A Sensible Dinner - Pearlieq's Journal

[rcyannacci]

This has been a discouraging week for me too. I hurt my back at Curves, got depressed, and then consoled myself with food. I couldn't even bare to post what I'd eaten for fear of actually owning up to how many cookies I ate! But, I finally had to admit to myself that this food was making me feel worse, not better.

Taking a step back might actually be a good thing. Maybe think about what foods have made you feel like you're on a "diet" and what foods made you feel really, truthfully good. I'm guessing they were the healthy choices, and then you can start to think about how you've changed to a healthier lifestyle.

As far as Curves, sometimes I'm glad I joined w/o a friend. It was kind of lonely the first few weeks, but I was motivated to find some Curves buddies. Now I can walk in at almost any time and find someone to chat with. And, if I don't see anyone familiar, I'm much more likely to start up a conversation. Maybe you could just walk into your Curves and say to everyone "Well, my buddy dropped out on me, but I AM HERE and it was hard, but here I am." What do you bet others feel the same way and will start up an immediate conversation! And then you're well on your way to finding new buddies!!!

 

[goldcupmom]

Hey, Pearlie! I've been thinkin' 'bout you this morning and wondering how things are going. I keep thinking I'll be through CHI in just over 2 weeks. Wish I were there now and could give you a HUG!!

Hang in there!

 

[pearlieq]

6/10/05

9:00am

--1 bacon, egg, and cheese bagel from McD's
--1 hash brown
--16 oz OJ
--1 order hotcakes, no sausage
--2 brownies

Can you tell this is a good morning. I'm really going through the wringer at work, but at least it almost done. I plan to spend a lot of time this weekend thinking about what I want and where I'm going to go from here.

Thanks so much for the support. It really helps!!!

1:30pm

--1 beef & cheddar croissant
--1/4 small loaf italian bread
--1 pkt butter
--1 cup spaghetti & meat sauce
--1 meatball
--1/3 large rootbeer

I've had a super stressful day, and DH thought he was being nice bringing home this ginormous lunch from Portillo's. I was sweet of him to think of me, but I am so stuffed--this wasn't exactly health food. Plus, he brought me a piece of their cake. I can't even think about touching that yet!

5:00pm

I finally made it to Curves tonight!! It felt so good! They're doing a 30 day challenge. I signed up--we'll see what happens. I'm still so stuffed from lunch!

9:30pm

--1 6" chicken breast sub w/easy mayo, cheese, and 2 sm strips bacon
--1 pc chocolate cake

 

[pearlieq]

6/11/05 - Weigh In

No weigh in this week. Our scale is currently weighing excess sod to be put out for trash.

I actually like the idea of taking the week off.

Goals for next week:

1.) Stay in control--indulgences are one thing, but I want to me making mindful, sensible food choices, not just eating willy-nilly
2.) Get back to exercise and do something every day, even if it's just a walk. Stay/active productive at other times.

 

[pearlieq]

6/11/05

8:30am

--1 cup spaghetti w/meat sauce
--1/2 small round italian bread
--2 pats butter (Actually only 1/2pkt butter--it was grainy. Ick!)

I'm having such a wonderful, relaxing morning! I'm just sitting here playing around online and watching completely fluffy cable. It's so great to relax! DH is working today and I don't know when he'll be home, but we're going out with some friends tonight for dinner and to see a band. Should be fun!

2:00pm

--1 6" chicken breast sub w/2 small slices of bacon and cheese
--1 and 1/2 McD's cheeseburgers
--1 small strawberry shake
--1 apple

Lunch at the mall. Tried to find some good deals, but all I really needed was soap and it was the normal 3/$10, so I passed.

8:30pm

--3 slices italian bread w/butter
--1 green salad w/1T. ranch
--1 serving lasagna

We were going to go to sushi place that we'd seen advertized in a local magazine, but when we got there it looked like it was mostly a carryout/delivery place with a few plastic chairs/tables. Not what we were looking for. So, we went across the street to the yummy Italian restaurant and had a great meal.

The show was interesting. In was in this little hole in the wall bar in a somewhat skeevy area of town, but the actual place, while not fancy, was comforable and welcoming. It turns out we were going to see them because the wife of the couple we were with is trying to make friends with the wife of the guitar player and thought it would be a nice gesture to go see him play. They were pretty good--it was 4 middle aged guys who played blues. I could easily picture them practicing in someone's garage or basement, but they were talented and seemed to be having a good time.

We sat and watched for about 45 minutes or so then went back so they boys could play pool. I played darts with the wife, which was surprisingly fun. We finally crawled home after mid-night, which is late for DH and I. I was nice to get out and a nice change from our normal routine.

 

[goldcupmom]

You sound SO relaxed!

Enjoy your morning. I love the nonbreakfast foods for breakfast. My house does that, too!

 

[rcyannacci]

Looks like great goals for the week!

Have fun at the concert! When DH and I lived in Chicago, that was one of our favorite things...there were so many places to go hear music! And so many neighborhood festivals. I really miss that. Things in Austin kind of shut down for the summer and everyone retreats to their air conditioning.

 

[pearlieq]

6/12/05

8:30am

--1 1/4 cup life cereal
--2/3 cup 1% milk
--1/4 cup chex mix

DH is still asleep, but he promised me a trip to the land of meatballs and Swedish flat-pack furniture (aka IKEA) and I intend to hold him to it! He gets another hour and then I send the cats upstairs to wake him up.

It was a banner morning with the cats! I woke up around six and I couldn't get back to sleep in our uncomfortable, worn out bed, so I grabbed my blanket and went to catch a last snooze on our very comfy couch. Of course, Magellan was all over me and kept meowing and meowing. I felt guilty because their feeding time is usually 7am, so I was sure they were hungry. I dragged my groggy self downstairs only to find there was food in their bowls! I fed them their normal ration anyway, and wouldn't you know, I haven't heard from them in the last hour! Guess they just don't like their routine interrupted!

We're possibly having friends over for dinner tonight. Either way, I'm going to be making my barbecued turkey sausage with broccoli and oven roasted potatoes for dinner. I think I'm going to make some extra potatoes and make a fritatta on Monday with potatoes, canadian bacon, asparagus, and mozzarella. I need to get back into cooking at home.

12:00pm

--2 1/2 pieces quiche
--2/3 small blintz
--1/2 eggs benedict
--1/2 slice french toast
--1 small pancake
--1 sausage link
--3 pieces bacon
--3 or 4 small pieces breakfast breads

Fabulous brunch near us, made even better by the certificates I got from restaurants.com with the code at Mousesavers.

6:00pm

--1/4 plain bagel w/cream cheese
--1 2x3x1 almond chocolate toffee bar

That bar cookie was so awesome! DH and I spent the afternoon touring model homes and then spent a good time at the local Barnes and Noble.

8:00pm

--4 chicken strips
--1 serving potato wedges
--1/2 cup macaroni salad

We picked up dinner at the local supermarket. They have great chicken strips!

10:00pm

--1 bag M&M's
--1 1/2 cups chex mix

This wasn't as good as I thought it would be. Next time I'll just have one or the other.

 

[pearlieq]

6/13/05

8:00am

--1 ww english muffin
--1 T. light cream cheese
--1 light 'n fit cup
--1 sm orange

It feels like it's going to be a very nice day today. Work should be manageable, I'm going to try going to Curves over lunch, and I'm going to cook in tonight (finally the sausage/broccoli that keeps getting put off!).

1:15pm

--1 1/2 cups whole wheat spaghetti
--1 1/2 cups chicken with peas & carrots in teriyaki sauce
--1/3 cucumber
--1/2 pt. grape tomatoes
--4 huge strawberries

I liked going to Curves midday--I think I'm going to keep that up as work permits. It feels nice to have it done--now I can do whatever I want after work. My one worry is that it leaves me nice and unoccupied during prime afternoon binge time, but I'll just need to find a way to work around that.

4:20pm

--3 prunes
--1 light string cheese
--1 cup chex mix

OK, I'm acutally hungry, so I'm having a snack. ONE snack. I'm hanging out upstairs to the pantry is far, far away. I shouldn't need anything else until dinner.

6:00pm

--1/2 lemon poppyseed bundt cake

7:30pm

--1 meatball sub
--4 squares sausage/bacon pizza
--1 brownie w/raspberry glaze

Plans for the evening got all thrown off when DH said he was going to be stuck at work late. I should have just gone ahead and cooked what I was going to, but I was very hungry and not making good decisions. So, we ordered pizza. With his job the way it is, I've got to stop waiting on him for dinner. The hungrier I get, the worst choices I make. Maybe I need to just start eating dinner no later than 6:30/7pm whether he's home or not.

Otherwise, I was pretty happy with today.

9:30pm

--1 cup chex mix
--1 sf pudding

 

[toystoryduo]

Good morning pearlieq!

I hope you have a wonderful day today! Your plan for the day looks like a good one.

Take care!

 

[TPCShauna]

Your weekend looked good. How are you liking the week off?

 

[pearlieq]

Your weekend looked good. How are you liking the week off?

Wow, great minds really do think alike! I just posted about the same thing in your journal!

 

[pearlieq]

6/14/05

8:00am

--2 squares sausage/bacon pizza
--1 banana

It's another nice morning. My goal is to cook that darn sausage and broccoli today. No more putting it off!

12:01pm

--1 LC peanut chicken
--1/2 cup peas
--1 light 'n fit cup
--1/3 cucumber

OK, I really wanted to go to Arby's and order 5 of everything and then stop off for a Snickers on the way home. Luckily I talked myself out of it, both because this is better for me and every $ I don't spend at Arby's is another $ for the Disney fund!

3:00pm

--3/4 cup peanut Chex Mix
--1 light string cheese

5:00pm

--7 small peanut butter cookies

7:00pm

--2 beef & cheddar
--1 meduim order curly fries

9:00pm

--1 bag light popcorn
--1 T. butter
--6 small peanut butter cookies

Waay too much tonight, plus I'm irked at myself for not making the sausage. Maybe we're just not cut out for cooking...

 

[goldcupmom]

Looks like you're off to another good day. I don't know which I'd opt for, sausage bacon pizza or the sausage broccoli casserole. Both sound very yummy.

Hang in there & enjoy the rest of your week!

 

[pearlieq]

6/15/05

8:00am

--1 peanut butter cookie (that's it! I swear!)
--small handful chex mix (less than 1/4 cup)
--1 whole wheat english muffin
--1 T light cream cheese
--1 banana

I'm feeling a little off today. I didn't make it to Curves yesterday, which has left me a little sluggish, but I know I want to go today. There are some small problems with the big work project I delivered last week. They're not exactly my fault, but I still have to deal with them. Plus, there's Bunco tonight, but I'm not expecting it to be fun. The Queen Bee of the group up and quit last month, but not before having one last meeting (at her house, of course). So, I have a feeling the night is just going to be wierd. I don't want to go, but you can see my house from her house, and DH is going to be gone tonight, so I would have to go out just for the sake of being out, which seems kind of silly.

1:15pm

--12" turkey breast sub w/bacon & veggies (no cheese/mayo)

I'm famished and this tastes really good! I'm going to go to Curves after I log off, then come home and get cleaned up. I decided I'm going to do the sausage and broccoli tonight and just let DH heat his up when he gets home. I'll be glad to have it done!

6:30pm

--2.5 servings turkey sausage
--barbecue glaze (made with low sugar jam and barbecue sauce)
--2 1/5 bunches broccoli
--1 wheat roll
--6 large strawberries

I finally made it! This was super-duper yummy as well! Now I just have to refrain from eating DH's leftovers!

8:00pm

--2 red velvet cupcakes
--2 chicken wontons
--1 small piece cheesecake/strawberry jello bar/salad
--1 mini cheesecake (1" across)

Well, we didn't actually play Bunco at Bunco, mostly because I think the Queen Bee irritated people so much they just didn't want to come. I didn't want to be there earlier, but since my house is visible from theirs I would have had to hide all night. Oh well. We sat around eating and talking and it was actually kind of fun for the first hour or so, then it started getting kinda boring. The cupcakes were phenomenal--they had some kind cream cheese frosting that was out of this world! The wontons were good to, but the cheesecake thing was pretty icky. The jello just didn't work on top of the cheesecake--the flavor is just to watery and weak to stand up to cheesecake.

 

[LilMamiBella]

Congrats on your weight loss pearlieq!

 

[goldcupmom]

You're doing good! Hope BUNCO is more fun than you think tonight.

Hang in there and enjoy your broccoli sausage. DH will still like it warmed up!

Have a great evening!

 

[pearlieq]

6/16/05

9:15am

--1 light 'n fit yogurt cup
--6 large strawberries

Well, I was late getting up this morning and now there's a big problem at work with the project I just delivered. That's going to be fun to deal with all day. I don't even want to be working here, but I guess it's paying for some Disney so I'll just hang in!

12:40pm

--1 peanut bar

I grabbed this out of the vending machine at Curves, because it was either this or pass out. It's my own fault--I saw my neighbor who just got back from WDW outside and I went to chat with her and didn't wind up leaving until almost an hour after I had meant to. Oh well!

While we were out my next door neighbor came out to join us. I like her and all, but she's kind of a hothead and has very strong opinions about everything and is not too open to others feeling differently. She started telling this story about how she coudn't believe that the neighbor who lives behind us was upset. It turns out ND's (next door neighbor) 3 year old son had run out of the house without anyone noticing, wearing only a t-shirt, nothing else, and had decided to go play on BY's (back yard neighbor) swingset. Apparently he was out there long enough that BY had time to call several people to get ND's phone number so she could come get him. BY was kind of upset at the incident, partially I think because ND's kid is out all of the time and loosely supervised at best. There have been a couple times where DH and I wouldn't be able to go into the house when we wanted to because we couldn't find a parent to turn him over to. ND just couldn't understand why BY would get upset over this. While I agree BY maybe overreacted, I would have been a little irritated too. It's not like ND noticed right away and went to go get him. Anyway, ND kept trying to get us both to side with her, and I didn't really know what to say. Ahh, neighborhood drama...

2:45pm

--1 light string cheese
--1 pkt prunes
--1 1/2 cup chicken teriyaki
--1 whole wheat english muffin

I've got the worst headache, mostly because I was dumb and didn't eat. I took some Advil--hopefully it goes away soon!

7:30pm

--3 breadsticks
--salad with Italian dressing
--whole wheat linguine with chicken & broccoli in garlic cream sauce
---1 choclate lasagna (should have split this. Can't believe I forgot to record it!)

Again, I'm so thrilled with Olive Garden for rolling out the whole wheat linguine. This was a very nice meal.

 

[rcyannacci]

Yeah, there have been days at work when I kept a running total of the spending money I was saving for WDW ($ $ $ $) just to get me through the day.

Good luck!

 

[pearlieq]

6/17/05

7:30am

--1 key lime square (smallish)

So, I'm running on about 2 hours of sleep, and I have to produce 200 bar cookies by 11 am today. I'm making key lime squares (Krusteaz mix), lemon squares (also Krusteaz mix), low carb brownies (mix), raspberry cream cheese brownies (mix, doctored up), and toffee pecan bars (cake mix, doctored up). They all look like they turned out, mercifully. The only reason I ate the square this morning was I wasn't sure how they turned out, and I mangled that one trying to get it out of the pan.

This is all for DH's department picnic today. I'm so glad I get to tag along. DH's friend, Uncle Mel, is going to be barbecuing. Uncle Mel used to have his own barbecue restaurant, but now makes sauces and spices for a living. He makes the best barbecue sauces, plus spices, marinades, and some items used in Hispanic cooking like chili lime mayo and chili sauce. It's all delicious, and I'm so thrilled DH arranged for him to barbecue today. It's going to be awesome!!

12:00pm

--3 rib bones
--1 bratwurst
--1 hot dog
--1 set rib snacks
--1/4 cup barbecue sauce
--1 1/2 toffee bars
--1 1/2 raspberry brownies
--2 key lime squares
--2 lemon squares

I think that's everything. It was a really nice barbecue, and they cleaned me out of desserts, which was nice because I didn't have to take them home. The lemon and lime squares were really nice - I would really recommend the Krustez mixes. They were easy and very tasty. I also really liked the raspberry cream cheese brownies but I think I went overboard on the frosting. The toffee squares were also very tasty, and super easy! That recipie was definitely a keeper. None were particularly healthy, which is why they're great for big parties! The ribs were awesome and it was a nice crowd. I'm so tired, but I'm going to try to push through without a nap because if I do try a nap I probably won't sleep tonight.

Tomorrow should be fun. I'm going with a friend to get a manicure and pedicure at the local beauty school. I love beauty schools! $20 total for the manicure and pedicure--can't beat that and they're always super-conscious about hygiene. Later in the day I'm meeting one of my old friends from high school for shopping and dinner. Should be fun.

7:00pm

--1/2 meatball sandwich
--1 cheeseburger (some of bun removed)
--6 fried ravioli.

Yeah, that was great. I couldn't help noticing that there was nothing green on that plate. I should have picked 2 out of the 3. Oh well. It was good!