Wednesday, June 30, 2010

RECIPES FAVES: Low Fat Vegetarian Taco Salad

Okay.  So I always forget to post what I am eating.  But I loved this salad so much that I decided mid-meal that I had to take a picture.  It was a Lowfat Vegetarian Taco Salad...and it was super yum.

I had been looking for different recipes for warm salads earlier this week...and I was super excited when I found one for low fat taco salad.  I made some changes to the recipe to make it meatless and it ended up being really good.

My fiance said it looks kind of gross in the picture.  But it was really good.

Romaine lettuce, grounds with kidney beans and Rotel (plus fresh cilantro, garlic and onions), 1/4 of a cup of low fat 4 cheese Mexican, lowfat sour cream and salsa mixture (for dressing), and some crushed tortilla chips (for croutons).  I ate it today and yesterday for lunch.  My fiance even enjoyed it.  Definitely a keeper!!!

Here's the recipe that I adapted from RecipeZaar.  

Low Fat Taco Salad Recipe 

SERVES 4

  1. Chop or tear lettuce.
  2. Cut tomatoes (or use cherry or grape) and onions.
  3. Toss with lettuce.
  4. Saute pepper, onions, and garlic in water.
  5. Add beef and cook until almost done.
  6. Add beans with juice.
  7. Add spices and heat through.
  8. Mix together salsa and fat free sour cream in a separate bowl.
  9. Cut tortillas into triangles.
  10. Spray with Pam on one side and sprinkle with a little salt or spices.
  11. Bake in 400 degree oven until crisp.
  12. Turn and brown on other side.
  13. Arrange salad on plate.
  14. Top with the meat and bean mixture.
  15. Arrange chips around the sides.
  16. Top with the salsa and sour cream mixture.

Not so Yoga Loving!?!?


So, the title of the blog claims that I not only want to lose weight, but that I want to shop at expensive a@# Whole Foods, do lots of yoga, and only eat fish and veggies.  Well, since I'm broke...I don't even want to pass a Whole Foods, let alone go in.  And I've been doing super great on the fish and veggie thing.  So, the only real issue that needs addressing right now is my love of yoga.

I love yoga.  I really do.  I love how it makes you feel afterward.  I love the philosophy.  I love how it makes you stronger.  I love how it increases your flexibility.  I love that the postures that you do are truly making you more healthy.  I love yogis...and their hippie dippie, peace and love way.  I read yoga books and have subscribed to Yoga Journal for the past two years.  I ordered a bumper sticker that said Namaste (even though it never came).  I LOVE YOGA!!

But with all this love for yoga, I still have failed to actually do any yoga all summer long.  I think that I may have done it once.  But I'm not even sure about that.  Last summer, I was into hot yoga.  Which I loved.  I loved coming out dripping wet.  I loved the sense of accomplishment that I felt laying on my back at the end of a class, breathing in the hot air and wiping the sweat out of my eyes.  I loved it so much that I joined the studio by my school.  I paid $70 to come three times a week (even though it was always two times at the most).

Anyway, I have been neglecting yoga this summer.  My focus on running and shred have pushed it to the side.  My motivation to do it just isn't there for some reason.  Plus, I think adding it to my workout would mentally push me over the edge.

It makes me kind of sad that I am not a little yogi.  And I still want to pursue that goal.  I just don't have the motivation for it right now.  Oh well.  Maybe after I am regularly running, consciously eating a healthy amount of fruits, vegetables, and fish, and shopping at Whole Foods, I will then focus on my yoga practice.  Until then, namaste.

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Okay, Here They Are...Before Pictures

So, I realize that I never posted any before pictures...which according to all of these weight loss blogs is super important.  I hadn't posted pictures yet partially because I don't have any...partially because the day that I tried, we didn't have any batteries for the camera.

And at this point, I felt taking a picture now wouldn't represent where I truly started from.  Uhhhh....as you will see, I was wrong. 

First, I thought that I should post this unflattering picture from my recent engagement session.  But as I looked at it, I realized that you can not get a good feeling of all 138 lbs.

So, below you will find some pics that I took today (at 133.4 lbs).  Warning, don't let the full length picture deceive you.  My arms and stomach are always the first thing to shape up when I start working out.  It's my thighs and my butt that are my true problem area.  Okay, here goes.




Okay...so it is done.  Initially, I was worried that you would not be able to see that I still need to lose weight.  But that side shot...and the one from behind show that I DEFINITELY need to continue to eat right and get my butt on the treadmill.  It's funny how pictures make it seem real...the blog...my journey...everything.  So, here they are.  I will update with pictures again in a month.

Exhausted

So, I've been working out for seven days straight with no days of rest...with 23 more days left.  I'm proud of myself for what I have done and I can definitely see results.  But I am tired.  For the past two days, I have woken up tired.  Very tired.  And the tiredness lasts almost all day.  It's so hard to snap out of it.  My body is tired...my mind is tired.  All day long, I just want to take a nap.

I know that I need to rest, but I have to keep moving.  I am supposed to do Shred every day...and Couch to 10K 3 days/week.  And with only 5 weeks left of my summer vacay, I feel like I have to keep going.  Not sure what to do.

On top of feeling exhausted for most of the day, I also feel so sore at night that I am not sleeping well.  It's such a weird feeling.  I'm exhausted and sore and really, really sleepy, but I find myself feeling restless at the same time.  I'm not sure what exactly is going on...or why.

And every time, I think that I can't do this (especially when I am working out), I think of the Biggest Loser.  The contestants on the show start off bigger and more out of shape than I am...and they exercise every day ALL day.  As corny as it may sound, I listen to Jillian and Bob counting down exercises or giving the contestants some wonderful inspirational quote and it actually motivates me to run harder or keep going (I love that damn show!).  So, I get it.  I'm not going to get anywhere without putting the work in.  I know that I have to experience pain in order to make a difference.  I just wish that I wasn't so tired.

Anyway, that is my rant for the day.  I'm freakin' tired.

Monday, June 28, 2010

Monday Weigh In (YAY!!!)

I did it!!  I spent a week working out daily and eating right and I actually lost 2.4 lbs!!!  AND I didn't even do it being 100% anal about everything that I ate!  I splurged on two days...and I drank two days too (those happen to coincide with my splurge days).  I even went out to eat two times.

I'm really proud of myself.  I think that the working out makes a huge difference.  If I keep this up (which I'm determined to do), I will be down to 125 by the time school starts!!  Woohoo!

Don't get me wrong, its been hard.  My body hurts and I stay exhausted.  But it is worth it.  (I know I am talking like I just lost 50 lbs, but it's really the fact that I feel like I get it.)  Okay, so here are my stats.

TODAY
WEIGHT:  133.8
FAT (%):  27.4
HYDRATION (%):  50.8
BMI:  26.1 (overweight)

5/31 (START DATE)
WEIGHT:  138.4
FAT (%):  28.6
HYDRATION (%):  49.9
BMI:  27.0 (overweight)

So actually, I've lost 4.6 lbs in one month.  Which is really okay...especially since I've only really been serious about weight lost for one out of four of the weeks and I lost 2.4 lbs in that week.  Kinda sad that my BMI still says that I'm overweight, but at least I'm headed in the right direction.

Okay...I need to clean and write.  I need to remember that this is going to take awhile and that I need to stay motivated.  Yay for small victories!

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Working Out with a Hangover

This morning, I did not get up and do my couch to 10K, week 4, day 2.  Why, you may ask?  Maybe it was the 2 glasses of sangria, 2 glasses of white wine and the bellini that I had at lunch yesterday.  This morning, I woke up with a nice, little, hangover.  Not a horrible one...but it was enough to keep me from getting up and working out.

Though I am going to put off couch until tomorrow, I have to continue to do JM's Shred.  I mean its only day 3 (and yesterday, I got a compliment from one of my friends/co-workers saying that I looked super skinny:)).  So, it's almost 5:00 pm...my workout clothes are in the drier...and I'm trying to muster up the energy to walk and do shred.  It's either gonna make me feel better or it's gonna make me throw up.  We will see...

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Great First Day!

...for the most part!  I weighed in at 136.2 lbs.  I ate a little less than 1200 calories.  I ran/walked close to 4.5 miles...running in 2 minute intervals.  I did Jillian's Shred level one.  And I am only gonna miss my food cut off time by 30 minutes.  A+ for today, right?

The only thing is that I did not listen to my body.  At 7:30 pm, I found myself still full from lunch.  I ate a pear, a salmon burger sandwich with cabbage at 12:00 or 1:00...and six or seven hours later I'm still full.  Is that normal?  I debated whether I should eat dinner or not.  And frightened by the idea of not being able to eat again until tomorrow, I ate...of course.  Now I'm stuffed (I had a small potato and some broccoli)...AND I plan to still eat a skinny cow ice cream sandwich. 

I know that I probably should have skipped the meal.  Since I sat on my ass for most of the day, maybe I didn't burn very many calories...and that is why I was still full.  In the future, I will not eat...I'll try to eat some fruit and call it a day or something.  And no dessert.

Okay...still happy that I had a good day.  Seventeen minutes to eat my ice cream.

Monday, June 21, 2010

30 Day Shred

So, is this another gimmick?!  Maybe.  But as with tracking calories, it's worth a try.  I'm really feeling unusually motivated today.  So, what's the latest?  I'm going to try Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred starting tomorrow.  Twenty to thirty minutes a day for the next six weeks.  There are three different levels...I will do levels one and two for ten days.  Then I will do level three for fifteen days.

For the record, I L-O-V-E Jillian!  She's my girl crush!  I think that she has the most amazing body and she is, of course, is on my VERY, VERY favorite show in the world, the Biggest Loser!!!:)  So, hopefully, she can keep me motivated.  I like that you don't need much.  Just a mat and some 3 lb weights...and, check, I've got both.  I like that right now I have the time to do it.  I mean, it's only 30 minutes...so there really is no excuse.

Oh!  And I found this really cool blog written by a man and a woman that love the program.  The woman (who is from Atlanta) runs 5K and 10Ks.  She's a real inspiration.

Anyway, here's some rules that I MUST follow.

1)  30 Day Shred every day from 6/22-7/30.
2)  No eating after 8:00 pm
3)  Only drink water or green tea (and wine 1-2 times/week)
4)  Track calories on selfdietclub.com (and try to stick to 1400-1500 calories/day)

Okay...that's it.  Wish me luck!!!

So far so good...

The tracking calorie thing has actually been working wonderfully so far...even though its only been two meals.  It actually has been working to keep me more accountable.  As I was spreading (less than a tablespoon) of mayo on my sandwich, I was really thinking about what I was doing.  There might be hope for me yet.  Maybe this is how a semi-control freak eats healthy...by writing down or typing in every single thing she puts in her mouth.  Hopefully, it will continue to work.

Okay, about to make my meal plan for the week...then off to the grocery store.  I'm actually feeling pretty motivated. (Could be the Starbucks!)

On a side note...I think that I'm going to try to stick to 1500 calories and not the 1700 that they are recommending.  Maybe I'll change my activity level in the program.

Calorie Tracker


So, I woke up this morning and realized that it IS time to track my calories.  Tracking calories helped me lose weight last time...so why shouldn't it work this time?  I think that it does help keep me more accountable of what I'm eating.  AND that is what I would be doing if I had a bodybugg anyway.

I think that I thought that it was unnatural and too time consuming...but right now, I really have nothing but time.  Even if I just do it for the next five weeks of the summer.  I think that it is time.

Last time, I used Self Diet Club and it really worked.  It told me how many calories I needed to eat for the day.  I've already logged a lot of my favorite foods into the food log.  It also tracked my weight, so I could see all of the ups and downs throughout my journey.  I really enjoyed using it. 

Well, I guess I'm off to log my nonfat, no whip white mocha into self diet club...



Saturday, June 19, 2010

Dressing Room Mirrors Are NOT my Friend!!!

Just came back from Target with my mother.  We both tried on clothes...in the same dressing room (as this is how she likes to do it).  Before I go on, I must tell you something about my mother.  My mother and I are the same height and she weighs almost 30 lbs less than me.  Since I was a teenager, I have weighed more than my mother.  It has only been in the past 8 or 9 years that I have weighed A LOT more than my mother.  It is such a crappy feeling to pick up a size 8 and 10, while she grabs her 0 and 2.  Mothers are supposed to be bigger than their daughters.  I'M supposed to be grabbing the small size...especially since I have yet to have a child myself.  But no...not me.

So, let me take you back to the Target fitting room.  I was trying on shorts from Target with my itty bitty mother and I caught a glimpse...it was a terrible glimpse.  First, let me back up again.  Target is nice enough to not only have a dressing room mirror on one side of the room...but they have mirrors on BOTH sides of the room....providing a 360 degree look at yourself as you try on their clothing. So, as I was looking to see if the size 10 white shorts fit...I looked and saw my behind in the back mirror.  Oh...my...God!  I was in shock...rendered speechless actually.  My behind was so wide and unattractive that I couldn't believe it.  I would have started crying if my tiny little mother wasn't there.  I looked once...then I looked again.  It was truly horrific.  I looked up at her in the size 2 shorts that were falling off her body to see if she saw it too.  She was too busy snapping her pants and saying something about, "Target clothes never fit me right." I nod.  Me neither, I think to myself.  I quickly take the shorts off, and push down those feelings of disgust with myself and envy for her.  I feel dizzy.

Why did I let myself get this big?  How did this happen to me?  Will it ever be different?  Will I ever be small like her?  How, how, how?!!?!  When, when, when!?!?   

As she drove off, after dropping me at home, I opened the plastic container of the leftover Thai food that we had just eaten for lunch and I dug in.  Three heaping mouthfuls...one for every size bigger I am than her.  God, I hate dressing room mirrors!

Friday, June 18, 2010

TRY THIS: Bodybugg?

 So, I have good news and bad news.  The bad news:  I continue to eat whatever I want to eat.  The good news:  I still continue to do my Couch to 10K AND my strength training workout.  So, I don't feel like a total failure.

Today, I looked into getting a bodybugg.  They wear them on Biggest Loser and I feel like it something that could possibly keep me more accountable.  It would mean that I would have to track calories again...but I would be getting a more accurate count of my calorie intake and what I'm burning. 

I've been feeling kind of desperate.  Bodybugg would definitely be better than diet pills, but the cost is so much higher!  From what I've read, the bodybugg will probably cost me around $300...using a discount code.  That's $300 that could be going towards my new iPhone!!! (Priorities...what's a girl to do?!?!?!)

Anyway, though I want one now...maybe that is what I ask for for my birthday in August.  We'll see.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

#^$&ing Scale!!!

Okay...so I'm feeling pretty good about my workouts this week.  I know that I haven't been as good as I could have been with my food schedule, BUT I also know that I have been a lot better than I used to be when I was eating out at every meal.  I was actually feeling pretty confident.  I felt like my body looked a little different.  Nothing major...but I just knew that I could see my arms changing.  The muscles were coming in.

So, I got up this Sunday morning and got on the scale.  Yes, I did eat later than usual...but if I could actually SEE the changes, I knew that the scale would too.  Here's what I got...

DATE      WEIGHT          BODY FAT (%)        HYDRATION (%)        BMI
 5/31           138.4                   28.6                             49.9                        27.0 
 6/13           137.2                   28.2                             50.2                        26.8
            
That's nothing!!!  I could have lost that much by having a good BM!!!!  1.2 POUNDS!!!! That is NOT acceptable.  I can't even blame it on gaining muscle.  My body fat practically stayed the same!!!!!  I haven't eaten ANY pizza, no Chinese food...not even any Starbucks!  And all I have to show for it is 1.2 lbs.  Maybe it's the stress.  Like on Biggest Loser when they have a stressful week and they only lose one pound.  Maybe it's like that.  AND to add insult to injury, I just went back to my entry from last Tuesday and I was at 136.0 lbs!!!!!  Really, what gives??!

This is VERY discouraging.  The more that I write the more upset I get about it.  I'm trying to be good.  I'm trying to stay away from diet pills and fad diets.  I'm trying to do this my way...I'm trying to find balance.  But with balance comes NO weight loss.  I have to be a food Nazi to even get the scale to budge.  What am I supposed to do?

I am going to hang in there.  I know that I haven't been sticking to my food cut off times.  And over the past two days my portions have been a little...just a little generous.  I really need to try to follow that whole stop when you feel full thing and I need to slow down.  I really have been trying, but I suppose that it's a process.

I still don't think that I want to journal what I eat.  Though it is recommended, it seems unnatural.  I can't imagine recording everything that I eat for the rest of my life.  I'm trying to do this in the most natural way possible.

As far as exercising, I'm going to hang in there.  At least I have been keeping up with that.  I haven't officially had a whole week of my new training schedule....so, maybe that will help.

I'm going to end this...cause like I said, I keep getting more and more sad the more that I write.  Two freakin' weeks lost!!!!!  I have seven more weeks left for summer break.  My goal is to lose 12.2 lbs.  It seems pretty ambitious (that's almost two pounds a week!)...but I really want to be at 125 lbs at the beginning of the school year.

*SIGH*  I'm very sad.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

New "Training" Schedule

Using the word "training" sounds so official and athletic.  Anyway, this is my new summer plan (I borrowed it from my favorite fitness blog, fitsugar.com)
  • 3 days/week Couch to 10K (45-60 min), Strength training(20-25 min), Stretching (10-15 min)
  • 2-3 day/week yoga (45 min)
  • 1 day of rest
I did Couch to 10K yesterday, without the other stuff.  Today, I did run/walk and then did some strength training.  (I skipped the stretching because I had some issues with my satellite TV).  I thought that I might be too tired to do strength training after cardio...but I was actually fine.

I'm looking forward to doing some yoga tomorrow.  It's been SOOO long!  I'm was still hoping to go to hot yoga this summer, but it is not looking good financially.  So, I guess Steve Ross will have to do.

Food & Water: The Right Balance

 Last night, I found myself on the couch...weak, tired, unable to get up and fix myself something to eat.  I just wanted to sleep.  I dozed in and out as my wonderful fiance prepared a veggie and black bean quesadilla for me.  I had banana and a protein smoothie for breakfast...some veggie lasagna for lunch...and it was now 9:30.  After my run/walk and being out all day, I was starving to say the least.  In addition to not eating enough, I think that I only drank a bottle or two of water.  I felt like crap.

Though I wanted to blog last night, I didn't have the energy to do it.  I wanted to vow that I would not do this to my body again.  I wanted to promise that I would try to stick to eating every 3-4 hours.  I wanted to say that I would try not to eat after 8:30.  So, since I wasn't able to do it yesterday.  I am doing it today.  It seems easy enough.  I like to eat...so I should do it regularly.  Simple enough.

Oh yeah...and I'm going to drink more water too.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Going Out to Eat & Take Out

Going out to eat and take out is DEFINITELY my downfall.  I love being served yummy foods and enjoying some drinks and on special occasions...DESSERTS!   But going out to eat and ordering take out is nice very nice on my hips or my wallet.  I find that it is so hard to practice self control.

It might be because I don't love to cook.  I like it...but I definitely don't LOVE it.  And maybe I feel a little guilty when I don't prepare a wonderful meal for my fiance.  I feel like ordering out is my way of preparing something good for dinner.

But how can I change this pattern.  Every time that I set up "rules" for myself, I always break them.  So, what to do?  Okay.  I am going to try to eat/order out only one time each week for the rest of the summer.  The only exceptions will be if friends are in town or if something is planned with other people.  That seems fair.  As long as it is just me and my fiance...ONCE A WEEK.  We'll see how it goes.  Hopefully, I can stick to it.  Last night, we had Mexican so that is it for the week.  Each week will start on Sunday...so between now and then, we need to either go to the refrigerator or the grocery store.

Couch to 10K-Week Two

Just completed day one of week two of the Couch to 10K program.  I am actually enjoying walking/running outside.  I DO feel like I am getting more of a workout than when I exercise on the treadmill.  I think the program keeps me going.  Knowing that I'm completing something feels good.  I even thought about running after work some days once the school year starts...who knows, we'll see.  Today, I probably completed a little over two miles...and after last nights dinner I definitely needed it.

I think the key is to just keep exercising.  I can keep working on the food.  If I get in the habit of exercising everything will balance out...and then eventually when I get the food part together, I will start to lose.

Well, I think that I will walk/run again tomorrow.  I'm a couple of days off after taking a four day break from exercising.   I even got the itchies again because of the long break.  But they were not severe...and I pushed through.  Great start to my day!  Thanks Couch to 10K!!!

P.S. Once I get iTunes on my new computer...and update my phone, I will really be motivated.  It definitely slows down your workout when Luther Vandross comes on in mid-run.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Here We Go Again...

I had an awesome first week!...well, let's say it was a good first week.  I worked out almost every day...I read a whole book about women and food...I ate pretty good for the most part...took my vitamins...refrained from some of my other vices.  I even started eating in the kitchen per the suggestion of Geneen Roth.  Everything was going pretty good.

Then I got together with friends...each time I decided that it would be okay if I indulged.  Not a crazy amount...but I was definitely more relaxed than I had been in the earlier part of the week. Whether it was wine or food, indulging led to more indulging.  And by Sunday night, my fiance and I were back at Taco Bell.

Today is day four of no exercise...and I feel like I'm slipping back into that nasty cycle.  I don't know how to do in between.  I don't know how to do this healthy thing without it feeling SO HARD!  I am so frustrated...AGAIN.  I don't really know what to say about this.  I'm trying to decide if I'm depressed because I can't seem to get it together...or if I can't get it together because I'm depressed.

I want it so bad.  I want to be healthy and get my work done and spend my money wisely and live in a clean, cute house and go out with a group of friends and plan my wedding...and I just want everything to be perfect.

BUT at the same time, I want to stop wanting so much...I need to be happy with who I am right now.  I need to learn to love myself and not this false idea of who I want to be (I think that it might be time to rethink the title of this blog).  I do not know how to do this.

Anyway, I think that this entry is all over the place.  One positive thing is that I am down to 136.0.  I'm not sure if it was menstrual weight or what.  But I am a little closer to my goal.  I hope to lose 6.0 lbs by the end of this month.

 Sunday night's dinner (minus the meat)...shameful!!!