Monday, June 30, 2008

I've been quiet, but busy

We're house hunting. Well, we've put in a bid that was accepted and are now in the appraisal and inspections stage. Everything else is in line, so much so that we could close within 2 weeks of the appraisal. It's terrifying and incredibly exciting at the same time. I'll give a heads up if I have to disappear for a day or two to move.

On the food front, I'm doing better. I'm getting 6-8 servings of fruit and veggies a day and 100 oz. or more of water daily. I've also gotten a new pedometer and have been walking myself stupid. We even made a family day an active one - we took a tour of Ft. Sumter and walked on the beach afterward. Saturday I helped my brother and sister in law with their yard sale and got in some heavy lifting. I also got a reminder to get enough water on a hot day. I felt quite ill by the time the sale ended and it took many ounces of water, a cool shower, and a night's sleep to feel better.

It' s almost July, so I'll have new stats to share on the first. So far it looks like June was a good month for me. But July will be even better!

BTW, June 30 is Please Take My Children to Work Day, a plea for a day off for SAHMs. It's a great idea, and MommaSaid.net is the brainchild. So, give a SAHM, WAHM, SAHD, or WAHD the day off. A few hours off would be nice, too. It would be appreciated!

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Wonderful Wednesday

Why is it wonderful? Because my stepson hits the big 10 today! I met him when he was 9 months old, about a month after hubby and I met. He was so quiet and serious. And gorgeous. Man, was he a cutie with his big brown eyes, chubby cheeks, and mop of curly hair. He's still a cutie, but then again I'm biased.

He's an amazing kid and I feel so blessed to have him in my life. He's funny, brilliant, talented, and obsessed with all wheeled things. He's been lobbying for both a dirt bike and gasoline RC car, but apartment living and anything that requires gasoline and needs to be brought inside do not mix. Once we're in a house, maybe. I love that little boy! Sorry, big boy. Young man. Tween, complete with angst, fuzzy pits, and a few pimples.

He's requested an ice cream cake (gulp) and pizza at one of the family favs for dinner (double gulp). Today is one of the days that I enjoy food without guilt, but mindfully. The pizza place is a buffet - nope,not CiCi's, so I'll go nuts on the salad bar - tons of veggies with fat free Italian dressing and a little fruit. Since they take requests, I'll order a thin crust veggie special and have two. If I need something else, I'll get more fruit or salad. And get in a little extra sweat time.

Tuesday night was well, interesting. It was a starch and protein fest! I had a grilled teese (soy cheese) on Ezekiel sprouted bread, then a cold cheese sandwich, pickles, and could not bring myself to have salad. I did grab some pineapple, but that was it as far as getting my five a day. Today has to be better, period. I need to snap out of this funky eating pattern before I regain any weight.

Happy birthday, R!

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Monday wasn't bad; bleah Tuesday so far

Well, Monday did start with some sad news. RIP George Carlin.

After a little bummed time, I got to work on my assignment. I'm feeling better (woohoo detox), but for some reason am not in the mood to eat well. It's not like there's nothing in here. I mean I cooked on Sunday - collards, brown rice, vegan sausage (Julie Hasson's recipe), lots of salad fixins, okra and tomatoes, biscuits, and pancakes (plain for the kids, blueberry corn for me, and hubster will grab whichever he's in the mood for). I made sure the fridge and freezer are stocked with yummy goodness - fruit, veggies, vegan chicken strips, veggie chick'n nuggets, various lean protein options for the omni family. Yesterday I just wasn't feeling up to eating well, which is not normal for me anymore.

What has been normal for me is the need to jump from plan to plan when I'm not making the progress I want. I'll stop eating my 5 + daily veggie & fruit servings, forget to exercise or take down the intensity level, pack in the starchy stuff, and throw in sweets while wondering why the scale has stopped moving. Instead of refocusing, I change my eating plan. From low carb to counting points to nearly vegan - all for the sake of dropping pounds quickly. I've learned that I need to eat a healthier, balanced diet, keep fat within reasonable amounts, and to not see anything as forbidden. When I make a list of naughty foods, I want them more.

With that said, I thought I'd mention Team Beach Body. I heard about the virtual fitness club an decided to join. After a month a joined the club and followed the eating plan. I started with a 1600 calories 'low carb' plan, but it's not an Atkins-style plan. It's a balanced Zone or South Beach phase 3 plan and easy to follow. It's how I generally eat, but with less fat, regularly-sized portions, and, lower fat. I retook the test today and it suggested that plan again. I'm not sure how closely I'll follow the actual foods listed, but I will keep the fat, car, and protein content close. If anyone here is a member, feel free to invite me to a workout or two and add me to your list. You can get a better idea of what I've been doing so far by checking out my profile.

Huh. Tuesday is now looking up - we put in a bid on a house today and the seller is very excited about it.

Saturday, June 21, 2008

Aaaah, detox!

I feel 75% better already! Give me a few more days and I'll be back up to speed!

I'm not following a specific detox regimen, just getting in my green smoothies (cucumbers, strawberries, lemon juice, and romaine or cucumbers, celery, kale or spinach, lemon juice, and pineapple), lots of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Very little fat, little caffeine, dandelion and green teas, and tons of water.

If only I could sleep. But if we could find THE house, I would sleep better.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Wednesday - another ick day

Yes, I awakened feeling a little worse than I had been feeling so far this week, but made a point of not letting the kids see. They had to tiptoe around me when my back was at its worst, so the last thing I want is to scare or worry them. I took DS and his friend to the pool (I sat poolside, practically salivating at the thought of hitting the water), took out a couple loads of laundry, walked with the dogs, finished grocery shopping, and did some cleaning. As soon as the kids pass out tonight I'm going to.

Hubby came home early to help out, but he's out cold right now. He fell asleep while I was putting the finishing touches on a short assignment.

I finally think I know why I've been ick these past few days. Here's the backstory - I've been feeling off since Sunday evening and it has not let up one bit. While hubby and I talked this afternoon, a lightbulb went off. Every day that I've felt bad was a day that i had this bread we keep on hand. We've discussed no longer buying it because it would turn within 2-4 days of opening the loaf. Well, I've made sammies on it every day since Saturday, and had 2 sandwiches with it yesterday. I pulled out the loaf and checked the slices - no mold. I got hubby to take a wiff when he got in (he has an incredible sense of smell) and it smelled like mold.

I'm allergic to penicillin and have been eating icky bread. Lovely.

The bread has been tossed, the detox fixins are on hand, and this girl is gonna flush her system with fruit, veggies, dandelion & ginger teas, lemon, and water. I want this ick gone, dammit!

Here's to a good Thursday. I'm off work, can sort of sleep in, and am ready to feel better. I'm so very tired of feeling bad. It never fails - two steps forward, one step back. I've made it through a few high-stress days without resorting to comfort food, but I've been slowly poisoning myself. Woohoo.....


Tuesday = more ick

I'm tired. Really tired. Whatever this is is wearing me down, and not sleeping well does not help matters.

It was a good food day, but it almost wasn't. I had a late snack (around 5 pm) and worked on assignments before realizing I hadn't had dinner - at 11 pm. I wasn't in the mood to cook (and had a lovely clogged kitchen sink to contend with) , so hubster offered to go grab something. I've been craving Taco Bell lately so I wrote down my nummies of choice and off her went. The store's computer was down, so no TB. I told him to skip it and I'd grab something, and was resigned to whipping something up after all, when he called back. Burger King was open. Visions of onion rings and the veggie burger danced through my head. Luckily for me, they closed early. At the time I was bummed, but today I'm glad. I snagged a PB&J and some pineapple juice instead (yum)!

B: green smoothie (strawberries, cucumbers, romaine, lemon juice, & splash agave nectar); water; supplements
L: chickpea 'tuna' salad, reduced fat Wheat Thins; green tea
S: blueberry Nutri-grain bar (2), lemon water
D/late snack: PB&J on Pepperidge Farms Honey Flax bread (too heavy for me)

Exercise: 45 minutes walking, stretching

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Monday = ick

I still feel like crap and am not sure how long this will last. I hate it, that's for sure.

Food was ok today - kept it simple and on the bland side. No coffee. Lots of water. Portions in check. I forgot to have dandelion tea, so I think I'll brew a cup while I take the dogs on their last walk.

The kids have been good with me, but snarky with each other. How uncomfortable would I be if I slept in the car tonight? Is it wrong to wish that school was in session for them year round?

Exercise was non-existent, but then again I haven't been taking days off or burning the calories like I should. It's been so very hot, busy, crazy. I get at least 40 minutes each day with the dogs, walking about 2 1/2 MPH for most of it. I need to jump on the elliptical for at least 10 minutes each in the am and afternoon to help shake thing up a bit.

But for now, I'm going to get that tea on, get the dogs out, kiss the snarky ones goodnight, & make the sleeping hubby give up my side of the bed.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Father's Day '08 - good times with good people, but crap food at lunch

It started like a typical Sunday - I took the dogs out around 7-7:30 then grabbed a few more z's like the rest of the family. Around 2 pm or so we decided to take a short road trip to visit sis-in-law, niece, & nephews. Eldest nephew graduates from high school tomorrow, so we figured it was worth it. The weather, however, decided we were stupid.

It poured! Rained, thunder booming, lightening crashing, idiots speeding through it and a few slamming into the median. Gah! Visibility was low - no more than 1 1/2car lengths - but we kept going. It was one of those 'we're already halfway there' situations.

Fast forward to lunch. I wasn't really hungry, so McD's was selected. I decided to have some fries (shared fryer = bad idea) and the family all had their usual. It was at a truck stop, and Subway was right there, but there were no seats for Subway and I'd already had my share of subs this month. Around 8pm we all began to feel kind of off. My stomach is currently jumping and rolling about. Hubby felt the same way before he fell asleep. The kids and their cast iron bellies are fine. I know better than to let them grab that stuff, but I decided that I would not be the food police 24/7. When we go out, we vote on where to go and they won. We all lost, though.

Dinner was much, much better. We went to an old fav, Waffle House! I had a double order of hash browns with peppers & onions (then splashed on some picante sauce - yum), coffee, water, & a bottle of hot & spicy V-8. Yes, I go spicy when I have an upset stomach and it works well for me.

We finally rolled back in at 1:23 am and the family is asleep - everyone but me and the dogs. Hubby loved his Daddy's Day. He scored The Boondocks season 2, the traditional t-shirt, and a funky card. We also let him sleep until 11, which he apparently needed because he was feeling great when he finally got to moving.

Sigh, Monday....

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Ah, Saturday!

It was a semi-crappy day. I didn't sleep well Friday night and am not sure why. Could it have been the assignments looming that I hadn't quite finished? Maybe, but I finished everything and turned them in on time. Sort of. I had a laptop malfunction and Ms. Brainiac here did not back up anything. Why? Because I took it for granted that everything would be ok. I'm usually paranoid about my work, but for some reason today I was blase'. Won't make that mistake again this session.

Food wise it was good. I started with a smoothie made with particularly juicy pineapple slices, frozen strawberries, and Shaklee soy protein powder. I skipped the agave nectar this time and it was perfect. I'd walked the dogs for over 40 minutes this morning and started laundry before grabbing anything, and the last thing I wanted was anything heavy. We had dinner out again, and hit Fazoli's. My choices include cheese pizza, fettuccine Alfredo, and a tomato and cheese panini. I chose the panini because I relished the thought of 'maters, even with the scare. And I'd seen another diner's pizza go out and it was crazy oily. I was not expecting the breadsticks, but ate mine, both of DD's, and one of hubby's. My sandwich was bland. Even after I salted and hit it with red pepper flakes, it was still blah. Sigh. I will never suggest it again.

My detox experiment will begin soon. I've been reading more raw blogs lately. I started looking at first to find soup and smoothie recipes, but became entranced by the stories of weight loss and improved health. Every raw experiment I've tried beyond breakfast has failed so far. Either I realize that an ingredient wasn't raw or just caved and ate something cooked. I know it doesn't have to be all or nothing, but I have a problem with moderation. And being the main cook in my home doesn't help me avoid temptation. I hit the library and borrowed the Raw Foods Detox Diet. I took the quiz and am a level 3 according to the results, and should go for a raw until dinner sort of plan. I can do that, but have to remember to ignore my Annie's Goddess dressing at lunch. I'm going to finish reading while continuing on my current plan, then jump on in. I so should wait until school starts in fall before starting so that I'm not as tempted by the kids' lunches (their evil I tell ya, EEEVILLLE), but feel like I need something. My fruit and veggie consumption has slipped since summer started and I'm not really sure why.

But, it's really late (or early depending on your time zone) and I should be trying to sleep instead of typing. Besides, I need to finalize the plans for hubby's day.

Happy Father's Day, dads, granddads, stepdads, and father figures! And to the moms who fill both roles.
Be well and be blessed!

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Friday wasn't a bad day after all

I thought that after my dogs slammed into my right knee at full speed that I'd end up sitting most of the weekend. After a little while on my butt (and a little ice) it was okay. They were as apologetic as ever, tiptoeing around me, kissing my feet until I pet them. I'm so whipped - but don't ever tell them that.

Last night we split into 2 teams and the boys did their thing while DD and I did ours. She and I had take out for dinner - Taco Bell - chatted, and caught up on Blue Dragon and Code Geass. If I hadn't mentioned it before, she's awesome!

B: Lightlife baked ham (70 calories & 0 fat for 4 slices!!!!) on rye w/Nasoya & a pickle; supplements, water, & coffee

L: massive bowl o' fruit - berries, pineapple, & kiwi; Crystal Light

S: 2 slices Ezekiel toast w/jelly; tea

D: Taco Bell - 2 fresco style bean burritos (beans & onions thanks to the salmonella in tomatoes), side beans & rice, chips, empanada; Crystal light

Exercise: 40 minute walk, 2 yoga sessions

Friday, June 13, 2008

Thursday - ugh!

I was a bad day. Pain kicked me around for a while and I had to break and take something acouple of times. I should have opted for something a little stronger than Excedrin, but I didn't want to spend the day all drugged and groggy. That might have been better than the upset stomach.

It was a starch-fest!

B: 'Cheese' w/Nasoya on rye & a pickle; coffee; supplements

S: PB&J on Nature's Own double fiber wheat bread

L: Chickpea cutlets (from Veganomicon)w/BBQ sauce; water; Crystal Light

D: Wendy's side salad w/a little honey mustard, fries, large light lemonade

S: Sara Lee coffee cake, coffee, & water

I feel the effects of the starchyness - a little bloated and kind of off. I did walk a lot and got in a couple of good stretching sessions, but no real sweat.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Wednesday, my third favorite day of the week!

Hump day rocks! It's a sign that it's almost over. And this has been one of those weeks that I'm ready to end. It's been stressful, and stress makes me want to eat. I don't think I'll have to worry about that much today because my tummy is doing flip-flops. No, make that an entire Olympic-caliber routine.

I'm feeling every bit of the ick that follows a fatty & dairy-heavy day. I can handle a little cheese and maybe a dollop of cream, but a monster scoop of ice cream on top of full fat mayo on egg salad is too much. and let's not forget the friend stuff.

A detox may be in order. But not today. I'm going for healthy comfort food and bunch o' veggies.

B: PB&J on Ezekiel bread; coffee & water; supplements

L: McDougall Vegan Chinese chicken Noodle low sodium soup, bunch o' steamed broccoli & cauli (w/ginger dressing for dipping), Crystal Light tangerine strawberry [2 g fat! Yay!]

S: chickpea 'tuna' salad, crackers, & coffee

D: tasted cookie dough; Veggie sub from Subway. I so needed the veggies & kitchen break!

And the cookie dough tasting was it. I burned the cookies while playing with the kids. Totally forgot they were in the oven. D'oh!

Totally vegan! Yay!

Ex: 20 minute walk, yoga

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Tuesday temptations, oy!

Tuesday started really well, although it was hot again! I got in a lot of walking and some yoga, lots of water, only 2 cups of coffee, and ate really well until dinner time rolled around. I got in plenty of fruit and veggies (more than 6 servings today) and thought a little splurge wouldn't hurt. Oh man. I had root beer (not diet, full sugar) for the first time in ages, and lots of fried and fatty stuff. I won't lie, it was fabulous all around, but more fat and sugar than I've had in months.

B: 2 cups strawberries, kiwi, 1/2 c Silk vanilla yogurt, tsp ground flax; water; supplements

L: chickpea 'tuna' salad (mashesd chckpeas, Nasoya mayo, celery, kelp, & Crazy Mixed-Up salt), crakers, cukes & carrots; coffee & water

D: egg salad on rye with lettuce and locally grown tomatoes; 1/3 basket onion rings + sauce (a spicy, mayo based concoction), 1/4 basket fries; root beer; scoop mocha ice cream with hot fudge sauce & dollop whipped cream

Lots of water today

Ex: 20 minute walk (x 2), 10 minutes strength training; 15 mins. yoga

I'm not sure how much exercise I'll get tomorrow since my back and hip are going haywire. In a big way. Yoga will be a big part of it regardless. And I think I'll pull out the physical therapy routine. Along with the joint and muscle cream, ginger tea, pineapple juice as a smoothie base, and ice pack. Ouch.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Monday wasn't a bad day.

It was crazy hot yesterday and nearly as hot today. My poor dogs are miserable because they loved their afternoon walks before these temperatures. They'll adapt; eventually.

On the exercise front, I got in over 60 minutes yesterday between the walks, my group's challenge exercise, and my usual. And I'm sore today. I'm heading into my monthly flareup and it won't be pretty. I had to crawl out of bed this morning and that's a sign that I overdid it on top of the flare up.

On the food front, yum! I had berries, kiwi, and Silk soy yogurt from breakfast, a McDougall soup cup for lunch (black bean & couscous low sodium), and a spinach, tomato (sadly canned), and fat free feta fritatta with vegan sausage for dinner. For an afternoon snack I had a smoothie (banana, strawberries, double portion Shaklee soy protein, & agave nectar) and my late night snack was a leftover slice of veggie pizza with extra banana peppers & chipotle sauce. Yeah, a naughty late snack, but it's now outta here and cannot tempt me. I'm working on an assignment today (its due tonight; I'm such a slacker sometimes) and am making sure I don't let the stress get to me. I have plenty of healthy sweetness and quick dinner fixings on hand.

I got pretty good sleep on Monday, but some was due to the crap night of sleep on Sunday and Monday's heat. Tonight should be better. Hopefully.

So. how is everyone else doing?

Monday, June 9, 2008

Public weight loss? Yep, it's gonna help keep me honest

I restarted my journey on March 9, 2008at 238 pounds and 40% body fat. As of today I am down to 224, 35% body fat, and have lost 7" overall, 4 of them off my waist.

I've struggled with my weight for many years, and all of the issues that came with the gain. At my heaviest I was over 250 (I'm not sure how much over because I stopped using the scale at 250) and wore a 26 bottom and 26-28 top. I developed high blood pressure (the family curse) and the migraines that started in my tween years became progressively worse. Changes in my routine and eating plan have led to a normal bp, awesome cholesterol and triglyceride numbers, and more energy. I still get migraines, but they have become less frequent and less severe.

Exercise is a mixed bag. I'm a video addict, but am somewhat limited on how I move thanks to an accident a few years back and my arthritic left side (hip, knee, ankle an back). I have a couple Beach Body workouts and love them, but can't follow the suggested schedules or I end up in bed for a day or two. I do a lot of walking, have a love/hate relationship with my elliptical, and love my resistance bands. I get in at least 40 minutes of activity daily thanks to the dogs, kids, and whatever workout calls to me.

And food. Oh, food is life. I love cooking , cookbooks, and food blogs. Food Network is set as one of my favorites in my remote, and my extended family has come to expect a Paula Deen-inspired dessert at family gatherings. I'm a vegetarian, but my family isn't, and I do most of the cooking. Hubby isn't exactly a lower fat kind of guy and believes there are two food groups - meat and other. When it comes to our ways of eating, I see how I eat as my choice, and make sure there are choices for all of us on the table. While DD is likely to go meatless for most meals, DS is just like dad and wants meat. Fun, eh?

I'm a rambling this this morning, lol. I'm making this public because I can't ignore the off-track days when they're out there for the world to see. It's easy to 'forget' to journal when I stick with paper & pen. Besides, I know I'm not the only one out there, struggling to find time to take care of my needs when I have a family, work, school, and other things filling my schedule. I've learned that I am not good to them or anyone else when I'm flat on my back. They respect and encourage my workout and meditation time because if mama's not happy, no one's happy.

I'll ramble, confess, celebrate, and generally log my progress, setbacks, whatever here. For now, it's time for a cup of tea and some breakfast.

Later all.