Beyond Recovery: Christin's journal of progress (comments welcome)

[rcyannacci]

Hi! I'm Christin, and I'm new to the WISH board as of this January (2005), likely inspired by some acquaintances over on the community board and looking forward to getting to know some of you here.

My goal (something I'm continually making myself acknowledge): Healthier lifestyle rather than just weight-loss.

Some background: I've probably been aware of my weight and body as something to fight against since I was 12. Not that my mother intended to make me anxiety-ridden, but since she was herself, I guess it was inevitable. I've been addicted to sugar since I was little, and it's still the first thing I head for when I've had a long or bad day. (I'm particuarly good at justifying this ;) )

Speed up to last year: 2004 was terrible. It started in January when I found a very small tumor on the right side of my jaw, and went through a lengthy diagnosis process (including a surgery). I was lucky in that I only had a low grade malignancy and caught it early. By March I was in for daily radiation treatments to my head and neck which took away my taste and left me with a wicked sore throat. I lost 8 pounds (likely all muscle) and recuperated all summer. When my taste finally returned, my stomach had shrunk and I ate less...but I ate whatever I wanted.

Now that I'm completely clear, I'm ready for a lifestyle change that takes off the pounds initially (but not rapidly), and then I'll settle in to healthy maintanence.

What I've done so far: I joined Curves and have worked out 4-5 days a week for a little over a month. I lost 5 inches and 8 pounds of body fat, but haven't lost any "weight" (hopefully, I built back the muscle I lost).

Also, I've started bit by bit to cut out the sugar. The more I cut, the more I realize how addicted I am. Hopefully, this will make me more motivated to keep cutting!!!

Next step: What to eat now. This is my primary struggle. Making food a friend and not an enemy. I feel like I've had a very adversarial relationship to food for a very long time. I want very much to train my body back into a love and acceptance of whole, unprocessed foods. I'm not going to go by any printed "diet"- I'm still trying to finish my graduate degree (and foolishing teaching too many hours at the same time), so I don't have adequate time to research this properly. So, for the first few weeks, I'm just going to steer toward fresh fruits, veggies, meat, and whole grains.

BTW- this first two weeks, I'm bringing my DH (Bender) along for the ride. I want to see what kind of impact we can make together. I really want to get him on board so that he can not only support me (which he already does an incredible job at), but so that he can fully understand the whole process. Plus, he's already said he wouldn't mind losing a few pounds as well. So, while I'll probably focus on myself in this thread, I might update his progress also.

Anyway, if you've been reading up to now, I invite any comments. I assume I'll need a lot of help, since I'm new at this. But I'm really impressed with what I've already seen on this board and the support you all have for one another. You've created a solid, supporting community, and I hope to be able to add to that. :)

[rcyannacci]

Sunday- started with iced coffee (no-fat milk) and bowl of whole grain cereal (with sugar, unfortunately)

Going to store today for week ahead- goals: more variety of fruit, mixture of greens for both lunch and dinner, replace white rice with brown, find no-sugar cereal, more yogurt for breakfast and lunch.

Lunch- ran out of time before the movie to make anything substantial, so I grabbed a quick taco salad at taco cabana. removed most of the sour cream and guac. Not a great start, but at least it saved me from the movie popcorn :teeth:

Dinner- chicken breasts cooked with a low-fat mushroom soup and white wine sauce, including green peas and onions, served over steamed brown rice- yummy!

[rcyannacci]

Forgot to add above: My eventual goal in terms of weight is 160 pounds, which should be balanced for my height.

So, I have 60 pounds to go to reach that eventual goal.

I know I should set a smaller, more immediate goal first. I think I'll try for 5 pounds a month, starting with February, taking it slow and seeing how it goes.

[swilphil]

Hi Rcyannacci--

It's great to see you here. Congrats on your loss of inches and body fat at Curves--those are the things that really matter. I think the focus is usually on pounds because it's so much easier to just step on a scale.

You have the right idea with your approach to food--fruits, veggies, whole grains, and lean meats are the way to go. Just make sure you are getting enough protein with each meal and snack. It will help keep you feeling full and avoid craving sugar. And don't forget water--lots and lots of water. Green tea helps me too.

Welcome and thanks for sharing!

Sherri

[rcyannacci]

Hi Sherri! Glad to be here and thanks for your comments. You're right- I need to work on the protein...this is my biggest challenge. I find it particularly hard to get protein in the morning. And, I need to drink more water.

BTW- it's Christin...I just didn't want to put my first name in the thread title, for some reason. But, you reminded me to add it to my initial post.

[rcyannacci]

Breakfast: iced coffee (w/ 1 c. skim milk), bananna, 6 oz yogurt and 1/2 c. of grapenuts.

Lunch: turkey sandwich (w/ a slice of cheese) and apple

Snack: small left-over portion from chicken and rice dinner last night (I was so hungry!)

Dinner- small steak, half a sweet potato roasted in olive oil, and a spinach salad with vinegarette.

Also went to Curves (it was a struggle to find the energy) and did 4 rounds of sit-ups.

[sarahsmom73]

Welcome Christin!! Glad you are joining us! :flower:

[TammyNC]

You are doing great so far. Keep up the great work and you'll be where you want to be. We all may face some issues along the way, but with the boards, they will help us through.

[pettyone]

Welcome Christin!!!

We're glad to have you here...glad that your treatment went well & that you are clear!! :Pinkbounc

[rcyannacci]

Thanks everyone for the welcome!

pettyone- BTW, I see you're from Knoxville...I grew up in East Tennessee in Johnson City. I really miss the mountains!

[rcyannacci]

It's been a tough week to keep on track- I'm exhausted for some reason...maybe because I had a cold last week and am still recuperating.

Breakfast: a toasted honey-wheat english muffin with peanut butter (so yummy!!!) and a bananna.

Lunch: a ham sandwich with swiss on pretzel bread

(I've yet to have a lunch on my own this week...I keep getting sucked into meeting lunches at places that don't have a huge selection. So I've just been getting a small sandwich, no chips. It was hard today because we were at a place with Italian gelatto...I am craving sugar like nobody's business...but I didn't cave. I have to kick this sugar addiction!)

Snack- some sliced cucumbers with balsamic vinegrette
(It's really warm in Austin right now, so summery foods are tasting really good)

Dinner- grilled chicken breast, fresh greenbeans sauteed with onions, olive oil and a splash of soy sauce, and a spinach salad with vinegarette.

Oops...almost forgot. I also did Curves today. I was more winded than usual and my heartrate was up, but maybe that's because I didn't work out last week due to the cold. (I pray that I don't get the flu...so many of my students have it and I've been encouraging them to stay home!)

[rcyannacci]

Breakfast: iced coffee with 1/2 cup skim milk, honey wheat english muffin with peanut butter and a bananna.

Snack: light Yoplait yogurt and 1/2 cup of grape nuts and a 12 oz cappicino with skim milk.

Another snack: baby carrots

(I didn't get to lunch today until 3:00 because I was writing an lost time. I was starving by then, and probably ate too many of the green beans. At least it was a veggie :teeth: )

Lunch: some leftover green beans from last night and a small amount (less than a c.) of the leftover brown rice and chicken from the night before.

Dinner: meatballs in tomato sauce (ground beef and brown rice mixture), a spinach salad with vinegrette, and a veggie (going now to see what's in the freezer.)

We'll probably be eating late tonight (7:30 or so) because of my late lunch and Bender working late. I'm still trying to eat earlier.

Also did Curves again today.

[rcyannacci]

Breakfast: iced coffee with 1/2 cup skim milk, honey wheat english muffin with peanut butter and a bananna. (again)

Lunch: 4 leftover meatballs with brown rice, an apple with peanut butter, and 1 serving of Baked Doritos.

(I think I'm piling on the peanut butter because I'm craving sugar so much...and because I'm exhausted, and am hoping for a surplus of energy soon. This week is draining me...Saturday is going to be such a relief!)

Snack: 1 serving of baked Doritos (Bender was still making dinner at 7:00 and I was starving!)

Dinner: (worth the wait) Beef Briolle (sp?) with tomato sauce, asparagus, and a salad with balsamic vinegrette.

Did Curves again today...that's 4 days in a row and I feel great. My soreness from my cold has gone away, and I feel like I'm building my energy back.

[rcyannacci]

Breakfast- honey wheat english muffin with peanut butter and iced coffee with 1/2 c. skim milk.

(I'm so nervous about today because I have all of these functions to attend...the first is a lunch with pizza and soda- yikes!...and the next is an afternoon dessert reception for a guest speaker in my department- double yikes!!!

Here's my plan- I've brought a bananna, a yogurt and grapnuts, and some baby carrots to much on before lunch so I only have 1 slice. No soda- I have my water bottle. I'm going to try to ignore the desserts, but if it become a social issue (Here Christin, please, have a piece! Please, join us...peer pressure, peer pressure), then I'll try to split a piece with someone.)

OK- so I did only have 1 piece of pizza, and had some fruit and 1/2 a brownie at the reception. But, by the time I hit dinner, I was starving!!! I was so busy that I didn't get to the healthy snacks I brought, and once we got to dinner (with friends), I through out the diet and ordered an extremely fat-laden dinner- Chicken Fried Chicken Breast with sauce, french fries, and creamed corn (blame it on my Southern roots). I did begin with a salad with vinegrette, so I at least got some greens. But yikes! I probably would have done much better if I hadn't been so hungry. To remember for next Friday.

[pettyone]

Thanks everyone for the welcome!

pettyone- BTW, I see you're from Knoxville...I grew up in East Tennessee in Johnson City. I really miss the mountains!

I spent ALOT of time in JC when I was traveling on business...loved the drive up there, it was gorgeous!

Small world...

[sarahsmom73]

:cheer2: Go Christin!!! Go Go Christin! :cheer2:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks sarahsmom!

Well, after my overindulgence at dinner last night, I made sure I got to Curves this morning. Then I came home and did some abdominal work with my inflatable balance ball.

Breakfast- English muffin with peanut butter and an iced coffee, 1/2 c. skim

Snack- another iced coffee

Lunch- steamed brown rice and sauteed veggies (fresh onions, celery, and broccali) with terriaki sauce.
(I'm trying as much as possible to keep eating whole foods, veggies and grains. It was tough because I am home by myself today with Bender working all weekend :(, (it's harder to cook just for myself) but I made it anyway and saved a serving to eat for tomorrow's lunch.

Hopefully it will stop raining so I can take the dogs for a walk in the park!

Dinner- Bender made a *great* greek chicken dish, chicken breasts stuffed with a mix of spinach, reduced fat feta, fresh dill, lemon juice, and 1/2 c. egg beaters to hold it all together. Then he broiled it. So good! I made a small side of pasta (I know...off the fresh, whole foods/grains plan...but we were really missing pasta) with a little butter, garlic, and basil.

[jay-nee]

Sounds like you are off to a great start! Alot of folks here do Curves and like it alot.

I love reading your iced coffee each morning. :) I had to give up coffee because I can only enjoy it if it has sugar and 1/2 & 1/2 in it (not good!). DH still drinks it so I can still smell it each day! But, he drinks it black, yuck!

Hope you are enjoying your weekend!

What kind of dogs? We have a Border Collie, Kip, he's awesome! He'll be 2 yrs old in 9 days.

BTW, I wish I were enjoying Austin's warm weather, it's 10 degrees here this am, brrr :cold:

[rcyannacci]

jay-nee, thanks for the welcome. We have mutts (around 5 years old each)that we got at the SPCA when we lived in PA. They are awesome!

The iced coffee is a must! Here's an easy way to do it, getting rid of the bitter taste of brewing that makes you want to add 1/2 and 1/2. It makes skim tastes great. Just add 2 quarts of water to 2 1/2 cups of ground coffee in some sort of plastic pitcher or container, and let it sit there for 24 hours or so. Then strain the coffee liquid through cheese cloth. The cold brewing makes the coffee really smooth. Then I add 1/2 glass skim milk and 1/2 glass cold brew with ice. It's so good, and lots cheaper than Starbucks!

BTW- I love Maine! We used to camp there in the summers (Acadia- the quiet side of the island). I wish I could trade places with you for a week. I'm originally from the East Coast, and I'm really missing the change of seasons out here.

[rcyannacci]

Sunday- yikes!

Breakfast- started well. English muffin and peanut butter. Iced coffee

Lunch- oops, I waited until 1:30 to do anything about lunch because I got lost in my work. By the time I realized it, I was starving and very cranky. We had to go to the store, so we just left and went to Taco Cabana. I had a shredded chicken taco salad with the sour cream and guac. on the side. We also got a bowl of black beans to split between us. I left 1/3 of it still on the plate, and everything but the tortilla bowl was fresh, but I probably ate too many calories/fat this meal.

Snack- cappacino with my friend Susanne (I think I'm replacing my sugar addiction with caffine! But I said no to the sugar cookies out on the counter. What a land mine of baked goods these coffee houses are!)

Dinner- I started out well. I was going to an Oscar party (loads of random food, snacks, brownies- you name it. my friends are an ecclectic bunch). I brought a small salad with me to eat first and minimize the damage (I was already feeling vulnerable and knew I would probably eat some sort of sugar). Great salad with carrots, egg, and soybeans! The major damage I did otherwise was the 3 cookies I ate over the evening (the really good pepperiage farm kind, like Milanos.)

Did take a long walk with the dogs today, with Curves closed for the day. Back on track tomorrow.

[rcyannacci]

Monday- getting back on track. Weekend was OK, but since it wasn't as structured as my week, I slide in a few areas. But, this is a learning process.

Breakfast- as usual, English muffin and peanut butter (but switched to the all-nature kind with less sugar- not bad!) and iced coffee.

Lunch- brought an apple and carrots from home to eat with a sandwich when I go out with friends to this bakery on campus. Wish they had some more whole grain choices for breads! but I will probably go with a ham sandwich on a pretzel roll (it reminds me of the pretzel bread at Le Cellier!)

Dinner- on my own tonight. Made some more of the chicken stuffed with leftover spinach and a great big salad. Did well today.

Also did Curves plus about 10 minutes of abs crunches.

[jay-nee]

Don't worry about when things get goofed up with your eating plan, just get back on track asap. Just think...at least I had a plan... can you imagine if you didn't? :)

Kip, our dog, is a rescue dog too. Our previous dog, Ziggy, was a rescue too. Kip's mom was a full-blooded border collie. We think dad might have been part-Golden. Ziggy's mom was a registered Boxer, dad was probably the local german shepard. We had him for 13 1/2 wonderful years. He was a gem and Kip is too. My kids think Kip is their little brother. :teeth:

So, how's the weather in Austin? I'm sure something to be jealous of... ;) My brother lives in Dallas. But, they are hoping to move back to Phoenix soon (they had lived there previously and loved it). I loved Phoenix too, so I'd be fine with that! :rolleyes:

Acadia is beautiful. Hoping to bike the carriage trails this summer, now that DD can keep up. DM and I always used to spend Columbus Day weekend up there until the kids came along. I love it there too...

I can't go back to coffee. I've been away from it for 4 1/2 months. Not going back down that road... DH is addicted to it, black, yuk!

Enjoy the warmth and keep making that daily plan. You're doing great!

[rcyannacci]

jay-nee- I know what you mean about the coffee. I'd quit if I could. I actually drank a lot less after my treatments, but now that I'm back in full writing mode, I need it to stay awake!

Austin was beautiful today- clear skys, nice cool crisp temperature, around 65-70. Loved it. Unfortunately, I spent most of the day inside teaching or writing. :(

[rcyannacci]

Day started great...

B- again with the English muffin and peanut butter...it's getting a habit, but I really like it. Soon, I'll have to find a way to vary this.

Snack, after class, bananna

Lunch- leftover chicken breast stuffed with spinach mixture (yum) and some carrots to crunch on.

(OK- total implosion this afternoon with my writing. I got some negative feedback from my advisor and then had to re-write something for an afternoon deadline. I was in tears, so I knew the diet was pretty much out the window for dinner)

Dinner- take-out from Cheddars (complements of my DH :love: ) a chicken strips salad with ranch dressing (only ate half) and some tortilla chips with spinach dip (very bad, tasted so good). Plus 2 beers :blush: ...I have not had a drink in 2 weeks so I'm a little tipsy tonight :goodvibes

Did get to Curves after my meltdown, so that was good to get the frustrations out. I'll be doing 10 minutes of ab crunches too (why not- it will be totally painless after 2 beers ;) )

Ok- better tomorrow...

[sarahsmom73]

Way to pick it up after your meltdown!!!! You did great! :cool1: Hope you have a great day! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks sarahsmom!!! I'm so glad I found Curves...I never knew how great exercise could be for releasing frustrations and keeping me on track mentally. I've felt so much better this past month!

Breakfast- english muffin and peanutbutter (this all-natural stuff is really growing on me) and a bananna.

Lunch- leftovers from last night, salad and chicken with ranch dressing and some chips (not great, but OK)

Dinner- steamed brown rice, fresh green beans sauted with onions, and a fresh spinach and carrot salad with ranch dresssing.

Curves 30 minutes, 10 minutes abs

[sarahsmom73]

Exercize is making such a profound difference in my life right now!!! Too bad it took 31 years for it to become that apparent!!!

I hope you have a wonderful day! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Breakfast- english muffin w/ peanut butter

Snack- apple

Lunch- a roll-up sandwich with roastbeef and a bunch of other fresh stuff, and russian dressing, and some baby carrots (I resisted the chips!)

Dinner- a small steak, 1/2 a baked sweet potatoe, and some green peas.

Curves for 35 minutes, plus 15 minutes of crunches and leg lifts.

[sarahsmom73]

Great job Christin!!!! Happy Friday! :banana:

[rcyannacci]

Breakfast- english muffin and peanutbutter, iced coffee

Snack- low-fat yogurt and 1/2 c. grape nuts

Lunch- ham sandwich on pretzel roll, pickle, and baby carrots. (this place that my friends always want to go to for lunch has gelatto, and they both had one today after their sandwich...it was really tempting, but I didn't get any. Watching them eat it almost killed me, though)

Dinner- a homemade chicken pot pie I pulled from the freezer (no energy to cook tonight. Not great, but not bad also, since i make it with chicken breast and low-fat cream of chicken soup.

Curves for 30 minutes, plus 10 minutes abs and leg lifts.

[sarahsmom73]

But you didn't eat it! WTG!!! :cool1:

[rcyannacci]

But you didn't eat it! WTG!!! :cool1:

Yea, but it was touch and go for a while...

Thanks! You're a great cheerleader!

[sarahsmom73]

I know it is tough! Sometimes I think there are days when it isuch an uphill battle! That's why I am here! I couldn't do it without all of you! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

OK- I went off the plan for the weekend. I was just too tired from the week, and Bender was working all weekend.

Breakfasts were fine, lunch Sat. was a taco salad with chicken and black beans, dinner with friends at a cafe specializing in Southern food- went for a veggie plate with fried okra (I love this stuff!), green beans, and mashed potatoes and gravy (so bad!). The kicker, however, was the piece of apple pie for dessert. The first real sugary thing I've had in 2 weeks. It was great, and I only ate 1/2.

Today was OK- I was alone and sort of depressed. Placed some strawberries on my english muffin today, which tasted great. Had popcorn for lunch- I know, random, but I was alone and didn't want to cook and was watching a movie. Dinner with friend at Mac. Grill with bread, salad, and rigatoni.

Tomorrow, I'm going to get back on track after a weekend of rich restaurant food. It's really tough to go out with friends and stay on track.

Curves on Sat for 40 minutes. (I'll weigh tomorrow at Curves to make sure I didn't do too much damage- I should be OK, because as much as I went off track, I kept portions under control).

[sarahsmom73]

Look forward, not back! :flower: Everybody has days like that ! It is just important to not beat yourself up! :grouphug:

[jay-nee]

don't worry about your mess-ups, just get back OP asap! Damage is temporary anyway.

This is a journey. It will have bumps along the way. No biggie. Enjoy the journey! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks for the continued support all!

OK- backing up to Monday

Breakfast- english muffin, peanut butter, and some sliced strawberries on top for a change- good. Also a bananna.

Snack- low-fat yogurt w/ 1/2 c. grape nunts

Lunch- out with the crowd (this is getting ridiculous!) at the same gelatto place, of course. I had a turkey sandwich (they don't have whole grain bread, unfortunately) and some Baked Lays.

Dinner- neither Bender and I wanted to cook and he talked me into take-out Chinese! The kiss of death in terms of processed food, sugar, and fat. I did keep portions under control, but it will make this week tougher to lose.

Curves for 40 minutes, plus 5 minutes on abs (so much fun tonight since it was full! I love doing Curves!)

[rcyannacci]

Tuesday
Breakfast- english muffin, peanut butter, and some sliced strawberries on top and a bananna.

Lunch- leftover chicken and pasta dish from Sunday night.

Curves for 40 minutes, plus 5 minutes on abs

[sarahsmom73]

Great job on the curves! I know you will love the results! :cool1:

[pettyone]

Your workouts are looking good...keep it up & there will be a TREMENDOUS payoff!!! Every day of exercise makes you healthier than you were the day before, so don't beat yourself over a questionable food choice here & there...

:cheer2:

[rcyannacci]

Your workouts are looking good...keep it up & there will be a TREMENDOUS payoff!!! Every day of exercise makes you healthier than you were the day before, so don't beat yourself over a questionable food choice here & there...

:cheer2:

Thanks- point well taken. I think I might be trying to micro-manage this whole project and am forgetting my original goals.

Wed.
B- english muffin, peanut butter, strawberries
S- yogurt and grape nuts
L- baby carrots and turkey sandwich with spinach
S- popcorn
D- shrimp w/ garlic, 1/2 sweet potato, green beans

Curves- 40 minutes, plus 10 minutes abs and leg lifts.

[rcyannacci]

B- english muffin, peanut butter, strawberries
L- Red Lobster- 3 coconut shrimp, ceasar salad with shrimp and lobster, 2 biscuits
S- cappacino and 1/2 piece of lemon cream cake (DH took me shopping, and we went into Barnes and Noble. This was soooooooo good! It was worth the cheat!)
D- steak, peas, and a spinach salad
S- (ate an early dinner) 1/2 c. pretzels

No Curves today, but a 20 minute walk with DH and the dogs.

OT rant- This was such a great day, until the evening when I went to see a show produced at my university theatre. Our department requires our students to see the show, so I need to also, and it was SO BAD! On par with the movie Waiting for Guffman. Sometimes I just get so frustrated with the people in my department who think so highly of themselves and then produce a show that never takes what the audience wants into consideration. OK- I just had to say that somewhere!

[sarahsmom73]

Happy Friday! I hope you have a wonderful day! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

B- english muffin, peanut butter, strawberries
L- chicken strips salad from Chick-fil-a
D- fresh brocoli and pasta, lima beans, salad

Curves- 40 minutes, plus 10 minutes abs and leg lifts.

[sarahsmom73]

I hope you have a wonderful, healthy weekend Christin!!! :cheer2:

[rcyannacci]

I hope you have a wonderful, healthy weekend Christin!!! :cheer2:

Thank you! It's going to be a great weekend. We leave for 4 days at the beach today! Hopefully, I won't do too much damage, but I am going to have a couple of beers, etc. Weather report looks perfect! :sunny:
See you all next Thursday!

[rcyannacci]

Sunday report (typing before leaving for the beach!)

B- same
L- left-over bbq chicken breast, leftover brocoli and pasta
S- no-fat chocolate frozen yogurt (YUM!)
D- hamburger (dogs got the last 1/4 of it) and a big salad with spinach, plums, and walnuts.

Curves- 40 minutes, plus 10 abs and legs

Got measured at Curves- some strange stuff... went up in body fat percentage, even though this is the month I've started eating better. But also lost 2 pounds. Went down an inch in my waist, but up 3 inches in my abdomen.

I feel great, and know my clothes are fitting better, so I'm just going to chalk it up to irregularities and keep going and see what happens when they measure next month.

I'm still trying to focus on my long term goal of health, but after talking with Bender last night, I realize that I've been unconsciously setting a short terms goal as well...we see my mother in May, and she is sooooo weight conscious and is always expecting me to loose some pounds. Hopefullly, I won't let my stress about this take over.

OK- now I'm off to the beach! Port Aransas, here I come!

[sarahsmom73]

Leaving for the BEACH!!!! :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad: :sad:

You are sooooooooooooo lucky!

[rcyannacci]

OK, while the beach vacation was fun, it was pretty disasterous on my plan.

We arrived the first day (staying in a condo with friends) and one of my friends bought a big bag of Easter candy, dumped it in a bowl, and put it out one the table for everyone to eat. I was on vacation, and it was chocolate (which I hadn't had in 3 weeks). Yikes! And, my other friend insisted on pancakes every morning with syrup! I woke up on the third day with a headache, which I think was caused by sugar overload.

I did have two attempts at exercise during my time: first, went into the pool to swim (I'm great at laps and can't wait until it's warm enough here to hit the pool). But it was WAY TOO COLD, and I could only stay in 5 minutes. I also went running on the beach one morning. This was so much tougher than I expected it too be after 2 months of Curves. I felt like I weighted twice my weight each time I took off at a jog, I guess because of the sand. I tried alternating running and walking .5 mile intervals, and did OK for about 15 minutes, but then had to stay at a walk. Maybe I'll try to find a track around here to see if the surface makes any difference and see if I can work up any running endurance. As much as I love Curves, I think I might want to mix things up a bit so I don't get bored. I'm quickly becoming addicted to exercise.

So, anyway, today I go back to my program. Off to the store to re-stock fresh fruits and veggies!

[septbride2002]

I must be the most unobservant person ever!!! I so did not know you had a journal going on!!! Sorry about that :crazy:

Looks like you are making good progress. I love going to Curves and feel that I am getting more benefits from it then I ever was from dieting. I had the same kinds of measurements this month as well. Went down in waist but incrased in abs. They said it is normal but didn't really say why. I've been trying to look into it myself but haven't found any good information as of yet.

That BMI thing is tricky per the Curves Staff. If you have drank a lot of water right before having it tested it could effect the number. Sorta weird - so I wouldn't concern yourself to much. Plus whenever we change our eating habits our body will store a bit more fat as a reserve. Just keep plugging away and you will see a difference.

~Amanda

[rcyannacci]

Thanks, Amanda. Yeah, I know I'm feeling tons better as a result of Curves, so I'll be sticking with it. Hopefully the results will even out over the next few months. Plus, now that it's getting warmer down here (TX is good for some things!), I'll be swimming laps for more of a cardio workout.

Back to food...
Yesterday, did great!
B- english muffin with peanut butter
L- hummus with flatbread, carrots and celery sticks, tabouli, and an apple
D- 6 oz steak, brown rice with onions, and a salad with all-natural french dressing

Curves for 40 minutes, plus 10 legs and abs

[septbride2002]

I'm not good at swimming - ask Doe who made fun of me on our last trip to Disney World. She said I swim like a girl!!! :teeth: :rotfl2: So I usually go for walks when it gets warmer. Such a great workout - but I need either someone to go with me or wear headphones because I get bored so easily!!!

~Amanda

[rcyannacci]

Swimming definitely takes practice...it took me a month or so before I could stop running into the sides of the lanes...and I still do when I do the backstroke ;). I was signed up for a class at the university last Spring to learn more strokes, but had to give it up when I started radiation. Maybe I'll try again next fall.

Yesterday- not bad...but not great
B- same
L- went out to brunch with friends. Had a highschool friend in for the SXSW festival in Austin, and she invited me to brunch with one of the bands she's trying to sign (she works for a music label in NYC). It was hysterical- I had no idea who the band was...still don't...but as we walked into the restaurant, a college girl stopped them and gushed like they were....well, rock stars! They blew it off like "No big deal," and I found it rather amusing. Anyway, they were really nice, but I definitely felt like the Nerdy McNerdkins of the table once I was introduced as the "professor."
Oh, right...food. I had 2 chicken enchilidas with verde sauce, rice and black beans. I pushed the sour cream off to the side and at only 1/2 of the rice and beans.
S- lunch didn't fill me up for some reason, so I had left-over hummus and flatbread. Ate too much and too late so I wasn't hungry for dinner.
D- thin porkchop stuffed with left-over brown rice and fresh asparagus. Only at half of each because the veggies were too crunchy and DH put thyme on the meat, making it taste funny.
S- this was wrong, but I felt cheated after dinner, so I made some popcorn with butter and salt. Not too much, but enough to feel guilty.

[sarahsmom73]

Just wanted to wish you Happy Monday! :sunny: Hope you have a great day!

[rcyannacci]

Sunday-
B- same
L- cucumber and tomato salad, 1 slice of toast with pimento cheese, and an apple
D- pecan-encrusted chicken breast, fresh green beans w/ red onions, spinach salad with strawberries and pear slices. (ate too much at dinner, leading me to believe that I didn't eat enough during the day.)

[rcyannacci]

Monday
B- same
S- yogurt and grapenuts and a cappicino
L- greek salad with grilled chicken and balsamic vinegrette (only thing bad here was the feta cheese and croutons)
S- carrots and celery
D- tostadas (courtesy of DH), corn tortillas, ground beef, black beans, low-fat cheese, and lettuce.

Skipped Curves today because I somehow messed up my ankle on Sat. Went instead to the pool to swim laps (my first time this season). I did pretty good in terms of a cardio workout, 20-25 minutes at between 60-70% heartrate. I'll do abs and legs tonight. Hopefully, my ankle will be better tomorrow.

[sarahsmom73]

Good Morning! :sunny: I just wanted to stop by and wish you a happy day! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Tuesday (stress day...day of infamous meeting with dissertation advisor)

OK, it's amazing that I didn't lock myself in a grocery store today and eat everything in sight. I was really down after my meeting with my advisor (nice woman, harsh critic) when she basically told me that out of the 50 page chapter I wrote, I'd probably keep about 20 pages after a significant re-write. Darn. Darn again.

So in retrospect, I guess I did OK with eating.
B- same
L- ate way too late after meeting. Chick-fil-a chicken strips salad w/ ranch dressing, left about 1/3 of it
D- take-out from local Greek place. Beef kabobs and basmati rice with yogurt cucumber sauce and flat bread. Only really bad thing was the complete absence of veggies (DH ordered...he doesn't think of these things.)

[pearlieq]

I hope your ankle is better! Sorry your meeting got you a little down--I'm sure it's hard to hear all of your hard work being picked apart, but congrats on even getting that far!

I'm glad to find another hummus eater! I thought I was the only one. What kinds do you like? My favorite so far is Trader Joe's roasted garlic. I've tried Cesars from the grocery store and it's OK, but not as good.

[sarahsmom73]

I am really sorry about the rewrite!! That stinks!!!

HUMMUS!!! I Love Hummus! :goodvibes

Hope you have a MUCH better day today! :grouphug:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks for the support- I'm giving myself a few days off from the dissertation to see if I can gain a fresh perspective. Instead, I'm spending my time re-working some of my lectures for my classes...I need to remember how much I love teaching, and why I chose to go back to school in the first place.

Anyway, the ankle is better...I've done Curves two days in a row now, so today I think I'll head to the pool and not push it too much.

LOVE hummus and all things Mediterrainean! I'll have to look for Trader Joe's...we usually get the stuff they make at our local Central Market, and I forget the brand we get at the grocery. I'll make sure to look next time.

Actually, since we've been trying to cut out refined sugars and eat whole foods/grains, we've been eating better than ever! And I don't think our grocery bill has gone up too significantly (but probably a little)

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday-
B- same
S- banana and yogurt with grape nuts
L- oops...forgot this today. I did eat some carrots and celery in the afternoon and snacked on some Craklin Oat Bran cereal so I wouldn't starve before dinner. Just checked the box- darn, this cereal has too much sugar. Guess that will be the last box.
D- Great! Fresh corn on the cob, peel and eat shrimp w/ cocktail sauce, and a spinach, strawberry, and walnut salad w/ poppy seed dressing.

Curves for 40 minutes, plus 10 on abs and legs.

[sarahsmom73]

I hope you are able to find some fresh perspective! I know you will! You are doing the right thing by taking a step back!

Have a wonderful weekend and Easter! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Thurs.
B- same
L- this was bad, but 1/2 box prepared Kraft mac and cheese. At least now it's gone from the pantry and I don't have to worry about it anymore.
D- large spinach salad with chicken, strawberries, and walnuts (to make up for lunch)

Swam laps today for 40 minutes, then did 10 min at night on abs.

[rcyannacci]

Friday-

Did Curves in the morning today- Good Friday, classes cancelled, but I still had some afternoon meetings to attend and a party to help my advisor set up for and attend. 40 minutes, plus 5 on abs.

B- same (still not getting tired of strawberries, soooo good right now!)
L- turkey sandwich from Jimmy Johns (white bread, unfortunately)
D- spinach. roasted red pepper and goat cheese pizza
Party foods- I started out good with fruits, but dipped into the chips and dip a few times. Kept it mainly under control. Big splurge was 1/2 a piece of cake...it was from my favorite bakery and I LOVE cake. I'll have to make this up at Curves today.

[rcyannacci]

Saturday-
B- same
L- went to Pei Wei's with Bender, split an order of chicken lettuce wraps and an order of Mongolian Beef and brown rice. Left most of the beef for Bender, since it tasted sweet and I figured they added sugar (it's a conspiracy- it's hidden everywhere!)
D- did Easter dinner early, since Bender had to work on Sunday. Baked ham with sugar glaze (I tried to pull off most of this), scalloped potatoes and onions, and green beans with mushrooms.

Curves- 30 minutes, plus 5 for abs. 20 minute fast-paced walk with dogs.

[rcyannacci]

Sunday-
B- same
2nd B (Bender got up late, and wanted to fix some Easter pancakes for me since he had to work that day) So, 2 small pancakes with pat of smart balance and lite syrup.
L- snacked on some leftover ham, and had 3 deviled eggs.
D- Leftovers from dinner the night before, ham, potatoes, and green peas. (I had a second helping because I thought I was starving...but I ended up eating too much and feeling full for 3 hours.)

Took a day off from exercise since I was feeling achy

My challenge this coming week: PORTION CONTROL!

I made a deadline with myself to lose 10 pounds before seeing my mother again in mid-May. I've lost 2.5 so far. Eating mainly the right foods and exercising...cutting portions is the next step.

[sarahsmom73]

Good morning!!! I hope you have a wonderful day! :flower: I know you can reach your goal! You are doing great!

[pearlieq]

Happy Tuesday! You're doing great--way to be consitent with your exercise!

I can't believe the extent of the sugar conspiracy! I don't know if you ever saw Super Size Me, but I remember he went through all the foods at McDonalds and there was almost nothing that didn't include sugar--including things you'd never expect like the burgers! It's hard to avoid completely, but kudos to you for keeping at it and fighting the good fight!

Onward to you goal! You can do it!!! :cheer2:

[rcyannacci]

I did see Supersize Me, and I haven't been to McDonald's since! I heard a report recently about the people who lobby for the sugar industry in Washington, and how much they're fighting the regulation of sugar in schools. Not to mention the soda companies...you're right, big conspiracy.

Of course, that being said, I caved today in regards to sugar. Oops.

Monday
B- same
S- yogurt with grape nuts and a coffee.
L- ham sandwich on wheat, carrots, 3 deviled eggs
D- The Olive Garden- I had their beef medallions on fetticini alfredo with spinach and gorgonzola. As good as it sounds, it wasn't great. I was a bit disappointed. Only had 1 1/2 breadsticks...should have stopped at one, but I did better than I usually do with these. Topped off with my favorite cake of all time, their lemon cream cake. So good! I ate half and saved half for the next day. At least, with the slip, I did it in moderation.

Tuesday:
B- same
S- same
L- turkey pita sandwich with spinach spread.
S- (still hungry) my left-over pasta
D- bbq grilled chicken, mixed veggies, and a salad with Brianna's French dressing.
S- 1/2 c. fat-free frozen choc. yogurt (OK- I need to go back to the no sugar thing. The few indulgences I've made and brought back the cravings. If it cut it out completely for 2 days I should be back on track!)

Curves both Monday and Tues. for 40 minutes.

I weighed in Monday, and I've lost 3 pounds since starting this. I'm still hoping to speed up the process for my beach trip Mid-May, but I feel like this is a good start. :)

[sarahsmom73]

Ahhhh! We all have moments of weakness!!!! Moments of weakness are OK if they don't become a bad habit! ;)

Have a great day! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

wednesday:

B- same
S- banana and yogurt with grape nuts
L- (delayed until 4:30 today because of crazy schedule) ham sandwich and some leftover green beans.
D- grilled steak, 1/2 baked sweet potato, salad with strawberries and blush vinegrette.
S- 2 wintergreen life-savers

Exercise- swam laps at the pool today for 40 minutes. (trying to do this twice a week as an alternative to Curves)

[sarahsmom73]

Good Morning! I hope you are having a great week! Are you still plugging away on the revisions?

[rcyannacci]

Ahh, revisions...actually, I did go back this week and make many, many notes for revision, but decided to start working on my next chapter. I'm saving most of my revisions for the summer. It's been really hard trying to maintain a balance between a new healthy lifestyle (exercise, diet) and maintain a consistant writing schedule. So, I just try to do the best I can, and smile as much as possible. :)

B- same
S- banana
L- taco salad and chips (yuk!)
S- 1/2 c. fat-free chocolate frozen yogurt
D- whole wheat spagetti and red sauce with ground beef (DH's turn making dinner), garlic bread (bit of a splurge), and some veggie (just going to the kitchen now to decide.

Curves- 40 minutes, plus 10 abs and legs. Bit sore from yesterday's swim-a-thon. I think I need to stretch better once I'm done.

Oh, and I'm down another pound. 4 total since I started :)

[sarahsmom73]

Good morning!!! I hope you have an excellent Friday! :sunny:

All I can say is you must have a lot of patience! It would drive me nuts to know I had something hanging over me! I guess that is why you are the writer and I'm not! :rotfl2:

[septbride2002]

Great job on the 4 lbs! :cheer2: That is awesome girl! Keep up the good work!

~Amanda

[rcyannacci]

Friday-
B- same
S- yogurt and grape nuts
L- turkey sandwich and baby carrots
D- leftover spagetti and green beans

Curves for 40 minutes

Saturday-
B- same, except I ran out of strawberries :(
L- another turkey sandwich (must be detecting a craving)
D- went with DH to Mexican place before going to a movie. Had a sangria (not as much sugar as a margarita, and soooo good), too many chips and salsa, and a combo plate with a chili relanos, chicken enchilada, 2 chicken flaquititas, tortilla soup, and black beans. I didn't eat all of it, and I pushed the fried sections of the chili to the side. But, I did consume more cheese than I usually do. Oops, almost forgot, had a small cone of soft serve on the way out (they put it right by the exit and it's free...hard to resist, but at least I had no desire to buy anything at the movie theatre to snack on.)

Curves in the morning for 40 minutes, plus 5 on abs. In the evening, did 10 minues on abs and legs.

[sarahsmom73]

Good Morning!!! Happy Monday! :flower: I hope you have a great day and week! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Sunday...I can't remember Sunday...It couldn't have been too bad...I remember craving sugar (cake and/or cookies to be exact), but didn't have any...so it can't have been that bad.

I did take the dogs on a 30 minute powerwalk in the park and did abs and legs for 10 minutes.

Monday
B- english muffin w/ peanut butter and strawberries
S- banana and yogurt w/ grape nuts
L- 1/2 pita with hummus and reduced fat feta, baby carrots
(no wonder I'm starving now!)
D- I don't know yet. DH is working late and it's just me. Chicken breasts are thawing, so I might grill it and throw it on top of some fresh spinach.

Curves 40 min., plus 10 abs and legs.

[pearlieq]

Just dropping in to wish you a great week!

Hope there's plenty of :sunny: for you!

Congrats on your loss!!! :cool1: Way to go! :cheer2:

[rcyannacci]

Tues:
B- same
S- yogurt and grape nuts
L- disaster...I keep running out of time for lunches, and then it's 2:00 and I'm starving and cranky. Ate a banana and some popcorn.
D- dinner with a friend at Pei Wei's Diner- salad rolls and 2 spring rolls

No exercise; took the day off

Tues:
B- same
S- yogurt and grape nuts
L- yikes...same thing happened again. Finally at 4:00, I had 1/2 a pita w/ hummus and feta, and an apple
D- starving...DH and I ordered a pizza. 3 pieces of thin crust with onions, olives, and chicken (I nixed the pepparoni at least!).

Curves 40 minutes, 10 minutes abs and legs. I'm seeing a real difference in my waist with abs 3-4 times a week!

[rcyannacci]

Thurs-
B- same
S- yogurt and grape nuts
L- turkey roll-up
(should have had an afternoon snack, starving by dinner)
D- 3 tacos (1 chicken, 2 beef) and some chips with queso (totally over-did it here- paying the price now)

Swam laps at the pool for 40 minutes.

[pearlieq]

Good job getting your exercise in yesterday. I was kind of thinking that Curves was sort of light on the ab work--I'll have to try adding some extra myself and see how that goes.

Wishing you a great Friday and a happy weekend! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Yeah, doing crunches is definitely not my favorite, but somehow it doesn't seem so bad after my rounds at Curves. Since I'm already there stretching, I figure 5 more minutes won't be that bad. The first two weeks I struggled, but I feel a lot stronger now, and have really seen a difference.

Friday-
B- bagel with veggie cream cheese. Wanted a change from the usual peanut butter on a muffin, and I had run out of strawberries, so I decided to stop for a bagel. It was good, but I ran out of energy today quicker than I had expected. That shot of protein in the AM really works.
L-Ham sandwich on a pretzel roll, bag of chips, and a small gelatto. I was starving by lunch and went overboard, including the sugar at the end. My friend wasn't a big help here, plus I was having a bad day. (My department can be so stupid at times. They tried to take away my classroom for an event without giving me or my students any notice! I think I upset a few people when I kicked them out of the room and continued with class!)
D- all by myself with DH working. Had some chicken in the fridge and just threw together something with cream of chicken soup and veggies over brown rice. It was terrible! I ate 3 bites and threw it away. I think maybe I was just cranky for my day. An hour later, I made popcorn.

Curves for 40 minutes, plus 10 minutes abs and legs.

Saturday-
B- back to the same...
L- chicken and pasta soup (Progresso)
D- taco salad (not great, but OK. Did the low-fat cheese, and cut out sour cream, which used to be a given.)

Curves for 40 minutes, plus 5 minutes abs

[sarahsmom73]

Sorry you had a cranky day! I hope today is a better one, even if it is Monday! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks! New week, new attitude!

Sunday-
B- peanut butter on eng. muffin (still out of strawberries)
L- taco salad (from leftovers)
S- DH got take-out BBQ. Tasted good, but I could have done better. Had some chicken breast (good:)), some sausage (bad :(, but tasted good :), cole slaw (good:), not the mayo-based stuff, but cabbage and vinegar), potatoe salad (bad :(), green beans, and a roll. Plus, 1/2 cup blue bell ice cream.

No sustained exercise today, but did take a short walk with the dogs, and did some yard work.

This week, I need to do better about cutting back the sugar again and moderating portions (which I've gotten better at). Getting back on track!

[rcyannacci]

Monday-
B- 2 deviled eggs (made them the night before...got my protein in, but it still didn't fill me up like my regular breakfast)
L- ham sandwich and a pickle, iced coffee
S- small gelatto- yes, I should have said no to the sugar, but I did limit myself to 1/2 a small
D- steak on the grill, 1/2 roasted sweet potato, salad with lite honey mustard (the new Newman's brand...very good!)

Curves 40 minutes, 10 minutes abs and legs

[rcyannacci]

Tuesday-
B- back to the english muffin with peanut butter and strawberries.
S- yogurt and 1/2 c. grape nuts
L- a roast beef sandwich (eliminated some of the bread...there was just too much)
S- cup of fritos chips
D- fried fish (DH made them) and a spinach, pear, and blue cheese salad.
S- 1/2 c. blue bell ice cream (It's driving me crazy in the freezer...I should just throw it away. Kicking sugar is really difficult, but at least I've made a huge dent in what I used to eat).

Exercise- Swam laps for 40 minutes. (need to remember to use sun screen next time. That TX sun is starting to really heat up. I already have a tan line!

[septbride2002]

Your menus look delicious! How do you plan so much food in one day and get it all prepared?

~Amanda

[pearlieq]

Hang in there! You can kick the sugar beast! :cheer2:

I know what you mean about the ice cream taunting you from in the fridge. I've got this half gallon of Edys Grand Light, which seems to last forever when you only eat it 1 cup at a time. I can't wait to be rid of it but I couldn't bear to throw it out.

Hope you're having a great day!

[sarahsmom73]

Ice cream is my downfall... It is very hard for me to have it in the house!!!

TGIF! :cool1: I hope you have a great day!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks everyone for stopping by!

pearlieq and sarahsmom- Yes, the ice cream goes in the trash today! If I'm going to have sugar, I'm going to make sure it's something REALLY good (like a piece of my fav. cake!). I was at a performance last night (a bunch of students encouraged us grads to perform a piece, and we foolishly agreed), and they served cake at intermission. the grocery store-bought, fluffy white icing variety. I passed it up, but it was hard. I just kept thinking, if I gave it up, maybe I could have something really good for the same calories or less later this weekend. :goodvibes

Amanda- thanks for the comment on menus. Mainly, we've just been trying to cut out all processed foods and as much refined sugar as possible. The weeks when it really works for us is when I take an hour or 2 on Sunday to go to the grocery store and stock up on some fresh fruits and veggies, whatever looks good and fresh, and then plan at least some dinners for the week in advance (some weeks are too hectic for this, but I keep trying to make time). I try to keep some items on hand to help with flavor-- real parmesan cheese for grating, crumbled blue cheese, pecans, walnuts and almonds, kalamata olives.

I get a couple of magazines, and anytime I see a simple recipe with fresh ingredients, I set it aside and put the ingredients on the grocery list for the next week. We've tried a lot of new salads this way (I always keep a bag of fresh spinach in the fridge).

I'm losing weight more slowly this way than I probably would a low calorie or low carb diet (which is frustrating for me some days, especially when I see other people's progress here or at Curves), but I'm trying to remind myself that we are committing to a lifestyle change. Since the change, we've actually been eating better foods and have felt better. I used to have a very adversarial relationship with food, and I'm learning to relax a bit and have more fun planning dinners. I especially wanted to make sure and do this before we have kids; I would hate to pass on my anxiety about food and weight to a daughter, like my mom (inadvertently) did with me.

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday-
B- same english muffin w/ peanut butter and strawberries, iced coffee
S- same yogurt w/ grape nuts
L- turkey sandwich and a banana
D- steak (have I mentioned DH likes beef? I only ate about 3 oz), pasta w/ garlic, parmesan, fresh basil (we are growing our own, and it's awesome), and olive oil, and a spinach salad.

Curves 40 minutes, 10 minutes abs and legs

Thursday-
B- same
S- banana
L- mexican restaurant (hey, it's Austin), so chips and salsa (I tried to limit myself as much as possible) and a taquitos salad with margarita vinegrette dressing. Plus, a small cone of soft serve, which they so conveniently place on the way out the door. Again, I tried to take as small a portion as possible. Soft-serve is one of my weaknesses, and it was hot outside so it seemed perfect.
D- running out the door late for my performance because I got into a conversation at Curves and lost track of time, so a quick turkey sandwich from Jimmy Johns (bread, turkey, lettuce, sprouts, and mayo).

Curves 40 minutes, 5 min. abs.

Oops, just remembered I got my Curves measurements. After 3 months, I'm down 5 pounds and 5.25 inches. I keep telling myself, slow and steady wins the race.

[pearlieq]

Just popping in to wish you a happy Friday!

Good job passing up that cake! It's so much better to save the calories for something really worth it. Also, great job sticking with Curves!!! You're absolutely right, slow and steady, you're getting there!!!

Have a great day! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Friday-
B- same
L- 1/2 a turkey sandwich and 1/2 c. cut fruit (I would have eaten more but it was a lunch meeting and someone cleared my lunch before I was done...oh well.)
S- Here's where I got into trouble. Asked out for Friday drinks with friends. Split a basket of fries with a friend and had 2 pints of Shiner beer. It was soooooo good! I wasn't going to do the fries, but I was starving after my 1/2 lunch, and my friend (who should have known better since he lost weight recently) egged me on.
D- pan-fried red snapper with a tortilla crust, roasted carrots with dill, a small piece of bread with olive oil.
D- 1/2 c. of ice cream. (I think I was still tipsy from the beer that afternoon and I was justifying everything!) An ounce of will power came over me, however, and I threw the rest of the ice cream in the trash!

No exercise...I was in a bar drinking, remember? ;) (I'll make this up Sunday, which is ususally my rest day)

[rcyannacci]

Saturday-
B- same
L- one of my favorites. Tapas plate with hummus and flat bread, fresh pear, celery w/ a spinach dip, and french bread with olive oil.
D- pork chops, steamed brown rice, and sauteed onions and zucchini w/ terraki.
dessert- 1 small carrot muffin (baked with Splenda and Egg Beaters....so good!)

Curves 40 minutes, 10 min. abs and legs

Sunday (gloomy, depressing mood day)
B- 2 carrot muffins
L- celery and carrots with spinach dip
S- a handful of nuts
D- out for mexican...had some tortilla soup, black beans, a chicken enchilada with sour cream sauce (scrapped most of it off) and 1/2 a chicken tamale. Minimal chips, but I did have a small soft-serve cone on the way out the door.

Minimal exercise- 15 min walk with the dogs, plus some vacuuming and yard work. Didn't go swimming because it was gray outside and I was gloomy (it would have been the one thing probably to lift my mood, so I'm not sure why I didn't just do it.)

[pearlieq]

You lunch yesterday sounds so yummy!!!

Hopefully the weather cheered up and you're having a great Tuesday! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks, pearlieq! Yes, the weather is getting better and I actually swam laps today!

Monday-
B- english muffin, peanut butter
S- 2 small carrot muffins
L- turkey sandwich, baby carrots
S- handful of nuts
D- chicken scallapini with lemon and cilantro sause (DH made this) and sauteed fresh green beans and red onions
(I felt really good today about what I ate. NO REFINED SUGAR!)

Curves 40 minutes, 10 min. abs and legs

Tuesday:
B- english muffin, peanut butter and strawberries
S- 2 small carrot muffins
L- yogurt w/ grape nuts and an apple
S- baby carrots and spinach dip, plus a handful of nuts
D- DH begged me to make homemade mac and cheese (big splurge!), so I paired it with steamed broccoli and left-over green beans.

Swam laps at the pool for 40 minutes, planning on some abs tonight.

RANT- So, I'm really glad I've lost some weight and firmed up, but I am having flashbacks to 2 years ago when I could find nothing in the stores to fit. I really wanted a pair of khaki capri pants...no luck. I've fallen into that weird size range in between womens and misses. A 18 petite is still just a little too small, but a 20 is too big (and they never have petites). I leave for the beach in 3 weeks and wanted to have a few new pieces to wear, but it is just too frustrating to find something that actually fits. Maybe next month...

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday-
B- same
S- apple
L- left-over mac and cheese, 1 sm. carrot muffin
S- (meeting in my department) few bits of fruit, 1 sm. turkey roll-up slice, and a chocolate chip cookie (I left 1/2 on the plate)
D- (out with friends after meeting) fried chicken breast dinner w/ salad, french fries (left 1/2 on the plate), and sugar snap peas. (very Southern, very delicious!)

Curves- 40 minutes, plus 5 on abs. Went in the morning since I knew I wouldn' be able to go in the afternoon today.

So, not a great day for eating, but I did manage to keep it in moderation. And, managed my schedule to make sure I got in my exercise.

[septbride2002]

Sorry to hear about your clothes shopping woes! I understand them well :) You are doing awesome though and those 18's are going to fit in no time! I have nothing but confidence in you!

I've been slacking on Curves. I haven't been there since Monday - I just haven't been able to wake up at 6am and go. I'm hoping to get there either Friday or Saturday and then on Sunday I'll just have to workout at home. I'm thinking 2 mile walk and some work with weights.

~Amanda

[pearlieq]

I hear you about the in-between-sizes blues! The 28's are too big, but the 26's don't fit yet, except on top! It's a crazy system we have, but it's only a matter of time until those 18's are yours! :cheer2:

Good job outsmarting yourself and getting your exercise in early!

Hope you're having a great almost-Friday!!!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks for the encouragement! I know I'm making progress, it's just this week I wanted things to speed up for my mid-May beach trip and probably set unrealistic expectations.

Amanda, if I had to get up at 6:00 for Curves, I might never make it. Definitely not a morning person! Is there someone else at Curves that goes at the same time that you could go with? It's always harder for me to let something go if I know someone is expecting me.


Thursday-
B- same
S- 2 sm carrot muffins
L- turkey sandwich
S- baby carrots and spinach dip
D- (out with friends before a show at a great Southern restaurant) veggie plate with green beans, mashed potatoes with gravy, and fried okra, plus 1 1/2 sweet potato biscuits. So good, but I need to make up for it today.
S- after the show, I got some and had a handful of nuts. It was too late to be eating, but at least I kept it under control, somewhat.

Swam laps for 40 minutes.

[pearlieq]

Oh my your dinner sounds awesome! We have one "kinda southern" restaurant out here, and even that's good. I can't imagine how great the real thing is. Rich, but great!

I totally agree with you about having a workout buddy. There are 3 of us that go to Curves together and it makes all the difference in the world. It's much harder to let down someone who's expecting you!

Hope you have a lovely Friday!!!

[rcyannacci]

B- same
L- (ate way too late at 3:00 and was starving) flour tortilla stuffed with fahita beef, black beans, rice, cheese, tomatoes and letture, plus some chips with queso.
D- (late again, 8:00) lettuce wraps (recipe from the Curves mag- very good) chopped chicken breast, mushrooms, red pepper, scallions sauteed with hoisin sauce and served in a piece of lettuce. Also, an ear of fresh corn w/ butter and salt.

Curves 40 minutes, 10 on abs and legs.

Saturday-
B- same, plus 3 cups of echinacea tea
(I'm feeling a cold coming on today- yuk!- but I went to Curves this morning for 30 minutes. Typically when I'm sick, I try to make myself feel better with food. HOpefully, I'll keep it under control.)
L- last of the left-over mac and cheese
D- take-out tortilla soup that DH got once he heard I was sick. Also had some rice and black beans from his dinner.

Curves 30 minutes (went before I starting feeling so bad)

[pearlieq]

MMM...those lettuce wraps sounds great too! Was that in one of the Diane magazines? Do you happen to remember which one?

Hope you're having a great Saturday. Thanks for the :sunny: --we need it!

[rcyannacci]

Yes, it was in the Diane Winter 2005 issue- they were great! I might have some of the leftovers for lunch today.

[pearlieq]

Thanks! I'll have to check them out--sounds so good!

Hope you have a lovely Monday!

[septbride2002]

Dang it! I just threw that one away. You don't happen to have the recipe on hand do ya?

Girl you are doing awesome! I'm very proud of you!

~Amanda

[rcyannacci]

Here's the recipe. I'll post to the "eating healthy" forum too.

BBQ Chinese Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Serves 8

4 c. fresh shiitake mushrooms (wash, remove stems, and chop)
2-3 lbs chicken breasts or tenders (chopped into small pieces)
¼ c. vegetable or peanut oil (I used ½ this)
Coarse salt and pepper to taste
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1” ginger root, finely chopped or grated (I used 2 t ginger powder)
Zest of 2 oranges
1 red bell pepper, diced small
12-16 oz. water chestnuts, drained and chopped
6 scallions, chopped
1/3 c. hoisin sauce (in Asian aisle of grocery store)
1 large head of iceburg lettuce, core removed and head quartered

Preheat large skillet or wok to high. Add oil. Add chicken and sear by stir-frying a minute or two. Add mushrooms and cook another minute or 2. Add salt, pepper, garlic, and ginger, cooking a minute more. Add zest, bell pepper, water chestnuts, and scallions, continuing to stir-fry a minute more. Add hoisin sauce and toss to coat evenly.

Serve with lettuce, adding a few spoonfuls of chicken mixture to each lettuce wrap.

[rcyannacci]

Yikes! I think I contracted the plague! This cold is killing me! I had 2 class lectures today, and now my voice sounds like sandpaper.

I'm not really paying much attention to my eating. Brief summary- not eating a lot and not eating well. I did get some protein in today, however.

I'll be back soon.

[rcyannacci]

OK- I'm back. I think I have a sinus infection, but I'm trudging through, w/ an appointment tomorrow with the doc.

Thurs-
B- 1/2 an everything bagel with sm. amt of cream cheese
L- cup of tortilla soup and a small salad, ended with a sm. soft-serve cone (I love Jason's Deli! And that soup tasted so good!)
D- no idea. DH is working tonight, so it's up to me. I haven't eaten a whole lot today, so I need something substantial...I'll just have to look at the fridge. Groceries haven't been bought this week since I was sick, but maybe there is something I can whip up. Edit- I finally went and got take-out tortilla soup and salad from a place down the street. They included chips in the order and I ate too many with a queso sauce in the fridge.

Curves for 30 minutes, plus 5 for abs. I took it easy today. Sat was my last day exercising. I am actually really happy I made it back this soon. My colds always lead to a few days of asthma trouble, but it was minimal this time around. I think Curves has really strengthened my lungs! Big plus!

[rcyannacci]

Good news and bad news. I went to the doc, and yes, I have a sinus infection. But, she did give me antibiotics, so that's good. And, they checked my weight, and I've lost a total of 10 pounds since I was last there (3 months)! That's 3 more than my current tally (I think I started keeping track later).

Fri-
B- bagel lightly spread with cream cheese, and a few pieces from a mixed fruit bowl. Plus a cappicino, probably with whole milk since I forgot to ask for skim
L- small cobb salad w/ little bit of blue cheese dressing.

I have a party to go to where they are ording pizza! Not sure what to do, especially since I'm starving now. Might try to finish off the cut fruit before I go.
Edit- D- 2 pieces of pizza. When in Rome... (at least I steered clear of the one w/ pepperoni and limited my portion to 2 pieces.)

[pearlieq]

So sorry to hear about your sinus infection--no fun! Sending :wizard: so you feel better soon!

I'm sure it's always nice to hear about a loss at the Dr's office. Congrats!

Have fun at the party tonight! I'm sure you'll find a way to work it out.

[rcyannacci]

Still sick...this is really dragging on.

Sat.
B- 2 pieces of toast with peanut butter and strawberries
L- an apple and handful of baked Doritos
S- a hotdog w/ mustard and relish
D- (out with friends at the Alamo Draft House, movie theatre where you can order beer and bar food) I was starving after not eating much all day, so DH and I split an order of focaccia bread, and then I had a sm. order of potato skins. I can't even think of a worse thing on the menu! I was just feeling bad, and was hoping, I guess, that this would make me feel better.

Curves 35 minutes, 5 min. abs. (got this in during the morning when I still felt OK)

[Lesli54]

Well, I finally caught up to the end! :cool1: I think you are doing a great job with your food and exercise. Just beware of those bagels, they equal 4 slices of bread! I love them, but with that in mind, I have backed off so much that I can't remember when I last had one. ;)

I saw in Pearlieq's journal that you mentioned you had a Lebanese background. My husband's family is from Lebanon and it is a real treat around here when we get some of that AWESOME food. I don't care for hummus though, but only tried once, maybe it varies? I love making fatyr and koosa. Can you send me your chicken stuffed with spinach recipe? You mentioned it a few times early in the journal and it sounds delicious.

Hope your dissertation work is going well, I know that is a huge work load on top of everything else. Sorry to hear about the sinus infection, but great job on the lost lbs. Keep up the GREAT work. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Thanks for stopping by! (I pm'd you the recipe)

I know- bagels are the worst. Looking back through the week (and even today), I've been trying to use food to make myself feel better. Not working.

Although, finally, I think I'm feeling better (the antibiotics must have finally kicked in).

Sun-
B- 2 pieces whole wheat toast with peanut butter
L- Baja Fresh- cup of tortilla soup and side salad, plus some chips and queso. (What is this Mexican kick I've been on! I think I'm addicted to tortilla soup! At least it's a clear broth soup with lots of veggies. The thing I have to say no to is the chips.)
D- just went to the store and picked up some fresh green beans and mushrooms to saute together and some chicken breasts to grill (I must be feeling better if I'm ready to cook).

Exercise- took the dogs to the park for a 30 minute speed walk. I'll do some leg lifts tonight in front of the TV (Desperate Housewives! All new!)

[rcyannacci]

Woo Hoo. I'm at 210, and down one size! I went shopping yesterday, determined to find a pair of capris that fit for my upcoming trip to the beach. I went to Lane Bryant, and fit into an 18W perfectly! I paid too much for the capris ($40), but found a pair of jeans I liked for only $10! All of my other jeans were too loose.

Ok, Monday-
B- ww english muffin and peanut butter
L- cobb salad w/ balsamic dressing and a small gelatto (man, I'll be glad when the semester is over and my friends aren't dragging me to this cafe everyday. I don't need this daily temptation! It was just too much today!)
D- fried fish and peas (so far...DH is making dinner since he was off today)

Exercise- curves 40 minutes, abs and legs 10 minutes. (Feeling almost better from the sinus infection, and able to get through my 50 minutes without too much struggle).

[Lesli54]

Glad to hear that you are feeling better and wearing a new size! :banana:

That really gives me motivation, as I am only 7.5 lbs from 210 and would love to fit into the 18's by the time I leave for London.

Thanks for the recipe. The sauted green beans and mushrooms sound really good too. Have a great evening! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Oh my gosh!!! London is my favorite place in the whole world! It's been 4 years since I've been and I'm dying to go back. I'm a theatre person, and London is tops for theatre.

The green beans and mushrooms is really easy and good. Cook the beans in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and cool with water and set aside. In a skillet, melt 2 T of butter (or olive oil), 2 T basil and then garlic powder, salt and pepper to tasts. Saute the spices a minute, then add chopped mushrooms. Once they release their water, add the beans and saute until all heated through.

[septbride2002]

Great Job! You are doing so awesome! :)

~Amanda

[DznyDreams]

Woo Hoo. I'm at 210, and down one size! . . . but found a pair of jeans I liked for only $10! All of my other jeans were too loose.

AWESOME JOB!! :cool1: You are SO CLOSE to the much-desired ONEderland! You go! :goodvibes

Have a great day! :flower:

[Clare]

You are doing so great! Don't you love it when clothes start getting looser. To me, that almost means more than the scale!

[rcyannacci]

Loose clothes definitely means more than the scale! ONEderland, here I come!

(To be honest, I've only been watching the scale so religiously because I will see my mother in 2 weeks at the beach. I love my mom and we get along great...except on the subject of dieting and weight. She's lost quite a bit recently and is fitting into 14's. The last big fight we had was over food- she was on the Atkins diet last vacation and we were eating fried food every night. I finally drew the line and said I could not eat one more piece of fried anything! She called me mean and overly dramatic (I am) and we stopped speaking the rest of the day. Hopefully, this beach trip will be more congenial.

What I've learned is that, as an adult, I need to be in control of my food. There have been many times in my life that I have had an adversarial relationship with food, and I'm actively trying to change that. So whenever I'm on my mom's "turf," so to speak, I just panic. So, I think once we get to the beach this trip, I'm going to go to the grocery by my self and just buy what I need to eat and be done with it.)

OK, enough rambling. Tuesday (turned in grades for my 2 biggest classes- hooray!)
B- eng. muffin and peanut butter (could only eat 1/2) and a DanActive, small yogurt smoothie that is suppose to help you immune system. At 90 calories, I thought I'd give it a try.
S- bananna
L- tortilla soup and garden salad (I'm addicted to this soup!), some chips, but not too many, and a sm. soft serve on the way out the door.
S- handful of nuts while cooking dinner
D- spagetti and meatballs (average serving) and spinach salad with lite Newman's honey mustard dressing

Curves 40 minutes, 5 minutes on abs later in the evening.

[Lesli54]

Thanks for the green beans and mushrooms recipe. Most of my family would pick out the mushrooms, but I am going to try it just the same.

You are so right to stick with your own food plan as much as possible when you are around your mom. Realistically, she should be happy that you are losing and you have to do what works for you. I would get tired of fried foods every day as well. Try not to let the thoughts about what might happen stress you too bad. Focus on the positives. You are doing so well!

So...since you have been to London before. Do you know if the Paddington area just above Hyde Park is a good area? We are staying in that vicinity and so far no one has told me to steer clear so I am thinking it is fairly safe for two women. Any suggestions for places to eat and "don't miss" places to see would be much appreciated.

Have a great day! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Oh my gosh!!! I have so much to say about London, but I have to go teach class (last week!!!). I'll try to pm you this afternoon, though.

(BTW- I used to be one of those kids who picked out the mushrooms, but I'm learning to like them slowly. They definitly add a great flavor, so even if you used them sparingly, it would still taste great)

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday-
B- a DanActive and eng. muffin w/ peanut butter and bananas
L- about 1 1/2 c. of the leftover pasta and meatballs. Few bits of leftover green beans.
S- 2 handfuls of nuts (I am starting to get really hungry around 5:00...I wish I could just go ahead and make dinner, but most days Bender isn't home from work until 6:30.
D- grilled chicken breast, zuchinni and onion stirfried with terraki over basmati rice.

Exercise- 40 minute speed walk/run with the dogs, 5-7 minutes of abs later that evening.

[Lesli54]

You are doing great! I agree, late suppers are hard to wait for. My DH get home between 6 and 6:30. On the Saturdays that he closes up, it is after 7pm and I always forget to plan my meals for the rest of the day accordingly.

Have a great day! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Arg!!!

Thursday (Eating meltdown day)
B- same, and I think I'm really getting sick of peanut butter and english muffins. Breakfasts are so hard for me! I need the protein to keep me going, but I can't eat meat in the morning. I have to think of something else.
L- ate way too late- 1/2 a Wendy's Greek chicken salad and a baked potato with the butter and sour cream packets.

Here's where I got into trouble...I was making baked goods for my acting class. Friday is our last class day, and I wanted to do something special. So I ate 3 homemade oatmeal cookies on the spot. It is one of my fav. recipes from when I was a kid, and I was feeling deprived from the day before. I went straight to Curves to try and work it off (40 minutes, plus 5 on abs).

D- taco salad for Cinco de Mayo. I thought DH was going to be home for dinner, but he had to work late, so I was depressed and ate way, way too much, especially of the chips. Then I had 2 of the brownies I had made after the cookies. Then, because I know my day was shot, I had another brownie and another cookie!

Yikes- this hasn't happened to me since I started this new program. I guess it's realistic to know I'll have bad days, but today was just so over the top in terms of food for me that it reminded me of some of my days in college when I used food to deal with stress.

Problem is, today is going to be crazy too. 3 end of the semester parties to attend, all with crappy food!

I'll just have to detox this weekend.

[Lesli54]

Hope you made it through the parties alright. Unfortunately, we all have those bad days. I did the same yesterday, with the "what's the difference" attitude. But time to move on and get back to normal today.

Have a great weekend! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Friday (last day of the semester, aka, day of 3 parties)

B- a DanActive and a banana
1st party- my last day of acting class. I made my class some oatmeal cookies and brownies and some fresh salsa and chips. The salsa was gone in nothing flat!!! They also loved the cookies. I limited myself to 1 cookie. Not bad.
L, or party #2- Area party with all the faculty and graduate students in the program. We all met at a pub, The Crown and Anchor, to celebrate the end of the year. I had 2 pints of Shiner beer, a hamburger and 1/2 of the fries that came with it. (Those 2 beers would really weigh me down at Curves in an hour...but at least I made it to exercise)
D, or party #3- Potluck at the house of one of the administrators in the department (she lost her husband to cancer earlier in the year, and it had been a while since we'd been able to hang out with her.) The basic sampling on my plate (I didn't really hold back): spiraled ham slice, homemade mac and cheese, broccoli casserole, spinach-walnut-strawberry salad (my contribution), cornbread pudding, and marinated carrots. And a glass of sangria and small piece of chocolate cake (quite a dose of sugar!!!)

Exercise (my saving grace for the day): Curves 40 minutes

Hooray for the end of the semester! Since I won't be teaching all summer long, I will be able to set my own schedule and concentrate on my eating and on writing my dissertation. It was a great semester teaching, however. My acting students were so great, and really rose to the challenge with their final scenes. It was hard saying goodbye to them.

[rcyannacci]

OK- today I finally had to admit to myself that despite the antibiotics I took to get rid of this sinus infection, I'm still sick. At least I'm through the semester and don't have to pretend I'm well anymore. I'll try to go back to the doctor on Monday since I'm leaving town on Fri. for Hilton Head. I'd hate to still be sick for the beach. Especially since my little nephew will be there.

Saturday- (admitted I was still sick, gave up a bit, and attended my last party of the semester...enough already!
B- a DanActive and iced coffee (just couldn't stomach any real food yet)
L- left-over serving of mac and cheese, and left over serving of taco salad from Thurs.
Derby Party gathering (a lot of my colleagues are from Kentucky and held a big party for the Derby). Mint julip (man, are these strong!!!) and a plate of snacks (chips and guacamole, 1 spinakopita, sliced fruit, 4 crackers and cheese), and a small sliver of Derby pie.
D- DH and I threw our hands up in the air after a full weekend of eating poorly and ordered hot wings. 8 chicken wings with blue cheese dressing and 1/2 order of fries.

At least I'm being honest with myself here. I should be back on track by Monday.

[Lesli54]

Well, at least the parties are done and as much as it can "hurt", honesty is the only way to go on this journey.

Think of all the beach walking you can do out at Hilton Head. We drove out there on our trip home from the last WDW vacation and it was really beautiful. One day we may actually stay. :rolleyes:

:wizard: Here's to getting back on track. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[pearlieq]

I'll be your detox buddy!

It's so hard to get back on the horse, but I know you can do it. You've come so far. I know it's hard, but try to take the longview--this one week is hardly a blip when you look at it with all of the weeks of hard work you've put.

Congrats to you for getting your exercise in--that's awesome and I'm sure it helped stem the damage somewhat.

You WILL bounce back from this! Congrats on finishing the semester!

[rcyannacci]

Sunday- (not feeling great, starting to think I'll have to go back to the doctor
B- a DanActive (should have added something else, but I wasn't much into eating)
L- some of the left-over mac and cheese
S- 2 of the left-over brownies...at least they're gone now!!!
D- a combo dinner from Taco Cabana (DH was at work ALL DAY so I had to fend for myself...and I was feeling sorry for myself). a chicken flauta, 1 beef taco, 1/2 a cheese enchilada, and a few bite of rice and black beans.

Monday (yep, went to the Doc who said my sinus infection had turned into bronchitis. More antibiotics to take, and hopefully I'll be better before leaving for Hilton Head on Friday.)
B- skipped it to go to the doc, and then had the last of the leftover mac and cheese around 10:30.
L- DH had the day off, so he made me a healthy tapas plate to make me feel better. Carrots with hummus, tabouli and flat bread, apple slices, olives, etc.
D- chicken pita pockets with yogurt dill sauce and red potato-cucumber-feta salad (also made by DH, also fantastic!!!)
Dessert- (on my way to detox, I promise) 1/2 piece of Italian Cream Cake (also a treat from DH and hard to say no to )

Exercise- Curves 40 minutes, 10 min on abs and legs.

[Lesli54]

I hope you get to feeling better soon, because if your DH keeps cooking you will be going the wrong direction. :rotfl2:

Sometimes it is hard to get away from those sweets. For me, it comes and goes. At times, I really want a lot and other times I couldn't look at sweets if I tried. Right now, I wish I was at the later. Had a cupcake w/frosting last night. :rolleyes1

Together, we will get there. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

I hope you get to feeling better soon, because if your DH keeps cooking you will be going the wrong direction. :rotfl2:



It's that the truth!!! :rotfl:

Tues.
B- a DanActive
S- 1/2 chicken pita sandwich with yogurt sauce...and the last 1/2 of the piece of cake DH bought.
L-...the other 1/2
S- a popcorn and nut mix I made for the upcoming plane trip...it just smelled too good not to eat some...and I was working at my desk getting the munchies
D- a steak, marinated dill green beans (fresh, very good, very healthy) and the last of the leftover cucumber/potato salad (vinegar based, so pretty healthy as well).
S- oops...went back from more popcorn

Exercise- Curves 40 minutes (cardio mainly)

So, I ate really great meals, but I snacked too much. I weighed in yesterday, and it was reading 1 pound higher, but I also just started TOM, so I may be breaking even yet.

Luckily, I should break even during my vacation since we'll be at a condo and my parents are eating more healthy too. Plus, I'll be really active w/ Curves in the morning w/ my mom, riding bikes w/ my DH around the island, swimming in the ocean, and checking out the qym in the complex. Maybe I"ll even lose a few... In any case, I can't wait to get to Hilton Head!!!

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday-
B- lite yogurt w/ 1/2 c. grape nuts
L- had a training session for a freshman seminar I'm teaching next fall, and they provided lunch. Taco Cabana! yikes! I didn't do too bad- 1 serving of fahita chicken, 1/2 flour tortillas, black beans and cheese, rice, lettuce and tomatos, small dab of guacamole and sour cream. OK- actually, I could have done better, but they kept us 1/2 hour over and I was starving!!!
S- popcorn and nut mix
D- out with friends before a movie. I chose this restaurant because I knew I could stay on track! A large field green salad (w/ blue cheese, walnuts, and apples in a vinegrette) and a side of crispy green beans (so good! great alternative to fries!)
S- sm. handful of sour bears at the movie theatre...at least I avoided everything else! Darn that sugar!!! At least now I can have just a little and feel satisfied.

Exercise- 40 min. at Curves, 5 min. on abs

[calena]

Don't focus too much on a pound up on hte scale. Don't forget that with consistent healthy eating and exercise the scale will move in the right direction.
Have a great time at Hilton Head. I know what you mean about dealing with your Mom and weight issues. It can be tough. Just remember, you are doing this for your health and well being, and that is great motivation. ;) Your body will thank you for it! I find I usually do better on vacation because I have time to exercise as much as I want. :sunny:

[Lesli54]

Have a great trip to Hilton Head! I'll trade reports w/ you when I get back. I've never done HH, so you tell me how it was and I will remind you about London. ;)

Try to relax as much as possible with your mom and don't worry about the weight issue, you are doing great! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Thanks, calena and Lesli- I know I shouldn't fixate on the scale because I am feeling really great...I just don't feel like my progress "inside" matches my "outside" appearance yet, and it's frustrating. Maybe after my vacation, I'll figure out a productive way to turn that frustration into a motivation!

OK- inspired by Lesli, I thought it was time to review my progress to this point, especially before I go on vacation and forget everything I've learned! ;) I started approx. 4 months ago (3 months with WISH) and I feel like my progress goes way farther than what is measured by the scale.

Lost: 8 pounds, and approx. 8 inches of body fat
Gained: probably more information about myself and my body than I can articulate in one post, but I'll give it a quick summary...

General thoughts:
I realize that before dedicating myself to this journey to health, I divided myself in two: the part of myself that I liked and was proud of was my personality and abilities as a student, teacher, and writer. I feel most confident in the classroom, behind a computer, or in some sort of dialogue with friends and colleagues. The part of my self I disliked was my physical body; I was (and continue to be on some days) embarrassed by my size, irritated by my awkward physicality, scared of any sickness my body might exhibit, and in a continual adversarial relationship with food, or whatever my body needed to function efficiently. In short, I felt I had control over my mind, but not my body.

I didn’t really notice this until a week ago, but I started this journal around the same time last year that I began radiation therapy. Talk about feeling out of control of my body! This gives me some indication as to why I’ve felt more committed to this change in lifestyle; I never want to feel that tired ever again, which means more nourishing food and consistent exercise.

Now, I’m starting to develop an appreciation for the interconnectedness between my mind and body. Since exercising, I’ve noticed that my powers of concentration are much sharper both when I’m writing and teaching. I’m looking forward to a very productive summer in which I will focus on both my writing and my health. I actually might use this journal to combine some of these ideas to see if I can notice any further connections.

More specific thoughts:

- I have to eat something in the morning for breakfast, and it’s best if it has some protein. My worst days are the ones when I skip this or substitute carbs like a bagel. I have more energy and am less likely to go overboard with snacks.
- I do the best on days when I am busy and have a set schedule
- I do best during weeks when my DH and I have time to sit down to plan a few dinners and healthy lunches AND get to the grocery store. I have to shop at least once a week to keep fresh fruits and veggies in the house.
-I like shopping the perimeters of the grocery store. Fresh foods might be a little more expensive, but as long as we eat what’s in the fridge, the price is well worth while. Since cutting out most processed foods, we’ve eaten much, much better and everything tastes better as well.
- Since moving to Austin, I’ve developed quite a liking of tortilla chips and Tex-mex. This I need to start moderating!!! And now that summer is here, the cravings for margaritas will increase!!! I just need to make sure that this is more of a special event and not a weekly indulgence.
- My biggest challenge is still cutting sugar. I never realized how addictive it was, and how much tougher the cravings are after a splurge.
- I have to get better at handling social settings/parties. There is always going to be some gathering of people, food and alcohol that I have to go to, and I need to have a better strategy before going. I think I’m still in the graduate student “free food!” mentality and need to adjust my thinking.
- Alcohol can really wreck progress. I think I could have handled the extra food at the weekend of parties by increasing my exercise, but the extra sugar added from the beer and mixed drinks made me gain a pound. I’ve been fighting so hard for these pounds that it seems hardly worth the indulgence.

Plan for vacation:
- Try as much as possible to be in control of my own food at the condo. This might take a few conversations with my mother, but I’ll try and do that upfront so we can relax the rest of the time. Also, know that some meals will be out of my control, especially at the seafood restaurants that my family usually goes to that specialize in fried everything!!!
- Curves in the am with my mother, and lots of activities with my DH including bike riding, walks on the beach, swimming in the pool/ocean, and possibly checking out the weight room.

Plan when I return from vacation:
- Incorporate my writing schedule into my journal so I can track daily progress in a more integrated way. (I think this will help me ease my stress about my dissertation; I need to stay on track this summer so I can make fall deadlines with job applications and my spring deadline for graduation)
- Start working on portion control so I can jump start some further weight loss.

[rcyannacci]

Thurs-
B- iced coffee (oops...forgot an appointment and had to forgo breakfast...not off to a good start)
L- cleaning out the fridge for vacation...left-over hummus and taboli on flatbread, baby carrots, and some of the popcorn nut mix.
D- pulled pork bbq (homemade and really good!), cole slaw, corn, taco salad (mostly lettuce and tomato).

Exercise- Curves 40 min., 5 min on legs

Well, I'm off to Hilton Head. See everyone next week!!! :)

[Lesli54]

Loved reading about your progress! It was great. I agree, doing a look back, really helps keep you focused on the prize and reminds us why we are still here. I really understand the part about thinking of yourself as two seperate parts. For me, I felt so much on the inside as the thinner me that I was, who had the confidence and drive to get anything done, but on the outside.....well, let's just say I tried very hard to ignore the outside by avoiding mirrors. Now, I feel the two coming closer together again.

You have great plans for your vacation and staying OP. Have a great trip, will talk to you when I get back. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Back from Hilton Head- great vacation. Very relaxing, and I got to reconnect with my family. Zero family drama! Some of the highlights of the trip:

- My nephew Evan is 4 and so fun and smart! I loved playing with him on the beach...me making the sand castles and him tearing them down.

- Bike rides on the island and beach. I was sooooooooo glad that I had been exercising, because I had sooooooo much more energy and stamina. DH and I went for an hour long ride through Sea Pines with my brother, SIL, and Evan, and then DH and I separately went on 30-35 min. rides on the beach together. Riding on sand, we found, is much tougher than on bike routes.

- Great weather. We had time on the beach every day, and I spent most of it relaxing, reading, and generally not stressing about my dissertation. I think it's exactly what I needed to re-charge for the summer writing push.

- I relaxed about food for the week, and didn't let it become an issue. Yes, I didn't have control over what was on the table, but I did well moderating portions and such. My Dad made eggs and bacon EVERY day for breakfast; I mainly skipped the eggs, moderated bacon to a slice or two for protein, and added something of my own like fruit or toast w/ peanut butter.

- Did have some splurges, mainly in the form of frozen dacquiris with my DH (the pool bar has the best bartender...and the best banana dacquiri on the planet!). But, I maintained consistent exercise for the week and did well on portions. I just weighted in at Curves yesterday, and I didn't gain anything over the week.

Exercise for the week:
Friday- none, travel day
Sat.- Curves w/ mom, 30 min.
Sun- 60 min bike ride, 15 min in pool with Evan (playing chase!)
Mon- 30 min biking on beach, 30 min. Curves
Tues- 30 min cardio on elliptical machine in resort gym
Wed. 35 min biking on beach
Thurs- rest
Fri- back home, Curves 30 min.

[rcyannacci]

Saturday-
B- a DanActive and a banana
L- Thai chicken salad wraps w/ peanut sauce from Pei Wei's Diner (very good!)
S- went to friend's graduation party and couldn't pass up a sliver of the carrot cake. Cake! It's my biggest weakness! Also had 2 bites of fruit and 3 baby carrots and some very sugary punch (the kind that only church ladies can make!)
D- a Jimmy John's turkey sandwich (too much white bread, but not too bad)
S- had major sugar cravings (need to detox from those vacation dacquiris!) and made a baked apple from a recipe I saw in a newspaper. Put a mixture of Splenda, chopped pecans, butter, and raisins in a cored out apple and baked. It was good, and I only ate 1/2. Hopefully I can continue to curb my sugar cravings with fruit and more natural sources of sugar.

Exercise- 40 minutes at Curves. (I need to get back to the ab work after a week off)

Hooray- I finally found some good workout shorts at Oshman's! And just in time...it was up to 97 degrees yesterday, and today it's suppose to get up to 99! I might be swimming in the pool today for exercise!

[pearlieq]

So glad to hear you had a great vacation! It sounds so fun and relaxing!!!

Your lunch sounds amazing! I'm eating a Jimmy John's sandwich right now--I didn't know they had branched out of Chicago...

Stay cool! Hopefully the sugar cravings pass as you get back to your regular routine.

[rcyannacci]

Sunday-
B- iced coffee, english muffin w/ peanut butter and strawberries
L- (ate too late, was too hungry) homemade pulled pork bbq (no bun) and some corn w/ butter.
S/D (not sure, we ate lunch too late to have a real dinner) popcorn w/ a little butter and salt
S- sugar cravings hit (!!!), so I had a lite yogurt w/ a handful of grape nuts.

Exercise: :( my pool that I go to closed w/o notice, so I couldn't do the laps that I wanted. We ended up going to the family pool, and I got in 10 minutes of a modified aqua aerobics, and 10 minutes of laps. Later, I did 5-7 minutes of abs.

[septbride2002]

I can't believe you got in that much exercise on your vacation. On the cruise I walked a mile 2 mornings, but that was it. Otherwise if I had free time I was sleeping on a lounge chair on deck 4. :rotfl: You are doing awesome girl! Keep up the awesome work!

~Amanda

[rcyannacci]

Oh trust me! If I was on a Disney Cruise, that's exactly where I'd be too ;) It was a REALLY laid back vacation (I think my butt is still showing the lines carved by my beach chair), so I was really craving the exercise. And it gave me more than enough justification for all the frozen drinks I consumed!

[rcyannacci]

Holy Cow! I just weighed in at Curves, and after months of losing 2-3 pounds a month, I just lost 3 pounds in a matter of days! And I have no idea what I did! I checked the scale twice, so I'm just going to accept it and be amazed.

B- english muffin w/ peanut butter and strawberries, iced coffee w/ skim
L- 1/2 a can of pears and a slice of cheddar cheese, a lite yogurt w/ a handful of grapenuts/
S- apple
S- 1 serving of wheat thin crisps
D- Beef Stroganoff (quick version with mushroom soup) and no yokes egg noodles, steamed broccoli tossed in lemon butter, and a serving of sour dough bread dipped in olive oil (I was majorly craving carbs tonight)

Exercise- Curves 40 minutes, 5 min on legs, 10 min on abs (later tonight)

[calena]

Your vacation sounds great. The beach, exercise, fun, no family stress. GREAT. I'm glad it went well. And, you are right back to working out when you come back so that is great. Congrats on your loss and believe what the scale is telling you. Let it keep going on down!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks calena- it was a great vacation, and I do feel really good about staying consistent with my exercise. It's where I see the biggest progress, and am finding the most satisfaction. I'm still struggling with food, but it's all part of the journey...

B- ww english muffin w/ shaved ham and a slice of cheddar (wanted to try a little something different.)
L- (carb cravings hit) a chunk of sourdough bread dipped in olive oil, and some tostadas with homemade garden salsa (I tried to load up on the salsa to load up on veggies), a few peanut butter crackers (for protein).
S- a few spoonfuls of vanilla icecream...leftover in my freezer from something...should throw it away...
D- out with a friend, had a small field green salad with apples, walnuts, and blue chese and a side of crispy green beans (these are so good, they're often the reason I chose this restaurant...better than french fries!), and a few bites of the chicken from my friend's cobb salad (worried I didn't get enough protein).

Exercise today: swimming laps for 40 minutes (this felt great, outdoor pool, beautiful day!)

Writing goals (this is new...I'm trying to integrate my writing schedule with my health goals this summer, per my previous post where I assessed my 3 month progress): Complete a full draft of a conference proposal I'm submitting for November. It's a really competitive conference, but I'll be on the job market and it would be good visibility for me.

[rcyannacci]

Happy Birthday to me!!! I'm 34 today and have a great birthday planned. My DH is taking me shopping for an MP3 player (!!!), then we are going to dinner at a new Spanish tapas restaurant (think Spoodles, but less Mediterranean), and then to a touring production of The Producers at the Austin concert hall.

Plan for today: Curves early (so I can get it in). 40 minutes, plus 5 on abs
B: same as yesterday
L: probably something while we're out shopping, try to find something frest
D: tapas and a piece of birthday cake/dessert! (probably tiramisiu!)

Writing goals: Well I didn't do great yesterday...spent too much time online (oops!), but I did get through most of the abstract. I'm going to try to spent an hour on it this morning to finish and then put it away for the day. If I have any extra time, I'll read from one of my primary sources (one thing I've found that keeps me connected to my project and initial excitement in selecting it).

[pearlieq]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! :Pinkbounc :cheer2: :banana: :cool1:

That sounds like a wonderful day you've got planned. I hope you have an awesome time!!!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks, pearlieq! I had a great birthday! I got up early and finished my abstract (yea!) and went to Curves, so the rest of the day was mine for fun!

Could have done better on lunch, but while we were out shopping we remembered that there was a Texadelphia in the area, so we stopped for a cheesesteak sandwich. I also had a handful of chips and salsa.

We bought my MP3 player- a Creative Zen Micro. My DH is the techie, and will be teaching me how to use it today. Maybe by this afternoon, I'll have some music loaded and can go out for a walk/run!

Dinner was so great! The restaurant was called Managla and they specialize in Spanish tapas. We had to go early since we had an 8:00 curtain for The Producers, so we arrived at 5:30, just in time for happy hour prices! We each started w/ a wine/tapas pairing. I had an Argentinian red wine, similar to a cabernet, and some spinach empanadas, and DH had an Italian Chianti and some roasted red peppers stuffed with goat chese. Then we ordered 2 extra tapas plates- a summer salad of green and purple grapes, grape tomatoes, mozzerella, and kalamata olives tossed in a dressing of olive oil, balsamic, garlic, and fresh mint (so excellent!) and beef tenderlion pieces with pita and a garlic oielo (sp?) sauce. DH had another glass of wine, so we got a final pairing with another 2 spinach empanadas (our favorite of the night, followed closely by the salad). All in all, it was a really healthy meal! All of the ingredients were every fresh and flavorful, but the portions were small. It was such a romantic setting, and we decided that we needed to be more adventurous when we go out to eat this summer.

The Producers was a great show! I had seen it on Broadway and was expecting the tour to be not as great, but the touring company really made it their own show, and it was fantastic. My DH couldn't stop laughing! We had to slam our intermission drinks (gin and tonic) because it took us forever to get them, even though we had pre-ordered. I was super happy for Act 2! ;) I had also had a few sips of my DH's beer before the show, so between those drinks and the wine before, I had plenty to drink!

By the time we got out of the show and in our car, it was 11:00 so we decided to forgo the dessert cafe and my piece of birthday cake (plus, I'd probably had enough sugar with my drinks). DH said he'd get me a piece today...I can't decide if I should let it go or not...

[rcyannacci]

double post

[calena]

Happy Birthday. Glad it was a good one. I still think you deserve tiramisu though! I make it at Christmas for us as a special treat. :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Thurday-
B- ww english muffin with peanut butter and strawberries, iced coffee
S- banana
L- here's where I ran into trouble...my laptop lost it's display and I spent the rest of the day dealing with moving files I needed for my dissertation to my DH's computer...anyway, I forgot lunch until 4:30 and then just grabbed some tostadas and salsa.
D- 2 pieces of fried chicken (white meat, breast and wing), small serving of mashed potatoes and gravy, serving of green peas.
S- 3 brownie bites and 1/2 c. of vanilla ice cream

Exercise- Curves 40 minutes, 5 min. on legs

Writing goals- my day was shot because of my computer. YUK! Goals for Friday: 2 hours of reading/note taking, 2 hours reviewing/revising my notes to date and outline.

[contempgal]

Happy (belated) Birthday! It looks like you had a wonderful day. The restaurant sounds amazing and you can never go wrong with The Producers.

I agree with Calena though, you still deserve the tiramisu! Love that stuff.

Hope you have a bright and sunny :sunny: day!

[joelyfaithsmommy]

:flower: HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY :flower:

Jen

[Lesli54]

Back from London and had a great time. I don't think I have ever walked so much in my life! ;)

Happy Birthday (a few days late)! I love May for a birthday month, don't you?

Glad to hear that your HH trip went well and it sounds like things with your mother and the weight loss worked out. It is always nice to have the peace of a good family vacation.

Congrats on losing another 3lbs! :banana: Keep up the good work on making those healthier choices!

Have a great weekend! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Friday:
B- ww english muffin w/ peanut butter and strawberries
L- left-over fried chicken (I have to stop my DH from bringing this stuff home)
S- 1/2 c. multigrain cheerios
D- Italian chicken and olive sauce over linguini, slice of sourdough bread (too many carbs!)
S- OK- I hit a low here with sugar cravings...I had 1 c. frozen yogurt that had been in the freezer for a while, so I scraped off the freezer burn from the outside layer to get at the yogurt beneath. What was I thinking! :p

Exercise- Curves 40 min, abs 5 min. I really had to push myself today because I wasn't into it, and the loud annoying girl was at Curves today...she drives me nuts!

[Lesli54]

Just remember for next time, how low you have gone to get sugar and think "is it worth it?" Time to go stock up on some fruits and natural sugars. Does sugar free jello w/ cool whip lite do anything for you? Very few calories and can feel like a treat. Or maybe a sm. slice of angel food cake with fresh strawberries and cool whip lite or sugar free chocolate pudding? These types of things feel like wonderful treats to me and are much lower in calories than the real thing.

Congrats on getting below 210! :cool1: Keep plugging away and you will be out of the 200's soon.

Have a great day! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[pearlieq]

Good job pushing yourself through Curves! I know I usually want to just walk out halfway through the first circuit, but it's always worth it in the end.

Hope you have a great weekend and the sugar cravings don't bother you too much!

[rcyannacci]

Saturday-
B- ww english muffin w/ peanut butter and a banana
L- leftover chicken pasta, heavy on the tomatoes and chicken, light on the pasta.
D- for whatever reason, I couldn't get my act together and plan dinner, so we ended up at Cheddar's. I lost my mind! Seriously, I have no idea where my head went because I wasn't even thinking about what food I should eat. I had fried chicken tenders, cole slaw, and fries (DH helped me with the fries) and then chocolate cake for dessert....finally, my piece of birthday cake I've been obsessing over!

Exercise- 30 min walk/jog in the park with the dogs. (I pulled something at Curves yesterday...not my hamstring, but the muscle in the back of my leg above my knee. So I took it really easy.)



OK- time to drag myself out of whatever funk I've been in! Summer always hits me like a ton of bricks...I'm not good without having a set schedule, and now I have no classes, no writing deadlines except the ones I set myself, and a big empty expanse of time that I need to fill. So far I've been filling it with watching season 1 of 24 (Keifer Sutherland is hot!), with comparatively minimal time spent on my writing. And, I have too much time on my hands to think about food...I've been obsessing over my missed birthday cake for days which has set me on a sugar kick again. Enough!

Step 1 (schedule and location)-Once Memorial day is over, I'm going to drag myself out of the house to work, moving all of my stuff to my library office. I just ahve way too many distractions here. 8:00-3:00 work day, then to Curves, then home to make a healthy dinner. Then, Keifer Sutherland after dinner ;) .

Step 2 (food)- go back to weekly menus with DH. Take 1/2 an hour on Sunday to plan a loose menu, and then go to the grocery store and stock up with what we need.

Step 3 (sugar cravings)- make sure there is plenty of fruit and baby carrots in the house...this usually helps me curb the cravings. Also find some recipes I can make with Splenda.

Step 4 (exercise)- I think I've been over doing it...I keep thinking that if I take a day off I will stop altogether. I just don't trust myself for some reason. (How is it possible for me to be so rational about some things but completely irrational when it comes to my body/health?). So, I'm going to commit to 1 rest day a week, flexible so I can take it at any time. And, now that I have my MP3 player, a new pair of running shoes (the last of my birthday $), and will be on campus at the library, I'm going to alternate my Curves with some treadmill/elliptical cardio workouts.

OK- now that I've written it all out, maybe I can think more rationally and pull myself out of this funk before I slide backwards.

Thanks again for everyone's support and advice.

[Lesli54]

Jotting down the plans sure does seem to help, even if we get side tracked from them. It makes it easier to get back on track.

Keep up the good work, you have great ideas for moving forward. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[joelyfaithsmommy]

Well, now that you're over the birthday cake, things will be better, no more obsessions over sugar, cake, or the like....you're in this for the long haul, right? So just jump back on board, and DO YOUR THING!!!

Huggies!
Jen

[calena]

Sounds like a good plan for the summer. I think you need to take a day of with exercise or you get too worn out... but I know several people who exercise (hard) every day. I think we have to listen to our bodies.
I've been reading the South Beach diet and the issue of sugar cravings is big there... I am considering going on the South Beach diet because it fits in with my "life" plan of fruits/veggies/lean meat/full grain (love my old fashioned oatmeal) less refined stuff plan for life. A lot of the refined stuff we love just sets us up for more sugar cravings... not good for health/tummy! :goodvibes Anyway... still reading on it. I think your weeklong food plan is fantastic. I need to do that.

[rcyannacci]

Thanks everyone for stopping by...it's been a trying week, but I'm struggling to get back on track.

calena- what you're saying about the South Beach sounds interesting...I don't want to cut out carbs completely, but am moving toward an unprocessed diet (ideally), so I might have to check this out...I also need to work with my DH who needs a low cholestrol diet, so this could be a good guide. I've just been so leary of the low-carb crusade after hearing about the way Atkins cuts fresh fruits/veggies and allows high fat foods.

Anyway, Sunday:
B- same...
L- (ate too late) 2 leftover chicken tenders and a small serving of pesto tortellini salad. last few bites of chocolate cake...it's gone!
D- 1 pepperoni french bread pizza and piece of garlic cheese toast. Yuk.
(no snacks today...so calorie count shouldn't be too high, but it lead me to unhealthy choices.)

Rest day for exercise.

So, today we are having friends over for a Memorial day picnic. If the sun holds out, I'm going to swim laps...otherwise, I'm not sure what to do since Curves is closed today.
B- same (only 1/2 because I'm not really that hungry)
L- not sure???
D- I'm making chicken kabobs and yogurt dill sauce and a low-fat, vinegar based red potato salad w/ feta. Not sure what other people are bringing, but hopefully no one will be a big, bad dessert!!!

[Lesli54]

I totally agree with you on balancing out the carbs, fruits, veggies, and protein. It seems that one should always take caution when a diet tells you to get rid of the items that you know are good for you. Besides, there is a difference between refined carbs and complex carbs. It's the refined stuff we have to watch out for.

Have a good day and hopefully you can navigate through any bad desserts. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[Clare]

I know what you mean about dessert, especially homemade. It is my major downfall & they're just everywhere over holiday weekends. Hopefully, you managed okay. And if you did indulge, I hope it was with something really yummy :goodvibes :goodvibes :goodvibes

[rcyannacci]

Hooray! Nobody brought any desserts! The only thing on the table was fresh strawberries and melon balls! Anytime I got a craving, I just popped in a piece of cantelope or watermellon.

I had a great day of eating, actually!

Monday
B-1/2 ww eng. muffin w/ peanut butter and banana
L- 1/2 pita pocket with hummus, apple slices, and carrot shredds, w/ leftover sliced apple and carrot, 3 tostado rounds w/ fresh salsa.
D- grilled greek chicken kabobs w/ yogurt dill sauce, 1/2 piece corn on the cob, potato salad (vinegar based dressing, no mayo), a fork-full of pasta salad with tomatos, 1/2 c. baked beans, and some fresh fruit for dessert. Also 3 Rolling Rock low-carb beers- not bad on taste, and I think they had less alcohol because I didn't feel a thing! (Yikes- my friends raided my wine rack and drank a ton! We only have 2 bottles left! Next time I host a party, I'll label the invite BYOW ;))

Exercise- swam laps 40 min (I really pushed myself and feel a little sore this morning. But it felt really good. I'll see if some of that soreness is better at Curves today.

Writing goals: I have a meeting today with my writing group, and we are exchanging abstracts. I have an editted version, and will submit my last edit today to the conference organizers. Wish me luck! Plus, I will spend 2 hours today reviewing my chapter notes.

[Lesli54]

Sounds like you had a great party, with the exception of the missing wine. :confused3

At least there was fruit in place of the deserts. I really would rather munch on the fruit anyday, especially when it is in season.

Have a great day and good luck on the writing! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Tuesday-
B- 1/2 eng. muffin w/ peanut butter
S- a handful of baby carrots
L- 1/2 pita pocket with leftover greek chicken and yogurt sauce, and 1 c. leftover low-fat potato salad.
D- rest of the leftover chicken/sauce, 1/2 c. leftover baked beans, handful of tortilla chips w/ salsa, and a spinach salad w/ vinegrette.

Curves 40 minutes, 5 minutes on abs. (That completes my May exercise goal!)

Writing- finished and submitted abstract, receive confirmation, only 30 minute reviewing chapter stuff because I got sidetracked at the library by my advisor and some difficulties renewing my study for the summer.

[rcyannacci]

Hooray!!! I fit into the cute capri pants I wore at Disneyland the summer of 2001!!! They were a bit tight last month, but now they fit like a dream! And I went shopping today at the outlets with my friend, and I fit into a size 16 bathing suit! It was even a little loose. I didn't buy it because the cut revealed WAY too much cleavage, but it looked really good (if a little trampy ;)).

B- light yogurt w/ handful of grapenuts
S- 1 c. multigrain Cherrios
L (ate too late...starving!) a salad at Chili's w/ grilled chicken, corn, black beans and tortilla strips w/ some sort of a southwestern vinegrette. It was really good!
D- haven't eaten yet, but I've set out some steaks and will make green bean onion stirfly to go with it.

Exercise- swam laps for 40 minutes...this really wore me out today because I tried to increase my pace and really push myself.

[calena]

Congrats on fitting into the capris! That is such a motivator. Keep it up!!!! I wore a pair yesterday that were a bit tighter than I would like so they will be my measure for the next while! ;) I do feel bad about the swimsuit though because I go for the trampy look :rolleyes: Then again, I am older than you and we 40-year-olds need all the help we can get! I'm glad you are doing so well.
I started South Beach today. You should look at the book sometime and read the info - it makes sense to me. I always thought Atkins sounded too bizarre, but South Beach makes sense, so I started. I'll keep ya posted on my progress

[pearlieq]

Congrats on making it into the capris on on the 16 bathing suit! That must feel so awesome!

Hope you have a great day. Green bean onion stirfry sounds awesome! Care to share the recipe?

[rcyannacci]

calena- I'd love to hear your thoughts/progress on the South Beach...keep me updated. I think I'm about ready to give it a go myself. BTW- the swimsuit was really nice, I just didn't have the guts yet to do it! As proud as I am of what I've accomplished so far, I'm still super self conscious about my body.

Here's the recipe, pearlieq:

Sauteed Onion and Green bean stirfry (our own recipe, trying to simulate what we had at O'hana's

1 lb or so Fresh green beans, snap off stems but keep long
1 large red onion
1 T olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
a few shakes of terriaki sauce for flavor

Heat a pot of water to boiling, then throw in the beans. Cook in boiling water 5 minutes. While the water is heating up, chop the onion into long strips (I half the onion then cut strips along the grain) and throw into a skillet with the oil. Saute slowly with seasonings so the onions carmelize.

After 5 minutes on the beans, strain out the water and cool quickly with a rinse. Then, toss beans in to onions (beans can still be wet because the water will help loosen the seasonings from the pan and coat the beans w/ flavor.

Very simple, very quick, very tasty!

[pearlieq]

That sounds heavenly! Thanks for sharing it!!!

[rcyannacci]

Thursday:
B- bowl of multigrain Cherrios (no milk) and a no-fat iced coffee
L- 1 1/2 ww pita pockets w/ hummus, carrot, and apple, handful of chips and salsa
S- 2 baby carrots
D- out with friends, Tex-mex place (whatelse, it's Austin!) Way too many chips w/ salsa before the meal came probably because I had a margarita and it was STRONG! I told myself I could have a drink tonight as a treat. Dinner was chicken fahitas- grilled chicken, onions, and peppers, 2 flour tortillas, and some cheese, sour cream (I limited here) and quacamole.
S- We went out to what is called "1st Thursday on Congress" in Austin, kind of a monthly street festival, and I had 1 chocolate chip cookie w/ mini m&ms sprinkled on top.

Exercise- Curves 40 min., abs and legs 10 min.

Writing- took some reading notes from a source I'd been ignoring and got some great information. Still working my way into this chapter. Goal for today: Library, sources on cultural geography of New York modern artists. Goal for Monday: 3 pages to show to writing group.

[rcyannacci]

Friday-
B- multigrain cherrios and no-fat iced coffee
L- baby carrots and hummus, an apple
S- rest of the cherrios I didn't finish for lunch, and a handful of chips and salsa while making dinner...starving!
D- pork loin and rice, left-over green beans and onions, and a salad w/ lite honey mustard (Newman's Own dressing...really, really good).

No exercise today...I was at the library until 7:00.

Writing- did great today! Had a very productive research trip. Will spend part of today reading some of the xerox copies from sources I pulled.

[rcyannacci]

Saturday-
B- oops...forgot to eat
S- handful of cherrios
L- 2 small grilled hamburgers and a pickle
S- some mini-M&M's
D- chicken fajitas w/ onions and poblano peppers, 1 flour tortilla, fresh guacamole and some tortilla chips.

Exercise- Curves 30 minutes, evening walk with dogs 30 minutes

[septbride2002]

OH! Your dinner is making my tummy grumble!
~Amanda

[rcyannacci]

Sunday-
B- multigrain cherrios
L- tortilla chips and left-over guacamole (I so could have made a better choice here, but I was really craving this)
S- didn't eat enough of a substantial lunch, got cranky, and stoped for a Sonic burger while out on errands...that will teach me to ignore protein!
D- salad w/ lettuce, spinach, apple, walnuts and a lite rasp. vinegrette, side of green beans, and baked plantain chips (I wanted these to be sweeter, but they were still pretty good).
S- chips and melted cheese...I soooooo didn't need this but...

...I was super cranky because my back was killing me...I did something at Curves yesterday, I think, and strained a muscle between my shoulder blades. I must have really pulled it because it hurts to inhale too deeply. It still hurts this morning, so I'll see what it feels like this afternoon before I decide if I'm going back to Curves today.

Sun. Exercise: 40 minutes swimming laps (even though my back was starting to feel tight, I thought the swimming would help stretch it out a bit...it felt fine in the pool, but worse later :().

Writing goals: I have a meeting at school today about the new class I'll be teaching in the fall to incoming freshman, then to my writing group meeting. Hopefully I'll still have time to hit the library and take notes on the last book I found Friday. Didn't get too much work done this weekend, although I did read a book and review for this class meeting.

[joelyfaithsmommy]

Keep working, keep moving, keep going...

SONIC....ewe..........YUCK...I really dislike that place....my dh LOVES IT....LOL...

hope your back is feeling better very soon....I HATE to have back aches...whether pulled muscle or sore, or whatever...it's a real bummer...but CHEER UP, it can't be that way forever...it will get better and you'll be ROCKIN' in no time at all!

HAVE A SUPER DAY!!! :flower:

HUGS,
Jen

[calena]

I love guacamole! One of my weaknesses, but actually the fat in avocado is healthier than fat in dairy (sour cream) so... ;)
Hope the back feels better. I am pretty tense in my shoulders today. Plan on going on a nice swim this afternoon too. I love the water and find it relaxes me. :flower:
Have a great day!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks everyone for stopping by :). I also love guacamole, and you just can't beat the fresh stuff. It was chock full of tomatos, onions, and peppers, so it tasted great. Even though the fat content is high, it's fresh, whole food. I majorly have to lay off the tortilla chips, however!!!

[septbride2002]

Hey girl I had the same thing happen to me at Curves a few weeks ago. It only took about a week to heal. I skipped two machines the one where you pull back and forward with your arms and the Ab machine where you roll forward with your arms to the floor and then pull up. I did leg kicks or something else instead. Take care of those pulled muscles!

I *LOVE* Quacamole - I just wish I could find something else to eat it with besides chips! Now I think I'll have to make a small batch - yummy!

~Amanda

[pearlieq]

I hope your back feels better soon! Take care of yourself.

Somehow I don't think I'm the only one who reads your journal looking for dinner ideas :teeth: . You seem to find the most wonderful recipies and they all sound so darn good!

Have a great day!!!

[calena]

I read on the South Beach thread how avocado is good for fighting bloat. You just have to watch the chips. I am thinking of doing a mexican night without the tortillas and chips... will see if it flies! Fajitas without tortillas!
Hope the back gets better. Swimming should be good for it.

[rcyannacci]

Hey guys- I'm going to take a break for a day or two. My back is really killing me, and my food choices have been horrific because I'm positively wallowing in a deluge of self pity.

I did go out and buy the South Beach book, and everything I'm reading seems spot on. I hope to start this by the weekend.

I might skip Curves for another day or two, and then steer clear of those machines like you did Amanda. At least for a week or so.

BTW- guacamole with grilled chicken is really good. It's also good with baby carrots, like hummus...are carrots allowed in phase 1? Guess I should keep reading...

[rcyannacci]

OK, I'm back. My back is on the mend, and I was back on track with my eating yesterday. I also weighed in at Curves yesterday, and I didn't gain anything. Still hovering between 208-209. But it's time to push toward 199!

Thursday:
B- english muffin, peanut butter and strawberries
S- banana
L- ceasar salad w/ grilled chicken
S- string cheese stick
D- take-out BBQ (OK this wasn't great, but it could have been a lot worse) 1/2 a smoked Chicken breast and 1/2 a sausage link, cole slaw, and potato salad.
S- a skinny cow ice-cream sandwich (made w/ Splenda)

Exercise- Curves 30 minutes (I'm starting slowly to take care of my back). Today, I'm not sure what to do...maybe swimming, but again I don't want to strain anything on the mend.

Writing: spent a few hours reading yesterday at the library. I'm on a good track. And- congratulations to me- my research was accepted at a conference this fall in Toronto. It is one of the most competitive conferences in my field, so I'm pretty excited! :)

[goldcupmom]

Congrats on the paper! Hard work does pay off!!

Glad your back is on the mend.

You can do this, just remember to take one day at a time and breaks are OK as long as you pull yourself back up and start over. You are NOT a quitter(just a LOSER!!! :earboy2: )

[calena]

YEAH South Beach.... I am behind you - or in front of you if you like - on this one! It makes sense when we look at our cravings. Just remember as you start out... you are changing your blood chemistry for the better! That is what I told myself today when we ordered lunch at work. I ordered a ceaser salad with grilled shrimp - YUM and it came with garlic bread. I love garlic bread, but I ignored it and pushed aside all my crutons and ate my jummy salad with shrimp. So, no bread.... as the book says, not only are we doing better on the outside (weight loss) but we are also doing better on the inside with our blood chemistry. At the South Beach site they have great success stories - I think I have read them each about five times for inspiration! I also have my bag of unsalted almonds in my desk for snacks, so make sure you have South Beach food on hand when you start on this.
YOU CAN DO THIS. I think you will be in onederland in no time with South Beach. When you get discouraged or feeling you need to change just pick up the book and read it again... it makes so much sense. GOOOD GOOD LUCK!!!!!! :cool1: :cool1:
Take it easy and keep in touch!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks Julie for stopping by- yes, I'm back on track now. I'm so glad I've adjusted my attitude this time...it's not a diet. I'm changing the way I eat and live my life.

calena- well, day 1 for me here on the South Beach!!! I was a little nervous last night, but then I just reminded myself, "it's just food, christin!" I'm sitting here now eating 2 veggie to-go quiches (from the SB book) and they are excellent!!! What a nice change from my usual english muffin! I think I'm really going to miss fruit the next 2 weeks, especially as a snack mid-morning/afternoon- that always gave me a charge to keep going w/ my work...but we'll see how it goes.

Friday (last day before SB...getting the carbs in! ;))
B- english muffin, peanut butter, and strawberries
L- carrots and hummus, a ww tortilla w/ cheese and ham
S- a peach (yummy!)
2nd S- a skinny cow ice cream sandwich
D- DH made a yummy beef brioche (thinly sliced beef rolled around a bread stuffing and cooked in tomato sauce...I might try this with a spinach stuffing for the SB), serving of asparagus, and a salad w/ lite honey mustard dressing.
S- the last hurrah! Popcorn while watching a movie!

Exercise- Curves 40 minutes, 5 min leg work, later that night 5 min abs.

Writing- spent 3 1/2 hours in library taking copious notes on my next chapter, and confirmed my paper at the conference (Yippie!).

Plan for today- I know I need to plan ahead to make this work for 2 weeks. Here's my obstacle today...a potluck at my friend Jessica's house. Not sure what I'll bring yet, but I might clear out some stuff from my fridge/pantry that I can't eat for a while. Course, not sure what I'll eat...maybe I'll bring a veggie plate w/ dips and just avoid the carrots. Dinner tonight is chicken and veggies.

[rcyannacci]

OK- I just got back from Curves. I got measured today, and I think the lady was drunk or something because since my last measurement, I've lost 3 lbs and moved down one whole size...yet she says I've gained 3 inches in my abdomen! No way! I'm so irritated! I know it's such a silly thing, but at my curves they have an inch-worm on the wall; each of us has a circle and when we lose 12 inches we get a foot. They recorded me at a 11.75 inch loss... I missed my foot by only .25 inch :(. How crazy is it that I'm upset over this!!!

Oh well, I'll get the foot next month (and then kick the measurement lady with it ;))!

[rcyannacci]

Saturday- SB day 1

B- 2 veggie quiche cups (yummy!) and an iced coffee
S- string cheese stick
L- salad w/ shredded chicken, egg white, and celery w/ balsamic dressing
S- 1 deviled egg (from party) and almonds
D- Balsamic Chicken and Broiled tomatos w/ pesto (fresh basil from my plants!) Both of these recipes were from the south beach book and both were yummy!
S- mocha ricotta creme (also from SB book)

Exercise- Curves 40 min. in morning, swimming 30 min. in evening (just had some extra energy to spare!)

[calena]

Christin... stick to the beach. The first few days made me lightheaded, but I just tried to take it easy on my exercise and even took a nap one day. Energy levels are back - except for the humidity. Buy lowfat cheese sticks or squares to have on hand and unsalted plain almonds. They work great for me. I count out 15 almonds at snack time and feel so proud. Also drink lots of water to flush out the body. The temptation is out there but the rewards are too.... this does work. I am behind you. A fellow carb addict understands!!!! :sunny:
P.S. The foot will be there in no time!

[pearlieq]

Sounds like you're bouncing back pretty well from your injury--congrats to you for getting back into your workout routine!

That is crazy about your measurements at Curves--that foot is yours, though!

I hope you're feeling better today and that SB works well for you. The veggie quiche cups sound great! I also hope the potluck worked out well for you. I love bringing food to parties because I can use up things I have in my pantry but shouldn't be eating!

Have a wonderful day!!!

[rcyannacci]

So, I got through my first day on South Beach, and I ate really good food! I just kept eating the foods they suggest at all the intervals, and I was never hungry.

The party was good. I ate the salad before I went so I'd be full, but they immediately cut open the banana bread I brought because it was still hot...I put a piece about as big as a thumbnail in my mouth just to make sure it tasted OK (I had the urge to eat a slice, but stopped myself). The deviled eggs I brought went pretty fast too- I only had 1. So success all around.

I know it was silly to get upset over a little construction paper foot, but it's nice to make those milestones and see your progress. I'll get it next time.

Sunday SB day 2:
B- veggie quiches and iced coffee
S- some of the leftover mocha creme that I didn't finish last night
L- two shredded chicken and guacamole lettuce wraps and some chick pea salad.
S- celery w/ cheese, a handful of cashews, and a small serving of the chick peas salad...I was really hungry and knew I wasn't going to eat dinner until late...and I figured it was better to eat good stuff than to get sucked into the cravings I was starting to have.
D- went to the Tokyo Steakhouse with a friend and had a cup of miso soup, a small garden salad, grilled chicken and veggies in a ginger sauce. So yummy!!!
S- 1/2 a serving of the mocha ricotta cream.

Exercise- swam laps 40 minutes.

[calena]

I am glad you are doing so well on South Beach. Keep it up! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Heading into day 3 of SB and want to make sure I have a plan today. Breakfast is taken care of...bringing lunch to the library (I have leftover salad and the makings for a lettuce wrap) along with some nuts to snack on. Need to take london broil out of freezer for dinner. Curves this afternoon after my writing group.

[pearlieq]

Glad to hear your party went well!

Sounds like you've got a nice day planned today! Hope it's great!

[rcyannacci]

Monday- SB day 3
B- veggie quiches
S- rest of leftover mocha creme (this is really great in the am with iced coffee)
S- 2 lettuce wraps w/ shredded chicken and a triangle of laughing cow cheese
S- chickpea salad
S- cashews
(I was writing today, so I just broke up all my food into snacks instead of doing one big lunch. Worked pretty well.)
D- london broil, a salad w/ balsamic, and "surprise" mashed potatoes (really califlower...not too bad...I probably added more butter than I should have, but I haven't eaten califlower in a while and was scared it wouldn't taste good.)
S- 1/2 serving of mocha creme.

Exercise- Curves 40 min, 10 min. on abs and legs
(I weighed in at Curves and I've lost 1 pound in 3 days of SB)

Irritating day yesterday! My writing group was worthless; their comments on my work were silly at best, self-serving at worst and perfectly unhelpful. I spent the next hour brooding about it, thought about how easy it would be to order a pizza for dinner, but then decided to get my frustration out by going to Curves.

plan for today- quick grocery trip to restock on some item, and a look through the SB book to get a good idea for dinner. swim laps in afternoon.

[rcyannacci]

Tuesday- SB day 4
B- same
S- left-over serving of mocha creme and iced coffee
L- shredded chicken lettuce wraps w/ laughing cow cheese
S- cashews
S- celery w/ laughing cow cheese
D- salmon w/ cucumber-dill sauce, left-over califlower, some snap peas (I'm not sure if these had too much sugar...seems like a cross between snow peas and green peas?) and a salad.
S- little more mocha creme (starting to lose it's magic...)
S- Starving at 9:00, so I had a string cheese stick. I guess I didn't eat as much as dinner as I should have (DH loved the salmon, but I only thought it was so-so). Anyway, I had major sugar/chocolate cravings.

Exercise- swam laps 40 minutes

I finally really felt like I was on a diet today and I was majorly depressed at the thought of all the foods I was giving up. I got through, and I'm doing OK today, so maybe this will pass. I'm also irritated at a few of my friends right now and struggling with some of my writing, so I'm sure that's adding to the situation. And, workouts have been harder because I think my body is readjusting to this new diet. I'll weigh in today at Curves and see if I can find some motivation there.

[goldcupmom]

Curves instead of Pizza was SO AWESOME!!! You did GREAT avoiding the stress/food connection!

Hope the writing gets better. Just be patient with yourself. You CAN do this, ALL of this!

Glad SB is going well!

Hang in there!

[Desiree]

Sorry you had an off kilter day. This too shall pass, as they say. Try not to think of it as all the food your giving up but all the right choices you are making. Hope today is better for you!

Have a healthy and happy day!

[rcyannacci]

Thanks Julie and Desiree for stopping by- your comments are really helpful. Sometimes I forget to take account of all the little stuff.

I think my mood is coming around today. I still think finishing out Phase 1 of the South Beach will be difficult, but I really want to try and finish what I started with the program. I'm also worried about transitioning to phase 2 the same week I'm headed to a conference in D.C. It's always harder to eat healthy in airports, restaurants, hotel coffee shops, etc.

I guess my main concern is that I don't want to get too militant about what I'm eating. There have been many periods in my life when I've had an unhealthy relationship with food. I felt like with my first few months here eating primarily whole, non-processed foods, I was starting to really enjoy food again, in a healthy way. I had told myself that I wasn't going to go on a diet, but change my lifestyle.

But, suddenly SB is feeling like a diet. And yesterday when I went to a restaurant w/ friends, I almost flipped out because I couldn't find anything on the menu that stuck to phase one...the chicken salad had peas...the spinach salad had carrots and honey-mustard dressing...finally, I just had to say to myself "Christin, it's just food, not weapons of mass destruction!" So I had the spinach salad, pushed the carrots to the side, and just tried to be light on the dressing. But I was pretty unhappy eating it, and it didn't help that my friends were eating french fries. Anyway, bottom line, I just want to make sure I don't get too obsessive about food again, so I'll cross that bridge if I come to it.

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday- SB day 5
B- veggie quiches
S- cashews and celery and laughing cow cheese
L- Spinach salad w/ mushrooms, tomato, egg, and a warm bacon dressing (probably too much sugar in this, but it was the best SB thing on the menu. Maybe next time I'll ask for a different dressing.)
S- almonds
D- hamburger (no bun) w/ grilled onions, and a broiled tomato w/ pesto
S- 1/2 a serving mocha creme

Exercise: Curves 40 min, abs 5 min.
Weighed in again today, and was down 1 more pound. That's 2 lbs for 5 days on the SB. Hopefully continued results like this will keep me motivated to finish phase 1.

[calena]

Christin - I feel we are so on this path together because I too did not want to go on a diet!!!!! And I encouraged you to go on South Beach. If you look back on my early days in the journal I did not want to do diet, I wanted to do a healthy eating plan, but when you read South Beach it makes sense if you are carb sensitive like I think I am. Don't think of it as a diet... think of it as an eating plan. It is not low carb, it is good carb. "I am concentrating on eating food that is right for me." If we were diabetics people would not look at us weird for our food choices, but we aren't... we are so fortunate with so many choices. The two week induction period is tough, but the choices will open up so much more in Phase 2. HANG IN THERE! I have been out a couple of times and just order a greek salad and enjoy every bite - all allowed on Phase 1. Then just have a decaff cappuccino for dessert... and don't worry about the bit of whole milk.
I am behind you. I know what you mean about not being militant about our food, but if there is food which is affecting us in a bad way and we have weight issues, then we need to cut it out of our lives. Thin people do this all the time... they don't eat every candy bar in sight or have fries all days.
Anyway - I'm rambling and this is your journal. I just want to encourage you. It is worth it. I am proof. Take it easy with exercise... don't push too hard. I found I could not keep up my walk/jog pace my first week and that was ok. One step at a time. Just do exercise but listen to your body.
TAKE CARE. :)

[rcyannacci]

Calena- thank you for taking the time to say all of that...very nice. I know, it's good to have someone to check in with whose on the same program.

I made it through yesterday w/o deviating from the plan. I was still feeling sorry for myself, mainly because I found out that the sinus infection I thought I'd gotten ride of last month is back and the cause of some pain in my teeth (but thank goodness it's not dental. After my radiation, my doctor told me that I might develop some cavities because the treatment would weaken my teeth, so I've had to be really careful and do regular check-ups. I guess going back to the dentist now makes me remember all that stuff I went through last year.

OK- I'm rambling, but my main point was that after a stinky day, I still managed to stay on the plan. I'm pretty confident at this point that I'll make it to day 14 (but I'm still a little worried about sticking to the plan while in DC at my conference...I'll cross that bridge next week.)

Thursday- SB day 6
B- veggie quiches (made new ones today with broccoli...but I think I like the spinach ones better)
L- 1 large lettuce wrap with chicken and guacamole (avacados were too rips...no good) and a string cheese stick
S- cashews
D- sauted shrimp in a lite butter, garlic, and cheddar sauce (very good...didn't have a recipe but just did it on instinct w/ fabulous results. It reminded DH of something they served at our wedding) green beans, and a spinach salad w/ ceasar dressing
S- 1 lowfat, no sugar added fudge pop and a T of peanut butter (OMG! Thank you Amanda for posting this in your journal. This was amazing!!! This literally might be the one thing that will take me to day 14!)

Exercise- swam laps 40 minutes
(I think I need to take a break today...I'm exhausted)

Writing- 4 hours at library editing my conference presentation. Hopefully I'll finish the first draft today.

[pearlieq]

"Christin, it's just food, not weapons of mass destruction!"

That says it all! Wouldn't life be so nice if we could just keep that in mind all the time!

I am so impressed with your determination--you're doing so well! Keep up the great work and have a great weekend!

[rcyannacci]

Friday- SB day 7
B- veggie quiche
L- black beans and chicken over lettuce
S- sugar-free fudge pop w/ peanut butter
S- string cheese stick, and a handful of cashews
D- Balsamic chicken w/ grilled onions, 1/2 broiled tomato w/ pesto (leftovers), and a small serving of greens.

Exercise- Curves 30 min, abs and legs 10 min
(I was going to skip today, but I was writing all day and needed to get out of the house)

Writing- finished all by my conclusion for my first draft conference paper.

I'll try to write the conclusion today, but I also want to spend some time with my DH since he has the day off. It was a good day; I think I'm past all those cravings I was having on days 4-5-6. Now, if this sinus infection (that came back from last month) would go away, I'd be styled.

We're going to see Batman tonight. Unfortunately, it's at this place called the Alamo Draft House. Really cool place- they serve real food and beer (instead of just popcorn) on little tables in front of your chairs. Problem is that it's mostly bar food, and I'm not sure yet how I'll stick to the South Beach there. I think I'll try to eat something substantial before we go, and then stick to a cappacino at the movie.

[Lesli54]

Hi there! :wave2:

Just getting caught up on your journal. Congrats on the paper, that is a wonderful accomplishment. :cool1:

I was beginning to think that you and I are both stuck at 209 (I think my scale is broke), but then I see you have lost a few more lbs recently with SB. Good for you. I am not sure that I could do a plan that felt like a diet with limited choices either, but I am glad to see that you are going to stick it out to the end. Maybe it will work for you and maybe it will be just what you need to get off the plateau. Loved the quote about food and weapons of mass destruction. :rotfl2: A couple of times at WDW, I had to remind myself that it was just food and I controlled how much of it to eat.

All in all, it sounds like you are doing well with your weight loss journey AND your summer writing. Keep up the good work. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[jay-nee]

Just wanted to stop by to say "HI!" Sounds like things are going ok. From what I've read SB should get better and it's a pretty good plan. Your body (and mind) will adjust. You have come so far already...sometimes it helps to just re-read early parts of your journal. I try to do that when I'm off plan a bit.

Keep up the great work. So glad that Curves is going well too. Sounds like a good program.

Have fun and enjoy that TX sunshine! It's been drizzling here for 5 days straight now - enough already! I want to be out laying in the sun and watching the kids in the pool! Come on summer! BTW, last weekend it was 90 degrees here Fri, Sat, and Sun and very, very humid. It felt like living in the SE - somewhere in between would be nice! :teeth:

Happy Saturday! :flower:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks Leslie and Jaynee for stopping by :)

I did really well yesterday! Even at the Alama draft house...it was really tempting to go off SB for an evening, and I was eyeing an artichoke pizza...but then I decided that I would be too upset with myself later and it wouldn't be worth it. So I ordered a salad...which was really good, but also really hard to eat in the dark ;)

B- veggie quiche
S- celery and laughing cow cheese
L- rotisserie chicken and a salad
S- sugarfree fudgicle w/ peanut butter
D- salad with grilled chicken and buffalo seasoning, celery and blue cheese dressing.
S- cappacino

Exercise- took the day off (exhausted)
Writing- finished my conclusion then spent the day with DH, mainly rested. Goal for today- 1st edit and then start practicing presentation. I'd like to have this paper preped and out of the way so I can go back to my chapter next week and have something substantial started before I leave town for the conference.

[Lesli54]

Looks like you had a great day yesterday. Good job at realizing how you would feel about going off plan BEFORE you made that choice. That is real progress.

I never did ask, what is your career goals? Are you studying to be a professor or something else. I love to write and read. Maybe when some of the kids are gone it will be easier to find some time to do that. Sounds like journaling your writing plans is working out well for you.

BTW, my scale isn't broke no more. ;)

Have a great day. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[calena]

Glad you are sticking with the program. I kept telling myself if I cheated in Phase 1 I would have to go back to day one and then the 14 days would be even longer! ;) Have you weighed again?

[pearlieq]

You are doing so well! I'm so proud of you! Great job sticking with it.

The Draft House sounds really nice--we have something similar here and I can't wait to try it.

Hope you have a great day today! :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Yes, I'm studying to be a theatre professor. I'm getting my degree in performance and cultural history; I've finished all of my course work, and am now working on finishing up the dissertation (the book length monstrocity they make you write so you can "prove" you're worthy for the profession ;)). While I have learned to love writing, I really went into this to become a teacher...that's what I'm really good at. My dad's a prof. of Am. History, so at least I come by it honestly. I'm already doing some adjunct teaching at one of the local university's here (the pay is scandelous), so I should be in good shape for the job market this coming year. I just hope I can find a school on the East, closer to DH's and my family. And WDW!

Actually, some of my research overlaps WDW imagineering. My dissertation is on early twentieth c. stage designers, one of which designed attractions at the 1939 World's Fair, where Disney got many of his ideas for later theme park attractions.

Sunday- SB day 9
B- veggie quiche (OK- these are getting old, need something different soon)
S- sugar free fudgicle w/ peanut butter
oops, I was writing and forgot to eat lunch
S- some cashews (before I went swimming so I'd have enough energy)
S- string cheese stick (after swimming)
D- hamburger no bun w/ grilled onions, black-eye peas and green beans
S- sugar free fudgicle w/ peanut butter (I justified this second treat since I missed lunch)

Exercise- swam laps 40 minutes
Writing- edited my first draft of conference presentation

Goals for today:
- Curves and weigh in
- Finish conference presentation (practice out-loud, and print final copy)
- Re-assemble chapter information, re-assess weekly schedule, and write a 1 page start
- Vacuum!!! (the dogs are shedding like crazy! Another symptom of the TX heat...)

[rcyannacci]

Glad you are sticking with the program. I kept telling myself if I cheated in Phase 1 I would have to go back to day one and then the 14 days would be even longer! ;) Have you weighed again?

I weigh in later today. My friend who lost a lot on SB last year said not to be discouraged if I don't lose the 8-12 listed by the book, so I'm trying to stay realistic about whatever the scale says. I KNOW I'm feeling better. Days 4-5-6 were rough, but I'm a lot better now and not so panicy about being hungry. My biggest challenge is keeping the right food in the house. DH has been packing all my good food for his lunches...which is awesome because I've been encouraging him to eat better too...but I think I'm going to have to go out for lunch today (can't skip it again!)

I really am feeling tons more confident, and I think it shows in the way I carry myself. I just tried on my conference clothes to see what fit/looked good (I don't really have the $$$ for new professional clothes right now)...the dresses are nice and loose, but not too baggy. Luckily, I'll be fine with what I have, and look a lot better in it than I did last summer. :sunny:

[Lesli54]

Keep up the good work. Doesn't it feel good to look better in the old clothes? It sure does make the clothing feel new again.

I always said that if I were to teach, I would be a professor. There is no way, I would teach HS in this day and age and I think the younger grades would get to me after awhile. I love working with younger kids (that's why I do GS), but it's better in smaller groups.

Good luck on getting that dissertation done. My dad is still working on his and plans to graduate in May. He's a lifer when it comes to education. So am I, but I am taking a break.

Hope the weigh in goes well. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Dang it, dang it, DANG IT! I hate weigh ins! 10 days on the South Beach and I'm down only 2.5 pounds. For those of you counting at home, that's exactly .5 lbs in 5 days.

Why do I do this to myself? I set these expectations that I have no control over...so even though I may have eaten precisely according to the plan, I decide to measure my success over pounds lost....and then get disapointed. This stinks. Not only that, but I'm exercising 6 times a week! What the heck is wrong with my body?

OK, I'm going to go now and eat my stinkin' low carb dinner because I don't know what else to do.

[Lesli54]

I think we all tend to do that even though we try not to. It has been drilled into our heads that WEIGHT is important, so that is the most convenient measure we know, even though there are many others of which we should measure success by.

Take it one day at a time. Stick with your plan a little longer and see what happens. Maybe in another couple of weeks, you will have to reevaluate again to see if this is the best solution for you.

I think this whole journey is trial and error. At least getting to the point where we began was "try all" and we know we aren't going there again. ;)

Keep up the good work, you will get there. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[goldcupmom]

Christin - I SO feel your frustration!

My body just wants to hold on to weight and then suddenly one day it will say ' Ok, you win. Lose a few." and then a while later we will play the game again.

Don't give up. If you just keep on trying, something will eventually happen!

[rcyannacci]

OK- I'm back after my tantrum. I'm still irritated and trying to figure out what the next step is.

Monday- SB day 10
B- 1 veggie quiche
L- (didn't eat until 3:00) lettuce wraps w/ chicken
S- almonds
D- lean pork cutlets, creamed spinach, and a ceasar salad.

Exercise- curves 40 minutes, 5 minutes on abs

Writing- edited some, but mainly got frustrated and wasted time online

Bottom line is, I can't let a diet derail me from what I need to get done this summer. I've almost literally been having panic attacks about food for the last two days and it feels really wrong. I've been dreading every meal and worrying about what I'll do when I get hungry. Dinners are fine, but trying to figure out breakfast and lunch with my writing schedule is just killing me. And now I'm starting to skip meals.

The last time I tried a diet plan was the summer after my freshman year of college. I did slim fast and ate only shakes and a dinner for a full month. I lost 20 lbs, looked great once I got back to college, but then couldn't keep food down for a while. It was just so unhealthy, and I feel like this was the start of many of my problems with food. And, I just can't go down this road again.

So, I'm still going to try to make it through to day 14 on the South Beach phase 1. But if I have another day like I had yesterday and today, I'm going to skip straight to phase 2. I've been playing this like a game with hard and fast rules, and I have to remember that it's my body and I get to make the decisions. It may just take me 2 years to take off what I want to take off. It took more than 2 years for it to get there, so I guess that makes sense.

[Desiree]

I can feel your frustration. I know this is not really words of comfort right now, but the pounds will start falling. I promise. You shouldn't deprive yourself. You know what is good for your body and what isn't. Moderation and exercise really are the keys! :goodvibes Good vibes to you. We all seem to be struggling here on Wish lately. :grouphug:

[calena]

Christin -- I'm sorry you haven't lost what you wanted to yet on SB. Wait until the 14 days for the "official" weigh in. Also, you are down 2.5 lbs and your clothes for the conference fit better than last summer. Take each victory as they come. Talk to your friend who told you not to expect too much in the first phase, and find out how SB worked for her. DONT STARVE YOURSELF!!!! That will only make things worse. We all "know" that but it is easy to forget. I always like reading the success stories in the South Beach book and also on the "official" website. Even reading the old posts on the South Beach thread on Wish helps. We all struggle, but there is a payoff. In your early posts you talk about being a carb/sugar addict, so this should work... it is just getting the body used to it! Thinkin of ya, Wish sis.

[goldcupmom]

One day at a time. Boy, I understand the 'food' panic attacks, too. You're right, it is YOUR body and you control what you put into it. Take your time in losing. Life happens and derails us, but the important thing is that we come back and pick up the pieces and move on again. Try to look at the overall picture, even tho it is hard. I'm now to the point that I'm just trying to weigh less than I did a year ago, even it its' just a pound, it's still a pound!

Hang in there! I'm thinkin' about you bunches!! :grouphug:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words. They are really appreciated.

Tues- SB day 12
B- string cheese stick
S- celery with laughing cow cheese
L- skipped
S- a few almonds
D- tortilla soup from Posado's (ordered w/ tortillas on the side, so I added just a few) and a ceasar salad.

Exercise- speed walk with dogs in the park (nice change of pace, and I felt really powerful!)

Writing- I pulled together all of the images I will need for my presentation, and built my power point and some handouts.

Yesterday was the breaking point for me. Emotionally I had just gotten to the point where I didn't want to eat any food because I didn't trust if I was hungry or not. It reminded me of too many days in college when I flirted with an eating disorder. So I made myself eat a tortilla, and I felt 10 times better mentally. And, today I feel great. Still powerful, but not so afraid of food.

Writing for today- getting back into my chapter...review my outline, and start some paragraph notes. I would like to leave for DC on Sat with 3-4 pages, so I can return to a solid starting point.

[rcyannacci]

Wednesday- SB day 13
B- last of the veggie quiche
L- shredded chicken and blackbeans w/ salsa and a tortilla (leftover from last night)
D- went out with DH and had a great dinner! Grilled red snapper, sauteed green beans and mushrooms, and cole slaw.
S- sugar free fudgicle w/ peanut butter

Exercise- Curves 40 min, abs 5 min.

Writing- 2 hours concentrated work on chapter

Writing for today- after meeting my friends for breakfast (not sure what I'll eat), I'll head for my library study and try to work out my introductory idea into a couple of pages.

Have to start doing laundry so I can pack on Fri. for D.C.

[calena]

I am sorry things have been such a struggle. No, you don't want to flirt with an eating disorder. You have a lot of stress going on right now with the upcoming trip and trying to stick to South Beach. I feel for ya Wish sis. Be good to yourself. Do what is right for YOU. Progress is slow, I know, but I think in the long run this "good carb" way of eating is worth it. Or, at least it is for me, and it seems to have worked for others. You know your body and what you can handle. You are in my thoughts!

[septbride2002]

Hey Sweetie! I'm sorry I've been neglecting your journal and then to come to find you so frustrated. I totally understand where you are coming from with the food panic. I went through that earlier this year where I was almost obsessed by food. I started to worry about a possible eating disorder so I made myself go off the diet and just ate what I wanted to for a month or so. You have a lot on your plate right now. I can't imagine the stress you must be under. Remember to take mental breaks and do some deep breathing to help releave your stress.

It sounds to me as if you are a slow loser (as in losing weight loss and not in the being a loser sense ;) ). It is frustrating to be so, I am one too. Perhaps take the exercise down to 5 days a week and see if that makes a difference. Sometimes we need to take something away in order to achieve our goals. You are maintaining a high stress, high workout lifestyle right now. So your body may be holding on to every energy source that comes it way.

~Amanda

[Lesli54]

Sorry to hear that things haven't been so good lately. :grouphug: Try not to stress yourself too much. Personally, I think if the mental thoughts of previous problems with food don't go away soon, then you might want to reconsider this food strategy and find something else that will work for you and that you feel more comfortable with. I am not saying to quit and I know SB works for some, but no matter what program a person is trying you have to be able to deal with it emotionally.

Ask yourself what is your ultimate goal? Is it to lose weight quickly? Is it to lose a lot no matter what and not really change things? Is it to become fit? Is it to eventually build a lifestyle of health that can be maintained later? The list goes on.

Bottom line, you have to do what is best for you, what you are comfortable with and what will get you to your goal. Hang in there, you will figure this out. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[jay-nee]

Hey kiddo! You are doing so great. Really try to focus on how far you've come already. This is a life journey, not a race. Everyone here is trying to become healthier and you are too. Already you have done so much to achieve that in your life.

The scale can be an evil force in our lives. Re-read your post about fitting nicely in your clothes - what an achievement! Honestly, this is hard. We spend our whole lives being messed up with food, but we don't think about it until we try to change those thoughts and feelings. The scale is just a number. What you have gained that is far more valueable; confidence, knowledge, and a heathier body and mind. The numbers will come, but don't dwell on them.

Enjoy your journey... It could last a lifetime (a longer one than it may have been... ;) ).

Happy Friday Christin! :sunny: :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

Thanks everyone for taking time to make these comments. They are really helpful...I've been re-reading them for a couple of minute because their so smart and really put things into perspective.

I think South Beach is a great plan, and I've learned a lot about good carbs/good fat, but I think I gave up my ability to do a restrictive diet after the Slim Fast fiasco. I'm going to take what I've learned and incorporate it into a new eating plan that's not so restrictive. I'll lose slower and figure out a way to be OK with that, but I have to get rid of these food panics. I'm looking to start a family in a couple of years, and I am NOT going to pass on my anxieties about food to my kids.

What is my ultimate goal? Great question, since I've veered away from my original goal. Or, more likely, I partially achieved it and haven't gone back to reassess my situation. I started out with the goal to cut sugar and processed foods and exercise for health. I've achieve both, lost a little in the process, and here's where I changed my goals without fully admitting it to myself. Because I've now been looking in the mirror and thinking "Wow, I do look better...if I lose more, I'll look even better and eventually I'll stop wondering how people look at me." So partially vaniety (I want to look good...although by who's definition of good, I'm not sure) but mostly getting rid of that voice in my head that says people treat me different because I'm overweight. Plus, my mother is coming to TX to visit in 3 weeks and will immediately ask me how much I've lost.

Amanda- thanks for the perspective you gave me about my work and exercise schedule. I hadn't thought of it that way, and that's exactly what my body might be doing. I think I'll ease up a bit on the exercise and see what happens. I'm still going to take my running shoes w/ me to DC, and I found a Curves near my hotel, which will give me a good chance to take a break from the conference (or maybe I'll go shopping ;)).

OK, enough analysis

Thursday-
B- out with friends, had a mini cheese omlette w/ queso and 1/2 a whole wheat pancake, light on the syrup.
S- almonds
(didnt' have lunch because I was full from brunch and got into my work at the library)
D- grilled chicken strips, zucchini and onion stirfry, and a ceasar salad
S- sugar-free fudgicle w/ peanut butter

No exercise- stayed at the library until 6:00 then went home to watch season 3 of 24 on DVD...major crush on Keiffer Sutherland! Is he the cutest or what!

[Lesli54]

It sure does sound like rethinking your plan and goals has helped alot. You are much more positive today. :flower: I am really beginning to think that it is the just over 3 month marker thing. The newness has worn off, but you're not ready to give up. It's happening every where on the board. I know that I am reanalyzing my situation in order to keep the motivation going.

I admire the fact that you want to bring up children in a healthy eating environment. Getting yourself to the point where you are comfortable with food (not too comfy ;) ) and enjoying it will really help you reach that goal with the future kiddies.

As far as your mom, try not to sweat it. If she asks, don't tell her the amount of weight lost, instead tell her "Enough that I am in a size X now" Or "Enough that these clothes that fit a month ago are now baggy" Or "Enough that I have tons of energy and feel great about myself". You get the idea. Maybe that will satisfy her and yet you won't feel bad about a number.

Keep up the good work and have a great day! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[goldcupmom]

You sound much better, Christin! I'm GLAD!!!

Sounds like you are back on track, and remember whichever track you take, it's the right one for you at the moment. No right or wrong way to lose, no magic speed or time frame. ONE day at a time YOUR way will change YOUR life for the better!

Good Luck with your mom. I like Lesli's ideas.

I'll catch up with you when I get back on 7/10

[rcyannacci]

Friday-
B- 2/3's of a South Beach bar, iced coffee
L- chicken fahita salad
D- hamburger no bun w/ grilled onions, 1/2 a sweet potato, and a ceasar salad
S- sugar free fudgicle w/ peanut butter.

Wow- busy day, getting ready to leave tomorrow for DC. My paper is printed out and ready to go, and aren't all of you glad you don't have to sit though 20 minutes of: "Scenography as Cultural Image/Commercial Product: Jo Mielziner and The King and I" ;) Seriously though, I hope it goes well because it could mean a publishing opportunity for me if the right people like it.

Thanks again to everyone who's helped me through the last week. I'm feeling a lot better, and upbeat about the conference. I'm not going to try to stress too much about what I'm eating on the trip; I'll be happy for healthy choices when I encounter them.

I'm not sure if I'll have internet access while I'm there, but if I do I'll try to journal updates. Lesli's trip reports have me motivated to write a trip report of my own...but I'm not sure I could make an academic conference quite as interesting. ;)

Have a good week everybody!

[jay-nee]

at the conference. You will do great! :sunny: Can't wait to hear how it goes...

I hope there's a Curves for you nearby too. That will help with some stress relief too! (shopping might too! ;) )

Enjoy and happy Saturday! :sunny:

[calena]

Hope things go well in D.C. I know they will. Are you working on a degree in film studies or what is your area?
I am glad you are finding what works for you as far as eating and exercise go. I think the advice about cutting back on the intensity is probably a good one. I feel a bit bad if I pressured you to do South Beach! :guilty: I guess I felt it really worked for me as far as my cravings go and knowing what is good to eat or not. Just because it is working for me, does not mean it will work for you... (Of course - worked for me -- I am still a newbie, but it seems like a plan that makes sense to me where I am in my life right now.) I KNOW it is hard to do and I think I will end up doing more modified South Beach too, but for now it is working for me. I'm glad you are finding what works for YOU Christin. It is a journey and a struggle. I am in there with ya too.
So - all my support goes out to ya! Have a great time in DC and know that whenever you are making a positive choice in terms of exercise and food you are winning! :cheer2:

[rcyannacci]

Hey all- I found an open terminal at the U of Maryland library, so I can do a quick check in.

Calena- don't worry, you didn't pressure me. I'd been thinking about South Beach for a while, since my friend in NY had done so well on the program. And, I am glad I tried it. It was a great learning process for me, not just about good carbs and such but about what I need to do for myself.

I'm getting my PhD in theatre history, but my focus is on the cultural history of performance, so I do touch on some film studies. I present in an hour, so I'll try to post again tomorrow to tell you all how it went.

Saturday- travel day
B- last 1/3 of the SB meal bar I didnt' finish the day before and an orange
S- a handful of multigrain cherrios (I really missed these!)
L- a BBQ pork sandwich w/o the bun and some cole slaw at the Memphis airport.
D- a flank steak and gorgonzola salad and 2 small pieces of bread from the basket (oops!...it was hot and there was olive oil...I just caved)

Pretty good, actually, for a travel day. No exercise except walking through airports.

Sunday (so far)-
B- SB meal bar
L- a chicken salad at Applebee's (yuck!)

It's nice to be back on the East coast, even if it is as hot as Austin right now (OK maybe a little less hot, but a lot more humid). My flights yesterday were fine, I mainly read and preped my paper a bit. Once I got to Baltimore, the shuttle took me to the U of Maryland, and I checked into the dorm room I'd scheduled. I have two great roommates- a German woman named Nina and an Iranian woman named Farah. I saw one of my old profs. from Northwestern, so Farah and I met her and a man from Belfast, Ireland for dinner. Interesting dinner conversation, even though most of us were tired.

Today I've just been hanging out until my presentation, looking at the campus (beautiful), and chatting with Farah. I had no idea how little I knew about Iran!. She says that 60% of the college students are women (I had no idea) and that the arts community is thriving off government support. There are some restrictions on cultural expression, but many artists create in more abstract or symbolic expressions to work around these restrictions. I just love that I've gotten a chance to meet her; it's so hard to watch the news and get any kind of real human perspective.

OK- so it's no Leslie London trip report, but it's all I have so far ;)

More soon...

[Lesli54]

You are doing great! I really hope your paper goes well. A publishing opportunity would be a real gift for you right now.

I liked your trip report thus far. I am jealous that you are talking with so many people from around the world, especially someone from the Middle East. :goodvibes DH and I love to hear reports from that area because of his family background. One of his cousins is in Egypt now, studying Arabic. So cool. Hope she comes back for Christmas. It is hard to find out what really goes on in other countries, so take all the first hand knowledge you can get.

Sounds like your eating hasn't been too bad. Keep up the great work! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

finishing Sunday-
D- a beef burrito w/o the tortilla and some queso w/ chips
(I forgot to ask them to forget the rice and felt really full after this meal.

Monday-
B- fruit cup and iced coffee (not many breakfast options, so it was natural sugar or processed sugar in the form of muffins, etc. )
S- a SB snack bar and some coffee
L- chicken nuggets and cole slaw (no carbs, but too much fat...I forgot how hard it is to eat on a college campus.)

Well, my presentation went really well! There were a couple of cancellations, so I was 1 of two speakers during the session, meaning we had a nice discussion following my paper that gave me some excellent feedback. The best comment I got was write faster and publish soon because my research is needed in the field. Unfortunately, the editor for the journal was one of the cancellations and didn't get to hear it, but I was given a few other suggestions for journals that might be interested.

I'll attend more meetings today and tomorrow, but I think I'm going to take Wed. off to go to the National Folklife Festival on the Washington mall and see a few of the museums.

[rcyannacci]

Monday day cont.
S- small brownie (those coffee breaks at conferences are killers!)
D- a BBQ pork platter w/ steamed broccoli and a salad, 1 whole grain roll.

Tuesday-
B- yogurt and iced coffee
S- banana
L- (not until 4:00!) a sandwich w/ whole grain bread, veggies and cheese (I left the crusts off, and a small brownie and cookie w/ coffee at the break. (I literally stuffed all of this in during our 15 min. break...I was starving because I took my lunch break to go to Curves, and underestimated how long it would take to walk there.)
No dinner yet...

Exercise- 15 min power walk to Curves, 30 min on machines, and 15 minutes walk back.

[calena]

I'm glad things are going so well at the conference. The feedback on the paper sounds great. ;)

[Lesli54]

Pretty impressive! It must feel really good to know that people are interested in your work.

Have a great day! ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[jay-nee]

Wow, that is great that your presentation went so well. Good for you, you obviously put alot into this and deserve the recognition! WAHOO!! :cool1:

Too bad it is so hot out here - it has been horrid! Today is much, much better - it was 55 when I got up - raining, but I don't care! I am enjoying being cool again!

Honestly, the best part of college for me was the diversity! Here in Maine, you have to really work to find anyone who is not from New England. As much as they are nice and all, it's so interesting to learn about the different cultures and I love accents! I always try to figure them out. WDW is cool that way too. We usually go in the fall and there are usually lots of folks from Europe - we've met people from just about every country - just chatting in line or on the bus, etc. So much fun!

Well, have a great LONG weekend! And, thanks so much for taking the time to give us all an update! :goodvibes

Happy Friday! :sunny: :sunny:

[rcyannacci]

I'm back! I didn't get back to the library to post my eating, so I'll try to pick up and remember the last two days...

Tues, cont.
D- pesto pasta w/ chicken (there was a noodle place that everyone was raving about, and I just had to try it. I love noodles!!! Too many carbs, and I felt uber-full after dinner, but it was worth it. At least I got a lot of good vitimines from the basil in the pesto.

Wednesday-
B- yogurt and iced coffee
S- banana
L- chicken strips salad w/ ranch dressing
D- grilled steak sandwich on a (gulp!) white bun. I was at a mall and didn't have many choices. Even though I ended poorly, at least my calorie intake for the day was pretty low.
S- some trail mix

Exercise- lots of walking on campus and around Washington...

Thursday-
B- fruit bowl and iced coffee
L- mediterrian salad w/ grilled chicken
S- trail mix
D- piece of pizza at the airport
S- trail mix

Exercise- 15 min walk to Curves, 30 min there, 15 minutes back (this was a really good workout!)

It was a FANTASTIC conference- I met a ton of people and took a lot of notes from other people's presentations that will help me think through my research and teaching. The last day I met one of the senior scholars in the field whose research has really influenced my work. We stood in line for coffee together, I introduced myself, and eventually I got to tell him about my research. He seemed very interested, and left the conversation saying that he would look forward to reading my book once I had published it! I was so excited! I need to file that moment away in my head and bring it out whenever I get frustrated about my writing.

On Wed., after a morning at the conference, I played hooky and went into D.C. I walked around the Mall and looked at some of the Folklife Festival, although most of the tents were empty. Then, I went to the National Gallery of Art- I love this museum! I was feeling in the mood to see some American art (there's tons of European works there too), so I went to the right corner. Art museums can be so large and disorienting, I think, unless you go in with a plan of what you want to see. I didn't have much patience with the portraits, but I did spend some time with the landscapes. I spent the most time looking at some of the earlier American folk paintings...these have such a distinctively American, really New England, feel to them. Most critics would say that they were second rate art from second rate artists who lack the same technique (composition, perspective, color) as Europeans during this time, but I think they are so expressive of the American character during the 18th century. OK- art lecture over.

I did go to the gift shop and buy 2 prints of paintings that struck me...one of a woman painted by John Singer Sargeant and once of a NYC landscape painted from the perspective of Greenwich Village in the 1920's (this is the time period and location I'm currently writing about, so I thought it might be inspiring in my work study.)

After the gallery, I went to the new American Indian Museum on the Mall. Beautiful buillding, and the exhibits were well done. I only had an hour before it closed, so I mainly just looked around 1 floor. The history is really well done, and all in conjunction with native tribes. It seems primarily geared toward families- something to appeal to all generations, and there is even a study center with computer stations. I sent my DH a virtual postcard from one of the terminals.

I wasn't ready to go home, so I went to the Metro and took the train to the Pentagon City Mall to do some shopping. My Mom and I always went here when we visited D.C. Shopping for clothes is really difficult now, as I am somewhere between a 16 and 18. The petite sizes typically only go up to 14, but petite women's usually start at an 18W, which is too big now. I am having some luck with XL sizes at places like the Gap or Limited. Didn't buy anything, however, just mainly window shopped.

I took the train back to College Park and waited forever for a bus back to the campus. It's fun striking out on you own in a city, but I had wished DH had been there to share the fun.

Yesterday, I mainly took it easy. I booked my shuttle to pick me up at 3:50, had a leisurely breakfast, read my book, went back to Curves to workout, ate lunch, read some more, and then went to the airport. I really don't like air travel much- airports are pretty depressing places, actually, and it's impossible to find any good food there, especially on the tight schedules they give you.

Anyway, I'm home now. Today, I'm going to try to regroup. I'll go swimming at some point (it's way too hot here!) and review my research so I can start writing again and use my conference experience as motivation!

[Lesli54]

Glad to have you back. Wasn't it nice to get away for awhile? I am glad you had a good time. :cool1:

Now I want to go to DC. ;) Both DD17 & DD15 have been with their classmates and I have driven by, but never had the chance to stop.

I am also at the in between size. My tighter 18's fit fine, but are getting loose and the bigger 18's just hang. Yet, I am not into 16's either. :confused3 Good thing it is summer. Baggy shorts don't look near as bad as baggy pants.

Have a good day and try to stay cool. ::MickeyMo ::MickeyMo

[rcyannacci]

Yeah, I'm hoping by the end of summer, I'll be in a better fitting size. Some new clothes for fall would be nice :)

Friday-
B- bowl of multigrain cherrios
L- taco salad
D- chicken strips and a salad w/ vinegrette and strawberries
S- sugar-free fudgicle w/ peanut butter

Exercise- Curves 30 minutes, abs 5 and legs 5
I was going to go swimming, but it was closing in on 100 degrees here, and I hate it when the water in the pool is too warm...its like swimming in bath water. I think I'll be alternating my routine in Curves for a while, one day heavy on the machine, the next on cardio.

I weighed in yesterday at 205, but I'm going to try hard not to be so obsessive about the pounds. If I'm in one-derland by the end of the summer, I'll be happy. Other than that, I'm going to work hard to keep exercising (even in this summer heat), continue eating healthfully, and stay focused on my work.

DH has today off, so I'm only going to do a little writing today, probably consolidate my conference notes into my teaching/writing files and write a few emails to organize panelists for my next conference at the end of the month (San Francisco!).