Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Im still here...

I just wanted to stop in and say, I haven't fallen off the wagon (or at least totally!), and I'm still alive. Seems as though the antibiotics they are putting me on aren't quite doing their job. As soon as I get off them, bam, the infection is back. So I'm sick again, and I'm down and out. I have a CT scan on my sinuses on Saturday so maybe they can figure out what is going on. But in the meantime I'm here, a little down, and eating a little less than stellar (but tracking it all!).

Hope everyone else is doing great!

Friday, January 23, 2009

Had a less than stellar day today. BAH! But I wanted to post this article for you guys to read. Being from the motor city myself, it hits home, maybe it will with my midwestern friends also.

The Courage of Detroit

Enjoy! Happy Weekend!



Thursday, January 22, 2009

"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected
without trials."
-- Chinese proverb

Good Morning Everyone!

Thanks for all the nice comments on my blog yesterday about my bad day. I did end up eating more in the evening, and unfortunately it wasn't all great stuff, but the day is done and over with, and I'm back on track and plugging full steam ahead today!

I do think I figured out why I ate the candy yesterday though. I hit a situation at work where I felt nervous and stressed, and anxious. Work has been this way lately, and it's been adding up. So yesterday, I felt nervous and anxious, and I went for the candy bowl. So it's definately something I need to be aware of, but now that I see that is what is causing it, I can make that change.

So today is going to be my 4th and final run for the week, and it will be a short 2 miles. It might actually feel "warm" running today, as we are expecting temps in the upper 20's and low 30's! I don't know what I'm gonna do, I'm so happy!

Next week is a "cutback" week, which is good, because I'm kinda tired, and feel I could use a week. But this weeks runs all went good, and my times are dropping back down to wear they were before my one month hiatus from running, and they should drop even more when the temps go up a bit, and they finally plow so I'm not running is 6-8 inches of snow on sidewalks!

So really everything is going good, I'm getting my runs in, my pushup and situp challenges are getting done, and I'm on plan MOST of the time, if I can just get that back to being ALL the time, I'll be doing great.

But all I can do is keep trying, I know that everyone falls on their face once in awhile, and that's why I make sure to post the good, the bad and the ugly on my blog, so you guys can see, even those of us that have succeeded, we still struggle! It's a constant battle!

Keep up the good work everyone, and once again, I appreciate the kind thoughts and encouragement!




Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Back on Track Day #4

Ahhh so today didn't go so well. I had a fight with the candy bowl at work. I don't have a clue on how much I ate, but it was way too much! Basically I"m just gonna drink alot of water, and be done eating for the day now. I know I didn't use all my flexies, but still, I was doing oh so well! Ugh!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Back on Track Day #3

Well, I didn't have time to write a big long post today, but I just wanted report that Day #3 of being back on track went off without a hitch! I got in all 8 of my GHG's, and ate within my 20 points.

I also ran 3.5 miles in subzero temps on roads that haven't been plowed! I have to admit it's alot harder running on the unplowed roads, and in the cold temps. But it feels good to get out there and do something in the winter, and even better to enjoy doing it so much. Tonight when I got off work, I so did not want to go running, but I promised myself just to get out there, and just go a bit, and if it was bad I could turn back. But I ended up getting in the 3.5 I had planned.

I also completed my pushups and my situps for both challenges.

Needless to say, I'm feeling pretty accomplished.

Alright off to do some lazying around the house! Have good nights!

Monday, January 19, 2009

Back on Track Day #2

Day #2 went successful, and I stayed on track all day!

Plus, I ran 2 miles in the freezin cold to boot! Not too shabby!
"If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can't accomplish it.
You have to have confidence in your ability,
and then be tough enough to follow through."
-Rosalyn Carter

Well, instead of looking back at last week and point out the things I did wrong, or could have done better, I'm gonna look at 3 things I did right!

1. I had several days that were totally on plan!
2. I started running regularly again, and got 4 runs in outside, even in subzero temperatures!
3. I started the hundred pushups plan, and the two hundred situp plans, and completed three days of each!

So there you have it, I did some good stuff last week.

So my goals this week?

1. Stay On plan with WW's for the week! This includes eating my 20 points a day, plus a few activity points and getting in my 8 GHGs.
2. Run 4 times, and get in my situps and pushups.
3. Make my three healthy, planned meals for the week.
4. NO SCALE!

Alrighty, so there are the goals for the week.

How was the weekend? Not terrible. I ate too much on Friday and Saturday, but I had a great an OP day on Sunday, so Day #1 of being OP! I ran 4.5 miles in the snow, and ate healthy, made good choices, and got in my 8 GHG's!

Day #2 is throttling full steam ahead, and so far I've avoided Cake and Brownies in the lunchroom! I just keep telling myself, if I even have one, it will turn into having way WAY more, so I'm not having any!

Anyways, I hope everyone had great weekends!

Friday, January 16, 2009

"None will improve your lot If you yourself do not."
-- Bertolt Brecht, 1933

I'll admit it, I seriously don't know where my motivation is. It's just like I have no motivation to get back on track, and to stay there.

I know I've done this before, where I can't find my motivation. But I don't know how I got it back.

I know I'm under a lot of stress lately, and I'm sure that has to do with it some, I have a tendency to eat for comfort...I'm sure alot of you can echo that. Plus we are just coming off the holidays.

But I guess I ask, as many of you have asked me before...where do I find the motivation?

Days I'm running it's great motivation to eat right, cause my runs are so much better, but the days I don't run, I struggle!

I appreciate any tips! Thanks!

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Menu 1.13.09

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Morning
1 serving(s) Pumpkin Oatmeal 2
1 tsp canola oil 1
20 oz black coffee 0
1 tbsp Cocoa 0
1/2 cup(s) 1% low-fat milk 1
120 gm bell pepper(s) 0
1 serving(s) Breakstone LiveActive Cot Cheese 1
90 gm carrot(s) 0
Subtotal 5
Midday
90 gm carrot(s) 0
Zeros - Quick-added food 1
1 tsp canola oil 1
Taco Soup - Quick-added food 2
1 serving(s) Dannon Light n' Fit 1
140 gm peeled sliced cucumber 0
two packs emergenC - Quick-added food 1
Subtotal 6
Evening
170 gm broccoli 0
90 gm carrot(s) 0
1 tsp Ranch 0
1 serving(s) Spray 0
Zeros - Quick-added food 1
Pancakes - Quick-added food 2
6 item(s) egg white(s) 2
Toast - Quick-added food 1
1 serving(s) Dannon Light n' Fit 1
Subtotal 7
Anytime
128 oz water 0
Pita Bread and Hummus - Quick-added food 2
Subtotal 2
Food POINTS values total used 20
Food POINTS values remaining 0
Activity
24 min jogging 3
Activity POINTS values earned 3
Check off these important items daily:
Water
Milk & Milk Products
Fruit & Vegetables
Multivitamin
Healthy Oils
Activity

"You are built not to shrink down to less,
but to blossom into more."
~Oprah Winfrey

Ahh, it's amazing how one day can give you such a sense of renewal.

Yesterday, I felt like crap after I ate when I did. My body just doesn't process junk food like it used to two years ago, I eat it, and my body literally is like "what the hell is this?". I get headaches, indigestion, and feel just tired and wore out when I'm not eating good, does anyone else feel like this?

Well yesterday, that's how I felt since I decided to have a cookie party. But when I got home, I decided I was gonna go for a run, even though I felt like crap. I promised myself just to get out the door, and I would just do a mile if I still felt like crap. Well I ended up doing three. So go me!

Today is much better. There are more cookies (yes, different ones than yesterday!) on the table today, but I've managed to avoid the urge to eat them, and I've eaten lots of good stuff, and have drank almost a gallon of water. I feel so much better.

And it's currently 20* outside, with a wind chill of 6*, and I still just can't wait to get home and run. I don't know when I became crazy, but I did. I'm one of those people who is running in the winter blowing snow, that I used to laugh at for being crazy.

So today has turned out to be a good and OP day, one of many to come! I will post a menu later on!


Monday, January 12, 2009

Menu 1.12.09

There will be no menu posted today, because basically its just me showing a bunch of crap I ate that I guesstimated on ha ha. I did just zero out my flex points for the week just to be safe, so I feel better about that. Great thing about weight watchers, and this journey is everyday is a new day :)

On a high note, even though I didn't feel like it, and it was cold and snowy, I did get out and run another 3 miles. Running makes me want to eat good, because it so much easier and feels so much better to run when I'm eating healthy.

Alright! Back tomorrow!
" Think not of lost opportunities... but future possibilities."

I think this is a good quote, especially for this time of year, when we maybe have all gain a pound or two from the holidays, and we're trying really hard to get on track. It's best not to think about the past and what we did, only to look forward and think of how great we're gonna feel when we get back on track!

That being said, I had a food "mishap" today. I've been trying desperately to get back on track, the master cleanse helped, and I have been using Weight Watchers again since Friday when I got off of the cleanse. Well today I hit a stumbling block. It certainly could have been worse that it was, I stopped myself before I dug myself a whole that would blow my week. What did I do you ask?

Well I started on some leftover holiday treats here at work. You know, I know this is my one weakness, that if I start on treats, I have trouble stopping, so I shouldn't have even started, but for some reason I did the "oh just one" mantra that caused me to gain a few pounds over the holidays, well I finally got a grip on myself, but it wasn't before I ate quite a bit.

When I'm nibbling, it's hard to tell how much actually went in the mouth, plus I'm sharing with the dog (yes, I give Duke sugar and fat laden treat...bad dog owner!), but I estimated the damage out at about 20 points, it could've been a little more, maybe a little less, but that's what I counted.

Well, it used about 5 of my WPA points, which isn't terrible, and my plan for the rest of the day is alot of water, some tea, and only veggies. It could have been worse...but I feel better now that I confessed.

On a high note, I did get a 4 mile run in yesterday (in the snow, and on unplowed roads mind you!), and I'm planning to get another 3 mile run in tonight. I'm trying to get my runs in as early as possible this week, because its suppose to be highs in the single digits later in the week, so I want to try to avoid being outside as much as possible.

So overall, things are going ok, just a few "getting back on the wagon" bumps to deal with, nothing we all don't experience, and nothing we can't get over!

Happy Happy Monday! Menu later!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Menu 1/11/09

Sunday, January 11, 2009
Morning
1/2 cup(s) 1% low-fat milk 1
20 oz black coffee 0
1 tbsp Cocoa 0
Pumpkin Oatmeal w/Oil - Quick-added food 3
1 serving(s) Breakstone LiveActive Cot Cheese 1
Subtotal 5
Midday
170 gm broccoli 0
90 gm carrot(s) 0
Banana Muffin - Quick-added food 4
Apricot Chicken - Quick-added food 5
Subtotal 9
Evening
Pumpkin Pancakes - Quick-added food 2
Toast - Quick-added food 1
Pita Bread w/Hummus - Quick-added food 2
Yogurt - Quick-added food 1
Subtotal 6
Anytime
No entries for this meal time.
Subtotal 0
Food POINTS values total used 20
Food POINTS values remaining 0
Activity
52 min jogging 6
Activity POINTS values earned 6
Happy Sunday everyone! I'm sitting around waiting for cupcakes I baked for my mom's birthday to cool so I can frost them, and waiting for them to come through the subdivision with a snowplow, so I can go out running, alot of waiting around huh? We recieved 8 to 10 inches of snow on Saturday, and they are expecting more tomorrow night! We are heading to Olive Garden later for my mom's birthday, so I will probably just wait to run until after we do that, they will hopefully have plowed by then.

On a good note, I was checking out Olive Garden to see what I was going to order today, and they have always provided Nutritional Information for their "garden fare" items, but now they provide nutritional information for the rest of it, I was very pleased. I think I will have the Venitian Apricot Chicken, which is only 3 points if I eat half! yay!

I did enjoy a couple bites of banana muffin, and some licks of batter, so I worked up the Nutritional Information for the muffins, and it looks like one is 4 points, even though I don't think I ate one muffin, I still counted 4 points to be safe.

I made up some Taco Soup so I would have some for lunches this week, it should be a good treat, I love soups this time of year. I have another soup recipe I will make later in the week. Soups are so filling too!

Anyways, nothing to exciting happening here, but I will update later with my menu for the day!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Menu 1/10/09

Did well today I think, I'm never quite as good about getting all 8 GHGs on the weekend, but I think I got them all except a half of dairy.

aturday, January 10, 2009
Morning
1/2 cup(s) 1% low-fat milk 1
1 tbsp Cocoa 0
20 oz black coffee 0
Pumpkin Oatmeal - Quick-added food 2
1 tsp canola oil 1
peppers and carrots - Quick added food 0
1 serving(s) Breakstone LiveActive Cot Cheese 1
Subtotal 5
Midday
progresso soup - Quick added food 2
chex mix - Quick added food 3
1 tsp canola oil 1
1 serving(s) Dannon Light n' Fit 1
90 gm carrot(s) 0
140 gm peeled sliced cucumber 0
Subtotal 7
Evening
1 item(s) Turkey sausage, egg white and cheese on a muffin made with whole grain 5
1 tbsp Tomato Ketchup 0
1 small pear(s) 1
1 bag(s) 100 calorie pop kettle corn, popped 2
Subtotal 8
Anytime
No entries for this meal time.
Subtotal 0
Food POINTS values total used 20
Food POINTS values remaining 0

Friday, January 9, 2009

Menu 1/9/09

Here's the menu for today, nothing exciting, but got in my 8 GHG's, and I did go out for a run, although only ended up going a mile, as we got about 4 inches of snow, and it's quite hard running in deep snow! I never would have guess, whew. But I got out there and did it! Heres the menu!

Friday, January 09, 2009
Morning
Oatmeal - Quick-added food 2
1 tsp canola oil 1
1/2 cup(s) 1% low-fat milk 1
20 oz black coffee 0
1 tbsp Cocoa 0
120 gm bell pepper(s) 0
1 serving(s) Breakstone LiveActive Cot Cheese 1
90 gm carrot(s) 0
Subtotal 5
Midday
Progresso Soup - Quick-added food 2
1 tsp canola oil 1
1 serving(s) Dannon Light n' Fit 1
90 gm carrot(s) 0
140 gm peeled sliced cucumber 0
Subtotal 4
Evening
Hashbrowns - Quick-added food 2
1 cup(s) Corn Flakes 2
1/4 cup(s) ketchup 1
Pumpkin Pancakes - Quick-added food 2
6 item(s) egg white(s) 2
1 serving(s) Dannon Light n' Fit 1
170 gm broccoli 0
90 gm carrot(s) 0
Zeros - Quick-added food 1
Subtotal 11
Anytime
No entries for this meal time.
Subtotal 0
Food POINTS values total used 20
Food POINTS values remaining 0
Activity
15 min jogging 2
Activity POINTS values earned 2
Check off these important items daily:
Water
Milk & Milk Products
Fruit & Vegetables
Multivitamin
Healthy Oils
Activity

A Review of '08 Resolutions

Ok, so everyone is going through their new years resolutions, and I want to review mine, and then come up with some new ones, this post will be reviewing;

1. Consistently get to the gym all year, even if it dies down during the summer to a measly once or twice a month. But during the cold months, stay going, weekly, on a regular basis. I don't think I did to shabby here! I consistently exercised most of the year when sickness or other events weren't in the way. I began running outside in July, and racked up around 300 miles by the end of the year! Go me! I've now been working out consistently for over one year!

2. Be more social! I have a tendency to be a hermit. I like quiet time, alone time, but I'm going to make more of an effort to go out. I want to go out twice a month, whether that is on a date, or catching dinner with a girlfriend, or going to a party. I did get out a little more, but not nearly as much as I would of liked to, or should have.

3. Try to be a more positive person. I have a tendency to look at things with a negative view at times, and I would like to change that. I was a more positive person for most of last year, believe me, I did get down, but I worked through it, and I would say I'm happier.

4. Pick up a new hobby. Any new hobby. Can we say running? I became addicted, took until July, but it truly became a new hobby of mine!

Alright now for the weight/health related goals.

1. Finally reach my goal weight of 142. I'll get there, I know it! Got there 7/20/08!

2. Gain more knowledge of nutrition. Weight Watchers is a great program, but as long as your eating your points, you can eat whatever. I would like to focus on keeping my Carbs, Fat and Protein in order. I learned alot about nutrition this year, I think in the end it all comes down to balance. You can eat that cheesecake, just eat it once a month, I am more aware of what I'm putting in my mouth and how it affects my body, I think I learned alot here, but I know I have alot left to learn too!


Well I think overall I did well, I mean sure there were a few things I didn't follow completely through on, but overall, I think I mad 2008 a successful year! And I plan to make 2009 an even better year.

I'll be posting menus from now on to, as a little keep myself on track tactic. I'm only going to be weighing once a month, and I will be in weight loss mode until I see the infamous 142 number! Next weigh in will be February 2nd!

Ok, menu tonight, first day back on program/food is going good!


Thursday, January 8, 2009

"Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently."
-- Henry Ford

Guess what? I've made it to Day 7 of the cleanse! I was shooting for 10 days, but decided today would be my last day. Why?

Well there are some good reasons, and probably some not so good reasons. One, Sunday is my mom's birthday, and I would really like to enjoy the family dinner with them, instead of sitting there drinking my water. Probably not a great reason, but whatever. Two, I miss eating, but I miss eating good food. I could careless about the crap food that people have around, but last night found myself drooling over broccoli at the grocery store. I think this is a good indication that I'm ready for food. I'm not just hungry, I'm hungry for good food.

So do I recommend what I just did? Yes! Will I do it again? Yes, planning to in April after the Easter Holiday.

It's definately not easy, and I honestly thought it would get easier as time went on, but I found as the days grew on, I found it harder and harder. Yesterday night (after the broccoli drooling incident), I really wanted to give up and chow on some carrots and broccoli, but I didn't.

But I got to thinking today (as I'm still craving veggies and fruit), something is wrong here if I am craving the good stuff, and not allowing myself to have it. If I was craving bad stuff like I was for the first couple days (hot dogs, ect), then yes, I should stay on longer, but good stuff? My body wants to good stuff, who am I to deny it?

So whats life after the cleanse like? Well the first couple days are easing yourself back onto solid foods. The book says to use orange juice, so I'm going to be drinking watered down OJ for breakfast tomorrow, and maybe full strength for lunch, and then onto some organic veggie broth for dinner. If all goes well with that, its gonna be full strength OJ for breakfast Saturday, Broth for lunch and vegetable soup for dinner! Yum! I can't wait.

The Sunday will be a return to solid food, but I will definately be taking it easy!

One thing I did not like about the cleanse? The lack of energy for running. I'm sure it would've been better had I been running consistently and not been trying to start again on top of cleansing, but I didn't like the way running felt on it, I didn't feel like I had anything for the body to burn off.

Weight loss? So far 6.2lbs in 6 days. I'm expecting a little more by the time I get back to solid foods, at that point the scale is going to be put away, and I'm going to go back on Weight Watchers, in loss mode for 3 weeks until my next weigh in, which should put me under my goal weight, which will be good. Then it will be back to maintaining.

I feel the cleanse helped me get my willpower back, and get all the crap I ate at Christmas time out of my body. I'm going to cleanse again in April.

Anyways, I hope everyone is doing well, I'm going to be posting more in the new year! Happy 2009!

Monday, January 5, 2009

"It is the nature of man to rise to greatness
if greatness is expected of him."
-- John Steinbeck

Alright, well after quite sometime, here I am, I'm back.

I've been battling being sick for quite some time, it started as a sinus infection on December 10th, they gave me antibiotics, it appeared to go away, even though I wasn't feeling great, but then I got off the antibiotics, and it came back, and I went in the 29th, and had a sinus infection, bronchitis and strep throat, lovely huh?

Well needless to say, after a week of antibiotics and steroids, I feel pretty good.

So I'm going to attempt to run again tonight, even though its been so long, I know it's not gonna be easy, so I'll start with an easy mile tonight and if that goes good, I'll do a little more tomorrow, back to trying to build my base from scratch again, I hate that!

I did start on the master cleanse on Friday, it's interesting, I can't say I have an opinion yet on whether its good or bad. The first day was fine, and I felt good, the second day, I really felt like I had the flu, and I was tired all day, which they say is pretty normal. Yesterday and today, I feel alright, have a bit of a headache today, but nothing major.

Everyone asks if I'm hungry, and no, for the most part, I'm not hungry. It's hard when the boyfriend is around piling food in his mouth in front of me, or when food is cooking and I can smell it, but as far as actually being hungry, not very often. I think more than anything I miss eating, like the process of doing so, tasting good food, chewing ect. Just goes to show me how much I eat to eat, and how I'm not necessarily hungry, puts things into perspective a bit there.

Well I updated my weight on the sidebar for my monthly weigh in, which I am up at 144.6, which is still under my weight watchers goal, but over my personal goal. It's not bad for holiday season, and I know after the cleanse and when I get back to running the couple pounds will come off, so I'm not too worried about it.

With the cleanse they claim you will lose weight, but you will gain about half back. The way that I'm going, I will lose about 17lbs on the cleanse, but when I gain back I will still be under my goal weight, so that is ok. I will keep you posted, on Day 4, so far I've lost 5.2lbs.

Anyways, I will update again tomorrow and keep you guys posted on how the cleanse is going.

Happy New Year everyone!