Another manic Monday

For some reason, I am usually running around on Monday's. I had assigned today as a 1500 calorie day. Here's how it broke down: Breakfast-brownie=150; lunch-pizza=580;
snack--coolatta=190; dinner--grilled chicken=150, bean salad=170, slice of beer bread=150. My dessert was 3 mini peppermint patties=120. So I went over by 10 calories today but that is fine. With all of my running around I am sure I worked it off.

I also exercised a lot today. This morning I did a 45 minute cardio/strength training workout. This evening before dinner I did a walking and kickboxing workout. It was only a 33 minute video, but it got my heart rate up and I burned some extra calories. That video is great because my kids like to try to do it with me so it gets them moving on rainy days.

Overall, a good day back on the plan in a more strict way.

Sunday, Sunday

Well, it is that time of the month again when I weigh and measure. I didn't have any success with the weighing. I have not lost any weight this month, I am still at a total of 41 pounds lost since September. My measurements prove that I am still progressing though so I am happy. I was not as strict this month with the low calorie days or the exact counting as I have been in the past. I intend to get much stricter this week and continue with the good exercising. So to date, here are my losses in inches for the month and the last three months that I have been measuring.

March losses(inches)
Bust: 0
Band: 1 inch
Waist: 1.25
Thigh: 0
Hips: .25
Arm: 0.5
Neck: 0

Total losses since December(inches)
Bust: 1.75
Band: 1.75
Waist: 8.25
Thigh: 2
Hips: 2.50
Arm: 1.75
Neck: 1.0

Total inches lost in March: 3.0
Total inches lost since December: 19 inches

Today was a successful day. I had my calories set for 1500 and I had designated it as a possible rest day. I was busy with yard work, playing outside with the kids and running some errands. So I didn't sit still, but I didn't do any particular assigned exercise. Part of the reason I decided to not do formal exercise is because my foot has been in major pain the last couple of nights. I thought that maybe a day off from formal cardio would be nice. Tomorrow morning I will do a cardio/strength workout and see how it feels at night.

I didn't have much breakfast today--just a few pieces of candy(170). For lunch I had a small salad and a ham sandwich on wheat bread(310). For snack I had popcorn(60). Dinner was a nice treat. We had duck that was cooked on the smoker, some butternut squash that hubby roasted in the oven with some nutmeg and a cabbage-pineapple-soy sauce salad that was lightly sauteed. Overall a great dinner of experimentation(662). For dessert, I was able to treat myself to a doughnut(300). My total intake today was 1502.

The plan for this week is this:
Monday: 1500; cardio/strength 45 minutes
Tuesday: 1700; cardio 2x
Wednesday: 1400; strength and cardio
Thursday: 1700; cardio 2x
Friday: 1500; strength and cardio
Saturday: Splurge day; cardio
Sunday: 1500; cardio

Here's to a good and successful week!

What a week

So I have been busy with the kids this week since we are all on spring break. I have been having fun, but I am beat. I have been keeping my calories between 1600 and 2000 everyday, but I haven't been really strict. I don't feel like I have lost any weight, but I don't think I have gained any either. I can't wait to see my measurements next week because I noticed a change in the way clothes are fitting again.

I have been exercising between 30 and 45 minutes everyday. I haven't had a rest day in a while so I will have one in the next couple of days.

So overall, I have been doing alright, but I will return to being strict on Sunday.

I'm Back!

So today I decided to make it an 1800 calorie day because I knew that I was going to be at a friend's house for lunch. I was close with 1820. Breakfast was a bite here and a bite there. I had to estimate lunch because I wasn't quite comfortable looking at the items as she made them. We had canned chicken mixed with celery and a bit of mayo. She served it on wheat bread and I brought some lettuce to have on the side. Dinner was a small amount of ham, scalloped potatoes and some spinach dip with crackers.

I exercised today for 40 minutes on the treadmill. I couldn't drag myself out of bed in time to workout this morning, but I was able to tonight before dinner. I think I was exhausted from the cooking/cleaning from Easter.

I am probably going to skip tomorrow morning since I have to be out with the kids early again tomorrow. I am going to try a new workout tomorrow night before dinner. I am going to try to keep a 1400 calorie day tomorrow since I will be out most of the day and that distracts me from eating. I will be fine if I hit 1500, but I need to have a low day.

Fair Friday

My intentions were to have a low calorie day. I didn't do that badly, but it certainly wasn't low calorie. Breakfast was a piece of pizza(300). Lunch was a burrito(260) and chips(400). I had chocolate for snack(300). For dinner I had chicken drumsticks(225) with some fries(150) and a salad(200). So I had a total of 1835 calories today. That isn't horrible, but is not great since I haven't been all that wonderful this week. Can you tell by my food choices that I have my period and weird cravings!

I did manage to exercise for about 40 minutes this morning. I walked on the treadmill and got caught up on a couple of shows while I walked. That always makes the time go faster when I am exercising by myself.

I ran around doing all kinds of chores today so I was very active. I am hoping that the activity helped combat the higher amount of calories I used today.

A little side tracked....

So now it has officially happened. I have not followed the program the last 2 days. Between sick kids and hubby, I am beat and needed to make various foods for everyone's individual stomach needs. I have not gone crazy, but I am not keeping track of what I eat. I am going to finish today and then begin again tomorrow. I will be good for 2 days and then I will splurge as intended on Easter. I have a busy week so I think lo cal days will be easy to follow since I won't be home much.

As for exercise, Wednesday night I did a 45 minute cardio-strength workout. Today was a rest day. I tried to wake up but I am just tired. My period will come in the next day or so and I am just tired from being the nurse around here. Today marks the beginning of spring vacation so I will get to sleep a bit later this week. That always helps refresh me.

So hopefully I will be able to get back on track tomorrow!

Tired, but still going

I have been just wiped out from the kids and tired myself, but I have been following the plan. Monday was a lo cal day and I stuck to it. I didn't exercise in the morning, but I did walk for 45 minutes at night. My breakfast was a snack, my lunch was a burrito and some snacking and dinner was corned beef and cabbage in honor of St. Patrick's day.

Tuesday was an 1800 cal day so that was easy. For breakfast I needed a pick me up so I had a Coffee Coolatta. For morning snack I had a granola bar. I had a lunch meeting to attend where I had a turkey wrap and half a cup of pasta salad. I also had 2 cookies. For snack I had a burrito. Dinner was a small salad. I wasn't that hungry, but I needed to eat a bit. I figured since it was about 8 until I go to eat dinner I should eat light. I managed to exercise for 45 minutes last night with a cardio-strength workout.

So overall, I am following my plan. I am just too tired to write by the time I am done with the day's jobs. I wanted to let you know that I am still around!!

Sunday

Well, Sunday was not a success, but not a complete failure either. I wound up caring for 2 kids with fevers so I wasn't able to keep track of my calories as easily as possible. I did well with breakfast and dinner but I didn't keep track of the food I munched on during the day. I never did eat lunch. I managed to exercise for about 35 minutes on the bike.

I am going to leave my plan open for this week because I am not certain about the status of the sick kids. When I don't get enough sleep I sometimes need to up my calories. And since last night was a night with very little sleep(thanks to a vomiting child), I am not sure how I will do. My original plan was to make today a 1400 calorie day and exercise twice. I can still exercise twice, and I think I should be fine with the calories. We shall see how my energy level is by tonight though for the exercise.

Saturday's Splurge

I did alright on Friday, but was just too tired to post. I have been so busy the last couple of days, but I managed to have a great weekend anyway. Saturday was a yummy splurge day. I didn't eat breakfast, I wasn't hungry at all for some reason. For lunch, I had some chips with some hoagie dip, which is a specialty my neighbor makes. In essence, it is a hoagie without the roll. It was leftover and I got to eat it with the girls. For snack, I treated myself to some soda. For dinner, I went to Brio. Wow!! I had Penne Mediterranean, which was sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, roasted garlic and spinach. I also had a Caesar salad and a chocolate creme brulee. What a great dinner! My exercise yesterday was Leslie Sansone's 3 mile walk. It was about a 45 minute workout. I liked it, but my calves hurt a bit today.

A low calorie success

Today was a 1400 calorie day and I almost did it. I started the day with a cookie bar(100) and grapes(70). For lunch I had a frozen meal called sesame chicken(300). I also had some Hershey kisses with it(230). For snack I had a burrito with a bit of sour cream(280). For dinner I had a veggie burger(90) on a roll(120) with fries(150) and some sauteed peppers and onions(40) and mayo(90). My total for the day is 1470.

I did The Firm's Cardio Sculpt workout. My calves are feeling it a bit tonight. I like the workout but some of the aerobic moves are a bit tricky. My foot gets slightly aggravated by the evening on the day that I do that kind of workout, but I can get past that because I know the benefits of it outweigh the pain.

Wacky Wednesday

Well, I stayed within my calorie allotment, but I ate weirdly today. For breakfast I had a bagel with cream cheese(510). I have been craving this for about 2 weeks so I worked it in today and it was delicious. For a morning snack I was tempted with hot chocolate and broke down(300). For lunch I had a small salad(125) to try to combat the morning's indulgences and because I was really full. For afternoon snack I had a soft pretzel with mustard(400). For dinner I had ham(150) and broccoli(40) and some cheese its(100). I had a bit of popcorn for snack(75). Today's total was exactly 1700.

I did my Biggest Loser strength workout this morning. I also rode the recumbent bike tonight for 30 minutes. I had a migraine most of the day, but I still managed to function. I took some Advil this morning to take the edge off of it, but my vision was blurred at times today and I was just overall tired. I wish I could have taken a sick day, but I try to save those for when the kids are sick. I also am so busy at work this week I really needed to be there. I am in charge of the state testing in my district and that is going on for 2 of the grades this week. I am sure a little extra sleep tonight will help and I will be better tomorrow.

Overall a good day!

Terrible Tuesday

So I had a crappy food day. I ate well until I got home from work. Then I nibbled on so many things. I think I probably ate about 1800 calories today but I am not sure. it wasn't that mush of a fall, but still not within my planned allotment. I am not going to change my allowances for the rest of the week much. I am going to make tomorrow a 1700 calorie day and adjust a bit the rest of the week as well--Thursday will be a 1400 calorie day and Friday will stay the same at 1600 because we are having friends over for dinner. Saturday can't be changed either because we have dinner plans. I am going to keep it as a splurge day, but try to keep the calories low during the day since dinner will be high. I really do believe that I am getting a bit off track because I am a bit tired lately. I am going to try to go to bed earlier tomorrow night. About once a week I try to go to bed right after the kids so that I can catch up on some sleep. Unfortunately I am stuck tonight because I am doing some report writing for consulting work--actually I am procrastinating now instead!!

I did well with exercise today, although it was all I could do to get up at 5:15 this morning. I usually do fine and I went to bed the same time I usually do(about 11). I think it is because it is darker in the morning now. Well I walked the treadmill for 30 minutes this morning and for 35 minutes this evening. Tomorrow is strength training and cardio in the evening.

Tomorrow is a new day!

A new workout

Well, today I tried a new workout by the Firm called Cardio Sculpt. It is a 55 minute workout that combines strength training with aerobic workout intervals. Since it was almost an hour workout and it was for strength and cardio, I decided to skip the exercise tonight. Thanks Sassy for giving me the Firm as a gift!! I can see that it will help with the variety in my workout routine.

As for the calorie allotment for the day, I did well with my 1700 calorie allotment. For breakfast I had some homemade banana bread(250). For lunch I ate a very small salad with balsamic dressing(125) and a piece of leftover Chicken Parmesan(220). I even treated myself to a bag of Oreo crisps for dessert(100). For snack I indulged in some chocolate(360). For dinner I had an individual veggie pizza(350) with some chips(200). For an after dinner treat I had popcorn(100) with the kids. So today's total is 1705.

Saturday and Sunday

Saturday was a nice splurge day. I did exercise for about 35 minutes on the treadmill. For breakfast, I stuck with my oatmeal. For lunch I had a burger and fries. I even had pickles on the burger--I love pickles, but they are a bit salty for me to have too often. For dinner, we had lamb chops and homemade butternut squash soup. We also had some brownies. We managed to cook everything in a blackout too! Our lights were out from 6:30 PM until 7AM Sunday morning. It was annoying, but fun. We got to have some real quality time with the kids after dinner by playing the board game Trouble.

On Sunday I decided to take a rest day because my knee has been giving me some trouble. I hadn't taken a rest day since last Saturday so I figured I needed one. I never really plan for a rest day, I just see when I need one. I actually got to sleep in a bit today, so I didn't have any breakfast. For lunch, hubby made me a cheese and salsa quesadilla. I put a tiny bit of sour cream on it too. I also cut up a tomato for a total of 485. For snack a had brownies(300). For dinner I had pork(300), honey/orange juice baby carrots(150) and ice cream for dessert(275). My total for the day is 1510. I did do a lot of cleaning and ran to the supermarket so I didn't sit on my behind all day--although I can never really sit still with 3 kids!

Here is the plan for the week:
Monday: 1700 strength and cardio
Tuesday: 1500 cardio 2x
Wednesday: 1800 strength and cardio
Thursday: 1500 cardio 2x
Friday: 1600 strength w/cardio
Saturday: SPLURGE cardio
Sunday: 1600 cardio

This week I have changed my calorie intake regimen again. I was only giving myself about 1400 or 1500 calories a day. That isn't working. So I am going to go back to more zig-zagging. I know the doctor suggested otherwise, but it isn't working and in essence my body is storing the calories instead of burning them. Hopefully this will make me more successful in losing weight. I still have another 3.5 pounds to lose by March 20th as my short term goal. I hope to make it.

Here's to a great week!

Frantic Friday

Today was a crazy day but I managed to stay within my program for the day. I began the day with a Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds for Abs workout. I hadn't done it for a couple of weeks so it was a nice change. My whole plan of exercise has been changed this week, but at least I am exercising twice a day most days. After I exercised I had a bowl of oatmeal(100) with blueberries(40). For lunch I had some chicken and vegetable mini egg rolls(360) and chips(150). For snack I had a bean and rice burrito. For dinner I had leftover roast(150) on a roll(180). I also had a cauliflower and mushroom mix that I baked with a tiny bit of cheese(150). I also had some fries(150). So my total for the day was 1540. I need to eat a bit healthier and I think that might help me lose some weight. I also exercised tonight. I rode the bike for 10 minutes and then I walked on the treadmill for 35 minutes. Overall a good day and I hope to have another one tomorrow because I will be busy.

Thursday treat

Today was a tough 1400 calorie day, but I did it!! For breakfast I had a coffee coolatta(200). I snacked on some Twizzlers this morning as well(150). For lunch I had a frozen meal of chicken and ginger(270). For snack I had an oreo cookie 100 calorie snack pack. For dinner, we went to dinner--surprise! We went to Applebees and I had a Weight Watchers dish called Cajun Lime Tilapia dish with bean and corn salsa and rice(310). I like when restaurants give nutrition information on their menus. So that left 370 calories of tasting the hubby's chocolate cake and having a few fries. I can't be exact with those calories, but I am pretty positive that I stayed within my allowance for the day.

I exercised this morning with my Biggest Loser strength training workout. I will walk the treadmill tonight for about 40 minutes. First I have to digest so I will wait until the kids go to bed to exercise. I might skip one of the planned exercise times tomorrow and just do it once....depends on if I can fit two times in since I have so many errands to do.

Overall, great diet and exercise day!

Half way through

Well, today was a 1600 calorie day and I did well. My breakfast was cereal with milk(240). Lunch was a hot chocolate, a turkey and cheese sandwich from Subway, baked chips(total=650). For dinner, we had chicken parmesan with a little bit of pasta(total=750). I was at 1640 and that is okay. My stomach has been upset most of the ealry afternoon and I am wondering if that is from the milk in the cereal. Sometimes it affects me and sometimes doesn't it. There is no predicting it and I really wanted it so I just had it. I was better by dinner, but now my belly is grumbling again.

This morning I did a Leslie Sansone workout that involved walking and boxing/kicking intervals. Tonight I walked on the treadmill for 15 minutes and rode the bike for 20 minutes.

I am not looking forward to tomorrow because it is a 1400 calorie day, it is a crazy day at work and a busy afternoon when I get home. Hopefully the day will fly by because I am so busy.

Not a bad day

I am not sitting near my list of calories today, but I did well. I stayed under my 1400 calorie allotment. Breakfast was oatmeal. Lunch was a small salad and a yogurt. Snack was a burrito. Dinner was a small amount of pork and some broccoli. I also had a few fries that I made for everyone else.

I did a new strength workout this morning and really enjoyed it(35 minutes). Tonight I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes at a faster speed for a longer amount of time.

Overall a good day.

I'm tired, and it's only Monday

Well, today started with a wake up pain from my bicep muscles. They were in a lot of pain from moving the furniture yesterday. So I skipped the morning strength workout and just had breakfast(oatmeal=120). As soon as the kids were ready, we went to Shoprite(about 9am) to buy the next couple of months worth of meat(chicken, pork, ground turkey and a minimal amount of red meat) and some random produce and frozen products that were on sale. That was a bit of a chore with the kids, but they were pretty good because I gave them jobs to do. Then when we got home, the kids played outside for a while and I had to sort and wrap the meat. That is a job!! The morning passed quickly.

As soon as the kids got on the bus, I had my lunch(510), which was a weird combo. I had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 2 mini egg rolls and some chips. After lunch I did some errands and wound up at Kohl's to spend the rest of my gift cert. I found 2 short sleeve shirts that look really cute and a 3/4 length sleeve shirt that is adorable. It was in the Misses section and it is really in style. I can't wait to wear it!!

When I got home, I had my favorite snack--a burrito(280). For dinner I made a roast beef in the crock pot with a great home made sauce of ketchup, brown sugar, pepper, steak sauce, lemon juice, beef broth. Once it was done cooking, I shredded it and put it on a kaiser roll(525). I really enjoyed the change for dinner because I sometimes get bored with all the chicken and pork that we eat. So my total for today is 1435 and I will have a serving of popcorn in a few minutes to make the total 1500.

Tonight before dinner I did manage to do my 30 minutes of cardio workout. The muscles in my arms still hurt, but I hope they are better tomorrow morning because I intend to do a strength work out--my new one. Tomorrow is a 1400 calorie day and I am a bit worried. I intend to keep it light through lunch so that I can have a potato of some kind with dinner if I want to.

Sunday's success and the week's plan

Today I was allotted 1500 calories. I stayed within them even with some snacking. For breakfast I had oatmeal(100) with raisins(100). For snack I had an Oreo bar(100). For lunch I had a burrito(260). For afternoon snack I had a few pieces of London broil(200) from last night and cheese its(130). For dinner, I made a new recipe called Chickpea cakes. It was pretty easy and yummy and they are only 137 calories each. I also made leeks and some corn for total dinner intake of 520. My total for the day is 1410.

I am going to exercise when my kids go to sleep at 8:30. I have been so busy today that I haven't had a chance to exercise. Since I woke up I have been doing laundry and cleaning and playing with the kids. I also went to Costco to stock up on the next couple of months staples. Then in the late afternoon, the kids and I went outside to play and I cleaned up the yard for a while. We did some basement re-organizing and now my arms hurt from some of the furniture lifting.

The plan for the week is as follows:
Monday: 1500 exercise 2 times - 1 strength, 1 cardio
Tuesday: 1400 exercise 2 times - 2xcardio
Wednesday: 1600 exercise 2 times - 1 strength, 1 cardio
Thursday: 1400 exercise 2 times- 1 strength, 1 cardio
Friday: 1500 exercise 2 times - 1 strength, 1 cardio
Saturday: 3000 rest
Sunday: 1500 exercise 1 time - cardio