Ranting, cause I wanna!

Man, seriously today is starting off like crap! My daughter kept getting out of bed last night for almost 2 hours. This is after I went to bed late waiting up for my dh, and then she was still up early. I woke up to a stiff body and a sore throat, the poopiest diaper I've seen in a while, and a flooded basement that I can't clean up because I can't just go down there and take the muffin, and I can't leave her upstairs where I can't see or hear her. So... Oh, and I'm still up that stupid pound. Not that I should be down, I just wanted to be down. I haven't done anything to deserve a pound weight loss this week. Man, I'm just burnt and tired! I've been sick for almost two weeks, we haven't had a play group in four, she's gone to grandma's once in the last month... I just need a few days down. A few days to recoup. :) Don't we all? Oh, and to make this week even more awesome, tomorrow I have a dentist appointment! Guess I should probably cancel that so I don't spread my super cold!

Well, anyhow. I never did get a chance to work out. Even after my daughter went to bed an hour later than usual the phone kept ringing. By 10p I gave up. I didn't get to bake or watch either of the two movies I rented yesterday. I'm hoping today goes a little different. Its not starting off looking like it, but I'm hoping. I'd like to get my exercising in this morning, do a little cleaning...and since I'm three days late on the laundry...again...I thought maybe I would try to get that going. My house isn't decorated for the holidays, the least it can be is clean...or cleaner. I'm still in the mood to bake. I found about 10 recipe's I wanna try out. Today I am going to start with Mexican Chocolate Cookies from Cooking Light. I'll let you know it they're worth trying.

I did good on my food yesterday in spite of how I felt and what went wrong. I did make myself a mocha, which I rationalized since I make it with milk it's far better than soda. :s Who knows? Its still not the best (SwissMiss) I need to just make my own mix. But today, as most days, has started off good. I made the same Almond Cream of Wheat that I made yesterday and it helped me to feel "better". I hate that food does that for me, but I'm trying to learn to find healthy comfort foods. That way if I feel the need to be comforted by food, its at least healthy and doing my body some good. Anyone have a healthy comfort food in their repitoire?

Anyhow, I'm off to try to get started on some of the chores I want to get done today. Good luck peeps, and have a successful day!

Sick, Sick, Sick

I've been sick.  I've been sick for a week and a half, but on Saturday it took a turn for the worse and I spent Sunday and Monday on the couch.  I've spent most of today on the couch too.  Its kicking my butt.  Which means I've been doing nothing for my diet, and today I am up a pound.  I started out good, exercising and behaving.  But once it got bad, I just didn't care.  That's how it goes I guess.

This morning I made Cream of Wheat for Breakfast.  I accidently used whole milk to make it.  That was a nice yummy kick, but a few extra calories.  I added, 2 tsp of Raw Sugar, Vanilla and Almond extracts.  It was delicious and just what I was in the mood for.  It tasted a lot like an Almond Steamer.  I'm making Bean Soup for lunch (and dinner, since David won't be home today) and thawing some corn muffins I made and froze last month.  I'm looking forward to lunch.

Its been a long day already.  No one takes care of a sick Momma.  So, Momma still has to get up and function and take care of the Muffin.  She decided to be sweet and wake Momma up before 7am.  That was great!  Then she's been fussy all day.  So, yes, it's been loads of fun around here.  BUT...  I do plan to hit the elliptical.  I'd like to loose a few pounds this week too.  I few minutes ago Aubrey was pushing me and pointing at the elliptical.  When I asked her if she wanted me to exercise she said yes.  I laughed my butt off.  It was too cute.

Sick days are times when we all crave a little more comfort than normal.  Yesterday I let that be expressed in munchies.  Today I am trying to keep it contained.  Its tough though.  Too tired and drained to do anything but munch.  Too tired and drained to care about being fat.  I can't believe it's only noon.  This day feels eternal.  I decided this morning that the two of us would do some baking at some point today.  She needs an activity, I need some relief.  And that would occupy a couple of hours.  Cooking Light has some really yummy sounding holiday goodies on their website right now.  I thought I'd give one or two a try today and them ship them off to work with the hubby tomorrow.  Keeps me honest.  If they're in the house, I'll sneak into them.  I'll become this weird guilt ridden closet cookie monster.  Its weird.

Its cold now.  This week is the first bit of snow we've had in SE Michigan.  Just a dusting.  Tonight is supposed to be bad.  Well, I'm not much of a snow bunny, so this will probably keep me cooped up all winter long. Unless I can convince myself to get out of the house.  I'd love to ski, or go sledding though.  That would be loads of fun!

Day 4

Ok, so yesterday's work out fell through the floor as I waited until evening to do it, which I prefer, but felt so lousy by the time evening rolled around that I let myself be talked out of doing what I committed to doing. Nice. Day 3 of my challenge and I already blew it! Which is precisely why I don't do those sorts of things. But, i'm trying not to let myself re-write the challenge to allow hic- ups, since I'll use them even if I don't need them, or allow myself to throw in the towel completely! So, today I hit the elliptical harder than usual and did 30 minutes straight, and it almost did me in. I seriously have no idea how some people can go an hour or more at a time. I must not have any stamina or something.

I didn't track my calories today but am confident I did well. I had yogurt for breakfast with Lynnette's home canned peaches that were so stinking good! Lunch was a cup of homemade venison chili and dinner was a baked potato with a half a cup of chili, a sprinkle of cheese and a dollop of sour cream. I also had 2 of the light cookies I made. The rest, other than the few my daughter ate went in the trash. They were not good. I only ate two because I had one hot and thought maybe they would taste better cold. They did not. So I threw them in the garbage. I've decided in order to help myself stay on track this holiday that I'm going to try to bake nice different light holiday treats, then send them to work with my dh. After I eat one of course.

So, once again, I started a new mission right at the onslaught of (men, cover your ears, eyes, whatever) my cycle change. Ugh! I don't know why I always manage to do that right at the start of the most munchiest, the most cravingest, crankiest, emotional and miserable time. Be that what it may, as of this morning I was down 1.5lbs, at a time when I usually retain water!! So, being that tomorrow is my official weigh in day...I'm hoping for the best!! The nice part is that I feel pumped! Having burned 480 cals on the elliptical today puts me at an extra 2000 cals burnt of this week! That has to show some sort of progress. My dh is home tomorrow working, but I'm hoping that won't throw me into a tailspin for the day. I mean, I do have the weekend to get through! I have to learn to manage my eating even when he is home all day. I just need to stay focused and remind myself that I can loose ever pound, I just have to do it!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Telling It Like It Is - Article

From LOSING IT! With Jillian Michaels

Friday, November 06, 2009


Telling It Like It Is

Listen, getting in shape is all about setting goals. Losing weight, building muscle, and getting rid of the unhealthy eating habits take guts and perseverance. You're dealing with something big here. When you decide what you want, make it specific and concrete. For example, don't just say that you want to lose weight. Ask yourself some questions: How much weight? And is weight really the most important thing? Or is it more important that you climb your front steps with ease or lower your body-fat ratio? Think hard about what you want, and use your journal to keep track. Once you've figured out where you want to go, here's how you're going to get there:

Learn how to make decisions you can stick with. Remember, you're not just going on a diet, you're establishing a pattern of health that will enhance the quality of your life. Think big, but choose small, attainable goals — lose five pounds to start or fit into pants one size smaller — and build on those goals as you reach each one.

Allow yourself room for setbacks. One setback is only one setback — it's not the end of the world, nor is it the end of your journey toward a better you. You don't have to give up. Just get back on the bandwagon and keep going.

Walk the line between self-denial and self-indulgence. It's the middle ground between the two that will offer you the best foundation for building your new life. Maintain your discipline by allowing yourself little pleasures every now and again.

Understand that there are no mistakes. The things you used to think of as mistakes are now just learning experiences, so don't waste time beating yourself up. You'll encounter small failures — everyone does. But you'll achieve success too. Just remember, every pound you gain can be lost.

Keep in mind that faith in yourself and your work is what will keep you striving for the best. Now, get in the zone and push as hard as you can

Day 3 of 30

Ok, so I weighed myself this morning because according to my diet chart I have burned 1,562 calories more than I have eaten in the last two days...and that's if when I wasn't exercising I was laying on the couch or sleeping.  I have a toddler, that's impossible.  Anyhow...  3,200 calories is a pound, so by all rights I should have lost half a pound right??  WRONG!!  Gotta love the scale.  Its not getting me down though.  I'm well aware of the tricks the scale can play, and two days isn't going to show much progress if any.  I was just wondering.  In theory, if i keep at this rate, I should loose about 3lbs by Monday.  Theory.  LOL!  It would be nice!  Those 10lbs need to come off, and I'm running out of time.  But I know from watching the Biggest Looser, and watching those people eat great diets and work out 4-6 hours a day that some weeks the scale is good to them, some weeks its not!  But they keep trudging on.  Guess I'll trudge on too.

This morning I woke up in a real bad mood.  I was woken up in the wee hours by my dh who suddenly has become very loud in the mornings, and shortly after that my dd woke up...soaked and dirty.  Sheets soaked, clothes soaked, cold and crying.  Why??  Because DADDY didn't put her nighttime diaper on her last night.  For the second night in a row!  My dh is not incompetent, so I keep trying to tell myself he was just distracted or tired or something.  But it is not a recipe for a good morning.  And to top that off, my dd and I are sick, and she is teething.  There is a lot of crying and whinning all day!

I'm burnt out!

We need to get out of this house.  The sun is beautiful, but only seems to last for an hour and then its gone.  Today we have clear skies...but it's in the thirties and I'm not taking my sick daughter out in that.  But, we both need to get out of here.

Inspite of that I managed to make myself a decent breakfast.  2 Eggs, WW Toast (dry) and an orange.  The old me would have gone for something very sweet, cinnamon rolls are something.  Loads of cereal.  I wouldn't have cared enough about my body to reel it in.  So, this morning was a success on the diet front.  But my dd has done nothing but scream and cry since she woke up and its not even ten yet...my nerves are frazzled.  These are the type of days when I crave pop and sugary snacks.  Today might be tough.  And, I'm exhausted, that's a dinner disaster around here.  I don't have anything planned for dinner yet.  Lunch either for that matter.  Guess I should get started on that.

Move It to Lose It - Article

I got this in a recent newsletter from Jillian Michaels.  You can see the original post here.  I used to do these extreme diets, way back in the day.  I lost 35lbs once...I kept it off for a while, but when it started to come back on...lets just say I almost trippled the number!  Its sad.  Nothing worth having in life is easy to get.  I'm paying for my years of starving and not doing it right.  Aside from gaining it back, I got a few health issues to go along with it.  Yay!  I'm trying to do it the smart way now days.  I'm trying to convince myself that exerciseing AND diet are key.  All things in moderation!  All things in balance.

Move It to Lose It

Know someone who's getting amazing results from an insanely low-calorie diet? It may be tempting to severely restrict your calories in hopes of a drastic weight loss, but don't even think about it! Truth is, very few people can maintain one of those crazy kinds of diets for more than a couple weeks. And to make things worse, most people on near-starvation diets gain back all the weight (and more) just a few months later.

In weight-loss terms, fat is energy and the best way to lose it is to use it. You have to do it with diet and exercise. If you diet without exercise, the majority of your weight loss will be from muscle. The minute you stray from your diet, the weight will come right back on.

The only way to lose it for good is to get moving! Exercise not only helps you burn calories, it also helps build, strengthen, and maintain lean muscle. Exercise has another benefit called afterburn. A great cardio routine keeps burning fat not just during your workout but for hours afterward. Not bad, eh?

The rule of the game is increasing your intensity. The exercise afterburn is also referred to as "excess post-exercise oxygen consumption." It represents the calories used up to return the body back to its pre-exercise state, or resting level, which can take anywhere from 15 minutes to 48 hours, depending on the intensity and duration of the workout. What's more, if you do my resistance-training workout from my Web site in the morning and your cardio at night, you will reap the benefits of a twice-a-day afterburn without overtraining your muscles.

Doing any type of physical activity is healthier than sitting on the couch downing a bag of chips. And activities like bowling and golf do burn calories — but not enough. To see dramatic weight loss, you must do heart-pumping cardio. Cardio is any activity that is rhythmic, continuous, requires the movement of large muscles, and raises your heart rate. While bowling and golf get you moving, the action is stop-and-go. There's no reason to give up those activities, just be aware that you must still put in time on the treadmill (or doing some other cardio activity) as well.

Thinking being fat might be easier and more fun!

I wanted you all to know that I caused a yelling match in my home tonight for trying to exercise instead of helping my dh eBay...again! Ugh! I hate to eBay! But, I was determined to stick to my Wii Fit 30 day challenge and by George I'm not screwing up on day 2! So, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and burned 450 calories! I kicked butt on that machine, and then it took its turn kicking mine! I moved between resistance 7, 10, and 4 and one time did 2 minutes at 12. 14 is the highest. I jumped off every few minutes and did some Wii yoga. I got in a total of 10 minutes. So based on yesterday that's like 50 cals or so. Tomorrow i'm going to skip the elliptical and do strength. Or maybe I'll do both and keep the elliptical at a cardio level instead of a butt kicking one.

Anyhow, my potato soup was awesome! Best batch I've ever made I think. My dh thought so too. Its about 500 cals a serving, but that's all I ate this evening. Well, I'm off. Hope you all had a successful day!
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile