Happy New Year!

Kevin invited another couple to join us for New Year's ... at 2 p.m. this afternoon!

So, I am in the midst of making a couple of snack trays and munchies for the night.

I decided to start the new year off right ...

Remember this? (Click for link!)

Well, tonight I've made the Yum Yum Brownie Muffins. Apparently they only have 181 calories! Ok, I'll be honest, mine will have more - mainly because I'm adding confetti icing to the top (hello, nothing says New Years like confetti)!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

2009 - Year in Review!

Because it's New Years Eve and because I'm a former journalist, I think it would be fitting to write up a Year in Review for the 50n50 fans!

Highlights from 50n50 from 2009!

1. Sept. 17: Natalie runs her BMI online and is described as "obese" and suddenly, a blog is born!

2. Sept. 18: Natalie hits up Borders and spends $60 on magazines and health books. The draft of a plan is started.

3. Sept. 21: The Plan is finalized and posted

4. Sept. 23: Renee officially joins as a Lady in Weighting!

5. Sept. 30: Abby officially becomes a Lady in Weighting!

6. Oct. 1: Jennifer joins the Ladies in Weighting!

7. Oct. 7: Tara enlists as a Lady in Weighting!

8. Oct. 20: Abby goes on the Injured Reserve list.

9. Oct. 21: Natalie announces loosing 2.5 inches from her waist!

10. Nov. 2: Natalie initiates Project: Good Gobble in an effort to serve a healthy Thanksgiving.

11. Nov. 3: Natalie reaches her first weight loss goal and fits into her smaller pants!

12. Nov. 10: Renee announces that her boyfriend asked where her butt went - woot!

13. Nov. 25: Natalie announces losing another inch and half from her waist - totaling 4 inches!

14. Nov. 26: Natalie survives Thanksgiving made for her boyfriend's parents.

15. December: Everyone gets busy and the blog loses activity. Bummer.

Here's to hitting our goals in 2010!!!

Oops

Isn't today Weigh Day?

I completely forgot!!! Needless to say, I didn't weigh.

I'll post a weight tomorrow.

Sorry, girls!

REDO!

I just stepped on Mom's digital scale six more times. The last three times it registered my weight as 188.

So, that's what I'm going with!

Just deserts

GRRR. I'm mad at myself, and I completely deserve it!

So, as usual today is Weigh Day ... and I now weigh 189.5 according to my mother's scale (I'm home for Christmas and really hoping her scale's calibration is different from mine at home!)

But it makes sense ... what did I think would happen after a week of fried chicken wings, pizza, Chinese food, McDonald's crispy chicken sandwiches on the road home? ... I was awful this past week.

Sure, Mom's scale may be a bit off, but I see it in my body. I gave myself the usual excuses:

"You are studying really hard. You deserve it."

"You're stressed out, it's no big deal."

"You're finally done with the semester, celebrate!"

"You're broke and someone else is buying, you can't say no."

But I could have said no. I should have said now. Now, I am officially 4 weeks behind.

Four weeks! That's practically a month.

Well, I have some free time. I'm throwing on my workout clothes and going for a run!

Where my girls at?

Sorry I have been so inactive the past couple of weeks ... my last final is Friday afternoon and after that I will be able to relax!

There is a spot on my couch that has what will probably be a permanent indentation of my butt. I have spent the past 12 days in that exact spot studying everything from circumstantial character evidence to theories of punishment, from malicious prosecution to breaches in contracts.

Needless to say, I am exhausted. I figure my brain is a close resemblance to the green jello mold my great grandmother used to bring to holiday gatherings. If I can make a low calorie version I just might make that for Christmas in honor of my poor brain.

Anyway, I took a quick step on the scale this morning since something in me reminded me Wednesdays are Weigh Days.

187. And to be honest, I'm glad to have maintained the same weight over the past two weeks. It's probably because I have been so broke that I haven't been able to buy groceries - so I've been eating what was already in the kitchen and whatever Kevin brings (he has taken pity on my plight ... and doesn't like to eat freezer burned meat). There aren't any snack foods so my sweet tooth has been denied.

So yeah, I have to get back to studying now ... but I figured I would take a moment to update the blog!

Hope everyone else is doing well!!!

Snow Day for Weigh Day

I have to skip my weigh day today ... I awoke to a winter wonderland aka COLD morning and jumped out of bed, got dressed and pumped my body with oatmeal and coffee.

Then I remembered it's Weigh Day.

I usually weigh myself second thing in the morning (before dressing, but after going to the bathroom to empty as much as I can). So, with my variables all messed up, I'm opting not to weigh today.

Also, I am in the midst of two weeks of finals ... I don't have any money, so I'm not really eating junk food. My boyfriend bought me a few groceries to get me through the week and was such a sweetie - he bought diet-friendly foods!

Last night, when the snow fell, we leashed up the dogs and took a walk. To buy me ice cream :-) But I only bought a pint and ate the official serving amount. Anyway, my point: I'm not eating a lot of junk, but I'm stressed so my choices aren't completely sound.

Ok, time to brave the roads to take my final ...

Slight derailing

So, with a pan full of left over turkey, I have been trying to find good recipes to hide that fact that it is the driest bird ever. On Friday, I made what I shall forever call Black Friday Pot Pie. I based it on the Hungry Girl Chicken Pot Pie recipe but used leftover stuffing and vegetables instead of crescent rolls and mixed veggies.

It was so tasty, I made it again Saturday!

However, last night and tonight pretty much ruined all of the work I put into cutting calories this Thanksgiving.

Not only have I just about finished all of Thursday's leftover macaroni and cheese (at 300 calories a serving, that is major derailment from the diet), but I ate waffle fries last night at the bar, and I went to CiCi's for dinner today! (By the way, CiCi's isn't as bad as I thought. I mean, I made it out of there only eating about 700 calories)

No worries, however, because I've made my lunch for tomorrow and am ready to get back on track!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

It finally feels like winter outside, which means the perfect running temperatures have gone the way of the colorful fall leaves. I've spent the entire weekend either shopping online or reading books for class. Tonight I got off my butt and pulled out my plethora of work out videos. Hmmm, what to do...yoga, pilates, yogilates, weight training, aerobics....so many choices.

I recently got one from Netflix, Jillian Michael: Banish Fat, Boost Metabolism (http://www.amazon.com/Jillian-Michaels-Banish-Boost-Metabolism/dp/B001NFNFN0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1259459536&sr=1-1). Sounds pretty good, right? I tried it for the first time tonight. It is awesome. It totally kicked my ass, in a good way :) It keeps you moving constantly without concentrating on any one area for too long. My only problem was there was a lot of jumping, which is difficult to do in my 100 yr old townhouse without annoying the hell out of the neighbors. Jillian Michael (of Biggest Loser fame) has several other videos that I'm excited to try.

How Splenda saved Thanksgiving

As we all know, I hosted my first full Thanksgiving yesterday for my boyfriend and his parents.

I've been stressing for weeks trying to work out a good menu of foods they would like that wouldn't break my diet.

I did it too. While it was a lot of calories, I managed to cut pretty much everything in half, calorie-wise.

While planning, I asked Kevin if there were any dietary restrictions I needed to take into consideration. He said his dad watches his cholesterol and doesn't like red meat or cheese. Cool, wasn't planning to use any of that any way.

So, I planned the menu. For my diet and his dad's cholesterol I subbed out the eggs with substitute and used Splenda instead of sugar. I also bought I Can't Believe It's Not Butter (no cholesterol).

Menu planned, ingredients bought, I was rocking.

His parents came and suddenly, the spotlight was on me as his mom watched me prepare the meal in the kitchen all morning.

Just as a way of making conversation, I said Kevin told me there weren't any diet restrictions I needed to accommodate for the meal. Then, she told me something no new hostess ever wants to hear.

"Well, I have diabetes."

WHAT?!?

All I can say is, THANK YOU SPLENDA!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope y'all all had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Monthly Measurements

Measurements taken today:
Weight: 186 lbs (Still on track!)
Waist: 36 inches (still not sucking in - That makes a total of 4 inches!)
Hips: 45.5 inches
Thigh: 27 inches
Upper Arm: 14 inches
Calf: 16.5 inches

Progress in some areas, no change in others. But hey, I'll take it!

With softball over, my exercise level has dropped. Now that my big paper is finished, I'd like to say I can put more time to working out, but finals are right around the corner. Here's hoping once my finals are over I can really hit it hard and carry that into the new semester.


Measurements taken October 21:
Weight: 191 lbs (on track is good, even if it's because I've been sick)
Waist: 37.5 inches (still not sucking in)
Hips: 46 inches (I've been playing catcher - lots of squatting)
Thigh: 28.5 inches (see above regarding the catcher gig)
Upper Arm: 14 inches
Calf: 16.5 inches (a real target area for me ... I HATE my killer calves!)

Measurements taken September 21:
Weight: 195 lbs (sigh)
Waist: 40 inches (not sucking in)
Hips: 47.25 inches (junk in the trunk, much?)
Thigh: 28.5 inches
Upper Arm: 15.5 inches
Calf: 17.25 inches (a real target area for me ... I HATE my killer calves!)

Thanksgiving Calorie Count

So, I've been calculating things for Thanksgiving ....

This is what I can expect (gulp):

Turkey: 212 calories
Dressing (aka stuffing): 114 calories
Macaroni and Cheese: 340 calories
Sweet Potatoes: 124 calories
Steamed Corn: 50 calories
Green Bean Casserole: 65 calories

Baked Apples: 70 calories
Pumpkin Mash: 65 calories

Total: 1040

And that doesn't even include the appetizers, rolls, gravy or cranberry sauce!!!

BUMMER. I was hoping to keep it around 700 calories. Well, these calculations are for full servings. With this much food, I definitely don't need full servings!

Just imagine how bad it would be if I wasn't cutting down on the fattening ingredients?!? YIKES.

Good to know the calorie counts when I eat the leftovers too ... after all, Thanksgiving cheating should only be allowed for one day!

Thanksgiving Diet Style

Ok, I'm ready to take on Thanksgiving.

Earlier this week I ironed out the menu and tonight dragged Kevin to the grocery store to get everything we need. It only cost $85 thanks to a great deal on the turkey.

My menu includes:

Appetizers:
- Fat-free cream cheese, Pickapeppa sauce and reduced-fat Wheat Thins (not cheap, but EASY!)
- Veggie platter (courtesy of Kevin's mom)

Main Meal:
- Turkey (when I saw one for $5 I lost all of my arguments against making an entire bird rather than just turkey breast)
- Corn Bread Dressing
- Lean Green Bean Casserole (Hungry Girl recipe that I changed up a bit)
- Bunna's Macaroni and Cheese
- Steamed Corn
- Cranberry Relish
- Watergate Salad (also provided by Kevin's mom)
- Crescent Rolls: 100 calories each

Dessert:
Crustless Pumpkin Pie
Soda-licious Baked Apples: 80 calories each

Basically, I am substituting sugar with Splenda and eggs with egg substitute. I also ought bars of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, but they only save on cholesterol and saturated fat (and that's ok!).

I am trying to stick to my family's traditions without changing their flavors too much. Tomorrow I hope to sit down and calculate the nutritional information for each dish I'm making in order to know what I'll be eating Thursday.

Surprise!

I'll be honest - I kinda forgot this morning was a Weigh Day. But when I remembered, I was bummed.

"There is no way I've lost any this week," I said to myself as I took off the clothes I'd already put on for the day and stepped on the scale.

I was already beginning to draft my blog explaining my weight gain over the week: stress from a big paper, boyfriend drama, depression, a dinner of lasagna at my professor's house last night. You know, the usual suspects.

So, imagine my surprise when the scale said 186! 186? I didn't think it was right, so I stepped off and stepped on again.

Yep, 186. Maybe I was reading it wrong? I got off again and looked at the long lines compared to the short ones and marked what should be 186 then stepped on the scale again.

186!

WOOHOO!!! By my calculations, this puts me ahead by a pound and that is handy with Thanksgiving being next week (MUCH more on that later).

Recipes

Recipes! Check these out!!!!!!

2-ingredient, guiltless foods!

I just made the soda-licious baked apples. I sprinkled some cinnamon and Splenda on top before I put them in the oven. The house smelled wonderful and they were pretty fancy for 80 calories!!!

Oh, and they tasted AMAZING!!!!

Frustrated leads to motivated.

Due to my injury, workouts have been slow. And the last week I have ate everything in sight. Not sure what is making me want to devour the entire contents of my fridge and pantry, but alas it is happening.

Maybe I'm pregnant.

Just kidding.

Ankle rehab is a much longer process than I care to deal with. But I'm chucking along. Tomorrow I plan on running 3 miles. which would be the longest yet. We'll see if it lets me go that far. I don't have full range of motion/flexibility in it right now, or a lot of strength. I just need to start working out again everyday.  And stop eating like my 8% body-fat-have-such-a-high-metabolism-that-I-put-off-heat boyfriend. 

On a very positive note, I got the job of a lifetime and I start two weeks from Sunday. So now that I have a different schedule, a regular schedule, it is time to set my marathon schedule as well. After all May 30th will come sooner than I like... and I need to get my mileage way way up. Time to get my fat ass back in shape. 

Just in time for the holidays.

(PS... I'll make an official announcement of when I start back with the weigh ins. I'm guessing after Thanksgiving probably... the day I start my new job. Goody goody.)

What do y'all think?

So, as I was undressing for my morning shower I happened to glance in the mirror. Please understand, this is something I usually avoid at all costs. A full-naked body shot is enough to send me into a spiraling fit of depression that lasts weeks.

But today it was different. My body is different.

Sure, I'm not nearly where I want to be, but there are enough changes that I hardly recognized myself! So, because I looked so much thinner today than, well, ever. And because I was disappointed by yesterday's weigh in, I decided to pull the scale back out.

188!!! That almost puts me back on track. I will let y'all decide if I get to count it and update my numbers on the blog.

Working lunch

From Twitter: @EatThisNotThat

TWEAT THIS at Domino's: 2 slices of Thin Crust Ham & Pineapple Pizza for 310 calories & 14 g fat!

I m staying home today working on a BIG paper ... and was just thinking about lunch. Two slices of pizza is perfect for lunch, however, there isn't really anyone here to share the rest of the pizza with me. And I'm thinking about the temptation that will hit later in the day ........

But really, it's either that or Ramen. And the pizza has fewer calories!

A step back

I gained a pound this week. :-(

I'm a bit bummed, but not surprised.

You can do side bends or sit-ups, but please don't lose that butt...

Like my profile says, I don't own a scale, so I will be measuring my success in different ways. I thought about that the other night when I was getting ready for bed. My boyfriend said something along the lines of "where did your butt go, I liked your butt"...So, after singing a few versus of Sir Mix Alot's Baby Got Back...I decided that must be a sign of success. Those 3 mile runs must be doing something for my butt :)

Sizing up the situation

At the beginning of the summer, Kevin and I joined a softball team that Kevin found through a Craigslist ad. Softball has been something we've done together since before we officially started dating. It's not like you can go wrong with camaraderie, sportsmanship and a little physical activity!

Sunny, the Green Monsters coach, sent out an email for shirt ideas. I sent her to CustomInk.com, a place I've used for softball shirts in the past. Sunny designed our "uniforms" and took orders for the shirts. I am familiar with the clothes CustomInk makes and know that they run a bit big (plus, I hate baggy t-shirts) so I ordered a medium.

The team all met just before the season began so that we could practice and see each other's skill levels. At that practice, we each paid $55 for our slots and shirts.

We were given our shirts at the first game. Sunny - a cute, skinny, bouncy cheerleader - brought me my shirt with words I will never forget. Handing me the medium I ordered, she said "I have a large left over if you want it instead."

Excuse me?

So, you can imagine my joy when I was handed a free shirt today and without me saying anything about my size, the girl looks at me and says "The smallest I have is a medium. Is that OK?"

I could have kissed her.

Paying for the weekend

Oh my goodness. I was bad this weekend.

I drank beer, ate REAL Doritos, made and ate authentic queso dip and even ate a dessert that wasn't low fat (Abby made it! And it was totally worth it!).

Basically, I fully expect to have gained a lot of weight this weekend.

It would have been worth it had KU beat K State. As it was, I just drowned my sorrows in bad food choices. Sigh.

At least the Cowboys won!!!

Housekeeping

Here is some technical mumbo jumbo ... I am working on making some updates to the blog. Might even be moving it over to wordpress (all of our entries and comments will be moved).

I'm wanting an easier way to be notified when someone posts a new entry and when we get comments.

Any thoughts???

Attitude

I've lost two pounds and the life struggles have been present throughout this entire attempt to regain my physical well being. At first, I hit the track full speed, trying to work off the weight. My weekly run was pitiful and I really can't go full speed after no activity. That's how I got shin splints for a week. This week, I did go diving, but hadn't been diving in two months. It's one of those things I typically do very well. I failed miserably and was completely out of shape.

So, now what? I'm cutting back a tiny bit on the food. I'm not counting calories. That won't stick for me now. I do know I just need to eat less, so that seems to help. I can have a piece or two of fried chicken once, but I put back the third piece and let myself just be full. I'm back to drinking a bit more water.

I guess, baby steps are where I'm at with this. My life is too complicated and full to let my physically maintain drastic changes. My emotions are wild enough on their own to not be compounded with full out physical stress at the moment. I also am trying to be active in the sense that I get things accomplished and reduce that stress. This means walking to the capitol for the second half of lunch and not going to sleep at 9. And so, this is why I feel my 2 lbs are completely unearned. Here's hoping moderation will develop into momentum.

Wednesday's Weigh In

Jennifer and I both lost another pound this week!!!

And yes, Jennifer, you do deserve credit for it. If there was one time when you took the stairs instead of the elevator, or said no to an office cookie or chose the side salad over the fries - then you totally deserve credit for losing that pound!

I haven't gotten updates from anyone else in a couple weeks. Hope it's going well for y'all too!!!

Downsized!!!

I'VE GONE DOWN A SIZE IN PANTS!!!! How's that for maintaining motivation?

That means I've reached my first goal - WOOHOO!!!

Project: Good Gobble

I just had a thought. Since I'm all about small goals, I thought it might be interesting to focus our collective weight loss sights to the immediate future and concentrate on getting through the holidays.

We are all about to face the usual food challenges stuffed in the Thanksgiving turkey and Christmas cookies. However, this year is different for all us - we now have each other!

How about we each set a a goal to get us through the holidays? If we start now, we have 8 weeks of holiday wonders to endure. So, for Nov. 4-Jan. 6 I think we should each set up a plan to help us stick with our goals.


MY PLAN:
I don't want to miss out on the pleasures of pumpkin pie and egg nog, but I also don't want to negate the hard work I've put into the past 6 weeks. Since my overall goal is to lose one pound a week (duh), I think I can easily stick to it. That means I need to focus on losing only 8 pounds between now and New years - totally doable!

I will weigh 181 pounds on Jan. 6.

I'm going to continue with the calorie counting, but add in (some) more exercise to balance with the extra eating. I will also have to balance out my calories. Currently, I allow about 1300 calories Sunday-Thursday and 1500 on Friday and Saturday. However, for the holiday weeks, I am going to focus on the entire week, rather than each day. That gives me 9500 calories for the weeks of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years (how many calories are in champagne???). Again, totally doable!

So, what's your plan???

Interesting NYTimes blog from a couple of years ago that is somewhat encouraging ... sort of.


Totals: 1,390 calories 163.5 carbs 37 fat 109 protein

Hostess without the Mostest (calories, that is!)

At the risk of sounding like my mother, I can't believe it's already November!

With that comes the start of holiday dining. Yikes. Do you have a plan?

Luckily, I am hosting Thanksgiving for my boyfriend's parents this year (doesn't really feel like luck, but I'm trying not to freak out) and this gives me quite a bit of control over the menu. I'm not changing the name of any of the basics, but I will be cutting every calorie I can!

I am looking for recipes, so please, send 'em my way!!!

Happy Halloween!

How did you handle the temptation of Halloween????

Wednesday's Weigh In

Well, I lost a pound - yay!

But I'm sick - again. It's like I've been sick since starting this endeavor - and that's not good. There is no room for sickness in law school.

I've never been a fan of vitamin pills because I think a healthy diet should give us the vitamins we need, but I'm thinking of adding a multivitamin to my day.

I've got to do something. I'm making a doctor's appointment for tomorrow, but I'm open for suggestions.

A nagging sagging

A side effect of weight loss that I never really thought about before: My panties are too big!!!

It's the funniest thing, really. Since I haven't officially gone down a size in pants, it didn't occur to me that my underwear would stop fitting anytime soon. Afterall, I've worn the same size drawers my entire adult life, no matter how many times I've lost weight!

But alas, the elastic for my undies barely touches my waist! (And they are all relatively new - I try to buy new ones every other month or so, for hygiene purposes.)

It's most annoying at night. I roll over in bed and my panties stay behind. Then I get all twisted up! But it's annoying during the day too ... when I'm walking through the library and feel my undies inching their way down. The only way to fix it is to dig inside my pants and hitch 'em up. Try doing that subtly in the stacks!

Too bad I can't afford Victoria's Secret anymore ... off I go to Target for a multi-pack of Hanes!

P.S. Yesterday wasn't the greatest of food days, although I didn't go out to eat. I made soup at home, kind of from scratch. I used chicken broth, black beans, Spanish rice, corn, chicken and green chilies and my own spice mix of cumin, red pepper and chili powder. It was yummy, but I know it was insanely high in sodium. Also, I'm pretty sure I went over in my calorie allowance, but I don't want to calculate it.

Check it!

Perhaps I should get back to studying ...

A sixth Lady!

Big welcome to Rose, a new Lady in Weighting!!!

Rose and I used to work together in Killeen. She was part of the girls who inspired me to research the concept of a Ladies in Weighting blog. Since I finally got it off the ground, I thought it only fitting to invite her!

I'll let Rose tell you all about her life and her goals.

High Hopes

Ok, last week was a rough one for me. I was exhausted, sick, depressed and had a hard time fighting cravings.

This week, however, is already starting off better. First off, I went to the grocery store Thursday. I can't say enough about how important the grocery store is to feeling good and eating right - at least for me.

The thing I love most about having a house full of groceries is the control it gives me over my diet. I know exactly what is in everything that I make, you know?

Last week everything was out of whack. No groceries and no time to go shopping meant a lot of eating out ... I did my best to be good about it, but as I say, how do I know what happens in someone else's kitchen? At school, I ate a lot of salads for lunch ... and am now saladed out - and broke.

So, I left Kevin's house early and spent the evening unwinding. I took a nice shower, packed my lunch (finally cut up celery so I have fresh veggies!), prepped the coffee maker to start at 6:50 and have all of the readings ready for my classes tomorrow.

It's now 9:30 and I've got "50 First Dates" playing in the dvd player (best marriage proposal EVER!) and I'm sipping my sleepy time tea.

Tomorrow is going to be a great day and it will start a great week. I am (finally) getting my car registered Tuesday, working on a big paper Thursday and Friday and getting my class outlines going all week. I love feeling in control of my to-do list instead of it controlling me.

I hope everyone else is ready for a great week, too!!!!!

Bottomless Pit?

I have issues.

For some reason, today, my stomach was a bottomless pit. Seriously, at one point, I caught myself actually dipping my fingers into a cup of ranch and licking it off. Twice.

It was date night and I've had a horribly long and stressful week and I just couldn't be bothered being picky. But still I managed to order a grilled chicken sandwich (with pineapple, Swiss cheese and teriyaki sauce. I also had a side salad rather than fries. So, I did pretty well, I guess.

But then we went to the movies and I got a 16 ounce icee and small popcorn. Now I'm home and just ate an orange. And I can't forget the cookies that I keep munching as I walk through the kitchen.

My roommate made 6 dozen cookies for the homeless, took them to her students to decorate, hated the decorations and brought them home and set them on the kitchen table. There is no longer 6 dozen.

Seriously, one of you needs to intervene and lock me in my bedroom. Stat.

Catching up

I've been catching up from a month or so of chaos and my inbox is manageable, my tasks are getting accomplished, and dilemmas are working themselves out. I almost got coaxed into finishing more things, but know I must take a break and keep the activities diverse, so I stuck to my calendar and went running. I ran for :25, falling short of my :30 goal, but rode myself hard at a 6.5 pace. The treadmill says I went 3 miles, but I don't think that's possible. I think it must miscalculate distance because when I hit the trail, I swear it's only a mile for the same time.

During my run, I have all these revelations and thoughts about accomplishing things, which usually digresses into counting the minutes and time and keeping the run going.

What's more? I do believe I run again tomorrow. I think this is the most consistent workout I'll have had since we started this program. Maybe I'll finally lose a pound, but not if the peanut butter cupcake does any talking.

Craving

Oh my goodness.

I want a cookie.

BADLY.

To no real credit

I'm super encouraged by Natalie's measurements! Way to go.

I haven't measured, but will presume I have lost no inches. However, it's been a complicated month. I'm supposed to resume running tomorrow. A mile is about all the distance I'm managing, but I'll have to hit the treadmill as it's raining.

I really enjoyed reading Abigail's post and am sorry about the ankle.

So without adieu, I weigh in today at 153.5 … the first time. I was so excited, I weighed again after showering at 154. Doh. I cheated and weighed Monday at 156, so, I suppose that's better?

Yogurt and fruit has been awesome in the morning. I feel tired and my throat is still sore in the mornings. I'm down to little food. I think part of the key, is eating whatever I want as long as it is not eating out. Eating out seems so bad. I had Mexican food for lunch the other day :(. I'm making it a Whole Foods lunch tomorrow. The good news is that I'm catching up on all the "to do's." The bad news is that every time I get close to finishing my list, I freak out and feel directionless. I'm hoping the exercise can be sustained.

Tape measure and scale

I can take no credit whatsoever.

Yes, I didn't lose another pound, but I didn't gain any either! This, however, is only because I have been sick the past two days and haven't eaten much. Clearly it made up for my four days of BAD CHOICES.

I went ahead to tracked my measurements since it's been a month and feel pretty good after reading them.

Measurements taken September 21:
Weight: 195 lbs (sigh)
Waist: 40 inches (not sucking in)
Hips: 47.25 inches (junk in the trunk, much?)
Thigh: 28.5 inches
Upper Arm: 15.5 inches
Calf: 17.25 inches (a real target area for me ... I HATE my killer calves!)

Measurements taken today:
Weight: 191 lbs (on track is good, even if it's because I've been sick)
Waist: 37.5 inches (still not sucking in)
Hips: 46 inches (I've been playing catcher - lots of squatting)
Thigh: 28.5 inches (see above regarding the catcher gig)
Upper Arm: 14 inches
Calf: 16.5 inches (a real target area for me ... I HATE my killer calves!)

In guy world, losing 2.5 inches from your waist would mean you wear a smaller size ... but in girl world not losing anything in your thighs means you have to just tighten your belt.

I don't really know how they calculate overall inch loss. Do I get to say I lost 6 inches of body fat (if you add it up I did) in the past month?

Injury and Ben & Jerry's

So I've been a lax member of the ladies in weighting. I haven't been trying to lose weight. I haven't been working out. In fact, I haven't done a whole lot of anything lately. And here is why:

Three weeks ago Clod (my 7 month old boxer puppy) pulled me off the porch with his leash and I ripped up my ankle. A severe lower sprain, I couldn't walk very well for two weeks, it turned awesome shades of purple and yellow and just a few days ago I attempted running for the first time. I made it a mile. Which is depressing considering I was running 10 before.

Josh has bought me 4 pints of Ben & Jerry's in the last two weeks to ease the pain. I haven't gained any weight but have realized that I can't keep attacking those glorious little pints much longer. Or my ass will be the size of Utah.

And two days ago, Josh qualified for the Boston Marathon. I stood there at the finish line on Sunday freezing my catoozies off and crying as he made his time. And I realized that I need to get up to that point. I need to get my ankle rehab-ed and my ass back in shape. So I'm signing up to run the Burlington Vermont Marathon in May. Which means that the next month or so I'll be just working on strengthening my ankle, and then upping my mileage.

So if you ladies will please permit me a month or so to get back in the groove, I will once again resume my 20 in 20. But for now I need to concentrate on getting my ankle back. Then I'll lose all the weight you want.

Much love.

Damage control

Ok, the vacation is over ... and it's time to get back on track.

We just finished our fall break and, as I mentioned earlier, mine included a visit from my mom and one of her friends. As part of this, I found myself eating turkey barbecue, tandoori pizza, sweet potato chips galore and fried chicken. YIKES!!!

Then, I spent Saturday driving to Dallas for a wedding - enter road trip food (I tried to be good, lunch included Subway!) and a lot of caffeine. Add in the wedding food (wasted calories if you ask me!) and the wedding cake ... then the trip back.

Between worrying about Mom's visit, driving them around, the dash to Dallas, a late softball game last night and hours spent worrying about my diet, a serial rapist in the neighborhood, and the people from my past that might be at the wedding (but weren't), I am exhausted from my fall break. Is it any wonder I turned my alarm off this morning and didn't wake up until noon? Oops.

So, today I'm back to calorie counting. Egg whites for "breakfast" and coffee with fat-free creamer. Also, I am packing my gym bag and planning to check out the rec facilities at school tomorrow afternoon. I'll elaborate on that more tomorrow. Right now, I'm heading back to bed ...

Vacation for whom? My Diet?

I am hosting a couple of visitors from Big D (Dallas) and am thrown for what to do diet-wise.

Basically, Mom and a friend are in town and I am showing them around. Kansas City is known for barbecue, so I took them to Gates (very famous for it's meat), first. I ordered a turkey sandwich and didn't eat the bun. However, I am guilty of eating about 10 fries.

For dinner we went to Grinders, a dive that has been featured on Food Network for it's Bengal Tiger pizza (tandoori chicken and crab smothered in cheese). The boyfriend was never willing to try it with me, but my mom and her friend were, so we split a pizza.

I used napkins to soak up as much grease as I could ... after ten napkins I gave up. At least it was good. I can't even begin to guess the calorie count!

I weighed myself this morning and, yes, I gained that pound back.

Mom is in town for two more days - then I am headed to Dallas for a wedding. Heaven help me.

Getting back on track

What in the world have I been up to? Let's try a trip to Memphis for a nonstop conference from which I return sick with fever and sinus. I'm finally better today, with a night of rest to complete my wellness. Then, I can begin again and hop on the track, at least for a walk. I'm in no hurry to bring back the fever.

I only ate three meals in Memphis, two of which were fried chicken, but am thinking the stress and dehydration did not help my weight. Moreover, I returned to an astounding list of things. Among these were running around getting lights for photographing the governor today, holding an Executive Board meeting for AIGA, getting on track with emails, and watching my brother perform in the UT Orchestra.

I'm just now completing some of my work. One of my tasks has finally been pulled off my responsibility list, but the desk full of papers is evidence of chaos and I still have piles of my grandma's things in my house. The steam cleaner did pick up my attitude. I get quite depressed if my house is out of sorts, and it surely is. The laundry pile isn't contributing to positivity. I'll tackle it after I walk the pup.

I appreciate everyone's support and really hope I can effect change on my body. The pudge and battle of clothing was unappreciated today with the governor's photo shoot.

Mixed Emotions

Even though I lost another pound this week, I am bummed!

Three of my fellow Ladies have not lost any weight yet! Time for sister-support!

What I think is working for me:

Blog your weight away: I really think that this blog is big part of what's working for me. By constantly writing about my diet changes and choices, I am reminded of my goal. It is always there in the back of my mind. Feel free to blog as much as you want. It's nice knowing someone is there reading your struggles and offering tips and encouragement!

Be aCOUNTable: I've already offered the credit up to my new habit of counting calories. When I know I'm going to face a high calorie meal, like date night, I practice going low calorie in other meals or the days before or after. Just give it a try for a couple of weeks. I was really surprised at how it worked.

Second Nature Hike: While this is a huge part of my life right now, I'm hoping that it will someday be second nature. I really think that holding myself accountable through this blog (and my Ladies!) is part of the path I need to take to make this a natural lifestyle for me.

My first week showed no weight-loss and I'm sure that within the next 46 weeks there will other weeks of no-loss. I want this to be enjoyable for all of us. Joining this group was the first step. Now, let's hold hands and help each other reach our goals.

Do you have some small goals that can help you along your path? Is it fitting into last year's smaller jeans? Is it getting to buy new clothes? It is running your first 5k? Blog about it! Tell us that small goal and describe it as you go for it. You've got cheerleaders right here (and you know I love to cheer!!!)

Weigh to go, Team!!!!

It all counts

So, I started this thing hoping I could stop counting calories a month or so into it ... but now, I'm changing my mind!

I will admit that I am slightly calorie obsessed and have instructed the boyfriend to bonk me on the head when it becomes too annoying. However, I can't argue with the results. I have been consistently keeping my caloric intake below 1300 calories for the past 8 days. On weekends I let myself go to 1500 calories a day.

I truly suggest everyone try it out for a month. You will be surprised by how much you learn, not only about yourself, but about your habits and ways to create new habits.

What I use to track my calories

It really keeps me conscious of what I'm putting in my mouth when I track it after each meal! Plus, when I've gone a few days that week at, say 1100 calories, I know I can splurge a bit on date night (just a bit, of course!).

This week's date night took us to a local Mexican restaurant. I talked with the server, who also happens to be on a diet, as Renee suggested I do. She helped me by telling me the different ways I could order. I surprised her by ordering my veggie burrito with no sauce. She seemed genuinely concerned. But I explained that I planned to douse it in salsa - and it was YUMMY!

Saturday was my non-fat, fat-girl day. This means I stayed in bed most of the day watching cheesy romantic comedies and snacked. Instead of ice cream, however, I ate grapes. Instead of pizza, I bought Lean Pockets (but I didn't end up eating them). And I had baked tortilla chips and salsa on hand in case I got a salt craving - didn't want much of those either. Basically, the trick is to be prepared ahead of time so that you don't succumb to temptation or laziness.

Finally, Sunday was tailgate day! Bless the boyfriend for buying turkey brats just for me. The beer took me up, as did the gas station hot chocolate (nutrition info conveniently unavailable!) in my numbers, but overall, I think I kept it pretty reasonable (sauerkraut on brat - only 5 calories for 2 tablespoons!!!) Because the tailgate was before a noon game, I just grabbed a banana for breakfast and enjoyed the early lunch. Also, I know I burned a lot of calories cheering on the Cowboys!

My own 5k.

You girls are really inspiring me with all of this 5k talk!

My issue, however, is a bit silly.

If you were completely broke, would you take out a loan to sign up for your 5k? Everything I do is on loans. Based on my calculations, spending $25 to run a 5k will end up costing me ~$65 in interest and stuff (this is my new thought process about any money I spend in order to maintain financial fitness). So, I need a solution.

Here is my thought - I'm going to organize my own 5k!!! I'm going to set a date, invite my friends and take it from there. I know it won't go to a charity, unless others want to donate, but I am (sadly!) not in a place where I can feasibly donate to a charity right now ... OH WAIT!!! I've got it!!!

We run the 5k and make the end point a volunteer situation, that way we donate our time!!!

ABBY: Interested in this??? I know you have connections in the KC non-profit world!!! I think mid-December (after finals) will be the best time. What are your thoughts?

Bring on the 5k...

I have signed up for two 5k runs in November. Count that...1...2. They are both fundraisers for great causes. This is my first time running a 5k (that's 3.1 miles, in case you aren't a math whiz)...I've walked them before, but never ran. I think its a great motivator to get out and train. So far I've been running 3 miles at least 3 days a week. The idea that I have to do it in a big crowd with a lot of people watching will definitely keep me motivated to keep it up.

Weigh Day, week 3

Today is weigh day! I hope you had a great week. Mine was full of ups and downs, but it's all good because ....

I lost another pound!!!

I hope this endeavor is proving successful for y'all, too. I really can't tell you how excited I am that my friends from across the country are joining me in this. I really look forward to your blog posts and comments.

On that note, with the holiday season coming up wouldn't it be fun to share some recipes (diet friendly or not, I crave baking!)???


Here is yet another Hungry Girl recipe and I am dying to try it!!!!

Wayne's Pumpkin Smash

PER SERVING (1 piece, 1/9th of recipe): 65 calories, <0.5g fat, 81mg sodium, 12g carbs, 1g fiber, 7g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 1*


Ingredients:
One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin
One 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk
1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, and mix thoroughly.

Place mixture in a baking dish (8" X 8" works well) sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. (It will remain a little soft, like pie filling.)

Once ready to serve (it's delicious eaten hot or cold), cut into 9 pieces.

Serve and enjoy!

MAKES 9 SERVINGS

Signs of change

You can call me Droopy Drawers.

I noticed it as I was walking into school today. The crotch of my pants was hanging half way to my knees!

I'm not going to go so far as to say that I have already gone down a size, but maybe it's close! That is my first achievement: to fit into my cute size 14 jeans. I hate wearing my stupid Lane Bryant Plus Size Mom Jeans. Blech!

Looks like I'm on my way!!! Yay!

On a side note, the Laughing Cow cheese breakfast is not agreeing with me. I forget I'm lactose intolerant because I just naturally don't eat much dairy (save ice cream, of course). Well, eating cheese every day is proving a problem. Looks like it's time for another solution to the quick breakfast.

Bready, set, NO!

So, I made a mistake in my food today ... you'll laugh, but trust me, there was meaning to my madness.

I went to McAlister's Deli for lunch today and, before ordering, asked to see their nutrition information. Yeah, they directed me to their Website. So, I was on my own and, well, didn't make the greatest decision.

I know it sounds weird, but I chose the BLT, no dressing. Why? Because even though bacon is high in sodium and each slice has about 3 grams of fat, it isn't too bad, calorie-wise. Ok, so where did I go wrong? The bread! It was 500 calories all by itself. How crazy is that??? I honestly didn't even think about it. I just ate the bread that was written on the menu.

Maybe I should print out the nutrition info for my common eateries. Couldn't hurt right? Also, I need to be keeping track of my calories throughout the day. Had I known how bad that bread was, I wouldn't have opened the beer I am currently finishing.

At least tomorrow is a new day and yesterday wasn't so bad!

Totals: 1,800 calories 245 carbs 49 fat grams 79 protein

Do I or Don't I?

So, it's the end of the night .. I'm settled in after a loooong day of school and judging a high school debate tournament. I've had less than 1300 calories and I really want ice cream.

So, I'm at a fork (no pun intended) in the proverbial road. Do I get ice cream, knowing it will only put me at 1450 calories, still below 1500. Or don't I?

I had four cookies today, so really, I've had my sweets (there was a hospitality room at the debate tourney - full of cookies and such. I'm proud I only ate four!). But still, I want ice cream.

I'm in my pajamas ... snuggled in bed, but I can't get the idea of ice cream out of my head.

I have another day of debate tomorrow - more hospitality room ... but it's in the morning and if I make myself breakfast before leaving, I should be able to resist.

So, really ... do I or don't I?

No appetite

Yesterday was a bad day. Not food-wise, but emotion-wise. Luckily, it wasn't a day when I tried to eat my sorrows away. Instead, my appetite disappeared.

This only happens during the REALLY, REALLY bad times (feeling better now, it was a brief episode brought on my female woes).

I lost 20 pounds last time - and when I came out of that downward spiral I discovered bones I never knew I had! Since then, I have found happiness again and have thus gained the weight back. But I look at the photos from that time and despite the ever-present frown on my face, I love looking at my body!

Most of that 20 pounds was lost because I went days without eating. Also, I smoked. A lot. And last night, I broke down and bought a pack of cigarettes. I only smoked 3.5, but felt pretty crappy about it. Of course, smoking affects metabolism and probably assisted in my weight loss last time. I don't plan on picking up the habit again, but I will admit it's tempting.

I can only imagine how great it will be when I've lost 50 pounds!

Totals: 640 calories 90 carbs 22 fat grams 38 protein

"Excruciatus"

Day 1. To quote Harry Potter, an excruciatus curse was executed on me. The first day out is both easiest and most painful. It is easy because you don't yet hurt from your previous day's exercise and hardest because you are fighting mental and physical limitations. Everything jiggles in all the wrong places and you are self aware of this plight and wonder how badly you look. Of course, if you think about when you see others working out, you never laugh or think, "Look at that person. They look awful." You instead commend them for exercising and perhaps feel a twinge of "I should be doing that."

I am a chronic see-saw exerciser. Each time I get aboard with a routine and return to a vaguely familiar figure, I roll back into my no less than intimidating schedule and am hit with some tragic need that pulls me away from exercising for months at a time. As I get older, this gets harder on me. It no longer takes the two weeks to return to a pristine shape. Instead, it takes months.

What draws me to Natalie's inspiring blog is that this is a real life program with a good friend who is committed to the same goal and acknowledges all of our many daily struggles. I'm going to be a little gender biased also and say that somehow, I feel our lives are far more complicated and stressful as female professionals. We are expected to work harder than counterparts, deal with the aftermath of counterparts, and all while multitasking our brains out.

I was on the road to becoming healthful with rigorous scuba diving, when I became the sole caretaker of my grandma while maintaining my already daunting schedule. The past month has been stressful and consisted of little physical exertion. I'm trying to maintain presidency of our local chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design and trying to remain well employed. I have a dog with a mind of his own, who must accompany me on runs in all the many directions he pulls in. That creates serious consequences to my momentum.

And so with that, I join the 50 in 50 group weighing in at 154 lbs with an initial goal to lose 20 lbs.

My shirts are in!!!

The shirts are in!!! I am thrilled. Now, I have no excuse left regarding the workouts - except that pesky issue I have finding the time.

Speaking of time, I have been so busy with my drama that I forgot about the scheduled picnic dinner for my contracts class tonight - featuring fried chicken provided by the professor. Well, I didn't exactly plan lunch and breakfast around the idea of eating fried chicken. And, I didn't feel comfortable not eating the chicken because the prof sat right next to me! So, I just grabbed the smallest wing I could and went with it. Overall, it was ok - I kept the day below 1500 calories. However, I wasn't full after the dinner and had to have yogurt as a snack later in the evening.

Speaking of yogurt, I tried having yogurt with a splash of granola for breakfast yesterday and it just didn't cut it. I ate at 7 and was hungry by 10. Not to mention, it was almost 200 calories! No, no, no. Monday's breakfast was Laughing Cow cheese spread on toast. Much fewer calories and it kept me fairly full. Next time I might add a piece of meat or egg, but the granola yogurt is definitely not making the cut!


Speaking of breakfast, I tried Renee's Egg McMuffin idea today - sort of. I ordered it without the cheese and with a slice of tomatoes. It was super tasty!!! The tomato kept it from being dry. I was in a hurry so it was the perfect solution.


Totals: 1,486 calories 189 carbs 45 fat 77 protein

Abby's Start Date!

First off, let me say that I have done the big weight loss goal before.

My senior year of college I showed up (after a long fattening summer back east) tipping the scales at 198.5 lbs.  It was the biggest I had ever been. My face was round, my middle pudgy, and I couldn't fit in to a bridesmaids dress that I had been fitted for nearly 3 months prior. Something had to be done, and something had to be done quickly.

So I did the Weight Watchers point system with my roommate. And over the course of the next semester, I lost 35 lbs.  

Now, nearly 5 years later I've decided to keep going on my quest to lose some poundage. I was never completely happy being in the 160s range. I mean, I'm not huge like I used to be, but I could sure as hell be a lot fitter and leaner. With my boyfriend running marathons and having only 8% body fat, there comes a time when a girl has to say enough is enough... I need to be hotter.

Thus I begin my second quest to lose weight. And I start it the day before I turn 27. But instead of Nallie's broad stroke, I'm going to go 20lbs in 20 weeks. I even have the logo to prove it. :) My last weigh in: February 17, 2010.

So my official weight today is:

169.5lbs

That means since graduation from college I've only gained 6lbs... not too shabby. But it is time to be that lean runner that I want to be. I'll be keeping track of my pounds, inches, and miles as we go along... 

See you all at the finish line.

Weigh Day!

Hello my friends ... guess what today is ... Weigh Day!

I lost two pounds!!!

That's right. I'm on track my ladies and STOKED!

If the walk of a thousand miles starts with a single step, then the loss of 50 pounds starts with that first one lost. Yippee!

I have to be honest, however. I was pretty surprised to see the weight loss because yesterday was a BAD DAY.

My car keys were stolen and it was a huge hassle to get that sorted and I was just so upset that I totally screwed the diet by ordering fried pickles and french fries with my dinner. Yes, I used food to make me feel better. And, as we all know, it isn't a good idea.

Being honest, I didn't feel bad (and still don't). Eating fatty foods didn't make me feel good, but allowing myself a meal to relax and not worry about potential calorie-count did help me feel better.

(As a side note, fried pickles aren't as bad for you as you might think - the pickle, unlike a potato, doesn't absorb the oil.)

Anyway, you can imagine my trepidation this morning as I stepped on the scale. And, my surprise as it stopped at ...... 193!!!

I have had some pretty low-cal days this past week so it looks like they balanced with last night's cheat. I still don't feel bad about my dinner. I felt bloated after, and the grease didn't settle well with my stomach. But I truly enjoyed the escape from the responsibility I feel in choosing "good" food.

Lesson learned? A night's escape from the diet isn't a terrible thing. However, it can't be too frequent and has to balance with several low-cal days (probably better if they are before the splurge night).


Tuesday Totals: 1,992 calories 255 carbs 72 fat 85 protein (note that it was hard to accurately calculate the calories for some of the bad foods ... I'm guess it was worse than this)

Football Fave

So, yesterday the Kansas City Chiefs played the Philadelphia Eagles. This rarely happens apparently, so I decided to do something special.

Taking a page from Hungry Girl (literally), I made a variation of her Philly cheesesteaks that I now call Philly Chiefs Steaks!

The Chiefs may have lost (and did we really expect them to win?), but the sandwiches definitely rocked it!

Instead of using green peppers, we went a bit themey and added red and yellow to the mix. Also, I am not a fan of "American cheese" so I used a fat-free Swiss. It was a plethora of taste AND colors! All for only 300 calories. Not bad really - and most of those came from the bread.

I just had the leftovers - sans bread - and it was still super tasty!

The Cowboys play tonight (WOOOOO) ... any suggestions for dinner?

Yesterday's Totals: 1,060 calories 138 carbs 29 fat grams 62 protein

Chew the right thing

It's been a pretty crazy weekend, let me tell you.

Mid-morning Friday I won a free, last-minute trip to Dallas - THAT NIGHT.

So, class ended and I had to rush home, scarf down lunch and head to the airport.

Lunch consisted of a hotdog with leftover turkey chili (from the Hungry Girl nacho recipe I made the night before - I do not recommend it as a meal. A party snack, maybe, but it is HARD to only eat their serving size). Dinner consisted of a sandwich bought at the airport while waiting for my delayed flight. The sandwich didn't contain nutrition info, so I had to guess.

Luckily, I did pretty well. The only options were Wolfgang Puck sandwiches and I went with the ham and Swiss. I only ate the bread for half of the sandwich, so I saved a lot of calories there I think (not to mention fat from the dressing smeared on the bread).

Then, once I landed in Dallas it was a mad dash to the Taylor Swift concert and lots of dancing ensued. Followed by drinks with one of the radio show djs.

Overall, I did pretty well, I think.

Yesterday, I met with an old friend for breakfast (egg white and veggie omelet with fruit!) and then had lunch with my mom (salad, no dressing).

I just entered in the foods and calculated my calories and am excited to know that I didn't go over at all! This is awesome because it means I am pretty good at making the "right" choices. Yay!


Friday:
Totals: 1,655 calories 167 carbs 49 fat grams 92 protein

Saturday:
Totals: 1,553 calories 224 carbs 40 fat grams 89 protein

Updates...

I ran three times this week, three miles each time...that's a total of 9 miles! That's a long way to run. Grace came with me and loved every minute of it. I didn't reward myself with a huge bowl of ice cream like I really wanted to...I had a small bowl (teeny tiny) of ice cream and rewarded Grace with a huge portion of canned dog food which is a big treat for her (and I love it because I get to spoil my baby). I think I'm going to try to work some hiking in this weekend. Has anybody tried The Biggest Loser workouts? They are pretty awesome...a major workout and everybody has a little junk in the trunk so you don't feel so bad about your own junk. Have a great weekend!

Pot luck indeed!

OMG I just made the GREATEST low-fat/low-cal dinner!!!

I found it in my Hungry Girl cook book and had most of the ingredients (popped to the store for the rest) ...

It's been chilly and I wanted something warm and homey - namely, chicken pot pie. But those things have like a million calories and half a million fat grams (more like 50 fat grams, but yikes!).

Enter Hungry Girl's Pot Luck recipe:



SO FREAKIN' GOOD! I recommend this to anyone. My roommate ate some about an hour after I went to my room for hte night and loved it so much she texted me to tell me how great it was.

A definite keeper, my ladies! Oh and only 210 calories a serving! How awesome is that???



Totals: 1,334 calories 172 carbs 46 fat grams 74 protein

I'm lovin it!

Wanna know what I learned today?

Well, besides the proper use of circumstantial character evidence in a criminal case, I learned that the Egg McMuffin and Sausage Burrito from McDonald's are only 300 calories!!!

So, let's add that to my list of pre-approved fast food (VERY important for my busy-as-heck lifestyle)!

Woot!

P.S. I don't like the cheese slices McDonald's uses, so that makes it even fewer calories!

Drum roll .... 195

Ok, today is weigh day!

And I didn't lose a pound.

BUT THAT'S OK!!! Honestly, I didn't expect to and I'll tell you why.

As I have said, I haven't felt the need to make many different choices regarding my food.

Sure, it's a bit disappointing, but I completely understand it.

I am still working to develop my habits regarding food choices. That is step one. Once I can add the exercise in (oh my goodness, how will I find the time???) things should really turn around!

Also, it is important to note that a single pound won't be lost every week. In fact, weight can fluctuate by a couple of pounds in just a few hours! I'll weigh in again later today to see if there is a difference.

Good food day

Today, I opened one of my new cook books - Hungry Girl and decided to make a recipe from within. I already had some ground turkey thawed so I decided to make sloppy joes, steamed broccoli and baked onion rings.

Hungry Girl's recipe used Fiber One cereal as the breading for the onion rings. This really freaked me out. So, I went online and found a recipe that used bread crumbs. Overall, the rings were only 169 calories a serving! Admittedly, the batter was pretty bland, but I have some ideas for next time.

Also, today is National Ice Cream Cone Day! So, Kevin and I went to McDonald's for a cone (only 150 calories and 3.5 grams of fat). Woot!

What a good food day!

Totals: 1,689 calories 264 carbs 38 fat 88 protein

My Common Issues

What are some of the issues you have with sticking on a diet?

For me it is the following:

Peter, Peter Pumpkin Drinker: Not only do I love coffee, but I LOVE coffee shops. My particular weakness right now is Pumpkin Spice Lattes. How can I get this quickly and sans major calories?

I looked online and found a few recips that suggest adding a dash of pumpkin space to your coffee. Can it really be this simple???


Dinner on the Orient Express: At least once every other week, I love to order Chinese food. I'm either too lazy to cook or just have a craving. I hear Kung Pao chicken is good because it's steamed, however there is often a heavy sauce that concerns me. So, what should I order?

Date night: My boyfriend and I eat out at least once a week. This is not something I want to give up, so I need to pre-plan and figure out the smart choices to make. We don't go to chain restaurants much so nutritional information is usually not available. What are some safe choices (and please don't say dinner salad)?


Beer and loathing: Another thing my boyfriend and I enjoy is tasting beers. I don't drink to get drunk, I drink to savor flavor. Basically, I stick to one beer whenever we go out to dinner. But what beers are safe? I don't drink Bud, Coors or Miller if I can help it. Looks like I need to make a list of beers and their calories and take it with me when we go out. Hmmm. One note: I drink beer during football games - how can you not? But, most of the time we make buffalo wings for dinner and I was shocked to find out how low calorie and low fat buffalo wings are! Yay!

Today's menu

I can't stop eating tonight!

Oh my goodness, what is wrong with me?

There has been a chocolate cake sitting on the counter for three days - and today I finally caved.

I had 4 bites - two of which had frosting. And it was good.

TO be honest, I don't feel too bad about the foods I'm eating. While I have "the munchies" at least I'm ok with my choices (except the cake, but in my defense, I only ate a few bites!).

I'm stuck in the house, bored, and hungry.

This is why I didn't want to get obsessed with calories! I don't want to feel guilty about eating some cake every now and then. That, to me, is unhealthy!

I'm not usually that sensitive to sweets. Except ice cream. But the ice cream thing I have licked (ha!). McDonald's ice cream cones aren't that bad! If I have a decent day, I can totally fit one into the food list.

Also, I feel ok with eating a bit extra tonight because the past two days have 1. been full of physical activity and 2. involved me eating less than 1,300 calories.

This is the trick, right? Learning your own desires and figuring out how to make them fit into your diet without making you feel 1. guilty and 2. deprived.

Totals: 1,739 calories 237 carbs 55 fat 53 protein

My current issues

And we are clearly GO on Step one.

I am lessening my caloric intake. Yep. At least I think so. I don't know how many calories I was consuming before I started counting them, and I'm not really making many different decisions now. But I'm sure it is the little things that will add up.

Also, as part of this, I am trying to increase my water consumption. This is tough!!! I HATE WATER. I don't really know why, of course, how can you hate something with no taste?

But perhaps that is why - it is just so boring and whenever I drink it, I feel water-logged.

Besides my water drinking, the other challenge to watching what I eat is my life itself.

I'm a law student - that means BUSY, BROKE and BURDENED. It's hard enough to get the work I need to do done, much less add in making lunches and dinners, going grocery shopping, affording healthy food, and working out (part two of the plan).

What I need to do is exactly what I did when I was working towards my undergrad degree: I need to make weekly meal plans, corresponding grocery lists and cross reference it with my budget.

And where will I find the time to do that???

Perhaps after I finish today's homework ... sigh.

The PLAN

The Goal: Lose 50 pounds in 50 weeks.

But how?

Enter The 50 Pounds in 50 Weeks Plan
1. Lessen caloric intake,
2. Increase muscular definition,
3. Increase cardiac activity,
4. Maintain motivation.

Let's attack each section of this (in English).

1. Lessen caloric intake:
For the past few days I have been tracking my food - there were only two times when I altered what I would have done last week with what I should do based on this project: Once at Taco Bell and once at Applebees. Basically, I don't suck at the food choices.

However, I need to learn constant vigilance - hence the calorie counting. I hope, however, that this will only last a month or so. The plan is to learn to make the right choices - habitually. In order to do so, I must practice. And in order to measure my performance, I am stuck counting calories.

2. Increase muscular definition:
The idea here is to build muscle mass in preparation for step three while also creating a healthy (sexy!) body shape by the end of the project. Also, once created, maintaining the hot bod should be easier.

How do I plan on doing this? Push ups, sit ups, weight training, the usual things (throw in yoga too because I love it!). The most important thing for me right now is to integrate this into my normal routine.

3. Increase cardiac activity:
This is key for the "get healthy" aspect of the plan. I want to learn to love running. I've tried in the past. Two years ago I went into training for a 5k, but when a German shepherd attacked me, my training was derailed. I loved the feeling of accomplishment I felt after running each time I went farther than I thought possible. However, the actual act of running was never enjoyable. I want to change this.

Initially, I will get back into training for a 5k. From there, I haven't quite decided, but I'm sure I will come up with something. After all, my world is surrounded by runners - they are full of ideas. And if they aren't, there is always Runner's World magazine!

4. Maintain motivation:
Ah yes, motivation: the Achilles heel of any weight-loss plan. This is the most important part of the plan. Motivation will be maintained by setting small, achievable goals throughout the 50 weeks. First goal: Drink more water!

Running that 5k will be a goal, as will being able to stop counting calories every day, being able to do 20 normal push-ups, and being able to fit in calf-high boots that don't come from a plus-size store.

Wait a little more ...

I have a lot of work to do tonight, and it has nothing to do with this project. However, I feel like I need to apologize. So far, I have written a lot about what I'm doing, but not how I'm doing it.

I promise, promise, promise to do that this week!'

Several people have asked me about my plan, and I have one, I really do.

I promise to tell you all!!! It's good, it really is.

Definitely worth the wait! You'll love it!

Totals: 1,277 Calories 176 carbs 36 fat 43 protein

Exercise, smexercise

As part of this endeavor, it is clear to me that more exercise must be added to my life.

A year ago, I lost 20 pounds in 2 months. How? I started running 20 miles every other day!

But I hate it when exercise becomes a chore.

So, in an effort to burn more calories without feeling like I have to exercise, I am adding new activities throughout the week.

Yesterday was self-defense class. My friend Abby (she is a member of the 50n50 FB group) and I went out to Kaufmann Stadium (where the Royals play) and learned to protect our assets. In all honesty, I don't think it burned too many calories, but it was nice to get out on Saturday morning and do something I wouldn't normally do.



After the class, we went back to Abby's and really got an upper body workout! We demolished her old 1970's tiny-tile backsplash!

We got about 2/3 of the way through it all when it was time for me to get home and check on the dogs. Today, we will finish the rest and put up a new backsplash. Abby isn't quite sure what she wants to do yet, but I am excited, nonetheless!!!

Not missing a thing!

So, today I accidently missed breakfast - it was an over site that I will correct tomorrow.

However, I am still pretty proud of my totals! Technically, I was even warned by Sparkpeople.com that I didn't eat enough calories today.

Wanna know the best part? I ate lunch from McDonalds and dinner at Applebees!

Wanna know my trick? I'll post it soon enough!


Totals: 1,258 calories 179 carbs 33 fat 66 protein

Want a shirt?

FOr motivation and style, I have designed a cool shirt - this one is only $20!!! Let me know if you are interested. It comes in long sleeve, short sleeve or a sweatshirt (prices vary).

How fun is this???

Planning to plan

I am officially armed and ready to go!

Tonight I went to the bookstore and bought several magazines and books to better prepare me for my challenge.


This weekend will be spent organizing things - meal plans, grocery lists, workout plans, etc.

Let me tell you, it is on!



Today's totals: 1,701 calories 281 carbohydrates 22 fat grams 74 protein grams

Starting out strong?

So far today, I have only consumed 617 calories. That gives me 753 - 1,103 to play with for dinner tonight!

Seeing as it's date night, this excites me.

I just have to make smart decisions. Hmmm ...

Water sucks

Water, water every where - and every drop to drink!

I'm just going to say it: I hate water.

I don't really know why, but it is just so boring!!

However, I am resolving to suck it up - literally.

I figured out long ago that I drink more when I use a straw - I took this knowledge and applied it to the rare occasions I drink sodas. Take out the straw, and I don't down three sodas (full of syrupy calories!) in one meal.

Now, add the straw and I drink 24 ounces of water on my way to school in the morning! How awesome is that?

Uh oh, better visit the ladies room once more before two hours of class ....

Invitation? Challenge?

If you want, JOIN ME in my challenge!!!!

PLEASE! I would love to have people working on this with me.

Only have ten pounds to lose? (Lucky!) That's great. Join me for ten weeks and then brag when you've hit your goal. I promise I will cheer with you - and you will give me even more incentive to keep going!

Have more than 50 pounds to lose? I'll be there with you the entire way! This is not just a diet and exercise program, this is a major life change. I will be working at this FOR LIFE!

So please, feel free to join and comment as you go along. Let's share our tales of woe. Our ups and downs - hopefully each week will be full of downs!

Invite your friends, all are welcome!

LET'S DO THIS!!!

Yay, go team!

Starting Point

Every endeavor starts somewhere - sadly, mine doesn't start with me and a 26-inch waist.

Here are the depressing stats as taken today:

Measurements:
Weight: 195 lbs (sigh)
Waist: 40 inches (not sucking in)
Hips: 47.25 inches (junk in the trunk, much?)
Thigh: 28.5 inches
Upper Arm: 15.5 inches
Calf: 17.25 inches (a real target area for me ... I HATE my killer calves!)

Fitness Tests:
Pushups: 4 (How sad is that?!?)
Crunches: 15 (I remember being able to do 50!)

Food:
Fat: My Goal:30-67 Today: 53
Carbohydrates: My Goal: 154-280 Today: 279
Calories: My Goal: 1370-1720 Today: 1915 (spiced pumpkin latte was the culprit!)
Protein: My Goal: 60-150 Today: 58 (adding peanut butter to the mix tomorrow)

Setting goals

While sitting in class yesterday, one of the guys in the row in front of me was visiting SparkPeople.com. It looked like an interesting site - recipes, fitness and smiling young, hip people. I entered it into my memory bank and went on with my day.

While avoiding my studies this afternoon, I pulled from the banks and hit up the site. Turns out it is a weight loss site. Thinking it would be cool ... I joined and started building my profile.

As part of the profile, they asked weight, height and configured my BMI: 33.5. Apparently, I'm obese.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!

Now, I am a girl with a plan. I will lose 50 pounds in 50 weeks. That will get me into the ideal range for my 5'4" frame.