45lbs to WDW 6/2011...Oh YES!

[therriau4]

Hellooo to anyone who will read this!! DH is bound and determined to go to WDW next June, and there is no way I'm being photographed fat. No way I'm going to be too tired to walk all day long!

We just had visitors who took loads of photos & I couldn't believe the way I looked. When did I grow that third chin?! What IS that behind me?! Ok, not a problem, I can handle this. Sadly, I've done it before.

In 2007, I lost 25lbs by posting my journal here & receiving & sharing support with some awesome women here. I hope to be as lucky this time...yes, I gained it back plus...but that can't keep happening. This is a lifestyle change, baby!

I'm low carbing in (carbs are rough on me, but I love them) & cardio'ing in. I've got a membership at Planet Fitness that I've not found too effective but I'm going to balance that with some Turbo Jam and Kathy Smith. I shall bore you daily with my diet menus, my musings on my progress but I'd really, really appreciate any support or advice I can get.

So *drum roll, please* today I start journaling!!

What I did yesterday then:
Apple Cinn oatmeal for breakfast 130 cals
Coffee 40cals

one strawberry 7
4 chunks cantaloupe 30
1/2 c cottage cheese 120
hardboiled egg 75

Chicken Salad for lunch 279
Protein Shake 130

hamburg patty w/ Amer cheese 213
hot dog 130
salad 150

several gin & tonics (it was a party...I confess) 360
for 1664 calories

50 minutes of Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Workout
2 20 minute dog walking sessions (can't say thats much exercise, as he's pretty slow & likes to smell the roses)

I can see room for improvement...I can be honest here & I will! Today is another great chance to move closer to my goal!! :banana:
Thanks for reading!!

[therriau4]

So I'm feeling pretty motivated, but am beginning to suspect that the diet advice my brother gave me might be tough to handle. He used to work with a trainer who'd recommended that he eat every 2-3 hours per day...important to start with oatmeal eaten within 1/2 hour of waking, followed by a protein shake, small lunch, another protein shake & small dinner & no carbs after 6pm...

My instinct is to cut out carbs almost entirely (they are poison to me)...& oatmeal first thing in the am is a pretty tall order... we'll see how this goes!

Yesterdays journal
Apple Cinnamon oatmeal for breakfast 130 cals
Protein Shake 130
Salad for Lunch 325
Protein Shake 130

Then...dinner. DH loves to cook & eat. He's getting quite the paunch on himself too, but seems to be in denial, so he comes home and announces he's making tortellini chicken alfredo w/ peppers. Oh, I know its going to be delicious but hey! honeypie!! I've just started a diet. To which he responds, "you're not the only person in the house though." Have you ever wanted to strike a man dead? I have. I am aware that I am not the ONLY person in the house, I told him...& I'm also aware I'm not the ONLY person in the house getting fat. There! I told him.

Then I ate a small bowl of the chicken tortellini alfredo w/ peppers and a side of brocolli, for 600 calories. & I downed it with a Heineken. So there's 760 calories for dinner. Gave me a grand total of 1475 calories for the day. So I went to bed @ 7 so I wouldn't eat anything else.

For exercise, I walked our border collie once for 20 minutes & did a 45 minute Turbo Jam Cardio workout (well, I tried...I had to stop a couple of times because I was sweating & breathing heavy:scared1:...GAWD! I remember when I could do this workout EASILY!)...

Ok...its a new day, & I have big plans for today! I'm going grocery shopping...& if HE thinks he'll be cooking any more deliciously fatty dinners, he's going to have to be bringing home the fat himself. :rolleyes1

[toystoryduo]

:welcome: to the WISH boards!!! You'll find a lot of encouragement and support here. ::yes::

You're doing a great job getting your workouts in! Keep up the good work!:cheer2:

It sounds like you did a great job on portion control with the tortellini chicken alfredo w/ peppers.:thumbsup2 It sounds yummy!:goodvibes

Hope you have a nice evening! :wizard:

P.S. Thanks for stopping by my journal! :goodvibes

[therriau4]

Hi Toystoryduo! :flower3:

Thanks so much for your kind words! I've dieted & watched my weight before but have never had the kind of success I had when preparing for a WDW trip & journaling on these boards! I read your journal every day...and you really encourage and inspire me to keep on going. Thanks again, so much, for your positive comments...I sure need them with a cook like my husband in the house!;)

[therriau4]

I just got too busy to post! & I was kind of worried that being busy & a little stressed would lead me straight to the trough, but I was ready for it!

The oatmeal in the morning is an ok thing...I get the need to start your metabolism early, but I'm so not hungry & don't feel the need for food, so I tried something a little different. Wed. am I woke up & started with coffee (40 cals) then did my workout. Turbo Jam's Turbo Sculpt with 3 lb weights. Last year I was breezing through this workout using 5 lbers...but you know its been awhile and my guns are more like water balloons now, so I figured 3lbers would be good. The workout was all right, I enjoy it, but 3 lbs felt like nothing so when I do it next it'll be back to the 5s. So this was 50 minutes workout & a 20 minute walk with the dog...then another 20 minute walk with the husband & the dog later in the evening.

For eating, I was gooood....the coffee in the morning 40cals
a protein shake after the workout (130)

lunch was 2 Sara Lee Oven Roasted Turkey rollups with Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb cheese spread on it & some lettuce. (95)
a 100 cal pack of almonds (100)

another protein shake mid afternoon (130)

and a contrite dh decided to be a little more supportive this evening & grilled lean steak strips, which he served with green salad. I'm guessing at these calories: 630.

I followed this up with 2 rum & diets...150

I drank a ton of water today...well, maybe only 48 ounces, but thats alot for me.

Total calories: est. 1275. I still feel like a cow. The dinner meal is a killer for me at the end of the day, I just know I could bring my calories down even further. The cocktails at the end of the day could go too, but we'll see how I do after two weeks of this calorie & carb counting first. Did I mention I'm eliminating carbs? They are POISON to me, delicious little tidbits that they are. If I just say no to obvious carbs, I'll make a huge dent in my habits. If I eat one potato chip or slice of bread, its like opening up the gates of fat & saying come on in!:hippie:

[therriau4]

Thursday...you know I think I've made up my mind to do this this time! Its day 4 and not once yet (except for that villainous tortellini alfredo) have I felt like stuffing my face with garbage.

See the terms I'm using...garbage, villanious...I'm trying to train my thinking to believe that some foods are just b.a.d....which they are.

so Thursday am, I woke up, had my coffee, & then walked the dog...he was acting like he was going to explode so I thought it best to walk him before working out. 20 minutes through a hilly neighborhood. He has a fawncy new blue bandana on, so all the neighbors wanted to see him & admire his handsomeness so it was a litle slower pace than usual...

Then it was: Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Workout...this is an oldie, I got it when my son was born to help me lose the baby fat...he's in college now...but this tape is awesome. It targets the hips, thighs and abs throughout a low intensity cardio workout for about 55 minutes. Yes, I know it too well, but I still feel it & want to do it.

Then I started my eating day:
coffee 40 (I said that before, I know)
protein shake (130)

3 turkey rollups with Laughing Cow cheese & lettuce & red onion (125)
1 pack almonds (100)

Protein shake (130)

dinner: always a sticky wicket: dh made chicken fajitas...the box says two filled tortillas are 340 cals...I skipped the tortilla, so lets call it an even (300)

tiny green salad (I'm getting tired of romaine lettuce drizzled with a tsp of dressing): 150

coffee (40)

2 Mike's Light cranberry lemonade (196)

For a total of 1211. So far this has not been tough.:banana:

[toystoryduo]

You are doing a great job!!!:cheer2: Keep up the good work! :thumbsup2

I've done Kathy Smith's Fat Burning Workout before. :banana: It is a great workout!:thumbsup2

I hope you have a nice weekend!:goodvibes

[therriau4]

& I'm not dead yet!! Honestly, I don't miss "food" so much! On Saturday, I got up & the house was super quiet, so I squeezed in a workout. I did a 20 minute Turbo Jam quickie followed by 20 minutes of Ab Jam. My abs...buried undered layers of jiggling fat, did hurt while I was doing the workout, so I was all excited to feel sore the next day (how sick is that?!). Sadly, I didn't. I feel a little "tight" in places, but I can't claim soreness. Hmmm...this concerns me.

For breakfast I made up 2 scrambled eggs (using Pam to grease the skillet) & topped it with a tsp. of salsa for a big bang total of 180 calories. I grabbed a coffee for 40 cals (1/2 & 1/2)...then I was on the road for errands. Later was a protein shake 130 cals & 4 ham rollups with swiss cheese (OMG!! Swiss cheese is 105 calories per slice?! To heck with that!!) 720. Add in 1/2 c. guacamole for a snack (102 calories) and we're at 1,262 for the day.

I'm not even gonna tell you about my cocktails with my sister...let it suffice to say that on the plus side, I was practically nil on carbs, even though I probably topped 1800 total calories for the day. Cocktails are just not worth it anymore though...& I'm going to be cutting way back there. Also, cheese...I know Mickey's partial to it, but its just not justifiable...I had a salad last week, and the majority of the calories came from the cubed cheddar I'd put on it. I don't need it right now. I'm getting protein from far more efficient sources.

[therriau4]

The cocktails I had with my company Saturday night took a little bit of a toll on me...I didn't go bananas or anything, but I sure felt a little worse for wear, so I decided to forego a workout & spend the day on the couch with my dh. My kids were off each doing their own thing so we curled up & watched movies. I may have given you the impression that dh can be a bit of a poop with his "you're not the only one in the house" comment, but that was just a low point for him. He's really pretty wonderful, as he demonstrated by allowing me to pick the movie lineup for the day: The Glenn Miller Story, Its Complicated, and then to throw him a bone, Unbreakable.

Coffee in the morning (40 cals) then a cheeseburger sub (no bread for me, please) 387 calories, haddock filet (70 cals) 1 c. broccoli (54 cals), portobello mushroom with artichoke/tomato relish (177 cals), one Mike's Light Cranberry cocktail (98 cals) & one more c. coffee (40)...drum roll, please....866 calories for the day.

Ok, this was a little low & I was hungry when I went to bed. Gotta say though that we're onto something with these portobello mushrooms...can you say delicious? I think you can! Can you also say filling? Oh yes. Next time, I'll ask dh to add a little protein to the relish...maybe some crabmeat? He likes to invent recipes, so he'll keep working on this, I think. I felt badly for him at dinner, the haddock slice (frozen from Gorton's) was tasty enough, but like a baby serving, and I didn't make a starch for him. About 10 minutes after eating this & his broccoli, I found dh in the fridge looking for something to eat. But he lived...& didn't fall asleep during Unbreakable, so that was a bonus!

&&&&&!!! he kept looking at me & telling me that he can see a difference already. Ok, you & I both know he's blowing smoke up my skirts, but I don't care...he's trying to be encouraging. He shall live another day. :thumbsup2

[therriau4]

:goodvibes Today was such a nice day...it was fall like cool outside, so I lit the Yankee Candles Macintosh scent & boom! it was so cozy in the house. Normally I equate cozy with a ham & cheese toasted sandwich, but thats off limits these days!

I started the day with loads of energy, had a cup of coffee (40 cals) & did the Kathy Smith Fat Burning Workout. Followed that up with walking the dog for 20 mins & then a protein shake (130)...

For lunch I had 3 ham rollups with lettuce & mustard (surprisingly good) & a 100 calorie pack of almonds (360)

midafternoon snack a protein shake (130)

Dinner was good...a 1/2 chicken breast & some sauteed summer squash, mushrooms and a pepper w/ garlic...soooo good! I'm guessing at 250 cals...

Lots of water, a Mike's Cranberry Light & a coffee & I'm only at 950 calories...

I am not at all hungry...so maybe I'm way off on my calories...I'm constantly surprised at content of food...a slice of ham has 5.2 grams of carbs! Thats outrageous. From now on its turkey for me...

[toystoryduo]

You're doing a great job!!! Keep up the good work!:cheer2:

It's been fall like here the past couple of days too. Great idea lighting the candle!:thumbsup2 Love the Yankee Candle Macintosh scent!:lovestruc

Hope you have a great Tuesday!:goodvibes

[lolakat]

Hi there,

Sounds like you are doing a great job tracking your foods. It's amazing what we find out when we really look at the calories and nutrients, isn't it? I've found so many things that are just not worth it.

Keep up the good work and good luck with the rest of your week!

[therriau4]

thanks for stopping by & reading my journals. I can't get over how much this helps in weight loss!! :3dglasses

Lolakat, you are so right about finding out the content of foods! It blows my mind when I think of how many carbs I was eating every day & how many calories I was taking in. No wonder I gained so much weight!!

[therriau4]

Before school begins, my daughter & I decided to head out for an overnighter to Stowe, Vt. It is so beautiful there, no matter what time of year we go & we try to get up there a couple times every year.

On Tuesday I did my Kathy Smith Fat Burning Workout to start off on a good note, then off to work for a few hours...then it was into the car for the ride north. When we arrived we walked, walked walked around town. The toughest thing was finding restaurants that would serve up both something that would satisfy an athletic teenager & a carb counting mama. We managed, and the day was not a bust!

Coffee in the am. (40cals)
Protein shake (130)

Protein Shake (130) (afternoon)

I couldn't believe I wasn't hungry all day...

Dinner was baked salmon, a side of steamed broccoli, and a small salad w/ Ranch dressing on the side. A rum & diet for dessert.

Then my girl decided to put me through her Cheerleader workout. Oh yeah. Thats gonna hurt tomorrow!! :cheer2:

[therriau4]

I love the Stowe Inn!! If you ever get a chance to get up to this neck of the woods, stay here. We originally booked the economy room...it was one night, I figured we'd save a few bucks...& the room wasn't bad. Just really, really old. Had I been here with my hubby for a ski weekend, I wouldn't have thought twice about it, but for a mom/daughter trip, I wanted it to be a little more plush. I went to the desk, and asked nicely if I could upgrade...they were awesome! Upgrade, Yes? Additional charge? No! The room was beautiful, in the main house with two queen 4poster beds.

I got up, had coffee (40) & my protein shake (130)& photographed the inn while my girl got ready. Then we headed out to walk & photograph the town. Stowe has a 5 mile recreational path for biking, running, walking, etc. We didn't really even get to this though, as we spent our time in the town center. Its like a living art museum there...with sculptures in yards and in front of offices...really nice. They have this 50s style malt shoppe in town, and we always eat here when we come up, but looking over the menu made me really nervous. It was all carbs & fats & deliciousness...they make a patty melt there that is to die for.
They also have some salads. So thats what I ordered. A grilled chicken salad, blanched vegetables, ranch on the side, & a diet coke. When it came I was disappointed to see the croutons all over it...I didn't see that in the description. But I picked around those, avoided the carrots & was not satisfied. The chicken was really good though. I have no idea how many calories was in this, so lets say 350, shall we?

We drove to Burlington to do some shopping at Church Street Station...great for people watching...then headed south to pick my son up at his college & bring him home for a couple of days before the term starts. Laundry needed.

When we got in, dh had made a dinner of homemade Chinese food...all saucy and very dangerous looking. He explained that he tried to keep it low carb "Look, only 5grams of carbs in the sauce..." I had a really small serving...maybe 1/2 cup of chicken & veggies in teriyaki sauce, no rice...but I'm still guessing this was pretty high in calories (again, I have to guess...which I hate) maybe 450? I later snacked on 100 cals of almonds & then had to go to bed because I was really hungry.

I'm guessing it was about an 1100 calorie day. Now I'm nearing the end of my 2nd week on this diet & I am beginning to feel hungry. I need to be a little more creative at the grocery store, I think...

[lolakat]

It sounds like you had a really nice get away with your daughter. I used to do those a lot with my mom before I had a daughter of my own. I miss them. Good for you for making healthy food choices and staying active while on "vacation." It is always hard for me to avoid high calorie favoites when I go to a familiar place (like your malt shop). Good for you for having a salad instead of that delicious sounding melt :cheer2:... I'm not sure I would have been as strong!!

[therriau4]

Lolakat, we really did have a nice time! Someday you'll be doing trips like that with your daughter too...its so precious. Today we're off for school clothes shopping, so that'll be fun too! :) & I'll tell you what: choosing salad over the patty melt wasn't as hard as I thought once I remembered how unhappy I was with the photos that were recently taken of me! Its just not worth the fat & carbs...

[therriau4]

We just got Netflix at our house...which we love...and my ds is just home for a few days from school & he discovered Nip/Tuck, which he's taken to like a cat lady takes to soap operas. Sat up all night Wed. watching season after season...why am I telling you this? Because when I came downstairs Thursday am, ready to get my Kathy Smith on, he had the living room. I won't work out in front of anyone...no one wants to see that!...and the living room is the only space big enough or comfortable enough for me to exercise in. So rather than asking him to please fork over the remote, I just skipped the workout. Poor choice I know, but he's only home for a few days & he was so enjoying his spot on the couch...so I went to for a cup of my am caffeine..which totally didn't agree with me. Seriously. Came right back up. Whats up with that?! I didn't feel sick, but my stomach was acting like I was riding the Rock n Roll Roller Coaster...ewww. So I don't have to count those 40 cals because they didn't stay down.

About an hour later, I felt ok so I tried my protein shake...no problem and shuffled off to work...(130)...later I tried a slice of turkey but it just didn't taste good to me, so I gave the rest to the dog (I'll count 30 calories here, though I know I'm overestimating for one bite of turkey) & had another protein shake. Ok at this point, I'm thinking I really should be hungry. I mean, I'm simply not eating much...but I'm not. Not one bit. I wonder if something's wrong with me.

For dinner I made a nice salad...with egg in it for protein, sliced some green & red peppers & sauteed in vegetable oil (we're out of olive, which I like better), and dh grilled some lean steak tips he'd marinated in Light Caeser dressing. Delicious!! I had 2 waters with Crystal light Peach Iced Tea in them...for 10 cals there, plus my meal (350, 150, 200). Later, while watching a movie with the kids, I had a Mike's Light Cranberry Iced Tea for 98 cals. This brought me to 1088 calories for the day. In bed by 10...because nighttime eating is the worst for me...seriously, once everyone goes to bed, it would be nothing for me to down a 1/2 bag of chips with sour cream dip. But I won't do it. No. I won't. I will see 140 lbs again....oh, yes. I will.:flower3:

[toystoryduo]

I'm glad you had a nice time with your daughter!:goodvibes That's great that you got the free upgrade at the Inn!:banana:

You're doing a great job getting your workouts in and on watching your calories each day. :thumbsup2 Keep up the good work!:cheer2:

I hope you have a nice weekend!:goodvibes

[therriau4]

:cool1:I'm really proud of myself so far...and kind of surprised I'm doing as well as I am! Really, this isn't like me. Its not. But it is a very busy week...ds is back to school on Sunday, moving into his actual dorm room for the year, and dd starts school also Monday...

Friday, dd wanted to go to the city to do some last minute school clothes shopping, so while ds stayed home to do some chores & earn some cash, she & I hit the mall. Now, I live about an hours drive from anywhere, so we wanted to get an early start to avoid the rush hour traffic in the late afternoon. It was a coffee & protein shake (170 total) & off we were. So I missed my am workout...I'm not upset though, with school starting Monday, I'll have my regular routine again & M-F workouts will be easy to get in.

We shopped & stopped for lunch at Ruby Tuesday's where I knew I could be good with the salad bar. Or so I thought...freakin' salad bar is laden with all sorts of hidden carbs! I created a mid sized salad of spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, mushrooms, some feta cheese (bad), some asiago cheese (bad), some cottage cheese (bad) & some sunflower seeds (bad)...now those things are not unhealthy, but high in carbs...the worst of it was the cottage cheese, & to be honest, it was soo automatic to choose it. I didn't even think about it until after I'd eaten! Then I was all, OMIGOSH! That isn't on my plan! w/ a diet coke I figure the meal was at least 350 calories. But the very sweet waitress we had came over with some complimentary biscuits they were trying to promote..& even though they looked delicious, I was able to ignore them! Yay for me.:thumbsup2

For dinner, I made my ds his favorite homemade chicken pot pie & as I was cooking I did nibble on some of the sauteed chicken...maybe 1/4 c. for about 100 cals...but skipped everything else & had a protein shake for dinner (130)..After supper dh offered to take the kids out for ice cream...& even though I'm not a big ice cream fan, I thought this could be dangerous for me...the sight of chocolate sauce & whipped cream could right about now throw me over the edge. L later I had a couple of sweet iced teas (294!:scared1:) though, so I wasn't so good. All told, the day was 1,044 cals, but I know I blew it on the carb content. Again, had to go to bed around 10 otherwise I'd eat...if there was any food in the house...which there is not. Must go shopping!

[lolakat]

It can be so hard to make good choices while eatting out. I think you did well at the salad bar even if it wasnt' 100% on your plan. :thumbsup2 Try not to be too hard on yourself! Positive thinking is so important to staying motivated. Good luck getting your kids back to school. It's such a busy and exciting time of year.

[therriau4]

sometimes you just want to avoid them! I love my mil. I really do. For the past 24 years she has called EVERY Saturday morning to invite us all (plus any guests we might have) to dinner. If we say we can't make it, she says, "How about Sunday?" If thats no good, "How about Monday?" then "How about Tuesday?" If the mountain will not go to Muhammad, Muhammad will come to the mountain. As time has passed, my in laws have become less creative with their meal planning. Used to be that we'd never know what was for supper, but now if its Tuesday, its Chinese. Wed, spaghetti, Friday fish, or Saturday: the big meal (meat & potatoes). This week was Boiled Ham Dinner. Now, not to sound ungrateful but...yuck. This is an all carbs, all fat meal. I'd have avoided it, but dh loves it & I don't cook it, so off we went, me figuring I'll have salad. Surprise! No salad, but guess what? She made me my most favorite dessert in the world!

If you see my mil, you want to hug her. She's teeny weeny, almost 70, cute as a button and sweet as pie. I love her. So when she proudly pulled out the Boston Creme concoction she made especially for me, I felt kinda guilty about wanting to run screaming from the room. Not her fault, she didn't know about my diet. I'd known dinner was going to be a bust, so I ate lightly all day...coffee & protein shake for breakfast, lots of waters, protein shake at midday. Then for dinner, I ate about 1 c. cabbage, about a fistfull of boiled ham 120 cals, a serving of kielbasa 200 cals & water for approx 400 fatty, sodium packed calories. When she pulled out the dessert, I felt really badly...she'd made a huge pan of this stuff...which I normally dive face first into...but I said, just a small...no, smaller than that, please...slice. But I'll bet its about 400 calories. well, maybe not, but I can't even venture a better guess so lets leave it at that. All in all, it was probably a 1200 calorie day...with no workout yet again. Can't wait for Monday and my regular routine to be back!

[therriau4]

It was take the boy back to college day!! A bittersweet day as my college junior son returns to school...let me tell you, it ain't easy when the college kids come home for summer. The first month is all about them getting used to living with their parents again, the second month for us was our son being gone on an east coast tour with his band (does he call his mother?! Not often enough) & the 3rd month is trying to get him to stay on top of all the stuff he should have been doing the first two months. Then boom! he's leaving. Nowhere near enough hugs were had. Plus side: his dorm suite is a 3rd floor walkup & he has tons of musical equipment. Heavy musical equipment. The cardio workout was not an issue.

Breakfast was a quick protein shake & coffee 170
Lunch was a taco salad w/ chicken & lots of guac 500 cals
dinner 3 ham rollups with mustard & 1 sl. swiss cheese 170
almonds 100 calories
misc. drinks 350

1290 calories, but again, I'm guessing on the salad as no nutritional info was available.

I am really hungry tonight, & can't sleep...so I'm facing my worst nightmare head on: up late w/ no one around & full cupboards. I will overcome temptation. Nothing tastes as good as thin feels. Or so I think I remember...

[lolakat]

I know what you mean about well meaning MILs. Last time I was on a diet we went to my MIL house for a visit and she offered to cook us dinner. She proudly announced that she was cooking jambalaya and it was "fat free." I was scratching my head trying to figure out how a meal based on buttery rice and sauage could be fat free. Then my husband shows me the box from the mix she was using and, sure enough, the mix it fat free.... until you add in the butter, rice and sausage. Not wanting to hurt her feelings I smiled and ate my "fat free" meal. :lmao:

I think you did a good job limiting the "damage" at the family meal. Things shoud be easier now that you are back to your regular routine.

[toystoryduo]

You did a great job at your MIL's house! :thumbsup2 You made sure to watch your calories all day long and then portion controlled your favorite pie. Great job!!!:cheer2:

Sending a gentle :hug: your way. I bet moving day for your DS was a bittersweet day for you. Is his college close by for an occasional visit?

I hope you have a great day today!:hug:

[therriau4]

Hi, Toystoryduo! Thanks for the hug, I appreciate it! Yes, his college isn't far from us at all really...about 45 minutes away...but it might as well be 10 hours away. Once he gets there for the school year, he's pretty wrapped up. I'll go take him to lunch & shopping once in awhile, but not nearly as often as I did when he was a freshman...he's a junior now.

I missed writing for a couple of days...to be honest, my diet is so darned dull its losing zing for me! But every day is a challenge & an opportunity. I haven't fallen off the wagon yet, & don't even feel tempted. Well, thats a lie...late at night, when everyone is asleep, I am VERY tempted. But I keep thinking, "nothin' tastes as good as thin feels"...

I didn't work out for a few days, but started up again on Monday...I felt it! i've done these videos a thousand times before, but on Tuesday, I was feeling the Turbo Sculpt workout I did on Monday morning. Hips & thighs were definitely worked out.

I can't remember what I ate on Monday...I know I was behaved though, so I'm not stressing...

Tuesday: every day starts with the coffee & protein shake, then I had 5 ham and turkey rollups for lunch. I got this new pub mustard thats really nutty & oh so flavorful. Take the ham or turkey, layer some mustard, and some veggies (cukes are really good) & voila. Served with a side of almonds & you've got a nice meal for about 275 calories! I'm all about skipping the cheese these days.

It was super duper hot here on Tuesday (temps around 97) so the idea of cooking dinner was a bad one. I hate to cook, will avoid it at all costs, & even though dh enjoys cooking, he didn't want to face the hot grill. We ordered subs out...I love this because I can eat the innards & toss the bread easy. I got a cheeseburger sub w/ tomatoes & mayo for approx. 400 calories. Washed it down with 2 cranberry lemonades & I was at 600 cals. A total of 1045 calories for the day...not too shabby. I am definitely beginning to feel hungry at times...not starving, but a little empty, so water is really helpful..& I love to add the Crystal Light peach iced tea into it, to add a little flavor.

Wednesday was an ok day...I had a tough time with energy during my workout on Tuesday, so I knew I had to have the protein shake BEFORE I exercise. But I just wasn't into my Turbo Jam Cardio Party...to be honest, I don't really like this workout. I'm not a big fan of martial arts moves...they seem abrupt. The instructor doesn't count out her moves or give change up warnings very well, so it feels awkward, and at times I don't think her moves gel with the music at all well. So as I'm sweating, I get irritated with the video & had to switch it out after 20 minutes. I still got in 35-40 minutes of cardio, but I like to move start to finish, you know? Breakfast was the protein shake, no coffee. 130.

Mom & I headed to the hairdressers & then out for lunch...I haven't gotten a hair cut in almost 8 months!! so it was definitely time. Lunch at Applebee's was their Spinach & Shrimp salad...OMG, soooo good & only 273 calories. I did have a white zinfandel w/ that for 106 calories.

Dinner was a salad w/ grilled chicken breast, 260, followed by 1/2 c. coffee (it was too hot) 20 cals...then a bag of almonds later 100...

I logged in at 889 cals for the day. But I haven't counted my Crystal lights at about 35 calories for a grand total of 924.

BTW, Dh and I watched "Whats Eating Gilbert Grape" on Netflix...I liked it alot. Leonardo DiCaprio was pretty amazing in it...& he was just a kid!!popcorn::

[lolakat]

Sounds like you are doing great with your food choices. Keep up the good work! :thumbsup2

I've never been coordinated enough to keep up with the dance/cardio videos. I get fustrated and tend to give up. I hear a lot of people like Zumba. Maybe you could pick up one of those videos.

[toystoryduo]

You are doing a great job!! Keep up the good work!:cheer2:

I've had that happen with workout DVDs before. I know when I get frustrated with a DVD, it's time to shelf it for awhile or give it away. I have done Zumba before and it really is a lot of fun! :banana: If you have a local library that lets you check out DVDs, you may want to give it a try. It's a fun workout and it's supposed to burn a ton of calories too. :)

[therriau4]

Thanks, gals! Because of you, I've looked up Zumba, and that looks like fun! I'm definitely going to check that out & try it. Yesterday I did a fun DVD by Karen Voight...its nice because she does a bit of cardio, then weight work for the arms, then more cardio, then leg work, more cardio, then abs...you get the idea. Changing up the routine sure made it go by quickly. I'm a teeny bit sore in my hamstrings today, but thats a good thing!!

Food....I'm dreaming of carbs...I'd love an English Muffin, please. But NO! Not worth it, I'm not messing up now.

Yesterday was coffee & protein shake for breakfast (170), a handful of peanuts for a snack mid day, & 3 deviled eggs for lunch (275)...a handful of nuts for snack...lots of raw veggies (mushrooms, zucchini & summer squash) while dh made dinner which was a small chicken breast and sauteed veggies (see above)...say 160 for the peanuts, & 225 for dinner (it was so lean and light, I barely felt like I ate anything!...but then...everyone went to bed. I was alone. With the fridge. & many cravings. I started label reading and thought to myself...if I mix this cream cheese with some whipped cream, thats only 2 grams of carbs & maybe it'll taste like cheesecake. Don't laugh. It really wasn't bad. For about 165 calories. Ok...I'll be brutally honest. We also bought these mini drumstick ice creams...they're 160 calories for one. Before I did the mock cheesecake, I ate the top off one of the drumsticks...& gave the rest to my dog. I'll log 80 calories for that indiscretion...:sad2:

All told 1075 calories for the day. To be honest, I think I might be eating too little. I don't want carbs, but I think I could ease the cravings with a little something something.

The weekend worries me..I'm meeting up with a group of friends in North Carolina (flight permitting) for a weekend estrogen fest. One of these gals is a chef...she's been planning the menu for weeks. I haven't had the heart to tell her I'm restricting myself so much (she already thinks I'm an uptight sort)...so I'll just try to make the best choices I can. Send me positive karma, girls!! I'm going to need it.:lovestruc

[lolakat]

I don't know much about South Beach Diet but would it be possible to mix in some "good carbs" like brown rice or multi-grain bread? That might help ease those pesky carb cravings without sabatoging your weight loss.

I've never been a fan of the no carbs diets (for myself I mean) but I know some folks swear by them. I guess I am just to bread dependant. I was in college and waitressing when the Atkins diet was HUGE. I remember people would order their bacon cheese burgers with no bread and then ask for extra bacon with ranch or sourcream to dip it in. Come on now.... that can't be good for them.

Have a great time with your girl friends this weekend. Make the best food choices available, try to control your portions but most importantly HAVE FUN!! :dance3:

[therriau4]

Hi Everybody!! Hope everyone had an awesome Labor Day weekend! The weather, despite Earl, turned out beautiful & I had a wonderful with my friends in North Carolina. It was a huuuuge estrogen fest...Friday night was 9 women, & 7 dogs. Its hard to remember that far back as to what I ate, but I was super good all day long, knowing that one of my friends is a chef & I'd be teetering on a chocolate balance beam all weekend. Once I arrived, which was around 9pm, we all ate. There was German spaetzel (which I'd never had before) and meatballs with a mushroom sauce. I had small servings of each (2 meatballs and one small spoonful of the spaetzel)...but the downfall of the evening was wine, wine wine! we sat up laughing and drinking and joking and talking till 3:30 in the morning. I was in my teacups for sure.

Saturday am was so great...I was a little sour from so much wine, so eating light wasn't hard. Southerners like their grits and I'd never had them before so I took about a tablespoon. It was ok...I don't get them. I also had a small serving of scrambled eggs, and some sausage (not links but these little round patties). It was good. Now another one of my friends is a personal trainer, so she ran a couple of us through her Ab Attack workout, using the Bender ball. Man oh man! I work out regularly, & I was amazed at how weak my abs were. I felt a little tight when we finished, but thought that wouldn't make a huge impact...let me tell you what: I was so freaking sore on Sunday & Monday that I had to run right out & buy my own Bender ball & workout DVDs. I LOVED it! Its not quite the same without my friend Jackie pushing me to the limit, but I'm hoping to feel the burn again tomorrow.

For lunch, we made a huge Waldorf salad (chicken, grapes, nuts w/ mayo & a little horseradish sauce.) & dinner was White Chile w/ pork & these baby sized corn muffins. Ok...I ate 3 of the corn muffins. Then my trainer friend had baked a chocolate cake, which I had a teeny slice of & then supplemented with fruit & some more wine...not quite as much as the night before.

Sunday was my day tofly home, but I had breakfast: grits and sausage...I'm ok if I never have that again...and fruit. & coffee of course.

Once to the airport, I blew it. it was as if something went off in my brain, like, "Oh, I'm in an airport, calories & carbs don't count here...." really rookie mistake! I had california rolls & some mini crab cakes. They were good...but were they worth it? I dunno...

I had such a great time, I'm not wasting energy looking back & beating myself up...whats the point?

Monday was ok...salad for lunch, salad for dinner...one glass of wine in the evening, but thats it.

Now I'm home & back to my routine. Here's hoping I can get right back on track!!

[lolakat]

Glad to hear you had a fun weekend with your girl friends it really sounds like a blast. You should be proud of the portion control you practiced when faced with all that yummy foodl!! (BTW as a native New Yorker who recently moved to North Carolina, I really don't get grits either)

I'm also glad you are not beating yourself up for any dieting missteps while you were away. I think it's good practice to cut your self some slack when on vacation but be sure to get back on track once at home.

Have a great day!

[toystoryduo]

Sounds like you had a great weekend!:thumbsup2 How did yesterday go getting back into your routine?

I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!:hug: