Sunday, March 25, 2012

Weekend over....

Another week and weekend has come and gone.  Back to work tomorrow.  It has been a pretty laid back weekend, due to the fact I had a headache for most of it.  I hate not feeling good on the weekend.  This past few days I have been trying to give my left foot a break.  After running on the treadmill Wednesday and Thursday, my left foot was hurting around the ankle so I figured I would give it a break.  I still went to the gym, but I stuck with the exercise bikes and arc trainer.  I also did the 30 minute workout express which includes cardio and weights.

Yesterday I made a favorite recipe "Zucchini and Spaghetti Squash Lasagna."  I had a package of sliced white mushrooms in the fridge so I added a layer of mushrooms to the lasagna.  I was worried that it would add excess water, but it turned out delicious.  I had all the ingrediants laid out on the counter of my small kitchen and while I had my back turned assembling the lasagna my cat knocked the mozzarella cheese to the floor.  He was happy!  I didn't have any more mozzarella so I had to use a Mexican blend for part of it.  Still good though!

This past week I found a large package of chopped kale at the local Wal-Mart.  Earlier in the week I experimented with kale chips.  They turned out ok, but I used too much salt.  So I still have a ton of kale in the fridge.  Tonight I cooked a turkey burger on the George Foreman.  While it was cooking I sauteed some onion, green pepper, mushrooms, garlic, and kale with balmasic vinegar.  I put it on top of the turkey burger with some Laughing Cow light swiss cheese on a sandwich thin bun.  It wasn't too bad.  It just needed something to hold it together a little better.

Tomorrow is a new week and hopefully it will be a good week, healthy week. 

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Shamrock Shuffle 5K

Today started off by having brunch the family to celebrate my parents 40th wedding anniversary!  Happy Anniversary and I hope you have many more years together.  We went to a brunch buffet where I made some good choices and some bad choices.
Here is a picture of my mom and dad at my cousin's wedding a little over a year ago.

This afternoon I ran my first 5K of the year, the Shamrock Shuffle.  An unseasonably nice day in the 70+ degrees, but windy.  My time was 38 minutes, 1 second.  A little slow, but we were going against the wind for the last half of the race.  And if I think of the fact that I had never done a 5K until last August that's pretty good!  The race fee went toward the Amachi Lunch Buddy program.  It is a mentorship program similar to Big Brother/Big Sister and the fees will help pay for mentor to have school lunch with the mentee.

The rest of my evening included laundry and roasting a Kabocha squash that has been sitting on my counter for awhile.  Now I'm watching a little TV before bed and starting a new week.  Monday always comes too fast!!!

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday.  I turned 35.  Yup, 35!  I can honestly say that my life is not where I thought it would be at this age, but I can also say that in some ways it is better.  I weigh less now than I did when I was in high school.  I am more physically active than ever.  I even got a workout in on my birthday--pilates.  I am eating healthier and making betters healthy choices.

That being said, I did over indulge a little bit on my birthday.  On my lunch break I knew I needed to eat, but wasn't sure what I was hungry for.  I ened up getting an individual round pizza from a gas station.  Bad choice, I know.  But--I didn't eat it all.  When I was full, I put the rest in the fridge.  I also had a Shamrock Shake from McDonald's.  I'm not a big fast food person and can honestly say this was the first time I had been to McDonald's since last year when I got a Shamrock Shake.


I went out to supper with my family to a Mexican restaurant called Paradiso.  You get a free dinner there on your birthday.  I ate chips and salsa while waiting for dinner.  I ordered the Chicken Burrito Montery.  It is a burrito filled with chicken, broccoli, and cheese.  It is served with a side of rice and steamed vegetables.  I always eat the rice and veggies first and end up taking most the burrito home.  My sister ordered the same thing, but didn't eat her rice and veggies so I took those home with my burrito.  Lunch for today!

I told my mom I did not want a cake for my birthday.  Of course she didn't listen.  When she went to serve the cake, she discovered it had "broke" after she frosted it.  I told her it was because I didn't want a cake and she didn't listen.  This will be remembered as the year of the broken cake.


I have a bad habit of getting on the scale every morning.  I know I shouldn't, but I do.  I was expecting a big gain after eating so much yesterday.  I was happy to see that I had a gain of less than 1 pound.  A win in my book!  I took today off from work as a present to myself.  I have been relaxing, but I did get a run in outside this morning as it is a beautiful day!

Friday, March 9, 2012

My Week!

Thank God it is Friday!  It has been a very long week.  Not sure what the weekend will bring.  It's been a busy week.  Monday night was Zumba.  Tuesday was Pilates and boy did my abs hurt the next day.  Wednesday I did 4.07 miles on the treadmill in 50 minutes.  Thursday was Zumba.  And today after work I went to the gym.  I did the 30 minutes workout express which involves weight machines and cardio step exercises.  Then I did 10 minutes on the ArcTrainer.

Monday night I made a pot of Mmm-Mmm Minestrone and have been eating it all week.  Tuesday I made Rainbow Turk-A-Roni and finished it up tonight.  Other than chopping up a lot of vegetables it was very good.  I eneded up using 2 cans of tomato sauce and a can of mushrooms.  Lots of veggies and very filling!  Yesterday I bought alot of produce and hope I can use it up before it goes bad.

NSV:  Stopped at the bank yesterday a totally walked right by the free cookies and candy dish!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

Super Sunday

Ah Sunday!  The day I get to sleep in.  When I woke up, I laid in bed for awhile with a cuddly kitty (and he is never cuddly)!  Got up and made myself a healthy breakfast--Egg Mug Lorraine.  The only difference in mine was that I didn't have Dijonaise, so I made it without.  I also topped it with salsa.

Then I made a trip to the gym.  I did 4.08 miles on the treadmill in 50 minutes.  I was impressed with myself!

Before goin to the gym, I put some food in the crockpot.  I made Cheeseburger Mac Attack.  The recipe says 3-4 hours on high, but three hours was too long in my crockpot.  The macaroni was kind of mushy.  It also says it makes 8-1cup servings.  I only got 5-1 cup servings.  I also made an order of Simply Roasted Brussels Sprouts.  I had bought the Brussels Sprouts awhile back and had to use them up.  I have made this recipe several times before.  I never ate Brussels Sprouts as a kid and now I love them!

Throw in a trip to Menard's and Target to get some things on my shopping list and that was my Sunday.  Now I just finished a Skinny Cow chocolate brownie ice cream cup and am watching the season premiere of "Army Wives."  It's a tear jerker.   Tomorrow starts a new week.