I feel successful today

Well the weather certainly can keep a person happy and energetic. I have been watching my portion size all week instead of limiting any type of food like carbs and I like that method so much better than the South Beach diet that I had previously been adhering to with such devotion. Today I analyzed my calories all day and it wasn't as tough as I thought it would be. It was time consuming, but not really that bad.

According to the calorie counter, I am supposed to have about 2000 calories a day. I have reduced it to 1800 because I want to lose some significant weight. I think that is a very good amount of calories anyway. Today I used 1428 calories. I may be having a piece of homemade cake which will add 300 calories, but that is still within my limit. I intend to eat it by 8:30 so I eat at least 2 hours before bed.

I had scheduled to walk today, but didn't because I got caught up in yard work for about 2 hours. I decided that the yard work was my exercise. Mostly because my foot hurt from all of the tedious cleaning up. So I wasn't really hungry at breakfast time so I skipped until lunch. I had 2 hot dogs with sauerkraut. I avoided the carbs by only eating one roll and the other dog I ate with a fork. I had 3 cookies after lunch to cure the sweet tooth.

Dinner was a home made meat sauce...I made up the recipe as I went along until it tasted good. I had linguine with it but the main part was the meat.

I am so energized from spending so much time outside with the kids. They helped clean the yard too. This afternoon I took them outside and we rode bikes for a bit. Not really enough exercise to call it a full workout, but at least I know I got moving a bit.

Tomorrow's exercise is up in the air. I have a few household items that may prevent it, but I will try to get it in somehow. I also have a dinner date with a friend tomorrow so I would love to exercise to feel better about eating out. We shall see!

A perfect day

What a great day!! The weather was beautiful and that really kept my spirits high. I was able to exercise this morning for about 7 minutes on the elliptical trainer before my foot started to hurt. So I decided to jump over to the treadmill for the rest of the time. I usually hate the treadmill, but since I had already started exercising I didn't want to stop and it was the easiest route to take since I was with the kids in the basement where the exercise stuff is.

I was so busy again this morning that I didn't eat my fruit until about 12:30. I have to get out of that habit because I know it is better to eat than starve myself. Had a quick snack around 3...2 slices of bologna. I managed to get 8 glasses of water in today even with a mid day food shopping event. The shopping trip was fine, but usually I get a soda when I go to Costco and I have decided that I don't need that either right now. So I missed my soda, but I will survive. I intend to drink another 4 cups by about 8:30 so I will have done at least 12 today. I hope to get more in tomorrow, but 12 is a good number. Beyond that, sometimes the running to the bathroom gets annoying!!

Dinner was nice. We had some chicken wings, a quarter piece of corn on the cob and about half a cup of baked beans. I treated myself again today and had a cupcake with the kids. I felt like since I missed a meal basically that I could have the treat. I had it early which always makes me feel better about having sweets.

I plan to exercise tomorrow because I am not sure that I will have time in the morning on Monday. If I do, then I will just have gotten an extra day in--better that way! This week I would like to begin the 4 day a week exercise routine. I technically start my week on Monday so the plan is to exercise Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and whatever I do on the weekend is a bonus. This week Monday is a maybe so I will do an extra on Wednesday if I can.

Looking to lose 2 pounds this week with all the water intake and increase in exercise. Wish me luck!

A relaxing but productive day

So the big weigh in was today and I lost a pound. I have now lost 14 pounds. My goal is to loose a total of 30 by mid November. I think that is reasonable since I am able to walk more now. It is really about the exercise for me. I seem to be able to manage my diet but just finding time to really get a good work out can be difficult for me.

I didn't get a chance to work out because I slept in a bit and when I woke up my foot was hurting--weather related. I will exercise tomorrow instead.

For some reason I didn't eat breakfast today. I was so busy because Friday is straighten up day around here. By the time I got showered it was almost lunch so I just ate at 11:30. I made some tuna and had it on a lo carb wrap with some lettuce and a slice of cheese. I had some chips later on for a snack. Dinner was quick and easy tonight. We grilled steak and I made some zucchini on the grill too after it was marinated in Italian dressing. We also had some leftover cauliflower.

My big treat of the day was a plain doughnut. Since I ate it before 8 I feel better about it. Every now and then you have to treat yourself--it is all about moderation for me.

Looking forward to the weekend. Whenever I lose a pound I always feel more energized and motivated to exercise more. I am hoping to add a 4th day of exercising to my routine.

I am also noticing a bit of change in how I feel in a few pairs of pants. Some of them look too big. Of course I have a long way to go, but even noticing it in 2 pair of pants makes me want to work harder!

Moving right along

Today was an early morning for the exercise routine. I dislike walking in the dark, but I can't find any other time to get out with the kids and work so at least I get some peace in the morning. It was cool walking this morning with the full moon still out. What a sight!

I had a bigger than normal breakfast today. I made a bagel with an egg and 2 pieces of bacon. It was a nice change. Lunch was my cottage cheese and fruit combo that I usually eat for breakfast. I had a banana during the day also. For dinner I made chicken fajitas using low carb wraps. I also made some mexican rice. I had a small portion of rice and one fajita so I was pleased with how full I was. I must have drank 15 glasses of water today. I don't know why but I just kept drinking. Now I just keep going to the bathroom. I am going to try to drink at least 12 glasses a day. I was drinking 10, but I want to increase that a bit because I read that you are supposed to drink a glass for every 10 pounds that you want to lose beyond the recommended 8 glasses a day.

I am not feeling my normal self this evening due to sinus and foot issues from the humidity. I hope once the storm passes tonight that I will feel a little more energized. I am posting early tonight since I am done eating and I like that I have decided to not snack tonight. I don't want to eat past 8 but sometimes I sneak my soda in then.

Overall, I am happy with today's progress. I hope that when I check the scale tomorrow I am happy also. I have been away from the scale this week and want to see if I have lost another pound-which is this weeks goal. Wish me luck!!!!

The mid week slump

I find Wednesdays a long day because it is usually a busy work day and I am bored with the week's menu already---don't feel up to playing with dinner, but am bored with the same old dinners. It is hard when I work and then cook dinner.

Had leftover piece of chicken for lunch and some crackers mid afternoon. I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. I only ate 1 meatball and had about 1.5 cups of pasta.

I couldn't walk today because my foot was really still swollen. I am going to walk Thursday morning like usual though.

Overall, a good food day and it flew by because I was so busy.

Hope tomorrow is more entertaining.

Back on track

I finally got back on the exercise train. I managed to walk about 30 minutes, but not as fast as usual. My foot felt good, but I am still congested so breathing was a little trouble. I still am glad that I at least got moving. It stunk to walk in the dark though. I have to wake up early on Tuesdays and Thursdays to walk since I leave for work at 7:30. My walking time is 5:50 to about 6:30. It is just becoming light--barely--when I get back home. It is peaceful though.

Breakfast was cottage cheese and cantaloupe. That is my new favorite breakfast. I had to attend a lunch meeting today, but they offered a variety of salads. I had a taco salad. I even had a few chips with it and skipped the cookies they offered for dessert. I drank a Sprite Zero, which is the same as the Coke Zero. Both, by the way are sweetened with artificial sweetener. That is the only time I use the stuff, but the calories from regular soda aren't worth it to me. I would rather have a bit of sweetener and a glass of diet. I use Splenda if I have any in the house. I don't drink anything in my tea though so usually my husband uses the Splenda in his tea.

Tonight was a special dinner. We went out because the Applebees near out house offered to donate 10% of the bill from dinner to our kids' schools. It is really an excuse not to cook. I had a bruschetta burger--about half--Becky ate some of the other half and she liked it too. It was a grilled burger on Tuscan bread topped with tomatoes and a basil pesto. I also had some spinach and artichoke dip---the whole family split that appetizer so none of us had too much.

My stomach is so full now, but I don't think I ate too much today. Tomorrow I am going to have to skip the walking because my foot is about as swollen as a football. The injury still gives me great discomfort on humid days---the changing barometer also gets ms. I think Wednesday is supposed to be humid so I am getting the forecast with my foot.

Today flew by....

So I had a decent food day even though I am still feeling under the weather. I had a banana for breakfast because we were on the run. At lunch I had 2 slices of pizza and a glass of Coke Zero. For dinner I made some BBQ chicken drumsticks which I had marinated over night in roasted garlic Italian dressing. I also made a cauliflower and string bean casserole. It includes those 2 veggies, some cheese and a bit of bacon. It is so easy to make because it is basically a one pot dish. Anyway, it was a delicious dinner and very healthy.

Exercising didn't happen again today because my throat is still sore and when I woke up to walk I couldn't breathe well. I've decided that even if I still have a sore throat and am congested tomorrow morning I am going to walk. Even if I walk slower or less than normal it is still getting my body moving.

Now I am going to collapse because all of my evening chores are complete. I wish I had saved my soda until tonight because I need something sweet, but I know I should only have a glass a day so I will wait until tomorrow. I think I might have a Halls and go to bed.