Food and Workout Journal for April 30, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup Organic Raisin Bran with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

12:30 p.m. Some new restaurant with Sheri K. to discuss supervisor problems: Grilled chicken sandwich w/cheese, onions, and honey mustard, several French fries, pickle, diet coke

5:00 p.m. 1 Dove chocolate

8:45 p.m. FiberOne bar

WORKOUTS:
Morning - Cathe Pure Strength Back, Biceps, and Abs (45 minutes)
Evening - Walk around neighborhood (south loop/Hickory return) (40 minutes)

Food and Workout Journal for April 29, 2008

Well, I don't know what happened this morning. I never even heard my alarm, but I ended up waking up at 5:20 a.m., which is too late to start my workout and make it to work in time. Unfortunately, I was wide awake so it wasn't like I could even enjoy some extra sleep! I was really irritated about that. I guess I could have done 1/2 hour, but even that would have been pushing it. Still, the weather was decent tonight, so DH and I took a nice long walk in Brecksville Reservation. Of course, that entailed a stop for dinner at Panera!

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

10:30 a.m. 2 styrofoam cups full of Chex Mix (dang, I wish Kathy would quit bringing in snacks!), diet coke

12:00 p.m. 3 pieces of Rascal House pepperoni pizza, 1 can diet coke

6:45 p.m. Panera w/DH: little sample of a cinnamon roll, Chipotle Chicken Sandwich*** (Pepper-mustard chicken, bacon, cheddar, onions & ancho-chipotle spread), 1 pickle, few bites of French-wheat baguette, water.

7:50 p.m. 3 Dove Chocolates

***Okay, so this was soooo not a good eating day. I thought I'd eat something lighter this evening since I had three pieces of pizza for lunch. Well, Panera is a great place to go in comparison with some fast-food restaurants, but calorie-wise, I sure didn't save anything. I just checked what the calorie count was for the Chipotle Chicken Sandwich. Get this: 800 freaking calories!!!! Hell, a Big Mac is only 540!! And yeah, I ate the whole thing even though I was not all that hungry. Typically, I will only eat 1/2 sandwich at Panera, and then I bring the other 1/2 home. The kind I got tonight wouldn't keep well, so I shoved it all down. Never again. Eight hundred calories. Shit.

WORKOUT: 1 hour walk (Brecksville Reservation) 7500 steps

More Results

Woohoo! It's starting to show. We visited our families in PA this weekend, and the first thing my mom said was, "you can really tell you've lost weight!"

I saw my sister the next day, and she said the same thing.

I see my mom about once a month, and my sister probably every other month, so they are a good guage.

Also, I'm fitting very comfortably into my jeans right now. This is one size smaller than I was wearing in the beginning of the year.

Food and Workout Journal for April 28, 2008

6:20 a.m. Bowl of CoCo Wheats w/raw sugar to sweeten, 1 piece sourdough toast w/little bit of peanut butter, small glass OJ

10:00 a.m. 1 FiberOne bar

12:00 p.m. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich, 17 mini pretzels, 2 mint "oreo"-style cookies, diet coke

5:15 p.m. Chipotle w/DH: Split a Chicken Fajita Burrito (chicken, rice, peppers, onions, salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese, and lettuce on a tortilla), water

8:15 p.m. 4 pieces Dove chocolates (2 caramel, 2 almond)


WORKOUT: Cathe Body Fusion on 6" step w/5 lb. dumbbells for weight sections (5:00 a.m. again!)

Food and Workout Journal for April 27, 2008

9:15 a.m. Montana's Cafe w/DH, Bill, Judy, Nancy, John, MIL and FIL: Breakfast sandwich (bacon, egg, and cheese on bagel), large glass chocolate milk

3:15 p.m. Hot dog on bun (sliced an enormous wiener into two pieces...DH had the other half) with ketchup and mustard, handful of baked BBQ chips, 1 FiberOne bar, 3 Dove chocolate caramels, small glass (1/2 serving) vitamin water

6:45 p.m. 3 Dove chocolates

9:00 p.m. 1 and 1/2 large "cereal" bowls of buttered/salted airpopped popcorn, 1/2 can regular Coke (4 oz.)

WORKOUT: Crunch Fat Burning Pilates w/Ellen Barrett (43 min.)

Food Journal for Saturday, April 26, 2008

Because I was in Pennsylvania, I decided to take Saturday as my day off instead of Sunday. Food was definitely not scrimped on!

8:30 a.m. Bowl of Honey Clusters Total Cereal with 1% milk, small glass juice

1:30 p.m. Long John Silvers with Mom: 3 chicken planks, few french fries, 2 hush puppies, little bit of cole slaw, diet root beer

7:30 p.m. Roadhouse with Art, Marlene, and DH: 1 roll, few peanuts, 3/4's hamburger on bun w/onions, ketchup, and mayo, few french fries, 1 glass regular pepsi

Food and Workout Journal for April 25, 2008

8:30 a.m. 1 cup Organic Raisin Bran with 1/2 c. 2% milk, small glass OJ

11:20 a.m. Couple licks of strawberry frosting

:00 p.m. Wendy's w/DH: Spicy chicken sandwich w/mayo, water

4:00 p.m. 1 fun-size Milky Way

5:00 p.m. Another fun-size Milky Way

6:30 p.m. 1 small piece chocolate birthday cake, 1 tiny serving vanilla ice cream with chocolate swirl

9:00 p.m. Dinner (FINALLY) w/ Mom, Dad and DH: 3/4 ham and cheese wedgie (with lettuce, onions, and mayo), few of Dad's French fries, diet pepsi, small piece of strawberry birthday cake

WORKOUT: Slim Series Mix it Up (60 min.)

Reality Check

This time of year is usually almost unbearable for me at work. The Busy Season is over for the accountants, and this is the time they need me to deal with their problems. They're tired, crabby, and full of complaints. I'm not blaming them....it was a tough year. I literally spend hours just sitting and listening to people, trying to appease them when I can. I also have a very, very tough Vice President in Chicago that is intent on making everyone's life hell who is causing some major problems. Add to that the fact that I have performance evaluations looming and some unbelievably huge upcoming projects, and it gets tough to deal. Last, I am way behind on studying for my PHR test. I'm going to take it in June. With all of this going on, I'm feeling completely overwhelmed, and it's just starting. It will be like this until the end of August at least.

Anyhow, tonight I decided to take a walk for stress relief and as I was coming home, I ran into Ray. Ray lives just outside of our development and he's turning 90 tomorrow. He's still active, though he's slowed a bit in the couple of years I've known him. I talked to him for a little while. He's still lucid as ever, but he says he's a little depressed. His wife (who is considerably younger than him), had a stroke last winter. She hasn't recovered well and she's "a shell of herself." I have a real soft spot for older folks (much more so than I do for kids). It was all I could do not to get emotional listening to him talk. But listening to him gave me a bit of a reality check. All of this stuff I'm overwhelmed with is just stuff. It's really just not that important. And I'm not going to worry about it. The truth is that I have no real problems. Not like that.

I was baking a cake for my mom tonight (her 71st birthday is this weekend, and we're going to Pennsylvania to see our families tomorrow). I decided to split it into two cakes and give Ray a little treat. It isn't much, but I hope he feels a little love.

Food and Workout Journal for April 24, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

12:20 p.m. Tomaydo Tomahhdo with Kathy: Blackened chicken sandwich (blackened grilled chicken, onions, cheese, and mayo on foccocia bread), small bag jalepeno chips, diet Dr. Pepper

6:00 p.m. 4 Dove chocolate caramels

WORKOUTS:
Morning - Cathe Push Pull (44 minutes)
Evening - Walk (South Loop + return via Hickory approx 40 min)

Food and Workout Journal for April 23, 2008

Not sure what my problem was this morning. I woke up okay, but when I went to do my workout, I was stumbling around and not into it. I couldn't begin to do any propulsions or anything. I did do the entire workout and ended up good and sweaty, but the entire time I was thinking: Maybe I shouldn't do step workouts so early in the morning! The thing is, Cathe's Low Impact Step is one of her "easy" ones, and it's relatively short (40 minutes). Usually I love it. Oh well...maybe it was just an "off" day.

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

1:00 p.m. Picked up McDonald's: 1 Big Mac, small fries, diet coke (yeah, I know. I was just starving and couldn't stop thinking about eating a Big Mac!)

7:00 p.m. 2 Dove chocolate caramels, 17 mini pretzel, 1/2 serving vitamin water, 1 root beer suck candy

WORKOUT:
Morning - Cathe Low Impact Step (6" step for first half, 4" step for second) - 45 minutes
Evening - 55 minute walk around neighborhood (south loop + 2 cul de sacs)

Food and Workout Journal for April 22, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup Organic Raisin Bran with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small OJ

10:00 a.m. 1 cinnamon-sugar breadstick (60 calories)

12:30 p.m. Providence House Luncheon: Tossed salad w/nuts and dressing, 1 roll, baked chicken breast, rice, little bit of iced tea, some kind of foamy dessert

6:00 p.m. 2 pieces Rascal House pepperoni pizza, small glass vitamin water, 3 Dove chocolate caramels, 1 root beer suck candy

8:15 p.m. 3 more Dove chocolate caramels

WORKOUT:

Morning - Tom Holland Total Body Workout (45 minutes)

Food and Workout Journal for April 21, 2008

Not sure why, but it seemed a little easier to get up this morning. Maybe because I knew I was doing an "easier" workout this morning, and it was only 45 minutes, as opposed to an hour torture session with "Squeeze!"

6:20 a.m. 5 Frosted Mini Wheat biscuits, 1 mini bagel w/little bit whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

12:00 p.m. Take-out from Gardenia: Grilled chicken fajita (chicken, peppers, onions, rice, cheese, salsa, sour cream), few regular chips, bit of a pickle, diet coke, 3 Milky Way Minis

5:15 p.m. Rascal House w/DH: 2 pieces of pepperoni pizza, water

9:15 p.m. 2 Dove chocolate caramels

WORKOUT: Crunch Burn & Firm Pilates w/Ellen Barrett (I knew I couldn't do Squeeze this morning....just too hard, and it's TTOTM!). Had a great workout, though (45 minutes). You get out of this workout what you put into it.

Food Journal for April 20, 2008

Day off exercise

9:30 a.m. Bowl of CoCo Wheats w/raw sugar to sweeten, 1 mini bagel w/little bit of peanut butter, little bit of OJ

1:00 p.m. 3 Dove chocolate caramels

2:45 p.m. Organic hamburger on wheat bun w/ketchup, mustard, and onions; baked BBQ chips, small glass vitamin water (1/2 serving), tiny fudge brownie, 1 root beer suck candy

5:45 p.m. 3 Dove chocolate caramels

9:00 p.m. 1 large "cereal" bowl of buttered/salted popcorn, 1/2 can (6 oz.) regular Coke

I will NEVER be a Soccer Mom

So, today DH and I decided to take a walk and go out to eat. There's a bike path near by that leads to a main road that has some restaurants. It's a nice hour-long walk (round-trip). The path leads us through some woodsy areas (we always see herds of deer), past a school, a recreation center, and some soccer and baseball fields before we get to the restaurant.

As we are strolling along taking in the spring day, we see all of the kids out on the soccer field (most of them not old enough to even know what they are doing out there) and then notice all of the parents sitting on the uncomfortable-looking bleachers. Wow. What a way to spend a beautiful Saturday afternoon. They looked completely bored, defeated, and like they'd rather be anywhere else but sitting on these splinter-filled benches. There were a few adults that were trying to cheer their kids on....the soccer moms and dads who are desperately trying to live their childhoods once again through their protege. But the biggest majority looked like their eyes were glazed over and like their lives were being sucked out of them. Which, in a way, I don't think is so far from the truth.

DH and I didn't stop. We have absolutely no interest in juvenile soccer (or any sports, for that matter!). As we hurried away, I thought to myself, "Who would choose that life?!" DH, sensing my thoughts, grabbed my hand and said, "Thank God that will never be us!"

Food and Workout Journal for April 19, 2008

Well, it was Saturday, so I could sleep in! I slept until 8:30 a.m.

9:00 a.m. 1 Belgium waffle w/syrup, small glass OJ

1:45 p.m. Ruby Tuesday's w/DH: Salad from salad bar (various lettuce and veggies, shredded cheese, bacon bits, croutons, ranch dressing), 2 mini burgers, French fries (about 3/4's the serving), water

4:00 p.m. Very small fudge brownie w/ small glass 2% milk

5:00 p.m. 2 root beer suck candies

7:00 p.m. Dish of lowfat chocolate chip mint ice cream (about 3/4 cup)

9:15 p.m. 1 and 1/2 large "cereal" bowls of buttered/salted popcorn, 1/2 can regular Coke (6 oz.)

WORKOUT: The FIRM Aerobic Body Shaping (TransFIRMer series) with Allie (1 hour)
Walk to/from Ruby Tuesday's via bike trail (1 hour, total)

Food and Workout Journal for April 18, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

12:15 p.m. McDonald's w/Michelle: 3/4's of a Big Mac, some French fries (less than 1/4 of the serving), little bit Diet Coke (wasn't feeling very well).

4:00 p.m. 1 small fudge brownie, small glass 2% milk

4:45 p.m. 2 Dove chocolate caramels

5:45 p.m. 1 root beer suck candy

9:00 a.m. 1 and 1/2 large "cereal" bowls of buttered/salted popcorn, 1 small (8 oz) can regular Root Beer

WORKOUT: Squeeze (Full Body - 1 hour) - and yes, I did it at 5:00 a.m. again.

Food and Workout Journal for April 17,2008

Got up about 10 minutes late today (5:00 a.m.), so I opted for a 45-minute workout instead of an hour long one. Still and a good workout and I'm done for the day!

6:20 a.m. 1 cup Organic Raisin Bran with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

10:00 a.m. 1 small piece crumb cake (w/Kathy)

12:30 p.m. Ate the other 1/2 of my sandwich from Panera (Turkey Bacon Bravo), 17 mini pretzels, 2 mint Oreo-style cookies, diet coke

6:30 p.m. Boston Market w/DH: 1/4 chicken (white meat), stuffing, cole slaw, few bites of DH's sweet potato casserole, water

7:45 p.m. 1 fudge brownie, small glass 2% milk

WORKOUT:

Morning - Slim in 6 Ramp it Up w/Debbie Seibers (45 min.)

Evening - Walk on neighborhood bike trail to/from Boston Market (1 hour, 10 minutes - 8,800 steps)

Food and Workout Journal for April 16, 2008

6:15 a.m. 1 c. Organic Raisin Bran with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

12:15 p.m. Don's Lighthouse w/LJH: 2 small pieces of bread w/herb butter, grilled chicken sandwich w/cheese, caramelized onions, and BBQ sauce, French fries, 1 pickle, diet coke

6:00 p.m. Panera w/DH: 1/2 Turkey Bacon Bravo sandwich (turkey, cheese, lettuce, onion, teeny bit of bacon and sauce on ciabatta bread), few potato chips, 1 pickle, water

7:10 p.m. Little bit of vitamin water

9:00 p.m. Small fudge brownie, small glass 2% milk

WORKOUT:
Morning - Squeeze (full body squeeze - 1 hour)
Evening - One Hour Walk in Brecksville (7,300 steps)

Food and Workout Journal for April 15, 2008

Yea Me! I got up at 4:50 a.m. again today to get my workout in. Not an easy feat, but I did it!

6:20 a.m. 1 cup Organic Raisin Bran with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

10:00 a.m. 1/2 raspberry turnover

12:30 p.m. Ham, cheese, and mustard on sourdough bread, 17 mini pretzels, 1 M&M cookie, diet coke

5:30 p.m. After Busy Season Party at Key West: 2 large pieces of coconut-breaded shrimp w/dipping sauce, 2 jerk-seasoned wings (small), 2 small square pieces of pizza, 1 piece of chocolate cake, 2 large strawberry dacquaris (sp?)

WORKOUT: Slim Series Tone it Up w/Debbie Siebers (1 hour) in the morning, and approx. 1 hour walk in the evening (neighborhood bike trail route - almost 7,000 steps)

Food and Workout Journal for April 14, 2008

I did it! I got up at 4:45 a.m. this morning so that I could start my workout at 5:00 a.m.!!

Oy! It was not fun getting up that early. But I don't like getting up in the morning no matter what. But I do love to get my workout done!

I did Squeeze (the one hour "Full Squeeze") version. I'd say I was able to do 80% really well. I probably could have done better at night, and it will take me awhile to adjust to this schedule. Tonight (at 8:00 p.m.) I took a walk around the neighborhood (the south loop) - it's 1/2 hour walk, so approximately 2 miles.

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! Cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, small glass OJ, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese

11:00 a.m. 1 M&M cookie

12:00 p.m. Ham, cheese, and mustard on sourdough bread, 17 mini pretzels, 1 M&M cookie, diet coke

5:00 p.m. Quizno's w/ DH: Small Baja Chicken Sub, 1/2 serving Jalepeno chips, 1/2 bottle (1 serving) vitamin water

8:45 p.m. 1 brownie, small glass 2% milk

Food Journal for April 13, 2008

Today is my day off from exercise....I definitely needed a break! The food? Ummm, not so good today!

9:15 a.m. 1 Belgium waffle w/syrup, small glass OJ

12:30 p.m. 1 chocolate glazed brownie w/ small glass 2% milk (man, these are good brownies - Ghirardelli)

2:30 p.m. 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese

3:00 p.m. 3 Dove chocolates (w/caramel)

3:45 p.m. 1 ENORMOUS wiener on bun w/ketchup, mustard, and onions; few baked BBQ chips, 1 sliver of chocolate glazed brownie

6:00 p.m. 1 root beer suck candy

7:45 p.m. 1 M&M cookie

8:30 p.m 1 large "cereal bowl" of popcorn (buttered, salted), 1 small (8 oz.) can regular root beer

Plans for the week

It's a rainy spring day, and I'm enjoying the day at home. DH has stepped out to take care of some car maintenance. It's quiet and the birds are chirping. I can't believe how green the grass is getting. Most of the trees have buds on them. I can't wait for the brush in the back to get leaves on them as the houses in the back will be completely obliterated from view then. It's supposed to be sunny and dry several days this week, which means DH and I will get some walks in during the evenings. I'm trying to get ahead on my studying today so that we can do that.

In addition, I'm going to REALLY try to get my main workout done in the mornings. UGH....I'm not good with this. I looove to sleep in as long as I can. In order to get an hour's workout in, I'll need to get up at 5:00 a.m. Still, I'd rather get up and get it over with so that I don't have to do it at night when I'd rather be outside.

The morning workout plan for the week is:

Monday: Squeeze
Tuesday : Slim Series Tone it Up
Wednesday: Squeeze
Thursday : Slim Series Mix it Up
Friday : Squeeze
Saturday: Slim Series Tear it Up
Sunday : Off

I have a study group Monday night, but the rest of the week is free....so I hope to get a lot of walking in!

What I'm Reading (Listening!) to Now

Ahhh.....I love our library. Although our branch is probably one of the smaller ones (set in a beautiful park setting away from the main roads), it is tied into one of the greatest library systems in the country. I'm so thankful for that it's only a mile away. Recently I got a HUGE stack of audio and regular books to keep me busy for the next month or so.

I've been listening to Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult, and it is excellent. This is a relatively long one (16 cassettes - 19.25 hours), but the narration is really good and I listen to it every chance I get.

I seem to be on a Jodi Picoult kick lately. I also checked out of the library the following Picoult books:

• Plain Truth (unabridged audio, but only 12 cassettes!)
  
• Mercy
• Vanishing Acts
• The Tenth Circle

I'm not sure what makes her so good, but she definitely has some compelling plots. I just wish I had a few more hours in the day to read!

Food and Workout Journal for April 12, 2008

Wow....this month is just FLYING! I've been doing great with my workouts. Tomorrow, though, I think I'm going to take break. The ol' bod is starting to feel the need for a rest. As far as the food thing goes, well....I know I could do better. But as long as my weight is going down, I guess I'll just keep doing what I'm doing. I know it's better than it used to be (I guess that goes to show how bad it was before!).

9:15 a.m. 1 Belgium waffle w/maple syrup, small glass OJ (DH loves to make breakfast!)

1:30 p.m. 2 M&M cookies

4:15 p.m. Bonefish Grill w/DH: (hey...we had to celebrate our last mortgage payment!)

• House salad with pine nuts, feta cheese, and citrus herb vinaigrette
• Bread dipped in pesto and olive oil (split the bowl w/DH)
• Longfin Tilapia with Chimichurri Sauce (A sauce made with extra virgin olive oil, Italian parsley, flavored with garlic and red pepper)
• Herbed Jasmine Rice
• Water (though I would have loved to have a pop!)

7:45 p.m. Few licks of brownie batter

9:00 p.m. 1 chocolate-glazed brownie, small glass 2% milk

WORKOUT: Slim Series Shape It Up! w/Debbie Seibers (78 min. workout)

Food and Workout Journal for April 11, 2008

6:20 a.m. 5 Frosted Mini Wheats biscuits, small glass juice

12:15 p.m. Scorchers w/Susan: Grilled ham and cheese sandwich, French fries, diet coke

Afternoon - 3 Hershey Nuggets w/almonds

5:15 p.m. Bob Evans w/DH: 1 buttermilk biscuit, 3/4's of a roll, Wildfire Chicken salad (Wildfire fried chicken, BBQ tortilla strips and corn on top of mixed greens, scallions, cheddar cheese and Wildfire ranch dressing on the side).

6:00 p.m. 1 root beer suck candy

WORKOUT: Squeeze (Full Squeeze - 1 hour) with Tracy Effinger

Food and Workout Journal for April 10, 2008

6:30 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal, 1 mini bagel w/cream cheese, small glass OJ

Mid-morning snack w/Kathy: 2 small M&M cookies

12:30 p.m. Some kind of turkey wrap from Gardenia (turkey, cheese, peppers, onions or tortilla), few regular chips, diet pepsi

5:30 p.m. 2 more (small) M&M cookies

7:30 p.m. 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass vitamin water (1/2 serving), 3 Dove chocolates

WORKOUT: Slim in 6 Ramp It Up! with Debbie Seibers (45 min.)

Food and Workout Journal for April 9, 2008

6:15 a.m. Bowl of CoCo Wheats w/ raw sugar to sweeten, 1/2 mini bagel w/peanut butter, small glass juice

12:30 p.m. Chicken fajita wrap from Gardenia (chicken, rice, peppers, onions, cheese, sour cream, salsa), few regular potato chips, diet coke

1:30 p.m. 1 Hershey Nugget

5:45 p.m. 2 M&M cookies

9:00 p.m. 2 large pieces Rascal House Pepperoni pizza, 3 BBQ wings, 1 small (8 oz.) can Dr. Pepper

WORKOUT: One hour walk around neighborhood - South loop + 2 cul de sacs + Fox Chase (8,000 steps)

Food and Workout Journal for April 8, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass OJ

12:00 p.m. 3 pieces Rascal House pepperoni pizza, diet pepsi

6:00 p.m. 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, 17 mini pretzels, small glass (1/2 serving) vitamin water, tiny piece NY cheesecake w/chocolate sauce

9:00 p.m. 2 M&M cookies (these are so easy to make....and so good!), small glass 2% milk

WORKOUT: Squeeze w/Tracy Effinger - HOLY CRAP, that's a tough workout!!!!! I think I'm going to get really consistent with this one with some good cardio....I can't imagine that doing this workout consistently wouldn't produce some awesome results.

MORE RESULTS!

This morning I wanted to wear something a little on the casual side, and I noticed a pair of black "docker-style" pants in my closet. I had bought them a couple of months ago and they barely fit...mostly tight in the hip area.

So I tried them on today....whoohooo! PERFECT fit! I'm psyched!

In addition, I tried on a pair of jeans I had bought at the same time that were too tight. They fit fine now. So I know I've lost a jeans size.

Childfree Weekends + Nice Weather = BLISS

No, we didn't take off on a spur-of-the moment trip to a sunny locale. We actually just had a very normal, quiet weekend. Yet, it contrasted significantly from our last weekend when we visited our families. Although we love to visit, we are often surrounded by kids (aka noise and confusion). Still, as "normal" as the weekend was, for some reason I was feeling so grateful and really joyful about it, that it made the weekend that much more special. In looking back through the activities of the weekend, it's obvious to me that having children would make this kind of weekend next to impossible. Here's a quick run-down:

Friday night - Came home and did a 78-minute workout and then folded laundry. While I was doing this, DH was being a real sweetheart and cleaned the house. After we were both done, we hopped in the whirlpool for a long soak. Then we made some popcorn and watched a movie in our loft. Then we settled in for a long, uninterrupted sleep.

Saturday - Slept in. I woke up to DH making breakfast (pancakes and eggs). After eating and cleaning this up, we went outside and laid on the deck for a few hours. Tinky the kitty laid right with us. She loves being outside, but she knows she has to stay right with us. I read a book and also listened to another book on tape. DH listened to his talk radio programs. After that we cleaned up and went out for a good lunch/dinner. We then took a drive to Hinckley Reservation which has a beautiful lake and tons of trails. We walked around the lake which takes just under one hour and then came home. After doing some stuff on our own (he likes to tinker in the garage and outside; I like to surf the internet, read, etc.), we took another soak in the whirlpool and then watched some TV before going to bed.

Sunday - another sleep in. DH is almost always up before me. This time, he made us CoCo Wheats (my favorite), and we got ready for a nice long walk in the Bedford Reservation. It was a gorgeous day, and we really enjoyed it. We came home and I did another workout while he surfed the internet and did some work in the garage. Then we lounged around on the deck (reading, listening to music, and listening to books on tape). We made some burgers, cleaned up the kitchen, and then went outside for some more deck time. DH then decided to go upstairs and take a nap in the spare bedroom while I read the Sunday paper, surfed the net, did some studying, and visited a neighbor. Then together we did some light yard work, cleaning up our beds and getting them ready for a new load of mulch. We then sat on the porch and chatted for awhile. After coming back in, tidying up the house, etc., we watched a movie together and went to bed.

All in all, a very quiet weekend. Maybe some would consider it boring. Yet we both enjoyed it immensely. The best part, for us, was that it was quiet. Even the neighborhood kids were relatively silent. Ahhhh.....BLISS!!!

Food and Workout Journal for April 7, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

12:00 p.m. Ham, cheese, and mustard on wheat bun, 17 mini pretzels, 2 mint "Oreo"-style cookies, diet coke

5:00 p.m. Chipotle w/DH: Split a Chicken Fajita Burrito (chicken, peppers, onions, rice, salsa, sour cream, cheese, and lettuce on tortilla), water

9:15 p.m. 4 Dove Chocolates

WORKOUT: 2.5 mile walk (neighborhood bike trail w/DH) - I had class tonight and didn't have a lot of time to workout. Besides the fact that this is our last nice day for awhile (we're in for a lot of rain), I just wanted to spend time w/DH.

Euphoria

Today I ordered a mortgage payoff statement from the bank....they faxed it to me, I took out a certified check, and officially paid off our mortgage! Wheeee! Really, our house was pretty much paid off months ago. I simply started dragging out our payments (paying the minimum) until they took care of a tax/escrow situation. Since that is resolved, I decided just to pay it off entirely. It's an amazing feeling!

Now, the only thing we owe is for our landscaping. We do have the money to pay it, but we are on a no-interest plan until October. I may just pay the minimum until September and then pay it all off. It's quite a large chunk of money, unfortunately.

Food and Workout Journal for April 6, 2008

9:00 a.m. Bowl of CoCo Wheats w/ raw sugar to sweeten, 1 mini bagel w/ little bit of peanut butter, small glass OJ

2:00 p.m. Organic hamburger on wheat bun w/onions, ketchup and mustard, few baked BBQ chips, couple bites of baked beans, water, 2 root beer suck candies

3:30 p.m. 3 Dove chocolates

6:30 p.m. Small piece New York cheesecake w/chocolate sauce


WORKOUT: One hour walk in Bedford reservation (7,800 steps) + The FIRM Better Body and Buns (Tri-Trainer)

Food and Workout Journal for April 5, 2008

9:30 a.m. Little bit of egg whites, 1 and 1/4 buttermilk pancakes w/syrup, small glass grape juice

1:30 p.m. 3 Dove chocolates

2:45 p.m. Longhorn w/DH:

• Tossed salad (lettuce, other veggies, with tiny bit of shredded cheese, croûtons, and side of Ranch dressing)
• 2 chunks of brown bread (= 1/2 small round loaf)
• Amarillo Chicken Sandwich (chicken breast glazed w/ Amarillo BBQ sauce, cheddar and Jack cheese on cheddar and jalapeno roll)
• Cole slaw

5:15 p.m. Vitamin water (about 1/2 serving)

6:30 p.m. Very small piece of NY Cheesecake w/chocolate sauce

8:00 p.m. 3 Root beer suck candies

WORKOUT: 1 hour walk (approx 7000 steps) around Hinckley Lake (longer, paved trail).

Food and Workout Journal for April 4, 2008

6:30 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, small glass juice

9:30 a.m. 1 large bagel with cream cheese (somebody brought in Panera!)

12:30 p.m. Key West w/Susan: Grilled chicken sandwich w/provolone cheese and cajun mayo, French fries, diet coke

7:15 p.m. Tiny piece New York Cheesecake w/ little bit chocolate sauce

9:30 p.m. 1 large "cereal" bowl of buttered/salted popcorn, tiny bit of regular Coke

WORKOUT: Slim Series Shape it Up! w/Debbie Siebers - 78 minutes. Well, I definitely made up for last night's easier workout. Actually, although this is a long one, it's very "doable." There is only one move (an ab move) that I modify slightly. The rest is pretty basic, and you feel nicely worked out after it's done.

Food and Workout Journal for April 3, 2008

6:20 a.m. 5 Frosted Mini Wheats biscuits, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

10:00 a.m. Small piece cinnamon crumb coffee cake

1:00 p.m. Gardenia w/Kathy: Chipolte Chicken Wrap (chicken, peppers, onions, cheese), few potato chips, diet coke

6:30 p.m. Grilled cheese sandwich (w/2 slices colby jack cheese), 1 large piece New York cheesecake, small glass (1/2 serving) vitamin water, 1 rootbeer suck candy

WORKOUT: Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds Express Advanced 3 Mile Walk. (45 minutes) I was really beat tonight for some reason, and this was a good alternative to skipping a workout. I never feel very worked-out after a Leslie workout (even though I'm adding arm movements and some propulsions), but it's a decent, light way to get a little exercise.

Food and Workout Journal for April 2, 2008

6:30 a.m. 5 Frosted Mini Wheat biscuits, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

12:00 p.m. Ham, cheese and mustard on wheat bun, 17 mini pretzels, 2 mint "Oreo"-style cookies, diet coke

6:15 p.m. Panera w/DH: Cup of lowfat chicken noodle soup, 1 French baguette, 1/2 Turkey Bravo sandwich (turkey, bacon, Gouda cheese, onions, and sauce on ciabatta bread), 1 pickle, water

WORKOUT: Walk in Brecksville Reservation - approx. 1 hour total (ate at Panera at 1/2 way point) - almost 7,000 steps. It was a cold, but beautiful night....we both really enjoyed getting out.

Then came home and did Cathe Friedrich's Total Body Sculpting - 1/2 hour sculpting workout done exclusively on the stability ball. I love this one. She uses 3 lb. weights throughout, but when you heavy up, you can get a very decent workout.

Food and Workout Journal for April 1, 2008

6:20 a.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, small glass juice

10:30 a.m. Small piece Entenmann's Cheese Filled Crumb Coffee Cake, diet coke

12:30 p.m. Gardenia w/Kathy: Chicken fajita wrap (broiled chicken, rice, peppers, onions, cheese, salsa, sour cream), a few regular potato chips, diet coke

5:45 p.m. 1 cup OHs! cereal with 1/2 c. 2% milk, 1 mini bagel w/whipped cream cheese, water, 1 piece New York Cheesecake w/ little bit chocolate syrup

WORKOUT: Cathe Cardio + Weights on 4" step (Intensity Series)

Results for March 2008

WHOOOOOO! I'm a very happy girl right now. I lost 4.5 pounds in March!!! I know it doesn't sound like a lot, but I feel good about it.....especially since I haven't starved myself. The bigger news is that it's starting to show some. It's subtle, but it's coming.

Grand total of pounds lost in 2008: 12.5!