Day 7 - I CAN Do It

"It takes 6 months to get into shape and 2 weeks to get out of shape. Once you know this you can stop being angry about other things in life and only be angry about this."

Rita Rudner

I copied this from Bluebird Notes.  I don't know if it's actually fact or fiction, but I know it's how it seems! And, of course, it isn't an excuse to be angry at anything.  Rather it is incentive to get in shape and STAY in shape.    Thus, my current tools (pictured here) along with healthy eating.  

I CAN do it!  WE can do it!

ALMOST DONE

Day 6 - One for the history books!    I've stuck to the plan and have one day left. 
I'm happy to be back at my B.C. weight (Before Christmas).  Tomorrow I will complete my seven day commitment.  I feel lighter, proud of myself, thankful to God for giving me the inner strength to do it, energized, healthier, and ready for the next challenge:   

Keeping off the 40 pounds I lost last year and losing a few more to reach 135#.

Things I Didn't Eat on Day 5

french fries, garlic bread, turtle blizzard, latte grande, fresh donuts, Big Mac, Snicker candy bar, Almond Joy candy bar, Heath candy bar, Hawaiian bread with spinach dip, peanuts with chocolate chips and raisins, bacon, hot fudge sundae, Moose Tracks ice cream, brownies, hazelnut cappuccino, potato chips, buttered popcorn, sausage gravy and biscuits, chocolate chip cookies, nacho chips with melted cheese, loaded baked potato, elephant ears, breaded pork tenderloin sandwich, Milky Way candy bar, Hershey Kisses, taco pizza on pan crust (Pizza Hut)...

Reporting In...End of Day 4

DAY 4

For the record, I've been able to stick to the plan yet another day.  Only three more days to go!    

The Scale is a Good Consultant

 I confess that I went to bed last night feeling a bit hungry.  But I resisted the urge to snack.  I knew that eating even one thing would lead to eating more.  (The strong coffee I drank at the coffee shop didn't help the condition of my stomach any either.)

At any rate, I got up this morning, weighed as I usually do and was THRILLED to see results already on the scale.  Yes, I'm one of those who still thinks that in the business of weight management the scale is a good consultant.

I am encouraged to continue my vegetable/fruit plan.  After today, I am over halfway finished!

Day 3 of 7

For our main meal today, I prepared a salad of iceberg lettuce, chopped broccoli, walnuts, raisins, a hard boiled egg and tomato.  A side of chopped chicken made it heartier for my husband along with some saltine crackers.

We finished it off with an apple.

Tonight I meet a friend at a coffee shop.  I will have a cup of decaf coffee instead of something fancy.

A handful of almonds and a slow snack of 2 T. peanut butter with either another apple or a pear will be enough for me today.

I'm still liking this plan!

Day 2 of 7

This morning for breakfast I finished a small container of peach light yogurt.  Around 1:00 we ate our lunch/dinner.  I fixed some steamable mixed vegetables.  I'd never bought these (frozen) before, but they were on sale a couple of weeks ago.  They were VERY good.  I ate a large portion with just a little seasoning and Parmesan cheese sprinkled on them.  I also ate some applesauce.

For my husband,  I added a side of a fettuccine alfredo with some chicken from the rotisserie chicken I'd purchased yesterday.

This 7-Day Plan is doable. I'm glad I started it yesterday.  I may fix a bowl of oatmeal tonight if I get hungry or eat a handful of almonds.  Or maybe I won't be hungry!  I plan to walk and rebound inside around 4:00 this afternoon.  I need to finish the month strong in the exercise department!   (To keep me honest, I post my exercise minutes in a list in my sidebar.  By referencing it, I can see if  I'm on target with my goal of never letting 2 days pass in a row without 30 minutes of exercise.)

How are YOU doing?  Do you "keep track" of your exercise?  How?

Channeling My Appetite

I have a goal - to spend the next 7 days eating fruits, vegetables, nuts and yogurt.  I may have a bowl or two of oatmeal as well and no more than 2 tablespoons of peanut butter a day.

I prepared by shopping this morning. I was glad to find a large bag of apples on sale and some pears, too.  Of course, I also bought the usual bananas and a new container of raisins, one of our food "staples".

Vegetables were harder to select for some reason.  I bought some carrots, broccoli, and a couple of Roma tomatoes.  I had a package of cabbage slaw on hand and have some bags of frozen vegetables in the freezer.

I've gotten a little careless with quantities and food choices since arriving at my goal weight.  It's time to channel my appetite and pay attention to my habits.  I've chosen items that will satisfy my hunger over the next week and will celebrate success on February 1 when my extended family meets to celebrate February birthdays.

Wish I'd Said That,Too!

"Wishing is not a strategy."

Seen here.

Wish I'd Said That!

“We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.” – Jim Rohn

It Pays!

Saturday I bought a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store. Sometimes it is on sale for $4.99 (but not Saturday). However,  it is always a treat to bring the chicken home DONE! My husband took the meat off the bones and we discarded the skin. Then we enjoyed a serving each on a reduced-price Greek salad from the deli ("sell by today"). It was delicious. We still have at least two (maybe three) more meals to enjoy from Saturday's chicken! I might try one of the following:

•  Add to frozen mixed vegetables and some chicken broth or bouillon for soup (or to canned vegetable soup).
•  Season with taco seasoning for tacos or fajitas.
•  Use in a stir fry with fresh vegetables and a helping of rice.
• Add to marinara sauce and enjoy on a serving of whole wheat pasta.
•  "White" pizza on whole wheat crust.
•  Serve in a whole wheat wrap for lunch.
•  Chicken salad. I'm still looking for a good, low fat recipe. Any suggestions? (I HAVE used 1/2 plain yogurt and 1/2 mayo. (I'm not too fond of "light" mayo")
•  A breakfast burrito or in an omelet.

The calories in a single serving of chicken (about 3 oz.) range from 140-170.  It's important to remember portion sizes and NOT eat the skin to enjoy the benefits of this low fat menu item!

Do you have any OTHER ideas for left-over chicken?

FUZZY FITNESS

After a couple of days of fuzzy fitness, I'm back to clarity!  I've walked & rebounded for 30 minutes and have a concrete plan to follow for eating healthy foods today. 

How do YOU sharpen YOUR fitness focus? 

BREAKFAST

Later today I'll be at a restaurant with my Ex-Red Hat Club.  Hubby is having breakfast with a friend.  So I decided the leftover fruit from last night would make a fine and healthy breakfast for me--oranges (ours have had GREAT sweet flavor recently), apples, a few frozen blueberries and some strawberries, topped with a handful of walnuts.

PASSION - MY "ONE WORD" for 2010

Synonyms:  passion, fervor, fire, zeal, ardor

• Passion is a deep, overwhelming emotion. 
• Fervor is great warmth and intensity of feeling: "The union of the mathematician with the poet, fervor with measure, passion with correctness, this surely is the ideal" (William James).
• Fire is burning passion: "In our youth our hearts were touched with fire" (Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.)
• Zeal is strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance: "Laurie [resolved], with a glow of philanthropic zeal, to found and endow an institution for ... women with artistic tendencies" (Louisa May Alcott).
• Ardor is fiery intensity of feeling: "the furious ardor of my zeal repressed" (Charles Churchill). (H.G. Wells).
  

Clearly, the word has some negative connotations.  However, all the positive aspects are what I want to experience increasingly in 2010.  It was triggered by a quote I've seen floating around quite a bit on the internet lately:

“In the world it is called Tolerance, but in hell it is called Despair, 

the sin that believes in nothing, cares for nothing, seeks to know nothing, interferes with nothing, enjoys nothing, hates nothing, finds purpose in nothing, lives for nothing,and remains alive because there is nothing for which it will die."  (Dorothy Sayers)

WINTER AEROBICS

I was surprised it only took me 20 minutes to shovel the walks this morning.  So I came inside, set the timer for 10 minutes and finished my 30 minute regular walking/rebounding session.

Black Bean Chili

The scent of this delicious chili is matched by the anticipation of eating it this afternoon!  While snow continues to fall, healthy eating and indoor exercise will continue in THIS house if I have anything to do with it.

Saute in a sprayed pan: 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped green pepper, 2 pressed garlic cloves.

Add:  2 15 oz. cans of black beans rinsed and drained, 2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes undrained, 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon chili powder.

I put all of this in the crock pot to simmer for 6 hours or so.  May garnish with fat free sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Dedication!

RUN when you can,
WALK when you have to,
CRAWL if you must,
Just NEVER GIVE UP!

I didn't increase my 2010 exercise "time" goal  (30 minutes 4-5 days a week).  However, I am slowly increasing the time that I jog on my rebounder!  Currently I'm running about 10 of the 30 minutes.  I think I should be able to be running 16 by summer time.  (I jog 2 minutes at a time; then return to walking in place and doing some of Leslie Sansone's other moves....)