So I have complained and grumbled about my dislike for the Special K Challenge...but I am here to tell you that it works! I weighed in and measured my waist yesterday morning (a week after starting the challenge) and I lost an inch in the waist and 2 pounds. I'd say that it works, especially since I had two desserts over the weekend - chocolate ecstasy cake from Bread Winners and an ice cream treat from SONIC. Not my two finer moments, but the choc cake was absolutely THE most amazing thing that I have put to my lips since my BFF's wedding cake. Yep, I still rank her wedding cake above all other desserts (and that was 8 years ago)!
I followed the diet to a "T" with the exception of some additional protein/calories to compensate for my intense exercise routine (hummus and carrots during one snack time and a handful of almonds during another).
Now, I am convinced that this works, but it is not without drawbacks. Here are my pros and cons for this lil' challenge...
Pros
- Lots of chocolate options for those with a sweet tooth - between the snack bars, the protein shakes and chocolatey delight cereal my nagging sugar craving was satisfied
- Tons of options - you really won't get bored because there are lots of foods to choose from.
- Simple to follow - no calorie counting. Buy the boxes of food and eat!
- The consistent eating throughout the day with small meals is in support of what I believe - keeps blood sugar at an even level.
- Breakfast rocked - I did feel awesome after breakfast each morning. I ate more than I normally do and was pretty full for several hours.
- Encourages eating fruits and veggies - I ate more raw fruits and veggies than I normally do, more so to stave off hunger, but it was to my benefit.
Cons
- High Fructose Corn Syrup - Ahhh! Lots of sugar!
- A little too much fiber made for a major bloated feeling most days. Now I LOVE me some extra fiber, but this was a bit extreme.
- Artificial flavors in most foods = BAD. Natural is best, of course.
- The third, free meal is a little too open-ended - they really don't even specify that it should be healthy. I don't have to tell you that you can absolutely screw up an entire day of healthy eating with one meal. Heck I could have had a 1200-calorie meal each night and negated my good day. Now, I knew the drill, so my third meal was very healthy, but not everyone is in "the know."
- Nagging hunger - the snacks that they tell you to eat are only 90 calories! I don't really feel like that's enough of a snack to get by. It didn't even take the edge of the hunger for me. I think a snack must be at least 120 calories and be a balance of carbs and protein.
- Not sustainable - I need more nutrition in my diet for a well-rounded daily plate.
- "Drink as you normally do" - So this is what they tell you about beverages. I think that this is far too open-ended. This could mean excessive alcohol, sugary sodas, etc. I think to appropriately do this challenge or any diet, you need lots of water and to cut out anything with refined sugars, and for heaven's sake you better not be pounding the margaritas!
Now I know the challenge is supposed to go two weeks, but I was satisfied with my results after week one, so I am transitioning to the Challenge Lite, meaning I will do one meal Special K style, with two sensible meals ("real" food), plus the Special K snacks as outlined.
I'll let you know what those results are next week.
So what is my overall rating of this diet? I give it a C+. I think that for someone that needs rigidity and has a major sweet tooth, this is a great short-term diet. I fully believe that all the artificial additives are not good long-term. As much as I wish there was a magic button that I could push to help me lose 5 pounds, there isn't. And the best way to slim down is through a healthy diet and exercise, meaning counting calories is a must.
Don't be glum chum, nothing worthwhile in life is easy. When people ask me about losing weight, the first thing I ask them is do they wear a heart rate monitor to track the calories they burn and do they count the calories they eat. I'm a broken record, I know, but weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out - and you gotta be accurate. So there you have it.
Now here is something to look forward to (that doesn't come in a Special K box)...my hubby made THE BEST low-cal dinner the other night. I am writing up the recipe and calorie count. One word: DELISH! Stay tuned.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Green Eggs and Ham, or Special K as it were
I DO NOT LIKE THIS DIET, Sam I Am!
I do not like it on Tuesday
I do not like it on Wednesday
I do not like it on Thursday,
I do not like it today,
I do not like this diet I say.
I wish it would just go away!
I just finished reading Ethan "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss, thus my rhyme.
Yep, I do not like this diet. I am hungry, bored of eating so many carbs. And there is a LOT of sugar involved in this, plus high fructose corn syrup (gasp!)
But, holding strong to see if it actually works - my promise to my Naked Stretchers...
No weight loss, yet...fingers crossed for my first weigh in on Monday (since that will be the one week mark).
I do not like it on Tuesday
I do not like it on Wednesday
I do not like it on Thursday,
I do not like it today,
I do not like this diet I say.
I wish it would just go away!
I just finished reading Ethan "Green Eggs and Ham" by Dr. Seuss, thus my rhyme.
Yep, I do not like this diet. I am hungry, bored of eating so many carbs. And there is a LOT of sugar involved in this, plus high fructose corn syrup (gasp!)
But, holding strong to see if it actually works - my promise to my Naked Stretchers...
No weight loss, yet...fingers crossed for my first weigh in on Monday (since that will be the one week mark).
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Stroller Fitness - starts June 7
So I'm launching a new Stroller Fitness program in June! If you have a baby, toddler or a child that rides in a stroller, this is the class for you!
This new Stroller Fitness program will be held at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano. This class is a great way to get back in shape after having a baby!
I will offer cardio and strength exercises (specifically designed to target all the areas that "changed" while pregnant) combined with nutrition information so that you can achieve your weight loss and fitness goals. The best part is, you do all this with your baby! We will burn a ton of calories, using our strollers as resistance, and will also engage and bond with our children.
So what's the scoop?
Days: Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays 8:00-9:00 AM (starting June 7)
Where: Arbor Hills Nature Preserve (6701 W Parker Rd)
What do you need: Just you, your baby, a large towel (for work on the ground) and a stroller (jogging strollers are preferred, but any stroller with sturdy wheels will do), I will provide the resistance bands
Cost: There are two options for payment
Option #1 - Monthly Member
You can attend as many classes as you'd like per month for the low introductory cost of $50. That's 12 classes per month, making each class $4 a piece.
Option #2 - Pay by Class
You pay for the classes you attend. Each class is $8. You are free to change your payment arrangements at anytime to upgrade to a monthly membership.
Here's the best part - your first class is FREE! Check it out. I know you will LOVE the workout, the special time with your baby, interaction with other Moms, and of course the results!
I would LOVE for you to check it out! Let me know if you have any questions, just post here!
This new Stroller Fitness program will be held at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve in Plano. This class is a great way to get back in shape after having a baby!
I will offer cardio and strength exercises (specifically designed to target all the areas that "changed" while pregnant) combined with nutrition information so that you can achieve your weight loss and fitness goals. The best part is, you do all this with your baby! We will burn a ton of calories, using our strollers as resistance, and will also engage and bond with our children.
So what's the scoop?
Days: Mondays, Fridays, Saturdays 8:00-9:00 AM (starting June 7)
Where: Arbor Hills Nature Preserve (6701 W Parker Rd)
What do you need: Just you, your baby, a large towel (for work on the ground) and a stroller (jogging strollers are preferred, but any stroller with sturdy wheels will do), I will provide the resistance bands
Cost: There are two options for payment
Option #1 - Monthly Member
You can attend as many classes as you'd like per month for the low introductory cost of $50. That's 12 classes per month, making each class $4 a piece.
Option #2 - Pay by Class
You pay for the classes you attend. Each class is $8. You are free to change your payment arrangements at anytime to upgrade to a monthly membership.
Here's the best part - your first class is FREE! Check it out. I know you will LOVE the workout, the special time with your baby, interaction with other Moms, and of course the results!
I would LOVE for you to check it out! Let me know if you have any questions, just post here!
Bacon & Gummy Bears
So as I dined on Special K and fruit for breakfast (still holding strong on the Challenge), Ad Man had quite a different approach to the morning. He ate two slices of bacon and then topped it off with gummy bears. I'm not even joking - two slices of processed grease and two handfuls of sugary candy.
When I pointed out that nutritional misstep of his "unique" meal, he said "Gummy bears are fat-free!"
And, yes, they are. But...
Well no sense in trying to convince Ad Man that this lacks the nutritional benefits he needs to get through the day, or that gummy bears are empty calories or even that bacon is the lowest form of food (in my opinion). Nope. He wouldn't listen. So I kissed him goodbye for the day and noticed he had the bag of gummy bears in his hand as he headed out the door. I guess gummy bears will serve as a morning snack, too.
But is this the right thing to do? Turn a blind eye?
Do you have someone in your life that has poor nutrition? Or someone that chooses the worst food options, even when good options are at their fingertips? Or someone who just doesn't care?
This can be a hard thing to watch, especially if their health suffers as a result of these choices. In my case, Ad Man is not overweight and he really does eat healthy things most of the time. But I realize that I should try to at least reinforce healthy choices (and buy healthy things that he enjoys). He will probably never eat Special K for breakfast or have whole wheat toast. He is an eggs and bacon man. So I need to offer up an omelet with a little bit of reduced fat cheese for his breakfast. Certainly more sustaining protein.
I'm not saying you should bear the burden for people in your life that need some nutritional help, but you can help them on their way. I certainly wouldn't stand by as the person I love eats himself to a heart attack.
And, by the way, I scheduled Ad Man for a complete physical next week. He looks healthy, but it's always good to make sure.
Be your loved ones nutritional wing man (or woman). Tell them you love them, tell them that you want them to be around for a long time. And help them make the right choices.
So, there is my morning rant.
And, here are the stats of my Special K diet yesterday...
Breakfast - blueberry Special K, fruit, coffee
Snack - SK cereal bar, yogurt
Lunch - SK french vanilla protein shake, handful of almonds
Snack - SK crackers, hummus, carrots
Snack - SK protein snack bar
Dinner - Greek, chicken lettuce wraps + couscous (and it was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!) Real food is divine!
Activity: Boot Camp (60 minutes), burned 500 calories
Two days down, 12 more to go. No results, yet. Fingers crossed.
When I pointed out that nutritional misstep of his "unique" meal, he said "Gummy bears are fat-free!"
And, yes, they are. But...
Well no sense in trying to convince Ad Man that this lacks the nutritional benefits he needs to get through the day, or that gummy bears are empty calories or even that bacon is the lowest form of food (in my opinion). Nope. He wouldn't listen. So I kissed him goodbye for the day and noticed he had the bag of gummy bears in his hand as he headed out the door. I guess gummy bears will serve as a morning snack, too.
But is this the right thing to do? Turn a blind eye?
Do you have someone in your life that has poor nutrition? Or someone that chooses the worst food options, even when good options are at their fingertips? Or someone who just doesn't care?
This can be a hard thing to watch, especially if their health suffers as a result of these choices. In my case, Ad Man is not overweight and he really does eat healthy things most of the time. But I realize that I should try to at least reinforce healthy choices (and buy healthy things that he enjoys). He will probably never eat Special K for breakfast or have whole wheat toast. He is an eggs and bacon man. So I need to offer up an omelet with a little bit of reduced fat cheese for his breakfast. Certainly more sustaining protein.
I'm not saying you should bear the burden for people in your life that need some nutritional help, but you can help them on their way. I certainly wouldn't stand by as the person I love eats himself to a heart attack.
And, by the way, I scheduled Ad Man for a complete physical next week. He looks healthy, but it's always good to make sure.
Be your loved ones nutritional wing man (or woman). Tell them you love them, tell them that you want them to be around for a long time. And help them make the right choices.
So, there is my morning rant.
And, here are the stats of my Special K diet yesterday...
Breakfast - blueberry Special K, fruit, coffee
Snack - SK cereal bar, yogurt
Lunch - SK french vanilla protein shake, handful of almonds
Snack - SK crackers, hummus, carrots
Snack - SK protein snack bar
Dinner - Greek, chicken lettuce wraps + couscous (and it was D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!) Real food is divine!
Activity: Boot Camp (60 minutes), burned 500 calories
Two days down, 12 more to go. No results, yet. Fingers crossed.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Special K Challenge Day 1
I was so excited to start the Special K diet today that I could barely sleep last night. I had visions of cereal bars dancing in my head...well that and Baby E was up about four times. But nonetheless, I rushed home after my 5:45 am Boot Camp class and poured myself a bowl of blueberry Special K. It was so fun to eat the whole bowl and then fill up the bowl again with fresh blueberries and raspberries. And I had coffee.
So, after the first meal I was pretty excited.
I was full until about 10:30, when E woke up from his nap and we headed to the store to get the bulk of my Special K provisions - cereal bars, protein shakes, meal bars, crackers, etc.
When we got back from the store around 11:30, I had a cereal snack bar. And...uh...yep, my stomach was absolutely growling. So I decided it was time for lunch - bowl #2. This time I had a bowl of chocolatey delight cereal and a banana. I was full, but a little unsatisfied. I was actually jealous of Baby E's shredded turkey and cheddar cheese crumbles that he was having for lunch. I'm just used to eating something a little more substantial for lunch.
I powered through the other two snacks by 3:30 and stared at the clock, wishing that I could dig into some pretzels or something. I actually invented some errands for us to run so that I could get out and stop thinking about food.
Then I taught my two evening classes and ate dinner - real food that is.
I am not thrilled with the challenge thus far. I feel pretty bloated from all that fiber in the cereal and bar...and was pretty hungry throughout the day.
Since I have a pretty intense workout regimen, I have added a little bit more calories to the snacks. I have to ensure that I'm getting enough. So here's what the day held:
Breakfast - blueberry cereal, fruit, coffee
Snack - chocolate cereal bar
Lunch - chocolatey delight cereal, banana
Snack - Special K wheat crackers, 2 TBS hummus, carrots
Snack - chocolate protein snack bar + handful of raw almonds
Dinner - grilled chicken, baked sweet potato (no butter, just salt and pepper), corn on the cob (no butter either, just salt and pepper)
Activity: 60 minutes Boot Camp, 60 minutes Zumba, 45 Power Sculpt = 1029 calories burned
Now I'm headed to bed to dream of cereal bars, only a little less enthusiastically this time. But, naked stretchers, I will do this for two weeks for you. You are keeping me accountable.
So, after the first meal I was pretty excited.
I was full until about 10:30, when E woke up from his nap and we headed to the store to get the bulk of my Special K provisions - cereal bars, protein shakes, meal bars, crackers, etc.
When we got back from the store around 11:30, I had a cereal snack bar. And...uh...yep, my stomach was absolutely growling. So I decided it was time for lunch - bowl #2. This time I had a bowl of chocolatey delight cereal and a banana. I was full, but a little unsatisfied. I was actually jealous of Baby E's shredded turkey and cheddar cheese crumbles that he was having for lunch. I'm just used to eating something a little more substantial for lunch.
I powered through the other two snacks by 3:30 and stared at the clock, wishing that I could dig into some pretzels or something. I actually invented some errands for us to run so that I could get out and stop thinking about food.
Then I taught my two evening classes and ate dinner - real food that is.
I am not thrilled with the challenge thus far. I feel pretty bloated from all that fiber in the cereal and bar...and was pretty hungry throughout the day.
Since I have a pretty intense workout regimen, I have added a little bit more calories to the snacks. I have to ensure that I'm getting enough. So here's what the day held:
Breakfast - blueberry cereal, fruit, coffee
Snack - chocolate cereal bar
Lunch - chocolatey delight cereal, banana
Snack - Special K wheat crackers, 2 TBS hummus, carrots
Snack - chocolate protein snack bar + handful of raw almonds
Dinner - grilled chicken, baked sweet potato (no butter, just salt and pepper), corn on the cob (no butter either, just salt and pepper)
Activity: 60 minutes Boot Camp, 60 minutes Zumba, 45 Power Sculpt = 1029 calories burned
Now I'm headed to bed to dream of cereal bars, only a little less enthusiastically this time. But, naked stretchers, I will do this for two weeks for you. You are keeping me accountable.
Monday, May 17, 2010
I'll start tomorrow...
Have you ever said that? You know, the whole "I'll start my diet tomorrow" thing. Or "I'll start my exercise routine tomorrow." Or "I better cram as much food into my mouth today, because starting tomorrow it's on..."
Well that was me today, except for the workout part. I just couldn't get motivated to start tracking my calorie intake today after my vacation binge. I was just hungry and bored...well mostly bored. I didn't eat anything that was terrible for me, it was all pretty healthy, but I ate a lot. I couldn't stop. My mid-morning snack was more like a meal. My late afternoon snack may as well have been dinner. If I had to guess, I bet I ate 2,000 calories, maybe more. Mindless eating. Totally mindless.
My mother-in-law is reading a diet book (can't remember the name) and she said that the book taught her to only eat when she is hungry. Then your body will be able to signal you to stop (when you are full). If you eat when you aren't genuinely hungry [enter boredom eating here] then your body cannot signal to you that you are full, and thus you keep eating. Wish I had remembered this little factoid earlier today, because I ate a lot of random stuff. Shall I list it? No, I won't. But take my word for it, I just kept eating. And I kept telling myself that I would "start tomorrow." But what exactly did I plan to start?
I decided this evening that I needed a new goal. I did so well the week before vacay with my bikini debut looming and it worked. So what this time? Ok, I know that health is usually my overarching goal, but I just needed a short-term gain to get me going again.
In two weeks we are going to go to visit the in-laws for Memorial Day weekend. (Don't worry 24HF Valley Ranch folks, we will leave after my classes!) Anyway, since Baby E is in love with water, I figure I will be spending quite a bit of time in the swimming pool...in a bikini...again. I know that everyone will still love me even with the baby belly that Baby E built, but I wish it to be flat again. And my gorgeous sister-in-law will be there. She has just about the best figure of any girl I know and a perfectly flat stomach [insert jealous sigh here]. What I love though, is that she is so healthy (both with nutrition and exercise), so I don't mind that she has such a flat tum. She has earned it. But still, I would like to see what I can do in the next two weeks.
Hmmm...ok, so motivation is set. Now what is the plan?
Well I decided that I needed a snack to help me determine my course of action. I was "starting tomorrow," so I nibbled on some Special K crackers. And there it was staring me in the face - the Special K Challenge!
So, I'm not really a fan of fad diets, I firmly believe that good nutrition and exercise (moving more, eating less) is the key to success. But the cute lady in the red bathing suit was smiling back so convincingly that I decided to give it a shot. The claim is that you can lose 1 inch on your waist in 2 weeks (and lose your bikini cover-up). Well, I've got two weeks and I sure would like to lose an inch in that particular area...
What the heck! Naked Stretchers, I am going to test the Special K diet for you. I will let you know what I eat, how it works, how hungry I am and ultimately whether or not the claim is true.
You basically replace two meals each day with Special K cereal, a protein meal bar or a protein shake and then eat a sensible dinner. You are also allowed two snacks - either Special K crackers, protein snack bars, cereal bars or protein water.
And the best part, you can eat fruit or veggies as another snack. Three snacks - hooray! Oh and you can eat fruit with breakfast and still have your coffee. I think that my nutritional needs will be met with this given the high protein content, dairy with the cereal, fruit, veggies and whole grains. I just need to ensure that I get lots of good stuff packed in there for dinner.
Special K did a great job with their microsite, too. Go to specialk.com/challenge and you can customize your plan based on your needs. I already have a box of cereal and the crackers, I just have to hit the store tomorrow to stock up on some meal bars, shakes and cereal bars.
My goal is to lose at least an inch around my waist and to lose 5 pounds. Totally doable in two weeks. If I can lose 3.5 in a week, 5 in two will be a piece of cake...or a bowl of cereal, as it were.
So there you have it, I will start the Special K Challenge...tomorrow...
Well that was me today, except for the workout part. I just couldn't get motivated to start tracking my calorie intake today after my vacation binge. I was just hungry and bored...well mostly bored. I didn't eat anything that was terrible for me, it was all pretty healthy, but I ate a lot. I couldn't stop. My mid-morning snack was more like a meal. My late afternoon snack may as well have been dinner. If I had to guess, I bet I ate 2,000 calories, maybe more. Mindless eating. Totally mindless.
My mother-in-law is reading a diet book (can't remember the name) and she said that the book taught her to only eat when she is hungry. Then your body will be able to signal you to stop (when you are full). If you eat when you aren't genuinely hungry [enter boredom eating here] then your body cannot signal to you that you are full, and thus you keep eating. Wish I had remembered this little factoid earlier today, because I ate a lot of random stuff. Shall I list it? No, I won't. But take my word for it, I just kept eating. And I kept telling myself that I would "start tomorrow." But what exactly did I plan to start?
I decided this evening that I needed a new goal. I did so well the week before vacay with my bikini debut looming and it worked. So what this time? Ok, I know that health is usually my overarching goal, but I just needed a short-term gain to get me going again.
In two weeks we are going to go to visit the in-laws for Memorial Day weekend. (Don't worry 24HF Valley Ranch folks, we will leave after my classes!) Anyway, since Baby E is in love with water, I figure I will be spending quite a bit of time in the swimming pool...in a bikini...again. I know that everyone will still love me even with the baby belly that Baby E built, but I wish it to be flat again. And my gorgeous sister-in-law will be there. She has just about the best figure of any girl I know and a perfectly flat stomach [insert jealous sigh here]. What I love though, is that she is so healthy (both with nutrition and exercise), so I don't mind that she has such a flat tum. She has earned it. But still, I would like to see what I can do in the next two weeks.
Hmmm...ok, so motivation is set. Now what is the plan?
Well I decided that I needed a snack to help me determine my course of action. I was "starting tomorrow," so I nibbled on some Special K crackers. And there it was staring me in the face - the Special K Challenge!
So, I'm not really a fan of fad diets, I firmly believe that good nutrition and exercise (moving more, eating less) is the key to success. But the cute lady in the red bathing suit was smiling back so convincingly that I decided to give it a shot. The claim is that you can lose 1 inch on your waist in 2 weeks (and lose your bikini cover-up). Well, I've got two weeks and I sure would like to lose an inch in that particular area...
What the heck! Naked Stretchers, I am going to test the Special K diet for you. I will let you know what I eat, how it works, how hungry I am and ultimately whether or not the claim is true.
You basically replace two meals each day with Special K cereal, a protein meal bar or a protein shake and then eat a sensible dinner. You are also allowed two snacks - either Special K crackers, protein snack bars, cereal bars or protein water.
And the best part, you can eat fruit or veggies as another snack. Three snacks - hooray! Oh and you can eat fruit with breakfast and still have your coffee. I think that my nutritional needs will be met with this given the high protein content, dairy with the cereal, fruit, veggies and whole grains. I just need to ensure that I get lots of good stuff packed in there for dinner.
Special K did a great job with their microsite, too. Go to specialk.com/challenge and you can customize your plan based on your needs. I already have a box of cereal and the crackers, I just have to hit the store tomorrow to stock up on some meal bars, shakes and cereal bars.
My goal is to lose at least an inch around my waist and to lose 5 pounds. Totally doable in two weeks. If I can lose 3.5 in a week, 5 in two will be a piece of cake...or a bowl of cereal, as it were.
So there you have it, I will start the Special K Challenge...tomorrow...
Vacation Binge
Good morning to you! This post finds me refreshed, relaxed, happy, smiling...and 3 pounds heavier than I was last week. But you know what? I'm totally ok with that. I enjoyed my vacation. I didn't go crazy with food, but I did indulge. I ate what I wanted. I didn't go out of my way to eat bad things, I was just way more relaxed. It was nice not to think about everything that I put in my mouth.
Wanna know what I ate? I had french fries, which I never eat. I had ice cream, frozen yogurt and cake. I had a glass of wine each day. I had pizza and enchiladas. It was a nice break.
I did very little exercise other than run after Baby E on the beach (he is a pro-crawler now). I guess I swam a few laps in the pool (maybe 10 laps). But, certainly not my normal exercise regimen. And again, I am ok with that.
If you live your life my such strict dieting and exercise rules, you will eventually burn out. This burn out could lead to a week-long binge, a month-long binge or [gasp] longer. I feel like this vacation binge was healthy for me in a weird way, at least mentally.
So my advice to you is to go on a strict diet before vacay - probably 2-3 weeks before. Then you come out even when you get back. I lost a little over 3 pounds before I left. Now I did gain it back, but I'm at least not behind!
I learned that I can do it, though. My will-power allowed me to stay on track.
So, here is the bikini shot that I promised. Not totally proud, but I have to re-frame my perspective. More on this re-framing later.
Wanna know what I ate? I had french fries, which I never eat. I had ice cream, frozen yogurt and cake. I had a glass of wine each day. I had pizza and enchiladas. It was a nice break.
I did very little exercise other than run after Baby E on the beach (he is a pro-crawler now). I guess I swam a few laps in the pool (maybe 10 laps). But, certainly not my normal exercise regimen. And again, I am ok with that.
If you live your life my such strict dieting and exercise rules, you will eventually burn out. This burn out could lead to a week-long binge, a month-long binge or [gasp] longer. I feel like this vacation binge was healthy for me in a weird way, at least mentally.
So my advice to you is to go on a strict diet before vacay - probably 2-3 weeks before. Then you come out even when you get back. I lost a little over 3 pounds before I left. Now I did gain it back, but I'm at least not behind!
I learned that I can do it, though. My will-power allowed me to stay on track.
So, here is the bikini shot that I promised. Not totally proud, but I have to re-frame my perspective. More on this re-framing later.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Bikini TODAY
So I woke up an hour ago and stumbled in a bleary, sleep-eyed stupor to the scale. Here's the moment of truth...and...I lost 3.4 pounds! I almost couldn't believe it. I checked three times.
Despite the Starbucks incident and the insane hunger, I lost! But I do have some key lessons here.
1) With all the exercise I should have eaten more calories. Probably closer to 1600-1800 on the days with lots of activity. This is a LOT to lose in one week. 1-2 pounds is a healthier amount.
2) Check all nutrition before consuming it. That way I don't have a day where I blow it early. I feel like I usually have a sense of what is healthy and what is laden with calories and fat. But sometimes those pesky calories lurk in something that you would never suspect. And weight loss is all about calories in vs. calories out. You have to know how much you are consuming.
3) Man I exercise a lot! Big lesson here is that fuel is needed for my fitness.
So, now I better take the phone away from Baby E, get him dressed, finish stuffing last minute items into bags and get to the airport! Hoping that all goes smoothly.
Oh and I hope that I don't gain back these 3.4 pounds on vacation. Now that would be a big success to come back without the extra weight!
Stretch on!
Despite the Starbucks incident and the insane hunger, I lost! But I do have some key lessons here.
1) With all the exercise I should have eaten more calories. Probably closer to 1600-1800 on the days with lots of activity. This is a LOT to lose in one week. 1-2 pounds is a healthier amount.
2) Check all nutrition before consuming it. That way I don't have a day where I blow it early. I feel like I usually have a sense of what is healthy and what is laden with calories and fat. But sometimes those pesky calories lurk in something that you would never suspect. And weight loss is all about calories in vs. calories out. You have to know how much you are consuming.
3) Man I exercise a lot! Big lesson here is that fuel is needed for my fitness.
So, now I better take the phone away from Baby E, get him dressed, finish stuffing last minute items into bags and get to the airport! Hoping that all goes smoothly.
Oh and I hope that I don't gain back these 3.4 pounds on vacation. Now that would be a big success to come back without the extra weight!
Stretch on!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
1 Day until Bikini
Well, tomorrow is the day. The day I weigh in and see if I achieved my goal. I feel pretty confident that I did after my rock star workout today - burned 1400 calories. Whoo-hoo!
Ok, so I did really well today, but had one of my more embarrassing moments at the gym.
So I like to look all cute when I go the gym. It makes me feel good and makes people think I'm funny. Anyway, you remember those "shrug" tops that were cute a few years ago? Well I was about to part with mine and sell it in a garage sale when I decided that I should put it over a sports bra and wear it to the gym. This shrug in question is black with sequins. So, I popped it on and headed out feeling very proud of myself, bouncing off to burn, burn, burn.
Anyway, I burned through 775 calories in my first class and cooled everyone down and started getting prepped for my second class. Well, as I went through the warm-up in which we raise our arms over our heads a lot, I noticed black fuzzy stuff all over my armpits. It looked like black armpit hair! The shrug had shed and was sticking to the sweat all over my body. Upon further examination, it was all over my back, my neck, my stomach and then, of course, the armpits. I'm not kidding, it was TERRIBLE. After our warm-up, I told everyone what it was and got quite a few laughs. Well that's all fine and good for this class, but what about the last group? And the people peeking in from outside the group fitness room? What must they think? I was mortified to think that people would assume that I had this hair issue. Ugh. Well, I guess I just better take it in stride. Nothing I can do about it now. Boo.
Well, my little week long adventure is done. I finished my last meal and am doing last minute trip prep. Tomorrow at 5:30 my alarm will go off and I will weigh to see if I lost at least two pounds. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
So what did I eat?
Breakfast
Oatmeal (not Sbucks, just low-sugar Quaker Oats)
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Vegetable Soup
Tomato/Mozzarella Panini (half)
Snack
small apple
granola bar
5 Triscuits (reduced fat)
Dinner
Baked Chicken
Salad (with fat-free dressing, no cheese)
Half a baked potato
Dessert
Nothing (and usually Saturday is my usual REAL dessert day. Not today.)
Calories: Roughly 1,500
Activity: Kickboxing & Zumba (burned 1400 calories, so almost canceled out all food today!)
Fingers, toes and everything crossed that our trip goes smoothly. If I achieved my goal, great, but if not I at least ate pretty well and got all my exercise in.
Until tomorrow morning...
Ok, so I did really well today, but had one of my more embarrassing moments at the gym.
So I like to look all cute when I go the gym. It makes me feel good and makes people think I'm funny. Anyway, you remember those "shrug" tops that were cute a few years ago? Well I was about to part with mine and sell it in a garage sale when I decided that I should put it over a sports bra and wear it to the gym. This shrug in question is black with sequins. So, I popped it on and headed out feeling very proud of myself, bouncing off to burn, burn, burn.
Anyway, I burned through 775 calories in my first class and cooled everyone down and started getting prepped for my second class. Well, as I went through the warm-up in which we raise our arms over our heads a lot, I noticed black fuzzy stuff all over my armpits. It looked like black armpit hair! The shrug had shed and was sticking to the sweat all over my body. Upon further examination, it was all over my back, my neck, my stomach and then, of course, the armpits. I'm not kidding, it was TERRIBLE. After our warm-up, I told everyone what it was and got quite a few laughs. Well that's all fine and good for this class, but what about the last group? And the people peeking in from outside the group fitness room? What must they think? I was mortified to think that people would assume that I had this hair issue. Ugh. Well, I guess I just better take it in stride. Nothing I can do about it now. Boo.
Well, my little week long adventure is done. I finished my last meal and am doing last minute trip prep. Tomorrow at 5:30 my alarm will go off and I will weigh to see if I lost at least two pounds. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
So what did I eat?
Breakfast
Oatmeal (not Sbucks, just low-sugar Quaker Oats)
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Vegetable Soup
Tomato/Mozzarella Panini (half)
Snack
small apple
granola bar
5 Triscuits (reduced fat)
Dinner
Baked Chicken
Salad (with fat-free dressing, no cheese)
Half a baked potato
Dessert
Nothing (and usually Saturday is my usual REAL dessert day. Not today.)
Calories: Roughly 1,500
Activity: Kickboxing & Zumba (burned 1400 calories, so almost canceled out all food today!)
Fingers, toes and everything crossed that our trip goes smoothly. If I achieved my goal, great, but if not I at least ate pretty well and got all my exercise in.
Until tomorrow morning...
Friday, May 7, 2010
2 Days until Bikini...
I can see the finish line...it's there...one more day and then I'm headed on vacay!
I was busy for sure. I have packed, repacked and packed again. Traveling with a baby is a lot more complicated than just throwing some clothes and my curling iron into a bag...I also did some work, tackled three loads of laundry, fed, bathed, played with and snuggled Baby E and managed to stay up way later than I normally do - it is 11:15 pm right now for heaven's sakes.
Needless to say, today was LOOOONNNGGG. I was all on my own with Baby E since Ad man is in Orlando already. My two besties are out of town, my Dad is out of town, and my Mom and sister were busy. So, I was a little lonely after Baby E went to bed (which was early because he was fussy). The dog tried to keep me company.
So what does a girl do when she is bored, hungry and trying to get skinny for her bikini debut? Well she does Brazil Butt Lift of course!
I didn't teach today which is a rarity - two days this week with no classes. Weird. Anyway, I took Baby E for two walks today and that just didn't cut it in the activity department, so after he went to bed I popped in the DVD and shook my bum bum. I did the cardio and the sculpting portions. I think I will be sore tomorrow.
And after I was done, I popped the DVD in my bag to take with me on our trip. I almost always travel with a workout DVD or two. Hotel fitness centers are generally lacking and I figured it would be a good thing to do while Baby E is taking a nap.
Oh, what did I eat, you ask?
So, I better just admit that I kinda screwed up my diet this morning. Well...I didn't totally damage it, but misjudged the calorie count and ended up with very little left for the rest of the day - leading to major hunger.
I woke up and went to make my coffee and prepare my toast. I realized that I was completely out of bread and peanut butter. I have not gone grocery shopping since we will me gone for a week. Anyway, I decided to pop over to Starbucks and get a latte and some breakfast.
A skinny latte, oatmeal and reduced fat coffee cake later I arrived home. I had intended to save the coffee cake for a snack later, but ate all of it for breakfast. I was super hungry. I thought nothing of it - had a granola bar for a snack, ate a Cafe Steamer for lunch and had a few pretzels mid-afternoon. Then during Baby E's nap, I calculated the calories so I could see how much I had left for dinner. Ummmm...that can't be right...1400 calories? Wha-what? So I had...ummm...NO calories for the rest of the day. Big boo. And, did I mention that my little Starbucks trip cost me $8 and 760 calories? Umm, yes I'll take a double shot of calories, please.
Well, I knew that I couldn't skip dinner (skipping meals essentially sends your body into starvation mode. It hoards food and stores it as fat). So I had some slices of turkey and a few reduced fat Triscuits. Oh and a diet hot cocoa.
So in the moments when I'm supposed to be getting that major push to the finish line, I tripped and fell off the track. Darn it. I'll be mad if stupid Starbucks makes me not achieve my goal.
Well, there is always tomorrow, my friends. And for those of you that plan to go to my Kbox and Zumba class in the morning, you are in for an INTENSE two hours. And you have Starbucks to thank.
Calories: Reluctantly 1,850
Activity: Two walks + Brazil Butt Lift DVD (60 minutes)
And P.S. I'm hungry. Again.
I was busy for sure. I have packed, repacked and packed again. Traveling with a baby is a lot more complicated than just throwing some clothes and my curling iron into a bag...I also did some work, tackled three loads of laundry, fed, bathed, played with and snuggled Baby E and managed to stay up way later than I normally do - it is 11:15 pm right now for heaven's sakes.
Needless to say, today was LOOOONNNGGG. I was all on my own with Baby E since Ad man is in Orlando already. My two besties are out of town, my Dad is out of town, and my Mom and sister were busy. So, I was a little lonely after Baby E went to bed (which was early because he was fussy). The dog tried to keep me company.
So what does a girl do when she is bored, hungry and trying to get skinny for her bikini debut? Well she does Brazil Butt Lift of course!
I didn't teach today which is a rarity - two days this week with no classes. Weird. Anyway, I took Baby E for two walks today and that just didn't cut it in the activity department, so after he went to bed I popped in the DVD and shook my bum bum. I did the cardio and the sculpting portions. I think I will be sore tomorrow.
And after I was done, I popped the DVD in my bag to take with me on our trip. I almost always travel with a workout DVD or two. Hotel fitness centers are generally lacking and I figured it would be a good thing to do while Baby E is taking a nap.
Oh, what did I eat, you ask?
So, I better just admit that I kinda screwed up my diet this morning. Well...I didn't totally damage it, but misjudged the calorie count and ended up with very little left for the rest of the day - leading to major hunger.
I woke up and went to make my coffee and prepare my toast. I realized that I was completely out of bread and peanut butter. I have not gone grocery shopping since we will me gone for a week. Anyway, I decided to pop over to Starbucks and get a latte and some breakfast.
A skinny latte, oatmeal and reduced fat coffee cake later I arrived home. I had intended to save the coffee cake for a snack later, but ate all of it for breakfast. I was super hungry. I thought nothing of it - had a granola bar for a snack, ate a Cafe Steamer for lunch and had a few pretzels mid-afternoon. Then during Baby E's nap, I calculated the calories so I could see how much I had left for dinner. Ummmm...that can't be right...1400 calories? Wha-what? So I had...ummm...NO calories for the rest of the day. Big boo. And, did I mention that my little Starbucks trip cost me $8 and 760 calories? Umm, yes I'll take a double shot of calories, please.
Well, I knew that I couldn't skip dinner (skipping meals essentially sends your body into starvation mode. It hoards food and stores it as fat). So I had some slices of turkey and a few reduced fat Triscuits. Oh and a diet hot cocoa.
So in the moments when I'm supposed to be getting that major push to the finish line, I tripped and fell off the track. Darn it. I'll be mad if stupid Starbucks makes me not achieve my goal.
Well, there is always tomorrow, my friends. And for those of you that plan to go to my Kbox and Zumba class in the morning, you are in for an INTENSE two hours. And you have Starbucks to thank.
Calories: Reluctantly 1,850
Activity: Two walks + Brazil Butt Lift DVD (60 minutes)
And P.S. I'm hungry. Again.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
3 Days until Bikini...
It was just me and Baby E today since Ad man left for Orlando. I was a bit weak today when it came to food. I was just so busy that I kinda grabbed what I could find. Still not terrible, but wish I was like 200-300 calories less. But, and this is a big but (not butt), I taught two Zumba classes and according to my handy-dandy heart rate monitor, I burned 1,029 calories. So I don't feel too guilty about the extra calories. Just hope that the difference shows up on the old scale.
My sweet friend watched Baby Elvis while I taught in the evening and I bought her a bottle of wine to thank her. Well, I didn't teach this morning and I was all lonely so I had half of a glass with a splash of OJ as I did a little work before bed.
So here's the total breakdown...
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Leftover shredded chicken from enchiladas, made a Mexican salad. Romaine lettuce, salsa, shredded reduced fat cheese, chicken, onions, cilantro and tortilla chips. [Gasp] Tortilla chips? Yep. I had like hardly any chips left in the bag, so I used all the broken little pieces at the bottom to act like tortilla strips. Not sure why I hadn't thrown the bag away, but it was a serendipitous discovery. I think in total it would have ended up being 8 whole chips.
Snack
Yogurt with granola
Pretzel rods (5)
Dinner
Turkey sandwich, dry, with whole wheat toast and pretzel rods
Wine with splash of OJ
Dessert
Granola bar
Calories: 1,700
Activity: Two Zumba classes (60 minutes each), total of 1,029 calories burned. So I almost canceled out all my food today
Only a couple days left. Hopefully I can keep the motivation :)
My sweet friend watched Baby Elvis while I taught in the evening and I bought her a bottle of wine to thank her. Well, I didn't teach this morning and I was all lonely so I had half of a glass with a splash of OJ as I did a little work before bed.
So here's the total breakdown...
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Leftover shredded chicken from enchiladas, made a Mexican salad. Romaine lettuce, salsa, shredded reduced fat cheese, chicken, onions, cilantro and tortilla chips. [Gasp] Tortilla chips? Yep. I had like hardly any chips left in the bag, so I used all the broken little pieces at the bottom to act like tortilla strips. Not sure why I hadn't thrown the bag away, but it was a serendipitous discovery. I think in total it would have ended up being 8 whole chips.
Snack
Yogurt with granola
Pretzel rods (5)
Dinner
Turkey sandwich, dry, with whole wheat toast and pretzel rods
Wine with splash of OJ
Dessert
Granola bar
Calories: 1,700
Activity: Two Zumba classes (60 minutes each), total of 1,029 calories burned. So I almost canceled out all my food today
Only a couple days left. Hopefully I can keep the motivation :)
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
4 Days until Bikini...
Hola! And happy Cinco de Mayo, again!
Today was a busy day. Ad man leaves for Orlando tomorrow and I busied myself with laundry, ironing, running errands for our trip and researching "travel with baby."
Baby E busied himself with getting into EVERYTHING. I thought we were all baby-proofed, but wow does he find the most random things around the house. Not sure where the heck it came from but we have sequins all over the house and beads. All these weird things like in the edges of the carpet against the wall. I guess the vacuum cleaner just doesn't get that stuff.
Anyway, I was able to not really think about eating much today. I think being busy keeps your mind and stomach at bay.
So, normal breakfast, Cafe Steamer for lunch and yummy skinny enchiladas for dinner. I did not have a margarita, though I REALLY wanted one. I figured I could spare myself the calories. Oh and I did have a skinny cow. I was just in desperate need of a sweet.
So here's the total...
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Cafe Steamer (I love the Chicken Margherita, well I guess I did have a margarita! Ole!)
Skinny Cow
Snack
94% fat-free popcorn
pretzel rods (5)
Dinner
Skinny enchiladas (3). I so only wanted to have two, but wow was I hungry. I just baked chicken in the oven (season with salt and pepper), shredded it, stuffed corn tortillas with chicken, red & green onions and a little enchilada sauce. I topped of the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and baked until bubbly. I garnished my little enchiladas with a sprinkle of reduced fat cheese and the smallest dollop of light sour cream. Wish I could say it was a dollop because I was being extra special good, but it
s really because that is all that was left! I'm trying desperately not to go grocery shopping since we will be gone for a week.
Dessert
Yogurt
Calories: Roughly 1,700 (more than I wanted, but note the activity)
Activity: Taught Boot Camp - burned 600 calories
Getting so close...can't wait to weigh in on Sunday morning!
Today was a busy day. Ad man leaves for Orlando tomorrow and I busied myself with laundry, ironing, running errands for our trip and researching "travel with baby."
Baby E busied himself with getting into EVERYTHING. I thought we were all baby-proofed, but wow does he find the most random things around the house. Not sure where the heck it came from but we have sequins all over the house and beads. All these weird things like in the edges of the carpet against the wall. I guess the vacuum cleaner just doesn't get that stuff.
Anyway, I was able to not really think about eating much today. I think being busy keeps your mind and stomach at bay.
So, normal breakfast, Cafe Steamer for lunch and yummy skinny enchiladas for dinner. I did not have a margarita, though I REALLY wanted one. I figured I could spare myself the calories. Oh and I did have a skinny cow. I was just in desperate need of a sweet.
So here's the total...
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Cafe Steamer (I love the Chicken Margherita, well I guess I did have a margarita! Ole!)
Skinny Cow
Snack
94% fat-free popcorn
pretzel rods (5)
Dinner
Skinny enchiladas (3). I so only wanted to have two, but wow was I hungry. I just baked chicken in the oven (season with salt and pepper), shredded it, stuffed corn tortillas with chicken, red & green onions and a little enchilada sauce. I topped of the enchiladas with the remaining sauce and baked until bubbly. I garnished my little enchiladas with a sprinkle of reduced fat cheese and the smallest dollop of light sour cream. Wish I could say it was a dollop because I was being extra special good, but it
s really because that is all that was left! I'm trying desperately not to go grocery shopping since we will be gone for a week.
Dessert
Yogurt
Calories: Roughly 1,700 (more than I wanted, but note the activity)
Activity: Taught Boot Camp - burned 600 calories
Getting so close...can't wait to weigh in on Sunday morning!
Healthy Dishes for Cinco de Mayo
We Texans, we love our Mexican food. Well I guess technically it's TexMex, but nonetheless we bleed salsa! Have you ever been in another state and craved Mexican food? And, you find a joint and ugh it is terrible? Happened to me any number of times. In fact, Ad man and I always go to Mi Cocina as soon as we get back from just about any trip because we miss it so much. But, the bad part is that nothing can rack up the calories as quickly as a plate of gloppy (yet delicious) enchiladas, tacos, fajitas or tamales. Even taco salad can be a diet-downer.
So what is a girl to do on Cinco de Mayo? The day that you HAVE to eat Mexican food? The day that it is MANDATORY to drink a margarita? Well, this naked stretcher gets her salsa on the healthy way!
Here are some ideas to serve up tonight:
Light Turkey Tacos
Instead of using ground beef or taco shells, use lean ground turkey and soft corn tortillas. The big diet disaster when eating out is that restaurants generally soak their tortillas in oil (ahhhh!!!!) before using them in dishes like tacos and enchiladas. It helps keep them pliable. You don't have to do that, though. Just wrap the tortillas in a damp paper towel and heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute in the microwave. They will still be delicious.
We mix our ground turkey with chopped red onions, cilantro and a low-sodium taco seasoning packet (I like Lawry's).
Wrap in corn tortillas and enjoy. A good serving size is two tacos.
Skinny Enchiladas
Just season the chicken with salt & pepper, bake and shred. Then stuff corn tortillas with chicken, salsa and a tiny bit of cheese. Bake until bubbly. Top with green enchilada sauce and very sparingly with shredded reduced fat cheese.
Salsa Chicken
My BFF makes the BEST salsa. She has a simple, yet delicious recipe. Just grill chicken and top with this salsa. Serve with corn and enjoy!
Here's how to make the salsa...
Broil two jalapenos (tops removed), a white onion (sliced into four pieces) and 2 Roma tomatoes under broiler until brown. Drop into blender with chopped garlic (1 TBS), salt and one can of whole tomatoes. Pulse. Then add fresh cilantro to taste. Mmmm...the best! If you like it mucho caliente, add more jalapeno.
Bare Burrito
Put all the fixin's for a burrito into a bowl - no tortilla. Use grilled chicken, black beans, salsa, cilantro, avocado, corn, light shredded cheese (sparingly) and top with a small dollop of light sour cream. Also delish over fresh salad greens.
Skinny Chick Margarita
I've shared this before, but ya'll this is a MUST for today!
3 oz. fresh lime juice
4 oz. white wine
Splash of lemon juice
1/2 cup Splenda or Truvia
Ice
Lime wedges for garnish
In a blender, combine white wine, lime juice, Splenda/Truvia, and ice. Blend until ice is just crushed and mixture well blended (do not allow the ice to become a puree).
Serve in Margarita Glasses garnished with a lime wedge. Makes 2 to 3 servings. Only 120 calories per serving.
Ok, now let's talk garnishes for all these lovely delights. This is where you get into real trouble when it comes to Mexican food. Top all the dishes above (save the margarita, of course) with light versions of your favorites. Light sour cream and light cheese. And AVOID queso. It's delicious, but you can get the same cheese flavor from shredded cheese and much fewer calories. Queso is so concentrated that there are much more calories per square inch, if you think about it that way. A TBS of shredded cheese is half the calories of a TBS of queso.
Anyway, guacamole is another delicious, yet comes at a high cost (in calories). Avocados are GOOD for you, but not in mass quantities. Just use one avocado for your guac and make a mini portion (share it with someone, too!)
I also love to garnish things with cilantro, it smells great, looks pretty and adds a lot of flavor at virtually NO calories.
Things to Avoid?
- Refried beans - way too much oil!
- Full fat sour cream - light tastes just as good!
- QUESO (see above)
- Too many chips and salsa - 12 chips pack close to 200 calories! Dip a corn tortilla into salsa, WAY less calories and not fried.
- Spanish rice - delicious but full of butter or oil, plus it's a heavy carb
- Oily meats - if your enchiladas or tacos drip with a shiny, oily substance, drop 'em and run away quickly
- Sugary margaritas - Have a fun happy hour, but either make the recipe above or ask for a fresh lime margarita. They cost more, but worth it for saving calories (they are stronger, too). Oh and be sure to ask for the fresh lime margarita WITHOUT sugar. Add it yourself using Splenda.
Ok, so off with you to enjoy your Fiesta!
P.S. Did you notice how many times I used the word delicious in this post? I suppose it's just a testament to how much I love Mexican food.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
5 Days until Bikini...
I felt like I was battling all day with my hunger, probably because I do 2 hours of cardio and 45 minutes of strength (3 classes) on Tuesdays. So, only between 1,400-1,500 calories was not realistic for me today...I usually burn 1,000+.
So, I kicked up the food in-take a little:
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Leftover chicken from tacos last night. I made a little taco bowl with the chicken, 2 corn tortillas torn up, 1/2 cup salsa, 1 TBS light sour cream, 1 TBS of shredded, reduced fat cheese. Would have had guacamole, too, but we were out. Boo.
Snack
94% fat-free popcorn
Diet 7-up (agh, I know, I never drink carbonated drinks but I just needed something!)
90 calorie granola bar
Dinner
Grilled pork tenderloin
Mashed potatoes (made with skim milk and a tiny bit of margarine)
Salad
Dessert
Blackberries
Yep, the mashed potatoes weren't the best, but Ad man made 'em and I was SO hungry that I couldn't stand it. I needed some more sustenance!
So...
Calories: about 1600-1700 calories
Activity: Boot Camp, Zumba, Power Sculpt
P.S. My workouts rocked today. I was so motivated and hopefully gave my classes a booty kickin'. Love my triple play workout day! Hopefully tomorrow the hunger will lessen.
So, I kicked up the food in-take a little:
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Leftover chicken from tacos last night. I made a little taco bowl with the chicken, 2 corn tortillas torn up, 1/2 cup salsa, 1 TBS light sour cream, 1 TBS of shredded, reduced fat cheese. Would have had guacamole, too, but we were out. Boo.
Snack
94% fat-free popcorn
Diet 7-up (agh, I know, I never drink carbonated drinks but I just needed something!)
90 calorie granola bar
Dinner
Grilled pork tenderloin
Mashed potatoes (made with skim milk and a tiny bit of margarine)
Salad
Dessert
Blackberries
Yep, the mashed potatoes weren't the best, but Ad man made 'em and I was SO hungry that I couldn't stand it. I needed some more sustenance!
So...
Calories: about 1600-1700 calories
Activity: Boot Camp, Zumba, Power Sculpt
P.S. My workouts rocked today. I was so motivated and hopefully gave my classes a booty kickin'. Love my triple play workout day! Hopefully tomorrow the hunger will lessen.
Monday, May 3, 2010
6 Days until Bikini...
And day 6 is nearing completion - Hallelujah!
Whenever you cut your calories, you will have a few days of hunger, which can be frustrating. This happens because your stomach is stretched out and when you cut those calories, you aren't filling it to capacity - thus the hunger. Yep, my stomach is stretched and I'm hungry. But still motivated.
So, I started the day off right with whole wheat toast + peanut butter and coffee (even measured out the exact Tablespoon of peanut butter to ensure that I wasn't using too much). I think that I will do this more often. I think I am generally pretty generous with what I consider a Tablespoon.
My friend came over with her little boy for a playdate, so I was distracted from my hunger through the morning (when I normally would have granola, yogurt and a banana). Then I had a turkey sandwich with just mustard and a fat-free yogurt for lunch.
Tick, tock, tick, tock. 2:00 rolled around and I was hungry. I ignored it and got some work done while Baby E was napping. Tick, tock, tick, tock...Baby E was up and to avoid the hunger we headed to run some errands.
And then I was at my wits end. I was so hungry and couldn't wait until dinner. So I ate some of Baby E's "puffs." They are these little whole wheat star-shaped finger foods that help babies learn to feed themselves. Let me tell you a little something about these puffs..they are delicious. And only 35 calories for 74 pieces! Yes, I said 74. Now they are tiny, but you feel like you are really eating. I didn't have 74, but I did have a few handfuls. I don't think he minded that much. Heck, more of his share ended up on the floor or in his lap, than in his mouth. Cute thing.
Anyway, I survived until dinner and then had chicken tacos.
So, here's the wrap up...
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Turkey sandwich
Yogurt
Snack
Baby puff snacks
Granola bar (90 calorie version)
Dinner
Chicken tacos with corn 2 tortillas
1 TBS light sour cream, 1 TBS of shredded, reduced fat cheese, 1 TBS guacamole
Dessert
1/2 cup of fresh blackberries
Total Calories: Roughly 1,400
Activity: Baby E and I went for a stroller ride, no classes today (gearing up for three tomorrow)
So here's the score: Hunger - 0. Bikini flat belly - 2! More tomorrow...wish me luck!
Whenever you cut your calories, you will have a few days of hunger, which can be frustrating. This happens because your stomach is stretched out and when you cut those calories, you aren't filling it to capacity - thus the hunger. Yep, my stomach is stretched and I'm hungry. But still motivated.
So, I started the day off right with whole wheat toast + peanut butter and coffee (even measured out the exact Tablespoon of peanut butter to ensure that I wasn't using too much). I think that I will do this more often. I think I am generally pretty generous with what I consider a Tablespoon.
My friend came over with her little boy for a playdate, so I was distracted from my hunger through the morning (when I normally would have granola, yogurt and a banana). Then I had a turkey sandwich with just mustard and a fat-free yogurt for lunch.
Tick, tock, tick, tock. 2:00 rolled around and I was hungry. I ignored it and got some work done while Baby E was napping. Tick, tock, tick, tock...Baby E was up and to avoid the hunger we headed to run some errands.
And then I was at my wits end. I was so hungry and couldn't wait until dinner. So I ate some of Baby E's "puffs." They are these little whole wheat star-shaped finger foods that help babies learn to feed themselves. Let me tell you a little something about these puffs..they are delicious. And only 35 calories for 74 pieces! Yes, I said 74. Now they are tiny, but you feel like you are really eating. I didn't have 74, but I did have a few handfuls. I don't think he minded that much. Heck, more of his share ended up on the floor or in his lap, than in his mouth. Cute thing.
Anyway, I survived until dinner and then had chicken tacos.
So, here's the wrap up...
Breakfast
Whole wheat toast + PB
Coffee with diet hot cocoa packet
Lunch
Turkey sandwich
Yogurt
Snack
Baby puff snacks
Granola bar (90 calorie version)
Dinner
Chicken tacos with corn 2 tortillas
1 TBS light sour cream, 1 TBS of shredded, reduced fat cheese, 1 TBS guacamole
Dessert
1/2 cup of fresh blackberries
Total Calories: Roughly 1,400
Activity: Baby E and I went for a stroller ride, no classes today (gearing up for three tomorrow)
So here's the score: Hunger - 0. Bikini flat belly - 2! More tomorrow...wish me luck!
Sunday, May 2, 2010
7 Days until Bikini
7 days, right? How hard can that be? Just general exercise, healthy eating, lots of water. I do this normally, right? Why is it harder when you are really paying attention? The truth of the matter is, I totally underestimate my daily calorie intake. That stat about people underestimating calories consumed by 40% is pretty true in my case. I was paying attention and man, there was just temptation at every turn...But, I'm holding strong on day one at 7:45 pm.
So it started out easy enough, had my normal breakfast of toast and coffee. I went and taught kickboxing and burned a bunch o'calories. Then had a banana as a post-workout snack. Feeling good at this point.
Then we decided to go grocery shopping...at Market Street...this is where the parade of temptation began. I know I have this little ban on Market Street, but they have such beautiful produce and someone carries out your groceries for you. Love that.
Anyway, it was like "sample everything day." They had an International Tour of Flavors - cheese, crackers and spread, lemon poppy seed bread, thumbprint cookies (my fave), pastas, wine, parmesean bread, the list goes on and on. Normally I would only have a sample of the cookie and maybe the wine, but today I wanted it all. It's like telling a child they can play with any toy in the world except one. And what toy do they want? The one toy they can't have. So here I was in a store full of untouchable toys (or food as it were). Bottom line, it was willpower city for me.
Did I succeed? YES! No samples and no little treats found their way into our basket either.
So lunch was good. I had some leftover grilled chicken sliced in corn tortillas with a pinch of reduced fat cheese and light sour cream. Whew!
We went out for dinner at a Mexican Restaurant with my parents and Baby E. I had ZERO tortilla chips. I just busied myself with feeding the baby and chatting. I had some broth based chicken soup with corn and rice. Pretty tasty.
And here I am it's almost 8:00 pm and I'm hungry. Yep, normally I would break out a skinny cow ice cream sandwich. But not tonight. I will instead drink some more water.
All in all, I did really well today. Lots of temptation, but I succeeded.
Here's the calorie count:
Breakfast
Whole wheat bread + 2 TBS of peanut butter
Coffee, splash of skim milk, packet of diet hot cocoa
Snack
Banana
Lunch
Corn tortilla, chicken wrap, pinch of reduced fat cheese, 2 Tbs of light sour cream
Pineapple (1/2 cup)
Snack
90 calorie granola bar
Dinner
Chicken tortilla soup
Total Calories: About 1,400 calories
Activity: Kickboxing (60 minutes)
So it started out easy enough, had my normal breakfast of toast and coffee. I went and taught kickboxing and burned a bunch o'calories. Then had a banana as a post-workout snack. Feeling good at this point.
Then we decided to go grocery shopping...at Market Street...this is where the parade of temptation began. I know I have this little ban on Market Street, but they have such beautiful produce and someone carries out your groceries for you. Love that.
Anyway, it was like "sample everything day." They had an International Tour of Flavors - cheese, crackers and spread, lemon poppy seed bread, thumbprint cookies (my fave), pastas, wine, parmesean bread, the list goes on and on. Normally I would only have a sample of the cookie and maybe the wine, but today I wanted it all. It's like telling a child they can play with any toy in the world except one. And what toy do they want? The one toy they can't have. So here I was in a store full of untouchable toys (or food as it were). Bottom line, it was willpower city for me.
Did I succeed? YES! No samples and no little treats found their way into our basket either.
So lunch was good. I had some leftover grilled chicken sliced in corn tortillas with a pinch of reduced fat cheese and light sour cream. Whew!
We went out for dinner at a Mexican Restaurant with my parents and Baby E. I had ZERO tortilla chips. I just busied myself with feeding the baby and chatting. I had some broth based chicken soup with corn and rice. Pretty tasty.
And here I am it's almost 8:00 pm and I'm hungry. Yep, normally I would break out a skinny cow ice cream sandwich. But not tonight. I will instead drink some more water.
All in all, I did really well today. Lots of temptation, but I succeeded.
Here's the calorie count:
Breakfast
Whole wheat bread + 2 TBS of peanut butter
Coffee, splash of skim milk, packet of diet hot cocoa
Snack
Banana
Lunch
Corn tortilla, chicken wrap, pinch of reduced fat cheese, 2 Tbs of light sour cream
Pineapple (1/2 cup)
Snack
90 calorie granola bar
Dinner
Chicken tortilla soup
Total Calories: About 1,400 calories
Activity: Kickboxing (60 minutes)
Vacation Motivation
What is it about a pending event that gets me all kings of motivated to be skinny, skinny, skinny? When I was getting ready for my wedding, I was the skinniest I've ever been. At what cost? Workouts everyday for 1-2 hours, minimal carbs and absolutely NO carbs after lunch, NO dessert, NO alcohol, seriously cut calories and NO fun. I even worked out the morning of my wedding for two hours. It helped me workout the jitters, too. Ok, So totally not sustainable for the long-term, but man was I skinny (and tan). I used to go to the tanning bed back in the day. No comments about tanning, please. It was a short period of time and I don't do it anymore...
Anyway, I had my eye on this prize of being super thin in my wedding dress and on the beach in Jamaica for our honeymoon. See the pics of me at my skinniest (honeymoon and then South America, right before I got preggo). I refer back to these whenever I start to lose motivation.
So, this heightened motivation has struck me at other points along the way, too - before my sister's wedding (also in Jamaica), before we took a trip to South America, before a little anniversary trip to Horseshoe Bay, etc. And now, we are about to take a trip to Florida in a week and that motivation is kicking in high gear. It will be my first time in public in a bathing suit since Baby Elvis was born. Yikes, yikes, yikes. I'm in full out thin belly mode.
But, I'm realistic I know that I can't lose a ton of weight in a week. But, I can lose up to two pounds healthfully and safely, cut down on carbs which will help reduce bloating (especially in the belly area) and can do some last minute toning and increased cardio workouts. So that is what I am doing.
I thought I would keep you all updated as I venture through this week of "Vacation Motivation." What did I eat? Any pitfalls? How much/when did I workout? How did I feel? And I will also post pics of me in the bathing suit while on vacay. Seriously, I will. It'll be like seeing a train wreck, you won't be able to help yourself, you will have to look.
And, yes, self-deprecating humor always makes me feel better about myself. Stay tuned for my post tonight.
Also, I would love to hear what motivates you to go into high-gear healthy mode?
Anyway, I had my eye on this prize of being super thin in my wedding dress and on the beach in Jamaica for our honeymoon. See the pics of me at my skinniest (honeymoon and then South America, right before I got preggo). I refer back to these whenever I start to lose motivation.
So, this heightened motivation has struck me at other points along the way, too - before my sister's wedding (also in Jamaica), before we took a trip to South America, before a little anniversary trip to Horseshoe Bay, etc. And now, we are about to take a trip to Florida in a week and that motivation is kicking in high gear. It will be my first time in public in a bathing suit since Baby Elvis was born. Yikes, yikes, yikes. I'm in full out thin belly mode.
But, I'm realistic I know that I can't lose a ton of weight in a week. But, I can lose up to two pounds healthfully and safely, cut down on carbs which will help reduce bloating (especially in the belly area) and can do some last minute toning and increased cardio workouts. So that is what I am doing.
I thought I would keep you all updated as I venture through this week of "Vacation Motivation." What did I eat? Any pitfalls? How much/when did I workout? How did I feel? And I will also post pics of me in the bathing suit while on vacay. Seriously, I will. It'll be like seeing a train wreck, you won't be able to help yourself, you will have to look.
And, yes, self-deprecating humor always makes me feel better about myself. Stay tuned for my post tonight.
Also, I would love to hear what motivates you to go into high-gear healthy mode?
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