Baked some butternut squash last night, and distracted myself and accidentally used an entire stick of butter with the sage and pepper. Oops.
This morning I filled up on a cup of oatmeal and feta with pepper. The house has a weird assortment food right now and cheese was preferable to butter in my mind for flavoring my oatmeal. I can't stand sweetened oatmeal, but yesterdays recipe search for savory oatmeal was a bust. I'll keep trying.

Time to go see my wayward brother :)





-------
weight: 209.6

Dissappointment

Well it's the end of the month and I haven't lost any weight.
I got a gym membership for Christmas so that I'm hoping will bring about some changes.
The past week has been hit or miss for exercising because of cleaning and general family and friend holiday things to do.
My diet hasn't been strict because I haven't turned down the See's truffles my parents bought me, since it was a small box, but just before Christmas I started retaining water and I've been angry ever since. It seems to be even harder this time around.

But 2011 is a new year and hopefully between a better balance of vitamins and a diet more conscious of the fact that I may have hypothyroid I can maybe make a better headway in loosing weight.
Maybe sometime this week or weekend I can try the Jillian Michael's Ultimate...whatever for 2010 and 2011 for the wii.

However right now I'm all around depressed I couldn't loose any weight before the end of the year

The Holidays

The holidays really Slammed me for time to be able to post on here, will update tomorrow mot likely

As I Expected

Yesterday the scale showed a jump, which made me sad and reminded me why I must be diligent. I did my morning routine, Jillian's Shred It, and cleaned for some time yesterday and saw it drop back down to 206 today. so go team for sodium?
Today was spent discovering that not all cigars are available on both ends of the US, at least not where I shopped, and that my wonderful 3-yr old godson will repeat everything coming out of my mouth if he thinks I'm not paying attention. He loves looking at ornaments though.
It is fun to decorate for Christmas, so hopefully sometime in the next 2 days I'll get to decorate my own house for it instead of everyone I knows places. Ahh one can dream. I'll add it to my list of deep cleaning, cookie making, exercising, work xmas party attending, sleeping. Or maybe I'm just tired.


-----------
Morning routine

Breakfast:
1 can Cambells Chicken and wild rice with feta: 330 cals

Lunch:
Posado Chimichanga: 350 cals

Exercise:
Bob Harper's Yoga For the Warrior


Dinner:
Sourdough bread, 2 ham slices, 2 slices cheddar cheese: 420 cals

Saturday morning I woke to read the scale saying 206.3, and I was bewildered, since for dinner Friday night I at two pieces or pork chop. Yes, the first had been shared with a three year old but still, it was breaded meat. But there it was. I had a late breakfast/early lunch on Saturday, going out to Mimi's and having some southwestern burrito with many eggs, some cheese, cilantro, and beans. It was not easy to eat for being a jumbo-sized thing, but really, overall, healthy. I haven't looked it up but I know it's a lot better than some of the things I could've had for a meal. My bf, his stepson, the bf's mother and I all went to a winter party at a friends house that evening, wherein one brought a wrapped ornament, and food for the potluck. Being my mother's daughter, I made something, and in quantities so that there would be leftovers. I brought something I consider healthy, zucchini pancakes [or latkes as my father prefers them called]. They went over well, and by the time we made it to the party I was still full from lunch, and the three pancakes I had taste tested for flavor and consistency. I tried a sausage pesto manicotti which made me want to throw away my ideas of healthy living, and what I believe was a turkey casserole. I mingled, I twitched among this extended family of mine, and went to hide in the kitchen. The kitchen was the downfall.
I haven't been drinking, in this weight loss endeavor, but I was offered a glass of port. It was tasty tasty port, and between that and a sweet wine, I became comfortable. This would've been fine, but when the port was gone, my comfortable self reasoned I should move on to brandy, a cousin [my mind said] of port. I failed to heed my warning signs that it was time to lay off and switch to something more innocent, like water. When I drink, I get the munchies. For savory things. Not salty, just savory in general. Sadly, most of the dinner foods had been relocated for desert foods, and I heaped myself a plate-mostly-full or things I knew I shouldn't eat, but weren't sugary. A terrible mac n cheese [the cold had gotten to it], one more manicotti, and scoops of what turned out to be instant mashed potatoes, with who I don't agree. We don't speak. We nod politely in company,but that is all.
A bit later I discovered the onion dip and chips. I mostly wanted the onion dip, and would've gladly tried as the bf's mother had done and added to some turkey instead, but it was put away. Instead I ate it continuously while talking about serious and random matters with my friends.

On the way home I remembered why I don't mix mass quantities of alcohol with my mood stabilizers, and worried about dying as only an inebriated person can.
This morning, I was too afraid to check the scale.
Tomorrow will be soon enough to get back up on that particular surly horse. My stomach today tamed the horse of practical food consumption.

Je suis

Yesterday was one of those days that confirmed how badly I needed a new mattress. My back was so locked up I could be laying on my side and be in massive pain if I laughed. I tried exercising and stretching it to no avail, so no actual exercise.
But I did come up with a new plan, as stupid as it sounds.
I have decided to implement 'routines' when I wake up and before I sleep.
It will consist of Jumping jacks, push ups, and in the morning, triceps kickbacks. I did it this morning and it didn't take very long, but my theory is that it will spike my metabolism and in the morning get it rolling until I exercise for the day.
I haven't worked out the finer points of it, because my routine of 50 jumping jacks, 25 push ups [I'm a wimp, 20 had me wobbling] and 15 tricep kickbacks seemed to take maybe two minutes. since some of my exercise DVDs are only 20 minutes, I don't know if aiming for 10 minutes would be too much, but 5 minutes sounds so pathetic. 7 minutes should be it then. which I think should then also include oblique twists and squatting punches. So:

Morning Routine:
50 Jumping Jacks
25 Push Ups
15 Tricep Kickbacks
100 Squatting Punches
15 Oblique Twists
25 Push Ups
50 Jumping Jacks

Evening Routine:
50 Jumping Jacks
25 Push Ups
100 Squatting Punches
50 Jumping Jacks

My BF and I decided I should do this for 3 months to see how it affects my weight loss. When I first came up with it yesterday it seemed like such a great idea and now I'm thinking it's silly. I'm still going to give it a go, of course, because not trying means we'd all still be crowded in England and Harry Potter would've had no room hop around with his tent. Of course then he would've died, Dobby would've had a more horrible death later on, and Voldemort would be wandering around being afraid of death.


So, to show you the shock I received when I realized how much weight I'd gained back, here's one of the four pictures I take on a semi-regular basis to visusally track weightloss:

This shows the weight gain best [hoping the picture is large enough, the originals are too large for here.]

It serves as a reminder why days like yesterday, where I indulged in 2 bread sticks and a sugared soda, cannot keep happening. They may have been small stumbles, but combined with lack of exercise the scale showed me 11.2 oz heavier today from my weight of 207.6 yesterday. A grand total of 208.4

So even if it's stupid, my routines will added in in hopes of doing something right. I will figure out what I was doing wrong the last time I was losing weight, because damn it came off too slowly.

Tomorrow is

This blog's 1 month anniversary. Wow.
It's funny, when I was on vacation, I was hoping to use the access to the gym[s] to 'Biggest Loser' it. I thought originally to spend 3 hours in the gym each day. That dwindled down to just an hour, hour and a half, and it seems that time was not enough to awaken my body from it's lethargy to begin losing weight again. It's been a month, I for all intents and purposes haven't lost weight. I won't stop exercising because I haven't, but I will now instead continue to exercise because I want to prove in an angry tone of voice to those who give me lip that I am doing everything I can. Even thrown in a good old fashion guilt trip with ice cream about how ironic is was that back when I was losing weight steadily I wasn't near as active on a daily basis, but I begin exercising more and I loose nothing.


Yesterday I kicked my butt with some good all around yard work. I pruned, weed-wacked, and raked the bushes and 'flower' beds on the walkway to the house, and pruned the apricot tree in the back yard that's been long overdue, including the top half. It became too wet today for me to go back and break down all that I pruned to box up and put by the curb to offer as kindling. Today I instead got stuck doing laundry due to a very angry cat in my house.....

perhaps soon I can finish cleaning my house for the holidays [as clean as it gets anyways] and tidying up the front lawn.
What does one get for a stocking stuffer that's not cheese, candy, cheap perfume, or cheap jewelery? Why do mothers have to be so hard to buy for?!


----------------------
Today's Weight: 207.4

Breakfast:
1 can Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup: 200 cal
1 string cheese: 80 cal
1 heel sourdough bread
1 oz red pepper hummus: 60 cal
Total: 340ish cal

Lunch:
1 Turkey patty: 200 cal
1.5 oz parmesan: 75 cal
3.5 oz egg noodle pasta with sour cream
2 jennie-o turkey franks
Total: 400ish


Exercise:
Bob Harper's Yoga for the Warrior [aprox 1 hr]


Dinner:
4-5 oz Tuna Surprise [buttered noodles, cream of mushroom, whole milk, tuna]
500-1000?

counting todays food intake as a bust

Night Night time

My benadryl has made me extra sleepy so its plain and simple tonight.



---------------
Breakfast:
1 can Campbell's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo: 280 cals
1 low fat sting cheese: 80 cals



Exercise:
2 1/2-3 hrs yard work: pruning bushes trees, weed wacking, raking


Dinner:
5ish Taquitos
homemade cheesy sauce
salsa
sour cream

Burrrrrp

I took the weekend off from exercising for a couple of reasons. Saturday, I was aware of every muscle in my body, which meant they weren't done healing yet, and the rest was nice. Sunday, the BF and I had had plans to go out for a few hours wherein there would've been lots of of walking, but the plans got altered at the last minute resulting in much bored TV watching. Not that I hadn't wanted to watch the TV show we were watching, I just wanted to get out. Of course, the TV we were using was the only one that has room to exercise in front of :(
I discovered, yesterday, that there are some things that you shouldn't substitute whole wheat flour for white flour in. Pumpkin gnocchi is one of them. Suddenly, all you can taste is wheat, no pumpkiny-goodness, no subtle spices, just.... wheat. It wasn't quite like ingesting cardboard, but it's definitely not the best way to enjoy grains.
This looks fun and I can't wait to get it and play with it.

Today the BF came over and joined my family in the annual decoration of the Christmas tree. It was nice, how normal it seemed and how much we didn't explode considering we spent the morning disagreeing stoutly with each other. Today, I took measurements and comparison pictures and received a huge shock. I had known I had gained back 25 pounds [and have lost about 5 since realizing that happened]. But this year, at about the same weight I was last year, I'm proportioned much bigger. My comparison photos to earlier this year to when I had lost 50 lbs since the beginning of my weight loss journey started made me cry compared to today's. The last 15 pounds I put back on came on in a matter of 3 weeks. My knees still aren't completely healed but I should've started exercising again sooner. I don't know what really happened to them, but the pain lessens a tiny with regular exercise. I don't think, sadly, that I will be able to meet my goal of 192 by the end of the year, the weight seems to be stubbornly clinging on. Perhaps the refill of my mood stabilizers will help.


------------
Breakfast:
1 Can Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup: 200 cals
1 whole wheat English muffin: 130 cals
1.5 oz red pepper hummus: 90 cals
Total: 420 cals

Exercise:
Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred: Level 2 [Day 1]


Lunch:
2.5 cups garbanzo beans: 271 cals


Dinner:
2 apple gouda sasauges
4 oz salad
4 oz egg noodles with light sour cream and poppy seeds

Now Bob is handing me my ass

and at 1 am I have nothing interesting to say.


----------------
Breakfast:
1 can Progresso Chicken Noodle Soup, 200 cals
1 whole wheat english muffin, 130 cals
1.5 oz red pepper hummus, 90 cal
Total: 420 cals

Exercise:
Bob Harper's Yoga for the Warrior


Lunch:
Chocolate Bluberry Protien shake: 210 cals
1 slice ham: 30 cal
1 oz red pepper hummus: 60 cals
Total: 300 cals


Exercise:
Jillian Michaels 30 Day shred: Level 1 [day 6]

Dinner:
1 can Chickpeas: 350ish cals

Upping the Stakes

This morning the scale said 209.4,as opposed to earlier this week when it refused to budge from 212 where it had jumped  4 lbs since my coming home. I think I will have to be more incredably strict with my diet. For the life of me I can't remember what I was eating the last time I successfully lost weight, but I know these days I feel a lot more hungry than I used to :( gotta love stress and bottom of the barrel feelings. 
Currently im looking for the huge hammer somone decided to hit my tail bone with while I was sleeping because damn is that rude.
ONe day at a time [to beat my old Karaoke Revolution scores. yay]

I did a mock up of how I want to look in 6 months time vs how I am now, But I can't really share it here because of the nuditity. While its good for me to see because I know how i look naked, just not the thing to share with the interwebz for weight loss. Maybe sometime I can do a comparison/mockup with clothes...

Can't wait to add in Bob Harper's Yoga for the Warrior dvd. I think it will make a nice addition to my soon to be full rotation.


------------------
Breakfast:
1 can Progresso Chicken and Wild Rice: 200 cal
4 oz feta and parmesan: 175 cals [?]
Total: 375    Remaining: 825 cals


Exercise:
Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred: Level 1 [day 5]



Lunch:
2 slcies whole wheat bread: 200 cal
4 slices ham: 120 cal
2.5 oz red pepper hummus: 150 cal
1 slice swiss cheese: 80
Total: 550  Remaining: 275 cal




Snack:
Jalapeno Cheetos


Dinner:
4.5 oz Beef
1.5 oz corn
3 oz simple gravy
slow-cooked onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms



Exercise:
Jillian Michael's Shred It with Weights
---------------------------------
I'm curious to see how adding in a second routine is going to affect tomorrow's scale reading, though I may have screwed myself by trying out the jalapeno Cheetos [only had 2 handfuls, not a whole bag] since my body reacts badly to msg and sodium.

Contemplating a simple dish of garbanzo beans, jalapeno bits and roasted peppers. Sounds good, and I'm thinking healthy too.

Want some awesome Recipes?
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Quinoa You only cook once!
6 Days of Pumpkin
She did it all for the Gnocchi personal favorite

Chicken! Chicken Good!

Blahhh. Ok yes chicken is good but boy howdy does it get old. I had 2 pollo asada tacos and its the first time in weeks chicken has tasted good. I may be to blame on that since I haven't done any precooking for myself...

I'm in the mood to go bowling, but I spose Ill have to settle for Wii bowling at the BF's. Might help loosen my back since my bed is trying to eat it.



---------------
[now yesterday's] Breakfast:
Campbell's Hearty Chicken Noodle soup: 240 cal
1 Slice Irish cheese: 70 cals

Exercise:
Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred: Level One [Day 4]

Lunch:
2 Pollo Asado tacos: 340 cals,  6g Fib, 20 g Prot
1  small Cherry coke: 250 cals

Dinner:
1 piece 3oz chicken

1 small [5in diam.] ham n cheese quessadilla

Later:
2 Slices whole weat bread: 200 cals
3 tlbsp red pepper hummus
1 slice ham

I sound like a joke.

I wke up this morning barely able to walk, seemingly temporary displaced hip.  Other than playing on the BF's new wii, sports and Fit [to show his mother all the options] I didn't exercise today. I think when I first got up this morning, if there had been cameras, I would've made tons off of the comedic pratfalls I was taking. I'm now very sleepy and very excited about my new dvd Bob Harper's Yoga.



Also, I dont like the difference in my wii weight and digital scales. How can I get accurate readings? grrg.

Jillian Michaels

30 day shred is totally handing my ass to me. This is sad because I'm only on level one, and back before my knees went out level three was only moderately hard to me. Of course, they don't include jumping jacks which hurt my chest both inside and out from the boobage and asthma. And from wearing 2 sports bras to contain the boobs, Im thinking I just need to suck it up.
I think I'm going to take my sore muscles  into the shower and hope it helps.

-----------------------
Breakfast:
2 eggs sunny side easy
1 whole wheat english muffin
3 tlbsp roasted red pepper hummus
1 can progresso chicken noodle soup
Estimated calories left: 650-700

Exercise:
Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred: Level 1 [Day 3]

another day, another avocado. I can do it.huzzah. The benadryl is kicking in sot hings that shouldn't make sense are bubbling about in my brain.


------------------
Exercise:
Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred [day 2]

Lunch:
2 Jennie-o turkey franks
1 c black beans

Dinner:
3 homemade tacos
2 oz lettuce & taco meat

Snack:
1 large avocado

Amusement parks

and starbucks really kill calories fast. Yesterdays were wasted. I spent all day walking around, so I suppose that can be exercise,  but the scale is showing what it did 2 days ago: 210. granted, my scale is off, but i dont know who much anymore. I'm also having my monthly, which may contribute, but ultimately it's one thing.
I need to exercise and eat better.


---------------------------
Breakfast:
1 can Progresso rotini and chicken
1 slice sourdough with roasted red pepper hummus.

one day back with the stressful person in my life, A.,  and when I got home to change some spark plugs I immediately started devouring things. At least that's how I felt, since pigging out to me is still smaller portions than most.  But I snacked all yesterday after lunch, and before dinnewr. Dinner wasn't too unhealthy 3 small tamales. tasty really.

I waited too long to weight myself today so I'm not going to believe that number until tomorrow morning when I've just woken up and not had breakfast and a gallon [no joke] of tea.

I'm fairly annoyed that A. and her life are stressing me out this bad when I just got home from a fairly relaxing vacation for 2 1/2 weeks. Might've been anticipation since she called me with her problems halfway through the vacation.

What's done it done.

------------------
Breakfast:
1 can Heart Healthy Campbell's Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
1.5 oz irish cheese
3 saltines

Exercise:
Day 1 of Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred.

--------------------

Going back to my no cheese in my diet, because I love cheese, and it's verboten in my cholesterol diet. Also, remembered for the umpteenth time I shouldn't eat spicy for  breakfast and then exercise. my throat hurts now :(

Wowee zowee

Hi there. It's amazing how weird it feels to be home.  Especially considering Tuesday we got to the airport early, and to find out right before boarding time our flight was delayed 3 hours, which made us miss the connecting flight and had us staying overnight near the second airport. and as soon as I was home yesterday, I had the fun of  going to the dentist for an appointment made a month ago, and have my head completely numbed for hours because the drilling hurt badly. And when at home later, while putting away dishes, had two frying pans fall and hit the side of the face the dentist had been working on. The last two days really felt like one long one. the eating wasn't wholly healthy but there was less of it. But we start again today.



--------
Breakfast:
Whole grain toast 1 slice, 100 cal
2 large eggs, sunny side up
Progresso Chicken Rice soup, 1 can, 180 cal.
Total: 400? cals,   Remaining: 800ish cal