Day two. You be the judge

Okay, I gave myself a check mark... I don't know if I've earned it in its entirety.

Today mom and I got up and spent THREE hours shopping in Peterborough. Shopping on the Saturday of Easter weekend is brutal. The stores were closed yesterday, they are closed tomorrow... everyone shopped today. Three hours of shopping did equal about 2 hours of walking though!

We got home and I was STARVING. I did eat 5 m&m's that the Easter Bunny has left here for Alex. However, I did do my yoga workout prior to dinner. 35min of Yoga... a bit of a sweat. I did some baking throughout the day (cherry angel food cupcakes, chocolate crunchy peanut butter balls, rocky road fudge, chocolate cake truffles). One of my downfalls has been licking the spoons or chocolate off my fingers... I never ate spoonfuls of anything, but at the end of it all I did lick spoons.

Here's what I ate today...
Breakfast - 8 strawberries (0), yogurt (1), flax seed (0), ww tortilla (1) w/ cheese string melted (1)
Lunch - 1c whole wheat pasta (3), tomatoes (0), cheese (1), 10 fruit bites (1)
Dinner - tilapia (3), baby potatoes (2), lettuce with cheese (1) and cottage cheese (2) and cucumber (0), 1/2 hard boiled egg (1)
My treat(s): 5 m&m's (1), licking spoon of cake batter (1), licking spoon with other baking (?2)
Total: 21
Water: 3L

So, I don't know if I broke rules today or not. I was going to count the m&m's as my treat... but I am a little disappointed with myself for how much 'licking the spoon' I did... but, I could have done worse today and I still got some activity in. I brought a scale home with me (my older scale... I got a new scale at my birthday this year). I stepped between my old scale and my new scale several times yesterday to figure out the weight difference. So, according to the scale this morning I was down 0.1lbs. Not a lot... but at least it wasn't a gain. Tomorrow morning may tell the truth about today though. For the most part I met all the rules for today. Tomorrow I won't indulge quite as much... and Monday will be the true test!! I'm hoping to get a bit more cardio in tomorrow. Kristen has her elliptical set up downstairs in front of an old TV and DVD player... I think I might just put on a movie and go to town! Then, tomorrow evening I will plan on yoga again. Yes sir... I can still kick this weekend's butt!!

2 down, 2 to go! I really do have to behave Monday though... because then I only have 2 real days to recover before weigh in!!

Day One. Happy Good Friday

Well, one day down... 3 to go!
I am happy to report that day one has been a success! I got up, did some baking, did some packing, did some jogging (full hour!)... then headed here to Pontypool (where I now sit). I did remember to pack my BL cardio and Bob's Yoga DVD's.

There isn't much to really report today, so here's what I ate...
Breakfast: oatmeal (2)
Snack: 10 meringues (1)
Lunch: 1c pasta (3), 1 chicken breast (3), 30g light monteray jack cheese (2), salsa (0) a few black beans and corn (0)
Post jog: caramel peanut motivate protein bar (4)
Dinner: 1/2c chicken chili (1), pickled beets (2), zucchini and mushrooms (0)
Total: 18
Water: 3L

So... I have obeyed all rules today. I got exercise in. I did not indulge in any treats (unless you want to count the meringues as a treat. They are awesome). No alcohol. Meals were only healthy. Everything got tracked as the day went along (just have to add dinner in there). I am blogging. I got lot's of sleep last night (because I was in my full time bed... getting lot's of sleep the next few nights might be harder, I never sleep in here). Haven't drank as much water as usual... but my mom has informed me there is Perrier downstairs... might have some 'treat' water. I am not going to eat any more today (not going to reward myself with food... even though the bowl of ice cream my dad is currently eating does look good. I'm not hungry).

There we have it! I hope Tara survived her very challenging day. I know it's fun to get together with the family... but I don't envy the obstacles she faced today!

The Game is Easter. The Rules are Simple. In the end, 2 winners will stand tall.

Tara and Jen's Easter Rules

1. Exercise a minimum of 2 out of 4 of the days of the long weekend (but, more is better. Aim for every day!)
2. Only ONE treat is allowed per day during these 4 days (and the treat is only 1 serving). Weigh out all options and choose treats carefully. Healthier/low fat/low calorie desserts do not count towards this treat, but should be portion controlled in order to maximize success.
3. Limit alcohol. Try lower calorie drinks (i.e. vodka and diet pop or diet juice or crystal light even!). Try to drink slowly and have 0 point drinks (water!) between alcoholic drinks.
4. Meals must be healthier. Unhealthy items may be eaten (i.e. stuffing) but should be kept to a small serving. Aim for 1 spoonful of these items and fill up on any possible veggie dishes/salads.
5. TRACK everything as you go. Keeping a tally on the points that have been consumed already may stop us from going overboard at the next meal. We all know, if you don't track... next thing you can't really (and accurately) remember what you've already eaten that day. This is a barrier to success.
6. Attempt to blog every day (even if very short). We can proud to publish our successes and may motivate others to do their best on the weekend.
7. If we get off track... do NOT wait until tomorrow (or worse, the end of the weekend) to get back on track. It may take every ounce of willpower we've ever had, but if we feel we 'don't care' or 'have already blown it'... don't give up. Don't sabotage the weekend due to one slip up. We will have less damage control to do if we only have a little slip up as opposed to the entire weekend.
8. Get plenty of sleep (that's just always important).
9. Drink lot's of water (again, important every day... can't forget it on the holidays).
10. After a successful day... don't reward ourselves with FOOD. If we look back and realize 'hey, I only had 18pts today, I'm good'... that is not an excuse to go all out and eat more.

It's important that we ENJOY the weekend. We can't feel like we've been deprived of some great holiday experience just because we didn't indulge in bad food. We will have so much more to show for it next week (and in VEGAS)... the pride will trump any bad food that we could have eaten!!

This is awesome. We can TOTALLY do it. See you tomorrow... I will now take my laptop to mom's and enjoy her wireless internet... and blog every day!!

Well....

I jogged this morning for an hour. I walked briskly at lunch for almost an hour. I came home and my scale still had me up about 1lb from last week. I went to weigh in prepared to lose my bet with Alex (if I stayed the same or gained, subway was on me tonight).

I stepped on the scale and low and behold... the WW scale liked me better today.

I was down 0.2lbs!
Somehow the WW scale took pity on my efforts this week.

I practically RAN out to Alex's truck to tell him the good news.... that he was buying me dinner!!! (Let the record show, when he saw how bummed I was that I figured I would be up, he had decided he would buy dinner to cheer me up). The new deal? Every week I lose weight, he will buy me my sub. Sure! Works for me!

Now, I am off to make merginues... they will help me make 'healthier' dessert choices this weekend. I'm going to kick some calories asses this weekend and lose weight!!

First, here's what I've eaten today (in no particular order)
banana larabar (4), fruit bites (2), almonds (2), 1/2c skim milk (1), subway turkey sub (12), chocolate chip cookies (5)
Total: 26 (hey, I exercised enough today for those points!)

I think I will come back later and devote a post to the RULES Tara and I are following this weekend... we are going to keep her at her GOAL and have me LOSE weight (and keep working towards my goal!).

Happy Thursday!!

Just one more day...

I'm with Tara. The kitchen is CLOSED! Wednesdays are hard... I just want Thursday to come so I can eat my sub... tonight I am resisting temptations by staying OUT of the kitchen. I was going to do some more Easter baking... but have decided against it. I will slowly drag myself out to get the dishes done.

Did I mention what's IN my kitchen right now? This...
I will stay strong. Weigh in is TOMORROW!

I had trouble falling asleep last night, but still managed a jog this morning and a semi-fast-paced walk at lunch (mall walking!)... I was going to do yoga this evening but I'm tired. I'm giving myself the evening off. My Prevention and Canadian Living magazines came today... I may even retire to bed and read there tonight!

After work Alex and I went to the Pickering Town Centre and got Simon this;

It's called the "Jump Start Trampoline" and you get it at Mastermind in the Pickering mall... I don't normally get him a "gift" for Easter (that's what the Easter Bunny and grandma and grandpa are for)... but when I saw how much he LOVES to bounce and jump and I told my sister about it (thinking about it for a birthday gift)... she knew Simon will absolutely LOVE it... then I just couldn't wait for his birthday to get it for him!! I'll try to spend less $$ on him for his birthday instead... but I just couldn't wait for the end of June to get it. I called Michele when we left the mall tonight to tell her I had gotten it... Simon was literally jumping on his old crib mattress while we spoke (He is now in a 'big boy' bed... but Michele lets him jump on his old crib mattress for fun). They should have named the boy "Tigger".

Okay, here's what I ate today...
Breakfast: shake (3)
Lunch: salad with tuna (1), cheese (2), veggies (0) and EVOO/balsamic dressing (2), yogurt (1), edamame leftover from last night (0)
Snack: larabar - apple pie (3) - discovered this one is in fact only 3 points!
Dinner: egg white/veggie/salsa omelette (2), chocolate PB2 (4) - HUGE craving for PB tonight
Total: 18
Water: 3L

So, I'm pretty sure I'm going to be up tomorrow... I tried to do damage control from the weekend but the scale is just not cooperating so far. I will try a last ditch effort on the treadmill and then a walk at lunch... otherwise, I am looking at my work being cut out for me over the weekend. Luckily, I feel confident I can do it!! I don't even WANT to eat bad stuff because this whole 'losing weight' thing (that I've managed to do for 6 weeks in a row) is pretty cool... I'm not ready to stop it yet! Also, Alex and I have a bet going... he is joining me for sub night tomorrow. If I lose weight - subs are on him. If I stay the same or gain weight - subs are on me. I don't want to pay for dinner!

Good luck to all who weigh in tomorrow!!

I need a caffeine IV... Stat!

I don't know WHY on EARTH I am so tired these last few days. Last night I couldn't WAIT to go to bed. I ended up not even staying up for The Hills. I decided to tape it and watch it this morning. The problem? I couldn't get myself out of bed this morning. I ended up calling in sick to work. I went back to sleep until 11am and didn't get out of bed until 11:30... I got about 14 hours of sleep! Plus, I dozed off on the couch later. Now I finally feel a bit more alert (and will try to force myself to sleep in a couple of hours!). I also got some baking done today.

So, I did manage to get myself on the treadmill for a full 1hr jog... and then did the BL Yoga workout. It was a bit easier tonight and I was able to stick with it better... I definitely have to work on balance and strength. It does make me work up a sweat and makes me NOT enjoy planks. Funny though, by the end of the DVD I was feeling more limber and had no problem reaching my toes and the floor. The best part is the 5min cool down at the end. I get so relaxed, it makes all the sweating and shaking legs/arms all worth it.

So now I watch My Biggest Loser and do dishes and make tomorrow's lunch during commercials. Tomorrow Alex and I are going to the mall after work so I can buy Simon his little person trampoline for Easter (you can only get it as Mastermind... A girl at work got one for her daughter and recommended it).

Here's what I ate today...
Breakfast - oatmeal (2)
Lunch - pasta (3) with black beans and corn (1), cheese (2), mushrooms, peppers, red onion (0), salsa (0)
Snack - Jocalat Larabar (3)
Baking - cookie dough (?2)
Dinner - mexican chicken with a few black beans and corn and salsa (3), veggies (0), edamame (0)
Total: 16 - why do I feel like I've eaten 26pts today? I am bloated.
Water: 4L

Some photos...
Mexican pasta (I do love my mexican food with salsa/corn/black beans these days!)

More pasta for lunch (note: in the mug is instant coffee with caramel davinci and caramel splenda!)jocalat with coffee? Do we sense a theme to try to help me become alert today? I still prefer regular Larabars.This is dinner. It tasted better than it looks (the chicken at least)... I didn't end up eating most of the veggies and edamame, but ate all of the mexican chicken.I was thinking tonight about my healthy eating... I actually am not missing processed food. Healthy eating has just become a way of life. I still have my few indulgences on the weekend, but overall it's still all healthy for me and I think my body is used to it. I fear the scale is not moving this week... I am definitely UP from where I was last week. I think I over indulged on the weekend. I hope I don't pay for it Thursday... It will definitely motivate me to stay on track for Easter either way. I'm rambling.

I didn't feel as hungry for dinner tonight. Maybe it's because I had my Larabar 2 hours prior? Or maybe it's because I ate (probably) the equivalent of a spoonful of cookie dough. I felt sick after eating it. Is my body starting to reject unhealthy food? Dare to dream!

Happy hump day... only 2 more days until the LONG weekend!!

Is it bedtime yet?

I don't know why I'm so tired today. I think I got a taste of being lazy yesterday and I LIKED it! The good news is that it's only a 4 day work week!! Yay! I hope I get some energy back and can LOSE weight over Easter!

Today included getting up, jogging a full HOUR and then doing some cleaning and cooking. I made lunch and made dinner (to take to work). Now, I wait for the new season of The Hills to come on and try to get to bed as soon as it's over.

Here's what I ate today...
Breakfast - oatmeal (2)
Lunch - 1 ww tortilla (1), refried beans (2), cheese (2), black beans and corn (0),2 pieces lettuce (0), salsa (0), yogurt (1)... I actually had 3 wraps, 2 were in lettuce and 1 was in the tortilla.
Snack - protein bar (4), cucumbers in vinegar (0)
Dinner - salad with tuna (1), cheese (2), black beans and corn (1), lettuce, peppers, onions, mushrooms cucumber, tomatoes (0), yogurt (1)
Total: 17 (yes, I cut back - damage control after eating so much this weekend!)
Water: 4L

Photos...




I'm excited for BL tomorrow... but I totally forgot I have baking to do tomorrow night! Luckily, it's easy baking.

Happy Tuesday!

Day of Rest

Well... I couldn't get rid of my headache after my last post. I finished the falafels and then ended up having a nap that was just shy of 2 hours. That nap managed to rid me of my headache! Unfortunately, it also made me want to be lazy the rest of the day!

I did some lounging around, cut up some vegetables and did some cleaning. It took me all the way til this evening to finally get on the treadmill. I got my jog in AND did the BL Yoga DVD. The yoga DVD was much harder than I thought it would be... I expected it to be totally relaxing, but it did require work from my muscles!! I will keep at it and see if I can get my muscles stronger and improve my flexibility. That will be a DVD I take home over Easter to get my activity in (along with the 'cardio max' DVD)!!

Now, as for the falafels. I took 1 can of chick peas (rinsed and drained) and put them in the blender with about 1/2c (maybe a bit less?) of red onion, some garlic, some cumin, some salt and papper and some all spice... I pureed it all up and then added 4tbsp flour. I used my cookie scoop to put them on a foil-lined cookie sheet. I had preheated the oven to 350F and ended up with 24 falafels. I baked them until they looked a bit dry/crispier on the outside... and then put the broiler on for a few minutes. Here's the final products...

1 of them is 0pts. As soon as you have 2 of them they are 1pt. You can have up to 4 of them for 1pt!

So here's what I ate today...
Breakfast - strawberries (1), yogurt (1) flax seed (0)... photo (doesn't look appetizing!)...
Lunch - 4 falafels (1), lettuce wraps with falafels (1), light cheese (2), 2tbsp hummus (0), grape tomatoes (0), banana bread larabar (4), fruit bites (2)... photos....

Snack - 3 light rye wasa crisps (1), 4tbsp chocolate PB2 (2), fruit bites (2)... photo...
Dinner - falafels (4), strawberries (1)
Total = 22pts
Water = 3L

Happy Monday!!

It's a 'SICK' Sunday

I'm not going to work today. I can't shake my headache... I think my body is telling me I need a quiet weekend. I have had weekends 'off' since Christmas... but they are always filled with family obligations and visits to ailing grandparents. This weekend, I rest!! I still plan on a nice, long jog... the scale is NOT happy with me today. I have made my steel cut oats, cut up strawberries, made my 'black bean and corn' mixture (that I always throw in a wrap or salad... i love that combo)... and have now attempted to BAKE falafels (made from scratch). They smell divine. I will take photos and post the points values later (I think Tara will enjoy them).

This afternoon's plan:

1. jog
2. take out garbage/recycling
3. bake meringues
4. take Chicklet for a walk (maybe)
5. Biggest Loser Yoga DVD
6. R&R (maybe a lavendar bath!)

Tara... I hope you had fun at your J&J and you recover well today!! Enjoy a day off... and tomorrow we get back on track! Get to the grocery store today if you can!

I shall return... enjoy this sunny day. I know I will now that I'm not working... for now, I am off to take MORE advil!

Today, I eat!

I fear this is all I have left, for I have EATEN everything else...
I love lazy days... they are very few and far between for me... but they are dangerous! I tend to EAT when I am bored.

Today I was tired from the moment I woke up... Alex wore me out last night (kidding!). I went to Ambrosia for some Larabars and to check out anything else new and interesting. They sell the Larabars for $1.89 each. They end up being about $1.50 each (if I remember correctly) at Costco, and they've been $1.67 at Superstore lately. The thing about Ambrosia is that they have all of the flavours. I ended up getting a bunch of banana bread ones, knowing I could get all of the other ones I like at Superstore. I left Ambrosia and went to Superstore... where I came to find not only is the 3 for $5 special OVER and the larabars are back up to $1.99 each - they didn't even have any there!!! So... I ended up only coming home with the dozen from Ambrosia (12 for $22 approx... BUT you get to pick all of your flavous).

I came home and did some cleaning, some organizing, some purging of papers, magazines etc that had built up and rearranged my bedroom (back to how it used to be... bed under the window).

Otherwise, I have spent the day on the couch watching some classic movies...


No treadmill, no jog today. I was going to have yesterday and tomorrow off. That has changed to yesterday and today. That means tomorrow is a morning jog, making my steel cut oats, cutting up veggies, attempting to make home made falafels... and going to work (3:30 to 11:30).

Here's what I've eaten today...
strawberries and pineapple (2), larabar (4) wasabi peas (6), pasta (3), chick peas (1), salsa (0), yogurt (1), popcorn (2), fruit bites and almonds (2), turkey sub (12).... AND my unhealthy thing today? PB (4) and chocolate chips (4).
TOTAL today?? 41. Nice. Thank you flex points!
Water? Only 2L!!!

Tomorrow will be MUCH different. Please don't be surprised if you see me cut back drastically on my points tomorrow. I have to really work hard now to prepare for Thursday after my poor efforts today. This is NOT how I should be preparing for Easter!!

Happy Sunday! I am heading to bed!