IT'S OVER ....

I'm so sad Thanksgiving is over. I don't really know what to do with myself right now. I REALLY want to drink some wine. I know it sounds terrible but I'm missing my family and dreading work tomorrow.

I get emails from the Shrink Yourself website. They help people to stop emotional eating. I have not tried their paid program. It doesn't actually cost that much but I just don't feel like paying the money. Part of me really feels like I should be able to overcome emotional eating on my own. I guess admitting I have a problem is the first step? I feel like my emotional eating has been under control much better lately...until today really. And I'm sure this will pass. It's just all of a sudden so quiet at my apartment and I feel like my life is just up in the air right now. There's good food around and I just feel like having some food.

This was the email I got:

GRATITUDE

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2008 | POSTED BY MICHELLE

I read a quote that said, “If I could only have one prayer it would be thank-you.” The importance of gratitude shouldn’t be underestimated. Many people adopt a gratitude practice. And what better time of year than Thanksgiving to do so.

For Emotional Eaters, Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season and can create a lot of anxiety. How will you face the holidays without overeating? How will you be strong in the face of all the food that surrounds you? How will you face the stress of family gatherings without the comfort of food? How will you face the pressure of the holidays in a failing economy without rewarding the people you love with pies and cookies since you might not be able to give them as many gifts? So many questions. So many concerns. But you can counterbalance the strain by shifting your focus.

People have told me that they came to view their pattern of overeating as a blessing instead of a curse. They actually said thank-you for their feelings of powerlessness over food. Why? Because the discomfort of overeating (the added weight, the guilt and frustration) led them on a path to Shrink Yourself, a path where they had to face themselves, their feelings and their real needs. On this journey they found it wasn’t just their weight that was suffering, it was their lives, their fulfillment and their relationships. As they improved these parts of their lives, they needed food less and less. But if it weren’t for food, they would never have gotten uncomfortable enough to go looking for a better way. Can you find some reason to say thank-you for the struggles you’ve had with food?

Challenge yourself this holiday season to cultivate a gratitude practice. It can be simple. You can just say three things each night that you’re grateful for. You can say it to yourself. Your spouse. Or you can write it in a journal. Kids love to participate in this. You can do it at the dinner table or before bedtime. In a time when it’s easy to see what we don’t have, it’s great to remember the things that we do. What can you be thankful for? Love? A home? Healthy children? Enough food? Friends? Laughter? Saying thank-you for both the struggles and the successes can give us hope.

I am grateful for all of you and for the hope you give me everyday with your courage, your tenacity and your compassion for one another. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.

I think it's a very interesting way to look at emotional eating. Who would have thought to be a thankful spin on it? Definitely not me. But this is the time to really think about what we're thankful for and since I'm feeling a little bla tonight I thought this might be exactly what I need.

I am thankful for so many things--

• My health
• My family
• My great friends that I miss so much
  
• My foster cats
• My apartment
• My car that is paid off
• Opportunities - even if they create sadness and confusion
• Being employed for almost an entire year
• Unemployment
• Books
• My tivo
• My computer

Ok I'll stop. There are so many things to be thankful for right now and I'm thankful to be able to blog about them!!

I'll be back tomorrow to go over my week and my eating. It's back to work for two weeks. I'm still not sure if I'm going to Mexico. I think I'll be ok which ever way it goes. But I'll be working at my old job for this week at least. Hurray for a paycheck!

Thanksgiving 2008!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I know I did. I love good food. It's so hard to stop! I'm sort of full but still hungry for leftovers. Everyone is getting out the leftovers already so I decided to blog to take my mind off of them.


My sister and brother in law made a wonderful meal.


Could this turkey look more perfect???

All our sides.....



This stuff was DELICIOUS. It doesn't look so pretty but I think the key to stuffing is using sour dough bread.





Cara really enjoyed herself also!


We got this Rose yesterday in Santa Barbara. Isn't it a pretty color? You would think it would be really sweet but it was slightly sweeter than a Chardonnay.

Here are some pictures from Santa Barbara yesterday:


My sister Julie and her husband Elliot


Julie, Elliot, my brother Jonathan, and me

Tomorrow I'm thinking low low low carbs, a NROL4W workout, and HIIT. I also think I need to track my calories tomorrow. We're going to go out to Malibu tomorrow and also probably get some sushi.

I still haven't heard about the Mexico job, keep the positive thoughts coming!

Family / Santa Barbara / Mexico?

My family is town for Thanksgiving!

I love when they come into town, especially my sister and brother in law because they are the best darn cooks. I can't wait to post our pictures and menu of our Thanksgiving dinner. It is definitely not your normal Thanksgiving meal.

I've done 2 days of 'New Rules of Lifting for Women'. So far so good. I've been eating a lot and feeling the bloat. I guess that's what it takes to gain muscle. It's just a lot! 1900 calories on non workout days and 2200 calories on days I lift.

Today we are starting the day with an oatmeal extravaganza! Almonds, homemade granola, walnuts, raisins, pumpkin, cottage cheese, blueberries, bananas, protein powder, cocoa powder, and brown sugar were among the featured toppings.

We are going to Santa Barbara today for wine and to visit my cousin. I love Santa Barbara! The wine is so good and it's just a beautiful little town. I can't wait to see where my cousin lives.

In other news I'm waiting to hear about a job where I would leave for Mexico next week and work there for 6 months! Crazy. That will definitely be a challenge for my healthy eating. But I am up for it! I feel the need to get away. I've always wanted to work in another country and I would have no expenses, which means my credit card debt could FINALLY be paid off and I can pay cash for my China and Spain trips later next year. I have one more phone interview. Think good thoughts for me!

I hope everyone is having a great Holiday week!

NEW RULES OF LIFTING FOR WOMEN

This book is written mainly by Lou Schuler, a journalist and strength and conditioning coach. Alwyn Cosgrove designs the workouts in the book and Cassandra Forsythe designs the meal plans and recipes. These are experts that I keep up with and respect very much so we're off to a good start.

WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR
This book says it's for anyone from beginners to experienced exercisers. I disagree that it's for all beginners. I think there is a lot to digest in this book and beginners might get frustrated and confused and end up putting the book down. However if you have the motivation I definitely think it's doable.

I'm not going to mention that they remind women they will not bulk up from lifting. I am so sick of this excuse from women and that we have to keep repeating it. Why are we still talking about this?? Is it not public knowledge now, even if you only read occasional fitness articles, that women will not bulk up like men if they lift like men? It is physically not possible and an excuse that women use so they don't have to lift. Enough said, end of story. Lift weights, you know it's good for you.

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT LIFTING
The purpose of lifting ENOUGH weight is to build muscle. The key word is enough.
'If the weights are unchallenging, your muscles won't grow. If your muscles don't grow, they won't look any better than they do now, even if you could somehow strip off whatever fat sits on top of them.'

They are basically going against almost everything you've learned in the past. There are exercises done daily by me and everyone else at the gym that they say NOT to do. Their 'motto' summarized in one sentence is as follows, 'If it's what your body was designed to do, it's probably not bad form. And if the exercise requires you to do something unnatural, you should think twice before doing it.' In real life when do your arms move as they do in a bicep curl? There are other exercises you can do that work the biceps along with other muscles that normally work with your biceps.

STEP AWAY FROM THE TREADMILL
Chapter 3 is dedicated to doing less cardio. This is a fairly new idea that I think is finally starting to catch on. But it's been drilled into our heads for so long that I think it will take a while to break the habit of doing sooooo much cardio.

It is all about the afterburn. The higher the intensity of the workout the more calories your body will burn afterwards. Also, 'serious strength training also signals your body to burn a higher percentage of fat calories for many hours after you leave the gym'. Bonus!!

One sentence stuck out to me because I have really adapted to the cardio I'm doing lately. 'Your body will adapt to the increased efficiency by selectively shrinking your type I muscle fibers.'

They are all for interval training and go into detail about the best and most efficient intervals.

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT CALORIE INTAKE
Overall they are against cutting calories for two reasons -

1. You lose muscle mass.
   
2. You're going to slow down your metabolism.

New Rules #13 - Traditional weight-loss advice is fatally flawed. This part was important to me because it really does go against everything we hear. They are talking about 'eat less and exercise more' saying. Jillian Michaels preaches this and I've definitely wrote about it before. I think it's an easy way for beginners to understand weight-loss. If you really think about it in terms of building muscle it doesn't make much sense. 'The combination, however, can be expressed this way: Slow down your metabolism while speeding it up'. This is all in Chapter 4. Buy the book, read this chapter. It's important, especially for women.

It takes 2,800 calories to build a pound of muscle. I've never heard this fact quoted in a book before. I guess because people usually say it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a pound of fat. But since we want to build muscle on this program it makes more sense to talk about what it takes to build muscle.

To figure out your calorie intake -

• Convert your lbs to kg
  
• Use an equation with that figure to come up with your Resting Metabolic Rate
• Figure out your body mass index (BMI)
• Multiple your BMI by daily activity - this is the step where it's usually a little different depending on what book or formula you're following. They have 3 categories - No workout - Active workout - Strenuous work and workout day. They further categorize the numbers by your BMI. It's on page 65.

They recommend NOT cutting your calories even if you want to lose fat. Try sticking with your maintenance for 4 weeks and then answer a series of questions (mainly did you gain weight and how did you feel) and then reassess. If you feel you NEED to cut calories he says not to cut more than 300 per day and no matter what eat more on workout days.

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT MEALS
There are 4 easy rules:

• Eat breakfast
• Eat 5 meals and snacks
• Have a post workout shake on days you lift
• Eat more calories on days you workout than on days you don't

There are a lot of easy, yummy sounding recipes in the book. They are all very managable and easy to change around or add more if you need more calories. Or as they suggest, if you're cooking for more than one person.


WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT CARBS, PROTEIN, AND FAT
Eat a balance of each. Did you know it takes 454 g of protein to build a pound of muscle? I didn't know this. They have found the magic number for protein is 30%. Obviously eating refined carbs is definitely frowned upon. They recommend eating OVER 30% of your calories from protein.

THE LIFTING PROGRAM
This is where the book gets a little confusing....at first. I haven't started the program yet but I did grab a calendar and make my schedule, starting next week. This helped.

There are 7 phases - 2 work outs to alternate in each phase. Until you get to stage 7 when there are 5 workouts in that phase. They say this will take about 6 months to get through the entire thing if you workout 3 times per week.

They go into how much weight to use and how to increase the weight as you go through the workouts.

MY OVERALL FEELINGS
I can't wait to get started! I am someone who in the past has done tons of cardio and worked out many hours a week in the gym, not doing the right exercises. Before I read this book I realized I wasn't doing everything completely right and I hope this program will get me on course to building muscle.

I highly recommend buying the book even if you aren't sure you're ready for 6 months of sticking with one program. They also have suggestions about what you can do on off days and how to mix in other forms of exericise. There is also just a lot of good information in the book that I really think most people don't know. They aren't just repeating the same information we hear all the time. I read a lot of these kinds of books and I took away a lot more new information than I normally do.

SWEET POTATO, BANANA OATMEAL

1/4 cup of oats
1 mini sweet potato (Trader Joes has a mini sweet potato/yam pack. They are really mini. I think technically I used a yam in this recipe)
1/2 banana
1 scoop of protein powder
1 spoonful of crunch peanut butter
.5 oz of pecans
Small sprinkle of raisins
1 tablespoon of Flaxseed
1/4 cup of water
1/2 of 1/4 cup of milk
1 packet of Stevia

I cooked the banana, oats, pecans, raisins, and water for 2 minutes. I had already cooked the sweet potato and mashed it while the oats were cooking.



Then I added the rest of the ingredients and enjoyed.



This might be the best oatmeal I've ever had! Let me know what you think.

GINGER, ORANGE, CHICKEN SALAD

I didn't measure anything, just kind of threw it all together. It was delicious! After I took the picture I put some more spinach on top, then more ginger and chicken. It was pretty huge and filling.

Spinach
Chicken Breast (seasoned with garlic, pepper, and salt)
White Kidney Beans
Cherry Tomatoes
Ginger
Mushrooms
Spoonful of cottage cheese
A sprinkle of feta cheese
4 orange slices
Lemon Pepper

I didn't put any salad dressing on it but it was definitely not needed with all of different flavors going on.

Ineffective Exercises for Fat Loss

Mariam Webster defines the word INEFFECTIVE: not capable of performing efficiently or as expected

I found this post on Naked Nutrition Network and thought it was definitely worth passing on if you haven't seen it. I'm going to list the 5 he talks about and then add in my own, some being HABITS in the gym that are completely ineffective. You should definitely check out the entire post.

1. Leg Extensions
2. Stability Ball Crunches
3. Leg and Hip Machines (abductor and adductor machines)
4. Biceps curls and triceps extensions
5. Elliptical Machines
6. The bikes Yes spinning classes are great. But they are on a different kind of bike for one thing. And it really helps to have someone take you through a workout of hills and intervals. The bikes that most gyms have are completely useless and do not get your heart rate up.
   
7. Reading on the treadmill - Why should you waste your time on a treadmill if you're not going to get your heart rate up. I will say that Kath does a lot of studying while on the treadmill or taking a walk. I love THAT. She seems to already have done a good workout but wants to study while moving instead of just sitting still. Makes sense. Just wanted her to know I'm not including her in this.
   
8. Talking - How can you burn fat while you're having a conversation with someone on the next treadmill or weight bench? I don't like to waste my time in the gym. I like to get in and get out. I am the complete opposite of social while in the gym.
9. Coming to a class late - This bothers me to no end. I'm probably getting off the subject here but come on people! Even when there's a sign on the door that no one should enter a class after it's already started - but you STILL walk through that door. Stop disrupting the class and get there when everyone else does.
   
10. Teachers that don't say anything to late students - This is just wrong and unsafe. There is a reason why there is a warm up at the beginning of the class. If you miss that you could seriously injure yourself. Teachers should know that and not want to be responsible for someone in their class becoming injured because they let them enter late.
    

Thanks for letting me rant a little there. I've needed to get that out, even if it was a little off topic.

I've heard about some of the first 5 being ineffective, especially when you're not using your legs or any other muscles to perform the exercises. It was good to have him spell it out. I know I'm going to stop wasting my time in the gym doing these!

What other exercises or habits do you find ineffective for fat loss in the gym?

Lifestyle vs Diet

I recently saw this post on 'Does This Blog Make Us Look Fat'. I think it is perfect to pass along because it is something that I am trying to implement in my life for the rest of the year. That is a healthy eating lifestyle as opposed to dieting.

This is day 2 of eating healthy and not counting my calories. It's amazing how less frequently I eat and think about food when I'm really listening to my body. It also helps that I can eat what I want and not worry so much about macro nutrients. I'm still sort of measuring out my portions but not tracking my calories. If I want a few extra raisins in my oatmeal I can have them! Or some peanut butter! I've noticed since the challenge that I'm not as hungry and I don't need to eat nearly as much as I used to. I bought 2 sushi rolls for tonight's dinner and I have a feeling that I won't finish it. I used to be able to eat double that and not think twice. But now that I'm listening to my body I have a feeling that it'll tell me not to clean my plate. This will be huge. I've also noticed my clothes are even looser than they were three days ago. Fantastic! I hope I can keep this up. I should say that I'm not working or under a tremendous amount of stress right now. I'm completely relaxing at home and doing what I want. I'm hoping this is good time to make this lifestyle a habit, especially when I go back to work or I'm tempted with holiday eats.

Anyway, I've pasted the post below. I think all these reasons are so true. I don't want to be a dieter any longer!

Lifestyle Versus Diet

November 13th, 2008 Kiki Posted in Uncategorized |

Experts say we should treat a healthy diet as a component of a healthy lifestyle. We should tell ourselves that we are not on a diet but rather adopting a new way of eating for life.

Healthy Lifestyle Versus Diet

Healthy lifesylers eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and lean protein.
Dieters pay $20 to download an eating plan that promises they’ll drop 9 lbs. in a week.

Healthy lifestylers encorporate exercise into each day as if it were as integral to the day as brushing one’s teath.
Dieters pay $1000 for a treadmill, use it for a week, and then hang stuff on it.

Healthy lifestylers sit down and luxuriate in each meal.
Dieters eat crap that’s off plan in the car hoping no one sees.

Healthy lifestylers enjoy a walk after dinner most nights.
Dieters purchase a giant pink exercise ball that’s only purpose is to frustrate the heck out of the dog.

Healthy lifestylers stop eating just before they feel full.
Dieters eat potato chips as if they will be moving to the moon tomorrow and never have access to the glorious morsels again.

Healthy lifestylers focus on visiting with family and friends at the holidays.
Dieters worry about eating too much pumpkin pie and then do.

Healthy lifestylers might eat a little too much ham so they pack up the leftovers and give them away.
Dieters say, oh screw it, a lot.

Healthy lifestylers always eat as though they’re on “maintenance.”
Dieters, “What’s maintenance?”

Healthy Lifestylers float in the same weight range give or take five pounds.
Dieters gain.

What else do healthy lifestylers do?

P.S. I’m only relaying what healthy lifestylers do. I’ve only visited Healthy Lifestyle Planet I live on Planet Diet.

What does the future hold?

This challenge has really been exactly what I needed. I lost a little under 4 pounds which I am happy with. A pound a week is supposed to be one of the best ways to lose weight and keep it off. My body isn't exactly where I would like it to be but it's close. So for this year I am done dieting! I might go back to a low calorie day or even a week now and then. My family is coming to visit Thanksgiving week so I'm sure I'll put a pound or two back on. I'm REALLY going to try hard not to though!

Next week I am not going to the gym. The only reason would be to WALK on the treadmill. With all the fires going on around here I’m not sure how the air quality will be this week and I at least need to get some walking in. I have definitely over trained myself. It's hard to get my heart rate up and it drops really fast.

I'm going to try something new this week, I'm not going to count my calories. If I get that 'I just can't stop eating feeling' then I will go back to tracking it. I just want to see what happens when I eat good food when I'm hungry. Get down to the simple basics. No eating when I'm bored!!

So now that I don't have a challenge to track everyday where is my blog going? My goal is to have it move in a couple different directions.

I've been reading 'New Rules of Lifting for Women' and I think this is the perfect direction for my next fitness challenge. I'll also be writing a review of the book so you can decide if it's right for you.

I also want to take a break once in a while from health and fitness. So stay tuned for that.

I'm going to be trying some new food recipes and mixtures. I'll post the ones that turn out well.

Finally, my career. I am sort in limbo right now and I keep asking myself 'what am I doing with my life?' I've been unhappy at my job for a while. I work on a fairly big TV show, the job I have always wanted. I spent lots of time and money in school preparing for what I thought was my dream. I moved from Chicago to Los Angeles in order to pursue it. Now it's 5 years later and definitely not what I want to be doing. I decided a few months ago that this would be my last TV show. Little did I know it was ending so soon. TV is such a tough/non consistant business. Just look at the shows on TV that are getting canceled daily. There are at least 100 people losing jobs every time a show gets canceled.

Long story short, this business is not for me any longer. For about 2 years now I've really had an interest in the health and fitness field. I want to help people lose weight and be healthy. I have decided to go back to school and get my degree as a Registered Dieitician. I found an accredited online program at Eastern Michigan University. I start taking classes in January. I think it will take me about 4 years to get through everything. That's what I'm doing long term but it still doesn't answer the immediate question of 'what am I doing with my life'. I have no job! I need money to pay for school and just to live. I've been looking high and low for all different opportunities but nothing has come my way as of yet. So I will also be getting my Personal Training Certificate from ACSM. I have lots of studying to do and I'm having a hard time getting motivated after getting totally overwhelmed studying the heart. I think this is the week to get back on track though. I will be bringing you all on this exciting journey of mine!

Thanks for all your support and comments through the challenge. I could not have done it without all my readers. I definitely felt like I needed to hold myself accountable because people were 'watching'.

One FINAL thing: I was named in the top 100 Best Blogs for the Mind, Body, and Soul. Check it out!

ONE BIG MEAL - RESULTS

MEASUREMENTS / WEIGH IN:




MY FAVORITE MEAL: CRUSTLESS MINI QUICHE



MAXOUT PUSHUPS:
STARTING PUSHUPS: 20
ENDING PUSHUPS: 30

This was really an awesome experience. I learned a lot about myself and got off a few extra pounds that I've been trying since January to get rid of. My clothes are definitely at least one size too big for me now. I think I'll see a change in my eating habits and think more before I eat. I learned I don't need to eat as much or as often as I have been. Most of my eating has been out of stress or boredom. No more!

I'll be writing a post later on today with what the future holds for me. I will say that I'm taking off from dieting for the rest of the year. I will be maintaining and building muscle from now on!

ONE BIG MEAL - LAST DAY!!!

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: CHICKEN, VEGGIES, BEANS, AND COTTAGE CHEESE MIXTURE

I really need to do some grocery shopping. But this mixture was still delicious and very filling.

INGREDIENTS:
AVOCADO - 3 OZ
WALNUTS - .5 OZ
GARBANZO BEANS - 50G
SALSA - 90G
CANNED CHICKEN - 1 CAN
CANNED TOMATOES - 504G
OKRA - 300G
COTTAGE CHEESE - 400G
NECTAR CACAO BAR

I cooked everything in a skillet. I put on the cottage cheese with each meal, not with the entire mixture. And of course the Nectar Cacao bar was not mixed in but eaten separately.


TRAINING:
5 MIN TREADMILL WARM UP / STAIRMASTER HIIT-20 MINUTES / PRECOR-20 MINUTES / TREADMILL INTERVALS - 15 MINUTES

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - 26 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 30 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 30 PUSHUPS
*my best day of pushups!


SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

This is my last day!!! Stayed tuned tomorrow for the end results. I'm so excited!!

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #27

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: CHEESY SALMON, VEGGIES, AND TORTILLAS

I always like the meals that involve the tortillas. it's usually pretty filling and tons of food.

INGREDIENTS:
WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLAS - 5
SALSA - 90G
AVOCADO - 3 OZ
EGG - 2
SALMON - 1 CAN
BROCCOLI - 160G
OKRA - 300G
BLACK OLIVES - 1 OZ
GARBANZO BEANS - 100g
MOZZARELLA CHEESE 112 g

I cooked everything in a skillet on the stove and then filled the tortillas, sprinkled cheese on top, and baked at 375 for 15 minutes. Very very easy. I used lots of different spices as well.

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1380
PROTEIN: 125.7
CARBS: 120.6
FAT: 65.7
FIBER: 58.8

TRAINING:
I did not do anything today except for pushups. And I must say that my energy level was really low. I really need my morning workout I think. Next week I am taking off and I'm wondering how that is going to be. I think I'll need to make sure to start my days with a walk I guess.

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - 25 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 26 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 21 PUSHUPS

WEIGH-IN:
128.8! Hurray!

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: LEFT OVER FOOD. BASICALLY BEANS, TOMATOES, CHICKEN, AND A FEW OTHER THINGS ALL THROWN TOGETHER.

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #26

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: OATMEAL AND STUFF

Today was oats and a variety of things to put in them!

INGREDIENTS:
OATS - 1 CUP
BOILED EGG - 1
PROTEIN POWDER - 2 SCOOPS
PECANS - 18G
RAISINS - .9 OZ
COTTAGE CHEESE - 400G
PEANUT BUTTER - 48 G
FAT FREE MILK 5 OZ

I WASN'T VERY HUNGRY TODAY. NOT SURE WHY.

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1380
PROTEIN: 125.1
CARBS: 111.15
FAT: 52
FIBER: 13.45

TRAINING:
BOOTCAMP AND HIKING

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - LOTS AT BOOTCAMP
2nd time - 28 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 30 PUSHUPS

WEIGH-IN:
N/A

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: SOME SORT OF VEGGIES, SALMON, AND TORTILLA MIXTURE

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #25

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: SWEET POTATO MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:
SWEET POTATO - 12 OZ
OATS - 40G
COTTAGE CHEESE - 1 CUP
BETTER THAN PEANUT BUTTER - 3 TBSP
EGG WHITES - 7
PECANS 13g
RAISINS - .6 oz
EGG - 1
PROTEIN POWDER - 2 SCOOPS

I have made these before. They are delicious.

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1380
PROTEIN: 126.6
CARBS: 147.4
FAT: 33
FIBER: 20

TRAINING:
TREADMILL HIIT (8.8MPH AT 1.5 INCLINE - 40 SEC ON AND 60 SEC OFF) / PRECORE 8 ON 12 OFF

I think I have officially overtrained. It was hard getting my heart rate up today and it was frustrating. I definitely need at least a week off.

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - 27 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 21 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 27 PUSHUPS

WEIGH-IN:
130 (UP .4 FROM YESTERDAY)

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: OATMEAL AND STUFF

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #24

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: CousCous and Tuna Casserole

INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN - 5 OZ
COUS COUS - 124G
CORN - 75G
TUNA - 1 CAN
BLACK OLIVES - 1 OZ
GARBANZO BEANS - 100g
SPINACH - 3 oz
EGGS - 2
EGG WHITES - 2
CHEESE - 1.5oz

This was really easy. First I cooked the couscous and then I mixed it with all the other ingredients except for the cheese. The cheese went on last, sprinkled on the top. I preheated the oven to 375 and baked it for 20 minutes.

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1380
PROTEIN: 136.15
CARBS: 124.3
FAT: 36.7
FIBER: 21.05
Today wasn't too hard. Not as hard as yesterday. It's always tough cooking the day before because I just want to eat what I cook.

TRAINING:
BOOTCAMP

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - TONS AT BOOTCAMP
2nd time - 16 PUSHUPS
3rd time - REST - ARMS ARE TIRED

WEIGH-IN:
129.6 (same as yesterday)

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: SWEET POTATO MUFFINS

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #23

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: CHEESY CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES

INGREDIENTS:
CHICKEN 6 OZ
CHEESE 3.5 oz
SPINACH 3 oz
TOMATOES 111G
COTTAGE CHEESE - 3/4 CUP
OKRA - 378 G
CORN - 125g
WHITE KIDNEY BEANS - 6 oz
ONION - 2.8oz
AVOCADO - 2 oz
WALNUTS - 2 OZ

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1360
PROTEIN: 133.65
CARBS: 95.96
FAT: 56.7
FIBER: 34.36

I just wanted to eat today!!! This has been a hard one. The meal was fantastic. I just loved the way all of these ingredients went together. But tonight was hard. Thank goodness for gum! I wasn't even really that hungry to be honest. I think I didn't stay busy enough. I was home for most of the day cleaning, doing laundry, and getting caught up on things. So I was busy, but busy at home. I've also been reading 'New Rules of Lifting for Women' and they are all about eating, of course, and now I just want to eat! I think this is definitely going to be the hardest week yet. I cannot wait to be done!

TRAINING:
20 MIN STAIRMASTER / RACHEL'S METABOLISM WORKOUT

MAX OUT PUSHUPS (I've been doing these a little slower and with the cats around my number hasn't gotten up there as much as I would like):
1st time - 27 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 20 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 21 PUSHUPS

WEIGH-IN / MEASUREMENTS:
129.6

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 133.3 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: TUNA AND VEGETABLE COUSCOUS

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #22

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: CHOCOLATE BANANA PROTEIN BARS

I have to apologize to whoever I got this recipe from because I can't remember where I got it. Maybe I got it on the JP Fitness forum? Of course I sort of made it my own anyway.

I used Trader Joe's version of Fiber 1 for this recipe instead of oats. I need some extra fiber right now and a few less carbs. It worked out really well!! These bars were sooooooooo good. I will definitely make them again and eat them through out the week next time. Man they're good. The only thing missing was a little peanut butter. Peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas. You don't get much better than that.


INGREDIENTS:
FIBER CEREAL - TRADER JOE'S - 2 CUPs
BANANA - 176 g (2 SMALLISH)
COCOA - 2 TBSP
PROTEIN POWDER - 3 SCOOPS
EGG WHITES - 3
NONFAT MILK - 2 OZ
WALNUTS - 20g

I had dinner at Bubba Gump Shrimp. It was good. Of course I probably went over in my calories today even though I didn't finish my salmon. You just never know how much oil and stuff restaurants put in their food. Plus I had a few (ok more than a few) bites of my friend's BBQ Chicken salad and a few (ok more than a few) bites of clam chowder. I was actually impressed with the chowder because it wasn't incredibly thick and fattening. It was really good and I tried not to eat the potatoes. I was surprised that I didn't want to finish my salmon. It was probably about 4 or 5 ounces but I was really starting to feel full so I stopped. My friend had some so I probably ate a little more than half. This is so not like me. I always just keep on eating till it's gone. I hope I'm able to change my habits from this challenge.

FACTS - JUST FOR THE BARS (these make a great on the go / movie snack):
CALORIES: 1031
PROTEIN: 90.1
CARBS: 130
FAT: 27
FIBER: 34.9

TRAINING:
20 MIN ITREAD
20 MIN INTERVALS ON THE CROSS TRAINER PRECOR (8 SECONDS ON - 12 OFF)
20 MIN STAIRMASTER INTERVALS
*I burned over 500 calories

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - 27 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 22 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 24 PUSHUPS

WEIGH-IN / MEASUREMENTS:
See here

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 135.6 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: Chicken, cheese, and vegetables

TRAINING THIS WEEK:
MOVE MOVE AND MOVE - MY GOAL THIS WEEK IS TO MOVE AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN ADDITION TO REGULAR WORKOUTS
Sunday: Treadmill / Stair master/ Precor
Monday: Rachel's Metabolism workout with 20 minutes of cardio at the end or some extra leg work.
Tuesday: Bootcamp
Wednesday: Bootcamp
Thursday: Rachel's metablism workout & a jump rope class
Friday: Hike or some other form of cardio
Saturday: Spin Class

It FINALLY cooled off!!! Hurray!!! No air conditioning tonight!

ONE BIG MEAL - WEEK #3 RESULTS!

WEIGH IN / MEASUREMENTS:

My clothes are really pretty loose on me these days. So even though my measurements and the scale isn't totally showing my results I feel really good. I just needed to throw that in. I am happy with how I'm coming along!

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #21

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: PUMPKIN PANCAKES

ANOTHER REPEAT! These were really good. I liked using less pumpkin. Very low in carbs because I didn't use oats or anything. I sweetened with xylitol. This recipe made about 6 medium size pancakes.

INGREDIENTS:
PUMPKIN - 15 oz
EGG WHITES - 6 (360 G)
COTTAGE CHEESE - 1/2 CUP (113 G)
PROTEIN POWDER CHOCOLATE - 2 SCOOPS
WALNUTS - 14 halves (1 oz) - Just a side note; is there anything walnuts don't work well in?? Seriously. I put them in salads, pasta, pancakes, protein bars. EVERYTHING! And they're so good for you.
BETTER THAN PEANUT BUTTER - 2 TBSP
PEANUT BUTTER TJ'S - 1 TBSP
XYLITOL - 3 PACKETS
PUMPKIN PIE SPICE
CINNAMON

I ate breakfast at Urth Caffe and had scrambled egg whites, a side salad, turkey sausage, and coffee. It was like $17!! Crazy. And it was not that much food. It usually comes with bread but because I was doing low low carb today I didn't have the bread. It really wasn't worth $17. The pancakes were great though!

FACTS - JUST FOR PANCAKES:
CALORIES: 1065
PROTEIN: 103.4
CARBS: 64.9
FAT: 40.2
FIBER: 17.3

TRAINING:
Today I did NOTHING except chase cats around! Whoops. The cats seriously kept me up all night. I can't believe I didn't kill them. But regardless I wasn't going to work out till the afternoon anyway and I was exhausted and it was hot. I don't have a good excuse. Bottom line - I HAVE to work out in the morning otherwise I talk myself out of it. At least I did my pushups today though.

MAX OUT PUSHUPS:
1st time - 21 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 24 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 26 PUSHUPS

WEIGH-IN / MEASUREMENTS:
129 lbs! Back under 130. thank goodness!!
Waist: 28 inches
Hips: 33.5
I'm really hoping to lose more in my waist. I just can't get under 28 for the life of me!

Tomorrow is the complete measurements, weigh in, and picture day. My camera seems to not be working tonight so I hope I can get it fixed for tomorrow.

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: CHOCOLATE BANANA PROTEIN BARS (I had a little taste of these tonight while I was making them - YUM!!)

RANDOM THOUGHTS OF THE NIGHT:

• When will it cool off in LA?? I wore a sweater today just hoping it would be cool and I was soooo hot.

• 'The 19th Wife' is a fantastic book. I highly recommend it!

• Will someone PLEASE recommend a movie for me to rent. I have been renting the absolute worst movies. So bad that I don't even watch the entire thing. Tonight I'm watching 'Noise'. I thought this was going to be a scary movie but it's actually Tim Robbins breaking into cars to turn off the alarm. It's really pretty bad and not the movie I thought I was getting.

ONE BIG MEAL DAY #20

10 MORE DAYS TO GO!!!!!

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: WHOLE WHEAT PASTA AND SALMON

INGREDIENTS:
VODKA SAUCE - 1 CUP
WHOLE WHEAT PASTA - 1 1/2 CUPS
MOZZARELLA CHEESE - 56 g
ONION - 2 oz
RED PEPPER - 150G
OKRA 252 G
SALMON - TJ'S - 1 CAN
CHICKEN - 5 OZ
AVOCADO - 2 oz

I made this before and wasn't very full the first time. I still wasn't very full this time. I guess because spread through out the day it's not really that much pasta. I tried to include tons of veggies but alas I was pretty hungry all day.

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1367
PROTEIN: 130.1
CARBS: 146.56
FAT: 36.7
FIBER: 31.4


TRAINING:
Today I did a 60 minute iTread workout. I love iTrain and I haven't done one of their workouts in a while. I did 5.7 miles during this 60 minutes and I burned over 500 calories. I was supposed to do biceps and back today but I just wanted some extra calorie burn.

I don't lift with enough intensity. I need a plan better because I know it's good for me, especially with the after burn. But I'm going to do this extra cardio thing for the final week. I'll be doing more body weight exercises to really keep my heart rate up and take out my lifting days. I think with my pushups extra cardio will really help to get these last pounds off during my final 10 days.

Max out pushups:
1st time - 21 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 25 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 30! PUSHUPS

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 143.2 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: BREAKFAST AT URTH CAFFE AND PUMPKIN PANCAKES (LOW CARB!)

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #19

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: SWEET POTATO BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

I made this before and it is one of my favs. This time the ingredients are a little different.


INGREDIENTS:
SWEET POTATO - 15 oz
WALNUTS - 20g
EGG WHITES - 8
MOZZARELLA CHEESE - 78G
OIL - 1/2 TBLSP
ONION - 2 oz
TOMATOES - 111G
OKRA - 252 G
CHICKEN - 5 OZ

I first slice up the sweet potato really thin and bake it for like 15-20 minutes. Then I pour everything else on and bake it for another 20.

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1340
PROTEIN: 127.1
CARBS: 122
FAT: 41.2
FIBER: 27.1


TRAINING:
10 MINUTE TREADMILL / RACHEL'S METABOLISM WORKOUT

Max out pushups:
1st time - 27 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 21 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 21 PUSHUPS

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128.1 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: WHOLE WHEAT PASTA AND SALMON

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #18

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: MEXICAN SALAD

I got this recipe here. She has fantastic recipes. I sort of didn't really follow this one though. I wanted to use some stuff I had laying around.

For the salad dressing I put together lime juice, hot sauce, a small amount of sparkling water, oil, garlic, pepper, salt, and taco seasoning together.

Yum!! It was all very good. I even warmed it up at night to melt the cheese.



INGREDIENTS:
GROUND TURKEY - 10.5 oz
CHICKEN - 1.5 OZ
OLIVE OIL - 1/2 TBLSP
AVOCADO - 3 oz
RED PEPPER - 150G
WHITE KIDNEY BEANS - 1/2 CUP
TURKEY BACON - 3.5 STRIPS
ONION - 113g
SPRING MIX - 299g
TOMATO - 150g
COTTAGE CHEESE - 1/4 cup
TACO SEASONING - 12g
CORN - 75g
MOZZARELLA - 56g

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1360
PROTEIN: 128.87
CARBS: 76.1
FAT: 60.65
FIBER: 23.3


TRAINING:
BOOT CAMP

Max out pushups:
1st time - 21 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 28 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 25 PUSHUPS

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: Sweet Potato Breakfast Casserole

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #17

I didn't write anything about my refeed day. It was not a great day. For one thing I wasn't very hungry all day. Infact I just wasn't feeling that great. I had oatmeal for breakfast. I had a veggie burger for lunch with fries and a sweet potato salad. A cookie in the afternoon. Sushi and ice cream for dinner. It was all delicious and didn't seem like very much food until I was done eating the ice cream. I honestly don't think I've felt that full before. Normally I could eat that much and not feel like that. I guess it just shows how much I've been over eating and how I don't need that much food. So I learned to HATE the full feeling! I hope I can really remember how that feels next time I have the chance to over eat.

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: Strawberry Oatmeal Frittata

STRAWBERRIES- 282 g
OATS - 89 g
EGGS - 4
EGG WHITES - 6
CHICKEN - 5 OZ
MOZZARELLA CHEESE - 84 g

FACTS:
CALORIES: 1367
PROTEIN: 139.14
CARBS: 90.9
FAT: 49.76
FIBER: 10

I made this before and it is yummy. So easy and so good. I put some salt, pepper, and garlic in it also. I wanted something with low carbs to make up a little for yesterdays refeed.

TRAINING:
10 min warm up on the stairmaster / Triceps, Delts, Chest / 10 min hiit on treadmill / 23 minutes on crosstrainer

Max out pushups:
1st time - 16 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 20 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 22 PUSHUPS

SUPPLEMENTS:
2x fish oil pills = 2g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: Mexican Salad

ONE BIG MEAL - WEEK #2 RESULTS

WEIGH IN / MEASUREMENTS:



I didn't make quite as much progress this week as I would have liked. But I guess that's what expected with week #2? I'm looking forward to a refeed tomorrow and lots of progress for next Sunday's results.

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #15

YEY!! Half way through!!!

THE BIG MEAL OF THE DAY: Crustless Mini Quiche

OATS - 1/2 CUP
CHEESE - LIGHT MEXICAN - 3/4 CUP
COTTAGE CHEESE - 1/2 CUP
EGG - 1
EGG WHITES - 360g
BLACK BEANS - 1/2 CUP (130G)
WALNUTS - 11G
CORN - 250G
TOMATOES - 111G
BROCCOLI - 450 g
TURKEY BACON - 4 SLICES
CHICKEN - 2 3/4 oz

I basically just put everything together in a bowl and poured them into a muffin pan. Actually 2 muffin pans. The recipe made 22! They were delicious! And it was nice to have lots of small portions. This would have been a perfect grab and go meal. They even tasted fine cold. And yes they didn't have a pastry crust but the eggs and oats sort of baked into a crust. I can't wait to make these again and try out some different ingredients. Maybe even more cheese next time.



FACTS:
CALORIES: 1370
PROTEIN: 149.13
CARBS: 102.2
FAT: 37
FIBER: 26.23

TRAINING:
Today I went to a boxing class. It was fun and interesting to do something different than normal. I don't think I burned that many calories (my heart rate monitor was acting totally weird today) but just mixing it up really helped.

I also went for a hike/run. I did 3.51 miles and burned 328 calories. It actually rained yesterday so the air was really clear today. I love the day after it rains in LA. Rain is soooo rare here.

Here's my training program for this coming week:
Sunday: Boxing
Monday: OFF
Tuesday: Chest / Triceps / Delts / HIIT
Wednesday: Bootcamp
Thursday: Rachel's Metabolism workout
Friday: Biceps / Back / Legs / HIIT
Saturday: Spin Class

Max out pushups: Ok doing pushups with little kitties running around is really hard.
1st time - 22 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 25 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 25 PUSHUPS

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 128 OUNCES

Tomorrow's big meal: 6 hour refeed and probably a few eggs and protein oatmeal in the morning.

ONE BIG MEAL - DAY #14

THE BIG MEAL OF TODAY: OATMEAL AND STUFF

INGREDIENTS:
OATS - 1 CUP
FAGE YOGURT - 1
PROTEIN POWDER - 39 G
PUMPKIN - 10 oz
COTTAGE CHEESE - 452 G.
PEANUT BUTTER - 32 G
WALNUTS - 20 G
ALMONDS - 8 G

I was busy today so a lot of this was eaten at night. I'm soooo full. I didn't finish the yogurt. I will explain later the reason I was so busy today.

I have noticed lately that I'm not as hungry. Maybe it's because I haven't been at work for this week or maybe I'm getting used to eating less.

FACTS:
CALORIES - 1424
PROTEIN - 126.8
CARBS - 115.8
FAT - 53.9
FIBER - 20.4

WEIGH IN / MEASUREMENTS:
Stayed tuned for tomorrow - pictures and measurements

TRAINING:
I went to spin class at the gym today. It was great!

Max out pushups:
1st time - 25 PUSHUPS
2nd time - 26 PUSHUPS
3rd time - 0 PUSHUPS (no more energy for pushups tonight)

SUPPLEMENTS:
5x fish oil pills = 5g
1x multi vitamin
1x calcium +D pill

WATER: 120 OUNCES (a little short)

Tomorrow's big meal: Mini crustless quiches

This is why I was so busy today! I have started to foster cats. Below are pictures of Phelps and Cara. They are 7 months old and quite a handful. I can't believe how much energy they have. I hope they calm down. They are friendly and just adorable. I can't wait to find them a great home.