Workout Woes

Well, I got up a little before 5am to watch the wedding (yes, I know I could have taped it, but I wanted to see it live).  I realized I didn't update yesterday.  Sometimes it's hard to write when I don't really have much to say.  I have been good all week, but yesterday was the first day I managed to make it to the gym.  I REALLY didn't want to go.  I was sitting in the parking lot at the gym giving myself a pep talk.  I was so tired.  But, I did feel lots better after I worked out. I could tell I hadn't been there in a week.

My menu:
Breakfast: cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  leftover chili, grapes, 100 calorie cake (550 calories)
Dinner:  ziti with tomato basil marinara and asiago sauce (500 calories)
Dessert:  ice cream bar - 200 calories

Total:  1410 calories

Pet Peeves

Okay, I know my blog is supposed to be about food struggles, but I have a pet peeve I need to vent about. If you are some type of workperson (plumber, exterminator, cable guy, etc), you need to show up on time.  I have had three different people show up ridiculously late for three days in a row.  Monday, we had granite installed.  They were 2 hours late. Tuesday, we had a plumber come.  He was 30 minutes late.  Today the exterminator was supposed to be here at 4pm.  It's 4:22.  I mean, if you want to schedule a window, schedule a window.  But, don't tell me you're going to be here at 4pm, and I rearrange my schedule, and then you show up at 5pm.  Aughhh!!!

Anyway, yesterday I was really good, but I didn't blog because it was a crazy afternoon.  But, since I have plenty of time today while I'm sitting around waiting on the exterminator, I'll update the past two days.

Yesterday:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch: SmartOnes Ravioli, salad, grapes, 100 calorie cakes (450 calories)
Dinner: buffalo chicken cutlets, risotto (600 calories)
Dessert:  Strawberry ice cream bar (200 calories)
Total:  1410 calories

Today:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  soup (220 calories), salad, grapes, 100 calorie cakes (400 calories total)
Dinner:  chili with cheese and crackers (400 calories)
Dessert:  ice cream - 130 calories
Total:  1090

Excuses, Excuses

Man, I have had more excuses recently not to work out.  I didn't blog this weekend because it was Easter and I was super busy. I don't know the calorie content of a lot of what I ate (don't worry, I exercised portion control....most of the time).  I got back on the scale this morning just to see what the damage was, but my weight was the same as it was on Friday.  Yay!  So anyway, I didn't go to the gym today because we are having granite installed (as I am typing this) so I had to come home after school.  Tomorrow, the plumber is coming to hook up our water so I can't work out tomorrow, either.  Wednesday, I have to meet the exterminator.  But, I'm hoping tomorrow and Wednesday will be short visits so hopefully I can get a run in before it gets dark.  Tonight is doubtful.  I also can't cook tonight because we have no water in the kitchen and sorry, I'm not washing dishes in the bathroom.

So...I don't know what's for dinner, but I've only eaten 560 calories so far today, so it doesn't really matter.  I'm going to eat my arm soon, though, if the workers don't finish soon. 

Too much candy!

So in the past week, I've accumulated a ridiculous amount of Easter candy through Easter egg hunts.  I mean, I'm all about Caleb going to the egg hunts, but what am I going to do with all this candy?  No one needs to eat all this, especially me. You see, I tend to think candy wrapped in that small of a package doesn't need to be counted.  The fun part of "fun size" is that the calories don't count, right?  I should probably take it to work, but sometimes that proves to be counterproductive for me as well.

Yesterday, we had some friends over for dinner and we had tacos.  I love tacos. The only problem was that I didn't calculate the calories in everything before I ate.  I had 3 tacos - 2 crunchy, 1 soft.  The crunchy tacos I turned into a salad, and I just ate the soft one. So...600 calories?  It was extra lean ground beef, so the meat had very little fat.  But, there was key lime pie for dessert...which I will be finishing off tonight.  :-)  Thanks, Kelley!

Yesterday:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  leftover cowboy spaghetti (400 calories), grapes (50 calories), 100 calorie cakes
Dinner:  tacos (600 calories)
Dessert:  1 piece key lime pie.  No idea...calories weren't on the container.

Total:  1310 before the pie.

Today:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  leftover cowboy spaghetti (400 calories), grapes (50 calories), 100 calorie cakes
Dinner:  Haven't decided yet, but it's not going to be pretty.

Total:  Well, I've only had 710 before dinner, so even a high calorie dinner would be okay.

This is Easter weekend, so I weighed myself BEFORE the weekend and I lost 1.5 lbs.  Happy Easter!

4/20

Did you know that 4/20 is a notable day in our country's recent history?  Oklahoma City bombings and Columbine both happened on 4/20.  Every time I look at the date, that's what I think about.

I don't really have much to say regarding the food part of my life the past couple of days...I was late getting home last night so I picked up Chipotle on my way home.  Today was much better, I worked out and was way below on my calories.  I guess the two days evened out?  At least that's what I'm telling myself.

Tuesday:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  200 calorie pizza, salad (50 calories), grapes (50 calories), 100 calorie cake
Snack 1:  popcorn, brownie (200 calories)
Snack 2:  Strawberry smoothie with nonfat milk (250 calories)
Dinner:  Chipotle - chicken burrito bowl (630 calorie), chips (200 calories)

Total:  too many...don't want to add it up. 1840.

Wednesday:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  200 calorie pizza, salad (50 calories), grapes (50 calories), 100 calorie cake
Dinner:  cowboy spaghetti - 450 calories
Dessert:  lowfat ice cream - 130 calories

Total for the day:  1140 - and I worked out!

Mexican Night!

We are trying to incorporate Caleb dinner into our mealtimes.  For a long time, we fed Caleb early, and then ate after he went to bed. But because Caleb is eating regular food all the time (and has been for awhile now), we're serving him whatever we are eating.  Sometimes this works well, other times it doesn't work at all. So tonight we had fajitas and mexican rice.  Caleb loves the mexican rice, but he burned his tongue on the first couple of bites so he quit eating it. He never did actually touch the fajita chicken or green pepper, though.  He would eat the rice off my plate, but not off his own. Weird child.  Anyway, he ended up eating 2 pieces of cheese and some rice.

My menu:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  leftover lasagna (400 calories), cookies (140 calories)
Dinner:  11/2 fajitas (400 calories), one serving of rice (180 calories)
Dessert:  ice cream - 130 calories
Total for the day:  1410 calories

Ooh, and I ran two miles, too.

All things in moderation

I haven't blogged the past few days, but don't worry, I've been watching what I eat.  Friday night, I went to the Gwinnett Braves game with people from work, and we had food provided in our suite. I ate one hot dog, and some REAL potato chips. I don't know if they were baked or fried (I kind of think baked), but they were delicious.  I also ate a brownie. But, before the game,  I had only 610 calories, so it was okay.

Saturday, I had a cereal bar for breakfast, and a grilled chicken sandwich and soup from Chick-fil-a.  That totaled about 650 calories for breakfast and lunch.  Last night, I went to a wedding.  I ate a bbq sandwich on white bread, some mac and cheese, and green beans. I was very mindful of the portion sizes.  However, I will tell you that I had some of the groom's cake. It was several chocolate chip cookie cakes, with icing layered between. YUMMY!!  I only ate about half my piece of cake because it was so rich, though. So, again, I don't know my total calories, but I think I did okay.

Today, I've been good as well. Tonight, though, is the men's bake-off at church, so there will be cake. I'm not a huge cake fan, but Glen is baking a butterscotch pound cake that is delicious.  I guess I'll be eating dessert before dinner tonight.  :-)  I had a bowl of cereal for breakfast (150 calories) and Subway for lunch (430 calories) plus a cookie (200 calories).

I did get on the scale this weekend, and my weight was the same as it was before spring break. So either, I've maintained for two weeks (which I kind of doubt considering what I ate over the break), or I gained over spring break and then lost it this week (more likely).  I don't know why, but I really am okay with it because I know that I am slowly losing weight in a lifestyle that I know I can maintain.  It might take me a long time, but at least I know I'm doing it right.

Not my week.

I'm thoroughly annoyed.  The granite people were supposed to be here for our consult at 5:30, so I didn't go to the gym because I wouldn't have time to work out, get Caleb, and get home by 5:30.  So I skipped the gym and came home.  I went ahead and gave Caleb a bath, and fed him dinner at 5:00 so when they arrived he would be done with dinner.  Otherwise, in the middle of everything Caleb would have demanded dinner. So at 5:35 Glen gets home. 5:40 he calls the company to see where they are.  6:00 we find out someone else is coming, but they're just leaving and won't be here until 7:00.  Really?  I could have worked out and been home by now!!  These people are making me mad.  They didn't show on Monday and they are going to be ridiculously late today. 

Last night, I made poppyseed chicken.  When everything was ready, I portioned out some in tupperware for lunch today and then put some in another container for Glen when he got home.  I made my plate and sat down to eat. It was about 8:00. I took a bite...and it tasted a little funny.  I took a second bite and realized it was the chicken. It had gone bad.  I had defrosted the chicken that day, but I guess it was already bad when I froze it. Stupid sell-by date.  What would I do? Caleb was already in bed (no, I didn't feed him the chicken), so I couldn't go anywhere.  I didn't want to order a pizza, we had pizza the night before.  Nothing to do but wait for Glen to get home from church.  He called at 8:45 and I told him to bring me food.  He brought me a salad from Chili's.  It had more than the 400 calories my original dinner contained.  I did however, skip the ice cream last night.

So, despite my best efforts, this week is turning out to be a bust.  I was so motivated, too.  Plus, tonight I'm planning on making ziti with tomato-basil sauce and asiago cheese, but who knows how long this stupid consult will take.  I guess I'll be eating dinner at 9:30 again.

My menu:
Breakfast: cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  SmartOnes ziti - 300 calories, salad (50 calories), 100 calorie cake
Dinner:  I'm planning on the pasta - 500 calories
Dessert:  ice cream - 130 calories

Total for the day: 1240 unless something else happens and I eat something ridiculous.

Good News/Bad News

Good news:  Even though I had another (or maybe the same?) migraine today, I cooked dinner!  Poppyseed chicken, which I make with fat free sour cream and 98% fat free cream of chicken soup.  Yummy!

Bad news:  My head was throbbing so I didn't go to the gym, and I can't go Thursday or Friday because of stuff going on after work.

My menu:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  same as yesterday - 200 calorie pizza, salad (50), apple (60), 100 calorie cake
Misc:  100 calories (fun pack of candy)
Dinner:  poppyseed chicken with rice (400 calories)
Dessert  ice cream - 130 calories

Total for the day:  1300

Migraine.

I have a migraine today which means no cooking.  So tonight Glen is picking up a pizza.  See ya tomorrow!

My menu:
Breakfast:  160 calories
Lunch:  200 calorie pizza, salad (50 calories), half an apple (30 calories), 100 calorie cake
Snack:  coca-cola...I had a headache (140 calories)
Dinner:  Pizza (900 calories)  Thin crust pizza really cuts down on the calories...
Dessert:  ice cream- 130 calories

Total: 1610 calories

Mmm....food.

Okay, here's my problem:  I like to eat.  I mean, I know that sometimes I'm an emotional eater. Nothing helps a bad day like some boneless buffalo wings from Chili's.  But, I enjoy eating things that taste yummy.  And I don't care how much Biggest Loser I watch, a plate of veggies will never be quite the same as a bowl of yummy cheesy pasta.  Sorry.

But, unfortunately eating isn't conducive to weight loss, so I find myself trying to get hyped up about some asparagus.  (Sidebar:  that balsamic marinated asparagus WAS really good...but it's still not the same as a trip to Chili's). Don't you wish you could just eat what you wanted?  Why does it have to have consequences?  I'm sure we could blame it on Adam and Eve eating the fruit (ironic that eating is what got mankind into trouble), but I don't remember reading "the Lord shall greatly increase your pain in childbirth and cause whatever you eat to add fat to your hips". 

Anyway, here's my menu:
Breakfast:  cereal bar - 160 calories
Lunch:  leftover cowboy spaghetti (400 calories), apple (60 calories), 100 calorie cake
Misc:  100 calories (I ate a couple bites of Caleb's dinner)
Dinner:  Lemon chicken pasta - angel hair and chicken in a lemon butter (don't worry, way more lemon than butter) sauce.  400 calories
Dessert:  ice cream - 130 calories

Total for the day: 1250 - and I worked out, too!

35 more days...

Summer starts (for me) in 7 weeks. Of those days, 35 are work days.  This means I need to lose enough weight between now and then to feel comfortable in a swimsuit. Well, more comfortable. I wasn't comfortable at my skinniest by any means.  I should set a goal.  A realistic, obtainable goal. How about 15 more pounds? That's about 2 pounds a week, which I should be able to do.  I've lost 15 so far (or at least I had before spring break), so if I lose another 15,  that would make 30 in all. Yes!  Okay, 15 lbs in 7 weeks. I can do it.

I started off with a good day.  Today I went to the gym for my first workout in awhile, since I didn't work out last week. I did pretty well, I'm really trying to push myself with the levels on the elliptical machine and the amount of weights I'm attempting to lift.  I mean, I'm not ready to enter a body building competition by any stretch of the imagination (nor will I be...I'm SO not a body builder), but I do want become toned, which means I have to continue pushing myself.  I've been pretty good about my menu today (it will definitely be below my 1500 target). 

Breakfast:  frosted flakes (150 calories)
Lunch:  chicken quesadilla (350 calories), chips (150 calories), 100 calorie cake
Dinner:  cowboy spaghetti (Rachael Ray recipe - Smart Taste spaghetti with a sauce made of a little lean ground beef, bacon, tomato sauce, hot sauce, green onion and cheese).  It varies with calories depending on what meat I end up buying and how much bacon I use, and how hungry I am. Today, though, it should be about 400 calories.
Dessert:  ice cream - 130 calories

Total:  1380

Vacation is over...

I don't believe in dieting on vacation. Although I don't really consider what I'm doing dieting, just being more conscientious of what I am eating and controlling my calorie intake.  I find with diets that I eventually go off of them and then gain weight. If I can truly make a permanent (except for vacations!) change, then hopefully it will become the norm.  Anyway...this week I went to Destin for spring break, and I ate what I wanted.  I wasn't completely unreasonable, but there may have been (read: was) some fried foods and ice cream involved in the week. Am I getting on a scale this weekend?  No.  I'll get back on next weekend after a week of being good (better?) and working out again.



Anyway, want to know my menu today? 

Breakfast:  two doughnuts (I was still in Destin).
Lunch:  Grilled chicken sandwich, chicken soup (Chick-fil-a) 480 calories
Snack:  oatmeal creme pie (I don't know how many calories...I think about 200)
Dinner:  Hmm...probably buffalo chicken cutlets and risotto (500 calories)
Dessert:  ice cream - 130 calories

Total: (without the doughnuts) 1320

Spring Break!

Happy spring break!  I've been counting down for awhile, now.  I'm so ready for this week off. So, over spring break I'm not going to be blogging.  I've got a busy week ahead that I'm super excited about.  I'm going to try my best to watch my diet and calorie count, but I'm also going to have a couple of meals where I'm just not going to worry about it. At this point, I've lost about 15 lbs total, so hopefully I won't gain anything back, just maintaining for a week.

See you on the flip side!  (Yeah, I'm not cool enough to pull off statements like that)...