Diet Daze

So, I did it again!  I’m so proud of myself because once again, I really didn’t want to work out.  Technology was conspiring against me, and I still did it.  First, I couldn’t get my (junky) mp3 player to turn on.  Then, I watched one episode of Friends, and the TV died on me.  At that point, I just got mad, so I stepped it up into a jog for a couple of minutes, and finally I realized that I did have a radio, so I turned that on. 

I shortened the workout slightly from yesterday, and I didn’t walk as fast, either.  I got a really bad stitch in my side toward the end, so I only worked out for 50 minutes instead of an hour.  In the end, here’s what the workout earned me:

300 calories, 50 minutes, at around 2.9-3 mph, 2.5 miles on anincline (not sure exactly what it is)

Here’s my menu for the day, technically “off” plan in that I didn’t eat the specified items, but nothing too terrible:

Breakfast: cheese toast, 1 egg  white, HNS

“Lunch” (had it at 7 pm):  2 oz. chicken, 1 oz. pepperjack, 1 piece bread, applesauce, HNS

“Dinner” (not super hungry now, but the workout did make me want something:  homemade capuccino (1/2 cup 1% milk plus the espresso, plus splenda, so I’m thinking about 50 calories), soy chocolate mini crisps (MRC’s yummy knockoff of nestle crunch, 150 calories, counts as an HNS)

So, obviously I’m not technically on plan and had more carbs than I’m supposed to.  However, the calories are still in check.  I’m curious about my intake for today.  I’m also a bit worried about my new espresso addiction since I don’t really care for it without some sort of milk component, and I’m not supposed to have that at all.  I’ve had it twice today now (I usually only do it once), but that’s 50 extra calories a day, so it could slow it down a bit.   I guess I’ll just have to wait and see, but the next weigh in won’t be a fair comparison because I’ll have just had the Chinese food.

So, I know it’s just water weight, but when I woke up this morning to weigh, i was down 2.5 lbs.  Yea!  So, I’m going to attribute it to the workout just because I can and because that will give me some motivation to do it again tonight.

I have a few minutes before I have to leave, so I think I’m going to poke around online and see if I can come up with a month-long walking routine for Christmas break.  You know, it really wasn’t all that torturous last night.  I hate giving up an hour of my free time, but if it prevents negative results from my two cheat days this week, then it’s worth it.  I’m not killing myself on it, just keeping my breathing hard and my heart rate on the upper end of the target zone. 

weight at home:  180– this is almost back down to 179.5, which is what I weighed that freaky morning when I had “lost” 7.5 lbs. overnight.

So, my grand plan for today through Monday was to work out for an hour each day, and today I actually did it.  I’m really kind of surprised with myself.  I didn’t do it this afternoon as planned (I took a nap instead), but once I got home around 9, I forced myself to go put on workout clothes before it got too late, and I just started.  I did go dig out the mp3 player, and it gave me quite a bit of extra motivation– that and when my best friend called for the last half of the workout, it made the time go much faster.  Unfortunately, I probably worked less hard because of it, but oh well.  Here are the stats of my workout:

time: 60 minutes (a few more for cool down)

calories burned: 420, according to the machine, but probably more

distance: 3.25 miles, average speed about 3.1 mph

So, I’ve probably almost negated the Papa John’s (if you take off the calories I would have eaten for lunch anyway), but if I do this again tomorrow, I will definitely have covered the PJ debacle.  I need to work out the other two days to offset the effects of the chinese food I’ll be eating on Sunday.  Chinese isn’t really even my thing, but that’s where they’re taking me, so I’ll have to get something.  The other problem is that the only thing I really like is chicken lo mein– fried in oil, of course, so totally bad for me.  Still, if I work out, I suppose that’s okay.

Here’s today’s food:

Breakfast: cheese toast, 1 egg white, HNS

Lunch: chicken and spinach salad (2oz. chicken, 1 oz. parmesan), applesauce (50), HNS

Dinner: cheese toast, applesauce, HNS

water: 64 oz. (I’ll try for more tomorrow since I’m working out.)

When I was in Spain for study abroad, the lady I lived with made the best coffee ever– in this little miniature percolator pot on the stove, and it was nice and strong, and a little thicker than normal coffee.  Well, I was talking to a couple of the other Italian TAs yesterday, and we were talking about coffee in Italy, and I said I never really tried any there but that my Senora made this fantastic, etc. etc. coffee, and turns out it was Italian espresso the whole time.

Long story short, I went to Bed Bath and Beyond and buy myself an espresso pot tonight, some half and half and some finely ground coffee to test it out……I won’t be making any other coffee again.  It’s totally the same as what I remember, and it’s better than the kind you get out of an espresso/cappuccino machine and, dare I say, better even than Starbuck’s.  I made decaf so as to stick to my diet, but it was still fabulous.  I think this might become a nightly treat, even though I’m not supposed to have half and half.  Since that is the case, my next purchase will be a fancy coffee grinder so I can grind my own beans.  I’m thinking that will be my reward if I meet my Thanksgiving goal, but considering the issues I’m having this week, I’m not so sure anymore that it will happen. :(  This diet, while it works fast, is pretty touchy, and eating off plan can really set me back a few days.

Oh well, the espresso is gone, so time for bed.

It is shaping up to be a bad week.  I did end up eating the pizza today (I planned it, though, so it didn’t come as a surprise).  I ate two pieces, just like I planned….and then, he spread them all out on the table encouraging everyone to eat more, and of course, I ate a third.  However, it was teeny, about half a normal slice, so I’m counting it as 2.5 pieces.  What’s bad about it is that it did NOT satisfy the craving, and if anything, I now want it more than ever.  Luckily, I would have to call papa john’s and order it and then go pick it up and pay for it, so it’s unlikely that I’ll cave to temptation since there are so many steps in the process.  If it ever comes in front of me, though, watch out.  I know I would totally fall off the wagon.  Tonight to “make up” for it and because I wasn’t as hungry as normal, I just ate a piece of cheese toast, and this fabulous espresso that I just made (longer story there), and an HNS.  So, I did save a few calories, but not enough to make up for what I did for lunch.  One of my pieces of pizza was mushroom, though, so I saved a few there, which I then made up in garlic sauce and by eating my crusts which I try not to do anymore. :(  Oh well– can’t be perfect all the time, I guess.

As if that weren’t enough for the week, a couple from church wants to take me out to a CHINESE restaurant on Sunday after church– eek.  What do I order at a chinese restaurant that will remotely be on my diet??  I’m not a big fan of Chinese, but last time I was at this particular restaurant (at least it’s not a buffet, so you can order what you want), I had Chicken Lo Mein and an egg roll.  It was wonderful, really, even though I don’t like Chinese all that well.  However, both of those things together are like a train wreck.  The only thing I can think of is to do some major working out, which I don’t normally do.  I have a big break during the day tomorrow (long enough for an hour workout or so and then a shower), and then I can do the same thing Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I also got in all my water today, plus I’ll drink more before bed, so I’m hoping to offset the sodium.  At least both of these “events” aren’t coming in one weigh in period.  They’ll be split up, so that’s something.

Here’s today’s damage:

Breakfast: cheese toast, 1 egg white, HNS

Lunch: 1 piece Papa John’s mushroom (large pizza), 1.5 pieces pepperoni, garlic sauce (1 Tbsp.), carb blockers

Dinner:  cheese toast, HNS, espresso with 2 Tbsp. half and half

water:  80 oz.

Dinner:

Oh, I forgot to add a big milestone:  I’m halfway to goal!!  Just 41 lbs. more to go.  I did the first half in about 3 months, so that leaves another three months to finish up.  It’s doable in my goal time (I’m actually running about 3 weeks ahead), but it’ll be very close.  They say you still lose weight in stabilization, though, and that lasts for six weeks, so as long as I’m within 5 lbs, I should still make it.

YEA!! for being halfway there.

Well, today went well, except I subbed the applesauce for the veggies again for dinner.  Also, I ate a creamy HNS in the same day that i had a bar, and I’m not supposed to do that.  Too many carbs, apparently, but there’s still a big calorie deficit, so we’ll see what happens.

Tomorrow holds a big eating challenge:  my teacher is buying pizza for the class.  I know that I’m not strong enough not to eat any.  Plus, he’s made a big deal about us not eating lunch, so I at least need to get something.  I think I am just going to have it be my lunch, eat TWO pieces only (no third as I’ll be tempted to do), and take my carb blockers just before class.  I have them packed, so we’re good to go.  I know this will probably mean I won’t lose weight at next weigh in, but if I go Friday instead of Thursday and drink a lot of water, perhaps some of the water weight will be abated.  The scale at home isn’t really budging, either, so it’s a bit of a discouragement.  I’m just used to quick weight loss, so I know I need to just be patient, but I’m worried about meeting my deadline, and with Thanksgiving and Christmas in there, it makes it tougher.

On a bright note, I wore some white pants tonight that I haven’t been able to wear in at least 3 1/2 years.  I bought them the day my husband proposed (that’s how I remember so well), and they didn’t even fit me then (I needed to lose 5-10 lbs for them to look okay– why did I used to buy clothes that were too small for me??).  Now, however, they fit fine.  They’re even on the loose side this week (as compared to last when they were just right).  So, that’s definitely something to be happy about.  I still think I must have more muscle because I didn’t weigh this much when I didn’t even fit into them before. 

Breakfast: cheese toast, 1 egg white, HNS

Lunch: Bar, HNS

snack: choc. soy mini crisps (HNS)

Dinner:  cheese toast, 1 melba toast, 1 applesauce cup, 2 oz. chicken, HNS

weight at home: 182 (that’s up again– who knows what’s going on!!)

Well, today went well, I suppose.  I only lost 1/2 lb. at weigh in, but last time I was down 3 lbs. in 3 days, so it all equals out in the end.  Maybe next time will be a bigger loss.  Plus, 1/2 lb. is better than maintaining or not losing, or (gulp) gaining.

Breakfast:  cheese toast, egg white, HNS

Lunch:  bar, HNS

snack:   chocolate soy mini crisps (these are a creamy HNS, and they are fantastic, may be addictive.  They taste a lot like nestle crunch.)

Dinner:  spinach salad with chicken, cheese toast, HNS

water: 32 oz. (I must get better with this!

weight at home: 181.5

MRC weight: 186

Today went fairly well.  I veered off ever so slightly for dinner because I just didn’t want broccoli….ever have one of those times when something just sounds totally unappetizing?  That was broccoli for me today.  Hopefully it doesn’t cause me too many problems.

Breakfast:  cheese toast, 1 egg white, HNS

Lunch: 2 oz. chicken, 1 oz. parmesan, spinach (salad), HNS

Dinner:  1 pc. 35 cal. bread, 2 oz. chicken, 1 oz. pepperjack, 1 single serv. cup natural no sugar added applesauce, HNS– creamy

We’ll see what the scale brings tomorrow.  I go to MRC to weigh in.  The scale at home has stalled, so who knows what I’m in for!  I think drinking more water might help, at least with keeping the numbers even and steady.  I tend not to drink any water at all on the weekends, and during the week I usually get my 64 oz. per day in.  I guess I need a better system for the weekends.

It’s been going okay…slight variances from the plan, but nothing too terrible.  Yesterday was 100% OP, and here’s the damage today:

Breakfast:  cheese toast, 1 egg white, HNS

Lunch:  8 ritz wheat crackers, about 4 oz. cheese (total guess here, but more than 2 oz. for sure)– this was at a friend’s jewelry party, but it was around lunch time, and I hadn’t eaten, so I just ate this and skipped lunch all together.

Dinner:  2 oz. shrimp, 1/4 wrap, 2 melba toast, 1 oz. pepperjack, 4 oz. broccoli, HNS

snack:  coffee with cappuccino HNS

weight at home:  182.5

I bought a new belt today at TJ Maxx in a size L.  My current XL belt is on its last notch and not quite doing its job anymore, so I thought it was time.  This belt should last me at least a couple months since I’m only at the first notch or two.