable.

I hope everyone else is a bit more successful than I am getting back into their normal routines.  I am always glad to read about your lives - it keeps me going! 

Oh! - one good thing about being back at work is the snacking during the day has gone away and all my lunches are simply a piece of fruit and a lean cuisine.  It is definitely easier to be back on track when one is so busy.  :)

Goodnight everyone!

Okay - this morning at 7:00 a.m. I left the house and went to a testing center to take the 3rd (out of four) part of the CPA exam.  A three and a half hour test that I just failed.  Yes - failed.  I didn’t even complete the last part, because I ran out of time!

Needless to say this was not how I wanted to start my weekend.  But really it is my fault. I didn’t study enough or long enough - I tried to cram and took for granted that I knew the material.  Did I give 100% - no?  I probably gave 50 - 55% at the most.  

So here is what I have to do - re-commit - work harder - and come out swinging next time.  I have another exam on the 24th of Jan. and I am going to ace that one.  And then I will retake this one at the beginning of April.  AND I will pass it this time.  

Funny how this test is kind of like the weight loss.  I have been frustrated because it seems like it is one step forward two steps back.  But part of the problem is that I am committing only 50 - 55% rather than giving my all.  So I resolve to improve that as well.  I have made a great start with the Couch to 5K - although I haven’t done anything for the last two days (studying!) I am going out for Week 2, Day 2 in about an hour and will do Week 2, Day 3 tomorrow.  And then Monday - well on to Week 3!

I can do it and I am ready!  I have been tracking my calories on an excel worksheet as it allows me to add all my calories automatically.  I will try to be better about adding that detail here. 

All for now - I need to get ready for my walk/run - and see if my ipod is recharged and ready to go!

Happy New Year Everyone!!  I can’t believe that we are finally in 2009 - and that it is time to start all over again.  A great time for new beginnings and reflections - which I will be working on today as I am also studying for my exam.  I have no plans for today other than going for Couch to 5K run and studying so that should give me enough time for some good thought!

This blog would be a great place to write my resolutions down so that I can review them continuously and keep them a the forefront of my mind.  I would like to begin/continue working toward each of my resolutions today and so it is important that they be in black and white.  So here goes…

1. Pass the CPA exam.  I have two parts down and two to go.  I have one exam on Saturday (1/3) and the final (hopefully!!!) on 1/24.  Yeah to have that yoke off of my back!

2. Finish the Couch to 5K program - all of the 9 weeks or 27 running workouts.  

3. Once finished with the Couch to 5K program - sign up, run in, and complete a 5K.  Then determine if I want to do a 10K and begin training for that.

4. Lose the weight.  I have about 40 pounds that I would like to lose, which I think is doable if I am diligent in my exercise and disciplined in my eating.

5. I want to post what I eat every day and the calories and stay within my range of calories (1275 - 1525). I think that I am going to shoot for 1400 calories a day before exercise.

6. I want to buy a scale and weigh myself every morning.

I think that those are the main ones.  So here we go - let’s begin keeping a food journal again!

Breakfast: 1 cup Lucky Charms (147), 1/2 cup of FF milk (40),  whole wheat english muffin with oleo and honey (140)

Total: 327/1400

Snack: 3 Hershey Kisses with Almonds (75 calories)

402/1400

Lunch: To be announced.

Dinner: To be announced.

Will check back in for later for lunch and dinner - but now off to fold clothes and begin studying some more!

I haven’t posted for a little while, but I have been lurking and reading other blogs religiously.  Some of blogs are written so well that I am embarrassed because I am not as witty or descriptive.  However, the purpose of this blog is to help in my quest for weight loss and so I will do the best I can.  :)

Eating over the last few days hasn’t been great, but it hasn’t been horrible either.  Okay…well - that is not entirely true.  Yesterday, my husband and I ended up at Starbucks mid-morning before we headed to Wal-mart to do some shopping.  I initally got a mocha without whip topping and fat free milk - not too bad.  But you see last time we went to Starbucks we split an apple fritter and there they were again - looking delicious in the bakery case.  I asked if DH wanted to split one again and he said no - he was going to have pumpkin bread, but then he went ahead and ordered a fritter anyways.  AH!  But it was absolutely heavenly.  Sweet, soft, doughy.  Perfect.  I ended up eating nearly the whole thing, but barely drank half of my coffee. 

And then we went shopping.  And after we got done shopping I knew I wanted something salty.  So we went to Sonic (a drive in) and ordered mozzarella sticks, cheddar bites and these chocolate cheesecake bites.  It sounds like a ton of food I know - but really I had 2 mozzarella sticks, maybe 4 cheddar bites and one choc. cheesecake bite - so not awful, but not great.  Although not great food choices, I will note that this was the first time that I could pinpoint what I wanted.  Monday I wanted sweet and salty and once those cravings were satisfied I was done.  I ate a very light dinner that night and in general didn’t feel too much guilt.

I have also been making progress on my Couch to 5K program which makes me very happy.  I feel good getting so much exercise in lately.  Good for the body, mind and soul!

We are having spaghetti tonight for dinner and a pear and spinach salad.  I need to continue studying and then hope to get to bed at a decent time.  Overall a good day.

Hope everyone is well!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas.  My husband and I ended up just staying around the house this year, and although I missed our extended families (mine in particular) I think it was a good choice.  It was nice to have a quiet day that just involved a lot of relaxing.  

Overall eating for yesterday wasn’t too bad.  I didn’t make a big dinner this year for just the two us, rather we had a very late lunch of stuffed mushrooms (spinach, feta, and fat free cream cheese) and leftover 7-layer dip.  I did snack on some cookies, but overall I think I am getting burned out on all of the rich eating.  I am ready to celebrate fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and whole grains again!  And a little bit of chocolate!  

I did get out yesterday and took the boys for a long walk - I am getting better walking them by myself and I just feel so proud being able to walk them.  Does that sound strange?  I want them to be walked daily and this helps ensure that everyone is getting some exercise in.  Today is Day 2 of Week 1 for Couch to 5K.  I think I am ready - and I am committed to jogging more slowly so that I am not just exhausted by the end.  It is supposed to be in the low 70s today so that should make for it being pleasant outside.  

I plan on making slow cooker lasagna today (a Weight Watchers recipe that I love) with some turkey sausage I had purchased awhile ago.  I think it will be good and I know that my husband loves this recipe.  I would also like to make some butternut squash rolls that I found on allrecipes.com.  We will see.  I also need to do laundry, some studying (for CPA exam), and would like to start putting away the Christmas tree and decorations.  

It should be a good day overall and I am planning on being back on track with my eating.  

Breakfast: 1 cup All Bran Flakes (90), I cup fat free milk (80), I whole wheat english muffin with oleo and honey (140) and a Grapefruit Fizz (100% grapefruit juice with club soda) -  (150)

Total Breakfast: 460 calories total - whoa!  I may have to watch the grapefruit juice.  Oh well - better than soda as it is a fruit serving and all natural.  (remaining calories: 815 calories)

Lunch: TBD

Dinner: TBD

Good Evening!  Thought I would post tonight as I have really enjoyed reading everyone else’s posts and appreciate that there are others willing to share their stories.  I have been on vacation for 5 days now (2 weekend days and 3 workdays) and all I can think about is I just want time to SLOW down.  I wish my vacation was a month or two as I just want and need to be away from work for awhile, but alas I have two weeks.  I will say though, that as we begin this new year I am not going to devote so much of my time to work.  There must be a balance in my life and I want to be able to enjoy both my work life and my home life - as equally as possible.  

I must say that eating over the last few days has been hard.  I made peanut butter kiss cookies last night and it has been difficult just to keep my hands off those.  I have had more than I should have had today, but I am human and they are so good.  I have been taking the boys (our two dog - one is about 80 lbs and the other is about 50 lbs) out for walks each day and then once they have endured the cold long enough I have brought them back home and continued on.  

I am wanting to restart the couch to 5K program - I attempted to do it before, but work and other commitments got in the way and I couldn’t finish.  I thought I would start week one, day one again tomorrow and I would also try to put together a weight lifting program that I could do at home.  I will see what I can come up with and will include that with my daily posting.  

I have to accept that I will not be perfect this holiday season, but that I am trying.