Friday Weigh-In

I'm home from my final workout with Blake until after vacation. He pushed me so hard that my severe annoyance with him coupled with time of month bitch pants hormones that the endorphins got scared and ran away. I'm hoping they come out in the shower because I don't know if I'll be able to lift my arms to wash my hair. I admit to being rather thrilled that I don't have to look at the inside of that gym for two whole weeks.

It's been a good week in the food and workout departments and my body showed its appreciation with a weigh-in of 195.5. This gives me a 4 pound buffer over two weeks. Not that I want to gain 4 pounds while away, of course. It's just that eating in restaurants, no matter how you order, is always going to have more fat and sodium that what I'd cook with here at home. Not to mention the fact that I'm hankering for a really good burger with ketchup and extra pickles, I can't remember the last time I had one. I've asked Rob to put the bathroom scale in the truck when he comes down to meet me after the first week. I think weighing in after the first week will give me a good idea of how I'm doing and keep me from going overboard on holiday food.

This is my last post until I get back, unless I get somewhere with wi-fi when Rob brings the laptop. I thank each and every one of you for taking time to follow along with me on my journey. I hope you all stay safe and have a joyous couple of weeks!

Andra, you just lost 81 1/2pounds...what are you going to do now?

I'M GOING TO DISNEY WORLD!

Trip Excitement

I had a very relaxing afternoon and sat awhile running over some trip details in my head. I got really excited but not for the obvious reasons. I am NOT going to get sweaty and out of breath walking from security to the gate at the airport. For the first time in a very long time I am NOT going to need the seat belt extender that I stole from a United flight to England many years ago. I do NOT have to worry about getting nasty looks from my aisle mates that I'm going to lop over into their allotted few inches of space. I do NOT have to worry about the turn styles at the park entrance nor am I worried for one moment about fitting into any of the ride seats. I used to spend so much time on the WDW at Large section of the all ears net website while trip planning but it never once occurred to me until today that I didn't *have* to.

I never realized until today how stressful these worries were to me in the past. Now these worries are replaced with whether Hurricane Bill is going to ground my sister's flight as it may graze New England on Saturday night/Sunday morning. ACK!

Strategy Review: The Four Golden Rules

Woot! Happy Wednesday, I hope your week is going well. It seems I've not done much other than work and workout since August reared it's hot and humid head here in the ATL. I'm excited that I have the day off today and have just one more shift tomorrow before I head out on Sunday morning. Because I'm going to be away from my routine for two weeks, I thought it would be a good time to have a strategy review.

Paul McKenna's Four Golden Rules are, at their core, an extremely helpful place to start when you're trying to gain control over emotional overeating. I like to brush up on them whenever I'm going to be eating in a different environment than my own kitchen. They really help me to connect with my body signals, to really enjoy the food I'm having and pay attention and stop when I'm getting full.

So to review the Four Golden Rules, here they are...

Eat When You’re Hungry

Eat what you want, not what you think you should have

Eat Consciously – Enjoy Each Mouthful

Stop When You Think You’re Full

I'm going to spend a bit of time packing today. Four more sleeps!

The Myth About Exercise

John Cloud's article in the August 17th issue of Time magazine has me incensed, enraged even. He talks about how exercise is making us fat because it spurns hunger and makes us eat more. But then he goes on to say that it's the treats that we reward ourselves with after exercising that is negating the effects, like how he likes to eat a blueberry bar as a reward after he works out. So how exactly is that the fault of the workout?

Physical activity, with its numerous health benefits (more energy, less depression, improved cardiovascular and brain functioning) is the reward in and of itself. Exercise is not a form of punishment that requires a reward of a $12/1500 calorie trip to Starbucks afterward. It is that sense of entitlement that will lead to weight gain, not the walk around the neighborhood or the 30 minutes at the gym.

Friday Weigh-In

Phew! I never thought I'd make it home but I did and my workout is done and my very last food shopping trip before vacation is done. Yay, I love that word, DONE! I weighed in a bit earlier than usual this morning, 198.5, so it's moving, albeit slowly, in the right direction. I'm seeing Blake twice next week to get in some last minute beatings before I leave town.

I'm juicing, eating appropriate portions of delicious and nutritious foods and I'm working my ass off. I feel great, I have three days off and it's almost time for wine. ;) Have a beautiful weekend, everyone!

Go. See. Now!

Does the Academy give out Oscars for half a movie? Probably not, but they should. The Julia part of Julie and Julia is so delightful, I never wanted it to end. One Oscar for Meryl Streep (in my best Julia Child voice) just won't dooooo! I think ten might do the trick. The Julie part was cute, Chris Messina who played Julie's husband Eric stole every scene he was in. And he made me hungry every time he devoured a bit of food. While I could not get through Julie & Julia, the book (I found Julie Powell unlikeable enough to call it quits about halfway through) Nora Ephron gave us a nicely crafted, beautifully photographed delectable morsel of a film.

Must Read Article

From Mercola.com~
Will YOU look as good at Jack Lalanne at age 93?

12 More Sleeps!

Happy Tuesday! I wish I had more time, but I'm off out the door to the gym. I've been working so many hours I just haven't had time to sit down and type. My brain already seems to have left on vacation, so I have no idea how I'm going to get through the next couple of weeks. I won't be around too much other than for the weigh-ins until I leave. I'll try and pop in for a movie review of Julie and Julia after I see it on Wednesday.

I hope your week is going well, see you Friday.

Friday Weigh-In

Happy Friday! Where the heck did this week go? It seems like I've done nothing but work and workout. My body must like being 199 because that's where I was again this morning. I have to admit I fretted about the scale this week. I haven't done that much at all since I posted my 277 back in October, but something about wanting the buffer before going on vacation has me completely unhinged.

But enough of that! I'm eating delicious and nutritious foods in sensible portions and enjoying my planned indulgences in moderation. I'm juicing daily, working out effectively and I'm getting lots of rest. Fit brain is running the show and eventually the scale with catch up.

I've decided I'm not going to freak out about it because I want to enjoy my vacation. I haven't seen my sister and those gorgeous boys since December, I haven't seen my man Mickey since 2005 and my sister and I haven't toured The Magic Kingdom together since 1988. It's going to be the trip of a lifetime! Fat brain is *not* getting packed, fit brain is flying the plane. I'm going to get in lots of walking, swimming and for the first time in my life, I'm actually going to visit a fitness center at a hotel. My sister and I decided that we're going to split our meals so we can enjoy whatever we want but in appropriate portions. I'm prepared.

I feel better having gotten that out of my system. I had my bar before my workout. Lisa and I did 30 minutes of sprint intervals during a 45 minute session on the elliptical trainer. It was tough but good and we're doing it again on Tuesday. I just had my parfait and now it's time for juice. I'm making Indian food this evening and there's a couple of glasses of Bear's Lair Chardonnay with my name on them. I'm working this weekend, so tonight is wine night.

Have a safe and joyous weekend, see you all next week.

Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?

I was very saddened to hear about the death of director John Hughes. He directed some of the funniest, most timeless, and even poignant films of all time. The 80's are immortalized by his classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and Weird Science. My formative years were spent watching these films over and over. I know all the dialogue and still laugh out loud when I catch them on television.

Thank you, Mr. Hughes. Thank you for Molly Ringwald, for Long Duk Dong, for Chet, for oily variety beau-hunks, for making geeks chic, for making high school seem a little less serious.

We won't forget about you.

Food Shopping Primer

Can't believe it's Wednesday already. I was in bed as soon as I got home from work last night so I was awake about an hour earlier than usual. Blake-time wasn't until 9 so I got up, out and got the food shopping done that I had planned for after the gym. I made it to the gym with 15 minutes to spend on the treadmill as a warm up. Fat brain could have stayed in bed for an extra hour or blew the time on the Internet, but fit brain looked ahead to the wonderful free day that would come after training. Fat brain likes instant gratification but I'm really liking the fact I can do what I want for the rest of the day. Like soak in a super hot, salty tub for an hour like I just did (trainer was on the warpath, can't lift my arms) and watch Brideshead Revisited after lunch.

Yesterday's food was pretty much the same as Monday except I had leftovers rather than a frozen meal and today will be the same again. I had my bar before the gym and my parfait right after. Had a mug of tea while in the tub and will head downstairs to fire up the juicer in a few minutes. Wrap for lunch and supper will be turkey meatloaf, spicy and vinegary turnip greens and mashed cauliflower. I'm feeling a bit of grill fatigue and thought meat and two would be nice and comforting.

Ahhh, the supermarket. I love supermarkets, especially when I travel. Whenever I go anywhere new, I want to visit the local supermarket. I think that was my favorite part of our last trip to Puerto Rico. But at home it can get pretty boring but you gotta eat and to do that, you gotta shop. The modern supermarket can be both friend and foe a healthy lifestyle. With some good strategies you can make your local market your friend.

1. I'm sure you've heard this before but it's the most important thing. Never and I mean NEVER set foot in a supermarket if you are hungry. Just don't do it. You'll sabotage all your good intentions before the first item goes in the buggy. I shop with a bottle of cold water or a travel mug of green tea so I have something to sip on while I shop. Thirsty shopping is almost as bad as hungry shopping. I shopped thirsty once years ago and came home with nothing but Snapples and Popsicles.

2. Always have your list prepared in advance and don't forget to take it with you. I never used to shop with a list, I'd buy whatever the heck I wanted and still had no idea what I was going to prepare for supper that week. This is why I plan my menus in advance and make a shopping list. Remember, prior preparation prevents piss poor performance!

3. Read the labels! I've said it before and I'll say it again. Read the labels of anything that comes in a package. You want the least amount of the best quality ingredients. Check out this article for more information on what to avoid.

4. Shop the produce aisle first. That buggy should be filled with at the very least 50% fresh fruits and veggies. I used to leave the produce until last and have enough room for a token apple or a bag of salad. We know where that got me.

5. Shop the perimeter of the store and only venture into the canned, processed and packaged food aisles if you need something specific. This is why it pays to get to know the layout of your local market. Don't be a supermarket grazer!

6. Stay out of your trigger zones! The candy aisle, the ice cream freezers, the cookie lane and the salty snack sections don't exist if you don't walk down them. You are in charge of what goes into your buggy. This is especially helpful if you're shopping with small children. If you don't pass by it, they won't be screaming for it.

7. Stay out of the baking needs aisle as well. Bake brownies and cookies with your kids on special occasions. I know I'll be baking huge amounts of my favorite cookies leading up to Christmas but I don't do it any other time of the year. It's much more festive and special that way. If you need a kitchen activity with your kids, have them help you prepare a bright and colorful fruit salad in a carved watermelon basket. Kids don't need to have cookies and brownies to have a good time and it's a bad precedent to set for them. Making fruit fun for them early on is one of the best things you can do.

8. Planned indulgence. Of course, you have to treat yourself a little bit so add a treat to your list. Maybe a nice bottle of wine for Saturday evening or a gorgeous gourmet chocolate bar to have in the tub on Sunday morning or perhaps a single piece of pastry in the supermarket bakery to share with your favorite person after a light and lovely supper on Friday night. Just don't buy a large stash that might trigger you into a binge situation.

Making these strategies second nature has made my food shopping work for me, I hope they work for you. If you have any strategies that you use, please share them and always your comments and questions are always appreciated.

Food Diary for Monday August 3, 2009

SQUEE! My healthy food porn submission was published on the This is Why You're Thin blog today.

I'm just back from work, I'm wired and tired. I'll type this up while my Valerian root kicks in...

8:15am~ On the drive to the gym, Kashi Go Lean Roll bar, oatmeal walnut.

10am~ Post-workout juice. Lots of turnip greens, lemon and ginger in this one. Without my juice I'd never be able to get in all the raw veggies a healthy person needs and I just feel better after drinking it. Energized!

11am~ Fruit parfait with strawberries, about 6 medium berries. Slightly smaller in size than the one I posted a pic of the other day. Big mug of green tea with a packet of stevia.

1:15pm~ Lunch wrap of 1 La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious soft wrap (the rye flavor is mouthwatering) with about a tablespoon of Inglehoffer's hot sweet mustard, half a small, ripe avocado, as much fresh arugula as the wrap will hold and a Dr. Praeger's tex-mex veggie burger. My wraps are so delicious, my husband who likes a plain old ham, cheese and mayo on whole wheat has started asking for lunch wraps.

Off to work...
5:15pm~Snack time! I tossed a bag of cherries in my lunch bag so I nibbled on about a cup of those. I love the Rainer cherries with that red blush on the bright yellow fruit.

7pm~Supper, Mayan Harvest Bake from Kashi. This has got to be my favorite frozen meal ever, it's so good it's not even like eating a frozen meal. I ate the rest of the cherries with my meal.

Looking back, this is a much more typical day than Friday was. I drank about 3 liters of water today and took all my supplements. I had a snack bag of microwave popcorn from Trader Joe's with me, but I never needed it. Maybe I'll save it for tomorrow night. I used to come home from work and eat huge bowls of sugary cereal and milk or ice cream and cookies and then go to bed. How did I ever sleep?

Monday Monday

La-la-la-la-la! It's stuck in my head, now it's stuck in yours. No weigh-in today, you'll have to wait for Friday for that. I'm just back from the gym and did a kick (literal) ass and legs workout with Lisa. I just had my very green ginger lemon juice and I'm about to hit the showers.

Do you have your eating and exercise planned out for the week? I'll be at Disney for 2 weeks so needed to make sure I stockpiled shifts before hand because that Mouse isn't a cheap date. I'm going to be at work a lot over the next three weeks so planning will be extra important. I'll be having Kashi meals for suppers mostly though I do have a lovely bowl of yesterday's leftovers for tomorrow evening. I made what I consider my signature dish. It's a family recipe of Italian sausages baked with peppers, onions, mushrooms and potatoes. I use just one sweet potato now and it's just as delicious that way. I have lots of fruit for snacks and will be having my juice every day. I'm making greens with grilled chicken on Wednesday but Friday is a mystery because I'll have to food shop again before the weekend. Maybe pesto because I have so much basil just waiting to be picked.

I'm going to walk the neighborhood tomorrow, see Blake on Wednesday, walk on Thursday, train with Lisa again on Friday and have rest mornings on Saturday and Sunday because I'm working the weekend. I'm really stepping up my workouts for the next three weeks because I need to have a vacation buffer of several pounds so I don't return back up over 200.

I'm going to do a few more food diaries, but probably not with photos because I won't have the time. I'll makes lists with times, what I ate and approximate amounts. If it looks really tasty, though, I'll snap a piccie.

Enjoy the day, everyone!