To Weight, or Not To Weigh.... Everyday?

I know I've heard you shouldn't weigh yourself everyday. I know we're told to only weigh once a week because your weight does fluctuate daily... but I've found that (for myself) if I weigh myself every day it helps keep me in check... then I'm not avoiding my weight and it reminds me I have to keep on top of it. I know you can become obsessed with your weight (hello! most of us are already anyway - we just don't develop an eating disorder per se)

What do you think?

I read a study Weigh Everyday to Keep Obesity Away. It makes sense to me (I can see both sides to the argument though).

So, I was good today. I went on the treadmill AND added weights. I think I reached some anaerobic status there... I thought I was going to vomit and pass out. I haven't had much of an appetite all day really, but once I forced myself to eat I did feel better.

I think I'm going to go for a fast walk on the treadmill this evening... since I didn't get on the treadmill yesterday.

My food today has been pretty sad (due to lack of appetite)
BF - shredded wheat and bran (1), multigrain Life cereal (2), skim milk (1)
L - apple (1), lettuce (0), salmon 1/2c (2), hellman's spritzer (0)

I can't even think about dinner... I think it will be soup... maybe eggs.. I don't know. It does feel like a 'breakfast-for-dinner' kind of day.

*ETA: I had tomato slices with real cheese and hummus (3) as well as veg soup (1?) for dinner. To give the soup a kick (it typically has a slightly sweet flavour) I added FRANK'S hot sauce and garlic. It was GOOOD! I think I STILL smell like garlic. Thank the lord I was here alone last night*

Happy Haunting everyone - stay away from those god awful Halloween Candy!!

Why do I do this to myself?

I'm exhausted AND brought junk/treats into the house. Great way to get ready for my Christmas goal!

Tonight was my last parent group for this installment (yay! nice parents, but i'm exhausted). I decided to take in treats for the final group (mini pecan tarts, apple cinnamon two bite thingys, and ginger snap cookies - those healthy ones in the shape of hearts). Only about 3 tarts got eaten. Where are all these desserts now? Here. In my place. On my kitchen table. Where I go several times a day. Somehow I've managed to NOT touch them tonight... and tomorrow, being the night before weigh in... hopefully I can keep it up. My goal is to take them to Pontypool on the weekend for my dad to enjoy (and Jacob since he'll be there too). We'll see if I can do it or if I'm setting myself up for sabotage.

My food today has been okay. As per a usual Tuesday, I'm below my points because I just don't have time to eat.

BF - LIFE multigrain cereal (2), shredded wheat and bran (1), skim milk (1)
L - romaine (0) and salmon (2) with hellman's spritzer asian silk flavour (0), yogurt (1), apple (1)
Snack - orange (1)
Dinner - chicken breast (3)
Snack at home when I FINALLY got home - 5 mini pitas (2), Wendy and Barb's Skinny dip baba ganoosh (1)

At least I remembered to watch Biggest Loser... Although, it seems like more than half the episode each week is spent weighing in. I'd like to see more of them working out and cooking and stuff... things for me to be able to apply to my own life.

Nonetheless, I think I'm in love

Snack Attack

Okay, so I decided on a snack.

sliced tomato with cheez whiz (1), although that didn't spread very well on tomato so I added a cheese slice (1) and 1tbsp hummus (0) and then 15 almonds (2)

Here you have it;



Oh, I double-checked on the hummus. I'm never exactly sure if 1 tbsp is 1 point or if it's 0 points. I make the WW hummus recipe and 1/4c is 2pts... sure enough, 1 tbsp is 0pts! At least now I know! 1tbsp works out to be like 22 calories but has 1.25g of fibre (and 0.5g of fat), so it's like 0.23pts technically... so I count that as 0 points!

I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want (sorry, listened to Spice Girls in the car)

Well, the power went out today JUST as I was about to go on the treadmill. For a moment I thought about just sitting on the couch and enjoying the quiet... but then I remembered I still have an old stairmaster here that does NOT require power... so I pulled the old stairmaster in front of my bedroom window and watched a police officer direct traffic at the intersection outside (the lights were out)... next thing you know, I had done it for AN HOUR! There was no power... which meant no tv, no internet and no distractions. I had nothing else I could do (any work I needed to do was on the computer)... so I climbed stairs! I may still be feeling it a little in my legs!

Not much else to report on today, so I'll get right to my menu

BF: shredded wheat (1) and life multigrain cereal (1) with skim milk (1) and 1 tsp brown sugar splenda (0)
Lunch: 2 ww tortillas (2). One had tuna (2), salsa (0) and a cheese slice (1). The other had cheez whiz (1), hummus (0), salsa (0). Tapioca (1) and 100 cal pack for dessert (2)
Snack: pink lady apple (1)
Dinner: harvest soup (1), chicken thighs (3), orange (1)
Snack - Not sure yet! I have some points for SOMETHING but I don't know what I want. Yes I do - it's PMS week and I want McDonald's fries and a McFlurry. But I just got home and there's no way in hell I'm going out anywhere... so I guess I'll find something to have. I'd like to avoid carbs this late at night. Crap. What to have?

A picture is worth 1000 words?

Here's my day summarized in one shot (and I'm sure I could come up with 1000 words/excuses for why my day has been like this)


BUT it's okay. My plan was to go on the treadmill after dinner. I did NOT plan on dinner not sitting well with me... however i do appear to be feeling better now and will go on the treadmill for at least a little while. my goal is 60min, but if i do 30min, i won't cry over it.



As for what I've eaten today... I've snacked a LOT. Maybe I'll return later and enter my intake... but for now, I must get on the treadmill!!

My book begins today, tomorrow is unwritten...

... but I AM the author. I decide how my story goes, ESPECIALLY when it comes to what I eat and my weight.

Okay, so I stole lyrics from Natasha Bedingfield because I heard the song on my way home from my SickKids shift... but it all applies.

Last night may be a bit of a write-off. When I look back and TRY to account for everything (including the celebration alcohol) I think I used about 20 flex points. Yikes. The good news? I have the week to recover, and that started today. I have stayed within my points and caloric intake as recommended by the daily plate website.

The fun stuff... what did I indulge in last night? (the shorter question would be what DIDN'T i indulge in?). The story goes as follows.

appetizer? baked goat cheese (i ate half the portion)
drink? italian soda - the special drink of the day that included about a dozen kinds of alcohol including lemon cello
another drink? green apple martini - followed by water
bread you say? yep, i ate half (maybe more) of the table bread AND the whipped butter
entree? I ordered the teriyaki chicken (REALLY GOOD!) and then I was very well behaved and requested the vegetables be steamed and not sauteed or anything... so I had steamed mushrooms and green beans.
I then ate birthday trifle at home later... followed by a 3am chapman's frozen yogurt craving. with chocolate chips. ahhh... honesty feels good.

Today is much better. We have
BF - 2 egg whites and egg beaters (1) with 2 tbsp salsa (0) and a banana (2)
AM Snack - cheese slice (1), 15 almonds (2), source yogurt (1)
Lunch - 2 slices ww bread (1), 1 slice had 1tbsp cheez whiz light (1), 1 tbsp hummus (0), salsa (0) while the other slice had 1tbsp blue menu almond butter (2) and 1 tbsp SF jam (1)
Snack - green apple (1)
Dinner - lean cuisine mango curry chicken (6)
later night snack (because saturday nights on the ward at the hospital becomes a food party) - i ate 5 mini-pitas (2), 1tbsp wendy and barb's baba ganoosh (1)

still, when I stepped on the scale tonight - here is what I found. So, tomorrow I know what I must do.

GOOD LUCK TOMORROW TARA! YOU MAKE ME SO PROUD!!!

It's officially Friday

Happy Birthday, Alex!

I love you. I hope you have the most special birthday ever, you deserve it. You're the best... I can't imagine my life without you now! (yes, I know you're about to throw up, just grant me one sentimental moment).

Chicklet loves you too... and so does Simon! Chicklet wants to give you a birthday lick... and Simon wants to share some drool with you!

I stayed the same

Blah. Could be worse I suppose.

I'm going to count calories this week and make sure I get on the treadmill and hopefully the results will be in my favour next week.

I'm making an angel food cake dessert now for Alex for his 30th birthday tomorrow!

We're going to the Keg for dinner - I've already mapped out my points (they have nutritional info online now!).

Happy Friday - good luck Tara! I hope you reach that goal!!!!!!! I have to be happy for at least ONE of us this week so it better be YOU!!!

Another Thursday is here

Not much to say really... I think I need some luck today. My eating was fine (yay), but activity could have been better (but at least improved from last week!). Plus, I feel bloated today and have NO idea why.

I've decided to go back to counting calories but I've realized I had to break up with fitday.com if that was going to happen. They are more user-friendly than other sites, but they don't have enough foods in their database. I kept getting too tired to add everything (you have to add all the nutritional information), so I've started my new calorie-counting relationship with http://www.thedailyplate.com hopefully it works out. It will be reflected next week if it does.

2 months to go

2 months from today is Christmas Eve. I have to lose 27lbs in 2 months. I have to lose 3lbs a week from here on out. I have to lose 0.45lbs per day.

This sucks. It may be time to re-evaluate my goal (yet again).

I need to start counting calories again as well as points. It's crunch time (hmmm... crunches)

One more thing

Posting this photo as I'm going to need all the luck I can get. I haven't stepped on the scale but definitely do NOT feel any lighter this week.

Ignorance is Bliss

That is my life motto.

I counted my points today, I stayed within them (no flex points).

I haven't stepped on the scale all week (CRAP! I need to go on every day to keep me on track). I was happier staying off of it until I realized I can't keep avoiding it - weigh in day is looming over my shoulder. Tomorrow morning I will bite the bullet.

No treadmill today - it's too hard on Tuesdays when you work from 9am to 8:30pm... it mentally drains me before my day begins.

Tomorrow is a regular day at work. I now look forward to getting a lunch break and having that hour away from the office (when I typically go to WALMART!). Then tomorrow night is MASSAGE NIGHT! YIPPEE!

is it friggin Christmas yet?

Only 2 more days until Alex turns 30!!! I can't wait!!! I can't post more in case he reads it... (like what I'm getting him for his birthday! He thinks he knows - but he doesn't know!).

Mission: Accomplished

Well, the long and the short of my somewhat crazy day is this - I got myself on the treadmill for an hour. I only did just under 8K, but at least I was working up a sweat for an hour.

Planks - held on to them for 90 seconds twice today

Eating - wasn't so bad.

Work - don't ask. I'm feeling frustrated, but maybe I don't need to be. Time will tell.

What's the good word?

I WENT ON THE TREADMILL!

My plan earlier today was to go on the treadmill for an hour. That didn't happen. I fell asleep (I needed it, I couldn't sleep at ALL last night). But I got on for a half an hour today and it pumped me up enough that tomorrow (since I don't work until the afternoon) I'm going to get up early enough to go on the treadmill for at LEAST an hour. If I don't go on the treadmill for at least an hour tomorrow - I cannot eat ANYTHING bad for me the rest of the week. I will only eat fruits, vegetables, chicken, tuna and carbs only ONCE a day. THAT will be the consequence if I don't stick to my word.

I also held the plank for 90sec as opposed to 60sec... and I'm going to do that at least once more tonight.

Now, I'm off to walmart to get my photos (ahhh living in Toronto finally has a perk - 9pm on a Sunday and I'm heading out to pick up my photos from 1hr developing) THEN I'm going to get a subway sub (very late dinner, I realize).

Christmas is a coming and I'm NOT getting fat this year. Treadmill and planks are my answer.

No new is good news, right?

WRONG! so WRONG!

Things have been busy. I wish I could report my eating has been great and my activity has been stupendous... but I can't do that (in keeping with my whole 'honest revolution' damn honesty.)

BUT, I will be back later on today to report some better news (going to go work on that right now!).

I will leave you with a couple of photos from my babysitting adventures yesterday - can't you tell how happy my nephew is when i'm babysitting him?

Blah!

I was up 1.4lbs. My anger (with myself) is over, now it's time to focus on this coming week. My food was great this week... just have to get back to increasing my activity. This is my ongoing battle!!

The good news? Alex and I are babysitting Simon here (at my place) Saturday! yay!

It's Thursday.

I'm up.

That is not a fact. It is merely a guess based on my lack of activity this week.

I will be back later to post results - no matter what they may be.

I can't believe what an idiot I am

I totally FORGOT about The Biggest Loser last night. I'm such a moron!!! I forgot about The Hills on Monday night and then this last night... just goes to show me I'm losing my mind!!

I read the episode recap (whilst I should be getting ready for work - but AFTER going on the treadmill thank you very much!) and it looks like it was a good one. Damn Sam!! OF COURSE it's NOT one of those shows they put the entire episode on the web either. Oh well. I read about Hollie though - poor girl. That is SO SAD. Maybe it's best I didn't watch the show, I'd have been crying for sure.

I read a comment online that accuses the show of being racist. I guess because there is some suspicion that Kim was pushing for Amy to go home? I don't know, again... didn't watch the show.

The good news - I went on the treadmill. My plan is to go on it again tonight. I may also take the stairs in my building a couple of times (15 flights. It will kill me to do it more than once. It will feel so good though!) and planks.

While I'm here, may as well post my menu (planned so far)

BF: 1c raisin bran (2), 4 walnuts (2), 1/2c skim milk (1)
L: veg soup (0), spinach/romaine (0), tuna (2), 2tbsp light feta (1), 3 tbsp ff italian (0), some balsamic spray for fun (0), orange (1), yogurt (1)
PM Snack: muffin (1)
Dinner: pasta (3) with spaghetti squash (0), chicken (3), tomatoes and garlic (0), cheese (2), 2tsp EVOO (2? i forget)
HS: apple and 2 tbsp light peanut butter (3)

A blast from the past (2 years ago today. I look like I had baby fat on my face!):

Oh the PAIN

I don't know what I'm in more pain from - my group tonight (mental pain due to people not being open to suggestion and looking for excuses to blame their children for their problems rather than be willing to putting time and effort into helping their children. I could go on for hours), OR pain from the amount of jalapeno peppers I just ate. I'll tell you one thing - I'm not in pain from exercise, for I did not do that today. I know this about me - after having a week off with my cold last week, it takes a LOT of effort to get back into the swing of it. I do know I enjoy it when I do it. Tomorrow is the day before weigh in and I will make a huge effort to get activity in tomorrow morning and evening!

My eating has been less than desirable today. I actually should have eaten more but on Tuesdays it's just too damn hard. I don't have time to make all of my meals (yes, I should MAKE time).

Breakfast - 1c shredded wheat n' bran (2), 10 almonds (2), 1/2c skim milk (1)
Lunch - vegetable soup (0), 1/4c hummus with frank's and a jalapeno pepper for a kick (2), 20 baby carrots (0), orange (1)
snack - muffin (1)
dinner - apple (1)
2nd dinner at 8:30 following group - 2pc ww bread (1), guacamole 1tbsp (0), monteray jack light cheese 30g (2), 1 slice ff turkey breast (0), tomato (0), jalapeno peppers (0), tapioca (1), sf pudding (1) ---> i tried to eat dairy to take the burning out of my mouth from the jalapeno peppers. Did I mention I just sat with a container of them and started eating them like freaking chips?

That's all I've had and now I'm not hungry ("my face is burning off" - remember that, Tara? HOT SHOTS!! WOOHOO!).

I'm tired. I hope everyone has a great Hump day! Only 3 days left until I have a weekend OFF!

Nothing new here!

It's Tuesday. Somehow I missed Monday. Oh well. Today is my long day, work from 9-4 and don't take a break so nobody complains I'm leaving an hour early. Drive straight downtown and do the parent group until 8pm then FINALLY come home. I canNOT wait until the weekend. I have NO plans. I couldn't remember the last time that happened so I looked on my calendar. I haven't had a weekend to myself where I'm not either a)working or b)going out of town since labour day weekend!

This weekend I'm spending my Saturday evening on the COUCH and watching W network as they are having 3 chick flicks in a row (so says the commercial on the radio). I will also start making my Christmas cards. I don't know why I make them. I did last year when I had more time and now I feel guilty if I don't... plus, when I do have time I actually enjoy it.

Yesterday I ended up having 2 flex points... no biggie. I also did a 3.5K run. I ate food, but at this point I don't know what food. I know there were muffins and pumpkin squares in there though!!!! and some fall harvest soup and hummus and guacamole with triscuits and carrots.

Hopefully I get time to come back later and update on today's menu!

Enjoy your Tuesday, folks!

The Fridge: Disaster Site

I'm back to add photos of my fridge and cupboards as of right now. Here's a peek into my choatic kitchen after my HUGE grocery shop.

I took photos of the fridge and the individual shelves because it's so hard to see how much is ON each shelf. You may notice the diet coke box has nestea iced tea in it. I drink diet coke. Alex drinks Iced tea. I'm out of diet coke and his iced tea was falling out of the box (because of how I so cleverly put it in the fridge) So now the diet coke box holds his iced tea. I actually have more diet coke in my trunk. crap. I just remembered about it. There is NO ROOM in my fridge for pop. Guess that means I won't be drinkint it. It can stay in my trunk for now. There's also a photo of my stash of gum that gets me through my craving/weak periods!

Here's the madness as summarized by photos.












Yaknow, it wasn't until I looked at these photos did I realize I didn't need to buy lemon juice today - I have some on my fridge door! Oops! Oh well, lemon juice for breakfast tomorrow!

Did we just have a weekend?

I swear, this busyness WILL catch up to me. I really would like a day off... but then again, 1 1/2 weeks ago I did have a sick day.

I commited to more parent groups. I'll be running them into the end of February basically - after that, I won't commit to 6 week sessions I don't think... not if I'm working weekends at SickKids as well.

Anyway, on to today.

I woke up and did my grocery shopping then Alex and I went to lunch and costco (among other running around). Care to ask me what $250 of groceries looks like? Just ask my fridge/cupboards - it's nuts. Mind you, I hadn't grocery shopped in 5 weeks (and now I won't for a while again).

Before we went out to lunch and running errands I made some 0pt vegetable soup in the slow cooker. HELLO FALL HARVEST SOUP! What's in it you ask? chicken broth, diced tomatoes, corn, red/yellow/green peppers, red onion, zucchini, butternut squash, eggplant, garlic, chicken noodle soup mix, and pepper. I also added some water so it wouldn't get dried out in the slow cooker all day. Here's the final product:



At Applebee's for lunch I had a grilled chicken wrap with a side salad (I even removed the croutons). Then we went to costco, then dropped stuff off at the office and got me a new computer monitor (my boyfriend is so sweet giving me a new monitor):


Then our chore was to find a new plant for the board room at Mathews Professional Corporation. We couldn't find any in Ajax/Pickering (no florists are open out there on Sundays). Sooooo we came back to Toronto and went to a nursery up the road and found a plant. Then Alex decided he'd like to run the plant out to the office right then and not have to worry about taking it in tomorrow... so back out to Pickering we went. I had no problem with that. I like Sunday drives.

We came home and I got into my kitchen tasks. I made hummus, guacamole, muffins, and pumpkin squares. I was going to also do a roasted red pepper dip and a red bean dip but decided I'd have too many dips in the fridge and they would likely go bad before I could finish them so they will be next weekend's dips. I am LOVING the guacamole!!! I've never made it before! Basically you take 2 cups of spinach and cook it for a minute in boiling water and then drain it. chop a tomato and 1/2 red onion. Put the cooked spinach and 1/2 the chopped onion and 1tbsp chopped green chiles (I used jalepeno peppers) and some lime juice (I used lemon) in the blender ande puree. Then you're supposed to take it out of the blender and add the chopped tomato and rest of the onion and 1/4 mashed avocado. I put it all in the blender and chopped it up more fine together so there wouldn't be too many chunks. You're also supposed to add cilantro. I DESPITE cilantro and opted to leave it out.

Here's the evening via photo summary:






Tomorrow's plan? Serious treadmill in the morning and then working the evening.

I hope everyone has a great Monday!

Tuna Time? I don't know, I've got nothing.

I don't know what to put for a title!

I made a tuna casserole for today. When we were growing up my mom made a really good tuna casserole. It was kraft dinner (so healthy!) with cream of mushroom soup, tuna, and peas. I decided to try to make my own tuna casserole. Here's how I did it.

1/2 c brown rice (2), 1c campbell's gardennay mushroom soup (2), tuna (2), peas (0), broccoli (0), mushrooms (0). I also added garlic and black pepper for a little kick. The whole thing is 6 points and the plan was to take it for my dinner tonight for my evening shift. The problem? It's HUGE. It MAY be too much food. But I'll take it anyway and eat what I can.

Last night was dinner at Mongolian grill (so easy to stay on track there!) - I avoided any noodles in my dinners but did have a little bun. I took 4 squares for dessert, had 2 bites of all of them, then decided on my 2 favourites and finished those ones. I had diet coke to drink and all in all my points were very reasonable I'd say. I don't have my tracker in front of me to recall exactly how many I figure I ate.

Breakfast today was plain instant oatmeal(2), 4 walnuts and 5 almonds (2), flax seed (0), brown sugar splenda and some pumpkin spice (0), and pomegranate green tea (0). Lunch is undecided yet and dinner is TUNA CASSEROLE of course!

Today's plan of attack WAS squats, planks, then treadmill. The problem? The fire alarm went off (AGAIN! some freaking prankster in this building is starting to enjoy pulling the fire alarm). I always assume it's a false alarm now (I know, STUPID of me) and go to my balcony. What did I find out there AGAIN today? feces. Yep, you read that correct (now try not to puke because that's how I'm feeling). It appears to be from a small animal (cat or dog)... This is not the first time in the last couple of months I've found it. In fact, I found FOUR out there today. THEN I hear a dog barking on the balcony above me. I wasn't sure if I should confront the people right then and there (as much as I want to), but decided not to. I'll just report it to the building managers on Monday morning. So gross.

The fire alarm is now off so I guess I'll get to routine because I have to leave in a little over 2 hours for work! Time is ticking now!!!

Tomorrow's plan is grocery shopping, treadmill, then out to lunch in Ajax with Alex and hitting Costco and Walmart AND stopping at his office to get me a flatscreen 21" computer monitor that he has lying around (so exciting!). Then tomorrow evening I'm going to make some hummus, roasted red pepper dip, ww guacamole, and a red bean dip thing - then I'll be set for some variety through the week! I think I'll also make some pumpkin squares and some of Tara's muffins!

Happy weekend!

Weigh In: The results post

Well, this is unexpected...

I was down 3.2lbs!!!

I'm pretty happy about that! No time to post too much now though - Ugly Betty is on! I'll post more later!

ETA:

I'm back. I know tomorrow is Friday and I SHOULD be happy - but I'm working at SickKids on Saturday. More money=dream house sooner... but it definitely comes at a price. I THINK I still have a boyfriend, but we hardly see each other these days so you wouldn't really know we're together it seems! He's working such long hours and I'm working too many jobs...

Anyway, this post is not about Alex! I've taken some photos of my favourite coping mechanisms for when I want to snack. I've become quite the hourder of gum. See for yourself;