Thanks, saef. That sounds good and, with the rest, is an excellent breakfast, isn't it? The other residents here at the Birch have moved into cooked breakfasts in a big way, so when I see eggs and breakfast I tend to think hot nowadays. I couldn't see that you'd cook it from scratch every day.

Birchie, when I think of cooked breakfasts, I think of the weekend, not weekdays when I am up before my mother, checking emails that have come in overnight from Europe and Asia, and my legs are at their stiffest and most unyielding. I like starting with a good breakfast, though, so I understand the appeal. I often wake up hungry around 3 AM and have to persuade myself to fall back asleep, so I am not a person who can get by with just a cup of coffee and fast all the way through noon.

This thread title "Fighting the fluffy" has a second meaning that has just occurred to me: My own personal battle over this winter with the light, airy snowflakes, which eventually accumulate into tall, immovable frozen barrier reefs that hem me in and make the footing treacherous, just when I'm at my most physically fragile and clumsy.

Anyway, now it's March and it's Monday again.

Weigh in: 145.8, before intake and before outtake -- not bad for a post-weekend weight

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; blueberries with cinnamon and yogurt
Lunch: Baby arugula salad, roasted vegetables, almonds, feta cheese, Craisins
Snack: Bag of Bare Fruit cinnamon apple chips
Dinner: Baked salmon with dill, steamed broccoli and green beans

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20

Physical therapy: 12 minutes on recumbent bike for 2.5 miles; 4x12 each quad raise/hamstring curl machine; 4 x 12 each abductor/adductor machine; 4x12 step-ups

I think it may be time for me to migrate over to the "losing a lot" thread, despite my efforts. I've been doing pretty well with the break from sugar; a few small slips but nothing like I normally consume. My parents drove down yesterday and brought my husband a gorgeous birthday cake, which he is gorging himself on. I had the tiniest sliver with my parents, but have been able to avoid it otherwise.

We've also had our share of family stress lately - my FIL has severe dementia, and developed a very painful medical problem that was not found for a few days until we took him to the ER. It was pretty rotten to think of him suffering but being unable to communicate at all. That plus work stress may have had me eating a bit more than usual, but I've been tracking and feeling like I'm doing pretty well - a bit high on simple carbs but total calories OK. Yet every time I weigh the scale is up another pound, or two, and that has happened for two months now. I'm starting to feel that panic of being out of control and unable to stop the progression.

JZJ, come back soon.

My weight is not going down anymore, either because I am getting more exercise or because I've subconsciously increased my portions to compensate for my increased appetite -- or both.

But right now, as long as it doesn't go up, I'm fine with it, as I'm more focused on regaining strength and restoring daily functions.

No weigh-in, as I feel bloated and constipated, and the increase over yesterday will just make me feel miserable.

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; strawberries and yogurt
Lunch: Arugula with roasted vegetables, pistachios, feta cheese, half an avocado and Craisins
Dinner: Mussels steamed in white wine with saffron, tomatoes, onion & garlic; steamed broccoli
Dessert: Bag of Bare Fruit cinnamon apple chips

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20
Step-ups: 6x20

Wednesday. Today is my monthly check-in and x-rays with the orthopedic surgeon. It's just a few days short of the fourth month since my accident.

This morning, I didn't feel as though my legs might collapse beneath me when I got out of bed. I did some flexing and bending in bed before I tried, but I think it's because I did not go to the gym yesterday. So whatever I missed in long-term gains, I made up in short-term lack of discomfort. But I don't want to go that way.

No weigh-in.

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; strawberries and yogurt
Lunch: Arugula salad with roasted vegetables, pistachios, feta cheese and half an avocado
Snack: A Braeburn apple, sliced up and delicious
Dinner: Turkey chili with beans

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20

Physical therapy: 12 minutes on recumbent bike for 2.5 miles; 4x12 each quad raise/hamstring curl machine; 4 x 12 each abductor/adductor machine; up & down the wooden staircase; 60 reps x 2 on the balance board in two directions

Thursday, waking to a snowfall, which will replace what yesterday's moderate temperatures managed to melt.

Weigh-in: 144.7, after intake and outtake

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; blueberries with cinnamon and yogurt
Lunch: Arugula salad with roasted vegetables, chicken breast, half an avocado and pecans
Dinner: Turkey chili with beans

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20
Basement steps step-ups: 3x20, both legs

Saef, every time I see your roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake breakfast, I want some. I have all the ingredients but can't seem to remember to make it when I get home after work. Or don't have the energy. It's hard to motivate myself to cook for the next day or few days when I am tired and not hungry. Before work there is not even a spare moment to do anything, but most mornings I do manage to make a big skinny mocha to drink on the way to work.

Huge Skinny mocha: 12 oz brewed coffee (my DH makes it fresh or I use yesterday's leftover). one packet french roast or colombia via. Three packets sweetener. 11 grams jello fat free sugar free chocolate pudding. 1 ounce sugar free chocolate syrup (Torani or Da Vinci), 1 ounce fat free half & half. 1.25 cups milk or substitute (almond milk, etc). I put everything in a large pyrex cup, blend for 30 seconds with a hand blender, then pop it in the micro for 3.5 minutes (less if coffee was hot). I guess it technically makes two servings (it takes two travel mugs to hold it all), and I top with a squirt of fat free reddi whip. The calories vary depending on the milk you choose, but I count 10 for the coffee plus via and 35 for the pudding. Since I have an hour drive, I easily drink both servings before I get to work (then walk quickly to the restroom upon arrival).

I am way too busy lately. Some down time would be nice. Maybe next week.

Friday, and I awoke at the bottom of a black hole, from which everything felt way too far out of reach, even at my best effort.

No weigh-in -- not a good idea today, not worth risking if it's "bad."

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; blueberries with cinnamon and yogurt
Lunch: Arugula salad with roasted vegetables, avocado, goat cheese, chicken and pistachios
Snack: String cheese stick
Dinner: Meatloaf, half an acorn squash, steamed broccoli
Dessert: Frozen Jell-O pudding cup

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20

Physical therapy: 12 minutes on recumbent bike for 2.5 miles; 4x12 each quad raise/hamstring curl machine; 4x12 each abductor/adductor machine; walking up & down stairs; very slow walk on treadmill, practicing lengthening my stride

I agree with Alice about your egg bake, Saef. Sounds delish!
Sorry the black hole is surrounding you-- I hope something brightens your day soon.

My weight is happily moving downward still-- I've just about wiped out the gains from last weekend and my birthday... now to get a few more off to get back to my happy weight. My cold or allergies is definitely a cold....grrr... don't feel too bad but just lots of runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, etc.

My school finished the Read-a-thon I'm running and I'm such a nerd. I'm bringing home all the paperwork and excitedly entering into my spreadsheet till all hours. The last 5 years (since its inception), my school has dominated and it has been overseen by an educational foundation. They decided not to run it anymore, so I have to do it all myself (and in my way). Last year our numbers were way down which I account to two reasons: they tried to do it all online and there were tons of glitches, and they eliminated the donation envelopes to save money. So, basically a parent had to really want to participate to hassle with the online aspect, doing the donations, etc. This year, I went "old school"-- all papers with an envelope attached. We are having three kindle raffles which has proved wildly popular and initial numbers look great!

The downside is I have book club on Sunday and I haven't had time to read the book. I'm 1/3 done and doubt I'll find time to read it. It's Boys in the Boat which I'm enjoying but I'll have to finish later. I'll likely still go because it's very frowned upon to cancel-- they'd rather you show and not have read the book.

My back and neck aren't enjoying my hours of computer/paperwork though....

Hope everyone has a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!

Saturday mornings are always so full of promise. I like the quiet, underpopulated feeling. It's such a sweet respite in the NY area from the mass migration of commuters. I just wish these mornings could be about four hours longer or that I could keep that Saturday morning feeling beyond the short span of time.

Alice, the egg bake doesn't take long if you do it in two sessions: One to cut up and roast the vegetables, and then set them aside; the next to actually bake it. For me the most annoying part is breaking up 12 eggs and separating most of the whites from the yolks.

Also, Alice, I meant to tell you that sugarfree pudding mix is addictive. I like the butterscotch and pistachio. For me, it's a mix-in with yogurt. But I haven't eaten any in a long time since I have been relatively inactive and my calorie needs aren't high. I'm not one for big frothy drinks -- in the morning for me it's just black coffee with Splenda.

Michele, your joy in your job (from your posts, it's evident that you really seem to **like** what you do, in spite of the occasional overbearing parent and rules-exempt-child) makes me happy for you and gives me a lot to think about for myself. You also seem to 'do good" on the job, to make people happy, whereas my leaves me pondering capitalism and its human costs.

Weigh-in: 144.8, after intake and outtake

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; blueberries with cinnamon and yogurt
Lunch: Arugula salad with roasted vegetables, chicken, half an avocado and almonds
Snack: Sliced up Braeburn apple
Dinner: Meatloaf, steamed cauliflower and steamed frozen green peas

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20

Back to the gym!!!! the weather deigned to let me go!!! An epic session: Recumbent bike, 15 minutes, resistance at five, 3 miles; upper body routine, and because I'd missed two workouts this past week, once again lowering the weight of the dumbbells, this time to the 20 lb dumbbells and 15 lb dumbbells, and the lat pulldown machine back to 68.2 lbs; took a Pilates class, which the instructor kindly made a bit less intense (while claiming not to) and welcomed me back. Then back on recumbent bike for 15 minutes, resistance at five, about 2.70 miles, and 10 minutes walking on the treadmill, at 1.3, very slow, with immense concentration, trying to remember how to perform this simple function. At least I did not hold the side rails.

Awww.... Thanks Saef! I do love my job. I didn't realize how much until I thought we were moving to China and I was so sad!

I've decided to skip book club tomorrow. It was stressing me out because it would take up several hours of my busy weekend. I'm up early to do more work. Then, a friend and I are going to yoga at a studio that's 30 minutes away. We may or may not do sushi for lunch. Then I have a nail appt and more work...

My lap is ridiculous. Wish y'all could see. Both cats in my lap and Dewey is cleaning Wilburs ears while he loudly purrs! Silly!

Looks like the East Coast bad weather may be looking up. I sure pray so!

Sunday, and at last, the long-awaited thaw has come, on the government-mandated day when we lose that precious hour of sleep.

Today's Meals:

Breakfast: Roasted squash and peppers with spinach egg bake; home-made banana raisin muffin; cantaloupe and yogurt
Lunch: Romaine salad with roasted vegetables, chicken, half an avocado and pecans
Snack: Bag of Bare Fruit Granny Smith apple chips
Dinner: Steak, sauteed mushrooms, steamed asparagus and cauliflower

Today's Exercise:

Front leg raise 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Side clams 3x20, Lateral leg raise 3x20, Bicycle 3x20, Kickback 3x20 and High knee 3x20

Sunday at the gym: 30 minutes on recumbent bike, resistance at eight; 4x12 each quad raise and hamstring curl machines, which are separate machines at my gym; 4 x 12 each abductor/adductor machine.
Walking in TJ Maxx, Home Goods and a small produce market

I love the "spring ahead". Natalie and I will now be getting up at 4:45 a.m. instead of 3:30 and I might be able to stay awake past 9 p.m. at the end of the day. :yay:

Dagmar :cool:

Dagmar, how does DST change when you have to get up? Also, how do you get an extra 15 min. above the hour?