I decided to shake up my workout routine (which normally consists of anywhere between a 4 and 8-mile run these days) and try one of the many classes offered at my gym. When I signed up at Gold's, I was told that theTrek & Tone class would be a good fit for me and my goals (i.e. one half-marathon, coming up!). But every time I've tried to make that class, I've either been unable to get out of work on time (it starts at 5:45 and I'm not dismissed for the day until 5:30) or there aren't any passes left by the time I get there. But by some strange twist of fate, this evening, I made it there with time to spare and got myself a pass to the class!
Wow -- that was a little too much rhyming. OK, back to normal speak.
Well, the class kicked my ass. We power-walked, jogged, and sprinted at various speeds (from 3.4-6.2mph) and at various inclines (from 1 to 15!!!). We'd alternate ten minutes on the treadmill with about five minutes off, doing weight/resistance band training. My black Planet Fitness tee was drenched in sweat after just ten minutes. And sixty minutes later, when we were cooling down and stretching, I thought my legs would crumble beneath me. I'm not sure I'll be walking too smoothly tomorrow, but it was definitely worth it! With the half-marathon just a little over a month away, I need to start training at inclines. Well, tonight -- mission accomplished.
I'm glad I decided to take the plunge into group workouts. But man have I been a chicken! I was actually a little nervous and intimidated (which is saying a lot for someone who doesn't usually get intimidated) and didn't want to look like a complete fool in a class of skinnies. But the instructor was super cool and the other girls in the class were really supportive. It was nice to see everyone working out together, but at the same time, everyone was going at their own pace. I was pretty happy with the class, overall, and I'll definitely be back for more of the hill torture!!!
Well, that's my accomplishment/small victory of the day. How's everyone else out there doing?
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Pineapple Yogurt
Lunch
Salad of spinach, cashews (1 serving size=23 pieces), and Fat Free Italian Dressing
15 triscuits with hummus
1 Lindt Truffle :-\ (My sweet tooth got the best of me.)
Snack
Kashi Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Dinner
Ziti with grilled chicken and tomato sauce
Dessert
Niente
Days 85-90 -- Am I Skinny Yet???
I'm feeling pretty frustrated lately. I've been maintaining my foods (ixnay on the crappay) and running my tail off at the gym, and until this evening, haven't been seeing many results. Granted, I didn't hit the gym as many times as I'd hoped last week (thank you grad school homework, various appointments, and the like) and was faced with a few occasions of eating out this past weekend (a Friday night dinner with my mom and sister followed by a brunch date with my hubby).
However, I did a mini mid-week weigh-in to see where I was and found myself pleasantly surprised. 244.4!!! I haven't seen 244 in about a month. And I know that's nowhere near where I need to be (where I should be three months in to this challenge), but I was happy nonetheless. But that doesn't mean that I'm not frustrated with the time it's taking to lose this weight. I really, really, really want to be skinny! Like now. Please??? I know this is a journey, but I keep wishing, hoping, that this is some bad dream and soon I'll wake up in my healthy, slimmer, and toned body. But alas, no such luck yet. And until I do wake up, I'll keep running, doing some weights, and making sure only good foods are going into my body. Humph.
There was, however, one other ego boost this week: I fit back into jeans I haven't even dreamed of wearing for at least two years! In fact, that lovely pair of blues has been hanging in a closet at my parent's house since the day of my wedding. But on Friday, I was driving straight from work (in a skirt) to my parents' to meet them for dinner, something that wasn't in my plans for Friday night. I didn't have clothes to change into, but I knew those jeans were sitting there, waiting for me. I figured the most I had to lose was realizing how close I was to fitting back into them. Now, imagine my surprise when they fit!!! Granted, they definitely fell under the "Standing Room Only" category of jeans, but I didn't care.
For years, I've held onto clothes that no longer fit, telling myself "Well, once I lose some weight, these will fit again." It's safe to say I've got nearly a decade's worth of jeans stuffed in drawers, garbage bags, and boxes that I'm still waiting to fit into. But unlike in years past, this time is different. This time, I know I will fit into them, and someday soon. And Friday night made me realize that. For once in my life, I actually lost the weight and was so thankful I had decided to hold onto those jeans! I can't wait for the day where I can pull out a dusty pair of high school jeans and zip them up, without doing my stretch/dance to get into them :-) I hope that day is coming soon.
Well, the "no crappy food" challenge continues. And it's getting a little easier. I'm really hoping that by the end of this mini challenge, I'll be kissing the scale and seeing the 230s! So.... here's to hoping and working it off this next week!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Thomas' 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with peanut butter
Snack
Chobani Pineapple Yogurt
Lunch
Salad made of baby spinach, 2 slices of ham, and fat free Italian dressing
Diced Peaches
15 Triscuits with hummus
Snack
Kashi Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Dinner
2 tacos made with ground turkey, lettuce, fat free sour cream, salsa, and cheese
Dessert
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich
However, I did a mini mid-week weigh-in to see where I was and found myself pleasantly surprised. 244.4!!! I haven't seen 244 in about a month. And I know that's nowhere near where I need to be (where I should be three months in to this challenge), but I was happy nonetheless. But that doesn't mean that I'm not frustrated with the time it's taking to lose this weight. I really, really, really want to be skinny! Like now. Please??? I know this is a journey, but I keep wishing, hoping, that this is some bad dream and soon I'll wake up in my healthy, slimmer, and toned body. But alas, no such luck yet. And until I do wake up, I'll keep running, doing some weights, and making sure only good foods are going into my body. Humph.
There was, however, one other ego boost this week: I fit back into jeans I haven't even dreamed of wearing for at least two years! In fact, that lovely pair of blues has been hanging in a closet at my parent's house since the day of my wedding. But on Friday, I was driving straight from work (in a skirt) to my parents' to meet them for dinner, something that wasn't in my plans for Friday night. I didn't have clothes to change into, but I knew those jeans were sitting there, waiting for me. I figured the most I had to lose was realizing how close I was to fitting back into them. Now, imagine my surprise when they fit!!! Granted, they definitely fell under the "Standing Room Only" category of jeans, but I didn't care.
For years, I've held onto clothes that no longer fit, telling myself "Well, once I lose some weight, these will fit again." It's safe to say I've got nearly a decade's worth of jeans stuffed in drawers, garbage bags, and boxes that I'm still waiting to fit into. But unlike in years past, this time is different. This time, I know I will fit into them, and someday soon. And Friday night made me realize that. For once in my life, I actually lost the weight and was so thankful I had decided to hold onto those jeans! I can't wait for the day where I can pull out a dusty pair of high school jeans and zip them up, without doing my stretch/dance to get into them :-) I hope that day is coming soon.
Well, the "no crappy food" challenge continues. And it's getting a little easier. I'm really hoping that by the end of this mini challenge, I'll be kissing the scale and seeing the 230s! So.... here's to hoping and working it off this next week!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Thomas' 100% Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with peanut butter
Snack
Chobani Pineapple Yogurt
Lunch
Salad made of baby spinach, 2 slices of ham, and fat free Italian dressing
Diced Peaches
15 Triscuits with hummus
Snack
Kashi Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Dinner
2 tacos made with ground turkey, lettuce, fat free sour cream, salsa, and cheese
Dessert
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwich
Days 78-84 -- Grad School Is Killing Me
And I mean that in more ways than one.
I know over the past week I've been a bit distant. But if you only knew the week I had. My grad school classes (my intense cohort program which meets only for one weekend a month, Fridays 5-10 and Saturdays and Sundays from 8-5) started this past weekend and left me feeling a little flustered. On top of it all, I had to work late every night last week -- which made getting to the gym (and blogging) uber difficult. :-\
But... alas, I'm back! And while I can't promise a post every day of the week (tons of homework!), I will be slightly more in touch with you all.
So... my three weeks of no crap food was going fabulously! Notice, I said "was."
And then last weekend happened. :-\ 5:00 a.m alarm clocks, 8:00 a.m. class an hour from my house, and a wedding to boot really did not work so well with my little mini-challenge. I didn't do awful, but I surely could have done better.
The intensity of the course, and a seriously busy weekend besides class, left me unable to prepare much food-wise. Not to mention, I ran out of packable lunch materials by the end of last week and had no time to go grocery shopping. That said, there were two stops at Dunkin (Saturday and Sunday morning), but have no fear... I took Kali's last suggestion and ordered an eggwhite and cheese on an English muffin both mornings. Saturday's lunch consisted of a grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun with pesto and a cup of minestrone soup. That evening, I didn't eat much at all. Ted and I attended my college roommate's wedding, and I made sure to steer clear of most of the passed hors d'ouvres (spelling???). I had ordered the beef - which appeared in front of me still bleeding. I like my meat medium-well. This caused a problem. Another problem? Well, they served carrots. I don't eat carrots.
I went to bed a bit hungry, only to get up and head back to class on Sunday. Sunday's lunch consisted of tuna in a pocket from D'Angelos. And for dinner -- well, a wheat Boboli pizza. Sunday was not the food highlight of my weekend. The good news? Well, getting home so late meant that no ice cream! And in fact, I've only had ice cream once since last Wednesday. Pretty good in my book :-)
One thing that's happened in the past week that I'm pretty proud of??? Well, for this wedding, I needed a dress. So, I ventured off to Lane Bryant on lunch one day and picked myself up slinky little, clingy, black dress... in a SIZE 14/16!!!! For the past few months, clothes have still been too tight for me to get a 14/16, and I've been forced to buy the 16/18 sizes. Blech. Well, not anymore! And I felt good in the dress! I mean, I was a little self-conscious, because I'm not used to wearing something quite so fitted -- but I got tons of compliments and even a few "Wow, you're looking really good!" I found my new feel-good dress!
That little victory was all I needed to get myself re-focused. Granted, this weekend did not go as planned. And my meal choices definitely left room for improvement. But, I'm going to continue this little mini challenge of "no crappy foods" for another two weeks. I feel like this weekend could have done more damage than I intended it to, and I want to see what two consistent weeks can do. So we'll see what happens two weeks from now.
Also, lovely Mother Nature paid a visit this week, so working out has been tough. Nothing like running with major cramps! I'm feeling pretty bloated, lethargic, and all over just icky. And although I'm not going to be running tonight, I will be working out. I plan to do some free weights while watching TV with the hubby this evening. I figure it's got to be better than just sitting there, right?
In addition, I'm still taking in no more than 5 carbs per day (less if I can swing it). And I'm adjusting to that pretty well. I think I might try and cut carbs out altogether for a week. But let's not get ahead of ourselves -- I know. Maybe I'll try gradually cutting back to four, three, two, etc. Either way -- more running, weights, and healthy eating to come this week! I'm feeling pretty energized (despite the physical handicap this week), and can't wait to get a good run in!
OH -- and for all those out there who doubted my love of veggies: I LOVE baby spinach!!! I'm really enjoying this addition to my lunch salads :-)
Keep fighting the good fight, everyone! Hope you're all having fantastic weeks!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Strawberry Yogurt
Lunch
Baby spinach & romaine lettuce salad with shaved turkey and fat free Italian dressing
Banana
Snack
1 plain rice cake with Babybel French Onion spreadable cheese
Dinner
Grilled barbeque chicken
Broccoli
I know over the past week I've been a bit distant. But if you only knew the week I had. My grad school classes (my intense cohort program which meets only for one weekend a month, Fridays 5-10 and Saturdays and Sundays from 8-5) started this past weekend and left me feeling a little flustered. On top of it all, I had to work late every night last week -- which made getting to the gym (and blogging) uber difficult. :-\
But... alas, I'm back! And while I can't promise a post every day of the week (tons of homework!), I will be slightly more in touch with you all.
So... my three weeks of no crap food was going fabulously! Notice, I said "was."
And then last weekend happened. :-\ 5:00 a.m alarm clocks, 8:00 a.m. class an hour from my house, and a wedding to boot really did not work so well with my little mini-challenge. I didn't do awful, but I surely could have done better.
The intensity of the course, and a seriously busy weekend besides class, left me unable to prepare much food-wise. Not to mention, I ran out of packable lunch materials by the end of last week and had no time to go grocery shopping. That said, there were two stops at Dunkin (Saturday and Sunday morning), but have no fear... I took Kali's last suggestion and ordered an eggwhite and cheese on an English muffin both mornings. Saturday's lunch consisted of a grilled chicken sandwich on a wheat bun with pesto and a cup of minestrone soup. That evening, I didn't eat much at all. Ted and I attended my college roommate's wedding, and I made sure to steer clear of most of the passed hors d'ouvres (spelling???). I had ordered the beef - which appeared in front of me still bleeding. I like my meat medium-well. This caused a problem. Another problem? Well, they served carrots. I don't eat carrots.
I went to bed a bit hungry, only to get up and head back to class on Sunday. Sunday's lunch consisted of tuna in a pocket from D'Angelos. And for dinner -- well, a wheat Boboli pizza. Sunday was not the food highlight of my weekend. The good news? Well, getting home so late meant that no ice cream! And in fact, I've only had ice cream once since last Wednesday. Pretty good in my book :-)
One thing that's happened in the past week that I'm pretty proud of??? Well, for this wedding, I needed a dress. So, I ventured off to Lane Bryant on lunch one day and picked myself up slinky little, clingy, black dress... in a SIZE 14/16!!!! For the past few months, clothes have still been too tight for me to get a 14/16, and I've been forced to buy the 16/18 sizes. Blech. Well, not anymore! And I felt good in the dress! I mean, I was a little self-conscious, because I'm not used to wearing something quite so fitted -- but I got tons of compliments and even a few "Wow, you're looking really good!" I found my new feel-good dress!
That little victory was all I needed to get myself re-focused. Granted, this weekend did not go as planned. And my meal choices definitely left room for improvement. But, I'm going to continue this little mini challenge of "no crappy foods" for another two weeks. I feel like this weekend could have done more damage than I intended it to, and I want to see what two consistent weeks can do. So we'll see what happens two weeks from now.
Also, lovely Mother Nature paid a visit this week, so working out has been tough. Nothing like running with major cramps! I'm feeling pretty bloated, lethargic, and all over just icky. And although I'm not going to be running tonight, I will be working out. I plan to do some free weights while watching TV with the hubby this evening. I figure it's got to be better than just sitting there, right?
In addition, I'm still taking in no more than 5 carbs per day (less if I can swing it). And I'm adjusting to that pretty well. I think I might try and cut carbs out altogether for a week. But let's not get ahead of ourselves -- I know. Maybe I'll try gradually cutting back to four, three, two, etc. Either way -- more running, weights, and healthy eating to come this week! I'm feeling pretty energized (despite the physical handicap this week), and can't wait to get a good run in!
OH -- and for all those out there who doubted my love of veggies: I LOVE baby spinach!!! I'm really enjoying this addition to my lunch salads :-)
Keep fighting the good fight, everyone! Hope you're all having fantastic weeks!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Strawberry Yogurt
Lunch
Baby spinach & romaine lettuce salad with shaved turkey and fat free Italian dressing
Banana
Snack
1 plain rice cake with Babybel French Onion spreadable cheese
Dinner
Grilled barbeque chicken
Broccoli
Day 77 -- Cutting Carbs Sucks :-(
So, here's the menu for Day 77 (yesterday).
A quick sidenote, if I may:
When I visited with Kali last week, she asked me to limit my carb intake to 5 times a day (for example, two slices of whole wheat bread or one spoonful of mashed potatoes both count as 1). To put that in perspective, I've been eating 8-9 carbs per day. So... cutting that almost in half has been a bit of a challenge. I'm finally starting to adjust, but it's such a pain! It's just one more thing I have to think about when planning/making my meals for the day.
I'll post more on this topic later tonight. But now, I'm off to the gym. 5 mile run and some weights, here I come!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Diced peaches
Some cashews (note measured out, and I know I ate WAY too much)
Lunch
Romaine hearts/baby spinach salad with shaved turkey and Fat Free Italian dressing
2 Plain rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Snack
Strawberry Chobani Yogurt
Dinner
Chicken quesadilla made with fat free sour cream
A quick sidenote, if I may:
When I visited with Kali last week, she asked me to limit my carb intake to 5 times a day (for example, two slices of whole wheat bread or one spoonful of mashed potatoes both count as 1). To put that in perspective, I've been eating 8-9 carbs per day. So... cutting that almost in half has been a bit of a challenge. I'm finally starting to adjust, but it's such a pain! It's just one more thing I have to think about when planning/making my meals for the day.
I'll post more on this topic later tonight. But now, I'm off to the gym. 5 mile run and some weights, here I come!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Diced peaches
Some cashews (note measured out, and I know I ate WAY too much)
Lunch
Romaine hearts/baby spinach salad with shaved turkey and Fat Free Italian dressing
2 Plain rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Snack
Strawberry Chobani Yogurt
Dinner
Chicken quesadilla made with fat free sour cream
Days 74-76 -- Busy Weekend
Hey gang! Super busy weekend, and no time to post. :-\ But hopefully I'll have a chance sometime this week to get a good and lengthy post up for you all! I know you're all waiting to read my every thought and word, right? Yea, that's what I thought.
Well -- for now, here's my menu! Hope you all had a great weekend!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Snack
15 Cashews
Lunch
Ham on 100% whole wheat bread, light mayo, and spinach leaves
20 mini pretzels
Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
Snack
Babybel Cheese Round
Dinner
Chicken, spinach/romaine salad with light Italian dressing, green beans
Dessert
Ice cream
Well -- for now, here's my menu! Hope you all had a great weekend!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Snack
15 Cashews
Lunch
Ham on 100% whole wheat bread, light mayo, and spinach leaves
20 mini pretzels
Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
Snack
Babybel Cheese Round
Dinner
Chicken, spinach/romaine salad with light Italian dressing, green beans
Dessert
Ice cream
Day 73 -- Just Checking In
I don't have much time to write tonight, but I wanted to at least get my menu up here. Day one of no crappy food was a success! Let's hope the next 20 days go equally as well :-)
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Cheese Stick
Snack
Strawberry & Banana Chobani Yogurt
Lunch
Asian Sesame Chicken Salad from Panera, side of bread
Snack
Kashi TLC Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Dinner
Pork chop with broccoli
Dessert
Ice Cream
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Cheese Stick
Snack
Strawberry & Banana Chobani Yogurt
Lunch
Asian Sesame Chicken Salad from Panera, side of bread
Snack
Kashi TLC Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Dinner
Pork chop with broccoli
Dessert
Ice Cream
Days 71-72 -- Recommitment
Well hello again.
I'm not going to bother apologizing for my lack of activity on this blog -- which, may I remind you, I was determined to post on at least once a day for a year. Yea, well I think we've all realized by now that my ambition to do just that might have been a wee bit lofty. Regardless, I'm sorry. Let's just leave it at that for now.
I wrote on Monday afternoon that I've found myself edging every so closely back into a rut. And I'm determined not to let that happen. For the past week, my inbox has been inundated with emails from my Half-Marathon Fundraising Mentor, Team Coordinator, and the like to re-commit to fundraising, and running, the Boston Half-Marathon for Crohn's & Colitis. And the constant stream of email reminders have got me thinking: I need to re-commit. Not just to the race on June 27, but to this race which will last the rest of my life.
The past month has been a struggle, but only because I've made it one. After a nice little therapy session with Kali (no, she's not my therapist, but my nutritionist, for those just joining us), we determined that I'm self-sabotaging. OK -- now on three let's all do a collective, sarcastic cheer!
No, seriously. Not good. Not good at all. And the worst part is that I KNOW I'm doing it. And yet I don't stop myself. As Kali pointed out, I make a bad decision, blog about it, swear up and down that I'll never do it again, and then three weeks later find myself in the same, familiar position. Hmm.... someone's a slow learner, no???
As Kali also pointed out, I make a lot of excuses for myself. I have a stellar week, lose three or four pounds, and as some kind of reward for being so good, I go ahead and slpurge on a cheeseburger, French Fries, or whatever other unhealthy, cholesterol-filled food is in my direct path of consumption. And that needs to stop. I can't keep making excuses, straying from my healthy habits, and then get frustrated with myself when the scale doesn't move, or worse, goes up.
So the result of this evening's session with Kali??? Well, it's a simple challenge. But it's going to be hard as Hell. For the next three weeks, Kali wants me to (and I agree it's a good idea) embark on a mini experiment. No crappy meals for three weeks. That means, no matter the weight loss I might have, no cheating. No pizza. No buffalo chicken wraps. No French Fries. Nothing that's not on the Kali-Approved List of Foods.
I'm not kidding when I say this is going to be really hard for me. And not because it's going to take a lot of preparation (ensuring I have the right foods with me, not eating out, etc.), but because it means I'm going to have to face down whatever little Demon inside my head that keeps toying with me, convincing me to self-sabotage. I sense that these next few weeks will make or break me. I'm hoping they prove to be quite insightful, and that I'll be the better for them.
So, today, I stand (ok, well, envision me standing) before you at 246.2 pounds. And I am re-committing to this journey, to this challenge, to this blog. As Kali said earlier, there's plenty of time for me to enjoy the foods I really love once I've reached my goal weight and proven that I can maintain it. But not right now. Right now, there's no "wiggle room." Right now, I need to re-commit to a healthy lifestyle, to losing weight, and feeling great about myself. And let's face it -- that doesn't come by way of downing a basket of fried shrimp.
Hopefully, you're all doing better on your journeys than I am. And I pray that your "inner demons" and the voices in your head that are trying to push you down are not winning. Keep fighting the good fight! And check back in for a blog a day -- even if it is just my menu!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Cheese Stick
Snack
2 Plain rice cakes with peanut butter
Lunch
Grilled chicken, broccoli
Snack
10 pretzels, cheese stick
Dinner
Grilled chicken, green beans, and some rice
I'm not going to bother apologizing for my lack of activity on this blog -- which, may I remind you, I was determined to post on at least once a day for a year. Yea, well I think we've all realized by now that my ambition to do just that might have been a wee bit lofty. Regardless, I'm sorry. Let's just leave it at that for now.
I wrote on Monday afternoon that I've found myself edging every so closely back into a rut. And I'm determined not to let that happen. For the past week, my inbox has been inundated with emails from my Half-Marathon Fundraising Mentor, Team Coordinator, and the like to re-commit to fundraising, and running, the Boston Half-Marathon for Crohn's & Colitis. And the constant stream of email reminders have got me thinking: I need to re-commit. Not just to the race on June 27, but to this race which will last the rest of my life.
The past month has been a struggle, but only because I've made it one. After a nice little therapy session with Kali (no, she's not my therapist, but my nutritionist, for those just joining us), we determined that I'm self-sabotaging. OK -- now on three let's all do a collective, sarcastic cheer!
No, seriously. Not good. Not good at all. And the worst part is that I KNOW I'm doing it. And yet I don't stop myself. As Kali pointed out, I make a bad decision, blog about it, swear up and down that I'll never do it again, and then three weeks later find myself in the same, familiar position. Hmm.... someone's a slow learner, no???
As Kali also pointed out, I make a lot of excuses for myself. I have a stellar week, lose three or four pounds, and as some kind of reward for being so good, I go ahead and slpurge on a cheeseburger, French Fries, or whatever other unhealthy, cholesterol-filled food is in my direct path of consumption. And that needs to stop. I can't keep making excuses, straying from my healthy habits, and then get frustrated with myself when the scale doesn't move, or worse, goes up.
So the result of this evening's session with Kali??? Well, it's a simple challenge. But it's going to be hard as Hell. For the next three weeks, Kali wants me to (and I agree it's a good idea) embark on a mini experiment. No crappy meals for three weeks. That means, no matter the weight loss I might have, no cheating. No pizza. No buffalo chicken wraps. No French Fries. Nothing that's not on the Kali-Approved List of Foods.
I'm not kidding when I say this is going to be really hard for me. And not because it's going to take a lot of preparation (ensuring I have the right foods with me, not eating out, etc.), but because it means I'm going to have to face down whatever little Demon inside my head that keeps toying with me, convincing me to self-sabotage. I sense that these next few weeks will make or break me. I'm hoping they prove to be quite insightful, and that I'll be the better for them.
So, today, I stand (ok, well, envision me standing) before you at 246.2 pounds. And I am re-committing to this journey, to this challenge, to this blog. As Kali said earlier, there's plenty of time for me to enjoy the foods I really love once I've reached my goal weight and proven that I can maintain it. But not right now. Right now, there's no "wiggle room." Right now, I need to re-commit to a healthy lifestyle, to losing weight, and feeling great about myself. And let's face it -- that doesn't come by way of downing a basket of fried shrimp.
Hopefully, you're all doing better on your journeys than I am. And I pray that your "inner demons" and the voices in your head that are trying to push you down are not winning. Keep fighting the good fight! And check back in for a blog a day -- even if it is just my menu!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Cheese Stick
Snack
2 Plain rice cakes with peanut butter
Lunch
Grilled chicken, broccoli
Snack
10 pretzels, cheese stick
Dinner
Grilled chicken, green beans, and some rice
Days 66-70 -- 1 Minute Shaved Off, 1 Back Muscle Pulled
Ran a 5K yesterday. In the rain. And the cold. Oh, and did I mention the ENTIRE course was uphill?! Who does that????
Needless to say, I had to walk quite a bit of the hills, as I don't usually incorporate hills in my training (don't worry, I'm going to start!). But I still managed to shave another minute off my best 5K time, finishing at 40:38. Sooo close to breaking into the 30:00s. Ugh -- damn you hills, damn you!
However, the combo of running like a hunchback in the rainy cold at a continuous uphill incline led to one sore back. In fact, 24 hours later, and I still can't straighten my back entirely. I tried a massaging chair mechanism, my husband's good ole hands, and even one rolling pin (per my mother's suggestion). Nothing's worked so far.
I have plans to run tonight, but we'll see if that actually happens. Not gonna lie, I don't know how keen I am on getting more than a few stares from those skinnies around me wondering why I look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. And I'm not sure how much I'll be able to carry myself upright while running. But I'm sure as heck going to try.
FYI -- Saturday's weigh-in was 245.8. And while it was still a loss, it's not nearly where I should be two plus months into this challenge.
I'm going to try super hard the next few weeks to re-focus and re-motivate myself. I think I'm getting into the beginning stages of a rut, and I do NOT want to find myself there. So feel free to motivate me :-)
I'll post the menu later! Ciao!
Needless to say, I had to walk quite a bit of the hills, as I don't usually incorporate hills in my training (don't worry, I'm going to start!). But I still managed to shave another minute off my best 5K time, finishing at 40:38. Sooo close to breaking into the 30:00s. Ugh -- damn you hills, damn you!
However, the combo of running like a hunchback in the rainy cold at a continuous uphill incline led to one sore back. In fact, 24 hours later, and I still can't straighten my back entirely. I tried a massaging chair mechanism, my husband's good ole hands, and even one rolling pin (per my mother's suggestion). Nothing's worked so far.
I have plans to run tonight, but we'll see if that actually happens. Not gonna lie, I don't know how keen I am on getting more than a few stares from those skinnies around me wondering why I look like the Hunchback of Notre Dame. And I'm not sure how much I'll be able to carry myself upright while running. But I'm sure as heck going to try.
FYI -- Saturday's weigh-in was 245.8. And while it was still a loss, it's not nearly where I should be two plus months into this challenge.
I'm going to try super hard the next few weeks to re-focus and re-motivate myself. I think I'm getting into the beginning stages of a rut, and I do NOT want to find myself there. So feel free to motivate me :-)
I'll post the menu later! Ciao!
Day 65 -- A Quick Post
Just wanted to stop in and post my menu for Tuesday. I'll be going to grad school orientation tonight, and won't have time to post. But I didn't want to go two days without contact!
Hope you're all having a fantastic food week!!! Oh, and shoutout to my friend Katie who lost an awesome 3.5 pounds this past week!!! You go girl!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Raspberry
Lunch
Ham on a small roll with mustard
2 Plain rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Diced Peaches
Snack
Kashi TLC Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Banana
Dinner
Chicken ziti
Dessert
Ice cream :-\
Hope you're all having a fantastic food week!!! Oh, and shoutout to my friend Katie who lost an awesome 3.5 pounds this past week!!! You go girl!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Raspberry
Lunch
Ham on a small roll with mustard
2 Plain rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Diced Peaches
Snack
Kashi TLC Oats & Honey Granola Bar
Banana
Dinner
Chicken ziti
Dessert
Ice cream :-\
Days 60- 64 -- I Feel Like I Grew a Baby...
On Saturday, I traveled with two of my work girlfriends to Mohegan Sun in CT to see the oh-so-obnoxious and yet gut-wrenchingly funny Chelsea Handler. We made a reservation to spend the night at a nearby Hilton, ensuring we could have our fun without worrying about driving home in the middle of the night.
Well, our plans were thrown off from the minute we left work. We hit traffic, and the pouring rain didn't help much, either. Our 55 minute drive actually took about an hour and a half. And after checking into the hotel, we still had to circle back to the casino, find parking, and get to the arena for the 8:00 showtime. We hit traffic again while trying to park at the casino, and that screwed with our dinner plans. We intended to eat before the show, since our last meal was at 12:00. But no luck for us. We just barely made the show, so dinner had to wait until after Chelsea.
So at 10:30, we embarked on our journey to find a dinner spot. I don't know if any of you have ever been to Mohegan on a Friday night, but regardless of what time you go, the restaurants are always packed. We decided that southern comfort food was going to be our poison of choice. I should have known it was going to be bad the minute I saw those red neon lights highlighting the words Big Bubba's BBQ.
Being 10:30, we were famished. My stomach had gone beyond the growling/churning/talk-until-you-feed-it phase and had entered the eat-your-own-insides-I'm-so-hungry period. Going almost 11 hours without a meal was a REALLY bad idea. So, naturally, I overate. We started with strawberry daiquiris, proceeded to order barbeque nachos, and topped it all off with a plate of pulled pork, garnished with the heart-attack-inducing sides of french fries and cornbread. It was delicious, but I totally overdid it. My stomach muscles felt tight. I mean, to the point where I literally felt like a beach ball that had been blown up too much and needed to have a little air released.
But that didn't stop the binge. As if on auto-pilot, I walked to Ben & Jerry's and managed to sluggishly make my way to the counter. A kiddie scoop? Hell no! One scoop? Definitely not. No, clearly I needed the two-scoop Strawberry Cheesecake in a jimmie-covered waffle cone. I got no further than ten licks before I felt as if I were going to implode. For the first time in my life, I thew away ice cream. Literally, the first time. I don't think that's ever happened before. You know how some people say spilling alcohol is a waste of precious booze??? Yea, well throwing out ice cream is a waste of precious comfort-food.
We made it back to the room around 2 a.m. I felt sick. I literally sat in the bathroom, considering whether or not I should make myself throw up, just to release some of the pressure I was feeling. I decided against it, thinking that if I just went to bed, I'd feel better in the morning.
That night, I couldn't even sleep on my stomach, it hurt so much. And when the morning came, I didn't feel much differently. I felt like I had grown a baby overnight and that I was due in two months. My skin felt stretched, my stomach tight. I felt bloated. I felt sick. I felt like someone had poured three gallons of salt into me. It was the most disgusting thing I had ever experienced.
I know there were a number of things I did wrong this past weekend. I ate too much. I ate too late. I didn't stick to my eating schedule, by having a healthy snack in the afternoon and eating a slim and trim meal in the early evening. But what really shocked me this weekend was just how much my body had changed. No joke -- I used to be able to finish the same amount of food without even flinching. And it wouldn't have even hurt.
But my meals this weekend proved to me how much my body, and my lifestyle, has changed in the past few months. I can't eat the way I used to -- literally. It's not only that I don't want to eat that way, but I literally can't. My stomach has shrunk and if I continue to eat the way I did this weekend, I have no doubt I'll experience pretty much the same symptoms again.
So... yay for my stomach being much smaller! Boo to the binge-fest I had on Friday. I wish I had better reasons to explain my behavior on Saturday, but as I told my husband, I didn't consciously think about my decisions once on Friday. The Old Nicole found her way to the surface for a day or so, and it sucked. I let my guard down, overate, chose the wrong foods, and just gave in to temptation way too much.
In the past, weekends like this last one would have deterred me from getting "back on the wagon," so to speak. Weekends like this last one would have convinced me that "I just love food too much" or "It's too hard." And my desire to take the easy road out would have won. But not this time. Nope. On Sunday, I was right back to making healthy decisions, and my normal habits.
Granted, the damage was already done. I weighed in on Sunday morning at 249.4. Major yuck. And I know that going forward, I need to realize that one night of eating the way I want to isn't worth the damage it causes on the scale. Hopefully I've learned that lesson now.
Well, only time will tell. Until then, I'll be running my giggly bum off at the gym and packing lunches of soup and fruit. Maybe I'll incorporate some weights into my workouts this week. Any suggestions for exercises??? Someone feeling satanic and want to make me feel that burn??? :-) Let me know what makes you really sweat!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Kashi TLC Oats/Honey Granola Bars
Lunch
Veggie and Noodle Soup
2 Rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Chobani Strawberry Banana
Snack
Banana
Dinner
Enchilada with ground turkey, green peppers, and onions
Dessert
Niente :-)
Well, our plans were thrown off from the minute we left work. We hit traffic, and the pouring rain didn't help much, either. Our 55 minute drive actually took about an hour and a half. And after checking into the hotel, we still had to circle back to the casino, find parking, and get to the arena for the 8:00 showtime. We hit traffic again while trying to park at the casino, and that screwed with our dinner plans. We intended to eat before the show, since our last meal was at 12:00. But no luck for us. We just barely made the show, so dinner had to wait until after Chelsea.
So at 10:30, we embarked on our journey to find a dinner spot. I don't know if any of you have ever been to Mohegan on a Friday night, but regardless of what time you go, the restaurants are always packed. We decided that southern comfort food was going to be our poison of choice. I should have known it was going to be bad the minute I saw those red neon lights highlighting the words Big Bubba's BBQ.
Being 10:30, we were famished. My stomach had gone beyond the growling/churning/talk-until-you-feed-it phase and had entered the eat-your-own-insides-I'm-so-hungry period. Going almost 11 hours without a meal was a REALLY bad idea. So, naturally, I overate. We started with strawberry daiquiris, proceeded to order barbeque nachos, and topped it all off with a plate of pulled pork, garnished with the heart-attack-inducing sides of french fries and cornbread. It was delicious, but I totally overdid it. My stomach muscles felt tight. I mean, to the point where I literally felt like a beach ball that had been blown up too much and needed to have a little air released.
But that didn't stop the binge. As if on auto-pilot, I walked to Ben & Jerry's and managed to sluggishly make my way to the counter. A kiddie scoop? Hell no! One scoop? Definitely not. No, clearly I needed the two-scoop Strawberry Cheesecake in a jimmie-covered waffle cone. I got no further than ten licks before I felt as if I were going to implode. For the first time in my life, I thew away ice cream. Literally, the first time. I don't think that's ever happened before. You know how some people say spilling alcohol is a waste of precious booze??? Yea, well throwing out ice cream is a waste of precious comfort-food.
We made it back to the room around 2 a.m. I felt sick. I literally sat in the bathroom, considering whether or not I should make myself throw up, just to release some of the pressure I was feeling. I decided against it, thinking that if I just went to bed, I'd feel better in the morning.
That night, I couldn't even sleep on my stomach, it hurt so much. And when the morning came, I didn't feel much differently. I felt like I had grown a baby overnight and that I was due in two months. My skin felt stretched, my stomach tight. I felt bloated. I felt sick. I felt like someone had poured three gallons of salt into me. It was the most disgusting thing I had ever experienced.
I know there were a number of things I did wrong this past weekend. I ate too much. I ate too late. I didn't stick to my eating schedule, by having a healthy snack in the afternoon and eating a slim and trim meal in the early evening. But what really shocked me this weekend was just how much my body had changed. No joke -- I used to be able to finish the same amount of food without even flinching. And it wouldn't have even hurt.
But my meals this weekend proved to me how much my body, and my lifestyle, has changed in the past few months. I can't eat the way I used to -- literally. It's not only that I don't want to eat that way, but I literally can't. My stomach has shrunk and if I continue to eat the way I did this weekend, I have no doubt I'll experience pretty much the same symptoms again.
So... yay for my stomach being much smaller! Boo to the binge-fest I had on Friday. I wish I had better reasons to explain my behavior on Saturday, but as I told my husband, I didn't consciously think about my decisions once on Friday. The Old Nicole found her way to the surface for a day or so, and it sucked. I let my guard down, overate, chose the wrong foods, and just gave in to temptation way too much.
In the past, weekends like this last one would have deterred me from getting "back on the wagon," so to speak. Weekends like this last one would have convinced me that "I just love food too much" or "It's too hard." And my desire to take the easy road out would have won. But not this time. Nope. On Sunday, I was right back to making healthy decisions, and my normal habits.
Granted, the damage was already done. I weighed in on Sunday morning at 249.4. Major yuck. And I know that going forward, I need to realize that one night of eating the way I want to isn't worth the damage it causes on the scale. Hopefully I've learned that lesson now.
Well, only time will tell. Until then, I'll be running my giggly bum off at the gym and packing lunches of soup and fruit. Maybe I'll incorporate some weights into my workouts this week. Any suggestions for exercises??? Someone feeling satanic and want to make me feel that burn??? :-) Let me know what makes you really sweat!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Kashi TLC Oats/Honey Granola Bars
Lunch
Veggie and Noodle Soup
2 Rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Chobani Strawberry Banana
Snack
Banana
Dinner
Enchilada with ground turkey, green peppers, and onions
Dessert
Niente :-)
Days 53-59 -- Thank You Mother Nature
I realize that I've been a wee bit absent from the blogosphere the past week. But I haven't exactly been myself, either. I've been struggling with a few things and needed some time away from my everday routine.
So about once a month my body is invaded by my twin. Let's just call her Baby Crazy Nicole. For the past few months, Ted and I have been trying to expand our family of two. And each month is a total roller coaster ride. "Am I pregnant?" "Is it this month?" It's starting to take its toll on me. So, pair that lovely disappointment with my monthly dose of extra hormones, and the result is Baby Crazy Nicole.
Not to mention that, thanks to Mother Nature, I have a nice little window each month where I'm rendered completely incapable of doing anything but finding my way out of bed in the morning, to work, and back home again at night. I haven't worked out since last Friday (I swear men have it sooo much easier!), I've felt bloated, and have wanted to do nothing more than sit on our chaise in the baggiest sweat pants I own with a nice mug-full of ice cream. Ladies, I'm sure most of you can relate.
None of this was helping my already, slightly depressed mood. I had no energy to workout and continued to watch the scale creep up -- something that can be attributed to both water weight and a serious lack of exercise. And as the scale continued to climb, I felt more and more depressed.
But after a good long chat with Kali tonight, I feel a bit better. Whether I like it or not, Mother Nature will show up once a month (or if I'm lucky, not for the next 9 months after this one!) and that's going to cause a shift in my weight. Not much I can do about it, except to deal. And that's something I'm going to have to work on.
And as for that whole "trying to make a baby" thing -- well, the stress is definitely not helping. So in all aspects of my life, I need to just chill. This may seem like a pretty small thing for all of you. But for control freaks like me, well, that's really not easy at all.
Either way, my apologies for being MIA. I should have been posting this week, regardless of what was going on. Because let's face it -- when I don't post, I lose my accountability partners. And God knows I need you all for that!!!
How are the rest of you doing? Anyone else having a tough week? Or a really good week? Or just feel like commenting??? I feel like it's been forever since I've heard from some of you! Well, keep up the good work. I hope you're all having a better week than I am!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
Lunch
Campbell's Select Harvest Minestrone Soup
20 Snyder's Mini Pretzels
Diced Peaches
2 Rice Cakes with Babybel French Onion Cheese
Snack
Sliced strawberries
Banana
Dinner
1 piece of lasagna
Dessert
Ice cream :-)
So about once a month my body is invaded by my twin. Let's just call her Baby Crazy Nicole. For the past few months, Ted and I have been trying to expand our family of two. And each month is a total roller coaster ride. "Am I pregnant?" "Is it this month?" It's starting to take its toll on me. So, pair that lovely disappointment with my monthly dose of extra hormones, and the result is Baby Crazy Nicole.
Not to mention that, thanks to Mother Nature, I have a nice little window each month where I'm rendered completely incapable of doing anything but finding my way out of bed in the morning, to work, and back home again at night. I haven't worked out since last Friday (I swear men have it sooo much easier!), I've felt bloated, and have wanted to do nothing more than sit on our chaise in the baggiest sweat pants I own with a nice mug-full of ice cream. Ladies, I'm sure most of you can relate.
None of this was helping my already, slightly depressed mood. I had no energy to workout and continued to watch the scale creep up -- something that can be attributed to both water weight and a serious lack of exercise. And as the scale continued to climb, I felt more and more depressed.
But after a good long chat with Kali tonight, I feel a bit better. Whether I like it or not, Mother Nature will show up once a month (or if I'm lucky, not for the next 9 months after this one!) and that's going to cause a shift in my weight. Not much I can do about it, except to deal. And that's something I'm going to have to work on.
And as for that whole "trying to make a baby" thing -- well, the stress is definitely not helping. So in all aspects of my life, I need to just chill. This may seem like a pretty small thing for all of you. But for control freaks like me, well, that's really not easy at all.
Either way, my apologies for being MIA. I should have been posting this week, regardless of what was going on. Because let's face it -- when I don't post, I lose my accountability partners. And God knows I need you all for that!!!
How are the rest of you doing? Anyone else having a tough week? Or a really good week? Or just feel like commenting??? I feel like it's been forever since I've heard from some of you! Well, keep up the good work. I hope you're all having a better week than I am!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
Lunch
Campbell's Select Harvest Minestrone Soup
20 Snyder's Mini Pretzels
Diced Peaches
2 Rice Cakes with Babybel French Onion Cheese
Snack
Sliced strawberries
Banana
Dinner
1 piece of lasagna
Dessert
Ice cream :-)
Days 50-52 -- Same Old, Same Old
So, other than the fact that I probably could have done laps in the new Olympic-size pool that is 95South in Rhode Island this week, there's not much new on this end. I called out of work sick on Monday (that hot dog, slice of carrot cake, and ziti combo I so willingly scarfed down on Sunday definitely took its toll on my system) and spent the day watching trash TV (who the hell is Frank the Entertainer, by the way?).
On Tuesday, my plans to meet up with Kali were thwarted when the Governor of RI declared a state of emergency and urged everyone off the roads by 6 p.m. No Kali, no gym. :-\ This rain is really screwing with my weight loss plans this week. The consistent downpours for the past three days also means that I haven't run outside since Sunday -- something I was hoping to do! Now that I'm finally in a routine and getting used to running outdoors, I really didn't want to fall out of that habit.
Luckily, the weather forecast for the next few days is looking a bit better. Helllllloooooo sixties and sunshine :-) I'll definitely be running outside on the Boulevard tomorrow or Friday.
I'll be on tomorrow or Friday with another post. Until then, have fun working out and eating oh-so-healthy!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 mini Thomas 100% whole wheat bagel with peanut butter
Babyel Light Cheese Round
1 Clementine
Snack
2 Rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Lunch
Turkey on wheat wrap with lettuce, pickles, and lite mayo
Broccoli
Snack
Chobani Strawberry Banana Yogurt
Dinner
Chicken quesadilla with salsa, sour cream, and cheese
Dessert
None
On Tuesday, my plans to meet up with Kali were thwarted when the Governor of RI declared a state of emergency and urged everyone off the roads by 6 p.m. No Kali, no gym. :-\ This rain is really screwing with my weight loss plans this week. The consistent downpours for the past three days also means that I haven't run outside since Sunday -- something I was hoping to do! Now that I'm finally in a routine and getting used to running outdoors, I really didn't want to fall out of that habit.
Luckily, the weather forecast for the next few days is looking a bit better. Helllllloooooo sixties and sunshine :-) I'll definitely be running outside on the Boulevard tomorrow or Friday.
I'll be on tomorrow or Friday with another post. Until then, have fun working out and eating oh-so-healthy!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 mini Thomas 100% whole wheat bagel with peanut butter
Babyel Light Cheese Round
1 Clementine
Snack
2 Rice cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Lunch
Turkey on wheat wrap with lettuce, pickles, and lite mayo
Broccoli
Snack
Chobani Strawberry Banana Yogurt
Dinner
Chicken quesadilla with salsa, sour cream, and cheese
Dessert
None
Days 47-49 -- Getting a Tad Bit Ahead of Myself
Last night, while laying in bed trying to fall asleep, I had what I thought was a GLORIOUS and terrific idea! Immediately, I leaned over to Ted, who lay there pretty much fast asleep (guess a day of working in the yard will do that to ya), and woke his butt up, knowing I'd only get him to agree to my ingenious, yet slightly lofty plan when he was in out of consciousness.
"Hey, babe... How about tomorrow, if it's nice, we head to Blackstone Boulevard. I can run it twice (6.4 miles), and you can walk Coco (our energetic black lab pup of one year)."
"Mmm hmmm..." he grunted.
Now, I knew that he'd discourage me from running 6.4 miles, especially when I've been averaging 3-4 miles. It's a bit of a jump, and I know he's concerned about me getting injured by trying to do too much too soon. So I was happy when he agreed again this morning, after exiting dreamland and that sleepy haze.
So we headed to the Boulevard today, which is a lovely 1.7 miles down, 1.7 miles back. And that's all I could manage today. I was exhausted, for some reason. And although I had EVERY intention of running that thing twice, it just was not happening. The wind was blowing at my face the whole way back, and as a result, my calves were getting tense and cold. Not to mention the fact that I'm pretty sure I looked like a penguin trying to walk on ice in the middle of windy Antarctica. I'd flap my arms, pump them, and still it felt like I wasn't really moving. I know I was, because I was tiring pretty quickly. I had to stop more often for a breather and I was cramping. All in all, not the best conditions to attempt a long run.
The athlete in me was pissed I "gave up," knowing I probably could have pushed myself through to the 6.4. But at what cost? Would that have made running later this week a serious challenge? Would I have pulled something? Who knows! I'm trying not to get too down on myself, and am trying to remember those times when running 1 mile outdoors seemed like a serious challenge. And now 3.4 has become the new norm! I've got to try and stay focused on all the things I can do now that seemed impossible a year ago, six months ago, even three weeks ago. And it's a struggle for someone like me who, afer meeting one goal, sets another huge goal immediately thereafter. But I'm trying. What can I say -- I'm a work in progress!
Well... here comes the part I dread each and every week -- "time to get on that scale," as Ali from The Biggest Loser would say. But this week, I'm pretty psyched to fill you all in.
Today's weight: 244.0!!!!!!
Total weight lost this week: 4.6 pounds!
Total weight lost: 9.8 pounds!!!!! Wahooo!!!
The best part is, I'm not starving all the time. I haven't stopped eating all the things I loved so dearly. And while working out is hard to fit into my schedule and yes, it sucks at times, I'm not broken, walking with a limp, or dead :-). I'm doing this, in a completely natural way. And it's awesome!!!!
So how'd all of you do this week? Let me know! And keep fighting the good fight!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
None (was out running and woke up late anyway)
Lunch
1 hot dog in a hot dog bun with mustard
Snack
1 slice of homemade carrot cake (at a birthday party)
Dinner
Ziti with grilled chicken
Broccoli (or green beans, perhaps? We'll see who wins in the Battle of the Veggies at the Ekholm Casa tonight!)
"Hey, babe... How about tomorrow, if it's nice, we head to Blackstone Boulevard. I can run it twice (6.4 miles), and you can walk Coco (our energetic black lab pup of one year)."
"Mmm hmmm..." he grunted.
Now, I knew that he'd discourage me from running 6.4 miles, especially when I've been averaging 3-4 miles. It's a bit of a jump, and I know he's concerned about me getting injured by trying to do too much too soon. So I was happy when he agreed again this morning, after exiting dreamland and that sleepy haze.
So we headed to the Boulevard today, which is a lovely 1.7 miles down, 1.7 miles back. And that's all I could manage today. I was exhausted, for some reason. And although I had EVERY intention of running that thing twice, it just was not happening. The wind was blowing at my face the whole way back, and as a result, my calves were getting tense and cold. Not to mention the fact that I'm pretty sure I looked like a penguin trying to walk on ice in the middle of windy Antarctica. I'd flap my arms, pump them, and still it felt like I wasn't really moving. I know I was, because I was tiring pretty quickly. I had to stop more often for a breather and I was cramping. All in all, not the best conditions to attempt a long run.
The athlete in me was pissed I "gave up," knowing I probably could have pushed myself through to the 6.4. But at what cost? Would that have made running later this week a serious challenge? Would I have pulled something? Who knows! I'm trying not to get too down on myself, and am trying to remember those times when running 1 mile outdoors seemed like a serious challenge. And now 3.4 has become the new norm! I've got to try and stay focused on all the things I can do now that seemed impossible a year ago, six months ago, even three weeks ago. And it's a struggle for someone like me who, afer meeting one goal, sets another huge goal immediately thereafter. But I'm trying. What can I say -- I'm a work in progress!
Well... here comes the part I dread each and every week -- "time to get on that scale," as Ali from The Biggest Loser would say. But this week, I'm pretty psyched to fill you all in.
Today's weight: 244.0!!!!!!
Total weight lost this week: 4.6 pounds!
Total weight lost: 9.8 pounds!!!!! Wahooo!!!
The best part is, I'm not starving all the time. I haven't stopped eating all the things I loved so dearly. And while working out is hard to fit into my schedule and yes, it sucks at times, I'm not broken, walking with a limp, or dead :-). I'm doing this, in a completely natural way. And it's awesome!!!!
So how'd all of you do this week? Let me know! And keep fighting the good fight!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
None (was out running and woke up late anyway)
Lunch
1 hot dog in a hot dog bun with mustard
Snack
1 slice of homemade carrot cake (at a birthday party)
Dinner
Ziti with grilled chicken
Broccoli (or green beans, perhaps? We'll see who wins in the Battle of the Veggies at the Ekholm Casa tonight!)
Days 45 &46 -- Just Keep Running... Just Keep Running
On Tuesday, I believe I was being a whiny bitch and complaining about how much my shins hurt. And they did. A lot.
Today I'm singing a different tune. Ya know that part in Finding Nemo where Dori swims while singing "just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Yea, well that was my motto for the past two days. Except, substitute the word running for swimming. Well, that little saying was quite convenient when I was hustling my ass up and down Blackstone Boulevard yesterday and today. Every time I wanted to quit, I just sang in my head "Just keep running... Just keep running." And I did!!! And I didn't fall over, drop dead, or find my legs buckling underneath me. Surprise, surprise!!!
Now, I know the image of me singing a Pixar movie tune, with my own lyrics, probably puts me on par with most five year-olds. But I'm OK with that. I mean, who cares what I say, or how crazy I look when I'm talking to myself while running, so long as it works? I sure don't.
Yesterday, after work I met up with my fellow Team Challenge Half-Marathoners in training for our first mid-week run. I had the option of running 4 miles, or 3.2, and considering how my shins were throbbing just walking around the office all day in my boots, I opted for the 5K distance. As I pushed myself up and down that gravel path, I kept thinking about the half-marathon coming up in three short months (eek!) and how badly I want this. How badly I want to be able to accomplish this goal of completing the race and how badly I want to lose this weight. It all gave me that extra umph I needed to power through the run.
And I killed it! I shaved another two minutes off my time, finishing at 39 minutes! Wahoo!!!! Excuse me for a moment while I gloat (uh hmmm... John!!!). :-)
And while my shins were sore, and I had a tad bit of trouble walking to my car after, I was thankful I went for the run. It was the furthest distance I'd ever run outdoors (in a non-race setting). And I was so hyped about finishing it, that I decided I'd repeat the route/run tonight. Yes, that's right. I ran 6.4 miles, outside, over the course of 24 hours. And I ran tonight's run in 39 minutes again. Hell yea!!! (I am soooo ok with that being my new time!!!) I can't wait for my next outdoor run, either. It probably won't happen until Saturday morning, but I'm psyched! My legs are itching to get out there and kick up some sand!
So how is everyone else doing with their workouts??? Anyone else care to gloat? Feel free! This is, after all, a Designated Gloating Zone. So go ahead, be proud of yourself, and let the rest of us congratulate you, too!
OK... time to go watch Biggest Loser with the hubby on the DVR, while doing 125 crunches. Thanks again Nicole S. I'm sooo not loving you right now.
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Strawberry Yogurt
Lunch
Campbell's Select Harvest Italian-Style Vegetable
2 Plain Rice Cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese Wedge
20 Mini Pretzels
Diced Peaches
Snack
Sliced Strawberries
Kashi TLC Honey & Oats Granola Bar
Dinner
Chicken quesadilla
Green Beans
Dessert
Neopolitan ice cream :-\
Today I'm singing a different tune. Ya know that part in Finding Nemo where Dori swims while singing "just keep swimming, just keep swimming..." Yea, well that was my motto for the past two days. Except, substitute the word running for swimming. Well, that little saying was quite convenient when I was hustling my ass up and down Blackstone Boulevard yesterday and today. Every time I wanted to quit, I just sang in my head "Just keep running... Just keep running." And I did!!! And I didn't fall over, drop dead, or find my legs buckling underneath me. Surprise, surprise!!!
Now, I know the image of me singing a Pixar movie tune, with my own lyrics, probably puts me on par with most five year-olds. But I'm OK with that. I mean, who cares what I say, or how crazy I look when I'm talking to myself while running, so long as it works? I sure don't.
Yesterday, after work I met up with my fellow Team Challenge Half-Marathoners in training for our first mid-week run. I had the option of running 4 miles, or 3.2, and considering how my shins were throbbing just walking around the office all day in my boots, I opted for the 5K distance. As I pushed myself up and down that gravel path, I kept thinking about the half-marathon coming up in three short months (eek!) and how badly I want this. How badly I want to be able to accomplish this goal of completing the race and how badly I want to lose this weight. It all gave me that extra umph I needed to power through the run.
And I killed it! I shaved another two minutes off my time, finishing at 39 minutes! Wahoo!!!! Excuse me for a moment while I gloat (uh hmmm... John!!!). :-)
And while my shins were sore, and I had a tad bit of trouble walking to my car after, I was thankful I went for the run. It was the furthest distance I'd ever run outdoors (in a non-race setting). And I was so hyped about finishing it, that I decided I'd repeat the route/run tonight. Yes, that's right. I ran 6.4 miles, outside, over the course of 24 hours. And I ran tonight's run in 39 minutes again. Hell yea!!! (I am soooo ok with that being my new time!!!) I can't wait for my next outdoor run, either. It probably won't happen until Saturday morning, but I'm psyched! My legs are itching to get out there and kick up some sand!
So how is everyone else doing with their workouts??? Anyone else care to gloat? Feel free! This is, after all, a Designated Gloating Zone. So go ahead, be proud of yourself, and let the rest of us congratulate you, too!
OK... time to go watch Biggest Loser with the hubby on the DVR, while doing 125 crunches. Thanks again Nicole S. I'm sooo not loving you right now.
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Strawberry Yogurt
Lunch
Campbell's Select Harvest Italian-Style Vegetable
2 Plain Rice Cakes with Babybel French Onion Spreadable Cheese Wedge
20 Mini Pretzels
Diced Peaches
Snack
Sliced Strawberries
Kashi TLC Honey & Oats Granola Bar
Dinner
Chicken quesadilla
Green Beans
Dessert
Neopolitan ice cream :-\
Day 44 -- Damn You Shin Splints!
The plan for today was an easy three-mile run at the gym (thank you rain for forcing me indoors). And after a day of healthy eating, I headed to the gym to feel the burn!
Enter shin splints -- my foe, the cursed enemy of runners everwhere (or at least this runner). I was 1.7 miles in when I felt the tears forming in my eyes. Now, I'm an athlete. I always have been, always will. And with the athlete mentality that I have, I kept telling myself, "Fight through the pain." So I did... for a while. But after 1.7 miles, I thought I was going to cry right there in the middle of the gym. Every ounce of my shins (and knees!) were throbbing. My right shin burned, so I tried to ease off it, putting more weight and pressure on my left leg. Well, that just made my left shin throb. And while the athlete in me kept screaming for me to keep going, I just couldn't. In the back of my head, I also knew that I had a four-mile run coming up tomorrow, with my half-marathon training group. So I spared my shins more misery tonight in order to be able to run with the group tomorrow.
I'm a bit disappointed. After all, with three months left before the half-marathon, I should be increasing my mileage each week. This isn't exactly how I envisioned my training going. But, a little ice tonight, maybe a calf rub (if my husband is feeling generous), and I'll be back on the pavement tomorrow -- rain or shine (please pray for sun! I hate the running in the rain. Actually, I hate the rain. Period.). So here's hoping tomorrow's group run goes better than today's treadmill run to Grey's Anatomy at Gold's Gym. :-\ I really don't want to be the slow girl in the group. Come on shins... shape up!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 cup Multigrain Cheerios with Milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Pineapple Yogurt
Lunch
Turkey on a wheat wrap with lettuce, pickles, and lite mayo
Diced peaches
2 Plain Rice Cakes with Laughing Cow French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Snack
Banana
Dinner
Pork chop with green beans
1 Chips Ahoy cookie
Dessert
Don't know...
Enter shin splints -- my foe, the cursed enemy of runners everwhere (or at least this runner). I was 1.7 miles in when I felt the tears forming in my eyes. Now, I'm an athlete. I always have been, always will. And with the athlete mentality that I have, I kept telling myself, "Fight through the pain." So I did... for a while. But after 1.7 miles, I thought I was going to cry right there in the middle of the gym. Every ounce of my shins (and knees!) were throbbing. My right shin burned, so I tried to ease off it, putting more weight and pressure on my left leg. Well, that just made my left shin throb. And while the athlete in me kept screaming for me to keep going, I just couldn't. In the back of my head, I also knew that I had a four-mile run coming up tomorrow, with my half-marathon training group. So I spared my shins more misery tonight in order to be able to run with the group tomorrow.
I'm a bit disappointed. After all, with three months left before the half-marathon, I should be increasing my mileage each week. This isn't exactly how I envisioned my training going. But, a little ice tonight, maybe a calf rub (if my husband is feeling generous), and I'll be back on the pavement tomorrow -- rain or shine (please pray for sun! I hate the running in the rain. Actually, I hate the rain. Period.). So here's hoping tomorrow's group run goes better than today's treadmill run to Grey's Anatomy at Gold's Gym. :-\ I really don't want to be the slow girl in the group. Come on shins... shape up!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 cup Multigrain Cheerios with Milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Pineapple Yogurt
Lunch
Turkey on a wheat wrap with lettuce, pickles, and lite mayo
Diced peaches
2 Plain Rice Cakes with Laughing Cow French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Snack
Banana
Dinner
Pork chop with green beans
1 Chips Ahoy cookie
Dessert
Don't know...
Days 40-43 -- 5 Steps Forward, 10 Steps Back
I'm afraid I don't have much good news to report. I'm up 2.4 pounds this week, which puts me squarely back at 248.6 :-(
I feel like I'm doing this stupid dance, where I have a great week, lose two or three pounds, then self-sabotage the next week and put it all back on. Only this week, I added back half of what I had lost. Boooooo!!!! I have to stop doing that!
The problem, you ask? Well, I tend to cut myself a little too much slack after such a stellar week as two weeks ago. That, combined with the lack of posting this week, left me feeling quite free and nonchalant regarding my diet. I found out this week that I definitely need the accountability this blog provides. I need to know I have forty-plus people watching (or reading!) my every move. You'd be surprised what a little guilt and shame can do to shape up your diet!
So the goal this week is to get back to posting each and every day. They won't always be long posts, but even if I can manage to get Nicole's Daily Menu up here, I'm sure that'll help keep me in check.
That said, let's review this past week. I was doing great until Friday came along. I was running late in the morning, and didn't have a chance to eat breakfast at home. Bad Move Numero Uno. As a result, I ended up stuffing my face at work with a Dunkin Donuts Wheat Bagel and Lite Cream Cheese. Man, did that thing sit heavy in my stomach! Things didn't get much better. Lunch: the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad from Panera Bread. Dinner? Well, what better way to cap off the workweek than with take-out! Yup -- one buffalo-chicken calzone coming up! All that doughy goodness went straight to my ass. I swear my butt visibly grew. And in case you missed that, yes, I "ordered out" three times in ONE DAY!!!
Saturday brought a chance to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather we had here in New England. I dragged my butt (in Spandex, nonetheless!) and Ted (my awesome photographer and fantastic support system) to the race, where I shaved another two minutes off my previous best race time! I was pretty happy about finishing at 41:40, and have some great photos to prove just how hard I was digging in and pushing myself toward the very end. But that wasn't the only thing I was excited about. For months now, I've been training/running indoors, on a treadmill. There's a great big difference between that and running outside, however. So the previous races I'd done involved me running/walking the majority of the race. And by run/walk, I mean run a quarter, walk a quarter. But not on Saturday!!! I ran 1.1 miles straight, without stopping! I ran/walked the second mile, then ran all but 0.15 or so of the last mile!
Unfortunatley, these accomplishments gave me a sense of entitlement and left me feeling like I deserved to celebrate. Which I did, don't get me wrong. But I probably should have done something a little better than what ended up happening. So let's continue.
Post-race lunch celebration with the work crew at Doherty's Irish Pub. Three onion rings, one cheeseburger, and some broccoli later, I felt stuffed. If the festivities had ended there, maybe I could have found a way to salvage this week. But they didn't.
Ted was having poker night at the house on Saturday, so a few of the girls and I hit the mall for some retail therapy. But not before chowing down on nachos and Sangria at Joe's American Bar & Grill. (Could I have made a worse decision?! I mean honestly, what was I thinking? Fried chips, fried cheese, and hard alcohol???) After my pants were sufficiently bulging and I was secretly wishing I had pregnant-lady pants, we did our shopping and hit a few stores. Then later, we topped the evening off with some TCBY frozen yogurt.
All in all, it was a good week which was completely destroyed by my utter lack of control on the weekend. So instead of the 245 I was hoping for, I'm now even further away from that goal. Which really sucks, now that I'm on the other side of these meals. I'll be the first to admit, I did not stop and ask myself "Is it worth it?" at any point during my Food-Induced-Coma Weekend. And I should have. Because now I've set myself back. Thanks to this little setback, I'll have to work even harder this week to lose those 2 pounds again, plus another 2! Oy...
But I'm off to a good start, so far. I packed my normal lunch today and am back to the gym tonight. I also got a quick 1.3 mile-run in yesterday around the neighborhood (with lots of hills!) Let's just hope this week I am able to stay on track and keep focused on what really matters here! Because in the long run, burgers and onion rings are not going to get me to where I need, or want, to be!
Oh, and this week's challenge: 500 crunches, courtesy of the lovely Nicole S. Thanks sooooo much chica!!! (Insert sarcasm here.)
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal with 1% milk
1 Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
1 Fig Newton
Pineapple Chobani Yogurt (quickly becoming my favorite flavor!)
2 Rice Cakes with Laughing Cow French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Lunch
1 cup of Select Harvest Southwestern Soup (not a fan)
Diced peaches
7 Strawberries, sliced
Snack
To be determined....
Dinner
To be determined....
I feel like I'm doing this stupid dance, where I have a great week, lose two or three pounds, then self-sabotage the next week and put it all back on. Only this week, I added back half of what I had lost. Boooooo!!!! I have to stop doing that!
The problem, you ask? Well, I tend to cut myself a little too much slack after such a stellar week as two weeks ago. That, combined with the lack of posting this week, left me feeling quite free and nonchalant regarding my diet. I found out this week that I definitely need the accountability this blog provides. I need to know I have forty-plus people watching (or reading!) my every move. You'd be surprised what a little guilt and shame can do to shape up your diet!
So the goal this week is to get back to posting each and every day. They won't always be long posts, but even if I can manage to get Nicole's Daily Menu up here, I'm sure that'll help keep me in check.
That said, let's review this past week. I was doing great until Friday came along. I was running late in the morning, and didn't have a chance to eat breakfast at home. Bad Move Numero Uno. As a result, I ended up stuffing my face at work with a Dunkin Donuts Wheat Bagel and Lite Cream Cheese. Man, did that thing sit heavy in my stomach! Things didn't get much better. Lunch: the Asian Sesame Chicken Salad from Panera Bread. Dinner? Well, what better way to cap off the workweek than with take-out! Yup -- one buffalo-chicken calzone coming up! All that doughy goodness went straight to my ass. I swear my butt visibly grew. And in case you missed that, yes, I "ordered out" three times in ONE DAY!!!
Saturday brought a chance to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather we had here in New England. I dragged my butt (in Spandex, nonetheless!) and Ted (my awesome photographer and fantastic support system) to the race, where I shaved another two minutes off my previous best race time! I was pretty happy about finishing at 41:40, and have some great photos to prove just how hard I was digging in and pushing myself toward the very end. But that wasn't the only thing I was excited about. For months now, I've been training/running indoors, on a treadmill. There's a great big difference between that and running outside, however. So the previous races I'd done involved me running/walking the majority of the race. And by run/walk, I mean run a quarter, walk a quarter. But not on Saturday!!! I ran 1.1 miles straight, without stopping! I ran/walked the second mile, then ran all but 0.15 or so of the last mile!
Unfortunatley, these accomplishments gave me a sense of entitlement and left me feeling like I deserved to celebrate. Which I did, don't get me wrong. But I probably should have done something a little better than what ended up happening. So let's continue.
Post-race lunch celebration with the work crew at Doherty's Irish Pub. Three onion rings, one cheeseburger, and some broccoli later, I felt stuffed. If the festivities had ended there, maybe I could have found a way to salvage this week. But they didn't.
Ted was having poker night at the house on Saturday, so a few of the girls and I hit the mall for some retail therapy. But not before chowing down on nachos and Sangria at Joe's American Bar & Grill. (Could I have made a worse decision?! I mean honestly, what was I thinking? Fried chips, fried cheese, and hard alcohol???) After my pants were sufficiently bulging and I was secretly wishing I had pregnant-lady pants, we did our shopping and hit a few stores. Then later, we topped the evening off with some TCBY frozen yogurt.
All in all, it was a good week which was completely destroyed by my utter lack of control on the weekend. So instead of the 245 I was hoping for, I'm now even further away from that goal. Which really sucks, now that I'm on the other side of these meals. I'll be the first to admit, I did not stop and ask myself "Is it worth it?" at any point during my Food-Induced-Coma Weekend. And I should have. Because now I've set myself back. Thanks to this little setback, I'll have to work even harder this week to lose those 2 pounds again, plus another 2! Oy...
But I'm off to a good start, so far. I packed my normal lunch today and am back to the gym tonight. I also got a quick 1.3 mile-run in yesterday around the neighborhood (with lots of hills!) Let's just hope this week I am able to stay on track and keep focused on what really matters here! Because in the long run, burgers and onion rings are not going to get me to where I need, or want, to be!
Oh, and this week's challenge: 500 crunches, courtesy of the lovely Nicole S. Thanks sooooo much chica!!! (Insert sarcasm here.)
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 cup of Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal with 1% milk
1 Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
1 Fig Newton
Pineapple Chobani Yogurt (quickly becoming my favorite flavor!)
2 Rice Cakes with Laughing Cow French Onion Spreadable Cheese
Lunch
1 cup of Select Harvest Southwestern Soup (not a fan)
Diced peaches
7 Strawberries, sliced
Snack
To be determined....
Dinner
To be determined....
Days 36-39 -- I Suck at Posting This Week
Title says it all, my friends. And considering my energy levels and how much this week has absolutely kicked my ass, I won't be writing too much tonight. Expect more later this weekend.
This week in a nutshell:
1. Gym workouts haven't been so consistent (2.25 miles on Sunday, 1.5 on Wednesday, 4.3 tonight, 1.5 planned for tomorrow).
2. Check-in with Kali went well on Wednesday night. (I dare say she was at a loss for words! That is, after she reemed me out for my buffalo chicken wrap and French fries "episode" last week). She was happy to see I had actually listened to her and swapped out my crappier foods for their healthier counterparts. And she was really happy about my running (and the increase to 4 miles!). Her goal for me: 244 by 3/30/10. I told her I'd kill it!
3. Providence St. Pat's 5K coming up this Saturday! I'll be running, along with a few co-workers and friends, and am aiming to finish somewhere around the 39-40 minute mark. We'll see how realistic that is when I actually start running the race. But hey, a girl can dream, right?
4. My goal for the week: 245.00 I don't care if I don't meet my two-pound minimum. I just want to break through that mini-wall (or jump right over that metaphorical hedge, if you would) and never look back. Get to 245.0, and there's no stopping me next week, or the week after, or the week after that.
OK, that's it for tonight. Wish me luck at the 5K! And please pray that my shin splints remain dormant, like they have the past few weeks! Keep fighting the good fight!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
Lunch
Subway 6-inch turkey on wheat with lettuce, pickles, American cheese, and light mayo
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Snack
Brown Pear
Dinner
Ziti with a ground turkey meat/red sauce
Dessert
Edy's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
This week in a nutshell:
1. Gym workouts haven't been so consistent (2.25 miles on Sunday, 1.5 on Wednesday, 4.3 tonight, 1.5 planned for tomorrow).
2. Check-in with Kali went well on Wednesday night. (I dare say she was at a loss for words! That is, after she reemed me out for my buffalo chicken wrap and French fries "episode" last week). She was happy to see I had actually listened to her and swapped out my crappier foods for their healthier counterparts. And she was really happy about my running (and the increase to 4 miles!). Her goal for me: 244 by 3/30/10. I told her I'd kill it!
3. Providence St. Pat's 5K coming up this Saturday! I'll be running, along with a few co-workers and friends, and am aiming to finish somewhere around the 39-40 minute mark. We'll see how realistic that is when I actually start running the race. But hey, a girl can dream, right?
4. My goal for the week: 245.00 I don't care if I don't meet my two-pound minimum. I just want to break through that mini-wall (or jump right over that metaphorical hedge, if you would) and never look back. Get to 245.0, and there's no stopping me next week, or the week after, or the week after that.
OK, that's it for tonight. Wish me luck at the 5K! And please pray that my shin splints remain dormant, like they have the past few weeks! Keep fighting the good fight!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Babybel Light Cheese Round
Snack
Chobani Raspberry Yogurt
Lunch
Subway 6-inch turkey on wheat with lettuce, pickles, American cheese, and light mayo
Fresh strawberries, sliced
Snack
Brown Pear
Dinner
Ziti with a ground turkey meat/red sauce
Dessert
Edy's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Days 32-35 -- Holy Weight Loss!
OK -- so my apologies for being MIA on the blog the past few days. I feel like I go through spurts -- sometimes I'm super dilligent and update every day, and then there are those lapses where I post maybe every two days. So, sorry fo the delay in sharing!
However, I have some GREAT news! All week, I've been busting my butt (with the exception of that buffalo chicken wrap and the French fries, of course). And it's paid off! All the calorie-counting, the hour-long cardio sessions at the gym -- all lead to this:
My current weight: 246.2!!!!!
Total weight loss: 4.6 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!
Proof's in the pudding, people! Hard work does pay off! Now, if you're wondering what the Hell happened this week (as I did at first, too), well let me explain. Remember that post earlier this week with alternative snack ideas???? Yea, well I incorporated all of Kali's recommended foods into my diet this week. I finally listened to her and I think she'll be quite pleased with the result! I cut back on how much cheese I had been eating, substituted pretzels for Ritz Chips, swapped out my Yoplait Yogurt with Chobani Flavored, and kept sipping soup at lunch. These little changes had a BIG impact!
As for my workouts... Well, you all left me hanging this week for a challenge (thanks for the lack of ideas, by the way!!!), so I decided to go with a workout challenge. I've been putting in 2.25-3.0 miles on the treadmill pretty consistently for the past seven or eight months. And at times, I've struggled with running a half of a mile straight, let alone an entire mile. More recently, I've been able to conquer that one mile, and even worked up to two. But with my half-marathon coming up at the end of June, I knew I needed to start increasing my mileage.... and soon! So, this week I challenged myself to four miles.
Now, I was planning on a combo of running/walking to get to those four miles. And on Thursday, I did. I ran 3 miles straight, then walked the last mile. But on Friday, I don't know what got into my Saucony's, but it was like they literally had wings. I ran all four miles, without pause. No stopping for a breather, no jumping off for a tenth of a mile to grab some water, no stopping. Period. I don't know what came over me, but it was awesome!!! It's so exhilirating when you push your body further than you thought it was capable of.
This little accomplishment not only gave me a huge rush, but it also totally kicked the scale's butt! A four-pound plus loss this week was just what I needed to re-energize me. I told Ted on Wednesday that I really wanted to be at 248-something by the end of the week. Well, I totally blew past that marker! So this week, I'm really pulling for under 245. If I can get under 245, then 240 (and better yet, the 230s) doesn't seem so far off.
It's all about setting little goals for yourself. Because in the long run, that's what helps you get to your ultimate goal. So if you've been having difficulty lately and have been focusing too much on the bigger picture, I urge you to take a step back and set a small goal for yourself for this week. Once you meet that goal, set another. And before you know it, you'll be well on your way to your ultimate goal.
Anyone else feel like sharing? Any accomplishments you want to let us in on? If so, feel free to comment!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Cheese Stick
Snack
None
Lunch
Mac 'n Cheese
2 Fig Newtons
Dinner
Not sure yet... Our meals have been off today. I guess waking up at 12:30 does that, huh???
However, I have some GREAT news! All week, I've been busting my butt (with the exception of that buffalo chicken wrap and the French fries, of course). And it's paid off! All the calorie-counting, the hour-long cardio sessions at the gym -- all lead to this:
My current weight: 246.2!!!!!
Total weight loss: 4.6 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!
Proof's in the pudding, people! Hard work does pay off! Now, if you're wondering what the Hell happened this week (as I did at first, too), well let me explain. Remember that post earlier this week with alternative snack ideas???? Yea, well I incorporated all of Kali's recommended foods into my diet this week. I finally listened to her and I think she'll be quite pleased with the result! I cut back on how much cheese I had been eating, substituted pretzels for Ritz Chips, swapped out my Yoplait Yogurt with Chobani Flavored, and kept sipping soup at lunch. These little changes had a BIG impact!
As for my workouts... Well, you all left me hanging this week for a challenge (thanks for the lack of ideas, by the way!!!), so I decided to go with a workout challenge. I've been putting in 2.25-3.0 miles on the treadmill pretty consistently for the past seven or eight months. And at times, I've struggled with running a half of a mile straight, let alone an entire mile. More recently, I've been able to conquer that one mile, and even worked up to two. But with my half-marathon coming up at the end of June, I knew I needed to start increasing my mileage.... and soon! So, this week I challenged myself to four miles.
Now, I was planning on a combo of running/walking to get to those four miles. And on Thursday, I did. I ran 3 miles straight, then walked the last mile. But on Friday, I don't know what got into my Saucony's, but it was like they literally had wings. I ran all four miles, without pause. No stopping for a breather, no jumping off for a tenth of a mile to grab some water, no stopping. Period. I don't know what came over me, but it was awesome!!! It's so exhilirating when you push your body further than you thought it was capable of.
This little accomplishment not only gave me a huge rush, but it also totally kicked the scale's butt! A four-pound plus loss this week was just what I needed to re-energize me. I told Ted on Wednesday that I really wanted to be at 248-something by the end of the week. Well, I totally blew past that marker! So this week, I'm really pulling for under 245. If I can get under 245, then 240 (and better yet, the 230s) doesn't seem so far off.
It's all about setting little goals for yourself. Because in the long run, that's what helps you get to your ultimate goal. So if you've been having difficulty lately and have been focusing too much on the bigger picture, I urge you to take a step back and set a small goal for yourself for this week. Once you meet that goal, set another. And before you know it, you'll be well on your way to your ultimate goal.
Anyone else feel like sharing? Any accomplishments you want to let us in on? If so, feel free to comment!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Cheese Stick
Snack
None
Lunch
Mac 'n Cheese
2 Fig Newtons
Dinner
Not sure yet... Our meals have been off today. I guess waking up at 12:30 does that, huh???
Days 30 & 31 -- Count Calories? Why, yes, thank you, I think I will...
Counting calories. No one likes to do it. I know I certainly don't. But then again, it can be a great way to monitor your diet. Let's face it, we all overeat throughout the day. Five M&Ms here, a cheese stick there... But no one realizes how quickly those little munchies can add up. And before you know it, your on-track, 1,500-calorie day has exploded into a 2,000+ calories food extravaganza. What's worse? That those extra calories you did consume probably weren't even substantial, filling, or worth it. And there's the key question you need to ask yourself before popping that bite-size Milky Way into your salivating mouth: Is it worth it??? Most of the time, you'll find the answer is "no."
That in mind, I decided to track my calories yesterday. Very official-like, I kept track of all my snacks and meals on a large post-it, looking up the calorie intake as I went along (http://caloriecount.about.com/). The past few days, looking up the nutritional information of certain products has been a GREAT detterrent. For example, the two Fig Newtons I've grown so fond of the past two weeks? Yea... not so fond of them any more. Those babies are packing 200 calories!!! A 100-calorie cookie! You've got to be kidding me! Have you seen the size of Fig Newtons??? Now, to put that in perspective.... When I run 3.25 miles, or an hour, I normally burn anywhere from 550-650 calories. So those two cookies are roughly 20 minutes of my giggly ass sweating it out on the treadmill.
Guess who didn't take the Fig Newtons to work today. Yup... me! I knew I wouldn't be going to the gym tonight, and in the long run, those two cookies just didn't seem like they'd be worth it at the end of the day. I've been trying to keep that mentality at the front of my mind -- only eat what's worth it. However, I'm only human.
Instead of eating my nutritious, 100-calorie, veggie-filled soup for lunch today, I decided to abandon my norm for lunch with the work crew at the local diner... where I proceeded to have my favorite dish: a small buffalo-chicken, wheat wrap with French Fries and a Dt. Mountain Dew. Now, I know... French Fries are Foe. I didn't forget my personal mantra. But I weighed it out... to me, today, that meal was totally worth it. Not because I was stressed and wanted to comfort eat or because it's simply what I'm used to. Nor was it a reward for eating so healthily lately. It was, simply, because I wanted it. I was going to get the grilled chicken breast and green beans (a much healthier option in comparison). But I also knew a part of me was really craving that crappy food. So I gave in. Hey, I never claimed to be perfect! And I believe I explained in Day 1's post that this would be a journey -- with all my challenges, victories, and struggles put before you. I asked myself if the meal was truly worth it, and today, it was.
Now... here's the difference between old Nicole and New, Improved Nicole: Old Nicole would have eaten like that every day, and no, I'm not exaggerating. I would have had that for lunch, followed by pizza for dinner, followed by a nice mug-full of my favorite -- ice cream -- for dessert. Today's meal was the first "mishap" in a few weeks. And I'm ok with it. I feel no shame, no guilt. None of the emotions normally associated with my eating habits. It was one meal, and now I'm moving on. I truly believe that it's important to indulge yourself once in a while, so long as it isn't an everyday occurence.
I understand that my lunch today was way over my alloted calories for that meal. But like I said, it was worth it. So if you "cheat" (and I hate calling it that!), don't beat yourself up. You can't expect to have a perfect meal, a perfect week, a perfect month. It's unhealthy, if you ask me. Enjoy your fave meals, but don't make them the norm.
OK -- sorry for the digression. Back to the calories. I'm aiming for 1400-1600 calories per day, and trying to burn another 500 at the gym on the nights I do go. So here's how yesterday measured up:
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk -- 150 calories
2 Fig Newtons - 200 calories!
Diced peaches -- 70 calories
Campbell's Select Harvest Minestrone Soup -- 100 calories
Chobani Strawberry Yogurt -- 140 calories (but 14 grams of protein!)
2 Rice Cakes & 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Spreadable French Onion Cheese -- 115 calories
1/2 cup pineapple -- 60 calories
1 Banana -- 110 calories (by the way, not a good idea to consume immediately before running)
1 Quesadilla with grilled chicken, salsa, light cheese, sour cream -- 350 calories (?)
1/2 cup of Edy's Mint Chip Ice Cream -- 120 calories
Total: 1,415 calories
Total burned at gym: 420 calories
Simple math, as my friend John likes to say.... Takes 2,500 calories for me to maintain my weight. 3,500 calories is a pound gone. If I'm killing 1,500 a day, I should be losing 2 pounds per week!
If you're interested in another great way of keeping track of your food intake, try this online journal of sorts. It's a great visual representation of what you're taking in, and what you're getting too much of:
http://www.fitday.com/
OK, that's it for today's lesson, kids! Stay with me! And keep fighting the good fight!
Oh, and I'm looking for ideas for this week's challenge. Got a good one? Shoot it over! I'm up for anything :-)
That in mind, I decided to track my calories yesterday. Very official-like, I kept track of all my snacks and meals on a large post-it, looking up the calorie intake as I went along (http://caloriecount.about.com/). The past few days, looking up the nutritional information of certain products has been a GREAT detterrent. For example, the two Fig Newtons I've grown so fond of the past two weeks? Yea... not so fond of them any more. Those babies are packing 200 calories!!! A 100-calorie cookie! You've got to be kidding me! Have you seen the size of Fig Newtons??? Now, to put that in perspective.... When I run 3.25 miles, or an hour, I normally burn anywhere from 550-650 calories. So those two cookies are roughly 20 minutes of my giggly ass sweating it out on the treadmill.
Guess who didn't take the Fig Newtons to work today. Yup... me! I knew I wouldn't be going to the gym tonight, and in the long run, those two cookies just didn't seem like they'd be worth it at the end of the day. I've been trying to keep that mentality at the front of my mind -- only eat what's worth it. However, I'm only human.
Instead of eating my nutritious, 100-calorie, veggie-filled soup for lunch today, I decided to abandon my norm for lunch with the work crew at the local diner... where I proceeded to have my favorite dish: a small buffalo-chicken, wheat wrap with French Fries and a Dt. Mountain Dew. Now, I know... French Fries are Foe. I didn't forget my personal mantra. But I weighed it out... to me, today, that meal was totally worth it. Not because I was stressed and wanted to comfort eat or because it's simply what I'm used to. Nor was it a reward for eating so healthily lately. It was, simply, because I wanted it. I was going to get the grilled chicken breast and green beans (a much healthier option in comparison). But I also knew a part of me was really craving that crappy food. So I gave in. Hey, I never claimed to be perfect! And I believe I explained in Day 1's post that this would be a journey -- with all my challenges, victories, and struggles put before you. I asked myself if the meal was truly worth it, and today, it was.
Now... here's the difference between old Nicole and New, Improved Nicole: Old Nicole would have eaten like that every day, and no, I'm not exaggerating. I would have had that for lunch, followed by pizza for dinner, followed by a nice mug-full of my favorite -- ice cream -- for dessert. Today's meal was the first "mishap" in a few weeks. And I'm ok with it. I feel no shame, no guilt. None of the emotions normally associated with my eating habits. It was one meal, and now I'm moving on. I truly believe that it's important to indulge yourself once in a while, so long as it isn't an everyday occurence.
I understand that my lunch today was way over my alloted calories for that meal. But like I said, it was worth it. So if you "cheat" (and I hate calling it that!), don't beat yourself up. You can't expect to have a perfect meal, a perfect week, a perfect month. It's unhealthy, if you ask me. Enjoy your fave meals, but don't make them the norm.
OK -- sorry for the digression. Back to the calories. I'm aiming for 1400-1600 calories per day, and trying to burn another 500 at the gym on the nights I do go. So here's how yesterday measured up:
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk -- 150 calories
2 Fig Newtons - 200 calories!
Diced peaches -- 70 calories
Campbell's Select Harvest Minestrone Soup -- 100 calories
Chobani Strawberry Yogurt -- 140 calories (but 14 grams of protein!)
2 Rice Cakes & 1 wedge of Laughing Cow Spreadable French Onion Cheese -- 115 calories
1/2 cup pineapple -- 60 calories
1 Banana -- 110 calories (by the way, not a good idea to consume immediately before running)
1 Quesadilla with grilled chicken, salsa, light cheese, sour cream -- 350 calories (?)
1/2 cup of Edy's Mint Chip Ice Cream -- 120 calories
Total: 1,415 calories
Total burned at gym: 420 calories
Simple math, as my friend John likes to say.... Takes 2,500 calories for me to maintain my weight. 3,500 calories is a pound gone. If I'm killing 1,500 a day, I should be losing 2 pounds per week!
If you're interested in another great way of keeping track of your food intake, try this online journal of sorts. It's a great visual representation of what you're taking in, and what you're getting too much of:
http://www.fitday.com/
OK, that's it for today's lesson, kids! Stay with me! And keep fighting the good fight!
Oh, and I'm looking for ideas for this week's challenge. Got a good one? Shoot it over! I'm up for anything :-)
Days 28 & 29 -- Kali-Tested, Kali-Approved!
So it's been brought to my attention (uh hmmm... thanks Kali) that apparently some of my food choices have not been so great lately.
Now if you're wondering, like me "What's so bad about Yoplait Yogurt?" I have the answer for you, and it all comes down to four little words: high fructose corn syrup. Sugar makes you crave more sugar. Yay!!! And while I thought I was putting something halfway decent into my body, I was, in all actuality, just ramping up my metabolism and blood sugar to crave more crappy food.
But have no fear, Kali is here! Kali (my nutritionist extraordinaire, for those of you newbies out there) wasted no time at all in correcting me. (Yes, I was bummed I couldn't get away with my Ritz Cracker Chips and Yoplaits for just another few weeks.)
I met with Kali last Wednesday, at which time she made a very good point: Why the hell do I have a nutrtionist if I'm just going to block out everything she says? For example: while calories, fat content, and carbs matter, what's actually going into your body matters, too! Nine months later and you'd think I'd get it by now! But nope, I've been bad. And I haven't been reading the ingredients of products I'm considering purchasing. I'd like to say that it was unintentional, but we all know it wasn't. I mean, c'mon... what you don't know can't hurt you, right? And if I wasn't reading the label, then I could damn well claim ignorance.
Yea, well lots of thanks to Kali for tugging me out of the clouds and back to healthy living reality. :-\ But, I do have a nutrtionist for a reason -- mostly because I need to re-learn how to eat. And what to eat. Unfortunately, I hate just about every veggie there is (thank you meat and potato Portuguese upbringing) and am reluctant to try new things. (I'm a creature of habit, as I tell Kali.) When I find something I like, or that works, I stick with it. But I am trying to be more open and less against eating different types of food.
That said, Kali had a few suggestions on how I can tweak what I'm currently eating. And naturally, I felt the need to share them with all of you. I figured that some of you might be struggling with the same issues and could use a few snack ideas. So, please do not mock me, or let what I'm about to write hold too much weight, but please indulge me as I attempt to play nutritionist now... The following is a brief synopsis of what I like to call Kali-tested, Kali-approved foods:
OK... first thing to go? Buh-bye Yoplait Yogurt! A while back, as in last August, Kali tried to get me to eat plain greek yogurt. That did not go over so well, since I had to still had to add Agave Nectar and cinnamon to it each time. My biggest thing? Convenience. I need something that's fast and easy and I can just throw in a bag in the morning and just whip it out later while at work. Hence the Yoplait yumminess. But, alas, Kali wanted to see that come to an end. And fast. Re-enter Chobani Greek Yogurt -- but FLAVORED!!! So tasty! Tried the strawberry banana flavor today and it was fantastic! And the best thing about it? No crappy ingredients and lots of protein! If you're not a fan of strawberry banana, check out some of their other flavors like honey, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry, or pomegranante. Get full product info here: http://www.chobani.com/.
In an attempt to get some more veggies into my daily intake, I started bringing soup for lunch. And then I totally negated that attempt by adding a bunch of Ritz Cracker Chips to the bowl. Not so good. Solution? Snyder's Original Mini Pretzels! I needed a crunch in my soup, so Kali suggested counting out one serving size (which is 20, in case you were wondering), and adding them in for that extra texture. She also suggested Campbell's Select Harvest Soups, instead of Progresso, which have about ten fewer calories per serving. The whole can is about 100 calories, and there are like a million veggies and beans I'd never ordinarily eat! Today's lunch included Italian-style Vegetable (zucchini, tomato, chickpeas, kidney beans, celery, carrots, cabage, green beans, and spinach) with 20 mini pretzels and definitely hit the spot! Find a soup you might like at http://www.campbellsoup.com/select.aspx.
Kali also had a good suggestion for a snack. If I wanted something crunchy, how about rice cakes? Now, if you're like me, you're thinking "Mmmmm.... white cheddar," or licking your lips at the thought of caramel-flavored goodness. But nope, sorry... none of that. *Sidenote: 7 caramel mini cakes are 60! calories and contain... you guessed it, high fructose corn syrup! http://www.quakerricesnacks.com/products/#/quakes/caramelcorn *
Instead, try the plain rice cakes. But don't eat them dry - yes, I agree, they have a remarkable resemblance to cardboard when eaten alone. Pair them with some Tedy's Natural Peanut Butter, or some Laughing Cow Spreadable French Onion (or Garlic and Herb) cheese, though and... voila! Quick, easy, fulfilling snack. One rice cake and a wedge of the Laughing Cow cheese is just 75 calories! Talk about low-cal snack!
And as for my breakfast (Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk), well that just wasn't making the cut. One of the most important lessons Kali has strived to teach me is that every meal/snack should have a smart carb and a protein, together. So Cheerios are fine, so long as I have a quarter of a cup of almonds with it. Or a low-fat cheese stick. But if you can't seem to fathom the idea of eating a cheese stick with your cup o' Joe in the morning, try this alternative: Kashi (or Van's, but I prefer Kashi's) Waffles with a little bit of peanut butter spread over the top of it. Now, I know it might be hard for some of you to even think about waffles without loading them with butter and syrup. But honestly, this is a really easy and fast breakfast. And it fills you up! I definitely notice a difference in my eating habits when I start the day off with a protein and carb. If I don't, I'm usually hungry sooner and find myself muching throughout the day at my desk. Breakfasts like the waffle and PB, though, really help to keep me fuller, longer. If you're not a waffle person, try some eggs and a slice of 100% whole wheat toast. There are lots of healthy carbs and proteins out there guys! Go experiment!
Lastly, I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I think I've finally managed to kick my ice cream habit. It's funny really, that week without it proved to be a good challenge for me. I realized during that time that I wasn't actually craving the ice cream itself, just the comfort that came with it. I enjoyed the release I associated with eating it, and the mug-full each night had become my routine. I didn't necessarily need, or want, for that matter, the Ben & Jerry's. I had just become so used to it, because that's what I did every night! Well, no more!
Instead, I've been trying to cut up some strawberries after dinner, if I'm craving something sweet. I was using Fat Free Cool Whip to dip the strawberries in. However, as Kali pointed out, it's loaded with HFCS. Soo.... instead, she suggested I used Redi-Whip (the red can in the cheese/yogurt section), which is mostly cream. However, I can't go nuts with the portion size, since it is mostly cream.
For nights where I do need something extra sweet, like chocolate, I've been trying to have a piece or two of dark chocolate. Like tonight -- I knew I didn't want to sabotage my healthy eating today with a big cup of ice cream. So instead, I broke off one piece of the Lindt Dark Chocolate infused with Mint that I bought at Shaws on Sunday. It was in the fridge, so it was nice and cold, and for a brief moment, it actually tasted like Mint Chip Ice Cream. And that was all I needed! Just enough!
I hope these ideas help you all out a little! I promise you, I wouldn't suggest them if they didn't taste good. Kali can vouche for that. But seriously, try some of them! I challenge all of you this week to swap out one of your favorite snack foods with a healthier version (Ted, that means you, too, sweetie ;-). No swiss cake rolls!) Try to switch out one a week, and before you know it, you'll have made drastic changes in your eating habits! And you won't even notice! I'm going to continue to try new things and work on swapping out bad food choices with their healthier counterparts, too. So you definitely won't be alone! Oh, and feel free to leave a comment and let me, and everyone else, know of a healthy alternative that you use as a go-to snack! We could all use more staples!!!
PS -- Tried the asparagus last night. Definitely not one of my favorites, but I didn't hate it, either. Then again, who knows if I was cooking it correctly. :-\ World's Greatest Cook -- yea, not me. Well, onto the next poor, unsuspecting vegie!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
2 Van's Waffles with peanut butter (Kali, don't yell. I know I'm only supposed to have 1, but I was super hungry!)
Snack
Chobani Strawberry & Banana Yogurt
2 Fig NewtonCookies
Lunch
Campbell's Select Harvest Italian-style Vegetable Soup
20 mini Snyder's Pretzels
Diced Peaches
Snack
1 Plain rice cake with Laughing Cow Spreadable French Onion cheese
Dinner
Stir fry with beef and green peppers, red peppers, onions, and zucchini
1 piece of Italian bread
Dessert
1 square of Lindt Dark Mint Chocolate
Now if you're wondering, like me "What's so bad about Yoplait Yogurt?" I have the answer for you, and it all comes down to four little words: high fructose corn syrup. Sugar makes you crave more sugar. Yay!!! And while I thought I was putting something halfway decent into my body, I was, in all actuality, just ramping up my metabolism and blood sugar to crave more crappy food.
But have no fear, Kali is here! Kali (my nutritionist extraordinaire, for those of you newbies out there) wasted no time at all in correcting me. (Yes, I was bummed I couldn't get away with my Ritz Cracker Chips and Yoplaits for just another few weeks.)
I met with Kali last Wednesday, at which time she made a very good point: Why the hell do I have a nutrtionist if I'm just going to block out everything she says? For example: while calories, fat content, and carbs matter, what's actually going into your body matters, too! Nine months later and you'd think I'd get it by now! But nope, I've been bad. And I haven't been reading the ingredients of products I'm considering purchasing. I'd like to say that it was unintentional, but we all know it wasn't. I mean, c'mon... what you don't know can't hurt you, right? And if I wasn't reading the label, then I could damn well claim ignorance.
Yea, well lots of thanks to Kali for tugging me out of the clouds and back to healthy living reality. :-\ But, I do have a nutrtionist for a reason -- mostly because I need to re-learn how to eat. And what to eat. Unfortunately, I hate just about every veggie there is (thank you meat and potato Portuguese upbringing) and am reluctant to try new things. (I'm a creature of habit, as I tell Kali.) When I find something I like, or that works, I stick with it. But I am trying to be more open and less against eating different types of food.
That said, Kali had a few suggestions on how I can tweak what I'm currently eating. And naturally, I felt the need to share them with all of you. I figured that some of you might be struggling with the same issues and could use a few snack ideas. So, please do not mock me, or let what I'm about to write hold too much weight, but please indulge me as I attempt to play nutritionist now... The following is a brief synopsis of what I like to call Kali-tested, Kali-approved foods:
OK... first thing to go? Buh-bye Yoplait Yogurt! A while back, as in last August, Kali tried to get me to eat plain greek yogurt. That did not go over so well, since I had to still had to add Agave Nectar and cinnamon to it each time. My biggest thing? Convenience. I need something that's fast and easy and I can just throw in a bag in the morning and just whip it out later while at work. Hence the Yoplait yumminess. But, alas, Kali wanted to see that come to an end. And fast. Re-enter Chobani Greek Yogurt -- but FLAVORED!!! So tasty! Tried the strawberry banana flavor today and it was fantastic! And the best thing about it? No crappy ingredients and lots of protein! If you're not a fan of strawberry banana, check out some of their other flavors like honey, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry, or pomegranante. Get full product info here: http://www.chobani.com/.
In an attempt to get some more veggies into my daily intake, I started bringing soup for lunch. And then I totally negated that attempt by adding a bunch of Ritz Cracker Chips to the bowl. Not so good. Solution? Snyder's Original Mini Pretzels! I needed a crunch in my soup, so Kali suggested counting out one serving size (which is 20, in case you were wondering), and adding them in for that extra texture. She also suggested Campbell's Select Harvest Soups, instead of Progresso, which have about ten fewer calories per serving. The whole can is about 100 calories, and there are like a million veggies and beans I'd never ordinarily eat! Today's lunch included Italian-style Vegetable (zucchini, tomato, chickpeas, kidney beans, celery, carrots, cabage, green beans, and spinach) with 20 mini pretzels and definitely hit the spot! Find a soup you might like at http://www.campbellsoup.com/select.aspx.
Kali also had a good suggestion for a snack. If I wanted something crunchy, how about rice cakes? Now, if you're like me, you're thinking "Mmmmm.... white cheddar," or licking your lips at the thought of caramel-flavored goodness. But nope, sorry... none of that. *Sidenote: 7 caramel mini cakes are 60! calories and contain... you guessed it, high fructose corn syrup! http://www.quakerricesnacks.com/products/#/quakes/caramelcorn *
Instead, try the plain rice cakes. But don't eat them dry - yes, I agree, they have a remarkable resemblance to cardboard when eaten alone. Pair them with some Tedy's Natural Peanut Butter, or some Laughing Cow Spreadable French Onion (or Garlic and Herb) cheese, though and... voila! Quick, easy, fulfilling snack. One rice cake and a wedge of the Laughing Cow cheese is just 75 calories! Talk about low-cal snack!
And as for my breakfast (Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk), well that just wasn't making the cut. One of the most important lessons Kali has strived to teach me is that every meal/snack should have a smart carb and a protein, together. So Cheerios are fine, so long as I have a quarter of a cup of almonds with it. Or a low-fat cheese stick. But if you can't seem to fathom the idea of eating a cheese stick with your cup o' Joe in the morning, try this alternative: Kashi (or Van's, but I prefer Kashi's) Waffles with a little bit of peanut butter spread over the top of it. Now, I know it might be hard for some of you to even think about waffles without loading them with butter and syrup. But honestly, this is a really easy and fast breakfast. And it fills you up! I definitely notice a difference in my eating habits when I start the day off with a protein and carb. If I don't, I'm usually hungry sooner and find myself muching throughout the day at my desk. Breakfasts like the waffle and PB, though, really help to keep me fuller, longer. If you're not a waffle person, try some eggs and a slice of 100% whole wheat toast. There are lots of healthy carbs and proteins out there guys! Go experiment!
Lastly, I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I think I've finally managed to kick my ice cream habit. It's funny really, that week without it proved to be a good challenge for me. I realized during that time that I wasn't actually craving the ice cream itself, just the comfort that came with it. I enjoyed the release I associated with eating it, and the mug-full each night had become my routine. I didn't necessarily need, or want, for that matter, the Ben & Jerry's. I had just become so used to it, because that's what I did every night! Well, no more!
Instead, I've been trying to cut up some strawberries after dinner, if I'm craving something sweet. I was using Fat Free Cool Whip to dip the strawberries in. However, as Kali pointed out, it's loaded with HFCS. Soo.... instead, she suggested I used Redi-Whip (the red can in the cheese/yogurt section), which is mostly cream. However, I can't go nuts with the portion size, since it is mostly cream.
For nights where I do need something extra sweet, like chocolate, I've been trying to have a piece or two of dark chocolate. Like tonight -- I knew I didn't want to sabotage my healthy eating today with a big cup of ice cream. So instead, I broke off one piece of the Lindt Dark Chocolate infused with Mint that I bought at Shaws on Sunday. It was in the fridge, so it was nice and cold, and for a brief moment, it actually tasted like Mint Chip Ice Cream. And that was all I needed! Just enough!
I hope these ideas help you all out a little! I promise you, I wouldn't suggest them if they didn't taste good. Kali can vouche for that. But seriously, try some of them! I challenge all of you this week to swap out one of your favorite snack foods with a healthier version (Ted, that means you, too, sweetie ;-). No swiss cake rolls!) Try to switch out one a week, and before you know it, you'll have made drastic changes in your eating habits! And you won't even notice! I'm going to continue to try new things and work on swapping out bad food choices with their healthier counterparts, too. So you definitely won't be alone! Oh, and feel free to leave a comment and let me, and everyone else, know of a healthy alternative that you use as a go-to snack! We could all use more staples!!!
PS -- Tried the asparagus last night. Definitely not one of my favorites, but I didn't hate it, either. Then again, who knows if I was cooking it correctly. :-\ World's Greatest Cook -- yea, not me. Well, onto the next poor, unsuspecting vegie!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
2 Van's Waffles with peanut butter (Kali, don't yell. I know I'm only supposed to have 1, but I was super hungry!)
Snack
Chobani Strawberry & Banana Yogurt
2 Fig NewtonCookies
Lunch
Campbell's Select Harvest Italian-style Vegetable Soup
20 mini Snyder's Pretzels
Diced Peaches
Snack
1 Plain rice cake with Laughing Cow Spreadable French Onion cheese
Dinner
Stir fry with beef and green peppers, red peppers, onions, and zucchini
1 piece of Italian bread
Dessert
1 square of Lindt Dark Mint Chocolate
Days 26 & 27 -- Not Much To Report
Hellloooooo everyone...
So, there's not much to report for the past two days. Afraid to say that nothing too interesting has happened (maybe that's because I've been so busy prepping for that Fellowship interview!). That said, tonight I'm afraid all I have to offer is this:
Current weight: 250.8 -- down 3 pounds this week! Yay! And almost back to pre-vacation weight. Super happy about that.
Hopefully I'll have more to report tomorrow. Have a great Saturday gang!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Brown Pear
Snack
2 Fig Newtons
Lunch
Wheat Boboli crust with tomato sauce and mozz. cheese pizza
Snack
3 Chips Ahoy Cookies
Dinner
Not sure. Going to go scrounge and raid the kitchen for food now.
So, there's not much to report for the past two days. Afraid to say that nothing too interesting has happened (maybe that's because I've been so busy prepping for that Fellowship interview!). That said, tonight I'm afraid all I have to offer is this:
Current weight: 250.8 -- down 3 pounds this week! Yay! And almost back to pre-vacation weight. Super happy about that.
Hopefully I'll have more to report tomorrow. Have a great Saturday gang!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Brown Pear
Snack
2 Fig Newtons
Lunch
Wheat Boboli crust with tomato sauce and mozz. cheese pizza
Snack
3 Chips Ahoy Cookies
Dinner
Not sure. Going to go scrounge and raid the kitchen for food now.
Days 23 - 25 -- Pushing Through the Pain
FINALLY!!! Time, and motivation, to write! Sorry for the brief hiatus, but even this wannabe supergirl has trouble finding time to get everything in. Between my trips to the gym (essential), preparing for grad school/fellowship interviews, and catching up at work this week, it seems I haven't had a spare second. And while I'm still in the midst of all of that, I took tonight off from the gym for some much-needed downtime. Gotta say, my shins aren't minding the break at all!
Speaking of the gym...
I have to take a moment and congratulate John -- aka "Senior Citizen", Ted's coworker, a blog follower, and my biggest rival -- for his impressive 5K time. For those of you who don't know, John and I are of similar build, similar abilities, and weights. The only difference is that he's got about 20 years on me :-) That said, we've been going back and forth a bit, trying to out-do each other on the treadmill. Now, if you know me at all, you'd know that one of the three most common words to describe me is competitive (driven and pushy are apparently the other two. Thanks, Rach!). The quickest way to light a fire under my ass? Just mutter these four words: YOU. CAN'T. DO. IT. Tell me I'm incapable of doing something, and I'll prove you wrong. Doesn't matter if I kill myself trying, I'll still pull it off.
Now, when John said he was inching ever closer to my best 5K time (41 minutes-ish), I thought, I have time to improve my speed. Then he texted Ted the other night saying he had broken through 40:00, finishing at 39:40ish, I believe. I vowed to beat him to 38-something. So, Tuesday night, on my way to the gym, I rationalized with Ted why I absolutely couldn't try to compete with John. "I have to be careful of my shins." "If I hurt myself now by pushing too hard too fast, then I'll blow my chances at running the half-marathon." You get the picture. As I got ready in the locker room, I coached myself into thinking that I would take it easy -- run at my own pace.
Well, that didn't happen. Ha! The minute my foot hit that revolving black strip, it was like a trigger went off somewhere inside my head and everything screamed "Do it!!! Don't let the old man beat you!" And off I went! It killed my shins, and I was sweating more than that old man in the sauna, but it was soo worth it. I fought through the pain and finished at 39:40. I broke the 40-minute mark! I couldn't have been happier! It was a goal I'd been trying to reach for three months. Turns out, I just wasn't pushing myself hard enuogh.
A part of me was still holding back. Running all 3 miles was liberating. You know that scene in Avatar where the main character gets into his Avatar body the first time, and breaks off at a full sprint into the forest? Remember his childish grin? Yea, that's kind of what it felt like. The fat girl breaking free from the body suit. For the first time in a long time, I felt like an athlete. I felt healthy.
Now, all that excitement soon faded when John updated me on his latest time last night: 38:30. Ugh. Back to square one. But I'm not trying to deny my competitiveness any more. My next goal is to break 38:00. But now I know I have the means to do it. I know just how hard I can push myself, if I truly let go of all that's holding me back, of all the racing thoughts telling me I can't do it -- physically, mentally. Because I know now that I can.
So John -- congrats on the awesome run time! But don't get comfy too long! I'm coming for ya!
As for Puerto Rico... I feel the need to fill you in on what I've been trying to tell you guys all week. On Sunday, when we returned, I posted a lovely photo of the lower half of a pale, hairy dude wearing what appears to be fire-engine-red boy shorts. Nice, no? Then, on Tuesday, in a stark contrast, I posted a pic of me in my bathing suit. You all saw more of me in that bathing suit than the other travelers at the hotel in Puerto Rico.
Lots of people get stage fright, right? Well, I do, too. And let me tell you, when you're overweight, the beach/pool area of a crowded/popular hotel is the biggest stage you'll ever find. And I was frightened. I wore basketball shorts or capris to the pool and beach every time we ventured out. I didn't want ANYone to see me -- all of me. And I mean, c'mon... who wants to stand in comparison next to 40-somethings toting their toddlers around in two-piece bikinis with rock-hard abs? Seriously??? I really, really, really dislike those moms who just "have it." So put together, such awesome bodies, and that's AFTER kids. Ugh.
Ted seemed to have difficulty digesting why I didn't want to shed my protective layers. But when you're the biggest girl at the party, you're bound to stick out. And I'm all for sticking out -- but for looking good. And let's admit it, people, when you feel overweight, you don't want to stick out. I was so embarrassed, no, ashamed, of my body that I couldn't even muster up the courage to swim in the pool. The kiddie pool. I'm pretty sure no three-year-old is going to call me out for being fat, nor would they cast disapproving sideward glances in my direction. But just the same, I wasn't going in.
Then, as I'm sitting in my lounge chair, trying to convince myself to just jump in the damned water, Red Booty walks right past me, with his tight little swim trunks (if you can call them that). I had to do all I could to keep from giggling too loudly as I quickly fetched my camera from my bag. I couldn't believe someone had so much courage! I mean, the man wasn't the most toned, attractive being I'd ever seen. But there he was, strutting his Peacock stuff along that little pathway, as if he owned it. And that's when I realized that you have to do just that -- OWN IT. If Mr. Let-Me-Give-You-A-Close-Up-Look-At-My-Package could do it, then so could I. Because as much as I hate my body somedays, it's still my body. And I shouldn't let society dictate what's perfect, beautiful, or attractive, and in doing so, shame me into the corner with my cover-up and towel.
Granted, it took nearly a day for me to actually make it into the water. But on our last day in Puerto Rico, I stripped down to nothing more than those brown bottoms and tankini top and hopped in the 2-foot kiddie pool. I didn't stay in for long, and I covered my legs up with a towel almost as soon as I got out. But I did it. I braved the opinions and facial expressions of those other toothpick-like women and made it into the water. I bared a body not even I'm proud of to the general public. And I'm still alive to talk about it. :-)
Don't get me wrong -- I'm sure I'll be all that much happier this summer, after hopefully losing another 30-40 pounds, to disrobe. But I also need to try and remember that no matter what type of body I have, or how many pounds I'm weighing in at, I need to be comfortable in my skin. And while that's something I've struggled with in the past, I'm hoping it gets a hell of a lot easier over the next year.
OH -- and don't worry, Ted promised to take me somewhere tropical when I have a nice tail to show off next year! And maybe this time, I'll get to do EVERYTHING I wanted to do (like horsebackriding in the rainforest. I didn't know horses had a weight limit! 225 pounds, really? What makes that the breaking point? So silly.)
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 Kashi waffle with peanut butter
Snack
2 Fig Newtons
Yoplait Light Yogurt
Lunch
1/2 of a roast beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and light mayo
1 cup of broccoli and cheddar soup
Snack
Pear
Dinner
Enchilladas made with ground turkey
Dessert
Nothing
Speaking of the gym...
I have to take a moment and congratulate John -- aka "Senior Citizen", Ted's coworker, a blog follower, and my biggest rival -- for his impressive 5K time. For those of you who don't know, John and I are of similar build, similar abilities, and weights. The only difference is that he's got about 20 years on me :-) That said, we've been going back and forth a bit, trying to out-do each other on the treadmill. Now, if you know me at all, you'd know that one of the three most common words to describe me is competitive (driven and pushy are apparently the other two. Thanks, Rach!). The quickest way to light a fire under my ass? Just mutter these four words: YOU. CAN'T. DO. IT. Tell me I'm incapable of doing something, and I'll prove you wrong. Doesn't matter if I kill myself trying, I'll still pull it off.
Now, when John said he was inching ever closer to my best 5K time (41 minutes-ish), I thought, I have time to improve my speed. Then he texted Ted the other night saying he had broken through 40:00, finishing at 39:40ish, I believe. I vowed to beat him to 38-something. So, Tuesday night, on my way to the gym, I rationalized with Ted why I absolutely couldn't try to compete with John. "I have to be careful of my shins." "If I hurt myself now by pushing too hard too fast, then I'll blow my chances at running the half-marathon." You get the picture. As I got ready in the locker room, I coached myself into thinking that I would take it easy -- run at my own pace.
Well, that didn't happen. Ha! The minute my foot hit that revolving black strip, it was like a trigger went off somewhere inside my head and everything screamed "Do it!!! Don't let the old man beat you!" And off I went! It killed my shins, and I was sweating more than that old man in the sauna, but it was soo worth it. I fought through the pain and finished at 39:40. I broke the 40-minute mark! I couldn't have been happier! It was a goal I'd been trying to reach for three months. Turns out, I just wasn't pushing myself hard enuogh.
A part of me was still holding back. Running all 3 miles was liberating. You know that scene in Avatar where the main character gets into his Avatar body the first time, and breaks off at a full sprint into the forest? Remember his childish grin? Yea, that's kind of what it felt like. The fat girl breaking free from the body suit. For the first time in a long time, I felt like an athlete. I felt healthy.
Now, all that excitement soon faded when John updated me on his latest time last night: 38:30. Ugh. Back to square one. But I'm not trying to deny my competitiveness any more. My next goal is to break 38:00. But now I know I have the means to do it. I know just how hard I can push myself, if I truly let go of all that's holding me back, of all the racing thoughts telling me I can't do it -- physically, mentally. Because I know now that I can.
So John -- congrats on the awesome run time! But don't get comfy too long! I'm coming for ya!
As for Puerto Rico... I feel the need to fill you in on what I've been trying to tell you guys all week. On Sunday, when we returned, I posted a lovely photo of the lower half of a pale, hairy dude wearing what appears to be fire-engine-red boy shorts. Nice, no? Then, on Tuesday, in a stark contrast, I posted a pic of me in my bathing suit. You all saw more of me in that bathing suit than the other travelers at the hotel in Puerto Rico.
Lots of people get stage fright, right? Well, I do, too. And let me tell you, when you're overweight, the beach/pool area of a crowded/popular hotel is the biggest stage you'll ever find. And I was frightened. I wore basketball shorts or capris to the pool and beach every time we ventured out. I didn't want ANYone to see me -- all of me. And I mean, c'mon... who wants to stand in comparison next to 40-somethings toting their toddlers around in two-piece bikinis with rock-hard abs? Seriously??? I really, really, really dislike those moms who just "have it." So put together, such awesome bodies, and that's AFTER kids. Ugh.
Ted seemed to have difficulty digesting why I didn't want to shed my protective layers. But when you're the biggest girl at the party, you're bound to stick out. And I'm all for sticking out -- but for looking good. And let's admit it, people, when you feel overweight, you don't want to stick out. I was so embarrassed, no, ashamed, of my body that I couldn't even muster up the courage to swim in the pool. The kiddie pool. I'm pretty sure no three-year-old is going to call me out for being fat, nor would they cast disapproving sideward glances in my direction. But just the same, I wasn't going in.
Then, as I'm sitting in my lounge chair, trying to convince myself to just jump in the damned water, Red Booty walks right past me, with his tight little swim trunks (if you can call them that). I had to do all I could to keep from giggling too loudly as I quickly fetched my camera from my bag. I couldn't believe someone had so much courage! I mean, the man wasn't the most toned, attractive being I'd ever seen. But there he was, strutting his Peacock stuff along that little pathway, as if he owned it. And that's when I realized that you have to do just that -- OWN IT. If Mr. Let-Me-Give-You-A-Close-Up-Look-At-My-Package could do it, then so could I. Because as much as I hate my body somedays, it's still my body. And I shouldn't let society dictate what's perfect, beautiful, or attractive, and in doing so, shame me into the corner with my cover-up and towel.
Granted, it took nearly a day for me to actually make it into the water. But on our last day in Puerto Rico, I stripped down to nothing more than those brown bottoms and tankini top and hopped in the 2-foot kiddie pool. I didn't stay in for long, and I covered my legs up with a towel almost as soon as I got out. But I did it. I braved the opinions and facial expressions of those other toothpick-like women and made it into the water. I bared a body not even I'm proud of to the general public. And I'm still alive to talk about it. :-)
Don't get me wrong -- I'm sure I'll be all that much happier this summer, after hopefully losing another 30-40 pounds, to disrobe. But I also need to try and remember that no matter what type of body I have, or how many pounds I'm weighing in at, I need to be comfortable in my skin. And while that's something I've struggled with in the past, I'm hoping it gets a hell of a lot easier over the next year.
OH -- and don't worry, Ted promised to take me somewhere tropical when I have a nice tail to show off next year! And maybe this time, I'll get to do EVERYTHING I wanted to do (like horsebackriding in the rainforest. I didn't know horses had a weight limit! 225 pounds, really? What makes that the breaking point? So silly.)
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 Kashi waffle with peanut butter
Snack
2 Fig Newtons
Yoplait Light Yogurt
Lunch
1/2 of a roast beef sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and light mayo
1 cup of broccoli and cheddar soup
Snack
Pear
Dinner
Enchilladas made with ground turkey
Dessert
Nothing
Day 22 -- Too Tired To Type
I am well aware that I promised an explanation to yesterday's final photo (the one of the man booty, in case you couldn't remember) in tonight's post. But taking into consideration that today was my first day back at work and the first time in a while I had to answer to that Hellish beeping noise that yanks me out of dreamland each morning at 5:50, my thoughts on Red Booty will have to wait until tomorrow. Man, getting back to the grind really blows. I can't believe how exhausted I am after my normal routine (work, gym, shower, dinner, blog, lather, rinse, repeat)! Just to give you an idea of how tired I actually am -- I'm not even going to have ice cream tonight! Yes, now you know there's something wrong with me.
But I promise... more to come on me and my drumstick-like thighs in a bathing suit tomorrow. For now, I'll leave you with this photo of the two-legged whale who found land (please note my awesome tanlines):
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Snack
Chewy Granola Bar
2 Fig Newton cookies
Lunch
Progresso Italian Vegetable soup with 5 Ritz Cracker Chips
Cheese Stick
Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge
Yoplait Strawberry Banana yogurt
Diced peaches fruit cup
Snack
Pear
2 Fig Newton Cookies
Dinner
Grilled barbeque chicken breast
Green beans
Rice pilaf
Dessert
None
PS -- Just wanted to say a quick thanks to John for mentally kicking my ass at the gym tonight. I'm going to make sure I break 39:00 before you, senior citizen! Man, it's amazing what a little competition does to your motivation!
But I promise... more to come on me and my drumstick-like thighs in a bathing suit tomorrow. For now, I'll leave you with this photo of the two-legged whale who found land (please note my awesome tanlines):
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Snack
Chewy Granola Bar
2 Fig Newton cookies
Lunch
Progresso Italian Vegetable soup with 5 Ritz Cracker Chips
Cheese Stick
Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge
Yoplait Strawberry Banana yogurt
Diced peaches fruit cup
Snack
Pear
2 Fig Newton Cookies
Dinner
Grilled barbeque chicken breast
Green beans
Rice pilaf
Dessert
None
PS -- Just wanted to say a quick thanks to John for mentally kicking my ass at the gym tonight. I'm going to make sure I break 39:00 before you, senior citizen! Man, it's amazing what a little competition does to your motivation!
Days 15 - 21 -- I'm BAAAAACCCCKKKKKK!!!
Did ya miss me? :-)
After five wonderful, sun-kissed days in San Juan, Ted and I returned home to a lovely, very slushy, mix of rain and snow yesterday afternoon. I don't think it'll surprise you that neither of us were ecstatic about trading 85-degree weather in for that.
Another thing I wasn't so psyched about upon our return? Weighing in on that devilish little device I like to call a scale. And I have to be honest, I have been dragging my feet all day today, avoiding writing this post because of the number that showed up. But here goes nothing...
I'm up. 253.8, up. That's .8 over where I started three weeks ago, for those of you following along. Yea, no more vacationing for Nicole in the next year. Now, before you jump to conclusions and start writing out your comment chastising me for not being more cautious and falling victim to the vacation mode, let me at least try to defend myself.
As for the rest of the trip, we had a few casual walks, mostly to and from restaurants and shops. But this vacation was mostly relaxing. We spent time reading on our balcony, soaking up the sun at the beach and poolside, and de-stressing with a couples massage. And although we weren't exactly as active as I'd intended us to be (Ted wouldn't do the kayak tour through the bioluminscent bay because he can't swim and claimed he'd be too chicken to jump off a platform if we tried zip-lining through the canopy), this vacation was just what we needed. It gave us a chance to regroup, relax, and just spend some time with each other. Because let's face it, with all my time spent writing this blog, countless hours at work, gym workouts, grad school apps, and God knows what else, we haven't had much time lately to just be a couple. So while I could have worked out more, I'm still happy to have had some much-needed time with the hubby.
Highs
Egg-white omellettes with ham and cheese and fresh fruit for breakfast every day
Stuffed chicken breast with spinach and ricotta cheese
Grilled veggies
NO ICE CREAM before Day 7-- I completed last week's challenge, in case you had doubts I wouldn't make it :-)
Chicken and shrimp fajitas
Subway turkey 6-inch sandwich (yes, they had Subway!!!)
Nature Valley Oats & Honey granola bars for snacks
Trail Mix for snacks
Lows
Cheeseburger and French Fries
Nachos (as an appetizer, shared with Ted, which we in no way came close to finishing)
1 Pina Colada
1 Strawberry Daiquiri
Subway footlong meatball sandwich on wheat (don't know why I even bothered with the wheat!)
Chips and salsa
1/2 bagel with cream cheese
Chocolate-frosted donut and Cinnastix at the airport for breakfast
Toblerone bar for dessert (had to have something to hit that sweet craving!)
Turkey Club with French Fries (split with Ted)
MUFONGO (go ahead, look it up... it was GROSS!)
I'll be interested to see what kind of grade Kali gives me when I see her on Wednesday. (Anyone have any good excuses I could use to postpone that meeting and the "Walk of Shame" I'll be doing into her office???) Definitely an improvement from prior vacations, that's for sure. But still not great. I really struggled with the "I'm on vacation!" mentality and as a result, found it hard to make the right, nutritious, decisions. I'll be honest, it really sucked watching Ted chow down on French Toast, pancackes, danishes, and Frosted Flakes while I nibbled on pineapple, strawberries, and omelettes (don't get me wrong, I love omelettes!). But all five days, I had to constantly remind myself to make the right choice. As you can see, I didn't always choose wisely, and my stomach and thighs now reflect that. Thank you gym shorts, with your ever-expanding drawstring waistline and forgiving, flowy summer dresses for hiding what some might have interpreted as a baby belly.
But as Ted reminded me earlier today, when I finally brought myself to step on the scale, it's a "small setback." I'm still trying to digest that one, because it feels like a HUGE setback. I'm back to where I started -- actually, I'm even worse off. So forgive me if I'm finding it hard to believe that three weeks of work and effort down the tubes is a "small setback." But when I stop and really think about it, he's absolutely right. I think this week really proved to me just how detrimental eating out can be. Eating out two, three meals a day is bad. Really bad. And a surefire way to pack on the pounds. I have no doubt that now that I'm back to my normal routine, my eating habits will revert back to what they were before we left, I'll be able to regulate what I'm eating (and what's in the house), and my workouts will be semi-normal again. In fact, Ted and I did a good $200 dollars worth of grocery shopping today to stock the fridge with fruits, lean meats, yogurt, and yes, Kali, even a few vegetables. So it's back to reality for this girl, although, admittedly, it's unwillingly.
Stop by tomorrow for more on my mishaps in Puerto Rico. I'll be sharing all about my self-confidence issues, and other people's lack of (see photo below), and how my weight kept me from participating in a few activities (booo!!!!).
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 packet of Maple Brown Sugar Quaker Oatmeal
Snack
None
Lunch
Willow Tree chicken salad on 100% whole wheat bread with romaine lettuce
2 Hermit Bars
Snack
Yoplait yogurt
8 Ritz Cracker Chips
Dinner
Chicken and beef stir fry with zucchini, squash, carrots, snow peas, peppers, and onions
Dessert
Fresh-sliced strawberries with fat-free Cool Whip (Better alternative to ice cream, no? Too soon to say I'm cured????)
PS -- This week's challenge: Find a recipe for, and make, asparagus. I've never had it, and I think you've all noticed by now that I'm not a veggie person. But hey, I'm going out on a limb here! Feel free to leave me some tasty recipes on how to cook it!
After five wonderful, sun-kissed days in San Juan, Ted and I returned home to a lovely, very slushy, mix of rain and snow yesterday afternoon. I don't think it'll surprise you that neither of us were ecstatic about trading 85-degree weather in for that.
I'm up. 253.8, up. That's .8 over where I started three weeks ago, for those of you following along. Yea, no more vacationing for Nicole in the next year. Now, before you jump to conclusions and start writing out your comment chastising me for not being more cautious and falling victim to the vacation mode, let me at least try to defend myself.
As I wrote before we left, I did bring workout clothes. And in fact, I got two sweat-induced runs in on the treadmill in the hotel gym in the four full days we had. Not bad, all things considered. As I also said before we left, I had the best intentions, and packed enough workout gear to clothe a small, albeit overweight, army. While I intended to run all four days, that just wasn't plausible. And I'm not sure why I thought it would be, when I don't even get to the gym every day when I'm home. Not for lack of effort and desire, but sometimes I'm just too tired, or my muscles just need a rest from the constant pounding. But needless to say, I did get two solid runs in. In addition, Ted and I spent a good four hours walking, casually, I'll admit, around Old San Juan. A good four-six miles of trekking along the seashore in the blistering sun. That was the day I didn't put sunscreen on. Didn't make that mistake again! But I digress.
* Seeeeeeeee... sunburn.
*Proof, I did work out.
We also spent the morning driving to, exploring, and driving back from, El Yunque -- the Puerto Rican Rain Forest. What we were told was going to be a hike was actually an anti-climatic, disappointing fifteen minute trail walk on a semi-paved road through the forest and a number of stops at places like the Visitors' Center, a waterfall, and the Observation Station. In our defense, we truly thought it would be more taxing. I guess our first sign should have been the 70+ year-olds waiting in hotel lobby for the same bus. (And at least one of them looked like he had one foot in the world of the living and one foot in the world of the dead!)
As for the rest of the trip, we had a few casual walks, mostly to and from restaurants and shops. But this vacation was mostly relaxing. We spent time reading on our balcony, soaking up the sun at the beach and poolside, and de-stressing with a couples massage. And although we weren't exactly as active as I'd intended us to be (Ted wouldn't do the kayak tour through the bioluminscent bay because he can't swim and claimed he'd be too chicken to jump off a platform if we tried zip-lining through the canopy), this vacation was just what we needed. It gave us a chance to regroup, relax, and just spend some time with each other. Because let's face it, with all my time spent writing this blog, countless hours at work, gym workouts, grad school apps, and God knows what else, we haven't had much time lately to just be a couple. So while I could have worked out more, I'm still happy to have had some much-needed time with the hubby.Now, I know you're wondering, so let me just give you the highs and lows of my nutritional intake (or lack thereof) while in PR:
Highs
Egg-white omellettes with ham and cheese and fresh fruit for breakfast every day
Stuffed chicken breast with spinach and ricotta cheese
Grilled veggies
NO ICE CREAM before Day 7-- I completed last week's challenge, in case you had doubts I wouldn't make it :-)
Chicken and shrimp fajitas
Subway turkey 6-inch sandwich (yes, they had Subway!!!)
Nature Valley Oats & Honey granola bars for snacks
Trail Mix for snacks
Lows
Cheeseburger and French Fries
Nachos (as an appetizer, shared with Ted, which we in no way came close to finishing)
1 Pina Colada
1 Strawberry Daiquiri
Subway footlong meatball sandwich on wheat (don't know why I even bothered with the wheat!)
Chips and salsa
1/2 bagel with cream cheese
Chocolate-frosted donut and Cinnastix at the airport for breakfast
Toblerone bar for dessert (had to have something to hit that sweet craving!)
Turkey Club with French Fries (split with Ted)
MUFONGO (go ahead, look it up... it was GROSS!)
I'll be interested to see what kind of grade Kali gives me when I see her on Wednesday. (Anyone have any good excuses I could use to postpone that meeting and the "Walk of Shame" I'll be doing into her office???) Definitely an improvement from prior vacations, that's for sure. But still not great. I really struggled with the "I'm on vacation!" mentality and as a result, found it hard to make the right, nutritious, decisions. I'll be honest, it really sucked watching Ted chow down on French Toast, pancackes, danishes, and Frosted Flakes while I nibbled on pineapple, strawberries, and omelettes (don't get me wrong, I love omelettes!). But all five days, I had to constantly remind myself to make the right choice. As you can see, I didn't always choose wisely, and my stomach and thighs now reflect that. Thank you gym shorts, with your ever-expanding drawstring waistline and forgiving, flowy summer dresses for hiding what some might have interpreted as a baby belly.
But as Ted reminded me earlier today, when I finally brought myself to step on the scale, it's a "small setback." I'm still trying to digest that one, because it feels like a HUGE setback. I'm back to where I started -- actually, I'm even worse off. So forgive me if I'm finding it hard to believe that three weeks of work and effort down the tubes is a "small setback." But when I stop and really think about it, he's absolutely right. I think this week really proved to me just how detrimental eating out can be. Eating out two, three meals a day is bad. Really bad. And a surefire way to pack on the pounds. I have no doubt that now that I'm back to my normal routine, my eating habits will revert back to what they were before we left, I'll be able to regulate what I'm eating (and what's in the house), and my workouts will be semi-normal again. In fact, Ted and I did a good $200 dollars worth of grocery shopping today to stock the fridge with fruits, lean meats, yogurt, and yes, Kali, even a few vegetables. So it's back to reality for this girl, although, admittedly, it's unwillingly.
Stop by tomorrow for more on my mishaps in Puerto Rico. I'll be sharing all about my self-confidence issues, and other people's lack of (see photo below), and how my weight kept me from participating in a few activities (booo!!!!).
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
1 packet of Maple Brown Sugar Quaker Oatmeal
Snack
None
Lunch
Willow Tree chicken salad on 100% whole wheat bread with romaine lettuce
2 Hermit Bars
Snack
Yoplait yogurt
8 Ritz Cracker Chips
Dinner
Chicken and beef stir fry with zucchini, squash, carrots, snow peas, peppers, and onions
Dessert
Fresh-sliced strawberries with fat-free Cool Whip (Better alternative to ice cream, no? Too soon to say I'm cured????)
PS -- This week's challenge: Find a recipe for, and make, asparagus. I've never had it, and I think you've all noticed by now that I'm not a veggie person. But hey, I'm going out on a limb here! Feel free to leave me some tasty recipes on how to cook it!
Day 13 & 14 -- Preparing for the Week Ahead
My apologies for not posting anything the past two days, but Ted and I have been busy running around. This week, the hubster and myself are ditching the snow and "Jack Frost nipping at your nose" cold for the sun-kissed shores of Puerto Rico. Yes, you can be jealous. I'll allow it.
Needless to say, I've done just about everything the past two days to prepare -- from getting last-minute items at Target and CVS to pulling out summer clothes, doing laundry, and packing two suitcases full. And yes, we'll only be gone 5 nights. Seems I've done just about everything with the exception of blogging.
And to be quite honest, I'm not that motivated to be sitting here in front of my computer after running ragged all day, especially when I know I have to be up in seven hours. That's right -- 4:00 a.m. wakeup call. Wahoo!!!
However, I did want to leave you with something before I left -- just in case I'm kidnapped by Puerto Rican Drug Cartel Lords and never return :-)
All weekend I've been mentally preparing myself for this week. Vacations are synonymous it seems with cheating. No, not on your husband or wife. On FOOD!!! It's like the word "vacation" is all we need to hear to justify our outrageous eating habits. Enormous country breakfast every morning? Sure! Why not? I'm on vacation! Margaritas, Daiquiris and Cervezas from midday on? Absolutely! And dessert every night after your three-course dinner? Well, that's a given!
And the old me, Jumbo Nicole, would definitely have given into all of the above. Something about vacations used to siginify a free-for-all for me. But not anymore!
Part of the reason I have two suitcases? Because one of them is half-filled with my gym clothes alone. No need for a double-take. You did read that right. I am going to work out on my vacation. Sigh. I'm packing gym shorts, sports bras, my running sneaks, and lots of T-shirts. I'm not sure whether I'll be running in the hotel gym, in the streets of Old San Juan, or for an extra calorie burn, on the beach. But I know I'll be running.
You can laugh now, or think I'm crazy, or form whatever opinion you'd like. But this is what this challenge is all about. No more excuses. No more justifications. No more of what my old life used to be like. Instead, this vacation, I'm going to be active. In fact, there's a rainforest, El Yunque, which Ted and I plan to hike. We're also hoping to add a kayaking tour through a bioluminescent bay and exploration of the Camuy Cave Park to the itinerary. This, of course, is in addition to the plentiful walking we'll be doing shopping, um.... I mean sightseeing.... in San Juan.
And as for meals -- well, I'm hoping that the culture of this little island really doesn't agree with me. Now, I know that's a long shot, because I thoroughly enjoyed Spain and love just about every locale where the Spaniards have left their touch. That said, I'm also hoping that if I happen to hate the food, I'll be a lot less likely to eat a lot of it. If my plan fails, however, I'm aiming to keep my meals small, and healthy. I'll do my best to look for fish and chicken on the menus and steer clear of fried foods. Oh, and let's not forget -- ice cream is not allowed this week.
I'm not sure how this vacation is going to really turn out. I have great intentions -- but then again, I always do. I'm well aware I could come back, weigh in on that scale, and curse myself for eating that extra burrito because I gained three pounds. Or, maybe I'll return only to find that I've maintained my weight, which I'd be more than ok with after a week away from my normal routine. Obviously, I hope that I'll come back and have lost. But with the travel, crappy airport food, and "vacation mode" mentality which I'll be trying to fight off, I know that's not all that realistic.
Either way, I'll be doing everything I can to ensure I stay active and eat healthy on this trip. And don't worry, my #1 Accountability Partner will be with me - and he does NOT like to see me stray. :-) I'm sure he won't even hesitate as he pushes me out of the bed early in the morning to go run while he snuggles himself back under the comforter. And I'm also positive he won't mind eating my dessert, should I order one.
So, pray for me this week -- that I don't gain, that I don't over-indulge, and that I don't find myself getting kidnapped. I'll be thinking of all of you while I'm sitting back on a lounge chair, staring out at the surf. Try not to miss me too much!
P.S. -- Weigh-in numero dos was a success! I'm down another 1.8 pounds, which puts me at 249.4! Yay for being under the 250s!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Snack
None
Lunch
Cheese & Crackers, 1 stuffed shell, hummus and pita slices, a few Scoops and Spinach/Artichoke dip, and 1/2 slick of cake, 1 Portuguese fried dough (the menu is a little off today due to a surprise birthday party we attended)
Snack
None
Dinner
Quaker Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Dessert
See above crappy foods
Needless to say, I've done just about everything the past two days to prepare -- from getting last-minute items at Target and CVS to pulling out summer clothes, doing laundry, and packing two suitcases full. And yes, we'll only be gone 5 nights. Seems I've done just about everything with the exception of blogging.
And to be quite honest, I'm not that motivated to be sitting here in front of my computer after running ragged all day, especially when I know I have to be up in seven hours. That's right -- 4:00 a.m. wakeup call. Wahoo!!!
However, I did want to leave you with something before I left -- just in case I'm kidnapped by Puerto Rican Drug Cartel Lords and never return :-)
All weekend I've been mentally preparing myself for this week. Vacations are synonymous it seems with cheating. No, not on your husband or wife. On FOOD!!! It's like the word "vacation" is all we need to hear to justify our outrageous eating habits. Enormous country breakfast every morning? Sure! Why not? I'm on vacation! Margaritas, Daiquiris and Cervezas from midday on? Absolutely! And dessert every night after your three-course dinner? Well, that's a given!
And the old me, Jumbo Nicole, would definitely have given into all of the above. Something about vacations used to siginify a free-for-all for me. But not anymore!
Part of the reason I have two suitcases? Because one of them is half-filled with my gym clothes alone. No need for a double-take. You did read that right. I am going to work out on my vacation. Sigh. I'm packing gym shorts, sports bras, my running sneaks, and lots of T-shirts. I'm not sure whether I'll be running in the hotel gym, in the streets of Old San Juan, or for an extra calorie burn, on the beach. But I know I'll be running.
You can laugh now, or think I'm crazy, or form whatever opinion you'd like. But this is what this challenge is all about. No more excuses. No more justifications. No more of what my old life used to be like. Instead, this vacation, I'm going to be active. In fact, there's a rainforest, El Yunque, which Ted and I plan to hike. We're also hoping to add a kayaking tour through a bioluminescent bay and exploration of the Camuy Cave Park to the itinerary. This, of course, is in addition to the plentiful walking we'll be doing shopping, um.... I mean sightseeing.... in San Juan.
And as for meals -- well, I'm hoping that the culture of this little island really doesn't agree with me. Now, I know that's a long shot, because I thoroughly enjoyed Spain and love just about every locale where the Spaniards have left their touch. That said, I'm also hoping that if I happen to hate the food, I'll be a lot less likely to eat a lot of it. If my plan fails, however, I'm aiming to keep my meals small, and healthy. I'll do my best to look for fish and chicken on the menus and steer clear of fried foods. Oh, and let's not forget -- ice cream is not allowed this week.
I'm not sure how this vacation is going to really turn out. I have great intentions -- but then again, I always do. I'm well aware I could come back, weigh in on that scale, and curse myself for eating that extra burrito because I gained three pounds. Or, maybe I'll return only to find that I've maintained my weight, which I'd be more than ok with after a week away from my normal routine. Obviously, I hope that I'll come back and have lost. But with the travel, crappy airport food, and "vacation mode" mentality which I'll be trying to fight off, I know that's not all that realistic.
Either way, I'll be doing everything I can to ensure I stay active and eat healthy on this trip. And don't worry, my #1 Accountability Partner will be with me - and he does NOT like to see me stray. :-) I'm sure he won't even hesitate as he pushes me out of the bed early in the morning to go run while he snuggles himself back under the comforter. And I'm also positive he won't mind eating my dessert, should I order one.
So, pray for me this week -- that I don't gain, that I don't over-indulge, and that I don't find myself getting kidnapped. I'll be thinking of all of you while I'm sitting back on a lounge chair, staring out at the surf. Try not to miss me too much!
P.S. -- Weigh-in numero dos was a success! I'm down another 1.8 pounds, which puts me at 249.4! Yay for being under the 250s!!!
Nicole's Daily Menu
Breakfast
Multigrain Cheerios with 1% milk
Snack
None
Lunch
Cheese & Crackers, 1 stuffed shell, hummus and pita slices, a few Scoops and Spinach/Artichoke dip, and 1/2 slick of cake, 1 Portuguese fried dough (the menu is a little off today due to a surprise birthday party we attended)
Snack
None
Dinner
Quaker Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
Dessert
See above crappy foods
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