Sunday, February 19, 2012

Weekly Weigh In

So yes, I did gain some weight from last week, which is slightly irritating.  But I did eat a fair amount of bad food (butter curry springs to mind as it was multiple, multiple servings over a very short time span.)  However, I have been lifting weights like a maniac, so some of it (and by some it’s really only likely an ounce) may be fat turning to muscle.  But I’m not letting this get me down and I will keep going.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

I Tad Tired

So for some crazy reason, I decide today that my career was just a little more important than working out, at least as much as I have for the past couple days.  Considering I just graduated from college and desperately want a job in my field, the career fair outranked it.  But I did manage to get in a little bit of exercise.  About 15 minutes on the treadmill (110 calories) and a little bit of time lifting weights and doing sit-ups. 
I had lunch with a friend from college today and we went to the Gourmet Shop, which really is one of my favorite places.  It was a struggle, but I didn’t order the tomato, basil, feta pasta salad.  However, I did decide to make a healthier version of that for a snack.  I mixed grape tomatoes with cucumber into a tablespoon of a light Dijon vinaigrette dressing and a tablespoon of feta.  I can already call that this is something I will regularly have on hand in my fridge, except with a little less dressing and low-fat feta.  I know that I need to have low calorie snacks on hand.  I am just not that broad that can only eat three small meals a day, nor do I ever want to become that!
Breakfast: Plain Cheerios with a grande Peppermint Mocha.  I did make some small changes to this to make it a little healthier.  I had it with non-fat milk, no whip cream and although this isn’t healthier, an extra shot of espresso.


Lunch:  Possible one of my favorite lunches: Medium Rare Roast Beef on Multi-grain bread with lettuce and tomato and a fruit salad.  This is a picture from when I ate at the Gourmet Shop a while back, but this time I didn’t have coffee or Dijon vinaigrette on the sandwich. (I forgot to bring my phone, thus no new picture.)

Snack:  My husband’s chocolate rugelach (he really can’t leave any pastries around me; it’s sad and unfair, but that’s just how it is.  Also, what is hilarious is that I told him about this and his response was, “Oh, I knew you would eat it!”  Kevan, I love you for buying stuff even though you know I’m going to yank it before you can get it!) I also had the tomato, cucumber, feta salad that I mentioned earlier.


Dinner: Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve had Mexican.  I had chips and salsa and I realize this looks weird, but if I didn’t portion a small amount out, I would just have kept eating them.  I had a chicken fajita, but didn’t use the tortillas.  It came with chips covered with rice and the most amazing cheese dip (oh, and the rice, cheese, chip combo is quite possible the best nacho I have ever had.)  I had a couple of the nacho at first and then decided that I really needed to eat my chicken and green peppers first and then go back for a couple more nachos.  The other photo is because I am really proud of myself that I didn’t eat the whole thing (that took some will power!)



Over at a friend’s house:  She made this amazing smelling green curry, which was so hard to say no to.  However I later crumbled and had a couple of bites and it was the best green curry I’ve ever had!  Thanks for making me like mushrooms Taryn; I really didn’t think that was possible.  I also had a ginger ale with vodka; a delightful combo I hadn’t ever tried. 

Midnight snack (or technically 1AM snack):  Considering I had dinner at around 4pm, I need something in my belly.  This will consist of steamed broccoli and green beans.


Friday, February 17, 2012

I am exceptionally tired right now and I am attending a job fair early tomorrow morning, so this will be brief.  I did work out today, although not as much as yesterday, but for a very odd reason.  I was jogging (with a silent j) on my treadmill and accidently ripped the key off that was attached to my pants.  But I managed to get in 44 minutes and burned around 371 calories.   I also did work with my weights and sit-ups.  My goal these days is to alternate one day doing at least 500 calories and one day between 300 to 400 calories. 
I did end up eating a lot this evening.  I can’t be trusted to go to The Fresh Market and/or to have frozen dosas in the house.  Yes it was all eaten (well most of it anyway) and yes it was delicious!

Breakfast:  Oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins and coffee

Lunch: Lean Cuisine Tuscan Chicken

Snack:  ½ a mini Oatmeal Clif Bar

Dinner:  2 yeast rolls, a grilled chicken salad, a little bit of my hubby’s fried chicken with gravy




Dessert:  A bourbon pecan bar (although I didn’t eat all of it, only because it was too rich!) and a chocolate and cinnamon walnut rugelach (god, I love rugelach).


The I can’t have certain things in my freezer category:  2 Dosas (it was good in spite of the fact that I didn’t have an of the chutney)

Thursday, February 16, 2012

So F---ing TIred!

Well, I am super, super tired today.  I’ve included this picture of what I’ve done on my treadmill today.  Note:  I walked for 1 hour and 8 minutes at a 3.5 incline and at 3.5 M.P.H.  You may ask, why did you burn so many calories today?  Well there are 2 reasons.  The first reason is that I ate way too much the past couple of days and gained probably at least 3 pounds.  The other and I think more importantly, I found out that a dear friend is working her ass off, quite literally.  While I truly want her to do well (and I really do mean that!), I am probably one of the most competitive ladies on this planet.    This comes from my dad; he taught me how to shit talk at the age of 6 while playing Hi Ho Cherrios.  I’M NOT KIDDING!  I love competing and I’m so sorry to my friend; I really do want us to both do well, but oh, it is so on!!!

On the subject of my dad, he died 7 years ago today.  I used to spend these anniversaries by stuffing my gullet with all kinds of unhealthy foods and feeling sorry for myself.  And to be honest, I thought I might do it again this year.  But instead I decided to honor my dad in the weirdest way possible; I ran my ass off even when I wanted to give up and why?  Because I am so ridiculously competitive that I refused to give up.  So I guess this possible a healthy way of honoring my Pops.  I do miss him so much though; he was a super corny man.  He also loved reading so much that he gave up his very well paying job as an accountant to work at a gas station so he would have more time to read.  He also once tried to make a rock fountain, but it just ended up looking like a rock toilet, especially when I put a roll of toilet paper right by it.  It’s things like this that makes me miss him so much, but I’m grateful that I had him as a dad.
Breakfast:  Oatmeal with skim milk, cinnamon, and golden raisins.  And of course, coffee with a splash of cream and honey.

Lunch: Leftovers.  Orange chicken over white rice and broccoli.  Oh so much delicious broccoli!

Dinner:  Dinner salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and a little bit of feta and dressing.  I then had more orange chicken over brown rice, and lots of steamed carrots, broccoli, and green beans.


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Blah, blah, blah ( Not to be confused with Bob Loblaw)

Today I really didn’t do much of anything.  This wasn’t just because my joints are hurting due to exercise, but I also had to get up early due to an appointment.  Plus, tomorrow is a day that kind of sucks.  So I will keep this rather brief.  Oh, I did gorge today!

Breakfast:  The only healthy thing I had today.  Plain Cheerios with skim milk and coffee

Lunch: Butter chicken curry over basmati rice and naan.  Yeah there are 2 pictures because I had 2 plates, except the second plate didn’t have naan.

Snackies: the remainder of the Ferrero Rocher (4 I think), 2 Reese’s heart, 3 Ghirardelli Raspberry squares.  This was throughout the day, not all at once.


Dinner:  Low-calorie crock pot orange chicken over white rice.  This didn’t have any sugar and wasn’t fried, but was still good.

Dessert:  Cake from the gas station my dad worked at before he died.

Happy Stupid Artifical Holiday

Yes I am a female, but dear god I hate Valentine’s Day so much.  I am married and adore my husband, but I think we both equally hate February 14th.  But what is so annoying is that being that I am a girl, I feel like I have a slight propensity to care at least a small amount about this stupid holiday that’s  mascot is a winged toddler that’s been given a weapon ( Seriously, that’s just weird!).  When I think of Valentine’s Day cuisine, I usually think of French or Italian food.  So as a way of me giving a delicious middle finger to Valentine’s Day, I’m cooking Indian food; oh, I can already feel that warm curry in my belly!
And I kicked that treadmill’s ass today!  Walked 2.5 miles and burned 350 calories.  I wanted to do more than yesterday as I knew I would be eating a lot tonight!  Also did 400 weight lights with my 5 pound weights and 120 sit-ups.  Again, this is all because I knew I would be eating delicious, fattening goodness that is Indian food.  Although I am sore, I’m not as sore as I thought I’d be. 
Breakfast: Plain Cheerios in skim milk and coffee

Lunch: Leftovers from dinner.  6 in. oven roasted chicken sub on 9 grain hone wheat with loads of veggies.

Dinner:  Dosa with chutney as an appetizer (This is truly one of my favorite foods of all time.  There is absolutely nothing you need to add, which is rare in food to me.) This was followed by butter chicken over basmati rice, naan, and perhaps the best accidental food ever, curried mashed potatoes.  I was originally intending on making curried potatoes, but unfortunately boiled the potatoes a little too long.  So, I figured out a way to make it work and made one of my favorite dishes ever!


Dessert:  A Baskin Robbins Love Potion No. 31 cake bite.  It was pretty good, but not great.

2nd Dinner:  I just wanted more curry and I also had the last of the mashed potatoes.  Sorry I didn’t take a picture of the potatoes, but it was about the size of an egg.  And I will be honest, it took a lot to not go back for more curry.

Snackies:  Had half of the Valentine’s Day candy I got from my hubby.  I had 1 Crunchy Bar (God, I love those things!) and 5 Ferrero Rocher (Quite possible the best luxury candy that is usually available most places.)

Monday, February 13, 2012

Vera 1, Treadmill 0

Vera 1, Treadmill 0. Booyakasha! Although the treadmill may claim it’s victory against what I foresee as very wobbly ligaments tomorrow.  But I’m quite proud today.  I walked 2.3 miles and burned 300 calories.  I also did this on a much steeper incline than I usually do when I walk in the park.  I then increased how many sit-ups and reps I did with my weights to 100.  Again, I realize this is going to be a slow process and I think it should be.  It took me a while to put this massive amount of weight on, so rightfully so it will take a while to take it off.  And unfortunately I know even longer to take off than put on, but this is why I want to keep realistic goals.  For some crazy reason, I’m really not in the mood to self-sabotage. 
Oh, I did eat some of my husband’s chocolate Indian biscuits last night.  It’s sad, but he really should know better than to leave forms of chocolate around for me, especially late at night.  Nothing good will come of that! 
I wanted to eat pretty well today, as I knew that tomorrow’s dinner will be slightly calorie laden, but not choosing the typical cuisine of Italian or French for the stupidest holiday there is (where would be the fun in being traditional?)
Breakfast: Plain Cheerios in skim milk and coffee

Lunch: Lean Cuisine Roasted Turkey Breast with mashed potatoes and green beans

Dinner: Oven roasted chicken 6 inch sub on nine grain honey wheat with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, green peppers, and banana peppers. I cut my sub in half to kind of make myself think that I was eating a foot long (this was a very common practice not that long ago.)  I accompanied this with steamed carrots and green beans.

Dessert: Although the recipe is for low-calorie baked apples, it really is just apple sauce, but a much yummier version. Shit, I said yummier.  I hate that word now because of Rachel Ray!


Sunday, February 12, 2012

Well, I was quite happy after my weight in this morning.  I am going to San Francisco in June, so I want to try and set a goal for myself; I would like to lose at least 2 pounds a week, which would take to right under 200 pounds for my trip.  I haven’t been that in probably around at least 8 years, so it would be a really nice accomplishment.  I like setting goals for myself (realistic goals!) as it gives me something specific to work for. 
While I had a sensible breakfast and dinner, lunch was certainly a bad news bears situation! I honestly didn’t realize how much I had eaten until it was far too late.  I had lunch at 11:30 and didn’t have dinner or even a snack until 8 (while that may be normal for some, it’s not for me.)  The worst part is not only was it too much food, but it gave me such gut rot; my stomach did not want to process all of that pork and fat.  But here is the most ironic part about this: after my hubby and I finished eating delicious yet gut churning German food, we immediately went and looked at treadmills.  And we didn’t just look at treadmills; we worked out on them in the store and for a lot longer than you might think.  We also tried the elliptical for a while.  Picture a fat girl in a peacoat, trying her damndest to work hard on that elliptical, while wiener schnitzel and apple strudel were sloshing around her stomach.  IT WAS PRICELESS!  But we did end up buying a treadmill today; a NordicTrack T5.7 and I love it! I didn’t really do much more “typical” working out as my hubbypants was setting up the treadmill and I was moving one of my bookcases and all of my art books (Good god, art books are so freaking heavy!) along with a myriad of other things to get the treadmill up.  But tomorrow, it is so freaking on!!!!
Breakfast: Oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon and coffee.

Lunch:  Oh, German food.  You are a gut bomb, or at least were today!  I started off with a salad and had one potato pancake (was really hard to tell or server no when she asked if we wanted more!).  I wanted to try and include some veggies, so I had baby carrots and green beans, along with German egg noodles, one form of pork with mushroom sauce and a pot roast that was super vinegary.  I had a very small bit of weiner schnitzel and had seconds on the carrots, egg noodles, and pork with mushrooms (I removed most of the breading on the second trip; I can’t imagine how I would have felt had I not done that.)  The hubs and I split the desserts that were offered and both got half of an apple strudel and black forest cake.





Dinner:  Rosemary chicken breast over brown rice, steamed carrots, green beans, and broccoli.

Dessert: The other half of the Fruit and Nut Almond and Coconut bar that I started yesterday.