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