Where to begin ....

Today wasn't the best of Monday's in the eating department.  My son has been a bit grumpy these past few days and husband is busy with work - so it's been extra hard.  Let's be honest, I have no excuse!

Food log
Breakfast:
1.  two mini whole wheat bagels (110 per bagel) with cream cheese (70).
2.  raspberries - (10)
2.  1/2 cup diet coke

Lunch:
pulled barbecue chicken w/ slice of mozzarella cheese (300)?
cheese sun chips (140)
green salad (avocado, spin-age, cashews, carrots, golden raisons, cheese, cucumber, and ranch dressing) (200?)
frozen yogurt bar (low-fat) 110
diet coke

Snacking:
gram crackers (picking what Charlie didn't eat) 68
frozen yogurt bar (110)
raspberries/strawberries (15)

Dinner:
Left over Cafe Rio - chicken burrito.  (1020 - I'm not kidding, I looked it up - fortunately I only ate a 1/4 of it)
2 no-bake cookies. (180 per cookie)

I don't really want to add up my calories, but I'm going to anyhow.  Total:  1853.  I'm guessing a lot on some of these totals.  Ugh!  I think I hit 2000 in all honesty.

Tomorrow is another day.

Ragnar

My husband and I are training to run a Ragnar relay race here in DC/MD.  I'm excited, but running on a 'team' kinda stresses me out a bit.  I don't want to let my team down - and to be honest - I'm a bit intimidated by some of them, especially by their speed.  I just looked up my average pace when I ran the SLC half marathon back in 2009 and it was about 12 minutes per mile.  I ran 4 miles this evening and my pace is about the same.  I would love to figure out a way to train to gain a faster pace/speed, but more than that - I would love to lose weight.  Since having a baby about a year ago - I'm back into those size 12 pants.  I have a closet full of 10's and 8's and would love to get back into them.  I've decided to turn back to this blog to talk about each day and report to you how I've done.  Ragnar is September 23rd and 24th which means I have about 10 weeks.  Matt and I are plan on running a 1/2 marathon in Florida about 4 weeks after Ragnar.  I'm excited that we are doing this together because in the past it always seemed like when I was into running Matt wasn't and when Matt was into running I wasn't.  Ha!  Finally, we are in this together.  So, here's my 10-week plan that I've come up with.  I found this weight loss program on runners world and I'm going to put it to the test.

Losing weight while running/training.

Weight loss Plan (Food):

1. Calorie total each day:  1780 (assuming that I burn 300).
2.  Small meals – 3 types of food in each, ‘bucket’ such as fruits and vegetables, grains, and protein like low-fat dairy and lean meats. 
3. 55-65 percent of the calories should be from carbs (whole-grain breads, fruites); 10 to 15 percent from protein (chicken, beans); and 20 to 30 percent from unsaturated fats (olive oil, walnuts).
4. Track calories – calorieking.com and round to the nearest 50
5. Post a calorie list on fridge for the 20 foods you eat most often.

Training Plan (Exercise):

1. Run 4 or 5 days a week
2. Once a week do a tempo run to burn calorie burn.  Slow down for long runs (at least 30 minutes) so body uses fat, not carbs, for energy.
3. Log stats with Garmin for a sense of accomplishments.
4. Go to kick boxing each Wednesday
5. Do core strengthening with exercise ball 3 days a week.

 Here's to a better ME!

Bad Habits

I totally forgot that I had this blog!  Looks like I haven't contributed to it since last year.  Well, who knows if anyone actually reads it - but I think I'll try to post periodically.

So, last night I went to see a movie a friend of mine (girls night) and afterward we talked until almost 1am in the car.  I didn't realize that my friend was so healthy and she gave me several great tips and encouragement.  

Lately, I've been feeling a bit stressed at work - over simple things.  I've had headaches and my eyes feel blurry.  And ... I love diet coke and have so for years.  I've quit before.  I've also cut back several time.  So, here are a list of my bad eating habits:

• Diet Coke - I grab a coke almost every morning on my way to work at the near-by gas station.  I have another from vending.  Another at lunch.  And then another at night.  
• Eating white bread - lunch at 'good news' and 'perfect pita' almost everyday.  Horrible for my diet, and not to mention my bank account.
• Sugar - I don't even want to know how much sugar I consume in a day and I will admit - eating candy with a diet coke is a great mix.  One of my co-workers puts out miniature candy-bars that I walk by and grab several times a day.  

So there you have it!  Sugar and Diet Coke run my life.  Before Matt and I went to Hawaii, I went on a low-carb diet that was recommended by my Dr and I lost 16 pounds.  I went from a size 12 pant to 10 and was soooo close to having to buy size 8.  I had surgery in May for endometriosis and then vacation and I haven't been on the plan since.  I haven't ran since my 1/2 marathon in April.  Needless to say, I'm not feeling the greatest right now and I know what I need to do to fix it.  Why is it so difficult to make that choice in your mind and stick to it?  When i was 'on the plan' before vaca - I didn't even crave sugar.  I had more energy and my body image was great.  

According to the scale - I've only gained back 5 or 6 pounds.  The damage could definitely be worse!

Here's to better choices!  Can I quit diet coke?  Again?

Boarder line

I am only allowed 21 points per day and I sure have been struggling with keeping within my allowance. I have 35 spare points that I can use throughout the week, so I am not in the danger zone yet, but for being just Monday---this is not good pace! Today I used 25.5 points and I did not work out. However, I did boxing on the Wii last night and my arms are soar. My heart rate was definitely up!

WW - screen shot

Matt's best friend is in town and we invited him and his business partner over for dinner and I made cookies. Oh dear!! Cookies are not good for when you are doing WW, but I am still in the game. I plan on working out really hard tomorrow to make up for it.

On my computer, my WW tracker is a bit fussy. If you double click on the photo it will enlarge and you can see it better.

Weigh-in day!

Today is weigh in day and I lost one pound.  They say that a healthy amount of loss is one or two pounds per week, and one pound per week has definitely been my average.  I did really well this week and that makes me feel really happy.  

This week may be a struggle because Matt's best friend is coming to visit and I'm sure that we will probably be eating out a few times.  I'll do my best!! 

One of the things that I absolutely love to eat in the mornings is an einstein blueberry bagel with cream cheese.  I decided to eliminate them from my diet this week mainly because they have so many points (and they cost money!) and when you use all of your points in the morning it makes for a tough day.  So, I have been eating instant quaker oatmeal (3 points) instead.  I feel so much better and have more energy in the morning and my stomach feels flat even after I eat.  I still love those blasted bagels- but I better hold off for a bit.  

I only worked out two times this last week, so I need to improve in that area for sure!

Food Journal

I did pretty good today!  I was invited to go to lunch with a bunch of girls that I work with and I when I decided to go- I was really worried that it was going to throw me off.  But..I made a good choice and kinda wished that I had just stayed and eaten what I had brought.  It would have saved a few pennies.  Because I was so worried about eating bad at lunch I ordered a plain ol' salad.  I make salads better than this one!  I don't think it was worth any points really.  Here is what I had today:

Quakers oatmeal:  3 points

Danon yogurt:  1 point

Salad:  1 point

York peppermint paddy: 3 points

Slim Fast Bar- 4 points (this was probably a stupid choice, but I was starving because my salad didn't last)

Smart One meal- 5 points (chicken and beans)

Spaghetti (whole wheat)- 4 points

Weight Watcher fudge bar- 1 point

Total:  22  (only one point over!!)

I didn't work out today, but every time I walked up all 50 of my stairs to get to my apartment I did it on my toes :-)  I might go do the Wii fit before bed.