CruisingCA is back to WISHing....

[CruisingCA2005]

Bleh. I haven't done much in the past 2 days but I haven't really been OP so I guess that's good.

I did get body fat calipers so that I can measure my progress. It seems that my weight fluctuates a lot...so I want to keep track of my body fat percentage and measurements instead of getting depressed when I see small gains on the scale. Maybe that stay off the scale challenge is a good thing. I figured out that I am 31.5% body fat but I need to find my tape measure to accurately take measurements.

I haven't exercised yet today. I've been doing some work on the computer, laundry, watching the olympics but I will do at least one workout tape today....I just haven't decided which one yet.

Tomorrow I'll go to the gym early for the 8 am step class. Then we plan on going to the Long Beach aquarium and then have lunch at a Bubba Gump's. DS wanted to go to the aquarium for his birthday but I had to work last week. DH picked Bubba Gump's. I've never eaten there but it shouldn't be too hard to pick something sensible since they have a shrimp dishes and I can get a salad.

I have to help DS clean up his room today - more joy!

 

[July]

Hi Rae Ann,

Just popping in to see how you are doing. Looks like lots going on at the homefront.

Enjoy the birthday with the family.

Be good.

July

 

[Princess Michelle]

Hey Rae Ann I hope you're having a good weekend.

 

[DisneyEnthusiastic]

Hey Rae Ann! Just saying hi How was Bubba Gumps?

Gail

 

[CruisingCA2005]

We had a great time yesterday. We had a late start so we went to lunch at Bubba Gump's before going to the aquarium. I had some of the Peel-&-Eat Shrimp with garlic spices and a house salad. I also had a Louisiana Lemonade (strawberry lemonade with an extra kick) that was delicious. We were seated in the bar area so we were able to watch the US Men's basketball team get their butts kicked by Puerto Rico.

After lunch, we walked over to the aquarium. It was soooooooo crowded. The kids enjoyed the exhibits and they really liked petting the sting rays and sharks. We bought a membership to the aquarium so we'll be able to go back anytime we want in the next year and they also gave us 2 free guest tickets. I thought it was a good deal because we'd only have to go one more time to make up the $$ that we spent. I'd like to go back when it's not too crowded. We did a lot of walking yesterday and we always walked the stairs instead of using the elevator <-- even though we parked on the top level of the parking structure. Somehow we started racing going back up to the car; DH was carrying DD (30 pounds), I was carrying the stroller, and DS was carrying a bag. It was tiring but we all made it up to the top. Whew - that was better than a stair stepper at the gym.

I'm just finishing my lunch as I type this out. Today I made myself a salad with spinach, tomatoes, portabello mushrooms, and sliced Healthy Choice turkey (4 slices is 1 WW pt). I'm eating the salad with a whole wheat tortilla (0 or 1 pt depends how you round the #s). For breakfast I had a Western Sweet Wheat Bagel (1 point) with I can't believe it's not butter spray (0 pts) sprinkled with cinnamon sugar-less. (I mixed a packet of splenda with cinnamon) and carb control yogurt with blueberries. For snack I had a hard boiled egg to get some protein.... I should probably just be eating the egg whites but I'd hate to throw out the yolks too......

I went to the cardio kick class today at the gym. Her classes don't seem as challenging as they used to be. Maybe I'm starting to get used to the Cathe workouts at home. I tried to do a Christi Taylor step workout and it's definitely going to take me a few times to get used to her choreography. The step teachers sometimes have different names for the same moves....at 24 hour fitness, Karen calls this one move an "indecision", well Cathe calls the same move "over facing over".

My aunt is visiting from Hawaii so we'll go to visit her tonight. I have to talk to her because DH & I want to ask her if we can list her & my uncle as the guardian of our kids if something happens to us. DH's parents are too old, his sister already has 2 kids, and his brother is a divorcee with 1 kid. He may want to get married & have more kids on his own. My brother & sister aren't married yet so they'll probably have kids on their own too. I think my mom could do it but I would like them to be raised by a married couple if anything happens to us. They're wonderful with the kids, they never had any kids on their own, and they helped raise us when we were kids. It's weird to be thinking about these sorts of things but I want to be prepared with a living trust & will in case anything happens.

Today feels like a 5 sunny day! I'm eating well, already exercised, and I took my vitamins today. Woohoo!

 

[Princess Michelle]

Looks like you had a great weekend and a great day! Good job!

 

[DisneyEnthusiastic]

Sounds like you had a great weekend!

I think it's very smart to make that decision about who you want to raise your children if something should happen to you guys.

It's good to see you turned around those bad days. I still don't see why we conciously make bad decisions that we know require more exercise.

Have a great day You're awesome!

 

[KLH 1973]

Gosh your doing great sorry have not posted sooner, things have been hectic. My family is going threw the same thing in regards to the kids. So good luck and hope things turn out like you want them to.

kristin

 

[DoeWDW]

Rae Ann, your food choices are sounding absolutely YUMMY!! I'm inspired with all that exercise too - gotta get moving myself!

Thanks also for mentioning guardianship of your kids. DH and I have been meaning to change our will for quite some time and keep forgetting to actually DO it! I think I'll make it a priority to get that done!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

 

[CruisingCA2005]

It has been a great week so far!

Food: I've been staying OP for the past 3 days. Last night for dinner I had some salad and beef stew (without the potatoes). Snack was sugar free jello and Cool Whip free. Breakfast was 1 egg (2 pts), 1 sweet wheat bagel (1 pt) with I can't believe it's not butter spray and Sans-sugar & Cinnamon sprinkles (0 pts), and a nectarine. Lunch was spinach (0 pts), Healthy choice turkey slices (1 pt), a trader joe's pizza pita (3 pts), and a pear (1 pt). I'm sure that I'll stay within my points & activity points today.

Exercise: Yesterday I did Cathe's Cardio Kick workout. I had to start modifying some of the exercises at the end but I did it and I felt great afterwards. I'm not sure which video I'll be doing when I get home....I have too many to choice from. LOL. DH is going to freak out when he sees the credit card bill. He told me I could buy the Cathe videos but I didn't tell him about all the other ones that I got. Shhhhhh. Don't say anything. Oh what can he say anyway, I put away $$ every paycheck and it's cheaper than liposuction.

It's been exciting to see the progress everyone has made with the exercise challenge. I think I'll make a few more clippies to see if they like it... I think I'll change the current clippie to say August Exercise Challenge on it somewhere & I'll make different colored ones for Sept., Oct. .... I was also thinking about making a smaller one for the people who make the 50% club.

Other stuff: We're going to the aquarium again on Sunday night. They're having a new member night and we'll get to tour the facilities after the general public has gone home. Since it still stays bright outside until later, we'll still have time to go to the shark petting cove, pet the sting rays, and the other outdoor activities.

Every summer when it gets hot outside we have a problem with ants coming into the house looking for water & food. I'll have to go to the store to pick up some of those Combat ant traps because I don't like spraying the house with insecticide. Windex will work too but it doesn't prevent them from coming back. Uggh. I hate ants!

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Oh it's going to be a sun-shiny day!!!

Today is weigh in.....

I've lost the weight that I put on in the past 2 weeks (1.8 pounds) and I measured my skin fold with my calipers & I'm down 4 mm which means my body percentage drop 2.5%. Whew. I said that I didn't want to be a slave to the scale but it's really motivating when you see the scale moving....in the right direction.

Last night I did workout #1 of the Cathe Timesaver dvd and part of her cardio + weights dvd. I worked on chest & triceps last night (in addition to cardio). I only used 5 pound weights but my triceps were feeling it.

I had a Chicken Fajita Pita from Jack in the Box for dinner last night. It satisfies my junk food cravings but it's only 7 WW points unlike some of the 13-20 point burgers. For dessert I had 1 fudgesicle bar (0 pts).

I better get going...

 

[DisneyEnthusiastic]

Way to go Rae Ann! I too love seeing that scale move...in the downward direction You're doing great. And you've turned yourself around from those bad food days.

I need to thank you again for the exercise challenge. You don't know how many days that I think about skipping...then think, well I only need this many more minutes to get to this mark, etc. And I know that I could have made a personal challenge...but it's so much more motivating when I have to post my minutes!

Sounds like you are in a groove! Keep it up! Tomorrow is my weigh in. Have a great day!

Also...you need to intercept that credit card bill What hubby doesn't know won't hurt! Can't wait to see the clippies.

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Here's a picture of 5 pounds of fat vs 5 pounds of muscle. It's a great visual of how we can lose inches but not weight. Hmmm. Maybe I should email this pic to my ob-gyn. LOL.

Food: I had a bagel, an egg, and an apple this morning for breakfast. We went out to lunch today for my coworker's birthday & I had a salad with grilled shrimp. They ordered a sampler platter so I ate 1 small chicken strip. I had a fudgesicle for snack this afternoon. Tonight we're eating Thai food so I'm having chicken and some garlic shrimp with my salad for dinner.

Exercise: I did Cathe's Step Pump & Jump workout....step aerobics, weight training & hi/lo aerobics.

Other stuff: I've been lurking at the videofitness.com and the 3fatchicks.com boards. There's a lot of great information at both of the sites. Too much to read!! Too little time!!

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Whee......it's been a 5 sunny work week.....

I haven't had to use any flex points, I've been exercising everyday, trying new exercise routines, eating right and I actually posted a loss in weight. I'm so happy.

Food:
Breakfast: Sweet Wheat bagel @ 8:00 am, egg @ 9:30, carb control yogurt & some blueberries @ 11:00.
Lunch: 1/2 of the asian chicken salad from Jack in the box (2 pts without dressing or the "fixings" - no won ton chips, almonds, etc), whole wheat tortilla, nectarine.
Snack: peanuts
Dinner: 1 cup of chili from Togo's, 1/2 an oriental chicken salad (no dressing or crunchy noodles <---don't know what they call it)
Snack: I haven't decided what I'm going to have for dessert/snack.

Exercise: Cathe's Kick Punch & Crunch workout. It's a kickboxing & abs workout. My mother in law did it with me. She's 67 but she exercises at the gym at least once or twice a day. After that one was done she wanted to do more abs so I put in the Ab Hits dvd. She keeps her workout to low intensity but at least she's still moving. Since she's retired, she joined the gym and has gone from a size 12 to a size 6.

I hope my mother will become more active when she retires in December. My aunt takes my grandfather (he's 86) walking at Ala Moana Beach Park (if you've been to Honolulu you probably know where this is) every morning so I hope she'll join them. I think I'll buy her some New Balance walking shoes for Christmas. She loves new balance shoes 'cause they're great for her wide feet. I'll be able to go walking with them when I visit in December but I think I'll either bring along a few dvds or pay a daily rate at the gym to get a higher intensity workout unless I start running by then.

This weekend: We don't have anything planned for tomorrow but I do want to go to get my eyebrows threaded and I'd also like to get a pedicure. The little took my tweezers so I haven't been able to touch up my brows between threadings... I go to an Indian salon that uses thread to shape your eyebrows. I used to get my eyebrows waxed but I've found that they're able to get all the little hairs when threading and I don't have to worry about wax that's too hot. I first got my brows threaded in Canada for $4 CDN....which is about $3 or so? I'm not sure about the conversion rate but now I pay $8 to get the exact same thing.

On Sunday, DS has a basketball game and we'll be going to the aquarium again.

 

[KLH 1973]

Your doing so good. Wow you MIL is amazing. How do you feel working out next to her and she wants to do more? Have a great day.

Kristin

 

[DisneyEnthusiastic]

Way to go Rae Ann! Thanks for that visual of fat and muscle. That is so wonderful that you MIL is so active. Hmm...eyebrow threading...never even heard of that.

You're doing great....have fun at the aquarium!

 

[Princess Michelle]

You're on fire, Rae Ann! Congratulations on the loss!

 

[CruisingCA2005]

Wow you MIL is amazing. How do you feel working out next to her and she wants to do more?

LOL - I try not to look at her when we're working out. Even though she's an aerobics freak....she's uncoordinated. She's one of those people that you hope don't exercise next to you at the gym because she'll throw you off beat. Heck - just do it..... It really does push me harder though because if she can do more abs....so can I.

Food: I can't believe it. I actually TRIED to be bad today when ordering food today. DH wanted bbq ribs so I told him I wanted a catfish sandwich (I'd eat it without the bread) and...get this....peach cobbler. I had been good all week long and hadn't used any of my WW flex points so I figured - why not. While I did the grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, DH called the restaurant with his cell phone. After we picked up the food & were on our way home I looked in the bag and said where is it??? OMG I can't believe you forgot it!!! Sure I was a bit peeved then but when I thought about it, I didn't really NEED the dessert it was probably 10 WW points anyway. As we passed a Starbucks I said you can make it up to me by getting me a mocha instead. So I had a tall cafe mocha with skim milk & no whipped cream (3.5 points). I ended up only eating 1/2 of the catfish & I took most of the cornmeal stuff off the catfish so I stayed within points today. LOL - I try to splurge and can't. I've found that I get full a lot faster than I used to.

I bought fruits, veggies, two prepared salads for me (1 for tomorrow & 1 for Monday), whole wheat tortillas (my new bread), cafe twists for dessert (only 1 pt each), egg whites, frozen shrimp, soy & flaxseed tortilla chips (2 pts per serving), and 2 buck chuck wine & beer for DH. Charles Shaw wines are just $1.99 at trader joe's and according to DH, they're pretty good. So whenever I go to Trader Joe's I get two bottles for him. I read about the chips & cafe twists from people on the WISH board. OMG - the cafe twists are sooooooo yummy. I can't believe they're only 60 calories a piece.

Exercise: I did Cathe's Pyramid Upper Body workout today. This was my first all weights workout and I'm not sure how I feel about it. I'll let you know tomorrow when my upper body is screaming at me. "What were you thinking??? We hate weights??? Take this!!"

I am in complete awe of Cathe Friederich. Not only is her cardio fitness fabulous, she's a tough little cookie too. I use 3, 5 or 8 pound dumbbells. Sometimes she's using 10, 12 & 15 pound dumbbells....with ease. I'll try to keep up the weight training and maybe one of these days I'll be able to do heavier weights with ease too.

Weight Watchers I'm finally getting the hang of the flex points thing and they're going to give us the option of doing a new plan starting tomorrow.

 

[July]

Rae Ann,
Wow you can use some heavy weights. You are awesome. I am still using 2lbs. Occasionlly will pick up the 5lbs for biceps.
I am impressed.

I saw that 5 lbs of fat on a DR's desk its disgusting. I couldn't believe it. No wonder those people getting lipo suction can drop so many inches.

July

 

[DisneyEnthusiastic]

Way to go Rae Ann! You are doing fabulous!