Need to Get Back on Track

Well, my last post was about how well I did over the holidays.  Somehow over the new year, my weight has gone up.  I have been tracking what I eat, even if it isn't always the best.  I have been keeping up with working out.  This morning the scaled said 138.6.  Not sure why it has gone up so much since after Christmas.  My clothes still fit okay so I shouldn't let it bother me, but it does.

I am trying hard to get back on track.  I stocked my fridge with produce: lettuce, spinach, cabbage, celery, carrots, mushrooms, asparagus, butternut squash, bananas, and kiwi.  For supper tonight I made Baked Asparagus and CousCous.  I made this a few years ago, but don't remember it being as dry as it was tonight.  But at least I have leftover servings and it's low in points. 

I also had an open can of crushed tomatoes in the fridge to use up.  I doctored it up with some Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and Mrs. Dash.  Then I sauteed some mushrooms and mixed in the tomatoes.  It was delicious.

I also went to Zumba tonight and had a great workout.  I found a class here that is like the Zumba classes I was used to before.  Now I need to stay back on track.

Skinny Snowman Challenge

Starting on the Monday after Thanksgiving through December 29th, I participated in a the Skinny Snowman Challenge put on by Brooke Not on a Diet.  I thought that the challenge would be a good way to help keep me on track over the holidays.

Things included in the challenge were:
-lose or maintain weight
-veggies at every meal
-3 servings of fruit a day
-track your food
-think of 5 positives every day
-water intake (64 oz. +)
-exercise
-Meatless Monday
-mini weekly challenge (try new recipe, eat clean for a day, try a new workout, bring a healthy dish to a holiday meal, try a new food)

My goal in this challenge was to maintain my weight.   I started at 136.2 and ended at 134.8 pounds.  Pretty good maintain, I think.  I struggled with getting veggies in with my breakfast.  My breakfast staple during the challenge was egg mugs with spinach.  I tried green smoothies for the first time and decided they are pretty good.  I was impressed with myself that I ate clean for a day-it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.  I developed great habits. 

The new recipe that I tried was Quinoa with Black Beans (I was planning ahead for Meatless Monday leftovers).  I will make this on again.  For supper on Christmas Day, I made Sweet & Sour Brussels Sprouts.  Not sure if the family liked it, but I did and brought the leftovers home! 

It was a great experience and I hope I can keep up with the healthy habits.

A Jillian Michaels DVD Weekend

I have felt like I am struggling the past few weeks.  With Halloween and other events going on at work, there have been more treats and it is so hard to pass up a treat.  I have a bad habit of checking the scale everyday and lately the scale has been up, but my clothes still feel ok. 

Friday afternoon I hit the gym and ran 3.3 miles on the treadmill.  My plan was to hit the gym this weekend too, but Mother Nature had some influence on that.  Saturday morning the roads were pure ice due to rain the night before.  I was psyched to go to the gym, but I decided a DVD would be a better option.  I put this baby in the DVD player:

  

I starts with a warm-up, seven 6 minute circuits, and a cool-down.  Usually when I do this, do 3 or 4 of the circuits.  Today I did all 7!  Even though I hate a couple of them!  I didn't feel very winded like I did when I have done this in the past and I only stopped a few times.  I have very sweaty and very proud of myself when I finished.

Today I decided to do another DVD:

  

 I did level 2 today, as I did level 1 a couple days ago.  I have done this DVD before and level 2 is always more of a challenge than level 1.  It has more plank exercises.  The walking push-ups are a killer and one of the ab moves feels like it puts lots of pressure on my back.  Again, very sweaty when I finished.

Saturday morning I made a pot of zero point soup in the crock pot.  Something I like to do when I feel the need to get back on track. 

Sensational Sunday!

This has been a great weekend full of friends and fun! Today I went for a run outside.  I love running outside, it has been so hot and humid (80-90 degree temps.).  It was only 72 and overcast, so outside I went.  I ran at least 3.41 miles in 39 minutes.  My GPS quit partway through my run, so I know there was some time in between when the GPS stopped and restarting it.

Had a cookout with some friends for lunch.  Hot dogs, pasta salad (with lots of veggies), fruit, and chips.  I was in charge of bringing the chips.  I brought multi-grain tortilla chips and baked potato chips.  Unfortunately, I had to bring the leftovers home.

My freezer is getting full.  My supper involved using things that I had in the freezer.  I sauteed frozen salad shrimp, frozen corn, frozen green pepper, and fresh onion with some seasoning.  I then used it as the filling for a quesadilla, along with some cheese.  It turned out very good.  I think I'm getting pretty good at making meals using ingrediants that I have on hand.

For dessert, I made some Banana Soft Serve with a couple frozen strawberries and chia seeds.  Yum!  Tomorrow is Monday and it is back to work.  I love having a whole weekend off.

Firecracker 5K

Yesterday was the 4th of July!  Always a great holiday!  I ran in the YMCA's Firecracker 5K and finished with my best time ever!  32 minutes and 42 seconds!  I shaved 10 seconds off my fastest time!  I'll take it!  The weather report said that it was 77 degrees before the race started, but it was cloudy.  It ended up sprinkling a few minutes during the race, which felt great!  A friend of mine also ran.  It was her first race and she did awesome.  She finished 2 seconds ahead of me.  Great job, Tianna!  I'm so proud of you!

Unfortunately, the 4th of July also included hot dogs and potato chips with dip.  Ate too much, but I'm trying not to let it get me down and am moving forward.  For supper tonight I had sauteed zucchini ribbons with spaghetti sauce (similar to this) and chicken breast grilled on the George Foreman.  It was amazing, if I do say so myself!

An Active End of the Month

The past two days were spent sitting in a training for work.  Lots of "snacks" were provided, some were better than others.  Cookies, trail mix, string cheese, candy (salt water taffy, tootsie rolls, tootsie pops, etc.).  Yesterday I did pretty good limiting my snacks, and the lunch provided was a taco salad.  Today I felt I didn't do as well.  I really didn't need that second cookie and I didn't need to keep eating the salt water taffy just because a coworker kept putting it in front of me.

Tuesday night I bought new running shoes.  Aren't they pretty?

Wednesday after sitting through a day of training, I headed to the gym to try them out.  Now I know that new shoes need to be broken in so I only ran for half the time I usually do.  I wasn't counting on the back of my foot getting raw.  This has never happened to me before. 

Today is the last day of the month and again I found myself in the predicament of needing to go to the gym to get my 12 monthly visits in.  After another day of training (and too many snacks), I headed to the gym.  I did about 20 minutes of weights since Thursday is Zumba night and I didn't want to miss Zumba.  Well then I got the "smart" idea to walk to Zumba.  I should have left home about 5 minutes sooner than I did because I had to run the last few blocks.  I got there during the first song.  After Zumba, it was a leisurely walk back home.  Here is the GPS info I got on the way home.  1.81 miles one way--a little farther than I thought it was, but that's ok. 

So today's activity included: weights at the gym, walk/run to Zumba, Zumba, and walk home from Zumba.  It made me feel better about all the treats I had. :)

Busy Weekend

I have been busy this past week trying to get my 12 visits to the gym in for this month.  I have had to go every day for the past 10 days.  Don't get me wrong, I've still been working out, just doing things other than the gym.  Yesterday I worked my parttime job from 8-5.  When I got done, I was tired from standing on my feet all day and my back hurt, but I made myself go to the gym.  I did the 30 minutes workout express.  This morning I did 4.13 miles in 50 minutes.  I now have my 12 visits done!  I need to be better about spreading them out more next month.

I had a nice healthy supper tonight.  I bought this Creamy Portobello Soup last week and decided to try it tonight.  I then took a portobello mushroom cap, chopped it up, sauteed it in a little olive oil, and then added it to the soup.  Very good.  It kind of reminded me of cream of mushroom soup we would have growing up.

The soup was followed up by this:

It was a small piece of fish, but very good.  Only 80 calories and the garlic butter flavor was not overwhelming.  I also had green beans with it.  I think I may have a Skinny Cow ice cream cup before I get ready for bed.

Tomorrow starts a new week.  Weekends always go by too fast!

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!